How Rock Stars Will Sing in their Old Age

http://tinyurl.com/yeme74z

“Tim Hawkins sings songs that famous Rock Stars will be singing in their old age.”  This is fun

Longing, Yearning

Longing, yearning, desiring for no longing, no yearning, no desiring. Just being.

Reviving the Dead

“I could revive the dead, but I have more difficulty reviving the living” (Rabbi Simcha Bunim and Menahem Mendl of Kotzk).

Fiercely Independent

I describe myself as fiercely independent. Leave conformity behind and seek creative solutions. The terms, “liberal,” “conservative,” and “moderate,” just don’t cut it for me. I think for myself as best I can, not according to some ideology or set of rules or party platform. Of course, I’m influenced by others and by their ideas, but I come to my own decisions. When anybody tells me how I should think. I generally rebel. Ultimately decisions need to be based on a list, but on one’s own judgment. I’m sure that there are some who would regard me as very liberal on some issues, but there are others for whom I’m too conservative. It’s all relative, but I make my own choices. And I’m not moderate either, since I’m pretty firm when it comes to certain positions (my wife, Dianne, got me to realize this; they just don’t conform to the boxes that others want to put me in.

Adam Smith was No Ideologue

http://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2010/04/smith-market-essay-sentiments
Amartya Sen reminds us that Adam Smith, the founding philosopher of modern capitalism, was not a market fundamentalist and did not believe in unfettered markets. He just believed in the market. He also believed that various human values other than self-interest–e.g. justice, humanity, generosity, spirit–were indispensable to a free, capitalist society.

Torah

Torah, which means “teaching” in Hebrew refers to (1) the first five books of the Bible, (2) the entire Bible; and (3) the whole of Jewish interpretive tradition, including the written Bible, the oral teachings, and various writings such as midrash Interpretations of biblical stories) and responsa (legal interpretations).

The Illusion of Certainty

We crave the illusion of certainty, but in reality even the smallest acts are a roll of the dice. Life itself is a calculated gamble. No outcome is guaranteed. Risk is an integral part of creation. Order and disorder coexist, as Torah describes right from the beginning of Genesis.

Rhythmic Vibrations

Rhythmic vibrations of Harmony bore Feeling. When grown, Feeling gave birth to Emotion and Thought.

A Buddhist View of the Environment and Evolution

http://www.shambhalasun.com/sunspace/?p=16105

“In his recent book, The World We Have: A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology (2008), the great Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh asserts that Buddhism, as a robust type of humanism, allows people to learn how to live on our planet not only responsibly, but with compassion and lovingkindness. …”

Meditation and Awareness

Meditation is awareness.  That’s all there is to it.

A Tiny Apartment Transforms into 24 Rooms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg9qnWg9kak&feature=player_embedded

“In Hong Kong, because of the space, apartments are small and expensive. Gary Chang, an architect, decided to design a 344 sq. ft. apartment to be able to change into 24 different designs, all by just sliding panels and walls. …”

The Imperfection of Love: A Eulogy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw0s4C0g5SM&feature=player_embedded

“‘Funeral’ is a new TV commerical launched by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) which looks at relationships in a different light, through a woman at her husband’s funeral. Ultimately, the TVC celebrates the beautiful imperfections that make a relationship perfect. …”

How to Build Neighborhoods

What if we built our neighborhoods around curves rather than straight lines?

Teaching Philosophy in the 2nd Grade

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/education/edlife/18philosophy-t.html

Teaching philosophy to children is a noble activity. Perhaps wisdom will come sooner and with fewer hardships

The New Temple

Sacrifice at the Temple no longer happens. Rather it takes place inside us when we redirect our destructive urges toward healing and hope.

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