Words reflect the inner state of the heart from which it come out. This is true during each one's lifetime and more so when life approaches its appointed conclusion.
"Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
"A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words, thou shalt be condemned." (Matthew 12:33-37)
Dying words often speak much and lay bare the soul's inner condition. Below is a video of famous atheists' last words.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
A Timely Reminder
What follows is an address by a young girl given at a UN Meeting on environmental issues. This is a timely reminder to all parents, teachers, leaders, and peoples of the world in general about one of the major challenges of the present time that will surely affect not only the world we live in but also all future generations.
Monday, August 9, 2010
The Wonders of Creation
One of the momentous questions of the ages is the question of the origin of existence, life, and the universe in general. There are three views vying for man's belief. There is the notion that matter and the universe are eternal. They didn't begin to exist, according to this view, but have always been in existence. But this is a belief that now cannot be maintained rationally in the light of modern scientific discoveries.
The Law of Conservation of Matter (technically known as the First Law of Thermodynamics) declares that the total amount of energy in the entire universe remains constant, neither increasing in quantity nor diminishing. Energy can change its forms and expressions, for example, from solid to liquid to gas, from inaction to action to reaction, from vitality to lethargy to inertia, in cycle and recycle, but the quantity remains the same always.
The universe, and everything in it, is also governed by the Law of Increasing Entropy (also known as the Second Law of Thermodynamics). This law states that though all energy stays quantitatively the same (as the first Law shows) yet everything (and everyone) is in the process of on-going deterioration and eventual expiration. Food becomes stale. Stars and celestial bodies wane and fizzle out. Plants, animals, and humans grow old and die.
As usable energy is, in the process, utilized in the production, maintenance, and expansion, usable energy in turn is converted to unusable energy which is lost beyond recovery. This means that the total available usable energy in the universe thins out as time winds down toward the present world's eventual demise.
The view that matter and the universe are eternal therefore is an impossibility, for the universe would have long been in demise by now if, as the Second Law expresses, it had been in the process of deterioration for so long.
The second alternative view of origin that states that everything came out of nothing, by chance, is likewise illogical and unacceptable. Reason tells us that nothing can come out of nothing. If your wallet is empty it would be loony to expect a hundred dollar bill to come out of it. There can be no egg without a mother hen laying it!
Robert Jastrow, a NASA astronomer, is right when he wrote: "Theologians generally are delighted with the proof that the universe had a beginning, but astronomers are curiously upset. It turns out that the scientist behaves the way the rest of us do when our beliefs are in conflict with the evidence." Even more revealing are Jastrow's following words: "For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries." (God and the Astronomers, pp.16, 116). The Holy Scripture had long been saying: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)
Click here for another excellent article about the Law of Thermodynamics.
The following is a documentary film that further explores the wonders of creation! Enjoy and God bless!
God of Wonders (Part 1 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 2 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 3 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 4 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 5 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 6 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 7 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 8 of 8)
The Law of Conservation of Matter (technically known as the First Law of Thermodynamics) declares that the total amount of energy in the entire universe remains constant, neither increasing in quantity nor diminishing. Energy can change its forms and expressions, for example, from solid to liquid to gas, from inaction to action to reaction, from vitality to lethargy to inertia, in cycle and recycle, but the quantity remains the same always.
The universe, and everything in it, is also governed by the Law of Increasing Entropy (also known as the Second Law of Thermodynamics). This law states that though all energy stays quantitatively the same (as the first Law shows) yet everything (and everyone) is in the process of on-going deterioration and eventual expiration. Food becomes stale. Stars and celestial bodies wane and fizzle out. Plants, animals, and humans grow old and die.
As usable energy is, in the process, utilized in the production, maintenance, and expansion, usable energy in turn is converted to unusable energy which is lost beyond recovery. This means that the total available usable energy in the universe thins out as time winds down toward the present world's eventual demise.
The view that matter and the universe are eternal therefore is an impossibility, for the universe would have long been in demise by now if, as the Second Law expresses, it had been in the process of deterioration for so long.
The second alternative view of origin that states that everything came out of nothing, by chance, is likewise illogical and unacceptable. Reason tells us that nothing can come out of nothing. If your wallet is empty it would be loony to expect a hundred dollar bill to come out of it. There can be no egg without a mother hen laying it!
Robert Jastrow, a NASA astronomer, is right when he wrote: "Theologians generally are delighted with the proof that the universe had a beginning, but astronomers are curiously upset. It turns out that the scientist behaves the way the rest of us do when our beliefs are in conflict with the evidence." Even more revealing are Jastrow's following words: "For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries." (God and the Astronomers, pp.16, 116). The Holy Scripture had long been saying: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)
Click here for another excellent article about the Law of Thermodynamics.
The following is a documentary film that further explores the wonders of creation! Enjoy and God bless!
God of Wonders (Part 1 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 2 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 3 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 4 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 5 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 6 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 7 of 8)
God of Wonders (Part 8 of 8)
Monday, July 26, 2010
Documentary Films
One of the great source of pleasures for people who has insatiable passion for learning and knowledge is the availability in modern times not only of enormous information resources in written form but also in various fascinating media that aim to educate, entertain and stimulate all at the same time!
The vast, and still growing, number of documentary films that aim to capture life in its variegated facets is one such wellspring that never cease to amuse, and sometimes even shock, while simultaneously seeking to illuminate the mind. The documentary film genre, strictly speaking, belong to the non-fiction category. Its main object is to be factual, historical and/or empirical as much as possible.
Fictitious inventiveness, which is the realm of imagination, is shunned away totally. While the genre allows reasonable measure of interpretation on the materials that it provides, yet it must clearly distinguish between opinions and facts in its presentation of data and information for it to maintain integrity and objectivity.
Documentary films may focus on subjects as varied as nature, people, personalities, places, animals, culture, ideas, religion, philosophy, psychology, behavior, scientific research, time, space, and numberless other things (animate and inanimate), as well as any combination of them.
What follows is an example of personality documentary focused on Adolf Hitler. Learn and Enjoy!
Hitler - Mein Kampf (full documentary) - Part 1
Hitler - Mein Kampf (full documentary) - Part 2
The vast, and still growing, number of documentary films that aim to capture life in its variegated facets is one such wellspring that never cease to amuse, and sometimes even shock, while simultaneously seeking to illuminate the mind. The documentary film genre, strictly speaking, belong to the non-fiction category. Its main object is to be factual, historical and/or empirical as much as possible.
Fictitious inventiveness, which is the realm of imagination, is shunned away totally. While the genre allows reasonable measure of interpretation on the materials that it provides, yet it must clearly distinguish between opinions and facts in its presentation of data and information for it to maintain integrity and objectivity.
Documentary films may focus on subjects as varied as nature, people, personalities, places, animals, culture, ideas, religion, philosophy, psychology, behavior, scientific research, time, space, and numberless other things (animate and inanimate), as well as any combination of them.
What follows is an example of personality documentary focused on Adolf Hitler. Learn and Enjoy!
Hitler - Mein Kampf (full documentary) - Part 1
Hitler - Mein Kampf (full documentary) - Part 2
Thursday, July 22, 2010
E-book Tools and Softwares
Below are basic e-book tools that are necessary for your digital collection and library. The first three - Winzip, Winrar, and Izarc - are all compression tools. E-books are often downloaded with a .rar, .zip, and other file zipping extension names. You may have been wondering how to open these files. Compression utilities such as the three below are what you need to open such files. There is no need to download all three tools but you should only choose the one that fits your need.
Adobe Reader and Foxit are very important tools for you to be able to open and read e-books with .pdf extension name. You also need to download the one that suits your need. Microsoft Reader, on the other hand, is used for opening e-books with .lit extension name.
Calibre is not just a reader, but a general e-book management software that can handle files in various formats. Happy reading!
http://www.winzip.com/index.htm
http://www.win-rar.com/
http://www.izarc.org/
http://get.adobe.com/reader/
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/
http://www.microsoft.com/READER/
http://calibre-ebook.com/
Adobe Reader and Foxit are very important tools for you to be able to open and read e-books with .pdf extension name. You also need to download the one that suits your need. Microsoft Reader, on the other hand, is used for opening e-books with .lit extension name.
Calibre is not just a reader, but a general e-book management software that can handle files in various formats. Happy reading!
http://www.winzip.com/index.htm
http://www.win-rar.com/
http://www.izarc.org/
http://get.adobe.com/reader/
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/
http://www.microsoft.com/READER/
http://calibre-ebook.com/
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Hubble Space Image #20
Source: Hubblesite.org
HUBBLE'S CAPTURED IMAGE OF THE DEATH OF A SUN-LIKE STAR. THE WHITE DOT IN THE CENTER IS THE BURNT-OUT STAR TERMED A 'WHITE DWARF.'
Job 26:6-14
"The unseen is naked before Him, and destruction has no covering. He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth upon nothing....
"The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His reproof. He divides the sea with His power, and by His understanding He smites through the proud.
Psalm 147:1-5
"Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely....
"He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds. He tells the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names.
Psalm 8
"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! who hast set Thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
"When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of Him? and the son of man, that Thou visits Him?
"For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have a dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passes through the paths of the seas.
"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!"
Isaiah 40:17-26
"All nations before Him are as nothing; and they are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity. To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto Him? The workman melts a graven image, and the goldsmith spreads it over with gold, and casts silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he has no oblation chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. Have ye not known? have ye not heard? has it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
"It is He that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; and stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in: that brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and He shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
"To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who has created these things, and brings out their host by number: He calls them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one fails."
Hubble Space Image #6
Source: Hubblesite.org
A BEAUTIFUL PINWHEEL OF HOT BLUE STARS CIRCLING AROUND THE YELLOW NUCLEUS OF HOAG'S OBJECT GALAXY
Hubble Space Image #5
Source: Hubblesite.org
A WHIRLPOOL OF INNUMERABLE STELLAR & PLANETARY SYSTEMS. GALAXY NGC 1512 IN VISIBLE LIGHT.
Hubble Space Image #4
Source: Hubblesite.org
'MYSTIC MOUNTAIN' CAUGHT BY HUBBLE'S EYE
This is a photo taken by Hubble Satellite Telescope on its 20th anniversary. It is an image of mountain of dust and gas growing in the Carina Nebula.
Psalm 19:1-6
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them has He set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof."
Hubble's Eye into the Sky : Satellite Images of Deep Space
The following images, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, were posted here for educational, aesthetic, and informational purposes only.
Copyright Information and Notice: While the following images are in the public domain, yet none of the following materials can be used for the purpose of stating, suggesting, or implying that NASA, or any of its personnel, is endorsing any activities, services, or products of any commercial organization or individual. Any such use with the intent to mislead or misinform is expressly prohibited. NASA and STScl must always be lawfully acknowledged as the source of these materials. Details of the copyright notice is accessible by clicking here.
Source: Hubblesite.org
A LIKELY IMAGE OF A BLACK HOLE WITH X-RAYS EMANATING FROM HEATED MATERIAL THAT FELL INTO IT
Copyright Information and Notice: While the following images are in the public domain, yet none of the following materials can be used for the purpose of stating, suggesting, or implying that NASA, or any of its personnel, is endorsing any activities, services, or products of any commercial organization or individual. Any such use with the intent to mislead or misinform is expressly prohibited. NASA and STScl must always be lawfully acknowledged as the source of these materials. Details of the copyright notice is accessible by clicking here.
Source: Hubblesite.org
A LIKELY IMAGE OF A BLACK HOLE WITH X-RAYS EMANATING FROM HEATED MATERIAL THAT FELL INTO IT
Monday, July 5, 2010
Old and New Masters of the Guitar
The classical (or Spanish) guitar was brought by the legendary master, Andres Segovia, to the limelight at the early 20th century. Having taught himself the arcane secrets of the the instrument through poring over the works of such old masters as Aguado, Sor, Tarrega, and others, as well as the application of painstaking self-discipline, devoted self-training, and tireless dedication, he was able deliver the guitar from the obscurity of the barber shop back to the concert stage!
What follows is a video sample of Andres Segovia playing Isaac Albeniz' Asturias, followed by solo video performances of Edgar Cruz, Wang Yameng, Roland Dyens, and great American virtuoso Christopher Parkening, representatives of a newer generation of guitar masters.
Andres Segovia Plays Isaac Albeniz' Asturias
Edgar Cruz plays Bohemian Rhapsody
Wang Yameng plays Brouwer's Sonata mov.3-La Tocata de Pasquini
Roland Dyens plays Dizzy Gillespie's A Night in Tunisia
Christopher Parkening plays J.S. Bach's Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
What follows is a video sample of Andres Segovia playing Isaac Albeniz' Asturias, followed by solo video performances of Edgar Cruz, Wang Yameng, Roland Dyens, and great American virtuoso Christopher Parkening, representatives of a newer generation of guitar masters.
Andres Segovia Plays Isaac Albeniz' Asturias
Edgar Cruz plays Bohemian Rhapsody
Wang Yameng plays Brouwer's Sonata mov.3-La Tocata de Pasquini
Roland Dyens plays Dizzy Gillespie's A Night in Tunisia
Christopher Parkening plays J.S. Bach's Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Candiru: A Horror of Nature
The great Amazon River is home to a plethora of frightful creatures. Among these is the Candiru, or toothpick fish, which is a parasitic freshwater catfish. Watch the following video from the BBC to have a glimpse of Candiru's nightmarish evil...
Friday, July 2, 2010
Speed Reading: Basic Tips
Speed reading is a skill that has to do with text reading (books, newspapers, and any other written works) using a method, either learned through formal training or informally by experience, that's aimed at decreasing the time needed to finish the object of reading while at the same time increasing comprehension and info retention.
Some of the simple, but often overlooked, rudiments of speed reading are:
1. Be sure to choose a suitable and comfortable place where you will do your reading. The place should be well- lighted and well-ventilated. Make sure that the light is coming from behind or is focused directly on what you are reading and not on your eyes.
2. Unless your immediate aim for reading is to induce sleeping, as in bedtime story reading, it is always advisable to stay away from bed when reading, and ideal to sit on a chair or even under a tree with your book.
3. Always sit properly, assuming a good comfortable posture, while reading, and avoid the extremes of body positions that could lull to sleep, or, on the other hand, could bring uneasiness that distract concentration.
4. While this is not strictly the rule, it is ideal under normal situation to choose a quiet place for your reading pleasure. But, as already hinted, this is not the protocol for all booklovers, for there are surely some valiant souls that are able to defy noises of any kind (in a subway, bus, street, workplace, etc.) and go on with their reading enjoyment undistracted! Wow!
5. Finally, be sure to take care of your eyes by always keeping an appropriate distance between your eyesight and your book (or kindle or other reading gadget). Not too far or too close for either of these will surely overexert and damage the eyes. A distance of 12 to 16 inches is a commendable suggestion for most normal eyesight, but a good rule of thumb is to always maintain the distance where no feeling of strain on your eyes is experienced while reading.
The above are the ABCs of good reading habits in general, and promote speed reading skills in particular. We could then, from these basics, go on to proceed to the intricacies and details of the various methods and improve our skill further.
Below is an instructional video that offers a rather new alternative method to speed reading. View, learn and enjoy!
You Can Learn Speed Reading in Under 60 Seconds! by Daniel Herzner
Some of the simple, but often overlooked, rudiments of speed reading are:
1. Be sure to choose a suitable and comfortable place where you will do your reading. The place should be well- lighted and well-ventilated. Make sure that the light is coming from behind or is focused directly on what you are reading and not on your eyes.
2. Unless your immediate aim for reading is to induce sleeping, as in bedtime story reading, it is always advisable to stay away from bed when reading, and ideal to sit on a chair or even under a tree with your book.
3. Always sit properly, assuming a good comfortable posture, while reading, and avoid the extremes of body positions that could lull to sleep, or, on the other hand, could bring uneasiness that distract concentration.
4. While this is not strictly the rule, it is ideal under normal situation to choose a quiet place for your reading pleasure. But, as already hinted, this is not the protocol for all booklovers, for there are surely some valiant souls that are able to defy noises of any kind (in a subway, bus, street, workplace, etc.) and go on with their reading enjoyment undistracted! Wow!
5. Finally, be sure to take care of your eyes by always keeping an appropriate distance between your eyesight and your book (or kindle or other reading gadget). Not too far or too close for either of these will surely overexert and damage the eyes. A distance of 12 to 16 inches is a commendable suggestion for most normal eyesight, but a good rule of thumb is to always maintain the distance where no feeling of strain on your eyes is experienced while reading.
The above are the ABCs of good reading habits in general, and promote speed reading skills in particular. We could then, from these basics, go on to proceed to the intricacies and details of the various methods and improve our skill further.
Below is an instructional video that offers a rather new alternative method to speed reading. View, learn and enjoy!
You Can Learn Speed Reading in Under 60 Seconds! by Daniel Herzner
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The Hubble Space Telescope
One of the greatest scientific accomplishments of the past 20th century is the placing of the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit in April 1990. The positioning of this marvel of space age technology outside the earth's atmosphere gave mankind a fresh and new view, not only of the celestial sphere, but also of the universe we all live in.
The Hubble Space Telescope, which is named in honor of the American astronomer Edwin Hubble, provides us with a perspective of the celestial sphere that was not possible before. Telescopes and observatories here on earth, in a way, had already given us an inkling and glimpses of the measureless vastness of the heavens through their eyepieces. But the clouds and the earth's atmosphere, in general, have always served as a sort of screen that perverted and obscured our visions through earth's telescopes.
What a shocking and humbling revelation indeed it became when the Hubble Space Telescope began sending its first sight of the stellar and galactic regions, free from the blurring effects of the earth's atmosphere. Colors, patterns, and displays beyond the capabilities of any of earth's artists' brushes and canvases to portray began to unfold their long hidden mysteries.
The Most Important Image Ever Taken (by the Hubble Space Telescope)
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Really Hot Online Libraries & Archives: Bookmark #3
Here is our third offering for all booklovers, students, and researchers. Below are topnotch places over the net that you could instantly access and browse for inexhaustible information on different subjects and topics.
- IPL2. This is actually two sites in one. This is the result of the alliance between the Internet Public Library (IPL) and the Librarians' Internet Index (LII). The site provides links to numerous resources such as online encyclopedias, almanacs, biographies, calculation & conversion tools, genealogy, census data & demographics, calendars, style & writing guides, and other useful tools.
- FORGOTTENBOOKS. A site where you can read books online on such topics as: philosophy, science, religion, sacred texts, including esoteric subjects such as - alchemy, freemasonry, occult, etc. Free download is allowed in low quality PDF, but membership is required for high quality PDF download.
- INTERNET CRIME ARCHIVES. This site hosts a huge collection of crime related true stories gathered from law enforcement reports as well as from news agencies. Included are archives on killer cults, mass murderers, cannibals, serial killers, and many more.
- THE NOBEL PRIZE INTERNET ARCHIVE. The Nobel Prizes were originated by the Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel in 1895. The prizes were requested by Nobel, in his last will, to be awarded to those who would be able to bestow "the greatest benefit on mankind", by their works in chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, literature, economic, and peace. The site provides information about all the winners in all categories.
- INTERNET POETRY ARCHIVE. A site that offers the poetic works of a number of contemporary writers for free (or for a little fee). Included in the archive are works of Nobel prize winners Seamus Heaney and Czeslaw Milosz.
- INTERNET ARCHIVE. One of the great sites that hold massive collections of digital materials that include texts, movies, music, audio recordings, etc.
- LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. This is the online counterpart of the research library of the United States Congress - the Library of Congress. It makes available a tremendous collections of study and research materials that are browseable in different categories that include: art & culture, religion & philosophy, world history & cultures, government, law & politics, etc.
- INTERNET SACRED TEXT ARCHIVE. Another great site that hosts stupendous collections of electronic texts that range from religious to mythological, legendary to occult, folkloric to esoteric, etc., etc.
- DOORWAY PAPERS. A site that hosts the complete works of Arthur C. Custance - an oriental scholar, research scientist, and evangelical Christian, par excellence. His writings combine scientific research and Biblical insight in the pursuit of truth. Examples of his great works include Journey Out of Time, The Seed of the Woman, The Sovereignty of Grace, among others. His writings are available for free online reading or download, as well as in hard copy for minimal costs.
- CONCORDANT PUBLISHING CONCERN. A site that competently presents the universalistic perspective of the Sacred Scriptures. The traditional dogma of 'eternal hell' is not only challenged but refuted (click here to view their complete discussion of the question).
- Don't just read. But read and THINK. "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." Enjoy and God bless!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Book Review #2: Secrets of a Buccaneer-Scholar
This is a ground breaking book. It is an attempt to present a complete system of self education outside of the traditional classroom situation. The author is not against formal education per se but he opposes the common belief that getting a formal education is the only way to succeed in life. He agrees that education is essential for self-development and success, but, as discovered and proven in his own experience, he believes that the non-formal route is not only a valid alternative, but for some people (with a 'buccaneer' spirit like him), is even a better and preferable option!
The author, James Marcus Bach, gives his readers a tour d'horizon of his adventurous journey of self education. He recounts some of his happy moments in formal schooling when, under one or two good teachers that understood non-dictatorial/non-repressive approach of mentoring, he enjoyed studies. He contrasts this with those gloomy moments when the flickering sparks of his enthusiasm for school were finally snuffed out by authoritarian teachers that instruct by intimidation, humiliation, forced conformity, dogmatism, and blind obedience.
Realizing that the traditional mode of schooling was no longer of help in his self-development, he chose to drop out of school at 16 years old. One of his teachers forecast that he would some day end up serving in a gasoline station. Yet overcoming all odds, armed with unquenchable passion for discovery and learning plus persistent diligence, he began to educate himself using all means at his disposal - books, the Internet, words from people around him, personal experience.
He discovered that it's possible for him to learn at his own pace, free from outside coercion and pressure, and pursue his real interest in the sea of knowledge. He set up his sail as a 'buccaneer-scholar' (a term that he coined to serve as a figure to describe himself and the resultant principles of self-education that he came to discover), and initiated an adventure of a lifetime!
At 20, contrary to the negative expectation of some of his former teachers, he became the youngest computer tech manager at Apple, proving that a college degree from a formal school is not the only ticket to success. He only has an eighth-grade diploma.
This book can be useful not only for school dropouts at any level (elementary/high school/college), as a source of inspiration and instruction, but also for parents of homeschooling children. It could also provide a stimulus to college grads (like me - hehehe), for it could show that learning doesn't end at graduation. It's not yet too late. They could also become 'buccaneer-scholars'. They could still recover their earlier youth curiosity. They could still be young again - young at heart that is, not in age - by recovering their passion for learning.
James Marcus Bach is now in his 40s. He now runs a quite successful consulting business and is often invited to give lectures in tech schools and universities. In his book Secrets of a Buccaneer-Scholar: How Self-Education and the Pursuit of Passion can Lead to a Lifetime of Success he shares the great secret principles that demonstrate that it's possible to have a real quality education apart from formal schooling. He also proves that success is not just for college grads, masters, and doctors. It could also become true to anyone whose passion for knowledge and self-fulfillment drive them to sail on perseveringly for the island treasures of their dream.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Feature Article: Eleven Tips for Overcoming Depression & Negative Emotions
A story was told that goes like this. A man looked through a window to view the scenery outside. He looked down and saw the lonely street that was muddied by the recent rising of the nearby river. He then went back to his bed with a feeling of heaviness of heart caused by what he had just caught a glimpse of.
Then came another man that looked also through the same window, but his eyes were focused upward to the clear night sky. There he beheld the stars sparkling like diamonds from afar. He then went back also to his own bed, feeling refreshed and happy as he anticipated the dawn of a new day.
Both men used the identical window to look outside, but why the great difference in the effects that gripped their hearts? Why there was despondency in the former case? While in the latter, on the other hand, there was a sense of encouragement?
It is obvious that the external circumstances of both men were the same. They lived in the same house, and had eaten the same evening meal on the same table. The difference between them was not on anything that could be found in their outside surroundings but in what was discovered in their opposite heart attitudes.
The above story illustrates the importance of guarding whatever is taking place in the deepest recesses of our thinking and attitudes. The key to understanding most of our problems is often found, not outside, but deep inside our minds and hearts.
THE BLAMING RUT
It is very easy to fall into the trap of negativistic attitudes when one encounters setbacks and failures. These attitudes could include blaming the people around you, your external circumstances, and your lack of many things.
One man may blame his parents and siblings for his failures. Another may pass the blame to his wife (or her husband) and children. Others may add their lack of money or education in the blame inventory. Others still may lay the blame on their so-called shortness of luck and misfortune. The list could go on and on to also include things as varied as the recent typhoon, the neighbor’s loud stereo, the household cat, the fire hydrant across the street, or anything under the sun that captures one’s ego and bad temper.
But blaming others for one’s failures doesn’t solve any problem. It usually works the other way around, in fact, and turns matter from bad to worst. It often creates friction in relationships and raises invisible walls of wounded feelings that separate families and friends. No one enjoys being lashed with blames whether warranted or not. Blaming often closes communication and is destructive in its intrinsic tendency. Below are basic and practical guidelines for handling your feelings to bring them to harmonious equilibrium.
ELEVEN TIPS FOR OVERCOMING NEGATIVITY IN YOUR LIFE
- Realize that as a human being you are not just your feelings and sentiments. You also have a mind (or reason) that should work hand in hand with your feelings. Finding the right balance between them will go a long way for discovering that peaceful and satisfying life that you long for.
- You must not allow your emotions, positive or negative, to have total control over your life at any moment. It is not accidental that our brain has been created and placed higher than the heart. This is a natural and essential hint of the fact that the brain (representing our mind) should govern the heart (representing our emotion) in our daily walk, and not the other way around.
- This is not to imply that your emotional faculty is per se bad in any way. No. But emotion, like a car without brakes, could bring you to disaster if allowed to run out of control. Cars are useful when they are used within proper speed limits and with fully functional brakes. They serve as vehicles to bring you to places that you want to visit. But we all know how disastrous a car could be that runs at breakneck speed with malfunctioning breaks. The same could also be said of emotions that run amuck!
- Emotion must always be regulated by reason. Positive emotions – such as happiness, feeling of ease, calmness, euphoria, etc. – are good and pleasant emotions. Be thankful when you are sailing in life in their company. Enjoy them with gusto whenever they are present. But a word of warning: DON’T DEPEND ON YOUR EMOTIONS, YES, INCLUDING YOUR POSITIVE EMOTIONS, MAKING THEM THE BASIS OF YOUR LIFE. Why? Because emotion is the most unpredictable of all things! It changes every moment!
A good, positive emotion that you feel now could change at any moment. You may hear a news report that could shoot your emotional high and bring you down unexpectedly. You may receive a telephone call from someone that could make you feeling dreadful the rest of the day. You cannot therefore build your life on the basis of emotion which is like shifting sands!
- Realize that your emotion could become your nastiest enemy if it is not governed by reason. Any action taken solely from a negative emotional drive, apart from the light of reason, could bring havoc to your life. Anger could lead to murder if allowed to have its way unchecked. Envy and covetousness could lead to gross immoral behavior and shame. Despondency could lead to depression and suicide. Beware therefore that you don’t allow emotions – particularly, negative emotions – to have absolute sway over your life.
- Realize that those bad feelings won’t stay forever. Yes, they won’t if you let your mind (or your reason) take control over them. There is no need to feel guilty or to blame yourself because of those bad feelings. Do you feel guilty, or do you blame yourself, because of the birds that pass over your head when you are strolling outdoors? No, of course. You should only blame yourself if you allow any of them to alight on your head and build its nest on it! The same could be said of bad emotions. Just allow those emotions to pass over when they come, but please, don’t allow them to nest in your heart and turn your life into a haystack!
- Be humble and ready to always admit your mistakes to yourself. Realize that you are a human being in the making! Recognize the fact that there is always enough space for self-improvement if you’re only willing to take responsibility for your life and actions. No, it’s not true that everything is too late for you or for anyone else for that matter. It’s how you view life and yourself and everything that makes your life a heaven or a hell! Be on guard of your inner attitudes, for they determine not only your mood swings but also the course of your life in many unexpected ways.
- Keep your communication channels open to your loved ones and friends and the world around you. Remember that you are not a lone planet in a starless sky. Yes, that must be so even if you are feeling the entire weight of your problems is pressing hard on you. Doors will open for you if you, in meekness, will but knock. The one that searches finds. The one that doesn’t quit in the long run wins!
- Be willing to accept change (or adjustments) whenever necessary. There is nothing bad in committing mistakes as long as you assume your responsibility for them, and you’re always willing to correct them when they’re brought to your attention. It’s when you begin to childishly imagine that you’re not responsible for your thinking and actions that often complicate matters. Such escapism closes the door to change and self-improvement, leaving you in the quagmire of despondency.
- It is very important that you feed your mind with healthful stuffs. There is a saying that you are what you eat. Another form of the same saying goes, “You are composed of what you put into your stomach.” Well if that’s true in the physical sense, much more it is so mentally and spiritually. You are what you think and feel. Therefore, focus your mind on things that are true, lovely, honest, just, and pure. Put away from your mind all lies, hatred, envy, bitterness, and all kinds of negativity. Since it is the mind that should regulate all your emotions as well as your body’s actions, it is necessary that you cultivate the habit of reading good books (or e-books). Books that inspire hope, love, and faith are always useful and helpful. Autobiographical and biographical literatures are also good, because you learn, not only from your own mistakes and failures but also from others’ as well. Remember that no man is an island. There is a real sense that everybody – both friends and enemies included – in one way or another – is your teacher. That is, you could always learn something from others' life experience to improve your own life. Only be humble and always keep an open mind. Be willing to learn from Life itself which is your best teacher!
- Last but not least is the supreme importance of a personal relationship with God. Please take note that I didn’t say the importance of religion or of church affiliation. What I said is the supreme importance of a personal relationship with God. Now God our Creator is spirit as to His essential nature. A personal relationship with God, Who is spirit, cannot be effected through physical means, such as by becoming a member of a religious sect or organization, or by undergoing a ritual, or any such things. There is only one way of entering into an intimate relationship with God, and that is through faith in His Son – the Lord Jesus Christ – Who died for your sins at Calvary’s cross, was buried, and was raised from the dead on the third day. Living and walking by faith in Christ is the greatest spiritual adventure that awaits you and that can make your life really joyful and meaningful. May God bless you.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Hollow Earth, or Does Mother Earth Have Holes on the Poles?
Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd - a recipient of the highest honor (the Medal of Honor) awarded by United States for heroic deeds - was known as a pioneer in American aviation and polar exploration. He was the man who reported in enigmatic words, which had since become an object of controversy, what he saw beyond the North Pole after his historic flight to it. The year his polar explorations began was 1926. Part of his cryptic report, after his claimed flight to the North Pole, was as follows:
"That enchanted Continent in the sky, land of everlasting mystery!"
"I'd like to see that land beyond the (North) Pole. That area beyond the Pole is the Center of the Great Unknown:"
Admirers of the admiral think that these words of Byrd can't possibly be understood if one continue to assume the old earth model that theoretically asserts that the earth is a spherical solid with a hellishly hot center.
Dr. R.W. Bernard summarized this quite pointedly in this manner: "(Byrd) would have no reason to use such a term as 'Land of Everlasting Mystery'. Byrd was not a poet, and what he described was what he observed from his plane. During his Arctic flight of 1,700 miles beyond the North Pole he reported by radio that he saw below him, not ice and snow, but land areas consisting of mountains, forests, green vegetation, lakes and rivers, and in the underbrush saw a strange animal resembling the mammoth found frozen in Arctic ice. Evidently he had entered a warmer region than the icebound Territory that extends from the Pole to Siberia. If Byrd had this region in mind he would have no reason to call it 'the Great Unknown', since it could be reached by flying across the Pole to other side of the Arctic Region."
Not everyone though was convinced that Admiral Byrd was able to reach the North Pole as had been claimed. Among the admiral's detractors was Dennis Rawlins who found discrepancies between Byrd's report to the Secretary of the Navy and his 1926 diary. These inconsistencies, to Rawlins' mind, put to question the entire claim that Byrd did reach the North Pole in 1926. Click here to view further details of Rawlins' points.
The controversies over the question whether we have a solid earth or a hollow earth continue on to the present day. The following videos represent some of those who hold to the belief that we indeed, in their view, live on a hollow earth.
Inhabitants of the Hollow Earth - Part 1
Inhabitants of the Hollow Earth - Part 2
Inhabitants of the Hollow Earth - Part 3
Inhabitants of the Hollow Earth - Part 4
Inhabitants of the Hollow Earth - Part 5
Below are a few more suggested books:
Monday, May 31, 2010
The Negro a Beast or In the Image of God: Book Review #1
This book, which was published at the inception of the previous century, by Charles Carroll fueled spurts of long-heated debates and controversies from different echelons of society - both religious and non-religious - since its coming from the press. The main thesis propounded in the book is that the negro is not part of the human race. The author mustered up all of his intellectual powers to convince his readers that the negro is a beast race far lower in intelligence and qualities than the white man, who alone, according to the theory propounded, constitute the human race created in God's image.
The author also believed that all the other colored peoples - such as brown and yellow - were a result of the amalgamation of the whites with the blacks. He also held that the negroes and their offsprings are soulless, and are not objects of God's redemptive and saving purpose, which the author thought, was designed only for the white people.
He tried to buttress his views by citing Bible verses, science authors, and historical data, interpreting them in accord with his racist belief system.
This view is still currently held by different religious and political groups with variations in the presentation of details. You could read this book online in PDF format by clicking here, or buy a hard copy from Amazon using the link below.
Don't forget to also consult and examine the book entitled "NEGRO IS A MAN: A REPLY TO PROF. CARROLL'S BOOK" by W.S. Armistead. Fay Botham, in a review of this book, wrote: "In 1903, the Reverend W.S. Armistead authored The Negro is a Man, an outraged reply to Charles Carroll's 1900 pamphlet, The Negro is a Beast...Armistead, a Baptist, deemed Carroll's rants as 'Bible perversions.' Against Carroll's claims, Armistead asserted, among other things, that Adam and Eve were not white, but red, which thus made the lineage of Christ himself red or perhaps even mixed. Adamantly disputing Carroll's allegations that black people were nonhuman brutes, Armistead argued throughout the 542-page book that there was no such thing as amalgamation as Carroll defined it - that is, as the 'carnal association of human beings and beasts' - for the fact that no offspring resulted from such unions proved that no amalgamation had occurred."
A study of this book will provide a balance and counter-arguments for the objective weighing of the evidences as given by both sides - pros and cons. We have not yet found a site link where Armistead's book could be read online. We surely welcome any suggestion if anyone of you out there know one, and we'll put it here for the benefit of everyone. Thank you.
THE COMPANION BIBLE, Dr. E.W. Bullinger, D.D., Editor.
We have a large personal collection of 'Study Bibles' but no one of them still compare with this great, helpful, information-packed 'Reference Bible' of Dr. Bullinger. It uses the old King James Version of the Bible as its basic text, but provides massive side notes (half of each page most of the times) from the best researches on the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek Scriptures.
Themes and topics that cannot be dealt with in the side notes were cross referenced with its 198 back appendices that provide greater details from all useful perspectives such as - cultural, chronological, lexical, grammatical, mathematical, etc., etc.
One of its great features, unique to this 'Reference Bible,' not found anywhere else, is its discovery and presentation of the structures of the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. This is not just the ordinary, man-invented study outlines that we commonly find in other 'Study Bibles' but actual, built-in structures (or marvelous, literary, skeletal patterns), not man-devised but discovered, unique to the Scripture itself, and one of the proofs of its supernatural, divine inspiration.
Dr. Bullinger, with the assistance of a group of other scholars (most of them his own former students), wrote the notes of this Bible in his late years. This is the reason why some keen and mature students of the Scriptures notice that parts of the Bible structures and notes could still be improved in certain areas (Dr. Bullinger died while working on the structures of John chapter 10; and the rest, from John chapter 11, were works of his associates). Having said that, we give our most wholehearted recommendation of this great work on the Scriptures.
You will surely find the help you need from the Companion Bible, especially when examining crucial points and questions of doctrines such as the one reviewed above (Carroll's book versus Armistead's), because you could examine what the Scriptures themselves say (not just in the English version), but in the original Hebrew and Greek as referenced in the CB notes.
This is just Book Review #1. We're just beginning. We'll write of other powerful tools in our future reviews, such as, the use of Concordances, Lexicons, etc., etc. So keep visiting for more useful tips.
We now give a link that will allow you to read and use the COMPANION BIBLE online! Click here to view the complete CB Bible texts and side notes. Click also here to view the complete CB appendices online.
If you enjoy and like the Companion Bible, why not buy a hardbound copy of it that you can take with you anywhere for your continuous spiritual benefit. The link below to Amazon is a safe and convenient way to order your hardbound CB.
The author also believed that all the other colored peoples - such as brown and yellow - were a result of the amalgamation of the whites with the blacks. He also held that the negroes and their offsprings are soulless, and are not objects of God's redemptive and saving purpose, which the author thought, was designed only for the white people.
He tried to buttress his views by citing Bible verses, science authors, and historical data, interpreting them in accord with his racist belief system.
This view is still currently held by different religious and political groups with variations in the presentation of details. You could read this book online in PDF format by clicking here, or buy a hard copy from Amazon using the link below.
Don't forget to also consult and examine the book entitled "NEGRO IS A MAN: A REPLY TO PROF. CARROLL'S BOOK" by W.S. Armistead. Fay Botham, in a review of this book, wrote: "In 1903, the Reverend W.S. Armistead authored The Negro is a Man, an outraged reply to Charles Carroll's 1900 pamphlet, The Negro is a Beast...Armistead, a Baptist, deemed Carroll's rants as 'Bible perversions.' Against Carroll's claims, Armistead asserted, among other things, that Adam and Eve were not white, but red, which thus made the lineage of Christ himself red or perhaps even mixed. Adamantly disputing Carroll's allegations that black people were nonhuman brutes, Armistead argued throughout the 542-page book that there was no such thing as amalgamation as Carroll defined it - that is, as the 'carnal association of human beings and beasts' - for the fact that no offspring resulted from such unions proved that no amalgamation had occurred."
A study of this book will provide a balance and counter-arguments for the objective weighing of the evidences as given by both sides - pros and cons. We have not yet found a site link where Armistead's book could be read online. We surely welcome any suggestion if anyone of you out there know one, and we'll put it here for the benefit of everyone. Thank you.
THE COMPANION BIBLE, Dr. E.W. Bullinger, D.D., Editor.
We have a large personal collection of 'Study Bibles' but no one of them still compare with this great, helpful, information-packed 'Reference Bible' of Dr. Bullinger. It uses the old King James Version of the Bible as its basic text, but provides massive side notes (half of each page most of the times) from the best researches on the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek Scriptures.
Themes and topics that cannot be dealt with in the side notes were cross referenced with its 198 back appendices that provide greater details from all useful perspectives such as - cultural, chronological, lexical, grammatical, mathematical, etc., etc.
One of its great features, unique to this 'Reference Bible,' not found anywhere else, is its discovery and presentation of the structures of the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. This is not just the ordinary, man-invented study outlines that we commonly find in other 'Study Bibles' but actual, built-in structures (or marvelous, literary, skeletal patterns), not man-devised but discovered, unique to the Scripture itself, and one of the proofs of its supernatural, divine inspiration.
Dr. Bullinger, with the assistance of a group of other scholars (most of them his own former students), wrote the notes of this Bible in his late years. This is the reason why some keen and mature students of the Scriptures notice that parts of the Bible structures and notes could still be improved in certain areas (Dr. Bullinger died while working on the structures of John chapter 10; and the rest, from John chapter 11, were works of his associates). Having said that, we give our most wholehearted recommendation of this great work on the Scriptures.
You will surely find the help you need from the Companion Bible, especially when examining crucial points and questions of doctrines such as the one reviewed above (Carroll's book versus Armistead's), because you could examine what the Scriptures themselves say (not just in the English version), but in the original Hebrew and Greek as referenced in the CB notes.
This is just Book Review #1. We're just beginning. We'll write of other powerful tools in our future reviews, such as, the use of Concordances, Lexicons, etc., etc. So keep visiting for more useful tips.
We now give a link that will allow you to read and use the COMPANION BIBLE online! Click here to view the complete CB Bible texts and side notes. Click also here to view the complete CB appendices online.
If you enjoy and like the Companion Bible, why not buy a hardbound copy of it that you can take with you anywhere for your continuous spiritual benefit. The link below to Amazon is a safe and convenient way to order your hardbound CB.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
