I'm still interviewing for an personal asst. so bear with me. Karen it fine now, a trip to Australia, some Lube and Ex lax worked wonders. I've decided to go as Marilyn Monroe at my party, but I still need advise on what other B, C and D celebrities to invite, Please Help I need to get My RSVP's out today, Jack and Karen are going to hand deliver them? LUV Kathy
I need help with a Question?
I'm really looking forward to seeing you Wednesday night at the Kennedy center!
Reply:Kathy Grifin,
I know this guy whom I am communicating with through e-mail. He's young and wants to be a personal assistant. Can you tell me what it is that you look for in a personal assisstant? I will relay it to him today. He's 16, and I think that he could use help in the spelling department, but he's a good guy.
I'll post it as a question. Your input will be MOST appreciated. Thank you.
Reply:TRACER do GROW UP
Reply:Mel Gibson might make a good personal asst. I hear he's looking for a job.
Reply:Liz is up and about now...saw her last night in Santa Monica..she did a great job at the Macy's benefit for AIDS....truly remarkable woman. She heads up the AAAAA list. And she has told me that she will come as my escort IF I decide to go. (Michael is now persona non grata at most of these affairs.)
Phil and Marlo, although off the lists by their own desire, have agreed that they will put in a showing if I call them 2 weeks before the event. It would be good to see them out and about, great people, the both of them
Oops! Word got out that Joan heard of Liz's escort offer, and now she is insisting on coming...don't even think about it! If I find out that either Joan or Melissa will be there, you will be crossed off our A list!
George Michael is available IF we pay for a cab afterwards to a downtown park after midnight...(I was the one who made the offer of the cab ride, his interest immediately peaked!)
Jennifer Anston is in danger of sliding off the A list, is dying for some positive exposure that has nothing to do with Brad Pitt or Angelina...she will come if the cause is AIDS... but she wants an escort, and has asked me to get a hold of George C...I have a call into him, his agent said he would be interested IF Jennifer will do the dead afterwards...I have a call back to Jennifer, but she is out right now...will get back to you on that one.
IF you screw up this event with your normal antics, I will send you to Joan and Melissa! And that is NOT an idle threat!
Reply:I got one for you to invite ... DOVIE BEAMS.... she is old but a hoot.. she brought down marcos and had amelda after her so she is always up for a good story or two and can bring a few good ppl with her.....
and she was a great B lister of the 60's
....
check her out .. do a google search on her.. she will be fun for your party...
Love ya Kathy...
Reply:How about inviting Pete Rose and Monique!
Reply:Any A-listers? I would love to invite Phyllis Diller for sure!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Math Help - Multiple Choice Question?
To estimate the number of people in Springfield, population 10,000, who have a swimming pool in their backyard, 250 people were interviewed. Of those polled, 66 had a swimming pool. How many people in the city might one expect to have a swimming pool? (Round to the nearest whole number, if necessary.)
a. 2640 people
b. 37,879 people
c. 264 people
d. 2 people
Math Help - Multiple Choice Question?
You know that 66 out of 250 people had a swimming pool.
That allows you to form a probability.
P(pool) = 66/250 = 0.264
To find expected value, mutliply probability times sample size.
E(pool) = P(Pool)*n
E(pool) = 0.264*10,000
Reply:A. 10000 * (66/250) = 2640
Reply:A. 2640
26.4 %
Reply:Answer is A.
250 interviewed people is 100% 66 of them have a pool. So that is 66/2.5= 26.4 (2.5 is 1%). Then you can assume that 26.4% have a pool. So 10000 is 100 % 100=1% times 26.4 is 2640
Reply:Just set it up like this 66/250 = x/10000 cross multiply and you get 250x = 60,0000. then divide both sides by 250 and you get A = 2640 people
a. 2640 people
b. 37,879 people
c. 264 people
d. 2 people
Math Help - Multiple Choice Question?
You know that 66 out of 250 people had a swimming pool.
That allows you to form a probability.
P(pool) = 66/250 = 0.264
To find expected value, mutliply probability times sample size.
E(pool) = P(Pool)*n
E(pool) = 0.264*10,000
Reply:A. 10000 * (66/250) = 2640
Reply:A. 2640
26.4 %
Reply:Answer is A.
250 interviewed people is 100% 66 of them have a pool. So that is 66/2.5= 26.4 (2.5 is 1%). Then you can assume that 26.4% have a pool. So 10000 is 100 % 100=1% times 26.4 is 2640
Reply:Just set it up like this 66/250 = x/10000 cross multiply and you get 250x = 60,0000. then divide both sides by 250 and you get A = 2640 people
Multiple Choice Math Question?
To estimate the number of people in Springfield, population 10,000, who have a swimming pool in their backyard, 250 people were interviewed. Of those polled, 120 had a swimming pool. How many people in the city might one expect to have a swimming pool? (Round to the nearest whole number, if necessary.)
a. 480 people
b. 4800 people
c. 20,833 people
d. 3 people
Multiple Choice Math Question?
OK -proportion
Of 250, 120 had a pool
So
120/250 = x/10000
.48 =x/10000
4800=x
Answer is b
Hope this helps.
Reply:It is like:
If from 250 people 120 had swimming pool..
That's mean 10000 * 120/250 = 4800 people.
Good luck!
Reply:(120 /250) * 100 = 48% of the participants have a pool.
So
10,000 * 48% =
10000 * 48/100 =
4800 people have a pool
Answer B
Reply:20,833 people
Reply:120/250=0.48 (proportion of people who have pool in interwieved person)
0.48*10000=4800 (estimated number in city)
solution is b.
cabbage
a. 480 people
b. 4800 people
c. 20,833 people
d. 3 people
Multiple Choice Math Question?
OK -proportion
Of 250, 120 had a pool
So
120/250 = x/10000
.48 =x/10000
4800=x
Answer is b
Hope this helps.
Reply:It is like:
If from 250 people 120 had swimming pool..
That's mean 10000 * 120/250 = 4800 people.
Good luck!
Reply:(120 /250) * 100 = 48% of the participants have a pool.
So
10,000 * 48% =
10000 * 48/100 =
4800 people have a pool
Answer B
Reply:20,833 people
Reply:120/250=0.48 (proportion of people who have pool in interwieved person)
0.48*10000=4800 (estimated number in city)
solution is b.
cabbage
So who can help me with a probability question?
so who can help me with a probability prob?
One hundred college students were interviewed to determine their political party affiliations and whether they favored a balanced- budget amendment to the constitution.
23 democrats %26amp; 32 republicans favors the amendment
25 democrats %26amp; 9 republicans do not favor the amendment
7 democrats %26amp; 4 republicans are unsure.
democrats=55
republicans=45
*A person is selected at a random from the sample. Find the probablity that the described person is selected. (You have to find part a, b, c... they are not answer choices!! :P)
a.) a person who doesn't favor the amendment.
b.) a republican
c.) a democrat who favors the amendment
So who can help me with a probability question?
a.) 34/100=34%
b.) 45/100=45%
c.) 23/100=23%
Reply:Er, I answered this a few minutes ago?
.
Reply:OK I think I could help you with your probability question(s)
The probability that the next 'selected' person is someone who does NOT favor the amendment is 34 out of 100 which rounds up to 3 out of 10. which then again rounds up to 1 out of 3 which is technically a third of all your sample range. This is the answer to question a)
Lets work this one out shall we? OK 100 peeps are still in the sample range. We know that 23 Dems and 32 Reps (abbreviations used) favor this amendment. so that's 55 (slightly half of the sample). Then we are left with 34 peeps (cross party) who does not favor the amendment and 11 (cross party) peeps who are undecided.
we know that 34 is a third of your sample range so the chances or probability of the next person to be chosen who does NOT favor the amendment is 1 out of 3. So the probability is a maybe.
OK second question. What are the chances that next chosen person is a Republican. OK lets look at the facts. Theres 32 Reps (abbrev.) in the Favor camp added to the 9 Republicans in the NOT favor camp and 4 that are unsure. Lets add them shall we? 32+9+4=45 which is the smaller half of the sample range of 100 peeps. lets quantify the values to simplify the equation to provide the formula. 45 is 4 or 5 out of 100 which downsizes to 4.5 out of every 10. So to answer your question the probability that the next person to be chosen is a republican (cross camp) is nearly half of the sample range or 1 in 2. so the probability is a strong possibility.
OK the last question. What are the chances the next person to be chosen is a Dem (abbrev.) who favors the amendment. We know from the sample range that the peeps are either Reps or Dems. And we know from my answer to question B that there are 45 Reps in the range out of 100 which leaves 55 peeps as Dems (we can tell by adding the Democratic representatives in each camp 23+25+7=55) which ironically reflects the Democrats composition ratio of the Senate. OK but we need to numerise the actual number of Dems who favors the amendment. we know that only 23 Dems favor the amendment. Lets downsize this. 23 out 100 is 2 out of 10 which is only 20% that 1 in every 5 or 1 Fifth. so the probability that the next chosen person is going to a Dem who favours the amendment is a weak maybe.
I hope my breakdown summary helps
Reply:a) 34/100 = 17/50
b) 45/100
c) 23/100
Reply:try using a simple table
Reply:a. person who doesnt favor the amendment =
no. of ppl not favoring the amendment/ total number.
= 34/100
b. republican = no. of republicans/ total number of ppl
= 45/100
c. there are 23 democrats that favor the amendment
therefore prob. of one of them being the person selected
= 23/total number = 23/100
One hundred college students were interviewed to determine their political party affiliations and whether they favored a balanced- budget amendment to the constitution.
23 democrats %26amp; 32 republicans favors the amendment
25 democrats %26amp; 9 republicans do not favor the amendment
7 democrats %26amp; 4 republicans are unsure.
democrats=55
republicans=45
*A person is selected at a random from the sample. Find the probablity that the described person is selected. (You have to find part a, b, c... they are not answer choices!! :P)
a.) a person who doesn't favor the amendment.
b.) a republican
c.) a democrat who favors the amendment
So who can help me with a probability question?
a.) 34/100=34%
b.) 45/100=45%
c.) 23/100=23%
Reply:Er, I answered this a few minutes ago?
.
Reply:OK I think I could help you with your probability question(s)
The probability that the next 'selected' person is someone who does NOT favor the amendment is 34 out of 100 which rounds up to 3 out of 10. which then again rounds up to 1 out of 3 which is technically a third of all your sample range. This is the answer to question a)
Lets work this one out shall we? OK 100 peeps are still in the sample range. We know that 23 Dems and 32 Reps (abbreviations used) favor this amendment. so that's 55 (slightly half of the sample). Then we are left with 34 peeps (cross party) who does not favor the amendment and 11 (cross party) peeps who are undecided.
we know that 34 is a third of your sample range so the chances or probability of the next person to be chosen who does NOT favor the amendment is 1 out of 3. So the probability is a maybe.
OK second question. What are the chances that next chosen person is a Republican. OK lets look at the facts. Theres 32 Reps (abbrev.) in the Favor camp added to the 9 Republicans in the NOT favor camp and 4 that are unsure. Lets add them shall we? 32+9+4=45 which is the smaller half of the sample range of 100 peeps. lets quantify the values to simplify the equation to provide the formula. 45 is 4 or 5 out of 100 which downsizes to 4.5 out of every 10. So to answer your question the probability that the next person to be chosen is a republican (cross camp) is nearly half of the sample range or 1 in 2. so the probability is a strong possibility.
OK the last question. What are the chances the next person to be chosen is a Dem (abbrev.) who favors the amendment. We know from the sample range that the peeps are either Reps or Dems. And we know from my answer to question B that there are 45 Reps in the range out of 100 which leaves 55 peeps as Dems (we can tell by adding the Democratic representatives in each camp 23+25+7=55) which ironically reflects the Democrats composition ratio of the Senate. OK but we need to numerise the actual number of Dems who favors the amendment. we know that only 23 Dems favor the amendment. Lets downsize this. 23 out 100 is 2 out of 10 which is only 20% that 1 in every 5 or 1 Fifth. so the probability that the next chosen person is going to a Dem who favours the amendment is a weak maybe.
I hope my breakdown summary helps
Reply:a) 34/100 = 17/50
b) 45/100
c) 23/100
Reply:try using a simple table
Reply:a. person who doesnt favor the amendment =
no. of ppl not favoring the amendment/ total number.
= 34/100
b. republican = no. of republicans/ total number of ppl
= 45/100
c. there are 23 democrats that favor the amendment
therefore prob. of one of them being the person selected
= 23/total number = 23/100
Macro econ question!!! help please!!?
Consider the following three individuals.
Julie did not work for pay last week, but she went for two job interviews.
Jack was laid off from his job six months ago. He is frustrated with his inability to find a full-time position. Last week he took a part-time job but could work only three hours.
Patricia has been out of work for almost a year. She has become so discouraged that she has given up on her job search.
Which of these people would be considered unemployed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?
A. None of these individuals
B. Julie and Patricia
C. Jack
D. Patricia
E. All three individuals
F. Julie
G. Julie and Jack
Macro econ question!!! help please!!?
G. Julie and Jack
Patricia is no longer counted as a part of the workforce, employed or unemployed.
Julie did not work for pay last week, but she went for two job interviews.
Jack was laid off from his job six months ago. He is frustrated with his inability to find a full-time position. Last week he took a part-time job but could work only three hours.
Patricia has been out of work for almost a year. She has become so discouraged that she has given up on her job search.
Which of these people would be considered unemployed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?
A. None of these individuals
B. Julie and Patricia
C. Jack
D. Patricia
E. All three individuals
F. Julie
G. Julie and Jack
Macro econ question!!! help please!!?
G. Julie and Jack
Patricia is no longer counted as a part of the workforce, employed or unemployed.
Econ question Current Population Survey consider unemployed ?
Which of the following individuals would the Current Population Survey consider unemployed?
I. An auto worker for General Motors who is laid-off and begins applying for work elsewhere
II. An auto worker for General Motors who quits her job in order to focus exclusively on earning a college degree
III. An auto worker for General Motors who quits his job and interviews for work as a part-time bank teller
IV. A recent high-school graduate who is seeking her first job as an auto worker at General Motors
A. I, III, and IV only
B. I and III only
C. I, II, III, and IV
D. II, III, and IV only
Econ question Current Population Survey consider unemployed ?
Unemployment is the state in which a person is without work, available to work, and is currently seeking work.
This definition applies to I, III, and IV only.
Thus answer A is the correct choice.
I. An auto worker for General Motors who is laid-off and begins applying for work elsewhere
II. An auto worker for General Motors who quits her job in order to focus exclusively on earning a college degree
III. An auto worker for General Motors who quits his job and interviews for work as a part-time bank teller
IV. A recent high-school graduate who is seeking her first job as an auto worker at General Motors
A. I, III, and IV only
B. I and III only
C. I, II, III, and IV
D. II, III, and IV only
Econ question Current Population Survey consider unemployed ?
Unemployment is the state in which a person is without work, available to work, and is currently seeking work.
This definition applies to I, III, and IV only.
Thus answer A is the correct choice.
Probability question 2?
2) A market researcher typically obtains answers from 1 shopper in 4. If 15 shoppers are interviewed:
a) What is the probability that nobody answers?
b) What is the probability that exactly 5 people answer?
c) What is the probability that less than 10 answer? (Use tables)
d) What is the variance of the number of answers?
Please explain how i would work these out and answers, i have an exam and i don't know how to work these out. Thanks in advance.
Probability question 2?
a) 3/4 dont answer. if 15 people don't answer
p(no one answers) = 3/4 ^15
b) p(5 people answer) - use binomial distribution.
15C5 * 1/4 ^5 * 3/4 ^ 10
c) p(%26lt;10 answer) = 1 - p(%26gt;=10 answer) =
1 - ( (15C10 * 1/4^10 * 3/4^5) + (15C11 * 1/4^11 * 3/4^4) +
(15C12 * 1/4^12 * 3/4^3) + (15C13 * 1/4^13 * 3/4^2) +
(15C14 * 1/4^14 * 3/4^1) + (15C15 * 1/4^15 * 3/4^0) )
d) not sure
phlox
a) What is the probability that nobody answers?
b) What is the probability that exactly 5 people answer?
c) What is the probability that less than 10 answer? (Use tables)
d) What is the variance of the number of answers?
Please explain how i would work these out and answers, i have an exam and i don't know how to work these out. Thanks in advance.
Probability question 2?
a) 3/4 dont answer. if 15 people don't answer
p(no one answers) = 3/4 ^15
b) p(5 people answer) - use binomial distribution.
15C5 * 1/4 ^5 * 3/4 ^ 10
c) p(%26lt;10 answer) = 1 - p(%26gt;=10 answer) =
1 - ( (15C10 * 1/4^10 * 3/4^5) + (15C11 * 1/4^11 * 3/4^4) +
(15C12 * 1/4^12 * 3/4^3) + (15C13 * 1/4^13 * 3/4^2) +
(15C14 * 1/4^14 * 3/4^1) + (15C15 * 1/4^15 * 3/4^0) )
d) not sure
phlox
Sociology question?
a sociologist interviews high-salaried corporate CEO's to discover whether they feel stress in their everyday lives as a result of pressure to produce at an unreachable level. This sociologist is employing:
A. Alienation
B. Anomie
C. Verstehen
D. Globalization techniques
Sociology question?
It is definitely "B" by the definition of minority, and could also be "A", "C" and "D"
Reply:option (d) if the respondents are drawn from all over the world
A. Alienation
B. Anomie
C. Verstehen
D. Globalization techniques
Sociology question?
It is definitely "B" by the definition of minority, and could also be "A", "C" and "D"
Reply:option (d) if the respondents are drawn from all over the world
Probablility question: I have no idea where to even start?
A production facility employs 20 workers on the day shift, 15 workers on the swing shift, and 10 workers on
the graveyard shift. A quality control consultant is to select 6 of these workers for in-depth interviews. Suppose
the selection is made in such a way that any particular group of 6 workers has the same chance of being selected
as does any other group (drawing 6 slips without replacement from among 45).
a. How many selections result in all 6 workers coming from the day shift? What is the probability that all 6
selected workers will be from the day shift?
b. What is the probability that all 6 selected workers will be from the same shift?
c. What is the probability that at least two different shifts will be represented among the selected workers?
d. What is the probability that at least one of the shifts will be unrepresented in the sample of workers?
Probablility question: I have no idea where to even start?
nCr is the number of ways of taking r objects from a set of n.
a. the probability you need is 20C6 / 45C6. the numerator is the answer for the number of selections.
b. answer: [20C6 + 15C6 + 10C6] / 45C6
c. the answer is the complement of b.
1 - "answer of b". ... it can also be written as [45C6 - 20C6 - 15C6 - 10C6] / 45C6
d. its complement is the event where all shifts are represented. to get that choose one worker from each shift.
then randomly choose the others from the whole group.
20*15*10*42C3 / 45C6 ... this is the representation of the complement.
so the answer is
[45C6 - 20*15*10*42C3] / 45C6
§
Reply:a. 20-choose-6 = 38760 and
20-choose-6 / 45-choose-6 = 38760 / 8145060 = 0.476%
b. 20-choose-6 + 15-choose-6 + 10-choose-6 over 45-choose-6 = (38760 + 5005 + 210) / 8145060 = 0.540%
c. This one is so complex I'd need a program to solve it. "At least" means you need to sum a series of combinatorial values.
d. Again, this one requires a computer program. Again, the "at least" condition makes the question very hard.
[Gees, what kind of class are you in?]
the graveyard shift. A quality control consultant is to select 6 of these workers for in-depth interviews. Suppose
the selection is made in such a way that any particular group of 6 workers has the same chance of being selected
as does any other group (drawing 6 slips without replacement from among 45).
a. How many selections result in all 6 workers coming from the day shift? What is the probability that all 6
selected workers will be from the day shift?
b. What is the probability that all 6 selected workers will be from the same shift?
c. What is the probability that at least two different shifts will be represented among the selected workers?
d. What is the probability that at least one of the shifts will be unrepresented in the sample of workers?
Probablility question: I have no idea where to even start?
nCr is the number of ways of taking r objects from a set of n.
a. the probability you need is 20C6 / 45C6. the numerator is the answer for the number of selections.
b. answer: [20C6 + 15C6 + 10C6] / 45C6
c. the answer is the complement of b.
1 - "answer of b". ... it can also be written as [45C6 - 20C6 - 15C6 - 10C6] / 45C6
d. its complement is the event where all shifts are represented. to get that choose one worker from each shift.
then randomly choose the others from the whole group.
20*15*10*42C3 / 45C6 ... this is the representation of the complement.
so the answer is
[45C6 - 20*15*10*42C3] / 45C6
§
Reply:a. 20-choose-6 = 38760 and
20-choose-6 / 45-choose-6 = 38760 / 8145060 = 0.476%
b. 20-choose-6 + 15-choose-6 + 10-choose-6 over 45-choose-6 = (38760 + 5005 + 210) / 8145060 = 0.540%
c. This one is so complex I'd need a program to solve it. "At least" means you need to sum a series of combinatorial values.
d. Again, this one requires a computer program. Again, the "at least" condition makes the question very hard.
[Gees, what kind of class are you in?]
Question for women. Please advise.?
I am 24 yr old guy. I got this job 2 months back. I was interviewed by a woman who is single but is at a much senior position in the company. I mean, she is like working here for some 4 yrs. I have developed a liking for her. I don't know if she likes me, but yes she does respect me as a guy.
I want to tell her about my feelings but in the process I risk:
a) My job
b) My goodwill
c) Her respect for me
Should I be honest with her about my feelings or consider the fact that she makes more than me, is more experienced and senior to me etc..and let go of it?
Please advise me. I don't know how women think in a situation like that. I don't know if she is even thinking about me the way I think of her.
If you were in her place, would you even consider getting involved with someone like me.
Question for women. Please advise.?
Actually I would feel quite flattered. But then I might think it was funny,and without really knowing, make life at work a little difficult. Even if it was against the law to do so,there are ways. I think I am going to suggest for you to keep your feelings to yourself .If something is going to come from it,it will. But let her be the one to "Catch You". If a guy in your situation were to come to me with a confession of your feelings,I would instinctively back off. It doesn't matter how high up on the ladder you are,or how much money you make , it doesn't make you any better a person,or make you untouchable to others. But most women like to flirt,and be the one to pick out the man. If they are like me that is. I like to be the Hunter! Wait,wait,wait is my suggestion to you.
Reply:I think it is the "forbidden fruit" aspect that is attracting you to her. She would be risking her manager position to get involved with you. Her risk is greater then yours so consider how she may feel about that and do not take it personally if you are rebuffed by her.
Reply:Not good to mix work with private life. If it doesn't work out you're risking too much.
Reply:i would wait until after work to say anything. because if its said while on the job, then all kinds of stuff could be said, then it goes to the eeoe, etc.
if its said off the job, then no report can be made, plus it's afetr hours; so do you
Reply:well if i were you i would think it twice, i mean you're still very fresh at work and that might turn her down. i would try to focus on work and let her make the first move, if she does well go for it, but the other way round won't be practical both for your work and for her respect for you
Reply:It is never wise to mix business with pleasure. Sure, you work a lot of hours and this is the main place you will meet the opposite sex for companionship.
In your case, you just joined the company -- don't risk it at all. Build your reputation in your work. She is in a higher position than you are, and that puts "sexual harassment" into the picture.
It's just really a bad idea.
Reply:Hi there! As you know, this is a very tricky situation! It's hard to give advice without knowing the people AND the company involved, but I'll try my best.
First of all, it can be hard for women to succeed in the business world. There are fewer women at the top of companies than men. If this woman is pretty high up and has been there a while, she probably loves her job and had to work hard to get where she is. Even if she does have feelings for you...she is unlikely to want to risk HER job to date you. You are worried about this too, and you have a lower position than her and haven't been there very long - so imagine how worried she could be!
There are a few things you should look into. First of all, is she your supervisor in any way? Are you in the same department? If you don't report to her and she is NOT responsible for evaluating you or approving anything you do, then there's a better chance for you.
The other thing you need to check out is your company's HR policy. Go and see the HR person and discuss relationships between employees. Many companies have policies about this kind of thing Inter-office dating might be completely forbidden, or it might be okay.
Keep in mind that even if it is okay by your company's rules, it still might jeopardize your positions because people will probably judge you. :( If this woman is very focused on her career, she might not want to risk it anyway. And of course there is always the question of whether or not she is attracted to you!
Here's how I would approach it: talk to her alone (but not in a really obvious way that would make people gossip) and invite her to do something outside of work. If she say yes, that's obviously a really good sign! If she says no, she'll probably explain why not. If you guys do hang out outside of work, you could mention your feelings to her and ask her how she feels about inter-office relationships. If you're REALLY into her, you may have to consider transferring to a different job so that you can date.
The thing is, she's a woman and she's been there a while. I'm sure this isn't the first time this has come up. :) Good luck - it's quite a complicated situation. I hope I've helped somehow.
I want to tell her about my feelings but in the process I risk:
a) My job
b) My goodwill
c) Her respect for me
Should I be honest with her about my feelings or consider the fact that she makes more than me, is more experienced and senior to me etc..and let go of it?
Please advise me. I don't know how women think in a situation like that. I don't know if she is even thinking about me the way I think of her.
If you were in her place, would you even consider getting involved with someone like me.
Question for women. Please advise.?
Actually I would feel quite flattered. But then I might think it was funny,and without really knowing, make life at work a little difficult. Even if it was against the law to do so,there are ways. I think I am going to suggest for you to keep your feelings to yourself .If something is going to come from it,it will. But let her be the one to "Catch You". If a guy in your situation were to come to me with a confession of your feelings,I would instinctively back off. It doesn't matter how high up on the ladder you are,or how much money you make , it doesn't make you any better a person,or make you untouchable to others. But most women like to flirt,and be the one to pick out the man. If they are like me that is. I like to be the Hunter! Wait,wait,wait is my suggestion to you.
Reply:I think it is the "forbidden fruit" aspect that is attracting you to her. She would be risking her manager position to get involved with you. Her risk is greater then yours so consider how she may feel about that and do not take it personally if you are rebuffed by her.
Reply:Not good to mix work with private life. If it doesn't work out you're risking too much.
Reply:i would wait until after work to say anything. because if its said while on the job, then all kinds of stuff could be said, then it goes to the eeoe, etc.
if its said off the job, then no report can be made, plus it's afetr hours; so do you
Reply:well if i were you i would think it twice, i mean you're still very fresh at work and that might turn her down. i would try to focus on work and let her make the first move, if she does well go for it, but the other way round won't be practical both for your work and for her respect for you
Reply:It is never wise to mix business with pleasure. Sure, you work a lot of hours and this is the main place you will meet the opposite sex for companionship.
In your case, you just joined the company -- don't risk it at all. Build your reputation in your work. She is in a higher position than you are, and that puts "sexual harassment" into the picture.
It's just really a bad idea.
Reply:Hi there! As you know, this is a very tricky situation! It's hard to give advice without knowing the people AND the company involved, but I'll try my best.
First of all, it can be hard for women to succeed in the business world. There are fewer women at the top of companies than men. If this woman is pretty high up and has been there a while, she probably loves her job and had to work hard to get where she is. Even if she does have feelings for you...she is unlikely to want to risk HER job to date you. You are worried about this too, and you have a lower position than her and haven't been there very long - so imagine how worried she could be!
There are a few things you should look into. First of all, is she your supervisor in any way? Are you in the same department? If you don't report to her and she is NOT responsible for evaluating you or approving anything you do, then there's a better chance for you.
The other thing you need to check out is your company's HR policy. Go and see the HR person and discuss relationships between employees. Many companies have policies about this kind of thing Inter-office dating might be completely forbidden, or it might be okay.
Keep in mind that even if it is okay by your company's rules, it still might jeopardize your positions because people will probably judge you. :( If this woman is very focused on her career, she might not want to risk it anyway. And of course there is always the question of whether or not she is attracted to you!
Here's how I would approach it: talk to her alone (but not in a really obvious way that would make people gossip) and invite her to do something outside of work. If she say yes, that's obviously a really good sign! If she says no, she'll probably explain why not. If you guys do hang out outside of work, you could mention your feelings to her and ask her how she feels about inter-office relationships. If you're REALLY into her, you may have to consider transferring to a different job so that you can date.
The thing is, she's a woman and she's been there a while. I'm sure this isn't the first time this has come up. :) Good luck - it's quite a complicated situation. I hope I've helped somehow.
A Question about books on Buddhism.?
I have four books on or about Buddhism which I will be reading soon, and I'd like the opinion of the Buddhists here on them. The books are:
The Perfection of Wisdom (translated by R.C. Jamieson)
The Dhammapada (the Sacred Writings series)
The Path to Enlightenment (His Holiness the Dalai Lama)
Collected Statements, Interviews %26amp; Articles (His Holiness the Dalai Lama)
I know that there are different sects of Buddhism - will these books cover the basics?
If not, what would you recommend?
A Question about books on Buddhism.?
Consider also "Buddhism without Belief" by Stephen Batchelor, and "Wherever you go, there you are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Reply:Yes,they will. I also recommend,The Art of Happiness,by the Dalai Lama.
Reply:I sponsored the printing of "What Buddhists Believe" by the late Ven.K.Sri Dhammananda and would be most happy to send you one copy.This book has been translated into many languages.It will most definitely help you to understand buddhism better.The Dhammapada contains interesting stories,but I don't think it will help you .The other 3 books ...no comment...have not read them.
samaditti@yahoo.com that is my e-mail.....
Reply:The book Dhammapada you have contains 423 most valuble syings of LORD BUDDHA . You can have a good idea about buddhism by reading it.
Reply:The Dhammapada is good to read, because it is the words of Buddha. I have that book The Path to Enlightenment, but I haven't read it yet.
"What the Buddha Taught" is an excellent introduction to Buddhism, by Walpola Rahula. We used that in a class in Buddhist Philosophy I had.
One of the best books I've ever read on Buddhism is by Huston Smith and Philip Novak, and it is called "Buddhism: A Precise Introduction." I think it does a very good job of explaining some of the most difficult to grasp concepts, like emptiness.
While I'm on the subject of Buddhist Books, I really love "Destructive Emotions" by the Dalai Lama and Daniel Goleman. It's not an introduction to Buddhism or anything, but it sure is fascinating! It talks about how Buddhists view emotions compared with modern psychology.
Reply:Howdy,
May I suggest The Buddhist Handbook by John Snelling. This covers the basics that most traditions/schools of Buddhism share, it also has the history and how Buddhism spread to various countries. At the end of the book is a list of sanghas or places that might be near you to visit and investigate further.
www.buddhanet.net is a non-sectarian website, quite informative and you might like that you can download audio from it to listen in on lectures and chanting.The Dhammapada is a great read, each chapter contains a collection of utterances and sayings attributed to the Buddha that relates to the chapter's topic. I second the nomination on "What the Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula, good starting point.
Reply:Here's my basic:
Buddhism—A Search for Enlightenment Without God
SCARCELY known outside Asia at the turn of the 20th century, Buddhism today has assumed the role of a world religion. In fact, many people in the West are quite surprised to find Buddhism thriving right in their own neighborhood. Much of this has come about as a result of the international refugee movement. Sizable Asian communities have established themselves in Western Europe, North America, Australia, and other places. As more and more immigrants put down roots in their new land, they also bring along their religion. At the same time, more of the people in the West are coming face-to-face with Buddhism for the first time. This, along with the permissiveness and spiritual decline in the traditional churches, has caused some people to become converts to the “new” religion.—2 Timothy 3:1, 5.
2 Thus, according to the 1989 Britannica Book of the Year, Buddhism claims a worldwide membership of some 300 million, with about 200,000 each in Western Europe and, North America, 500,000 in Latin America, and 300,000 in the Soviet Union. Most of Buddhism’s adherents, however, are still found in Asian countries, such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Japan, Korea, and China. Who, though, was the Buddha? How did this religion get started? What are the teachings and practices of Buddhism?
A Question of Reliable Source
3 “What is known of the Buddha’s life is based mainly on the evidence of the canonical texts, the most extensive and comprehensive of which are those written in Pali, a language of ancient India,” says the book World Religions—From Ancient History to the Present. What this means is that there is no source material of his time to tell us anything about Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of this religion, who lived in northern India in the sixth century B.C.E. That, of course, presents a problem. However, more serious is the question of when and how the “canonical texts” were produced.
4 Buddhist tradition holds that soon after the death of Gautama, a council of 500 monks was convened to decide what was the authentic teaching of the Master. Whether such a council actually did take place is a subject of much debate among Buddhist scholars and historians. The important point we should note, however, is that even Buddhist texts acknowledge that the authentic teaching decided upon was not committed to writing but memorized by the disciples. Actual writing of the sacred texts had to wait for a considerable time.
5 According to Sri Lankan chronicles of the fourth and sixth centuries C.E., the earliest of these Pali “canonical texts” were put in writing during the reign of King Vattagamani Abhaya in the first century B.C.E. Other accounts of the Buddha’s life did not appear in writing until perhaps the first or even the fifth century C.E., nearly a thousand years after his time.
6 Thus, observes the Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions, “The ‘biographies’ are both late in origin and replete with legendary and mythical material, and the oldest canonical texts are the products of a long process of oral transmission that evidently included some revision and much addition.” One scholar even “contended that not a single word of the recorded teaching can be ascribed with unqualified certainty to Gautama himself.” Are such criticisms justified?
The Buddha’s Conception and Birth
7 Consider the following excerpts from Jataka, part of the Pali canon, and Buddha-charita, a second-century C.E. Sanskrit text on the life of the Buddha. First, the account of how the Buddha’s mother, Queen Maha-Maya, came to conceive him in a dream.
“The four guardian angels came and lifted her up, together with her couch, and took her away to the Himalaya Mountains. . . . Then came the wives of these guardian angels, and conducted her to Anotatta Lake, and bathed her, to remove every human stain. . . . Not far off was Silver Hill, and in it a golden mansion. There they spread a divine couch with its head towards the east, and laid her down upon it. Now the future Buddha had become a superb white elephant . . . He ascended Silver Hill, and . . . three times he walked round his mother’s couch, with his right side towards it, and striking her on her right side, he seemed to enter her womb. Thus the conception took place in the midsummer festival.”
8 When the queen told the dream to her husband, the king, he summoned 64 eminent Hindu priests, fed and clothed them, and asked for an interpretation. This was their answer:
“Be not anxious, great king! . . . You will have a son. And he, if he continue to live the household life, will become a universal monarch; but if he leave the household life and retire from the world, he will become a Buddha, and roll back the clouds of sin and folly of this world.”
9 Thereafter, 32 miracles were said to have occurred:
“All the ten thousand worlds suddenly quaked, quivered, and shook. . . . The fires went out in all the hells; . . . diseases ceased among men; . . . all musical instruments gave forth their notes without being played upon; . . . in the mighty ocean the water became sweet; . . . the whole ten thousand worlds became one mass of garlands of the utmost possible magnificence.”
10 Then came the unusual birth of the Buddha in a garden of sal trees called Lumbini Grove. When the queen wanted to take hold of a branch of the tallest sal tree in the grove, the tree obliged by bending down to within her reach. Holding on to the branch and standing, she gave birth.
“He issued from his mother’s womb like a preacher descending from his preaching-seat, or a man coming down a stair, stretching out both hands and both feet, unsmeared by any impurity from his mother’s womb. . . . ”
“As soon as he is born, the [future Buddha] firmly plants both feet flat on the ground, takes seven strides to the north, with a white canopy carried above his head, and surveys each quarter of the world, exclaiming in peerless tones: In all the world I am chief, best and foremost; this is my last birth; I shall never be born again.”
11 There are also equally elaborate stories regarding his childhood, his encounters with young female admirers, his wanderings, and just about every event in his life. Not surprisingly, perhaps, most scholars dismiss all these accounts as legends and myths. A British Museum official even suggests that because of the “great body of legend and miracle, . . . a historical life of the Buddha is beyond recovery.”
12 In spite of these myths, a traditional account of the Buddha’s life is widely circulated. A modern text, A Manual of Buddhism, published in Colombo, Sri Lanka, gives the following simplified account.
“On the full-moon day of May in the year 623 B.C. there was born in the district of Nepal an Indian Sakyan Prince, by name Siddhattha Gotama. King Suddhodana was his father, and Queen Maha Maya was his mother. She died a few days after the birth of the child and Maha Pajapati Gotami became his foster-mother.
“At the age of sixteen he married his cousin, the beautiful Princess Yasodhara.
“For nearly thirteen years after his happy marriage he led a luxurious life, blissfully ignorant of the vicissitudes of life outside the palace gates.
“With the march of time, truth gradually dawned upon him. In his 29th year, which witnessed the turning point of his career, his son Rahula was born. He regarded his offspring as an impediment, for he realized that all without exception were subject to birth, disease, and death. Comprehending thus the universality of sorrow, he decided to find out a panacea for this universal sickness of humanity.
“So renouncing his royal pleasures, he left home one night . . . cutting his hair, donned the simple garb of an ascetic, and wandered forth as a Seeker of Truth.”
13 Clearly these few biographical details are in stark contrast to the fantastic accounts found in the “canonical texts.” And except for the year of his birth, they are commonly accepted.
The Enlightenment—How It Happened
14 What was the aforementioned “turning point of his career”? It was when, for the first time in his life, he saw a sick man, an old man, and a dead man. This experience caused him to agonize over the meaning of life—Why were men born, only to suffer, grow old, and die? Then, it was said that he saw a holy man, one who had renounced the world in pursuit of truth. This impelled Gautama to give up his family, his possessions, and his princely name and spend the next six years seeking the answer from Hindu teachers and gurus, but without success. The accounts tell us that he pursued a course of meditation, fasting, Yoga, and extreme self-denial, yet he found no spiritual peace or enlightenment.
15 Eventually he came to realize that his extreme course of self-denial was as useless as the life of self-indulgence that he had led before. He now adopted what he called the Middle Way, avoiding the extremes of the life-styles that he had been following. Deciding that the answer was to be found in his own consciousness, he sat in meditation under a pipal, or Indian fig tree. Resisting attacks and temptations by the devil Mara, he continued steadfast in his meditation for four weeks (some say seven weeks) until he supposedly transcended all knowledge and understanding and reached enlightenment.
16 By this process, in Buddhist terminology, Gautama became the Buddha—the Awakened, or Enlightened, One. He had attained the ultimate goal, Nirvana, the state of perfect peace and enlightenment, freed from desire and suffering. He has also become known as Sakyamuni (sage of the Sakya tribe), and he often addressed himself as Tathagata (one who thus came [to teach]). Different Buddhist sects, however, hold different views on this subject. Some view him strictly as a human who found the path to enlightenment for himself and taught it to his followers. Others view him as the final one of a series of Buddhas to have come into the world to preach or revive the dharma (Pali, Dhamma), the teaching or way of the Buddha. Still others view him as a bodhisattva, one who had attained enlightenment but postponed entering Nirvana in order to help others in their pursuit of enlightenment. Whatever it is, this event, the Enlightenment, is of central importance to all schools of Buddhism.
The Enlightenment—What Is It?
17 Having attained enlightenment, and after overcoming some initial hesitation, the Buddha set forth to teach his newfound truth, his dharma, to others. His first and probably most important sermon was given in the city of Benares, in a deer park, to five bhikkus—disciples or monks. In it, he taught that to be saved, one must avoid both the course of sensual indulgence and that of asceticism and follow the Middle Way. Then, one must understand and follow the Four Noble Truths (see box, opposite page), which can briefly be summarized as follows:
(1) All existence is suffering.
(2) Suffering arises from desire or craving.
(3) Cessation of desire means the end of suffering.
(4) Cessation of desire is achieved by following the Eightfold Path, controlling one’s conduct, thinking, and belief.
18 This sermon on the Middle Way and on the Four Noble Truths embodies the essence of the Enlightenment and is considered the epitome of all the Buddha’s teaching. (In contrast, compare Matthew 6:25-34; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; James 4:1-3; 1 John 2:15-17.) Gautama claimed no divine inspiration for this sermon but credited himself with the words “discovered by the Tathagata.” It is said that on his deathbed, the Buddha told his disciples: “Seek salvation alone in the truth; look not for assistance to anyone besides yourself.” Thus, according to the Buddha, enlightenment comes, not from God, but from personal effort in developing right thinking and good deeds.
19 It is not hard to see why this teaching was welcomed in the Indian society of the time. It condemned the greedy and corrupt religious practices promoted by the Hindu Brahmans, or priestly caste, on the one hand, and the austere asceticism of the Jains and other mystic cults on the other. It also did away with the sacrifices and rituals, the myriads of gods and goddesses, and the burdensome caste system that dominated and enslaved every aspect of the people’s life. In short, it promised liberation to everyone who was willing to follow the Buddha’s way.
Buddhism Spreading Its Influence
20 When the five bhikkus accepted the Buddha’s teaching, they became the first sangha, or order of monks. So the “Three Jewels” (Triratna) of Buddhism were completed, namely, the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha, which were supposed to help people get on the way to enlightenment. Thus prepared, Gautama the Buddha went preaching through the length and breadth of the Ganges Valley. People from every social rank and status came to hear him, and they became his disciples. By the time of his death at age 80, he had become well-known and well respected. It was reported that his last words to his disciples were: “Decay is inherent in all component things. Work out your own salvation with diligence.”
21 In the third century B.C.E., about 200 years after the Buddha’s death, appeared Buddhism’s greatest champion, Emperor Asoka, who brought most of India under his rule. Saddened by the slaughter and upheaval caused by his conquests, he embraced Buddhism and gave it State support. He erected religious monuments, convened councils, and exhorted the people to live by the precepts of the Buddha. Asoka also sent Buddhist missionaries to all parts of India and to Sri Lanka, Syria, Egypt, and Greece. Principally by Asoka’s efforts, Buddhism grew from being an Indian sect to a world religion. Justifiably, he has been regarded by some as the second founder of Buddhism.
22 From Sri Lanka, Buddhism spread eastward into Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and other parts of Indochina. To the north, Buddhism spread to Kashmir and central Asia. From those areas, and as early as the first century C.E., Buddhist monks traveled across the forbidding mountains and deserts and took their religion into China. From China, it was a short step for Buddhism to spread to Korea and Japan. Buddhism was also introduced into Tibet, India’s northern neighbor. Mixed with local beliefs, it emerged as Lamaism, which dominated both the religious and the political life there. By the sixth or seventh century C.E., Buddhism had become well established in all of Southeast Asia and the Far East. But what was happening in India?
23 While Buddhism was spreading its influence in other lands, it was gradually declining back in India. Deeply involved in philosophical and metaphysical pursuits, the monks began to lose touch with their lay followers. In addition, the loss of royal patronage and the adoption of Hindu ideas and practices all hastened the demise of Buddhism in India. Even Buddhist holy places, such as Lumbini, where Gautama was born, and Buddh Gaya, where he experienced “enlightenment,” fell into ruin. By the 13th century, Buddhism had virtually disappeared from India, the land of its origin.
24 During the 20th century, Buddhism underwent another change of face. Political upheaval in China, Mongolia, Tibet, and countries in Southeast Asia dealt it a devastating blow. Thousands of monasteries and temples were destroyed and hundreds of thousands of monks and nuns were driven away, imprisoned, or even killed. Nonetheless, Buddhism’s influence is still strongly felt in the thinking and habits of the people of these lands.
25 In Europe and North America, Buddhism’s idea of seeking “truth” within the individual self seems to have a wide appeal, and its practice of meditation provides an escape from the hubbub of Western life. Interestingly, in the foreword to the book Living Buddhism, Tenzin Gyatso, the exiled Dalai Lama of Tibet, wrote: “Perhaps today Buddhism may have a part to play in reminding western people of the spiritual dimension of their lives.”
Buddhism’s Diverse Ways
26 Although it is customary to speak of Buddhism as one religion, in reality it is divided into several schools of thought. Based on different interpretations of the nature of the Buddha and his teachings, each has its own doctrines, practices, and scriptures. These schools are further divided into numerous groups and sects, many of which are heavily influenced by local cultures and traditions.
27 The Theravada (Way of the Elders), or Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle), school of Buddhism flourishes in Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Kampuchea (Cambodia), and Laos. Some consider this to be the conservative school. It emphasizes gaining wisdom and working out one’s own salvation by renouncing the world and living the life of a monk, devoting oneself to meditation and study in a monastery.
28 It is a common sight in some of these lands to see groups of young men with shaved heads, in saffron robes and bare feet, carrying their alms bowls to receive their daily provision from the lay believers whose role it is to support them. It is customary for men to spend at least some part of their life in a monastery. The ultimate goal of the monastic life is to become an arhat, that is, one who has reached spiritual perfection and liberation from the pain and suffering in the cycles of rebirth. The Buddha has shown the way; it is up to each one to follow it.
29 The Mahayana (Greater Vehicle) school of Buddhism is commonly found in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. It is so named because it emphasizes the Buddha’s teaching that “truth and the way of salvation is for everyone whether one lives in a cave, a monastery, or a house . . . It is not just for those who give up the world.” The basic Mahayana concept is that the love and compassion of the Buddha are so great that he would not withhold salvation from anyone. It teaches that because the Buddha-nature is in all of us, everyone is capable of becoming a Buddha, an enlightened one, or a bodhisattva. Enlightenment comes, not by strenuous self-discipline, but by faith in the Buddha and compassion for all living things. This clearly has greater appeal to the practical-minded masses. Because of this more liberal attitude, however, numerous groups and cults have developed.
30 Among the many Mahayana sects that have developed in China and Japan are the Pure Land and Zen schools of Buddhism. The former centers its belief around faith in the saving power of Amida Buddha, who promised his followers a rebirth in the Pure Land, or Western Paradise, a land of joy and delight inhabited by gods and humans. From there, it is an easy step to Nirvana. By repeating the prayer “I place my faith in Amida Buddha,” sometimes thousands of times a day, the devotee purifies himself in order to attain enlightenment or to gain rebirth in the Western Paradise.
31 Zen Buddhism (Ch’an school in China) derived its name from the practice of meditation. The words ch’an (Chinese) and zen (Japanese) are variations of the Sanskrit word dhyana, meaning “meditation.” This discipline teaches that study, good works, and rituals are of little merit. One can attain enlightenment simply by contemplating such imponderable riddles as, ‘What is the sound of one hand clapping?’ and, ‘What do we find where there is nothing?’ The mystical nature of Zen Buddhism has found expression in the refined arts of flower arrangement, calligraphy, ink painting, poetry, gardening, and so on, and these have been favorably received in the West. Today, Zen meditation centers are found in many Western countries.
32 Finally, there is Tibetan Buddhism, or Lamaism. This form of Buddhism is sometimes called Mantrayana (Mantra Vehicle) because of the prominent use of mantras, a series of syllables with or without meaning, in long recitals. Instead of emphasizing wisdom or compassion, this form of Buddhism emphasizes the use of rituals, prayers, magic, and spiritism in worship. Prayers are repeated thousands of times a day with the aid of prayer beads and prayer wheels. The complicated rituals can be learned only under oral instruction by lamas, or monastic leaders, among whom the best known are the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. After the death of a lama, a search is made for a child in whom the lama is said to have been reincarnated to be the next spiritual leader. The term, however, is also generally applied to all monks, who, by one estimate, at one time numbered about one fifth of the entire population of Tibet. Lamas also served as teachers, doctors, landowners, and political figures.
33 These principal divisions of Buddhism are in turn subdivided into many groups, or sects. Some are devoted to a particular leader, such as Nichiren in Japan, who taught that only the Mahayanan Lotus Sutra contains the definitive teachings of the Buddha, and Nun Ch’in-Hai in Taiwan, who has a mass following. In this respect, Buddhism is not very different from Christendom with its many denominations and sects. In fact it is common to see people who claim to be Buddhists engage in practices of Taoism, Shinto, ancestor worship, and even those of Christendom. All these Buddhist sects claim to base their beliefs and practices on the teachings of the Buddha.
The Three Baskets and Other Buddhist Scriptures
34 Teachings attributed to the Buddha were passed on by word of mouth and only began to be put down in writing centuries after he had passed off the scene. Thus, at best, they represent what his followers in later generations thought he said and did. This is further complicated by the fact that, by then, Buddhism had already splintered into many schools. Thus, different texts present quite different versions of Buddhism.
35 The earliest of the Buddhist texts were written in Pali, said to be related to the Buddha’s native tongue, in about the first century B.C.E. They are accepted by the Theravada school as the authentic texts. They consist of 31 books organized into three collections called Tipitaka (Sanskrit, Tripitaka), meaning “Three Baskets,” or “Three Collections.” The Vinaya Pitaka (Basket of Discipline) deals mainly with rules and regulations for monks and nuns. The Sutta Pitaka (Basket of Discourses) contains the sermons, parables, and proverbs delivered by the Buddha and his leading disciples. Finally, the Abhidhamma Pitaka (Basket of Ultimate Doctrine) consists of commentaries on Buddhist doctrines.
36 On the other hand, the writings of the Mahayana school are mostly in Sanskrit, Chinese, and Tibetan, and they are voluminous. The Chinese texts alone consist of over 5,000 volumes. They contain many ideas that were not in the earlier writings, such as accounts of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, who are said to have lived for countless millions of years, each presiding over his own Buddha world. It is no exaggeration when one writer observes that these texts are “characterized by diversity, extravagant imagination, colorful personalities, and inordinate repetitions.”
37 Needless to say, few people are able to comprehend these highly abstract treatises. As a result, these later developments have taken Buddhism far away from what the Buddha intended originally. According to the Vinaya Pitaka, the Buddha wanted his teachings to be understood not only by the educated class but by every sort of people. To this end, he insisted that his ideas be taught in the language of the common people, not the sacred dead language of Hinduism. Thus, to the Theravada Buddhists’ objection that these books were noncanonical, the Mahayana followers’ reply is that Gautama the Buddha first taught the simple and ignorant, but to the learned and wise he revealed the teachings written later in the Mahayana books.
The Cycle of Karma and Samsara
38 Although Buddhism freed the people from the shackles of Hinduism to a certain extent, its fundamental ideas are still a legacy of the Hindu teachings of Karma and samsara. Buddhism, as it was originally taught by the Buddha, differs from Hinduism in that it denies the existence of an immortal soul but speaks of the individual as “a combination of physical and mental forces or energies.” Nonetheless, its teachings are still centered on the ideas that all humanity is wandering from life to life through countless rebirths (samsara) and suffering the consequences of actions past and present (Karma). Even though its message of enlightenment and liberation from this cycle may appear attractive, some ask: How sound is the foundation? What proof is there that all sufferings are the result of one’s actions in a previous life? And, in fact, what evidence is there that there is any past life?
39 One explanation about the law of Karma says:
“Kamma [Pali equivalent of Karma] is a law in itself. But it does not follow that there should be a lawgiver. Ordinary laws of nature, like gravitation, need no lawgiver. The law of Kamma too demands no lawgiver. It operates in its own field without the intervention of an external, independent ruling agency.”—A Manual of Buddhism.
40 Is this sound reasoning? Do laws of nature really need no lawgiver? Rocket expert Dr. Wernher von Braun once stated: “The natural laws of the universe are so precise that we have no difficulty building a spaceship to fly to the moon and can time the flight with the precision of a fraction of a second. These laws must have been set by somebody.” The Bible also speaks about the law of cause and effect. It tells us, “God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) Instead of saying this law needs no lawgiver, it points out that “God is not one to be mocked,” indicating that this law was set in motion by its Maker, Jehovah.
41 In addition, the Bible tells us that “the wages sin pays is death,” and “he who has died has been acquitted from his sin.” Even courts of justice recognize that no one is to suffer double jeopardy for any crime. Why, then, should a person who has already paid for his sins by dying be reborn only to suffer anew the consequences of his past acts? Furthermore, without knowing what past acts one is being punished for, how can one repent and improve? Could this be considered justice? Is it consistent with mercy, which is said to be the Buddha’s most outstanding quality? In contrast, the Bible, after stating that “the wages sin pays is death,” goes on to say: “But the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.” Yes, it promises that God will do away with all corruption, sin, and death and will bring freedom and perfection for all mankind.—Romans 6:7, 23; 8:21; Isaiah 25:8.
42 As for rebirth, here is an explanation by the Buddhist scholar Dr. Walpola Rahula:
“A being is nothing but a combination of physical and mental forces or energies. What we call death is the total non-functioning of the physical body. Do all these forces and energies stop altogether with the non-functioning of the body? Buddhism says ‘No.’ Will, volition, desire, thirst to exist, to continue, to become more and more, is a tremendous force that moves whole lives, whole existences, that even moves the whole world. This is the greatest force, the greatest energy in the world. According to Buddhism, this force does not stop with the non-functioning of the body, which is death; but it continues manifesting itself in another form, producing re-existence which is called rebirth.”
43 At the moment of conception, a person inherits 50 percent of his genes from each parent. Therefore there is no way by which he can be 100 percent like someone in a previous existence. Indeed, the process of rebirth cannot be supported by any known principle of science. Frequently, those who believe in the doctrine of rebirth cite as proof the experience of people who claim to recollect faces, events, and places that they have not formerly known. Is this logical? To say that a person who can recount things in bygone times must have lived in that era, one would also have to say that a person who can foretell the future—and there are many who claim to do so—must have lived in the future. That, obviously, is not the case.
44 More than 400 years before the Buddha, the Bible spoke of a life-force. Describing what happens at a person’s death, it says: “Then the dust returns to the earth just as it happened to be and the spirit itself returns to the true God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) The word “spirit” is translated from the Hebrew word ru´ach, meaning the life-force that animates all living creatures, human and animal. (Ecclesiastes 3:18-22) However, the important difference is that ru´ach is an impersonal force; it does not have a will of its own or retain the personality or any of the characteristics of the deceased individual. It does not go from one person to another at death but “returns to the true God who gave it.” In other words, the person’s future life prospects—the hope of a resurrection—are entirely in God’s hands.—John 5:28, 29; Acts 17:31.
Nirvana—Attaining the Unattainable?
45 This brings us to the Buddha’s teaching on enlightenment and salvation. In Buddhist terms, the basic idea of salvation is liberation from the laws of Karma and samsara, as well as the attaining of Nirvana. And what is Nirvana? Buddhist texts say that it is impossible to describe or explain but can only be experienced. It is not a heaven where one goes after death but an attainment that is within the reach of all, here and now. The word itself is said to mean “blowing out, extinguishing.” Thus, some define Nirvana as cessation of all passion and desire; an existence free from all sensory feelings, such as pain, fear, want, love, or hate; a state of eternal peace, rest, and changelessness. Essentially, it is said to be the cessation of individual existence.
46 The Buddha taught that enlightenment and salvation—the perfection of Nirvana—come, not from any God or external force, but from within a person by his own effort in good deeds and right thoughts. This raises the question: Can something perfect come out of something imperfect? Does not our common experience tell us, as the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah did, that “to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step”? (Jeremiah 10:23) If no one is able to have total control of his actions even in simple day-to-day matters, is it logical to think that anyone can work out his eternal salvation all by himself?—Psalm 146:3, 4.
47 Just as a man mired in quicksand is not likely to free himself from it on his own, likewise all mankind is entrapped in sin and death, and no one is capable of extricating himself from this entanglement. (Romans 5:12) Yet, the Buddha taught that salvation depends solely on one’s own effort. His parting exhortation to his disciples was to “rely on yourselves and do not rely on external help; hold fast to the truth as a lamp; seek salvation alone in the truth; look not for assistance to anyone besides yourself.”
Enlightenment or Disillusionment?
48 What is the effect of such a doctrine? Does it inspire its believers to true faith and devotion? The book Living Buddhism reports that in some Buddhist countries, even “monks give little thought to the sublimities of their religion. The attainment of Nirvana is widely thought to be a hopelessly unrealistic ambition, and meditation is seldom practised. Apart from desultory study of the Tipitaka, they devote themselves to being a benevolent and harmonious influence in society.” Similarly, World Encyclopedia (Japanese), in commenting on the recent resurgence of interest in Buddhist teachings, observes: “The more the study of Buddhism becomes specialized, the more it departs from its original purpose—to guide the people. From this point of view, the recent trend in the rigorous study of Buddhism does not necessarily mean the revival of a living faith. Rather, it must be observed that when a religion becomes the object of complicated metaphysical scholarship, its real life as a faith is losing its power.”
49 The fundamental concept of Buddhism is that knowledge and understanding lead to enlightenment and salvation. But the complicated doctrines of the various schools of Buddhism have only produced the above-mentioned “hopelessly unrealistic” situation, beyond the grasp of most believers. For them, Buddhism has been reduced to doing good and following a few rituals and simple precepts. It does not come to grips with life’s perplexing questions, such as: Where do we come from? Why are we here? And what is the future for man and the earth?
50 Some sincere Buddhists have recognized the confusion and disillusionment that arise from the complicated doctrines and burdensome rituals of Buddhism as it is practiced today. The humanitarian efforts of Buddhist groups and associations in some countries may have brought relief from pain and suffering to many. But as a source of true enlightenment and liberation for all, has Buddhism lived up to its promise?
Enlightenment Without God?
51 Accounts of the life of the Buddha relate that on one occasion he and his disciples were in a forest. He picked up a handful of leaves and said to his disciples: “What I have taught you is comparable to the leaves in my hand, what I have not taught you is comparable to the amount of leaves in the forest.” The implication, of course, was that the Buddha had taught only a fraction of what he knew. However, there is one important omission—Gautama the Buddha had next to nothing to say about God; neither did he ever claim to be God. In fact, it is said that he told his disciples, “If there is a God, it is inconceivable that He would be concerned about my day-to-day affairs,” and “there are no gods who can or will help man.”
52 In this sense, Buddhism’s role in mankind’s search for the true God is minimal. The Encyclopedia of World Faiths observes that “early Buddhism appears to have taken no account of the question of God, and certainly did not teach or require belief in God.” In its emphasis on each person’s seeking salvation on his own, turning inward to his own mind or consciousness for enlightenment, Buddhism is really agnostic, if not atheistic. (See box, page 145.) In trying to throw off Hinduism’s shackles of superstition and its bewildering array of mythical gods, Buddhism has swung to the other extreme. It ignored the fundamental concept of a Supreme Being, by whose will everything exists and operates.—Acts 17:24, 25.
53 Because of this self-centered and independent way of thinking, the result is a veritable labyrinth of legends, traditions, complex doctrines, and interpretations generated by the many schools and sects over the centuries. What was meant to bring a simple solution to the complicated problems of life has resulted in a religious and philosophical system that is beyond the comprehension of most people. Instead, the average follower of Buddhism is simply preoccupied with worshiping idols and relics, gods and demons, spirits and ancestors, and performing many other rituals and practices that have little to do with what Gautama the Buddha taught. Clearly, seeking enlightenment without God does not work.
54 At about the same time that Gautama the Buddha was searching for the way to enlightenment, in another part of the continent of Asia there lived two philosophers whose ideas came to influence millions of people. They were Lao-tzu and Confucius, the two sages venerated by generations of Chinese and others. What did they teach, and how did they influence mankind’s search for God? That is what we will consider in the next chapter.
[Footnotes]
This is the transliteration of the Pali spelling of his name. From Sanskrit the transliteration is Siddhartha Gautama. His birth date, however, has been variously given as 560, 563, or 567 B.C.E. Most authorities accept the 560 date or at least put his birth in the sixth century B.C.E.
Many Buddhists in Japan celebrate a showy “Christmas.”
Buddhist doctrines, such as anatta (no self), deny the existence of an unchanging or eternal soul. However, most Buddhists today, particularly those in the Far East, believe in the transmigration of an immortal soul. Their practice of ancestor worship and belief in torment in a hell after death clearly demonstrate this.
Reply:I would try to stick to one sect of Buddhism. However, the 1st book will cover Buddhas third turning of the wheel. IT is also a very deep topic. I would suggest reading the third book first. I know nothing of the second book. and I don't know what you will gain in terms of practical advice from the last book.
I recommend reading the backside of the books and seeing what resonates with you.
verbena
The Perfection of Wisdom (translated by R.C. Jamieson)
The Dhammapada (the Sacred Writings series)
The Path to Enlightenment (His Holiness the Dalai Lama)
Collected Statements, Interviews %26amp; Articles (His Holiness the Dalai Lama)
I know that there are different sects of Buddhism - will these books cover the basics?
If not, what would you recommend?
A Question about books on Buddhism.?
Consider also "Buddhism without Belief" by Stephen Batchelor, and "Wherever you go, there you are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Reply:Yes,they will. I also recommend,The Art of Happiness,by the Dalai Lama.
Reply:I sponsored the printing of "What Buddhists Believe" by the late Ven.K.Sri Dhammananda and would be most happy to send you one copy.This book has been translated into many languages.It will most definitely help you to understand buddhism better.The Dhammapada contains interesting stories,but I don't think it will help you .The other 3 books ...no comment...have not read them.
samaditti@yahoo.com that is my e-mail.....
Reply:The book Dhammapada you have contains 423 most valuble syings of LORD BUDDHA . You can have a good idea about buddhism by reading it.
Reply:The Dhammapada is good to read, because it is the words of Buddha. I have that book The Path to Enlightenment, but I haven't read it yet.
"What the Buddha Taught" is an excellent introduction to Buddhism, by Walpola Rahula. We used that in a class in Buddhist Philosophy I had.
One of the best books I've ever read on Buddhism is by Huston Smith and Philip Novak, and it is called "Buddhism: A Precise Introduction." I think it does a very good job of explaining some of the most difficult to grasp concepts, like emptiness.
While I'm on the subject of Buddhist Books, I really love "Destructive Emotions" by the Dalai Lama and Daniel Goleman. It's not an introduction to Buddhism or anything, but it sure is fascinating! It talks about how Buddhists view emotions compared with modern psychology.
Reply:Howdy,
May I suggest The Buddhist Handbook by John Snelling. This covers the basics that most traditions/schools of Buddhism share, it also has the history and how Buddhism spread to various countries. At the end of the book is a list of sanghas or places that might be near you to visit and investigate further.
www.buddhanet.net is a non-sectarian website, quite informative and you might like that you can download audio from it to listen in on lectures and chanting.The Dhammapada is a great read, each chapter contains a collection of utterances and sayings attributed to the Buddha that relates to the chapter's topic. I second the nomination on "What the Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula, good starting point.
Reply:Here's my basic:
Buddhism—A Search for Enlightenment Without God
SCARCELY known outside Asia at the turn of the 20th century, Buddhism today has assumed the role of a world religion. In fact, many people in the West are quite surprised to find Buddhism thriving right in their own neighborhood. Much of this has come about as a result of the international refugee movement. Sizable Asian communities have established themselves in Western Europe, North America, Australia, and other places. As more and more immigrants put down roots in their new land, they also bring along their religion. At the same time, more of the people in the West are coming face-to-face with Buddhism for the first time. This, along with the permissiveness and spiritual decline in the traditional churches, has caused some people to become converts to the “new” religion.—2 Timothy 3:1, 5.
2 Thus, according to the 1989 Britannica Book of the Year, Buddhism claims a worldwide membership of some 300 million, with about 200,000 each in Western Europe and, North America, 500,000 in Latin America, and 300,000 in the Soviet Union. Most of Buddhism’s adherents, however, are still found in Asian countries, such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Japan, Korea, and China. Who, though, was the Buddha? How did this religion get started? What are the teachings and practices of Buddhism?
A Question of Reliable Source
3 “What is known of the Buddha’s life is based mainly on the evidence of the canonical texts, the most extensive and comprehensive of which are those written in Pali, a language of ancient India,” says the book World Religions—From Ancient History to the Present. What this means is that there is no source material of his time to tell us anything about Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of this religion, who lived in northern India in the sixth century B.C.E. That, of course, presents a problem. However, more serious is the question of when and how the “canonical texts” were produced.
4 Buddhist tradition holds that soon after the death of Gautama, a council of 500 monks was convened to decide what was the authentic teaching of the Master. Whether such a council actually did take place is a subject of much debate among Buddhist scholars and historians. The important point we should note, however, is that even Buddhist texts acknowledge that the authentic teaching decided upon was not committed to writing but memorized by the disciples. Actual writing of the sacred texts had to wait for a considerable time.
5 According to Sri Lankan chronicles of the fourth and sixth centuries C.E., the earliest of these Pali “canonical texts” were put in writing during the reign of King Vattagamani Abhaya in the first century B.C.E. Other accounts of the Buddha’s life did not appear in writing until perhaps the first or even the fifth century C.E., nearly a thousand years after his time.
6 Thus, observes the Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions, “The ‘biographies’ are both late in origin and replete with legendary and mythical material, and the oldest canonical texts are the products of a long process of oral transmission that evidently included some revision and much addition.” One scholar even “contended that not a single word of the recorded teaching can be ascribed with unqualified certainty to Gautama himself.” Are such criticisms justified?
The Buddha’s Conception and Birth
7 Consider the following excerpts from Jataka, part of the Pali canon, and Buddha-charita, a second-century C.E. Sanskrit text on the life of the Buddha. First, the account of how the Buddha’s mother, Queen Maha-Maya, came to conceive him in a dream.
“The four guardian angels came and lifted her up, together with her couch, and took her away to the Himalaya Mountains. . . . Then came the wives of these guardian angels, and conducted her to Anotatta Lake, and bathed her, to remove every human stain. . . . Not far off was Silver Hill, and in it a golden mansion. There they spread a divine couch with its head towards the east, and laid her down upon it. Now the future Buddha had become a superb white elephant . . . He ascended Silver Hill, and . . . three times he walked round his mother’s couch, with his right side towards it, and striking her on her right side, he seemed to enter her womb. Thus the conception took place in the midsummer festival.”
8 When the queen told the dream to her husband, the king, he summoned 64 eminent Hindu priests, fed and clothed them, and asked for an interpretation. This was their answer:
“Be not anxious, great king! . . . You will have a son. And he, if he continue to live the household life, will become a universal monarch; but if he leave the household life and retire from the world, he will become a Buddha, and roll back the clouds of sin and folly of this world.”
9 Thereafter, 32 miracles were said to have occurred:
“All the ten thousand worlds suddenly quaked, quivered, and shook. . . . The fires went out in all the hells; . . . diseases ceased among men; . . . all musical instruments gave forth their notes without being played upon; . . . in the mighty ocean the water became sweet; . . . the whole ten thousand worlds became one mass of garlands of the utmost possible magnificence.”
10 Then came the unusual birth of the Buddha in a garden of sal trees called Lumbini Grove. When the queen wanted to take hold of a branch of the tallest sal tree in the grove, the tree obliged by bending down to within her reach. Holding on to the branch and standing, she gave birth.
“He issued from his mother’s womb like a preacher descending from his preaching-seat, or a man coming down a stair, stretching out both hands and both feet, unsmeared by any impurity from his mother’s womb. . . . ”
“As soon as he is born, the [future Buddha] firmly plants both feet flat on the ground, takes seven strides to the north, with a white canopy carried above his head, and surveys each quarter of the world, exclaiming in peerless tones: In all the world I am chief, best and foremost; this is my last birth; I shall never be born again.”
11 There are also equally elaborate stories regarding his childhood, his encounters with young female admirers, his wanderings, and just about every event in his life. Not surprisingly, perhaps, most scholars dismiss all these accounts as legends and myths. A British Museum official even suggests that because of the “great body of legend and miracle, . . . a historical life of the Buddha is beyond recovery.”
12 In spite of these myths, a traditional account of the Buddha’s life is widely circulated. A modern text, A Manual of Buddhism, published in Colombo, Sri Lanka, gives the following simplified account.
“On the full-moon day of May in the year 623 B.C. there was born in the district of Nepal an Indian Sakyan Prince, by name Siddhattha Gotama. King Suddhodana was his father, and Queen Maha Maya was his mother. She died a few days after the birth of the child and Maha Pajapati Gotami became his foster-mother.
“At the age of sixteen he married his cousin, the beautiful Princess Yasodhara.
“For nearly thirteen years after his happy marriage he led a luxurious life, blissfully ignorant of the vicissitudes of life outside the palace gates.
“With the march of time, truth gradually dawned upon him. In his 29th year, which witnessed the turning point of his career, his son Rahula was born. He regarded his offspring as an impediment, for he realized that all without exception were subject to birth, disease, and death. Comprehending thus the universality of sorrow, he decided to find out a panacea for this universal sickness of humanity.
“So renouncing his royal pleasures, he left home one night . . . cutting his hair, donned the simple garb of an ascetic, and wandered forth as a Seeker of Truth.”
13 Clearly these few biographical details are in stark contrast to the fantastic accounts found in the “canonical texts.” And except for the year of his birth, they are commonly accepted.
The Enlightenment—How It Happened
14 What was the aforementioned “turning point of his career”? It was when, for the first time in his life, he saw a sick man, an old man, and a dead man. This experience caused him to agonize over the meaning of life—Why were men born, only to suffer, grow old, and die? Then, it was said that he saw a holy man, one who had renounced the world in pursuit of truth. This impelled Gautama to give up his family, his possessions, and his princely name and spend the next six years seeking the answer from Hindu teachers and gurus, but without success. The accounts tell us that he pursued a course of meditation, fasting, Yoga, and extreme self-denial, yet he found no spiritual peace or enlightenment.
15 Eventually he came to realize that his extreme course of self-denial was as useless as the life of self-indulgence that he had led before. He now adopted what he called the Middle Way, avoiding the extremes of the life-styles that he had been following. Deciding that the answer was to be found in his own consciousness, he sat in meditation under a pipal, or Indian fig tree. Resisting attacks and temptations by the devil Mara, he continued steadfast in his meditation for four weeks (some say seven weeks) until he supposedly transcended all knowledge and understanding and reached enlightenment.
16 By this process, in Buddhist terminology, Gautama became the Buddha—the Awakened, or Enlightened, One. He had attained the ultimate goal, Nirvana, the state of perfect peace and enlightenment, freed from desire and suffering. He has also become known as Sakyamuni (sage of the Sakya tribe), and he often addressed himself as Tathagata (one who thus came [to teach]). Different Buddhist sects, however, hold different views on this subject. Some view him strictly as a human who found the path to enlightenment for himself and taught it to his followers. Others view him as the final one of a series of Buddhas to have come into the world to preach or revive the dharma (Pali, Dhamma), the teaching or way of the Buddha. Still others view him as a bodhisattva, one who had attained enlightenment but postponed entering Nirvana in order to help others in their pursuit of enlightenment. Whatever it is, this event, the Enlightenment, is of central importance to all schools of Buddhism.
The Enlightenment—What Is It?
17 Having attained enlightenment, and after overcoming some initial hesitation, the Buddha set forth to teach his newfound truth, his dharma, to others. His first and probably most important sermon was given in the city of Benares, in a deer park, to five bhikkus—disciples or monks. In it, he taught that to be saved, one must avoid both the course of sensual indulgence and that of asceticism and follow the Middle Way. Then, one must understand and follow the Four Noble Truths (see box, opposite page), which can briefly be summarized as follows:
(1) All existence is suffering.
(2) Suffering arises from desire or craving.
(3) Cessation of desire means the end of suffering.
(4) Cessation of desire is achieved by following the Eightfold Path, controlling one’s conduct, thinking, and belief.
18 This sermon on the Middle Way and on the Four Noble Truths embodies the essence of the Enlightenment and is considered the epitome of all the Buddha’s teaching. (In contrast, compare Matthew 6:25-34; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; James 4:1-3; 1 John 2:15-17.) Gautama claimed no divine inspiration for this sermon but credited himself with the words “discovered by the Tathagata.” It is said that on his deathbed, the Buddha told his disciples: “Seek salvation alone in the truth; look not for assistance to anyone besides yourself.” Thus, according to the Buddha, enlightenment comes, not from God, but from personal effort in developing right thinking and good deeds.
19 It is not hard to see why this teaching was welcomed in the Indian society of the time. It condemned the greedy and corrupt religious practices promoted by the Hindu Brahmans, or priestly caste, on the one hand, and the austere asceticism of the Jains and other mystic cults on the other. It also did away with the sacrifices and rituals, the myriads of gods and goddesses, and the burdensome caste system that dominated and enslaved every aspect of the people’s life. In short, it promised liberation to everyone who was willing to follow the Buddha’s way.
Buddhism Spreading Its Influence
20 When the five bhikkus accepted the Buddha’s teaching, they became the first sangha, or order of monks. So the “Three Jewels” (Triratna) of Buddhism were completed, namely, the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha, which were supposed to help people get on the way to enlightenment. Thus prepared, Gautama the Buddha went preaching through the length and breadth of the Ganges Valley. People from every social rank and status came to hear him, and they became his disciples. By the time of his death at age 80, he had become well-known and well respected. It was reported that his last words to his disciples were: “Decay is inherent in all component things. Work out your own salvation with diligence.”
21 In the third century B.C.E., about 200 years after the Buddha’s death, appeared Buddhism’s greatest champion, Emperor Asoka, who brought most of India under his rule. Saddened by the slaughter and upheaval caused by his conquests, he embraced Buddhism and gave it State support. He erected religious monuments, convened councils, and exhorted the people to live by the precepts of the Buddha. Asoka also sent Buddhist missionaries to all parts of India and to Sri Lanka, Syria, Egypt, and Greece. Principally by Asoka’s efforts, Buddhism grew from being an Indian sect to a world religion. Justifiably, he has been regarded by some as the second founder of Buddhism.
22 From Sri Lanka, Buddhism spread eastward into Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and other parts of Indochina. To the north, Buddhism spread to Kashmir and central Asia. From those areas, and as early as the first century C.E., Buddhist monks traveled across the forbidding mountains and deserts and took their religion into China. From China, it was a short step for Buddhism to spread to Korea and Japan. Buddhism was also introduced into Tibet, India’s northern neighbor. Mixed with local beliefs, it emerged as Lamaism, which dominated both the religious and the political life there. By the sixth or seventh century C.E., Buddhism had become well established in all of Southeast Asia and the Far East. But what was happening in India?
23 While Buddhism was spreading its influence in other lands, it was gradually declining back in India. Deeply involved in philosophical and metaphysical pursuits, the monks began to lose touch with their lay followers. In addition, the loss of royal patronage and the adoption of Hindu ideas and practices all hastened the demise of Buddhism in India. Even Buddhist holy places, such as Lumbini, where Gautama was born, and Buddh Gaya, where he experienced “enlightenment,” fell into ruin. By the 13th century, Buddhism had virtually disappeared from India, the land of its origin.
24 During the 20th century, Buddhism underwent another change of face. Political upheaval in China, Mongolia, Tibet, and countries in Southeast Asia dealt it a devastating blow. Thousands of monasteries and temples were destroyed and hundreds of thousands of monks and nuns were driven away, imprisoned, or even killed. Nonetheless, Buddhism’s influence is still strongly felt in the thinking and habits of the people of these lands.
25 In Europe and North America, Buddhism’s idea of seeking “truth” within the individual self seems to have a wide appeal, and its practice of meditation provides an escape from the hubbub of Western life. Interestingly, in the foreword to the book Living Buddhism, Tenzin Gyatso, the exiled Dalai Lama of Tibet, wrote: “Perhaps today Buddhism may have a part to play in reminding western people of the spiritual dimension of their lives.”
Buddhism’s Diverse Ways
26 Although it is customary to speak of Buddhism as one religion, in reality it is divided into several schools of thought. Based on different interpretations of the nature of the Buddha and his teachings, each has its own doctrines, practices, and scriptures. These schools are further divided into numerous groups and sects, many of which are heavily influenced by local cultures and traditions.
27 The Theravada (Way of the Elders), or Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle), school of Buddhism flourishes in Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Kampuchea (Cambodia), and Laos. Some consider this to be the conservative school. It emphasizes gaining wisdom and working out one’s own salvation by renouncing the world and living the life of a monk, devoting oneself to meditation and study in a monastery.
28 It is a common sight in some of these lands to see groups of young men with shaved heads, in saffron robes and bare feet, carrying their alms bowls to receive their daily provision from the lay believers whose role it is to support them. It is customary for men to spend at least some part of their life in a monastery. The ultimate goal of the monastic life is to become an arhat, that is, one who has reached spiritual perfection and liberation from the pain and suffering in the cycles of rebirth. The Buddha has shown the way; it is up to each one to follow it.
29 The Mahayana (Greater Vehicle) school of Buddhism is commonly found in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. It is so named because it emphasizes the Buddha’s teaching that “truth and the way of salvation is for everyone whether one lives in a cave, a monastery, or a house . . . It is not just for those who give up the world.” The basic Mahayana concept is that the love and compassion of the Buddha are so great that he would not withhold salvation from anyone. It teaches that because the Buddha-nature is in all of us, everyone is capable of becoming a Buddha, an enlightened one, or a bodhisattva. Enlightenment comes, not by strenuous self-discipline, but by faith in the Buddha and compassion for all living things. This clearly has greater appeal to the practical-minded masses. Because of this more liberal attitude, however, numerous groups and cults have developed.
30 Among the many Mahayana sects that have developed in China and Japan are the Pure Land and Zen schools of Buddhism. The former centers its belief around faith in the saving power of Amida Buddha, who promised his followers a rebirth in the Pure Land, or Western Paradise, a land of joy and delight inhabited by gods and humans. From there, it is an easy step to Nirvana. By repeating the prayer “I place my faith in Amida Buddha,” sometimes thousands of times a day, the devotee purifies himself in order to attain enlightenment or to gain rebirth in the Western Paradise.
31 Zen Buddhism (Ch’an school in China) derived its name from the practice of meditation. The words ch’an (Chinese) and zen (Japanese) are variations of the Sanskrit word dhyana, meaning “meditation.” This discipline teaches that study, good works, and rituals are of little merit. One can attain enlightenment simply by contemplating such imponderable riddles as, ‘What is the sound of one hand clapping?’ and, ‘What do we find where there is nothing?’ The mystical nature of Zen Buddhism has found expression in the refined arts of flower arrangement, calligraphy, ink painting, poetry, gardening, and so on, and these have been favorably received in the West. Today, Zen meditation centers are found in many Western countries.
32 Finally, there is Tibetan Buddhism, or Lamaism. This form of Buddhism is sometimes called Mantrayana (Mantra Vehicle) because of the prominent use of mantras, a series of syllables with or without meaning, in long recitals. Instead of emphasizing wisdom or compassion, this form of Buddhism emphasizes the use of rituals, prayers, magic, and spiritism in worship. Prayers are repeated thousands of times a day with the aid of prayer beads and prayer wheels. The complicated rituals can be learned only under oral instruction by lamas, or monastic leaders, among whom the best known are the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. After the death of a lama, a search is made for a child in whom the lama is said to have been reincarnated to be the next spiritual leader. The term, however, is also generally applied to all monks, who, by one estimate, at one time numbered about one fifth of the entire population of Tibet. Lamas also served as teachers, doctors, landowners, and political figures.
33 These principal divisions of Buddhism are in turn subdivided into many groups, or sects. Some are devoted to a particular leader, such as Nichiren in Japan, who taught that only the Mahayanan Lotus Sutra contains the definitive teachings of the Buddha, and Nun Ch’in-Hai in Taiwan, who has a mass following. In this respect, Buddhism is not very different from Christendom with its many denominations and sects. In fact it is common to see people who claim to be Buddhists engage in practices of Taoism, Shinto, ancestor worship, and even those of Christendom. All these Buddhist sects claim to base their beliefs and practices on the teachings of the Buddha.
The Three Baskets and Other Buddhist Scriptures
34 Teachings attributed to the Buddha were passed on by word of mouth and only began to be put down in writing centuries after he had passed off the scene. Thus, at best, they represent what his followers in later generations thought he said and did. This is further complicated by the fact that, by then, Buddhism had already splintered into many schools. Thus, different texts present quite different versions of Buddhism.
35 The earliest of the Buddhist texts were written in Pali, said to be related to the Buddha’s native tongue, in about the first century B.C.E. They are accepted by the Theravada school as the authentic texts. They consist of 31 books organized into three collections called Tipitaka (Sanskrit, Tripitaka), meaning “Three Baskets,” or “Three Collections.” The Vinaya Pitaka (Basket of Discipline) deals mainly with rules and regulations for monks and nuns. The Sutta Pitaka (Basket of Discourses) contains the sermons, parables, and proverbs delivered by the Buddha and his leading disciples. Finally, the Abhidhamma Pitaka (Basket of Ultimate Doctrine) consists of commentaries on Buddhist doctrines.
36 On the other hand, the writings of the Mahayana school are mostly in Sanskrit, Chinese, and Tibetan, and they are voluminous. The Chinese texts alone consist of over 5,000 volumes. They contain many ideas that were not in the earlier writings, such as accounts of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, who are said to have lived for countless millions of years, each presiding over his own Buddha world. It is no exaggeration when one writer observes that these texts are “characterized by diversity, extravagant imagination, colorful personalities, and inordinate repetitions.”
37 Needless to say, few people are able to comprehend these highly abstract treatises. As a result, these later developments have taken Buddhism far away from what the Buddha intended originally. According to the Vinaya Pitaka, the Buddha wanted his teachings to be understood not only by the educated class but by every sort of people. To this end, he insisted that his ideas be taught in the language of the common people, not the sacred dead language of Hinduism. Thus, to the Theravada Buddhists’ objection that these books were noncanonical, the Mahayana followers’ reply is that Gautama the Buddha first taught the simple and ignorant, but to the learned and wise he revealed the teachings written later in the Mahayana books.
The Cycle of Karma and Samsara
38 Although Buddhism freed the people from the shackles of Hinduism to a certain extent, its fundamental ideas are still a legacy of the Hindu teachings of Karma and samsara. Buddhism, as it was originally taught by the Buddha, differs from Hinduism in that it denies the existence of an immortal soul but speaks of the individual as “a combination of physical and mental forces or energies.” Nonetheless, its teachings are still centered on the ideas that all humanity is wandering from life to life through countless rebirths (samsara) and suffering the consequences of actions past and present (Karma). Even though its message of enlightenment and liberation from this cycle may appear attractive, some ask: How sound is the foundation? What proof is there that all sufferings are the result of one’s actions in a previous life? And, in fact, what evidence is there that there is any past life?
39 One explanation about the law of Karma says:
“Kamma [Pali equivalent of Karma] is a law in itself. But it does not follow that there should be a lawgiver. Ordinary laws of nature, like gravitation, need no lawgiver. The law of Kamma too demands no lawgiver. It operates in its own field without the intervention of an external, independent ruling agency.”—A Manual of Buddhism.
40 Is this sound reasoning? Do laws of nature really need no lawgiver? Rocket expert Dr. Wernher von Braun once stated: “The natural laws of the universe are so precise that we have no difficulty building a spaceship to fly to the moon and can time the flight with the precision of a fraction of a second. These laws must have been set by somebody.” The Bible also speaks about the law of cause and effect. It tells us, “God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) Instead of saying this law needs no lawgiver, it points out that “God is not one to be mocked,” indicating that this law was set in motion by its Maker, Jehovah.
41 In addition, the Bible tells us that “the wages sin pays is death,” and “he who has died has been acquitted from his sin.” Even courts of justice recognize that no one is to suffer double jeopardy for any crime. Why, then, should a person who has already paid for his sins by dying be reborn only to suffer anew the consequences of his past acts? Furthermore, without knowing what past acts one is being punished for, how can one repent and improve? Could this be considered justice? Is it consistent with mercy, which is said to be the Buddha’s most outstanding quality? In contrast, the Bible, after stating that “the wages sin pays is death,” goes on to say: “But the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.” Yes, it promises that God will do away with all corruption, sin, and death and will bring freedom and perfection for all mankind.—Romans 6:7, 23; 8:21; Isaiah 25:8.
42 As for rebirth, here is an explanation by the Buddhist scholar Dr. Walpola Rahula:
“A being is nothing but a combination of physical and mental forces or energies. What we call death is the total non-functioning of the physical body. Do all these forces and energies stop altogether with the non-functioning of the body? Buddhism says ‘No.’ Will, volition, desire, thirst to exist, to continue, to become more and more, is a tremendous force that moves whole lives, whole existences, that even moves the whole world. This is the greatest force, the greatest energy in the world. According to Buddhism, this force does not stop with the non-functioning of the body, which is death; but it continues manifesting itself in another form, producing re-existence which is called rebirth.”
43 At the moment of conception, a person inherits 50 percent of his genes from each parent. Therefore there is no way by which he can be 100 percent like someone in a previous existence. Indeed, the process of rebirth cannot be supported by any known principle of science. Frequently, those who believe in the doctrine of rebirth cite as proof the experience of people who claim to recollect faces, events, and places that they have not formerly known. Is this logical? To say that a person who can recount things in bygone times must have lived in that era, one would also have to say that a person who can foretell the future—and there are many who claim to do so—must have lived in the future. That, obviously, is not the case.
44 More than 400 years before the Buddha, the Bible spoke of a life-force. Describing what happens at a person’s death, it says: “Then the dust returns to the earth just as it happened to be and the spirit itself returns to the true God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) The word “spirit” is translated from the Hebrew word ru´ach, meaning the life-force that animates all living creatures, human and animal. (Ecclesiastes 3:18-22) However, the important difference is that ru´ach is an impersonal force; it does not have a will of its own or retain the personality or any of the characteristics of the deceased individual. It does not go from one person to another at death but “returns to the true God who gave it.” In other words, the person’s future life prospects—the hope of a resurrection—are entirely in God’s hands.—John 5:28, 29; Acts 17:31.
Nirvana—Attaining the Unattainable?
45 This brings us to the Buddha’s teaching on enlightenment and salvation. In Buddhist terms, the basic idea of salvation is liberation from the laws of Karma and samsara, as well as the attaining of Nirvana. And what is Nirvana? Buddhist texts say that it is impossible to describe or explain but can only be experienced. It is not a heaven where one goes after death but an attainment that is within the reach of all, here and now. The word itself is said to mean “blowing out, extinguishing.” Thus, some define Nirvana as cessation of all passion and desire; an existence free from all sensory feelings, such as pain, fear, want, love, or hate; a state of eternal peace, rest, and changelessness. Essentially, it is said to be the cessation of individual existence.
46 The Buddha taught that enlightenment and salvation—the perfection of Nirvana—come, not from any God or external force, but from within a person by his own effort in good deeds and right thoughts. This raises the question: Can something perfect come out of something imperfect? Does not our common experience tell us, as the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah did, that “to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step”? (Jeremiah 10:23) If no one is able to have total control of his actions even in simple day-to-day matters, is it logical to think that anyone can work out his eternal salvation all by himself?—Psalm 146:3, 4.
47 Just as a man mired in quicksand is not likely to free himself from it on his own, likewise all mankind is entrapped in sin and death, and no one is capable of extricating himself from this entanglement. (Romans 5:12) Yet, the Buddha taught that salvation depends solely on one’s own effort. His parting exhortation to his disciples was to “rely on yourselves and do not rely on external help; hold fast to the truth as a lamp; seek salvation alone in the truth; look not for assistance to anyone besides yourself.”
Enlightenment or Disillusionment?
48 What is the effect of such a doctrine? Does it inspire its believers to true faith and devotion? The book Living Buddhism reports that in some Buddhist countries, even “monks give little thought to the sublimities of their religion. The attainment of Nirvana is widely thought to be a hopelessly unrealistic ambition, and meditation is seldom practised. Apart from desultory study of the Tipitaka, they devote themselves to being a benevolent and harmonious influence in society.” Similarly, World Encyclopedia (Japanese), in commenting on the recent resurgence of interest in Buddhist teachings, observes: “The more the study of Buddhism becomes specialized, the more it departs from its original purpose—to guide the people. From this point of view, the recent trend in the rigorous study of Buddhism does not necessarily mean the revival of a living faith. Rather, it must be observed that when a religion becomes the object of complicated metaphysical scholarship, its real life as a faith is losing its power.”
49 The fundamental concept of Buddhism is that knowledge and understanding lead to enlightenment and salvation. But the complicated doctrines of the various schools of Buddhism have only produced the above-mentioned “hopelessly unrealistic” situation, beyond the grasp of most believers. For them, Buddhism has been reduced to doing good and following a few rituals and simple precepts. It does not come to grips with life’s perplexing questions, such as: Where do we come from? Why are we here? And what is the future for man and the earth?
50 Some sincere Buddhists have recognized the confusion and disillusionment that arise from the complicated doctrines and burdensome rituals of Buddhism as it is practiced today. The humanitarian efforts of Buddhist groups and associations in some countries may have brought relief from pain and suffering to many. But as a source of true enlightenment and liberation for all, has Buddhism lived up to its promise?
Enlightenment Without God?
51 Accounts of the life of the Buddha relate that on one occasion he and his disciples were in a forest. He picked up a handful of leaves and said to his disciples: “What I have taught you is comparable to the leaves in my hand, what I have not taught you is comparable to the amount of leaves in the forest.” The implication, of course, was that the Buddha had taught only a fraction of what he knew. However, there is one important omission—Gautama the Buddha had next to nothing to say about God; neither did he ever claim to be God. In fact, it is said that he told his disciples, “If there is a God, it is inconceivable that He would be concerned about my day-to-day affairs,” and “there are no gods who can or will help man.”
52 In this sense, Buddhism’s role in mankind’s search for the true God is minimal. The Encyclopedia of World Faiths observes that “early Buddhism appears to have taken no account of the question of God, and certainly did not teach or require belief in God.” In its emphasis on each person’s seeking salvation on his own, turning inward to his own mind or consciousness for enlightenment, Buddhism is really agnostic, if not atheistic. (See box, page 145.) In trying to throw off Hinduism’s shackles of superstition and its bewildering array of mythical gods, Buddhism has swung to the other extreme. It ignored the fundamental concept of a Supreme Being, by whose will everything exists and operates.—Acts 17:24, 25.
53 Because of this self-centered and independent way of thinking, the result is a veritable labyrinth of legends, traditions, complex doctrines, and interpretations generated by the many schools and sects over the centuries. What was meant to bring a simple solution to the complicated problems of life has resulted in a religious and philosophical system that is beyond the comprehension of most people. Instead, the average follower of Buddhism is simply preoccupied with worshiping idols and relics, gods and demons, spirits and ancestors, and performing many other rituals and practices that have little to do with what Gautama the Buddha taught. Clearly, seeking enlightenment without God does not work.
54 At about the same time that Gautama the Buddha was searching for the way to enlightenment, in another part of the continent of Asia there lived two philosophers whose ideas came to influence millions of people. They were Lao-tzu and Confucius, the two sages venerated by generations of Chinese and others. What did they teach, and how did they influence mankind’s search for God? That is what we will consider in the next chapter.
[Footnotes]
This is the transliteration of the Pali spelling of his name. From Sanskrit the transliteration is Siddhartha Gautama. His birth date, however, has been variously given as 560, 563, or 567 B.C.E. Most authorities accept the 560 date or at least put his birth in the sixth century B.C.E.
Many Buddhists in Japan celebrate a showy “Christmas.”
Buddhist doctrines, such as anatta (no self), deny the existence of an unchanging or eternal soul. However, most Buddhists today, particularly those in the Far East, believe in the transmigration of an immortal soul. Their practice of ancestor worship and belief in torment in a hell after death clearly demonstrate this.
Reply:I would try to stick to one sect of Buddhism. However, the 1st book will cover Buddhas third turning of the wheel. IT is also a very deep topic. I would suggest reading the third book first. I know nothing of the second book. and I don't know what you will gain in terms of practical advice from the last book.
I recommend reading the backside of the books and seeing what resonates with you.
verbena
This is serious. The New world order might be here. Please read my question and tell me what you think.?
Vicente Fox book admits North American scheme
'Toward a single continental economic union, modeled on the European example'
http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_...
The Law of the Sea Treaty(this article was in 2004, but the real thing is back in the senate right now. it was also so bad that even Regan did not let it pass)
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Interna...
it gives the UN POWER OVER 70%(seventy percent) of the EARTHS SURFACE, and the AIRSPACE above it. that means that the sea belongs to the UN. it also means that the United States military(navy and Airforce) need permission from the U.N. to move around. Thats not all. If there is a ship on sea around the U.S. coast belived to be filled with terrorist, the U.S coast guards does not have autority to go down there to search and stop the ship becos of this treaty. This would stop us also from any kind of mining rights or going to get OIL of all things from the sea.
Fellow brothers and sisters, thats not all. Thay can also TAX. yes tax. This is because when ever the U.N. does something the U.S. govt doesnt like, the U.S. govt.(which is the highest funder of the U.N) takes away alot of money from the fund. WE ALL KNOW THE U.N. IS USELESS. (http://www.glennbeck.com/news/10162007b.... interview with Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma). if you think taxes are high, wait till the senate ratify this nightmere, then, we get hillary and edwards and obama into office to raise taxes to pay for their socialist healthcare, and also hilary's plan to give $5000 to every new born child. Look i dont work yet, i am only a concerned High School student. But i know that my aunt and many other Americans out there dont like high taxes.
ALSO, THE BUSH ADMINISTRETIONS INABILITY TO SECURE THE BLOODY BOARDER, AND THE ACLU OPPOSING THE BOARDER SAYING THAT IT IS A "threat to the natural habitat of the animals that live there"
so what exactly is more important to the ACLU, some Wild animals that can migrate to texas and arizona and live there permanently or the U.S sovrignty and economy for crying out loud.
PLEASE SPREAD THE NEWS to you yahoo answer friends, office mates, neighbors, mail man e.t.c(liberals, conservatives, far left, far right and neo-cons). call your congress men and women. dont let the U.N. have this.
i dont really like his some of his views, but these are the kind of things that make people want to vote for Ron Paul.
WOW!!!
This is serious. The New world order might be here. Please read my question and tell me what you think.?
The NWO IS here young man. At last time people actually begin to listen to those of us who have been talking about this for YEARS only to be called freaks in tin foil caps.
There is a reason for everything you mention. The borders? How can he close them when he wants their bodies in his wars? How can he close them when he is signing up Mexicans right left and center in Iraq and moving their families into the US.?
Now all you need to realize is the Dem and Reps are the same critters with different sounding policies but the same long term goals.
The Illuminati are trying to literally break the American back. Here are the ways they are going about it. See if you recognize any of them.
Immigration lawlessness and rising crime wave by illegal aliens. (How about those borders, hmm?)
Government bankruptcy and indebtedness at an all-time high. (You are sold into slavery for life, every american)
Social Security swindle—Social Security Fund battered as Feds blow money on worthless spending scams.
Veteran mistreatment and genocide. Most V. A. hospitals are deathtraps; Vets receive inferior medical care. Millions of Vets are dying from Agent Orange (Vietnam), Persian Gulf War sickness, and other service-related illnesses. (Ahem. read the headlines! Did you know 60% of homeless men are vets?)
Outsourcing of American jobs—to foreigners in Pakistan, India, Red China, Mexico, Indonesia, etc. America’s manufacturing base declining rapidly and being shifted overseas. (Yes but we save pennies buying at Walmart as a result so this is a good thing.. right?)
Foreign student takeover of America’s colleges, universities, and public schools.
Corporate globalism—Greedy U.S. corporations, as globalist entities, are unpatriotic and hostile to American interests. (Speaking of walmart again... or Halliburton... etc)
Harnessing of U.S. Military for global mercenary duties. Americans forced to pay for and fight Israel’s wars and die for causes unrelated to U.S. defense. (Check and see all the places your Military serves in.)
Hate Crime laws—state, federal, and U.N.—forbid free speech, prohibit criticism of Israel and prevent the Christian gospel being preached. (It began with the removal of class prayers and civic lessons... now you cannot even say Merry Christmas)
Sexual barbarism and dehumanization accomplished by vulgar, crude, sexually explicit, physically degrading movies, television, cartoons, books, video games, advertising and other media.
Private property regularly seized and its uses restricted to promote the Communist agenda of environmentalist and globalist organizations.
Unfair and unlawful tax system used to rob producers and transform U.S. citizens into federalized serfs and wards of the state. (We see this growing by the day, don't we?)
Manipulation of water supplies and contrived water shortages used to drive up water prices and control the citizenry. (Not yet in the US but they are already doing this in South America where Enron bought up all the water supplies and now charges the civilians for clean water)
White race discriminated against and American culture savaged by promotion of "cultural diversity." (I am white and i see this happening esp to white males.)
Two meaningless political parties whose real agenda are identical, and corrupt, rigged elections which frustrate the will of the people. (They also divide the people and create more friction, as well as keep them busy so they don't see the real stuff doing down.)
Satanization of society through occult influences and symbols which permeate media, music, entertainment, and sports. (This is a biggie. I have blogged a LOT on this one. The Whit eHouse was hijacked by Satanists when JFK was assassinated. There has been a Bush in power ever since.)
Free Press replaced by propaganda ministries and elitist media accomplices who work nonstop to psychologically hypnotize, mesmerize, and control the minds of the population. (This has been going on for decades. TV is their best friend as are the media owned by the same people who create the wars, etc.)
"War on Terror" used as pretext to create an American police state and remove the peoples’ constitutional rights. (The Patriot Act, a little book of several hundred pounds in weight, took only 3 weeks to write? Nope, it was written partly by a Jesuit and was ready to go when the towers were blasted.There are interviews with Nick Roosevelt and others laughing at the whole terrorist concept.)
Death culture promoted. Conditioning of minds. Desensitizing of the masses to the mass genocide to come, with abortion, euthanasia, necrophilia, cannibalism, group death, and cruelty. (TV and news again.As well as so many other political forces also.)
Gulag concentration camps prepared for resisters and dissidents. (There are at least 700 of them in the US and Canada alll primed and ready to go. I have done in depth reporting on this issue in my blog complete with photos.)
Religious debasement. False religions promoted and encouraged. Traditional Christianity portrayed as anti-Semitic, bigoted and politically incorrect. (There will also be a push against decent good Jews thanks to the hideous Zionists. The desired result is a religious war in which the Christians and Jews bomb the Muslims out of existence while the Muslims to the same in return. This is a great way to remove much of the flotsam and jetsam of the planet for the NWO who want to reduce the population by 80%.)
It is good to see a young person who is actually STuDYING and learning about the world situation and you are to be commended.
BTW Talldude is bang WRONG about the Amero being an urban legend. They have already minted a few models of it and they figure by 2010 it will be ready for use, and we will be ready to accept it.
http://snippits-and-slappits.blogspot.co...
http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_05/...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hiPrsc9g...
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?i...
Just a few urban myth sites on the urban myth amero LOL.
Reply:Heard about the Amero? This is what the new currency for the new North America (USA/Canada/Mexico) will be when the borders are taken down and all of North America will have one currency, just like the Euro...........
Reply:o yes o yes
Reply:the scary thing is that you'll be able to vote in a few years. the scarier thing is that you are amongst the more well-informed of american youth.
you're right about a few things. ron paul is a good choice, for example.
remember that we are all citizens of the world. i love this country, too, but i care about many people, not just americans.
somehow, the world must be united under a government that has the power to reign in unsafe environmental practices (and reign in unfair economic practices). human civilization needs to 'grow up' at some point, because we're too heavy for 'mother earth' to carry us anymore. (and i'm not just referring to the global warming risk) i'm not saying the U.N. is the vessel for that change; i don't know. but you need to refine your arguments.
as always, and everywhere... someone needs to lead. and the question is who.
good question.. keep at it
Reply:Ezekial 38 and 39. Russia is Gog. China is Magog.
Reply:The U.N.
Damn you wodrow willson!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:from a liberal point of veiw... (well i dont really understand it!)
Reply:The Amero story is an Urban Legend.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/...
Also, the Law of the Sea Treaty was never signed, and even if it had been signed, it did not give the UN 70% power over the seas. There were also independent treaties that protected the US and other countries, in spite of that treaty.
You need to read the very article you sighted more carefully.
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Interna...
As far as the so called "securing of our borders": History has proven time and time again that walls do NOT work and do NOT make countries more secure. They never have. They never will.
Examples: Berlin Wall, East/West Germany Iron Curtain, Eastern-Western block closed borders, just to name a few.....
Lastly , Bush's belief that building a new chain-link fence the entire length of the southern US border will make us more secure is laughable at best, especially when you consider that the majority of or Canadian border goes unwatched and unsecured with no plans for a fence there.
If indeed we are after "security" (and not bigotry) , then why are we not building a fence on our northern border?
Reply:I heard that Islam doesn't have taxes. With such persuasive arguments, how come they need suicide bombers?
Reply:I think everyone is so tired of Radical Republican scare tactics. Isn't that what got us into this mess in Iraq?
The reason taxes are low is becuase he charges everything.
He is spending a billion dollars a day in Iraq and it is all charged. So they have not given us less taxes Bush has just put the country into debt more than any previous president.
Our economy is like a deck of cards. And it is going down.
It is like a husband who doesn't pay the bills so he has a lot of money in the bank.
Reply:you probably also think 9/11 was an inside job and aliens captured elvis....
'Toward a single continental economic union, modeled on the European example'
http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_...
The Law of the Sea Treaty(this article was in 2004, but the real thing is back in the senate right now. it was also so bad that even Regan did not let it pass)
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Interna...
it gives the UN POWER OVER 70%(seventy percent) of the EARTHS SURFACE, and the AIRSPACE above it. that means that the sea belongs to the UN. it also means that the United States military(navy and Airforce) need permission from the U.N. to move around. Thats not all. If there is a ship on sea around the U.S. coast belived to be filled with terrorist, the U.S coast guards does not have autority to go down there to search and stop the ship becos of this treaty. This would stop us also from any kind of mining rights or going to get OIL of all things from the sea.
Fellow brothers and sisters, thats not all. Thay can also TAX. yes tax. This is because when ever the U.N. does something the U.S. govt doesnt like, the U.S. govt.(which is the highest funder of the U.N) takes away alot of money from the fund. WE ALL KNOW THE U.N. IS USELESS. (http://www.glennbeck.com/news/10162007b.... interview with Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma). if you think taxes are high, wait till the senate ratify this nightmere, then, we get hillary and edwards and obama into office to raise taxes to pay for their socialist healthcare, and also hilary's plan to give $5000 to every new born child. Look i dont work yet, i am only a concerned High School student. But i know that my aunt and many other Americans out there dont like high taxes.
ALSO, THE BUSH ADMINISTRETIONS INABILITY TO SECURE THE BLOODY BOARDER, AND THE ACLU OPPOSING THE BOARDER SAYING THAT IT IS A "threat to the natural habitat of the animals that live there"
so what exactly is more important to the ACLU, some Wild animals that can migrate to texas and arizona and live there permanently or the U.S sovrignty and economy for crying out loud.
PLEASE SPREAD THE NEWS to you yahoo answer friends, office mates, neighbors, mail man e.t.c(liberals, conservatives, far left, far right and neo-cons). call your congress men and women. dont let the U.N. have this.
i dont really like his some of his views, but these are the kind of things that make people want to vote for Ron Paul.
WOW!!!
This is serious. The New world order might be here. Please read my question and tell me what you think.?
The NWO IS here young man. At last time people actually begin to listen to those of us who have been talking about this for YEARS only to be called freaks in tin foil caps.
There is a reason for everything you mention. The borders? How can he close them when he wants their bodies in his wars? How can he close them when he is signing up Mexicans right left and center in Iraq and moving their families into the US.?
Now all you need to realize is the Dem and Reps are the same critters with different sounding policies but the same long term goals.
The Illuminati are trying to literally break the American back. Here are the ways they are going about it. See if you recognize any of them.
Immigration lawlessness and rising crime wave by illegal aliens. (How about those borders, hmm?)
Government bankruptcy and indebtedness at an all-time high. (You are sold into slavery for life, every american)
Social Security swindle—Social Security Fund battered as Feds blow money on worthless spending scams.
Veteran mistreatment and genocide. Most V. A. hospitals are deathtraps; Vets receive inferior medical care. Millions of Vets are dying from Agent Orange (Vietnam), Persian Gulf War sickness, and other service-related illnesses. (Ahem. read the headlines! Did you know 60% of homeless men are vets?)
Outsourcing of American jobs—to foreigners in Pakistan, India, Red China, Mexico, Indonesia, etc. America’s manufacturing base declining rapidly and being shifted overseas. (Yes but we save pennies buying at Walmart as a result so this is a good thing.. right?)
Foreign student takeover of America’s colleges, universities, and public schools.
Corporate globalism—Greedy U.S. corporations, as globalist entities, are unpatriotic and hostile to American interests. (Speaking of walmart again... or Halliburton... etc)
Harnessing of U.S. Military for global mercenary duties. Americans forced to pay for and fight Israel’s wars and die for causes unrelated to U.S. defense. (Check and see all the places your Military serves in.)
Hate Crime laws—state, federal, and U.N.—forbid free speech, prohibit criticism of Israel and prevent the Christian gospel being preached. (It began with the removal of class prayers and civic lessons... now you cannot even say Merry Christmas)
Sexual barbarism and dehumanization accomplished by vulgar, crude, sexually explicit, physically degrading movies, television, cartoons, books, video games, advertising and other media.
Private property regularly seized and its uses restricted to promote the Communist agenda of environmentalist and globalist organizations.
Unfair and unlawful tax system used to rob producers and transform U.S. citizens into federalized serfs and wards of the state. (We see this growing by the day, don't we?)
Manipulation of water supplies and contrived water shortages used to drive up water prices and control the citizenry. (Not yet in the US but they are already doing this in South America where Enron bought up all the water supplies and now charges the civilians for clean water)
White race discriminated against and American culture savaged by promotion of "cultural diversity." (I am white and i see this happening esp to white males.)
Two meaningless political parties whose real agenda are identical, and corrupt, rigged elections which frustrate the will of the people. (They also divide the people and create more friction, as well as keep them busy so they don't see the real stuff doing down.)
Satanization of society through occult influences and symbols which permeate media, music, entertainment, and sports. (This is a biggie. I have blogged a LOT on this one. The Whit eHouse was hijacked by Satanists when JFK was assassinated. There has been a Bush in power ever since.)
Free Press replaced by propaganda ministries and elitist media accomplices who work nonstop to psychologically hypnotize, mesmerize, and control the minds of the population. (This has been going on for decades. TV is their best friend as are the media owned by the same people who create the wars, etc.)
"War on Terror" used as pretext to create an American police state and remove the peoples’ constitutional rights. (The Patriot Act, a little book of several hundred pounds in weight, took only 3 weeks to write? Nope, it was written partly by a Jesuit and was ready to go when the towers were blasted.There are interviews with Nick Roosevelt and others laughing at the whole terrorist concept.)
Death culture promoted. Conditioning of minds. Desensitizing of the masses to the mass genocide to come, with abortion, euthanasia, necrophilia, cannibalism, group death, and cruelty. (TV and news again.As well as so many other political forces also.)
Gulag concentration camps prepared for resisters and dissidents. (There are at least 700 of them in the US and Canada alll primed and ready to go. I have done in depth reporting on this issue in my blog complete with photos.)
Religious debasement. False religions promoted and encouraged. Traditional Christianity portrayed as anti-Semitic, bigoted and politically incorrect. (There will also be a push against decent good Jews thanks to the hideous Zionists. The desired result is a religious war in which the Christians and Jews bomb the Muslims out of existence while the Muslims to the same in return. This is a great way to remove much of the flotsam and jetsam of the planet for the NWO who want to reduce the population by 80%.)
It is good to see a young person who is actually STuDYING and learning about the world situation and you are to be commended.
BTW Talldude is bang WRONG about the Amero being an urban legend. They have already minted a few models of it and they figure by 2010 it will be ready for use, and we will be ready to accept it.
http://snippits-and-slappits.blogspot.co...
http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_05/...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hiPrsc9g...
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?i...
Just a few urban myth sites on the urban myth amero LOL.
Reply:Heard about the Amero? This is what the new currency for the new North America (USA/Canada/Mexico) will be when the borders are taken down and all of North America will have one currency, just like the Euro...........
Reply:o yes o yes
Reply:the scary thing is that you'll be able to vote in a few years. the scarier thing is that you are amongst the more well-informed of american youth.
you're right about a few things. ron paul is a good choice, for example.
remember that we are all citizens of the world. i love this country, too, but i care about many people, not just americans.
somehow, the world must be united under a government that has the power to reign in unsafe environmental practices (and reign in unfair economic practices). human civilization needs to 'grow up' at some point, because we're too heavy for 'mother earth' to carry us anymore. (and i'm not just referring to the global warming risk) i'm not saying the U.N. is the vessel for that change; i don't know. but you need to refine your arguments.
as always, and everywhere... someone needs to lead. and the question is who.
good question.. keep at it
Reply:Ezekial 38 and 39. Russia is Gog. China is Magog.
Reply:The U.N.
Damn you wodrow willson!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:from a liberal point of veiw... (well i dont really understand it!)
Reply:The Amero story is an Urban Legend.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/...
Also, the Law of the Sea Treaty was never signed, and even if it had been signed, it did not give the UN 70% power over the seas. There were also independent treaties that protected the US and other countries, in spite of that treaty.
You need to read the very article you sighted more carefully.
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Interna...
As far as the so called "securing of our borders": History has proven time and time again that walls do NOT work and do NOT make countries more secure. They never have. They never will.
Examples: Berlin Wall, East/West Germany Iron Curtain, Eastern-Western block closed borders, just to name a few.....
Lastly , Bush's belief that building a new chain-link fence the entire length of the southern US border will make us more secure is laughable at best, especially when you consider that the majority of or Canadian border goes unwatched and unsecured with no plans for a fence there.
If indeed we are after "security" (and not bigotry) , then why are we not building a fence on our northern border?
Reply:I heard that Islam doesn't have taxes. With such persuasive arguments, how come they need suicide bombers?
Reply:I think everyone is so tired of Radical Republican scare tactics. Isn't that what got us into this mess in Iraq?
The reason taxes are low is becuase he charges everything.
He is spending a billion dollars a day in Iraq and it is all charged. So they have not given us less taxes Bush has just put the country into debt more than any previous president.
Our economy is like a deck of cards. And it is going down.
It is like a husband who doesn't pay the bills so he has a lot of money in the bank.
Reply:you probably also think 9/11 was an inside job and aliens captured elvis....
Funny quotes!! Truer words never spoken!! Not so much of a question, as a request?? 2?
Income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf. --Will Rogers
If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun. --Katherine Hepburn
Never take a reference from a clergyman. They always want to give someone a second chance. --Lady Selborne
Laugh and the world laughs with you. Snore and you sleep alone. --Anthony Burgess
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure why take the chance. --Ronald Reagan
Death is the most convenient time to tax rich people. --David Lloyd George
Anyone can get old. All you have to do is live long enough. --Groucho Marx
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." ---Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM (1943)
"My parents were glad to see that my new husband looks like a 'regular guy'--no earring or anything. But really I think a man with an earring is better prepared for marriage. I mean, he's already experienced pain and bought jewelry." -- Rita Rudner
"We all live in the twentieth century. Well, I don't live in the twentieth century. --Dan Quayle
"Ron White was not one of the very first original members of the Motown staff, but eventually he was." --Smokey Robinson
"I'm for a stronger death penalty." --President George Bush
"Some people think football is a matter of life and death...I can assure them it is much more serious than that." --Bill Shankly
"Those beelhops in Miami are tip-happy. I ordered a deck of playing cards and the bellboy made fifty-two trips to my room." --Henny Youngman
"I could come back to America..to die..but never, never to live." --Henry James
"There is nothing wrong with Southern California that a rise in the ocean level wouldn't cure." --Ross MacDonald
"The French will only be united under the threat of danger. Nobody can simply bring together a country that has 265 kinds of cheese." --Charles de Gaulle
Hollywood: "A place where they shoot too many pictures and not enough actors." --Walter Winchell
"Hollywood is the only place you can wake up in the morning and hear the birds coughing in the trees." --Joe Frisco
"Adam and Eve had many advantages, but the pricipal one was that they escaped teething." --Mark Twain
"Met a guy this morning with a glass eye. He didn't tell me-it just came out in the conversation." --Jerry Dennis
On opening a new annex at Vancouver City Hall: "I declare this thing open - whatever it is." --Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
"It usually takes me more than 3 weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech." --Mark Twain
"I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me." --Fred Allen
"I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end." --Margaret Thatcher
"I can resist everything except temptation." --Oscar Wilde
"Some people pay a compliment as if they expected a receipt." --Frank McKinney Hubbard
"My wife is a light eater; as soon as it's light, she starts eating." --Henny Youngman
The hardest task in a girl's life is to prove to a man that his intentions are serious. --Helen Rowland
It is better to waste one's youth than to do nothing with it at all. --Georges Courteline
The trouble with women in an orchestra is that if they're attractive it will updet my players and if they're not it will upset me. --Thomas Beecham
Writing to a magzine that had published his obituary: I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers. --Rudyard Kipling
If you steal from one author, it's plagiarism; if you steal from many, it's research. --Wilson Misner
No self-respecting fish would be wrapped ina Murdoch newspaper. --Mike Royko
The play was a total success but the audience was a total failure. --Oscar Wilde
A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on. --Sam Goldwyn
Shoot a few scenes out of focus. I want to win the foreign film award. --Billy Wilder (attrib.)
You can pick out actors by the glazed look that comes into their eyes when the conversation wanders away from themselves. --Michael Wilding
It's amazing how many people see you on TV. I did my first television show a month ago and the next day five million televison sets were sold. The people who couldn't sell theirs threw them away.
--Bob Hope
Television: A medium. So called because it is neither rare nor well done. --Ernie Kovacs
If a woman hasn't met the right man by the time she's twenty-four, she may be lucky. --Deborah Kerr
She doesn't not understand the concept of Roman numerals. She thought we just fought World War Eleven. --Joan Rivers
High heels were invented by a woman who had been kissed on the forehead. --Christopher Morley
Women's styles may change but their designs remain the same. --Oscar Wilde
An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have: the older she gets, the more interested he is in her. --Agatha Christie
Burt Reynolds once asked me out. I was in his room. --Phyllis Diller
When he is late for dinner and I know he must be either having an affair or lying dead in the street, I always hope he's dead. --Judith Viorst
Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months. --Oscar Wilde
It's not an optical illusion, it just looks like one. --Phil White
"You'll never know until you try it" works pretty well for most unknowns, but "I wonder if it hurts to saw off the tip of my tongue?" is probably not one of them. --Doug Rendall
We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know. --W.H. Auden
If two men agree on everything, you may be sure that one of them is doing the thinking. --Lyndon Baines Johnson
I don't like spinach, and I'm glad I don't, because if I liked it I'd eat it, and I just hate it. --Clarence Darrow
Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. --Susan Ertz
A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain. --Mark Twain
Life was a lot simpler when we honored father and mother rather than all the major credit cards. --Robert Orben
"Whenever I watch tv and see those poor, starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean, i would love to be that skinny, but not with all those flies and death and death and stuff." --Mariah Carey
"I haven't commited a crime, what I did was fail to comply with the law." -- David Dinkins, New York City mayor answering accusations that he failed to pay his taxes.
"Smoking kills. If you are killed, you have lost a very important part of your life." -- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for an anti-smoking campaign.
"Outside the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country. -- Mayor Marion Barry, Washington D.C.
Funny quotes!! Truer words never spoken!! Not so much of a question, as a request?? 2?
Gezzz....are you "bloody bored" or what? LOL
Reply:Enjoyed that, some good ones there.
Reply:Thank you!!
Reply:I love any quote by Dorothy Parker
Reply:I do like my Quotes and Quips...
Reply:www.brainyquotes.com have loads of them. I love looking at them.
If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun. --Katherine Hepburn
Never take a reference from a clergyman. They always want to give someone a second chance. --Lady Selborne
Laugh and the world laughs with you. Snore and you sleep alone. --Anthony Burgess
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure why take the chance. --Ronald Reagan
Death is the most convenient time to tax rich people. --David Lloyd George
Anyone can get old. All you have to do is live long enough. --Groucho Marx
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." ---Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM (1943)
"My parents were glad to see that my new husband looks like a 'regular guy'--no earring or anything. But really I think a man with an earring is better prepared for marriage. I mean, he's already experienced pain and bought jewelry." -- Rita Rudner
"We all live in the twentieth century. Well, I don't live in the twentieth century. --Dan Quayle
"Ron White was not one of the very first original members of the Motown staff, but eventually he was." --Smokey Robinson
"I'm for a stronger death penalty." --President George Bush
"Some people think football is a matter of life and death...I can assure them it is much more serious than that." --Bill Shankly
"Those beelhops in Miami are tip-happy. I ordered a deck of playing cards and the bellboy made fifty-two trips to my room." --Henny Youngman
"I could come back to America..to die..but never, never to live." --Henry James
"There is nothing wrong with Southern California that a rise in the ocean level wouldn't cure." --Ross MacDonald
"The French will only be united under the threat of danger. Nobody can simply bring together a country that has 265 kinds of cheese." --Charles de Gaulle
Hollywood: "A place where they shoot too many pictures and not enough actors." --Walter Winchell
"Hollywood is the only place you can wake up in the morning and hear the birds coughing in the trees." --Joe Frisco
"Adam and Eve had many advantages, but the pricipal one was that they escaped teething." --Mark Twain
"Met a guy this morning with a glass eye. He didn't tell me-it just came out in the conversation." --Jerry Dennis
On opening a new annex at Vancouver City Hall: "I declare this thing open - whatever it is." --Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
"It usually takes me more than 3 weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech." --Mark Twain
"I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me." --Fred Allen
"I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end." --Margaret Thatcher
"I can resist everything except temptation." --Oscar Wilde
"Some people pay a compliment as if they expected a receipt." --Frank McKinney Hubbard
"My wife is a light eater; as soon as it's light, she starts eating." --Henny Youngman
The hardest task in a girl's life is to prove to a man that his intentions are serious. --Helen Rowland
It is better to waste one's youth than to do nothing with it at all. --Georges Courteline
The trouble with women in an orchestra is that if they're attractive it will updet my players and if they're not it will upset me. --Thomas Beecham
Writing to a magzine that had published his obituary: I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers. --Rudyard Kipling
If you steal from one author, it's plagiarism; if you steal from many, it's research. --Wilson Misner
No self-respecting fish would be wrapped ina Murdoch newspaper. --Mike Royko
The play was a total success but the audience was a total failure. --Oscar Wilde
A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on. --Sam Goldwyn
Shoot a few scenes out of focus. I want to win the foreign film award. --Billy Wilder (attrib.)
You can pick out actors by the glazed look that comes into their eyes when the conversation wanders away from themselves. --Michael Wilding
It's amazing how many people see you on TV. I did my first television show a month ago and the next day five million televison sets were sold. The people who couldn't sell theirs threw them away.
--Bob Hope
Television: A medium. So called because it is neither rare nor well done. --Ernie Kovacs
If a woman hasn't met the right man by the time she's twenty-four, she may be lucky. --Deborah Kerr
She doesn't not understand the concept of Roman numerals. She thought we just fought World War Eleven. --Joan Rivers
High heels were invented by a woman who had been kissed on the forehead. --Christopher Morley
Women's styles may change but their designs remain the same. --Oscar Wilde
An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have: the older she gets, the more interested he is in her. --Agatha Christie
Burt Reynolds once asked me out. I was in his room. --Phyllis Diller
When he is late for dinner and I know he must be either having an affair or lying dead in the street, I always hope he's dead. --Judith Viorst
Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months. --Oscar Wilde
It's not an optical illusion, it just looks like one. --Phil White
"You'll never know until you try it" works pretty well for most unknowns, but "I wonder if it hurts to saw off the tip of my tongue?" is probably not one of them. --Doug Rendall
We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know. --W.H. Auden
If two men agree on everything, you may be sure that one of them is doing the thinking. --Lyndon Baines Johnson
I don't like spinach, and I'm glad I don't, because if I liked it I'd eat it, and I just hate it. --Clarence Darrow
Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. --Susan Ertz
A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain. --Mark Twain
Life was a lot simpler when we honored father and mother rather than all the major credit cards. --Robert Orben
"Whenever I watch tv and see those poor, starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean, i would love to be that skinny, but not with all those flies and death and death and stuff." --Mariah Carey
"I haven't commited a crime, what I did was fail to comply with the law." -- David Dinkins, New York City mayor answering accusations that he failed to pay his taxes.
"Smoking kills. If you are killed, you have lost a very important part of your life." -- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for an anti-smoking campaign.
"Outside the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country. -- Mayor Marion Barry, Washington D.C.
Funny quotes!! Truer words never spoken!! Not so much of a question, as a request?? 2?
Gezzz....are you "bloody bored" or what? LOL
Reply:Enjoyed that, some good ones there.
Reply:Thank you!!
Reply:I love any quote by Dorothy Parker
Reply:I do like my Quotes and Quips...
Reply:www.brainyquotes.com have loads of them. I love looking at them.
PLease help i had the flu ALL of last week and im having trouble with a couple question?
Mr. Dithering, an office manager of a service company, believes that he is an excellent judge of character and that he can spot a talented prospective employee in a brief interview. Often he will point out his successful hires but fail to acknowledge poorly performing employees he hired. Dithering's judgment suffers from
A. divergent thinking.
B. inductive reasoning.
C. overconfidence.
D. a lack of confidence.
Eight-year-old Stephanie understands that her dog Boodles is dog and that all dogs are animals. Stephanie's concept of animal is
A. intuitive.
B. idealized.
C. overextended.
D. hierarchical
Children between the ages of three and five incorrectly apply the rules of past tense and of plural and say "sitted" instead of "sat" and "gooses" instead of "geese." This phase of language development reflects
A. charming childish speech.
B. a beginning knowledge of grammar.
C. faulty language development.
D. inadequate instruction by the parents.
PLease help i had the flu ALL of last week and im having trouble with a couple question?
I can tell that this must be a psych 100 class. Just look in your book and you will findthe answers to your questions. They are pretty much ALL easy questions. I'm sorry that you had the flu but now that you are well you will be able to read your textbook. Good Luck!
Reply:c. b. b.
Reply:I don't do homework for other people. However, if you look up most of these terms on Wikipedia and Google (I'll pass you a link) you should be able to find the answers no problem.
:))
A. divergent thinking.
B. inductive reasoning.
C. overconfidence.
D. a lack of confidence.
Eight-year-old Stephanie understands that her dog Boodles is dog and that all dogs are animals. Stephanie's concept of animal is
A. intuitive.
B. idealized.
C. overextended.
D. hierarchical
Children between the ages of three and five incorrectly apply the rules of past tense and of plural and say "sitted" instead of "sat" and "gooses" instead of "geese." This phase of language development reflects
A. charming childish speech.
B. a beginning knowledge of grammar.
C. faulty language development.
D. inadequate instruction by the parents.
PLease help i had the flu ALL of last week and im having trouble with a couple question?
I can tell that this must be a psych 100 class. Just look in your book and you will findthe answers to your questions. They are pretty much ALL easy questions. I'm sorry that you had the flu but now that you are well you will be able to read your textbook. Good Luck!
Reply:c. b. b.
Reply:I don't do homework for other people. However, if you look up most of these terms on Wikipedia and Google (I'll pass you a link) you should be able to find the answers no problem.
:))
Can the owner or boss ask you question regarding your employment?
I have no ideal how they found out, because I haven't even mention it to anyone. My boss found out I was looking for another job and decided to pass it on to the owner. They both came in one night when I was working and asked me if I was plainning on leaving and if so they accept my resignation and I don't have to give a two weeks notice. (Meaning I can leave right now!) A.) I haven't even received an interview or offer yet for anyone else. B.) Shouldn't they at least wait until I tell them I'm leaving. C.) Although they now know this little secret of mine do they have the right to bascially fire me on the spot.
Can the owner or boss ask you question regarding your employment?
I had a similar experience except I was fired on the same day they asked me.
Reply:they should at least wait until you tell them your leaving but there is really not much you can do
Reply:State laws vary, but in Texas they can fire you on the spot without any reason given at all. Cause or with cause here only means weather or not you can collect unemployment.
There is a good chance some place where you put in an application called to learn more about you before investing the time an interview requires. You can avoid some of the scenes like this by including a cover letter with your resume that requests them not to contact your current employer, some applications ask if they can contact them -- if so, fill it out as you wish.
Employers will often immediately dismiss people they know are job hunting. While you think they are not aware of your activities, they will take the action that best benefits them. If you are in training, why should they continue to invest in your training? If you are just wrapping up a major project but have yet to begin the next one, why pay you to start something you won't finish? If you are leaving and they can fire you on their terms, when they know you won't steal anything or mess with their computer security, why should they give you a chance to cost them money on your way out?
Employees are expected to give two weeks notice on the way out the door, but only when they have harmless potential or a long and amiable relationship with their employers -- or have some unique knowledge they need to pass on before they leave, are employees usually actually able to stay on the payroll even an hour after giving notice.
Everyone acts in their own best interest -- that includes you, and it includes your employers. Expect others to protect themselves even if you believe they have no reason to feel it necessary.
Good luck.
Reply:Have you turned in an application elsewhere? If you did, the person who is reviewing your application may have called your boss based on the information on your employment history. It's a touchy subject for the current boss if you don't let them know what's going on. Let them know you are just looking right now, and that you will definitely give them their two weeks notice IF and WHEN you decide to switch jobs.
Reply:Truly it is up to how you answered their question. The main answer you are looking for is C, so if you said you were not looking for a job then yes they can ask you to leave because of your intent. They have an obligation to the business to see to it that it is profitable. If you answered no, then they have no grounds for dismissing you.
Reply:Whether or not they'll fire you might depend on how you answered their question, and how convincing you were - not to mention how much they feel they need you in your current job. But yes, they can fire you - most US employees are employees at will, which means they can be fired at any time for pretty much any reason, or for no reason.
Good luck.
Reply:A: So what?
B: No, why should they?
C: Yes, they do.
Unless you have an explicit employment contract your tenure is considered "at will" and either you or the employer can terminate the relationship at any time, without reason, and without prior notice.
Reply:Many states like AZ are right to work states. In that case, yes, they can ask you to leave immediately. You would be amazed how frequently I found out employees were shopping for new jobs. One employee applied at a friends company, another employee applied at a vendors company and one employee was using the email at the office to send out resumes, even had the office email for potential employers to respond to.
So unfortunately I would say it is time to work full-time finding a new job. Most employers feel that if you do not want to be there, you won't be wanting to do your job properly. In that case, why should they pay you. While you may be different, I have seen it. Frequently when I start seeing an employees work suffering it is either trouble at home or they are looking for a "better" job.
Reply:Were you looking for this job at work on the computer? If so, that's how they found out.... Decide whether you want to leave now of not and if you do, then leave, if not play dumb and just tell them what they want to hear.... you know... how great of a company they have, and how much you like working there, and you were just looking into a job for a family memeber or something.... just play the game.... they are
Reply:Yes, they can fire you for that. Unless the laws are different where you live. There's not much you can do about it. But, you might qualify for unemployment benefits.
Reply:Yes, you can be fired for this but it is more like you quit. You have shown you aren't interested in staying in your job and so they don't want to bother training you any more or promoting you, you are now dead weight. You won't collect unemployment since you are considered to have quit.
snapdragon2
Can the owner or boss ask you question regarding your employment?
I had a similar experience except I was fired on the same day they asked me.
Reply:they should at least wait until you tell them your leaving but there is really not much you can do
Reply:State laws vary, but in Texas they can fire you on the spot without any reason given at all. Cause or with cause here only means weather or not you can collect unemployment.
There is a good chance some place where you put in an application called to learn more about you before investing the time an interview requires. You can avoid some of the scenes like this by including a cover letter with your resume that requests them not to contact your current employer, some applications ask if they can contact them -- if so, fill it out as you wish.
Employers will often immediately dismiss people they know are job hunting. While you think they are not aware of your activities, they will take the action that best benefits them. If you are in training, why should they continue to invest in your training? If you are just wrapping up a major project but have yet to begin the next one, why pay you to start something you won't finish? If you are leaving and they can fire you on their terms, when they know you won't steal anything or mess with their computer security, why should they give you a chance to cost them money on your way out?
Employees are expected to give two weeks notice on the way out the door, but only when they have harmless potential or a long and amiable relationship with their employers -- or have some unique knowledge they need to pass on before they leave, are employees usually actually able to stay on the payroll even an hour after giving notice.
Everyone acts in their own best interest -- that includes you, and it includes your employers. Expect others to protect themselves even if you believe they have no reason to feel it necessary.
Good luck.
Reply:Have you turned in an application elsewhere? If you did, the person who is reviewing your application may have called your boss based on the information on your employment history. It's a touchy subject for the current boss if you don't let them know what's going on. Let them know you are just looking right now, and that you will definitely give them their two weeks notice IF and WHEN you decide to switch jobs.
Reply:Truly it is up to how you answered their question. The main answer you are looking for is C, so if you said you were not looking for a job then yes they can ask you to leave because of your intent. They have an obligation to the business to see to it that it is profitable. If you answered no, then they have no grounds for dismissing you.
Reply:Whether or not they'll fire you might depend on how you answered their question, and how convincing you were - not to mention how much they feel they need you in your current job. But yes, they can fire you - most US employees are employees at will, which means they can be fired at any time for pretty much any reason, or for no reason.
Good luck.
Reply:A: So what?
B: No, why should they?
C: Yes, they do.
Unless you have an explicit employment contract your tenure is considered "at will" and either you or the employer can terminate the relationship at any time, without reason, and without prior notice.
Reply:Many states like AZ are right to work states. In that case, yes, they can ask you to leave immediately. You would be amazed how frequently I found out employees were shopping for new jobs. One employee applied at a friends company, another employee applied at a vendors company and one employee was using the email at the office to send out resumes, even had the office email for potential employers to respond to.
So unfortunately I would say it is time to work full-time finding a new job. Most employers feel that if you do not want to be there, you won't be wanting to do your job properly. In that case, why should they pay you. While you may be different, I have seen it. Frequently when I start seeing an employees work suffering it is either trouble at home or they are looking for a "better" job.
Reply:Were you looking for this job at work on the computer? If so, that's how they found out.... Decide whether you want to leave now of not and if you do, then leave, if not play dumb and just tell them what they want to hear.... you know... how great of a company they have, and how much you like working there, and you were just looking into a job for a family memeber or something.... just play the game.... they are
Reply:Yes, they can fire you for that. Unless the laws are different where you live. There's not much you can do about it. But, you might qualify for unemployment benefits.
Reply:Yes, you can be fired for this but it is more like you quit. You have shown you aren't interested in staying in your job and so they don't want to bother training you any more or promoting you, you are now dead weight. You won't collect unemployment since you are considered to have quit.
snapdragon2
The Nanny -- Nazi -- State Goes a long with Why People Are Scared (The original & my response)?
Willys cynical thought for the day;
In my web research, Declaration of Independence, etc., I have yet to find where the government says they'll be my freaking mommy! So you goddamn politicians stay the hell out of my life and pockets AZZHOLES!
The Nanny State (I got this in a Biker email rag)
Worrying about bacteria, New Jersey banned restaurants from serving eggs sunny side up. The ban has since been lifted. Some New Jersey localities have a ban on people pumping their own gasoline. Policemen issue citations for driving without a seatbelt. By law new cars must be equipped with air bags. Federal law mandates that all new toilets flush using a paltry 1.6 gallons of water. Georgia's governor mandates that classical music be given to all new mothers so as to aid infant IQ development. California, and others, has banned smoking in bars. Clinton wants a law passed banning smoking within 100 feet of a federal building. In parts of Ohio, children going trick-or-treating must obtain a special permit. These intrusions and more were recently revealed by television journalist John Stossel on ABC's 20/20. The stated motivation behind this gross intrusion and criminalization of private behavior is to protect us from making unwise choices.
John Stossel asked Ricardo Martinez, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), why can't people at least have air bag on/off switches. Martinez responded by saying that society makes decisions about what benefits most people, and most people benefit from air bags. Stossel interviewed Yale University's Professor Kelley D. Brownell, director of the Center for Eating %26amp; Weight Disorders who thinks Americans eat too many hamburgers and French fries. Professor Brownell wants government to tax fatty foods and those with little nutritional content and use the proceeds to subsidize fruits, vegetables and other nutritious foods. He's suggested that some of the tax proceeds be used to build bike and hiking trails.
I'm wondering just when Americans are going to decide that we've had enough government meddling in our lives. It is nobody's business whether I eat eggs sunny side up, drive without wearing seat belts, or pig out on hamburgers and French fries. I'd like someone to show me Congress's constitutional authority for government protecting me from making unwise choices. Those who believe government should be in the business of making us take care of ourselves, should tell us where does it all end? Should government decide what time we go to bed? After all sleep is vital to good health. Should government force us to exercise, read wholesome literature, and bathe regularly?
The people who advocate a nanny government (a better term is Nazi government) are cowards. You say, "What do you mean, William?" Take Kelley Brownell. If he doesn't want me to eat that Big Mac and French fries, let him walk up to my table and remove them from my plate. He wants no part of doing that because he doesn't want to meet his maker this year so he prefers using the brutal forces of government. "The rest is mine;
When I was young, bullies use to pick on me, take food off my lunch tray and otherwise harass me. That's until I followed the advice of my father who told me that if you let a bully get away with one thing, the next day it's going to be something else and the following day something else again. He told me that the bullying won't stop until I decide to stand up and fight. He said that even if I lose the fight, the next time I'm bullied, stand up and fight again. Let the bully know that when he bullies, win, lose or draw, he has a fight on his hands. Eventually he will stop. I think Americans should employ my Dad's advice. As long as we stand as lambs before the slaughter you can bet that there'll be no end to Congress's bureaucratic stooges bullying us.
This is still America, last I checked anyway, yes we have 'freedom' here but 'freedom' is, never was and never will be 'Free.' Those of us who like to eat hamburgers and greasy fries must take responsibility by a) walking around with a big butt b) doing exercise or c) (in my case) taking cholesterol lowering pills and *trying* to stay away from the greasy stuff.
If we don't want to wear seatbelts, or helmets, WE, not Congress, must pay in pain, time (in hospitals, rehabs w/e), or loss of body parts. I'm firmly convinced I would never have survived, some of, the accidents I was in had I been hog-tied to the seat. The insurance companies, and Medical providers, ALWAYS lobby for these laws but I haven't heard of a single case where after such a law was passed the insurance company says, "Oh with your 20 year perfect driving record (not mine) we've decided that your next ___ year's insurance is on us." Has a hospital ever said, "Now that our ER doctors and nurses won't have to be patching up all the accidents maybe we should offer breast enlargement at half price?" Now stop laughing and reread this paragraph in it, under sarcasm, is the point I'm trying to make. The answer to both is NO! And unless an insurance company or hospital administrator is reading this, and wants to prove me wrong, I don't think it ever will be!
The 'it's good for you' doesn't stop at the things listed above. What if a slimy politician took it in his, or her, head that tattooing is wrong? Or certain subjects can't be tattooed on anybody? Like large breasted blondes, skulls, flames, or spider webs? I hope I'm NOT giving them any ideas because I have all these. This can be taken as far as you want to go like; they pass a law that ONLY Army, Marine, Navy, Airforce w/e tattoos are kosher. Or just Democrat or Republican ink is allowed. How about the ONLY lower back, female, tattoo that will be allowed is a 'GodSmack Sun?' Okay tattooists stop salivating imagining how much business you'll get by people running out to get their favorite tattoo done. And remember the upswing will only last until enforcement duties are figured out, i.e., the local Police, County cops, State Police or help us all if the FBI gets the job. Actually help them I don't need any help!
And of course that's not the only thing 'good for you.' This has been tried but what if Congress actually passed a law banning Rock %26amp; Roll, Country, Blues, Rock-a-Billy or Rap music. Or what if they legislate pianos, Violins and Trumpets are the only acceptable instruments? No electric guitars, fiddles, Blues Harps or Saxophones? And of course subsidizing lessons is another way to do, almost, the same thing!
Americans are lucky the founding fathers came from Europe where Religion - a belief in their God - was considered 'good for you' so it was mandated in some places; which is where 'The First Amendment' came from. If European governments had mandated seatbelts on cable cars and horses, and or required at least 4 oz. of meat at dinner -- chicken, beef or fish -- there may have been another Bill of Rights. This one saying, something like, "Congress shall make no law requiring citizens to do anything somebody thinks will be good for them." Unless, of course, any of them made, or sold, seatbelts or had anything to do with producing, or selling, meat. In 1776 that was, almost, everybody. This was long before people either ate meat or were vegetarians. In fact getting enough to eat was more important than the cholesterol!" Now a few quotes;
"The career of a politician mainly consists in making one part of the nation do what it does not want to do, in order to please and satisfy the other part of the nation. It is the prolonged sacrifice of the rights of some persons at the bidding and for the satisfaction of other persons. The ruling idea of the politician - stated rather bluntly - is that those who are opposed to him exist for the purpose of being made to serve his ends, if he can get power enough in his hands to force these ends upon them." -- Auberon Herbert
"There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him." -- Robert Heinlein
"The most basic question is not what is best but who shall decide what is best." -- Thomas Sowell
http://www.total-knowledge.com/~willyblu...
The Nanny -- Nazi -- State Goes a long with Why People Are Scared (The original %26amp; my response)?
" Freedoms just another word for
Nothin' left to loose..."
And the Bushy Admin. has a year and a half to get us there!
Ya know, my Dad likes to say that a man is only as good as his word. Doesn't that apply to our government also...???
Why don't we ask the Navajo...?
http://blackmesais.org/McCain_bill0805.h...
If this bill passes...they'll have nothin' left to loose too! At the hands of Bush contributors!
He said it all in Michael Moores - Fahrenheit 911, " All my friends are here tonight, the haves, and the have mores!" Bush did, on camera!
Where has all the integrity gone?
And if that don't get ya PO'd enough...dig up FEMA on the net. Federal Emergency Management Act, yes the laws they can and will enact in case of National disaster (nuclear war).
Freedom?...yeah right!
Reply:the only thing neseccary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
'edmund burke'
so would you eat demi moore?
Reply:You have pretty much answered your own question in your rant. Anything anyone says here isnt going to deter you from your hate of stupid policies by the American government. You have overlooked one thing, however. The beauty of the American Government is that if you are really that dissastisfied with a policy and you are able to get a majority of your fellow Americans behind you, then you can change the laws themselves.
Secondly, your father says it best: If you let bully's take one thing one day, they will return the next day and take something else. Unfortunately, for your case, all politicians that are not advisory are chosen by the people for the people. So you have to ask yourself, are the people that vote these politicians in doing this with the best interest for themselves OR are they following the herd like sheep?
And there in lies the problem, as long as the American public lives in a state of constant shrowd of fog about the awareness of their actions, they will rely on politicians to govern their behaviour. The irony is that the public set themselves up as the sheep and create the wolves that bully them. Until people become self-aware and self-motivated, you will have this to be the status-quo.
Public now want to be told what good is instead of defining good themselves. That is the tragedy of this democratic government.
Reply:Damn good read, that! :)
Reply:I just want to say I agree with you. I am sick and tired of being told what to do in every aspect of my life. There is an old park by me, no one ever goes in it, it's just an empty field. Yet, there is a sign posted saying "NO SMOKING". Why? It's near a hyway, the air is bad as it is, and who am I bothering if I had a smoke in this dead and empty park? Just another reason to fine me big bucks. Just another way to control me. Smoking is bad? Okay, sure. What about the chemicals in our food. Hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, MSG? That's okay. Government says so. Yea wear a seat belt if you are driving on the hyway. But if you are driving around town at 25 mph, making frequent stops, a seat belt is really annoying. They care so much about seat belts, but they don't care that the fine they just gave you robbed you a week's supply of food. Hmmm. And please, don't feed the birds! This fine is about 400 dollars, I know, they got my poor elderly mother on that one.
Reply:Our govy only want the best for us, because we are so stupids %26amp; we can't think for ourselves,
Reply:Did you write this all by yourself....I will email you my response.
Reply:Cool you said NAzi :), Deutschland!
In my web research, Declaration of Independence, etc., I have yet to find where the government says they'll be my freaking mommy! So you goddamn politicians stay the hell out of my life and pockets AZZHOLES!
The Nanny State (I got this in a Biker email rag)
Worrying about bacteria, New Jersey banned restaurants from serving eggs sunny side up. The ban has since been lifted. Some New Jersey localities have a ban on people pumping their own gasoline. Policemen issue citations for driving without a seatbelt. By law new cars must be equipped with air bags. Federal law mandates that all new toilets flush using a paltry 1.6 gallons of water. Georgia's governor mandates that classical music be given to all new mothers so as to aid infant IQ development. California, and others, has banned smoking in bars. Clinton wants a law passed banning smoking within 100 feet of a federal building. In parts of Ohio, children going trick-or-treating must obtain a special permit. These intrusions and more were recently revealed by television journalist John Stossel on ABC's 20/20. The stated motivation behind this gross intrusion and criminalization of private behavior is to protect us from making unwise choices.
John Stossel asked Ricardo Martinez, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), why can't people at least have air bag on/off switches. Martinez responded by saying that society makes decisions about what benefits most people, and most people benefit from air bags. Stossel interviewed Yale University's Professor Kelley D. Brownell, director of the Center for Eating %26amp; Weight Disorders who thinks Americans eat too many hamburgers and French fries. Professor Brownell wants government to tax fatty foods and those with little nutritional content and use the proceeds to subsidize fruits, vegetables and other nutritious foods. He's suggested that some of the tax proceeds be used to build bike and hiking trails.
I'm wondering just when Americans are going to decide that we've had enough government meddling in our lives. It is nobody's business whether I eat eggs sunny side up, drive without wearing seat belts, or pig out on hamburgers and French fries. I'd like someone to show me Congress's constitutional authority for government protecting me from making unwise choices. Those who believe government should be in the business of making us take care of ourselves, should tell us where does it all end? Should government decide what time we go to bed? After all sleep is vital to good health. Should government force us to exercise, read wholesome literature, and bathe regularly?
The people who advocate a nanny government (a better term is Nazi government) are cowards. You say, "What do you mean, William?" Take Kelley Brownell. If he doesn't want me to eat that Big Mac and French fries, let him walk up to my table and remove them from my plate. He wants no part of doing that because he doesn't want to meet his maker this year so he prefers using the brutal forces of government. "The rest is mine;
When I was young, bullies use to pick on me, take food off my lunch tray and otherwise harass me. That's until I followed the advice of my father who told me that if you let a bully get away with one thing, the next day it's going to be something else and the following day something else again. He told me that the bullying won't stop until I decide to stand up and fight. He said that even if I lose the fight, the next time I'm bullied, stand up and fight again. Let the bully know that when he bullies, win, lose or draw, he has a fight on his hands. Eventually he will stop. I think Americans should employ my Dad's advice. As long as we stand as lambs before the slaughter you can bet that there'll be no end to Congress's bureaucratic stooges bullying us.
This is still America, last I checked anyway, yes we have 'freedom' here but 'freedom' is, never was and never will be 'Free.' Those of us who like to eat hamburgers and greasy fries must take responsibility by a) walking around with a big butt b) doing exercise or c) (in my case) taking cholesterol lowering pills and *trying* to stay away from the greasy stuff.
If we don't want to wear seatbelts, or helmets, WE, not Congress, must pay in pain, time (in hospitals, rehabs w/e), or loss of body parts. I'm firmly convinced I would never have survived, some of, the accidents I was in had I been hog-tied to the seat. The insurance companies, and Medical providers, ALWAYS lobby for these laws but I haven't heard of a single case where after such a law was passed the insurance company says, "Oh with your 20 year perfect driving record (not mine) we've decided that your next ___ year's insurance is on us." Has a hospital ever said, "Now that our ER doctors and nurses won't have to be patching up all the accidents maybe we should offer breast enlargement at half price?" Now stop laughing and reread this paragraph in it, under sarcasm, is the point I'm trying to make. The answer to both is NO! And unless an insurance company or hospital administrator is reading this, and wants to prove me wrong, I don't think it ever will be!
The 'it's good for you' doesn't stop at the things listed above. What if a slimy politician took it in his, or her, head that tattooing is wrong? Or certain subjects can't be tattooed on anybody? Like large breasted blondes, skulls, flames, or spider webs? I hope I'm NOT giving them any ideas because I have all these. This can be taken as far as you want to go like; they pass a law that ONLY Army, Marine, Navy, Airforce w/e tattoos are kosher. Or just Democrat or Republican ink is allowed. How about the ONLY lower back, female, tattoo that will be allowed is a 'GodSmack Sun?' Okay tattooists stop salivating imagining how much business you'll get by people running out to get their favorite tattoo done. And remember the upswing will only last until enforcement duties are figured out, i.e., the local Police, County cops, State Police or help us all if the FBI gets the job. Actually help them I don't need any help!
And of course that's not the only thing 'good for you.' This has been tried but what if Congress actually passed a law banning Rock %26amp; Roll, Country, Blues, Rock-a-Billy or Rap music. Or what if they legislate pianos, Violins and Trumpets are the only acceptable instruments? No electric guitars, fiddles, Blues Harps or Saxophones? And of course subsidizing lessons is another way to do, almost, the same thing!
Americans are lucky the founding fathers came from Europe where Religion - a belief in their God - was considered 'good for you' so it was mandated in some places; which is where 'The First Amendment' came from. If European governments had mandated seatbelts on cable cars and horses, and or required at least 4 oz. of meat at dinner -- chicken, beef or fish -- there may have been another Bill of Rights. This one saying, something like, "Congress shall make no law requiring citizens to do anything somebody thinks will be good for them." Unless, of course, any of them made, or sold, seatbelts or had anything to do with producing, or selling, meat. In 1776 that was, almost, everybody. This was long before people either ate meat or were vegetarians. In fact getting enough to eat was more important than the cholesterol!" Now a few quotes;
"The career of a politician mainly consists in making one part of the nation do what it does not want to do, in order to please and satisfy the other part of the nation. It is the prolonged sacrifice of the rights of some persons at the bidding and for the satisfaction of other persons. The ruling idea of the politician - stated rather bluntly - is that those who are opposed to him exist for the purpose of being made to serve his ends, if he can get power enough in his hands to force these ends upon them." -- Auberon Herbert
"There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him." -- Robert Heinlein
"The most basic question is not what is best but who shall decide what is best." -- Thomas Sowell
http://www.total-knowledge.com/~willyblu...
The Nanny -- Nazi -- State Goes a long with Why People Are Scared (The original %26amp; my response)?
" Freedoms just another word for
Nothin' left to loose..."
And the Bushy Admin. has a year and a half to get us there!
Ya know, my Dad likes to say that a man is only as good as his word. Doesn't that apply to our government also...???
Why don't we ask the Navajo...?
http://blackmesais.org/McCain_bill0805.h...
If this bill passes...they'll have nothin' left to loose too! At the hands of Bush contributors!
He said it all in Michael Moores - Fahrenheit 911, " All my friends are here tonight, the haves, and the have mores!" Bush did, on camera!
Where has all the integrity gone?
And if that don't get ya PO'd enough...dig up FEMA on the net. Federal Emergency Management Act, yes the laws they can and will enact in case of National disaster (nuclear war).
Freedom?...yeah right!
Reply:the only thing neseccary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
'edmund burke'
so would you eat demi moore?
Reply:You have pretty much answered your own question in your rant. Anything anyone says here isnt going to deter you from your hate of stupid policies by the American government. You have overlooked one thing, however. The beauty of the American Government is that if you are really that dissastisfied with a policy and you are able to get a majority of your fellow Americans behind you, then you can change the laws themselves.
Secondly, your father says it best: If you let bully's take one thing one day, they will return the next day and take something else. Unfortunately, for your case, all politicians that are not advisory are chosen by the people for the people. So you have to ask yourself, are the people that vote these politicians in doing this with the best interest for themselves OR are they following the herd like sheep?
And there in lies the problem, as long as the American public lives in a state of constant shrowd of fog about the awareness of their actions, they will rely on politicians to govern their behaviour. The irony is that the public set themselves up as the sheep and create the wolves that bully them. Until people become self-aware and self-motivated, you will have this to be the status-quo.
Public now want to be told what good is instead of defining good themselves. That is the tragedy of this democratic government.
Reply:Damn good read, that! :)
Reply:I just want to say I agree with you. I am sick and tired of being told what to do in every aspect of my life. There is an old park by me, no one ever goes in it, it's just an empty field. Yet, there is a sign posted saying "NO SMOKING". Why? It's near a hyway, the air is bad as it is, and who am I bothering if I had a smoke in this dead and empty park? Just another reason to fine me big bucks. Just another way to control me. Smoking is bad? Okay, sure. What about the chemicals in our food. Hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, MSG? That's okay. Government says so. Yea wear a seat belt if you are driving on the hyway. But if you are driving around town at 25 mph, making frequent stops, a seat belt is really annoying. They care so much about seat belts, but they don't care that the fine they just gave you robbed you a week's supply of food. Hmmm. And please, don't feed the birds! This fine is about 400 dollars, I know, they got my poor elderly mother on that one.
Reply:Our govy only want the best for us, because we are so stupids %26amp; we can't think for ourselves,
Reply:Did you write this all by yourself....I will email you my response.
Reply:Cool you said NAzi :), Deutschland!
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