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	<title>Humanities</title>
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	<link>http://michael-damian.net</link>
	<description>This is the blog where I muse on responsible conduct of scientific research</description>
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		<title>Greatness</title>
		<link>http://michael-damian.net/?p=9</link>
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		<pubDate>Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:24:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[When I was a nineteen-year-old high school student and budding poet – two years after my diving accident – many factors adversely affected my creativity. My trips in a special bus to school and back home, my courses, and my assignments, though I was spared a lot of writing and was mostly tested orally, all [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When I was a nineteen-year-old high school student and budding poet – two years after my diving accident – many factors adversely affected my creativity. My trips in a special bus to school and back home, my courses, and my assignments, though I was spared a lot of writing and <span id="more-9"></span>was mostly tested orally, all this was time-consuming. More often than not, my obligation to study took priority over my desire to compose poetry.</p>
<p>To tell the truth, I had plenty of free time. That I spent much of it uncreatively showed evidence of frivolousness, laziness, and cowardliness. I usually preferred to take my mind off things, or to daydream, rather than to express myself through poems. The satisfaction I could derive from achieving this expression seldom induced me to try. The deterring elements were the difficulty of trying and the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of my efforts.</p>
<p>A poem – assuming one is concerned about writing beautifully – is indeed no cinch. It requires a poet who is talented, skilled, and determined. My poetic ability was fickle; my grammar and style were faulty; my will was faint. I lacked the courage of my creative desire. This lack was not absolute. Now and then, when I felt compellingly inspired, I resisted my temptation to trifle – which amounted to taking the easy way out – and endeavored to compose a poem. I had to repeat this endeavor, over and over, to grow more capable and confident, less discouraged by the challenge at hand.</p>
<p>I am afraid young individuals similar to the young man I was then are not a rarity. The prospect of success turns them on; effort and the risk of failure turn them off. The contradiction is apparent, and the result predictable: Since effort and the risk of failure are essential for success, the avoidance of them precludes this success. Of course everyone knows this. The trouble is that many refuse largely to accept it. This is proof that knowledge is powerless in itself; it needs a strong will to be effective.</p>
<p>Young individuals, who know the rules of success, can be failures inasmuch as they fail to accept these rules. Wisdom includes this acceptance (the exclusion of which is thus foolish). It must be distinguished from knowledge. Wise people are also brave people who put their knowledge into practice and become successful for that reason. The obvious holds good in every way: Life without courage is like a bird without wings; it cannot take off.</p>
<p>Why is it hard to want both the end and the means? Precisely because the means are hard, not to mention the fact that they are hazardous, you might answer. If you are right, then why do some actually thrive on this hardness and hazardousness? The key to this mystery is their attitude: They regard these opposing elements not only as obstacles but also as opportunities for merit and excitement. Just as they were young once, spoon-fed and sheltered from the evils of the world, they eventually outgrew their attachment to easiness and developed a taste for challenge. In conclusion, what characterizes them is their maturity, by contrast with the infantilism of others.</p>
<p>Between these two extremes there is a mediocre compromise, partly mature, partly infantile. It consists in taking charge of one’s life while taking the easy way out. Small principles, small realizations, far below one’s potential for greatness, they are poor excuses for wisdom and success. Potential, that is the operative word. There can be greatness in apparent smallness and smallness in apparent greatness; the truth resides in the great or small actualization of one’s potential, whatever it is.</p>
<p>How does one discover what it is? By making the effort to actualize it in the ever-renewed and multifaceted act of living. This entails that one push oneself hard, at the risk of going too far. Measure is an empty abstraction for anyone who has never exceeded it. Limits should be experienced, not invented. This experience demands a serious and courageous commitment to greatness. Steer clear of frivolousness, laziness, and cowardliness; do not fall prey to them as I did so many times. They are strong temptations that can assume the form of a cunning philosophy that is unique to losers. Beware of this snare. Life is a demanding character test; come death, you will have ample time to rest!</p>
<p>Nostalgic for the old days at the rehabilitation facility when I wrote anyhow about anything, I once conveniently believed in spontaneous writing as a guarantee of genuineness. Fortunately I was foolish yet not a complete fool. After some denial, which involved some nonsense in justification of my foolishness, I admitted sullenly that my sacrosanct pursuit of genuineness was in fact a vile indulgence in idiocy. There is nothing spontaneous about the intelligent conception and intelligible expression of one’s true self, which is everything but simple. It is a tissue of desires, feelings, ideas, and memories, caught in a whirl of interactions between the mind and the world. Either one goes to great lengths to elucidate and formulate the truth about oneself, and one hits the bull’s-eye, or one talks bullshit – please forgive my language.</p>
<p>Some people shine at off-the-cuff speeches, as though they were so brilliant they could avoid saying idiocies when forced to be spontaneous. Make no mistake; their brilliance is merely one side of the equation. They have spent years polishing their manner of thinking and speaking, while their knowledge waxed through learning. Their spontaneity is studied. It is a product of numerous rehearsals, like the performance of an actor. Nothing great ever comes easily to anyone, including those who are the most gifted among us. Superior luck is not human greatness, only a steppingstone toward it. The stone is given; the stepping is done by the sweat of one’s brow and is made of a million steps, uphill. To work one’s way up to greatness is comparable to conquering Mount Everest, the highest peak of the Himalayas. It is an outstanding achievement with a sense of pride to match. </p>
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		<title>To Think for Oneself</title>
		<link>http://michael-damian.net/?p=28</link>
		<comments>http://michael-damian.net/?p=28#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:39:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Let us examine the three purposes of writing: to inform, entertain, and enlighten. To me, the second one is bottom of the list, though it is instrumental in the achievement of the two others. Every great teacher knows this intimately and readily laces his teachings with relevant and interesting stories, and humor. 
The first purpose, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Let us examine the three purposes of writing: to inform, entertain, and enlighten. To me, the second one is bottom of the list, though it is instrumental in the achievement of the two others. Every great teacher knows this intimately <span id="more-28"></span>and readily laces his teachings with relevant and interesting stories, and humor. </p>
<p>The first purpose, to inform, comes second in my mind, whereas the last, to enlighten, comes first. To explain my attitude, I think it appropriate to draw your attention to my book A REASON FOR LIVING, where both of these purposes are pursued. </p>
<p>Part of my book relays factual or theoretical information about things like human physiology, nutrition, and universal evolution. This information relates to the current perception of reality in scientific circles. I am just a vehicle for it. Now, for two reasons, my role as a writer who informs his readers about scientific facts and theories comes second in my mind to my role as a philosopher who strives to enlighten his readers. </p>
<p>My main reason is that I regard wisdom as paramount, whereas the knowledge of the material world (i.e., the constituents, structure, and workings thereof) is not equally important, however useful it is on a practical level. Conscience comes before science, which in itself is incapable of providing humans with a sense of what is good, right, or sacred – in a word, with moral principles. An example of science without conscience is the destruction of nature and the violation of human rights by rogue companies who are efficient in their use, or rather abuse, of their environment and their workers to satisfy their greed. </p>
<p>My other reason is that my role as a writer who informs his readers about scientific facts and theories is indeed that of a mere vehicle. It is very much secondary to the role of researcher, which drives the scientific enterprise thanks to advanced instrumentation plus skillful, scholarly, and clever observations and rationalizations. </p>
<p>By contrast, my role as a philosopher who strives to enlighten his readers is in the drivers seat, so to speak. Not only is it concerned with everything that makes life worth living and gives humans a sense of purpose, but also it does more than mirror the light of wisdom; it generates it by force of thinking on the basis of experience and study. </p>
<p>Truth to tell, my readers can likewise think for themselves. They themselves can be philosophers and create their own wisdom while discovering and evaluating mine. Therefore, the light shining through in my book is there to help my readers see a range of weighty matters on which they can meditate to form their own thoughtful opinions about them. And since they can do so, I venture to argue that they should. </p>
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		<title>Wisdom</title>
		<link>http://michael-damian.net/?p=33</link>
		<comments>http://michael-damian.net/?p=33#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:24:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michael-damian.net/?p=33</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What is wisdom? But first, what are the conditions that render it desirable, if not necessary, and what is its essential purpose? 
Life is a desire to live, and better still a desire to live happily. As we strive to satisfy this desire, we encounter obstacles that complicate or frustrate our efforts. This complication or [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What is wisdom? But first, what are the conditions that render it desirable, if not necessary, and what is its essential purpose? </p>
<p>Life is a desire to live, and better still a desire to live happily. As we strive to satisfy this desire, we encounter obstacles that complicate or frustrate our efforts. This complication or frustration <span id="more-33"></span>amounts to suffering because it stands in the way of satisfaction.</p>
<p>Wisdom is designed to help us cope with this suffering. It is an adaptive product of reason in the face of tough circumstances. Thanks to it, happiness is conceivable and achievable in spite of everything. It is therefore the supreme good.</p>
<p>Actually, religion is a good that many rank equally high, since it serves the same purpose as wisdom, if differently. The difference lies in the way religion and wisdom portray suffering and define the meaning of life.</p>
<p>From the perspective of religion, suffering betrays a state of worldly imperfection that is in contradiction with the human desire for perfect happiness. Consequently, life here below – where humans are doomed to suffer – is absurd in itself. Or rather, life is meaningful strictly in terms of means to a heavenly end in the great beyond: A life of virtue prepares the way for an afterlife of bliss. The religious believe this in accordance with the teachings of an inspired spiritual leader, who claims to know the transcendental nature of the hereafter.</p>
<p>While personally I cast a skeptical eye on these teachings, I keep my mind open. They are highly suspicious, but the transcendental nature of their object puts them beyond the reach of any discredit based on conclusive evidence. </p>
<p>Anyway, as I see it, wisdom is independent of religion, though it can complement the latter. According to it, life in itself has meaning, despite its imperfection that people can learn to accept. Better still, they can learn to value this imperfection as they realize that perfection, contrary to popular belief, is not infinitely desirable.</p>
<p>Indeed, perfect happiness leaves something to be desired. By definition, it excludes suffering and hence all forms of complication or frustration. It supposes that circumstances are absolutely favorable – that is, not tough in any way. Therefore, no effort is necessary while every dream is possible. At first glance, this sounds like the most wonderful situation imaginable, and yet taking another look at it will dispel this illusion.</p>
<p>What strange whim, in the history of humankind, has compelled people from every walk of life to leave their cozy home and embark on risky ventures? Perhaps this whim is not so strange after all. A multitude of conquests have been made for the sheer joy of conquering against great odds. The operative word is pride, accompanied by excitement. To conquest-minded people the infinite ease of heaven entails infinite boredom. To them life – together with the struggle that is integral to it – is the very thing that perfect happiness leaves to be desired. It is an opportunity to prove courageous and victorious, though it is also a risk of failing painfully.</p>
<p>Happiness is about grasping this opportunity with courage and gaining a victory over the obstacles that stand between us and success in all the activities that most matter to us. This victory is often strenuous and always limited, precarious, and transitory, and we are bound to lose the battle in the end; but that makes the victory all the more precious and worthy of savoring.</p>
<p>When trying to define the activities in which we most care to succeed, we are forced to study our nature to know our purpose. Our growing wise depends on this study and this knowledge, leading to this definition. It begins with an awareness of our animal will to survive, as survival is the foundation on which life, in the truly human sense, is built. The awareness of life in this sense follows. It takes into account both our humanity and our individuality, as members of society with particular tastes and abilities to which a wide range of activities are suited.</p>
<p>The clearer we are about our purpose, the more we can live our lives with determination and passion, and so with a greater chance of succeeding and achieving happiness. The reverse is equally true. It therefore stands to reason that in striving after wisdom we lay the groundwork for success and happiness. </p>
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		<title>Finders tellers – did you find what you were looking for?</title>
		<link>http://michael-damian.net/?p=7</link>
		<comments>http://michael-damian.net/?p=7#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:13:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[When we say find, we do not mean about simply using a search engine and waiting for the generated results. With Finders Tellers, you are invited to post your listing and say to others (or better yet describe) the things you are looking for. In due time, you can check the responses posted and see [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When we say find, we do not mean about simply using a search engine and waiting for the generated results. With Finders Tellers, you are invited to post your listing and say to others (or better yet describe) the things you are looking for. In due <span id="more-7"></span>time, you can check the responses posted and see if any of them are useful. They are the tellers and you can become one yourself. Tellers provide all the information you need to know about the product or service in question, including links and additional details for your own benefit.</p>
<p>Using this service will allow you to search for things, ideas, places or services. You can search for news, music or video strips, waiting feedback from other interested users. In fact, the number of categories included increased on a daily basis. They have antiques and collectibles, arts and crafts, plus baby products and beauty. You can enter your request in any of these categories. Books, clothes and food related stuff – all you can search for, waiting for the tellers’ response. If you are interested in garden products, music, photography, pottery, real estate or technology, this is place where you should go and ask for it.</p>
<p>Online, at Finders Tellers, you can see a few examples of other’s people requests and even post a response for them (in case you have useful info). The listings include a photo of the product, with a short description and there is even a potential reward. You can proceed to reading the detailed information. For example, let’s say someone is trying to find a book on the politics of the Middle East. The category is books, non-fiction and history. You will see the name of the user who has posted that request and also his/her status. The detailed description includes questions about where are the best books on this subject to be found. The user also inquires about the existence of book presenting Arabic religious beliefs, asking for a well-put compilation of facts.</p>
<p>For someone interested in finding a specific product, this is the best resource ever. Let’s say you want to find TV converter boxes, after you heard about the possibility of getting them for free. The one thing you have to do is ask and you will soon receive a response from one of the tellers. The category is technology, television and you can always vote if the response was helpful or not. As a response to that question, the user might decide to offer you URL links and also some free advice, like taking the coupons and using them at the local store. As you can see for yourself, this service is useful, highly functional and really popular.</p>
<p>And how about someone posting a request for a wedding dress? That lady might want a unique wedding dress, with specific custom designs. With this particular service, she can ask for what she needs and even offer a reward. Specialized vendors, using the same resource, will promptly answer to her request and provide the future bride with the much desired dress. Thus, users have the great advantage of finding buyers. Is ‘Finding Made Easy’ or what?</p>
<p>As a general conclusion, you have to remember that the Internet presents some of the greatest opportunities for searching. You can always use a search engine but for more specific and positive results, a service like this one is more indicated. The tellers provide helpful responses and you will certainly find what you were looking for. Moreover, vendors have the definite advantage of browsing diverse categories and check out the latest trends. Someone who sells wedding dresses can see current tendencies by browsing that specific category. And plus, it’s a lot of fun! </p>
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		<title>No Pulitzer For Drama; No Wonder</title>
		<link>http://michael-damian.net/?p=18</link>
		<comments>http://michael-damian.net/?p=18#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:38:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michael-damian.net/?p=18</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This year, when The Pulitzer Prizes were announced, the not entirely delightful news is that no Pulitzer was awarded in drama.
While the decision is unsettling, the prudence of it must be acknowledged, since, affection for the theater and those who make it aside, there was no drama to consider.
Let us have the courage to ask [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This year, when The Pulitzer Prizes were announced, the not entirely delightful news is that no Pulitzer was awarded in drama.</p>
<p>While the decision is unsettling, the prudence of it must be acknowledged, since, affection for the theater and those <span id="more-18"></span>who make it aside, there was no drama to consider.</p>
<p>Let us have the courage to ask why and, along the way, try our best to understand everybody’s culpability or innocence.</p>
<p>If you keep tabs on Broadway, just so you’ll know if, by some surprising concatenation of events, a drama you might actually be interested in seeing comes along, you know that the usual fare this past season was once again a series of enthusiastically promoted trifles.</p>
<p>But the financial realities on Broadway make it exceedingly chancy for producers to put up anything that isn’t already proven at the box office and, even more importantly, with the critics, who can even disable a previous box-office success. All very understandable. The producers are not in the business of nourishing unproven works, no matter how worthy they may suspect or be advised they are. Not understandable.</p>
<p>The small and regional theaters are seldom managed by people who have any sense of what mainstream appeal might be or they very likely wouldn’t be working in a little or regional theater. Perfectly understandable.</p>
<p>Even if a small or regional theater puts up a work that might attract a wider audience than the reliable coterie whose interests are decidedly offbeat, the likelihood that a well-known critic or even a second-string critic will show up is discouraging. Understandable. During the theater season, little theaters put up shows with withering frequency in New York and all over the country. The critics whose names people might known do not flock to any production that doesn’t have some kind of major preproduction cache. Their primary job is to review the little shows in the big venues, not the remotely possible big show in a little venue, and their secondary job, should they occasionally be inspired to assume its obligations, is to cherry pick smaller productions that present some precondition of influential interest. Also understandable.</p>
<p>The current crop of critics, when confronted by a work in any theatrical venue that smacks of being mainstream, are unlikely to find it suits their own offbeat temperaments. Not understandable. It is such temperamental selectivity that prevented, among countless lesser knows, a relatively mainstream playwright like Arthur Miller from getting a rave review during the last two or three decades of his life, and even a popular confectioner like Neil Simon from getting one for many years.</p>
<p>The inescapable fact is, offbeat people usually prefer offbeat works. Very understandable. We’re all human.</p>
<p>But what would be really refreshing is for a major critic or two to surface whose tastes would incline them to help nourish intelligent theater that deals with the major text and subtext of contemporary mainstream American life. Once we were fortunate enough to have them, like the legendary Brooks Atkinson and the more recent Walter Kerr, we could be far more hopeful that mainstream works would have a chance of surfacing. After all, critics are the first significant audience for any work, and so they are necessary partners in the attempt to rejuvenate intelligent and widely relevant American theater.</p>
<p>As for the playwrights, we must understand their plight, too. Simply put, comes the hopeful new playwright with a mainstream sensibility, where can he hope to find an outlet? And, if he does, can he hope to have a critic show up, let alone one who is on the same page with his sensibility? Quite a rare – and, year after year, an apparently impossible – combination.</p>
<p>Even Actors Equity is aligned against the poor talented soul. Should the playwright somehow find a theater that will put us his or her work, he or she will get what is known as a showcase presentation, which provides for four weeks of rehearsal and a four-week run, possibly extended to five weeks. Since the rehearsals must be conducted with actors who have to participate in their spare time, due to the meager honorariums showcase appearances provide, it’s difficult to get a production that does the work justice. And a four-week run simply is not long enough to build word of mouth.</p>
<p>Between the scarcity of venues that have a predisposition toward a playwright who has a sensibility that might reach mainstream America, the difficulty of getting a production that showcases the work in a way that renders whatever excellence it may hold, the brevity of the run, and the scarcity of critics who might arrive, compounded by the unlikely prospect that any who do might appreciate it, can we blame the playwright who finally decides that he’s involved in a hopeless puzzle that, at best, is merely baby sitting him as an intellectual. Is it any wonder that he may sulk between disappointing efforts and finally walk away into a writing career where there is some hope of getting somewhere. Understandable, at least.</p>
<p>So there you have, as best as we can explain it, why no Pulitzer was awarded for drama.</p>
<p>But we could never leave you without whatever hope there might be.</p>
<p>The one factor that hasn’t yet entered contemporary theater that has influenced, for better or worse, film and television, is the advent of the self-funded writer-producer. Considering the gauntlet that faces the mainstream playwright without his or her own resources, such a writer-producer, maligned as he may initially be as self-aggrandizing by the theatrical establishment, may be the only hope left.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, we must reluctantly admit, better not to award the Pulitzer at all than to award it to a trifle, masquerading as a piece of consequence. At least, some sort of standard has been indicated. </p>
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		<title>Psychic Readers Predict The Future But You Create Destiny</title>
		<link>http://michael-damian.net/?p=19</link>
		<comments>http://michael-damian.net/?p=19#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:58:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Has a psychic ever told you something incredibly amazing about your future that is hard to imagine as true? Or warned you, perhaps frightened you about the future by reading an awful outcome to a situation? Did you know whether to believe the prediction or not?  Sooner or later  most of us who [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Has a psychic ever told you something incredibly amazing about your future that is hard to imagine as true? Or warned you, perhaps frightened you about the future by reading an awful outcome to a situation? Did you know whether to believe the prediction or not?  Sooner or later <span id="more-19"></span> most of us who use the services of a psychic reader are likely to encounter this type of experience even if you have never been to a psychic or think you will ever go to one.</p>
<p>More and more, people are seeking answers for their problems through the venue of the paranormal. There are unexplainable experiences reported every day, as well as, insurmountable problems challenging our coping skills in this rapidly changing world. Therefore, there is a good chance that one of these situations may eventually drive you to seek the services of a psychic, whether you think you would or not. Should you believe a psychic’s fateful predictions? If so, can the future be changed?</p>
<p>People tend to think the future is predetermined. Therefore, it can not be changed. That statement couldn’t be any further from the truth. Psychics don’t predict the future. Instead, they predict the probability of the future. Psychics read the future based on the current path you are on at the moment of the reading. If you make a decision that takes you off that path, more than likely the predicted future will no longer be accurate. </p>
<p>What really is the future? There is no set time that we can actually label and claim as the future. Think about what happens to time when you read a page in a book. Before you read the book the first page is the future. While you are reading it, the page can be described as the present. Once you have finished reading it, the page now represents the past. The future isn’t a constant, because it is fluid and always moving.</p>
<p>Why go to a psychic if the future isn’t engraved in stone? Think of a prediction as a mechanism that can provide a meaningful insight or some self-knowledge not consciously apparent to you. For example, a positive prediction can be a motivating force or something that offers you hope. On the other hand, a negative prediction can offer a chance for you to grow emotionally and spiritually. It can be a warning for you to thwart a foreseeable problem by taking a different course of action. </p>
<p>When you go to a psychic, remember to keep the predictions in perspective. Your thoughts and actions today can actually create the destiny you must then meet in the future. The next time a psychic predicts a car accident for your future, take some action. You can watch your speed, drive defensively and be alert as a way to avoid your so-called fate. Remember: You are more in control of your destiny than you think. </p>
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		<title>The Characteristics of Soul</title>
		<link>http://michael-damian.net/?p=23</link>
		<comments>http://michael-damian.net/?p=23#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:57:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[At the dawn of spring, I am reminded by my children the joy of anticipating new life.
They will usually see a flower or two that has made its way through the soil to a world beyond itself. What starts out as a seedling or bulb is transformed by natures capacity to evolve.
Inside each of us [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>At the dawn of spring, I am reminded by my children the joy of anticipating new life.</p>
<p>They will usually see a flower or two that has made its way through the soil to a world beyond itself. What starts out as a seedling or bulb is transformed by natures capacity to evolve.</p>
<p>Inside each of us lies dormant an awareness, an <span id="more-23"></span>identity, an ability to grow beyond what we appear to be. Every moment, we are being challenged by others and by circumstances to create a life that exceeds our present state of living.</p>
<p>To move toward our highest good takes a willingness on our part to let go of what we know to what can be known in and through us. You and I are part of the Created Order we see around us, and we are participants in Creating Order out of what we have been given to care for.</p>
<p>With this in mind, let us turn to ways our soul can be described in the characteristics that make up a flower:</p>
<p>1. The Ground.</p>
<p>The ground nurtures, protects, and gives birth to a flower. Inside the womb of the ground, life is taking root long before we can see it. Because we cannot see a flower that has been planted in the earth, does not mean life is not being created. To be full participants in our world means to be fully connected and rooted in the world we have been given.</p>
<p>2. The Stem.</p>
<p>The stem begins its growth in the earth below and into the sky above. This part of the flower is the connecting characteristic of the plant. Much like humanity, we are in this world without being fully of it. This creates a sacredness to our lives. It is our unique ability to live and grow in a way no one ever has, is, or ever will.</p>
<p>3. The Flower.</p>
<p>In full bloom, a flower is the illumination of all the life that has preceded it. The radiance and color that pour out of it create life. Notice the next time you look at a flower how you are affected by it. You may notice your heart open and be filled with joy. Or, you may notice more energy and clarity in your vision for being blessed with great beauty.</p>
<p>4. The Spirit of a Flower.</p>
<p>The spirit of a flower is the life force moving in and through it. It is the essence of a flower that identifies with your spirit. This part of you opens from the inside out and becomes ONE with the spirit of a flower. It is the same energy that runs in and through you. Like a flower, you begin to radiate your own soul from the essence of your own being.</p>
<p>Each spring, take the time to notice the part of you opening up to new life. Just like flowers, we grow from the inside out. What illuminates in our life began inside us. We nurture these inner qualities of attention until they eventually take root and grow into our daily lives. The growth that follows is created from what we attend to or hold our attention on within us.</p>
<p>Like the pedals of a flower opening to the world around it, we create a presence of awareness. In full bloom, the beauty or the lack thereof touches the lives of everyone around us. As our inner patterns of attention move through us, the world illuminates the seeds of awareness contained within us for so long. Here, a life is created. It is the life of our soul.</p>
<p>Samuel Oliver, author of, What the Dying Teach Us: Lessons on Living<br />
   For more on this author; http://www.soulandspirit.org </p>
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		<title>Ian Fleming &#8211; James Bonds Creator</title>
		<link>http://michael-damian.net/?p=14</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:24:41 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Ian Lancaster Fleming (1908-1964), the author of the James Bond 007 novels, was the grandson of a Scottish banker and the son of a Conservative MP (Member of Parliament). His father died in the first world war. In his will, he bequeathed his property to his widow on condition she never remarries. 
Ians youth was [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ian Lancaster Fleming (1908-1964), the author of the James Bond 007 novels, was the grandson of a Scottish banker and the son of a Conservative MP (Member of Parliament). His father died in the first world war. In his will, he bequeathed his property to his widow on <span id="more-14"></span>condition she never remarries. </p>
<p>Ians youth was inauspicious. He was expelled from Eton following a sexual liaison with a girl. He left Sandhurst without obtaining an officers rank, having been caught violating the curfew. He continued his education in Kitzbuhel, Austria, in Munich and in Geneva where he studied languages. But the chain of disappointments continued apace. He failed in a Foreign Service exam and had to join Reuters as a journalist. There he successfully covered a spy trial in Russia (1929-32).</p>
<p>He then joined a British investment bank as a stockbroker and moved to live in a converted temple in Belgravia, a fashionable district of London, where he entertained the members of the Le Cercle Gastronomique et des Jeux de Hasard. </p>
<p>In 1939, Fleming took on an assignment for The Times in Moscow &#8211; in effect a cover. He was spying for the Foreign Office and later for Naval Intelligence where he attained the rank of Commander. </p>
<p>During the second world war, he worked from room number 39 in the Admiralty building in Whitehall as assistant to Admiral John Godfrey. He was involved in the evacuation of Dieppe in 1940, in the smuggling of King Zog out of Albania and in setting up the Office for Special Services, the precursor of the CIA.</p>
<p>As commander of the 30th Assault Unit, he sometimes operated behind the German lines, trying to secure important documents and files from destruction. But, mostly, he directed the Units operations from London.</p>
<p>When the war was over, he built a house &#8211; Goldeneye &#8211; in Jamaica. He worked for the Kemsley group of papers and vacationed every winter in the island. </p>
<p>While awaiting the divorce of one of his numerous paramours &#8211; the pregnant Lady Anne Rothermere &#8211; the 44 years old Fleming wrote Casino Royale published in 1953. It was the first of 12 James Bond thrillers, translated to 11 languages and with total sales of 18 million copies. James Bond novels are now being authored by a new generation of writers.</p>
<p>In 1961, John F, Kennedy, the newly elected president, listed a James Bond title as one of his favorite books. Many movie plots were loosely based on Flemings novels and have grossed, in total, more than $1 billion. The 007 trademark was merchandised and attached to  everything, from toys and games to clothes and toiletries. </p>
<p>But Fleming was also renowned for his non-fiction: tomes like The Diamond Smugglers and his Atticus column in The Sunday Times where he served as foreign manager (1945-9). He successfully branched into childrens literature with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1964), also made into a movie.</p>
<p>Ironically, his mother died and left him a fortune in 1964 &#8211; when Fleming was already wealthy and dying. The trip to her service may have done him in. His son committed suicide in 1975 and his wife died in 1981. He left behind one heir: James Bond. </p>
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		<title>Hindu God idols – discovering Indian mythology!</title>
		<link>http://michael-damian.net/?p=11</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:39:03 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[We all enjoy decorating our homes as beautifully as possible, especially when it comes to statues or small sculptures that depict various symbols. Powerfully attracted by the complex history of Buddhist idols, a lot of people have discovered an entire array of objects presented online, included in the gold collection. For them, these religious murtis [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We all enjoy decorating our homes as beautifully as possible, especially when it comes to statues or small sculptures that depict various symbols. Powerfully attracted by the complex history of Buddhist idols, a lot of people have discovered an entire array of objects presented online, included in the <span id="more-11"></span>gold collection. For them, these religious murtis (idols) are just what they needed for beautification and adoration at the same time. </p>
<p>Each idol is unique but any of the  Hindu God idols</a> that you choose represent ideal objects for adoration, worship and they can adorn any temple (also known as mandir). The 24k gold plating is definitely a plus, especially since such religious statues are given at special occasions. Some are offered at weddings, traditional festivals like Diwali (festival of lights), as a new-house present or even for welcoming a baby into life. The incredible thing about these objects is that they can fit into any culture, being an expression of religion and a gift that will be for always cherished.</p>
<p>Indians have a very rich and deep culture, particularly when we are speaking about religion. They pray and worship these religious idols, showing their respect at every festival and cultural event. Such products are widely purchased when the festival of lights is approaching, the legend saying that Ganesha and  Laxmi gold idols</a> should be bought. Ganesha is known to be the God that takes care of all things to run smoothly, eliminating obstructions and imparting wisdom. Many people choose to worship Ganesha by having religious idols in their temples or even in their homes, especially when they plan on starting new projects.</p>
<p>The Internet is today the best place where you can search for religious murtis and receive the most detailed offers, not to mention the best prices. You can enjoy the greatest diversity for the gold collection, including Radha Krishna (symbol of love in the Indian culture) but also a lot of other religious statues that are not so easy to get hold of, particularly Sai Baba, Bal Gopal, Ambemata, Kali or Shiva (one of the three major divinities in the Hindu temple). If you are not satisfied with the gold religious murtis, you can always search for the silver collection. You will definitely be impressed with the choices you are given.</p>
<p>Attracted by the incredible culture, many people have become ardent collectors of Hindu God idols. They have learned more about Indian mythology and religious beliefs, most of them being even interested in expressing their confidence in these deities. For them, the silver collection presents a number of interesting opportunities, especially if we were to take into consideration the depiction of the  Ganesha idol</a>. Ganesha is indeed among the most prized religious statues, being often offered as a gift but also being kept for worship. </p>
<p>If you are interested in Krishna gold, Sai Darbar gold, Ganapati silver or Ganesha silver idols, you can definitely find what you are looking for online. You can offer a wonderful gift to someone who is just as curious about the Indian culture or you can always add a new religious gold or silver idol to your growing collection! </p>
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		<title>Divining The Future</title>
		<link>http://michael-damian.net/?p=6</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:48:33 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Whether in movies or books or in life, it is human nature to be curious about what happens next, what the future holds in store.  Because of this curiosity divination methods were developed, some even centuries old.  There are several tools and ways to divine the future.  Forms popularized by gypsies (as [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Whether in movies or books or in life, it is human nature to be curious about what happens next, what the future holds in store.  Because of this curiosity divination methods were developed, some even centuries old.  There are several tools and ways to divine the future.  Forms popularized by <span id="more-6"></span>gypsies (as related in tales) are crystal (ball) gazing, tarot card reading, palmistry, tea leaves, bones, etc.</p>
<p>Divination is anything but an exact art or science.  People who have the gift of divination are often called fortune tellers.  This is actual a mislabel, because it really isn’t fortune that the diviner sees but possibilities of a person’s future live, love, finances, etc.  All these based on decisions that a person makes now.  In the Filipino language, diviners are called manghuhula which literally translates to guessers.  Essentially, this means that fortune tellers are supposedly just guessing.  Amazingly, their guesses hit the mark often enough that divination became a thriving business.</p>
<p>Despite its many forms, the one that appears to be most trusted is astrology.  There are different types of astrology but the ones most popularly known are the Chinese astrology (one of the oldest divination techniques created centuries ago) and the western astrology (created by Babylonian astronomers).<br />
Chinese Astrological signs change on an annual basis, based on the cycles of the moon.  Hence, their year starts with the first full moon of the year.  The Chinese zodiac is based on 12 animals.  Your animal is based on the year of your birth.  The twelve animal signs are:  rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar.</p>
<p>The zodiac that people are more familiar with is the one that changes by the month.  Depending on your birth date you could fall under the sign of Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, or Capricorn.</p>
<p>Nowadays divination nuts (whether diviners or those who want to have their future read) seem to be everywhere!  From the cafй at the corner, to bookstores, to the funny section in newspapers, to radio, to TV, to websites, and even, yes, to call centers.  Psychic hotlines have been all the rage for many years now.  One notable personage to get on the band wagon is Dionne Warwick and her psychic circle of friends.</p>
<p>Diviners who use astronomy employ a lot of math and research before they give their predictions.  The result depends on the position of the stars and the alignments of the planets plus the date and time of your birth for them to feel that they can come up with a more or less accurate prediction.</p>
<p>The diviners of the 21st century are more than fortune tellers.  They also act as counselors or advisers to their clients.  They provide more than advice; they also provide comfort, and an attentive ear at a very affordable price.  Your favorite diviner becomes a part of your life and at times transforms from being a simple diviner to a good friend. </p>
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