Send forth the best ye breed—
Go, bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait, in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild—
Your new-caught sullen peoples,
Half devil and half child.
— The White Man's Burden[32]
10/30/10
Kipling
Take up the White Man's burden—
Send forth the best ye breed—
Go, bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait, in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild—
Your new-caught sullen peoples,
Half devil and half child.
— The White Man's Burden[32]
Send forth the best ye breed—
Go, bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait, in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild—
Your new-caught sullen peoples,
Half devil and half child.
— The White Man's Burden[32]
Why Are We Sleeping by Kevin Ayres
It begins with a blessing
And it ends with a curse;
Making life easy,
By making it worse;
My mask is my master,
The trumpeter weeps,
But his voice is so weak
As he speaks from his sleep, saying
Why, why, why, why are we sleeping!
People are watching,
People who stare;
Waiting for something
Thats already there.
Tomorrow Ill find it ,
The trumpeter screams,
And remembers hes hungry
And drowns in his dreams, saying
Why, why, why, why are we sleeping!
My head is a nightclub
With glasses and wine;
The customers dancing
Or just making time;
While daevid is cursing
The customers scream!
Now everyones shouting,
Get out of my dreams!
And it ends with a curse;
Making life easy,
By making it worse;
My mask is my master,
The trumpeter weeps,
But his voice is so weak
As he speaks from his sleep, saying
Why, why, why, why are we sleeping!
People are watching,
People who stare;
Waiting for something
Thats already there.
Tomorrow Ill find it ,
The trumpeter screams,
And remembers hes hungry
And drowns in his dreams, saying
Why, why, why, why are we sleeping!
My head is a nightclub
With glasses and wine;
The customers dancing
Or just making time;
While daevid is cursing
The customers scream!
Now everyones shouting,
Get out of my dreams!
10/1/10
Pets Make Us Feel Good
http://lumq.com/03/can-an-animal-make-you-healthy/
The term animal assisted therapy is to be distinguished from the more familiar practice of animal assisted activities, which refers generally to pet visitation at hospitals and residential care facilities.
Animal Assisted Therapy is part of a formal and carefully designed treatment program with specific and measurable objectives that matches one animal to one patient. Under the guidance of a trained medical professional, patients with severe mental and/or physical disabilities are encouraged to interact with a therapy dog under the supervision of a trained dog handler.
The patient’s interaction with the dog is increased gradually. Initially, the patient may merely observe the dog or touch it. As the patient becomes more responsive and confident, activities may include brushing, attaching collars and even walking the dog. Progress records are maintained as milestones are met and exceeded.
Studies have shown that therapy pets motivate people to participate in therapeutic interactions. Dogs are not judgmental, they don’t hassle or pressure their partner and they have endless patience. Further, simply because they are animals and require care, the patient grooming them or walking them is made to feel useful.
The benefits and expectations of animal assisted activities, or pet visits, vary according to the needs and conditions of the patients being visited. Pet visits are less formal; they do not follow a particular treatment plan or schedule and they are not usually set up on a one pet to one patient scenario.
Pet visits are common to hospitals, assisted living homes and nursing homes. They are often nothing more than a way to entertain people or to change their routine and brighten their day.
On the other hand, when visited by a pet some people who have basically shut themselves off from human interaction will begin to work their way back to reality. Apparently the pet stirs emotions in them that have been lying dormant. Examples have been given where patients who have not spoken a word in over a year will begin to talk to the visiting dog.
Now that pet therapy has become a proven and documented reality, institutions are beginning to capitalize on this phenomenon with the “resident pet.” This term refers to a cat or a dog that becomes a permanent resident of a particular facility and is usually given free run of the place.
Each resident benefits from a proprietary interest in the animal and looks forward to assisting in its care. In some cases, a full course of therapy has been designed around the care and feeding of a resident pet. The residents meet to discuss what must be done and develop their own charts and schedules to accommodate the pet’s needs. However, staff must be constantly on the alert to avoid problems of jealousy and feuds over the pet’s affections.
The attributes and characteristics that comprise a good visiting dog or therapy dog have more to do with temperament than training. Not to say that the dog will not need training in basic obedience, but that is normally sufficient except in extraordinary situations.
Patients and residents react to the dogs in a variety of ways. Some are effusive, some impulsive and others are shy. Therefore, the dogs must be ready for anything. It surely wouldn’t do for a dog to lunge away or growl if a patient makes a loud noise or reaches for them abruptly. When selecting a dog for these purposes you would not necessarily want an animal that is high strung or one that is too laid back to get up and socialize.
Numerous studies have documented the benefits of pet therapy. Pets have been used in treating AIDS patients, cancer patients, the elderly and the mentally ill. One study determined that petting a dog can lower blood pressure and another found that pets can reduce stress related illnesses.
A study at City Hospital in New York noted that heart patients who owned pets lived longer than those without pets. Owning a pet was found to be more significant to long term survival than the presence of even a spouse or friends.
Pets make us feel good. They comfort us, allow us to be ourselves and give those of us that need it a reason for living.
9/30/10
Wretchedness
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” / “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth…and the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” — Ephesians 6:11-18
9/29/10
ADHD
29 September 2010 Last updated at 19:01 ET
New study claims ADHD 'has a genetic link'By Jane DreaperHealth correspondent, BBC News
The first direct evidence of a genetic link to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder has been found, a study says.
Scientists from Cardiff University, writing in The Lancet, said the disorder was a brain problem like autism - not due to bad parenting.
They analysed stretches of DNA from 366 children who had been diagnosed with the disorder.
But one clinical psychologist argued that what happened in children's early years was more crucial than genetics.
At least 2% of children in the UK are thought to have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Affected children are restless and impulsive. They may also have destructive tendencies, and experience serious problems at school and within family life.
The researchers compared genetic samples from ADHD children, with DNA from 1,047 people without the condition.
They found that 15% of the ADHD group had large and rare variations in their DNA - compared with 7% in the control group.
Professor Anita Thapar said: "We found that, compared with the control group, the children with ADHD have a much higher rate of chunks of DNA that are either duplicated or missing.
"This is really exciting - because it gives us the first direct genetic link to ADHD.
"We have looked at lots of potential risk factors in the environment - such as parenting or what happens before birth - but there isn't the evidence to say they're linked to ADHD.
"There's a lot of public misunderstanding about ADHD. Some people say it's not a real disorder, or that it's the result of bad parenting.
"Finding this direct link should address the issue of stigma."
The researchers stressed that there is no single gene behind ADHD, and the work is at too early a stage to lead to any test for the disorder.
But they hope the study will help unravel the biological basis of ADHD. This could eventually lead to new treatments.
The work was largely funded by the Wellcome Trust, with extra support from the Medical Research Council.
The chief executive of a charity and support group ADDIS, Andrea Bilbow, said: "We are very excited. We've always known there was a genetic link - through studies and anecdotally.
"This paper will help us deal more confidently with the sceptics, who are always so eager to blame parents or teachers. It shows there is a definite genetic anomaly in children with ADHD."
But the study has been criticised by the clinical child psychologist and broadcaster, Oliver James.
He cited studies which looked at the effect of anxiety among pregnant women, and disturbed early relations between mothers and their babies.
He said: "Only 57 out of the 366 children with ADHD had the genetic variant supposed to be a cause of the illness.
"That would suggest that other factors are the main cause in the vast majority of cases.
"Genes hardly explain at all why some kids have ADHD and not others."
Do you have experience of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder? Do you have a child with ADHD? Send your comments using the post form below:
New study claims ADHD 'has a genetic link'By Jane DreaperHealth correspondent, BBC News
The first direct evidence of a genetic link to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder has been found, a study says.
Scientists from Cardiff University, writing in The Lancet, said the disorder was a brain problem like autism - not due to bad parenting.
They analysed stretches of DNA from 366 children who had been diagnosed with the disorder.
But one clinical psychologist argued that what happened in children's early years was more crucial than genetics.
At least 2% of children in the UK are thought to have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Affected children are restless and impulsive. They may also have destructive tendencies, and experience serious problems at school and within family life.
The researchers compared genetic samples from ADHD children, with DNA from 1,047 people without the condition.
They found that 15% of the ADHD group had large and rare variations in their DNA - compared with 7% in the control group.
Professor Anita Thapar said: "We found that, compared with the control group, the children with ADHD have a much higher rate of chunks of DNA that are either duplicated or missing.
"This is really exciting - because it gives us the first direct genetic link to ADHD.
"We have looked at lots of potential risk factors in the environment - such as parenting or what happens before birth - but there isn't the evidence to say they're linked to ADHD.
"There's a lot of public misunderstanding about ADHD. Some people say it's not a real disorder, or that it's the result of bad parenting.
"Finding this direct link should address the issue of stigma."
The researchers stressed that there is no single gene behind ADHD, and the work is at too early a stage to lead to any test for the disorder.
But they hope the study will help unravel the biological basis of ADHD. This could eventually lead to new treatments.
The work was largely funded by the Wellcome Trust, with extra support from the Medical Research Council.
The chief executive of a charity and support group ADDIS, Andrea Bilbow, said: "We are very excited. We've always known there was a genetic link - through studies and anecdotally.
"This paper will help us deal more confidently with the sceptics, who are always so eager to blame parents or teachers. It shows there is a definite genetic anomaly in children with ADHD."
But the study has been criticised by the clinical child psychologist and broadcaster, Oliver James.
He cited studies which looked at the effect of anxiety among pregnant women, and disturbed early relations between mothers and their babies.
He said: "Only 57 out of the 366 children with ADHD had the genetic variant supposed to be a cause of the illness.
"That would suggest that other factors are the main cause in the vast majority of cases.
"Genes hardly explain at all why some kids have ADHD and not others."
Do you have experience of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder? Do you have a child with ADHD? Send your comments using the post form below:
9/28/10
Empowerment: Amra Shakti Shalli - We Are Powerful
Amra Shakti Shalli - We Are Powerful, features the voices of women in Bangladesh who, through the support of the organization BRAC, are radically transforming the societal consensus about the value and treatment of women. In the face of a patriarchal society, in which women have little voice in the public/civic spheres, women are demanding power through their collective actions. They are stopping unjust practices and refusing to accept inequality as a fact of life that one must endure. Many of the women are survivors of human rights abuses like dowry related violence, acid throwing, rape and forced early marriage. This movement has arisen as the result of three departments in BRAC (Human Rights and Legal Aid Services, Social Development Program and Gender Justice and Diversity) whose diverse programs address both the supply and demand of rights. This piece is a testament to the power of recognizing our interdependence as humans. These are courageous change agents whose actions will improve the lives of generations to come. Shot, Edited, and Produced by Annie Escobar and Ethan Goldwater. Translation and research coordination: Rahul Imteaz. This piece is a part of a project carried out by Patricia Schneidewind and Annie Escobar for BRAC in the summer of 2010.
9/19/10
Blues Music
- Mahalia Jackson, the great gospel diva, once said, "Anybody that sings the blues is in a deep pit, yelling for help."
Wasted Life
Vigil for woman killed after shoplifting assault
Last Updated: Sunday, September 19, 2010 | 11:25 AM CT
CBC News
The great-aunt of a woman who died last year after stealing a $1.49 can of meat was handing out bannock and luncheon meat to homeless people on Saturday night in a memorial to the dead woman.
Geraldine Beardy, 29, died Sept. 18, 2009, after lapsing into a coma. (CBC)Saturday was the one-year anniversary of Geraldine Beardy's death. Beardy, 29, died Sept. 18 last year after lapsing into a coma.
Police have alleged the owner of Okay Groceries on Sherbrook Street, in the city's West Alexander neighbourhood, confronted Beardy when he caught her trying to steal a $1.49 can of luncheon meat on Sept. 13, 2009.
Her family said she was looking for luncheon meat to serve with bannock she had made for some friends. The family say they believe she was hit with a baseball bat during the attempted theft.
Police allege Beardy was assaulted after trying to steal a can of Holiday luncheon meat. (CBC)Eliza Beardy said it was important for her to try to finish what her great-niece was trying to do, so she decided to feed the homeless.
"She's going to rest now. She's at peace. I came to finish what I had to do and now I don't have any more pain in my chest," she said.
Winnipeg police have not said publicly how Beardy was assaulted or whether a weapon was used.
Grocery store owner Kwang Soo Kim, 62, has been charged with manslaughter and is expected to make his next court appearanc
9/16/10
The Playful Search For Beauty
Eva Zeisel on the playful search for beauty | Video on TED.com
She even has a playful way of giving her talk in front of a large audience.
She even has a playful way of giving her talk in front of a large audience.
Hard Times
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "This hour in history needs a dedicated circle of transformed nonconformists."
9/12/10
Janis Joplin- Down and Out
Janis Joplin singing "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" from album "This Is Janis Joplin"
Lyrics:
Well, once I lived the life of a millionaire, spending my money, no, I didn't care
Takin' my friend John out for a mighty good time
Buyin' high-priced liquor, champagne and wine
Then I began to fall so low, didn't have a friend, nor no place to go
If I get my hands on a dollar again
I'm goin' to hold on to it until the eagle grins
Soon as I get back up on my feet again, everybody wants to be my long-lost friend
It's might strange, without a doubt
Nobody wants you when you're down and out
Lord, soon as I get up on my feet again, everybody wants to be my long-lost friend
It's mighty strange, without a doubt
Nobody wants you when you're down and out
That's what I mean, when you're down and out
9/11/10
Bill Sikes
William "Bill" Sikes is a fictional character in the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.
He is one of Dickens's most vicious characters and a very strong force in the novel when it comes to
having control over somebody or harming others. He is portrayed as a rough and barbaric man. He is a
career criminal associated with Fagin, and an eventual murderer. He is very violent and aggressive, prone
to sudden bursts of extreme behaviour. He owns a bull terrier named Bull's Eye, whom he beats until the
dog needs stitches.
Dickens describes his first appearance:
“ The man who growled out these words, was a stoutly-built fellow of about five-and-thirty, in a black
velveteen coat, very soiled drab breeches, lace-up half boots, and grey cotton stockings which enclosed a
bulky pair of legs, with large swelling calves—the kind of legs, which in such costume, always look in an
unfinished and incomplete state without a set of fetters to garnish them. He had a brown hat on his head,
and a dirty belcher handkerchief round his neck: with the long frayed ends of which he smeared the beer
from his face as he spoke. He disclosed, when he had done so, a broad heavy countenance with a beard of
three weeks' growth, and two scowling eyes; one of which displayed various parti-coloured symptoms of
having been recently damaged by a blow.”
He is one of Dickens's most vicious characters and a very strong force in the novel when it comes to
having control over somebody or harming others. He is portrayed as a rough and barbaric man. He is a
career criminal associated with Fagin, and an eventual murderer. He is very violent and aggressive, prone
to sudden bursts of extreme behaviour. He owns a bull terrier named Bull's Eye, whom he beats until the
dog needs stitches.
Dickens describes his first appearance:
“ The man who growled out these words, was a stoutly-built fellow of about five-and-thirty, in a black
velveteen coat, very soiled drab breeches, lace-up half boots, and grey cotton stockings which enclosed a
bulky pair of legs, with large swelling calves—the kind of legs, which in such costume, always look in an
unfinished and incomplete state without a set of fetters to garnish them. He had a brown hat on his head,
and a dirty belcher handkerchief round his neck: with the long frayed ends of which he smeared the beer
from his face as he spoke. He disclosed, when he had done so, a broad heavy countenance with a beard of
three weeks' growth, and two scowling eyes; one of which displayed various parti-coloured symptoms of
having been recently damaged by a blow.”
—Pages 198–199 of the second edition[1]
His prostitute girlfriend Nancy tolerates his violent and lawless behaviour, perhaps because she, being a
thief since the age of six, needs stability in her life, and because she believes that she loves him.
When Sikes murders Nancy, thinking she has betrayed him, a mob hounds him through the streets of London
until he accidentally hangs himself while trying to escape. The murder is especially gruesome, and is one
of the most graphic, frightening, scenes Dickens ever wrote.
Sikes has almost no redeeming qualities, although Dickens does give him some shading: at the robbery in
the countryside, Sikes, rather than leave Oliver at the scene of his botched burglary of Rose Maylie's
house, picks him up and runs with him as far as he can. This, however, was as much for his own
self-preservation, as he eventually does abandon the seriously wounded boy and shows absolutely no
remorse about doing so. After he brutally beats Nancy to death, he apparently is capable of feeling
guilt—although this is essentially suspicion that Fagin lied to him about her betrayal, and fear of the
possibility of being caught. Sikes lives in Bethnal Green and later moves to the squalid rookery area of
London then called Jacob's Island, east of present-day Shad Thames.
His prostitute girlfriend Nancy tolerates his violent and lawless behaviour, perhaps because she, being a
thief since the age of six, needs stability in her life, and because she believes that she loves him.
When Sikes murders Nancy, thinking she has betrayed him, a mob hounds him through the streets of London
until he accidentally hangs himself while trying to escape. The murder is especially gruesome, and is one
of the most graphic, frightening, scenes Dickens ever wrote.
Sikes has almost no redeeming qualities, although Dickens does give him some shading: at the robbery in
the countryside, Sikes, rather than leave Oliver at the scene of his botched burglary of Rose Maylie's
house, picks him up and runs with him as far as he can. This, however, was as much for his own
self-preservation, as he eventually does abandon the seriously wounded boy and shows absolutely no
remorse about doing so. After he brutally beats Nancy to death, he apparently is capable of feeling
guilt—although this is essentially suspicion that Fagin lied to him about her betrayal, and fear of the
possibility of being caught. Sikes lives in Bethnal Green and later moves to the squalid rookery area of
London then called Jacob's Island, east of present-day Shad Thames.
9/10/10
9/7/10
Maytree » Invisible Chains
Maytree » Invisible Chains
***NEW*** ENSLAVED AND EXPLOITED: The Story of Sex Trafficking in Canada from Hope for the Sold on Vimeo.
***NEW*** ENSLAVED AND EXPLOITED: The Story of Sex Trafficking in Canada from Hope for the Sold on Vimeo.
“Just outside Toronto, a 14-year old Canadian girl was auctioned on the internet for men to purchase by the hour. A young woman was taken by slave traders from an African war zone to Edmonton to earn greater profits by exploiting her in prostitution. A gang called Wolfpack recruited teenagers in Quebec and sold them for sex to high-profile men in the community.
The global problem of human trafficking is only beginning to be recognized in Canada, even though it has been hidden in plain sight. In Invisible Chains, Benjamin Perrin, an award-winning law professor and policy expert, exposes cases of human trafficking, recording in-depth interviews with people on the front lines – police officers, social workers, and the victims themselves – and bringing to light government records released under access-to-information laws.”
8/18/10
Non-Profit Societies
Mission
The mission of a charity is to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, treat the addicted and provide free medical and dental care to the poor with respect for the human dignity of each individual.
The mission of a charity is to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, treat the addicted and provide free medical and dental care to the poor with respect for the human dignity of each individual.
What is Life?
What is Life?
It is the flash of a firefly in the night.
It is the breath of a buffalo in the winter time.
It is the little shadow which runs across the grass
and loses itself in the Sunset."
~Crowfoot on his deathbed, 1891
7/13/10
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
"Nothing is more seductive for man than his freedom of conscience. But nothing is a greater source of suffering."
6/16/10
Murder
Human male skull with large caliber bullet wound to head. European male, 25 years of age, modern specimen, North America. Cast by us from an original skull that is in a North American medical school forensic osteology teaching collection. The appearance of projectile damage to bone is crucial to the differentiation of "entrance" and "exit" wounds. Typically, as a projectile like a bullet passes through a plate of bone (like that of the neurocranium), fragments of the bone follow. As such, there is a characteristic beveling (or open fanning) of the bone in the direction of projectile motion. Although not adequately visualized on the entrance wound of this specimen (without removing the calvarium), this phenomenon is beautifully illustrated in the exit wound of the left lateral occipital bone. Note also the radiating simple linear fracture which progresses obliquely and laterally away from the exit wound. Interestingly, the left orbital plate is not intact. This is important to recognize and consider for two reasons. Firstly, damage to bones in this region may be due to direct contact with the bullet, or the forces of gases expelled from the muzzle of a gun in hard contact with the head. Secondly, it may not be due to these factors at all, and may represent the violent secondary contact of the frontal lobes of the brain, thrust against this bony ridge when the brain is expanded and compressed by forces created with the rapid passage of a projectile through brain tissue. Our Bone Clones® forensic skull captures all the osteological and forensic details of the original.
For an analysis report (PDF format), a copy of which will be sent with the purchase of this specimen, go to BC-152-Report. Should you have questions or comments regarding the report, please contact us at reports@boneclones.com.
Human Male Skull with a 32-caliber Gunshot Wound
6/10/10
quotes
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting
our aim too low, and achieving our mark.
N. Hill
Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.
Benjamin Franklin
An artist is an explorer. He has to begin by self-discovery and by observation of his own procedure.
After that he must not feel under any constraint.
Henri Matisse
For the creative soul cannot survive on past accomplishments, and so each day the artist must go forth
and face his fears and embrace the unknown.
Robert Rosenstein
If art was defined simply by the ability to draw, then my inkjet printer would be a greater artist than
Michelangelo
~Curtis Verdun
The world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation. The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.
He who wants milk should not sit himself in the middle of a pasture waiting for a cow to back up to him.
Anon
Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself. Being true to anyone else or anything
else is not only impossible, but the mark of a fake messiah.
Richard Bach
Live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds.
Ray Bradbury
An artist can show things that other people are terrified of expressing.
Louise Bourgeois
If art was defined simply by the ability to draw, then my inkjet printer would be a greater artist than
Michelangelo.
Curtis Verdun
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
To fake it is to stand guard over emptiness.
Arthur Herzog
our aim too low, and achieving our mark.
N. Hill
Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.
Benjamin Franklin
An artist is an explorer. He has to begin by self-discovery and by observation of his own procedure.
After that he must not feel under any constraint.
Henri Matisse
For the creative soul cannot survive on past accomplishments, and so each day the artist must go forth
and face his fears and embrace the unknown.
Robert Rosenstein
If art was defined simply by the ability to draw, then my inkjet printer would be a greater artist than
Michelangelo
~Curtis Verdun
The world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation. The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.
He who wants milk should not sit himself in the middle of a pasture waiting for a cow to back up to him.
Anon
Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself. Being true to anyone else or anything
else is not only impossible, but the mark of a fake messiah.
Richard Bach
Live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds.
Ray Bradbury
An artist can show things that other people are terrified of expressing.
Louise Bourgeois
If art was defined simply by the ability to draw, then my inkjet printer would be a greater artist than
Michelangelo.
Curtis Verdun
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
To fake it is to stand guard over emptiness.
Arthur Herzog
A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.
Joseph Campbell
No road is too long for him who advances slowly and does not hurry, and no attainment is beyond his reach who equips himself with patience to achieve it
Jean de La Bruyer
My eyes were made to erase all that is ugly.
Raoul Dufy
A man’s worth is no greater than the worth of his ambition.
Marcus Aurelius
Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures.
H. Jackson Brown
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
Douglas Adams
I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self.
Aristotle
A dream without a plan is just a dream. A dream with a plan may become a reality.
Hap Hagood
I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.
Diane Ackerman
The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.
Sylvia Plath
Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes… but no plans.
Peter Drucker
I cannot expect even my own art to provide all the answers – only to hope it keeps asking the right questions.
Grace Hartigan
Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.
Elbert Hubbard
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
Dale Carnegie
Master yourself, then you can master your world. Man is manacled only by himself; thought and action are the jailers of Fate.
James Allen
Joseph Campbell
No road is too long for him who advances slowly and does not hurry, and no attainment is beyond his reach who equips himself with patience to achieve it
Jean de La Bruyer
My eyes were made to erase all that is ugly.
Raoul Dufy
A man’s worth is no greater than the worth of his ambition.
Marcus Aurelius
Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures.
H. Jackson Brown
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
Douglas Adams
I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self.
Aristotle
A dream without a plan is just a dream. A dream with a plan may become a reality.
Hap Hagood
I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.
Diane Ackerman
The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.
Sylvia Plath
Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes… but no plans.
Peter Drucker
I cannot expect even my own art to provide all the answers – only to hope it keeps asking the right questions.
Grace Hartigan
Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.
Elbert Hubbard
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
Dale Carnegie
Master yourself, then you can master your world. Man is manacled only by himself; thought and action are the jailers of Fate.
James Allen
6/8/10
John Kasaona: How poachers became caretakers | Video on TED.com
John Kasaona: How poachers became caretakers | Video on TED.com
John Kasaona is a leader in the drive to reinvent conservation in Namibia.
As the assistant director for the Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) , Kasaona works on ways to improve the lives of rural people in Namibia by involving them in the management of the lands they live on -- and the species that live there with them.
Essentially, it's about restoring the balance of land and people to that of pre-colonial times, and allowing the people with the most interest in the survival of their environment to have control of it.
His work was featured in the recent film Milking the Rhino.
John Kasaona is a leader in the drive to reinvent conservation in Namibia.
As the assistant director for the Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) , Kasaona works on ways to improve the lives of rural people in Namibia by involving them in the management of the lands they live on -- and the species that live there with them.
Essentially, it's about restoring the balance of land and people to that of pre-colonial times, and allowing the people with the most interest in the survival of their environment to have control of it.
His work was featured in the recent film Milking the Rhino.
5/2/10
4/1/10
3/27/10
Heros
Heroes are people who improve the quality of life for all
by Burr Williams
Midland Reporter-Telegram
Published: Friday, March 26, 2010 8:12 PM CDT
One person CAN make a difference. Matt Hanson started the Downtown Midland Farmers Market a couple years ago.
Such an endeavor adds to the quality of life for Midlanders. During the growing season, between 200 and 300
people come by on each of the every-Saturday events. Matt also has arranged to use the yard behind the yellow
house at the Scarborough-Lineberry Historical House as a community garden (which will have spaces available by
the end of May for vegetable gardening enthusiasts to have their own plot.) Now, in conjunction with Oglalla
Commons, a community-building non-profit agency based out of Nazareth, Matt is the driving force behind the
"Local Foods Conference" next Monday and Tuesday.
On the evening of Monday the 29th, at the Sibley Nature Center, a get-to-know everybody "soiree" will begin at
7 p.m. The cost is $10. The conference the next day will be at the Atmos building just west of the Midland
International Airport. The cost is $35. To register and pay online, go to www.ogallalacommons.org, click on
"Events," then click Rebuilding Locals Food Systems.
Among the local folks present will be Dave and Marta Beard, beekeepers, and Bunny Leavitt, bread maker and
flour miller. Susan Leibrock, the Community Relations director of the Sustainable Food Center in Austin and a
Midland native, is the featured speaker at the soiree. Upon graduating from the University of Texas at Austin
with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Leibrock lived in New York City for seven years, working in both
the restaurant industry and for five years at the flagship office of J. Walter Thompson (JWT), the global
advertising agency. She realized as she researched supermarket industry trends that she wanted to help solve
the issues surrounding food marketing in the U.S. Leibrock attended the French Culinary Institute and read
many books on local food systems and sustainable agriculture before returning to Austin in summer '07 and was
hired at the Sustainable Food Center.
The Farmers Market gives local growers direct access to urban residents in demand of freshly harvested
produce. In the future, with programs such as farm-to-cafeteria, farm-to-school and farm-to-work, local
farmers can connect with hospitals, universities, schools, and worksites to provide fresh produce and
strengthen the local economy. A Farmer's Market affects positive change by involving farmers and consumers in
a broad effort to promote reliable and nourishing local food sources while helping to sustain our environment.
The market increases weekend traffic to the downtown area and builds a sense of community.
Author Wendell Berry is one of the "grandfathers" of the "Local Foods movement." He neatly summarizes why it
is important: "Eating ends the annual drama of the food economy that begins with planting. Most 'eaters' in
America, however, are no longer aware that this is true. They do not think of themselves as participants in
agriculture. They think of themselves as 'consumers.' They buy what they want -- or what they have been
persuaded to want -- within the limits of what they can get. They pay, mostly without protest, what they are
charged. And they mostly ignore certain critical questions about the quality and the cost of what they are
sold: How fresh is it? How pure or clean is it, how free of dangerous chemicals? How far was it transported,
and what did transportation add to the cost? How much did manufacturing or packaging or advertising add to the
cost? When the food product has been manufactured or 'processed' or 'precooked' how has that affected its
quality or price or nutritional value? In the food industry -- as in any other industry -- the overriding
concerns are not quality and health, but volume and price. For decades now the entire industrial food economy,
from the large farms and feedlots to the chains of supermarkets and fast-food restaurants has been obsessed
with volume. It has relentlessly increased scale in order to increase volume in order (probably) to reduce
costs. But as scale increases, diversity declines; as diversity declines, so does health; as health declines,
the dependence on drugs and chemicals necessarily increases."
Folks who contribute to the "quality of life" of their town are heroes of mine. Their importance far exceeds
that of any Hollywood star, rock star or pro sports figure. Come to the soiree and seminar and become involved
in improving the quality of life in Midland.
Read more: http://www.mywesttexas.com/articles/2010/03/27/news/opinion/columns/burr_williams/burr_williams.
Nathaniel's Story
: Violinist
Violinist Robert Gupta joined the LA Philharmonic iat the age of 19 -- and maintains a passionate parallel interest in neurobiology and mental health issues. He's a 2010 TED Fellow.
.Why you should listen to him: .Violinist Robert Vijay Gupta joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the age of 19. He made his solo debut, at age 11, with the Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta. He's got a master's in music from Yale. But his undergraduate degree? Pre-med. As an undergrad, Gupta was part of several research projects in neuro- and neurodegenerative biology. He held Research Assistant positions at CUNY Hunter College in New York City, where he worked on spinal cord neuronal regeneration, and at the Harvard Institutes of Medicine Center for Neurologic Diseases, where he studied the biochemical pathology of Parkinson's disease.
Gupta is passionate about education and outreach, both as a musician and as an activist for mental health issues. He has the privilege of working with Nathaniel Ayers, the brilliant, schizophrenic musician featured in "The Soloist," as his violin teacher.
Violinist Robert Gupta joined the LA Philharmonic iat the age of 19 -- and maintains a passionate parallel interest in neurobiology and mental health issues. He's a 2010 TED Fellow.
.Why you should listen to him: .Violinist Robert Vijay Gupta joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the age of 19. He made his solo debut, at age 11, with the Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta. He's got a master's in music from Yale. But his undergraduate degree? Pre-med. As an undergrad, Gupta was part of several research projects in neuro- and neurodegenerative biology. He held Research Assistant positions at CUNY Hunter College in New York City, where he worked on spinal cord neuronal regeneration, and at the Harvard Institutes of Medicine Center for Neurologic Diseases, where he studied the biochemical pathology of Parkinson's disease.
Gupta is passionate about education and outreach, both as a musician and as an activist for mental health issues. He has the privilege of working with Nathaniel Ayers, the brilliant, schizophrenic musician featured in "The Soloist," as his violin teacher.
3/24/10
Gwynne Dyer
Gwynne Dyer: The lawless Roman Catholic Church
By Gwynne Dyer
Publish Date: March 23, 2010
The Biblical formula “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” is generally taken to mean that people should recognize the authority of the state in secular matters, but that is not necessarily what Jesus meant by it. It is certainly not the current practice of the Roman Catholic Church, although the rule in modern democracies is very clear: the law applies equally to everyone, even priests.
It’s more than two decades since evidence of widespread sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic clergy began to surface in the United States, Canada, and Ireland, and still the revelations continue. A “tsunami” of allegations of child abuse in Catholic schools and orphanages is spreading from Ireland across the rest of Europe, and at the same time the extent of the coverup is becoming clearer. Even the Pope may have been involved.
The priests who abused and raped the children were individuals, and such people exist in other walks of life too. But the decision to cover up their crimes was a greater crime, for it was made by men whose main concern was protecting the reputation of the large organization which they served, the Catholic Church. They were able to act as they did only because they genuinely believed, and still believe, that the Church is above the law.
No other organization makes this claim. Consider, for example, what would have happened if any other large organization had discovered that some of its members were exploiting their positions and their power to have sexual relations with children.
The organization in question might be a welfare department, or a boarding school, or a longterm care centre for severely handicapped children; it could be in the U.S., or Chile, or France. It makes no difference; the response would be the same.
The people in charge would immediately suspend the individual against whom the accusation has been made, so that he or she has no further contact with children until the matter has been fully investigated. If there was any actual sexual contact, they would immediately report it to the police, because that is a criminal offence. Not to report it would be a criminal offence on the part of the managers, and they could go to jail for it.
Well, a lot of child sexual abuse has been going on in the Catholic Church, and offences of this sort have been coming to the attention of the abusers’ superiors on a quite frequent basis for decades now. What did they do about it?
They hushed it up. They tried to swear the child victims and their parents to silence, exploiting their loyalty to the Church. They moved the pedophile priests to other schools or institutions where they generally still had contact with children, perhaps after some perfunctory “therapy”, perhaps not. And they didn’t report them to the police.
A few of the worst offending priests did go to jail in the end, but that was usually because those cases got beyond the Church’s ability to control. And no bishop, cardinal, or pope ever went to prison for his part in this massive coverup of grave crimes.
This is the really shocking thing about this scandal: not the evil actions of some priests, not even the fact that the Church was more concerned to protect those men than their victims, but the sheer contempt for “secular” law that permeates the entire Catholic hierarchy.
At a relatively low level, you can see it in the ignorant remarks of Monsignor Maurice Dooley, one of Ireland’s leading experts in canon law, who explained to Irish radio last week why priests did not have to report child abuse to the police. “Priests are not auxiliary policemen,” he said. “They do not have an obligation to go down to the police.” But they do: they are Irish citizens, and that is the law in Ireland.
Even Pope Benedict XVI doesn’t get it. In fact, he especially doesn’t get it. In 2001, when he was still known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and serving as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he sent a letter to Catholic bishops around the world instructing them to report all abuse cases to his office at the Vatican for confidential handling.
This was taken by most bishops as meaning that they should NOT report abuse cases to the police. Vatican sources now claim that that’s not what Ratzinger really meant by his letter, but they would say that now, wouldn’t they? His more recent statements and writings as pope certainly suggest that he still doesn’t understand that bishops and even cardinals must obey the laws of the country they live in.
As a head of state, Pope Benedict XVI is now truly above the law, so he need not fear the policeman’s knock at the door. But there are still many priests who committed horrendous crimes but have been protected by the Church. There are also a good many bishops who should face trial for covering up those crimes, but it will never happen. A dog-collar is as good as a get-out-of-jail-free card.
Gwynne Dyer is a London-based independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source URL: http://www.straight.com/article-299205/vancouver/gwynne-dyer-lawless-roman-catholic-church
By Gwynne Dyer
Publish Date: March 23, 2010
The Biblical formula “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” is generally taken to mean that people should recognize the authority of the state in secular matters, but that is not necessarily what Jesus meant by it. It is certainly not the current practice of the Roman Catholic Church, although the rule in modern democracies is very clear: the law applies equally to everyone, even priests.
It’s more than two decades since evidence of widespread sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic clergy began to surface in the United States, Canada, and Ireland, and still the revelations continue. A “tsunami” of allegations of child abuse in Catholic schools and orphanages is spreading from Ireland across the rest of Europe, and at the same time the extent of the coverup is becoming clearer. Even the Pope may have been involved.
The priests who abused and raped the children were individuals, and such people exist in other walks of life too. But the decision to cover up their crimes was a greater crime, for it was made by men whose main concern was protecting the reputation of the large organization which they served, the Catholic Church. They were able to act as they did only because they genuinely believed, and still believe, that the Church is above the law.
No other organization makes this claim. Consider, for example, what would have happened if any other large organization had discovered that some of its members were exploiting their positions and their power to have sexual relations with children.
The organization in question might be a welfare department, or a boarding school, or a longterm care centre for severely handicapped children; it could be in the U.S., or Chile, or France. It makes no difference; the response would be the same.
The people in charge would immediately suspend the individual against whom the accusation has been made, so that he or she has no further contact with children until the matter has been fully investigated. If there was any actual sexual contact, they would immediately report it to the police, because that is a criminal offence. Not to report it would be a criminal offence on the part of the managers, and they could go to jail for it.
Well, a lot of child sexual abuse has been going on in the Catholic Church, and offences of this sort have been coming to the attention of the abusers’ superiors on a quite frequent basis for decades now. What did they do about it?
They hushed it up. They tried to swear the child victims and their parents to silence, exploiting their loyalty to the Church. They moved the pedophile priests to other schools or institutions where they generally still had contact with children, perhaps after some perfunctory “therapy”, perhaps not. And they didn’t report them to the police.
A few of the worst offending priests did go to jail in the end, but that was usually because those cases got beyond the Church’s ability to control. And no bishop, cardinal, or pope ever went to prison for his part in this massive coverup of grave crimes.
This is the really shocking thing about this scandal: not the evil actions of some priests, not even the fact that the Church was more concerned to protect those men than their victims, but the sheer contempt for “secular” law that permeates the entire Catholic hierarchy.
At a relatively low level, you can see it in the ignorant remarks of Monsignor Maurice Dooley, one of Ireland’s leading experts in canon law, who explained to Irish radio last week why priests did not have to report child abuse to the police. “Priests are not auxiliary policemen,” he said. “They do not have an obligation to go down to the police.” But they do: they are Irish citizens, and that is the law in Ireland.
Even Pope Benedict XVI doesn’t get it. In fact, he especially doesn’t get it. In 2001, when he was still known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and serving as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he sent a letter to Catholic bishops around the world instructing them to report all abuse cases to his office at the Vatican for confidential handling.
This was taken by most bishops as meaning that they should NOT report abuse cases to the police. Vatican sources now claim that that’s not what Ratzinger really meant by his letter, but they would say that now, wouldn’t they? His more recent statements and writings as pope certainly suggest that he still doesn’t understand that bishops and even cardinals must obey the laws of the country they live in.
As a head of state, Pope Benedict XVI is now truly above the law, so he need not fear the policeman’s knock at the door. But there are still many priests who committed horrendous crimes but have been protected by the Church. There are also a good many bishops who should face trial for covering up those crimes, but it will never happen. A dog-collar is as good as a get-out-of-jail-free card.
Gwynne Dyer is a London-based independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source URL: http://www.straight.com/article-299205/vancouver/gwynne-dyer-lawless-roman-catholic-church
3/22/10
3/15/10
Bible Verse: Peter 1, 5-8
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
3/9/10
3/4/10
Freedom from the Prison of Your Habits #2: Identifying Habits | A Flourishing Life
Freedom from the Prison of Your Habits #2: Identifying Habits | A Flourishing Life: "“Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn. The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and prejudices and the acceptance of love back in our hearts.”
Marianne Williamson"
Marianne Williamson"
How to Meditate | A Flourishing Life
How to Meditate | A Flourishing Life: "“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. “Henry Miller"
3/2/10
Profiting From Recession, Payday Lenders Spend Big To Fight Regulation
The influential $42 billion-a-year payday lending industry, thriving from a surge in emergency loans to people struggling through the recession, is pouring record sums into lobbying, campaign contributions, and public relations - and getting results.
As the Senate prepares to take up financial reform, lobbyists are working to exempt companies that make short-term cash loans from proposed new federal regulations and policing. In state capitals around the country, payday companies have been fighting some 100 pieces of legislation aimed at safeguarding borrowers from high interest rates and from falling into excessive debt.
Last year, as the U.S. House drew up a financial reform bill, some lawmakers who were courted by the companies and received campaign contributions from them helped crush amendments seeking to restrict payday practices, a review by the Huffington Post Investigative Fund has found.
The failed amendments would have capped payday interest rates - which reach triple digits on an annualized basis -- and would have limited the number of loans a lender could make to a customer. Working largely behind the scenes, the industry ended up dividing the Democratic majority on the 71-member House Financial Services Committee.
Payroll Loans
GRAPHIC: Paying for Influence »
Over the last decade, lenders specializing in short-term loans, along with company executives and others associated with them, have spent millions of dollars to win influence in Congress, according to an analysis of campaign finance data and lobbying records.
Source:
Huffington Post-Keith Epstein First Posted: 03- 2-10
Over the last decade, lenders specializing in short-term loans, along with company executives and others associated with them, have spent millions of dollars to win influence in Congress, according to an analysis of campaign finance data and lobbying records.
Source:
Huffington Post-Keith Epstein First Posted: 03- 2-10
2/19/10
Soon to be a Saint.
What does it take to be declared a saint?
1. Investigation: A postulator (advocate) examines the nominee's life, writings, and religious acts. That evidence is presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, a special panel of theologians and cardinals. If the case has merit, they are declared "venerable" — a role model of Catholic virtue.
2. Beatification: The Congregation for the Causes of Saints must verify a miracle before beatification. Miracles are considered as extraordinary events produced by God, acting through others and verified by witnesses.
3. Canonization: The Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints must be presented with evidence of a second posthumous miracle.
Brother André will be canonized officially at the Vatican by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 17. (St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal)
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/02/19/montreal-saint-andre.html#ixzz0g362S9xS from Montreal, Father Andre to be declared a Saint.
1. Investigation: A postulator (advocate) examines the nominee's life, writings, and religious acts. That evidence is presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, a special panel of theologians and cardinals. If the case has merit, they are declared "venerable" — a role model of Catholic virtue.
2. Beatification: The Congregation for the Causes of Saints must verify a miracle before beatification. Miracles are considered as extraordinary events produced by God, acting through others and verified by witnesses.
3. Canonization: The Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints must be presented with evidence of a second posthumous miracle.
Brother André will be canonized officially at the Vatican by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 17. (St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal)Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/02/19/montreal-saint-andre.html#ixzz0g362S9xS from Montreal, Father Andre to be declared a Saint.
Sainthood
What does it take to be declared a saint?
1. Investigation: A postulator (advocate) examines the nominee's life, writings, and religious acts. That evidence is presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, a special panel of theologians and cardinals. If the case has merit, they are declared "venerable" — a role model of Catholic virtue.
2. Beatification: The Congregation for the Causes of Saints must verify a miracle before beatification. Miracles are considered as extraordinary events produced by God, acting through others and verified by witnesses.
3. Canonization: The Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints must be presented with evidence of a second posthumous miracle.
After joining the Holy Cross Congregation in
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/02/19/montreal-saint-andre.html#ixzz0g2oFK09F
1. Investigation: A postulator (advocate) examines the nominee's life, writings, and religious acts. That evidence is presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, a special panel of theologians and cardinals. If the case has merit, they are declared "venerable" — a role model of Catholic virtue.
2. Beatification: The Congregation for the Causes of Saints must verify a miracle before beatification. Miracles are considered as extraordinary events produced by God, acting through others and verified by witnesses.
3. Canonization: The Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints must be presented with evidence of a second posthumous miracle.
After joining the Holy Cross Congregation in
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/02/19/montreal-saint-andre.html#ixzz0g2oFK09F
2/18/10
2/9/10
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