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	<title>Thaidy Magazine &#124; Wisdom Begins with Thaidy&#187; Humanities</title>
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	<description>Wisdom Begins In Wonder</description>
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		<title>About Tattoo</title>
		<link>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/about-tattoo/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/about-tattoo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:16:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaidy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[More recently however there has been a revival in anchor tattoos and there are many new designs that are full of brilliant colors and new design motifs for anchor tattoos. There has been a revival in more traditional tattoos. As always history, symbolism and meaning provide an interesting overlap of cultures and times. If you [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>More recently however there has been a revival in anchor tattoos and there are many new designs that are full of brilliant colors and new design motifs for anchor tattoos. There has been a revival in more traditional tattoos. </p>
<p>As always history, symbolism and meaning provide an interesting overlap of cultures and times. If you are thinking about getting an anchor tattoo it helps to know the background on them and do some research to find out the different meaning and symbolism of anchor tattoos. Some common designs in ankle tattoos are a tribal symbol, a floral arrangement or an initial. An ankle tattoo can be small enough that it isn&#8217;t noticeable unless the person is very close. Many professional women choose this type of tattoo because it isn&#8217;t overbearing and at the same time it allows them to carry something personal on their bodies always. </p>
<p>Once you have decided on a design and coloring for your ankle tattoos you&#8217;ll want to visit a reputable establishment that does tattoos. Looking through the yellow pages is one route but if you know anyone who has a tattoo you should ask them about their experience. Quite often they&#8217;ll be happy to share with you and they may recommend a place for you to visit. After deciding on a tattoo parlor you&#8217;ll want to discuss with the artist your concept. If you come there without a design in mind they will be able to show you a range of images that you can choose from. Most people prefer a smaller design for ankle tattoos and if the artist feels that yours is too large, they will work with you to bring it down to a scale that is more appropriate. </p>
<p>Getting a tattoo involves piercing the skin, and so there is going to be some pain involved, no matter how small the tattoo and no matter where it is on your body. The amount and type of pain experienced is highly variable depending on each individual&#8217;s tolerance to and acceptance of pain. While tattooing, the needles puncture the skin at a very fast rate and at a variable depth. The outline is usually the most painful work, because the needles are being used to create a nice solid black line that will define the tattoo, and so it is inserted deeply and carefully to ensure complete and effective coverage. The shading is usually not as painful, but this also depends upon the depth of penetration and the desired effect.</p>
<p>The pain you feel is generally as a slight burning or hot scratching sensation. Generally, the tattoo is more painful if applied to areas of the body where there is less muscle and fatty tissue covering bone, like wrists, ankles, chests, and other normally sensitive body areas. Upper arms are usually the least painful, while the ankles and sternum can be quite sensitive.</p>
<p>The tattoo pain is certainly not unbearable, here are some tips for coping with and minimizing the pain:<br />
Find a reputable tattooist that you feel comfortable with to get the tattoo work done, the confidence you get from a tattooist can minimize your pain to the highest. Don&#8217;t show up drunk or on drugs.<br />
Go in with some determination and accept the fact that a few hours of discomfort without giving the tattooist a hard time will help ensure that you get a first-rate tattoo. If you feel you can&#8217;t take the pain anymore, tell your tattooist. Take a short break, or come back in a few days. Tattoos don&#8217;t have to be applied all in one sitting. Break up your session if needed. Listen to music or let your imagination go wild during the procedure, a certain degree of distraction set by your self will help you put less concentration on the pain.</p>
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		<title>A Celebration of Life Begins With Lunch</title>
		<link>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/a-celebration-of-life-begins-with-lunch/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 09:40:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaidy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[On an ordinary afternoon in St. Augustine, Fla., a group of extraordinary people met at a local restaurant for a single purpose &#8211; to celebrate their accomplishments, share inspiration and encourage each other while enjoying a meal. They came for their weekly Friday lunch from all walks of life: parents and realtors, mortgage brokers and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>On an ordinary afternoon in St. Augustine, Fla., a group of extraordinary people met at a local restaurant for a single purpose &#8211; to celebrate their accomplishments, share inspiration and encourage each other while enjoying a meal.</p>
<p>They came for their weekly Friday lunch from all walks of life: parents and realtors, mortgage brokers and doctor&#8217;s assistants, life coaches and flower shop employees. Many represented their own entrepreneurial ventures such as jewelry making, business coaching, spas and health clubs. Regardless of where they came from, they were there for each other, to spend an hour in support and fellowship.</p>
<p>These weekly luncheons are held in five other cities, sponsored by the organization Women Celebrations and attended by both men and women. Each luncheon has a theme that suggests the independence and success to which all people aspire, according to founder Sheryl Lynn. Themes have been as varied as &#8220;magnificence,&#8221; &#8220;confidence&#8221; and &#8220;work.&#8221; At an &#8220;applause&#8221; themed gathering, each attendee explained to the group why he or she deserved applause.</p>
<p>Members talked about moving from out of state and changing careers, business successes and personal joys. Each of the speakers received heartfelt applause as they took a moment to &#8220;stand in their power,&#8221; Lynn&#8217;s expression for people&#8217;s ability to find success and empowerment within themselves.</p>
<p>It was the need to celebrate everyday things that inspired Lynn to create Women Celebrations. Despite success as a mother of three and an entrepreneur, at the end of the day she felt exhausted and disheartened.</p>
<p>&#8220;I was not patting myself on the back upon the completion of these marvelous things. And certainly no one else was either,&#8221; Lynn said.</p>
<p>In starting Women Celebrations, she created an environment in which support and encouragement played a vital role.</p>
<p>Today, Women Celebrations has a strong presence in northern Florida and more chapters, or &#8220;loops,&#8221; are appearing across the country. The organization is open to everyone wishing to celebrate their lives, share their experiences with others through positive interaction and build a sense of community.</p>
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		<title>Zen in a thimble.</title>
		<link>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/zen-in-a-thimble/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/zen-in-a-thimble/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:50:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaidy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[This is a way i use to bring thoughts to the physical world. There are a great many of them, and the better you get at creating them (thinking em up)The easier it will be to find work arounds in the real world, when obstacles and hurtles present themselves. Im not exactly sure of why [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is a way i use to bring thoughts to the physical world. There are a great many of them, and the better you get at creating them (thinking em up)The easier it will be to find work arounds in the real world, when obstacles and hurtles present themselves. </p>
<p>Im not exactly sure of why they work, but they do.Ok, for the first one, take all you money out of your pocket. Now lay it down on a table or something on the other side of the room.Now go find a seat somewhere that still lets you see your money. Now look at that money and try to think of ways to get that money back in your pocket. And you cant get help.List them.Hopefully everybody figured it out. If you are not magic, you gotta get up and go get it. Only way. If you are magic, then you dont need this article, so put it down and call me, imeechatly.</p>
<p>Doing This exercise makes you see in the physical world what you think. And from it you should see that the way to get what you want is to go get it, and bring it back to you. the funny thing is you will keep trying to figure out ways to get your money off the table, even though there arent any, its impossible. But the weird thing is that you no longer truly believe it is, yet. Use this exercise a lot and it will get you the answer to some tough questions.</p>
<p> Just about everything is possible, till it proves it is not.</p>
<p>Sometimes you have to make your thoughts real, envision them in your mind and make them real. Its like wouldnt it be much easier to figure out how to make something if you could see it. I believe that if you can see a thing in detail in your mind, it will give you clues as to how to make it real. Think about it, its corny but it feels right and works. </p>
<p>If you keep doing the exercise for different thoughts, you will start giving the impossible the burden of proof. And the more you think ahead the better you know what to expect,and the better you know what to expect the better you deal with the obstacle or hurtle or problem, so don&#8217;t only think about reacting to hurtles and obstacles, think about attacking them too. That let&#8217;s you react better in the process also, 2 for the price of one. This really works, give it a try.</p>
<p>Shadoweternal. (taken from article of the day at racialdebate.com)</p>
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		<title>Wisdom</title>
		<link>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/wisdom/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/wisdom/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:10:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaidy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/wisdom/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What is wisdom? But first, what are the conditions that render it desirable, if not necessary, and what is its essential purpose? Life is a desire to live, and better still a desire to live happily. As we strive to satisfy this desire, we encounter obstacles that complicate or frustrate our efforts. This complication or [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What is wisdom? But first, what are the conditions that render it desirable, if not necessary, and what is its essential purpose? </p>
<p>Life is a desire to live, and better still a desire to live happily. As we strive to satisfy this desire, we encounter obstacles that complicate or frustrate our efforts. This complication or frustration amounts to suffering because it stands in the way of satisfaction.</p>
<p>Wisdom is designed to help us cope with this suffering. It is an adaptive product of reason in the face of tough circumstances. Thanks to it, happiness is conceivable and achievable in spite of everything. It is therefore the supreme good.</p>
<p>Actually, religion is a good that many rank equally high, since it serves the same purpose as wisdom, if differently. The difference lies in the way religion and wisdom portray suffering and define the meaning of life.</p>
<p>From the perspective of religion, suffering betrays a state of worldly imperfection that is in contradiction with the human desire for perfect happiness. Consequently, life here below  where humans are doomed to suffer  is absurd in itself. Or rather, life is meaningful strictly in terms of means to a heavenly end in the great beyond: A life of virtue prepares the way for an afterlife of bliss. The religious believe this in accordance with the teachings of an inspired spiritual leader, who claims to know the transcendental nature of the hereafter.</p>
<p>While personally I cast a skeptical eye on these teachings, I keep my mind open. They are highly suspicious, but the transcendental nature of their object puts them beyond the reach of any discredit based on conclusive evidence. </p>
<p>Anyway, as I see it, wisdom is independent of religion, though it can complement the latter. According to it, life in itself has meaning, despite its imperfection that people can learn to accept. Better still, they can learn to value this imperfection as they realize that perfection, contrary to popular belief, is not infinitely desirable.</p>
<p>Indeed, perfect happiness leaves something to be desired. By definition, it excludes suffering and hence all forms of complication or frustration. It supposes that circumstances are absolutely favorable  that is, not tough in any way. Therefore, no effort is necessary while every dream is possible. At first glance, this sounds like the most wonderful situation imaginable, and yet taking another look at it will dispel this illusion.</p>
<p>What strange whim, in the history of humankind, has compelled people from every walk of life to leave their cozy home and embark on risky ventures? Perhaps this whim is not so strange after all. A multitude of conquests have been made for the sheer joy of conquering against great odds. The operative word is pride, accompanied by excitement. To conquest-minded people the infinite ease of heaven entails infinite boredom. To them life  together with the struggle that is integral to it  is the very thing that perfect happiness leaves to be desired. It is an opportunity to prove courageous and victorious, though it is also a risk of failing painfully.</p>
<p>Happiness is about grasping this opportunity with courage and gaining a victory over the obstacles that stand between us and success in all the activities that most matter to us. This victory is often strenuous and always limited, precarious, and transitory, and we are bound to lose the battle in the end; but that makes the victory all the more precious and worthy of savoring.</p>
<p>When trying to define the activities in which we most care to succeed, we are forced to study our nature to know our purpose. Our growing wise depends on this study and this knowledge, leading to this definition. It begins with an awareness of our animal will to survive, as survival is the foundation on which life, in the truly human sense, is built. The awareness of life in this sense follows. It takes into account both our humanity and our individuality, as members of society with particular tastes and abilities to which a wide range of activities are suited.</p>
<p>The clearer we are about our purpose, the more we can live our lives with determination and passion, and so with a greater chance of succeeding and achieving happiness. The reverse is equally true. It therefore stands to reason that in striving after wisdom we lay the groundwork for success and happiness.</p>
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		<title>WilliamKeleher.com:  Six Generations in America</title>
		<link>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/williamkeleher-com-six-generations-in-america/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:31:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaidy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[William A. Keleher (1886-1972) founded the Oldest and Largest Law Firm in New Mexico, Keleher &#038; McLeod, P.A. The William Keleher site WilliamKeleher.com contains over 300 Rare Photographs of numerous Pioneer Southwest Luminaries like Elfego Baca and Conrad Hilton. Internationally Famous William A. Keleher authored some of the premier works on the Southwest: &#8220;Maxwell Land [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>William A. Keleher (1886-1972) founded the Oldest and Largest Law Firm in New Mexico, Keleher &#038; McLeod, P.A. The William Keleher site WilliamKeleher.com contains over 300 Rare Photographs of numerous Pioneer Southwest Luminaries like Elfego Baca and Conrad Hilton. Internationally Famous William A. Keleher authored some of the premier works on the Southwest: &#8220;Maxwell Land Grant,&#8221;1942; &#8220;Fabulous Frontier,&#8221; 1945; &#8220;Turmoil in New Mexico, 1846-1968,&#8221; 1952;&#8221;Violence in Lincoln County,&#8221; 1957; and &#8220;Memoirs&#8221; 1969. and &#8220;New Mexicans I Knew.&#8221; Purchase the Books of William A. Keleher in .pdf format online through Google Books at WilliamKeleher.com</p>
<p>Scholarships: Arts &#038; Sciences: </p>
<p>Additionally the William A. Keleher Memorial Journalism Scholarship was established in 1980 at the University of New Mexico College of Arts and Sciences.The UNM  fund had at the time 126 Endowment Funds with an investment value of $8,000,000 as of June 30, 2001.</p>
<p>UNM collections open for researchers: </p>
<p>The Center for Regional Studies Fellows presented work on the UNM Libraries Collections. William A. Keleher: Maker and Marker of History. William A. Keleher&#8217;s papers an archives continue to be a rare glimpse into that bygone era of the Pioneer Southwest. Keleher, an author of several books on history of the southwest and a practicing attorney at Keleher &#038; McLeod, P.A. left an extensive collection of history and territorial publications along with his correspondence and research materials.</p>
<p>Scholarships: Gifts that Grow.</p>
<p>In the 1920s in Albuquerque New Mexico, with subdivisions proliferating, developers pressured City Hall to annex their subdivisions, and the City Commission, led by Tingley, obliged. In 1925 the city added nine sections, doubling Albuquerque&#8217;s land base overnight. The land stretched from Mulberry to San Pedro and Gibson to Constitution. The last annexation before the Depression was the Huning Castle Addition, 156 acres of pastures and drained swampland acquired from Franz Huning&#8217;s heirs by contractor A.R. Hebenstreit and attorney William Keleher.</p>
<p>In 1928 lawyer William Keleher and contractor A.R. Hebenstreit acquired land from Franz Huning&#8217;s heirs and platted the Huning Castle Addition. Swamps made much of the land unattractive for development, but that was remedied after the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy began projects to drain marshy lands and control the river. Albuquerque Country Club moved from the East Mesa to its current location in 1928, which added prestige to the development. They only got a few homes built before the Stock Market Crash of 1929. (Most of the homes in this affluent subdivision, which came to be known as the Country Club neighborhood, were built after World War II.</p>
<p>Securing a Place in New Mexico History:</p>
<p>William A. Keleher was a newspaperman, lawyer, internationally known author and historian who lived in Albuquerque for 84 of his 86 years. UNM awarded him two honorary degrees. His five books about the frontier era in the Southwest include an authoritative chronicle of the Lincoln County War. Keleher died in 1972.</p>
<p>Zimmerman Library: received  Keleher&#8217;s impressive collection of southwestern books and archive of papers and manuscripts, which is still being inventoried. This gift is from sons William B Keleher, Michael L Keleher, John G. Keleher and Thomas F. Keleher, and from the children of W. A. Keleher&#8217;s late daughter, Mary Ann Keleher Rogers: James W. Rogers, Junior, Susan Rogers Schenkelberg, Ann Rogers Rothman and Michael Rogers</p>
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		<title>We Have Two Kidneys But Only Need One Kidney To</title>
		<link>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/we-have-two-kidneys-but-only-need-one-kidney-to/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:44:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaidy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[We Have Two Kidneys But Only Need One Kidney To Live Organ donation is a gift and it should come from the heart, not by emotional coercion. Kidney transplants are the most common organ transplant that happens. Kidney transplants paved the way for surgical teams to develop successful transplantation of other organs including heart, lung, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We Have Two Kidneys But Only Need One Kidney To Live</p>
<p>Organ donation is a gift and it should come from the heart, not by emotional coercion. Kidney transplants are the most common organ transplant that happens. Kidney transplants paved the way for surgical teams to develop successful transplantation of other organs including heart, lung, pancreas and liver. </p>
<p>People who do not have good kidneys are very sick. Kidneys do many things that are important to stay healthy. Normal kidneys perform several important tasks that keep the body in good health: </p>
<p>Clean your blood and remove waste products through the formation of urine<br />
Balance fluids in the body by controlling water and salt concentrations<br />
Maintain the balance of the bodys chemicals (potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus)<br />
Control blood pressure<br />
Supply elements used to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen in the blood<br />
Help sustain strong bones. </p>
<p>One kidney, functioning at 20% capacity, can do all of the above. The kidneys produce urine that drains through narrow tubes (called ureters) into the bladder. Every day the kidneys filter 160 quarts of fluid from the bloodstream, removing about 1-1/2 quarts of waste in the form of urine.  </p>
<p>There are two ways to replace the kidneys: dialysis and transplantation. Dialysis is when doctors use a machine and medicines to do the work that kidneys do. A better way to do the kidneys work is to give the person another kidney. To be a candidate for immunotherapy, the patient must be in good general condition, have adequate function of vital organs (such as the heart, lungs and kidneys) and have no brain metastasis. </p>
<p>For those with kidney failure, kidney transplants are preferable to treatment by dialysis. Kidney transplants are designed to treat patients whose kidneys are failing, making them unable to process body waste products. Transplants done relatively soon after starting dialysis are on average more successful than transplants performed two or more years after a patient starts dialysis. Patients who receive live donor kidney transplants usually have much shorter waiting times than those who receive kidneys from deceased donors. Transplants of kidneys from younger donors tend to survive longer than transplants from older donors.  </p>
<p>Kidneys are allocated based on, among other considerations, the match between the donor and recipient blood groups and genetic type (called the tissue type or HLA type). Kidneys taken from living donors often begin to function immediately, while those from cadavers may take up to two weeks for tissues to adjust and become functional.  </p>
<p>Unlike the backlog of patients in other medical areas, renal transplants happen when the donor kidney becomes available.  On average, patients who are listed for a deceased donor transplant wait approximately three years, but there is a great deal of variability in this.  For example, for a patient with a rare tissue type, there will be fewer donors with a tissue type that matches that of the patient well, compared to patients with more common tissue types.  Furthermore some patients have antibodies directed against certain tissue types, which means that some, or even most, donor kidneys are not suitable for these patients.  </p>
<p>After surgery, patients can expect to be hospitalized for approximately 7 to 10 days.  After being discharged patients are seen daily as an outpatient for approximately four weeks.  After the daily outpatient visits patients are instructed to do no heavy lifting or exercise for 8 to 10 weeks.  Patients who do not smoke or give up smoking, maintain a good body weight and exercise regularly are more likely to have many years of good quality life with a well functioning kidney.</p>
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		<title>Violence</title>
		<link>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/violence/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Dec 2009 05:08:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaidy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Flashes of memory stream into my consciousness. They take me back thirty years plus. I was a boy then, a newcomer to a poor and tough neighborhood. My parents, of moderate means and daring to a fault, had decided to move there after my father had accepted an editing job in the federal government. They [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Flashes of memory stream into my consciousness. They take me back thirty years plus. I was a boy then, a newcomer to a poor and tough neighborhood. My parents, of moderate means and daring to a fault, had decided to move there after my father had accepted an editing job in the federal government. They had taken a lease on a low-rent brick house, which was also run-down, covered in filth, and littered with trash. I do not mince my words: Previous tenants had been pigs that got along with bugs and rats.</p>
<p>The house has potential, my mother had said to reassure me, seeing that I was aghast at its sordid aspects. Its one redeeming feature, besides its solid construction, was a large woody front yard, neglected, allowed to become a large dumping ground, as weedy as it was woody, but potentially attractive and pleasant, to be sure.</p>
<p>My mother was a hard worker with a great deal of stamina, creativity, and tastefulness. She mastered the art of doing wonders with little money. After three months of intense labor  which for the first week involved a carpenter and two garbage collectors plus two dump trucks  the house was transfigured, quite presentable, even nice, much to my amazement. It now contrasted sharply, cuttingly, with the slums at the rear of the house and on the left of it. On the right was a school and at the front, across the street, was a nunnery on a large piece of land. My parents had conveniently focused their attention on these establishments, as if the good education and good disposition of their teachers and sisters could shield us from the evils of the slums.</p>
<p>Needless to say, they did not. Violence was rampant in this neck of the woods and I was elected punchbag with only one dissenting vote: mine! At the root of this violence was malevolence, which grows from resentment, after one has been subjected to mistreatment. As much as my family projected an image of distinction, the neighborhood boys were malevolent and violent toward me. To them this image of distinction was an act of humiliation; their feelings were hurt and it was natural for them to hurt me. Of course it is a lot worthier to elevate oneself than to abase someone else. It is also a lot harder, and nature spontaneously levels everything the easy way. Moral excellence relates to culture, is an acquired trait, by virtue of which a human is courageous and just, worthy of praise.</p>
<p>One winter evening, I was crossing the field next to the rink where I had played hockey, when a gang of hoodlums encircled me like a pack of wolves. There were six of them, one of whom  a weakling who always relied on others to feel powerful  lived three doors down, east of my house, across the back street. The leader stepped forward and turned around with a snicker. Hey shithead, come and kiss my ass. I was tempted to kick it, not kiss it. No thanks. Please let me go; I dont care for trouble. As I was finishing my sentence, one of the boys lunged toward me from behind and shoved me forward. I dropped my hockey equipment and braced myself to fight and suffer. I was big for my age, but big is small when outnumbered by six to one.</p>
<p>Again the leader took the initiative; the fight was on. With several thrusts, punches, and kicks, I repelled my assailants momentarily, until I was knocked and wrestled to the ground. Fists and feet hit me everywhere, nonstop, from all directions. Suddenly I heard a menacing shout and everyone slipped in a last blow before fleeing. A brave and kind man had caught sight of their misdeed and chosen to intervene, armed with a hockey stick. I was hurt but saved.</p>
<p>A few days later, still aching all over, I saw the weakling, alone by his house  his hovel to be exact, which was covered with old imitation brick, torn in places, and infested with cockroaches, rats, and woodworms. His face was bruised and wet from weeping, as he screamed with rage, Fucking bastard, fucking bitch, fucking life, fuck, fuck, fuck! My anger was now tempered with compassion. I unclenched my fists, prompted by a desire to spare him. I could not demean myself to add pain to his pain, already so excessive that it overflowed in streams of tears and curses.</p>
<p>His father was an illiterate and idle drunkard who collected welfare and spent considerable time and money at the tavern. At home, slouching in an armchair, he forever watched TV and drank beer or liquor. When grossly intoxicated, he sometimes vomited before reaching the bathroom and, without cleaning up his mess, fell unconscious on his bed, the armchair, the floor, or wherever. He was also vulgar and brutal. He often battered his son and his wife, and heaped insults on them.</p>
<p>His wife was an abusive and sluggish woman who had grown obese from attempting to fill her inner void with chips, cookies, and pop. Day after day she wore the same tattered nightgown and constantly found reasons for bawling out her son and swiping him. She drove him insane, then used this insanity as another reason for persecuting him.</p>
<p>These two loathsome and pitiful parents rendered his life at home unbearable. He usually roamed the streets with fellow-sufferers from similar  miserable and violent  backgrounds. Together they ganged up and took their resentment out on other kids such as me. My aggressors, first, were victims.</p>
<p>My insight into the origin of violence came to me at that time and has never left me. I saw then and still see a victim in every aggressor. Some say there is such a thing as gratuitous violence, committed by individuals whose youth was favorable to all appearances. Violence for the sake of violence, an exercise in brutality at the expense of others, without provocation, past or present? I beg to differ.</p>
<p>Appearances are not a valid means of assessing someones youth, whose favorableness or unfavorableness is a subjective, not objective, matter. Circumstances have no value in themselves, but in relation to people who consider them favorably or not. Attitude is here the only relevant concept. Also, brutality cannot be exercised at the expense of others unless these others are viewed heartlessly as expendable. This heartlessness is greatly suspicious, unlikely to belong to someone who regards humans with favor, thanks to a feeling of solidarity, of mutual benefit.</p>
<p>In my opinion, aggressiveness is triggered by hostility, without which it is dormant: a mere potentiality incapable of harm. It may include an abnormal sensitivity or intellect that intensifies or alters someones perception of the environment. The fact remains hostility, as perceived by someone who feels painfully antagonized and proportionally victimized, is always a factor. Therefore, aggression cannot be dissociated from victimization, not only that of the victims but also that of the aggressors. These aggressors are victims of their sick minds or of the ill treatment they have endured. They deserve compassion, besides indignation.</p>
<p>They are liable to a punishment that ought to be effective and exemplary, not vengeful. Vengeance and violence are one and the same thing. Both are resentful and harmful. Both are reprehensible. The harm inflicted does not remedy the harm suffered; it simply compounds one harm with another, and invites yet another harm. It lengthens the chain of savagery from x (a frightening number of savage links) to x+1, potentially +2, +3, +4, etc., instead of breaking it and helping to free humanity from it. There is no worse slavery than savagery. The best course is to make every effort to get over a wrong and forgive it, while bringing the wrongdoer to justice.</p>
<p>In sum, justice should not serve to avenge people. It should serve to prevent crime and protect the public, by intimidating or incarcerating those who are a menace to others except under threat or behind bars. It should never push the severity of this mandate to the point of cruelty, in which case it would be a perversion of justice, an ominous sign of barbarity. On the contrary, it should be a jewel in the crown of civilization and foreshadow the coming of a better humanity, more consistent with its true nature and purpose  in a word, more humane.</p>
<p>The difference between severity and cruelty is radical yet subtle; it must be emphasized. Cruel law enforcers delight in the punishments they inflict and readily overstep the mark. They are vicious and blameworthy, like the criminals they punish. Law enforcers who are severe, but not cruel, administer punishments reluctantly or regard them as a necessary evil they would gladly forgo if they could. They deplore the criminal element in society and strive to neutralize it through intimidation, or incarceration as a last resort, and preferably through reformation, a fundamental change of the criminal mind for the better. Their ideal, as unattainable as it is elevated, is the supremacy of justice without the institution of justice: no threats, no prisons, only people who deeply understand and freely exercise the principle of justice.</p>
<p>Impossible as this supremacy is, it is usefully pursued. The institution of justice can become less and less necessary for the manifestation of justice, which can become more and more customary. This progress depends on the wisdom and willpower of its proponents who make it their duty to educate, assist, and encourage potential followers. It also presupposes that these potential followers take an active part in this endeavor. They cannot be actual followers unless they welcome this education, assistance, and encouragement, and display intelligence and determination of their own.</p>
<p>How much can we collectively be civilized  that is, mutually respectful and helpful, in the knowledge that this high goal can unite our wills toward a common good of colossal proportions? In other words, what is the ceiling of our possible civilization, which implies responsibility and solidarity, an elevation of life to love? Nobody knows the limit, so none should be set but the sky!</p>
<p>Generally, in a loving environment, human beings show humanity as naturally as fruit trees give fruit in the summer. Love is to these beings as sunshine is to these trees. It helps them grow into what they are meant to grow into (unless their nature is flawed from the start, which is an exception to the rule): beautiful and bountiful creations, as opposed to ugly and puny aberrations. Yet, beware of love; it can be possessive and manipulative, selfish and devilish! Yes, some angels have horns, unnoticeable at first sight under their pretty hair; their paradise is hell.</p>
<p>True love is in the image of God (by God I simply mean the fundamental cause of everything. It brings us into existence and, within the limits of its might, supports us in our quest for fulfillment). It is a desire to nurture, not to capture. Under its divine rule, one always has the others best interests at heart. No one, however, should be supportive to the point of being an accomplice in someones oppressive or destructive acts of egocentricity, folly, or injustice. These evils should not be loved and served; they should be hated and combated.</p>
<p>Hate is legitimate toward them, whereas the people who embody them are worthy of love because they exceed them by their ability to do good. They are indeed greater than the sum of their evil ways; they include the power to improve them. Therefore hate is directed at these ways, and love at this power: It promotes the peoples ability to do good. What if a person who is oppressively or destructively egocentric, foolish, or unjust never responds to this love? In that case it is lost and the life of this person shamefully amounts to a waste of soul.</p>
<p>By a stroke of luck, my parents were bright and warm people who helped me blossom into a joyful and respectful individual. Their love was true and so was the love of many others who took part in my life. I was also lucky enough to be a good seed. I was a strong and healthy boy, extremely lively and moderately clever, cheery and gentle-natured, though impatient and self-assertive. In my eyes, until my family moved to the poor and tough neighborhood, civility was the norm among the members of society; it made sense. Barbarity, on the other hand, was a stupefying rarity. The abused weakling gave me an understanding of barbarity  which was common in this neighborhood  and replaced my stupefaction with commiseration.</p>
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		<title>Type Of Tattoo</title>
		<link>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/type-of-tattoo/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/type-of-tattoo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 23:45:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaidy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/type-of-tattoo/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tattoos are at their heart a sign of individuality, and as more and more human beings seek a path to locate themselves apart from the crowd, the popularity of tattoos as a form of self expression is only likely to grow. In act, the strict code of practices takes every safety measure so the risk [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Tattoos are at their heart a sign of individuality, and as more and more human beings seek a path to locate themselves apart from the crowd, the popularity of tattoos as a form of self expression is only likely to grow.</p>
<p>In act, the strict code of practices takes every safety measure so the risk of transmitting HIV or other diseases is virtually nonexistent.</p>
<p>however before spread outside, bids from approximately the society drove the reward over the century mark. If you bear these things in head and keep you eyes peeled, asking any and all questions that come to head, you should be fully capable of deciding whether or not your decision to get tattooed will be a acceptable one.</p>
<p>One beneficial body about henna tattooing, unlike the tattoos the western culture is used to, the henna tattoo is not permanent, for it fades away in age or it comes outside after a hardly any washings.</p>
<p>This path, others that are researching where to get a tattoo, will have that much more helpful info to ease them outside! A great place to do this is Body Mod.</p>
<p>Others events are far more profound, like the large number of policemen and fire fighters who tattooed the names of fallen colleagues on their arms for all to see.<br />
If you contemplate on the internet there is a controversy about getting Kanji and Japanese Tattoos also. They will necessitate to contemplate into the dynamics of their relationships with customers and the nature of their interaction.</p>
<p>Getting a tattoo involves piercing the skin, and so there is going to be some pain involved, no complication how small the tattoo and no complication where it is on your body.<br />
The more tattoos you have, the more ink spots you will end up with all over your body as age goes by.</p>
<p>This is easy! I know, you are thinking that you cant much scan Japanese, so how on earth will you be able to recognize these different styles? Well, try this:</p>
<p>A temporary tattoo can latest for anywhere from a couple of days to various months and may be an alternative for you who are not certain that a permanent tattoo is the fair body for you.<br />
Granted it is a small snaggy and faded at once however he still has one on his forearm nonetheless.</p>
<p>A legitimate, well-trained tattooist follows strict health guidelines and is willing to answer any of your questions about tattooing procedures and concerns.</p>
<p>However many tattoo artists are spotting the trend and jumping on it already. The best defense in the battle of the fading tattoo is to stay outside of the sun, cover the tattoo with clothing and wear a really acceptable sunscreen.</p>
<p>Hepatitis, a disease that attacks the liver, is of a parcel more concern, being a much heartier pathogen that requires a much smaller amount of body fluid transfer, though it should be mentioned that , according to the Centers for Disease Control, there has NEVER been a documented action of Hepatitis OR AIDS caused by a tattoo.</p>
<p>Therefore, soon after their tour of the Honda plant, the Harley Davidson Motor Society decided to lay into practice this originally rejected approach. Try to utilize some kind unscented, undedicated body lotion, as some scents may irritate the still-tender skin of your tattoo. Some human beings decorate a small area of skin, while in others it may be difficult to find a square inch of un-tattooed flesh.</p>
<p>Studies showed that about 75 % of Harley customers made repeat purchases, and executives quickly recognized a pattern that refocused the conventions overall strategy.<br />
anyway, after getting a tattoo done you should know some aftercare tips that cannot be ignored.</p>
<p>Fortunately there are other avenues you can capture instead of getting a permanent tattoo lay on. They are also a great path to express your individuality and unique sense of style.</p>
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		<title>To Think for Oneself</title>
		<link>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/to-think-for-oneself/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:07:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaidy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/to-think-for-oneself/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Let us examine the three purposes of writing: to inform, entertain, and enlighten. To me, the second one is bottom of the list, though it is instrumental in the achievement of the two others. Every great teacher knows this intimately and readily laces his teachings with relevant and interesting stories, and humor. The first purpose, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Let us examine the three purposes of writing: to inform, entertain, and enlighten. To me, the second one is bottom of the list, though it is instrumental in the achievement of the two others. Every great teacher knows this intimately and readily laces his teachings with relevant and interesting stories, and humor. </p>
<p>The first purpose, to inform, comes second in my mind, whereas the last, to enlighten, comes first. To explain my attitude, I think it appropriate to draw your attention to my book A REASON FOR LIVING, where both of these purposes are pursued. </p>
<p>Part of my book relays factual or theoretical information about things like human physiology, nutrition, and universal evolution. This information relates to the current perception of reality in scientific circles. I am just a vehicle for it. Now, for two reasons, my role as a writer who informs his readers about scientific facts and theories comes second in my mind to my role as a philosopher who strives to enlighten his readers. </p>
<p>My main reason is that I regard wisdom as paramount, whereas the knowledge of the material world (i.e., the constituents, structure, and workings thereof) is not equally important, however useful it is on a practical level. Conscience comes before science, which in itself is incapable of providing humans with a sense of what is good, right, or sacred  in a word, with moral principles. An example of science without conscience is the destruction of nature and the violation of human rights by rogue companies who are efficient in their use, or rather abuse, of their environment and their workers to satisfy their greed. </p>
<p>My other reason is that my role as a writer who informs his readers about scientific facts and theories is indeed that of a mere vehicle. It is very much secondary to the role of researcher, which drives the scientific enterprise thanks to advanced instrumentation plus skillful, scholarly, and clever observations and rationalizations. </p>
<p>By contrast, my role as a philosopher who strives to enlighten his readers is in the driver&#8217;s seat, so to speak. Not only is it concerned with everything that makes life worth living and gives humans a sense of purpose, but also it does more than mirror the light of wisdom; it generates it by force of thinking on the basis of experience and study. </p>
<p>Truth to tell, my readers can likewise think for themselves. They themselves can be philosophers and create their own wisdom while discovering and evaluating mine. Therefore, the light shining through in my book is there to help my readers see a range of weighty matters on which they can meditate to form their own thoughtful opinions about them. And since they can do so, I venture to argue that they should.</p>
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		<title>The Quest for Truth and the Meaning of Life</title>
		<link>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/the-quest-for-truth-and-the-meaning-of-life/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/the-quest-for-truth-and-the-meaning-of-life/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:04:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaidy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humanities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thaidy.com/arts-and-entertainment/humanities/the-quest-for-truth-and-the-meaning-of-life/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[All too often, the quest for truth which admittedly can only yield a qualified success in the best case scenario is tainted with laxity and fancifulness, and hence is doomed to a pitiable result, not to say failure. Strangely enough, Blaise Pascal, a famous mathematician and philosopher, is also the eccentric author of a wager [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>All too often, the quest for truth  which admittedly can only yield a qualified success in the best case scenario  is tainted with laxity and fancifulness, and hence is doomed to a pitiable result, not to say failure. </p>
<p>Strangely enough, Blaise Pascal, a famous mathematician and philosopher, is also the eccentric author of a wager according to which the belief in God (or more precisely in heaven as a divine reward for virtue) is defensible to the extent that it is desirable, even though it cannot be proven. Actually, it is supposedly defensible because not only cannot it be proven, it also cannot be disproven. So desirableness is considered a valid foundation for belief, absent provableness and disprovableness! The door is open to every wild fancy, as long as we lack the empirical means of discrediting it.</p>
<p> Who have you invited to dinner, dear?<br />
 Some fabulous folks, my love.<br />
 Great! And who exactly are these folks?<br />
 I dont know, but theyre fabulous.<br />
 Hum! How can you say theyre fabulous if you dont know them?<br />
 Our neighbor across the road told me so.<br />
 Forgive me for asking, dear, but isn&#8217;t that neighbor somewhat loopy? The story about angels watching over us sounds like wishful thinking to me.<br />
 This loopy neighbor, as you say, is more fun to listen to than your professor friends, with all due respect.<br />
 But don&#8217;t you think<br />
 Forget about thinking; Im in the mood for a dinner with some fabulous folks.</p>
<p>(If you feel this is a bit of sexist humor, note that I have made no mention of genders. The prejudices that offend us are sometimes very much our own. Remember also that Blaise Pascal was a man.)</p>
<p>Personally, I am not willing to forget about thinking. However attractive a claim may be, this attractiveness must be accompanied by credibleness  which is a function of provableness and trustworthiness  before I let it shape my view and govern my life. When credibleness is wanting, I reserve judgment until further notice and meanwhile accept reality as it appears to be, judging from facts and solid arguments, even if this appearance is not consistent with a so-called ideal world. Call me austere (not ready to indulge in the luxury of extravagant beliefs), a man of reason who associates his intellectual austerity with intellectual integrity.</p>
<p>Having said this, the reverse attitude is common, especially in matters that are beyond the realm of experience and hence can neither be proven nor disproven. For example, as regards their future  here below or in the hereafter  many do not reserve judgment or keep their minds open to all possibilities, ranging from disastrous to glorious. Instead they believe a heavenly tale because they fancy believing it and often also because a charismatic fortuneteller or spiritual leader, allegedly endowed with supernatural powers, is the originator of this tale.</p>
<p>In its wildest and blindest form, optimism coupled with faith is illustrative of this attitude. Is it fanciful and nave, or even foolish? I am tempted to say yes, and yet I will resist this temptation. There is no denying that the inveterate optimists-believers derive significant enjoyment from seeing their future through rose-colored spectacles. In view of this enjoyment, a sophisticated better like Blaise Pascal will argue that these spectacles are worth wearing, at the risk of laboring under a delusion. I myself lack the grace or the guile of innocent or calculating souls to whom ignorance is bliss.</p>
<p>I am all the stauncher as a committed realist since life in itself  without fables and despite the adversities that are part and parcel of it  has meaning to my mind. Furthermore, I contend that religion (as a provider of a questionable but meaningful myth that makes a blissful afterlife the purpose of life) is often a poor substitute for wisdom. It is designed to offset the feeling of dissatisfaction that shadows the foolish if often profound concept of existential absurdity. The more deficient in wisdom, the more avid for religion (as defined above) one is.</p>
<p>Now, what is the content of this wisdom, or what is the meaning of life within the limits of life? I have answered this question to the best of my ability in my book A REASON FOR LIVING; and my answer  like any answer to this question  is sure to be both at odds and in keeping with yours. But then, the antithesis of statements and disagreements can usefully stimulate the intellect to resolve the oppositions and achieve a new and superior synthesis.</p>
<p>Be that as it may, this antithesis betrays the imperfection of individual wisdoms. At best, they are true up to a point, and we can persistently overpass this point while the complete truth indefinitely recedes like the horizon as we advance toward it. There are as many wisdoms as there are individuals; nevertheless their subjectiveness admits of much intersubjectiveness or deep intellectual kinship.</p>
<p>Let us explore a number of cardinal facts and logical assumptions based on facts.</p>
<p>1) The observable universe is the obvious manifestation of a tendency toward order. Ordered things and beings (that show their attraction for a particular inert or living state), ordered behaviors and thoughts (that aim at specific achievements and feelings in preference to others), all this testifies to the tendency in question, which can be called the principle of universal order. The oneness of this principle is not merely nominal. It is fundamental, as demonstrated by the unitary if complex human nature, which comprises every physical and nonphysical aspect of the observable universe.</p>
<p>2) The observation of the universe relates to observers: humans, in the present instance. It is limited to the observable manifestations of this universe, or provides a basis for knowledge only within the limits of these manifestations. Everything beyond these limits  that is, everything that is not observably manifest  transcends our ability to know it. Nevertheless, as Kant pointed out, our inability to know it does not suppress our curiosity. Whereas some accept the limits of knowledge, many dont. Their effort to penetrate the transcendental mystery ought to yield nothing except fancy.</p>
<p>3) There are, however, various degrees of fancy. At one extreme, fancy is grossly unfounded or rests on the highly suspicious claims of inspired visionaries regarding the great beyond. At the other extreme, fancy is very much tempered with reason. It is reminiscent of poetry, which assimilates certain things to kindred things through metaphors and similes.</p>
<p>Take for example the predictions of learned and intuitive futurists about the distant future of humanity. They clearly overstep the limits of knowledge, and yet they are believable to the extent that they are conceivable, given the way this knowledge represents humans and the world they inhabit. Take also for example the conjectures of learned and intuitive philosophers about the intimate nature of nonhuman beings or things beyond their observable characteristics. Like the above-mentioned predictions, they clearly overstep the limits of knowledge, and yet they are believable to the extent that they are conceivable, given the way this knowledge represents humans and nonhuman beings or things.</p>
<p>4) With respect to our human nature, observations include introspections and reveal both the spiritual and material aspects of this nature. Since we measure the value of life in terms of pleasure (sensual, intellectual, or moral), it is safe to say that the spiritual aspect is preeminent.</p>
<p>By underscoring the pleasure principle in moral matters, I imply that even the most edifying proof of nobility  comprises an element of self-interest. Indeed, nobility is an ideal in the pursuit of which the noble soul takes pleasure  not the low sort of pleasure that one derives from such activities as feasting on a palatable dish or having intercourse with a seductive lover, but the most elevated sort. Therefore, self-interest and nobility are not mutually exclusive. When they come together, the former is exalted by the latter.</p>
<p>5) As we fathom our human nature, we ultimately acknowledge the principle of universal order as the essence of our being, which can normally acquire habits  of thought or behavior  that are conducive to well-being. And so gratitude adds to the acknowledgment, though misery may reverse this attitude when it plagues us despite ourselves.</p>
<p>Why such misery? There is no answer to this question. We can ascertain the possibility of misery; we cannot explain it. Saying that the principle of universal order is such as to permit the occurrence of misery is like saying that misery is because it can be, which is no explanation. In short, misery is a mystery; and the best we can do is fight and overcome it, or resign ourselves to it when it is insuperable.</p>
<p>Actually, we can do better. We can regard misery as a precious opportunity for courage and merit, whereas an absolutely blissful and effortless life would require no courage and hence afford no merit.</p>
<p>But what about extreme cases where we are truly miserable and helpless? We can then take comfort from the knowledge that the principle of universal order is the essence of our being. Each of us is a single human incarnation of this principle among countless other like incarnations, which offer the prospect of a meritorious happiness through considerable effort.</p>
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