What's Wrong With Talking?

Today there are headlines about Iran testing missiles. There are comments from the Iranian government that it will defend itself against attacks from Israel and comments from Israel that they will defend themselves against Iran. Of course, the U.S. is responding with words like Secretary of State Rice’s comments about “our obligation to help our allies defend themselves.”

Doesn’t it all sound very familiar? Each side pounding their chests saying “Don’t mess with me!” Each side putting on the tough front. Each side trying to mask fear with the hard line. The worst part is that events like these often escalate to full scale war, and thousands end up loosing their lives. Yet we repeat the same old patterns… patterns that don’t work.

On a visit to the John F. Kennedy Museum in Boston, I had the privilege of viewing the actual correspondences between President Kennedy and Soviet Premier Khrushchev during the Cuban missile crisis. (Of course, the English translations of Khrushchev’s correspondences were presented.) Keep in mind the both of these men were known for tough rhetoric. Kennedy had made many anti-communist speeches, and Khrushchev was famous for telling America “We will bury you!” However, the two leaders communicated directly with each other. They talked. Neither showed weakness in these letters, and they had a lot to sort out. But they communicated.

Many have said that the Cuban missile crisis brought us very close to a nuclear war. I can imagine if today’s leadership was in place during that time. Tougher and tougher language would get used more to appease the public than to address the crisis. Leaders would refuse to communicate directly with each other out of fear of being perceived as weak. There’s no way of knowing what would have happened, but a very reasonable guess is that thousands—if not millions—would have died.

It’s sad that that mentality is so prevalent in America. The Republicans are constantly attacking Obama’s plans to talk directly with leaders in countries perceived as our enemies. Why? What you’re doing now isn’t working. Never has. Never will. We’re not gorillas. We are homo sapiens which means “wise man.” Let’s act like it.

I don’t’ think Obama is any kind of savior. He has his blind spots and imperfections like the rest of us, and should he become president I’ll be the first to criticize anything I disagree with. But I’m voting for him because I think he is just plain smarter than McCain and other so-called conservative thinkers. We need intelligent leadership, not some silly tough guy image. Our safety and security is a really important issue in this election.

Oh yeah, one more caveat. The Bush administration is using this as justification for their “missile shield.” Again, the contractors are the only winners.

Fox News is a propadanda machine. That is not an exageration, and it is not partisan bickering. It is a fact. The management at Fox news deliberately manipulate uninformed and uneducated people to vote for Republicans. Please try to understand that there are hundreds of billions of dollars at stake in this election. The petroleum power structure, the war contractors, and those who profit from creating greenhouse gases all want to preserve the status quo.

Throughout history, there have been ruthless individuals who will do whatever it takes for wealth and power. They have no regard for any death or human suffering they may cause or contribute to. They have no reservations about using deceit or deception. Those individuals tend to rise to positions of power. That also happens in America. Our government is under their sway.

In a constitutional democracy where the people have the means to protect themselves from all of this, those who would wield power must manipulate the thinking of those who vote. In an information age, they must insert sufficient misinformation to confuse. Hence we have Fox News, talk radio, and various propaganda web sites and blogs. It is all to manipulate our thinking for someone else's profits.

Turn off your TV. Turn off your car radio. Put down the booze. Open an encyclopedia. Take a night class. Educate yourself. Exercise your intellect. Don't be a mind-controlled fool.

http://www.outfoxed.org

Typical Fox News Commentator

Some Fox News commentator (typical) tried to associate Obama's name with "Osama" and then she jokingly makes a comment about killing Obama. Pretty sick.

In spite of the hatred and fear mongering, there are good people in America. There have always been those who fight for change for the better. It's happening now.

Getting Tough

I feel like puking when I hear people go on and on about being “tough on terrorism” and so on. They are just being manipulated by crooks who are robbing us blind in the name of defense and the war on terrorism. Paying thousands of dollars for wrenches and hundreds of dollars for toilet seats doesn’t create a strong defense. Paying contractors to do soldiers’ laundry at $100 a bag or paying Halliburton/KBR to build oil rigs in Iraq with tax payer money instead of allowing the petroleum companies to pay for it themselves does nothing to protect us from terrorism. A major military deployment in Iraq makes a lot of contractors really rich, but does nothing to secure us from the real threats to our security.

People need to pull their heads out of their… the sand… and face reality. The administration has knowingly and willingly lied again and again about the war in Iraq. The defense establishment is corrupted. Private contractors have taken over military functions without accountability. When will people see that our government has become a puppet show for those who are blinded by greed?

An effective defense requires non-corrupted and intelligent leadership. However, it is hard for non-corrupted individuals to break into the inner circles of government, and it is hard for intelligent individuals to win elections.

Any solutions will have to start with us. We need to become more awake and aware. We need to put down the alcohol and turn off the TV’s. We need to exercise our intellects. We need to learn to discriminate between information and garbage. We need to become responsible for the so-called leaders we elect. Ignorance is getting harder and harder to excuse.

Let’s get tough on corruption. Let’s get tough on lies and deceit and deception. Let’s get tough on the lobbyists and special interests. Let’s get tough on ignorance. Let’s get tough on ourselves. Then we can be in a better position to deal with the very real threats to our security.

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Desire and Fulfillment

One of the English translations of The Second Noble Truth of Buddha is “The cause of sorrow is desire.” A more formal translation:

"Now this ... is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there, that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination."

Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11), trans. Bodhi (2000), pp. 1843-47.

Many would interpret this to mean that one should refrain from the objects of desire. This concept is not exclusively Buddhist. Many Christians, Hindus, and others practice monastic lifestyles to avoid things that humans typically desire such as relationships and material things.

Having listened quite a bit to Maharaji and having practiced the know-how that he teaches for going within to try to experience inner contentment, I’ve come to a simple but amazing realization. It is not about a monastic lifestyle or a Spartan discipline. It is the understanding that the things we desire cannot completely fulfill us, and that we must find that one thing that can.

The deepest desire in a human being, for lack of better words, is to be fulfilled… to be happy. There is a part of us that cannot be fulfilled by things corporal or material or by “seeking delight here and there.” That part of ourselves can only be fulfilled by something within which brings inner contentment and peace.

Once we have achieved inner contentment, then we do not try to find it in other things. Materialism is just materialism. Family is just family. Friends are just friends. Once we have found fulfillment, we can enjoy those things for what they are because we are no longer trying to make something out of them that they are not.

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence”

Aristotle

The answers are not hidden. We just need a little light to be able to see them.

Phew! I just read some blogs about Clinton vs. Obama. Between those and the debates and the political pundits on TV, I think I need a break from this election. In other news, there are corrupt governments and human rights abuses and diseases and poverty and wars being waged and more wars brewing and vast human suffering. Oh, yeah, and everyone seems to have forgot that there are STILL thousands of nuclear warheads out there.

I don't think that politics holds the answers. I don't believe that any leader figure is going to make it all better. Sure, try to sort out the best candidate and vote, but don't make more out of that then what it is.

I think that a little bit of consciousness can make a big difference in this world. Not just consciousness of the issues and problems, but consciousness of what life is made out of. Maybe if human beings woke up to what exists within them, things could become more balanced. Turning on a light can make a lot of difference when it's really dark. I'm not just talking about some flaky spiritualism or group hugging movement. I'm talking about genuinely becoming more awake and aware. Becoming more conscious.

I guess I have to start with myself.

New Hybrid Car

Well, I up and bought a Prius. Leased, actually. A 2008 Magnetic Gray Toyota Prius with option Package #6. This package adds smart key, backup camera, vehicle stability control, really good JBL sound system, Bluetooth, satellite navigation with voice control, high intensity discharge headlights, very nice leather seats, and a few other things. Really cool!

OK, so this is no high-performance car. It does not have head-jerking acceleration or road-racing steering. It certainly is no luxury car (though it has many of the amenities--see option package above). But this car is an engineering marvel. Try Googling "Hybrid Synergy Drive" and learn more. It's actually more complex than the simplistic portrayal of an electric motor supplementing an internal combustion engine. Much more complex. Read up if you’re interested.

Truth be told, greenhouse gases are a serious problem. Global warming is a reality. Politics and economics related to petroleum resources is creating a lot of death and suffering. It's easy to talk about these things at tea parties, but I as an individual want to do a little more. I want to at least reduce my energy consumption. I use energy-efficient light bulbs in my home, I only buy Energy Star compliant appliances, I don’t waste paper, and I recycle plastics. And now I drive an extremely fuel-efficient car.

When I'm on the highway surrounded by thousands of huge trucks and SUV's, I have no illusion that I'm making a big difference in reducing greenhouse gases. However, one more person buying a very fuel-efficient car may influence one or two others to do so. One person can contribute to creating more of a market for fuel-efficient cars influencing manufacturers to make and sell more of them. This is already happening. You may have read in the financial sections that Toyota is kicking butt with their hybrid cars while GM is having a hard time with little more than TV commercials promising them in the near future.

However, to my surprise, there’s no big sacrifice. Sure, I could have bought a Cadillac CTS or Acura RL and had a little more luxury and prestige, but as it turns out the Prius is actually quite fun to drive. You can watch the hybrid system status screen and see exactly when you’re using the internal combustion engine, the electric motor, or both, when you are generating electricity to the battery, and your average miles per gallon. The car is completely silent when it is running only on electricity. Even wind noise is minimal due to an extremely low drag coefficient (i.e. it’s very aerodynamic). I’m no expert on sound systems, but the JBL system creates crystal clear music with excellent thumping base. There are steering wheel controls for just about everything. The navigation is awesome. It’s pretty cool to just press a voice command button and say “Home” to have the voice-guidance system direct you home. My cell phone connects automatically via Bluetooth when I start the car allowing me to make and receive calls with the press of a button using the sound system as a speakerphone This car has a lot of goodies.

As far as prestige, there are different kinds. I’m not particularly concerned with what others think when I’m driving, but I’ve noticed a lot of heads turning especially around universities (there are many where I live) and in places like Whole Foods parking lots. People sometimes respect consciousness more than wealth. I’m all for that.

The Military-Industrial Complex

After World War II, weapons industries became a permanent, major component of the American economy. They have also become a major influence on government policy due to the movement of high-ranking individuals between the government, the military, and weapons industries.

In this video, President Eisenhower explains the necessity for the development of the military-industrial complex, but he also warns us of the dire consequences if we are not diligent. We have not been diligent.

I Want a Hybrid

I was reading some comments online about hybrid cars. Several comments were to the effect that you're not really saving money by driving a hybrid. Some even described hybrid owners as "eco-poseurs."

I want a hybrid. My next car will definitely be a hybrid. I don't want a car that uses hybrid technology to crank up horsepower and torque. Rather I want a car that uses hybrid technology to reduce gasoline usage.

My reason is not just to save money. Although I am not rich, I could easily afford a mid-size luxury sedan or SUV with lots of horsepower, and I can afford to buy fuel for it.

I'm also not interested in posing for others. I'm not trying to prove I'm hip. In fact, I care little of what others think of me when I'm on the road short of wanting to shoot me out of road rage.

My desire to buy a hybrid is based on the following logic:

• If more people by hybrids or other super fuel-efficient cars, they encourage automakers to produce more of them.

• If automakers produce more hybrid and fuel-efficient cars, they will want to market what they've produced.

• If automakers invest more into marketing of hybrid and fuel-efficient cars, even more people will buy them.

• If more and more people buy hybrid and fuel-efficient cars, less greenhouse gases will be created.

• If less greenhouse gases are created, the world will be a better place for all of us.

Why is something so simple so hard for so many to get?

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I just wanted to point out that this is a personal blog, and it only contains my personal expressions and opinions. I do not represent any organization or group or other individual. I do not represent any religion or political party. I post my real name, and I stand accountable for what I say.

It is unfortunate that the Internet is more and more becoming the misinformation superhighway. Of course, people are going to have different views, and I am a staunch advocate of free expression. But it is also a fact that we live in a word full of liars. People will lie for money. People will lie for position. People will lie just out of hatred.

There are many web sites, blogs and other commentaries on the Internet that are nothing more than vicious attacks motivated by hatred. The commentaries are full of lies, and their only purpose is to hurt. The authors of these commentaries rarely reveal themselves and use anonymous monikers like sug8656. They do not stand accountable for what they say.

Sometimes those in pain lash out at others. Misery loves company. I do not place myself above others when I say this because I’ve been there and I’ve done that. However, I’ve come to realize that the way out of frustration and despair is to consciously seek inner peace. Lashing out at others just perpetuates a vicious cycle of pain, misery, and yes, war.

Peace!

A Definition of Patriot

My patriotism has been questioned because I have disagreed with some policies of decision makers in our government. Somehow, a certain group of people have decided that they are the “patriots” and those of us who don’t think like them are not. Consequently, I would like to put forth my own definition of a patriot. In this definition, I use pronouns “he” and “his” but it applies to women and men alike.

A patriot keeps his mind sharp. This is the information age, and only a clear, sharp mind can make a meaningful contribution. A patriot doesn’t sit in front of a TV for four or five hours a day because he knows that too much TV makes his intellect weak. A patriot doesn’t drink alcohol more than occasionally because he knows that alcohol makes one dull and dimwitted. A patriot studies, whether it is science or math or literature or history or whatever, because a patriot exercises his brain. A patriot doesn’t read big headlines with little information; he reads and digests the many long paragraphs in the better information resources.

A real patriot doesn’t do a lot of flag waving. He understands that the flag is the symbol of our nation, but that human beings are the reality of our nation. He understands that a single human life is far more precious than any symbol. A patriot doesn’t need to make public displays of his patriotism. Instead he knows what he stands for and acts accordingly with or without recognition. Anyone can publicly pledge allegiance to a flag, but a real patriot is the one who has the courage to do the right thing in the most difficult times.

A patriot doesn’t think American blood is more precious than the blood of any other human being on this planet. That kind of thinking is the thinking of a Nazi. A patriot believes in one of the founding principles of our nation that all men are created equal. He understands that although we must be strong, we must also be just and humane. All men are created equal.

A patriot would never try to use the government to force his religion on others. He believes what he needs to believe, but he knows that the government should never be used to institute a religion. A patriot would never try to use the public schools to force his religion on other people's kids. A patriot would never use religion as an excuse to deny someone else their rights. A patriot does not use the name of God to push his political agenda, and he does not allow himself to be manipulated by those who do.

Finally, a patriot has integrity. Chronic liars need not apply. Thieves don’t qualify. Someone with integrity is someone who lives in reality. Someone who lives in reality doesn’t deceive. Someone who doesn’t deceive is difficult to deceive. Our nation needs more people who are difficult to deceive.

Well, that’s my definition of a patriot. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of disagreement, but it works for me.

I'm Spartacus!

I have a very important announcement to make: I am, in fact, the real father of Anna Nicole's baby. That's right. I have no regard for the life and death of this human being, and no concern for the life of this infant. I just want in on the big lawsuit by Anna Nicole's estate.

After all, this is the most important headline in the news media. Who cares if we are escalating the war in Iraq? Who cares if another 75 people were killed by car bombs? Who cares if polar ice caps are melting and there's less oxygen in the air? We need to keep our priorities straight. We need to keep focused on the day-to-day lives of so-called celebrities. We need to find dirt and scandal. Who is in rehab? Who has an eating disorder? Who's... doing who?

This is how we can avoid that boring, mundane thing called living our lives. This is how we can avoid the darkness of this world and our responsibility in it all. Tom Cruise got married. Oprah gained weight. Bill Clinton got a BJ. Yeehaw!

So, as the father of Anna Nicole's baby, I become part of what is really important. No more mere living, breathing human being, but part of the celebrity icon non-reality escape trivial pathetic. I am so proud of myself.

Fresh Understanding

I recently went through something. Something internal. It’s probably impossible to even begin to put into words, but here goes.

I was experiencing anguish and frustration. I was dissatisfied with my situation. I wanted things that were out of my reach. I fell deeper and deeper into the frustration until it bordered on despair.

Now that’s what was happening on a superficial level in my mind. What was really happening at a deeper level was that I had lost touch with my inner contentment. That to me is a very serious matter. It’s like loosing my oxygen supply. I began to really long for that feeling once again. It was a heartfelt longing.

I regularly practice something called "Knowledge" which consists of techniques taught by Maharaji which enable me to go within and feel the sweet contentment within me. However, to be honest, it takes some effort. It takes sincerity and an understanding. This is not a fad meditation. This Knowledge is for those who are serious about fulfilling this life. This is the real deal.

I spent some time listening to some DVD’s that I have of Maharaji speaking. I listened a little more carefully than I had been. He reminded me yet again of what’s important. He clarified things. He simplified things.

I began to practice Knowledge in earnest. I realized that I had been sort of drifting too much into my dreams, and that I had to make a little more effort to focus on that inner reality.

Everything started to fall into place. The bliss is returning. And it is sweet. Better than my expectations. Better than my dreams.

I love this stuff.

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Maharaji in Dallas

Last weekend I saw Maharaji in Dallas. It is really special for me when I get to listen to Maharaji. This is not some kind of psychological thing. This is not a placebo. This is not a "faith" experience. This is rather an exploration into understanding. A certain understanding. The understanding of the preciousness of this time I have. Precious because there is so much experience to be had.

Maharaji spoke in a ballroom in the Hyatt Regency hotel near the Dallas/Fort Worth airport. I saw him briefly in a hallway on his way to the event. He even looked at me for a moment before he stepped into the elevator. It was a really good feeling.

I don't want to give birth to any concepts about Maharaji. I don't want to try to create some kind of mystical hype or spiritual testimonials. This is not about anything mystical or spiritual.

However, Maharaji is very special. I find that I can be influenced by the presence of others. When I’m around lively people, I can become more lively. When I'm around angry people, I can become angrier. The same for jovial, depressed, cynical, optimistic, and so on. When I'm around Maharaji, I become more conscious.

There are many things to be conscious of. What Maharaji helps me to become conscious of is myself... what exists within me. Something that I can't put into words, but feels really good.

That's not a very good sales pitch, but that's OK because there's nothing for sale here. I'm also not doing a very good job preaching because there's nothing to preach. Plain and simple: life can be fun. Really fun. Every day.

Emptiness, mediocrity, and a mundane existence are no longer necessary. The joy and wonder of a child... a childlike heart... are possible... even for an old grouch like me. This is wonderful.

I hope I get to listen to Maharaji in person again soon. Until then, there's the CD's and DVD's. ;-)
http://wordsofpeace.org

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Obama for President?

(I had posted the following commentary on January 16, 2007, well before the primaries and Obama's fast rise in popularity.)

I saw Barack Obama and his wife on TV recently. Here are my personal observations.

First of all, he is likeable and charismatic. He speaks well, and he responds well to questions although some of his answers seem rehearsed. He is a skilled politician. He is an expert user of rhetoric. Of course, these are not the right reasons to vote for someone, but it is not a terrible thing that the candidate knows how to walk the walk and talk the talk of politics. The point is he could win.

But will he really be a good president? What would his positions be as opposed to his rhetoric? Will he be able to take on this awful state of the union that he would be inheriting? How will he address important issues like Iraq, corrupt war pofiteering, our carbon fuel dependency, and the many other issues?

I have learned in my lifetime not to put too much faith in politicians. There is no political "savior" that will make it all better. These guys are only human. They have personal ambitions. They have egos. Politicians have to be players and manipulators—it goes with the territory. Sadly, integrity and conscience can be big liabilities for politicians.

That all being said, I think it's possible to get reasonably intelligent people with basic conscience into decision making positions. I think that Senator Obama is one of those people.

Then there's the Hillary question. She's popular enough to win the Democratic primary. But, as many pundits have already pointed out, she may have a polarizing effect since she is so hated by those to the right. (I usually hate to repeat what the pundits say, but in this case I believe there's something to it.) It would be a drag on the country to have to deal with more constant, vicious attacks like the ones that were made on on the other Clinton.

Hillary Clinton's biggest liability is that she initially supported the war in Iraq. That's enough to discourage the very large anti-war constituency from even going to the polls. (That could go both ways, but it seems the anti-war numbers are growing.) Obama, on the other hand, has always opposed the war in Iraq. No waffling.

I know I haven't said anything really original here, but that's not the point. Some things are just obvious, and I think Obama is the obvious choice for president in 2008. And I hope he kicks McCain's butt!

http://www.barackobama.com

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Tax on Water

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is asking the government of Zambia to put a tax on water. Really! They're also asking them to put a tax on food in a country where 80% of the people live in abject poverty (source https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook). Oh yes, and they also want to tax agricultural supplies like seeds and fertilizer which are required by the very large population of low income subsidence farmers.

Zambian leaders are quick to jump and dance for the IMF to continue to receive large amounts of donor aid. Because of the IMF's demands, children in Zambia have to pay to go to school. The majority of Zambian children are not in school, mostly because they can't afford it. Even in the richest developed countries, elementary and secondary education is free. Also, very low income people in Zambia who do not even make enough to feed their families are required to pay income tax, again, because of IMF demands on the Zambian government.

Many people think that organizations such as the IMF and the World Bank are benevolent organizations that are helping the poor in developing countries. I think that assumption needs to be seriously questioned, and these organizations need to be monitored more closely. If my perceptions are correct, these organizations could be some of the biggest contributors to human suffering on the planet, and if that's true they need to be stopped.

I lived in Zambia in 1993. By that time, the Zambian government had already received billions of dollars from the IMF and the World Bank. Yet there was no visible sign of this money being invested in the infrastructure. The roads were unbelievably dilapidated. The hospitals were disgusting deathtraps. The schools were filthy shacks where the children sat on dirt floors and didn't have books.

School House, Petauke, Zambia, 2007

However, ruling party members and their families lived in luxurious mansions (even by our standards), and mostly drove around in new S-600's. Their kids studied in Europe, and God only knows what other assets they owned. What's interesting is that there were no other visible sources of income for most of these ruling party types, but there was definitely someone draining the donor aid. That was 1993. Zambians that I know inform me that the situation has gotten even much worse.

These absurd demands of the IMF on donor recipients make me question their motives. Are they really trying to help the poor, or is there something else going on? I suppose that it's little more than conspiracy theory to suggest that IMF is concerned with the interests of Western big business and investment opportunities in Africa and elsewhere. Nevertheless, the sheer probability of these things happening warrants serious investigation.

At the very least, we should be concerned about the vast human suffering which may be caused by IMF economic policies in Zambia and other developing countries. We should stop naively assuming that the IMF is doing everything right. We should take a good look at their policies and motives.

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Database Developers Gone Bad

Some database developers, like many others in technical and engineering professions, like to do acrobatics. They like to show what they're capable of, and they want to impress. They frequently forgo simplicity and elegance to develop unnecessarily complicated systems that they think will make them look good.

To further complicate matters, many database developers are unqualified to begin with. The demand for database systems is out of control, and database development has become the career choice for many that are just plain unqualified. They're like surgeons who learn their trade in 3-day seminars. Worse, they’re like actors pretending to be surgeons. They give Golden Globe performances when interviewed by non-technical decision makers, they frequently attend meetings with VP-types, they are masters of the white board, and they often get big bonuses, promotions, and in the case of consultants, extended contracts. The only missing detail is that they don’t have a clue as to how to build a freaking production-quality database system.

Sadly, the users of these systems welcome them with enthusiastic masochism. They think they are are learning "technical" skills by working with cryptic naming conventions and wasting most of their time trying to sort out ridiculous data models. These users blame themselves for providing inconsistent and invalid query results to their clients. And then they beg for more.

This disease goes further up the food chain. Management "geniuses" (in quotes) think that they have something of great value if it takes a huge budget to develop it, a huge staff to maintain it, and nobody knows how the whole thing works. If by chance a competent developer should come along and build a simple, straightforward database system that costs less, is developed quickly, works transparently, and is easy to use, management think they are not getting their money's worth.

As if it wasn't enough that all this unnecessary complexity is embraced, but technical requirements that are actually necessary are frequently rejected. We are asked to justify requests for resources that are needed including time to write the damn code, while all the waste and spaghetti goes unquestioned. So weird!

The situation is far worse than any Dilbert cartoon. I have personally seen millions wasted developing absurdly convoluted and unsound systems when sensible and useful systems could have been developed at a fraction of the cost. The resulting database systems are unreliable, resource intensive, costly to maintain, and produce inconsistent results.

I haven’t read Superman comics since I was a kid, but Superman used to sometimes go to a planet called The Bizarro World. Everything on this planet was… well, bizarre. Things were the opposite of what one would expect. The planet was square instead of round. Tax collectors went around giving money to people instead of collecting it from them. People ate dinner in the morning and breakfast in the evening. Things were basically ass-backwards.

Now, as a mature adult, I have come to realize that I live on The Bizarro World. I guess I better wake up. Or is it fall asleep?

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Maharaji

There's a lot of stuff about Maharaji out there on the Internet. I suppose that people have the right to express their point of view, but frankly I think that some of the people making these comments are very misinformed. That being said, I'd like to express my own experience of Maharaji and what he teaches.

In addition to giving very clear explanations about the preciousness of this life, Maharaji has shown me techniques (he calls "the Knowledge") for going within to experience the source of life within. That may sound conceptual, but practicing this Knowledge brings me a real experience. An inner experience. Not thoughts. Not beliefs. Not concepts. An experience.

Furthermore, when I try to focus on that experience and grow in that experience, it gives me an incredibly good feeling. For lack of better words, I call it "contentment" or "peace. "

For me inspirational talk is not enough. I need something real. This inner experience is as real as could possibly be. I love this experience and the way it makes me feel. I hope to enjoy this for the rest of my life.

We can all talk and talk and talk, but only those who have that inner experience for themselves can understand what Maharaji is really teaching. Don't have a second-hand, third-hand or fourth-hand opinion. Get your own experience and decide for yourself.

http://www.wordsofpeace.org

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First Day of 2007

First day of 2007
Means absolutely nothing
A circle has no beginning or end
The earth goes around the sun
We have arbitrarily picked a day
We call "the beginning"
Same old sorry-ass thing in Times Square
There's 6 billion people NOT in Times Square
There's a billion that don't have food
And don't give a flying you-know-what
About the so-called party
In Times Sqaure
Think of it rather
As another day of life
Another chance
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Another year passses by
Another child asks us why
Another flower will die
And so the year passes by

Another day will begin
Another vote will come in
Another bullet will fly
And so the day will pass by

The years march by in front of you
But do you care if the sky is still blue
Or only care if your private dreams come true?

And so the year has begun
Here we go 'round the sun
Maybe this time we'll know why
Another year passes by

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