Kujang - the Talismanic Sickle

There is a unique weapon that originates in Western Java, in the Pasundan (Sundanese) region. This weapon is called "kujang," (pron. "koo-jaang.") Lacking the proper English equivalent for this we have used the term, "sickle," eventhough its form somewhat deviates from the true shape of a sickle. Neither does it resemble the "scimitar" which curves convexly. In Indonesian a sickle is actually called "chelurit."

The Javanese living in the eastern half of the Java island refers to the kujang as "kudi." To those who are uninformed, the indigenous people of the island of Java are not all "Javanese." The western part of the island is populated by a major ethnic group called "Sundanese." The kujang is the sole monument of the city of Bogor here in Indonesia.

The kujang is filled with mysteries. It is said that it carries within its form a magickal force with a mystical purpose. Embodied within its original figure lied the philosophy of the ancient Sundanese with its Hindu heritage. It is evident from the foregoing that this mystic blade was created to be more of a talisman, a symbolical objet d'art, rather than a weapon. This is especially so regarded in contemporary times.

The original creation of the kujang was actually inspired by a utensil used in farming. This utensil was widely used in the 4th to 7th centuries AD. The newly created kujang differed slightly from the tilling implements fashioned by the famed blacksmiths, Mpu Windusarpo, Mpu Ramayadi, and Mpu Mercukundo, as can be seen in the local museums. It was only in the 9th to 12th century that the form of the kujang took the shape that we are so familiar with today. In the year 1170 there was a change in the kujang. Its value as an amulet or talisman was gradually being recognized by the rulers and nobilities of the Pajajaran Makukuhan kingdom, especially during the reign of Prabu Kudo Lalean. During one of his spiritual retreats, Kudo Lalean was instructed through a psychic vision to re-design the form of the kujang to conform to the shape of the island of "Djawa Dwipa," as Java was called in those days. Immediately the sovereign king commissioned the royal blacksmith, Mpu Windu Supo, to fashion the blade seen in his vision. It was to become a weapon embodying mystical qualities and a spiritual philosophy; a magickal object, unique in its design, one that future generations would always associate with the Pajajaran Makukuhan kingdom.

After a period of meditation, Mpu Windu Supo confirmed the vision of Kudo Lalean and commenced with the fashioning of a prototype of the Kujang. It was to have two prominent characteristics: the shape of the island of Java and three holes or round notches somewhere in the blade.

Constructing the kujang blade into the shape of Java was interpreted to mean the ideal of unification of all the petty kingdoms of Java into a single empire, headed by the Makukuhan king. The three holes or round notches was to represent the Trimurti, or the three aspects of the godhead of the Hindu religion, of which Kudo Lalean was a devoted votary. The three aspects or gods referred to are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The Hindu trinity was also represented by the three major kingdoms of that era, respectively, the kingdom of Pengging Wiraradya, located in the east of Java; the kingdom of Kambang Putih, located north-east of the island; and the kingdom of Pajajaran Makukuhan, located in the west.

The shape of the kunjang evolved further in later generations. Different models appeared. When the influence of Islam grew upon the masses, the kujang was re-shaped to resemble the Arabic letter "Syin." This was largely the stratagem of the sovereign of the Pasundan region, Prabu Kian Santang, who was anxious to convert the populace to Islam.

Knowing that the kujang embodied the Hindu philosophy and religion of the existing culture, the muslim rulers, imams and teachers, anxious to propagate Islam and dessiminate its doctrines, re-modeled the kujang to represent the basis of their religion. Syin is the first letter of the syahadat verse of which one testifies to the witnessing of the sole God and the Prophet Muhammad (blessed in his name) as the messenger. By reciting the syahadat verse, one is automatically converted to Islam. The modification of the kujang broadened the area of the blade which geographically corresponds to the Pasundan or western region of Java to conform to the shape of the letter Syin. The newly-designed kujang was supposed to remind the possessor of the object of his allegiance to Islam and to the obedience of its teachings. Five holes or round notches in the kujang replaced the three of the Trimurti. They represented the five pillars of Islam.

With the influence of the Islamic religion, some kujang models portray the inter-blending of the two basic styles as designed by Prabu Kudo Lalean and Prabu Kian Santang.

Nowadays, the kujang is often decorated in homes as it is believed to bring about luck, protection, honor, etc. They are displayed in pairs on walls with the inner edge facing each other. There is a taboo, however--no one is to be photographed standing in-between them as this would somehow cause the death of that person within a year. I have been assured by a senior practitioner of Kejawen the truth of this, as he had witnessed this himself. Why this occurs is not known for certain, we might shrug it off as superstition, coincidence or synchronicity but behind every phenomenon cosmic laws and intelligences are at work; we just need to discover what those laws are and the mind-set of those metaphysical intelligences directing those laws to know the reason for the anomaly.

From the occult side, like the keris, another weapon used by the indo-malayan natives, the kujang was often consecrated with magickal power and familiar spirits attached for specific purposes, such as the protection against psychic attack. Because of the inherent power of the kujang in conjunction with the presence of its spirit guardians, the well-informed natives revere them as sacred objects.

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

Our Christian And Patriotic Truths, Justice And Our Real Freedom

On July 4th of each year the citizens of the U.S. "we the people" commemorate our nation's birth with a patriotic holiday. We call it Independence Day. We celebrate that our country chose to shake off the shackles of oppression and to establish a government that believed in the importance of liberty and a different kind of freedom.

Independence Day like many summer holidays, gets overshadowed by things like parties, family gatherings, picnics, and day off from work. Yet, at the heart of these pursuits is the desire to freely enjoy our lives, and our individual way of thinking.

Throughout our U.S. history millions have flocked to our shores seeking a life with this promise "The American Dream" as most call it. Our country has grown tremendously in wealth and influence precisely because we accepted these people. They are not always welcomed with open arms because racism and bigotry have always been around. But the diversity of our population is one of our greatest assets. Too often we think it is the source of our problems. Our mindset is that it was alright for our ancestors to find America’s shores, but we're reluctant about today’s new arrivals, usually out of fear that will take our piece of American pie.

Today it is easy to criticize what we find wrong with our country, our political, and our legal system. The lack of equality when it comes to the freedom to pursue “life, liberty and our pursuit of happiness”. It is our right and a duty of each citizen to protest injustice. That was exactly what was happening back in 1776 when the colonists were fed up with the imposition of unfair taxation, representation, and repression they felt from "Mother England".

Before we can prophetically speak on the issues of societal freedom I think we must first look at our individual freedom. We cannot separate the two and be fair, and we can't demand changes in the system unless we first look closely at our own situations and face up to the freedoms we have that come with our patriotic responsibility as a citizen, and Christian beliefs.

If you are currently living with an income that meets your basic needs of food and shelter, and you have the freedom to worship as you please. If you have done some “inside work” to discover how much you live from your false self (the one that always wants to get your own way – even with good intentions) and the opportunity to live from your true self (the one that is in union with God and our fellow man), then you must face up to the responsibility of being a freedom fighter for God's kingdom and this great country.

Before you pick up your picket sign and go marching off to war for social justice, just take a moment to look at what Jesus did in his situation in Palestine. He didn't go around demanding that Rome leave the occupied Holy land. He didn't tell his disciples or the people that He spoke to that they are the only ones who get God's grace. But He did remark about the many that were persecuted, prosecuted, and those who were not in favor with the current government and Jewish hierarchy. If you are intrigued by these comments you could go read this for yourself, the messages are there in the four Gospels of the New Testament.

Jesus gave us an invitation to follow Him in the way of real truth, real justice and real freedom. He told us that when we receive others we are receiving Him, and following the commandments that our Father in heaven asks us to do. He gathered the small children in His arms and instructed grownups to be innocent and trusting like children. He also told us the world would not understand this, and we would face persecution, and possibly prosecution when we choose to follow this path.

The struggle for each of us face is to be honest with where we are with these teachings in our daily lives. This takes a daily assessment and reckoning. We cannot be completely faithful unless we are spending more time looking at ourselves, our faults, our shortcomings, and the blessings that we receive, than we are at pointing out the faults of others, or envying the blessings that others receive.

The teachings of Jesus in the Four Gospels give us clear cut directions on how to do this. I know I can't begin to honestly assess my faults and blessings without this help in the Four Gospels and also with the strength we receive from our Father in heaven.

It All Starts With You

It has to start with each of us; the freedom to choose the way of love, or hate. The individual freedoms we have cannot be separated from the societal freedom we should all share. Here is why community is necessary. Community must include everybody! If it only includes those we like or want to be with, then we just create little cliques and gather power, then we are in the role of oppressor (even when we don't think so).

The followers of Christianity, who are true believers in the equal spreading of God's Word and His blessings, are the real “Freedom Fighters” in this world. We can do this from a position of humility and service to our Father. We can be passionate and compassionate to one and all. If we can truly see Jesus in others and ourselves; we can rejoice that God hasn't reserved His love only for the righteous, but for all.

True freedom is the freedom to let go of past hurts and resentments, to let go of future ambitions and trust that our Father in heaven will take care of us. It is the freedom to truly accept others. It is freedom to be a giver and not just a taker. It is this powerful freedom that oddly springs from our acceptance that we are, powerless without our Fathers grace, mercy, and blessings that He gives each of us through His love, and being blessed by in living in this great country.

Origins And History Of The Tarot

The origins of the Tarot are surrounded with myth and lore. It is hard to know for sure what the facts are. The Tarot has been thought to come from places like India, Egypt, China and Morocco. Others say the Tarot was brought to us from the Sufis or the Jewish Cabbalists. Still others contend that the origin of the tarot was from Moses. In the library of Alexandria, in Egypt, there were scrolls that were based on the Book of Thoth, an ancient book that came from Egypt’s mystery schools. One theory is that the illustrations on the Tarot cards are secret teachings of the Book of Thoth hidden in the innocent pictures.

It seems that wherever there was a secret ‘word of mouth’ tradition handed down from teacher to pupil, it was hailed as the origin or beginning of Tarot. A large group believed it was the Gypsies who brought the tarot to Europe, the word gypsy being a corrupted version of Egyptian. That is highly unlikely, since evidence points to gypsies not using Tarot until the 20th century. Before that, palmistry was their preferred method of fortune telling.

The Historical Evidence Behind the Origins of the Tarot

It seems the only evidence there is to the origins of the Tarot can be found in the cards that were made in Italy, around 1420. The symbolism of the trumps can be found in the European art of the time, with some drawings being exactly the likeness of those found on Tarot cards.

History tells us that a scholar named Marziano da Torona, who was secretary to the Duke of Milan, may have invented the Tarot deck. Marziano was a scholar and an expert astrologer. The young duke, Filippo Maria Visconti instructed Marziano to create a game, using a deck that would replace the common suits of swords, coins, staves and cups. The duke wanted the new deck to have cards that represented virtues, riches, pleasures and purities. Marziano went on to create the card deck that Visconti wanted. He wrote a companion book to go with the deck of cards. It is on display in the Paris National library. In the book, there are no divine meanings to the cards, but no real rules for a card game, either. The book focuses on the symbolic meaning of the pictures and the different ranks of the depicted characters. Michelino da Besozzo is the Italian artist credited with painting the cards.

Is it plausible that the origins of the Tarot as the curious card game invented by Marziano da Torona? If so, why doesn’t the book that accompanied the deck refer to the divination of the cards?

The Mystery Continues About The Origins of the Tarot

Where did the word Tarot come from? It has been called a Hebrew, Latin or Egyptian word. Is the word Tarot really an anagram, which when solved explains the mystery of the cards? Once again, the historical evidence of the origins of the word points to where the cards first appeared - in Italy. The cards were called Carte da trionfi, which is Italian for “cards of the triumphs”. Later, a new card game was introduced, called Trumps or Triumphs. As it was played with different cards, the original Carte da trionfi became tarocco. In French they were called tarot.

What are these cards that are shrouded in mysterious beginnings used for? Are they good or evil? The Tarot is basically a set of symbols, which are printed on a pack of 78 cards. Regular playing cards have hearts, clubs, spades and diamonds as suits. Tarot cards have different suits, with meanings. The Wands (also known as staves or rods) point to creativity and energy. There are the Cups (or vessels), relating to emotions and friends; Swords cover the area of challenge and thought; the Pentacles (coins or disks) relate to money and security. The cards are placed in a particular pattern. A Tarot reader uses the cards as an oracle that can answer questions from the past, present or future.

The philosophy behind the Tarot is that the future is subject to change. If you are given enough notice, you can avoid the event you are being warned about. The Tarot makes you think, make you take steps that you might not have considered. When you ask a question of the Tarot that relates to the future, you’ll be shown what will happen if you don’t change anything. Many consider the Tarot cards as more of a counselling guide than a divining tool. Tarot readings can provide flashes of inspiration where otherwise the problems the person may be facing may seem insurmountable.

Do the cards that are used today, all over the world come from the deck Marziano da Torona created in the 1400’s? Is the reason the origins of the Tarot are so shrouded in mystery owing to Anima Mundi? The Anima Mundi or soul of the world is seen as the vital force that presides over the growth and continuity of all living things. Like a Universal library, it contains the entire human races’ memories and wisdom from the past, present and future. It can be summoned with deep thought. Imagine all the basic figures one could find in all religions, myths, legends and folklore. When combined, this wealth of knowledge is a powerhouse. To understand this more one can look at the Empress card of the Tarot. The very essence of femininity is represented in the Empress - she is the great mother Goddess of the world. She represents ‘the eternal feminine’, in myth and psychology. Does working with the images of the Tarot somehow allow our unconscious to connect with that human collectiveness? Does the Tarot become a porthole to the storehouse of answers to any question any of us has ever had? Perhaps it is because of the mystical Anima Mundi that we can’t pinpoint the origin of the Tarot with certainty.

We may never really know the true history or the origins of the Tarot. Nevertheless, we continue to be attracted to the Tarot’s wisdom, symbols and story.

The Era Of Disaster Recovery And Prevention... And What It Means To Investors

The recovery from Katrina and Rita ushers in a new era of Disaster Recovery and Prevention. Governments and people are rethinking their response to disasters and the steps they can take to prevent or minimize the worst consequences. The biggest catalyst for this new era is the political fall-out from Katrina.

The slow response to Katrina was a black eye for the Bush administration. For Michael Brown, the ex-head of FEMA, it was a national humiliation. The fates of Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin remain to be seen, but reports have pointed out their failures in prevention and response, and that will come into play at election time.

President Bush wants to make up for the bungled response (and restore some political capital)and has earmarked a recovery effort that may total $200 billion dollars. The early response to Katrina has become a cautionary tale for politicians and bureaucrats in federal, state and local governments, and you can be sure they will be pushing for more disaster prevention spending in their own particular fiefdoms. And the media is keeping watch—newspapers in California have been filled with stories warning about the lack of disaster (especially earthquake) preparation in the state.

The Army Corp of Engineers, burned by the lack of follow-through on their recommendation to raise the New Orleans levees, is now looking to repair vulnerable areas around the country. And they’re not the only ones.

New homes have multiplied along vulnerable coastal areas. From Florida to the Outer Banks up to The Hamptons and all throughout the east coast, coastal property values have soared. Dune Road, a sliver of land with pricey homes between the ocean and a bay in Westhampton, New York, was virtually wiped out by flooding little more than a decade ago. Now it has been rebuilt with even pricier multi-million dollar homes. You can be sure these homeowners will spend what it takes to protect their properties.

And they may need to because it looks like big storms are brewing. If many meterologists are correct, we may have entered a cycle of increasing frequency and severity of hurricanes.

Combine the measures slated for homeland security, rebuilding the Gulf coast and the ramp-up of disaster prevention around the country and you have a near permanent state of disaster recovery and prevention.

For some companies, let’s call them Hurricane stocks, the opportunity to take part in the Gulf recovery means a great deal of more business in the short term. For others, it may mean more business for many years to come.

Hurricane stocks are companies that are needed right now. For instance, the immediate need to help those whose homes have been destroyed or are unhabitable. Think of companies that provide temporary living and survival gear. Think of Coleman camping products, such as tents, sleeping bags, portable stoves, flashlights. Coleman is owned by Jarden (JAH:NYSE).

Manufactured homes have come a long way in the past decade, and will prove to be a good temporary solution for many and a permanent solution for others in the Gulf. Cavalier Homes (AMEX:CAV) has been contracted to build and deliver manufactured homes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to house Gulf Coast residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The contract is expected to generate $58 million to $63 million in revenue for the company.

Some other compnnies in this sector include Champion (NYSE:CHB), which partners with nearly 3,000 independent retailers, builders and developers, Fleetwood Enterprises (NYSE: FLE) and Coachmen Industries Inc. (NYSE:COA).

Oil and gas facilites in the Gulf coast also need emergency repair. The economy of the Gulf Coast and, to an extent, the economy of the U.S. depends on it. A number of drilling rigs were damaged in the storms, which means that a company like ENSCO (NTSE:ESV) which owns drilling rigs in the area, will be in big demand. Oceaneering International (NYSE: OII), which inspects and repairs underwater infrastructure of oil facilities, will be busy, as will Jacobs Engineering (NYSE:JEC), providing engineering and construction services to oil and gas companies.

Rebuilding the Gulf Coast

Rebuilding will include the big dogs in construction, like Halliburton (NYSE:HAL), The Shaw Group(SGR) and Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT). But many smaller companies will also take part, often as subcontractors. The Army Corp of Engineers has increased its task order from $10 million to $20 for Aduddell Roofing, a subsidiary of Zenex International, Inc. (OTCBB:ZENX). National Storm Management (NLST:PK), an expanding national construction company specializing in storm restoration management, will also do a good deal of restoration work in the Gulf Coast.

To build you need building materials. Home retailers such as Home Depot and Lowe’s will be seeing their orders increase, but so will companies that provide raw materials like timber. Take a look at Rayonier (NYSE:RYN)and Plum Creek Timber (NYSE:PCL), two REITs that own and manage timber properties.

Some Hurricane and rebuilding stocks have already jumped and retreated. But the point to remember is that while the hurricanes resulted in an immediate need to help those in dire need, they also ushered in a new era, an era when governments and people in the U.S. and around the world know they can do more to recover from disasters and minimize the consequences. So keep an eye on companies that will be at the center of the Disaster and Prevention theme for years to come.

Online dating: the most important step – the first letter.

So as you know, online dating usually based on exchanging letters. So what you gonna do if you seem to find the Russian bride of your dream? How will you make her interested in you? I want to say you – if you want to grab someone's attention, you should write a first letter, a perfect first letter. There are some key points you should keep in mind while writing a letter. So that's what I'm going to tell you.

At the very beginning I should tell you that the first letter makes the first impression that will most certainly affect your future correspondence. So, you should make your first letter positive, bright and exciting.

As I've witnessed a lot of types of correspondence and got the full image of how it should be, I'll give you my own tips. And I wish you success!

Instructions:

• Tip # 1: Be friendly and polite. It's utter important to show respect to the lady, so you should use friendly and polite words in your letter. I also don't advise you to use nicknames and phrases like: "Hey baby" or "My hot girl" in your very first introductory letter, it's better to make a pleasant compliment instead. Don't worry if you really like using these words you can do it a bit later. Just wait till the lady opens up for you.

• Tip # 2: Keep your tone upbeat. Your letter should reflect your great mood and optimism. If you tell her about your difficulties, problems and complaints in your very first letter, it will definitely scare any girl. Show her that you are a happy and cheerful person. You should be positive is like a magnet. This is the example how one man began his letter: "To be quite honest, I have been putting this off as long as possible. I have some friends who applied to dating web-sites and have had some awful experience." This begs to ask, "what are you doing here?" And compare that with this introductory letter: "I've heard online dating is a great way to meet awesome people and that's why I want to meet you." Which one of these letter intros is more attractive? The one who wants to date "losers" or the one that wants to date "winners"? Psychologically everyone wants to be a winner. Consequently in your very first letter, avoid everything negative - be positive.

• Tip # 3: Share information: You can share the information about yourself that you think others will find interesting. Check her profile, find out about her interests. It will be great if she finds out that you have so much in common.

• Tip # 4: Tell the person who you are and what you are about. Don't speak about your disadvantages in your introduction letter. In the contrary you should tell only positive things about yourself, but it's very important to know where to stop, otherwise your story will look like a boasting and you won't get good results. Here are some phrases that will help you to describe you in a best way:

- My best friend describes me as...

- I'm happiest when I'm...

- Here's what you'd find if you looked around my place...

- A great day in my life would include...

- The last great book I read was...

- The last great movie I saw in a cinema was...

- My favorite season is...

- The color I wear most is...

- If you asked me what I'm wearing, I'd say...

- My favorite on-screen love scene is...

- The music I like most is...

- This morning in my car I was listening to...

- Last Saturday night I...

- The last vacation I went on was...

- The most adventurous thing I've ever done was...

- I'm happiest when I'm with someone who...

• Tip # 5: Include information about your age, education and career. According to statistics about 80% of ladies are mostly interested in these three things.

• Tip # 6: You can tell about pets, favourite books, hobbies, children or anything else that might reveal a shared interest with in your new friend.

• Tip # 7: Avoid talking about controversial topics. Not in a first letter. Debates and argues can be a very interesting thing to share in your letters, but only if you've already become closer to each other.

• Tip # 8: Take care not to overwhelm the reader with too much information. Revealing a little bit at a time will pique the reader's interest. Remember that there must be a little secret not only in a lady but in a man as well. You'll reach great results if you make your lady wait for the next chapter of your story impatiently.

• Tip # 9: Ask her questions so she can respond. Don't speak just about yourself in your letter. If you do, your letter won't help you at all. You should remember that it's very important to have a dialog instead of monologue. So you should ask question and answer hers in return.

• Tip # 10: Let your personality show by your choice of words and the descriptions you use. Be descriptive – tell about the things the inspire you, excite you etc.

Tips & Warnings.

• Remember not to share too much too soon. You should wait until she knows you before you reveal your family secrets and problems.

• Use careful judgment when deciding how much information to share with a stranger. You should be always careful when it comes to revealing personal information.

So, that will do for the tips. I hope they'll be useful for you and you find your Russian bride and conquer her by your sweet and kind letters!

une séparation comme une petite mort

Title:
une séparation comme une petite mort

Word Count:
557

Summary:
Il existe de ces séparations qui se sont effectuées sous un accord commun. IL existe de ces séparations ou l'on a compris que cet homme ou cette femme ne nous convenaient plus.


Keywords:
Il existe de ces séparations ou l'autre cote a décidé que nous ne lui convenions plus et il nous l'a dit gentiment ou tout du moins prudemment.

Je viens de me separer de mon copain. Ou pour dire la vérité, mon copain, Alex vient de se separer de moi. J'ai mal. J'ai très mal. Mais il dit que c'est la meilleure chose à faire. Il dit ne plus m'aimer. Ou en tout cas ne plus m'aimer amoureusement parlant. Il est désole. Il a même pleure. Mais il préfère être sincère avec lui-même et avec moi. Il ne peut pas continuer une relation dans laquelle il ne se sent plus bien. Ce n'est pas de sa faute. Ni de la mienne. C'est fini. J'ai l'impression d'être un peu. Comment dire ? Morte. Comme si la personne avec laquelle j ai passe dix ans de ma vie faisait également partie de moi. Et je viens de me faire comment dire ? Expulser. Mais après toute mort une nouvelle naissance non ?je l'espère. J'essaie de me rassurer.

Alors j'aimerais bien un peu réfléchir a ce que représente pour moi et pour nous tous je pense, ce qu'est la séparation. Ce qu'est une fin.

Que provoque une fin ? Qu'est ce qu'elle provoque en nous ? Et surtout une fin dans laquelle nous n'avions pas notre mot à dire.

A vrai dire. J'essaie de positiver le plus possible. Alex je l'aime. Et je pense que j l'aimerais toujours. Un jour, j'aurais un autre mec et je l'aimerais aussi. Mais la, en ce moment j'ai du mal a l'avouer. Nous avons passe ensemble des moments formidables et des moments moins bons. Nous avons toujours été complices. Il était mon amoureux mais également mon meilleur ami. Je pensais sincèrement que c'était pour la vie. Et d'ailleurs lui aussi. Mais que faire ? La vie n'est pas toujours qu'un jardin de roses.

C'est marrant parce que j'ai toujours été celle qui console mes amis lors des séparations. Mais je dois le dire, je n'ai jamais pense que cela m'arriverait aussi. Depuis Alex, je pensais sincèrement que de ce cote la,je n'avais pas de quoi m'inquiéter.

Mais l'amour c'est incompréhensible. Ca part. Ca vient. Je lui ai demande «  pourquoi »?


Il m'a répondu «  je ne sais pas. Je ne t'aimes plus je crois. Pourtant tu es ma Chloé. Tu es la meilleure. Mais peut être plus pour moi.

Assise sur mon lit, je pars dans des délires. Pourquoi il m'a quitte ? Il en a rencontré une autre ? Je ne suis plus belle à ses yeux ? Suis-je moche ? Suis-je trop possessive ? Mais j'essaie de ne pas répondre à ces questions de fille et de me dire que de toute façon je l'ai toujours dit, l'amour c'est comme le casino un jour on gagne et l'autre c'est du pur comment dire ? casino virtuel




Article Body:
Il existe de ces séparations ou l'autre cote a décidé que nous ne lui convenions plus et il nous l'a dit gentiment ou tout du moins prudemment. Et il existe de ces séparations ou personne n'a prévenu personne. Ou personne n'a demandé a personne. Et le pire c'est que cela arrive dans tous les domaines. En amour. En amitié. Au travail. C'est certainement la vie. Toute séparation est comme une petite ou une grande mort. Alors pourquoi souffrir et faire souffrir encore plus et se séparer sans aucune explication ?

Je viens de me separer de mon copain. Ou pour dire la vérité, mon copain, Alex vient de se separer de moi. J'ai mal. J'ai très mal. Mais il dit que c'est la meilleure chose à faire. Il dit ne plus m'aimer. Ou en tout cas ne plus m'aimer amoureusement parlant. Il est désole. Il a même pleure. Mais il préfère être sincère avec lui-même et avec moi. Il ne peut pas continuer une relation dans laquelle il ne se sent plus bien. Ce n'est pas de sa faute. Ni de la mienne. C'est fini. J'ai l'impression d'être un peu. Comment dire ? Morte. Comme si la personne avec laquelle j ai passe dix ans de ma vie faisait également partie de moi. Et je viens de me faire comment dire ? Expulser. Mais après toute mort une nouvelle naissance non ?je l'espère. J'essaie de me rassurer.

Alors j'aimerais bien un peu réfléchir a ce que représente pour moi et pour nous tous je pense, ce qu'est la séparation. Ce qu'est une fin.

Que provoque une fin ? Qu'est ce qu'elle provoque en nous ? Et surtout une fin dans laquelle nous n'avions pas notre mot à dire.

A vrai dire. J'essaie de positiver le plus possible. Alex je l'aime. Et je pense que j l'aimerais toujours. Un jour, j'aurais un autre mec et je l'aimerais aussi. Mais la, en ce moment j'ai du mal a l'avouer. Nous avons passe ensemble des moments formidables et des moments moins bons. Nous avons toujours été complices. Il était mon amoureux mais également mon meilleur ami. Je pensais sincèrement que c'était pour la vie. Et d'ailleurs lui aussi. Mais que faire ? La vie n'est pas toujours qu'un jardin de roses.

C'est marrant parce que j'ai toujours été celle qui console mes amis lors des séparations. Mais je dois le dire, je n'ai jamais pense que cela m'arriverait aussi. Depuis Alex, je pensais sincèrement que de ce cote la,je n'avais pas de quoi m'inquiéter.

Mais l'amour c'est incompréhensible. Ca part. Ca vient. Je lui ai demande «  pourquoi »?


Il m'a répondu «  je ne sais pas. Je ne t'aimes plus je crois. Pourtant tu es ma Chloé. Tu es la meilleure. Mais peut être plus pour moi.

Assise sur mon lit, je pars dans des délires. Pourquoi il m'a quitte ? Il en a rencontré une autre ? Je ne suis plus belle à ses yeux ? Suis-je moche ? Suis-je trop possessive ? Mais j'essaie de ne pas répondre à ces questions de fille et de me dire que de toute façon je l'ai toujours dit, l'amour c'est comme le casino un jour on gagne et l'autre c'est du pur comment dire ? casino virtuel

Luxury of Flowers: Bargain Prices

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How to Brighten Your Home, Office, or Loved One's Heart with Beautiful Fresh Flowers Throughout the Year and Spend a Lot Less than You Might Expect

The floors of Cleopatra's palace were said to have been carpeted with delicate rose petals, but you don't have to be a king or queen to bask in the luxury of flowers. You can enjoy the room-brightening beauty of flowers throughout the year, or send flowers often to someone you love for a lot less than you might think. Simply make flowers a part of your everyday life, and keep on the lookout for bargains. Use these helpful tips to get started.

Treat yourself once a month to a bouquet of blooms from your local florist or supermarket. You'll be surprised how a $7 to $10 bouquet can brighten any room.

While big bouquets are wonderful, a single perfect flower can be exceptional, too. For an elegant statement, display an individual rose, lily, or other gorgeous blossom in a bud vase or floating in a pretty bowl. It makes a tasteful accent when entertaining guests, especially if you're on a tight budget.

Most florists and garden centers carry delightful little blooming plants in 4" pots that are surprisingly inexpensive and can add color and charm to any desktop or vanity. Use your own basket, cachepot, or decorative paper around the pot. Add a touch of ribbon, raffia, or other natural accent for the finishing touch. Then, just keep the soil slightly moist (never wet or soggy) for days or even weeks of enjoyment.

A few different 4" plants can also be combined in a basket for a wonderful long-lasting garden. Use bits of Styrofoam beneath the pots to position them at the right height, with a little Spanish moss on top to help hide the pots and soil. Trim with a decorative bird or seasonal accents. Voila! What if one plant should fade before the others? No problem. It's easy replace any individual pot in seconds without any fuss or muss.

Think roses are expensive? Think again. You can pick up a single rose on your way to see someone for just a few dollars, and many florists offer medium rose dozens at great discount prices. Summer is a particularly good time for rose bargains. While prices vary depending on stem-length, blossom size, quality, and variety, it's not uncommon to find take-with rose bouquets for under $20 per dozen. And, with today's online flower shippers, you can send a dozen long-stem roses almost anywhere by next-day air for as little as $40 to $50, including delivery.

You'll find other fresh flower specials at most flower shops throughout the year, too. Just ask what's in season and an especially good price. Don't be shy. Good florists are proud to show you their freshest flowers and best values. Market bunches are particularly good buys when flowers are in season, such as tulips in late winter through early Spring and farm-fresh Gladioli in warm summer months. Fortunately, cut flowers now come from all over the world. So, there's almost always something special in plentiful supply.

Build your own bouquet. Whether for your own use or to give as a gift, individually selected flowers in a casual bunch or arranged in your own container can make a wonderful impression. Remember all those vases and bowls in your basement? They're reusable. So, put one to use today. Remember to choose flowers in coordinating colors. Include some foliage and "filler" to complete the look. A natural cluster in a clear vase is a good place to start, but don't be afraid to experiment and use your imagination.

Remember, some flowers and foliages dry beautifully. Favorites include Yarrow, Baby's Breath, Solidago, Cattails, and all sorts of wildflowers. All you need is a warm, dry place with good air circulation. Most flowers and herbs dry best when hung upside down in bunches. Use a rubber band to fasten them together a few inches from the stem ends. Remove excess leaves, and avoid direct sunlight to minimize fading. Then, wait two to three weeks. Discard any that don't meet your fancy. Spray the remainder with clear lacquer or hairspray to preserve them even longer.

For home decorating, don't forget silk flowers. They cost a bit more but last for months or even years. And, you can easily match them to your decor. Simply take a few pillows or fabric swatches to your local florist or craft store to pick out just the right shades. You can even change looks seasonally. Just store any unused silk flower arrangement in a plastic bag in your attic or basement, and it will be just as beautiful next year.

Bring the outdoors in. One of the best resources for fresh cut flowers is your own yard or garden. Clip a few blossoms, branches, or blooms weekly to enjoy inside your home. After all, why should all the flowers be outside your windows? You deserve some inside, as well.

In fact, that's what the luxury of flowers is all about -- remembering to bring the outdoors in. It's about a bouquet here, a colorful blooming plant there, and perhaps an individual blossom tucked somewhere else. But above all else, it’s about sharing flowers with others. So, treat yourself and someone special to the luxury of flowers this week. It doesn't have to cost a bundle. All it takes is a little care and thoughtfulness.

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Sponsored by 1-800-FLORALS florists. For more money-saving fresh flower ideas visit Discount Flowers Online and Next Day Flowers by Overnight Air.

This article may be reprinted on the Internet as long as the sponsorship and links above are included.

Immigration Fuels Canada's Multi-Cultural Growth As A Nation

Immigration, the entrance of people into a country for the purpose of settling there, has always played a central role in Canada's history. In comparison to many other nations, immigration into Canada has generally been viewed as being much easier than in other countries. Canada as whole seems to be a favorable place for immigrants to gain naturalization. Since Canada is a relatively new country, the goal of Canadian officials for some time was to infuse the land with many different cultures and peoples, and its lenient immigration process played a key role in this.

Thus far, this system has worked as Canada has a very diverse group of ethnicities, including 200 ethnic groups total, of which 34 ethnic groups boast at least one hundred thousand members each. Of those 34 groups, 10 have over 1,000,000 people, or 13.4% of the population. According to the 2001 census, the breakdown was Chinese (3.5% of the population), South Asian (3.1%), Black (2.2%), and Filipino (1.0%).

As one can see, Canada is a truly multicultural nation that cannot truly trace their heritage to just one cultural background, race. Each current crop of Canadians can trace their heritage to someone that wasn’t a true Canadian national. The whole country is built upon immigrants. Thanks to centuries of immigration, Canadians are a very multicultural and diverse group of people. Although the progress was positive for many years, attitudes toward immigration are changing, and restrictions are beginning to be placed on who may enter the country.

Mostly, immigrants also have higher levels of educational attainment than people born in Canada. Yet, in virtually every urban region, a far higher proportion of recent immigrants were employed in jobs with lower skill requirements, than the jobs held by Canadian-born citizens. The level of equality has yet to permeate into everyday society.

Although most immigrants are pleased to be in Canada, most still have difficulties finding adequate jobs, and dealing with the language barrier. The majority of people immigrating into Canada remain positive about their decision to come into Canada, in light of the better standard of living. They are extremely pleased with an increased quality of life, overall peace and happiness, and the opportunity to offer their families a brighter future with more hope for success.

According to Wikipedia, in 2001, there were 250,640 immigrants into Canada. These elevated numbers are the reason that Canada has the highest per capita immigration rate in the world. At no time has immigration played a greater role in Canadian history than during the twentieth century. In fact, without the immigrants who have settled in all areas of the country since the turn of the century, Canada would not be the culturally rich, prosperous, and progressive nation that it is today.

So much so is the lure to gain entry into Canada that people sometimes take extreme measures, even if those measures are against the law. Illegal immigration into Canada is one problem that is deeply affecting this country. So big is the problem that recently, police discovered Chinese immigrants being illegally smuggled into Canada inside shipping crates at a Vancouver, British Columbia port. Such incidents go to highlight the measures and risks that some immigrants are willing to take to get into Canada. There is a growing business of trying to smuggle immigrants into the country, many of which are hoping to gain political asylum. Unfortunately, the fate of most of these illegal immigrants is usually deportation. For most of the illegal immigrants, their only option is to prove to Canadian officials that they should be protected under refugee status, and most illegal immigrants often apply to be granted refugee status when they are captured.

In fact, an estimated 18 million Chinese look to immigrate out of the China, and they will take any risk to achieve this goal. A majority of these illegal immigrants come from China's eastern coastal province of Fujian and most flock toward Canada and the United States. Once in Canada, many of the illegal Chinese immigrants can disappear into a massive underground network, where they must work to pay off their indentured servitude to the smugglers. This Chinese smuggling system is a $10 billion business.

Each year, approximately 600 illegal Chinese immigrants arrive on Canada's west coast seeking refugee status through legal channels, after having promised smugglers $60,000 per person to get them into the country.

For illegal immigrants migrating to Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia is a popular destination. Vancouver’s metro area is home to more than two million residents, and the high population makes it very easy for illegal immigrants to blend into the environment unseen and unnoticed.

For legal immigrants, Vancouver is also a popular destination, because several major publications consistently rate Vancouver as one of the three most livable cities in the world.

The huge waves of immigrants that have entered Canada over the last couple centuries have helped the country develop a much more multi-ethnic outlook and a much richer and more vibrant culture. Going forward, it is expected that immigrants will continue to play a vital part in influencing Canada's social, economic, and political culture.

Stop the Seduction Factor: Thinking and Time Alone is Good for the Soul

Copyright 2006 Cynthia Bull

Is it possible to be seduced by society? Yes! In fact, many of us have a vague sense of being mentally seduced, but with no idea of how it happened. All we know is that we're flooded with information, feel a loss of control, and have no time to think about anything anymore.

At times, an ominous feeling prevails that narrows our field of mental and emotional vision, leaving us with the impression that “something” or “someone” else controls our master switch, that we no longer guide our own destiny, or that our path is darkened by negative circumstances.

We sense that we've been sold a “bill of goods” and that the ability to think for ourselves has been mysteriously removed. Somehow, we’re caught in a maze of uncertainty that affects us mentally, emotionally, or spiritually, potentially leaving deep scars. Hazy, incomplete thoughts cloud our thinking and we feel confused.

Confused and scarred about what? About life in general.

In today’s culture, it is easy to divert our attention to what society is trying to sell us through the media or in the marketplace. “Product A is better than product B. Buy Now!” The seduction factor is strong, and this frenzy adds pressure to an already hectic pace.

Competition fosters thoughts of “Me first” and “Look out for #1.” We’re conditioned to ignore the “other guy” and thoughts or practices of brotherhood. Only personal tragedy or national disaster alters our perceptions, attitudes and actions, and then only for short periods of time until we pass the crisis.

It seems we're always being told to “hurry,” “rush,” “do it now” in many situations at home and on the job. We're made to feel that we must “take on more” and that what we do, no matter how well we do it, is never enough.

Time seems to have overtaken us to the point that there is no time and we end up with feelings of resentment, that somehow we have been cheated. Unfortunately, we tend to focus such feelings on people rather than on issues.

This resentment is compounded by jobs that take so much of our time weekly. Many of us work in jobs we don’t particularly like for people we don’t particularly respect, and extended travel and traffic jams to and from work compound the picture.

These stressors add tremendous strain to our lives and often without our full awareness, as our sense of self-control gradually lessens.

Due to excessive schedules and trying to do too much in a sane manner, we have become desensitized to spending time alone. Too many of us have stopped living lives based on enduring principles and values that give light to move through each day and have been seduced to paying too much attention to “stuff” dictated by society.

The result is that many have forgotten how to think, how to process thoughts with feelings, and vice versa, and by doing so have inadvertently opened the door to being led rather than being a leader.

The idea of being alone to “think” is practically foreign if it doesn’t involve a problem posed by some external entity having little to do with “real” life, where people truly live.

Caught up in chaotic routines, some believers experience being disconnected from God and doubt their faith because, unintentionally, they allowed “something” or “someone” to replace God in their life.

Faced with erratic, extreme routines, some nonbelievers experience heightened solitude or despair and that “another” is in charge and controls their destiny.

Fear then dwells within the soul and either prevents or significantly limits truly positive action from taking place to combat negativity and confusion.

Where time to think is willfully rejected or denied, the media is ever present to intervene with diversions, illusions, false hopes, and hope.

Dan Brown’s “The DaVinci Code” is the latest example of the media challenging believers and nonbelievers alike to think and not just be entertained. Prior to this release, Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” stirred people to think about their very essence and a relationship with God.

Both presentations provide a forum for provocative discussions of man’s existence and purpose, challenging the viewer to think about barriers that separate man from himself, and from God.

It would be better if internal motivation, curiosity, and a desire for the truth stemming from our own lives prompted our thought processes, rather than by obvious or blatant external stimulation on any subject. But first, a path must exist and be open.

To open the channels, we must remove the collective garbage that's stored up in lies and half-truths held as convictions. We must unblock thought and heart channels in order to reconnect human synapses with universal wisdom. For believers, Christ embodies that wisdom.

To regain control over our lives, it is imperative that we make time to be introspective and not fear our own mortality by rushing through life overly concerned with world issues. We need to slow down to hear ourselves think, to actually engage in dialog with our souls, where we can uncover opportunities and solutions to problems, heartaches, disappointments, and even tragedies.

Solutions to sanity and peace are waiting during quiet moments in conversations with self and God as believers, and with self and the universe as nonbelievers.

Stop the seduction factor by taking time to think, to be alone, and to regain the self-control you thought was lost.

Rosalie Myrtle - Running Bear Love Little White Dove

On a warm late summer day in September (the 18th), 1921, she was born Myrtle Mary Washington Wood to Bailus Earl Wood and Pearl Wooten Wood. Catholic? Hardly. Her parents were Hard-shell Baptists of Dutch decent lost in the back woods of the Appalachian Chain.

In the time honored tradition of the mountain people of their era - their word was their bond. They labored in the fields under an alternately scorching sun and a bone chilling cold from sun rise to sun set six (6) days a week. The seventh day (actually the first by the calendar) was spent in the House of The Lord.

Leaving the fields on work days with just enough day light remaining to get the teams of mules rubbed down, fed, watered, and stabled for the night. Then there were eggs to gather, hogs to feed, cows to milk, and water to draw from the well before dinner - after which relaxation was found in sitting on the front porch and listening to the unique sounds of the night as the nocturnal life of the mountains scurried about in song and mating call.

There were no cars to zoom up and down a noisy highway... no chain saws interrupting the call of the whip-o-rill during the day... no pumped in sound displacing the symphony of crickets, katydids or frogs in the evening... no magic boxes with snowy black and white moving pictures competing with the big dipper and or the beauty of the fire fly against the black of the night sky... no street lights to disturb one's sleep when the body needed to be manufacturing and releasing melatonin.

Rosalie Myrtle was but one of eight siblings - three boys and five girls at a time when the larger the family the better it fared. Why? There were simply more bodies to accomplish more work.

Mechanism had not yet over taken the American Farm and the living, if good, was hard and if filled with love and trust, they were earned. Time had to be made to cut one's own heating and cooking wood. Henry David Thoreau had, after all, rightly observed that by cutting his own wood, a man was warmed by it twice. While the first warming experience may have been anything but comforting, the second time around - setting in front of the fire place - perhaps popping corn - sure was appreciated.

A young girl's mind races in the winter night when she should be sleeping, but darkness comes so early this time of year and the flicker of the dying flames in the fire place is pure magic. The flames create a wee bit of light that dances across the floor, hops around the walls, and runs about the ceiling. They cast shadows of one thing creating the appearance of another entirely different. It only exists in the ever active mind of the young and the innocent.

Christmas is on the horizon! What will Santa bring? She hopes for a stick or maybe even two of hoar hound candy, and maybe... an apple or an orange... and a banana sure would be nice. And, maybe Santa could even a leave few pecans or walnuts this year.

Though apples, pears, peaches, plums, persimmons, grapes, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, huckleberries, water melons, walnuts, pecans, and mush melons are abundant in the summer and early fall, there is not much fruit around here in the winter she muses.

And snow! Yes, it will be Christmas, and we should have snow. Snow really lights up the night! It saves kerosene, too, she thinks as if trying to convince God while watching the last flickers of the fire and is sure it casts a shadow of Rudolph flying across the north wall.

But Rosalie Myrtle can't remain a little girl in flour sack dresses forever. Soon enough she is a beautiful and vivacious young lady in love with a good looking well tanned young Cherokee Indian - a farm boy across the mountain who had been encountered a time or two while on errands for her father.

The Wood's had no problem with the Indian boy who turned out to be better to them than their own children, but his family had picked out a young Cherokee Maiden to be his wife. Against the wishes of his family, Rosalie Myrtle married the young Indian just before he went off to World War II drafted as a white man. It was really easy to pass in those days and he wanted to give their children every advantage a Tennessee Mountain Man could in the world of the forked tongue so he never corrected the record.

She was the only one of the Woods girls to stay married to the same man until he died of coronary artery disease while in the prime of his life young life just like his father had before him. Her brothers enjoyed a more stable family life than did their other sisters.

Rosalie Myrtle, having lived most of her adult life at Rosalie, Alabama, who served honorably as the matron of two different families, went to meet her Lord and be reunited with her young Indian lover on December 12th, 2000 at the age of 79. That was appropriate as her beloved Cherokee had gone to his happy hunting grounds at Christmas some thirty-three years earlier.

That millennium Christmas must have been some celebration around the old tepee! Two young lovers wrapped in each others embrace with no shortage of flickering flames... no sickness and no shortage of candy, fruit or nuts... And, I would even bet that on Christmas Day the old Cherokee who went to war to defend his nation as a white man had his dearly loved Fleetwood Coffee with chickory and one of her home baked white coconut cakes - his favorite.

When I remember them together, I think of the old Mercury Record Label song, Running Bear.

Magic Spells - Do They Really Work?

For thousands of years, civilizations all over the world have relied on their faith in spiritual or mystical powers to accomplish truly amazing feats. Long before modern medicine came on the scene, most health concerns were traditionally handled by applying a dose of spirituality, voodoo, witchcraft, astrology, or psychic power from any number of paranormal sources. One simply couldn't get through the day without help from the "unseen" world. Of course, that was in the "dark ages" before we were enlightened by the miracles of modern science. But is it wise for people today to scoff at all that seemed to work for so many people, for so long?

In a world where mainstream religion is often mocked, it's easy to laugh at those believe in the powers of the paranormal, occult, magic, psychic or new age remedies. We often label them as misguided kooks or blind followers of today's trendy Hollywood scene and counter-culture. But as humans, it is built into our composition to search for truth, and solutions to the many problems we face. And let's face it, today's world is filled with day-to-day problems that we strive to overcome... issues dealing with love, money, health, just to name a few. Life is a difficult struggle for millions of people worldwide who seek relief, and solutions to their problems by turning to magic spells. Just go to eBay and do search on love spells or magic spells. You'll find an endless potpourri of psychics and spell casters who can make your problems disappear, or bring you amazing results for just a few dollars. Think that's funny? It gets better. When asked, most people who buy these spells will tell you that they really work... and they do.

So how can a love spell performed by a psychic actually attract a soul mate to a lonely person seeking a love partner? Did that money spell really make that struggling secretary get a job promotion and a salary raise? And what about that healing spell that cured my neighbor's back pain? The unbelievers will likely point to coincidence, some sort of logical explanation, or attribute the results to simply "mind over matter." But those who believe in psychic powers and the paranormal world think otherwise - there must be a spiritual or metaphysical helping hand involved.

As a self-professed psychic and paranormal expert, who has studied spirituality, psychic phenomena and the art of spell casting, I personally believe that there is much more to this than meets the eye. Most mainstream religions accept the power of prayer as a way to receive blessings, protection and goodness from spiritual sources. Even medical professionals are now recognizing that an individual's faith and beliefs can play a major role in improving quality of life and health. However, while many doctors will admit that there is some benefit to holistic and alternative medicines, you'll be pressed to find any who will publicly encourage seeking answers from a psychic or magic spell.

There has always been, and will always be something about the stigma of going to a fortune teller, psychic or spell caster that keeps people from easily accepting their virtues. As an industry, the psychic business has brought on much of this skepticism itself. Shoddy late night television infomercials for psychic readings, con artists or carnival fortune tellers are the images that come to mind for many, when they think of psychics. Just look at how astrology and other psychic-related ads have that tiny disclaimer at the bottom that says "for entertainment purposes only." It's about as phony as pro wrestling, right? Well, don't be too quick to agree.

There are more people than you think who use money or love spells on a regular basis, in an attempt to restore a bad relationship, or gain financial freedom. And these are folks from all walks or life, professions, income levels, religious affiliations and nationalities. Sure, some may rely too much on seeking guidance and help from the psychic world, but most of them are die-hard believers of the occult and would not have it any other way. They will tell you that these spells work for them, their lives have been enriched, and you are the foolish one who doesn't know what you're missing.

People always ask me, "Are these spells real? I mean, can they actually make things happen that I can't do on my own?" If spells can do what they claim they can do (improve love life, attract more money, better luck at gambling) then the answer has to be "Yes." A spell that does what it is supposed to do has got to be real. Of course, it helps if you have a positive outlook, and believe that the spell can truly help you. But if the spell delivers results, then it has to be real. Believers will tell you that those who refuse to open their minds to the possibilities of magic spells and spiritual solutions will never know what they are missing. Perhaps it is the unbelievers who are experiencing "mind over matter," only their mindset is narrowly fixed on the opposite end of the belief scale.

Why limit your world to just the few things you can see and touch? After all, what you see isn't always what you get.

© 2005-2006 KPS Services.

Magic Spells - Paranormal Cures Or Mind Over Matter?

For thousands of years, civilizations all over the world have relied on their faith in spiritual or mystical powers to accomplish truly amazing feats. Long before modern medicine came on the scene, most health concerns were traditionally handled by applying a dose of spirituality, voodoo, witchcraft, astrology, or psychic power from any number of paranormal sources. One simply couldn’t get through the day without help from the “unseen” world. Of course, that was in the “dark ages” before we were enlightened by the miracles of modern science. But is it wise for people today to scoff at all that seemed to work for so many people, for so long?

In a world where mainstream religion is often mocked, it’s easy to laugh at those believe in the powers of the paranormal, occult, magic, psychic or new age remedies. We often label them as misguided kooks or blind followers of today’s trendy Hollywood scene and counter-culture. But as humans, it is built into our composition to search for truth, and solutions to the many problems we face. And let’s face it, today’s world is filled with day-to-day problems that we strive to overcome… issues dealing with love, money, health, just to name a few. Life is a difficult struggle for millions of people worldwide who seek relief, and solutions to their problems by turning to magic spells. Just go to Ebay and do search on love spells or magic spells. You’ll find an endless potpourri of psychics and spell casters who can make your problems disappear, or bring you amazing results for just a few dollars. Think that’s funny? It gets better. When asked, most people who buy these spells will tell you that they really work… and they do.

So how can a love spell performed by a psychic actually attract a soulmate to a lonely person seeking a love partner? Did that money spell really make that struggling secretary get a job promotion and a salary raise? And what about that healing spell that cured my neighbor’s back pain? The unbelievers will likely point to coincidence, some sort of logical explanation, or attribute the results to simply “mind over matter.” But those who believe in psychic powers and the paranormal world think otherwise – there must be a spiritual or metaphysical helping hand involved.

As a self-professed psychic and paranormal expert, who has studied spirituality, psychic phenomena and the art of spell casting, I personally believe that there is much more to this than meets the eye. Most mainstream religions accept the power of prayer as a way to receive blessings, protection and goodness from spiritual sources. Even medical professionals are now recognizing that an individual’s faith and beliefs can play a major role in improving quality of life and health. However, while many doctors will admit that there is some benefit to holistic and alternative medicines, you’ll be pressed to find any who will publicly encourage seeking answers from a psychic or magic spell.

There has always been, and will always be something about the stigma of going to a fortune teller, psychic or spell caster that keeps people from easily accepting their virtues. As an industry, the psychic business has brought on much of this skepticism itself. Shoddy late night television infomercials for psychic readings, con artists or carnival fortune tellers are the images that come to mind for many, when they think of psychics. Just look at how astrology and other psychic-related ads have that tiny disclaimer at the bottom that says “for entertainment purposes only.” It’s about as phony as pro wrestling, right? Well, don’t be too quick to agree.

There are more people than you think who use money or love spells on a regular basis, in an attempt to restore a bad relationship, or gain financial freedom. And these are folks from all walks or life, professions, income levels, religious affiliations and nationalities. Sure, some may rely too much on seeking guidance and help from the psychic world, but most of them are die-hard believers of the occult and would not have it any other way. They will tell you that these spells work for them, their lives have been enriched, and you are the foolish one who doesn’t know what you’re missing.

People always ask me, “Are these spells real? I mean, can they actually make things happen that I can’t do on my own?” If spells can do what they claim they can do (improve love life, attract more money, better luck at gambling) then the answer has to be “Yes.” A spell that does what it is supposed to do has got to be real. Of course, it helps if you have a positive outlook, and believe that the spell can truly help you. But if the spell delivers results, then it has to be real. Believers will tell you that those who refuse to open their minds to the possibilities of magic spells and spiritual solutions will never know what they are missing. Perhaps it is the unbelievers who are experiencing “mind over matter,” only their mindset is narrowly fixed on the opposite end of the belief scale.

Why limit your world to just the few things you can see and touch? After all, what you see isn’t always what you get.

© 2005 KPS Services.

Real spells that work? The truth about REAL white witchcraft spells.

When people think of powerful love spells and energy influence, they think witch craft supplies of scented pillar candles, hogwarts, magic voodoo love spell dust or secret love potions being made over a black leaky cauldron. For thousands of years, civilization has relied on real spell knowledge, energy influence and herb medicine. The truth is that real wicca practice and ancient Egyptian spell work is nothing like the movies.

We are all connected through an energy network that links our spirituality, metaphysical and paranormal experiences. Through this network, those with an inherited gift and psychic ability can pass through time to gain a reading on your future. This same energy network influences what will come to be and can be altered through white magic. These charmed spells normally are passed through generations of shadow books.

There are many people that laugh at new age remedies. They have problems, but never seek the spiritual path. They hear the word pagan, occult or psychic powers and decide to run. Most people don’t believe working with energy can help overcome a love, money, or health problem. Why then are their so many people turning to these solutions instead of health products?

Through my natural gift and ancient Egyptian witchcraft practice, I have helped many through energy influence and my spells. The truth about white magic is that it must be cast from the heart in a genuine fashion to truly work. There are only certain individuals who have the psychic sight to guide spells that work.

How do you use black magic or white magic to get a soulmate back? Is there even a way for you to learn witchcraft on your own? These questions come into my email more and more. My answer: There are many spells that can be performed by an individual and are within the reach of the average beginner witch craft. I have several witchcraft spell books on my website that will help those who want to learn the art. They have all been written by myself and have been followed up with spell reviews. If you feel you have “mind over matter” and a natural psychic ability then check them out.

I believe that in our culture and society, there will always be resistance when you speak of fortune tellers or spell casting. We won’t see people saying, “I just had a spell cast upon me.” This will be your own spiritual journey and you must seek happiness from within the enchantment of your soul. There are many mainstream religions that teach you about the inner aura for a reason.

Cast a spell? If you believe in spell casting or psychics, then you are halfway to understanding your own spiritual guidance path. This isn’t about some tarot card reader sitting you down or some commercial psychic. When you have a spell casted by someone with clairvoyant insight, then there you receive accurate and powerful results. If you get a white spell cast by just anyone, they it floats in the air and you are wasting money on conjures that don’t work.

Those who have yet to experience energy influence should really try it. Many to date have had financial problems or personal debt are looking for financial freedom and to get themselves all out of debt. There are many success stories about using money spells to accomplish this in a matter of months. You can stop credit card debit from ruling your life.

There have been many who seek help for relationship problems using spells. If you need love advice on relationship problems then I invite you to speak with me. Everyone has experienced communication problems that need to be fixed – just a matter of how. I listen to many cases for free and provide good remedies using energy influence. Love spells do work and can be effective for long term relationships. The secret to white magik is trusting someone that can conjure with genuine feelings. There have been many people wanting to learn witchcraft from me that just don’t have the real heart or connection for solving problems. The “how to” is their issue.

If you are looking to improve your love life, attract a new love, or improve the sex relationship consider white magic. Make sure you choose someone that genuinely cares about your well being. If you can open your mind to magic spells and spiritual solutions then lasting change can happen. Getting out of debit, attracting more money, or a serious relationship needs to be handled by a professional to get results. You need to know the truth about real magic and that is that is must be done by someone who truly cares.

Why just decide to end a relationship or stop building a relationship because there are a couple sex problems? Decide to see the truth about your spirituality and understand how real spells work.

© Spell Enchantments 2006.

Ashra: Renown clairvoyant psychic, spell caster and Akychi Master. She specializes in paranormal, metaphysical and Egyptian witchcraft energy influence to turn people's dreams into reality. Owner of Spell Enchantments, her success in future predictions and love spells has earned place rank of eBay's #1 Psychic and published recognition worldwide.
Website: Free Love Spells .ca

Living In Harmony: Dealing With Dreadful Neighbors

Having bad neighbors is unavoidable. This, regrettably, is universal and it stretches across all racial ethnicities. From the nicest suburbs to the shabbiest areas of the city, the chance that you will have an annoying person living in close proximity to you is very high. The fact that neighbors sometimes can’t get along is a common people problem and you’d better know how to handle people; if not, you may very well be on your way to the big house. Let’s say you worked hard all day and have to come home to the latest pimp movie soundtrack pulsating from your ceiling; you may not be able to keep yourself from charging toward that upstairs apartment, round house kicking the door down and bashing that surround sound system in with a baseball bat. There are alternatives, you know. Check out a list of my tips that just might keep you from obtaining your new, pretty cell block number.

KNOW WHOM YOU’LL BE RENTING FROM

1. Before renting out an apartment, always check out the rental agency or landlord you’ll be renting from. Get online and do some research. Online, there are a few apartment rating websites and if you must, (and trust me, you must) talk to people who already live there. A majority of the time, it’s simple. Bad management does even worse business. There’s always a vacancy because no one wants to live there. In my opinion, one of the best things you can do when apartment hunting, is get a referral from someone else, preferably a friend. Okay, so you don’t have any friends; again, check out the place as thoroughly as possible before you make a decision that can aggravate you for the entire length of your lease.

MOVE WITH CAUTION. THINK BEFORE ACTING

2. If you fell to your knees in praise when you saw the apartment, moved in and didn’t research your landlord, more power to you. Your neighbors might be wonderful. That’s great! However, if you moved in and now your neighbors have become your worst nightmare, the seemingly easy way to handle things would be to go to them and kindly ask them to turn the music down, but be wary about doing this. Why, because it rarely works. Sure, you might have a good neighbor who didn’t know they were disturbing you. In that case, you knock on the door and ask them to turn their TV down. If they apologize and turn it down, your problem is solved and life goes on. But, if you’re like a ton of us who has experienced the person who knows they are disturbing the peace and they really don’t care, your best bet would be to not knock on their door because it will enrage them. More than likely, the music is going to play louder and longer and you’re going to be livid.

My suggestion is to document the time and the dates of every disturbance. Then e-mail your landlord every time there is commotion. The reason I say e-mail your landlord rather than call is because your email is proof you asked the landlord to resolve this issue. I mean, it is their job isn’t it? In the long run, it will really help to print and save all of you and your landlord’s cyber communication because watch this:

DO SAVE DOCUMENTATION

3. If your landlord responds, “I already contacted your neighbor and you all should be able to work it out amongst yourselves,” you may need all of that documentation to help get you out of your lease. If you’re like every other person who has ever called a Tenants Association or organizations just like it, you may have contacted your landlord on many occasions about the situation. Your landlord is about cashing rent checks and they may not put out a rent paying tenant who is causing a ruckus regardless of what your lease says about ‘quiet enjoyment’.

I’m even willing to bet your landlord is sick of you and is now labeling you as the ‘troublemaker’. So don’t think for one minute if you break your lease and move, they won’t still sue you for the money owed on the remainder of the lease and you don’t want that. Here’s why:

LOOK INTO BUYING OR RENTING TO OWN A HOUSE

4. You may want to concentrate on getting your credit in order. There is nothing worse, and I speak from experience, than wanting to make a major purchase like a car or a home and not being able to because of a blemish on your credit. Recognize early in the game that apartment living is not for you if you have a problem with the sound of a herd of cattle stampeding over you. Put yourself in the position financially and credit wise, so when you’re fed-up and ready to leave apartments behind completely, you can make that move quickly.

MOVE ONTO BRIGHTER HORIZONS

5. Learn to let go of your place if you’re unhappy. Stop going tit for tat with your neighbors and stop calling your landlord. If you’re miserable, move. No apartment is worth the energy it takes to complain all the time. To make matters worse, if you start to complain too much, everything that you’re fighting against, you will start to mirror. If you’re not careful, ultimately, you will become the dreadful neighbor.

HELP OUT MANKIND. REVIEW YOUR APARTMENT

www.apartmentreviews.net
www.apartmentratings.com

Non-Resolutions

I’ve never liked the idea of New Year’s Resolutions. If you make them, you feel that you are somehow accountable, and what if you don’t live up? Who’s keeping score anyway? It could be the most unrelenting taskmaster of all. On a very real level, the worst person you ever want to disappoint is yourself. Maybe that is why I don’t like New Year’s Resolutions.

Despite the fact that I don’t like them and I invariably refuse to make them, the New Year is nevertheless a time to reflect, to think about where you’ve been in the past year and to set your sights on where you’d like to go. This much self-analysis I can handle.

As the holiday festivities wind down, I enjoy curling up with a nice cup of my favorite coffee and spending some quality time with myself, thinking about what I’ve accomplished in the last year, and also thinking about things from last year’s list, uh non-list, that I really wish I had accomplished. What went wrong? How do I get back on the path I want?

I think back over the last year and I think hard. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try; life really does get in the way of itself. But you know, when I am working just as hard as I can, and things still don’t work out, I don’t have to apologize to anyone, all I have to do is remind myself to keep trying.

Keeping in mind that old adage about try, try again – sometimes it’s not that we need to try again, we’ve already been doing that -- again and again and again. Sometimes we really do need to try something else. That said, I do think hard about what I need to do to keep myself on course. Sometimes I need to stay on the same old course and try it one more time and sometimes I need to try something different. Either way, as another old saying goes, “I ain’t no quitter.”

I’m also a dreamer and after I really look hard at the things I need to keep after, the things I need to change, the things I need to fix, and the closets I need to clean out, I spend some time dreaming about the things I want to make a reality. I think about those dreams. And most definitely, I dream those dreams.

Deep down, I am a list maker, a planner and a dreamer. And just about the time I take the last sip on those reminisces and regrets about the old year, I fill my cup one more time. Now, I am thinking about the New Year, what I want to accomplish, what I need to accomplish, and what I want to do, just because I want to.

Out comes the paper and pen. Somehow, it makes it more real when you write it down. And write it down I do.

Nothing is immune from my New Year’s non-resolution list making, sometimes it’s an inch or two that must go, am I getting all the exercise I need? Other times it is that novel I meant to finish, and despite making my non-resolution list at least every other year, it will be there until I’m done. Oh, and that trip I always wanted to take! How much will I have to budget to make that one excursion happen. I can’t even remember the last time I made it to the beach. And that trail I’ve always wanted to hike. That old friend I’ve been meaning to write, the garden I want to plant, the new recipe I want to cook – just because I know we’ll all love it. The special evening I want to spend with my honey. Nothing, absolutely nothing is immune from my list making and you can count on things being there for no other reason than that those are things I really, really would like to do. Get the idea? These are the things that make my life my own; these are the things that make life good.

Likely, as not, though, I’ll also include the next exact step I need to take to keep my career on the path I want. And, down to business, keeping my finances in order, and my house from falling in around me. I also try to take note of my friends and family: are my relationships all where they should be? Are the people who depend on me happy and are their lives heading in the direction they need to be going? If not, what can I do to help, what is in my power to do and what is realistic? This is not a nosedive into co-dependency, this is about looking at my family and friends and trying to make sure that I am doing my part. You know, the old saw about, “It takes a whole a village….” Well, it does.

Just about done now, this is not a long assignment, just a few moments with a nice cup of coffee, a pen and a piece of scratch paper. Just a little bit of thinking, a little bit of planning -- and just about done reminiscing when some unspent tears make their way to the surface. That’s okay too. Because, invariably, that too is part of my little bit of time, with my favorite cup of coffee, facing the New Year once again. Life is hard, no doubt, and I’d be lying if I said the last year hadn’t been hard. Nonetheless, in a lot of ways, it has also been a good year and I have a new one to look forward to. With that, I scribble out my last non-resolution, polish off the last drop of coffee and with bitter-sweet resolve, I am once more ready to face the New Year.

Copyright 2005 Regina Pickett Garson

Watch Shopping Guide – Useful Tips and Advices

Copyright 2006 Zai Zhu

Shopping for watches on the Internet, while enjoyable can be difficult for a number of reasons. Two main reasons are that there are an overwhelming number of watches available and you don’t get to see them and feel them before you click that buy button. However, with some basic knowledge on wrist watches, you will be able to browse through more choices in less time and significantly increase your chance of finding the watch that you want.

Watches 101

Before you shop for your next watch, be it a Citizen watch or an Invicta watch or any watch for that matter, it is a good idea to know how watches are classified. Watches are generally classified as either quartz watches or mechanical watches. Mechanical watches are further broken down to automatic watches (automatic winding) and manual wind watches. Mechanical watches consist of all mechanical components and hence the name mechanical watches. Mechanical watches do not need battery. Quartz watches do need battery. Quartz watches gets their name from the quartz crystal that is in use in the movement.

There are inherent advantages and disadvantages with both quartz and mechanical watches. Quartz watches are more accurate and less expensive than similar mechanical watches. However, you do have to change the battery every few years, which will incur additional cost and inconvenience. Mechanical watches are less accurate. They are heavier and usually cost more than similar quartz watches. However, mechanical watches are view as more than just timepieces; they are pieces of art. They are canvases where watchmakers showcase their creativity and skills. Even a simple mechanical watch can have over 100 parts in them compare to just a few dozen in quartz watches. It is not difficult to see that it takes far more expertise to put a mechanical watch together. Knowing whether you want a quartz watch or a mechanical watch will help you filter out a significant number of choices.

Watches are further classified into smaller categories based on their functions or complications. Examples of popular complications are chronograph, perpetual calendar, and moon phase.

What is popular now?

Currently, chronograph watches, diamond watches, dive watches, and watches with large face are some of most popular watches available on the market. Chronograph watches are watches with a stop watch feature built in. Most people buy chronograph watches for the look, few actually use the function. Diamonds can really add some sparkles to watches. Diamond is one of the most popular precious stones, so it is no surprise that diamond watches are popular. Dive watches are popular because they are often rugged looking and convey a sense of durability, not to mention the fact that they have high water resistance. Large face watches are popular partly because many celebrities are wearing them and also because it is easier to tell time with them.

What to look for?

Once you determine whether you want a quartz watch or a mechanical watch and the kind of complications you want it to have, it is time to look at some materials.

Case materials:

Popular watch materials for watch cases are stainless steel and titanium. Stainless steel and titanium are good because and they are durable. Titanium is lighter than stainless steel, but much stronger. However, it has a duller look compares to stainless steel. Titanium tends to be a little more expensive than stainless steel.

Crystal materials:

Sapphire crystals and mineral crystals are recommended for most watches. Sapphire crystal is much harder than mineral crystal and is a lot more scratch resistant than mineral crystal. They are obviously more expensive than mineral crystals. Materials to avoid are glass and acrylic. They are found in many low end watches.

Watch band materials:

There are a wide variety of watch band materials ranging from stainless steel to eel skin. Which material works best for your watch is determined by your taste and your intended use for that watch. If you are active and will be getting the watch wet often, then you will want to go with either a metal bracelet of some sort or a rubber strap as they are easy to clean and maintain. It is not recommended for any type of leather strap to be submerged in water as it can deteriorate the quality of the band.

Tips to getting the right watch the first time!

Read the descriptions including all the specifications of all the watches you are interested in carefully. As a watch dealer, very often I see customers returning a watch simply because it was too big or too small. If only they had read the descriptions and the specs carefully, they won’t have to waste money on shipping and create extra work and inconvenience for themselves and others. If you are unsure whether a watch will be too big or too small for you, measure your wrist and know its approximate size. Remember you can always call the vendor and ask for additional help. It sure beats making an unnecessary trip to the post office.

Learn these basics about watches and you will soon discover that you can spend less time and browse through more watches, so you may find the one that best fits your taste and your style of life.

The Life Of Luxury(Green With Envy)

It is always nice to see how the other half lives, take for instance there is the Life of Luxury: the George Hamilton way.

This is a TV show which looks at the lives of the Super Rich in which the first episode looks at the PlayBoy Mansion, a collection of multi-million dollar homes, hip-hop half-billion dollar empires and some queens of shopping.

Tom Delay's Life of Luxury over the last six years:

Public documents reviewed by The Associated Press document his 48 visits to golf clubs and resorts; 100 flights aboard private company planes; 200 stays at hotels, many world-class; and 500 meals at restaurants, some averaging nearly $200 for a dinner for two. Not all paid for by Tom Delay.

ARCHESTRATUS: THE LIFE OF LUXURY

ARCHESTRATUS was a Sicilian Greek who wrote a poem that was an actual cookbook describing styles of Greek food in antiquity In travelling throughout the Greek world - Greece, Southern Italy and Sicily, the coast of Asia Minor, the Black Sea - Archestratus shows us how the ancient Greeks were extremely cosmopolitan.

His influences - ingredients, combinations of flavours, techniques - are drawn from a wide Mediterranean background, taking in a diversity of ideas unrestricted by the topography of the Greek mainland.

The Life of Luxury: Check out the Robb Report: Luxury Homes

The Robb Report features this Beverly Hills house. The owners, a retired industrialist and his wife, who is a trustee of Los Angeles’ Museum of Contemporary Art, wanted the architect to maintain a simple palette that would not compete with their art collection, which includes a beautiful collection of contemporary art.

The Life of Luxury's Most Expensive ZIP Codes

From Beverly Hills to TriBeCa, from notorious enclaves of mansions and lush lawns to little-known niches of wealth, this is where the most expensive real estate in the country can be found.

Many of these neighborhoods are rarified places, of course. They are close to beaches and golf courses and prime yacht moorings--or at least within spitting distance of the power centers that are the sources of great wealth.

They have high tax bases, expensive private schools, exclusive restaurants and they are not all located close to Rodeo Drive.

The Life of Luxury; Some Expensive Must-Have Items:

We must be getting richer. Designer items are becoming more and more popular, we are no longer happy with a cheap watch but want an Omega or a Tag Heuer.

According to the Federal Reserve, the net wealth of American households hit a high at the end of last year, increasing from $46.59 trillion in the third quarter of 2004 to $48.53 trillion in the fourth quarter.

Rising real estate and stock prices helped push the country's household net worth up 4% between the third and fourth quarters.

You can now buy a $67,000 hand-crafted bathtub; Luxury is no longer confined to the affluent. To enhance people's lives they are willing to pay more for luxury items like expensive perfumes and designer handbags.

Sometimes it's hard to justify spending much more on an item when something considerably less expensive offers the same functionality.

You can, for instance, buy a watch for $10 and you can buy a watch for $20,000 that offers the exact same functionality so where is the rationale for buying the expensive watch?

Still, the expensive watches get sold and people are proud to own them. The exclusive maker of mattresses for the British royal family will reject a container of cashmere if it is deemed to be clumpy or defective in any way, says the director for the American division.

For each bed, workers cover thousands of springs in calico cotton; the damask cases are hand-woven in Belgium. If you have to ask how much these mattresses cost you can't afford them.

Life of Luxury: living on your own Cruise Ship.

The World is the only private luxury community at sea. It is a Cruise Ship built with apartments and studios for long term residency rather than vacation cruises.

For sale originally were 106 apartments, 19 studio apartments and 40 studios, with square footage starting at 675 for studios and maxing out at 3,242 for a three bedroom apartment with optional jet pool.

With the exception of studios, which have more limited amenities, The World's residential accommodations include fully-equipped kitchens, living room, veranda and all furniture and audio/video equipment. Studios an Apartments can be had from 1.4 million to 4.8 million dollars and annual maintenance costs start at $100,000.

This is a 40,000-ton ship which could easily carry 1,500 passengers but the World Residensea carries an average of 285 guests plus a crew of 252.

The passenger distribution is about 40% Americans, 40% Europeans and 20% from other nations. The price of a "home" on board the ship includes furniture, appliances, carpet, draperies, linen, china, cutlery and crystal.

Maintenance charges will cover daily housekeeping service, repairs and replacement of appliances, fixtures and fittings supplied by the builder.

The Cause Of Global Warming. Is It You?

We know the Earth is getting warmer.

The International Panel on Climate Change predicts a global temperature rise of about 5C by the end of this century. That’s enough for major changes. Like in rising seawater levels, in food production and rainfall.

Knowing why we are in this fix is the first step to doing something about it. Yes, that’s you and me.

There are four levels at which to understand the cause of global warming.

* The mechanics of global warming

* What we do

* Our beliefs and values, and

* Natural cycles, involving the sun


The mechanics of global warming are simple. There’s too much carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.

The Earth absorbs heat from the sun and radiates much of it back into space or else we would cook. But presently the Earth retains more warmth from the sun, about 0.85 per square metre, than it radiates back into space. It is mainly CO2 that hinders solar radiation back into space and this creates the greenhouse effect.

Currently the atmospheric CO2 content is about 380 ppm (parts per million), up from about a thousand years ago at a level of 280 ppm. Predictions are that it may go up to 500ppm by the end of this century.

And CO2 hangs around for a long time. It takes about 100,000 years for atmospheric CO2 to reduce by about 63% through natural processes.

What we do contributes to so much CO2 in the atmosphere. It got there because of massive amounts of fossil fuels that humanity has been burning since the start of the Industrial Revolution, some 300 years ago.

Coal and oil are the mainstays in power generation and to power our transport. Of course a growing world population needs more energy for food, clothing, housing and comforts. But when there are 8 billion of us, all wanting a big house, the latest electronic playthings, a car, and access to world travel, we’re in trouble.

We’re in trouble because the Earth cannot physically support all those needs and wants and because the energy emissions needed to meet them would choke us.

Our beliefs and values have much to do with why we want so many more things than we really need.

It is to do with ideas about “progress” that started before the Industrial Revolution, during the period known as the “Enlightenment”, starting in the 16th century.

It generated ideas about the importance of the individual, about the use of reason and material wellbeing. Rene Descartes was one of this period’s foremost philosophers. You know his famous quote: “I think therefore I am.” Recently I saw an advertisement using that quote like this: “I think, therefore I shop”.

Funny? Yes, and getting to the heart of the problem. The way we think, about ourselves and about the world is the problem.

Does our consumer world leave room for nature, for things we can make and maintain ourselves, for “slow” and natural growth, for each other and our environments? Not much.

So, it’s our values and our beliefs that continues to put CO2 in the air and are cooking us.

Natural cycles, involving the sun have something to do with global warming too. That’s true.

The Earth is now receiving 30% more solar radiation than it did 4.6 billion years ago. And there have always been cycles of ice ages and warmer “interglacial” periods, depending on the Earth’s orbit, solar radiation strength and changes in ocean currents.

The last “Little Ice Age” was between 1400 and 1840 with significantly lower temperatures. And such events are part of 1,500 year cycles.

Presently the Earth is at the end of an interglacial, warmer time and is due for a cooling down. But it seems that we are not going to let that happen. The steep increase in CO2, particularly over the last 45 years, does not fit into any natural cycle.

We cannot blame the sun. It’s us.

What to do is the question. The facts are that global warming will be with us for a long time, whether we stop putting CO2 into the air today or not. It will get worse as fast developing economies involving billions of people in the USA, China and India will rely on fossil fuels for decades yet. Renewable energy is only at the start of making any inroads.

You can only change what you do by changing how you think. If we don’t figure our way out of our consumerist addictions we will eventually have to go cold turkey. Or is that hot turkey?

There is a need for re-valuation of living well with an interdependent, connected and unpredictable world. One with limits.

What better way to change your thinking than by getting close to people who do live – and some do so very well - with high levels of vulnerability and dependence, like people with disabilities or those who are frail aged.

Giving a hand to those who live in your street or come on your path, is a way to get reconnected with what life is all about.

Whether or not alternate energy sources will be used in time to make global warming tolerable, getting on with each other, in all our diversity, is good for planet Earth.

And for you.