thelerner

I thought this was impressive. Great solutions have to be found looking at nations that do the best job. http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/99-of-sweden-s-waste-reused-more-imported-from-other-european-countries/article1-1261185.aspx?htsw0023 excerpt: 99% of Sweden's waste reused, more imported from other European countries Last Updated: 15:30 IST(7/9/2014) Around 99% of Sweden's garbage is now recycled and the country is so efficient at managing waste they are importing it from other European countries. The Scandinavian country has 32 waste-to-energy (WTE) plants, where garbage is incinerated to produce steam, which in turn is used to run generator turbines and produce electricity. The Swedish generally waste as much as people in other countries - around 461 kilogrammes per person each year - but only one% of that is ending up in landfill, thanks to the country's innovative recycling programme, the Huffington Post reported. The country imports garbage from the UK, Italy, Norway and Ireland to feed its waste plants, a practice that has been in place for years. "Waste today is a commodity in a different way than it has been. It's not only waste, it's a business," said Swedish Waste Management communications director Anna-Carin Gripwell. Sweden uses a programme that involves incinerating over two million tonnes of trash per year. The process also converts half the country's garbage into energy, the report said. The programme involves a waste-management hierarchy designed to curb environmental harm: prevention (reduce), reuse, recycling, recycling alternatives (energy recovery via WTE plants), and lastly, disposal (landfill). Before garbage can be trucked away to incinerator plants, trash is filtered by home and business owners; organic waste is separated, paper picked from recycling bins, and any objects that can be salvaged and reused pulled aside. - See more at: http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/99-of-sweden-s-waste-reused-more-imported-from-other-european-countries/article1-1261185.aspx?htsw0023#sthash.gNk0zUFO.dpuf <me: Course devils in the details. Some trash to energy units just end up sending there pollution elsewhere in the form of smoke. Still, it seems like they're doing something very right.

Sadly, we have been. They were able to get past our old system and dump garbage posts all over. Sorry for the limitations, but its helped keep the forum clean from spambots.

You've got a good sense of humor. That gift alone is pretty powerful. There's an aspect of humor that doesn't take life too seriously. Whether its curse or some handicap, the humor keeps the person going. With it, the worst handicaps are overcome.

All hail TTB..

I don't know, for mere mortals who are doing there first water only fast, often the first day isn't easy, the second is hard, the third can be worse. You want to keep pets and small children away, lest your hunger overwhelm and you lose one of them. Spotless is right it does get easier as you go along. I'm exaggerating (slightly), fasting has many good points. Be careful doing it though, no strenuous exercise and keep your schedule to a minimum. Take it easy, listen to your body.

As you wish: From Cracked.com http://www.cracked.com/article_19266_5-movie-fan-theories-that-make-more-sense-than-movie.html #5. Harry Potter Isn't the Chosen One; His Inept Classmate Is In the world of Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom is the resident doofus. He's not really good at magic, he constantly forgets stuff -- even Rowling hates him, as evidenced by the fact that she included a synonym for "ass" in his name. Neville only seems to be there so that readers who aren't smart, capable or attractive will have someone to identify with. Also to make Harry Potter look like less of a dork in comparison. However, just like that shy kid from your school who went on to become a porn actor, later books seem to hint that there might be something more to Neville than meets the eye ... The Awesome Fan Theory: Basically, that Harry Potter dude was just a distraction. The "chosen one" was Neville all along. See, the plot of all seven books revolves around the idea that Harry's life fulfills this prophecy: "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord [Voldemort] approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... ". "Also, he'll have a goddamn sword." The thing is, all that stuff applies to Neville, too. His parents had thrice defied Voldemort, and he was born on July 30, one day before Harry. So what power does Neville know that Voldemort doesn't? According to the theory, that could be either "the power of love" (as in Harry's case) or "herbology." Or both, considering the way he looks at those plants. The "Voldemort will mark him as his equal" part was a little trickier, but then again it wasn't clear how it related to Harry, either. Neville had a messed up relationship with his parents, mainly due to the fact that Voldemort had them tortured into insanity. Voldemort had some serious mommy issues, too, so in that sense Voldemort made him his equal. But the best part of the theory, the part that makes it all come together, is the idea that Dumbledore, the principal of Wizard High, was intentionally allowing Voldemort to think Harry was the chosen one just to protect Neville. While we're not saying they should have just ditched Harry in the last book and turned the other kid into the protagonist, it would have been pretty cool to have Harry find out he wasn't the center of the universe after all, if only because it would have made the character slightly less insufferable. The later books do flirt with the idea, however briefly. And it would have fit right in with Rowling's habit of pillaging the first three books to turn all the one-off magic items and half-serious gags into game-changing MacGuffins. Read more: http://www.cracked.com/article_19266_5-movie-fan-theories-that-make-more-sense-than-movie.html#ixzz3CY4ivoOh

I was always hoping he'd end up with Luna. Hands down she's my favorite character in the series.

You may be right, but the style of sword play I learned (Ki-Aikido, done with bokken) put great emphasis on precision. There was particular emphasis on how the blow ended; did the sword stop perfectly, without the slightest waiver at the end of the strike. According to that standard, Sato's control of the sword was better. I also agree with the philosophy, the best move- blocks and strikes in the same fluid movement. That's something easier seen in sword and staff work. The block that strikes.

Pendulum work is interesting. I tend to see it as a non psychic phenomena. That it provides access to the subconscious.

Putting aside quantum mechanics, I think Anna Wise has done some great work on brain waves and meditation. She spent years researching and measuring brain waves of various masters in meditation from Southern faith healers to zen masters to yogi's. Her books and guided meditation series are excellent. What I found interesting was her finding that the top practitioners showed several brain waves happening simultaneously. For info: http://annawise.com/awakened-mind-the-work-18 her guided meditations: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/annawise (I like 1,2,4, 5 & 9)

yay, more for me. I'll admit it can make digestion harder, and usually I'll go with room temperature or a little cooler, but icy water is nicy water. A small cup is most refreshing, especially on its own. On the third hand looking at the video on youtube you see quite a few 'the world ends this year' posts. The assumption being the ALS challenge wasn't just a random brain storm from professional fundraisers at ALS foundation that caught on as a fad. Rather it's a satan inspired plot, that happens to help people with a nasty disease. I assume the year will end without Satanic apocalypse and the hardcore commenters will have to look elsewhere the first part of 2015 to find another internet meme that is proof of Satan's control and love of the internet.

Omg, I've been drinking ice water too!

In 2005, I wrote this in a part of my introduction here. Maybe it had relevance. It "short answer to leaving the rat race: Own a business where you can find value in other peoples garbage(very Taoish). Find the Big customers. Live well but cheaply. Best business advice, The best business deal is not the one that gets you the most. Its the one where both parties leave happy. Thats the way to long term deals and relationships. Best Sales advice. Candy, keep Halloween type candy in your pockets. Hand it out liberally to secretaries as well as decision makers. Accepting food has much deeper connotations then you might assume. Decision makers will buy from friends all things being equal or slightly inequal, be friendly. Best Management, be lavish w/ the little things, buying lunches, snacks, extra time off, while keeping the big things (salary & benefits) under control. No one will ever think they are being paid enough, but they will remember the lunches provided, free small loans, ability to come and leave early when needed."

I think the profound truth here for longevity and wisdom, know aggressive but abide in yin, quiet, receiving, humble, gathering, intuition.

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As the Ice Bucket Challenge thread was spinning out of control Marblehead wrote this and I thought it might be a good launching point for a discussion. Not another Save the World thread, but a what makes sense, and how does ethics enter into Our and the Worlds future actions. He wrote: First, I must state that I am an omnivour and I have no problem with some animals eating other animals because that is the way nature designed the planet. In an ideal world, animals could be bred in a controlled environment for the sole purpose of using for testing. And the Chinese could stop causing the extinction of various species for the purpose of tribal medicines that don't work. And all humans could control their birth rate so that the population is sustainable without causing the destruction of habitates that other species need in order to not become extinct. In reality, morality has nothing to do with it. It is simple logic and common sense.

Nice technique, great spirit. Thanks for sharing the clip.

I agree with the conclusion, 'be nice be happy', but along the way make things better. We can use animal testing (within reason and under humane regulations) to understand and find cures for diseases. We may not last forever but the next 100 years will be particularly challenging for our species and most of us will live through at least half of it. These days I'm concerned with the sweet spot. If we're not concerned with living longer, we may eat poorly, live in poor health and die younger. Yet we don't want to live as monks either. There's a sweet spot, where we can find healthy passions that improve our lives. Same with the environment, I don't believe in obsessing, but there are simple things we can do to minimize our footprint.

If "God" exists, has he always created? Definitely Yes. Ever since he was a young toddler sitting in his playpen, he'd create and create and create. He'd never stop, it was a real passion for him. Hopefully that puts the that to rest. Next question, please. Michael 'there is no spoon, its a spork' Thelerner

I'm thinking of using this as an OP for a new thread in Off Topic. Wonder what it should be called? Ethical Pathways & Predictions for the Future? (seems a little clunky) any ideas

Let us know what its like. I'm sure it will be quite a spiritual experience.

Personally, I'd like to have Starjumper back. He's been out for a while, he's prickly, but imo he walks the walk, knows his stuff and is more authentic in anger and practice then most.

<I can see your point. There are times when life is overwhelming and there's simply no time for such 'lift yourself up by the bootstrap' style advice. Hopefully at some point life gives us a breather and we can get enough slack to gain some momentum to put us on a better path> His advice can feel pessimistic, but its suppose to be a kick in the ass, wake up call. Keep in mind, imo, the what you did yesterday is a short hand for- how your spending your time. He's really repeating the old rag, We will Reap What we Sow, as we'll become what we spend our time doing. Karma'ish. There's no secret code, no fairy godmother, who'll magically give us what we want. If we want to head somewhere it'll only happen if we're heading there now. On that path, now.

I don't know about proper, but to avoid political correctness and because a little poison can be strengthening, my view on hate speech is to give a warning or two, then suspension. In a limited way there may even be a place for it in The Pit. Its part of our reality, we should be able to discuss it like adults and lock it up when it gets heated. Often such conversations crash and burn but on some occasions good things arise. We've had some extremely misogynistic people here and they've sparked some good conversations. Part of embracing everything is being comfortable with the dark. On the third hand, no wants to see shit where they live. A Forum for Female Cultivation - great. Especially with a good steward who keeps it in line and on focus. (hmmnn, in some ways thats the opposite of my first answer. hmnn. I still stand by it).

FWIW here is the article 'A 60 Second Guide to Learning the Awful Truth About Yourself' http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/the-60-second-guide-to-bullshit-free-life/ A 60 Second Guide to Learning the Awful Truth About YourselfBy David Wong July 16, 2014 This won't take but a minute, and I promise this won't be a waste of your time. It's three steps ... Step 1: Get out a pen and paper. You don't need much, an old receipt or something. Write down, in just a few words, what you did yesterday. Leave out the sleeping, eating, pooping, etc. And be totally honest, nobody is going to see it but you. So maybe it's something like: 8 am - 5 pm: working 5 pm - 7 pm: browsing the Internet, catching up with everybody on facebook, masturbating 8 pm - 9 pm: talking on phone with a friend 9 pm - midnight: playing an iPhone game, scrolling through Netflix menus Perfect, you're half done. If you want to stop and take a break, enjoy this animated gif: Feel refreshed? Good. Step 2: On a separate piece of paper, write down in just a few words the five things that are most important in life. Roughly in order. Like, right now if I look out my window I can see a dude in the parking lot about to climb into his pickup truck. If I ran out and forced him to do this, he might come up with: 1. Serving the Lord 2. Raising my family 3. Being loyal to my friends 4. Growing my business 5. Preserving freedom Our readership tends to be a little younger and more liberal, so for a lot of you, your list of life priorities will look something like: 1. Being loyal to my friends & family 2. Advancing my career (or education) 3. Finding my soulmate 4. Making the world better for the future (ending pollution, racism, etc.) 5. Learning to play guitar Both are perfectly fine lists, I'm no one to judge. Now, if you write above the list, "I believe in ..." then that is in effect your Philosophy of Life. If somebody asked you what your philosophy of life was, like if you were the finalist in a beauty pageant or something, you could read that off. "I believe in being loyal to my friends, advancing my education ..." and it'd sound pretty good. Now ... Step 3: Go back to your log of things you did yesterday, and re-arrange it in order of time spent, from most to least. So for our hypothetical person it'd be working, then playing the iPhone game, then browsing the internet, then talking to the friend. Write "I believe in ..." at the top. That is your real philosophy of life. Take the other piece of paper and throw it away. It's meaningless. "Bullshit!" you might say. "You can't judge me based on yesterday! I was really tired when I got home from work, and just wanted to chill!" Hey, I'm not judging you! I once lost an entire Wednesday afternoon trying to get a hat to stay on a rabbit. But if you think yesterday was an outlier, then go ahead and tally up the last month. If you're like me and every single person I know, your two lists -- the things you said were important and the things you actually spend time and energy on -- bear no resemblance to one another. The pickup truck guy up there who ranked it Religion, Family, Friends, Career, and Freedom? Log his time and you'll find his waking hours are 70 percent working at the car dealership, 20 percent Chicago sports fandom, and 10 percent avoiding conversation with his family. His service to The Lord consists of tolerating one hour of church a week and hating gay people; his dedication to freedom involves spending five minutes a day posting anti-Obama image macros on Facebook and voting once every other decade. And just to be clear -- the good-sounding life philosophy list he posted earlier wasn't intended to make himself sound good to other people. It's what he tells himself. That guy you saw at Whole Foods really does think in his own mind that "saving the environment" is right at the top of his list. But his total time and energy spent on the cause adds up to occasionally spending an extra dollar on the brand with the picture of leaves on the label. So there you go. If you want to know where you'll be five years from now, you don't need a crystal ball. Just look at your philosophy of life -- your real one, the one based on actual time spent. That's who you are, and that's who you'll be five years from now, or 10, or 20. You are what you spend time doing. And nothing else. Were you surprised by the result? Or do you know somebody who probably would be? Give it a share on Facebook with the button below. But beware: Some people's reaction to this is, uh, less than positive.