Strange These Times May Be

What does it mean to be spiritual ?

2007-06-02T09:27:00.000+02:00

You go to church every Sunday and you say your prayers every day. Does this mean you are a spiritual person?

No.

You practice yoga and meditate every day. Does this mean you are a spiritual person?

No.

You belong to spiritual group and are devoted to following the teachings of the group. Does this mean you are a spiritual person?

No.

What, then, does it mean to be a spiritual person?

Being a spiritual person is synonymous with being a person whose highest priority is to be loving to oneself and others. A spiritual person cares about people, animals, and the planet. A spiritual person knows that we are all one, and consciously attempts to honor this oneness. A spiritual person is a kind person.

So, you can go to church every Sunday and say your prayers every day, without caring about loving yourself, others and the planet. You can practice yoga and meditate every day without being conscious of what is loving and what is not loving in your thoughts and actions. You can belong to a spiritual group and devotedly follow the teachings, yet still be judgmental toward yourself and others in your daily life.

There are many people who do not practice a religion, who do not meditate, pray or belong to any group, who are very spiritual people. These people naturally do caring things for others. They think about how they can help. Their thoughts are kind rather than judgmental toward themselves and toward others. When you look at them, you see their kindness in their eyes.

There are many religious people who are anything but kind. We all know of religious people who are extremely judgmental, righteous, and outright mean. Can you be both religious and spiritual? Of course! But only when you are operating in your religion from your heart rather than from the learned dogma of your mind.

Years ago I very briefly attended a "spiritual" group. People would meet in an auditorium to hear the leader of the group speak. The second time I attended I heard a number of parents yelling at their children and judging them to try to control them. These parents were being anything but kind with their children. That was the last time I attended the spiritual group. The focus of the group was surrender to God, but love was rarely in the picture! They obviously had a very different experience of God than I did.

My experience of God is that God is the energy of Love that created us and sustains us. In my experience, "God is Spirit" (John 4:24) and "God is love" (1 John 4:16). Anything that is not of love, peace, joy, truth and kindness is not of God. Praying to God does not mean that you are allowing the spirit that is God - the love, peace, joy, truth and kindness that is God - to guide your thoughts and actions. Practicing yoga or meditating does not mean that you have invited the love that is God into your heart, or that you are turning to that ever-present love to learn about what is in your highest good, and the highest good of others and the planet.

If you want to be a spiritual person, then let kindness be your guiding light - kindness toward yourself, toward others, toward animals, and toward this beautiful planet that is our home. Recognize that we all have the spark of love that is God within us, and learn to honor that love so that you can know and experience the Oneness of all that is.

About Author:
Margaret Paul, Ph.D., best-selling author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You" and co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process. FREE Inner Bonding course at: http://www.innerbonding.com. Phone sessions available. mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com.

Found at : http://www.bharatbhasha.com/religion.php/59900

Handbook for Life: 52 Tips for Happiness and Productivity

2007-05-28T15:13:00.000+02:00

How to use this handbook

This handbook is not meant to be a step-by-step guide, nor should you adopt all the tips below. Certainly not all at once. That would be overwhelming. Here are a couple tips for adopting the tips:

* Pick and choose the tips that will be most useful to you. There are 52 tips here — not every single one will be useful to every person. I hope you’ll find 10 that are useful, or that are reminders of something you’ve been wanting to do.
* Don’t do them all at once. Choose one tip to do first, and then do them one at a time. Focus on one first, and then the next. It’s too hard to try to adopt a bunch of changes at once.
* Experiment. Try out a tip, and if it doesn’t work, try another. Life is an experiment, after all.
* None are guaranteed. But many are very likely to bring happiness.
* Also, these are not in any order. Some of the most important are buried below.

52 Tips for Happiness and Productivity

1. Try rising early. It’s not for everyone, I’ll admit. It may not be for you. But I’ve found it to be an amazing change in my life. It has made the start of my days much more positive, and I now have time for writing, exercise, and silent contemplation. I talked about this recently in my post 10 Benefits of Rising Early, and How to Do It.

2. Do less. This is both a happiness and productivity tip. Doing less will make you happier, because your life won’t be so hectic and filled with stress. You will have time for things that give you pleasure, for the loved ones in your life, for life itself. It’s also a productivity tip: if you focus on the essential tasks, the big ones, the ones that will give you the most return for your time, and eliminate the rest, you will actually be more productive. You’ll get fewer tasks done, but you will be more effective. See How to Pare Your To-do List Down to the Essentials.

3. Slow down. Many new readers to this site have read my productivity articles and think that I’m all about being hyper-productive. I’m not. Long-time readers know that I am about a simpler way of life. Unfortunately, in my free-lance blogging, other websites usually ask me to write about productivity, so the preponderance of my productivity writing has given the impression, I think, that I think people should be churning out work at an amazing rate, to the exclusion of all else. Actually, I feel that life is much more enjoyable if you slow down. By doing less, you can actually get more done, even if you work more slowly. And when you’re not working, you should definitely try switching to slow mode. Drive slower (it is so much more relaxing), walk slower, eat slower. See Slow Down to Enjoy Life for more.

4. Practice patience. I’ve talked about how I’m trying to develop patience in my parenting article, How to Become a Patient Parent, but these tips really apply to everyone. If you easily lose your temper, you can become more patient with these tips. Once you’ve developed this skill (and it’s a skill, like everything else, not an unchangeable inborn trait), your life will become much saner and you will be much happier.

5. Practice compassion. This may be the most important tip of all, in my opinion. If you were to choose any of these, I would choose this one. The first part of compassion is empathy — and this ability to understand how others feel can be developed through practice. Start by imagining the suffering of a loved one. Understand their pain, the emotions they go through, and why they would react the way they would. By doing this exercise a number of times, you are developing a skill that can be applied to others — for every person you see, try to understand what they are going through. Try to learn and understand more about their background, and why they react the way they do. Once you’ve developed this invaluable skill, learn the other half of compassion — acting on your understanding, and helping others, alleviating their suffering, acting with kindness. This one thing can bring true happiness to your life, and the lives of those around you.

6. Find your passion. Another indispensable tip. This might be the second on my list of priorities. Find something you love to do, and your life will become immensely improved. You will love your work, the thing that you spend 40 hours (or more) a week doing. You will become more productive, procrastinate less, be less stressed. You will produce something you are proud of, and happy about. Read this article for some practical tips.

7. Lose weight. This only applies, of course, if you are overweight. But losing your extra fat (and when I say lose weight, I mean lose fat), decreases your health risks (obviously), makes you look better, and in general is very likely to increase your happiness about yourself. I actually recommend that you learn to be comfortable and happy with how you look now, and not feel negative about yourself even if you are overweight. However, I’ve found that losing weight (at least for me) is a great way to feel better about your body. Do not make this an unhealthy obsession, however — lose weight gradually, and enjoy the process. See the next two tips for the best methods for doing this.

8. Exercise. Make this a daily habit. Exercise not only helps you lose weight, but for me, it’s made me feel so much better. I actually enjoy exercise now. It’s a time of contemplation for me, and I feel so much better about myself afterwards. See Top 42 Exercise Hacks and How to Make Exercise a Daily Habit and 7 Ways to Build the Exercise Habit.

9. Eat healthy. I don’t recommend dieting. It’s too restrictive and you usually fall off it at some point. I do recommend changes to your diet, however — ones you make gradually, and that can be sustained for life. It not only helps lose weight, but really, once you start eating healthier, it is actually much more enjoyable. See my Top 15 Diet Hacks for more.

10. Meditate. OK, you might be like me — not into New-Age stuff. But meditation can actually be a very simple method for relaxing, for bringing calm, for returning yourself to sanity, for contemplation. My friend Scott Young wrote a good post about doing that here.

11. Get organized. This one’s not necessary. You could go through life wonderfully messy, searching for stuff, enjoying the search. But I’ve tried disorganized, and I’ve tried organized. The second is much more enjoyable to me. Read How to Never Lose Anything Again for a start on the subject, as well as how I keep my family organized.

12. Think positive. Another one of the most important tips on this list, thinking positive — as cliche as it might sound — is one of the single best changes you can make in your life that will lead to so many more positive tips. As I wrote about here, learning to think positive was the skill that turned my life around. It makes everything else on this list possible. Read more about it here.

13. Simplify your finances. Cut down on the number of accounts you have, cut down on your credit cards, spend less, reduce your bills. Make your finances automagical. Simplifying your finances greatly reduces your stress. Also see 10 Habits to Develop For Financial Stability and Success.

14. Simplify your life. Another of my top tips. I’ve greatly simplified my life, in many ways, and I can say that having less stuff in my life, and less to do, has greatly increased my enjoyment of life. De-clutter, simplify your commitments, simplify your work space, simplify your wardrobe, simplify your rooms.

15. Accept what you have. The problem with many of us is that we always think that we’ll be happy when we reach a certain destination — when we get a certain job, or retire, or get our dream house. Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when you get there, you might have a new destination in mind. Instead, try being happy with where you are, with who you are, and what you have. To do that, instead of comparing what you have with other people, or with what you want, compare yourself those who have less, with those who are going through tragedy, with those who are struggling. You will see that you actually are extremely blessed. And this can lead to more happiness with your current situation.

16. Envision your ultimate life. What would your ultimate life be like? Where would you live, what would you do, what would you do with your days? Come up with a clear picture of this, and write it down. Now, one step at a time, make it come true. Some ways of doing that follow.

17. Set long-term goals. Your vision of your ultimate life will help you come up with long-term goals. Of those goals, pick one to accomplish within the next year, and really focus on that. Now, pick one medium-term goal to achieve in the next few months that will get you further toward your longer-term goal. Now decide what you can do this week, and today, to get you to your medium-term goal. Just choose one thing at a time, focus on it, make it happen, and then choose the next thing to focus on. See Think About Your Life Goals.

18. Review goals. Setting goals is important, but the key to making them a reality is actually reviewing them (at least monthly, but weekly is better) and taking action steps to make them come true. Again, focus on one at a time, and really focus on them. Read Review Your Goals Weekly.

19. Life mission. Related to envisioning your ultimate life, but different — it’s important that you think about how you would like to be remembered when you die — so you can start living the life that leads to that now. Live with purpose in life, and wake up every day with that purpose in mind. Read the Key to Dying Happy for more concrete steps.

20. Plan your big tasks for week and day. Give purpose to your day by determining the three most important things you can do with your day, and making those a priority. Do the same thing with your week to increase your productivity: pick out the big tasks you’d like to accomplish this week, and schedule those first. See Purpose Your Day and Plan Your Big Rocks First.

21. Maintain focus. One important key to achieving your goals is to maintain focus on them. To do this, again, it’s important that you select one goal at a time. This will prevent your focus from spreading too thin. It’s also important that you give yourself constant reminders of your goal, so you don’t lose that focus. Put up a poster of your current goal, or print it out and put it out somewhere visible, and send yourself emailed reminders. However you do it, find a way to maintain a laser-sharp focus, and the goal will come true.

22. Enjoy the journey. Goals are important, but not at the expense of happiness now. It’s important to maintain a balance between going where you want to go, and being happy as you go there. It’s easy to forget that, so be sure to remind yourself of this little, but important, tip as you make your journey.

23. Create a morning and evening routine. These are two great ways to add structure to your day, make sure you review your goals and log your progress, and get your day off to a great start. An evening routine, for example, could be a great way not only to wind down from a long day and review how your day went, but to prepare yourself for your next day so the morning isn’t so hectic. Your morning routine is great way to greet the day, to get some exercise or meditation or quiet contemplation, or to get some writing or other work done.

24. Develop intimate relationships. It’s great to have a special someone, of course, but intimate relationships could be found with anyone around you. If you have a significant other, be sure to spend time each day and each week with that person, to work on your relationship and communicate and continue to bond. But if you don’t, there’s no need to despair (if in fact you are) … intimate relationships can be developed with friends, other family members, kids, roommates, classmate, co-workers. Every single person we meet is a fellow human being, with the same desires for happiness, for food and shelter, for an intimate connection. Find that common thread, be open and sincere, find out more about each other, understand each other, and give love. This can be one of the most important things you do.

25. Eliminate debt. Financially, this is a huge way to relieve stress and make you feel much more secure. I suggest that you get rid of your credit cards (if you have a problem with credit card debt or impulse spending) and create a snowball plan for yourself. It may take a couple of years, but you can get out of debt.

26. Enjoy the simple pleasures. You can find these everywhere. Food (I love berries!), sunsets, sand between your toes, fresh-cut grass, playing with your child, a good book and a warm bed, dancing in the rain, your favorite music. You could probably make a list of 20 simple pleasures right now, things you enjoy that you could find every day. Sprinkle those little pleasures throughout your day. It makes the journey much more enjoyable.

27. Empty your inbox and clear your desk. This might take a little while to do at first, but once you’ve emptied your inbox and cleared off your desk, it doesn’t take long to keep them clear from then on. It’s a simple habit that’s vastly rewarding. I get an inordinate amount of pleasure from having a clean desk. I recommend you give it a try.

28. Build an emergency fund. This is standard-issue financial advice, I know … and yet it is extremely important. I cannot stress how important it is to have at least a tiny emergency fund in the bank. You often hear that you should have six months saved up. Don’t be intimidated by that. Start out with just a hundred dollars if you can. Cut back on a few things. Then build it up, every payday. Once you have, let’s say, $1,000, it will make a huge difference in your life. It’s not much, and you should still add to it every paycheck, but at least now you’re not living paycheck-to-paycheck, and if an unexpected emergency comes up you can pay for it, rather than not paying other bills and falling behind. It’s a simple step, but it will mean a lot.

29. Keep a journal. This is not one of the more important tips, but I can attest that it’s rewarding. I, for one, have a bad long-term memory, and by writing things down, I can look back and remember what happened a month ago. I just started this a couple months ago, actually, but ti’s been awesome. I started an online journal, something I call the one-sentence journal, and my goal is to just write one sentence a day. Sometimes I write two or three, but the idea is the same — just get one or two things down that happened that day, so I can always look back on it later.

30. Use the power of others. Achieving your goals can be difficult, but using the power of others makes it much more likely to happen. For example, put positive public pressure on yourself by announcing your goal on your blog. Or join an online forum, or a group in your neighborhood, that you can count on for support. I have a mailing list for the May Challenge here on Zen Habits, for example, and our group has helped me stick to my goal of daily exercise even when I started to falter — and the rest of the group can tell you they’ve experienced similar success because of the positive power of the group.

31. Read, and read to your kids. I read all the time — it’s one of my favorite things to do in the world. I love to curl up with a good novel (or even a trashy one) and I can waste away an afternoon with a book. And I’m passing on my love of reading to my kids, by reading to them every day. I love spending time with them this way, and we all enjoy the stories we share together through books. See Best All-time Children’s Books.

32. Limit your information intake. In our lives today, we get a tremendous amount of information through email, blog feeds, reading websites, paperwork, memos, newspapers, magazines, television, DVDs, radio, mobile phones and Blackberries. Not only can this be overwhelming, but it can be distracting and can fill up your life until you have no time for more important things. Go on a media fast to get control over your information intake, and to simplify your life

33. Create simple systems. Once you’ve simplified your life, the way to keep it simple is by creating systems for everything you do regularly. Create an efficient system for laundry, mail and paperwork, errands, your workflow. Anything, really. See ways to Streamline Your Life and to make your mail and paperwork painless.

34. Take time to decompress after stress. There will inevitably be times in your life when you go through high stress. Perhaps several times a week. To maintain your sanity, you need to find ways to decompress. Here are some great ways to do that.

35. Be present. Time can go by extremely quickly. Before you know it, your life has passed you by. Your kids are grown and your youth is gone. Don’t let your life slip by — enjoy it while it’s here. Instead of dwelling in the past or thinking about the future, practice being in the here and now. Here are some practical tips for being present.

36. Develop equanimity. Keep your sanity through all the challenges that life throws at you. Rude drivers, irritating co-workers, mean commenters on your blog, inconsiderate family members. This takes a bit of practice, but you can let these things slide off you like you’re Teflon. Try these practical tips.

37. Spend time with family and loved ones. One of the things that can lead to the greatest happiness, make this a priority every week, every day. Clear off as much time as possible to spend with those you love, and truly enjoy those times. Be present as you do it — don’t think about work or your blog or what you need to do. Read this for more.

38. Pick yourself up when you’re down. There will always be times in our lives when we get a little down, even depressed. Take action to get yourself out of your slump. Here are some great ways to do that.

39. Don’t compare yourself to others. This is hard to do, but it can be a great way to accept who you are and what you have. Whenever you find yourself comparing yourself to a co-worker, a friend, or someone famous (those models on magazines with amazing abs), stop. And realize that you are different, with different strengths. Take a minute to appreciate all the good things about yourself, and to be grateful for all the blessings in your life.

40. Focus on benefits, not difficulties. If you find yourself struggling to do something, or procrastinating, stop thinking about how hard something is, or why you don’t want to do it. Focus instead on what benefits it will have for you, what opportunities it will create — the good things about it. By changing the way you see things, you can change how you feel about them and make it easier to get things done.

41. Be romantic. If you have that special someone, find little ways to be romantic. It can do wonders to keep your relationship alive and fresh. It doesn’t take tons of money, either. See these ideas to get you started.

42. Lose arguments. I know someone who just celebrated his 50th anniversary, and I asked him for his secret to a long and happy marriage. He told me, that if I ever get into an argument with my wife, to just shut up. What he meant, I think, is that I shouldn’t try to be right in every argument. I think this is a reminder many of us need, not just the married ones. But instead of just giving up the argument, instead of trying to be right, instead seek to understand. Really try to understand the other person’s position, to see it from their point of view. This little tip can lead to much happiness.

43. Get into the flow. This is both a happiness and productivity tip. Flow is the term for the state we enter when we are completely focused on the work or task before us. We are so immersed in our task that we lose track of time. Having work and leisure that gets you in this state of flow will almost undoubtedly lead to happiness. People find greatest enjoyment not when they’re passively mindless, but when they’re absorbed in a mindful challenge. Get into that flow by first doing something you are passionate about, and second by eliminating all distractions and really focusing on the task before you.

44. Single-task. I don’t believe in multi-tasking, at least not on a day-to-day basis. Instead, focus on one task at a time. This leads to greater productivity and less stress. You can’t go wrong with that kind of combination. See these tips for more.

45. Be frugal. This is a habit, rather than a goal. It is a way of living, a different mindset, and the best way to live within your means. It doesn’t mean being cheap or forsaking pleasure, but it does mean finding less expensive ways to do things, learning to live with less (and be happier in the process), and controlling impulse spending. I don’t have a single article to give you as reference, but frugality is a recurring theme on Zen Habits.

46. Start small and slow. Regular Zen Habits readers know that I advocate starting slow with any goal or habit change, and starting with a small goal rather than a big one. Why small? Because it’s something you are sure to achieve — and once you do achieve it, you can use that success to push you to further success. It’s a simple technique, but it really works. Start slow when you start exercise, or other similar activities — there’s no need to rush it in the beginning, to overdo it. You have the rest of your life!

47. Learn to deal with detractors. We all face detractors in our lives. They are the naysayers who, even if they are well-intentioned, will make us feel unworthy, or that you cannot achieve a goal. They will tease or be negative. In order to achieve your goals, you need to learn how to deal with these detractors and overcome this common obstacle. Read these tips for some ideas.

48. Go outdoors. These days, too many of us spend so much of our time indoors, especially if our jobs and our ways of having fun are all online. Our kids are often just as bad or worse, with so many ways to watch TV, surf the internet or play video games. Get them and yourself outdoors, appreciate nature, the beauty of the world around us, and the fun of physical activity. See this article for more ideas (to do with or without kids).

49. Retire early. This isn’t a sure way to become happy — you can retire and be bored out of your mind and unhappy — but it’s surely a cool goal. And if you do something meaningful with your life, such as volunteer and help others, it can be a way to be really happy. It’s not an easy goal, either, but you can retire early by cutting back on your living expenses, increasing your income, and investing the difference. The more you can do of all three, the fast you’ll retire. And that’s a truly liberating idea.

50. Savor the little things. Sure, the big things can bring big pleasure, but there are so many more little things in our lives. Savor them when they come up. It’s a way of practicing being present — stop and notice what you’re doing right now, what’s around you. And take time to enjoy it. Read this article for more.

51. Be lazy. There’s a time to be productive, and there’s a time to be plain ol’ lazy. I like the latter, and do it every chance I get. Does that make me a lazy person? Probably not, but even if it does, I don’t care. It makes me happy, and the kids love being lazy with me.

52. Help others. While finding pleasure in life is one way to be happy, doing something that is more than you, that helps others to be happy or to suffer less, is even more rewarding. I suggest you find a good cause or two and volunteer some of your time. You don’t have to commit to big chunks of your life, but just volunteer for a couple of hours. All of us can find a couple of hours in a week or a month. If you do this, you will find out how tremendously happy this will make you. You might even become addicted.

Found at : http://zenhabits.net/2007/05/handbook-for-life-52-tips-for-happiness-and-productivity/

Machine Means End To Sleepless Nights

2007-05-22T14:54:00.000+02:00

A new discovery could make it possible to take a "power nap" at the flick of a switch.
Scientists have found a way to turn on deep sleep at will using a machine that magnetically stimulates the brain.

A device worn on the head could in squeeze the benefit of eight hours' sleep into just two or three hours.
Scientists in the US used a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to induce slow waves - indicative of the deepest phase of sleep and essential for learning ability and mood, in a group of sleeping volunteers.
A TMS device sends harmless magnetic signals through the scalp and skull and into the brain, where it activates electrical impulses.
The researchers found that positioning the TMS machine the right way triggered slow waves that travelled throughout the brain.
Slow wave activity occupies 80% of sleeping hours.
During slow wave sleep, waves of electrical impulses wash across the brain at a rate of roughly one a second.
With each magnetic pulse, the volunteers' brains immediately generated slow waves typical of deep sleep.
"Creating slow waves on demand could some day lead to treatments for insomnia," said study leader Prof Giulio Tononi, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
"Theoretically, it could also lead to a magnetically stimulated `power nap' which might confer the benefit of eight hours' sleep in just a few hours."
Prof Tononi believes sleep is essential to prevent the brain overloading.
Memory involves strengthening synapses - connections between brain cells formed by learning.
Sleep might allow the connections created during the day to relax at night, according to Prof Tononi.
The research appeared in an early edition of the American journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Found at : http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1264358,00.html

Ten Buddhist Precepts

2007-05-21T20:29:00.000+02:00

I vow not to kill.
By not killing life, the Buddha seed grows. Transmit the life of Buddha and do not kill.

I vow not to take what is not given.
The self and objects are such, two yet one. The gate of liberation stands open.

I vow not to misuse sexuality.
Let the three wheels of self, objects, and action be pure. With nothing to desire, one goes along together with the Buddhas.

I vow to refrain from false speech.
The Dharma Wheel turns from the beginning. There is neither surplus nor lack. The sweet dew saturates all and harvests the truth.

I vow not to sell the wine of delusion.
Originally pure, don't defile. This is the great awareness.

I vow not to slander.
In the Buddha Dharma, go together, appreciate, realize, and actualize together. Don't permit fault-finding. Don't permit haphazard talk. Do not corrupt the way.

I vow not to praise self at the expense of others.
Buddhas and Ancestors realize the vast sky and the great earth. When they manifest the noble body, there is neither inside nor outside in emptiness. When they manifest the Dharma body, there is not even a bit of earth on the ground.

I vow not to be avaricious.
One phrase, one verse--that is the ten thousand things and one hundred grasses. One dharma, one realization--is all Buddhas and Ancestors. Therefore, from the beginning, there has been no stinginess at all.

I vow not to harbor ill will.
Not negative, not positive, neither real nor unreal. There is an ocean of illuminated clouds and an ocean of ornamented clouds.

I vow not to abuse the three treasures.
To expound the Dharma with this body is foremost. Virtue returns to the ocean of reality. It is unfathomable--we just accept it with respect and gratitude."

29 Happiness Hacks

2007-05-07T09:43:00.000+02:00

I found this excellent post here :

29 Happiness Hacks To Feel Better Now

What makes you happy? I find directly pursuing happiness is difficult to do. Many times the things we think will make us happy fail to do so. Instead I like to focus on growth and developing a strong life philosophy that can guide you through tough times and help you enjoy successes.
But what about feeling good right now? I’ve found many different ways to give myself a jolt of happiness when I’m feeling down. Here is a list of different hacks I frequently use whenever I need a boost of positive emotion.

Hack One: Goals

Nothing creates a bigger jolt of enthusiasm than a new inspiring vision of the future. Too often people try to hold back their dreams and desires like holding in a breath. Unfortunately this only causes them to feel miserable as they suffocate. Even if your goal is something small it can provide you with a new direction.

Hack Two: Chores

Procrastination sucks. You can give yourself a boost in accomplishment by finding the smallest task you need to complete and doing it. Even if the task only takes five minutes, the sense of momentum usually lasts a lot longer.

Hack Three: Laugh

Don’t take yourself so damn seriously. Find something to laugh about, and if you can’t, laugh anyways. Find something funny, joke with friends or just laugh by yourself. You can’t help but feel a little happier after laughing.

Hack Four: Aid

Help someone who needs it. One small act of service can leave you happy all day. Counsel a friend in need. Give a sincere compliment. Donate blood. Help someone else to help yourself.

Hack Five: Socialize

One of the leading evolutionary theories for explaining the size of the human brain is our complex social structure. In the Stone Age humans formed groups of at least one hundred people and it took considerable brainpower to manage those relationships. Call up some friends or make some new ones and use your brain for what it was made for.

Hack Six: Inspiration

Find something to get you inspired, even if just for a short time. Inspiration without doing anything won’t accomplish much, but you can still use inspiration to boost your happiness. I have a couple audio recordings of motivational speakers. Their ideas are often common sense or mediocre but the short spike of positive motivation from their words is often priceless. Consider replacing your daily caffeine with some inspiration to give you energy instead.

Hack Seven: Exercise

Exercise releases various chemicals into your brain which leave you feeling good. Anyone who has ever had a “runner’s high” certainly knows the feeling. Spend a half hour doing some exercise. It will make you feel good and you can also take pride in your pursuit of a healthy body.

Hack Eight: Posture

Change the way you hold your body to reflect someone who is happier. Faking your state can bring back associations to a more positive state. Emotions and body language are two-way streets.

Hack Nine: Music

Music is a fast way to boost your happiness. Put on some music that makes you feel good. Even if you have to listen to Bobby McFerrin.

Hack Ten: Nature

In our highly industrialized lives it can be hard to return back to a more natural environment. Spend a few minutes in a park or in the wilderness. Notice the sounds of birds and the smells and sensations of nature. I don’t believe nature has any mystical New-Agey powers, but I do think that a dramatic change in environment can alter your state. Utilize those positive associations you have with the tranquility of nature to boost your mood and get away from the glow of your monitor.

Hack Eleven: Hug

Hugging someone you care about produces special chemicals that result in a positive state of being. Even better than the brain cocktail human touch creates is the feeling of connection with another person. Remove some of the distance and reach out. Just watch the pepperspray when hugging complete strangers.

Hack Twelve: Meditate

Meditation doesn’t have to involve some Buddhist mantra’s and bending yourself into a human pretzel. Just sit with your eyes closed and sensitize yourself to your own thoughts and feelings. Better yet, combine this hack with hack number nine for a double hit of tranquility – very Zen.

Hack Thirteen: Flow

Complete engage yourself in what you are doing. When Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi first described the term he mentioned that the state was one of the most enjoyable states a human could experience. Check out this guest spot I did at lifehacker for more information about flow.

Hack Fourteen: Game

Whether combined with hack number five or a solo event, playing a game can give you a positive boost of energy. Even just ten minutes of a casual computer game can give you a little mental reprieve from daily problems. I’m a very active player in the massively multiplayer game of life, but I do enjoy the casual minigames it contains as well.

Hack Fifteen: Journal

Deconstruct your thoughts by writing them down. Journaling can break down tough problems and it can also help you redirect your thoughts to more positive areas. Think of a journal as training wheels for positive thinking.

Hack Sixteen: Remember

Spend a little time to look back on fond memories, challenges overcome and goals achieved. When you look back at many obstacles you have already conquered, you can get renewed vigor to face your current ones.

Hack Seventeen: Gratitude

What are you grateful for? Look around and feel grateful about the things you already have and the life you already lead. Best of all be grateful for the excitement and fun new challenges will bring.

Hack Eighteen: Silence

Listen to the quiet. Turn off every sound possible so you can actually hear what silence sounds like. It might require a drive to a more secluded location, or turning off appliances in your house but near absolute silence is so rare it is amazing how beautiful it is when you can hear it.

Hack Nineteen: Smile

I know it sounds stupid, but try sitting and smiling for one or two minutes and see if you feel any better. This is a very quick hack and even a brief smile can create a tiny jolt. Better yet, smile when around other people, friendliness is contagious!

Hack Twenty: Gestalt

Gestalt therapy is a psychological tool, of which one of the focuses is to get people to notice the gestalt, or the relationship between figure and ground. This often manifests itself in your body. Right now there are thousands of sensations but you are only focusing on a few of them. Spend a few minutes moving your focus around through your toes and up to your head. This can give you a greater sense of control over your body and your environment. You might also want try focusing on different aspects of your environment.

Hack Twenty-One: Dance

Get up and move. The only bad dancer is the one who doesn’t dance at all. Use this hack in combination with hack number nine in order to appear sane in public.

Hack Twenty-Two: Create

Do something creative. Small acts of creation can yield amazing boosts of accomplishment, inspiration and well-being. “But I’m not artistic!” you cry. No bigger lie has ever been told. You might lack the practice with a particular medium, but anyone can be creative. Even if you aren’t Picasso, after you are done you can at least say, “Hey, I made that!”

Hack Twenty-Three: Mantra

Find a phrase you like and repeat it in your head. I’ve got a couple I use when I need an extra push or boost. You could incorporate a mantra into your daily routine or just use it when you need it. A mantra acts as an anchor to quickly bring you into a conditioned state of mind. Think of it as a desktop shortcut for your emotions.

Hack Twenty-Four: 110%

Commit to going another 10% further on your project before quitting. Give it that extra bit of intensity before giving up. Even if that little bit of intensity is futile, there is nothing more satisfying than properly exerted willpower. Most people talk about willpower like it is a pain to use. But in fact, it is usually the times when you don’t use your discipline that you feel bad.

Hack Twenty-Five: Rest

Take a short breather to recoup your energy or a vacation to revitalize your spirit. Completely relaxing and giving up the tension you have in your body feels good. If you don’t already, schedule out some times where you can really relax and let stress melt away, even if only for a few minutes a day.

Hack Twenty-Six: Water

Drink some water. Hydrating yourself fully can keep you energized. More energy means less stress and frustration. In addition the act of drinking an entire glass of water requires you to slow your breathing, which brings us to the next hack…

Hack Twenty-Seven: Breathe

Take some deep breaths. Try to see how slow you can make your breathing. I can usually slow down to 3 breaths per minute if I breathe deeply enough. This process forces your body to relax muscles in order to conserve energy and reduces tension. Spend a few minutes just observing your own breathing and you can have a mental reprieve from your problems as well.

Hack Twenty-Eight: Explore

Do something you’ve never done before. Exploring something new can give you a boost in happiness through variety and excitement. Cook a new meal. Travel to a new place. Take a different route to work. Listen to some new music. Life is an adventure, so why live in grey?

Hack Twenty-Nine: Read

No, not just online print (except for this blog, of course), but actual books. The kind made with paper. Reading, either fiction or non-fiction, opens you up to ideas with far more depth than can be skimmed in a television show or a blog entry. If you don’t always have a book to read at any time, go to the library and pick one up, I hear they are pretty cheap there.

Bonus Hack: Respect Your State

When all else fails, stop trying to be happy and just let your emotions be. Accept how they are and don’t judge your feelings as good or bad. Detaching yourself from your emotions and actually listening to the message they are giving can be the key to happiness. Don’t dismiss emotions as the remnants of a reptilian section of your brain but respect them as a core aspect of your life. The irony is, once you detach and listen to your emotions you can start finding ways to get past them.

Quote of the Day

2007-03-26T10:23:00.000+02:00

"The problem with beauty is that it's like being born rich and getting poorer."
Joan Collins

Perceiving Reality

2007-03-09T21:35:00.000+02:00

http://www.perceivingreality.com/

What States of Consciousness Have Other People Achieved?

2007-03-08T21:29:00.001+02:00

Do we reincarnate ?

2007-03-08T21:03:00.000+02:00

Interesting Video on Reincarnation :

Quote of the Day

2007-03-08T09:07:00.001+02:00

We rarely think people have good sense unless they agree with us.

- Francois de La Rochefoucauld

What do you want ?

2007-03-07T13:48:00.000+02:00

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together
to visit their old university lecturer. Conversation soon turned into
complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee,
the lecturer went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of
coffee and an assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, some
plain-looking and some expensive and exquisite, telling them to help
themselves to hot coffee When all the students had a cup of coffee in
hand, the lecturer

said: "If you noticed, all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken
up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for
you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of all
your problems and stress. What all of you really wanted, was coffee,
not the cup, but you consciously went for the better cups and are
eyeing each other's cups."

"Now, if life is coffee, then the jobs, money and positions in society
are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, but the
quality of life doesn't change. Sometimes, by concentrating only on
the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it."

Don't let the cups drive you ... Enjoy the coffee.

Don't Quit

2007-03-02T15:52:00.000+02:00

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill.
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man.
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.
And that's worth thinking about.

Quote of the Day

2007-02-20T11:39:00.001+02:00

Technology adds nothing to art. Two thousand years ago, I could tell you a story, and at any point during the story I could stop, and ask, Now do you want the hero to be kidnapped, or not? But that would, of course, have ruined the story. Part of the experience of being entertained is sitting back and plugging into someone else's vision.

- Penn Jillette

Don't be Stupid Day - Mike Miur

2007-02-19T19:30:00.000+02:00

I though this was pretty classic : -

"Sometimes you got to go to that extra level, take another step, step back, and get a running start on it. See right now I have to get to a point, a point most people won't go because it's a little bit to close to the truth, and the truth isn't something that's gonna benefit them in the way that the want it to be. See my dad taught me a long time ago, it's not what someone does it's why they do it that really matters.

And that's what you should judge them for. People can be the nicest person in the world, but that's only to get you to think they're nice, so they can let down the guard a little bit in your door and then you go in there door and they mess with your mind. Anyhow, too many people trying to get you to think the way they want you to think; what we say, is trying to get you to think, whatever way that may be, but to realize the way you're thinking may not be the right way and give it a little extra thought.

So with that in mind, the question is, what do we do why we do? Everyone's got a motivation and sometimes you got to judge that to see where their power's coming from or where they're trying to throw it. You see most people think they think but they're not really thinking so they start thinking cause they thought they already thought, but they never did in the first place so it's their own little safety level. So I sit down and said, if there's all these people so smart thinking so good, how come every day of my life there's so many damn stupid people doing stupid things.

See a wise man once told me, he said, Mike, there's two clubs, there's the stupid people and the smart people. There ain't nobody blocking the door at the stupid people entrance, anyone can go there. But the smart entrance, it's a little more exclusive. So what you wanna belong to? The country club, or the cardboard shack? The penthouse or the outhouse? Seems like an easy decision to me.

So what we're all thinking about right now is what we're talking about, what we're talking about is what we're thinking about, and that's the whole point: you should think before you talk. So where we're at right now is a place that we want to go: a little bit of help. See: everyday, everywhere you go, people do stupid things. Three hundred and sixty five days out of the year, people not thinking. People that have the ability to think, that aren't thinking.

So what we should do is nominate one day. Call it International Don't Be Stupid Day. Now what this is gonna do is be a little reminder, maybe we could wear a pin, maybe you could send a tape to somebody, and when they start to do something you say, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there partner. Today is Don't Be Stupid Day, so you can't do that. So what we want you to do is just take a twenty four hours out of your life, think about all them dumb things that you just go right ahead and do, when you know damn well you wouldn't want anyone else to do it, if you really cared about them. So start caring about yourself, start using your mind, and as we say, start your brain."

Virgin boss offers $25m reward to save Earth

2007-02-12T09:07:00.000+02:00

Save Earth

Sir Richard Branson today offered a $25m (£12.8m) prize for scientists who find a way to help save the planet from the effects of climate change.
Flanked by the former US vice-president Al Gore and other environmentalists, the boss of Virgin Atlantic airlines called for scientists to come up with a way to extract greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
Describing the prize as the largest ever offered, Sir Richard compared it to the competition to devise a method of accurately estimating longitude. He denied that being the head of an airline prevented him from being concerned about climate change.

And Another Quote

2007-02-04T14:44:00.000+02:00

A good friend who points out mistakes and imperfections and rebukes evil is to be respected as if he reveals a secret of hidden treasure.

- Buddha

Another Quote for the Day

2007-02-04T14:24:00.000+02:00

Religion is, indeed, the self-consciousness and self-esteem of man who has either not yet won through to himself, or has already lost himself again. But man is no abstract being squatting outside the world. Man is the world of man—state, society. This state and this society produce religion, which is an inverted consciousness of the world, because they are an inverted world. Religion is the general theory of this world, its encyclopedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point d’honneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, and its universal basis of consolation and justification. It is the fantastic realization of the human essence since the human essence has not acquired any true reality. The struggle against religion is, therefore, indirectly the struggle against that world whose spiritual aroma is religion.

Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.
The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which religion is the halo.
- Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

Excellent link to be found here : http://www.bloggernews.net/14352

Quote of the Day

2007-02-04T14:22:00.001+02:00

“We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way…Seen from this point of view, the mental reactions of the inmates of a concentration camp must seem more to us than the mere expression of certain physical and sociological conditions. Even though conditions such as lack of sleep, insufficient food and various mental stresses may suggest that the inmates were bound to react in certain ways, in the final analysis it becomes clear that the sort of person the prisoner became was the result of an inner decision, and not the result of camp influences alone. Fundamentally, therefore, any man can, even under such circumstances, decide what shall become of him — mentally and spiritually. He may retain his human dignity even in a concentration camp. Dostoevski said once, “There is only one thing that I dread: not to be worthy of my sufferings.” These words frequently came to my mind after I became acquainted with those martyrs whose behavior in camp, whose suffering and death, bore witness to the fact that the last inner freedom cannot be lost. It can be said that they were worthy of their sufferings; the way they bore their suffering was a genuine inner achievement. It is this spiritual freedom — which cannot be taken away — that makes life meaningful and purposeful.”

- Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

Living In A Spiritualized World

2007-02-04T14:18:00.000+02:00

Found this pretty good song available here :

Two Worlds by Visioneers

Enjoy ...

Scientists cure cancer, but no one takes notice (maybe)

2007-02-01T08:36:00.000+02:00

I for one hope this turns out to be true :

Scientists cure cancer, but no one takes notice

EDITORS NOTE:

Since the original publication of this article we have been inundated with responses from the public at all walks of life. It is important to note that research is ongoing with DCA, and not everyone is convinced it will turn out to be a miracle drug. There have been many therapies that were promising in vitro and in animal models that did not work for one reason or another in humans. To provide false hope is not our intention. There is a lot of information on DCA available on the web, and this column is but one opinion on the topic. We hope you will do your own research into the situation. So, we have added links to resources at the end of this column. If you are arriving here form a linking website like Fark, then those links will not appear because they tend to grab only the text.

END NOTE

Scientists may have cured cancer last week.

Yep.

So, why haven't the media picked up on it?

Here's the deal. Researchers at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada found a cheap and easy to produce drug that kills almost all cancers. The drug is dichloroacetate, and since it is already used to treat metabolic disorders, we know it should be no problem to use it for other purposes.

Doesn't this sound like the kind of news you see on the front page of every paper?

The drug also has no patent, which means it could be produced for bargain basement prices in comparison to what drug companies research and develop.

Scientists tested DCA on human cells cultured outside the body where it killed lung, breast and brain cancer cells, but left healthy cells alone. Rats plump with tumors shrank when they were fed water supplemented with DCA.

Again, this seems like it should be at the top of the nightly news, right?

Cancer cells don't use the little power stations found in most human cells - the mitochondria. Instead, they use glycolysis, which is less effective and more wasteful.

Doctors have long believed the reason for this is because the mitochondria were damaged somehow. But, it turns out the mitochondria were just dormant, and DCA starts them back up again.

The side effect of this is it also reactivates a process called apoptosis. You see, mitochondria contain an all-too-important self-destruct button that can't be pressed in cancer cells. Without it, tumors grow larger as cells refuse to be extinguished. Fully functioning mitochondria, thanks to DCA, can once again die.

With glycolysis turned off, the body produces less lactic acid, so the bad tissue around cancer cells doesn't break down and seed new tumors.

Here's the big catch. Pharmaceutical companies probably won't invest in research into DCA because they won't profit from it. It's easy to make, unpatented and could be added to drinking water. Imagine, Gatorade with cancer control.

So, the groundwork will have to be done at universities and independently funded laboratories. But, how are they supposed to drum up support if the media aren't even talking about it?

All I can do is write this and hope Google News picks it up. In the meantime, tell everyone you know and do your own research.

Quote of the Day

2007-01-29T14:25:00.000+02:00

Don't do what you want. Do what you don't want. Do what you're trained not to want. Do the things that scare you the most.

Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters, 1999

The Spiritual Cinema Circle

2007-01-26T09:30:00.000+02:00

My wife recently happened on this, we think it is really great and joined :

Spiritual Cinema Circle

As a Member of our Inner Circle, each month you'll receive a new DVD with four wonderful, entertaining movies that will enlighten and inspire your soul. The movies will be a mixture of features, shorts and documentaries, all handpicked for their quality and content. You can be assured that each month you'll see more inspiring, meaningful movies than you can find on T.V. or at the local cineplex.

Quest for the Rest

2007-01-24T18:27:00.000+02:00

I found this excellent musical adventure here :

Quest for the Rest

Dafur is Dying

2007-01-23T08:44:00.001+02:00

This is worthwhile a visit :

Darfur is Dying

It is game written in support of the Darfur region in West Sudan where genocide is occurring.
read the background info here :

Background

Please support in any way you can if possible. There are ways mentioned on the site and in the game.

Making money surfing

2007-01-22T12:11:00.000+02:00

This post is mainly to offer you a chance to help build AGLOCO – it is a Member-owned Internet community.

Here is why I would like you to help. First – it is free. Second - it is quick and easy to join. Third – AGLOCO’s purpose is to get its members their share of the money generated on the Internet (i.e. you make money). And lastly – if you help build the AGLOCO network you can make much more.

Here is a link to sign up (it automatically records me as referring you with my ID BBBN9249) www.agloco.com/r/bbbn92949

AGLOCO works with a toolbar type software called a Viewbar. Privacy is very strict so no spyware, popups or spam.

As to how much money you can make, there is a study which says the average user should get $5 to $15 a month. (But less at the beginning.) Click here to read the report. http://simmonsreport.spaces.live.com

How much can you make helping to build the network? The Simmons Report predicts $30 per referral.

AGLOCO is in their beta phase which is the best time to help them build out the network. So please join now and help build the network. Have questions? Their website has all the details so go there www.agloco.com/r/bbbn92949 or ask me.

Try it is no risk, if it doesn't work for you just ignore it.

Quote of the Day

2007-01-19T09:18:00.001+02:00

All the evil in the world, and all the unhappiness, comes from the I-concept.

- Ask the Awakened by Wei Wu Wei

212 Degrees

2007-01-18T22:14:00.000+02:00

Found this excellent movie :

212 Degrees

Check it out for yourself it is worth it...

Daily Contemplation

2007-01-18T22:13:00.000+02:00

There's a life-affirming teaching in Buddhism, which is that Buddha, which means "awake," is not someone you worship.

Buddha is not someone you aspire to; Buddha is not somebody that was born more than two thousand years ago and was smarter than you'll ever be.

Buddha is our inherent nature - our Buddha nature - and what that means is that if you're going to grow up fully, the way that it happens is that you begin to connect with the intelligence that you already have.

It's not like some intelligence that's going to be transplanted into you. If you're going to be fully mature, you will no longer be imprisoned in the childhood feeling that you always need to protect yourself or shield yourself because things are too harsh.

If you're going to be a grown-up -which I would define as being completely at home in your world no matter how difficult the situation-it's because you will allow something that's already in you to be nurtured. You allow it to grow, you allow it to come out, instead of all the time shielding it and protecting it and keeping it buried.

Pema Chodron

The Daffodil Principle

2007-01-18T15:22:00.000+02:00

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house, I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.

"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."

"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."

"Carolyn," I said sternly, "Please turn around."

"It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, " Daffodil Garden ." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.
It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn

"Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. " 50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.

Daily Quote

2007-01-16T19:30:00.000+02:00

When you encounter people with qualities that you don't like, they are a mirror for the karma that you have not yet worked through. They possess the qualities that you don't want to see in yourself. In fact, these qualities are the demons that sit in the little wagon that you drag behind you. What are the demons sitting in your wagon? Anger, fear, resentment, judgment, boredom, aggressiveness? Wow! Thank them, and be grateful for the opportunity you have to befriend them. As long as you run away from your demons, they will continue to chase you. Peace can only begin when you stop running from them, turn around, and embrace them.

Thich nu Tinh Quang

Quote Of The Day

2007-01-11T23:11:00.000+02:00

"Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy."

Benjamin Franklin

Quote of the Day

2007-01-08T16:25:00.000+02:00

Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent
life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to
contact us.

Bill Watterson

Quote of the Month

2007-01-06T10:48:00.000+02:00

"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men."

-- Martin Luther King Jr.

Play Quake 3 in your browser

2006-11-07T08:24:00.000+02:00

Go Here

Free Ricochet Xtreme until 15 November

2006-10-26T09:05:00.000+02:00

Did you use to like breakout games from the 80's. Well this is one of the best versions around these days and it is only availble till 15 November. So go download now...

>> Go here <<

Quote of the Day

2006-09-13T16:23:00.000+02:00

Thought I'd put a quote on something this blog direly needs... action.

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action."

- Frank Tibolt

Quote of the Day

2006-08-23T08:09:00.000+02:00

Like a beautiful flower, full of color, but without perfume, are the fine but fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly; but like a beautiful flower, full of color and full of perfume, are the fruitful words of him who acts accordingly.

Quote of the Day

2006-08-13T10:59:00.000+02:00

"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."

Quote of the Day

2006-08-11T08:26:00.000+02:00

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it - even if I have said it - unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."

The Real Meaning Of Peace

2006-08-10T08:51:00.000+02:00

"There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.

But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest - in perfect peace.

Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?

"Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

Quote of the Day

2006-08-04T08:17:00.000+02:00

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing in at someone else -- You are the one who gets burned."

Electric Universe

2006-08-03T09:27:00.000+02:00

"The Electric Universe model is a coherent "Big Picture" of our situation in the universe, spanning many disciplines. It highlights repeated electrical patterns at all scales that enable laboratory experiments to explain the strange, energetic events seen, for example, in deep space, on the Sun, and on Jupiter's moon, Io. The Electric Universe works backward in time using observations rather than forward from some idealised theoretical beginning. It provides simple answers to problems that are now clothed in fashionable metaphysics and mysticism. It is more interdisciplinary and inclusive of information than any prior cosmology. It points to practical possibilities far beyond the limits set by current science.

The Electric Universe model grew out of a broad interdisciplinary approach to science. It is not a technique taught in universities. The Electric Universe is based more on observations and experiment than abstract theory. It recognizes connections between diverse disciplines. It concludes that the crucial requirement for understanding the universe is to take fully into account the basic electrical nature of atoms and their interactions. Strangely, this is not the case in conventional cosmology where weaker magnetism and the infinitely weaker force of gravity rule the cosmos. Such a simplification may suit a theoretical physics based on electrical neutrality of matter in Earthly laboratories but it does not apply in space where plasma dominates."

Further Links :
Main Site
Thunderbolts Pic of the Day
Book and video

Quote of the Day

2006-08-02T08:58:00.000+02:00

"In his ignorance of the whole truth, each person maintains his own arrogant point of view."

PANSPERMIA – Life Everywhere

2006-07-10T12:54:00.000+02:00

Here is the latest newsletter from Michael Tellinger :

PANSPERMIA – Life Everywhere

I have often wondered why so many depictions of aliens from space carry such resemblance to us humans. All those who claim to have been abducted, or those who have been contacted by aliens, mostly describe them in very similar fashion. The strange thing is that these aliens seem to have features similar to humans and not some other insect-like monster from space. Is it because the individual who claims to have seen these aliens may simply be hallucinating? Or could it be the influence of mass media and the many movies which have graced our screens depicting aliens mostly in a humanoid form? Or could there possibly be a more logical or possibly even scientific explanation for this curious phenomenon? Since we have come to know that the Earth is not the centre of the universe, we can start opening our minds to new possibilities. But like many things we 'seem' to have dis covered in the last two centuries on Earth, we find out that they have already been discovered by our distant ancestors. It is especially true for the subject of astronomy. The ancient Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese and Americans, all had a superior knowledge of the cosmos to us. They knew things about the planets and our solar system which we only rediscovered in the latter parts of the 20 th century.

One such cosmic phenomenon which was reintroduced into modern cosmology in the 1970's was the ancient Greek concept of Panspermia. This word can be translated as 'seeds everywhere' and its first recorded advocate was a Greek philosopher known as Anaxagoras of Clazomenae in Asia Minor, born about 500 BC. He was from a noble family, but wishing to devote himself entirely to science, he gave up his property to his relatives and relocated to Athens, where he lived in intimacy with Pericles. Shortly before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War he was charged with impiety, which was, 'denying the gods recognized by the state'. He not only had the honor of giving philosophy a home in Athens, where it flourished for a thousand years, but he was the first philosopher who introduced a spiritual principle which gives matter life and form. Anaxagoras laid down his doctrine in a prose work entitled 'On Nature' of which only fragments are preserved. Anaxagoras postulated the idea of independent elements which coexist in space and air, creating life. He called them 'seeds'. They are the ultimate elements of combination and are indivisible, imperishable 'primordia' of infinite number, and differing in shape, color, and taste. Later writers referred to these seeds as 'omoiomereia' which was an expression of Aristotle, meaning 'particles of like kind with each other and with the whole that is made up of them'.

It is fascinating how the ancient 'gods' seem to make their appearance in the strangest places at the strangest times. And while we are trying to unravel the origins of humankind, a completely different subject, we find that our protagonist's life was greatly influenced by the ancient gods who must have had a great hold over the Greek authorities. The fact that a philosopher was jailed because he disobeyed the gods, goes a long way in supporting the outlandish theory that these gods must have had a real hold over the ancient Kings. In "Slave Species of god" this subject is covered in much greater detail and we find out that their control was absolute.

When panspermia was reintroduced in the 70's by a handful of serious scientists, it was met with loads of criticism and the kind of ridicule which has been experienced by most visionaries throughout human history. But fortunately they could point to Louis Pasteur who in 1864 shocked the scientific world with his landmark experiment, disproving the concept of spontaneous generation. Pasteur's discovery also had a practical impact on medicine, proving that germs are the primary causes and carriers of disease.

If this principle had been accepted as the fundamental theory on the origins of life way back then, today we may still be unsure how life on Earth began, BUT at least we would approach the question differently. We would assume that life here had to be 'seeded' somehow and we would investigate the possible mechanisms for such seeding. Is it possible for bacteria and other microscopic organisms to come to Earth from space? Can they survive harsh conditions, radiation, extreme temperatures for long periods of time? Maybe even millions of years? All this has now been proven beyond any doubt and generally accepted by the scientific world.

But to argue the possibility of life arriving on Earth from space requires some proof of life in space…and if it does exist, how does it reach Earth…and once it has reached Earth what kind of role can it possibly play in the creation of life, evolution or the speeding up of evolution.

This is what Hoyle and Wickramasinghe proved in the early 70's. By using spectroscopic analyses of light from distant stars, they showed that there was evidence of life in the interstellar dust. This dust exists throughout space as leftover matter from the creation of stellar systems and contains microscopic organism like bacteria. It is also possible that there may be viruses and other organic material present in this so-called dust. It got there as a result of cosmic collisions of space bodies like planets and even supernovas, which is when a star explodes spreading its content over vast distances of space. By definition this really means that the universe must be filled with life of all kinds.

Given its size and age of the universe, there have been cosmic collision occurring for billions of years and life must exist everywhere throughout space. Space dust settles on Earth every second of every day, carrying with it all kinds of organisms, sometimes deadly to humans.

This also means that comets, asteroids and meteors become the carriers of life as they travel through space picking up these microscopic organisms, which could even include larvae and spores. When they crash into planets like Earth, they deposit these seeds of life, initiating a whole new chain reaction of evolution and life. There will be much more information available when the results from NASA's Stardust project are revealed.

Read more about NASA's Stardust project: http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html

Michael Tellinger

May 2006.

www.slavespecies.com

Love

2006-07-03T09:58:00.000+02:00

A long time ago, before the world was created and humans set foot on it for the first time, vices & virtues floated around and were bored, not knowing what to do. One day, all the vices and virtues were gathered together and were more bored than ever.

Suddenly, Ingenious came up with an idea:

"Let's play hide and seek!"

All of them liked the idea and immediately Madness shouted:

"I want to count, I want to count!"

And since nobody was crazy enough to want to seek Madness, all the others agreed. Madness leaned against a tree and started to count:

"One, two, three.."

As Madness counted, the vices and virtues went hiding. Tenderness hung itself on the horn of the moon... Treason hid in a pile of garbage... Fondness curled up between the clouds...and Passion went to the centre of the earth.... Lie said that it would hide under a stone, but hid at the bottom of the lake... whilst Avarice entered a sack that he ended up breaking.

And Madness continued to count: ....

"seventy nine, eighty, eighty one..."

By this time, all the vices and virtues were already hidden - except Love. For undecided as Love is, he could not decide where to hide. And this should not surprise us, because we all know how difficult it is to hide Love.

Madness:

"...ninety five, ninety six, ninety seven..."

Just when Madness got to one a hundred ......... Love jumped into a rose
bush where he hid. And Madness turned around and shouted:

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

As Madness turned around, Laziness was the first to be found, because
Laziness had no energy to hide. Then he spotted Tenderness in the horn of the moon, Lie at the bottom of the lake and Passion at the centre of the earth.

One by one, Madness found them all - except Love. Madness was getting desperate, unable to find Love. Envious of Love, Envy whispered to Madness:

"You only need to find Love and Love is
hiding in the rose bush."

Madness grabbed a wooden pitchfork and stabbed wildly at the rosebush. Madness stabbed and stabbed until a heartbreaking cry made him stop.

Love appeared from the rose bush, covering his face with his hands. Between his fingers ran two trickles of blood from his eyes. Madness, so anxious to find Love,
had stabbed out Love's eyes with the pitch fork.

"What have I done! What have I done!"
Madness shouted. "I have left you blind! How can I repair it?"

And Love answered:

"You cannot repair my eyes. But if you
want to do something for me, you can be my
guide."

And so it came about that from that day on, Love is blind and is always accompanied by Madness.

Thought of the Day

2006-06-22T11:39:00.000+02:00

If you want to have friends, you must be friendly. If you want to make peace, you must be peaceful.

Chromosome Fusion

2006-06-19T15:16:00.000+02:00

The latest newsletter from Michael Tellinger :

"Evidence of DNA manipulation in our distant past?

The Human Genome Project has dished up some real surprises to scientists. The first surprise was the vast percentage of the human DNA that is inactive. It is estimated that at least 97% of our DNA is in actual fact a waste of space, as it does not contain any active genes that actually carry the code for any of our physical makeup. Then within the genes there are Introns – parts that do not carry any code; and Exons - sections that carry some sort of genetic code. The full length of our DNA is made up of some 20 000 genes that have now been identified. These genes carry the blueprint for the structure of our entire body. What is very puzzling is the fact that Homo sapiens, as the supposed pinnacle if civilized evolution on this planet, should have such large parts of unused DNA. We seem to have the longest DNA molecule among all other species, but we use the smallest part of it in proportion to the other species. In other words, all the other creatures use much more of their DNA than humans do. Some species use as much as 98% of their DNA.

This flies directly in the face of the principles of evolution. Humans should have the most complex and evolved DNA of all creatures, to have reached levels of civilization seemingly much higher than any other species on Earth over millions of years of evolution. What is even more curious is the predicted number of genes in species. The numbers seem to increase steadily from basic organisms to the most advanced. We would expect that humans should end up having most genes, but strangely this is not the case. Here are some examples of the predictions for total number of genes in species. Fruit Fly 21 000; Zebrafish 50 000; Chicken 76 000; Mouse 81 000; Chimp 130 000; Human 68 000.

Can you see the problem here? The Chimp is our closest know genetic relative and yet it has almost twice as many genes as humans. And then we get to the anomaly of the chromosomes. Our DNA is broken up into 23 pairs of chromosomes. By comparison, all apes have 24 pairs. One would expect that Homo erectus, our immediate evolutionary precursor would then also have had 24 chromosome pairs.

Just one year ago on 6 April 2005, researchers from the National Human Genome Research Institute announced that "A detailed analysis of chromosomes 2 and 4 has detected the largest "gene deserts" known in the human genome and uncovered more evidence that human chromosome 2 arose from the fusion of two ancestral ape chromosomes" as reported in Nature. It is also the second largest chromosome we possess and it seems to make no sense why 2 primordial chromosomes should have merged to make us human, if this new chromosome gives us no apparent advantage for survival.

So when we read in the Sumerian tablets that humans were cloned as a sub-species between Homo erectus and a more advanced human-like species that arrived on Earth some 400 000 years ago, it suddenly makes a little bit more sense. The tablets describe how our maker removed certain parts of the "Tree of life" to trim the ability of the new "creature" and how they struggled to make the perfect "primitive worker" so that it could understand commands but not be too smart to question their existence. Similar suggestions of genetic cloning are made in The Koran and Hindu Laws of Manu.

The Koran:

• Ya Sin: "Is man not aware that We created him from a little germ?"
• The Believers - God says almost verbatim what the Sumerian tablets tell us. "We first created man from an essence of clay; then placed him a living germ in a secure enclosure. The germ we made a clot of blood, and the clot a lump of flesh. This we fashioned into bones, then clothed the bones with flesh…"

Laws of Manu:

• 19. But from minute body (-framing) particles of these seven very powerful Purushas springs this (world), the perishable from the imperishable.
• 20. Among them each succeeding (element) acquires the quality of the preceding one, and whatever place (in the sequence) each of them occupies, even so many qualities it is declared to possess.

Notice the reference to "We" by the creator. The cloning of humans as a more primitive worker or "lulu amelu" suddenly does not seem so far fetched and the strange genetic anomalies seem to support some genetic manipulation in our distant past. The modern-day researchers go further to say that this "fusion" of our chromosome 2 is what makes us human.

Are we getting closer to proving that humans were created by his MAKER as slaves to work in the early gold mines on Earth? It certainly seems like it."

'Hobbit' hominids

2006-06-12T13:29:00.000+02:00

This is an interesting find that adds to my previous post that may bring more of the puzzle pieces together:

"'Hobbit' hominids trigger giant row

Thu, 01 Jun 2006

Anthropologists have traded new blows over the remains of dwarf humans whose discovery on a remote Indonesian island blasted a hole in theories about the Ascent of Man.

Dubbed "hobbits" after the wee folk of J.R.R. Tolkien's tale, the hominids, discovered in 2003, measured only about a metre tall and had a skull about the size of a grapefruit.

The bones of at least nine individuals were found in a cave in the island of Flores, lying in sediments carbon-dated to around 18 000 years old. Near these remains were sophisticated stone tools and butchered animals, including a now-extinct miniature elephant.

Their discoverers claim the hominid, which they have honoured as Homo floresiensis, was a separate species of human who descended from Homo erectus, which is also the ancestor of modern man.

That assertion ignited a fierce row.

If true, it would mean that Homo sapiens, who are believed to have been around for 150 000 — 200 000 years, would have shared the planet with rival humans far more recently than anyone had thought.

And it would raise the vexing question as to whether H. sapiens and H. floresiensis interbred, which would presumably have left "hobbit" genes in our genetic code today.

In the past months, the scientific journals have blazed with debate. The exchange has sometimes seethed with barbed accusations about denial of access to the Liang Bua cave and to the now-famous fossils themselves.

Three weeks ago, primatologists led by Robert Martin of the highly regarded Field Museum in Chicago savaged the Flores claims as "media hype" and — the thermonuclear insult in anthropology — as bad science.

Martin said the Flores hominids were not a separate species but quite simply Homo sapiens who suffered from a pathological condition called microcephaly, which results in a small brain and body.

And he rubbished the notion that the large, complex tools found in the cave could have been created and used by a species with such tiny brains.

Given the dating of these tools, only H. sapiens, who presumably came to the cave after the pint-sized hominids had left or died out, could have had this ability, he said.

The rebuttal has been almost instant.

In a paper published on Thursday in the British science journal Nature, a team led by Adam Brumm of the Australian National University in Canberra take aim at what they call "lingering doubts" about the tools.

Their team — who include Mike Morwood, a University of New England professor who directed the original dig — examined 507 artefacts found at Mata Menge, 50 kilometres from the Liang Bua cave and dated as more than 800 000 years old.

Even though hundreds of thousands of years separate the Mata Menga and Liang Bua artefacts, there are remarkable similarities in the flint tools, in the choice of material and the angle and shape of the blade.

For Brumm, this means that H. floresiensis picked up the tool-making skills from their ancestors, H. erectus, who lived on Flores before changes in food supply forced the hominids to gradually downsize, becoming the little people found in 2003.

The study fires an appropriately lapidary volley at Hobbit-doubters.

"Pronouncements that H. floresiensis lacked the brain size necessary to make stone artefacts are... based on preconceptions rather than actual evidence," it says."

View Article Here

More on Slave Species

2006-06-12T13:26:00.000+02:00

I quote the other interesting comment on Slave Species of God here as well :

"Michael Tellinger has started a monthly newsletter where he sends out information of the latest discoveries regarding the topics he talks about in his book. I found a few articles this week myself on Google news that slowly makes the puzzle of our murky past seems like it is not so far fetched after all?? I strongly suggest that you go to the Slave Species website and subscribe.

I include the article from the Washington post to wet your appetite. Keep exploring.

HUMAN ANCESTORS MAY HAVE INTERBRED WITH CHIMPANZEES

When Nick Patterson of MIT and his colleagues at the Broad Institute compared the genes of humans and chimps, they found that one of the chromosomes -- the female sex chromosome X -- was 1.2 million years younger than the others. It appeared the two species shared a common ancestor who gave them both their X chromosomes, and did so more recently than the ancestors who gave them all the other chromosomes.
The best explanation, the scientists think, is that ancient humans and chimps broke away from each other not once, but twice. The first time was more than 6.3 million years ago. The second time was at least a million years later. What probably happened was that some of the evolving human ancestors bred with the evolving chimps. This was perhaps not as strange as it seems, for although there were some physical differences between the two groups, "the early humans must have looked pretty much like chimpanzees," said Mallet, the London geneticist.

Males have only one X chromosome, which is necessary for reproduction. As is often the case with hybrids, the male offspring from these unions would probably have been infertile.

But the females, which have two X chromosomes, would have been fertile. If some of those hybrid females then bred with proto-chimp males, some of their male offspring would have received a working X from the chimp side of the family. They would have been fertile -- and with them the hybrid line would have been off and reproducing on its own.

The evolutionary clock indicates this happened no more than 6.3 million years ago, and perhaps as recently as 5.4 million years ago. In that case, the fossils of older species -- such as Toumai, or Sahelanthropus tchadensis, a proto-man from Chad that had a humanlike brow and probably walked on two feet -- must have belonged to descendants of the first human-chimp divergence.

That line must have died out. If it had not, modern man's X chromosome would look as old (or nearly as old) as the other chromosomes.
"I think the most interesting thing [is] this idea that long, extended gene flow seems to have occurred and that this might be a creative mode of evolution," said David Reich, a geneticist at Harvard Medical School. He is one of the authors of the study, which appears in today's issue of the journal Nature.
The idea that new species emerge in a slow and stuttering fashion was favored by Charles Darwin, Mallet said. But in the early part of the 20th century, biologists came to favor the idea of clean breaks, with the "pure" lines of emerging species being stronger and fitter than hybrids.
In fact, Mallet said, about 10 percent of animal species are capable of interbreeding with related species, even though the number that do so in any population is very small.

By David Brown Washington Post Staff Writer - Thursday, May 18, 2006"

Slave Species of God Revisited

2006-06-09T15:41:00.000+02:00

I have recently been honored by a few great posts on my previous reference to Michael Tellinger's book "Slave Species of God". I have read through to whole book and couldn't wait to pass the information on. I will be reading through the boook again. It has some great content for the free mind. Please note as well that Michael has his own great website now. Click here to go there. I repeat some of the post content here :

"podcast intro - Slave Species of God

Hi Everyone please come and have a listen to my first Pod cast .Its an introduction to my book and will help get you into the debate that the book is stirring up around the world.

Podcast Intro to Slave Species of God

just copy and paste it into your browser

best wishes

Michael Tellinger"

Discarding of nonsensical worries

2006-06-01T11:51:00.000+02:00

Once upon a time, there were two monks who went on a pilgrimage across the country together. One day, they came to a river bank and saw a beautiful girl who was unable to cross the river.

Seeing her difficulty, the elder monk volunteered to carry her across the river on his back while the younger one looked on in consternation.

When the sun went down, the monks came upon a dilapidated shack and decided to stay there for the night. The elder monk quickly fell asleep while the younger one twisted around, unable to calm his mind. Finally, he woke up the elder monk and reprimanded him for what happened during the day, "As monks, we are supposed to keep away from women. I am really ashamed and troubled by what you did today!"

The elder monk looked at his friend and a smile broke up on his face, "Oh, so that has been bothering you! Brother, I have left the girl behind by the river bank, why are you still carrying her around?"

A mouse's tale

2006-05-31T16:04:00.000+02:00

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning.

"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said,
"Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me.
I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The pig sympathized, but said,
"I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray.
Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap
catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught.
In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.
The snake bit the farmer's wife.

The farmer rushed her to the hospital,and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever
with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock.
To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.
So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.
The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember --
when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.
We are all involved in this journey called life.
We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

Because I'm here

2006-05-30T12:55:00.000+02:00

An old man was sweeping the yard in a courtyard under the scorching sun.

Another man passed by and asked him, "How old are you?"

The old man replied, "I'm seventy-seven."

"You are so old! Why are you still working so hard here?"

"Well, because I'm here."

"But why are you working under the scorching sun?"

"Because the sun is there."

Act without worrying about the results, and strive for excellence without dwelling on it.

Ridding ourselves from stress

2006-05-26T15:15:00.000+02:00

“In this modern world, people are constantly saying, "Life is too stressful!" Why are people so stressed out? How can we rid ourselves of stress? Students feel stressed because of heavy schoolwork; parents feel stressed because they have too many chores and family obligations; policemen feel stressed because they have too much work; and workers feel stressed and are unhappy because their work hours are too long.

Stress—it is the same for everyone, regardless of age. We all feel the impact of stress in our daily lives. Tenants cannot afford to pay rent at the end of the month. Parents think their children do not listen to them and feel pressured by the task of raising them. Actually many things around us contribute to stress in our daily lives; for instance, stress from disappointments, obstacles, poverty, our jobs, ailments, relationships, and even death. Stress is everywhere. There are even sources of stress inside us; for example, stress from feeling emptiness, jealousy, depression, hatred, ignorance, evil thoughts, and vengeance. Taken together, the stresses of everyday life seem insurmountable.

However, stress does not only result from negative matters. Good things in life can also be stressful, such as stress from possessions, beauty, power, gratitude, success, and so forth. The seemingly endless universe is limited, but stress is truly limitless. Some people are overwhelmed by stress and yield to physical fatigue, poor motivation, suicidal tendencies, or mental confusion. If you would like to rid yourself of stress, the following are some recommendations:

Enhance your knowledge and wisdom by observing and learning from what happens around you. By gaining further knowledge and deepening your understanding, you can reduce stress.

Be optimistic, cheerful, and carefree. Open your heart as wide as the ocean, so you can embrace the universe. Be optimistic about everything and do not overburden yourself, and you will eventually alleviate stress.

Develop the ability to let go. Like a piece of luggage, carry it only when you need it. However, when you do not need it, put it away and let go. Do not compare or calculate, and you will eventually dissipate stress.

Befriend stress. Be willing to accept stress as a part of you and a part of life. Why bother fighting it?

Make use of every opportunity to rest and go with the flow. When you do not ask for stress or resent it, stress will eventually disappear.

Place more emphasis on enhancing patience, compassion, and wisdom by cultivating the self. Let us train ourselves to challenge and take on stress. Then, it will eventually be dispelled.

All in a Thought

2006-05-25T13:39:00.000+02:00

“Our minds are not limited by time and space. Our mind is our master, for from our minds arise views. If we change our views and outlook on life, we can change our destiny. A thought can change tears into smiles; it can transform foolishness into wisdom. A thought of compassion to help others elicits the mind of sages, but a thought of jealousy to hurt others brings forth the mind of the wicked. A thought of selfishness to profit oneself can only result in limited accomplishments, but a thought of initiative to benefit others can attain limitless merit.

Throughout history, a simple thought has changed the destiny of many countries. Kings and emperors have risen and fallen as a result of a single thought, and their countries have followed suit. In this world, many people change their entire lives on the basis of a hasty decision. Many take their own lives for lost love, leaving their families in pain and grief, while some steal and kill for profit, bringing others great harm, and ruining their own lives as well. All of these things can happen in a single thought.”

When we have no worries everything is possible and our mind is an ocean, but when we have trouble on our minds, our world becomes very small and focused.

Karma and Effect

2006-05-24T15:24:00.000+02:00

“Where is justice in nature when only the fittest survive? Where is justice in society when the wealthiest and the most powerful have all the advantages? In this world, it seems natural for the strongest to exert undue power over the weakest. It is no surprise that the rich oppress the poor, the smart ridicule the dumb, the old bully the young, and the healthy insult the disabled. Where do we find justice in all of this?

Someone once said, "Unreasonableness cannot win over reason, rationality cannot take precedence over law, legality cannot defeat power, and nothing is more superior than universal truth." What is the universal truth that reigns over everything else? It is the law of karma, based on the principle of causation. No matter who or what you are in life, no one can escape karma or death, for the law of cause and effect applies equally to every living being. Karma or volitional activity bears fruit in accordance with whether one's actions have been wholesome or not. It is a natural process, unsupervised and undisturbed by any supernatural power or force. By increasing our credit balance of good deeds, we alone have the ability to modify the course of karma.

Therefore, it is imperative that everyone understands how karma works, for true justice resides in karma. Neither money nor power can alter the course of karma; neither fame nor fortune can change the result of karma. A doer of bad deeds will always reap the fruit of retribution, while a doer of wholesome deeds will always reap the fruit of goodness. In the end, no one is exempt from the universal truth of karma and causation.”

Law and Order

2006-05-23T13:52:00.000+02:00

“In a country of law and order, in an organization of rules and regulations, nothing is more important than respect for and adherence to the rules. A traffic light is of no value if everyone chooses to ignore it. A crosswalk is of no use if everyone chooses to overlook its existence. Only when we stop for a red light or for a pedestrian can traffic lights and crosswalks serve as a means for public safety and a symbol of law. As law-abiding citizens, we must abide by the law and any of its representations, without lapse. As law-abiding citizens, we must act in accordance with the law, without reminder. For without rules and regulations, our nations will not prosper, society will be lawless, and our character will be flawed and weakened.”

Magnanimity

2006-05-22T13:11:00.000+02:00

“Few people in the world today are willing to practice the art of forgiveness in appreciation of the beauty of magnanimity. Instead, they choose to take their anger out on innocent victims or severely punish those who have wronged them. If a parent cannot forgive a child's wrongdoing, how can there be love in the family? If a teacher cannot react properly to a student's mistake, how can there be respect in the classroom? If a judge cannot decide a case justly and swiftly, how can there be faith in the legal system? If a policeman cannot be fair and honest, how can there be trust in the police force?

How then can we dissolve hatred and animosity? It is only through loving-kindness and compassion that we can find room in our hearts to forgive others. It is only through our willingness to let go of resentment that we can find a way to magnanimity. Words alone will not bring about change. It is only with hearts that are both tolerant and forbearing that we can inspire others to follow our lead and realize the beauty of forgiveness.

Those who cannot forbear in small matters will spoil great undertakings" is an old saying that we should take to heart. In order for society to have peace and harmony, each and every one of us must practice the virtue of forbearance and learn to appreciate the beauty of magnanimity. We must not harbour grudges toward others; we must not turn every situation into a federal case. If we can have a heart of forgiveness for our families and friends, our employers and employees, and our governments and society, the world will be a wonderful place to live in, a place of goodness and kindness.”

Important Day

2006-05-22T09:58:00.000+02:00

"Even when you are uncertain, do not use this one day wastefully. It is a rare treasure to value. Do not compare it with an enormous jewel. Do not compare it with a dragon’s bright pearl. Old sages valued this one day more than their own living bodies. Reflect on this quietly. A dragon’s pearl may be found. An enormous jewel may be acquired. But this one day out of a hundred years cannot be retrieved once it is lost. What skillful means can retrieve a day that is passed? No historical documents have recorded such means. Not to waste time is to contain the passage of days and months within your skin bag, without leaking. Thus sages and wise ones in olden times valued each moment, day, and month more than their own eyeballs or the nation’s land. To waste the passage of time is to be confused and stained in the floating world of name and gain. Not to miss the passage of time is to be in the Way for the Way."

Your body

2006-05-19T11:47:00.000+02:00

Your body is the only one you going to have, until death parts you from your current way of being. It makes sense then thus to respect your body. One must listen to what your body craves to make it live optimally in this world. The problem is that most people listen to what their mind craves.

People do drugs, too much drinking, smoking, eating etc. All just to pleasure their mind. Meanwhile back at the ranch your body needs none of these things to improve it and these rather degrade its performance. The mind is a sneaky thing and convinces the body it needs it but the poor body must then suffer for the mind's cravings. To achieve control ofver your mind and listen to your body's signals while improve your health and wellbeing. Ignore the mind's protestations as it will only care for itself and not your body.

Sharing

2006-05-19T11:46:00.000+02:00

“Unfortunately, in today's society there are too many people who take pleasure in the misfortune of others. Instead of practicing the virtue of shared joy, they choose to criticize at will and impart unwarranted abuse. Instead of praising the charity of others, they remark sarcastically that it is just a drop of water in the vast ocean or it is just a boastful act. It is indeed very sad to see that society in general has become so deprived of amiable feelings. It is not surprising that there are very few virtuous people and even fewer virtuous acts.

What we need to do is to cultivate and practice the virtue of shared joy, to give encouragement and exaltation as often as possible. Instead of feeling jealousy or envy, we should instead feel happy for others when they encounter good fortune. Instead of pity, we should be compassionate and helpful toward those who are less fortunate. Instead of criticizing, we should praise other's good deeds no matter how trivial they might be.”

Humour

2006-05-17T14:10:00.000+02:00

"In today's society, a good sense of humour is the foundation of a happy life, the lubricant of a successful relationship.

Only through humour can one be charming and witty; only through humour can one have wisdom and the ability to enjoy what is amusing or comical. However, we must bear in mind that humour is not sarcasm, but a language of wisdom. A humorous gesture conveys an immeasurable amount of genuine affection and concern.

The intent of humour is not to create embarrassment for others by being overly forward, but to bring happiness to others by lightening or dissolving embarrassing moments. Hence, to have a good sense of humour is to have an enlightened mind, a mind complete with ingenuity, vivacity, and intelligence. It is indeed a mental state of unsurpassed carefreeness, without attachments or worries. It is an attitude of complete optimism, when all things past and present can be humorously perceived.

Humour is like a mountain spring, for it can cleanse our minds.
It is like a cloud in the sky, for it can wander at will without obstruction.
Humour is sometimes like a gentle breeze that can soothe a person's pain and misery.
Humour is also like a spring blossom that can warm a person's heart and awaken his or her mind."

Positive Side of Things

2006-05-16T14:41:00.000+02:00

"To overlook another's good deeds and publicize his wrongdoings is a common practice in today's society. It is a social disease that needs to be cured by praising the virtues of others instead. Many wonderful things occur in society every day, events that are worthy of our attention. What we really need to do is to promote the good and to instill a sense of morality in a rapidly degrading world."

Time

2006-05-15T13:10:00.000+02:00

"For a person who is exhausted, the road is long; for a person who cannot sleep, the night is endless; for a person who does not understand the truth, the reality of birth and death is far-reaching." We must understand that the past will never return, the present is gone in the blink of an eye, and the future is fast approaching and will become the past in a moment. An eminent master once said, "A day's time is more precious than the treasures of the universe."

The Monk - The Last Part - Live Life

2006-05-11T13:10:00.000+02:00

Don’t fool yourself that you will start to enrich your mind, care for your body and nourish your soul only when your bank account grows big enough and you have the luxury of more free time. Today is the day to live from your imagination and harvest your dreams. And never forget the gift of family. Few things are as meaningful as being part of your children’s childhood. What good is it to have the biggest house if you have not created a home ? What use it to be famous if your kids down even know their own parent ?

The size of your bank account and the size of your house have nothing to do with living life with a sense of joy and wonder. The world is full of unhappy millionaires. There is a huge difference between making a lot of money and making a lot of life. Even the birds singing outside appear as a gift to the wise person. We all have something that we are meant to do. Your genius will shine through, and happiness will fill your life, the instant you discover your higher purpose and the direct all your energies towards it. Once you are connected to this mission, whether it is being a great teacher of children or an inspired artist, all your desires will be fulfilled effortlessly. You will not even have to try. As a matter of fact, the harder you try, the longer it will take you to reach your aims. Instead, follow your dreams, in full expectation of the bounty that is certain to flow. This will allow you to grow your destiny.

Enjoy your life and enjoy living it each moment. Begin living each day as your last. Starting today, learn more, laugh more and do what you truly love to do. Never sacrifice happiness for achievement.

The Monk Part 5 - Kindness

2006-05-10T15:20:00.000+02:00

Your quality of your life is directly correlated to the quality of your contribution to it. A little bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives you roses. When you take care to practice acts of kindness daily, your own life becomes far richer and more meaningful. When you work to improve the lives of others, you indirectly elevate your life in the process. To cultivate the sacredness and sanctity of each day, serve others in some way.

You entered the world with nothing and you will leave with nothing. Thus the only reason for you being here is to give yourself to others and to contribute in a meaningful way.

Build your friendships. Friends add humour, fascination and beauty to life. There are few things more rejuvenating than sharing a belly-bursting laugh with an old friend. Friends keep you humble when you get to self-righteous. Friends make you smile when you are taking yourself too seriously. Good friends are there to help you when life throws one of its little curves at you and things look worse than they seem. One needs to share thoughts with friends on say the latest book you have read.

The Monk Part 5 - Time Management

2006-05-09T13:07:00.000+02:00

One must make careful use of ones time. Spend time on improving knowledge, enriching relationships with your family. Spend time renewing, your mind, body and spirit. Direct your time to those activities that count. Not sitting in lunch rooms, gossiping or watching television.

Be wary of time thieves. These are the people that call you at inopportune times or drop by your office just when you are about to collect your thoughts after an hectic morning. Learn to be ruthless with your time – learn to say no. Don’t pickup the phone every time it rings. It is there for your convenience not other people’s. People will learn to respect your time, only if they see you respect it.

The best time to plant a tree was 40 years ago. The second best time is today. Don’t waste even one minute of your day. Stop acting if you have a hundred years to live. And remember to never take life too seriously, one must be able to laugh. Laughter opens your heart and soothes the soul.

Don’t be a prisoner of your past but rather an architect of your future.

We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.

The Monk Part 4 - Discipline

2006-05-08T16:40:00.000+02:00

To improve your mind’s strength and discipline, focus on controlling your thoughts. Thoughts can be controlled and are not as spontaneous as people think they are. Make use of a mantra at least 30 times a day.

For example “I am more than I appear to be, all the world’s strength and power rests inside me”. Blend this mantra with the process of creative envisioning. Go to a quiet place and close your eyes while sitting down. Don let your mind wander. Keep your body still, as the surest sign of a weak mind is a body that cannot rest. Repeat the mantra aloud over and over. While you do so see yourself as a disciplined, firm person, fully in control of your mind, your body and spirit. This technique has been taught by the spiritual teachers of the East for centuries. It is still around today for one reason : because it works.

Start using your willpower on a regular basis. If you don’t feel like doing something – have the willpower to do it. Try maybe to keep silent for a day if possible. This will discipline your mind. Don’t walk the path of least resistance. Build up momentum via smaller victories.

The Monk Part 3 - Soul of the Universe

2006-05-05T13:01:00.000+02:00

Don’t be afraid to go into the unknown. Most people are afraid to try something new and don’t know their own potential.

Art of Kaizen : Nourish your spirit. Do the things you fear. Be the person you dream of being.

Life/Luck favours the prepared mind. Satisfied people are more thoughtful then others.
Saying that you don’t have time to improve yourself is like driving a car and not stopping for gas because you are too busy driving.

Follow the following for at least 21/30 days :

5 - 15 minutes of silence on your own. Preferably a beautiful environment. Try and do it the same time everyday as in a ritual. (heart of the Rose)

Commune with nature daily, even if it is only a quick walk. Try to be aware of everything in the environment.

Do exercise in at least 5 hours of the 168 hour week. Nothing specific but to be just active.

Check your breathing 2-3 times (for about a minute) a day to make sure you breathe effectively. Your belly should move out slightly.

As you nourish your body you nourish your mind. Eat live natural foods – food that are not dead e.g. vegetables, fruits, grain etc.

Lifelong learning and expanding of knowledge. Read regularly for at least 30 minutes a day. Preferably something mind nourishing. Books do not teach you anything new spiritually they simply help you to see what is already in yourself. That is what enlightenment is all about.

Get time to know yourself. Think about all you did today everyday.

Don’t sleep too much. Six hours is all one needs. One needs quality sleep not quantity. Before you go to sleep don’t watch news or argue or even go over the day’s events in your mind eye. Relax. Drink maybe some herbal tea and listen to soft classical music.

Listen to music everyday.

Use mantra’s during the day. A mantra is nothing more than a collection of words strung together to create a positive effect. In Sanskrit ‘man’ means mind and ‘tra’ means freeing. So a mantra is designed to free the mind. Example ‘I am inspired, disciplined and energized’. Repeat often.

Build your character. Try and improve your principles : industry, compassion, humility, patience, honesty and courage. Act with integrity. Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be string to live as well as to think.

Live a simple life. Focus only on your priorities, those activities that are truly meaningful. Your life will be uncluttered, rewarding and exceptionally peaceful. Reduce your needs.

Even though rituals are built for at least 21 days, true life change is actually spontaneous. The very moment you decide from the deepest core of your being that you will raise your life to its highest level. In that instant, you will be a changed person, one set on the course of his destiny. More energy, less worries, more creativity and less stress in every aspect of your life.
These methods are not a quick fix. They are ageless methods meant to be applied daily. If you stop applying them and return to your previous way of thinking all will be as before.

Within us lies the sun, the moon, the sky and all the wonders of this universe. The intelligence that created these wonders is the same force that created you. All things around you come from the same source. We are all one. All souls flow into one, this is the Soul of the Universe.

When you nourish your own mind and your own spirit, you are really feeding the Soul of the Universe. When you improve yourself, you are improving the lives of all those around you. And when you have the courage to advance confidently in the direction of your dreams, you begin draw upon the power of the universe.

Don’t fear trying these techniques. Failure is not having the courage to try, nothing more and nothing less. The only thing that stands between most people and their dreams is the fear of failure. Yet failure is essential to success in any endeavour. Failure tests us and allows us to grow. It offers us lessons and guides us along the path of enlightment. The universe favors the brave.

The Monk (Part 2)

2006-05-02T14:32:00.000+02:00

People spend their whole lives dreaming of becoming happier, living with more vitality and having an abundance of passion. Yet they do not see the importance of taking even 10 minutes a month to write out their goals and to think deeply about the meaning of their lives, their Dharma.

People set financial and material goals. There is nothing wrong with this, if this is what you value. However, to attain self-mastery and inner enlightment, you must set objectives in other areas as well.

To write out your goal will help focus your mind to make it more important than the other 60,000 odd thoughts a day.

5 Step process to achieve a goal (for example losing weight) :

Form clear mental image of the outcome. In example every morning after waking up, envision yourself as a lean, fit person, full of vitality and boundless energy. Goals include : Physical, Financial, Personal Empowerment, Relationship and Social. Write them down. Pictures help as well, for example in the goal of being a great father get a picture of womeone who represents this (perhaps your own father). Review this note book daily.

Get positive pressure on yourself. In example tell people what you will achieve. Associate your mind with pleasure in achieving good habits and punishment for bad ones.

If possible set a timeline to it.

Perform activity for 21 days in a row.

Have fun while doing it.

Never forget the importance of living with unbridled exhilaration. Never neglect to see the exquisite beauty in all living things. Stay focused on your purpose. The Universe will take care of everything else.

The Monk Who sold his Ferrari

2006-04-24T14:34:00.000+02:00

I recently started reading this book after a friend gave it to me. Sofar I have found the following points of interest :

One would not put toxic waste in one’s garden why do one do it to your mind.

60% of thoughts in a day are the same thoughts you had yesterday.

Most of those thoughts in most people are negative.

Mind management is the essence of life management.

One must stop viewing events as positive or negative but rather as lessons. Every crisis may be an opportunity.

Secret of Success : Find what you love to do and put all your energy towards it.
Exercise : Heart of the Rose

Quiet room or preferably natural surroundings and a rose.

Start to stare at the center of the rose. It’s heart.

Notice the rose colour, texture and design. Savour its fragrance.

Only think of the rose. The mark of an untrained mind is other thoughts trying to break in. Don’t worry improvement will come quickly.

Soon your mind will become strong and disciplined.

Practice everyday for at least a month. Start of for at least 5 minutes. After a week or two you should be able to do it for 20 minutes.

Also : Opposition Thinking

Make use of opposition thinking. The mind can only handle one thought at a time.

If a negative thought enters the mind try and replace it with another thought as quickly as possible.

If you worry about something touch something around you to remind you that you still need more time to master your thoughts.

Also : Secret of the Lake

Use positive envisioning of yourself.

If you want to be the greatest father or mother. Envision yourself laughing and playing with your kids, responding to their questions with an open heart. This positive imagery can help in anything you want to achieve in life.

Any negative thoughts must be viewed as a poison to the process.

This exercise may be practised anytime throughout the day for a few minutes.

Remember every second you spend thinking about someone else’s dreams you take time away from you own.

Remember control your mind or it will control you.

A worrisome thought is like an embryo – it’s start small but grows until it has a life of its own.

Giving good causes and conditions

2006-04-20T13:39:00.000+02:00

“Giving good causes and conditions is simply helping others in any possible way. If you water the plants in your garden, they flourish beautifully. If you offer grain to birds, they sing wonderfully. If you give encouragement to students or praise teachers, then you provide them with good causes and conditions.”

“It is through building ties and relationships in this way that we are paving the way to our own success, for in giving others benefits, we are also benefiting ourselves.”

Quran

2006-04-20T13:37:00.000+02:00

O yeah... almost forgot found something inetersting on Scott Adams blog comments today. It is 3 side by side translations of the Quran. I should really find some time to read this one day.

Check it out here : Quran Link

.NET

2006-04-20T13:28:00.000+02:00

Been very busy learning these days. I haven't found time to really play games, but when I do I play either Cthulhu or Oblivion. Having a bit of a struggle with Cthulhu tough. On Oblivion I was suddenly labelled a murderer. It seemed I had hit one of the friendly soldiers in a battle by mistake and killed him. I could have sweared it was the monster but some invisible judge decided it was me. Now everybody is pissed at me except the Dark Brotherhood - go figure. I think I will have to find a mod to set this right.

Anyways currently I am learning C# and .NET 2.0 and enjoying it quite alot. Currently I am learing remoting in C#. The book I am learning from is Proffesional C# 3rd edition from Wrox Press. It is a very good book even though the text discusses .NET 1.1. I will finish this book before moving on to C# 2.0 books and Web services.

At home I am currently learning to make my own animations in Toon Boom Studio 3.0. It seemed easy in the tutorials but now that I am trying my own original things it is a lot more difficult. It doesn't help that my drawing skills are a bit rusty. I think I 'd better start with a stick man or something. Watch this space.

More Cthulhu

2006-04-11T14:22:00.000+02:00

After swotting up some C# for an upcoming project, I went home and talked a bit with the kids and my wife. Didn't get any exercise due some rainy weather and gone to plonk myself down for watching some CSI. My wife and I has worked through the first 2 seasons now and I have ordered the 4th season now (3rd one was out of stock).

Before I went to sleep I tried playing Cthulhu again. But I am at a difficult part now near a jailhouse. One misstep and you're done for... At least I found my first weapon - a crowbar. Kicked the asses of at least two of the stupid townfolk before they got me... To my shame had to go look at a walkthrough to understand what I was required to do near the jail cells. I went wrong by just continuing on and finding a sewer. On the other end of the sewer you find a car but you can't use it until you get the other guy out of his jail cell. Oh well ... will try again tonight.

If the weather keeps I will go jogging tonight. I am currently afraid to venture anywhere near a scale currently.

Rough Week

2006-04-10T11:21:00.000+02:00

Ok so a rough week followed the weekend. I hardly had time to blog last week. I had to complete coding on my POS system as well as my Lodge system. Went to see clients on integration with the SAP system. Didn't get time much to play Cthulhu unfortunately. But this was not only due to work. I got Elder Scrolls IV : Oblivion last week. Oh man what a brilliant game. It really pulled me into its world. I have played its predecessor but this one just blew me away. I am very happy that I got the collector's edition - apparently it is sold out all over the world. It's got an actual coin with made according to the ingame currency called septims. The graphics are very good but it is the intrigueing gameplay that makes this game tick. I am currently playing a dark elf spellsword. I have already put 7 hours into the game but have only finished one quest as part of the main quest. this is due to the many side quests this game has. I ofteen just explore some of the wilderness just for the fun of it.

To top this off I got a 10 day trial on Dungeons and Dragons Online to check out. I enjoy the missions of D&D Online and the graphics are not that bad. But I must say it pales in comparison so far to Oblivion. If I had gotten this sooner then the D&D may have been interesting but currently I rather be playing Oblivion.

Hopefully this week will be less rough although one of our developers left for greener (hopefully) pastures. So I am not sure what to expect. Got Guild Wars Factions Pre-Order pack today a well but luckily I won't be playing it until the 27th of April - whcih is just as well as between games, social commitments and work I am currently not getting anywhere...

I had the joy of seeing my 2 sons learning to ride horses last Friday. It was great seeing them learning to stand and balance on a horse. They probably already ride better than me ...

Rough Weekend

2006-04-03T14:53:00.000+02:00

Okay so I didn't get to play much this weekend. My oldest son Pierre had is 7th birthday this Sunday 2nd April. My wife Hannelie had to go to work on Saturday and that left only me to get all the stuff ready for Sunday. When I got up Saturday I immediately went to fix the tap that broke on our bath. Then I found out that it is a very old sortof tap and to fix it I had to buy a new tap set as well as the innards 'cause otherwise the taps wouldn't fit. This took me 2 trips to the plumber to sort out. Then I cleaned my desk as well as my kids which took about an hour. We then rushed of to the shop to get the groceries and salads fo the next days braai. Both my kids tagged along and let me tell you - there is a thousand things a 7 year old and a 4 year old can argue about. From the shop whe went to the video shop to get them some cartoons to watch. Then we went on to the butchery to get meat for the braai. Then next over to the ice cream and sweet shop and last stop was the liquor store (for the adults obviously)... Finally I had everything and went home. We ordered a Gladiator jumping castle which was dropped off and the kids went jumping while I tried to bake a cake. While baking the cake I helped my wife's computer to understand that it should have a new version of her office software installed. Whew ! All in a days work. But it was worth it - we had everything the following day...

The Sunday my son Pierre and his brother Jean was up bright and early to enjoy Pierre's birthday. All the people that came was my Mom, my brother Gerhard and his girlfriend, Pierre's girlfriend (also 7) Leoné and her sister as well as her parents Luellen and Melanie, my sister Nadia and her husband Allen and their son Simon. The people who couldn't make it was Pierre's 2 favorite buddies Greyling and also another Pierre at school. Also 1 of our nearby neigbours couldn't make it with their kid. This didn't stop us having lots of fun... It was a great day and my son built up a bit of money to buy himself a radio controlled car - although he did miss getting some presents immediately. Luckily my Mom brought him some cool stuff. We had a great chat with evrybody and ended the day dead tired. So sorry old computer maybe we will play again tonight.

Call of Cthulhu

2006-03-31T13:01:00.000+02:00

Finally I got the new Call of Cthulhu game Dark Corners of the earth. Being a horror fan I looked forward to this. There is very little good horrors made these days in movies nevermind games. I got kinda into the the Cthulhu genre of horror by way of the Evil Dead movies following the book of the dead story back to the Necronomicon of H.P. Lovecraft's stories. I find his ideas intriguing although I find his books very difficult to read. He has lots of implications in his stories without all the gore we kind of expect nowadays from horror stories.

Anyways back to the game. I was at first surprised with the blocky designs of rooms and textures. It reminds me of much older games not one released in 2006. The character designs also seem a bit unnatural - I was expecting a bit better from the same company that is bringing out Elder Scrolls : Oblivion. But I know, yes it is a different team and probably an old engine due to the long time it took to be developed. So anyway before I started the game I made sure my kids were tucked in bed and my wife was busy and then I went and switched of the light for a spooky atmosphere. The start of the game is a bit confusing as I couldn't really understand what I was supposed to do. First thought was I had to stop a bunch of guys shooting from inside the house. But rather the game expects you to investigate the bottom floor rather than rushing the assailants. Okay that aside there is one creepy part in this prelude, but nothing to really get me anxious or anything.

So a bit dissapointed I continued the next evening (You'll note I don't play much on a game per night as I have lots of other responsibilities as well). So I arrived at the town InnsMouth. Now I know a bit about this town seeing as I saw the movie Dagon (pretty good horror movie but a bit gory...) which also told about this same town. OK so the town didn't look anything like the one in the movie but I knew there was something going on with its citizens. As a matter of fact only an idiot will be walking around not thinking he/she is in severe danger in this town. Luckily in the beginning the citizens doesn't seem to want you as their next sacrifice. They seem quite placent during the day. You catch glimpses of stuff and get knocked over by something that used to be someone's mom. The story line slowly gets you closer to your yet undeterminable fate. So far that night I can't really say that the game has anything really scary even playing in the dark as I was.

So last night I continued playing and then my idiot of an character actually wanted to go and sleep in this obviously demented town. This is when all hell broke loose. The game doesn't let you go to sleep until you bolted the room's door. No surprise then as you are woken up to a few citizens coming to collect body dead or alive for their next sacrifice. The game makes good use of that feeling of blurriness when waking up - which adds to the tension of getting out of the room as fast as you can before they break down your door.

What follows is probably one of the scariest things I have ever experienced on a computer (expect for a blue screen of death). You have to make your way from room to next room bolting doors and moving cupboards as you go along. This chase is quite a long (I mean this a relative too how long you can stand the tension and not being able to save your game...) and you'll have to do it a few times before getting it right as you need to figure out where to go as well while running shit scared. I read in some walkthrough there is periods you can actually wait a bit and that they don't always actively chase you. But it is so well done you feel like you have to scramble for it the whole time. This obviously makes for stupid mistakes as well (guilty as charged).

Finally I found my way away from the gang and through a warehouse were you gotto walk real slow and hide from the thugs. There also seem some other thing that is looking for you but you look as from its viewpoint so you can never get to see it. The scariness of the game dropped again. I went through some sewers with nothing much horrible in them - just a dead little girl insisting she is alive but always on the other side of an grating you can't get past anyways - so there is no scary "follow me" kindof routine used here. A pity it could have worked well for the game. The sewers hints of something being there but not showing you really anything. You finally meet up with a woman you met before earlier in the game. She somehow has not had any problems with the citizens while living there and go wherever she pleases - which seems quite unlikely. She helps you get into a church that the strange citizens are repelled from. Unfortunately she snuffs it before you can get a bit of cop and feel, so much for the sex scene - oh well ... which leaves you alone in the church.

One funny thing to me about this church was that although the people won't chase you into it, the priest has been crucified and disembowelled inside the church. Now how did they get this right if they couldn't enter ? Anyhow this is where I am currently with the game...

To Blog or not to Blog

2006-03-31T12:57:00.000+02:00

Okay here I have been wasting away my blog and not updating it. I decided to start again but rather than having a little wisdom blogged, I thought it better to just blog about stuff I am currently doing. This will allow me in the future and look back at what I did when and what (if anything) I have accomplished. This will make it probably more useful to me than anybody else but what the hey !

Just had to post this little ditty

2005-12-27T21:34:00.000+02:00

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

- Ronald Reagan

Quote of the Day

2005-12-12T13:05:00.000+02:00

"Listen -- strange women lying in ponds distributing
swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive
power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some
farcical aquatic ceremony."

- Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Quote of the Day

2005-12-08T15:47:00.000+02:00

"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food."

- W. C. Fields

Quote of the Day

2005-12-07T14:44:00.000+02:00

"There's only one way to have a happy marriage and as soon as I learn what it is I'll get married again."

- Clint Eastwood

Quote of the Day

2005-12-05T15:15:00.000+02:00

"In Japan, employees occasionally work themselves to death. It's called Karoshi. I don't want that to happen to anybody in my department. The trick is to take a break as soon as you see a bright light and hear dead relatives beckon."

- Scott Adams

Quote of the Day

2005-12-01T12:47:00.000+02:00

"The wages of sin are death, but by the time taxes are taken out, it's just sort of a tired feeling."

- Paula Poundstone

Quote of the Day

2005-11-29T16:45:00.000+02:00

"The moment at which two people, approaching from opposite ends of a long passageway, recognize each other and immediately pretend they haven t. This is to avoid the ghastly embarrassment of having to continue recognizing each other the whole length of the corridor."

-Douglas Adams

Quote of the Day

2005-11-28T16:37:00.000+02:00

"Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the drug store, but that's just peanuts to space."

- Douglas Adams

Quote of the Day

2005-11-25T13:29:00.000+02:00

"If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands."

- Douglas Adams

Quote of the Day

2005-11-24T13:15:00.000+02:00

"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."

- Douglas Adams

Quote of the Day

2005-11-23T08:55:00.000+02:00

"He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief."

- Sir Francis Bacon

Quote of the Day

2005-11-22T10:52:00.000+02:00

"Wives are young men’s mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men’s nurses."

- Sir Francis Bacon

Bet my wife is looking forward to nursing me at old age ...

Quote of the Day

2005-11-21T07:22:00.000+02:00

"Silence is the virtue of fools"

-Sir Francis Bacon

You got to love this one after my absence of posting :)...

To Post Or Not To Post

2005-11-21T07:19:00.000+02:00

Whoah ! Just look at that It's been almost a month since I last posted... Since I went on a week's vacation, I just got lazy... or is it because a lack of really interesting news out there. Well anyways let me see if I can get back to at least one post a day. Even if it is only a quote.

Scott Adams Creates a Blog

2005-10-25T16:52:00.000+02:00

I don't believe it ! The mentor for all office workers right around the world has decided to start his own blog. Now if that is not an awesome news item, I don't know what is. (Do I need to mention that I am a fan of the comic strip Dilbert ?)

Rootkits

2005-10-19T16:41:00.000+02:00

Yep after viruses, trojan, malware and spyware comes a new menace - Rootkits. These things actually change the way your operating system works so that your normal spyware/malware detectors can't pickup any problematic proggies running on your system. These things are real nasty and apparently the only solution to really get rid of one is to format the system again. There are a few programs out there that will help you detect these bothersome things.

Check out the article at :
Tech Support Alert

Slave Species of god

2005-10-14T16:18:00.000+02:00

I found a new interesting book via fedup.co.za (thanks goes to my wife) that has been written by fellow South African, Michael Tellinger. The first chapter can be downloaded for free.

"Short introduction to Slave Species of god.

While many books have been written around the subject of our human ancestry, Slave Species of god skilfully manages to combine much of the ancient knowledge of lost civilisations to expose the shocking truth about our human origins. The book is easy to read and grabs its reader from the very first chapter. It unravels the mystery of our CREATOR and the creation of "Adam" while it draws a clear distinction between "god" and GOD. It takes its reader on a journey of discovery through 550 pages of astonishing facts. You will be exposed to the earliest human writings and our ancestors some 450 000 years ago, as they plotted the genetic manipulation of the human race. This is probably the most controversial book written by any South African author and will challenge all the newcomers to this genre of literature."

Check it out here :
Slave Species Link

Ananova - Artists erect giant pink bunny on mountain

2005-10-11T16:02:00.000+02:00

Now here is a news item worth noting.

"An enormous pink bunny has been erected on an Italian mountainside where it will stay for the next 20 years."

Check it out here :

Ananova - Artists erect giant pink bunny on mountain

Quote of the Day

2005-10-05T08:40:00.000+02:00

We've heard that a million monkeys at a million keyboards could produce the complete works of Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know that is not true.
- Robert Wilensky

Steve Ballmer Event

2005-10-04T09:44:00.000+02:00

Went to see Steve Ballmer yesterday at Gallagher Estates in Midrand, South Africa. One thing I can say about him is that he is very aware of competition out there and really is a champion for the future of Microsoft development. He pretty much had everyone hanging on his lips and lots of people clapping at fairly simple features.

I was pretty much impressed though with the new way that Office 12 is going to work. Rather having little factual menus, the whole thing has been revamped to the way people would work. Steve also pushed how us developers will be able to use all the new wonderful features of Vista in our code.

Only problem is - that Vista will probably only have an implementation base as of 2 years from now... but I really look forward to it though. It will make us coders look so much more intelligent with little coding :).

Microsoft business systems future definitely looks great going forward though and they are trying their best to outsmart competition. And as it is directly benefiting Microsoft there is no reason that they won't succeed ... I'm one of the people that is sufficiently impressed on what .NET can do and it's going to be big.

"Steven A. Ballmer is Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation, the worlds leading manufacturer of software for personal and business computing. Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 and was the first business manager hired by Bill Gates. Since then, Ballmer’s leadership and passion have become hallmarks of his tenure at the company.

During the past 20 years, Ballmer has headed several Microsoft divisions, including operations, operating systems development, and sales and support. In July 1998, he was promoted to President, a role that gave him day-to-day responsibility for running Microsoft. He was named CEO in January 2000, assuming full management responsibility for the company, which includes delivering on the company’s mission of enabling people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential."

Mark Shuttleworth on Ubuntu Linux

2005-10-04T09:41:00.000+02:00

Found this article on Slashdot :

"Mark Shuttleworth has released a FAQ about Ubuntu's Direction and Intent. It comments on the discussions of funding, of being a Debian-fork or not, of the strange names, and many other 'hot topics' relating to Ubuntu. In his own words: 'This document exists to give the community some insight into my thinking, and to a certain extent that of the Community Council, Technical Board and other governance structures - on some of the issues and decisions that have been controversial.'"

And from the wiki :

"Ubuntu is not without its controversies. This is a good thing (at least IMO) as it suggests we are both challenging the status quo, and taking some risks. Speaking for myself, my motivation for funding and participating in Ubuntu so heavily is in large part derived from a desire to do both of those things, I enjoy shaking up established lines of thinking, and I enjoy taking risks. This document exists to give the community some insight into my thinking, and to a certain extent that of the Community Council, Technical Board and other governance structures - on some of the issues and decisions that have been controversial."

Check it out here :
Ubuntu Wiki