Tribute to Pope Benedict

  

  Say whatever you like, that he did not do much good, he done much, he was the best pope ever, the worst, a former Nazi youth member, Rottweiler of the Catholic Church, the oldest ever elected - blah blah blah. 

   Man are just that - very capable, very quick-witted, ever willing & ever happy to pass comments on some one, especially if the guy is a high profile figure; highly visible in world events.

His every move, (even the motions passed in his private WC), are examined, dissected, & publicly gleefully gloated over & in other clandestine congregations.
Paparazzis pander to this perverse Voyeurism often not only in visually saucy images, sometimes deadly deeds were accomplished by uncalled for audio and videos.

Mischief & impropriety seem second nature to Man.

  This post is just another item in an ever pervasive sphere of worldly virtual pastimes - but it isn't entertainment.

It is an addendum from a nobody who felt moved by the courage of a man who had the humility, wisdom & strength, enough to subdue ego & visions of selfish glory to relinquish control and power over millions of Catholics.  

A tribute to Pope Benedict's Papacy.

May the Master he so faithfully serve be kind to him in his retired years.

Anonymous...

     Following on the suicide of the young brilliance Aaron Swartz you might want to read this article Anonymous on the persecuting (vs prosecuting)policy of Big G. 

The target is a lose group of hackers, modern day Robin Hoods, using talents with digital manipulations to disrupt or snipe at authoritative institutions.
Many do not agree to tactics that seem illegal and no doubt some members of Anonymous seem to be drawn from  the criminal fringe. Do we not have such shady characters in positions of Institutional Authority too?
But the Govt being what it is there are very few ways of dissenting expressions.       

    China is perpetually held up & criticized & blasted for denial and suppression of Human rights & Freedom. 

Compare the action of the Freest Nation of the world is there much difference? Perhaps in the way suppression, denial of rights as well as human rights infringements are packaged and presented by media for public assimilation. That is what makes it seem different. Essentially any right-set fair minded individual will recognize similar trends in restrictive governmental control in every man-set administration in every country...Even Vatican city - whcih does it in a more spiritually acceptable packaging! Ha!
    Guess George Orwell with his 1984 really was visionary.

    After watching Seven Dark Thirty, the immense expenditure of extreme volumes of resources including man-hours plus untold billions - all to bring down ONE lone, old & probably dying, Islamic Radical who dared to slap the Almighty USA!

    Imagine all the foreign policy-stated Aid programs for relieving human suffering all over the globe, could have ALL been financed to complete fruition if these "wasted" resources were directed in that direction  where the real beneficiaries are deprived human-kind as so often propounded by the same great Humanitarian US all over the world - Instead of wastefully spent to 'waste' an old, probably ill terrorist. 

Justifications are of course undeniably inopposable. No doubt the satisfaction factor is great as can be seen by the joyous celebration all over - BUT does killing one guy involving that much of resources in money, time, efforts, plus grief; as well as the dubious torture tactics; and the bending of ethical practices; to obtain intelligence;  make any difference in ending inter-cultural, inter-ideological, inter-religious difference and conflicts? 
Will the Kill deliver PEACE nation-wide ?
Is the money plus effort well spent?

    No one is ever right... as each human has individual precepts on what should be. 
Given that, how is it that just because of its overpowering abiliy to command vast resources to terminate anyone, Govt has no accountability in carrying out such acts. 
The individual, human or no, has zero rights.
When big gun speaks - everyone best listen. 
Well the only reason why anyone; country, nation or person act this way is : we all are fallen beings. 
Sadly it is impossible to regain our former nature short of dying not just as in ending life, but by killing first our EGO.
No one is inclined to do that anytime soon.
It is not about who is acting for Rights or Justice or Equality or Fairness. 
It is about "since I have the means & you don't toe my line .. oh well its too bad - you have to go"!

Zero Dark Thirty..

     
    Over so many millennia of existence it is only understandable that humans now acknowledge the impermanence of their existence. We, all living beings that are 'gifted' with the ability for intelligent thought & reasoning, realize that no one is immortal. 

    Following that understanding, more & more, the hesitancy, to commit acts of atrocity & unjustifiable taking of lives as well as random & large scale destruction of peoples, cultures and anything else that stand in the way of one's agenda; is greatly reduced. 

    Any person AND especially any Nation that has the means, the resources & the inclination to so commit atrocity against any other person or Nations, is very reluctant to even reconsider the options. Instead there is  a perverse pleasure in doing what humans should hesitate to commit….take the opponents out! 
    Especially when no perp is going to be around to regret or to be punished at all for any longer than ONE lifetime of at most 90 years!

   Thus whoever is not in the same agreeable category or is belligerent & deemed to be a threat to the intents of the more  powerful nation, is almost always with little hesitation - terminated. 

     Nations with greater fire-power, are better equipped & powerfully aligned to eliminate & take out its perceived  opponents with no negative repercussions from any other quarters, will go ahead & do just that…thus making our world exactly what it is today - a world where the ones with the biggest guns call the shots!

    Justifications and all the eye-wash rhetorics are only for self consolation, to help soothe over the psyche, to still conscience, to ease the mind.

 Judging from world events, it is disturbing to witness, read about & hear of the immense, unlimited expenditure of resources, man-power, as well as time, materials and human dedication that are expended to achieve a political aim - that in most cases involve the taking out, termination of an individual, or the effective deactivation of a functional sovereign entity.

  The display of such vehemence, such venom, hatred, such hostility, such supreme intolerance for some other creatures or opponent nations to occupy the same time period, is beyond most human comprehension.

    Great praise and self congratulations are heaped on successful operations that culminate in the death, destruction of an opponent & or his forces. Hardly any remorse over the talking of lives or the wanton destruction wreaked. Every act is justifiable. 
Feelings of Loss? The pain of the victims mourners? Don't talk of these inconsequentials.

    Imagine if the same commitments of  such awesome abundance of resources, the powers applied, the dedicated countless man-hours expended are aimed at achieving higher human goals & ideals?

Is there any point or purpose to even mention the concept called Love? Or the concept of sanctity & respect for human life? 

Is there anything 'beautiful' anymore when the monstrosity of such destructive psychopathic abandon is frivolously, triggered & indulged in?

   What is the point of elevating ideals called humanity's  shared destiny? 

    All the hollow talk blasted all over the air-waves on the nobility of our species,

the greatness of our cultures, the intelligence & achievements of the human race - how far, how advanced, how great we have become from the times of the caves?!

Thus, being mortal, nobody bothers to dwell on trivialities like these, when after 80 or so years the perp is no more and memories don't hurt no one…not especially the long-gone, dead perp. 

    
    If anyone or anything at all offends one, don't even hesitate to take extreme measures since very, very soon one would be no more. 
It does not matter what or how bad or how severe one acts whilst one lived one's very short, temporary life!

And the Divine??

That is something which from the light of the present situation of 'might is right', would provide much mirth!

Why Mr. Aaron Swartz..??

   

    Many never knew him nor have heard of him till perhaps interest in the cases of online piracy and copy right infringements begun hitting the news. The huge media blasts on the raid on Kim Dotcom in New Zealand. The proposed SOPA bill that led to a kind of online war between the freedom fighters of the NET vs Big Bad Govt. & MPPA intrigue many aficionados of espionage. These are the real stuff that 007 movies were made of. 

 Arstechnica.com a site where under the Law & Disorder section tales of true virtual espionage are posted popped up. The story on the battle between HBGary and Anonymous as well caught the imagination.

Thus Aaron Swartz's came into a list of admired personalities. If not admired at least exceptional. 

A true blooded living American 'hero'. Not in the classic gun totting image, but one who fights for what all freedom loving peoples all over the world have as ideals…AND a guy so young at that ! 

It is sad, tragic and a dirty huge stain on a nation which epitomizes the concepts of Freedom, Justice, Equality, Liberty. 

Again this reinforces the pervasive paranoia of Big Brother & adds fodder to the conspiracy theories that abound. Many feel let down, disappointed. 

How can anyone not feel let down & suspicious when a young man with such genius and potential for achieving good is force to do away with himself. AND by the Justice system which was supposedly there to protect the very ideals he fought for ?

The "crime" he did actually killed no one, if there were any victim in the first place!  

A nation which is the foremost admired power on earth - emulated by many others all over the world. 

A nation that espouses the concepts and noble ideals every human being aspires to.

 A nation which "not only does not protect its citizens within its own borders" but has because of a misplaced justice system wastefully, willfully caused the death of a young man with such promise and potentials.

*It is sad that Aaron Swartz  had to go do what he did .

*It is sadder that a Nation which could be a real beacon of hope for all humanity, is showing its true colors as it daily loses its shine !

When I'm 64 ..

         Remember the song .. "When I am 64' ?

Is LOVE defined by & built on the popularly misconceived idea that when you lose your looks,  hair, your sexual prowess you get discarded? That when you get to the number 64 in chronological age you become upgraded for a newer model, one who can perform better with added features?

     When you can't perform as well as when you were 24, you are ditched for an upgraded model? The trend seems to point to that.

No one wants to feel left out, to lose out, to appear as a 'loser' - in the unending chase for the latest model or the most up-to-date, beta-most gadget, instrument, or even a life partner. Life has become a test an achievement centered process. 

Even in relationships, matters of the heart, where values long held as the gold standard i.e.  *LOVE does not give a hoot for looks, wealth, health, sexual prowess (especially), religious affiliations etc. the change is evident.

    *LOVE, purely & simply was & should be  founded on: "Come what may, hell or high waters, we stick together" a value slowly, surely being eroded & replaced by the trending concept of get the latest - upgrade to the beta-most version, the functionally best.

Which brings up the other interesting concept of holy matrimony: 

*In the first place is it Holy?  

*Is it a one partner thing? 

*Is it life long i.e. "till death do us part"? 

And *Is it between 2 different sexual genders?

    John Lennon may not be the originator of the concept of a love which could surmount time and its degenerative effects on the human faculties but his song was catchy, tickling youths of that era & enriched the songster no end. Of course the other nobler purpose (or so you say) was a human rights, civil rights, love rights activism. Romanticism at its peak!

    The song more positively should be how one at 64, DESPITE the ravages of Time could endear oneself & continue to be easily lovable --

even if the hair is gone, even if there is ED, even if hearing is muted, even if sight grows dim, even if looks have gone …the 64'sters could in more ways than one endear, enrich, retain the relationship between two consenting LOVING adults -senior vintage notwithstanding. 

    If the original basis on which the union was founded was on firm footings & NOT transient good looks, fluctuating wealth or frivolous sexual athleticism come 64 , 84, hell or high waters it endures..

     

St.Michael's Prayer ..

Overheard @ back pews of a certain church @ some geographical location @ some point in time:

*A believer said: "Unfailingly I recite St. Michael's prayer for protection against the Evil One who roams 24/7 seeking the ruination of souls such as mine. How could he ever hope to get mine, when St. Michael will unfailingly protect me?"

*An equally believing faithful (with a slightly different understanding) said: " I seldom recite St. Mike's prayer, not b'cos I feel safe already; I spend more time exhorting God to protect my soul from the Evil one that resides in me" (he is definitely smoking something)

*Yet another faithful on a higher plane of 'spiritual weirdness' said: "I fervently pray for the conversion of the EVIL ONE just as Mother Mary did call in one of her apparitions for the conversion of the USSR. If the Evil one were converted, as the USSR was, through frantic, frenzied petitions of the faithfuls, would not Kingdom be then instantly realized on earth? 

If God being Love, Agape & all, would destruction of the Evil one be the favored option? Should it not be Love & Agape-ness? If we all pray hard enough would not He soften His Heart & forgive the EVIL ONE, converting him as so many unbelievers had been before?"

(this guy was smoking something definitely & serious stuff for sure too)

*The good parish priest said: "OMG. How did I ever end up here?"

'Thanks be to God'

Mass promptly ended.

Peanuts for Christmas..

  

   "Beggars can't chose - givers can, CHARITY is  the giving of what beggars can't chose to refuse" 

   

  To give, 'donate' stuff cluttering up one's live & space, (trash) to others one imagines might welcome them with open-arms due to their marginalized social or economic situations, then gleefully congratulate one's generosity and charity; is self delusional, misplaced,  flawed !

Very few practice charity with complete altruism. Other than Love being the nature of God (Agape) few by the very nature of being human can do true charity or practice Love - making sacrifices; loving another (especially a completely unrelated person) with no expectations whatsoever of self gain. 

If at all, one wishes to love altruistically, by first subduing instinctive impulses for ego affirmation, self-satisfaction or gratification; by killing any expectations for benefits, or gains, material or imagined; one might then (perhaps)  come closer to the practice of truely loving.

"A Lover is utterly selfless - has no regards than to give all to the Loved"

Do we really Love anyone?

Merry Christmas?

Confucius never said ....

                                             

"Problems" faced by the elderly besides the obvious physical deterioration & age related medical conditions, are also and very importantly "intellectual"(not referring to High IQ, rather 'of the mind').

You know I have zero qualifications to expound on this topic other than my age (not really OLD - but getting there:)

Being an avid observer of human nature specially in respect to spirituality & how humans are so tempted to indulge in basic instincts & selfish urges, as well as faithfully obeying artificially planted (media created) needs, I find it amusing but not at all surprising, when reading this particular case of a Dr from a certain nation, who obviously could not get happy 'cos of his (self perceived) failed materialistic ambition/aspiration.

  In a certain nation, held out as an example of a high achieving country, the craving, the all consuming urge so glaringly obvious across every age sector is MATERIAL success! No one does nothing i.e. every body is all the time on the go...chasing an illusive-getting-harder-to-ever-obtain goal ... which is: "Come hell or high water" must be top dog: Get successful, Be counted among the Elite (in every government-defined idea of Success, & Elitism).

That ideal, those cognizant with Buddhism, is THE factor for INABILITY to attain any level of happiness. 
BUT Who cares for Happiness per Buddhism anyway when that kind of Happiness is not enjoyable?

     *See the frightened young parents ... every moment from the day when the prenatal ultra sound INDICATED  [indicated-not confirmed] life in the female parent's  womb... getting frenzied, initiating the quest to ensure their imminent child must become successful in every way humanly possible. So Mozart (unfinished symphony - of course) is piped next to her abdominal walls 24/7. Multi-potent multi-vitamins, specially designed exercise programs to ensure uneventful NORMAL birth of a physiologically/anatomically 'normal' but highly IQ'd child are subscribed to.  Designer diets, the engaging of other prenatal gurus with programs that actually make no difference; are  adhered to - an almost fanatical undertaking to ensure absolutely zero chance, the still undeveloped, unborn, unconfirmed as a viable child, will be denied any possible human input that will guarantee success in later life. (if at all birthed)

     
*The young preschooler, & other children from junior  schoolers to college, University students, are subjected to a frenzied, very purpose-filled and directed (regimented) program of life. I would not use the word 'live' as they do not have life, as most kids know it; there being little free & easy time to lazily, gleefully explore the wonders that must be the world to their 'youngish' perception. They have almost no self determination in their growing up years, than keeping up, staying on top, or (to the joyful ecstacy of the parents) besting the government set patterned & regimented development program that is good for the nation's survival, growth, achievements etc. etc.

     *The Middle-aged group running on an ever speeding treadmill  - going nowhere, having to keep running faster - the alternative - falling off is unacceptable?

There is no resident  of this "success-at-all-costs" nation, whether transplanted from another country or natural born, who does nothing.. i.e. not chasing or pushing or in action towards an end! NO ONE  worth his salt STOPS or DOES NOTHING at any time. Even slowing down is considered 'unproductive', 'frowned upon' and 'not encouraged' 

   *At a mass transit station above the escalator, hanging over the heads of all commuters like the Sword of Damocles : "It does not matter how slow you go, as long as you don't stop" a huge billboard supposedly quoting Confucius. 
Would a sage, a wise guy like Confucius be stupid to never stop? To smell the roses (or Chinese Peony), to savor the melody of the bubbling brook, to take in the majesty of a Technicolored Sunset as only the Creator can? Would a wise guy like Confucius be wise like Confucius if he DID NOT STOP? He would have been going very slowly AND stopping countless times in his journey through life to be able to deliberate and come up with the wisdom associated with him. Many of his 'wisdoms' are as you no doubt would gather are of dubious origin, tending toward mass manipulation (indoctrination). 

  There is uncertainty if this subtle indoctrination of the citizenry thru subconscious mind messages  'blasted' across the media and everywhere like the over-hanging sign boards (sword of Damocles) is a psychological brain conditioning of the people. The motives & real-life beneficiaries - anybody's guess. There are many obvious answers as to why people are made to run faster on the spot. It is safer not to vocalize or speculate.

The only safe way out of this shining (glaring?) example of a "socially engineered successful" nation of busy bustling (?mindless) mob is to STOP three or more times a day. Stop & redirect or reassess the objectives in the lives of its nationals.

If any sanity is to be obtained by any age group, it definitely is not down the path towards material aspirations...huge condos...huge foreign automobiles... huge bank accounts... glamor foreign degrees... foreign husbands/wives...foreign sounding glam names (Caucasian usually) ...faked foreign accents…Glam Religious Affiliations, in other words the acquiring of Pseudo-Prestige/Class & the associated badges of Success.

My point, you would realize by now ... the nation is barking up a very wrong tree - equating success, happiness, fulfillment, achievement, even patriotism with material acquisition ! Or perhaps that isn't the intention of those who planted these ideas of 'success & achievements' in the first place BUT in reality the means to a yet unrevealed  agenda?

If that were so it was a very well thought out strategy implemented very subtly over years, through inculcation in impressionably minded generations of pre-schoolers; "That being competitive, maintaining high GDPs, KPIs, besting everyone else, doing anything at all BETTER, BIGGER, FASTER, HIGHER, CHEAPER" 

 All SUPERLATIVES which together with other suicide inducing ideals -  ensure that the country with no natural resources would be able to survive and compete against a hostile world which owes it nothing for a living!  - asking Olympian standards of real life people. Ordinary everyday people who only wish to live in a peaceful, safe environment, with sufficiency (not more of  everything plus extra) in all needs.

Do you know, under the tiny garden stone, the earthworm which lives in this same nation in the same equally resourceless environment, with no marketable talents, no foreign acquired abilities, is happily living his life - with enough of everything he would ever need for his equally short existence ?

Of course who in this nation wants to live like a worm?

They'd rather commit suicide!

AND if you've come to 67 with a life long brain-tuned attitude of need to climb to the material mountain peak regardless, not even knowing what for, and you suddenly woke(perhaps due to deficiency in testosterone) that 'hey I am not at where I should be" would that not make you depressedly suicidal ?

Have a peaceful week my young friend.

BTW are you happier in Canada? Do they have many psycho-therapists there?

LIFE IS GOOD ANY AGE (even under a stone) IF YOU (not your government) SET YOUR HEART TO MAKE IT SO 

 God permitting