Humans are not special, hate to break it to you
June 22, 2008
I hate to break it to you, but humans are not all that special really. I laugh at the self importance humans place on this species as if some how they are better, more evolved or the divine work and special project of a God. There is actually not a single piece of evidence for that. We see the same general characteristics we see in humans in house pets, primates, birds and even fish. Yes, indeed we have a larger brain and the point is? Few humans bother to use its potential. Now that I have offended every human on the planet, let me recommend a book to you:
"The Ape and The Sushi Master-Cultural Reflections of a Primatologist" By Frans de Wall.
Very interesting that we as Human Beings may believe we are human because we are social animals, as if somehow that is what makes us different. Frans’s first book was "Chimpanzee Politics Power and Sex Among apes" was recommended reading by Newt Gingrich for freshman Congressmen. I can certainly see why having had a little political fun in my past. I think every one who has a spiritual or passion driven need for the understanding of cultural anthropology should read this book. I found particularly interesting the notion that chimpanzees used tools like rocks and flat stones to crush pinecones to get out the seeds in the center to eat.
Kingdom of Heaven
June 21, 2008
Kingdom of Heaven is Ridley Scott’s way of trying to recapture the success of Gladiator and to turn Orlando Bloom into the international sensation and instant leading man that Crowe became after is Oscar winning performance in that Gladiator. I don’t fault Bloom for trying. I know he had to be thinking how could he lose? Sure it’s an epic drama and none of the other recently released historical epics (including his Troy) have come anywhere near the success of Gladiator, but Dreams has Ridley Scott, Gladiator’s mastermind at the helm, he couldn’t go wrong?right? Well, that’s not exactly what happened. See someone forgot to tell Orlando that he’s not Russell Crowe. And while he looked damn good in those elf ears, it takes much more then a pretty face to pull off an epic drama the likes of Kingdom of Heaven and unfortunately for us all Bloom just doesn’t have it.
What is Happiness and How to Achieve It?
June 20, 2008
True happiness is such a rare commodity that the whole of the world is continuously seeking it and failing to find it. All the people, who we consider to be the best in their fields, are seeking it too and failing to acquire it. The most brilliant of the scientists, the most gifted of artists, the most talented of poets and authors, the wealthiest businessmen, the most powerful rulers, the greatest achievers in any field - all of them have been striving for it all their lives and failed to have it. Why is happiness such an elusive thing? Is it that it cannot simply be achieved? Or is it that it is not where all of us have been looking for it?
If you pause to give it a thought it is very easy to see that somehow we have all been missing the point. It is either that we have all been looking for happiness at the wrong places or that it is simply not possible to achieve happiness. The answer is not very easy. But it is obvious that if the whole of the humanity has been trying to find something throughout the history and failing to acquire it then something must be very wrong about the concept we have of happiness.
What Does The Religious Right Really Want?
June 19, 2008
What does the Religious Right really want? Well, besides power, money and control, what they really want is to see a radical Right judge appointed to the Supreme Court. Why? To overturn Roe v. Wade. It really is that simple. What the Religious Right (henceforth referred to as RR) wants is to tell me, and all women, what to do with our bodies.
This has been an interesting week in American politics. The Republican Party was thwarted in its attempt to eradicate the long-held tradition of the Senate filibuster. How did the GOP, which holds a 10-seat majority in the Senate, end up in such an embarrassing position? The explanation is simple; the moderates decided it was time to be heard.
Fourteen moderate Senators, seven Republicans and seven Democrats, broke rank with their parties in a bold move to preserve the honor and integrity of Congress as an Institution by safeguarding the tradition of the filibuster. These 14 men and women held the crucial votes that would determine the result of the so-called "nuclear option" to do away with the filibuster. However, instead of playing partisan ball, they took the ball away and threw it out of the playground completely.
The Social Implications of Computing
June 18, 2008
Directed by Mark Harrison, "Visions of Heaven and Hell” is a three-part cautionary tale come documentary commissioned by Channel Four, that warns of the impending infiltration of technology and pessimistically endeavours to communicate the sentient of an old Buddhist proverb which states “To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven; the same key opens the gates of hell.” and within computerisation lies such a key thought a dismal set of apprehensive predilections.
A not-so-distant possible future is portrayed by the predictions the from such techno-thinkers as Douglas Adams, Esther Dyson, Faith Popcorn, Lily Burana and John Naisbitt, in which technology thoroughly penetrates everyday life, displacing social relationships with a formless web of stratified information and global capital.
The overriding philosophy demonstrated throughout these voids is that technology is bad, avoid it at all costs, it assumes theat just because one aspect of technology is unappealing or useless all of it is, but this attitude causes them to miss out on some of the finer enhancements to their lives that technology, through computerization, can add.
Civil War Uniform Shirts ? When to Use a One and Two Piece Body!
June 18, 2008
So, you want to make your own Civil War shirt. You have so many decisions to make - one or two-piece body, type of front, buttons, material, colors, collars! Wow.
A common pattern is a one-piece body with gussets under the sleeves with or without a collar using the same pattern.
You can vary the widths of the cuffs to copy original photographs. There is no standard pattern - even issued shirts were made off civilian patterns of the day. The variation of shirts is mind-boggling. You will see everything.
The most common shirt has a placket front with about 3 buttons. But you will see shirts that button all the way down. There is everything from A to Z.
If you see a shirt in an original photo and you want to copy it, do it. The red, white, blue on this shirt was a copy. Patriotic shirts were a common theme.
All topstitching should be by hand.
If you don’t have enough material to do a 1-piece body, you can do 2 and piece them together using a shoulder strap.
Life Management Skills for Greater Happiness
June 17, 2008
"Circumstances are the rulers of the weak; they are but the instruments of the wise." -Samuel Lover
One of the most common complaints people have these days is that their plate is fuller than full. The demands of modern life often leaves some people feeling dragged out and inadequate. Many people know intellectually that they can’t give 100% to everything, yet still they have unreasonable expectations for themselves. As a result "something’s gotta give," and usually, it is their self-care & personal fulfillment.
See if this sounds like something you might be saying to yourself. "Life just seems to be whizzing by me, and I don’t really feel as though I’m spending enough quality time on the things that matter most to me. I worry a lot that I’m going to somehow miss my life and then it will be over."
Life’s demands may not slow up any time soon, and learning to balance life is an ongoing art. If you think one day you will "get it all done, and then you can relax," you are bound to be disappointed.
So then how can we insure that those things of greatest importance to us get the amount of attention they deserve? Consider the following absolute basic life management skills.
Slaves Songs and Freedom
June 16, 2008
It may seem trite and naïve to suggest we can use the codes that slaves used in their Gospel songs to truly communicate. Unfortunately these black Americans now believe the Gospels they used to make their masters think they were happy and going along with the slave driver. It may seem paranoid to suggest we are still slaves even if we have lots of goodies or three cars in the garage. The truth of our world civilization is not very civilized. The wars and borders that keep us fighting or seeking to be chosen above ‘others’ in some racist ideology that includes frequent genocides is real. All religions are obviously not trying to let people know that whatever God might be it does not vary from one place to another and all life is part of it. They must start saying they all worship the same thing and tell their followers no one is better than anyone else.
Believing
June 15, 2008
It is written in Proverbs 14:2 There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death. It is also written in Proverbs 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. This leads me to the question. Who or what shall I believe. Lets look at what the Bible says about believing. In the book of John 6:28 it says Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.
Look at John 3:18 it says Whoever believes in him is not condemned whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not belived in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict; Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.
Bad Mouthing Fellow Authors
June 14, 2008
The creative mind is a gift to humanity; but unfortunately it comes with some baggage. We often find people who are creative also have negative and self-defeating personal character flaws. I recently had the pleasure of someone proving this to me. The name of the individual was Ed. You see Mr. Ed condemned my expert status in some articles I wrote and put online. I recently wrote an article called "1000 Ways to Improve Your Business." http://ezinearticles.com/?id=37886
Ed was quick to make critique when he stated:
“Now, I assume the term “expert author” refers to someone being an expert in their field. If Lance is indeed an expert in all the subjects he writes about - more power to him. If not, he should not misrepresent himself.”
In the article of "1000 Ways," I stated that I recommend authors write articles that they are an expert or borderline expert in. I did not say; "I am an expert or borderline expert in all the industries of all the articles I have written," although now challenged I will admit that in fact I am. I do not misrepresent myself, yet I challenge Ed to identify himself.
