Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.'
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore."'
But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!
Edgar Allan Poe
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
Undercurrent
"I believe that Demons take advantage of the night to mislead the unwary - although, you know, I don't believe in them"
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Dreaming
Heraclitus wrote:
The waking have one world in common;
sleepers have each a private world of his own
Of course, dreamers get to share worlds.
The waking have one world in common;
sleepers have each a private world of his own
Of course, dreamers get to share worlds.
Superman
Watched Superman Returns again this week.
This film makes a good trilogy with Superman and S2, as it directly follows on from those two, albeit with a five year gap. It's like S3 and S4 never happened - which to be fair they shouldn't have.
Remember the start of Supergirl when the radio tells us that Superman has gone on a mission to a far away galaxy - that's the mission to Krypton.
We all know that pointless sequels are never as good as the first film - Grease 2 and Sister Act 2 being obvious examples. But when the second film is part of a trilogy it is always as good. In some cases it can even be better. It's accepted that S2 is better than The Movie, just as Empire Stries Back is better than New Hope.
Frustrating how he always falls for Lex's Kryptonite traps in these things. Flies in, there, Lex holding a lead box, what's in the box, oh dear it's Kryptonite, didn't see that coming. Reminds me of BA in the A Team. I ain't going on no plane. Eat this sandwich. Passes out. Wakes up. How did I get here? And he falls for it every week. It's the same with Superman and the Kryptonite.
Didn't he scan ahead and notice that huge new crystal continent had kryptonite? Didn't he feel it as he approached?
Kate Bosworth was quite good as Lois, very Teri Hatcher. I never really liked Margot Kidder. She was feisty enough, but she isn't beautiful and not sexy. Lois Lane is supposed to be sexy and sassy. I always said Alyssa Milano would have made a good Lois.
This film makes a good trilogy with Superman and S2, as it directly follows on from those two, albeit with a five year gap. It's like S3 and S4 never happened - which to be fair they shouldn't have.
Remember the start of Supergirl when the radio tells us that Superman has gone on a mission to a far away galaxy - that's the mission to Krypton.
We all know that pointless sequels are never as good as the first film - Grease 2 and Sister Act 2 being obvious examples. But when the second film is part of a trilogy it is always as good. In some cases it can even be better. It's accepted that S2 is better than The Movie, just as Empire Stries Back is better than New Hope.
Frustrating how he always falls for Lex's Kryptonite traps in these things. Flies in, there, Lex holding a lead box, what's in the box, oh dear it's Kryptonite, didn't see that coming. Reminds me of BA in the A Team. I ain't going on no plane. Eat this sandwich. Passes out. Wakes up. How did I get here? And he falls for it every week. It's the same with Superman and the Kryptonite.
Didn't he scan ahead and notice that huge new crystal continent had kryptonite? Didn't he feel it as he approached?
Kate Bosworth was quite good as Lois, very Teri Hatcher. I never really liked Margot Kidder. She was feisty enough, but she isn't beautiful and not sexy. Lois Lane is supposed to be sexy and sassy. I always said Alyssa Milano would have made a good Lois.
Star Trek
We watched Star Trek Nemesis again the other night.
Really not happy about the way this film wraps up the series.
We know from "All Good Things" how the future of the crew turns out.
Picard goes on to be an Admiral, then Ambassador, then retires.
Crusher marries him, divorces him, keeps the name, and ends up Capain Picard of a medical ship.
Riker becomes Captain of the Enterprise, then an Admiral, and keeps the D as his flagship (adding an extra warp nacelle for some reason).
Data becomes Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge.
Worf become Klingon Ambassador.
Troy dies.
So now to Nemesis.
Janeway made Admiral before Picard? How? He was Captain on the Enterprise - THE ship - when she was just a 1st Officer on a Science ship.
Riker gives up on the Enterprise and finally accepts a post as Captain of the Titan.
Data dies.
And don't tell us the Data we see in AGT is B4.
And at the end of the film, Picard is still Captain of the Enterprise, about to go out again, with a new crew. Why is Picard not just promoted to Admiral and Riker takes over the ship, which was supposed to happen all along?
It's like the hint in series one that Wesley ws really Picard's son, which got dropped later on. Picard still nepetises him up the ladder, but for no apparent reason (and don't blame it on the Traveller).
What could have been a satisfying end to the whole series of films was a big let down.
Let's see what the new film - going back to the Kirk, Spock and Bones days with a new young cast will be like.
Really not happy about the way this film wraps up the series.
We know from "All Good Things" how the future of the crew turns out.
Picard goes on to be an Admiral, then Ambassador, then retires.
Crusher marries him, divorces him, keeps the name, and ends up Capain Picard of a medical ship.
Riker becomes Captain of the Enterprise, then an Admiral, and keeps the D as his flagship (adding an extra warp nacelle for some reason).
Data becomes Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge.
Worf become Klingon Ambassador.
Troy dies.
So now to Nemesis.
Janeway made Admiral before Picard? How? He was Captain on the Enterprise - THE ship - when she was just a 1st Officer on a Science ship.
Riker gives up on the Enterprise and finally accepts a post as Captain of the Titan.
Data dies.
And don't tell us the Data we see in AGT is B4.
And at the end of the film, Picard is still Captain of the Enterprise, about to go out again, with a new crew. Why is Picard not just promoted to Admiral and Riker takes over the ship, which was supposed to happen all along?
It's like the hint in series one that Wesley ws really Picard's son, which got dropped later on. Picard still nepetises him up the ladder, but for no apparent reason (and don't blame it on the Traveller).
What could have been a satisfying end to the whole series of films was a big let down.
Let's see what the new film - going back to the Kirk, Spock and Bones days with a new young cast will be like.
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Skins
With Tony and co off to college, series 3 will be a whole new cast headed up by Effie.
In series one she was more or less silent.
In series two, she was more active.
The series ended with her under Tony's duvet, looking up at the camera, giving us a cheeky wink.
With Skins hailed as "near perfect", and the coolest program Channel 4 have ever produced, there's a lot weighing on Effie's young (but not as young) shoulders.
We are sure she's equal to the task.
In series one she was more or less silent.
In series two, she was more active.
The series ended with her under Tony's duvet, looking up at the camera, giving us a cheeky wink.
With Skins hailed as "near perfect", and the coolest program Channel 4 have ever produced, there's a lot weighing on Effie's young (but not as young) shoulders.
We are sure she's equal to the task.
JLA
Will there be a Justice League film?
The problem here is uniting Batman and Superman in one film. With new established franchises for both - Christian Bale and Brandon Routh in the roles - would getting them together in one film be practical and possible?
With talk of a Wonder Woman film under way, DC could well do what Marvel are planning with Avengers.
The other option is to leave out the big 3 and go with a different incarnation of the JLA - Green Lantern, Flash, Black Canary, Manhunter, Green Arrow.
Which actually seems a pity.
Watch this space.
The problem here is uniting Batman and Superman in one film. With new established franchises for both - Christian Bale and Brandon Routh in the roles - would getting them together in one film be practical and possible?
With talk of a Wonder Woman film under way, DC could well do what Marvel are planning with Avengers.
The other option is to leave out the big 3 and go with a different incarnation of the JLA - Green Lantern, Flash, Black Canary, Manhunter, Green Arrow.
Which actually seems a pity.
Watch this space.
Avengers
Looks like there will be an Avengers film on the way.
At the end of Iron Man, Samuel L Jackson appears playing Nick Fury (inspired casting!). In Hulk, we have another similar taster.
Apparently Avengers will unite Hulk and Iron Man with Thor and Captain America.
Whether there will be solo films for Thor and Cap first, and the 5th film will sequel them both, we'll have to wait and see.
At the end of Iron Man, Samuel L Jackson appears playing Nick Fury (inspired casting!). In Hulk, we have another similar taster.
Apparently Avengers will unite Hulk and Iron Man with Thor and Captain America.
Whether there will be solo films for Thor and Cap first, and the 5th film will sequel them both, we'll have to wait and see.
Monday, 29 December 2008
may be your own...
If I tell you to put the bullet in your own head you probably wouldn't hesitate, but that would be too easy, wouldn't it?
In your hands...
If I tell you that your child needs a heart transplant and will die today this day without it, how do you feel?
Take a moment and really think about that because it can happen to anyone any day.
(there but for the grace of God...)
So I bring in a live child, maybe an orphan, maybe one of those foreign ones that celebrities like to adopt. I hand you a gun and tell you that if you put a bullet through this child's head then I will transplant the heart into your child.
What do you do?
Because, if they are truly honest, everyone would do it, without hesitation.
Take a moment and really think about that because it can happen to anyone any day.
(there but for the grace of God...)
So I bring in a live child, maybe an orphan, maybe one of those foreign ones that celebrities like to adopt. I hand you a gun and tell you that if you put a bullet through this child's head then I will transplant the heart into your child.
What do you do?
Because, if they are truly honest, everyone would do it, without hesitation.
What you wish for...
You see a family at a hospital, their child is dying because it needs a heart transplant. The parents go to the chapel and pray. They pray to God for a heart to become available for their child.
Then they hear a heart has just become available. The transplant goes ahead and the child is saved. The parents go back to the chapel praying and giving thanks to God for this miracle.
But.
For this "miracle" to happen, somebody else's child has to die.
Which makes you think - when you go into the chapel to pray for your miracle, what are you actually praying for?
And what kind of God answers?
Then they hear a heart has just become available. The transplant goes ahead and the child is saved. The parents go back to the chapel praying and giving thanks to God for this miracle.
But.
For this "miracle" to happen, somebody else's child has to die.
Which makes you think - when you go into the chapel to pray for your miracle, what are you actually praying for?
And what kind of God answers?
DNA
Wilson and Crick, who discovered DNA said they could see the hand of God, could see His work. They won the Nobel prize for this work, so that puts them as best to know.
This is not uncommon in science, with people like Stephen Hawking talking about the Mind of God in his work on Theoretical Physics.
Studying physics and DNA tells us that life can't be random, an accident. There has to be intelligent design behind it. Witnessing the true miracle of life we can come to really believe in God.
But look at cancer hospitals. A child is dying of cancer. Their parents go into the chapel, kneel and pray to God to save their child. And while they are in there their child dies. They come out and the doctor has to tell them the news.
So it then makes you think, why would God let that happen? Why would he put cancer inside the miracle that is DNA?
It' a question I continue to ask.
This is not uncommon in science, with people like Stephen Hawking talking about the Mind of God in his work on Theoretical Physics.
Studying physics and DNA tells us that life can't be random, an accident. There has to be intelligent design behind it. Witnessing the true miracle of life we can come to really believe in God.
But look at cancer hospitals. A child is dying of cancer. Their parents go into the chapel, kneel and pray to God to save their child. And while they are in there their child dies. They come out and the doctor has to tell them the news.
So it then makes you think, why would God let that happen? Why would he put cancer inside the miracle that is DNA?
It' a question I continue to ask.
Lucifer
THEORY
Another theory is that Lucifer, the Angel of Light, is actually the One True God, the Creator.
It was Jehovah who ran the insurrection, took over Heaven, and cast Lucifer and his angels into Hell.
That's why the world seems so back to front and nothing makes sense. That's why he cast Adam and Eve, God's most beloved creatures, out of Eden into a world filled with pain and suffering. All religions are arse-backwards and based on premises and concepts that have no reality in the real world, the physical and natural world. As we are coming to understand quantum physics and DNA we are coming to realise this.
Maybe the only people who really have it right are the Satanists.
Another theory is that Lucifer, the Angel of Light, is actually the One True God, the Creator.
It was Jehovah who ran the insurrection, took over Heaven, and cast Lucifer and his angels into Hell.
That's why the world seems so back to front and nothing makes sense. That's why he cast Adam and Eve, God's most beloved creatures, out of Eden into a world filled with pain and suffering. All religions are arse-backwards and based on premises and concepts that have no reality in the real world, the physical and natural world. As we are coming to understand quantum physics and DNA we are coming to realise this.
Maybe the only people who really have it right are the Satanists.
Judges
THEORY
Another theory is that God sent all kinds of Judges, Kings and saviours from David to Samson and His people kept turning away. So He does the best He can - sends His own son - and what do the humans do? They execute him.
After that God gave up on Earth and left us to the Devil. No more miracles, no more answered prayers, no more Messiahs.
Another theory is that God sent all kinds of Judges, Kings and saviours from David to Samson and His people kept turning away. So He does the best He can - sends His own son - and what do the humans do? They execute him.
After that God gave up on Earth and left us to the Devil. No more miracles, no more answered prayers, no more Messiahs.
God
THEORY
The war between good and evil, between God and The Devil is over and God lost.
That's why the world is the way it is - war, famine, suffering - why you have things like cancer and tornadoes and child abusers. This is Hell on Earth, literally - you live a short life of suffering and then you die and go to Hell.
All religions are lies except maybe Buddhism as the first noble truth of the buddha is that all life is suffering.
The war between good and evil, between God and The Devil is over and God lost.
That's why the world is the way it is - war, famine, suffering - why you have things like cancer and tornadoes and child abusers. This is Hell on Earth, literally - you live a short life of suffering and then you die and go to Hell.
All religions are lies except maybe Buddhism as the first noble truth of the buddha is that all life is suffering.
Aliens
THEORY
We are the aliens.
You know how Britain used to send it's criminals to Australia, a distant island, and how that country is founded by convicts.
Well the civilised societies of the Galaxy found a little island right on the outer rim and sent them all here. We are the descendents of the insane troublemakers of the civilised galaxy.
We are the aliens.
You know how Britain used to send it's criminals to Australia, a distant island, and how that country is founded by convicts.
Well the civilised societies of the Galaxy found a little island right on the outer rim and sent them all here. We are the descendents of the insane troublemakers of the civilised galaxy.
The 4 Noble Truths of the Buddha
1. Life is suffering.
2. The origin of suffering is desire.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.
4. The path to the cessation of suffering.
2. The origin of suffering is desire.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.
4. The path to the cessation of suffering.
Saturday, 27 December 2008
The Seven Gates of Dreaming
The 1st gate:
Gain control over one's attention in dreams.
Look at your hands. Look at things.
This builds the ability to maintain intention.
The 2nd gate:
Wake up from the dream into another dream.
This builds the ability to change dreams at will.
The 3rd gate:
You are in a dream watching yourself sleep.
You must have this dream until it is no longer a dream.
The 4th gate:
Use the energy body as a means to travel to other places:
1. other places in this world
2. other places not in this world
3. other places that exist only in the intentions of others
The 5th gate:
Bridging.
The ability to use the dreaming body in everyday life, in the waking world.
The 6th gate:
Transporting.
The move the physical body to another location.
The 7th gate:
Transcending.
The step beyond this world.
Gain control over one's attention in dreams.
Look at your hands. Look at things.
This builds the ability to maintain intention.
The 2nd gate:
Wake up from the dream into another dream.
This builds the ability to change dreams at will.
The 3rd gate:
You are in a dream watching yourself sleep.
You must have this dream until it is no longer a dream.
The 4th gate:
Use the energy body as a means to travel to other places:
1. other places in this world
2. other places not in this world
3. other places that exist only in the intentions of others
The 5th gate:
Bridging.
The ability to use the dreaming body in everyday life, in the waking world.
The 6th gate:
Transporting.
The move the physical body to another location.
The 7th gate:
Transcending.
The step beyond this world.
London
I wandered thro' each charter'd street,
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
In every cry of every Man,
In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice; in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear
How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Every blackning Church appals,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls
But most thro midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse
William Blake
Let me take you by the hand
And lead you through the streets of London
Ralph MacTell
Sun is in the sky
Why Oh Why
Would I wanna be anywhere else?
Lilly Allen
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
In every cry of every Man,
In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice; in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear
How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Every blackning Church appals,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls
But most thro midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse
William Blake
Let me take you by the hand
And lead you through the streets of London
Ralph MacTell
Sun is in the sky
Why Oh Why
Would I wanna be anywhere else?
Lilly Allen
William Blake
From Songs of Innocence:
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Gave thee life & bid thee feed,
By the stream & o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing wooly bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice:
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Little Lamb I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb I'll tell thee;
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb:
He is meek & he is mild,
He became a little child:
I a child & thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb God bless thee,
Little Lamb God bless thee.
From Songs of Experience:
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies,
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare sieze the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when they heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Gave thee life & bid thee feed,
By the stream & o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing wooly bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice:
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Little Lamb I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb I'll tell thee;
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb:
He is meek & he is mild,
He became a little child:
I a child & thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb God bless thee,
Little Lamb God bless thee.
From Songs of Experience:
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies,
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare sieze the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when they heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
William Blake
From Songs of Innocence:
To Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
All pray in their distress:
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.
For Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
Is God our Father dear:
And Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
Is Man his child and care.
For Mercy has a human heart
Pity, a human face:
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.
Then every man of evey clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine
Love Mercy Pity Peace.
And all must love the human form,
In heathen, turk or jew.
Where Mercy, Love & Pity dwell,
There God is dwelling too.
From Songs of Experience:
Cruelty has a Human Heart
And Jealousy a Human Face
Terror, the Human Form Divine
And Secrecy, the Human Dress
The Human Dress, is forged Iron
The Human Form, a fiery Forge.
The Human Face, a Furnace seal'd
The Human Heart, it's hungry Gorge.
To Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
All pray in their distress:
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.
For Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
Is God our Father dear:
And Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
Is Man his child and care.
For Mercy has a human heart
Pity, a human face:
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.
Then every man of evey clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine
Love Mercy Pity Peace.
And all must love the human form,
In heathen, turk or jew.
Where Mercy, Love & Pity dwell,
There God is dwelling too.
From Songs of Experience:
Cruelty has a Human Heart
And Jealousy a Human Face
Terror, the Human Form Divine
And Secrecy, the Human Dress
The Human Dress, is forged Iron
The Human Form, a fiery Forge.
The Human Face, a Furnace seal'd
The Human Heart, it's hungry Gorge.
Top Ten Star Trek Films
Again, there are exactly ten, so it works out alright:
1. Wrath of Khan
2. Voyage Home
3. First Contact
4. Motion Picture
5. Generations
6. Undiscovered Country
7. Nemesis
8. Final Frontier
9. Search For Spock
10. Insurrection
1. Wrath of Khan
2. Voyage Home
3. First Contact
4. Motion Picture
5. Generations
6. Undiscovered Country
7. Nemesis
8. Final Frontier
9. Search For Spock
10. Insurrection
Top Ten Dr Who
OK so there only have been ten, but we can still rank them in order of who's best:
1. Tom Baker
2. David Tennant
3. Peter Davison
4. Jon Pertwee
5. Sylvester McCoy
6. Patrick Troughton
7. William Hartnell
8. Paul McGann
9. Christopher Eccleston
10. Colin Baker
1. Tom Baker
2. David Tennant
3. Peter Davison
4. Jon Pertwee
5. Sylvester McCoy
6. Patrick Troughton
7. William Hartnell
8. Paul McGann
9. Christopher Eccleston
10. Colin Baker
Monday, 22 December 2008
Edgar Cayce
Edgar Cayce wrote the mantra:
I am a God, I create my own reality
We can develop this further:
I am God
I create reality
I am
I think therefore I am
I think I am, therefore I am
I Am
I Am that I Am
Aum
I am a God, I create my own reality
We can develop this further:
I am God
I create reality
I am
I think therefore I am
I think I am, therefore I am
I Am
I Am that I Am
Aum
8 Fold Path of Buddhism
Right understanding
Right thought
Right word
Right deed
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfullness
Right concentration
Right thought
Right word
Right deed
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfullness
Right concentration
Question
When two cars are approaching each other on an otherwise empty road, why do the always meet exactly where a third car is parked?
Dr Who
So who will take up the role when Tennant retires?
This will be the 11th doctor, so technically there can only be two more. (Though that technicality never stopped the Master).
Personally I think Eccleston should never have had the job and it should have been Tennant from the start of the new era in 2005. (and can we just forget Paul McGann's one off film, same as we don't count Peter Cushing's film Doctor as part of the series?)
I do think that the chance for some truly great Doctors passed us by in the 80s and early 90s.
John Cleese
Hugh Grant
Rowan Atkinson
Eric Idle
and as for the woman who should have been the first female Doctor - Joanna Lumley
There's also speculation about making the first black Doctor as well, very 2009 - and will be good if they find the right person.
We'll see.
This will be the 11th doctor, so technically there can only be two more. (Though that technicality never stopped the Master).
Personally I think Eccleston should never have had the job and it should have been Tennant from the start of the new era in 2005. (and can we just forget Paul McGann's one off film, same as we don't count Peter Cushing's film Doctor as part of the series?)
I do think that the chance for some truly great Doctors passed us by in the 80s and early 90s.
John Cleese
Hugh Grant
Rowan Atkinson
Eric Idle
and as for the woman who should have been the first female Doctor - Joanna Lumley
There's also speculation about making the first black Doctor as well, very 2009 - and will be good if they find the right person.
We'll see.
X Factor
Well it's nice that Alexandra won X Factor.
But who wishes it had been JLS?
I mean, they are arguably the first real decent group the show has ever produced, and the first chance for a group to win the show.
With Alex we have another Leona clone, who herself is largely a British version of Mariah, Whitney, or even Toni Braxton. Do we really need another one of these?
As for JLS - this is a great time for a new UK boyband. Westlife have had their day. We have the comebacks of he geriatric "man" bands like Take That and Boyzone. This would be the ideal time for Louis Walsh to make JLS the Next Big Thing.
No doubt he'll be able to do something with them and they'll have a great career. It's their time. But wouldn't it have been great for them to have won X Factor, the £1million contract and started their career with that XMas number one?
But who wishes it had been JLS?
I mean, they are arguably the first real decent group the show has ever produced, and the first chance for a group to win the show.
With Alex we have another Leona clone, who herself is largely a British version of Mariah, Whitney, or even Toni Braxton. Do we really need another one of these?
As for JLS - this is a great time for a new UK boyband. Westlife have had their day. We have the comebacks of he geriatric "man" bands like Take That and Boyzone. This would be the ideal time for Louis Walsh to make JLS the Next Big Thing.
No doubt he'll be able to do something with them and they'll have a great career. It's their time. But wouldn't it have been great for them to have won X Factor, the £1million contract and started their career with that XMas number one?
Perry
Is Perry a real first name?
Does anybody actually know anyone called Perry?
There are plenty of examples of the name in fiction - Kevin and Perry, Perry White in Superman, and Dr Cox in Scrubs' first name is Perry.
But is it a real name? I don't know of anyone I've met personally, or any celebrity, who actually has this name. Theory is it's a made up name that writers use but that nobody has ever called a child in real life
Any Perrys out there - we'd be interested to hear from you.
Does anybody actually know anyone called Perry?
There are plenty of examples of the name in fiction - Kevin and Perry, Perry White in Superman, and Dr Cox in Scrubs' first name is Perry.
But is it a real name? I don't know of anyone I've met personally, or any celebrity, who actually has this name. Theory is it's a made up name that writers use but that nobody has ever called a child in real life
Any Perrys out there - we'd be interested to hear from you.
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Sorcery
The hinge of sorcery is the mystery of the assemblage point
The mystery of the assemblage point is everything in sorcery
Everything in sorcery rests on
the manipulation of the assemblage point
The mystery of the assemblage point is everything in sorcery
Everything in sorcery rests on
the manipulation of the assemblage point
Dylan Thomas
I have longed to move away
From the hissing of the spent lie
And the old terror's continual cry
Growing more terrible as the day
Goes over the hill into the deep sea...
I have longed to move away but am afraid;
Some life, yet unspent, might explode
Out of the old lie burning on the ground,
And, crackling into the air, leave me half-blind
From the hissing of the spent lie
And the old terror's continual cry
Growing more terrible as the day
Goes over the hill into the deep sea...
I have longed to move away but am afraid;
Some life, yet unspent, might explode
Out of the old lie burning on the ground,
And, crackling into the air, leave me half-blind
Friday, 19 December 2008
The 9 levels of powers
Zen - enlightenment
Zai - controlling the elements of nature
Retsu - mastery of space and time
Jin - knowing the thoughts of others
and sending thoughts to others
Ki - premonition of danger
Sha - healing self and others
Toh - Harmony with the Universe
gaining what is needed while going along with the scheme of totality
accept the things I cannot change and change the things I can
Pyo - direction of energy
Rin - strength of mind and body
Zai - controlling the elements of nature
Retsu - mastery of space and time
Jin - knowing the thoughts of others
and sending thoughts to others
Ki - premonition of danger
Sha - healing self and others
Toh - Harmony with the Universe
gaining what is needed while going along with the scheme of totality
accept the things I cannot change and change the things I can
Pyo - direction of energy
Rin - strength of mind and body
Thursday, 18 December 2008
The Art
Memory, Prophesy, Fantasy
The past, the future and the dreaming moment
All are one country
Living one immortal day.
To know this is wisdom.
To use it is The Art.
The past, the future and the dreaming moment
All are one country
Living one immortal day.
To know this is wisdom.
To use it is The Art.
Sleep
Sleep is a truly monstrous chrysalis, it's morphology and nostalgia propped on 11 crutches, each of which is also a chrysalis and should be examined seperately.
SPIRAL OF SLEEP
Sleep as a huge heavy head with a long thin body balanced on the crutches of reality.
If ever those crutches break we feel we are falling.
It is the familiar sense of tumbling into a vast vacancy at that moment when sleep overcomes us.
And when we suddenly awaken we may not necessarily always realise that we are reliving the feeling of expulsion that so traumatised us at birth.
SPIRAL OF SLEEP
Sleep as a huge heavy head with a long thin body balanced on the crutches of reality.
If ever those crutches break we feel we are falling.
It is the familiar sense of tumbling into a vast vacancy at that moment when sleep overcomes us.
And when we suddenly awaken we may not necessarily always realise that we are reliving the feeling of expulsion that so traumatised us at birth.
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
S
A monster lies in wait in me
A stew of wounds and misery
But fiercer still
In life and limb
The Me
That lies in wait
In him.
A stew of wounds and misery
But fiercer still
In life and limb
The Me
That lies in wait
In him.
T
Ignorance breeds monsters to fill up the vacancies of the soul that are unoccupied by the verities of knowledge.
Faith
Come to the edge, he said
We can't, we're afraid.
Come to the edge, he said
We can't well fall.
Come to the edge, he said
So they came
And he pushed them
And they flew.
We can't, we're afraid.
Come to the edge, he said
We can't well fall.
Come to the edge, he said
So they came
And he pushed them
And they flew.
Philosophical Questions
Why are we here?
Is there a God?
Does God exist?
Is there any proof that God exists?
Is there any purpose to our lives?
What makes anything right or wrong?
Could we ever be justified in breaking the law?
Could our lives just be a dream?
Is mind different from body, or are we just simply physical beings?
How does science progress?
What is art?
Why is killing wrong?
Is killing wrong?
What justification is there for saying killing is wrong?
Is it wrong in every circumstance?
What do we mean by "wrong" anyway?
Euthanasia - is killing itself worse than letting die?
Is the world really as it appears to us?
How should we live?
Do we have genuine freedom of choice?
What is the mind?
Is there a God?
Does God exist?
Is there any proof that God exists?
Is there any purpose to our lives?
What makes anything right or wrong?
Could we ever be justified in breaking the law?
Could our lives just be a dream?
Is mind different from body, or are we just simply physical beings?
How does science progress?
What is art?
Why is killing wrong?
Is killing wrong?
What justification is there for saying killing is wrong?
Is it wrong in every circumstance?
What do we mean by "wrong" anyway?
Euthanasia - is killing itself worse than letting die?
Is the world really as it appears to us?
How should we live?
Do we have genuine freedom of choice?
What is the mind?
Tuesday, 16 December 2008
may be your own...
If I tell you to put the bullet in your own head you probably wouldn't hesitate, but that would be too easy, wouldn't it?
In your hands...
If I tell you that your child needs a heart transplant and will die today this day without it, how do you feel?
Take a moment and really think about that because it can happen to anyone any day.
(there but for the grace of God...)
So I bring in a live child, maybe an orphan, maybe one of those foreign ones that celebrities like to adopt. I hand you a gun and tell you that if you put a bullet through this child's head then I will transplant the heart into your child.
What do you do?
Because, if they are truly honest, everyone would do it, without hesitation.
Take a moment and really think about that because it can happen to anyone any day.
(there but for the grace of God...)
So I bring in a live child, maybe an orphan, maybe one of those foreign ones that celebrities like to adopt. I hand you a gun and tell you that if you put a bullet through this child's head then I will transplant the heart into your child.
What do you do?
Because, if they are truly honest, everyone would do it, without hesitation.
What you wish for...
You see a family at a hospital, their child is dying because it needs a heart transplant. The parents go to the chapel and pray. They pray to God for a heart to become available for their child.
Then they hear a heart has just become available. The transplant goes ahead and the child is saved. The parents go back to the chapel praying and giving thanks to God for this miracle.
But.
For this "miracle" to happen, somebody else's child has to die.
Which makes you think - when you go into the chapel to pray for your miracle, what are you actually praying for?
And what kind of God answers?
Then they hear a heart has just become available. The transplant goes ahead and the child is saved. The parents go back to the chapel praying and giving thanks to God for this miracle.
But.
For this "miracle" to happen, somebody else's child has to die.
Which makes you think - when you go into the chapel to pray for your miracle, what are you actually praying for?
And what kind of God answers?
DNA
Wilson and Crick, who discovered DNA said they could see the hand of God, could see His work. They won the Nobel prize for this work, so that puts them as best to know.
This is not uncommon in science, with people like Stephen Hawking talking about the Mind of God in his work on Theoretical Physics.
Studying physics and DNA tells us that life can't be random, an accident. There has to be intelligent design behind it. Witnessing the true miracle of life we can come to really believe in God.
But look at cancer hospitals. A child is dying of cancer. Their parents go into the chapel, kneel and pray to God to save their child. And while they are in there their child dies. They come out and the doctor has to tell them the news.
So it then makes you think, why would God let that happen? Why would he put cancer inside the miracle that is DNA?
It' a question I continue to ask.
This is not uncommon in science, with people like Stephen Hawking talking about the Mind of God in his work on Theoretical Physics.
Studying physics and DNA tells us that life can't be random, an accident. There has to be intelligent design behind it. Witnessing the true miracle of life we can come to really believe in God.
But look at cancer hospitals. A child is dying of cancer. Their parents go into the chapel, kneel and pray to God to save their child. And while they are in there their child dies. They come out and the doctor has to tell them the news.
So it then makes you think, why would God let that happen? Why would he put cancer inside the miracle that is DNA?
It' a question I continue to ask.
Lucifer
THEORY
Another theory is that Lucifer, the Angel of Light, is actually the One True God, the Creator.
It was Jehovah who ran the insurrection, took over Heaven, and cast Lucifer and his angels into Hell.
That's why the world seems so back to front and nothing makes sense. That's why he cast Adam and Eve, God's most beloved creatures, out of Eden into a world filled with pain and suffering. All religions are arse-backwards and based on premises and concepts that have no reality in the real world, the physical and natural world. As we are coming to understand quantum physics and DNA we are coming to realise this.
Maybe the only people who really have it right are the Satanists.
Another theory is that Lucifer, the Angel of Light, is actually the One True God, the Creator.
It was Jehovah who ran the insurrection, took over Heaven, and cast Lucifer and his angels into Hell.
That's why the world seems so back to front and nothing makes sense. That's why he cast Adam and Eve, God's most beloved creatures, out of Eden into a world filled with pain and suffering. All religions are arse-backwards and based on premises and concepts that have no reality in the real world, the physical and natural world. As we are coming to understand quantum physics and DNA we are coming to realise this.
Maybe the only people who really have it right are the Satanists.
Judges
THEORY
Another theory is that God sent all kinds of Judges, Kings and saviours from David to Samson and His people kept turning away. So He does the best He can - sends His own son - and what do the humans do? They execute him.
After that God gave up on Earth and left us to the Devil. No more miracles, no more answered prayers, no more Messiahs.
Another theory is that God sent all kinds of Judges, Kings and saviours from David to Samson and His people kept turning away. So He does the best He can - sends His own son - and what do the humans do? They execute him.
After that God gave up on Earth and left us to the Devil. No more miracles, no more answered prayers, no more Messiahs.
God
THEORY
The war between good and evil, between God and The Devil is over and God lost.
That's why the world is the way it is - war, famine, suffering - why you have things like cancer and tornadoes and child abusers. This is Hell on Earth, literally - you live a short life of suffering and then you die and go to Hell.
All religions are lies except maybe Buddhism as the first noble truth of the buddha is that all life is suffering.
The war between good and evil, between God and The Devil is over and God lost.
That's why the world is the way it is - war, famine, suffering - why you have things like cancer and tornadoes and child abusers. This is Hell on Earth, literally - you live a short life of suffering and then you die and go to Hell.
All religions are lies except maybe Buddhism as the first noble truth of the buddha is that all life is suffering.
Top Ten Redheads
Everyone knows that gingers are not as attractive as their blonde and brunette counterparts. (eg Nicola in Girls Aloud)
However there are those that prove the exception to this rule. So we offer up the Top Ten hot redheads.
1. Lindsay Lohan
2. Rose McGowan
3. Nicole Kidman
4. Natasha Hamilton (Atomic Kitten)
5. Emma Cuniffe
6. Lily Cole
7. Allyson Hannigan (Willow in Buffy)
8. Geri Halliwell
9. Katherine Isobelle
10. Tori Amos
also rans (didn't make the top ten but in the running):
Julianne Moore
Claire from Manumission
Debra Messing (Grace)
Alicia Witt
Olivia Halliwell (Sugar Rush)
Tiffany
Nancy Travis
However there are those that prove the exception to this rule. So we offer up the Top Ten hot redheads.
1. Lindsay Lohan
2. Rose McGowan
3. Nicole Kidman
4. Natasha Hamilton (Atomic Kitten)
5. Emma Cuniffe
6. Lily Cole
7. Allyson Hannigan (Willow in Buffy)
8. Geri Halliwell
9. Katherine Isobelle
10. Tori Amos
also rans (didn't make the top ten but in the running):
Julianne Moore
Claire from Manumission
Debra Messing (Grace)
Alicia Witt
Olivia Halliwell (Sugar Rush)
Tiffany
Nancy Travis
Aliens
THEORY
We are the aliens.
You know how Britain used to send it's criminals to Australia, a distant island, and how that country is founded by convicts.
Well the civilised societies of the Galaxy found a little island right on the outer rim and sent them all here. We are the descendents of the insane troublemakers of the civilised galaxy.
We are the aliens.
You know how Britain used to send it's criminals to Australia, a distant island, and how that country is founded by convicts.
Well the civilised societies of the Galaxy found a little island right on the outer rim and sent them all here. We are the descendents of the insane troublemakers of the civilised galaxy.
Relativity
Put your hand on a hot stove and a second feels like an hour.
Put your hand on a hot woman and an hour feels like a second.
Put your hand on a hot woman and an hour feels like a second.
Relativity
Put your hand on a hot stove and a second feels like an hour.
Put your hand on a hot woman and an hour feels like a second.
Monday, 15 December 2008
One Door Away From Heaven
One door away from Heaven,
We live each day and hour.
One door away from Heaven,
But it lies beyond out power
To open the door to Heaven
And enter when we choose.
One door away from Heaven,
And the key is ours to lose.
One door away from Heaven,
But, oh, the entry dues
We live each day and hour.
One door away from Heaven,
But it lies beyond out power
To open the door to Heaven
And enter when we choose.
One door away from Heaven,
And the key is ours to lose.
One door away from Heaven,
But, oh, the entry dues
Counted Sorrows
Is the end of the world a coming?
Is that the Devil they hear humming?
Are those doomsday bells a ringing?
Is that the Devil they hear a singing?
Or are their dark fears exagerrated?
Are these doom-criers addlepated?
Those who fear the coming of all Hells
are those who should be feared themselves.
Is that the Devil they hear humming?
Are those doomsday bells a ringing?
Is that the Devil they hear a singing?
Or are their dark fears exagerrated?
Are these doom-criers addlepated?
Those who fear the coming of all Hells
are those who should be feared themselves.
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