Blog Feed: Running 'Cause I Can't Fly

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-05-23 00:04:00

"Face-on spiral galaxy M77 lies a mere 47 million light-years away toward the aquatic constellation Cetus. At that estimated distance, the gorgeous island universe is about 100 thousand light-years across. Also known as NGC 1068, its compact and very

Chet Raymo, “Strange”

Published on 2013-05-22 23:57:00

Musical Interlude: Moody Blues, “You and Me”

Published on 2013-05-22 18:15:00

Moody Blues, “You and Me” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7UZ5oVYmb8

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-05-22 18:08:00

The Poet: Mary Oliver, "When Death Comes"

Published on 2013-05-22 18:02:00

"When Death Comes""When death comes like the hungry bear in autumn,when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purseto buy me, and snaps his purse shut;when death comes like the measle-pox;when death comes like an iceberg between the sho

Free Download: Walt Whitman, "Leaves of Grass"

Published on 2013-05-22 17:57:00

"What We Really Need"

Published on 2013-05-22 17:47:00

“A ‘Grandiose Government’ Experiment”

Published on 2013-05-22 16:05:00

“A ‘Grandiose Government’ Experiment”by Addison Wiggin“I have a grandson who is afraid to get out of bed at night,” Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) told the besmirched former head of the IRS on Friday. “He thinks there’s someone under the bed that

"IRS: Incredible Abuses of Democracy"

Published on 2013-05-22 15:55:00

"IRS: Incredible Abuses of Democracy"by Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com"Professor William Black is an expert in white collar crime. When it comes to the IRS scandal, Dr. Black says, “This is everybody’s fear. This is a real fear and not made up.

Satire: “Obama Asks Staff to Start Cc’ing Him on Stuff”

Published on 2013-05-22 13:58:00

Musical Interlude: Gregorian, “The Sound of Silence”

Published on 2013-05-22 00:37:00

Gregorian, “The Sound of Silence”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7c44bXST-o

Free Download: Aldous Huxley, "Brave New World"

Published on 2013-05-21 15:49:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-05-21 15:32:00

"O Brave New World..."

Published on 2013-05-21 15:25:00

“Cell Towers Are NOT What We Are Told”

Published on 2013-05-21 15:20:00

“Cell Towers Are NOT What We Are Told”by LesMajeste, Jimstonefreelance.com“Upon arriving in Mexico City, I noticed that there was what appeared to be a complete lack of cell towers. Yet perfect cell service was everywhere. And that got me wonde

“Republicans Question Whether Obama Could Handle Actual Scandal”

Published on 2013-05-21 13:14:00

Musical Interlude: Medwyn Goodall, “Vision Quest”

Published on 2013-05-21 02:34:00

Medwyn Goodall, “Vision Quest”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIUuyoRfbvw

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-05-21 02:30:00

“Above this boreal landscape, the arc of the Milky Way and shimmering aurorae flow through the night. Like an echo, below them lies Iceland's spectacular Godafoss, the Waterfall of the Gods. Shining just below the Milky Way, bright Jupiter is inclu

Chet Raymo“When The Morning Stars Sing Together”

Published on 2013-05-21 02:25:00

Musical Interlude: Inka-Vision, “My Music, My Passion”

Published on 2013-05-20 20:47:00

Inka-Vision, “My Music, My Passion”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0CqsbLeCYE

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-05-20 20:37:00

Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Wells Dry, Fertile Plains Turn to Dust"

Published on 2013-05-20 14:45:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-05-20 14:17:00

Always remember the real "Golden Rule": whoever has the gold, makes the rules...- CP

“Operation Vigilant Eagle: Is This Really How We Honor Our Nation’s Veterans?”

Published on 2013-05-20 14:13:00

“Too Big to Jail - Enough to Make Your Blood Boil”

Published on 2013-05-20 03:30:00

“The IRS and the Real Scandal”

Published on 2013-05-20 03:16:00

“Oh Look, It's Nixon!”

Published on 2013-05-20 02:57:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-05-18 21:01:00

The Roman poet Juvenal asked, “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?”

“Wal-Mart Warns Of Economic Disaster… Are You Prepared?”

Published on 2013-05-18 20:55:00

"Life's Tough..."

Published on 2013-05-18 20:47:00

Satire: “Obama Denies Role In Government”

Published on 2013-05-18 12:01:00

“The IRS Is Seeing Everything You Do Online”

Published on 2013-05-17 16:46:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-05-17 16:12:00

Satire: “A Letter from John Boehner”

Published on 2013-05-17 16:06:00

The Economy: “Has Dr. Bernankenstein Created a New Monster?”

Published on 2013-05-17 12:29:00

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 5/17/13”

Published on 2013-05-17 11:53:00

“Weekly News Wrap-Up 5/17/13”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "This Week’s Wrap-Up series of stories I call “Scandal-topia.”

The Universe

Published on 2013-05-17 03:25:00

Paulo Coelho, “The Well of Madness”

Published on 2013-05-16 20:34:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-05-16 20:06:00

Satire: “Republicans Agree to Stop Using Word “Scandal” in Every Sentence If Obama Resigns”

Published on 2013-05-16 20:01:00

“Truth Is Offensive”

Published on 2013-05-16 16:26:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-05-16 14:31:00

"What TARP Boss Neil Barofsky Told Me Yesterday Should Shock You"

Published on 2013-05-16 14:26:00

The Economy: “To The Media: Stop Sucking Obama On The Debt”

Published on 2013-05-16 12:37:00

“To The Media: Stop Sucking Obama On The Debt”by Karl Denninger"This is completely out of hand. The media continues to cite the so-called "expectation" that Treasury will run "only" a $600-odd billion deficit this year, and they cite this as sour

“How Your Brain Reacts To Watching TV”

Published on 2013-05-16 12:21:00

"What Are These Weird Street Signs Being Installed in Las Vegas?"

Published on 2013-05-16 11:18:00

"What Are These Weird Street Signs Being Installed in Las Vegas?"by Paul Joseph Watson"Strange new street signs being installed across Las Vegas are prompting suspicions from concerned readers, one of whom sent us the following images. Are these new

“President Obama Heard About IRS, DoJ Scandals From The News?”

Published on 2013-05-15 20:55:00

The Daily Show with Jon StewartGet More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook“President Obama Heard About IRS, DoJ Scandals From The News?”"Between news of the IRS targeting the Tea Party, the on-going he

“The IRS Wants YOU — To Share Everything”

Published on 2013-05-15 20:50:00

“The IRS Wants YOU — To Share Everything”By David Nathe, Tarini Parti and Byron Tau

"Student Loan Rates To Double; Bill Would Give Students Same Rate As Banks 0.75%"

Published on 2013-05-15 14:26:00

"Student Loan Rates To Double;

“The Empire’s Next Effort to Extract Your Wealth”

Published on 2013-05-15 13:58:00

“The Empire’s Next Effort to Extract Your Wealth”by Addison Wiggin“Since before the tech bust, we’ve been suggesting that while Americans “think” they’re getting richer… they’re actually heading in the other direction. They’re g

“Jon Stewart Destroys Obama Over IRS Scandal”

Published on 2013-05-14 15:13:00

“Jon Stewart Destroys Obama Over IRS Scandal”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3O2jNy0jvkY

Satire: “Kim Jong-Un Defends Right To Obtain Journalists’ Phone Records”

Published on 2013-05-14 15:04:00

“Kim Jong-Un Defends Right To Obtain Journalists’ Phone Records”by Andy BorowitzPYONGYANG (The Borowitz Report)— “As controversy swirled around the Department of Justice’s move to obtain journalists’ phone records, the White House picke

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-05-14 14:54:00

“Grapes Of Wrath”

Published on 2013-05-14 12:45:00

“Grapes Of Wrath”by James Quinn"And the great owners, who must lose their land in an upheaval, the great owners with access to history, with eyes to read history and to know the great fact: when property accumulates in too few hands it is taken a

The Economy: “Breaking Inequality”

Published on 2013-05-14 12:06:00

“Breaking Inequality”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=s-GWdpvgiIA#!

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-05-13 19:39:00

San Jose, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Satire: “G.O.P. Split Over Whether To Waste Time Investigating Benghazi Or Repealing Obamacare”

Published on 2013-05-13 19:37:00

“G.O.P. Split Over Whether To Waste Time Investigating

“Nuclear Terror in the Middle East: Lethality Beyond the Pale”

Published on 2013-05-13 17:26:00

“Nuclear Terror in the Middle East: Lethality Beyond the Pale”by Nick Turse“In those first minutes, they’ll be stunned. Eyes fixed in a thousand-yard stare, nerve endings numbed. They’ll just stand there. Soon, you’ll notice that they are

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-05-13 15:42:00

“Attack of the Taxpayer-Eating Zombie Bureaucrats”

Published on 2013-05-13 13:53:00

“Attack of the Taxpayer-Eating Zombie Bureaucrats”by Dan Mitchell“When it comes to finding creative ways to piss away other people’s money and make bone-headed choices, American politicians and bureaucrats are ready to meet the challenge. Thi

The Economy: “World War Z”

Published on 2013-05-13 13:43:00

“World War Z”by Bill Bonner“If you're a movie goer, you've probably seen trailers for Brad Pitt's zombie movie, “World War Z”. Pitt plays a United Nations employee forced to deal with a global zombie pandemic of epic proportions. Hollywood

“Round the Clock Surveillance: Is This the Price of Living in a ‘Free, Safe’ Society?”

Published on 2013-05-13 12:30:00

“Round the Clock Surveillance:

Musical Interlude: Clannad, “Mystery Game”

Published on 2013-05-13 04:57:00

Clannad, “Mystery Game”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIDzqVRFr5c

Satire: “FOX News Shocker: New Evidence Hillary Killed Lincoln”

Published on 2013-05-12 20:06:00

“FOX News Shocker: New Evidence Hillary Killed Lincoln”by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “In what may be the most serious allegation ever made against the former Secretary of State, Fox News Channel reported today that Hillary

“False Flag-O-Meter Reaches The Red Zone"

Published on 2013-05-12 14:17:00

“False Flag-O-Meter Reaches The Red Zone:

Satire: “Vegas: Rove Attack Ads Seal Victory For Hillary”

Published on 2013-05-10 16:48:00

“Vegas: Rove Attack Ads Seal Victory For Hillary”by Andy BorowitzLAS VEGAS (The Borowitz Report)— “News that Karl Rove’s PAC, American Crossroads, has bought ads attacking Hillary Clinton has sent the Democrat’s stock soaring in Las Vegas

“Owning a Dog Is Linked to Reduced Heart Risk”

Published on 2013-05-10 15:19:00

“Owning a Dog Is Linked to Reduced Heart Risk”by Anahad O’Connor“The nation’s largest cardiovascular health organization has a new message for Americans: Owning a dog may protect you from heart disease. The unusual message was contained in

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 5.10.13"

Published on 2013-05-10 09:31:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 5.10.13"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-05-09 22:56:00

Lincoln, Illinois, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

An Apology To Clowns: “Debt Limit Bill Passes House"

Published on 2013-05-09 22:49:00

“Debt Limit Bill Passes House,

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-05-09 20:44:00

Satire: “Republicans Hold Hearings About Hillary Clinton’s Poll Numbers”

Published on 2013-05-09 20:30:00

“Republicans Hold Hearings About Hillary Clinton’s Poll Numbers”by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “Republican lawmakers asked increasingly tough questions today as they held another day of hearings to investigate, in the wor

The Economy: “Buffett to Bernanke: It's Easier to Buy Than to Sell”

Published on 2013-05-09 19:55:00

“Buffett to Bernanke: It's Easier to Buy Than to Sell”by Bill Bonner“The Dow rose another 48 points yesterday. Gold was up $24 per ounce. Nothing remarkable. Nothing illuminating, either. The newspapers and TV channels all reported the Dow 15,0

Musical Interlude: Vangelis, “Ask The Mountains”

Published on 2013-05-08 23:18:00

Vangelis, “Ask The Mountains”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EBYf3lYSEg

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-05-08 23:07:00

“To see a vista like this takes patience, hiking, and a camera. Patience was needed in searching out just the right place and waiting for just the right time. A short hike was needed to reach this rugged perch above a secluded cove in Julia Pfeiffe

Chet Raymo, “The Silence”

Published on 2013-05-08 23:02:00

“The Silence”by Chet Raymo“The hiding places of my powerSeem open; I approach, and then they close;I see by glimpses now; when age comes on,May scarcely see at all, and I would give,While yet we may, as far as words can give,A substance and a l

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-05-08 20:30:00

Sweet Briar, Virginia, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“I Have Learned”

Published on 2013-05-08 20:25:00

“I Have Learned”Posted by Paulo Coelho(This text, which I found on the Internet, is attributed to me. I did not write it, but I think worth reproducing here. - PC)"I’ve learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone

“Sow Chaos, Reap Chaos”

Published on 2013-05-08 18:15:00

“Sow Chaos, Reap Chaos”by Missy Beattie"Marine Capt. Cameron West said, “We are all in this together.” He and other troops, Iraq or Afghanistan war amputees,

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-05-08 13:41:00

"Top Secret!"

Published on 2013-05-08 13:21:00

"Top Secret!"by Bill Bonner"US stocks continue to climb. The Dow has passed the 15,000 milestone. Gold, meanwhile, got smacked yesterday. It sank back to $1,448 per ounce. What's ahead? A mood of prophecy, perhaps brought on by a large helping of oss

Gerald Celente: “Middle East Out of Control”

Published on 2013-05-08 13:07:00

Gerald Celente: “Middle East Out of Control”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

Satire: “Sanford’s Comeback Gives Hope To Liars”

Published on 2013-05-08 04:45:00

“Sanford’s Comeback Gives Hope To Liars”by Andy BorowitzCHARLESTON, S.C. (The Borowitz Report)— “Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford’s stunning upset in a special congressional election on Tuesday served as an inspiration to liars

“The Real Threat to America (Is Not What You Think)”

Published on 2013-05-07 15:38:00

“The Real Threat to America (Is Not What You Think)”by Bill Bonner“An extraordinary thing has happened... Thanks to the courage of severely depressed Americans, neither chance nor intention... neither the gods nor "towel head" terrorists... pos

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-05-06 22:10:00

“Is that a spaceship or a cloud? Although it may seem like an alien mothership, it's actually a impressive thunderstorm cloud called a supercell. Such colossal storm systems center on mesocyclones- rotating updrafts that can span several kilometers

Chet Raymo, “Men And Their Guns”

Published on 2013-05-06 20:02:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-05-06 19:41:00

"Desperate Courage..."

Published on 2013-05-06 16:08:00

“Desperate courage makes One a majority.”- Andrew Jackson

“Andrew Jackson And The War Against the Bank”

Published on 2013-05-06 15:59:00

“Andrew Jackson And The War Against the Bank”by U.S. History"Gentlemen! I too have been a close observer of the doings of the Bank of the United States. I have had men watching you for a long time, and am convinced that you have used the funds of

Post # 22,200: "The Greatest Lie the Fed Ever Told"

Published on 2013-05-06 15:31:00

"The Greatest Lie the Fed Ever Told"by Bill Bonner"Public life bumbles along under a combination of false pretenses and self-imposed delusions. At the start of last week, it was widely reported that US central bankers had gone as far as they were wil

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-05-05 18:39:00

“The Myth of U.S. Economic Recovery, Social Crisis in America”

Published on 2013-05-05 17:48:00

“The Myth of U.S. Economic Recovery, Social Crisis in America”by Global Research“I wonder how many times you have to be hit on the

"How Your Purchasing Power Was And Is Destroyed"

Published on 2013-05-05 17:25:00

"How Your Purchasing Power Was And Is Destroyed"by Karl Denninger"Most people fail to understand basic mathematical concepts such as exponents and ratios as they apply to everyday life.

“Suicide Rates Rise Sharply in U.S.”

Published on 2013-05-04 20:12:00

“Suicide Rates Rise Sharply in U.S.”By Tara Parker-Pope“Suicide rates among middle-aged Americans have risen sharply in the past decade, prompting concern that a generation of baby boomers who have faced years of economic worry and easy access

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-05-04 20:01:00

Satire: “N.R.A. Leader Warns Of Rising Cost Of Senators”

Published on 2013-05-04 19:58:00

“N.R.A. Leader Warns Of Rising Cost Of Senators”By Andy BorowitzHOUSTON (The Borowitz Report)— “National Rifle Association C.E.O. Wayne LaPierre used his opening speech at the N.R.A.’s national convention today to highlight several challeng

Karl Denninger, “Another Day, Another (Two) Outrages”

Published on 2013-05-04 14:54:00

“Another Day, Another (Two) Outrages”by Karl Denninger“Why should I believe anything the government tells me? Why should I obey the law, other than because I'm scared of the guns the government can point at me? Why should I build or expand a bu

The Economy: “This Car Won’t Move”

Published on 2013-05-04 14:31:00

“This Car Won’t Move”by Jeffrey Tucker“The latest unemployment data reveal the hope and tragedy of the American economic plight. Cheers went up for a modest increase in hiring, one that:• barely keeps up with population;• features mostly

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 5.3.13”

Published on 2013-05-03 02:49:00

“Weekly News Wrap-Up 5.3.13”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

Musical Interlude: Vangelis, “Alpha”; "Where We Make Our Stand"

Published on 2013-05-01 20:19:00

Vangelis, “Alpha” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jG--3elufo•"Where We Make Our Stand""Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-05-01 20:09:00

“This huge ball of stars predates our Sun. Long before humankind evolved, before dinosaurs roamed, and even before our Earth existed, ancient globs of stars condensed and orbited a young Milky Way Galaxy. Of the 200 or so globular clusters that sur

The Poet: Mary Oliver, "Have You Ever Tried to Enter the Long Black Branches?"

Published on 2013-05-01 20:05:00

Paulo Coelho, "The Seagull and the Mouse"

Published on 2013-05-01 19:51:00

"The Seagull and the Mouse"by Paulo Coelho"A seagull was flying over a beach in the Black Sea when it saw a mouse. It swooped down from the skies and asked the rodent, “Where are your wings?” Each of them spoke a different language, and the mouse

Chet Raymo, “The End of Vernaculars”

Published on 2013-05-01 19:41:00

“The End of Vernaculars”by Chet Raymo“In the early 1770s, East Tennessee was a tinderbox waiting to explode into warfare. Settlers and traders from the Carolinas and Virginia were moving into the country of the Cherokees. Some leaders of the tr

"Singing To The Deer"

Published on 2013-05-01 19:04:00

"Singing To The Deer"by Patricia Monaghan“At solstice, the woods were bright in a snowy way, the sky pearl gray above the stately maples and gnarled burr oaks. An Alaskan marooned in the urban Midwest, it took me years to find this nearby patch of

"No Mercy..."

Published on 2013-05-01 18:59:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-05-01 18:48:00

"The Pig Farmer"

Published on 2013-05-01 18:44:00

"I'm Sure..."

Published on 2013-05-01 18:07:00

"Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not.

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-30 21:08:00

“Aw, You're Just Figuring It Out, Are You? (WSJ)”

Published on 2013-04-30 21:08:00

“Aw, You're Just Figuring It Out, Are You? (WSJ)”by Karl Denninger“One of the more-amusing aspects in observing and commenting on whatever goes on in a given day, whether it be in the political or business arena, is how many editors and writers

“Off to See the Wizard”

Published on 2013-04-30 20:22:00

“Off to See the Wizard”by Byron King“Author Lyman Frank Baum wrote the original book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. The book, published in 1900, was whimsical. But among other things, it poked fun and caricatured the gold and silver debate

The Economy: "On the Value of Information"

Published on 2013-04-30 20:00:00

"On the Value of Information"by David Galland“It has become tradition at La Estancia de Cafayate for Casey Research to host an intimate conference in conjunction with the Harvest Celebration. In the most recent of the series, Bill Bonner, co-founde

Chet Raymo, “Asperges Me, Domine”

Published on 2013-04-29 22:10:00

“Asperges Me, Domine” *by Chet Raymo“Greystone Books publishes a series of "Literary Companions" to natural environments- mountains, rivers and lakes, deserts, gardens, and the sea, so far. Now they come to my environment- night- and have been

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-04-29 21:54:00

"Fear..."

Published on 2013-04-29 21:50:00

“I was as afraid as the next man in my time and maybe more so. But with the years, fear had come to be regarded as a form of stupidity to be classed with overdrafts, acquiring a venereal disease or eating candies. Fear is a child's vice and while I

Mark Twain, "Congress"

Published on 2013-04-29 18:24:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-29 18:17:00

“The Incredibly Uneven Recovery"

Published on 2013-04-29 17:53:00

Satire: “Republicans: Obama Must Take Action in Syria So We Can Criticize Action He Took in Syria”

Published on 2013-04-29 15:51:00

“Republicans: Obama Must Take Action in Syria So

“Everything Is Rigged: The Biggest Price-Fixing Scandal Ever”

Published on 2013-04-29 15:40:00

“Everything Is Rigged: The Biggest Price-Fixing Scandal Ever”The Illuminati were amateurs. The second huge financial scandal of the year

Musical Interlude: Michael Franti, "Hey World (Don't Give Up)"

Published on 2013-04-29 06:01:00

Michael Franti, "Hey World (Don't Give Up)"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01FE9cPXE3M

“Latest D.C.-Wall Street Brainstorm– Bailouts With Your Bank Deposits”

Published on 2013-04-29 05:53:00

“Latest D.C.-Wall Street Brainstorm–

"Dog 'Cries' At Grave: 'Wiley Crying Over Grandma' (VIDEO)"

Published on 2013-04-28 16:10:00

"Dog 'Cries' At Grave: 'Wiley Crying Over Grandma' (VIDEO)"by The Huffington Post"Brace yourselves, because this video is probably going to make you cry.

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-27 19:33:00

“No Bank Deposits Will Be Spared from Confiscation”

Published on 2013-04-27 19:10:00

“No Bank Deposits Will Be Spared from Confiscation”By Matthias Chang"I challenge anyone to prove me wrong that confiscation of bank deposits is legalized daylight robbery. Bank depositors in the UK and USA may think that their bank deposits would

"The Decline of Critical Thinking"

Published on 2013-04-27 18:56:00

"The Decline of Critical Thinking"by Lawrence Davidson

"How It Really Might Be..."

Published on 2013-04-26 16:06:00

"Hiding the Unemployed: Disability and the Politics of Stats"

Published on 2013-04-26 13:23:00

"Hiding the Unemployed:

“The Grandest Larceny of All Time”

Published on 2013-04-26 13:14:00

“The Grandest Larceny of All Time”by Bill Bonner“The biggest scandal of today's central bank policy is that it is essentially the grandest larceny of all time. The normal ways in which wealth is distributed may not be perfect, but they are the

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 4.26.12”

Published on 2013-04-26 02:26:00

“Weekly News Wrap-Up 4.26.12”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-25 21:25:00

Satire: “First Bush Library Quietly Celebrates Eleventh Anniversary”

Published on 2013-04-25 21:22:00

“First Bush Library Quietly Celebrates Eleventh Anniversary”by Andy BorowitzGUANTÁNAMO BAY, CUBA (The Borowitz Report)— “While former Presidents and a star-studded cast of other dignitaries gather in Dallas, Texas, today for the dedication o

"Americans Under Siege– Has Tomorrow Become a Reality?"

Published on 2013-04-25 19:29:00

"Americans Under Siege–

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-04-24 21:49:00

“This beautiful, bright, spiral galaxy is Messier 64, often called the Black Eye Galaxy or the Sleeping Beauty Galaxy for its heavy-lidded appearance in telescopic views. M64 is about 17 million light-years distant in the otherwise well-groomed nor

Crabs in a Bucket"

Published on 2013-04-24 21:45:00

"Crabs in a Bucket"by Sarah Robinson"When I was a little girl, I lived very close (and hour and fifteen minutes) to the Florida panhandle beaches. Which meant we spent a TON of time there. Early evening was one of my favorite times to walk the beach

“How Do We Humans Ever Make Good Decisions?”

Published on 2013-04-24 20:14:00

“How Do We Humans Ever Make Good Decisions?”by Jim Taylor, Ph.D.“It’s a wonder that good decisions are ever made by the species known as Homo Sapiens. The reality is that the cards are stacked against us whenever we are faced with choices, es

Musical Interlude: Afshin, “Prayer of Change”

Published on 2013-04-24 19:36:00

Afshin, “Prayer of Change”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9oZ5A548Ak

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-04-24 14:50:00

Anadarko, Oklahoma, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Ubuntu"

Published on 2013-04-24 14:44:00

"An anthropologist proposed a game to the kids in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit near a tree and told the kids that who ever got there first won the sweet fruits. When he told them to run they all took each others hands and ran toget

Satire: "People Believe Something on Twitter for Some Reason"

Published on 2013-04-24 14:36:00

"People Believe Something on Twitter for Some Reason"by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— "Federal investigators said today that they were “baffled” as to why millions of people chose to believe something they read yesterday on Twi

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-24 14:28:00

“Loving Your Servitude”

Published on 2013-04-24 13:41:00

“Loving Your Servitude”by James Quinn“The real hopeless victims of mental illness are to be found among those who appear to be most normal. Many of them are normal because they are so well adjusted to our mode of existence, because their human

“Extras”

Published on 2013-04-24 13:00:00

“Extras”by Eric Fry“Beware the government that provides “more.” Fear the government that provides “extra.” “More government” always means more of something, but not always more of something a productive individual desires. More gove

Musical Interlude: Brule', “Stomp Dance”

Published on 2013-04-23 23:04:00

Brule', “Stomp Dance”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_l2Zt_um6M

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-04-23 22:54:00

“Jets of streaming plasma expelled by the central black hole of a massive spiral galaxy light up this composite image of Centaurus A. The jets emanating from Cen A are over a million light years long.

Chet Raymo, “Examination Of Conscience”

Published on 2013-04-23 20:00:00

The Poet: Rainer Maria Rilke"Sonnets to Orpheus, Part One, IV"

Published on 2013-04-23 19:42:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-04-23 18:28:00

Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by.

“Los Angeles at Ground Zero: Postcard from the End of America”

Published on 2013-04-23 18:19:00

"Decisions..."

Published on 2013-04-23 15:47:00

"Except for totally impulsive or psychotic behavior, every humandecision comes down to the choice between two alternatives."- Jeff Duntemann

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-23 15:37:00

“Beaten Dogs”

Published on 2013-04-23 15:30:00

“Beaten Dogs”by CoyotePrime“And so, the audit of the Federal Reserve was released last September... $16 TRILLION dollars of YOUR money, “lent” at 0% interest not only to the Too-Big-To-Fail American megabanks, but trillions of dollars to ma

Karl Denninger, “Fed Gives Finger To Congress”

Published on 2013-04-23 15:11:00

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."- Sir Walter Scott“Fed Gives Finger To Congress”by Karl Denninger“Now the question is whether Congress can find its balls

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-04-22 20:50:00

“While drifting through the cosmos, a magnificent interstellar dust cloud became sculpted by stellar winds and radiation to assume a recognizable shape. Fittingly named the Horsehead Nebula, it is embedded in the vast and complex Orion Nebula (M42)

Paulo Coelho, "Defeat"

Published on 2013-04-22 20:44:00

Chet Raymo, “Gnomes At Home”

Published on 2013-04-22 20:23:00

“Gnomes At Home”by Chet Raymo“When I wrote “The Path: A One-mile Walk Through the Universe," I had walked the path between my home and college almost daily for 37 years. In the Introduction to the book, I wrote: "For all of its familiarity, t

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-04-22 19:00:00

San Luis Obispo, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Truth..."

Published on 2013-04-22 17:51:00

"Truth is like the town whore. Everybody knows her,

"The Truth Will Not Set You Free"

Published on 2013-04-22 17:45:00

"The Truth Will Not Set You Free"“We do not see the world as it is. We see the world as we are.”by William Berry“We do not see the world as it is. We see the world as we are.” This quote has been attributed to both the Talmud and Anaïs Nin (

The Economy: "A Case of the Mondays"

Published on 2013-04-22 16:27:00

"A Case of the Mondays"by Dave Gonigam“In the first quarter of 2012,” read the statement issued before this morning’s open, “Caterpillar dealers added machine inventory of about $875 million, and this year, they reduced machine inventory by a

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-22 10:55:00

“Congress Exploits Our Fears to Take Our Liberty”

Published on 2013-04-22 10:54:00

“Congress Exploits Our Fears to Take Our Liberty”by Ron Paul"This week, as Americans were horrified by the attacks in Boston, both houses of Congress considered legislation undermining our liberty in the name of “safety.” Gun control continue

“The Latest From ‘DHS Insider’"

Published on 2013-04-22 10:27:00

“The Latest From ‘DHS Insider’"

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, “When Time Slows (Born Star)”

Published on 2013-04-21 22:20:00

Chuck Wild, Liquid Mind, “When Time Slows (Born Star)”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogldA2Gxl3g

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-04-21 22:16:00

Do you see it? This common question frequently precedes the rediscovery of one of the most commonly recognized configurations of stars on the northern sky: the Big Dipper. This grouping of stars is one of the few things that has likely been seen, and

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-04-21 21:49:00

Conway, South Carolina, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Genetics: "Native American Populations Descend from Three Key Migrations, Scientists Say"

Published on 2013-04-21 21:45:00

"Native American Populations Descend from

Satire: “CNN Quits Breaking News, Becomes ‘CNN Classic’”

Published on 2013-04-21 15:55:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-21 15:47:00

"Quiet Desperation..."

Published on 2013-04-21 15:42:00

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but u

“How to Keep Your Focus Razor Sharp”

Published on 2013-04-21 15:23:00

“How to Keep Your Focus Razor Sharp”by Jan Bruce“There's a woman I know, a writer and consultant, who says she's more stressed out by what she's not doing than what she is doing. When she's in the flow of work, she's consumed by it, productive,

“Could Our Deepest Fears Hold the Key to Ending Violence?”

Published on 2013-04-21 15:02:00

“Could Our Deepest Fears Hold the Key to Ending Violence?”by Frances Moore Lappé“In his book “Violence”, psychologist James Gilligan asked a Massachusetts prison inmate, “What do you want so badly that you would sacrifice everything in o

Musical Interlude: Pink Floyd, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”

Published on 2013-04-20 22:45:00

Pink Floyd, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MDHv1xLnlM

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-20 21:29:00

“A Brief And Crucial History of the United States”

Published on 2013-04-20 17:48:00

“A Brief And Crucial History of the United States”by Information Clearing House"Nightmare and insanity are akin: mysterious and involuntary states that skew and distort objective reality. One wakens from nightmare; from insanity there is no awake

“America's New Math: 1 Wall Street Hour= 21 Years of Hard Work For the Rest of Us”

Published on 2013-04-20 17:27:00

“America's New Math: 1 Wall Street Hour=

Musical Interlude: Logos, “Cheminement”

Published on 2013-04-19 22:31:00

Logos, “Cheminement”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOuXP8aVWHU

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-04-19 22:28:00

“This skyscape finds an esthetic balance of interstellar dust and gas residing in the suburbs of the nebula rich constellation of Orion. Reflecting the light of bright star Rigel, Beta Orionis, the jutting, bluish chin of the Witch Head Nebula is a

Chet Raymo, “All Night, In The Dark”

Published on 2013-04-19 22:18:00

“All Night, In The Dark”by Chet Raymo“Why do we so admire the poetry of Mary Oliver? She is not the most technically proficient poet around, and there is a disquieting sameness to her work. But we come back to her again and again. My volumes of

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-04-19 22:06:00

Grass Valley, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“'People's History' of Gulf Oil Disaster Reveals Deadly Truth Behind Dispersant Corexit”

Published on 2013-04-19 21:59:00

“'People's History' of Gulf Oil Disaster Reveals

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-19 17:25:00

Ahh, yes, all those "campaign contributions" for our trustworthy,

Phony Malware Alert!

Published on 2013-04-19 17:11:00

Some of you may see this graphic, and we've experienced this a number of times before. This is NOT true, despite what Google says, and I've always found it curious that this type of phony alarm appears on the blog immediately after something the Powe

"Fed Governor Stein Warns When A TBTF Bank Fails, Depositors Will Be Cyprus'ed"

Published on 2013-04-19 16:55:00

"Fed Governor Stein Warns When A TBTF Bank Fails,

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 4.19.13"

Published on 2013-04-19 12:13:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 4.19.13"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatachdog.com

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-04-19 01:10:00

“This skyscape finds an esthetic balance of interstellar dust and gas residing in the suburbs of the nebula rich constellation of Orion. Reflecting the light of bright star Rigel, Beta Orionis, the jutting, bluish chin of the Witch Head Nebula is a

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-04-18 22:13:00

Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, “Navigating”

Published on 2013-04-18 22:06:00

“Navigating”by Chet Raymo“My ignorance grows by leaps and bounds. I try to keep up. I read "Science" and "Nature" every week. I check the new-book shelves in the college library for anything of interest. I do a modest amount of surfing science

“The Wit and Wisdom of Will Rogers”

Published on 2013-04-18 18:47:00

“The Wit and Wisdom of Will Rogers”by Tom Purcell"Things are mighty heated these days. Tempers are flaring and minds are closed. Here’s the solution: the wit and wisdom of Will Rogers.“The short memory of voters is what keeps our politicians

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-18 18:37:00

The Economy: "Before the Collapse, a Call to Action"

Published on 2013-04-18 18:23:00

"Before the Collapse, a Call to Action"by Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers

Of Bombings and Tax Havens: Terrorizing the Economy"

Published on 2013-04-18 18:09:00

"Of Bombings and Tax Havens: Terrorizing the Economy"by Laura Flanders"Two acts of cruelty claimed lives this tax day.

Satire: “Courageous Senators Stand Up to American People”

Published on 2013-04-18 13:42:00

“Courageous Senators Stand Up to American People”

"Three Things..."

Published on 2013-04-17 23:38:00

“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have y

Musical Interlude: “Homeless Boy Steals The Talent Show”

Published on 2013-04-17 23:24:00

“Homeless Boy Steals The Talent Show”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ46Ot4_lLo

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-04-17 23:14:00

“Sculpted by stellar winds and radiation, the star factory known as Messier 17 lies some 5,500 light-years away in the nebula-rich constellation Sagittarius. At that distance, this degree wide field of view spans almost 100 light-years. The sharp,

Chet Raymo, “Cultivating Amazement”

Published on 2013-04-17 23:10:00

“Cultivating Amazement”by Chet Raymo“There is only one question, says the poet Mary Oliver: "How to love this world."

Paulo Coelho, "The Cry Of The Desert"

Published on 2013-04-17 22:59:00

"The Cry Of The Desert"by Paulo Coelho"As soon as he arrived in Marrakesh, Morocco, a missionary decided he would stroll through the desert at the city’s boundary every morning. On his first stroll he noticed a man lying on the sand, caressing the

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-04-17 21:36:00

Magdalena, New Mexico, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Satire: “No Information Found On CNN”

Published on 2013-04-17 19:43:00

“No Information Found On CNN”by Andy BorowitzBOSTON (The Borowitz Report)— “Authorities who have spent the past forty-eight hours combing CNN in the hopes of finding any information whatsoever have called off their search, they confirmed toda

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-17 19:21:00

The Economy: “The Lies That Will Bring Down America”

Published on 2013-04-17 18:19:00

“The Lies That Will

"Force Majeur"

Published on 2013-04-17 18:04:00

“Force majeure (French for "greater force") is a common clause in contracts which essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such as war, strike, riot,

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-04-16 22:02:00

“One of the brightest galaxies in planet Earth's sky is similar in size to our Milky Way Galaxy: big, beautiful M81. This grand spiral galaxy lies 11.8 million light-years away toward the northern constellation of the Great Bear (Ursa Major).

Chet Raymo, “A Universal We?”

Published on 2013-04-16 21:56:00

“A Universal We?”by Chet Raymo“I have a few words to say about Oxford anthropologist Harvey Whitehouse, and his thoughts on ritual as "the glue that holds social groups together." I was drawing on a story in the 24 January issue of “Nature.

"After All..."

Published on 2013-04-16 21:46:00

"A chain is no stronger than its weakest link,

"A Civilized Society..."

Published on 2013-04-16 21:41:00

"Before our white brothers arrived to make us civilized men, we didn't have any kind of prison. Because of this, we had no delinquents. Without a prison, there can be no delinquents. We had no locks nor keys and therefore among us there were no thiev

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "Laguna Indigo II (Aurora)"

Published on 2013-04-16 16:20:00

Chuck Wild, Liquid Mind, "Laguna Indigo II (Aurora)"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfvKD_SaQdQ

"It's All True..."

Published on 2013-04-16 16:15:00

“Paranoia is just another mask for ignorance. The truth, when you finally chase

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-16 16:00:00

“The Boston Marathon Bombing And The Limits of Human Empathy”

Published on 2013-04-16 15:54:00

“The Boston Marathon Bombing

"American People Fight Obama’s Treacherous Cuts to Social Security and Medicare"

Published on 2013-04-16 15:41:00

"Now Is The Time..."

Published on 2013-04-16 13:52:00

“The old world is dying away, and the new world struggles to come forth:

"Boston"

Published on 2013-04-15 21:16:00

Our deepest sympathy and prayers are forthe victims and loved ones of this horror.- CP

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-15 18:19:00

"Held Responsible..."

Published on 2013-04-15 18:15:00

"It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible,

“Roaches, Mosquitoes, and Birds: The Coming Micro-Drone Revolution”

Published on 2013-04-15 12:03:00

“Roaches, Mosquitoes, and Birds:

"Martial Law by Executive Order"

Published on 2013-04-15 11:46:00

"Martial Law by Executive Order"by Jim Garrison"President Obama's National Defense Resources Preparedness Executive Order of March 16 does to the country as a whole what the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act did to the Constitution in particula

“This Website Would Be More Popular If…”

Published on 2013-04-15 11:02:00

“This Website Would Be More Popular If…”by WashingtonsBlog"A friend of ours – whose pieces are regularly picked up by one of the world’s biggest websites – told us that this site would be a lot more popular if we picked his team. He’s r

"An Anarchist Squint at the Jobs Report"

Published on 2013-04-15 10:12:00

"An Anarchist Squint at the Jobs Report"By Chris Mayer"So the jobs report came out last week and rattled the market a bit. But there is a different perspective to this whole thing that I think is far more important. It also fingers a much more sinist

Musical Interlude: Marvin Gaye, “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)”

Published on 2013-04-15 00:23:00

Marvin Gaye, “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1uelY2SGmw

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-14 15:47:00

"The World Is Too Much With Us..."

Published on 2013-04-14 15:44:00

"The world is too much with us; late and soon,Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:Little we see in Nature that is ours;We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!"- William Wordsworth, 1770- 1850

"Think It’s Safe To Use A Cell Phone?"

Published on 2013-04-14 13:39:00

"Think It’s Safe To Use A Cell Phone?"Spectacular Documentary On The Health Implications of Mobile Phone Technologyby PreventDisease.com"Many scientists have claimed that the wave of mobile communications made popular in the last two decades will r

“The Fleecing Has Only Begun”

Published on 2013-04-14 13:16:00

“The Fleecing Has Only Begun”by Andy Sutton“The story broke from nowhere and caught many off guard. To others it was the manifestation of previously unspoken fears. It was, and is, by far the biggest story of 2013, the decade, and quite possibl

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-04-12 16:03:00

“It's the dim star, not the bright one, near the center of NGC 3132 that created this odd but beautiful planetary nebula. Nicknamed the Eight-Burst Nebula and the Southern Ring Nebula, the glowing gas originated in the outer layers of a star like o

Chet Raymo, “Games of Gore”

Published on 2013-04-12 15:23:00

“Games of Gore”by Chet Raymo"Last week the New York Times had a full two-page ad for "The Game of Thrones", an HBO television series now in its 3rd season. The blurbs were fantastic. Sounded like the greatest thing since sliced bread. To tell the

"Conscious Happiness..."

Published on 2013-04-12 15:10:00

"The ingratitude of the world can never deprive us of the

Life Skills: "Emotional Attacks: Choosing Not to Be a Target"

Published on 2013-04-12 15:03:00

"Emotional Attacks: Choosing Not to Be a Target"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"It is important to remember that if you are being attacked emotionally, it is more than likely not about you at all. Hurtful confrontations often leave us feeling drained

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-12 13:19:00

The Economy: “The Fed’s Attack on the Elderly”

Published on 2013-04-12 12:18:00

“The Fed’s Attack on the Elderly”By Dennis Miller

Karl Denninger, "Cyprus: $17 Billion Isn't Enough"

Published on 2013-04-12 12:05:00

"Cyprus: $17 Billion Isn't Enough"

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 4.12.13"

Published on 2013-04-12 10:24:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 4.12.13"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

The Universe

Published on 2013-04-11 23:42:00

“It's part of nature's built-in checks and balances, that while there may be times when you think you can't even help yourself, precisely in such moments there will always be someone else nearby... you can help, instead. Which, I think you know, is

Musical Interlude: Roger Waters, “The Tide Is Turning”

Published on 2013-04-11 23:21:00

Roger Waters, “The Tide Is Turning”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66nqhVtq6xo

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-11 17:53:00

"IMPORTANT: Secure Your Freedom Today!"

Published on 2013-04-11 17:48:00

"IMPORTANT: Secure Your Freedom Today!"by Chris Kitze"Greetings... Over the past three years, we've all seen the effects of censorship and spying as they reach into our email and chat messaging systems. Email disappears or gets hacked, your system sl

"Delete This When You’re Done"

Published on 2013-04-11 15:26:00

"Obama's War On Social America"

Published on 2013-04-11 12:52:00

"Obama's War On Social America"By Stephen Lendman

"A Caveman’s Account of 'Civilized Society'”

Published on 2013-04-11 12:39:00

"A Caveman’s Account of 'Civilized Society'”By Joel Bowman"Emblazoned across the lucre-basted exterior of the Internal Revenue Service Building in Washington, D.C., is one of the most intellectually polluted quotes any free mind is ever likely to

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-04-10 22:33:00

Booneville, Mississippi, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“Hey, Idiot!”

Published on 2013-04-10 22:15:00

“Hey, Idiot!”by Elliot Sperber“It is interesting to observe that the word idiot derives from the Greek idiotes, which refers to a “private person” – as distinct from a public person, or one who is involved in determining public life. That

"Smoothing Transitions: 10 Steps to Making Change Easier"

Published on 2013-04-10 21:05:00

"Smoothing Transitions: 10 Steps to Making Change Easier"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"Change can be hard for anyone, following these ideas below can make it a little less stressful.1. Begin by making small changes or break up large-scale changes in

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-10 14:05:00

“The Wall Street Ticking Time Bomb That Could Blow Up Your Bank Account”

Published on 2013-04-10 13:51:00

“The Wall Street Ticking Time Bomb That

“Another Reason There Will Be No Economic Recovery in America”

Published on 2013-04-10 13:17:00

“Another Reason There Will Be No Economic Recovery in America”By Bill Bonner“From the Daily Mail in London: “US sees highest poverty spike since the 1960s, leaving 50 million Americans poor... The number of Americans living in poverty has spi

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-09 16:43:00

“Cut Social Security & Veterans' Benefits? Cut the Pentagon Instead”

Published on 2013-04-09 16:36:00

“Cut Social Security & Veterans' Benefits?

Satire: "Right Not to Get Shot Faces Uphill Fight in Senate"

Published on 2013-04-09 16:10:00

"Right Not to Get Shot Faces Uphill Fight in Senate"by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Senate Republicans today vowed to filibuster a controversial bill supporting the right not to get shot. G.O.P. leaders lambasted the bill, arguing

"Don’t Worry, Everything is 'Normal'”

Published on 2013-04-09 13:46:00

"Don’t Worry, Everything is 'Normal'”by Bill Holter

"The Most Beautiful People..."

Published on 2013-04-08 20:13:00

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.

Life Skills: "Effort and Understanding: Having It Easy"

Published on 2013-04-08 20:07:00

"Effort and Understanding: Having It Easy"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"When we view the lives of others and think they have it easy, we are not seeing the whole of their life or the story they are presenting. Our lives are an exercise in facing cha

The Daily "Near You?

Published on 2013-04-08 18:17:00

Porirua, Wellington, New Zealand. Thanks for stopping by.

Satire: “Facebook Unveils New Waste of Time”

Published on 2013-04-08 18:09:00

“Facebook Unveils New Waste of Time”by Andy BorowitzMENLO PARK (The Borowitz Report)— “Before a rapt audience at Facebook headquarters Thursday, Facebook C.E.O. Mark Zuckerberg unveiled new software that he promised “will totally change the

“The Psycho-Therapeutic School System: Pathologizing Childhood”

Published on 2013-04-08 14:34:00

“The Psycho-Therapeutic School System:

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-08 14:19:00

Greg Hunter: "Jim Willie: The Economy Will Implode”

Published on 2013-04-08 14:09:00

"Jim Willie: The Economy Will Implode”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

Karl Denninger, "How They Will Steal Your Retirement"

Published on 2013-04-08 13:54:00

"How They Will Steal Your Retirement"by Karl Denninger"I've laid this out before but it's time to do it again, because it's coming folks.

"21 Statistics About The Explosive Growth Of Poverty In America That Everyone Should Know"

Published on 2013-04-05 17:01:00

"21 Statistics About The Explosive Growth Of Poverty

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 4.5.13"

Published on 2013-04-05 12:20:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 4.5.13"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com"Just three stories today, but they are big ones–North Korea, the Middle East and the ongoing banking crisis.

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-04 20:12:00

Greg Hunter, John Williams: “May 2013- End of the Road”

Published on 2013-04-04 20:04:00

John Williams: “May 2013- End of the Road”Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

"ALERT: All Of The Money In Your Bank Account Could Disappear In A Single Moment"

Published on 2013-04-04 16:27:00

"ALERT: All Of The Money In Your Bank Account

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-03 20:24:00

"State-Wrecked: The Corruption of Capitalism in America"

Published on 2013-04-03 16:30:00

"State-Wrecked:

"Why Can't It?"

Published on 2013-04-03 13:08:00

"If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?"- Will Rogers

Satire: Crisis Hits N.R.A.: “N.R.A. Defends Purchase of Former Congressman”

Published on 2013-04-03 12:50:00

“N.R.A. Defends Purchase of Former Congressman”by Andy Borowitz

"You Have To Be Kidding Me"

Published on 2013-04-03 12:40:00

"You Have To Be Kidding Me"by Karl Denninger

Musical Interlude: Mike & The Mechanics, “The Living Years”

Published on 2013-04-02 22:26:00

Mike & The Mechanics, “The Living Years”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGDA0Hecw1k

Jim Rogers: “Taking People’s Bank Accounts Is Going To Happen”

Published on 2013-04-02 12:03:00

Jim Rogers: “Taking People’s Bank Accounts Is Going To Happen”- http://beforeitsnews.com/banksters/

Video Interlude With Nature: James Horner, Soundtrack, “Legends Of The Fall”

Published on 2013-04-01 21:28:00

James Horner, Soundtrack, “Legends Of The Fall”

"A Look From The Heavens"

Published on 2013-04-01 21:17:00

"Many wonders are visible when flying over the Earth at night. A compilation of such visual spectacles was captured recently from the International Space Station (ISS) and set to rousing music.Passing below are white clouds, orange city lights, light

Chet Raymo, “Into The Pool”

Published on 2013-04-01 21:13:00

“Into The Pool”by Chet Raymo“Let's start with a bit of late-Victorian soft porn, “Hylas and the Nymphs”, painted in 1896 by the Pre-Raphaelite John William Waterhouse. (Click to enlarge.) Hylas is one of the Argonauts, sailing with Jason in

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-04-01 18:28:00

Torrance, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“The Adventure of My Defunct Hard Drive”

Published on 2013-04-01 18:20:00

“The Adventure of My Defunct Hard Drive”by Alexander Reed Kelly“In the everyday game between man and corporation, it is taken for granted that the house always prevails. Apple’s winning streak hit a snag last week however, when I won an excep

Satire: “Citing Exhaustion, Kim Jong-un To Stop Threatening The World On Weekends”

Published on 2013-04-01 18:10:00

“Citing Exhaustion, Kim Jong-un To Stop

"I Insist On The Right..."

Published on 2013-04-01 18:02:00

"I love America more than any other country in this world, and,

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-04-01 16:44:00

Karl Denninger, "Yes, The Looting IS In The Open"

Published on 2013-04-01 16:22:00

"Yes, The Looting IS In The Open"

The Economy: "Depositor Haircuts: The New Normal"

Published on 2013-04-01 16:01:00

"Depositor Haircuts: The New Normal"by Stephen Lendman"On March 29, Cyprus Mail said banks opened Thursday. They did so amid calm. Long lines queued. People waited patiently. A feared stampede didn’t materialize. Whether it’s the calm before the

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-30 22:12:00

Spofford, New Hampshire, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Now You Know Why Cyprus Has No 2nd Amendment"

Published on 2013-03-30 21:42:00

"Now You Know Why Cyprus Has No 2nd Amendment"by Karl Denninger"Because if they did... With banks confiscating up to 80 percent of uninsured deposits over 100,000 euros ($130,000) and the country facing a deep economic crisis, Cyprus has forgiven loa

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-30 18:52:00

"Eternal Enemies..."

Published on 2013-03-30 18:10:00

"Liberty and democracy are eternal enemies, and every one knows it who has ever given any sober reflection to the matter. A democratic state may profess to venerate the name, and even pass laws making it officially sacred, but it simply cannot tolera

“Agency of Fear: The FBI's Bomb Factory”

Published on 2013-03-30 17:59:00

“Agency of Fear: The FBI's Bomb Factory”by Jeffrey St. Clair“It’s nearing dusk on November 26, 2010. More than 25,000 people have gathered in a light rain at Pioneer Square in downtown Portland, Oregon to watch the annual lighting of the holi

“You Have the Right to Remain Silent, But…”

Published on 2013-03-30 16:27:00

“You Have the Right to Remain Silent, But…”by Dave Lindorff“Willie James Sauls is unlikely to see the outside of a prison. Last fall a court in the state of Texas sentenced this 37-year-old man to 45 years in jail. His crime: he snatched the

“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before Final Battle”

Published on 2013-03-30 01:13:00

“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before Final Battle”Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: “Merciful Father, I have squandered my days with plans of many things. This was not among them. But at this moment, I beg only to live the next few minutes well. For all we ought

Musical Interlude: Vangelis, “Beautiful Planet Earth”

Published on 2013-03-29 22:45:00

Vangelis, “Beautiful Planet Earth”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Akb1t37T4E

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-29 22:33:00

“Far beyond the local group of galaxies lies NGC 3621, some 22 million light-years away. Found in the multi-headed southern constellation Hydra, the winding spiral arms of this gorgeous island universe are loaded with luminous young star clusters a

Chet Raymo,“The Maintenance of Self”

Published on 2013-03-29 22:19:00

“The Maintenance of Self”by Chet Raymo"Ah, yes, the pitcher plant. Those devouring goblets. Those caldrons of digestive juices. And now naturalists have found the biggest one yet, as big as a chalice, on a mountaintop in the Philippines, its punc

Paulo Coelho, “Solitude Is Not The Absence of Love”

Published on 2013-03-29 22:10:00

“Solitude Is Not The Absence of Love”by Paulo Coelho“Without solitude, Love will not stay long by your side, because Love needs to rest as well, so that it can journey through the heavens and reveal itself in other forms.Without solitude, no pl

Life Skills: "Alive in Joy: Dispelling Drama"

Published on 2013-03-29 18:30:00

"Alive in Joy: Dispelling Drama"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"Some people are so used to creating drama that a peaceful existence seems uncomfortable for them. There are scores of people in the world who seem to be magnets for calamity. They live th

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-29 18:26:00

Dundee, Dundee City, United Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by.

"Here's To The Crazy Ones..."

Published on 2013-03-29 18:22:00

"We Few, We Happy Few, We Band Of Brothers..."

Published on 2013-03-29 18:09:00

“Eve of

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-29 17:00:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-28 22:59:00

“Bright spiral galaxy NGC 3169 appears to be unraveling in this cosmic scene, played out some 70 million light-years away just below bright star Regulus toward the faint constellation Sextans. Its beautiful spiral arms are distorted into sweeping t

Chet Raymo, “Cranes or Skyhooks?”

Published on 2013-03-28 22:55:00

“Cranes or Skyhooks?”by Chet Raymo“In the late 19th century, an intractable problem bedeviled scientists. Geologists had convincingly demonstrated that the Earth was hundreds of millions of years old, and fossil evidence suggested that life had

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-28 22:16:00

Camden, New Jersey, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“What Is Perhaps the Most Powerful Word in the English Language?”

Published on 2013-03-28 17:50:00

“What Is Perhaps the Most Powerful Word in the English Language?”by Michael S. Broder, Ph.D.“I'll spare you the tease. That word is "no"!The ability to be assertive and say "no" is a communication skill we all learn at a very young age. If you'

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-28 15:28:00

Satire: “Bitter Scalia Leaves US”

Published on 2013-03-28 15:19:00

“Bitter Scalia Leaves US”by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “Justice Antonin Scalia dropped a bombshell on the Supreme Court today, announcing his decision to resign from the Court “effective immediately” and leave the Unit

“The Natural Selection of American Citizens”

Published on 2013-03-28 14:03:00

“The Natural Selection of American Citizens”By Jeff Berwick“Fabian de Silva writes: Recently I read about a poll, which I believe was from Gallup, that asked if the president can target US citizens for assassination without due process on US so

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-27 23:14:00

“Are the nearest galaxies distributed randomly? A plot of over one million of the brightest "extended sources" detected by the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) shows that they are not. The vast majority of these infrared extended sources are galax

Chet Raymo, “The Nagel Ado”

Published on 2013-03-27 23:00:00

“The Nagel Ado”by Chet Raymo“I've now read Thomas Nagel's “Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False,” and, frankly, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Nagel's argument goes somet

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-27 22:24:00

Kailua, Hawaii, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Satire: “Scalia Furious He Has To Hear About Gay Couples All Week”

Published on 2013-03-27 15:55:00

“Scalia Furious He Has To Hear About Gay Couples All Week”by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “In an outburst that shocked many onlookers at the Supreme Court today, Justice Antonin Scalia said that it made him “angry beyond b

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-27 14:34:00

The highly educated and literate American public, being fully and truthfully informed

"It'll Do..."

Published on 2013-03-27 14:19:00

Deputy Wendell: “It's a mess, ain't it, Sheriff?”Sheriff Bell: “If it ain't, it'll do till the mess gets here.”- “No Country For Old Men”●And you'd better believe, the mess is coming...- CP

“Cyprus Ripe For Revolution, Youth Have No Hope: "They Just Got Rid Of All Our Dreams"

Published on 2013-03-27 14:13:00

“Cyprus Ripe For Revolution, Youth Have No Hope:"They Just Got Rid Of All Our Dreams"by Tyler Durden"There is a reason we think of youth unemployment as the 'scariest' thing in Europe as we have discussed here and here. After a few months of relati

Greg Hunter, Peter Schiff, “Why Leave Extra Money in a Bank?”

Published on 2013-03-27 13:55:00

“Why Leave Extra Money in a Bank?”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

Karl Denninger, "Cyprus: Once Again, For Those Who Are Sleeping"

Published on 2013-03-27 13:46:00

"Cyprus: Once Again, For Those Who Are Sleeping"by Karl Denninger"I know it's considered impolite to repeat yourself but you need to at times like this because the commentary on the Cyprus situation continues to miss the mark to the point that it app

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-26 23:30:00

“NGC 253 is not only one of the brightest spiral galaxies visible, it is also one of the dustiest. Discovered in 1783 by Caroline Herschel in the constellation of Sculptor, NGC 253 lies only about ten million light-years distant.

Chet Raymo, “The Broken Web”

Published on 2013-03-26 23:27:00

“The Broken Web”by Chet Raymo“Every fall, when a mysterious seasonal alarm clock tells them to go, the monarch butterflies of our New England meadows set off on one of the most remarkable migrations in the animal kingdom. They wing their way to

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-26 23:18:00

Post Falls, Idaho, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“Who Knows What Evil Lurks?”

Published on 2013-03-26 19:30:00

“Who Knows What Evil Lurks?”by Andrew Bard Schmookler"I recently had an interesting experience writing a piece for an American newspaper that’s published me over the years. In my piece, I addressed the puzzle of why it is that some of the most

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-26 17:05:00

LOL, that state shape looks suspiciously like... Arizonastan!- CP

"The '147 People' Destroying the US Economy"

Published on 2013-03-26 16:54:00

"The '147 People' Destroying the US Economy"

"Network", Mad as Hell Scene

Published on 2013-03-26 16:11:00

Peter Finch, "Network", Mad as Hell Scene- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WINDtlPXmmE

George Carlin, “The American Dream”

Published on 2013-03-26 16:09:00

STRONG LANGUAGE ALERT!George Carlin, “The American Dream”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q

"Five Ugly Extremes of Inequality in America"

Published on 2013-03-26 16:02:00

"Five Ugly Extremes of Inequality in America-

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-26 02:48:00

“If not distracted by the picturesque landscape, waterfalls, stars, and auroras, you might be able to find Comet PANSTARRS. The above image, capturing multiple terrestrial and celestial wonders in a single shot, was taken last week in southwest Ice

Life Skills: "The Road to New Beginnings: Completion"

Published on 2013-03-25 21:11:00

"The Road to New Beginnings: Completion"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"Just as new beginnings are important, so is honoring the experience of closure. Life is a collage of beginnings and endings that run together like still-wet paint. Yet before we c

Satire: “Gay Marriage Shocker At Supreme Court"

Published on 2013-03-25 21:04:00

“Gay Marriage Shocker At Supreme Court:Scalia Says Marriage Views Not Affected by Lifelong Fear of Gays”by Andy Borowitz(The Borowitz Report)— "As the Supreme Court prepared to hear two cases involving same-sex marriage this week, Justice Anton

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-25 20:46:00

Spokane, Washington, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

The Economy: "Cyprus Update"

Published on 2013-03-25 20:43:00

"Cyprus Update"By Stephen Lendman"It's all over but the post mortems. Eurocrats demanded their pound of flesh. Cypriot officials surrendered. They sold out their people. They deserve better. Expect greater than ever hard times. Expect growing poverty

“Military Suicides: What Isn't Being Said”

Published on 2013-03-25 18:48:00

“Military Suicides: What Isn't Being Said”by Alyssa Rohricht"On March 21, 2013

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-25 17:04:00

Greg Hunter, "European Bank Runs Could Spread Like Wildfire Due to Cyprus Banks"

Published on 2013-03-25 16:24:00

"European Bank Runs Could Spread Like Wildfire Due to Cyprus Banks"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

The Economy: "Goodnight Europe"

Published on 2013-03-25 15:47:00

"Goodnight Europe"by Karl Denninger"It's over folks. The Euro clowns have now said out loud that the Cyprus model is how banks will be resolved in the future as a "template." Good.Now what is Deutsche Bank's leverage ratio? The real one, not what the

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-25 00:24:00

“A mere 46 million light-years distant, spiral galaxy NGC 2841 can be found in the northern constellation of Ursa Major. This sharp view of the gorgeous island universe shows off a striking yellow nucleus and galactic disk. Dust lanes, small, pink

Chet Raymo, “Daybreak”

Published on 2013-03-25 00:19:00

“Daybreak”by Chet Raymo“I may have been in the last generation of youngsters who grew up with an awareness of the works of Maxfield Parrish. The children's' books he illustrated were still in circulation. Reproductions of his works appeared wit

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-24 21:36:00

Incline Village, Nevada, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Paulo Coelho, “May We All Be Forgotten”

Published on 2013-03-24 21:26:00

“May We All Be Forgotten”by Paulo Coelho“In the monastery of Sceta, Abbot Lucas gathered the brothers together for a sermon. ‘May you all be forgotten,’ he said. ‘But why?’ one of the brothers asked. ‘Does that mean that our example c

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-24 17:37:00

"As democracy is perfected, the office of President represents, more and more closely,

“Income Tax 101”

Published on 2013-03-24 17:30:00

“Income Tax 101”by Tom Purcell"Ah, the income tax preparation season is upon us. You’re probably wondering why you have to spend a couple of weekends barricaded in a room, sorting through receipts in the faint hope of complying with our confusi

"Give Some Back..."

Published on 2013-03-24 17:18:00

"In life you have to do a lot of things you don't f***ing want to do.Many times, that's what the f*** life is... one vile f***ing task after another.”"Pain, or damage, don't end the world- or despair or f---in' beatings.The world ends when you're d

"Never..."

Published on 2013-03-24 17:12:00

“Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, NEVER. In nothing, great or small,

“Iraq War Deaths Exceed Vietnam War Numbers”

Published on 2013-03-24 17:02:00

“Iraq War Deaths Exceed Vietnam War Numbers”by Gary Vey“More Gulf War Veterans have died than Vietnam Veterans. This probably is news to you. But the truth has been hidden by a technicality. So here is the truth. The casualties in the Vietnam W

"For This Is What We Do..."

Published on 2013-03-24 15:01:00

"For this is what we do. Put one foot forward and then the other. Lift our eyes to the snarl and smile of the world once more. Think. Act. Feel. Add our little consequence to the tides of good and evil that flood and drain the world. Drag our shadowe

Musical Interlude: Vangelis, “Fields of Coral”

Published on 2013-03-23 21:37:00

Vangelis, “Fields of Coral”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad1wFWdmZUs

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-23 21:02:00

"Fortune’s Fools"

Published on 2013-03-23 20:46:00

"Fortune’s Fools"by Phil

"Folly..."

Published on 2013-03-23 20:03:00

“Folly is perennial, yet the human race has survived.”- Bertrand Russell

"Bye, Bye American Dream! U.S. Economic Inequality Is Permanent, Study Finds"

Published on 2013-03-23 19:48:00

"Bye, Bye American Dream!

Musical Interlude: Dr. John, “Right Place Wrong Time”

Published on 2013-03-23 04:55:00

Dr. John, “Right Place Wrong Time”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5zPqgQ67yoTurn it up! lol- CP

“Divergent Directions: Coping with People You Dislike”

Published on 2013-03-22 15:45:00

“Divergent Directions: Coping with People You Dislike”by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM“When we are forced to deal with people we dislike, a great learning opportunity is being put forth to us. As much as most of us wish we could exist in harmony

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-22 15:40:00

"Now It's Getting Real In Cyprus"

Published on 2013-03-22 15:27:00

"Now It's Getting Real In Cyprus"

"Mass Panic In Cyprus: The Banks Are Collapsing And ATMs Are Running Out Of Money"

Published on 2013-03-22 15:08:00

"Mass Panic In Cyprus: The Banks Are Collapsing

The Economy: “Deja Vu…All Over Again!”

Published on 2013-03-22 14:47:00

“Deja Vu…All Over Again!”by Joel Bowman“News hit the wires over the weekend that the Republic of Cyprus would begin stealing money from depositors in order to resurrect confidence in its flailing banking system. They want to avoid a crisis, i

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 3.22.13”

Published on 2013-03-22 05:32:00

“Weekly News Wrap-Up 3.22.13”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

The Universe

Published on 2013-03-22 03:17:00

“It's no accident that when you look closely into the eyes of another, the very first thing you see, is yourself. That when you hold their hand, you can feel your own warmth. And that when you give of yourself, you give to yourself. Because, quite

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-21 21:09:00

“Moving left to right near the center of this beautifully detailed color composite, the thin, bright, braided filaments are actually long ripples in a sheet of glowing gas seen almost edge on. The interstellar shock wave plows through space at over

Chet Raymo, “The Burden Of Thinking”

Published on 2013-03-21 21:05:00

“The Burden Of Thinking”by Chet Raymo“Let me speak for gray. Not black or white. Good or evil. Truth or falsity. Yes or no. Let me speak for maybe. Sort of. More or less. I think so.

Satire: “N.R.A. Can’t Believe How Well National Conversation About Guns Is Going”

Published on 2013-03-21 20:59:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-21 20:47:00

Makati, Manila, Philippines. Thanks for stopping by.

"We Are All..."

Published on 2013-03-21 20:44:00

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."- Oscar Wilde

The Environment: "Side With the Living"

Published on 2013-03-21 20:34:00

"Side With the Living:A Note to Those Who Would Demonize Nature"by Derrick Jensen"The other night I saw a commercial for a PBS program that breathlessly described how orcas “dominate” the oceans. And the nature program I had the misfortune to see

"Two Reasons Climate Change Is Not Like Other Environmental Problems"

Published on 2013-03-21 19:50:00

"Two Reasons Climate Change Is Not

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-21 15:13:00

"Are Americans Too Stupid For Democracy?"

Published on 2013-03-21 15:10:00

"Economist Laurence Kotlikoff: U.S. $222 Trillion in Debt"

Published on 2013-03-21 14:32:00

"Economist Laurence Kotlikoff: U.S. $222 Trillion in Debt"By Joseph Lawler"In December, the Republicans Chris Cox and Bill Archer argued in the Wall Street Journal that a more accurate accounting of the government's liabilities would show that the na

Paulo Coelho, “The Cycle of Nature”

Published on 2013-03-20 22:29:00

“The Cycle of Nature”by Paulo Coelho“In the cycle of nature there is no such thing as victory or defeat: there is only movement. The winter struggles to reign supreme, but, in the end, is obliged to accept spring’s victory, which brings with

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-20 19:50:00

“37 Percent of People Have No Clue About What's Going On”

Published on 2013-03-20 19:44:00

“37 Percent of People Have No Clue About What's Going On”By Mark Morford"Six percent of Americans believe in unicorns. Thirty-six percent believe in UFOs. A whopping 24 percent believe dinosaurs and man hung out together. Eighteen percent still b

"An Orwellian America"

Published on 2013-03-20 14:20:00

"An Orwellian America"By Gordon T. Long"As a young man, I voraciously read George Orwell's "1984", Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" and Alvin Toffler's trilogy which included "Future Shock", "The Third Wave" and "Power Shift". During the era of the

“Iraq, America's Arab Slaughterhouse”

Published on 2013-03-20 13:57:00

“Iraq, America's Arab Slaughterhouse”By Paul Craig Roberts“Ten years ago today the Bush regime invaded Iraq. It is known that the justification for the invasion was a packet of lies orchestrated by the neoconservative Bush regime in order to de

Musical Interlude: Karunesh, “Moon Temple”

Published on 2013-03-19 22:24:00

Karunesh, “Moon Temple”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE1yQu6I0A4

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-19 22:11:00

“This pretty, open cluster of stars, M34, is about the size of the Full Moon on the sky. Easy to appreciate in small telescopes, it lies some 1,800 light-years away in the constellation Perseus. At that distance, M34 physically spans about 15 light

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-19 22:07:00

Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, China. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, “Then To The Elements Be Free”

Published on 2013-03-19 21:58:00

“Then To The Elements Be Free”by Chet Raymo“Be cheerful, Sir.Our revels are now ended. These our actors,As I foretold you, were all spirits andAre melted into air, into thin air;And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,The cloud-capp'd towe

The Poet: Rainer Maria Rilke, "And Yet..."

Published on 2013-03-19 14:51:00

"And yet, though we strainagainst the deadening gripof daily necessity,I sense there is this mystery:All life is being lived.Who is living it then?Is it the things themselves,or something waiting inside them,like an unplayed melody in a flute?Is it t

Satire: “Cheney Marks Tenth Anniversary Of Pretending There Was Reason To Invade Iraq”

Published on 2013-03-19 14:44:00

“Cheney Marks Tenth Anniversary Of Pretending

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-19 14:41:00

"Just When You Thought Central Banks Couldn’t Get Any Dumber…"

Published on 2013-03-19 14:30:00

“The Great Cyprus Bank Robbery by Financial Terrorists”

Published on 2013-03-19 13:55:00

WARNING: VERY STRONG LANGUAGE ALERT!“The Great Cyprus Bank Robbery by Financial Terrorists”- http://www.youtube.com/•"Saxo Bank CEO: “This Is Full-Blown Socialism And I Still Can’t Believe It Happened”by InvestmentWatchdog"It is difficult

“Former US Treasury Official: Fed Desperate To Avoid Collapse”

Published on 2013-03-19 05:46:00

“Former US Treasury Official:

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-18 20:37:00

"What caused this outburst of V838 Mon? For reasons unknown, star V838 Mon's outer surface suddenly greatly expanded with the result that it became the brightest star in the entire Milky Way Galaxy in January 2002. Then, just as suddenly, it faded. A

Musical Interlude: 2002, “River of Stars”

Published on 2013-03-18 20:36:00

2002, “River of Stars”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg9Wl4b3gOo

Paulo Coelho, “The Stone”

Published on 2013-03-18 19:54:00

“The Stone”by Paulo Coelho"A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the

The Poet: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., "The Last Rites of the Bokononist Faith"

Published on 2013-03-18 19:33:00

"The Last Rites of the Bokononist Faith"by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr."God made mud.

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-18 19:07:00

Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia. Thanks for stopping by.

"Answering the Call: Taking Responsibility for Your Destiny"

Published on 2013-03-18 19:05:00

"Answering the Call:Taking Responsibility for Your Destiny"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"Each and every day you have the opportunity to answer your own call and take action toward creating the life you want. There are those of us who believe that ou

"Our Destiny..."

Published on 2013-03-18 18:58:00

"Our destiny can be examined, but it cannot be justified

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-18 18:28:00

“Marches of Folly: When Will We Ever Learn?”

Published on 2013-03-18 18:17:00

“Marches of Folly: When Will We Ever Learn?”by Paul Krugman“Ten years ago, America invaded Iraq. Some voices warned that we were making a terrible mistake, and those warnings were, of course, right. So did our political elite and our news media

"None Dare Call It Theft"

Published on 2013-03-18 18:12:00

"None Dare Call It Theft"by Jeffrey Tucker"The euro elites don’t call it theft or robbery or even a tax, much less an outright default by the banks of Cyprus. They are calling it a “stability levy,” a plan that could lead not to stability, but

Satire: “Portman Inspires Other Republicans To Stop Speaking To Their Children”

Published on 2013-03-17 22:02:00

“Portman Inspires Other Republicans To

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-17 20:06:00

"Iraq War Has Bankrupted US: Cost Over $2 Trillion–May Reach $6 Trillion

Published on 2013-03-17 19:45:00

"Iraq War Has Bankrupted US: Cost Over $2 Trillion–May Reach $6 Trillion,

"A Conspiracy Fact"

Published on 2013-03-17 18:17:00

"A Conspiracy Fact"by Tina Dupuy"I’ve been assured my in-laws don’t read my column. However, because of their mix of shame, guilt and blame, I’ll be vague on some details. They’ve fallen on hard times. No one wants to talk about it, let alone

"Sometimes..."

Published on 2013-03-17 17:36:00

"Sometimes you believe a thing that isn't true because

“The Internet Is A Surveillance State”

Published on 2013-03-17 14:49:00

“The Internet Is A Surveillance State”by Bruce Schneier"I'm going to start with three data points.One: Some of the Chinese military hackers who were implicated in a broad set of attacks against the U.S. government and corporations were identified

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 3.15.13"

Published on 2013-03-15 02:04:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 3.15.13"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

Musical Interlude: Enya, “Watermark”

Published on 2013-03-14 23:01:00

Enya, “Watermark”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiFTXckh0zU

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-14 22:56:00

“On the right, surrounded by blue spiral arms, is spiral galaxy M81. On the left, marked by red gas and dust clouds, is irregular galaxy M82. This stunning vista shows these two mammoth galaxies locked in gravitational combat, as they have been for

Chet Raymo, “That Savage of Fire, That Seed...”

Published on 2013-03-14 22:49:00

“That Savage of Fire, That Seed...”by Chet Raymo"Let me say this as simply as I can. The Sun, like the universe, is mostly hydrogen. An atom of hydrogen is a single proton and a single electron, bound together. The center of the Sun is so hot - h

Life Skills: “The Valley of Despair: Seeds of Light”

Published on 2013-03-14 22:33:00

“The Valley of Despair: Seeds of Light”by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM“Even in our darkest times, there are seeds of light within ourselves, we need only call them forward. Anyone who has walked through the valley of despair and come out the oth

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-14 21:40:00

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Thanks for stopping by.

"The Paradox of Our Time"

Published on 2013-03-14 21:30:00

Dr. Bob Moorehead, "The Paradox of Our Time"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=181B7yainqY

History: “1863: The War Comes Home to Indiana”

Published on 2013-03-14 20:46:00

“1863: The War Comes Home to Indiana”By Stephen E. Towne“In early March 1863, an officer in Terre Haute, Ind., ordered two veteran Army sergeants to cross into Clark County in nearby eastern Illinois to carry out a peculiar, though increasingly

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-14 19:06:00

"It Is Thus..."

Published on 2013-03-14 15:23:00

“Capital must protect itself in every possible way, both by combination and legislation. Debts must be collected, mortgages foreclosed as rapidly as possible. When, through process of law, the common people lose their homes, they will become more d

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-13 22:04:00

“How fast can a black hole spin? If any object made of regular matter spins too fast- it breaks apart. But a black hole might not be able to break apart- and its maximum spin rate is really unknown. Theorists usually model rapidly rotating black ho

"The Question of Worthiness: Shifting into Gratitude"

Published on 2013-03-13 22:00:00

"The Question of Worthiness: Shifting into Gratitude"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"When we question whether or not we are worthy of something it is important at that time to shift into gratitude. We all know what it’s like to finally get something

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-13 21:42:00

Bacolod City, Bacolod, Philippines. Thanks for stopping by.

"Huxley vs. Orwell"

Published on 2013-03-13 20:20:00

"Huxley vs. Orwell"by

"Mainstream Media: Why is DHS Stockpiling Ammo, Weapons and Armored Assault Vehicles?"

Published on 2013-03-13 18:24:00

"Mainstream Media:

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-13 17:27:00

“How many times do you have to get hit over the head before

"If Corporations Dodge Taxes, Why Shouldn't You?"

Published on 2013-03-13 17:20:00

"If Corporations Dodge Taxes, Why Shouldn't You?"By Robert Scheer"Go offshore young man and avoid paying taxes. Plunder at will in those foreign lands, and if you get in trouble, Uncle Sam will come rushing to your assistance, diplomatically, financi

“4 New Bills From the Political Elite in the Land of the Free”

Published on 2013-03-13 17:10:00

“4 New Bills From the Political Elite in the Land of the Free”by Simon Black“It’s a pretty sad state of affairs in the Land of the Free when they have to pass a law making it illegal for the government to assassinate its own citizens. Yet tha

"Why You Should Oppose the Keystone XL Pipeline"

Published on 2013-03-13 17:00:00

"Why You Should Oppose the Keystone XL Pipeline"by Chris Mayer"There is one reason why you should oppose the proposed $5.3 billion Keystone XL Pipeline. And it has nothing to do with “green religionists,” as The Wall Street Journal calls the oppo

Satire: "Vatican Calls White Smoke a False Alarm: “We Were Just Burning Documents”"

Published on 2013-03-13 15:12:00

"Vatican Calls White Smoke a False Alarm:

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-12 22:26:00

Cliff, New Mexico, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"The Scariest Climate Change Graph Just Got Scarier"

Published on 2013-03-12 22:06:00

"The Scariest Climate Change Graph Just Got Scarier"By Tim McDonnell|"Back in 1999, Penn State University climate scientist Michael Mann released the climate change movement's most potent symbol: The "hockey stick," a line graph of global temperature

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-12 20:34:00

"Dogs Are Able To Visually Recognize Their Own Species"

Published on 2013-03-12 15:52:00

"Dogs Are Able To Visually Recognize Their Own Species"by Lee Rannals"New research reported in the journal "Animal Cognition" claims that dogs are able to pick out faces of other dogs on a computer screen, and can group them into a category of their

The Economy: "Staring Armageddon In The Face But Hiding It With Official Lies"

Published on 2013-03-12 15:28:00

"Staring Armageddon In The Face But

Satire: "Ryan Budget Plan Gets Endorsement From Ayn Rand"

Published on 2013-03-12 15:01:00

"Ryan Budget Plan Gets Endorsement From Ayn Rand"by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— "Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) was jubilant today after his newly unveiled budget plan picked up a key endorsement from the novelist Ayn Rand. It was

"The Kabuki Theatre of Demopublicans, Part II"

Published on 2013-03-12 13:52:00

"The Kabuki Theatre of Demopublicans, Part II"A conversation with Doug Caseyby The Gold Report"The Gold Report: In the conversation titled On 2013, you say 2013 will be ugly, but merely a warm-up for 2014. Yet the economic trends appear to be positiv

Musical Interlude: Genesis, "Land of Confusion"

Published on 2013-03-12 01:27:00

Genesis, “Land of Confusion”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZujuYiweht8

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-11 22:25:00

“Many stars form in clusters. Galactic or open star clusters are relatively young swarms of bright stars born together near the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy. Separated by about a degree on the sky, two nice examples are M46 (upper left) 5,400 ligh

Chet Raymo, “WWHD? (What would Harry do?)”

Published on 2013-03-11 22:09:00

“WWHD? (What would Harry do?)”by Chet Raymo"I have been reading David McCullough's massive Pulitzer-prizewinning biography of Harry Truman. The first third, about the future president's childhood and young adulthood in western Missouri is a bit o

Musical Interlude: Simon & Garfunkel, “The Sound of Silence”

Published on 2013-03-11 00:56:00

Simon & Garfunkel, “The Sound of Silence”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLfCnGVeL4

“Alan Shore,” “Speech on America”

Published on 2013-03-10 23:21:00

"Boston Legal", “Alan Shore,” “Speech on America.” Character Alan Shore, an Attorney, gives an interesting speech on the status quo of the American throng. It is a thought provoking video.- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YI2LSK4pEQA little d

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-10 22:47:00

Vallejo, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“Persistence: Why It's Sometimes Better To Walk Away”

Published on 2013-03-10 21:52:00

“Persistence:

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-10 17:10:00

"Getting Wise to Government Lies"

Published on 2013-03-10 17:06:00

"Getting Wise to Government Lies"by Michael Reagan"Take President Obama and his Cabinet of Liars, please. We all know what dirty tricks they played to try and stop the sequester’s automatic budget cuts from happening. They spent weeks trying to fri

“Who Will Narrate Reality In The Future?”

Published on 2013-03-10 16:57:00

“Who Will Narrate Reality In The Future?”by Jon Rappoport“Humans love to study animals and catalog their unique habits. If we could back up far enough to see ourselves, surely we would rank our modern method of gaining something we call “the

Greg Hunter, "What Happens if U.S. Doesn’t Cut Spending?"

Published on 2013-03-10 14:45:00

"What Happens if U.S. Doesn’t Cut Spending?"by Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

"Death-by-Drone.gov"

Published on 2013-03-10 14:13:00

"Death-by-Drone.gov"by Joel Bowman"Poor Rand Paul. He seems like a decent enough fellow, the kind who might stand when a lady joins the table…or sit when a CIA director enters the room. What’s he doing getting mixed up with that seedy D.C. mafia

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-08 18:34:00

“Have you ever seen the Pleiades star cluster? Even if you have, you probably have never seen it like this: all dusty. Perhaps the most famous star cluster on the sky, the bright stars of the Pleiades can be seen without binoculars from even the de

“Defense Mechanisms: Beyond Behavior”

Published on 2013-03-08 15:25:00

“Defense Mechanisms: Beyond Behavior”by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM“We can let go of our defense mechanisms when we are ready to be truly honest with ourselves. We all have defense mechanisms that we’ve developed over time, often without bein

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-08 15:11:00

Waynesville, North Carolina, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“From Hustlers to Thugs: Two Ends of the Historical Spectrum”

Published on 2013-03-08 15:05:00

“From Hustlers to Thugs:

Musical Interlude: Dire Straits, “Private Investigations”

Published on 2013-03-08 14:39:00

Dire Straits, “Private Investigations”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxotsli3gX0

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-08 13:49:00

“’Education’: You've Had 100+ Years. You Failed. Time To Eat You”

Published on 2013-03-08 13:44:00

“’Education’:

Satire: "Poll: Majority of Americans Opposed to Being Killed by Drone"

Published on 2013-03-08 12:59:00

"Poll: Majority of Americans Opposed

"How Money Buys Freedom"

Published on 2013-03-08 12:50:00

"How Money Buys Freedom"by Bill Bonner“As long as I live under the capitalistic system, I expect to have my life influenced by the demands of moneyed people. But I will be damned if I propose to be at the beck and call of every itinerant scoundrel

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 3.8.13”

Published on 2013-03-08 04:36:00

Musical Interlude: Josh Groban, “Remember When it Rained”

Published on 2013-03-07 21:15:00

Josh Groban, “Remember When it Rained”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-SKYk0iy5U

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-07 20:53:00

“This helmet-shaped cosmic cloud with wing-like appendages is popularly called Thor's Helmet. Heroically sized even for a Norse god, Thor's Helmet is about 30 light-years across. In fact, the helmet is actually more like an interstellar bubble, blo

Chet Raymo, “The Perils of Anthropomorphism”

Published on 2013-03-07 20:30:00

“The Perils of Anthropomorphism”by Chet Raymo"When I was a kid one of the most popular shows on the radio (and later television) was Twenty Questions. Twenty questions to guess the secret thing: animal, vegetable, or mineral. As I recall, the fir

Life Skills: “8 Lessons I Learned This Birthday”

Published on 2013-03-07 19:37:00

“8 Lessons I Learned This Birthday”by Amy Chan"Recently, I celebrated another birthday. As I look back at how quickly time passes, I am amazed at how much can change in a matter of a year. I think we go through cycles of change - when the complet

“US Debt- Visualized In Physical $100 Bills”

Published on 2013-03-07 18:15:00

“US Debt- Visualized In Physical $100 Bills”by Moonbattery“While Obama stages theater of the absurd by squeezing misery out of a slight temporary reduction in government growth, here’s what his government is doing to our future:No matter how

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-07 16:02:00

Maisons-alfort, Ile-de-France, France. Thanks for stopping by.

"Stocks At New All Time Highs… But We’re All Poorer For It"!

Published on 2013-03-07 15:07:00

"Stocks At New All Time Highs… But We’re All Poorer For It"!By Graham Summers"Stocks hit a new high in the Dow yesterday. CNBC cheered and Fed economists everywhere patted each other on the back. The unfortunate reality for this “success” is

"Viral Video Shows U.S. Wealth Inequality"

Published on 2013-03-07 14:25:00

"Viral Video Shows U.S. Wealth Inequality"By Deborah Dupre"In only four days, a video on Mashable that began going viral Friday showing the extent of United States inequality, has over 486 thousand "Likes" and continues to climb on YouTube. The video

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-07 10:07:00

“The Illusion Of Reality”

Published on 2013-03-07 09:52:00

RT, “The Illusion Of Reality”- http://www.youtube.com/

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-06 23:39:00

The Economy: "Why Central Planning Fails"

Published on 2013-03-06 19:43:00

"Why Central Planning Fails"by Bill Bonner"The Dow is still rising. It rose another 125 points yesterday… hitting a new record high. Gold is dawdling.We’re still thinking about how so many smart people came to believe things that aren’t true. K

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-05 22:56:00

“Sprawling across almost 200 light-years, emission nebula IC 1805 is a mix of glowing interstellar gas and dark dust clouds. Derived from its Valentine's-Day-approved shape, its nickname is the Heart Nebula. About 7,500 light-years away in the Pers

Paulo Coelho, "Lou Salomé"

Published on 2013-03-05 22:52:00

"Lou Salomé"by Paulo Coelho"Lou Salomé‘s mother took her to Rome, Italy when she was 21. At a literary salon in the city, Salomé became acquainted with Paul Rée, an author and compulsive gambler with whom she proposed living in an academic comm

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-05 21:53:00

Abilene, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“Fukushima: The Monster Under Our Bed”

Published on 2013-03-05 21:37:00

“Fukushima: The Monster Under Our Bed”by Chautauqua“I sit back, thinking maybe if I distance myself enough perhaps the bigger picture will reveal itself to me; but alas, even that does not help me understand the seemingly planet wide denial reg

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-05 20:53:00

"True?…or Not True?"

Published on 2013-03-05 18:01:00

"True?…or Not True?"by Eric Fry"Let’s play a little game of “True/Not true.” We ask the question and you answer, “True” or, “Not true.”1) Two police officers in Colorado lost their jobs and face felony charges for shooting an elk.2) T

Musical Interlude: 2002, “Stardust”

Published on 2013-03-03 21:58:00

2002 (Pamela & Randy Copus), “Stardust”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTgdp7RfBOM

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-03 21:47:00

"What's going on in the center of this spiral galaxy? Named the Sombrero Galaxy for its hat-like resemblance, M104 features a prominent dust lane and a bright halo of stars and globular clusters. Reasons for the Sombrero's hat-like appearance include

"The World..."

Published on 2013-03-03 21:41:00

"The worldis your exercise-book,the pages on whichyou do your sums.It is not reality,although you can express reality thereif you wish.You are also free to write nonsense,or lies,or to tear the pages."- Richard Bach, "Illusions"

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-03 21:29:00

Cupertino, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Karl Denninger, “The Journal Does It Again On Health Care”

Published on 2013-03-03 15:57:00

“The Journal Does It Again On Health Care”by Karl Denninger“I understand The Wall Street Journal's generalized reaction to Time Magazine- I have it too, given that the mag has a leftward bias that stretches credulity on a more-or-less continual

"How It Really Should Have Been"

Published on 2013-03-03 13:46:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-03 13:29:00

•Leonard Bernstein, “West Side Story - America”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPlcE3GcoFc•But you know, folks, with the total mess this country is in any more,and it's going to get a lot worse, why would anyone want to come HERE?- CP•"Det

"Long Border, Endless Struggle"

Published on 2013-03-03 13:23:00

"Long Border, Endless Struggle"By Damien CavePENITAS, Tex. — "The border fence behind Manuel Zamora’s home suggests strength and protection, its steel poles perfectly aligned just beyond the winding Rio Grande. But every night, the crossers come.

Satire: “Pentagon: Cuts Could Hamper Ability To Invade Countries For No Reason”

Published on 2013-03-03 13:09:00

“Pentagon: Cuts Could Hamper Ability

Musical Interlude: Manuel Iman, “This Moment Called Now”

Published on 2013-03-02 22:27:00

Manuel Iman, “This Moment Called Now”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIno6Yu3rLE

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-02 22:21:00

“Each day on planet Earth can have a serene beginning at sunrise as the sky gently grows bright over a golden eastern horizon. This sunrise panorama seems to show such a moment on the winter morning of February 15. In the mist, a calm, mirror-like

Chet Raymo, “Wonder And Humility”

Published on 2013-03-02 22:13:00

“Wonder And Humility”by Chet Raymo“My generation is the last who will remember these old Mobil gas pumps with the round glass globes on top and the sign of the Flying Horse. Or, for that matter, the two-lane blacktops that threaded their way ac

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-02 19:38:00

Bucharest, Bucuresti, Romania. Thanks for stopping by.

"Stop Stress From Killing You"

Published on 2013-03-02 19:32:00

"Stop Stress From Killing You"by Elizabeth Walling"What is stress? Physiologically, stress could be considered any event that triggers a marked response by the adrenal glands. In basic terms, this response is the release of cortisol. It's the body's

"A Tale Told By An Idiot..."

Published on 2013-03-02 17:03:00

"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,To the last syllable of recorded time;And all our yesterdays have lighted foolsThe way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!Life's but a walking shadow, a poor playe

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-02 16:05:00

"This Year’s Subsidy To Wall Street Equals The Amount Of This Year’s Sequester Cuts"

Published on 2013-03-02 15:57:00

"This Year’s Subsidy To Wall Street Equals

“I Hope You’re Ready: The Sell-Off Today Is The Start. Not the End.”

Published on 2013-03-02 13:52:00

“I Hope You’re Ready:

Musical Interlude: 2002, “Even Now”

Published on 2013-03-01 23:07:00

2002, “Even Now”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2om8NOxN2cg

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-03-01 22:52:00

"A jewel of the southern sky, the Great Carina Nebula, also known as NGC 3372, spans over 300 light-years, one of our galaxy's largest star forming regions. Like the smaller, more northerly Great Orion Nebula, the Carina Nebula is easily visible to t

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-03-01 22:40:00

Cheras, Selangor, Malaysia. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, “Things In Themselves, Myself Being Myself”

Published on 2013-03-01 22:35:00

“Things In Themselves, Myself Being Myself”by Chet Raymo“One of the consistent themes of this blog has been the search for "the thing itself," that is, a knowledge of reality that is not mediated by accidents of history, culture, religion, poli

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-03-01 17:54:00

"Sequester This! How Did We Get Here? How Do We Get Out?"

Published on 2013-03-01 17:49:00

"Sequester This! How Did We Get Here?

"Truly Radical..."

Published on 2013-03-01 16:28:00

"To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing."

"When You're Cutting Social Security, 'Wealthy' Begins at $25K"

Published on 2013-03-01 16:26:00

"When You're Cutting Social Security,

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 3.1.13”

Published on 2013-03-01 04:27:00

“Weekly News Wrap-Up 3.1.13”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com“To say the drama and panic being put out by the mainstream media (MSM) is unfounded hype is a gross understatement. The budget cuts known as “sequestration” will force mandatory

Musical Interlude: Angels of Venice, “Sad Lisa”

Published on 2013-02-28 23:55:00

Angels of Venice, “Sad Lisa”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE8ET6wTE1Y

Musical Interlude: Tron Syversen, “Moonlight Reflections”

Published on 2013-02-28 21:20:00

Tron Syversen, “Moonlight Reflections”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1EZ30fUHLA

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-28 21:12:00

“How many arches can you count in the below image? If you count both spans of the Double Arch in the Arches National Park in Utah, USA, then two. But since the above image was taken during a clear dark night, it caught a photogenic third arch far i

Chet Raymo, “The Still Small Voice”

Published on 2013-02-28 21:04:00

“The Still Small Voice”by Chet Raymo"There is a power in nature, restless and terrible- storm, wildfire, earthquake, tidal wave. There is a delicacy too, to which we attend with a more perceptive eye and ear- the woolly bear caterpillar in the gr

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-28 20:39:00

Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Proper Perspective..."

Published on 2013-02-28 20:33:00

“Our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live so that our lives matter, so that the world will be at least a little bit different for our having passed through it. What frustrates us and robs our lives of joy

The Poet: Maya Angelou"When Great Trees Fall"

Published on 2013-02-28 20:17:00

"When Great Trees Fall""When great trees fall,rocks on distant hills shudder,lions hunker down in tall grasses,and even elephants lumber after safety.When great trees fall in forests,small things recoil into silence,their senses eroded beyond fear.Wh

"Dealing with Difficult People: Opening the Channels of Communication"

Published on 2013-02-28 20:09:00

"Dealing with Difficult People:

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-28 18:20:00

Satire: "Chinese Hackers Drop US Government From List of High-Value Targets"

Published on 2013-02-28 18:16:00

"Chinese Hackers Drop US Government From List of High-Value Targets"by Andy BorowitzSHANGHAI (The Borowitz Report)— "In a rare announcement from a notoriously publicity-shy group, Chinese hackers revealed today that they were dropping the United St

Musical Interlude: 2002, "Suddenly Yours"

Published on 2013-02-27 21:21:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-27 21:13:00

“What kind of clouds are these? Although their cause is presently unknown, such unusual atmospheric structures, as menacing as they might seem, do not appear to be harbingers of meteorological doom. Known informally as Undulatus asperatus clouds, t

"The Invitation"

Published on 2013-02-27 21:09:00

"The Invitation" "It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for,and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk lookinglike a fool fo

Paulo Coelho, “We Are The Revolution”

Published on 2013-02-27 20:54:00

“We Are The Revolution”by Paulo Coelho“My literature is totally committed with a new political attitude – human beings in search of their own identity.We are the revolution taking place. We are responsible for the world in every sense – pol

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-27 19:08:00

Argyle, Minnesota, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

The Poet: Galway Kinnell, "Another Night in the Ruins"

Published on 2013-02-27 19:04:00

"Another Night in the Ruins""How many nights must it takeone such as me to learnthat we aren't, after all, madefrom that bird that flies out of its ashes,that for usas we go up in flames, our one work isto open ourselves,

"Perspective..."

Published on 2013-02-27 18:28:00

"There are some oddities in the perspective with which we see the world. The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be nor

"Time, Life, and the Roller Coaster"

Published on 2013-02-27 18:15:00

"Time, Life, and the Roller Coaster"by CoyotePrimeRemember when you were 10 years old, and summer felt like it lasted forever? Got a little older, not so bad, still plenty of time to do everything you wanted. Someone told me back then that time speed

Satire: “Oakland Rapper Pope Emeritus Threatens Lawsuit”

Published on 2013-02-27 16:40:00

“Oakland Rapper Pope Emeritus Threatens Lawsuit”by Andy BorowitzOAKLAND (The Borowitz Report)— “The Vatican’s plan to call the retiring pontiff Benedict XVI “Pope Emeritus” hit a snag today, in the form of a threatened lawsuit by an Oak

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-27 16:27:00

"Universe: Journey from Earth to the Edge of the Cosmos"

Published on 2013-02-26 22:53:00

"Universe: Journey from Earth to the Edge of the Cosmos" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIxAPFYDsnQ

Musical Interlude: 2002, “Unopened Flower”

Published on 2013-02-26 20:44:00

2002, “Unopened Flower” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhNx862u1Ds

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-26 20:34:00

“Across the heart of the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies lies a striking string of galaxies known as Markarian's Chain. The chain, pictured above, is highlighted on the upper right with two large but featureless lenticular galaxies, M84 and M86. Prominen

Chet Raymo, “We Are Such Stuff...”

Published on 2013-02-26 20:28:00

“We Are Such Stuff...”by Chet Raymo“Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.Sometimes a thousand twangling instrumentsWill hum about mine ears, and sometimes voices,That, if I then had wa

“Dark Night of the Soul: Surrendering the Ego”

Published on 2013-02-26 19:59:00

“Dark Night of the Soul: Surrendering the Ego”by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"While we are in a dark night of the soul experience, hold steady knowing the light will appear once again. Whenever a word is overused, it is most likely being misused,

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-26 19:54:00

San Bernardino, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“Are Humans Getting Dumber?”

Published on 2013-02-26 19:13:00

“Are Humans Getting Dumber?”by Tom Purcell“The report said people are getting dumber— at least I think that’s what it said, but the big words kept throwing me off.”“Ah, yes, you speak of a recent study by Stanford University researcher

Satire: "Boehner Defends Decision to Remain on Ass"

Published on 2013-02-26 19:09:00

"Boehner Defends Decision to Remain on Ass"by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— "Minutes after telling the United States Senate to “get off their ass” to avoid the deep spending cuts that will take effect this Friday, House Speaker

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-26 19:06:00

"The Government..."

Published on 2013-02-26 18:55:00

“The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the business of government; they have only a talent for getting and holding office. Their principal device to that end is t

"The Web Gallery of Art"

Published on 2013-02-25 21:11:00

"Welcome to the Gallery! The Web Gallery of Art is a virtual museum and searchable database of European fine arts from 11th to 19th centuries. It was started in 1996 as a topical site of the Renaissance art, originated in the Italian city-states of t

"Be Kind..."

Published on 2013-02-25 19:54:00

"Be kind, for everyone you know is fighting a hard battle."

Musical Interlude: “Greensleeves”

Published on 2013-02-25 19:44:00

“Greensleeves”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSjfkwvOOAM

"A Video Moment With Nature"

Published on 2013-02-25 19:39:00

Algerian Desert, Ahaggar National Park by Deborha Patten - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4xsRZ2zHX4&list=PL22D299EAF12B5BCE

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-25 19:35:00

“The dark Horsehead Nebula and the glowing Orion Nebula are contrasting cosmic vistas. Adrift 1,500 light-years away in one of the night sky's most recognizable constellations, they appear in opposite corners of the above stunning mosaic.

Paulo Coelho, “Beauty Exists Not In Sameness”

Published on 2013-02-25 19:30:00

“Beauty Exists Not In Sameness”by Paulo Coelho“Beauty exists not in sameness but in difference. Who could imagine a giraffe without its long neck or a cactus without its spines? The irregularity of the mountain peaks that surround us is what ma

Chet Raymo, “Immortality”

Published on 2013-02-25 19:05:00

“Immortality”by Chet Raymo“A second life? I can barely cope with this one. I'm referring to the increasingly popular virtual world Second Life, available to online gamers. One enters Second LIfe by creating a three-dimensional, animated avatar

The Poet: Anne Sexton, "Courage"

Published on 2013-02-25 18:22:00

"Courage""It is in the small things we see it.The child's first step,as awesome as an earthquake.The first time you rode a bike,wallowing up the sidewalk.The first spanking when your heartwent on a journey all alone.When they called you crybabyor poo

"What's the Malthusian Premise?"

Published on 2013-02-25 18:14:00

"What's the Malthusian Premise?"by William Harris"For many natural scientists, 1859 marks the beginning of the modern era of biology. That's the year Charles Darwin published "The Origin of Species," the book that spelled out the theory of evolution

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-25 17:15:00

Timberon, New Mexico, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Musical Interlude: Sacred Spirit, “May You Walk In Sunshine”

Published on 2013-02-24 20:59:00

Sacred Spirit, “May You Walk In Sunshine” - http://www.youtube.com/

Musical Interlude: Traveling Wilburys, “End Of The Line”

Published on 2013-02-24 20:48:00

Traveling Wilburys, “End Of The Line” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_dQk9iaSY

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-24 20:04:00

“Big beautiful spiral galaxy M66 lies a mere 35 million light-years away. About 100 thousand light-years across, the gorgeous island universe is well known to astronomers as a member of the Leo Triplet of galaxies. In M66, pronounced dust lanes and

The Poet: Mary Oliver, “Wild Geese”

Published on 2013-02-24 19:58:00

“Wild Geese”"You do not have to be good.You do not have to walk on your kneesfor a hundred miles through the desert repenting.You only have to let the soft animal of your bodylove what it loves.Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mi

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-24 19:55:00

Goodland, Kansas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

History: "Afghanistan: Last Stand at Gandamak"

Published on 2013-02-24 19:50:00

"Afghanistan: Last Stand at Gandamak"by Britishbattles.com“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."- George Santayana

"Stop The Government Plan For Radioactive Cookware!"

Published on 2013-02-24 18:03:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-24 17:11:00

"It Is Well Enough..."

Published on 2013-02-24 17:01:00

"It is well enough that the people of this nation do not

“Deranging America: Drugged, Indebted, Armed-to-the-Teeth”

Published on 2013-02-24 16:36:00

“Deranging America:

Musical Interlude: Renaissance, “Can You Understand?”

Published on 2013-02-23 20:30:00

Renaissance, “Can You Understand?” - http://www.youtube.com/

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-23 20:11:00

“A mere 2.5 million light-years away, the Andromeda Galaxy really is just next door as large galaxies go. So close, and spanning some 260,000 light-years, it took 11 different image fields from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite's tele

Chet Raymo, “Sky High”

Published on 2013-02-23 20:06:00

“Sky High”by Chet Raymo“As upright primates, the sky is half of our visual field, but we give it only a tiny fraction of our attention. Food, drink, sex and shelter are all to be found close to the ground. What goes on above our heads is mostly

"I Don't Pretend..."

Published on 2013-02-23 19:56:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-23 19:27:00

Lexington, Massachusetts, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"An Exquisite Balance..."

Published on 2013-02-23 19:07:00

“It seems to me what is called for is an exquisite balance between two conflicting needs: the most skeptical scrutiny of all hypotheses that are served up to us and at the same time a great openness to new ideas… If you are only skeptical, then n

"There It Is..."

Published on 2013-02-23 14:53:00

“The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it,

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-23 14:49:00

"Another Mask..."

Published on 2013-02-23 14:40:00

"DHS Contractor Apologizes For Selling Shooting Targets of Children"

Published on 2013-02-23 13:26:00

"DHS Contractor Apologizes For Selling

Musical Interlude: 2002, “An Ocean Apart”

Published on 2013-02-22 21:31:00

2002, “An Ocean Apart”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfPONyDT_WQ

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-22 21:26:00

“The Sleeping Beauty galaxy may appear peaceful at first sight but it is actually tossing and turning. In an unexpected twist, recent observations have shown that the gas in the outer regions of this photogenic spiral is rotating in the opposite di

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-22 21:09:00

Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"The 12 Rules of Survival"

Published on 2013-02-22 20:36:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-22 16:23:00

Frank Herbert, "Litany Against Fear"

Published on 2013-02-22 16:19:00

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.

Paulo Coelho, "The Consequences of Fear"

Published on 2013-02-22 16:13:00

"The Consequences of Fear"by Paulo Coelho"• Worry is a mechanism of our psyche that prompts us to do something. The prompting energy is fear – usually fear of some consequence. Because it is fear, the person tends to avoid thinking about it. Thus

"Fear"

Published on 2013-02-22 16:04:00

"Fear"by The DailyOM "The one permanent emotion of the inferior man is fear- fear of the unknown,

"The Case of the 5-Year Old Bubble Gun Terrorist"

Published on 2013-02-22 15:37:00

"An Imaginary Look To the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-21 21:47:00

“How would you change the course of an Earth-threatening asteroid? One possibility - a massive spacecraft that uses gravity as a towline - is illustrated in this artist's vision of a gravitational tractor in action. In the hypothetical scenario wor

Paulo Coelho, “Closing Cycles”

Published on 2013-02-21 21:39:00

“Closing Cycles”by Paulo Coelho[Several times I've received via Internet some texts attributed to me, which I did not write, as the text below.

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-21 21:28:00

Mikado, Michigan, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"5 Signs Extreme Wealth Deadens the "Empathy" and "Honesty" Parts of the Brain"

Published on 2013-02-21 18:42:00

"5 Signs Extreme Wealth Deadens the

“The Overview Effect”

Published on 2013-02-21 13:46:00

“The Overview Effect”by Planetary Collective"On the 40th anniversary of the famous ‘Blue Marble’ photograph taken of Earth from space, Planetary Collective presents a short film documenting astronauts’ life-changing stories of seeing the Ea

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-21 13:00:00

Free Download: Andrew M. Lobaczewski, "Political Ponerology"

Published on 2013-02-21 12:31:00

"Political Ponerology:A Science on the Nature of Evil Adjusted for Political Purposes"by Andrew M. Lobaczewski"Imagine - if you can - not having a conscience, none at all, no feelings of guilt or remorse no matter what you do, no limiting sense of co

"Why Does the World Feel So Wrong?"

Published on 2013-02-21 12:13:00

"Why Does the World Feel So Wrong?"by Will Groves"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,than are dreamt of in your philosophy."- William Shakespeare, "Hamlet""Consider these events:1. A president who started two aggressive wars, who bear

“National Security and Your Digital Data”

Published on 2013-02-21 12:01:00

“National Security and Your Digital Data”by Jeffrey Tucker“One of the most dangerous threats to liberty and privacy today is called the “Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act,” or CISPA. The activists slayed this monster last year.

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-20 22:51:00

"Big, beautiful spiral galaxy NGC 7331 is often touted as an analog to our own Milky Way. About 50 million light-years distant in the northern constellation Pegasus, NGC 7331 was recognized early on as a spiral nebula and is actually one of the brigh

The Poet: Rainer Maria Rilke, "Sunset"

Published on 2013-02-20 22:46:00

"Sunset""Slowly the west reaches for clothes of new colorswhich it passes to a row of ancient trees.You look, and soon these two worlds both leave you,one part climbs toward heaven, one sinks to earth,leaving you, not really belonging to either,not s

Musical Interlude: Alan Parsons Project, “Ammonia Avenue“

Published on 2013-02-20 22:36:00

Alan Parsons Project, “Ammonia Avenue“- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NK-_2G7MMgc

"Life Is About..."

Published on 2013-02-20 21:56:00

"Life is about discovering things that do matter in the end."- Robert Brault

"I Wish You Enough"

Published on 2013-02-20 21:56:00

"I Wish You Enough"by Bob Perks"I never really thought that I'd spend as much time in airports as I do. I don't know why. I always wanted to be famous and that would mean lots of travel. But I'm not famous, yet I do see more than my share of a

“Learning from the Big Picture: Cycle of Life”

Published on 2013-02-20 20:32:00

“Learning from the Big Picture: Cycle of Life”by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM“While we are on earth we are all human beings in different phases of our lives and soul development. As we walk through the world, the people we encounter appear so di

Fukushima: "Radiation Of The Pacific Ocean In The Next 10 Years"

Published on 2013-02-20 17:07:00

"Radiation Of The Pacific Ocean In The Next 10 Years– Japan Nuclear Disaster Video""Scientists at GEOMAR have put together this time lapse showing just how we are being affected by the radiation levels in the pacific. More info can be found here: h

Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet, on Death"

Published on 2013-02-20 00:22:00

Paulo Coelho, “The Mystery of Discovery”

Published on 2013-02-19 21:44:00

“The Mystery of Discovery”by Paulo Coelho“Tonight, before leaving, I’m going to spend time sorting through the pile of things I never had the patience to put in order.And I will find that a little of my history is there.All the letters, the n

Musical Interlude: 2002, “Remember Now”

Published on 2013-02-19 21:35:00

2002, “Remember Now”- http://www.youtube.com/

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-19 18:21:00

“For now, Comet Lemmon (C/2012 F6a), and Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) are sweeping through southern skies. Lemmon's lime green coma and thin tail are near the left edge of this telephoto scene, a single frame from a timelapse video (vimeo here) reco

Chet Raymo, “Thinking Like A Tortoise”

Published on 2013-02-19 18:06:00

“Thinking Like A Tortoise”by Chet Raymo“The average lifespan in a hunter-gatherer society is 32 years. If you think you'd like the simplicity and ecological integrity of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, be sure to take your mobile phone and not wan

"Fear By Another Name"

Published on 2013-02-19 15:14:00

"Fear By Another Name"by Michael Brenner"Assassination of American citizens by presidential dictate, blanket suspension of habeas corpus indefinitely, massive wiretapping and surveillance with and without warrant, torture as the official policy of th

Satire: “House Science Committee Questions Existence of Meteors”

Published on 2013-02-19 14:46:00

“House Science Committee Questions Existence of Meteors”by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “The chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology said today that the committee would hold hearings next week “to

"How It Really Should Be"

Published on 2013-02-19 13:44:00

“Is Nigeria, And Its Light Sweet Crude, About To Be Drawn Into The Mali "Liberation"

Published on 2013-02-19 13:36:00

“Is Nigeria, And Its Light Sweet Crude,

"In Arduous Officer Course, Women Offer Clues to Their Future in Infantry"

Published on 2013-02-19 12:47:00

"In Arduous Officer Course,

"The Basement Beneath the Wage Floor"

Published on 2013-02-18 19:37:00

"The Basement Beneath the Wage Floor"by Jeffrey Tucker"There are certain sounds that tend to make people crazy. Think of nails on a chalkboard. An infant screaming nonstop on a long flight. A piercing whistle that won’t go away. Now we need to add

Hard Times USA: Searching For a Place to Sleep”

Published on 2013-02-18 19:29:00

“Searching For a Place to Sleep”By Kenan HeiseEditor's Note: The following is an excerpt from “The Book of the Poor: Who They Are, What They Say, and How To End Their Poverty.” T.M.’s story was written in the spring of 2012. (T.M. is in his

“U.S. Military Faces Fire as It Pulls Out of Afghanistan”

Published on 2013-02-16 11:55:00

“U.S. Military Faces Fire as It Pulls Out of Afghanistan”By Matthew Rosenberg STRONG POINT HAJI RAHMUDDIN II, Afghanistan — "When the last American soldiers to occupy this squat, lonely outpost in southern Afghanistan pulled out this week, they

“Taking a Time Out: You Are Not Crazy”

Published on 2013-02-15 17:09:00

“Taking a Time Out: You Are Not Crazy”by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM“Sometimes as adults, we just need a time out to refocus and gather ourselves before starting out again. Most of us feel a little crazy from time to time. Periods of high stres

"Meteor Streaks Across Russian Urals, Leaves Nearly 1000 Injured"

Published on 2013-02-15 11:39:00

"Meteor Streaks Across Russian Urals, Leaves Nearly 1000 Injured"By Jim Heintz and Vladimir Isachenkov MOSCOW — "A meteor streaked across the sky and exploded over Russia's Ural Mountains with the power of an atomic bomb Friday, its sonic blasts sh

Greg Hunter, ‘Weekly News Wrap-Up 2/15/13”

Published on 2013-02-15 10:34:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 2/15/13”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-14 19:55:00

“The Future of Drones in America”

Published on 2013-02-14 19:25:00

“The Future of Drones in America”by Dustin Hurst“Drones are wildly popular on the battlefield. Now they can claim victory elsewhere. The use of drones within U.S. borders — in car chases, to monitor wildfires, or for simple surveillance — i

Satire: "Choking Back Tears, N.R.A. Leader Marries Gun"

Published on 2013-02-14 17:32:00

"Choking Back Tears, N.R.A. Leader Marries Gun"by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “In what he called “the happiest day of my life,” National Rifle Association C.E.O. Wayne LaPierre marked Valentine’s Day by marrying his longt

Musical Interlude: 2002, "Stardust"

Published on 2013-02-13 20:46:00

2002 (Pamela & Randy Copus), “Stardust”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTgdp7RfBOM&feature=related

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-13 20:38:00

“Namibia has some of the darkest nights visible from any continent. It is therefore home to some of the more spectacular skyscapes, a few of which have been captured in the below time-lapse video. Namibian Nights from Squiver on Vimeo.Visible at th

Life Skills: “10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Was Your Age”

Published on 2013-02-13 20:14:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-13 18:54:00

Cumberland Center, Maine, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Satire: "A Letter from Kim Jong-un"

Published on 2013-02-13 16:13:00

"A Letter from Kim Jong-un"by Andy BorowitzPYONGYANG (The Borowitz Report)— "Kim Jong-un, Supreme Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, has issued the following letter to the citizens of the world:Dear World People:For decades, Nor

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-13 16:04:00

Hey, Teddy, how about some of this... lol:http://coyoteprime-runningcauseicantfly.blogspot.com/2012/10/welcome-to-ted-nugents-gun-country.html

“U.S. Econcomy ‘ALL IS WELL!’ PhD in Stupidity!”

Published on 2013-02-13 15:48:00

“U.S. Econcomy ‘ALL IS WELL!’ PhD in Stupidity!”By: James Quinn“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”

"Failure of Leadership"

Published on 2013-02-13 12:39:00

"Failure of Leadership"by Bill Bonner"Poor Chuck Hagel. Every day, The Wall Street Journal wallops the fellow. He is whacked for not knowing what he is doing…smacked for not appreciating the threat of a nuclear Iran…and slapped hard for not bendi

"The Drones Are Watching and Waiting"

Published on 2013-02-13 12:25:00

"The Drones Are Watching and Waiting"by Douglas French"The topic of drones came up on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. Advertising guru and pro-drone Donny Deutsch pushed back against a skeptical Joe Scarborough saying, “What’s the big deal? There was no d

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-13 01:28:00

“Massive stars, abrasive winds, mountains of dust, and energetic light sculpt one of the largest and most picturesque regions of star formation in the Local Group of Galaxies. Known as N11, the region is visible on the upper right of many images of

Paulo Coelho, “Convention For Those Wounded In Love”

Published on 2013-02-12 19:00:00

“Convention For Those Wounded In Love”by Paulo Coelho“General provisions:A – Whereas the saying “all is fair in love and war” is absolutely correct;B – Whereas for war we have the Geneva Convention, approved on 22 August 1864, which pro

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-12 18:39:00

Strabane, United Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by.

“Cooperation: Acting Together for Good”

Published on 2013-02-12 18:33:00

“Cooperation: Acting Together for Good”by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM“Cooperation is allowed to flow more easily when we let go of the necessity to be right all the time. Cooperation seems simple: working together toward a common goal for the b

"The Only Example..."

Published on 2013-02-12 18:23:00

“A Dying Civilization: The Moral Order”

Published on 2013-02-12 18:10:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-12 14:35:00

"The Purpose Of Life..."

Published on 2013-02-12 14:29:00

“I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable,

Geopolitics: "A Rising Superpower, The Next Cold War?"

Published on 2013-02-12 13:51:00

"A Rising Superpower, The Next Cold War?"by Chris Mayer"It is in the air and has no name, but something wicked this way comes. Stirrings of another cold war — this time with the giant in the East. In what follows, we’ll take a look at a potential

Government: "One Hundred Years of Intrusions"

Published on 2013-02-12 13:11:00

"One Hundred Years of Intrusions"by Jeffrey Tucker"Imagine a time when the government knew nothing about the money in your bank. It cared nothing about how much you made, where you made it, and what you did with it. You could take your earnings in go

Greg Hunter, “One-On-One With Dr. Paul Craig Roberts”

Published on 2013-02-12 12:59:00

“One-On-One With Dr. Paul Craig Roberts”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Former Assistant Treasury Secretary Dr. Paul Craig Roberts says, “I think we have three of the biggest bubbles in history. The bond market, stock market and the U.S. do

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-11 21:48:00

“Grand spiral galaxies often seem to get all the glory, flaunting their young, bright, blue star clusters in beautiful, symmetric spiral arms. But small galaxies form stars too, like nearby NGC 6822, also known as Barnard's Galaxy. Beyond the rich

"Your Time Is Limited..."

Published on 2013-02-11 21:39:00

Chet Raymo, “The (Unattainable) Thing Itself”

Published on 2013-02-11 21:24:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-11 18:13:00

Teddington, Richmond upon Thames, United Kingdom.Thanks for stopping by.

"How 'Authorities' Control and Destroy Forums"

Published on 2013-02-11 17:53:00

"The Life You Have Left..."

Published on 2013-02-11 17:40:00

Satire: “Pope’s Decision to Come Out of Retirement Stirs Controversy”

Published on 2013-02-11 17:34:00

“Pope’s Decision to Come Out of Retirement Stirs Controversy”by Andy BorowitzVATICAN (The Borowitz Report)— “Pope Benedict XVI stunned the world for the second time in twenty-four hours today by announcing his decision to come out of retire

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-11 13:16:00

Priorities!- CP"In my life, I have prayed but one prayer: 'Oh Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.'

"Barack Obama 2013 State of the Union Drinking Game"

Published on 2013-02-11 13:03:00

"All Those Things..."

Published on 2013-02-11 12:49:00

“It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble,

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-08 16:49:00

"Executioner in Chief: How a Nobel Peace Prize Winner Became the Head of a Worldwide Assassination Program"

Published on 2013-02-08 16:36:00

“Pay Attention America: Police Shooting People”

Published on 2013-02-08 15:57:00

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 2.8.13”

Published on 2013-02-08 04:51:00

“Weekly News Wrap-Up 2.8.13”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com “The John Brennan CIA confirmation hearing is raising questions about waterboarding and drone strikes that include targeting U.S. citizens abroad. Many Democrats have been up in arm

"A Look to the Heavens, With Chet Raymo"

Published on 2013-02-07 20:57:00

"Here is a recent Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD), a detail of the Great Orion Nebula, a magnificent star-birthing region in the sword of Orion. You can see a huge mosaic of the nebula by clicking on the image for larger size:

"The Only Way..."

Published on 2013-02-07 20:24:00

"The only way to avoid being miserable is not to have

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-07 20:15:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-07 20:09:00

Prairie Village, Kansas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Satire: “U.S. Cancels Regular Drone Strikes on Saturdays”

Published on 2013-02-07 16:07:00

“U.S. Cancels Regular Drone Strikes on Saturdays”by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “Citing budgetary concerns, the United States announced today that it would discontinue regular Saturday drone strikes on U.S. citizens, beginn

"A Much More Urgent Problem..."

Published on 2013-02-07 15:01:00

“The Fundamental Nature of Credit and Monetary Debasement”

Published on 2013-02-07 14:55:00

“The Fundamental Nature of Credit and Monetary Debasement”by Karl Denninger“The WSJ has an interesting opinion piece this morning that should be required reading - but it won't be by far too many of the political wonks. [Or nearly anyone else..

"The Truth About Retail Gas Prices: An Update!"

Published on 2013-02-07 14:31:00

"The Truth About Retail Gas Prices: An Update!"by Matt Insley“Tough noogies” is where we left off. A few months ago, back in September, we discussed the likely path for gasoline prices. In short, new dynamics in the refining industry – as well

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-06 20:47:00

“The spiral arms of bright galaxy M106 sprawl through this remarkable multiframe portrait, composed of data from ground- and space-based telescopes. Also known as NGC 4258, M106 can be found toward the northern constellation Canes Venatici. The wel

"A Strange Animal..."

Published on 2013-02-06 20:40:00

"U.S. National Research Council Scientists: Fluoride Can Damage the Brain and Bones"

Published on 2013-02-06 20:03:00

“Fresno, CA: Desperate People Ripping Off Copper”

Published on 2013-02-06 19:40:00

“Fresno, CA: Desperate People Ripping Off Copper”By Evelyn NievesFRESNO, Calif.— “The thieves strike in the middle of the night and work fast, in pairs or teams.

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-06 16:38:00

Malvern, Worcestershire, UK. Thanks for stopping by.

Joseph W. Martin, Jr., "And Now The Ravenous Dogs Are Set to Feed"

Published on 2013-02-06 16:30:00

"Our Planet..."

Published on 2013-02-06 16:08:00

"We do not have to visit a madhouse to find disordered minds;

"Fukushima Urgent Warning: Estimate of Situation”

Published on 2013-02-06 15:54:00

“Prometheus Trap:

The Universe

Published on 2013-02-06 15:26:00

"How It Really Is, And Will Be"

Published on 2013-02-06 13:40:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-02-05 20:21:00

"A gorgeous spiral galaxy some 100 million light-years distant, NGC 1309 lies on the banks of the constellation of the River (Eridanus). NGC 1309 spans about 30,000 light-years, making it about one third the size of our larger Milky Way galaxy. Bluis

Chet Raymo, “Speak, Memory”

Published on 2013-02-05 20:16:00

“Speak, Memory”by Chet Raymo“There is no mystery in science more baffling than memory– the way a melon-sized ball of meat can store a lifetime of recollections and recall them at will without erasing. To think about it is almost to doubt the

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-02-05 19:52:00

Bridgeport, Alabama, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“Hard Times, USA”

Published on 2013-02-05 19:42:00

“Hard Times, USA”By Don Hazen“What do the words poor, hungry, homeless, destitute, and economic hardship mean to you? Would you rather not think about it? Can I ask you a harder question? Have you lost your empathy for people who may be down an

“Intertwined Fates: We Are All Connected”

Published on 2013-02-05 17:29:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-05 14:34:00

Oh yeah, now THAT will get their attention...- CP

"Study: 22 Military Veterans Commit Suicide Every Day"

Published on 2013-02-05 14:24:00

Karl Denninger, "Don't Believe Your College: They'll Fail You, Then Sue You"

Published on 2013-02-05 11:33:00

"It’s The Stupid Economy, Stupid"

Published on 2013-02-03 15:23:00

"It’s The Stupid Economy, Stupid"by Michael Kindt"As I get older, I change, but the economy doesn’t. It’s obvious, but not completely—aging, I mean. Some things are given: I can’t drink like I used to. I actually NEED to sleep. When I was i

Satire: "Gun Sales Soar on Photo of Armed Obama"

Published on 2013-02-03 15:12:00

"Gun Sales Soar on Photo of Armed Obama"by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— "The White House’s attempt to portray President Obama as a gun user may have had unintended consequences today, as a newly released photo of Mr. Obama firin

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-03 15:09:00

“It Is What It Isn’t: How Thoughts Create Reality”

Published on 2013-02-03 14:52:00

“It Is What It Isn’t: How Thoughts Create Reality”by Pam Grout“Our brains continually sift through the possibilities and pick which bits of information to “see” and believe. Out of sheer laziness, the stuff we choose to perceive—and mak

"A Logical Explanation..."

Published on 2013-02-03 14:46:00

"There is a logical explanation for everything,

The Economy: "On Borrowed Time"

Published on 2013-02-03 14:13:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-02-01 09:54:00

"Think..."

Published on 2013-02-01 09:47:00

"Think of the thing you have, that if you lost it,

Shock Claim: “The New Litmus Test Of Leadership In The Military Is If They Will Fire On US Citizens Or Not”

Published on 2013-02-01 09:32:00

"Shock Claim: The New Litmus Test Of Leadership In

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 2/1/13"

Published on 2013-02-01 09:14:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 2/1/13"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

"IRS: Cheapest Obamacare Plan Will Be $20,000 Per Family"

Published on 2013-02-01 09:08:00

"IRS: Cheapest Obamacare Plan Will Be $20,000 Per Family"By Matt Cover"In a final regulation issued Wednesday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) assumed that under Obamacare the cheapest health insurance plan available in 2016 for a family will cost

Musical Interlude: Moody Blues, "Land of Make-Believe"

Published on 2013-01-31 20:53:00

Moody Blues, "Land of Make-Believe"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E32Nvlb8p98•For the Dreamers, still believing and hoping for a better world,may you never stop dreaming...- CP

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-31 20:40:00

“The delightful Dark Doodad Nebula drifts through southern skies, a tantalizing target for binoculars in the constellation Musca, The Fly. The dusty cosmic cloud is seen against rich starfields just south of the prominent Coalsack Nebula and the So

Chet Raymo, “Stretching The Imagination”

Published on 2013-01-31 20:37:00

“Stretching The Imagination”by Chet Raymo“Professor, that stuff you spoke of in class this morning- about the beginning of the universe..."Yes?"Well, you know how you said that the universe began 14 billion years ago as an infinitely small poin

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-31 18:49:00

Bronx, New York, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“Incestuous Amplification, Economics Edition”

Published on 2013-01-31 18:28:00

“Incestuous Amplification, Economics Edition”by Paul Krugman "It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble,

Climate Change: “Humans Have Already Set In Motion 69 Feet Of Sea Level Rise”

Published on 2013-01-31 18:08:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-31 14:42:00

"Tearing Down to Rebuild: Rethinking Complaining"

Published on 2013-01-31 14:35:00

"Tearing Down to Rebuild: Rethinking Complaining"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"When we spend all of our time complaining, we are in essence in constant destroy mode rather than building mode. We all know someone who has elevated the process of compl

Kahlil Gibran, "The Madman"

Published on 2013-01-31 14:23:00

"The Madman"by Kahlil Gibran"It was in the garden of a madhouse that I met a youth with a face pale and lovely and full of wonder. And I sat beside him upon the bench, and I said, “Why are you here?” And he looked at me in astonishment, and he sa

"Government to Dispose of Radioactive Waste By Putting It In Our SILVERWARE"

Published on 2013-01-31 14:19:00

"Government to Dispose of Radioactive Waste

Musical Interlude: Adiemus, “Adiemus”

Published on 2013-01-30 22:06:00

Adiemus, “Adiemus”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL8kZ-iVk90

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-30 21:59:00

“Stars are sometimes born in the midst of chaos. About 3 million years ago in the nearby galaxy M33, a large cloud of gas spawned dense internal knots which gravitationally collapsed to form stars. NGC 604 was so large, however, it could form enoug

“Anxiety! Why We're Anxious and the Secret to Getting Better”

Published on 2013-01-30 16:34:00

“Anxiety!

The Poet: David Whyte, “The Winter of Listening"

Published on 2013-01-30 16:08:00

“The Winter of Listening"“No one but me by the fire,my hands burning red in the palmswhile the night wind carries everything away outside.All this petty worry,while the great cloak of the sky grows darkand intense round every living thing.What is

Paulo Coelho, “Why Do That?”

Published on 2013-01-30 15:48:00

“Why Do That?”by Paulo Coelho“Nature is telling us: ‘Change!’ And those who do not fear the Angel of Good Fortune understand that they must go forward, despite their fear.Despite their doubts.Despite recriminations.Despite threats.They conf

Wonderful...

Published on 2013-01-30 15:30:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-30 15:13:00

“Keynes Said: ‘Lets Euthanize The Rentiers’; Instead, We Euthanized The Economy”

Published on 2013-01-30 15:10:00

“Keynes Said: ‘Lets Euthanize The Rentiers’;

"Virtual Immortality"

Published on 2013-01-30 13:07:00

"Virtual Immortality"

Musical Interlude: Don McLean, “Vincent”

Published on 2013-01-29 19:53:00

Don McLean, “Vincent”

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-29 19:49:00

“Clouds of glowing gas mingle with dust lanes in the Trifid Nebula, a star forming region toward the constellation of the Archer (Sagittarius). In the center, the three prominent dust lanes that give the Trifid its name all come together. Mountains

Chet Raymo, “A Momentary Stay”

Published on 2013-01-29 19:21:00

“A Momentary Stay”by Chet Raymo“This from a review of Paul Muldoon's new book of poetry, "Maggot", by Nick Laird, in the June 23, 2010 "New York Review of Books". It seems Muldoon was heckled by an audience member who claimed that what he was r

"We Are Free..."

Published on 2013-01-29 17:56:00

“The worst that could happen to us is that we have to die, and since that is already our unalterable fate, we are free; those who have lost everything no longer have anything to fear.”“Death is our eternal companion. It is always to our left, a

"Largest Wave Ever Surfed- 100 Feet Tall"

Published on 2013-01-29 17:30:00

"Largest Wave Ever Surfed- 100 Feet Tall"by WashingtonsBlog"Garrett McNamara of Hawaii rode a giant wave in Nazaré, Portugal yesterday. It was claimed to be 100 feet high, although the Guiness Book of World Records has not yet confirmed the measurem

"The Predator of Man"

Published on 2013-01-29 16:13:00

"The Predator of Man"

"In The Process..."

Published on 2013-01-29 15:43:00

"We are in the process of creating what deserves to be called the idiot culture. Not an idiot sub-culture, which every society has bubbling beneath the surface and which can provide harmless fun; but the culture itself. For the first time, the weird

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-29 15:36:00

Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland. Thanks for stopping by.

"In The Presence of Difficulty, Compassion"

Published on 2013-01-29 15:33:00

"In The Presence of Difficulty, Compassion"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"True compassion recognizes that all the boundaries we perceive between ourselves and others are an illusion. Compassion is the ability to see the deep connectedness between our

"Equals..."

Published on 2013-01-29 15:16:00

"I like pigs.

"US-China Relations: War in 2013?"

Published on 2013-01-28 21:17:00

"US-China Relations: War in 2013?"

Musical Interlude: Brulé and Aero, “Circle Of Life”

Published on 2013-01-28 15:54:00

Brulé and Aero, “Circle Of Life” - http://www.youtube.com/

"How It REALLY Is"

Published on 2013-01-28 15:27:00

What a lovely heroic fantasy... pure bullshit, but entertaining until you

"Police State America: NYPD Places Full Body Scanners On The Streets"

Published on 2013-01-28 14:29:00

"Police State America:

"The Age of Neo-Feudalism: A Government of the Rich, by the Rich, and for the Corporations"

Published on 2013-01-28 14:25:00

"The Age of Neo-Feudalism:

Karl Denninger, "Pining For That Which Never Was"

Published on 2013-01-28 12:54:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-26 18:04:00

Silver City, New Mexico, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“The Hula Hoop Theory of History”

Published on 2013-01-26 18:00:00

“The Hula Hoop Theory of History”by Morris Berman

Kahlil Gibran, "The Perfect World

Published on 2013-01-26 17:42:00

"The Perfect World"by Kahlil Gibran"God of lost souls, thou who art lost amongst the gods, hear me:Gentle Destiny that watchest over us, mad, wandering spirits, hear me:I dwell in the midst of a perfect race, I the most imperfect.I, a human chaos, a

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-26 16:50:00

"Gallup: 74% Support Women in Combat"

Published on 2013-01-26 16:22:00

"Gallup: 74% Support Women in Combat"By Matthew Auerbach"According to a Gallup poll released Friday, an overwhelming number of Americans are in favor of women serving in combat. Seventy-four percent of those polled said they would vote yes if the iss

Bill Maher, “How Did America Become a Country of ‘D*ckless Armchair Warriors’?”

Published on 2013-01-26 15:55:00

“How Did America Become a Country of ‘D*ckless Armchair Warriors’?”We're no longer the home of the brave.by Bill Maher

"Broken Light: Work, for the Night is Coming"

Published on 2013-01-26 15:35:00

"Broken Light: Work, for the Night is Coming"by Chris Floyd"Black milk of daybreak, we drink it at evening..." –

Musical Interlude: Brule', “Stomp Dance”

Published on 2013-01-25 23:28:00

Brule', “Stomp Dance”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_l2Zt_um6M

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-25 23:06:00

"What powers are being wielded in the Wizard Nebula? Gravitation strong enough to form stars, and stellar winds and radiations powerful enough to create and dissolve towers of gas. Located only 8,000 light years away, the Wizard nebula, pictured belo

Paulo Coelho, "Do You Feel Useful?"

Published on 2013-01-25 22:59:00

"Do You Feel Useful?"by Paulo Coelho"Ask a flower in the field: ‘Do you feel useful? After all, you do nothing but produce the same flowers over and over?’ And the flower will answer: ‘I am beautiful, and beauty is my reason for living.’Ask t

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-25 20:35:00

Greenwood, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“The Club of Liberals, Transhumanism, Depopulation”

Published on 2013-01-25 20:30:00

“The Club of Liberals, Transhumanism, Depopulation”by Jon Rappoport“By liberals, I simply mean those people who accept big government as a given, regardless of their political affiliation. And yes, at certain key levels, they are a club. They c

“Molecular Moods”

Published on 2013-01-25 20:12:00

“Molecular Moods”

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-25 20:00:00

"The Vanishing Days..."

Published on 2013-01-25 18:07:00

“The sunset on which we gaze is a sunrise on the other side of the world,

“From Wounded Knee to Idle No More”

Published on 2013-01-25 18:02:00

“From Wounded Knee to Idle No More”by Ron Jacobs“The American Indian Movement’s (AIM) best known and most controversial protest began in February 1973 in Wounded Knee, South Dakota, a small town on the Pine Ridge reservation. Wounded Knee Two

The Economy: "The Marginal Rule of Wicksteed"

Published on 2013-01-25 14:00:00

"The Marginal Rule of Wicksteed"

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 1.25.13”

Published on 2013-01-25 01:09:00

“Weekly News Wrap-Up 1.25.13”By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Debt and guns are really the only two topics in Washington D.C. this week. The House of Representatives passed a bill that will suspend the debt ceiling until mid-May. It has a cute

"Small Gestures Make a Big Difference: Common Courtesy"

Published on 2013-01-24 21:25:00

"Small Gestures Make a Big Difference:

Musical Interlude: Mike Oldfield, “Tubular Bells Finale”

Published on 2013-01-24 20:48:00

Mike Oldfield, “Tubular Bells Finale” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5gDGcXIEQE

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-24 20:36:00

“The North America nebula on the sky can do what the North America continent on Earth cannot- form stars. Specifically, in analogy to the Earth-confined continent, the bright part that appears as Central America and Mexico is actually a hot bed of

Chet Raymo, “Blue Sapphire”

Published on 2013-01-24 20:30:00

“Blue Sapphire”by Chet Raymo“Something different today. Doug Christie was kind enough to respond to my posts of the past few days. Since the topic is central to this blog, I thought I would share his remarks, with his permission of course. Doug

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-24 20:19:00

Curran, Michigan, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"No Logical Chain..."

Published on 2013-01-24 20:15:00

“Man thought and still thinks in images. But now our images have hardly and any emotional value. We always want a "conclusion," an end, we always want to come, in our mental processes, to a decision, a finality, a full stop. This gives us a sense o

"Study: Nightcap Doesn't Aid Sleep"

Published on 2013-01-24 19:47:00

"Study: Nightcap Doesn't Aid Sleep"by Newsmax Health"Alcohol may help you get to sleep faster and sleep better at first, but it disrupts your sleep later in the night, according to British researchers who reviewed all known scientific studies on alco

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-24 17:59:00

“The ‘Majority Opinion’ Is An Illusion”

Published on 2013-01-24 17:52:00

“The ‘Majority Opinion’ Is An Illusion”by Brandon Smith“If there is one concept on Earth that has been the absolute bane of human existence (besides global elitism), it would have to be the concept of the “majority opinion”. The moment

Musical Interlude: 2002, “Sea of Dreams”

Published on 2013-01-23 22:53:00

2002, “Sea of Dreams” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JllFeTxxZ_Y

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-23 22:27:00

“Large spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is seen edge-on near the center of this cosmic galaxy portrait. In fact, NGC 4945 is almost the size of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Its own dusty disk, young blue star clusters, and pink star forming regions standout in

Chet Raymo, “Out Of The Silence”

Published on 2013-01-23 22:18:00

“Out Of The Silence”by Chet Raymo"A few words about Douglas Christe's “The Blue Sapphire of the Mind: Notes for a Contemplative Ecology”, the title of which is drawn from the 4th-century monastic writer Evagrius of Pontus: "When the mind has

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-23 19:52:00

Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"That's Logic..."

Published on 2013-01-23 19:47:00

"Contrariwise," continued Tweedledee, "if it was so, it might be;and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't.

"Smart, Dumb..."

Published on 2013-01-23 18:03:00

"A person is smart. People are dumb."

Satire: "Obama Urged to Resign Over Beyoncé Scandal"

Published on 2013-01-23 18:00:00

"Obama Urged to Resign Over Beyoncé Scandal"by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) – "A rising chorus of congressional Republicans are calling on President Obama to acknowledge that the pop singer Beyoncé lip-synched during his inaugura

"The Spice Must Flow..."

Published on 2013-01-23 17:04:00

"The spice must flow."

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-23 15:09:00

"USA 2013: The Existing Social Order Will be Swept Away"

Published on 2013-01-23 14:51:00

"USA 2013:

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-22 19:26:00

"A Strange Game..."

Published on 2013-01-22 19:21:00

"A strange game. The only winning move is not to play."

"They Wrote In The Old Days..."

Published on 2013-01-22 19:10:00

“They wrote in the old days that it is sweet and fitting to die for ones country. But in modern war there is nothing sweet nor fitting in your dying. You will die like a dog for no good reason. No catalogue of horrors ever kept men from war. Before

"Kill Anything That Moves: How Did the Gates of Hell Open in Vietnam?"

Published on 2013-01-22 18:50:00

"Kill Anything That Moves:

"When Trees Die, People Die"

Published on 2013-01-22 14:57:00

"When Trees Die, People Die"The curious connection between an invasive beetle that has destroyed over 100 million trees, and subsequent heart disease and pneumonia in the human populations nearby.By Lindsay Abrams "The blight was first detected in Ju

The Universe

Published on 2013-01-22 13:00:00

“Believe me, I know all about it. I know the stress. I know the frustration. I know the temptations of time and space. We worked this out ahead of time. They're part of the plan. We knew this stuff might happen. Actually, you insisted they be trigg

"A Look From The Heavens- Where We Make Our Stand"

Published on 2013-01-21 21:40:00

“Behold one of the more detailed images of the Earth yet created. This Blue Marble Earth montage shown below- created from photographs taken by the Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument on board the new Suomi NPP satellite- sh

Chet Raymo, “The Wind In The Willows”

Published on 2013-01-21 21:32:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-21 20:52:00

Benha, Al Qalyubiyah, Egypt. Thanks for stopping by.

"I Say..."

Published on 2013-01-21 20:45:00

"I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit."

“Sleeping Through a Revolution"

Published on 2013-01-21 16:42:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-21 16:20:00

"Being Against Evil..."

Published on 2013-01-21 16:17:00

Satire: “Republicans Praise Obama for Offering Bold Vision to Thwart”

Published on 2013-01-21 16:10:00

“Republicans Praise Obama for Offering Bold Vision to Thwart”by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “Congressional Republicans heaped fulsome praise on President Obama’s second Inaugural Address today, saying that it had given th

“Misleading Headline Of The Day”

Published on 2013-01-21 16:07:00

“Misleading Headline Of The Day”by Karl Denninger“I stared at this yesterday when it first hit my screen in disbelief. They actually ran this crap? "While the most sweeping provisions of the health care overhaul have not yet gone into effect, p

“Government Will Lose the War on Piracy”

Published on 2013-01-21 15:48:00

“Government Will Lose the War on Piracy”by Jeffrey Tucker“It began as a skirmish. Then it was a battle. It became a war. Now it is a bloody conflict that is global in scope. Both sides have passed the point of no return. There is no question wh

Free Download: "Star Maker"

Published on 2013-01-20 21:41:00

Free Download: "Star Maker"By Olaf Stapledon"Stapledon undertakes the immense task of describing the entire history of life in the universe. It dwarfs in scale even his 1930 book "Last and First Men," which is a history of the human species over two

Musical Interlude: Vangelis, "A Tour of the Universe"

Published on 2013-01-20 21:34:00

Vangelis, "A Tour of the Universe"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDXp1tpPD38

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-20 19:49:00

“Is this what our own Milky Way Galaxy looks like from far away? Similar in size and grand design to our home Galaxy (although without the central bar), spiral galaxy NGC 3370 lies about 100 million light-years away toward the constellation of the

Paulo Coelho, “The Cycle Of Nature”

Published on 2013-01-20 19:35:00

“The Cycle Of Nature”by Paulo Coelho "In the cycle of nature there is no such thing as victory or defeat: there is only movement. The winter struggles to reign supreme, but, in the end, is obliged to accept spring’s victory, which brings with i

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-20 19:25:00

North Port, Florida, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“The Parable of the Frogs: ‘Hell is Truth Seen Too Late’"

Published on 2013-01-20 18:53:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-20 15:37:00

"Today..."

Published on 2013-01-20 15:08:00

“Here's How You Are Being Profoundly Manipulated By Political Parlor Tricks And Media Sleight Of Hand”

Published on 2013-01-20 14:51:00

“Here's How You Are Being Profoundly Manipulated By

NASA: "Is a Planetary Cooling Spell Straight Ahead?"

Published on 2013-01-20 14:02:00

"It Seems To Me..."

Published on 2013-01-19 21:08:00

“It seems to me what is called for is an exquisite balance between two conflicting needs: the most skeptical scrutiny of all hypotheses that are served up to us and at the same time a great openness to new ideas… If you are only skeptical, then n

Musical Interlude: Vangelis, “Fields of Coral”

Published on 2013-01-19 21:03:00

Vangelis, “Fields of Coral”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad1wFWdmZUs

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-19 20:30:00

“A gaze across a cosmic skyscape, this telescopic mosaic reveals the continuous beauty of things that are. The evocative scene spans some 6 degrees or 12 Full Moons in planet Earth's sky. At the left, folds of red, glowing gas are a small part of a

Chet Raymo, “Backwards Or Forwards”

Published on 2013-01-19 20:26:00

“Backwards Or Forwards”by Chet Raymo“If you wanted to divide humankind into two categories, none might be more relevant to the present state of the world than 1) those who look to the authority of the past, and 2) those who put their hope in th

"Remember..."

Published on 2013-01-19 19:58:00

"Remember that sometimes not getting what

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-19 19:55:00

Bolton, United Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by.

The Poet: Samuel Taylor Coleridge, "What If?"

Published on 2013-01-19 19:52:00

"What If?""What if you slept?And what if,In your sleepYou dreamed?And what if,In your dream,You went to heavenAnd there pluckedA strange andBeautiful flower?And what if,When you awoke,You had the flowerIn your hand?... Ah, what then?"- Samuel Taylor

"Mars Covered In Oceans Of Water: How The Red Planet Might Have Looked Billions Of Years Ago"

Published on 2013-01-19 18:58:00

"Stress..."

Published on 2013-01-19 18:32:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-19 16:09:00

"We, However..."

Published on 2013-01-18 22:35:00

“Most people come to know only one corner of their room, one spot near the window, one narrow strip on which they keep walking back and forth. In this way they have a certain security... We, however, are not prisoners.”

Musical Interlude: 2002, “Falling Through Time”

Published on 2013-01-18 22:22:00

2002, “Falling Through Time”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn5SjXaxc74

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-18 21:40:00

"Some spiral galaxies are seen almost sideways. NGC 3190, one such galaxy, is the largest member of the Hickson 44 Group, one of the nearer groups of galaxies to our own Local Group of galaxies.

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-18 21:32:00

St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, “A Life Sentence”

Published on 2013-01-18 21:26:00

“A Life Sentence”by Chet Raymo“’We each only really speak one sentence in our lifetime. That sentence begins with your first words, toddling around the kitchen, and ends with your last words… in a nursing home, the night-duty attendant vagu

"Better Not To..."

Published on 2013-01-18 21:19:00

"Better not to search for who you are until

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-18 20:08:00

"Suppose..."

Published on 2013-01-18 14:15:00

Paul Krugman, “Fiscal Affinity Fraud”

Published on 2013-01-18 14:05:00

“Fiscal Affinity Fraud”by Paul Krugman“Innocent that I am, I never heard the term “affinity fraud” until the Bernie Madoff affair hit the news. But once you hear it, the concept is obvious: people are most easily conned when they’re getti

"The Coxeyites, the Bankers, and the Political Class"

Published on 2013-01-18 12:55:00

"The Coxeyites, the Bankers, and the Political Class"by Jeffrey Tucker"In 1894, a scraggly band of misfits made their way from Ohio to Washington, D.C. They had a plan to present to the political class, one that they said would bring an end to the ec

Musical Interlude: David Meirovich, “Sail to the Sun”

Published on 2013-01-17 20:59:00

David Meirovich, “Sail to the Sun” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhE1pDHCVhc

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-17 20:51:00

"A gorgeous spiral galaxy some 100 million light-years distant, NGC 1309 lies on the banks of the constellation of the River (Eridanus). NGC 1309 spans about 30,000 light-years, making it about one third the size of our larger Milky Way galaxy. Bluis

Paulo Coelho, “Obsession Arrives And Says...”

Published on 2013-01-17 20:44:00

“Obsession Arrives And Says...”by Paulo Coelho“Obsession arrives and says: ‘Your fate now belongs to me. I will make you look for things that do not exist. From now on, your heart will know no peace, because I will drive out enthusiasm and ta

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-17 20:07:00

Macclenny, Florida, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Good News and Bad News About Habits"

Published on 2013-01-17 19:55:00

"Good News and Bad News About Habits"by Gene Griessman, Ph.D.“Sometimes less is more, and that certainly is true of today’s great quote. It’s a short one, but it contains a giant truth. The good news is, if you habitually act with kindness, cou

The Poet: Walt Whitman, “Song of the Open Road”

Published on 2013-01-17 15:57:00

“Song of the Open Road”

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-17 15:29:00

“JPMorgan Told To Fix ‘Oversight’ Tied To $6B Loss”

Published on 2013-01-17 15:18:00

"What a bunch of morons... they actually believed that bullshit, lol."“JPMorgan Told To Fix ‘Oversight’ Tied To $6B Loss”by Marcy GordonWASHINGTON (AP) — “JPMorgan Chase has been ordered to take steps to correct poor risk management that

The Economy: "What the Labor Pool Collapse Means"

Published on 2013-01-17 14:59:00

"What the Labor Pool Collapse Means"

"Anyone Who Insists..."

Published on 2013-01-17 13:22:00

“People who shut their eyes to reality simply invite their own destruction,

Musical Interlude: 2002, “Where the Stars and Moon Play”

Published on 2013-01-16 20:31:00

2002, “Where the Stars and Moon Play”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWa26yCRIlI

"The First Principle..."

Published on 2013-01-16 20:20:00

"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself-

"A Look to the Heavens, With Chet Raymo"

Published on 2013-01-16 20:12:00

"Now is a good time to go looking for the constellation Fornax, the Furnace, especially if you are as far south as I am, here on the Tropic of Cancer. Except there's not much to go looking for. Two or three stars of the 4th or 5th magnitude, which me

Crazy Horse, "I See A Time..."

Published on 2013-01-16 20:07:00

"To Endure Oneself..."

Published on 2013-01-16 19:56:00

"To endure oneself may be the hardest task in the universe.

“’The Better Angels Of Our Nature’: How Charles Dickens Influenced Abraham Lincoln”

Published on 2013-01-16 19:50:00

“’The Better Angels Of Our Nature’:

Musical Interlude: Yanni et al, “Magical Concluding Performance”

Published on 2013-01-16 17:14:00

Yanni et al, “Magical Concluding Performance”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbBAlUnNKjM

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-16 17:11:00

Sheridan, Wyoming, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Seek First..."

Published on 2013-01-16 16:27:00

"Seek first to understand and then to be understood. Most people do not listen with

Psychology: “Happiness Lies In Wanting, Not Having”

Published on 2013-01-16 16:15:00

“Happiness Lies In Wanting, Not Having”by Jedidiah Becker“After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing,after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.”- Mr. Spock, “Star Trek”, "Amok Time""According to

The Poet: Wendell Berry, "A Warning To My Readers"

Published on 2013-01-16 00:33:00

"A Warning To My Readers"by Wendell Berry"Do not think me gentlebecause I speak in praiseof gentleness, or elegantbecause I honor the gracethat keeps this world. I ama man crude as any,gross of speech, intolerant,stubborn, angry, fullof fits and furi

Musical Interlude: Enya, “Only Time”

Published on 2013-01-15 21:40:00

Enya, “Only Time”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6g2BoHQGwk

Musical Interlude: Enya, Full Album: "The Best Of Enya"

Published on 2013-01-15 21:29:00

Enya, Full album: "The Best Of Enya"Orinoco Flow 0:00Caribbean Blue 4:32Book Of Days 8:30Anywhere Is 11:29Only If... 15:16The Celts 18:38China Roses 21:38Shepherd Moons 26:22Ebudae 30:03Storms In Africa 32:02Watermark 36:16Paint The Sky With Stars 38

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-15 18:36:00

“Big, beautiful spiral galaxy NGC 7331 is often touted as an analog to our own Milky Way. About 50 million light-years distant in the northern constellation Pegasus, NGC 7331 was recognized early on as a spiral nebula and is actually one of the bri

Chet Raymo, “One Last Reflection About ‘The Middle Ground’"

Published on 2013-01-15 17:01:00

“One Last Reflection About ‘The Middle Ground’"by Chet Raymo"I have been reading again Karl Iagnemma's collection of stories “On the Nature of Human Romantic Attraction.” At the time my paperback edition was published (2004), Iagnemma was a

Paulo Coelho, "Porcupines and Solidarity"

Published on 2013-01-15 16:48:00

Paulo Coelho, "Porcupines and Solidarity"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auwxu6Ym1uc

"We Think..."

Published on 2013-01-15 16:36:00

"We think we know...but tend to act...as if we know it...for a fact."- Robert Brault

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-15 16:31:00

Charlotte, Vermont, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"What Can You Do?"

Published on 2013-01-15 14:37:00

"What can you do against the lunatic who is more intelligent than yourself,

Satire: “Republicans Accuse Obama of Using Position as President to Lead Country”

Published on 2013-01-15 14:26:00

“Republicans Accuse Obama of Using

Musical Interlude: Loreena McKennitt, "Kecharitomene"

Published on 2013-01-14 20:42:00

Loreena McKennitt, "Kecharitomene" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dq9kI74kRk

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-14 20:32:00

"In silhouette against a crowded star field toward the constellation Scorpius, this dusty cosmic cloud evokes for some the image of an ominous dark tower. In fact, clumps of dust and molecular gas collapsing to form stars may well lurk within the dar

Chet Raymo, “On Offering It Up”

Published on 2013-01-14 20:24:00

“On Offering It Up”by Chet Raymo“I provided here previously a religious naturalist's reading of Pope Benedict XVI's recent encyclical Spe Salvi, "in hope we are saved." I have no delusions that my critique will satisfy or convince the majority

“The Brutal Truth About How Childhood Determines Your Economic Destiny”

Published on 2013-01-14 20:13:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-14 18:07:00

Fort White, Florida, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“Mind Games: Reading Classics Stimulates Brain Activity”

Published on 2013-01-14 17:25:00

“Mind Games:

“The Myth of Human Progress”

Published on 2013-01-14 16:25:00

“The Myth of Human Progress”by Chris Hedges“Clive Hamilton in his "Requiem for a Species: Why We Resist the Truth About Climate Change" describes a dark relief that comes from accepting that "catastrophic climate change is virtually certain." T

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-14 15:21:00

“Death By Debt: The US Options”

Published on 2013-01-14 15:14:00

“Death By Debt: The US Options”by Karl Denninger"I hope you're all ready... The showdown over the nation's debt ceiling could force the government to consider drastic steps to manage its limited cash, including delaying trillions of dollars of pa

Matt Taibbi, "Secrets and Lies of the Bailout: One Broker's Story"

Published on 2013-01-14 14:53:00

"Secrets and Lies of the Bailout: One Broker's Story"by Matt Taibbi"I have a feature in the new issue of Rolling Stone called "Secrets and Lies of the Bailout," which focuses in large part on the seemingly intentional policy of deception in the gover

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-13 22:36:00

“Near the outskirts of the Small Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy some 200 thousand light-years distant, lies 5 million year young star cluster NGC 602. Surrounded by natal gas and dust, NGC 602 is featured in this stunning Hubble image of the

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-13 19:57:00

Lalitpur, Nepal. Thanks for stopping by.

Satire: "Obama Furious He Wasted Week Posing for Coin"

Published on 2013-01-13 19:41:00

"Obama Furious He Wasted Week Posing for Coin"by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— "President Barack Obama was “totally furious” he spent a week of his time posing for a trillion-dollar platinum coin that would never be minted, a W

“Goldman Bankers Set For Bonus Windfall As Profits Rise”

Published on 2013-01-13 19:31:00

“Goldman Bankers Set For Bonus Windfall As Profits Rise”By Richard Blackden"Analysts expect the Wall Street bank to have amassed a total compensation pot, which includes bonuses and salaries, of between $13.3bn (8.2bn pounds) and $13.8bn for 2012

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-13 17:34:00

“Americans Feel Austerity's Bite As Payroll Taxes Rise”

Published on 2013-01-13 17:22:00

The Economy: “Qui Bono- To Whose Benefit?”

Published on 2013-01-13 15:14:00

“Qui Bono- To Whose Benefit?”by Paul Craig Roberts"In November the largest chunk of new jobs came from retail and wholesale trade. Businesses gearing up for Christmas sales added 65,700 jobs or 45% of November’s 146,000 jobs gain. With December

"ENOUGH! (Guns, Active Shooters And Pharma)"

Published on 2013-01-13 14:55:00

"ENOUGH! (Guns, Active Shooters And Pharma)"by Karl Denninger"I'm done being nice.And I'm doubly-done with the damned people in this country performing the moral equivalent of ritual human sacrifice of children to advance their gun-control agenda. Th

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-11 22:03:00

“How do clusters of galaxies form and evolve? To help find out, astronomers continue to study the second closest cluster of galaxies to Earth: the Fornax cluster, named for the southern constellation toward which most of its galaxies can be found.

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-11 15:29:00

“Mexican Drug Cartels Celebrate Gun Control”

Published on 2013-01-11 15:21:00

“Mexican Drug Cartels Celebrate Gun Control”By Jon Rappoport"The best way to depict what’s going on in America is through a letter from the head of the Sinaloa Drug Cartel, to President Obama. In case people are ready to assume this letter is r

"Well, At Least The SUBJECT Is Correct (Health Care)"

Published on 2013-01-11 14:24:00

"Well, At Least The SUBJECT Is Correct (Health Care)"by Karl Denninger"When a fellow says it ain't the money but the principle of the thing, it's the money."

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 1.11.13"

Published on 2013-01-11 13:01:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 1.11.13"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Looks like the gun control debate is taking precedence over the severe financial problems the country is facing. We have a debt ceiling issue that could call into question the “full f

The Universe

Published on 2013-01-11 07:28:00

“Life rewards effort exponentially. No matter how small the effort, nor how daunting the odds. Of course it also rewards thought exponentially. Especially those in motion.” “That's a lot,”

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-10 21:06:00

Mikado, Michigan, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, “A Wildly Seething Power”

Published on 2013-01-10 21:03:00

“A Wildly Seething Power”by Chet Raymo"I read Kierkegaard's “Fear and Trembling” at about the same age as Kierkegaard was when he wrote it- thirty. The young philosopher was wrestling with his demons, including the death of his father, a ster

"At A Time Like This..."

Published on 2013-01-10 16:35:00

“At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. O! had I the ability, and could reach the nation's ear, I would, today, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. F

Climate Change? "How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-10 15:58:00

"The Trouble Is..."

Published on 2013-01-10 15:53:00

“Every government is a parliament of whores. The trouble is, in a democracy, the whores are us.”- P. J. O'Rourke

"Outrageous HSBC Settlement Proves the Drug War is a Joke"

Published on 2013-01-10 15:43:00

"Outrageous HSBC Settlement Proves the Drug War is a Joke"by Matt TaibbiIf you've ever been arrested on a drug charge, if you've ever spent even a day in jail for having a stem of marijuana in your pocket or "drug paraphernalia" in your gym bag, Assi

"Is American Justice Dead?"

Published on 2013-01-10 14:58:00

"Is American Justice Dead?"By David Galland"Every nation-state has a body of laws woven into the fabric of society. As Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto has commented on extensively, the stronger the rule of law, the stronger the economy. And by "s

"Chris Hedges Explains How Entire Regions Within the US Are Treated Like Exploited Colonies"

Published on 2013-01-10 14:38:00

"Chris Hedges Explains How Entire Regions Within

"The Great Robbery of Wage-Earners"

Published on 2013-01-10 11:45:00

"Tending the Emotions: Having a Breakdown"

Published on 2013-01-10 00:38:00

"Tending the Emotions: Having a Breakdown"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"Having a breakdown is often the catharsis that is needed to keep our emotional life in balance. Most of us have had the experience of holding back our emotions for such a long p

“Did We Just Kill a Kid?”

Published on 2013-01-09 16:07:00

“Did We Just Kill a Kid?”The Sad Short Life of Mr. George Stinneyby Tom McNamara"In the spring of 1944, in the quiet little town of Alcolu, South Carolina, two young girls, Betty June Binnicker, age 11, and Mary Emma Thames, age 8, were brutally

"Borrowing From MasterCard to Pay For Visa"

Published on 2013-01-09 14:40:00

"Borrowing From MasterCard to Pay For Visa"by Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com “Financial analyst Gregory Mannarino says, “The Fed cannot and will not stop printing. If they do that, overnight the system would collapse. They are in desperation mod

"The Failure of Common Knowledge"

Published on 2013-01-09 14:33:00

"The Failure of Common Knowledge"by Jeffrey Tucker"It takes a shockingly long time for the masses of people to pick up on new realities. This is especially true if the new realities reverse very old trends that have burrowed certain false assumptions

Musical Interlude: 2002, "Remember Now"

Published on 2013-01-09 00:26:00

2002, "Remember Now"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq4qjI8VVzg

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-09 00:21:00

“Normally faint and elusive, the Jellyfish Nebula is caught in this alluring telescopic view. Drifting near bright star Eta Geminorum, at the foot of a celestial twin, the Jellyfish Nebula is seen dangling tentacles from the bright arcing ridge of

Paulo Coelho, “What Is A Miracle?”

Published on 2013-01-09 00:17:00

“What Is A Miracle?”by Paulo Coelho"We can define it in various ways: something that goes against the laws of nature; an intercession in moments of deep crisis; healings and visions; impossible encounters; a last-minute intervention when the Unwa

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-08 18:21:00

Issaquah, Washington, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"The Miracle of Change: Boredom"

Published on 2013-01-08 18:18:00

"The Miracle of Change: Boredom"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"The sense of feeling bored in life can be an indicator that we need to be proactive in creating change. Sometimes we feel that things aren’t moving along fast enough for us and that the

Satire: “A Letter From A.I.G.”

Published on 2013-01-08 16:59:00

“A Letter From A.I.G.”by Andy BorowitzNEW YORK (The Borowitz Report) – "Today, American International Group (A.I.G.) issued the following letter to American taxpayers.Dear American Taxpayers:In 2008, you paid for a bailout of A.I.G. totalling $

"Have You Ever Wondered What Compels Your Conservative Relatives to Vote the Way They Do?"

Published on 2013-01-08 13:47:00

"Have You Ever Wondered What Compels Your

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-08 13:31:00

“Life Among the Plutocrats: What Unimaginable Wealth Does to a Person”

Published on 2013-01-08 13:30:00

“Life Among the Plutocrats:

"The Crisis of the American Middle Class"

Published on 2013-01-08 12:53:00

"The Crisis of the American Middle Class,

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-07 23:17:00

“The grand, winding arms are almost mesmerizing in this face-on view of NGC 7424, a spiral galaxy with a prominent central bar. About 40 million light-years distant in the headlong constellation Grus, this island universe is also about 100,000 ligh

Chet Raymo, “Letting Go”

Published on 2013-01-07 23:13:00

“Letting Go”by Chet Raymo“We all know that Charles Darwin's five-year voyage aboard HMS Beagle in 1831-1836 planted the seeds that eventually led to his theory of evolution by natural selection. Less well know is his explanation of the atoll is

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-07 16:44:00

Istanbul, Turkey. Thanks for stopping by.

"We're Not Ready for an Era Where People Prefer Virtual Experiences to Real Ones- But That Era Seems to Be Here"

Published on 2013-01-07 16:33:00

Life Skills: "Releasing the Reigns: Changing Others"

Published on 2013-01-07 16:18:00

"Releasing the Reigns: Changing Others"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"If your tendency is to try and change other people, take some time to explore why you feel the need to do so. Our perception of humanity as a whole is, to a large extent, dualistic

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-07 13:18:00

Satire: "G.O.P. Freshmen Saddened by Failure to Shut Down Government on First Day”

Published on 2013-01-07 13:09:00

"G.O.P. Freshmen Saddened by Failure to

“Zombie Nation”

Published on 2013-01-07 12:13:00

“Zombie Nation”by Bill Bonner"Creating and sustaining a nation of zombies is expensive. Large sections of the US population have been turned into zombies. Retirees. Medicare dependents. Food stamp recipients. Disabled people. They are not necessa

“The Magician’s Con: Renewing FISA and the NDAA Under Cover of the Fiscal Cliff Debates”

Published on 2013-01-07 11:53:00

“The Magician’s Con:

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-06 14:28:00

"What We Know..."

Published on 2013-01-06 14:24:00

"It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble,

“‘Hidden’ Groups To Save Humanity, Or Just PSYOP Disinformation?”

Published on 2013-01-06 14:13:00

“‘Hidden’ Groups To Save Humanity,

"Limits to Economic Growth: Humanity Is Still on the Way to Destroying Itself"

Published on 2013-01-06 11:52:00

Banksters: "Are You Really That Dumb?"

Published on 2013-01-06 11:21:00

"Are You Really That Dumb?"by Karl Denninger“The Atlantic asks:* “When we asked Dane Holmes, the head of investor relations at Goldman Sachs, why so few people trust big banks, he told us, “People don’t understand the banks,” because “the

"2013: The Year Of The Zombie Dollar"

Published on 2013-01-06 10:45:00

"2013: The Year Of The Zombie Dollar"by Byron King"OK, I admit it. I watch the television series "The Walking Dead." If you’re not familiar with this triumph of modern Kultur, it’s a cable TV show about people battling zombies in a post-apocalypt

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-04 14:43:00

"Belief vs. Fantasy"

Published on 2013-01-04 14:37:00

"Belief vs. Fantasy"Which one is real and why?by MYei5"When we are looking at the way we view the world, it is important to know if that view is from belief or from fantasy. As we have previously spoken about the topic of beliefs, how many of you are

"Everything We Tell Ourselves About America and the World Is Wrong"

Published on 2013-01-04 14:25:00

"Everything We Tell Ourselves About

"Non Nobis Solum..."

Published on 2013-01-04 12:55:00

“Non nobis solum nati sumus." (Not for ourselves alone are we born.)

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-04 12:45:00

"Obedience To Authority: Should We Trust The Government?"

Published on 2013-01-04 12:22:00

"Obedience To Authority: Should We Trust The Government?" By James Quinn"Mother, do you think they'll drop the bomb?Mother, do you think they'll like this song?Mother, do you think they'll try to break my balls?Ooh ah,Mother, should I build the wall?

"Congress Sells America Down the River to Avoid the Fiscal Cliff"

Published on 2013-01-04 11:59:00

"Congress Sells America Down the River to Avoid the Fiscal Cliff"by Peter Schiff“In a disgraceful show of political expediency, Congress put its own political self-interest ahead of the national interest. They “saved” us from a contrived crisis

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 1.4.13"

Published on 2013-01-04 10:39:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 1.4.13"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "The Fiscal Cliff turned into a can kick on tax policy. Yes, they averted some nasty tax increases for many Americans, but there were zero spending cuts. In fact, the legislation added $4

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-03 23:02:00

“Open clusters of stars can be near or far, young or old, and diffuse or compact. Found near the plane of our Milky Way galaxy, they contain from 100 to 10,000 stars, all of which formed at nearly the same time. Bright blue stars frequently disting

Chet Raymo, "The Sword And The Scimitar"

Published on 2013-01-03 22:52:00

"The Sword And The Scimitar"by Chet Raymo"Just before daybreak on June 20, 1631, two ships manned by Barbary pirates and a force of Janissaries - elite troops of the Turkish Ottoman empire - slipped into the harbor of the fishing village of Baltimore

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2013-01-03 21:59:00

Catania, Sicilia, Italy. Thanks for stopping by.

"Those Who Say 'I Support the Troops' Really Don't"

Published on 2013-01-03 20:34:00

"Those Who Say 'I Support the Troops' Really Don't" by Michael Moore“I don't support the troops, America, and neither do you. I am tired of the ruse we are playing on these brave citizens in our armed forces. And guess what -- a lot of these soldie

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-03 17:33:00

"An Open Letter To Our Youth"

Published on 2013-01-03 17:23:00

"An Open Letter To Our Youth"by Karl Denninger"This week you are no doubt off school and enjoying your friends and freedom from studies. In a few short days, however, you will return to your classrooms and once again engage in what is your job - lear

"The New Year’s First Heist"

Published on 2013-01-03 12:28:00

"The New Year’s First Heist"by Douglas French"The high priests of the civic religion are very worried that people no longer seem to trust government. The law stands discredited. Once-hallowed institutions are under fire and losing status. People ar

The Economy: "Too Much of a Good Thing"

Published on 2013-01-03 12:21:00

"Too Much of a Good Thing"By Bill Bonner"In the years 2007-2012, Nobel Prize winning economists Paul Krugman and Joseph Stiglitz — along with celebrity economist Jeffrey Sachs and practically all their colleagues — failed to notice the most-impor

Paulo Coelho, “On Immortality”

Published on 2013-01-02 23:51:00

“On Immortality”by Paulo Coelho- http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2012/01/30/coelhooffice-05-on-immortality/- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KWAPjRIIvaQ#!

Chet Raymo, “Machines?”

Published on 2013-01-02 23:21:00

“Machines?”by Chet Raymo“When his friend James Madison's betrothed broke off their engagement, Thomas Jefferson wrote in sympathy. "Of all machines," he said, "ours is the most complex and inexplicable." Would beautiful Kitty Floyd, Madison's i

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-02 19:22:00

"Maybe just one little nip... steady my nerves. What could go wrong?"

"Multiple Justice Disorder"

Published on 2013-01-02 19:12:00

"25 Facts That The Mainstream Media Doesn’t Really Want To Talk About Right Now"

Published on 2013-01-02 19:00:00

"25 Facts That The Mainstream Media Doesn’t

Satire: "Republicans Apologize to Top 1.5 Per Cent"

Published on 2013-01-02 18:44:00

"Republicans Apologize to Top 1.5 Per Cent"by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— "In the aftermath of the fiscal-cliff deal, Republicans in Congress issued a heartfelt apology to the top 1.5 per cent richest people in America, offering

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2013-01-01 22:22:00

“Few star clusters are seen to be so close to each other. Some 7,000 light-years away, though, this pair of open or galactic star clusters is an easy binocular target, a lovely starfield in the northern constellation Perseus. Also visible to the un

Chet Raymo, “When No One Is Looking?”

Published on 2013-01-01 22:10:00

“When No One Is Looking?” by Chet Raymo“Here is a short passage from Rachel Joyce's sweet little novel “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry”. Harold, a retired, henpecked, sixty-something couch-potato, for a reason we need not describe, i

Paulo Coelho, “The Imperfect Attracts Us”

Published on 2013-01-01 20:53:00

“The Imperfect Attracts Us”by Paulo Coelho"Beauty exists not in sameness but in difference. Who could imagine a giraffe without its long neck or a cactus without its spines? The irregularity of the mountain peaks that surround us is what makes th

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2013-01-01 14:38:00

"Empires of Illusion and the Credibility Trap"

Published on 2013-01-01 14:08:00

"Empires of Illusion and the Credibility Trap"by Jesse"I came across a nice, compact interview with Chris Hedges which illuminates his thesis of the decline of the American Empire and the illusory thinking that accompanies it. Can the shock and meltd

Karl Denninger, "Only One Thing To Say To This"

Published on 2013-01-01 13:47:00

"Only One Thing To Say To This"*by Karl Denninger"Yeah, it's pretty clear, eh? "The Senate early on New Year's Day voted overwhelmingly in favor of a fiscal cliff deal that would extend tax rates on annual household income under $450,000 and postpone

"To the Class, and People, of 2012"

Published on 2013-01-01 13:03:00

"To the Class of 2012"By Bill Bonner"We spent the weekend in Charlottesville, VA…at the UVA graduation for our son, Henry. The University of Virginia is probably the most handsome campus in America. Especially in May. It has a green central esplana

“Javert’s Religion of Statism”

Published on 2013-01-01 12:20:00

“Javert’s Religion of Statism”by Jeffrey Tucker"Those who take prosperity for granted- and all of us do whether we admit it or not- would do well to make their way to the film "Les Misérables", which features Russell Crowe playing the role of

Satire: "Washington Celebrates Solving Totally Unnecessary Crisis They Created"

Published on 2013-01-01 11:40:00

"Washington Celebrates Solving Totally

Musical Interlude: 2002, "Starwalkers"

Published on 2012-12-31 16:16:00

2002, "Starwalkers" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SovcBYRFIxw•"Let others lead small lives, but not you.Let others argue over small things, but not you.Let others cry over small hurts, but not you.Let others leave their future in someone else's

Musical Interlude: Ottmar Liebert, "Heart Still Beating"

Published on 2012-12-31 15:23:00

Ottmar Liebert, "Heart Still Beating" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNJXflfneQo

Happy New Year!

Published on 2012-12-31 14:20:00

Happy New Year, folks!

"Thoughts For The New Year"

Published on 2012-12-31 13:49:00

“What can be said in New Year rhymes,That's not been said a thousand times?The new years come, the old years go,We know we dream, we dream we know.We rise up laughing with the light,We lie down weeping with the night.We hug the world until it sting

"Why We're Addicted to New Year's Hope...and How to Make the Most of It"

Published on 2012-12-31 13:25:00

Musical Interlude: Yanni, "The Storm"

Published on 2012-12-30 21:09:00

Yanni, “The Storm”, with Samvel Yervinyan, Victor Espinola, and Sayaka Katsui- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKA-3Qh6iFw

Musical Interlude: Yanni, “Nostalgia”

Published on 2012-12-30 20:56:00

Yanni, “Nostalgia” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWUe-iwyB2M

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-30 20:49:00

“It's the bubble versus the cloud. NGC 7635, the Bubble Nebula, is being pushed out by the stellar wind of massive central star BD+602522. Next door, though, lives a giant molecular cloud, visible to the right. At this place in space, an irresistib

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-30 20:42:00

Fairfax, Iowa, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Only One Rule..."

Published on 2012-12-30 20:39:00

“There’s only one rule that I know of, babies-

Life Skills: "How to Protect Your Energy"

Published on 2012-12-30 20:04:00

"How to Protect Your Energy"By Judith Orloff MD“As you go through the intuitive healing process you need to know: each of us has our own special power. We carry it within; it waits to be awakened. Call it your inner self, your spirit, or light–ho

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-30 19:47:00

"Ode 2 2012"

Published on 2012-12-30 19:32:00

"Ode 2 2012"by Will Durst"And so we bid a not-so-fond farewell to the bow of another large unwieldy year as it sinks slowly over the horizon wobbling unsteadily towards the graveyard of memory. And cheers erupt from we folks on shore waving the doubl

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 12.28.12"

Published on 2012-12-30 14:28:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 12.28.12"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "There are just two stories that should be on everybody’s radar this week. The first is the “Fiscal Cliff” or, as I like to call, it the “Blame Game Theater. The other big story

Satire: "Senate Outraged at Having to Work Weekend to Save Nation"

Published on 2012-12-30 14:21:00

"Senate Outraged at Having to Work Weekend to Save Nation"by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— "Howls of protest filled the halls of the U.S. Senate today as dozens of Senators expressed their outrage at having to work through the week

"Melting..."

Published on 2012-12-29 22:46:00

Musical Interlude: Loreena McKennitt, “Dante's Prayer”

Published on 2012-12-29 21:30:00

Loreena McKennitt, “Dante's Prayer”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eKUdsUH3Gc

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-29 21:09:00

“Recognized since antiquity and depicted on the shield of Achilles according to Homer, stars of the Hyades cluster form the head of the constellation Taurus the Bull. Their general V-shape is anchored by Aldebaran, the eye of the Bull and by far th

The Poet: John O’Donohue, "For The Time Of Necessary Decision"

Published on 2012-12-29 21:03:00

"For The Time Of Necessary Decision""The mind of time is hard to read.We can never predict what it will bring,Nor even from all that is already goneCan we say what form it finally takes;For time gathers its moments secretly.Often we only know it’s

Chet Raymo, "Humility In The Face of Complexity"

Published on 2012-12-29 20:51:00

"Humility In The Face of Complexity"by Chet Raymo"In the September, 2009 issue of "Harper's Magazine," contributing editor Mark Slouka has an essay titled "Dehumanized: When Math and Science Rule the School." The title and subtitle say it all. Educat

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-29 16:15:00

"The Object Of Life..."

Published on 2012-12-29 15:52:00

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority,

"16 Things About 2013 That Are Really Going To Stink"

Published on 2012-12-29 15:47:00

"16 Things About 2013 That Are Really Going To Stink"By Michael Snyder"The beginning of the year has traditionally been a time of optimism when we all look forward to the exciting things that are going to happen over the next 12 months.

"A Longer Shelf Life..."

Published on 2012-12-29 15:17:00

"There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe,

"75 Economic Numbers From 2012 That Are Almost Too Crazy To Believe"

Published on 2012-12-29 15:09:00

"75 Economic Numbers From 2012 That

Musical Interlude: 2002, “Spirit Moves”

Published on 2012-12-28 20:24:00

2002, “Spirit Moves”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmwGjLx5bOo

Musical Interlude: Moody Blues, “Question”

Published on 2012-12-28 20:07:00

Moody Blues, “Question”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jp3b-GMHxI

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-28 19:58:00

“In this evocative night skyscape a starry band of the Milky Way climbs over Yosemite Valley, Sierra Nevada Range, planet Earth.Click image for larger size.

Chet Raymo, “Thinking Fast And Thinking Slow”

Published on 2012-12-28 19:54:00

“Thinking Fast And Thinking Slow”by Chet Raymo“Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writing in the New York Times on the evolutionary origins of religion: "To put it at its simplest, we hand on our genes as individuals but we survive as members of groups, and

"Useful Transformation: Make Change Work for You"

Published on 2012-12-28 19:06:00

"Useful Transformation: Make Change Work for You"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"When we experience change in our life we can control our response and reaction to the changes that are happening. Transformation is a universal constant that affects our

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-28 18:59:00

Glennallen, Alaska, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Economic Transition And The Supercycle"

Published on 2012-12-28 18:56:00

"Economic Transition And The Supercycle"By Andrew McKillop"WHEN IS A CYCLE A SUPERCYCLE? The very first modern stockmarket crash of 1719-1721, of the French bourse was entirely driven by the Apple and Facebook-of-the-day. These were shares in the Mis

Karl Denninger, "Both Democrats And Republicans Need To Be Imprisoned"

Published on 2012-12-28 16:20:00

"Both Democrats And Republicans Need To Be Imprisoned"by Karl Denninger"The only difference between the Republican and Democratic parties is the velocities with which their knees hit the floor when corporations knock on their door." - Ralph Nader"Fra

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-28 16:09:00

The Economy: "Anarchy in the Holidays"

Published on 2012-12-28 16:08:00

"Anarchy in the Holidays"by Jeffrey Tucker"One of the best features of the holidays is that many government offices are shut down. Peace on Earth, indeed. I’m travelling for the next few days. On the roads, the police presence is minimal to none. S

"Cognitive Dissonance: Avoidance, Denial, And Rationalization"

Published on 2012-12-26 15:00:00

The Economy: “Say Goodbye To The Good Life”

Published on 2012-12-26 14:47:00

“Say Goodbye To The Good Life”by Michael Synder"Will this be the last normal holiday season that Americans ever experience? To many Americans, such a notion would be absolutely inconceivable. After all, in the affluent areas of the country restau

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-26 13:57:00

North Port, Florida, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“The Three Truths”

Published on 2012-12-26 13:52:00

“The Three Truths”

"Centering Ourselves: Gathering Our Straying Thoughts"

Published on 2012-12-26 13:30:00

"How to Deal With A Victim Mentality"

Published on 2012-12-26 13:21:00

"How to Deal With A Victim Mentality"by Dr. Judith Orloff"As a psychiatrist I teach my patients the importance of learning how to deal effectively with draining people. In “Emotional Freedom”, I discuss one of these types which I call “The Vict

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-26 13:10:00

"There Will Be No Deal On The Fiscal Cliff"

Published on 2012-12-26 12:23:00

"There Will Be No Deal On The Fiscal Cliff"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Analyst Karl Denninger says, “The best thing we could do as an economy is go straight off the fiscal cliff and not come back because that would take about half of the de

"Obamacare Architect: Expect Steep Increase In Health Care Premiums"

Published on 2012-12-26 12:09:00

"Obamacare Architect:

"In 2013, Millions Of Americans Face Obamacare Tax Hikes"

Published on 2012-12-26 11:43:00

"In 2013, Millions Of Americans Face Obamacare Tax Hikes"by Sally Pipes"As part of the negotiations over the fiscal cliff, Congress and President Obama are battling over whether to raise marginal tax rates at the very top of the income ladder. Regard

"The Amazing Grace Christmas House"

Published on 2012-12-24 16:24:00

The Amazing Grace Christmas House - Holdman Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Published on 2012-12-24 13:43:00

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!- CP

Fra Giovanni, "Written on Christmas Eve, 1513"

Published on 2012-12-23 15:00:00

"Written on Christmas Eve, 1513""I salute you. I am your friend, and my love for you goes deep. There is nothing I can give you which you have not. But there is much, very much, that, while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can come to us

"Can You Keep Christmas?"

Published on 2012-12-23 14:50:00

"Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you? To remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old? Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest

"Many Thanks- An Internet Merry Christmas!"

Published on 2012-12-23 14:48:00

"Many Thanks- An Internet Merry Christmas!"Author Unknown"As we

"My Grown-Up Christmas Wish"

Published on 2012-12-23 14:44:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-23 12:08:00

"What Going Over The 'Fiscal Cliff' Would Mean..."

Published on 2012-12-23 11:59:00

"What Going Over The 'Fiscal Cliff' Would Mean..."By Lori Montgomery, The Washington Post"Two years the leaders of a presidential commission rolled out a startling plan to dig the nation out of debt. After decades of profligacy, they said, Washington

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 12.21.12"

Published on 2012-12-23 11:40:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 12.21.12"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Don’t expect a debt deal Christmas present. It ain’t going to happen. This is a political football. It is also about putting blame on the other party and getting a deal that hurts

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-21 18:28:00

"Welcome to the December solstice, a day the world does not end... even according to the Mayan Calendar. To celebrate, consider this dramatic picture of Orion rising over El Castillo, the central pyramid at Chichén Itzá, one of the great Mayan cent

Chet Raymo, “Surrender To Facts”

Published on 2012-12-21 18:23:00

“Surrender To Facts”by Chet Raymo“I'm currently reading two books. One I found in the house when I arrived, presumably left by a previous visitor: Cheryl Strayed's "Wild", a young woman's attempt to sort out her messed-up life and grief for her

“Is The Universe Alive?”

Published on 2012-12-21 18:16:00

DocumentaryPlus, “Is The Universe Alive?”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LKtiR3Y3SE

Paulo Coelho, "Hagakure (Hidden by the Leaves)"

Published on 2012-12-21 17:59:00

"Hagakure (Hidden by the Leaves)"by Paulo Coelho"After serving as a samurai for many years, Yamamoto Tsunetomo (1659- 1719) decided to share everything he had learned with one of his disciples, Tsuramoto Tashiro. The outcome of these conversations be

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-21 17:48:00

Bishops Stortford, Hertford, United Kingdom.Thanks for stopping by.

"Paying It Forward at Christmas and Always, One Act of Kindness at a Time"

Published on 2012-12-21 15:45:00

"Paying It Forward at Christmas and Always,

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-21 15:35:00

December 21, 2012: "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" OOPS!

Published on 2012-12-21 15:11:00

"Aftermath of Newtown, Connecticut: Overwhelming Sadness"

Published on 2012-12-21 12:51:00

"Aftermath of Newtown, Connecticut: Overwhelming Sadness"By Frosty Wooldridge"You may be as sick of what happened in Newtown, Connecticut as I am sick to my stomach.

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-20 20:41:00

“Why is this nebula so complex? When a star like our Sun is dying, it will cast off its outer layers, usually into a simple overall shape. Sometimes this shape is a sphere, sometimes a double lobe, and sometimes a ring or a helix. In the case of pl

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-20 20:31:00

Turtle Lake, Wisconsin, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, "It"

Published on 2012-12-20 20:27:00

"It"by Chet Raymo"A Howard Nemerov poem might be twelve pages long or twelve words long. He was equally adept at the epic and the aphorism. He could be serious or fun. Sometimes both at the same time. Consider the following poem, called "A Life," whi

The Poet: Arlene Gay Levine, "The Road"

Published on 2012-12-20 20:11:00

"The Road""Here is the road: the lightcomes and goes then returns again.Be gentle with your fellow travelersas they move through the world of stone and starswhirling with you yet every one alone.The road waits.Do not ask questions but when it invites

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-20 16:49:00

“Going After Guns: 'You Can't Have Police State And Armed Population'”

Published on 2012-12-20 15:40:00

“Going After Guns:

"The One Percent's Titanic Self-Delusion"

Published on 2012-12-20 15:25:00

"The One Percent's Titanic Self-Delusion"By Terrance Heath"Last summer I compared the GOP to a mutinous first-mate on the Titanic, steering the economy into an iceberg in hopes of taking over when the captain goes with the ship, while forgetting that

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-19 20:35:00

San Juan Capistrano, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Friendly Discourse..."

Published on 2012-12-19 20:30:00

"It is still possible to have friendly discourse in America,

"Empathy in Action: An Experiment in Gratitude"

Published on 2012-12-19 17:06:00

"Empathy in Action: An Experiment in Gratitude"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"If you find it hard to be grateful for what you have, it is time to dig deeper and be brave when looking for the gratitude. Sometimes we forget to take the time to recogniz

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-19 15:56:00

"U.S.S. Titanic To Face More Icebergs Than The Fiscal Cliff"

Published on 2012-12-19 15:20:00

"U.S.S. Titanic To Face More Icebergs Than The Fiscal Cliff"by Danny Schechter"2012 has been the l00th anniversary of the famous Titanic disaster. The Captain of that “unsinkable” ship was warned that there were icebergs ahead but he was too busy

The Economy: "Back To Fiscal Cliffs"

Published on 2012-12-19 14:48:00

"Back To Fiscal Cliffs"by Karl Denninger"The latest is that Obama has issued a "veto threat" over Boehner's "Plan B." A laughable response, of course, since The Senate was never going to pass it in the first place. Indeed, I doubt you could manage to

"When They Come For Your Guns, You Will Turn Them Over"

Published on 2012-12-19 14:14:00

"When They Come For Your Guns,

"The Real Truth About the Fiscal Cliff"

Published on 2012-12-19 14:06:00

"The Real Truth About the Fiscal Cliff"By The Daily Reckoning"What exactly is going to happen when the fiscal cliff hits on January 1, 2013? The “fiscal cliff” is a package of expiring tax cuts and federal spending cuts passed by congress during

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-18 17:27:00

“Have you ever seen a sun pillar? When the air is cold and the Sun is rising or setting, falling ice crystals can reflect sunlight and create an unusual column of light. Ice sometimes forms flat, six-sided shaped crystals as it falls from high-leve

Chet Raymo, “LEGO”

Published on 2012-12-18 17:23:00

“LEGO”by Chet Raymo“OK, I'm a sucker for this sort of thing. Here is the cover for the November 30 issue of Science . Eighty curious, colorful shapes that look more or less like units of type from an old-style printing press where the text was

"If You Caught A Glimpse..."

Published on 2012-12-18 17:13:00

"If you caught a glimpse of your own death,would that knowledge change the way you live the rest of your life?"- Paco Ahlgren, "Discipline"

“The Tree and The Man”

Published on 2012-12-18 17:10:00

“The Tree and The Man”by EarthRenewal“Many years ago there was a tree and a man. They met in a forest one day. They gazed at each other. The man fell in love with the tree and the tree fell in love with the man. The man so admired the beautif

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-18 17:03:00

Jarrell, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Stronger for It: Mending a Broken Heart"

Published on 2012-12-18 17:00:00

"Stronger for It: Mending a Broken Heart"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"A heart that has been broken and seen pain, reveals within it, a crack that allows more light in. Heartbreak happens to all of us and can wash over us like a heavy rain. When exp

Joseph W. Martin, Jr., “Kabuki Theater On The Potomac”

Published on 2012-12-18 13:42:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-18 13:21:00

"Huxley Was Right"

Published on 2012-12-18 13:17:00

"Contrary to common belief even among the educated, Huxley and Orwell did not prophesy the same thing. Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley's vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people

"America's Conditioning, Children Randomly Slaughtered in Schoolrooms and by Predator Drones"

Published on 2012-12-18 13:02:00

"America's Conditioning, Children Randomly Slaughtered

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-17 21:42:00

“Stars are sometimes born in the midst of chaos. About 3 million years ago in the nearby galaxy M33, a large cloud of gas spawned dense internal knots which gravitationally collapsed to form stars. NGC 604 was so large, however, it could form enoug

"Letting Go With Forgiveness"

Published on 2012-12-17 21:38:00

"Letting Go With Forgiveness"by The DailyOM"Forgiveness is a very tender subject.

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-17 21:31:00

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Thanks for stopping by.

"Freedom..."

Published on 2012-12-17 21:27:00

"We have to call it 'freedom': who'd want to die for 'a lesser tyranny?'"

Chet Raymo, “Civilization”

Published on 2012-12-17 21:15:00

“Civilization”by Chet Raymo"I must have some rare genetic mutation. Why am I the only person in America who doesn't want a gun? OK, maybe not the only one. But sometimes it seems like it. Last week's New York Time Magazine had a one-page display

"How It Really HAS To Be"

Published on 2012-12-17 18:12:00

Sandy Hook Massacre: "Honest Voices Begin To Appear (CT)"; A Comment

Published on 2012-12-17 18:04:00

"Honest Voices Begin To Appear (CT)"by Karl Denninger“Day #3 dawns and the fear-mongers are still out demanding gun bans.

The Economy: "Promises Will be Broken"

Published on 2012-12-17 17:32:00

"Promises Will be Broken"by Bill Bonner"When wealth was easy to identify and easy to control — that is, when it was mostly land — a few insiders could do a fairly good job of keeping it for themselves. The feudal hierarchy gave everybody a place

"EyeSee You and the Internet of Things: Watching You While You Shop"

Published on 2012-12-17 12:10:00

"EyeSee You and the Internet of Things:

"Government, the New Debtors’ Prison"

Published on 2012-12-17 11:53:00

“The Christmas Truce of 1914”

Published on 2012-12-16 17:23:00

“The Christmas Truce of 1914”by Simon Rees“You are standing up to your knees in the slime of a waterlogged trench.

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-16 17:22:00

"Thoughts On Evil And Human Nature"

Published on 2012-12-16 17:18:00

"Thoughts On Evil And Human Nature" by W. Christopher Epler

Karl Denninger, “CT School Shootings; Facts Before Hype”; A Comment

Published on 2012-12-16 16:55:00

“CT School Shootings; Facts Before Hype”by Karl Denninger“You have to live in a hole not to know that a deranged young man shot up a school Friday morning. In the aftermath there are the predictable calls for bans on all guns, bans on most guns

"15 Signs That Show The Economy Is In Serious Trouble"

Published on 2012-12-16 12:15:00

"15 Signs That Show The Economy Is In Serious Trouble"by Michael Snyder“How can the mainstream media claim that the U.S. economy is “improving” when it is painfully obvious to anyone with a brain that the middle class is being absolutely evisce

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 12.14.12"

Published on 2012-12-16 11:52:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 12.14.12"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "The Fed made it official, this week, with continuation of money printing to infinity.

"The State is Doomed…and Other Reasons to be Optimistic"

Published on 2012-12-15 18:57:00

"The State is Doomed…and Other Reasons to be Optimistic"by Joel Bowman"The last few times I was invited here to speak, I talked about anarchy…the trend toward mass, geo-political decentralization, currency collapse, sovereign defaults…and the e

"What Can We Know? What Are We All?"

Published on 2012-12-14 21:41:00

"What can we know? What are we all? Poor silly half-brained things peering out at the infinite, with the aspirations of angels and the instincts of beasts."- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Musical Interlude: Pet Shop Boys, “Numb”

Published on 2012-12-14 20:55:00

Pet Shop Boys, “Numb”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adPRQyx7aU4

Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting...

Published on 2012-12-14 20:41:00

King's College Choir,

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-13 22:45:00

"The Cheeseburger Nebula (NGC 7026) is a very bright bipolar planetary nebula of a little over one light-year across at its longest dimension, located about 6,000 light-years away in the constellation of Cygnus (The Swan). It is approaching us at app

Chet Raymo, “Knowledge And Power”

Published on 2012-12-13 22:41:00

“Knowledge And Power” by Chet Raymo“Two paintings by the French neo-classicist Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825). The first is of Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, the chemist, sometimes called "the Father of Modern Chemistry", who I blogged about on Fr

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-13 22:30:00

Paulo Coelho, “Discovering The Real Fear”

Published on 2012-12-13 22:23:00

“Discovering The Real Fear”by Paulo Coelho“A Sultan decided to make a voyage with some of his best courtiers. They embarked at the port of Dubai and set out across the open seas. As the ship sailed away from the land, one of his subjects, who h

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-13 19:41:00

"5 Unbelievably Creepy Surveillance Tactics"

Published on 2012-12-13 19:11:00

"5 Unbelievably Creepy Surveillance Tactics"by Tana Ganeva"Since the erosion of Americans' civil liberties depends on high levels of public apathy, some of the most dangerous privacy breaches take place incrementally and under the radar; if it invite

"You Can Go to Prison for Pot, While Big Banks Get Away With Laundering Drug Cartel Cash"

Published on 2012-12-13 18:55:00

"You Can Go to Prison for Pot,

Musical Interlude: Brule, “A Concert for Reconciliation of the Cultures”

Published on 2012-12-13 02:51:00

Brule, “A Concert for Reconciliation of the Cultures” (Live at Mt. Rushmore) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtwFkV-C6_A

Musical Interlude: Brulé, “Awakening”

Published on 2012-12-13 01:24:00

Brulé, “Awakening” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mihsYu-F9Sw

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-12 21:09:00

“In front of a famous background of stars and galaxies lies some of Earth's more unusual trees. Known as quiver trees, they are actually succulent aloe plants that can grow to tree-like proportions. The quiver tree name is derived from the historic

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-12 19:59:00

"The Answer..."

Published on 2012-12-12 19:48:00

"Very few beings really seek knowledge in this world - few really ask. On the contrary, they try to wring from the unknown the answers they have already shaped in their own minds - justifications, confirmations, forms of consolation without which the

"The Cause Of Extreme Weather Events"

Published on 2012-12-12 15:24:00

"The Cause Of Extreme Weather Events"By Richard Mills"Over the last few months we have been witness to many extreme weather events - heat waves, Europe suffering from a severe cold snap, the worst in twenty five years, extreme flooding in Australia,

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-12 15:08:00

Remember your basic math? Any number multiplied by zero is still zero.In this case, 535 zeros remains zero. What a collection of idiots...- CP

“Bank Takes Drug Money, Gets Handslap”

Published on 2012-12-12 13:29:00

“Bank Takes Drug Money, Gets Handslap”by Karl Denninger"The "surprises "just keep coming, don't they? "HSBC Holdings Plc (HSBA)’s Mexican branches had become so well-known to drug traffickers as the place to launder proceeds from illicit sales

"More Too Much of a Good Thing"

Published on 2012-12-12 13:19:00

"More Too Much of a Good Thing"by Bill Bonner"Parley-vous francais? You can learn that much French in about 5 minutes. If you knew no French before, this represents an infinite increase. In about 5 more minutes you can learn “Je m’appelle Todd,

"The Oil Production Plateau: How The Global Oil Grab Affects You"

Published on 2012-12-12 13:04:00

"The Oil Production Plateau:

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-11 22:37:00

“Stars are sometimes born in the midst of chaos. About 3 million years ago in the nearby galaxy M33, a large cloud of gas spawned dense internal knots which gravitationally collapsed to form stars. NGC 604 was so large, however, it could form enoug

"Christmas At War"

Published on 2012-12-11 20:05:00

"Christmas at War" by Ava Lowery, done 6 years ago when she was 15 years old.

Chet Raymo, “Dewy-eyed”

Published on 2012-12-11 19:53:00

“Dewy-eyed”by Chet Raymo“I believe I have mentioned before that many years ago, before I started writing for the Boston Globe, I had a column in the college newspaper called "Under a Skeptical Star." The phrase came from a line of the Scots poe

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-11 19:10:00

“Some Better Targets for the People Who Hate Government”

Published on 2012-12-11 18:56:00

“Some Better Targets for the People Who Hate Government”by Paul Buchheit"One of the pleasures of a weekend away from the city is visiting with people who express points of view that are different from my own. A lot of them hate government. Their

"The Real Problem With America: Morality"

Published on 2012-12-11 18:35:00

"The Real Problem With America: Morality"

The Economy: "The Internet Is a Dud"

Published on 2012-12-11 17:35:00

"The Internet Is a Dud"by Bill Bonner"The world today looks almost identical to the world of the 1960s because there have been very few important innovations since then. But you will leap to reply — the internet! Alas, electronic technology does no

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-07 20:33:00

December 7, 1941: "Did FDR Provoke Pearl Harbor?"

Published on 2012-12-07 20:29:00

"Did FDR Provoke Pearl Harbor?"by Patrick J. Buchanan"On Dec. 8, 1941, Franklin Roosevelt took the rostrum before a joint session of Congress to ask for a declaration of war on Japan. A day earlier, at dawn, carrier-based Japanese aircraft had launch

Musical Interlude: Live, "Overcome"

Published on 2012-12-07 19:14:00

Live, "Overcome"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQrN4Ehu0EU

"Why the Rich Immolate Themselves"

Published on 2012-12-07 18:52:00

"Why the Rich Immolate Themselves"by Jeffrey Tucker"In the Gilded Age of the late 19th century, the American rich walked tall. They dressed the part. Top hats, canes, tails, spats, you name it. They built glorious mansions for all the world to see. T

“The Holy Hangman Still Kills”

Published on 2012-12-07 17:38:00

“The Holy Hangman Still Kills”by Jeffrey Tucker“Half of Americans think that government is their benefactor. The other half think it is a sworn enemy. Depending on the day and the issue, they can and do switch sides. These hydraulics are at wor

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-07 04:03:00

“Globular star cluster 47 Tucanae is a jewel of the southern sky. Also known as NGC 104, it roams the halo of our Milky Way Galaxy along with around 200 other globular star clusters. The second brightest globular cluster (after Omega Centauri) as s

The Universe

Published on 2012-12-07 03:58:00

“If you frequently give yourself permission to doodle, wander, and be totally unproductive, and you actually relish such interludes, I can guarantee that your genius, creativity, and productivity will increase exponentially. I've seen it happen a b

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-07 03:54:00

Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India. Thanks for stopping by.

Paulo Coelho, "The Good Fight"

Published on 2012-12-07 03:50:00

"The Good Fight"by Paulo Coelho"In 1986, I went for the first and only time on the pilgrimage known as the Way to Santiago, an experience I described in my first book. We had just finished walking up a small hill, a village appeared on the horizon, a

“Blue Skies: The Sky Is Blue Even on a Cloudy Day”

Published on 2012-12-06 20:11:00

“Blue Skies: The Sky Is Blue Even on a Cloudy Day”by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM“Darker days are just as much a part of life as are the days graced with sunshine. When we refer to a “beautiful day,” we are often describing a day that is sun

"How It Really Should Be"

Published on 2012-12-06 20:08:00

Chet Raymo, "Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence"

Published on 2012-12-06 20:01:00

"Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence" by Chet Raymo"There have been so many books lately proffering "proof of heaven" one could almost call it a fad. Seems like everyone and his brother has had a near death experience that gave them a

"Imperial Crime and Complicity In Ancient Rome and Modern America"

Published on 2012-12-06 16:24:00

"Imperial Crime and Complicity In Ancient Rome and Modern America"By Tim Case"The punishment of the criminal is measured by the degree of astonishment of the judge who finds his crime incomprehensible." - Friedrich W. Nietzsche"You would think that i

"We Are Not Special, and There Is No Happy Ending"

Published on 2012-12-06 16:13:00

"We Are Not Special, and There Is No Happy Ending:The Blood-Drenched Darkness of American Exceptionalism"by Arthur Silber"You may not regard the two propositions in my title as deserving of any special attention. You may think, entirely correctly, th

"The Search for Truth"

Published on 2012-12-06 14:45:00

"Senate Unanimously Passes 2013 NDAA; Power to Arrest Americans Remains"

Published on 2012-12-06 14:23:00

"Senate Unanimously Passes 2013 NDAA;

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-05 09:59:00

Clowns... too bad the joke's on us... - CP

"The Coming Derivatives Panic That Will Destroy Global Financial Markets"

Published on 2012-12-05 09:53:00

"The Coming Derivatives Panic That Will

"The 'Fiscal Cliff': Three Feet to the Bottom"

Published on 2012-12-05 09:30:00

"The 'Fiscal Cliff': Three Feet to the Bottom"by Addison Wiggin“Equating tax hikes and spending cuts in the U.S. with a ‘fiscal cliff’ is like calling a spot of exercise and a balanced diet ‘Caloric Armageddon’ for the morbidly obese.” So

The Economy: "The Fiscal Distraction"

Published on 2012-12-05 09:06:00

"The Fiscal Distraction"by Joel Bowman"You keep lying, when you oughta be truthin’and you keep losin’ when you oughta not bet.You keep samin’ when you oughta be a changin’.Now what’s right is right, but you ain’t been right yet."— “Th

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-12-04 22:26:00

“Is the night sky darkest in the direction opposite the Sun? No. In fact, a rarely discernable faint glow known as the gegenschein (German for "counter glow") can be seen 180 degrees around from the Sun in an extremely dark sky. The gegenschein is

Chet Raymo, “Monkey Business”

Published on 2012-12-04 22:20:00

“Monkey Business”by Chet Raymo"Do men have mid-life crises? You betcha. I'd be hard pressed to think of a male among my acquaintances who didn't run off the rails, or almost run off the rails, in his late 40s, not excluding myself. Millions of wo

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-12-04 22:05:00

Newport Beach, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Relating to the Negative: The Danger of Repression"

Published on 2012-12-04 21:52:00

"Relating to the Negative: The Danger of Repression"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"When negative thoughts arise it is best to address them rather than pushing them down where they will surface again. For the last several years, there has been a lot o

"Things..."

Published on 2012-12-04 21:42:00

"Eyes blinded by the fog of Things

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-12-04 18:56:00

"Lincoln Uncensored"

Published on 2012-12-04 18:51:00

"Lincoln Uncensored"by Jeffrey Tucker"To be sure, this was a mind-bending experience. I watched Steven Spielberg’s movie "Lincoln" on the same weekend that I read Joseph Fallon’s Lincoln Uncensored, the e-book of the week released by the Laissez

"What’s Normal in a Profoundly Abnormal Society?"

Published on 2012-12-04 18:35:00

"What’s Normal in a Profoundly Abnormal Society?"by James Quinn "I consider myself a seeker of truth. It isn’t easy finding it in todays’ world. In an alternate version of the famous scene from "A Few Good Men," I picture myself telling Turbo T

"The United (Police) State of America"

Published on 2012-12-04 18:00:00

"The United (Police) State of America"by Doug Casey"Louis James: Doug, after conversations like the one we had last week, we often get letters from angry readers who accuse you of hating America, disloyalty, and perhaps even treason. These people don

Back From Absence...

Published on 2012-12-04 02:42:00

Thanks for your patience, folks, while I was away on personal business. Posting will resume more or less normally, a lot to catch up on, so bear with me. Commenting is restored. And don't give up, ever... - CPKate Bush & Peter Gabriel, “Don't Give

"I'll Be Back"

Published on 2012-11-26 19:19:00

OK folks, I'm going offline and away for a few days but like he says, I'll be back. Meanwhile there are 21,124 posts here for your perusal and consideration. Commenting is disabled to deter those pesky live-link comment spammers. As always, please be

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-26 19:09:00

“Barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is truly a majestic island universe some 200,000 light-years across. Located a mere 60 million light-years away toward the chemical constellation Fornax, NGC 1365 is a dominant member of the well-studied Fornax galaxy

Satire: “Please Stop Talking About the Fiscal Cliff”

Published on 2012-11-26 19:02:00

“Please Stop Talking About the Fiscal Cliff”by Andy BorowitzTOLEDO (The Borowitz Report)— “An Ohio man’s fascination with the so-called “fiscal cliff”—and his steadfast refusal to talk about anything else—has alienated everyone clos

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-26 18:57:00

Ft. Worth, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“Daily Aspirin: Can it Make You Go Blind?”

Published on 2012-11-26 18:53:00

“Daily Aspirin: Can it Make You Go Blind?”by Nick Tate“Aspirin has been touted as a wonder drug, with many studies showing a daily dose can lower the risks of heart disease and cancer. But new research suggests aspirin’s risks may outweigh it

"Lifting Pain's Veil: Bitterness"

Published on 2012-11-26 18:23:00

"Lifting Pain's Veil: Bitterness"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"Bitter feelings allow us to become perfect victims in that we no longer feel obliged to work toward healing. It is natural to feel resentment or anger when life does not unfold as expect

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-26 16:36:00

History: "The Pilgrims Should Have Been Thankful for a Spirochete"

Published on 2012-11-26 16:29:00

"The Pilgrims Should Have Been Thankful for a Spirochete"By Madeleine Johnson"Rat urine. As we feasted on succulent turkey, moist stuffing, and glistening cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving, the furthest thing from our minds was probably rat urine. Ye

The Economy: "Climate of Fraud, Negligence, Incompetence and JP Morgan"

Published on 2012-11-26 15:56:00

"Climate of Fraud, Negligence, Incompetence and JP Morgan"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "I was thinking about titling this post “Fire Jamie Dimon.” I changed my mind because this article is much, much bigger than Mr. Dimon. This is really an

"Planet Earth Under Chemical Attack from ChemTrails"

Published on 2012-11-26 14:17:00

"Planet Earth Under Chemical Attack from ChemTrails" by Patrick Lynch"For almost two decades now the planet has been in the grip of a chemical and biological attack from the air. These weapons of mass destruction can actually be seen and there is a m

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, “Continuity”

Published on 2012-11-25 01:38:00

Liquid Mind, “Continuity”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DgKDCpUGm8&feature=relmfu

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-24 20:59:00

"A bright spiral galaxy of the northern sky, Messier 63 is about 25 million light-years distant in the loyal constellation Canes Venatici. Also cataloged as NGC 5055, the majestic island universe is nearly 100,000 light-years across, about the

Rollo May, "The Courage To Create"

Published on 2012-11-24 20:50:00

"The Courage To Create"by Rollo May"We are living at a time when one age is dying and the new age is not yet born. We cannot doubt this as we look about us to see the radical changes in sexual mores, in marriage styles, in family structures, in educa

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-24 20:37:00

Burke, Virginia, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, "Why Not?"

Published on 2012-11-24 20:34:00

"Why Not?"by Chet Raymo"A few days ago reader Liz asked: "If we are all one and made out of the same material- then the things that we make are made out of the same material. But they are not animate. Why not?" At first glance, this might seem like a

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-24 15:56:00

Psychology: "Combating Emotional Vampires"

Published on 2012-11-24 15:40:00

"Combating Emotional Vampires"by Dr. Judith Orloff"Relationships are always an energy exchange. To stay feeling our best, we must ask ourselves: Who gives us energy? Who saps it? It's important to be surrounded by supportive, heart-centered people wh

"Is Virtual Collective Consciousness the Future?"

Published on 2012-11-24 15:24:00

"Is Virtual Collective Consciousness the Future?"by Yousri Marzouki "Britlin Losee was a breakthrough for Whitacre's musical creative mind, not only through her dazzling admiration to the artist but most important through her deeply intimate and spon

The Economy: “Ten Numbers the Rich Would Like Fudged”

Published on 2012-11-24 14:40:00

“Ten Numbers the Rich Would Like Fudged”by Paul Buchheit"1. Only THREE PERCENT of the very rich are entrepreneurs. According to both Marketwatch and economist Edward Wolff, over 90 percent of the assets owned by millionaires are held in a combina

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 11/23/12”

Published on 2012-11-24 02:46:00

“Weekly News Wrap-Up 11/23/12”Gaza-Israel Fighting, Fiscal Cliff and Debt Ceiling to Infinityby Greg Hunter"A cease-fire was announced earlier this week in the Gaza-Israeli conflict. Fighting lasted longer than a week and claimed the lives of 140

Musical Interlude: Jason Mraz, “I Won't Give Up”

Published on 2012-11-24 02:24:00

Jason Mraz, “I Won't Give Up”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1-4u9W-bns

Musical Interlude: Dan Fogelberg, “Nether Lands”

Published on 2012-11-24 01:57:00

Dan Fogelberg, “Nether Lands”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePrQFaB50w0

Musical Interlude: David Gates, “Suite, Clouds & Rain”

Published on 2012-11-24 01:47:00

David Gates, “Suite, Clouds & Rain”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUwUKi9ouEc&feature=related

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-23 22:33:00

“The universe is filled with galaxies. But to see them astronomers must look out beyond the stars of our galaxy, the Milky Way. For example, consider this colorful telescopic view of spiral galaxy NGC 6384, about 80 million light-years away in

Chet Raymo, “Is Consciousness Incomprehensible?”

Published on 2012-11-23 22:28:00

“Is Consciousness Incomprehensible?” by Chet Raymo"There are reasonable arguments for the incomprehensibility of human consciousness, and some of them were given here the other day in Comments. Let me offer arguments for the contrary.First, one v

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-23 22:20:00

Homestead, Florida, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Robert Lanza, MD, "Does Death Exist? Life Is Forever, Says Theory"

Published on 2012-11-23 22:17:00

"Does Death Exist? Life Is Forever, Says Theory"by Robert Lanza, MD"In the cartoon, Bugs Bunny swallows nitroglycerine and gunpowder, and springs back to life even when he gets flattened by a boulder. But it's not just Bugs. Experiments suggest th

Kahlil Gibran, "The Madman"

Published on 2012-11-23 22:13:00

"The Madman"by Kahlil Gibran"It was in the garden of a madhouse that I met a youth with a face pale and lovely and full of wonder. And I sat beside him upon the bench, and I said, “Why are you here?”

"Why Are You Waiting?"

Published on 2012-11-23 22:09:00

"If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Published on 2012-11-21 17:22:00

Be safe traveling, folks, and have a very happy Thanksgiving!

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-21 17:10:00

"Black Thursday?"

Published on 2012-11-21 17:01:00

"Black Thursday?"by Kristen Tornoe"Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday where we take a day to spend time with our loved ones and openly express our gratitude for the food on our tables, love in the air and that tingly feeling we get when we realize h

“You Are Most Likely to Die at 11 AM”

Published on 2012-11-21 15:53:00

“You Are Most Likely to Die at 11 AM”by Megan Garber"Particularly when you're older, you are 14 percent more likely to die on your birthday than on any other day of the year. Particularly when you live in certain geographical areas, you are 13 pe

"A Complete Substitute..."

Published on 2012-11-21 15:40:00

"The Internet is so big, so powerful and pointless that

“Is Google Making Us Stupid? What The Internet Is Doing To Our Brains”

Published on 2012-11-21 15:15:00

“Is Google Making Us Stupid?What The Internet Is Doing To Our Brains”By Nicholas Carr"Dave, stop. Stop, will you? Stop, Dave. Will you stop, Dave?” So the supercomputer HAL pleads with the implacable astronaut Dave Bowman in a famous and weirdl

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "Reflection"

Published on 2012-11-20 19:23:00

Liquid Mind, "Reflection"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcfAk78v4Qk&feature=fvwrel

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-20 19:09:00

“Galaxies of the NGC 7771 Group are featured in this intriguing skyscape. Some 200 million light-years distant toward the constellation Pegasus, NGC 7771 is the large, edge-on spiral near center, about 75,000 light-years across, with two smaller ga

"Something You Already Know..."

Published on 2012-11-20 18:47:00

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as

Chet Raymo, “New Philosophy - 2”

Published on 2012-11-20 18:25:00

“New Philosophy - 2”by Chet Raymo"Koyré's "From the Closed World To the Infinite Universe" was published in 1957. When I started teaching college in 1964, the required reading for my general studies science course included two articles by two pr

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-20 16:49:00

Hyrum, Utah, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Paul Krugman, "How We Know The Earth Is Old"

Published on 2012-11-20 16:44:00

The Economy: "The Rule of the Downside"

Published on 2012-11-20 16:05:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-20 16:02:00

"In The End..."

Published on 2012-11-20 15:48:00

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies,

Chris Hedges, "Elites Will Make Gazans of Us All"

Published on 2012-11-20 09:07:00

"Elites Will Make Gazans of Us All"By Chris Hedges"Gaza is a window on our coming dystopia. The growing divide between the world’s elite and its miserable masses of humanity is maintained through spiraling violence. Many impoverished regions of the

"How It Really Should Be"

Published on 2012-11-18 17:29:00

"EBT Riots Coming? What Will Happen When Government Entitlements Stop?"

Published on 2012-11-18 17:18:00

"EBT Riots Coming? What Will Happen When Government Entitlements Stop?"by Mike Adams"EBT cards are modern-day food stamps, except they're electronic. In essence, they are government-issued debit cards that allow recipients to spend taxpayer money for

“1 In 7 People Now On Food Stamps In America… 3rd World Here We Come!”

Published on 2012-11-18 15:39:00

“1 In 7 People Now On Food Stamps In America…

The Economy: "All Hell Is About To Break Loose!"

Published on 2012-11-18 15:24:00

"All Hell Is About To Break Loose!" by InvestmentWatch

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-17 21:21:00

“A dark Sun hung over Queensland, Australia on Wednesday morning during a much anticipated total solar eclipse. Storm clouds threatened to spoil the view along the northern coast, but minutes before totality the clouds parted. Streaming past the Mo

Chet Raymo, "Rules For Believing And Thinking"

Published on 2012-11-17 21:16:00

"Seven Rules for Believing"by Chet Raymo"I was reading again recently Richard Dawkins' letter to his daughter Juliet on her tenth birthday, urging her to avoid tradition, authority and revelation as reasons for believing. Ask for evidence, he writes

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-17 21:01:00

Paulo Coelho, “Change and Renewal”

Published on 2012-11-17 20:54:00

“Change and Renewal”by Paulo Coelho“When winter arrives, the trees must sigh in sadness as they see their leaves falling. They say: ‘We will never be like we were before.’ Of course. Or still, what is the meaning of renewing oneself? The ne

"Always Been Sane..."

Published on 2012-11-17 20:40:00

"As long as you have mystery you have health; when you destroy mystery you create morbidity. Indigenous humans have always been sane because they have always been mystic. They permit the twilight."- G. K. Chesterton

"How It Really Is, And Should Have Been"

Published on 2012-11-17 18:24:00

And how it really should have been...

"Please... Tell Me More..."

Published on 2012-11-17 16:16:00

The Economy: "Life, Death and Deficits"

Published on 2012-11-17 16:09:00

"Life, Death and Deficits"by Paul Krugman"America’s political landscape is infested with many zombie ideas- beliefs about policy that have been repeatedly refuted with evidence and analysis but refuse to die. The most prominent zombie is the insist

"Mother Nature and Mankind: A Communication Breakdown"

Published on 2012-11-17 15:43:00

"Mother Nature and Mankind: A Communication Breakdown"By Frosty Wooldridge"Today, we humans overrun and overwhelm this planet at 7.1 billion of us. America, at a bloviated 315 million could not exist without importing 7 out of 10 barrels of oil daily

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "Through My Eyes (Nebulae)”

Published on 2012-11-16 20:43:00

Chuck Wild, Liquid Mind: “VI Spirit - Through My Eyes (Nebulae)” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HTgHuUuDQg&playnext=1&list=PLCC1D

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-16 20:34:00

“Unspeakable beauty and unimaginable bedlam can be found together in the Trifid Nebula. Also known as M20, this photogenic nebula is visible with good binoculars towards the constellation of Sagittarius.

Chet Raymo, “Charybdis”

Published on 2012-11-16 18:55:00

“Charybdis”by Chet Raymo"To my mind, there is no more spiritually fulfilling experience than lying on one's back under a crystal clear late-summer sky unpolluted by artificial light and seeing the Milky Way arching across the dome of night from S

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-16 18:47:00

Slangerup, Hovedstaden, Denmark. Thanks for stopping by.

Alan Watts, "All About The Folly..."

Published on 2012-11-16 18:43:00

"Archimedes said, "Give me a fulcrum and I will move the Earth"; but there isn't one. It is like betting on the future of the human race - I might wish to lay a bet that the human race would destroy itself by the year 3000, but there is nowhere to pl

“Living With the Contradictions"

Published on 2012-11-16 18:16:00

“Living With the Contradictions: A Human Potential Visionary

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-16 16:16:00

Satire: “Americans Deserve Answers”

Published on 2012-11-16 16:08:00

“Americans Deserve Answers”by Peter Funt"For some reason- be it post-election syndrome, pre-holiday jitters, or maybe climate change- the nation has been hit by a tsunami of Pressing Questions. Among them:Q: What is the fiscal cliff?A: The actual

California: "You Can't Fix Stupid, But You Can Move"

Published on 2012-11-16 15:48:00

"You Can't Fix Stupid, But You Can Move"by Karl Denninger"You have to laugh... earlier this month, California voters passed Proposition 30, a ballot measure containing a number of tax increases that will help avoid drastic cuts to the state's higher

The Economy: "What Is The 'Fiscal Cliff'”?

Published on 2012-11-16 15:30:00

"What Is The 'Fiscal Cliff'”?by Patrick Martin“The term “fiscal cliff,” first used by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke last February, refers to the simultaneous expiration of tax cuts and imposition of spending cuts on January 1, 2013. T

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 11.16.12"

Published on 2012-11-16 03:25:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 11.16.12"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "This week was dominated by news of former CIA Director General Petraeus’ affair that caused his abrupt resignation as head of the Central Intelligence Agency. This dwarfs the coverag

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-15 21:16:00

“How many arches can you count in the above image? If you count both spans of the Double Arch in the Arches National Park in Utah, USA, then two. But since the below image was taken during a clear dark night, it caught a photogenic third arch far i

Chet Raymo, “Quiet Desperation”

Published on 2012-11-15 21:07:00

“Quiet Desperation”by Chet Raymo"As I type this, I am sipping a cup of Green Mountain Vermont Country Blend Decaf and nibbling an Entenmann's Ultimate Cinnamon Pastry Twister. Just thought you'd want to know. Do you also want know where I am? Wha

"Summon Your Aliveness: Being Fully Present"

Published on 2012-11-15 20:40:00

"Summon Your Aliveness: Being Fully Present"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"When we live fully in the moment there is an aliveness that comes easily. When we are fully present, we offer our whole selves to whatever it is that we are doing. Our attenti

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-15 20:23:00

High Springs, Florida, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Things That Matter..."

Published on 2012-11-15 19:53:00

"Israeli Attack On Gaza: Excuse Me While I Vomit"

Published on 2012-11-15 19:14:00

“Excuse Me While I Vomit”by Alan Hary"A time comes when silence is betrayal."

"How It Really Is: Secession"

Published on 2012-11-15 17:37:00

“Secession Petitions Now Filed For All 50 States”- http://news.yahoo.com/

“Five Misconceptions About Our Tattered Safety Net”

Published on 2012-11-15 16:50:00

“Five Misconceptions About Our Tattered Safety Net”by Paul Buchheit"Mitt Romney said he wasn’t concerned about the very poor, because they have a safety net. This is typical of the widespread ignorance about inequality in our country. Strugglin

"Congressman Ron Paul's Farewell Speech to Congress"

Published on 2012-11-15 16:26:00

"Congressman Ron Paul's Farewell Speech to Congress"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=q03cWio-zjk“Questions: Excessive government has created such a mess it prompts many questions:

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-14 18:27:00

“NGC 660 is featured in this cosmic snapshot, a sharp composite of broad and narrow band filter image data from the Gemini North telescope on Mauna Kea. Over 20 million light-years away and swimming within the boundaries of the constellation Pisces

"Human Existence: Our Story in One Minute"

Published on 2012-11-14 18:20:00

“Could you tell the story of human existence in a minute? This thrilling video culls together multiple teasing snippets in an attempt to do just that. And sets it to music. Briefly depicted, from start to finish, is an artistic animation of the Big

Chet Raymo, “On Beauty”

Published on 2012-11-14 18:13:00

“On Beauty”by Chet Raymo“I frequently muse about works of art in these postings. These have ranged from the highly abstract to the ultra-realistic, from the Middle Ages to the present. Often they have been paintings that I used for a while as a

"To Survive You Must..."

Published on 2012-11-14 17:44:00

“To survive you must surrender without giving in, that is to say, fully accept the reality in all its horror and never give up the will to survive. That allows you to quickly adapt to the situation and dedicate yourself to the present moment rather

"The Dreamers Of The Day..."

Published on 2012-11-14 17:18:00

"Embracing New Information: Be Open"

Published on 2012-11-14 16:55:00

․"Embracing New Information: Be Open"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM․ “The human mind likes a strange idea as little as the body

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-14 15:25:00

“The Reality of the ‘Lesser Evil’”

Published on 2012-11-14 05:07:00

“The Reality of the ‘Lesser Evil’”by Paul Craig Roberts"When Chris Floyd is at his best, as he is below, he puts things in perspective for readers that they otherwise never confront. Obama has won reelection, and his supporters think that som

“Life Expectancy of the Living Dead”

Published on 2012-11-14 04:50:00

“Life Expectancy of the Living Dead”by Paul Krugman“Regular readers know that a lot of this blog’s time is spent on intellectual zombies — beliefs and concepts that have been killed by evidence but that keep shambling forward nonetheless, t

"Human Action..."

Published on 2012-11-14 04:42:00

“Human action is purposeful behavior. Or we may say: action is will put into operation and transformed into an agency, is aiming at ends and goals, is the ego’s meaningful response to stimuli and to the conditions of its environment, is a person

Genetics: “The Descent Of Man”

Published on 2012-11-14 01:22:00

“The Descent Of Man”Has Human intelligence been on an intellectual and

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-13 18:56:00

“In this stunning vista, based on image data from the Hubble Legacy Archive, distant galaxies form a dramatic backdrop for disrupted spiral galaxy Arp 188, the Tadpole Galaxy. The cosmic tadpole is a mere 420 million light-years distant toward the

Chet Raymo, "'Let Us Begin…’"

Published on 2012-11-13 18:50:00

"'Let Us Begin…’"by Chet Raymo

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-13 17:40:00

Boise, Idaho, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

The Economy: "The Fiscal Cliff is a Mole Hill Compared TAG Program Expiry"

Published on 2012-11-13 17:26:00

"The Fiscal Cliff is a Mole Hill Compared TAG Program Expiry"by Shah Gilani"Everyone is afraid of falling off the "fiscal cliff." But there's another dangerous countdown clock about hit to zero. And no one is talking about it, even though it will spe

The Economy: "Lemmings in Wonderland"

Published on 2012-11-13 17:05:00

"Lemmings in Wonderland"by Joel Bowman“If I had a world of my own,” declared Alice, Lewis Carroll’s red pill-popping protagonist while wandering around her author’s Wonderland, “everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, bec

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-13 14:14:00

"So Petraeus And Mistress Are Cyber-Illiterate?"

Published on 2012-11-13 13:58:00

"So Petraeus And Mistress Are Cyber-Illiterate?"by Karl Denninger“I'm literally having trouble breathing right now I'm laughing so hard, and in addition I spat my afternoon espresso all over my keyboard, so if there's a letter that is missing in my

“8 Middle-Class Tax Breaks on the Chopping Block”

Published on 2012-11-13 07:09:00

“8 Middle-Class Tax Breaks on the Chopping Block”by David Sterman“Politicians have spent years telling you that they will never raise taxes. What they don't admit is that your taxes can rise anyway, simply by letting current laws expire. And ri

“How to Be Free When You’re Not”

Published on 2012-11-13 01:21:00

“How to Be Free When You’re Not”by The Daily Reckoning"It’s not hard for any moderately observant person to see the oppressiveness of the state all around us. We are taxed, regulated, coerced, controlled, patted down, pulled over, censored, c

"Just When I Thought..."

Published on 2012-11-13 00:02:00

“Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in.” Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, “The Godfather, Part 3"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPw-3e_pzqUAnd so it goes... commenting is restored, posting resumes.Thanks for your patience and un

Musical Interlude: George Harrison, “What Is Life?”

Published on 2012-11-12 23:58:00

George Harrison, “What Is Life?” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XFfUt7HQWM

Musical Interlude: Traveling Wilburys, "End Of The Line"

Published on 2012-11-12 23:47:00

Traveling Wilburys, "End Of The Line" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_dQk9iaSY

Musical Interlude: Simon & Garfunkel, “American Tune”

Published on 2012-11-12 23:28:00

Simon & Garfunkel, “American Tune” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTZkk66pd1I

This Blog: Lights Out, "Sabbatical"

Published on 2012-11-07 06:21:00

Satire: "Obamas Return to White House as Romneys Return to 1954"

Published on 2012-11-06 22:45:00

Musical Interlude: Enya, "Watermark"

Published on 2012-11-06 21:42:00

Enya, "Watermark" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiFTXckh0zU&feature=fvwrel

"I Soon Found Out..."

Published on 2012-11-06 21:33:00

"I soon found out you can't change the world.

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-06 21:17:00

“A favorite target for astronomers, big, beautiful spiral galaxy NGC 7331 is one of the brighter galaxies not found in Charles Messier's famous 18th century catalog. About 50 million light-years distant in the northern constellation Pegasus and sim

Paulo Coelho, “Choosing The Way We Will Depart”

Published on 2012-11-06 19:06:00

“Choosing The Way We Will Depart”by Paulo Coelho"As you probably know, we are all going to die one day. As we become aware of that, we should surrender to life with much more joy, making things we always postpone, respecting the precious minutes

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-06 18:11:00

Heart's Content, Newfoundland, Canada. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, "Zoom 2"

Published on 2012-11-06 18:01:00

"Zoom 2" by Chet Raymo"What are we all? Poor silly half-brained things peering out at the infinite,

"Assumptions And Molehills, Trifling"

Published on 2012-11-06 17:23:00

“Assumptions are dangerous things to make, and like all dangerous things to make- bombs for instance, or strawberry shortcake- if you make even the tiniest mistake you can find yourself in terrible trouble. Making assumptions simply means believing

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-06 15:18:00

"Campaign Promises"

Published on 2012-11-06 15:13:00

"Campaign Promises"By Global Macro Monitor"In the closing days of the 1932 campaign, Franklin Roosevelt promised a crowd in Pittsburgh that he’d balance the federal budget while cutting “government operations” by 25 percent. Wisely, he attempte

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-05 19:54:00

“The bright clusters and nebulae of planet Earth's night sky are often named for flowers or insects, and NGC 6302 is no exception. With an estimated surface temperature of about 250,000 degrees C, the central star of this particular planetary nebul

Paulo Coelho, “What’s The Price?”

Published on 2012-11-05 19:45:00

“What’s The Price?”by Paulo Coelho“Is the price of living a dream much higher than the price of living without daring to dream?” asked the disciple. The master took him to a clothes store. There, he asked him to try on a suit in exactly his

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-05 19:24:00

Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, “Zoom”

Published on 2012-11-05 19:21:00

“Zoom”by Chet Raymo“One doesn't hear much about "the history of ideas" any more, but back when I was a young man it was all the rage. Credit for establishing that busy new discipline is usually given to the American scholar Arthur O. Lovejoy an

Global Warming: "Why Seas are Rising Ahead of Predictions"

Published on 2012-11-05 19:04:00

"Why Seas are Rising Ahead of Predictions"by ScienceDailySea levels are rising faster than expected from global warming, and University of Colorado geologist Bill Hay has a good idea why. The last official IPCC report in 2007 projected a global sea l

"How It Really Is, With H.L. Mencken"

Published on 2012-11-05 16:25:00

Satire: "The Republicans’ Closing Argument"

Published on 2012-11-05 16:09:00

"The Republicans’ Closing Argument"by Andy Borowitz

“1 Not-So-Simple, Pretty Funny Question for the 73% of White Evangelicals Who Will Apparently Be Voting for Romney”

Published on 2012-11-05 16:03:00

“1 Not-So-Simple, Pretty Funny Question for the 73% of

The Economy: "Mounting Debt in an Unproductive Society"

Published on 2012-11-05 15:30:00

"Mounting Debt in an Unproductive Society"by The Daily Reckoning"Today’s edition of The Daily Reckoning features a fascinating repartee between two witty, insightful and thought-provoking observers of the human condition…especially that portion o

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-04 19:34:00

“Sometimes galaxies form groups. For example, our own Milky Way Galaxy is part of the Local Group of Galaxies. Small, compact groups, like Hickson Compact Group 87 (HCG 87) shown above, are interesting partly because they slowly self-destruct. Inde

"You Ever Wonder?"

Published on 2012-11-04 19:26:00

“Centuries ago, sailors on long voyages used to leave a pair of pigs on every deserted island. Or they'd leave a pair of goats. Either way, on any future visit, the island would be a source of meat. These islands, they were pristine. These were hom

The Poet: Ella Wheeler Wilcox, “Solitude”

Published on 2012-11-04 19:15:00

“Solitude”“Laugh, and the world laughs with you;Weep, and you weep alone.For this brave old earth must borrow its mirth,But has trouble enough of its own.Sing, and the hills will answer;Sigh, it is lost on the air.The echoes bound to a joyful s

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-04 17:25:00

Grays, Thurrock, United Kingdom. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, “Many Dreams Have Been Brought To Your Doorstep...”

Published on 2012-11-04 17:12:00

“Many Dreams Have Been Brought To Your Doorstep...” by Chet Raymo"Yesterday we followed Leonardo da Vinci to his final abode at Amboise in France, in the shadow of the king's palace. Before we leave him there, let's ponder for a moment the thing

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-04 15:47:00

Politics: "Romney’s Napoleon Complex"

Published on 2012-11-04 15:44:00

"Romney’s Napoleon Complex"by Jason Stanford"Mitt Romney has a Napoleon complex. Yes, I know he stands 6’2”, and no, I’m not talking about any insecurities he may harbor about his, um, tax returns that he keeps hidden. We’re talking about a

"Democracy Is a Terrible System, Period"; "Animal Farm"

Published on 2012-11-04 15:32:00

"Democracy Is a Terrible System, Period"by Douglas French"The election year of 2012 reminds us of the sheer waste and lunacy of democracy. Like soccer’s World Cup or the Summer or Winter Olympics, presidential elections in the United States come ev

Politics: Paul Krugman, "Math Is Hard"

Published on 2012-11-04 15:16:00

"Math Is Hard"by Paul Krugman"OK, this might be my last post until tomorrow night — life will intrude. And it’s more about polling; sorry, even I am finding it hard to focus on macroeconomics until this thing is over. Before I get into the substa

"One Vile Thing After Another..."

Published on 2012-11-04 00:59:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-03 21:10:00

“A Full Moonset can be a dramatic celestial sight, and Full Moons can have many names. Late October's Full Moon, the second Full Moon after the northern hemisphere autumnal equinox, has been traditionally called the Hunter's Moon.

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-03 21:04:00

Satire: "Romney Airdrops Two Billion in Small Bills Over Ohio"

Published on 2012-11-03 20:59:00

"Romney Airdrops Two Billion in Small Bills Over Ohio"by Andy BorowitzCINCINNATI (The Borowitz Report)— "In an all-out effort to claim Ohio’s precious eighteen electoral votes, Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney today airdropped two bill

"Letters to the Future"

Published on 2012-11-03 20:17:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-03 19:57:00

Drone Strikes: "OK, Fine. Shoot Him."

Published on 2012-11-03 19:42:00

"‘OK, Fine. Shoot Him.’

"Reality..."

Published on 2012-11-03 19:25:00

“He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be

Climatology: "Are Superstorms the New Normal?"

Published on 2012-11-03 19:08:00

"Are Superstorms the New Normal?"by Philip S. Wenz“The answer to the oft-asked question of whether [a particular extreme weather] event is caused by climate change is that it is the wrong question. All weather events are affected by climate change

"Society: Are We Becoming More Psychopathic? Yes..."

Published on 2012-11-03 18:20:00

"Society: Are We Becoming More Psychopathic? Yes..."by VioletPlanet

Musical Interlude: Moody Blues, “You and Me”

Published on 2012-11-03 01:48:00

Moody Blues, “You and Me” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7UZ5oVYmb8

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-02 19:21:00

"At the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, a mere 27,000 light-years away, lies a black hole with 4 million times the mass of the Sun. Fondly known as Sagittarius A* (pronounced A-star), the Milky Way's black hole is fortunately mild-mannered compared t

Psychology: "Debunking the Myth of Intuition"

Published on 2012-11-02 19:06:00

"Debunking the Myth of Intuition"by Manfred Dworschak and Johann Grolle"Can doctors and investment advisers be trusted? And do we live more for experiences or memories? In a Spiegel interview, Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman discusse

Chet Raymo, "That Cottage of Darkness"

Published on 2012-11-02 18:49:00

"That Cottage of Darkness"by Chet Raymo"Theresa asked those of us who count ourselves agnostic to comment on Julian Barnes' new book "Nothing To Be Frightened Of," reviewed by Garrison Keillor in the New York Times Book Review. Barnes, a professed ag

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-02 18:33:00

Rego Park, New York, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Derrick Jensen, "What Right?"

Published on 2012-11-02 18:26:00

"To reverse the effects of civilization would destroy the dreams of a lot of people. There's no way around it. We can talk all we want about sustainability, but there's a sense in which it doesn't matter that these people's dreams are based o

"Global Warming Systemically Caused Hurricane Sandy"

Published on 2012-11-02 17:41:00

"Global Warming Systemically Caused Hurricane Sandy"By George Lakoff"Yes, global warming systemically caused Hurricane Sandy- and the Midwest droughts and the fires in Colorado and Texas, as well as other extreme weather disasters around the world. L

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-02 14:40:00

"Coming Soon, Courtesy of Facebook"

Published on 2012-11-02 14:24:00

"Coming Soon, Courtesy of Facebook"by Karl Denninger"Please break into my home, I'm not there, my stereo is rad and I probably have an iMac in there you can rip off too! Well, not quite.

The Economy: "What the Road to Hell is Paved With…"

Published on 2012-11-02 13:45:00

"What the Road to Hell is Paved With…"by Bill Bonner"Improving the world costs money. When you have it, your efforts either bear fruit. Or they don’t. But when you don’t have it, when you have to change the world on credit, then what? John Mayn

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 11.2.12"

Published on 2012-11-01 23:21:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 11.2.12" By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

Musical Interlude: David Arkenstone, “Across the Great Oceans”

Published on 2012-11-01 20:40:00

David Arkenstone, “Across the Great Oceans” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i47GF93Aw-g&feature=related

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-11-01 20:33:00

“Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble- maybe Macbeth should have consulted the Witch Head Nebula. The suggestively shaped reflection nebula is associated with the bright star Rigel in the constellation Orion.

The Poet: Joy Harjo, "Eagle Poem"

Published on 2012-11-01 20:29:00

"Eagle Poem"

Chet Raymo, “Where We Came From”

Published on 2012-11-01 20:20:00

“Where We Came From” by Chet Raymo"Author Doris Lessing began her sci-fi chronicle of space with this dedication: "For my father, who used to sit, hour after hour, night after night, outside our home in Africa, watching the stars. 'Well,' he woul

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-11-01 20:06:00

Palmetto, Florida, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“Can You Read This?”

Published on 2012-11-01 20:02:00

“Can You Read This?”by Marc“Here’s a goodie for you: Cna yuo raed tihs? Suteids sohw taht olny aoubt 55 prcenet of plepoe can (atculley trheer is no scuh sudty). I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. Tihs sohw

"Free of the Deadly Internet!"

Published on 2012-11-01 19:51:00

"Free of the Deadly Internet!"by Christopher Ketcham"First off, this hypocrisy: publishing a piece on the Internet that decries the Internet. No allowance for it. It is straight-up hypocrisy. Best to shut up, crawl back in my cave, ass in hand, and u

“Anxiety About Change: Anticipating the Good”

Published on 2012-11-01 17:59:00

“Anxiety About Change: Anticipating the Good”by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM“Change will occur in almost every aspect of our lives, we can learn to embrace it while releasing the past with grace. When we find ourselves going through any kind of

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-11-01 16:45:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-31 22:17:00

“Described as a "dusty curtain" or "ghostly apparition", mysterious reflection nebula VdB 152 really is very faint. Far from your neighborhood on this Halloween Night, the cosmic phantom is nearly 1,400 light-years away. Also catalogued as Ced 201,

"The Essential Thing..."

Published on 2012-10-31 22:12:00

"The most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle.

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-31 21:14:00

Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, United Kingdom.Thanks for stopping by.

Psychology: "How the Brain Stops Time"

Published on 2012-10-31 21:10:00

"How the Brain Stops Time"by Jeff Wise"One of the strangest side-effects of intense fear is time dilation, the apparent slowing-down of time. It's a common trope in movies and TV shows, like the memorable scene from "The Matrix" in which time slow

Chet Raymo, “The Universe Becomes Conscious of Itself”

Published on 2012-10-31 21:02:00

“The Universe Becomes Conscious of Itself” by Chet Raymo"By now most of us will have seen this spectacular photograph of a dusty star-birthing region of the Carina Nebula, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope. I offer a

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-31 20:37:00

The Economy: "AMT: Uncle Sam Wants YOU…to Pay Up!"

Published on 2012-10-31 19:56:00

"AMT: Uncle Sam Wants YOU…to Pay Up!"by Byron King"In September, we discussed the looming U.S. tax increases (what we dubbed “taxaggedon”) scheduled by law to take effect on Jan. 1, 2013. Absent new legislation over the next couple of months, y

The Economy: Dr. Marc Faber, "Disaster Area"

Published on 2012-10-31 19:45:00

"Disaster Area"by Dr. Marc Faber"In order to exercise control over the population, governments throughout history have made people dependent on government largess. A government can make an increasing number of people dependent on its generosity by pr

"Missteps In The Bunker"

Published on 2012-10-31 15:38:00

"Missteps In The Bunker"by The Washington Post"The greatest fears of nuclear terrorism came true on August 29, 2007, and it occurred within the United States, not an Islamic country. The shocking story was shelved from the beginning and wasn’t even

“The Mystery of Minot: Loose Nukes, Dead Airmen”

Published on 2012-10-31 15:28:00

“The Mystery of Minot:

"Déjà Vu: Fascism on the Rise"

Published on 2012-10-30 22:43:00

"Déjà Vu: Fascism on the Rise"by Justin Raimondo"As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the air- however slight- lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness." - Justice William O. Douglas"Here in America we have only just begun to feel the social and political effects of the worldwide economic crisis: rising un [..]

"Just What Suits Our Purpose..."

Published on 2012-10-30 21:53:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-30 20:25:00

"Is this what will become of our Sun? Quite possibly. The bubble of expanding gas pictured below is the planetary nebula PK 164 +31.1, the remnants of the atmosphere of a Sun-like star expelled as its supply of fusion-able core hydrogen became depleted. Visible near the center of the nebula is what remains of the core itself- a blue-hot white dwarf star. This particularly photogenic planetary nebula shows intricate shells of gas likely expelled at different times toward the end the star's demise [..]

The Poet: David Wagoner, "Getting There"

Published on 2012-10-30 20:20:00

Chet Raymo, "Born That Way?"

Published on 2012-10-30 20:05:00

"Born That Way?"by Chet Raymo"Before I leave behind the special issue of "Science on the Genetics of Behavior" (November 7, 2008), let me take note of one more article, "Biology, Politics, and the Emerging Science of Human Nature," by James H. Fowler and Darren Schreiber. Do genes affect the way we vote? A twin-based study published in the "American Political Science Review" in 2005 suggested that liberal and conservative tendencies are heritable. Most evidence, however, shows that choice of a p [..]

Yasser Hareb, "The Desert"

Published on 2012-10-30 18:54:00

"The Desert"by Yasser Hareb"The sandstorm was so severe that his footprint was erased before he could lift his other foot. The sun had disappeared, and the place was engulfed in a maze of eternal dust. The only thing that gave him a little peace in his heart was the halter of his camel, which he held on to tightly, as if it was his lifeline. Despite the sound of the wind howling like a pack of wolves, the breathing of his camel gave him some comfort.He thought of making his camel sit down so he [..]

Psychology: "Does TV Help Make Americans Passive and Accepting of Authority?"

Published on 2012-10-30 17:26:00

Life Skills: "11 Things Everyone Needs You to Know"

Published on 2012-10-30 16:48:00

"11 Things Everyone Needs You to Know"by Marc"A silhouette of a human being stands before you. Perhaps an old friend. Perhaps a neighbor.

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-30 16:11:00

Bogotá, Distrito Especial, Colombia. Thanks for stopping by.

Satire: "Romney Says He Favors Abortion in Cases Where It Makes People Vote for Him"

Published on 2012-10-30 16:06:00

"Romney Says He Favors Abortion in Cases

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-29 21:40:00

"Why do many galaxies appear as spirals? A striking example is M101, shown above, whose relatively close distance of about 27 million light years allows it to be studied in some detail. Recent evidence indicates that a close gravitational interaction with a neighboring galaxy created waves of high mass and condensed gas which continue to orbit the galaxy center.

G.I. Gurdjieff, "The Magicians Sheep"

Published on 2012-10-29 21:37:00

"The Magicians Sheep"by G.I. Gurdjieff"There is an Eastern tale that speaks about a very rich magician who had a great many sheep. But at the same time this magician was very mean. He did not want to hire shepherds, nor did he want to erect a fence about the pasture where the sheep were grazing. The sheep consequently often wandered into the forest, fell into ravines and so on, and above all, they ran away, for they knew that the magician wanted their flesh and their skins, and this [..]

Chet Raymo, “Hummingbird and Heron”

Published on 2012-10-29 21:12:00

“Hummingbird and Heron”by Chet Raymo"We have two regular visitors to our yard, a hummingbird and a heron. We sit on the screened porch and watch them.The hummingbird comes to the feeder like a tiny lightning bolt, darting so fast we can hardly follow its flight with the eye. It hovers, its wings a blur, dipping, again and again, its long curved beak into the sugary elixir. Dip. Dip. Dip. And then it's gone. Zip. Into the sea grape, or to its favorite perch on the telephone wire. Can its hear [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-29 20:48:00

Longview, Texas, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"U.S. General Arrested for Activating Special Forces Teams; Ignoring Libya Stand-Down Order"; A Comment

Published on 2012-10-29 20:26:00

"U.S. General Arrested for Activating Special Forces Teams;

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-29 18:26:00

"Armed to the Teeth and Living in Fear"

Published on 2012-10-29 18:17:00

"Armed to the Teeth and Living in Fear"by Dave Lindorff

"New York City Peak Threat Hours: 7-10 PM When The Flooding Begins"

Published on 2012-10-29 17:21:00

"New York City Peak Threat Hours:

Musical Interlude: Loreena McKennitt, “Mummers Dance- Dance of Wolves”

Published on 2012-10-29 02:27:00

Loreena McKennitt, “Mummers Dance- Dance of Wolves”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcOngOB6quQ&feature=related

"Puzzling..."

Published on 2012-10-29 02:16:00

"I've wondered why it took us so long to catch on. We saw it and yet we didn't see it. Or rather we were trained not to see it. Conned, perhaps, into thinking that the real action was metropolitan and all this was just boring hinterland. It was a puzzling thing. The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth,'' and so it goes away. Puzzling..."- Robert M. Pirsig

Joe Bageant, "The Ants of Gaia"

Published on 2012-10-29 02:05:00

"The Ants of Gaia"by Joe Bageant"The power of population is so superior to the power of the earth to produce subsistence for man, that premature death must in some shape or other visit the human race. The vices of mankind are active and able ministers of depopulation. They are the precursors in the great army of destruction, and often finish the dreadful work themselves. But should they fail in this war of extermination, sickly seasons, epidemics, pestilence, and plague advance in terrific array [..]

"1,700 Foot Tidal Wave? 'Son, it's time to pray...'"

Published on 2012-10-29 01:46:00

"1,700 Foot Tidal Wave? 'Son, it's time to pray...'" by Casey Kazan"On the night of July 7th, 1958, the world’s largest wave in recorded history engorged Alaska's Lituya bay, located about 250 miles west of Juneau in the Gulf of Alaska. It was 1,700 feet, or 520 meters- almost twice the height of the Eiffel Tower. The tsunami was triggered by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake, which caused an enormous landslide along the Fairweather Fault. The resulting crash of rock into water caused the largest wal [..]

"The 17 Foot Tall Insectoid Robo-Warriors From The Planet Zandor!"

Published on 2012-10-29 01:25:00

Click image for larger size. This chart appeared as part of PGPF's analysis of Congressional Budget Office's

Walt Whitman, "Animals"

Published on 2012-10-28 22:39:00

"Animals""I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self contain’d;I stand and look at them long and long,They do not sweat and whine about their condition;They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins;They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God;Not one is dissatisfied — not one is demented with the mania of owning things;Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived thousands of years ago;Not one is respectabl [..]

“Hurricane Sandy Eastern Seaboard Extended 'Grid Down' Survival Scenario”

Published on 2012-10-28 21:35:00

“Hurricane Sandy Eastern Seaboard Extended

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-28 19:17:00

“Beautiful emission nebula NGC 6164 was created by a rare, hot, luminous O-type star, some 40 times as massive as the Sun. Seen at the center of the cosmic cloud, the star is a mere 3 to 4 million years old. In another three to four million years the massive star will end its life in a supernova explosion.

Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet- On Pain"

Published on 2012-10-28 19:12:00

"Your pain is the breaking of the shellthat encloses your understanding.Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that itsheart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain.And could you keep your heart in wonderat the daily miracles of your life, your painwould not seem less wondrous than your joy;And you would accept the seasons of yourheart, even as you have always acceptedthe seasons that pass over your fields.And you would watch with serenitythrough the winters of your grief.Pain is the bit [..]

Chet Raymo, "Cosmic View"

Published on 2012-10-28 19:00:00

"Cosmic View"by Chet Raymo"When writing about Philip and Phylis Morrison's "Powers of Ten" the other day I found I had made the following notation in the flyleaf, perhaps a dozen or more years ago:

Fyodor Dostoevsky, “The Dream of a Ridiculous Man”

Published on 2012-10-27 21:53:00

“The Dream of a Ridiculous Man”

The Environment: "Our Choice: A Shut Down, Either Temporary or Permanent"

Published on 2012-10-27 21:26:00

"Our Choice:

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-27 19:09:00

"A bright spiral galaxy of the northern sky, Messier 63 is about 25 million light-years distant in the loyal constellation Canes Venatici. Also cataloged as NGC 5055, the majestic island universe is nearly 100,000 light-years across, about the size of our own Milky Way. Known by the popular moniker, The Sunflower Galaxy, M63 sports a bright yellowish core and sweeping blue spiral arms, streaked with cosmic dust lanes and dotted with pink star forming regions.

Chet Raymo, “Not Known, Because Not Looked For”

Published on 2012-10-27 18:44:00

“Not Known, Because Not Looked For”by Chet RaymoTony shared with us the other day these well-known lines of T. S. Eliot (“Little Gidding”):

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-27 18:04:00

Raeford, North Carolina, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

History: “What Happened At The OK Corral?”

Published on 2012-10-27 17:56:00

“What Happened At The OK Corral?”by Kieran Mulvaney"On Oct. 26, 1881, four men met at the corner of Fifth and Allen Streets in the bustling silver mining town of Tombstone, Arizona. They walked north on Fifth, turned left on Fremont Street and headed toward a vacant lot next to the OK Corral. Minutes later, three men would be dead, and the four men who had walked to the corral and killed them- Tombstone marshal Virgil Earp, his brothers Wyatt and Morgan, and Wyatt's friend Doc Holliday- had [..]

The Gender Gap: "Frightened Men Love Romney"

Published on 2012-10-27 16:52:00

"Frightened Men Love Romney"by Mark Morford "These are the facts you don’t want to know. This is the hard data that can make you cringe, that can despoil the soul and make you wonder at the sad state of the modern world, and gender politics, and the tragically deceived hearts of (ahem) men.

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-27 16:16:00

"Frankenstorm: Fact and Fiction"

Published on 2012-10-27 15:08:00

"Frankenstorm: Fact and Fiction"by Paul Yeager, Meteorologist "There is plenty of media discussion related to the developing and dangerous storm system that's being called Frankenstorm. With so much information being generated from weather and non-weather sources, it's difficult to separate fact from fiction. That's what I'll try to do here- in a general sense, not intended as specific forecast information. If you're in the potential path of the storm, then follow local sources of weather inform [..]

“Too Much Rain Will Kill Ya”

Published on 2012-10-27 14:12:00

“Too Much Rain Will Kill Ya”by Bruce Krasting "My first week on Wall Street was in August of 1973. I was newbie to NYC. My office was on the south side of 100 Wall, on the second floor, looking out over Front Street. There was a tremendous thunderstorm one afternoon. I looked out the window as the street filled with water. The flood poured into a street gutter and overwhelmed it. With the gutter flooded, the rats were drowning. They came out of every hole. In twenty minutes, 500 came out of [..]

The Poet: John O’Donohue, “For The Time Of Necessary Decision”

Published on 2012-10-26 22:16:00

“For The Time Of Necessary Decision”“The mind of time is hard to read.We can never predict what it will bring,Nor even from all that is already goneCan we say what form it finally takes;For time gathers its moments secretly.Often we only know it’s time to changeWhen a force has built inside the heartThat leaves us uneasy as we are.Perhaps the work we do has lost its soulOr the love where we once belongedCalls nothing alive in us anymore.We drift through this gray, increasing nowhereUntil [..]

Musical Interlude: Supertramp, "Take The Long Way Home"

Published on 2012-10-26 21:59:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-26 21:46:00

“Every book has a first page and every catalog a first entry. And so this lovely blue cosmic cloud begins the van den Bergh Catalog (vdB) of stars surrounded by reflection nebulae. Interstellar dust clouds reflecting the light of the nearby stars, the nebulae usually appear blue because scattering by the dust grains is more effective at shorter (bluer) wavelengths. The same type of scattering gives planet Earth its blue daytime skies.

"No BS Theory of Life"

Published on 2012-10-26 21:41:00

The Poet: Clarice Lispector, "Change"

Published on 2012-10-26 21:03:00

"Change"by Clarice Lispector"Change.But start slowly, because direction is more important than speed.Sit in another chair, on the other side of the table.Later on, change tables.When you go out, try to walk on the other side of the street. Then change your route, walk calmly down other streets, observing closely the places you pass by.Take other buses. Change your wardrobe for a while; give away your old shoes and try to walk barefoot for a few days– even if only at home.Take off a whole after [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-26 19:38:00

Prescott Valley, Arizona, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, “Counting Out”

Published on 2012-10-26 19:27:00

“Counting Out” by Chet Raymo"Remember "counting out"? Do kids still "count out"? Consider a count among six children:(1)Einie (2)meenie (3)meinie (4)mo, (5)catch (6)a feller (1) by the (2)toe, (3)if he (4)hollers (5)let him (6)go, (1)einie (2)meenie (3)meinie (4)mo. Number 4 is "out."Back in the early 70s, Kenneth Goldstein published an ethnographic study of counting out rhymes. By extending the rhyme, a clever counter could count out a child other than number 4:(5)My (6)mother (1)says (2)th [..]

Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet- On Laws"

Published on 2012-10-26 19:06:00

"The Prophet- On Laws""You delight in laying down laws,Yet you delight more in breaking them.Like children playing by the ocean who build sand-towers withconstancy and then destroy them with laughter.But while you build your sand-towers the ocean brings more sand to the shore,And when you destroy them the ocean laughs with you.Verily the ocean laughs always with the innocent.But what of those to whom life is not an ocean,and man-made laws are not sandtowers,But to whom life is a rock, and the la [..]

John (Fire) Lame Deer, "On Natural Diversity…"

Published on 2012-10-26 18:31:00

"On Natural Diversity…"by John (Fire) Lame Deer"Even animals of the same kind – two deer, two owls – will behave differently from each other. I have studied many plants. The leaves of one plant, on the same stem – none is exactly alike. On all the earth there is not one leaf that is exactly like another. The Great Spirit, Wakan Tanka, likes it that way. He only sketches out the path of life roughly for all the creatures on earth, shows them where to go, where to arrive at, but leav [..]

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-26 16:02:00

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 10.26.12"

Published on 2012-10-26 01:23:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 10.26.12"By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "The third and final Presidential debate was this week, and I thought it was a draw. Neither Romney nor Obama scored a knockout blow. I can’t believe we had these debates and not a single question was asked about the $85 billion a month being printed by the Fed. This is unprecedented in human history. What could go wrong? “Fix the Debt” is what influential CEOs are saying to Congress. A group has gotten together to persuade C [..]

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-25 22:48:00

"Braided, serpentine filaments of glowing gas suggest this nebula's popular name, The Medusa Nebula. Also known as Abell 21, this Medusa is an old planetary nebula some 1,500 light-years away in the constellation Gemini. Like its mythological namesake, the nebula is associated with a dramatic transformation.Click image for larger size. The planetary nebula phase represents a final stage in the evolution of low mass stars like the sun, as they transform themselves from red giants to hot white dwa [..]

"The Question To Ask Is..."

Published on 2012-10-25 21:47:00

"Don't spend your precious time asking "Why isn't the world a better place?" It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is "How can I make it better?" To that there is an answer."- Leo Buscaglia

"What is 'Occam's Razor?'''

Published on 2012-10-25 21:45:00

"What is 'Occam's Razor?'''by Wikipedia“Occam's razor, also Ockham's razor, is a principle attributed to 14th-century English logician and Franciscan friar, William of Ockham. The principle states that the explanation of any phenomenon should make as few assumptions as possible, eliminating those that make no difference in the observable predictions of the explanatory hypothesis or theory. The principle is often expressed in Latin as the lex parsimoniae ("law of parsimony", "law of econ [..]

"Zeno's Paradoxes"

Published on 2012-10-25 21:19:00

"Zeno's Paradoxes"by Joe Kissell"Do you ever have one of those days when you just can’t seem to get yourself moving? Or maybe, no matter how hard you try to get caught up, you always seem to lag behind? I have those kinds of days all the time—and so, apparently, did ancient Greek philosophers. One of them, Zeno of Elea, devised an ingenious set of philosophical statements that amount to “proof” that motion is impossible, despite all evidence to the contrary. These statements are known as [..]

Robert Fulghum, "Are There Any Questions?"

Published on 2012-10-25 20:54:00

"Are There Any Questions?"by Robert Fulghum"Are there any questions?" An offer that comes at the end of college lectures and long meetings. Said when an audience is not only overdosed with information, but when there is no time left anyhow. At times like that you sure do have questions. Like, "Can we leave now?" and "What the hell was this meeting for?" and "Where can I get a drink?"The gesture is supposed to indicate openness on the part of the speaker, I suppose, but if in fact you [..]

"A Message From The Stone Age"

Published on 2012-10-25 20:42:00

"These hands were painted on the walls of a cave in Rio Pinturas, Argentina. The hand forms were created by pressing all or part of the hand against the surface, after having applied paint or clay.Despite its clear bodily form, this sign is a surprisingly rare sign, found at just under 7 per cent of the French sites studied. Its earliest know appearance is at Chauvet, from where it seems to have spread out in all directions. By 13,000 years ago it had fallen out of use. Hand symbols also [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-25 20:15:00

Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, “The Sacred Depths of Nature”

Published on 2012-10-25 20:08:00

“The Sacred Depths of Nature”by Chet Raymo“NASA has released the latest and deepest look into space ever, revealing galaxies as they were 13.2 billion years ago, only 500 million years after the big bang. You will remember the Hubble Deep Field and the Ultra Deep Field. This new compilation of all the previous data is called the XDF, the Extreme Deep Field. Do this. Go to the Hubble XDF web site, download the highest resolution version and fill your screen with it. And while you're there, [..]

"What Is the 'Avoidance of Suffering'?"

Published on 2012-10-25 17:54:00

"What Is the 'Avoidance of Suffering'?"by Carolyn Baker"There is no coming to consciousness without pain."- Carl Jung"In the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, Sigmund Freud cultivated a very dark perception of humanity as he assessed the baser instincts largely repressed in the human unconscious. His pupil, who became the famous Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung, acknowledged the dark side of humanity which drove Freud to utter despair but unlike Freud, Jung came to believe that t [..]

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-24 21:47:00

“The large stellar association cataloged as NGC 206 is nestled within the dusty arms of neighboring spiral galaxy Andromeda (M31), 2.5 million light-years distant.

Chet Raymo, “Deus Absconditus”

Published on 2012-10-24 21:43:00

“Deus Absconditus”by Chet Raymo“OK, we live in a universe of 100 billion galaxies, at least, and that fact- as facty as these things get- should smack us down when we start spouting off about the meaning of it all. And don't overlook the facty fact that we don’t even know what 96 percent of the universe is made of. Dark matter. Dark energy. Dark glass (as in "through a"). All I have to do is flip through any weekly issue of "Science" or "Nature" to be reminded of what I don't know, a sea [..]

"The Solitude Of Nature"

Published on 2012-10-24 21:28:00

"The Solitude Of Nature" by Dzigar Kongtrul "The solitude of nature sometimes brings a touch of melancholy or sadness to the mind. Alone with the trees and wind and the birds, ants, and wild animals, you naturally begin to reflect more deeply. As your view of what is meaningful becomes more vast, your sense of melancholy deepens. You may notice something ironic: sitting quietly alone, you may feel less isolated from the world than you do when you're busily engaged in the hustle and bustle [..]

"An Old Farmer's Advice"

Published on 2012-10-24 21:19:00

"An Old Farmer's Advice"

The Poet: Samuel Taylor Coleridge, "What If?"

Published on 2012-10-24 20:50:00

"What If?" "What if you slept?And what if,In your sleepYou dreamed?And what if,In your dream,You went to heavenAnd there pluckedA strange andBeautiful flower?And what if,When you awoke,You had the flowerIn your hand?... Ah, what then?"- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-24 20:36:00

Monteagle, Tennessee, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Avoiding the Center: Hovering Around the Sun"

Published on 2012-10-24 20:24:00

"Avoiding the Center: Hovering Around the Sun"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"Quiet time each day is so important, but many are so out of practice that it’s almost unnerving to be in stillness. It’s funny to imagine our lives as something we spend a lot of time avoiding, because it seems like that would be impossible to do. Our lives consist of everything we engage in, from showering to sleeping, but also a lot of busy work that distracts us and keeps us from looking at our lives. Experiencin [..]

"The Consequences of Fear"

Published on 2012-10-24 20:16:00

"In the Zone of the Homeless"

Published on 2012-10-24 20:09:00

"In the Zone of the Homeless"by Michael Doliner"I am living in the middle of the produce district in Los Angeles. Every morning trucks beeping and backing up wake me, especially the trucks dragging away the full dumpster and sliding in the empty one. Nearby are the toy, flower, and fabric districts. Also, spread among them, is what can only be called the homelessness district. From Olympic over to Fifth street, from Towne to Wall, large numbers of the homeless, their shopping carts piled with wh [..]

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-24 16:46:00

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind “Adagio for Sleep”

Published on 2012-10-23 22:23:00

Liquid Mind “Adagio for Sleep” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quFgHlfQAuo&feature=related

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-23 21:19:00

"An intriguing and beautiful nebula, NGC 3576 drifts through the Sagittarius arm of our spiral Milky Way Galaxy. Within the region, episodes of star formation are thought to contribute to the complex and suggestive shapes. Powerful winds from the nebula's embedded, young, massive stars shape the looping filaments.

Paulo Coelho, "Russian Nazca Lines: Elk-Shaped Structure Discovered in Russia"

Published on 2012-10-23 21:08:00

"Russian Nazca Lines:Elk-Shaped Structure Discovered in Russia"by Paulo Coelho"A huge geoglyph in the shape of an elk or deer discovered in Russia may predate Peru’s famous Nazca Lines by thousands of years. The animal-shaped stone structure, located near Lake Zjuratkul in the Ural Mountains, north of Kazakhstan, has an elongated muzzle, four legs and two antlers. A historical Google Earth satellite image from 2007 shows what may be a tail, but this is less clear in more recent imagery.

Chet Raymo, “Finding It Where You Are”; Mary Oliver, “Going To Walden”

Published on 2012-10-23 20:44:00

“Finding It Where You Are”by Chet Raymo“Yes, I've been to Walden. Been there several times, in fact. With students. We sat on the earth at the site of the cabin and read from the book. And the wind stirred the pines, and the hickories, and the oaks, and rippled the pond that shone like silver in the early morning sun. And then, to honor the spirit of the man we came to visit, we sat silently, as if on the stoop of his cabin with friends, knowing that any words, even his own, intruded on th [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-23 20:37:00

Paul Craig Roberts, "What Obamneycare Really Does"

Published on 2012-10-23 20:30:00

"Obamneycare – Another Win-Win for the Oligarchs"

Published on 2012-10-23 20:21:00

"Obamneycare – Another Win-Win for the Oligarchs"by Robert S. Dotson, M.D.“Mitt Romney is a wolf in a wolf’s clothing. Barack Obama is a wolf in a sheep’s clothing, but they both essentially have the same agenda.” – Jill Stein“Bipartisan usually means that a larger-than-usual deception is being carried out.”

The Economy: "Approaching The Terminal Point"

Published on 2012-10-23 18:54:00

"Approaching The Terminal Point"by Monty Pelerin, EconomicNoise.com"Two events are racing at us — an important (possibly existential) election and a fiscal cliff. The fiscal cliff is overrated. Under normal conditions politicians always raise the debt limit. After going through a political dance, they will do what they always do. Whether they actually comply with spending restrictions is another issue. Compounding the so-called fiscal cliff issue is the tenuous condition of the country’s fin [..]

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-23 17:15:00

"Life..."

Published on 2012-10-23 17:02:00

"Life... is not about how fast you run or even with what degree of grace.

"A Look Towards The Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-22 23:42:00

“Normal cloud bottoms are flat. This is because moist warm air that rises and cools will condense into water droplets at a specific temperature, which usually corresponds to a very specific height. As water droplets grow, an opaque cloud forms. Under some conditions, however, cloud pockets can develop that contain large droplets of water or ice that fall into clear air as they evaporate. Such pockets may occur in turbulent air near a thunderstorm.

Chet Raymo, "The New Year's Eve We Did The Town

Published on 2012-10-22 23:36:00

"The New Year's Eve We Did The Town,

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-22 23:00:00

St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“WARNING: Radiation Fear-Mongering And Health”; A Comment

Published on 2012-10-22 22:11:00

A Comment: Ok, first thing folks, do not panic. We simply don't have enough factual information now and need additional information from confirmed sources to determine exactly what has, or has not, happened at Fukushima. Meanwhile this article was posted here on March 3, 2011, and obviously would not reflect current reality if the worst case proves to be true, but it does contain good information you should consider. - CP“WARNING: Radiation Fear-Mongering And Health”

Update: "Fukushima Spent Fuel Pools Exploded, On Fire Now Exploded, Radiation Levels Spiking Massively"

Published on 2012-10-22 21:16:00

Update, 8:30 PM, mountain time. I've tried sourcing this information and there's nothing really conclusive to prove or disprove the assertions in the article below. The real problem is that we're so used to the never-ending outright lies from the government and corporations that it makes it nearly impossible at times to know what the truth is, and in this case, what's written in the article is highly plausible based on what we do know. There's no absolute "Truth", folks, though I do my best to f [..]

Satire: “Romney Supports Woman’s Right to Choose What She Makes for Dinner”

Published on 2012-10-22 20:19:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-22 18:58:00

"Stellar Wind: Big Brother Goes Live September 2013"

Published on 2012-10-22 16:44:00

“'We Are This Far From A Turnkey Totalitarian State' -

“The Secrets of Room 641A”

Published on 2012-10-22 16:16:00

“The Secrets of Room 641A”by Dave Gonigam“They might as well come in and lock my doors… shut me down,” says Patti McKee, owner of a thrift store in Spartanburg, S.C. “Everything in here is made in China!” Your yard sale? That’s at risk too. And the stuff you sell on Craigslist - or if you’re still old school, the newspaper classifieds. Our investigation into the multifront War on You continues this morning, kicking off another week of market uncertainty… prior to the election [..]

“Phony Terrorism Scam From the State's Secret Police”

Published on 2012-10-22 08:58:00

“Phony Terrorism Scam From the State's Secret Police” By Michael S. Rozeff“How misleading can a "news" article get? Try this headline: "Federal Reserve bombing plot foiled in NYC". There never was a plot to foil. There never was a plot independent of the FBI to foil. The plot was of the FBI's own devising and instigation. There never was an ongoing crime for the FBI to detect and stop. Foil means counteract. To say something is foiled means there has been an action to counter-act. What? Di [..]

"Nikolai Kondratiev's "Long Wave": The Mirror of the Global Economic Crisis"

Published on 2012-10-22 02:39:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-21 21:38:00

“This is the mess that is left when a star explodes. The Crab Nebula, the result of a supernova seen in 1054 AD, is filled with mysterious filaments. The filaments are not only tremendously complex, but appear to have less mass than expelled in the original supernova and a higher speed than expected from a free explosion.

Chet Raymo, “Telling Stories: ‘Real’ Life”

Published on 2012-10-21 21:33:00

“Telling Stories: ‘Real’ Life”by Chet Raymo"If the doors of perception were cleansed everything

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-21 21:00:00

Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. Thanks for stopping by.

"What's the Significance of Life? Who Are We?"

Published on 2012-10-21 20:53:00

"What's the Significance of Life? Who Are We?"

Derrick Jensen, "There Are Times..."

Published on 2012-10-21 20:36:00

"There are times the lies get to me, times I weary of battering myself against the obstacles of denial, hatred, fear-induced stupidity, and greed, times I want to curl up and fall into the problem, let it sweep me away as it so obviously sweeps away so many others. I remember a spring day a few years ago, a spring day much like this one, only a little more sun, and warmer. I sat on this same couch and looked out this same window at the same ponderosa pine.I was frightened, and lonely. Fri [..]

The Environment: "Wake Up! Our World Is Dying and We're All in Denial"

Published on 2012-10-21 20:29:00

"How It Really Is, And Was"

Published on 2012-10-21 18:56:00

“Salt Lake Tribune Endorsement: Too Many Mitts”

Published on 2012-10-21 18:08:00

“Salt Lake Tribune Endorsement: Too Many Mitts”by The Salt Lake Tribune“Citing an agenda "bereft of detail and worthy of mistrust," even his natural constituency- the Mormons- have had enough of Romney's Etch-A-Sketch BS. In a brutal editorial endorsing Obama, the Salt Lake Tribune blasted Romney's "shape-shifting...with breathtaking aplomb" to win at any cost.” - by Abby Zimet“Nowhere has Mitt Romney’s pursuit of the presidency been more warmly welcomed or closely followed than here [..]

Karl Denninger, "The Foreign Policy Dilemma"

Published on 2012-10-21 17:35:00

"The Foreign Policy Dilemma"by Karl Denninger"The front page of Fox News this morning is trumpeting a story about both Obama and Romney "taking a break" from campaigning to brush up on foreign policy ahead of tomorrow's debate in Boca Raton. Foreign policy is, and should always be, a major part of Presidential politics. It was thrust into the center of the stage this time around by events in Benghazi, where a group of militants stormed a US Consulate and killed four, including the ambassador.

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-20 22:27:00

“An asterism is just a recognized pattern of stars that is not one the 88 official constellations. For example, one of the most famous (and largest) asterisms is the Big Dipper within the constellation Ursa Major. But this pretty chain of stars, visible with binoculars towards the long-necked constellation of Camelopardalis, is also a recognized asterism.

Chet Raymo, "Eve"

Published on 2012-10-20 22:19:00

Neuroscience: “What Are Mirror Neurons?”

Published on 2012-10-20 22:12:00

“What Are Mirror Neurons?”by

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-20 21:52:00

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.Thanks for stopping by.

"Thucydides In The Underworld"

Published on 2012-10-20 21:40:00

Wendell Berry, "A Spiritual Journey"

Published on 2012-10-20 21:33:00

Life Skills: "Are You Feeling Stressed Out?"

Published on 2012-10-20 21:25:00

"Are You Feeling Stressed Out?"by Jonathan"Have you got endless demands tugging at you from all directions? Does your life seem to be spinning out of control? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed out when you can’t ever seem to catch up. Do you think bringing your life into balance would require a major life change? It may not be as difficult as what you imagine. Did you realize that, regardless of your circumstances, a true sense of balance actually comes from within you, not [..]

"How to Watch the Orionid Meteor Shower This Weekend"

Published on 2012-10-20 19:51:00

Albert Einstein, "The World As I See It"

Published on 2012-10-20 19:36:00

"The World As I See It"

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-20 18:22:00

Paulo Coelho, "A Man Lying On The Ground"

Published on 2012-10-20 02:49:00

"What Can We Know? What Are We All?"

Published on 2012-10-20 02:24:00

"What can we know? What are we all?Poor silly half-brained things peering out at the infinite,with the aspirations of angels and the instincts of beasts."- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Musical Interlude: Adiemus, “Song of the Odyssey”

Published on 2012-10-20 00:19:00

Adiemus, “Song of the Odyssey”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhzwwpYPZMM&feature=related

Archaeology: “Tiahuanaco: Gateway to the Gods”

Published on 2012-10-19 23:52:00

“Tiahuanaco: Gateway to the Gods”by Dan Eden. "Ask most people who are the oldest civilization or where the oldest civilization lived and you'll hear answers like Mesopotamia (Iraq), Egypt or Iran. While these cultures can be traced back to 4000 B.C., the mysterious ruins of Tiahuanaco, in Bolivia, could be 14,000 years old! If you think the Great Pyramid in Egypt is a technological marvel, wait until you see what artists and engineers were doing in Tiahuanaco. This culture thrived at [..]

Zane Grey, "Recipe For Greatness"

Published on 2012-10-19 22:22:00

"Recipe for greatness- To bear up under loss, to fight the bitterness of defeat and the weakness of grief, to be victor over anger, to smile when tears are close, to resist evil men and base instincts, to hate hate and to love love, to go on when it would seem good to die, to seek ever after the glory and the dream, to look up with unquenchable faith in something evermore about to be, that is what any man can do, and so be great."- Zane Grey

"Pay It Forward: Elevation Leads to 'Altruistic Behavior'"

Published on 2012-10-19 22:18:00

"Pay It Forward:

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-19 21:58:00

“NGC 2623 is really two galaxies that are becoming one. Seen to be in the final stages of a titanic galaxy merger, the pair lies some 300 million light-years distant toward the constellation Cancer. The violent encounter between two galaxies that may have been similar to the Milky Way has produced widespread star formation near a luminous core and along eye-catching tidal tails.

Paulo Coelho, "Incompetence Behind Authority"

Published on 2012-10-19 21:37:00

"Incompetence Behind Authority"by Paulo Coelho "Jean was walking with his grandfather through a public square in Paris.At a certain point, he saw a shoemaker being mistreated by a client, whose footwear showed a flaw. The shoemaker listened calmly to the complaint and apologized, promising to correct the error.Jean and his grandfather stopped to have coffee at a bistro. At the table next to them, the waiter asked a man to move his chair a little in order to make space. That man burst into a torr [..]

Chet Raymo, “Matters of Life and Death”

Published on 2012-10-19 20:47:00

“Matters of Life and Death” by Chet Raymo“For the past few days I've have passed this poor bedraggled creature on the sidewalk. I cannot help but think of that essay in Lewis Thomas' "The Lives of a Cell" called "Death In the Open." How rare it is, he writes, to see a dead wild animal. He mentions squirrels in particular. They teem in his backyard, he says, all year long, but he has never seen, anywhere, a dead squirrel."It is always a queer shock, part a sudden upwelling of grief, part un [..]

"A Message from the Hopi Elders"

Published on 2012-10-19 18:05:00

"A Message from the Hopi Elders""You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour.Now you must go back and tell the people that this is The Hour.Here are the things that must be considered:Where are you living?What are you doing?What are your relationships?Are you in right relation?Where is your water?Know our garden.It is time to speak your Truth.Create your community.Be good to each other.And do not look outside yourself for the leader.This could be a good time!There is a river [..]

Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 10.19.12”

Published on 2012-10-19 01:38:00

“Weekly News Wrap-Up 10.19.12”by Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "The big story this week was Round 2 of the Presidential Debates. Obama was on his game, but I still have to give a light edge to Romney on the pounding he gave the President on the rotten economy. That said, I wish I could have asked a few questions of the candidates. Here’s three I would have asked: The Fed is printing $85 billion each and every month, half of which to bail out the banks’ sour mortgage debt, do you suppor [..]

Musical Interlude: Adiemus, “In Caelum Fero”

Published on 2012-10-18 23:29:00

Adiemus, “In Caelum Fero” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HMlZ7iHqUc&feature=related

"The Mysterious Phenomenon of 'Shadow People'"

Published on 2012-10-18 23:21:00

"The Mysterious Phenomenon of 'Shadow People'"by Bernard Powell"One of the most interesting and intriguing phenomena in the world of paranormal activity is that of the "Shadow People." Each and every week there seems to be more and more stories and reports involving these mysterious beings, and they certainly have become a hot topic and a subject of growing interest of research by investigators. Stories about these strange entities and their natures vary from harmless, quiet and shy obser [..]

Rachel Carson, "One Summer Night..."

Published on 2012-10-18 23:04:00

Click image for larger size.

"The World's Last Whale"

Published on 2012-10-18 22:56:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-18 22:53:00

"Located just next door, Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to the Sun. A view from our interstellar neighbor a mere 4.3 light-years away is shown in this illustration. The Sun is at the upper right, a bright star against the background of the Milky Way.

"Who Are We? Maybe Not Who You Think"

Published on 2012-10-18 22:44:00

"Who Are We? Maybe Not Who You Think"by Robert Lanza, MD"Who in the world am I?" asked Alice (in Wonderland). "Ah, that's the great puzzle!" The question may make you wonder about taking time to ponder such philosophical babble. The answer is usually defined by what you can control. A reply might be, "I can wiggle my toes but I can't move the legs of the table." The dividing line between self and nonself is taken to be the skin. This is reinforced every day of our lives - every time you f [..]

Chet Raymo, “Examination of Conscience”

Published on 2012-10-18 22:35:00

“Examination of Conscience”by Chet Raymo“I have been reading Stephanie Smallwood's “Saltwater Slavery”, a close examination of the trade in human beings between the coast of West Africa and the Americas in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is a sobering read, but if there is one thing I came away with, it was this: We have an enormous capacity to rationalize the most horrendous crimes. Everyone involved in the slave trade- the European owners of the ships, the masters of the trading comp [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-18 22:21:00

Demopolis, Alabama, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

H.L. Mencken, "All Government..."

Published on 2012-10-18 22:11:00

"All government, in its essence, is a conspiracy against the superior man: its one permanent object is to oppress him and cripple him. If it be aristocratic in organization, then it seeks to protect the man who is superior only in law against the man who is superior in fact; if it be democratic, then it seeks to protect the man who is inferior in every way against both. One of its primary functions is to regiment men by force, to make them as much alike as possible and as dependent upon one anot [..]

Paul Krugman, "Small-Time Mitt"

Published on 2012-10-18 03:30:00

"Small-Time Mitt"by Paul Krugman"So, I was amazed to hear Mitt Romney describing himself as having “come through small business”, as if his private equity firm were just like a mom-and-pop store or something. But Digby informs us that he made similar claims in his convention speech, making Bain sound like a scrappy little start-up. And it’s true it had only 10 people at first — that, and $37 million, yes, $37 million, in seed money. Where did that $37 million come from? A large part from [..]

The Economy: “Doomsday Cycle Targets America Next”

Published on 2012-10-18 03:17:00

“Doomsday Cycle Targets America Next”by Paul B. Farrell“Warning bells, alarms scream louder. But our banks and politicians can’t hear, are deaf, in denial. Won’t take action... not until it is too late. That’s the latest from Simon Johnson and Peter Boone in “The Doomsday Cycle Turns: Who’s Next?” Who is next? America, Japan, the euro zone are the triple threat next in the line of fire, in danger of collapsing, thanks to a doomsday conspiracy where global “political and finan [..]

"Mark Twain’s Top 9 Tips for Living a Great Life"

Published on 2012-10-17 23:17:00

"Mark Twain’s Top 9 Tips for Living a Great Life"by Henrik Edberg"You may know Mark Twain for some of his very popular books like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He was a writer and also a humorist, satirist and lecturer. Twain is known for his many – and often funny – quotes. Here are a few of my favorite tips from him.1. Approve of yourself. “A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.” If you don’t approve of yourself, of your behav [..]

"Human Destiny: The Grace of the Present Moment"

Published on 2012-10-17 22:38:00

"Human Destiny: The Grace of the Present Moment"by Michael Dowd"Our present situation, I think, can be summarized by the following three sentences: 1. The glory of the human has become the desolation of the Earth. 2. The desolation of the Earth is becoming the destiny of the human. 3. Therefore, all human activities, professions, programs and institutions must henceforth be judged primarily by the extent to which they inhibit, ignore or foster a mutually enhancing human/Earth relationship [..]

"The Legend of the Starfish"

Published on 2012-10-17 22:34:00

"The Legend of the Starfish""A vacationing businessman was walking along a beach when he saw a young boy. Along the shore were many starfish that had been washed up by the tide and were sure to die before the tide returned. The boy was walking slowly along the shore and occasionally reached down and tossed the beached starfish back into the ocean.The businessman, hoping to teach the boy a little lesson in common sense, walked up to the boy and said, “I have been watching what you are do [..]

Musical Interlude: Secret Garden, “The Promise”

Published on 2012-10-17 21:57:00

Secret Garden, “The Promise” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEmk1zMrkhM&feature=related

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-17 21:02:00

“Far beyond the local group of galaxies lies NGC 3621, some 22 million light-years away. Found in the multi-headed southern constellation Hydra, the winding spiral arms of this gorgeous island universe are loaded with luminous young star clusters and dark dust lanes.

Chet Raymo, "Wow!"

Published on 2012-10-17 20:57:00

"Wow!"by Chet Raymo"Bakewell distills Montaigne's philosophy of life to this succinct statement: "The trick is to maintain a kind of naïve amazement at each instant of experience." Oh, she has more than that. She has her twenty answers from Montaigne to the question "How To Live": Pay attention. Question everything. Be convivial. Live temperately. Be ordinary and imperfect. Don't fear death. And so on. But I'll settle for the naïve amazement.Nearly fifty years ago, as a young prof, I had a sho [..]

Free Download: Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"

Published on 2012-10-17 20:49:00

Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations" "Life is neither good or evil, but only a place for good and evil."- Marcus Aurelius"Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was the Roman emperor from 161 to his death in 180. He ruled with Lucius Verus as co-emperor from 161 until Lucius' death in 169. He was the last of the "Five Good Emperors", and is also considered one of the most important Stoic philosophers. His tenure was marked by wars in Asia against a revitalized Parthian [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-17 20:43:00

Gila, New Mexico, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"So Great..."

Published on 2012-10-16 23:56:00

"Twixt Night And Morn..."

Published on 2012-10-16 23:44:00

“Between two worlds life hovers like a star,

Free Download: "Star Maker"

Published on 2012-10-16 23:32:00

"Star Maker"By Olaf Stapledon"Stapledon undertakes the immense task of describing the entire history of life in the universe. It dwarfs in scale even his 1930 book "Last and First Men," which is a history of the human species over two billion years. It tackles philosophical themes such as the essence of life, of birth, decay and death, and the relationship between creation and creator. The narrator starts with a concern at the clash of ideas on Earth and finds analogies to both communism and fas [..]

A Video Moment With Nature: Linkin Park, "In the End"

Published on 2012-10-16 22:20:00

Linkin Park, “In The End”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkbiB0QfU3s

Satire: "Romney Sets New Personal Best for Faking Empathy"

Published on 2012-10-16 22:06:00

"Romney Sets New Personal Best for Faking Empathy"by Andy BorowitzHEMPSTEAD, NY (The Borowitz Report)— "Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney set a new personal record tonight by pretending to care about average Americans for nearly ninety minutes. Mr. Romney began the second Presidential debate by simulating concern for a college student named Jeremy’s employment future and maintained a consistent level of feigned concern on a variety of subjects for the remainder of the night. “It [..]

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-16 22:00:00

“NGC 253 is not only one of the brightest spiral galaxies visible, it is also one of the dustiest. Discovered in 1783 by Caroline Herschel in the constellation of Sculptor, NGC 253 lies only about ten million light-years distant.

Genetics: "Mankind Nearly Extinct 70,000 Years Ago"

Published on 2012-10-16 21:48:00

Chet Raymo, “Pointless? They Don't Know Neither Do I So There You Are”

Published on 2012-10-16 21:25:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-16 20:53:00

Kodungallur, Kerala, India. Thanks for stopping by.

The Internet: "What 'Do Not Track' Doesn’t Do"

Published on 2012-10-16 18:26:00

"What 'Do Not Track' Doesn’t Do"by Thorin Klosowski"The "Do Not Track" setting available in most web browsers is a great option to have if you don't want websites tracking your browsing history. However, as How-To Geek points out, "Do Not Track" provides a false sense of security because it doesn't block as much as you'd think.As we've discussed before, tracking works by installing third party browser cookies that attempt to target advertisements at you better. The "Do Not Track" option in you [..]

The Universe

Published on 2012-10-16 02:57:00

“If you knew for absolute certain that every little thing you did today would later be scrutinized, literally moment by moment, by a future you, and future friends, as well as anyone else interested, and you'd all be looking for a number of qualities, especially patience, kindness, and love, during this game of games and test of tests called life, how might you treat the very next person you see after reading this Note? Popcorn, anyone? Twizzlers? Ouh, watch...! Ahhhhh...”"Yeah,"

"Who Says You Have To?"

Published on 2012-10-15 22:16:00

"Who Says You Have To?"by Ali"Something I’ve become very aware of recently is how often I say or think “I have to” or “I need to” when, actually, I don’t. You probably do this too. Almost everyone does. I’m thinking of things like:I have to clean the kitchen this weekend.I need to phone my mother.I have to try a bit of that cake.I need to lose weight.In almost every case, it’s just not an accurate way to describe the situation. In particular, any time you start feeling that [..]

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-15 21:47:00

“A bright spiral galaxy of the northern sky, Messier 63 is about 25 million light-years distant in the loyal constellation Canes Venatici. Also cataloged as NGC 5055, the majestic island universe is nearly 100,000 light-years across, about the size of our own Milky Way. Known by the popular moniker, The Sunflower Galaxy, M63 sports a bright yellowish core and sweeping blue spiral arms, streaked with cosmic dust lanes and dotted with pink star forming regions.

Chet Raymo, "OK, Let's Put Two And Two Together..."

Published on 2012-10-15 21:39:00

"OK, Let's Put Two And Two Together..."by Chet Raymo"The Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world on December 21, 2012. I mean, it must be true; there are hundreds of web sites asserting imminent apocalypse. And just wait till you see the forthcoming movie. If you are not getting ready for doomsday, you are missing the boat - er, ark. At the very least, don't bother doing your Christmas shopping in 2012.And then there's the Large Hadron Collider, warming up - or I should say, "cooling down"- [..]

"Finding Answers Within: You Have All the Answers Within You"

Published on 2012-10-15 21:11:00

"Finding Answers Within:

"Suffering..."

Published on 2012-10-15 20:58:00

"True freedom and the end of suffering is living in sucha way as if you had completely chosen whateveryou feel or experience at this moment.This inner alignment with Now is the end of suffering.Is suffering really necessary? Yes and no.If you had not suffered as you have, there would be no depth to you as a human being, no humility, no compassion.You would not be reading this now. Suffering cracks open the shell of ego, and then comes a point when it has served its purpose.Suffering is necessary [..]

Satire: "Obama’s New Debate Strategy"

Published on 2012-10-15 20:45:00

"Obama’s New Debate Strategy"by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— "With his polite and well-mannered performance widely panned in the first Presidential debate, President Barack Obama is under mounting pressure to prove that he can act like an as***le in the second debate tomorrow night, a campaign aide confirmed. “In America, we demand that our President remain cool and calm in a crisis but go batshit in a debate,” the aide said. “Tuesday night is all about that second pi [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-15 20:38:00

Renton, Washington, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Killing..."

Published on 2012-10-15 19:38:00

"Until we have the courage to recognize cruelty for what it is- whether its victim is human or animal- we cannot expect things to be much better in this world. We cannot have peace among men whose hearts delight in killing any living creature. By every act that glorifies or even tolerates such moronic delight in killing we set back the progress of humanity."- Rachel Carson

History: “The Real Reason America Nuked Japan”

Published on 2012-10-15 19:31:00

“The Real Reason America Nuked Japan”Atomic Weapons Were Not Needed to End the War or Save LivesBy Washingtons Blog“Like all Americans, I was taught that the U.S. dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in order to end WWII and save both American and Japanese lives. But most of the top American military officials at the time said otherwise. The U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey group, assigned by President Truman to study the air attacks on Japan, produced a report in July of 1946 that [..]

“The Self-Destruction of the 1 Percent”

Published on 2012-10-15 03:10:00

“The Self-Destruction of the 1 Percent”By Chrystia Freeland, The NY Times“In the early 14th century, Venice was one of the richest cities in Europe. At the heart of its economy was the colleganza, a basic form of joint-stock company created to finance a single trade expedition. The brilliance of the colleganza was that it opened the economy to new entrants, allowing risk-taking entrepreneurs to share in the financial upside with the established businessmen who financed their merchant voyag [..]

“LEAP/E2020, GEAB 67: Global Systemic Crisis/October 2012”

Published on 2012-10-15 02:30:00

“LEAP/E2020, GEAB 67: Global Systemic Crisis/October 2012” by Global Europe Anticipation Bulletin (GEAB)"As LEAP/E2020 anticipated since the end of 2011, the end of summer 2012 marks the beginning of the revival for Euroland with the emergence of a positive dynamic fed by two lasting phenomena: first, the progressive operational installation of the instruments bitterly discussed and decided upon during the last 18 months and, secondly, the visionary spark brought by the political changes of [..]

"Empire and Its Consequences"

Published on 2012-10-15 01:51:00

"Empire and Its Consequences"by Robert C. Koehler"Ever notice the way certain basic human values quietly transform into their opposite on their way to becoming national policy? At the human level, the immorality of murder is fundamental, and most people understand the insanity of armed hatred. Keeping these dark forces under wraps is essential to the existence of human society. So why is it, then, that at the abstract level of nationalism, those forces are honored, worshiped, saluted, extolled a [..]

Paul Craig Roberts, “Lesser Of Two Evils”

Published on 2012-10-15 01:21:00

“Lesser Of Two Evils”by Paul Craig Roberts“Back during the George W. Bush neocon regime, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela in his UN speech summed up George W. Bush for the world. I am quoting Chavez from memory, not verbatim. “Yesterday standing at this same podium was Satan himself, speaking as if he owned the world. You can still smell the sulfur.”Chavez is one of the American right-wing’s favorite bogyman, because Chavez helps the people instead of bleeding them for the rich, wh [..]

Free Download: The Poems of Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Published on 2012-10-14 23:41:00

"The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deepMoans round with many voices. Come, my friends,'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.Push off, and sitting well in order smiteThe sounding furrows; for my purpose holdsTo sail beyond the sunset, and the bathsOf all the western stars, until I die.It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.Tho' much is taken, much abides and tho'We are not now that strength which i [..]

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, "In The Spirit"

Published on 2012-10-14 22:30:00

Music by Chuck Wild, “Liquid Mind VI: Spirit - In The Spirit”. Images courtesy of ESA, NASA, and The Hubble Space Telescope.- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s52o9_2pi1U&feature=related

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-14 22:14:00

“What did the first galaxies look like? To help answer this question, the Hubble Space Telescope has just finished taking the eXtreme Deep Field (XDF), the deepest image of the universe ever taken in visible light. Pictured above, the XDF shows a sampling of some of the oldest galaxies ever seen, galaxies that formed just after the dark ages, 13 billion years ago, when the universe was only a few percent of its present age.

Chet Raymo, “Cuddle And Cudgel”

Published on 2012-10-14 21:49:00

“Cuddle And Cudgel” by Chet Raymo"Click on the image above to make it as big as you can on your screen. It's pretty, is it not? It is, in fact, an image of something invisibly small, so small and so beyond apprehension by the unaided senses that it can only be represented schematically, in his case as a TinkerToy construction of balls-and-sticks (upper right) and, more abstractly, as a multicolored ribbon (left).What is it? The stick-and-ball construction is the "cuddle" hormone, oxytocin. 4 [..]

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-14 19:43:00

"Earthquake/Radiation Monitoring Sources"

Published on 2012-10-14 19:24:00

"Earthquake/Radiation Monitoring Sources"Compiled by CPBaseline Surface Radiation Network: "Because of the important role radiation plays in the climate system, the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) was established to provide a worldwide network to continuously measure radiative fluxes at the Earth's surface. Many of these stations began operation in 1992 and each year more stations are added to the network. These stations provide data for the calibration of the GEWEX Surface Radiation B [..]

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-13 21:39:00

“Spiky stars and spooky shapes abound in this deep cosmic skyscape. Its well-composed field of view covers about 2 Full Moons on the sky toward the constellation Pegasus. Of course the brighter stars show diffraction spikes, the commonly seen effect of internal supports in reflecting telescopes, and lie well within our own Milky Way galaxy.

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-13 21:29:00

St. Ignatius, Montana, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

“Project Cloverleaf: Ex-Government Employee Talks About Chemtrails”

Published on 2012-10-13 21:06:00

“Project Cloverleaf:

Chet Raymo, “Facing Backwards”

Published on 2012-10-13 20:44:00

“Facing Backwards”by Chet Raymo“Perhaps the greatest problem facing the world today is the disparity of power between rich and poor. Technology (satellite television, the internet, easy international travel) keeps the disparity at front of mind for the oppressed. They turn first of all to religion as an anodyne. After all, what is more empowering than to have God on one's side, and what is more consoling than the promise of paradise while the oppressor burns in hell. There is no shortage o [..]

"Why Are Americans So Easy to Manipulate and Control?"

Published on 2012-10-13 20:42:00

"Why Are Americans So Easy to Manipulate and Control?" by Bruce E. Levine "What a fascinating thing! Total control of a living organism!"

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-13 19:09:00

"Facts, Not Theories: P.T. Barnum"

Published on 2012-10-13 17:33:00

"Facts, Not Theories: P. T. Barnum"By Herb Reich "We all have our cherished theories about everything from famous quips to favorite cures, not to mention history. But the facts tell a different story. Did showman P. T. Barnum really say, “There’s a sucker born every minute.”?No, he didn’t. Here’s how we fell for this misconception, according to the Barnum Museum: In 1868, a man named George Hull, of Binghamton, New York, arranged for a slab of gypsum to be carved in the shape of a hu [..]

"What Samurai Philosophy Can Teach You About Modern Life"

Published on 2012-10-13 16:17:00

Psychology: “The Illusion of Transparency”

Published on 2012-10-13 15:30:00

“The Illusion of Transparency”

Psychology: “Combating Emotional Vampires”

Published on 2012-10-13 15:21:00

“Combating Emotional Vampires”by Dr. Judith Orloff“The following is an excerpt from the "Combating Emotional Vampires" on-line course. If you would like to take the entire course, click here.Relationships are always an energy exchange. To stay feeling our best, we must ask ourselves: Who gives us energy? Who saps it? It's important to be surrounded by supportive, heart-centered people who make us feel safe and secure. It's equally important to pinpoint the emotional vampires, who, whether [..]

"Got a Problem?"

Published on 2012-10-13 00:12:00

Free Download: Ayn Rand, "Anthem"

Published on 2012-10-13 00:10:00

"Anthem: Ayn Rand’s Dystopian Masterpiece"by Roderick

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, “Journey To Peace”

Published on 2012-10-12 23:07:00

Chuck Wild, Liquid Mind, “Journey To Peace” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V00p6JU-HMU&feature=context-vrec

"School And Life..."

Published on 2012-10-12 22:54:00

“The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson

Musical Interlude: Moody Blues, “Ride My See-Saw”

Published on 2012-10-12 20:39:00

Moody Blues, “Ride My See-Saw” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCtQwXVipqo

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-12 20:18:00

“A single field from the world's most powerful survey instrument captures this spectacular skyview. Looking toward Sagittarius, the scene spans nearly 3 degrees or six times the width of the Full Moon. At bottom, upper right, and lower left it covers the Lagoon Nebula (M8), the Trifid Nebula (M20), and NGC 6559, in the crowded, dusty starfields of the central Milky Way.

Chet Raymo, "Nebula"

Published on 2012-10-12 19:37:00

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-12 17:49:00

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

Psychology: “The Learned Optimism Test”

Published on 2012-10-12 17:41:00

“The Learned Optimism Test”by Stanford University“The Instructions: Adapted from Dr. Martin Seligman's book, "Learned Optimism", there are forty-eight (48) questions in this evaluation test. Take as much time as you need to answer each of the questions. On average, this test takes about fifteen minutes. There are no right or wrong answers. Do NOT read the analysis in "Learned Optimism" until after you have completed this test. Read the description of each situation and vividly imagine it h [..]

Psychology: "Learned Helplessness and Voter Apathy"

Published on 2012-10-12 17:31:00

"Learned Helplessness and Voter Apathy"by Bill Benzon"There are things that are important to us, and things that are not. There are things that we can control, and things that we cannot. Our ability, or not, to control unimportant things is of little consequence. It is otherwise with our ability to control important things. We cannot control the weather, for example, not very much. Nor can we control the fact that we, and everyone we know, is going to die. Yes, we may have some limited control o [..]

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 10.12.12"

Published on 2012-10-12 03:08:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 10.12.12"Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "The Vice Presidential debate was this week, and it was supposed to get into the real down and dirty numbers. Vice Presidents rarely make a difference in the outcome of a Presidential election, so who cares who won. I am focusing on what is not said, and both parties conveniently leave out the $85 billion a month the Fed is printing to bail out bankers and suppress interest rates. Both parties get plenty of help from the mainstream me [..]

Satire: "Poll: By Wide Margin, Democrats Want Biden in All Remaining Debates"

Published on 2012-10-11 23:01:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-11 21:35:00

“Seen as a seagull and a duck, these nebulae are not the only cosmic clouds to evoke images of flight. But both are winging their way across this broad celestial landscape, spanning almost 7 degrees across planet Earth's night sky toward the constellation Canis Major.

"Mad People..."

Published on 2012-10-11 21:25:00

"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked."Oh, you can't help that," said the cat: "We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.""How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice."You must be," said the cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."- Lewis Carroll,

Free Download: Andrew M. Lobaczewski, "Political Ponerology"

Published on 2012-10-11 21:15:00

"Political Ponerology:A Science on the Nature of Evil Adjusted for Political Purposes"by Andrew M. Lobaczewski"Imagine- if you can- not having a conscience, none at all, no feelings of guilt or remorse no matter what you do, no limiting sense of concern for the well-being of strangers, friends, or even family members. Imagine no struggles with shame, not a single one in your whole life, no matter what kind of selfish, lazy, harmful, or immoral action you had taken. And pretend that the concept o [..]

Free Download: George Orwell, "1984"

Published on 2012-10-11 20:59:00

"From the moment when the machine first made its appearance it was clear to all thinking people that the need for human drudgery, and therefore to a great extent for human inequality, had disappeared. If the machine were used deliberately for that end, hunger, overwork, dirt, illiteracy and disease could be eliminated within a few generations. But it was also clear that an all-round increase in wealth threatened the destruction - indeed, in some sense was the destruction - of a hierarchical soci [..]

Dr. Kevin Barrett, "Twilight of the Psychopaths"

Published on 2012-10-11 20:46:00

"Twilight of the Psychopaths"by Dr. Kevin Barrett"Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it." - John LennonWhen Gandhi was asked his opinion of Western civilization he said it would be a good idea. But that oft-cited quote is misleading, assuming as it does that civilization is an unmitigated blessing. Civilized people, we [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-11 19:03:00

Náfplio, Argolis, Greece. thanks for stopping by.

Chet Raymo, “Embracing the Seventh Art”

Published on 2012-10-11 19:00:00

“Embracing the Seventh Art”by Chet Raymo“The medieval university curriculum was divided into two parts- the trivium (grammar, rhetoric, and logic), and the quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy). One might argue, and many do, that these seven liberal arts might still constitute a satisfactory education. And certainly, what the medievals understood about grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry and music has not substantially changed. Rhetoricians can still be inspire [..]

The Poet: Mary Oliver, “The Eskimos Have No Word for ‘War’”

Published on 2012-10-11 18:33:00

"Choices..."

Published on 2012-10-10 23:33:00

“If you’d like to know what your choices have been, look at yourself

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-10 22:53:00

“The most distant object easily visible to the eye is M31, the great Andromeda Galaxy some two and a half million light-years away. But without a telescope, even this immense spiral galaxy - spanning over 200,000 light years - appears as a faint, nebulous cloud in the constellation Andromeda. In contrast, details of a bright yellow nucleus and dark winding dust lanes, are revealed in this digital telescopic image.

Chet Raymo, "Little Lesson, Part 3"

Published on 2012-10-10 22:33:00

"Little Lesson, Part 3"

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-10 20:02:00

Garza García, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Thanks for stopping by.

"US, Israel Plan Joint Strikes On Iran"

Published on 2012-10-10 19:24:00

"US, Israel Plan Joint Strikes On Iran"By Jean Shaoul"The US and Israel are considering a joint “surgical strike” against Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to an article by David Rothkopf in Foreign Policy magazine cited in the Israeli media. It is yet another indication that detailed planning for another criminal war of aggression is underway. Rothkopf, who served under the Democratic administration of President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, cited sources “close to the discussions” no [..]

Mark Twain, "There Is No Such Thing As A New Idea..."

Published on 2012-10-10 17:52:00

"There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages."- Mark Twain

“Intellectual Property Is Childish”

Published on 2012-10-10 16:41:00

“Intellectual Property Is Childish”by Issac Morehouse“When children play with Legos, violence sometimes ensues. “He knocked down my tower!” “Only because she built it to look exactly like the one I made, and that’s not fair. I made mine first!” All the parents I’ve ever met handle this situation by pointing out to the aggressor that it is perfectly acceptable for other kids to build things that mimic his own creations; in fact, he should feel honored!But let’s visit a househo [..]

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-10 16:26:00

Say it ain't so! Oh yeah it is...

The Economy: "Measurable Improvements"

Published on 2012-10-10 15:09:00

"Measurable Improvements"by Bill Bonner"What exactly went wrong in Germany? Thomas Jefferson had been dead for 150 years when Adolf Hitler came to power. But he would have recognized the broad outlines of the problem. Jefferson: “My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.” Too much security turned out to be as deadly to the people who created it as to those who fought against it. Even after the Germans had surrendered, the dying continued. T [..]

The Economy: “What In The World Is Going On?”

Published on 2012-10-10 14:41:00

“What In The World Is Going On?”by Gerald Celente“Only when you follow the story from the start, stay abreast of how it develops, carefully parse the language to unspin the spin, get your information from a wide range of sources and analyze the data for what it is – rather than for what you want it to be – can you hope to arrive at an objective conclusion. When this process is followed in observing and analyzing the Spanish banking crisis, it leads us to two conclusions:1. It is, above [..]

The Economy: “How the Feds Produced a Zombie in Every Family”

Published on 2012-10-10 02:49:00

“How the Feds Produced a Zombie in Every Family”By Bill Bonner“We have met the zombies... and they are us! Calm action on Wall Street. After hitting a new nominal high, the Dow backed off a bit. Gold, on its way to $1,800, also dropped back for a rest. But that's just noise. The real story is that the major governments of the world are running huge deficits... and the world's major central banks are printing money. Where does that take us? That's the real question.Printed money is not the [..]

"Uncle Sam Prepares To Unleash Up To 30,000 Drones Over America For 'Public Safety'"

Published on 2012-10-10 02:34:00

"Uncle Sam Prepares To Unleash Up To

Musical Interlude: 2002, “Chrysalis- Healing Rain”

Published on 2012-10-09 20:37:00

2002, “Chrysalis- Healing Rain” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_ksD1D7vtg&feature=related

"Where I Needed To Be..."

Published on 2012-10-09 20:26:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-09 20:17:00

“It's easy to get lost following the intricate filaments in this detailed mosaic image of faint supernova remnant Simeis 147 (S147). Also cataloged as Sh2-240, it covers nearly 3 degrees or 6 full moons on the sky. That's about 150 light-years at the stellar debris cloud's estimated distance of 3,000 light-years.

"And Never, Never To Forget..."

Published on 2012-10-09 20:10:00

"To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget."

“Deconstructing Myths About Psychopaths: What Are They Really Like?”

Published on 2012-10-09 19:37:00

“Deconstructing Myths About Psychopaths:

Chet Raymo, “Little Lesson, Part 2”

Published on 2012-10-09 18:11:00

“Little Lesson, Part 2” by Chet Raymo“Wallace Stevens' poems dance across the spectrum between discover and invent, sometimes becoming so recklessly inventive as to be obscure. But he never loses sight - if barely a glimpse - of the world outside, as it is presumed to exist by the scientist, a world independent of our understanding - the two pears, for example, there on the green cloth, waiting to be discovered when the poet enters the room. Call it, if you will, a naïve realism, but it i [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-09 17:22:00

Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"Spiraling Gasoline Prices are Impoverishing Americans"

Published on 2012-10-09 17:12:00

"Spiraling Gasoline Prices are Impoverishing Americans"By Prof. Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research"How mant times do you have to get hit over the

The Universe

Published on 2012-10-09 02:55:00

"What you pay for in life, you get. What you don't pay for, you don't get. The currency is a concerted, persistent effort in thought, word, and deed. Each designed to raise expectations, instill optimism, and imply your inevitable success. And to make "things" happen even faster, understand to the absolute core of your being that this is how you created everything now in your life. What you pay for in life, you get." "You buy that?"

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, “Dream Ten”

Published on 2012-10-08 21:12:00

Chuck Wild, Liquid Mind, “Dream Ten” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ7eSn_9uT0&feature=related

The Poet: Ranier Maria Rilke, "I Love The Dark Hours"

Published on 2012-10-08 21:02:00

Paulo Coelho, “Porcupines and Solidarity”

Published on 2012-10-08 20:48:00

Paulo Coelho, “Porcupines and Solidarity”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=auwxu6Ym1ucIllustrations by Ken Crane, http://www.kencraneillustrations.com/

"How You Can Defeat Cynicism and Become a Positive Thinker"

Published on 2012-10-08 20:39:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-08 19:42:00

"A pair of NASA space telescopes have captured a spectacular new photo of the Helix Nebula, a glowing celestial vision that resembles a giant cosmic eye. The Helix Nebula (also known as NGC 7293) represents a dying star known as a planetary nebula. The new picture, released Wednesday (Oct. 3), combines data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, which observes in long-wavelength infrared light, and the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX), which picked out the short-wavelength ultraviolet light comin [..]

"Give Me the Stars... Life Wants to Live!"

Published on 2012-10-08 18:20:00

"Give Me the Stars... Life Wants to Live!"by Rick Tumlinson“I have been asked how I can so easily cross party lines during this election time, when it comes to supporting or chastising politicians based on their actions regarding the opening of space. Why do I care about opening the space frontier more than any other issue? How can I support this one who is doing this, or attack that one who is doing that? How can I even deal with that guy who is doing so much harm, and why do I attack that wo [..]

Chet Raymo, “Little Lesson, Part 1”

Published on 2012-10-08 18:01:00

“Little Lesson, Part 1”by Chet Raymo "My colleague, theologian Greg Shaw, asked me the other day "Do scientists discover reality, or invent reality?" It is, of course, the ultimate question. Knowing Greg, I was sure he would come down on the invent side of the dichotomy. After a lifetime of reading and reflecting on the subject, I would imagine the answer lies somewhere between the poles, but leaning optimistically toward discover.As a start, I offer Greg this poem of Wallace Stevens, called [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-08 15:54:00

Shelley, Idaho, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"To Die For An Idea..."

Published on 2012-10-08 15:50:00

"To die for an idea; it is unquestionably noble. But how much

Musical Interlude: Vangelis, “Alpha”

Published on 2012-10-07 23:03:00

Vangelis, “Alpha”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jG--3elufo&feature=related

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-07 21:32:00

“Near the outskirts of the Small Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy some 200 thousand light-years distant, lies 5 million year young star cluster NGC 602. Surrounded by natal gas and dust, NGC 602 is featured in this stunning Hubble image of the region.

The Poet: May Sarton , "Unison Benediction"

Published on 2012-10-07 20:36:00

"Unison Benediction"

Chet Raymo, “Surrounded By A Sleep”

Published on 2012-10-07 19:57:00

“Surrounded By A Sleep”by Chet Raymo“In an interview in the Sunday Times, the Irish novelist John Banville reflects on mortality: "All that will be left is a name. But we'll have been here, and we'll have seen these extraordinary things that we see. And that, in some peculiar way, can't be erased. This is the only reason to try to make a work of art: to say that there was a man once here, and this is how he saw this amazingly beautiful place. It's awful here, of course, but I can't imagine [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-07 19:30:00

Duncan, British Columbia, Canada. Thanks for stopping by.

Climate Change: "A Planetary Emergency"

Published on 2012-10-07 19:22:00

"Climate Change: A Planetary Emergency"Arctic Ice Melt, Psychopathic Capitalism and the Corporate MediaBy David Cromwell and David Edwards“In September, climate scientists announced that Arctic sea ice had shrunk to its smallest surface area since satellite observations began in 1979. An ice-free summer in the Arctic, once projected to be more than a century away, now looks possible just a few decades from now. Some scientists say it may happen within the next few years. The loss is hugely sig [..]

"Anyway..."

Published on 2012-10-07 18:39:00

"Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power."- P. J. O'Rourke

"Beyond Broken: Congress is Morally Bankrupt"

Published on 2012-10-07 18:30:00

"Beyond Broken: Congress is Morally Bankrupt"by Tina Dupuy"I don’t really make predictions. But my prediction is in 10 years, we will all snidely refer to anything inept, broken, petty and lazy as being like the 112th Congress. Coaches will yell it at their athletes when they’re falling behind, “Do you want people to call you the 112th?! Do you? Then get up and get back in the game!” A nasty burn in a breakup: “You’re too 112th to live with, Darrel.” This Congress should not have i [..]

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-07 18:22:00

Wendell Berry, "Waste..."

Published on 2012-10-07 18:02:00

"But when nothing is valued for what it is, everything is destined to be wasted. Once the values of things refer only to their future usefulness, then an infinite withdrawal of value from the living present has begun. Nothing (and nobody) can then exist that is not theoretically replaceable by something (or somebody) more valuable. The country that we (or some of us) had thought to make our home becomes instead 'a nation rich in natural resources'; the good bounty of the land begins its mechanic [..]

"Three Things..."

Published on 2012-10-07 00:52:00

“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special.”- Jim Valvano

Wendell Berry, "The Peace of Wild Things"

Published on 2012-10-07 00:36:00

"The Peace of Wild Things""When despair for the world grows in meand I wake in the night at the least soundin fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,I go and lie down where the wood drakerests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.I come into the peace of wild thingswho do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.

Musical Interlude: 2002, “A Year And A Day”

Published on 2012-10-06 20:57:00

2002, “A Year And A Day”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL7b_avTk38&feature=related

Chet Raymo, "The Dot and the Abyss"

Published on 2012-10-06 20:45:00

"The Dot and the Abyss"by Chet Raymo"Let's take a stroll around the neighborhood. Nearby. Not very far. Let's say 20 light-years from the Sun. A typical neighborhood, for our neck of the galaxy. About a hundred stars. If we travel to the nearest one on, say, a Voyager spacecraft, it will take us upwards of thirty thousand years to get there. So our neighborhood amble will take a while.First we'll pop in on Alpha Centauri and its two companions. Alpha is a twin of our Sun, a yellow star. In [..]

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-06 20:39:00

“Near the center of this sharp cosmic portrait, at the heart of the Orion Nebula, are four hot, massive stars known as the Trapezium. Gathered within a region about 1.5 light-years in radius, they dominate the core of the dense Orion Nebula Star Cluster. Ultraviolet ionizing radiation from the Trapezium stars, mostly from the brightest star Theta-1 Orionis C powers the complex star forming region's entire visible glow.

"Dogtown: A Happy Face!"

Published on 2012-10-06 20:35:00

"Dogtown""A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself." ~ Josh Billings"It's not just a sanctuary - it's Dogtown! Dogtown is the most welcoming place on earth. They may have been homeless, but none of the dogs here are sad and forlorn. Everywhere you go, you're greeted with wagging tails, whelps of excitement and big, friendly eyes. This is truly a neighborly, all-American town.Best Friends Animal Society is guided by a simple philosophy: kindness to anim [..]

Don Miguel Ruiz, "The Liar That Lives in Your Head"

Published on 2012-10-06 20:23:00

"The Liar That Lives in Your Head"by Don Miguel Ruiz"Before we were born, a whole society of storytellers was already here. The storytellers who were here before us taught us how to be human. First they told us what we are-a boy or a girl-then they told us who we are, and who we should or shouldn't be. They taught us how to be a woman or how to be a man. They told us to be a proper woman, a decent woman, a strong man, a brave man. They gave us a name, and they told us the role we would pl [..]

"A Sign Of The Times: Real Church Sign"

Published on 2012-10-06 20:13:00

"Yeah, we're doing just fine, thanks for asking..."

Psychology: "Cognitive Dissonance And the Human Mind"

Published on 2012-10-06 20:10:00

"Cognitive Dissonance And the Human Mind"by Dan Eden"When “Robbie” the robot was told to shoot a weapon at a man in the movie Forbidden Planet, his electronic brain sparked and short-circuited. His creator had programmed him to never harm a human and so the conflicting ideas paralyzed him. Human beings often are presented with opposing thoughts also, but our brains have developed a way of resolving these conflicts through a process call cognitive dissonance. We are taught, like “Rob [..]

Geology: "Earth's Magnetic Field and Climate Change"

Published on 2012-10-06 20:07:00

"Earth's Magnetic Field and Climate Change"by Discovery"The Earth's climate has been significantly affected by the planet's magnetic field, according to a Danish study published Monday that is unlikely to challenge the notion that human emissions are largely responsible for global warming. "Our results show a strong correlation between the strength of the Earth's magnetic field and the amount of precipitation in the tropics," one of the two Danish geophysicists behind the study, Mads Faur [..]

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, “Thought Museum”

Published on 2012-10-05 21:34:00

Liquid Mind, “Thought Museum”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlLRw6OBqMQ&feature=g-vrec

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-05 21:02:00

“Sprawling across almost 200 light-years, emission nebula IC 1805 is a mix of glowing interstellar gas and dark dust clouds. Derived from its Valentine's-Day-approved shape, its nickname is the Heart Nebula.

The Poet: Mary Oliver, "Mysteries, Yes"

Published on 2012-10-05 20:47:00

"Mysteries, Yes""Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelousto be understood.How grass can be nourishing in themouths of the lambs.How rivers and stones are foreverin allegiance with gravity,while we ourselves dream of rising.How two hands touch and the bondswill never be broken.How people come, from delight or thescars of damage,to the comfort of a poem.Let me keep my distance, always, from thosewho think they have the answers.Let me keep company always with those who say"Look!" and laugh in as [..]

Chet Raymo, "The Darkness Without And The Darkness Within"

Published on 2012-10-05 19:02:00

"The Darkness Without And The Darkness Within"by Chet Raymo"The two great themes of John Updike's fiction are sex and religion. For his male protagonists, religion functions mostly as a fence- not to constrain their carnal hankerings, but to make the "grass" looks greener on the other side. Toward the end of "Villages", almost as a throwaway, Updike offers three "evidential arguments" for the truths of Christianity.The first is our wish to live forever, "however tedious the actual experience of [..]

"How Can That Be?"

Published on 2012-10-05 18:08:00

"When someone is impatient and says, "I haven't got all day,"

"Habitual Anger: Unblocking the Ally"

Published on 2012-10-05 18:04:00

"Habitual Anger: Unblocking the Ally"by Madisyn Taylor, The DailyOM"Anger can easily become our go-to emotion; to remedy, start noticing when and why you get angry. Sometimes when we feel anger, it is coming from a deep place that demands acknowledgment and expression. At these times, it is important that we find healthy ways to honor our anger, remembering how dangerous it is to repress it. However, anger can also become a habit, our go-to emotion whenever things go wrong. Often this is because [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-05 17:58:00

Coquille, Oregon, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"No Wonder..."

Published on 2012-10-05 17:35:00

"It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction.

Vangelis, "Conquest of Paradise 1492"

Published on 2012-10-05 17:22:00

Vangelis, "Conquest of Paradise 1492" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TM2jqv0jEOQ

"Columbus Day? Thanks, No..."

Published on 2012-10-05 17:07:00

"Before our white brothers arrived to make us civilized men, we didn't have any kind of prison. Because of this, we had no delinquents. Without a prison, there can be no delinquents. We had no locks nor keys and therefore among us there were no thieves. When someone was so poor that he couldn't afford a horse, a tent or a blanket, he would, in that case, receive it all as a gift. We were too uncivilized to give great importance to private property. We didn't know any kind of money and consequent [..]

"Leaning Into The Light..."

Published on 2012-10-05 00:46:00

“How is one to live a moral and compassionate existence when one is fully aware of the blood, the horror inherent in life, when one finds darkness not only in one's culture but within oneself?

Musical Interlude Liquid Mind, “Laguna Indigo II” (“Aurora”)

Published on 2012-10-04 22:48:00

Liquid Mind, “Laguna Indigo II” (“Aurora”)Images Courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory,

Kahlil Gibran, "Beyond My Solitude"

Published on 2012-10-04 20:20:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-04 20:11:00

“What is causing the picturesque ripples of supernova remnant SNR 0509-67.5? The ripples, as well as the greater nebula, were imaged in unprecedented detail by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2006 and again late last year. The red color was recoded by a Hubble filter that left only the light emitted by energetic hydrogen. The precise reason for the ripples remains unknown, with two considered origin hypotheses relating them to relatively dense portions of either ejected or impacted gas.

"The Pursuit of Knowledge..."

Published on 2012-10-04 20:04:00

“If we value the pursuit of knowledge, we must be free to follow

Astrophysics: "What Is the 'Great Attractor'?"

Published on 2012-10-04 19:40:00

"What Is the 'Great Attractor'?"by Casey Kazan"Astronomers have known for years that something seems to be pulling our Milky Way and tens of thousands of other galaxies toward itself at a breakneck 22 million kilometers (14 million miles) per hour. But they couldn’t pinpoint exactly what or where it is. A huge volume of space that includes the Milky Way and super-clusters of galaxies is flowing towards a mysterious, gigantic unseen mass named mass astronomers have dubbed "The Great Attr [..]

Satire: “White House Authorizes Search for President’s Mojo”

Published on 2012-10-04 19:29:00

“White House Authorizes Search for President’s Mojo”by Andy BorowitzWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “The White House today announced that it was offering a “substantial cash reward” for information leading to “the location and safe return of President Obama’s mojo.” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney announced the search with an air of urgency: “We will use every resource at our disposal to ensure the return of the President’s mojo, and that goes double for his groo [..]

Chet Raymo, “The Facts of Life”

Published on 2012-10-04 19:12:00

“The Facts of Life” by Chet Raymo"On February 23, 1860, Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal: "A fact barely stated is dry. It must be the vehicle of some humanity in order to interest us. It is like giving a man a stone when he asks you for bread… A fact must be warm, moist, incarnated, - have been breathed on at least."Thoreau's journal entries of late February 1860, near the end of his all too brief life, are, as always, full of facts - cloud patterns, the disposition of ice on pond [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-04 16:55:00

Seaton, Devon, UK. Thanks for stopping by.

"Top Nuclear Experts: Technology Doesn’t Yet Exist to Clean Up Fukushima"

Published on 2012-10-04 16:50:00

"Top Nuclear Experts:

Satire: "Millions of Americans Lose Consciousness"

Published on 2012-10-03 22:41:00

"Millions of Americans Lose Consciousness"by Andy BorowitzDENVER (The Borowitz Report)— “Millions of Americans lost consciousness on Wednesday night between the hours of 9 and 10:30 P.M. E.T., according to widespread anecdotal reports from coast to coast. The sudden epidemic of sleepiness prevented voters from watching more than a minute or two of the first Presidential debate between former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama, which the few observers who remained a [..]

"Happy, Dancing People"

Published on 2012-10-03 21:38:00

“Where the Hell is Matt? 2008” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY&feature=relmfu

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-03 21:13:00

“Large galaxies grow by eating small ones. Even our own galaxy practices galactic cannibalism, absorbing small galaxies that get too close and are captured by the Milky Way's gravity. In fact, the practice is common in the universe and illustrated by this striking pair of interacting galaxies from the banks of the southern constellation Eridanus (The River).

Rachel Carson, "These Long Vistas..."

Published on 2012-10-03 20:58:00

"The aim of science is to discover and illuminate truth. And that, I take it, is the aim of literature, whether biography or history or fiction. It seems to me, then, that there can be no separate literature of science…The winds, the sea, and the moving tides are what they are. If there is wonder and beauty and majesty in them, science will discover these qualities. If they are not there, science cannot create them. If there is poetry in my book about the sea, it is not because I deliber [..]

Chet Raymo, “Blur”

Published on 2012-10-03 20:53:00

“Blur”by Chet Raymo“This was not one of the more spectacular of the APODs (Astronomy Pictures of the Day), but it caught my attention (click to enlarge). Two spiral galaxies, with rich dust lanes, one more tightly bound than the other, more or less twins of our own Milky Way Galaxy. M65, at upper left, and M66 at lower right, two of the 110 fuzzy blurs in Charles Messier's 1784 catalog of fuzzy telescopic blurs. Messier was a comet hunter- that is, a seeker of blurs. He compiled his list o [..]

"The Opposite of Courage..."

Published on 2012-10-03 20:02:00

"The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity." - Rollo May

“Eating Meat Made Us Human, Suggests New Skull Fossil”

Published on 2012-10-03 19:41:00

“Eating Meat Made Us Human, Suggests New Skull Fossil” by Charles Choi“Fragments of a 1.5-million-year-old skull from a child recently found in Tanzania suggest early hominids weren't just occasional carnivores but regular meat eaters, researchers say. The finding helps build the case that meat-eating helped the human lineage evolve large brains, scientists added. "I know this will sound awful to vegetarians, but meat made us human," said researcher Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo, an archaeolog [..]

Archaeology: "Early Humans Migrated North 800,000 Years Ago"

Published on 2012-10-03 18:33:00

"Early Humans Migrated North 800,000 Years Ago"by redOrbit"Ancient man migrated out of Africa into northern Europe more than 800,000 years ago, far earlier than previously believed, according to a new study released Wednesday. A collection of flint tools unearthed near Happisburgh in the eastern British county of Norfolk, where winter temperatures reach 32F degrees below zero, is from the earliest known settlement of humans, according to the landmark study published in the British journal [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-03 16:55:00

Neptune Beach, Florida, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"I Just Tell 'Em..."

Published on 2012-10-03 14:46:00

"People often ask me, 'Will, where do you get your jokes?' I just tell 'em,

Musical Interlude: Liquid Mind, “Velvet Morning”

Published on 2012-10-02 23:34:00

Liquid Mind, “Velvet Morning” ("Void of the Stellar Winds")- http://www.youtube.com/

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-02 23:11:00

“Have you ever seen the Milky Way's glow create shadows? To do so, conditions need to be just right. First and foremost, the sky must be relatively clear of clouds so that the long band of the Milky Way's central disk can be seen. The surroundings must be very near to completely dark, with no bright artificial lights visible anywhere. Next, the Moon cannot be anywhere above the horizon, or its glow will dominate the landscape. Last, the shadows can best be caught on long camera exposures. In t [..]

Chet Raymo, “Going Flat”

Published on 2012-10-02 21:55:00

“Going Flat” by Chet Raymo"My wife tells me we have enough credit points on our credit card to get a free TV. "Why do we need a new TV?" I ask. "Because we can, I suppose." And there it sits, sulking like an ignored child. Fifteen years old. Nineteen-inch screen. Cathode-ray tube. Do they even make cathode-ray tube televisions any more? Do we have the last operating CRT in existence? Gee, it works swell. Not exactly high-definition, but then our eyes aren't exactly hi-def either.I'd hate to [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-02 21:25:00

South Lake Tahoe, California. Thanks for stopping by.

"I Wish You Enough"

Published on 2012-10-02 21:21:00

David Foster Wallace, "Kenyon Commencement Speech, 2005"

Published on 2012-10-02 21:17:00

"Kenyon Commencement Speech, 2005"by David Foster Wallace"This speech was originally transcribed and posted at Marganlia.org until recently. Here is the originally transcribed version.""If anybody feels like perspiring [cough], I'd advise you to go ahead, because I'm sure going to. In fact I'm gonna [mumbles while pulling up his gown and taking out a handkerchief from his pocket].) Greetings ["parents"?] and congratulations to Kenyon's graduating class of 2005. There are these two young fish [..]

"A Roller Coaster..."

Published on 2012-10-02 21:01:00

"Life for a punctual person is like a roller coaster. All kinds of things are going to happen to you! Sure, I can see the whole roller coaster you're on. And sure- I could give you a piece of paper that would tell you about every dip and turn, warn you about every bogeyman that was going to pop out at you in the tunnels. But that wouldn't help you any. Because you'd still have to take the roller-coaster ride, I didn't design the roller coaster, I don't own it, and I don't say who rides and who d [..]

"Learn Everything You Need to Know About the Economy from a 'South Park' Episode"

Published on 2012-10-02 20:37:00

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-10-02 19:51:00

"Lakota Sioux Nation Leaves America"

Published on 2012-10-02 19:41:00

"Lakota Sioux Nation Leaves America"Lokota people struggling for their rights.by Stephen Lendman"America betrayed them and all Native Peoples. Throughout US history and earlier, genocide was policy. Historian Ward Churchill explained four centuries of systematic slaughter. It went on from 1492 - 1892. It continues today against Native culture.

"What Is 'The Law of Prägnanz'?"

Published on 2012-10-01 23:37:00

"What Is 'The Law of Prägnanz'?"by Mars Art Gallery"The Law of Prägnanz is one of the fundamental principles of gestalt perception and deals with the way in which people perceive visual information. In fact one could call the Law of Prägnanz the Occam's Razor of visual perception. In a nutshell, the Law of Prägnanz says that when confronted with visual information, people will attempt to organize that information into the simplest form possible. People will mentally process the visual inform [..]

"New Oceans...

Published on 2012-10-01 23:32:00

"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has

"A Dog's Purpose According To A 6 Year Old"

Published on 2012-10-01 22:25:00

"The 71%"; A Comment and Quote

Published on 2012-10-01 19:24:00

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-10-01 18:37:00

“Beautiful island universe M94 lies a mere 15 million light-years distant in the northern constellation of the hunting dogs, Canes Venatici. A popular target for astronomers, the brighter inner part of the face-on spiral galaxy is about 30,000 light-years across.

Chet Raymo, “I Loaf And Invite My Soul…”

Published on 2012-10-01 18:16:00

“I Loaf And Invite My Soul…” by Chet Raymo“Here I sit, in my comfy chair on the 3rd floor of the college library. I have nothing to do, really. After a lifetime of working from dawn to shut-eye, teaching, writing, I wake every morning with nothing to do, or at least nothing that needs to be done at the moment. I walk the beloved Path to college in the sweetness of dawn, have coffee and a croissant in the quiet Commons (only a few students up at this hour), then to the library.What a joy! [..]

The Poet: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "A Psalm of Life"

Published on 2012-10-01 18:06:00

"A Psalm of Life""Tell me not, in mournful numbers,Life is but an empty dream!For the soul is dead that slumbers,And things are not what they seem.Life is real! Life is earnest!And the grave is not its goal;Dust thou art, to dust returnest,Was not spoken of the soul.Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,Is our destined end or way;But to act, that each tomorrowFind us farther than today.Art is long, and Time is fleeting,And our hearts, though stout and brave,Still, like muffled drums, are beatingFuneral [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-10-01 18:02:00

Corbeil-essonnes, Ile-de-France, France.Thanks for stopping by.

"Synchronicity: A Wink from the Cosmos?"

Published on 2012-10-01 17:58:00

"Synchronicity: A Wink from the Cosmos?"by Meg Lundstrom"Earl was trying to track down an out-of-print book called "The Adventures of Marco Polo." He scoured two used book stores in New York City, had no success, and caught a taxi to a third. The cab driver was unusually chatty, and during their conversation, Earl glanced at his license on the dashboard. His name? Marco Polo!Art was sitting at his computer typing an e-mail missive when his cat Coal jumped from his lap onto the keyboard. B [..]

Paco Ahlgren, "A Day in the Life of the New World Order"

Published on 2012-10-01 17:47:00

"A Day in the Life of the New World Order"by Paco Ahlgren"You’re sitting on your sofa. The date is March 7, 2020. You’re watching the History Channel. On the television is a woman with thick glasses. The caption under her head reads, Jane Doe, Former Obama Economic Advisor. She says, “I remember how weird it was. We’d all be sitting there pretending to work, and nobody would say anything. We were all so scared to open our mouths. But every day, we’d hear something new from the Fed abou [..]

Musical Interlude: 2002, “Sea of Dreams”

Published on 2012-09-30 23:15:00

2002, “Sea of Dreams”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi7yGfJ3z20

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-09-30 22:03:00

"Galaxies don't normally look like this. NGC 6745 actually shows the results of two galaxies that have been colliding for only hundreds of millions of years. Just off the above digitally sharpened photograph to the lower right is the smaller galaxy, moving away. The larger galaxy, pictured above, used to be a spiral galaxy but now is damaged and appears peculiar. Gravity has distorted the shapes of the galaxies.

Chet Raymo, "Six Impossible Things"

Published on 2012-09-30 21:48:00

"The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-09-30 18:52:00

Maisuru, Karnataka, India. Thanks for stopping by.

"One Big Road..."

Published on 2012-09-30 18:46:00

“Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you're riding through the ruts,don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy.Don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake up and live!” - Bob Marley

The Economy: Peter Schiff, “The Real Fiscal Cliff: How to Spot the Ledge”

Published on 2012-09-30 18:39:00

Peter Schiff, “The Real Fiscal Cliff: How to Spot the Ledge”"Archived from the live Mises.tv broadcast, this lecture by Peter Schiff was presented at the Mises Circle in Manhattan: "Central Banking, Deposit Insurance, and Economic Decline." Includes an introduction by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. Music by Kevin MacLeod."- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ptMrAgWqRfg#!•Ok... wonky, yes. Important, yes. Who said life was simple?- CP

"How It Really Is"

Published on 2012-09-30 17:08:00

The Poet: Mary Oliver, "What I Have Learned So Far"

Published on 2012-09-30 17:01:00

"What I Have Learned So Far""Meditation is old and honorable, so why should Inot sit, every morning of my life, on the hillside,looking into the shining world?

"The Economics Of War: The Real Story"

Published on 2012-09-30 16:48:00

"The Economics Of War: The Real Story"By Shobhit Agarwal“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging fr [..]

"US Military Deaths in Afghanistan Hit 2,000"; A Comment

Published on 2012-09-30 16:23:00

Musical Interlude: 2002, "Elysian Fields"

Published on 2012-09-29 23:49:00

2002, "Elysian Fields" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKCNNOIzAW4&feature=g-vrec

Musical Interlude: 2002, "Another Answer Came"

Published on 2012-09-29 23:40:00

2002, "Another Answer Came" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILt_GZqJzjQ&feature=related

"There Is A Theory..."

Published on 2012-09-29 23:36:00

"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened."- Douglas Adams

Chet Raymo, “In Place of Belief”

Published on 2012-09-29 22:19:00

“In Place of Belief”by Chet Raymo“A lightning storm the other night, slipping down from Florida. For an hour we sat on the terrace and watched the northern sky blaze with pyrotechnics, the best we'd ever seen, almost continuous rivers of electricity streaming between the clouds, clouds heaped like mountains and lit from within. After some particularly sky-filling explosions we could not resist applause. From horizon to horizon, from Andros to San Salvador the streamers ran, trailing their [..]

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-09-29 21:50:00

“Like delicate cosmic petals, these clouds of interstellar dust and gas have blossomed 1,300 light-years away in the fertile star fields of the constellation Cepheus. Sometimes called the Iris Nebula and dutifully cataloged as NGC 7023 this is not the only nebula in the sky to evoke the imagery of flowers. Still, this remarkable image shows off the Iris Nebula's range of colors and symmetries in impressive detail. Within the Iris, dusty nebular material surrounds a hot, young star.

"The Wonder Of Life..."

Published on 2012-09-29 21:17:00

"We live in radical times surrounded by tasks that seem impossible. It has become our collective fate to be alive in a time of great tragedies, to live in a period of overwhelming disasters and to stand at the edge of sweeping changes. The river of life is flooding before us, and a tide of poisons affect the air we breathe and the waters we drink and even tarnish the dreams of those who are young and as yet innocent. The snake-bitten condition has already spread throughout the collective body.Ho [..]

The Daily "Near You?"

Published on 2012-09-29 21:07:00

Mindelo, Cape Verde. Thanks for stopping by.

"The 'Self-Made' Hallucination of America's Rich"

Published on 2012-09-29 19:22:00

"The 'Self-Made' Hallucination of America's Rich"by Sam Pizzigati"Let's cut Mitt Romney some slack. Not every off-the-cuff comment he made at that now infamous, secretly taped $50,000-a-plate fundraiser in Boca Raton reveals an utterly shocking personal failing. Take, for instance, Mitt's remark that he has "inherited nothing." A variety of commentators have jumped on Romney for that. They've pointed out that Mitt, the son of a wealthy CEO, has enjoyed plenty of privilege — everything from an [..]

The Poet: Joy Harjo,"A Map to the Next World"

Published on 2012-09-29 18:11:00

"A Map to the Next World""In the last days of the fourth world I wished to make a mapfor those who would climb through the hole in the sky.My only tools were the desires of humans as they emerged from the killing fields,from the bedrooms and the kitchens.For the soul is a wanderer with many hands and feet.The map must be of sand and can't be read by ordinary light.It must carry fire to the next tribal town, for renewal of spirit.In the legend are instructions on the language of the land,how it w [..]

Hunter S. Thompson, "Not Much Mental Distance..."

Published on 2012-09-29 18:01:00

“A man who has blown all his options can't afford the luxury of changing his ways. He has to capitalize on whatever he has left, and he can't afford to admit — no matter how often he's reminded of it — that every day of his life takes him farther and farther down a blind alley... Very few toads in this world are Prince Charmings in disguise. Most are simply toads... and they are going to stay that way... Toads don't make laws or change any basic structures, but one or two rooty insights ca [..]

Musical Interlude: Leonard Cohen, “Hallelujah”

Published on 2012-09-29 01:26:00

A repost, yes, because I love it, and hope you do too... Leonard Cohen, “Hallelujah”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Fkuq5Lf0Q

"When Eyes Are Blinders of the Soul"

Published on 2012-09-28 23:22:00

"When Eyes Are Blinders of the Soul"By Peter Michaelson"One way to diminish our suffering is to become conscious of when our eyes go looking for something that upsets us. Another way is to be watchful of what our imagination is up to. Just as sponges can soak up dirty water as easily as clean water, our eyes can also take in impressions from the world around us that leak misery into our soul. We like to think we use our visual faculty in pursuit of pleasure, but we also use it to entertain old h [..]

Musical Interlude: Yanni, "Before I Go"

Published on 2012-09-28 21:24:00

Yanni, "Before I Go"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk8N2HohPKw&feature=fvwrel

The Poet: Denise Levertov, "Variation On A Theme By Rilke"

Published on 2012-09-28 21:15:00

"Variation On A Theme By Rilke"("The Book of Hours, Book I, Poem 1, Stanza 1")"A certain day became a presence to me;there it was, confronting me- a sky, air, light:a being.

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-09-28 21:05:00

“Bright star Markab anchors this dusty skyscape. At the top right corner of the frame, Markab itself marks a corner of an asterism known as the Great Square, found within the boundaries of the constellation Pegasus, the flying horse. The wide and deep telescopic view rides along for some 5 degrees or about 10 times the angular diameter of the Full Moon, with blue reflection nebulae scattered around the scene.

Chet Raymo, “Nuclear Landscapes”

Published on 2012-09-28 20:56:00

“Nuclear Landscapes” by Chet Raymo"I was thinking recently about August 7, 1945. I was almost nine years old, growing up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The previous day an atomic bomb had exploded over the heart of Hiroshima. As I recall, all of us, adults and children, struggled to understand this extraordinary event, so remote from common knowledge and experience. It was clear that humanity had crossed a threshold, but to what? Within eight days, the war would be over. One mystery was solved: [..]

Henry David Thoreau, "I Learned This, At Least..."

Published on 2012-09-28 20:46:00

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded, and interpreted in his favor in a more liberal sense, and he will live with the license [..]

"Where? Who? How? What?"

Published on 2012-09-28 18:58:00

"Where am I? Who am I?How did I come to be here?What is this thing called the world?How did I come into the world?Why was I not consulted?And If I am compelled to take part in it,Where is the director?I want to see him."- Soren Kierkegaard

The Economy: “Great Expectations”

Published on 2012-09-28 18:20:00

“Great Expectations”by Joel Bowman“Hey! What gives?!” Investors want to know, “What happened to all of Mr. Bernanke’s money?” You’ll recall that, a couple of weeks ago, the central banking industry’s most famous beard announced that he would flood the markets with another round of quantitative easing, or “QE.” The Fed, under Famous Beard’s deft stewardship, would begin purchasing $40 billion “worth” of mortgage-backed securities per month until…well…until forever. [..]

Satire: "Apple Advises Maps Users Not to Go Anywhere"

Published on 2012-09-28 15:55:00

"Apple Advises Maps Users Not to Go Anywhere"by Andy BorowitzCUPERTINO (The Borowitz Report)— "Apple C.E.O. Tim Cook apologized for the ongoing problems with its Apple Maps app today, recommending that until it is fixed customers “should try not to go anywhere.” “Until we get this straightened out, I strongly urge you to stay at home,” Mr. Cook advised iPhone users. “That’s your best bet for not getting lost.”

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 9.28.12"

Published on 2012-09-28 02:49:00

"Weekly News Wrap-Up 9.28.12"by Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "There were lots of fireworks at the United Nations this week. Yesterday, the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, was drawing a red line of his own on a crude picture of a bomb. Don’t laugh, because he was really talking to the U.S. audience in illustrating his point that Iran is getting close to building a nuclear bomb. It was simple but effective. Earlier in the week, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rejected cha [..]

Climate Change: "Hot Hot Hot!"

Published on 2012-09-27 23:46:00

"Hot Hot Hot!"By Kathy Malloy"Science-deniers soon may have no choice but to accept the phenomena of global climate change as a result of human action. Results from a scientific study conducted in 20 developing countries provide undeniable evidence that carbon dioxide emissions (greenhouse gasses) from the burning of fossil fuels could result in 100 million human deaths by the year 2030, and it may be too late to do anything about it.

Paulo Coelho, “Dreams: The 12 Steps”

Published on 2012-09-27 22:54:00

“Dreams: The 12 Steps”by Paulo Coelho"When Joseph Campbell created the expression “follow your blessing,” he was reflecting an idea that seems to be very appropriate right now. In “The Alchemist,” this same idea is called “Personal Legend.” Alan Cohen, a therapist who lives in Hawaii, is also working on this theme. He says that in his lectures he asks those who are dissatisfied with their work and seventy-five percent of the audience raise their hands. Cohen has created a system [..]

Musical Interlude: Loreena McKennitt, "Kecharitomene"

Published on 2012-09-27 21:29:00

Loreena McKennitt, "Kecharitomene"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dq9kI74kRk&feature=g-vrec

The Poet: John Glenday, "Concerning the Atoms of the Soul"

Published on 2012-09-27 21:12:00

"Concerning the Atoms of the Soul""Someone explained once how the pieces of what we arefall downwards at the same rate as the Universe.The atoms of us, falling towards the centre

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-09-27 20:45:00

“This shock wave plows through space at over 500,000 kilometers per hour. Moving toward to bottom of this beautifully detailed color composite, the thin, braided filaments are actually long ripples in a sheet of glowing gas seen almost edge on. Cataloged as NGC 2736, its narrow appearance suggests its popular name, the Pencil Nebula.

Chet Raymo, “Holy Ignorance”

Published on 2012-09-27 20:40:00

“Holy Ignorance” by Chet Raymo“At a press conference in 2002, US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld famously explained foreign policy: “There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say, we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know we don't know." The same can be said of science.The textbooks are full of known knowns. We are quite confident affirming the circulatio [..]

“Life's Crossroads: How To Thrive in Times of Change”

Published on 2012-09-27 19:27:00

“Life's Crossroads:

"For Nothing Is Fixed, Forever and Forever and Forever..."

Published on 2012-09-27 19:14:00

"For nothing is fixed, forever and forever and forever, it is not fixed; the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, the sea does not cease to grind down rock. Generations do not cease to be born, and we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have. The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other, and children cling to us. The moment we cease to hold each other, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out."- James Baldwin

"American Militarism"

Published on 2012-09-27 18:26:00

"American Militarism"by Dave Lindorff"There is a massive deception campaign in the US, and in its global propaganda, which seeks to portray the United States as a poor set-upon nation that would like world peace but just has to keep a military stationed around the globe to “police” all the world’s “trouble spots.” In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. That truth is that the US is the biggest war-monger the world has ever known.Let’s start with its budget. The US, in fisca [..]

“The Speech That Wins The Election”

Published on 2012-09-27 03:36:00

“The Speech That Wins The Election”by Karl Denninger“The question is, will someone deliver this between now and November?My fellow Americans;Almost exactly four years ago the stock market began a sickening plunge that would shake the world.

"Your Liberty and Your Money"

Published on 2012-09-27 03:25:00

"Your Liberty and Your Money"by Dan Denning"We begin with a cynical thought experiment. It’s really a conclusion about what’s going on in the financial markets. And the conclusion is this: the value of financial assets and currencies is being deliberately crashed in order to transfer wealth from the public to a small group of global elites. Sounds crazy, right? Maybe even cranky? We’ll get to that shortly. But first…The typical result of credit booms and busts is to transfer ownership of [..]

“America- and Western Civilization As a Whole- Was Founded On a Conspiracy Theory”

Published on 2012-09-27 03:14:00

The Poet: Rainer Maria Rilke, "Book of Hours II, 16"

Published on 2012-09-22 17:22:00

"Book of Hours II, 16""How surely gravity's law,strong as an ocean current,takes hold of even the strongest thingand pulls it toward the heart of the world.Each thing-each stone, blossom, child-is held in place.Only we, in our arrogance,push out beyond what we belong tofor some empty freedom.If we surrenderedto earth's intelligencewe could rise up rooted, like trees. Instead we entangle ourselvesin knots of our own makingand struggle, lonely and confused.So, like children, we begin againto learn [..]

Timeout!

Published on 2012-09-22 14:28:00

In advance of the last throes of the election campaign season and all the other big-fun events like war with Iran, Fukushima irradiating the planet, economic collapse and climate change currently in progress, I'm taking a much needed "vacation" timeout, but as the Terminator said, "I'll be back." In the interim, there are 20,407 posts for your perusal, as well as the very many great sites in the "Favorites" side bars which I strongly encourage you to explore. Of course commenting is disabled t [..]

Musical Interlude: Yanni, “To the One Who Knows”

Published on 2012-09-21 22:11:00

Yanni, “To the One Who Knows” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF3kxNYTmsk

The Poet: Mark Jarman, "Coyotes"

Published on 2012-09-21 21:10:00

"Coyotes""Is this world truly fallen? They say no.For there's the new moon, there's the Milky Way,There's the rattler with a wren's egg in its mouth,And there's the panting rabbit they will eat.They sing their wild hymn on the dark slope,Reading the stars like notes of hilarious music.Is this a fallen world? How could it be?And yet we're crying over the stars again,And over the uncertainty of death,Which we suspect will divide us all forever.I'm tired of those who broadcast their certainties,Con [..]

"A Look to the Heavens"

Published on 2012-09-21 20:37:00

“Delicate in appearance, these filaments of shocked, glowing gas, draped in planet Earth's sky toward the constellation of Cygnus, make up the Veil Nebula. The nebula is a large supernova remnant, an expanding cloud born of the death explosion of a massive star. Light from the original supernova explosion likely reached Earth over 5,000 years ago.

"Opening the Channels of Communication: Dealing with Difficult People"