Janus Cat Frankenlouie

Janus cat (ie, cat with two faces) Frankenlouie (Frank and Louie) survives to twelve. He's cool!

Thought For the Day

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Buddhism

At Huffpost the Rev. Zesho Susan O'Connell has an interesting article reminding us that Zen meditation is more than just a stress-reduction technique. Titled "Zen Practice is Dangerous and Difficult," she has some great things to say,

Zen practice is difficult and dangerous, in that directs us to see the hollowness of our basic concepts of who we are. The essence of Zen is not merely about being relaxed, or about improvement -- it is about being awakened. Zen calls for "relinquishment." Relinquishment of what? Relinquishment of the dualism of opposites -- the ideas of good and bad, being and non-being, pure and impure... of self and other. This relinquishment, when it is total, is the dropping off of body and mind. It is a situation where self-centeredness is vaporized. It is the experience of the end of suffering.

Indeed, the ego can see this as a threat and put up a fight, thus the meditator can experience all sorts of disturbances. The trick is just to not cling to these disturbances or delusions: just let them come and go without attachment. The goal is far greater than just relaxation: it is the "end of suffering."

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Water balloon fail

Happy banned books week!

I just read in the L.A. Times that Banned Books week started Sept. 24 and ends Oct. 1. Funny that this didn't get more publicity, but in the general scheme of things this ranks pretty low, I guess. Still, it's an extremely important topic, as freedom of thought and expression are the most important freedoms for a democratic society. It seems hard to believe that attempts to ban or censor books are still underway, but they are, especially in schools and libraries where groups with an ax to grind do so under the banner of "protecting" children - usually religious. The number one book in the sites of book-banners is "And Tango Makes Three," the true story about two male penguins who hatched and raised a baby penguin - a gay penguin family! Looking over the top ten books targeted the theme of sexuality is the connecting thread, particularly homosexuality, and the groups involved overwhelmingly religious. What is it about human sexuality that gets many religious peoples' panties in a twist? And they're not satisfied with suppressing it among themselves, but they also have to do so for the rest of us. And, when challenged on their propensity for authoritarian behavior, they inevitably whine about how their "freedom" of religion is being attacked, as if their religion involves forcing others to conform (actually, it does). The only good response is a relentless campaign of resistance, ridicule, and education. The forces that would enshroud humanity in superstitious ignorance are always there; the price of liberty is eternal vigilance!

Buddha

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Solar System Coolness

Planets viewed from Earth as if they were at the distance of our moon.

Cartoon of the Day

Is Wheat Addictive and Harmful?

William Davis, a preventive cardiologist who practises in Milwaukee, Wis., argues in his new book Wheat Belly that wheat is bad for your health—so bad that it should carry a surgeon general’s warning.

Yes, I knew that, but is it addictive? -

National Institutes of Health researchers showed that gluten-derived polypeptides can cross into the brain and bind to the brain’s opiate receptors. So you get this mild euphoria after eating a product made with whole wheat. You can block that effect [in lab animals] by administering the drug naloxone. This is the same drug that you’re given if you’re a heroin addict; it’s an opiate blocker. About three months ago, a drug company applied to the FDA to commercialize naltrexone, which is an oral equivalent to naloxone. And it works, apparently, it blocks the pleasurable feelings you get from eating wheat so people stop eating so much. In clinical trials, people lost about 22.4 lb. in the first six months. Why, if you’re not a drug addict, do you need something like that? And of course there’s another option, which is to cut wheat out of your diet. However, and this is another argument for classifying wheat as addictive, people can experience some pretty unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Great! I wondered why I crave it so much, even knowing its deleterious side effects. Time to stop - cold turkey...

Here Be Monsters

Over at Slate.com, they have an interesting slideshow of ancient maps that filled in the unknown areas with all sorts of fantastic imaginings. Worth a look...

"The weird bestiary at the edges of maps was in large part an artistic decision, a chance for cartographers to fill in ugly white spaces of the still-unexplored Earth and to stretch their creative wings. (Engraving awesome, foam-spouting behemoths must have been a nice break from tracing the coast of Mexico for the umpteenth time.) But they also served as a reminder of the very real dangers faced by the explorers of the day. No one knew what was out there, and many who left didn't come back."

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Only 14

This 14 year-old boy, Jamie Rodemeyer, killed himself Monday morning after years of abuse and bullying in middle school. I find this to be unbelievable that this sweet boy could be the object of such evil. In fact, it makes my blood boil. Too bad the monsters who drove him to this couldn't be prosecuted for murder.

Rick Perry (again)

The Shoot-From-the-Lip jackass from Texas has struck again:

...he was asked: "To what extent do you view America's continued protection of Israel as a theological priority?" He answered:

"Well, obviously, Israel is our oldest and most stable democratic ally in that region. That is what this is about. I also as a Christian have a clear directive to support Israel. So from my perspective, it's pretty easy. Both as an American and as a Christian, I am going to stand with Israel."

Great! What a gift to Islamic extremists: connect America with Israel in a holy crusade against Islam, just what bin Laden was attempting and what Bush (to his credit) resisted throughout his presidency. This guy, and his christianist extremism, is a real danger to the country and the world. I hope he doesn't shut his mouth, though: the more he talks, the more he reveals about himself, the less likely he will be elected.

DADT RIP

At long last, some measure of justice and equality has been restored to the Republic!

After years of bitter debate, and generations of military tradition, repeal of the 18-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" law went into effect at 12:01 a.m. For the first time, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines were free to declare their sexual orientation without risking being thrown out of the military. 

One story, from a verteran of the Iraq war:

In California, former Marine Capt. Kristen Kavanaugh, 31, hopes to join the Navy four years after she left the Marines. She had served in Iraq, but could no longer stand the pressure of hiding her sexuality.

"The turning point was Iraq," said Kavanaugh, now a graduate student at USC. "Everyone else could call their loved one and talk openly. I had to guard my words and only talk in general terms. It was awful having to live like that."

Earth Orbit Time Lapse

What it feels like to orbit the earth. Coolness...

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An amazing tattoo...

Contagion

Over at Slate, Patrick Goldstein and James Rainey present an interesting analysis of the current paranoia-thriller "Contagion", comparing it to the 1950 film, "Panic in the Streets" directed by Elia Kazan. The authors connect the themes in both to current issues of paranoia and fear. Although I haven't seen "Contagion" yet, I intend to soon. The essay is worth a look. The conclusion:

Six decades later, “Panic in the Streets” remains just as engaging as “Contagion,” in part because it was intended as suspenseful entertainment, not message-oriented drama. The movies that linger the longest in our imagination are the ones in which the messages are buried beneath the surface. We are afraid, very afraid today — of losing our jobs, of living in a country caught in a downward spiral. When we see movies like “Contagion” or “Panic in the Streets,” where people work together to defeat an insidious virus, it gives us a dose of optimism about fending off all the other insidious forces at work in our lives. At the movies, the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

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Christ Redfield

Movies to See

I saw "Warrior" recently and was surprised by how good and entertaining it was. When I saw the trailer, it seemed like little more than a routine Rocky-like fighter film set in the world of cage-fighting, and of little interest. But I was dragged to it by a friend and became more and more enthused as I watched it. The fighter meme is merely a hook for the real dynamic at work, the interaction between the estranged father and his two sons. Very dramatic and well-acted, with addiction themes and the possibility of forgiveness in a seemingly intractable situation. Recommended...

Cartoon of the Day

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Steve Walker Art (again)

Perfection, Voltaire, and the Beta

Jeff Jarvis over at BuzzMachine connects Voltaire's formulation on the harmfulness of the demand for perfection to Beta releases (worth a read):

Voltaire was half right. “Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien,” he said: The best is the enemy of the good. The best is also the enemy of the better. Striving for perfection complicates and delays getting things done. Worse, the myth of perfection can shut off the process of improvement and the possibility of collaboration. 

Beyond this specific application, I think the demand for perfection is absurd. For one thing, it is impossible, and the attempt to achieve it is psychologically destructive. It's far better to try to find oneself and express that. The problem with perfection is that it usually is a demand to conform to some outside standard, imposed by others. I say, find your authentic self, and be as true to that as you can be - we're always a Beta version.

9/11

Soothing

Sometimes at night I like to run some background noise to help me sleep or just relax (they're also good while meditating) - particularly in this hot weather, when the sounds of running water are an antidote to the heat. Here's a couple I like on YouTube (there are several):

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God & Religion

Carlin is simply amazing...

Rick Perry (again)

Why am I so obsessed by this Texas turkey? I guess because he represents in the most effective and scary way what is so bad about present-day Republicanism. Anyway, here's something a bit lighter: not good for the gay rumors.

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Kids vs. Dogs in Restaurants

Over at Andrew Sullivan's blog, there's a mini-controversy going on about dogs in restaurants or cafes. Now a few shrewd readers have started comparing the behavior of dogs vs. that of kids in these establishments, often to amusing effect. Having worked in restaurants all my life, I can honestly say that I'd take dogs over kids any day. Now, let me preface by saying that most kids I encounter are cool and I enjoy dealing with them. But the ones who aren't are hell on earth - and there are a lot of them. Do you like the sound of a 747 taking off in your back yard? Then you'll love the little monsters who vent their little narcissistic screeches non-stop. Then there's the ones who run around, throw stuff, and perform songs or whatever at the top of their voices (not to mention the rude little twerps). Of course, most of this is the parents' fault. Either they think their little darlings are the greatest things in the universe (and you better agree or else), or they're just assholes, I can't decide. Recently, we had an incident with a little kid who screeched so loud I could hear it in the kitchen, ran around, and threw peanuts at a neighboring table. When they objected, the "mother" told them to mind their own business. It escalated from there, with her dumping water on the neighbor's head and trying to storm out without paying. Douchebag!

And don't get me started on kids in movie theaters...

Words of Wisdom and Comfort

"The best thing for being sad is to learn something. That is the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder in your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then – to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust and never dream of regretting." T.H. White, The Book of Merlin

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Zen Poetry

The school of Aryadeva is so hard to analyze.
Snow piled up in a silver bowl.
Who could have said it better than that?
The same wind blows across earth,
Mountains, rivers;
It leaves all human and heavenly
Realms refreshed, pure.

- Daito (1282-1334)