Bloggy Me

Still Here...

ShivaSharifi — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:57:03 GMT

hi, i am back! havn't forgotten about my tribe profile. actually i have been busy with school and taking some pictures lately, my own photography that is.... once i am done going through sorting a little further, i'll be posting them here to share. Here is one from yesterday while i spent the day in Santa Cruz.

Scientists discover a nearly Earth-sized planet

ShivaSharifi — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:46:32 GMT

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090421/ap_on_sc/eu_britain_new_planet An artist's impression of AP – An artist's impression of 'Planet e' , forground left, released by the European Organisation for Astronomical … By JENNIFER QUINN, Associated Press Writer Jennifer Quinn, Associated Press Writer – Tue Apr 21, 6:17 pm ET HATFIELD, England – In the search for Earth-like planets, astronomers zeroed in Tuesday on two places that look awfully familiar to home. One is close to the right size. The other is in the right place. European researchers said they not only found the smallest exoplanet ever, called Gliese 581 e, but realized that a neighboring planet discovered earlier, Gliese 581 d, was in the prime habitable zone for potential life. "The Holy Grail of current exoplanet research is the detection of a rocky, Earth-like planet in the 'habitable zone,'" said Michel Mayor, an astrophysicist at Geneva University in Switzerland. An American expert called the discovery of the tiny planet "extraordinary." Gliese 581 e is only 1.9 times the size of Earth — while previous planets found outside our solar system are closer to the size of massive Jupiter, which NASA says could swallow more than 1,000 Earths. Gliese 581 e sits close to the nearest star, making it too hot to support life. Still, Mayor said its discovery in a solar system 20 1/2 light years away from Earth is a "good example that we are progressing in the detection of Earth-like planets." Scientists also discovered that the orbit of planet Gliese 581 d, which was found in 2007, was located within the "habitable zone" — a region around a sun-like star that would allow water to be liquid on the planet's surface, Mayor said. He spoke at a news conference Tuesday at the University of Hertfordshire during the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science. Gliese 581 d is probably too large to be made only of rocky material, fellow astronomer and team member Stephane Udry said, adding it was possible the planet had a "large and deep" ocean. "It is the first serious 'water-world' candidate," Udry said. Mayor's main planet-hunting competitor, Geoff Marcy of the University of California, Berkeley, praised the find of Gliese 581 e as "the most exciting discovery" so far of exoplanets — planets outside our solar system. "This discovery is absolutely extraordinary," Marcy told The Associated Press by e-mail, calling the discoveries a significant step in the search for Earth-like planets. While Gliese 581 e is too hot for life "it shows that nature makes such small planets, probably in large numbers," Marcy commented. "Surely the galaxy contains tens of billions of planets like the small, Earth-mass one announced here." Nearly 350 planets have been found outside our solar system, but so far nearly every one of them was found to be extremely unlikely to harbor life. Most were too close or too far from their sun, making them too hot or too cold for life. Others were too big and likely to be uninhabitable gas giants like Jupiter. Those that are too small are highly difficult to detect in the first place. Both Gliese 581 d and Gliese 581 e are located in constellation Libra and orbit around Gliese 581. Like other planets circling that star — scientists have discovered four so far — Gliese 581 e was found using the European Southern Observatory's telescope in La Silla, Chile. The telescope has a special instrument which splits light to find wobbles in different wavelengths. Those wobbles can reveal the existence of other worlds. "It is great work and shows the potential of this detection method," said Lisa Kaltenegger, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Learn to cut your food bill 25%

ShivaSharifi — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:36:20 GMT

So the price of food has gone up about 8% in the past year, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Stop your complaining! As my mother always told me, "I like my whine in a glass, but not at the dinner table." woman holding a shopping basket in a grocery store (Alessandro Oliva / iStockPhoto) I'd have more sympathy for a lot of Americans who are upset about soaring food costs if it weren't for the fact that most of them can reduce what they spend on food by about 25% if they'd only do as my mother also told me: "Shut your yap and clean your plate!" (Now you know where I get my gifts for both language and tact.) Prepare for shock and awe (and national embarrassment): According to government sources, roughly 25% of the food Americans buy goes to waste. That's about one pound of food, per American, per day -- thrown in the trash. Sadly we've crossed the line from Land of Plenty to Land of Waste. Recently, one of our readers suggested 10 easy ways to reduce food waste (thanks Mrs. Green!). Here's five more ways to cut your food costs -- and your carbon footprint: Shop for groceries no more than once every two weeks. Time and again, studies confirm the obvious: Q.) How to keep yourself from buying too much stuff? A.) Shop less frequently. Grocery shopping is no different, but the key is to shop smart in order to avoid spoilage. Cook two or three meals' worth of each recipe at the beginning of the two-week period, and immediately freeze the extra portions for the second week. Freeze any meat that you won't be eating within the next 48 hours. Use up fresh fruits and vegetables first, and then supplement them with just-as-healthy frozen as you get into the second week. Check expiration dates on dairy products before you buy them; in most cases you can find products that will remain fresh for two weeks or longer. The idea is to always USE UP what you buy before you shop again. Think layovers, NOT leftovers. Raise your hand and repeat after me: "I solemnly swear to consume the remaining portions (if any) of meals I failed to previously consume within 24 hours of my failure to consume them." Eat 'em for breakfast, pack 'em for lunch, or host a hors de-yester-jour happy hour with friends. How to handle restaurants. Establishments are frequently guilty of "over serving" in order to justify higher prices (call me a cynic). So order only from the appetizer menu or split a single ginormous entrée. And remember, doggy bags and leftovers have replaced Gucci bags and makeovers; green -- and cheap -- are the new cool. Social therapy. I can't see myself ever paying for therapy (although my poooor wife has offered more than once to take up a collection for me). The best therapy for curing wastefulness is not only free, but it even helps others who really need it: Volunteer one day out of the year at a local food kitchen for the needy, and then see how much food you throw away. The raising, processing, packing, distribution, sale, and waste disposal associated with the food we eat -- or don't eat -- leaves a sasquatch-sized carbon footprint on old Mother Earth. Save your money, save the planet ... just shut your yap and clean your plate. above article from http://green.yahoo.com ************************** Another cheaper and health food tip is when at the market stick to the outer circle of the market where the fresh products are, steering clear isles walking and the purchasing of packaged, canned and frozen foods is not only WAY cheaper but also avoiding those preservatives is healthier for you and tastes better too !!! Quit complaining about your food bill!!! stop going to restaurants and learn to cook for yourself for a change!!! Find and try a recipe on the internet, there are loads of free recipes available, invite a friend over to stumble around with you in the kitchen and make it a more fun experience ;) - shiva

Easy in the Kitchen Healthy Food Tips

ShivaSharifi — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:04:44 GMT

I've been following this cook Lyon for about 2 weeks and love his preparation style and mentality with food. He makes everything very simple, fast and also elegant presentation. All the meals/recipes are fresh foods, low budget, and make you feel like you're having a gourmet meal at that over priced stuffy restaurant but even BETTER cause..... you've just realized you're the great Chef and you're getting to share it with loved ones at your VIP table for two, four, six ?? however many your wish to invite over :))) to your more cozy home Here's a link to his recipes from episodes so far that you can look over if you wish and try some yourself http://health.discovery.com/fansites/nathan-lyon/recipes/index.html and below are some other thoughtful tips that i Copied over to get you started up with kitchen inspirations ...... now go love eating what's right for you and yummy!!! - Shiva ************ 1. Pay close attention to the type of salt you use in the kitchen. I use Kosher salt the majority of the time when cooking, followed by sea salt, and finally fleur de sel, which I reserve only as a finishing salt on special occasions. I do use iodized salt, but only to gargle with for sore throats. I find iodized salt too salty for cooking, and the flavor somewhat metallic. Iodized salt is processed and the grain extremely small, so teaspoon of Kosher salt and a teaspoon of iodized salt are not actually the same according to volume. When I go out to eat I'll politely ask for a side of Kosher salt if I need a bit more seasoning. So if your finished meal at home is too salty, check the recipe, more than likely it calls for Kosher. 2. When storing fresh berries, the best way to keep them without having them rot so rapidly is to not wash them right away. I used to wash berries when I got them home and then kept them in a bowl in the fridge poised for my next attack. In fact the opposite is best, the less moisture the better. I store berries in the refrigerator, layered between dry paper towels in plastic wear. Then when hunger strikes, I simply give them a quick wash just before I eat them. This storage method will keep fresh berries from rotting up to two weeks. 3. In order to get a good sear (aka caramelization) on anything, be it vegetables, or meat, or even fruit, the first step is to remove any excess moisture. Moisture can be removed manually or by using the correct cooking method. For example, sea scallops should be dried with a paper towel so that when tossed happily into a hot sauté pan they will caramelize rather than partially steam. The same holds true with vegetables such as spinach or mushrooms. By using a large sauté pan, higher heat, and being careful not to add too much food at once, the water vapor will evaporate rather than accumulate in the pan. The end product is nicely colored mushrooms and beautifully sautéed spinach, not flabby colorless mushrooms and wet soggy spinach. For color and flavor, get rid of that water. 4. Eating healthy is easy when we have access to farmers' markets but during the winter months, for a large percentage of the country, this not an option. I have the answer. The healthiest, and least expensive way to shop in the supermarkets is called perimeter shopping. The floor plan of every grocery store that I have ever shopped in is generally the same. As you walk around the store do your best to say clear of the isles and stay only to the outside perimeter of the store as you shop. It is there, in the perimeter, where you will find fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and dairy products, fish and meats, and usually whole grains and breads too! In the middle of the store you will find mostly processed foods, which are higher in price and lower in nutritional value. One loop around and you're done. 5. If you find that cutting makes your shoulders and neck hurt, chances are that your counter top is too high and that you are shrugging your shoulders in order to prepare your food. Just like typing, your shoulders should be relaxed while you work, so rather than redo your kitchen counters, most of the time a small plastic mat on the kitchen floor will do the trick. Another problem in the kitchen is using the wrong sized knife. Everyone has different sized hands and if your knife handle is too small, your hand will be cramped. If the handle is too large it will be clumsy in your hand and difficult to use. My favorite knife is not my super expensive, slick, fast-looking knife, no-no, rather the knife I prefer to use almost every time is my $38.00 eight-inch chef's knife that fits my hand like a glove. Relax those shoulders, and purchase your knives one at a time so that cooking will not only be painless, but fun too. 6. When cooking with oils, my preference is first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, which I find to have the fullest flavor. The only difference between regular first cold pressed olive oil and first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil is not quality but rather the ph of the oil. The flavors between olive oils differ too. My favorite olive oil is actually one of the least expensive varieties around, so paying top dollar is never a guarantee for flavor. I do use other types of oil too however I rarely use Canola oil because I don't enjoy the flavor on its own. It tastes somewhat metallic and unpleasant to me. In my kitchen I prefer to use ingredients that are tasty on their own, and for most hot cooking, salads, and even (believe it or not) freshly made ice cream, extra virgin olive oil stands alone. Shop around, taste often, and like a good hair stylist stay with what works for you. 7. From time to time people ask me how to keep chicken breast, expensive steak, pork tenderloin, fish, and even scrambled eggs from drying out. Well, I protect them by not overcooking them. Seems simple enough, however as Americans we have all grown quite paranoid about the safe cooking temperatures of our proteins (meats). Quick lesson: If the source from which you purchase your proteins are reputable and their practices safe I would have no problem eating fish, meat, or even (not that I would find it appetizing) eggs—raw. Think sashimi (sushi), steak tartar, and disgusting raw egg protein drinks from the late 1970's ... but safe to eat raw non-the-less. Now back to keeping your proteins from drying out. When cooking chicken breasts I keep the skin on, the same with fish. Ninety percent of the cooking is done skin-side down not flesh-side down, which keeps the meat succulent and delicious. Only then, if you are worried about the fat in that crispy chicken skin, should you remove it and give it a toss. When scrambling eggs, use chopsticks and keep them moving in the pan, then remove the eggs while they still look a bit wet. Believe me, it works. Lastly for steaks and pork, I give them a warm pillow of olive oil and a touch of butter to cook in, the butter for flavor and the oil to keep the butter from burning. I like my steaks medium rare and my pork medium, so letting them sit out 20 minutes prior to cooking will warm the meat's interior to room temperature and the core of the meat wont be cool but rather moist and yummy. 8. What are rules on ripening? Have a seat and I'll tell you a little story on the subject. When people used to travel the seas for months on end they would pack all sorts of food, fruit included. Sometimes they would pack the fruit throughout the boat, and in time they noticed that the fruit stored next to the kerosene would ripen faster than the fruit stored elsewhere. The gas vapors from kerosene are similar to the gas ethylene. Most fruits release ethylene but there are a few varieties that let off major amounts, apples and bananas being two of the biggies. So it's true that most fruits, when paired with a banana or apple, ripen faster when put in a brown paper bag. The gas from the apple and banana bullies the other fruit to hurry things up—"Lets go! Ripen already!" Then when fully ripened, those fruits will fair best when stored in the crisper drawer in the fridge, except tomatoes. I never put tomatoes in the refrigerator; however, I will make an exception if tomatoes are beyond ripe. If I'm short on time, I'll place them in the crisper drawer for a day before making tomato sauce out of them. 9. Now after reading number eight some of you might be saying that fruit loses its flavor when put in the fridge, well that's not totally true. We do however lose our ability to smell them, but that is only temporary. Over 90 percent of our taste comes from our sense of smell, which explains why our taste buds are shot when our noses are clogged up. Just like white wine that comes straight from the fridge, the "wow this fruit smells/tastes great" molecules are moving very slowly and we can't taste much. But when it gets warmer those molecules move around faster and then that great flavor returns. Okay lets make a compromise here, you and me. When your fruits (peaches, nectarines, plums, avocados, apricots, apples, etc) are ripe, put most of them in the crisper drawer (no bag) and reserve a few that you might eat over the next day or so. Oranges too! Think of an orange as a little glass of orange juice. You wouldn't leave orange juice on the counter for a week would you? After enjoying the fruit sitting out, open the fridge and pull out a few more, allowing plenty of time for that chilled fruit to slowly warm up. This method of fruit rotation will keep your ripe fruit from rotting, and more importantly keep your family happy with flavorful fruit. 10. The last tidbit of information is usually the most important. The same holds true here. Healthy cooking is another way of saying preventative medicine. In America, rather than simply eating well and living a healthy lifestyle, we as a country, often eat poorly and only then when confronted with cancer, diabetes, or heart disease are we inclined to act ... usually with a pill. If you could save yourself thousands of dollars due to preventative medical problems by both eating well and exercising would you? People can lose weight. Change can happen. Don't get me wrong; I don't advocate rejecting the tasty treats that life has to offer, far from it. Chocolate, butter, and wine happen to be good friends of mine. I do, however, advocate limiting the volume of food consumed, in addition to raising one's metabolism by means of exercise. Life is fun, and food happens to be a beautiful toy with which to play. Respect yourself. Respect your food. Life is short, so have fun.

Om Shiva

ShivaSharifi — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:29:51 GMT

The three horizontal lines on his forehead have been interpreted as representing the three sources of light - fire, sun and moon; or his ability to see the past, present and future. The three lines may also, as with the trident, represent the three qualities of goodness, passion and darkness. Shiva is also typically depicted with snakes around his neck or across his body. The snake may represent the evolutionary power within the human body, the spiritual power which may de developed through yoga and also Shiva's power to deal with death. Rosaries show his mastery of the spiritual sciences. He is frequently depicted sitting on a tiger skin, the symbol of the cruel forces of nature, over which he is lord. Shiva's vehicle is Nandin a white bull which represents strength and fertility. As the bull is ridden by Shiva, it shows the god's control over these powers. In this image he sits in meditative pose reflecting peace and perfect inner harmony. Lord Shiva is the Lord of mercy and compassion. He protects devotees from evil forces such as lust, greed, and anger. Lord Shiva annihilates evil, grants boons, bestows grace, destroys ignorance, and awakens wisdom in His devotees. Music Every breath. and every heart beat.

The Blossoming Time

ShivaSharifi — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:54:11 GMT

:::Incoming transmission from fellowship ground fleet personal::: You may already be feeling the incoming waves of the next Mayan cycle, The SIXTH DAY- a cycle presided over by the Mayan Goddess, Yohualticitl- The Goddess of BIRTH. We are now moving out of a year long Mayan cycle, THE FIFTH NIGHT, presided over by a Mayan God if the Underworld, TEZCATLIPOCA. (also the dark twin of my Patron/Homey/ Key Ally- QUETZACOATL, The Rainbow Serpent) Now Ole' Tezcat (as we call him around here) is depicted as having a 'smoky mirror in his chest'...the kind of mirror he asks you to look into to face Illusion within yourself, to see what does not serve you in your life, your consciousness- that you may blossom with more true YOUNESS! This past year has been this for most people i know! As all the Mayan Cycles, prefigured thousands of years ago, have accompanied major happenings in the world, i find it no small chance that our next President, Barack Obama, was elected within one week of this incoming wave. We were out and about in SF that night he was elected; hi-fiving jubilant strangers walking along Market street, dancing onstage at the Castro street party, dancing and singing to The Star Spangled Banner and Neil Diamond's AMERICA en mass with a sudden group of strangers at Mission Control...the vibe was unbelievable! Elated, joyful, but above all else= HOPEFUL! Now as a social architect and experience producer whose livelihood depends on /the mood of the people, /i find all this 'hope stuff' very heartening. Sure, you might say 'Politics changes nothing', or that 'change comes from within'... Pooh, i say! Take it in.... /'SURRENDER, DOROTHY!' /(cue funkified, disco-tastic version of the 2001 theme here) There are cycles at work bigger than us, friends... cycles conspiring in our favor, right now! So let it in and let it rise, friends! Let the Grace-bringing, Rose-breath that connects and heals, blossom and fill the burning chambers of our hearts! Bring your dreams into this chamber and they will manifest- Call upon your allies to join you in this great Rose-light filled hall- Now is the time for our truest, most vulnerable SuperStar Avatar selves to come out and play- Visualize in your minds eye the Garden of True Culture that Quetzaoatl offers us, rising... A mandala-shaped loom of Rose Light comprised of all beings realized, communities realized, dreams and untold wonders realized! A Culture Obama spoke of in his acceptance speech- A Unified Culture of ONE and MANY Viva Beauty! VajraYogini! Ecstasy! Sexiness! Playfulness! Community! Love! Healing! Creativity! What magnificent Wonder, Beauty and Magick may we create together? *I Am Professor Violet* Peace out!

Why don't ALL states recycle ?

ShivaSharifi — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:23:16 GMT

I took a trip last month to Las Vegas for a brief three day weekend to witness some friends that had chosen this location like so many, to make their vows and claim their marriage license. The ceremony was cute, adorable, sweet and teary eye'd !!! But aside from the happiness of witnessing this loving couple getting hitched; day two i had this ever growing nagging emotional outrage that was developing within me and busting out of me as i vented strutting down the strip about Sin City's big SIN ! I mean how many people go through the effort to recycle when they are at home only to drop the effort when they come out to this town to party! What's the point of so many other states having a recycling program to help the Green effort when MOST of the State of Nevada doesn't even bother to recycle. DO U realize just how many people in the casinos and clubs are boozing up on just beer bottles on a nightly basis on the Vegas Strip alone. I mean think about that for a second, the city that never sleeps.... about? how many casinos on the strip, how many room accommodations each has ? ish.... and that's not even counting clubs or casinos off the Vegas strip, Reno or other locations in Nevada. I didn't go and figure a calculation but I think your imagination can cover the idea of how appalling this waste is !!! And I am just thinking about beer bottles, not all the plastic cups for mixed drinks, and more.... Granted I came home and searched up a storm of information on the subject matter that was just completely NAGGING at me. It is true that Nevada state does have recycling centers, they just don't encourage or make it easy though. It's not like when you walk around a casino you can find a recycling containers offered next to the trash bins, I guess that's just too much effort or oh it would look tacky or too crowded. bah ! From what i read online it seems that the only Green effort casino on the main strip is the MGM Grand from what I could discover but there was some wordy explanation that it was done behind the scenes as to not be witness on the floors or lobby. Yeah like i believe they are paying their maid service extra to sort the hotel room trash when they are cleaning the rooms daily. I don't likely buy it but maybe hopefully something is happening. I did read a few sites and posts that claim Nevada State is furthering funding for programs that are making efforts to encourage the increase of the state's recycling. I mean in the State of New York it is the law to recycle. California, Massachusetts and Michigan all have strong recycling programs but what good is this effort of some doing it here n there when on the other side places are allowing it be overlooked. It kinda defeats the purpose. What is the point then if it's just somewhat an effort in parts of the United States and really how hard is it to set up a system for everywhere ??? * * * * * * It's like this other simple thing that really annoys me. All the Raver kids running around their parties on their roll seeking some higher level of something while the music is blaring, going to all these events buying goodness knows how many $2 bottled waters per each event they attend. Let's say on average there are about 100 kids attending (which is a lower end number) and each probably buy an average of 3 bottles, now think about how much waste is being created just from that one event, OMG !!! Now think how hard is it to go out and buy yourself a $20-30 camelpak that you can fill up at home with your own filtered water. I mean at $2 a bottle at 3-4 bottles an event is $8 and if you party fairly often you'd have spent $24 on bottled water just by your third event and when could have afforded a camelpak by then and not be wasting more plastic. SEE WHY EYE'M FRIGGEN ANNOYED !!!!!! and PISSED OFF ------ if you recycle at home why would you go someplace and suddenly not. and if you don't recycle at home it's such a small helpful thing you should start to do. - shiva

inside my head, it goes "ding!" and sometimes it goes ding dong :P

ShivaSharifi — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:27:58 GMT

it seems to be those after midnight hours that you spending riding your train of thoughts that are the most revealing truths about your life, that is if you care to take the time to face them. my own world is spinning with diversions, lacking accomplishment and what might have seemed like moving towards gaining success was truly fleeting moments, though i know there still was growth. i struggle with anxiety lately that i am trying to keep from becoming self loathing cause i truly hate how that is just a waist of time. yet we are stuck within the existence of being emotional creatures, we can not deny what are feelings are telling us any more than we could cut away an arm? right? i am getting lost because i ponder my direction i should be taking in the future, shit i ponder the future of the world too much, i ponder too much my past efforts, things i should be disconnected from by now but i am not. i ponder my failures and i ponder some more... and this keeps me much from the now. i know how to focus very well on the now, it is very much what i have trained myself to be great at and i suppose not being now is why i feel that i have misplaced myself somewhere along the way... but i go on pondering cause in some of it i find an answer, truth and direction based on those understandings. time for a smoke and a few more hours before i'll feel like i've reached bedtime.

Men Of Robots

ShivaSharifi — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:06:12 GMT

This is an futuristic erotic sexy short story that i enjoyed so i posted it to share for those interested, enjoy the read below -shiva ******* Charles Hunter took a last look at the white walls and empty rooms of his authentic 20th century five room ranch style replica. He stepped through the door and closed it quietly, but it echoed like a crash of doom. He was listening to that door close for the last time. His old life was over, a life which had once been so full, and so perfect, that he no longer wanted to live without it. Happy voices, love, and sharing, were all far behind him. They died when Delilah died. Irretrievable, unbearable, unforgettable. So much of Delilah had filled the house. The house and the memories of her, were inseparable. So to end his misery he was now getting rid of his cherished house. Delilah deserved to be remembered, and she would be until his dying days, but he needed to endure his pointless life or end it. With a shuddering sigh Charles turned and walked across the lawn to sit on the lush green grass, his grass. He had pampered that lawn for so long, so lovingly. Few people actually remembered how to grow things, it had taken him months of trial and error to coax his lawn into life. The water alone had cost him a fortune. It was the last remaining real lawn on the block. The others had gone to synthetic grass which grew once and froze at the perfect height, flexible and realistic forever even though they were clinically dead. Charles stood and walked to the neighborhood com center. He plugged his card into the taxi call box and waited until it verified his transaction. Charles heard the hiss of an air propelled hover board approaching from the east end of the street. There were no real streets, of course, it was an old word which held little meaning in a flying society. He watched a neighbor kid float up the plasticrete walkway. The small boy waved on the way by. Charles waved in return. He realized sadly that he didn't know the boy's name. Delilah would, she knew everyone. Charles glanced back at his home and saw that the preassigned holographic "for sale" sign had already sprung up from the tiny projector planted in his lawn. "You greedy bastards!" he hissed under his breath. The house was no longer his, it became their property the moment he stepped off the lawn. Oh well, that was the past, now he must look toward the future. The high pitched whine of an air car drew his attention to the west. He looked up at the checkered taxi and waved. The taxi settled on the lawn, obliterating the holographic sign for a moment. The side swung up and Charles stepped in. He was alone in the craft, which wasn't surprising. He didn't expect a live driver, they only came with limos. The taxi lifted off the ground and the sign reappeared as Charles watched, with his hand on the window, as if saying goodbye to his old house. "Where too?" the dashboard suddenly asked. "Raybeam Tech." "Raybeam, huh? Very well, it's your brain. "Your voice sounds familiar, who is this?" Charles began showing some signs of life. "Operator 487, out of Northeastern. Patrick Reque. I've driven for you before, I recognize your pin number. With several million addresses to remember, my job requires a photographic memory." "Got time to chat?" "Sure, I only have two other cabs on line right now. What's up?" "Have you had many drops at Raybeam?" "Me? Hell no. Most of their clientele are old timers, 21st century defrosts with no job skills and no rights. They go right from cryonics to the RERE building in black trucks. I've never seen a volunteer from the general populace." "Why should you object? It's not too different from what you do." "Yeah it is, Pal, very different. For one thing I don't go into a tank for years on end, I take this remote gear off and go home at night. For another," the voice turned disgusted, "they don't shove those tubes up my ass and down my throat. I take normal breaks, just like everybody else. It's different, pal, believe me." "Yeah, I guess it is. But the benefits far outweigh the inconveniences." "If you say so. Say Charlie, there are a few openings here at Checkered, I could put a word in for you if you want." "No, but thanks. I want to escape, I've opted for remote exploration." "ReEx, huh? Ok, you're here. But keep my offer in mind. Operating a plastic dolly on another planet won't fix anything." "I will remember your offer and thanks again. Take an extra something off my account, I won't be needing it for a few years." "Well in that case, I will, thanks." Charles stepped out and looked at the mile-high building disappearing into the clouds overhead. He knew there would be a series of transmission dishes at the top of that tower, just beneath the lower reaches of space. The dishes had originally been used for teleportation stations. Teleportation had been a new 22nd century fad which ended only five years before. Half the world, including Charles and his new bride, had taken a trip in a teleporter, just to say they'd used one. The technical aspects of teleportation had been a closely-guarded secret until one day a Terminalist, known as a hacker in the 20th century, who was also an electrical engineer, broke into the IB&C files and downloaded a secret set of teleporter schematics. He found that teleportation was based on the principle of destroying the original person at the point of origin and recreating an exact duplicate at the destination point. He passed the word that teleportation meant murder. Sure, a copy showed up at the destination point, but the original man or woman was destroyed by the beam. Since the electrical engineer recently took a ride in the teleporter, he had IB&C prosecuted for his own murder. Eventually, he won. The resulting uproar had put IB&C out of business and their shareholders in debt forever. Raybeam Electronics and Robotic Exploration, or RERE, bought up much of IB&C's prior assets and now owned this buildings, which had been IB&C's main headquarters in Southeastern. Charles would soon be hooked into one of those dishes. He glanced wistfully at the departing taxi turning for a flight back to Northeastern. It was tempting. If it weren't for Delilah... He entered the huge building and stepped into the lift. The ride up took nearly 20 minutes. The doors opened onto a glass and stainless steel wonderland. "Can I help you?" a real woman asked. "I'm Charles O. Hunter, I called last week. I have an appointment with recruiting." That started a flood of activity. He was ushered into a higher office and set down in front of a remotely operated screen to fill out computer forms. The first form was a bond of secrecy, the second waived all rights to legal redress. The taxi job began to look better and better as he wadded through the pile of forms flickering on the holographic screen. After three hours the screen went blank and a young man came into the room to escort him out. In three more hours he was stripped and tubes and permanent electrodes were inserted all over his body. In two more hours his eyes were sealed shut and he was lowered into an oxygenated nutrient tank. The tank would be his new home for the next three years. He couldn't wait, it had been a long day, he was exhausted. The started a countdown, just like the old Nasa films. Charles held his breath until they reached zero. Charles opened his eyes and looked down at his dusty, silicone plastic body. It had been in storage for a long time, there was a coating of dirt on his muscular synthetic body which would need to be steam cleaned off while he was till numb. He stepped into the sterilizer and waited as his new body was cleansed, inside and out. In a moment the water and steam stopped and he stepped out to see the lightly tanned rubber skin gleaming and new in the pale blue sunlight. He glanced up at the window and saw the edge of a huge blue sun seething overhead. It was a frightening sight, one which would take a lot of getting used too. Charles searched for appropriate clothing and saw a young woman stand up quickly and hurry from a glass enclosed office. "Hi, who are you, I wasn't expecting anybody?" "Back on Earth, I'm Charles Hunter, a new man. Who are you?" "Eileen Baker. Welcome to the Atlantis project." "Thanks, I guess. Couldn't RERE send me out a new body?" "No need, these last for a thousand years or more. Your's is barely two hundred years old and I just overhauled it myself. Besides, teleporting robots cost energy, and energy is money you know." "They teleport them?" Charles asked in surprise. "Sure, that's why they took over IB&C's old equipment. Since the teleporters can't be legally used on humans, they send out robots for remote operation. Didn't they tell you anything?" "They had me in the tank in less than ten hours. All I know is that I'm supposed to report to the head of the Atlantis project, a Doctor Baker... you're her," he said belatedly, shaking her hand. "What are we doing out here anyway?" "Energy collection and transmission. What's your specialty?" "Computer programming and operation." "Not much use to us, I'm afraid, 21st century computers are so ancient that the principles aren't even similar. I believe they were mechanical, weren't they?" "I'm not a defrost, I'm a volunteer. I'm from the 22nd century." "No shi... I mean, I'm happy to meet you. I'm a volunteer too. Until you came along I was the only one. Now I have somebody who I can relate too. Well, by all means, we can certainly use you. Right now I'm trying to puzzle through the alignment and conversion process, that should be right up your alley." "I can look," Charles shrugged and followed her as she started for the front door. Eileen stopped suddenly and held up her hand. "I have to warn you, Goliath can be very intimidating, prepare yourself for a shock." "I've seen part of it through the skylight." "Not even the same thing. Are you ready?" "Sure," Charles impatiently opened the door and was surprised to feel the knob in his hand as realistically as he could feel his own hand. His remote sensors were beginning to wake up. "Hey, I can feel that." "Sure. Your body was desensitized while it was in storage, sometimes it takes a while to get your senses back. Can you smell and taste yet?" she asked as she stepped through the door. "No not..." Charles stood in stunned silence and hunched his back against the huge mass filling the sky. The blue sun looked so close he felt he could reach out and touch it. He straightened slowly as he watched the solar flares sending tentacles out into space. Some reached for the planet, but never made it. He could see the black swirls on the sun and the swirling, boiling clouds of burning gas churning on the surface. "I told you, scary isn't it? Just remember, your body is not real, you can not be harmed here. If for some reason you are destroyed, you will simply wake up in the tank back on Earth." Charles nodded and tried to smile. He liked the look of Eileen in the bluish light which gave her a ghostly tint around her cheeks and hair. Her clothing had changed colors and the roundness of here chest was accented by the blue light and darker shadows which served to outline every luscious curve of her body. She had a small waist and a sexy, prominent ass. It was the kind of ass that men loved, and lusted after. Charles suddenly scoffed at himself, remembering that neither of them was real. As the taxi driver had said, they were plastic dollies. "Your eyes have been slightly altered to make this bluish light seem more natural to you. A human eye would be nearly blind here, this is similar to the black lights popular in the 20th century." "What about sun burn?" Charles asked as he suddenly realized that he was still naked. "Oh shit, I'm so sorry," she looked down and giggled. "We'll get you some clothes. It looks like your body is waking up in more ways than one." Charles glanced down and quickly covered himself. "I didn't know a robotic body could... respond like that." "Oh yeah, we have some very interesting recreation around here. It seems that once people step into a remotely operated body, they drop all inhibitions. They seem to feel that they actually aren't doing anything, since nobody is really here. It's a dream state thing. You know, anything goes in a dream." Charles nodded, still covering himself. He was very aware of the feeling of his hand on his cock. It was highly sensitive. "Oh come on Charles, it's not really your body, you know. Follow me, we'll get those clothes." "It feels real enough to me," he followed, still covering himself. "If you want to see some really confused people, you should see the ones who can't get a same-sex body. There are guys around here who I'd swear are in love with themselves. You were lucky, you got a male body." "I wouldn't mind being a lesbian," Charles said as he strode along behind her, watching the gentle sway of her ass. "You and a hundred others. I never saw the attraction, myself. Lesbians don't have 8 inches of meat between their legs." Charles groaned, grabbing himself as he followed. Charles quickly fell into the routine of things. In the next week he met most of the other two hundred occupants of the Atlantis complex. Some he didn't like, most were friendly, though a bit strange with their 21st century mentalities. He soon understood what Eileen meant about talking to somebody who understood what she was talking about. He repeatedly heard resentment over the reorganization of the United States, where all interior cities, roads, and private dwellings were destroyed to make room for farm lands. Eastern and Western were constructed and the new mega-complexes were built from one end of both coasts to the other. To Charles this and frequent references to the underground transit tubes were ancient history. The others talked of them as if they were happening now. Charles sought out Eileen most of the time. They got along well and Charles wondered what Eileen's real body looked like back on Earth. Whenever he asked about it she changed the subject. But he was certainly attracted to her synthetic body. Still, his post-marriage guilt kept him celibate. Once Charles senses truly awoke he thoroughly enjoyed the experience of remote exploration in more ways than one. There was a scent to the air at the Atlantis project which was thoroughly intoxicating and enjoyable. It was partially from the growing things on the unknown planet, but the trace elements in the air had much to do with it. He took the time to fly, swim, fish, and explore, usually with Eileen at his side. For the first time since Delilah's death, he truly began go live again. "Charles, drop that circuit board and follow me. It's rec time." "Eileen, I'm right in the middle of something," Charles said in exasperation. "Fuck that. I'll make it an order, if you like." "You would," he mumbled, dropping the board with a force that made her cringe. "I'm all yours." "Yes you are. I have some good news, the zero gravity chamber is now up and working. It's in Annex 12," she pointed to the far end of the complex. "Wonderful. I can lose my breakfast and never leave the ground." "You can lose your virginity and easily leave the ground," she giggled. "What?" "We are going to have a space fuck, and this time I'll not take no for an answer. Inside, mister," she shoved him through the door. She tapped on the keypad just inside the door. "Access blocked" began flashing. "It's all ours," she smiled. "I told you, I used to be married," he said, reaching for the door. "And I'm telling you, your post-traumatic stress is caused by your sexual repression. It's not healthy and I can't allow it to continue. Fuck me, and that IS an order." "And if I don't?" "You will be discontinued before nightfall," she said with finality. "I'll be what?" "You will be turned off and eventually replaced." From site ::: http://www.aeroticstories.com/cms/html/30/140.html

If I could Say

ShivaSharifi — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:01:31 GMT

f I could only say what your eyes do to me If I could only say what your face tells me should I lean in closer but I stay away Ever tempted by your mystery I long to become lost in your soul and remember a time before when I knew you If I could only say how your face shows me the history of your spirit If I could only say how you shine so beautiful but I can not find words to convey You can't be brought down by simple vocabulary For you radiate with the night and the stars I danced for you that night because it was the only way to tell the tale of my heart's history If I could only say… but the silence is louder between us both and I will just look upon your face and become lost in your mystery I only wish to know you is what my eyes say poem by shiva '0303

Tragedy at Blue Iguana Program Center

ShivaSharifi — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 04:38:34 GMT

7 Blue Iguana's Murdered at Breading Center in Grand Cayman Island off the cost of Cuba...... "No motive is known for this act of extreme violence".... and completely not friggen understood that any human on this planet would continue to act in such a way, especially towards a defenseless beautiful endangered species! My intention is offer volunteer services to the program hopefully in the next year or so, once I have saved for airfare to travel to the breeding center they cover housing and travel upon arrival to the island. -shiva LEarN more on this matter...... ***Article*** Seven critically endangered Grand Cayman Blue Iguanas were killed by unknown persons late on Saturday evening, in the QE II Botanic Park. The crime was discovered by volunteers with the National Trust's Blue Iguana Recovery Programme, shortly after 9am on Sunday morning. The iguanas appeared to have massive internal injuries, as if they had been stamped on violently and repeatedly. Some were also cut and partially dismembered. Three were found dead inside their breeding pens, two had been carried out of their pens and left in the tour area outside. The body of the sixth is still missing, but entrails on the trail outside his pen are a grim sign of his fate. Department of Environment enforcement officer Carl Edwards was on the scene almost immediately, fast followed by the Royal Cayman Islands Police who began forensic work and have commenced an investigation. Dr. Colin Wakelin from the Department of Agriculture closed a large gash in one of the surviving victims and began making arrangements for an autopsy to confirm the causes of death, which will probably take place later today. Dead on Sunday morning were the adult breeding males "Yellow” (sponsored by Caribbean Publishers), "Pedro" (sponsored by Websters Tours), "Digger" (sponsored by Simon Hicks), and "Eldemire" (christened by Kent Eldemire). The grand matriarch of the captive facility, "Sara", was also dead. "Jessica" had been thrown out of the neighboring pen and was in shock, but still moving. Both females had been preparing to lay eggs. Matthias died two days later. The effort to save Jessica's life went on into the night, but despite specialist advice by telephone from the Wildlife Conservation Society and Dr. Wakelin's resourceful and determined attempts to stabilize her, she passed away during the night. The persons responsible may have broken into the Park after closing hours, and found a way into the fenced-in captive breeding facility. No motive is known for this act of extreme violence against these unique and much-loved symbols of Cayman's natural heritage. Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact the Royal Cayman Islands Police. If you wish to help the Blue Iguana Program please visit http://www.ircf.org/ Your donations will greatly assist us with the added costs related to this recent tragedy.

I am just a dancer

ShivaSharifi — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:04:28 GMT

Although I may try to write about love I am rendered helpless by the inevitable ability to capture the meanings within my heart I wish my life to be a celebration with you but the dancer has no partner on this darken night I am in envy Aroused by the passions within Losing myself to this urning the agony of wishing within my heart I am dying to you and the past The deathless arising within me The outcries of broken hearts Is a closeness to God I am spinning to the music within I have become the dancer The silence of love has joined me with the light and the paper slips away from me by the inevitable ability to capture the meanings within my heart The pen has run dry and the moon has become the muse to the beyond I have been chosen to surrender to this radiant light I no longer mourn you I must be silent to no reveal these secrets of my precious love The moon will reflect the light and I will just be a dancer to this majestic night I no longer know the difference between imagination and reality I am just a dancer no longer attempting to write of love my pen has run dry Between my arms and my legs I have become the image of love Although you can not see them I am the hidden dancer to this majestic night Because I no longer try to exist in your love I have become non-existent My body is my prayer -shiva 02

Agreeableness

ShivaSharifi — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:48:09 GMT

My Personality Profile is Agreeable**** Introduction to Agreeableness This section of your profile describes your interactions with other people. The ways we communicate our feelings, beliefs and ideas to others are influenced by our cultural backgrounds, the way we were raised, and sometimes which side of the bed we got up on this morning. Some of us are very mindful of others making decisions we hope will be in their best interests, even if it means sometimes neglecting our own interests. Others of us believe each person should be responsible for themselves, taking deep pride in our own character and independence with a firm belief that others are best served by doing the same. The following describes how you engage with others; illustrating the dimension of your personality that determines your independence or your desire to reach out and touch others in meaningful ways. You are best described as: USUALLY TAKING CARE OF OTHERS Words that describe you: * Understanding * Unquestioning * Humane * Selfless * Gentle * Kindhearted * Gullible * Indulgent A General Description of How You Interact with Others Here's one important truth about you: you have a tender heart. Yes, you know that others need to learn to take care of themselves. Yes, you know they need to accept the consequences of their foolish or bad behavior. And sometimes, even when your instinct is to help them, you will let them fend for themselves and let them suffer the consequences of their choices or circumstances. But most of the time you are there to help when they need you. If they are in trouble, you offer compassion and go out of your way to be helpful. If they need someone who will listen, you are trustworthy and sympathetic. And you are direct with them; when they need advice or counsel, you offer it in a straightforward, direct manner, without beating around the bush. You're also smart enough to know that you cannot take good care of others if you fail to take good care of yourself, so you listen to your own wants and needs. If you've run out of sympathetic energy, you spend time restoring yourself. If you've ignored your own pain or frustration, you find a friend who will listen well, or go into your own private healing place and give yourself permission to focus on you. But before long, you're back at it with your friends, offering a sympathetic ear and compassion on which they learn to trust, also giving straightforward advice and counsel when they ask for it. You do know how to take care of yourself, but your genuine interest is in taking care of others. Negative Reactions Others May Have Toward You Selfish people might be embarrassed by you. While they're using their time and energy almost exclusively on themselves, they see you giving time to others, and your kindness puts them in a bad light. Maybe they'll think you're a phony, that you use your altruism to get others indebted to you so they'll then owe you a favor. Or perhaps they'll accuse you, directly or behind your back, of focusing on the needs of others so no one ever focuses on your foibles or your genuine wounds. All of these are false accusations; yours is a genuine compassion, because you truly have a tender heart. One criticism might be more substantial, though. People might notice when you let things get out of balance and spend so much time responding to others that you neglect your own needs. Perhaps it's true to some extent that you are more comfortable when the focus is on someone else's needs than when you and your needs are front and center, and this may be a criticism worth paying attention to. Positive Responses Others May Have Toward You Positive responses to you are likely to far outweigh negative responses. For many people, your genuine kindness will be an example of a way to treat others and a way we want others to treat us. They will see in you the traits of compassion and sympathy which they might want to focus on in the development of their own character. For those people you help you will be the friend they need, there at the right moment to help them when they've stepped into yet another thicket of pain or confusion. They will be grateful for your listening, for your straight talk when they need straight talk more than anything, and for the hand you extend so they can find their way, with your help, out of whatever tangle they've gotten themselves into.

Tips to Save $ on Gas

ShivaSharifi — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 03:23:55 GMT

Gas prices keep going up, and the money in our wallet keeps evaporating quicker. There are many ways you can spend less money on gas and reduce your overall fuel consumption. But, you must think it through and begin formulating new plans! [edit] Steps 1. Drive less!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1. Walk, bike, ride the bus or join a carpool. 2. Reduce your commute by moving closer to work or working closer to home. This will save time as well as money. You may even be able to save even more money by becoming a one-car family. 3. Combine trips. If you can do several short trips in one longer trip, you will save fuel and time. Make lists to avoid having to go back. Call ahead to avoid wasted trips. 4. Walk between stops. Once you get into town, some of your stops may be near each other. Park between some or all of them and walk. 5. Park in the first spot you find. If you wander all over the parking lot looking for that really close parking space, you'll use more gas. Don't be afraid to walk a ways if it comes to that - the walk will do you good! 2. Find good prices 1. Apply for a credit card which offers gas savings when you use the card for purchases. This works in much the same way that some credit card companies allow you to earn frequent flyer miles when you use their card for purchases. 2. Join a loyalty club. Some gas stations, department stores and grocery stores offer lower prices when you present their membership card. Keep your eyes open and verify that their prices are really lower than other stations in your neighborhood. 3. Check the web for deals. With the ever increasing gas prices, use the Internet to find the cheapest gas near you. Some of these sites even offer text messaging capabilities, where they will send you the a text message with the location of the cheapest gas in your area. Here are 3 sites that enable you to search for lower price in your town: MapQuest, GasBuddy.com and GasPriceWatch.com. GasPricesRelief.com now supplies a free gas card valid at most gas stations. 4. Use the lowest recommended octane for your car. The lower octane gas is cheaper. Most modern cars are engineered to run most efficiently on lower octane fuel, and often recommend not using higher-octane fuel. Check your owner's manual to be sure, as not all car engines should use lowest octane gas. 5. Mix octanes. In some areas, the lower octane may be too low for your car and the mid-grade or higher octane may be more than what you need. To avoid overpaying and still get the correct octane for your car you can mix the gas. For example, if your car takes 87 octane and the pumps have 85 octane and 89 octane, then when filling your car, fill half the tank with 85 octane and the other half with 89 octane and this will give you an equivalent of 87 octane plus it will save you money because the lower octane gas costs less. 6. Determine whether gas with ethanol is right for your vehicle * If there is a high proportion of ethanol, the lower energy content of the fuel will almost always lower mileage. However, 10% or less ethanol actually helps gasoline burn more completely, resulting in better economy. * Fuel with ethanol may be more expensive than standard gas, but the minimal price difference is often offset by lower fuel taxes or subsidies. * Ethanol is not much better for the environment, because only ethanol made with sugar cane is more fuel efficient from the harvesting and processing than regular gas. Fuels with ethanol additives can corrode fuel lines in vehicles not designed with ethanol fuels in mind. * Turbocharged cars often get better mileage with ethanol blends. This is because the higher (over 100!) octane of ethanol permits more boost, which means more efficient fuel usage. 3. Buy smarter 1. Watch where you fill up. If you regularly buy along a given route (say, to work or school), notice when the gas station gets refilled by the large tanker trucks. If you know that a station has just been filled, steer clear of it for a day or two. When the tanker dumps its thousands of gallons of gas into the containers below the station, the sediment and old gas get stirred up. This sediment and bad gas gets sucked into the cars that fill up first, and can cause a decrease in fuel efficiency, as well as wear and corrosion of the spark plugs in your vehicle. 2. Don't fill until the last quarter tank. If you do this, it can extend your gas because you are hauling a lighter load as the tank nears empty. This also allows you to buy gas on low-cost days. However, in cold weather, you run an increased risk of condensation in the fuel tank. And you never know when you might be in an emergency and need some gasoline in your car! 3. Fill the tank full. If you need to fill up, fill up all the way. The more money you try to save by adding $10 today and then $20 tomorrow will be wasted since each time you will have to travel to the station and wait for a pump. Instead, do it all at once to save time and money. 4. Don't top off the tank. It is wasted money and bad for the environment since the extra gas evaporates in 10 minutes of driving. 5. Buy gas on Wednesday. Gas prices are statistically the cheapest on Wednesdays, but this is only statistically true over a large number of days. It won't be true every week. 6. Buy gas three days before a holiday. Gas prices almost always go up for holidays. 4. Take care of you car 1. Give your car a tune up. Properly maintaining your car will keep your car running as efficiently as possible. Change the oil regularly. Use a synthetic oil instead of mineral oil. This will cause your engine to run better and give you better mileage. 2. Upgrade your air filter. More efficient brands of air filters cost a little more but will pay for themselves in most vehicles in fuel savings. Check it every oil change and change it regularly. Clogged air filters cause engines to work overtime which requires more fuel. 3. Use a fuel injector cleaner or complete fuel system treatment occasionally. Not only will you see a boost in gas mileage, but in your car's overall performance. Fouled injectors vaporize fuel poorly, affecting how completely the fuel is burned. 2. Upgrade your tires. Low resistance tires, such as Michelin Energy MX 4 Plus claim to increase gas mileage. 3. Check the air pressure in the tires every week. Buy an inexpensive air pump and an accurate tire gauge. Keep all tires inflated to the pressure as recommended for your car. 4. Clean out any unnecessary items in your car. If you have heavy objects in your car that you don't need, remove them. If your car is lighter, it will use less fuel to get where you're going. 5. Remove unneeded racks. If you have a bicycle or ski rack, remove it when you're not using it. It causes drag and lowers mileage. 5. Buy a different car 1. Buy a diesel. Diesel cars can often get better mileage than comparable hybrids. Getting a diesel car also allows for use of bio-diesel or even waste vegetable oil (WVO/SVO) fuel. 2. Buy a hybrid. Not only do hybrids give you immediate savings at the pump, the U.S. government and your local state offer tax breaks for people who use gas-saving cars. Federal deductions for using gas-saving cars can be as high as $2,000, but check before buying to see if they're still in effect. 3. Buy a smaller car. Generally speaking, smaller cars are lighter and get better mileage. 4. Buy a motorcycle or scooter instead of a car. They are cheaper and often get 70 MPG or better. Riding gear is available for most weather conditions. A good example is the Kawasaki EX250, which costs about $3,000, gets 60-70 MPG at highway speeds, and can go 0-60 MPH in under 6 seconds! 6. Drive smarter 1. Avoid idling. While idling, your car gets exactly 0 miles per gallon while starting the car uses the same amount as idling for 6 seconds. Park your car and go into the restaurant rather than idling in the drive-through. Idling with the air conditioning on also uses extra fuel. Also, avoid going so fast that you have to brake for someone. Whenever you brake, you waste the gas it took to get going that fast. 2. Plan your trips in advance. This can prevent wasting fuel and wasting time. Plan to use alternative routes. Often back roads can prevent you from stopping at traffic lights and more importantly sitting in traffic jams. Try to schedule your trips and errands when traffic is lighter. 3. Use a global positioning system (GPS) to help you navigate and find the fastest and shortest distance to your destination. Avoiding hills and stops will increase your gas mileage. 4. Drive at a consistent speed. Avoid quick acceleration and hard braking. Use cruise control when you can. 5. Avoid stops. If approaching a red light, see if you can slow down enough to avoid having to actually stop (because you reach the light after it is green). Speeding up from 5 or 10 miles per hour will be easier on the gas than starting from full stop. 6. Anticipate the stop signs and lights. Look far ahead; get to know your usual routes. You can let up on the gas earlier. Coasting to a stop will save the gasoline you would otherwise use maintaining your speed longer. If it just gets you to the end of a line of cars at a red light or a stop sign a few seconds later, it won't add any time to your trip. Ditto for coasting to lose speed before a highway off-ramp: if it means you catch up with that truck halfway around the curve instead of at the beginning, you haven't lost any time. 7. Maintain a safe following distance. Don't stick to the bumper of the car directly in front of you. You will brake more and accelerate more to keep that unnecessary and dangerous narrow gap. This also gives you a lot more room to play with when you are timing traffic signals. Likewise, ignore tailgaters. They will tailgate you whether you go the speed limit, or 100MPH over the speed limit. Allow them pass when it's convenient. 8. Slow down. Air resistance goes up as the square of velocity. The power consumed to overcome that air resistance goes up as the cube of the velocity. Rolling resistance is the dominant force below about 40 mph. Above that, every mph costs you mileage. Go as slow as traffic and your schedule will allow. Drive under 60-65 since air grows exponentially denser, in the aerodynamic sense, the faster we drive. To be precise, the most efficient speed is your car's minimum speed in it's highest gear, since this provides the best "speed per RPM" ratio. 9. Take off slowly from a full stop. This is one adjustment that will have dramatic effects on your gas mileage; don't tear off from a stoplight or stop sign! 10. Stay well away from store fronts where you will spend significantly more time idling and waiting for pedestrians and other vehicles. 11. Use A/C only on the highway. At lower speeds, open the windows. This increased the drag and reduces fuel efficiency, but not as much as the AC at low speeds (35-40 mph). 12. Shift into neutral if you are not comfortable with downshifting. Standard transmission vehicles may save gas by shifting into neutral when going down hills steep enough to maintain speed (although engine braking is safer on steeper declines). Do not do this in a Hybrid car, they use this "regenerative engine braking" to generate electricity and charge the batteries. NOTE: This strategy will result in more wear and tear on your brakes. Neither of these strategies is recommended for normal automatic cars. Also, if you own a car with fuel injection, it is more efficient to keep the car in a high gear while going down hills. Simply take your foot off the gas. 13. Park in the shade. Gasoline actually evaporates right out of your tank, and it does so faster when you park directly in the sun - winter or summer. Parking in the shade also keeps it cooler inside, and you will need less A/C to cool off when you get back in. If there is no shade available, park so that your gas tank (the actual tank under the car, not the valve to fill it) is facing away from the direct sun. Tips * If you are driving a stick shift with fuel injection, note that 50% throttle at 1200 rpm's uses less gas than 10% throttle at 2500 rpm's. As long as the engine is not lugging or pinging, shift as soon as possible and use plenty of throttle. The engine is more efficient when it does not have to pump air past a closed throttle plate. * You could use a GPS to calculate how far away you are from the next state and if you know fuel tax is less in the next state, just put enough fuel in to get you to the next state and fill up with gas where it is cheaper * Pencil gauges are not accurate for measuring tire pressure. * When choosing the optimum air pressure for you tires the figure imprinted on the tire wall is the MAXIMUM. The figures printed on the sticker in the door frame, in the fuel filler flap, and in the manual are for comfort rather than fuel efficiency. Generally speaking, a slightly higher pressure will improve fuel mileage and handling, but too high will degrade traction and wear the tires rapidly, as well as being unsafe. * Reusable air filters are not recommended, as they can destroy expensive Mass Airflow Sensors if they are over-oiled. A quality paper filter does a better job of filtering. * Most car modifications do not improve mileage. Extra wings add drag. Power improvements often hurt mileage. However, if your car is turbocharged, chiptuning may result in a mileage boost. The mileage boost will be canceled out if you drive more aggressively due to power improvements. * Many of these tips change slightly if your engine is turbocharged or diesel. For instance, diesel engines use almost no fuel while idling. Diesel trucks will often be left idling all night to provide heat or power for the trucker inside the cab, at the cost of relatively little fuel. * Wholesale unleaded is now a traded commodity. Watch the futures price as it will forecast price at the pump, which will be about equal to the wholesale price plus taxes plus about a nickel per gallon for the station. * Keep meticulous records of what you spend and how many miles you drive so you can quickly spot changes in vehicle performance. It will also help focus you on the goal of saving. * Every MPH faster yields you less advantage than the last one. Going 10MPH is a big difference over 5MPH, but there is very little difference between 55MPH and 60MPH, unless you are on a very long trip. Many people mindlessly speed wherever they go, and gain absolutely nothing but a heftier fuel bill. Assuming everything goes perfectly (and when does it?) going 5MPH, even 15MPH faster on a highway for a short trip will yield nothing but aggravation as you keep catching up to slower traffic. * Slow down a little below the speed limit, and the highway can seem like it is wide open. * Often the right-most lanes keep moving more than the left-most in areas prone to traffic-jams. Vehicles continue to exit, which keeps leaving 'gaps' to fill in. * A manual transmission saves an average $1000 on the cost of a new vehicle, and eliminates routine transmission maintenance that an automatic transmission requires (and most people never do this maintenance once the warranty is up - so a used car with an automatic is a risky purchase). In most cases, an automatic transmission gets significantly worse mileage overall than a manual transmission. * Neutral is also a 'gear' on a manual transmission, which you use constantly anyway. Learn how to coast between traffic lights, applying power only as needed to keep the car rolling (more or less) with traffic. Learn to judge terrain and use neutral to its full potential to keep the car moving 'for free', and save more gas over time. * 'Regenerative braking' recovers far less energy than acceleration requires to replace the momentum it loses. To 'coast' further without regenerative braking excessively slowing your automatic transmission equipped hybrid, putting just the right pressure on the accelerator can prevent the 'regen' drag without adding engine power (i.e. if done right the engine won't start AND the regenerative braking won't kick in). With manual transmission hybrids, just leave it in neutral to defeat 'regen' and coast further. * If you are always stuck in rush hour traffic after work anyway, try to find something to do near your work until the traffic dies down, rather than try to fight through it. * If you want more information about the mileage NOW, and your car doesn't have a real-time fuel economy distraction, there are various OBDII reader devices (like the 'ScanGauge' or 'Equus 3130') that can be plugged into cars with an OBDII port, and provide 'live' real-time information about fuel consumption rate (gallons per hour), engine RPM, speed, whatever you want that's tracked by the engine computer. Some of them also allow the data to be recorded and downloaded to a computer with a serial or USB cable. Some are little more than a serial/USB cable that plugs into a portable computer with software to give you all manner of 'instruments'. * The more convenient it is to check your tire pressure, the more often you'll do it. If you are dedicated enough to do it with a manual hand/foot pump, fine. o You can spend a little extra on a pretty good self-contained electric one with a jump start and flashlight on it, too, and then consider it a 'safety' purchase. o If you have a garage, an air compressor has many uses besides tires. o If you have a larger vehicle (with higher pressure truck tires), you will need a 'real' air compressor; the little electric ones made for cars will fail right away, and you'll wear yourself out trying to pump it yourself. Warnings * Be careful of credit card interest rates which may negate your gasoline savings. Also verify that the stations you use don't charge higher prices to credit card customers * Stopping and starting the engine frequently will cause extra wear. Don't stop the engine if you are going to idle for less than a minute. * In very cold environments, it is recommended to allow the vehicle to idle and warm up, rather than just start it and take off. You might save gas, but your engine oil won't do its job until it's fully liquid, so you'll spend more money on overhauls. * Drafting is dangerous. All the fuel savings in the world will not matter a bit if you get wrecked while 'trying to save gas'. Safe driving habits will save a lot more money than risky driving, and maybe even save lives. Slow down. Be careful. * Nearly all gas-saving devices do not work, and some even decrease fuel mileage. Intake twisters, gas pills and fuel line magnets do not help mileage. Even if the mileage improvement claims were true, they often cost enough to negate any potential savings. * 'Chipping' the car (changing/flashing the ROM in its 'brain') is usually meant to improve power, but often fuel savings are claimed as well. Be paranoid about it. It usually can achieve the power statistics it claims, but possibly at the cost of dreadfully expensive engine and drive-train wear and damage. The wrong chip (or a buggy version of a chip) can result in a dead car that's expensive enough to repair that it's 'totaled'. Needless to say, 'chipping' a car definitely voids the warranty. * Be very careful when shifting into neutral when going down hills. You may find yourself going a lot faster than you thought you would. This is actually illegal in some jurisdictions. * Coasting in neutral is also dangerous as you lack engine braking before a collision * Be sure to keep to right lanes if you're not going to keep up with speeding traffic, and allow other traffic to pass. * If you drive slowly enough on a long enough trip to add hours, be sure to take extra breaks. * When you sign up for the 'loyalty' cards at your nearby store, realize that they do that to track your spending for their own benefit. That is not to say that you don't get a lot out of it. The savings can be substantial. http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Money-on-Gas

Contribute to the Vision

ShivaSharifi — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:20:56 GMT

In the Star Trek sagas, we see a bright future: of humanity in control of itself and its technology, at peace on earth and engaged in ethical, peaceful exploration of the universe. This was Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic vision of our species future. But what often find easy to forget is the journey between here and there!!! and according to Star Trek chronology, it’s All coming up pretty soon.................. Things will not be experienced the same as the episodes portrayed in Star Trek, of course, but the influence of Gene Roddenberry, the cast and crew involved in each series put out such an effort to display a lesson of cultural acceptance and world harmony that has influenced millions and hopefully the direction of our future.......eye have been watching some episodes on the TV the last couple nights at home with a head cold and just had to share this reminder to have appreciation for those many out there trying to benefit and cultivate the global harmony project and the many ways we can accomplish this task so that the "vision" can become our new reality. N just for fun eye was looking around n found here are some Youtube videos too u also might enjoy :::::: Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner (must see this one is cute) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMrofWrbmMw Biography of Gene Roddenberry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1su8bbJL4k 40 years of Star Trek - Anniversary Tribute http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80_HKdvNhgA

The Age of Transition

ShivaSharifi — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:57:33 GMT

"The Hopi and Mayan elders do not prophesy that everything will come to an end. Rather, this is a time of transition from one World Age into another. The message they give concerns our making a choice of how we enter the future ahead. Our moving through with either resistance or acceptance will determine whether the transition will happen with cataclysmic changes or gradual peace and tranquility. The same theme can be found reflected in the prophecies of many other Native American visionaries from Black Elk to Sun Bear." Cusp Of Great Cycle We are living today in the cusp of the Mayan end times, the end of a galactic day or time period spanning thousands of years. One galactic day of 25,625 years is divided into five cycles of 5,125 years. The Great Cycle of the Mayan Long Count calendar ends on the winter solstice of 2012 A.D. Following Mayan concepts of cyclic time and World Age transitions, this is as much about beginnings as endings. In fact, it was considered by the ancient Mayans to signify the creation of a new World Age. We are almost at the end of the fifth and final 5,125 year cycle! ****Mayan Prophecy 2012: Entering Our Galactic Day***** Many of us are aware of the Mayan calendar but not many people truly understand what it means and how it works. Yes the calendar does end on December 21, 2012, but what does that mean? How does it come to that? What is their calendar based off of? The Mayans had a very precise understanding of our solar system's cycles and believed that these cycles coincided with our spiritual and collective consciousness. The most significant of which has much to do with the 2012 prophecies. In the following writing, we will walk through the main details of their prophecies surrounding the 2012 transition. How the transition takes place (from an astronomical perspective), what it means for us, and when the cycles take place. We'll start with the basic prophecies and later move deeper into the explanation of the cycles. The Mayans prophesied that from 1999 we have 13 years to realize the changes in our conscious attitude to stray from the path of self-destruction and instead move onto a path that opens our consciousness to integrate us with all that exists. The Mayans knew that our Sun, or Kinich-Ahau, every so often synchronized with the enormous central galaxy. And from this central galaxy received a 'spark' of light which causes the Sun to shine more intensely producing what our scientists call 'solar flares' as well as changes in the Sun's magnetic field. The Mayans say that this happens every 5,125 years. But also that this causes a displacement in the earths rotation, and because of this movement great catastrophes would be produced. The Mayans believed the universal processes, like the 'breathing' of the galaxy, are cycles that never change. What changes is the consciousness of man that passes through it. Always in a process toward more perfection. Based on their observations, the Mayans predicted that from the initial date of the start of their civilization, 4 Ahau, 8 Cumku which is 3113 B.C., after one cycle being completed 5,125 years in their future, December 21st, 2012. The Sun, having received a powerful ray of synchronizing light from the center of the galaxy, would change its polarity which would produce a great cosmic event that would propel human kind to be ready to cross into a new era, The Golden Age. It is after this, that the Mayans say we will be ready to go through the door that was left by them, transforming our civilization based on fear to a vibration much higher in harmony. Only from our individual efforts could we avoid the path to great cataclysm that our planet will suffer to start a new era, the sixth cycle of the Sun. The Mayan civilization was in the fifth cycle of the Sun, and there were four other great civilizations before them that were destroyed by great natural disasters. They believed that each cycle was just one stage in the collective consciousness of humanity. In the last cataclysm of the Mayans, the civilization was destroyed by a great flood that left little survivors of which were their descendants. They believed that having known the end of their cycle, mankind would prepare for what is to come in the future and it is because of this that they would have preserved the dominant species; the human race. They say that coming changes will permit us to make a quantum leap forward in the evolution of our consciousness to create a new civilization that would manifest great harmony and compassion to all humankind. Their first prophecy talks about 'The Time of No-Time'. A period of 20 years, which they call a Katún. The last 20 years of the Sun's cycle of 5,125 years. This cycle is from 1992 - 2012. I'll explain this in greater detail later. They predicted that during these times, solar winds would become more intense and could be seen on the Sun. This would be a time of great realization and great change for mankind. And it would be our own lack of preservation and contamination of the planet that would contribute to these changes. According to the Mayans, these changes would happen so that mankind comprehends how the universe works so we could advance to superior levels, leaving behind superficial materialism and liberating ourselves from suffering. The Mayans say, that seven years after the start of Katún, which is to say 1999, we would enter a time of darkness which would force us to confront our own conduct. The say that this is the time when mankind will enter 'The Sacred Hall of Mirrors'. Where we will look at ourselves and analyze our behaviors with ourselves, with others, with nature and with the planet in which we live. A time in which all of humanity, by individual conscious decisions, decides to change and eliminate fear and lack of respect from all of our relationships. The Mayans prophesied that the start of this period would be marked by a solar eclipse on August 11, 1999, known to them as 13 Ahau, 8 Cauac. And would coincide with an unprecedented planetary alignment, the 'Grand Cross' alignment. This would be the last 13 years of the Katón period. The last opportunity for our civilization to realize the changes that are coming at the moment of our spiritual regeneration. For the Mayans, everything is numbers and the time of the 13 sacred numbers started in August 1999. They predicted that along with the eclipse, the forces of nature would act like a catalyst of changes so accelerated and with such magnitude that mankind would be powerless against them. Also, that our technologies in which we rely on so much would begin to fail us. We would no longer be able to learn from our civilization in the way that we are organized as a society. They said that our internal, spiritual development would require a better place along with a better way to interact with more respect and compassion. The first prophecies were attained by their study of our Sun. The Mayans discovered that the entire solar system moved. That even our universe has its own cycles. Repetitive periods which begin and end like our day and night. These discoveries lead to the understanding that our solar system rotates on an ellipse that brings our solar system closer and further from the center of the galaxy. In other words, according to the Mayans, our Sun and all of its planets rotate in cycles in relation to the center of the galaxy or Hunab-Kú, the central light of the galaxy. It takes 25,625 years for our solar system to make one cycle on this ellipse. One complete cycle is called a galactic day. The cycle is divided into two halves similar to our day and night. The half closest to the central light, is our solar system's 'day' and the half furthest away is its 'night'. Each day and each night lasts 12,800 years. Which is to say, the central galaxy is the Sun for our entire solar system. The Mayans discovered that every grand cycle has its minor cycles, that carry the same characteristics. One galactic day of 25,625 years is divided into five cycles of 5,125 years. The first cycle is the galactic morning. When our solar system is just coming out of the darkness to enter the light. The second cycle is the mid-day. When our solar system is closest to the central light. The third cycle is the afternoon. When our solar system begins to come out of the light. The fourth cycle is the late-night. When our solar system has entered its furthest cycle from the central light. And the fifth and last cycle is night before dawn. When are solar system is in its last cycle of darkness before starting again. This is the cycle we are currently coming out of. The Mayan prophecy tells us that in 1999, our solar system began to leave the end of the fifth cycle which started in 3113 B.C. and that we find ourselves in the morning of our galactic day, exiting darkness and on the verge of being in plain day of our central galaxy in 2012. They say that at the beginning and end of these cycles, which is to say, every 5,125 years, the central sun or light of the galaxy emits a ray of light so intense and so brilliant that it illuminates the entire universe. It is from this burst of light that all of the Suns and planets sync. The Mayans compare this burst to the pulse of the universe, beating once every 5,125 years. It is these pulses that mark the end of one cycle and the beginning of the next. Each pulse lasting 20 years, a Katún. So we come back to what they call 'The Time of No Time'. It is an evolutionary period, short but intense, inside the grand cycles where great changes take place to thrust us into a new age of evolution as individuals and as mankind. As individuals we will have to make decisions that will affect us all. If we continue on this negative path of hate, an eye for an eye, destruction of nature, of fear and egoism, we will enter straight into the time of destruction and chaos, and we will disappear as the dominant race of this planet. If we become conscious and realize that we all form part of a great organism, and that we should respect one another and be grateful to our planet, then we will move directly into positive growth, our Golden Age. Our planet, the Sun and the Galaxy are awaiting our decision. It is up to us what will happen in this time of change. Whether we go through a time of suffering and destruction or we find ourselves united in one positive consciousness moving closer to our next stage. Please notice the events of our planet as evidence that the Mayan prophecies are worth listening to and learning from. Share this information and help us all move toward a better future, where we can thrive in a new era of positivity. It has never been so important. http://www.adishakti.org/mayan_end_times_prophecy_12-21-2012.htm What is so special about the Mayan Calendar? "The person with no previous exposure to the Mayan Calendar will usually initially be surprised by the fact that some people today take such an interest in an ancient calendar. After all, human history has seen a high number of different calendars. Is not then the Mayan calendar just a very specialized subject of interest only to specialists or history buffs? “Why would the world today need another calendar than the Gregorian or Muslim that are currently in use, and why should this be the Mayan calendar?” some may ask. By Carl Johan Calleman Well, to begin with most people probably have a much too limited view of the importance of the Mayan civilization, and Native American traditions generally. In fact, at their height in the 5th to 9th centuries AD, the Mayan cities would be among the largest in the world and developed the most advanced mathematics and astronomy of their day. And so, even if the Native American civilizations hardly survived the later contact with the Europeans they were and are the carriers of a significant and irreplaceable part of the global human consciousness. When we talk about the Mayan Calendar something profoundly different is also meant than just a system to mark off the passage of time. The Mayan Calendar is above all a prophetic calendar that may help us understand the past and foresee the future. It is a calendar of the Ages that describes how the progression of Heavens and Underworlds condition the human consciousness and thus the frames for our thoughts and actions within a given Age. The Mayan Calendar provides an exact schedule for the Cosmic Plan and the unfolding of all things that come into existence. There is now ample empirical evidence for this, something that shines new light on the age old questions of mankind. Things do exist for a reason. The reason is that they fit into the divine cosmic plan. For those that seriously engage in a study of the Mayan Calendar this soon becomes evident and the former materialist world view loses all relevance. The Mayan Calendar is a gateway to the worlds of consciousness which the majority of humanity has been blinded to through the use of false or delusory calendars. Since everything that exists is an aspect of consciousness, and the Mayan Calendar describes the evolution of consciousness in all of its aspects, no stone is left unturned for the serious student of the Mayan Calendar. All of science is affected, all of religion is affected, all of life is affected. We are here for a reason. Time is no longer equated with money, but with spirit. Time is inspiration! ****2012 in brief**** The Mayan civilization of Central America was and is the most advanced in relation to time-science knowledge. Their main calendar is the most accurate on the planet. It has never erred. The Mayan fifth world finished in 1987. The sixth world starts in 2012. So we are currently "between worlds" 1. Humanity and Planet Earth are currently going through a huge change or shift in consciousness and reality perception. 2. The Mayan civilization of Central America was and is the most advanced in relation to time-science knowledge. Their main calendar is the most accurate on the planet. It has never erred. They actually have 22 calendars in total, covering the many timing cycles in the Universe and Solar System. Some of these calendars are yet to be revealed. 3. The Mayan fifth world finished in 1987. The sixth world starts in 2012. So we are currently "between worlds". This time is called the "Apocalypse" or revealing. This means the real truth will be revealed. It is also the time for us to work through "our stuff" individually and collectively. 4. The Mayan sixth world is actually blank. This means it is up to us, as co-creators, to start creating the new world and civilization we want now. 5. The Mayans also say that by 2012 we will have gone beyond technology as we know it. we will have gone beyond time and money. we will have entered the fifth dimension after passing through the fourth dimension Planet Earth and the Solar System will come into galactic synchronization with the rest of the Universe. Our DNA will be "upgraded" (or reprogrammed) from the centre of our galaxy. (Hunab Ku) Everybody on this planet is mutating. Some are more conscious of it than others. But everyone is doing it. 6. In 2012 the plane of our Solar System will line up exactly with the plane of our Galaxy, the Milky Way. This cycle has taken 26,000 years to complete. Virgil Armstrong also says that two other galaxies will line up with ours at the same time. A cosmic event! 7. Time is speeding up (or collapsing). For thousands of years the Schumann Resonance or pulse (heartbeat) of Earth has been 7.83 cycles per second, The military have used this as a very reliable reference. However, since 1980 this resonance has been slowly rising. It is now over 12 cycles per second! This means there is the equivalent of less than 16 hours per day instead of the old 24 hours. 8. During the Apocalypse or the time "between worlds" many people will be going through many personal changes. The changes will be many and varied. It is all part of what we came here to learn or experience. Examples of change could be- relationships coming to an end, change of residence or location, change of job or work, shift in attitude or thinking etc." What is so special about the Mayan Calendar? http://enlightenment.en.funpic.de/index.php Pacal Votan's prophetic call is alerting present-day humanity that our biological process is transforming, approaching the culmination of a 26,000 year evolutionary program. Bringing the return of universal telepathy, heightened sense capacity, and self-reflective consciousness, this is a return to the sacred domain of our inner technology. This grand cycle of evolution will culminate winter solstice, December 21, 2012 AD. This time we are now in has been called "The Time of Trial on Earth," "Judgement Day," "The Time of Great Purification," "The End of this Creation," "The Quickening," "The End of Time as We Know It," "The Shift of the Ages." It is foretold that the completion of the Precession brings regeneration of Earth, offering awakening to all open, willing hearts. Many peoples spoke of these last days of the Great Cycle, including the: Maya, Hopi, Egyptians, Kabbalists, Essenes, Qero elders of Peru, Navajo, Cherokee, Apache, Iroquois confederacy, Dogon Tribe, and Aborigines. ****Mayan Prophecies and Calendar**** "The Gregorian calendar is not in harmony with the forces of nature. The original Egyptian calendar was. But the Egyptian calendar was later modified by the Greeks/Spartan and then the Romans etc. 30 yrs after the birth of Christ, the calendar was off by 12 days. They had a council to bring it back (Julian). In 1582 it was again out of line and Pope Gregory brought in the best astronomers to align it once again. It still suffer changes. The Russian Orthodox did not accept this calendar until much later. The Mayan calendar will need to be adjusted by one day in 380,000 years. The Aztecs use different glyphs and is basically the same as the Mayan only slightly less evolved. Their glyphs are better in their representations of the energies though. The Earth changes will continue until 2012. The Elders say that the process can be easy and aligned or can be catastrophic. Human energy will decide this. Time and the calendar begin on the equinox of 3/21. There had been a cycle of darkness that lasted 468 years (9 X 52) and ended on 3/30/1993. We are now in a transition period called the 'Cycle of the merge of the dark and the light.' During this time humanity is going through great transition. The cycle of light will come in full force on 12/21/2012. This is considered the cycle of 13 lights and 13 heavens. Many cycles begin on that same date. Mother Earth as a living entity will transcend to another level or frequency or consciousness and a new and special era will begin. The preparation for this is now in the womb of the Earth so to speak and the process of change is bringing transcendental manifestations. This new era will be very positive. "Let all beings rise. Let not one or two stay behind". The times are here for total brotherhood. The spirit beings, different philosophies, different races must begin to weave together all knowledge to create the tapestry of harmony and balance. We are all seeing the evidence of this shift in human consciousness now. ... Mayan Prophecies and Calendar http://www.crystalinks.com/mayanprophecies.html

We..... The Holy Time

ShivaSharifi — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:37:26 GMT

we come from the holy water of god's fruition we come not knowing what we seek we come from the sky as drops of rainfall we come falling into what we have wanted down from the distant star to crash into the sea we come to become another ripple in the ocean in this oneness of our heritage we open our heart's to find the sulfur and ash blown away by the breeze the salty air that clings to me a sting upon the open flesh we let the rain pour from our eyes and the ocean bleeds from our chest we come not knowing why we do what we are we come to a way of passage where everything around you moves yet you stand still as crystallized as a lake frozen in winter ice on a night when the moon is full reflection all that we see we come bearing witness to a part of this world we come to create what is divine within the divine because we are the divine from these holy waters we travel as a ripple in the fabricated ocean of time we are going nowhere we can only come to this passage of going as a wave travels to crash upon the shores and falls away to return again we come from the holy water of god's fruition - shiva 05/03

Meditation : Improve the Quality of Life

ShivaSharifi — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:41:40 GMT

An ordinary person may consider meditation as a worship or prayer. But it is not so. Meditation means awareness. Whatever you do with awareness is meditation. "Watching your breath" is meditation; listening to the birds is meditation. As long as these activities are free from any other distraction to the mind, it is effective meditation. Meditation is not a technique but a way of life. Meditation means 'a cessation of the thought process' . It describes a state of consciousness, when the mind is free of scattered thoughts and various patterns . The observer (one who is doing meditation) realizes that all the activity of the mind is reduced to one. A Tibetan Lama was being monitored on a brain scan machine by a scientist wishing to test physiological functions during deep meditation. The scientist said - "Very good Sir. The machine shows that you are able to go very deep in brain relaxation, and that validates your meditation". "No", said the Lama, "This (pointing to his brain) validates the machine!". These days it is commonly understood to mean some form of spiritual practice where one sits down with eyes closed and empties the mind to attain inner peace, relaxation or even an experience of God. Some people use the term as "my gardening is my meditation" or for jogging or art or music, hence creating confusion or misunderstanding. The word meditation, is derived from two Latin words : meditari(to think, to dwell upon, to exercise the mind) and mederi (to heal). Its Sanskrit derivation 'medha' means wisdom. Many years ago meditation was considered something just not meant for modern people, but now it has become very popular with all types of people. Published scientific and medical evidence has proved its benefits, but it still needs to be much understood. Traditionally, the classical yoga texts, describe that to attain true states of meditation one must go through several stages. After the necessary preparation of personal and social code, physical position, breath control, and relaxation come the more advanced stages of concentration, contemplation, and then ultimately absorption. But that does not mean that one must perfect any one stage before moving onto the next. The Integral yoga approach is simultaneous application of a little of all stages together. With regular practice of a balanced series of techniques, the energy of the body and mind can be liberated and the quality of consciousness can be expanded. This is not a subjective claim but is now being investigated by the scientists and being shown by an empirical fact. article from http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/meditation.html

Fire was here first

ShivaSharifi — Sun, 11 May 2008 07:49:05 GMT

I went to a Pow Wow today over at Standford university, they seem to make me feel disheartened..... a reminder of how deep a culture was smothered, uprooted and so many other horrible terms i could produced but i just don't feel like making such a negative post about a past that can't be changed. how so much wisdom that is being lost. during closing ceremony all the singers and dancers gathered and the announcer was talking about how great the flag is and America is the greatest nation, this left me really confused cause isn't that flag the very symbol of what destroyed the tribes ? does that mean that the people have to stand there and salute the flag in order to have some sort of permission to dance maybe!! 1once a year and it's a dance competition that isn't even a ceremony ? yeah ya know i don't even want it explained to me cause i'm afraid the answer will have me setting things on fire! like a lot of flags and then i'd get a ticket for lighting a fire with out permit or some BS from the bureau of incommodious Anyhow this sent me on a tangent to check on whether American flag burning was actually illegal or we still had our freedom of speech ? If some law had been past lately in the 80's or 90's that i had missed. After searching via google through several articles the answer is a unanimous ............... No. it is not illegal. The US Code provides that it is illegal to burn the flag, but the United States Supreme Court has held, several times, that burning the flag is a protected form of speech. If you think about it, it really is speech. Which is why burning the flag is so controversial. When one sees the flag burning, it is not just a piece of cloth, it is a representation of the American country and its values. Those who would support a constitutional amendment to protect the flag believe that the symbol is sancrosanct, and that there is never a justification for it. Those who oppose it believe that, while it is just cloth, the burning of the flag is the strongest possible statement that America's values (like the flag) have gone up in flames, and that the leaders no longer stand for the values held dear by the country 's founders. In any event, at least for now, you cannot be arrested for burning the flag itself (disbarring some other violation). which is something to be said for the US from most of the world...you are free to burn the flag here but most other countries in the world you are not allow to burn the countries flag. Anyhow hopefully the future will allow for wisdom to thrive again

Why Women Wear Stilettos

ShivaSharifi — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:52:37 GMT

article from ::: http://www.associatedcontent.com Someone recently asked, "Why women wear those crazy and uncomfortable stilettos?" A stiletto is a show with a long spiked heel. Invented in Italy, the word stiletto originated from the stiletto dagger way back in the 1950's. Stilettos became more erotic in nature than just being simply worn to gain height. Women started wearing them more because they appealed so much to men. They have become somewhat of a fetish item and are considered to be seductive. The stilettos are completely impractical but the trend of wearing them returned strong in the 80's. Men think that women who wear mini skirts and stilettos are irresistible but many women think other women look trashy while wearing them. Stilettos change that way a woman walks and carries herself. It's no wonder that they were invented by a man. Plus, men love them so much that women will worry about the feet and back problems that they can cause later on. Stilettos have covered the feet of almost every female sex icon from years past including Marilyn Monroe and Pamela Anderson. Women invest in a pedicure and want to flaunt their feet in a strappy pair of stilettos, they like the way it shows off their toes and enhances their legs too. Women feel that stilettos make them feel more feminine and let's face it; they are a far cry from a pair of tennis shoes. Some women are actually unable to wear stilettos because they have bunions or swellings in the feet; sometimes they just cause pure pain. There are a growing number of women who actually go in for corrective cosmetic surgery so they can fulfill their dreams of wearing stilettos again. Stilettos naturally run narrow so besides the problems that can occur with the height of stilettos, problems also arise from wearing too narrow of a shoe. The highest rate of corrective foot surgeries for women come from them wearing too small of a shoe. Women wear them and men love them because they accentuate the appearance of the calves, they change the entire posture of the person wearing theme as well as how they carry themselves, and they give the appearance of more height and longer legs. In order to see the difference of why women do wear these shoes versus the many shoes of comfort, walk behind a couple of women, one wearing flats and the other, stilettos. You will be amazed at the difference of how they look, how they carry themselves, and you will have answered the question of why stilettos are so hot. A woman in stilettos is the one who is going to get the hoots and the whistles as she passes by because they have been deemed sexy. Now to the nitty- gritty. No matter how we love our high-heeled shoes, and how sexy they make us look, and how according to someone, somewhere the reason that men love them so much on women is that when a woman is wearing them, her legs and feet are in the same pose as when she is in the heights of orgasm, they are very damaging to our backs. When you are wearing flat shoes, and even barefooted. Your back is in perfect alignment, or at least better alignment. When you are wearing high-heels you are throwing your back out of alignment and putting stress on your spine. It also hurts your feet and hips. Even a slight elevation or incline from wearing lower heals can cause emotional and physiological imbalances. Chiropractors have shown a significant link between pressure on the foot and changes in the nervous system. Trigger points and pressure on different parts of the foot can send nerve impulses that lead to headaches, migraines, nervous tension, and even anxiety. Women wearing high heels for extended periods of time-no matter how comfortable they may feel-but themselves at risk for increased stress levels and extra tension in their backs, knees, and shoulders as a result. * * * * * * * "Now image what my 7 1/2" inch stilettos are doing to me 4 days a week !! Ahh well, what some of us gals do for the good ole american dollar, pfff. i'd like to keep my a*ss clean with the paper instead. But who cares in the name of sex appeal and sexy posture that makes you look like your about to cum with every giggly step, lol my goodness the things we come up with."

Sharing the Legacy

ShivaSharifi — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:21:55 GMT

Coming soon !!!!! I continue to help create and share the Tlingit art of the northwest native americans. Eye with the help of fellow tattoo artist designed a raven n wolf totem tlinigit art piece that will soon appear on my left ankle. "Eye hope that the culture, although mostly destroyed by Westerners ideals of society, continue within our hearts and mind so that wisdom and beauty of the tribes is not lost to only become stories and pictures of the past." - Shiva More information on :::: Tlingit Art :::: The culture of the Tlingit, an Indigenous people from Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon, is multifaceted and complex, a characteristic of Northwest Pacific Coast peoples. In Tlingit culture a heavy emphasis is placed upon family and kinship, and on a rich tradition of oratory. Wealth and economic power are important indicators of status, but so is generosity and proper behavior, all signs of "good breeding" and ties to aristocracy. Art and spirituality are incorporated in nearly all areas of Tlingit culture, with even everyday objects such as spoons and storage boxes decorated and imbued with spiritual power and historical associations. The Tlingit people are artistic by nature and some people would argue that their fine sense of workmanship and design is best exemplified through the medium of carving. Most Tlingit objects were carved from wood, the most readily available and highly useable substance. Totem poles often serve to proclaim a clan's status. The figures carved onto the poles symbolize a clan's mythological history, as well as the rights and privileges it enjoys. Other materials such as horn, copper and later silver were also decorated with carved figures. The unique design elements or patterns used by traditional Tlingit carvers belong to what has become known as the Northwest Coast Indian style. This style, quite easily recognizable, portrayed creatures from the natural world in varying degrees of realism. Often they were split or fragmented with eyes, joints, fins, feathers or some other easily recognizable feature delineated with broad black formlines. Traditional colors were a green-blue and red. *google it further (actually there isn't much information)

Who is this Deity ?

ShivaSharifi — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 19:25:33 GMT

"He loves ghosts for company and lets his hair down at crematoriums. His favourite drink is desi ‘bhang’ and He dances the deathly ‘tandav’. He prefers being almost naked- damn the culture police. No He is not a head-banging metal lover but our own almighty Lord Shiva, the rebel God. Is it any wonder then that while almost all Indian festivals are celebrated under a bright sun, Shivaratri is observed in the dead of night, without even the luminescence of moon. It has a deep meaning- in the dark all things seem to assume the same shade, shape & size as we all are in the eyes of God. It signifies divine protection in turbulent times. There are many legends behind Shivaratri. While stories of Shiva’s marriage with Parvati and that of a hunter’s inadvertent worship of Shiv-lingum are repeatedly recited by grannies throughout the country, it is the appearance of Shiva in the form of an elliptical sphere – the lingum – that makes Him the rebel God in true sense. The lingum is supposed to be the symbol of creation & generation in the universe. In short it depicts the life-creating organ in man. However, some scholars contradict this interpretation by stating that the lingum is representing the timeless, formless, eternal aspect of God and is meant for meditation purposes. In any case, Shiva goes beyond the Hindu faith as we know it. The Vedas do not mention Him directly and He is supposed to have made a back-door entry from the Indus valley civilization culture. The early tribals worshipped Him as the Lord of wildlife (Pashupati) and as the life-generating organ for fertility, creativity and peace. Taking a look at the trinity of which He is a part, Shiva does not come across as an everyday God. He does not sport a gold crown but likes matted hair (Jatadhari) that takes care of the roaring Ganges. The glittering necklaces are replaced by venomous snakes and the attire is only elementary. It is a message to a His devotees to lead a simple life. His very form teaches simple living and high thinking. The company of Shiva – ghosts, spirits etc. – represents the downtrodden, neglected people of world. To embrace them all is to live the Shiva principle. The Shiva principle is the principle of welfare & sacrifice. The word Shiva means ‘welfare, bliss, happiness’. That is why the yogis chant ‘Shivoham, Shivoham’ to remind themselves of their true nature. Even though He is the lord of ascetics, Shiva lives with His family & is worshipped along with them. This is a great coming together of the material and non-material aspects of life. With His consort Parvati and sons Ganesh & Karthik, Shiva’s is the ideal family. Those trying to juggle between work & home should look up to Shiva for inspiration! Shiva is the lord of supreme ecstasy, which he creates while in meditation. To immerse Himself in meditation and leave aside worldly worries, Shiva takes to bhang – not the leisurely ‘soma ras’ for Him. Here again, intoxication is supposed to be mild and purely for concentrating on God rather then on the world. So no extra bhang ladoos on this Shivaratri please. To worship Shiva is to not emulate His form, rather His style. That does not translate into keeping long locks or fancying venomous snakes – rather keeping far-reaching vision and being simple even amidst luxury. To worship Shiva is to be ‘Shiva’ i.e being ‘pure, happy, innocent and simple’ in disposition. To break away from outdated customs, traditions, thoughts is the message that Shiva bestows upon the devout. The centrality of that message is- be yourself and you will be a rebel against all things redundant." The article above was found on Google and was published originally on Zee News

Beloved

ShivaSharifi — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:34:58 GMT

As our eyes met, there was a sudden calm, a feeling of warmth emerging from the center of the earth and up through our aging shells. We were both one and the same, yet we were as different as the day and night. How enchanting this feeling, for if I died at this very moment, I would have died fulfilled with all this love in my heart. One day, long ago, our lips touched and in that moment all of yesterday had faded away and tomorrow was just a promise of hope. His soft and gentle eyes led the path leading to a love beyond words. That one touch, that one moment in time, everything in the universe stopped to speak of eternity. We both knew then that we had found our one true self in each other. As our bodies touched, the heavens played a symphony that encompassed all of creation. We were both at play in the heart of the beloved. How sweet the smell of roses, how free our spirits laughed for we drank from the well of life. written by shiva - 01

Speaking of Freedom

ShivaSharifi — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:33:48 GMT

from Kahlil Gibran "The Prophet" "An orator said, Speak to us of Freedom. And he answered :: At the city gate and by your fireside I have seen your prostrate yourself and worship your own freedom, Even as slaves humble themselves before a tyrant and praise him though he slays them. Ay, in the grove of the temple and in the shadow of the citadel I have seen the freest among you wear their freedom as a yoke or handcuff. And my heart bled within me; for you can only be free when even the desire of seeking freedom becomes a a harness to you, and when you cease to speak of freedom as a goal and a fulfilment. You shall be free indeed when your days are not without a care nor your nights without a want and a grief, But rather when these things girdle your life and yet you rise above them naked and unbound. And how shall you rise beyond your days and nights unless you break the chains which you are at the dawn of your understandings have fastened around your noon hour? In truth that which you call freedom is the strongest of these chains, though its links glitter in the sun and dazzle your eyes. And what is it but fragments of your own self you would discard that you may become free ? If it is an unjust law you would abolish, that law was written with your own hand upon your own forehead. You cannot erase it by burning your law books nor by washing the foreheads of your judges, though you pour the sea upon them. And if it is a despot you would dethrone, see first that his throne erected within you is destroyed. For how can a tyrant rule the free and the proud, but if a tyranny in there own freedom and a shame in there own pride? And if it is a care you would cast off, that care has been chose by you rather than imposed upon you. And if it is a fear you would dispel, the seat of that fear is in your heart and not in the hand of the feared. Verily all thing move withing your being in constant half embrace, the sired and the dreaded, the repugnant and the cherished, the pursued and that which you would escape. These things move within you as lights and shadows in pairs that cling. And when the shadow fades and is no more, the light that lingers becomes a shadow to another light. And thus your freedom when it loses its fetters becomes inself the fetter of the greatest freedom."

Echoes of Yesterday

ShivaSharifi — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:16:56 GMT

i have prayed to God for you to find you and me reborn somewhere in All the spirit i search and although i have found God by my side i can not seem to find a way to be by yours my heart has never known a feeling like this all the love, the gratitude, the sorrow that only You in all my experiences seem to inspire this way i tread through my journey half in turmoil about such an uncertain future for this place what is left of us? what is meant for us? whether it be us or not, i want you to have all your joys whether it is true or not, a piece of my heart crumbles just thinking i might come to know a future where you are nowhere to be found in my life i don't wish to walk a path that is not shared in growing old with you that i know i have a cloud where a dream is hung a castle up in a sky full of ideas and desires that when i reach for the stars above they seem to remind me of how close i am to you but what good is all this wanting for experiences that might bring opportunity they are only thoughts that dangle in the mind teasing.... moments so fleeting pass by because of our uncertain paths what is left for these feelings days of wanting a taste once more of what was real between our hearts a flame that still burns within mine i cannot lie to myself anymore but i don't know how to tell you if you hate me ? if you love me ? i am sorry for all the wrongs in my heart i keep this hope alive for more of what is right for your road in life and mine i suppose i will always remain a dreamer -07/06 shiva