US Military Needs to be Transparent about use of Drone Attacks (UAVs)

Link to Guardian Article

Giving Back

I found the following quote in Forbes magazine:  "I believe that God plays this enormous role in my life. And I believe that it's my obligation to give back..." (Ronald Perelman, billionaire)

Pondering the remark while getting the typical knee jerk reaction to the smug expression of the rich and aspiring rich: to give back... What may I ask are you going to give back? The grandeur of the give back is correlated to the inflation of ego and vanity of the philanthropist---and is indirectly correlated to an impoverished view of the universe! Allow me to explain...If I fully appreciate the grandeur and mystery of the universe and its great, unmeasurable wealth---I stop and wonder 'what is the wealth of man?' Even the richest of the rich---Forbes400 list 2 trillion combined net worth---what kind of dent in the bucket are they going to make in terms of giving back?

Consider the tapestry of dawn, the rainbow ribbons of clouds at sunset, the misty pond's ecological habitat, the crash of the wave, your DNA, quantum numbers, the galaxy...I could go on like this enumerating the incalculable beauty and majesty of nature and in not one of these scenarios would the wealth of the wealthiest turn out to be anything but chump change.

Perelman's remark only highlights a naive vanity, and pride---when I ponder the truth of nature and it's god---the only true God---I realize that the prospect of giving back in any material sense is hyperbolic and absurd. The only give back possible is thankfulness, love and the action of my soul. The only give back is a pure heart. What can I return to god or nature for my existence, can I really donate something as pure and clear as a fresh running stream? The answer is no---I can only give my authentic being---which is my only truth and real worth.

"What profit a man if he gain the world and lose his soul...." These words from the great teacher indicate a rhetorical question whose answer can only be: "none!" This answer should be Perelman's or any other do-gooder's answer about giving back--- if their view of god and the universe were in harmony with Jesus' words---instead they believe in their own wealth and unwittingly ascribe to a faith in the god of mammon and hence must make a return, the give-back, to quell their conscience before the inequality toward their human brothers. Yes, it is easy to calm one's conscience by making oaths to a God you have never seen and scarcely believe in, or at the very least a God whose kingdom you are completely ignorant of, because you perceive the world in terms of wealth and power which is alien to the true kingdom of God.

An Apocalyptic Poem

Hitler Weeps

Terry Kath: Guitarist for Chicago

Terry Kath's Blues Masterpiece

Glen Hansard meets Van Morrison

Glen Hansard Meets Van Morrison

Master's 2013

2013 Masters

16 december '06

Throw the world its little toy;
the shimmering horn, the drumming boy
in Christmas rhyme---nimble time.

Toss myth to the mad gyre,
wheels within wheels of fire!

Resurrect to wake from this dream;
if not, what enchanted wood does madness keep?

Video of Timber Digging

Link to Video of Timber

Idea of the University Presentation

Idea of the university

Bhagavad America (fiction)

Bhagavad America

Requiem

Jethro Tull: Requiem

Apocalypse Illustrated

Apocalypse Illustrated

Health in a Heartbeat

Listening to NPR on a snowy route, I heard this bizarre broadcast. here is the script in its entirety:

Parents’ stress could make kids fat

 

By SHAYNA BROUKER • Published: January 25th, 2013
Category: Health in a Heartbeat

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

It’s been well established that secondhand smoke can be just as detrimental as lighting up yourself. And you’ve heard that stress can increase the risk for obesity … but did you know your stress can actually have secondhand health effects on others — namely, your children? New research published in Pediatrics shows that tense parents tend to raise more obese children. In fact, according to the study, the more stress parents report, the more likely their offspring are to be overweight or obese.

For one, the drive-through window is like a siren song for stressed-out parents. When the alternative is chopping, dicing, sautéing and steaming after a long day at work, what the study calls “haphazard meal planning” sounds much more appealing, especially when dollars are scarce. The good news is stress did not seem to affect how many fruits and vegetables children ate or how active they were.

Aside from skipping fast food, another solution for the whole family is for parents to strike stress itself and take time to wind down at the end of a long day. It starts with adequate sleep, which can make a dynamic difference — sleep deprivation slows metabolism and erodes willpower to resist poor food choices.

If your little one overhears an argument between you and your spouse, remind them that everyone argues sometime. Be sure to build breaks and downtime into your daily routine, even if it’s just 10 minutes of flipping through a magazine or taking a stroll around the block. Modeling mellow behavior can teach kids to handle life’s little molehills more effectively.

Try and stick to a structured schedule as much as possible and eat dinner together as a family. This habit alone is known to make kids happier and eat healthier.

With a little practice, stress can be downsized — and so can your kids.

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This 'nanny' style communication really made me laugh until I saw the serious side---this is being presented as reputable university and medical advice---but it really reminds me of Soviet images of 'family life', 'healthy living', etc...in the early '80s. I am willing to do everything that Shayna Brouker recommends as essential to good living--the only problem remaining is what to do with my family during the morning and afternoon, and not sure i know how to function without a whole lot more advice! Thanks UF Shands for looking out for every comrade (I mean 'citizen'), but especially for helping me out with such valuable free medical consultation. :)