[FairfieldLife] Re: Nabby will like this one
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: http://www.chakranews.com/sathya-sai-controversies-and-the-art-of-guru-bashing/1221 Sounds remarkably like some at FFL, doesn't it? The bottom line is that nothing critical ever said about a guru can ever be possible. It's all made up by People With Agendas (otherwise known in psychology as the ubiquitous they who are always persecuting the paranoid). Pure, paranoid elitism. What I consider much bigger and more interesting questions are, What is the nature of guru worship in the first place? What makes it 'tick'? I find the same answer to both questions: elitism. The bottom line of guru-worship is Some people are better than others. The corollary is, Because I am special enough and discerning enough to have found a 'real' guru, that makes me better than others, too. I don't buy it. Like Curtis, I have studied the theater of spiritual practice, and know that about 95% of what all seekers in history have felt from their gurus was projected there, as the result of falling for cer- tain verbal and visual cues (not to mention the occas- ional parlor magic trick) that were intentionally designed to inspire not only devotion, but unquestion- ing devotion. And that's fine (I guess) if you get off on such things. Some people do. Me, not so much. Thus at this point in my life I doubt that I would ever again swing behind studying with a teacher. Hanging out with a friend, someone who has learned more things about certain sub- jects than I have, no problem. But the key there is the word friend. There is not a popsicle's chance in hell that I'd ever be interested in anyone who felt the need to surround themselves with the pomp, circumstance, and bad theater of, say, a Maharishi or a Rama or a Sai Baba or an Amma, or most traditional teachers. They, as I think Vaj pointed out about Amma, are about recreating (or, probably more accurately, simulating) the mythic stories of spiritual teachers from the past. I'm just not into the past. I don't think it has all that much to teach us, other than lessons learned from the history of it all. I don't buy that people in the so-called Vedic era knew more than we do. I don't buy that the things they wrote down in books were some- how cognized or dictated by God. The guys and gals of the past were IMO just guys and gals. Their opinions may be interesting from a voyeuristic historical point of view, but that's what they were, opinions. IMO there ain't an ounce of Truth in their dead words on dead pages (or anywhere else for that matter), so I'm just not into reading them endlessly trying to project some kind of meaning into them that may or may not be there. I'm into the tantra of daily life. I am not wowed by miracles (having seen many of them), nor by shakti (having experienced a lot of it). To me these are cheap thrills that are pleasant enough at the time but don't do much for a seeker in the long run IMO. The lasting stuff comes IMO from one's *own* meditations and exper- iences, not from the latest traveling guru show. I *understand* that some are sold out to this notion that some people are better than they are, and that the only way they can achieve this betterness them- selves is to glom onto someone who they believe has it and do everything they say. And I *understand* that there is a great comfort in abdicating the responsibility for one's own spiritual advancement like this, and turning it over to someone else. It's just that I don't groove that way. I'm more of a spiritual DIY-er. I walk my own path, and don't particularly feel that I need a guide to tell me where it leads. I don't *care* where it leads. My path is goal-less; I walk it because the walking is fun, and almost always entertaining. All of this said, I have no problem with others glomming onto whatever spiritual teachers they want, for whatever reasons they tell themselves and others they do it. Have fun, and I wish you a fine ride. But don't come around assigning nefarious motives to me if I criticize those teachers. That's just cult paranoia, and makes *you* look stupid. There was no organized anti Sai movement, just as there was never any organized anti TM movement. It was (and is) a few individuals who have opinions, and state them publicly. Trying to make them into something more is just one more ego-bound exercise in cult paranoia and self importance IMO.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Nabby will like this one
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: http://www.chakranews.com/sathya-sai-controversies-and-the-art-of-guru-b\ ashi ng/1221 That's right, and in fact I liked it so much that I copied the article here: Monday, April 25th, 2011 | Posted by Editor http://www.chakranews.com/author/romikaSathya Sai Controversies and the Art of Guru Bashing [Spiritual Guru - Sathya Sai Baba] http://www.chakranews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Spiritual-Guru-Sat\ hya-Sai-Baba.jpg Spiritual Guru - Sathya Sai Baba By Raj Sharma It is not uncommon now that for many Gurus, Rishis or Seers who have emerged from India, there has always been an unprecedented number of vicious attacks launched on them. These have come in the guise of slander, misquotes, false allegations and myriad smear campaigns. Moreover it is interesting to note that most of these attackers often turn out to be either individuals who have been suffering from dysfunctional complexes or personality disorders, or pseudo spiritualists, fundamentalists and Christian missionaries working at religions conversion of Hindus, or self-appointed- rationalist experts with highly opinionated, insular theories or dishonest television reporters and interviewers sensationalizing and tarnishing the image of Hinduism and Hindu Gurus, keeping with the trend of unprofessional, ignorant reporting and the highly biased- `paid news syndrome'. No doubt there have been many isolated cases in history where certain imposters and charlatans have deceived people parading in the garb of self- realized yogis. However to use such cases to generalize on all Hindu gurus is akin to defaming all doctors and the whole medical profession for the malpractices of a few. Such an attitude thus does not only reek of flawed human reasoning but also exposes an irrational bias towards Hinduism as a whole and a long- standing socio- political agenda of a malicious nature and intent to debase India's sacred culture and tradition. Let us start with the historical case of Swami Vivekananda the great philosopher teacher. When Vivekananda went to Chicago in 1893 to speak at the parliament of the world's religions, he was ridiculed by members of other faiths. This was not because of what he said, but because of everyone's lack of knowledge of Hinduism and their preconceptions of a faith based in mythology with worshiping of animals and nature. After this there were many attempts to defame Vivekananda by the church during his maiden US voyage because of his mass appeal, displaying that the anti-Hindu guru stance was taken by many over 100 years ago. This approach was also accepted by many and not challenged. Let us also take the current case with Sathya Sai Baba. Many have heard of him as the guru or Avatar who had performed untold miracles from childhood. Indeed we would find millions who have seen or benefited from his miracles throughout the world. Yet there has been a constant sinister smear campaign to malign his name and mission in the media. Over 90% of anti Sai allegations can be attributed to Tal Brook (Robert Taliaferro Brooke), who was often seen at Sai Baba's ashram in the 1970s. He proclaimed he was Sai Baba's number one western follower. He started the sexual allegations campaign, which initiated from him talking to an unidentified man Surya Das who was told by another unidentified man `Patrick' who had apparently had physical relations with Sai Baba. No one else has met these individuals. Why did Tal Brooke go to India? He stated that spirit guides, and belief in psychic stuff brought him to India and to Sai Baba. Why did he suddenly stop his pro Sai Baba work whilst at the Ashram titled The Amazing Advent? Which incidentally Sai Baba refused to bless. Why did he leave the ashram circulate his anti Sai Baba rumours soon afterwards? Because he stated he had demonic encounters, hearing voices of spirits, out of body experiences, but acknowledged that Sai Baba had Christ like powers that baffled top scientists. In 1976 Tal Brook published an anti Sai book titled Lord of the Air*. In the book and in subsequent years he has attacked Sai Baba Hinduism, suggesting that enlightenment is an evil path to Satan and that God-Men and Gurus are in a state of perfect demonic possession. He believes that Sai Baba embodies a timeless, demonic presence. What does this say about the integrity and objectivity of his claims against Sai Baba? What is also missing is the story of his constant high usage of drugs while at university India, and his drug induced hallucinations of being self-realized. Other Americans recognised him as a fanatic Christian at the ashram, which is contrary to his claim of becoming a Christian post Sai Baba. He was a member of the Neo-American Church founded by Arthur Kleps (a follower of LSD guru Timothy Leary). Kleps was alleged to be anti-Semitic by the Dutch police who expelled him from Holland. Tal Brooke has denounced Hollywood as being
[FairfieldLife] Re: Sai Baba, R.I.P. April 24-th, 2011
Hey Joe I thought you like Curtis indulged in TM pedopharnelia only in the mornings. Looks like it's turning out to be a big addiction for you :-( --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Joe geezerfreak@... wrote: I imagine his kumkum covered lingam was one of the first to go... --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Yifu yifuxero@ wrote: Multiple organ failure. Dead, thank God! http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=125975
[FairfieldLife] Re: Nabby will like this one
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@ wrote: http://www.chakranews.com/sathya-sai-controversies-and-the-art-of-guru-b\ ashing/1221 Sounds remarkably like some at FFL, doesn't it? The bottom line is that nothing critical ever said about a guru can ever be possible. It's all made up by People With Agendas (otherwise known in psychology as the ubiquitous they who are always persecuting the paranoid). Pure, paranoid elitism. What I consider much bigger and more interesting questions are, What is the nature of guru worship in the first place? What makes it 'tick'? Guru worship is for cultists like you who don't realize the role of a Guru which leads to cult burnout leading to diseases like Small Penis Disorder and then you spend the rest of your life dabbling in Guru pedopharnelia. I have never hesitated in mocking Guru worshiping cultists like YOU at Ammachi. I'm PRO Guru but don't indulge in any Guru worshipping. Nor will I end up like you, a pathetic miserable old man who has to resort to lies and deception on Gurus. This attitude is because of *your cultist* behavior and a *gross misunderstanding* on the role of a spiritual Guru. I call it - Paranoid Guru Pedopharlenism Barry Wright: From Cultist to Paranoid Guru Pedopharnelism sounds like a nice title for your biography. I have always admired your writings skills - Hope you take the proposed name as my humble offering. I find the same answer to both questions: elitism. The bottom line of guru-worship is Some people are better than others. The corollary is, Because I am special enough and discerning enough to have found a 'real' guru, that makes me better than others, too. This is why you got in to spirituality so you could feel better than others. Spirituality is not about feeling special, in fact communism can exist only in spirituality. Equality is not possible in the outer world, it is only possible in the inner world, everyone can be one with the essence and that *includes* you. I don't buy it. Like Curtis, I have studied the theater of spiritual practice, and know that about 95% of what all seekers in history have felt from their gurus was projected there, as the result of falling for cer- tain verbal and visual cues (not to mention the occas- ional parlor magic trick) that were intentionally designed to inspire not only devotion, but unquestion- ing devotion. You are onto something here. That 95% includes you and Curtis right? Are should we round it off to 96%? When people come to spirituality they come wounded, they come hurt, painful and betrayed by the material world which promised them much happiness. These people usually are more intense than ordinary people who are quite content to band-aid their misery with a 4 hour commute, 50 hour job, a spouse, house and kids. When these people come to spirituality they naturally want to belong, they may indulge in a bit of Guru worship, they are excited - they have new toys. Eastern puja materials, bhajans, kirtans, lots of books to read. But slowly they come to realize that the real principles of spirituality and the role of a Guru. That the real purpose of a Guru is to point to your inner Guru. And that's fine (I guess) if you get off on such things. Some people do. Me, not so much. Thus at this point in my life I doubt that I would ever again swing behind studying with a teacher. Hanging out with a friend, someone who has learned more things about certain sub- jects than I have, no problem. But the key there is the word friend. That is perfectly all right. There is not a popsicle's chance in hell that I'd ever be interested in anyone who felt the need to surround themselves with the pomp, circumstance, and bad theater of, say, a Maharishi or a Rama or a Sai Baba or an Amma, or most traditional teachers. There is always pomp and theater around Gurus, that shouldn't distract a discriminating one. The true goal of a spiritual Guru is to encourage the seeker to be an individual. I'm into the tantra of daily life. I am not wowed by miracles (having seen many of them), nor by shakti (having experienced a lot of it). To me these are cheap thrills that are pleasant enough at the time but don't do much for a seeker in the long run IMO. The lasting stuff comes IMO from one's *own* meditations and exper- iences, not from the latest traveling guru show. You are right, experiences that don't lead to a balance and integration is worthless. Obviously they haven't done a thing to you. You remain quite stunted. I *understand* that some are sold out to this notion that some people are better than they are, and that the only way they can achieve this betterness them- selves is to glom onto someone who they believe has it and do everything they say. And I *understand* that there is a great comfort in abdicating the responsibility for one's own spiritual advancement like
[FairfieldLife] The world would be better if religion were considered a hobby
Like collecting stamps or bottle caps. Or memorizing baseball statistics. Or gardening. Of fixing up old cars and turning them into hot rods. Or bird watching, or trying to read all the books by a certain author. Almost no one would give anyone who did this any grief, or become upset at their hobby. Yeah, we may not be able to get what interests them in their hobby, but hey!, one hobby is as good as another, and we all have hobbies of our own, which by some people's standards are as odd as we think memorizing baseball statistics is. The fact that someone chooses to devote hours to their chosen hobby or become somewhat...uh...fanatical about it doesn't make people around them uptight. The worst that happens is that a few people laugh at the bottle top collectors and they, in most cases, laugh along with them because they understand that their hobby is a tad silly. But call it religion, or spiritual practice, or a path in life, and people on both sides of the equation lose it heavily. The hobbyists assign a certain seriousness to their hobby because it's more *important* to them than just a hobby. And they expect others to *respect* that seriousness. Their hobby becomes something that no one around them is allowed to laugh at or poke fun at, even if their religion is *much* sillier than collecting bottle caps. I think the world would be a much better place if we got rid of all this seriousness crap that has built up around religion or one's choice of a spiritual path. Who fuckin' CARES whether someone spends their time chanting the names of Krishna or praying to God or Allah, as long as they don't make too much of a spectacle of themselves while doing it, or harm other people. It's right up there *on exactly the same level* with collect- ing bottle caps or memorizing baseball statistics in the Why Should I Care What This Guy Does With His Time category. Most of us who view religions *as* a form of hobby would have no problem with this. Interestingly, I think it would be the religionists who'd have a problem with their hobby being considered one. To them it's more than that. It's *important* to them, and they want everyone around them to consider it important, too. And, like the guy at the bar trying to convince every- one how cool collecting bottle tops is, or trying to impress them with his memorized baseball statistics, that's just not gonna happen. :-)
[FairfieldLife] Mata Amritanandamayi speaking about Sai Baba's death
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ94JtK9Ps0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ94JtK9Ps0 There's no translation or subtitles provided with the video. I just know a little Malayalam that I learned during my 18 month stay at Amma's ashram. So I had to listen to it several times to get the translation right. She commented on the sadness of the followers following his demise and she said that he showed the path, he breathed the ideals of the path and he lived the path, the path of love and compassion, he lived as a Mahatma. She asked his followers to not lose heart over his death and just requested them follow his ideals of love and devotion.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Nabby will like this one
and this one? Tuesday, April 19th, 2011 | Posted by Editor http://www.chakranews.com/author/romika Sathya Sai Baba, the Divine Alchemist By Tina Sadhwani [Sathya Sai Baba represented in a portrait - Sai master of the universe] http://www.chakranews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Sathya-Sai-Baba-re\ presented-in-a-portrait-Sai-master-of-the-universe.jpg Sathya Sai Baba represented in a portrait Sai master of the universe It has been said that at every turning point and every great epoch of the earth's existence there has often been one extraordinary being standing at the leading edge of light, unravelling the consciousness in which the transcendent descends into the physical, in which the cosmic pulse of the universe converges to a point, to a singularity that is at once human with its manifested boundaries, as well as suprahuman, displaying its infinite capabilities. Both heaven and earth have collaborated in the sacred alchemy of such a creation and in the divine birth of such an extraordinary being. In the language of the Hindus, such a sacred being is referred to as the Avatar. He is the direct, super-conscious descendent of the same force that shapes the universe and renders it its harmonies and balance. He symbolizes the unity of all existence and the pinnacle of the divine intelligence that is diffused in all things. To many around the world who have experienced him, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, is the living embodiment of such a force and spiritual descent, that unifies all the planes of existence, from the cosmic to the planetary and finally to the individual, guiding humankind to the next stage of evolution, signifying the ultimate transformation and alchemy of Spirit and opening us to the possibilities of a higher dynamism, a higher principle by which we may actualize our own greatest potentials. He therein points us to our own hidden depths for the divinity of which he is an extension is immanent in every one of us. As he says himself that we all are integral parts of the same omnipresent reality in which we are all inseparably connected, from which we all emanate and to which we all return. To recognize that we are vibrations of the same sacred essence however demands a sense of freedom of perception that uplifts us from the narrow precepts of our own mind. .. Moreover, Baba has also brought back the ancient and illuminating wisdom of the Vedic era back into our lives as he reminds us in his own words My love towards the Veda is equalled only by my love towards Humanity Every human being must revere the Vedas. It is the very foundation of life. The welfare of the nation and the prosperity of the world are dependent on the Vedas The Vedas are a means of establishing a link with the Divine.. http://www.chakranews.com/sathya-sai-baba-the-divine-alchemist/1213
[FairfieldLife] Re: About the Amma Cult
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@... wrote: I'm not parroting anything Ravee. It's just what I know from having talked to Rajneesh followers, that's all. So now you are clearly admitting that you don't have any intelligence to experience him for yourself and you are merely parroting what Rajneesh followers have told you. A parrot's a parrot's a parrot. If anyone needs a new comedy routine...dude it's you. Sorry, it ain't workin'...
[FairfieldLife] Re: The world would be better if religion were considered a hobby
In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote: Like collecting stamps turquoise bee http://profiles.yahoo.com/turquoiseb there are few things that walk the line between annoying and entertaining the way pick up lines for girls do. The whole experience of trying to pick up a girl can be intimidating, but as the concept of a pick up line has become a cliché fraught with negative implications and a certain type of activity, it has become even harder for men to approach an attractive woman, but you gave it a new exiting twist.Any idea how to change the phrase
[FairfieldLife] Re: Negative suutras!
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Alex Stanley j_alexander_stanley@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Ravi Yogi raviyogi@ wrote: Also a note of caution - tantra is the refuge of scoundrels engaging in intellectual self deception be because they have the perfect justification for their mindless indulgences. I didn't get involved with Waking Down because I thought it was Tantric and a good excuse for mindless indulgence. I got involved because subconsciously I thought it would be yet another way to transform the I/me story into someone I'm not and never will be. It took a whole year before I figured that out. At that point, it was too late to go back, so I stuck with it. Tantra is supposed to be indulgence with awareness. Which is precisely what I'm doing, naturally and spontaneously, as a result of that awakening 5 years ago. There is no longer any craving for sensual pleasures. There is no overindulgence or excess. I enjoy sensual pleasures in the moment, with awareness, and there is no trying to hold on to the experience as the moment fades. With no unfulfilled expectation of fulfillment, there is no disappointment, thus making the pleasures even more pleasurable. That's great but it didn't come across in your initial message where in one fell swoop you condemned Fairfield, TM and the most of Eastern spirituality as indulging in a projection of a future perfect self. When I see someone using a broad brush to paint their projection on an entire path I'm forced to react. May be you are indeed Tamasic and the path of tantra is for you. I certainly am and one of the overwhelming emotions is guilt. I would mock my ex- that the 3 S's of spirituality were Satsang, Seva and Sadhana and mine were smoke, sleep and sex and I can see that nothing has changed - the 3 S's remain, the guilt is gone.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: About the Amma Cult
On Apr 26, 2011, at 6:29 AM, Ravi Yogi wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@... wrote: I'm not parroting anything Ravee. It's just what I know from having talked to Rajneesh followers, that's all. So now you are clearly admitting that you don't have any intelligence to experience him for yourself and you are merely parroting what Rajneesh followers have told you. A parrot's a parrot's a parrot. Last I heard Ravey, he was dead. You probably are too young to remember when his followers poisoned the people in a town in Oregon using salmonella.
[FairfieldLife] Re: About the Amma Cult
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@... wrote: On Apr 26, 2011, at 6:29 AM, Ravi Yogi wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@ wrote: I'm not parroting anything Ravee. It's just what I know from having talked to Rajneesh followers, that's all. So now you are clearly admitting that you don't have any intelligence to experience him for yourself and you are merely parroting what Rajneesh followers have told you. A parrot's a parrot's a parrot. Last I heard Ravey, he was dead. You probably are too young to remember when his followers poisoned the people in a town in Oregon using salmonella. Yes I have heard it all. So how does that matter? I don't pay too much attention to the accidental and I'm not surprised that there are people who have different problems, they are there everywhere not just at Rajneesh, people who are after power, greedy, cruel, sad, happy, miserable, pathetic, loving, charitable, joyous - surprise, surprise. I certainly see them at Ammachi's, I even meet people at Amma's who criticize Osho - doesn't bother me. His personal life, details are accidental - nothing of significance, they are of interest to people who engage in hero worship rather than worship of the essence. Does that mean he was not enlightened, does that mean I would have joined his cult - no. Does that mean there isn't anything of value that he shared? For someone one who doesn't care for dogma or tradition he presents it just right.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Sai Baba, R.I.P. April 24-th, 2011
Joe: I imagine his kumkum covered lingam was one of the first to go... You seem to have a special interest in other people's sex life, or lack thereof. PRURIENT INTEREST: A morbid, degrading and unhealthy interest in sex, as distinguished from a mere candid interest in sex. http://www.lectlaw.com/def2/p106.htm
[FairfieldLife] Re: The world would be better if religion were considered a hobby
turquoiseb: I think the world would be a much better place if we got rid of all this seriousness crap that has built up around religion or one's choice of a spiritual path... Nihilism: 1. The rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless. 2. Extreme skepticism, according to which nothing in the world has a real existence. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism
[FairfieldLife] Re: The world would be better if religion were considered a hobby
Nihilism: 1. The rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless. 2. Extreme skepticism, according to which nothing in the world has a real existence. Neither of which describes me or what I believe in the least. I do reject the absolute *validity* of any religious or moral principles, in the sense that all of them are merely made up by human beings and thus have nothing of the absolute about them, but I reject no traditional religious principles except *for myself*. I reserve the right to make up my own such principles, and then to abide by them to the best of my ability. Others are free do the same with any principles they choose. Just don't try to impose your principles on me unless they *also* happen to be the law of the land we live in. :-) And as for the second point, I hold that everything in the world is very much real, so that doesn't apply. So I hold to my statement in the Subject line. It was inspired by re-watching Ridley Scott's Kingdom Of Heaven last night. I came away from the experience thoroughly disgusted by the things done in the name of religion during the Crusades. And in that period, the actions of the Muslims were FAR more ethical than those of the so-called Christians. They were very much the wronged parties, and victims of religious aggression. None of this would have happened if religious beliefs had just been accorded the statues they deserve, which is that of a hobby. Many of the conflicts in the Middle East and in other areas of the world today would be moot if religion were assumed to be nothing more than a hobby. It's when people claim it's more that the trouble starts. I've always loved an insight I got when reading a trans- lation of a Japanese history book describing the first arrival of Europeans to their islands. The chapter was titled The Invasion Of The Barbarians, and the text made it perfectly clear why. In feudal Japan at that time (as now), the thing looked upon as the most taste- less, tactless, and low-vibe thing one could possibly do was to try to evangelize or try to sell one's religion to another person. It just wasn't done. So the missionaries arrived, found to their surprise that most Japanese weren't the least bit interested in the belief system they were selling, so they stopped selling and actually started imposing. There are docu- mented cases of Catholic priests with their cadre of troops threatening to kill all the members of villages if they didn't convert, and then carrying through on that threat. Nobody would ever have done that if believing in Jeezus had been thought of as being on the same level as a good hobby. You just don't kill someone when they don't find your fascination with your hobby as fascinating as you find it. But humans have a multi-century history of killing those who don't buy into their religion.
[FairfieldLife] Re: The world would be better if religion were considered a hobby
turquoiseb: And as for the second point, I hold that everything in the world is very much real... Materialism is a theory that physical matter is the only or fundamental reality... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materialism Nihilism: 1. The rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless. 2. Extreme skepticism, according to which nothing in the world has a real existence. Neither of which describes me or what I believe in the least. I do reject the absolute *validity* of any religious or moral principles, in the sense that all of them are merely made up by human beings and thus have nothing of the absolute about them, but I reject no traditional religious principles except *for myself*. I reserve the right to make up my own such principles, and then to abide by them to the best of my ability. Others are free do the same with any principles they choose. Just don't try to impose your principles on me unless they *also* happen to be the law of the land we live in. :-) And as for the second point, I hold that everything in the world is very much real, so that doesn't apply. So I hold to my statement in the Subject line. It was inspired by re-watching Ridley Scott's Kingdom Of Heaven last night. I came away from the experience thoroughly disgusted by the things done in the name of religion during the Crusades. And in that period, the actions of the Muslims were FAR more ethical than those of the so-called Christians. They were very much the wronged parties, and victims of religious aggression. None of this would have happened if religious beliefs had just been accorded the statues they deserve, which is that of a hobby. Many of the conflicts in the Middle East and in other areas of the world today would be moot if religion were assumed to be nothing more than a hobby. It's when people claim it's more that the trouble starts. I've always loved an insight I got when reading a trans- lation of a Japanese history book describing the first arrival of Europeans to their islands. The chapter was titled The Invasion Of The Barbarians, and the text made it perfectly clear why. In feudal Japan at that time (as now), the thing looked upon as the most taste- less, tactless, and low-vibe thing one could possibly do was to try to evangelize or try to sell one's religion to another person. It just wasn't done. So the missionaries arrived, found to their surprise that most Japanese weren't the least bit interested in the belief system they were selling, so they stopped selling and actually started imposing. There are docu- mented cases of Catholic priests with their cadre of troops threatening to kill all the members of villages if they didn't convert, and then carrying through on that threat. Nobody would ever have done that if believing in Jeezus had been thought of as being on the same level as a good hobby. You just don't kill someone when they don't find your fascination with your hobby as fascinating as you find it. But humans have a multi-century history of killing those who don't buy into their religion.
[FairfieldLife] Re: About the Amma Cult
You probably are too young to remember when his followers poisoned the people in a town in Oregon using salmonella. Ravi Yogi: So how does that matter? Others have pointed to the fact that although Sheela had bugged Osho's living quarters and made her tapes available to the U.S. authorities as part of her own plea bargain, no evidence has ever come to light that Osho had any part in her crimes... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osho_(Bhagwan_Shree_Rajneesh)
[FairfieldLife] Re: VioletBobby
Latest from the NYTimes City Room blog: April 26, 2011, 11:21 am Egg Is Hatching, Hawk Expert Confirms By ANDY NEWMAN Last evening we captured a (blurry) hawk-cam image...that appeared to show something poking out of the leftmost egg on Violet and Bobby's nest high above Washington Square Park. This morning we showed it to Robert Horvath, raptor rehabilitator and City Room hawk consultant. He wrote back: The egg on the left side definitely shows activity on the right side of the egg. It's just a start but if that's last night it should be completely out today. And a reader, AC Willment, just e-mailed us to say: She just got up and sat down again. Can't be sure but it looks like a chick was on the left, in the location of the egg that seemed to have a beak poking out. We eagerly await the arrival of red-tailed hawk chicks on what we believe to be their 34th day of incubation, approximatelygood luck Violet! http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/egg-is-hatching-hawk-expert-confirms/?hp Just had a look for about five minutes. Violet's sitting tight, but she's very watchful, craning her neck to see whatever's going on outside the nest. Maybe she's expecting Bobby? --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, nablusoss1008 no_reply@... wrote: There are now two big holes in two of the eggs :-) http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/06/hawk-cam-live-from-the-nest/?ref=nyregion
Re: [FairfieldLife] The world would be better if religion were considered a hobby
On 04/26/2011 02:58 AM, turquoiseb wrote: Like collecting stamps or bottle caps. Or memorizing baseball statistics. Or gardening. Of fixing up old cars and turning them into hot rods. Or bird watching, or trying to read all the books by a certain author. Almost no one would give anyone who did this any grief, or become upset at their hobby. Yeah, we may not be able to get what interests them in their hobby, but hey!, one hobby is as good as another, and we all have hobbies of our own, which by some people's standards are as odd as we think memorizing baseball statistics is. The fact that someone chooses to devote hours to their chosen hobby or become somewhat...uh...fanatical about it doesn't make people around them uptight. The worst that happens is that a few people laugh at the bottle top collectors and they, in most cases, laugh along with them because they understand that their hobby is a tad silly. But call it religion, or spiritual practice, or a path in life, and people on both sides of the equation lose it heavily. The hobbyists assign a certain seriousness to their hobby because it's more *important* to them than just a hobby. And they expect others to *respect* that seriousness. Their hobby becomes something that no one around them is allowed to laugh at or poke fun at, even if their religion is *much* sillier than collecting bottle caps. I think the world would be a much better place if we got rid of all this seriousness crap that has built up around religion or one's choice of a spiritual path. Who fuckin' CARES whether someone spends their time chanting the names of Krishna or praying to God or Allah, as long as they don't make too much of a spectacle of themselves while doing it, or harm other people. It's right up there *on exactly the same level* with collect- ing bottle caps or memorizing baseball statistics in the Why Should I Care What This Guy Does With His Time category. Most of us who view religions *as* a form of hobby would have no problem with this. Interestingly, I think it would be the religionists who'd have a problem with their hobby being considered one. To them it's more than that. It's *important* to them, and they want everyone around them to consider it important, too. And, like the guy at the bar trying to convince every- one how cool collecting bottle tops is, or trying to impress them with his memorized baseball statistics, that's just not gonna happen. :-) As I've stated here before I view religions as a mind control device invented by kings to keep their minions under control. It was cheaper and more reliable than having a bunch of thugs running around to keep the minions in line. Besides the thugs might turn on the king. Just tell the minions that if they don't behave they'll go to some imaginary place with fire and brimstone. Or there is some guy in the sky keeping track of everything they do like Apple and Google. Will all of that is bullshit. So let's go depose the king.
[FairfieldLife] Re: The world would be better if religion were considered a hobby
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu noozguru@... wrote: snip As I've stated here before I view religions as a mind control device invented by kings to keep their minions under control. It was cheaper and more reliable than having a bunch of thugs running around to keep the minions in line. Except that in many cases the kings needed thugs to keep the minions in line with the religion. My last name is Stein rather than Pierre because Louis XIV had his thugs persecute and terrorize non-Catholics after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. As Huguenots (Protestants), my father's family had to flee to Germany (where they translated the family name from French to German).
[FairfieldLife] Re: VioletBobby
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jstein@... wrote: Latest from the NYTimes City Room blog: April 26, 2011, 11:21 am Egg Is Hatching, Hawk Expert Confirms By ANDY NEWMAN Last evening we captured a (blurry) hawk-cam image...that appeared to show something poking out of the leftmost egg on Violet and Bobby's nest high above Washington Square Park. This morning we showed it to Robert Horvath, raptor rehabilitator and City Room hawk consultant. He wrote back: The egg on the left side definitely shows activity on the right side of the egg. It's just a start but if that's last night it should be completely out today. And a reader, AC Willment, just e-mailed us to say: She just got up and sat down again. Can't be sure but it looks like a chick was on the left, in the location of the egg that seemed to have a beak poking out. We eagerly await the arrival of red-tailed hawk chicks on what we believe to be their 34th day of incubation, approximatelygood luck Violet! http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/egg-is-hatching-hawk-expert-confirms/?hp Just had a look for about five minutes. Violet's sitting tight, but she's very watchful, craning her neck to see whatever's going on outside the nest. Maybe she's expecting Bobby? --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, nablusoss1008 no_reply@ wrote: There are now two big holes in two of the eggs :-) http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/06/hawk-cam-live-from-the-nest/?ref=nyregion This is such a funny project ! This Bobby fellow better be prepared for some hard work in the days ahead. 3936 people are watching online now :-)
[FairfieldLife] This week garden tree related
Fwd From: Colleen T. Bell mailto:earthwis...@lisco.comearthwis...@lisco.com This is a busy week with education and activities for gardeners. Thursday, 28th Strawberries: In anticipation for the start of strawberry season, horticulture program assistant Kim Keller will present a Lunch and Learn program at noon Thursday in the Jefferson County Extension Office on the fairgrounds. Keller will present how to plant, grow and harvest strawberries. She also will discuss strawberry bed preparation and the different varieties of strawberries to plant. To register, call the extension office at 472-4166. Registration is requested by April 27. There are 3 Backyard Conservation activities. 1. Yes, you Can Can and Freeze it too Thursday 28th, Time: 7pm Location: Jefferson County Extension Office - Back Room (airgrounds) Description: Learn what you need for safe and successful home food preservation - the supplies, tools and recipes. Whether you want to can, freeze, dry or pickle your produce, this session will direct you to research-based and time-tested methods and resources to learn all you can before you begin processing. About Patricia Steiner, presenter: Steiner has more than 30 years experience teaching adults about nutrition and food safety and brings current, up-to-date resources to consumers. 2. Saturday and Sunday April 30 May 1st, Edible Landscape Sale 9 - 5 Sustainable Living Coalition (SLC) Building South West of the Eco village. They sold out of the berry bushes and Cherry and Peach trees last week so have reordered to have more. They have more Chestnuts coming . I'm not sure of the status of the rest of the inventory. Its first come first serve on Saturday. 3. Sunday May 1st, Square Foot Gardening Class, 9 - 12 at the SLC building, upstairs taught by yours truly, Colleen Bell. We are going to go over many gardening basics and plan plant a square foot bed there at the SCL grounds so come prepared for digging and the weather. Bring your trowel with you if possible. Register at the Extension Office please at 472-4166 so I have a head count please. 4. Sunday May 1st 1 - 4pm , Garden Tour. I've pasted the article below. We are one of the sites that are on the tour. My collards and other greens are bolting cause they are too warm in the cozy high tunnel and low tunnel too! We have been eating greens since the end of February that were planted last fall. Garden Tour this Sunday In the theme of creating more sustainability in Jefferson County the Backyard Conservation Series is sponsoring a Fairfield Garden Tour/Farm Crawl Sunday May 1st from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The event will start at the Fairfield Public Library. All the sites on the tour have one thing in common. They all are examples of High Tunnel type Green Houses also known as Hoop Houses, because they are often made by bending pipes or wire into curved shapes. These are unheated enclosed spaces used for food production that are high enough to walk under. Growing cold hard plants under these covers allows for fresh food all winter long even in severely cold weather. They also give a head start on summer heat loving crops and extend the season for fall production. They can be huge or just a few feet long, simple to very elegant. The tour will include a range of types of 'tunnels'. One homeowner made her tunnel out of an old trampoline. Another is up against the south side of a garage with plastic stretched over cattle gate fence. One of the tunnels is very large for commercial production. Some of the sites also have 'low tunnels' : simple beds covered with plastic but too low to walk under but very inexpensive way to extend the seasons. The tour will start at 1:00 at the Fairfield Public Library with a panel of owners to talk their experiences building and using High tunnels the last couple of years. This is an opportunity to hear just what high tunnels are and why they are sweeping the nation for extending the growing season for both the home garden to commercial production. Maps will be available of the actual sites and at the web site http://www.fairfieldgogreen.com/backyard-conservation/http://www.fairfieldgogreen.com/backyard-conservation/ Eating food that is raised in your backyard is one of life's greatest pleasures! Join us for a tour of local food ventures that run the gamut from home garden-to-kitchen operations to market-and-beyond high tunnels. For more information call Kim at 472-4166.
[FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
I occasionally get an invite to join so and so on (fill in the blank). Most recently on LinkedIn, a place I call desperation row. A friend already tricked me into signing on to LinkedIn a few years ago under my own name and I'm not going to sign up under my handles. I also have no interest in Facebook. LinkedIn annoys me because there are two groups with the same name for the company I worked at and I know that I've gotten requests again from folks I worked with on one group and added because they joined the other. What really annoys me about these groups is some twenty something telling me what I'm supposed to do.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Nabby will like this one
turquoiseb: It was (and is) a few individuals who have opinions, and state them publicly... A lawsuit was created in the Superior Court of California on January 6, 2005 (Case No. 05cc01931). But realizing that the exposure was high Rahm eventually refused to go to court. No other alleged victim came forward to testify in support of his allegations, though anti-Sai activists claimed there were many alleged US victims...
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
What you're supposed to do is ignore them. :) As I've been doing. FB I enjoy, Linkedin i have no interest in. And even FB gets monotonous. There's really no substitute for good old-fashioned face-to-face. On Apr 26, 2011, at 2:33 PM, Bhairitu wrote: I occasionally get an invite to join so and so on (fill in the blank). Most recently on LinkedIn, a place I call desperation row. A friend already tricked me into signing on to LinkedIn a few years ago under my own name and I'm not going to sign up under my handles. I also have no interest in Facebook. LinkedIn annoys me because there are two groups with the same name for the company I worked at and I know that I've gotten requests again from folks I worked with on one group and added because they joined the other. What really annoys me about these groups is some twenty something telling me what I'm supposed to do. Sal
[FairfieldLife] Re: Social Networking Invites
Bhairitu: What really annoys me about these groups is some twenty something telling me what I'm supposed to do. Probably what really annoys you is not having very many friends to share your story with, whether on Facebook, Twitter, or anywhere else.
[FairfieldLife] Re: This Modern World - Conservabot Returns
Rick Archer: This Modern World - Conservabot Returns So, you want to bring down the federal budget deficit, brought on by federal government overspending on entitlements and public pensions, by either minimizing the pain or making the rich pay? Go figure. http://www.credoaction.com/comics/2011/04/2180/
RE: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Sal Sunshine Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 2:40 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites What you're supposed to do is ignore them. :) As I've been doing. FB I enjoy, Linkedin i have no interest in. And even FB gets monotonous. There's really no substitute for good old-fashioned face-to-face. So says one of FFL's most active long-time participants, posting anonymously. ;-)
[FairfieldLife] Re: Social Networking Invites
Sal Sunshine: What you're supposed to do is ignore them. :) So, this is how you ignore them. :) As I've been doing. FB I enjoy, Linkedin i have no interest in. And even FB gets monotonous. There's really no substitute for good old-fashioned face-to-face. We cannot see your face on FFL, Sal. Bhairitu: I occasionally get an invite to join so and so on (fill in the blank)...
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Apr 26, 2011, at 2:47 PM, Rick Archer wrote: What you're supposed to do is ignore them. :) As I've been doing. FB I enjoy, Linkedin i have no interest in. And even FB gets monotonous. There's really no substitute for good old-fashioned face-to-face. So says one of FFL’s most active long-time participants, posting anonymously. ;-) LOL~~Ok you got a point Rick. :) And I have sent out FB invites, so I'm hardly blameless. Sal
[FairfieldLife] Re: Social Networking Invites
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Sal Sunshine salsunshine@... wrote: What you're supposed to do is ignore them. :) Just like the attention vampires here who have been reduced to quizzes to get anyone to respond to them. :-)
[FairfieldLife] Game Of Thrones
Medieval, but better. If you've been watching it, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, who cares what you think? :-)
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Apr 26, 2011, at 3:33 PM, Bhairitu wrote: I occasionally get an invite to join so and so on (fill in the blank). Most recently on LinkedIn, a place I call desperation row. A friend already tricked me into signing on to LinkedIn a few years ago under my own name and I'm not going to sign up under my handles. I also have no interest in Facebook. LinkedIn annoys me because there are two groups with the same name for the company I worked at and I know that I've gotten requests again from folks I worked with on one group and added because they joined the other. What really annoys me about these groups is some twenty something telling me what I'm supposed to do. I was recently at a party with a guy who was trying to recruit us for the East Coast version of Burning Man (held in Delaware). One of his ideas was to have a hotdog stand where the men had to show their penis to get a hot dog and their ass to get a bun. I told him: 'Are you crazy? The minute those images hit Facebook, we'd all be international laughing stocks'. If I'm so enamored with myself that I need to post pictures or my activities (Twitter) on the web, daily, I need the therapist's couch, not online access. It's funny though interacting with 20-somethings. Their collective impatience has surpassed that of even the me generation.
[FairfieldLife] 92% of Americans are SOCIALISTS
From Thom Hartmann's blog: Today - America has wealth inequality levels higher than at any other time since right before the Great Depression. In other words - the rich have a lot more money than everyone else. The problem is - most Americans have no idea just how unequal this nation is. Looking at a new study out of Duke and Harvard Universities - the vast majority of Americans incorrectly guessed that the top 20% of richest Americans own roughly 60% of the wealth - the real figure is that they own more like 84% of the wealth. And when respondents were asked how much wealth the top 20% SHOULD own - 92% of respondents turned out to be complete SOCIALISTS - preferring a wealth distribution like Sweden where the top 20% only own 36% of the wealth. Again, that's 92% of respondents preferring a Swedish economic model to the American model. So why is it that Republicans refuse to budge on raising taxes for millionaires and billionaires just a few points to 38% - whereas in Sweden - the top income tax rate is 56%? Americans have been duped for too long by the Republican Party - and today - the truth about wealth inequality in America is becoming so glaringly painful that it can't be ignored any longer. -Thom
Re: [FairfieldLife] Game Of Thrones
On Apr 26, 2011, at 4:25 PM, turquoiseb wrote: Medieval, but better. If you've been watching it, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, who cares what you think? :-) A Middle Earth that's more human. That's what I'd call it.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Game Of Thrones
On 04/26/2011 01:25 PM, turquoiseb wrote: Medieval, but better. If you've been watching it, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, who cares what you think? :-) Depends on whether folks have HBO or not and don't want the FBI at their door. Not that much into medieval, fell asleep on the premiere of The Borgias. But now that Comcast has my Showtime bill up to full price time to cancel and catch up on Jackie, Tara, etc. next fall during the promo for Dexter. And also to bargain for a deal on HBO mainly because Treme just began it's second season. I don't see any date yet for Enlightened.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On 04/26/2011 02:09 PM, Vaj wrote: On Apr 26, 2011, at 3:33 PM, Bhairitu wrote: I occasionally get an invite to join so and so on (fill in the blank). Most recently on LinkedIn, a place I call desperation row. A friend already tricked me into signing on to LinkedIn a few years ago under my own name and I'm not going to sign up under my handles. I also have no interest in Facebook. LinkedIn annoys me because there are two groups with the same name for the company I worked at and I know that I've gotten requests again from folks I worked with on one group and added because they joined the other. What really annoys me about these groups is some twenty something telling me what I'm supposed to do. I was recently at a party with a guy who was trying to recruit us for the East Coast version of Burning Man (held in Delaware). One of his ideas was to have a hotdog stand where the men had to show their penis to get a hot dog and their ass to get a bun. I told him: 'Are you crazy? The minute those images hit Facebook, we'd all be international laughing stocks'. If I'm so enamored with myself that I need to post pictures or my activities (Twitter) on the web, daily, I need the therapist's couch, not online access. It's funny though interacting with 20-somethings. Their collective impatience has surpassed that of even the me generation. You know how it is when you're twenty: you know everything. Putting up with kids that think because they grew up with computers they are the masters of them is also ridiculous especially if they were born after you started programming software. I just posted that little message more as a courtesy so the folks would know I'm not ignoring them. I also have two blogs and several web sites. That's more than enough. Oh and to top that off YouTube seems to think it is a social network these days.
Re: [FairfieldLife] 92% of Americans are SOCIALISTS
On 04/26/2011 02:44 PM, Rick Archer wrote: From Thom Hartmann's blog: Today - America has wealth inequality levels higher than at any other time since right before the Great Depression. In other words - the rich have a lot more money than everyone else. The problem is - most Americans have no idea just how unequal this nation is. Looking at a new study out of Duke and Harvard Universities - the vast majority of Americans incorrectly guessed that the top 20% of richest Americans own roughly 60% of the wealth - the real figure is that they own more like 84% of the wealth. And when respondents were asked how much wealth the top 20% SHOULD own - 92% of respondents turned out to be complete SOCIALISTS - preferring a wealth distribution like Sweden where the top 20% only own 36% of the wealth. Again, that's 92% of respondents preferring a Swedish economic model to the American model. So why is it that Republicans refuse to budge on raising taxes for millionaires and billionaires just a few points to 38% - whereas in Sweden - the top income tax rate is 56%? Americans have been duped for too long by the Republican Party - and today - the truth about wealth inequality in America is becoming so glaringly painful that it can't be ignored any longer. -Thom Yup, capitalism doesn't work well at all when you have 7 billion people on the planet. It's too sink or swim and the game of opportunists, the unethical and those who have an OCD about money. Over on Thom's forum we have a knock down drag out with a few libertarians that think Ayn Rand is the cat's meow. Civil War 2.0?
[FairfieldLife] Frescos of Luca Signorelli
Mostly Resurrection themes. http://casasantapia.com/art/lucasignorelli/sanbriziochapel.htm
[FairfieldLife] Re: Frescos of Luca Signorelli
Gee, these are wonderful. What a feeling Signorelli had for *bodies*, nude or otherwise, and faces as well. I love the guy in the hat with his hands on his hips to the right in the Sermon and Deeds of the Antichrist fresco. And how *dazzling* the interior of that cathedral is! I actually prefer these frescoes to Michelangelo's in the Sistine Chapel, not sure why. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Yifu yifuxero@... wrote: Mostly Resurrection themes. http://casasantapia.com/art/lucasignorelli/sanbriziochapel.htm
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Apr 26, 2011, at 6:44 PM, Bhairitu wrote: You know how it is when you're twenty: you know everything. Putting up with kids that think because they grew up with computers they are the masters of them is also ridiculous especially if they were born after you started programming software. Maybe I should become known as the guy who brought down the Playa del Fuego net? I mean all you'd have to do is unplug these kids. :-) Hatchet Vaj? Kinda has a nice ring to it. I just posted that little message more as a courtesy so the folks would know I'm not ignoring them. I also have two blogs and several web sites. That's more than enough. Oh and to top that off YouTube seems to think it is a social network these days. Call me old fashioned, but I'm sorry, a blog is where the real 'I own the printing press' lies for the modern man. If you don't have enough to say articulately say it in a blog, don't expect me to endure your tweets and your wall.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 92% of Americans are SOCIALISTS
This is all true, perhaps - but unless most Americans can read and think about things and come to smart conclusions about all of this, about half will vote for Republicans, as they have in the past, sure that they can fix the deficit and everything else that ails this country. I think nothing will change except we will move more and more toward being a country with increasingly wealthy and increasingly needy and a tiny middle class. To change this course would take too much effort, intelligence, energy and cohesiveness. FDR tried to turn things around with his Great Society, and did a pretty good job. But his ideas are exactly what Repugs want to undo and if they succeed and we go along with it, it will be a mess. We will be, and already are fast becoming - the opposite of a socialist country. Maybe some sort of catastrophe would get people thinking, or an incredible leader. Or if jobs don't come back people might start to aggitate. Right now, corporations are doing extremely well, increasing dividends, have money to burn, pay CEO's a fortune every year, and still are not hiring. There are many articles out there lately with all this info about how the top 1% control so much wealth, pay almost nothing in taxes, etc - but there seems to be no organized means to change it. And the national attention span is too short to digest this type of information. I guess you could say I am not optimistic today. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: From Thom Hartmann's blog: Today - America has wealth inequality levels higher than at any other time since right before the Great Depression. In other words - the rich have a lot more money than everyone else. The problem is - most Americans have no idea just how unequal this nation is. Looking at a new study out of Duke and Harvard Universities - the vast majority of Americans incorrectly guessed that the top 20% of richest Americans own roughly 60% of the wealth - the real figure is that they own more like 84% of the wealth. And when respondents were asked how much wealth the top 20% SHOULD own - 92% of respondents turned out to be complete SOCIALISTS - preferring a wealth distribution like Sweden where the top 20% only own 36% of the wealth. Again, that's 92% of respondents preferring a Swedish economic model to the American model. So why is it that Republicans refuse to budge on raising taxes for millionaires and billionaires just a few points to 38% - whereas in Sweden - the top income tax rate is 56%? Americans have been duped for too long by the Republican Party - and today - the truth about wealth inequality in America is becoming so glaringly painful that it can't be ignored any longer. -Thom
[FairfieldLife] Re: 92% of Americans are SOCIALISTS
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu noozguru@... wrote: On 04/26/2011 02:44 PM, Rick Archer wrote: From Thom Hartmann's blog: Today - America has wealth inequality levels higher than at any other time since right before the Great Depression. In other words - the rich have a lot more money than everyone else. The problem is - most Americans have no idea just how unequal this nation is. Looking at a new study out of Duke and Harvard Universities - the vast majority of Americans incorrectly guessed that the top 20% of richest Americans own roughly 60% of the wealth - the real figure is that they own more like 84% of the wealth. And when respondents were asked how much wealth the top 20% SHOULD own - 92% of respondents turned out to be complete SOCIALISTS - preferring a wealth distribution like Sweden where the top 20% only own 36% of the wealth. Again, that's 92% of respondents preferring a Swedish economic model to the American model. So why is it that Republicans refuse to budge on raising taxes for millionaires and billionaires just a few points to 38% - whereas in Sweden - the top income tax rate is 56%? Americans have been duped for too long by the Republican Party - and today - the truth about wealth inequality in America is becoming so glaringly painful that it can't be ignored any longer. -Thom Yup, capitalism doesn't work well at all when you have 7 billion people on the planet. I would say capitalism does not work well in certain areas of life - like health care, education, basic human necessities. IN other ways, it could be really great, but still needs regulation cause human nature and the desire for money is too powerful a force to trust in anyone. We all need some boundaries to help us behave. It's too sink or swim and the game of opportunists, the unethical and those who have an OCD about money. Over on Thom's forum we have a knock down drag out with a few libertarians that think Ayn Rand is the cat's meow. Civil War 2.0?
Re: [FairfieldLife] Game Of Thrones
On Apr 26, 2011, at 6:39 PM, Bhairitu wrote: Depends on whether folks have HBO or not and don't want the FBI at their door. Not that much into medieval, fell asleep on the premiere of The Borgias. I ALMOST fell asleep. But now that Comcast has my Showtime bill up to full price time to cancel and catch up on Jackie, Tara, etc. next fall during the promo for Dexter. And also to bargain for a deal on HBO mainly because Treme just began it's second season. I don't see any date yet for Enlightened. HBO does, eventually, fill those time slots. But you get a lot of downtime while they figure it out. That's what I don't like to pay for. If I pay all year round, I want to get some watchable shows all year round.
[FairfieldLife] Message of Saint Baba Jaigurudev
http://jaigurudevworld.org/jaigurudevworld/info/JgdNews.aspx?id=311
[FairfieldLife] Re: Social Networking Invites
Bhairitu: It's funny though interacting with 20-somethings... Apparently nearly 50% of Facebook users are over age 30.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Message of Saint Baba Jaigurudev
On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 7:53 PM, Yifu yifux...@yahoo.com wrote: http://jaigurudevworld.org/jaigurudevworld/info/JgdNews.aspx?id=311 Saint? How did he manage to go through the three stages of Canonization so fast? Also, why did he have to utter my mantra. Not just once but several times. Now it's lost all of it's power!
[FairfieldLife] Post Count
Fairfield Life Post Counter === Start Date (UTC): Sat Apr 23 00:00:00 2011 End Date (UTC): Sat Apr 30 00:00:00 2011 346 messages as of (UTC) Wed Apr 27 00:12:17 2011 38 Ravi Yogi raviy...@att.net 31 authfriend jst...@panix.com 29 Yifu yifux...@yahoo.com 23 Rick Archer r...@searchsummit.com 22 nablusoss1008 no_re...@yahoogroups.com 21 Vaj vajradh...@earthlink.net 19 seventhray1 steve.sun...@sbcglobal.net 18 turquoiseb no_re...@yahoogroups.com 18 Alex Stanley j_alexander_stan...@yahoo.com 14 merudanda no_re...@yahoogroups.com 14 WillyTex willy...@yahoo.com 14 Tom Pall thomas.p...@gmail.com 10 cardemaister no_re...@yahoogroups.com 10 Joe geezerfr...@yahoo.com 10 Buck dhamiltony...@yahoo.com 8 whynotnow7 whynotn...@yahoo.com 8 wayback71 waybac...@yahoo.com 7 Bhairitu noozg...@sbcglobal.net 5 emptybill emptyb...@yahoo.com 5 Robert babajii...@yahoo.com 3 Sal Sunshine salsunsh...@lisco.com 3 Peter drpetersutp...@yahoo.com 3 Mike Dixon mdixon.6...@yahoo.com 2 merlin vedamer...@yahoo.de 2 Dick Mays dickm...@lisco.com 1 wgm4u wg...@yahoo.com 1 raunchydog raunchy...@yahoo.com 1 m 13 meowthirt...@yahoo.com 1 dharmacentral no_re...@yahoogroups.com 1 curtisdeltablues curtisdeltabl...@yahoo.com 1 Yifu Xero yifux...@yahoo.com 1 John jr_...@yahoo.com 1 FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com 1 do.rflex do.rf...@yahoo.com Posters: 34 Saturday Morning 00:00 UTC Rollover Times = Daylight Saving Time (Summer): US Friday evening: PDT 5 PM - MDT 6 PM - CDT 7 PM - EDT 8 PM Europe Saturday: BST 1 AM CEST 2 AM EEST 3 AM Standard Time (Winter): US Friday evening: PST 4 PM - MST 5 PM - CST 6 PM - EST 7 PM Europe Saturday: GMT 12 AM CET 1 AM EET 2 AM For more information on Time Zones: www.worldtimezone.com
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 3:33 PM, Bhairitu noozg...@sbcglobal.net wrote: I occasionally get an invite to join so and so on (fill in the blank). Most recently on LinkedIn, a place I call desperation row. A friend already tricked me into signing on to LinkedIn a few years ago under my own name and I'm not going to sign up under my handles. I also have no interest in Facebook. LinkedIn annoys me because there are two groups with the same name for the company I worked at and I know that I've gotten requests again from folks I worked with on one group and added because they joined the other. What really annoys me about these groups is some twenty something telling me what I'm supposed to do. I got an invite from none other than our FFL Owner in Chief today. For Linkedin. I absolutely hate Linkedin and would love directions on how to delete my account. It started off very innocently. I accepted one person as a connection. Then every once in a while one or two more. Now I'm receiving requests to connect to cartush merchants in the Luxor, Egypt suuk and being told the joyous news that I'm connected, a couple thousand times removed, to a trany who owns an escort service in Kazakhstan.
[FairfieldLife] Going Towards the Light
http://neosurrealismart.com/modern-art-prints/?artworks/going-towards-the-light.htmlfullsize
[FairfieldLife] Re: Message of Saint Baba Jaigurudev
Tom Pall: Also, why did he have to utter my mantra. Satnam? Not just once but several times. Now it's lost all of it's power! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satnam
[FairfieldLife] Re: What did the Resurrection look like?
Sometimes spectacular sacred art is just in the backyard. Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY http://www.jordanville.org/public/sv/gallery.php?ssid=275 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jstein@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, emptybill emptybill@ wrote: Thanks for the link to this spectacular iconographic mural. Isn't that something? I wasn't familiar with that particular piece of iconography, of Christ pulling Adam and Eve out of their graves, but I just read up on it a bit. It's not common in Western Christian art except in representations of the Harrowing of Hell, in between Christ's death and resurrection, and there the focus is on hell rather than the risen Christ. Eastern Christian art combines the two but with the emphasis on the resurrected Christ. Apparently the Eastern iconography requires that Christ grasp Adam and Eve by their wrists rather than taking their hands, to highlight that they play no role in their redemption; it's all Christ's doing. Oh, man, do a Yahoo image search for Harrowing of Hell. There are some real beauties (including a bunch of the Anastasis type like the the one I linked to, either by the same artist or by his imitators, very similar style, slightly different compositions, all gorgeous). Here's a marvelous Hellmouth one from an English miniature: http://molcat1.bl.uk/IllImages/NOF/mid/011ARU00157U0001100a.jpg Well, I could do this all night, but I'll spare you. I've never seen picts of this church so I'll try and look it up. The whole interior is covered in art. Most of it is mosaics. The church was turned into a mosque at one point and it was all plastered over, so a lot of the works are pretty badly damaged. Wikipedia has a good list of what's there, but not much *about* the art. I'd never seen any of it until I looked up the Anastasis fresco. A trip to Turkey probably isn't in the cards for me, but boy, I'd love to see the place.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 5:09 PM, Vaj vajradh...@earthlink.net wrote: I was recently at a party with a guy who was trying to recruit us for the East Coast version of Burning Man (held in Delaware). One of his ideas was to have a hotdog stand where the men had to show their penis to get a hot dog and their ass to get a bun. I told him: 'Are you crazy? The minute those images hit Facebook, we'd all be international laughing stocks'. Got the same endowment problem Barry's got, huh? If I'm so enamored with myself that I need to post pictures or my activities (Twitter) on the web, daily, I need the therapist's couch, not online access. Much better you join Miss Manners, Mr. I'm Above You All and I Eat Like a Caveman, Yet Unlike a Caveman, I Buy My Game and tell us what a waste TM is and how it'll lead you down the path of run, destruction and the place Ravi needs to return to.
[FairfieldLife] Prince William's Ex'es
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, ... http://www.life.com/gallery/59641/who-missed-out-williams-exes#index/1
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Apr 26, 2011, at 8:34 PM, Tom Pall wrote: On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 3:33 PM, Bhairitu noozg...@sbcglobal.net wrote: I occasionally get an invite to join so and so on (fill in the blank). Most recently on LinkedIn, a place I call desperation row. A friend already tricked me into signing on to LinkedIn a few years ago under my own name and I'm not going to sign up under my handles. I also have no interest in Facebook. LinkedIn annoys me because there are two groups with the same name for the company I worked at and I know that I've gotten requests again from folks I worked with on one group and added because they joined the other. What really annoys me about these groups is some twenty something telling me what I'm supposed to do. I got an invite from none other than our FFL Owner in Chief today. For Linkedin. I absolutely hate Linkedin and would love directions on how to delete my account. It started off very innocently. I accepted one person as a connection. Then every once in a while one or two more. Now I'm receiving requests to connect to cartush merchants in the Luxor, Egypt suuk and being told the joyous news that I'm connected, a couple thousand times removed, to a trany who owns an escort service in Kazakhstan. Hey, but you could always use a good rug, cheap, no? I have to say, I hated finding out I was on their mailing list. It's like being invited to a Republican Facebook or something. Ewww.
[FairfieldLife] Re: What did the Resurrection look like?
thx, looks like a powerful Shakti-filled place. Hope they get more than the 10 min twice a day for meals offered the Mt. Athos Monks: http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/090/cache/mount-athos_9080_600x450.jpg --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, emptybill emptybill@... wrote: Sometimes spectacular sacred art is just in the backyard. Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY http://www.jordanville.org/public/sv/gallery.php?ssid=275 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jstein@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, emptybill emptybill@ wrote: Thanks for the link to this spectacular iconographic mural. Isn't that something? I wasn't familiar with that particular piece of iconography, of Christ pulling Adam and Eve out of their graves, but I just read up on it a bit. It's not common in Western Christian art except in representations of the Harrowing of Hell, in between Christ's death and resurrection, and there the focus is on hell rather than the risen Christ. Eastern Christian art combines the two but with the emphasis on the resurrected Christ. Apparently the Eastern iconography requires that Christ grasp Adam and Eve by their wrists rather than taking their hands, to highlight that they play no role in their redemption; it's all Christ's doing. Oh, man, do a Yahoo image search for Harrowing of Hell. There are some real beauties (including a bunch of the Anastasis type like the the one I linked to, either by the same artist or by his imitators, very similar style, slightly different compositions, all gorgeous). Here's a marvelous Hellmouth one from an English miniature: http://molcat1.bl.uk/IllImages/NOF/mid/011ARU00157U0001100a.jpg Well, I could do this all night, but I'll spare you. I've never seen picts of this church so I'll try and look it up. The whole interior is covered in art. Most of it is mosaics. The church was turned into a mosque at one point and it was all plastered over, so a lot of the works are pretty badly damaged. Wikipedia has a good list of what's there, but not much *about* the art. I'd never seen any of it until I looked up the Anastasis fresco. A trip to Turkey probably isn't in the cards for me, but boy, I'd love to see the place.
[FairfieldLife] Re: A movement defined by the inability to move
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jstein@... wrote: az, I assume you've changed your mind about discussing the issue of Vaj's TM status with me. Not at all. I read all the links you provided and have a few questions for you. #274358 #274441 #274501 Did I miss any? Spare time has been in astoundingly short supply. Couple that with Judy Duty for the rest of the week and I'm seriously pressed. But I'll respond to your other question: Thanks for the reply. Makes perfect sense. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, azgrey no_reply@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jstein@ wrote: PT: The advanced techniques are practiced for the same length of time as the basic one, 20 minutes twice a day. From reading your posts I know that you have received one advanced technique as well as the sidhis. I am curious why you never took any of the other advanced techniques. Personally, they have been of much greater benefit to me that the sidhi course. Each of the mantra related ones qualitatively changed my meditation, subjectively, in ways I found enjoyable. In getting to the Age of Enlightenment technique, not so much. Care to share why? Money is always an issue. I was fortunate to have gotten mine when the price, while higher than the $55 I originally paid, was still somewhat reasonable. When I got mine, the price was up to $400; this would have been in the late '70s or early '80s, so that was over $1,000 in today's dollars. For me then, that was a huge issue. I had to scrape to get that much together. I borrowed the money for the TM-Sidhis course from my mother in 1986 ($3,000 at the time) and paid her back over a couple of years; that pretty much took care of any extra cash I could have put toward additional advanced techniques. And unlike you, I found the TM-Sidhis made a huge difference in my life, so more advanced techniques didn't and haven't seemed that urgent. (I did very much enjoy the one I got, though.) I have mentioned before that I still practice and enjoy TM as well as practice and enjoy other methods of meditation. I am not sure I would pay the current asking price for an Advanced Technique. I don't think I would unless I came into a financial windfall of some sort. I'm right on the verge of retirement, and I'm not wealthy enough to be comfortable spending that kind of money on things I don't really need. Can't answer your next question; maybe someone else can. Am I correct that the current requirement for sidhi instruction is having first learned several advanced techniques? My second to last advanced technique was learned during the flying block of my sidhi course. I remember asking one of the Administrators, Doug Birx (sp?) if it was ok to do. He scratched his chin a moment, literally, and said it would be fine. I had no intention of getting one before going to the course, but found they were being given as our flying block was only a small portion of a larger course. I had a distinct feeling at the time that his ok might be related to my not experiencing any of the heavy strain I observed in a few others on the course.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 8:45 PM, Vaj vajradh...@earthlink.net wrote: On Apr 26, 2011, at 8:34 PM, Tom Pall wrote: On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 3:33 PM, Bhairitu noozg...@sbcglobal.net wrote: I occasionally get an invite to join so and so on (fill in the blank). Most recently on LinkedIn, a place I call desperation row. A friend already tricked me into signing on to LinkedIn a few years ago under my own name and I'm not going to sign up under my handles. I also have no interest in Facebook. LinkedIn annoys me because there are two groups with the same name for the company I worked at and I know that I've gotten requests again from folks I worked with on one group and added because they joined the other. What really annoys me about these groups is some twenty something telling me what I'm supposed to do. I got an invite from none other than our FFL Owner in Chief today. For Linkedin. I absolutely hate Linkedin and would love directions on how to delete my account. It started off very innocently. I accepted one person as a connection. Then every once in a while one or two more. Now I'm receiving requests to connect to cartush merchants in the Luxor, Egypt suuk and being told the joyous news that I'm connected, a couple thousand times removed, to a trany who owns an escort service in Kazakhstan. Hey, but you could always use a good rug, cheap, no? I have to say, I hated finding out I was on their mailing list. It's like being invited to a Republican Facebook or something. Ewww. I would love to buy a full sized silk rug. But something a third the size of a prayer mat costs about USD 3K. It's explained that the silk thread is so thin, the weave is so tight that they have to be weaved by little children. So what? Little children work cheap. You can fit more of them in one small room. And feed them less. Easier to beat. And it's not like they have that much to learn in school. Heck. Arabic doesn't even have any vowels.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Apr 26, 2011, at 8:43 PM, Tom Pall wrote: On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 5:09 PM, Vaj vajradh...@earthlink.net wrote: I was recently at a party with a guy who was trying to recruit us for the East Coast version of Burning Man (held in Delaware). One of his ideas was to have a hotdog stand where the men had to show their penis to get a hot dog and their ass to get a bun. I told him: 'Are you crazy? The minute those images hit Facebook, we'd all be international laughing stocks'. Got the same endowment problem Barry's got, huh? Sorry, no. If I'm so enamored with myself that I need to post pictures or my activities (Twitter) on the web, daily, I need the therapist's couch, not online access. Much better you join Miss Manners, Mr. I'm Above You All and I Eat Like a Caveman, Yet Unlike a Caveman, I Buy My Game and tell us what a waste TM is and how it'll lead you down the path of run, destruction and the place Ravi needs to return to. Ravi as a domer? You're kidding, right? This guy could never get past the basic application, if answered honestly... Dear Ravi...
[FairfieldLife] Re: Social Networking Invites
Alternative to the Domes: http://www.lightomatic.com/images/goa_trash/ --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@... wrote: On Apr 26, 2011, at 8:43 PM, Tom Pall wrote: On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 5:09 PM, Vaj vajradhatu@... wrote: I was recently at a party with a guy who was trying to recruit us for the East Coast version of Burning Man (held in Delaware). One of his ideas was to have a hotdog stand where the men had to show their penis to get a hot dog and their ass to get a bun. I told him: 'Are you crazy? The minute those images hit Facebook, we'd all be international laughing stocks'. Got the same endowment problem Barry's got, huh? Sorry, no. If I'm so enamored with myself that I need to post pictures or my activities (Twitter) on the web, daily, I need the therapist's couch, not online access. Much better you join Miss Manners, Mr. I'm Above You All and I Eat Like a Caveman, Yet Unlike a Caveman, I Buy My Game and tell us what a waste TM is and how it'll lead you down the path of run, destruction and the place Ravi needs to return to. Ravi as a domer? You're kidding, right? This guy could never get past the basic application, if answered honestly... Dear Ravi...
[FairfieldLife] Re: Social Networking Invites
Closer to home: http://www.lightomatic.com/images/burning_man_2003/ --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Yifu yifuxero@... wrote: Alternative to the Domes: http://www.lightomatic.com/images/goa_trash/ --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@ wrote: On Apr 26, 2011, at 8:43 PM, Tom Pall wrote: On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 5:09 PM, Vaj vajradhatu@ wrote: I was recently at a party with a guy who was trying to recruit us for the East Coast version of Burning Man (held in Delaware). One of his ideas was to have a hotdog stand where the men had to show their penis to get a hot dog and their ass to get a bun. I told him: 'Are you crazy? The minute those images hit Facebook, we'd all be international laughing stocks'. Got the same endowment problem Barry's got, huh? Sorry, no. If I'm so enamored with myself that I need to post pictures or my activities (Twitter) on the web, daily, I need the therapist's couch, not online access. Much better you join Miss Manners, Mr. I'm Above You All and I Eat Like a Caveman, Yet Unlike a Caveman, I Buy My Game and tell us what a waste TM is and how it'll lead you down the path of run, destruction and the place Ravi needs to return to. Ravi as a domer? You're kidding, right? This guy could never get past the basic application, if answered honestly... Dear Ravi...
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Apr 26, 2011, at 8:54 PM, Tom Pall wrote: Little children work cheap. In Maine, where we have a Tea Bagger guvner, he wants to repeal minimum wage laws for children. Why use illegal immigrant slave labor when we can use your own kids, at a reduced minimum wage? Why feed the Chinese when you can upgrade your own family to better living through child labor? A new generation of slavers. We'll be needing some small crawlers for those new, clean coal mines...you just wait
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: What did the Resurrection look like?
On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 8:38 PM, emptybill emptyb...@yahoo.com wrote: Sometimes spectacular sacred art is just in the backyard. Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY http://www.jordanville.org/public/sv/gallery.php?ssid=275 I grew up going RC, Greek and Russian Orthodox churches. One of my most transcendental experience in the RC church was attending novenas. You kneel there and stare and say the rosary. And you're a child. Quickly out. No Hail Marys, no thoughts, no sleep. The rites in the Greek and Russian churches are even more transcendental and assuredly a lot of shakti. You could cut the power with a knife. Been to Orthodox churches in the Soviet Union when it existed, in Poland, in the Middle East and of course to Coptic Orthodox churches and monasteries. Small wonder most of my RC friends went renegade and joined Archbishop lefebvre's church. There was so much power pre-Vatican II and there's so very much power in the orthodox churches. And much more moving art, once you get used to its iconic nature.
[FairfieldLife] Re: What did the Resurrection look like?
Wow. Is that lavish environment typical of Eastern Orthodox monasticism? They must be well funded. I wish there were more closeups of the actual art. I looked through the Web site trying to find something about it, but zilch. Is it contemporary, do you know? Or is it a collection from the Old Country? Or reproductions made at the monastery? Sure looks like it would be worth a visit. Thanks for the link! --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, emptybill emptybill@... wrote: Sometimes spectacular sacred art is just in the backyard. Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY http://www.jordanville.org/public/sv/gallery.php?ssid=275 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jstein@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, emptybill emptybill@ wrote: Thanks for the link to this spectacular iconographic mural. Isn't that something? I wasn't familiar with that particular piece of iconography, of Christ pulling Adam and Eve out of their graves, but I just read up on it a bit. It's not common in Western Christian art except in representations of the Harrowing of Hell, in between Christ's death and resurrection, and there the focus is on hell rather than the risen Christ. Eastern Christian art combines the two but with the emphasis on the resurrected Christ. Apparently the Eastern iconography requires that Christ grasp Adam and Eve by their wrists rather than taking their hands, to highlight that they play no role in their redemption; it's all Christ's doing. Oh, man, do a Yahoo image search for Harrowing of Hell. There are some real beauties (including a bunch of the Anastasis type like the the one I linked to, either by the same artist or by his imitators, very similar style, slightly different compositions, all gorgeous). Here's a marvelous Hellmouth one from an English miniature: http://molcat1.bl.uk/IllImages/NOF/mid/011ARU00157U0001100a.jpg Well, I could do this all night, but I'll spare you. I've never seen picts of this church so I'll try and look it up. The whole interior is covered in art. Most of it is mosaics. The church was turned into a mosque at one point and it was all plastered over, so a lot of the works are pretty badly damaged. Wikipedia has a good list of what's there, but not much *about* the art. I'd never seen any of it until I looked up the Anastasis fresco. A trip to Turkey probably isn't in the cards for me, but boy, I'd love to see the place.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 9:11 PM, Vaj vajradh...@earthlink.net wrote: On Apr 26, 2011, at 8:54 PM, Tom Pall wrote: Little children work cheap. In Maine, where we have a Tea Bagger guvner, he wants to repeal minimum wage laws for children. Why use illegal immigrant slave labor when we can use your own kids, at a reduced minimum wage? Why feed the Chinese when you can upgrade your own family to better living through child labor? A new generation of slavers. We'll be needing some small crawlers for those new, clean coal mines...you just wait And in which direction have society and mores gone since we passed child labour laws in this country? Give the little buggers something to do with their spare time besides MMSing their homemade child porn to each other. The Texas Juvenile system is the worst. Replace it with work houses and see if the kiddies are not rehabilitated when they're released.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Apr 26, 2011, at 9:25 PM, Tom Pall wrote: And in which direction have society and mores gone since we passed child labour laws in this country? Give the little buggers something to do with their spare time besides MMSing their homemade child porn to each other. The Texas Juvenile system is the worst. Replace it with work houses and see if the kiddies are not rehabilitated when they're released. Should they have a Reduced Minimum Wage in your opinion? The average Texan?
Re: [FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 9:29 PM, Vaj vajradh...@earthlink.net wrote: On Apr 26, 2011, at 9:25 PM, Tom Pall wrote: And in which direction have society and mores gone since we passed child labour laws in this country? Give the little buggers something to do with their spare time besides MMSing their homemade child porn to each other. The Texas Juvenile system is the worst. Replace it with work houses and see if the kiddies are not rehabilitated when they're released. Should they have a Reduced Minimum Wage in your opinion? The average Texan? The average Texan waits tables or hangs out at Home Depot and jumps into the back of the first truck that stop in front of him. I don't see the minimum wage as relevant except to employ some teens in fast food restaurants. Most of the fast food workers in Texas are adults, with children, working three part time jobs. None of which give them any benefits. WalMart included. Many minimum wage workers in Texas are also junior college students of all ages. /Not living with their parents. Perhaps their parents live with *then*./ What's pitiful is that the minimum wage used to house, clothe and feed a family with one wage earner. Not well, but still it did.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Social Networking Invites
http://www.langleycreations.com/photo/deathpenalty/huntsville/index.html --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@... wrote: On Apr 26, 2011, at 9:25 PM, Tom Pall wrote: And in which direction have society and mores gone since we passed child labour laws in this country? Give the little buggers something to do with their spare time besides MMSing their homemade child porn to each other. The Texas Juvenile system is the worst. Replace it with work houses and see if the kiddies are not rehabilitated when they're released. Should they have a Reduced Minimum Wage in your opinion? The average Texan?
[FairfieldLife] Re: Social Networking Invites
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@... wrote: On Apr 26, 2011, at 8:43 PM, Tom Pall wrote: On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 5:09 PM, Vaj vajradhatu@... wrote: I was recently at a party with a guy who was trying to recruit us for the East Coast version of Burning Man (held in Delaware). One of his ideas was to have a hotdog stand where the men had to show their penis to get a hot dog and their ass to get a bun. I told him: 'Are you crazy? The minute those images hit Facebook, we'd all be international laughing stocks'. Got the same endowment problem Barry's got, huh? Sorry, no. If I'm so enamored with myself that I need to post pictures or my activities (Twitter) on the web, daily, I need the therapist's couch, not online access. Much better you join Miss Manners, Mr. I'm Above You All and I Eat Like a Caveman, Yet Unlike a Caveman, I Buy My Game and tell us what a waste TM is and how it'll lead you down the path of run, destruction and the place Ravi needs to return to. Ravi as a domer? You're kidding, right? This guy could never get past the basic application, if answered honestly... Dear Ravi... You have misunderstood Tom, he wants me to either be torn asunder or kill myself :-). According to Barry's prediction I should be long gone. Either way I condemn this gross misrepresentation of Tom. And now why can't I get past the basic application?
[FairfieldLife] Re: Social Networking Invites
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Tom Pall thomas.pall@... wrote: On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 3:33 PM, Bhairitu noozguru@... wrote: I occasionally get an invite to join so and so on (fill in the blank). Most recently on LinkedIn, a place I call desperation row. A friend already tricked me into signing on to LinkedIn a few years ago under my own name and I'm not going to sign up under my handles. I also have no interest in Facebook. LinkedIn annoys me because there are two groups with the same name for the company I worked at and I know that I've gotten requests again from folks I worked with on one group and added because they joined the other. What really annoys me about these groups is some twenty something telling me what I'm supposed to do. I got an invite from none other than our FFL Owner in Chief today. For Linkedin. I absolutely hate Linkedin and would love directions on how to delete my account. It started off very innocently. I accepted one person as a connection. Then every once in a while one or two more. Now I'm receiving requests to connect to cartush merchants in the Luxor, Egypt suuk and being told the joyous news that I'm connected, a couple thousand times removed, to a trany who owns an escort service in Kazakhstan. Here - http://www.linkedin.com/answers/administration/customer-service/ADM_CSV/429429-29420395 Hope you are torn asunder from Linkedin or you kill your painful Linkedin profile quickly.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Social Networking Invites
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Yifu yifuxero@... wrote: http://www.langleycreations.com/photo/deathpenalty/huntsville/index.html Love the cross on the roof of the execution facility. And the crosses on the graves in the prison cemetery where executed prisoners are buried don't have their names on them, just their prison numbers. I guess you could make a case for that on the basis of privacy, but it just seems like the ultimate indignity.
[FairfieldLife] Social Networking Invites
at Burning Man: http://www.lightomatic.com/images/burning_man_2003/DSCF0130.JPG
[FairfieldLife] Re: Social Networking Invites
Oh, sorry, Bar. Next time I'll try to come up with a question that's not too hard for you, so you won't feel left out. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Sal Sunshine salsunshine@ wrote: What you're supposed to do is ignore them. :) Just like the attention vampires here who have been reduced to quizzes to get anyone to respond to them. :-)
