the leaves are really falling now and Mother Nature is having her way with our country and the rest of the world too. Mudslides, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis. I can picture the Christian Conservatives are rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of the end of the world.

Free at last, free at last, free at last: The frail 77-year old man in India is Machal Lalung. He was sent to a mental institution back in 1951. His epilepsy was mistaken for insanity; not unlike the way manic depressives were mistaken for being possessed. A National Human Rights Commission discovered the error (that's putting it mildly) and Lalung was released. His senses have been dulled, he's forgotten what foods he likes and he has forgotten his family; his immediate family have all died. He lives with his nephew and has "no use grumbling now"(about what happened). Today he is "just waiting for death."

Today let's all be thankful that we are free.

paul