Author Archives: marcia

Temperature Rising at Fukushima Nuclear Plant

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Fukushima Update: Temperature Rising at TEPCO Unit 2

 

 
Fukushima Update: Unit 2 Temperature Rise
by Nelle Maxey  
TEPCO increased the volume of water being injected into Unit 2 by 35%  in the early hours of February 7.
This attempt to lower the temperature has stabilized it around 70 degrees C.
But it has not lowered it significantly.
This large increase in volumes of cooling water injection also means that TEPCO is outside the limits of operation for this reactor as I noted yesterday. They acknowledge this at the very bottom of in their morning press release for Feb 7. http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/12020703-e.html
The best article on the net explaining what is going on at Unit 2 is the one from Asahi news. It has the fewest errors and omissions and also has an excellent drawing and an excellent chart which you can see at the link to the article.

TEPCO struggles to cool Fukushima plant’s No. 2 reactor

Tokyo Electric Power Co. is taking steps to prevent a possible self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

Readings from a thermometer at the bottom of the No. 2 reactor’s pressure vessel rose from 50.8 degrees at 5 a.m. on Feb. 1 to 73.3 degrees at 7 a.m. on Feb. 6.

Melted fuel is believed to have accumulated at the bottom of the reactor, but high radiation levels have prevented workers from checking the exact situation within the reactor.

After the flow of cooling water was increased to 10.6 tons per hour on Feb. 6, up from 8.6 tons two days earlier, the temperature fell to 69.2 degrees at 5 p.m. on Feb. 6. That night, TEPCO injected boric acid into the reactor to prevent criticality, the point at which a nuclear fission reaction becomes self-sustaining. Boric acid absorbs neutrons, which induce nuclear fission.

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) instructed the company to consider injecting boric acid earlier in the day.

TEPCO also plans to increase the amount of cooling water by 3 tons per hour.

At a news conference on Feb. 6, Haruki Madarame, chairman of the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan, told TEPCO and NISA to keep the public informed.

“We expect them to address the public’s concerns by methodically explaining what could happen and how they plan to deal with it,” Madarame said.

A TEPCO official said there were no signs that the melted fuel had reached criticality. The official said the level of radioactive xenon, an element with a short half-life, remained below a measurable detection limit, and that monitoring devices around the nuclear power plant have not detected a rise in radiation levels.

TEPCO officials said the rise in temperatures was not steep enough to indicate that criticality had been reached.

However, a temperature of 80 degrees or more at the bottom of the pressure vessel would ring alarm bells. TEPCO has assumed a margin of error of up to 20 degrees for the thermometers in the reactor because it is not clear what damage was done to them by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Therefore, a reading exceeding 80 degrees could mean an actual temperature of more than 100 degrees, compromising the reactor’s status as being in cold shutdown.

The rise in temperatures appears to coincide with changes in the flow of water through two separate systems for cooling the No. 2 reactor: the feed water system and the core spray system. TEPCO temporarily increased the amount of water being pumped through the feed water system and reduced the amount of water going through the core spray system as it strengthened outdoor piping in late January.

After that work was completed, it gradually decreased the amount of water flowing through the feed water system and increased the flow through the core spray system in an effort to restore flows to the setup before the strengthening.

The thermometer that has produced the high readings is located just under the feed water system. Its temperature readings rose when the water passing through the feed water system was reduced and water going through the core spray system was increased. Readings from two other thermometers at the same height in the reactor have been stable at 44-45 degrees.

The temperature may have risen because water has not reached part of the fuel since the amount of water through the feed water system decreased and the flow of water changed,” said an official at TEPCO’s Nuclear Power and Plant Siting Division.

for more information, go to:  http://www.pacificfreepress.com/news/1/10889-fukushima-update-temperature-rising-at-tepco-unit-2.html

Leon Lewis on Getting Outside of the Box

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Consciousness beyond conditioned thought

(Recognizing the Language of Divine Unity)

By Leon Lewis

We live in times where, for those who are consciously awakening, a more intimate and intricate relationship with Spirit — including nature in all its forms — is becoming a priority. The heightened sense of separation from Spirit that many feel is to some extent encouraging humanity towards exploring deeper and more inclusive ways of connecting with all of life, via their own higher nature. The pace of our current lives, in which we are experiencing escalating change in the world and in systems around us, appears to dictate that we act in opposition to our inner process and higher principles. A crisis of purpose emerges, in which many feel unready to effect the necessary changes, in the face of evermore evident and unsustainable contradictions.

Conditioned thought exists as the result of the subconscious absorption of environmental imprinting, which includes social, religious, historical and political influences, etc. The development of our relationship with our higher nature requires that we nurture the ability to transcend those aspects of conditioning that would hold us back.

One of the realizations emerging amongst many who are approaching higher consciousness is the need for dedicated inner work, in order to bring about a state of balance. This work includes the regular practice of meditation, via which the results of a deepening awareness of the spiritual life can be carried into daily activities. Amongst other benefits this practice fuels our essential loving nature. It also supports the expression of conscious creativity and the ability to work with change — qualities which life asks each of us to weave into every aspect of our experience.

 

A fundamental part of being human involves maintaining harmony with nature. Disharmony occurs as a result of being out of touch with nature, including the nature of who it is that we essentially are. Emotional imbalance, illness and various other conditions serve as reflectors (or reminders) that this connection has to some extent been compromised.

Whichever facet of our lives we focus upon, whether it be the food we eat, the attitudes we hold, the company we keep, or the practices that we undertake, it is helpful that we regularly remind ourselves to remain centered within our ‘natural’ self; within the energy of consciously recalling times when we felt at one with nature — thereby carrying the resulting feeling of ‘at oneness’ with us into all of our activities.

Consciousness beyond conditioned thought — where there is a deep inner comprehension of oneness — reflects our original state of being. This state of being, which might also be described as unity consciousness, is gradually re-awakened as we connect more deeply with our higher nature.

This awakening requires a certain dedication to the establishment and maintenance of inner silence. The extent to which we are able to achieve silence and the resulting inner stillness determines the extent to which we can open to the ‘higher mind’ — beyond the thinking mind.

The ‘higher mind’ — beyond the predominantly ego-based intellectual paradigm — creates thought. It brings new thought into being and is intimately linked to the evolutionary process. The ‘higher nature’ (and the experience of the ‘higher nature’ beyond that which we would understand in terms of the mind) involves what might be described as divine experience. It is beyond intellectual description and can only be expressed in terms of feelings and sensations, such as the experience of light, joy, energy or sound.

What emerges from the elevated experience referred to above is (to a certain degree) translated into thought, in our daily experience. We might then put this into practice or ‘walk’ it into our world or environment, thus sharing it creatively with others. It may translate into words or deeds, or manifest as something intangible.

Entering a state of higher consciousness — a term used to explain experience that transcends conditioned thought — takes us into more expanded dimensions of conscious being, involving frequencies that for the most part cannot be ‘measured’, from a conventional scientific perspective. The spontaneous expression of love and kindness are examples of the transcendence of conditioned thinking and doing.

In order to develop a deeper connection with higher consciousness — the realms beyond the physical — it becomes necessary to embrace and develop higher senses; faculties that are in certain ways parallel to the physical senses but exist on higher levels. This process involves remembering who we truly are as spiritual beings. As each physical sense evolves through various higher stages certain conditions become apparent, such as joyful and creative action, dynamic service, profound realization and the conscious striving towards excellence (including the attainment of higher knowledge). As we sense these awakenings occurring within us, we are inspired to reach out to our higher nature as if taking a hand; thus allowing ourselves to be guided through the higher experience.

The dream state also guides us beyond materially based experience. It involves reflected thought patterns, symbols and feelings. When we look at the way dreams are ‘put together’ and recalled, we recognize that we are dealing with a state that is transcendent of logic and the intellect, even though we might use these faculties to describe the dream in attempting to make sense of it, or learn from it.

The conscious experience of dreams is a portal to the journey which transcends the realm of conditioned thought, beyond the realm of thinking and doing — into the state of:

Being, yet creating;

Stillness, yet radiating.

These words attempt to describe what might be referred to as an aspect of enlightenment. However, because the term ‘enlightenment’ has become loaded, like various other terms within society, it has come to be perceived by many as something almost unattainable, unless complicated and all-consuming practices become the daily routine.

Nevertheless, what is being called for by life is a significant shift in practice, replacing certain mundane, habitual practices with conscious inner practices and, where need be, profound life-changes. Life is beckoning us towards these things and it is helpful to pay greater attention, especially when spending time in nature and when feeling in touch with our own higher nature. Life is encouraging us to recognize the guidance that takes us beyond thought, to listen to the bird-song and the wind through the grasses or the trees; and to feel the heat and light of the sun and the moisture in the air. We are being called to open our higher sense perceptions and to allow the analytical senses to wane somewhat — not to disappear, but not to constantly hold ‘center stage’, as they commonly do amongst the majority of humanity.

Most people live in a state of analysis and judgment — seeing all in terms of ‘I’ and ‘other’, instead of experiencing life in terms of ‘I Am’. As we experience all that is around us from the perspective of ‘I Am’, we begin to become one with ‘All That Is’. We begin to transform — via the feelings that transport us into that state of being. As we do that, we recognize the language beyond words, beyond conditioned thought and analysis … the language of divine unity.

Life is guiding us towards new levels of awareness and new states of being in order to help us align with the changes occurring within our reality. It is offering us the opportunity to step up before it becomes necessary to do so as a matter of survival. It is far preferable to consciously effect changes before change is urgently required, and thus to become the embodiment of change within the environment, rather than one who is forced to change by the shifting paradigms.

The process of expansion into higher consciousness requires that we honor universal principles as well as the natural environment, and thus allow ourselves to be guided by them. Achieving this is an enormous step, for when we are truly in harmony with these things; we are able to express the authentic essence of who it is that we are as spiritual beings — thus becoming one with all of life.

-o0o-
Leon Lewis

 

About Leon Lewis

Leon Lewis

 

I am a potter, musician and spiritual teacher, living in South Africa.

My childhood fascination with the unseen realms led to spontaneous mystical experiences, beginning in the early 1970’s.

Since the 1980’s I have lived in a small, rural village, where I have spent much time in relative solitude, making profound connections with aspects of higher consciousness, the Earth, as well as the legacy of the indigenous First Peoples – known as the Bushmen.

In response to a deep longing to establish a closer relationship with nature, I was granted opportunities to become involved in my surroundings in a variety of ways. I gradually came to realize that my experiences were nurturing in me, amongst other things, a deep respect for the ancient ways and wisdom of the First Peoples of our planet. This led to the privilege of becoming acquainted with some of the unseen forces in nature and the opportunity to participate in various miraculous events.

You can contact me at leon.sacredcall@gmail.com

from:    http://www.spiritofmaat.com/feb12/consciousness_beyond_conditioned_thought.html

Ithaca Hours

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What are Ithaca Hours?
Ithaca Hours is a local currency system that promotes local economic strength and community self-reliance in ways which will support economic and social justice, ecology, community participation and human aspirations in and around Ithaca, New York. Ithaca Hours help to keep money local, building the Ithaca economy. It also builds community pride and connections. Over 900 participants publicly accept Ithaca HOURS for goods and services. Additionally some local employers and employees have agreed to pay or receive partial wages in Ithaca Hours, further continuing our goal of keeping money local.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 for more information, go to:    http://www.ithacahours.org/                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  and, from the founder:                                                                                                                                  Ithaca HOUR Factsheet

Since 1991, over $110,000 of Ithaca HOURS (11,000 HOURS at $10.00 per HOUR) have been issued. Six denominations: 2 HRS, 1 HR, 1/2 HR, 1/4 HR, 1/8 HR, 1/10 HR. Includes a commemorative HOUR, the first paper money in the U.S. to honor an African-American.

 

Thousands of people, including 500 businesses, have earned and spent HOURS.

 

They have made millions of dollars value of trades with HOURS, representing hundreds of job-equivalents at $20,000 each.

 

HOURS are thus real money– local tender rather than legal tender, backed by real people, real labor, skills and tools.

 

Most HOURS have been issued as payments to those who agree to be published backers of HOURS, listed in our bimonthly directory HOUR Town. Every year they may send the coupon again to receive a bonus payment– which gradually and carefully increases the HOUR supply.

 

11% of HOURS are issued as grants to community organizations. Over 100 nonprofits have received grants totalling over 1,500 HOURS ($15,000) since we began.

 

5% of HOURS may be issued to the system itself, primarily for paying for printing HOURS.

 

Loans of HOURS are made with NO INTEREST CHARGED. These have ranged $50- $30,000 value.

 

HOURS are legal. Professor Lewis Solomon of George Washington University has written a book titled “Rethinking Our Centralized Monetary System: the Case for a System of Local Currencies” (Praeger, 1996) which is an extensive case law study of the legality of local currency. IRS and FED officials have been contacted by media, and repeatedly have said there is no prohibition of local currency, as long as it does not look like dollars, as long as denominations are at least $1.00 value, and if it is regarded as taxable income.

 

HOURS are protected against counterfeit. They are multicolored, with serial numbers. The 1995 Quarter HOUR and 1997 Eighth HOUR use thermal ink, invented in Ithaca, which disappears briefly when touched or photocopied. The 1993 Two HOUR note is printed on locally-made watermarked 100% cattail paper, with matching serial numbers front and back. The 1996 Half HOUR is 100% handmade hemp paper. Our District Attorney has declared HOURS a financial instrument, protected by law from counterfeit.

 

Benefits

 

  • HOURS expand the local money supply
  • HOURS promote and expand local shopping, with an endless multiplier
  • HOURS double the local minimum wage to $10.00, benefitting not only workers but businesses as well, who find new and loyal customers.
  • HOURS enable shoppers to afford premium prices for locally-crafted goods and for locally-grown organic food.
  • HOURS help start new businesses and jobs
  • HOURS reduce dependence on imports and transport fuels
  • HOURS make grants to nonprofit community organizations
  • HOURS make zero-interest loans
  • HOURS stimulate community pride
  •                                                                                                                                                                from:   http://www.paulglover.org/hourintro.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Negros – Cebu Philippines Earthquake

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Earthquake Negros – Cebu, Philippines – 43 killed, among them 29 due to landslides and 10 by collapsed buildings.

Last update: February 6, 2012 at 3:26 pm by By 

Earthquake overview : an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 occurred in the very highly populated region of Central Visayas in Philippines. The nearest populated places are: Ayungon (20km), Tayasan (12km), Cantaup (16km), Jimalalud (6km), La Libertad (7km), Apanangon (6km), Guihulngan (15km), Villegas (15km). The closest civilian airport is Bacolod (73km).

Most important Earthquake Data:

Magnitude : M 6.8
UTC Time : Monday, February 06, 2012 at 03:49:16 UTC
Local time at epicenter : Monday, February 06, 2012 at 11:49:16 AM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) :  46.6 km
Geo-location(s) :
72 km (44 miles) N of Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines
74 km (45 miles) WNW of Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines
80 km (49 miles) WSW of Cebu, Cebu, Philippines

Update 14:42 UTC : Damage report issued at 05:00 PM (17:00) local time by the Philippine authorities. more damage may be expected the coming hours.

Update: 40 killed and many missing with 100 injured due to earthquake induced landslides. The death toll is expected to continue to rise.

Update: 13 have been killed and many are missing following this earthquake. Landslides and aftershocks including a m6.2 in the last hour are making conditions difficult for rescuers.

Update:  5 have been killed and at least 29 missing. more news to follow.

Update : GMA report in mixed Tagalog / English language about the situation in the Philippines after the earthquake.

Update 07:23 UTC : The NDRRMC said both damage to property and aftershocks are expected from the quake, whose epicenter was traced to 5 km northwest of Tayasan, Negros Oriental.

Update 06:23 UTC : Not much more news than the 1 child killed has come from the authorities. Local tsunami alerts have been put out in the Visayas region – Alert Level 2 – stay away from the coast due to unusual waves.

 

for more information and updates, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2012/02/06/very-strong-earthquake-close-to-la-libertad-negros/

February 5-11

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This week you can find yourself facing many conflicts most of them brought about by the juxtaposition of the old and the new.  What to keep, what to let go of.  What defines you, what confines you. Never an easy thing.  This can lead to conflict, uncertainty, and anger.  Take time when these kinds of feelings arise to analyzer and follow them to their source.,  There is much to be learned. Lessons are always best when they are over, but this is a week of transitions, so things will not be completed at this time.  But pay attention to what s gong on and new revelations in regards to old friend, new friends, places, and things.  The energetic shifts that are coming about at this time are requiring your cooperation and acknowledgement. Be alert, aware, and observant.  Also, your intuition is very strong at this time.  You will do well to be aware of it.  If you are unsure about what is coming to you, take time to go within and listen to the guidance of your heart.  Be open to what your body is wanting at this time.  The physicality is shifting too.

On a larger scale, there are some painful things that have to be learned right now.  These lessons can come in all areas including the political arena, finances, science, and international relations.  Much of this will go unreported in the news within this country.  If you are desirous of finding out about some of these things, you will need to look to the news in other countries.  The Earth continues its shifts and changes, and there will be a greater  impact of some of these movements this week.  The Sun will have some erratic periods as the Galactic energy moves out of the shadow of the outer planets and closer to the middle of our solar system.  This can lead to some odd science news as they report anomalies, however these things are just new to this era and had a history in the very remote past.

Sunday, February 5:    Light Purple

Everything seems fine to start with, however there is a nagging sense of …. something.  You cannot quite put your finger on it, but you know it is there.  You will find yourself looking around at people and things to find a cause or someone to pin it on, but it will all come back to yourself,  Since this is the case, it is best to take some time to ground and go within.  Look and feel what is going on inside of you.  There is a shift in the energies that is happening now and you are responding.  Take time to know what is going on and be open to any messages you might receive, some perhaps in the form of synchronicity or deja vu.  You can find your answers if you just allow yourself to do so.

Crystal Vibe:    Barite Rose—-This stone brings together many elements and influences in such a way that things can be changes and augmented.  Resonates with the Solar Plexus Chakra.

Monday, February 6:    Dark Blue

There are things in the works, actually things that have been in the works for a long time now, and they are ready to burst into fruition.  Be ready for that.  Some of them can surprise you, so be on the alert for today anything can happen.  People are coming up to you with messages, judgments, and reminiscences.  It is not important for you to respond, just acknowledge.  There are so many emotions and feelings that can be tied up in some of these things that it best to step back, observe, and let them be what they are.  There is a bit of joy unfolding throughout the day, and you will become aware of it as night falls.

Crystal Vibration:    Mangangocalcite—-The energies of this pink stone can bring comfort, solace, and connection.  If you are needing a safe vibration in which to open to the larger whole, this can be helpful. Resonates with the Heart Chakra.

Tuesday, February 7:    Light Periwinkle

The veils are very, very thin today, so things can pop into and out of view quickly.  Just accept that this is the way the energy is tending right now.  Acknowledge that this is the way things are right now, and that sometimes things just are the way they are.  Be ready for some hard questions today as people come up with stuff, a lot of it their own, which they are trying to understand, and, if that is not possible, to redirect to others.  Stay in control of your emotions today.  Becoming angry or upset will not assist in gaining the perspective you are needing to make it through the day.

Crystal Energy:    Leopardskin Jasper—-The energy of this stone reflects both the light and dark vibrations.  It assists in looking for balance and objectivity.  Resonates with the Heart and Tenth Chakras.

Wednesday, February 8:    Light Green

Feelings and physicality issues are going to be very much in the forefront today.  This does not mean that you will be feeling sad and bad, rather you will be more aware of how you are reacting to things on both and emotional and physical level.  Take time to notice how you are responding.  You can learn a lot about the shifts and changes that you are going through at this time.  You can also learn about the new WHO that you are becoming. You are refining and honing many of your core impulses and wisdom.  Listen to the counsel of your heart’s knowing and you can learn much.

Crystal Energy:    Heliodor—-This stone works on the level of one’s purpose.  It can bring focus and light to specific areas of importance.  It assists in protecting one from negativity.  Resonates with the Solar Plexus Chakra.

Thursday, February 9:    Primary Blue

The theme today is Back to Basics.  It is time to see things for what they truly are, what is the basis for the stuff on top, what makes you tick, what makes others tick.  Take time in dealings with others to see what the essential motivations are.  Listen to the words unspoken.  Be aware of the Freudian Slips and reflex moves. There is much to be learned today, and much to be unlearned.  There are revelations that can come forth today.  Some will be new and others are things you already know, but the ones that are truly unexpected can leave you dumbfounded.  Stay centered and true to yourself.  Some of the things you encounter in the day’s energy can bring strong emotional responses.  You will want to be ready.

Crystal Vibration:     Psilomelane—-This mineral assists in grounding, and having grounded, adding to perspective in regards to what you should be looking at.  Resonates with the Root and Third Eye Chakras.

Friday, February 10:     Light Magenta

You might wake up today feeling as if you want to sing or dance or something like that, but at the same time, you feel that you might have a headache coming on or… something.  The day statrs with an up energy that is, nonetheless, somewhat conflicted.  As the day progrewses, you can find yourself a bit distracted.  You may be focused on one task, and then all of a sudden, your attention shifts to something else.  It will be hard to stay with just one thing, but actually that will all be to your advantage in the evening when many things come up, and you get them all

Crystal Vibe:    Staurolite—-The energy of this stone protects you, while at the same time allowing you to stand up for your core beliefs.  Resonates with the Root Chakra.

Saturday, February 11:    Clear

There is something about the energy of this day that you will not quite be able to put your finger on, but you know that is is good.  There will be a number of synchronicities coming your way, and it is your task to put them together and see what is the meaning behind all these things.  People are willing to be helpful; so, if you need help or are looking for information, this is a good day for requesting assistance in these areas.  Be aware also of a close friend or relative who will be needing your care due to come kind of physical issue.  It is important to be strong in the energy of the day.  It shifts, twists, and turns, and in your grounding within your heart center, you can navigate those vagaries and emerge in the evening with a new knowledge.

Crystal Frequency:    Azulicite—-The energy of this stone works with the body’s meridians for cleansing and unification.  It resonates with the Root Chakra with a vibration that penetrates through all the Chakras.

 

Herman Wouk on Science & Religion

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Herman Wouk

Author, ‘The Winds of War’ and ‘War and Remembrance’

The Language God Talks: The Back Story

Henrik Ibsen once wrote of the “life-lie” of authors, the resolve to create some day an enduring masterwork, the Big One that never gets written. For decades I harbored a title, A Child’s Garden of God, for a book telling of my religious faith in a frame of modern science, not necessarily a Big One, but a work I felt born to give the world. Not being a scientist at all, I was a fool to dream of accomplishing this, but novelists are fools whose dreams every now and then take form, see the light, and last.

My notes on A Child’s Garden of God go back to the 1960s. As they piled up I would comfort myself by recalling what Einstein said when asked how he worked: “How do I work? Igrope.” If that was really true, I thought, there might yet be a shred of hope for an aging storyteller getting nowhere, year by accelerating year, with his dream of writing A Child’s Garden of God. At last I decided either to do something about it, or give it up as my life-lie. I first intruded on Professor I. Bernard Cohen of Harvard, who taught the History of Science for 60 years, and told him, in an ad lib farrago lasting perhaps 20 minutes, what I had in mind. “Wow, big,” he commented. “I don’t agree, of course, I think it’s all stochastic, but I’d like to see how you do it.” Years later, still haunted byGarden, I intruded on the famed theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson at Princeton, and harangued him about the project. He heard me out and soberly nodded, saying, “It can work.”

More years passed, more notes piled up. At last I met the man who got me to start writing the book — do or die — Maarten Schmidt of Caltech, who discovered the quasars. At a lunch with him and another Caltech astronomer I knew well, Jewish and utterly secular, I poured out the still-unwritten Garden. My Jewish friend appeared indulgently amused by the idea. Maarten Schmidt listened with an intense far-off look. When I fell silent he said, “It can be done, but it is very, very hard.”

Those words became my mantra. I set out to write something brief, truthful, and readable on this gravest of themes. It took me four years and 40,000 words, based on notes running to some 30 file folders. The book starts with three chapters on science, followed by five on my faith. The science took most of the time, as I battled my ignorance all the way, making spectacular detours and blind alleys. One was a “thought experiment” in which Edwin Hubble himself appeared in my workshop and conducted me, a little like Virgil in Dante’s Inferno, outward into space among the stars, horizon by receding horizon, to the misty margins of the universe. I thought this was pretty good stuff. My almost infallible wife read a draft of this first part. “Well, it’s all right,” she said, “but you’d better get rid of that spook.” Half a year shot.

Two epigraphs frame The Language God Talks. In one Richard Feynman declares that in the view of religion, God created the universe so as to watch us struggle for good and evil, and “the stage is too big for the drama.” In the second the Israeli author S. Y. Agnon cautions, “Remember, Herman Wouk, we are storytellers. Stories, pictures, people! No thoughts!” So it is that I devote three chapters to Feynman’s Stage, five to his Drama, and try to do it all with Agnon’s stories, pictures, and people. If a thought or two drifted in, I couldn’t help it. The task totally engaged me. I never tired, never once thought of giving it up. The masses of discarded pages are in my archives, there to remain as silent evidence that it was very, very hard. With some trepidation I sent the finished manuscript to Freeman Dyson and Maartin Schmidt, among others. I. Bernard Cohen had long since left the Stage. For Dyson, whose critique was bruising and bracing, the book had worked in its fashion. Schmidt’s response started with two words in boldface: “You succeeded.” I will remember those words while I last.

But what of A Child’s Garden of God, the title I cherished for so long? Well, when my almost infallible wife read the second part, she said, “Fine, but I don’t like your title. The book is about science and religion, and the title should say so.” I bethought me of my first meeting with Feynman, when he asked me if I knew calculus, and I admitted I didn’t. “You’d better learn it,” he said. “It’s the language God talks.” This casual remark by a towering scientist, an aggressively secular Jew, strikes the modern note with a resounding agnostic clang. The Language God Talks acknowledges my lack and offers something of what I have learned of His other language, which I know pretty well: the Bible.

Herman Wouk’s new book, The Language God Talks: On Science and Religion, was published in April 2010 by Little, Brown & Company.

Dr. Jeff Masters on Snow, Temps, Weather Anomalies

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Posted by: JeffMasters, 4:06 PM GMT on February 03, 2012 +21
Brutal winter cold continues over most of Europe, where at least 200 people have died in a cold wave that began January 26. Hardest hit has been Ukraine, where the temperature bottomed out at -17°F (-27°C) at the capital of Kyivthis morning. It was the second coldest day of the cold wave, behind the -28°C reading of February 2. These temperatures are the coldest winter weather in six years in Ukraine, and at least 101 deaths are being blamed on the cold there. Also hard-hit has been Poland, where 37 people, most of them homeless, have died from the cold. Rome, Italy experienced a rare snowfall today, only its second day with snow during the past fifteen years. Very cold temperatures 10 – 20°C below average will continue for another seven days in Europe before gradually moderating late next week.


Figure 1. Departure of temperature from average as analyzed by the GFS model, for February 2, 2012. Remarkably cold air was present over Europe and western Alaska, while very warm air was over central North America and Siberia. This image is being generated experimentally by wunderground, and will be regularly available on our web site in the future.

Meanwhile, a snow drought for the U.S.
In the U.S., it’s been the opposite story, with temperatures 10 – 15°F above average continuing this week over much of the nation. January 2012 is in the weather record books as the 3rd least-snowy January for the contiguous U.S. since snow records began in 1966, and December 2011 ranked as the 11th least snowy December on record. With no major snow storms in the offing over at least the next ten days, it’s looking probable that the non-winter of 2011 – 2012 will set numerous record-low seasonal snowfall totals. The National Weather Service sends out a daily “Weather and Almanac” product for several hundred major U.S. cities that we make available on wunderground. I went through yesterday’s statistics for those cities that reported measurable snow this winter. Only nine cities out of 166 major U.S. cities in the lower 48 states reported above-average snowfall as of February 1; 157 cities received below-average snowfall. The big winner in the snow sweepstakes has been Alaska, which is boasting 8 of the top 10 locations for heaviest snowfall this winter. While the 27.75 feet of snow that has fallen on Valdez has gotten a lot of attention, more remarkable is the 18.8 feet of snow Yakutat has received. That’s more than 12.5 feet above what they usually have by this time of year.

The big losers in the snow stats for this winter are the cities along the lake effect snow belts on the Great Lakes. Most notably, Syracuse, New York is nearly four feet of snow below average for this time of year. Perhaps more exceptional is Williston, North Dakota, which has received just 1.8″ of snow this winter–more than two feet below their average for February 1.

Have a super weekend, everyone, and I’ll be back Monday with a new post.

Jeff Masters

Phillipine Sea Strong Earthquake

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Strong earthquake 60 km out in the Philippine Sea, Samar, Philippines

Last update: February 4, 2012 at 3:14 pm by By 

M 5.9      2012/02/04 13:09     Depth 19.0 km      SAMAR, PHILIPPINES

09:09:29 PM at epicenter
Very strong earthquake 60 km out in the Philippine Sea
140 km from Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines
Reported intensities by Phivolcs, the Philippines seismological agency
Intensity IV – Gamay, Northern Samar
Intensity III – Palo, Leyte; Tacloban,Leyte; San Policarpo, E. Samar; Dolosa, Leyte; Catbalogan, Samar; Oras E. Samar
Update 15:14 UTC  : 4 aftershocks so far, among these aftershocks 1 of M 5.0
PHIVOLCS Satellite map of the greater epicenter area

M 5.8      2012/02/04 07:40      Depth 10.1 km     TONGA
08:40:13 PM at epicenter
Strong earthquake with an epicenter approx. 50 km from the Hai-apai group.
140 km (86 miles) ENE of NUKU`ALOFA, Tonga
Satellite map of the greater epicenter area (see below)

Label info : M = magnitude, D = depth (km), Time = UTC

from:   http://earthquake-report.com/2012/02/04/earthquakes-list-february-4-2012/

Sarah Biermann on Being in the Outside World

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COMING OUT OF THE PSYCHIC CLOSET; How to feel safe and joyful being your authentic self in the outside world

By Sarah Biermann

Have you been cocooning or hiding out in your safe little home? Has it been challenging to go into public places, especially where there are a lot of people? Or maybe you have had to “adjust” yourself in order to fit in with the Muggles (non-magical or unspiritual people). By adjust I mean shrink your energy field, watch what you say and try to appear “normal”. Or maybe being around other people, certain people or a lot of people makes you feel exhausted. Perhaps you’ve experienced the weird phenomenon of people not seeing you, in your car or in your body. They drive or walk in front of you as if you are not there.

In 2011 especially we have been doing a lot of inner work. We’ve needed time alone, away from the distractions and challenges of interacting with other people. I have talked to so many people who have told me they fear becoming agoraphobic! It’s like you have to gird your loins (which means preparing yourself for danger or war by putting on your armor) just to go to the grocery store or a shopping mall or a movie. We are expanding and increasing our psychic/intuitive abilities at an amazing rate.

With these increasing abilities it is easy to become overwhelmed. We’ve got to change the way we are living as expanded spiritual beings and how we interact with the people and energies in the world.

I’ve been feeling the push to be more public, to go out into the world more. And I’m not alone. I know a lot of you are feeling like it’s time to step up or step out of your “Psychic Closet”. For some of you this just means being willing to say what you want and be as big and cool and spiritual as you really are, no matter where you are. For others the push can be to go public (or more public) with your spiritual work. This is the year to let go of fear and enjoy freedom. 2012 is a 5 year (2+0+1=+2=5). This means there’s going to be change! 2011 was a 4 year. That was a year of building foundations, working and setting the stage for the changes inherent in a 5 year. The negative aspects of the 4 year are frustration, exhaustion and fear about security. In a 5 year there are so many potentials available that the negative aspects are distraction and overwhelm. So it is important that we are centered and grounded in the now moment and our own Authentic Energy to use the 5 energy of freedom and change is a positive way and not lose focus.

So I’ve been practicing for a while to learn or create techniques that allow me to be my Authentic Self in situations that have been challenging lately. How do I maintain my sense of self when surrounded by a lot of other people and low frequency emotions like fear, shame, hopelessness, etc.? I attended a very fun event at the beginning of December. I went with my sister and a couple of her friends to Sing Along to The Sound of Music at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. There were many opportunities to be distracted. First, it’s the city AND the Castro District. For those of you who don’t know about it, the Castro (as described by Wikipedia) “is one of the United States’ first and best-known gay neighborhoods, and it is currently its largest. Having transformed from a working-class neighborhood through the 1960s and 1970s, the Castro remains a symbol and source of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activism and events.” The Castro Theatre was originally built in 1922 and is beautifully restored and absolutely gorgeous! It was a warm and sunny day and the sidewalks and streets were crowded (two separate men walked by us as we waited in line, both buck naked, whoohoo!). There was a protest against banks across the street, curious tourists and fun costumes. Basically, there was a lot going on. I kept my center, didn’t pick up anybody’s energy and had a really wonderful time.

I continued to develop the skills and decided to put it to the ultimate test. I went to the biggest shopping mall in the county on Christmas Eve! You can imagine what the energy was like in there. My daughter who is very empathic was blown away and begged me to get her out of there. I tried telling her how to stay sovereign but she couldn’t quite do it. Several times she pulled me to the side to let the “crazy people” walking behind us go past. I was aware of them, they were loud verbally and energetically but I was unaffected. A true victory!

Here’s a brief guide to the process I use:

The first step is to be present, in the here and now and in your body. Focus on your breathing. Use the ImagiCreation Breath (simultaneously contracting and expanding into you center chakra (joined 3rd and 4th chakras). This keeps you centered and feeling safe. If you are in this exact moment, you can’t worry about the future or regret the past. Scan your body and notice how different parts feel. Stress can knock us out of our bodies, leaving you feeling ungrounded and susceptible to being influenced by outside energies.

Connect with the Earth; physical connection, skin to earth is best, but at least connect energetically. You are part of a greater organism. Let the earth share her strength with you. This also helps you to feel safe.

Connect with your Greater Self. Breathe in your Authentic Energy and expand it out to fill your body and beyond. Expand this energy as far as it will go. You are much bigger than you think. Your body is surrounded by this unique field of your Authentic Energy. It’s like being in your own dimension. Note: Sometimes people in other dimensions can’t see you when you are in your Greater Self Dimension. Like most people can’t perceive fairies. An example was once when I was in a restaurant after teaching a class. I was really buzzing. The waiter literally walked by my table less than 12 inches away from me at least 5 times without noticing me or my friend. Finally, I shifted my energy and reached out to touch him as he walked by. The poor guy nearly jumped out of his skin and said, “Oh my god, I didn’t see you there!” This was not because the restaurant was bust. It was still early and there were only three other tables with diners at the time. So, it’s a good idea to create a “human costume” that can be seen by those who are unable to perceive your frequency, especially when driving your car.

What I discovered by frequently focusing on and being in the energy of my Greater Self is the true nature of unconditional love and self-love. It’s not the romantic longing of infatuation. It’s not something that comes from someone else being lovable, desirable or kind. Unconditional love is our natural state as Infinite Beings outside of the Earth Game. I would describe it as being peaceful, content, safe, non-judgmental and absolutely knowing that you are lovable, exactly as you are.

Once you are anchored in your Authentic Energy, in your body and in the present moment, you can’t be knocked about by other energies as long as you maintain that sovereignty.

How to keep your sovereignty when you are out there:

Don’t start reading other people. It’s a fun game when you are first learning to do it and many of us have used this technique to try to feel safe. I would always read my mother’s energy before I went in the house so I could be braced for any angry attacks. You can perceive if there is someone with whom you do not want to engage without “going in” and getting stuck with their stuff. Let your empathic system know to let you know if there is anything dangerous out there and trust that it will do just that. This does take practice.

Don’t send out love and/or light when you perceive others difficulties or hurts. This opens a path for their negative stuff to flow right into you. This has been a struggle for healers for a very long time. Instead, focus on this person’s Greater Self, knowing that they are having exactly the experience that they need for the path they have chosen.

Most people unconsciously match frequencies with others when they want to connect and communicate. Stay conscious of this tendency and focus on your own frequency. This also takes practice.

If you must engage with someone (a family member, cashier or co-worker for example), don’t focus on what you dislike about them. Find something that you can appreciate, like or even love about them and focus on that. It can be nice earrings or necktie, great hair color or eye color. This doesn’t mean that you forget that your co-worker loves to spread gossip and start telling your secrets! Trust what you know but don’t focus on the negative. Focusing on the negative lowers your frequency and gets you hooked in to their energy.

Be willing to be silly, wrong, look stupid or whatever. You know that you are loved and loveable. You do not have to be perfect. You can’t be perfect anyway.

If you find yourself feeling judgmental about someone, look at where you judge yourself. Once again, this doesn’t mean that you tell your secrets to the office gossip. It is discernment to know that this is how this person is. To choose to stay away from a poisonous snake doesn’t mean you are making the snake “bad” for its nature. It is following your knowing to steer clear (unless you are a professional snake handler) of a situation that would not be good for you.

These are the basic methods I have successfully used. You must stay conscious and practice to break old habits and trust yourself to be safe and secure.

 

About Sarah Biermann

Sarah Biermann

 

Sarah Biermann is an internationally renowned Teacher, Intuitive Healer, Channel, and is the founder of ImagiCreation. Clairvoyant and highly empathic, she works directly with the language of the unconscious mind to clear and transform limiting beliefs, implants, past life material and much more. Sarah can be reached at: sarah@limitless-one.com

Please visit Sarah’s website, www.limitless-one.com for free articles and channels, audios, videos, teleseminars and events. Experience the Golden Mesh and the Un-create Wormhole, a powerful guided process to clear out unwanted energies from your system.

Visit Sarah’s blog www.imagicreation.wordpress.com for her series about the hidden meanings of words, Playing with Language, and much more.

from:    http://www.spiritofmaat.com/feb12/coming_out_of_the_psychic_closet.html

Blazing Texas Fireball

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TEXAS FIREBALL: After nightfall on Feb. 1st, a spectacular fireball appeared in the skies of eastern Texas and Oklahoma. As is often the case for unexpected night-sky phenomena, few pictures are available. The best so far comes from a police dash-board camera in the small town of Little River-Academy, TX:

Eye-witness Daryn Morran reports: “At approximately 756pm CST, over Abilene, Texas, I saw an object falling from the sky much brighter and long-lasting than anything I’ve seen. [The fireball] lasted close to 8 secs before completely burning out. At first, it was bright white, and then started slowing down and getting brighter. Then it exploded like a firecracker artillery shell into several pieces, flickered a few more times and then slowly burned out… awesome!!!”

Another observer in Coppell, Texas, reported a “double boom heard at 8:00:30 CST. [The object appeared to be] 1/2 the size of the waxing moon, and broke into two major chucks with many smaller pieces. It had a ‘white plasma’ (sun-colored) look with a long golden tail.” (This report was relayed by NWS meteorologist Joe Harrris in Frt Worth.)

According to Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, this was probably a natural object–a small asteroid about the size of a car or bus–not a decaying satellite or other manmade space debris. The fireball, which disintegrated in the general vicinity of Dallas-Fort Worth, was bright enough to be seen on NASA cameras located in New Mexico more than 500 miles away. “It was about as bright as the full Moon (astronomical magnitude -13),” estimates Cooke, who is still analyzing data and sighting reports in hopes of calculating the object’s orbit. He might yet figure out where the Texas fireball came from

fr/spaceweather.com