Entries Tagged 'Miscellaneous' ↓

Emerging research is learning of a startling problem facing the planet which is a much greater threat than global warming. It’s being referred to as global weighting and the gist of it is that the combined population growth of China and India, which are two countries that are aligned vertically and within the top half of the globe, are going to result in a such a massive amount of weight on one side of the top half of the earth that its centrifugal force could bring the planet out of its axis ever so slightly and cause the planet to spin out of orbit. To see this phenomenon in action spin a basketball on your finger and you’ll notice that, if you can balance it, it will spin perfectly fine. Now tape a small weight to the top half of one side of the ball and try to spin it. You’ll find that it is much tougher and in fact the ball will not sustain a true spinning on its axis.

We all are aware of the population growth of China and India but what is not so well known is the tremendous population difference between these two vertically aligned countries and the rest of the world. According to Worldmapper.com, by the year 2050 India and China will have populations that are 4.0 times and 3.5 times, respectively, the next highest country, the United States. Notwithstanding the fact that the average junk-food, fast-food eating American weighs at least twice that of the average Chinese or Indian, this is a large gap. The Worldmapper.com also has population maps giving a dramatic graphic representation of the potential global weighting problem caused by such a large number of people. However the following World Population Map by Bettina Speckmann and Marc van Kreveld of Utrecht University perfectly shows the dramatic population, and corresponding weight, differences between China/India and the rest of the world.

There is much debate about how to address the global weighting problem. Two broad solutions are considered; displacement and population offsets. Displacement is an obvious solution with a world organization such as the United Nations systematically relocating Chinese and Indians to the bottom portion of the other half of the globe such as South America (there’s a lot of land in Brazil and Argentina although they would have to cut down some of the rainforests) and Africa (the industrious Chinese and Indians could possibly improve the living conditions and leadership of Sudan, Zaire and Ethiopia). Taking a page from the global warming activists who are offering carbon offsets as a solution to global warming, population offsets, although somewhat controversial, could help solve the coming global weighting dilemma. The idea would be that for every Chinese or Indian man who fathered a child in their Country, they would go to the opposite part of the world and father a child thus “offsetting” the weight they placed on the planet. It’s considered possible particularly if the women who bore the child were given a large sum of money upfront, in effect a “signing bonus”, then also given a respectable monthly amount until the child reached adulthood.

One thing the global warming movement has taught us, by implication, is that there is no “Higher Power” that is capable of guiding and sustaining human life on this earth forever. Just so we simply cannot afford to assume that the global weighting problem will be “taken care of” by an all-caring Supreme Being. May the world come to see that global weighting is a much more serious threat that should be addressed before global warming. After all what difference is the temperature of the planet if it’s spinning into outer space? Let the documentaries (attention Al Gore and Laurie David) begin.

Are you a chronic worrier? Are you afraid of the bogeyman around the corner? Do you worry about bad things that could possibly happen? Do people call you a worry wart? If so help is on the way. You need to get familiar with the work of journalist and co-anchor of the ABC News show 20/20, John Stossel. He has aired numerous shows on the folly of being worried, scared or afraid over things which you have little or no control. His most recent was “Scared Stiff: Worry in America”. You can check out his website, John Stossel, and this article, The Fear Industrial Complex. I propose that one way to lower the stress of your chronic worrying is to consider, at the start of any worrisome thoughts, What Would John Say (WWJS)? For example:

• On a flight you feel - “This plane has something wrong with it and is going to crash and burst into flames…there will be no survivors.”
• What Would John (Stossel) Say (WWJS) - “Relax and enjoy the ride. The odds of this plane crashing are about the same as you being hit in the crotch by lightening 10,000 times in a row.”

• After hearing stories about e-coli outbreaks at fast food restaurants you emote - “I’m never going to eat out again.”
• WWJS - “Eating out at restaurants is extremely safe. You have a greater chance of having a three-way with Brad and Angolina than of getting e-coli from eating at a restaurant.”

• After seeing a picture of a missing kid on a milk carton you think - “I’m going to look into have an electronic tracking chip implanted in my child so I can track when she gets abducted.”
• WWJS - “I can guarantee that your child will not be abducted. There is as much a possibility of that happening as there is that porcupine will bite you in the ass while you going number two behind a tree in the Amazon jungle.”

• As you enter an elevator and the doors close you sense - “This is my coffin…first the air will run out and while I’m in agony gasping for the last bits of air, the thin cord that’s holding this box will snap and I’ll plunge to my death as we descend to the depths of hell.”
• WWJS - “Don’t worry, that’s never going to happen, you’ll probably just get stuck between floors for days and starve to death…HAHA…just kidding! The chances of anything bad happening to you in an elevator are equal to the chances that Godzilla will knock on your door dressed as a Girl Scout selling cookies, lure his way into your home, then eat your whole family.”

• You hear about a high school shooting and say - “My child’s high school should install metal detectors, frisk each child as they enter and hire armed security guards to patrol the school.”
• WWJS - “Fear not for I have come with great statistics of comfort and joy. Your child has a better chance of being voted Prom Queen, Miss America and American Idol winner, all on the same day, than of being caught in a school shooing crossfire.

• Your neighbor has a co-worker whose cousin’s friend was mugged in New York City in the early 80’s and you conclude - “I haven’t been to a big city since my grade school field trip in 1976 and I will never go because I could be robbed…or worse.”
• WWJS - “It’s prudent to take common-sense precautions but you don’t have anything to fear. It’s more likely that you will sit next to the Pope on the subway and he’ll say, “nice day isn’t it” and you’ll say, “yeah”, than it is that you’ll get mugged in the big city.

To be clear, I’m not mocking John Stossel by making these humorous, hopefully, comments. I am a big fan of his and I love his shows. I think that knowing the odds against something happening will help many people change their irrational fears, worries and concerns. However I also think that most people who have these thoughts know deep down that they’re irrational but they can’t help but have them. So, in addition to understanding the statistics, people with these types of worries should contemplate how we are guided and supported by the same Divinity that sustains the whole universe. What will be will be. Let go and let God’s grace comfort you. Peace.

Welcome to the 34th edition of the Carnival of Healing! This Carnival is a weekly round-up of blogs and articles across the Internet that focus on holistic health, wellness, self-empowerment, and spirituality. I am very glad to be hosting this week and I’ve enjoyed being the one with a “sneak peek” into what’s going to be in the Carnival. The Carnival’s “home-base” is found at About.com’s (a part of the New York Times Company) Holistic Healing site run by Phylameana lila Desy (thanks for everything Phyl!). Now, let’s get on with the show.

Deepak Chopra, M.D., the well-known spiritual teacher, best-selling author, and medical doctor, offers a health post and spirituality post this week through Intentblog. In “Why People Get Sick”, Dr. Chopra addresses the intriguing question of why does some of us get sick when others, exposed to the same conditions, don’t. We tend to assume that medical science has it all figured out and, as they’ve explained to us, if we just diligently avoid germs, we won’t get sick. It doesn’t work like that and other factors, namely stress and spiritual health, are the true keys to health.

In “Does God Have a Future” (the first of a three-part series), Deepak Chopra addresses the growth and problems of religious fundamentalism. What’s the basic problem? It’s the inability to reconcile the seeming differences between reason and faith. Deepak suggests that, “people have to find their way back to spirituality one person at a time” and, I would suggest, regular Carnival of Healing readers and hosts seem to be doing just that. I can attest to this individual search for spiritual understanding as nearly everyday someone types in Google something like “bible, literal, figurative” and comes to my article “Bible: Literal or Figurative?”

From one spiritual teacher to another…Carl Japikse has been teaching about spiritual growth, meditation, creativity, and the development of the mind for over 30 years. As part of Light and Ariel Press, he has written numerous books including “Active Meditation”, “Forces of the Zodiac” ( both co-authored by Robert R. Leichtman, M.D.) and “Exploring the Tarot”. Carl writes an Internet column called Above the Mean twice a week. In his recent article, “Half & Half”, Carl welcomes us into spring and Aries with an invigorating dose of the-glass-is-half-filled optimism. With all of the seeming problems of the world it’s easy for some to succumb to pessimism. What’s the problem with pessimism? As Carl so eloquently writes, “Pessimism is a parasite that lodges in the value system of the person who entertains it, and slowly feeds on his or her thinking capacity, until it is fully destroyed.” Carl leaves us with an optimistic spring fever from William Shakespeare, Robert Frost and Helen Keller and he implores us to “let the seeds of optimism take root in our mind.” (Note, Above the Mean is a subscription-based column and “Half & Half” is a free sample. I am an extremely satisfied subscriber and I highly recommend it but I do not benefit or profit from new subscribers and I am not affiliated with the publisher.)

In his Parapsychology articles and blog, Jacob encourages us to believe, through his article “Belief levels and the path of a healer”. Can a healer heal you? Can you be a healer? Are psychic phenomena true? The answer is NO…if you don’t at least believe in the possibility. When you do, as Jacob says, “almost anything is possible, be it your health, your career or your new abilities.”

In, “Time for Letting Go…”, Jodie Foster, an Intuitive Counselor & Consultant, explains the Art of Surrender, which is to let go of any preconceived outcomes and to trust that what we create will blossom as it’s suppose to. In her article she uses a phrase that rings true; Divine Right Timing. Jodie is referring to surrendering to the fruits of our labor but I think she is also suggesting we surrender during the process of creation. All of us bloggers can relate to this letting go or surrender when we write. I find that the words come easiest when I’m not trying too hard and I “let go” of trying to be perfect.

No Carnival of Healing is complete without a nutritional health article or two. In “The Two Sides of Malnourishment” we learn that malnourishment, typically thought to represent people who are too thin, can, paradoxically, also represent people who are obese. How? Poor food choices. People can be overweight and malnourished because the cheapest and most pleasure-packed foods are basically varying forms of packaged fat and sugar with little to no nutritional value. This article goes on to explain the differences between good and bad fats. In “Don’t Take This with a Grain of Salt” we learn that most of us are significantly exceeding the levels of sodium we need and that there are excessive amounts of sodium in many foods. It concludes with links to other sites for more information on recommended sodium levels.

Finally, yours truly, has completed a seven-part series of articles (most are short) addressing another person’s deep and personal question, “What the Hell is the Meaning of Life?” The series’ topics include money, work, prestige, relationships, meritocracy and religious faith. The first entry is called What’s the Meaning of Life? A Response, Part 1. Please feel free to look around and let me know what you think.

The 33th edition of the Carnival was hosted at Holistic Healing.

Next week (Saturday, April 1st) the Carnival will be held at Intuitive Living.

Attention Bloggers: We are interested in your healing, spirituality, personal empowerment blog posts for future carnival attractions. Submit your healing blog posts at the Carnival of Healing.

I will be hosting the 34th Carnival of Healing, this Saturday, March 25, 2006. The Carnival of Healing is a weekly round-up of personal Web sites and blogs on the topics of holistic health, wellness, spirituality, and self empowerment. Please spread the word and/or send in your posts!

Just a sample of some of the past contributors/hosts include:

Phylameana lila Désy – Waiting for the Fog to Clear

Evelyn Rodriguez - So What Now: Responding to Our Calling

Lucy MacDonald - Five things you should know about forgiveness

Steve Pavlina – My Favorite Meditation

Elisa Camahort - Listening to your body?

Jodie Foster - A Return to Joy

Christopher Stewart - Healing the Person, Place and Planet

You are welcome to submit anything you have recently written in your blog pertaining to wellness, holistic health, spirituality, personal empowerment, or healthy lifestyle.

To Be Included in the Carnival use this link: Submit your URL and description of your blog or personal Web site.

I’m feeling extra thankful and grateful today. Perhaps it’s due to a combination of the recent, all-to-early deaths of Dana Reeve, 44 and Kirby Puckett, 45 and the residual effects of hearing last Sunday’s Academy Award recipients thanking all those who’ve helped them. But I have a renewed sense of appreciation for my family, my friends and my job and all that I have. Also, in January I started this blog on a topic that I’ve been studying for a long time, spiritual and personal growth. I am enjoying it very much and I’ve been most grateful and thrilled with the positive and complimentary comments I’ve received so far.

So, I want to extend this sense of appreciation to the whole blogging community. I want to publicly thank all of the fellow bloggers that, although they don’t know it, have helped me very much. I also think that this kind of public thanks is the best way we can show our fellow bloggers how much we appreciate each other (maybe “tipping” is the best way and please do so if it’s accepted and you have the means). So let’s see if we can start a Thank You Fellow Bloggers Meme. Who has helped you start your blog? Who has taught you how to increase traffic to your blog? Who has shown you how to earn money from your blog? Who has best explained the key blog characteristics like comments, trackbacks, tags, categories and blogrolls? Who taught you about RSS and feed aggregators? In general, let’s publicly thank our fellow bloggers, particularly those that don’t already know us, who have helped us with our blogging.

My Thank You Fellow Bloggers Meme

I have to start my public thanks with the first blogger I’ve ever read, Seth Godin. Seth is a marketing expert who I was introduced to through another marketer and big Internet presence, Joe Vitale (at the time Joe didn’t have a blog but he does now – Beyond Marketing). To read Seth’s blog I would pull it up from my favorites when I would remember (what an antiquated idea after discovering RSS, which Seth introduced me too). The big thing that Seth did to really get me into blogging is put out his four, free ebooks; Knock, Knock, Who’s There, Everyone’s an Expert, and Flipping the Funnel. One of the best examples of what Seth does to help us think correctly about our blogs is this short but powerful post; How can I get more traffic? Thank you Seth!

The next blogger I want to thank is one of my most favorite, Steve Pavlina. I found Steve’s site by doing a Google search on quitting coffee and found this article. Immediately I knew Steve and I were “kindred spirits”. He was writing about a lot of the things that I’ve been interested in and studying for 20 years namely, personal and spiritual development. All of his articles are interesting but some that have really inspired me to start and grow my blog including How to Build a High Traffic Website (or Blog) and Blogging for Personal Growth. Thank you Steve!

Next, I have to thank, not one blogger, but the gang at Performancing.com, particularly Nick Wilson, Chris Garrett and Andy Hagans. These guys are really inspiring and bring a sense of “I did it and you can too” to new bloggers. All of their articles, and the comments that follow, have been extremely helpful but here are three that I want to point out; Chris’ reviews of the available blog software (which was instrumental my decision to use Wordpress), Nick’s straight talking Ten Signs of a Cheap Blog and Andy’s Monetization Makeovers. Thank you Nick, Chris, Andy and all the other contributors at Performancing!

Reading these three blogs lead to starting my own blog using Wordpress. A big thank you goes to Matt Mullenweg, Ryan Boren and all the developers who created and maintain this excellent, FREE, blog software program. If you’re new to Wordpress there is an excellent support system of bloggers who contribute to the extensive Codex and who patiently answer questions on the Support Forum. But when I was first learning I stumbled upon a person that really helped me with the basics of CSS and other Wordpress stuff (of which I was clueless); Podz. Here is his WordPress Guide and his blog. One of the invaluable things that Podz taught me was to download the WebDeveloper toolbar in Firefox to directly tinker with and edit the CSS. Thank you Matt, Ryan, all at Wordpress and Podz!

After a long search I decided to use the great K2 Wordpress theme created by Michael Heilemann and Chris J. Davis. It is clean, flexible and easy to use. As with Wordpress, the K2 theme as a lot of people who support and answer newbie questions at this forum. One person who has really helped me with K2 is Paul Stamatiou. A perfect example of his great articles supporting K2 is the first in a series called Customizing K2. Thanks Michael, Chris and Paul and all the K2 community!

I also want to thank the following Wordpress plugin developers for helping to make my site so much better; Arnaud Froment for Extended Live Archives, Alexander Malov and Mike Lu for Related Posts, Scott Merrill for Subscribe 2 and the Backup and Wayne Keith Walrath for Adsense Deluxe. All of your plugins are excellent. Thank all of you for your time and effort!

The next blogger that I would like to thank is Dave Taylor. Dave’s site is Ask Dave! and he provides such a wide range of Internet, blogging, marketing, writing and general computer advice, it’s hard to know where to start. These two posts are typical of the great service that Dave provides and the advice in these two post in particular have stuck with me; Why would I bother with a Weblog or Blog when I could just build a regular Web site? and How do I get more traffic to my blog? Thank you Dave!

One of the best educations you can get on blogging, building traffic and earning a few buck from blogging can be found at Darren Rowse’s Problogger site. You can literally spend days there learning how to blog. If you have any questions about how to increase your traffic this is the first place to go. Again, Darren has taught me so much it’s hard to pinpoint specific post but here are two that I’ve bookmarked because they inspire me; 18 Lessons I’ve Learnt About Blogging and (Another) Day in the Life of a Problogger. Thank you Darren!

Last, but not at all least, is someone who isn’t as well known as the above bloggers, (I could be wrong), but who deserves to be, Lorelle VanFossen. When I thought to thank all the bloggers who helped me get started; Lorelle is the first who comes to mind. She is the most thorough, thoughtful and prolific teacher of all things about blogging and WordPress that I’ve have come across on the Net. Her two main areas of focus are improving blog traffic and blog quality (e.g. the writing). Lorelle cares more about the quality of blogs than anyone else does. For example, in the article The 12 Biggest Problems with Your Blogs, Lorelle taught me that my site had poor navigation since my single post view had no site navigation other than the next and previous posts. A seemingly small tweak to your site to fix something like this will help your readers stay longer. Another great example of what Lorelle teaches is The Top Ten Clues That You Are an Amateur Blogger. Thank you Lorelle!

If you’re interested in continuing this meme, don’t forget to link to this in your entry. Suggested link back text: “This entry is inspired by the Thank You Fellow Bloggers Meme at BrendanMcPhillips.com”.