When Does Fred Hoyle Get His Nobel Prize for Panspermia

When Does Fred Hoyle Get His Nobel Prize for Panspermia


Hoyle was right.All the orthodoxy was wrong. When you discover how easy it was to demonstrate you will never again revere people who crave authority and infallibility. It is the craven wretch who climbs high in the declining society in all the professions, including science.When you start to understand what the real universe is like, you will realize how wonderful it really is. It is awe-inspiring and so big and so old it cannot be fathomed. Life is seeded throughout the cosmos which is infinite and unbounded by anything anywhere including time.The mainstream acts as if they can comprehend life because somebody else invented an electron scanning microscope. They think they understand it. The truth is that nobody anywhere can understand it. Tampering with it is identical to letting a chimpanzee pull parts off a truck engine. Life is so much more than merely a higher organization of matter. It is magical, miraculous, stupendous and a certain sign that the creator is something we can appreciate but none of us will ever fully know. Whoever and whatever the supreme being is we can say with certainty that our minds are too tiny to ever describe him with much accuracy.

The Great Conjunction

The Great Conjunction



Detail from Michelangelo's Last Judgment scene in the Sistine Chapel
I've been reading a lot about the apocalypse recently.From the Greek, Apo-calyptein, which means literally to "unveil," the word apocalypse can conjure up a mixture of horror, bewilderment, perhaps amusement (see:zombie apocalypse), and certainly a healthy dose of curiosity.Eschatological imagery in literature and art presents the culminating moment of human history, potentially its final moment, envisioning the point at which the current world order is subverted or completely obliterated by new order.
Fear of the apocalypse, as well as a desire for it, has inspired messianic movements through the ages in many different parts of the world. Prominent thinkers throughout history have developed and promoted prophecies that reveal what they believe to be the date or the form of the End Times; sometimes these prophecies induce the laughter of skeptical men, but other times they are met with a fervent hope that they be true.I've been reading about cases in which masses of people have hoped for those prophecies to be true...


The Judge, doin' work. (Detail from Michelangelo's Last Judgment scene in the Sistine Chapel)
At first I found it baffling and counterintuitive that people should be motivated by a desire for the end of the world (wouldn't that indicate a suicidal distain for the world, for humanity?). Eventually, after reading multiple accounts of various cultural-historical millenarian movements, I believe I'm beginning to develop an idea of why hundreds, even thousands, of people have come to harbor a profound longing for humanity's final cataclysmic event.

-The most obvious source of millenarian yearning must be violent and relentless oppression. In a world in which physical, emotional, and intellectual suffering is imposed upon one group of people by another, the powerless and anguished group not only wishes for the downfall of their torturers, but for the complete and permanent annihilation of the system or circumstances that made their oppression possible in the first place.

-At the same time violence and oppression stirs a desire for cataclysm among its victims, it can also stir those same desires in the would-be neutral populations. Those who bare witness to the epic failures of humanity can lose their faith in man's ability to govern himself and thereby desire to bring about or witness the end of his reign. An irrevocable transformation, eliminating man's power over himself and the world would forever shift the responsibility off judgment to a realm out of man's reach.

-The apocalypse is a momentous change, but a change that doesn't necessarily mean the end of all things. It is the end of what we have come to know of the world, but that does not mean that everything will cease to exist. A cosmic cleansing of souls or of the material world may take place, or Cthulu could come out of his eons-old hiding place to wreak havoc on our planet. Regardless of the outcome, the world grows old and with it, our deep curiosity to see it turned upside-down. Not even our wildest imagination of the future can be totally discounted; there is no way to positively disprove even the most bizarre post-apocalyptic visions-- utopia? dystopia? They're both fair game.

Ringing in my ears as I type this are the eternal words of Aughra from "The Dark Crystal"(start the video at 3:53). As she scuttles around her model of the cosmos, she tells her gelfling visitor about the Great Conjunction-- a moment when three suns will align and the order of the world will be transformed. With a deliciously haughty attitude, hands on hips, she harrumphs and brushes off the consequences of such a great conjunction, as if it were a routine event that every age must confront... "End! Begin! All the same. Big change. Sometimes good, sometimes bad."


I am going to be writing a series of posts on these messianic movements. The first post will discuss Antonio Conselheiro's messianic movement in the Brazilian hinterlands at the end of the 19th century. Future posts will include the Taqui Ongoy movement of Peru and the secular millennial rhetoric propagated through climate change theories. If I have time, there may even be more posts in the series (I'm thinking about doing one on Isaac Newton's or Antonio Vieira's theories). I hope you enjoy them!

Re [vpFREE] How do I reply without all the text

Re [vpFREE] How do I reply without all the text


Press Reply then Just hold your finger on the text portion of the message, select all, then select cut.Sent from my iPadOn Nov 1, 2013, at 8:57 PM, wrote: Still don't like the new format, still think it sucks. But the world doesn't wait for me, so I will try to catch up.So tell me, someone, HOW do I reply to another post WITHOUT repeating the original text.? Gosh, I hate it when you have to wade through everything twice. I know others hate it too, so I don't want to be an offender.lol Go ahead and call me stupid if I'm the last one to figure this out. It won't be the first time I've been called that.By the way, it's good that this is vpFREE. If if was vpPAY, I would have cancelled as soon as they changed to this mess. __._,_.___ vpFREE Links: http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1955/20228/V/Links.htm
Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe __,_._,___

More than Sisters

More than Sisters


Inseparable
as children
We shared
everything.
Not just
parents.

We didnt
look alike.
We didn't have

the same ideas.

We whispered
secrets,
giggled, told stories,
and talked in the dark.

Separated by
school,
We made our
own friends
and chose
our own paths.

Things
change.
We grew up
together,
Separately.

Distance
separates us.
Our lives
are full.
We stay
connected.

Sometimes we
can
slow down
time.
And find space for each other.

We
choose to
be together
in spite of distance.

We whisper
secrets,
giggle,
share stories,
and talk in
the dark.

It ends too
soon.
There is
never
enough time.

We treasure
each other.
We are
connected.

We are more

than sisters.

We are friends.


Linda Garner

January 2014 Group Exhibit at North Lake College

January 2014 Group Exhibit at North Lake College


Hello Dallas Wax Group,

I have proposed a January 2014 group encaustic exhibition at North Lake College where I currently work. We had a space come available in our gallery schedule, and I thought it would be nice to have our group come back together and have an exhibit. Believe it or not, it has been almost 3 years since our last show!

I did contact a few of you via Facebook, but I was not sure if that would reach everyone thatwould beinterested. If you would like to participate, please let me know by thisFriday, November 22nd at 5pm. I will get more information out once I know how many of us there will be in the show. We would like the work to be on campus by the end of December 2013. I will be sending out more info for delivery times andplacesas I know more of who all is participating.

There is no theme. The only requirement is that the work is all or part encaustic.

Thanks!

Brett Dyer
972-743-8997
bdyer@dcccd.edu
brett.lee.dyer@gmail.com

First Watch Comes to East Tennessee

First Watch Comes to East Tennessee


Laurie and I are always looking for a new
place for breakfast. Its sort of a
quest were on to find perfect basic breakfast… Laurie had eaten at a First Watch in St.
Louis and she had very positive memories of her experience.




















This is First Watch – The Daytime Café…
This location has recently opened next to a Publix Supermarket and Corks, a
wine shop in Knoxvilles Turkey Creek shopping area. The Publix market was a welcome addition
to the grocery shopping scene and Corks – Wines and Spirits deserves a visit if
youre in the area. Ryan McElveen, Corks
proprietor has been a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers
since 1996. He really knows his wine,
buys small lots from smaller wineries and he doesnt sell anything that he hasnt
tasted first… Check out Cork at http://www.corkstn.com/site/. But I digress from the subject at hand…



The interior of First Watch is simple and
straightforward as well as bright and welcoming… I did see one issue right
away, at least from my point of view!
The only hot sauce on hand was Cholula…as shown on the table above. Its just not the right hot sauce for me…although
I will use it on some foods. Wheres the
Tabasco?



Heres another interior photo from First
Watch… One fact of note is that First Watch is a bit unique in that the
restaurant is only open for breakfast and lunch.First Watch is a breakfast, brunch and
lunch cafe restaurant chain based in Bradenton, Florida. This fast growing 105 store chain operates in
restaurants in 15 states. The restaurants
are named for the nautical terminology that refers to the first shift of the
day aboard ship. Operating hours are
from 7 AM to 2:30 PM. The First Watch at
Turkey Creek in Knoxville is located at 11682 Parkside Drive. Phone: 865-675-3447.



Im truly just a basic breakfast guy… I like
my meat, potatoes and eggs, preferably with toast, or alternatively, English
muffins. I ended up ordering 2 easy-over
eggs, 2 sausage links, the house seasoned potatoes and an English muffin.
($7.99) Coffee was $2.39 and they leave a pot on the table… This was a decent
breakfast, but not anything to write home about. I do prefer hash browns and pork sausage
patties which arent on the menu.I do like pancakes and waffles from time
to time but Ive been trying to cut back on the carbs and lose some
weight. Even so, Id looked at the First
Watch website and determined that I was going to treat myself to “Bubbas Benny”,
biscuits sliced in half and covered by sausage and easy-over eggs then covered
with sausage gravy…accompanied by the house seasoned potatoes.However during my research I failed to
note the statement that menus can vary by location. (Franchisee) If Id looked
closer, I would have clicked on the link that showed me the menu for this
specific restaurant.



Laurie ordered the Key West Crepeggs. ($8.89)
This was a thin crepe layered with eggs, turkey, avocado, bacon, tomatoes and
Monterey Jack cheese. It was topped with sour cream and served with an English
muffin, a side of house made salsa and fresh, seasoned potatoes. Laurie really
enjoyed her breakfast…As I wrote this blog, I checked the
receipt for prices and I noted that we werent charged for her orange
juice. Even so, our total check for
breakfast with tax and tip totaled $27.77.If youre into mushrooms, avocado, onions,
veggies, olives, peppers, etc. as a part of your breakfast, First Watch is for
you! Almost every egg related breakfast
offering includes one or more of these ingredients. Healthy breakfasts plus pancakes, waffles and
French toast are also available.First Watch currently operates more than
100 restaurants in 15 states – with franchised restaurants in Florida, Kentucky,
Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin, and licensed restaurants in
Arizona. In a survey of 150,000 Consumer
Report readers, First Watch ranked as the best breakfast chain, earning top
ratings in taste, service, value, and menu choices. http://www.firstwatch.com. Just click on any of the photos to
enlarge them…Well have to return to First Watch for a
luncheon experience. Thanks for stopping
by!Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Congress should give the interim deal with Iran a chance

Congress should give the interim deal with Iran a chance


After a decades-long standoff, Iran and the West (plus China and Russia) have signed an interim agreement to halt Irans nuclear program in exchange for modest sanctions relief. While some are calling it a historic breakthrough along the lines of Nixons visit to China, the U.S. media has been mostly skeptical. And in a rare display of bipartisanship, Congress is already looking for ways to derail the deal by passing legislation to impose new sanctions on Iran and tie the Presidents hands for future negotiations. Despite the fact that President Obama has successfully passed tougher sanctions on Iran than any previous administration, the U.S. media in lockstep with Congress continue to thumb their noses at anything that resembles diplomacy when it comes to Iran. And while other U.S. allies in the region—primarily the Gulf States led by Saudi Arabia—have expressed their concerns over this deal, few Americans care about what the Saudis think. As representatives of the American people, what Congress really cares about is what Israel thinks. Thats where things get dicey.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has wasted no time in calling the deal a “historic mistake.” Consistent with his hard-line views on Iran, Netanyahu believes that Iran has bamboozled the world, and has ramped up the rhetoric for a unilateral military strike on Irans nuclear facilities. And because the Israeli Prime Minister gets to send his spokespeople to talk to the U.S. media, it would be very easy to conclude that the “Israeli perspective” is to prefer military action instead of diplomacy. That conclusion is wrong.The Israeli military establishment and intelligence community have long been at odds with Netanyahu on how to handle the stand off with Iran. Israeli intelligence has concluded that Iran has not yet made the decision on whether to build a bomb , and that a military strike on Iran would lead to further destabilization of the region, while (at best) delaying the nuclear program by a year or two. In essence: not only would a war with Iran tank the world economy and send oil prices skyrocketing. It wouldnt even accomplish its objective. Israeli investors seem to agree with the military establishment. After news of the deal, the Israeli stock market went up, showing that Israeli investors see the deal as diminishing a risk of a military confrontation, rather than augmenting it. Those opposed to the interim deal with Iran should consider what would have happened had there been no deal at all at the Geneva talks. According to CNNs Fareed Zakaria, in 2003 Iran approached the United States with an offer to talk about its nuclear program, but the Bush administrated believed that Iran, having been battered by sanctions, would either capitulate or collapse if Washington stayed the course. The result was that Iran had 164 centrifuges operating in 2003. Today it has 19,000 centrifuges. Given that the interim deal is the first time in a decade that Iran has halted any aspect of its nuclear program, it appears that talking has a better success rate than not talking. Does this mean that the U.S. and its allies should trust Iran? No. It doesnt. And given that both parties in Congress are actively trying to derail this deal by unilaterally imposing harsher sanctions, Iran has good reasons for not trusting us either. But thats why the interim deal, though far from perfect, is at least the start of something good. It opens up Iran to unprecedented levels of inspections, forces them to neutralize uranium enrichments beyond what is needed for electricity, and puts them in a position to where if they decided to cheat or renege on their end of the deal, they would have to do so openly in the eyes of the world. Up until now, Iran could claim that U.S. style diplomacy is do-what-we-say-or-well-strangle-you. At least now, if Iran balks, the U.S. and its allies can credibly say that they gave peace a chance. Before Congress jumps the gun, it needs to take a deep breath… and let the diplomatic process continue.Aaron Taylor is on the steering team of Evangelicals for Peace, a network of Evangelicals dedicated to the principles of just peacemaking. This article appeared on Sojourners.