truth news

Shampooo Flower salopette

2010-03-23T00:56:00.000+02:00

OUTFITS….. Shampooo Flower salopette

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sylph/6/224/22

Cardigan….. *COCO*_Cardigan(Lace)

http://slurl.com/secondlife/COCO%20DESIGNS/85/117/521

HAIR….. >TRUTH< Melinda

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Truth%20Hair/113/70/66

accessories …… ::BRILLANTE:: - Music Symbols

http://slurl.com/secondlife/adorable/98/233/22

SHOES…. *COCO*_LoaferMules

http://slurl.com/secondlife/COCO%20DESIGNS/85/117/521

[Via http://marryeel.wordpress.com]

Switzerland votes to ban violent games News | Eurogamer

get involved: Pink Elephant Collective

2010-03-21T00:35:00.000+02:00

We are the change we want to see in the world, right? Of course, there is no question.

As an artivist, it definitely gets overwhelming when there are sooooo many causes that are equally important to you. Some require more energy now, while others are a process. But sometimes, you just gotta get out there and give the people what they need. Fuck what they want. America needs truth and not the watered down version. We live in a police state and it feels as if it is the norm. Among a million other wrongs.

An amazing artivist here in Atlanta, Camron Wiltshire, has exposed me to a lot of truths that I would have not known and he just keeps bringing the knowledge for the world. Along with many artists like Afua Richardson and Corinne Stevie, Camron organized a mural in Little 5 Points to bring attention to a topic that has been covered up for nearly a decade. It’s really sad how people can get away with such vicious acts of inhumanity and murder and not be held responsible.

But this agenda isn’t new. Pay attention in history class. All of the evidence is there for you to be the judge. We have to demand that this atrocity be brought to justice. Now, it’s up to you.

WeAreTheChangeAtlanta.Org

[Check out my cameo @ 3:22 !]

Go further. Click below.

Pink Elephant Collective

[Via http://iamelizah.wordpress.com]

Democrats Drop Deem and Pass. Good News or Bad News? | NewsReal Blog

Things to keep in mind studying the Scriptures

2010-03-20T00:48:00.000+02:00

I just wanted to touch on something this Shabbat. A few things that will help people in their study of the Hebrew Scriptures, and things to always keep in mind.

#1 The Scriptures were not penned in English. Now I know your pastor might say “Well if the KJV was good enough for Moses it is good enough for me…” Meaning is lost via translation and often times bias is added.

#2 Purchase some good concordances at your local bookstore. They are invaluable when reading Paul’s letters. You can clear up many seemingly contradictions with good Concordance or Lexicon.

#3 The KJV is not infallible. It is for the most part an ok translation of the Scriptures, but I repeat it is not infallible, and quite frankly has some very biased translations in it according to church DOGMA, especially in Paul’s letters. If you are under the delusion of the KJV only crazies you will most likely live in spiritual stupidity your entire life.

#4 There was no punctuation marks in Greek. See my article on “So you disobey the Creator because of a comma?”

#5 Understand that Chapters and verses were ADDED TO THE SCRIPTURES! I cannot stress to you how important understand this is! Let me repeat this, verses were added to the scriptures by a priest riding on a horse going through France! Verses were never meant to be doctrine! Many times entire thoughts are cut off with verses and even worse so with Chapters.

#6 Check your Bible to see what words in Italics, parenthesis, brackets are. Many times these words do not even occur in the Greek Text. They were added by translators. Sometimes they help with the translation but other times they totally change the meaning of what is being said. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND ANYTIME YOU SEE A WORD IN ITALICS IN THE KJV OF THE BIBLE THAT YOU GO BACK AND READ THE ENTIRE THING WITHOUT THE WORD IN ITALICS!

#7 When you read something in your English version of the Bible that seems to go against what the Creator teaches and what Messiah Yahushua teaches……OBEY THE CREATOR AND OBEY THE MESSIAH! Then grab a concordance and do some research! You will most likely find very biased translations that make that contradiction!

#8 The Scriptures were not written in 2010 America by western Gentiles that were christians! I cannot stress enough on this point! The scriptures were written by Hebrews from thousands of years ago, that looked at the world in a totally different way then the majority of the planet! If you do not look at the scriptures from a Hebraic point of view, you will come up with some wacky ideas! This is one reason we have so many denominations and cults! Just because you have a cell phone does not mean the Apostle Shaul did!

#9 I recommend having 3-4 or more versions! Do not fall into the trap of 1 version only! I also recommend a Bible that will show you when certain passages in the Bible are questionable! Yes my friends there is doubt to whether some things should actually occur or not! Use your brain! DO NOT FALL INTO IGNORANT ARGUMENTS LIKE “O MAN THIS BIBLE HAS 1,000 DIFFERENCES FROM THE KING JAMES BIBLE!” WHO CARES IF IT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE KJV COMPARE IT TO THE GREEK!

#10 LEARN AND UNDERSTAND THE RELIGIOUS FIGHT BETWEEN THE MESSIAH AND THE PHARISEES! YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE NEW TESTAMENT UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WHY THEY HATED THE MESSIAH DO BAD!

#11 Learn about the Culture and times of the people in the Scriptures!

[Via http://bigritchie.wordpress.com]

News to know: Palm's meltdown; Viacom vs. Google; Hacking the ...

Why can't they mind their own business?

2010-03-18T00:08:00.000+02:00

Our inside joke,

ain’t so private anymore,

what is wrong with them?!

Your exs, my exs,

(I’m guessing-who else could they be)

Didn’t you see it,

Hating on you,

Hating on me,

They don’t want us to be happy,

Why can’t they mind their own biz,

Saying bad things about you to me,

Saying the same to me about you,

Can’t we talk somewhere the haters can’t reach…

How did we last even this long with so much opposition?

Don’t tell me you’ve been listening to them,

If you don’t trust me yet…why would you want to spend your life with me?

[Via http://thewhitebuffalowoman.wordpress.com]

Latest ObamaCare News « Nice Deb

Day 20 - Making lemonade on Match.com

2010-03-16T00:36:00.000+02:00

You really have to appreciate that there is never a dull moment on Match.com. The online meat market is the perfect place for you to fly your freak flag with reckless abandon. But it is also an excellent place to meet people if you open your heart and your mind to the possibilities.

No, I did not meet my future husband on Match.com. But without my experiences (the good, the bad, the ugly) I never would have met 2 very incredible women who I am blessed to count among my dearest friends! And isn’t that a happy ending, indeed!

So much has happened in the last month or so. As I compose this blog entry, I am perched on a lounger, 16 floors up, with a full view of Waikiki beach from my hotel balcony. It is a little after 8am and the sun is ascending high above the craggy incline of Diamond Head and the valley below, the delivery trucks are beeping down the alleys to replenish supplies across the city, and I can see and hear a man playing ukulele and singing soothing Hawaiian songs while a hula girl sways across the pool deck at the hotel next door.

My roommate from Los Angeles is still sleeping on the other side of the tinted glass partition, and in the bed next to her is the sassy stylist I met on Match.com last month. Life is good!

I may not be ready to find the love of my life on Match.com, but good friends are hard to come by, and I thank Match.com for bringing a few incredible women into my life. These are the kind of ladies I hope to one day see at my wedding, flanking me supportively in their taffeta gowns and updos so crisp from hair product that they pose a fire hazard that would make Smoky the Bear blush. I kid, I kid. Taffeta and Aqua Net are instruments of the devil… just look at what they did to the 80’s.

But in all sobriety, I think I have learned an important and surprising lesson about Match.com’s role in social networking:

Sometimes you don’t really need a good man. Sometimes you just need a few good women.

[Via http://littlemisslemon.wordpress.com]

New Jersey Devils Morning News, Mar 14 - In Lou We Trust

Dirteh

2010-03-14T00:44:00.000+02:00

Heyya friends…my sis Rosee Kohime and me are going to show our today’s style!She’s sweet and SHOPAHLIC! Here pics and stylecards:

Me wearing:

Skin: .:Hermony:. Kriz ST3 – Chinstrap

Hair: “FA”Army-LB011/short[black/brown]

shirt: (part of) ::[ Mr.Poet ]::Off shoulder shirt White

pants: AMERIE M – Loose pants_Khaki

shoes: [ h ] Military Boots – Loose – Brown

Keychan: [CALYPSO GIANO] ~Pepper~ Keychain iphone male

Nails: Mstyle Perfect Male Nails – B&W+

Rosee wearing:

Skin: : curio:acorn-cupid-lovelorn

hair: >TRUTH< Sydney – black& whites

Shirt: -SU!- onik tank blue

Skirt: *linc*low rise mini jeans skirt black grey stripes

Boots: [stellar] Kemai boots- Charcoal

Socks: canimal – socks vertical stripes – blue

Nails: *Linc* finger tapes w/nails

Piercing: AddiCt-Doulbe Marilyn Piercing

Necklace: *::UM::* color change_ Necklace

[Via http://youstylesl.wordpress.com]

Molyneux hints at Fable III for PC News | PC | Eurogamer

Love Actually

2010-03-13T00:22:00.000+02:00

I wasn’t going to post tonight but have since been provoked: Ryker Beck very kindly dropped some preview skins from her new Stephanie line on me. I couldn’t justify logging off for the night without having tried them on, and I must admit it was love at first sight.

Stephanie comes in four rich tones with various options for cleavage, freckles and dark or light brows. Watler is my favourite shade but in truth I liked the colouring on each, rich and smooth without exception.

The detail is excellent, with realistic naughty bits and subtle definition all over. Stephanie’s body isn’t overly toned; the stomach especially is softly done which I rather liked as something different. Having said this, everything is as it should be, with emphasis on the necessary – I’m a huge fan of Stephanie’s derrière, and the cleavage option offers an immediate improvement in the performance of your virtual underwear that is pretty unmissable.

Stephanie will be officially launched tomorrow, March 13 at 12pm SLT with a party where you’ll have chances to win one of five ‘Build Your Own Fatpack’ cards (with a L$5,000 value, they’re not to be sniffed at) as well as getting your mitts on the new Sienna fishing hole makeup which is a special for St Patrick’s Day.

Since I was in the process of winding down for the evening, I must admit my outfit is a little lacking by way of coverage, but certainly not in any other area. Truth released this gorgeous halter neck a few days ago; it’s simple but well done, two-tone with a seamed divide beneath the bust and stitched detail hemming the edges. The top features lovely stretch lines all around the torso, giving detail up close and from afar.

The knickers are part of the Cecile set from Insolence. Camilla Yosuke’s lingerie is always delightful, and Cecile is no exception; the sheer tulle is embroidered with florals, fringed in flicks of lace and running to a thong at the back. These are undeniably sexy, a must have whether you intend to spoil yourself or someone else with the view.

Stripy socks came from the quirky Narwhal store; the seams don’t quite match up but I forgive them this small flaw for the gorgeous colouring and rumpled texture that prevents them from feeling flat.

Finally the hair from Truth is the Veruca style, a cute twisted ponytail drawn forward over the shoulder. The colour change clips hold down the fringe to either side, loose tufts of hair flying to the back for a suitable untidy finish.

Outfit:

Tank: Truth, Halter Tank – Grey

Knickers: Insolence, Cecile Panties – Black (part of a set)

Socks: Narwhal, Purpul

Body:

Hair: Truth, Veruca – Mocha

Eyes: PixelDolls, Avatar Natural – Chocolate

Eyelashes: Symphony Skins, Sculpted Lashes

Skin: Exodi, Stephanie Watler – 5 (Dk/C)

Poses: Diesel Works, Shake 5

LAP, DG – Tart

Glitterati, Headshot 3

Chair: Gos, Queen Anne Chair – Black

[Via http://faynekhandr.wordpress.com]

News From Across The Pond: Jennifer Aniston Says She Would Happily ...

Worshiping the Creature Over the Creator

2010-03-11T00:03:00.000+02:00

I have very little knowledge when it comes to anything political but I do know the difference between right and wrong. Unfortunately it would seem that in todays day and age the concept of what is right and wrong somehow got twisted and turned upside down. It reminds me of the verse Isaiah 5:20

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”

I was having lunch in my car the other day when I heard on the radio something about Obama wanting to ban sport fishing. What is happening to us? Are you serious? This is so crazy. I guess there was an article by Robert Montgomery for ESPN, opening line reads as follows:

“The Obama administration has ended public input for a federal strategy that could prohibit U.S. citizens from fishing some of the nation’s oceans, coastal areas, Great Lakes, and even inland waters.”

For the full article click here : Culled Out

Just another example of Romans 1:25

“because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

Now I’ve read other blogs and articles refuting the claims of Montgomery and I know politics is politics, there is propaganda on both sides. It’s sometimes hard to know what is true and what isn’t. I don’t know if Obama is trying to ban sports fishing. I do know that crazy enviro nuts would love to see it go along with hunting and just about everything else that requires the use of animals for the benefit of man. These are people who put the lives of animals above the lives of human beings.

Am I upset over this news? I love fishing and hunting but to be honest I am not to worried about it, because I know everything is leading to one end, The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord. Everything I read and hear about just leads me to believe that the Lord will return in my lifetime, that is exciting. These are certainly interesting times we live in.

[Via http://phil48sc.wordpress.com]

Stocks in the News: Facet Biotech, InterMune, American Eagle ...

What to Seek First

2010-03-09T00:33:00.000+02:00

RAINING TRUTH WATERING THE GARDEN

Watering the Garden 23

WHAT TO SEEK FIRST

Scripture:

And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Luke 12:29-31)

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns: yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought (troubled by cares) can add one cubit unto his stature? (time of life) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin? And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought saying, what shall we eat? Or, what shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:25-32)

Jesus said our first priority is to seek truth and everything else will fall into place. We are not to worry so much about food and what we have to wear. His promise is that if we seek his kingdom he will take care of our daily needs. Along with the Psalmist may this be your desire. “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.” (Psalms 27:8)

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

Our first priority should be to seek the kingdom of God and he will take care of our daily needs.

Our Father appreciates the fact that you are trying. May God’s blessing be upon this

study of His word, Amen.

Susan

[Via http://rainingtruth.wordpress.com]

Steam News

2010-03-07T12:56:00.000+02:00

So now Wolfscratch’s thousands of posts have also disappeared from the Tallahassee Democrat Cheryl Dunlap forum.

Don’t take my word for it. Go. Look.

I realize the Democrat is in control of that forum and has the right to kick off anyone they like.

But they have kicked EVERYONE off that forum. The only posters left are three people, and at least two of them are the same person! And they’re all the ones who don’t really want to talk about Cheryl, or even Hilton. Constantly changing the subject to other cases in other states, that have nothing to do with Cheryl Dunlap or her killer.

Sound like the public defender’s office working overtime? Sure does to me.

How is that legal? First they stifle information by keeping this case completely sealed for THREE YEARS now. Now they’re stifling public discussion on an online newspaper forum which is SUPPOSED TO be accessible to the PUBLIC.

Does this bother you? I know it bothers me, wolf, daffy and fungshway. Those are their handles and they keep their identities out of it. Smart. I put myself out there and now I feel exposed. We’re talking serial killers and associates her, and people who are in collusion with a serial killer. Which is why I learned karate, with a big ol’ shotgun in case kicks to the balls and gouging the eyes doesn’t work.

Obfuscate all you want, you crappy public officials. The truth and the lies will out. You can’t keep a bell jar on it forever.

[Via http://nancyimperiale.wordpress.com]

Real-time Search Better for News Than Products – GigaOM

Learning to Fly

2010-03-07T05:58:00.000+02:00

I’ve been through a lot in my lifetime. To be honest with you, I never really felt loved by my parents. My mother pretty much abandoned me for the other men in her life. My father abandoned me for drugs. Everyone in my family, and I do mean everyone, has tendencies to backstab and gossip about everyone else. Therefore, I’ve never really trusted anyone in my family. My brother. I trust him. That’s about it. I even fabricated a lie about my Grandfather. That lie has been following me for nearly five years now. While he was a good man, he was not what I make him out to be. I like to say that he was the only father I ever had (which I suppose is true to a degree). I like to say that he and I were close, talking about life, love, happiness. I like to say he gave me good advice and that I seeked him out for it every chance that I got. But none of that is really true. Yes, he was a good man, but no, I did not have the type of relationship that I portray to some people. To be honest, I’ve never had a man in my life that I could trust completely. And I blame it on the lack of a father in my young home. And yes, it has effected every relationship that I have ever been in. Every man in my past hurt me. OR did I only hurt myself??? I think that I just made bad choices. I went for the “bad guy”, I went for the “older guy”, I went for the “guy that I had nothing in common with”, I went for the “control freak” guy. My life with these men consisted of Drinking, drugging, cheating, lying, controlling, abusing. By the time I turned 34 I KNEW that I would never find true happiness with someone. Yet, I was still determined to try.

Finally, I found happiness. At 35, just 5 months before my 36th birthday. I found it when I wasn’t even looking for it. During that time, all I was concerned with was a divorce from my husband and a life of my own. A fresh start. I did get the fresh start, but I wasn’t alone for it. I found a wonderful person. I found a friend and a lover. I found someone that I could be relaxed around. Someone that made me laugh. Someone that wanted to spend time with me. Someone that believed in family and being true to ones self. Yet, five years later, I find myself confusing paranoia for intuition. Those old “demons” from my past just won’t let me be. How do I decipher these feelings? ? Yeah, I’m not as bad off as I used to be but I still have my days and I hate it. I truly do. Instead of taking that giant leap of faith and just “going for it”…… I suit up in my armor and protect myself from my fears. I get this mentality that says….Up yours! I’m going to hurt YOU before you will ever hurt ME! Yes, I remember the PAIN. I want to forget it, but it’s always there….simmering in my subconscious. Just when I feel free of it…….it rears its ugly head.

I think that pain has a way of clipping our wings and keeping us from being able to fly.

I want to fly. My wings are ready. So, so ready.

[Via http://lilmisslynn.wordpress.com]

Steam News

Ouspensky on the meaning of life

2010-03-05T23:33:00.000+02:00

Though this is a Buddhist-oriented site, I’m always open to genuine insight and love wherever it appears, and I certainly don’t think that the grandeur and richness of life can be encompassed by any view we might hold—Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Jewish, atheist, agnostic, scientific, or whatever.

Recently I’ve been enjoying getting to know Peter D. Ouspensky, a Russian mathematician and philosopher who espoused many of the ideas and practices of George Gurdjieff, a Greek-Armenian mystic and spiritual teacher.

Here’s a short passage from Ouspensky on the meaning of life, which I found insightful:

P. D. Ouspensky

“Some say that the meaning of life is in service, in the surrender of self, in self-sacrifice, in the sacrifice of everything, even life itself. Others declare that the meaning of life is in the delight of it, relieved against ‘the expectation of the final horror of death.’

Some say that the meaning of life is in perfection, and the creation of a better future beyond the grave, or in future life for ourselves. Others say that the meaning of life is in the approach to non-existence; still others, that the meaning of life is in the perfection of the race, in the organization of life on earth; while there are those who deny the possibility of even attempting to know its meaning.

“The fault of all these explanations consists in the fact that they all attempt to discover the meaning of life outside of itself, either in the nature of humanity, or in some problematical existence beyond the grave, or again in the evolution of the Ego throughout many successive incarnations—always in something outside of the present life of man.

But if instead of thus speculating about it, men would simply look within themselves, then they would see that in reality the meaning of life is not after all so obscure. It consists in knowledge.”

Of course, Ouspensky had his views about how to “look within” and just what “knowledge”—self-knowledge—would be. I think his ideas about “self-study” are brilliant and readily applicable by anyone, anytime, anywhere.

What he says echoes that great aphorism of Ancient Greece: Know Thyself! That great truth echoes in the lives and words of all of mankind’s great spiritual teachers from Buddha to Ramana Maharishi to J. Krishnamurti, to mention just a few. Knowing ourselves is at once the simplest and the hardest thing to do.

No matter how much guidance and inspiration we get from spiritual teachers, masters, gurus, or saints, we finally have to roll up our sleeves and do the work ourselves. We finally have to see for ourselves what the truth is.

In the end, this doesn’t mean “one truth for me, and another for you.” Rather, every genuine insight into truth is an awakening to what is. If we believe something to be true that is at odds with what really is, experience will sooner or later reveal the error. Untruth always leads to suffering, but even the suffering of our false beliefs and views can become occasions for awakening to what is.

The more we are open to truth, to what is, the more confidence we get in our ability to see for ourselves what is true and what isn’t. We don’t have to look to outside authorities, but to our experiences, and to our hearts, and to our awakening minds. No wonder the Buddha said:

“Be ye lamps unto yourselves, be a refuge to yourselves. Hold fast to Truth as a lamp; hold fast to the truth as a refuge. Look not for a refuge in anyone beside yourselves.

And those, who shall be a lamp unto themselves, shall betake themselves to no external refuge, but holding fast to the Truth as their lamp, and holding fast to the Truth as their refuge, they shall reach the topmost height.”

♥♥♥

[Via http://mettarefuge.wordpress.com]

Judge halts Nokia-Apple case pending ITC investigation | iLounge News

Design of the Week - Mindreader

2010-03-04T00:47:00.000+02:00

This week’s design is called Mindreader. It is a design that is brought about by a thought that I have had numerous times. What if?

What if someone put a computer chip behind your ear and it recorded everything you thought, saw, and did for a week. Then, after that week, those recordings were retrieved and posted on Youtube for your wife, kids, parents, and friends to see. Would you change anything that you’re doing? What if there were a bubble above your head that showed everyone else what you were thinking at that very moment? When you looked at that woman/man with lust, everyone else knew it. When you were lying to your spouse, they would instantly know. Any time you did something that you know is wrong, everyone else around you would know it clearly. Your thoughts would have lasting effects wouldn’t they?

Now think about this: While your wife, your kids, your boss, your parents, or complete strangers may not have a clue what you’re thinking, God knows every thought that you’ve ever had. Not only that, those thoughts will affect where you spend eternity. While that may sound radical, it’s exactly what the Bible says. Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-28:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This isn’t an action. You aren’t physically committing the adultery. But you are looking with lust and thinking about a woman in a way that is not righteous. For the Lord Jesus, this is enough. It’s enough to be adultery and it’s enough to send someone to hell for eternity. The same goes for hatred. Jesus sees hatred as murder. You don’t have to physically commit the act for it to affect your eternal life.

What are your thoughts like? If others could see them, would they glorify God? Would they confirm that you are the type of person your claim to be or would they contradict your very words?

I am not a mindreader, but God is; and He can see your thoughts just like He can see mine. As the just Judge of all the universe, He is the One who determines where each of us will go when we die. Part of His judgment will be based on what you and I think…

[Via http://ateasetees.wordpress.com]

Charles Warner: A TV News Truth Scroll

Frailties and strenghts

2010-03-02T00:26:00.000+02:00

The wind is whining outside my window…it sound almost like a cry…

I have mentioned that before I go to sleep every night I say thanks for what the day has brought. Well, I think today, there has been a lot to be thankful for so I feel the urge to share this in writing, five hours before I need to wake up to a “new day”

Maybe the wind will have found its rest by then…

Wouldn’t you agree that we understand the importance of gratitude more when we encounter situations where life’s frailties become evident?

Like an earthquake? Or a message of an incurable disease?

I had both things affect two of my friends just recently. The Chilean cleaning lady at work who not only has become a dear friend but a role model and a source of inspiration, was suffering very bad today from the earthquake (800 times stronger than the one on Haiti!) that struck the area where her family lives.

In my limited Spanish I gave her my support and in my unlimited language of humanity, I gave her a hug as she cried.

She is the strongest woman I have met and she reminds me everyday that life for a major part of people in the world isn’t about the size of their new flat screen or how many “friends” they have on Facebook.

Life – for many, many people, is a constant struggle and hard labor.

Trabajo - she says – is all that matters. You work hard and save your dinero and support la familia. Every month she sends money to her nephew so that he can go to school, while she doesn’t even allow herself a vacation. She talks about the importance of being a good person, amable, like Helen, she says, and smiles. And when I get back from my vacation (which in my opinion is when I leave the supermarket for good to start creating a life’s work in line with my dreams, although she insists I come back) we will joke about me being tired in the morning, “otro día mas”, el cafecito, the time that flies by rapido and about when I will come and visit her family in Chile.

A home that may not even exist anymore. How sad is that?!

What words of comfort are there, in any language, to that?

The other thing that made me remember how frail our lives are and how quickly things can change is that one of my closest friend’s father was diagnosed with incurable cancer, which completely turned her world around and instead of going to Australia, sent her off on another journey – one she was not prepared to take, but one that leaves no other choice than to arm yourself with a lot of faith – and good friends!

Therefor, having tea with my best friends in their living room tonight was oh so meaningful.

My sad friend – who has always been my most happy friend – my two best friends – who are leaving for the Philippines in two days – and me – who is staying – trabajando, experiencing la vida and soon, while the wind weeps outside my window – dormiendo.

[Via http://inwardsun.wordpress.com]

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Most christians would hate the 1,000 year reign of the Messiah anyways...

2010-02-28T00:42:00.000+02:00

I wanted to write a bit today about some of the things we can expect to see during the 1,000 year reign of the Messiah.

As the title of this post suggest, most mainstream American christians would utterly hate living during this time. I guess it is a good thing for them that only those who Keep the Torah and have the testimony of the Messiah get to partake of this 1,000 year reign!

You see, the religious leaders of mainstream christianity have sold you a false bill of goods. They teach the exact opposite of what the Hebrew Messiah taught! They teach you in direct opposition to the Messiah, that the Torah is abolished, and that obeying the Creator, or obeying Yahushua of Nazareth’s command to do and teach the Torah is legalism! O yes my friends, christians will turn red in the face and shake with anger, if you dare suggest keeping the feast of YHWH, and not keeping Satanic Feast like Christmas and Easter. When christians do this, they prove that they are actually Anti-Messiah, as they reject the very teachings of the Messiah, in favor of what their religious leader told them Paul said!

(if you are new to the fact that Easter and Christmas are pagan I suggest you click the right hand side of this blog, and read the threads under Babylonian sun god worship!)

Many times I am called a “Judiazer or Legalizer” because I keep the Feast of YHWH, and because I keep his eternal Torah. I do these things because the “New Testament” commands us to do them! We are commanded to walk as Messiah walked! Messiah is listed in the gospels as keeping the Feast, keeping the Sabbath, and teaching his followers to DO and TEACH the LEAST of the Torah! 1 John also makes it clear if we do not keep the Torah, we are liars, and the truth is not in us!

So let us take a look at just a few of the prophecies for the 1,000 year reign of the Messiah!

Isaiah 66:15-24 For behold, Yahuwah will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by His sword Yahuwah will judge all flesh; And the slain of Yahuwah shall be many. 17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together,” says Yahuwah. 18 ” For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory. 19 “I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. 20 “Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to Yahuwah out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says Yahuwah, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of Yahuwah. 21 “And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says Yahweh. 22 ” For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says Yahuwah, “So shall your descendants and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says Yahweh. 24“And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

Friends let us take a look at some of these things.

#1 The Creator promises to bring judgment upon those who eat swine’s flesh and unclean things.

#2 Some of the Gentiles will be taken for Priest and Levites.

#3 The Renewed Moons, Sabbaths and Feast will be kept. Notice as the feast are being kept and we go up from Sabbath to Sabbath we see bodies of those who refused to keep the Instructions of the Creator for righteous living! Their worm does not die and their fire is not quenched! As you can see this will be quite the reign of us “legalist” who keep the Feast and Sabbaths and obey the Creator!

Let us take a look at some more!

Isaiah 2:2-5 - And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of Yahuwah’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahuwah, to the house of the Elohim of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Yahuwah from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

What is this my friends? We will walk in the Creator’s paths and keep his Torah! The Torah shall go out from Jerusalem! Man the 1,000 year reign is like the ultimate dream of the “legalist” who obeys the Creator instead of his religious gurus! I cannot wait!

This is awesome! How about some more!

Zechariah 14:12-21 And this shall be the plague with which Yahuwah will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths. 13 It shall come to pass in that day That a great panic from Yahuwah will be among them. Everyone will seize the hand of his neighbor, And raise his hand against his neighbor’s hand; 14 Judah also will fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations Shall be gathered together: Gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance. 15 Such also shall be the plague On the horse and the mule, On the camel and the donkey, And on all the cattle that will be in those camps. So shall this plague be. 16And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahuwah of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahuwah of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which Yahuwah strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 20 In that day “HOLINESS TO YAHUWAH” shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in Yahuwah’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to Yahweh of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of Yahweh of hosts.

Take a good long look at this my friends! Satanic holidays like Christmas, will no longer be kept! You will keep the true birthday of the Messiah, the Feast of Tabernacles! Wait! What is that you say? “Keeping the Feast is legalism!” Well my friend if you do not keep that feast in the 1,000 year reign, you will be struck with plagues, and your nation will receive no rain for a year! THIS IS A DEATH SENTENCE! IS IT NOT AMAZING HOW MAINSTREAM CHRISTIANITY IN DIRECT OPPOSITION TO THE MESSIAH TEACH THAT KEEPING THE FEAST IS LEGALISM AND “ATTACKING THE GRACE OF JESUS (WHICH IS A FALSE NAME)! NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE MESSIAH’S EXAMPLE OF KEEPING THE FEAST AND HIS ORDER TO DO AND TEACH THE LEAST OF THE TORAH, WE KNOW 100% THE FEAST WILL BE KEPT DURING THE 1,000 YEAR REIGN, AND THAT THE CREATOR WILL POUR OUT HIS WRATH ON THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS INSTEAD OF OBEYING THE CREATOR!

My friends this is a small look at the 1,000 year reign! Your religious leaders have sold you a false bill of goods and have lied to you! The Torah is not abolished, the Feast are not abolished, the Sabbath is not abolished! Start reading the Gospels! Messiah upheld the Torah of Moses, while rejecting the man-made religion of the Pharisees which added and subtracted from the Torah! Christianity makes the Pharisees look like choir boys! They teach that the entire Torah is abolished, WHEN THE MESSIAH WARNED YOU FROM THE VERY START HE WOULD NOT DO THAT! WARNED YOU FROM THE START TO DO AND TEACH THE LEAST OF THE LAW!

Folks you have 2 choices in life.

#1 Play religion

#2 obey the Creator of the Universe, and obey his Son Yahushua the Messiah!

You cannot eat at the table of both the Creator and the Devil! You cannot partake of the Passover Lamb (Yahushua) and partake of the Easter Ham (the Jesus person the churches teach). Easter is the Babylonian sex and fertility goddess also known as Ashtoreth, the Queen of Heaven, Easter, Semiramis, Dianne, etc etc. Her son Tammuz who was born on December 25th is the Easter Ham! (Read my section on Babylonian sun god worship!)

LEAVE YOUR RELIGIOUS DOG AND PONY SHOWS BEHIND, GET OFF YOUR GROVES OF OAK PEWS, AND START FOLLOWING THE MESSIAH! START OBEYING THE MESSIAH YOU CALL KING, AND START WORSHIPING YAHUWAH THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE!

[Via http://bigritchie.wordpress.com]

Saturday Morning News and Views « The Confluence

27 feb 2010 - moving on

2010-02-27T00:46:00.000+02:00

moving on… it has been 3 years in this place… i thought i’d spend a far longer time here… but turns out my body just cannot go along with this plan…

yesterday was ok, i managed to escape the mild fever that sets in whenever i go out these days… i just came home exhausted, and when that happens i tend to eat too much… i hv to learn to regulate the eating… i hv a small frame, it won’t do to tax it with too much blubber… not to mention how ghastly it looks – a fat skinny girl? ugh!

i hate having to attend to admin details… gotta do some shit today for someone… i hope this wld be the end of it… oh no, not quite, cos when i am done with this place, the whole cycle will begin again, the admin of selling the place etc …

i m so pressed for time… i just wish i cld concentrate fully on my work, which i love and that is what i came here to do anyway… oh well, life aint perfect…

foggy day again, it’s so damp… rheumatic all day from the damp… i have the dehumidifier on all day… but it is noisy… ok ok ok time to get out of this place yes for sure… each time i feel uncertain, my body reminds me loud and clear…

as for pixie… u know, if u genuinely care for someone, that person always remains inside ur heart… and so he is there… but as with all other things in my life right now, i m moving on… i wish him well, if he is happy with that shallow idea of what love is, then well and good, for that is what i want for those i care about, that they find their measure of happiness… but the shallow pools will never be enough for me… i cannot say “i love u” to a fantasy effigy of my own creation and then change my mind when it turns out to be less than the perfect form i wanted it to be… i still care for the blue frog too… cos for me, love, in whatever way – friendship, family, lover – is something far deeper, embracing, accepting of all things, giving and persevering thru imperfections and tough situations… but i hv learnt a very valuable lesson – it took me a few encounters but that’s ok, cos i m autistic and it takes longer i guess – that ppl who utter words in haste seldom ever mean to follow thru… i hv very immediate feelings, but when i say something, i mean to follow thru… that is NOT the norm for other people and it wld do me good to remember that…

finding balance and moving on… that will be what i need to do in this part of my journey… and embracing life with the same passion i was born to do…

[Via http://spunkykitty.wordpress.com]

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It starts with a hat...

2010-02-25T00:36:00.000+02:00

During one of my many shopping excursions I picked up this very cute hat hair during an old 50L Fridays. Didn’t know when I’d wear it, or what I’d wear it with, but I knew I needed to have it. Sometimes I see an article of clothing and I can envision a story, rather than the style. A vibe rather than a fashion trend. Romanticism rather than trying to look all hip. I’ve never thought myself to be a trendsetter, lol! Far from it, there are many times I have dressed rather dorkily, or different than those I hang around with in world. I just love dressing up

It starts with a hat…I love this hairstyle from Clawtooth. I love that it was 50L. It’s not my usual hair color or length. But when I saw it, I saw a character in a book I wanted my ava to portray. Idk..I’m weird like that lol

Sweet Dream’s Picture Details:

Hat/Hair – Clawtooth – Love Letter – past 50L Friday

Skin – :Curio: – Sundust – Beach2 – Black Pearl2

Eyes – Pididdle – Lost Princess Eyes

Lashes – LeLutka – Diva Lashes

Coat – Coco Designs – Check Swing Coat – Gray

Cig – Taste – (made by RC Cluster’s Redd Columbia)

Dress – Kyoot – Low Back Ruffle Mini Dress – Taupe – past 50L Friday

Leggings – DP Yumyum – race leggings – Champagne

Boots – Truth - Foxley – Group Gift

Poses – Leafy – Past Bunny Hunt gift

[Via http://sweetdreambeautifulnightmare.wordpress.com]

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Confused Folks

2010-02-23T00:24:00.000+02:00

We have a church of some kind across the street from our church building. When we arrive on Sunday morning, they are in full bloom with their loud instruments. Their auditorium is very small, yet their preacher needs a loud sound system and preaches to the drummer’s back beat. We can hear most of what they say and sing all the way across the street, even if we can’t understand the words. The people inside must be nearly deaf. For the record, false doctrine isn’t any more true if shouted.

We also have a billboard less than a mile away boasting a start-up church where their husband and wife pastor team proclaim their motto for the year: “No Sin in 2010.”

How long do you think that lasted? (Romans 3:23; 1 Peter 5:8).

It is heartbreaking how confused people are in the religious world. *sigh*

[Via http://fellowshiproom.org]

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I Feel A Weight On My Shoulders

2010-02-21T00:15:00.000+02:00

As I sit here and think about what I believe as oppossed to what I don’t want to believe, and how I want to live my life as oppossed to how I am living my life, I feel a weight on my shoudlers. I can’t breathe. I feel claustorphobic. I feel like I am carrying around so much weight that I can hardly stand up sometimes. It’s so hard to go throughout the day a lot of the time with the things that are on my mind 24/7.

I feel like this weight won’t be lifted until I am finally true to myself.

[Via http://discoveringself2.wordpress.com]

New PAL Releases Roundup News | Eurogamer

Galatians 2

2010-02-20T00:41:00.000+02:00

Outline:

I. Personal: The Preacher of Justification (1:1-2:21)

B. Apostolic Credentials (1:10-2:10)

C. Apostolic Confidence (2:11-21)

Section 1: Defending the Gospel (vv. 1-10)

Out of these verses, I would like to focus on verses 3-5:

3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

Let’s break this down verse-by-verse, starting with verse 3.

Verse 3:

The Judaizers claimed that circumcision and other Mosaic regulations were prerequisites for salvation. The example of Titus shoots down that claim. Titus was a Gentile and a true believer, but he was not circumcised. Salvation is not by grace through faith plus something, whether it be works, law, or whatever; it is by grace through faith alone.
Verse 4:

The church is always in danger, as the enemy (Satan) sends his “spies” into the midst of us. Their plan is to take us from our freedom in Christ to bondage to a system of works-righteousness. Let us be diligent and remember that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone through Christ alone. Sola gratia. Sola fide. Solus Christus.
Verse 5:

Paul and Titus did not budge from their position of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. We must not give in to compromise for even one second, but instead stand firm in that belief.

Section 2: No Return to the Law (vv. 11-21)

In verse 16 we find a verse that states this doctrine of justification by grace through faith alone that I keep referring to:

knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

It is so important that we understand and believe this, “for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain” (v. 21). If salvation comes through good works or keeping the law, then there was no need for Christ’s death. Perish the thought. Christ did not die needlessly.

The last thing I want to look at is verse 20:

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

This verse essentially says three things:

We have been crucified with Christ, meaning that “when a person trusts in Christ for salvation, he spiritually participates with the Lord in His crucifixion and His victory over sin and death” (John MacArthur Study Bible).
Having been crucified with Christ, our old sinful self is gone and is replaced by a new self, which is constantly being transformed to become more like Jesus.
Christ’s death on the cross is the greatest possible manifestation of His love for us. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

On to Galatians 3 tomorrow and more on justification by faith.

[Via http://inthebible2010.wordpress.com]

Erick Erickson: "We've got Fox News" | Video Cafe

18 feb 2010 - pain

2010-02-18T00:35:00.000+02:00

pain… one never does get used to it, does one? no matter who, what, where, there will be humans crying out in pain of all kinds… so yes, pixie, i am “just like everyone else”… words haunt me, they ring inside my head with loud audible tones, and i m still trying to process ur many contradictory words, even tho u r no longer with me, and even tho in my intellect, i do understand and i do not harbour blame or bitterness… u r, after all, “just like everyone else” too…

there is a very strong ache and stiffness all over my right side… of course, the computer is to blame, poor inanimate machine that helps us do so much of our work nowadays, we attribute such ills to it… i m to blame, i spend far too much time in front of the screen, large as it may be, my eyes are now deteriorating, and my muscles wearing down… but i hv no choice at the moment, becos i chose to put myself in this position, i chose to do this project and now i must see it to the end and the best completion that i can muster.

scoring, video, photos, communication – all thru my trusty computer… take this away and i wld hv little of a life right now… but i long for the day when i wld use it less intensely… i long for the living where i can go out and do more with my hands and body… fresher air, better perspectives… when i can begin my other journey, of painting, making sculptures, teaching and inspiring others to develop their talents and stretching personal boundaries, bringing art and music into their everyday joys… and the computer wld just be my tool for writing my books and communicating… ah, my dreams, which i shall fiercely pursue and find ways to make happen…

but for now, it is cold, wet and foggy, i m shut up inside my cramped studio, chair and in front of the screen… i MUST finish this… pain and all… sore aching strained muscles, ulcers, arthritis, headache, vertigo, tinnitus, TMJ… still, i hv to do this for myself, becos i owe it to myself… and those who believe in me to believe in myself…

[Via http://spunkykitty.wordpress.com]

Threading the "News Analysis" Needle : CJR

2010.22: Teach me O LORD

2010-02-16T00:36:00.000+02:00

Psalm 119: 33-40

“Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear. Turn away my approach which I fear: for thy judgments are good. Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.”

A call to all muslims, a call to all non muslims:

2010-02-14T00:01:00.000+02:00

Muslims, defend the actions in the following video. Non muslims, defend your inaction in the same video. The western civilization has overwhelming power to stop these atrocities, they don’t have the will. Obama and his tribe sit idly by as does the rest of the west and focuses on rights for Islamic terrorists and GITMO. They all , muslims and the west have their heads up their @sses. Muslims, wake up and save your “religion” unless you by your inaction condone what is being done. “Leaders” (and I use the term loosely) of the west get your heads out of your @sses and stop this genocide. WTF are all you people (and I use that term loosely) thinking.

[Via http://boudicabpi.wordpress.com]

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Poelitics

2010-02-13T00:49:00.000+02:00

These contradictions

savage convulsions

distractive compulsions

deceptions in spirit

manifest my nation

as politicians

disguised delegations

of rabid religions

dangerous liaisons

spewing insinuations

drumming hatred

into all situations

reducing conversations

to vote-bank transactions

outrageous crucification

shameless acts of deception.

millions in conversion

abnegation of commonsense

creating selfless me-too-isms’

now faith in damnation

logical extension

of these convoluted creations

multi-colored confusions.

More production

yet increased deductions

in inverse proportions,

agricultural devastation

starving population,

farmers’ suicides in continuation

but more superannuation

for our Administration.

More entertainment on television,

Ministers get pay revisions,

our country is on a mission.

My unanswered questions

turn killing accusations

if they kill me by strangulation

what happens to my children?

A vote at some polling station

with irreverence and gumption

I’m made a statistical assumption

told in repetition,

on my knees, that’s my position

submission is salvation

forever in condemnation

a no man’s destination

This is my Nation’s new proclamation

Freedom is an illusion

traded for cheap compassion

sin is a passion

it’s ready for assassination.

Dreams will be rationed

nothing will ever happen

in my nation without

the Master’s sanction.

Welcome Citizen, let’s begin

our spiritual prostitution.

[Via http://lightafiretonight.wordpress.com]

Romantic Tales from the News Feed | Facebook

Catch us in your net

2010-02-11T00:55:00.000+02:00

A prayer based on Isaiah 6 and Luke 5

We pray to you, Lord Jesus Christ,

speaker of the Word of God.

Your words

touch the deep places of our souls –

places where we have laboured and come up empty

places where the hunger for holiness

waits for the feast of your promises kept

places where our fears make us small and timid.

Speak hope into our emptiness

and help us hear and believe

Speak truth into our sinfulness

and purify us with your great mercy

Speak love into our woundedness

and heal us.

Catch us in the net of your holy purposes

for our lives, for this city, for the world.

We pray to you, Word of God,

Word of Life,

Word of new beginnings,

LORD. Amen

[Via http://christinejerrett.wordpress.com]

Attn. Twi-Hards! We MAY Have HUGE News! | PerezHilton.com

debt

2010-02-09T12:31:00.000+02:00

I heard some guy say

that he was more in debt

than an honest man could pay.

I bet I don’t check my check book but

My needs are nameless

And exceed;

what a deceitful man might utter,

what a sweet woman might offer,

even all a clever man can never call.

I’ll ache, Cah Rist! icy bone fingers,

I’ll arch-stretch wide and hard, outward to outsides.

To outsides, otherwises, outreaching,

beseeching, imploring.

Discretely exploring

the notion

the ocean

of need

[Via http://namelessneed3.wordpress.com]

Big 3 News | Covering The Stories That Matter Most » Blog Archive ...

My Angel Danielle

2010-02-09T06:36:00.000+02:00

I first met you in a time of war,

You spoke from the heart until I could take no more,

I pushed you away from fear of love,

But you were like my angel sent from above,

You showed me strength and true bliss,

But by the time I realized it was to much to miss,

You heart weakened from the pain I gave,

And from that point on I became your slave,

I fell in love with the girl so great,

That I tried so hard to make up for the hate,

I can not offer you riches or gold,

But only my heart that could never be sold,

I made many mistakes over the last few weeks,

I wish I could take back all the tears and shrieks,

I want to be there for you and your child,

But I’m afraid I scared you away my love is to wild,

I would do anything to prove you my worth,

You are my purpose my reason for birth,

All I ask is true love and honesty,

And in return I want you to marry me,

I know we are young and our lives have just begun,

But I can’t imagine my life without you, you are the one…

[Via http://dkarges.wordpress.com]

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Of God

2010-02-07T00:49:00.000+02:00

It took the love of God, to send the Son of God, to die and be resurrected so that we could become the children of God as we read in the Word of God as witnessed to by the Spirit of God.

John, the beloved apostle, simply said “of God.” “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

How did we come to be “of God?” John wrote, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).

We are the sons of God by virtue of a second birth. For we know that we were all born of the flesh, but those of us who are sons of God were born of the Spirit as well (ref. John 3:5-6).

If we then are the sons of God, the children of God, then let us live in such a way as to honor our Father with our lives.

The Word of God always endorses children to be in subjection to their parents. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1) .

The passage also says, “Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:2-3).

Therefore we are to Honour God also, as our heavenly Father, and the church, who is our mother (ref. Galatians 4:26, Psalm 87:5, Isaiah 66:7-11).

Now I suggest to you that, the Love of God, sent the Son of God, to make us children of God, as explained in the Word of God, as revealed by the Spirit of God, how hard is it to believe that the church also is of God?

Well that’s what it says in Acts 20:28 and throughout the Word of God.

In fact, if you read it’s all “of God.” The kingdom of God, the city of God, the house of God, the temple of God, the people of God. The Word of God is full of that phrase of God.

Jesus said, “if any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17). Even the doctrine is of God.

And this is no suprise, let’s look at the words of John again in 1 John 4. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

Now, what are some ways to know what is “of God” and what is not? John gives us several ways, but look at one he emphasizes.

1 John 3:16-17 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”

Now some will say what they do for charity or what they’ve done for this one or that one… but we’re not talking about your giving or your efforts on another’s behalf, we’re talking about a 1 Corinthians 13 type of love and not just for other saints. The Word of God let’s us know we must also love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use us and persecute us as well (ref. Matthew 5:43-45).

We have to love like God loved. It says the love of God, not the love of man. The same love that prompted God to send His only begotten Son to die on the cross for those who had turned their backs on Him; a world full of lost sinners, for the lowest and vilest of us.

Jesus said,”if you love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even publicans the same?” (Matthew 5:46). Everyone gets along with those that love them back, but who treats the person who has done them wrong with that 1 Corinthians 13 love? Who loves that one that’s trying to get them fired? Who loves that one that’s mistreated their child? Who loves the one who’s stole something from them, or ran off with thier wife or husband, or has hurt them in some way? I’m not talking about just tolerates when they come around, but if they hunger, feed them; if they thirst, give them drink (ref. Romans 12:20)… not with a bad attitude (“I hope they choke on it”), but with love which thinketh no evil, which suffereth long and is still kind. Which endureth all things… which seeketh not her own. In other words you’re not just seeing what you can get out of it, or hoping to be repaid in kind, but you’re doing it out of heartfelt love.

The Word of God lets us know that “…though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, an though I give our body to be burned, and have not charity, it profited me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).

How can we do this? How is this possible? How can anyone expect this to be manifest in someone’s life? Romans 5:5 says, “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

We can’t do it in our own strength. We’ll kill ourselves (or somebody) if we try to do it within our own strength, but “the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost…”

Now just because you’re not sanctified doesn’t mean you can fall short. The Holy Ghost is not in you, but He is with you and will guide you (ref. John 14:17). Yet the Spirit empowers us and enables us to go beyond what you can do of yourself, therefore it is necessary to go on to perfection, that ye may be, “made perfect in love” (ref. 1 John 4:17-18).

[Via http://csog.wordpress.com]

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The Haitian Revolution:From the First of the Blacks to the First of the Whites

2010-02-06T00:20:00.000+02:00

Wednesday, February 03, 2010 3:06 PM By Immortal Technique

Rapper/activist Immortal Technique (nee Felipe Coronel) has composed a lengthy editorial dissertation on the present chaos in Haiti, which has graced headlines since the 7.0 earthquake on January 22, 2010. “From the First of the Blacks to the First of the Whites – Reflections on the Haitian Revolution and Present Condition” is a delicate mixture of opinion and history. Furthermore, Immortal Technique addresses why Haiti has been perceived as cursed or that there was some “deal with the Devil” in the past. This is a two-part write up that is informative and captivation for those interested in unearthing the truth.

Since the recent tragedy that has befallen the proud and persevering nation of Haiti, there has been an outpouring of support followed by a few disturbing falsities being spread about the history of the island and its people. I wrote the following to shed some light on events during and around the Haitian Revolution. Please remember memorizing and reiterating should never pass for learning. Deciphering the significance of individuals and events is what truly teaches us not just about history, but also about ourselves.

There is a wide spectrum of beliefs behind what has caused Haiti to suffer ceaselessly over the years. Some see the problem as being mostly political, bad governance, modern day colonialism, or the perceived necessity to make an example to the world of what a successful slave revolution will get you. There are even those on the fringe who cling to an ancient superstition that the island was freed by a mythological pact with Satan. In order to shed light on the issue I am forced to go back in time. Obviously not to the beginning of occupational history, but far enough to give a realistic perspective on Haiti and it’s struggle.

We join a story centuries in the making. It is the year 1794 and the scent of musket powder blows over all of Europe. The French Revolution may have changed the face of the world, but its unintended consequences that influenced its colonies would come to overshadow France’s own glory. It was during this year, on the 4th of February, that France’s First Republic Convention (under pressure from massive slave revolts) decided it had to transcend the stumbling efforts of the ‘enlightened monarchs’ of Europe and abolish slavery. Yet in the customary fashion of our own Declaration of Independence’s “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal,” the gesture, much like these words, became a glaring example of self-righteous insincerity. Equality, the fraternal twin brother of Independence, was aborted at the fetal stage of development and the Revolution came to betray itself.

Known then as “Saint Domingue” (French for Santo Domingo), the colony that we now call Haiti, yielded great fortune to those who possessed her. It was rich with sugar, cotton, tobacco, cocoa and other valued resources. So much so that the European Superpowers of that day fought bitterly against each other to control the island and her inhabitants. After all, the African slaves living on Saint Domingue were the proverbial engines that ran the machine. From among them appeared a man who was born a slave but who would become free and lead all his countrymen toward that same destiny. He was a glitch in the matrix, an act of nature, and a mistake to be corrected in the eyes of the island’s autocratic semi-feudal society. His name was Francois-Dominique Toussaint soon to be heralded, “L’Overture.”

As a former servant and carriage driver, he had abstained from participating directly in previous uprisings stemming from the refusal of slave masters to honor “The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.” He had waited patiently and then allied himself with other rebel leaders who had risen to the task of overthrowing colonial rule. His ideas were innovative and his guerrilla tactics highly disciplined. No wonder then that he rose through the ranks of the rebellious forces so quickly.

Before fighting alongside the French against other colonial powers, Toussaint had been in league with the Spanish, who along with Great Britain were at war with France. The Spanish were used as a support system for his designs when white colonials refused to endorse the full rights of citizenship to free blacks given by the French edict of 1792. In other words, for Toussaint they were there to serve his vision rather than him serving theirs. Having so many different nations vying for a piece of the pie proved a difficult task to navigate. To his credit, Toussaint had managed to out-maneuver them all, cleverly using their own tactics of pitting one against another. But when Spain and England did not follow through with their promises to free slaves, he discarded his allegiance to them.

After grueling and hard-fought campaigns against the Spanish and British, he took control of the French Colony. Toussaint promoted reconciliation among the races, which wasn’t any easier then than it would be now. He also engaged and renegotiated better terms of trade with Britain and the new American Republic alike. Catholicism was adopted as the national religion and slavery was abolished. The news traveled around the world like lightning- the African Slaves were undergoing the course of reversing 300 years of domination.

As news of the Independence of Haiti was circulating, the reaction was mixed. Toussaint’s actions openly received the approval of Alexander Hamilton, who saw Europe’s weakening in the West as an opening for America’s bid for commercial supremacy. He even aided in the drafting of the precursor to the island’s first constitution in 1801. However, when Thomas Jefferson came to power, American support was reined in. Jefferson openly owned slaves and had even fathered children with the now famous girl, Sally Hemmings. But much more than his personal stake in legitimized servitude, it was the perceived international threat that most likely shaped his opinion. The surrounding colonies and his new Republic being destabilized by the idea of a successful slave revolt obviously frightened him. His assertion being that their freedom would suddenly cripple the economy built around them. He is quoted as saying that it was necessary at all costs to “confine the plague to the island.” I guess “My emancipation / don’t fit your equation.”

By 1801, Toussaint was in full control of Saint Domingue. In a moment of perhaps self-preserving foresight and/or genuine altruism, he advanced onto the Spanish side of the island. His army defeated the remaining white colonial powers and freed all the slaves, showing the people of color the first glimpses of freedom they’d known practically since the time of Columbus. He rejected the ancient custom that dated back to the Middle Ages, of sending his children as hostages to his ‘Suzerain’ as a symbol of fidelity. He further declared his intentions in a famous letter addressing Napoleon himself. It was titled: “From the First of Blacks to the First of the Whites.” In it he pledged his loyalty to France. He stated firmly that slavery would be utterly annihilated; that he (Toussaint) would remain governor indefinitely (a suggestion from Hamilton and then Sec. of State Pickering). Furthermore Saint Domingue would be a free and independent state. The correspondence must have come as a shock to then Consul Napoleon. It was probably the sheer audacity of a former slave proposing terms of independence, albeit in the most polite and articulate manner, that struck him. This man was obviously more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. Toussaint and his people represented something that had to be proved false no matter the cost.

See the very existence of their independence showed the entire human race a side of history that we are only now truly rediscovering. European society had relied mainly on creating divisions and the spread of epidemics, not simply superior military prowess, to overcome the indigenous populations of Africa and the Americas. The Haitian Revolution exposed the façade of European invincibility, and it tore away at their justification for invasion on the grounds of Christianization. The mythology of racial superiority began to take the shape of an ancient death mask from classical antiquity.

Napoleon (seen left) would hear no more and dispatched his brother-in-law Gen. Charles LeClerc, to the island with a huge force of infantry troops and warships. His stated intention was to secure the new state. At first confrontation ensued, but they arrived at a truce once Toussaint had been promised that the French would not attempt to reinstate slavery. However, the moment he let his guard down he was almost immediately betrayed. Toussaint and his entire family were arrested. Restoring the island to France’s control, LeClerc had Toussaint sent to prison in France. But this was just the beginning. He quietly moved to begin the process of re-enslavement. “Since terror is the sole resource left me, I employ it…destroy all the mountain negroes, men and women, sparing only children under twelve years of age,” read his report to Napoleon.

The French now shifted their focus to using the former so-called “Mulatto” people who Toussaint had defeated in previous military campaigns to maintain control of the island. They, the “Mulattos,” had been at odds with elements of the Revolution earlier, although they had suffered almost equally from the torments of slavery. The very concept of the “Mulatto”, that still to this day plagues the African, Latin American, Caribbean, and so Called West Indian world, merits an explanation all to itself.

The Latin ‘mulus,’ became the Old Spanish or Old Castillian ‘mula,’ finally evolving into the Spanish and Portuguese “Mulatto,” that symbolized the reverse anthropomorphic semblance of a human being. A mule is the physical combination of a horse and a donkey. This part is simple enough. But the symbolic nature of this has a racial connotation that tears apart our society even today. The horse symbolizes the White European, elegant, regal and highly valued. And the donkey embodies what they thought the purpose of an African/Indigenous slave should be; a beast of burden to be worked until the day that ‘it’ dies.

The combination of a horse and a donkey creates a species that rarely if ever is capable of reproducing. The male is always born sterile, and the female is exceptionally similar in this way. Hence the idea that nothing good can come from them. This concept then became permeated in the portrayal of the “tragic mulatto” in 19th century American literature, leading into classic Hollywood cinema. It is a theme symbolized by the downfall of a “Mulatto” or “Quadroon”/”Octoroon” attempting to pass for white. It also focused on the conflict of those trapped between two races. Those who despised and pitied their darker half and their own skin color, while needing the approval of whites to validate themselves. In most of the stories peace is only found for the said main character in death. The very definition of its existence solidified the role of White and Black in the American caste system, whose remnants we all still presently reside in. It also laid out the role of Blacks to themselves, without many of them even to this day understanding the loaded straw man argument about race posed within the terminology.

It was the Haitian Revolution that challenged the very idea of slavery and the existence of a lesser man. It put the “enlightenment” of Europeans on trial, and forced America to confront what she was becoming as opposed to what she was supposed to be. The usage of concepts like the “Mulatto” were necessary for late 18th century white society to put institutionalized racism on life support for another 150 years, and create a violent split in the psychology of Mother Earth’s first children.

“From the First of the Blacks to the First of the Whites – Reflections on the Haitian Revolution and Present Condition”

They had used a traditional stratagem inherited from the Romans/Byzantines of understanding an empire’s limited capacity for multi-dimensional warfare on a global scale, and employed the service of a smaller state to outflank its opponents in conflict. Only this time it was not using the Visigoths to fight the Huns (Battle of Chalon, 451 A.D.) or the Cumans to fight the Pechenegs (Levonium, 1091 A.D.). Napoleon and those that served his court were innovators of the worst kind. They perfected what other colonial powers beforehand had only begun. They created virtual new age “foederati” for their designs by ripping a subsection out of the very people they sought to subjugate. In return for cooperation, the French promised the desperate “Mulattos” more rights and more privileges in what they painted as a new Saint Domingue. Effectively this action created a safe haven for racism that is even now nestled like a neonate Viper storing the poison of generation after generation. The idea built itself within the conscious and subconscious mind of an enslaved people, to keep them in bondage psychologically even if they found themselves physically free. This is evident not only in the continued degeneration of Black and “Mulatto” relations well into the mid 1800’s under Jean Pierre Boyer, but in present Black & Latino society’s obsession with skin color.

In other words, the French colonization efforts efficiently solidified adding dimensions to racism and the notion of racial superiority by creating a different “race” in our own minds. It was wicked and brilliant in its service to the cause of reducing man to property as it was to being duplicitous to the so-called ‘Mulatto’ himself. For in the end he was closer to his Master in his eyes only. To the French he was still little more than an animal, subject to an active and de-facto ‘Code Noir’.

(The cruel logic of the seemingly schizophrenic reflections in King Louis XIV’s Code Noir of 1641, is regarded as a predecessor to the U.S. Black Codes, which shaped the legal standing of former African slaves in the post civil war Era. It covers everything from the immediate persecution and expulsion of Jews, to laws concerning a slave’s position, methods of torture and capital punishment that could be implemented.)

Click to read the Code Noir http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/335/

Tricknowledge, is a late 20th century Harlem terminology for an old cosmopolitan strategy. It is used to describe an imperial power not having the physical force to conquer a people, and therefore resorting to the art of deception to achieve victory. Calculating lies are used to manipulate the target into compromising positions before it is attacked. Yet even with all of her elegantly worded deception, sweet-accented mandates, and counter-mandates, France would only hold the beautiful island prisoner for a few more fleeting moments of history. Once the Revolution was set into motion there was no opposing inertia capable of stopping it. Toussaint may have been taken under arms to France, where he lived incarcerated in a frozen fortress near Bensancon (eventually succumbing to pneumonia although some suspected poison), but the Revolution rolled on. In fact, right before Toussaint’s death, a perhaps karmic parting gift of yellow fever swept Saint Domingue weakening the French garrison and even claiming the life of Charles LeClerc.

Napoleon’s Saint Domingue police state barely lasted a year, until it became blatantly evident that slavery was to be reinstated just as it had been on Guadeloupe. In the end, after watching the brutal conflict and horrific mistreatment of his own people, it was one of Toussaint’s young Generals, Jean Jaques Dessalines (who had ironically allied himself with LeClerc when Toussaint was captured), who decided to emerge as the leader that would avenge his people. Truthfully though, and perhaps more important to his own soulful vanity, he really sought to avenge himself. To hear him described by the contemporary European authors of his time, he sounds like the very manifestation of chaotic violence. But every scar has a story, and Dessalines had many scars. In fact a large percentage of his body was covered in painful grooves, partially healed lacerations and whip marks that made some of his skin look like it had melted over itself. He had received some of these in very visible places, and even the most sensitive areas of a man, for his perceived ‘insolence’ as a slave.

It is said General Dessalines would look upon his scars in the mirror and cry out in rage before battles. Then crashing into his enemies he fought with the valiant nature of a man seeking freedom, and persistent fury of a heart that would only be quenched by vengeance. His aim became to ensure the small Revolution’s continued success at any military cost. He was determined to maintain it by implementing the same campaigns of terror that the slave owners had recently utilized on him and his people. And this is what terrified white Europeans to the core of their being. Provoking most landowners and slave masters to flee. Some of them though, daring to look, must have surely seen a piece of themselves in him and been rattled. This is thought to be what initially led to the invention of stories about his pact with the devil and deals with voodoo spirits, as these then served the impertinent need to differentiate his actions from theirs.

To better understand how the slaves were treated and what exactly he sought to repay his former masters for, I chose this famous quote from Henri Christophe’s personal secretary. He, who was once a slave, describes in sick details the daily torture inflicted on the enslaved Africans of Saint-Domingue by the French.

“Have they not hung up men with heads downward, drowned them in sacks, crucified them on planks, buried them alive, crushed them in mortars? Have they not forced them to eat s**t? And, having flayed them with the lash, have they not cast them alive to be devoured by worms, or onto anthills, or lashed them to stakes in the swamp to be devoured by mosquitoes? Have they not thrown them into boiling cauldrons of cane syrup? Have they not put men and women inside barrels studded with spikes and rolled them down mountainsides into the abyss? Have they not consigned these miserable blacks to man eating-dogs until the latter, sated by human flesh, left the mangled victims to be finished off with bayonet and poniard?”

His preferred mechanism for punishing European colonials, many of whom were former slave masters, was indeed ruthless. He implemented “Black Rage” as both his foreign and domestic policy, which meant the absolute destruction of the white colonists, soldiers, and civilians. Before him others had angrily suggested this sort of retribution but none had the gall to carry it out. After all, ideologues may design a Revolution and dismantle an empire verbally, but ideas are powerless without the hand that wields them mercilessly. In the end a combination of this, and allowing remaining whites to live without owning any property and having little say in government, was the result.

Jean-Jacques Dessalines (seen below) was one leader of the Haitian Revolution and the first ruler of an independent Haiti

I make no attempt here to justify the actions of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, but a person cannot be made a slave unless they are terrorized and de-humanized. Unless they are mentally, spiritually and in many cases physically castrated, unless their women are raped before them and children are sold and tore from the womb in front of their eyes. He did in essence what he was taught to do by those that shaped his world.

His collective punishment & scorched earth policy frightened the remaining white colonials to such a degree that most migrated en masse to the other side of the island or to the mainland. General Dessalines fought many battles and eventually claimed the independence of Haiti on January 1, 1804. During this time period he had ravaged the Eastern side of the island and having swept away all opposition, made himself Emperor in 1804. His absolute rule inspired anger and resentment, and only 2 years after his coronation he was assassinated. The country divided itself between North and South until power was consolidated again. The legend of Dessalines came to life upon his death. Stories grew out of the resentment of the white exiles that had once owned his people and now happily welcomed his demise. Even the “Mulatto” section of Haiti that never received his trusting and felt shunned by him. His immediate demonization followed in these circles, without a thought or a backtracking moment in history to consider what circumstances caused him to be. No context that showed the nature of the slow, functional genocide of his people.

Just silence. And that silence without context continues even today while people suffer one of the worst natural catastrophes that has ever be known to mankind.

Not a word from proud France who defied the American War machine over Iraq, but has kept silent over these two centuries when concerning the 150 million gold francs it extorted from Haiti in 1838. The number was later lowered to 90 million gold francs but the factual story behind the extortion goes as such. Under the guise of a cessation of hostilities (a promise to curb re-invasion), repaying indemnities and for the loss of “property” (slaves) during the Revolution, France demanded payment. And of course since Haiti had no such sum in their treasury at the time, French bankers eagerly paid the first 30 million gold francs at exorbitant almost mafia-inspired interest rates. So high that it was not until 1947 that Haiti was actually able to repay THAT particular “loan.” By the mid to late twentieth century the IMF’s policy of changing it’s agricultural focus and conditional foreign aid had since indebted the island nation beyond ruin. In the wake of this current tragedy, I believe France should immediately repay the blood money it stole years ago no matter its legal apprehensions of reparations. This isn’t about reparations for slavery, it’s about the over 20 billion dollars in the modern equivalent paid to a reinstated tyrannical king. It is not the pinnacle of restoring Haiti, but the beginning of repair.

I would be remiss to not pause here and point out that this was written as a moderately detailed historical account of events in and around the Haitian Revolution. It is not the entire history of the island and does not go in depth into the modern self-defeating racial and political schism between Haiti and the Dominican Republican during the mid 20th century. I purposely steered clear of recent events concerning Jean Bertrand Aristide because it deserves an article on it’s own. I also cannot and will not lay the blame solely on Europeans for the condition of Haiti. The French themselves cannot be demonized anymore than the Spanish, English, Portuguese or Belgians, etc. for their role in colonization. Although to rule out foreign intervention for Haiti’s condition would be ignoring a huge amount of independent variables that affect the equation. While military backed World Bank policy has always kept the island as an economic vassal, the mismanagement of resources and corrupt leaders also bled the nation dry.

At some point we have to accept the personal responsibility for repairing the framework of society ourselves, and not relying on the people that ruined our indigenous civilizations to fix them all the time. Brutally repressive dictators, such as Duvalier, who were allowed to exist by the U.S. because of their stance against Communism, must be put into their proper context as well. They are not simply a Western invention, but rather the natural order of bequeathing absolute power to an agent of “stability,” an experiment that could easily be repeated in our own Republic. And so we as a nation cannot claim ignorance in our understanding of this political formula anymore, whether at home or abroad. The sad truth is that we as a public entity or a people may understand this relationship and dissect it now, but our own government has recognized it since the founding of the nation.

We may sometimes point to these historical figures and attribute superstitious characteristics to them in order to either justify or vilify their position. My main problem is when it starts becoming obvious that our own government uses complete and utter falsities to promote a military objective. The following is an account written by a Soldier who participated in the ousting of then President Aristide, it sheds light on the deliberate dissemination of such information:

http://www.ibiblio.org/prism/May96/haiti.html

If he (Dessalines) really made a pact to deliver his nation to absolute evil then why only the leader of the one successful slave revolt on the hemisphere? Why just him and not every other military commander throughout history that faced insurmountable odds? And when is that sort of such vindictive and violent force ever justified? See, that my friends is at the very core of what Haiti and it’s historic Revolution truly represent. That undiluted tactic of delivering oneself from slavery and oppression through physical force. The French Revolutionaries beheaded their King and did not pay his family restitution. The American Revolution gave Britain no reparations and in fact collected the land of it’s Indigenous allies after England ceded it without so much as a word to the Native American’s still living there. Yet only in modern history have enslaved people of color been trained to think suffering through the worst of what an oppressor can punish them with is the only way to gain legitimacy or victory.

Are we “tragically Mulatto?”

Are we as Black and Indigenous people only noble and righteous in an emasculated form of confrontation against such a fate? Are we only correct in our undertaking of a non-violent approach to confronting Imperialism or Fascism? More of white America praises Martin Luther King Jr. as peacefully resistant and the preferable alternative to Malcolm X’s truth without modesty. More would rather hear the scholarly Fredrick Douglass than experiencing the fear-invoking Dessalines. I do not seek to discredit the legacy of either Douglass or King. We are all indebted to the vital parts of the struggle for freedom that they played historically. But why are Europe and American spared the same constant criticism by present day historians. Would we turn the other cheek to Hitler? What would a non-violent march and a hunger strike against the Confederate South have accomplished? Without colonial militias, Native American Warriors, and the French & Spanish Armadas, wouldn’t the U.S. Constitution have ended up as British toilet paper? As a matter of fact, if Gandhi’s tactics had been used in the American Revolution, wouldn’t he have been lying in a ditch in Virginia some 234 years ago? Without the purchased attention of a global media outlet, is shaming the world even possible? And even if we managed to procure one, how could a profit margin be replaced by a soul, when that’s the one thing that a multi-national news corporation will never have?

I believe a balance is always necessary, and that might never makes right. It just makes right now. Having the power to take land, force payment or enslave others doesn’t make your cause justified. In fact I would argue that an oppressor who lies to his slaves about their ten thousand year old history, and presents them as a fraction of a human being to all, is in truth more savage than that which he has reduced his fellow man to. Strength and power are the tools that can reinforce a document, a government, a people and a nation. Without them there is only the word, and unfortunately we are not as evolved as we would like to believe because we do not respect words, not even the words of God when we write them in our own image. We are taught to only respect fear and violence.

I am not arrogant enough to claim to have all the answers, but I come rather humbly myself to pose these questions so that you may discover the answer. May we repay the slave master by acting like the slave master? Or have we already gone this route before? Perhaps in our forgotten history we have already employed these strategies amongst ourselves. Can it be that we treated each other this way when Rome was yet to be conceived and Greek civilization was still an adolescent student of Egypt? Why is violent Revolution coupled with diplomatic conflict settlement only the recourse of the Super powers alone? Why is it presented to us as fruit from the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden? Perhaps it was our oppressor’s pact with the devil that made it so. These are question that are easy to answer only if a personal bias already exists within us, they are harder to answer when they speak to all of humanity, and what it reflects about the future of our species.

The earthquake itself did not discriminate by skin color when deciding who would die in the collapsing buildings. It cared nothing for their religion, family connections, or politics. Corrupt diplomats have perished within the same epicenter as innocent hard-working families, and dedicated public servants. The old and the young perish together subtracted from both sides of the equation. Our evolution is the rediscovery of the past, not an invention of a mythical future. Will we always be a small, petty people as a complete and single human race that we do not look beyond what is obvious in our faces as opposed to what is obvious in the actions that our hearts strive us towards?

HAARP: High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program – Gakona, Alaska

As I look at the proud, resilient and suffering nation of Haiti. I have heard every sort of theory for this tragedy, an act of God, HAARP, and even superstition backed by the hands of social senility wielding faith. In the end I am left to ponder what role did the world’s super powers play in burying Haiti before the Earthquake, and what sort of role will we now play in digging her, and our own collective human soul, out of the rubble?

Beyond this though, I think we should begin to seriously change the way that we look at each other around the world. We are a global community, a single race of people who might one day all become Haitians.

To all my brothers & sisters: Those that I know personally, and those I do not, who have lost family and are suffering…

My Condolences along with Revolutionary Love & Respect,

Immortal Technique Felipe Coronel

http://www.standwithhaiti.org/haiti

http://hashaiti.org/

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/

http://www.yele.org

[Via http://dreysay.wordpress.com]

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Understanding Christian Truth

2010-02-04T00:17:00.000+02:00

Berkouwer emphasizes that, if we are to understand God’s truth, we must take account of two important points:

* The question of truth in itself cannot be asked without also involving ourselves in the question of truth for me.

* To ask the question of truth for me is to find that truth for me has its foundation in truth in itself (Holy Scripture, pp. 9-10).

We will explore the relationship the relationship between truth in itself and truth for me by looking at what Berkouwer says about (a) God; (b) Man.

(a) God

Insisting that the question of God is more than an abstract question concerning His existence, Berkouwer maintains that we must enquire about God with the kind of religious attitude expressed in the words of Micah 7:18 – ‘Who is a God like Thee, pardoning iniquity, and passing over transgression … ‘. When we ask the question of God in this way, we open ourselves to the atmosphere of ‘a latent doxology, a rapturous hymn (A. Weiser)’, an atmosphere ‘that leaves all doubt behind as it revels in admiration of Israel’s God’. Observing that ‘(m)any of the questions of our time arise not in doxology but in doubt’, Berkouwer points out that discussion of the traditional arguments for the existence of God is a far cry from asking the question of the living God. While the God of the old natural theology can be discussed abstractly, the living God can never be removed to such a comfortable distance. Maintaining that the God of Christian theology – the God of revelation – is more than a deduction which can drawn from the traditional proofs for His existence, he insists that we must move beyond the question ‘Does God exist?’ to the next question, ‘Who is God?’. Describing this second question as ‘a most existential and relevant question’, he contrasts it with the first question, pointing out that it is ‘not a theoretical question about God’s existence as a “thing”‘. He insists that asking the question, ‘Who is God?’ involves us in our entire experience of life as we enquire about its meaning and purpose. Enquiring about God in this way leads us on to further questions – ‘What do we mean by his presence in the world? Where does he reveal himself here and now?’. An openness to God and His revelation allows the possibilty of asking the question of God doxologically. Doxology is the only appropriate alternative to doubt. Doxology does not depend on the foundation of a faith that is built on a natural theology. On the basis of God’s salvation (and not that of natural theology’s attempt to prove God’s existence), the believer is deeply moved to worship God (A Half Century of Theology, pp.76-77; General Revelation, p.134).

(b) Man

For much of modern theology, the question, ‘What is man?’ must precede the question, ‘Who is God?’. The approach which begins with man (theology from below) is often set against the approach which begins with God (theology from above). In this situation of much confusion – with one side speaking out against the other side without really listening to what is being said from the other side – , Berkouwer’s doctrine of man has been commended as ‘a middle course between conflicting theologies … achieved by a strenuous independence of mind’ (These words of A. Willingdale – from a review in The Evangelical Quarterly – are cited on the front / inside dust cover of Berkouwer’s book, Man: The Image of God).

* Berkouwer emphasizes that man cannot be understood properly apart from God – ‘man’s nature … is not self-enclosed, and … can never be understood outside of its relation to God’ (Man: The Image of God, pp.22-23).

* He insists that divine sovereignty and human freedom are not be set over against each other. Emphasizing that the divine superiority is ‘the personal superiority of love and grace which in man’s experience is making room for him to act by not destroying his freedom’, he writes, ‘The divine act makes room, leaves open the possibility for man’s act. That possibility is not absorbed or destroyed by divine superiority, but called forth by it’ (Divine Election, pp. 49, 46).

* He emphasizes that man’s relation to God is inescapable so that, even in his guilt, the life of man is affected by divine grace. Taking full account of the radical effect of sin by emphasizing that there is ‘not … some last reserve in man, some untouched and untouchable ‘part’ of man which has escaped the power of in and corruption’ Berkouwer insists tha man has not been dehumanized. Despite the fact that we have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, we still remain man created in God’s image and called to glorify Him in our life as His creation – ‘Man stands and remains standing in his human responsibility and in his human guilt over against God’ (Man: The Image of God, pp. 127, 135).

* In emphasizing the relation beteen God and man, Berkouwer takes care to avoid the ‘erroneous’ interpretation of ‘the concept of relation’ which suggests that ‘man exists only in relation to God, and God exists only in relation to man’. Over against any suggestion that God is no more than a figment of our imagination and we are no more than a figment of His imagination, he maintains that, in using the concept of relation – God and man are understood in relation to each other – , we must speak also of ‘reality’. By emphasizing both reality and relation, we are maintaining ‘the Biblical outlook’ which ‘does not sacrifice reality to relation’ (p.35). When we emphasize the relation between man and God, we acknowldege that we cannot, without reference to God our Creator and Redeemer, give an adequate answer to the question, ‘What is man?’. When we ask this question Biblically, we think not only of man but also of God. To enquire – in a Biblical way – about the meaning and purpose of our human experience is to move from the pathway of defiance – we don’t need God – into the pathway of doxology – we worship God. In worship, we do not only ask, ‘What is man?’. We ask, ‘What is man that Thou art mindful of him … ?’ (Psalm 8:4)..

Returning to our initial observation regarding truth in itself and truth for us, we make two important points concerning Biblical truth.

* Biblical truth is truth in itself regardless of whether we believe it. If, however, we persist in unbelief, it is, in our experience, truth which stands over against us as a judgment upon our sinful unbelief. We cannot escape the presence of God simply by asserting, ‘I don’t believe in Him’. We may choose not to take God seriously. He will continue to take us seriously – in His judgment.

* Biblical truth remains truth which stands over against us in judgment until, through faith in Jesus Christ our Saviour, it becomes truth for us, a powerful, life-changing truth which leads us to glorify God as we learn to honour Him as our Creator and Redeemer.

[Via http://gcberkouwer.wordpress.com]

Google News Adds Personalized Story Tracking

The Mystery of Iniquity

2010-02-02T00:35:00.000+02:00

Christianity loves to talk about the mystery of Iniquity when it comes to the pre-tribulationr rapture.

But just what is the “Mystery of Iniquity” that was going on at the time of the Apostles and that will culminate in these last days.

Shaul was the one who wrote of these things, and Shaul was also the one who called the Anti-Messiah, the Lawless one, or the Torahless one!

The word Iniquity is the exact same word as lawlessness. ANOMIA. A meaning without, Nomia meaning TORAH.

Even in Shaul’s time the early start of the Roman church had begun, hence the need for the Apostle’s letters to correct the teachings going around at that time. This Torahlessness had begun in the days of the Apostles, and has culminated in these last days with mainstream christianity teaching that obeying God or the Messiah is “legalism”.

7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

Here we have the mystery of Torahlessness, that Shaul warned about, it was already at work in his day. When Shaul says “Until he be taken out of the way”, he is not speaking about the “Holy Spirit” (Holy meaning Set-Apart), Shaul is speaking of Satan himself, who has the right and authority to go before the Throne of the Creator and accuse the saints

8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

This next verse is further proof, and THEN the wicked one shall be revealed! When? When Satan is authority to go before the throne of God is revoked and he is cast down onto the earth. Satan is the one that will be destroyed with the coming of the Messiah.

9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

The very definition of a False Prophet is given in the Torah. It is a person empowered to perform signs, wonders, and miracles, for the express purpose of testing the people of Elohim to see if they will Keep the Commandments!

10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

What is unrighteousness? SIN. What is Sin? Sin as defined by the New Covenant is transgression of the law! What group on earth in direct opposition to the teachings of the Messiah, teaches that the “Law is abolished, and obeying the Creator and the Messiah is legalism? These people perish as a direct result of the mystery of Torahlessness, because instead of obeying the Messiah and DOING AND TEACHING THE LEAST OF THE TORAH, they chose instead to play religion. What is the truth? Two things in the Scriptures are defined as “Truth”, the Torah, and the Messiah! These people instead choose to reject the truth of the Torah and the teachings of the Messiah, choosing to believe the mystery of Iniquity the religious leaders and gurus teach!

11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Because the people chose to not obey the Creator and the Messiah, they are sent a strong delusions that they should believe this lie. What is the lie? The mystery of Torahlessness! The very same people who teach keeping a feast of Yahuwah is legalism, yet keeping a satanic holiday like Christmas or Easter is ok! They do not want to know the truth! They want to play religion, have their traditions. Instead of obeying Elohim they love to say cute things like “God knows my heart” Yes folks, he does know your heart. He knows you would rather play religion then obey him!

12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

These people had pleasure in Sin. Sin is transgression of the law. They loved the soothing sayings of their religious leaders that they no longer had to obey God or the Messiah! They loved the false doctrines and teachings of the Babylonian religious systems! What happens to those who believe not the Torah or the Messiah? Just as the Torah and the Messiah himself said in Matthew Chapter 7, THEY ARE DAMNED.

Folks, do you love the truth? No matter what that truth is, do you love it? If it conflicts with your religious beliefs, do you make the truth fit your beliefs, or do you change your beliefs to conform to the truth!

The problem with people on this planet is they view THE TRUTH, through the lens of their belief systems!

WHEN IN REALITY YOU MUST VIEW YOUR BELIEFS SYSTEMS THROUGH THE LIGHT OF THE TRUTH!

RELIGION IS A ATTEMPT TO VIEW TRUTH THROUGH A RELIGIOUS SYSTEM. LEAVE YOUR MAN MADE RELIGION BEHIND, GET RID OF ALL THE PAGAN BABLYONIAN SUN GOD WORSHIP, GET OFF THAT PEW OF YOUR RELIGIOUS DOG AND PONY SHOW CHURCHES, AND START OBEYING GOD AND THE MESSIAH!

[Via http://bigritchie.wordpress.com]

News Ticker: Kokua Festival, Trent Reznor, Noel Gallagher, Pauly ...

31 jan 2010 - matched

2010-01-31T00:18:00.000+02:00

i wrote a post abt a major mismatch in my life… this morning i woke up thinking abt some of the good matches… and as i reflect upon the good matches i hv found or rather who hv found me (as i dont really go out and make friends on my own volition, somehow they just ‘friend’ me), i realise the good matches outnumber the bad… i kw, i m far more lucky than many many frustrated aspies that i read abt, or hear from, around the world, who share one common problem – making friends…

my five years away from my mix-matched girlfriend… i went away for undergraduate studies… and, like many many aspies, i m no different not special from them, i did not hv many friends… but just two kids at university… who, more than twenty years later, are still my friends and who care for and support me in ways that hv never condemned me for who i am, even when i didnt know who i really was!…

one, now a happily married man, lives in another city, but he and his wife keep in touch with me and check in on me every now and then just to see how i m doing here on my own… his wife is a sweet gentle person, and no she doesnt slam doors or shout loudly… and the other, now married with two delightful girls and a very nice husband, i still meet up with regularly once a month for our ‘catch up’ dates… quick lunches stolen in the middle of her very busy day, near her workplace, albeit too fleeting, but these are gems in my little box of treasures… and no, i hv never heard her raise her voice ever, except when we laugh together! then we get as noisy as all women can get…

then another friend, a brilliant lawyer, he saw me thru the darkest moments of my life… he offered me financial help when i was desperately poor – which meant so much to me, tho i never took up his offer… he wrote me emails every single day, and those email exchanges kept me alive, i poured out my crazed ramblings onto him and he never once complained or derided me or called me weak or stupid or a coward (which my mismatch girlfriend did)… he was the one who told me point blank when i was in the depths of self doubt and despair during the abuse that i put myself thru with that ugly blue frog and his pet skank : “do not insult the people who love u by thinking so poorly of urself, we r not idiots without ability to discern and choose who we wish to love and care about, u hv something in u which is valuable to us and that is what u should wake up to… instead of always looking at the ones who reject u for the negatives u r, start looking at the ones who love u for the positives u r… the goodness that u bring into our lives… “

and today, i will hv brunch with yet another friend, someone i became close with only recently, well, 3 years ago… we met thru a mutual friend, and he works in the same city where i live… we meet almost every weekend that we r able to meet, for good food and company… he pays 90% of the time, becos he knows i cannot afford the luxury, but i do try to chip in, by asking him over sometimes for a homecooked meal… he too saw me thru the recent hell i hv just come out of… i rambled at him, sometimes we even argued, but he was and is always there, like a dependable rock for my anchor… he has none of the diva glamour flair of my lawyer friend, but this relationship has taught me a lot abt patience, perseverance, and goodness of a different kind…

one more… a new friend too… a fantastic jazz musician and composer… we had initial arguments over my asperger’s and behcet’s becos he didnt understand these, but becos he truly cares, he has come to see my struggles and validate them… in our last conversation over dinner, after going thru a piano piece i m writing for him to play, i was telling him my dreams of finding a way to be useful to others like me, to children like me who need someone who has been there before to help them develop their talents and gifts in ways that perhaps neurotypical teachers or therapists cannot becos they just dont kw what it is like to be autistic… well, he told me something that brought tears to my eyes : “u have so many dreams, but yet u r so limited by ur different mind and ur physical condition… knowing who u r, i know how much u hv achieved, how much more than other ‘normal’ people, how much u hv struggled thru and triumphed over just to stay alive, and how much u hv overcome in order to develop ur gifts… ” … his words were an encouragement to me to keep going, they gave me strength for my hopes and wings for my dreams, that even tho i may never achieve the kind of ’success’ that other people achieve, even tho i m still poor, not independent at middle age, even tho my abilities far outweigh my superficial achievements, even tho i struggle so hard with so little obvious returns, i will not give up – i owe it to myself and i owe it to those who see who i m and who are here cheering me on!

then of course, my baby sister… not a baby anymore, she is also middle aged now, but she will always be my most beloved sister… she loves me so unconditionally… no questions asked… no remarks or comments abt my choices and often bad choices in life… she is there, she will share whatever little she may have at any point of time with me if i need it… she will take care of me if i fail, she will be there, and she will be there if i succeed to applaud me… yes we do hv our meltdowns with each other, but with her, there is always no condemnation, no stupid ignorant suggestions, no religious nonsense… just love…

and they all share one thing in common – NONE of them hv EVER sneered at my quirks, nor raised their voices at me, nor debased my inner yearnings, nor were ever jealous of my talents and gifts, and NONE of them are domineering, manipulative and crude… they are all gentle to me… and becos they love me so much, i hv learnt to love them and yes for them, it is worth learning to step out of my little bubble into their realm as far as i possibly can (tho i m sadly so limited) to try to show them i appreciate and embrace their love for me, and i love them back with depth and intensity!

today, and every single day of my life, i will give thanks with deep gratitude for the good matches in my life, becos they r my inspiration to reach for all that i m and can be, and becos i want them to be proud of me too!

[Via http://spunkykitty.wordpress.com]

Did Steve Jobs Scare Google, Microsoft, Nintendo & Adobe With The ...

"... in Truth."

2010-01-30T00:00:00.000+02:00

To worship on that mountain.

To dance in Zion’s street,

To worship in Jerusalem,

To hear GOD! in bare feet. A time is coming and now is,

When worship will not be,

In or on, with or without,

But IN Truth, and spiritually. God is worthy, any-where

Our

Souls

Should ever-see

And walk ever without sandals, for

All its ground,

Hallowed, be. “… in Truth,” He said, As if’t were a place,

That one might enter its gates,

Climb its lofty heights,

Cherish its intricate architecture!

Or,

Reverently enjoy its sand between the toes! This, is where I will worship my God! In Spirit, and… in Truth!

[Via http://silencespoken.wordpress.com]

Shakesville: News from Shakes Manor

vinegar, pistachios, scales, and baby carrots a.k.a. "chicken nuggets".

2010-01-28T00:50:00.000+02:00

well, i am getting more and more into foodie experiments. this week, eating week 2 has been an interesting change. i am in love with balsamic vinegar, and if you don’t already put this on everything you eat, you should start. i cannot get enough pistachios and was able to find a 4lb. bag of them at sam’s- they are still expensive compared to most of what we eat but tad and i love them. we are going to start buying peanuts with shells on them too, just because it’s so much fun to crack things open.

one warning i did want to share though- on sunday i bought a new toy- a kitchen scale. $30 at target for one that i really like, with a tare function and both ounce/gram units. it’s been seriously disturbing to see how different the serving sizes are when you weigh food versus measuring out a portion. labels lie. they want for you to consume more food than you need so that you feel more satisfied, less guilty, and so that you buy more sooner. i would highly recommend investing $15-30 on a scale, measuring out your servings for a while, and getting accustomed to the ACTUAL amount of food you can eat for the calories advertised. i found that i was eating probably 300-500 extra calories that i was unaware of. which for me is an entire workouts worth of food.

one thing that i will not be buying any more of is baby carrots. for some reason, i thought that baby carrots were the same as big carrots, they were just chopped up and peeled. um wrong. they are manufactured from cheaper bits of carrots and mashed together, dyed, and flavored. one might compare them to “chicken” nuggets at mcdonalds. they are also more expensive and less nutritious. however they ARE more flavorful (in my opinion), but billions of chemicals are put in them to make them that way. sad day. one more food out the window. don’t know how i didn’t see that coming. this kid told me everything i needed to know to never want to buy them again.

[Via http://libbydelay.wordpress.com]

GamesAid charity day is a sell out | News

Refusing Dawn

2010-01-26T00:50:00.000+02:00

“Outside… I’m masquerading,

Inside…My hope is fading..”

Smokey Robinson, from ” Tracks Of My Tears”

– – – – –

REFUSING DAWN, AND GUTS FOR LOVE

I can Recognize, but hell,

I can’t Realize so well.

I’d drink more coffee but my cardiologist insists I don’t

I’d drink more coffee but my heart man

prescribes “not so smart, man”.

I’d think more whiskey would push me

to bask at last in a primal light,

but my general practitioner generally frowns

about practicing until I get it right.

I’d read more

but eyes see less.. I digress,

I’d come 2/pray more/give in/give more/dream-sleep in/weep for once/

walk the lit dark like I used to/

take the darklight I’ve refused to.

I can Recognize, but hell,

I don’t Realize so well.

[Via http://namelessneed3.wordpress.com]

Apple Q1 2010: 21 million iPods, 8.7 million iPhones sold ...

A Dream is a wish your heart makes...

2010-01-24T00:51:00.000+02:00

Sanura Snowpaw of *Dreams* They Do Come True was kind enough to drop me a review packet FILLED with her latest releases in so many colors that I literally fainted. Seriously. I would have a pic of my unconscious avatar, but I figured that that would be a tad inappropriate. Anywho, the first part of the gift contained her new cropped knit sweaters, which comes in a variety of colors! All colors are shown here, because frankly, that is how much I love you guys. Well that, and all of them are tres, tres yummy. True story.

How cute are they? They come in shirt, jacket, and underwear layers for easy styling. I love how Sanura has both dark and light colors, which is perfect for pretty much any mood you happen to be in. I set up a complete look of the day (sort of) based around it. It’s pretty casual, perfect for hanging out with friends or even hopping around the grid.

Hair: >TRUTH< Audrey – Blacks and Whites

Sweater: *Dreams* Cropped Knit Sweater {White}

Jeans: *League* Garage Jeans – Cool Blue

Tattoos: >>Moloko<< Stars and Swallows

Shoes: *Redgrave* Girls Biker Boots -Black-

And if that isn’t enough to make you love dreams, check this out:

They also have cute bow tanks available in a myriad of colors! Okay, I know I only posted three of them here, but that’s kind of what happens when you fap and blog at the same time! Trust me, the colors are AH-MAZE-ING!

Visit *Dreams* Today!

Until next time, blogites!

xoxo

[Via http://lafamiliafashion.wordpress.com]

Poll shows Lincoln neck-and-neck with GOP challengers | Arkansas News

The Emergent need for Christ

2010-01-23T18:48:00.000+02:00

“Some people today may find it compelling that some Great Cosmic Transaction took place on that day 1,980 years ago, the God’s wrath burned against his son instead of against me. I find that version of atonement theory neither intellectually compelling, spiritually compelling, nor in keeping with the biblical narrative.” (Tony Jones “Why Jesus Died,” 4-10-09, www.beliefnet.com)

The Emergent church has received much warranted and unwarranted criticism over its inaugural decade. Because the Emergent doctrine is intentionally nebulous in definition one cannot speak generally about the movement as a whole. Therefore in order to gain any sort of pulse as to what is being said by this group, we are left with no choice but to look to the individual leaders who are driving it through books, conferences, and social mediums of every kind. This leaves us with quotes like the one above to help piece together the mosaic of the Emergent movement.

The above quote is emergent church guru Tony Jones, author of the book The New Christians. Though he is clear to state that he does not speak for everyone in the movement, I’ve been hard-pressed to find an author/ “leader”/ Emerging “ethos” contributor within the movement that has a differing opinion with Mr. Jones concerning relative/absolute truths. Hard-pressed to find someone that doesn’t make Christianity a philosophical, humanistic understanding rather than about Jesus. I’ve read somewhere near 45 of the main books driving the movement, talked to different leaders like Mr. Jones, and was once a part of the movement or at least the “vibe” of it for many years.

The goal of this post is to be merely an introduction to some of the concerns within the Emergent church. My fight is to see that the truth of Jesus Christ be forefront in a place where people like Brian McLaren, Doug Padgitt, Peter Rollins, Phyllis Tickle, Spencer Burke and many others are diminishing His value

For the un-initiated, allow me to try to add a little definition to the movement that they do not to define. The Emergent church is a group or collection of people who are seeking to make a form of Christianity that is more relevant to our present Western Culture. In theory, it’s a way for Christians to join the ranks of the society around them and be Christians within their environment. Whether that’s hanging out with the fray at the local bar or joining a local bowling league. The premise is that Christians should not separate themselves from society into sheltered Christian circles, but they join society as Christians. They call this being “missional”; missionaries to our communities. Here is how Mr. Jones puts it:

“The emergent church is a way for us to figure out how to be Christians in a globalised, pluralized environment. Making the church reflective of the society that is around it… The push is for the church to become more participatory. In other words your opinion about the Bible becomes part of your churches orthodoxy”

This statement is where the Emerging/ Emergent “ethos” gets fuzzy and is translated into an unnecessary dichotomy between Faith and Practice. This point is also where the average person shrugs their shoulders and where most theologians throw up in their mouths. Being that my aim isn’t to help theology students but the average “Joe” better understand the Emergent church, I’ll leave the comparison/ contrasts for those capable theologians who have books out on the matter. (see- D.A. Carson, Tim Keller, John Piper, Mark Driscoll John McArthur etc.) I’ll state the problem as plainly as I see it:

To make Christianity reflective of a society and culture that hates God and has made sexual immorality, self gratification, and greed idols of worship isn’t a new way to do Christianity, it’s a way to depart from Christianity. Scripturally, I believe a lot of what is being said is what the Apostle Paul warns us to stay away from in I Timothy 6 when he says:“If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of Jesus Christ and the teaching of godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.”

Adele Sakler, who heads up the Gay, Lesbian, Trans, and Questioning side of the Emergent church called “Queermergent” is one of many whose life has been led away from Christ and into sin because of the teachings of the Emergent church. On her site Why Queermergent? She describes her transition in the following statement:

“I began to read Brian McLaren and found him writing things I had felt inside but was very afraid to express outwardly to anyone. In 2002 I went to Northern Ireland to do a DTS with YWAM.I met the great Peter Rollins and we developed a great friendship. His teachings and writings on postmodernism and Christianity radically shaped how I viewed my faith. I could no longer hang onto certaintywith regards to interpreting scripture… There were more important things in kingdom living than where we go after we pass from this world to the next, like poverty, AIDS, the environment, etc. About 2.5 years ago I FINALLY came to terms with my sexuality. I found peace with myself and with God. Coming out was fairly painless with the exception of a few people who still think I am in sin and going to hell. I no longer hold this view and I am ok if people think that about me.” (Adele Sakler, “Why Queermergent?” queermergent.wordpress.com)

I Timothy 1:15 “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” Again, my fight is not against Adele Sakler, Peter Rollins or Brian McLaren. My fight is for people to know the truth about Christ before it’s too late. I want them to know that there is reprieve from suffering for the next 40-60 years of their lives and to know that they were created for so much more than simply trying to survive life without pain. Humans were created for so much more than coming to grips with their sin. They were created to experience the Divine pleasures of a loving God. We were made to communicate with Heaven, and live lives of peace and joy that only comes from life in the Holy Spirit. My fight, my cry is that people know that they can answer the question “Why do I exist”. We can have real freedom from the one thing humanity has been longing to be free from since Adam and Eve took a bite of that apple; sin.

I agree that the church in our culture is failing. Newsweek estimates that 25% of nationwide congregants have left the church in the last 10 years. The church has failed to love its fellow man as secular organizations out give and out serve the church worldwide. Yet, that lack of innovation is not our greatest peril.

The problem in the church is that it has wavered from making Christ the center and adopted a humanistic deism that puts the responsibility on the church to be inviting instead of Christ to be impacting.

The solution is simple and found in Luke 18:1-9, Col. 3:1-4, and Matt 5, 6, & 7. “When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the Earth?”

He won’t if we are found putting more faith in our intellect, schemes, and ministry models. The answer is knee wrecking, ear straining, eye squinting, heart wrenching prayer. The answer is a people with faces set like flint, stumbling in a dark world with only the light of His face to guide them. (Is. 50:7-11) In our misunderstanding of prayer, we have cheapened our primary tool to seeing God’s power break in to our lives, and we have been found bankrupt in our attempts to impact society.

My desire is to expose lie of the Emergent church so that Jesus can have His glory. My prayer is that those perpetrating such lies would be set free by the power of Christ that they have so wrongly ignored and misinterpreted.

[Via http://zackhensley.wordpress.com]

Obama slays Repubs in Fox News poll | Washington Examiner

The Customer Isn't Always Right, But They Are Still The Customer.

2010-01-21T00:28:00.000+02:00

It’s a motto I carry with me. I do everything I can for my customers, and more sometimes. I have gone out of my way for them, and for the most part care about all of them. But with that being said, they are not always right in every situation. They are still people, and people sometimes bend the truth in their own favor. Doing warranty work for a customer is where this comes into play. The manufacture clearly states that they will warranty only what has failed from quality or workmanship of their product. But customers try and push that limit, because they broke said item. But instead of fessing up, they blame the part breaking on a quality issue. I have seen it time and time again. But instead of blowing the customer off, I do what I can to resolve the issue with what is fair for all parties. Showing them why it cannot be covered and what it will take to remedy the situation. 99% of the time it works, and 1% it doesn’t, you can’t please everyone.

So moral of the story, take the time to listen and explain to the customer what you can and can’t do for them. Because even if they are in the wrong, it doesn’t mean you don’t want them to ever come back.

[Via http://whoscolin.wordpress.com]

Huge News Story I Missed in December, David Henderson | EconLog ...

Simón Dice

2010-01-19T00:37:00.000+02:00

Simon Says, “Shades on, cash out.” Newt at …:::Keke La Diva:::… for teens Lumina mini dress. Available in Pink, Cyan, Navy Blue, Lime Green, Red, and Yellow. This sexy and sleek design features sleeveless arms and chain-linked bra strap. Glitz and glitter printed design on front and right side.

LOOK 1:

Hair: TRUTH

Shoes: Chuchulet

Shape: …:::Keke La Diva:::… -soon released teen shape-

Skin: Vive 9

Glasses: …:::Keke La Diva:::… Diva Shades Zebra

LOOK 2:

Hair: YuNA

Shoes: Chuchulet

Shape: …:::Keke La Diva:::… -soon released teen shape-

Skin: Vive 9

Glasses: …:::Keke La Diva:::… Plaid

LOOK 3:

Hair: Mirai Style

Shoes: Chuchulet

Shape: …:::Keke La Diva:::… -soon released teen shape-

Skin: BRB WITH NAME

Glasses: …:::Keke La Diva:::… Diva Shades Plaid

[Via http://kekeladiva.wordpress.com]

Tiger Woods in Mississippi sex rehab? – Sawf News

Stop the Fraud & Defamation

2010-01-17T00:20:00.000+02:00

CITIZENS 4 JUSTICE blogsite is another Guardian for Truth & Justice!

We protect consumers, individuals and companies that have been defrauded. Here we reveal cases of scams, conspiracies and racketeering, forms of bullying and cyber-terrorism and identity theft tainted with defamation. Numerous scam reporting sites across the web are being used by unscrupulous people to harm innocent individuals and companies and even to blackmail them with threats and extortion. We protect against the scandalous fraud, the hurtful libel and slander by providing the TRUTH.

FRAUD: wrongful or criminal deception. Noun: a person or thing intended to deceive others, typically by unjustifiably claiming or being credited with accomplishments or qualities; tricksters and fraudsters, scam artists, con men, con artists.

SCAM: a dishonest scheme; a fraud, swindle, fraudulent scheme, racket, trick; con, hustle, flimflam, bunco, grift, gyp, shakedown; scammers, con man.

DEFAMATION: character assassination, vilification; malicious gossip, aspersions, muckraking, disparagement, denigration; smears, slurs; slander; libel

CITIZENSFORJUSTICE.ORG — TOP FRAUD CASES

Wim Dankbaar: Dutch Blogger – “JFK Murder Solved”

Fraud Author: Conspiracy to Commit Fraud, Deceit, Malicious Libel, Slander, Harassment, Blackmail, Extortion, Misuse of Free Websites, Email Spam, Abuse of Internet Systems, Threats.

Monty Roberts – Horse Trainer — The “Horse Whisperer”

Fraudulent Author: Deceit, Breach of Contract, Animal Abuse and Neglect, Negligence & Personal Injury, Filing False Police Reports, Posting Libel, Harassment.

Monsanto: Big Agribusiness — Pusher of GMO Foods/Pesticides

Deceit, Negligence; Ecological Mayhem; Conspiracy to Harm Humans & Wildlife; Theft, Trespassing and Threats to Farmers; Poisoning of Plants, Humans and Animals; Conspiracy to Infiltrate US Government and Unduly Influence the Legislative Process.

LEGAL JUSTICE SITES, BLOGS AND IMPORTANT LINKS

These sites speak up the truth and reveal consumer frauds.

AllForums.com: Fraudulent author warnings about people like Monty Roberts, Wim Dankbaar, James Frey, fabricators of literary scams with books and materials for profit.

CitizensJustice.org: Devoted to exposing Wim Dankbaar’s-James Files – JFK Murder Hoax/Dankbaar Internet Stalking and Defamation with Michigan resident April Kelley.

CowboyJustice.org Web Legal and Justice Portal links page.

FameandGlory.com: Truth or Fiction – does anyone know the difference anymore? Does anyone care? Fabulous fakes and phonies, top literary fraudsters duping the public.

JamesFilesFraud.com: JFK-murder scam/hoax perpetrated by imprisoned criminal and con man James Files and Dutch blogger Wim Dankbaar.

MontyRobertsLies.com: Horse trainer Monty Roberts, the man who supposedly listens to horses, actually abuses them and sells scam products and defames his family.

HorseWhispersandLies.com: Book by aunt and cousin to horseman Monty Roberts which exposes the lies and fraud of the celebrity horse trainer who has duped the world.

USAViews.com: a blog that exposes government fraud and waste and improprieties in business and the legislative process. This site has picked up on the Dankbaar-Kelley fraud alliance.

USAViews-April Kelley ID Theft Warning: Special warning reveals how Michigan internet stalker April Kelley has engaged in serious identity theft across the internet.

Libel (written) and slander (spoken) are both forms of defamation. Today, though, the terms are often used interchangeably. The bulk of the libel is being posted on a number of scam reporting websites. One such site, if not more, is run by a reputed extortionist who charges victims top dollar to remove the offending posts. The owner is facing multiple lawsuits.

Several posters whom we reveal here have joined with the reputed extortionist to perform their own forms of internet blackmail and threats. Their actions are against the law.

We are guardians of the truth. We are a support mechanism for our sister site, CitizensForJustice.org, a legal forum and justice blog.

[Via http://citizens4justice.wordpress.com]

Haiti: News roundup, new satellite images, tweets from the ground ...

Pat Robertson : Haiti in a Rush to Limbaugh with Robert Pattinson

2010-01-16T00:39:00.000+02:00

My thoughts on Limbaugh and Robertson fiasco.

I think what they said was rather ridiculous, but sadly one thing I don’t think the statements were, are signs of them lacking humanity. These two people spoke their thoughts, their human thoughts.

I will begin with Pat Robertson. Even if you don’t believe in the pact of the devil, (and if you do you probably also are against Robert Pattison and all the other vampire craze instigators since we all know vampires are really demons and of the devil) but do in some Religion and Deity, then you may believe the earthquake was allowed to go down. Or it is some sort of Divine plan beyond our understanding. Or retribution for something or a continued battle between good and evil where evil won out or a test of our and their faith in him.

It is well documented that the impoverished tend to be more religious than the well off, Haiti is thought to be composed by around 80% Roman Catholics, 16% Protestant and the other 4%, other ( Religion in Haiti though some Vodou is present this is more of a cultural thing like the belief that one is not complete without a favorite football team or turkey on thanksgiving).

Pat Robertson said what he believes. He believes he has found the One way to human salvation. He opened with a comment on the fact more buildings having collapsed than not may be a blessing in disguise due to the rebuilding that may come, said some stuff about Napoleon the 3rd and a pact with the devil for freedom, then finished with saying we need to pray for them and hoping they all turn to god.

Haiti was emancipated from under Napoleon ‘Complex’ Bonaparte, not his Nephew Napoleon III, so we can say he was wrong. Wrong, but not inhuman, for to err is human to forgive divine. So we can say Robertson believes that the pact with the devil may only have been forgiven by a 100% christian population . Now since ) what would be ‘inhuman’ is if he kept this a secret. If did not do all in his power to convert everyone to this way to salvation. Felt he was safe so there was no need to speak out on this this earthquake as a warning, lest some other less than 100% christian country (USA is about 75%, though no devil pact is on record, besides record box office numbers and neilsen ratings since society sure does loooove vampires) have some terror befall them.

Rushing on to Rush (YEAH I SAID IT, WANNA FIGHT ABOUT IT!?!)…It’s Rush, c’mon now. He prolly felt upstaged by Pat and felt he better say something soon. And this Devil thing, quite the headline grabber that is, what on earth could top that, what could hurt the most, oh wait I know, you know, Rush knew even Col. Jessup* knows. The Truth. Nothing hurts more than the truth. OFF COURSE OBAMA IS TRYING TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS!!!

Please, no one anywhere should deny this isht. It is politics, politicians everywhere are trying to gain points on this. Is this the only reason they are helping? No, certainly not, this is a tragedy. Is how they are helping dictated by politics? Ah, Heeeeeellllzzzzzzzz yeth. Are countries looking at other countries to see what they give so they can match it and not seem to be slacking and not as caring? Of course not, that would be terrible to do, measure compassion. Are countries putting their political processes on hold so they can concentrate on Haiti and wait for their populations to settle back down and know what laws and such are being enacted and passed? eh whats that behind you?!?!

So Rush spoke the truth, it may be more heated because of what ‘colour’ Obama’s father was, who said it and the fact that there is that whole Obama won partially because of the light skin and no negro dialect.(that deserves its own rAnt in and of itself but all ill say is if Obama looked and sounded like flava flav and said everything Obama said, Black people would have been the first to say “No, You Can’t!!!”)

Do you know anyone on Facebook with a help Haiti message? (my thoughts on Facebook status messages Jew know what Gaza did!?! / “(Your name) is my Hero” : best Facebook status message ever!” ) I do, not as annoying this time as other times.

I remember watching the news with my mom right after it happened, as the science guys gave us the science and the first twitter pictures (another thing that usually angers me but since its to good use and not people named after mexican alcohol use) were coming in to CNN. We discussed how late this happened, how long it will take for help to get there, how densely populated it is and finally just how high the death-toll will obviously be. As CNN and the other news outlets began to deploy their reporters, I thought to myself “not watching a news channel for a week.” I would rather check in on online sources than the 24 hour coverage. People will be dead, people will be helping, people will be angry, people will be praying, people will be confused, people will be crying.

My issue with this is the timing. If all the concern and aide that is pouring into Haiti had been given slowly and steadily over the last 50 years, the death-toll today would not be what it is 40,000 still buried and 100,000 feared dead so 140,000 by bbc internationals estimate an hour ago(I watched the news at diner time because there is literally nothing on most of the time, even on satellite TV). In a year or less most of us will return to being human and forget about Haiti and other places that need help. If being human is showing concern for people only after terrible things happen, then we should either strive to be more than human, or in the least break down these borders and let people know that terrible things are happening all the time.

* ”A Few Good Men.” Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, goodness.

I usually give a lil extra below here but you know what there isn’t one, im going to try ad put up an illustration soon though.

[Via http://rantatonne.wordpress.com]

Ravens Insider: Garcon gets a bit of good news - The inside scoop ...

the yoga collective

2010-01-14T00:19:00.000+02:00

over the years i have had many requests for additional weekly yoga classes, prenatal classes, kid’s yoga classes, and so on. with a heavy heart i must always explain that in order to keep my whole life in balance i must limit the amount of classes i personally teach.

however, this need for additional yoga classes gave birth to my newest endeavor…. in the spring i will be opening a yoga co-op. the yoga collective.

my vision for this collecvitve is to

create a space for the holistic practice of yoga where the yogic community to grow and practice together
provide a cooperative environment where independent yoga instructors can work together in supporting our business efforts and be a source of inspiration on our mats and in our lives.
provide affordable yoga where the class fees go directly to the teacher.

to begin, i would like to get some feedback from you, the community…

what types of classes would you like to see offered?

what days and times would best serve you?

if you are interested in becoming a part of the yoga collective as an instructor or would like more information feel free to contact me as well.

please e-mail me at motheryogi@mac.com.

namaste,

christy

[Via http://motheryogi.com]

Gallup poll gives Obama some good news on terrorism issue ...

The Challenge of long distance

2010-01-12T00:31:00.000+02:00

Who i am is not simple, but i know what i want in life, i know who i am, and no one will change that, I do carry the ability of being happy without romance, because in all reality it’s not always the most important thing, just nice, humans always like the satifaction of having a place where they belong, knowing someone loves them, and people can’t resist that feeling. But I can’t change who i am just because of love, i won’t.

So, yes, i am a confrontational person, i will tell people exactly what’s on my mind, when i’m happy, when I’m not, what i like about them, what i don’t, usually in attempt in talking through my issues. I do not hope in any means of hurting anyone, but i am one that feels that being truthful is a lot better than bottling stuff up. My goals in relationships is to make both of us happy, not just him, because being taken for granit is not one of my self goals, mutual happiness is my goal, which used to be easy. By being a confrontational person, i do admit makes me a bitch at times.

Relationships are complicated, i’ve heard my friends say that the first month or two is the honey moon stage, every thing seems perfect, like nothing could go wrong, it’s just pure happiness with one another. But relationships progress, you learn more about one another, there becomes less to talk about, and it gets more serious and easier to lose that spark. Especially with long distant relationships, there are rough spots, times of unhappiness, more times of missing each other and frustration and doubts, the clear idea tha, that honey moon stage is completely over. The key to relationships is how strong the connection is to make it through those times.

So though i confront and know what i need to be happy, i may push it a little too much at times, for a moody boy like Patrick i should know to be careful. There’s no doubt that i love him, but relying solely on talking, i have doubts, sometimes i can’t just trust my heart or his. Sometimes i don’t understand why he can’t say what seems like something so obvious for someone to say to the one they love. So i question, i say what i think, and somehow i feel the want to go back on my words just because i don’t want to lose him.

But as i sat and thought in clas, giving him time to himself to think, i thought, i still want happiness, before he came along,i was all about my independence, how i didn’t want or need a guy to break me, yet he was different from all the other guys i had ever met, and i fell for him. But as i thought, if things go bad, or work out, i should always keep in mind that this is my life, and every step of the way, i learn from my experiences, and my goal is to be myself and continue to stay happy, which i can only find from myself. So do i need to cry anymore? do i need to call and text hoping for him to finally respond?…..no, he’ll be there when he’s ready, i don’t need to be obnoxious.

Psychologists say that separation weakens the romantic attraction, it’s sad but in some senses it’s true, from the rollercoaster of me and Patrick’s relationship in the month and half time period of not seeing each other, makes the relationship hard, even as optimistic as i am. I’ve never wanted to see someone as bad as i want to see him….what makes it harder is that every time i hope to see him, something goes wrong……am i strong enough?

I hope so.

[Via http://burtnay67.wordpress.com]

Celebrity Cool News! | coolwebgossip.com

Sometimes what we say and feel is repressed this time it is straight out. [Avatar]

2010-01-10T00:52:00.000+02:00

I have never been one to be pulled in emotionally by films.

If you asked me what shaped my life I would probably say the way I see things, the way I see people and my past experiences. I would not name particular TV shows or films. If pushed I would name perhaps 2 films that I think may have affected me a bit but I would not have said a lot.

It takes a lot to stir me emotionally these days. Surrounded in a world I feel is dead against me where my chances are always working to hinder my progress rather than to help me progress. I deal with my emotions by locking myself in a room thinking. Listening to music, which evokes a similar feeling in me as the one I am feeling.

My desire to forget everything bad is one that I embrace with open arms. Ever since that day that I last saw my grandfather in hospital. My grandmother thinking I was too young tried to stop me from seeing him that day, my mother who has always been more open however let me in. As I stood there looking over him I felt something deep inside me. Sadly I cannot remember what he said. I think he may have said goodbye but that was it. After that came the funeral. I was completely lost emotionally I did not know what to feel I did not know right from wrong nor did I know how to react. I cried, I cried a lot. But in recent times I haven’t, recent being over 10 years. I can count all the occasions I have cried due to emotional turmoil on 2 hands. I remember them vividly. Those times when my hearts defences fall leaving me vulnerable. The times when I just sit there not knowing what to think, what to do, why to do what I am doing. I loose all faith.

From a religious standpoint I do not know what to think either. There may indeed be a being that is in some way connecting us all a God that is listening but letting us settle our own issues. I do not find consolation in this. Going to church makes me feel part of something, that is entirely true. But I don’t feel a presences, nothing consoles me. I pray sometimes. Normally when everything has already gone wrong, normally there is no chance to rectify the situation. In some way I pray when I have lost hope.

Sometimes I lie, I lie for various reasons, sometimes just to hide to truth but those truths are normally only covered by anecdotal lies, something which is so similar it may as well be the same thing just isn’t. perhaps places changes as well as names not to cover my or anyone else’s back but just so that I can say what I want to say without being overcome by emotion. Perhaps I feel that emotion is the one thing I cannot let through. I cannot show people that I am weak. I tell myself many times a day thing long similar lines. I am not weak I am the best I can do whatever I want. Never would I tell this to someone else. If you met me in the street I probably would see you look into you and look down, avoiding your gaze avoiding any contact. Although most people see this as a sign of weakness to me it is more a defensive mechanism. ‘ I do not want to be involved with you, I do not want to become more vulnerable.’

In complete contrast I have what I can only interpret as safe places, places I can go to where I can say, do, think, feel, or talk about anything I want. To me these places are safe both emotionally and physically. One place is a somewhere I refer to as the ‘view’ I go there probably about once a week. It is a 20-30 min drive from my house and unless it is summer the weather there is terrible. For some reason I feel that going there I will meet someone I can talk to. Not someone I want to have a relationship with, no just somewhere that I can talk to someone, tell my story. I have never done it but maybe one day it will happen.

I think I believe in fait. In some way some things have already been decided. The have already been chosen. Everything else is subject to change, but some things are going to happen no matter what.

I guess that would explain my inability to keep a stable relationship. One think that hit me hard was when an ex whom I still see told me that she hardly knew me. I find it hard to let people close to me see me as it were. Not in the physical sense, but emotionally. Perhaps I am being stupid but I don’t feel I can. Which is how I know that the person isn’t right for me. I can only truly give everything up to someone I truly trust. There are few people out there I do trust but those that I do, I think I would do anything for. I think I am not being over-ambiguous saying I would give my life for those people. They are people in whom I see a lot both a reflection of people I respect but the kind of emotion that most people are no longer capable of.

I guess at this stage anyone reading this thinks I am either completely off the rails or just plain lying. The Internet is full of people making bold claims but I have nothing other than my words to serve my story. What I write here is directly from my heart. I cannot give more than I am writing.

Which is odd, because all this was started be watching a film. Tonight I was watching Avatar, I have wanted to see it for some time, however only today did I manage to go and see it.

I feel that the film carried many many strong messages. From the point that sometimes the side of the fence we are standing on is indeed the wrong side, and that as great we all feel about our respective countries feel sometimes what we are doing is indeed not for the greater good. Something else that echoes that sentiment is the transition of the main character from human and ignorant to avatar and understanding. Our ability to learn is so special. Many animals possess it but none so much as us. We adapt we make things that most people would never have believed a mere 100 years ago let along 100000! This film almost shows the good in our species as well as the bad. We can at times be so destructive and sometimes we are so kind so giving wanting to help change something.

Another point this film makes is how much we have lost touch with the planet. I have always seen myself as ‘anti green’ but I think that this film has changed my perspective. I would not consider myself an eco warrior now, no that would be wrong. But I do feel I am more aware of what is going on around me.

So how does all this link to what I wrote earlier? Well emotion is what drives this film, and I think the film connected with me in more ways I even knew was possible. The emotional fight of the main character was one that I feel can be applied in many ways, to suit many different situations.

I sincerely hope that in one month, years, decades time I still feel as touched by this film as I do now, because, in all honesty, if I take away anything at all from this experience, it will change my life, and the way I look at it.

I am sure most people are now convinced I have lost it, but I guess the only person who really needs to believe this is me. I hope this gives me both the emotional strength and resolve I need to do just a few of the things I want to do so badly. Things that mean more to me than most people could ever imagine.

Sometimes, things really do work out and I am hoping, that maybe this is my turn.

I have not corrected the way this was written. I just sat down and wrote it. This is as raw as my emotion and therefore by editing it in any way I would feel as if I have in some way destroyed the actual feelings I wanted to protect in the first place.

[Via http://thelondonkid.wordpress.com]

iPhone dominates holiday sales on Orange France | iLounge News

Winter Retreat

2010-01-09T00:47:00.000+02:00

…and damn, is it wintry.

So, I escaped from the holiday season with nary a scratch, and a few resolutions. No, let’s not call them resolutions – too stigmatized. I came out with a mission. I’d known for months that I would be returning to the apartment early, and for two primary reasons: to make use of rent that I was spending on it, and to settle myself. And by that, I mean that I had recently decided to quit Engineering at the University of Illinois for good.

I’ve come to realize that the less I expect of myself, the more I do, the happier I am, and, ironically, the more productive I am. A poor fit for Engineering, which has a great deal of expectations to live up to, which I merely put off and in many cases simply didn’t do. All this created was anxiety, and not a productive anxiety. Let’s face it, I went into Engineering as an experiment to see if I could conform to these expectations, and I was headed for a disappointment, so I jumped ship.

Anyway, settling myself involves just that – being by myself in my apartment and attempting to maintain some sort of healthy, creative rhythm, balancing what responsibilities I do have with developing myself in the ways that I want to develop. Time to myself has meant that:

I sleep early. Generally around 11-12 at night, though there are exceptions. Or rather, there has been one exception. Got caught up in video editing.
I wake early and eat breakfast every day. I think about what to make for lunch and dinner. Then, I make it. Then, unfortunately, I must eat it.
I make an attempt to play guitar…or rather, I pick up the guitar and see where that takes me every day. I also pretend to watch lectures on it. The bits and pieces of music theory that I learn, I learn in order to free myself, and liberating it is.
I sing every day. But that’s not out of the ordinary. I guess following the directions on voice lesson videos is out of the ordinary, though, so that’s worth mentioning. I was skeptical at first with the Arceneaux Approach, but I saw immediate improvements. Anyone else have experience with this?
I have been immersing myself in Chinese lessons (Pimsleur and CCTV Learn Chinese) and media (music videos, CCTV 新闻20分) a few hours every day. I really need to start studying next semester’s characters – hell, I need to study all the characters we’re supposed to know by now, because after a 2 year hiatus, there’s not a lot I remember. It’s strange, as a result of this immersion, my mind tricks me into thinking people are speaking Chinese when they’re not.
I’ve been dancing most every day. I missed one, so far. Don Lee gave me a few bboy toprock videos to work off of, and I’ve been working on that. I’ve also been working on my dance sharingan, analyzing Taeyang’s Where U At. I wanted to get this before break ended, but it looks like that’s not going to happen. Oh, I think I’m on the verge of nailing flares and windmills. I just have to take days off between practicing those because my shoulder can’t take it. It’s a sign of poor technique – I don’t think my shoulder should be taking that much pressure. Naturally, I’ve also been enticed into doing some tricks, because it’s fun. Oh, while we’re on physical status, I injured my ankle last semester and I’ve been waiting for it to heal. However, after doing rehabilitative stretches and exercises while idling, I think my ankles are better than ever. They still twinge, a bit.
I have ordered all of next semester’s books through interlibrary loan. I am about a quarter through the first one on Chinese poetry. I should finish it soon, because I have five more to go.
But most of all, I’ve been trying to live up to one mission: To make something cool every day. Something that I think is cool, anyway. The Sean Hsu Diaries, the Apt21 video series (ep01, ep02, ep03, ep04, ep05), the making of which, by the way, made me realize how awesome my roommates were last semester, and the Mini Trick Montage linked above. Thankfully, I think that covers every day of this year. I was somewhat anxious to know if I’d truly lived up to my mission.

Living like this has given me hope for a future that I can look forward to, no matter what major I graduate with.

Well, that’s it. Just a little of what I’ve been up to.

Now to pay the bills, somehow.

[Via http://briankung.wordpress.com]

AMERICAblog News: Not kidding: Rudy Giuliani said "We had no ...

Sepatu Pria - Laki dan Romance - The Truth About Men dan Romance

2010-01-07T00:15:00.000+02:00

Kebanyakan orang berpikir bahwa cinta adalah makan malam diterangi cahaya lilin mawar sampanye dan berjalan di pantai. Ini hanya bagian dari asmara dan mereka tidak benar-benar menjadi bagian dari asmara kecuali ada hubungan yang lebih dalam antara Anda dan pasangan Anda. Laki-laki dan romance adalah sesuatu yang wanita inginkan tetapi tidak tahu bahwa tidak setiap orang memiliki cinta dalam darah mereka. Ada begitu banyak lebih ke romance dari sekedar makan malam mawar dan pantai. sepatu converse Ada bumbu menjaga hubungan menyenangkan dan membuatnya menyenangkan setiap hari. Ada komunikasi yang tidak hanya berbicara. Ada begitu banyak lagi. Pria dengarkan karena Anda akan menemukan cara untuk menjaga wanita bahagia ketika datang ke romance.

Alright hal pertama yang pertama karena ini adalah sangat penting. JANGAN lupa ulang tahun peringatan hari ibu atau Valentine amp s day. Jika Anda lupa bahkan salah satu dari Anda akan menghabiskan bertahun-tahun berusaha untuk itu dan itu akan sangat sulit bagi perempuan Anda memahami bahwa dia penting bagi Anda. Jika Anda harus menulis mereka mengatur pengingat pada komputer atau ponsel atau apa pun yang harus Anda lakukan untuk mengingat mereka maka lakukanlah. Ini datang pertama dan Anda lebih baik tidak hanya ingat mereka tetapi membuat mereka seistimewa mungkin.

Kedua Anda perlu memahami bahwa Anda dapat menghabiskan . untuk sebuah cincin wanita dan tidak membuatnya merasa cara Anda dapat dengan mengeluarkan di sesuatu yang anda menaruh pikiran dan usaha in. Tidak lain yang bisa Anda pakai apa-apa dan memberi wanita Anda hadiah yang akan menunjukkan padanya bahwa Anda menghargai dia dan kau mencintainya. Ada begitu banyak hal-hal kecil yang akan membumbui hubungan Anda Sepatu Lukis dengan Sandal Sepatu cara Anda tidak akan pernah membayangkan. Anda dapat melakukan binatu ruang vakum memasak makan malam mencuci piring atau tugas-tugas lain yang Anda temukan berarti. Ini semua adalah sangat berarti bagi perempuan dan Anda akan menyentuh hati mereka ketika Anda melakukan hal-hal tak terduga.

Ketiga Anda tidak Sepatu Grosir dapat mengambil wanita Anda untuk diberikan atau menyerah begitu saja. Hal ini disebut berada dalam liang. Anda Sepatu Wanita harus selalu berpikir tentang apa yang dapat Anda lakukan untuk dia. Ini dapat mencakup meninggalkan surat cinta sedikit dalam cangkir kopi meninggalkan setangkai mawar di atas bantal atau di mobil atau Sepatu Converse melakukan Sepatu Online hal-hal kecil manis lain yang menunjukkan kepadanya bahwa Anda menghargai dia. Ini adalah hal-hal yang akan menambah hingga cinta di matanya. Sepatu Murah Tentu saja makan malam dengan cahaya lilin dan berjalan-jalan di pantai di malam yang romantis tapi karena Anda melakukan hal-hal kecil lainnya di reguler tapi dasar spontan Anda Toko Sepatu akan memiliki roman sudah ada dan berjalan di pantai bahkan akan lebih romantis karena itu.

Terakhir Anda harus memahami bahwa wanita memiliki sekitar kali jumlah emosi yang Anda miliki. Inilah sebabnya mengapa dia menganalisis Anda seperti orang gila. Anda harus secara konsisten memberi perhatian pada dia mengingat apa yang dikatakannya karena Anda sedang mendengarkan dan menggunakan petunjuk untuk keuntungan Anda. Anda dapat menemukan apa yang diinginkan seorang wanita ketika datang ke laki-laki dan asmara hanya dengan mendengarkan. Dia akan memberitahu Anda dan jika Anda menutup mulut dan membuka telinga Anda akan menemukan Sepatu Bola bahwa hubungan Anda akan menjadi salah Sepatu Kulit satu yang penuh dengan cinta dan anda akan merasa sepatu converse hidup karena Anda tahu cara memasang senyum di wajahnya setiap hari.

[Via http://sepatuconverse.wordpress.com]

Kindle DX now available outside the US | ABH News

Free Boots from Mentine!

2010-01-05T00:39:00.000+02:00

Perion told me about these when I logged in today…thanks, P! Biddle Boots has rebranded to Mentine and reopened, and Perion was still on the subscribo. Today a beautiful pair of boots went out as a gift and if you hit the subscribo, they are a welcome gift! Yay!!

(click for larger)

~These Mentine boots have about a gazillion different ways to wear them…I am only showing a few ways here. The sleeve can be worn up, down or as rolled jeans. The texture on the sleeve can be changed to a bunch of different options. The ribbon color can be changed, the zipper, metals, soles, etc…it can all be changed!

I would, were I you, keep the original box these came in as a backup. If you get too far in and have changed a texture you didn’t mean to, it is nice to go back to an original copy. The restore function didn’t seem to work quite right for me.

~I am also wearing a new skin release from Rockberry called Jules. Heather very kindly dropped a sample pack on a blogger group I am in and I put it right on. Very pretty all around and I just love the nose! Close up to follow, after the boots.

(click for larger)

~2 of the sleeve textures…there is also fur, snakeskin and a bunch of others!

(click for larger)

~The rolled jeans option comes in several different jeans colors and you can also wear these with the sleeve up!

~Also…I forgot to take a photo…you get a pair of ankle boots in this gift! They also have all the sleeve texture change options!

(click for larger)

~a close up of the Rockberry Jules face. Those brows are just perfect and I love the nose.

Boots: Mentine Subscribo Gift Pirate Boots Field Free

Jacket: Snatch Buffalo Plaid Bomber Jacket

Dress: Miseria Sugar Dress Cocoa (review copy)

Necklace: Bliensen + MaiTai Amber Down the Chimney Hunt Prize

Hose: Sh*t Happens Tintable Tights

Skin: Rockberry Jules B Light Dk brows/cleavage (review copy)

Lashes: Cake Bedroom Lashes

Eyes: Poetic Colors

Hair: Truth Anise Jupiter

[Via http://slexandthecity.wordpress.com]

Abertay University awarded third games course accreditation // News

My fantasy

2010-01-03T00:24:00.000+02:00

I live a simple fantasy,

where you and me

are completely free,

to explore, to conquer,

the depths of intimacy.

Under shining stars,

by the deep blue sea,

over misty mountains,

in mellow creeks;

where pleasure and pain

will run through your vein,

you may fight the feeling

but you know it’s in vain.

Lie down, close your eyes,

can you feel me, deep inside?

feel my touch under your skin,

travel with me

through this valley of sin.

We’ve reached a holy ground,

looking back, aren’t you proud?

you have found

you, me and ecstasy.

[Via http://lightafiretonight.wordpress.com]

New Year's heave | The Sun |News

The begining

2010-01-02T18:44:00.000+02:00

I wonder how many people decided to start a blog on New Year’s Day 2010. Some, I’m sure, have started blogs in order to jump start a writing career. My goal, however, is not to write something that will one day end up as a book and then a movie. If it happened, I wouldn’t turn it down, but it is not the reason that I wanted to write down my thoughts.

The reason for this blog is to simply put into writing the thoughts that get stuck in my head. The truths and lies that I tell myself about who I am and what I want to become. Success will not mean that I will come to the end of this journey as a different person, I am very happy, most of the time, with the person that I am today. I want merely to have an outlet to explore all of the demons, the delusions, the half truths, and the complete falsehoods that I tell myself about who I am; the things that I use to stand in my own way.

I am not sure how long the journey will take, I may never find the complete truth. My hope, however, is that at some point along the way, I will be able to see a version of myself free from baggage, free from unrealistic dreams, free from self doubts that clutter my thoughts; a version of me thats just Todd.

[Via http://thatsjusttodd.wordpress.com]

Capitol News Service » Blog Archive » Bowden's Last Game

Case Study: Religious Pluralism (a.k.a. the "Taste The Rainbow" of worldviews)

2010-01-02T05:22:00.000+02:00

“All worldviews lead to God.”

This statement is either:

a.) True or b.) False.

If it is true, it must, by definition, include the view “NOT all worldviews lead to God.” However, if the view “NOT all worldviews lead to God” is true, then religious pluralism is self-refuting and therefore false.

Conversely, if it is false, then the view “NOT all worldviews lead to God” is true.

[Via http://mknz.wordpress.com]

Fox News to FBI Cybersquad: Get In Front Of Some High Tech Looking ...

Love: No Illusions

2009-12-31T00:39:00.000+02:00

To acknowledge you

is to acknowledge the lust in me,

to look at you

is to set my desire free.

Your fetching hips,

vivid pink and red wet lips

they are my fantasies.

You are the raging wind

inside of me,

I think of you

only to think of me.

You are the tearing rain

lashing me, bleeding free

If I let you be

you will drown me in a torrid sea.

You are strong

I’m man, I’m weak,

you are Eve

I’m just my loin’s need,

a seed seeking

salvation in your chastity

instead of freeing me,

you keep feeding dreams,

forever keeping me hungry,

My mind has sinned, soul diseased,

you, stand proud of your virginity.

I burn in hell eternally

while you sleep inside of me,

heaven is outside my reach.

[Via http://lightafiretonight.wordpress.com]

Carl Pope: The Best News from 2009

Hypocrisy of the Left from Robin of Berkley...

2009-12-29T00:16:00.000+02:00

I like Robin’s writing, and the fact that it comes from a reformed liberal makes me even more happy…

The Hypocrisy of the Left

By Robin of Berkeley

//

// I have been looking for God my whole life. I first recognized Him in the black foster parents I worked with who manifested Christ-consciousness. I then found him four years ago, when my parents died three weeks apart and I was carried by a force stronger than myself. And more recently, as I’ve gone from left to right, I have discovered him in the many conservatives guiding me, such as AT readers. Given my spiritual longing, I decided it was time to explore places of worship. Being a secular Jew, my first step should have been a temple. However, the synagogues around here are practically recruitment stations for Obama (aside from the Orthodox ones, but I don’t speak a word of Hebrew). So I decided to experience church on Christmas Eve.

[Via http://1idvet.com]

CloudPipe changes for today. (Scripting News)

The Misconception

2009-12-27T00:27:00.000+02:00

Ok.. no fancy lettering… words… nothing… straight to the point. (mmmm this latte is good). My passion for children is and will always be ENDLESS. As stated before … ” My life has yet to begin …. my heart hasn’t started beating .. . and will only begin to pound when my first BORN arrives.” With that being stated .. this will help you understand where im coming from when i say this.

Jokingly … if the subject matter of children comes up when conversing with a woman, that i would take the child and would want to hold custodial rights.

Then here comes the confrontation.

My view is this, If … and i do say IF… I impregnate a woman and i do not see my self being involved… married…. etc. I would want to have custody of my child. AM I WRONG FOR WANTING SUCH. I was once called irresponsible for thinking like this. Being the objective thinker that i am.. i asked the individual to provide a case for their argument >>>> here are some insersts from the quote on quote Speach…

“Because youd be depriving them (the child) of a parent who has just as much of a right to be a part of their lives as you do…”

“your selfish …you should sacrifice being comfortable and satisfied for your child to have equal access to both their mother and father”

“its not fair… the child will only know me as a visitor? when i went through 9 months and 16 hours of labor. “

“a child deserves to have both parents unless one is unfit …. to bring a child into this world with someone who already plans to parent alone is unfair and not to mention irresponsible …. FOLLOW ME!”

NO I DO NOT FOLLOW YOU….. honestly I dont sound like the selfish one here … BUT AT ANY RATE… the premises that you gave do not …A) support your conclusion of me being irresposible … B) are out of context simply because i stated … IF… I impregnate a woman and i do not see my self being involved… married…. etc. I would want to have custody of my child. You are under the impression that im just FLEEING WITH him or her and you will never see them. SMH.

No man is any lesser than any WOMAN when it comes to raising and providing for a child.

BY no means did i say that the woman would be unfit… IM not the JUDGE … i just want the same respect when my view is presented and equaltity to be a father who … wants custody ….

!!!!!!!!!!!!CHILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Via http://breakfastclub101.wordpress.com]

Vanguard News Online

Extra Oil Update 43: News of the Fifth Vial

2009-12-26T00:38:00.000+02:00

God explodes o’re Xmas Eve: New Members, News, Nature, Volcanoes, Tornados, Black Blizzards, Economy, Health, Animals, Death, Wars, Lawless, Vial 5, Mother/Daughters

Of late, I have been having tremendous trouble cut/paste these Updates to the various websites where they go. I have been reduced to posting it only at Truth Seekers and Speakers website, then put a blurb and link at all the others. Today was no different. Aaaargh!

PLEASE, PLEASE do not miss this Update 43 about Revelation’s Fifth Plague Vial poured out upon the seat of “the beast.” AND, it also includes the lastest news about the Economy, Health, Wars, Lawless, and Nature as they each respond to prophecy. News is concluded with the mother/daughters’ behaviour in the last few days as it affects Doctrine Keepers; Christ’s sheep.

If the link below is not active; so, please cut and paste it into your browser:

Prophecy’s Extra Oil Update 43: News of The Fifth Vial

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TruthSaS

Much love in Christ,

BonnieQ

[Via http://bonnieq.wordpress.com]

FiveThirtyEight: Politics Done Right: Health Insurance Stocks ...

As Festive as it Gets

2009-12-24T00:46:00.000+02:00

Hello Boys.

Yes, you’re on the right blog. Once you’re done with the “ho, ho, ho” I’d kindly remind you that Christmas stockings are quite the tradition, and it’s one I intend to uphold for the festive season.

Camilla Yosuke of Insolence kindly sent me her latest lingerie set for review. While I don’t usually stalk the grid in my underthings, in the privacy of my own diamond room (more on that later) I feel quite within my rights. Besides, I’m a closet admirer of all the lacy negligee Insolence has to offer, so it would seem foolish not to use this as an excuse to make an exhibition of myself.

Deborah is an exquisite combination of embroidered satin overlaid with lace in a set that comprises bra, knickers, suspender belt and four pairs of stockings. It was difficult to pick from the six colours, but (black and) red felt the most festive, so that’s what you’re looking at. The bra’s floral balconette cups offer good coverage, the lace trim creating a tiny edge to the lower side and a more generous scallop across the breasts. Slver bows fix the cups to the straps with a central ribbon to keep consistency: this is mimicked on the suspender belt and knickers which also feature front lace panels linked to more satin, the high-leg panties concealing enough of your behind to stay sexy without giving everything away. As you would expect from a seamstress with years of experience in virtual underwear, the detailing is immense and immaculate. For the record they are transferable, so you may want to put in last minute orders with your nearest and dearest if you’re smitten.

If you’re indulging in the lingerie department, you may as well go the whole hog and locate a good stage for your modelling shennanigans. The perfect solution comes from Glitterati; a rezzable room strewn with more diamonds than the latest celebrity engagement ring. The ultimate in ostentatious display cabinets, this Diamond Room comes complete with some 15 poses which can be repositioned to suit a taller or shorter av: standing, sitting, crouching and full bodily adoration of the central stone. This is fantastic fun and is excellent for shooting anything from flashy gowns to the latest footwear. Try the demo instore – at the time of print you can currently buy these as gifts just outside the main store: they’ll make the perfect gift for the woman who thinks she has it all.

Back to the clothes: the latest release from 5th & Oxford demanded display here, and so I drew on these long leather gloves. They come in various luxuriant colours, all just as rich and neatly textured, and also in two shorter lengths which would suit a less showy outfit. There is a little seamage on the long pair due to the nature of the creasing, but nothing that caused me any concern: to the contrary I’m quite delighted with them. Good gloves are surprisingly hard to come by in the metaverse and these are certainly up there with the best.

The shoes are from Fri.day, a pair of stilettos which I chose for the colour match with the gloves. They’re a classic style that doesn’t remove attention from anywhere else – being brutally honest, do you really want folk staring at your feet when you’re standing there half naked? Make a shrewd investment in something conservative to keep their eyes on the prize. You’ll thank me for it later.

Because everyone likes a little thoughtful giftwrapping, this satin bow from DeLa really rounds off nicely. The neck tie droops at the knot in a perfect understatement, adding to rather than taking away from the rest of the outfit.

Sexy hair is crucial to a look like this, and this new release from Truth fulfils that requirement perfectly. Straight, sleek hair folds out from an off-centre part, curling in subtle feathers towards the face, falling long and stopping just above the chest. All the hair pulls around to the front leaving the back completely exposed, flyaway strands teased from the body and bringing the whole thing to life.

As I don’t usually flash quite so much flesh, you may as well take the opportunity to take a good look at Belleza’s Belle skin, a firm favourite in my inventory. With a gorgeous range of makeups and the combination of an intricate eye tattoo and vampy red lips made this the obvious choice. Belle has been a long-standing favourite of mine and I can’t fault any aspect of the face or body: the shading is subtle but relevant, very soft without seeming washed out. I think the pale tone somehow lends to a sense of vulnerability, so whether you’re baring all or nothing, you can be sure you’ll feel quite exquisitely feminine.

I complimented the unusual eye makeup with eyelashes by Calla. I’m a little frustrated as I didn’t manage to capture them as clearly as I would have liked (do click through the second image for a bigger capture), but take my word for it when I tell you they are fabulous. Tigerlily Koi has done a brilliant job on her entire range, creating vastly different styles that range from seductive to outrageous. The lashes give a healthy dose of drama, curling wide and laying at different lengths, each one closed with a spheric cap. A must-have showpiece.

Last but not least, Curio’s stunning Tragic Eyes provided a light contrast to the rest of the style. I have these in a dozen shades because they are so darn good, hauntingly expressive even at a distance. They come in three sizes and with prim and non-prim attaches to suit all tastes, so you really can’t go far wrong.

Since it’s the big day tomorrow I’ll be taking a healthy dose of real life and won’t be making my usual Friday stop in. May all your presents be shiny and bright: I wish you an enjoyably over-indulgent Christmas!

Outfit:

Lingerie: Insolence, Deborah Embroidered Set – Black-Red

Gloves: 5th & Oxford, Leather Gloves – Red

Neck Tie: DeLa, Keira Ribbon

Shoes: Fri.day, Basic Pumps – Red

Body:

Hair: Truth, Nela – Chestnut

Eyes: Curio, Tragic Eyes – Watercolor (Shine)

Eyelashes: Calla, Lashes – Ball Tip

Skin: Belleza, Belle Pale – Lace in the Rubies

Set and Poses: Glitterati, The Diamond Room

[Via http://faynekhandr.wordpress.com]

Mix: WTO, iTunes Connect, iPhone cops, Unreal Engine | iLounge News

Imagining the Postmodern

2009-12-22T00:16:00.000+02:00

From the current dialogue between historical critics and postmodernists, it’s fairly clear that:

(1) nobody agrees on the definitions of either historical criticsm or postmodernism, and yet

(2) everybody is positioning themselves more on one side or the other, even if they don’t really buy the caricatures by the other side or even the appellations “historical critical” and “postmodern”.

Funny, eh?

So, in a (possibly futile) attempt to get a more precise fix on what people are holding onto dearly, or fervently objecting to, I’ve noted down a few of the so-called “postmodern” characteristics which are often touted, whether real or imagined.

Please let me know:

1. which of the characteristics are more imagined than real,

2. other characteristics that should be included here, or

3. which characteristics are more important areas of contention, and why this is so

(and anything else that you really want to say, such as “why are you even bothering?”).

Concerning method:

Ideological criticisms (feminist, queer, postcolonial, etc)
Partial, non-totalizing interpretations
Deconstruction (yes, as method!), post-structuralist identification of inherent problems with underlying binaries
Personal, subjective, or unevidenced responses versus empirical and logically argued criticism

Concerning metaphysical assumptions:

Anti-realism versus idealism
Anti-humanist/individualist/subject-centred conceptions; pro socio-cultural, intertextual, decentred self
Anti-free will; pro determinism
Anti-valorization of mind (rational, conscious, self-directing); pro-body (passions, desire, unconscious) dualism
Anti-metaphysics, ontotheology

Concerning epistemological assumptions:

Heightened sense of uncertainty, subjectivity, and bias of knowledge (empirical and rational, including scientific)
Increased recognition and opposition to paradigms, universalization, and metanarratives in knowledge acquisition
Anti-universal theories of knowledge, theories of everything, totalization, closure
Relativism, anti-foundationalism; anti-objectivity of truth
Anti- correspondence theories of truth; pro pragmatic or coherence theories

Concerning hermeneutical assumptions:

Post-structuralist, emphasising instability of language, differance, deconstruction, inherent contradictions, polyvocality
Anti-inherent or authorial textual meaning; pro reader response, interpretive communities for establishing meaning
Anti-naturalizing of categories; pro social construction
Focus on the final synchronic form rather than the earlier stages and diachonic issues

Concerning ethical assumptions:

Anti-metaethical justification – pro the event, the singular
Anti-consensus; pro pluralism, tolerance of difference
Anti-power, hegemony; pro marginalized, disempowered, excluded voices

Concerning aesthetic assumptions:

Bricolage, border-crossing, borrowing

Concerning chronology and cultural phases:

Post WWI/Holocaust/1968
Late capitalism, hyper-commodification

Polemic:

A fad, buzzword
Bullshit

[Via http://dunedinschool.wordpress.com]

News to know: Oracle; craigslist; Yelp; Psystar; Android; Palm ...

Ugly Truth Federal Reserve

2009-12-20T00:19:00.000+02:00

Americans Must Learn About the Federal Reserve. This Agency is Not Connected With the Federal Government. Their Sole Purpose is to Economically Enslave Americans.

The truth about the Federal Reserve is it is a private institution, owned by a criminal group of industrial and financial leaders. The Fed provides its owners with control over the people of the United States, along with a good portion of the nation’s wealth.

It has taken many decades for Americans to get a sense of the reality that the government, including the elected representatives, is powerless when compared to the Fed. No matter what the politicians say, the government gets into deeper debt to the Fed. Income rises as state services decline, and it becomes harder every year for ordinary Americans to live and look after their families.

The financial crisis that started to bloom in 2008 has Americans really upset.

That’s because the government has come up with the silliest solution you could ever think of; they were able to convince the Fed to print trillions of worthless dollars to get the affected businesses out of debt.

The taxpayers know instinctively that they themselves will pay the bill. They just don’t know exactly how this is going to happen. What you need to know about the Federal Reserve is that it is the only body in the United States that is allowed to print currency, the U.S. dollar.

You should also know that it is a privately owned bank, which is owned in turn by 12 regional central banks and some other state banks. Who exactly owns these banks, the shareholders do not know.

The proceedings of the Federal Reserve Board for public consumption, and even the decisions made at these meetings, are kept secret, with the scantiest of information reluctantly released weeks after taking place.

The Fed operates in order for its owners to make money, nothing more and nothing less. It has the power to print money, but it does not use the money itself.

Instead, it accumulates over a trillion dollars a year, completely tax free. The revenue comes from its willing slaves, the U.S. taxpayers.

The way it works is this: the vast bulk of money owed to the Fed is owed by the U.S. government. There is no question of the government paying back the principal, which runs into trillions of spurious dollars. Instead, it has signed over all the income tax paid by Americans to the Federal Reserve Bank.

That, at least, has some kind of intrinsic value (the hard labor of those who earned it) and these tax dollars comprise the Fed’s profit. Its owners then pour money into real assets like real estate, gold, silver and resources.

They also pour dollars into media businesses so that they control all you hear about the Federal Reserve–media businesses including ABC, NBC, CBS, BET, Turner, and CNN.

The unpalatable truth about the Federal Reserve is that it has caused the economy to run on empty for the past forty years, and Americans are only waking up to the fact now.

CONGRESS PLAYS ALONG

Congressmen and Senators have tried to stop the abuses of this small and secret group of people who dominate the U.S. financial system, but they have not succeeded. Some of these elected representatives, notably Henry B. Gonzalez (D-Texas), who is an outspoken critic of the Fed, have spent decades into trying to get it abolished, without success.

He called for the Federal Reserve to be audited (it has never been audited, neither has it ever paid taxes), and he called for the Federal Reserve Board meetings to be held in public.

The then Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Alan Greenspan, and the then President Bill Clinton, both argued against it. Nothing has changed.

TRUTH ABOUT THE FEDERAL RESERVE

With every day that passes, the beneficiaries of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank (the shareholders, in other words) grow richer than it is possible to imagine. Do not for a single second think that these people have any respect for the dollar. They are not dollar billionaires because they know the dollar is worthless.

Instead, they convert their wealth rapidly into tangible, real goods that will never decline in value–wealth such as real estate, valuable finite resources, shares in companies that deal in real estate and such resources, and easily portable goods such as gold, silver, platinum, and diamonds.

Only poor dupes, like the mass of American citizens, still believe in the dollar. The people of America need to rise up and refuse to use dollars that are printed by the Fed.

DISREGARD FOR AMERICA

These people do not care what happens to the United States. They don’t care if it booms or busts. They don’t care about you. They don’t care about anyone, anywhere, and they don’t care about the planet.

They care about power and profits and real wealth. Remember that all their wealth is of the sort that is unaffected by banknotes and coins. They are above the law, above the people and above the government.

[Via http://davidjgregory.wordpress.com]

Joe Trippi: FOX News contributor: The Swamp

Inaugural Post Part 2: Alexohol Fashions!

2009-12-19T00:22:00.000+02:00

Thought you were rid of me, huh? Well, clearly you were wrong. Normally I’d consolidate my posts but since I tend to ramble, I figured that to spare your eyes I would keep it short and sweet! Besides, you can never get enough of a GossipGirl. :p Totally kidding. So not that self-centered.

Not up for a wild night out (Yes, that was a reference to the post below!)? Well here’s a look that’s perfect for staying cozy at home or simply hanging out with your friends. Either way, it’s gonna be a blast!

Alexohol Fashions is a great, fairly new store that has TONS of great fashions for both men and women. That’s right, men and women. Commence the rejoicing! Their stuff is really eclectic, from sweaters to graphic tees, sports jerseys, dresses, and so much more! There is something for everyone here. But check out the look I pulled together around their newest release, Argyle Sweaters!

Here it is paired with one of the scarves from >TRUTH<, part of a group gift from Santa Claus!

Cute right? Well if you’re not a dark colored clothing person like myself, there are all sorts of fun colors you can choose from! Purple, navy, green, brown (okay, not exactly a total step up from gray in terms of brightness, but you get what I mean!), and lots more!

Here’s a pic of the full look, complete with descriptions! (Cause I am that fancy.)

Here’s the description in case you cannot read it:

Hair: >TRUTHBlacks and WhitesTRUTH< Subscribo Group Gift

Sweater: Alexohol Fashions Argyle Sweater in Gray

Jeans: [Insatiable Fashions] Midnight

Shoes: APEXX: Knitlegwarmers + Heels [Black]

Pose: Striking Poses Katy Perry Dollarbie Pose

Visit Alexohol Fashions and go grab the sweaters while you can! They come in all layers, so it’s easy to coordinate no matter what your style may be!

Hopefully you have enjoyed the first of many posts here @ La Familia!

xoxo,

AliannaMarie

[Via http://lafamiliafashion.wordpress.com]

PS Home announces 10 million users News | PS3 | Eurogamer

.....

2009-12-17T00:11:00.000+02:00

I just thought that I would give a little shout out to the blog….such a simple tool that has enabled us to say ‘THIS IS ME’ in the most raw and honest way!

I am daily taken on a journey of inspiration, heartache, love, philosophy and visual musings that amaze me… Whether we are hoping to inspire and up build, release our views of a twisted system, reach out for a kindred spirit, or are just looking for a moment in our busy lives to be who we truly are….mission accomplished.

This life is crazy. Talk it out, write it out, scream it from the rooftops! But don’t forget how amazing you all are….talented, beautiful, inspiring, real.

I am humbled and privileged to be allowed into your worlds. Thank you.

[Via http://bryliejane.wordpress.com]

SCEA consolidates QA group // News

The Error of the Supremacy of Private Judgment of Scripture (Cardinal Newman's Analysis)

2009-12-15T06:44:00.000+02:00

[From: Lectures on the Prophetical Office of the Church (Via Media, Volume I), 1837, Lecture Six, from Newman’s Anglican period]

Private Judgment is a weapon which destroys error by the sacrifice of truth….

In the next place, let us consider what force prepossessions have in disqualifying us from searching Scripture dispassionately for ourselves. The multitude of men are hindered from forming their own views of doctrine, not only from the peculiar structure of the sacred Volume, but from the external bias which they ever receive from education and other causes. Without proving the influence of prejudice, which would be superfluous, let us consider some of the effects of it. For instance; one man sees the doctrine of absolute predestination in Scripture so clearly, as he considers, that he makes it almost an article of saving faith; another thinks it a most dangerous error. One man maintains, that the civil establishment of religion is commanded in Scripture, another that it is condemned by it. One man sees in Scripture the three evangelical Councils, another thinks them a device of the evil one. Such instances do not show that Scripture has no one certain meaning, but that it is not so distinct and prominent, as to force itself upon the minds of the many against their various prejudices. Nor do they prove that all prejudice is wrong; but that some particular prejudices are not true; and that, since it is impossible to be without some or other, it is expedient to impress the mind with that which is true; that is, with the faith taught by the Church Catholic, and ascertainable as matter of fact beyond the influence of prejudice.

Again: take the explanations in detail given by Protestants of particular texts of Scripture; they will be found to involve an inconsistency and want of intelligible principle, which shows how impossible it is for the mass of men to contemplate Scripture without imparting to it the colouring which they themselves have received in the course of their education. Nothing is more striking, in popular interpretations and discussions, than the amplitude of meaning which is sometimes allowed to the sacred text, compared with its assumed narrowness at other times. In some places it is liberally opened, at others it is kept close shut; sometimes a single word is developed into an argument, at another it is denied to mean anything specific and definite, anything but what is accidental and transient. At times the commentator is sensitively alive to the most distant allusions, at times he is impenetrable to any; at times he decides that the sacred text is figurative, at other times only literal;—without any assignable reason except that the particular religious persuasion to which he belongs requires such inconsistency. For instance, when Christ said to the Apostles, “Drink ye all of this,” He is considered to imply that all the laity should partake the cup: yet, when He said to them, “I am with you always,” He spoke to the original Apostles, exclusively of their successors in the ministry. When St. Paul speaks of “the man of sin,” he meant a succession of sinners; but when Christ said, “I give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” He does not mean a line of Peters. When St. Paul says of the Old Testament, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” he includes the New; yet when he says, “We are come to the city of the Living God,” he does not include the Church militant. “A fountain shall be opened for sin,” does not prove baptismal grace; but “Christ is unto us righteousness,” proves that He fulfils the law instead of us. “The fire must prove every man’s work,” is said to be a figure; yet, “Let no man judge you in meats and drinks,” is to be taken to the letter as an argument against fasting. “Do this in remembrance of Me,” is to be understood as a command; but, “Ye also ought to wash one another’s feet,” is not a command. “Let no man judge you in respect of a holyday, or of the Sabbath-days,” is an argument, not indeed against the Sabbath, but certainly against holydays. “Search the Scriptures,” is an argument for Scripture being the rule of faith; but “hold the Traditions,” is no argument in favour of Tradition. “Forbidding to marry” is a proof that Rome is Antichrist; but, “It is good for a man not to marry,” is no argument in favour of celibacy. The Sermon on the Mount contains no direction for Protestants to fast; but the second Commandment is plainly against Image Worship. The Romanist in using prayers in an unknown tongue is guilty of disobeying St. Paul; but the Protestant, in teaching justification by faith only, is not guilty of at once garbling St. Paul and contradicting St. James….

I am but showing the extreme inconsistency which is found in the popular mode of interpreting Scripture;—men profess to explain Scripture by itself and by reason, yet go by no rule, nor can give any account of their mode of proceeding. They take the most difficult points for granted, and say they go by common sense when they really go by prejudice. Doubtless Scripture is sometimes literal and sometimes figurative; it need not be literal here, because it is literal there; but, in many cases, the only way of determining when it is one and when the other, is to see how the early Church understood it. This is the Anglo-Catholic principle; we do not profess to judge of Scripture in greater matters by itself, but by means of an external guide. But the popular religion of the day does; and it finds itself unequal to its profession. It rebels against the voice of Antiquity, and becomes the victim of prejudice and a slave to Traditions of men. It interprets Scripture in a spirit of caprice, which might be made, and is made by others, to prove Romanism quite as well. And from all this I infer, not that Scripture has no one meaning in matters of doctrine, or that we do not know it, or that a man of high qualifications may not elicit it, but that the mass of men, if left to themselves, will not possess the faculty of reading it naturally and truly….

It is very observable how a latent prejudice can act in obscuring or rather annihilating certain passages of Scripture in the mental vision, which are ever so prominently presented to the bodily eyes. For instance, a man perhaps is in the habit of reading Scripture for years, and has no impression whatever produced on his mind by such portions of it as speak of God’s free grace, and the need of spiritual aid. These are at length suddenly and forcibly brought home to him; and then perhaps he changes his religious views altogether, and declares that Scripture has hitherto been to him nothing better than a sealed book. What security has he that in certain other respects it is not still hidden from him, as it was heretofore as regards the portions which have now unsettled him? Anglican divines will consider him still dark on certain other points of Scripture doctrine. Or, again, I would ask him what satisfactory sense he puts to our Lord’s words, “Verily, thou shalt in nowise come out thence till thou hast paid the very last farthing”? or, “Stand fast and hold the Traditions”? or, “Let them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord”? and whether a Roman Catholic might not as fairly accuse him of neglecting these texts still, as he at present considers certain other texts, to which he was before blind, the sum and substance of his religion?

Or, to take another and more painful illustration. The (so-called) Unitarians explain away the most explicit texts in behalf of our Lord’s divinity. These texts do not affect them at all. Let us consider how this is. When we come to inquire, we find that they have a preconceived notion in their minds that the substance of the Gospel lies in the doctrine of the Resurrection. This doctrine is their Christianity, their orthodoxy; it contains in it, as they think, the essence of the Revelation. When then they come to the texts in question, such as “Christ, who is over all, God, blessed for ever;” or, “The Word was God;” they have beforehand made up their minds, that, whatever these words mean, they can have no important meaning, because they do not refer to the Resurrection; for that alone they will allow to be important…. They are not confident, they are not careful, about their correctness; they do not mind altering them. They put forward whatever will stop or embarrass their opponent, nothing more. They use some anomalous criticism, or alter the stopping, or amend the text, and all because they have made up their minds already what the Gospel is, that some other doctrine is the whole of it, and that in consequence the question in dispute is very unimportant….

And so, in like manner, many a man insists on the words, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” who will not go on to our Lord’s answer, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church.”… [T]he mass of Christians bring their prejudices and impressions to the written word, as well as they, and find it easier to judge of the text by the spontaneous operation of habit and inclination, than by the active and independent exercise of their reason; in other words, they think inaccurately; they judge and feel by prejudice….

Scripture is not so distinct in its announcements, as readers are morally or intellectually slow in receiving them. And if any one thinks that this avowal is derogatory to Scripture, I answer that Scripture was never intended to teach doctrine to the many; and if it was not given with this object, it argues no imperfection in it that it does not fulfil it. I repeat it; while Scripture is written by inspired men, with one and one only view of doctrine in their hearts and thoughts, even the Truth which was from the beginning, yet being written not to instruct in doctrine, but for those who were already instructed in it, not with direct announcements but with intimations and implications of the faith, the qualifications for rightly apprehending it are so rare and high, that a prudent man, to say nothing of piety, will not risk his salvation on the chance of his having them; but will read it with the aid of those subsidiary guides which ever have been supplied as if to meet our need. I would not deny as an abstract proposition that a Christian may gain the whole truth from the Scriptures, but would maintain that the chances are very seriously against a given individual…. Neither would I deny that individuals, whether from height of holiness, clearness of intellectual vision, or the immediate power of the Holy Ghost, have been and are able to penetrate through the sacred text into some portions of the divine system beyond, without external help from tradition, authority of doctors, and theology; though since that help has ever been given, as to the Church, so to the individual, it is difficult to prove that the individual has performed what the Church has never attempted. None, however, it would seem, but a complete and accurately moulded Christian, such as the world has never or scarcely seen, would be able to bring out harmoniously and perspicuously the divine characters in full, which lie hid from mortal eyes within the inspired letter of the revelation. And this, by the way, may be taken as one remarkable test, or at least characteristic of error, in the various denominations of religion which surround us; none of them embraces the whole Bible, none of them is able to interpret the whole, none of them has a key which will revolve through the entire compass of the wards which lie within. Each has its favourite text, and neglects the rest. None can solve the great secret and utter the mystery of its pages. One makes trial, then another: but one and all in turn are foiled. They retire, as the sages of Babylon, and make way for Daniel. The Church Catholic, the true Prophet of God, alone is able to tell the dream and its interpretation.

[Via http://conservativecolloquium.wordpress.com]

Bethesda loses Interplay court battle // News

Christmas 2009

2009-12-13T00:43:00.000+02:00

Christmas is soon approaching, yet I don’t have much of a care. I used to be so into it, but now I’m focusing on so many other things. I will still be thinking about the fact that Christ came into a dark and dying world to save evil men simply because of love. In fact, thinking about it now, I wonder if Mary and Joseph realized that this baby would be bringing a message that would alter the heart, mind, soul, everything of men.

Why do we get presents on Christmas? Where did Santa come from? Why do non-believers celebrate Christmas? Ever ask these questions? If Christmas is about celebrating the birth of a Savior, why do we do all of these things? I’m not against giving presents or enjoying the fun of Santa Claus, and if non-believers want to go celebrate those things, I’m not going to stop them. But why has this become a materialistic day where we get all stressed out? Why do people get angry if they don’t get a present from someone? Why do children whine when their parents couldn’t afford or just didn’t want to get what they wanted? The day loses all its meaning and becomes a ignorant day of selfishness.

I made a Christmas list recently and I asked for some pretty expensive stuff, although I wrote it just for suggestions. I asked for some videos games and an ipod/mp3 player and some other stuff, but should I have? I’ve noticed at many points in my life that when I get what I want, I sometimes become content and lose fellowship with God. I almost get to a point where I think that I can put God on the side. Why do I do this? What a horrible thing to turn from God when you think you can stand on your own. I, of course, always find out that I can’t even take one step forward on my own without God and I fall. A few short moments out of fellowship with God and I’m falling face first under the strength of my own flesh.

On my birthday, I kind of acted like this and I thought I could sort of reward myself. I complained when told to do stuff from my parents on that day and said, “but it’s my birthday.” What a horrible thing to think there should be any day that I don’t need to act right. I deserve no reward. Nothing I receive should be mine. So, this coming Christmas, may God’s hand crush me and make me low so that every gift I receive is taken with great gratitude in my heart. Let me tremble at the gracious power of God and everything He gives me. Let me praise Him for all that He gives me. I deserve none of it.

And I have found that when I am low, when I am crushed into a fine powder, when I am humiliated and trembling at the throne of God, when I am falling into the arms of God and giving Him complete dominion over every aspect of my life, this is when I have true joy, everlasting peace, and triumphant victory over my sin. In my weakness, I am made my strongest through the power of God. What a crazy thing that is. The world says the exact opposite. You see people trying to gain victory over sins and gain happiness by their own power. They go and get friends that constantly tell them they can do it, but then they can’t. I was like this. But then I realized that nothing I do has any power and it is when I went into prayer and realized that by God and God alone I would have strength, that’s when I gained true joy and victory.

So to those that struggle in their sins and want victory: stop trying to fight it in your own power. I guarantee that you will fall. Accountability partners are good and encouragement is good, but if you’re not going into prayer and putting full dependence on God, you will never have any power over sin. I wish I realized this long ago, but at least I know now and now I actually have strength and victory and can live with confidence, not in myself, but in Christ and His work on the cross.

[Via http://philipstephens.wordpress.com]

Husband held over murder | The Sun |News

Hypotheses about truth/power

2009-12-12T00:50:00.000+02:00

1. Foucault’s elision of truth/power is irrefutable. And yet, his approach is one-sided. He thinks of truth as power (which, one can agree, it is). But he does not think of power as truth (that is, real power as stemming from what is actually true, truly true). Foucault’s proposition of identity, then, must be embraced. But its significance, its power, its truth, depends on our ability to interpret it in both directions.

2. Charles Taylor restores a classical sense of the interchangeability of the transcendentals of truth and goodness, but he does so within a hermeneutical (as opposed to a metaphysical) framework. The best possible interpretation of our existence as a whole (i.e., the truest one) will also essentially include those ethical and social features that powerfully shape it (i.e., an articulation and practice of the good). The fact/value distinction thus becomes irrelevant, inasmuch as our facticity, taken holisitically, is value-laden. Likewise, the sharp divide between a substantialist and a functionalist account of religion falls into obscurity: for the understanding of transcendence which “functions” for us will work only because it seems true to our experience and it will seem true (i.e., to be of “substance”) only in light of its apparently salutary effects (which may be provisionally “apparent” in the mode of hope or belief even if they remain invisible or are perpetually deferred).

3. Had Pontius Pilate been sincere, he would have been right to ask, “What is truth?” Had Jesus said immediately and with great authority and reassurance, “I AM,” Pilate would have needed to ask the quesiton again. The drama of salvation is this: to grasp Jesus as the truth answers, at once, everything and nothing.

Posted by Andrew Prevot

[Via http://memoriadei.wordpress.com]

The BRAD BLOG : Fox 'News' Fans Flood VR With Death Threats, F ...

Nothing Tastes Better Than The Feel Of Skinny

2009-12-09T23:56:00.000+02:00

The famous quote by Kate Moss when asked how she sticks to her diet. Of course, the media had a fanny fit, saying that she could not say things like that as girls look up to her blah, blah, blah.

But nobody wants to admit, the reason they’re so upset, is because it is so true.

It’s true that no amount of muffins will EVER feel as good as the cheeky eye contact with the good looking man in the restaurant. Anybody who has been on a diet (we all have) know that feeling of being thin is absolutely wonderful.

That is NOT to say I am all for eating disorders and the like, but I am saying that there is a degree of truth in it, which should stop the tubby person reaching for the second donut.

[Via http://artcreche.wordpress.com]

Euro WOW Lich King patch tomorrow News | MMO | Eurogamer

Pearl Harbor Day...

2009-12-08T00:24:00.000+02:00

December 7, 1941. A day that will live in infamy.

Check out Castle Argghhh! for this one:

0755AM, December 7, 1941

By Anonymous Blogger

Air Raid Pearl Harbor. This is no drill. Stark words clattering from the teletype machine.It was a bad day, 68 years ago, throughout a large swath of the Pacific Ocean, as the Japanese moved to secure their “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.”And kicked a giant in the nuts. Casualties USA : 218 KIA, 364 WIA. USN: 2,008 KIA, 710 WIA. USMC: 109 KIA, 69 WIA. Civilians: 68 KIA, 35 WIA. TOTAL: 2,403 KIA, 1,178 WIA. ————————————————- Battleships USS Arizona (BB-39) – total loss when a bomb hit her magazine. USS Oklahoma (BB-37) – Total loss when she capsized and sunk in the…

More…

USS Arizona:

[Via http://1idvet.com]

Evolving Excellence: .am News Sites Relaunched

Its a horrible thing to say

2009-12-05T23:58:00.000+02:00

So the guy that I started dating…

We got into a fight. And he this is what he said:

“No wonder you ex cheated on you, you’re unbearable.”

What!? How could anyone say that type of stuff!?

We were hanging out with my friends, and he made a joke, which no one understood, I tried my best to understand, but he said, “Of course you don’t get it.” I was annoyed and offended and tried to talk it out, but then he says, “There’s nothing to talk about. No wonder your ex cheated on you.”

Are you serious?! You’re going to throw away everything? Over a small argument?!

Where did that come from?

He’s been hating my ex this whole time, and he was the one who has been going after me and trying to make me date him. And then he makes a low blow?!

What in the world?!

Maybe I was right! This was just a rebound all along.

[Via http://advthirdculture.wordpress.com]

Новая рецензия: Жизнь прекрасна

StoRin :: Flowey

2009-12-05T00:35:00.000+02:00

It’s been a long week, and I’m not done with working yet. There’s still tomorrow morning. Having to work on a Saturday when you have a standard Monday through Friday job blows, but you have to do what you have to do. This is going to be simple and brief. I was dropped a copy of StoRin’s new dresses called Flowey. The beauty of this dress, for me, is the way it’s made allows you to mix and match it. You can wear just the top. You can wear just the skirt, or my favorite you can mix and match the dresses to create new colors. The colors of the dress are: yellow/blue, red/charcoal, and purple/grey. Anything purple wins for me. There are more layers to mix and match and an optional skirt sculpted layer. These are also no copy/trans to allow you to give them out as Christmas gifts. I recommend buying the fat pack. Therefore you can mix and match!

Click here to go to StoRin.

Hair by Truth. Shoes by Maitreya. Glasses by Artilleri.

[Via http://lesgirls.wordpress.com]

Good news: A green revolution is not expensive - COP15 United ...

The Art of Political War for TEA Parties

2009-12-03T00:27:00.000+02:00

A specter is haunting America – the specter of a people rising. All across the nation Americans are waking up to the threat of a leftist elite determined to fundamentally change America, push through a socialist agenda, and make every citizen dependent on the state. The Obama machine is spending trillions of tax-payer dollars to finance their takeover of the American workplace and stifle the independence of the American people. But America is resilient nation, built on the principles of private property and individual freedom, and the resistance to their socialist plans has already begun.

In May 2009, just five months into the Obama administration, the people of California launched a tax revolt in the biggest spending state in the nation. So reckless were the leftist Democrats who run California (and have done so for as long as anyone can remember) that its deficit alone was larger than the budgets of most other states in the Union and of many of the nations of the world. Leftwing politicians don’t cut budgets; they propose new taxes. And California’s leftwing legislature did just that. But thanks to a constitutional amendment put in place by the California electorate through the state Initiative process, California legislators can’t raise taxes without a two-thirds referendum of the people. So they were forced to hold a special election in May to appeal to the electorate to pass five new ballot Initiatives to raise taxes.

But when the votes were counted, all five tax-raising Initiatives had been defeated by 60% margins. Even in San Francisco. A sixth Initiative designed by tax opponents to punish legislators who do not balance the budget passed by a more than 70% margin. Even in San Francisco. If one of the most liberal states in the Union is saying no to the soak-the-public philosophy of leftwing legislators, Obama socialism is in big trouble.

The revolt in California quickly spread to the entire nation through the efforts of the Tea Parties movement, the most innovative, exciting and powerful grassroots force in the history of American conservatism. It is vital to the health of this country that the Tea Parties movement grow. More to the point: it is essential to American survival that the Tea Parties movement succeed. On the eve of the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama said “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming America.” The Tea Parties movement is the American people saying no to Obama’s plans for revolution.

* * *

A movement without an effective strategy for defeating its opponents cannot succeed. Therefore it is important to reacquaint ourselves with the art of political war.

While Democrats are morally bankrupt and clueless about policy – about what makes things work — they still win elections because they understand a simple fact: American politics is driven by the romance of the underdog, the story of the little guy who goes up against the system and triumphs in the end. It is a story about opportunity and fairness. To win the hearts and minds of the American voter, you have to tap the emotions the romance of the underdog evokes. Whoever does so has a winning edge.

America’s heroes are all cut to this common mold. Whether it is George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Davy Crockett, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Amelia Earhart, Jackie Robinson, Ronald Reagan or Colin Powell, the theme is always the same: The common man who rises against the odds. America’s political romance is “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” to make things right. It is “Meet John Doe” who speaks for the voiceless. It is Luke Skywalker who saves the planet by using the good side of the Force to defeat the Empire. It is the odyssey of individuals who challenge power, overcome adversity and rise to the top. Everyone in America thinks of themselves as an underdog and aspires to be a hero.

The cause of the underdog wins American hearts because it resonates with our deepest religious and moral convictions of doing good and helping others. And because it is America’s own story. We began as a small nation, standing up to the world’s most powerful empire. We dedicated ourselves to the idea that all men are created equal. We are a nation of immigrants and a generous people who arrived with nothing and made fortunes in a new world. This is the American Dream.

It’s a story that will get you every time. But at election time, it’s the political left and the Democratic Party who know how to wield it as a political weapon, and Republicans and conservatives generally who don’t. Of course the Tea Parties have changed all that. And that is another sign that we are in an extraordinary political moment. The Tea Parties draw on the heritage of America’s own revolution as an underdog nation and are the voice of the people, oppressed now by their own government which is out of control and determined to crush them.

* * *

In positioning themselves as champions of the under-represented, neglected and oppressed, leftists employ a version of America’s story that they have manufactured through their grip on the media and the academic culture. They have transformed America’s story from an epic of freedom into a tale of racism, exploitation and domination. In their telling, American history is no longer a narrative of expanding opportunity, of men and women succeeding against the odds. Instead, it is a Marxist Morality Play about the powerful and their victims.

In staging their political dramas, progressives invariably claim to speak in the name of America’s alleged “victims.” Every policy of the Democratic Party is presented as a program to help these “victims”—women, children, minorities and the poor. Simultaneously, Democrats describe Republican policies as programs that will injure the weak, ignore the vulnerable, and keep the powerless down.

Republicans play right into the Democrats’ trap because they approach politics as a problem of management. To Republicans, every issue is a management issue—the utility of a tax cut, the efficiency of a program, the optimal method for running an enterprise. Republicans talk like businessmen who want a chance to manage the country so that it will turn a profit.

There is nothing wrong with instituting good policies and running things efficiently or turning a profit. But while Republicans are performing these Gold Star activities, Democrats are engaged in a different kind of drama. They are busy attacking Republicans as servants of the rich, oppressors of the weak and defenders of the strong. And enemies of “the people.”

Listen to Mario Cuomo describing Republicans to the Democrats’ 1996 National Convention:

We need to work as we have never done before between now and November 5th to take the Congress back from Newt Gingrich and the Republicans, because ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, the Republicans are the real threat. They are the real threat to our women. They are the real threat to our children. They are the real threat to clean water, clean air and the rich landscape of America.

Mario Cuomo knows the language of political war.

Democrats connect emotionally with people’s fears and concerns. The appeal to help the underdog and defend the victim resonates with all Americans. This is because Americans are a fair-minded people. Most successful Americans came from humble origins themselves. They want to help others. They want everyone to have the chance to succeed.

So do Republicans and conservatives. But they rarely connect their policies and principles to this political romance.

There’s a good reason for this. Conservatives are busy defending the real America against the left’s attacks and the anti-American caricature they have constructed. Conservatives know that America is still a land of opportunity and freedom, and that nobody in America is really “oppressed.” (Otherwise, why would poor, black, Hispanic and Asian minorities be desperately seeking to come here? Why wouldn’t they be leaving instead?)

But politics isn’t just about reality. If it were, good principles and good policies would win every time. It’s about images and symbols, and the emotions they evoke. This is a battle that conservatives generally lose.

In the romance of the victim, as progressives stage it, Republicans and conservatives are always on the side of the bad guys—the powerful, the male, the white and the wealthy. It’s easy to see how patriotism plays into this trap. Defending America is readily mis-represented as an attitude that says: “I’m all right Jack, so you should be too.” The left relishes the opportunity to smear patriots as members of the selfish party instead of as defenders of individual freedom.

Ann Coulter has described the motto of the left as this: “Speak loudly and carry a small victim.” For the Democrats, the romance of the victim stirs the souls of their supporters and energizes their base. Equally important, it provides the nuclear warhead of their political attack. Conservatives are targeted victimizers, and leftists as the champions of the oppressed. Learning how to turn this around will turn around the political war as well.

Going On The Attack

Fortunately, conservatives can use the left-wing attack against them. Contrary to the left’s view, America is not a land of victims. It is a highly mobile society, with a citizenry that aspires upwards through the system, not against it.

Conservatives can also turn the left’s oppression myth around, and aim its guns at them. In fact, using the romance of the underdog against the left is the best way to neutralize their attack.

The way to do it is to recognize that the most powerful forces obstructing opportunity for poor and minority Americans, the most powerful forces oppressing them, are progressives, the Democratic Party, and their political creation—the welfare state.

There is really nothing new in this idea. Conservatives already oppose the programs of the left as obstacles to the production of wealth and barriers to opportunity for all Americans. What is new is the idea of connecting this analysis to a political strategy that will give conservatives a decisive edge in battle—that will neutralize the class, race and gender warfare attacks of the political left.

The Principles

Here are the principles of political war that the left understands but conservatives do not:

1. Politics is war conducted by other means

2. Politics is a war of position

3. In political wars the aggressor usually prevails

4. Position is defined by fear and hope

5. The weapons of politics are symbols evoking fear and hope

6. Victory lies on the side of the people

Here are the principles explained:

Politics is war conducted by other means.

In political warfare you do not fight just to prevail in an argument, but to destroy the enemy’s fighting ability. Conservatives often seem to regard political combats as they would a debate before the Oxford Political Union, as though winning depends on rational arguments and carefully articulated principles. But the audience of politics is not made up of Oxford dons, and the rules are entirely different.

For starters, you have only 30 seconds to make your point. Even if you had time to develop an argument, the audience you need to reach (the undecided and those in the middle who are not paying much attention) wouldn’t get it. Your words would go over some of their heads and the rest would not even hear them (or be quickly forgotten) amidst the bustle and pressure of daily life. Worse, while you’ve been making your argument the other side has already painted you as a mean-spirited, border-line racist controlled by religious zealots, securely in the pockets of the rich. Nobody who sees you this way is going to listen to you in any case. You’re politically dead.

Politics is war. Don’t forget it.

Politics is a war of position.

In war there are two sides: friends and enemies. Your task is to define yourself as the friend of as large a constituency compatible with your principles as possible, while defining your opponent as their enemy wherever and whenever you can. The act of defining combatants is analogous to the military concept of choosing the terrain of battle.

Choose the terrain that makes the fight as loaded in your favor as possible. But be careful. American politics takes place in a pluralistic framework, where constituencies are diverse and often in conflict. “Fairness” and “tolerance” are the formal rules of democratic engagement. If you appear mean-spirited, nasty, or too judgmental, it will make the task easier for your opponent to define you as a threat, and therefore as “the enemy.” (See principle 4)

In political warfare, the aggressor usually prevails.

Conservatives often pursue a strategy of waiting for the other side to attack. In football this is known as a “prevent defense.” In politics it is the strategy of losers.

Aggression is advantageous because politics is a war of position. Position is defined by images that stick. By striking first you can define the issues and your adversary. Defining the opposition is the decisive move in all political war. Other things being equal, whoever is put on the defensive generally winds up on the losing side.

In attacking your opponent, take care to do it right. Going negative increases the risk of being defined as an enemy. Therefore, it can be counter-productive. Ruling out the negative, however, can incur an even greater risk.

Position is defined by fear and hope.

The twin emotions of politics are fear and hope. Those who provide people with hope become their friends; those who inspire fear become enemies. Of the two, hope is the better choice. By offering people hope and yourself as its provider, you show your better side and maximize your potential support.

But fear is a powerful and indispensable weapon. If your opponent defines you negatively enough, he will diminish your ability to offer hope. This is why Democrats are so determined to portray conservatives as mean-spirited, and hostile to minorities, the middle class and the poor.

It is important to work away from the negative images your opponent wants to pin on you. If you know you are going to be attacked as intolerant and bigoted it’s a good idea to lead with a position that is inclusive and fair-minded. If you are going to be framed as mean-spirited and ungenerous, it’s a good idea to put on a smile and lead with symbols that project generosity and charity.

The weapons of politics are symbols evoking fear and hope.

Conservatives lose a lot of political battles because they come across as hard-edged, scolding, scowling and sanctimonious. A good rule of thumb says be just the opposite. You have to convince people you care about them before they’ll care about what you have to say.

When you do get to speak, don’t forget that a sound-bite is all you have. Whatever you have to say, make sure to say it loud and clear. Keep it simple and keep it short. (A slogan is always better). Repeat it often. Get it on television. Radio is good, but with few exceptions, only television reaches a public that is electorally significant. In politics, television is reality.

Of course, you have a base of supporters who will listen for hours to what you have to say if that’s what you want. In the battles facing you, they will play an important role. Therefore, what you say to them is also important. But it is not going to decide elections. The audiences that will determine your fate are audiences that you will first have to persuade. You will have to find a way to reach them and get them to listen. And get them to support you. With these audiences, you will never have time for real arguments or proper analyses. Images—symbols and sound-bites—will always prevail.

Therefore it is absolutely essential to focus your message and repeat it over and over again. Lack of focus will derail your message. If you make too many points, your message will be diffused and nothing will get through. The result will be the same as if you had made no point at all.

Leftists have a party line. When they are fighting an issue they focus their agenda. During legislative battles, every time a Democrat steps in front of the cameras there is at least one line in his speech that is shared with his colleagues. “Tax breaks for the wealthy at the expense of the poor,” is one example. Repetition insures that the message will get through.

When Republicans speak during legislative battles, they all march to a different drummer. There are many messages instead of one. One message is a sound-bite. Many messages are an indecipherable noise. The result of many messages is that there is no message.

Symbols and sound-bites determine the vote. These are what hit people in the gut before they have time to think. And these are what people remember. Symbols are the impressions that last, and what ultimately defines you.

Carefully chosen words and phrases are more important than paragraphs, speeches, party platforms and manifestos. What you project through images is what you are.

Victory lies on the side of the people.

This is the bottom line for each of the principles and for all of the principles. You must define yourself in ways that people understand. You must give people hope in your victory, and make them fear the victory of your opponent. You can accomplish both by identifying yourself and your issues with the underdog and the victim, with minorities and the disadvantaged, with the ordinary Janes and Joes.

This is what leftists do best, and conservatives often neglect to do at all. Every political statement by a leftist is an effort to say: “We care about women, children, minorities, working Americans and the poor.” And: “Conservatives are mean-spirited, serve the rich and don’t care about you.” This is the left’s strategy of political war. If conservatives are to win the political war we have to turn these images around.

We also have to make our campaigns a cause. During the Cold War, conservatives had a cause. They were saving the country from Communism. It was a cause that resonated at every level with the American people. The poorest citizen understood that their freedom was at stake in making sure that conservatives were elected to conduct the nation’s defense.

In a democracy, the cause that fires up passions is the cause of the people. That is why politicians like to run “against Washington” and against anything that represents the “powers that be.” As the left has shown, the idea of justice is a powerful motivator. It will energize the troops and fuel the campaigns that are necessary to win the political war. Conservatives believe in economic opportunity and individual freedom. The core of our ideas is freedom and justice for all. If we can make this intelligible to the American electorate, we will become the majority again and stop the socialist juggernaut that threatens our American future.

http://frontpagemag.com/2009/12/01/the-art-of-political-war-for-tea-parties-by-david-horowitz/David Horowitz was one of the founders of the New Left in the 1960s and an editor of its largest magazine, Ramparts. He is the author, with Peter Collier, of three best selling dynastic biographies: The Rockefellers: An American Dynasty (1976); The Kennedys: An American Dream (1984); and The Fords: An American Epic (1987). Looking back in anger at their days in the New Left, he and Collier wrote Destructive Generation (1989), a chronicle of their second thoughts about the 60s that has been compared to Whittaker Chambers’ Witness and other classic works documenting a break from totalitarianism. Horowitz examined this subject more closely in Radical Son (1996), a memoir tracing his odyssey from “red-diaper baby” to conservative activist that George Gilder described as “the first great autobiography of his generation.”

[Via http://konateaparty.wordpress.com]

News Ticker: Joe Perry & T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Pavement and Goldfrapp ...

Seek truth, and pursue it steadily

2009-12-01T12:15:00.000+02:00

George Washington gives us today’s quote and it’s fun to quote our first President: “Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your reputation. Be not apt to relate news, if you know not the truth thereof. Speak no evil of the absent, for it is unjust. Undertake not what you cannot perform, but be careful to keep your promise. There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth, and pursue it steadily. Nothing but harmony, honesty, industry and frugality are necessary to make us a great and happy nation.”

This is true now more than ever! Look at these words again: harmony, honest, industry and frugality are necessary to make us a great and happy nation – and I would say at all levels of humanity!

Another great truth quote from another of our American presidents, Harry S. Truman who said, “I don’t give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it is hell.” Fun and funny!

And of course, here is today’s People Skills Video Tip:

The Daily Social Dose is short and easy to digest.

Sign up now, for FREE!

http://shawnaschuh.com/DailySocialSignup.php

Blessings,

& The Schuh Crew

Shawna Schuh, CSP

Helping Sales Professionals, Executives, and Service Teams profit through advanced people skills.

2421 Hwy 47 | Gaston, Oregon 97119 | 503-662-3044

www.ShawnaSchuh.com | www.CYUY.com

[Via http://cyuy.wordpress.com]

Travel Tips » Blog Archive » ShipWatcher News: Cruise ship loses ...

Breakfast in Bed

2009-12-01T06:30:00.000+02:00

It seems nearly impossible to qualify nutrition and reproduction in relation to each other, so let’s try.

Which has a higher quality, food or sex?

Nutrition

The inherent, involuntary need to feed ourselves has led us into many dark areas in our history. More importantly, it has led to our general tribal formation and our racial identities. Some argue that, in the absence of the chase for food, we might possibly have had peace on Earth. This seems far fetched, but it does bring to light some fascinating ideas and issues.

Where there is an unnecessary abundance of food due to the hunting/scavenging of said food and its storage by one tribe, there is an equal and opposite lack of it in another. This, in turn, causes a desire by the famished tribe to undo this injustice and balance the scales. Of course, once the scales have been balanced, there is no reason for the newly fed tribe to stop there, and a war may continue until the scales are opposite what they had been. Later, the cycle will repeat and repeat and repeat and repeat until we stand where we are today: many tribes, little food.

Food explains other interesting facets of our daily lives. For example, ever notice that men are more communal with their brothers and women more independent with their sisters. Consider that men hunted together. They depended on each other during the hunt or battle and learned to appreciate each other on a very close level. Brotherly love kept platoons fighting and hunting groups on course. The men who assuaged the most and those that led the best were the ones who survived. Their social prowess became almost as important as their physical power.

Opposite this, women fought each other for the food that was returned by the men to the cave. The more independent, uncaring, and cold a women was able to be in face of her sisters, prioritizing her own family above all else, the higher her chances of survival were. More importantly the higher chances her family had of surviving, those same traits being passed on and on. This can explain the general vindictivness women have over men. Ironically, men are considered the colder of the genders, but, in reality, this is never so. Especially not towards members of their own gender.

For a much more thorough investigation of food and its effects on mankind, please read The Story of B (or Ishmael or My Ishamel, though having only the read the first, I only vie for it) by Daniel Quinn.

[Via http://dgideon.wordpress.com]

Media Equation: All the Young News - Media Decoder Blog - NYTimes.com

Change has been on my mind

2009-11-29T00:47:00.000+02:00

I am thinking out loud. Ever since I moved here I have been pondering what direction I would like my life to go. I’m not sure what the answer is.

What I like: Adirondacks, a shelter from the elements, a place to exist, garden, food storage, more money coming in

What I don’t like: small LDS branch, health care, living inside, apartment dramas, not traveling

Sometimes my life seems too monotone. The bulk of my time is spent in my bedroom….either sitting in my favorite chair or in bed. That gets too comfortable, too boring. I have spent the last year building up material security. I do not have to worry about where my next meal is coming from. I have clothes for the seasons. I have a fixed address so I can access health care and benefits. OK…so why am I so restless? Why am I getting that itch to do something different?

Part of my problem is that I like challenges. I like having something new to learn or to overcome. Once I get good at a skill, it’s not much fun any more. Whenever I felt like I knew how to do most of a job or a craft or whatever, I was ready to do something else. Homesteading and farming had the ability to engage me for years as there were sooooo many things to learn and do.

I’m REALLY tired of being sick. If there were one thing I would like to walk away from and never look back, it would be physical sickness.

I feel like I need to be more involved with people and places. My biggest gateway to the world is my computer. This laptop is getting old. The keyboard markings are starting to rub off. What will happen to me when the laptop dies? I will be alone in my room.

Somehow I need to throw off the old me and find a new skin….like a hermit crab.

The biggest hole in my life is living apart from my daughter. I miss her. She left three messages on the answering machine this week and I have not called back. I desperately want to talk to her…but not on the phone. I hate telephones.

Sigh….I am a spoiled brat….I don’t know what I want, I just know I need some change….

[Via http://wendyusuallywanders.wordpress.com]

Celebrity News and Gossips are Two Sides of the Same Coin

Division in the Church

2009-11-28T00:29:00.000+02:00

Why is the professing Body of Christ seemingly so divided, and who or what is causing it?

After all, we all claim to be following the Holy Spirit. That should give all sides something very serious to think about. We can’t all believe different things and still all be right.

According to the Scriptures, here are 3 things that cause division in the professing Church:

1) False teachers allowed to remain in the professing Church

Any time a teacher leaves the Truth, he is sowing division.

Romans 16:17-18 “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” It is very important to keep in the “teaching we have learned.” That is, the doctrine of Christ and His apostles found in the Bible (not the doctrine taught in a church building or seminary. This is an important distinction.) Those who leave the teaching of Christ and His apostles and teach some other wind of doctrine, or doctrine of demons, are serving themselves and dividing the Body of Christ. 2 Peter 2:1-3 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” The “way of Truth” will fall into disrepute because of these false teachers whom “many will follow.” The phrase “denying the sovereign Lord who bought them” suggests that these teachers were walking in Truth at one time, but have left the right way and are now taking others with them. Those who follow these blind guides have stopped following Jesus, the only Way of salvation. Because they are deceived, they will claim they are still following God, to the shock and dismay of those who have remained faithful to Jesus. Now two opposing groups will claim to be serving Jesus and following the same Spirit. Thus division is created in the professing Body of Christ by false teachers and those who follow them. Jude 18-19 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 2) Siding with the Truth (or not)

Jesus, who is the Truth, said He came to bring division that would even tear families apart.

Luke 12:51-53 “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” Those who side with satan, “the god of this world,” will naturally despise those who side with Christ—the One who testifies that the world’s deeds are evil (John 7:7). A natural division occurs between light and darkness, Christ and Belial, righteousness and wickedness, and the temple of God and idols. (2 Cor. 6:14-16) John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Jesus is called the “Word made Flesh.” The Word of God is even said to divide. Heb.4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Those who subject themselves to the Word of God will become divided from those who do not. (John 7:43, John 9:16, John 10:19)

In the world (and professing church) as it presently stands, there are wheat and tares growing up together. (Matt. 13:24-30) The wheat CAN BE distinguished from the tares by the servants of God. But they are allowed to co-exist until the time of harvest, when the “reapers” will permanently separate them. The Lord knows those who are His (2 Tim. 2:19).

3) Testing

Believers are tested by heresies, to see if they will remain in the doctrine of Christ or not. This testing causes division between those who are approved by God, and those who are not.

I Cor. 11:18-19 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. It is also important to realize that we are to study to show ourselves approved unto God, workmen that need not to be ashamed because we rightly divide the Word of Truth! (2 Tim. 2:15) It is very important to abide in correct doctrine—so important that even salvation is at stake! I John 2:24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father.

2 John 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. Paul cursed those who taught any gospel other than what had already been taught. (Gal.1:6-9) Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. (2 John 9-10) We will be tested by heresies, just as Eve was tempted in the garden of Eden. Eve fell because she believed the words of a deceiver (she believed false doctrine) that questioned WHAT GOD HAD ALREADY SAID. Satan promised Eve an experience that she couldn’t pass up. The Holy Spirit will NEVER contradict the Bible, which He authored. The Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation, and thoroughly equip us to live holy lives abounding in good works (2 Tim.3:15-17).

So what about unity?

Didn’t Jesus pray that His disciples would be one? (John 17:17) Yes, and His true disciples ARE ONE. They abide in His teaching, and His Word abides in them. They together abide in Christ, and they stand together against the false teachings that are threatening the flock. (Titus 1:9, Romans 16:17, Jude 3, 2 Cor. 6:17)

The disciples of Christ are denying themselves and carrying crosses, dying to this life and loving not this world nor the things in this world. Because their focus is on Jesus Christ alone, and they are not carried away by every wind of doctrine, they are united—even though they may not even know each other. They are satisfied with their daily bread, trusting that man shall indeed live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. They are not divided because of skin color or nationality. They are not divided due to wealth/poverty, or station in life. They are people of peace and they love one another. They do not take advantage of one another, or lord it over one another. They do not lie to one another, and they do not elevate themselves over one another—rather the greatest among them is the servant of all.

These love God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength; and they love their neighbors as themselves. They help the weak and gullible by rescuing them from the mouths of wolves. They often do this by exposing false teaching and false teachers, which unfortunately earns them a reputation for being “divisive.” God bless you.

[Via http://israeliteindeed.wordpress.com]

iCurrent Wants to Personalize News for the Masses – GigaOM

Ah...How Sweet It Is

2009-11-26T00:48:00.000+02:00

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! Hope you’re prepared for a wonderful holiday tomorrow. I am…ready to enjoy some turkey, stuffing, mac and cheese…and other yummy stuff with my family. Going to be a small group tomorrow. Just six of us. Usually there’s more like 10-20 depending on which uncles, aunts and cousins show but kind of all scattered around this year. Of course sometimes smaller is better. And I’m sure we’ll enjoy the eats and the company.

So, today I was feeling a bit better (thank you God) and decided to try and run today. I was still pretty congested so wasn’t sure how it would go but was determined to at least TRY. I’ve been itching for a run since…Saturday.

Funny…it wasn’t so long ago that I looked for excuses to NOT go run. Being unable to breathe through my nose would have more than qualified…but not now. Now I try to find reasons to go run and get frustrated when I miss a run – even if I have a good excuse. Guess that’s a good thing.

Started out with my usual 5-minute warm-up. No problems. Started running…but started off easy. After 5 minutes I was feeling pretty good. Started thinking about the race tomorrow, the half-marathon in two weeks…visualizing the start and crossing the finish line. Realized I was running faster…still feeling good. As I approached the half-way mark I was starting to feel it…and could tell I hadn’t ran in a week.

I took my two-minute walk break at half-way (it was needed and appreciated) and then hit it again. When I reached the last 5-minutes I was struggling a little bit but pushed through and finished strong. With warm-up and cool-down…4 miles in 50 minutes. That was SWEET! It was a really GREAT run. I’m looking forward to the race in the morning… I’m looking forward to 12 miles on Saturday…although my internal chatterbox is rattling off about how hard it’s going to be…how my last long run (of any significant distance) was a few weeks ago, I’m not ready, I can’t do it…blah, blah, blah. But you know what…that’s just talk and talk is cheap.

I’m learning that my little internal chatterbox (I need to come up with a name for it) is repeating what others have said in my past. And they lied…and I used to believe the lies but now I know the truth. I know that I CAN do it…I AM good enough…I will NOT fail. Nope…don’t believe the chatterbox anymore. Just lies…and there is a high price to pay for believing those lies. I know…I’ve been paying it for a long time…but not anymore. So, you stupid, lying chatterbox…you can just SHUT THE HELL UP!! I’ll rock it tomorrow…I’ll knock it out of the park on Saturday…and I’m going to OWN that 13.1 miles in Kiawah in 2 weeks…you watch me…and before all is said and done I will replace you with the TRUTH…

And I’m really looking forward to that day. I suspect it is just around the corner. I am already beginning to feel the shift back to who I really am…and I am becoming who I am meant to be… Glad you’re coming along for the ride…it’s going to be a good one. Until next time, I hope you are well and that your internal chatterbox is telling you the truth…YOU CAN DO IT!!

[Via http://wildfire16to80.wordpress.com]

Breaking News – « Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats – I Can Has ...

all is not as it should be

2009-11-24T00:31:00.000+02:00

I sometimes get the sneaky suspicion that all is not as it should be in my life. I think a lot of this comes from an unsettling disappointment I have about myself. Some of this disappointment is neurotic. Like when I want to impress someone with my intelligence and my words come out all jumbled up or I stutter.

Some of my disappointment is silly. I would love to always look like I just finished up with a GQ photo shoot, looking very charming and debonair.

Then there’s the deeper disappointment that I have a real tuff time with. When I look at my two sons as they play outside on their bikes and I think of the kind of father I want to be for them. I want to make lasting impression on them, so that when they look back on their childhood and they can remember a childhood that came straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. I want to make believe with them, making all their dreams come to life. I want to catch lighting bugs with them in the hot summer nights. I want to take long bike rides with them.

I look at them through the den window as I am on the computer doing schoolwork as they are riding their bikes and I’m reminded of how the day really went. I remember them fighting over who gets to be first on a Wii game and me telling them to be quite so that I can work, to busy to show them how to resolve a conflict. I remembered how stern I got with my youngest son, Nole, when he didn’t do exactly as I told him getting mad and making threats – just because I’m his father and I can. I remember the fear and hurt I saw in his eyes as lashed out at him. I remember instead of catching lighting bugs I hurried them inside to take a bath, so that I could have a moment to myself. I’m so disappointed in myself at times.

I’m also disappointed in myself not just as a father, but also as a husband, son, and friend at times. I know that my life was created for so much more than just being overwhelmed with work and school. I have a purpose in life; I have an opportunity to do something great with my life as we all do.

I am disappointed that I don’t love God more and willfully sin so much against him. I can get insanely jealous if someone I know succeeds more than I. I am disappointed at how petty and shallow I can be at times. I can lead people to believe that I have it all together and yet I feel like at times my world is falling apart.

These are just some of my disappointments. I have darker ones that I am too ashamed to admit, as I’m sure we all do. So why do so many others and I feel this way? Some may say it is a lack of self-esteem, this may be true in part – but as I get a little older and hopefully a little wiser, I believe it is a deeper problem. One that lurks deep within our soul, that we don’t like to admit, which is a failure to be the person God first called me to be.

I feel if I had always pursued God as my two boys pursue life, I would not feel such disappointment as I do. Although as an adult I have forgotten what it was like to dream big dreams as a child. I have forgotten what it is like to give God my all, as my boys do when they play. If I were to do that then I would be in a much better place as a father, husband, son, and friend. I would be more of the man that God first called me to be. So for all my disappointments I am glad my God is a God of second and third chances, so it is my prayer today that I would seize all the little opportunities He has given me to be the person He intended me to be.

[Via http://steveliscum.wordpress.com]

Bing Tries To Buy The News

P195: God answers an atheist

2009-11-22T00:27:00.000+02:00

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth. And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God said that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land Havilah, where there is gold; And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Genesis 1-2

LearnTheBible.ca

God bless,

[Via http://learnthebibleca.wordpress.com]

NaturalMotion opens Korean office // News

Happy Holidays

2009-11-21T00:37:00.000+02:00

It has been awhile since I have been able to make a post, but it is really nice to have a few extra minutes out of my day to sit down and getaway into SL. The cold weather always brings my favorite time of the year the holidays. Yes I am one of those people who shops early for gifts, plays holiday music all day, fill my home with holiday scents and decorates in time for Thanksgiving. So why not in SL? Well my bf and I are not that quite organized in SL but slowly we are sorting out the sim in time for a warm and cozy holiday dinner with close friends to sip eggnog and hot apple cider in front of our warm fireplace.

This year I am starting a new holiday tradition with my friends in SL. Yeah we can do the traditional holiday dinners in SL and gift exchange, but why not get creative with ideas to spend quality time with those that make your SL one of a kind. This year I have decided to invite my friends over a few days throughout the month to have an all out blast to decorate gift boxes, snowmen, ornaments, gingerbread men/women etc. It does take time to setup create and/or buy the items you need, so make sure to plan it out well. (*Just a side note make sure to check the permission of items when purchasing to make sure they allow you to share them. ) Once you have all your supplies, arrange them in order and set them to buy at 0L. It is a really good idea to set out an example you have created so your friends can have ideas while assembling together their very own project. Make sure you have a variety of items, for example, for a snowman create a cone nose, twisty nose, twig from a branch nose and so on then everyone can choose from several different pieces to make their very own creative one of a kind snowman. Why not set your sim/parcel radio to holiday music when everyone is there to share the holiday spirit. Even if it is a bit artsy/crafty/Martha Stewarty you get an opportunity to spend time with your very special friends.

If you have further ideas you want to share, leave me a comment I would love to read what is on your mind!

Today I chose to wear something too keep me warm in these freezing cold temperatures. There is nothing more classic and warm than a heavy wool coat, tights and boots.

Style Notes

Coat – KUROTSUBAKI Red Poncho

Tights – Twosome Cozy Gray Tights

Skirt – LeLutka Paine Mini in Chocolate (group gift)

Boots – Kookie Pomski Boots in Light Kelp

Hair – Truth Micah in Dune

Obama, Palin: FOX News draws, both : The Swamp

Impeccable Forecast by the Great Spiritual Guru

2009-11-18T23:55:00.000+02:00

Param Pujya Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu: “I said many years back, that I want to see India as a superpower. It’s 2007 now, in 2010 there would be such rays from the sun that would damage your TV mobile. Then India would become a superpower in 2011. TV and mobile have also lowered human values, these all would be damaged. There would be such rays from the sun that would vanish all the satellite systems. Radio, communication systems, mobile all will come to a stand still. Humans will go back into the age of Satyug. Nature will create the environment of superpower. Scientists are saying this, that in 2010 there is possibility of such sun rays. I said it is good. Background for us is being created. Whatever kids (scientists) discover is ok. If he (Bapuji) wills then God also adapts accordingly. It is said that if he (Bapuji) wills then dead also becomes alive. So if a will comes to make India a superpower then God and Nature also adapts accordingly. If you don’t want it for yourself then it’s done. Anyone can take the fame. You take the fame. Anyone who brings something for me, I give him back. Samiti can take the fame. It organizes and do everything. I don’t do anything. Don’t do anything right now. No prayer, meditation nothing. Keep sitting like this. Rest….. One bapu has shaken whole India and whole world. Where is such kind of Bapu in any other country? Do you get bapu like this in any other country? Was there Lila shah Bapu in other countries? Was there Nanak bapu? Was there Kabir bapu? In this country only they are. Who can take to God.”

Aura of Pujya Gurudev

Scientific Findings related to above Forecast:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,478024,00.html

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/21dec_cycle24.htm

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/10mar_stormwarning.htm

Gurudev satsang, Subtitles: I was a deity once. I was a sage once…many purans still contain my stories. This is 70th time I have come to earth.

Even if God or saint bless you to get beneficial things still that thing won’t stay forever. Only their knowledge will stay forever. That the beneficial and adverse both are dreams. Through which they are seen (felt) is our eternal immortal soul. This is the highest knowledge.

Don’t be slave of your wish. In whichever thing you feel attachment is there distribute or donate that thing.

If you have fear of death go to graveyard and see to those who are dying and tell your self that this is death.

Whatever road blocks you face in coming towards God either remove them or ignore them. Don’t consider roadblocks as roadblocks.

In every situation equanimity yoga should be done.

http://www.ashram.org/

View More Videos at

http://vimeo.com/user647845/videos

http://www.hariomgroup.org

YouTube Direct lets news organizations publish citizen videos ...

The Truth Will Set You Free

2009-11-17T00:32:00.000+02:00

Milan Kundera, Ignorance

“I imagine the feelings of two people meeting again after many years. In the past they spent some time together, and therefore they think they are linked by the same experience, the same recollections. The same recollections? That’s where the misunderstanding starts: they don’t have the same recollections; each of them retains two or three small scenes from the past, but each has his own; their recollections are not similar; they don’t intersect; and even in terms of quantity they are not comparable: one person remembers the other more than he is remembered; first because memory capacity varies among individuals, but also (this is more painful to admit) because they don’t hold the same importance for each other.

Palin accuses the AP of doing 'opposition research' in fact check ...

Great "Law of Attraction" Quote

2009-11-15T00:45:00.000+02:00

Last night I wrote a post that briefly touched on the Law of Attraction. Today as I was sifting through some old emails, I came across this quote. This basically sums up the Law of Attraction. An important thing to note is how there is no mention of being willing to give without the expectation of receiving. This I found is an integral part of seeing results of the law actualized.

“If we are basically positive in attitude, expecting and envisioning pleasure, satisfaction and happiness, we will attract and create people, situations, and events which conform to our positive expectations.” -Shakti Gawain

-Scott

NBC's Adventurous Foray into Repurposed Local News | The New York ...

speaking of

2009-11-14T00:42:00.000+02:00

ok ok; i’m just clearing the air out there for my readers <3

i’m not pursuing this blog by any means to get into the stuff that [ lukegk or duckie or phil etc ] get into ; this stuff revolves around me, my thoughts, my opinions, my fears, my options, MY LIFE – and those i just mentioned had great content which influence me and the music i hear, and the things i see, i just recently discovered the award tour by phil, a friend showed me his shit, i’m not sure how i didnt come across it earlier since i read luke’s shit everyday, but whatever, the content is fresh – you can’t deny it, duckie has got her thing going, she’s good with the interviews and photography – - i don’t have a fab camera or the balls to ask people questions which i personally don’t have a need for, i LOVE music, however blogging is not something which i hope to become my career, these fellow bloggers i’m referring to have nuts and balls and are great to the society of both music and art – especially on the internet. much respect to them. and well recently – through both luke and phils sites – i came across TONE, he’s the one that captures the moment [s]. his shit is ridiculous, guy’s got good looks on snapping life into a ‘thing’ something we can look at and be like - – oh damn.

so spread your wings – i’m doing my thing by leaving the works to those doing it, by telling you to support them – how about you clear your head, think of what it is you want to be doing, and DO IT

buy that fucking camera, learn how to play the piano, grab your nuts and get on stage, learn to cook, write a poem, get on swim team

i’m pursuing a career in working with kids – kids are who i want to work with, i’m going to make it happen

what’s happening for you?!

random ass post – i know, i’m just throwing it out there, and i hope that these kids are okay with me mentioning them – goodjob babies; annakay

Atheist Ethicist: Fox News' Deceptive Manipulation

Visions and Prophets...

2009-11-12T12:14:00.000+02:00

If a human individual, a Minister, Pastor, Shaman and this list can stretch into oblivion, claims to be a Prophet, a Visionary or that he/she are on a Vision Quest, what are the Church (people) expected to gain or lose?

The experience of Faith or Vision Quest is either true or untrue and often is false. Most times these claims create sizable financial gain for the “Blessed one.” And! Let the Babylon times begin?

Beyond the tithes and the collection plates, when the money starts rolling in, the cost of such fame or infamy is most simple. The Church becomes less of a church. The pulpit becomes a stage, a theater or a bully after-thought to when it was that “Little Brown Church in the Dale.”

“Oh, come to the Church in the Wildwood.” “Oh, come to the church in the dale.” “No spot is so dear to my childhood, as the Little Brown Church in the Dale.”

May Respect and Understanding and Peace and Love be with us all…Amen.

BBC - Blether with Brian: Gloomy news

a silent wish

2009-11-12T06:18:00.000+02:00

here is a silent wish that i made for a family member, a friend, a neighbour…

May you enter into a state of higher awareness. May you transcend your problems and see them as opportunity. May you be graced with courage, strength, and compassion. May you dismiss self-pity and frustration.

there’s no doubt that one of the toughest situations in life is to see one’s family, friend or neighbour in pain or in suffering. we often try to say or do the right things to try and help. unfortunately, this isn’t often asked by them and can therefore be unwanted. in these circumstances, one can only silently wish for their well-being and surrender the rest to a higher power.

Unsurprising News Watch - Sarah Palin Edition | Mother Jones

Shoveling the truckload of dung

2009-11-10T00:37:00.000+02:00

Lots to say, not a lotta time to say it. I’m in a phase of things piling up, where I need to keep shoveling through without thinking too much, keep breathing, doing what I can, and pretty soon I’ll have cleared through the pile of crap. I once had a yoga teacher who read from a book written by a Zen Buddhist monk entitled, “Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?” I immediately bought the book. It was filled with those impossibly Zen stories of staying calm through extremely frustrating situations, finding the good in the apparently bad, treating your supposed enemies as friends, etc. The kinds of stories that you know will take a lifetime to really understand, if you so choose. But the one that resonated with me was about doing the work of shoveling your own truckload of dung, which was dumped on your doorstep by Life, the Universe, God, whatever you want to call your own Mystery. We can either complain about the smell, the foulness, the fact that we wish the pile weren’t sitting right there blocking the door to our own home, or we can spend our lives trying to figure out WHO ordered it in the first place! Because it certainly wasn’t ME! I didn’t ask for this heap of putrid-smelling hot and steamy pile of waste. But I DO want to get inside my own home. I like it there. I feel peaceful and free there. I am joy when I am there. So let me in!

But the only way in is to roll up your sleeves and start shoveling. One stroke at a time, you just chip away at it. You don’t complain, you don’t worry, you don’t spend time just admiring the sheer magnitude of crap sitting there. You just take your shovel and work. Pretty soon, you’ll look up and one day the door to your home will be right there, and you can just walk right through, take off your crap-smelling clothes, and enjoy a nice, long, hot shower. Maybe a cool drink. And then a seat on your own back porch, where the sun shines just so.

The point of this was reflected in Jerry Seinfeld’s Three Rules for Life, which I think he gave in an interview with Oprah several years ago. Here they are:

Work hard. (No matter what it is, bust your ass.)
Pay attention. (Listen, listen, listen. You can learn from anyone and anything.)
Fall in love. (I don’t care what you fall in love with, just love something with all your heart.)

I’ve discovered that pretty much, these are the lessons repeated in all spiritual teachings.

I wrote a few lines of poetry last night after my two full days and one night of “The Art of Improvisation”. An aside: Isn’t all of life an improvisation? We aren’t all stand-up comics, but what if we carried ourselves through our daily lives with the skills and mindset of stand-up comedians or artists? What if we valued ourselves to the extent that we believed we are all artists, and our greatest piece of art is made by the sum of how we show up in each moment of our lives?

Anyways, here’s the poem I wrote last night:

Music is a spiritual practice.

Sound is a spiritual practice.

Pay attention to the sounds you make, and you pay attention to your spirit.

So much of improvisation is LISTENING. Listen like mad. Always listening. This is simple to say, but much harder to put in practice. Often when we think we are listening to the environment (reality in this moment), we are actually hearing the mental chatter in our own heads: “I can’t do this! I look like an idiot! I’ve never done this before! People will think I’m a freak for doing this! I don’t sound good! I don’t know how to do this! I’m not good at this!”

When true artists talk about “inner listening” or “listening to your inner voice”, they don’t mean this mental chatter. That’s an important distinction that I think is often not mentioned. We are told to get silent and wait for the sounds to come. But how many of us really know what silence is? I can say I’ve experience a few very brief moments of complete silence – not just the absence of talking or noise, but a sense of completeness and peace – during meditation and when I have been in nature, studying the sky or the water or the light.

But getting to silence on a daily basis is WORK. Learning to listen for inner silence, then waiting for the truth of the heart to emerge, is a deep practice. Basic listening is work. So often we are not even aware of what we are listening to. We go through life with an agenda, and filter out the things that don’t match it. Then we struggle. We wonder why things turned out the way they did. What we must have done to deserve those things. Or who else we might have to blame for the truckload of dung sitting on our doorstep, when all we want to do is get home.

Home is freedom. Some of us never find it. But it’s always right here inside of us, no matter what the circumstances of our lives. When we practice loving every single – EVERY single – circumstance of our life as something that has brought us clearer vision and attention, and therefore closer to seeing the home within our hearts, we are truly free in each moment. Free to act according to the source of pure joy and creativity that we are born with.

I tried it today and I noticed how hard it is for people to really listen. How much time and quiet and space it takes to really relax and listen. But the desire is there. We all want to hear the music. We want to feel the music in our hearts. We want to drown out all the noise that is drowning us.

I was part of three improvisation groups this weekend, and they taught me about taking risks. Being well-trained is something that happens to manifest itself for me on the violin. But I am actually quite loose still – thankfully – in other areas, such as my voice. I have longed to use my voice for such a long time. I have no preconceptions about what I can and cannot do with my singing voice. I just do it. I put myself out there using my speaking voice five years ago to create a school. Now I want to go in a new direction, and I am finding my voice stuck, not able to work for me in the same way it did to set a stake in the ground. My voice is not as useful as a shovel to dig something up and replant it in a sunnier place. But I set some new stakes in the ground this weekend:

I publicly did a jazz improv over cello accompaniment with our instructor, David Darling. I laughed so hard! And for the first time I knew I wasn’t laughing AT myself. I was laughing with joy that I had actually dared to do something BADLY! I hesitate to use the word “bad” because that’s not how I felt. For ME, who doesn’t listen to jazz and had never played a note of it on my violin or even sung it in my head, IT WAS GREAT! It didn’t sound like Aletha, the awesome woman who sang right before me in her night club sultry voice. But I had to let that go as my aspiration for this moment. My aspiration for this moment was to not be afraid. To try something totally different and know that there was no failure possible. Just picking up my violin and making any sound in that setting was a huge leap forward for me. And I loved it! One shovel of dung thrown over my shoulder. Now on to the next…
I saw a group of ladies playing random notes at the piano and a vocalist walked up to join them. I could have sat in my chair and just waited for class to begin, but instead I walked over with my violin and started to play along. I didn’t think I had anything meaningful musically to add, or rather I didn’t think I knew what to add, but I just played anyway. Kept playing. And they kept listening and playing. And we all kept doing that together. That is improvisation. Everyone doing their thing together.
Finally, we were the very last group of the weekend to perform our 4-person “voice and body” improvisation. The rule was to work with people you had never worked with before. Very true in this case. Roman is a one-man show performer and all-around self-taught musician who lives life in his world of music. He doesn’t say much usually but when he does, he speaks in long strings of ideas and words that reflect his stream of consciousness and fluidity of thoughts. Let’s just say he won’t be in charge of writing any corporate memos any time soon. Thank god for people like Roman, because his musical vocabulary and artistry are AMAZING. He is just that kind of “genius”. I worked hard to empty my mind of all the imaginations of what might happen in our group. We were all tired, and I kept thinking I hope we do something lively and upbeat because I am going to fall asleep otherwise. I was looking forward to singing though. So my first contribution to the group – after a bunch of the others started with primal rumblings and breath sounds – was a sung melody. I did it three times, hoping for call and response. Finally getting one, I then froze and caught myself so surprised and happy at the response that my next call was lame. So I abandoned that and turned my attention to listening and feeling what was going on with the others. Roman was doing some kind of primal fit of screaming on my left. I turned and started to imitate, releasing some of that earlier frustration through my body. Then he kept going and I realized he sounded like he was suffering. I started breathing and sending him the calming, soothing, “maternal” sounds that flowed through me as a human being in the presence of another human being in that state. I kept going. The other women eventually joined me. Roman – or his improvisational character – calmed down, eventually cooing with us like a little baby. The rest of it I don’t remember as well, because it was like magic after that. We were four beings in each other’s presence. The rest created itself. We were in harmony.

The room erupted in applause after we finished, and one of our classmates commented on how she had never seen this “primal thing going on” with me before, but that she loved it. Shortly after her comment, my violin case fell out of its chair. Literally. Nothing was damaged, don’t worry. But we like to think of that moment as something of a message from the spirits about my finding my voice. My violin is a little surprised – or maybe feeling left out – by my foray into such primal things as the voice. Poor violin will just have to get used to it.

CBS News: Obama Has Decided To Send Almost 40000 Troops To Afghanistan

Let's Start From the Very Beginning: Jesus.

2009-11-08T00:35:00.000+02:00

I admit, in the past two years, I have often felt a little guilty for not really thinking about Jesus that much. I don’t mean that I stopped thinking of him or that I ceased to think he was important. I had other pressing theological questions, but I viewed (and still do) those questions as ultimately returning to Christ. Still, I would sometimes think to myself: “I wonder if I ought to pay attention to what I believe about this Jesus.”

The answer to that thought was and is a resounding, yes.

In between my first and second years of university, I experienced what one would consider to be the proverbial “crisis of faith.” Though intermixed with some other issues, this crisis was more of a disillusionment of the concept of church that I had for most of my life up until the first year at university. I had more problems with the church than with God or with Jesus. Thus, it wasn’t a full-fledged loss of faith in which one becomes agnostic or an atheist. Nonetheless, the spiritual turmoil continued (and continues) into my second year. Towards the end of 2008, my disillusionment with the church had grown so strongly that I began to question, ever so delicately, some of the basic Christian beliefs, but again, it was not a full-fledged loss of faith.

My spiritual turmoil was soon somewhat eradicated by my introduction to catholic (small-c) Christianity through Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox theology. I’m confident that at that point in my life, it was the very reading of such sources that saved my faith. Had I not dashed my Baptist and Evangelical polemics against Catholics and Orthodox (and Anglicans) against the rocks of thoughtful reflection and reading, I doubt I’d still be a Christian, or, I’d likely be some drifter trying to brew my own Christianity. Arriving and inhabiting the Great Tradition of the Christian faith provided me with somewhat of a basis on which to understand Christ, his Body (the Church), and the message and ministry of the Gospel to the world.

As I began this semester at school, I felt confident that at some point this year, I would finally make a choice and become a part of a community of faith through Baptism (ironic, yes? Being Baptist and not being baptized?). However, while I still hope for that opportunity (it might be a stretch to make it to Easter), my studies have pulled me in a new direction. Well, not entirely new but rather, a realization that yes, I must understand Jesus (I’m just waiting for nice little cliche reminders to start popping up on the comments; It’s not like I don’t know that.). This is more serious, I think, than simply asking questions for the sake of deepening one’s “personal relationship with Jesus.” It’s not like I’m going out on a date with him or something and wanting to know him more deeply (while that is certainly the important aim of any Christian).

More than that. It is asking the question of his very claim to divinity, his very claim to authority, the Church’s claim of his divinity, the Church’s claim of his uniqueness, the Church’s claim of his authority, and the Church’s, Bible’s, and historian’s very claim of his existence.

For if Christianity is true, then Christ has to be true.

First order of business…create new category for “Jesus” in blog.

Second order of business…N.T. Wright, a cup of tea, and a red pen for marking.

New hand history app released for iPhone - Poker News

Can we buy forgiveness of sins?

2009-11-07T00:20:00.000+02:00

We have a new question from Puzant:

The apocryphal books contain non-biblical teachings like atonement of sins by good works (almsgiving=showing mercy).

We read in Sirach 3:30 “As water quenches a blazing fire, so [showing mercy] almsgiving atones for sin.” [emph.mine]

Some people say there is the same context in the Old testament.

Daniel 4:27 “Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off [heb."perak"=redeem] thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy [almsgiving]to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.” [emph.mine]

Proverbs 16:6 “By mercy [almsgiving] and truth iniquity is purged…”[emph.mine]

How can Daniel teach the king to redeem/atone his iniquities by almsgiving ?

First, we cannot put a comparison between the Word of God and the words of humans. The Apocrypha is the writings of humans who were not led by the Spirit to write what they wrote, therefore it is not part of the Canon of the Scripture. For more details about the Apocrypha and about the Canon of Scripture, you can consult the following articles:

. What is the Apocrypha? And why do some groups or “churches” add it to their copies of the Bible?

. The Canon of Scripture

As these human writings were not inspired by the Holy Spirit, so they contain the opinions of their human fallible authors. Their words and expressions do not reflect the infallibility and inerrancy of the Holy Spirit, as we will see in this article. While the Scripture is the Word of God, and each word used in it is inspired by the Holy Spirit. As we will see, the Holy Spirit uses exact words that He has explained in other passages of the Bible, never contradicting Himself, while the words of those human writings express the fallible mind and the wrong wishes of their human authors and thus they contradict the Bible.

Now, those human writings would naturally express the fallen mind of their human authors. The fallen human prefers to be justified before God by his weak and imperfect righteousness (i.e. self-righteousness), and he refuses the Righteousness of God:

“For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own [righteousness], have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” (Romans 10:3)

But here is what the Bible says about that human righteousness:

“And we are all become as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have carried us away” (Isaiah 64:6)

Why does God say this about our righteousness? Why is it as filthy rags? Don’t we ever do anything good? Yes, we may do many good things, but if our good works spring from a filthy disobedient nature, then they do not glorify God and thus they are not really good. You would not accept a nice looking apple if it is presented to you with filthy hands, so how do you expect God to accept your good works when you are still a sinner by nature and all your works are defiled by that filthy nature? Our righteousness is always lacking perfection, and God does not accept anything less than perfect purity and holiness. He does not lower His standard of holiness. So His Law clearly says:

“‘So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 18:5)

There is no way to be righteous before God unless we keep ALL the statutes and judgments of God perfectly and continuously (without any interruption) and without falling in any sin! This is a clear teaching of the Scripture. To give more strength to this truth, God declares a curse on whoever does not continuously and perfectly keep all His commandments:

“Cursed be he that confirmeth not the words of this law to do them! And all the people shall say, Amen.” (Deuteronomy 27:26)

The judgment is clear: Anyone who does not keep all the commandments of God perfectly and continuously is under this curse of the Law… Read more about this in our article How to be justified before God? which you should understand very well if you want to avoid the deceptions of human philosophy.

Now, the fallen humanity tries to find ways of escape from this curse, so humans who refuse to humble themselves before God try to lower this standard in order to make it look possible to be attained by our human righteousness. It is with this purpose of lowering this standard that the writers of the Apocrypha suggest that we may atone for our sins with almsgiving! This is one proof that those writings were written by non-inspired authors. Thus, instead of keeping ALL the commandments of God perfectly and continuously, they suggest we can just give money to the poor, and thus all our sins will be forgiven… But this is a deception, as the Word of God clearly says that only the perfect and continuous keeping of God’s commandments can make us live by the Law. Actually, we may give all what we have to the poor and yet not have love, and thus be nothing! “And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3) (Read So what is love?)

You notice what the point is: The Law declares God’s truth (or justice) without any mercy (lovingkindness) for the sinner. So if God were only Just, we would all go to Hell, and that would be perfectly just and fair, as we did not keep all His commandments perfectly and continuously. This Justice (truth) of God does not allow any exception to the principle of keeping the whole Law in order to be righteous before God. According to this truth, God is not obliged to do any atonement for our sins, and He has the authority to throw us all in Hell, and that would be just.

But the good news here is that God is not only Just, but He is equally Merciful and loving. It was when His Mercy (lovingkindness) and truth met together that it was possible to find a way to save us: ATONEMENT. As God saw us all condemned under the curse that His truth declared on us all, His Mercy (lovingkindness) found the way to meet that high standard and at the same time to save us, and that way was Atonement by a SUBSTITUTE, i.e. by a perfect Man who could keep all the commandments of the Law (truth) and then by substitution make His Righteousness counted for those who trust Him (Mercy or lovingkindness). This is what the Psalmist describes in the following line:

“Loving-kindness and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (Psalm 85:10)

And the author of the Proverb explains this same truth by saying:

“By loving-kindness and truth iniquity is atoned for; and by the fear of Jehovah [men] depart from evil.” (Proverbs 16:6)

Proverbs 16:6 is one of the passages that Puzant quoted. Do you see anything about almsgiving in this verse? Not at all! As you can see, this verse is explained in Psalm 85:10 (as Scripture explains Scripture), and it means that the only way to atone for our sins is when lovingkindness (mercy — Hebrew: chesed) and truth meet together! As fallen humans, we could not meet the perfect standard of God about lovingkindness and truth, so we could not atone for our sins:

“No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him” (Psalm 49:7)

It’s only when God keeps both His lovingkindness and truth that our iniquity is atoned for, or else God would not be just AND the justifier of the sinner who has faith in Christ:

“for [the] shewing forth of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just, and justify him that is of [the] faith of Jesus.” (Romans 3:26)

If God declared the sinner as righteous without bringing His curse upon him, He would be lying! Because the sinner has not met God’s standard of holiness, as we have seen above, and he deserves to be accursed and NOT called righteous. But as the lovingkindness of God met His truth, so God found the way to justify the sinner without being unjust Himself: He sent His Son (God incarnate) who lived a perfect human life and kept ALL the commandments of God perfectly and continuously (thus the truth was respected), and then He took the place of the sinner (substitution) and atoned for his sins (thus lovingkindness and truth met together on the cross). It is in this way that lovingkindness and truth atoned for our iniquity.

Now, why do some people see almsgiving in Proverbs 16:6? That’s because they don’t allow the Scripture to interpret itself, and they want to speculate about what the Hebrew “chesed” (mercy) should mean in this verse… Instead of accepting the explanation of the Bible that we saw above, they reduce the meaning of “chesed” to one particular result of mercy, i.e. almsgiving. The Bible doesn’t say “almsgiving” in Proverbs 16:6. It says “lovingkindness”, in the same way it is said in Psalm 85:10. And as the authors of the Apocrypha misinterpreted such passages of Scripture, so they reduced the whole truth to a particular commandment (i.e. almsgiving), thus lowering the standard of God and teaching the false doctrine of buying the forgiveness of our sins with money!

Against those false human teachings the Word of God clearly says:

“knowing that ye have been redeemed, not by corruptible [things, as] silver or gold, from your vain conversation handed down from [your] fathers, but by precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, [the blood] of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19)

***

Now we pass to Daniel’s passage:

“Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.” (Daniel 4:27)

The verb translated as “break off” in this verse is the Hebrew verb “perak” (from Chaldee) which literally means “to discontinue” or “to break off”. For those who know Arabic, does not this “perak” sound like the Arabic “faraq” (to get separated from)?… Indeed, the literal Arabic translation of this passage (the Van Dyke translation) renders this verb as “fareq” (get separated from). As you know, both Arabic and Hebrew (and Chaldee or Aramaic also) are Semitic languages, so many words are similar in these languages. In other words, Daniel told the king to get separated from his iniquities (i.e. repentance), and to give the non-optional fruit of righteousness as a result of this breaking-off. This is the simple meaning of what is said in this verse. There is nothing in this verse about atoning for our sins by almsgiving.

But we cannot assure that the king really understood what Daniel actually told him. In fact, this verse (i.e. Daniel 4:27) is not the direct teaching of Daniel. What we read here is the account of that pagan king about what Daniel told him. Actually, this account of the king really shows us that he didn’t understand the advice of Daniel in a deep way. One of the proofs for what I am saying is found at the beginning of this pagan king’s account:

“But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and before him I told the dream” (Daniel 4:8)

This pagan king is amazed by what the God of Daniel could do, but he still didn’t give up his false gods! For him, the God of Daniel is one of those gods — actually the most high among them — but He’s not his ONLY Lord and Savior. In fact, even while writing this letter, he considers one of those false gods as his god (“my god”). This pagan king still couldn’t understand what’s the difference between the Holy Spirit and the spirits of his “holy gods”, the false gods… Even while writing this account, the king still doesn’t understand with which Spirit Daniel prophesied… So just as we can’t conclude from verse 4 that the Bible teaches polytheism, as this is the account of a pagan king, in the same way we can’t build any doctrine on verse 27 where this pagan king once again tells us what he understood of Daniel’s advice for him to repent. It seems that, just like the authors of the Apocrypha, he reduced the fruit of repentance only to one commandment which is almsgiving to the poor… But it is also clear that Daniel didn’t limit his advice to almsgiving, but he told the king about real righteousness (i.e. God’s righteousness), as the king says in verse 27: “Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.” (Daniel 4:27) You see how the king is interpreting what Daniel said: first he says Daniel told him to break off his sins by righteousness, then he interprets that as meaning that he should break off his iniquities (his sins) by showing mercy to the poor… So it seems that he equated righteousness to showing mercy to the poor…

But one would ask: As Daniel is writing this account about this king’s letter, then why did he not make a comment about his error here? The answer is that Daniel usually doesn’t make a comment in such cases, and leaves us to find the right interpretation in the other passages of the Bible. This is what Daniel does in other passages of his Book. For instance, about this same pagan king Daniel says without adding any comment about the king’s error:

“Then king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.” (Daniel 2:46)

This doesn’t mean that Daniel agreed with this false worship. The truth is that Daniel wants us to judge on what happened in this verse in the light of the teaching of the Scripture that says:

“Thou shalt do homage to [the] Lord thy God, and him alone shalt thou serve.” (Matthew 4:10)

In the same way, in the Book of Job many wrong things were said by humans, and the author wrote them exactly as they were said, without any comment about the human errors. But at the end God made His comment:

“Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2)

In this comment, God was not saying that His Word is “words without knowledge”!! He’s commenting about the human errors in speech in the whole of Job’s Book.

This same thing God does in the Book of Judges! When Jephthah sacrificed his daughter (cf. Judges 11:30-31, Judges 11:34-35, and Judges 11:39), God didn’t make a comment immediately! He only gave us the account about what happened through the man of God who was led by the Spirit to write those things. If you read that passage without understanding it in the light of other passages of Scripture, you may conclude that it is acceptable to sacrifice humans! But God made a little — but very important — comment at the end:

“In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25)

This was an important comment! So Jephthah did what was right in his own eyes, but not what was right in God’s eyes!

So this is the same thing that happened in Daniel 4:27: Daniel gave the account of this pagan king as it is and without any comment, but later in a prayer he gave us his comment about this righteousness that the king couldn’t really understand:

“Incline thine ear, O my God, and hear; open thine eyes and behold our desolations, and the city that is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee because of our righteousnesses, but because of thy manifold mercies.” (Daniel 9:18)

Then he adds a direct teaching from God:

“Seventy weeks are apportioned out upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to close the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make expiation for iniquity, and to bring in the righteousness of the ages, and to seal the vision and prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies.” (Daniel 9:24)

So the direct teaching of the Bible is that almsgiving (and any other human merit or righteousness) cannot in any way atone for our sins. It’s only by the blood of Jesus Christ (as described in Daniel 9:24-26) that we have the expiation for iniquity.

And yet those human writings, called Apocrypha, teach that we can atone for our sins by almsgiving! The authors of the Apocrypha give us a direct teaching (and not an account about a pagan king’s understanding…) They say that almsgiving can atone for sins, while the Bible says it can’t! Only perfect lovingkindness and truth can atone our iniquity, as Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification.

Grace be with you!

Disciple of Jesus Christ

___

Posted in Questions | Truth | Religious Movements | Roman Catholicism and similar heresies

Langdell finds new trademark target News | iPhone | Eurogamer

I Need Help

2009-11-05T00:00:00.000+02:00

by sylvia

Yeah, I probably need all sorts of help, but specifically I need help with a physical problem.

For the last 5-10 years or so, I have been suffering from lower back pain. Like severe lower back pain. Typically, it used to happen when I stood for long periods of time (like doing dishes or cooking) but now it is happening more frequently.

I talked to my doctor about it, and they did an x-ray and they couldn’t determine if lack of space between two vertebrae was always that way or a new development. Yeah, thanks for nothing.

And I’m sure my size G boobies aren’t helping things, and that a lot of my gorgeous, free flowing fat is in my stomach.

Regardless of all that, can someone tell me what is a good exercise for such pain? Please don’t tell me swimming or pool exercise, because I am too lazy to get my bathing suit on and actually go to pool at the YMCA.

Yoga? Pilates?

I need to do something, because at this point, I feel like I can’t do anything.

Thanks, y’all.

News – Lady Gaga Channels Madonna With Underwear Outfit! – Style ...

stylish but comfortable

2009-11-03T00:25:00.000+02:00

Heya,

here we go again with another outfit I really enjoy wearing. I was thinking about an outfit i can wear visiting a fashion show. Not a lot of ARC, to support the models on the runway, but still looking stylish. I put this outfit together, because its really stylish, but comfortable, has a low ARC and charms my shape. But have a look yourself:

The highwaisted and fantastic crafted pants I found at LeeZu, I love the details, as the flare leg attachments and the wonderful texture. The two colored pants sets perfect details on every feminine avatar. Mingling around at LeeZu i found this wonderful boat neckline pullover in charcoal. The arms of the pullover softly flow down over the hands and add an autumn touch despite the very open neckline. To prevent my body from the cold winds blowing in autumn I decided to wear a really loveble hairstyle from Maittreya that covers the head with a voluminous scarf, which flows around the shoulders and neck. The shoes, (which are my absolute favourites atm), bicolored also with a cool vintage touch made that outfit complete. For the cool look I added my favorite sunglasses and I was ready to go.

I hope you enjoy this outfit and maybe get inspired to have a look at the shops which inspired me.

Take Care

Svenja

Pants and Pullover: LeeZu

Hair and scarf: Maitreya

Glasses: FNKY

Shoes: Deviant Designs

Blogging The Bombers - NY Daily News

Babes in the woods

2009-11-01T00:17:00.000+02:00

Here it is Halloween and I have not posted one costume. This is not actually a costume, either, but a lovely Victorian Lace nightgown that could be worn year round. However, something about it reminds me of the most frightening of Mother Goose rhymes, Babes in the Woods:

My dear do you know,

How a long time ago,

Two poor little children,

Whose names I don’t know,

Were stolen away

On a fine summers day,

And left in a wood,

As I’ve heard people say,

Poor babes in the wood! poor babes in the wood!

Oh! don’t you remember the babes in the wood?

And when it was night,

So sad was their plight,

The sun it went down,

And the moon gave no light!

They sobbed and they sighed,

And they bitterly cried,

And the poor little things,

They lay down and died.

Poor babes in the wood! poor babes in the wood!

Oh! don’t you remember the babes in the wood?

And when they were dead,

The robins so red

Brought strawberry leaves,

And over them spread;

And all the day long,

The branches among,

They mournfully whistled,

And this was their song;

Poor babes in the wood! poor babes in the wood!

Oh! don’t you remember the babes in the wood?

The nightgown from Studio Sidhe is such an iconic gown that would be appropriate for so many interpretations. I could imagine it as Mina’s gown in Bram Stoker’s Dracula or the nightie that Anne of Green Gables wore when reenacting the Lady of Shallot on the pond. I can see Jo March and her sisters wearing it, too. But, it’s Halloween and this gown reminds me of the heartbreaking illustration of Babes in the Woods from my childhood Illustrated Mother Goose and the little white nightie worn by the little girl.

Perhaps growing up in the middle of a forest full of wildlife – including bears and timberwolves gave that poem immediacy. I remember the feel of my heart pounding while walking home from the school bus, taking a deerpath shortcut through the woods and hearing the gruff snort of a bear and pausing, holding my breath while trying to decide if the sound came from ahead or behind, left or right – and veering to another path to avoid a close encounter that my parents always said would scare the bear as much as me. I never quite believed them and so Babes in the Woods captured some of my biggest fears in one small phrase, “Poor babes in the woods. Don’t you remember the babes in the woods.”

Of course, walking a few miles through the woods twice a day, I was bound to bump into bears a couple of times. My parents were right, they took of running as fast as they could. However, just because they were right never managed to convince me that every bear would be scared. For my Babes in the Woods encounter in Bentham Forest – I went barefoot as the children in my Mother Goose were barefoot. The bare feet are from SLink. They come in flat, med and high-arched versions. These are the medium version which I think give that feeling of tension and being poised to flee.

One of the great joys of this Victorian Lace nightgown is the attention to detail in the handdrawn textures. Faery Sola is an amazing clothing designer. She doesn’t make many clothes, but they are exquisitely made and absolutely unique. Even the cuffs are worked over with loving attention to detail. The movement of the prims are natural and with two dress prims that seem to move in counterpoint the coverage is nearly perfect with few movements exposing the underlying glitch pants. The hair is from Truth – a style called Harlow. It also echoes the hair in the Mother Goose though that hair had a wide satin ribbon.

The skin is one of the new makeups for blowpop’s Elizabeth. Choosing this was partly a nod to Anne of Green Gables – as a I remember the Mother Goose girl having a cherubic face. However, really I choose it because the skin is just so right in so many ways.

***STYLE NOTES******

Promotional Copies are denoted by a Bold R

Poses: Behavior Body
Skin: Blowpop Elizabeth anaconda 2 R
Eyes: PXL Creations Glow Yellow Green R
Lashes: Lelutka Diva Prim Lashes
Hair: Truth Harlow
Nightgown: Studio Sidhe Victorian Lace Nightgown R
Feet: SLink Jolie Pied Barefoot
Jewelry Aluinn Cascade Dual Pearl Necklace

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 10/31 - Arrowhead Pride

THE PRESSURE IS ON KID CUDI... IS IT TOO LATE FOR APOLOGIZES? EXPOSED AND SMACKED!!!!

2009-10-31T00:27:00.000+02:00

THE QUESTIONS THE MEDIA DIDN’T ASK HIM!

Cudi, now KID Musky to the mass of Hip Hop fans has been issued 30 Days by G.Will and “Former Manager” Sydney MacDonlad, to in some way correct his wrongs and show respect for helping Cudi’s career. As a result of him not clearing a debt, the funding for classes Cudi took, paid for by Everi Exposure and acknowledging the man resonsible for being THE MOST IMPORTANT MAN IN CUDI’S LIFE. The man Cudi felt was so special that he was willing to give him a gift that no sane man would give away EVER.

Inspiring Rapper G.Will CEO/Founder Prolific MG, a self claimed Rap Android felt the need to speak about how the situation made him feel. “As a REAL Struggling Artist Loyalty and Respect are VERY IMPORTANT.” Apparently alot more people in the Hip Hop Community are devastated to know Cudi’s is selling lies. G.Will has devoted himself to destroying Hip Hop. The “Ctrl + Alt + Delete” Mixtape will have the EXCLUSIVE TRACKS spilling the secrete behind Kid Musky’s Career. While G.Will verbally attacks Musky on Audio, the birth of a NEW FORM OF RAPPER HAS COME ( RAP ANDROID G.WILL). The buzz is beginning to build up very quick. Will Cudi respond? Will the media ask Cudi the questions that fans want to hear? Is it true that G.Will is the cause of Cudi’s increased falling number of fans? Did Cudi get smack while admitting on air that he was<<<<<<

LISTEN AND DOWNLOAD….A PREVIEW FOR TOMORROW!

30DAYS_2_COME_CLEAN!

AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: EU left and ...

and the winner is...

2009-10-29T00:37:00.000+02:00

Hello everybody,

I am pleased to announce that the Blog Comment Award has been won by non other than…Mr. Ordinary Mostly… for bravely going where no man or woman has gone before. He has written a candid and insightful, comment to my post, “Please leave a comment” (September 25, 2009). What a guy!! OM gets the Brave and Handsome Bennie Award for… yes… you guessed it: bravery in leaving a comment!!

So, anyone else out there want to try for the Baby Kitty Bella Award or the Grumpy Old Frank Award? (Neither baby talk nor grumpiness need be a prerequisite for winning.) Yours truly, Called by Name

Arnold's Veto Message: An F*** You to S.F. Lawmaker? - George's ...

Headphones

2009-10-27T00:36:00.000+02:00

Back in April, Jars of Clay released their newest CD called “Long Fall Back to Earth.” Instantly, I was a fan. (In fact, I think it’s been out of my car for maybe a week total since then. I listen to it all the time. The song called “Headphones”, however, reminded me of my one true addiction in high school (besides chasing the boys, of course).

I couldn’t go anywhere without them. I had them at school (so that I could listen on the trip to and from, of course), while I cleaned our church, on quiz trips. You name the place, and I probably had my headphones with me. Back then we didn’t have mp3 players, so I had to settle for lugging around my tote of CDs as well. I wasn’t even deterred when my CDs were stolen at a church camp, it just proved that I needed to keep them with me rather than leave them with my stuff.

One of the times I was at work cleaning the church, the pastor of my church said something to me in passing, something I took personally and was offended by at the time, but now I look back and realize that he was right. He said something to me about how maybe I spent too much time listening to music, that it was an idol to me.

Looking back, I realize that I used them to block out everything going on around me. I claimed that I just connected with the music and used it as an “outlet” to “express my feelings.” In reality, I was expressing nothing. I was listening to others express while I only empathized with what was being said, as if I knew the lives of the artists or something.

Since then, I’ve learned of other ways to actually think for myself and express my own thoughts. (Crazy, I know!) Writing has become one of those outlets. I wrote minimally in high school, but college is when I realized quite how much I could use them to my benefit. Now, let’s just hope that I don’t become quite as dependent on my pen as I was on my headphones back then.

I’ve included the lyrics (and a link to a YouTube clip) to the song I mentioned at the beginning in case you want to know the exact lyrics.

“Headphones”

by Jars of Clay

I don’t have to hear it, if I don’t want to.

I can drown this out, pull the curtains down on you.

it’s a heavy world, it’s too much for me to care.

If I close my eyes, it’s not there.

With my headphones on, with my headphones on

With my headphones on, with my headphones on

We watch television, but the sound is something else,

Just a song played against the drama, so the hurt is never felt

I take in the war-fires, and I’m chilled by the current events

It’s so hopeless, but there’s a pop song in my

Headphones on, in my headphones on

With my headphones on, with my headphones on

With my headphones on, with my headphones on

With my headphones on, with my headphones on

At the Tube Stop, you sit down across from me.

(I can see you looking back at me)

I think I know you

By the sad eyes that I see.

I want to tell you

(It’s a heavy world)

Everything will be okay –

You wouldn’t hear it,

(I don’t want to have to hear it)

So we go our separate ways

With our headphones on, with our headphones on

With our headphones on, with our headphones on

I don’t wanna be the one who tries to figure it out,

I don’t need another reason I should care about you,

You don’t want to know my story,

You don’t want to own my pain,

Living in a heavy, heavy world,

And there’s a pop song in my head,

I don’t want to have to hear it.

New Pic: Cruise Family Pick Out a Pumpkin at The Insider

Light Workers--Awaken Your Brothers and Sisters

2009-10-24T23:43:00.000+02:00

Dear Lightworkers,

We in this realm celebrate your awakening. As part of your pledge, we ask you now to awaken your brothers and sisters, your fellow light workers. Much like a child on Christmas morning, run to them in their sleeping beds and tell them, “Wake up! Wake up! It’s time. It is time to wake up. It’s Christmas morning—the birth of Christ within you. Lo and behold, the time is now!”

Your decision to do your part was made before you came. You cannot fail. You have known from the beginning but your heart was closed by fear. Your trust and faith have led you to this wondrous day of awakening.

We love you. We celebrate and assist you. We are right here, we have always been right here to serve and support you.

So spread your wings and trust the wind beneath you for we will hold you up and elevate you to fulfill your destiny.

-Twelve Wise Ones

» Elizabeth Olten - Body Found Friday - Blogger News Network

Feeling Like Summer

2009-10-23T22:51:00.000+02:00

Summer is more than a season for me. It’s a state of mind, It’s a pace of life. It’s a way of being. I think my life has always led me in the perpetual state of summer !

Summer is carefree, relaxed, and worry free. It’s sun tans and good waves, cold beer and sunsets. It’s fine tuning the art of ditching responsibilities that can be ditched without severe repercussions.

Any why not? Really, what is the rush? To go where, to accomplish what? I’m all for productivity, but working yourself to the bone all day, all year, to find your worth. Well good for ya if that’s your path. I’d rather live simply, I guess, and try to be in the moment as it happens. As the truly good stuff is unfolding. When I’m with my children, I try my best to be in that moment. To watch them, soak them up. They are among the greatest of blessings.

I don’t have any answers for mankind. I’m doing my best to ask the real questions that will help navigate my life to a place of relative happiness and connectedness. Trying to pause long enough to notice what I had spent my younger years blowing by.

Before you click off this page relegating yourself to what you may already you think of me, hold on, just for a second. I know we have to work and I’ve been around long enough to know there’s a great deal of satisfaction in work. Lifes work. Something good for the soul, not just the pocketbook. I’m in for all of that good stuff. I guess maybe what I’m talking about is balance,. That gentle point of where all seems good. Hawaiians would call it Aloha. Navajos would say it’s Hozho. Harmony and balance in life.

So if you don’t dig summer, give her a shot. She is warm and cozy, and will let your troubles slide right off her back into a wonderfully warm breeze that will remind you of what you really need to be happy.

New York Times Delivers Some Not Terrible News: Earnings, Ad Sales ...

What is your definition of love?

2009-10-21T23:45:00.000+02:00

Be Still . . .

Devotionals for Daily Living©

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

(1 John 3:16 (NIV))

What is your definition of love?

Does it include such things as roses and candlelight dinners?

Just in case you didn’t know it, there are many different types of love. The ultimate form of love is self-sacrificing for the benefit of someone else. It is often said that love is a choice. That is definitely true.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

(John 15:13 (NIV))

Do you see a pattern developing through these two verses of scripture? Love is a willingness to put the well-being of someone else above your own well-being. This is not easy to do, for self preservation runs very strong as part of the human experience. In other words, we have to look beyond our humanity and reach for the same characteristic within ourselves that Jesus displayed when He willingly went to the cross to die for our sins.

It is not easy! I pray that if the situation should ever arise that I would make the decision that would prove my love. Can you imagine what Jesus felt when He did what He did? No wonder He spoke these words from the cross.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

(Luke 23:34a(NIV))

What is your definition of love?

Copyright 1998 – 2009 Dennis J. Smock

Daily Living Ministries, Inc.

http://www.dailylivingministries.org

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Bookninja » Blog Archive » News pieces

This is Truth

2009-10-19T23:43:00.000+02:00

There is not much to say about this video. The main thing that comes to my nid is that you can’t listen to what people are telling you. Do not accept what humans tell you. Any human. No matter who they are. Look up what they say. Read it for yourself. Especially if what they are claiming is supposed to be about your faith or about God. You do not want to be mislead in to a world of down spins and depression. Read along with your pastor in the Bible. If he references something, write it down and go back and look it up. Not saying your pastor or youth pastor would try and mislead you on purpose, but guess what, they are human and make mistakes too. HEY! PLEASE, PLEASE, do the same to this blog and let us know if we are wrong. We are all supposed to keep each other accountable and help each other not to stray.

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.....

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