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Concealment (part 2)
Those of you out there struggling now to detach yourselves from intellectual teat of scientific materialism, might be wondering why God had to make her concealment so complete. Is she not being fastidious in her bashfulness to the point of perversity? Not only have all footprints and fingerprints been removed, but her tracks have been covered over with the most remarkable of backdrops or stage settings.
But which is more remarkable: God's ability to fool us our, or our ability to fool ourselves? In the aftermath (afterphysics?) we will, I am sure, see it was the latter. We have simply spent three centuries willfully ignoring our own minds and spirits. This studied ignorance is all the more breathtaking in retrospect. We were so busy tracking dinosaurs and planets, and being blinded by the Sun, that we forgot all about the light of our consciousness that bathes all our reality.
Of course, the image of God going around and planting dinosaur bones like so many Easter eggs, does not facilitate the rational comprehension of the average scientist. The placement of stars and fossils is simply to be found in the fractal depths of the rational, relational Atom. And for the actual rationale for the findings we need look no further than the collective rationality of the finders.
Is this too easy? The true ease of it will not be fully appreciated by any of us until we are fully engaged in the dramatic outworking of the Eschaton. The material Alpha of paleontology, and astronomy, embodied in the almost tangible Atom, will be amply reflected in the spiritual Omega that is our Eschaton. The dinosaurs will live again in some even more substantial fashion than is currently envisioned by Hollywood.
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I am guessing that it is high time we attended to the Eschaton. Up to now it has only been mentioned in passing as I continued to procrastinate on this eventuality. So here we go, finally. My hope is that after this much preparation, the eschaton will be seen as the natural and inevitable resolution of any immaterialist history. It will be the bottom line of any rationalist metaphysic, the capstone of any coherent metanarrative, the piece de resistance of the best possible world.
Nonetheless, I readily admit that this is an uphill battle. In the popular mind, eschatological doomsaying is the favored cliché for depicting fundamentalist irrationality and radicalism. This stark image is deeply entrenched in the modern mind. Could one imagine anything more likely to resist revision? You see how I try at least to win the sympathy vote.
Yet, the arguments are simple and direct. A story is not coherent if not complete. It is not complete without a proper end. Also an immaterial world has a maintenance issue. It will not be self-maintaining, not beyond its allotted time. Its allotted time is determined by the parameters of its teleological creation. In the immaterialist metaphysic it is the omega point that is the primary locus of the creative potency. The traditional Alpha of Genesis fame is only the tail, and it does not wag this dog.
It is not a matter of if, but of when. What is the best possible time for the end? Fortunately for any nervous Nellies out there, I am a millennialist. I maintain that a proper end only comes after a proper Millennium. We give ourselves a thousand years to get our house in order, and otherwise prepare for the spiritual denouement. This should be plenty of time. If anything, we are likely to exercise our prerogative to expedite things in the likely event of our spiritual impatience, as in, 'Let's get this show on the road!'
And what is the most expeditious timing for the Millennium? Here I will be a bit more adamant. Now is the time. My only point is: what are we waiting for? Quite a few people, of course, are waiting for a messianic event. Are we going to let a little thing like that stop us? I don't think so. But you might want to stay tuned.
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Is there anyone out there who would not agree that there has never been a more auspicious time for the Millennium?
Here are the factors to consider. History may be viewed as a long march into materialism. As we have discussed above, there are ample indications that the intellectual energy behind this materialist sojourn is already on the wane. Admittedly, though, the concomitant economic and political Juggernaught is still to be reckoned with, but, hey, that's why we're here!
On the one hand we have the environmental problem. If there is a solution it is not yet in sight. On the other hand we have the clash of civilizations. If the metaphysics here is correct, the modern materialists are on much more precarious ground than even our post-911 anxieties would indicate. It may well be that these two problems will continue to exacerbate each other. Or it may be that we will continue to muddle through.
Materialism has been the great attractor behind the metaphysically necessary spiritual weaning of our souls. The Atom has been the dual to God in the dynamic of Creation. The fact, however, that the primary result of all our technology has been the wiring of our global brain, may not be incidental in the larger scheme.
In the best possible world our demand for truth will subvert the materialist Juggernaught well before it pushes us further into tribulation and ultimately oblivion. In the chaotic milieu of the global Internet, the merest butterfly of truth and vision quite possibly could foment a spiritual storm of awakening. There is now a big stick and a small carrot. How and when might the spirit be moved? I would suggest that it could all come down to Google. Put enough of the right words in the right places, and the rest will be history, or at least the end thereof.
This is a minimalist version of the messianic event. Volunteering to be a mini-messiah is about the least that any activist metaphysician could offer at this juncture. Does anyone have a better plan?
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Existence is a process involving a bootstrapped creation. From the background of potency, creation is the drawing and maintaining of distinctions and thereby separation. From an epistemic point of view, separation entails ignorance and concealment. This is the primary source of 'evil' in creation. To offset the fact of concealment, deliberate acts of revelation are entailed.
There are many possibilities for revelation. There appears to be an historical preference for prophecy. Is this for the best? There is a major communication problem. The ability of the prophet to spread the word is severely restricted by technical and political considerations. There are likely to be competing prophets and 'false' prophets. One might wonder that there could not be more efficient and direct means of divine communication.
More efficient methods would have their own drawbacks. Significantly they would be more impersonal and would rob the spiritual community of its evangelical function. Much of the motivation for technical and social innovation would be obviated.
We are left with the necessity that all revelation is local, up until modern times. Geographic and ethnic bias is unavoidable. Is this unfair? In the context of the millennial and universal 'salvation' being urged here, the question of unfairness becomes moot. We are left with just the residual 'accidents' of history.
The present result is that the prophetic tradition is not universal, and it is fragmented into major sub-groups. It is the function of the pre-millennial messianic event to overcome these historical accidents and biases. The timing of this event is likely to be tied to a particular technical deployment. In this case I am looking to the Internet.
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Millennium & Eschaton
The concept of the Millennium has been integral to the prophetic tradition since its inception nearly thirty-five hundred years ago with Zoroaster. In that case Creation was given a span of seven millennia, with the defeat of evil giving rise to a final Millennium of divine harmony.
I am simply augmenting that original notion with the idea of a spiritually directed paradigm shift. The drama of this final intellectual and spiritual shift is greatly enhanced by the centuries of scientific 'progress' immediately preceding it. Thus we have the defeat of evil being embodied in the pre-Millennial advent and revelation which results in the overcoming of spiritual ignorance. The notion of supernatural armies clashing in the heavens is replaced by the clash of paradigms.
Given that the potency of the cosmic genie is largely a function of its coherence, the defeat of ignorance and evil is teleologically preordained in the microcosmic makeup of the creatures. This along with the social and technical potency of the Internet implies that the final messianic trigger should be the merest of 'butterfly' effects. Thus is the cosmic coercion of this revelation minimized. It is a maximally participatory event. Why anyone with half a brain is not now scrambling to put together this prophetic website is well beyond my ken. All the more for the rest of us, I suppose. It does reduce the noise.
Our spiritual matriculation occurs at the end of the seventh and final Millennium. This is when linear, sequential history ends. Having resolved our mundane affairs, we move into the infinite dimensions of eternity: we become one with the Divine. Our sojourn into the limited dimensions of matter is completed. Even this 'resurrection of the dead' was easily foreseen by the grandfather of the prophets. Our spirits need only the slightest of nudges to remember the origin and purpose of our journey here.
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I can sympathize with the many folk who would not mind Jesus half as much if it just weren't for all those darn Christians. Was this really the best of all possible Christian religions? It just goes to show how strongly this religion was overdetermined by the very large scope of its role in history.
Hanging by a Thread
It would seem that our notion of the Best Possible World is hanging by a very insubstantial thread.
Mere Words
Straw Man
Let us briefly survey the postmodern intellectual scene as it pertains to the status of immaterialism.
A preponderance of present-day intellectuals share the postmodern perspective. Theirs is an almost militant pluralism. They will join forces in the face of any perceived threat to that pluralism. The cosmology, or, as they would say, the metanarrative that I have been outlining here would be perceived exactly as such a threat were it ever to appear on their radar screens. In my pre-Internet attempts to bring these ideas to the attention of academics in person, I was never able to get beyond their rather understandable ad hominem reactions. They could seldom see beyond what appeared to them simply to be a potential totalitarian threat. The group solidarity among academics is sufficiently strong that no one wants to appear sympathetic with a controversial outsider, even in the very few instances where such sympathies might have actually been present.
Consider the pragmatics of a paradigm shift. All creatures are creatures of habit. It takes a considerable force to cause us to change our habits, even, and perhaps especially, if these are habits of thought. Any existing system has to be widely perceived as broken before there will be any concerted effort toward a revolutionary replacement. Until such time, very many signs of failure will be willfully disregarded. Like the proverbial lobsters, we might well endure increasing heat until it is too late for us to jump out of the pot. This analogy may strike a bit too close to home in light of the one thousand deaths in the most recent heat wave in India. Rest assured that the media moguls will be the very last to have to forgo climate control.
Being the best of all possible worlds, our participation in tribulation prior to revelation will be just as short as possible, but unless Jesus is planning to return soon in a flying saucer, it is up to you and me to pick up these cudgels. Our only stratagem is to foment a public discussion. The previously mentioned deconstructors of the mind will be our straw man until the warm bodies appear.
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I toyed with Cartesian dualism for several years before having to concede that it provided only an ad hoc, incoherent compromise between materialism and immaterialism. Its only practical use would be to serve as a stepping stone for scientists like myself who embarked on the quest for a deeper understanding. I had already realized that immaterialism would be much too radical to be taken seriously by anyone in the mainstream. For several more years I discontinued my discussions with academics and religionists that had revolved around the possibility of a Cartesian metaphysic. When I once again resumed those discussions it was under the rubric of the 'Aquarium', and those lasted until the Internet became available. Actually, though, my first online discussions were on a CompuServe BBS.
Saving the World
Saving the world may sound like a daunting task, but it seems rather less onerous once we realize that it appears to have already been saved and now only needs to be reminded. And how do we do that? Stand on a street corner holding a sign? What you see here is the Internet version of that time honored tradition.
Hot Topic?
Before attempting to link up, let me give you my own capsule interpretation of the status of 'eschatological immaterialism' on the Internet.
For starters, when one enters the preceding phrase in Google, even without the quotes, there are a grand total of five hits, the second and third of which refer to myself. It would seem that this is not a hot topic. It also, of course, speaks to the issue of precedence.
What is the problem? Why are not more people seeing what appears to be so obvious? People simply have difficulty grasping a gestalt of this magnitude, it is an enormous switch from our modern materialist cosmology. If, nonetheless, someone does grasp it, they then have to confront the messianic, jc,jr, issue. The fact that another bloke has already hung out that shingle, may or may not make things easier for our prospective neophyte.
There are more than a few immaterialists on the net, but they understandably shy away from grappling with its cosmological implications. The alternatives for them are the mystical tradition of immaterialism, i.e. eastern mysticism, or a very restricted analytical approach to it, or some combination of these two. In any case, coherence comes up with the short end of the stick.
The next most logical place to look would be for those espousing some form of Cartesian dualism. There are a fair number of these as well, but they quickly run into the incoherence of that dichotomy, and are left with not much to say. At best they can appeal to the Quantum as a means of reducing the incoherence. These quantum dualists may warrant some further attention on our part.
The problem with these two possibilities is that there is no apparent motion or trend to follow at present. Also the advocates of these views are quite aware that they are already skirting the fringe of respectability. Eschatological immaterialism is so far beyond that fringe that it is unlikely to hold any attraction for them. Where else might we turn?
I remain partial to the issue of reductionism per se. A lively debate ensues and it is a make or break issue for materialism. If materialism is going to implode, this would be ground zero for that event. The shock of this might be sufficient to cause some of the participants and onlookers to be more open to radical alternatives. This prospective event would be our most likely source of momentum, that all important political currency. At the least, I can review the reasons for my prognosis regarding the eventual dramatic demise of materialism.
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The 'Competition'
So where is the competition? Why are people missing the boat of theistic idealism (immaterialism), or 'rational theism'?
More than a few Christian theologians, both liberal and conservative, are taken up with the Darwinian problem. Those of a creationist persuasion are directly attacking the adequacy of natural selection as a blanket explanatory device. They focus on those particular biological systems that appear to stretch the Darwinian model beyond its limits. 'Intelligent Design', q.v., is their most commonly used banner. The more liberal theologians are looking at the broader perspective of non-reductionism and teleology, that we have discussed above.
In both cases there is an explicit concern with the rationale of ends and means, but by focusing so narrowly on the Darwinian issue, both factions are unavoidably becoming more deeply entangled in the larger materialist cosmology of modern science. Strategically, in becoming too closely engaged with the 'enemy' in the skirmish over Darwinism, they have been unable to keep their options open for the larger and inevitable battle over metaphysics and cosmology. They are letting the materialists choose the battlefield, and set the terms of the engagement.
Meanwhile, the theists are implicitly letting the pantheists continue their hegemony over immaterialism. The possibilities of theistic idealism, i.e. rational theism, are being lost in the shuffle. Theistic idealism remains consigned to the dustbin of history, a curiosity to be occasionally contemplated by the Hegelian scholars.
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Never Mind?
A very important lacuna among theists is the mind. It is a fact of history that the western tradition has been much more extroverted than the east. We westerners know that when it comes to introspection we can hardly hold a candle to the navel gazing mystics to the east. This has never been our forte. We are still seemingly paying a price for the one time that we traipsed into that corner, thanks to Sigmund. The political dynamics of the still unfolding sex scandal of the RCC is not unrelated to those collective unconscious anxieties that the Viennese doctor managed to put his foot into. This peculiar bit of history does nothing to encourage a broad theological inquiry into this dimension or our reality.
Let me not overlook the continental phenomenologists. In part, their roots can be traced back to Hegel and German idealism. Yet, the fact is that in both their sectarian and secular guises, phenomenologists have opted for existence over being. This is a decided turn toward the irrational, like their counterparts in the east. It would seem that we rationalists are swimming against a strong tide. Rationalism has almost never found fertile soil in either the east or the west. The high point of rationalism was in Greek philosophy and then to a lesser extent in Thomism, which until very recent times was the canonical philosophy of the Roman Church.
In the midst of a very imperfect world, rationalism can't help but inspire a revolutionary utopianism. The vested interests look askance at such proclivities. How is today any different from the past? In a word, it is the Internet. There is something new under the Sun. There are other positive and negative aspects of technology that come to bear on a new millenarianism. A distinct subset of the scientific community is likely to be a prime candidate for any new momentum in this direction.
Down through the ages, the human mind has demonstrated a great affinity to the story form. Science struggles constantly to feed us stories, but it has been an uphill battle in a 'meaningless' universe. The only thing greater than our fear of an overwhelming cosmic coherence is our thirst for it. The messianic path lies directly between the fear and the desire. This is where divine minimalism will be of the essence.
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Rational Theism
The Ecology of Existence
The Level Playing Field
It's what you know, not who you know, at least for the time being.
The natural relationality of the world would tend toward a claustrophobic situation, were positive steps not taken.
Once we appreciate the truly relational nature of reality, it will take some additional doing just to postpone our immediate implosion back into a virtual white hole of divinity. The world would just be one big eschaton, with everything happening all together. The act of creation is the act of drawing out history by separating the Alpha from the Omega. And so we arrive at our spherical orb with cycles of time. Knowing God and having a buck seventy-five will get you a cup of coffee in Times Square. Yes, it's home on the range, where survival means gathering no moss. Realize that those wide-open spaces are a metaphysical luxury, hardly the absolute gratuity of Newtonian fame. Recall those painstaking megalithic processes of archeo-astronomical interest which constituted our geodesic cornerstone, or Alpha. It is also the raison d'etre of our fabulous metabolic atomicity.
Any physicist will tell you that space is something awfully contrived. Every attempt at a Grand Unified Theory is an attempt to plumb the secrets of our pre-geometry. But is not peering into the depths of space really just trying to see the back of our own head, or into the mind of God? Our very level Newtonian billiard table was no mean construct. It is the veil of God, and all the King's mathematical physicists can barely penetrate its warp and woof. As the mathematical convolutions of pre-geometry proliferate into m-branes and beyond, we begin to see that we are becoming enmeshed in the psychic ur-field of God. It is definitely a slide-rule busting experience.
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An Idle Question?
Is Mind Possible?
From the perspective of materialism the most mysterious thing about the world is its comprehensibility. Darwinism and complexity theory are among the explanations offered.
Inherent in matter, we are told, is the ability to self-organize. What is the source of this ability, we might wonder? The only available (non) answer is that if this were not the case we would not be here to wonder. But can the materialists expect us not to keep wondering, nonetheless?
There is only one other possible explanation. Matter is not the basis of existence. Materialism is incorrect in its fundamental premise.
Although materialists no longer rule the intellectual roost, they maintain the wherewithal to ensure that postmodernism remains anti-foundationalist. If there is a source of order in the world, it remains well hidden, by all objective standards.
If matter is not basic, then what is? The basis for existence is the process of relating.
The best understood example of a purely relational system is mathematics. And does math not epitomize insubstantiality? Yes, except for the fact that mathematics appears to be the foundation for physics. It is the modern mathematization of physics in particular that most often prompts the remarks about the mysterious understandability of the world.
So, where's the beef? Where's the substance, if it is not in the matter? The substance is in the coherence. This is the whole story of this website in six words. Coherence is what holds the world together, and what makes it go around. It is what drives the story of history.
Coherence exists only in relation to a subjective pole. The coherence of the world exists in relation to an absolute subjective singularity. That is the only logical alternative to the fundamental incoherence of materialism. Logically there can only be a unique singularity, of which we creatures are the multiple reflections. The physical atom is another reflection thereof.
The atoms, while they are current, provide a centrifugal balance to the centripetal subject. They do this under the aegis of the Monster group, which is the locus of the mathematical coherence of the physical phenomena, and is the shadow of the subjective pole. In the eschaton, the centrifugal force is overcome.
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I am not the only one to have been intrigued by Spencer-Brown's Laws of Form appearing in 1969. Basing his entire system on the 'mark of distinction' has also a metaphysical appeal. It calls to mind our attempt to characterize creation as the process of dividing the primordial, singular unity.
The Kabbalah speaks of the Zim-zum, sometimes pictured as a lightning bolt, as the '(self-)contraction' of God to leave a space for creation to manifest. In this shadow ignorance is latent and knowledge becomes manifest.
In Revelation there are the apocalyptic ten thunders that also play a central role in Joyce's Finnegans Wake. The recursion that is doubly implicit in Joyce's title is explicit in the Laws of Form. This speaks in part to the duality of the Alpha and Omega that is witnessed within history as the syzygy reenacted at the X-event, sometimes referred to as the (little?) death, or passion of God.
In those thunders, are we not hearing the primordial creative word, or was it the primal scream, of God piercing the cosmic silence. It is the beginning of revelation and concealment. We also hear the Ur-language which may well have arisen out of a primal Aaaarrgghhhh of totipotent meaning, the stem cell of language, by degrees of distinction, down to the disquisitions of our analytic philosophers today. Heading into the eschaton, this historical process is reversed and accelerated via the Internet, of course. In place of the original Aaaarrgghhhh, we have the final Metanarrative.
All we need now is to understand the connection between the Zim-zum and the Monster group and we will be in business....Aaaarrgghhhh!!
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The Relational Self
To exist is to relate, lest we forget. Those five words need to be taken with the previously mentioned six, concerning coherence, as the basis of reality. There is no escaping the resulting personalism. Somehow the pantheists miss the nodal structure of the world. But it is not nodes all the way down.
No, no, no. There is the even more fundamental dialectical dynamic, alluded to earlier. There is Buber's I & Thou dynamic. There is also God & Atom/Adam. And how do we characterize this ultimate relational, personal dynamic? How else but as love? Imagine the poor bloke who first comprehended that!
This is the only coherent alternative to atoms swerving in the dark. If the postmodernists ever tire of incoherence, watch out! The sky will soon be falling, like on the church of the nativity, or did that just happen? Did you see that apocalypse? Who, me? Was that 11:11 or TX11? Do we care?
Coherence is the substance. The self is the glue ball, and love is the glue. Have you got a better idea? Is this insufficiently precise to predict the tides? Maybe, but if the tide don't float your boat, the eschaton surely will. Not a threat, just a promise.
As in the monadology, every node is a microcosmic hologram. The cosmos is the holograph. The preordained harmony is the agape betwixt the Alpha and Omega as produced in the X-event, not far from the above mentioned church.
What more can I say? What more is there to say? Why don't we let it be? When will we let it be? We will let it be on Internet time.
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Pantheism has served as a bit of a strawperson in these pages, but I think it is big enough to be able to take it. It takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. The worst that can be said of the pantheists is that they don't make very good scientists. And how bad is that? I was a transcendental pantheist, and not too bad a scientist at an early age. Now I'm a theist and a much worse scientist, so there you go. Did anyone say that I could be disarming? I'm a disarmamentarian ('disarmament Arian'!? I don't think so, but thanks for the thought, Bill!) .
Let's face it, those pantheists are not real strong on rationalism, nor on the Metanarrative. They are the darlings of the postmodernists because they can be soooo pluralistic. They are a necessary antidote to the fundamentalist excesses inherent in theism. And similarly they have withstood the materialism that necessarily inhered to the incarnation. The Atom/Adam cut no ice with them. And when it comes to the second coming, won't the last be the first?
And remember there is no substance. Love is just the vacuum energy of the Sunyata, the great void. There is no-self relative to the dissolution of the vacuum energy that is the cosmic agape of the omega. Christians have trouble grasping these intangibles, bless their hearts. And who doesn't?
The Alpha is a bit more of a problem for pantheism. The megalithic Angkor sailed right by them. If one lives in Giza, it is more difficult to ignore these omphala. But aren't the pantheists supposed to be navel gazers? Maybe in the next life.
My metaphysics is relational, as any idealist metaphysics should be. But how does one know that relations are real and not just figments of the mind?
My best answer is that relations have as much rationale to exist as anything else, and probably more. The only thing counting against them is their intangibility in the regard of the materialists.
If numbers can exist then certainly relations can. Where would physics be without its mathematical superstructure? What would it be without its virtual interactions, and what are those if not relational?
Is the past real? If it is, it is only in relation to some actual present.
Very few are the materialists or physicalists who would wish to deny causality, as David Hume famously did in the eighteenth century. Yet what is causality if it is not relational? True that causes are generally taken to be physical, but they do not consist of particles or fields per se, but rather a particular relation between different sets of circumstances or events. The collision of an asteroid with the earth caused the dinosaurs to become extinct, within the sub-narrative of naturalism. The two events are thusly related, and so they both become part of a larger causal/relational system.
If science is teaching us anything about the world it is the almost unlimited functional intricacy and interdependency of its parts, particularly as studied in the life sciences. Ecological science is specifically devoted to studying such relational systems. You can remove an entity from its ecological niche, but your understanding of it will be severely impoverished without understanding its relational context.
Come to think of it, there is no such thing as an isolated fact. Facts come in open collections. There is always the possibility that some new fact will totally change our understanding of all the others. A set of words can be put together as gibberish, or as the Gettysburg Address.
The isolated object, fact or word mean virtually nothing without regard to its relations. Put more strongly, unitary existence is virtually inconceivable.
In such manner does our increasing knowledge of the world logically confront us with a relational metaphysic. The singular and necessary existence of the Best Possible World is only at a slight remove from these considerations.
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If existence is based on relatedness, then it is a matter of degree. The degree of existence, however, is not something that can be directly observed. The Washington Monument exerts no more gravitation than its equivalent mass at the center of the earth. A rock on the surface of Mars is apparently just as solid as the one in your back yard.
Obviously the world would not work if solidity were a function or relatedness. Among other things, the earth would collapse, which could be most embarrassing. Physics works because it is so totally insinuated into our lives. And it is so insinuated just because it does its work. Is this circular? You bet'chya'. Creation is definitely a very participatory, bootstrap process.
As long as astronomers are able to keep pushing the telescopic limits, they will not run into any cosmic or logical brick walls. The sky will not literally fall on their heads. However, they will gradually come to appreciate that the starry heavens function as a logically necessary backdrop to our earthly pageant. A backdrop whose artistic potential is being increasingly realized! Is this being anthropocentric? Of course! More accurately it is being philocentric, if I may drop another bon mot.
Existence implies relatedness. Relatedness implies coherence, or comprehensibility. These invoke the operation of a principle of sufficient reason. In like manner, the PSR implies the BPW hypothesis as Gottfried was able to deduce several centuries ago. Trust me, Leibniz was no dummy. If he were alive today, I would be standing on line to polish his shoes. Thanks to the Darwinian Distraction, we can put away the polish, but not the bohunks, please.
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Immaterialism is the intellectual and psychological challenge that stands between us and complete understanding.
Down thru the ages, immaterialism and idealism have always been prevalent in philosophy and religion. That is true today. Even in modern philosophy, they continue to bubble up in various guises from just beneath the surface.
The successes of science have managed to keep a heavy lid on idealist speculation, especially in the last century. Postmodernism has raised the lid for metaphysical discourse amongst the intelligentsia, but this tolerance emphatically does not extend to questions concerning God and Cosmos.
The inhibitions and prohibitions on cosmological speculation are both intellectual and political. For the last three centuries, in case you missed it, there has been at least a cold war between religion and science. Just in the last two decades, it has become tolerable, if not quite respectable, for an academic to speculate about metaphysics as long as the God question is kept firmly in check. Anything more would be to provide an academic arena for the feared and reviled Creationists, for instance, and would seem too much like a unilateral disarmament after all these centuries of struggle. The mood is to just let the 'Cretans' find their own soap boxes. The emotional heat of battle is certainly not conducive to either side calmly considering the alternatives. Evidently that is our job.
On the intellectual side, Darwin and the Big Bang present a formidable obstacle to alternative cosmologies. Immaterialism is the only way to meet this obstacle without making it a direct confrontation on the materialists' own territory. We should wonder why the theists cannot find their way to the high road of idealism. Again, history provides a partial answer. Theists have grown much too comfortable with duality, and particularly with the duality of body and soul. Immaterialism carries the strong odor of pantheism and mysticism. They would much rather continue with the familiar skirmishes, than have to take on a whole new battlefield. Never underestimate the power of habit, especially in matters of the mind. None of us is immune to habit, but some of us feel more strongly the fascination of the uncharted.
Now you ought to have a better idea of from whence we come as we launch into these uncharted waters.
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Immaterialism (pt. 2)
Ever since I first speculated on such matters, I liked to think of myself as a transcendental pantheist, with a definite attraction to the saga of Jesus. It was only rather late in the game that I had to conclude there must be more than an aesthetic connection.
There are those who would equate modernism with rationalism, and so in advocating any sort of alternative to modernism, rationality and reason are given a correspondingly low priority.
Part of the rationale for this irrationality is the scientific view that mind is an accident of nature and it is what sets humans apart from nature. In order to get along in the world we must de-emphasize that which sets us apart from it. The way to survive is to go back to nature and/or back to our various traditions. Deep ecology, fundamentalism and postmodernism are the disparate responses.
Historically, rationalism has been based in theism. If reasoning is more than an accident of nature, then it must be based on the existence of a cosmic intelligence. In practice, however, the religious establishments have never been comfortable with the political possibility of free thought. Better to emphasize the authoritarian side of theism in prophecy and revelation, than open the gates to mass enlightenment or God knows what!
The printing press did open the doors of the intellect to the masses, nonetheless. But just in the nick of time, along came science to provide a tremendous outlet for a sustained but restricted intellectual endeavor. The standoff between religion and science was a way for the various authorities to keep the mass mind safely divided. The ultimately abortive outburst of dialectical materialism was the exception that proved the rule.
Now with the advent of the Internet, will the authorities find another stratagem to keep human reason in check? In the real-time global cacophony of the Internet, if there is a cosmic rationale, someone is bound to stumble upon it, and it is liable to make waves that no filter can stop. I guess we'll just have to stay tuned.
If there is a cosmic mind hiding somewhere behind nature and physics, the human mind will eventually reconnect with it, come hell or high water. With all the means now at our disposal, can we still believe that the time of concealment is not drawing to a close?
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A Metaphysical Introduction
Metaphysics was scorned by the analytical tradition for most of the last century. Only in the last decade or two has the academic rediscovery of consciousness forced the philosophers to reopen a metaphysical debate with regard to the venerable mind-body problem. In keeping with their analytical scruples, a narrow focus and the endless parsing of phrases is the order of the day for the Anglo-American philosophers. This is simply what it means to them to be professional. What you see on these pages would never pass muster. Sorry 'bout that!
The Continental philosophers never quite gave up on the mind. Phenomenology remains a wellspring, but much more fashionable of late has been the deconstructionist mentality of postmodernism. A mind set that seems to translate into English more readily than does phenomenology. In short, Metanarrative is scorned on both sides of the Atlantic.
By the same token is coherence scorned. The only good truth is a deconstructed analytical truth, e.g. spilling quantities of ink over the meaning of 'the cat is on the mat'. The fact that these scruples only lead up a blind alley is of precious little concern to the avid professionals.
What you see here is way, way out in left field. Just so as not to mislead you. I am obviously not trying to appeal to professionals. Only if an earnest band of amateurs can bring these matters to a broader public, might the professionals stoop to consider them. They are no longer equipped to deal with coherence, other than in trying to grind it down. We can only hope that they may be so provoked.
The surest sign of the coherence of the world is its increasingly notorious ability to resist analysis. Please keep in mind that veritable mountains of correlations in neuroscience or biochemistry provide not the slightest evidence for reductionism, per se. They only demonstrates that the coherence of nature logically necessitates the existence of irreducible entities, as the Greek philosophers readily deduced millennia ago. Nature exists not by induction on atoms, but rather atoms exist by deduction from nature. If you can appreciate this simple gestalt switch, you will be on the threshold of immaterialism.
Each individual mind is a locus of more or less coherence. Our seemingly unlimited capacity for communication indicates that mental coherence is a readily shared phenomenon. Is there a gene for coherence? Let me know when you find it! More likely there is a genius for coherence (as in Genie?!). The mountains of coherence and correlations within and between mind and nature can only point to a Source. Does not the anthropically biased mathematical superstructure of Physics point to a similar, or perhaps identical Source?
Are not all of us apprehensive about the ramifications of a reengagement with any such entity? Is not the metaphysics of the Source much too hot to handle? Much too dangerous? Well, let's just say, don't mess with the Source.
Topical Index
Topical Index


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Zoey 101 – Nintendo DS Description
Platform:Nintendo DS Players will take on the role of Zoey Brooks, played by Jamie Lynn Spears, as she embarks on a field trip to Red Stone Gulch Canyons with her friends. With the aid of a park ranger, players will learn the techniques needed to survive the seemingly hostile wilderness terrain once they become separated from their guide. ESRB Rated E for Everyone.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Does the idea of being happy seem difficult to you?
Life seems to be increasingly hard these days, whether you're the boss or not. Maybe you're simply having a hard time, or maybe you're a dopamine junkie looking to find a new summit of happiness. Whatever your reason, we all need a "happy brain boost" from time to time.
Even though it's not always easy, living a happy life doesn't have to be an out of reach goal or a temporary state of mind. Here are seven supreme methods you can use to boost your mood and elevate your happiness while crafting a happier life.
1. Practice Gratitude
More and more research is released every day on a myriad of topics. One of which is the effect of gratitude on our mental state.
Mental health professionals have had to confront this burning question: How can they help clients derive the greatest possible benefit from treatment in the shortest amount of time?
Through vigorous studies and modern technology, science has determined that gratitude is one of the most effective ways to manage anxiety and depression.
Have you ever noticed that the people who seem to be the happiest always say thank you and count their blessings?
While researching the effects of gratitude on our conscious and subconscious minds, the folks over at Berkeley discovered something incredible:
Gratitude unshackles us from toxic emotions and holds lasting effects on the brain.
By shifting our thoughts away from resentment and envy we can begin to process and organize the negative emotions attached to those thoughts. When you express how grateful you are, either to someone or to yourself, you change the physiology of your brain.
By pracicing gratitude, you are literally training your brain to be more likely to choose happiness again in a similar future scenario.
2. Use Your Phone Less
A study of more than 300 college students found heavier technology use was tied to greater risk for anxiety and depression, particularly among those using the devices as a "security blanket" — to avoid dealing with unpleasant experiences or feelings.WebMD
Have you ever felt enough discomfort to cause you to reach for your phone?
Have you ever reached for your phone and it wasn't there?
If you often find yourself reaching for a device to escape certain situations, you may be harming yourself more than you know.
Turning to [a] device whenever an uncomfortable situation or feeling arises can become an escapist pattern of behavior, and may make people more vulnerable to stressors due to insufficient emotional 'exercise.'
Next time your friends yell at you to get off your phone, head their advice. If you do, you may just be helping yourself find true happiness.
3. Meet New People (Even If It's Hard)
Face it — you're comfortable in your current circle.
Whether your circle consists of nobody or it's a detailed list of everyone within fifty miles of you, you're probably comfortable with it as is.
Meeting new people is important though. It plays a key role in producing new solutions to any problem.
By meeting and talking with new people you create an opportunity to solve your problems while solving other people's problems.
Oh, and worry not introverts — you don't have to become an extroverted conversation machine to benefit from this.
Meeting new people can be as simple as asking a cashier how their day is going or inquiring with wait staff about their most difficult customers.
The important part is finding a stranger and getting them to talk about themselves. Ask them questions, show interest, and listen. Most importantly, try to help them solve their problems.
If you can help them solve their issue, meanwhile finding a new perspective on any current problems you're facing, you effectively solve your problem.
It's a win-win for everyone involved and your brain falls under rapid fire with dopamine.
4. Laugh More
Laughing hosts a list of benefits for our body, well past just producing "feel-good" chemicals.
A good sense of humor can't cure all ailments, but data is mounting about the positive things laughter can do.
When you laugh, it isn't just an ode to great times. There are actually physical changes happening inside your body when you laugh.
Potential short-term effects of laughing include:
- Stimulating blood flow to multiple organs
- Activating and relieving our stress response
- Soothing current muscular tension
There are also long-term benefits to laughter which could seriously revitalize you and benefit your life. Some of the long-term effects of laughter are:
- An improved immune system
- Increased resistance to and relief from pain
- Increased connection to the people around you
- Lessened feelings of depression and/or anxiety
Try it for yourself. Put a smile on your face, forced or not, and laugh as hard as you can. Whether you sound like a goofy evil villain or a perfect laugh track, let it out without shame.
Do your muscles feel more at peace? Is your brain a little less foggy? That's the magic of laughter, hard at work to make you feel better.
5. Practice Creativity, Even If You Hate It
If you're struggling to feel happy, try writing a song, poem, or a story. Even one page will help you feel like you've achieved some level of creativity.
Painting, learning to play an instrument, writing stories, singing and dancing are also fantastic creative outlets which can boost your mood.
In a recent study, researchers provided almost forty people with art supplies such as markers and paper, and told them to create anything they wanted over a period of 45 minutes. The scientists discovered that no matter the artistic experience of the participants, about 75 percent experienced a decrease in their levels of cortisol, a hormone that the body secretes to respond to stress.
Creative stimulation is less about what you actually produce and more about the process of getting there. It distracts us from the absurdity of our minds and focuses us away from our anxiety and depression.
By focusing intensely on a creative task, you can achieve the state of "flow," […] which is typically defined as the "optimal state of consciousness where we feel our best and perform our best."
When we dissolve into the process of creating something, we essentially lose ourselves with the process. We no longer attach to the anxious feelings of "how will I pay my bills" or "am I good enough?"
Of course, not all of us are jazz musicians or songwriters. But, we should still engage in a creative life — because we might live longer.
I don't know about you, but the idea of being able to live a longer, healthier life certainly makes me happy. As if finding your "flow" state isn't enough, now you can happily create into the extra years of life you've given to yourself.
6. Spend Less Money On "Things"
While everyone wants to know how to save more money, some of us live under the illusion that having money in our savings account is merely a pipe dream.
If you're a millennial, you especially need to read this. Whether your money goes to food or objects, retail therapy isn't as effective as you'd think.
The problem is, happiness over material items fades — fast.
We buy things to make us happy, and we succeed. But only for a while. New things are exciting to us at first, but then we adapt to them.Dr. Gilovich
Instead of pouring our money into items we deem "necessary", we should instead live minimally in an effort to afford experiences.
Think about it: material trinkets may help you shine externally, but experiences define your internal purpose and passion.
Through identifying experiences that have shaped you and your dreams, you better realize the "ultimate" version of yourself. In understanding yourself better, you can more clearly set goals.
Experiences introduce you to new perspectives, life lessons and the importance of gratitude. Take traveling, for example. If you live in New York City and travel to West Virginia, you may realize the pros and cons of living in the Big Apple. Even though there's culture, public transportation and plenty to do, that weekend trip south made you appreciate nature, the quiet and the beauty of clear, starry nights.
7. Enjoy The Benefits of Nature
"Across the way, hundreds of birds are singing along to their own tune. Each one whistles a pretty little note among the symphony of the forest. Behind you an acorn drops, crunching leaves and scattering the squirrels. Sunlight glimmers through the forest canopy, shimmering on a nearby pool of water. Insects hum and buzz as they whiz by you towards flowers and tree bark. There is excitement around every corner of your surroundings, and yet, life is still."
As an avid camper, hiker, and nature enthusiast alike, I saved the best for last. If you're truly struggling beyond your own wisdom and can't seem to escape the daunting task of life, enjoying some time in nature is hands down the most effective "medicine".
In today's age of high technology, research shows that our hunger for the natural world still endures. In fact, our connections with nature could just be the best medicine for people of all ages—improving our health, happiness, and well-being. Those same connections could also heal the planet.https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-moment-youth/201403/does-nature-make-us-happy
Intense anxiety can cause you to hyper-focus on more stimuli than should be humanly possible. Luckily, losing yourself in a forest is one of the best places to combat that hyper-attentive focus.
In fact, the extensive list of stimuli in nature is the very reason it benefits our minds.
The results of their research suggest that "nature relatedness has a distinct happiness benefit" beyond the more generalized benefit of feeling connected to family, friends, and home. Our connection to nature also correlated with most measures of human well-being, indicating it may play an extremely important role in maintaining positive mental health.
Not only does connecting with nature improve our ability to connect with friends, family, and colleagues. It improves every facet of our life, from preparedness to mental state. It's no wonder we find such solace in nature considering the fact that humans evolved in natural settings.
Happiness Isn't A State Of Being, It's The Acceptance Of Being
It's no secret that even the most successful men and women struggle with different aspects of life. We all struggle through it at some point. What sets the happy apart from the miserable is their ability to breathe, let go, and accept the circumstances as they are.
If you're struggling through life and can't find relief no matter what you've tried, please consider finding professional help. SAMSHA offers wonderful resources, free of charge, for those who are struggling.
Have a question you want answered or an opinion you'd like covered? Ask below in the comments and you just might get a response!
Don't forget to follow my blog for instant updates on new content, free e-books, and more.


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Connecticut plastic surgeon Dr. Mahony was the leader sponsor of the 2011 Designer Power Breakfast for the philanthropic organization Near & Far Aid Designer House Tour. The breakfast at the Patterson Club in Fairfield featured celebrated designer Jamie Drake. The co-chairs for the Breakfast at the Patterson Club were Kim Heyn and Donna Bowen. The House Tour featured five exceptional designer homes in exclusive enclaves of Westport, Southport and Greenfield Hill. Following the tour, a "Toast the Tour" cocktail reception culminated the day at a beautiful home on the water in Southport.
Left to Right: Pam Simon, Sandi Staley, Dr. Mahony, and Michele Mirabel
Left to Right: Nance Vigneau, Donna Craft, Jamie Drake,Dr. Mahony, Dabney Bowen, and Kim Heyn
Speaker, Jamie Drake
Donna Craft and Kim Heyn
Left to Right: Nance Vigneau, Donna Craft, Dr. Mahony, Dabney Bowen, and Kim Heyn
Dr. Mahony


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Jesus Christ is Lord
The annual Malacca Bible Camp (Chinese Section starts today and ends on 13 December 2014)
Visitors are welcome to hear the Word of the Lord every evening at 8pm throughout the camp week. We would be happy to help explain the Bible and the
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Yeah, anatomy must play a big role here.
Cause my chin are HARD. lol. I can't pinch any skin..
Type: Posts; User: Asphyxia
Yeah, anatomy must play a big role here.
Cause my chin are HARD. lol. I can't pinch any skin..
I've always wondered this myself ! Same with the chin !!!
I actually forgot about this.. lol..
Can you tell I've been "away" for a while?? Hahah..
But that's good !
My lobes have definetly thickened up over the years, which is a good thing. Exept if...
I have:
4 nostril piercings (2 on each side)
2 Septums
And used to have a pair of high nostrils (1 on each side)
And my nose KILLED.. I HATE, abolutely HATE piercing my nose. so I can't even...
Even tho I've had it for so many years I've rarely posted pictures of it..
1. I don't wanna inspire anyone into doing one. Cause really, it's a pretty "stupid" piercing with minimal chance of...
Thank you !!
They're pretty cheap, so I may just give them a try.. ^^
I'm wondering if the bigger sizes are 8mm too? Like in 19mm..
Wow, I haven't heard that one before.. :eek:
Snakebites have always been a very used name in my head. I've always used it and so have many others. :)
I just find it annoying when people...
My post fucked up and now it won't let me edit it.. >_<
1) How much does it cost approximately?- Mine was free as I did it myself.. NOT RECOMMENDED !2) How have you dealt with regrowth?- I re-cut mine about once or twice a year. But my regrowth are only...
I have a surface piercing that's now over 9 years old. It's on my inner wrist..
BUT I was truely lucky. I've had serveral surface piercings reject on me over the years.
And now only do in Micro...
Oh, sweet. :tongue: I was wondering this myself !
Cause while I CAN wear 6mm width in my 2g inner conch, the flaired irritates it alot.
So if the BJS ones are 8mm I may give them a try.. :)
No, not even when I had 5 or my 4g tongue piercing....
If a mod gives it a sticky they're free to change the title.. :)
I've never heard that one !
Or seen it.. :o
Well thank you....
Added.. ^^
Me 2 !
I talked to a friend, and it turned out she went from a shark bite to a dolphin. It sounded quite silly. Hahah..
I'm glad if it can help people adleast.. :)
Yeah, and...
I think the jewellery was earring studs. Either that or labrets.
I tried doing a picture to the best of my memory... :(
Updated with more names...
It is... lol.. Ooops.!!!!
Just edited the picture to correct it..
Yeah, it seriously makes NO SENSE most of the time !!!!
Shark bite? WTF ! lol..
God damn.. :(
So I clearly don't have better things to do at 5 in the morning than surf around the web.
And once again I find some incredible annoying absolutely no point "bites" piercing name... :furious3:
Labrets I believe.. But definetely jewellery ! :)
Thanks !!!!
Doesn't anyone remember that picture..?? :(
That picture that was kinda hot a few years back..
It was an ear, with a cat in the outer conch / flat, followed by 3 or so tiny stars..
I wanted to show a friend that picture, but now I can't find...
Yeah ! I just wish I had angled it more inside my ear.
But I was afraid to go too deep too..
Thank you !
Yeah I'd guess that too, I'm just not much of a fan of barbells in Daiths.. :frown:
Now I kinda feels it's at an angle.. :itchy_chin:
I know it's already slightly swollen and that the 9mm ring is too big.. But, idk.....
What do you guys think ?


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Monday 10 Jun 2019
The first day of June saw people across China celebrating Children's Day, so we decided to get involved too!
We organised a series of events to celebrate children working together and taking responsibility for themselves. Children from Grades 1 to 6 were put into mixed groups and had to imagine that they were shipwrecked on an island. Together, they came up with a flag, a set of rules to live by on the island, a uniform and a game to play to pass the time.
The students involved loved showing leadership, creativity and teamwork, and at the end they earned gifts and food to celebrate their hard work and kindness.


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Super Écran is the only premium French-language network in Canada that broadcasts TV premieres of films, exclusive and original series, and variety shows. Super Écran offers commercial-free viewing on four channels available in HD, with five new films every weekend. Super Écran is also available via On Demand, online and through the Super Écran GO app.
Super Écran is a division of Bell Media.


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Campmate, a new camping, glamping and caravanning app, will bring more than 600 beautifully rendered UK campsites and holiday parks to the fingertips of iPhone users.
With more than 15 million camping trips taking place in the UK every year, the team behind Campmate say the free app is the sector's most visually appealing. Every campsite, glamping site and holiday park featured on Campmate is illustrated with high quality pictures, maps and detailed information about facilities, available accommodation and things to do in the local area.
Martin Smith, founder of Campsites.co.uk, who developed the app says: "Holidays are such a visual experience and we saw the opportunity to bring the visual style of Campsites.co.uk to an app. Campmate features big pictures and an easy interface that has been designed to mimic the iTunes design people are already so familiar with."
Campmate allows users to tailor searches by a wide range of facility filters, such as whether locations have pools, children's clubs or various types of sports and leisure activity. The app also includes lifestyle preferences such as sites that are adult only, allow pets or have a peaceful atmosphere.
The start up experience sets the tone for Campmate, with a fun on-boarding session that helps users download more than 600 campsites and holiday parks. Searches are started by entering a region, county or town, or by using the phone's GPS to find a site nearby. As the search process takes place users can tag their preferred sites to add them to a list of favorites, ready to be instantly recalled during future uses of the app.
Smith says Campmate is launching at a key point for the UK holiday industry, with Brexit pushing up the cost of holidays abroad for UK holidaymakers and the plummeting pound making Britain cheaper for foreign tourists.
He says: "Since the economic downturn in 2008 the popularity of UK staycations has grown and we expect Brexit to push this trend still further. This growth has been great for the glamping sector, with UK campsites introducing a huge array of high quality accommodation to grab the attention of this new audience, with everything from tipis to treehouses, camping pods to airstream caravans available to book. Campmate fills a hole in the market for an app that makes finding these amazing sites easier."


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Behind the Scenes of C-Suite - Walking
Jeffrey Hayzlett takes you behind the scenes of the C-Suite with Jeffrey Hayzlett. In this episode, Jeffrey visits the Seattle Sounders, a Major League Soccer team. In this clip, Jeffrey talks to you about walking. Tune in Tuesday at 9:30P ET/PT to Bloomberg Television to catch the whole episode!


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The Political Economy Workshop meets Mondays, 4:30-6:00pm. All sessions will meet in 127 Corwin Hall, unless otherwise noted. If you have questions, please contact the workshop organizers: Thomas Fujiwara and Matias Iaryczower. To join the PEW-RPPE list serve for weekly announcements, please email Lindsay Woodrick.
We exploit institutional changes in the enforcement of water quality regulations in California, and study regulatory discretion by identifying and estimating a structural model of strategic interactions between a regulator and a privately-informed discharger.


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The Discovery Farms program is a farmer-led effort to gather information on soil and nutrient loss on farms in different settings across Minnesota. The mission of Discovery Farms Minnesota is to gather water quality information under real-world conditions.
This project addresses five reaches of the Minnesota River that have aquatic recreation impairments as identified by high concentrations of E. coli. The project will describe the water quality impairments, complete pollutant source assessments, establish loading capacities and allocations for the impairments, and develop implementation strategies.
The goal of this project is to test the sensitivity of the Zumbro River Watershed Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) model management scenario results. Additional goals are to develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for impaired stream reaches and Rice Lake, which will be documented in a TMDL Report. The consultant will apply the existing calibrated and validated Zumbro River Watershed HSPF model to construct load duration curves to develop TMDLs.


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Uplift your Self-Confidence and Talent over the Summer at 2nd2Nunn Sports "Life of an Athlete" Basketball Clinic! Live of an Athlete Clinic is designed to educate our student athletes through the proper techniques and fundamentals of the six components of athletic performance – Strength, Power, Speed, Mobility, Nutrition, and Recovery. At the same time we will work to keep you on top of your game by incorporating drills that will help you on your shooting, passing, dribbling, rebounding, and defensive skills.
Not only will our student athletes gain a better understanding of the tools that we will be providing them, they will also become more knowledgeable of the work that it takes to become an Elite Athlete.
This basketball clinic is designed for the devoted basketball players willing to educate the mind and train the body to reach new levels mentally and physically in their game. The clinic will focus on enhancing one's knowledge and their skills of the game of basketball by putting them through rigorous offensive and defensive individual drills.
July 15th – 19th,
July 22nd – 26th,
July 29th – August 2nd, &
August 5th – August 9th
Monday – Friday | 9am – 5pm with 8:30am drop off.
The cost for the week is $200.


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Iconic "owl eye" mug from Holkham Hall Pottery. The pottery closed in 2007 after 56 years and this looks to be a later model. There are a couple of small chips to the glazeon the rim; one on the underside, the smaller on the top but they are not too noticeable and will not interfere with use.
10.5cm x 9cm
View here for further information.


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Since the surge in variety of Nakd Bars a lot of companies have started to produce their own version of a healthy raw snack bar. Here are 3 raw snack bars & my thoughts... 1. Onli Natural Bars*: Cold pressed, raw bars with no added sugar & high in fibre, also one of your five-a-day! For … Continue reading Raw Snack Bars
Vegan YouTubers
YouTube has become one of my fav platforms to gain inspiration for amazing plant-based recipes, restaurants to visit & 'what I eat in a day' videos. Here are some of my favourite people to watch, there's too many to mention them all!!!...Who do you rate? My Top 5: Madeleine Olivia: Youtube Website Instagram Best for: Easy-to-follow, budget/student friendly … Continue reading Vegan YouTubers
Cafe Rouge Review
Last weekend I visited Cafe Rouge with family, not my usual choice to eat out at, but I was pleasantly surprised by the vegan options. Of course being a French restaurant meat, fish & cheese dominate the menu however they clearly label the vegan choices & aren't just the typical boring salad & sorbet!! Website … Continue reading Cafe Rouge Review
Pie Minister Review
I visited Pie Minister earlier this year & can't wait to go back! It's shabby chic interior sets the relaxed vibes for this eatery. It caters well for both vegans & non-vegans, perfect for a casual, affordable meal out. Website Food: Vegan options were clearly labelled on the main menu & they had a whole … Continue reading Pie Minister Review
7 Steps to a Happy Veganuary
So we're almost done with Veganuary but before it's over I wanted to share my 5 tips for going vegan: 1.Find vegan alternatives to the foods you love: probably my biggest tip. Going vegan doesn't mean you should miss out on the foods & flavours you love. There's so many supermarkets options out there for 'non-vegan … Continue reading 7 Steps to a Happy Veganuary
M&S Plant Kitchen Launch
Last week I was invited to the Marks & Spencer's Launch of their new Vegan Range...Plant Kitchen! Now unless you've been hiding under a rock this Veganuary you would've already seen the range taken off in shops & blow up big time on social media. It's incredible what's being offered to vegans already and we're … Continue reading M&S Plant Kitchen Launch


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OPI Breakfast At Tiffany's Infinite Shine includes 1 Primer, 1 Gloss, and 1 Gel-Lacquer, for all of your customers that need perfect nails that last up to 10 days. No Light required. Each bottle contains 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz. This lot Comes with 12 sets with the 3 steps that everyone needs:
- Step 1 Prime.
- Step 2 Gel Lacquer: Ring the Buzzer Tone.
- Step 3 Gloss.
Product Details
- Product Type: No Light Gel-Lacquer.
What's included
- 12 Sets of OPI Breakfast At Tiffany's Infinite Shine.


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Duke/Kansas Block ?
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Sat Mar 31, 2018, 08:07pm
just another ref
We don't rent pigs
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 7,627
Originally Posted by
All of this talk about legal guarding position got me thinking (dangerous, I know).
Before a sideline throwin by A1, B5 fronts post player A5 near the elbow. B5 is facing the basket. A1 inbounds to A2 who immediately dribbles toward the basket and runs into B5, hitting B5 square in the back, causing B5 to fall onto the court. B5 has not moved an inch since before the throwin.
Since B5 never had legal guarding position (never faced A2), is this never a player control foul on A2, and always a blocking foul on B5?
Or not, because B5 was never guarding A2, but was guarding A5?
(Note: I'm trying to scrutinize the definitions of guarding, and legal guarding position.)
This is not a LGP situation. Read the part about each player being entitled to a spot on the court as long as it was achieved legally............or something to that effect.
I swear, Gus, you'd argue with a possum.
It'd be easier than arguing with you, Woodrow.
Lonesome Dove
just another ref
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Video Project Description
In this video, we see an event come to life from a bare bones tent to guests enjoying a party set in Paris France's Red District, home to the notorious Moulin Rouge. The video starts off with Designs by Jody's owner talking about how she begins to plan an event. "A fun part about my business is trying to crawl inside people's heads, and find out what their fantasy really is." This video shows that with organization and a lot of team work it is possible to bring fantasies to life.
Throughout the course of the video, we see the Moulin Rouge fantasy party becoming a reality piece by piece. With each piece, a vendor speaks about event planning and coordination as well as working with Designs by Jody. This video shows just how many different aspects are involved in putting together a large production event, such as the one shown in the video.
As each partner speaks name keys appear with their title and the company they work with. Testimonials from vendor partners are a great way to show customers who will be involved in the services and products you provide. In Designs by Judy's case – we can see that the event involves a lot of people. Customers care about the people involved in the products and services they buy, a video of a company's team working with vendor partners allows customers to see your products and services coming to life.
Jody comes back at the end of the video as the party begins. She explains, "You can't be a day late for a party." This statement emphasizes how important it is that everyone involved be organized and all the details happen at just the right time. She says that planning a successful event takes some sleepless nights, but that she does enjoy the positive nature of her work.


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OK, folks: It's last week of August. The worst month of the year is almost over. Soon we'll be able to go outside without overheating, getting a third-degree sunburn, or drowning in sweat. Sure, the weather will still be hot — it al...


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By Aramis Barron
Sigurd Martinez is a straightforward boy with a unmarried target: taking good care of his kinfolk.
But within the warmth of the wilderness solar, the violence and corruption of gangland Mexico make it more durable and more durable to inform what's worthy battling for, and what sort of is worthy sacrificing to get it.
Back within the convenience of the suburbs, air of mystery Roberts is readjusting to her lifestyles after a coarse summer season jam-packed with mayhem and insanity.
With assistance from a spoony bard and an previous pal, she's made up our minds to mend the mess she's created.
Though those idealistic youths have by no means met, they're approximately to discover they've got even more in universal than simply a nasty poet.
Read or Download Dustland Requiem (A Bard's Folktale, Book 2) PDF
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Additional info for Dustland Requiem (A Bard's Folktale, Book 2)
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Lorena grabbed her prayer book off the counter and headed outside. Adelais watched her go, and wandered back out onto the rear porch shortly 25 ARAMIS BARRON after. He took a seat and leaned his head against the railing, watching a loose chicken run from a nearby coop. " A hand mussed up his hair as it rubbed his head. He grabbed the wrist and pulled it over his shoulder, flipping Siggy over him and dropping his little brother on his back in the dirt. Siggy lay there for a moment, trying to regain the wind that had been knocked out of him.
If I let 'im go, he woulda ended up killin' 'er. " "Maybe you're right Ade, maybe. But you're talkin' about killin' all of 'em now. " "I ain't soft like you. I dunno if I can even feel sad. Don't have any tears. " "We can't keep on like this. " "Yeah? " "I…" Siggy stopped himself. " Siggy nodded. Adelais stood up, helping Siggy to his feet. Adelais began walking off, getting a few paces ahead of Siggy—who was struggling to keep up—before stopping and turning around. Looking back to his brother, Adelais took a knee, kneeling in front of Siggy.
They remained for a moment, deadlocked. Lorena's ankle began to give way, forcing Siggy to lean to carry the bulk of her weight. She couldn't walk, but she refused to be carried. Siggy turned away, forcing Lorena to hobble along with him back to the bar. Adelais snorted, picking up the bleeding dog and 30 A BARD'S FOLKTALE: DUSTLAND REQUIEM carrying it closely behind them as he watched the banditos mount their steed and ride off into the desert. 31 6. " – Adelais's Scratch Pad Adelais carried Perrito, the ragged town dog, into the bar and set the stray on the floor.


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With God in the Flames
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Imagine yourself some years in the future. Britain is now a hard-line Muslim state. And the Quran has contradictory things to say about how a Muslim state should treat the non-Muslims within it. On the one hand, surah 2 of the Quran says this: 'Let there be no compulsion in religion' (Q2:256). But on the other hand, surah 9 says this: 'Fight and slay the pagans wherever you find them.' (Q9:5) And since one principle of reading the Quran is that later surahs abrogate (ie, 'trump') earlier ones, fighting and slaying the pagans is logically what a hard-line Muslim state might do. So imagine you're in it. And there's a knock on the door. And it's the religious police. And the question is what thousands of our brothers and sisters in Indonesia have faced: will you submit to Islam, or die?
That's the situation we're going to look at tonight as we continue our series in the Old Testament (OT) book of Daniel. We're going to look at the example of three OT believers faced with the same choice: submit to a false god, or die.
Now I realise you may already be tempted to tune out because you're thinking, 'I will almost certainly never face that situation.' But we may. And even if we don't, we need to learn that being a Christian means being willing to lose anything and everything rather than deny the Lord Jesus. And to see that from his own mouth, would you turn first to Mark 8.34. Jesus has just predicted how he will be rejected and die on a cross.V34:
34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself [ie, what self wants, is no longer what rules your life, but what Jesus wants. He must deny himself…] and take up his cross and follow me [ie, be willing for what Jesus predicted for himself – namely rejection up to and including the point of death as a result of siding with him]. 35For whoever wants to save his life [by denying Christ] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. (Mark 8.34-35)
We like to think there are two types of Christians: 1) the 'elite', who are willing to lose anything and everything for Christ; and 2) those who are just willing to lose a bit - but nothing too extreme. And Jesus says: no. There is one and only one definition of a Christian and it's Mark 8.34. The definition is that I am a person who is willing to lose anything and everything rather than deny the Lord Jesus. And if I can't say that, as well as show some evidence of what I have so far lost for Christ, I am not a Christian. And if you can't say that as well as show some evidence of what you have so far lost for Christ, you are not a Christian, either. So Daniel 3 is not just about an extreme situation with no relevance to us. It's about the mark of a genuine Christian – and whether or not we can see that mark in ourselves.
So would you now turn to Daniel 3. This is the example of three believers who were willing to lose anything and everything rather than deny the Lord. You'll remember they'd been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon, and were now living in a pagan culture under a pagan king. In chapter 1 we saw how King Nebuchadnezzar re-trained them for his own civil service and how, under pressure to conform at every point, Daniel and his friends drew a line over eating the king's food. Then in chapter 2 we saw how Daniel interpreted one of the king's dreams which showed that God is the ultimate King and his future kingdom is the ultimate kingdom – ie, that there are bigger realities in life to take into account than, for instance, pagan kings who threaten to kill you. But in chapter 3, that threat is exactly what comes to Daniel's three friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. I've got three headings:
First, THE THREAT TO BELIEVERS (vv1-7)
[Verse 1:] King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. (v1)
So this was basically the Angel of the North minus its wings and with more gold plate than Gateshead council could possibly afford. And it stands for the gods that Nebuchadnezzar worshipped. Read on, v2:
2 [Nebuchadnezzar] then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." (vv2-6)
So that was the threat to believers: government-enforced submission to a false god. So what would be similar situations today?
Well, one would be the hard-line Muslim state. Because in Islam, government and god are linked, just like Nebuchadnezzar and his false gods were. And as we've seen, one strand of the Quran's teaching permits the Muslim to fight and slay the pagans. So here's a quote from a contemporary Muslim leader in Nigeria explaining to Muslims how to apply that part of the Quran:
"If you are living with a non-Muslim in your area, and you want him to go, you simply call him and tax him [that's the tax the Quran talks about as a sign of submission to Islam]. You tell him that he will live in your neighbourhood only on condition that he pays tax… If he refuses… then you have to advise him on three occasions that I will be coming at [a certain] date to wage war against you. Only when he consistently proves obstinate are you allowed, in Islam, to wage war against him. The intention is to ensure that he is well prepared." [Cross & Crescent, Colin Chapman, IVP, p287]
That's Islam: government and god linked. So that although Islamic states differ, it's consistent with one strand of the Quran's teaching to demand that non-Muslims go, submit, or die.
In some other political regimes, government is 'god'. Eg, Communism: it's officially atheistic, it says there is no God. And the government then takes the place of god and tries to make absolute demands on people, including demands on what they believe. And although the situation in China, for instance, is changing, there is still a large amount of government-enforced persecution of Christians.
Just for the record, the Biblical view is that God – the one true God of the Bible – is above government, and that the church is independent of government (it should not be influenced by government, but should be trying to influence government); and that although we are under government, we are ultimately under God so that if government requires of us submission to a false god, or any other course of action against God's will, we must say No.
So coming closer to home, our Government is working on the Equality Bill. The false god in this case is the god of the individual, the god of my individual right to have my lifestyle choices affirmed by everyone. And the Bill will almost certainly affect charities which own buildings (eg, us). It's been proposed that charities should lose their charitable status unless they're willing to rent their premises to anyone. So you couldn't legally refuse a Muslim group, or a pro-gay group, or the Satanists. But as Christians, we would have to say, 'No.'
But it's not just government that can enforce submission to false gods. The culture does it. And the false god which our culture enforces is pluralism – ie, the belief that the many (plural) religions are all equally true. And it's just like Nebuchadnezzar setting up his image. He wasn't asking you to stop worshipping your own god. He was just asking you to worship his as well. And, today, pluralism says, 'We don't mind you worshipping your Jesus; but you must affirm that other religions are valid paths to God as well. And if you don't, we'll call you intolerant or bigoted or (insult of insults) fundamentalist.' To which a Christian has to say, 'No.' Because Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth and the life; no-one comes to the Father except through me.' (John 14.6)
But it's not just government and culture. Lesser powers can enforce submission to false gods. Eg, a school head teacher may try to enforce pluralism. So when he asks a Christian to do an assembly, he says, 'You must only talk about God in a way that people of all faiths could agree with. And only pray in a way that people of any faith could go along with. Don't mention Jesus.' To which a Christian has to say, 'No.' Or, eg, a hospital trust may try to enforce pluralism. A Christian surgeon I know of has just been suspended without any hearing. And the only possible thing against him is that he's known for asking everyone on whom he operates whether they'd let him share his faith with them. But pluralism says, 'You shall not evangelise' (because that is to imply what someone else currently believes is wrong), to which a Christian has to say, 'No.' Or, eg, a business may try to enforce submission to the false god money. This isn't true of all business, but I've mentioned before the friend of mine who was asked at interview whether he would lie for the company (eg, 'Will you tell them we can deliver by the date they want, even though we can't, in order to land the contract?') To which a Christian has to say, 'No.'
Those are exact parallels to this situation in Daniel 3. Where the powers that be try to enforce submission to a false god - whether by written or unwritten law. And it has wider application to when the powers that be try to enforce anything against God's will – eg, if doctors were ever obliged to provide euthanasia. So, back to Daniel 3 and v7:
7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. (v7)
So most people do bow down to this god Nebuchadnezzar has set up – even though it's obviously false and foolish to do so. And nothing has changed. So, today, most people do bow down to pluralism even though 10 seconds' thought shows that it's false and foolish: eg, if Christianity says Jesus is the Son of God and was crucified for us, and Islam says he isn't the Son of God and wasn't crucified, then obviously they cannot both be true. Pluralism shown false in less than 10 seconds. People don't believe pluralism because it's true but because it's convenient. Again, today, more and more people bow down to the god of the individual whose lifestyle choices must be affirmed. But experience of those lifestyle choices shows that that, too, is false and foolish. Eg, I helped a guy (not from Newcastle) recently who's actively gay and considering turning to Christ. And he said how 'awful' and 'disgusting' and 'utterly unsatisfying' the gay scene is (his words). So why do you do it? 'I'm addicted.'
And if you're not yet a Christian, you'll find yourself there in v7, bowing down with the majority to gods, to values, to politically correct ideas that you know in your heart of hearts are false and foolish. (And I must confess on behalf of Christians that we are still inconsistent in this regard.) But peer pressure and fear keep you a regular worshipper. Non-Christians often look at Christians and think, 'Poor people. Can't get drunk, can't have sex outside marriage, etc, etc. I'm so glad I'm free.' But in actual fact, if you're not yet a Christian it's you who's not free, who's there in the crowd in v7, conforming like everyone else.
That's the threat to believers.
Secondly, THE RESPONSE OF BELIEVERS (vv8-18)
8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10 You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up." (vv8-12)
I take it that means Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego's first response was quiet non-conformity. They didn't directly challenge Nebuchadnezzar; they had to be 'shopped' to him by others. And sometimes quiet non-conformity is the best we can do – eg, as here, under an absolute dictator, where you've no way of changing things. But in a democracy, we do have a way of attempting to change things - and should use it. And numerous MP's have said that what changed things over the Religious & Racial Hatred Bill was Christians campaigning. But sometimes, quiet non-conformity is the best you can do for the Lord. But you may then get shopped. Read on, v13:
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?" (vv13-15)
And in those last words you catch something of the megalomania of the man. It would be similar if in the case of that suspended surgeon I mentioned, the director of the hospital were to call him in and say, 'You know, your name will be black-listed. You might never work again. And I know you've still got kids to get through university. Where will you be able to go from here if we sack you?' As if you're ultimately in a hospital director's hand, or Nebuchadnezzar's hand, rather than in the hand of Almighty God. As if he couldn't get you another job, or rescue you one way or the other from a furnace. So here's the next part of the believer's reaction, v16:
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. [Ie, we are certain he is able to rescue us, and we are confident that he will. But you can't be certain that God will rescue you, you can't presume to know the future that only he knows, so,…] 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (vv16-18)
Ie, we're willing to lose anything and everything rather than deny the Lord. So what enables a believer to say that? Keep a paw in Daniel 3 and turn back to Mark 8.35. Jesus speaking, v35:
35For whoever wants to save his life [that is, by denying the Lord] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man [ie, Jesus] will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8.35-38)
What enables a believer to say 'I'm willing to lose anything and everything rather than deny the Lord Jesus' is the conviction that what matters more than anything in this life is where we spend the next life – in the new creation with Christ, or in hell without him. Jesus died and rose again, as we remember in communion, to pay for our place in the new creation. And if we've accepted him, and therefore know we're going there, we must learn to say to ourselves, 'That will compensate for anything and everything I lose now as a result of following him.' So, what if being an active, evangelising Christian loses us the approval of friends? We have the compensation of knowing that on that last day, we will have the approval of Jesus. And at that moment we'll be in no doubt that it's better to have his approval and welcome, than the approval of others.
While I was doing my bit against the Racial & Religious Hatred Bill, I thought about being prosecuted and prison. I think that's a likelihood for some of us in our lifetime, and that it would be very hard. Some of you remember Bishop Howell Davis who's visited us. He worked in Uganda and was imprisoned by the regime. He once joked to me that it gave him more time for Bible reading. But I don't doubt that that joke covered over a lot he wouldn't wish to remember or speak about. It's very hard when a society says 'You don't belong' by putting you in prison. But actually, we don't ultimately belong here. And we can't ultimately be comfortable here – in prison or out – except by being compromised. But we have the compensation of knowing we will one day belong in a sin-free world where there is no longer any opposition to Christ – either within us, or around us.
And worst case scenario: what if I, what if you, had to be thrown into a furnace (or equivalent)? I hate pain. And I don't know how long it would last. But the compensation is that your next conscious experience beyond death would be to be with Christ forever.
That's what enables the response of believers.
Thirdly, THE WITNESS OF BELIEVERS (vv19-30)
Would you turn back to Daniel 3.19:
Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?"
They replied, "Certainly, O king."
25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." [Ie, in some way, God is present with them.]
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!"
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. (vv19-27)
You may be thinking that sounds like fiction, not fact. So can I say: the other details of this account are supported by evidence outside the Bible. We do know there were these huge images in the ancient world; we do know of these titles for government officials from other writings of the time; we do know that these furnaces were used for capital punishment. The only detail that really raises the question is the miracle. And if you're saying, 'It couldn't have happened,' I'm saying, 'It could if the God of the Bible is really there. And there's not much point in investigating the Bible if you've closed your mind in advance to the possibility that he is.'
Look finally at Nebuchadnezzar's reaction:
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way."
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon. (vv28-30)
Now Nebuchadnezzar didn't 'become a Christian' at this point (to use our language). But he did get some sense that their God was real. And look at what gave him that in v28: it was partly the miracle. But partly also the fact that they 'were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.' And that part of their witness would have been the same whether or not God had chosen to rescue them. And it's vital to say that because the lesson of this passage is emphatically not that God will always rescue his people like this. Read the rest of Daniel, read the rest of the Bible, read church history (in which there were more Christian martyrs in the 20th century than in the previous 19 centuries put together), and you cannot reach the conclusion that God will always rescue like this.
And the point is: we witness to God's reality by being willing to lose anything and everything rather than deny him – regardless of any rescue here and now. So think of my friend who said in that job interview, 'No, I wouldn't lie for the company – I'm a Christian.' There was no 'rescue' or miracle for him. No-one on the panel said, 'At last, a man of integrity: give him a job! In fact, make him managing director!' There was no miracle. But they saw the witness of a man who was willing to lose a job rather than deny the Lord Jesus. And the reality of Christ was felt in that office that day.
And that's the mark of the genuine Christian. Not the one whose life is a string of rescues and vindications in the eyes of the world. But the one who says, 'I'm willing to lose anything and everything rather than deny the Lord Jesus. Because I know that, when he comes again, I will be the winner beyond a shadow of a doubt.'