I’m constantly tossing interesting websites into what I call my blogpile. Some of them find their way here in the form of regular posts, but more often than not they languish and get buried deeper in the pile. The end result is that I have to go back and do a bit of shoveling. Today’s item is 20 Questions to Help You Reflect the Past Year
Combat Doc: Oh. So this is what they’re talking about…”P” TSD. Now it makes sense. I have days when I just laugh out loud at some of the near misses I survived in Iraq. RPGs, IEDs, small arms fire pinging off the ground at my feet. I remember the shrapnel that hit my chest when I was running to the tower after the RPG near-missed a Kiowa helicopter. I…
I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and other Internet comedy that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. So for your morning blog amazement I present: From My Dad.
Yes. I know that murderers will use whatever weapons are at hand, but at least when the victims are equipped with the same weapon as the person trying to take their life, the outcome is not always so tragic. And that’s the reason I applaud India’s decision and want every other nation on the planet to follow suit.
From The Washington Post:
India has halted all arms sales and transfers to Burma, a development that could increase international pressure on the military junta that brutally crushed the pro-democracy “Saffron Revolution” led by monks this fall.
The Indian government’s decision has not been officially announced, but diplomatic sources said it has been privately confirmed by New Delhi to top U.S. officials in recent weeks. In a little-noticed statement, first lady Laura Bush noted the decision in a video teleconference she held on Dec. 10 in recognition of International Human Rights Day. Ticking off actions taken by countries around the world in response to the crackdown, Bush said, “India, one of Burma’s closest trading partners, has stopped selling arms to the junta.”
An army of 500,000 doesn’t seem quite so imposing when it’s reduced to waving sticks and throwing rocks.
Before the [September] protests, military ties between India and Burma had appeared to be on a fast track. Military contacts had increased in early 2007, with New Delhi seeking help battling Burmese-based insurgent groups operating on its northeastern border and also attempting to counteract China’s growing influence in the Burmese economy. Indian and Burmese military forces began conducting joint operations, and Indian officials indicated they would grant Burma’s request for military equipment.
In one sign of cooperation, India began discussing the transfer of military helicopters that Amnesty International, in a July report, said are “highly likely to contain components, technology and munitions” originating from European Union nations and the United States, undermining embargoes by those countries.
War is good business.
What can we do to make it less so?
My name is Jeff Hess and I’m a biblioholic. I own hundreds of books. Not valuable books, mostly Science Fiction paperbacks and text books, tomes rescued by the bag from library book sales. A few years ago, in the interest of not burying myself, I began reading more books from the library and taking notes. My electronic chapbook was born.
This is a passage I copied from Perfume of the Desert: Inspirations From Sufi Wisdom by Andrew Harvey and Eryk Hanut.
“They are wide awake and see the reality of things.” Lahiji p. 40
Today, as I go about my tasks, I’ll think about: The principle of self-unification is simple: when what you do is in congruity with what you believe, and what you believe is the highest of truths, you achieve the most gratifying form of personal productivity and experience the most satisfying form of self-esteem. p. 21.
I’m constantly tossing interesting websites into what I call my blogpile. Some of them find their way here in the form of regular posts, but more often than not they languish and get buried deeper in the pile. The end result is that I have to go back and do a bit of shoveling. Today’s item is 8 Ways to Achieve Success in 2008.
CAPT Benjamin Tupper: A good friend of mine got killed recently in Afghanistan. He was the First Sergeant of the Infantry Company that I was assigned to. Mention of his death won’t be in your local newspapers, nor listed on any web sites honoring the fallen, so you probably don’t know about him or how he died. He was a great soldier nonetheless, and we…
I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and other Internet comedy that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. So for your morning blog chuckle I present: From My Dad.
In a further move to suppress avenues for discussions that it sees as threats to its continued domination and repression of the people of Myanmar, the military dictators have banned all dharma [teachings of the Buddha] talks and seminars in the capital city of Yangon and closed the Buddhist University in Rangoon.
From BurmaNet News:
[M]onks [in Yangon] told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that dhamma [the Buddha”s teachings] talks by four well-known monks were forced to cancel in December. The monks were named as: U Kawthala, also known as Dhamma Sedi Sayadaw; U Kawvida, also known as Mizzima Gon Yi Sayadaw; U Nadapadi, also known as Pyu Sayadaw; and U Sadila, also known as Lu Yay Chun Sayadaw.
Township authorities in Rangoon had been ordered to ban dhamma talks by the Regional Commander of Rangoon, said the sources. On Wednesday, U Kawvida, who is also a PhD in Buddhism, prepared to conduct a Buddhist tutorial in Insein Township, on the outskirts of Rangoon. However, officials arrived at the scene and ordered the dhamma talk to be stopped immediately.
[Snip]
Since November, dhamma VCDs [DVDs] featuring Burma”s most respected senior monks, including U Nyanithara and U Kawvida, which are critical of the military crackdown , have reportedly been banned by the authorities.
I find this convergence of old and new media fascinating. The generals find themselves trying to cover both ends of the hollow log, unable to tell from which end freedom might escape.
What would be your response?
My name is Jeff Hess and I’m a biblioholic. I own hundreds of books. Not valuable books, mostly Science Fiction paperbacks and text books, tomes rescued by the bag from library book sales. A few years ago, in the interest of not burying myself, I began reading more books from the library and taking notes. My electronic chapbook was born.
This is a passage I copied from Perfume of the Desert: Inspirations From Sufi Wisdom by Andrew Harvey and Eryk Hanut.
“A very solid cup has to be prepared to hold the increasingly burning wine of gnosis, and this solid cup can only be created in us by a desire to purify ourselves of every habit, disordered appetite and fantasy that keeps us slaves to ourselves…. Longing is both the anguish that burns away the veils of separation between the soul and God and the thread that guides us deeper and deeper within ourselves to where love is waiting, always, to take us further into its mystery.” Ibn Arabi p. 34
Today, as I go about my tasks, I’ll think about: The principle of self-unification is simple: when what you do is in congruity with what you believe, and what you believe is the highest of truths, you achieve the most gratifying form of personal productivity and experience the most satisfying form of self-esteem. p. 21.
Part of being a good citizen of the blogosphere is visiting, reading and, most importantly, taking the time to leave a comment on other’s blogs. It’s all about the conversation. In the interest of setting an example I’ve decided to link to those blog posts that have compelled me to leave a comment.
1431 Newly elected official? Go get some learnin”
1747 Fighting Back, Or A Blood-Boiling Blow Begs the Question…?
I’m constantly tossing interesting websites into what I call my blogpile. Some of them find their way here in the form of regular posts, but more often than not they languish and get buried deeper in the pile. The end result is that I have to go back and do a bit of shoveling. Today’s item is 6 Reasons to Slow Down while Eating.
Powered by Wordpress | Design by Ash Haque
XHTML Strict | RSS Entries
