Saturday, December 18,
2010
In my opinion,
Julian Assange, the
author of "The esoteric Kundalini Tales" (1998)
and founder of WikiLeaks is himself an example of
Kundalini at work. Not all who are influenced by that
energy have been able to attract mass attention and gain
the support he has. At least he's not trotting down the
track Erich von Däniken had, which also brought von
Däniken great success. Yes, truth mixed with an
appropriate dose of fantasy sells very well. But Assange's
"energy" is more refined then von Däniken's.
So there's more sense, logic and truth to what he is
selling to the public; though not deprived of fantasy
either. But we are living in times when we are making
fantasies come true. I'd have lots more to say on the
subject. But who's buying what I've got to say (LOL)? So
I'm going to stop here for now.
- http://keyholepublishing.com/Sauder-bio.html
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1337014/WikiLeaks-bunker-Julian-Assanges-subterranean-Bond-villain-den.html
- http://keyholepublishing.com/Sauder.html
- http://www.coasttocoastam.com/guest/sauder-richard/6212
Monday, December 17, 2010
Things can get
really difficult without some kind of steady income to
count on. As unmaterialistic and free as I've always
wanted to be when I was younger, I've learned later in
life that our existence is totally dependent on the basic
material stuff and on our selves when things really get
rough. That's why material stuff is called the basic
stuff... Sorry for getting so rudimentary here. But I've
had problems with coming down to earth. Life in heaven on
cloud nine is not all music, wine and roses without
tasting some bitterness. Now that I've had my share of
the bitter stuff, I can talk from experience. The best
region to be in is the Mid Region. That's also where
Krishna talks to Arjuna on the battle fields of
Kurukshetra in the Bhagavat Gita. Life is a struggle...
But too much struggle or counting on luck is not good
either.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Change is a
cyclic thing like a twelve spoke wheel that keeps turning
without end... Every day, every week, every season there
are the same chores to be done. Every month there are
bills to be paid. And every season there are the same
holidays to be held. The beat goes on and on... There is
a cosmic rhythm and a season for everything in the mid-region,
under the heaven.
Turn, Turn, Turn
Words-adapted
from The Bible, book of Ecclesiastes
Music-Pete Seeger
Monday, November 29, 2010
Here's a secret
from Europe that I just learned about, and that may be of
interest to some women. In the past, plump women with
large breasts were the most preferred by men and still
are by many... Many such women can be found in paintings
by the Dutch painter Rubens or the modern painter Botero
But how did those women manage to develop large breasts
and to keep them firm into old age? They did not have
implants or plastic surgery then. So how did they do it?
Well, there was a secret that was passed on between woman
through generations. I stumbled upon it by coincidence
through word of mouth from a very competent source. The
secret is very simple and very pleasant. In fact, it's so
simple that it's hard to believe there is nothing more to
it... So here it is, my WikiLeak for you today. It was
believed in Europe that eating yeast-based muffins or
other yeast-based baked products dipped in milk made
breasts grow large and stay firm till old age. Apparently
it must have worked because that practice was continued
for many generations by woman throughout Europe and
perhaps elsewhere. However, please don't confuse this
with the yeast breast infection, which is a breast
disease not related to yeast-based bread in any way
Saturday, November 28,
2010
Good Morning! It's the
last Sunday in November. The ground's covered in a
shroud of snow. A great time of the year cycle for warm
sweaters, sheep coats, hot chocolate, some snugly warm
sounds and someone nice to catch some zees with on the
long winter nights. So, I've put on some old albums and
turned up the volume. The neighbors are probably
wondering what's the old crap that old guy's listening
to? But I don't care what they think. I need that old crap
to get by, to get my head together this morning, if you
know what I mean.
All those forgotten beatnik bards like Peter, Paul and
Mary, Simon & Garfunkel, Donovan or Gordon Lightfoot.
Who listens to them anymore or who remembers them? Who
has the neuron connections that were made those days when
their music was on top and shaped the imagination of a
progressive minded generation of young Americans? Who
remembers how they promoted new ideas through their music
that many have forgotten about. Such as those that
drew our attention to civil rights or the Vietnam War. Perhaps
it's good we've forgotten those things. But this
morning, there's no one around to share memories with.
Guess that's the price one has to pay for being alone, and
of the freedom one has to do things others don't have
time for. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OCnHNk2Hac (Peter, Paul & Mary)
I skipped a few songs here and there and played my
favorite ones over and over again. Some of P,P&M's
were 500 Miles, Sorrow, Lemon Tree, If I had a Hammer,
Where Have All The Flowers Gone. And then Simon &
Garfunkel's earliest albums, Donovan and G. Lightfoot's
Greatest Hits for some Canadian flavor to all that New
England winter morning stuff. Those were hard times.
But in all that struggle and looking back now, those were
great days that I love returning to once in a while. Would
be nice to have some of those subtle guitar sounds and
coffee house moods back on the music scene for a change
once in a while.
I
Am A Rock by Simon And
Garfunkel
A winter's
day
In a deep and dark December;
I am alone,
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
I've built walls,
A fortress deep and mighty,
That none may penetrate.
I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain.
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
Don't talk of love,
But I've heard the words before;
It's sleeping in my memory.
I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died.
If I never loved I never would have cried.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
I have my books
And my poetry to protect me;
I am shielded in my armor,
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb.
I touch no one and no one touches me.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
And a rock feels no pain;
And an island never cries.
Saturday, November 27,
2010
Why do people look for
gold? Most probably because they don't have gold or have
some kind of complex that makes them want more of it. And
why do people such as I for example seek knowledge or
enlightenment? Probably because we need those to make us
less ignorant and better. I know myself best, and am
still cutting and polishing that crude stone that I am.
Hence, I speak from personal experiences on the long road
to realisation. That road is long and difficult; even
some mythological gods had to reincarnate many times for
that same purpose. So, don't think it's an easy task...
There were many hippies in the 1960-70s especially when
we were involved in the anti war movement which was of
personal interest to many of us because of the draft. But
when the war ended the movement also ended and so did the
hippie movement, until its revival about twenty years ago.
But there are those of us that have for some reason
remained hippies deep inside; in spite of all the
changing times and fashions. However, I don't think of
myself being hip or anything like that. I could point to
many others that I think are hip and that I would like to
be like. But I realize that I just don't have that
something they have to be like them.
People influence
each other in many ways. An example would be the Jack Ass
shows that have influenced many young people to literally
torture themselves for fun in S&M style. A kind of
more advanced bunch of the Three Stooges, if you know
what I mean... TV and the media have a tremendous
influence on people's minds. Those are the tools of the
modern Magi. But I believe those Hollywood Magi are
ignorant of the programming they're doing on the minds of
their viewers. What I'm trying to say is that one should
learn to be careful of what one believes in, what one
thinks as much as one is careful about what one eats.
Because we are what we believe in, what we think and also
what we eat. Simply speaking, that is the basic thing one
should become aware of for self-development and self-realization.
I am not perfect either. But I'm aware of that, still
working on the stone cutting and polishing of my mind,
and am careful not to feed others with garbage. Why?
Because it would make me feel sick if I were to do that.
So I believe that the key to personal happiness is in the
way we act towards others. But as my friends have already
observed, I can also turn into a dragon and my words can
hurt others; though not intentionally. We all have the
three qualities in us - the good, bad and the in-between
i.e. the wise, the ignorant and the rainbow of qualities
that lays between those two extremes.
Mondayday, November 15,
2010
Europe has much to offer
but it also has had a dark side to it. The first to write
about that was Joseph Conrad. Europeans colonized most of
our planet, took or stole land from the indigenous people
that lived on it for thousands of years before their
arrival and claimed it for their own. They imposed their
own languages, religion, worldviews, dress, customs etc.
in those they concurred. They were ruthless and cruel in
the way they treated those that they overpowered. They
exploited, humiliated and exterminated many others in
those lands for centuries. And still in the 1930-50
European colonies were going through their golden age.
Hardly anyone could imagine that things would change for
the next century, at least. Yet, they have almost
unexpectedly suddenly changed.
Europe grew rich on the slave labor and the goods they
brought in from their colonies. Life was sweet in Europe,
and the European's dark side of nature was not as
apparent there as in their colonies; except for some
family conflicts between the Europeans themselves that
often turned into wars. Those conflicts reached their
zenith in the two world wars and showed the rest of the
world what evil the European genius was capable of. After
those wars ended, the Cold War era began until the late
1980s. Then the end of that era came with the rise of the
Solidarity Movement in Poland and the fall of the Berlin
Wall, and finally fall of the Soviet Union. All those
cruel eras we have behind us for now. The construction of
a strong EU and surviving the economic crises that came
like a tsunami after 9/11 from abroad is the main concern
for the EU now and it's former colonies. But there is no
turning back from that road to the Union for the
Europeans because it is the only thing that they have
which would stop them from jumping at each others'
thoughts in the future. Now that the EU has been
successful in that respect, the world should concentrate
more on other regions of the globe, and try to find ways
to repair the situations there. There are many regions of
conflicts that need to be dealt with such as those in
Africa or the Middle East, and other problems such as
hunger. Lets hope someone will come up with an idea that
would be as successful in resolving their problems as it's
been done in Europe. That I believe will be one of the
greatest challenges for us in the 21st century. And to
help resolve those we will need more peace and better
economic conditions in the Western world because I
believe it won't be possible to make those repairs
without help from abroad.
Wednesday, September 08,
2010
I believe we all have our
better and worse days. And isn't it amazing how much more
one notices when one is down and out? So I've noticed
that for about a decade much of my life activity has been
reduced to a monitor screen. And for the last half of
that decade it's been a thin 15" laptop screen,
which was my pride and joy until it broken down and went
to repair one day. I've got it back now but with the end
of the month I'll be without a cable Internet connection.
So I'll probably be doing a lot less networking and
updating my websites.
In spite of the image most foreigners that I've met have
of English speaking people esp. British and American,
most people like to complain. And as everyone's probably
noticed by now, hippies are well known complainers. And I'm
an expert at that too... In fact, that is a great source
of much of my knowledge about things. I think the reason
for that is because without difficulties there would be
no progress. Progress is also evolution of things. And
evolution is fueled by difficulties. Now here's where it
gets a bit rough and ugly... Some manage to make it
through those difficulties and others don't. I think the
ones that do are the ones that were fortunate to find
good friends, found themselves in the right place at the
right time or had the right connections. But to make it
all alone through great difficulties is very difficult.
So, I think that's why many hippies and alienated artist
types have made on art out of complaining. Allen Ginsberg, Marc Smith, Slam poetry and Poetry Slams are fine examples of
that.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
What makes animals
different from us? There have been many attempts to
answer that question by various scholars through the
centuries. But I believe they've all ignored that animals
don't have ambition or pride like humans do, and that
they don't kill their own kind the way humans do.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Are there aliens among us?
Yes there are. And not only those from Canada or Mexico.
It's sooo obvious to me; especially in America that they
have chosen for their destination. And yet, hardly any
one's noticed it or shown serious concern over their
invasion. How did we come to such highly advanced
technologies? Normal people just are not that smart.
Where do we find those aliens and how do we identify them?
Are they in Area 51 or elsewhere, or do they have cone
heads? Well, the most obvious ones look just like us and
could be found almost everywhere. The most obvious ones
are in scientific research centers, hi-tech centers and
their many branches that they've developed or that they
have patents on. Practically speaking, they have control
of almost every sector of the country, of many American
downtown centers, manufacturing plants, ports etc. There
are aliens also in highest political offices, in the
military and civil service, the banking sector etc. Sooo,
what are they waiting for? What do they want from us? I
donno. I'm not one of them (lol) and not smart enough to
figure that out. But take a look at the list of every
year's Nobel Prize winners. You'll find that most of
those winners are from America. But has anyone inquired
into where they've came from? If we did that then we'd
find that most of them came to our country from abroad.
Not a bad way to cover up a lot of stuff without leaving
too many traces. But I'm not a genius nor anywhere close
to getting nominated for a Nobel Prize or any other prize
like that; unless it's perhaps the Fool of the Year award
(lol). So I can't even guess what they're up to. But it's
true that if not for them we'd have never gotten to
become such a highly advanced society as we are today.
Nor would we've been able to build so many marvelous
architectural wonders such as the Golden Gate Bridge,
Boston Bridge or Cental Park just to name a few. In fact,
our country was built entirelly by aliens. So, why should
we be concerned with those that may be coming from other
places in space?
Monday, July 26, 2010
Clowns have more fun. I've
never wanted to become a clown but always wanted to be a
humorous talk show host or a stand up comic. Finally, I
think I ended up as an online hippie moron webmaster for
a hobby. I'm really sorry that I've dropped out of beauty
school (lol - really! A friend talked me into it but that
was a bad mistake), collage where I studied programming
in various machine languages (later, that helped me
become a self-educated webmaster), and that I never
learned any practical manual skill such as shoemaking or
carpentry, for example. Having lived in a few countries
on both continents in my quest for happiness I've learned
that it's a lot easier to find employment at any age as a
tradesman or a mechanic rather then a white collar worker;
especially if one doesn't have a voice for telemarketing,
which is about the only job an English speaking expat
without any other skills could find abroad. I've been
turned down a few times by Time-Life Magazine and others
and certainly am not the telemarketing type nor have the
voice for it. Sooo, if anyone would have any practical
info (No Spam please) on how to make a few bucks on the
Web without any gimmicks (forget about Google ads,
CafePress, AllPosters and all the others) then I'd love
to hear about it. Perhaps I should consult with the
German psychic or something like that... I've also looked
for guidance in the Tarot but found that it works fine
when I am the Reader for others but not for myself. When
one reads Tarot for oneself one does not find more then
what one already knows. Tarot needs a Reader, so it just
doesn't help much when used alone. The Tarot could be
used for contemplation or to get some better insight into
past or current affairs and where they are heading. But
it is not a skill that I could make a living on. Working
as a English as a Foreign Language Teacher was a way to
make a very modest living when traveling abroad. But that
too has become a very demanding field and most of the job
opportunities have slipped further East into Asia these
days. There's still the Peacecorps. But unless if one's
from an influential family, the only jobs they have to
offer to the so called "little people" are ones
that no one would want to take if one wasn't naive and
fully aware of the working and living conditions that
really have to offer in Africa or elsewhere. Other then
that, one has to count on luck or the help of friends. So,
I suppose the question most people in the world have on
their mind is not how to become rich but how to survive.
If someone is thinking of becoming rich then that must
mean that one is doing well already and would like to do
even better or that one is in such deep water that only
getting rich could get him out of dept. Fortunatily for
me, I'm not yet in such deep water. So, that's something
positive to be greatful for. Peace!
Sunday, July 08, 2010
There may be a new kind
of warfare on the rise with new kinds of weapons. The
weapons in that warfare could be imbedded in consumer
products made in one country and destined to another
country. How many consumers are aware of the chemicals
and other substances used in for example glazed cooking
pots and pans that may carry them into our digestive
systems or in other cases into the bloodstream through
the pores of the skin? There are slso various paints,
melted metals, plastics, oils and other inconspicuous
materials that could carry various hazardous substances
into our bodies? Some of those substances may not be
hazardous by themselves but when mixed with for example
cooking salt or other widely used products could turn
into hazardous substances. How many products are checked
by anyone for such possible hazards? Perhaps I'm being a
bit too paranoid, but we live in a hi-tech world in which
we should be more aware of those kinds of possibilities
and potential uses of hi-tech in the consumer products
sector. Some countries we import many products from are
mamufactured by companes that are owned by their
governments. Therefore, there is a possibility that they
could be used for other purposes according to their
national defense interests. There are also hazardous
electronic elements that could be found in electronic
components that could be used for spying and that could
use our equipment without our knowledge for other
purposes. There are also fabrics, cosmetics, body care
products such as shampoos and conditioners that could
carry many chemicals into our bodies; not to mentione
hazardous wave frequencies or magnetic fields generated
by antenas and other equipment that could cause diseases
such as cancer, cell damage or brain damage. Considering
the above, components with a limited life span found in
our cars and other equipment would be the least to worry
about these days.
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Perhaps some may be
wondering why I'm talking about music and stuff like that
but haven't been shouting about the state of ecology and
the recent BP oil spill. The reason is simple. I have
been warning others about how we are destroying the
ecosystem and the consequences that will bring on our
planet for over 30 years. Many other hippies and members
of other counter-culture groups have been doing the same.
Through those years we've been looked down on like as if
we were anti-Americans that wanted to sabotage the
economy, the capitalist system and the International
Monetary Fund that it was built on . But
in the past decade the situation has changed dramatically.
Now we don't need to shout about all those things because
it's become obvious to everyone that those things have to
change. Today one would have to be a moron not to see the
consequences of our past actions due to ignorance of
those issues. Today we hear political and economic
leaders from all regions of our planet speak out in
support of ecological issues and about needed changes in
the global economy. They are beginning to sound more like
we used to sound like decades ago when people took us for
radicals. That's also a reason why people today seem to
identify hippies with cannabis for example and a lot less
with other issues such as ecology or equal rights. The
issues we used to speak out on and demonstrate for or
against decades ago have become like common household
names these days and no one sees anything radical about
them. I think that perhaps the legalization of
psychoactive substances is just about the last thing we
have left on our agenda. And I'm sure that not long from
now next generations will be wondering what was all the
fuss about that? How primitive we were... And when that's
done then hippies will probably become identified with a
group of flamboyant old a-holes that are overly
intellectual and like getting into some nitty-gritty
controversial issues due to lack of better things to pick
on. So, I'm not jumping from joy or shouting that we were
right and that they were wrong because I'm sad that it
had to come to this point. So now, I'm taking a break
because I need one and letting the facts speak for
themselves. I'm glad others have finally woken up and
opened their eyes and want to do something about it. Lets
hope it's still not too late. Peace.
Saturday, May 30, 2010
I just saw Eurovision
2010 from Oslo, Norway where they probably think Europe
stretches far beyond the European continent, because
there were also representatives from Israel, Turkey and
Azerbayjan in the competition. Many singers had something
that resembled circus acts and dancers around them. But I
think Denmark and Cyprus had probably the most
interesting songs and artists. Now that I have seen the
best music and artists that each of the participating
countries had to offer, I came to the conclusion that
perhaps European people should leave making music to the
African people, who have it in their blood and genes, and
who music probably originally came from. The Europeans
should perhaps take up some other fields of art such as
painting or photography, for example . That's
the impression I got after hearing so much bad music on
that show. But surprisingly, not everything ended badly.
The best thing was that for the first time in 28 years
Germany was the finalist. And I like German music next to
Dutch, American and British music. But for some reason
good German music never seemed to find its way into the
competition.
Congratulations Germany!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
English has more foreign
words then any other language in the
world because the British people come from different
countries and because
it has always been open for new influences. American
English is a language
that is a lot more modern then British English because of
modern
technologies but otherwise it is a more archaic language
then the British
English because of Noah Webster. Noah Webster was one of
the Fathers of
America. He decided to take the opportunity a newly
founded nation offered
and decided to simplify English spelling. The first group
of words such as
"colour" were simplified to for ex. "color"
in American English. He made
those changes in his dictionary that's still being
published by his family
descendents. That is probably one of the oldest family
owned companies. In
the Webster's Dictionary he also introduced a new way of
registering
phonetics in writing. That latter innovation made America
English a rigid
language that hasn't changed since his times. The
American English
pronunciation recorded by Webster was the most modern,
fashionable and
correct pronunciation spoken in England. But after a few
hundred years the
British English pronunciation evolved to what it is today
and American
English has become very backward. However, the new words
in Amer. Eng. are
the most modern at the very same time and are often used
worldwide. So you
see... Once something is written then it's set in stone
and stops
developing. The Bible or Webster's Dictionary are
examples. That's why when
we put anything in writing I believe we should always
make room for some
doubt and strive to keep doors open for progress.
Sunday, April 7,
2010
Sometimes it helps to
tune oneself in for good experiences. If one
hangs around or keeps contacts with good company one is
more likely to
become good company that others would like to keep.
Likewise if one hangs
around bad company such as criminal types, drug dealers,
cops, prosecutors
etc. then one is more likely to become bad company that
other may try to
avoid.
Sunday, April 4,
2010
Beginnings are especially
hard and I'm not the one to give others advice on how to
make it through them. But this is Easter and I was
brought up on those depressing Catholic Easter traditions.
So here's some Easter-time food for thought or to
contemplate on over Easter.
Everyone has some kind of cross to carry. To find
happiness, fulfillment and sense in life one should
identify what that personal cross is, learn to accept it
and to carry it well. Self-denial is rejection of one's
self. If we could see ourselves as others do we would
have the ability to understand ourselves better and to
know what to improve on. We could fall many times on the
road of life, and at the greatest times of need our
closest friends may turn away from us. So at times like
these we have only ourselves to depend on, and have to
find the strength to get up and continue on our way with
that cross of ours. Jesus also had to carry his cross
alone but that doesn't have to be everyone's fate through
life. So don't identify yourself too strongly with that
iconic image. Also, none of his apostles were around when
he carried his cross through the winding streets of
Jerusalem or at his cross when they crucified him. Only
the women that loved him were there. Jesus was crucified
because of intolerance. Yet, the greatest mass of the
most intolerant people are those that follow the word of
the Bible. Just look at what the Jews are doing in
Jerusalem, the Catholic homophobia or incapability to
move along with progress or the Catholic and Protestant
terrorism in Ireland etc. So, what is it exactly that
Jesus saved humanity from? Was it from the Romans? Well,
that was a long time ago. Today I think we have to be
saved from Christianity and in light of the many
pedophile abuse cases the Church is also in need of a
long overdue Exorcism.
Whatever we do, time will not stand still. It's time that
rules. So in that sense, Time is God. Time can be kind or
it could be cruel. It could make us rich or poor. Even
Jesus could not stop time or turn it back. Time devours/destroys
everything and simultaneously at the same time gives
birth to everything. Time is a bit like our digestive
system that takes in food at the one end, uses it to fuel
us and discards the left-over waste products as a natural
fertilizer for new life. This is the way the pre-Christian
ancients saw time and the beginning of the astrological
New Year that begun this year on the 20th of March. That
same traditional though is continued in the Christian
Easter holiday symbolism because even Christianity couldn't
do away with that ancient wisdom. So, Christianity had to
assimilate some of that wisdom into its own. Back to the
subject of being down and out... When we are down, it's
time to raise. And when we are standing up tall, be
careful not to fall. Most of all, always be prepared for
the worse. Because just as the night follows the day the
four spoke wheel of life keeps on turning and turning.
One never can be sure what fate awaits around the corner.
So, enjoy your every moment and don't fear, help is near.
One meets best friends that also have a cross to carry
when one is down. And not all crosses are made of wood.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
When one does things for
others because one likes doing things for others, then
one attracts lots of folks that appreciate having things
done for them or getting things for free; not necessarily
out of need. But in difficult times, when one needs help
different kinds of folks are needed. And that's a
different group of rare birds. Yes, one has to have the
will to carry on. But what happens when due to some
traumatic experiences, a death of a near one or just
becoming worn out like an old machine due to old age one
loses the desire to carry on and to continue to run in
the rat race? What happens when one begins to wait for
someone nice to come around knocking on one's door? And
nobody does? That often happens to some folks that were
engaged in some sort of family, social or public service
for many years forgetting that there will come a day when
they will in return be in need of some kindness. For
example, we have grown used to putting senior citizens
in old folks homes and then forgetting about them because
we are too busy running after this and that. Modern times
expects so much from us. Then when the day comes, we may
be forgotten and put into storage because those were the
examples our children and the youth were raised on. But
that does not pertain only to senior citizens, but also
to many socially dysfunctional young people (not to be
mistaken with mentally dysfunctional) that have problems
finding friends, are also incapable of getting themselves
together for various reasons or have gone through some
difficult emotional experiences; not necessarily PDS. The
world is not perfect, and people need other people not
just for company but also to get by. That's what is
called humanitarianism. That still is an area that needs
a lot of work on. So, we still have lots of things to do
in our world and many causes that some could commit to.
But one cannot do everything... If one finds an area that
one would like to change then why not become an activist
for that cause. All one actually has to do in the
beginning is to raise other peoples' attention to the
problem or issue.
Awareness is the first step towards change. But without
the trust of others; especially the authorities that
stand on guard, ones good intentions and actions may be
futile. That's why when there are social problems the
public blames the government. But there is a will to
change things in Washington today, and that's already a
great change unlike any other that we've seen before.
However, that is no cause for joy. That is just the first
step on a long road to something new. So let's hope for
the best and wish the President the strength needed to
make the needed changes.
Tuesday, March 7, 2010
I've spent lots of time
at naturist beaches esp. during the '80s and wouldn't
mind living in a clothes free world if not for the
problems with the ozone layer. I used to laugh at the
sight of textile people paying for striptease shows,
Playboys, Playgirls and porn. I thought they were crazy
to long for something as natural as that. But that was
years ago. Now I look at porn as exciting works of art
that make me wish I could return to those days and that
paradise. As to dressing like the textiles do, I've got
suits and dress shoes but I don't like wearing them, and
can't remember when was the last time I wore them.
Perhaps last year to an interview. My favorite type of
clothes are short pants, Hawaiian shirts, sandals and
sneakers (Vans Authentic and Converse All Star). But the climate I'm in now
requires warm clothes because it's cold most of the year.
As to earrings and tattoos. I've got both ears pierced
but no tattoos because I've never been able to find any
design or symbol that would be universal enough for me to
advertise on my body for the rest of my days. A tattoo is
a serious decision I haven't been able to commit to. But
I like tattoos and couldn't imagine for example Axl Rose
without the cross on his arm. I suppose when it becomes
popular for conservatives and rednecks to dress like
liberals then liberals will start dressing like
conservatives and rednecks. That's probably because
dressing for many folks is a way of expressing their
worldviews and how they feel. So, that's why I see it as
a form of art.
A few additional words about footwear. My favorites from
the 60s to this day are Vans Authentic and Converse All
Star. The Converse All Star sneakers were required in
schools for gym practice so students wouldn't damage
parquet basketball floors. So I started wearing old pairs
during the vacation for everyday use early in elementary
school. I guess many other kids did the same. That's
probably how the fashion for those started. Vans came out
in about 1966. They were a lot more comfortable to put on.
They didn't have the shoe strings to mess around with and
held on to skateboards, surfboards and wooden floors
really well. The Converse All Star sneakers became very
fashionable outside the USA in Germany and lately in
Poland, for example among some artists.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Hippies also have certain
snobby consumer goods that they like to own such as
Birkenstock sandals, for example. The truth is I'm also a
bit snobby that way and wear Birk sandals whenever I can.
I also have a couple pair of Birkenstock shoes that I
bought cheaply at auctions when I was still employed. The
shoes and sandals look like crap but they're the only
ones I can walk miles in without feeling that I've
actually walked so many miles. But around the house or at
a beach or pool I like to wear Dr. Scholl's Monterey or
Aquajets just to give the competition equal credit. Lets
not forget the tie-died shirts, beads, rings, earrings,
pendants and all the other hippie paraphernalia.
Unfortunately, those are not things to wear when going to
Holland or other more conservative places because the
folks there like to be a bit more toned down; unless if
one's gay and wants the whole world to know about it or
how proud one is; other signs of minority group
inferiority complexes.
I've been interested in how to repair the damaged hippie
image, and I think that if hippies lived in trendy
neighborhoods, drove Corvettes, Cadillacs or Benzes
painted in psychedelic flower designs, wore Rolexes or
Cartier tank watches in addition to the second hand store
stuff then others may change their opinions about them.
That's because most people aren't as intuitive as hippies
and judge others by the way they look. The only problem
with that idea is that one would have to be able to find
a well paying post that would tolerate those that dresse
in such a fashion and live such a flamboyant lifestyle.
So, that's where it ends. But at least in European
fashions things seem to be heading that way. Instead of
for example buying a pair of jeans, a coat or a shirt in
a second hand shop for just a couple Euros, it's becoming
extremely fashionable to pay lots of bread for stuff that
looks like it's been worn by one's Parents and been
washed a few thousands times. No self-respecting modern
British guy would for example wear a brand new suit
without sleeping in it first for a week or two. So,
things are evolving to higher states of consciousness in
the fashion world. Members of sub-cultures such as the
hippies are like art. The difference between an ordinary
object and a great work of art is that the art brings
about a revolution of perception of reality. Therefore
all I can say is, let's hope for a revolution.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Since the December 31,
1984 Newsweek article about Yuppies there has been a lot
of disagreement on the issue if yuppies (young urban
professionals) are former 1960s hippies that sold out.
Well, the truth is that many hippies did sell out. Just
take a look at how many are on the Web, for example.
Today in many countries, hippies are associated with
drugs, hobos and people that don't bathe more the twice a
month instead of the ideas they represented in the years
of the 1960s revolution. It seems that the line between
hobos and hippies has become very thin. I think yuppies
have an advantage over hippies in that respect. The
hippie movement lasted less then a decade. Now when I
read about hippies in encyclopedias, dictionaries and
other places it seems that people forgot what the
movement was all about, why youth protested, ran away
from home, lived on the streets, took drugs etc. A lot of
that also became a fashionable thing to do because of the
many newspaper and magazine articles, music scene and TV
stories. So, many young people headed for the trendiest
places such as Haight-Ashbury, Greenwich Village, Chicago's
Old Town, Amsterdam, Rotterdam or went to India and other
places like that. So, I suppose that when the War was
over people went off in different directions. Not all
hippies dedicated their lives to ecology or saving the
planet. The main issue with the society were the Vietnam
War and the draft. When those were resolved the movement
ended in the early '70s. But also started with a delay
for youths in other countries that followed the trend.
Those that protested and became hippies to be trendy or
to do what their peers were doing may have sold out
because they never really did it for any other reasons.
For me, the movement was an ideological one with a
mission, which I believe we've accomplished. I say
accomplished because if one remembers how gray the world
was in those days, and how much ignorance there was on so
many issues like racism, homophobia, anti-feminism,
ecology, birth control etc. compared to what we have
today, then we have come a long way. Hippies were like
switching on color TV in a black & white TV era.
The hippie style started with the colorful Mod fashions
from London and mixed with other original ideas from
America such as the bellbottoms and tie-dies. It was like
a splash of electrifying colors on a bray canvas. And
coincidently, black & white TVs were being
replaced with color TVs in every American home at about
the same time. It was a time of revolution and the ideas
that were formulated in the minds of the youth of that
time still reverberate around our planet. And yes, I
believe that psychedelics had a lot to do with that
awakening of awareness. But that would be an entirely
different subject. So, the yuppies that have sold out are
probably those that wanted to be with the in-crowd and
did what was the in thing to do. And I believe that many
of us were like that too because people like being in
with others on the latest things. That's how social
progress is made. Those of us that were in some way
formed by the hippie movement and things that revolved
around it still strongly identify with it. People are
different and it's difficult to speak for others. But
just imagine going for surgery. Would you prefer to have
a hippie surgeon operate on you or one that's not a
hippie? Certain professions require a different frame of
mind. So personally, I don't expect everyone that once
was a hippie to be as they were because various
professions and other walks of life that they may have
taken require different frames of mind.
Friday, March 5, 2010
It's difficult to be
happy when others are worse off. But we also have reasons
to complain because our society expects a lot more from
us then we can meet. And one cannot have everything. If
one would have everything then there'd still be reasons
for complaining. Happiness and unhappiness go hand in
hand. Happiness also depends on the settings one lives in
and on one's needs for personal development. If one lives
in an environment that is not very demanding then one's
standards will be lower and small things will make one
happy and there will be so many things still waiting to
be had. But if one lives in an environment where the
neighbors have all the latest things then life could turn
into a real rat race after those goods and other things
needed for keeping up with the Joneses. That's because we
are competitive beings. The same is true when it comes to
learning, sex, love, parenting, spirituality etc. There
is competition in every field and it's like an ongoing
race after this and that. People want to be like their
neighbors or other folks that they identify with. We need
others and we also need some solitude. That need to be
with others and yet in the safety of our own little rooms
is behind some of the most successful inventions of our
time such as the Internet. But we also need to eat, wear
descent clothes, to look after our families, to pay the
bills etc. So, I believe that is the problem John Smith,
Karol Marx and Lenin foresaw coming with the age of
industrialization. But things went their own way and
their solutions were the worse ones that happened to
millions of people that found themselves under Communism.
It turned out that their solution was worse then if they
just let things go their own way. However, thanks to
their blunders as well as the fear of spread of Communism,
many European countries turned socialistic and provided
wonderful social benefits for their residents so they
wouldn't fall below a given poverty line. I believe we
also have some of that in the American social care system.
And it would be awesome if national insurance would be
part of it.
We have left the jungle a long time ago, destroyed it and
the life that it harbored. Lets build a better world, in
which we will become the caretakers of our planet. We are
not cold and ignorant beings that can't see the harm we've
done and the poverty, suffering and unhappiness that
surrounds us on the planet. How can anyone feel pride of
living in luxury and opulence (including places such as
the Vatican) when there are so many in need in places
such as Africa? Yes, we also have problems but compared
to those others we are very wealthy and successful.
Wealth and success also depends on the measure. Our
society is higher developed and expects more from us then
if we were for example in Africa where only a few have
access to water, a meal or electricity, for example. But
I feel that there should be some kind of descent limit on
what one actually needs to live on and on wealth. I liked
Michael Jackson and Elvis but I also believe that the
American dreams that they and others like them created
for many Americans and people of the world to meet are
way overboard and indecent in light of how little of that
would make others happy and the Christian values
Americans are so eager to propagate to others. Peace.
Friday, March 5, 2010
For a broader
understanding of the world it's important to know where
we came from, where we are today and where we are heading.
Currently, there is one great empire, the USA and two
rising ones, the EU and China. There are ecological
changes, economic changes and there is a need for a new
world order because there are more and more of us coming
to this world every day. Millions of people on our planet
are starving or living below the poverty line while over
90% of the world's wealth is owned by 1% of the world's
population. That 1% has more then they know what to do
with and many of them are in America. I like the
socialist systems in the old EU countries such as Holland
where the wealthiest poor people in the world live and
also the poorest wealthy people in the world live happily
side by side. And where there are many races living
together in a pragmatic and tolerant environment. That's
where I found good examples to follow. Though not
everything's perfect there either. But it's a lot better
then other places I've seen.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
What comes after sex?
After sex comes a time to relax and take it easy. We
often forget that humans are just a higher developed form
of animal life. It seems to me that the Jewish people had
some major problems controlling that part of their nature,
and that they were a bit greedy. So they became overly
concerned about it. Hence, the three major religions that
are based on the Biblical lore that follows the Ten
Commandments are in that line of thinking. Take a look at
the Ten Commandments that Moses wrote. Yes, he wrote them
after forgetting the Twenty Commandments he received
earlier from God, and also after ordering some of his
people killed or punished for worshipping the golden calf.
Remember that Biblical story? Take a closer look at the
order of the Ten Commandments. What is the first
Commandment, the second, the third etc? Do they sound a
bit egocentric? Like Dude, you keep your hands off my
woman, respect your Father and follow My One and Only
Truth or else I could kill you in the name of that higher
truth because that is a lesser wrong? Yes, the sixth
commandment is "Thou shell not kill". Why is it
the sixth and not the first? If I were an expert at
making character portraits of people I'd get the
impression that Moses was a guy who though killing was a
lesser crime then the previous ego-centered ones. So, I
guess there's no wonder those religions consider killing
in the name of God a lesser wrong or even the right thing
to do. I hope the Reader understands how the order of in
this case the laws that they have been "programmed"
on since birth and our world was built on influence
peoples' subconscious, their judgement and visions of
reality. What if those fundations were rotten and nobody
dared to look down at their roots to notice that? Then we
would have a rotten tree giving rotten fruit in the logic
of the effect being like the source.
Other ancient cultures such as for example American
Indian, the Indo-European pre-Christian ones, Romans,
Aryans etc. didn't see anything unnatural about for
example homosexuality, wife swapping, prostitution,
pedophiles and other human needs of the heart. And there
were not many pedophiles then because it was natural for
kids to go running around naked. So, there was no cause
for people to become sexually aroused at the sight of
naked kids as it has become in our times. So, the
question was "what comes after sex"? My answer
would be that after sex comes life. When one has no need
to feel that someone is looking down on him or her for
their need to express love or to receive it then
generally speaking I believe that person would be happier
then those that must suppress such needs and deny them. I
believe there is too much moralizing done today by major
religions and our authorities that are supposed to be
separated from the Church. In my opinion, none of them;
especially the Catholic Church with all those child
molestations cases are not competent to judge the needs
of the human heart and soul. Therefore I reject their
authority in those respects.
Friday, February 19, 2010
I don't mind working and
sure would be happy if I could find a job where I wouldn't
have to get up early in the morning because I don't
function well in the morning because I'm more of a late
afternoon-evening person. But at the moment I still haven't
found a job and am living from things I've sold at
auctions. I've also recorded two CDs over the last five
years, and
am offering them for just $10 each at http://wojtanek.bandcamp.com to download to your iPod or any other
device in any file format.
The Web presence I've achieved makes me look about 500%
better then I am in real life . But
It doesn't pay my bills, just generates more bills. I am
an introverted type of person and the Net is made for
geeks like myself. That's the Maya (magic) of the WWW. I've
been on the Web for well over a decade for a hobby and I
have no idea how I could make money on it; though I know
many people do that with great success. Webmastering lets
me forget about my problems in the real world and has
become a means for self-improvement. It's also a place
where I can share my music and other stuff with others.
Not until just recently have I been thinking of how to
make a living on the Web simply because I've moved my
life from the real world to the virtual world and the
virtual world's turned out to be my "real"
world.
Poland also has overcrowded jails because it is a lot
more restrictive then Belgium; though both countries have
more liberal laws then the US or England, for example.
Prostitution, gambling and homosexuality have been legal
long before other countries liberalized their laws on
those. Yes, there's lots of homophobia in Poland but that's
due to the Catholic programming since birth. Also, until
about 2000 marihuana and other drugs have been legal in
Poland since as long as anyone could remember. It's sad
to say, but post-communist Poland has become less
tolerant and more restrictive under the influence of the
Catholic Church and its fascination with the more
restrictive Southern Belt American model of culture. So,
many Poles have run into problems with the law in other
countries because they failed to realize that certain
things such as for ex. nudity or washing kids with their
hands (Texas case where a Pole was jailed for that) that
they always took for granted were not allowed in other
places. Ironically, many have gone abroad looking for
more freedom. But those that left their country looking
for a better paying job I'm sure found what they were
looking for. In my opinion, the Poles also have a problem
in sorting out what they should keep from their
indigenous European culture and what they should upgrade
to modern standards after the many decades of isolation
under the Soviet communist system. Under the Communist
system as well as in a more restrictive society such as
the US, people can be easily blackmailed into all kind of
collaboration... That is the week point!
So, the level of honesty in a given society is dictated
largely by the law system. A more restrictive system
creates a more dishonest society and a more liberal one
will create a more open and honest society.
To live outside the
law, you must be honest. Bob Dylan (Absolutely
Sweet Marie)
Wednesday, January 20,
2010
The gay community in
Amsterdam in the Netherlands has recently been met with a
lack of understanding from the city authorities. North
American gay liberation spread across the world and
caught on in some freedom oriented centers of the world
such as Amsterdam. And now the rest of Europe is trying
to catch up to Amsterdam while Amsterdam authorities seem
to be trying to take a few steps back in that respect.
Anyone who's ever been to a gay neighborhood in for
example Chicago, New York or San Francisco will notice
that the gay scene in Amsterdam is rather small by
American standards. Therefore, I believe that many
American gay tourists expect Amsterdam, the gay capitol
of Europe to be a lot gayer then it is. But in stead of
that, the city authorities seem to be wanting to take a
few steps back in its attitudes towards the gay community,
the cannabis culture and the Red Light district. If those
will become less present in the city then I believe
Amsterdam will loose it's character and appeal to many
tourists that made the city one of the most popular
tourist destinations of the world.
. But
in the past decade the situation has changed dramatically.
Now we don't need to shout about all those things because
it's become obvious to everyone that those things have to
change. Today one would have to be a moron not to see the
consequences of our past actions due to ignorance of
those issues. Today we hear political and economic
leaders from all regions of our planet speak out in
support of ecological issues and about needed changes in
the global economy. They are beginning to sound more like
we used to sound like decades ago when people took us for
radicals. That's also a reason why people today seem to
identify hippies with cannabis for example and a lot less
with other issues such as ecology or equal rights. The
issues we used to speak out on and demonstrate for or
against decades ago have become like common household
names these days and no one sees anything radical about
them. I think that perhaps the legalization of
psychoactive substances is just about the last thing we
have left on our agenda. And I'm sure that not long from
now next generations will be wondering what was all the
fuss about that? How primitive we were... And when that's
done then hippies will probably become identified with a
group of flamboyant old a-holes that are overly
intellectual and like getting into some nitty-gritty
controversial issues due to lack of better things to pick
on. So, I'm not jumping from joy or shouting that we were
right and that they were wrong because I'm sad that it
had to come to this point. So now, I'm taking a break
because I need one and letting the facts speak for
themselves. I'm glad others have finally woken up and
opened their eyes and want to do something about it. Lets
hope it's still not too late. Peace. 
