From Any Point Of View

Where On Earth?

Earth from the Moon

Earth from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.   Click image for link.

For more images go, HERE.

In My Email

I got an email from my brother Jerry. It had 24 ambiguous statements. Here is one;

I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.

Hot Enough For Ya?

A new report from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration lists 10 indicators that global warming is happening: rising humidity; rising sea-surface temperature as well as heat stored in deeper waters; shrinking sea ice, glacier and springtime snow cover; rising temperatures over land and sea; and rising sea levels.
All point to a rapidly warming world. And all are based on actual observations, from satellites high in the sky to meteorological stations in the middle of a Kansas cornfield.

It's really astonishing that some people would rather believe a corporate sponsored talk show personality than thousands of the worlds scientists. There are some people who will quote something they heard from Fox News Corporation as if it is indisputable fact. (Like global warming is a commie plot.) They are being encouraged to fear and distrust what they don't understand.


I sometimes get caught up in the desire to educate the rabble, even though there are highly paid professionals who are encouraging the marginally educated, and discontented factions to rail against the educated liberal elite. How can I compete with those who would suggest to the unhappy white people that it's all the fault of the commie socialists in big government who are giving away our tax dollars to the illegals and welfare cheats. It would be inconceivable to convince the Tea Party bunch that 50% of our governments expenditures are being funneled out of the United States into the offshore accounts of defense contractors who absolutely love these patriotic wars that cost $1,ooo,ooo.oo per soldier, per year.

Welfare money, Veterans Benefits, Social Security, Police, Fire, Schools, and other so called socialist programs put that money right back into our local economies through rents, food, services, retail purchases, etcetera. This is good for the economy. But you know that already, right?
What Is This?

This is growing in the parking lot divider in front of Trader Joe's. 7/30/10

Clownfish

Clownfish and albino bubble tipped anemone. Photo - National Geographic

Russians Blame U.S. For Heat Wave

Russia's largest circulation newspaper, Komsomolskaya Pravda, ran a headline on July 31 that asked, "Is the Russian heat wave the result of the USA testing its climate weapon?" The daily's answer was "Yes, probably." (Source, HERE.)

What Is This?

Flowering bush behind the French Gulch Hotel. 7/31/10

Breathe... That's The Sprirt!

I read something that really interested me in the Daily Word last week. It had to do with the origin of the word, spirit. It seems to have come from Latin and means breath. This is significant to me since the Bible indicates that God breathed life into Adam, and it also says that the spirit of God resides in us.

Most meditation techniques are based on awareness of breathing. Conscious involvement with the process of breathing helps to focus our energies and thoughts and can create a feeling of serenity and calmness. Belly breathing, Pranayam, even simple deep breaths leading toward an intended goal is a way to get in touch with our spirit.

When I put my full energy and attention into singing a song, I can "feel the spirit". When we sing together, we breathe together, and the better and more energetically we do this, the better we can "feel the spirit". This is true when playing instruments as well. When musicians are playing, they breathe to the melody and rhythm of the music. When they are playing well together, they get in the groove, "they feel the spirit". Watching musicians wearing headphones while adding parts to recordings is where I first became aware of musicians rhythmic breathing while playing, or even when intently listening to music.

When driving in the car, I can notice my breathing change to the patterns of the songs I am listening to in my mind. If  I am thinking about singing the song, my throat muscles are shaping the notes and words, even though the only sound I am making is, you guessed it, rhythmic breathing. Even sitting behind the wheel of the Buick, just listening to the songs in my head, I can, "feel the spirit". How interesting it was to find out that the origin of the word spirit is - breath.

Today's Relatively Appropriate Song;




Stay Cool