Aetherous

WARNING: violent drawings depicting Santa killing white elephants. Don't click if you will be offended (and mods let me know if it's not cool to post a link to it). http://i.imgur.com/jrbNy.jpg I recently did this as a cheap job...some guy requested this (most of the details specified) to use in a debate with his family about whether to do secret santa or white elephant this year.

Starting this: http://stronglifts.com/

http://www.democracy...bate_with_third I enjoyed watching the debate with all of the active presidential candidates having equal talking time. Next debate (the final one, I think Monday), Democracy Now will do the same thing live...I'm just going to tune into that instead of the regularly broadcast one. ....... Just editing this post instead of making a new one...on the issue of increasing federal revenue, we should all be talking about completely legalizing and taxing pot... The report estimates that legalizing marijuana would save $7.7 billion per year in government expenditure on enforcement of prohibition. $5.3 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, while $2.4 billion would accrue to the federal government. The report also estimates that marijuana legalization would yield tax revenue of $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like all other goods and $6.2 billion annually if marijuana were taxed at rates comparable to those on alcohol and tobacco. (From what I understand, these numbers are all from 2005)

It sounds great...even if you aren't a teacher, could you please share what the moves are (maybe in another thread)?

If the main preoccupation of a company is to make more money at the expense of employees, I can't sympathize at all. And I'm not knowledgeable enough about how businesses are affected...what burdens have been placed on Californian businesses? I've heard that Obama makes it hard for people trying to start up a business...how has he done this exactly? What political factors have impeded small business opportunity and activity? Agree...yet it's still a requirement for most jobs. Once that changes significantly, then I think we could reasonably discuss cutting student loans. Another thing that I think should be discussed...college is too expensive, too useless...make college completely free/forgive student debt, and emphasize useful majors as well as helping land the first job...that should totally be one of the university's responsibilites. Those things would directly stimulate the economy. And then we could also stop talking about student loans of course...lol. I got similar advice from my ex girlfriends uncle...haha...he was a cool guy. He also encouraged me to join the Army, even though I didn't at first...later I did, and it proved to be exactly what he said: the best way to learn about yourself and the world. Anyway, good advice to your kid and good luck for him in figuring it out along the way. Looking back, I can say that I regret quite a few things....most of them having to do with not being fully prepared and fully knowledgeable about how to make my living. Pretty much the one thing we're required to do in life. You're a good parent if you really challenge your kid in this area...as much as he might hate it. Reality can sting pretty bad, and it's a huge growth spurt between college kid and working adult. Too huge.

Definitely. Speaking of culture change...have you read into the Green New Deal? Now that would be some change (maybe not that you'd agree is wise, but still interesting). Not a good point...sorry. I don't think defense spending when we're ending the wars will provide much work to American citizens. Private contractors and similar companies who happen to be American, yes, but it's not going to help the economy realistically. It's the common Conservative POV to state that Obama is going way overboard with spending...but not give examples. I know you can. I just don't like when we're theorizing rather than discussing clear facts. They theorize enough (pull the blinders over our eyes) in their campaign promises to us. This is the one thing I understand about the economy, though...you must spend/invest in America in order to boost it. Cutting things like education and welfare destroys us, and doesn't make a difference in the deficit. So it's like...why are we even talking about it? I agree with your video...we have to completely rethink the way things are operating, instead. I recall that in the past, our country broke off imports on certain things so that Americans would sort of be forced to buy American products. Why can't we do that these days? One idea. I suppose I will only understand the POV of an employer when I become one. I've heard arguments like, companies aren't hiring people because they think Obamacare will make it more costly for the company (here's that culture rot you were talking about). I just think it's a load of garbage, and is purely speculative. But...I'm not in an informed position on that matter. To answer you about Obama...well I don't think he has much of a say in unemployment. Does he? But if his administration actually is pushing for more green jobs as well as alternative energy, that's one example of job creation. The new taxes that are coming into effect, are they a result of the Budget Control Act ? Yeah my friend ended up taking a similar job in another city, where he makes about 1/4 of what he was previously. He feels stuck currently, barely getting by with some spending money while busting his ass and living in a crappy town. Something I wonder about our country...what about all of the people with poor work ethic? Because they certainly exist. Do we put them out on the street? I'm getting philosophical rather than political, but this is how I approach politics...from the heart. When I see an owner of a corporation making millions doing hardly anything, then I see the poor man who isn't fit for busting his ass just to survive....I tend to think that pre-civilization was actually less barbaric than what we have now! At least then we had the freedom to be in nature...to live off the land to survive. It's much easier to go fishing and build a shelter than to get by these days. I see something wrong with the entire system we have...climbing over others to reach the top of the human pyramid (there is no top, the more people the bigger it gets) or at least a height at which you're not absolutely crushed by the weight of it, rather than ensuring that everyone is simply living well. The fault doesn't lie with the people at the bottom, IMO...if they can't pull a Will Smith (in Pursuit of Happyness) that's not their fault. Hardly anyone can. I agree, it's a luxury. But the question...does cutting away at the extended unemployment collection solve our debt problem? The video says no...common sense says it helps but doesn't hardly solve it.

Always? That's what they want us to think. Totally agree. Well, "deficit reduction" seems a lot better to me than increasing the Pentagon's base budget! We can brush it off by saying, "well he spends a ton in other areas" but at least in regard to this very clear issue, Obama's choice is extremely good and Romney's is extremely bad. Saying this as someone not even Democrat or voting for Obama, of course... That's the typical Conservative perspective regarding Romney/Ryan...not to say it's bad, just saying that people agree with you. The only issue I have with it, is that perhaps it's not entirely true. Do we really know all of the facts, and can we predict the future? Anyway, I hope you're right if Romney wins...I'd love to see our country improve. Oh also...one aspect I don't think would be an improvement is to demand more of people. It's a common Conservative thing these days to blame poor people for not working hard enough (when most of them that I know personally have 2-3 jobs, working more than full time, and still barely make rent). I don't think anyone really likes living on welfare, or unemployment, for instance. It's not nearly as much $ as they'd make in a real job, and it doesn't make the person feel honorable at all. No matter who they are! Sure, it's true that diamonds are formed through intense pressure...sometimes it motivates people to be required to work hard or else starve to death. But most of us are human beings, not diamonds...at other times the pressures of this society can crush us completely. Ever watch "The Pursuit of Happyness"? I don't view that as the American dream, as inspiring as it was to see someone struggling so hard. I view that as unfortunate and not representative of a free country! But, opinions differ... I don't know. I have a friend who really needed that, and still wasn't able to land the job he was qualified for. Contrary to what we'd assume about a person getting free money, he was not doing well throughout that whole time. I agree it is excessive, though...you could say that the person should just get it until they can land a job doing anything, manufacturing, while they continue to apply in their field. I don't know why my friend chose to keep collecting. Something to remember is that most people don't collect for the whole time. They use it in an honest way. Agree, to a certain point. Pretty much just what you said...these programs should be temporary. This is a problem I have with employers, not the government. It's unnecessary to demand someone with a master's degree (this is the new "high school ii" these days), for a job that could only require a month of training for a person with a HS degree. So guaranteeing all student loans...that's awesome IMO. Also if you consider our competition with other nations...from what I've seen in the news, we look like idiots when it comes to our education! I think cutting away at student loans is the last thing our government should do...and as your video showed, it's not something that would help the real problem anyway. I think businesses should do more job training, again. Employers have been the root of the problem; THAT is why post college kids are unemployed with huge debt. They're not sitting at their parent's home because they had access to student loans...they have an education and are more qualified for other jobs because they got student loans! They're better off, even if temporarily unemployed and in debt. Here's a story...I dropped out of college a year before graduation. I was going through a rough time, and was thinking about how I was only going to make 35k tops starting out, so I wanted to look at other options. I took an entire winter/summer doing a job search...spending at least 3 hours a day searching every job board, etc. Found absolutely nothing, except one job I ran into out of luck...roofing. I worked 2 days and killed my back. They were paying me $12.50 an hour, which is pretty damn good for someone without a college degree...but doing the math, that's only 24k a year. So, I went back to school and finished up...now am studying for a board exam, and once I pass, can finally work. I am one of the people who used student loans, sitting at their parent's home, with huge debt, unemployed...but for good reason. This is where I have to be right now. Soon enough, I'll land a real job. For someone who really invests themselves in finding a non-college job...they can get something comparable to a well paying job. My little brother, out of luck, recently got a delivery job that's paying him close to 30k a year. My cousin started out as a welder through an apprentice program. Truck driving jobs are constantly hiring (because it sucks, haha). BUT what I'm trying to say is...right now college is still the best option. I know through experience. Now we're talking. 100% agree.

I totally don't like it when someone just points me to a book instead of explaining, so in case you don't check it out...something it said is that for a Buddha, this is their last life. Once their body dies, that's it, period. No more existence for that mind-stream, we could say. For other realized ones (like "stream winners" etc), they may have a few reincarnations left until they are completely extinguished, depending on their level. For someone with achievement in that tradition, their sense of self is completely gone, as is the attachment to the 5 senses...which I can understand prevents suffering sometimes, but IMO isn't what happiness or peace is all about either!

Apech, It's true the Buddha said that, and is something I can appreciate (if that's all there is to it, which is not the case)...but consider how Theravadan Buddhists view 'nibbana'. In fact...if you have the time and interest, please check out Ajahn Brahms "Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond". That clearly describes their viewpoint on the end goal, which I think could definitely be called spiritual suicide, and technically 'ego death'.

From what I understand of Theravadan Buddhism, you could put it like that.

Just stumbled upon http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php which might have these kinds of answers.

You're not seeing how that opinion is even more ridiculous than reiki, according to your own standards?

Expanding, kind of like how Romney wants to "maintain the total level of defense spending, shifting war funds to the Pentagon's base budget." Something to think about. What are you referring to? Unemployment checks, etc (which keep families afloat when needed)? Which that video clearly shows won't make a difference in terms of our increasing debt. Well, I think it's a great idea...as long as it doesn't ruin our country in the future. For instance, when researching Paul Ryan I saw that he supports the idea of getting rid of many student loan programs, making the ones that we keep harder to afford, while simultaneously increasing the cost to the student. If people in our country are less likely to go to college, they won't get the jobs that require a degree, they will be poor and less likely to increase local spending and give back to the economy. So...lets be smart about which aspects of the government we're trimming away at, rather than just assume that too much government is baaaad. Anyway, besides these things, I have such a hard time understanding the economy. I'm trying, man...this is the first year I've begun paying close attention to all aspects involved in politics. I've been looking for a good book that can dumb it down for me, as well...

Has this been demonstrated under laboratory conditions? ...not trying to continue your presence in this thread, which was about adept's experience with reiki. The question to you is obviously rhetorical.

That's basically what the professor insinuated by saying, "the wrong way to deal with these choices is to weigh specific cuts, because there are no specific cuts that will solve the problem." Anyway...reading the rest of your post now...

I am under the impression that derailing threads is something the moderators might frown upon. Reporting you right now to find out what they think in this case...no personal offense. I wish you'd just chill out, because there's room here for every practice and tool and modality to be discussed.

Okay, how about this...if you're going to derail a thread with your nonsense, more pie guy, I'll just report you. If you think something is bogus, maybe make a personal practice forum where you discuss that. Those are your opinions. I personally think they're ridiculous 98% of the time...and am surprised that anyone would +1 your posts. It is somewhat of an admirable quality to cut away at the excess, to be skeptical...but you do it to your own detriment most of the time. And then you attempt to act as a spokesperson for the people who are interested in the REAL DEAL practices...which involve attaching a grounding wire to your perineum and breathing? LOL. Get real, man. Stay in threads that interest you, rather than stumbling into ones that you know you have no real experience in, and blathering about how wrong everyone else must be.

Nice, clear video...so the question is really, how do we raise federal revenue?

Maybe if you strap a grounding wire to your perineum and bow to the altar of John Chang, it will have less of a placebo effect. (said in jest, don't take me too seriously...I like you more pie!)

There are others who don't feel the same way. They'd rather not have delusions, and mental disorders...they'd rather be calm, and just think that they are human. Do what they must to get by and enjoy life. Not waste time/energy/their health calling other people dogs or idiots. You're kind of preaching to the choir here about having a higher purpose. We are not sitting around discussing how great it is to be slaves, and how we just took a huge dump after breeding, or something. Haha! You're at a forum of cultivators. Many who follow the Tao. People who will try to help you when you need it...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandiose_delusions

Vortex, droppin the truth bombz. I was disappointed to see my favored candidate get arrested tonight. I'm glad they are trying to make the issue known, in whatever way possible. They have been released already... About the chart of "Who Owns our Federal Debt"...it can be misleading to look at because that's only publicly owned debt. This article sums it up well: "So America owes foreigners about $4.5 trillion in debt. But America owes America $9.8 trillion." Here are the top categories, to keep things in perspective: U.S. households: $959.4 billion (6.6 percent) China: $1.16 trillion (8 percent) The U.S. Treasury: $1.63 trillion (11.3 percent) Social Security trust fund: $2.67 trillion (19 percent)

I personally feel like the stillness-movement practice also relates to these things...if that would interest you more than kunlun method/yi gong.

I view grades, achievement and all that, as essential. I wish I was forced to study throughout middle and high school...because that would have shaped my life in a better way, so I could have done something more useful in college (like become a doctor). Instead, I did sports medicine...which was still challenging, but I'm going to start out with a 30k salary instead of 100k+ or something. I also wasted a lot of time not meeting requirements of certain classes, so college took longer and raised my student loans. A good education is important. Equally as important as being able to sit quietly, being able to think for yourself, etc. If I were you, I'd simply spend some time talking about these things, maybe having a few minutes of quiet sitting before or after each class. It will make you memorable as a teacher, and actually I think it will help improve their grades.