Sam is nine and in a CM1 class at his école primaire. There’s a lot of memorising for homework, which seems like an old-fashioned sort of way of learning. With poems it’s OK, but with history, like the reigns of Clovis and Charlemagne, and long poetry like this fable of La Fontaine I’m not so sure:

—> LE LIÈVRE ET LA TORTUE

Rien ne sert de courir ; il faut partir à point.
Le Lièvre et la Tortue en sont un témoignage.
Gageons, dit celle-ci, que vous n’atteindrez point
Si tôt que moi ce but. Si tôt ? Êtes-vous sage ?
Repartit l’Animal léger.
Ma Commère, il vous faut purger
Avec quatre grains  d’ellébore.
Sage ou non, je parie encore.
Ainsi fut fait : et de tous deux
On mit près du but les enjeux.
Savoir quoi, ce n’est pas l’affaire ;
Ni de quel juge l’on convint. …

STOP!  That’s enough, Jean! Remember kids are going to have to learn this!

So let’s brighten things up a little with a favourite illustrator, Barbara Nascimbeni. You can see a couple of her illustrations of the same fable here:

When Sam was a toddler we had Noisy Ralph:

Later on we had Archie Hates Pink:

I like her way of painting, also the way things leap all over the place, the way the point of view seems to dance.

I like the books she chooses to illustrate too. The one above, though it is German, seems to be an Anansi story (translate it please!) She’s done some Aesop’s fables, like the hare and the tortoise of course. She seems to have managed to get published in all sorts of countries too.

Guida pratica del cittadino consapevole

In Italia, il voto è personale, libero e segreto. Le conquiste sociali, portate avanti dalla Resistenza al fascismo e dopo l’instaurazione di un modello democratico, hanno rafforzato il diritto di voto, allargandolo alle donne, creando il cosiddetto suffragio universale. Ci sono stati interventi di manipolazione delle regole del voto da parte di alcune forze politiche, col tentativo di agevolare i propri interessi personali. Il cittadino consapevole, dopo la lettura di ciò che segue, potrà avere maggiori strumenti per opporsi al tentativo di influenzare  la rappresentanza parlamentare.

Iniziamo questa breve guida tracciando la differenza che c’è tra Formula Elettorale e Sistema Elettorale. La prima si riferisce soltanto al meccanismo matematico per tradurre i voti espressi in seggi (cioè i posti nel Parlamento); la seconda stabilisce le circoscrizioni, l’esistenza delle preferenze, l’introduzione delle primarie, la propaganda politica e tutto ciò che concerne l’organizzazione e le norme del voto.

Le Formule elettorali si dividono in:

-         formule di maggioranza assoluta

-         formule di maggioranza relativa

-         formule proporzionali

IN ITALIA

Si applica la formula proporzionale. Esso si basa sul principio che il partito che prende più voti  avrà più seggi e il partito che prende meno voti avrà meno seggi. Per attribuire i seggi bisogna considerare alcuni elementi:

1. voti validamente espressi (non schede bianche o annullate);
2. quoziente elettorale (il numero voti validamente espressi diviso il numero totale dei seggi);
3. cifra elettorale (il numero di voti ottenuti da ogni partito);

Le varie operazioni di attribuzione dei seggi vengono fatte con diverse formule matematiche, tra le quali ci sono:

1. formula D’Hontd
2. formula Sainte-Lague
3. formula Hare
4. formula dei resti più alti

Nell’elezione del Parlamento italiano viene utilizzata la quarta formula, ovvero quella dei resti più alti. Il quoziente è dato dalla divisione del totale dei voti validi per il numero dei seggi. Una volta ottenuto il quoziente, i voti ottenuti da ciascun partito vengono divisi per il quoziente e danno il numero di seggi a ciascun partito.

QUOZIENTE = VOTI ESPRESSI / NUMERO DEI SEGGI+2

SEGGI PARTITO = VOTI PARITO / QUOZIENTE

Al termine di queste operazioni rimangono quasi sempre dei voti non utilizzati da parte di partiti che hanno comunque ottenuto dei seggi. Questi voti sono detti “resti” e vengono sommati e il risultato viene diviso in seggi e ridistribuiti proporzionalmente ai partiti, in base ai resti.

CAMERA

La suddivisione dei seggi è effettuato su base nazionale, cioè contando tutti i voti presi a livello nazionale. I seggi sono 630 (compresi 12 seggi per l’estero) e la maggioranza assoluta si raggiunge con 316 seggi. La legge elettorale attuale stabilisce che i seggi sono ripartiti verificando se una coalizione o un partito ha ottenuto più di 340 seggi. Se sì, la suddivisione dei seggi viene realizzata con la “formula dei resti più alti”.

Se no, alla coalizione o al partito che possiede la maggioranza relativa dei voti si assegna un premio di maggioranza che faccia raggiungere i 340 seggi (molto più dei 316 della maggioranza assoluta); cioè se una coalizione o un partito prende 310 seggi ed è il partito o la coalizione che ha preso più voti di tutti gli altri, il sistema elettorale gli “regala” 30 seggi per arrivare a 340. I restanti 277 seggi (la camera è formata da 617 deputati) vengono suddivisi proporzionalmente, nel rispetto delle soglie previste di sbarramento (vedi più avanti). Per i partiti esclusi (che non superano queste soglie) è previsto un sistema di “ripescaggio” del partito più votato tra quelli che non hanno raggiunto lo sbarramento. Sussistono 27 circoscrizioni  Italia, delle quali 12 per gli italiani all’estero. Il premio di maggioranza viene attribuito a quel partito o a quella coalizione che possiede la maggioranza relativa e ha superato almeno il 20% dei voti. Il premio di maggioranza viene attribuito alla coalizione più forte, non alla coalizione che ha preso la maggioranza assoluta.

SENATO

Avviene su base regionale e non su base nazionale come la Camera. Solo il Trentino non viene toccato dalla legge attuale, per salvaguardare le minoranze linguistiche, mantenendo i collegi uninominali della scorsa legge elettorale. Se nessun partito o coalizione supera il 55% dei voti su base regionale, allora i seggi vengono attribuiti con metodo proporzionale della “formula dei resti più alti”, nel rispetto delle soglie di sbarramento (vedi più avanti). Contrariamente al sistema della Camera, non esiste nessun “ripescaggio”. L’attribuzione del premio di maggioranza non viene concesso alla coalizione che prende più voti nella regione, ma alla coalizione vincente in quella regione. Così per tutte le Regioni, fino a comporre il numero di 315 seggi. Questo poteva far prevedere una maggioranza al Senato diversa da quella alla Camera. L’attribuzione del premio di maggioranza su base regionale non garantisce cioè, come alla Camera, la maggioranza assoluta alla coalizione che abbia conseguito il maggior numero di voti su scala nazionale.

LISTE BLOCCATE

La legge n. 570 del 21.12.2005 (sotto il Governo di centro-destra)  ha riformato il sistema elettorale di Camera e Senato, stabilendo il sistema proporzionale, con la presentazione da parte dei partiti di liste bloccate, compilate dai leader del partito stesso. Questo significa che in Italia non è possibile scegliere un candidato piuttosto che un altro, ma l’elettore vota soltanto il partito e, automaticamente, tutta la sua lista. In base ai seggi conquistati verranno nominati i candidati in ordine dal primo all’ultimo. Cioè se il partito prende 3 seggi, verranno eletti i primi tre della lista bloccata.

SBARRAMENTO

Lo sbarramento è una soglia percentuale oltre la quale il partito ha diritto ai seggi. Se il partito non supera quella soglia, esso non avrà diritto a nessun seggio, anche se quel partito ha preso milioni di voti. Sicuramente questo è un freno alla rappresentatività di tutto il popolo italiano. Le soglie di sbarramento, nel sistema elettorale italiano attuale, sono le seguenti:

per la camera dei deputati:

-         10% per le coalizioni

-         4% per i partiti che corrono da soli

per i senato della Repubblica:

-         20% per le coalizioni

-         8% per i partiti che corrono da soli

Per i partiti esclusi (che non superano queste soglie) è previsto un sistema di “ripescaggio” (solo alla Camera dei deputati) a vantaggio del partito più votato tra quelli che non hanno raggiunto lo sbarramento (cosiddetta “clausola del miglior perdente”).

SEGGI ALLA CAMERA PER REGIONE

Valle d’Aosta, 1

Piemonte(1), 24

Piemonte(2), 22

Liguria, 17

Lombardia(1), 40

Lombardia(2), 43

Lombardia(3), 15

Emilia-Romagna, 43

Veneto(1), 21

Veneto(2), 20

Trentino, 10

Friuli, 13

Toscana, 38

Marche, 15

Umbria, 9

Lazio(1), 40

Lazio(2), 15

Abruzzo, 14

Molise, 3

Campania(1), 33

Campagnia(2), 29

Basilicata, 6

Puglia, 44

Calabria, 22

Sicilia(1), 26

Sicilia(2), 28

Sardegna, 18

Estero:12

TOTALE: 630

SEGGI AL SENATO PER REGIONE

Valle d’Aosta, 1

Piemonte, 22

Liguria, 8

Lombardia, 47

Emilia-Romagna, 21

Veneto, 24

Trentino-Alto Adige, 7

Friuli-Venezia Giulia, 7

Toscana, 18

Marche, 8

Umbria, 7

Lazio, 27

Abruzzo, 7

Molise, 2

Campania, 30

Basilicata, 7

Puglia, 21

Calabria, 10

Sicilia, 26

Sardegna, 9

Estero:6

TOTALE:  315

CHI HA FORMULATO QUESTO SISTEMA E PERCHE’

Questo sistema elettorale è stato fortemente voluto dal centro-destra e, più precisamente, dall’attuale Popolo delle Libertà, con l’aiuto di Lega Nord e alleati. Infatti questa legge ha garantito un’ampia sconfitta alle Elezioni politiche del 2006. La legge attuale non prevede il ritorno al proporzionale in vigore fino al 1993 in Italia, perché questo avrebbe risultato una sconfitta per il centro-destra. Questa legge elettorale stabilisce il principio del centro-destra “limitare le perdite proprie e ridimensionare la vittoria degli elettori”, vista la probabile vittoria del centro-sinistra. Questo sistema prevede un maxi-premio di maggioranza, uno per la Camera e diversi per il senato che si base sulle diverse regioni (un premio di maggioranza per ogni regione che elegge al Senato). Come abbiamo già detto, il premio di maggioranza viene attribuito alla coalizione più forte, non alla coalizione che ha preso la maggioranza assoluta. Per quanto riguarda il Senato, abbiamo visto che l’attribuzione del premio di maggioranza non viene concesso alla coalizione che prende più voti nella regione, ma alla coalizione vincente in quella regione. Questo fatto sì che la maggioranza del centro-sinistra al Senato fosse risicata (solo 3 senatori in più per il centro-sinistra). L’attribuzione del premio di maggioranza su base regionale non ha garantito cioè, come alla Camera, la maggioranza assoluta alla coalizione di centro-sinistra che, comunque, aveva conseguito il maggior numero di voti su scala nazionale.

Ma il centro-destra ha fatto un errore nella compilazione della legge. Infatti se per il Senato il centro-destra avesse mantenuto un grande “premio di maggioranza unico” e non un “premio  di maggioranza spezzettato per regioni”, il centro-destra avrebbe avuto la maggioranza al Senato (visto che su base regionale il centro-destra aveva preso più voti del centro-sinistra), provocando l’ingovernabilità del centro-sinistra.

Poi la legge ha vietato di poter esprimere una preferenza (liste bloccate), eliminando i collegi uninominali, cancellando ogni tipo di rapporto tra cittadino-elettore e politico, de-responsabilizzando il politico e il cittadino allo stesso tempo. Le liste bloccate consentono ai leader dei partiti di decidere chi può essere eletto e chi non può, avendo inoltre un maggior controllo sulle decisioni dei politici “fidati”  che siedono nel Parlamento. Il voto di preferenza andrebbe reintrodotto per garantire ciò che il centro-destra ha deciso di cancellare.

La reflexión filosófica de la Ética sobre la moral no tiene forzosamente un carácter normativo-tal es el papel de los moralistas-, aunque su crítica tiene incidencia en el obrar. Esta situación bifronte de la Ética se recoge en la distinción entre la ética normativa y la ética crítica o metaética.

Ética normativa: éticas teleológicas, deontológicas y axiológicas.

La ética normativa es una disciplina filosófica que trata de señalar lo bueno o lo malo en la vida humana, siendo misión de la prhónesis, de la prudencia en sentido aristotélico (tema que trataremos más adelante pues merece mención aparte), su aplicación a la inmensa variabilidad de los casos particulares. Los principales modelos han sido los teleológicos (de télos, fin) y los deontológicos (de déon, deber). El primero viene ejemplificado por la ética aristotélica, en la cual el Bien es aquello a lo que todas las cosas tienden, siendo la eudaimonía (felicidad) el bien buscado por los humanos. La tarea de su ética consistirá en esbozar un modo de vida que nos conduzca a la dicha. Mucho después, utilitaristas del siglo XIX (J. Bentham, J.S. Mill) la asumirán, desde perspectivas diferentes, para promover “el mayor bien para el mayor número”, contribuyendo de algún modo al Estado del Bienestar.

La ética kantiana no se preocupa tanto por la felicidad, cuestión de nuestras inclinaciones, sino de que nos hagamos dignos de ella. Si el fin fuese simplemente ser feliz, la razón no sería el mejor mecanismo, sino un sistema instintivo. Por lo tanto, la razón, como capacidad práctica, deberá tener influjo sobre la voluntad para que ésta sea buena en sí misma, asimilada al cumplimiento del deber por el deber.

Max Scheler, con su Ética axiológica (de axión, valor) trató de otorgar al concepto de “valor” la centralidad que antes detentaran el “fin” y el “deber”.

Ética crítica o metaética: teorías descriptivistas y no-descriptivistas.

La Ética ha clasificado las distintas teorías éticas en descriptivistas (también denominadas realistas o cognitivistas) y no-descriptivistas. Dentro de las descriptivistas, las teorías naturalistas estiman que las condiciones de verdad de los enunciados morales son similares a los de las ciencias empíricas, por lo que los métodos de éstas serían suficientes para dilucidar su verdad o falsedad, sin precisar de ninguna premisa ética, dado que el significado de los enunciados éticos es similar al de aquellos otros en los que no aparecen términos éticos. Tras la denuncia de Hume respecto a la legitimidad de paso de “es” al “debe”, G.E. Moore criticaría esa concepción al pensar que incurría en lo que denominó como “falacia naturalista”. Su posición intuicionista comparte con el naturalismo el que los enunciados éticos pueden ser verdaderos o falsos y que los términos éticos se refieren a propiedades, pero sosteniendo que éstas son indefinibles (en el sentido de que serían tan indefinibles e inalizables como el amarillo), ni empíricamente observables, sino propiedades sólo accesibles a la intuición.

Frente a las teorías descriptivistas (naturalistas o intuicionistas), el no-descriptivismo, con F. Hutcheson y D. Hume, se desarrolló a mediados del siglo XX en el emotivismo de C.L. Stevenson y el prescriptivismo de R.M. Hare. Para el no-descriptivismo, ni los términos éticos se refieren a propiedades ni los enunciados éticos pueden ser parafraseados metalingüísticamente en el lenguaje de la verdad o la falsedad. Si alguien dice: “Esta mesa es blanca” podremos decir de la proposición que es verdadera o falsa, pero si decimos: “Matar es malo”, descritiva, aparentemente, es en realidad prescriptiva, pues “malo” no es ningún hecho del mundo, sino un valor introducido por el que juzga, así que únicamente cabe decir que nos parece correcta o incorrecta. Según el emotivismo, un enunciado ético no describe nada del mundo, sino que expresa las actitudes o emociones del hablante, haciéndose imposible el discurso racional en ética.

Oil on Paper, 11 x 14″, 2009

When I was sitting next to Krsna I noticed a Person I knew walk in with his head hanging down looking at the ground.

He lifted his head and as soon as he looked at Krsna he started walking backwards and said that he couldn’t be here. A voice came from Krsna and said to him “Don’t go”. He kept on walking backwards away from him, and kept saying “I can’t be here.”Krsna kept saying “No don’t go.” This time two guys with big long spears crossed their spears behind him to stop him from leaving. Krsna then said to him “Do you want to get better.” Krsna then sprinkled something on top of his head.

The Video I have added is a bit of a discussion on consciousness, and what we listen to or shouldn’t listen to. The war that Jesus won in the desert for 40 days & nights was the battle within the mind. Satan wanted control of all beings by being their conscious. Controlling how people felt towards many things. Perfect peace means, No Voices in the head at all. The only true voices are in your heart, not your head.
Jesus always used scripture to fight Satan saying, “It is written.”

Well possums, sometimes Ms Possum works a bit too hard in the relentless fight against pests, so it was time for a country sojurn over a long weekend to get bright eyed and bushy tailed again!

So she was off to the outskirts of Blenheim, a sleepy town at the top of the South Island. The area is renowned for its endless hectares of vines which produce New Zealand’s world class Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and other amazing wine varieties. Ms Possum drinks nothing else during her nocturnal adventures in her hometown up North!

And, not only is the wine to die for, the region also produces mouth-watering olive oil and honey – it’s a gourmand’s paradise!

The bit of R&R gave me a chance to commune with animals other than those of my namesake. I must admit though, there were times when we ran over something lumpy on the road, and the evidence suggested that there were one or two less of my Possum friends for the Tannery; ugh! No, I wasn’t tempted to scrape the two-dimensional ex-life forms off the road – Ms Possum does have to maintain some semblance of dignity after all. Not only that, but I was on holiday!

Fortunately, no reputation had preceded me, so I was able to go incognito and meet the animals who lived nearby and welcomed me to their paddocks with open hooves.

This mini pony literally bounced over to say “Hi”. He wanted to know what I had in my pockets and loved the tall stems of lush green grass I had picked for him. He did try to tell me that the stalk part was not palatable – ok, so I’m a city girl! I horse whispered to him for ages and he told me he wanted an all over head massage, which of course, I obligingly gave him.

Next it was to the big horse paddock. The two great big creatures were previously aloof, but mini pony must have put in a good word, because they soon stooped to give me some time of day. A bit of choice grass their way helped to break the ice between us.

The two black and two white sheep next door proved that apartheid doesn’t exist in their neck of the woods. After baa-ing at me initially as an unwelcome interloper, they also succumbed to the succulent culinary items on offer. Thank goodness they didn’t know I produced baby lamb jackets!

At the mud brick house bordering a vineyard where I was staying, was KoKo the Birman cat. He was delighted at Ms Possum’s visit and couldn’t resist disguising his legs with one of Possum New Zealand’s “Harlequin” striped possum fur scarves. Yep, there is something about possum fur that sends cats into Seventh Heaven. KoKo loves chasing his possum off-cut which is attached to a lead – keeps him amused for ages!

Lo and behold, we spotted a pesky little hare playing peek-a-boo with us down the driveway. Unfortunately, the South Island is overrun with these creatures that eat anything and everything growing in the area – it’s quite a problem for the fruit and vege growers, as well as the native flora and fauna. Perhaps there is the making of a new industry here… hmmm…

Just as I was forgetting myself, I met a friend’s dog inadvertently named after me! Yep, “Possum” is super hyper, super friendly and finds it hard to sit still. Naturally, I felt an immediate affinity with this beautiful dog, and I thought possums of one kind or another are always popping into my life!

Then it was on to visit another friend who lives in a beautiful three-acre estate, bordering a stream. Sipping tea in the sumptuously appointed living room, complete with possum fur throw, I spied a huge rifle nonchalantly placed against the burr walnut dresser near the front door. “It’s to shoot the starlings in the roof” I was told after I expressed surprise at this incongruous, non designer décor item. “But of course” I said, suspecting every Blenheim home had one. Obviously my host was a crack shot, because I didn’t notice one buckshot hole in the pristine ceiling! It was reassuring to know that someone else had to deal with pest problems, and suddenly Ms Possum felt she was not entirely alone in her crusade to restore nature to its correct equilibrium.

Back on the road, I encountered other creatures such as herds of Friesian cows’ dotted (excuse the pun) in amongst the vineyards. As we didn’t get a chance to stop to take another pic, my hosts kindly obliged me with a “mock moo-moo” in my quarters (excuse the alliteration).

So there you have it, Ms Possum goes rural, meets other critters and broadens her outlook on the animal kingdom. It was a lovely weekend meeting creatures great and small. Now it’s back to the animal Ms Possum knows best, as she prepares to keep the Northern Hemisphere “warm as a bug in a rug” for the coming winter.

See y’all later Possums!

From Ms Possum wearing New Zealand Swandrii Jacket and Gumboots (possum fur trimmed of course!)

Catalunya – Gironés; Palol de Revardit: Es situat a l’eix Girona Banyoles, de facil accés i amb parking privat.

Jaume VILA es defineix com un cuiner autodidacte. La seva cuina es basa en treball del producte de mercat, aportant-li un toc innovador. Forma part de divers grups: Associacio Joves Cuiners, Grup Gastronomic del Pla de l’Estany i del grup GIRONA BONS FOGONS….

Jaume VILA se définit comme un cuisinier autodidacte. Sa cuisine est basée sur les produits du marché, en leur amenant une touche d’innovation. Il fait partie de plusieurs groupes de jeunes chefs: (voir liens ci dessus).

Jaume VILA is an autodidacte Chef. His cooking is based on fresh produce from the market, to which he brings a touch of innovation. He is part of several regional cooking group .( see above the links) .

La carta del restaurant

Foie gras mi-cuit….

Truita de pà amb……ous de reitgi mes…

Omelette de pain aux Oronges et trompettes de le mort…

Tortilla with bread and wild mushrooms.

Rizotto de llievre amb arroz Carnaroli de Pals, butifara…molt bo !!

Rizotto au liévre avec saucisse et boudin noir.. délicieux !!

Rizotto of Hare, with black pudding and saussage…yummy !

Dorada al forn… Daurade au four…

Ternera, zanahorias, .. esquisito…..

Boeuf, carottes, fond dans la bouche incroyable…

De vino , con los consejos de Ferran – el hermano del Chef – un vino del Priorat ( hacen buenos vinos allà  ahahahhahaha ..) Mas Perinet en una anada muy dificil .. 2002 ! Vino de un color todavia rojo rubis, aromas de frutas, no demasiado maduro pero bien… en boca muy suave, muy bien equilibrado y hay vino ..  2002 fue fàtal en las mayores zonas de Europa ! Evoluciona muy lentamente, con aromas de cuero, etc… un reel placer !

Pour les vins faire confiance au frère du chef et Vice Champion d’Espagne 2009: Ferran. Il sauras  vous conseiller aussi bien qu’il l’as fait avec moi ! J’ai bu Mas Perinet du Priorat..

For wines do ask  Ferran for advice. I hope he will be as good as he was with me ! I had Mas Perinet from Priorat..

Gracias a Jaume por su cocina, a Ferran para sus consejos en los vinos y la persona que hizo el servicio, que hubo que explicar me todos los platos !!

IVO

]]> http://moxcrazay.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/hare-white-hi-top-sneakers/ Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:36:04 +0000 mox http://moxcrazay.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/hare-white-hi-top-sneakers/

Jeg har ikke anledning til å legge ut bilder så ofte, for jeg har jo ikke et eget kamera, men av og til tar folk bilder av ting og tang jeg er med på, og da kan jeg benytte anledningen til å stjele litt(med tillatelse såklart) og gjøre bloggen litt mer fargerik.

Alle som kjenner meg bare litt burde vite hvor fint det er for meg at dette mennesket eksisterer.

Lars er den kjekke og forfengelige av oss her i kollektivet. (Jeg bor egentlig ikke her, men jeg har sovet på en madrass i stua i en måned, så jeg føler meg som en av gjengen likevel)

Nå passer det kanskje godt å forklare hvor disse bildene kommer fra. Hans og Petter vekte meg klokka 5 og sa det skulle bli fest (noen ganger sover jeg faktisk såpass lenge). 15 min senere spurte Fride meg om jeg visste om noen fester, jeg sa såklart ja. Jeg, Petter og Hans hadde ikke fått med oss at det var halloween, så når det kom en liten harepus trippende inn døra skjønte vi egentlig ikke helt hva som skjedde. Harepusen heter Therese btw og var ikke så verst til å gi hareklemmer.

Det var en snasen minifest skal jeg si deg, vi hadde til og med en selverklært rocke-DJ. DJ Thomas heter han.

Mette pjusket meg i håret.

Ble litt sjokkert over hvor tynn jeg egentlig er, jeg burde spise litt mer kake.

Soundtrack: Meshuggah – The Exquisite Machinery Of Torture

I had been learning a bit about Hare Krsna activities and decided to see if there was anything in this stuff. I had learnt that their meditation if done properly would take you on the journey within your own heart. I had read in Christian scripture that the Kingdom was within each of us in our own hearts.

That night I started to do the chant they use, concentrating on their being the right emotion, the right focus and attentiveness to the process. The journey is a spiritual journey, not a physical journey. I had learnt in my early twenties to meditate using yoga, and this helped considerably in learning to focus spiritually.

I started to view spiritually going on this journey towards a light. The light got brighter and brighter as I got closer. I then stopped in the light. The light was very bright, but I was left with feeling that there is more.

I was mildly annoyed that I had only got as far as the light. For about a week or so I was pondering over what was beyond the light. And then I recieved a message spiritually saying to go deeper. To go deeper meant that my focus on my heart had to be deeper and then I would then go deeper. It is all relative to the intensity in which you meditate and the depth to which you focus as to whether this process achieves anything. i then meditated that night chanting and meditating on my emotions and went to the light again, only this time I went past the light and into what looked like a throne room. There sitting on a Golden Throne in a blue to slight purple colour tone was a being with an Indian type crown on his head. I leaned forward to look closer and said, “Wow he is blue.”

This was my first journey into my heart. Many had told me what books had said, but to experience is a totally different subject. Someone that hasn’t experienced is no judge of what someone else has experienced. All of this was a happening I did not expect. I had not been staring at images to try to make them appear in my mind, I was a christian, and such things are regarded as imagery, idolatry or some other mystical substance.

As jou hare nou lyk soos een van daardie ou poppe. Daai met die plastiek hare wat na die eerste was so kroes en droog word. Moenie worry nie, jy hoef nie verder as jou kombuis te loop, as jy ‘n goeie goedkoop opknapper soek nie. Eiers, piesangs of mayonaise sal die ding doen.

Die eiers maak die hare sterk, maar dit herstel ook die “folico”. Dis nou ‘n spaanse woord, weet nie wat die afrikaanse woord vir dit is nie, maar dit is waar die groei van die hare plaas vind.

Meng die eiers soos wanneer jy roereiers maak. Gebruik dit net soos jy ‘n gekoopte opknapper sal gebruik nadat jy jou hare gewas het. Hou dit aan vir a paar minute en dan spoel jy dit baie deeglik af.

Die “potasio” wat piesangs bevat doen wondere aan hare wat beskadig is deur die hoë hitte van die droogblaser, werk ook goed vir wanneer jy jou hare heeltemal brittle geraak het van al die blykmiddels, veral die wat amoniaco bevat.

Maak die piesangs tot a pasta fyn en bewerk dit in die hare. Hou dit aan vir 15 minute en dan spoel jy dit baie deeglik af.

Mayonaise is baie goed vir droë gebreekte hare. Gebruik sommer ‘n koppie vol en bewerk dit in die droë hare, los dit aan vir 15 minute en was jou hare baie goed daarna, want mayonaise se hoof bestandeel is olie.

So today it was swimming and I faced the decision that often rears its head in life – join the fast lane or the slow lane?

If I go in the slow lane I will be one of the fastest and feel fit and pompous but my arrogant front crawl will be held up by the casuals in the lane that meander along smiling, heads above the water.  I will manage comfortably but not really push myself and soon get lazy in my stroke. But if I go in the fast lane I will have to be careful not to get my head torn off by a blade-like front crawl arm or a feisty kicking foot and be wary of tutting from tightly shorted men as they swim around me.

Now I’ve heard the story of the hare and the tortoise, we all have,  and we know who wins in the end.

Of course that didn’t stop me causing a traffic jam in the fast lane this morning. Well, that story was written a long time ago and it was about running!

Jakarta Globe, 28 October 2009

Spirituality was never my thing. It lies up there with religion as something I’m not comfortable dealing with. Much to my mother’s dismay — she being a devout Catholic — the only comfort I ever found in church was its warmth on wintry days and coolness during summer heat waves. But then, I figured it was about time to face my discomfort. So I applied to WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch (http://www.sivananda.org/ranch/index.html), a spiritual retreat cuddled within the Catskill Mountain range of upstate New York.

Mornings at the ashram are reserved for the soul. A good dose of meditation and chanting occurs before sunrise, come rain, hail or shine at a daily satsang . Yogis, staff and yoga visitors alike sleepily shuffle into a temple under blanket of darkness, amid the misty foliage, frosted grass and the biting cold of a mid-Atlantic dawn.

Sitting cross-legged on floor cushions, we breathed in silence for half an hour, facing the altar of a gleaming porcelain Indian deity Krishna. My shuffling limbs afflicted by pins-and-needles, I wondered why I couldn’t have stayed in my nice warm bunk bed instead. And rather than finding my center or a reason for being in the quiet, I found myself being almost blasphemous and suppressing giggles while listening to an orchestra of flatulence, famine (rumbling stomachs) and flu (seasonal snorts and sniffles). Meditation en masse was not working its charms on me. Being still doesn’t come naturally. I can barely keep still watching the television, let alone sit cross-legged for 30 minutes with nothing to do.

The resonant chant “om shanti shanti shanti om peace peace peace” came next, signaling the next part of our morning routine — the chanting.

A twig-thin guru, who resembled an absent-minded professor with his sleepy eyes and placid countenance, flipped open a harmonium and ran his fingers across the keys, all the while singing in Sanskrit. A yogi walked around the room, handing out instruments to whoever was willing to provide musical accompaniment.

A hypnotic riot of discordant accordion-like wails, cacophonic tambourines, and the rhythmic thrumming of djambi and bongo drums accentuated the incomprehensible yet divine intonations.

Upon first hearing the words “Hare Krishna,” I wondered if I had stumbled into the lair of those shaven-headed monks who I often see prancing down the streets of London’s Soho in orange duds and bare feet, belting out similar tunes. As I mouthed the words, I worried about what archaic incantations I was sending out into the universe without knowing their meaning. Unfortunately, at 6 am I’m not reaping all the benefits of the satsang; and all the chanting served only to induce soporific swaying on my part.

But thankfully, spiritual healing through abdominal breathing and performing asanas wasn’t the be-all-and-end-all of why I came to Sivananda. I came to till the land, to work outside in the fresh mountain air, with the turning leaves of fall as my backdrop, where creatures and critters flitted with such speed that I was left unsure if it was the wind blowing a leaf. For such is Mother Nature’s sleight of hand.

After communing with my soul each morning, I was glad to spend my days ankle-deep in compost heaps, creating mulching out of manure and digging swales with my little red shovel. The only chants or prayers passing through my lips were ones that involved not pulling a city-girl muscle out here in the wilderness.

A French biologist, who took up yoga to expand his marital conversations with his wife outside of their work in land conservation, told me I should beware of spending too much time in the open air. “You may not be able to return to city life again,” he warned, as we watched birds the color of earth sweep and swoop, weaving imaginary ribbons in mid-air.

Here, going to work no longer equals traffic jams, buses or subways. Instead, it means walking through leafy vegetable patches, greenhouses and dirt roads with a wheelbarrow. When twilight falls, the sun bursts with a deep raspberry and orange sorbet of colors, bathing the fiery autumn foliage in gilded light. Every day, I’m fed freshly harvested broccoli and a variety of greens from the ashram’s greenhouse.

After only a few days, I could already feel a change. Admittedly, it’s all physical and nothing in the realm of the divine. If there was any spirituality to be found at the ashram, it is through my daily commune with Mother Nature.

I certainly wasn’t going to start wearing yellow T-shirts and pashminas, greeting everyone with “Om.” Instead, my creaky body is gaining strength it never had from breathing the air and living off the land. My muscles, though aching, are swelling into definition from shoveling dirt and dung, and I’ve turned the color of dark honey from toiling under the nippy afternoon sun.

Every individual finds their sacred self in their own time. This just wasn’t mine.

On October 19 and 20, I participated in an interfaith event organized by Amisrael, a nongovernmental organization (NGO) with international activities aimed at peace between peoples and nations.

The theme was, “The Agenda of Religions in the Postmodern World.” I participated in two panels – one was on “Religion and Globalization” and the other was on “Religion and Communications”.

When I spoke on “Religion and Globalization”, I raised the point that this was not the first globalization. I said that the Vedic texts report that there was a globalization thousands of years ago, with the difference that the center of civilization was then Southeast Asia. Europe and the Americas were mainly forests and grasslands, inhabited by simpler civilizations. I emphasized that the main difference is that in Vedic culture there is a natural understanding that God is seen differently by different people and that historically there are few cases of religious violence or wars motivated by religious hatred in this culture. This, I pointed out, is very different from what happened in Europe and the Middle East, the perpetrators of modern globalization, where religious hatred and intolerance was a dominant aspect of the expansion of their cultures. I concluded by saying that now, with the world having greater access to Vedic culture and the spiritual science of yoga, our hope is that this Vedic mentality, of religious tolerance and the understanding that there will always be different religious expressions, can be part of global consciousness, replacing the sectarian nature of the Abrahamic religions.  The organizers and some of the participants told me they appreciated my presentation very much.

For the panel on “Religion and Communication”, each representative spoke a little about the communication efforts made by their religion. I was surprised with what I heard. A representative of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism said that of the 40 temples that they have in Brazil, 20 are closed. He said that they have no systematic communication work – they do not use websites, blogs, mailing lists… nothing. He said that practically all of the monks in Brazil (and they’ve been in Brazil for some 40 years!) do not speak Portuguese. As a result, not surprisingly, their mission is running the risk of becoming extinct. A representative of Islam said that they do not believe in using the Internet, mailing lists, blogs, etc. In their religion, he emphasized, only person to person communications count. He also said that one of the main problems of Islam in Brazil is that few of their missionaries speak Portuguese and Arabic well enough to do their work. The representative of Judaism showed that they were making use of mailing lists, websites, downloadable lessons, etc., but to me it didn’t seem very impressive. I confess that it was with some degree of pride that I explained how much we are doing in the Hare Krishna movement. I spoke of our thousands of websites, mailing lists, blogs, twitter accounts, etc. I said that in just a single website (www.iskcondesiretree.info) we have more than 29 thousand lectures for free download with more being added every day. I told them about our MP3 audio books for free download (in Brazil we have the SB First Canto, the Krishna Book and Sri Isopanishad), our video broadcasts online, and how an increasing number of our temples have live Internet video feeds. The presentation caused some surprise among the participants, who saw that our group, though so small and young compared to theirs, was taking full advantage of the modern means of communication.

I also had the opportunity to participate in interviews with the press, where I talked about Krsna consciousness and our vision of certain global issues.

At the event there were some important figures, such as the “Pope of Judaism”, Yona Metzger, the chief rabbi of Israel (in the picture with me here).

Sumi Ink on Paper, 11 x 14″, 2009

It occurred to me that while fast might be sexy for some, it’s  just not sustainable over time. Digging through data in the Animal Kingdom, I got curious about life expectancy and the like. Did you know that the average life expectancy of a domesticated rabbit is 8 to 12 years? And the average life span of an American Box Turtle? 123 years.

How would you rather be?

The National Arts Club of New York is hosting my book launch party this evening at 8 p.m. They’ve changed the room to accomodate a bigger crowd. Let’s rock the house in that slow flow way. So looking forward to it!

Ok folks, the letter below has been sent to each of the elected officials mentioned.   Over one hundred people decided to add their names to it and they were included in the initial delivery.   While I look forward to the response that this delivery will hopefully bring about, and I am so very grateful to everyone who signed on, it is now time for everyone to send their own email to these office holders individually. Please feel free to add your own words along with the letter in the email you send, doing so would be most beneficial.

Remember, one email sent one time can be overlooked easily, but a whole host of them received over and over again can’t be.  Please share this letter with everyone you know and ask them to send it on also.  Post it in the forums you frequent, asking others to send it on as well – if they support attempts at gaining answers from elected officials.  The more people who do so, from every direction possible, the more effective this effort will be.

I am going to compile the responses gained from each official if folks will share what they receive in response.  If you send your own emails and get a response, and you would like to share that information for this purpose, send me an email  to Ashrak@mchsi.com  and I will fold the responses together to paint a ‘big picture’.  The goal of this particular effort is to show, without ambiguity, which of our elected officials are listening and responding to constituents in a substantive way and which ones aren’t.  In order to produce a meaningful and productive picture, good participation is necessary.

Most will get “canned” responses, identical generic emails, and I would like to be able to count those in terms of  how many arrive from each office holder.  Those who add words of their own along with this letter stand a better chance of receive differing responses.

Here are the contact pages for Schock, Hare, Shimkus, Durbin and Burris.    (H/T to Darla for having these addresses assembled together in one place.)

This part of the effort, which began with the preparation for September 5th gathering, is crucial.  When congressional aids see this same letter again and again, from one direction and then another, they will take notice and we will have succeeded in getting their attention.  Of this, I have no doubt.

We demand that our elected officials follow through and we best demonstrate that they themselves must do so by first doing so ourselves.  Leading by example affords the moral high ground and that is clearly the opposite ground of the “do as I say, not as I do” attitude so many in Washington D.C. display currently.

Please copy/paste this letter and send it far and wide. Spread the word that we stand together – resolved in our efforts to hold our elected officials to account for the choices they make in our names and on behalf of the people they are tasked with representing.

To Representatives Schock, Hare and Shimkus and also to Senators Durbin and Burris;

Recently, a group of peers came together to demonstrate a salient point. That you did not openly invite constituents to town hall style meetings during the last Congressional recess does not mean that we, as voters, would not hold them in your absence. We indeed held one where we asked our questions, said our piece and made our requests just as if our elected officials were in attendance.

In order to ensure that this effort could not go unnoticed, to be sure that it could not be dismissed as if it had not taken place and as a demonstration to ourselves, our children, our grandchildren and our elected officials that we, as Citizens, will spare no effort in exercising our cherished Liberties as a part of our mission to protect and defend them, this happening was recorded for you, inasmuch as it was for our posterity.

A DVD copy of this September 5th gathering, entitled “We the People – In Absentia Town Hall Meeting”, was hand delivered to your Washington D.C. offices in conjunction with what transpired the weekend of September 12th, 2009. You remember, the weekend when Washington D.C. saw more than just a ‘few thousand’ visitors.

Since that moment, we have been patiently waiting for your recognition of receipt, which is due, in part, to the unique nature of the communication itself, and also for your answers and comments regarding what was said by each participant, which, truthfully stated, is an integral part of the inherent responsibilities tied to the office you asked to be, and then were, elected to execute.

In an additional attempt to garner straightforward responses from all of you, we put our names to this letter and send it to each of you along with the transparent knowledge that we are engaging each and every one of you, equally, in a non-partisan way. We are engaging our elected officials in the American way, openly, honestly and without fear. We are fulfilling our duty to question you with boldness and we will persist until you fulfill yours.

Respectfully,

The Dog House meets Dragon House (of Yuen)

A fortnight ago I purchased a birthday card for my Dad from Etsy shop Dragon House of Yuen. Usually I have to wait (impatiently!) for my Etsy purchases to arrive via the post, but this one arrived on my doorstep along with its creator! Meeting a fellow Etsy seller in person was a first for me, but it was so lovely to meet Annette & share a cup of tea & a chin-wag.

Annette & her lagomorphs

Annette lives in nearby Edinburgh with her fiance & 2 rescue rabbits, Arabella & Wesley. Her rabbits are the inspiration behind many of her creations, which include cards, watercolours, bags, soft sculptures & ACEOs. Everything is her own design & handmade with great love and attention to detail.

Arabella, Annette’s beautiful rescue doe – from Little Critterz Rescue Sanctuary in Perthshire, Scotland

Wesley, Annette’s very handsome rescue buck – from the Rabbit & Guinea Pig Welfare Rescue Centre in Rugby, England

An avid supporter of various charities including WSPA, the BUAV, Rabbit & Guinea Pig Welfare and the Buckeye House Rabbit Society, Annette donates a percentage of some of her sales to these charities, as well as donating some of her hand-crafted items to be raffled.

2 of Annette’s amazing handmade bags – the one on the left is modelled on Arabella & the one on the right on Wesley!

Some of Annette’s unique soft sculptures – baby hare, baby rabbit & baby feline

Annette paints beautiful watercolour pet portraits. She accepts commissions &, if your pet is a rescue animal,  will gladly donate 20% of the total cost of the painting to your animal rescue centre or charity.

A portrait Annette painted of her special rescue rabbit, Zai, who sadly is no longer with her

Annette is a fellow member of both the Etsy For Animals & McEtsy teams, which is how I came to ‘meet’ her online. Her sunny personality shines through in her active participation of these teams & she has a unique talent of pulling together the work of fellow artists to create beautiful treasuries, often with poignant messages relating to her love of nature & animals.

One of Annette’s many curations . This one’s entitled ‘Soul Shaker’ & is part of a trilogy of treasuries with fellow Etsyians Pey & Pat

So many grey hares

Like everything Annette sells, the custom birthday card I had ordered arrived beautifully packaged. Annette had also included a generous selection of samples of her other work, including a puffin image which I am particularly fond of!

The card featured decades of little grey hares, in fact one white cut-out baby hare with added fur detailing in pencil for every year of my Dad’s life (& that’s quite a lot of hares!). Annette had printed then cut-out each individual hare and adhered them onto the A6 card, which opened accordion-style.

The message, which is revealed line by line as you open the card, read:

“It’s that time again!!!

Happy Birthday

Uh – Oh!

So many

Grey Hares!!

Whew!!”

A creative & unique card, Annette can custom make this card for the ‘oldie’ (Sorry Dad!) in your life by tailoring the number of grey hares. I just love it, & so did my Dad!

Dining on kale

The kale which we sowed in our garden earlier this year – we now have a bumper crop & don’t know what to do with it all!

I sent Annette home with a bag full of kale from our garden, which she informs me is a favourite of Arabella & Wesleys’. Although Annette was very taken with both Max & Molly, we decided it was probably best if those two never got to meet her lagomorphs in person! Although, I hope that I may have the privilege of doing so some day soon…

Arabella & Wesley tuck into some kale

You can read Annette’s blog post about our meeting here.

Z góry dziękuję Yukinie. To jej zawdzięczacie tą notkę ^^

Okazało się, że moje podejrzenia nie sprawdziły się – obrazki co prawda skądś pochodziły, ale nie było to anime. Jest to jakaś gra visual-novel…

Niestety, jak się okazało, nie jest to gra dla dzieci. Dowiedzialam się o tym po części od Shourii i Smileka, a po części z obrazków, które znalazłam w sieci. Osobiscie nie mam zamiaru tego nawet szukać, bo może i ciut polubiłam chłopięcą miłość, ale dalej czuję to obrzydzenie do całowania się z byle kim (patrz np. ostatni filmik)… ;/ I jeszcze dopatrzyłam się tam pocałunku dwóch dziewczyn! xD

Szczerze, to jestem zawiedziona. Myślałam, że jest to jakiś romansik, a nie kolejna gra, przy której ślinią się zboczeńcy. Ale tak czy siak, jestem bardzo szczęśliwa z powodu odkrycia tak ciekawej rzeczy. Bardzo dziękuję Yukinie. Gdyby pojechała ze mną na konwent, całowałabym jej stopy z wdzięczności! Bo to właśnie ona opiekowała się moim opkiem. Szukała obrazków, filmików, a nawet dociekła do tytułu.

W dodatku chyba lalki z tego sprzedawają. Tzn. nie w Polsce.. Ale chętnie sprawiłabym sobie coś takiego. Oczywiście tylko z pamięcią o Duchy mają Uczucia, bo do gierki nie czuję sympatii. Ale jezeli ktoś znajdzie informacje, że jest o tym anime, manga, czy może też znajdzie download gry – z chęcią przyjmę ;]