The time it takes

To read this will not take long

Yet if it leaves you with a thought for the day then that's pretty neat

Here we go then

What is the most important thing you will do today?

Mmmmm maybe it is a special day then the answer is easy

Maybe it is a critical day then the answer is easy too

But if it is just another day then what qualifies as the most important thing in your day

How do you approach the idea of the most important thing?

What touches you most?

What really speaks to you?

For me it is making sure my wife is OK

By this I mean telling her I love her at a time and place where she is not expecting this

You may call me selfish because it is increasing the odds that I will have a return gesture

True

But then what can be more important?

Take it a step further and I will try to give a present to everyone I meet today

Again you could say I am selfish because I hope for a return on my efforts

Yes true if they smile at me I feel good

If we share a laugh that's pretty neat too

True that seeing them happier is also a buzz

In fact when you think of it making others feel good is one of life's pleasures

So making it my most important thing is really a very sound investment

Funny how so many are too busy to remember this simple idea

Thinking of others and making them happier is soooooooooo important

Just the time it takes that's all

Growing growing

The governments of republican Rome, and Republican America, have been described as being not democracies but oligarchies — small cliques of wealthy and aristocratic power, modified by elections.

Oligarchies strive to stifle opposition and thwart any change to their patterns of wealth accumulation.

Hence, citizen activism is frowned upon by the powers-that-be and is always described derisively by the oligarchic, mainstream media.

When citizen power made itself felt this week, in a standing-room-only crowd at the board meeting of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, a new kind of American democracy made itself felt.

At issue was the proposed transfer of 54,000 acre-feet of water per year from a ranch on the Plains of San Augustin to the Middle Rio Grande Valley.

Water planners and stake holders all over central New Mexico opposed a New York company's plan to pump the water from the ranch they bought, wrecking the lives and water rights of stake holders not only in Catron County but also in Bernalillo, Torrance and Sandoval counties.

The proposed transfer, before the State Engineer, might have gone unprotested 20 years ago, but the minute it surfaced this year, a network of thousands of water-educated citizens heard about it immediately and began opposing it.

They also learned that the conservancy district itself might not protest the transfer, because the district's consulting attorney was conflicted — working for the company that wanted to sell the water — and had not filed a protest in a timely manner.

The conservancy district this week voted to protest the transfer and to find a new attorney to represent it in the matter.

The arguments citizens raised were the kind that come from clearheaded, self-educated, school-of-hard-knocks water planners and stakeholders.

Taking such a huge amount of water is unsustainable, and to come to depend on it could be a disaster.

Remember that 54,000 acre-feet is 6,000 more than the city of Albuquerque will divert from the San Juan Chama Project as drinking water this year.

And the water's withdrawal from the San Augustin basin would disrupt the natural flow that already exists from that basin into the Rio Grande.

If it weren't for citizens who thought this this through voluntarily, with no vested financial interests at stake, this very bad idea would have slipped past us all, to the great enrichment of a few at the expense of many.

If anything is cause for optimism about the future, it is this citizen power, locally and nationally, activated some 50 years ago with the rise of environmental, civil rights and feminist movements.

In that half-century, an ever-growing population of citizen activists has appeared to counterbalance oligarchic powers.

It has become self-evident now that millions of Americans and others worldwide have voluntarily educated themselves in the major issues of the day and have done such a sterling job of it that they can counter "experts" hired by the wielders of power

V.P.Price

The largest movement in history

Guess what it is?

Before making such a provocative statement we had to think about it

Maybe someone will argue about it

Why not if it is not accurate?

More interesting thought though is what does it mean?

Alright so what is it?

It is the number of people on planet earth doing things for people they will never meet, never know

Doing things to help those people

People around the world are giving up their time and energy to do things to help others
.
Some belong to NGOs others do not
.
Some do not belong to anything, they just do what they do privately to help others

Others work outside known structures

Others through or with large structures

No matter they are all giving their time to help people they do not and probably will not ever know

So yes this movement if we can call it that is unique in human history

Yes this movement has implications

Yes this is a positive human initiative

It shows that many have feelings for what is right and wrong

Governments may be unaware of this fact

Maybe time they learnt that humans have innately caring properties

And this movement is growing

In many new and unexpected ways embracing ever more deprived and needy

People helping people they do not know 

Nice one

Alcohol is no different

1840 AD : "Prohibition... goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control mans' appetite through legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not even crimes...

A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our Government was founded"...........Abraham Lincoln (December 1840)

And yet today governments everywhere feel that they have the right to interfere whenever and however they feel in the private lives of their citizens

Frequently it would appear that any activity or substance that brings pleasure to it's citizens automatically creates a reflex action to ban or control it

Until governments are prepared to drop their hypocrasy they cannot wonder that their citizens regard politics and politicians with contempt

Alcohol is a drug that directly and indirectly kills millions worldwide

Alcohol costs millions in health and social costs

Alcohol is treated as a health problem

While most other drugs are a menace to society?

Until other drugs and substances are treated equally no government can expect it's citizens respect

So how long will it take for the worm to turn?

Who knows however it is clear that in Lincoln's day men felt not only freer to speak their minds they had clarity on what was reasonable and what was not

Do we have clarity on this subject?

Do you feel your government has the right to tell you what you may and may not consume..........

In your own body?

Do you really?

More and more freedoms are gone

How many are left?

When will we wake up?

Will we ever?

Prohibition has never worked

Anywhere any time

Particularly over time

Maybe this is the good news that one day finally when enough is enough the worm turns

Thought provokers - 4

Maybe you know some of these maybe not however they are fun to flick through and wonder how wise they are.

I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors, and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be new views. Abraham Lincoln No one can make you change. No one can stop you from changing. No one really knows how you must change. Not even you. Not until you start. Dr. David Viscott, author and psychologist Our only security is our ability to change John Lilly A wise man changes his mind, a fool never will. Spanish proverb The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinion James Russell Lowell I bend but do not break Jean de la Fountaine Flexibility and adaptability do not happen just by reacting fast to new information. They arise from mental and emotional balance, the lack of attachment to specific outcomes, and putting care for self and others as a prime operating principle. Flexible attitudes build flexible physiology. Flexible physiology means more resilience in times of challenge or strain. Staying open—emotionally—insures internal flexibility Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer from Chaos to Coherence It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be Isaac Asimov Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, French author Think in terms of what's good for the other person and success will seek you out Mary Kay Ash, entrepreneur Any plan is bad which is not susceptible to change Bartolommeo de San Concordio, painter and writer He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery Harold Wilson The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make of it Marcus Aurelius Antoninus A truly strong and sound mind is the mind that can equally embrace great things and small Samuel Johnson If you don't change your beliefs, your life will be like this forever. Is that good news? Robert Anthony, author I dwell in possibility Emily Dickinson So often we try to alter circumstances to suit ourselves, instead of letting them alter us, which is what they are meant to do Mother Maribel If you are too attached to your own thinking and how everything is done now, then nothing will change for the better John C. Maxwell Embrace change. It's going to happen whether you like it or not Odette Pollar, speaker and author Ensure that both plan and dispositions are flexible, adaptable to circumstances. Your plan should foresee and provide for a next step in case of success or failure B. H. Liddell Hart, military strategist Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent Nolan Ryan, Hall of Fame Baseball player Life is like a ten-speed bike. Most of us have gears we never use Charles M. Schulz, creator of Peanuts Prejudgments become prejudices only if they are not reversible when exposed to new knowledge Gordon W. Allport Remember, the reverse side also has a reverse side. Japanese proverb A permanent state of transition is man's most noble condition Jaun Ramon Jimenez The absurd man is he who never changes Auguste Barthélémy Willingness to change is a strength, even if it means plunging part of the company into total confusion for a while Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric If you don't take change by the hand, it will take you by the throat Winston Churchill When it comes to changes, people like only those they make themselves. French proverb A closed mind is a dying mind Edna Ferber When someone tells me there is only one way to do things, it always lights a fire under my butt. My instinct is, 'I'm going to prove you wrong.'" Picabo Street, Olympic gold medalist The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes Marcel Proust

Still getting angry

Just because we read something about anger management doesn’t mean that we are going to act on what we read even though we know it might help

Why is this?

Probably because we don’t really believe that we can change or overcome our anger behavior

Anger is an issue for many people

And anger is a tough one to remove or lessen so read this again because while it has many of the same elements as the last one I wrote maybe it will hit some of your buttons this time

And before we start yes it is possible to change ourselves

Learning to change our habits is how we grow

And yes it is difficult but then staying in bad habits can prove much more costly over time so if anger is one of yours then this is for you

Many people are not very good at listening

When upset we don’t pay attention or have any real interest in how the other person is feeling

Often we insist that the other person is wrong

We are waiting for the chance to interrupt and speak

We feel our own point of view to be much more important

And for sure if this is you then things are not getting any better and equally for sure it will happen again

Next time you row and get angry with someone see how many of these you are subject to

The truth is as you see it and you insist that you are right.

You are defensive and you argue and refuse to admit any flaw or shortcoming in yourself

You speak harshly to make the other person feel inferior or ashamed, putting them down along with calling them names.

While doing this you are sarcastic using strong words, and your tone of voice is belittling or patronizing.

And of course you respond to criticism with criticism by going on the attack and implying that the other person is defective or inadequate.

Then perhaps you change the subject or list past grievances, claiming that you have tried everything, but nothing works denying your role in the problem or insisting that you're not upset.

Moving on maybe to the implication that the problem is all the other persons fault and instead of listening, you give advice or so called "help" or you say nothing making sour faces and generally acting agressively.

So what now?

More of the same next time until something gives and your relationship breaks

This is of course likely unless you change and this means work

Work to learn how to listen and show some empathy to the other person showing them some respect.

It is one of the most difficult aspects of good communication because it means that you listen and try to see the world through the other person's eyes.

You learn to find truth in what they are saying even when it seems unfair and very different from your own understanding and you acknowledge how they must be feeling

Next you find the courage to express your feelings openly, using clear statements like I feel uncomfortable with what I am hearing, being tactful not to put the other person down.

Do not hide your own feelings show you are sharing them, but in a softer less antagonistic manner

One of the keys is treating the other person with kindness even though you are probably feeling frustrated and annoyed

If you are able to start moving in this direction even though you might revert to former behavior on occasion you are beginning to see that listening to the other person, treating them with respect and caring for them is a more fulfilling and powerful way to be

Happiness

The University of Bonn has shown that the pain of earning less than one's colleague is felt more keenly than the pleasure of earning more.

Bruno Frey, a researcher at Zurich University, calls this dulling process in regard to greater wealth "hedonic adaptation".

People rapidly adjust to increases in income

After about one year, two-thirds or more of the benefits of an increase in income wear off as people increase their income aspirations.

This process has become known as the aspirational treadmill

According to Frey, using happiness as an indicator of national progress is dangerous.

Governments will be tempted to distort responses to create a rosier picture, while respondents say be tempted to give less than honest answers.

When individuals become aware that the happiness level they report influences the behaviour of political actors, they have an incentive to misrepresent it.

They can play the system

The French report may also be looking at the wrong indicators

The ability of mothers to spend more time with their children may not be a key factor for some

No doubt Sarkozy's statisticians will come up with the figures he needs

Gender equality in terms of pay is one proposed indicator, and France does not do too badly there

There is a headline 20 per discrepancy in male-female remuneration, but when people of the same seniority and experience are compared, the differential falls to six per cent

Gerard Mermet, author of Francoscopie, a survey of French national life published every two years, backs Sarkozy

It is not possible to understand the world without qualitative indicators GDP is simply not sufficient

But what worries your average mec?

Unemployment – and growing inequality in wages

The French are also suspicious of the morality of big bosses, their big salaries

Suspicion of inequality is probably written in human nature but maybe a little more in French nature

His countrymen, he says, may adopt a morose attitude to the world at large but are sensible enough to recognise their own good fortune

If you ask the French, they always say France is not doing very well, but when you ask them about themselves individually, they are happy

The world is bad, France is bad but my own life is not bad

Sarkozy may get the answer he is looking for – but maybe not

John Stuart Mill warned: Ask yourself whether you are happy and you cease to
be so

An interesting idea ask yourself if you are happy and you cease to be so

So I will not ask you

Antarctic Ice Melt at Lowest Levels in Satellite Era

Antarctic Ice Melt at Lowest Levels in Satellite Era

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Only one way

To grow

And incidentally find more peace of mind for yourself

And that is by helping others

Being as or more concerned with their well being and problems than your own

.......................and thereby you help yourself

So often have we heard this advice

Gets tiring

So what other way is there?

No other way because only by helping others do we move beyond thinking solely about ourselves
.
Our own lives

Mentally thinking about yourself and your own private problems breeds separation

Helping others breeds cooperation

Helps us into the habit of taking our minds off ourselves

And it is our minds that get us into trouble over and over again

Minds that boss us around

Minds that forever ask us "what if"

Minds that stop us relaxing

This is why we say get involved with others and their problems

It takes away your minds power to stir you up

While you are thinking or helping others

You are less likely to be worrying about yourself

Your mind is contained

Your mind begins to learn some restraint

Minds that are allowed to interrupt

Dominate

Control you

Will in the end destroy your health and well being

This is why we say get involved with others

It has several advantages

It stops your mind from dominating your thoughts

It helps you start the long journey of learning how to control your mind

And helping others teaches us cooperation

Teaches us compromise

Only one way really

As requested a list

 

1. Medieval Russia: A Source Book, 850-1700

Basil Dmytryshyn

Holt, Rhinehart and Winston, 1991

2. A History of Russia

Basil Dmytryshyn
Prentice-Hall, 1977

3. Land of the Firebird

Suzanne Massey
Prentice-Hall, 1977?

N6981 M42

4. An Illustrated History of Russia

Suzanne Massey
Prentice-Hall, 1977?

N6981 M42

5. Russia's Women

Clements, Engel and Worobec
Prentice-Hall, 1977?

N6981 M42

6. Catherine the Great

John T. Alexander
Prentice-Hall, 1977?

N6981 M42

7. Russia Under the Old Regime

Richard Pipes
Prentice-Hall, 1977?

N6981 M42

8. The Russian Empire

Chloe Obolensky
Random House, 1979

DK 189 024

9.From Supplication to Revolution: A Documentary Social History of Imperial Russia.

Gregory L.Freeze
Oxford University Press, 1988

10.Readings in Russian Civilization: Vol II Imperial Russia, 1700-1917

Thomas Riha, ed.
Univ of Chicago Press, 1964