Zentangle: BoomerYearbook.com
The art of Zentangle was developed by Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts. At a glance, Zentangle images appear to be a complicated interwoven mass of lines and curves. On closer inspection it becomes clear that Zentangles are carefully drawn doodles; images of passing fancy that are created from simple beginnings.
Zentangles are ‘built’ line upon line, with embellishments added at will by the artist. The images are compelling, probably because most people can look upon the sections of a Zentangle and think, ‘Well I could do that’. And they do!
One of the many attractions of Zentangles is that they are accessible for anyone who can put pen to paper: children;baby boomers; tired executives… There is no necessity for artistic talent, although a creative side is invariably exposed with practice. They can be as simple or as intricate as you wish and for some they have replaced crosswords and Sudoku as a commuter’s companion! They are calming, pleasing stress removers that are slightly addictive so be warned!
Zentangling artists tend to range in age from around four to ninety four – the beauty of the Zentangle is that it requires no expensive equipment, simply pen or pencil or both and some good quality paper. Beginners are usually delighted with even a first attempt, which is likely why a second and third effort follow quickly after!
Baby boomers find that Zentangles can be used to decorate and embellish and can be incorporated in other work such as scrap booking, journals, invitation designs and they have even been drawn onto trainers to personalize someone’s daily workouts!
One of the more interesting benefits of Zentangle for baby boomers is the effect of reducing stress. The process of absorbing the mind brings tranquility. Time runs away as the artist slips further into his or her creation, producing lines, blocks and circles that are fascinating, interwoven pockets, drawing the eye and calming the soul. Its therapeutic effects have been known to help deal with addiction; anger; stress; recuperation from illness and work related distress and even a first experience of putting pen to paper to create a Zentangle teaches why this is so. In simple terms it is an exercise in hand eye co-ordination that requires very little natural artistic talent. The result, however, is artistic in the extreme and it is possible for five year olds to turn out a piece of work that is every bit as impressive as something a professional artist might produce. How neat is that…! The process of producing a Zentangle utilizes just about every area of the brain and requires the creator to be totally absorbed, making it a valuable tool to combat stress.
The finished work boosts confidence and fills the artist with enthusiasm to try again. There are certain skills which may be learned, such as pattern techniques and shading but on the whole, a raw novice can enjoy Zentangling from the outset and build an impressive gallery within a week or so. Zentangles may also provide a satisfying pastime for someone who is armchair bound or even bed bound. Baby boomers who are recovering from illness could find Zentangling deeply therapeutic.The Psychological Article on The Beautiful World of Zentangles is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.
Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!
Zentangle Wacky Picture Cleaned: BoomerYearbook.com
Zentangles traditionally are created on small squares of paper (making them pocket friendly) although some, like the one in our illustration, expand to become more ambitious and larger pieces. The patterns are inspired by nature; architecture and people and there are no limitations to what a Zentangle might depict. Some are themed; some are not; a totally free media of expression and a way for the mind to celebrate its artistic side as well as exercise its ability to problem solve; direct ideas and freely portray unconstrained thoughts on paper.
Beverly Godfrey is a passionate Zentangle artist with a fine collection of Zentangle projects in her portfolio. A beginner’s guide is available on her Squidoo lens at http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-zentangle
See Maria Thomas’ Zentangles at http://www.zentangle.com/index.php
What constitues bribery of an elected official?
Monday, November 23rd, 2009By Joseph J Kusnell
Recently, the US House and the US Senate passed some legislation relating to Universal Health Care,. The vote was very close but fell generally along party lines – Democrats for and Republicans against with few exceptions.
However, recently some legislators on the edge, unsure of which side they would support, were given special inducement by both the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and the Majority Leader of the Senate Harry Reid.
Pelosi and Reid it has been revealed doled out hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars – some from people that oppose the health care bill – to members of congress in order to BRIBE them to change their vote.
Three that we know about came from (1 ) California – a hundred million dollars or more to pay for a hospital wing in a congressman’s district (2) Louisiana – hundreds of millions of taxpayer money allotted to a Congresswoman’s district for Katrina victims and (3) three hundred million sent to Blanch Lincoln’s state of Arkansas in exchange for her vote on this same bill. There may be others. Very likely there ARE others. .
My question is who says this is legal? First, who gave Pelosi and Reid the right to dole our taxpayer money to representatives in order to bribe them to vote for projects favored by Pelosi and Reid? How is this legal? How is this not a crime?
I would say it is out and out BRIBERY of an ELECTED OFFICIAL. No matter they are all in the same political party, that isn’t important in the law. What is important is that no one try to bribe an elected official. If you do, you have committed a federal crime and you should go to jail.
Here is the definition of bribery: “To corrupt or gain influence by means of a bribe.”
That’s exact what Nancy Pelosi did. That’s exactly what Harry Reid did. Not only that but the money to doled out is PUBLIC MONEY and it came from many people that in fact do not approve of the legislation in question so they used everyone’s tax money for a very specific personal purpose. Isn’t that misuse of government funds?
How can it be that giving money to an elected representative to influence his vote is legal? How can the American democratic process work if leaders have access to the public till and are permitted to raid the public treasury to persuade (convince) people to vote against their conscience? That sound like a criminal act to me. And if it wasn’t to cause the recipient to get in line, then why was it given to them in the first place. After all, they were all well-known fence sitters on this bill BEFORE they got those huge grants.
Giving bribes to public officials to influence their votes is illegal. Certainly if we found money from outside the government being delivered to a representative in a brown bag, we would arrest the briber. So why does we arrest that briber just because he happens to work INSIDE the capital rather than outside?
Consider this: if a lobbyist didn’t favor this bill and walked around handing out millions of dollars in cash or promises or special treatment to Senators and Congressmen to get them to vote AGAINST the bill, he would be immediately arrested. That’s a felony!
What if each Senator or Congressman published a price list for his vote on various pieces of legislation, to wit: I am not going to support this bill but if you give me a hundred million dollars for a needed new wing on a hospital in my district, then I will indeed cast my vote for the bill. .
Is that okay? Is that legal? Or is it undermining the American legislative process? Is it bribing a public official and isn’t that a Federal crime? I think it is. In fact, I am sure it is. In fact, if that happened the Justice Department would immediately bring charges against both the person offering the bribe and the person ACCEPTING it. That’s a violation of Fiduciary Responsibility on behalf of any elected official and a act of illegal bribery for the guy offering the “favor”. That’s what Reid and Pelosi did to get enough votes to pass their partisan bill. Why shouldn’t they be charged with a crime since everyone knows this is what happened.
And the folks who accepted the bribes then voted for the legislation favored by the Speaker and the Senate Majority leader – two small time politicians one from the very limited area of San Francisco and the other from the rather small state of Nevada which earns its money from gambling, prostitution and game playing.
Did something say these two characters are above the law? Did someone tell them they could use all the money this government has at its disposal to “influence – or is it to BUY – votes in Congress?
If so, who told them that? Who told them they were above the law? Who said it was okay to bribe Congressmen and Senators with public monies?
What the hell is going on here? I thought we elected representatives to vote their conscience – to vote for what they thought was good for America? Now we learn they can bargain away their votes for cash and favors whenever possible and that’s okay with us?
No, it’s really not. That’s undermining the political process. That’s using everyone tax dollars to buy votes for their (Pelosi and Reid) personal political agenda. MY tax money was used to bribe people to vote for a bill I personally do not approve of. But even that’s not the important thing. The important thing is IT’S BRIBERY. It’s a CRIME.
Exchanging money or favors for votes may be politics but it’s still a CRIME. I think its called “undue influence”.
How many different ways is this wrong? How many different ways should this be illegal? Why aren’t Pelosi and Reid up on charges of undermining the US Political process. Instead of letting Senators and Representatives come to the conclusion that best suits their consciences, these so-call “leaders” are willing to shell out big bucks to BUY THEIR VOTES RIGHT INSIDE THE CAPITAL!
This is honest representative government in action? Like hell it is. It’s using public money to bribe public officials and anyone caught doing this should go to jail!
So how come someone in Justice isn’t looking into this? How come we don’t talk to that California representative who admitted IN PUBLIC that he exchanged his vote on health care for some money to build a new wing to a hospital in his district. How about we talk to the Congresswoman who walked home with 300 million of taxpayer dollars for “Katrina victims” in exchange for her vote on The Health Care bill. Or the Senator from Arkansas who didn’t make up her mind until Reid gave her a pocketful of tax dollars for her district. And how many others were given this special brand of persuasion? What do we have in our government’s inner circles, people that trained in the Mafia? Hell why use money to bribe them, why not just make them an offer they can’t refuse! That would work just as well.
Does this make sense to you? Do you know that Reid and Pelosi just paid almost half a BILLION dollars to buy these three votes and God knows how many more? And no one wants to challenge this in Federal Court? Folks, this is bribery! This is NOT legal! If this is the way these people are running our government, they all need to be charged with crimes and brought to trial!!! .Why not stand at the door of the Hall and simply hand out thousand dollars bills to the congressmen and women as they come in. You know a big smile and a “Hope you are with us on this one, this is for you.”
And you hand that the thousand dollar note.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have BRIBED at least three Representatives and Senators. No one can tell me this is lawful or legal or proper. It is none of these things. What it is, is criminal! Let’s shine a spotlight on this and watch which rats scurry for cover. .
I want these two charged with bribing high government officials. I think the case against them is open and shut. And it will invovled far more than three people, I will bet you. God knows how much of our money these two have used to BUY this legislation.
The people we sent to Washington as our representatives are supposed to vote on conscience not for cash on the barrel head. .Hell, if they can be bribed on one project, why not on another? And if they can be bribed why can’t everyone. Or can they?
And if everyone can, what kind of government is this and why do we bother to vote. I thought we elected representatives to represent US – but apparently they represent whomever gives them the biggest kick back. I can see them now taking the oath with one hand on the Bible and the other held open behind them where people can stuff money into it.
CALL IT WHAT IT IS – WHAT THESE TWO DID WAS TO BRIBE HIGH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN ORDER TO UNDULY INFLUENCE OUR LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. I AM NOT SURE BUT I THINK THAT’S A FEDERAL CRIME NO MATTER WHO DOES IT!!!!!!
So let’s file charges and see what rats run out of the smoking building.
God Bless America. God Bless honesty and integrity. It seems to have disappeared from our government – maybe we should do something to bring it back
On behalf of the American voter, I demand an investigation be opened immediately to determine if Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid broke the law in giving special consideration to at least these three elected officials in order to cause them to change their vote on the Health Care Bill.
Because if they did, they belong in jail!!!
Joey
Tags: baby boomer generation, baby boomers, Elderly Problems, Psychological Articles
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