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Latest Blog Entries |
Latest Mood |
Author |
Views |
Last Post |
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Night before New Year's Eve (2 Replies)
|  Currently: Watching just cant watch anymore bad TV |
 Mood: Distorted |
kbullfrog |
54 |
Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:00 am |
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Large Scale Ocean Based Algae Farming (0 Replies)
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None |
Robert Tulip |
226 |
Wed Dec 24, 2008 6:21 am |
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Roberto Bolano, 2666 (0 Replies)
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 Mood: Hypnotized |
kbullfrog |
162 |
Wed Dec 24, 2008 2:08 am |
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Hello, and welcome! (0 Replies)
|  Currently: Eating getting ready for christmas! |
 Mood: Cool |
kbullfrog |
80 |
Wed Dec 24, 2008 1:34 am |
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A solution for global warming (1 Replies)
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None |
Robert Tulip |
190 |
Mon Dec 22, 2008 12:29 am |
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To The Sea (Part Five) (2 Replies)
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None |
Robert Tulip |
212 |
Sat Dec 20, 2008 2:42 am |
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Readers' comments on my essay (0 Replies)
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None |
Lawrence |
174 |
Wed Dec 17, 2008 9:38 am |
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To The Sea (Part Four) (1 Replies)
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None |
Robert Tulip |
218 |
Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:45 am |
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Happy holidays!!!!!!!! (1 Replies)
|  Currently: Shopping |
 Mood: Silly |
sweetpea27 |
158 |
Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:58 pm |
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Contra Dancing! (0 Replies)
|  Currently: Playing |
 Mood: Happy |
GentleReader9 |
153 |
Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:31 pm |
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To The Sea (Part Three) (0 Replies)
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None |
Robert Tulip |
213 |
Sat Dec 13, 2008 11:15 pm |
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What's Wrong With Dying? (1 Replies)
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None |
Lawrence |
280 |
Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:08 am |
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To The Sea (Part Two) (3 Replies)
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Robert Tulip |
368 |
Thu Dec 11, 2008 6:43 am |
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Thoughts on the Economy pt.5 (0 Replies)
|  Currently: Reading |
Mood: Hypnotized |
Grim |
112 |
Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:21 pm |
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Christ and Empire (1 Replies)
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 Mood: Angelic |
Robert Tulip |
281 |
Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:24 am |
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Thoughts on the Economy pt.4 (1 Replies)
| Currently: Watching |
Mood: Distorted |
Grim |
197 |
Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:46 pm |
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Andrew Bacevich (1 Replies)
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 Mood: Sick |
franski34 |
187 |
Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:38 pm |
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Check-in. (0 Replies)
| Currently: Reading |
 Mood: Sleepy |
GentleReader9 |
211 |
Tue Dec 02, 2008 10:15 pm |
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Arguing inside the Eggshell. (7 Replies)
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None |
Lawrence |
757 |
Tue Dec 02, 2008 9:34 am |
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Catholic Bishops' Pride exceed all bounds (0 Replies)
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Lawrence |
432 |
Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:32 pm |
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Books (0 Replies)
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None |
Interbane |
159 |
Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:24 pm |
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A Cry From The Heart - Chapter One (0 Replies)
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None |
Lawrence |
495 |
Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:16 am |
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the savage detectives (0 Replies)
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None |
boringoldbob |
191 |
Thu Nov 20, 2008 5:13 am |
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!!!!!!!OLD is the NEW!!!!!! (0 Replies)
| Currently: Reading Read all about it LOL |
Mood: Cool |
faizam_2012 |
160 |
Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:44 pm |
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Critical Thinking in the Islamic World (0 Replies)
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Lawrence |
574 |
Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:45 am |
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Entry: Night before New Year's Eve Blog: kbullfrog's blog
| Interesting that the most pressing concern on new years eve would be your weight problem. I'm in great shape but my resolution was, in short personal like yours. I wonder the ratio between people setting resolutions that effect themselves only and those who resolution is to increase their positive effect towards others. |
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Grim |
Fri Jan 02, 2009 12:20 am |
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Entry: A solution for global warming Blog: Robert Tulip's blog
| Is there a larger version of this story available somewhere? I'd love to read it. |
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Chris OConnor |
Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:16 pm |
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Entry: Night before New Year's Eve Blog: kbullfrog's blog
So you're going to be setting some New Year's resolutions too I see. I gained quite a bit in 2008 so hopefully I also do better in the odd numbered years.  |
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Chris OConnor |
Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:15 pm |
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Entry: To The Sea (Part Five) Blog: Robert Tulip's blog
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Chris OConnor |
Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:19 am |
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Entry: To The Sea (Part Five) Blog: Robert Tulip's blog
| I've actually thought long and hard about the concept of man made islands. There was a project a few years ago (possibly fictitious...I don't know) where someone was trying to get investors to fund the creation of a man made floating nation. I believe it was called Atlantis. |
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Chris OConnor |
Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:14 am |
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Entry: To The Sea (Part Four) Blog: Robert Tulip's blog
| I'm not sure if you are summarizing the story now or if I'm simply getting confused. There is a lot of detail here coming at us fast, but the story is intriguing and I'd love to read the entire thing....unless that is what you're posting here. This has the making of a fine novel or even a series of novels. Very good stuff. |
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Chris OConnor |
Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:59 am |
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Entry: Christ and Empire Blog: Robert Tulip's blog
| This is an awesome concept for a story. I'm enjoying reading this. |
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Chris OConnor |
Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:46 am |
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Entry: To The Sea (Part Two) Blog: Robert Tulip's blog
| I just started reading this and was wondering the same thing. Good stuff, Robert. |
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Chris OConnor |
Sat Dec 20, 2008 11:44 am |
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Entry: Happy holidays!!!!!!!! Blog: sweetpea27's blog
| We are happy that you and your friends are out shopping, but wouldn't it be more convenient just to buy them a book. Might I suggest, Secrets of Paradise and possibly, A Beckoning From Paradise as Christmas presents for the youngsters on your list. The author for these books should be McGinnis and I might add most any on-line has them, but the most convenient is Target on-line. |
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Dr Paradise |
Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:41 pm |
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Entry: To The Sea (Part Two) Blog: Robert Tulip's blog
| Thanks Grim, yes I am making it up. Robert |
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Robert Tulip |
Sat Dec 13, 2008 11:17 pm |
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Entry: What's Wrong With Dying? Blog: Lawrence's blog
| I think that the more obvious death becomes the more precious the savor of life. I hate to think that all my experiences will one day end with the last beat of my heart. I fear disease and discomfort as the experience was never comfortable in my childhood, in the same sense I miss the yesterday were I remember security even when I wasn't, there is comfort in thinking about personal history as it has already passed by and taken with it all the pressures and tough lessons that seemed to matter so much. Often it seems memories are the best version of an experience you will ever have. The comfort I feel in death is very natural, all things end and so will I. |
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Grim |
Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:16 pm |
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Entry: To The Sea (Part Two) Blog: Robert Tulip's blog
| Are you making this up?? Very creative if you are. |
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Grim |
Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:05 pm |
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Entry: Wonderful Cats!! Blog: Penelope's blog
Hello Houston!!!
I'm sorry to have been so long in replying.
I love cats too, and since I have been on this book board I have encountered a lot of very lovable Texans. 
Nice to meet you. I'll try to be a bit more active on here from now.
I have been taking a breather!  |
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Penelope |
Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:56 am |
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Entry: The Election Blog: Penelope's blog
| Hi Penelope,
It's been a while since we connected. The following are the closing comments of my essay.
"Mindlessness is Hopelessness.
If we continue to act mindlessly in the worship of our god and the administration of our government then we are all nothing more than a load of manure on this wagon we call Earth headed out to fertilize the stumps and stones. Such is the pity of it.
If you know what you know and why you know it that is knowledge. If you follow anything or anyone, know that you are following and know why you are following. That is maturity! That is rational living!
Know also that, until the fraternity of humanity assumes its proper position as being above national interests and religious bigotry, peace on earth is hopeless.
Lawrence, Sandestin August 29 2008
I hope you read the essay. It will be available in a month or so. Hope all is well with you and yours. L |
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Lawrence |
Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:53 am |
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Entry: Arguing inside the Eggshell. Blog: Lawrence's blog
| Where you say, "Because the accuracy of a belief can only be established by the dogma of a worldview, the worldview is the egg shell encapsulating the discussion." I would simply replace dogma and worldview with a personal rationalization of "truth." I suppose if anything I am far less poetic, or at least much less apt for use of the metaphor. Nice work though. What exactly was this essay for? What is its title? Who else has read it? |
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Grim |
Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:27 pm |
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Entry: Thoughts on the Economy pt.4 Blog: Grim's blog
| Hello Grim, I read this blog and it is wonderful to see so much energy expended in such a mature manner by such a young person. You might enjoy reading Daniel Yergin's book Commanding Heights. It might give you a little depth of field to your vision and possibly help you discern some of the extremely complex issues of world wide stress between government Planned Economies and the free market systems under government regulations.
Your issues seem to be in dealing with life as you are finding it. And quite properly so. I'm 50 years further down the road of life from you and I concluded such frenetic effort on my part was just like a dog chasing his tail. Stephen Covey gave me a touch stone to reach for to help me stay in productive balance with this statement from his book Seven Habits for Highly Effective People: He wrote, "let your circle of concern match your circle of influence." That statement's pragmatism has not enabled me to be effective but my bowels don't get into such an uproar over injustices I see (real or imagined).
My essay may enable you to take an x-ray of your spiritual values and an MRI of the world around you. I propose that those who espouse absolute truths limit their ability to think critically and humbly in considering the value of their insight to public discourse. Some who read it found it useful. You are the audience I am writing to. When it is available for sale, in a month or so, I'll post it on my blog. Stay well and keep on keeping on. |
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Lawrence |
Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:37 am |
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Entry: Arguing inside the Eggshell. Blog: Lawrence's blog
| Hello Grim, thank you for commenting. I checked out your blog to get better acquainted and determined my study needed some time. I will get to it. But to respond to your comment:
Please point out where I use belief and truth in the same paradigm. Such a statement is opposite of everything I believe. If you check out Chapter 1 in this blog you will see that I establish "truth" to be substantially a mirage in our consciousness. We do have individual reality from our life experiences which we use as fact to get along. In my essay, which will be in print soon, I emphasize that those who believe there is an absolute truth, in finite (science) and infinite (religion), cripple their ability to think critically.
I'm coming from a different place than most of the literature I've read. If you want a a file copy of my essay, send me your email and I'll get it off to you. |
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Lawrence |
Sun Dec 07, 2008 5:33 pm |
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Entry: Arguing inside the Eggshell. Blog: Lawrence's blog
| I read that truth is used to create an identity not only of yourself, but more profoundly of those around you. It is interesting that you speak of belief and truth in the same paradigm because in fact there is the very important difference between truth and reality. |
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Grim |
Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:08 pm |
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Entry: Andrew Bacevich Blog: franski34's blog
I haven't looked in the "The Limits of Power" forum yet, but I hope you join that discussion. Very few people read the blogs despite my effort to increase their popularity. Please be sure to post your comments on the forums as the forums are thriving and very active.  |
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Chris OConnor |
Sun Dec 07, 2008 12:32 pm |
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Entry: Oh, Bloggy Blog Blog. How I miss you my Bloggy Blog Blog: Chris OConnor's Blog
| I will write here just to make sure you see it. By the way, blue is my favaorite color.
I might add to the email which I just sent to you. I feel there are not enough good books for young people and I want to fill that void by writing at a sixth grade level, using common words, with no swearing, nothing gory and lots of fun and adventure.
It is my desire to pay back for all the great books I read as a child and enjoyed, plus, having been a teacher for so many years I like to stimulate the imagination of our youth and promote good and continuous reading. If you have read my email that I sent to you a few moments ago, my youngest daughter never attended school below the college level and that is because she began reading at age two and a half and hasn't stopped since. That is her name on my books as my editor. I couldn't do it without her.
I just wanted to post here to let you know I am interested. Don't know when I will have time to get back, but you can always prompt me to sign in.
Dr Robert E McGinnis (old Tampa Vintage) |
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Dr Paradise |
Thu Dec 04, 2008 9:34 pm |
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Entry: Arguing inside the Eggshell. Blog: Lawrence's blog
| We are in agreement GR9. And yes I read your latest blog and agree completely that critical thinking must come from the inside and stimulation for critical thinking comes from the outside as we live life. I'm posting a new post today. I think you will find it interesting, at least I hope so. I do enjoy our time together. The one topic about thinking I have not gone to and probably wont is trying to understand what appears to me to be the total disconnect between the masculine and feminine mechanism for thinking. I know the disconnect is there. I see it but I do not have the words or technique to describe it.
In Chapter 4 of my essay I complete the definition for love that frees one from the encumbrances of emotion surrounding the conventional wisdom of today on that subject. Hopefully it will be published by the first of next year. I think you will like that as well. I believe we have come to closure on this post. Until the next time, stay well. |
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Lawrence |
Thu Dec 04, 2008 8:23 am |
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Entry: Arguing inside the Eggshell. Blog: Lawrence's blog
| Laurence,
I really feel an affinity for the way you think. When I left the last exchange we had in your blog comment area (if that is what you meant when you said I had "shut down") it was because it seemed you understood my perspective (after I clarified it) and we were more in agreement than we had been. It felt to me as if yours was a fine last word to leave last.
I think one thing that misdirects people who communicate with me is that I do not really take to heart whether or not other people "get" my ideas or agree with me. Most people do not have the basis in their experience to understand most of what I think and why. I want to understand them. I want to accept, appreciate and perhaps like, or even love them. I also want to have fun playing and exploring and imagining with them. I would like them not to dislike me, judge me or hold me in disdain or hatred. That's enough. As long as no one is hurting anyone, I have no axe to grind and nothing to defend or evangelize.
I don't know the answers to questions like your final one. Sometimes it's fun to think deeply and with focus about them, detailing and researching and going over possibilities in writing. I think that I don't feel the vital and pressing need to get into them very often except for diversion because dogma has never entombed my soul. I'm just not that attached to any ideas. Really. I just like people and feel happiest when we are all kind to each other. That's pretty much it. If I'm arguing it's either because someone is getting hurt or because I'm just trying to have fun and I'm being a dickens.
Did you see the thing in my latest blog entry about my student who tried to read The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz? Life teaches us from the inside and the outside, at once and in synch. That's why I have a sense that spirituality is a meaningful conceptual sphere of action and reference, like the physical, emotional and mental ones. It's there in the awareness, that deep and multi-leveled coherence and connection, unless some form of abuse or confusion or injury has numbed or distorted it. But arguing or proving or explaining that is like telling a person in trauma who uses drugs as a coping mechanism and is in withdrawal, that emotions and fear of pain will not kill them, but the drug will. If they believe you, it's just faith, not direct understanding, at first, anyway. Later, they know themselves. It's all obvious if you live it. |
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GentleReader9 |
Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:37 pm |
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Entry: Arguing inside the Eggshell. Blog: Lawrence's blog
| Thanks for stopping by. I enjoy your blog. In my essay I make this statement:
Dogma is to my spirit as an eggshell is to a chick. I could not help being born within it nor could I develop free from its pervasive presence. But if I do not break free of it dogma will entomb my soul.
I do not believe we are as equipped to break free from the eggshell of dogma as a chick is with a horned beak. If critical thinking were an inherent tool we possessed then what you say might be accurate i.e. when we are ready we can break free. My experience is that critical thinking can only be learned but there must first be a teacher and to overcome the absolutes dogma presents must come from within the person who can realize the tyranny so often associated with dogma. Not an easy task. For this question must be answered; which comes first the ability to think critically or the realization that dogma is entombing your soul? |
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Lawrence |
Tue Dec 02, 2008 10:50 pm |
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Entry: Arguing inside the Eggshell. Blog: Lawrence's blog
| In blowing eggs I found out that when you come at the top of the end curve or point, angling up from underneath with a very sharp needle, it is easier to break in than when you push straight down or in from outside. This is because they are designed to break easily from within, by the chick, but to resist being broken from outside by predators. I think this is relevant to your metaphor about worldviews. When the chick is ready, the eggshell will break. |
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GentleReader9 |
Tue Dec 02, 2008 9:52 pm |
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Entry: Oh, Bloggy Blog Blog. How I miss you my Bloggy Blog Blog: Chris OConnor's Blog
| Hi Lawrence. Life is good these days. Everything ok in your world? |
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Chris OConnor |
Sat Nov 22, 2008 2:10 am |
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