I had a stroke this last week, and then spent 5 days in the ICU/Observation ward at Suan Dok Hospital.
Partial paralysis on both sides of the body, but more severe on the left side. CAT scan showed that there was no blood clof on the brain. so not as horrific as it could have been. But not a pleasant experience.
Typing is still very difficult, so Jing -reed posts will be a bit on the light side for a while.
I really do not believe in most of the many batshit crazy 'conspiracy theories', but the following two videos are compelling evidence [not just speculation, but substancial EVIDENCE] that the 'facts and truth' about 9/11 was perhaps little more than a fabrication.
hy.poth.e.sis - Steven Jones documentary
" 'hy.poth.e.sis' is a documentary film that follows physics professor Steven E. Jones during a pivotal point in his life. In 2005, Steven went public with a controversial theory regarding the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9/11. His assertion that the collapse was likely the result of pre-positioned explosives rather than the hijacked planes resulted in a backlash from the community and even threatened his standing as a professor at BYU. Despite hate mail, threats, and even bribery to end his research, Steven refused to give in to overwhelming pressure and continued his pursuit of the truth."
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Loose Change documentary
"9/11 conspiracy theories are conspiracy theories that disagree with the widely accepted account that the September 11 attacks were perpetrated solely by al-Qaeda, without any detailed advanced knowledge on the part of any government agency. Proponents of these conspiracy theories claim there are inconsistencies in the official conclusions, or evidence which was overlooked. In a 2008 global poll of 16,063 people in 17 countries, majorities in only nine countries believe al Qaeda was behind the attacks. 46% of those surveyed believed al-Qaeda was responsible for the attacks, 15% believed the U.S. government was responsible, 7% believed Israel was and another 7% believed some other perpetrator, other than al Qaeda, was responsible. The poll found that respondents in the Middle East were especially likely to name a perpetrator other than al-Qaeda.
The most prominent conspiracy theory is that the collapse of the Twin Towers and 7 World Trade Center were the result of a controlled demolition rather than structural failure due to fire. Another prominent belief is that the Pentagon was hit by a missile launched by elements from inside the U.S. government or that a commercial airliner was allowed to do so via an effective standdown of the American military. Possible motives claimed by conspiracy theorists for such actions include justifying the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq as well as geostrategic interests in the Mideast, such as pipeline plans launched in the early 1990s by Unocal and other oil companies. Other conspiracy theories revolve around authorities having advance knowledge of the attacks and deliberately ignoring or helping to assist the attackers.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and media outlets such as Popular Mechanics have investigated and rejected the claims made by 9/11 conspiracy theories. The civil engineering community accepts that the impacts of jet aircraft at high speeds in combination with subsequent fires, not controlled demolition, led to the collapse of the Twin Towers."
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The Welsh choir 'Only Boys Aloud' sang "Calon Lân", a traditional Welsh hymn during their audition, and later at the final of Britain's Got Talent, 2012,
Nid wy'n gofyn bywyd moethus,
Aur y byd na'i berlau mân:
Gofyn wyf am galon hapus,
Calon onest, calon lân.
Calon lân yn llawn daioni,
Tecach yw na'r lili dlos:
Dim ond calon lân all ganu
Canu'r dydd a chanu'r nos.
I’d not ask a life that’s easy,
Gold and pearls so little mean,
Rather seek a heart that’s joyful,
Heart that’s honest, heart that’s clean.
Heart that’s clean and filled with virtue,
Fairer far than lilies white,
Only pure hearts praise God truly,
Praise him all the day and night.
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2001: A Space Odyssey, so its fans will tell you, is awesome, amazing, astonishing, astounding — and that doesn't even exhaust their list of "A" adjectives. But however emphatically they're spoken, those words don't tell you much. I fear they sometimes even put off potential 2001-lovers — or at least those who would enjoy a screening or three — who fear themselves unequal to the imposing labor of appreciation ahead. You'll learn more meaningful things about Kubrick's film in 2001: The Making of a Myth (made in 2001), a 45-minute documentary on its conception, its production, and its undiminished resonance in our cultural imagination.
Introduced by filmmaker James Cameron — he of The Terminator, Avatar, and Aliens, science-fiction spectacles of an entirely different nature — the program brings in a host of the original contributors to 2001′s look, feel, and psychological and technological verisimilitude. We hear from those involved in the photography, design, editing, and even technical consultancy. Actor Keir Dullea, still best known for his role as astronaut Dave Bowman, has much to say about working with his co-star HAL, and even the fellows in the ape suits offer insights into their non-verbal craft. Critical minds such as Elvis Mitchell and Camille Paglia weigh in on the picture's simultaneous visceral and intellectual impact, but Arthur C. Clarke, who wrote 2001 the book while Kubrick shot 2001 the film, puts it most sharply when describing the intent of his director counterpart: "He wanted to make the proverbial good science-fiction movie." Mission accomplished.
Was I stoned the first time I saw "2001: A Space Odyssey" ? My viewing of this monumental film occurred in the 1960's, and I lived in the San Francisco bay area, where love, grass and flower power ruled the day.
That all occurred more than 50 years ago, and I still watch it anew from time to time.
The Making of Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey
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Sawatdee bpee mai !
Songkran, the world's largest and most joyful water fight is here again. After weeks of blast furnace like temperatures, time for everyone in Chiang Mai, and all over Thailand, to cool off a bit with some water throwing.
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I recall the pleasure with which I discovered my first TED Talk on Youtube. At last something substancial and worth watching on YouTube.
TED, globally known as a showcase of ideas, hosts “fascinating thinkers and doers” who occupy a stage for 18 minutes or less to share their ideas with a global audience. Started in 1984, TED began as “a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader.”
TED’s mission statement reads:
“We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we’re building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.”
Imagine my dismay when recently I disovered that two TED talks had been posted, and then removed from YouTube.
TED, the popular conference organizer, recently censured two contributors for their TEDx talks, and cancelled an upcoming TEDx event due to the participation of two others. The four share an interest in the possibility that consciousness extends beyond the brain. In an open letter, Ken Jordan, Reality Sdandwich's publisher and editorial director, invited TED's curator, Chris Anderson, to an online forum to explain his action.
I may, or may not, agree with Dr. Sheldrake's assertion that 'consciousness extends beyond the brain', but more importantly I feel that I have the right to make my own decision about his view of science.
Dr. Rupert Sheldrake's TEDx talk censored by the 'scientific board' of TED and removed from YouTube. It was later reposted by someone not associated with TED Talks.
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Dr. Rupert Sheldrake talks about his banned TED talk on Skeptiko with Alex Tsakiris
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Roger Ebert dead at 70
"Roger Ebert loved movies.
Except for those he hated.
For a film with a daring director, a talented cast, a captivating plot or, ideally, all three, there could be no better advocate than Roger Ebert, who passionately celebrated and promoted excellence in film while deflating the awful, the derivative, or the merely mediocre with an observant eye, a sharp wit and a depth of knowledge that delighted his millions of readers and viewers.
“No good film is too long,” he once wrote, a sentiment he felt strongly enough about to have engraved on pens. “No bad movie is short enough.”
Ebert, 70, who reviewed movies for the Chicago Sun-Times for 46 years and on TV for 31 years, and who was without question the nation’s most prominent and influential film critic, died Thursday in Chicago.
“We were getting ready to go home today for hospice care, when he looked at us, smiled, and passed away,” said his wife, Chaz Ebert. “No struggle, no pain, just a quiet, dignified transition.”
Films have always seemed an integral part of my existence. First encountered Roger Ebert on PBS in 1975, and he immediately became one of my heros. There were occasions when I didn't agree with his film pronouncements, but always appreciated his brilliant critiques.
Roger Ebert: In Memoriam
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Hackers apparently broke into at least two of North Korea's government-run online sites Thursday, as tensions rose on the Korean Peninsula.
The North's Uriminzokkiri Twitter and Flickr accounts stopped sending out content typical of that posted by the regime in Pyongyang, such as photos of North's leader Kim Jong-un meeting with military officials.
Instead, a picture posted Thursday on the North's Flickr site shows Kim's face with a pig-like snout .... Underneath, the text reads: "Threatening world peace with ICBMs and Nuclear weapons/Wasting money while his people starve to death."
