Best Of
Re: My Don'ts And Dos
I agree with you @Ren_in_black it is a very helpful post, a good pointer.
Jeroen
Re: Which book are you reading?
Just finished The Radium Girls by Kate Moore.
The dark story of Americas shining women.
The Curies’ newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War.
Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these “shining girls” are the luckiest alive – until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.
But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women’s cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America’s early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers’ rights that will echo for centuries to come.
Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the “wonder” substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. Their courage and tenacity led to life-changing regulations, research into nuclear bombing, and ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of lives.
Vastmind
Re: New Pope on her way...
I must admit he wasn't half bad when compared to some of the others...
Shoshin1
Re: No Buddhist Quotes
“This constant lying is not aimed at making the people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore.
A people that can no longer distinguish between truth and lies cannot distinguish between right and wrong. And such a people, deprived of the power to think and judge, is, without knowing and willing it, completely subjected to the rule of lies.
With such a people, you can do whatever you want.”
~Hannah Arendt, German historian and philosopher (1906–1975)~
Shoshin1
Re: No Buddhist Quotes
[A Time for Everything]
"3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace."
Ecclesiastes 3
Kotishka
Re: What documentary are you watching?
I came across this beautiful short documentary (37 mins) about the life story of a native woman from Peru who had a rough childhood, left to travel the world, lived in New York but found she got depressed, was given Ayahuasca by a friend and received powerful visions to return to the jungle and become a curandera. I very much enjoyed the story, great cinematography and an engaging sound track!
Jeroen
Re: Truth: the language of the heart
I will be in the joyful corner with @Lionduck if anyone wants to join us... 
lobster
Re: Letting go of games
I’ve started writing about games and spirituality and philosophy. It’s a big topic, and I plan to just write more and more related stuff until I have enough for a book.
Jeroen
Re: Just for fun: the random, useless announcements thread!
Well, I was on the ferry heading over to the city for a vigil being held for all the Palestinian journalists and medical staff who have been killed, when I got a message from a friend back on the island: “Be careful, a mob of Destiny Despicable Church cult followers/thugs are in the square where the vigil is being held.”
Not long ago, Destiny cult thugs (or as many call them, the Deplorable or Despicable cult) attacked members of the Rainbow youth community, trapping them in a public library where they were holding an event to celebrate Pride Week. Some of the youth were hurt, and many feared for their lives. I think four members of the cult were charged with assault.
When I arrived, I got there early, about half an hour before the vigil was to start, fortunately for us, the thin blue line was out in force, forming a buffer zone between where the vigil was being held and the cult gathering.
Even though they had a group there singing upbeat gospel songs, the cult's intention in the square was clearly to provoke. Earlier on, a friend from the island who volunteers as a marshal at our rallies was followed by some of the cult members. At one point, they surrounded her, she managed to escape into a nearby food court.
A number of the cult members ride big motorbikes; many are former bikie gang members. I say 'former', but for the most part, they still operate as a gang. Wherever they turn up, their presence is quite intimidating.
That said, the vigil was mostly peaceful, I think the police presence helped. During the vigil, all of us with mobile phones received emergency alerts about a severe thunderstorm approaching. These alerts came through several times. The wind picked up, the sky darkened, but thankfully, it didn’t rain during the vigil.
Those of us from the island (there were around half a dozen of us) had to rush to catch the ferry, just in case sailings were cancelled. The ride back was a bumpy one, but the weather was fine when we arrived, the thunderstorm missed us.
Shoshin1