Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Caution: You're About to Enter an Affordable Housing Zone

Inclusionary zoning ordinances and density bonuses—also known as "below market rate" (BMR) housing programs—can negatively impact the community. These affordable housing programs reward developers who earmark a percentage of new homes or condos for those in the low and moderate income brackets by letting them increase density, build taller structures and curtail open space and parking requireme. . .

No Matter What America Does The Rest Of The World Will Ne...

Americans need to get used to the idea that, no matter what The United States Of America does, the rest of the world will never like us. Ours is a unique society. We are made up of people from almost every other nationality in the world. We were originaly formed by immigrants seeking religious and other freedoms. Our ethics and moral codes were formed mainly from Judeo-Christian ideals, ie: The. . .

Shipping Containers for Emergency Housing

Natural disasters leave victims who continue to suffer long after the media turns its focus elsewhere. People who lose their homes and all of their possessions may feel lucky to be alive, but they need a place where to continue to live. Recently, some architects and others interested in providing temporary, emergency housing have begun to make use of a resource that seems plentiful – metal ship. . .

Illinois' Network of Social Services

It is a sad truth that most of us will know extremehardship at some point in our lives. At such a time, it isimportant to know that we have people in our corner that wecan count on should a need arise. Unfortunately, with moreand more families ending in broken homes and with thedisconnected and isolated nature of our world, such help isnot always easy to find.Much as has been the case with Hu. . .

ACLU or ACLJ – The Difference is Like Night and Day

Many people who don’t vote and remain aloof to all political participation are unaware of the long history of the American Civil Liberties Union. That is one of the ACLU’s greatest strengths. Although much newer the ACLJ has quite a different history and it would cause little embarrassment if it were discovered by more Americans.The ACLU has championed many causes since it was founded in 1920 b. . .

Peace On Earth, A Wonderful Wish, But No Way

When asked, "If you could wish for one thing only, what would that wish be?" almost everyone; from beauty pagent contestants, to politicians, to religious leaders, to children, to the average person on the street states, "Peace On Earth" or "An end to all wars". Those wishes, while exemplary, are meaningless. As long as humans exist there will never be peace on earth. Throughout the history of . . .

Contenders for Iraq and the Potential for Civil War

Iraq stands at the junction of three different and competing cultures for the control of the country. Kurds, Shia and Sunni Arabs all want to control their own affairs and that of the Iraqi state. Since each of them have their own distinct identity and their own supporters the potential for conflict is great.The first group entails the Kurdish people who have developed an independent living arr. . .

Kahane Was Right!

I hate math but I know math good enough to know Kahane was right when he said Israel's sworn enemies must go and that Israel should finish what the Arabs started:An Exchange of Populations.Some argue:"Does it not occur to you that Sharon is moving to ensure - as far as possible - that 'Israel' remains within defensible borders?"Does it not occur to such that General Sharon's duty is to [b]REMO. . .

No Human Rights For Jews

The expulsion of Jews from Gaza and northern Samaria is a colossal abuse of human rights.But as far as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are concerned, these forced removals are simply not taking place. The renowned human rights champions have been deafeningly quiet about the plight of thousands of people being made to leave their homes and places of employment.While Amnesty Internat. . .

Arnold's Office Refuses To Comment

The European Observer reported: "Europe's far right parties are considering forming a pan-European movement together."Will Arnold Schwarzenegger, frustrated by failures to run for the highest office in the United States, return home to Europe and triumph in the elections as the "born leader" of the pan-European movement's party? Will the EU's strong man then vent his anger against the United S. . .

Social Security Rant

As the Baby Boomer Generation continue to get older, one of the hot topics will continue to be Social Security. Critics claim that Social Security is going bankrupt, and that it needs to be privatized as soon as possible, or people will lose their benefits. This rant examines if Social Security needs to be privatized, and if it is actually going broke. Thanks to various search engines, and than. . .

Hitler's Positive Christianity...Unleashing the Patriotic...

“Radical Terrorism” (a.k.a. Islamic Terrorism) is breaking out all over the globe. Iran’s surge into fundamentalism’s nuclear club is one intolerable thought—Osama’s dirty-little suit case bombs coming across the USA-Mexican border is another! Man, and all this while Bolton ascends to the UN, CAFTA is passed by the Congress, and the Unions self-destruct . . . not bad for a week’s worth of work.. . .

Sheik Palazzi warns President Bush and PM Sharon

It's pretty bad when a Zionist Muslim - one in a million - has to be used of God to warn our professing Christian president who is sinning against God, Israel and the United States with his wicked enabling of the dismembering of the Promised Land of Israel, preparing the way for it to be perverted into "Palestine," and clearing the way for EU "peacekeepers" who will brutally betray both Arabs a. . .

Conflict in Jerusalem

From a letter sent to Jewish-American friends while I was living in Israel:Oct. 20, 1991:... I purposely went to [Jerusalem] to participate in the rally against Baker across from the American Consulate (in Independence Park). We were 2,000 strong according to the Jerusalem Post.There were many placards - in Hebrew & English. I held one that read BUSH DESTROYING ISRAEL PEACE BY PEACE. Another on. . .

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Natural Disasters - New Orleans

Nature has struck once again and while many of us sit in our dry snug homes, hundreds of thousands of people are without a roof over their heads, food for their kids or a place they can call home. Many of the most heavily hit in New Orleans and surrounding miles are among the poorer population of the area and without household insurance, so they are literally left homeless and destitute.We as a. . .

Who Really Hates Our Freedom

While flipping through some TV channels, I was unfortunate enough to catch a few moments of a smirking politician rambling on about freedom and liberty. What a tragic comedy. The fact politicians still have a market to spew their crap is a testament to the lack of thought of the average viewer of such pretended "news" programs.A few minutes of thought and any literate person of any degree of . . .

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Instantly Pinpoint Your Political Identity

The World's Most Popular Political Quizhttp://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.htmlHow the World's Smallest Political Quiz redefined politics, took over the Internet, impressed the experts, and made politics fun for more than 4 million peopleAfter taking the World's Smallest Political Quiz, the famous online test that instantly pinpoints your political ideology, no two people have exactly the same rea. . .

PATRIOTIC ARMAGEDDON...Can You Hear Me Now?

( Please view entire article/graphics/links @ http://www.the-tribulation-network.com )Each day the present geo-political reality confirms what The Tribulation Network has been saying for the past two years! All this, while the world still debates whether or not we should call the current War on Terrorism/Terror: The West vs. Radical Islam!Now, the EU and Iran squabble over Iran’s real intenti. . .

Arnold for EU President?

Roger Helmer MEP initially wrote me that it was a stupid question but didn't respond when I asked him if it was impossible for Arnold to hold European office.Actually, I've graciously since received Mr. Helmer's thoughtful reasons why he doesn't believe Arnold would leave the United States for Europe's political arena:Dear David,1. He has an enviable position in the US political system2. He has. . .

American detained in the Russian Compound

Nobody arrested me. I was DETAINED when I faithfully reported to the police office at 9 a.m. Monday morning, January 9, 1996 (day before my birthday) the day after The Jerusalem Post published on their front page an article shedding light on what they were doing in the dark. After my initial interrogation of six and one half hours, the Thursday before, I reported, as demanded, to the police st. . .

Edward Abington: Political Prostitute

"The American Diplomat in Arafat's Corner," published in The Jerusalem Report, came as no surprise to me. It was referring to Edward Abington, Jr., the United States' former consul general in Jerusalem who is now "guiding the Palestinians through the labyrinths of Washington. And his firm is being paid $2.25 million for his expertise." Allow the following information to shed light on his less t. . .

Dangerous Ideas?

A three judge Israeli panel permitted certain women to have services at the Western Wall, noting they "have the right to pray according to their custom...It is unacceptable that concern about a violent reaction by any sector of the public will lead to denial of the exercise by another sector of its right." Yet it is precisely because of the threats of militant Muslims that Christians and Jews . . .

Peres Came To Power Over Rabin's Dead Body

I met Yitzhak Rabin in the Israeli Parliament in 1982 during Hanukkah. I was able to talk with him briefly and mention I was associated with Ambassador College in Pasadena, California. That was a tactful way of saying I'm a Christian since I knew he personally knew Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God, including the Plain Truth magazine. Mr. Armstrong had presented him with a gi. . .

Top 10 - Proven Oil Reserve Countries

This is a list of countries with proven reachable oil reserves in billions of barrels, and is a rough estimate based on the ability to recover the oil by current technological and economical means.Saudi Arabia - 262Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of petroleum in the world, and plays a leading role in OPEC, which stands for The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries; an internati. . .

Reflections on Representative Government

For a great amount of time, perhaps for the greater part of the civilization of the world, mankind has been under authority. And, when it came to the origin of the rights of this authority, it had always been force. Barbaric rulers of an uncivilized people would not answer questions with arguments or reasoning, but rather with brute and unrestricted force. To what right does a man, namely th. . .

Don't Expel Jews from Gaza!

The following photos and words are shared with us from Israeli Yuval Zaliouk (who is from Haifa but also has a home near Toledo, Ohio). See for yourself how the Israelis, by the grace of God, have made the desert blossom as a rose, and how Sharon and Bush coldheartedly intend on uprooting such productive Israeli citizens and turning their labors of love, their blood, sweat and tears over to the. . .

Poverty in America: Over 35 million living below the pove...

The problem of poverty in America comes as a surprise. How can a wealthy nation experience poverty? Though the rate of poverty is lower in a developed nation like America than in Africa, the problem of poverty is real. Inner-cities and rural communities in America are all affected by poverty.In 2004 the American government defined poverty as a family of four living with an income below $18,810.. . .

Anarchism for a Post-modern Age

"The thin and precarious crust of decency is all that separates any civilization, however impressive, from the hell of anarchy or systematic tyranny which lie in wait beneath the surface." Aldous Leonard Huxley (1894-1963), British writer I. Overview of Theories of Anarchism Politics, in all its forms, has failed. The notion that we can safely and successfully hand over the management of our d. . .

Expel Arabs - not Jews!

"Hard-line settlers?" What's wrong with being a settler? Wasn't the United States founded by pioneers? Settlers? I know we were because my ancestors were honored to be among that glorious number. The Hebrew word for settlers is actually "inheritors," and since the United States was founded upon biblical ideals, I would hope that our professing Christian president would grasp that those brave Je. . .

Hillary Clinton: Democrats Are Betting On the Wrong Horse

As someone who once received the highest Civics exam score in the State of Florida, it’s always fun to watch a mainline political party set itself up for a devastating political defeat. The Democrats seem to be living in some sort of weird Jimmy Carterland bubble that exists only in the context of a 1970’s alternative reality. In that reality, Carter has saved the world by joining it. It was Ji. . .

Democratic Globalism

(Note: This article was written as a response to Charles Krauthammer's presentation on "Democratic Globalism" in 2004 . . . its immediate reflections are all the more significant, given the on-going geopolitic realities we face nearly a 1.6 years later.)The United States of America is no longer hiding her clawsno rival or United Nations or allied opinion can resist this colossus that struts her. . .

OK! Now I Am Ready To Close Gitmo!

A friend of mine and I were talking about the horrible claims of abuse by our soldiers in the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Gitmo has been the source of many complaints over the way we have been treating those captured waging a war against the United States. And as my friend and I discussed the abuse of our guests we realized that we were only willing to support certain things in the name of . . .

The Gun Control Debate

The gun control debate in America is a battle between personal freedom and public safety. For nearly 160 years, there were no limits to the Second Amendment, which guarantees "the right of the people to keep and bear arms." In 1934, however, and especially in the last four decades, Americans have begun to proscribe and debate the extent of that right. The National Firearms Act of 1934 was the f. . .

Religion

The two leading methods of controlling the masses are Nationalism and Religion. In this article we will look at how Religion influences people into doing things that they would not do normally.Practically every religion has some bad logic associated with it. Most Americans follow some form of Christianity. This involves reading both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. There are a lot of th. . .

Nationalism

This article discusses how governments seek public endorsement of their policies through Nationalism.In speeches and on Vietnam memorials it always states that the soldiers, who died, died for our freedom. This is really strange and illogical. We actually lost the war. Did the victorious "Charlie Cong" storm America and enslave us? Once we left Vietnam, we hardly had anything to do with them an. . .

FBI on the Fourth of July!

Learn from my mistake if you don't want the FBI knocking on your door! I had read or heard that if you don't properly LOG OUT that someone who's computer savvy can enter your site and appear as you. Because I was in a hurry the other day, I just shut my computer off without logging out. Today, ironically July 4th, 2 FBI agents knocked on my door and said they wanted to question me. First they s. . .

Starving The Beast At Social Security

If President Bush cuts the federal work force without cutting layers of middle management Social Security managers must learn to say, “We haven’t gotten to that yet.” Social Security employees have two functions: give people what they want and guard taxpayer money. Monday an employee starts working on claims to get them approved and paid. As the week goes on, she starts responding to the peopl. . .

Gun Control Will Solve Nothing

Statistics from the National Federation of State High School Associations reveal that, in 1999, 15 students perished while playing in high school football games. This fact received little to no coverage in the national media. Angry parents did not parade into Washington, D.C., in order to demand stricter regulation of high school football. Politicos feigning intense anguish did not bemoan footb. . .

Social Security Staffing Errors

The public pays Social Security Claims Representatives $60000 a year to open mail, file mail, associate mail, write on folders, and answer phones. That sounds great for employees, except that the stuff they are paid to do just keeps piling up. Medical reviews, reviews of disabled people who returned to work, and overpayment collection actions are piled in cardboard boxes, because Social Securit. . .

Gender-based Violence

Violence against women violates, impairs and nullifies the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Violence against women is a violation of human rights that cannot be justified by any political, rel. . .

Political Radio Advertising for 2006

The challenge for the 2006 election season is to write radio scripts that touch the heart and not deflect off the shield that surrounds the soul of most voters. The conditioning of the mind has been evolving since the first political radio commercials. The challenge for the writer is obvious. Be subtle in the approach. The days of overt name calling or shouting the candidates name in hopes of m. . .

How To Tackle The ACLU And Win: Is The "Intelligent Desig...

The futile, but never-ending debate over which account of human origins may or may not be taught in public schools, drones on yet again. Most American Christians continue to fight the less-than-good fight, oblivious to the fairly obvious point that the Bible commands God's people, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." This clearly requires Christians to avoid having their children taught. . .

Pakistan Earth Quake Donation Appeal

Hindu Kush Mountains of Pakistan hit by an earth quake which had a magnitude of 7.6 on Sunday, October 9, 2005, sending tremors across South Asia. The worst ever earth quake witness by Pakistan. The origin of earth quake was 80 km (50 miles) E of Mingaora (Pakistan), 130 km (80 miles) N of ISLAMABAD (Pakistan), 155 km (95 miles) SW of Gilgit (Pakistan), Kashmir (Pakistan) 160 km (100 miles) SE . . .

When the Levee Breaks, How Many More Fuel Increases Can W...

The aftermath of Katrina has affected more that just New Orleans and the surrounding gulf coast. There are huge financial implications associated with the catastrophe, from the initial humanitarian aid to the rebuilding and repairing needed to get the local area back on its feet. Eight oil refineries shut down as a result of Katrina could take many months to restart. The Gulf Coast is a prime s. . .

WHAT'S RIGHT ABOUT NEBRASKA? How the Dems. Lost the Hear...

This article is both old and fresh—especially, given the fact that the Democrats attempted (but miserably failed) to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in Ohio in the special congressional election (August, 2005). We used to do that when I played football . . . underdogs by 5 TDs and we only lost by a field goal—hey, we actually won—given the fact our loss was an embarrassment to the other . . .

Tribute to Gore Vidal on His 80th Birthday (Oct. 3)

October 3, 2005 is the 80th birthday of prolific American author and historian Gore Vidal. Vidal's genius shines through engaging prose (novels, plays, essays, short stories, non-fiction books) elucidating America's history and its powerful lessons, and making greatly needed observations about America. Such an extraordinary individual is rarely given the recognition, respect and honor they de. . .

Nitwit Nation: Is America Too Dumb for Democracy?

Most Americans are enthusiastic supporters of their own civic rights, but few bother to meet any would-be democrat's (or any would-be republican's, if you prefer) number-one responsibility: that of keeping oneself sufficiently literate and well informed to be able to vote rationally and knowledgeably. Mountains of too-long ignored evidence show that the vast majority of our nation's citizens ca. . .

Refugee v. Evacuee: Languaging the Hurricane Disaster

Language is a behavior potentially under our control, and a powerful loop: it’s how we act upon the world, and how the world acts upon us. It’s how we express our thoughts and feelings, and it also influences our thoughts and feelings. It is probably not possible to have a feeling without a thought, and that thought is framed in words – coming from within our heads, or from the words of others.. . .