No-Self Versus Selfless

(This post is not about something I know. It’s about something I’m chewing on. The words end up contradicting each other in some ways. But somewhere in those contradictions is an important truth. Warning: this is rambly and probably not always understandable. I’m also sure there are nuances that didn’t make it on the page. It’s a mess. Welcome to my mess.)

There’s this thing I’m learning in Tai Chi. It’s about concealing my physical center. Once my opponent finds my center, they can manipulate it. They can use it to force me to move where they want. They can drive into it with force and cause damage. So I practice concealing it. I know it is well hidden when I can’t feel it myself. Then I feel like I have no center. I feel like a ghost. That’s the word my Sifu used too last time I went to Push-hands class. He said I was a ghost. No-self. Good luck trying to push the wind. Before you arrive I have already gone. Everywhere you look, I am already gone. It comes and goes. It’s hard to keep it going more than a few seconds. I’ll get better with practice.

To attain this loss of self, you need to know exactly where your self is. Otherwise you’re like a child who hides by covering their own eyes. It doesn’t work at all. You have to find it before you can lose it. Where is it? What is its shape? What does it feel like when it’s discovered? You let it interact with things. You feel it bump into stuff and you say “There it is!”  Then you learn how to avoid bumping into stuff. When you no longer feel the bumps, then it feels like it’s missing. You have entered the flow. “Go with the flow” seems like a simple piece of advice, but it’s so hard to achieve in practice.

It is kind of a mystical subject, because you don’t really feel at peace when you’re always bumping into things. On the other hand, it can be scary to not bump into things because every time you do, there’s that feedback, “Here I am!” Without that confirmation are you still here? Are you still you? We label the feedback. Some of it is positive and some is negative. We try to bump into good stuff and avoid the bad stuff. We bump back, harder.

So, last Friday I was on the treadmill. I was learning to conceal my center while walking. Is my gait smooth? Or is it catching? If someone pushed me would they be able to link up the connections? I found more than one center. Sure there was the main one, but there were other smaller ones, also vulnerable to being pushed. I attempted to conceal those too.

Then I noticed Khunm observing me practice. We got into a conversation about how this relates to Names. In Kemeticism, we know that Names have power, and it’s good to keep yours concealed so that others do not have power over you. I pointed out that when my center is concealed, it reminds me of the Nun, of not having a Name. The Nun and the Nameless do not have a great affect on the world. Your Name also gives you power to act upon the world. That’s why it’s good to have one, even if it can be used against you. It’s leverage. It is good to know the shape of that Name and how it interacts with the world. When used properly, using it is as effortless as a well-fitted key turning a lock. It’s good to fade into the flow, but you also need to know when and how to use your gods’ given Name within the world.

We had talked earlier about how getting stuck causes damage. You tense up to avoid bumping into the bad thing. You grab and fight to hold on to the good thing. In both cases, your center is revealed and open to the incoming force. That which doesn’t bend will break. Resistance meets power equals heat, which can burn. He told me this as he examined the cracks and burns in my own shell. I need to pick my battles more wisely. I need to stop bumping into quite so many things. I need to use my Name for its intended purpose instead of using it like a dull rock to blindly bash into stuff. (Especially if I’m bashing myself!) Bashing into things is sometimes effective, but it’s also self-destructive. Planning a better angle of attack is usually more effective. In other words, it’s a sword, not a hammer, dipshit.

We hear about non-attachment and no-self and selflessness in context with spiritual things. Most of the time, I don’t think we really understand what those things mean. Selflessness has a connotation that you have given yourself away to someone else, maybe to your god, maybe to the people around you. I tried that with Ra. It didn’t work out very well. His Name then eclipsed mine, but my Name isn’t Ra. Something was lost in that exchange. My Name has value. Every Name has value. It is a thing created in the world that the world has need of. I might not understand that need, but who am I to judge? I don’t think that giving away the self to someone else, even a god, and thereby negating your Name is the real point here.

Non-attachment sounds like not caring about anything. It sounds like apathy. I don’t think that’s it either. My Name contains the ideas of love and hate within it. But do I have to own the things I love? Am I obligated to the things I hate? If someone loves or hates me, do they get to determine my reactions? All they have to do is say the magic words to steer me from my path or send me into a rage. Are my buttons that easy to push? Taking control of my own reactions doesn’t mean I don’t care. I will let my fear/love/hate/sadness pass through me. I don’t deny it exists. I just try not to get stuck. (People hate it when you don’t jump the way they expect when they try to push your buttons.) But no, it’s not apathy. I tried that before too. It was a mistake. You spend so long trying not to show emotion, and then you realize you’ve stopped feeling them too. Feel and release. That is non-attachment.

None of these things are easy. This is not just “think happy thoughts.” For some reason we respect physical effort and the development of physical skills, but we think that mental skills come automatically.  I have no idea where we got the idea that our minds are obedient little slaves that roll over whenever we read a new book or hear a new piece of advice. When has that ever worked??? Who started spreading that myth? Once the myth is debunked we go the other way and think, well my brain just does whatever it wants, so there’s no point in trying. These things I’m talking about here are skills. Skills are learned. Skills are practiced. Skills require time and effort. Practice does not make perfect. It makes small incremental improvements with a staggering series of backsliding. Also, your practice and your improvement aren’t going to look like everyone else’s. When it comes to sports, I don’t have to explain practice and differing ability and the relationship thereof. Those concepts don’t go out the window when we’re talking about the mind.

“So what were you seeking?” he asked.

“Divinity,” I told him.

But it’s still your boat.

Out of the Shallows

He called me shallow. Instead of rolling my eyes and ignoring him, I’ve tried to understand what he means. Among other things, I think it means that the work I need to do is going to be more below the surface. It means that my normal cleverness and logic will not be of much use.

It’s one of those things where we both know what it takes to get better, but there’s a large gap between knowing and doing. It’s like trying to float down a river, but your hull keeps getting stuck on things you can’t see. How do you solve that? Get down in the water and guide the boat while taking a chance with the river’s inhabitants? Dredge the river? Watch the water intently and try to decipher the subtle language of ripples and currents? Some of all three probably.  However it happens, you have to resign yourself to the idea that progress will not be as fast or as easy as it looks from above.

I’ve done shadow work before. I have a pretty good idea of what’s hiding in this particular river. I’m even pretty good at swimming. I’m used to the unnerving screech of submerged branches against the hull. I cringe, reposition my weight, and keep going, while hoping that the scratches weren’t too bad this time. All in a day’s work, right?

Every obstacle we get past is one less in the way. With that attitude I can almost look forward to them. That doesn’t mean that getting over one sand bar means sandbars are defeated forever. I guarantee there will be more. But that one, on that day, is over.

But there is more to this than defeating the negatives. The more water there is, the easier it is to navigate. We’re less likely to get stuck on every little thing. We pray for rain. We try to keep the boat in good shape. We practice and build up our skills. We look at the map and take note of what progress has been made. We learn to appreciate the river itself.

He told me to cut my hair short. I used to associate putting my hair up with getting things done. Now it’s always up. He told me to build virtual homes and landscapes. I always put gardens in. I don’t think it matters what it looks like or who sees it. Embedding the concept of building in my subconscious is what he’s after. Life, beauty, light and shadow. What do I create? What do I want? What do I need? How do I start over again? (We seem to be going for the benevolent mad wizard aesthetic.)

I managed to get Clifford off the cliff and into the boat. I have a feeling that if I can get him to reestablish his place in the Duat it will end up being both freaky and fun. Expect gardens, and fire, and water, and probably some bending of the laws of  physics.

The Dance

Don’t invite anyone in unless you know for sure you can trust them, obviously.

I go to my room and shut the door. I turn the music on and take my place. My eyes are closed. I listen to the music beat. I hear the notes call, but I don’t move.

I remain still. I wait for him to understand my patience.

I feel his breath within me, small and quiet. I listen.

Slowly, my hands move. Slowly, he listens to the music’s call.

Everything is small, as listening turns to understanding. The music begs me to move, but we do not rush. We wait, for hands to float, for hips to sway. We ride upon the music together.

Then we dance.

His body talks about the burning sun and sand. I see the adobe houses. He does not take No for an ending. I feel him call for the black earth to grow underneath them. He dances for the people. He dances for their arts and livelihood.

The music changes. I see feathers on his arms. He flows with white fire. He hears her call. He listens and responds with life and hope.

Now it moves faster. The fire grows hot and the hunt begins.

My muscles shaking and trembling I collapse on the bed. I drink water. Then I return to the floor.

The music has changed again. “This one is yours, Lunatic. Show me.”

I trade the tightly controlled movements that made my legs shake for something freer. I move around swiftly with no real reason or care. I dance about my frustrations, uncertainties, and doubts. I dance out my love and my worries, and can I ever make it right? I want to make him understand what it’s like on this side.

Then it’s over. I lay on the bed and stare at the ceiling. I know my muscles will be sore. That will be my offering, as if the entire thing wasn’t already an offering. As if my every day of living wasn’t an offering. I feel him wrap his wings around me. Until next time.

Chop Vegetables, Build with Water

I’ve been spending time with Clifford lately. Clifford is not his real name, but I needed something to call him. Clifford is the big one. He’s my life’s work, or maybe I am his. He was the first Heru I ever met, Heru-on-the-cliff. He is a branch off of Heru-sa-Aset, who became Horus, who became that broken mess of a god who watched it all fall down and drown under tons of blowing sand. What good is a king when the country is gone? The Apocalypse has already happened as far as he’s concerned. Of all the great and mighty gods out there, how did I end up with this one? That’s a stupid question. Remember the post about shards? Mine came from Clifford. If I was in it for the ego boost, I really should have “chosen” someone else.

What am I going to do with Clifford? What is he going to do with me? I invited him into my house (More like kidnapped and dragged back, but he let me do it.) awhile back, and I remember seeing him there, dressed in casual jeans and a button down shirt with his dark curly hair, chopping vegetables at the counter. He seemed quiet and interested in grounding himself in mundane tasks. What was he thinking?

I jumped inside his head recently. The clothes, the vegetables, they were just empty gestures, but he wanted to appear “normal.” His mind was deep and quiet, and not very human. (It was this same inaction and passivity that allowed me to drag him away from his cliff. He didn’t lift a finger to stop me.) He saw me desperately flailing around, trying to fix things while having no idea what the hell I was doing. He thought I was a lunatic, but that wasn’t necessarily meant as an insult. I caught on to his word game. Lunatic came from “moon sick,” being affected by the phases of the moon. Heru’s wounded, and healed, left eye is also the moon. I see what you did there.

He also said that my thoughts and ambitions were too shallow. Too shallow how? He saw me as this chaotic flash of colors near the surface, while he sat below the ground like the giant magma chamber under Yellowstone. Up here on the surface, all we’re able to see is the occasional plume of steam. (To think that I “dragged” him anywhere! Ha!)

So answer me this, if the gods were there the whole time, biding their time underground, then what’s with the whole depression act, Clifford? Obviously I’m still missing something.

We’ve been dealing with themes of destruction of home and rebuilding. He can’t go back to his wasteland because I planted trees there and told him not to go back. He remodeled my apartment, and I’ve been having trouble getting back there. Fair is fair I guess, but there’s more to it than that. He wants me to explore these lessons further. I started playing Landmark again, which is a building game like Minecraft, but with better graphics. I had been working on an ocean resort, but then he told me to delete it and start again somewhere else. He wants me to practice this. Build, destroy and build again. Another place, another cliff, this time with a waterfall. More green, more gardens. Playing with light and shadow. Why destroy? He doesn’t want me to get attached to the wrong things. The right things will come back in the next build. What is worth rebuilding and what isn’t? We’ll study this together.

Momma Aset

“You are insane, my son. I’ve always known that,” she told me.

It was a relief to hear her say so. I waste so much effort pretending not to be, especially to myself. “It’s all fun and games until somebody loses an I.” I don’t know where that quote originated, but I’ve seen it floating around and it always seems relevant.

My “I” is not very strong. Maybe that’s not completely true. When I complained about being weak, she argued. Afterall, I am still here. I just have other, stronger priorities. When I open my heart to discover what it really wants, I find the Netjer, ALL of Them. It is a love that is too big for my body. It is too big for my “I.” I inhale Ra’s fire and I want to bring that warmth to all of them. Then I ask, “What’s that burning smell? Oh, right, it’s me.” Aset cools me. She cares more about my “I” than I do. I cannot and do not want to live without them. Somewhere in my soul is a memory of that nightmare when they faded from sight. Die for them? Kill for them? Whore myself out? Why not?

But Aset says no. At least, not that first one.

Back in college I had a dream where I was at a party. We were celebrating Gandhi’s enlightenment and ascension. I found him sitting alone on a blanket and he looked sad. I asked him what was wrong. He said, “My mother won’t let me die.” No ascension for you then. I understood how he felt. There was the story of Aset and baby Heru when he was poisoned. She stopped the sun in the sky to make him live. I imagined Horus in those later years watching his family fade away and secretly hating her for the magic that would not allow him to join them. “My mother commanded me to live,” he told me.

But they’re not gone. I can feel them. This new seedling is small, and I don’t know if it will live, but that is how all seedlings begin. It seems healthy and that gives me hope.

Aset loves me in the same way that I love Them. Years ago, I prayed to a winged blue goddess. Part of me knew it looked like her. Part of me wasn’t willing to admit the connection, so I called her by a made up name. I kneeled before her with my fist over my heart. I told her everything. When nothing else in my life made sense, I knew that the blue goddess loved me.

When the sunlight burns too hot, she cools me. Ra is the crown and Aset is the throne. I am not myself without either of them. She asked me to wear her pendant so she could keep me cool. The necklace broke a few weeks ago. I replaced it with another one with a falcon head. Wasn’t it time for my own god to take care of me? Wasn’t it time for me to take care of myself? Meanwhile, my energy started running wild again. Sunrise felt like torture in a way that it hadn’t in a while. I’m wearing Aset’s pendant now. I thought I could handle it on my own. I tried covering my heart, denying it. I wanted to pretend that “I” was strong enough. But, I’m not. I still need her. She lets me follow my heart. She helps me handle Ra’s fire without tearing myself apart.

So Mom, what do you think? Can we do this? Will you show me how to breathe fire without tearing myself apart? Can we keep them warm?

In Gods We Trust (?)

Lately it seems that trust in deities has become a hot topic. Should you trust your gods completely? Should you work on your negotiating skills and (try to) read the fine print? Should you not trust at all because they’ll probably screw you over no matter what you do? These are not easy questions to answer.

Most of us carry on with the belief that deities both care about us and know more than we do. Like parents, they may ask us to do things that we don’t like, but they do so with a greater understanding of the world we live in and the possible consequences of our action or inaction.

Then we must wonder if our assumptions are true. Do they really know what is best? Do they really have our best interests at heart, or only their own? Even if both of these are thought to be true, the way in which the gods present the relevant information, or no information at all can try the patience of a saint.

What is a mortal follower to do?

I’ve heard plenty of stories about followers being tricked by their deities into one thing or another. I also hear that most, but not all, of these stories work out for the best in the end. Maybe the deity really did know what they were doing. Maybe they really did have the followers best interests at heart as they led them across the metaphorical hot coals. I also hear that communication is a huge issue, that if the deity had actually explained and asked nicely first, things would have been different and less bitter. “Perfect love and perfect trust” sounded like a nice idea back when I was starting out, but in actual practice it doesn’t seem very practical.

I have been all around the map on this issue with my experiences with Ra. He hurt me badly years ago, without asking first, without any explanation, and while I was actively screaming at him to stop. I hurt myself while trying to fight him off. And yet, to this day, without a direct explanation from him, I go back and forth between calling it abuse of the worst sort, and thinking that maybe he had a good and justifiable reason for it. It actually is possible that he thought he was helping. Maybe he actually was helping. The only thing he has ever said on the subject was, “The Thunder Beings made you strong enough to accept my gift.” Frying me from the inside out was a gift? Maybe it was, but damn it hurt.

Needless to say, this led to a huge ball of trust issues. He kept asking me if I trusted him. He wanted me to trust him. Nope. Couldn’t do it. I could work with him. I felt obligated to because I swore an oath sooner than I should have and without fully thinking it through. Well actually, I went ahead with the oath because it felt like he already owned me so what difference could it make? The difference is that I didn’t feel comfortable just walking out when I really wanted to.

In the process of working with him, I learned more about him. I understood him more. I understood both his strengths and his failings. He really believed that I could do good and amazing things and he wanted to help me do them. I realized that he did not have a good grasp of what my limitations were. I also realized that I really wanted someone to follow who validated me, and I was slower to say no than I should have been. What good is a safeword if you don’t know when to say it? Not that we had one of those. The god did care about me, but he didn’t understand me as well as I thought. Still I opened up to him. I let him in more and more. I tried to overcome my misgivings. That didn’t end well.

Now I’m giving it another try. He knows that if he screws up again I will leave. Heru will back me up. Djehuty will back me up. It’s good to have powerful friends in these circumstances. Certain things are not his to touch. I had to decide what those things were. I had to stick to them even when I wanted to surrender again like I used to, because doing that would not help either of us.

And now, after the lines have been drawn, now that I know he will be held to those lines, now that I feel confident enough in my own judgement to defend those lines, now I trust him. You see, it wasn’t just about him behaving himself. It was also about me not giving away more than I could afford to give. It also helps that there are others who can step in if something goes wrong. I trust him more now than I did before, because I’ve made a decision about what he can have and what he can’t. I’m not going to offer everything and then feel betrayed when he takes it.

Relationships like these are complicated. I’m not judging anyone for how theirs has turned out. I’m not saying that drawing lines in the sand will solve everything. It probably won’t. My solution was a bit more complex than I’ve laid out here, and I have no idea what it will look like a year from now. Will it actually work? I don’t know. He does have the power to screw me over again if he so chooses, lines or no lines. The difference is that now, I’m more likely to trust that he won’t.

I’m actually pretty excited about working with him again, because despite our past issues, I still think he’s pretty awesome.


Rapsyn protein helps our brain,muscles to talk

| Updated: Nov 29, 2016 17:55 IST

Washington D.C. [USA], Nov. 29 (ANI): A protein helps our brain to convey orders to muscles and body, find a study published in the journal Neuron. The protein believed to help anchor that city of receptors also helps ensure their formation and function and slow their degradation. The finding provides new insight into how diseases, such as muscular dystrophy, that disconnect brain and body occur, as it points to novel treatment targets, said neuroscientist Dr. Lin Mei. Mei is chairman of the Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Neuroscience and corresponding author of the study. The protein is rapsyn, and the receptors are for acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that motor neurons release to activate our muscle cells. Rapsyn is made by our muscle cells and considered a sort of biological anchor that interacts with the acetylcholine receptors to ensure that they are optimally positioned for our muscles to receive orders from our brain. "For precise, efficient synapse function, the receptors have to be extremely highly concentrated at exactly the right place," Mei said. The connection, or synapse, the cells form is called the neuromuscular juncture. During development, neurons in the spinal cord reach out to muscle cells to form this direct line of communication. To make that connection, neurons release the protein agrin, which reaches out to LRP4, a protein on the muscle cell surface. This activates MuSK, an enzyme that supports the clustering of receptors on the muscle cell surface that will enable communication. Now Mei and his collaborators have shown that rapsyn does not just help hold these receptors in place on the muscle cell, but also functions as an enzyme to help drive the formation of the neuromuscular juncture through a process called neddylation. In fact, agrin and MuSK also aid this neddylation. The newly discovered action occurs in one of three domains, or parts, of rapsyn called RING, whose specific function was previously unknown. Rapsyn's classic scaffolding function is in another portion; a third portion has a still unknown role. The RING finding is a bit of a surprise since in biology anchor proteins like rapsyn typically don't have this enzymatic activity. "This anchor is active," Mei said. In fact, this is the synapse brain protein found that appears to have both these essential jobs with receptors. It was known that there's a lot of rapsyn near the acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular juncture and there is fairly constant turnover of both. The new finding indicates that rapsyn helps ensure plenty of receptors are always present in this dynamic environ. Rapsyn mutations that result in receptors not clustering or functioning properly likely contribute to a wide range of muscle weakness seen in muscular dystrophy, Mei said. This includes congenital myasthenic syndrome, which most often affects facial muscles and may first show up as drooping eyelids. Even before the function of the RING portion was known, others had found that defects or deletions specifically in this portion of rapsyn cause human fetuses to be stillborn, likely because of their inability to breathe, said Mei, a dramatic indicator of the domain's essential role in development of the nerve-muscle connection. Mice cannot survive without the enzymatic action of rapysn, the MCG scientists have shown. "Fundamentally, it provides a novel mechanism for synapse formation," Mei said. "Translationally, by identifying this novel enzymatic activity, presumably, you could develop a therapeutic way to make it more active." They still have plenty of questions, like if rapsyn also changes the function of the receptors, as Mei suspects. They also want to see if mutations in these other parts of rapsyn impact the enzymatic role of the RING domain, since there is evidence that mutations in other portions also can lead to deadly breathing problems. The scientists also are pursuing the function of the third rapsyn portion. And that's only the tip of the iceberg and a clue, Mei theorizes, to also take a look at anchor proteins throughout the body, including the brain itself. He is already looking at classic anchoring proteins, such as PSD-95, in the neuron-to-neuron connections, for any evidence of enzymatic activity -- and potential new therapeutic targets --there.(ANI)


9 Signs Your Childhood May Have Damaged You Emotionally & Affected Your Future Relationships

Everyone has a past, but if you're struggling with childhood trauma well into adulthood, it could signify a greater issue, especially when it comes to your relationships. The effects of childhood on future relationships can be pretty strong, so unless there's some sort of resolution, you might be faced with some nasty consequences, holding you back from finding love, acceptance, and growth.

As a certified health coach, I work with clients on feeling their absolute best selves, where they can feel comfortable and satisfied in their present and future relationships. A first step towards having this mindset is by overcoming any obstacles in your path, and those can often be found from childhood memories or the past. If you're noticing any limitations from things that happened when growing up, it's a good idea to speak with a therapist to address them and try and find an inner peace to move on. Once you've let go, you'll be able to focus all your energy on your present and future self, and be open to more that life has to offer (especially when it comes to friendship and love). Here are 9 signs your childhood damaged you for your future relationships.

1. You Have An Insecure Attachment Style To Parents

According to Mandy Kopplers, CBT therapist, over email with Bustle, if you grew up with an insecure attachment style, you'll be more phobic of relationships and restless. "Adults with insecure attachments tend to be emotionally volatile in relationships. Some even develop personality disorders with very rigid, black and white thinking about relationships and others. There are no grey areas and this has usually developed to compensate for fear of rejection or abandonment. Those with an insecure attachment tend to be hyper vigilant to any possible forms of rejection and/or abandonment," Kopplers adds.

2. You Make Present Day Decisions Based On Past Labels

"After being diagnosed with a debilitating illness, I discovered a great deal about myself. The main discovery was that I was making life decisions based on labels that were given to me, or that I accepted, in my youth," says LeeAnne Mendenhall, CPC over email with Bustle. "After shredding those labels, I was able to change my life completely and am currently blissfully happy with my new life," Mendenhall says.

3. You Can't Trust

According to Kimberly Hershenson, LMSW, over email with Bustle, if you can't trust in new relationships, it could mean you're holding onto issues from the past. "If you are afraid to open up to others, always afraid your partner is cheating on you and don't believe others when they tell you things these are all signs of trust issues. Instead, reframe from checking a partner's computer or phone for 'evidence' and try and be vulnerable with just one person in your life and see how that feels," Hershenson says.

4. You Are Mean To Others

"You put others down - when you're feeling anxious or upset you automatically start putting others down," says Hershenson. "This is a defense mechanism in order to make others 'feel as bad as you.' Instead, leave the room and try a deep breathing exercise to calm yourself down before lashing out," Hershenson recommends.

5. You Get Defensive To People

"If you say or do something wrong you don't apologize or if your friend is upset with, and you can't talk it out without getting defensive," it's a sign, says Hershenson. "Acknowledge what your part was (even if it was simply upsetting your friend) and discuss what you could do differently in the future," Hershenson recommends.

6. You Are The One Who Always Leaves

If you're always leaving relationships or withdrawing, it could mean you're stuck in the past from a childhood trauma, explains Elisabeth Manning, a fertile life coach, over email with Bustle. "If you look for reasons to leave, and you are always the one to break up consistently, it becomes a pattern," Manning says. This might be, "because you were abandoned by dad so subconsciously you need to abandon first, so as not to experience that pain of being left behind again."

7. You Demand Too Much From People

If this happens, "you weren't seen and honored as a child," says Manning. "You were cast aside or treated as a burden, and this unmet longing causes deep wounding that puts enormous pressure on not only a future partner but in future children as well," Manning advises.

8. You Can't Be Yourself

If you feel uneasy expressing your own thoughts and being your own type of person, it could mean you never got that acceptance you needed from childhood and are still looking for approval, says Manning. A sign: "You can't express your true feelings or even be yourself because you never had a real parent child relationship that encouraged exchange of feelings, or you were shut down or in an authoritarian parent child relationship," Manning notes.

9. Your Parent Had A Mental Illness

While this isn't always the case, if a parent had a mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, when you were growing up, you might've been exposed to volatile emotions or a tough, rocky atmosphere, and those could have repercussions, explains Diane Dweller, author of Mom, Mania, and Me, Surviving and Changing a Volatile Relationship over email with Bustle.

Click here to buy.

If you notice any of these emotions or behaviors in your relationships, or they resonate with your childhood, consider seeking a therapist for help overcoming these obstacles.


- Rare Handcrafts
Manual winding

Table clock with flinqué enamel. As a tribute to the circular course of a clocks hands and the rotation of wheels in movements, Patek Philippe has created a new type of table clock with an interplay of circles and rounds. It is a perfect manifestation of the Bauhaus principle that form follows function: beautifully orchestrated reliefs and dancing lights in  blue hues. Dial: 53.33 mm. 2017.

This watch has been added to your wishlist

Manual winding

Manual winding

Overall diameter: 38.65 mm. Height: 3.8 mm. Bridges: 8. Jewels: 20. Power reserve: 50 h max.. Balance: Plain with screws. Frequency: 18 000 semi-oscillations per hour (2.5 Hz). Spiral: Breguet. Hallmark: Patek Philippe Seal.

Patek Philippe: The Authorized Biography by Nicholas Foulkes

Savoir faire

Rare Handcrafts

Since the 1600s, Geneva has been a center of excellence for rare handcrafts, and throughout its own history, Patek Philippe has flown the flag for the artisans and their incredible work.


Research output

Article in Journal ()

Are sex ratio distorting endosymbionts responsible for mating system variation among dance flies (Diptera: Empidinae)?

Murray RL, Herridge EJ, Ness RW & Bussiere L (2017) Are sex ratio distorting endosymbionts responsible for mating system variation among dance flies (Diptera: Empidinae)?, PLoS ONE, 12 (6), Art. No.: e0178364.

Maternally inherited bacterial endosymbionts are common in many arthropod species. Some endosymbionts cause female-biased sex ratio distortion in their hosts that can result in profound changes to a host's mating behaviour and reproductive biology. Dance flies (Diptera: Empidinae) are well known for their unusual reproductive biology, including species with female-specific ornamentation and female-biased lek-like swarming behaviour. The cause of the repeated evolution of female ornaments in these flies remains unknown, but is probably associated with female-biased sex ratios in individual species. In this study we assessed whether dance flies harbour sex ratio distorting endosymbionts that might have driven these mating system evolutionary changes. We measured the incidence and prevalence of infection by three endosymbionts that are known to cause female-biased sex ratios in other insect hosts (Wolbachia, Rickettsia and Spiroplasma) across 20 species of dance flies. We found evidence of widespread infection by all three symbionts and variation in sex-specific prevalence across the taxa sampled. However, there was no relationship between infection prevalence and adult sex ratio measures and no evidence that female ornaments are associated with high prevalences of sex-biased symbiont infections. We conclude that the current distribution of endosymbiont infections is unlikely to explain the diversity in mating systems among dance fly species. ©2017 Murray et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

AuthorsMurray Rosalind L, Herridge Elizabeth J, Ness Rob W, Bussiere Luc
Publication date13/06/2017
Publication date online13/06/2017
Date accepted by journal11/05/2017
PublisherPublic Library of Science
ISSN 1932-6203

Plos one: Volume 12, Issue 6 (2017)

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Article in Journal

Human mating strategies: from past causes to present consequences (Forthcoming/Available Online)

Marzoli D, Havlicek J & Roberts SC (2017) Human mating strategies: from past causes to present consequences (Forthcoming/Available Online), Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science.

In both humans and nonhuman animals, mating strategies represent a set of evolutionary adaptations aimed at promoting individual fitness by means of reproduction with the best possible partners. Given this critical role, mating strategies influence numerous aspects of human life. In particular, between-sex divergence in the intensity of intrasexual competition could account for robust cross-cultural sex differences in psychology and behavior (e.g., personality, psychiatric disorders, social behavior, violence). Several other factors (including individual differences, relationship type and environment) affect—in an evolutionarily consistent manner—variation in mating strategy that individuals pursue (as one example, awareness of one's own attractiveness impinges on mating standards). Here we provide an overview of relevant theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence on variation in mating strategies. Given its multifaceted nature and intense research interest over several decades, this is a challenging task, and we highlight areas where further investigation is warranted in order to achieve a clearer picture and resolve apparent inconsistencies. However, we suggest that addressing outstanding questions using a variety of different methodological approaches, a deeper understanding of the cognitive representations involved in mating strategies is within reach.

StatusIn press
AuthorsMarzoli Daniele, Havlicek Jan, Roberts S Craig
Publication date online14/09/2017
Date accepted by journal14/08/2017
ISSN 1939-5078

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science

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Faculty and Staff Mentoring

Faculty and Staff Mentors

The DRIVEN Scholars Program utilizes a comprehensive advising model to promote academic success for underrepresented minority students.  DRIVEN Scholars participate in intensive cohort-based activities over four years. Individually, students are encouraged to meet yearly milestones for student engagement and successful learning.  Benefits to students include formal assignment of an auxiliary advisor, priority access to events and activities, connections to scholarships,  awards and internships, and mentorship opportunities.

The purpose of Faculty/Staff mentoring is to provide support and encouragement to students of color through facilitated relationships.  Your participation will help our sophomore DRIVEN Scholars achieve success and satisfaction as members of our academic community, while maintaining high rates of retention.  We intend for these one-on-one relationships to enhance the academic and social experience of students of color who contribute to diversity on campus.

Objectives of our Faculty/Staff Mentor Program include:

•Enabling students to hear and learn about academics and life from the accumulated wisdom of our faculty and staff;

• Helping students develop the personal confidence to make their unique contribution to the academic and social life of UW-Platteville;

•Giving students insight into the challenges and rewards of higher education during and after their UW-Platteville careers, including the possibility of earning a doctorate and teaching on the college level; and

•Further increasing student satisfaction with their education.

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Thunder Lamp LED High Bay Can Cure Vegetables

Under the rows of led high bay , the watermelons are growing well to the size of almost a fist already. According to the staff, “LED Lights can adjust the flowering and fruiting time of plants. At the same time, the usage of pesticide is reduced since most insects are afraid of LED Lighting . Moreover, it’s easier for plants to absorb carbon dioxygen in the air without using chemical fertilizer.”

It is a highlight in the exhibition center to use “Thunder” LED lighting to cure vegetables. The green house area at the spot is distributed with electric wires which can stimulate natural phenomenon such as thunder and lighting. The concept of physical agriculture is to improve quality and production yield of farm products and reduce the time of growing period by creating a pollution free environment for agriculture products.

The physical agriculture is certainly a future trend. And this is the first domestic exhibition on physical agriculture. The agriculture products can stay away from pesticide by simply turn on LED light fixture without chemical fertilizer; and by opening the electric field equipment in the greenhouse area, the smart “Thunder” can fertilize and remove haze in a natural way…

Source: http://www.elitesemicon.com/newsone.asp?t1=972


Sunday, 21 May 2017

Book Review: Historic Coaching Inns of the Great North Road - Roger Protz

Book Review:
Historic Coaching Inns of the Great North Road - Roger Protz

I'm a sucker for old inns and I don't mind admitting it. The anticipation of approaching, the resolute beauty of the exterior and, crossing the threshold, the palpable sense of history as I join the ranks of patrons that have enjoyed the hospitality within the self same walls through centuries past.

All human life has frequented inns through the ages, from paupers and beggars to kings and queens, from murderers and thieves to bishops and knights of virtue, itinerant traders, drovers, servants, writers and politicians, each seeking companionship, solace, sustenance, warmth and rest according to their needs. Inns have been court rooms, prisons, breweries, brothels, meeting rooms, places to plot, plan, philosophise and ponder life's mysteries, as well as providing inspiration and material for playwrights, poets and authors. The stories their walls could tell are many and varied, from joyful and jubilant to morbid and melancholy with every emotion inbetween. This is what I find so fascinating about them, this is why I love them and this is the reason I visit them. For me, surprisingly, a good beer is a bonus, and whilst not essential it often means that I spend longer soaking up the atmosphere than I had perhaps intended.

When CAMRA sent me this book to review I had a feeling of both anticipation and trepidation. The subject matter had obvious appeal, but I wanted to be taken on a journey of imagination along an ancient road, touching on history enough to peak my curiosity, while also providing just enough of a contemporary review that I'd long to explore these places for myself. A tough ask maybe, but fortunately this, on the whole, is exactly what this book delivers.

Those of you that have read some of the many books that Roger Protz has written will be familiar with his narrative style and he sets the scene and historical context that lead to the rise and demise of the coaching inn, before setting off from London to Edinburgh on a journey that follows the old Great North Road, similar in the most part to the route of the  A1/A1M, but taking in the towns and cities that the modern road now bypasses so as not to inconvenience today's road users. The chapters are written in stages so that it isn't a monotonous list of inns, and these are interspersed with jolly asides on subjects relating to coaches, highwaymen (and women), and road builders, as well as providing guidance to other places of interest in the area of each stop. It's clear to see that this was a genuine journey and an enjoyable one at that.

As you would expect in a CAMRA book the beer available in each is mentioned, but this is more in passing rather than a dominating factor, and it's not only real ale that gets a nod, although it is most certainly available in every inn that has an entry here. I would have liked a signpost to other coaching inns in the area that don't carry cask beer but that is purely a personal indulgence and in no way a criticism, it just means that I'll have to do a little background reading if I visit these places so as not to miss out on an historical gem.

I confess to have already visited many of the inns written about here, the Dukes Head in Highgate, the George in Stamford, the Angel and Royal in Grantham and the Olde Starre in York being particular favourites, and am pleased that I feel the same about each as Roger does, finding his insights both interesting and insightful.

If this book has a fault it is that, for me it doesn't go deep enough into the area and history of each place and how it related to the coaching era but this isn't really it's purpose, and that I find some of the picture placement a little confusing as the inn exterior tends to be shown at the end of the piece next to the following entry. What it does provide however is enough of a starting point to pique your curiosity should you have any interest in coaching inns, historical buildings, or are just in search of a beer related diversion.

This isn't the definitive book on the subject, at some 192 pages you would not expect it to be, but it is the ideal book to pack in your glove box or back pack should you wish to set off on a journey of discovery into this country's past and the history of beer and travel.

Historic Coaching Inns of the Great North Road by Roger Protz is published by the Campaign for Real Ale Limited and is available through CAMRA books with a registered retail price of £12.99 although with a little shopping around you should be able to get it cheaper than that. I've already mentioned that this book was sent to me for to review for free, and even though I confessed my love of inns in my opening sentence if it was awful I wouldn't have hesitated in saying so. It's not, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

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62,187 Pages

Island of Horror was an original comic strip in the pages of the 1979 Dalek annual. In it, the ADF's Joel Shaw and Mark Seven uncovered a diabolical Dalek plot to cause human mutation on a secluded island off the coast of Japan.

Summary Edit

When Karl Martin is found in the fishing nets of a Japanese trawler, Mark Seven and Joel Shaw are stunned. What, they wonder, is the pre-eminent scientist doing in the waters off the coast of Japan? Although Martin is not able to communicate his thoughts to the ADF agents, he is concealing a picture of a Dalek on his person.

This sends Shaw and Seven off on a trip to the Pacific Ocean to search for an artificial island that shouldn't exist. When they find the island — which doesn't appear on any map — they discover that it's a secret base of the Daleks. Their plan during this invasion of Earth is to kidnap the world's brightest minds and turn them into psychopaths.

Unhappy that their scheme has been discovered, the Daleks secure the ADF agents and prepare to experiment on them. Before the tests can begin, however, the captain of the ADF submarine opens fire on the Dalek island. The boys take the explosions as their cue to leave. They hop in the water and swim out to the submarine just in time to take in the sight of the island completely ablaze.

Characters Edit

References Edit

to be added

Notes Edit

to be added

Continuity Edit

to be added

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The Bigs (360) – Initial Impressions

I’m not a huge sports game fanatic.  I’ll play golf games like Hot Shots and Tiger Woods, but generally the major pro sports games are interesting but generally have the problem of being too realistic and too slow.  I did get the MLB07 game and it looks great, but again, there’s a huge time investiment to play a game.

Enter “The Bigs”, which is still based on major league baseball (though you start in the minors) but removes some parts and adds others to make it a great pick up and go arcade game.   You don’t wait between pitches to repitch (speeding up that process), and as there’s less focus on making the game presentation like a TV presentation, there’s few if any cuts to celebrations or replays that MLB07 has.  Pitching and batting are simplified significantly.  For pitching, you have 4 pitches and you set where you want them to go; how well they are thrown is set by a meter.  Should you miss the target area, there’s a good chance the batter will hit it, and if it’s a successful hit or worse, you’ll lose some ability on that pitch eventually making it unavailable.  Batting is basically swinging at the right time (but not worrying about area as long as it’s in the strike zone) and directing where you want the ball to go.  Both batting and pitching can active a power shot that boosts that one pitch, the power earned by making successful strikes and outs and hits.  I’m still working out trying to win a game in the career mode, but I’m getting close to that point, and it only takes maybe 15 minutes for the game.

I haven’t tried out all the modes, but there is a mode called “Home Run Pinball” where you are playing in Times Square in New York City; a pitcher repeated pitches balls to you, and you want to hit them to hit signs and other features in the Square to get points.  You keep playing until you miss so many pitches, so it’s a matter of aiming for a high score.  It’s a very simple addition to the game but it definitely is one of the fun aspects of the game.


My eulogy at 40

John Alie McConnell: July 9, 1976 — March 9, 2017

We gather today to celebrate a life well lived. The life of John Alie McConnell. A father who took great care to try to teach his children all the things they would otherwise not learn in school. He taught patience and caring and how to love yourself first above all others so that you can provide more love overall. He was a kind man with a huge heart, despite dealing with anger and self-worth issues for half of his life. He was known to stop in the middle of what he was doing to help someone out, no matter the smallness of scale.
He once picked up a homeless man in Atlanta and over the course of many hours and miles was able to help this man reconnect with a lost sum of money floating in the nether. He took this man in for a meal and a long conversation at Subway despite the sneering looks from other customers. He brought him to Walmart so that this man could purchase the bare necessities of life. Even though John had his doubts about the man from time to time he would be constantly surprised that this man purchased only the most important things a man who didn’t know where he would sleep next would need. He watched intently as this man ran through the aisles grabbing mostly travel sized shampoos and soaps, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and headphones; all items in pink if possible. Upon seeing mostly pink items he asked the man why pink and the response was purely genius: “people don’t steal your stuff if it is pink, they just leave it alone”. The travels across many miles, ultimately ending in Nashville, taught both of them lifelong lessons. To John, that’s what life was all about, learning lifelong lessons and sharing that knowledge with someone who might need it.
John brought a sense of happiness into this world through his thoughtful attention where it mattered most. He listened. He listened to everyone around him. He took in all the inputs and eventually, after long pauses of silence, compiled a very insightful response which would spark further insightful questioning. He was, in the latter half of his life, an avid reader of all sorts of books. One thing he did with his children was to constantly ask what they were reading and how they were impacting the world around them daily. Despite a turbulent marriage he never really gave up on his former wife Vanessa. He never really spoke down about her as some divorcees would do. He still tried to support and inspire her even when it was unwanted. He tried to be the best person he could be in the short amount of time on this planet he had. He used to read a lot of Stoic phylosophy among other things. The likes of Seneca and Marcus Aurelius come to mind. He was always trying to connect the dots of phillosophy, chemistry, biology, math, psychology, philanthropy, business, and happiness in order to figure out the magical answers to the question many of us ponder from time to time: what is the meaning of it all? He strived to inspire those around him even if he himself was not consistently living up to the same standards.
John had a couple mantras he tried so hard to live by. The most prevalent were:
“I love myself” something he would say to himself at various points in the day. Something he learned from Kamal Ravikant after a short interaction between them on twitter.
“Life is long, if you know how to use it” from Seneca “On the Shortness of Life”. A book he stumbled across while expanding his horizons and learning from Tai Lopez.
“Look for the magic in everyone and everything around you. If you don’t see the magic, be the magic (the second part interpreted by John)” Gleaned from Adam Robinson, whom he later became lifelong friends with after discovering him through a Tim Ferris podcast.
“The Serenity Prayer” or a variation of which he adopted into his daily prayer before meals. John was not a religious man but he was very spiritual. He used this prayer, made famous through any 12 step program for healing, as his anchor in life, giving thanks for all he had in life and all he lost as well. The good times and the bad. Here is his prayer in his own words:
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. Take care of my people all over the world and make sure they are good. Give me strength, humbleness, and humility and forgive me for my sins. Thank you for the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the ins and outs, the peaks and valleys, the plateaus and the pinnacles. Thank you for the people you bring into my life and the ones you take out of my life. The opportunities you bless me with every day to improve my life and the lives of those around me.”
And of course the tattoo he got of the Japanese Kanji symbol for the color white with the words “Momento Mori”. The white being the absence of or the void. The space in between where important things linger. The words “Momento Mori” he said to a lot of people to remind them that no matter what we do in this life, we all will die eventually. He loved this ancient latin quote because it reminded him that the choices he made everyday were his to make. The impact of those choices decided whether they were good or bad choices. The impact of those choices were lasting beyond mortal life.
One thing he used to love as a question and answer, “what would your future self want to tell your current self?”. This question summing up what you probably ought to be doing or at least how to evaluate your life choices currently and to understand the gravity and importance of those choices, or the lack thereof.
He was a good man with a huge heart. May his soul rest in peace, and his loved ones rest assured that he lived a full life.

What does your eulogy look like?

Does your life resemble something to this affect? Are you living the life you want to be remembered by or are you simply filling in the time with “stuff” so that you don’t really have to think about this? Are you striving to be the CEO of your company, and if so “why?”, what are your overarching reasons for wanting such success? What impact do you want to have on the world? What are you doing right now to influence that impact? This is my eulogy as it stands right now. If I were to die today, I would hope this is similar to what would be said about me, so I know people had a true understanding of who I tried to be.

Leave your impact on the world in the best way you can. Love yourself more than anyone else does. Pass on your legacy in whatever fashion you feel is necessary.

Understand that your resume and your net worth are not what will be highlighted upon your death. Your contributions to the world will be.

One clap, two clap, three clap, forty?


"This was a great experience! We were so pleased with House Arrest that we considered doing Lion’s Den as soon as we were finished."
- Marta G.

Ready for the challenge?

Immersion Escape Rooms offers a unique experience for friends, family, and co-workers who are looking to enjoy an alternative form of social entertainment in Charlottesville, Virginia. Our custom designed and expanding facility houses multiple escape room experiences, each with interactive elements that you won't find anywhere else. All of our current rooms are connected through one episodic storyline, allowing teams to unlock and participate in a thrilling adventure that is constantly changing. Inside our escape rooms you will find detailed, film-quality set designs, original puzzles, hidden elements, and special effects that further enhance your Immersion experience. If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind experience in the Cville area, prepare yourself for a challenging, puzzling, new form of entertainment and make a reservation today!


We have, on multiple occasions, addressed the significance (or insignificance) of the amicus curiae or “friend of the court” brief. Our previous discussion herehere, and here have largely revealed that, while the briefs are submitted in many of the headline-grabbing cases, the effects of the briefs written and submitted by the amici are often hard to evaluate.

Additionally, there is not singular source for the briefs that are filed. The Sixth Circuit and Supreme Court, particularly before a controversial or significant case is heard, are inundated with amicus curiae briefs from a variety of parties including unions, professional associations, academic institutions, important individuals in a particular field, or any level of governmental body.  However, despite the impressive frequency and diversity of amicus briefs, it often proves more challenging to share a unique perspective beyond the position of the parties.

To reevaluate the practical implication of these briefs, we conducted a survey of 2015 Sixth Circuit cases that used the word “amicus curiae,” “amici,” or “amicus brief.” Somewhat distinguishable from our previous analysis, which spanned several years and only discovered 10 cases, our 2015 search yielded 52 cases where at least one amicus brief was filed. After a deeper investigation, we discovered that 8 of the cases only contained a discussion of an amicus brief filed in a case from a previous year and, while this is instructive in demonstrating that some amicus briefs have enough influence to have legal staying power, these cases were not helpful for our 2015 research. Of the 44 remaining, applicable cases, the Sixth Circuit only discussed or even referenced the position of an amici in 5 cases; only 1 of those was discussed by the Court in a positive light. Thus, in most cases, the Sixth Circuit does not expressly mention the amicus brief.

So why does the Court not discuss the amicus positions with greater regularity? A common problem is that the amici often parrot the briefs of the appellee and appellant. The court has, on many occasions, made it clear that the role of amicus brief are, at least in part, to “[draw] the court’s attention to law that might otherwise escape consideration.” If the law is fully discussed in the parties’ briefs, the amicus briefs serve little purpose other than to reiterate.

Of course, it is impossible to evaluate whether amicus briefs that weren’t cited actually impacted the decisional calculus of the Court. But if you are considering drafting (or soliciting) an amicus brief, it is important to keep in mind that the amicus brief should really share a unique perspective rather than reiterate the position of the parties. Often, stepping back and giving the court a broader perspective on a particular issue can be useful. The court certainly wants to understand how a particular decision might impact the next case, and amicus parties can effectively convey such matters.


Flexible Steel and StrongFirst: Announcing a Partnership

Flexible Steel is a necessary and valuable piece of the training puzzle, a piece people are frequently missing. Imagine the joy of owning the effortless flexibility of a child, while also possessing the strength of an adult.

How to Power-up Your StrongFirst Practice by Applying the FMS Principles

At the core of the FMS principles is the understanding that all movement exists in a hierarchy built upon the developmental sequence. This is a complicated way of saying, “You have to walk before you can run.”

An Ounce of Injury Prevention Is Worth a Kilogram of Cure

Since this is StrongFirst and principles are our foundation, our approach to injury prevention also needs to be principle based. Here are the ten most important things to do as part of your training to minimize your risk.

Empowering Self Advocacy: Taking Charge of Your Back Pain

There is no such thing as “non-specific back pain” or degenerative disc disease – there are only those individuals who have not had a thorough assessment.

Athletic Body in Balance: What I Would Go Back and Change

Now that we've passed the ten-year anniversary of "Athletic Body in Balance," I want to tell you what’s happened since, and what I would add or change if I were to rewrite the book today.

G-Tox: A Proven Tool for Accelerated Grip Recovery

Tension and relaxation training go hand in hand. During your next training session, try adding this new drill to your fast and loose arsenal to boost performance through accelerated grip recovery.

Ground Force Method: What It Is and How It Relates to StrongFirst

Ground Force Method is a movement system where the focus is on the quality of your movement. We believe that before you move more, move stronger, or move faster, moving better should be the goal.

Adjust Your Sails (and Your Stance) with the Lock and Rock

I want to focus on one particular area of our anatomical structure and the impact of variations. I am going to suggest a way to individualize foot position for symmetrical stance exercise (swings, squats, etc.) because sometimes we need to “adjust our sails.”

Forge New Footprints: Consistency, Variability, and the FMS

Consistency is key in training, but must be paired with variability. To move well, you first need a baseline, and then a system that takes you into different postures and positions.

The Miseducation of Stretching

Is stretching fixing your problem? If not, maybe you are doing it wrong—or maybe your actual problem isn’t being addressed at all and it has nothing to do with stretching.


BCTGM LOCAL 167G © 2017 | Privacy Policy

The Local 167G represents working men and women at some of the best known companies throughout the midwest. We represent manufacturing, production workers, and maintenance workers in the bakery, confectionery, tobacco and grain milling industries in North America.

• Respect on the job

• Better wages and benefits

• More flexibility for work and family needs

• A counter-balance to the unchecked power of employers

How do people form a union?

When workers decide they want to come together to improve their jobs, they work with a union to help them form their own local chapter. Once a majority of workers show that they want a union, sometimes employers honor the workers’ choice. Often, the workers must ask the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold an election. If the workers win the election to be represented by the union, they negotiate a contract with the employer that spells out each party’s rights and responsibilities in the workplace.

Does the law protect workers joining unions?

It’s supposed to—but too often it doesn’t. Under federal law, employers are not permitted to discriminate against or fire workers for choosing to join a union. For example, it’s illegal for employers to threaten to shut down their businesses or to fire employees or take away benefits if workers form a union. However, employers routinely violate these laws, and the penalties are weak or nonexistent.

What kinds of workers are forming unions today?

A wider range of people than ever before, including many women and immigrants, are joining unions—doctors and nurses, poultry workers and graduate employees, home health care aides and wireless communications workers, auto parts workers and engineers, and more.

How do unions help working families today?

Through unions, workers win better wages, benefits and a voice on the job—and good union jobs mean stronger communities. Union workers earn 25 percent more pay than nonunion workers and are more likely to receive health care and pension benefits than those without a union. In 2001, median weekly earnings for full-time union wage and salary workers were $718, compared with $575 for their nonunion counterparts. Unions lead the fight today for better lives for working people, such as through expanded family and medical leave, improved safety and health protections, and fair-trade agreements that lift the standard of living for workers all over the world.

What have unions accomplished for all workers?

Today, thousands of workers want to join unions. The wisest employers understand that when workers form unions, their companies also benefit. However, most employers fight workers’ efforts to come together by intimidating, harassing and threatening them. In response, workers are reaching out to their communities for help exercising their freedom to improve their lives.


Maddie - the perfet storm

The tempest one shows its contours and some questions appear in this stormy context:

- How many English couples go of vacation and leave the children during the afternoon to drink one how many bottles of wine with friends, 14 to the certainty, while the twin's and Maddie are alone?

- How many English couples alert of the disappearance of a son and convoke press conferences in the hour, when the friends if they go to lie down and the population is in alert to the search of Maddie?

- How many English couples have the support of commission agents of the government, travelled of London directly to support the McCann couple?

- How many English couples receive the support from its government directly with costs still not determined in the support of the McCann couple?

- How many English couples to who are abducted the children are supported by the English government when return to its country as the McCann?

How many English couples have the ready reply for all and any circumstance of questions of the police forum that if raise as have the McCann couple?

How many English couples obtain to contract managers or consultants of communication as the McCann couple made?

How many English couples enjoy of calm on the part of the English social security when have evident recklessness of the McCann in relation to its children in vacation?

How many mothers of kidnapped children if keep fearless and calm as the McCann mother, knowing more of the one than discloses?

How many absurd critical English couples attack the local policy with when the last tests had been disclosed in its proper country with proven criminal test?

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Historical Places in Thailand

24/05/2016 01:22

Thailand is one of a fascinating in destinations in the world with its historical attractions. It is exquisite and enthralling for almost everything it has to offer to the tourists. Thailand packages ensure the backpackers a holiday with enchanting memories unlimited. Primarily, this Southeast Asian country is known for its immense natural beauty. But there is a lot more to what please the eyes. From fascinating temples to rich cultural heritages and throbbing adventures to rocking nightlife, Thailand has it all to enthrall its each and every visitor. Given below are must-see historical places and attractions of Thailand tourism.

The Grand Place, Bangkok:

This is one of the most recognized attractions in Thailand and is a must visit for every visitor. Artistic brilliance and amazing décor of this high place are sure to leave you stunned. History-lovers have a very special time here, getting enthralled by age-old relics and magnetizing structures at every step. It is a lovely experience to walk around its charming gardens. Artwork on walls and many sculptures are worth exploring.

Perhaps the most vibrant beach destination in Asia, Pattaya is where funs never end. This small, yet lovely city is about 140km from Bangkok, and is a must-visit attraction of Thailand, especially for fun-lovers. Nightlife in Pattaya has no upper limit and can be anything but dull. A large number of clubs, go-go bars, ladyboy shows and open-air theaters keep the visitors active till the wee-hours. Apart from that, Pattaya has three beautiful beaches offering a perfect blend of sea, sand and surf. Avoid visiting this place if you're in Thailand with family, especially kids.

Chiang Mai:

Founded in 1296 CE, this city has charms of its own. Historically rich and culturally astounding, Chiang Mai is nothing less spellbinding than the capital city Bangkok for culture-enthusiasts. Additionally, it is much greener and quitter than Bangkok, making it a favorite haunt of nature-lovers. Chiang Mai is surrounded by rolling hills which boast the best trekking in Thailand. A hiker gets to explore enchanting natural facets and interesting tribe cultures during his course. The Walled City is the major historical center of Chiang Mai while the Loi Kroh Rd serves as a delight for night-birdies.

Ko Samui:

An island in the Gulf of Thailand, Ko Samui is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand. There are several beaches offer amazing scenery, enticing coral reefs and a heart-throbbing range of adventure sports to savor. The never ending greenery of coconut and fruit cultivation of the coastal lowlands and dense virgin forests is just hypnotic and is worth exploring for nature-loving souls. The Ang thong national Marine Park is a great place to explore enthralling aqua life and various water sports such as kayaking and snorkeling. Chaweng is the largest beach at the island, known for its thriving atmosphere and luxury comforts.

A paradise for lovers of nature and adventure, Phuket is among the most celebrated tourist destinations in Thailand. This place comes as a pleasing surprise for vacationers due to its sheer natural beauty and delightful water sports. The fascinating beaches like Bang Thao and Kamala remain bustling with tourists year-round. Phuket is the real pleasure for party-lovers.

Phang Nga Bay: One of the most visited tourist destination in Thailand with mesmerizing scenic beauty of Mother Nature, this island is shrouded with grottoes, limestones and age old caves.

Grand Palace: Located in the city of Bangkok, this walled complex has halls, pavilions, lavish gardens and wide courtyards, only to astonish the tourists with their mad made beauty.

Sukhothai: Well-preserved ruins in Sukhothai are the evidence of its rich past. The city was the capital of Thailand's first independent state, and that's why it has a lot about rich history and cultures of ancient eras. Sukhothai Historic Park is the major attraction for history-lovers. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it covers an area about 25 square miles filled with glorious temples, ruins, and monuments. Undoubtedly, tour to Sukhothai is a pleasant sojourn away from the bustling city life. Apart from that, a handful of boutiques here offer the visitors a delightful stay with loads of modern facilities.

Another fascinating historical place in Thailand to explore is Si Satchanalai. This rustic town is home to the Sawanworanayok National Museum, where you can find a collection of artifacts including ancient Buddha images. To look into the history of ceramic wares in the province, drop by the Sangkhalok Museum. Other places to consider visiting include the Celadon Kiln Site Study and Conservation Center and the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum.


Sunday, September 14, 2008

Coming collapse of the hegemonic world

September 13, 2008 - China Daily

With the clout of China and India rising on the international arena, some people in the West, who are concerned over the already fragile, US-dominated unipolar world political structure or the Western hegemony, have rushed to offer a variety of recipes for inter-power relations in the 21st century and for the world's new power structure.

These recipes include multi-polar, non-polar or collective power models, a "democracy value alliance", a new trans-Atlantic union, and even a joint China-US governance idea.

All these concepts are in essence changed versions of the new US or Western hegemonic model that proposes maintaining the world's established power structure through absorbing some emerging powers. The model also proposes carrying out reforms of the new power structure. In all this the idea is to keep the US and Western hegemonic position intact as much as possible. The new situation emerging from the very beginning of the 21st century indicates that neither the US nor the Western hegemony will last for ever, and there will not be a transfer of the old hegemony to a new one. In the 21st century, the world will see the end of not only the US-dominated hegemony, but also of the hegemonic model that allows a few world powers to control global affairs.

The decease of the US and Western hegemony will not be caused by the challenge from such rising powers as China or other countries. It will be caused by the world's irreversible efforts for a hegemony-free political structure. As the result of this situation, we can expect a hegemony-free and harmonious world in the 21st century in which big countries will fulfill their responsibilities and obligations and small ones can enjoy equality, democracy and assistance from each other.

In the 21st century, the United States, the protagonist of the current unipolar world, will gradually evolve into a common power because of accelerated efforts of many countries which will advocate an end to the unipolar power pattern. Since the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, a "balance of power" has come into being among the major countries. Despite its sole superpower status, the United States cannot always succeed in solving some global issues. It is even incapable of handling some domestic issues such as the subprime crisis. All these transmit to the world a strong signal that the US hegemony and Western dominance are now in an irreversible process of decline and final disappearance.

In dealing with some global issues, today's United States not only needs substantial support from staunch allies, but also needs understanding, participation and cooperation from other key world or regional players. Sometimes, it even has to give up its leading role to other big powers in finding settlements of some intractable issues.

With the spirit of peace and democracy exercising strong restraint within their boundaries, European countries have lost the basic driving force for hegemonic wars against other countries. On the other hand, economic globalization and marketization of the world since the end of the Cold War have activated the urge for peace and development among a number of developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Especially the peaceful rise of some powers, such as China, India, Russia, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, has prompted some Western countries to join the resistance to hegemonism.

Some new-generation European leaders, though, still want to maintain the Western hegemony with the US at its core. They want to do so by advocating the "values diplomacy" and setting up the so-called democracy and values alliance or by forming a new trans-Atlantic union. But all these wishes will be difficult to fulfill.

The emergence of some peace-promoting powers will be an irresistible historical tide in the 21st century. Their rise will lay a solid groundwork for the final end of the long-standing hegemonism in world politics.

New Delhi has generally chosen a path of peaceful development in South Asia despite its position of supremacy in the sub-continent. China has been even more committed to a peaceful development and always condemns any use of force in solving international disputes.

The strong efforts and calls for a hegemony-free world from these new emerging powers and the massive populations of Asian, African and Latin American countries have exerted a huge pressure on hegemonic countries, prompting them to deal with others on an equal footing.

The change of the world's hegemonic pattern pushed by newly emerging powers serves the basic interest of the whole world, including the West. It will also act as the main impulse to build a conflict-free and harmonious world in the new century.


What is psychosis?

Psychosis is a mental health problem that causes people to perceive or interpret things differently from those around them. This might involve hallucinations or delusions, but often presents with a number of symptoms.

More information can be found on the NHS Choices website.

Support and information can also be found through the websites of the mental health charities Mind and Rethink.

Contact your GP if you think you or someone else are having psychotic experiences.

What is encephalitis?

Encephalitis is a condition that causes inflammation in the brain.

Encephalitis usually begins with flu-like symptoms, and can go on to present with changes in mental state,seizures or changes in personality and behaviour.

There are a number of causes of encephalitis, of which one is an autoimmune response. This can be to tumors or normal body tissue.

What is an autoimmune disease?

An autoimmune disease occurs when a person's immune system begins to respond to normal bodily substances and tissues as if it were foreign or pathogenic.

There are many know autoimmune disorders that can affect different bodily fluids and tissue. They can usually be treated with immunotherapy - where the immune system is supresse to stop the autoimmune response.

What are NMDAR and VGKC antibodies?

NMDA-r stands for 'N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor'. This is a receptor in the brain that is specific to the neurotransmitter glutamate.

VGKC stands for 'voltage gated potassium channel complex' antibodies (including to LGI1). These channels regulate the

membrane potential and thus help control neurotransmitter release.

Recent studies have shown that there are autoimmune diseases that produce antibodies to specifically target parts of NMDA receptors and VGK channels and disrupt their function.

Our PPiP study is investigating how commonly these antibodies are present in patients experiencing psychosis.

Our SINAPPS clinical trial will investigate whether patients experiencing psychosis who are positive for these antibodies get better after being treated with immunotherapy.


Intrafaith Q&A on Sunni/Shi'i: ISNA

ISNA: Intrafaith Q&A on Sunni/Shi'i
Taken from Islamic Horizons (An ISNA Publication, November/December 2007/1427

ONE FAITH – Nineteen Questions about Shi’i-Sunni Relations by:

Mohamed Nimer, director of research at the Council on American Islamic Relations, is the author of "The North American Muslim Resource Guide: Muslim Community Life in the United States and Canada" (Routledge: 2002).

Asma Afsaruddin, associate professor of Arabic and Islamic studies at the University of Notre Dame, is the author of "Excellence and Precedence: Medieval Islamic Discourse on Legitimate Leadership" (Leiden: 2002).

Liyakat Takim, associate professor of Islamic studies at the University of Denver, is the author of "The Heirs of the Prophet: Charisma and Religious Authority in Shiite Islam" (SUNY Press: 2006).

Is it accurate to speak of "Sunni Islam" and "Shi'i Islam"?

Muslims avoid identifying the Sunni and Shi`i traditions as different "Islams." But the two traditions, which developed over the course of centuries, shaped Muslim religious thought and practice.

What are their doctrinal commonalities?

Both branches share the same foundational religious beliefs rooted in monotheism, Muhammad's prophethood, a singular Qu'anic text, and a belief in final judgment. They agree on the core fundamentals of Islam: the six articles of belief (God, angels, scriptures, prophets, the next life, and destiny) and the five pillars of practice (testimony of faith, prayer, fasting, giving alms, and pilgrimage).

What are the important differences between them?

Mainstream Shi'is believe in the doctrine of the Imamate, namely, that certain descendants of the Prophet's family provided the ultimate, legitimate source of guidance after his death. This doctrine impacted how the Shi`i scholars evaluated the authenticity of hadiths as well as their respective views of Islamic ju¬risprudence. Over time, both branches of Islam developed parallel institutions of learning and a number of distinctive religious practices.

Was the origin of these two branches religious or political in nature?

Shi`i scholars believe that the community's leadership should have remained within the Prophet's family: in the hands of Ali, the Prophet's cousin and husband of his daughter Fatimah. An early community of Shi'is considered Ali to be the first Imam. This idea was subsequently expressed in the doctrine of the Imamate a central defining feature of Shi`i doctrine. Specifically, the Shi'is believe that the issue of leadership is religious in nature and that the Prophet explicitly named Ali as his successor. Sunni scholars trace the Shi`i community's genesis to what they consider to be political arguments about leadership after the Prophet's demise. They argue that many Companions supported the leadership of Abu Bakr, one of the Prophet's closest early followers, and that the leadership of Muslims falls under the control of the general Muslim community.

What about the claim that the Shi'is have a different Qur'an called the Mushaf Fatimah?

Shi'is and Sunnis use the same Qur'an. According to Shi'i scholars, the Mushaf Fatimah contains hadith narratives by Fatimah. It is not considered a holy scripture or a replacement for the Qur'an.

What is the Sunni view of the Ahl al Bayt (the Family of the Prophet)?

All Muslims' daily prayers include praise and blessings for Prophet Muhammad's family. The Sunni Hadith literature regards Fatimah, Ali, Hassan, and Husayn as Companions to whom the Prophet promised Paradise. These four people, along with other members of his family, are major narrators in Sunni books of Hadith. Ali is revered by Sunnis as the first young Muslim who risked his life for the Prophet. Sunnis consider him the last of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, while the Shi'is consider him the first Imam.

Do Shi’is believe that Ali is God?

Mainstream Shi'i and Sunni traditions hold such thinking to be a form of unbelief. While Ali was still alive, some people considered him to be God. They were later labeled ghulat (extremists).

Do Shi'is slander and ridicule the first three caliphs and Nishah?

This is a false generalization. Shi'is consider Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman to be great Companions and caliphs, although they believe that they did not attain the spiritual purity attained by Ali and the other grand Imams. As for A'ishah, the mainstream Shi'i position views her as the mother of all believers on par with all of the Prophet's other wives. Any Shi'i who slanders these people does so out of ignorance. Shi'i scholars have issued fatwas against cursing these major figures of Islam.

Do Shi`is and Sunnis celebrate different religious holidays?

In both traditions, the two major religious holidays are Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha. Due to historical experience, Muslims in different countries may commemorate additional days of remembrance. For example, al Isra' wa al Mi'raj is commemorated in Shi'i and Sunni communities across the globe. Ashura, the day of Husayn's martyrdom at Karbala, (which coincides with the tenth day of the month of Muharram), is a widely observed occasion in Shi'i communities because it marks a turning point in their history. However Egyptians, almost all of whom are Sunni today but who once were ruled by the (Isma'ili) Shi'i Fatimid dynasty (970 1040), still commemorate it with special festivities. Until today, they pay special tribute to Husayn and his sister, popularly known as Lady Zaynab.

Does the Shi`i Sunni rivalry go back to the early days of Islam?

No. It is hard to pin down the exact date or period when the terms Shi `i and Sunni took on a communal or political meaning. A good part of Islamic literature was purposefully destroyed during the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258. But communal violence, as seen today in Iraq, is unknown in Islamic history. Ali was passed over in favor of other caliphs, but that event did not lead to a Shi'i-Sunni consciousness definitely not in the communal or ethnic sense. When Mu'awiyah, the governor of Syria, rebelled against Ali, most of the companions supported Ali. But Mu'awiyah was not acting as a leader of Sunnis; rather, he was acting as the head of the powerful Umayyad clan, which consolidated its political power and ushered in dynastic rule in the Muslim world.

The battle of Karbala (680), during which Husayn (later named the third Imam) was martyred, is a turning point in the contemporary Shi'i historical narrative. But even then, there was no communal Shi'i versus Sunni identities. A number of the Companions who were later classified as Sunni actually sympathized with Husayn. Nor was Husayn the only Companion who rebelled against Umayyad rule. Abdullah ibn al Zubayr, a major narrator of hadith in the Sunni tradition, also rebelled and declared himself caliph in Makkah (683 92) before being killed by the Umayyad forces. Shi'i doctrine and communal identity developed over time, and those who were not classified as Shi'i became known as Sunni. The earliest evidence for this development can be dated to the Abbasid revolution (750).

How do Shi'i Sunni agreements and disagreements compare to those among Catholics and Protestants?

Invoking this analogy may help ordinary Christians make sense of Shi'i Sunni differences. However, the analogy is accurate only to a certain extent. The doctrinal and institutional differences associated with the Shi'i Sunni traditions are far less pronounced than those associated with the Catholic Protestant traditions. In addition, neither Islamic tradition has a
papal figure and their seminaries do not amount to a church structure, especially when compared to the Catholic Church's well defined hierarchical religious authority.

How do international Shi'i and Sunni influences today impact the development of Muslim life in America?

Such influences are more visible in communities of recent immigrants. Organizations that serve the religious needs of Muslims may assume a Shi'i or Sunni character. Also, there have been instances of intense communal disagreement, such as during the Iraq-Iran war. Still, it is not uncommon for Shi'is and Sunnis to pray together. Imams and activists from both traditions serve on regional and national bodies that present Muslim concerns. A recent poll found that the largest segment of American Muslim voters preferred to identify themselves as "just Muslim," rather than "Sunni" or "Shi'i." Moreover, many converts refuse to identify themselves with either label; arguing that such categories belong to historical experiences that do not relate to their lives. Religiously, there is nothing that can compel new Muslims to align themselves with either tradition.

What other sources of diversity impact Shi'i and Sunni life in America? Both communities are ethnically diverse. Are Shi'i and Sunni organizations in this country exclusive in their membership and services?

While many mosques may assume a Shi'i or Sunni identity, they are generally open to all for worship. Most Islamic schools do not require students or teachers to be of a certain persuasion, and several Muslim community regional bodies and public advocacy groups have been consciously inclusive. Yet some Islamic centers tend to follow policies of exclusion. While they have the legal right to do so, the mainstream community would view this position as rigid and possibly intolerant.

Is it true that the Persians used their Shi'i affiliation to keep their distinct identity?

No. Shi'is trace their origin to Arabia. Ethnicity was not even a factor in the monumental events of Shi'i history. Persia experienced both Sunni and Shi'i influences. Only during the Safavid dynasty (1501 1722) was the Shi'i interpretation promoted in today's Iran. The Turkish speaking Safavids hailed from contemporary Azerbaijan. However, most Turkish speaking Muslims are Sunni.

Are the Shi'is mainly Iranian while the Sunnis are mainly Arab?

No. Both groups are ethnically mixed, although Arabic and Farsi are two major languages in the Muslim world. While Iran has the largest number of Shi'is in any country, most Shi'is are neither Iranian nor Persian. And while most Arabs are Sunni, several Arab populations are mostly Shi'i. In fact, there are Shi'i minorities in most Sunni majority Arab countries.

Haven't the Shi'is and Sunnis been fighting one another for fourteen centuries?

No. However, communal tensions have shaped the course of history in the Muslim world. Until the contemporary period, there were only limited episodes of communal violence at times of serious political upheaval. Throughout history, both groups have lived side by side peacefully. Several Muslim regions even switched between Shi'i and Sunni affiliations. Even in today's Iraq, Shi'is and Sunnis have intermarried and lived in mixed communities.

How do you evaluate Shi’i-Sunni relations in the world today?

Generally, not great. But they vary. Iraq is experiencing an ongoing violent clash between Shi'i and Sunni militias. But such a clash is more rooted in Iraq's contemporary political history than in denominational tensions. Similar violence flares up in Pakistan every so often, but mainstream groups from both traditions have formed alliances against sectarianism and political corruption. In the Gulf region Shi'i and Sunni minorities, especially in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Bahrain, face discrimination. On the other hand, the Shi'i dominated resistance to the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon has been very popular among Shi'is and Sunnis alike.

Is it likely that the Shi'i Sunni violence in Iraq may spill over, to America?

Highly unlikely. Shi'i and Sunni groups in Iraq are engaged in a power struggle that is entangled with regional and global conflicts. In America, Muslims live in a totally different context and there is no reason for communal violence. Even at the time of heightened Shi'i Sunni tensions during the Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s, there were no incidents of communal violence. Following Saddam Hussein's execution in 2006, some Shi'i owned businesses were vandalized. Such incidents signal a need for community leaders to engage in dialogue. Moreover, such incidents are isolated and the attackers' identities have not been confirmed. Following the attacks, leaders of both traditions met and issued statements of unity and condemned the attacks.

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There’s nothing confusing about any of this.

Arguments, Broadly Discussed Part I: Speech

From this perspective, we argue with one another all the time–we say things and we back up what we have said with evidence. Teachers assert to students and give evidence for their assertions; lawyers assert and back those assertions up with evidence. It happens all over the place.

I’m suddenly reminded of this video:

Okay. But so what?

Well, I think there’s something deeper going on here that we don’t always notice. And this something deeper is important to understand because it will help explain many of the nuances in the world around us. When we see this something deeper, we’ll start to see arguments–assertions–all over the place, which, beside the fact that it’s really cool, will help us understand who we are as human beings, how and why we understand and misunderstand one another, and why we do the things we do.

This post is the first of a 4-part series about the usefulness of broadly defining arguments to include things such as speech, thought, and action (and perhaps even objects?–I’m still figuring out this last one). This particular post will discuss arguments in terms of speech. So let’s check it out.

An argument is an assertion or belief that is supported by evidence. So, even everyday statements like, “I appreciated what she said to me because it made me feel happy,” or “May I please cut in front of you because I am in a hurry?” are arguments.

So, the statement, “I appreciated what she said to me because it made me feel happy” asserts that the speaker “appreciated what she said to me,” and the reason for that assertion was whatever was said “made me feel happy.” Okay.

We could also talk speech in commercials and how the people who write commercials try to persuade us to buy their product. They give us reasons why we should buy the product, such as this product will make you popular, it will make your life easier, or it will taste good. We could go on, but let’s stop and talk about something more interesting and less obvious. Let’s talk about statements that don’t seem like arguments but that actually are arguments.

So what about the statement, “It made me happy”? Is that an argument? Are assertions (and hence arguments) nested and recursive?

If they are, then the reasons that we use to back up our assertions are actually assertions with reasons behind them. And those reasons are further assertions, etc. Just for fun, let’s assume that reasons are also assertions and see what we come up with.

So, in the above example, the reason, which is whatever was said “made me feel happy,” is also an argument. This assertion’s assertion is that something was said to make me feel happy. But what is the reason of the assertion’s assertion? This is where things get interesting: the reason is not stated, but it still exists–in the mind of the speaker.

So, going back to the above example, by asserting that something someone else said made me happy, I’m also asserting several of my own unstated beliefs.

I assert my belief

In fact, depending on the context, the subject about which I’m speaking, my own emotional state of mind, who my audience is, and what that audience desires, there could be a whole bunch of other things we could have listed that will influence my assertions and my reasons–in short, my arguments. There’s a lot going on when we say something. And we’re usually not paying attention to everything that’s going on.

So where are we?

Next step: I’d go so far as to say that we’re always making arguments when we speak. Not only that, but our assertions (arguments) are so nuanced that we make multiple arguments and assertions whenever we speak and at the same time.

My grounds for that assertion come from my earlier-stated belief that the things we say and how we say them reflect our own capacity to choose. When I speak I make judgments about what is good and not good, and I try to the best of my ability to choose what is good–hopefully to choose what is better over what is good and what is best over what is better. I don’t always choose the best or the better or even perhaps the good, but I try. And the more I try the better I get at it.

Let’s say I’m passing you on the sidewalk and I say, “Good morning.” Is this statement an argument? It seems like it isn’t, but from what we’ve discussed above, I believe that it is. So how do I back up that claim? What assertions does a simple, “Good morning,” make?

Obviously, by saying, “Good morning,” I am asserting that the morning is good. But what about the reasons? Do I as a speaker have evidence to back up my claim? Does my assertion that the morning is good have reasons? These reasons are certainly unstated, but they do exist–in my own mind, for I would not have said, “Good morning” if I did not have reasons for thinking that it indeed was a good morning.

I am also asserting that I am the kind of person that says, “Good morning” to a person he passes on the sidewalk. Some people don’t say anything, some only make eye contact and nod, and others avoid eye contact altogether. Not only that, but saying, “Good morning,” asserts that I am the kind of person that says, “Good morning,” in this particular situation instead of any of the other things I could have said, or not said: instead of “Good morning,” I could have said, “Hello,” “Greetings,” or “Wassup?” My act of choosing to say one thing over something else asserts that I am the kind of person who has chosen one thing over other things in this particular situation. My choice is an assertion, and my assertion is backed up by reasons.

But enough of speech. Let’s move on to thoughts.

[Thoughts will be discussed in the next post.]

1. Sometimes, such as in logic and philosophy, an argument is defined as a form of persuasion based on reasons. Since an assertion based on reasons is also a form of persuasion, “a form of persuasion based on reasons” contains in germ the phrase “an assertion based on reasons.” I only discuss an argument as an assertion based on reasons instead of as a form of persuasion based on reasons in this post.


Satellite gravity and tectonic boundaries south of Iceland

Propagation Geometry

Satellite gravity (Sandwell et al., 2014) and tectonic boundaries south of Iceland. White dashes approximate Reykjanes Ridge axis. Heavy black step-like V pattern is our interpreted diachronous transform elimination reorganization boundary, drawn through fracture zone (FZ) terminations and separating younger seafloor without FZs from older seafloor formed by previous orthogonal ridge/transform spreading geometry, dashed near Iceland where uncertain. Light dashed boundaries between the Pendragon and Morganore FZs show the y–ounger reorganization wake that we interpret as the extensions of the E scarps nearer Iceland (also light dashes) formed by the Loki propagator that left Iceland 15Ma (Benediktsdóttir et al., 2012). Bight is the first transform fault remaining south of Iceland, Modred is now a migrating non-transform offset (NTO). Thin black V-shaped lines extending from reorganization boundaries toward the ridge axis are wakes of migrating NTOs. Black dots show pseudofault wake of an independent propagator that terminated FZ-like structures (white dots) south of Bight.

Return to the “Active Reorganization of North Atlantic Seafloor Spreading” page.