When you want to accomplish anything in life it is important to set goals for that ambition to come true. Goal Setting allows you to more easily move from the theoretical of, “Gee it would be nice if that happened” to the realm of “Wow, that was an awesome thing I just did.” I have heard of many ways to organize your thoughts when you are goal setting, and I wanted to share one of the most successful for myself with you. If you are truly looking to accomplish something in life follow the S.M.A.R.T. technique and you will see it happen before your very eyes. Well almost.
The S.M.A.R.T. Technique of goal setting is simple to follow but write it out and it will work best.
S.- The S stands for Specific– When you write down your goal you need to be specific about what you want to achieve. If you want to make more money, then write in your goal specifically how much, if you want a new relationship, then write down specifically what you are looking for in a significant other. Whatever the thing is write it down specifically so that there can be no misinterpretation about it. You will set your mind on the path to achievement by being specific in your goal setting.
M.- The M is for Measurable- When goal setting, you have to quantify the goal in some way, so you can measure it. How else will you be able to assess you progress toward your goal if you don’t measure it or can’t measure it? Do not be vague in any way, just like you were specific in the first step, make it so that you can measure your goal in some substantial way. In finances or in action.
A.-is for As If Now- When you write your goal down, write it in the present tense, as if it is happening right now! This type of statement will help you set your mindset in the right direction. If you approach something as if it is happening right now in your life, it will be easier to bring about. This is because your subconscious can’t really decipher between real thoughts and thoughts from your imagination. So write your goals in the present tense: “I am improving my sales by 10 today because I was more attentive.” Or, “I am nicer to people because I value their unique perspectives.” This is an important part of goal setting.
R. is for Realistic- Although you should reach for a target that stretches your current position, you have to make your goal setting realistic and possible to achieve. This simply means that your goals can’t be physically impossible in any way. Your goals can be a stretch just not an impossibility. An example of a possible goal, I am making 15 more sales a week or I am meeting 1 new person this week. Don’t limit yourself in the scope of your dreams, look to become the bet that you can be. Just make sure your goals are within the laws of physics.
T. – Time Sensitive- Goal setting really becomes relevant and powerful when there is a time frame involved. It will force you to take action and attempt to reach your goal. If your goal is to be achieved by next Friday, then you have to start taking action today. Taking action is the only method to achieve goals.
There you have it, a simple S.M.A.R.T. plan for goal setting that can help you start moving toward your dreams. A wise friend recently told me that a person without a plan will go nowhere but around in circles and I agree with him. Setting goals will allow you to start to build the future that you dream of.
On this page you will find some quotes that I like, I like to think of them as Words of Wisdom, for myself and any who read them. I am continually adding to them as I come across new ones that I feel are significant to my own experience, and gladly share them with you. Hopefully I will provide you with some new quotes to like. There are so many windows into the lives of those that have gone before us, they have experienced what we are experiencing now, know what we need to know and many of them have saved their quotes for us to enjoy and learn from. I wanted to share some of the words which I have found helpful over time. These Inspirational Quotes, I hope will inspire you to follow your dreams to whatever destiny is in front of you.
“Set a goal to achieve something that is so big, so exhilarating that it excites you and scares you at the same time. It must be a goal that is so appealing, so much in line with your spiritual core, that you can’t get it out of your mind. If you do not get chills when you set a goal, you’re not setting big enough goals.”-Bob Proctor
“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”-Albert Schweitzer
More Words of Wisdom
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” –Melody Beattie
“The way to know life is to love many things.” –Vincent Van Gogh
“Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe and enthusiastically act upon….must inevitably come to pass.”Paul J. Meyer
“If we are growing, we are constantly going to be out of our comfort zone.” John Maxwell
“The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.” Norman Vincent Peale
“If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.” Henry David Thoreau
“When life gives you lemons, please, just don’t squirt them into other people’s eyes.” J. Andrew Helt
“I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly and acutely miserable, but through it all I still know that just to be alive is a grand thing.”Agatha Christie
Words of Wisdom
“It is better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.” Abraham Lincoln
“Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” John Wooden
“Between you and every goal that you wish to achieve, there is a series of obstacles, and the bigger the goal, the bigger the obstacles. Your decision to be, have and do something out of the ordinary entails facing difficulties and challenges that are out of the ordinary as well. Sometimes your greatest asset is simply your ability to stay with it longer than anyone else.” -Brian Tracy
“People are just as happy as they make their minds up to be.”Abraham Lincoln
“Goals are a means to an end, not the ultimate purpose of our lives. They are simply a tool to concentrate our focus and move us in a direction. The only reason we really pursue goals is to cause ourselves to expand and grow. Achieving goals by themselves will never make us happy in the long term; it’s who you become, as you overcome the obstacles necessary to achieve your goals, that can give you the deepest and most long-lasting sense of fulfillment.” -Anthony Robbins
“Whatever you are, be a good one.” Abraham Lincoln
“Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture…. Do not build up obstacles in your imagination.” -Norman Vincent Peale
“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.” Abraham Lincoln
“The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him your friend.” Abraham Lincoln
Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. Benjamin Franklin
Even more words of Wisdom
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
Helen Keller
Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will.
Jawaharal Nehru
Life is like the dice that, falling, still show a different face. So life, though it remains the same, is always presenting different aspects. Alexis
Our life’s a stage, a comedy: either learn to play and take it lightly, or bear its troubles patiently.
Palladas
The geat blessing of mankind are within us and within our reach; but we shut our eyes, and like people in the dark, we fall foul upon the very thing we search for, without finding it.
Seneca
(7 B.C. – 65 A.D.)
Govern thy life and thoughts as if the whole world were to see the one, and read the other. Thomas Fuller
Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Life, in all ranks and situations, is an outward occupation, an actual and active work. W. Humboldt
Unrest of spirit is a mark of life; one problem after another presents itself and in the solving of them we can find our greatest pleasure.
Kal Menninger
Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience treacherous, judgment difficult. Hypocrites
After the game,
the king and the pawn go into the same box.
Italian Proverb
The acts of this life are the destiny of the next. Eastern Proverb
Life is a tragedy for those who feel, and a comedy for those who think.
La Bruyere
Life is like a library owned by the author.
In it are a few books which he wrote himself,
but most of them were written for him. Harry Emerson Fosdick
We make our fortunes, and we call them fate.
Earl of Beaconsfield
The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live.
Elbert Hubbard
Life’s a voyage that’s homeward bound. Herman Melville
The whole of life is but a moment of time. It is our duty, therefore to use it, not to misuse it.
Plutarch
Life is variable. Plautus
Life is a rich strain of music, suggesting a realm too fair to be.
George William Curtis
I made my life my monument.
Ben Johnson
The boundaries which divide life from death
are at best shadowy and vague.
Who shall say where one ends,
and the other begins? Edgar Alan Poe
One way to get the most out of life is
to look upon it as an adventure.
William Feather
Life without endeavor is like entering a jewel mine and coming out with empty hands. Japanese Proverb
Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood. Ralph Waldo Emerson
There are no classes in life for beginners: right away you are always asked to deal with what is most difficult. Rainer Maria Rilke
To live is like to love–all reason is against it, and all healthy instinct for it.
Samuel Butler
One life – a little gleam of time between two eternities. Thomas Carlyle
Life is a pure flame,
and we live by an invisible sun within us.
Sir Thomas Brown
As I grow to understand life less and less,
I learn to love it more and more.
Jules Renard
Say Happy Birthday To the Greatest Grandmother In History
Today is March 2, 2018, which is not just another day on the calendar, it is the day that my grandmother, Helen Vinal Hilton was born. She would have been 96 this year.
I am sure that most people think great things about their grandmothers, I was fortunate to have two great ones, and to have a positive relationship with both.
Now they have both passed away, there are certain times when their memory comes to my mind more strongly than others, March 2 is one of those days for me.
To give you a little background about Helen, she was without a doubt the sweetest, kindest, most encouraging, loving, and funniest person I have ever met.
We always had a special bond since I can remember. I have vivid memories of her playing games with us when we were young, you name it we played it, cards, board games. She always made sure there were things for us to do when we visited with her.
I remember her taking us to movies, to visit Santa Clause, and to the Circus. (I never liked clowns, and probably wouldn’t have survived and enjoyed the circus if it wasn’t for her. )
One of the most incredible things, my siblings and I all remember about both our father’s parents was the unquestioning welcome they always gave you when you showed up. I would never have considered ever calling to see if they were home, or giving them any warning at all, I just showed up, as did my brothers and sister.
Not once did I ever feel like it was an intrusion. They were always, truly, happy to see me and we always had a great visit. They usually involved cookies, but we always could just talk about things. What it was like growing up for her, what World War II was like for them, what various members of the family were up to.
It seemed like we always stayed connected to relatives we didn’t see. Very often through those conversations. When my Grandfather was alive, he would chime in as well, and after he passed, Helen and I talked more and more about life. I valued those conversations then, but treasure the memory of them now. She was a great lady, great grandmother, and a great friend. I wouldn’t have traded her and her memory for anything else in the world.
So on this day, I am taking a moment to remember, and send some of the love and attention that Helen always gave to me, back to her. I hope that she knows that no matter whatever else she did in life, she was the Greatest Grandmother In History!
Even though she has been gone for over 15 years, my memories of her and all of her acts of kindness and her melodic laugh live on in my heart. Happy Birthday Grammy! How do can someone ever say thank you for all that you did and the great example you set for all of us who loved you.
Inspiration comes from who we see and what we experience every day.
by Jonathan Hilton
The more I look for topics to write about and expound upon, the more my writing process comes clearly into my mind. I write best when I have someone specifically in mind to write about, because it is like I am explaining my thoughts or emotions to them, or that I am giving them advice. Often I know the advice would never be received directly, so I just give it on the pages of my writing.
Since these people of inspiration are all around me, they may not even know that I have been inspired by them. I can look at almost every one of the approximately 200 articles I have written on this website and remember clearly the lesson or situation that prompted the thoughts or feelings that caused me to put it to paper. This clearly shows me that people do not recognize the impact that they have on others just by living life as an example.
As we approach the new year of 2013 I am endeavoring to dig deeper into those relationships that I have had in the past to wring out the valuable experiences that I have been fortunate to experience in my lifetime. That means that if you have ever met me than you will probably be the motivation for some piece of writing that I have done in the past or I will do over the next year or two.
All things create stories in your mind, all you have to do is tell them.
I have never mentioned a name or directed a thought directly at someone because my intention is not to publicize anyone’s short comings or problems. I simply have had experiences with people in my life that have taught me lessons from their positive actions or from their negative behavior. Each situation has value, it is just much more fun to remember the positive, and often more valuable to recall the negative behavior some have displayed.
What this means as we head into a new year is that I am going to be writing and publishing a lot of material over the next year and when you read it, you just might see something of yourself in that writing. I am grateful in advance for all of the experiences and looking forward to sharing them in the future. It is definitely true that there is inspiration all around us and all we have to do is look for it, to find it.
I am planning on continually publishing articles about inspiration, but I am also going to be sharing short stories from all aspects of my youth, because they were great and they helped make me what I am today. I can not wait to get started.
Related articles
Smile, Inspire, Be Grateful. Looking forward to 2013
One of the things I like the least in life are mean people. Mean people exist and thrive on crapping on the attitude, accomplishments, interests or well being of someone else, with the sole purpose of making themselves feel more powerful or to increase their own self-esteem. In a word these people are toxic and need to be avoided at all costs. They can leave you feeling worn out, tired, depleted and negative about everything but most importantly about yourself. It seems that they spend all day thinking about how to be mean to people.
Now I understand that most acts that can be considered mean come from people who need to make themselves feel better about whatever is happening in their lives and because they feel a lack of power, self-esteem or everyday ordinary goodness in their own lives. This makes them feel the need to treat others poorly. What bothers me is that it takes very little effort to NOT be mean, and perhaps some of the inadequacies they see in themselves would be alleviated if they just tried to be less judgmental and inconsiderate once in awhile.
People’s actions may be done without the intention of being mean to others, but when you gossip, put others down, ridicule, judge or make fun of someone else, you are stepping into the dark side of mean. So often in our social media society do people make fun of others, it has become an accepted form of expression. Look no further than Youtube. You can look at almost any video on there and if you bother to read the comments left, there is always someone who has gone out of their way to leave a not so positive comment, often using foul language and almost always to put down the content of the video or the creator. I often wonder how bad their lives must be to spend their time to be so negative. It is really unnecessary, if you don’t like something you see, why don’t people just not watch it? I guess that to do that would rob them of an opportunity to be a jerk, and being a jerk and getting noticed is better than not getting noticed at all. On Facebook, people go to all kinds of lengths to make negative pages about people, for the sole purpose of hurting them. There are numerous cases of cyber-bullying that have even led to suicide. Why? I just don’t seem to be able to grasp the concept of being that hurtful to someone else.
It has become the right of everyone to be negative about everyone who is a celebrity. We all seem to have a licence to judge them and their situation simply because they are well known. In reality, we know nothing about the issues facing these people and the facts about their circumstances. It all comes from jealousy, we as a society, build people up and seem to relish in tearing them down. Charlie Sheen is a great example. Does he have issues? Yeah, he does. I don’t think that I know enough about him as a person to make a judgement about whether or not he is an addict or mentally unstable. I have never met him and I don’t know any more about his character or values than I do about someone who cleans windows for a living. Most people don’t. That hasn’t stopped our society from judging him and ridiculing his decisions like we are so much better a person than him. Really we know nothing and a train wreck, real or imagined makes people feel good, because it’s not their train wreck. Just say the name Snookie and people will immediately let you know their judgments about this person. I don’t know why people like to judge her so much, but she has gotten rich and famous because of it. I personally don’t know Snookie and how she chooses to live her life is her business and that of MTV. I think people criticize her because they see a part of themselves in her that they just don’t like.
In life there are going to be people we deal with that we may not like or appreciate. It happens, people are different and not everyone is going to get along. But does that give us a license to be mean to them? It takes little effort to be courteous and accepting. If people put in as much effort into being kind and accepting as they did into being mean and judgmental the world would be a much better place.
Here are a few ideas for those of us working on living a positive lifestyle and Stop Being Mean:
Most mean people have a sarcastic edge….arm yourself with a few funny one-liners that you can use when faced with a negative person.
Don’t take what a mean person says personally…it is their problem, definitely not yours!
If you have a friend that has a mean streak and tends to say things that hurt you or others, try saying, “Ouch” out loud and never allow yourself to get sucked into the behavior. Always know it is okay to not continue the friendship.
Don’t go running away scared from a mean person, walk away with a stronger sense of yourself, knowing that you made a good decision not to get sucked into the negativity!
The ultimate victory for us is not to fight back, get even, be vindicated, nor ever to bring the Mean Person to justice. The ultimate victory is to render this person irrelevant.
Some helpful hints on how NOT to be mean:
Before doing anything quickly ask yourself: “Will this thought/action/comment make the world a better place for me, or anyone else?” If not – don’t do it and save yourself the repercussions. There’s no point expending effort in making yourself or others unhappy. Ever.
Tell yourself constantly that you’re a nice person so that your mind begins to accept that you are. Change your behavior accordingly to fit these new standards. Thinking you’re one of the “good people” instead of a “bad person” can really make a difference to how you act. Your mind will react positively.
Resist judging people if they are not nice to you. You shouldn’t judge people anyway. There is always someone nice inside everybody, even those whose insecurity causes them to be mean to you.
Like all habits, this one will be hard to stop. With perseverance, however, your defensive meanness will change.
Smile. A smile will let people know that you are pleasant and inviting. If you smile at someone, look them in the eye.
Ask people how they are doing. Take the time to ask someone how things are going in their lives, without being nosy or intrusive. If they seem resistant to talking, just let them know that you’re always around to talk to, and that you want them to be alright.
Be a good listener. Listen when other people are talking to you.
Be courteous, patient, observant, and considerate. And be positive. Don’t be negative or critical. Keep looking for the positive in any given situation.
Be humble. The key to being nice is remembering that you are not “better” than someone else. You’re an individual, but everybody has their struggles, and being nice to one another makes life better for everyone.
Be sincere. Be nice because you want to look back on your life and know that you were a nice person, no matter what.
Don’t lie. You will go on to do good things if you refrain from lying.
There are few things which clearly demonstrate the failure of our modern society more than Black Friday. Traditionally this day after Thanksgiving has become the largest shopping day of the year. I have nothing against shopping or the ability to businesses to make money, in fact I am all for capitalism and the right of individuals to run their businesses. I believe that the problem is the ever increasing commercialization of Christmas and the inability of some people to put their family above saving a few dollars.
The Greed Factor
This about says it all. Enjoy your crumbs.
To see this greed factor in action, you don’t have to look any further than the fact that all of the big businesses have extended their Black Friday sales into Thanksgiving day. If you show up at Walmart at 8 PM on Thanksgiving night, you will get a great deal on a great flat screen. This is the price of integrity and family time, an inexpensive television. Sad that there isn’t just one day that you can ignore all of the corporate chatter and pursue some sort of family time and interpersonal connections that don’t cost a thing.
Shoppers or Sheep?
It seems that all people today are just like sheep, being herded to the stores by the herders that run the big stores. Once one store does it, all of them feel
What Black Friday crowds look like to Chain Stores.
the need to open up, because they might miss out on some sales. Forget the fact that the people who are working for you have to be there regardless of whether or not anyone shows up. I can’t imagine the money that is going to be made in those short hours of Thanksgiving night are going to make or break Walmart’s bottom line, and you and I both know they won’t. The additional sales, might help increase their take for the season, but that will be a surplus on top of what they would have made anyway. In fact, I would wager this is a very small percentage of their holiday marketing deluge. It is not Walmart’s, or Kmarts, or Sears’ fault for this, it is the consumer who is willing to show up to spend money.
How much commercialization is too much? Enjoy your sales.
This extension of the marketing of Christmas and the attack on the little family time we have left can be stopped really easily by simply not showing up. If there is nobody there, then the corporations that run Christmas will not pursue it, their advertising schemes will find a more natural outlet. Maybe they will see that there is money to be made in common sense, but that will never happen as long as the sheep, that is the American consumer continues to participate in this foolishness. Everyone seems to forget that this should be a season about love and not about buying more crap that nobody really needs. What is the point? What do you need?
A Dark Forecast for Christmas
Scrooge isn’t the only one in trouble
The future looks dark for those who participate in this type of marketing, because before long the sales will creep up through the week, Black Friday will begin on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. There will be promotions that give you savings for visiting their stores on consecutive days during the week. Or the inevitable heavy barrage of the commercialism of Christmas will move into October, because some marketer realizes that all consumers do exactly what the advertisers tell them to. Sad. But what can we expect when the message people get every day is that more is better and even more stuff is better than that.
Boycott Black Friday
I would add, all corporate retail outlets to this boycott, stay home spend time with your family, or read a book.
The only way to end this foolishness is to stop participation and boycott the whole mess. Stay away from the stores and ignore the marketing. The argument that you will never get that kind of deal again is foolishness, they will still give you the deals later in the season. I am not sure you know, but stores are still competing for your money right up until Christmas, there will be other sales. This will not hurt the bottom line of any business, because you will still shop and buy whatever you were going to buy anyway. The corporate world would have you believe that the entire economy is coming unpinned if the sales on Black Friday aren’t up to expectation. Don’t believe it, that is all media driven foolishness, designed to get you to buy, buy, and buy some more.
Use Your Brain and Think, Make your own Decision
If you have a brain in your head, and you can make your own decisions, then don’t participate in Black Friday in any form or fashion. For the many who will sell their integrity and in effect their soul for a cheap television at Walmart, there is really no hope for you at this time. Stuff doesn’t make you happy, it only gives you more stuff. No matter how much stuff you accumulate, it will not fill the void and emptiness you have inside.
I hope you all experience safe travel and have a happy day eating turkey, watching football and spending time with your family, I think that is what this time of year should be all about.
Mike Martin and I have been friends for forty one years. There are not many people in the
Even though Mike is always wrong, he still argues with me all the time. He is so stubborn.
world outside of your family that you have known your entire life, and still call them your friend. I am fortunate to have had a friend for most of my life, who is cantankerous, stubborn and is often not right about anything! He would tell you the same thing about me. We work together right now and that leads to many conflicts about virtually every subject. When I started this new Picture Project I was in between two of these conflicts, so it only made sense that the first picture should be a symbol of the fights we have on most days. These “fights” are more philosophical battles, where we do not agree on much of anything. But when the chips are down, I know I can count on him and he on me.
The core of our conflict has boiled down to the essence of our philosophies, and all of our conflicts stem from this premise:
My Philosohpy: That there is a right and a wrong, that everyone deep down knows it and that morality is definite and binding. (he refers to this as black and white)
Mike Martin Philosophy: That life is lived on a continuum of gray area, sometimes things are right, sometimes wrong depending on the circumstances. (I refer to this as the whatever way the wind blows philosophy)
I could go into each of he specific debates that we have had over the years but when I write about it I seem to be even more clearly right than when the original argument occurred. Needless to say that we have argued over philosophy, thought, morals, honesty, choices, how to stop drug addiction, and even judgments of others.
Needless to say these arguments have traveled with us from Belgrade all over the State of Maine as we have gone to different locations for work related stuff. There are a few things we do agree on though.
Having had some experience with people that are friendly to you face, but not really a friend it is good to know that even though we argue all the time, it is good to have at least one friend that I can count on, no matter what happens.
So this argument has been going on for 41 years and even though I am always right, it still continues, some day he may even get the last word.
I am continually reminded day to day, how lucky I am to live in a country where I am guaranteed certain freedoms that many others around the world are denied. The document that is most responsible for this is the Bill of Rights. The first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States, were written by our forefathers to make sure that no future generation would be denied their individual rights by anyone including the Government of The United States, they were adopted as part of the U.S. Constitution on December 15, 1791. It is also astounding to me that so few people, understand which rights they are given by this document.
What is an amendment?
A constitutional amendment is a formal change to the text of the written constitution of a nation or state.
Amendment I–
Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion and Petition-Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
*Religion
*The government can’t help or hurt any religion. They can’t make any person believe or practice any religion, nor can they stop any person from believing or practicing any religion. The government can’t make someone Jewish, Hindu, or Muslim nor can they stop someone from being one. They can stop a person from a religious practice if it hurts somebody else. You can’t kill someone even if it is part of a religion.
*This is true for city governments as well. At Christmas time cities sometimes get into trouble for putting up decorations that specifically denote the Christian religion while ignoring others. Schools can’t promote any religion because they are operated by the government.
*Freedom of Speech
*Freedom of Speech does NOT mean that a person can say whatever they want to say. It means that someone’s right to say something is protected within certain limits. A person may have to suffer consequences for saying some things, but they still have the right to say them. For example, it is against the law to yell, “Fire!”, in a crowded place because it may lead to panic and injuries of others. A person has the right to say it, but they also are responsible for the consequences of their actions.
*A person may not say things verbally or in print that they know aren’t true. This is called slander and there are consequences for doing this.
*Freedom of Speech includes non-speech also. What someone wears and how they behave is considered, “Freedom of Expression”, and is a protected right. The Supreme Court has even said that burning the American Flag is a protected speech because it expresses an opinion.
*The authors of the Bill of Rights did not want the government to be able to practice censorship over its citizens, so we have the right to say what we think. An individual can even say disparaging things about the government and nothing will happen to you. There are limits on what kinds of things a person can say in public. that is why the government can limit television programming.
*There are often conflicts over things that are said or printed in books, magazines and newspapers, but just because someone doesn’t like what is being said doesn’t mean that an individual doesn’t have the right to say it.
*The right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
*The right to peaceably assemble means that someone can gather together with others without fear that the government will treat this act as illegal or treat them like a mob. People can gather with whomever they want as long as they are peaceful and not breaking the law. This applies to all groups, even if people generally don’t like or agree with these groups. Motorcycle gangs, militia groups, vampire clubs and the Klu Klux Klan can all meet freely as long as they are peaceful. Protest marchers and government dissenters also have th right to meet with whomever they want.
Citizens also have a right to complain to the government about things they don’t like. The government even provides a way to change those things, by way of a petition. If there is a law or policy that the citizens don’t like they can gather signatures on petitions. These petitions are then used to place initiatives on a ballot and the people can vote about whether to change the law they disagree with.
Amendment II–
Right to keep and bear arms-A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
*During the formation of our country, there was a strong mistrust of the government of Great Britain. The colonists knew that the only way to protect themselves from the same type of tyranny in the future was for citizens to be able to form a militia to protect their freedom. When The Bill of Rights was written, this protection was included. According to current interpretation of the Second Amendment, the government does not have the right to prevent it’s citizens from owning guns. However, this amendment is argued about often. Some people believe that the government is the enemy an citizens must continue to protect themselves. Some believe that the level of violence is so high in the United States because the number of guns available is too high and too many people have guns. There is a popular saying, ” if you outlaw guns, only the outlaws will have guns.” Another popular saying is ” Guns don’t kill people, people do.”
*The government can and does regulate the ownership of guns. There are laws about gun ownership, registration, permits, transportation of guns and the sale of guns. Gun proponents believe that attempts by th government to regulate guns are the same as attempts to keep guns out of the hands of it’s citizens.
Amendment III–
Conditions for quartering of soldiers in homes. No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
*During the Colonial Period, colonists could be forced to let British soldiers sleep in their homes and eat their meals. The authors of The Bill of Rights wanted to make sure this could never happen again so the Third Amendment was added.
Amendment IV–
Right of search and seizure regulated-The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
*The police can’t search someone’s person (body), house, papers, or effects without having a good reason. They can’t take anything from someone without a good reason. Of course the question is often argued, “What is a good reason?”
*Unreasonable searches and seizures are those that are without cause, or more specifically without probable cause. Probable cause means that the police have a good reason to believe that some law has been broken. The Police can not do anything until they convince a judge that they have probable cause and then they can get a warrant which gives them permission to search.
*After the police convince a judge that a crime has been committed, a warrant is issued. The search warrant must say what is to be search, when it is to be searched, what they expect to find and the warrant must be signed by a judge. Many cases are dismissed in court because someone is arrested for having something that is listed on a search warrant. This amendment is the reason the police always ask permission to come into your home or the search your car.
*The police can arrest someone without a warrant when there are special circumstances. If they are chasing someone from the scene of a crime or if they catch someone in the act of a crime, they may not have time to get a warrant before hand. After the arrest, they must then convince the judge that they had “probable cause” to arrest them.
Amendment V-
Provisons concerning prosecution–No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
*No person can be put on trial for a serious crime, unless a group of people called a grand jury first decide that there is enough evidence to make a trial necessary. When there is enough evidence an indictment is issued, which means that the person charged with the crime will face trial for that crime.
*There is an exception for an individual in the military. They can be put on trial without an indictment from a grand jury. If they commit a crime during war or a national emergency.
*Double Jeopardy- If a person is put on trial for a crime and the trial ends, they may not be tried again for the same crime. If they are convicted and serve their time or they are acquitted, they may not be put on trial again.
*The government can’t make someone testify against themselves. A trial generally relies on witness testimony and physical evidence to find justice.
*Due Process-The government can not take away an individual’s life, freedom or property without following a series of steps that give them a fair chance to defend themselves. This procedure makes sure that everyone gets treated the same. No matter who someone is tey should be treated fairly by the police, courts and government.
*The government can’t take away someone’s property without paying them for it in some way. If the state wants to build a road through someone’s property, they can’t just do it they have to compensate the person for it.
Amendment VI-
Right to a speedy trial, witnesses, etc.- In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.
*An accused person has the right to a quick trial. This doesn’t mean that the process of a trial must be over a quickly as possible. It protects a person from being held in jail for an unreasonable amount of time while they wait for a trial. This would be unfair to anyone who is innocent.
*An accused person also has th right to a public trial. The state can’t put them on trial behind closed doors. The trial must be available to the public so that it is certain the rights of the individual were not violated.
*The Trial must be held by an impartial jury. The member of that jury can not be prejudiced against the accused or the crime that they’ve been accused of, or it would be unfair. The trial must also be held in the area where the crime was committed.
*The only exception to this is that in some cases a change of venue would be appropriate if the accused might not get a fair trial in the region the crime was committed due to publicity.
*The accused has the right to know what they are being charged with and why they’re being held in jail. They also have the right to know who is saying that they’ve committed the crime, and the right to ask them questions.
*The accused has the right to force anyone to come to their trial that they believe can help their case. The court can force someone to come to court by issuing a summons or subpoena and the person has no choice but to come to the trial.
*The accused also has the right to an attorney. If they can’t afford an attorney, one will be appointed to them by the court. Whenever someone is arrested they must be read their Miranda Rights which include the right to be silent and the right to an attorney.
Amendment VII-
Right to a trial by jury-In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
*When the Bill of Rights was written twenty dollars was a lot of money. Today, any dispute involving less that $15oo will be handled in small claims court without a jury. Otherwise you are given the right of a trial by a jury.
*United States law forbids anyone from setting up their own court system. If a person goes to court they will always go to a recognized court of the government, either national, state or county. This prohibits a person or a small group of people from taking the law into their own hands, and robbing individuals of their rights.
Amendment VIII–
Excessive bail, cruel punishment-Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Excessive Bail
*The courts can not assign an accused an excessive amount of Bail. If they could, then a judge might be able to decide a bail amount excessively high because he has a personal dislike or bias toward that individual.
*Bail is a sum of mone or property given to the court as a promise that the accused will return for trial. If the accused fails to appear for their trial, they lose the bail.
*Bail is assigned regarding the type of crime committed and the likelihood that the accused will return for the trial.
*Bail allows time for the accused to prepare for theri defense, which might be somewhat harder to do if one were in jail.
Hanging is an acceptable form of execution
*Cruel and unusual punishment- You can not punish someone cruelly nor unusually because of this amendment. Defining what is exactly cruel or unusual can be somewhat difficult to define. It could be argued that all punishments are cruel, that is why they are called punishments and not rewards. The circumstances of the times determine largely what is considered cruel and/or unusual. For example, punishments that might have been condoned in the past are today considered cruel and unusual. Today the issue usually surrounds capital punishment or the death penalty. States that practice capital punishment use either the gas chamber, lethal injection, the electric chair, a firing squad or hanging. Some of these may be considered cruel or unusual. As for the unusual part
Firing Squads are an Accepted Form of Execution
the Eighth Amendment prevents teh government from punishing a criminal in an unusual way. You can’t cut off someone’s hand for stealing, or publicly humiliate them as a form of punishment.
*The Supreme Court ruled in 1976 that the death penalty is legal. Since that time there have been 628 citizens punished in this fashion.
Amendment IX-
Rule of construction of Constitution-The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
*This amendment was written to protect the rights of people, even though those rights were not specifically mentioned in the Bill of Rights. No one is really sure what these rights are but it is believed they may have included the rights of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, etc. The Ninth Amendment has not been used to justify protection for any citizen of the United States that I am aware of.
Amendment X-
Rights of the States under Constitution-The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Marriage laws are determined by the states
*Anything not mentioned in The Constitution specifically will be handled by the state government. For example, each individual state issues it’s own laws regarding marriage, driver’s licenses, state taxes, voting, job and school requirements. Since these areas are not mentioned in the Constitution they are determined by the states.
No matter what shape, size, or design, all clowns are creepy and scare me, and I do not like them at all. They are all crying on the inside.
I have never liked clowns, and I don’t apologize for it. When I was a child, I went to the circus and saw the clowns there and instantly knew to fear clowns. I knew they were supposed to make you laugh, but there was just something about a person who would hide behind a mask of makeup, doing silly things that made them inherently untrustworthy. Being a clown is not something that anyone aspires to become; it is quite a derogatory comment to call someone a clown. “Look at that clown over there by the doorway.”
Today I am trying to think of a clown who did not terrorize the public. Today there are not many famous clowns; in the ’50s and 60’s you had your Bozo and Clarabell, but even they were creepy and scary. It would be fine with me if clowns and all of their clown activities were banned forever, like Mel Gibson at the Holocaust Museum.
Stop being such a Bozo! Get out of my way, clown! They are all crying on the inside.
Ronald McDonald is the closest thing we have today to a famous clown. Yes that is who I would
I wonder how desperate I would have to be to don clown make-up and look happy about it. Ronald is crying on the inside, as they all are.
like to hang around with a creepy clown whose best friends with something called a Grimace and a criminal called the Hamburgler. Well, I like Grimace, and even though he steals, I like the Hamburgler as well. Kudos to those advertising execs at McDonald’s. So I guess Ronald has made a few good decisions in his life after, of course painting his face and shilling unhealthy food to a nation of willing consumers. So just a note here, I have always been partial to big purple Grimace characters and sneaky Hamburglers, it is the clowns that I don’t like.
Apparently, l am the only one who likes Grimace even if he is crying on the inside.
Even cartoon clowns like Krusty on The Simpsons are not lovely people. He is portrayed as a cheap, money mulching, fame hoar. I like The Simpsons and see the development of Krusty over the years to help make some in roads to destroying the creepiness of the clown in general, but even Krusty can’t save this disturbed group of people.
A recent study that quizzed 250 children in a pediatric hospital ward found that all 250 of them were afraid of the various clown imagery that decorated the wing. As though the terminal illness wasn’t enough. Penny Curtis, a professor who worked on the study, is quoted as saying, “We found that children universally dislike clowns. Some found them quite frightening and unknowable.”
Why So Serious?
So what is it about clowns that are so damn terrifying? We decided to find out. Hence, we’d like to present Best Week Ever‘s Top Things That Make Clowns Scary. Below is a video of some lady who is Petra-freaquin-fied of clowns. The clown is Mr. Giggles. That’s weird, and she has a stuffed animal, maybe that should be a clue there needs to be an intervention.
Coulrophobia-Yup, She’s Scared of Clowns
All Movies Written About Killer Clowns are Probably Based on True Stories. In all seriousness, there was who was also, strangely, Bob Goldthwait. And what else happens in Derry, Maine if not for a child-killing clown named It? But perhaps no movie was more scarring to the reputation of clowns than the 1988 classic Killer Klowns from Outer Space, a likely true story about puke-inducing alien clowns with pointy teeth and evil eyes who trap their victims in cotton candy cocoons. If ever a movie scarred my small child brain at the age of 7, it was KK from OS.
8. Grown Men with Freckles Painted on Their Face is Inherently Terrifying. Enough said.
7. Most Clowns Are Alcoholics and Urinate Everywhere. Tell-tale sign number one that most to all clowns are alkies? They have humongous flame-red bulbous noses. Tell-tale sign number two that most clowns are probably hitting the sauce with a green-gloved fist? Wouldn’t you bathe in appletinis if your entire life was based around living a paint-faced lie?
6. Hyuk Hyuk Laughter. Who the laughs like that? Seriously, have you ever heard a normal, mentally sane person emit a laugh that sounds like their starting the engine of a Model T car? No, really, other than Goofy – who is a 6 foot tall animated Disney Dog who wears pants — I’m pretty sure no human being “Hyuk Hyuk”‘s their way through an episode of Seinfeld, you read me?
5. They Wear Onesies. What sort of baby-ass infantile diaper-fetish craziness is that all about?
4. Clowns Molest People. If you weren’t aware that clowns molest people, do yourself a favor and add the creepumentary Capturing the Friedmans to you Netflix queue.
I put the Hamburgler here because I like him and unlike all of these clowns he is not crying on the inside. He is quite happy and full, due to all of the hamburgers, he is also a prime candidate for a triple bypass.
They Can’t Afford More Than 1 Car.Judging by the clowns mode of transportation — a Volkswagen Bug or Serbian-style two-seater that magically fits the driver and 8,000 of his rainbow-colored pals — it appears that clowns don’t actually earn a real living. They can’t even afford the kind of car homeless stoners drive! Meaning that clowns, for whatever reason, choose to do the devil’s work for a pittance. Pittance! Which might go to explain why clowns eat their dinner directly out of the can of baked beans instead of a bowl, and why they sometimes use their hands instead of the classier “wooden spoon”.
2. That Red Paint Around Their Lips? The blood of the elderly. That, or fire-engine red lipstick. Either way, creepskies!
1. John Wayne Gacy, or Clowns Will Kill You and Bury You Under Their House.Killer Klowns from Outer Space aside, John Wayne Gacy is, gigantic inflatable hands down, the scariest thing to ever happen within the clown community. Gacy murdered 33 teenagers in his town and buried 31 of those bodies under his house. And, according to Gacy’s wiki page (Warning: Do not read after 5 PM), “He said he used his clown act as an alter ego, once sardonically saying that ‘A clown can get away with murder.’” (throat clear) A CLOWN CAN GET AWAY WITH MURDER!!!
Bonus Reason: They use the devil’s magic to twist perfectly normal balloons into grotesque, creepy animal shapes.
A friend suggested that I should read this poem and I am glad I did. I do have hope for the future and a hope that the past will all make sense and all will work out ok in the end, despite what it looks like at the present time. I have found this to be true. The past is what it is, accept it, and today will be a much more pleasant place for you. Peace to all.
Do you have hope for the future?
someone asked Robert Frost, toward the end.
Yes, and even for the past, he replied,
that it will turn out to have been all right
for what it was, something we can accept,
mistakes made by the selves we had to be,
not able to be, perhaps, what we wished,
or what looking back half the time it seems
we could so easily have been, or ought…
The future, yes, and even for the past,
that it will become something we can bear.
And I too, and my children, so I hope,
will recall as not too heavy the tug
of those albatrosses I sadly placed
upon their tender necks. Hope for the past,
yes, old Frost, your words provide that courage,
and it brings strange peace that itself passes
into past, easier to bear because
you said it, rather casually, as snow
went on falling in Vermont years ago.
S.- The S stands for Specific– When you write down your goal you need to be specific about what you want to achieve. If you want to make more money, then write in your goal specifically how much, if you want a new relationship, then write down specifically what you are looking for in a significant other. Whatever the thing is write it down specifically so that there can be no misinterpretation about it. You will set your mind on the path to achievement by being specific in your goal setting.
Smile, Inspire, Be Grateful. Looking forward to 2013
New Year’s Tips That May Cause Miracles
Lucky [20]thirteen
Q&A: Walmart associate on working on Thanksgiving
Christmas shopping on Thanksgiving Day; diehards ready
Black Friday’s for Turkeys: 10 Reasons to Stay Home
No, you’re not entitled to your opinion
Keeping Sartre, and other passions
Why is the Bill of Rights so Important
US vs USA
