Gina Loring. Poet, artist, singer, actress

You move me like

14 years old

the autobigraphy of malcom x changed my life

roots age 19

you move me like a long cool drink of water

after the steepest hike on the hottest day

like lina hornes grace

and alice walkers words

and billie holiday's life

like the time i met Mr. T

flinging myself into his arms like a little girl at 22

overcome with an emotion i did not know i had

see we of the fatherless tribe love men differently

like i love Mr. T

Shermen Hensley, Bill Cosby and, Orsenio

yes Orsenio

because they were constants

for at least a period of time present in my home

in my living room

in my adolecents

as no other men were so I love them

Mr. T

thats how you move me

like humility

lessons

joy

grief

truth

because I am leo

so I walk with my head high

and act like I'm cool but really

I'm scared

and you are the constellation that guide me home

the star that lights my path

remind me of love and hope and action

like Mohammad Ali

we will stand for something

and I am sensitive

and not a morning person

and nit picky about lint

and sometimes too emotional

and sometimes not emotional enough

because my youth was bruised and you massage me back to life

with your rhythm

your words

your spirit

you move me like wind

like 5 years old

Rabbi Neal strums the guitar

familiar

and you shall love your God with all your might

pretend to read from the prayer book

I can't really read yet

but i pray real

like 20 years old meeting my brother for the first time

my smile on his face

my eyes looking into my eyes

so much pain behind both our eyes that I had to look away

you move me like 1984 olympics

Rayford Johnson was my hero

and every man will be forever compared to him

because he used to put me on his shoulders

and I was special

if only every now and then

you move me like

native american prayer songs

like graffiti on the freeway

like jeans that fit perfectly

like hip hop

like Ella Fitzgerald

Scott amazing eyes are blue

like up and down the slip and sideways

harmonzing honey M's

you move me like sunshine

like you

fred hampton

speaks truth

stands

sonnets

thunder in the sky

rock the world

shock em

shake em

make em see

without a doubt you most definately

move me

Awesome summer. Now time to bring in the school year.

Only one problem.
I'm not really sure what to do about my advanced photography project.
I really want to do a portrait project but I'm not sure what the theme should be.
If there's any advice that would be wonderful.

In the mean time here are a few new photo's a did for a friend over the summer.

Money is the Root of all good

Since the beginning of time money has been a driving force behind the decisions of everyday life. Even before such standards of the dollar and the euro, bartering had the same economic effect. During the Renaissance, the Silk Road was a major bartering center for Europe and Asia. Eventually the idea turned into what is known today as the monetary system. Despite its antiquity, proper management and control have eluded the rulers of most states because they have taken a broad interpretation of the importance of money. Economists tend to overestimate the purely economic, narrow, and technical functions of money and have placed an emphasis on its negative social, institutional, and psychological aspects. This has created the notion that money is the root of all evil. It is my goal to prove that money is not the root of all evil but the root of all good.

Money yields powerfully important psychic returns such as an individual’s social rank or a countries position in the Gross National Product league table. However, money should be widely interpreted to include discussion not only of currency and banking but also building societies and the fiscal framework. Even in medieval times these aspects were of considerably great importance than conventionally believed. One of the timeless problems caused by a history of misusing money is inflation. In his book, A History of Money, Glyn Davies analyzes this never ending conflict between the interests of creditors vs. debtors. Debtors want to increase the quantity in an attempt to give themselves a better financial standing, while creditors attempt to increase its value over others to maintain a good quality. For example, the Price Revolution in England, which lasted from 1540-1640 was an issue of population pressure taking control. This caused grain prices and the cost of living to increase and resulted in demand-pull inflation. These situations create a sense of lacking neutrality in its effects among the fortunes of the community. However, rising population is not the only cause of inflation.
Wars, throughout history, have also been a major contributor not only to inflation but also to the corrupted belief of money. Over the past 1,000 years the “war ratchet” has succeeded in increasing prices while devaluing money. Davies explains this when he says, “Most of that time debasement was the most common, but no the only way of strengthening the sinews of war.”(646) The financial consequences of Alexander the Great, the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the crusades, the 100 years war, the civil war, and especially the two world wars are treated in this way. The importance of war as a cause of inflation increased with the adoption of paper money in the west. This ideology is what turned the United States into the Arsenal of democracy and the Merchant of death because we choose to allow the war ratchet to control our government.
When we look to the history of the United States it is noted that money plays a significant role in corrupting politics and government, through not only elections but also the everyday policies that are being passed. Bill Moyers depicts the greed and corruption seen in elections and policies through his story “A Culture of Corruption.” He allows for some analysis that because campaigns are privately financed people with real meaning get shut out of our “democratic process.” This is because lobbyists don’t see the safety in surrounding themselves with these officials. He further shows how outrageous the cost is to gain political office. A seat in the House of Representatives has reached the price of over a million dollars. Then once an office is gained each member of congress is surrounded by 65 lobbyists. The total cost of maintaining the influence of these lobbyists is $200 million each month. That’s $2.4 billion per year just to seduce federal officials. Now when we look even further into the legislation that has gone through in the past it becomes obvious that the bulk of legislation passed through Congress is purely tax breaks for huge companies such as Exxon Mobil to ensure that even with the wilting economy they make profits around $30 billion through subsidies.
Society has reached a point where anyone who attempts to be successful through ability is removed. In her book, Atlas Shrugged, philosopher Ayn Rand expresses this societal problem when the character Hank Rearden creates an amazing lightweight yet highly durable metal that could replace steel. However, the government is so influenced by the already existing steel company run by Orren Boyle; Rearden gets shut out by the science institute claiming his metal to be unsafe and unreliable. The government also goes to the extremes of forcing Rearden to only own one type of resource and make him share the formula for his metal with everyone else. When Rand makes this depiction of government she’s speaking of the direction the U.S. federal government is headed. Now, you have seen what money is not and because of that we are in the poor state of considering it the root of all evil. Now I would like to show you what it truly is.
The United States was the first society to use and give emphasis to the phrase, “to make money.” This is what has created the misconception that money is made by the strong at the expense of the weak. However this is inaccurate because money is abused by the strong at the expense of the weak, and the abusers are the one who attack the makers of money. However money and wealth cannot be a product of the “strength” of the looters with their muscles and their guns that are condoned by government, Wealth is the result of a person’s ablility to think. However, money isn’t made by the intelligent at the expense of the fool. Neither at the expense of the incompetent nor the lazy. As Rand says, “Money is made by the effort of every honest man, each to the extent of his ability. An honest man is one who knows that he can’t consume more than he has produced.” Bill Gates, who began with nothing but an idea, this idea which became the world know Microsoft program. He had the will to use his ability to its extent and excel beyond all the already in place programs blocking him. Because of this, a simple program, Microsoft Word, turned him into the most well know multi-billionaire. Money is the means of all trade. It was the means of trade to get Bill Gates started. An investor made the trade of materials for a product, and this product was adopted into the market at a value to be traded for the fundamental need of money to trade for goods. Money allows no one to decide the value of your own efforts but for two voluntary parties to trade efforts with each other. Nothing more, nothing less. It allows for the judgment to be made without force on deals that are mutually beneficial. When searching for a job you don’t present an employer a list of your vices and expect to be taken seriously. You present them every value you have to offer and expect to receive an equal benefit. Reason is the basis of decision making. This is the basis of existence that is recognized by the symbol of money. Is this what you consider the root of all evil?
“Money will not purchase happiness for the man who has no concept of what he wants: money will not give him a code of values if he’s evaded the knowledge of what to value and will not provide him with a purpose if he’s evaded the choice of what to seek.” It does not give intelligence, prosperity, respect, or wealth to the undeserving. The majority of the “wealthy” today have seen money destroy them. This is because they do not see what it truly means to have wealth.
We are standing in the middle of one of the greatest achievements of productive civilization. In this technological age we have the ability to do great things whether it be to create lunar colonies on the moon or turn Mars into a livable place. Since the initial landing on the moon we have not set foot back there again, nor are we making any decent progress toward Mars. Why might you ask, because we are placing a damn on the lifeline to the programs- money. It’s quite ironic how this phrase, to make money, which so easily slips through the mouths of many, originated from a time where wealth was achieved through the labor of slaves. The looter is the one who sees no difference between the power held in the dollar versus the power held in a whip making him the most ignorant of men. Now we speak of this term as looters would speak of producers, slaves, traders, shopkeepers, industrialists, positions that a child wouldn’t dare to wish to achieve. These are the people who show the ability to follow that phrase coined by Americans, who have the ability to make money. Yet now looters feel the ability to denounce the people who follow these words as being un-American or just worthless of anyone’s time.
“Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good you ask for your own destruction.” When you refuse to see this you and no long allow money to be the simplistic tool of trade it was meant to be, you become the politician that corrupts the government through greed. In this moment you become the tool to be abused. “Blood, whips, and guns—or dollars.” It’s your time to choose, and you don’t have forever. Money is nothing more than an simple tool and that when you allow it to be something else you are no longer an heir worthy to your wealth. Society needs to realize this. Inventors like Bill Gates and scientists like Albert Einstein and Leo Salard used their intelligence to produce objects of value and therefore earned the respect of others not through the amount of money they had but through their hard work and ability. Money gave them absolutely nothing but was only a tool to their success. When money becomes the success then it is no longer money, or at least what money truly is. Because of this, money is not the root of all evil, but the men and women who attempt to corrupt our belief of money are.

I wrote this speech for Forensics and it has been posted because it is a belief I stongly hold and I wish to share this belief with the world and although its much more powerful spoken the effect still exists when read.

Havensville

Over these long breaks we've been getting at school I got to take a trip to Havensville Ks. When taking this trip out into the country I took advantage of an opportunity to work on my nature photography. It was extremely helpful that my highly photographically inclined cousin was with me so she help me out some here and there and I was able to work through all of my frustration. Of all of the frustration here are some of the best outcomes.

~Moogle~

Tyla

So I got to spend some time with a good friend of mine Tyla over one of our long breaks. She lives up north right on the border of Kansas and Nebraska... I'd tell you the name of the town if I could remember it. :) While I was there I was able to explore my nature abilities and create some pretty cool photographs. She helped me out a lot with capturing some of my ideas and I had a lot of fun with this.

One of the hardest things was dealing with the sun in some of the photo's I really wanted to take but we worked on adapting the sun into it.... My favorite photo is probably the slow shutter speed water shot. It was really hard to get the right exposure because of there being so much sun that day. It turned out really cool though.

Mikey.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU LOST SOMEONE WHO MEANT THE WORLD TO YOU?

LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY

I can see your face like it was yesterday

Sitting across the room from me

You're shaking your head and smiling

At something only we can see

I can hear your laugh like it was yesterday

Because I messed up some lyrics again

No one but us will understand Rancid's "dying lizard"

Just one inside joke between friends

I can feel your hug like it was yesterday

Something so special and rare

You weren't in the habit of doing that

But you did it to show me you cared

I can hear your voice like it was yesterday

Giving me your advice

You taught me how to be myself

Without you, I wouldn't be who I am in life

I wish I could've told you something,

Showed you something more

I wish I could see you smile again

I wish you'd come through the front door

I hope you know I loved you

I hope I showed you in some way

I know someday I'll see you again

And I'll know tomorrow will be just like it was yesterday

A Poem I wrote on the anniversary of Mikey's death in September. I haven't forgotten that horrible September day Sophomore year when I found out you had been shot. I still find it hard to believe. I hope everyday I will wake up and your death was just a dream. I miss you, as does everyone else.

Happy New Year

What was your New Years Resolution?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So to start the new year I've chosen to reflect back on one of my greatest accomplishements. That was actually looking withing myself to create a self portrait that really expresses who I am. It took me four months but I finally completed it.

This is the one I chose to use

It allows me to use the place that is most me. The stairway to my bedroom, and still show how trapped I can feel when there's an obvious escape

These others were some possibilities

I really liked exploring who I am. I think I may continue to dig deeper and see if I can create something that tells more.