THE SHIITE AND SUNNI STORY

THERE ARE ONE BILLION MUSLIMS WORLD WIDE.  THE SUNNIS HOLD A MAJORITY IN
SAUDI ARABIA, EGYPT, YEMEN, PAKISTAN, INDONESIA, TURKEY, ALGERIA, MOROCCO AND TUNISIA.

SHIITES, HOLD A MAJORITY IN IRAN, IRAQ, AZERBAIJAN AND BAHRAIN BUT MAINTAIN SIZABLE MINORITIES IN AFGHANISTAN AND KUWAIT.
THE BILLION MUSLIMS  ARE DIVIDED THUS: 85% ARE SUNNIS AND 15% ARE SHIITES.

STILL WITH ME?  I TRAVEL ON TO THE MAIN THRUST OF THE STORY  --  STAY WITH ME.  THERE ARE  DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO.

WHY DO THEY NOT GET ALONG?
SUNNIS ACCEPT THAT THE THE FIRST FOUR CALIPHS, INCLUDING ALI, WERE THE
RIGHTFUL FOLLOWERS OF MUHAMMAD.  SHIITES N ON THE OTHER HAND BELIEVE
IMAMS ARE DESCENDANTS OF THE PROPHET.  THERE YOU HAVE IT.  SO THEY KILL
EACH OTHER.  SINCE THE SUNNIS ARE IN THE MAJORITY THEY KILL MORE SHIITES.

CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS DID NOT GET ALONG FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS (AND IN STRAGGLING CASES STILL AREN'T GETTING ALONG). AH THE MYSTERIES
OF RELIGION.  THEY ALL PROFESS TO BELIEVE IN ONE GOD.

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

The the USA debt exceeded 8 trillion dollars in 2006.

The Americans have higher infant mortality rates than in Canada
even though they spend more per person on health care than any
other nation.

One third of Americans fought alongside the British Redcoats.

Some Africans were involved in the slave trade.

Latinos were involved in genocide of Native Americans.

One year on Mars is the equivalent to two earth years.

The equator has no seasons, at least as far as sunlight is concerned,
but if you lived on top of it, you'll see about 12 hours of sunlight
every day.

To clean a microwave: fill a medium bowl with water and sliced lemon,
cook for 5 minutes, let sit for 5 minutes, door closed.  Then use a paper
towel and wipe clean.  Presto!

Each year scientists identify more than 15 thousands new species out of
the more than 10 million different kinds of plants and animals believed to
exist on the planet.

That's all folks for now.  Now you can sleep.

GALAXIES

THERE ARE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, 10 BILLION TO 1 TRILLION GALAXIES IN THE UNIVERSE.  WE UNDERLINGS HAVE ONLY ONE, SHUCKS.  I GUESS  WE'LL HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT.  NEW PLANETS ARE SHOWING UP REGULARLY.  WHAT'S UP?

BREATHE THIS IN

TRY THIS FOR SIZE  --  TAKE A SHORT INHALATION FOLLOWED BY A LONG INHALATION.  THIS WILL EMPTY MUCH MORE STALE AIR FROM YOUR LUNGS.  IT'S

CALLED TRANSFORMATIONAL BREATHING.  FEEL THE DIFFERENCE?

AS YOU AGE YOU LOSE ABOUT 30,000 BRAIN CELLS A DAY THAT IMPACTS ALL OF
YOUR LIFE, HOW YOU THINK AND HOW YOU FEEL  DON'T AGE, YOU DON'T LOSE.

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION TELLS US THAT RADIO FREQUENCY ELECTRO
MAGNETIC FIELDS CREATED BY CELL PHONES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE
CANCER IN HUMANS.  IF YOU ARE NOT HUMAN, DISREGARD THIS MESSAGE OR PUT
YOUR PHONE ON SPEAKER.

GENETIC CODE = 25000 GENES AND 100 TRILLION CELLS.  THAT'S A HELL OF A LOT
OF CELLS TO CARRY AROUND, DON'T YOU THINK?

BOTH GUINEA PIGS AND HAMSTERS SUPPLEMENT THEIR DIET BY EATING THEIR
OWN FECES.  TO EACH HIS OWN.  AREN'T THEY JUST ADORABLE?

CATS NOT SPAYED CAN PRODUCE 100 KITTENS IN HER LIFETIME.  SPAY FOR CAT'S
SAKE.  OKAY?

SENSE THIS

FIVE SENSES PLUS FIVE SENSES

vision
hearing
touch
taste
smell

WANT MORE?

pressure
temperature
pain
balance
motion

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

THE NEW MAN

MEN HAVE LATELY DISCOVERED COLOR ASSISTED BY THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY WHO NEED MORE BUSINESS, MORE DOLLARS ROLLING IN. NO LONGER DO THE COLORS OF WHITE, BLACK AND BROWN DOMINATE.

SOCKS, SHIRTS, TIES, SLACKS, JEANS, SHOES, CAPS AND FEDORAS ARE ALIVE WITH
BRIGHT SHADES.  HERE ARE JUST SOME TO PLEASE YOUR EYES.  FOLLOW ME.
SCREAMIN' GREEN, VIOLET, YELLOW, SALMON, HOT MAGENTA, OLIVE, GRANNY SMITH APPLE, AIR-FORCE BLUE, PINK, RED, ORANGE, GINGER, HOOKER'S GREEN, ECRU, EGGPLANT AND  TONS MORE. 

GROOMING IS IN WITH A PLUS.  FINGER AND TOE NAILS ARE NO LONGER DONE AT HOME, HEAVEN FORBID.  FACIALS ARE IN VOGUE,  BODY WASH IS THE TICKET, WHAT HAPPENED TO GOOD OLD SOAP? SHAVING CREAM NOW RUNS AT 35 SMACKERS FOR
THE SUCKERS WHO BELIEVE THAT MORE IS BETTER.  MINE COSTS AROUND ONE OR TWO BUCKS AND MY FACE SMILES.

IN THE WINGS WE HAVE THE COSMETIC GIANTS: CALVIN KLEIN, KENNETH COLE, JACK BLACK, MARC ECKO AND HANS DE FUKO, TO NAME A FEW.  THEY INSIST THAT MEN SHOULD SMELL NICE AT A PRICE.  EAU DE COLOGNE HAS ARRIVED WITH A VENGEANCE.  ADS USE FRENCH NAMES FOR SOME OF THEIR PRODUCTS.  POUR LES HOMME IS A COMMON LEAD-IN AS WELL AS SEDUCTIVE HOMME. AMERICANS GO GAGA OVER ZEE FRENCH. PRICES RANGE  FROM $35 TO $75 FOR THREE OUNCES.  BY THE WAY, DON'T FORGET ZEE SCRUBS, I SPEAK OF LES EXFOLIATING SCRUBS. RUB, SCRUB IN A TUB.

GOT TO SING ALONG WITH ME; HERE COMES THE GROOM  SMELLING BETTER THAN
THE BRIDE.
 

THE CLOCK IS TICKING, MARCH 2012

I HAVE DONATED, MY BODY FOR PURPOSES OF MEDICAL  EDUCATION AND RESEARCH.
MY BODY WILL BE OF SOME USE.  CONSIGNING MY BODY FOR BURIAL WAS NOT AN OPTION. MAKING FAT WORMS FATTER DID NOT APPEAL TO ME.

MY BODY SPEAKS TO ME LOUDLY AND CLEARLY ---  IT SAYS YOU'VE GOT WEEKS, MONTHS, OR AT MOST A YEAR.  I AM NOT SUICIDAL, ALTHOUGH MANY IN MY PAINFUL CONDITION WOULD OPT FOR IT.  EVERY PART OF MY TORN BODY WANTS OUT BUT THERE ARE SOME UNFINISHED TASKS I MUST ATTEND TO FIRST.

I AM NOT A  RICH MAN BUT I CAN LEAVE A LEGACY OF WORDS AND I MUST TRY TO BROADEN THIS LEGACY BY ADDING MORE  BLOG POSTS AND COMPLETING ANOTHER STORY, A TRUE STORY OF ARMY DAYS PRIOR TO BASIC TRAINING.  I CAN VISUALIZE MY FAMILY GATHERED AROUND THE LIVING ROOM, CELEBRATING  MY SCRIBBLINGS WITH LAUGHTER MIXED WITH SOME TEARS PERHAPS.

I LEAVE YOU MY WORDS, AND ALL MY LOVE