The Merlin Foundation

This site is to be used for open and honest discussions which lead to the improvement of life for Women, Children and Families. NOTE: To post a comment click on the topic (recent posts) listed on the left. A comment button will be at the bottom of the page. To e-mail a column to a friend, click on the envelope at the bottom of the post.

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Location: Green Forest, Arkansas, United States

We are a non-profit organization located in Green Forest, Arkansas serving women, children and families. To view our programs or to contact us please go to our website merlinfoundation.com.

Saturday, November 26, 2005

The Rules for Being Human

I would like to take credit for writing the below "Rules", but I must admit it was sent to me by one of our friends in Little Rock a week ago. Most of those pass along eMails end in the delete file, but I thought this worth sharing. Neither the sender or I know it's source. I hope you enjoy it.

"The Rules for Being Human"

You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around.

You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full time informal school called life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid.

There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and error, experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much apart of the process as the experiment that ultimately "works."

A lesson is repeated until learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson. Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive there are lessons to be learned.

"There" is no better than "here." When your "there" has become a "here" you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."

Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.

What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours. Your answers lie inside you. The answer to life's questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.

This will often be forgotten, only to be remembered again.

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Internet Safety and Protection Act of 2005

The Merlin Foundation has joined with the National Children's Alliance to endorse the Internet Safety and Protection Act of 2005 (S. 1507/ H.R. 3479).

The purpose of the legislation is to protect children from internet pornography and support law enforcement and other efforts to combat internet and pornography-related crimes against children.

A July 2005 report done by Third Way, a strategic center for progressive ideas, found that the largest group of online views of pornography is kids between 12 and 17. And furthermore, 97% of Internet pornography sites now run on an honor system known as the "porn standard." If children simply assert that they are over 18, they get access.

Here are some quick notes on the bill:

It will work to prevent children under age 18 from accessing pornographic websites by providing tighter verification standards to block minors from entering these sites. Specifically, websites that offer pornographic materials for sale would have to employ new or existing age verification software that requires government-issued IDs that establish the user's age to screen out children and teenagers.

It establishes a trust fund to beef up law enforcement efforts, financed with a 25% smut tax on the sale of pornographic products on the internet.

The funds would also be used for DOJ's Cybertipline, the Internet Crime's Against Children's Task Force, research and development, and educational training.

This bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) on July 27, 2005. The following House Members are co-sponsors:

Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN) Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC) Rep. David Price (D-NC) Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) Rep. Robert Menedez (D-NJ) Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR) Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ) Rep. C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger (D-MD)

H.R. 3479 has been referred to the House subcommittee on Select Education.

The Senate version of the bill (S. 1507) was introduced in the Senate by Senator Blanche L. Lincoln (D-AR) on July 27, 2005.

The following Senators are co-sponsors:

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE) Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO)

S. 1507 has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

Remember, you can get your Member's phone, fax, and other information at our website under the Resource Page. A phone call asking for support of S. 1507 or H.R. 3479 would be appreciated. Or you can send a quick fax.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Doing “Good” because it is Right.

Talking with a friend several years ago I was told that in the Muslim Religion when one returns to meet his or her maker he is judged not only on the good and bad deeds he has done, but also on the times she had the opportunity to do something good and did nothing. I have no idea if this is true, but it is an interesting concept and worth looking at in our daily lives.

In my Midwest, Christian, “Father Knows Best” beginnings we were taught right from wrong, good from bad and kindness as exemplified in the teachings of Jesus. It may be too many years or I may have been sick that day, but I was never told that to overlook a chance to be kind or to do good because I was too busy or just didn’t feel like it was not the right thing to do. The emphasis was on" do no evil” or you’ll pay on judgment day. Often it was more immediate and I was left with a rather red behind. Steer as best one can on a good path, don’t do bad or evil and we’re home free. Takes a lot of work, but it is, as they say, a do-able deal.

Now getting back to this idea of neglecting opportunities to do good. This brings up all types of questions. No one coming to the aid of a woman screaming for help late at night found raped and dead in the morning. Getting wrong, in your favor, change at the convenience store and walking away knowing the minimum wage clerk will have it deducted from his check. Not waiting, holding the door for a minute or two for that slower elderly person following you. Not saying something complimentary to your friend or your child just because they are there with you and you enjoy being with them. I’m sure if you try you can add a few more. Go ahead, name a couple of missed opportunities you had yesterday.

I think it would be interesting if everyone in America started the first week of each month looking at every opportunity to do something good and doing it. It would be a great start. Shouldn’t be too hard. Just twelve weeks out of fifty-two. Somehow, that strikes a chord of the teachings of Jesus, although I suspect he would have gone for fifty-two out of fifty-two, but we know what we've become. Too busy, too self-absorbed, too goal oriented and above all else our having more, living in a bigger better, driving a bigger better and in general just a better class than our neighbors.

Maybe we should make it even more realistic. How about doing one thing. An opportunity to do something right now to help thousands who will never know your name.

As you know one of our projects is to provide free screening mammograms, education and outreach to women in our area who can not afford it. You may also know the project is financially supported by the Ozark Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Well here is your chance for today. It won’t even cost you a penny. Try this... Go to the Komen National website: http://www.komen.org/; find the opportunity to fill out a short form to be added with thousand of others and become what we call an “eChampion”. It is easy painless and cost free and now that you’re aware of the opportunity to do good… well you know the rest. You’ll feel a lot better if you do.

By the way… tomorrow drop by our website http://www.merlinfoundation.com/ and make a tax deductible donation to help a child victim of abuse or just pop that check in the mail right now. Hey, that would go a long way towards your first week.