Cherie in New York writes:

Will there be information given to what topic is about, or just listening. We missed you Ms-Clinton.I did vote against you,just to let you know.

Posted on Mon Jul 11, 2011

Eric in New Mexico writes:

@ John in Canada,

Many folks have tried succesfully to convince me how stuck they are in duality; livin' on the edge of their percieved coinage of existance goin' round and round till they fall off, ever trying to get a grip on the conversation they're having with themselves about the meaning of life; and forgetting their true nature is that of the stuff of stars.

And how does one realize their true self when they have become the rock they are sitting next to with quiet mind; listening to the universe and all it can teach them through the grinding dicipline and exaustive investigation of the duality of one's breathing.

Well my friend you have some reading material and a lesson plan, should you choose to undertake such a mission of enlightenment over the next 2 years.

Good luck with it and many happy returns. One thing I hope you don't have to experience is your very existance being dependant upon the kindness of strangers, but if you find yourself homeless due to the dire predictions you fixate in liniar mode upon, just grab a beggin' bowl and enlighten yourself.

For that is a thousands of years old tried and true method of achiving humility upon the road to enlightenment.

A Buddhist I be, but not to be all to anyone, for it simply suits me to have no attachment to the noise and confusion of those trying to tell me "it's all about the money" as you have.

I can't possibly give you what you don't already have to give of yourself to that process of discovery.

Words after all are the worst form of communication ever invented by man, and no words I may post here now or two years from now could adaquately articulate the depths of the waters the water bug of philosophy expoused in these thoughts is skimming across.

.."if you have no empathy or love for the many different paths and choices of all peoples and only your own – that’s selfishness no matter how much lipstick you put on it (or what faith or philosophy you dress it up in)."

I will agree with you on this, for in the archives you'll find under -"Conversations with America- reaching out to the Muslim community" ( a thread with over a hundred fifty comments on it regarding the nature of the duality wee live in) you'll find we define "terrorist" exactly the same way.

If you save a man's life, or a nation's, you have incurred a karmic obligation in that you become responsible for that man or nation's actions taken in the state of continued existance afforded through your empathy.

But only half so, for the other half of living well is his , or that nation's responsibility.

And that my friend, ain't about the money...

But of your own self worth, as the coinage of your existance, as well as your attachment to life.

Safe travels, and may you walk in peace,

EJ

Posted on Sat Jul 09, 2011

John in Canada writes:

@ Eric in New Mexico

If I was to ambiguous (nasty habit).let me make the simple point clear – empathy and love are subjective and different for everyone– if you have no empathy or love for the many different paths and choices of all peoples and only your own – that’s selfishness no matter how much lipstick you put on it (or what faith or philosophy you dress it up in).

If you have no sympathy, patience, love or empathy for others to choose their own direction. If you deprive others beliefs in favor of your own – that’s nothing but the same ignorance that has been played out time and time again and the results are always the same. Conflict.

Change the dates, times and places throughout time – it’s the same human dysfunction repeated, just a different shade of lipstick.

I don’t know what’s worse making the same mistakes over and over or the complete inability to recognize those mistakes.

Oh and for the record don’t let your own misconceptions of “it’s all about the money” lead you to a place of discontent (chuckle) – When I say it, I mean it in a much more complex way than you are clearly perceiving it.

Perception is certainly a funny thing – two people can be talking about the same thing and what separates them is the great gulf of perception.

Sometimes Eric the greatest complexities are in fact quite simple.

To aid in your understanding of this let me ask you to raise your right hand above your head – can you do it? Your clever no problem I bet.

Now if I wrote out in painstaking detail of the neurological synaptic happenings along with the intricate detail of all the muscles, ligaments, tendons, reflex and orientation of all that’s involved in that aforementioned simple action (with full on medical terminology)– would you be able to lift your right hand over your head? Not a chance. I bet you wouldn’t even know I was asking you to perform that simple action.

But even though such a simple action can be performed by most people (barring a disability and forgive my ignorance if you are disabled in this way, along with my apology) you don’t need to know the complexities to perform the simple action. Do you? Funny the word faith comes to mind.

They say the devil is in the details and so true it is. When the details prevent us from seeing or doing the obvious.

When we allow this happens, the details do nothing but divide and confuse us about what should be simple to see. That old story of Babylon comes to mind.

Your clever, develop a greater, deeper, more diverse understanding of love, empathy and you’ll be brilliant. Peace – and now I shall bow out.

Posted on Sat Jul 09, 2011

John in Canada writes:

@ Eric in New Mexico – It’s been fun – But if you think money flows like milk and honey – if you think aid organizations can ever have enough aid money to accomplish their goals do you believe in the Easter bunny?

If this post is running in 2 years time and if you’re still around on the post Eric- we will continue this conversation. I wager we are going to see an increase in poverty, an increase in debt, crippled economies, not near enough aid (of course we could just lower poverty by adjusting the poverty line down. Poverty could be eliminated with the stroke of the pen – but does this actually reduce poverty? - We could make welfare recipients do volunteer work and claim they are working and are no longer on welfare, pushing unemployment figures down- Is it still not welfare? – fuzzy logic, fuzzy math = failure in the real world)….

This is a big world and love and empathy may mean a lot to some, but it does not encompass the beliefs and needs of everyone despite what you think; unless you address the needs of all - -whatever chosen path will just plain fail. It’s just a matter of time.

I would suggest you start applying some “exponential” thinking to the problems we all face – you might just begin to understand what we are all up against globally and that time is not a luxury we have.

Linear thinking, how insulting - anything but (You must be talking about economics or a politician)…but when you must communicate something simply; it is best to keep it simple.

I could provide very clever arguments, Ideas and solutions, but why? It would just miss the point. Or is that the point to just keep on missing the point?

And Eric I Wish you all the best and I hope your logic and belief proves me wrong – but I won’t bet a single cent on it. When you know you know and while there is much I don’t know, what I do know I am certain of (otherwise I wouldn’t talk about it).

Best wishes to all of you in your journey of thought and Ideas or whatever you are doing here. See you in a couple of year’s time.

That might actually be interesting(chuckle)

Posted on Sat Jul 09, 2011

Palgye in South Korea writes:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/07/08/medicaid-more-just-numbers

how about, for job
and
co-work

Posted on Sat Jul 09, 2011

Perde writes:

wonderful... thank you wery much.

Posted on Sat Jul 09, 2011

Eric in New Mexico writes:

@ John in Canada,

Just a thought...do you ever wonder why anyone would fund a humanitarian aid org.?

Or why the money flows like milk and honey in a pretty consistant stream from private citizens of this country responding to the vast natural and man-made disasters globally?

When most of America is economicly challenged on an individual level, never mind our debt ceiling for the moment?

Well sir, all that money didn't just come from thin air or "crystal crap" or because the Treasury just decided to print it and give it away just for grins and giggles.

Money is worthless without intent and purpose as a tool. And only because of love of one's fellow human and the empathy to use the tools available to make that manifest did Haiti or Japan or the Tsunami victims of 2004, recieve a lot more aid than any one dreamed of.

I believe you are setting you sights a bit low when examining the human condition sir, and you are welcome to go out on the street and test my theories for yourself before passing judgement opon my thinking proccess.

Go on, buy a homeless fellow lunch this weekend, and then tell me if you got a return on your investment.

If you listen you might learn something from him about money's worth, and when it don't matter whether you have it or not.

Ain't no guarrantee of happiness in persuit of it..rest assured.

I take it you have 20 years worth of linear thinking to unlearn my friend.

Was that how long you were stuck inside Corporate cubical hell, brother?

Lookin' for the "golden parachute"?

Such suffering in ignorance you express to me.

Aye but I have enough empathy for the both of us, maybe some of what I got will rub off on you.

This could get real interesting, and enlighten all of us if you choose to accept this "mission impossible" I have offered you.

"This recording will self destruct in...(chuckles)".

EJ

Posted on Fri Jul 08, 2011

Eric in New Mexico writes:

@ John in Canada,

Mmmm, well my understanding of coinage is that it usually has three sides to it, and I could probably refer to a few old Buhddist texts and enlighten you for free on the methodology of grasping a bright pearl in a pile of dung according to "the record of Tung Shan" wriiten 'round 800-900 AD in China, and if there's a rabbit in anything I've reference to that lately that I might stuff into a presidential stove-pipe hat, for him to conduct magic wand act and pull said rabbit from hat, while debt disapears in a flash of diplomatic leverage and accounts recievable, payable and due immediately to us, it be because Orrin Hatch got my back up a bit when he implied that this "very poor" fellow you're havin' this here conversation with "has no skin in the game."

So I accepted his challenge pre-emptively a while back and came up with a plan to to erase the national debt, and solve a few international crisis, and prevent nuclear war as an intended consequence.

Lest anyone think I was joking, I've just posed a grand legal challenge to the Dept of State to put flesh on the bones of an idea and find good legal authority to carry out such accountable diplomacy with regards to China's long standing support for the rouge genocidal nuclear terrorist regime in North Korea.

"http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/entry/brownfield_leads_pakistan#Comments"

I was just having a chat with Palgye on this very subject.

Whether State thinks it is a crackpot idea or not I'm not one to complain, rather i hope they ask themselves if it is doable, and whether anyone in the house can solve all these problems with a more creative approach, or a has a better idea how to do so.

All I know is I've tried to give it my best shot, and flush the rabbit from cover.

EJ

Posted on Fri Jul 08, 2011

John in Canada writes:

@ Eric in New Mexico

Duality is much like you say the inability to recognize the singular.

Example you may recognize 1 side of a coin, perhaps even the other side but you would fail to recognize the coin.

A little closer to home -republican and democrats arguing over what to cut – the singular there is welfare. The sides of this coin – each political party.

Both sides are arguing about what amounts to welfare – not sure if they both sides see it that way, but that’s what it is in my view. After all no one likes welfare unless it’s their own.

Deal with the singular and the problem should be solved. (at least temporarily in this situation) Waste time arguing which side is the coin and, heck nothing will ever get solved. But then again it’s all about the money (laugh and no pun intended)

Sadly not everything can be viewed so simply (like a long term solution) – that would be too easy.

To be fare love, empathy is all good, noble and important but this alone will not fix our world.

Sorry meant to include this in the other post

Posted on Fri Jul 08, 2011

John in Canada writes:

@ Eric in New Mexico

Not sure how they do thing in New Mexico but It’s all about the money in the rest of the world……you’d be surprised how much empathy you can buy – for that matter look at how much the Dali lama charges for enlightenment

If America had 14 trillion kicking about President Obama might buy himself some peace (political anyway) but then again the people may love him if he pulled that rabbit out of his hat.

I don’t know but will the Chinese accept love in payment of the debts?

Love and empathy are nice notions but it won’t feed the hungry or pay down the debt.

How many people do you know that work and for payment accept love and empathy?

I wonder how many politicians would turn up for work if they were paid in love and empathy.

It’s all about the money and that’s the reality - no new age crystal crap (laugh)

Posted on Fri Jul 08, 2011

Lorna in South Africa writes:

Hi,

Please can you make this video downlaodable for those of us who live in places without great broadband and can't watch streaming videos?

thanks

Posted on Fri Jul 08, 2011

Tim in California writes:

How much is this going to cost?

What checks and balances will be put in place to prevent corruption of these ideas?

What are you doing to invite North Korea can China into these discussions?

Will the civic and social organizations, and other institutions involved, even if from the private sector, that are the interfaces of these policies be held to the same standards of accountability?

Tim

Posted on Thu Jul 07, 2011

Eric in New Mexico writes:

John in Canada,

RE; "Simply, it’s all about the money."; or is it all about the empathy, or the lack of it in the minds of talkin' monkeys?

The chicken and the egg thing again...

That "thin veneer of civilization" is all due to our ability to communicate love. And bring that forth to become manifest.

People do the strangest things for love, but neglect humanity bein' focused on individual needs and desires.

Wage war for love, wage peace for love, make love all night long on a wing and a prayer floating free in a lifeboat built for two on a sea of forgotten teardrops*; which is of course a product of sublime empathy with a significant other.

You want to cut to the chase my friend, the duality we fixate upon comes from a not knowing where the one is, and we're still trying to play that song, off kilter and out of time.

Barely worthy of our own species' potential,

'cause we be setting our sights way low on the horizon when it "ain't my problem".

There's a killer attitude for ya!

Folks generally get what they pay for too.

* thought inspired by a Jimi Hendrix lyric

'night all,

EJ

Posted on Thu Jul 07, 2011

John in Canada writes:

I have to be both honest and critical – you lost me 15 minutes in – great goals, some good ideas but it is really nothing new.

If I am an artist, I need tools to perform my art – in all due respect this project is focusing on the art, but lacks the tools to make the art happen – you will never produce the end goal without the tools first necessary to reach the objective.

In the end this project will see some changes, some benefit but the ultimate goal will never be realized. Fundamentally I agree with the goals, at the moment they are unachievable.

Why do we have poverty?
Why is there corruption?
Why can’t we manufacture?
Why are people dying of preventable illness?
Why the lack of general education?
What cripples government?
What cripples research?
What prevents proper environmental protection?
What fuels the drug trade?
Why are people hungry?
Why is Europe in so much trouble?
Why are American politicians fighting over the debt ceiling?
Why do markets applaud more debt to debt ridden countries?
Why do we have organized crime?
Why do countries have inadequate militaries?
Why do we have a welfare state?
Why do people hate the welfare state?

You can be real clever and over analyze all the above. You can be real clever and produce all sorts of responses or excuses – I get them I really do – having thought of the issues for over 20 years – I get it.

Simply, it’s all about the money. Everything and I mean everything stems from this. It is the source that holds us back and fuels the issues. Address the source of the problem and we all win.

Posted on Thu Jul 07, 2011

Shahin writes:

As the United States moves toward withdrawing its last 46000 troops from that country by the end of 2011, Iraq has become a black hole. It is the place Americans want to forget and the media hardly cover. No wonder. ...
TEHRAN – Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi has said Iran and Iraq can play a constructive role in regional and international arenas. Rahimi, in a meeting with Iraqi finance minister, Rafie al-Issawi, said “The two countries, ...[Maliki, a Shiite,,IRGC],...
Improvised rocket assisted munitions made in Tehran, favored by the Iranian trained Shia militias in Iraq, are placed on the back of flatbed trucks.

With best regard:
shahin

Posted on Thu Jul 07, 2011

Michael in Pennsylvania writes:

My thoughts are on Homeland Security and it's many divisions. I would like to hear your thoughts on if you believe that they are doing the necessary measures to help keep America safe.

Posted on Thu Jul 07, 2011

W.W. writes:

OpenGov: Are citizens voting for administrators or for leaders?

Posted on Thu Jul 07, 2011

W.W. writes:

Are Iranian citizen democrately free to vote for Nuclear power plant on their fatherland in a sort of referendum?
In Europe ?

pretty easy question to answer ...

If to you makes No and Yes ...

Posted on Thu Jul 07, 2011

W.W. writes:

How this American Foreign policy may effect positively American citizen economy and jobs?

Current American Foreign policy will just bring cost for internal american society or it will also bring business and economic growth?

in other words is the globe going to see Home Depot and interstates in Libya?

Thank You

Posted on Thu Jul 07, 2011