[FairfieldLife] Selling Out Women's Civil Rights
There is no health care bill worth supporting that sells out women's rights. That it's happening under Pres. Obama doesn't surprise me, because I never expected him to champion our civil rights, but that Speaker Pelosi and Democrats in the House, but next, in the Senate, may likely go along is a bridge too far for me. It's one reason I refused to get exercised about health care in the first place. I always believed it would come down to this, especially after Obama put Hyde in the budget, then the stimulus action, but also because Obama didn't lift a finger to get health care passed by the August recess, which not even a dying Ted Kennedy could inspire. A man who had worked decades to see this dream manifest, just as he'd helped candidate Obama, deeming he was the man on which we could pin all of our future hopes. http://www.taylormarsh.com/2009/11/07/selling-out-womens-civil-rights/
[FairfieldLife] House Democrats pass healthcare reform for men
Maybe someday, in the far distant future, there will be healthcare reform for women, too. But I realize that's a fantastic dream, more science fiction than anything that could really happen in our lifetimes. Personally, I'm just grateful that we have Democrats in power. I'm so glad that American women voted in a Democratic president and overwhelming Democratic majorities in Congress last year. True, most women voted that way because they thought the Democrats were on the side of women's issues, but fortunately, they were wrong. The Democrats clearly have a more historic, a more how shall I say? masculine vision for America. First, they made sure that women's medical needs would not be considered part of basic healthcare. Then, today, they added in an extra special amendment to make extra-double-plus sure that abortion wouldn't be covered. Even by private plans! That's right: any insurance plan that participates in any way in the new exchange, or receives any federal subsidies, or is paid for with any tax credits, will not be allowed to offer abortion coverage. Gosh, it's almost like making abortion illegal. Thank god for our brave Democratic leaders. I'm so grateful and happy I think my head is about to explode. http://snipurl.com/t4vbf http://www.reclusiveleftist.com/2009/11/07/house-democrats-pass-healthcare-reform-for-men/
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ShempMcGurk shempmcg...@... wrote: Big deal. Even if, as a result of the research study, it comes out as a positive thing to do TM, who trusts the TMO anymore? Heck, I'm a 36 year regular meditator and even I don't trust their research... You don't trust Columbia University Medical Center either ? You seem to need a checking ! --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, nablusoss1008 no_reply@ wrote: NIH grants $1 million to study whether Transcendental Meditation can prevent future heart attacks in CHD patients /news/20091107/NIH-grants-241-million-to-study-whether-Transcendental-M\ editation-can-prevent-future-heart-attacks-in-CHD-patients.aspx 7. november 2009 00:01NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute provides $1 million for new study at Columbia University Medical Center The National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute will fund a $1 million collaborative study by the Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management Research Institute and Columbia University Medical Center to determine whether the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation technique can help patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) prevent future heart attacks /health/What-is-a-Heart-Attack.aspx , strokes and death. The 12-week Randomized Controlled Trial of Stress Reduction in the Secondary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in African Americans, will be conducted at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. The trial will examine 56 patients who have had a heart attack /health/What-is-a-Heart-Attack.aspx or bypass surgery, angioplasty, or chronic angina. For decades, stress has been implicated in the cause and progression of heart disease, said Robert Schneider, M.D., F.A.C.C., lead author and director of the NIH-funded Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention. And while standard cardiac rehabilitation usually includes supervised exercise and lifestyle education, it does not usually include a formal stress reduction program. Now, for the first time, this study will evaluate whether adding stress reduction through the Transcendental Meditation technique to conventional cardiac rehabilitation will aid in the treatment of serious CHD compared to conventional cardiac rehabilitation alone, Dr. Schneider said. Patients will be carefully evaluated before and after the study for changes in their coronary artery disease with the most advanced noninvasive methods for measuring cardiac function-PET or positron emission tomography. According to Sabahat Bokhari, MD, Director of Nuclear Cardiology at Columbia University Medical Center and study co-director, PET is an innovative imaging technology that allows us to visually and non-invasively study blood flow to the heart. With this state-of-the-art technology, doctors can now measure the blood flow to the heart and thus quantify the full impact of stress reduction on CHD. The NIH funding allocation is part of the Obama Administration's American Reinvestment and Recovery Act-or economic stimulus bill. Competition for the funding was fierce with more than 20,000 applications for the Challenge Grants category and only 840 awarded. In the current climate of health care reform, the purpose of this grant is to find more effective treatments for heart disease and thereby find more effective ways to reduce health care costs, Dr. Schneider said. The NHLBI's Recovery Act funds will make it possible to evaluate Transcendental Meditation as a promising tool in helping to prevent heart attacks /health/What-is-a-Heart-Attack.aspx , strokes, and death related to coronary events. This is worthwhile research since we know that strong emotional stress can lead to conditions such as arrhythmia and hypertension, said NHLBI Director Elizabeth Nabel, M.D. Results from several earlier trials on the Transcendental Meditation program found reductions in risk factors for heart disease, such as hypertension, psychological stress, insulin resistance, and build-up of atherosclerosis in the arteries, with indications of reduced mortality from heart disease. This newly funded study will directly evaluate coronary artery disease and continue to examine the potential of meditation for improvements in cardiovascular health. * Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the United States * There are nearly 1.5 million heart attacks /health/What-is-a-Heart-Attack.aspx per year in the US, according the American Heart Association * An American will suffer a heart attack /health/What-is-a-Heart-Attack.aspx every 34 seconds * Coronary heart disease is also the leading cause of soaring health care costs; more than $475 billion spent annually on treating CHD, including
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jst...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@ wrote: snip Schneider has a history of TM research quackery. No, he doesn't. Vaj is lying. Fulltime and as usual.
[FairfieldLife] The Infamous Stupid Stupak Amendment
By now you've probably heard that one of the most egregious attacks on women's health was perpetrated last night. The infamous Stupid Stupak amendment passed with the help of a reported 63 Democrats. This amendment extends the exclusions of the Hyde amendment restrictions on women's reproductive needs to any health plan that receives federal subsidies, credits, or has any other financial connection to federal tax dollars. This will mean virtually every healthcare plan available now, reaching it's offensive tentacles of deprivation further than ever. Women who currently have this coverage will have it terminated because of the new law. Once passage of that heinous amendment was achieved, the full bill was assured and the House is celebrating it's Historic accomplishment. Here is the roll call vote tally and President Obama is confident we'll get more of the same from the Senate. Whatdya expect after that rousing pep rally? But, not to worry. We wimmens will be able to get some good old fashioned faith healing prayers once the Senate gets through with their version. And for the record, Sarah Palin can kiss my backside too. As our illustrious commenter RalphB observed: They made history. This is probably the first time a legislature has thrown more than half the population of their country under the bus all at once. And the ever brilliant Wonk the Vote opined: Women are openly being treated like second-class, subhuman citizens in this healthcare overhaul effort, http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com/2009/11/08/sunday-morning-blues-stale-bread-and-sour-news/
[FairfieldLife] A context-free post
Relevant to FFL or FFLers only if you believe it is... [http://bloodandmud.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/09/aussie_w\ hine_07_2.jpg] http://bloodandmud.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/09/aussie_wh\ ine_07_2.jpg http://bloodandmud.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/09/aussie_w\ hine_07_2.jpg
[FairfieldLife] Stupak Amendment Passes; 64 Dems Ask for Primary Opponents
Jane Hamsher's progressives at Firedoglake are really pissed about the Stupak Amendment. I hope they follow through with their activism and put a lot of energy into finding candidates to run against every single stinking Democrat who voted for this fucking amendment. How dare they trade a woman's reproductive rights away? The Democrats have no idea what they have unleashed. We have seen many attempts to weaken Roe v Wade. Stupak's amendment set us back to square one. Women fought for their right to choose and won. We will fight again. Stupak's head will be among the first to roll. RD It's a fundamental part of our belief system in the Democratic Party, that women have a right to privacy in their reproductive health care decisions. We've fought long and hard to protect this right. And now we've seen decades of work to protect this fundamental human right dashed by our own Democratic representatives. Many of you are going to say you're walking away. And many more are going to rant and rave and carry on for a while. This is when it's time to gather resources and plan more carefully for the next phase in what is a lifelong effort. Democracy isn't easy, after all. And she's not cheap. We're going to have to continue to fight, but we're going to have to become even more effective. What say you? UPDATE: A list of the Yea votes follows after the jump. Read the hall of shame. Altmire Baca Barrow Berry Bishop (GA) Boccieri Boren Bright Cardoza Carney Chandler Childers Cooper Costa Costello Cuellar Dahlkemper Davis (AL) Davis (TN) Donnelly (IN) Doyle Driehaus Ellsworth Etheridge Gordon (TN) Griffith Hill Holden Kanjorski Kaptur Kildee Langevin Lipinski Lynch Marshall Matheson McIntyre Melancon Michaud Mollohan Murtha Neal (MA) Oberstar Obey Ortiz Perriello Peterson Pomeroy Rahall Reyes Rodriguez Ross Ryan (OH) Salazar Shuler Skelton Snyder Space Spratt Stupak Tanner Taylor Teague Wilson (OH) http://firedoglake.com/2009/11/07/stupak-amendment-passes-64-dems-ask-for-primary-opponents/
[FairfieldLife] The pitfalls of feeling you have to defend yourself
Today's Doonesbury is about Facebook, but I suspect that it describes some obsessives on FFL as well: http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html?uc_full_date=20091108
[FairfieldLife] Re: The pitfalls of feeling you have to defend yourself
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB no_re...@... wrote: Today's Doonesbury is about Facebook, but I suspect that it describes some obsessives on FFL as well: http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html?uc_full_date=20091108 Excellent!
[FairfieldLife] Re: Stupak Amendment Passes; 64 Dems Ask for Primary Opponents
Chris Bowers looking for a pony http://www.openleft.com/diary/15913/health-care-debate-and-vote-open-th\ read - Stupak amendment passes easily: Well over 60 Democrats supporting the Stupak amendment. Once it got over 45, it became a freebie and lots of people piled on. Anyone who votes against the overall bill, but voted in favor of this amendment, should be primaried. And defeating them with a pro-choice, pro-health care candidate should be doable, in any district in the country. The amendment can still be stripped in conference committee. Supposedly, President Obama promised Henry Waxman that he would personally work to do just that. We'll see... http://www.openleft.com/diary/15913/health-care-debate-and-vote-open-thr\ ead --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, raunchydog raunchy...@... wrote: Jane Hamsher's progressives at Firedoglake are really pissed about the Stupak Amendment. I hope they follow through with their activism and put a lot of energy into finding candidates to run against every single stinking Democrat who voted for this fucking amendment. How dare they trade a woman's reproductive rights away? The Democrats have no idea what they have unleashed. We have seen many attempts to weaken Roe v Wade. Stupak's amendment set us back to square one. Women fought for their right to choose and won. We will fight again. Stupak's head will be among the first to roll. RD It's a fundamental part of our belief system in the Democratic Party, that women have a right to privacy in their reproductive health care decisions. We've fought long and hard to protect this right. And now we've seen decades of work to protect this fundamental human right dashed by our own Democratic representatives. Many of you are going to say you're walking away. And many more are going to rant and rave and carry on for a while. This is when it's time to gather resources and plan more carefully for the next phase in what is a lifelong effort. Democracy isn't easy, after all. And she's not cheap. We're going to have to continue to fight, but we're going to have to become even more effective. What say you? UPDATE: A list of the Yea votes follows after the jump. Read the hall of shame. Altmire Baca Barrow Berry Bishop (GA) Boccieri Boren Bright Cardoza Carney Chandler Childers Cooper Costa Costello Cuellar Dahlkemper Davis (AL) Davis (TN) Donnelly (IN) Doyle Driehaus Ellsworth Etheridge Gordon (TN) Griffith Hill Holden Kanjorski Kaptur Kildee Langevin Lipinski Lynch Marshall Matheson McIntyre Melancon Michaud Mollohan Murtha Neal (MA) Oberstar Obey Ortiz Perriello Peterson Pomeroy Rahall Reyes Rodriguez Ross Ryan (OH) Salazar Shuler Skelton Snyder Space Spratt Stupak Tanner Taylor Teague Wilson (OH) http://firedoglake.com/2009/11/07/stupak-amendment-passes-64-dems-ask-fo\ r-primary-opponents/
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
On Nov 7, 2009, at 9:34 PM, ShempMcGurk wrote: Fortunately no serious person on the planet puts your opinion over published scientific research. Why should they? I'm not a scientist. One reason they'd have for taking you seriously is because you're both a TM teacher and an MIU grad, and therefore you're the most likely to be biased and to stand behind their research, like a True Believer would. So when you produce a clearly dissenting opinion, it tends to make one raise their eyebrows. Why would someone so invested in an org and a product go against them? One's forced to consider that because of your insight and closeness, you may know what you're talking about and just be a person not afraid to be honest about their opinion.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
On Nov 7, 2009, at 10:24 PM, dhamiltony2k5 wrote: The NIH funding allocation is part of the Obama Administration's American Reinvestment and Recovery Act-or economic stimulus bill. Competition for the funding was fierce with more than 20,000 applications for the Challenge Grants category and only 840 awarded. In the current climate of health care reform, the purpose of this grant is to find more effective treatments for heart disease and thereby find more effective ways to reduce health care costs, Dr. Schneider said. The NHLBI's Recovery Act funds will make it possible to evaluate Transcendental Meditation Really, as part of the recovery, aren't there more cost effective ways of bringing something like this meditation to people? Teach it in hospitals everywhere for free for people who are hurting in some way. ...oops, that's already being done!
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
On Nov 7, 2009, at 10:24 PM, raunchydog wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, dhamiltony2k5 dhamiltony...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ShempMcGurk shempmcgurk@ wrote: Big deal. Even if, as a result of the research study, it comes out as a positive thing to do TM, who trusts the TMO anymore? Heck, I'm a 36 year regular meditator and even I don't trust their research... Shemp, if the research is positive and proves conclusively it helps people with CHD, what's not to trust? The research? You're not making any sense. Typically RD it's the methodology, the lack of appropriate controls, inherent bias (research performed by TB's) and lack of a serious null hypothesis that dooms TM research.
[FairfieldLife] Obama opened the door to sell out women's right to choose
The first female Speaker of the House makes history by passing a health care bill http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29282.html that not only doesn't have a robust public option, but also sells out women's civil rights. The Republicans acted reprehensibly today, heckling women lawmakers like the chamber was a frat house. Think Progress has that story http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/07/gop-gone-wild/ . But in the end the Stupak amendment passed, 240 yeas, 194 nays, 1 present, with the names of Dems http://www.taylormarsh.com/2009/11/07/nancy-pelosis-disgrace/ who voted for it totaling 64; the health care bill passing 220 yeas, 215 nays. Now it's up to the Senate and the conference, because if the Stupak amendment is in the final bill it will be a setback of monumental proportions for women. But let's be honest. It was Pres. Obama who opened the door to sell us out http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/07/health.care/ when he decided to put the Hyde Amendment in the budget, something Bill Clinton never did. But Mr. Obama didn't stop there. During the stimulus fight, at the first sign of displeasure, our President personally asked http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/01/27/1762544.aspx that contraceptives be taken out. Now the President seems ready to finish the job, with Democrats in the House helping him do it http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/07/AR20091\ 10701504.html . This means that any woman opting to join the exchanges would not have access to full women's health care and abortion coverage. Segue to Ezra Klein http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/11/a_very_bad_deal_to_\ pass_a_very.html : Because of the limits placed on the exchanges, most of the participants will have some form of premium credit or affordable subsidy. That means most will be ineligible for abortion coverage. The idea that people are going to go out and purchase separate abortion plans is both cruel and laughable. If this amendment passes, it will mean that virtually all women with insurance through the exchange who find themselves in the unwanted and unexpected position of needing to terminate a pregnancy will not have coverage for the procedure. Abortion coverage will not be outlawed in this country. It will simply be tiered, reserved for those rich enough to afford insurance themselves or lucky enough to receive from their employers. Of course, this discussion on health care doesn't impact wealthier women or women with access and means. Something I never forget. ... .. It was back in the late 1970s and I was living on the New Jersey coast, just outside New York, before I hit Broadway. My boyfriend and I were very careful about sex, never forgetting to use contraception. In fact, we both protected ourselves so we wouldn't become one of the small minority where protection doesn't work. It happened anyway. It's a very personal story http://www.taylormarsh.com/2009/11/07/selling-out-womens-civil-rights/ , but lets just say what I went through never leaves my consciousness. After what I experienced so long ago, to this day I think of poor women who don't have the support or means to take care of themselves. What might have happened if my boyfriend hadn't supported my decision, but also helped me pull it off. The desperation women must feel when they have so system on which they can rely, so they're forced to endure a pregnancy and a child they cannot handle. I put myself in their place and I shudder at what might have been for me. There is no health care bill worth supporting that sells out women's civil rights http://www.taylormarsh.com/2009/07/26/beyond-dr-tiller/ . Right now every woman who values her civil rights should understand how the gay community feels. Democrats just sold us out too. Progressives in the House should have killed the bill. Civil rights begin with autonomy over our own body. If we don't have that we have nothing. So, to hear Rep. Clyburn talk about privacy rights after passing the House bill was laughable. But at least Mr. Obama and Speaker Pelosi's Democratic House got us closer to an historic health care win. That they did it on the backs of women's civil rights isn't mentioned, though some of us will never forget. It's up to the Senate now and the conference to strip Stupak out, with help from Pres. Obama, of course. He will help, right? Taylor Marsh http://www.taylormarsh.com/ , with podcasts http://www.taylormarsh.com/podcasts/ available on iTunes. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/in-pelosis-house-64-democ_b_3\ 49769.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/in-pelosis-house-64-democ_b_\ 349769.html Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/in-pelosis-house-64-democ_b_3\ 49769.htmlcp http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/in-pelosis-house-64-democ_b_\ 349769.htmlcp
[FairfieldLife] Stupak Amendment may be stripped from House Bill
From an anti-choice website: http://www.lifenews.com/nat5632.html Democrats Won't Commit to Keeping Stupak Amendment to Stop Abortion Funding Open Left indicates that President Barack Obama may have given his personal assurance to strip the Stupak amendment from the bill down the road. To my knowledge, no pro-choice Democrats have threatened to vote against the bill as a result of this, the blog notes. Apparently, this is because of a rumor going around Congress that President Obama promised Henry Waxman that he will 'personally' work to remove the language in conference. Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Leading House Democrats are refusing to give pro-life lawmakers any guarantee that they will keep the Stupak amendment that cuts off abortion funding in the health care bill in later versions of the legislation should the House approve it. The House is expected to vote on the crucial amendment today to ensure abortion funding is not allowed in either the public option or through the affordability credits. However, even if the House adopts the Stupak amendment, there is no guarantee that it will remain when House and Senate leaders meet in a conference committee to iron out the differences in the two bills. House Majority Leader John Boehner has thus far twice asked top Democrats whether they would commit to keeping the abortion funding ban in the bill as it moves forward and twice he was rebuffed. Boehner asked pro-abortion committee chairman Henry Waxman, a California Democrat, who refused to give him any assurances. He then asked another committee chairman, pro-abortion Rep. Charles Rangel, if he would commit to the abortion funding and, again, he was denied a confirmation. I can't guarantee you anything, Rangel said Boehner responded: While the House is expected to take on the Stupak amendment, it is quite clear that this could be a shell game that is underway and we have no guarantee that when it comes back from conference that the language will be in the bill. I have my doubts this language if it passes has any chance of being in the final version of this bill, Boehner said. Meanwhile, the New York Times is reporting that Speaker Nancy Pelosi may have agreed to go along with the Stupak amendment only because she knows that it could be removed in the future as the process proceeds. Pelosi, herself an ardent supporter of abortion rights, was betting that in the end her compatriots would support the bill and continue to work for changes in the weeks ahead, the newspaper indicated. The health care legislation, after all, would not be finalized until a version is approved by the Senate and differences between that bill and the House measure can be reconciled. In addition, pro-abortion blog Open Left indicates that President Barack Obama may have given his personal assurance to strip the Stupak amendment from the bill down the road. To my knowledge, no pro-choice Democrats have threatened to vote against the bill as a result of this, the blog notes. Apparently, this is because of a rumor going around Congress that President Obama promised Henry Waxman that he will 'personally' work to remove the language in conference. http://www.lifenews.com/nat5632.html zz up! http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzz?targetUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lifenews.com%2Fna\ t5632.html
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradh...@... wrote: On Nov 7, 2009, at 9:34 PM, ShempMcGurk wrote: Fortunately no serious person on the planet puts your opinion over published scientific research. Why should they? I'm not a scientist. One reason they'd have for taking you seriously is because you're both a TM teacher and an MIU grad, and therefore you're the most likely to be biased and to stand behind their research, like a True Believer would. So when you produce a clearly dissenting opinion, it tends to make one raise their eyebrows. Why would someone so invested in an org and a product go against them? Published research v. Shemp's OPINION? Really? Once again Vaj raises the eyebrows of discerning people while spouting utter nonsense. Why would Vaj, a person invested in trashing all things TM, urge Shemp to make a fool of himself? Ya gotta wonder. It doesn't matter whether or not someone has an axe to grind on the TMO, OPINIONS v. facts don't stand a chance. Shemp's right. He's not a scientist and neither is Vaj for that matter. One's forced to consider that because of your insight and closeness, you may know what you're talking about and just be a person not afraid to be honest about their opinion.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Finally saw V
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB no_re...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu noozguru@ wrote: I think it will be entertaining but we'll see how the arc goes over the episodes. It IS very funny to watch conspiracy allegations... from both the right and left. :-D Indeed. Clearly the political commentators are off their nut and projecting their own biases onto a mediocre generic plot. But what fascin- ates me is the number of supposed film and TV critics *who have no education* in SciFi history, and *simply don't know* that it's a mediocre generic plot. That's why I like older film critics who have actually *seen* film made less than ten years ago. They have some sense of what is a ripoff and what is not. The young ones have no clue, and so try to make everything about today, here and now, with today's issues, as if everything they're watching were new and unique. Funny, every review and commentary that I've read makes a point of mentioning that the current series is a retread, and quite a few note that the basic plot has been around forever. But they all recognize, as apparently Barry does not, that such hoary plots are easily adapted to current circumstances; it doesn't take much to insert contemporary references and make them relevant to today's issues. (The more mediocre the plot, the more such engineered relevance is necessary for it to hold the viewer's interest.) This particular plot goes back to the 1700s and 1800s, not to mention the halcyon days of TV and movie SciFi. Basic plots are endlessly recyclable, in fact, *because* they're so universal, even archetypal (or generic, as Barry puts it), that they're highly adaptable; they can be made to fit any number of different situations simply by tweaking the details. Strange that Barry, as a writer, wouldn't be aware of this. (We see the same trend with classic plays--especially Shakespeare--and operas. New productions are often updated with modern dress and settings, which make it possible for audiences to better appreciate their timelessness.) I'd be curious to know, BTW, what Barry is referring to by film made less than ten years ago. The original TV series is from 1983-85, 25 years ago. He can't be thinking of the film V for Vendetta, can he? That has nothing to do with V, and in any case it was made in 2006. Could it be his own knowledge of SF history that's a little spotty? The interesting thing about the 1980s TV series is that the original two-part miniseries was itself inspired by a 1935 novel by Sinclair Lewis, It Can't Happen Here, which was about a charismatic politician (modeled on Huey Long) who was elected president by promising to end the Depression and who subsequently assumed dictatorial powers (but ultimately came to grief). According to its creator, the original V was a retelling of the Nazis' rise to power. So even the first version took the old generic plot and adapted it as a modern cautionary tale, piggybacking on an earlier novel that had done the same thing with the same plot, but a different tale. snip Given that most Hollywood writers, due to concerns about free speech,are left leaning the series is written more that way: anti-fascism or anti- authoritarianism. But, you see, Bhairitu, that's what the right wing is claiming about Obama, that he's an authoritarian fascist in disguise. So that distinction just doesn't hold up. If I were to play the young, inexperienced critic and project things onto V, I'd say that it's a riff on *cults* and their dangers more than anything else. The line that kept coming up in the first episode was, They are cultivating the most deadly weapon possible: devotion. At least one commentator has reported that in the original script, the most deadly weapon was not devotion but hope. At one point the production of the series was halted for retooling, and there was speculation that this was for the purpose of moderating the Obama references. I've no idea whether either is true, but goodness knows there are so many blatant Obama references that changing hope to devotion wouldn't do much to moderate them. It would be as possible to see V as a parable of the TM movement as any- thing else. After all, it's a story about a group that 1) pretends to be what it's not, 2) promises an end to all of the problems facing humanity, 3) seeks to instill fanatical devotion in the young and naive, and 4) attempts to control its own PR and demonizes (or actually seeks to harm) its critics. Perhaps the TMers who are so quick to call it a screed against healthcare and Democrats are merely sleeper agents of this cult trying to obscure the show's real target, the TMO. :-) Of course, the TMers in question are Raunchy and me. This entire rant of Barry's was obviously designed solely as an attempt to put us down. Goodness knows it makes absolutely zero sense on its own terms, but Barry never cares
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradh...@... wrote: snip Typically RD it's the methodology, the lack of appropriate controls, inherent bias (research performed by TB's) and lack of a serious null hypothesis that dooms TM research. However, since the co-director of the study is also the director of nuclear cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, with a reputation to uphold, it seems rather unlikely that this study would be allowed to follow such a pattern. (The null hypothesis, BTW, is that stress reduction via TM will not be shown to increase blood flow to the heart in cardiac patients as measured by PET scan.)
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradh...@... wrote: On Nov 7, 2009, at 9:34 PM, ShempMcGurk wrote: Fortunately no serious person on the planet puts your opinion over published scientific research. Why should they? I'm not a scientist. One reason they'd have for taking you seriously is because you're both a TM teacher and an MIU grad, and therefore you're the most likely to be biased and to stand behind their research, like a True Believer would. So when you produce a clearly dissenting opinion, it tends to make one raise their eyebrows. Unless, of course, they happened to know that Shemp has less than zero investment in the TMO. Why would someone so invested in an org and a product go against them? Maybe because, not being a scientist, they've been misled by unscrupulous critics about the quality of TM research on, say, an Internet forum?
[FairfieldLife] Re: A context-free post
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB no_re...@... wrote: Relevant to FFL or FFLers only if you believe it is... It's amusing to watch Barry's shift from left to right politically as he becomes ever more obsessed with attacking his critics. Since two of his chief critics on FFL are lefties, he has to take positions that oppose theirs. And since they're feminists, he has to take positions against women's interests generally-- in the case of the current healthcare bill that just passed the House, even against insurance funding for abortion. It'll be interesting to see how far he can be pushed toward the rightward end of the spectrum before he realizes what's happening.
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, raunchydog raunchy...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jstein@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@ wrote: snip The TMO is now publishing research in UFO journals. No, it isn't. Vaj is lying. Geez, Judy you caught Vaj in three whopper in a row. Jackpot! I *do* not understand the liar's mentality, especially that of the casual, reflexive liars like Vaj and Barry. Maybe if they never got caught at it and it gave them some advantage, it would make sense; but these two are such incompetent liars they get caught at it *all the time*. What on earth is the point? Does it give them some sort of charge to lie? Is it a thrill? Is it a self-destructive urge, a subconscious impulse to demonstrate what inadequate human beings they are? I mean, they must be getting some kind of powerful internal reinforcement that makes them feel either good or less bad, regardless of the fact they aren't getting any external reinforcement. Does it have to do with upbringing? Did their parents constantly lie to them? Did they have to constantly lie to their parents to avoid brutal treatment or withdrawal of love? Do they suffer private guilt for lying but are compelled to do it anyway? It really does seem as though it must be an issue of psychic survival. Is reality so unpleasant, so intolerable, to them that the only way they can make it through the day is to pretend things are otherwise than they are? Do they actually *believe* their own lies? How do they reconcile their dishonesty with their spiritual values? How in the *heck* can you feel you've made your case in a discussion if you've had to lie to do it? I just find the whole syndrome deeply mysterious.
[FairfieldLife] Re: TM and Blood Pressure
from a known habitual liar it is as meaningless as anything else he might post. its like the phrase seeing it in black and white thats is in print means nothing --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradh...@... wrote: Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words: http://www.box.net/shared/static/eycqy25sh2.jpg SBP is Systolic Blood Pressure.
[FairfieldLife] Lower Blood Pressure The results were impressive
http://www.ei-resource.org/news/mental-and-emotional-problem-news/transcendental-meditation-reduces-depression,-anxiety-and-associated-high-blood-pressure/ Now, in the first randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a mind-body intervention for the treatment of psychological distress and associated high blood pressure, the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program has shown a high degree of effectiveness with the results being published in the American Journal of Hypertension. The study involved 298 university students who were randomly selected to enter the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program or simply be placed on a waiting list (the control group). Before the TM program commenced and after 3 months all participants were assessed for psychological distress, coping ability, and blood pressure (BP). The results were impressive. Statistically significant improvements were found in total psychological distress, anxiety, depression, anger/hostility, and coping ability in the students who were enrolled in the TM program. These changes correlated with decreases in BP readings; psychological stress being a significant known risk factor for elevated BP. In contrast, the BP of the control group of students increased slightly. also: Lower Blood Pressure Alexander C.N., et al. Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and longevity: An experimental study with the elderly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 57:950-964, 1989. Alexander C.N., et al. Trial of stress reduction for hypertension in older African Americans (part II): sex and risk subgroup analysis. Hypertension 28:228-237, 1996. Anderson J.W., et al. Blood pressure response to Transcendental Meditation: a meta-analysis. American Journal of Hypertension 21 (3): 310-6, 2008. Barnes V.A., et al. Impact of Transcendental Meditation on ambulatory blood pressure in African-American adolescents. American Journal of Hypertension 17: 366-369, 2004. Barnes V. A., et al. Stress, stress reduction, and hypertension in African Americans. Journal of the National Medical Association, 89, 464-476, 1997. Barnes V. A., et al. (1999). Acute effects of Transcendental Meditation on hemodynamic functioning in middle-aged adults. Psychosomatic Medicine, 61, 88, 525-531. Rainforth M.V., et al. Stress reduction programs in patients with elevated blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Current Hypertension Reports 9:520528, 2007. Full article Schneider R.H., et al. A randomized controlled trial of stress reduction in the treatment of hypertension in African Americans during one year. American Journal of Hypertension 18(1): 88-98, 2005. Full article Schneider R.H., et al. Long-term effects of stress reduction on mortality in persons #8805; 55 years of age with systemic hypertension. American Journal of Cardiology 95:1060-1064, 2005. Full Article Schneider R.H., et al. A randomized controlled trial of stress reduction for hypertension in older African Americans. Hypertension 26: 820-827, 1995.
[FairfieldLife] A message to all members of Veda Tradition Himalaya
A message to all members of Veda Tradition Himalaya Namaskar! Following our last message and many of you requesting a link to download the music that you hear on our main page (Ayurveda chanting to invoque health, and immortality), well we did put a link on line, and many of you seem to have been able to download the number. Due to our relatively slow internet connection here in the mountains, it is difficult to upload more. But the good news is we found a link where you can download the whole CD, well worth it, for just a few euros (1 Euro = 1.4 USD). Please go to Amazon France, and click on the line that says Acheter l'album MP3 pour EUR 5,89 sur la boutique Amazon http://www.amazon.fr/Ayurveda-Art-Being-Cyril-Morin/dp/B0001M09O4/ref=sr\ _1_1?ie=UTF8qid=1257409064sr=8-1-fkmr2 http://www.amazon.fr/Ayurveda-Art-Being-Cyril-Morin/dp/B0001M09O4/ref=s\ r_1_1?ie=UTF8qid=1257409064sr=8-1-fkmr2 For our Swiss friends who want to order the actual CD, here is a good link: http://www.cede.ch/fr/music-cd/frames/frameset.cfm?aobj=620392 http://www.cede.ch/fr/music-cd/frames/frameset.cfm?aobj=620392 Enjoy! Jai Guru Dev Pierre PS : more ashram news soon on the network Visit Veda Tradition Himalaya at: http://vedatradition.ning.com http://vedatradition.ning.com --
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jst...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@ wrote: On Nov 7, 2009, at 9:34 PM, ShempMcGurk wrote: Fortunately no serious person on the planet puts your opinion over published scientific research. Why should they? I'm not a scientist. One reason they'd have for taking you seriously is because you're both a TM teacher and an MIU grad, and therefore you're the most likely to be biased and to stand behind their research, like a True Believer would. So when you produce a clearly dissenting opinion, it tends to make one raise their eyebrows. Unless, of course, they happened to know that Shemp has less than zero investment in the TMO. [snip] Judy, I've posted I don't know how many times my feelings towards the TMO and how they've conducted themselves through the years (particularly as it pertains to marketing their scientific research). And many of those posts have been directed specifically to Vaj. Yet he insists upon seeing me through his stereotypical TM TBer glasses and paint me with one broad brush. So, what can I do other than ignore him?
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jst...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, raunchydog raunchydog@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jstein@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@ wrote: snip The TMO is now publishing research in UFO journals. No, it isn't. Vaj is lying. Geez, Judy you caught Vaj in three whopper in a row. Jackpot! I *do* not understand the liar's mentality, especially that of the casual, reflexive liars like Vaj and Barry. Maybe if they never got caught at it and it gave them some advantage, it would make sense; but these two are such incompetent liars they get caught at it *all the time*. What on earth is the point? Does it give them some sort of charge to lie? Is it a thrill? Is it a self-destructive urge, a subconscious impulse to demonstrate what inadequate human beings they are? I mean, they must be getting some kind of powerful internal reinforcement that makes them feel either good or less bad, regardless of the fact they aren't getting any external reinforcement. Does it have to do with upbringing? Did their parents constantly lie to them? Did they have to constantly lie to their parents to avoid brutal treatment or withdrawal of love? Do they suffer private guilt for lying but are compelled to do it anyway? It really does seem as though it must be an issue of psychic survival. Is reality so unpleasant, so intolerable, to them that the only way they can make it through the day is to pretend things are otherwise than they are? Do they actually *believe* their own lies? How do they reconcile their dishonesty with their spiritual values? How in the *heck* can you feel you've made your case in a discussion if you've had to lie to do it? I just find the whole syndrome deeply mysterious. The syndrome is a global disease called lust for money My guess is that they are paid, and payed well for their activities against the TMO. Cash is King in their universe and this Vaj character is obviously at it on a professional everyday basis. Who payes them I do not know. What we do know is that they are both socalled Buddhists and that this tibetan lama in India, the selfproclaimed His Holiness has a lot of cash coming in from, amongst other places, Hollywood stars. As the americans says: Go figure !
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, raunchydog raunchy...@... wrote: [snip] Shemp's right. He's not a scientist and neither is Vaj for that matter. [snip] Of course, I am a scientific expert on global warming and I should be listened and adhered to by one and all on what I say on that matter.
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, raunchydog raunchy...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, dhamiltony2k5 dhamiltony2k5@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ShempMcGurk shempmcgurk@ wrote: Big deal. Even if, as a result of the research study, it comes out as a positive thing to do TM, who trusts the TMO anymore? Heck, I'm a 36 year regular meditator and even I don't trust their research... Shemp, if the research is positive and proves conclusively it helps people with CHD, what's not to trust? The research? You're not making any sense. Oh, I have absolutely no doubt that TM is the best thing for people with CHD and that the research will show that...AND that the research is done in the most objective, serious way. It's once the TMO gets its hands on it, interprets it, and then publishes it with gold-crusted paint on the sides that will ruin everything. hum, trust. in TMO or Maharishi over the years. Should have been an interesting thing to have polled and followed in meditators. Even now. Doug, polling meditators whether or not they trust TMO or MMY has nothing to do with this research project. The outcome will prove beneficial for people with CHD or not. The fact that Schneider and all were able to get the grant and are willing to subject CHD patients to scientific scrutiny doing TM, says they have confidence in a positive outcome. For the sake of the many CHD patients TM could help in the future, I hope they are right. I wish them success. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, nablusoss1008 no_reply@ wrote: NIH grants $1 million to study whether Transcendental Meditation can prevent future heart attacks in CHD patients /news/20091107/NIH-grants-241-million-to-study-whether-Transcendental-M\ editation-can-prevent-future-heart-attacks-in-CHD-patients.aspx 7. november 2009 00:01NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute provides $1 million for new study at Columbia University Medical Center The National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute will fund a $1 million collaborative study by the Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management Research Institute and Columbia University Medical Center to determine whether the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation technique can help patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) prevent future heart attacks /health/What-is-a-Heart-Attack.aspx , strokes and death. The 12-week Randomized Controlled Trial of Stress Reduction in the Secondary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in African Americans, will be conducted at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. The trial will examine 56 patients who have had a heart attack /health/What-is-a-Heart-Attack.aspx or bypass surgery, angioplasty, or chronic angina. For decades, stress has been implicated in the cause and progression of heart disease, said Robert Schneider, M.D., F.A.C.C., lead author and director of the NIH-funded Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention. And while standard cardiac rehabilitation usually includes supervised exercise and lifestyle education, it does not usually include a formal stress reduction program. Now, for the first time, this study will evaluate whether adding stress reduction through the Transcendental Meditation technique to conventional cardiac rehabilitation will aid in the treatment of serious CHD compared to conventional cardiac rehabilitation alone, Dr. Schneider said. Patients will be carefully evaluated before and after the study for changes in their coronary artery disease with the most advanced noninvasive methods for measuring cardiac function-PET or positron emission tomography. According to Sabahat Bokhari, MD, Director of Nuclear Cardiology at Columbia University Medical Center and study co-director, PET is an innovative imaging technology that allows us to visually and non-invasively study blood flow to the heart. With this state-of-the-art technology, doctors can now measure the blood flow to the heart and thus quantify the full impact of stress reduction on CHD. The NIH funding allocation is part of the Obama Administration's American Reinvestment and Recovery Act-or economic stimulus bill. Competition for the funding was fierce with more than 20,000 applications for the Challenge Grants category and only 840 awarded. In the current climate of health care reform, the purpose of this grant is to find more effective treatments for heart disease and thereby find more effective ways to reduce health care costs, Dr. Schneider said. The NHLBI's Recovery Act funds will make it possible to evaluate Transcendental Meditation as a
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, nablusoss1008 no_re...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ShempMcGurk shempmcgurk@ wrote: Big deal. Even if, as a result of the research study, it comes out as a positive thing to do TM, who trusts the TMO anymore? Heck, I'm a 36 year regular meditator and even I don't trust their research... You don't trust Columbia University Medical Center either ? You seem to need a checking ! [snip] No, what I need is to be rid of cult-addled idiots like you who have ruined the TMO.
[FairfieldLife] the only mind/body practice that produces significant changes in blood pressure
http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Learn-Transcendental-Meditation-and-Lower-High-Blood-Pressure/672846 A new scientific research study conducted at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine provides further evidence that people with high blood pressure can find relief through meditationbut the study also found that not all forms of meditation are equally effective. The study compared findings from research on several well-known types of meditation and relaxation practices, and found that the only mind/body practice that produces significant changes in blood pressure is the Transcendental Meditation technique.
[FairfieldLife] Re: A context-free post
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jst...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB no_reply@ wrote: Relevant to FFL or FFLers only if you believe it is... It's amusing to watch Barry's shift from left to right politically as he becomes ever more obsessed with attacking his critics. Since two of his chief critics on FFL are lefties, he has to take positions that oppose theirs. And since they're feminists, he has to take positions against women's interests generally-- in the case of the current healthcare bill that just passed the House, even against insurance funding for abortion. It'll be interesting to see how far he can be pushed toward the rightward end of the spectrum before he realizes what's happening. Surely you meant to say, . . . the wrong end. Edg
[FairfieldLife] Obama is a Muslim and Polanski is Jewish
Which of these statements are more true? Actually, they are both false but for those of you who up to now assumed Polanski was Jewish should, for the sake of consistency, also believe that Obama is a Muslim. Let me explain. Whatever you may think of the ongoing Polanski saga (and I have certainly voiced my own very strong opinions on it here), the one thing I've noticed said by people on both sides of the issue on the blogs I've been reading is their assumption that Polanski is Jewish. Perhaps because of his name, perhaps because his parent(s) died in Auswitz, perhaps because of Jewish ancestry. Whatever. The fact is that he is Roman Catholic by both birth and upbringing. The only way Polanski could be Jewish is that (1) his mother's mother was Jewish; or (2) he converted to Judaism at some point. And neither of these points are true. Yet people still assum him to be Jewish. And it's probably because his father was Jewish and his mother was half Jewish (on her father's side). But under Jewish law, he cannot be Jewish for the sole reason that the 1 out of 4 grandparents that HAD to be Jewish wasn't. Barack Obama's father was Muslim: born Muslim and brought up Muslim (he later became an atheist I think). According to the law of most if not all Muslim countries all it takes to be Muslim is that your father is Muslim. And that's that. Indeed, there is more evidence in religious law that Obama is Muslim than Polanski is Jewish. So for those that insist -- despite all the evidence -- that Polanski is Jewish you must be consistent and also claim that Obama is a Muslim. You see, according to the crazy way people look at these things, it matters not that both Barack and Roman were brought up Christians (and in Barack's case is now a serious, practising Christian) but that they be defined by who their parentage is. So the next time you get angry at those nutcases who insist that the president is a Muslim (like my next door neighbour who yesterday complained about the Muslim in the White House) please ask yourself if you automatically assumed that Polanski was Jewish. And if you did, you're really cut from the same cloth as those that call Obama a Muslim.
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ShempMcGurk shempmcg...@... wrote: [snip] Of course, I am a scientific expert on global warming and I should be listened and adhered to by one and all on what I say on that matter. Too right! Saw this in my paper today: Al Gore, who art in thy fully offset private jet; Nobel-prized be thy name; Thy carbon-free kingdom come; On planet Earth (otherwise known as Gaia) as it should be after Copenhagen; Give us this day our daily meat-free diet; And forgive us our emissions, though we don't forgive any other big fat Americans who emit against us; Lead us not into exotic holiday flights; And deliver us from climate denial; for the science is settled. Amen Here in Brit-Land there was a curious development this week when a court that decides on employment law ruled in favour of a climate activist who has sought to have his greenism put on a par with other religious beliefs. Some are saying this looks like a bit of an own goal by the green fundies, as er... isn't it supposed be science and not religion? Dominic Lawson notes: Interestingly, Burton is the very same judge that two years ago found for a Kent school governor who brought a case against the government's plans to supply every school with a DVD of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. The judge agreed that the film was flawed. He decreed that it contained nine scientific errors and that the government should accompany any DVDs sent to schools with guidance pointing out, among other things, that polar bears are not drowning in the absence of sufficient quantities of ice. Put away those hankies, children: they're going to be all right. Dominic Lawson Non-believers fill the church of green gods: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/domi nic_lawson/article6907865.ece http://tinyurl.com/yfwuhto
[FairfieldLife] Will Religious Fundamentalism Implode?
Why fundamentalism will fail A seemingly unstoppable force is being undone from the inside By Harvey Cox http://search.boston.com/local/Search.do?s.sm.query=Harvey+Coxcamp=loc\ alsearch:on:byline:art The very nature of human religiousness is changing in a way inimical to fundamentalist thought. The most rapidly growing spiritual groups today focus not on someone else's authority, but on a direct encounter with the divine. Whatever else it may mean that so many people call themselves spiritual but not religious, it suggests they still yearn for contact with the sacred, but are suspicious of the scaffolding, the doctrines, and hierarchies through which it has often been conveyed. Excerpts: IN 1910, A COHORT of ultra-conservative American Protestants drew up a list of non-negotiable beliefs they insisted any genuine Christian must subscribe to. They published these fundamentals in a series of widely distributed pamphlets over the next five years. Their catalog featured doctrines such as the virgin birth, the physical resurrection of Christ, and his imminent second coming. The cornerstone, though, was a belief in the literal inerrancy of every syllable of the Bible, including in matters of geology, paleontology, and secular history. They called these beliefs fundamentals, and proudly styled themselves fundamentalists - true believers who feared that liberal movements like the social gospel and openness to other faiths were eroding the foundation of their religion... As the 20th century ended and a new one began, fundamentalism has taken on more formidable shapes, both politically and religiously. Though most of its adherents work through spiritual and educational channels, the small minority that turn to violence have caught the media's attention. If some seem ready to die for faith, others are ready to kill for it, gunning down abortion doctors in church, hijacking planes, and exploding bombs at weddings. For plenty of thoughtful people, fundamentalism has come to represent the most dangerous threat to open societies since the fall of communism. However, the truth is that for all its apparent strength, the fundamentalist sun is setting on all horizons. Throughout the Muslim world growing numbers of people are becoming impatient with violent groups that, in the name of Allah, seem capable of killing but incapable of producing jobs, food, or health care. Observers on the ground report that popular support for the jihadist wing of the Taliban is falling off as it fails to address the real life problems that afflict people in Afghanistan. (The other parts of the Taliban are inspired less by fundamentalism than by tribal loyalties and a traditional aversion to foreigners.) Al Qaeda faces a similar dismal prospect. Dr. Audrey Kurth Cronin, a professor at the National War College in Washington and author of a new book, How Terrorism Ends, says, I think Al Qaeda is in the process of imploding. That is not necessarily the end. But the trends are in a good direction. In Iran, the fact that the clerics have resorted to beating and imprisoning their critics reveals the shakiness of their hold. IN AMERICA, the religious right, which started as a crusade, is becoming a niche. Randall Terry's Operation Rescue, which stages demonstrations at abortion clinics, has just announced that it is nearly bankrupt. The shrillest TV evangelists are losing audiences to more moderate evangelical-lite preachers. Fundamentalist congregations are ceding ground to Pentecostals and mega-churches, which embrace a wider social agenda and teach the spiritual authority - not the literal inerrancy - of the Bible. Surveys have shown that the rapid growth of evangelical Protestantism in Latin America has not produced a replication of the American religious right, but rather a moderate leftward tilt. A majority of Brazilian evangelicals, for example, voted for President Lula, who ran as a Workers Party candidate. In South Korea, Christianity has grown faster than anywhere in the world and now accounts for over a third of the population. But its theology tends toward moderate evangelicalism with an ecumenical bent. The fading of fundamentalism marks a decisive change in global society. It has already freed Christians, Muslims, and Jews to explore what all three have in common as they now begin to cooperate in confronting nuclear weapons, poverty, and climate change... But fundamentalist movements share another quality. They are inherently fractious, and this is one reason for their broad decline. When your view of reality is the only acceptable one, you cannot compromise. Almost from its inception, American Protestant fundamentalism split into warring factions. Its bellicosity toward liberals and modernists was quickly turned on fellow fundamentalists who were seen as not tough enough on the enemy. Since the Bible told them not to be
[FairfieldLife] Informal poll on ICE WATER
I used to get debilitating pain in my neck and upper back...kinda like a headache but located in a different area. I had this my entire adult life and it was quite unpleasant. And, yes, it was related to diet but I am not disciplined enough NOT to give in to temptation and eat the things I know I shouldn't. So I suffered as a result. And then about 5 years ago I started two different things in my regiment: 1) I started taking psyllium every day on the advice of my doctor; and 2) I cut out drinking ice water, cold water and sodas at meals. During the summer I still sometimes have ice water in between meals but even that has become rare. This edict was, obviously, something I picked up from TMers talking about Ayurvedic medicine. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I have virtually eliminated the pain that I would get about once a week. I haven't had it in probably about 5 years. Which has been an unbelievable benefit to me. Not sure whether it was the psyllium or the ice water ban...I suspect the latter only because I had tried the pysllium temporarily about 25 years ago and it had reduced but not eliminated the pain. I still pretty much eat what I want although I am more careful than before (heartburn, etc.). Anyone else had good results from cutting out the ice water and cold water at meals?
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, nablusoss1008 no_re...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend jstein@ wrote: snip I *do* not understand the liar's mentality, especially that of the casual, reflexive liars like Vaj and Barry. Maybe if they never got caught at it and it gave them some advantage, it would make sense; but these two are such incompetent liars they get caught at it *all the time*. snip I just find the whole syndrome deeply mysterious. The syndrome is a global disease called lust for money My guess is that they are paid, and payed well for their activities against the TMO. Cash is King in their universe and this Vaj character is obviously at it on a professional everyday basis. Seriously doubt it. They're such ineffective liars that if they were being paid to do it, they'd have been fired long since. Of course, they could be from the *TMO*, planted with instructions to make themselves look as stupid and malicious as possible to discredit TM critics...
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, PaliGap compost...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ShempMcGurk shempmcgurk@ wrote: [snip] Of course, I am a scientific expert on global warming and I should be listened and adhered to by one and all on what I say on that matter. Too right! Saw this in my paper today: Al Gore, who art in thy fully offset private jet; Nobel-prized be thy name; Thy carbon-free kingdom come; On planet Earth (otherwise known as Gaia) as it should be after Copenhagen; Give us this day our daily meat-free diet; And forgive us our emissions, though we don't forgive any other big fat Americans who emit against us; Lead us not into exotic holiday flights; And deliver us from climate denial; for the science is settled. Amen Here in Brit-Land there was a curious development this week when a court that decides on employment law ruled in favour of a climate activist who has sought to have his greenism put on a par with other religious beliefs. By climate activist I am assuming that you mean a believer in catastrophic man-made global warming, as opposed to those that have come to be known as climate deniers? If so, this surprises me because, at least in the United States, such a ruling would mean disaster to the pro-Al-Gore, pro-global warming crowd. Adjudicating global warming as a religion in a court of law would mean that separation of church and state would come into play and there could no longer be ANY governmental funding of global warming policy or law! And that would be fantastic! Some are saying this looks like a bit of an own goal by the green fundies, as er... isn't it supposed be science and not religion? Dominic Lawson notes: Interestingly, Burton is the very same judge that two years ago found for a Kent school governor who brought a case against the government's plans to supply every school with a DVD of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. The judge agreed that the film was flawed. He decreed that it contained nine scientific errors and that the government should accompany any DVDs sent to schools with guidance pointing out, among other things, that polar bears are not drowning in the absence of sufficient quantities of ice. Put away those hankies, children: they're going to be all right. Dominic Lawson Non-believers fill the church of green gods: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/domi nic_lawson/article6907865.ece http://tinyurl.com/yfwuhto
[FairfieldLife] GOP's Health Care Reform through the Decades
http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/f/0/3/Reform-For-the-Ages.jpg
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ShempMcGurk shempmcg...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, nablusoss1008 no_reply@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ShempMcGurk shempmcgurk@ wrote: Big deal. Even if, as a result of the research study, it comes out as a positive thing to do TM, who trusts the TMO anymore? Heck, I'm a 36 year regular meditator and even I don't trust their research... You don't trust Columbia University Medical Center either ? You seem to need a checking ! [snip] No, what I need is to be rid of cult-addled idiots like you who have ruined the TMO. The Movement belongs to those who move - Maharishi Which you obviously haven't since the 70's, you're stuck in the past. You are fast becoming a senior; have a checking before it's too late.
Re: [FairfieldLife] A context-free post
TurquoiseB wrote: Relevant to FFL or FFLers only if you believe it is... [http://bloodandmud.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/09/aussie_w\ hine_07_2.jpg] http://bloodandmud.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/09/aussie_wh\ ine_07_2.jpg http://bloodandmud.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/09/aussie_w\ hine_07_2.jpg And then there's the world famous Hiney Wine the only wine that comes in a can. It was an old radio show joke 25 years ago but the one locals (I grew up near Walla Walla) has made it real: http://www.wallawallahiney.com BTW, for the wine aficionados here the grapes grown in the area are considered superior to Bordeaux grapes because of a longer growing season. In fact when leaving my TTC we drove through the Bordeaux country and I was amazed how much it looked like the western Oregon (Walla Walla though is in eastern Washington). The award winning Woodward Canyon Cabernet is fantastic and expensive (I went to school with Rick Small who founded the winery). And for a great Merlot get the Waterbrook Merlot if you can find it and it is expensive too. I walked into a local gourmet wine shop a few years back and asked if they had it and they all stood at attention with the this guy knows his wines look. :-D http://www.woodwardcanyon.com http://www.waterbrook.com/ Of course if you're really a wine aficionado you already know all this. ;-)
Re: [FairfieldLife] TM and Blood Pressure
Vaj wrote: Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words: http://www.box.net/shared/static/eycqy25sh2.jpg SBP is Systolic Blood Pressure. Depends on the mantra used doesn't it? Some will be stimulating and actually raise the blood pressure while others lower it. My teacher was put on high blood pressure medicine since he registered that way during a physical. Then he started getting light headed and almost passed out once. Turned out the medication was giving him extremely low blood pressure. His teacher told his doctor he couldn't have such medication because tantric blood pressure can rise and fall but generally never anything dangerous. Agni mantras can make the blood pressure rise. Good thing for me because I have a history of low blood pressure. I also have another friend who is not a meditator but once his doctor gave him blood pressure medicine and he also had light headedness and had to be taken off it. Apparently when he went for his checkup he had high blood pressure but it was not common with him. I also bought one of little finger blood pressure devices which are more expensive than the wrapper type but also consider not quite as accurate but for my purposes close enough and also much more convenient.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Femimint Hygiene: Vagina Mints
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, raunchydog raunchy...@... wrote: WTF? http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/10/femimint-hygiene-mints Well-fer-crimeny-sakes-raunchy! If you flossed that dentada once in awhile you might not get that abnormal odor and need the mints. Wake up and smell the coffee.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Forward, Into The Past
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB no_re...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, azgrey no_reply@ wrote: Willy, since fucking prairie dogs or whatever you do with your time doesn't seem to fill enough of it lately... Don't you just *hate* those prairie dog fuckers? LOL. You should post more often, dude. Perhaps. I tend to just drop by and read, by message view, posts since I was last here. Interesting forum. Tedious at times, but often interesting. I have learned much by following FFL. I look forward to learning more. Your sense of humor is one of the things that keeps me around. You are too kind and push my humor buttons every time I visit FFL. I am always grateful for a good spontaneous laugh. Thanks. I just call 'em like I see 'em. Just when I think my odd sense of humor might be sullying the high vibe of a spiritual forum I read a post from one of the monitors about his sexual fantasy involving a former president and a male prostitute in the Oval Office. Go figure. It is a marvel the level of obsessiveness shown by your pair of faux-feminist fans. They must dream about you. Just on the off chance your Yahoo profile is correct, have you ever been to a couple of my favorite places of power near where you live? Neither, as it turns out, is what most people would think of as a power place, but for me they really are, FAR more powerful than the vortexes they take the New Age rubes to in and around Sedona. The first is a hotel, the Arizona Biltmore. It was designed by one of Frank Lloyd Wright's students, but with Wright assisting and -- some say -- doing a lot of the design. Stunning. You know how gazing at a beautiful vista like the Grand Canyon inspires and uplifts? Just walking around in this hotel does the same thing. It's stunning. The second, of course, is Taliesin West. Wright may have been a bit of a prick in real life, but he was a genius with a T-square and a sheet of blank paper. His houses for other people take your breath away; this one he built for himself. My profile, brief as it is, is accurate. I am *very* familiar with the places of power you mention. I would add Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium to your list and proclaim it as my favorite of the three. Have you been there? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grady_Gammage_Memorial_Auditorium http://snipurl.com/t53q5 It has been years since I have visited the Biltmore. Several changes of ownership and at least two major renovations have transpired since I last leisurely absorbed the vibe there. I worked in the neighborhood for over 20 years and it isn't at all far from where I live in Scottsdale. Your post is just the reminder I needed. I will try and correct my absence before the year is up. Taliesin West used to be on a bicycle route I regularly followed. It is, broadly speaking, in my neighborhood. I must admit it has been at least 10 years since I visited. Great spot isn't it? Stories about Wright abound, obviously, in Arizona. He is/was a controversial dude who still inspires parlor gossip even among non-architects. Much of that consists of arguing over his actual contributions to the Biltmore and Grady Gammage. It would take a professional misanthrope on a level of authfiend to dispute his influence on Taliesin West. It is *pure* Frank Lloyd Wright. There are those who feel, quite strongly, that growth and development in the area surrounding Taliesin have greatly reduced the impact of it as a place of power. The impact of his ability to reflect a sense of place is perhaps somewhat muted as the organics of the area have been so altered since his day. When were you last here? Gammage Auditorium suffers the same criticism as the Guggenheim Museum in that it doesn't organically blend into the surrounding area. Pppshaw! That its construction occurred after Wright's death and that it was originally designed to be an opera house in Bagdad adds to its outofplaceness. It has the most outrageous acoustics I have ever heard. Violent Arizona summer storms used to commonly knock out the power for hours at a time. In Gammage they would simply place candles on stage and proceed with an un-amplified show. Maybe I'm easily impressed, but I had goosebumps realizing that crusty old fart had the skill to design so well. On some level it was akin to an experience of the transcendent.
[FairfieldLife] participate in Maharishi's Global Plan [1 Attachment]
enjoy... - Weitergeleitete Mail Von: Global Country Switzerland globalcountryswitzerl...@maharishi.net An: 14 Maharishi Jyotish and Yagya Programmes globalcountryswitzerl...@maharishi.net Gesendet: Sonntag, den 8. November 2009, 22:57:36 Uhr Betreff: FW: participate in Maharishi's Global Plan Dear Friends, The spiritual counterpart for your country lies in India. Each country is connected to one of the twelve jyotir lingas in India, the seat of Shiva, the eternal silence at the basis of creation. Reviving the age-old knowledge about the spiritual connection of every country with the Jyotirlingas in India and the creation of 48 Brahmananda Saraswati Nagars is Maharishi¹s greatest gift for humanity. The following website gives you more information about Maharishi¹s global plan to transform every country into a Vedic country: http://www.mgcwp.org/jyotir_ling/POWERPOINT/JYOTIRLING.htm You are cordially invited in Maharishi¹s global plan to create a Vedic society everywhere and enjoy Maharishi¹s blessings and the support of all the Laws of Nature. If you have any questions or you want to participate in this grand undertaking please contact us via globalcountryswitzerl...@maharishi.net. Bowing before Maharishi and the Holy Tradition of Vedic Masters we send you our best wishes for life in fulfilment. Jai Guru Dev
[FairfieldLife] Re: Will Religious Fundamentalism Implode?
You are a one trick poney --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, do.rflex do.rf...@... wrote: Why fundamentalism will fail A seemingly unstoppable force is being undone from the inside By Harvey Cox http://search.boston.com/local/Search.do?s.sm.query=Harvey+Coxcamp=loc\ alsearch:on:byline:art The very nature of human religiousness is changing in a way inimical to fundamentalist thought. The most rapidly growing spiritual groups today focus not on someone else's authority, but on a direct encounter with the divine. Whatever else it may mean that so many people call themselves spiritual but not religious, it suggests they still yearn for contact with the sacred, but are suspicious of the scaffolding, the doctrines, and hierarchies through which it has often been conveyed. Excerpts: IN 1910, A COHORT of ultra-conservative American Protestants drew up a list of non-negotiable beliefs they insisted any genuine Christian must subscribe to. They published these fundamentals in a series of widely distributed pamphlets over the next five years. Their catalog featured doctrines such as the virgin birth, the physical resurrection of Christ, and his imminent second coming. The cornerstone, though, was a belief in the literal inerrancy of every syllable of the Bible, including in matters of geology, paleontology, and secular history. They called these beliefs fundamentals, and proudly styled themselves fundamentalists - true believers who feared that liberal movements like the social gospel and openness to other faiths were eroding the foundation of their religion... As the 20th century ended and a new one began, fundamentalism has taken on more formidable shapes, both politically and religiously. Though most of its adherents work through spiritual and educational channels, the small minority that turn to violence have caught the media's attention. If some seem ready to die for faith, others are ready to kill for it, gunning down abortion doctors in church, hijacking planes, and exploding bombs at weddings. For plenty of thoughtful people, fundamentalism has come to represent the most dangerous threat to open societies since the fall of communism. However, the truth is that for all its apparent strength, the fundamentalist sun is setting on all horizons. Throughout the Muslim world growing numbers of people are becoming impatient with violent groups that, in the name of Allah, seem capable of killing but incapable of producing jobs, food, or health care. Observers on the ground report that popular support for the jihadist wing of the Taliban is falling off as it fails to address the real life problems that afflict people in Afghanistan. (The other parts of the Taliban are inspired less by fundamentalism than by tribal loyalties and a traditional aversion to foreigners.) Al Qaeda faces a similar dismal prospect. Dr. Audrey Kurth Cronin, a professor at the National War College in Washington and author of a new book, How Terrorism Ends, says, I think Al Qaeda is in the process of imploding. That is not necessarily the end. But the trends are in a good direction. In Iran, the fact that the clerics have resorted to beating and imprisoning their critics reveals the shakiness of their hold. IN AMERICA, the religious right, which started as a crusade, is becoming a niche. Randall Terry's Operation Rescue, which stages demonstrations at abortion clinics, has just announced that it is nearly bankrupt. The shrillest TV evangelists are losing audiences to more moderate evangelical-lite preachers. Fundamentalist congregations are ceding ground to Pentecostals and mega-churches, which embrace a wider social agenda and teach the spiritual authority - not the literal inerrancy - of the Bible. Surveys have shown that the rapid growth of evangelical Protestantism in Latin America has not produced a replication of the American religious right, but rather a moderate leftward tilt. A majority of Brazilian evangelicals, for example, voted for President Lula, who ran as a Workers Party candidate. In South Korea, Christianity has grown faster than anywhere in the world and now accounts for over a third of the population. But its theology tends toward moderate evangelicalism with an ecumenical bent. The fading of fundamentalism marks a decisive change in global society. It has already freed Christians, Muslims, and Jews to explore what all three have in common as they now begin to cooperate in confronting nuclear weapons, poverty, and climate change... But fundamentalist movements share another quality. They are inherently fractious, and this is one reason for their broad decline. When your view of reality is the only acceptable one, you cannot compromise. Almost from its inception, American Protestant fundamentalism split into
[FairfieldLife] Re: Will Religious Fundamentalism Implode?
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, sgrayatlarge no_re...@... wrote: You are a one trick poney Are you a fundamentalist? What's a poney? --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, do.rflex do.rflex@ wrote: Why fundamentalism will fail A seemingly unstoppable force is being undone from the inside By Harvey Cox http://search.boston.com/local/Search.do?s.sm.query=Harvey+Coxcamp=loc\ alsearch:on:byline:art The very nature of human religiousness is changing in a way inimical to fundamentalist thought. The most rapidly growing spiritual groups today focus not on someone else's authority, but on a direct encounter with the divine. Whatever else it may mean that so many people call themselves spiritual but not religious, it suggests they still yearn for contact with the sacred, but are suspicious of the scaffolding, the doctrines, and hierarchies through which it has often been conveyed. Excerpts: IN 1910, A COHORT of ultra-conservative American Protestants drew up a list of non-negotiable beliefs they insisted any genuine Christian must subscribe to. They published these fundamentals in a series of widely distributed pamphlets over the next five years. Their catalog featured doctrines such as the virgin birth, the physical resurrection of Christ, and his imminent second coming. The cornerstone, though, was a belief in the literal inerrancy of every syllable of the Bible, including in matters of geology, paleontology, and secular history. They called these beliefs fundamentals, and proudly styled themselves fundamentalists - true believers who feared that liberal movements like the social gospel and openness to other faiths were eroding the foundation of their religion... As the 20th century ended and a new one began, fundamentalism has taken on more formidable shapes, both politically and religiously. Though most of its adherents work through spiritual and educational channels, the small minority that turn to violence have caught the media's attention. If some seem ready to die for faith, others are ready to kill for it, gunning down abortion doctors in church, hijacking planes, and exploding bombs at weddings. For plenty of thoughtful people, fundamentalism has come to represent the most dangerous threat to open societies since the fall of communism. However, the truth is that for all its apparent strength, the fundamentalist sun is setting on all horizons. Throughout the Muslim world growing numbers of people are becoming impatient with violent groups that, in the name of Allah, seem capable of killing but incapable of producing jobs, food, or health care. Observers on the ground report that popular support for the jihadist wing of the Taliban is falling off as it fails to address the real life problems that afflict people in Afghanistan. (The other parts of the Taliban are inspired less by fundamentalism than by tribal loyalties and a traditional aversion to foreigners.) Al Qaeda faces a similar dismal prospect. Dr. Audrey Kurth Cronin, a professor at the National War College in Washington and author of a new book, How Terrorism Ends, says, I think Al Qaeda is in the process of imploding. That is not necessarily the end. But the trends are in a good direction. In Iran, the fact that the clerics have resorted to beating and imprisoning their critics reveals the shakiness of their hold. IN AMERICA, the religious right, which started as a crusade, is becoming a niche. Randall Terry's Operation Rescue, which stages demonstrations at abortion clinics, has just announced that it is nearly bankrupt. The shrillest TV evangelists are losing audiences to more moderate evangelical-lite preachers. Fundamentalist congregations are ceding ground to Pentecostals and mega-churches, which embrace a wider social agenda and teach the spiritual authority - not the literal inerrancy - of the Bible. Surveys have shown that the rapid growth of evangelical Protestantism in Latin America has not produced a replication of the American religious right, but rather a moderate leftward tilt. A majority of Brazilian evangelicals, for example, voted for President Lula, who ran as a Workers Party candidate. In South Korea, Christianity has grown faster than anywhere in the world and now accounts for over a third of the population. But its theology tends toward moderate evangelicalism with an ecumenical bent. The fading of fundamentalism marks a decisive change in global society. It has already freed Christians, Muslims, and Jews to explore what all three have in common as they now begin to cooperate in confronting nuclear weapons, poverty, and climate change... But fundamentalist movements share another quality. They are inherently
[FairfieldLife] Re: TM and Blood Pressure
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu noozg...@... wrote: Vaj wrote: Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words: http://www.box.net/shared/static/eycqy25sh2.jpg SBP is Systolic Blood Pressure. Depends on the mantra used doesn't it? no Some will be stimulating and actually raise the blood pressure while others lower it. no My teacher was put on high blood pressure medicine since he registered that way during a physical. Then he started getting light headed and almost passed out once. Turned out the medication was giving him extremely low blood pressure. His teacher told his doctor he couldn't have such medication because tantric blood pressure can rise and fall but generally never anything dangerous. Agni mantras can make the blood pressure rise. Good thing for me because I have a history of low blood pressure. I also have another friend who is not a meditator but once his doctor gave him blood pressure medicine and he also had light headedness and had to be taken off it. Apparently when he went for his checkup he had high blood pressure but it was not common with him. I also bought one of little finger blood pressure devices which are more expensive than the wrapper type but also consider not quite as accurate but for my purposes close enough and also much more convenient.
[FairfieldLife] Post Count
Fairfield Life Post Counter === Start Date (UTC): Sat Nov 07 00:00:00 2009 End Date (UTC): Sat Nov 14 00:00:00 2009 131 messages as of (UTC) Sun Nov 08 23:54:13 2009 24 authfriend jst...@panix.com 17 raunchydog raunchy...@yahoo.com 10 nablusoss1008 no_re...@yahoogroups.com 10 WillyTex willy...@yahoo.com 9 ShempMcGurk shempmcg...@netscape.net 8 Vaj vajradh...@earthlink.net 6 shukra69 shukr...@yahoo.ca 6 TurquoiseB no_re...@yahoogroups.com 6 Bhairitu noozg...@sbcglobal.net 6 do.rflex do.rf...@yahoo.com 4 off_world_beings no_re...@yahoogroups.com 4 dhamiltony2k5 dhamiltony...@yahoo.com 3 sgrayatlarge no_re...@yahoogroups.com 3 PaliGap compost...@yahoo.co.uk 3 Hugo richardhughes...@hotmail.com 2 azgrey no_re...@yahoogroups.com 2 wle...@aol.com 1 m 13 meowthirt...@yahoo.com 1 cardemaister no_re...@yahoogroups.com 1 Sal Sunshine salsunsh...@lisco.com 1 Rick Archer r...@searchsummit.com 1 John jr_...@yahoo.com 1 It's just a ride bill.hicks.all.a.r...@gmail.com 1 Duveyoung no_re...@yahoogroups.com 1 Alex Stanley j_alexander_stan...@yahoo.com Posters: 25 Saturday Morning 00:00 UTC Rollover Times = Daylight Saving Time (Summer): US Friday evening: PDT 5 PM - MDT 6 PM - CDT 7 PM - EDT 8 PM Europe Saturday: BST 1 AM CEST 2 AM EEST 3 AM Standard Time (Winter): US Friday evening: PST 4 PM - MST 5 PM - CST 6 PM - EST 7 PM Europe Saturday: GMT 12 AM CET 1 AM EET 2 AM For more information on Time Zones: www.worldtimezone.com
[FairfieldLife] Re: TM and Blood Pressure
The graph Vaj references, which he has previously posted, doesn't prove superiority of one meditation technique over another as he would have us believe. It is just one tiny part of a larger study he neglects to link to (at least I've never seen it). I found the study he referenced. It was published in June 2007. There could be recent research in the works we might hear about in the futue that could change the results of their study but so far they conclude: Conclusion: Many uncertainties surround the practice of meditation. Scientific research on meditation practices does not appear to have a common theoretical perspective and is characterized by poor methodological quality. Firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence. Future research on meditation practices must be more rigorous in the design and execution of studies and in the analysis and reporting of results. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hsertapart=A247554 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hsertapart=A247554 It's a huge study. It's easy to to take one small portion of it as Vaj has done, tout one meditation technique over another and dismiss TM, which seems to be his primary mission on FFLife. [Logo of hserta]NCBI http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ » Bookshelf http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=Books » Health Services/Technology Assessment Text (HSTAT) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hstatcollect » AHRQ Evidence Reports http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hserta » Meditation Practices for Health: State of the Research http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hsertapart=A247554 Table 25 . Number of outcome measures examined by meditation practice CategoryPopulationMantra mediation (N)Mindfulness meditation (N)Meditation practice (ND) (N)Miscellaneous meditation practices (N)Qi Gong (N)Tai Chi (N)Yoga (N)Total (N)Measures per category (N)PhysiologicalCardiovascular 196 25 9 ... 27 87 151 495 1,474 Pulmonary and respiratory 83 14 1 ... 14 33 106 251 Nutritional biochemistry and metabolism 76 3 2 2 22 20 110 235 Endocrine and hormonal 49 10 2 ... 15 7 42 125 Brain and nervous system 73 13 ... ... 7 ... 19 112 Electrodermal responses 53 8 1 ... ... ... 10 72 Muscular 30 2 2 ... ... 6 6 46 Lymphatic and immunological 5 9 ... ... 29 1 1 45 Blood 12 1 1 ... 3 1 10 28 Thermoregulatory 10 1 1 ... 1 2 7 22 Skeletal ... ... ... ... ... 12 2 14 Ocular 6 ... ... ... ... ... 7 13 Sensory 3 ... ... ... ... ... 5 8 Renal and excretory ... ... 2 ... 3 1 1 7 Gastric..11 PsychosocialPsychiatric and psychological symptoms 231 183 20 13 25 33 140 645 1,204 Personality 146 66 12 6 8 14 61 313 Positive psychology outcomes 37 37 4 5 ... 4 21 108 Social and interpersonal relationships 26 14 ... ... ... 3 7 50 Health-related quality of life 3 12 2 1 4 10 10 42 Activities of daily living and events impact 8 8 ... 1 1 5 3 26 Other behavioral7313...1520 ClinicalPhysical functionality 12 7 1 1 8 165 58 252 698 Clinical events and symptoms improvement 33 31 1 3 8 17 61 154 Nutritional status, body composition and weight 22 10 ... ... 7 8 27 74 Health status and well-being 11 23 1 2 3 13 17 70 Sleep 25 14 2 ... 1 2 11 55 Pain and pain-related behavior 6 20 ... ... 6 11 11 54 Falls occurrence and related behavior ... ... ... ... 1 16 - 17 Adherence 4 3 ... ... ... 3 2 12 Mortality 5 ... ... ... 2 ... 1 8 Longevity2..2 Cognitive and neuropsychologicalSensory perceptual and motor functions 48 18 3 2 ... 8 24 103 239 Reasoning and executive functions 21 11 5 1 ... ... 2 40 General functions 17 5 1 1 ... 4 9 37 Memory 14 3 2 ... ... ... 5 24 Attention 10 5 ... ... ... ... 7 22 Language51713 Healthcare utilizationMedication use 4 3 ... ... 2 2 19 30 50 Healthcare utilization and economic outcomes134320 Total 1321567764119748998936803680 ND = not described Copyright and disclaimer http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/About/disclaimer.html
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradh...@... wrote: On Nov 7, 2009, at 6:45 PM, off_world_beings wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ShempMcGurk shempmcgurk@ wrote: Big deal. Even if, as a result of the research study, it comes out as a positive thing to do TM, who trusts the TMO anymore? Heck, I'm a 36 year regular meditator and even I don't trust their research... Fortunately no serious person on the planet puts your opinion over published scientific research. Uh, they just got the grant Off. I realize the TMO has already reached a conclusion, after all it's being done by biased TB's, but please wait till they perform the study to start saying it's published and that the results were oh so great! If you missed the BBC special, here's a copy. Too bad for you that the NIH doesn't take sensationalist reporting as having anything to do with science. OffWorld
[FairfieldLife] Let them eat Jellyfish.
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com , PaliGap compost...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com , ShempMcGurk shempmcgurk@ wrote: [snip] Of course, I am a scientific expert on global warming and I should be listened and adhered to by one and all on what I say on that matter. Too right! Saw this in my paper today: Al Gore, who art in thy fully offset private jet; Nobel-prized be thy name; Thy carbon-free kingdom come; On planet Earth (otherwise known as Gaia) as it should be after Copenhagen; Give us this day our daily meat-free diet; And forgive us our emissions, though we don't forgive any other big fat Americans who emit against us; Lead us not into exotic holiday flights; And deliver us from climate denial; for the science is settled. Amen Here in Brit-Land there was a curious development this week when a court that decides on employment law ruled in favour of a climate activist who has sought to have his greenism put on a par with other religious beliefs. Some are saying this looks like a bit of an own goal by the green fundies, as er... isn't it supposed be science and not religion? Dominic Lawson notes: Interestingly, Burton is the very same judge that two years ago found for a Kent school governor who brought a case against the government's plans to supply every school with a DVD of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. The judge agreed that the film was flawed. He decreed that it contained nine scientific errors and that the government should accompany any DVDs sent to schools with guidance pointing out, among other things, that polar bears are not drowning in the absence of sufficient quantities of ice. You nay-sayers will have died from the poison in the oceans, air, soils and water tables, long before you get a chance to say See, I told you so OffWorld
[FairfieldLife] Re: TM and Blood Pressure
P.S. It looks like there are far more studies for the category mantra meditation than for mindfullness meditation. Why is that? --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, raunchydog raunchy...@... wrote: The graph Vaj references, which he has previously posted, doesn't prove superiority of one meditation technique over another as he would have us believe. It is just one tiny part of a larger study he neglects to link to (at least I've never seen it). I found the study he referenced. It was published in June 2007. There could be recent research in the works we might hear about in the futue that could change the results of their study but so far they conclude: Conclusion: Many uncertainties surround the practice of meditation. Scientific research on meditation practices does not appear to have a common theoretical perspective and is characterized by poor methodological quality. Firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence. Future research on meditation practices must be more rigorous in the design and execution of studies and in the analysis and reporting of results. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hsertapart=A247554 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hsertapart=A247554 It's a huge study. It's easy to to take one small portion of it as Vaj has done, tout one meditation technique over another and dismiss TM, which seems to be his primary mission on FFLife. [Logo of hserta]NCBI http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ » Bookshelf http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=Books » Health Services/Technology Assessment Text (HSTAT) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hstatcollect » AHRQ Evidence Reports http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hserta » Meditation Practices for Health: State of the Research http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hsertapart=A247554 Table 25 . Number of outcome measures examined by meditation practice CategoryPopulationMantra mediation (N)Mindfulness meditation (N)Meditation practice (ND) (N)Miscellaneous meditation practices (N)Qi Gong (N)Tai Chi (N)Yoga (N)Total (N)Measures per category (N)PhysiologicalCardiovascular 196 25 9 ... 27 87 151 495 1,474 Pulmonary and respiratory 83 14 1 ... 14 33 106 251 Nutritional biochemistry and metabolism 76 3 2 2 22 20 110 235 Endocrine and hormonal 49 10 2 ... 15 7 42 125 Brain and nervous system 73 13 ... ... 7 ... 19 112 Electrodermal responses 53 8 1 ... ... ... 10 72 Muscular 30 2 2 ... ... 6 6 46 Lymphatic and immunological 5 9 ... ... 29 1 1 45 Blood 12 1 1 ... 3 1 10 28 Thermoregulatory 10 1 1 ... 1 2 7 22 Skeletal ... ... ... ... ... 12 2 14 Ocular 6 ... ... ... ... ... 7 13 Sensory 3 ... ... ... ... ... 5 8 Renal and excretory ... ... 2 ... 3 1 1 7 Gastric..11 PsychosocialPsychiatric and psychological symptoms 231 183 20 13 25 33 140 645 1,204 Personality 146 66 12 6 8 14 61 313 Positive psychology outcomes 37 37 4 5 ... 4 21 108 Social and interpersonal relationships 26 14 ... ... ... 3 7 50 Health-related quality of life 3 12 2 1 4 10 10 42 Activities of daily living and events impact 8 8 ... 1 1 5 3 26 Other behavioral7313...1520 ClinicalPhysical functionality 12 7 1 1 8 165 58 252 698 Clinical events and symptoms improvement 33 31 1 3 8 17 61 154 Nutritional status, body composition and weight 22 10 ... ... 7 8 27 74 Health status and well-being 11 23 1 2 3 13 17 70 Sleep 25 14 2 ... 1 2 11 55 Pain and pain-related behavior 6 20 ... ... 6 11 11 54 Falls occurrence and related behavior ... ... ... ... 1 16 - 17 Adherence 4 3 ... ... ... 3 2 12 Mortality 5 ... ... ... 2 ... 1 8 Longevity2..2 Cognitive and neuropsychologicalSensory perceptual and motor functions 48 18 3 2 ... 8 24 103 239 Reasoning and executive functions 21 11 5 1 ... ... 2 40 General functions 17 5 1 1 ... 4 9 37 Memory 14 3 2 ... ... ... 5 24 Attention 10 5 ... ... ... ... 7 22
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: TM and Blood Pressure
shukra69 wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu noozg...@... wrote: Vaj wrote: Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words: http://www.box.net/shared/static/eycqy25sh2.jpg SBP is Systolic Blood Pressure. Depends on the mantra used doesn't it? no Some will be stimulating and actually raise the blood pressure while others lower it. no My teacher was put on high blood pressure medicine since he registered that way during a physical. Then he started getting light headed and almost passed out once. Turned out the medication was giving him extremely low blood pressure. His teacher told his doctor he couldn't have such medication because tantric blood pressure can rise and fall but generally never anything dangerous. Agni mantras can make the blood pressure rise. Good thing for me because I have a history of low blood pressure. I also have another friend who is not a meditator but once his doctor gave him blood pressure medicine and he also had light headedness and had to be taken off it. Apparently when he went for his checkup he had high blood pressure but it was not common with him. I also bought one of little finger blood pressure devices which are more expensive than the wrapper type but also consider not quite as accurate but for my purposes close enough and also much more convenient. Oh, well then why don't you enlighten us with your vast knowledge of mantra shastra?
[FairfieldLife] Re: NIH provides $ 1 million for new study
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ShempMcGurk shempmcg...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, raunchydog raunchydog@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, dhamiltony2k5 dhamiltony2k5@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ShempMcGurk shempmcgurk@ wrote: Big deal. Even if, as a result of the research study, it comes out as a positive thing to do TM, who trusts the TMO anymore? Heck, I'm a 36 year regular meditator and even I don't trust their research... Shemp, if the research is positive and proves conclusively it helps people with CHD, what's not to trust? The research? You're not making any sense. Oh, I have absolutely no doubt that TM is the best thing for people with CHD and that the research will show that...AND that the research is done in the most objective, serious way. It's once the TMO gets its hands on it, interprets it, and then publishes it with gold-crusted paint on the sides that will ruin everything. I see your point Shemp about the schmaltzy marketing, I agree it is gaudy and maybe off putting for some folks. For me, I always thought it was fun that Maharishi liked a lot of gold on everything. I fail to see how schmaltz would ruin the value of excellent research. If the CHD research proves successful, it should stand on its own without a lot of marketing. It seems like these are two separate issues. And who knows, you might see future research published in plain old black and white (boring) now that Maharishi isn't here to say, Gold, more Gold! hum, trust. in TMO or Maharishi over the years. Should have been an interesting thing to have polled and followed in meditators. Even now. Doug, polling meditators whether or not they trust TMO or MMY has nothing to do with this research project. The outcome will prove beneficial for people with CHD or not. The fact that Schneider and all were able to get the grant and are willing to subject CHD patients to scientific scrutiny doing TM, says they have confidence in a positive outcome. For the sake of the many CHD patients TM could help in the future, I hope they are right. I wish them success.
[FairfieldLife] Sunday Late Night: Stupak, Defined
To commemorate Saturday's infamous rollback of women's reproductive health introduced by Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Gilead) and included in the health care reform bill by a floor vote permitted under the Rule developed by Democratic leadership, Duncan Black (Atrios) proposed http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/11/let-it-be-so.html a new definition for the term Stupak: Stupak (n) The sepsis commonly experienced after unsafe back alley abortions Today, Urban Dictionary has posted http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=stupak this definition: 2. Stupak: A medical condition (subset of sepsis) resulting from unsafe unnecessarily so back alley abortions as a result of the Stupak Amendment to the 2009 Health Care Reform Bill. Doctor: Unfortunately, while this would have been covered under private insurance carriers, public plans were barred from including women's health measures. I'm sorry, you'll have to see Dr. Julio in the alley behind 7-11. (Three weeks later.) Doctor: I believe you've developed Stupak, a form of sepsis, a severe illness in which the bloodstream is overwhelmed by bacteria. Head on over to Urban Dictionary to vote for definition #2 http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=stupak . Bart Stupak is about to be Santorum'd http://www.google.com/search?q=santorumie=utf-8oe=utf-8aq=trls=org.\ mozilla:en-US:officialclient=firefox-a , and he won't know what hit him. [http://static1.firedoglake.com/1/files/2009/10/Stupak-Bart.jpg] Related posts: 1. Stupak Amendment Debate Begins http://news.firedoglake.com/2009/11/07/stupak-amendment-debate-begins/ 2. Stupak Threatens to Block Health Care over Abortion; Planned Parenthood, NARAL Take a Nap http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/10/30/stupak-threatens-to-block-h\ ealth-care-over-abortion-planned-parenthood-and-naral-take-a-nap/ 3. Shadegg (R) To Vote Present On Stupak Amendment http://news.firedoglake.com/2009/11/07/shadegg-r-to-vote-present-on-stu\ pak-amendment/ 4. Stupak Amendment, Redux: Recorded Vote Live Blog http://firedoglake.com/2009/11/07/stupak-amendment-redux-roll-call-vote\ -live-blog/ 5. House Health Care Vote Scheduled for Saturday http://news.firedoglake.com/2009/11/04/house-health-care-vote-scheduled\ -for-saturday/ http://firedoglake.com/2009/11/08/sunday-late-night-stupak-defined/ http://firedoglake.com/2009/11/08/sunday-late-night-stupak-defined/
[FairfieldLife] Re: TM and Blood Pressure
no comparable scientific type research of spirituality of Islamic Prayer? Five times a day by half the world and there is not research on that spiritual practice to compare with the others? --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, raunchydog raunchy...@... wrote: The graph Vaj references, which he has previously posted, doesn't prove superiority of one meditation technique over another as he would have us believe. It is just one tiny part of a larger study he neglects to link to (at least I've never seen it). I found the study he referenced. It was published in June 2007. There could be recent research in the works we might hear about in the futue that could change the results of their study but so far they conclude: Conclusion: Many uncertainties surround the practice of meditation. Scientific research on meditation practices does not appear to have a common theoretical perspective and is characterized by poor methodological quality. Firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence. Future research on meditation practices must be more rigorous in the design and execution of studies and in the analysis and reporting of results. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hsertapart=A247554 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hsertapart=A247554 It's a huge study. It's easy to to take one small portion of it as Vaj has done, tout one meditation technique over another and dismiss TM, which seems to be his primary mission on FFLife. [Logo of hserta]NCBI http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ » Bookshelf http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=Books » Health Services/Technology Assessment Text (HSTAT) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hstatcollect » AHRQ Evidence Reports http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hserta » Meditation Practices for Health: State of the Research http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hsertapart=A247554 Table 25 . Number of outcome measures examined by meditation practice CategoryPopulationMantra mediation (N)Mindfulness meditation (N)Meditation practice (ND) (N)Miscellaneous meditation practices (N)Qi Gong (N)Tai Chi (N)Yoga (N)Total (N)Measures per category (N)PhysiologicalCardiovascular 196 25 9 ... 27 87 151 495 1,474 Pulmonary and respiratory 83 14 1 ... 14 33 106 251 Nutritional biochemistry and metabolism 76 3 2 2 22 20 110 235 Endocrine and hormonal 49 10 2 ... 15 7 42 125 Brain and nervous system 73 13 ... ... 7 ... 19 112 Electrodermal responses 53 8 1 ... ... ... 10 72 Muscular 30 2 2 ... ... 6 6 46 Lymphatic and immunological 5 9 ... ... 29 1 1 45 Blood 12 1 1 ... 3 1 10 28 Thermoregulatory 10 1 1 ... 1 2 7 22 Skeletal ... ... ... ... ... 12 2 14 Ocular 6 ... ... ... ... ... 7 13 Sensory 3 ... ... ... ... ... 5 8 Renal and excretory ... ... 2 ... 3 1 1 7 Gastric..11 PsychosocialPsychiatric and psychological symptoms 231 183 20 13 25 33 140 645 1,204 Personality 146 66 12 6 8 14 61 313 Positive psychology outcomes 37 37 4 5 ... 4 21 108 Social and interpersonal relationships 26 14 ... ... ... 3 7 50 Health-related quality of life 3 12 2 1 4 10 10 42 Activities of daily living and events impact 8 8 ... 1 1 5 3 26 Other behavioral7313...1520 ClinicalPhysical functionality 12 7 1 1 8 165 58 252 698 Clinical events and symptoms improvement 33 31 1 3 8 17 61 154 Nutritional status, body composition and weight 22 10 ... ... 7 8 27 74 Health status and well-being 11 23 1 2 3 13 17 70 Sleep 25 14 2 ... 1 2 11 55 Pain and pain-related behavior 6 20 ... ... 6 11 11 54 Falls occurrence and related behavior ... ... ... ... 1 16 - 17 Adherence 4 3 ... ... ... 3 2 12 Mortality 5 ... ... ... 2 ... 1 8 Longevity2..2 Cognitive and neuropsychologicalSensory perceptual and motor functions 48 18 3 2 ... 8 24 103 239 Reasoning and executive functions 21 11 5 1 ... ... 2 40 General functions 17 5 1 1 ... 4 9 37 Memory 14 3 2 ... ...
[FairfieldLife] Re: Forward, Into The Past
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, azgrey no_re...@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB no_reply@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, azgrey no_reply@ wrote: Willy, since fucking prairie dogs or whatever you do with your time doesn't seem to fill enough of it lately... Don't you just *hate* those prairie dog fuckers? LOL. You should post more often, dude. Perhaps. I tend to just drop by and read, by message view, posts since I was last here. Interesting forum. Tedious at times, but often interesting. I have learned much by following FFL. I look forward to learning more. Your comments on the fantasy of vagina dentata were particularly...uh...pointed. The problem with the women who obsess on it is that they imagine that there are men who would be tempted to go any- where *near* their vaginas. False premise. :-) Your sense of humor is one of the things that keeps me around. You are too kind and push my humor buttons every time I visit FFL. I am always grateful for a good spontaneous laugh. Thanks. Laughter is good. One of the other things that keeps me around at FFL is the constant opportunity for laughter. I just call 'em like I see 'em. Just when I think my odd sense of humor might be sullying the high vibe of a spiritual forum I read a post from one of the monitors about his sexual fantasy involving a former president and a male prostitute in the Oval Office. Go figure. That was a classic, agreed. It is a marvel the level of obsessiveness shown by your pair of faux-feminist fans. They must dream about you. Sometimes I think so. I was commenting yesterday on another forum how pleasant it was there to log on and find zero stalkers. Try to imagine what a change that is for me. *Sixteen years*, and I know that no matter what I do, every week a sizable portion of the posts on FFL will be spewing hatred at me. What I don't understand is how the spewers live with the sense of *importance* that their obsession projects onto me. One would think that if their goal was to minimize me and my ideas they would obsess on me *less*. Go figure. Just on the off chance your Yahoo profile is correct, have you ever been to a couple of my favorite places of power near where you live? Neither, as it turns out, is what most people would think of as a power place, but for me they really are, FAR more powerful than the vortexes they take the New Age rubes to in and around Sedona. The first is a hotel, the Arizona Biltmore. It was designed by one of Frank Lloyd Wright's students, but with Wright assisting and -- some say -- doing a lot of the design. Stunning. You know how gazing at a beautiful vista like the Grand Canyon inspires and uplifts? Just walking around in this hotel does the same thing. It's stunning. The second, of course, is Taliesin West. Wright may have been a bit of a prick in real life, but he was a genius with a T-square and a sheet of blank paper. His houses for other people take your breath away; this one he built for himself. My profile, brief as it is, is accurate. I am *very* familiar with the places of power you mention. I would add Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium to your list and proclaim it as my favorite of the three. Have you been there? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grady_Gammage_Memorial_Auditorium http://snipurl.com/t53q5 Don't know it. Maybe I'll get to that area again some- day and if so I'll check it out. I do love Frank Lloyd Wright and his sense of visual poetry. It has been years since I have visited the Biltmore. Several changes of ownership and at least two major renovations have transpired since I last leisurely absorbed the vibe there. I worked in the neighborhood for over 20 years and it isn't at all far from where I live in Scottsdale. Your post is just the reminder I needed. I will try and correct my absence before the year is up. Taliesin West used to be on a bicycle route I regularly followed. It is, broadly speaking, in my neighborhood. I must admit it has been at least 10 years since I visited. Great spot isn't it? Stories about Wright abound, obviously, in Arizona. He is/was a controversial dude who still inspires parlor gossip even among non-architects. Much of that consists of arguing over his actual contributions to the Biltmore and Grady Gammage. It would take a professional misanthrope on a level of authfiend to dispute his influence on Taliesin West. It is *pure* Frank Lloyd Wright. There are those who feel, quite strongly, that growth and development in the area surrounding Taliesin have greatly reduced the impact of it as a place of power. The impact of his ability to reflect a sense of place is perhaps somewhat muted as the organics of the area have been so altered since his day. When were you last here? I was last there about eight years ago. I
