Offering multiple perspectives from many fields of human inquiry that may move all of us toward a more integrated understanding of who we are as conscious beings.
DOWN ZHONGNAN MOUNTAIN TO THE KIND PILLOW AND BOWL OF HUSI
Down the blue mountain in the evening, Moonlight was my homeward escort. Looking back, I saw my path Lie in levels of deep shadow.... I was passing the farm-house of a friend, When his children called from a gate of thorn And led me twining through jade bamboos Where green vines caught and held my clothes. And I was glad of a chance to rest And glad of a chance to drink with my friend.... We sang to the tune of the wind in the pines; And we finished our songs as the stars went down, When, I being drunk and my friend more than happy, Between us we forgot the world.
WASHINGTON, DC—In a televised address to the nation Monday, President Bush announced that the U.S. is in "desperate need of thousands of registered Democrats" to conduct what he called an "extremely important mission" to begin immediately and continue at least until the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
Bush lauded the "progressive American heroes" who he says will be vital in carrying out the mission.
"This mission is absolutely vital, for the next week to 10 days will determine the future of our country," said Bush, who would not reveal what the operation entailed, only to say that it was "highly classified."
"We are calling on the most stalwart Democrats in the land," Bush said. "In fact, they are the only ones capable of making it a success."
Although details were limited, an unnamed administration official revealed that, on Wednesday, November 1, registered Democrats will be asked to report to designated government rendezvous points such as post offices and military recruiting centers. Once there, they will be registered, fingerprinted, and issued one-piece jumpsuits, bedding, and canteens of drinking water, then directed to board brown school buses bound for an undisclosed location or locations.
"Certainly it will mean sacrifice, and possibly a prolonged absence from your families," Bush said. "We need at least 40,000 Democrats, but more are always welcome."
"Our very way of life depends on it," he added.
While Bush said any registered Democrat is eligible to participate, those who reside in Arizona's Fifth, Ohio's First, and Pennsylvania's Eighth Congressional Districts are most needed to ensure the mission's success. Democrats from New Jersey, Missouri, Tennessee, and "especially Virginia" were also strongly encouraged to volunteer.
Bush also called on the 64 percent of citizens upset with the handling of the situation in Iraq, the 80 percent who think Congress is doing a poor job, and the 63 percent who disapprove of his own job performance as "supremely qualified for the special task."
Bush added that the same liberal voters with whom his administration has traditionally been at odds would be "warmly welcomed and fully accommodated." Bush appealed to Democrats' "noble hearts," describing his traditional political foes as "a breed apart—passionate, dedicated Americans who can really make a difference."
"Staunch supporters of abortion rights, reduced dependence on foreign oil, gay marriage, and a national system of health care: We need you now more than ever," Bush said. "Registered Democrats in Michigan and Georgia who believe that the federal minimum wage needs to be increased and that global warming is being inadequately addressed are perfectly suited for such a selfless venture."
Bush's announcement drew an enthusiastic reaction from a Republican Congress dispirited by a series of scandals and criticism over its lackluster legislative performance.
"Despite our differences, I know the Democrats of my home state are the kinds of folks the president is talking about—strong, devoted, caring people who support stem-cell research and stronger gun laws."
Acknowledging the "tough times and hardship" endured by soldiers stationed in Iraq, Bush also announced plans to give the entire military the day off on Nov. 7 so they can take some time to "relax, reflect, and vote."
I'm a huge fan of crows, ravens, and other corvids. These birds, especially ravens, rival most higher primates in intelligence. Of all the birds, only corvids have outgrown their evolutionary niche to the point that they have copious free time to play games. And they invent their own games much the same way that human children do.
Live Science posted a story yesterday about crows and how young crows learn to use tools in part from watching their elders and in part as an innate skill. This is from the article:
Compared to other crows, those from the Pacific island of New Caledonia, located east of Australia, are master tool makers and users, second only to humans and on level with chimps when it comes to finding novel uses for everyday objects. In their natural forest environment, the midnight-black birds fashion twigs [video], leaves and even their own feathers [image] into tools for rooting out insects in dead wood.
The crows craft tools to specific needs [image]. They examine a problem and then pick or design an appropriate tool [video]. For example, faced with a snack lodged in a small tree hole, a crow will prune and adjust a leafy oak branch to just the right width to poke into the hole.
Scientists have found that crows living on different parts of the island display variations in tool shapes, a discovery that suggests young crows learn to fashion tools in a particular way from relatives and other crows living nearby. If so, it would mean the birds possess a culture of tool technology on par with that of humans.
To test this idea, researchers at the University of Oxford in the U.K. hand-raised [image] four Caledonian crows— two received lessons [video] in tool use from human foster parents, while the other two did not. Despite their different upbringings, all four juvenile birds used sticks to retrieve food from crevices, proving that crows have an innate ability for tool use.
However, Uek and Nalik, the two birds schooled in tool-making, carried and inserted twigs into crevices faster and more often than Oiseau and Corbeau, the two naïve crows. Also consistent with the idea that tool use among crows is partly inherited and partly learned, the researchers found that tools made by the four captive crows were crude compared with those made by adult crows living in the wild.
The researchers suggest that insights gained from studying crows could be applied to humans to help reveal how tool use evolved in our own species. Experiments can be performed with crows that are not practical with human children, and birds develop faster than chimps.
The study, conducted by Ben Kenward, Christian Rutz, Alex Weir and Alex Kacelnik, will be detailed in an upcoming issue of the journal Animal Behavior.
Anyone who has spent any time watching crows will know how smart crows really are. They, along with some parrots and higher primates, are unique in their ability to solve problems in their head before attempting to perform the solution.
Crows are also extremely social. In Seattle, which hosts the densest population of crows on the planet, tens of thousands of crows gather at sunset in the trees along Lake Washington to share events of the day -- literally. They will share info on food sources, socialize, and the young adults will pair off to form life-long unions.
Crows are much smarter than most people give them credit for. You can read more on this story at USA Today.
After nearly four months in the wilderness of not having Technorati update my blog, I am back on their radar. The problem was finally solved by a guy working in online help at Blogger. So now that I have said all those horrible things about Blogger, I have to take some of them back.
Turns out the issue was that my archives were too big and it was causing an error message that prevented Blogger from pinging Technorati. Whatever. It's finally fixed.
I've been getting to know my inner mud demon, who looks and sounds a lot like Trent Reznor at Woodstock 1994. He's angry, bitter, resentful, and rejoices in the basest human qualities.
I think of this as shadow work. Better I get to know him through music and writing than turn him loose on the world.
hey God why are you doing this to me? am i not living up to what i'm supposed to be? why am i seething with this animosity? hey God i think you owe me a great big apology.
hey God i really don't know what you mean. seems like salvation come only in our dreams. i feel my hatred grow all the more extreme. hey God can this world really be as sad as it seems?
don't take it away from me. i need someone to hold on to. don't take it away from me. i need someone to hold on to.
hey God there's nothing left for me to hide. i lost my ignorance, security and pride. i'm all alone in a world you must despise. hey God i believed your promises, your promises and lies.
you made me throw it all away. my morals left to decay. how many you betray. you've taken everything.
terrible lie. my head is filled with disease. my skin is begging you please. i'm on my hands and knees. i want so much to believe.
i need someone to hold on to. i need someone to hold on to. i need someone i need someone. i need someone to hold on to. i give you everything. my sweet everything. hey God i really don't know who i am. in this world of piss
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble. Fillet of a fenny snake, In the caldron boil and bake; Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog, Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg and howlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble. Cool it with a baboon's blood, Then the charm is firm and good.
The teachings show us precisely what will happen if we prepare for death and what will happen if we do not. The choice could not be clearer. If we refuse to accept death now, while we are still alive, we will pay dearly throughout our lives, at the moment of death, and thereafter. The effects of this refusal will ravage this life and all the lives to come.
We will not be able to live our lives fully; we will remain imprisoned in the very aspect of ourselves that has to die. This ignorance will rob us of the basis of the journey to enlightenment, and trap us endlessly in the realm of illusion, the uncontrolled cycle of birth and death, that ocean of suffering that Buddhists call “samsara.”
Sometimes I need a good cathartic song/video -- the angrier the better. Nickleback's "Figured You Out" is one of my favorite rage songs right now. It's a bit misogynist, so pass this over if that kind of music offends you.
I used to date girls like this when I was young and stupid.
