Due to the current financial situation caused by the slowdown of the economy, your Government has decided to implement a scheme to put workers 50 years of age and older on early retirement. This scheme will be known as RAPE (Retire Aged People Early).
Persons selected to be RAPED can apply to the government to be eligible for the SHAFT scheme (Special Help After Forced Termination).
Persons who have been RAPED and SHAFTED will be reviewed under the SCREW program (Scheme Covering Retired Early Workers).
A person may be RAPED once, SHAFTED twice and SCREWED as many times as the government deems appropriate.
Only persons who have been RAPED can get AIDS (Additional Income for Dependants & Spouse) or HERPES (Half Earnings for Retired Personnel Early Severance). Obviously, persons who have AIDS or HERPES will not be SHAFTED or SCREWED any further by the government.
Persons who are not RAPED and are staying on will receive as much SHlT (Special High Intensity Training) as possible. The government has always prided itself in the amount of SHlT it gives out. Should you feel that you do not receive enough SHlT, please bring this to the attention of either your Governor, Congressman, or local Mayor. They have been trained to give you all the SHlT you can Handle
OR: You can be active and fight for meaningful change-it's all up to you, after all, there are 3 types of people:
Those who make things happen
Those who watch things happen
And those who wonder-What happen?
What type are you?
(forwarded email)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
LADIES, GIRLS, BEWARE OF THE 2 WAY MIRROR
Can you tell a mirror whether it is in fact an ordinary mirror or 2-way glass? I thought it was quite interesting! This is not to scare you, but to make you aware.
A policewoman travels all over the US gives seminars and techniques for businesswomen and passes this information.
When we visit toilets, bathrooms, hotel rooms, changing rooms, etc., how many of you know for sure that the seemingly ordinary mirror hanging on the wall is a real mirror, or actually a 2-way mirror (i.e., they can see you, but you can't see them)?
There have been many cases of people installing 2-way mirrors in female changing rooms, CR's, Boarding houses, and Ladies Dorms. It is very difficult to identify the surface by just looking at it. So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty what type of mirror we are looking at?
Just conduct this simple test:
Place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface and if there is a GAP between your fingernail and the image of the nail, then it is a GENUINE mirror. However, if your fingernail DIRECTLY TOUCHES the image of your nail, then BEWARE, FOR IT IS A 2-WAY MIRROR!
So remember, every time you see a Mirror, do the 'fingernail test.' It doesn't cost you anything.
Remember: 'No Space, Leave the Place'
Ladies: Share this with your girlfriends, sisters, daughters, etc.
Men: Share this with your wives, daughters, daughters-in- law, mothers, girlfriends and friends
A policewoman travels all over the US gives seminars and techniques for businesswomen and passes this information.
When we visit toilets, bathrooms, hotel rooms, changing rooms, etc., how many of you know for sure that the seemingly ordinary mirror hanging on the wall is a real mirror, or actually a 2-way mirror (i.e., they can see you, but you can't see them)?
There have been many cases of people installing 2-way mirrors in female changing rooms, CR's, Boarding houses, and Ladies Dorms. It is very difficult to identify the surface by just looking at it. So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty what type of mirror we are looking at?
Just conduct this simple test:
Place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface and if there is a GAP between your fingernail and the image of the nail, then it is a GENUINE mirror. However, if your fingernail DIRECTLY TOUCHES the image of your nail, then BEWARE, FOR IT IS A 2-WAY MIRROR!
So remember, every time you see a Mirror, do the 'fingernail test.' It doesn't cost you anything.
Remember: 'No Space, Leave the Place'
Ladies: Share this with your girlfriends, sisters, daughters, etc.
Men: Share this with your wives, daughters, daughters-in- law, mothers, girlfriends and friends
Monday, May 18, 2009
YOUR NETWORK DETERMINES YOUR NET WORTH
It's the Network
By Justin Pinkerman
There's no denying that we've fallen into precarious economic times. Expect a lot of job loses and lay-offs in the coming days, as companies close shop or downsize.
No matter how penniless you feel right now, there's one investment you can't afford to overlook. At a time when no one's buying, there's something you must build. In a world where budgets are tight, you can't skimp on this line item. What is it, you ask?
As the Verizon slogan says, "It's the network."
In his book, Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi wrote about the safety net provided by a robust network of social connections.
"Experience will not save you in hard times, nor will hard work or talent. If you need a job, money, advice, help, hope, or a means to make a sale, there's only one surefire, fail-safe place to find them - within your extended circle of friends and associates."
We would do well to worry less about empty pocketbooks and more about empty rolodexes. When threatened by scarcity, it's natural to zero in on money management, but we should be equally concentrated on managing connections within our network.
Unfortunately, the word "networking" often conjures up negative stereotypes. We've been fed misconceptions about networking, and these false impressions make it hard for us to see the true value of our relationships. Let's debunk the popular myths of networking one by one.
COMMON NETWORKING MYTHS
Myth #1: Networking is for self-promoting schmoozers.
Networking isn't solely the realm of desperate job seekers or overeager socializers. Nor do you have to hand out business cards like candy in order to network. Networking simply involves making mutual connections, and everyone benefits by forming them. By tapping into our connections, we can share ideas, pass along opportunities, and benefit from one another's expertise.
Myth #2: Network is only for salespeople or outgoing personalities.
You may not be a salesperson and you may not be outgoing, but you can't deny that business, at its core, is founded upon relationships. Regardless of your position or personality, you'd be wise to intentionalize your social interactions. If you neglect your network, you'll be isolated when your life hits a rough patch. Conversely, if you cultivate your network, you'll be buoyed by support whenever hard times come your way.
Myth #3: Networking, by nature, is uncomfortable, forced, and contrived.
We tend to imagine networking as speed dating awkwardly applied to the professional level. Nothing could be more inaccurate. The best networkers authentically share themselves (their talents, knowledge, resources) to benefit others. This can happen casually and genuinely, both at work and in informal atmospheres.
Myth#4: Networking is for young people
The most common misconception or myth, (when I say old I mean the 35 years old and above, of course you is the 34 below,) take a look at every social networking page, there’s always a search icon, and that’s because we’ve made more friends than the average young networker, our lives are now in chapters and it’s the people we’ve met that defines those chapters, our high school or college crushes, or we want to reconnect with our old buddies, especially the one who’s made SVP . And we’re now so self assured that we don’t turn down requests to add as contacts, and too polite we acknowledge and thank those who visit our sites too.
THE FINAL WORD
The economic slump reminds us of the transient nature of our jobs and our wealth, and makes us appreciate the relationships we have. In hard times, we can't afford to retreat into a shell; we have to reach out more than ever to lift each other up. Although the concept of networking has been tainted by misconceptions, wise leaders know to prioritize relationships, recognizing them as the surest sources of prosperity and stability.
"The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity."
~ Keith Ferrazzi
"Always recognize that human beings are ends, and do not use them as means to your ends."
~ Immanuel Kant
"Your network determines your net worth."
~ Anonymous
Top 10 online social networks
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:50:00 02/21/2009
DISCLAIMER: This is a list of the top 10 social networks but the order can vary, depending on the source of the information. This list, however, will give you an idea about the top social networking websites being visited by people worldwide.
Facebook. A fast-growing social networking website, it recently surpassed MySpace in terms of subscribers. In terms of number of visits (1.2 billion in January 2009 alone), this website is No. 1.
I would also like it very much if you could add me as contact, I have a facebook, multiply and friendster account-Nards Go
MySpace. This website attracts music lovers. From indie bands to professional artists, you can find them here. But since it’s older than Facebook, this website is fast slipping in the ranking. To date, it has more than 250 million registered users.
Twitter. This microblogging, social networking service allows people to send friends 140-character messages, similar to what we can send via our mobile phone’s SMS feature. If we’re going to look at the numbers from compete.com, 54 million people worldwide visit this website every month.
Flixster. A social network site for movie lovers. Enough said. Also a fast-growing site that has over 53 million visitors a month.
Linkedin. People joke that this website is the most formal and “boring” social network out there because it targets professionals wanting to connect with other professionals. But based on compete.com, it has been getting 42 million visitors every month. This is a social network for businesses, too.
Tagged. Tagged you’re it. No, not really but next time you get a spam invitation from tagged.com, then perhaps you’re one of the 39 million monthly visitors to this social networking website.
Classmates.com. It is the first and oldest social networking website for students. It is still getting about 35 million visitors a month.
hi5. This is popular in Angola, Portugal, Cyprus, Romania, Thailand, Central Africa and Latin America. And it’s open to users 13 years old and older. This website has over 9 million visitors and about 80 million registered users.
Friendster. Did you know that a large number of Friendster users are Filipinos? Yes, this social networking website, which has more than 7 million monthly visitors, has over 90 million registered users. It’s popular in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and of course, the Philippines.
Orkut. Google’s own social networking website is popular in Brazil, Paraguay, India, Pakistan and Estonia. It has over 67 million registered users and about 5 million monthly visitors.
The list goes on.
It also changes very quickly.
By Justin Pinkerman
There's no denying that we've fallen into precarious economic times. Expect a lot of job loses and lay-offs in the coming days, as companies close shop or downsize.
No matter how penniless you feel right now, there's one investment you can't afford to overlook. At a time when no one's buying, there's something you must build. In a world where budgets are tight, you can't skimp on this line item. What is it, you ask?
As the Verizon slogan says, "It's the network."
In his book, Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi wrote about the safety net provided by a robust network of social connections.
"Experience will not save you in hard times, nor will hard work or talent. If you need a job, money, advice, help, hope, or a means to make a sale, there's only one surefire, fail-safe place to find them - within your extended circle of friends and associates."
We would do well to worry less about empty pocketbooks and more about empty rolodexes. When threatened by scarcity, it's natural to zero in on money management, but we should be equally concentrated on managing connections within our network.
Unfortunately, the word "networking" often conjures up negative stereotypes. We've been fed misconceptions about networking, and these false impressions make it hard for us to see the true value of our relationships. Let's debunk the popular myths of networking one by one.
COMMON NETWORKING MYTHS
Myth #1: Networking is for self-promoting schmoozers.
Networking isn't solely the realm of desperate job seekers or overeager socializers. Nor do you have to hand out business cards like candy in order to network. Networking simply involves making mutual connections, and everyone benefits by forming them. By tapping into our connections, we can share ideas, pass along opportunities, and benefit from one another's expertise.
Myth #2: Network is only for salespeople or outgoing personalities.
You may not be a salesperson and you may not be outgoing, but you can't deny that business, at its core, is founded upon relationships. Regardless of your position or personality, you'd be wise to intentionalize your social interactions. If you neglect your network, you'll be isolated when your life hits a rough patch. Conversely, if you cultivate your network, you'll be buoyed by support whenever hard times come your way.
Myth #3: Networking, by nature, is uncomfortable, forced, and contrived.
We tend to imagine networking as speed dating awkwardly applied to the professional level. Nothing could be more inaccurate. The best networkers authentically share themselves (their talents, knowledge, resources) to benefit others. This can happen casually and genuinely, both at work and in informal atmospheres.
Myth#4: Networking is for young people
The most common misconception or myth, (when I say old I mean the 35 years old and above, of course you is the 34 below,) take a look at every social networking page, there’s always a search icon, and that’s because we’ve made more friends than the average young networker, our lives are now in chapters and it’s the people we’ve met that defines those chapters, our high school or college crushes, or we want to reconnect with our old buddies, especially the one who’s made SVP . And we’re now so self assured that we don’t turn down requests to add as contacts, and too polite we acknowledge and thank those who visit our sites too.
THE FINAL WORD
The economic slump reminds us of the transient nature of our jobs and our wealth, and makes us appreciate the relationships we have. In hard times, we can't afford to retreat into a shell; we have to reach out more than ever to lift each other up. Although the concept of networking has been tainted by misconceptions, wise leaders know to prioritize relationships, recognizing them as the surest sources of prosperity and stability.
"The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity."
~ Keith Ferrazzi
"Always recognize that human beings are ends, and do not use them as means to your ends."
~ Immanuel Kant
"Your network determines your net worth."
~ Anonymous
Top 10 online social networks
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:50:00 02/21/2009
DISCLAIMER: This is a list of the top 10 social networks but the order can vary, depending on the source of the information. This list, however, will give you an idea about the top social networking websites being visited by people worldwide.
Facebook. A fast-growing social networking website, it recently surpassed MySpace in terms of subscribers. In terms of number of visits (1.2 billion in January 2009 alone), this website is No. 1.
I would also like it very much if you could add me as contact, I have a facebook, multiply and friendster account-Nards Go
MySpace. This website attracts music lovers. From indie bands to professional artists, you can find them here. But since it’s older than Facebook, this website is fast slipping in the ranking. To date, it has more than 250 million registered users.
Twitter. This microblogging, social networking service allows people to send friends 140-character messages, similar to what we can send via our mobile phone’s SMS feature. If we’re going to look at the numbers from compete.com, 54 million people worldwide visit this website every month.
Flixster. A social network site for movie lovers. Enough said. Also a fast-growing site that has over 53 million visitors a month.
Linkedin. People joke that this website is the most formal and “boring” social network out there because it targets professionals wanting to connect with other professionals. But based on compete.com, it has been getting 42 million visitors every month. This is a social network for businesses, too.
Tagged. Tagged you’re it. No, not really but next time you get a spam invitation from tagged.com, then perhaps you’re one of the 39 million monthly visitors to this social networking website.
Classmates.com. It is the first and oldest social networking website for students. It is still getting about 35 million visitors a month.
hi5. This is popular in Angola, Portugal, Cyprus, Romania, Thailand, Central Africa and Latin America. And it’s open to users 13 years old and older. This website has over 9 million visitors and about 80 million registered users.
Friendster. Did you know that a large number of Friendster users are Filipinos? Yes, this social networking website, which has more than 7 million monthly visitors, has over 90 million registered users. It’s popular in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and of course, the Philippines.
Orkut. Google’s own social networking website is popular in Brazil, Paraguay, India, Pakistan and Estonia. It has over 67 million registered users and about 5 million monthly visitors.
The list goes on.
It also changes very quickly.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
ARE YOU TIRED OF WORKING?
The year is made up of 365 days, each having 24 hours. Of which night time
add up to a total of 182 days. This leaves 183 days to work minus 52 Sundays
which leaves you with 131 days to work, minus 52 Saturdays, which leaves
you with 79 days to work. But there are 4 hours each day set aside for eating
which adds up to 60 days, which leaves you 19 days for working. But you are
entitled to 15 days leave, which means you have 4 days left for work minus 3
days usually taken off due to illness, and other emergencies. This leaves you
just 1 day to work which just happens to fall on Labor Day-A holiday.
So, why are you tired?
Your Option: Resign
HAPPY LABOR DAY!
Source: CARAGA Regional Hospital, Personnel Services, Surigao City
add up to a total of 182 days. This leaves 183 days to work minus 52 Sundays
which leaves you with 131 days to work, minus 52 Saturdays, which leaves
you with 79 days to work. But there are 4 hours each day set aside for eating
which adds up to 60 days, which leaves you 19 days for working. But you are
entitled to 15 days leave, which means you have 4 days left for work minus 3
days usually taken off due to illness, and other emergencies. This leaves you
just 1 day to work which just happens to fall on Labor Day-A holiday.
So, why are you tired?
Your Option: Resign
HAPPY LABOR DAY!
Source: CARAGA Regional Hospital, Personnel Services, Surigao City
ARE YOU TIRED OF WORKING?
The year is made up of 365 days, each having 24 hours. Of which night time
add up to a total of 182 days. This leaves 183 days to work minus 52 Sundays
which leaves you with 131 days to work, minus 52 Saturdays, which leaves
you with 79 days to work. But there are 4 hours each day set aside for eating
which adds up to 60 days, which leaves you 19 days for working. But you are
entitled to 15 days leave, which means you have 4 days left for work minus 3
days usually taken off due to illness, and other emergencies. This leaves you
just 1 day to work which just happens to fall on Labor Day-A holiday.
So, why are you tired?
Your Option: Resign
HAPPY LABOR DAY!
Source: CARAGA Regional Hospital, Personnel Services, Surigao City
add up to a total of 182 days. This leaves 183 days to work minus 52 Sundays
which leaves you with 131 days to work, minus 52 Saturdays, which leaves
you with 79 days to work. But there are 4 hours each day set aside for eating
which adds up to 60 days, which leaves you 19 days for working. But you are
entitled to 15 days leave, which means you have 4 days left for work minus 3
days usually taken off due to illness, and other emergencies. This leaves you
just 1 day to work which just happens to fall on Labor Day-A holiday.
So, why are you tired?
Your Option: Resign
HAPPY LABOR DAY!
Source: CARAGA Regional Hospital, Personnel Services, Surigao City
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
THE POWER OF SILENCE
"True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment."
- William Penn
Renewing a Forgotten Virtue
By Alex Green
What would you most like to leave to your kids some day? A house... a business... some money?
If so, there is plenty of good advice out there about what to do and how to do it. (A good starting point, in my view, is Warren Buffet’s suggestion to leave your children enough money so that they could do what they want, but not so much that they could do nothing.)
There are more important things we can leave them, however. Plato said, "Let parents bequeath to their children not riches, but the spirit of reverence."
Reverence means understanding human limitations. It's a feeling of respect for what lies beyond our control: nature, truth, fate, death.
It's also an attitude of acceptance toward life and our fellow human beings, flawed as we may be. Reverence underlies the grace and civility that make life in society bearable and pleasant. It reminds us what's important, what's sacred, what's worth protecting.
Reverence is as old as civilization itself, perhaps older. Writing in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C., the Greek historian Thucydides called it a cardinal virtue, existing universally across all cultures.
Moreover, irreverence makes it difficult to respect those who are weaker: children, prisoners, the poor, the elderly.
Many equate reverence with religiosity. Yet this is not always the case.
In Reverence: Renewing a Forgotten Virtue, Paul Woodruff writes, "Reverence is not faith, because the faithful may hold their faith with arrogance and self-satisfaction, and the reverent may not know what to believe. ... If your form of worship or faith is reverent, so much the better. You know one place to look for reverence. But you should look further, so that you can see how you might share reverence with people who do not worship with you or share your faith."
Throughout history, religion and reverence have often gone their separate ways. Taken to extremes, religious beliefs sometimes engender just the opposite: intolerance, guilt, fear, ignorance, zealotry, and hatred.
In the West today, however, most of us live peaceably beside those with different beliefs. What the devout admire in other religions, however, is not faith, since they reject most of its content, but rather reverence, that universal sense of wonder, respect, and humility.
Some experience reverence in organized worship, in community with others. Others discover it outdoors, enjoying the glories of nature. Still others may experience it with music.
Handel's Messiah, Mendelssohn's St. Paul oratorio, Bach's Mass in B Minor, and many other classical and choral masterpieces were clearly inspired by a deep sense of reverence - and, centuries later, still bring that spirit to life.
Yet something else comes closer to capturing the true spirit of reverence: silence.
"Do you imagine the universe is agitated?" asked Lao Tzu a few thousand years ago. "Go into the desert at night and look at the stars. This practice should answer the question."
A quiet mind, freed from a noisy environment and the onslaught of continuous thought, has long been a signpost of spiritual development.
In Christianity and Judaism, there is the silence of contemplative prayer. In Islam, the Sufis wrote about the wisdom of finding silence within. Hinduism, the source of yoga, emphasizes the importance of silence for inner growth. Buddhists believe that silent meditation is the path to enlightenment. For Quakers, silence makes up much of the service, allowing for the development of heart and mind.
Secular philosophers and other writers have advocated its benefits, as well.
Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I like the silent church before the service begins better than any preaching."
Humanist Aldous Huxley observed, "Silence is as full of potential wisdom and wit as the unhewn marble of great sculpture."
Claude Debussy even reminded listeners that music is found in the space between the notes. Avant-garde composer John Cage took this idea to an extreme. His composition 4'33" consists of just over four and a half minutes of complete silence. (To this day, it's the only piece I can play on the violin.)
Silence opens us to the experience of reverence. Yet many today lead noisier lives than ever. Some choose to live near busy highways and airports. Restaurants and retail stores blast rock and country music non-stop. A study conducted by Pennsylvania State University found that urban teenagers listen to four and a half hours of pop and rap music a day. In our homes, radio and television broadcasts are punctuated with a steady stream of commercial messages at trumped up volumes.
This creates frustration and anxiety, especially for innocent bystanders. In The Happiness Hypothesis, psychology professor Jonathan Haidt writes that "noise, especially noise that is variable or intermittent, interferes with concentration and increases stress. It's worth striving to remove sources of noise in your life."
Sensible advice. Yet Matthew Kelly believes there is another reason we choose noisy environments: Silence reveals our weaknesses to us, our shortcomings.
In The Rhythm of Life, Kelly writes, "In the silence, we see at one time the person we are and the person we are capable of becoming. ... It is precisely for this reason that we fill our lives with noise, to distract ourselves from the challenge to change."
We can fix this, however. We can hit the off button, walk outside, visit a chapel, or take a quiet drive in the country. If you really can't escape the barking dogs, screaming kids, or NFL football, do yourself a favor and buy a pair of noise-canceling headphones. (Trust me, they're worth it.)
A few days ago, I took my five-year-old son David on a hike up to Humpback Rocks, an outcropping about half a mile above the Blue Ridge Parkway that offers an awe-inspiring view of the Shenandoah Valley, especially near sunset.
As we neared the summit, I stopped. "Listen," I said. "What do you hear?"
He looked around the trail and up at the treetops. There was no traffic, no sound, not even the wind. He shrugged and said "Nothing."
"Isn't it great?" I asked.
He glanced up to make sure I wasn't kidding, then looked around again, listening.
"Yeah," he said, exhaling. "It is."
- William Penn
Renewing a Forgotten Virtue
By Alex Green
What would you most like to leave to your kids some day? A house... a business... some money?
If so, there is plenty of good advice out there about what to do and how to do it. (A good starting point, in my view, is Warren Buffet’s suggestion to leave your children enough money so that they could do what they want, but not so much that they could do nothing.)
There are more important things we can leave them, however. Plato said, "Let parents bequeath to their children not riches, but the spirit of reverence."
Reverence means understanding human limitations. It's a feeling of respect for what lies beyond our control: nature, truth, fate, death.
It's also an attitude of acceptance toward life and our fellow human beings, flawed as we may be. Reverence underlies the grace and civility that make life in society bearable and pleasant. It reminds us what's important, what's sacred, what's worth protecting.
Reverence is as old as civilization itself, perhaps older. Writing in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C., the Greek historian Thucydides called it a cardinal virtue, existing universally across all cultures.
Moreover, irreverence makes it difficult to respect those who are weaker: children, prisoners, the poor, the elderly.
Many equate reverence with religiosity. Yet this is not always the case.
In Reverence: Renewing a Forgotten Virtue, Paul Woodruff writes, "Reverence is not faith, because the faithful may hold their faith with arrogance and self-satisfaction, and the reverent may not know what to believe. ... If your form of worship or faith is reverent, so much the better. You know one place to look for reverence. But you should look further, so that you can see how you might share reverence with people who do not worship with you or share your faith."
Throughout history, religion and reverence have often gone their separate ways. Taken to extremes, religious beliefs sometimes engender just the opposite: intolerance, guilt, fear, ignorance, zealotry, and hatred.
In the West today, however, most of us live peaceably beside those with different beliefs. What the devout admire in other religions, however, is not faith, since they reject most of its content, but rather reverence, that universal sense of wonder, respect, and humility.
Some experience reverence in organized worship, in community with others. Others discover it outdoors, enjoying the glories of nature. Still others may experience it with music.
Handel's Messiah, Mendelssohn's St. Paul oratorio, Bach's Mass in B Minor, and many other classical and choral masterpieces were clearly inspired by a deep sense of reverence - and, centuries later, still bring that spirit to life.
Yet something else comes closer to capturing the true spirit of reverence: silence.
"Do you imagine the universe is agitated?" asked Lao Tzu a few thousand years ago. "Go into the desert at night and look at the stars. This practice should answer the question."
A quiet mind, freed from a noisy environment and the onslaught of continuous thought, has long been a signpost of spiritual development.
In Christianity and Judaism, there is the silence of contemplative prayer. In Islam, the Sufis wrote about the wisdom of finding silence within. Hinduism, the source of yoga, emphasizes the importance of silence for inner growth. Buddhists believe that silent meditation is the path to enlightenment. For Quakers, silence makes up much of the service, allowing for the development of heart and mind.
Secular philosophers and other writers have advocated its benefits, as well.
Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I like the silent church before the service begins better than any preaching."
Humanist Aldous Huxley observed, "Silence is as full of potential wisdom and wit as the unhewn marble of great sculpture."
Claude Debussy even reminded listeners that music is found in the space between the notes. Avant-garde composer John Cage took this idea to an extreme. His composition 4'33" consists of just over four and a half minutes of complete silence. (To this day, it's the only piece I can play on the violin.)
Silence opens us to the experience of reverence. Yet many today lead noisier lives than ever. Some choose to live near busy highways and airports. Restaurants and retail stores blast rock and country music non-stop. A study conducted by Pennsylvania State University found that urban teenagers listen to four and a half hours of pop and rap music a day. In our homes, radio and television broadcasts are punctuated with a steady stream of commercial messages at trumped up volumes.
This creates frustration and anxiety, especially for innocent bystanders. In The Happiness Hypothesis, psychology professor Jonathan Haidt writes that "noise, especially noise that is variable or intermittent, interferes with concentration and increases stress. It's worth striving to remove sources of noise in your life."
Sensible advice. Yet Matthew Kelly believes there is another reason we choose noisy environments: Silence reveals our weaknesses to us, our shortcomings.
In The Rhythm of Life, Kelly writes, "In the silence, we see at one time the person we are and the person we are capable of becoming. ... It is precisely for this reason that we fill our lives with noise, to distract ourselves from the challenge to change."
We can fix this, however. We can hit the off button, walk outside, visit a chapel, or take a quiet drive in the country. If you really can't escape the barking dogs, screaming kids, or NFL football, do yourself a favor and buy a pair of noise-canceling headphones. (Trust me, they're worth it.)
A few days ago, I took my five-year-old son David on a hike up to Humpback Rocks, an outcropping about half a mile above the Blue Ridge Parkway that offers an awe-inspiring view of the Shenandoah Valley, especially near sunset.
As we neared the summit, I stopped. "Listen," I said. "What do you hear?"
He looked around the trail and up at the treetops. There was no traffic, no sound, not even the wind. He shrugged and said "Nothing."
"Isn't it great?" I asked.
He glanced up to make sure I wasn't kidding, then looked around again, listening.
"Yeah," he said, exhaling. "It is."
Thursday, April 2, 2009
TWO DIFFERENT STORIES, ONE LESSON: COURAGE
There are 2 stories here.
The last line of the 2nd story tells it all. Two Stories - BOTH TRUE
STORY NUMBER ONE
Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.
Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was Capone's lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie's skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.
To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but Eddie got special dividends, as well. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the e conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block.
Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him.
Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object.
And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was.
Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a good name or a good example.
One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done.
He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al "Scarface " Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great. So, he testified.
Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of 20 gunfire shots on a lonely Chicago Street. But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine.
The poem read:
"The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still."
STORY NUMBER TWO
World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare.
He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific.
One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank.
He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship.
His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet.
As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his blood cold; a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward the American fleet.
The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenceless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet.
Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber's blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent.
Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible, rendering them unfit to fly.
Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction.
Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.
Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft
This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action Butch became the Navy's first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Medal of Honor.
A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.
So, the next time you find yourself at O'Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch's memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor. It's located between Terminals 1 and 2.
SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?
Butch O'Hare was "Easy Eddie's" son.
The last line of the 2nd story tells it all. Two Stories - BOTH TRUE
STORY NUMBER ONE
Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.
Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was Capone's lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie's skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.
To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but Eddie got special dividends, as well. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the e conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block.
Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him.
Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object.
And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was.
Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a good name or a good example.
One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done.
He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al "Scarface " Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great. So, he testified.
Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of 20 gunfire shots on a lonely Chicago Street. But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine.
The poem read:
"The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still."
STORY NUMBER TWO
World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare.
He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific.
One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank.
He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship.
His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet.
As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his blood cold; a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward the American fleet.
The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenceless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet.
Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber's blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent.
Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible, rendering them unfit to fly.
Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction.
Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.
Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft
This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action Butch became the Navy's first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Medal of Honor.
A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.
So, the next time you find yourself at O'Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch's memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor. It's located between Terminals 1 and 2.
SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?
Butch O'Hare was "Easy Eddie's" son.
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