Anthony “Tony” Bourdain has a job that a great deal of us envy. Traveling around the world, tasting authentic cultural cuisines, then scrupulously describing each savory bite in his writing and on his show, No Reservations. The thought of getting paid for doing a job that combines all or most of your own greatest passions is just that to most of us – a thought or a daydream. But Bourdain, as it seems, earned this dream, spending his life embarking on a journey that would eventually lead him to what can only be described as the best job in the world.

He started out at the bottom, working in restaurants in New York as a dishwasher, a line-cook, and then moving up to chef. Bourdain made it big following the publishing of his book entitled Kitchen Confidential, to which the Denver Post referred to saying, “You’ll laugh, you’ll cry…your gonna love it”. It became an international best-seller, and Bourdain “milked that lucky break for everything it’s worth”, according to the No Reservations website.

Tony, you are the man’s man. Beer, great food, travel, and baseball – BOTTOMS UP!

You can visit the “No Reservations” website at http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain

CONTACT ANTHONY BOURDAIN at:

Les Halles Park Avenue

Attn: Anthony Bourdain

411 Park Avenue South

New York, NY 10016

Featuring my exclusive interview with renowned spirit medium, Barb Mallon.

Spirit mediums date back to early human history. One of the most well known early examples of communicating with the dead is recounted in the Holy Bible: The tale of the Medium of Endor (also referred to as the Witch of Endor).

In the book of 1 Samuel 28, Saul, King of Israel, sends his servants in search of a medium (the Medium of Endor or, as referred to in Bible text, a woman “that hath a familiar spirit”) in order to contact and seek counsel from the spirit of the slain prophet, Samuel. In this story, Samuel comes forth (Whether it be by physical manifestation or by way of communicating through the medium wasn’t clear in text) and informs Saul that he is doomed in his upcoming war with the Philistines. The next day, King Saul dies in battle along with his sons.

Today, people seek the services of spirit mediums to communicate with their deceased loved ones, seek counsel from spirits of the dead and angelic entities, confirm possible hauntings, help direct spirits in their “travel” to the “other side”, and, in some cases, to cease spiritual inhabitation of a certain dwelling or area.

While communicating with the dead is no new concept, the spirit mediumship practice has evolved over time. Physical mediumship involves perceptible manifestations such as levitation, knocking, audible voices, or materialized manifestations or spirit bodies. This type of mediumship has grown to be less popular over time. Mental mediumship is the most common form of spirit contact today. Famous spirit mediums of today such as Sylvia Browne, James Van Praagh, and John Edward are known for this type of ability.

Where do psychic or spirit mediums get their power or abilities to communicate with spirits of the dead? I asked notable paranormal professional and spirit medium, Barb Mallon this question.

“I don’t like the word ‘power’,” Barb says. “It really isn’t a power, just an ability. Just like you have the ability to raise your right arm or blink. And I believe most DO possess it but forget their abilities around the age of five or six. So, it just lays dormant until one wishes to use it.  It’s always there.”

With no hard evidence, it is still open to question as to what happens after death. Does the spirit of man still live? Where does it go? Barb tries to shed some light on this:

(Clark): “When a person passes, what is the process? Do they automatically go to Heaven or Hell? Where do they go?”

(Barb): “It depends entirely on their own free will.  When the physical body dies, we shed it, and move into an “etheric body” or body double.  This is how we see many earth-bounds/ghosts who choose not to cross over. They get ‘stuck’ in this body by their own choice.  This is the thickest body next to the physical, which is why ghosts can do more to get our attention and we can see them more strongly than a crossed over spirit person.  IF we choose to cross over, we then shed that etheric body/body double and move into an astral body for a time.  This, so we can evaluate and review what good and not so good we’ve done here, how we can do better next time, what we could have done, how well we did with this or that, etc.  After a period of time, if we choose, we can shed that layer, as well, and step into more celestial bodies, and so on.”

(Clark) “After passing, is the spirit of a person guided by another spirit, by an angel, or some other spiritual being to their next destination?”

(Barb) “I believe so, yes, especially in traumatic situations where a person passes suddenly and may be a bit confused at first about what has happened to them. Sometimes they are met by crossed over loved ones, sometimes by spirit guides of the person, sometimes angels.  It depends on each soul.  Many people who are terminally ill, will see their crossed over loved ones in their hospital room, etc.  I believe we are kind of half here and half there in these kind of situations, and know who we’ll be met by.”

(Clark): “What is the most important thing to remember when a loved one passes?”

(Barb) “That they can hear and see us and don’t want us to carry any kind of guilt or remorse about anything we feel we did or didn’t do enough of for them, etc.  That we can still have a relationship with them, but just in a different way, i.e., as a physical being and a spirit being rather than two physical people here on the earth plane.  That they can hear us when we talk to them in our head or out loud, and, that we don’t die, energy doesn’t die, it just transforms into a different form.”

(Clark) “If you believe in Heaven, where is Heaven?”

(Barb) “I don’t believe Heaven is ONE place, so much, but a level.  I believe that we are pulled to the level there that we were most like here.  I mean that if we are good people and do the best we can, once we cross over, we are pulled to a similar level where we will still learn, evaluate what we’ve done (good and not so good) and then ascend, learn more, etc.  I do believe that a true Heaven comes after many lifetimes of learning, and also in how you ascend on the other side.  The more we ascend there, or the more we strip these physical/ego layers, the closer to “Heaven” we are.”

Some Christians say that mediumship is strictly forbidden in the Bible. Some believe mediumship is a demonic or satanic practice. However the image portrayed by most psychic mediums today is one of peace, light, and encouragement and, in a way, influences positive ideas about the dead instead of the normal “dark” and scary concepts.

(Clark) “While communicating with the ‘other side’, do you ever feel threatened or scared?”

(Barb) “Never. Remember the Universal Law of Vibration: like attracts like.  I do my best to be as ethical as possible and to conduct readings for the highest good of all involved, so there never is anything scary, energy-wise, that would come back at me.  Plus, crossed over folks are pretty cool: they are not earth-bounds or ghosts who can be full of ego still, so there is a difference there.”

(Clark) “Are there bad or evil spirits? If so, can they hurt us?”

(Barb) “I don’t believe in evil, but negative, yes.  There are so many levels of these beings, so you really can’t pinpoint it exactly.  Negative or stagnant-wise, we mostly encounter the earth-bounds/ghosts, or the ones who have decided for whatever reason not to cross over.  It’s not that these guys are “evil” or “negative” (some may be close…), just a thicker, more physical energy than crossed over folks.  Sometimes they can push things that may hurt us because they’re a thicker energy, but I don’t believe they can do a lot of damage. We just need to be careful and respectful in their area.  I’ve seen small instances, personally, of little jabs and things, but we always have to remember to remain calm around them, as fear can pump up their energy.  I also feel like if there is a spirit who wants to cause trouble, and they see we aren’t bothered, they get bored and move on.”

(Clark) “What is your drive behind providing the services you provide? Why do you do what you do?”

(Barb) “I love to see a client’s face light up when they recognize a spirit energy or are receiving the essence again of the person they loved so much here in a physical form.  I also love to give the other side a telephone, if you will, to be able to let those here know they are okay there.”

(Clark) “In your career, name one experience that has caused you to feel that the service you provide is worthwhile? What happened?”

(Barb) “I do remember when I was first starting out… I was practicing with a lady who made me a piece of jewelry. I held the jewelry she created, that she touched and worked with using her hands, and suddenly I became very aware of this man who had passed.  I described him and gave the message he said to give, and she started to cry with happiness to hear from this gentleman again.  She understood everything so well, and I was amazed at the process and the amount of joy it brought me as well.  I knew I was on the right path.”

(Clark) “Is there a message you would like to communicate to the public about spirit mediums, the spiritual afterlife, or your occupation in general?”

(Barb) “There are MANY charlatans out there, so be selective when getting a reading.  Be sure to always be an ‘open skeptic’ but not a cynic.  Believe it or not, I’m more skeptical when I get a once a year reading done, because I know exactly what should be happening in a reading. Mostly, it’s best to be referred to a certain medium by someone who has had a good reading/experience.  Also, be sure the medium is presenting the info in a statement form, not question form.  And, it’s great if you come to a reading prepared.  Know how to answer and how NOT to answer (don’t give voluntary info, just yes/no), know a lot about your family history so you can validate info that comes in during the reading, rather than having to go home to figure it out, which is great too, the “after reading validations”, and be open to anyone coming through and what they have to say, not just who you wish to hear from.  It’s best to leave expectations at the door.”

Those who are interested in contacting Barb Mallon should visit her website at www.BarbMallon.com.

You can get information from Barb Mallon on www.YouTube.com. Just search for “Barb Mallon”.

Special thank you to Barb Mallon!!

“Being psychic is simply about being aware. Learning to notice all the influences on our life, the subtle energy shifts AND those not so subtle whacks on the head… Everyone uses their psychic abilities every day of their lives. But because we hold a lot of fears about psychic ability, as a species, we generally lack awareness of our inner senses.” – Danielle Daoust, Psychic Medium, www.globalpsychics.com

Who is the better Vice Presidential candidate?
( polls)

Firefighters automatically take on a heroic image. While I certainly do not disagree that firefighters deserve that image, police officers get a bum rap. I frequently hear other citizens talking about how police officers did this, and it was against their rights, or how police officers are corrupt. The truth of the matter is, a police officer’s job entails duties that are not considered popular by many of us.

The fact is there are corrupt cops, just as there are corrupt firefighters, politicians, businessmen and women, clergy, and so on, and so on. However, those corrupt cops truly are few and far between. Now – I’m not saying that most police officers are nice or courteous, but most are well-trained professionals whom we pay to do a job, and they do it.

Police officers are paid little appreciation for the jobs they do and the dangers they face. Some people want to push their negative thoughts about police officers on to others. I have two questions: Whom are you going to call when someone is breaking into your home, endangering the lives of your children? What are you teaching your child when they overhear you talking negatively about the brave men and women who protect our communities, who enforce our laws, and who educate our children in an effort to keep them out of trouble and prevent crime?

Next time you see a police officer, express your appreciation. This will help keep the morale of the police departments up and improve community-police relations. This will show those officers that their community supports them.

DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF

DEPUTY SARAH JONES

Deputy Sarah Jones, Monroe County (Indiana) Sheriff

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — A Monroe County deputy lost her life doing her job when a teen driver struck her while she was helping out at an accident in Bloomington.

WISHtv.com

2008 Oct 19

To read more, go to:

LawOfficer.com

PoliceOne.com

Private Officer News, a WordPress blog

]]> http://eheadlines.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/nice-cops-finish-last/feed/ 2 J.J. Deputy Sarah Jones http://eheadlines.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/just-another-opinion-on-roe-v-wade-abortion-issue/ http://eheadlines.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/just-another-opinion-on-roe-v-wade-abortion-issue/#comments Fri, 31 Oct 2008 01:14:11 +0000 Jonathan Clark http://eheadlines.wordpress.com/?p=16 ]]>   It’s a topic that has been worn brutally by speculators, debaters, religious groups, women’s rights groups, politicians, medical professionals, scientists, and constituents from all over the United States. This nation is still greatly divided on the subject, a tough one in its very nature.

The notorious U.S. Supreme Court case, Roe v. Wade, in which justices ruled that induced abortion is female’s right up until the point that the fetus is “viable” (meaning that the fetus could live outside the womb without artificial life support measures), marked a huge place in U.S. history. The controversy comes into play in several aspects of the case, including questions such as, when is the point of viability reached, when should abortion be restricted, and to what extent?

            In U.S. history, the government and the people have made judgments and legislation that could be described as nothing less than faux pas. Whether these faux pas were the results of ignorance, immorality, or the like, they were, nonetheless, mistakes. Take, for example, slavery. George Washington had moral battles with himself over slavery, and yet, knowing it was wrong, allowed it to go on. Later in his life, these moral dilemmas showed in the writings of his living will, in which he expressed his desire that all of his slaves would be freed immediately upon the death of his wife, Martha. History repeats itself, and abortion will be as slavery is, a milestone in history.

            I think that when brainwaves are measurable, the fetus is not just a fetus, but a living person. The laws of the land should protect that person just as any other person is protected, whether still in the womb, or whether that person is ninety-nine years old.

            While I certainly do not endorse assisted suicide, I find it ironic that there are laws prohibiting it in all states, excepting Oregon (see Gonzales v. Oregon, 2006), while abortion is still legal. A person who is facing death from grave illness cannot decide to die legally, but a person who has a beating heart and measurable brainwaves, and would otherwise live can be terminated.

            A fetus’ heart begins beating at four weeks. Brainwaves are measurable at six. At six weeks, that fetus is a baby person. I think the case of Roe v. Wade and the overall issue, needs to be reconsidered based on this scientific evidence. Furthermore, the court should take another look at “viability” and its definition.

Please note: I do want to stress that the opinion I express here is based solely upon cases in which there is NO imminent threat at hand to the life of the mother.

Great Resources:

http://www.physiciansforlife.org/

http://www.democratsforlife.org/

http://www.rncforlife.org/

 View This Poll

        As the conversation went on, I made a simple statement that I liked Joe Biden. I would not be ready for what would ensue. The person blew up, he began telling me, with some fury, why I was wrong and all of the cons of Joe Biden becoming Vice President. Still in a rant, this acquaintance began calming down. Trained to handle such situations, I calmly let him finish and replied, “Calm down, you do not have to agree with me.” Somewhat embarrassed by his little outburst, he played it off like he wasn’t really upset.

        This incident got me to thinking; if you can’t contain yourself while discussing certain controversial topics, avoid the subject. Opinions are like body cavities, everyone has, and is entitled to, their own. If those opinions are expressed appropriately, each of us should strive to respect that.

        Imagine a person, perhaps your spouse, speaking to you (and – usually mine is not) in your home. She or he has a telephone to her or his ear. You can’t see her or him to detect body language. Furthermore, you can’t hear the tone of her or his voice. She or he sounds like a monotone, computer-generated voice. As you listen, you hear, “I hate this.” What did she or he mean by that, and for whom was the message intended?

        This scenario illustrates just how important body language and tone of voice can be. Words take more meaning when they are accompanied by the components of body language.

        Now imagine this; you are now able to see your spouse and detect tone of voice. She or he walks up to you, again, with the telephone to her or his ear. She or he looks you in the eye with one eyebrow raised higher than the other, moves the phone’s receiver away from her or his mouth, speaks loudly and slowly, and articulates each word, saying, “I hate this.” What conclusions can be drawn now?

             1. She or he is talking to you, as she or he made eye contact with you and moved the phone receiver away from her or his mouth.

             2. She or he is serious; the rate of speaking was slow, and the words were clearly articulated.

             3. She or he is upset; the voice was loud, and one eyebrow was raised higher than the other.

        It is important to remember that we send messages constantly, even when we are not speaking. And, on the flipside, people are reading those messages constantly. Gestures, tone of voice, facial expressions, posture, and eye contact are important in communication. The more one understands these aspects of non-verbal communication, the easier it is to communicate effectively and understand what others are trying to convey. To read more about non-verbal communication, I suggest the book, I Can Read You Like a Book, authored by Gregory Hartley and Maryann Karinch.