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Topics - PeacefulWarrior

#1
This is the first time I've logged in to AP in a LONG time. How are things going? I have "moved on" in some ways (I don't have the same kinds of questions or the desire to discuss OBEs in and of themselves...I don't mean to say I am not interested in things mystical) but still love to see people interested and engaged in the discussion of states of consciousness beyond the physical.

So, I send my love and express my desire to help end the suffering of all beings.

May all beings be happy. May God, both He who exists as our Father and our own inner God, bless you as you strive with honesty and diligence to expand through compassion and will power.

#2
If I can guess what this is, my buddy will buy me lunch.  Help me out please!  Thanks!

#3
I posted this in the Spiritual Evolution forum, but since nearly any topic is permissible here, please forgive me if I post it here as well since I think many of you will be interested in this.  I also want to say hello to any and all of my "old friends" here.  I've been around since nearly the beginning (2001/2?) and used to be a moderator here for a while.  Now, before I go on, once you really get into this post I must warn you that you might be a bit "turned off" by all of the mystical jargon.  I know had I run into a post like this when I first began frequenting these forums, I might simply though, "WTH?"  So, if that's the case, that's fine, this may not be for you, at least at this time.  Furthermore, please excuse the hasty manner in which I am throwing this out there; I had just finished an email when it came to me, "Hey, you should hop over to AP and put this out there," so my punctuation, diction, etc. isn't all one-hundred percent, but then again most people don't care as much as I do.

In years past I spent a great deal of time fretting over attempting to have the OBE with some success, but it was not until I re-focused on what I know matters most: cleaning my inner vessel (destroying my egos and trying to awaken my true, inner consciousness), doing compassionate service for others and trying to be mindful at all times, did things begin to really fall into place for me.  I'm happier than ever now and I am living my life in such a way that I am sad I ever put so much stock into "Astral Traveling."  Now, don't take me wrong, I'm not hear preaching for or against the OBE, it's a natural thing and has the potential to unlock so much, but it is one phenomena in one particular aspect, or vehicle, of the consciousness and is by no means the end all, be all of spiritual reality.  If you're naturally having OBEs, then attempt to meditate on why and be mindful of what you're doing in that state.  If you're doing so, or desiring to do so out of some egotistical desire, then BEWARE.

The following is an excerpt from an email to my dear friend Freedom.  He is a wonderful person I met some time ago when he saw the image of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life on my computer at work.  After a one hour conversation, we were recommending books and discussing profound truths.  Don't you love when things like that happen?  I suppose they happen online all the time, but nothing beats meeting someone in the flesh and realizing that there are no coincidences in life.

I also mention Frank in the treatise (I added some commentary).  I don't mean to judge frank, and I suppose I did.  I think, however, that his purely objective, rational view of the greater reality is a reflection of one who is developing his powers with the ego which, as some of you know, can be quite dangerous.

Love to all!

The email:


OK, I have a couple of minutes, so I am going to respond to a few things you wrote which I found interesting and compelling.  First of all you wrote, " I was told to stay away from astral traveling.  There is too much negative energy there."  The negative energy, including "evil" entities that one might confront would generally be negative aspects of oneself.  This is vital to realize. Winston Churchill's quote that "There is nothing to fear but fear itself," is actually a profound truth.  As you know, what must be conquered is our false-selves, our egos, and once we destroy the demons within our SELF, we realize our true, inner being.  In other words, it's about awakening the consciousness.  Every religion, every bit of knowledge is really just a tool to help us understand what must be done, but the doing of this "work" is up to us.  That's why I love that quote you shared.  The knowledge is key, but it's about overcoming knowledge in the end too and experiencing the absolute, limitless light and, thus, becoming one with the Father and even moving beyond that.

I have to start working on a presentation/training I have, but let me leave you with this.  I didn't write it, but it's a very objective description of "reality." I am not necessarily espousing everything you'll read here (I don't understand nor, obviously, do I have experential knowledge of these things, but I do intuitively understand them and I found this to be a very well-done, easy to understand explanation (enjoy!- oh yeah, and I bolded some sections and made some commentary...take the time to look this over, I'm anxious to hear how much of this is new and how much you've already heard...I assume you are more steeped in Buddhist/Hindu explanations but maybe I'm wrong):

The Ray of Creation

Before the dawn of the Mahamanvantara (the great cosmic day), Nothing (No-Thing/Eternal Siety) existed. All that was, was the Omeyocan (Nahuatl), the Absolute Abstract Space. It is here that the womb of the ocean of Divine Mother Space resides, waiting to be fecundated by the Eternal Cosmic Common Father in order to initiate the dawn of creation.
The womb of the Divine Mother Space is the Absolute, it is that which is the Siety, the original point of departure of everything existent.

The Absolute – Three Aspects

1. Ain (Hb: Nothing)- the unmanifested Absolute, the womb of the ocean of Divine Mother Space. This is where only the wind and the darkness exists.

2. Ain Soph (Hb: Limitless)- This is our atomic star that sends it's Ray into the world in order to be cognizant of its own happiness. This is the Star of Bethlehem, that which guides the path of the Boddhisatva. This is the original point of departure, where everything comes from in the beginning of the Mahamanvantara and where everything returns during the Mahapralaya.

3. Ain Soph Aur (Hb: Limitless Light)–The Ray of Creation. This is the Cosmic Christ, Quetzlcoatl (Nahuatl), Okidanok (Gurdjieff), Vishnu (Sans), Kukulcan (Mayan), etc. This is the source of all life and light in the universe. It is the ray that sacrifices itself in order to give birth to the multiple realms and forms upon the eternal Tree of Life. It Sacrifices itself in order to undergo multiple transformations, becoming more and more dense, more complicated so as to give life opportunity upon various planes of existence.

The Ray of Creation begins in the Absolute and ends in the Inferno, Avitchi, Greek Tarturus, or submerged Mineral Kingdom.

It is within the Absolute that we find the first cosmos. That is, the first order.

The tree of life represents both a macrocosm and microcosm; it is a map of both the organization of the universe and of man. The Tree of Life (Hb: Otz Chiim), is the result of the multiple transformations, sacrifices, sufferings of the Ray of Creation. We use the symbol itself in order to comprehend and place all of the various activities of the Cosmic Christ in every region of nature.

There are seven cosmos, each with their own laws. The laws depend upon the density and complexity of the Ray of Creation. The ray always begins in the subtle departments of Spirit and descends gradually into the complexities and density of matter.

The Ray of Creation begins in the Absolute, with the Protocosmos.

Each cosmos has its own laws. The unique law, the law of the Absolute exists within the first cosmos. The Protocosmos is infinitely divine, ineffable. No mechanical principle exists within it. It is governed by one unique Law, the Law of the Will of the Father, the Law of Love.

The law of the first cosmos is converted into three laws in the second cosmos. Thus there are 3 laws that govern the Ayocosmos. When we get further and further from the central, spiritual sun, governed by the unique law, we penetrate into more and more complicated worlds with more laws.

The physical plane is where 48 laws reign. Below the crust of the Earth is the first infradimensional zone, governed by 96 laws. The density of this region has increased, as each atom possesses 96 atoms of the Absolute within its intimate nature. Below this, the second infradimensional zone exists which possesses 192 laws, and each atom possesses 192 atoms of the Absolute. Each zone within the infernal dimensions increases in materialism in a horrific way. These are the Klipoth.

There are three principles which exist within the Absolute. These are the three Gunas, which are called Satya, Rajas and Tamas. They are in perfect balance within the Mahapralaya, the Great Cosmic Night. When they are not in balance or repose, there is a spin into motion, a spin out of the Absolute, which is the cause of the dawning of the Great Cosmic Day.

Satya – Wisdom
Rajas – Longing
Tamas – Movement

The Ray descends from the Absolute, the Ain Soph Aur into the first Sephirah:
Kether unfolds into the next two sephiroth, thus manifesting the Holy Triamazicamno.
Triamazicamno (Gurdjieff: see Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson) : the Holy Law of Creation, the three primary forces; 1. Holy Affirming +, 2. Holy Denying -, 3. Holy Reconciling =
This trinity is the Logos. It is a tri-unity, one but also three. The Law of Three creates and creation itself is God.
As the Gospel of John describes it....
"In the beginning was the Word (Kether) and the Word was with God (Chockmah), and the Word was God (Binah)."
The trinity unfolds within every atom (Proton +, Neutron =, Electron -). There are three forces present in all things. These are the Affirming (man), denying (woman) and Reconciling (Prometheus, the sexual force) forces.
The Trinity is recognized in every religion:
1. Kether (Hb. Crown): The Father; Brahma; Huehueteotl; Wotan; Osiris; Tepeu-Kokumatz
2. Chockmah (Hb. Wisdom): The Son; Vishnu; Quetzalcoatl; Sigfried; Horus; Kukulcan
3. Binah (Hb. Understanding): The Holy Spirit; Shiva; Tlaloc; Thor; Isis;

The Logos is the Spritiual Sun which is One in Three. It is also the Divine Androgynous, Two in One. It is Ometecuhtli-Omecihuatl, the Lord (Nahuatl: Tecuhtli) and Lady (Nahuatl: Cihuatl) of Duality (Nahuatl: Ome). Thus it is Mary or Ram-IO and Joseph or IO-Sephas. These masculine and feminine principles conceive the universe with their holy sexual act.


The Logos is the Multiple Perfect Unity. It is the Holy Sun, RA. It shines within every Star and every Planet. The immensity of the light that is given by the Cosmic Christ (Logos) it is the force that creates. This immense amount of light is organized in every cosmos by seven principle Logoi. These Logoi are seven Cosmo-Creators or Archangels. They are Perfect incarnations of the Cosmic Christ, perfect Monads that are fused with the Logos. These seven Archangels are the Spiritual representations of seven universal principles. These seven universal principles are the means of the organization of the light that is being created by the Holy Triamazicamno. This is the Law of Seven, the Holy Heptaparaparshinock.

Heptaparaparshinock (Gurdjieff): The Law of Seven, Organization.
There are seven notes in an octave and seven colors or rays on the electromagnetic spectrum. "In the beginning was the Word (Logos)..." That Logos is sound, vibration, light, movement etc which is always organized within the Law of 7. There are three sephiroth that represent the Triamazicamno and seven sephiroth below that.
The Cosmo-Creators are one with the Logos. They are seven Logoi. Thus the Cosmic Christ manifests within the Triamazicamno and the Heptaparaparshinock.

Each one of the seven cosmocreators emanates from itself zillions of Monads.
Monad: (Gr) from the Greek word Monas (unity). The Monad itself is the Intimate Spirit. It is our own particular Inner Being that manifests in the universe in order to reach absolute and complete self-realization. The Being is the Tree of Life, it must realize Itself in every region of the Tree of Life, Kether down to Malkuth and everything in between. The Monad is Chesed/Gedulah which is Mercy/Love. Within Chesed (the Inner Being) are the Divine Soul (Geburah: Justice) and the Human Soul (Tiphereth: Beauty). Thus the Monad is made of three principles:
1. Chesed: (Atman) The Inner Being that rides the back of the feathered serpent in order to enter into cosmic manifestation. It manifests be the sacrifice of its own Cosmic Father, one of the seven Archangels that rules creation. It descends through one of these seven rays according to the spiritual idiosyncrasy of that particular Monad. He is King Arthur.
2. Geburah: (Buddhi) The feminine soul where all of the most precious cosmic elements of the Being are placed. She is Queen Guinevere.
3. Tiphereth: (Tiphereth) The Human Soul. This is the reflection of the two previous aspects of the Monad which is sent by the Intimate to descend into the world to fight the battle of the antitheses. It is the reflection of the Human Soul that initially descends, this reflection itself is called the Essence or Buddhata.

The Buddhata descends into the world in order to give the Monad the chance to conquer the inferior regions of nature, namely, the four elements. These four elements are given to the Monad by DIVINE MOTHER NATURE. They are actually four principle elements that are called the four protoplasmatic bodies or vehicles. They are as follows:
1. Mind or Lunar Mental Body(Netzach)
2. Emotion or Lunar Astral Body* (Hod)
3. Vital Body or Etheric Double (Jesod)
4. Physical Body (Malkuth)

The Logos is not created, but is only potential in us. We must complete the three mountains in order to realize this within ourselves. This is the path of self-realization.

Quetzlcoatl was the Aztec Christ, represented as a serpent bird. It is said that he flew to the Earth with sparks on his wings. These sparks are the individual Monads. Our Monad has to create its Tree of Life. The Logos is only a potential in us. Its creation is the intimate self-realization of the Being.

Thus Divine Mother Nature has given these four bodies to the Monad for its work. These four protoplasmatic bodies synthesize into three seeds or principles because the vital and physical bodies are always connected. These three principles are synthesized within the creative mercury of any individual, within the sexual forces of Jesod-Mercury. These three seeds must be transformed into solar vehicles, the Solar Bodies, the Mercabah.

The Father Who Is In Secret has also placed three seeds of itself within Jesod-Mercury. These three seeds are the seeds of the Holy Triamazicamno, without which all creation would be impossible. This gives the creativity to the sexual glands. This gives the forces, if transmuted inwards and upwards as taught in the Arcanum AZF, and potential for the Holy Spirit to descend and create a Human Being from a Humanoid animal.
Thus we have three lunar seeds given by Divine Mother Nature and three seeds given by the Holy Father all synthesized within Jesod.

This is the rough ashlar of the medieval alchemists and masons. The brute stone must be chiseled into the cubic Philosopher's Stone by work in Alchemy. "Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall; and he who believes in him will not be put to shame." Romans (9:33)

Our bodies are degenerated and we need to regenerate. We must cleanse our vehicles and create solar vehicles. This is only possible through Alchemy.

The Inhabitants:

The lowest types of inhabitants are those that dwell in the lowest and most complicated level of creation, the Tritocosmos. This is the Inferno of Dante, hell. Here, demons dwell. These levels are submerged within the crust of the earth (in the interior dimensions), but humanity has psychologically sunk down into these levels and are obviously bringing the worlds of 96 laws, 182 laws etc to the surface. Demons also dwell in the physical plane; any creature with ego is a demon.

The physical Plane (Malkuth and Yesod): four types of inhabitants: minerals, plants, animals and humanoids.
Currently, we are only inhabitants of the physical world.
As we work with the three factors, (Alchemical Birth, Mystical Death and Sacrifice for Humanity) we walk the path of initiation. We may complete the Minor Mysteries, but not enter into the Major Mysteries until we reach psychological equilibrium and begin working in Alchemy.

When we work in Alchemy the Holy Spirit descends (white dove) into us and raises the Serpents of Fire of Kundalini through each of our bodies, (physical, vital, astral, mental and causal) The serpents of Atman and Buddah never fell. The serpent rises slowly through each of the 33 vertebrae of our spine (33 degrees of Occult Masonry), in accordance with the merits of our heart. This is represented by the 33 years of the life of Jesus. (Any Buddha with 5 or 7 serpents raised up over its head which represents this process.)

The Holy Spirit first works in the physical body, and raises the first serpent within this body. This is the first initiation of Major Mysteries. When the Holy Spirit raises the second serpent, it is within the vital body and we complete the second initiation of Major Mysteries.

The Astral Plane (Hod): In order to be an inhabitant of the astral plane, one must possess the astral body. In order to possess the astral body, the Divine Mother Kundalini must raise the third serpent of fire/the third major mystery.
The solar astral body can leave the physical body at will and enter into the astral plane, the 5th dimension.

The Mental Plane (Netzach): With the 4th initiation of Major Mysteries the solar mind is created. This is when the initiate becomes a symbolic Buddha because the Monad has conquered the mind, it has defeated the four elements. It now is a Master of Nature. The Solar Mind is the path of John the Baptist.

*NOTE- I know people who can travel to the causal plane at will.  They are not necessarily destroying their ego so they run the risk of becoming a fallen Bhoddisatva.  I met a guy on the astralpulse forums years go who detailed everything and despised occult/mystical/religious explanations.   I'll send you something from him, it's interesting but at the same time scary to think of how advanced one can become.  -Dan

The Causal Plane (Tiphereth): With the 5th initiation of Major Mysteries the causal body is created and the Human Soul incarnates. We then possess the human soul (as Jesus wrote, with patience, you shall possess your soul).
The one who reaches Tiphereth reaches the Venustic Initiation. It is here that the new Master choose their future cosmic evolution:
1. The Spiral Path: when the initiate takes a very long "vacation" in Nirvana. This is the easy way out. This is the path of the Nirvani or Pratyeka Buddhas and their students are the Sravakas. This Master NEVER incarnates the Christ.
2. The Straight Path: those great souls who sacrifice everything, all of their secret occult powers and all of their dharma in order to assist suffering humanity in any way possible. These souls continue to walk the three mountains and incarnate the Christ. They always take up horrendous works because they decide to pay all of their Karma in a relatively short amount of time. They are called Boddhisatva (vehicle of wisdom; Chockmah and Tiphereth) or Son (second logos is the Son or Chockmah) of Man (superior Manas is Tiphereth).

The initiate who reaches Tiphereth is called the Melech (pl. Malachim) or King. As we know when Christ is born (within the Boddhisatva) three Kings come from the east. This is symbolic as there are three types of Melech:
1. The Black King: the initiate who has reached Tiphereth and still has ego.
2. The White King: the initiate who is completing the second mountain, no more ego.
3. The Yellow King: the initiate who is resurrecting or resurrected, perfect Christified Master.

When the Yellow King resurrects, he becomes an inhabitant of the Third Logos or Binah. As he completes the last three tasks of Hercules, he completes the three supernal Sephiroth:
1. Binah: Third Logos; Nirvanakaya
2. Chockmah: Second Logos; Sambogakaya
3. Kether: First Logos; Darmakaya

When the Darmakaya completes these tasks, s/he enters into the mysteries of the absolute and becomes and inhabitant first of the 11th Eon (Ain Soph Aur). Then s/he becomes an inhabitant of the 12th Eon (Ain Soph) and becomes an Ain Soph Paranishpana, one who has incarnated their own Star. Finally, the greates mastery is that of the Paramarthasatya. This Master becomes an inhabitant of the highest, the No-thingness, the illuminating void. Only Master Aberamentho (Jesus Christ) has attained this in this corner of the universe. He reached the level of the Sacred Anklad or perfect objective reasoning.
#4
This is an excerpt from an email I recently sent to a friend of mine which I thought some of you might enjoy.  I miss my old Astral Pulse forum buddies, although it looks like the place has changed a great deal.  God bless all of you...now work on overcoming your egos and awakening your consciousness (I'm trying too!).
---------------------------------------

OK, I have a couple of minutes, so I am going to respond to a few things you wrote which I found interesting and compelling.  First of all you wrote, " I was told to stay away from astral traveling.  There is too much negative energy there."  The negative energy, including "evil" entities that one might confront would generally be negative aspects of oneself.  This is vital to realize. Winston Churchill's quote that "There is nothing to fear but fear itself," is actually a profound truth.  As you know, what must be conquered is our false-selves, our egos, and once we destroy the demons within our SELF, we realize our true, inner being.  In other words, it's about awakening the consciousness.  Every religion, every bit of knowledge is really just a tool to help us understand what must be done, but the doing of this "work" is up to us.  That's why I love that quote you shared.  The knowledge is key, but it's about overcoming knowledge in the end too and experiencing the absolute, limitless light and, thus, becoming one with the Father and even moving beyond that.

I have to start working on a presentation/training I have, but let me leave you with this.  I didn't write it, but it's a very objective description of "reality." I am not necessarily espousing everything you'll read here (I don't understand nor, obviously, do I have experential knowledge of these things, but I do intuitively understand them and I found this to be a very well-done, easy to understand explanation (enjoy!- oh yeah, and I bolded some sections and made some commentary...take the time to look this over, I'm anxious to hear how much of this is new and how much you've already heard...I assume you are more steeped in Buddhist/Hindu explanations but maybe I'm wrong):

The Ray of Creation

Before the dawn of the Mahamanvantara (the great cosmic day), Nothing (No-Thing/Eternal Siety) existed. All that was, was the Omeyocan (Nahuatl), the Absolute Abstract Space. It is here that the womb of the ocean of Divine Mother Space resides, waiting to be fecundated by the Eternal Cosmic Common Father in order to initiate the dawn of creation.
The womb of the Divine Mother Space is the Absolute, it is that which is the Siety, the original point of departure of everything existent.

The Absolute – Three Aspects

1. Ain (Hb: Nothing)- the unmanifested Absolute, the womb of the ocean of Divine Mother Space. This is where only the wind and the darkness exists.

2. Ain Soph (Hb: Limitless)- This is our atomic star that sends it's Ray into the world in order to be cognizant of its own happiness. This is the Star of Bethlehem, that which guides the path of the Boddhisatva. This is the original point of departure, where everything comes from in the beginning of the Mahamanvantara and where everything returns during the Mahapralaya.

3. Ain Soph Aur (Hb: Limitless Light)–The Ray of Creation. This is the Cosmic Christ, Quetzlcoatl (Nahuatl), Okidanok (Gurdjieff), Vishnu (Sans), Kukulcan (Mayan), etc. This is the source of all life and light in the universe. It is the ray that sacrifices itself in order to give birth to the multiple realms and forms upon the eternal Tree of Life. It Sacrifices itself in order to undergo multiple transformations, becoming more and more dense, more complicated so as to give life opportunity upon various planes of existence.

The Ray of Creation begins in the Absolute and ends in the Inferno, Avitchi, Greek Tarturus, or submerged Mineral Kingdom.

It is within the Absolute that we find the first cosmos. That is, the first order.

The tree of life represents both a macrocosm and microcosm; it is a map of both the organization of the universe and of man. The Tree of Life (Hb: Otz Chiim), is the result of the multiple transformations, sacrifices, sufferings of the Ray of Creation. We use the symbol itself in order to comprehend and place all of the various activities of the Cosmic Christ in every region of nature.

There are seven cosmos, each with their own laws. The laws depend upon the density and complexity of the Ray of Creation. The ray always begins in the subtle departments of Spirit and descends gradually into the complexities and density of matter.

The Ray of Creation begins in the Absolute, with the Protocosmos.

Each cosmos has its own laws. The unique law, the law of the Absolute exists within the first cosmos. The Protocosmos is infinitely divine, ineffable. No mechanical principle exists within it. It is governed by one unique Law, the Law of the Will of the Father, the Law of Love.

The law of the first cosmos is converted into three laws in the second cosmos. Thus there are 3 laws that govern the Ayocosmos. When we get further and further from the central, spiritual sun, governed by the unique law, we penetrate into more and more complicated worlds with more laws.

The physical plane is where 48 laws reign. Below the crust of the Earth is the first infradimensional zone, governed by 96 laws. The density of this region has increased, as each atom possesses 96 atoms of the Absolute within its intimate nature. Below this, the second infradimensional zone exists which possesses 192 laws, and each atom possesses 192 atoms of the Absolute. Each zone within the infernal dimensions increases in materialism in a horrific way. These are the Klipoth.

There are three principles which exist within the Absolute. These are the three Gunas, which are called Satya, Rajas and Tamas. They are in perfect balance within the Mahapralaya, the Great Cosmic Night. When they are not in balance or repose, there is a spin into motion, a spin out of the Absolute, which is the cause of the dawning of the Great Cosmic Day.

Satya – Wisdom
Rajas – Longing
Tamas – Movement

The Ray descends from the Absolute, the Ain Soph Aur into the first Sephirah:
Kether unfolds into the next two sephiroth, thus manifesting the Holy Triamazicamno.
Triamazicamno (Gurdjieff: see Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson) : the Holy Law of Creation, the three primary forces; 1. Holy Affirming +, 2. Holy Denying -, 3. Holy Reconciling =
This trinity is the Logos. It is a tri-unity, one but also three. The Law of Three creates and creation itself is God.
As the Gospel of John describes it....
"In the beginning was the Word (Kether) and the Word was with God (Chockmah), and the Word was God (Binah)."
The trinity unfolds within every atom (Proton +, Neutron =, Electron -). There are three forces present in all things. These are the Affirming (man), denying (woman) and Reconciling (Prometheus, the sexual force) forces.
The Trinity is recognized in every religion:
1. Kether (Hb. Crown): The Father; Brahma; Huehueteotl; Wotan; Osiris; Tepeu-Kokumatz
2. Chockmah (Hb. Wisdom): The Son; Vishnu; Quetzalcoatl; Sigfried; Horus; Kukulcan
3. Binah (Hb. Understanding): The Holy Spirit; Shiva; Tlaloc; Thor; Isis;

The Logos is the Spritiual Sun which is One in Three. It is also the Divine Androgynous, Two in One. It is Ometecuhtli-Omecihuatl, the Lord (Nahuatl: Tecuhtli) and Lady (Nahuatl: Cihuatl) of Duality (Nahuatl: Ome). Thus it is Mary or Ram-IO and Joseph or IO-Sephas. These masculine and feminine principles conceive the universe with their holy sexual act.

The Logos is the Multiple Perfect Unity. It is the Holy Sun, RA. It shines within every Star and every Planet. The immensity of the light that is given by the Cosmic Christ (Logos) it is the force that creates. This immense amount of light is organized in every cosmos by seven principle Logoi. These Logoi are seven Cosmo-Creators or Archangels. They are Perfect incarnations of the Cosmic Christ, perfect Monads that are fused with the Logos. These seven Archangels are the Spiritual representations of seven universal principles. These seven universal principles are the means of the organization of the light that is being created by the Holy Triamazicamno. This is the Law of Seven, the Holy Heptaparaparshinock.

Heptaparaparshinock (Gurdjieff): The Law of Seven, Organization.
There are seven notes in an octave and seven colors or rays on the electromagnetic spectrum. "In the beginning was the Word (Logos)..." That Logos is sound, vibration, light, movement etc which is always organized within the Law of 7. There are three sephiroth that represent the Triamazicamno and seven sephiroth below that.
The Cosmo-Creators are one with the Logos. They are seven Logoi. Thus the Cosmic Christ manifests within the Triamazicamno and the Heptaparaparshinock.

Each one of the seven cosmocreators emanates from itself zillions of Monads.
Monad: (Gr) from the Greek word Monas (unity). The Monad itself is the Intimate Spirit. It is our own particular Inner Being that manifests in the universe in order to reach absolute and complete self-realization. The Being is the Tree of Life, it must realize Itself in every region of the Tree of Life, Kether down to Malkuth and everything in between. The Monad is Chesed/Gedulah which is Mercy/Love. Within Chesed (the Inner Being) are the Divine Soul (Geburah: Justice) and the Human Soul (Tiphereth: Beauty). Thus the Monad is made of three principles:
1. Chesed: (Atman) The Inner Being that rides the back of the feathered serpent in order to enter into cosmic manifestation. It manifests be the sacrifice of its own Cosmic Father, one of the seven Archangels that rules creation. It descends through one of these seven rays according to the spiritual idiosyncrasy of that particular Monad. He is King Arthur.
2. Geburah: (Buddhi) The feminine soul where all of the most precious cosmic elements of the Being are placed. She is Queen Guinevere.
3. Tiphereth: (Tiphereth) The Human Soul. This is the reflection of the two previous aspects of the Monad which is sent by the Intimate to descend into the world to fight the battle of the antitheses. It is the reflection of the Human Soul that initially descends, this reflection itself is called the Essence or Buddhata.

The Buddhata descends into the world in order to give the Monad the chance to conquer the inferior regions of nature, namely, the four elements. These four elements are given to the Monad by DIVINE MOTHER NATURE. They are actually four principle elements that are called the four protoplasmatic bodies or vehicles. They are as follows:
1. Mind or Lunar Mental Body(Netzach)
2. Emotion or Lunar Astral Body* (Hod)
3. Vital Body or Etheric Double (Jesod)
4. Physical Body (Malkuth)

The Logos is not created, but is only potential in us. We must complete the three mountains in order to realize this within ourselves. This is the path of self-realization.

Quetzlcoatl was the Aztec Christ, represented as a serpent bird. It is said that he flew to the Earth with sparks on his wings. These sparks are the individual Monads. Our Monad has to create its Tree of Life. The Logos is only a potential in us. Its creation is the intimate self-realization of the Being.

Thus Divine Mother Nature has given these four bodies to the Monad for its work. These four protoplasmatic bodies synthesize into three seeds or principles because the vital and physical bodies are always connected. These three principles are synthesized within the creative mercury of any individual, within the sexual forces of Jesod-Mercury. These three seeds must be transformed into solar vehicles, the Solar Bodies, the Mercabah.

The Father Who Is In Secret has also placed three seeds of itself within Jesod-Mercury. These three seeds are the seeds of the Holy Triamazicamno, without which all creation would be impossible. This gives the creativity to the sexual glands. This gives the forces, if transmuted inwards and upwards as taught in the Arcanum AZF, and potential for the Holy Spirit to descend and create a Human Being from a Humanoid animal.
Thus we have three lunar seeds given by Divine Mother Nature and three seeds given by the Holy Father all synthesized within Jesod.

This is the rough ashlar of the medieval alchemists and masons. The brute stone must be chiseled into the cubic Philosopher's Stone by work in Alchemy. "Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall; and he who believes in him will not be put to shame." Romans (9:33)

Our bodies are degenerated and we need to regenerate. We must cleanse our vehicles and create solar vehicles. This is only possible through Alchemy.

The Inhabitants:

The lowest types of inhabitants are those that dwell in the lowest and most complicated level of creation, the Tritocosmos. This is the Inferno of Dante, hell. Here, demons dwell. These levels are submerged within the crust of the earth (in the interior dimensions), but humanity has psychologically sunk down into these levels and are obviously bringing the worlds of 96 laws, 182 laws etc to the surface. Demons also dwell in the physical plane; any creature with ego is a demon.

The physical Plane (Malkuth and Yesod): four types of inhabitants: minerals, plants, animals and humanoids.
Currently, we are only inhabitants of the physical world.
As we work with the three factors, (Alchemical Birth, Mystical Death and Sacrifice for Humanity) we walk the path of initiation. We may complete the Minor Mysteries, but not enter into the Major Mysteries until we reach psychological equilibrium and begin working in Alchemy.

When we work in Alchemy the Holy Spirit descends (white dove) into us and raises the Serpents of Fire of Kundalini through each of our bodies, (physical, vital, astral, mental and causal) The serpents of Atman and Buddah never fell. The serpent rises slowly through each of the 33 vertebrae of our spine (33 degrees of Occult Masonry), in accordance with the merits of our heart. This is represented by the 33 years of the life of Jesus. (Any Buddha with 5 or 7 serpents raised up over its head which represents this process.)

The Holy Spirit first works in the physical body, and raises the first serpent within this body. This is the first initiation of Major Mysteries. When the Holy Spirit raises the second serpent, it is within the vital body and we complete the second initiation of Major Mysteries.

The Astral Plane (Hod): In order to be an inhabitant of the astral plane, one must possess the astral body. In order to possess the astral body, the Divine Mother Kundalini must raise the third serpent of fire/the third major mystery.
The solar astral body can leave the physical body at will and enter into the astral plane, the 5th dimension.

The Mental Plane (Netzach): With the 4th initiation of Major Mysteries the solar mind is created. This is when the initiate becomes a symbolic Buddha because the Monad has conquered the mind, it has defeated the four elements. It now is a Master of Nature. The Solar Mind is the path of John the Baptist.

*NOTE- I know people who can travel to the causal plane at will.  They are not necessarily destroying their ego so they run the risk of becoming a fallen Bhoddisatva.  I met a guy on the astralpulse forums years go who detailed everything and despised occult/mystical/religious explanations.   I'll send you something from him, it's interesting but at the same time scary to think of how advanced one can become.  -Dan

The Causal Plane (Tiphereth): With the 5th initiation of Major Mysteries the causal body is created and the Human Soul incarnates. We then possess the human soul (as Jesus wrote, with patience, you shall possess your soul).
The one who reaches Tiphereth reaches the Venustic Initiation. It is here that the new Master choose their future cosmic evolution:
1. The Spiral Path: when the initiate takes a very long "vacation" in Nirvana. This is the easy way out. This is the path of the Nirvani or Pratyeka Buddhas and their students are the Sravakas. This Master NEVER incarnates the Christ.
2. The Straight Path: those great souls who sacrifice everything, all of their secret occult powers and all of their dharma in order to assist suffering humanity in any way possible. These souls continue to walk the three mountains and incarnate the Christ. They always take up horrendous works because they decide to pay all of their Karma in a relatively short amount of time. They are called Boddhisatva (vehicle of wisdom; Chockmah and Tiphereth) or Son (second logos is the Son or Chockmah) of Man (superior Manas is Tiphereth).

The initiate who reaches Tiphereth is called the Melech (pl. Malachim) or King. As we know when Christ is born (within the Boddhisatva) three Kings come from the east. This is symbolic as there are three types of Melech:
1. The Black King: the initiate who has reached Tiphereth and still has ego.
2. The White King: the initiate who is completing the second mountain, no more ego.
3. The Yellow King: the initiate who is resurrecting or resurrected, perfect Christified Master.

When the Yellow King resurrects, he becomes an inhabitant of the Third Logos or Binah. As he completes the last three tasks of Hercules, he completes the three supernal Sephiroth:
1. Binah: Third Logos; Nirvanakaya
2. Chockmah: Second Logos; Sambogakaya
3. Kether: First Logos; Darmakaya

When the Darmakaya completes these tasks, s/he enters into the mysteries of the absolute and becomes and inhabitant first of the 11th Eon (Ain Soph Aur). Then s/he becomes an inhabitant of the 12th Eon (Ain Soph) and becomes an Ain Soph Paranishpana, one who has incarnated their own Star. Finally, the greates mastery is that of the Paramarthasatya. This Master becomes an inhabitant of the highest, the No-thingness, the illuminating void. Only Master Aberamentho (Jesus Christ) has attained this in this corner of the universe. He reached the level of the Sacred Anklad or perfect objective reasoning.
#5
Welcome to Dreams! / Another dream came true
November 16, 2006, 15:08:12
I have had about 5 dreams like the one I had yesterday morning.

I am off work for a month (I am a year round teacher) and my wife called to wake me up and remind me to work in the backyard.  I, being the wonderful husband I am, rolled over and slept for about 15 more minutes. During that time I dreamed I saw a gopher snake (indigenous to Southern California) and it bit me on the hand.  To make a long story short, as I was cleaning up the side yard I lifted up an old bucket and lo and behold, there sat coiled up a small gopher snake.  Since I am not afraid of snakes I picked it up to move it to a safe place and it bit me on the hand. 

It hit me a moment later that I had just seen this take place in a dream, albeit in the dream the snake (and the backyard) looked different.  What do you think?
#6
Hello all!

It's been quite some time since I've stopped by.  This is one of my favorite places on the internet, although it has changed SO much since its humble beginnings.  I used to frequent the forums a lot and, in fact, I was once a moderator here.  Anyhow, I have an interesting question.  As of late I have become quite interested in martial arts.  It sort of came about as I have been working out more and getting myself back into good physical condition (I havelost more than 20 lbs in the last 6 months or so).

As I have become more interested in martial arts, namely jiu-jitsu (Japanese for "the gentle art") I have also become intrigued by mixed martial arts (UFC, PRIDE, etc.)  I cannot help but wonder, however, how this might negatively affect me spiritually.  Mixed martial arts isn't that dangerous, but it is full of big egos and negative individuals. 

What do you all think?

Anyhow, it's good to be back and I pledge to stop by more often to check out what people are talking about.

-Daniel
#7
I noted the UFO topic that is currently going on in here and thought I'd share a few ideas about this issue.

What I am about to write has been said, or at least implied, in the other posts already but nevertheless I think it is worthwhile to state directly that my understanding is that many, if not all, sightings and experiences of aliens, etc. are spiritual in nature rather than manifestations on the gross, physical plane.  In other words, most abductions take place while a person is lying in bed and they are being "abducted" spiritually/mentally (whichever you prefer).  I believe this experience is avoidable and that those individuals who are abducted have some preponderance to the experience for some reason.

I don't have the time or expertise to go on regarding this subject, but I will point you toward the individual who enlightened me in regards to this subject, Dr. Gregory Little.  I read, "Grand Illusions: The Spectral Reality Underlying Sexual UFO Abductions, Crashed Saucers, Afterlife Experiences, Sacred Ancient Sites, and Other Enigmas" a few years ago and it rang true to me.  

I was led to believe that this book is now out of print (what a shame! Although I did find the link you'll see at the end of this post) in which he theorizes that energy, or more precisely electro-magnetic energy spots on earth, are often the determining factor in UFO related activity.  I don't know if that is correct or not, but the most compelling aspect of the book deals with the idea that what we're dealing with is energy and spirit, not necessarily big metal flying saucers.

Check out the synopsis of the book below.

Grand Illusions: The Spectral Reality Underlying Sexual UFO Abductions, Crashed Saucers, Afterlife Experiences, Sacred Ancient Sites, and Other Enigmas
by Gregory L. Little
White Buffalo Books, Inc., Memphis, Tennessee, 1994, 271 pp.,

Grand Illusions is the culmination of a trilogy of works by one of America's most freethinking ufologists. More blunt but no less provocative than his previous books, this is Gregory Little's finest work to date. Grand Illusions , following People of the Web (1990) and The Archetype Experience (1984), fine-tunes Little's thesis that was ignited by Carl Jung and John Keel--namely that archetypes are intelligent energy forms within the electromagnetic spectrum which can physicalize and account for virtually every anomalous event in ufology.

Little has theorized that there is indeed a mystery, or grand illusion, behind UFOs and related phenomena. He also suggests that many ufologists also harbor their own illusions concerning these phenomena. Words are not minced and punches are not pulled. Little calls for the death of the extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) and, acting like the criminal justice psychologist that he is, points a finger at the rampant hoaxing and paranoia within the ufological fold.

This is strong stuff. For many involved in ufology, the aspect that first got them interested was the tales of real alien beings piloting the saucers (e.g., The Humanoids, Flying Saucer Occupants). A similar sense of interest (and pleasure) is attained, ironically, from reading Little's analysis, and rejection of, these same aliens. Ultimately, we all want to get at "the truth." The proffering of the alien-UFO motif in the media has made alternatives to the ETH all the more rare, especially for American ufology. Thus, the release of any non-extraterrestrial UFO book has become a major event. And a book that can explain the concomitant baggage that has glommed onto ufology is that much more of a treasure.

Little mentions the oft-repeated notion that the evidence for crashed saucers (notably the Roswell case) would prevail in a court of law, and states unequivocally that the case would not win. In this, his thrust is valid; however, what I feel he means to say is that the evidence for crashed saucers is not the "experimental" (scientific) proof required for its veracity. Legal proof is of a different nature, and the case for crashed saucers could probably be "proven" in court. Under the microscope of experimental proof, which requires more tangible evidence, no crashed saucer story holds up.

But even experimental proof is problematic. The scientific method, while powerfully effective, is composed of two elements that are fallible (i.e., both sense data and pure reason can be deceptive). In other words, our perceptions, liable to being erroneous, cannot lead us to conclusions with absolute certitude. This seems to aim at the heart of fortean philosophy, in that the best that can be said in reaching a conclusion is that it is the most accurate possible approximation.

What seems striking in its absence, noting that Little's background is in counseling psychology, is that no mention is made of the benefit to be gained through knowing the mechanism of abduction. If the process is known (do people "tune-in" the grays with the magnetite in their brains?), then the trigger of the experience can be reversed or halted, abductions can be stopped, and the true healing of the abduction syndrome can begin.

Still somewhat mystifying is the process by which the archetype and the percipient attune themselves to each other to "create" a UFO experience or abduction encounter. Specifically, how do these psychoid energy forms adapt their physical shape and behavior to the culture and expectations of the percipient? How, and from where, does this energy gain the knowledge to accomplish this feat?

These are minor quibbles. What is important is that Little has plunged ahead, forging his thought from what he has encountered, rather than ramming the data into preconceived beliefs.

You should add this instant classic to your UFO bookshelf.

http://www.strangemag.com/reviews/grandillusions.html
#8
Greetings one and all!

I am an old timer here, albeit one who doesn't haunt these halls as oft as I once did or as I'd like.  Anyhow, I recently took the Jung Typology Test (personality test) and found that I am an ENFP (Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving).  One of the hallmarks of the ENFP is the following:

"The physical world, both geos and kosmos, is the ENFP's primary source of information. Rather than sensing things as they are, dominant intuition is sensitive to things as they might be. These extraverted intuitives are most adept with patterns and connections. Their natural inclination is toward relationships, especially among people or living things."

From:  http://typelogic.com/enfp.html

I am interested to see what you all are.  Check out this email I recently sent to friends and family, use the links to find your way to the test and the various info portals about this kind of test, and then please post your results back here.  It'll be a great study for all of us.

-Daniel (PeacefulWarrior)

To save you from reading my whole email (below), here's the link to the test:

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
--------------------------------------
Hey, I am working, or supposed to be working, but I got on the personality type thing again, it's so fascinating.  I am an ENFP (I added the text about my personality type, the 'Champion Idealist" below, to give an idea of how this works).  I'd like to see what everyone is again.  Take the test below when you get the chance, if you want that is.  It's pretty cool.  Apparently some people base their management and even who they marry on this.  I also added the link to the Wiki definition of this type of test if you want to read more about it.  If you take it, email me with your personality type (4 letter acronym).

Also, I've added links to sites where you can read more about your type once you get it since sometimes the test site only gives a general description.

Here's the test:
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

Once you have your results, compare yourself to your spouse (now this is more just for fun):
http://www.humanmetrics.com/infomate/InfoMatepass.asp

Read more about your personality type:
http://typelogic.com/



Here's what I am.  I think I know myself pretty well and I thought this was more or less a very accurate assessment of my craziness:

My HUMANMETRICS Type is ENFP, or Extroverted Intuitive Feeling Perceiving, otherwise known as Champion Idealists.

The Champion Idealists are abstract in thought and speech, cooperative in accomplishing their aims, and informative and extraverted when relating with others. For Champions, nothing occurs which does not have some deep ethical significance, and this, coupled with their uncanny sense of the motivations of others, gives them a talent for seeing life as an exciting drama, pregnant with possibilities for both good and evil. This type is found in only about 3 percent of the general population, but they have great influence because of their extraordinary impact on others. Champions are inclined to go everywhere and look into everything that has to do with the advance of good and the retreat of evil in the world. They can't bear to miss out on what is going on around them; they must experience, first hand, all the significant social events that affect our lives. And then they are eager to relate the stories they've uncovered, hoping to disclose the "truth" of people and issues, and to advocate causes. This strong drive to unveil current events can make them tireless in conversing with others, like fountains that bubble and splash, spilling over their own words to get it all out.

Champions consider intense emotional experiences as being vital to a full life, although they can never quite shake the feeling that a part of themselves is split off, uninvolved in the experience. Thus, while they strive for emotional congruency, they often see themselves in some danger of losing touch with their real feelings, which Champions possess in a wide range and variety. In the same vein, Champions strive toward a kind of spontaneous personal authenticity, and this intention always to "be themselves" is usually communicated nonverbally to others, who find it quite attractive. All too often, however, Champions fall short in their efforts to be authentic, and they tend to heap coals of fire on themselves, berating themselves for the slightest self-conscious role-playing.
[/url]
#9
Boom...out of the blue here I am again, posting after months of being away.

Anyhow, I am working on a novel and am beginning to wonder about copyright.  Since it's no where near complete, I am a bit ahead of myself, but what's new?

I have checked out lulu.com which "publishes" books electronically and then puts them up for distribution.  My question is this: if I upload my book and have them format it for me, and then later decided to get it published by a "real" publisher, do I have the right to do that?  I am pretty sure I do, but when I tried to read the fine print on their page, I did not take the time to delve into specifics.  

Any info?
#10
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Grizzly Man: A Documentary
February 23, 2006, 23:12:48
Many of you may have heard of Timothy Treadwell, a self-described advocate for bears who was mauled to death last year along with his girl friend.  I just finished watching the documentary about his life, much of it compoased of the footage he shot during the 13 summers he spent in the Alaskan wilderness.

If you saw it, what did you think?  Just curious.

#11
Welcome to Astral Chat! / AstralDynamics Forum
November 02, 2005, 03:29:54
Hello all,

Many of you may remember me.  I used to moderate these forums before I became too busy professionally and with my family.  Regardless of my hiatus, I still love this place and the wonderful insights that one can glean from the myriad of knowledgable and sincere people who frequent the forums.

Anyhow, I noticed that AstralDynamics.com has it's own forums.  Do any of you frequent those forums?  If so, are they any good?  Different.  

This still seems like the place to be, regardless of the many new and transient visitors.

Addio,
DT
#12
Hi everyone!  I'd like to introduce myself (or rather reintroduce myself...I used to be a real regular, in fact I was once a moderator here, now I am just a tired old hack...actually, I gave up my post due to a busy career and a new baby) and ask a question.

My beautiful son (see my pathetic myspace page for photos, if you must:  www.myspace.com/dannytodd) Carter Daniel was born last Dec., on the 14th to be exact.  That makes him about ten and a half months old now.

My question is this: Carter has not started talking yet.  He is a dynamic little guy who makes a lot of noise, plays with things, is social, etc.  His doctor calls him "smart" as I' sure she does every little baby she sees (actually, I think she really means it, but I have a vested interest in this being the case of course).  So he's no dummy.  The fact is, however, that I am concerned.  When do babies start talking?  I know the answer: it varies.  The reason I am concerned is that in my wife's little pregnancy book it says something along the lines of, "At this point in your baby's life [10.5 months old]  your baby will be saying new things..."  I'm like, "New things!  What NEW things!  He hasn't talked yet!!!"

Of course I ask this with my tongue firmly in cheek, but in reality I am a little concerned only in that I expect this kid to be a genius like his mom and dad...especially his dad! :eek:

So I'm calling on you old timers to tell me, "Oh, my son's a rocket scientist and he didn't talk until he was 15!"  or recount for me again the story of Einsteins latent speaking abilities!

Much love,

Danny
#13
5 Magazine Subscriptions for $30!!!

Hello friends, I have something here you may be interested in. I hate to look like I am advertising in here, but I don't work for this company or anything I actually just think it's a great deal for anyone who likes magazines and reading (and I imagine many of you do).

Last year a friend of mine sent me to this website to get cheap magazine subscriptions. You get any 5 magazine subscriptions for a full year for $30, no hidden costs no gimmicks. Since I am a school teacher I don't have much money, so things like this are always great to find.

My wife and I signed up last year and we got all 5 magazines for a full year and, in fact, we just renewed them for the same price because we loved getting them. Anyway, I thought I'd pass this on to since it's such a good deal (and I get a free magazine subscription for my friends who sign up).

Since we just had a baby, we did a couple baby magazines and then I got some car magazines and, being the nerd I am, I signed up for some video game and computer magazines (I suggest WIRED, it's great). You just choose 5 mags, enter your info and credit card # and they send them out. Totally legitimate company. Enjoy!

Here's the link:

http://www.bigmags.com/?id=13317


(Just choose your 5 magazines on the left side of the page and then click submit...I know, I know...you can figure it out on your own but I am a school teacher and I am used to explaining things in very simple terms!)-Dan
#14
Get Ready for More Cyberattacks

In an article for the Examiner, Ira Wilsker writes that law enforcement officials have uncovered indications that some hacker groups might be planning to launch massive virus attacks on the September 11th anniversary of the New York and Washington D.C. terrorist attacks. Network security professionals and corporate IT administrators are already gearing up to prepare for the possibility, but what does this mean to you, the individual user? What can you do to protect yourself and your system from yet another wave of virus infested email or another round of attacks intended to crash or intrude into your system?

Make sure that you're following security best practices. If you've been operating without a firewall, now is the time to change that. Windows XP provides a built-in firewall, ICF, but you might want to invest in a third party product or download a free firewall program. If you're running an earlier version of Windows that doesn't include ICF, you'll definitely need a third party product. Some of these include:

ZoneAlarm (http://www.zonelabs.com):
Has both a free limited functionality version and a full featured version for purchase
Kerio Personal Firewall (http://www.kerio.com):
Free for home/personal use; otherwise $39 for a single user license
Outpost Personal Firewall (http://www.agnitum.com):
Open Architecture firewall for Windows; both free and "pro" versions available
Sygate Personal Firewall (http://www.sygate.com)
Norton Personal Firewall (http://www.symantec.com)
Black Ice Defender (http://www.networkice.com)
Your firewall is the first line of defense in what should be a multi-layered security plan. The second essential element is a good anti-virus program. We recommend Norton or McAfee. Remember that an AV program is only as good as its virus definition files, and with new viruses being written and released all the time, it's important that you update the definition files at least daily. During high risk periods, many companies will update their files hourly and it's not unreasonable for you to do the same if you have an "always on" Internet connection.
What if an intruder manages to break into your system despite your perimeter defenses? You should take further steps to protect your important data (original work that is irreplaceable, information that's confidential). If you're running XP Pro and using the NTFS file system, you can set access permissions on your files to make it more difficult for an intruder to open them. And just as you might put your most valuable possessions in a safe inside your home in case a burglar gets past your high fence, big dog, deadbolt locks and alarm system, you might consider using encryption to protect your most sensitive files. You can use the EFS encryption built into XP Pro, or use a third party program like DriveCrypt:
http://www.winxpnews.com/rd/rd.cfm?id=030909ED-DriveCrypt

Computer security is quickly becoming a necessity, and because of the interconnected nature of the Internet, those who fail to secure their systems can endanger not only themselves, but the rest of us as well. There has been talk in legislative circles of passing laws that would require anyone who connects to the Internet to meet minimal security standards. What do you think? Should it be illegal to run your system "wide open" to the many threats that are out there today, or should your security choices be no one's business but your own? We want to know what you think; email us at feedback@winxpnews.com.

Followup: Technicians and Auto Mechanics

Ouch! We got a few responses from auto mechanics who took last week's editorial a little personally, so we want to clarify right up front that by no means do we consider all mechanics (or all PC techs) unscrupulous. Unfortunately, the minority that are cause problems for all the rest. Good mechanics and technicians are worth more than their weight in gold and when you find one, you should treasure him/her. We do!

Many of you, though, wrote with your own horror stories and it seems that a substantial number of our readers say they would never trust their computers to a technician they don't know. We even had a couple of readers who wrote that PC techs charged them big bucks when their computers wouldn't boot because a floppy was left in the drive. One side benefit of such bad experiences it that it often forces you to learn to repair your PCs yourself, providing you with a valuable skill (don't advertise the fact that you can do it, though, unless you want to be the one all your friends and relatives call when their computers go down).

If you do need to take your system to shop, though, follow the advice of one of our readers who is a repair tech and choose the technician based on: 1) word of mouth recommendation from an actual "repairee," 2) Better Business Bureau, and 3) a shop that's been in business for at least 10 years.

'Til next week,
Deb Shinder, Editor
(email us with feedback: feedback@winxpnews.com)
Get Ready for More Cyberattacks

In an article for the Examiner, Ira Wilsker writes that law enforcement officials have uncovered indications that some hacker groups might be planning to launch massive virus attacks on the September 11th anniversary of the New York and Washington D.C. terrorist attacks. Network security professionals and corporate IT administrators are already gearing up to prepare for the possibility, but what does this mean to you, the individual user? What can you do to protect yourself and your system from yet another wave of virus infested email or another round of attacks intended to crash or intrude into your system?

Make sure that you're following security best practices. If you've been operating without a firewall, now is the time to change that. Windows XP provides a built-in firewall, ICF, but you might want to invest in a third party product or download a free firewall program. If you're running an earlier version of Windows that doesn't include ICF, you'll definitely need a third party product. Some of these include:

ZoneAlarm (http://www.zonelabs.com):
Has both a free limited functionality version and a full featured version for purchase
Kerio Personal Firewall (http://www.kerio.com):
Free for home/personal use; otherwise $39 for a single user license
Outpost Personal Firewall (http://www.agnitum.com):
Open Architecture firewall for Windows; both free and "pro" versions available
Sygate Personal Firewall (http://www.sygate.com)
Norton Personal Firewall (http://www.symantec.com)
Black Ice Defender (http://www.networkice.com)
Your firewall is the first line of defense in what should be a multi-layered security plan. The second essential element is a good anti-virus program. We recommend Norton or McAfee. Remember that an AV program is only as good as its virus definition files, and with new viruses being written and released all the time, it's important that you update the definition files at least daily. During high risk periods, many companies will update their files hourly and it's not unreasonable for you to do the same if you have an "always on" Internet connection.
What if an intruder manages to break into your system despite your perimeter defenses? You should take further steps to protect your important data (original work that is irreplaceable, information that's confidential). If you're running XP Pro and using the NTFS file system, you can set access permissions on your files to make it more difficult for an intruder to open them. And just as you might put your most valuable possessions in a safe inside your home in case a burglar gets past your high fence, big dog, deadbolt locks and alarm system, you might consider using encryption to protect your most sensitive files. You can use the EFS encryption built into XP Pro, or use a third party program like DriveCrypt:
http://www.winxpnews.com/rd/rd.cfm?id=030909ED-DriveCrypt

Computer security is quickly becoming a necessity, and because of the interconnected nature of the Internet, those who fail to secure their systems can endanger not only themselves, but the rest of us as well. There has been talk in legislative circles of passing laws that would require anyone who connects to the Internet to meet minimal security standards. What do you think? Should it be illegal to run your system "wide open" to the many threats that are out there today, or should your security choices be no one's business but your own? We want to know what you think; email us at feedback@winxpnews.com.

Followup: Technicians and Auto Mechanics

Ouch! We got a few responses from auto mechanics who took last week's editorial a little personally, so we want to clarify right up front that by no means do we consider all mechanics (or all PC techs) unscrupulous. Unfortunately, the minority that are cause problems for all the rest. Good mechanics and technicians are worth more than their weight in gold and when you find one, you should treasure him/her. We do!

Many of you, though, wrote with your own horror stories and it seems that a substantial number of our readers say they would never trust their computers to a technician they don't know. We even had a couple of readers who wrote that PC techs charged them big bucks when their computers wouldn't boot because a floppy was left in the drive. One side benefit of such bad experiences it that it often forces you to learn to repair your PCs yourself, providing you with a valuable skill (don't advertise the fact that you can do it, though, unless you want to be the one all your friends and relatives call when their computers go down).

If you do need to take your system to shop, though, follow the advice of one of our readers who is a repair tech and choose the technician based on: 1) word of mouth recommendation from an actual "repairee," 2) Better Business Bureau, and 3) a shop that's been in business for at least 10 years.

'Til next week,
Deb Shinder, Editor
(email us with feedback: feedback@winxpnews.com)
#15
Welcome to Writers Corner! / Burning Chrome
June 28, 2003, 02:09:47
The following is a short story by William Gibson, he who coined the term cyberspace before anyone had really heard of the internet.  The father of the "matrix."  (He should get credit for the matrix movies).  This story was written in the mid to late eighties.  I loved it the first time I read it and continue to find it quite compelling. It's a little long to read at the computer, so you might want to cut and paste it to Word and then print.  

This story is part of a collection of short stories from a book titled "Burning CHrome."  It's sci-fi type lit, cyberpunk if you will...but don't let that dissuade you if you are not into the genre, it's really for everyone.  It even has kind of an out-of-body spin on it.  Enjoy.
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Burning Chrome
By William Gibson


It was hot, the night we burned Chrome. Out in the

malls and plazas, moths were batting themselves to

death against the neon, but in Bobby's loft the only light

came from a monitor screen and the green and red

LEDs on the face of the matrix simulator. I knew every

chip in Bobby's simulator by heart; it looked like your

workaday Ono-Sendai VII. The "Cyberspace Seven,"

but I'd rebuilt it so many time that you'd have had a

hard time finding a square millimeter of factory cir-

cuitry in all that silicon.

   We waited side by side in front of the simulator

console, watching the time display in the screen's lower

left corner.

   "Go for it," I said, when it was time, but Bobby

was already there, leaning forward to drive the Russian

program into its slot with the heel of his hand. He did it

with the tight grace of a kid slamming change into an ar-

cade game, sure of winning and ready to pull down a

string of free games.

A silver tide of phosphenes boiled across my field

of vision as the matrix began to unfold in my head, a

3-D chessboard, infinite and perfectly transparent. The

Russian program seemed to lurch as we entered the grid.

If anyone else had been jacked into that part of the

matrix, he might have seen a surf of flickering shadow

roll out of the little yellow pyramid that represented our

computer. The program was a mimetic weapon, de-

signed to absorb local color and present itself as a crash-

priority override in whatever context it encountered.

   "Congratulations," I heard Bobby say. "We just

became an Eastern Seaboard Fission Authority inspec-

tion probe. . . ." That meant we were clearing fiberoptic

lines with the cybernetic equivalent of a fire siren, but in

the simulation matrix we seemed to rush straight for

Chrome's data base. I couldn't see it yet, but I already

knew those walls were waiting. Walls of shadow, walls

of ice.

   Chrome: her pretty childface smooth as steel, with

eyes that would have been at home on the bottom of

some deep Atlantic trench, cold gray eyes that lived

under terrible pressure. They s~id she cooked her own

cancers for people who crossed her, rococo custom

variations that took years to kill you. They said a lot of

things about Chrome, none of them at all reassuring.

   So I blotted her out with a picture of Rikki. Rikki

kneeling in a shaft of dusty sunlight that slanted into the

loft through a grid of steel and glass: her faded

camouflage fatigues, her translucent rose sandals, the

good line of her bare back as she rummaged through a

nylon gear bag. She looks up, and a half-blond curl falls

to tickle her nose. Smiling, buttoning an old shirt of

Bobby's, frayed khaki cotton drawn across her breasts.

She smiles.

   "Son of a grump," said Bobby, "we just told

Chrome we're an IRS audit and three Supreme Court

subpoenas. ... Hang on to your butt, Jack.~. .

   So long, Rikki. Maybe now I see you never.

   And dark, so dark, in the halls of Chromes s ice.


Bobby was a cowboy, and ice was the nature of his

game, ice from ICE, Intrusion Countermeasures Elec-

tronics. The matrix is an abstract representation of the

relationships between data systems. Legitimate pro-

grammers jack into their employers' sector of the matrix

and find themselves surrounded by bright geometries

representing the corporate data.


   Towers and fields of it ranged in the colorless non-

space of the simulation matrix, the electronic consen-

sus-hallucination that facilitates the handling and

exchange of massive quantities of data. Legitimate pro-

grammers never see the walls of ice they work behind,

the walls of shadow that screen their operations from

others, from industrial-espionage artists and hustlers

like Bobby Quine.

   Bobby was a cowboy. Bobby was a cracksman, a

burglar, casing mankind's extended electronic nervous

system, rustling data and credit in the crowded matrix,

monochrome nonspace where the only stars are dense

concentrations of information, and high above it all

burn corporate galaxies and the cold spiral arms of

military systems.

   Bobby was another one of those young-old faces

you see drinking in the Gentleman Loser, the chic bar

for computer cowboys, rustlers, cybernetic second-story

men. We were partners.

   Bobby Quine and Automatic Jack. Bobby's the

thin, pale dude with the dark glasses, and Jack's the

mean-looking guy with the myoelectric arm. Bobby's

software and Jack's hard; Bobby punches console and

Jack runs down all the little things that can give you an

edge. Or, anyway, that's what the scene watchers in the

Gentleman Loser would've told you, before Bobby de-

cided to burn Chrome. But they also might've told you

that Bobby was losing his edge, slowing down. He was

twenty-eight, Bobby, and that's old for a console

cowboy.

   Both of us were good at what we did, but somehow

that one big score just wouldn't come down for us. I

knew where to go for the right gear, and Bobby had all

his licks down pat. He'd sit back with a white terry

sweatband across his forehead and whip moves on those

keyboards faster than you could follow, punching his

way through some of the fanciest ice in the business, but

that was when something happened that managed to get

him totally wired, and that didn't happen often. Not

highly motivated, Bobby, and I was the kind of guy

who's happy to have the rent covered and a clean shirt

to wear.

   But Bobby had this thing for girls, like they were

his private tarot or something, the way he'd get himself

moving. We never talked about it, but when it started to

look like he was losing his touch that summer, he started

to spend more time in the Gentleman Loser. He'd sit at

a table by the open doors and watch the crowd slide

by, nights when the bugs were at the neon and the air

smelled of perfume and fast food. You could see his

sunglasses scanning those faces as they passed, and he

must have decided that Rikki's was the one he was

waiting for, the wild card and the luck changer. The new

one.


I went to New York to check out the market, to see what

was available in hot software.

   The Finn's place has a defective hologram in the

window, METRO HOLOGRAFIX, over a display of dead

flies wearing fur coats of gray dust. The scrap's waist-

high, inside, drifts of it rising to meet walls that are

barely visible behind nameless junk, behind sagging

pressboard shelves stacked with old skin magazines and

yellow-spined years of National Geographic.

   "You need a gun," said the Finn. He looks like a

recombo DNA project aimed at tailoring people for

high-speed burrowing. "You're in luck. I got the new

Smith and Wesson, the four-oh-eight Tactical. Got this

xenon projector slung under the barrel, see, batteries in

the grip, throw you a twelve-inch high-noon circle in the

pitch dark at fifty yards. The light source is so narrow,

it's almost impossible to spot. It's just like voodoo in a

nightfight."

   I let my arm clunk down on the table and started

the fingers drumming; the servos in the hand began

whining like overworked mosquitoes. I knew that the

Finn really hated the sound.

   "You looking to pawn that?" He prodded the

Duralumin wrist joint with the chewed shaft of a felt-tip

pen. "Maybe get yourself something a little quieter?"

   I kept it up. "I don't need any guns, Finn."

   "Okay," he said, "okay," and I quit drumming.

"I only got this one item, and I don't even know what it

is. He looked unhappy. "I got it off these bridge-and..

tunnel kids from Jersey last week."

   "So when'd you ever buy anything you didn't

know what it was, Finn?"

   "Wise butt." And he passed me a transparent mailer

with something in it that looked like an audio cassette

through the bubble padding. "They had a passport," he

said. "They had credit cards and a watch. And that."

   "They had the contents of somebody's pockets,

you mean."

   He nodded. "The passport was Belgian. It was also

bogus, looked to me, so I put it in the furnace. Put the

cards in with it. The watch was okay, a Porsche, nice

watch."

   It was obviously some kind of plug-in military pro-

gram. Out of the mailer, it looked like the magazine of a

small assault rifle, coated with nonreflective black

plastic. The edges and corners showed bright metal; it

had been knocking around for a while.

"I'll give yo

sake."   u a bargain on it, Jack. For old times'

I had to smile at that. Getting a bargain from the

Finn was like God repealing the law of gravity when you

have to carry a heavy suitcase down ten blocks of air-

port corridor.

   "Looks Russian to me," I said. "Probably the

emergency sewage controls for some Leningrad suburb.

Just what I need."

   "You know," said the Finn. "I got a pair of shoes

older than you are. Sometimes I think you got about as

much class as those yahoos from Jersey. What do you

want me to tell you, it's the keys to the Kremlin? You

figure out what the gosh darn thing is. Me, I just sell the

stuff."

Ibought it.


Bodiless, we swerve into Chrome's castle of ice. And

we're fast, fast. It feels like we're surfing the crest of the

invading program, hanging ten above the seething glitch

systems as they mutate. We're sentient patches of oil

swept along down corridors of shadow.

   Somewhere we have bodies, very far away, in a

crowded loft roofed with steel and glass. Somewhere we

have microseconds, maybe time left to pull out.

   We've crashed her gates disguised as an audit and

three subpoenas, but her defenses are specifically geared

to cope with that kind of official intrusion. Her most

sophisticated ice is structured to fend off warrants,

writs, subpoenas. When we breached the first gate, the

bulk of her data vanished behind core-command ice,

these walls we see as leagues of corridor, mazes of

shadow. Five separate landlines spurted May Day sig-

nals to law firms, but the virus had already taken over

the parameter ice. The glitch systems gobble the distress

calls as our mimetic subprograms scan anything that

hasn't been blanked by core command.

   The Russian program lifts a Tokyo number from

the unscreened data, choosing it for frequency of calls,

average length of calls, the speed with which Chrome

returned those calls.

   "Okay," says Bobby, "we're an incoming scram-

bler call from a pal of hers in Japan. That should help."

   Ride `em, cowboy.


Bobby read his future in women; his girls were omens,

changes in the weather, and he'd sit all night in the

Gentleman Loser, waiting for the season to lay a new

face down in front of him like a card.

   I was working late in the loft one night, shaving

down a chip, my arm off and the little waldo jacked

straight into the stump.


   Bobby came in with a girl I hadn't seen before, and

usually I feel a little funny if a stranger sees me working

that way, with those leads clipped to the hard carbon

studs that stick out of my stump. She came right over

and looked at the magnified image on the screen, then

saw the waldo moving under its vacuum-sealed dust

cover. She didn't say anything, just watched. Right

away I had a good feeling about her; it's like that some-

times.

   "Automatic Jack, Rikki. My associate."

   He laughed, put his arm around her waist, some-

thing in his tone letting me know that I'd be spending

the night in a dingy room in a hotel.

   "Hi," she said. Tall, nineteen or maybe twenty,

and she definitely had the goods. With just those few

freckles across the bridge of her nose, and eyes some-

where between dark amber and French coffee. Tight

black jeans rolled to midcalf and a narrow plastic belt

that matched the rose-colored sandals.

   But now when I see her sometimes when I'm trying

to sleep, I see her somewhere out on the edge of all this

sprawl of cities and smoke, and it's like she's a

hologram stuck behind my eyes, in a bright dress she

must've worn once, when I knew her, something that

doesn't quite reach her knees. Bare legs long and

straight. Brown hair, streaked with blond, hoods her

face, blown in a wind from somewhere, and I see her

wave goodbye.

   Bobby was making a show of rooting through a

stack of audio cassettes. "I'm on my way, cowboy," I

said, unclipping the waldo. She watched attentively as I

put my arm back on.

   "Can you fix things?" she asked.

   "Anything, anything you want, Automatic Jack'll

fix it." I snapped my Duralumin fingers for her.

   She took a little simstim deck from her belt and

showed me the broken hinge on the cassette cover.

   "Tomorrow," I said, "no problem."

   And my oh my, I said to myself, sleep pulling me

down the six flights to the street, what'll Bobby's luck

be like with a fortune cookie like that? If his system

worked, we'd be striking it rich any night now. In the

street I grinned and yawned and waved for a cab.


Chrome's castle is dissolving, sheets of ice shadow

flickering and fading, eaten by the glitch systems that

spin out from the Russian program, tumbling away

from our central logic thrust and infecting the fabric of

the ice itself. The glitch systems are cybernetic virus

analogs, self-replicating and voracious. They mutate

constantly, in unison, subverting and absorbing

Chrome's defenses.

   Have we already paralyzed her, or is a bell ringing

somewhere, a red light blinking?. Does she know?


Rikki Wildside, Bobby called her, and for those first

few weeks it must have seemed to her that she had it all,

the whole teeming show spread out for her, sharp and

bright under the neon. She was new to the scene, and

she had all the miles of malls and plazas to prowl, all

the shops and clubs, and Bobby to explain the wild side,

the tricky wiring on the dark underside of things, all the

players and their names and their games. He made her

feel at home.

   "What happened to your arm?" she asked me one

night in the Gentleman Loser, the three of us drinking at

a small table in a corner.

   "Hang-gliding," I said, "accident."

   "Hang-gliding over a wheatfield," said Bobby,

"place called Kiev. Our Jack's just hanging there in the

dark, under a Nightwing parafoil, with fifty kilos of

radar jammed between his legs, and some Russian

moron accidentally burns his arm off with a laser."

   I don't remember how I changed the subject, but I

did.

   I was still telling myself that it wasn't Rikki who

was getting to me, but what Bobby was doing with her.

I'd known him for a long time, since the end of the war,

and I knew he used women as counters in a game,

Bobby Quine versus fortune, versus time and the night

of cities. And Rikki had turned up just when he needed

something to get him going, something to aim for. So

he'd set her up as a symbol for everything he wanted

and couldn't have, everything he'd had and couldn't

keep.

   I didn't like having to listen to him tell me how

much he loved her, and knowing he believed it only

made it worse. He was a past master at the hard fall and

the rapid recovery, and I'd seen it happen a dozen times

before. He might as well have had NEXT printed across

his sunglasses in green Day-Gb capitals, ready to flash

out at the first interesting face that flowed past the

tables in the Gentleman Loser.

   I knew what he did to them. He turned them into

emblems, sigils on the map of his hustler's life, naviga-

tion beacons he could follow through a sea of bars and

neon. What else did he have to steer by? He didn't love

money, in and of itself, not enough to follow its lights.

He wouldn't work for power over other people; he

hated the responsibility it brings. He had some basic

pride in his skill, but that was never enough to keep him

pushing.

   So he made do with women.

   When Rikki showed up, he needed one in the worst

way. He was fading fast, and smart money was already

whispering that the edge was off his game. He needed

that one big score, and soon, because he didn't know

any other kind of life, and all his clocks were set for

hustler's time, calibrated in risk and adrenaline and that

supernal dawn calm that comes when every move's

proved right and a sweet lump of someone else's credit

clicks into your own account.

   It was time for him to make his bundle and get out;

so Rikki got set up higher and farther away than any

of the others ever had, even though and I felt like

screaming it at him she was right there, alive, totally

real, human, hungry, resilient, bored, beautiful, ex-

cited, all the things she was. .

   Then he went out one afternoon, about a week

before I made the trip to New York to see Finn. Went

out and left us there in the loft, waiting for a thunder-

storm. Half the skylight was shadowed by a dome

they'd never finished, and the other half showed sky,

black and blue with clouds. I was s~andsng by the bench,

looking up at that sky, stupid with the hot afternoon,

the humidity, and she touched me, touched my

shoulder, the half-inch border of taut pink scar that the

arm doesn't cover. Anybody else ever touched me there,

they went on to the shoulder, the neck....

   But she didn't do that. Her nails were lacquered

black, not pointed, but tapered oblongs, the lacquer

only a shade darker than the carbon-fiber laminate that

sheathes my arm. And her hknd went down the arm,

black nails tracing a weld in the laminate, down to the

black anodized elbow joint, out to the wrist, her hand

soft-knuckled as a child's, fingers spreading to lock over

mine, her palm against the perforated Duralumin.

   Her other palm came up to brush across the feed-

back pads, and it rained all afternoon, raindrops drum-

ming on the steel and soot-stained glass above Bobby's

bed.


Ice walls flick away like supersonic butterflies made of

shade. Beyond them, the matrix's illusion of infinite

space. It's like watching a tape of a prefab building

going up; only the tape's reversed and run at high speed,

and these walls are torn wings.

   Trying to remind myself that this place and the

gulfs beyond are only representations, that we aren't

"in" Chrome's computer, but interfaced with it, while

the matrix simulator in Bobby's loft generates this illu-

sion . . . The core data begin to emerge, exposed,

vulnerable.... This is the far side of ice, the view of the

matrix I've never seen before, the view that fifteen

million legitimate console operators see daily and take

for granted.

   The core data tower around us like vertical freight

trains, color-coded for access. Bright primaries, im-

possibly bright in that transparent void, linked by

countless horizontals in nursery blues and pinks.

   But ice still shadows something at the center of it

all: the heart of all Chrome's expensive darkness, the

very heart..


It was late afternoon when I got back from my shopping

expedition to New York. Not much sun through the

skylight, but an ice pattern glowed on Bobby's monitor

screen, a 2-D graphic representation of someone's com-

puter defenses, lines of neon woven like an Art Deco

prayer rug. I turned the console off, and the screen went

completely dark.

   Rikki's things were spread across my workbench,

nylon bags spilling clothes and makeup, a pair of bright

red cowboy boots, audio cassettes, glossy Japanese

magazines about simstim stars. I stacked it all under the

bench and then took my arm off, forgetting that the

program I'd brought from the Finn was in the right-

hand pocket of my jacket, so that I had to fumble it out

left-handed and then get it into the padded jaws of the

jeweler's vise.

   The waldo looks like an old audio turntable, the

kind that played disc records, with the vise set up under

a transparent dust cover. The arm itself is just over a

centimeter long, swinging out on what would've been

the tone arm on one of those turntables. But I don't

look at that when I've clipped the leads to my stump; I

look at the scope, because that's my arm there in black

and white, magnification 40 x.

   I ran a tool check and picked up the laser. It felt a

little heavy; so I scaled my weight-sensor input down to

a quarter-kilo per gram and got to work. At 40 x the side

of the program looked like a trailer truck.

   It took eight hours to crack: three hours with the

waldo and the laser and four dozen taps, two hours on

the phone to a contact in Colorado, and three hours to

run down a lexicon disc that could translate eight-year.

old technical Russian.

   Then Cyrillic alphanumerics started reeling dowi

the monitor, twisting themselves into English halfwa

down. There were a lot of gaps, where the lexicon rai

up against specialized military acronyms in the readou

I'd bought from my man in Colorado, but it did give m

some idea of what I'd bought from the Finn.

   I felt like a punk who'd gone out to buy a switch.

blade and come home with a small neutron bomb.

   Screwed again, I thought. What good's a neutro~

bomb in a streetfight? The thing under the dust covei

was right out of my league. I didn't even know where to

unload it, where to look for a buyer. Someone had, but

he was dead, someone with a Porsche watch and a fake

Belgian passport, but I'd never tried to move in those

circles. The Finn's muggers from the `burbs had knocked

over someone who had some highly arcane connections.

   The program in the jeweler's vise was a Russian

military icebreaker, a killer-virus program.

   It was dawn when Bobby came in alone. I'd fallen

asleep with a bag of takeout sandwiches in my lap.

   "You want to eat?" I asked him, not really awake,

holding out my sandwiches. I'd been dreaming of the

program, of its waves of hungry glitch systems and

mimetic subprograms; in the dream it was an animal of

some kind, shapeless and flowing.

   He brushed the bag aside on his way to the console,

punched a function key. The screen lit with the intricate

pattern I'd seen there that afternoon. I rubbed sleep

from my eyes with my left hand, one thing I can't do

with my right. I'd fallen asleep trying to decide whether

to tell him about the program. Maybe I should try to sell

it alone, keep the money, go somewhere new, ask Rikki

to go with me.

   "Whose is it?" I asked.

   He stood there in a black cotton jump suit, an old

leather jacket thrown over his shoulders like a cape. He

hadn't shaved for a few days, and his face looked thin-

ner than usual.

   "It's Chrome's," he said.

   My arm convulsed, started clicking, fear translated

to the myoclectrics through the carbon studs. I spilled

the sandwiches; limp sprouts, and bright yellow dairy-

produce slices on the unswept wooden floor.

   "You're stone crazy," I said.

   "No," he said, "you think she rumbled it? No

way. We'd be dead already. I locked on to her through a

triple-blind rental system in Mombasa and an Algerian

comsat. She knew somebody was having a look-see, but

she couldn't trace it."

   If Chrome had traced the pass Bobby had made at

her ice, we were good as dead. But he was probably

right, or she'd have had me blown away on my way

back from New York. "Why her, Bobby? Just give me

one reason...

   Chrome: I'd seen her maybe half a dozen times in

the Gentleman Loser. Maybe she was slumming, or

checking out the human condition, a condition she

didn't exactly aspire to. A sweet little heart-shaped face

framing the nastiest pair of eyes you ever saw. She'd

looked fourteen for as long as anyone could remember,

hyped out of anything like a normal metabolism on

some massive program of serums and hormones. She

was as ugly a customer as the street ever produced, but

she didn't belong to the street anymore. She was one of

the Boys, Chrome, a member in good standing of the

local Mob subsidiary. Word was, she'd gotten started as

a dealer, back when synthetic pituitary hormones were

still proscribed. But she hadn't had to move hormones

for a long time. Now she owned the House of Blue

Lights.

   "You're flat-out crazy, Quine. You give me one

sane reason for having that stuff on your screen. You

ought to dump it, and I mean now.

   "Talk in the Loser," he said, shrugging out of the

leather jacket. "Black Myron and Crow Jane. Jane,

she's up on all the sex lines, claims she knows where

the money goes. So she's arguing with Myron that

Chrome's the controlling interest in the Blue Lights, not

just some figurehead for the Boys."

   " `The Boys,' Bobby," I said. "That's the opera-

tive word there. You still capable of seeing that? We

don't mess with the Boys, remember? That's why we're

still walking around."

   "That's why we're still poor, partner." He settled

back into the swivel chair in front of the console, un-

zipped his jump suit, and scratched his skinny white

chest. "But maybe not for much longer."

   "I think maybe this partnership just got itself per-

manently dissolved."

   Then he grinned at me. Tjie grin was truly crazy,

feral and focused, and I knew that right then he really

didn't give a excrement about dying.

   ``Look,'' I said, ``I've got some money left, you

know? Why don't you take it and get the tube to Miami,

catch a hopper to Montego Bay. You need a rest, man.

You've got to get your act together."

   "My act, Jack," he said, punching something on

the keyboard, "never has been this together before."

The neon prayer rug on the screen shivered and woke as

an animation program cut in, ice lines weaving with

hypnotic frequency, a living mandala. Bobby kept

punching, and the movement slowed; the pattern re-

solved itself, grew slightly less complex, became an

alternation between two distant configurations. A first-

class piece of work, and I hadn't thought he was still

that good. "Now," he said, "there, see it? Wait. There.

There again. And there. Easy to miss. That's it. Cuts in

every hour and twenty minutes with a squirt transmis-

sion to their comsat. We could live for a year on what

~he pays them weekly in negative interest."

   "Whose comsat?"

   "Zurich. Her bankers. That's her bankbook, Jack.

That's where the money goes. Crow Jane was right."

I stood there. My arm forgot to click.

   "So how'd you do in New York, partner? You get

anything that'll help me cut ice? We're going to need

whatever we can get.~~

   I kept my eyes on his, forced myself not to look in

the direction of the waldo, the jeweler's vise. The Rus-

sian program was there, under the dust cover.

   Wild cards, luck changers.

   "Where's Rikki?" I asked him, crossing to the con-

sole, pretending to study the alternating patterns on the

screen.

   "Friends of hers," he shrugged, "kids, they're all

into simstim." He smiled absently. "I'm going to do it

for her, man."

   "I'm going out to think about this, Bobby. You

want me to come back, you keep your hands off the

board."

   "I'm doing it for her," he said as the door closed

behind me. "You know lam."


And down now, down, the program a roller coaster

through this fraying maze of shadow walls, gray

cathedral spaces between the bright towers. Headlong

speed.

   Black ice. Dont think about it. Black ice.

   Too many stories in the Gentleman Loser; black ice

is a part of the mythology. Ice that kills. Illegal, but

then aren't we all? Some kind of neural-feedback

weapon, and you connect with it only once. Like some

hideous Word that eats the mind from the inside out.

Like an epileptic spasm that goes on and on until there's

nothing left at all...

   And we're diving for the floor of Chrome's shadow

castle.

   Trying to brace myself for the sudden stopping of

breath, a sickness and final slackening of the nerves.

Fear of that cold Word waiting, down there in the dark.


I went out and looked for Rikki, found her in a cafe

with a boy with Sendai eyes, half-healed suture lines

radiating from his bruised sockets. She had a glossy

brochure spread open on the table, Tally Isham smiling

up from a dozen photographs, the Girl with the Zeiss

Ikon Eyes.

   Her little simstim deck was one of the things I'd

stacked under my bench the night before, the one I'd

fixed for her the day after I'd first seen her. She spent

hours jacked into that unit, the contact band across her

forehead like a gray plastic tiara. Tally Isham was her

favorite, and with the contact band on, she was gone,

off somewhere in the recorded sensorium of simstim s

biggest star. Simulated stimuli: the world all the in-

teresting parts, anyway as perceived by Tally Isham.

Tally raced a black Fokker ground-effect plane across

Arizona mesa tops. Tally dived the Truk Island pre-

serves. Tally partied with the superrich on private Greek

islands, heartbreaking purity of those tiny white

seaports at dawn.

   Actually she looked a lot like Tally, same coloring

and cheekbones. I thought Rikki's mouth was stronger.

More sass. She didn't want to be Tally Isham, but she

coveted the job. That was her ambition, to be in sim-

stim. Bobby just laughed it off. She talked to me about

it, though. "I-Iow'd I look with a pair of these?" she'd

ask, holding a full-page headshot, Tally Isham's blue

Zeiss Ikons lined up with her own amber-brown. She'd

had her corneas done twice, but she still wasn't 20-20; so

she wanted Ikons. Brand of the stars. Very expensive.

   "You still window-shopping for eyes?" I asked as I

sat down.

   "Tiger just got some," she said. She looked tired, I

thought.

   Tiger was so pleased with his Sendais that he

couldn't help smiling, but I doubted whether he'd have

smiled otherwise. He had the kind of uniform good

looks you get after your seventh trip to the surgical

boutique; he'd probably spend the rest of his life look-

ing vaguely like each new season's media front-runner;

not too obvious a copy, but nothing too original, either.

   "Sendai, right?" I smiled back.

   He nodded. I watched as he tried to take me in with

his idea of a professional simstim glance. He was pre-

tending that he was recording. I thought he spent too

long on my arm. "They'll be great on peripherals when

the muscles heal," he said, and I saw how carefully he

reached for his double espresso. Sendai eyes are

notorious for depth-perception defects and warranty

hassles, among other things.

   ``Tiger's leaving for Hollywood tomorrow.~~

   "Then maybe Chiba City, right?" I smiled at him.

He didn't smile back. "Got an offer, Tiger? Know an

agent?"

   "Just checking it out," he said quietly. Then he got

up and left. He said a quick goodbye to Rikki, but not

to me.

   "That kid's optic nerves may start to deteriorate in-

side six months. You know that, Rikki? Those Sendais

are illegal in England, Denmark, lots of places. You

can't replace nerves."

   "Hey, Jack, no lectures." She stole one of my

croissants and nibbled at the top of one of its horns.

   "I thought I was your adviser, kid."

   "Yeah. Well, Tiger's not too swift, but everybody

knows about Sendais. They're all he can afford. So he's

taking a chance. If he gets work, he can replace them."

   "With these?" I tapped the Zeiss Ikon brochure.

"Lot of money, Rikki. You know better than to take a

gamble like that."

   She nodded. "I want Ikons."

   "If you're going up to Bobby's, tell him to sit tight

until he hears from ~

   "Sure. It's business?"

   "Business," I said. But it was craziness.

   I drank my coffee, and she ate both my croissants.

Then I walked her down to Bobby's. I made fifteen

calls, each one from a different pay phone.

   Business. Bad craziness.

   All in all, it took us six weeks to set the burn up, six

weeks of Bobby telling me how much he loved her. I

worked even harder, trying to get away from that.

   Most of it was phone calls. My fifteen initial and

very oblique inquiries each seemed to breed fifteen

more. I was looking for a certain service Bobby and I

both imagined as a requisite part of the world's clande-

stine economy, but which probably never had more than

five customers at a time. It would be one that never

advertised.

   We were looking for the world's heaviest fence, for

a non-aligned money laundry capable of dry-cleaning a

megabuck online cash transfer and then forgetting

about it.

   All those calls were a wasted finally, because it was

the Finn who put me on to what we needed. I'd gone up

to New York to buy a new blackbox rig, because we

were going broke paying for all those calls.

   I put the problem to him as hypothetically as possi-

ble.

   "Macao," he said.

   "Macao?"

   "The Long Hum family. Stockbrokers."

   He even had the number. You want a fence, ask

another fence.

   The Long Hum people were so oblique that they

made my idea of a subtle approach look like a tactical

nuke-out. Bobby had to make two shuttle runs to Hong

Kong to get the deal straight. We were running out of

capital, and fast. I still don't know why I decided to go

along with it in the first place; I was scared of Chrome,

and I'd never been all that hot to get rich.

   I tried telling myself that it was a good idea to burn

the House of Blue Lights because the place was a creep

joint, but I just couldn't buy it. I didn't like the Blue

Lights, because I'd spent a supr'~mely depressing eve-

ning there once, but that was no excuse for going after

Chrome. Actually I halfway assumed we were going to

die in the attempt. Even with that killer program, the

odds weren't exactly in our favor.

   Bobby was lost in writing the set of commands we

were going to plug into the dead center of Chrome's

computer. That was going to be my job, because Bobby

was going to have his hands full trying to keep the Rus-

sian program from going straight for the kill. It was too

complex for us to rewrite, and so he was going to try to

hold it back for the two seconds I needed.

   I made a deal with a streetfighter named Miles. He

was going to follow Rikki the night of the burn, keep

her in sight, and phone me at a certain time. If I wasn't

there, or didn't answer in just a certain way, I'd told

him to grab her and put her on the first tube out. I gave

him an envelope to give her, money and a note.

   Bobby really hadn't thought about that, much,

how things would go for her if we blew it. He just kept

telling me he loved her, where they were going to go

together, how they'd spend the money.

   "Buy her a pair of Ikons first, man. That's what

she wants. She's serious about that simstim scene."

   "Hey," he said, looking up from the keyboard,

"she won't need to work. We're going to make it, Jack.

She's my luck. She won't ever have to work again."

   "Your luck," I said. I wasn't happy. I couldn't

remember when I had been happy. "You seen your luok

   around lately?"

   He hadn't, but neither had I. We'd both been too

busy.

   I missed her. Missing her reminded me of my one

night in the House of Blue Lights, because I'd gone

there out of missing someone else. I'd gotten drunk to

begin with, then I'd started hitting Vasopressin inhalers.

If your main squeeze has just decided to walk out on

you, booze and Vasopressin are the ultimate in

masochistic pharmacology; the juice makes you

maudlin and the Vasopressin makes you remember, I

mean really remember. Clinically they use the stuff to

counter senile amnesia, but the street finds its own uses

for things. So I'd bought myself an ultraintense replay

of a bad affair; trouble is, you get the bad with the

good. Go gunning for transports of animal ecstasy and

you get what you said, too, and what she said to that,

how she walked away and never looked back.

   I don't remember deciding to go to the Blue Lights,

or how I got there, hushed corridors and this really

tacky decorative waterfall trickling somewhere, or

maybe just a hologram of one. I had a lot of money that

night; somebody had given Bobby a big roll for opening

a three-second window in someone else's ice.

   I don't think the crew on the door liked my looks,

but I guess my money was okay.

   I had more to drink there when I'd done what I

went there for. Then I made some crack to the barman

about closet necrophiliacs, and that didn't go down too

well. Then this very large character insisted on calling

me War Hero, which I didn't like. I think I showed him

some tricks with the arm, before the lights went out, and

I woke up two days later in a basic sleeping module

somewhere else. A cheap place, not even room to hang

   yourself. And I sat there on that narrow foam slab and

cried.

   Some things are worse than being alone. But the

thing they sell in the House of Blue Lights is so popular

that it's almost legal.


At the heart of darkness, the still center, the glitch sys-

tems shred the dark with whirlwinds of light, translu-

cent razors spinning away from us; we hang in the

center of a silent slow-motion explosion, ice fragments

falling away forever, and Bobby's voice comes in across

light-years of electronic void illusion

"Burn the grump down. I can't hold the thing

back "

   The Russian program, rising through towers of

data, blotting out the playroom colors. And I plug

Bobby's homemade command package into the center

of Chrome's cold heart. The squirt transmission cuts in,

a pulse of condensed information that shoots straight

up, past the thickening tower of darkness, the Russian

   188


program, while Bobby struggles to control that crucial

second. An unformed arm of shadow twitches from the

towering dark, too late.

   We've done it.

   The matrix folds itself around me like an origami

trick.

   And the loft smells of sweat and burning circuitry.

   I thought I heard Chrome scream, a raw metal

sound, but I couldn't have.


Bobby was laughing, tears in his eyes. The elapsed-time

figure in the corner of the monitor read 07:24:05. The

burn had taken a little under eight minutes.

   And I saw that the Russian program had melted in

its slot.

   We'd given the bulk of Chrome's ZOrich account to

a dozen world charities. There was too much there to

move, and we knew we had to break her, burn her

straight down, or she might come after us. We took less

than ten percent for ourselves and shot it through the

Long Hum setup in Macao. They took sixty percent of

that for themselves and kicked what was left back to us

through the most convoluted sector of the Hong Kong

exchange. It took an hour before our money started to

reach the two accounts we'd opened in Zurich.

   I watched zeros pile up behind a meaningless figure

on the monitor. I was rich.

   Then the phone rang. It was Miles. I almost blew

the code phrase.

   "Hey, Jack, man, I dunno what's it all about,

with this girl of yours? Kinda funny thing here..."

   "What? Tell me."

   "I been on her, like you said, tight but out of sight.

She goes to the Loser, hangs out, then she gets a tube.

Goes to the House of Blue Lights "

   "She what?"

   "Side door. Employees only. No way I could get

past their security."

   "Is she there now?"


   "No, man, I just lost her. It's insane down here,

like the Blue Lights just shut down, looks like for good,

seven kinds of alarms going off, everybody running, the

heat out in riot gear. . . . Now there's all this stuff going

on, insurance guys, real-estate types, vans with munici-

pal plates....

   "Miles, where'd she go?"

   "Lost her, Jack."

   "Look, Miles, you keep the money in the envelope,

right?"

   "You serious? Hey, I'm real sorry. I "

Ihung up.

   "Wait'll we tell her," Bobby was saying, rubbing a

towel across his bare chest.

   "You tell her yourself, co,wboy. I'm going for a

walk."

   So I went out into the night and the neon and let the

crowd pull me along, walking blind, willing myself to be

just a segment of that mass organism, just one more

drifting chip of consciousness under the geodesics. I

didn't think, just put one foot in front of another, but

after a while I did think, and it all made sense. She'd

needed the money.

   I thought about Chrome, too. That we'd killed her,

murdered her, as surely as if we'd slit her throat. The

night that carried me along through the malls and plazas

would be hunting her now, and she had nowhere to go.

How many enemies would she have in this crowd alone?

How many would move, now they weren't held back by

fear of her money? We'd taken her for everything she

had. She was back on the street again. I doubted she'd

live till dawn.

   Finally I remembered the cafe, the one where I'd

met Tiger.

   Her sunglasses told the whole story, huge black

shades with a telltale smudge of fleshtone paintstick in

the corner of one lens. "Hi, Rikki," I said, and I was

ready when she took them off.

   Blue, Tally Isham blue. The clear trademark blue

they're famous for, ZEISS IKON ringing each iris in tiny

capitals, the letters suspended there like flecks of gold.

   "They're beautiful," I said. Paintstick covered the

bruising. No scars with work that good. "You made

some money."

   "Yeah, I did." Then she shivered. "But I won't

make any more, not that way."

   ``I think that place is out of business.~~

   "Oh." Nothing moved in her face then. The new

blue eyes were still and very deep.

   "It doesn't matter. Bobby's waiting for you. We

just pulled down a big score."

   "No. I've got to go. I guess he won't understand,

but I've got to go."

   I nodded, watching the arm swing up to take her

hand; it didn't seem to be part of me at all, but she held

on to it like it was.

   "I've got a one-way ticket to Hollywood. Tiger

knows some people I can stay with. Maybe I'll even get

to Chiba City."

   She was right about Bobby. I went back with her.

He didn't understand. But she'd already served her pur-

pose, for Bobby, and I wanted to tell her not to hurt for

him, because I could see that she did. He wouldn't even

come out into the hallway after she had packed her

bags. I put the bags down and kissed her and messed up

the paintstick, and something came up inside me the

way the killer program had risen above Chrome's data.

A sudden stopping of the breath, in a place where no

word is. But she had a plane to catch.

   Bobby was slumped in the swivel chair in front of

his monitor, looking at his string of zeros. He had his

shades on, and I knew he'd be in the Gentleman Loser

by nightfall, checking out the weather, anxious for a

sign, someone to tell him what his new life would be

like. I couldn't see it being very different. More com-

fortable, but he'd always be waiting for that next card

to fall.

   I tried not to imagine her in the House of Blue

Lights, working three-hour shifts in an approximation

of REM sleep, while her body and a bundle of condi-

tioned reflexes took care of business. The customers

never got to complain that she was faking it, because

those were real orgasms. But she felt them, if she felt

them at all, as faint silver flares somewhere out on the

edge of sleep. Yeah, it's so popular, it's almost legal.

The customers are torn between needing someone and

wanting to be alone at the same time, which has prob-

ably always been the name of that particular game, even

before we had the neuroelectronics to enable them to

have it both ways.

   I picked up the phone and punched the number for

her airline. I gave them her real name, her flight num-

ber. "She's changing that," I said, "to Chiba City.

Thatright. Japan." I thumbed' my credit card into the

slot and punched my ID code. "First class." Distant

hum as they scanned my credit records. "Make that a

return ticket."

   But I guess she cashed the return fare, or else

didn't need it, because she hasn't come back. And

sometimes late at night I'll pass a window with posters

of simstim stars, all those beautiful, identical eyes star-

ing back at me out of faces that are nearly as identical,

and sometimes the eyes are hers, but none of the faces

are, none of them ever are, and I see her far out on the

edge of all this sprawl of night and cities, and then she

waves goodbye.



Brought to you
by
The Cyberpunk Project
Page last modified on Friday, June 27, 2000.
#16
Just a couple of new films coming out which might be worth shelling out a few bucks to catch in the theatres.  For me, however, there are two films coming out this year, back to back, which I can't wait to see: Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions...that's right, back to back, one right after another.  I'll post some info on the Matrix movies later.

Some promising new films to be released in theaters this Friday (US):

http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/allposters/151/501354_rt.jpg
THEATRICAL RELEASE
ANGER MANAGEMENT
(comedy starring Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler
Apr 11, 2003 (Wide)

CAST & CREW
Jack Nicholson, Adam Sandler, Krista Allen
Directed by Peter Segal
more...

SYNOPSIS
In Revolution Studios' riotous new comedy Anger Management, Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson star as patient and therapist, though at times it's hard to tell which one is which.

Also:
Better Luck Tomorrow (2003)
http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/custom/15/1121015.jpg
THEATRICAL RELEASE
Apr 11, 2003 (Limited)

CAST & CREW
Parry Shen, Jason J. Tobin, Roger Fan
Directed by Justin Lin
more...

SYNOPSIS
Everyone knows a person like Ben - the perfect Asian American high school teen - extremely intelligent, a perfectionist, overachiever whose tunnel vision leads to nothing less than graduating at the top of the class and acceptance to the best Ivy League university. more...

MPAA RATING
R, Rated R for violence, drug use, language and sexuality

RELEASE COMPANY
MTV Films
------------------
One which you might have missed is:
http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/coverv/94/205194.jpg
Spirited Away
I think this looks great, I am going to try to see it ASAP...it was just re-released in US theaters but should be available on DVD really soon.
THEATRICAL RELEASE
Sep 20, 2002 (Limited)

VIDEO RELEASE
Apr 15, 2003 (VHS)
Apr 15, 2003 (DVD)

NUMBERS
Box Office: $8,879,467
details...

CONSENSUS
An enchanting adventure that takes viewers, young and old alike, through the looking glass.

CAST & CREW
Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Michael Chiklis
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
more...

SYNOPSIS
Directed by animation legend Hayao Miyazaki, SPIRITED AWAY is the tale of Chihiro (voiced by Daveigh Chase), a young girl who is taken down an unusual road by her parents while moving to a new home in an unfamiliar town. more...

MPAA RATING
PG, some scary moments

RUNTIME
2 hours, 12 minutes

Japan, 2001
U.S. Release Date: 9/20/02 (limited)
Running Length: 2:04
MPAA Classification: PG (Scary moments)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Seen at: Ritz 16, Voorhees, NJ
Cast (voices): Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Suzanne Pleshette, Michael Chiklis, Susan Egan, Lauren Holly, John Ratzenberger, David Ogden Stiers
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Producers: Toshio Suzuki, Donald W. Ernst
Screenplay: Hayao Miyazaki
Music: Jo Hisaishi
U.S. Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures

To animators across the world, Hayao Miyazaki is a god. Within the animation community, his work is revered, and fans of "anime" (Japanese animation) await each new Miyazaki film with the same degree of ill-concealed impatience as displayed by 11-year olds hungering for the next book in the "Harry Potter" series. In mainstream United States movie-going circles, Miyazaki is not a well-known name, which is one reason why, several years ago, Walt Disney Pictures purchased the North American rights to Miyazaki's catalog. While there were some gripes about the manner in which the dubbing and distribution of Miyazaki's previous feature, Princess Mononoke, were handled here, more care has been taken for Spirited Away. Two American animation luminaries – Pixar's John Lasseter and Disney's Kirk Wise (the director of several animated features, including Beauty and the Beast) – were recruited to convert the Japanese version of the movie into one for English-speaking audiences.

Let me state up front that I am neither a fan of, nor an expert on, anime. In fact, I'm not a lover of animation in general. But I know when I'm in the presence of good storytelling, and Spirited Away represents that. Watching this movie, you immediately become aware of two things – the animation is excellent (something that will come as no surprise to anyone who has seen one of Miyazaki's previous outings) and the story turns in unusual, often unexpected directions. One of the biggest problems I have with many animated films (even the best ones) is plot predictability. That's not the case here.

Spirited Away takes influences from "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Wizard of Oz" and uses them to fashion a highly original story about a 10 year-old girl, Chihiro (voiced by Daveigh Chase), who, along with her parents, ventures through a tunnel that leads to the world of spirits. After a witch, Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette), turns Mom and Dad into pigs, Chihiro must find a niche in the spirit world, where humans are not well thought-of, and figure out a way to convince Yubaba to change her parents back into humans and send them all home. With help from Haku (Jason Marsden), Yubaba's boy apprentice, and Lin (Susan Egan), a "big sister" type, Chihiro gets a job at Yubaba's bathhouse for sprits, and there her quest to aid her family begins. But, as complications arise, she finds additional tasks to perform and other allies willing to help her.

The nature of the story is tailor-made for animation. Many of the characters engage in shape-shifting (boys become dragons, adults become pigs, a giant baby becomes a bloated mouse) and the bathhouse is frequented by a variety of strange and unusual creatures. While a few of the inhabitants of the sprit world look human, most appear to be anything but that. Take the boiler operator Kamaji (David Ogden Stiers), for example. At first glance, he's just a cranky old man with a frizzy beard. Then we notice that he has eight legs and walks like a spider. We also find out that he's not as intimidating as he looks. His initially surly disposition melts away and he becomes of one Chihiro's numerous friends.

Miyazaki is an environmentalist, and his films often contain strong pro-environment messages. (This was a cornerstone to Princess Mononoke.) In Spirited Away, one of the visitors to the bathhouse is a river spirit who has been so badly polluted by sludge and other waste materials that his stench drives people away and he is in need of a powerful cleansing to sluice away the filth. It takes an effort, but he is eventually restored to his former glory.

The film's animation is stunning, with richly-detailed backgrounds and flawless foregrounds. Unlike many animators, Miyazaki still relies almost exclusively upon hand-drawn artwork (although he employs some computer technology to touch up and enhance the final product), and his meticulous care shows. The colors are bright and vivid, and some of the scenes (especially those taking place during a rainstorm) are peerless in the world of motion picture animation. Also, with a running length that exceeds two hours (124 minutes), Spirited Away requires approximately 40% more cells than what is needed for the average Disney release.

Miyazaki does not dumb down Spirited Away, even though his stated target audience is children. This is a true family film, in that adults will be as enchanted by the characters and situations as children will. The pace is a little slower than the average animated film – there is not as much frantic action – but not so languid that younger viewers will become restless. The dubbing into English is very good (as is voice selection), so there is no subtitle barrier. Overall, while Spirited Away may not be as complex and imaginative as Princess Mononoke in some areas, it is as beautifully rendered and no less sophisticated in its outlook. Miyazaki has provided another triumph, and, in the midst of the quality fall-off of Disney's in-house animated projects, a reason for animation-lovers to rejoice.


© 2002 James Berardinelli


#17
OBE ARTICLES
-------------------------------------------------------
This thread is for OBE articles and discussions.  Please feel free to post any articles, essays or personal feelings relating to the articles or to the out-of-body experience in general.  

Obviously not every article will be of equal value/truth, but all articles are important because they relfect the myriad ways the OBE phenomena is experienced.
--------------------------------------------------------
The following article is an intro to the OBE and might be helpful for those who are new to this subject:
You & The OBE
by Wagner Alegretti
The phenomenon of the Out of-Body Experience (OBE), or conscious projection (CP) is a natural phenomenon. Accounts of this experience have been recorded b y persons from all walks of life for thousands of years. With new methods and techniques now available, the phenomenon of OBE can be put under the voluntary control of the experiencer, thus developing the ability of the individual projector to remain lucid during the experience (extraphysical lucidity), to reach various chosen extraphysical objectives, and to remember the experience afterwards (physical recall). The mastering of one's protectability allows the individual to utilize, over many physical (intraphysical) lives, that one-third of his or her life which is, from a consciential point of view, wasted during sleep.

It is generally accepted that the human brain is the most complex object known to man. It is evident to those who experience lucid projections that the consciousness transcends the physical brain which it controls, as the . project or is lucid and active while projected outside the temporarily dormant physical body. In this way, the consciousness (ego, essence, soul, spirit, etc.) is recognized as being the substrate of intelligence and individuality, and something far beyond classic parameters of energy and matter. Thus, the study of the consciousness, held to be something transcendent of physical consciousness, is a dignified subject of study in the true spirit of scientific inquiry.

New methodologies and techniques are needed to enable the study of the consciousness. It is impossible to study the consciousness with classic devices, no matter how sophisticated they may be, as they can, at best, only measure physiological alterations which are merely indirect consequences of the actions of the consciousness being observed. The obvious conclusion, then, is that the consciousness itself is the most effective tool to be used in the study of the consciousness. This inevitably leads to participative research, where the researcher quite often serves as his or her own research subject, while his or her daily circumstances, both inside and outside the body, serve as his or her laboratory. This is the essence of the consciential paradigm.

OBE & History
Today more light is being shed on the universal phenomenon of CP or the OBE. just like the simple physiological acts of breathing and eating, CP is a natural phenomenon - actually a large number of occurrences linked to the disconnection of the consciousness from the body which has accompanied humanity since its birth, having been experienced by men, women and children of all ages, states of health, beliefs, cultures, and social levels.

Like many other natural phenomena (astronomical and meteorological, for example), which were initially regarded as mystical and religious matters, and were only later considered to pertain to science, projections of the consciousness and related phenomena are now being studied from a scientific view, considering the existence of only relative truths 'and maintaining the practice of constant open universal re-evaluation of hypotheses and theories originating from first-hand experiences, many of which are testable.

The history of conscious projection began with primitive man who, like many of the shamans of today, probably used OBE almost instinctively as a means of contacting the "spirits", as well as for more practical ends such as the treatment of physical and psychological problems of community members, or the location of concentrations of food and the whereabouts of missing persons.

Looking at history, clear references to OBE are found in the records of Egyptian civilizations (paintings symbolizing the exit of the kha, or double, from the physical body, for example), and the ancient Greeks (the reports of Plutarch regarding the Near-Death Experience). It also merits noting that references to OBE were made by Buddha, Herodotus, and Plato, and can be found in various parts of the Bible (Ezekiel 3:14; Epistle - 2nd Corinthians 12:2, for example).

Up until the end of the 19th century, the projection of the consciousness was generally looked upon as a type of spiritual initiation.

Consciential States
The consciousness, being the source of life and the sponsor of the intellect, is extremely dynamic and mutable, and manifests in many different ways. However, its three basic conditions are the intraphysical state (when inside the human body), the projected state (when temporarily outside the body) and the extraphysical state (when the consciousness is completely disconnected from the physical body - the result of discarding the physical body, or physical death).

These three basic states indicate one of the main attributes or capacities of the consciousness, that of interdimensionality-.the intrinsic ability of the consciousness to manifest itself in several realities, planes, spheres or dimensions.

hat is the point of all of this? First, it is important to remember that the projection of the consciousness is a (para)physiological and inevitable phenomenon. Everyone spontaneously projects every night, but the overwhelming majority of the population projects with a complete lack of lucidity and, consequently, has no physical recall of these experiences. The projective experience is a natural extension of daily life and engenders personal growth through interaction with extraphysical consciousnesses and events. The developing projector will gradually begin to make use of that one-third of life that is lost during sleep as the body needs sleep, but the consciousness doesn't. Additionally, OBE will accelerate a person's consciential maturation, eventually achieving a state of continuous consciousness (continuous lucidity regardless of whether the body is sleeping or awake) and, finally, become a free consciousness that no longer has to return to physical life.

Conclusion
Everyone leaves their body nightly during sleep. However, only about 1% of humanity is able to spontaneously or voluntarily achieve lucid projections of the consciousness and recall their extraphysical experiences. Anyone can project if s/he can overcome the fears and insecurities that most people have, knows how to work with his or her bioenergies and acts in accordance with the cosmoethic. The long-term benefits of interdimensionality are so many and transcendent that the effort and discipline required to realize lucid projections is well worthwhile.

About The Author

Wagner Alegretti is an electronic engineer and a charter member of International Institute of Projectiology (IIP). Wagner teaches Projectiology courses internationally in English, Portuguese and Spanish, and has been having conscious projections since childhood. The IIP is an independent private, nonprofit organization founded by individuals who decided to formalize their experiences and discoveries in the parapsychic field. You may contact Wagner at: IIP, 545 - 8th Ave, Suite 401, New York, NY 10018.

#18
Starting tonight a number of interviews (at least one or two for sure) will be aired on t.v. across the world.  Of course a million new stories and summaries, etc. will be offered regarding what Sadaam says.  The bottom line is that he is going to mix some truth in with a lot of lie.  

I have compiled some news articles below regarding the interviews.  I am interested to hear what you all think, especially after the interview(s) air.
----------------------

Rather's Saddam interview draws skeptics
By Jennifer Harper
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

    CBS newsman Dan Rather landed a three-hour interview with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on Monday, revealing "Saddam's feelings on his own people, the American public, Osama bin Laden and what his own fate might be," according to CBS, which quickly went into showbiz mode.
    "There are just two men in the world now who can prevent a new U.S.-led war in Iraq, and CBS news anchor Dan Rather sat down with one of them," CBS said yesterday.
    But did the interview become a vehicle for Iraq's agenda in the process?
    "We're aware of the CBS tape. We'll watch the tape, and we believe in freedom of the press," a State Department official said yesterday. "Will it be factual? We have to wait and see. Saddam has a track record of not being upfront."
    Shortly after September 11, the White House and State Department became alarmed that Western journalists could be manipulated by media-savvy terrorists. At the time, White House adviser Condoleezza Rice suggested that broadcasters use careful judgment when airing material released by bin Laden.
    Grumbling about First Amendment rights all the way, broadcasters complied for a time. But the climate has changed.
    Since Monday, Mr. Rather's interview has been teased on CBS radio and television, with substantial portions to air tonight on "60 Minutes II." The interview was heralded as "one of the news coups of the year" by the Hollywood Reporter trade publication.
    The newsman said it was all because of "hard work and luck," though an Associated Press report said Mr. Rather had the help of former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, now an anti-war activist who met with Saddam on Sunday.
    Mr. Clark has his own agenda. In January, he drafted articles of impeachment against President Bush, Vice President Richard B. Cheney and other officials, who he says he believes must "answer to the people."
    Meanwhile, Mr. Rather's interview is not as rare as it may seem: ABC's Peter Jennings and NBC's Tom Brokaw also tried to reach Saddam. All three were outfoxed by former British Labor leader and peace activist Tony Benn, who interviewed Saddam for Arab Television three weeks ago.
    Mr. Benn described Saddam as "courteous and forthcoming."
    Mr. Rather also used personal observations, calling Saddam "a tall man."
    "He walked a little stiffly. I think that may be because of these reports he has a bad back. But he was very calm."
    The Media Research Center took Mr. Rather to task yesterday for saying he had a startling scoop: Saddam had "challenged" President Bush to a televised debate. No such scoop, the center pointed out. Saddam had proposed the same thing in a 1990 interview with Mr. Rather.
    The CBS "appetite for promotion is plugging up its nose for news," noted Tim Graham of the research center.

    The interview may be a bona fide scoop for Mr. Rather and a legitimate promotional tool for CBS [yeah right!], said Robert Steele, a media ethics analyst for the Florida-based Poynter Institute, a journalism research group.
    "What shouldn't happen, however, is to hold back meaningful news to benefit promotional strategies," Mr. Steele said yesterday.
    And when short on meaningful news, some extrapolate.
    ABC News issued a report yesterday on Saddam's troubled psychological background. Saddam's "difficult childhood leads to 'wounded self,' — a fragile personality who is very sensitive to perceived slights," ABC said.
    MSNBC, in the meantime, is crafting a new wartime footing. The network fired prime-time host Phil Donahue yesterday because of poor ratings, replacing him with an expanded version of "Countdown: Iraq," with Lester Holt.
----------------
White House wants to reply to Saddam interview
2/26/2003 2:42 PM
By: Associated Press

(WHITE HOUSE) -- The White House is asking CBS News for a chance to reply to the Saddam Hussein interview that's airing Wednesday night.

Press Secretary Ari Fleischer says the administration views what the Iraqi dictator says in the interview as "propaganda and lies."

Fleischer says CBS anchor Dan Rather deserves congratulations for landing the interview (appearing on "60 Minutes Two"). But he says it's appropriate for the White House to have a response.

Fleischer says talks with CBS are continuing as to when a response might air, and who would give it.

The spokesman adds that journalists are likely to face "interesting and difficult" decisions as the Iraqi regime puts forward officials to tell its side of the story.
----------------------
Saddam Hussein, Reporter
After Exclusive CBS Interview, Iraqi Leader Quizzed Dan Rather
advertisement

_____OnPolitics_____

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 26, 2003; 8:17 AM


We'll get to our other news in a moment, but first, our top story (we've always liked the way that sounds):

When the cameras were turned off after more than an hour and a half, it was Saddam Hussein's turn to interview Dan Rather.

The Iraqi leader led the CBS anchor to the overstuffed leather chairs in his high-ceilinged Baghdad office and "had questions about American public opinion and President Bush," Rather recalled yesterday from the Jordanian desert. "I said, 'Mr. President, you asked me and I will try to answer you. A lot of these answers I don't think you're going to like.'

"There's always some discomfort in that kind of situation. I wasn't going to trim the answers to suit what I thought he wanted to hear. I told him American public opinion was behind President Bush.

"I think he said, 'Not as much as it was.'" Rather responded that "Americans like to debate and discuss things and vent" but were still backing Bush.

Hussein's first interview with an American journalist in 13 years – a coup for the 71-year-old Rather – could hardly have come under more dramatic circumstances, with the two nations poised on the brink of war. Not since Walter Cronkite brokered Anwar Sadat's 1977 visit to Jerusalem to begin Egyptian-Israeli peace talks has a television reporter played such a high-profile role in the Middle East.

Part of the Monday interview with Hussein aired on last night's "CBS Evening News," and "60 Minutes II" will carry substantial portions tonight.

Even before the tape could be edited and translated, Rather's summary of Hussein's responses – challenging Bush to a debate and refusing to destroy missiles that U.N. inspectors say must be scrapped – made global headlines.

Rather was mindful of the stakes. When he arrived in Baghdad, he said, "I went to my hotel room and started preparing lists of questions and tried to memorize an outline of the questions. I had 31 or 32 questions. I put them in three different orders. I practiced them. I sat in front of the mirror and pretended he was on the other side and tried out the questions."

As for how he got the interview, which was sought by a slew of other network anchors, Rather said: "I'm a reporter who got lucky. . . . You work hard, work your sources, make your contacts, not get discouraged, just keep coming."

It probably helped that Rather, along with Peter Jennings and Diane Sawyer, had interviewed Hussein in 1990. "At least I was a known quantity to them. . . . I thought in 1990 they wanted someone who had a reputation of being independent and had credibility. I came out of the 1990 interview feeling I had done what I said I would do."

Rather is apparently the first American to meet with Hussein since then-Rep. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.) visited the Iraqi leader in 1995 to win the release of two Americans imprisoned there.

After arriving in Baghdad – following a 10-hour drive from Amman – Rather and his executive producer, Jim Murphy, met with Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz in his office Sunday night. Rather, who has known Aziz since the 1980s, called him "the last gatekeeper," although he says Aziz cautioned him: "There may be no interview with anyone. I don't make the decision. The president makes the decision."

Why did Hussein agree? "I simply don't know," said Rather. "Among the ingredients, in no particular order: He knows the time draws nigh for an attack. He takes President Bush very seriously in saying that time is up. Secondly, he reads the papers and knows what his standing is with the American people. He probably felt – and I'm going pretty far afield here – he had something to lose, but under the present circumstances he might have had something to gain in getting to the American people who he is, what he is, what his position is."

Although Iraq could face a military assault by the United States and Britain within weeks, the atmosphere, Rather observed, was not particularly tense.

Hussein "was to all outward appearances calm. He was unhurried. He comes across as confident. He has what military people call command presence. Some may argue this was studied; I can only report what I saw, heard and felt in that room."

Unfortunately for Rather, the interview "got off to a slow start." He had to wait for one interpreter to translate his questions and a second interpreter to provide Hussein's answers.

"It's hard – I'm not complaining about it – to build a rhythm to the interview. I was saying to myself, 'Boy, I'm in trouble here. This is not going very well.'

"After 11 or 12 minutes, the dynamic started to change. He was getting engaged and was 'there.'," Hussein sometimes leaned forward or rapped his finger on a table as he described the fate of past invaders in the Middle East. "He smiled some, not a lot."

Rather was surprised when Hussein challenged Bush to a debate, a gambit that was quickly dismissed by the White House. "I wasn't sure he was serious," the anchor explained. "I said to him, 'Mr. President, are you joking about this?' He said no, war is too serious to joke about."

Pressed further, Hussein dismissed the United Nations as a forum for the debate he wants. He said he would be in Baghdad and Bush in Washington, and suggested that Rather could moderate the televised face-off.

"I paused and said – I'm not proud of this – 'Mr. President, I have enough troubles already.' He chuckled at that."

The session was scheduled to last 35 to 40 minutes, but Hussein went on nearly three times as long. In one exchange at the round white table with microphones mounted in front of an Iraqi flag, Rather asked: "So you do not intend to destroy these missiles?"

"Which missiles? What do you mean?" said Hussein, who appeared animated and composed. "We have no missiles outside the specifications of the United Nations." He also said he is "ready to dialogue" with Bush out of "my respect for the American public opinion."

Afterward, Hussein spent more than an hour in his office with Rather, Murphy and two culture ministers.

When Hussein asked about American opinions of the war, Rather protested that he was just a reporter, "not a politician or academic or diplomat or soldier."

"Yes, yes," he recalled Hussein replying, "but you are also a citizen, and an experienced journalist."

Even in the satellite age, CBS faced some logistical obstacles. The Iraqis, as is their practice, handled the taping. They were to make a copy for the network after dubbing the translation of Hussein's remarks.

But the Iraqis did not turn over the duplicate tape in time for planned excerpts on CBS's "Early Show" yesterday. Once the videotape was provided, the satellite transmission to New York took nine hours. Then CBS had its own interpreter check the translation and, if necessary, record a new English translation for tonight's broadcast. Rather and Murphy also reviewed the tape to make sure that nothing was deleted.

As he drove toward Amman yesterday to catch a flight to Paris and the Concorde to New York, Rather said his close encounter with Hussein had done nothing to change his view that war appears near.

"It's fair to say he expects an attack unless something dramatic changes," Rather said.

The cover of the New York Daily News has Hussein's face in the cross hairs:

"U.S. forces have the green light to kill Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein if there is a war and they catch him in the cross hairs, the White House said yesterday."

More frustrating stop-and-go on the diplomatic front, as USA Today reports:

"The United States and its allies stepped up diplomacy yesterday in an uphill, two-week blitz aimed at winning the United Nations Security Council's endorsement for war against Iraq.

"But their prospects were clouded by a suggestion from Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, that Iraq is showing new signs of cooperation with teams that are searching for chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

"'There are some elements which are positive which need to be explored further,' Blix said. Those elements, he said, include Iraqi disclosure of documents dealing with the destruction of weapons in 1991, and word that two bombs had been discovered at a disposal site, one containing a liquid that appears to be a germ agent. 'This is cooperation on substance,' Blix said.

"If confirmed, the biological weapon would be the first revealed to the inspectors. Iraq has said it destroyed all such weapons."

In other words, Iraq was not exactly being truthful. What a shock.


#19
The following is from a recent discourse by a leader of the church to which I belong.  (the full talk can be found at
http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,2043-1-2074-1,00.html  )

Anyway, healing is such an important topic because healing is vital to both our minds, bodies AND our souls.  Whenever true physically healing takes place, it has it's roots in the spiritual dimension of reality.  From the miraculous healing of a seriousy injured person to the healing that takes place thanks to medicine or good, nutritious foods, the original movement takes place in the spiritual/mental sphere (ie. Someone who is over weight sees a need to change in order to improve/preserve health, so they then take the physical steps necessary to change...but the original plan happened because they say the good it would do).

Anyway, this exerpt points out that our spirit bodies, our souls (and emotions) can and need to be healed as well.  Evil, in any form, must be abolished from within and this is one of the most important kinds of healing that must take place.  Even if you don't believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, as I do, you can still see the truth in these words.  Regardless of your religion, belief system (or lack of), it is true that we must purge negativity and darkness from within ourselves in order to find true happiness and peace...and power.  

Here is that exerpt:

"Healing the Inner Self"

"The healing that we all so often need is the healing of our souls and spirits. This can come through a transfusion of the spiritual into our lives. The seventh article of faith states that, among other spiritual gifts, we believe in the gift of healing. To me, this gift extends to the healing of both the body and the spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks peace to the soul, and this spiritual solace comes by invoking spiritual gifts, which are claimed and manifested in many ways. They are rich, full, and abundant in the Church today. They flow from the humble and proper use of a testimony. Christ is the Great Physician who rose from the dead "with healing in his wings" (2 Nephi 25:13), and the Comforter is the agent of healing.

If we are to further strengthen the inner person, the inner self must be purged and cleansed of transgression. Companionship with evil causes our whole being to die spiritually. The spiritual tap in our lives will not turn on until all transgressions, particularly those involving moral turpitude, are purged. I refer not only to sexual sins but also to all forms of wrongdoing, including lying, cheating, stealing, and consciously or recklessly inflicting injury upon others."

By President James E. Faust
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
#20
Here is another article from CCN regarding the newest type pof DVD players.  I think these will be a common feature in almost every household in the near future....just like the whole CD burning thing took over, next it'll be DVD burning.  
DVD players do a lot more than just play movies
Thursday, November 14, 2002 Posted: 3:02 PM EST (2002 GMT)


(CNN) -- DVD players are likely to be popular gifts this holiday season, and not just because of their ability to play DVDs.

NEXT@CNN's Ann Kellan spoke with consumer tech expert Marc Saltzman, for a rundown of the bells and whistles offered on DVD players.

Marc Saltzman: The first one we are going to look at today is from Apex and it plays DVD karaoke discs. There are two slots for microphones. They are sold separately. You plug them in and you can adjust the volume and the echo level.... And you sing along with the DVDs that you buy at retail, maybe specialty stores or maybe online.... And I should mention that this player is also a three-disk carousel, so you can fit three different DVDs or CDs in here. And this player also supports picture CDs. What that means is you can take your favorite photos from your digital camera and burn them onto one of these with your computer and they will play them in a player.

Ann Kellan: How much is this one?

Marc Saltzman: It's only $170, which I think is reasonable because it also plays MP3 CDs. The value there is that if you have a computer with a CD burner, you can store up to 200 songs on one CD instead of the 80 minutes on a regular music CD.... The second DVD player we are looking at today is from Sampo, and what I like about it is that it's got a compact flash reader at the front of the machine. What that means is that you take your CompactFlash reader... from your digital camera. It typically stores photos on it, and you just snap this into the front of the player and it will start (a) slide show of your photos on your TV. You can also store music on a lot of CompactFlash cards. A lot of PDAs or personal digital assistants allow you now to listen to MP3 music on these CompactFlash cards. So this player will read those too. And you can maybe make a party mix for the next time you have guests over.

Ann Kellan: So, would you find that memory card in all digital cameras?

Marc Saltzman: No. That's a good question. There are about four or five different technologies -- one is called a memory stick from Sony. Another one is called SD. But a lot of cameras, probably the majority of them still use CompactFlash. It's a little bit bigger than a postage stamp, and it is pretty much the most common format right now.

Ann Kellan: Then we move up a level, don't we?

Marc Saltzman: Yes, well that player, the Sampo player, is about $150 bucks, which is pretty reasonable because it also plays MP3s as well. The next player we have is from Panasonic (and) we are jumping up in price a little bit to $700, because it's not just a DVD player -- it's also a DVD recorder. Most of our viewers know that most DVD players out there don't act as a VCR. You couldn't, say, tape your favorite shows. But when you buy black DVD discs, this player will record them.

Ann Kellan: And that technology has come down in price since last year.

Marc Saltzman: It has come down a few hundred dollars and so has the media itself. You can now buy a DVD-R disk for about $1, and a DVD-RAM disk, which this player will also write to, for about $5. And as you can see, it's the same size as a regular DVD or CD. And you pop it in and once again you can record onto it, either once in that format, or you can erase the DVD-RAMs and keep putting on your favorite shows.

Ann Kellan: So how much can you record on a CD?

Marc Saltzman: About two hours of high quality video, you know, like MPEG quality video, so it will be as good looking as the TV show you taped it off of. Now the last player that we have is the Toshiba DVD player. That's portable. It's got its own screen, in fact it's an 8.9-inch wide screen which is a nice wide screen angle for this DVD player.

Ann Kellan: Look how portable it is.

Marc Saltzman: Now keep in mind this is without the docking station, so without the battery. We have this plugged into the wall. But it adds a little more bulk in the bottom if you do want the battery, which lasts about three hours, by the way. So it's perfect for people who fly a lot, you don't have to watch the movie that they are playing on the plane.... It will read DVD movies (and) it will read music CDs, MP3 CDs so you can bring your favorite music with you to go, and DVD audio. So (it supports) multiple formats, it's $1,000, and it does have an 8.9 inch screen. It's very lightweight and portable, and (has) a beautiful picture quality.

Ann Kellan: So all of these do more than just play movies.

Marc Saltzman: That's right. And this is the trend that we are all seeing.



fides quaerens intellectum
#21
I thought this was cool:

World's fastest computer simulates earth
Friday, November 15, 2002 Posted: 9:52 AM EST (1452 GMT)
 
The Earth Simulator consists of 640 supercomputers that are connected by a high-speed network.  

----------------------------------------------------------------------

SAN JOSE, California (AP) -- A Japanese supercomputer that studies the climate and other aspects of the Earth maintained its ranking as the world's fastest computer, according to a study released Friday.

The Earth Simulator in Yokohama, Japan, performs 35.86 trillion calculations per second -- more than 4 1/2 times greater than the next-fastest machine.

Earth Simulator, built by NEC and run by the Japanese government, first appeared on the list in June. It was the first time a supercomputer outside the United States topped the list.

Two new machines, called "ASCI Q," debuted in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots. The computers, which each can run 7.73 trillion calculations per second, were built by Hewlett-Packard Co. for Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

Clusters of personal computers rank
For the first time, high-performance machines built by clustering personal computers appeared in the top 10.

A system built by Linux NetworX and Quadrics for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ranked No. 5. A system built by High Performance Technologies Inc. for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Forecast Systems Laboratory was No. 8.

Hewlett-Packard Co. led with 137 systems on the list, followed by International Business Machines Corp. with 131 systems. No. 3 Sun Microsystems Inc. built 88 of the top 500 systems.

The Top 500 list, which has been released twice annually since 1993, is compiled by researchers at University of Mannheim, Germany; the Department of Energy's National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center in Berkeley and the University of Tennessee.



fides quaerens intellectum
#22
Welcome to Astral Chat! / SPY Musuem!
July 15, 2002, 14:21:39
I just thought this was fascinating...and well, cool:

Sneaky history at new spy museum
Genuine tools of spycraft on display Friday
July 15, 2002 Posted: 2:01 PM EDT (1801 GMT)


 
A letter Gen. George Washington wrote in February 1777 about setting up a network of spies is among items to be displayed at the International Spy Museum.    


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Imagine a gun disguised as a silvery tube of lipstick, a camera hidden behind a coat button or a tree stump that's really an eavesdropping device.

Props for the next James Bond movie? Maybe.

They're also genuine tools of spycraft, used by real-life spooks around the world. These implements and hundreds of other items are going on display when the International Spy Museum opens Friday.

Organizers say it's the first public museum in the United States dedicated to espionage, and the only one to provide a global perspective on an art form dating back to biblical times, when Moses assigned 12 Israelites to "spy out the land" of Canaan, promised to them by God.

A particularly prized exhibit -- never before seen in public -- is a one-page letter Gen. George Washington wrote in February 1777. In it, Washington offers Nathaniel Sackett, a New York political activist and merchant for the Continental Army, $50 a month to set up a network to obtain "the earliest and best Intelligence of the designs of the enemy."

 EXTRA INFORMATION  
Gallery: Spies Among Us  


 


Museum officials recently bought the letter from a private collector. It had remained with Sackett's family until a few years ago and was reprinted in a newspaper in 1931.

"Espionage is as old as recorded time, and probably older," says E. Peter Earnest, a 36-year CIA veteran who spent two decades in the agency's clandestine service. He is now the museum's executive director.

Former spies who serve on the museum's advisory boards, including former FBI and CIA chief William Webster and retired KGB Gen. Oleg Kalugin, helped gather more than 1,000 spy tools from the United States and other countries, including England, East Germany and the Soviet Union. About 600 pieces will be displayed initially.

Range of gadgets
Among the gizmos:

-- The lipstick pistol was issued in the mid-1960s and used during the Cold War by operatives for the KGB, the former Russian secret police and intelligence agency. The 4.5-mm one-shot tube was called "The Kiss of Death."

-- The coat with buttonhole camera was issued in the 1970s and used by the KGB. When triggered by a device inside the pocket, the center of the false button opened to snap a photo.

-- The tree stump listening device was issued by the CIA in the early 1970s. The solar-powered device was stashed in the woods near a Soviet military base to capture secret military radio transmissions.

Throughout the museum, visitors get quizzed on the details of a cover they're asked to adopt -- name, age and reason for travel.

They can also create and break secret codes and test their ability to find examples of common surveillance, ordinary-looking spies or dead drops -- prearranged locations where undercover operatives and their handlers exchange messages, money or the goods.

Exhibitions director Kathleen Coakley says patrons can see whether they measure up as spies or the people who catch them.

"We hope that visitors keep asking themselves that question: 'Could I ever use that? Could I ever do that?"'

Includes 007
It was at a dead drop in suburban Virginia where Robert Hanssen was arrested last year on charges of spying for Moscow for more than 15 years. The 25-year FBI agent had just dropped off documents for his Russian contacts. Hanssen recently was sentenced to life in prison for his role in what authorities say was one of the most damaging espionage cases in U.S. history.

 
Organizers helped gather more than 1,000 spy tools from the United States and other countries, including England, East Germany and the Soviet Union. About 600 pieces will be displayed initially.    
His story, and that of CIA turncoat Aldrich Ames, who also fed secrets to Moscow, are among the more modern tales of rogue spying featured. The blue Postal Service mailbox that Ames marked with chalk to signal his handlers also is displayed.

"You won't go through the museum and become a spy, but you will be sensitized to a number of things that make up the world of espionage," said Earnest, the CIA veteran.

Hanging from the lobby's ceiling is an imposing sculpture of Feliks Dzerzhinsky, a Polish Communist and founder of the KGB's predecessor. On video, former spies describe life under cover.

Of course, no spy museum would be complete without a nod to Agent 007. This gallery has a replica of Bond's silver Aston Martin DB5 sports car from the movie "Goldfinger."

In development since 1996, the $40 million complex encompasses five historic buildings and includes the museum, a restaurant, a cafe and a gift shop. One of the buildings was a district headquarters for the U.S. Communist Party in the 1940s. Admission is $8-$11.

Other exhibits focus on women spies, World War II espionage and celebrity spies.

Among the star spies: chef Julia Child, who processed classified documents for the Office of Strategic Services, the CIA's forerunner, and Oscar-winning director John Ford, who ran the OSS photography unit.

Copyright 2002 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



       



fides quaerens intellectum
#23
Why do you think he had the sudden change of mine?  What is his punishmnet going to be?

Walker Lindh pleads guilty to aiding Taliban
President Bush briefed, approved deal
July 15, 2002 Posted: 3:44 PM EDT (1944 GMT)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (CNN) -- John Walker Lindh pleaded guilty Monday to two charges, including aiding the Taliban, in a deal with prosecutors that spared him from life in prison.

The deal sends him to jail for up to 20 years, guarantees his cooperation with U.S. officials and drops the charge of conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals that could have put him in prison for life.

The 21-year-old California native, captured along with Taliban forces late last year in Afghanistan, pleaded guilty to aiding the Taliban and possessing explosives in the commission of that crime. In exchange, eight other charges were dropped.

He can be sentenced to 10 years in prison on each of the two counts.

"As part of the agreement Lindh agreed to cooperate fully with the government including to provide information and testify if necessary at trials or other proceedings, including military tribunals," said Attorney General John Ashcroft. (More on Ashcroft's comments)


 
John Walker Lindh has pleaded guilty to two charges. They are:
Providing material, support and resources to al Qaeda
Using, carrying and possessing firearms and destructive devices during crimes of violence

Federal prosecutors agreed to drop eight charges. They are:
Conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals
Conspiracy to provide material, support and resources to foreign terrorist organizations
Providing material support and resources to foreign terrorist organizations
Conspiracy to provide material support and resources to al Qaeda
Conspiracy to contribute services to al Qaeda
Contributing services to al Qaeda
Conspiracy to provide services to the Taliban
Providing services to the Taliban





The agreement, which was reached at 1 a.m. Monday, came before hearings were to start over a 10-count indictment.

The negotiations started six weeks ago and went on throughout the weekend, lawyers said. President Bush was repeatedly briefed about the negotiations and was satisfied with the results. (More on Bush approving the plea deal)

A key to his agreement was that Walker Lindh will have to serve 20 years in prison.

But Walker Lindh's attorney James Brosnahan said Walker Lindh would be eligible for release in 17 years, with good behavior.

As part of the deal, Walker Lindh must cooperate in continuing investigations into what he knew about the Taliban and Osama bin Laden, with whom he had met. That means he will have to take polygraph tests as requested, said U.S. Attorney Paul McNulty.

"He's happy to cooperate in any way he can," said James Brosnahan, Walker Lindh's attorney. "He doesn't know a lot, but whatever they want to know, he'll talk to them. And he's glad to do it."

In addition, should he associate with terrorists after he is released, he could be hauled back into court, where he would be considered an enemy combatant, McNulty said.

Walker Lindh was in the courtroom as the announcement was made. He turned and smiled to members of his family and friends.

He was taken into custody along with other Taliban fighters in Afghanistan last year. He was identified as an American citizen after a bloody prison uprising, which began in late November in Afghanistan. During that uprising, CIA agent Mike Spann was killed.

Among the dismissed counts was one alleging Walker Lindh was involved in Spann's death.

"I am very disappointed," Mike Spann's father, Johnny Spann, said after the plead agreement was announced. " My son and all those who are serving overseas have been let down by this decision."

Other charges against Walker Lindh included conspiring to kill Americans overseas, providing support to al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, and using firearms and other destructive devices during crimes of violence.

If convicted of all the charges, he could have received up to three life sentences, plus 90 years in prison.

"This is a great accomplishment for the United States government and justice has been well served," said McNulty. "We are quite confident, if we had gone to trial, we would have prevailed on all counts."

He added, "This is a major sentence and I think it proves the strength of our case."

As part of the deal, Walker Lindh has also agreed to forgo any profit from his role as a soldier for the Taliban. "All proceeds of his story would go to the federal government," McNulty said. Walker Lindh also has withdrawn any claims that he was mistreated by the U.S. military, he added.

 
U.S. Attorney Paul McNulty: "An important victory for the American people."    
"This is a tough sentence, this is an appropriate punishment, this proves the criminal justice system can be an effective tool in combating terrorism," Brosnahan said.

In a written statement, Walker Lindh's attorneys said, "The plea agreement makes clear Mr. Lindh never bore nor currently bears allegiance to al Qaeda, Harakat al-Mujahideen, or any other terrorist organization. In addition, Mr. Lindh bears no allegiance to the Taliban. ...

"All claims of mistreatment of Mr. Lindh have been withdrawn, and his continued cooperation is an indication of his lack of hostility towards our armed services."

Brosnahan noted with pleasure that the terrorism counts were all dismissed. "He has never had any animosity towards any American serving this country," the lawyer said. "He never hurt anybody."

"I think any father who knew John would be proud to claim him for a son, and I mean that," said Walker Lindh's father, Frank Lindh. "John loves America, and we love America. God bless America."

Brosnahan said his client will continue to study Arabic, the history of Islam and the Qu'ran while in prison.

Walker Lindh was surprised when he heard about the Sept. 11 attacks, and never supported them, Brosnahan said. "He wanted to leave shortly after September 11th, but he couldn't because of fear of death," the lawyer added. "When he heard that this had happened, he didn't know what to make, it was just beyond his comprehension."




fides quaerens intellectum
#24
...is to live right.

Quote:
"The vast majority of projectors, spontaneous or deliberate, will never encounter anything scary, or come under attack, just because they are out of their bodies in an awake form. As everyone projects in some fashion every time they sleep, even if only sleep projection where their projected doubles float out and sleep just above them, they are no more exposed to psychic or Neg attack during OBE than they are during normal sleep, or in the normal waking state for that matter. Those who do come under attack during awake OBE, will find the entities responsible are already active in their life at that time. So, having an awake OBE can be a good test as to the integrity of one's life, as it will usually show if anything nasty is operating in and around one's life" -Robert Bruce

I cut/pasted this from the posts under the psychic attack poll...the entire message Robert posted can be found there.  Anyway, I just wanted to add that I have personally found this to be true.  When I first began to project, I thought I was being bombarded by attacks from negative entities.  It wasn't until later that I realizes that themajority of these "attacks" were actually just products of the fear barrier and "self-created" negative thought forms.  

I also agree with Robert that the majority of so called attacks come from entities that are attached to us because of our behavior in the physical.  If we have a great deal of negative energy in our lives due to our behavior (ie. we are abusive, ill-tempered, addicted to ______ (fill in the blank with whatever you coose, ie. drugs, pornography, etc.) then we are likely being attacked while in waking conscious and of course when we sleep and/or project.  

The bottom line is that the less negativity we have in every aspect of our lives, the less negativity we attract.  

-DT

fides quaerens intellectum
#25
The following is a short list of common OBE acronyms I got from http://www.spiritonline.com/files/messages/15/330.html?965109381
Please add to this and maybe it can eventually become an official document/article here on the astral pulse!?

Spirit Online: Astral Travel & OBE: Common OBE Abbreviations

By Alfred Ballabene
Mirrored from Ballabene's OBE and Astral Pages

AAE: Alien Abduction Experience

AP: Astral Projection

ASP: Awareness during Sleep Paralysis

DILD: Dream Initiated Lucid Dream

IBE: In the Body Experience

ISP: Isolated Sleep Paralysis (not in conjunction with other symptoms of narcolepsy)

LD: Lucid Dream

NDE: Near Death Experience

NREM: no-REM (long wave sleep)

OBE, OOBE: Out of Body Experience

OHA: Old Hag Attack

PC: Projection of Consciousness

PK: Psychokinesis

REM: Rapid Eye Moving sleep

RV: Remote Viewing

SWS: Slow Wave Sleep (n-REM)

TK: Telekinesis

WILD: Wake Initiated Lucid Dream


fides quaerens intellectum
#26
Welcome to Metaphysics! / Spirit and Matter
April 16, 2002, 02:22:22
Some food for thought from our friends as www.whyprophets.com

Spirit and Matter

Revealed Truth When Science Caught up
Spirit is simply another form of matter :
The gradual strengthening of the belief that everything could be explained in physical terms

Heaven sounds exactly like a higher dimension :
The realization that higher dimensions can exist.

All time is relative to where your planet is in space:
The theory of relativity

All laws are relative to the same constraints :
The theory of relativity

Terms like light (e.g. energy) and spirit (a form of matter) are sometimes interchangeable:
The theory of relativity -energy and matter are fundamentally the same thing

All matter is independent (e.g. it is not entirely predictable) :
The theory of Quantum mechanics: uncertainty

Matter only becomes matter (such as either spirit or physical matter) as opposed to intelligence (that hard to define concept) when a higher intelligence organizes it (which involves watching – see the Book of Abraham Abraham account of the creation):
Quantum uncertainty collapses into measurable reality only when it is observed (see below)

Spirit is simply another form of matter:
The general trend of explaining everything in physical terms

There are millions of populated worlds:
Gradually accepted, especially as the space program develops

The earth was not created "ex nihilo," but was created from pre-existing materials :
Modern geology makes it clear that the rocks of the earth are extremely old

There is no such thing as empty space (referring to physical presence, not just to a vague notion of the Holy Spirit):
Quantum uncertainty rules out empty space


Caution:
To be fair, the prophets did not claim to be pre-empting 20th century science (or 21st century science for that matter). If true, we should expect their words to be more in tune with the science of ten thousand years' time than the science of today. An example is the concept of energy. We may see it as simply a way of defining heat or work – a property to be measured in Joules. But a superior being might see it in terms of universal electromagnetic interactions, or in terms of its powerful and most subtle effect – life.

Energy and "the light of Christ":
Another thing to remember is that most of the quotations come from the ninetenth century, and use nineteenth century language and are based on ninteenth century understanding od scientific concepts. So, for example, the prophets only use the word "energy" in the sense of human energy. What we would call "energy" is closest to what they would have called "spirit" in the sense of "light." (Incidentally, the whole concept of "energy" as a substance can be highly misleading. Richard Feynmann comments on this in his autobiographical book "Surely You Must be Joking, Mr Feynmann." But I digress.)

Vague Wording?
More importantly, and what annoys those of a scientific disposition, is that the prophets' words do not have physical precision. But that is simply because they are not writing for the physics laboratory. They are writing for real-world human experience, and the general reader. So carefully selected ambiguity and connotations are sometimes more important than the primary denotation of a word.

Quantum Physics and the Nature of Reality
Avoiding Pseudo-science:
Just as most people misunderstand the revelations relating to intelligences and God, so people usually misunderstand modern theoretical physics.

"Quantum physics introduces an observer-dependency that the popular press has blown out of proportion. ... There is a huge amount of pseudo-science to avoid in learning the lessons of the quantum." – see the summary of quantum principles at www.mountainlake.com/beyond/complem2.htm

All deep concepts are inevitably misunderstood. To avoid adding to the confusion, I will simply quote from articles from New Scientist, a highly reputable science magazine:

What is Quantum Physics (Apart From the Most Successful Scientific Theory Ever)?
From www.newscientist.com/nsplus/insight/quantum/5.html

"[Max Planck's] discovery was ... that radiation, like matter, comes in discrete quantities. And he called his little packets of energy "quanta" from the Latin for amount. ... Planck was unsettled by the implications of quantum theory. If you accept its conclusions nothing is what it seems, or what common sense and Newtonian physics lead you to believe. Things change when you look at them. Objects behave in unpredictable ways."

A Simple Example of Quantum Physics in Practice:

"Think of light reflected from a mirror. No mirror is perfect, so perhaps 95 per cent of the light bounces off the mirror's surface, while the other 5 per cent passes through, or is absorbed or otherwise lost. [So,] 19 out of every 20 photons bounce off the surface while the rogue photon goes its own way. Who decides what each individual photon should do?"

[Later research showed that this uncertainty also applied to physical matter – which Einstein showed was equivalent to energy anyway. All kinds of other weird implications arise as well.]

Why is This So Important?

"Here lies the revolution. Quantum theory says that what happens to any individual photon is genuinely and inescapably unpredictable. It has a 95 per cent chance of being reflected, and a 5 per cent chance of being transmitted or absorbed, and that's all there is to it. There's nothing about any photon, no secret property or hidden clue, that can tell you any more precisely than that what it will do. The unpredictability is innate." ...

"You can see why physicists of the old school found quantum theory confusing, alarming and quite possibly dangerous. It seems as if the photon has no reliable properties of its own, and only reluctantly acquires them as a sort of conspiracy between it and the measuring device. The nature of reality it implies recalls Gertrude Stein's comment about the unremarkable city of Oakland, California: 'There's no there there.' "

Do We Know How the Universe was Created?
This is from www.newscientist.com/nsplus/insight/quantum/genious.html on quantum physics and the origin of the universe, which is traditionally thought to have been a "singularity" leading to a "big bang."

"The good news is that quantum theory seems not to allow a singularity such as the big bang. The bad news is that no one knows what it would put there instead." ... "Wind the cosmological clock backwards, and there comes a moment when classical theory demands that particles be confined in a space smaller than the uncertainty principle permits. Quantum theory draws a modesty-preserving screen across what would otherwise be a naked singularity. To look behind that screen, and to understand how the Universe might emerge from it, requires a theory that marries quantum principles with classical general relativity. And so far, no one has figured out a way of doing that." ...

"One popular idea these days is superstring theory, which proposes that fundamentally there are no particles. Instead, there are tiny wiggly loops of energy, the equivalent of mathematical lines rather than mathematical points." ... "But fairly major difficulties remain. For starters, the world of superstrings has 10 dimensions, and the only way the theory can explain the four-dimensional world we live in (three space dimensions, plus time), is to wrap up six of the ten dimensions so tightly that we don't see them. [This is no longer true – see New Scientist magazine, 18th December 1999, p 8, "The Great Beyond"] The trouble is that the dimensions won't roll up of their own accord."

Is Science (Without God) Easy to Believe?
www.newscientist.com/nsplus/insight/quantum/foreword.html introduces quantum physics:

"'Do not take the lecture too seriously ... just relax and enjoy it. I am going to tell you what nature behaves like. If you will simply admit that maybe she does behave like this, you will find her a delightful, entrancing thing. Do not keep saying to yourself "But how can it be like that?" because you will get ... into a blind alley from which nobody has yet escaped. Nobody knows how it can be like that.'

"This was Richard Feynman, speaking about quantum theory. It pays to take his warning seriously. ... The quantum world really is different, and the only way to come to grips with it is to suspend disbelief."

Is There an Alternative to Attributing Life to Sub-atomic Particles?
Brigham Young stated that all matter – even the tiniest particle – has intelligence. He stated this long before quantum theory posed the problem of unpredictability. But can quantum theory suggest any other solutions? www.newscientist.com/nsplus/insight/quantum/30.html describes one popular solution, proposed by Hugh Everett in 1957. I ask the reader: which is more likely to be true?

"He proposed that whenever a quantum measurement is made, different universes "split off" – one for each of the possible outcomes. We see one particular result because we are in the universe in which that one happens. In the other universes, our counterparts are seeing one of the other results, and so on through as many universes as you like. ... Are they real or not? You decide. Argument over 'interpretations' of quantum theory has been long and, some might say, ultimately pointless, since by design they all produce the same practical results. It's really a question of which mental picture of the quantum world you find most pleasing."

Can God (or Some Spirit) Control an Atom Without Being There?
The same article concludes:

"The nature of [the problem of quantum physics] is, fundamentally, a concept called "non-locality." Classical physics embodies a strictly local law of cause and effect. What happens at point A can have an immediate effect only at point A, and if the effect makes its presence felt at point B, some physical influence has to travel from A to B, taking some finite time to do so. Quantum theory is non-local. In an EPR experiment, a measurement at point A has an elusive, instantaneous and – through Bell's theorem – quantifiable influence at point B. Whether anything physical travels from A to B is debatable. In Bohm's theory, the pilot wave carries that instantaneous influence. In Everett's idea, non-locality is dispersed throughout the many universes. However you look at it, non-locality just happens in the quantum world. There's no getting away from it."

Does Reality Require a Conscious Observer in Order to be Organised?
www.newscientist.com/nsplus/insight/quantum/59.html

"Traditionally, following Niels Bohr's lead, arguments about the nature of measurement in quantum theory have assumed a clear distinction between the quantum system that's being measured and a separate classical system that's doing the measuring. At one extreme is the belief that measurements become real only when there's a conscious human observer around to notice them.

"This sort of philosophy causes trouble when applied to the Universe as a whole. Stars, planets and galaxies are quantum systems like everything else. But are we to imagine that the whole Universe remained in a state of cosmic quantum indeterminacy until human beings evolved consciousness? And when during the dawning of human consciousness was the Universe forced to drop its cloak of quantum indeterminacy and take on solid form? Put this way, the argument seems absurd, but on the other hand if the Universe congealed into a classical solidity before we came upon the scene, what sort of measurements or observations accomplished the transformation?"

Notice that the whole problem is solved if we believe in God, the original observer.

Do Any of the Theories Suggest There is no Room for God?
[The above article suggested some attempts at explaining what quantum theory really means – all the attempts have serious problems.]

"While these ideas may be comforting, they don't come close to a specific explanation of why our Universe looks the way it does...

"Einstein, on the other hand, wondered fondly if the laws of physics allowed the Lord any choice in the creation of the Universe. So far, it seems, the answer is plenty. The uncertainty principle, which Einstein never liked, says that you can't always get what you want. And in the broadest possible terms, perhaps it applies to the limits of our knowledge about the Universe we find ourselves in. We can always ask questions, but we may not always be entitled to answers."

How Could God Create – AND MAINTAIN – Quantum Physics?
This is where we get into REALLY deep stuff. I won't even try to go into some of the exotic attempts at grand Unified theories, but the important point it that, in principle, a sufficiently powerful and knowledgeable being (e.g. God) could change everything in the universe by making very simple, fundamental changes. Or the truth may be even simpler – that the whole physical universe is simply a manifestation of knowledge – that is, intelligence, light and truth, really is a form of matter. A very promising looking theory is being developed by Roy Frieden, based on the concept of "Fisher information" (see New Scientist, 30 January 1999, p.24). This is all very theoretical, so I will leave it at that.

Will Scientists Always Accept New Information?
Of course not. Scientists are human, just like you and me. For example, Max Planck is one of the greatest scientists ever – as the discoverer of quantum physics, he is right up there with Einstein. As www.newscientist.com/nsplus/insight/quantum/5.html recalls:

"It rapidly became clear that the "quantisation" of energy – dividing it up into individual pieces – was actually a new and fundamental rule of nature. The classically trained Planck didn't like this conclusion one bit. He resisted it to his dying day, prompting his famous lament that new scientific theories supplant previous ones not because people change their minds, but simply because old people die."

Now continue to the words of the prophets...


fides quaerens intellectum
#27
Well, I don't know exactly what he is going to call his organization, but Robert is going to start researching in about a year and is going to find individuals to help him in his endeavors.

Ok- I have to admit that I don't know Mr. Bruce personally and I don't know percisely when he is going to start research, but I was listening to the Art Bell interview and Mr. Bruce specifically mentions that he is going to start doing his own research.  At the time (about a month ago?) he said it would be about a year, so I assume that about ten or eleven months from now he will begin.

He said this after Art asked him about "proof" of the OBE.  Mr. Bruce admitted that although some "scientific" experiments have been done with some success, he wants to do some experiements using a large warehouse type enviornment.  Inside they would construct a huge barrier ("wall") of some kind.  The projector would then have to go and "see" something on the other side of the barrier...

Anyway, it seems that Mr. Bruce would like to organize a variety of experiments.  He even mentioned his desire to "map out" the astral realms with the help of other projectors.  Any takers?  (smile)

I wonder what the requirments should and will be for those individuals chosen to be part of Mr. Bruce's experiments?  What do you think they should be?  What specific expierments would you like to see done?  

I believe they should do some of the "run of the mill" experiments, at least intitially, such as going and seeing random numbers, describing what they see in other rooms (ie. people, how many, etc.)  I am interested to hear more about what Mr. Bruce and his associated plan to do.

We'll see...and when the results are published I think it will be a break through because Mr. Bruce has taken a completely different approach on the subject than any of the other OBE "pioneers" of the past, what with his straightforward language and "practicality" (did I spell that right?

until next time,
Daniel

fides quaerens intellectum
#28
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Any teachers in here?
September 11, 2004, 13:49:52
Hi, PW...congrats on your first teaching job.  I am also an English teacher and dept. chair.  I am currently doing 12th grade World Lit - all works in translation.  It is my favorite thing to teach.  We are starting with The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Alchemist as a part of my semester them of Great Journeys.  

7th grade - Jr. High -- can be fun - kids in the early teen stage of still a child but not nearly as jaded as the 17 year olds I have.  I am sure you will be doing a lot of grammar, writing, vocab and literature.  

Just remember, never let them see you sweat....they will know you are a new teacher - in other words, Fresh Meat for their pranks.  Just keep a sense of humor about it and you will do just fine.  And find an organizational system that works for you so you don't get swamped.

I am also a mentor to the student teachers who come into my school which is surrounded by major universities in Chicago so I see a lot of them each year.  

This past week as I was chasing two of my youngest teachers home at 5:30, I had to remind them that the school does welcome them home and say How you doin?  Best advice I can give you.  Pace yourself and you can get through this very important year in your career without stressing out.  

Feel free to ask me anything -- my email is on my profile.  

Have a great school year.  Jenadots
#29
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Harry Potter
June 05, 2004, 06:47:16
You are not alone.  I love HP.  I was so cynical about the whole thing at first, wouldn't read the books or have anything to do with it because I hated the hype.  However, my sister bought the first book for herself and her daughter and one boring afternoon I started to read it.  Well I couldn't put it down.  Now I have all the books and I am hoping to see the movie before the end of June.

I think that the movie is probably more dark because the stories are getting darker as well.  I think the first book or two was about discovery but now its more complex, less obvious.  I read somewhere that Hermione lets Malfoy have it, can't wait.  I am a bit like her in terms of personality so I identify with her.

I am guessing but I think that in the end that everyone comes back to life once Voldemort is dead and something to do with time.  I think that Snape will finally get the Defense of Dark Arts job.  Hermione and Weasley will finally get together and Potter will move on to become an - what did they call them - Auro-something.

So do you think it would be too weird if I, a 40 year old, went as a witch dressed up in Gryffindor colours to the cinema! [;)]  I so wish Hogwarts was real.
#30
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Best deal on laptops?
January 30, 2004, 20:22:25
Local classifieds are your best bet. I've done extensive searches for cheap laptops that have any power whatsoever to them online and it just doesn't get much better than Dell.

A good site I like to use is //www.pricewatch.com if I'm looking for really really cheap prices.
#31
Thats sad, I feel sorry for the kids...
That guy is sick. I hope he is made the b***h of some 800 pound black man.
I hope those kids get better... hopefully it didnt mess them up for life, which it probly did.
I think they should put his a** to death. Child rape desirves more then just being the b***h of an 800 pound black man named Antonio.
-Aries
#32
Welcome to Astral Chat! / "School of Rock"
October 06, 2003, 01:15:43
"We now return to the young and restless."
#33
This is cheaper ---> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0684814382/qid=1063243256/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/102-3054537-6903310?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 but requires more work on your part.

And if I would actually stick with it my eyesight would be a lot better I am sure. I found slight improvement with slight amount of practice, so I figure a lot of improvement is possible with a lot of practice. You know the funny thing, I sort of stopped doing it, not because I thought it would not work but because I was afraid it would work too well. I can not afford to buy new glasses/contacts every few months as my eyes improve. LOL Silly of me really, but I was afraid of how it would turn out. I suggest you read this book first, reguardless of what you plan on doing because it is a good read for anyone with eyesight problems.

But if you insist on the surgery, I have not had it done but everyone I have talked to said they are very happy and glad they had it done. Prices vary I am sure. I have not heard any recent prices but I know awhile back you could expect to pay a few thousand dollars to have both eyes done.
#34
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Amnesty for File Swappers
September 08, 2003, 04:48:16
The RIAA is the ultimate demon of greed. They can take their crap music and ... ummm ... do something really bad to themself with it. I have not bought a CD in years. I do not download music. Maybe if they put out some quality stuff people would buy their crap. The error in their logic is thinking that people would buy their crap if there was no downloading. The truth is that in the day of Napster their sales were doing good. It was after they started trying to shut all the Napsters down that their sales took a nose dive. How is crucifying potential customers going to make people want to buy their product. Because of their Inquistion even if there is something remotely interesting to me I refuse to buy it to fund their greed. I do not need their music and apparently 31% of their customers (or should I say former) do not either.
#35
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Crazy Websites
September 04, 2003, 14:35:27
http://www.moviemistakes.com

Mistakes found from your favorite movies... Add your own as well!

I added 2 for The Matrix already! :D
#36
Does this not show you the unreadiness of our system?  If an 18-year old kid can take out millions of computers... What can a terrorist do.  

Personally, I think this kid did us all a big favor.  When Microsoft says "CRITICAL SECURITY UPDATE!!!" you may want to pay attention.  Everybody infected are those who could care less.

This worm has not affected me in any way [:D]

~Squeek

PS - Try not to open emails that say...  "Topic"  (Date sent) 108kb.

Emails should be less than 10kb.  Anything more I would consider unsafe.  Besides...I just delete all my emails as soon as I get them.
#37
Welcome to Astral Chat! / The Boat-Car
September 04, 2003, 14:24:24
Does anybody else see the flaw in this vehicle?!!?!

How do you get the car into the water from CAR mode.  Drive it off a cliff?  OOHHHH Go all the way downtown the the marina, drive the car into the water, then use electronics to pull the wheels into the car and spurt a motor out the back.

I'm sorry if I missed it while reading the stories, but it's just a stupid idea to me :)

~Squeek
#38
Sorry about the bad link[^], just go to:
http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/27/neverland.ap/index.html

and click on the special "Urban Legends" spot to see what I was trying to link to.[:D]
#39
Wow, thats pretty fast, well made.
Lol I had the idea for the same virus a few years ago now! hehehe. Used to hack a bit too.
I actually know one guy, who is a PROPER hacker (unlike I was, total neophyte). They are, on the whole, a good group. Its only the stupid ones around the edges who hack into major sites and destroy everything. Most of them are just interested in getting to the bottom of code, and if they do hack sites, they will respectfully move everything to another directory (ie leave everything intact), before putting up something like the hackers manifesto on the front page. Or something amusing.
On the whole, they are some of the most intelligent and able computer people around. Which is what I think amuses them - they know more about computers than 99% of system admins do. Hence why they can do what they do.
Rob
#40
Well, this will be my 1000th post.  I had always imagined I might post something amazing, like the day I finally went and scared my mother in law in the RTZ or something like that.  JK!  Instead I am posting the link to where you can download the Star Wars Kid videos:

http://www.statesman.com/life/content/news/082203/0822starwars.html

Click on the links below the photos.  The first is the original video, the second is the "remix."

I hope this kid can learn to enjoy his new found fame, I mean dang, he is getting free stuff....and don't we all want free "stuff"[;)]