Whither Goest Thou? Speculations on the Hereafter

As he walked past his host to the dining table, the clairvoyant spoke thus: 'Don't be in a hurry to get to the Other Side.' His host was flabbergasted. The arrival of that unsolicited advice was akin to an unknown and worrisome comet appearing suddenly in the visible sky. Their conversation, until that moment, had been about the spirit world.

The clairvoyant had previously demonstrated, to the satisfaction of a number of senior citizens in that district, through personal consultations, his ability to call upon and to converse with certain spirits. These had been either close relatives of his clients or those apparently deemed able to provide appropriate guidance to these clients.

These senior citizens had learnt through certain unusual experiences, most of which had initially thrown them into a great deal of confusion, that there actually exists a spirit world; and that certain clairvoyants have the strange ability to communicate with members of this realm. Such experiences normally confound those affected, because their frames of reference of matters known and knowable had been incredibly challenged. Naturally, an intelligent person whose mental faculties are in good working order will come to accept - perhaps gradually - that an unchallengeable experience has to be accepted as real. Thus it was with this individual who had hosted the clairvoyant to lunch.

At his host's questioning look, the clairvoyant said 'It will not be that different from this place. But you will have great opportunities to learn.' 'That's not good news. I was looking forward, because of my family's medical history, to moving on soon,' replied his host. 'Oh, and do not look forward to meeting God, either' added his guest. The host was not inclined to pursue the matter further, although he was disappointed most seriously. In any event, he expected to find out for himself the truth about the Other Side soon.

But that was not to be. Fifteen years later, having carried out the advice offered to him by the spirit world through this clairvoyant, he began to think about the transformation of physical existence to a condition of non-existence; and to the nature of the latter. When the time came to shed his body, where would his soul go? He was satisfied that he did have a soul, although he could find no proof. How would the place look? But, where this place might be is not relevant, he felt.

He had already learnt that psychic experiences might reasonably be expected to offer guidance in some way. No matter how many professional sceptics and atheists stand on the heads of their respective thumb tacks, on what basis, he wondered, would one reject a significant experience, even though it cannot be replicated, or confirmed, or proven by the methodology of science? Should he think that each of his experiences reflected hypnosis? Or that it was an aberration of his conscious mind? Or a malfunctioning of his brain? Or a dream?

Instead, the denial of such an experience may suggest that it is the sceptic who has a serious problem about accepting a broader and deeper reality than the reality of day-to-day existence! However, it cannot be denied that the boundary between the normal and the not-so-normal may be an expansive and deep quagmire formed of a mixture of illusions and undeniable experiences.

Rejecting an undeniable experience may thus close the door to possible new learning; learning beyond that achievable through the relatively narrow door of the scientific method. After all, this method is limited as a path to reality, since it relies on the five senses of a human being and their processor, the human brain. It cannot however be denied that the human mind may reach its understanding of some experiences through sources beyond the brain.

In speculating about the 'hereafter', it may be necessary to accept that those who believe that there is nothing beyond death may be correct; that is how it might be for them. Those who believe that they will be in a wonderful place, or be with God, may also be correct; that is how it might be for them.

Those who believe in an ongoing entity called the spirit or soul do, however, receive support for their belief through studies indicating evidence of reincarnation; that is, of repeated births (and deaths), with a life or existence of some kind between each life on Earth. In the event, there will be a Way Station or a Recycling Depot (or Brer Rabbit's 'westinghouse') to which these believers will go between lifetimes on Earth.

In his memoir 'the Dance of Destiny,' Raja Arasa Ratnam offers an Eastern spirituality to Western readers drawn from his early acculturation as a Hindu in Asia, but subsequently modified by significant psychic experiences in his adopted home, Australia. Refer http://www.dragonraj.com/ for more details.

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What Is That Nutrition Label Really Saying?

Does the information on a nutrition label confuse you? It did me until I decided to learn what it all means. In this article, I want to share that information so you can make better healthy food choices by reading labels and knowing what the information means. This label I'm using is from a single serving 100-calorie pack of dark chocolate almonds.

Total Fat

First, not all fat is created equal, so you also have to factor in how much is saturated and unsaturated; saturated is the bad fat. On this label, we have 8 grams of total fat, but only 0.5 gram is saturated, meaning the other 7.5 grams are unsaturated - the good fat. This is fairly typical with nuts - they are high in fat, but it is good fat, because it is a monounsaturated fat.

Second, the other thing we see is Trans Fat. This is a bad fat and although the label is showing it a 0 grams, it still could have some in it. The Federal government does not require labels to show trans fat content if it is 0.5 gram or less. In that case, you have to go to the ingredients part of the package and look if it contains any hygrogenated or partially hygrogenated oil. If it does, it has trans fat, even though it is a small enough not to require listing.

Cholesterol

There is a difference, but an assumed relationship, between the cholesterol in your blood and diet. About 85% of the cholesterol in your blood is manufactured by your body; the other 15% comes from saturated fat and cholesterol in food. Lately, there has been some controversy if food cholesterol is even absorbed by the body, but it is good to limit your cholesterol to 300 milligrams or less each day; considerably less if you have high blood cholesterol already. If you look at the label, you see this product does not have any cholesterol.

Sodium

Too much sodium in your diet can increase blood pressure along with making you retain water. Based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet, you should have about 1,500 milligrams each day. But considering you can get a whole days worth in one fast-food meal, you have to be aware of how much you are consuming. While you need some sodium (salt), most of us consume more that the recommended daily amount.

Total Carbohydrates

Normally you will see the Total Carbohydrates and then sub headings of Dietary Fiber and Sugars. While this label shows 4 grams, that is not altogether correct, because you have to subtract out the Dietary Fiber. Fiber is undigestable and none of its carbs are used by the body. By factoring them out, we have a net gain of 2 grams of carbs - one gram of sugar and another gram of undeclared carbs.

Carbs are broken down into sugar that the body can use for energy. The reason carb-watching is important is that if we take in too many carbs, it can lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and weight gain.

There are different kinds of carbs - simple and complex. Simple carbs include highly refined products, such as:

white flour, including pasta, bread and pastriessugarcorn syrupmost non-diet sodas.

However, complex carbs are good, as it takes the body longer to break them down, thus burning more calories in the process and keeping you feeling fuller longer. Complex carbs typically include:

whole grains, such as oatmeal and barley.most vegetables, including lettuce, cabbage and celery.some low glycemic fruits, such as grapefruit, oranges and strawberries.

Protein

Twenty percent of your diet should consist of protein. This is another category that burns lots of calories and keeps you full longer. Actually, there are two types of protein - animal and plant. The protein that is good for you include fish, poultry, beans, nuts and whole grains.

Lets look at a comparison. A 6-ounce steak has 38 grams of protein. But, it also has 44 grams of fat of which 16 are saturated (the bad fat). On the other hand, a 6-ounce piece of salmon has 34 grams of protein, but only 18 grams of fat, of which only 4 grams are saturated.

Vitamins and Minerals

At the bottom of a label is the amount of vitamins and minerals in each serving and the percentage of what you need per day in your diet. For example, this product has 20% Vitamin E, and 4% each of Calcium and Iron (based on a 2,000 calorie diet). If you are on a lower calorie diet, then you will have to figure accordingly the percentage of each that you are getting from this product.

Working the Numbers

According to the USDA, 50% of your calories should be from carbs, 30% from fat and 20% from protein. But, the problem is the serving size on a label is shown in calories, where the breakdown is in grams. So how do you convert grams to calories, so that you know how many calories are in each category?

You do it by knowing the calories per gram in each category:

Fat - 9Carbohydrates - 4Protein - 4

So for example, our product has:

Fat - 8 grams X 9 calories = 72 caloriesCarbohydrates - 2 grams X 4 calories = 8 caloriesProtein - 3 grams X 4 calories = 12 calories

If you add up the totals, you see it only totals up to 92 calories. The other 8 calories are in the 2 grams of dietary fiber that don't count.

For a 2,000 calorie daily diet, 1,000 calories should come from carbs, 300 calories from fat and 200 calories from protein. This product provides 8 carb calories, 92 fat calories, and 12 protein. Hopefully, now you have a better understanding of what the numbers mean and how to convert grams to calories in each of the major categories when reading nutrition labels, so yo can better plan your snacks and meals.

If you liked this article, please visit my website at Healthy Eating by Ron for more healthy eating tips and technique articles.

To your good health!

Ron Kness

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Balloons Bring Joy to Every Occasion!

Celebrating a birthday or anniversary or maybe even a bar mitzvah? Well can you even imagine it without bunches of big brightly colored balloons? Not likely because they are so very demonstrative of happiness and joy, fitting well into any occasion or event. Let's look at some of the possibilities for use of a favorite party decoration around the world.

Basically a balloon is just a flexible and inflatable bag

While a balloon is such a simple and very affordable bag that, when filled with a gas, will float away heavenward if not controlled by a piece of string. They may be made of latex, rubber, polychloroprene, or even nylon fabric. Some early balloons had been made from the dried bladder of animals such as pigs; most any material that won't leak and can withstand the stretching involved with inflation. Once colors were introduced into the material they became an object that drew attention and favor, especially from children who could play with them and blow them up by mouth if no compressed gas were available to inflate them.

As the possibilities for their use became more available their popularity grew worldwide.

Lofty weather stations help keeps us safe

Among the many uses for balloons beyond the happiness they bring at parties are as weather balloons. They are in use around the globe and help predict inclement weather because they can float up there where weather is happening. When a storm is in the making, a well-placed weather balloon with equipment to determine barometric pressure, wind speed, and velocity as well as temperature changes will transmit that data down to a weather station back on earth and report any events before they happen. During World War I the military found balloons especially useful to bomb targeted sites send messages and even spy on the enemy. Today the lofty flying ball is as popular as ever for military use and observation from aloft.

Hot air balloon races are universally popular

If you have ever noticed a hot air balloon floating above you have witnessed an extremely popular sport that never seems to lose its appeal. Large colorful balloons are inflated, generally by hot air entering the bottom from a gas powered heater that sits in the wicker basket (also called a gondola). There is room in that gondola for two to four people and then the fun begins. Hot air balloons are subject to the whims of air currents above and generally a person only controls the ascent and decent of the balloon. As the air is warmed the balloon floats upward and when they wish to lower it someone simply lets a small amount of air out of the bag by turning off the heater. It is the oldest form of flight technology and these huge balloons are known as balloon aircraft. First flown untethered in Paris, France back in 1783, they introduced a new way to transport people, a few at a time, wherever the wind chose to blow them.

Ever popular balloons insure happy faces!

Whether it's for a small child's birthday party in China or a celebration of someone's new job in Paris there will always be a need for those brightly colored orbs that float above the party scene and demonstrate how much fun it is to celebrate any occasion!

Printed balloons make the perfect addition to give any celebration that special something. Balloon-printing.com can provide engagement balloons, anniversary balloons, christening balloons and more.

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Being Broke Does Not Make You a Good Person!

Just this morning I was thinking about how important it is that people who want to participate in the positive development of our planet start earning a lot of money.

There are many reasons for this. For instance when you have a thriving private economy, you can support small business owners rather than shop cheaply at discount stores. You can visit the chiropractor or masseuse more often and invest in that coach, personal trainer or singing lessons you always dreamed about. Perhaps you want to get your personal designs realized by a skillful seamstress using organic fabrics? That way you would be part of producing a healthy income for those professionals, at the same time as the production based on sustainability gets your support.

And just as you want people to come to your recitals, buy your photographs, paintings, poems, jewelry or whatever artistic endeavour you are trained in and have invested time, money, love, education and energy into, you would be able to get the inspiration of other artists, and thus promote their survival. You can then actually buy, not just look at, the pictures you like at the gallery so the artist can pay their rent with... Money! Of course you can also donate money to non profit organizations that care for stray cats, rain forests, peace, children, the local park etc, etc, etc, etc.

It is not dangerous to be rich, but many believe so, as we have all been taught that money in itself is in some way dangerous. Most people carry with them notions that money is the root of all evil, rich are greedy and have probably walked over dead bodies to get that money. The wealthy are stingy and mean, think only of themselves and buy leashes for their dogs covered diamonds, for ridiculous amounts of money, instead of doing something good for peace and feeding the poor. We are taught that since childhood, but I think all of it is pure nonsense!

Being without money does not turn you into a good person, quite the contrary in many ways! Being without money makes you a person for whom it is very hard to contribute to the positive things around you. It becomes hard to produce art with which to energize, provoke, encourage, inspire, challenge and reward people. And it oftentimes becomes almost impossible to do all those good deeds that you think others should do...

So ask your self right now: Do you consider your self a genuinely good hearted person? Then it can not be said enough times - GO GET RICH NOW! It is a responsibility we all have as humans and as artists.

(c) 2007 Stella Scott

If you are a struggling artist and feel reluctant about Network Marketing "7 great lies of network marketing" is the book for you! Download it at http://www.lookfeeldogood.com/se/Resurser.html and you'll get a lot of confirmation on your doubts.

Stella Scott is a Swedish opera singer and Network Marketer. To hear her sing you can visit http://www.myspace.com/stellascott

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What Acting Class Can Do for Kids

Some parents think about enrolling their kids in an acting class as a bad idea. What they often assume is that their children are just kids who just want to be seen on television and so letting their kids join in a class like this is just a waste of money. These classes teach children all the basics of acting. But what parents do not know is that there are more things that children learn with every acting session they attend. Actually, a lot of great skills are being learned by kids through classes in acting. They also learn things that are very essential for them to grow as well-rounded individuals. Some likewise offer free acting auditions with professional actors as judges.

Proper speaking is one of the skills that a first-rate acting class teaches to kids. The kids learn how to properly pronounce words, control the volume of their voice and elocution as well. The reading skills of kids are also built. Problems with regard to speaking can be worked through. Classes in acting can correct any speech problem of children and at the same time build their confidence to speak clearly. These likewise teach kids how to speak in front of many people and overcome their stage frights.

Acting classes also help children develop their memory skills. A large part of an actor's or actress' job is memorization and so the classes teach kids how to memorize. A lot of techniques and tips are taught to kids so they can easily and quickly memorize pieces and scripts. Children learn how to memorize things without even thinking about them. This skill that they can learn through acting classes can be very useful throughout their entire life.

Creativity has always been a part of these classes. The kids are encouraged to free their minds and improvise, act interesting parts and pretend. Anything goes in an acting class. The kids can make themselves look silly or they can be as serious as they desire. There is no such word as 'too creative' in such scenario. So, the kids can freely exercise their imaginations. The kids are actually encouraged to become more creative.

Turning kids into good actors or actresses is the goal of every good acting class. The kids are also taught of things that they will surely find to be useful as they grow up; things that cannot be bought by money. Becoming a part of free acting auditions being offered by some these classes will surely give great experience for kids.

Letting your child join an acting class will surely bring with it a lot of benefits and can even launch an acting career through free acting auditions.

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Trevor Weaver: A Life In Perspective

There I sat in the far back row of a dark theater house. The energy flowing through the hall quite papable and filling me with much anticipation. As the curtain opened and the stage lights danced on the colorful sets, a group of talented young actors took to the stage with the fervor of seasoned professionals! I was immersed in what can only be described as a kind of a movement, a revolution if you will of a new and highly polished children's musical theater.

It was only the third day of a ten day technical rehearsal with cast and crew, and after the first several musical numbers and scenes, he spoke from the darkness with such a commanding presence that I knew he had to be the director of the show, Trevor Weaver.

I had heard many wonderful compliments of Trevor Weaver's work in Children's Theater, but I never realized the level of professionalism he was able to obtain from so many students who varied in age from 6 - 17 years old.

Trevor began his own career at the ripe old age of six months old on the hit 1960's television series, Adam 12. He later would go on to work in many popular TV shows and commercials, including Eight Is Enough, Little House on The Praire, Kid's Incorporated, and 21 Jump Street.

Trevor left his lucrative career in Hollywood to live in the Bay Area in 1997 and it is here that he formed his acting school, Kids Take The Stage. By the time he and I had the pleasure of meeting, he had produced some one hundred productions in Alameda, San Ramon, and Fremont and worked with over 5000 students. It was immediately apparent to me why he had managed to create such a worthwhile organization and empower so many Bay Area children.

Sadly, in 2010 the company that Trevor had put his life long work into for over a decade was forced to shut down days before a big summer show opening. It was one of the most heart wrenching decisions of Trevor's otherwise illustrious career and one he was pained to have had to make.

Giving the negative press over the company's closure, Trevor granted only one journalist the opportunity to interview him and I was honored when he shared these words with me. "No one will ever understand the immense pain, sadness and difficulty it has been to close a show days prior to opening with so many young actors crushed not to be able to perform. I tried so hard to keep the doors open with donations from my own pocket. The problems were too deep and came upon us too fast for anything else to be done, but close our doors. I thank all of the wonderful parents, students, and crew I have worked with over the last two decades and I pray for nothing but wonderful things for your futures!"

After some time off to soul search, Trevor is now doing back doing what he does best, which is write and direct. He is currently the Managing Director of the company, Play and Profundity and continues to be a guiding light to a new set of kids and adults alike.

This journalist thanks you for all you gave to the Bay Area children's theater scene and we will miss you more than you will ever know.

Judy Frankel
Freelance writer, Critic, and super mom

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Why Is Location Research For Spy Novels Important?

Location research, ideally on-the-spot, is mandatory if a writer of spy novels is to capture the atmosphere of a place and write convincingly about that place as the plot is constructed and the atmosphere created.

When, I was sailing in Morocco and Tunisia, just before the revolution in Tunisia, which started the 'Arab Spring'. We were berthed in the marina in Sidi Bou Said, which is very close to the Presidential Palace, a few miles outside Tunis and was ringed by armed guards.

Ben Ali's palace had its own private harbour with an exclusion zone around it. Adjacent to the palace are the ruins of the Phoenician / Roman city of Carthage. We spent an interesting afternoon wandering the area, under the eyes of the guards on the palace walls just a couple of hundred yards away (the palace is on a hill).

Two months later the presidential palace was ransacked, and Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia. There was a great sense of history in Carthage, but the prevailing atmosphere of the country was coloured by corruption. Just after I arrived, I sat in my cabin whilst a customs official asked me, in French, if I had any gifts for him.

Now, it sticks in the craw when faced with that sort of attitude, but a bottle of whisky is not a lot to us. The downside is that if you do not play the game - then the bureaucratic process moves very slowly indeed.

Rubber Stamps and Visas

Getting the necessary approvals can take a long, long time if you don't 'cooperate' with the officials. Some visiting sailors refuse to, and lose a lot of time waiting around whilst officials push paper pointlessly. I don't like that culture, but life is too short so I 'cooperate'. It does give a writer an extra edge when he writes about it - that air of unspoken threat apparent when the power of these officials is subtly made clear.

This very culture led to the uprising in Tunisia, when, in Sidi Bouzid, a young man with a vegetable stall set fire to himself in the face of demands for a bribe for a licence.

Mohamed Bouazizi will never be forgotten for what he started in North Africa and the Middle East.

Kafka

Earlier in my career, I worked in Russia on and off for a couple of years (this was during Yeltsin's period) and that was a surreal experience. Travelling and working in countries which are struggling under oppressive regimes is to be recommended for thriller authors (though it has to be said that some very, very good thrillers are set in Washington or London, with no other countries involved. I guess it is having no control over one's situation that is frightening to me.

Although I haven't worked in Sicily, I have spent a fair bit of time there, and was always aware of Mafia influence - just another form of oppression.

Sense of Place

So, to write convincingly about a location, one has to have developed a strong 'sense of place' - just as to write well about divorce, one has to have experienced it. I've been lucky that this year has added research in the Ionian Islands, Sicily and Malta, and I hope to portray my sense of those places in 'Sicilian Channel', and, of course, including Tunisia.

Authors of thrillers and spy novels also write about things they may not themselves have direct experience of - for example, torture. I have written about it, having read extensively around the subject. However, there are limits to what I'll experience directly in the course of research!

James Marinero writes topical spy novels and thrillers with maritime themes bringing his wide business and travel experience together to provide a unique perspective to his themes. He also writes about the process of writing novels on his site.

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