Stosh

There is no information there, other than you are tossing yet another insult out. So, you think you are you and won't point to take credit for anything? How about this English language you are using? Is there any thought you are thinking that wasn't thought of by anyone before, any phrases you are using to articulate your thoughts that wasn't phrased by someone else before? Do you know that Google can predict your next ten keystrokes because they have been done before by Stoshes like you? There are no other Stoshes like me. I didnt create english ! English words and phrases are continually reused , thats the reason they CAN be used. You'd better watch it and pull up your socks to support your society if you want to keep up with the Chinese living in your neck of the woods. I prefer to accept and welcome anybody to the neighborhood who contributes their share. Im not afraid of competing with anybody -Chinese or not., are you telling me I should fear you >? (If you are even Chinese) You gotta be joking. So you are also predicting a China collapse? Yes, if the people are granted the power and rights they deserve. China is gaining its economic size and influence by keeping the people underpaid , which is untenable if the people want to continue to prosper over time . They need to be given the opportunity to compete and fail and derive the benfits that come along with merit based economics. Having a middle class with purchasing power is highly efficient. China now exports underpriced goods in part because they keep wages low and expropriate technological innovation. The suppliers are kept on a tilted playing field by that and by the non freefloating currency policy of the Govt. By keeping the people weak , struggling to make ends meet , the people dont have the luxury of pushing back against the Govt. And if they keep the people censored then it is yet more difficult to gather up any steam. If that were to change ,big chunks would start dropping off the territory that is China now. I am not confused. I said you are one of a kind, as in one of a specie, one of a swarm, one of a basket of apples. Such groupings are artificial constructs , as I already related ,, we have gone in a circle.

Songstan should be fine , hello.

He can answer for himself but I think its a great question the answer to why not is that folks love their illusions as they love their children ,themselves, their achievements and all the other things that rely on illusion like species diversity and even the color of a sunset. Sorry but I just wanted to butt that in.

If an individual is an illusion , how much more is an abstract and arbitrary grouping ! I explained that in the same paragraph you quoted. . but maybe there can be found agreement around the wise one. You are responding to me , and I to you , if there is no distinction that we have at all , then our conversation is with ourself. -which it may be anyway yet we are connected in this interaction , so we are not entirely distinct ! When a seedling emerges from the earth , or declines back into it , when is it ? that it can be called a tree ?(no more and no less) Its roots are integral with the soil, and its leaves merge into the air, but its trunk is clear enough to see. So such is as abstracts are there differences at core but the margins are undefined . Lao tzu can be held up a symbol by people who dont think enough of themselves to stand on their own merit and so need to point to someone else ( real or not) to take credit. If you were to get anything from the words -or construct- that is Lao or Buddha , It should be ,that a wise person once tried to reduce the strife in the world by explaining that nationalites and races were false distinctions , and therefore no reason to kill each each other over , that men are brothers , NOT that we dont exist as individuals in any way whatsoever. Much of what we think about ourselves is not actually what we are, NOT that we are a figment of the imagination or a hallucination in the 'mind' of space time. The Chinese people have enough difficulty demanding rights in their home country , many are probably thankful that other goverments grant them so much freedom. ( Which , when such rights finally come to some many abused people in that country it is going to shatter like a ming vase.) The people themselves know it, and use that as an excuse not to try to overthrow the govt. They mouth the words that it is an eastern type solution to govt , to hide their very real concerns. "They may be generalizations to you because you believe you are somebody and hate being lumped together with the herd. You won't face the fact that you are one of a kind" Are you getting things a little confused here your two sentences seem defy one another, are you saying I am unique in my troublesome ways ?, or are you saying I am just an insignificant part of a 'great grand society which does have significance? If its the first choice , fine , I accept the verdict. If its the second choice , Id say the source of any significance is to individuals themselves. As in "We the people.."

Nic3e to meet you , ( but I havent a clue) maybe post to the healing forum

Great , howdy. If you just want to record them to share, you may ask for a personal practice journal, ( if you werent aware of that already)

Everything happens during nows Just not all at the same time

I like to post in Seinfeldian circles when I can I'd modify that to 'Ones potential most naturally expedient nature' only to mediate between those who arent too sure that the nature of men is all that natural- good . I thought you were on the other side of that equation. ?? What do I mean by Naturally expedient ? In my apartment I can put the couch anywhere I please , but since the Cable outlet is on the east wall, the couch ends up on the west wall , and although I could bolt it to the ceiling I wouldnt be able to sit on it conveniently that way. Since the folks around me have the same issues ,we most all, end up with the couches on the floor of the same wall, even though we are free to decide differently , other furniture falling into place around that basis. It makes for a sort of 'flexible destiny'. ( like the strange connectedness of the world and how Seinfeld episodes turn back loopingly on themselves if one is paying very close attention in one episode or over several) Insurance companies are well aware of this phenomena and can figure out things like how much fiber you eat by the tread of your tires

Yes diversity exists right down to individuals and even stages of their lives, Therefore the gross generalizations you put forth regarding people and cultures are at their source baseless. The lumpings are artificial constructs -unnatural. What does exist are many individuals , I could lump folks into nationalities I could lump them into skin colors I could lump them into height ETC ETC But the reality of the situation is THAT YOU HAVE only THE TRAITS YOU POSSESS That Lao tzu was smart is no reflection on what your capabilities are any more than the cruelty of Pol pot or Adolph Hitler. Tall short small fast stupid smart genial crafty slow , the generalizations are always wrong for the folks they dont fit. Chinamen get along with everybody everywhere ?? bushtit! PS There are plenty of folks making the same kind of generalizations, and hate the Chinese, as a result of it... but I doubt anybody has a problem with Icelanders.

If what you do, is giving him a hard time .... You are truly a soft-ie ! You stand ground and rarely aggress. ( at least here ) Its an object lesson if folks read it that way, but I suspect most folks chalk it up to "personality" rather than 'practice'. ( as in -It isn't my style) Fools rush in where angels fear to tread - and thats me all over. PS that takes things back to 'Why Taoism'

You seem inspired without me , why the product is undone already escapes me perhaps destined to the perpetual 'non-finished' shelf intentionally. but youre welcome , Im sure Im not the only person who would like to benefit from such a thing.

Im not sure I would do anything much different except make some provisions for my relatives and let the boss know I wouldnt be in on Monday. Not that my life is so perfected, its just that the habits of a lifetime can form a groove one prefers to be in, I am not big on novelty for novelties sake , and I havent written a bucket list. Im pretty satisfied with it AS IS , but I might cram something in anyway. I dont think about it much, because as long as I am alive, I am not dead , it hasnt come about , and somewhere in the back of my mind I probably dont believe it ever will happen.

I dont know of any bad Karma of my ancestors to rectify , as I have said elsewhere, I dont think one gets to drag any ' bad blood' into a new life children are innocent in MY eyes and disagreement isnt bad karma either , besides do you really think YOU will ever be in complete agreement with everyone else?

In a contest between a bull and a scorpion Id go with the bull for crushing and with the scorpion for surviving the desert.

Im not saying this, that I KNOW he meant it this way , but if one is living at the moment in moments then duration is meaningless That one ever did something will stand for all eternity Its a figurative way around some things that may be incongruous if they are taken literally But I dont think personally that anyone has a lock on being correct so your placement of disbelief really doesnt seem out of place for various sentences -such as they stand ,as they have been passed down . Someday I would like to see Chi dragons complete lingo corrected version for Lao or Chuang Have a nice weekend

I disagree

Birds of prey are notoriously difficult to ID , I think we have just the one Northern here in the US They have a white patch on the lower back just where the tail attatches which is easy to notice if you look for it (and easy to miss if you arent) And the adult male is a distinctive gray Very nifty.

A french press works well with PILON decaf espresso for me , bring to boil with sugar and immediately pour into the press

I'd rather have bear steaks

Living long or short would be an example of a perspective based judgement any way It doesnt fit my read of his sage to tell folks that their goal is to live long perhaps timelessly? , irrespective of duration IMO yes I see the circularity of what I just wrote

Last time I got a bird surprise , it was difficult to wash off Down here in florida the Bald eagles are reasonably common ( but ten feet is really close , you can hear the wings whoosh, am I right or am I right ) The bird I really want a close shot of is nothern harrier I see them regularly enough but they are usually way out in the distance You might get them up there , do you take photos?

Great , I hope to find you immersed in a copy of Sibley's shortly

I stand corrected.

Very excellent ! You put me to shame. I stand in your eternal shadow. Well done so far.

I dont even know ! what that means , I congratulate you on your verbiage:)