10
May
Visit Cleveland!
This “Hastily-Assembled” Cleveland Tourism video was sent to me by my brother. I just know he’s Jonesing to move back from Tucson after watching this!
Poor Charles Darwin – I wonder if even he himself ever imagined how one day he would be a poster child. His name is held in nearly reverential awe by those who deny the existence of a Creator, in favor of a natural process that began by chance and has since continued to derive more information out of less. Proponents spend countless years and equally countless funds in an effort to reverse-engineer the observations recorded by Darwin in his seminal work, “On the Origin of Species”. Their ‘a priori’: no Creator in Darwin’s work, rather “pure science”.
Let us also not forget those who practically spit while uttering this “cursed” name. For many, Darwin represents the core of the ills of society and the detachment of souls from a higher purpose. Darwin has become synonymous with the devaluation of human life, and is blamed as the source of everything from a failing education system to abortion. Just give ‘em their “Old Time Religion” – it’s good enough for them.
To both groups, I offer the following extract from chapter 15 of “On the Origin of Species”. It is the last stanza from the last chapter of this work. Please, consider this if you will:
There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved.
A “Creator” (with a capital ‘C’)?!? Oh yes. As well as “evolved”. The key is the word “forms”.
Sorry folks, Darwin was right in that he reported on his observations, and speculated based on those observations. It is the fault of those who twist his words to support their agendas that his name has become such a hot-button.
Now come on everyone – shake hands and make up.
28
Apr
A Patent on Life
I was just made aware of this movie, which I’ve embedded below. If this doesn’t boggle the mind with it’s massive implications, I don’t know what does.
Guess I’d better pull up the garden now. I’m thinking I’ll have to build an enclosed bio-environment, with my own seeds and my own pollinators.
Ridonkulous.
By the way, there’s hope to be found here. Please download the guide!
I’m in the course of reading the book “The Christ Conspiracy” by Acharya S (a mystical designation for the person named D.M. Murdock – ‘acharya’ is defined as ‘divine personality’ in Hindu, ‘monk’ in Jainism and ‘teacher’ in Buddhism). I was originally made aware of her work during my research of the internet movie “Zeitgeist” and found that her work was cited for many of the claims that I debunked on my page concerning Zeitgeist Astronomy.
On the rear of this book, the author is called “archaeologist, historian, mythologist and linguist”. Her book however better reflects her as a librarian or researcher, as ponderous amount of the text consists of citations of other authors’ works. It is not with these cited authors that I can take issue, as I currently have no access to the original texts.
What I’ve noticed however is that in the passages where she “goes it on her own”, the inaccuracies fly from the page. I’ve come across many of these so far in my reading, having reached page 246 of this 400+ page book.
Last night I read page 238 of the book, where our author is trying to propose that the names of so-called “patriarchs” of the Hebrew Bible are merely borrowed from gods of the people with whom the ancient Hebrews had some association. The portion related to Noach and the Ark was being discussed by our author in relation to ancient Egypt. The passage that particularly resulted in this post was as follows (page 238 of “The Christ Conspiracy” by Acharya S):
“In Hebrew, the word for ‘ark’ is THB, as in Thebes, such that the Ark of Noah is equivalent to the Thebes of Menes, the legendary first king of the Egyptians, from whose ‘history’ the biblical account also borrowed.”
There are two problems here with Acharya S’s reasoning which go to the heart of my questioning her true credentials and motives:
9
Apr
Wine Library TV
[Updated April 2009]
Ever walked through a wine section at the local store? Ever try to have a look around one of the “higher-end” purveyors of the fruit of the vine? The mere prospect of such an endeavor is enough to make you curl up in the fetal position, rock back-and-forth, and whimper for mommy. Perhaps you’ve decided to spare yourself the anguish and purchase a Wine Spectator or Wine Enthusiast publication to help you make a more informed decision. You choose the 90+ rated wine … and you hate it. What to do?
Enter Gary Vaynerchuk.
Gary hosts Wine Library TV (here). His style is second to none in wine tasting and analysis. To get a feel for how he has developed his palate to analyze wine, view Gary as a guest on Conan O’Brien’s show first:
Every time I go to my local Kosher wine store, I look specifically for those wines that Gary has tasted and rated. Even if they rate poorly, I’m always curious to compare my palate with Gary’s notes. Fortunately for those of us who drink only Kosher wine, what follows is a list of episodes that either feature or taste at least one Kosher wine.
Thank you so much Gary – you are TRULY changing the wine world, whether they like it or not!
Episodes featuring Kosher Wines
- The 200th Episode….Get Comfy – Episode #200
- Kosher Wine – Hey Seriously Watch it. – Episode #204
- Cheap Pinot Noir, Any Good Ones? – Episode #259
- Kosher Kings. Are Kosher Wines the Steals of this Era? – Episode #297
- The Fascinating Wine Show – Episode #299
- Kosher, South West France And Spanish Wine On This Monday – Episode #362
- A Kosher Wine Tasting – Episode #422
- Laid Back Friday With A Wine That Last Year Stole Gary’s Heart – Episode #428
- Kosher Wine With Matzah And Washington State Wine And More – Episode #452
- A Kosher Cabernet On A Laid Back Friday – Episode #480
- Kosher Wine Tasting for Passover – Episode #655
17
Mar
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a Neuroscientist who has spent many years studying the human brain. She was afforded an amazing opportunity for insight into her studies when she suffered a stroke while alone in her home. Below Dr. Taylor describes the ordeal, and how her perception began to change during the course of the stroke as her left brain began to be starved of oxygen.
This is a particularly moving video, and should give serious pause as we consider the ultimate reason for our presence in this world.
Day by day we hear more about the financial crisis. I have neighbors on both sides of my yard that are out of work. I myself have been forced to take a paycut, although I’m grateful that I’m still working. The mortgage lending crisis has spilled over into so many sectors because we are a credit-based economy – there is no “gold standard” any more.
But did they see it coming? Apparently they did, as our neighbors to the north point out. Have a look at this video, preserved by a group in Canada. This video was once available via YouTube here in the U.S., but was apparently removed by those who didn’t want it to be shown.
Is this the change we were looking for? And the most important question of all – where is the money coming from to bail out all of these companies?
2
Mar
What is Kosher Wine?
One of my personal favorites in the world of great personalities, Gary Vaynerchuk, has just posted a show reviewing more Kosher wines. You might remember in a previous post here that I listed all reviews on The Thunder Show that covered Kosher wines. This time Gary sits down with one of the most renowned reviewers of Kosher wines, Daniel Rogov.
Click here to watch the show.
Interestingly, many do not know what is different between Kosher and non-Kosher wines. Below is an appearance of Tovia Singer (one of my most favorite Rabbis in the world) on the television show “Passages”. Rabbi Singer has appeared on “Passages” before in a polemical debate, but this time takes a pause to discuss Kosher wines. Have a look – I think you’ll find it enlightening.
6
Feb
Bean-zebub
Rowan Atkinson as The Devil, in his welcoming address to the new arrivals in Hell. Hilarious!
20
Jan
What I Don’t Believe
There are many things that I don’t believe in (including ending sentences with prepositions). Some of these things are controversial, but it simply is a fact that I stand where I stand. Among the things in which I don’t believe are the following:
- I do not believe in change for change’s sake. It is a wreckless and foolhardy thing to make a change simply out of a desire for something different.
- I do not believe that what the majority holds as true makes a thing right. History is filled with stories of destruction precipitated by the majority. Remember, one meaning of the Greek word “Democracy” (demokratia) is “Mob Rule”.
- I do not believe in slogans without substance. People love to rally around a mantra, but a mantra without meaning is simply repetitive noise.
- I do not believe that personality and charisma make a person a good leader. Adolph Hitler had personality and charisma in spades.
- I do not believe in resolving cognitive dissonance by ignoring facts. This is the very definition of self-delusion.
- I do not believe that one can distance themselves from the behaviors of those with whom they associate, especially when many of those associates exhibit similar and consistent behaviors. I remember only too well my mother’s admonition that we’re all judged by the people with whom we associate.
But what exactly are those things in which I do believe? Here are some: Read the rest of this entry »
