Cairo simmers and the world watches to see if a new democracy will emerge in the Arab World.
I found this in the Jerusalem Post:
* * * * * * * QUOTE * * * * * * *
ISRAEL’S INDIFFERENCE to democratization of the Arab world has been a cause of consternation for some of its traditional supporters in conservative circles in the US and Europe. Israelis are accused of provincialism. As citizens of the only democracy in the Middle East, we are admonished for not supporting democracy among our neighbors.
The fact is that Israeli indifference to democratic currents in Arab societies is not due to provincialism.
Israelis are indifferent because we realize that whether under authoritarian rule or democracy, anti-Semitism is the unifying sentiment of the Arab world. Fractured along socioeconomic, tribal, religious, political, ethnic and other lines, the glue that binds Arab societies is hatred of Jews.
* * * *
Given the Western media’s obsessive coverage of the Arab-Israel conflict, at first blush it seems odd that they would ignore the prevalence of anti-Semitism among the presumably prodemocracy protesters. But on second thought, it isn’t that surprising.
If the media reported on the overwhelming Jew hatred in the Arab world generally and in Egypt specifically, it would ruin the narrative of the Arab conflict with Israel. That narrative explains the roots of the conflict as frustrated Arab-Palestinian nationalism. It steadfastly denies any more deeply seated antipathy of Jews that is projected onto the Jewish state. The fact that the one Jewish state stands alone against 23 Arab states and 57 Muslim states whose populations are united in their hatred of Jews necessarily requires a revision of the narrative. And so their hatred is ignored.
But Israelis don’t need CNN to tell us how our neighbors feel about us. We know already. And because we know, while we wish them the best of luck with their democracy movements, and would welcome the advent of a tolerant society in Egypt, we recognize that that tolerance will end when it comes to the Jews. And so whether they are democrats or autocrats, we fully expect they will continue to hate us.
* * * * * * * END QUOTE * * * * * * *
Never been a time like this.
Perhaps the technology of today has a magnifying effect on our perception of world news and events.
Or perhaps we're witnessing the events predicted to occur at the cusp of the Seventh Millennium.
In either case: Get ready. The times are changing and difficulties lie ahead. Think about basic survival and lay in store now. Make your contingency plans. Clear your head and think soberly.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
Progress Slow
It seems that time drags by when you're waiting for things to happen. My low cash flow makes acquiring the requisite equipment a long drawn out affair. It tests my patience and determination. I wanted to get the tricycle last month and now another month is going to pass without funds to buy it. Oh well. It will happen in it's time.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Conclusion
The previous quote and the following quote are both from the book of Job. Did you guess correctly? :::
* * * * * * * * * * * *
So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.
He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.
* * * * * * * * * * * * end quote
* * * * * * * * * * * *
So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.
He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.
* * * * * * * * * * * * end quote
Saturday, October 16, 2010
A Righteous Way of Life
A bit of poetic prose I found that made me take deep notes. This fine example of knighthood and Chivalric thinking was about a man considering his end and what he had done in his life. This excerpt seemed to me to sum up a perfectly righteous way of life. Can you figure out who said this and why? :::
* * * * *
"When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square. The young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet. The chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands. The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me, because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him.
The man who was dying blessed me. I made the widow's heart sing.
I put on righteousness as my clothing. Justice was my robe and my turban.
I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy. I took up the case of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.
"I thought, 'I will die in my own house, my days as numerous as the grains of sand. My roots will reach to the water, and the dew will lie all night on my branches. My glory will remain fresh in me, the bow ever new in my hand.
"Men listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel. After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears. They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain. When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them.
I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners. * * * * * end quote
* * * * *
"When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square. The young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet. The chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands. The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me, because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him.
The man who was dying blessed me. I made the widow's heart sing.
I put on righteousness as my clothing. Justice was my robe and my turban.
I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy. I took up the case of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.
"I thought, 'I will die in my own house, my days as numerous as the grains of sand. My roots will reach to the water, and the dew will lie all night on my branches. My glory will remain fresh in me, the bow ever new in my hand.
"Men listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel. After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears. They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain. When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them.
I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners. * * * * * end quote
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Command Presence
The Following is from withthecommand.com a news and information site for the emergency services community ::
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Command presence: Feeding your own self confidence
By Chief Ron Richards
Command presence is essentially presenting yourself as someone in authority, trusted and respected. This is partially done through the message conveyed by how you LOOK, how you CARRY YOURSELF, how you ACT, and how you SPEAK.
Remember, first impressions are a lasting one. Looking like an unmade bed is not the way to instill confidence. In order to look the part, dress professionally. Always wear a clean, pressed uniform. Look professional.... at least look like you know what you are doing.
Personal appearance is not something that starts when you walk into the fire station or appear on an incident. It starts well beyond that. How are you groomed? What does the car that you drove to the station look like? Has it been washed in the last year? It the back seat full of coffee cups and food wrappers? What about your desk? Is it orderly or does it look like a forty mile an hour wind just blew all your papers on the floor and the janitor picked them up and threw them on your desk?
Taking pride in your personal appearance and grooming not only projects a professional image to the public, but it also helps make you feel more confident. The response you get from the public when your appearance is that of a professional will also help you feel more confident. When you feel confident it will help you approach situations with a better mindset.
Body language
How you carry yourself portrays command presence or lack of it. Confidence is projected through your body language, and how you verbally deal with individuals and groups.
Walk with your head up, eyes alert, and your expression intent. You do not want to appear weak or vulnerable. You want to project the image of someone that knows why they are where they are, and who is trained and knows what they are doing.
Walk with intent. Don't shuffle your feet or use a "lazy" walk. Pick up your feet and move like you know where you are going, and that you have a purpose in going there.
You need to portray an "I am in charge of this situation" image. The key is to be outwardly confident - even if on the inside you are scared out of your wits. You want your body language to convey confidence.
Your speech is another aspect of command presence. More people than you think hear you speak. Besides your face to face communications, many hear you speak on the radio. If you have the "terror in the voice" scream going on the radio as you arrive on an incident saying, "Chief 47, assuming the Blaze Street command..."that will not instill a whole lot of confidence in your peers or subordinates. I've referred to this as the "Big-Eye" syndrome. That's when you see a big fire and your two eyes open so wide that they appear to be one gaping whole in your forehead and the high pitched, screaming voice just puts the icing on the cake instilling an image that you are scared $%&less!
A solemn but good example of command presence communications is listening to the communications between a commercial airlines pilot and an air traffic controller just seconds before a plane crash. That pilot knows what's in store but still portrays confidence until the bitter end.
What do people see you doing?
If someone was watching you to see if you were able to react if they did something, what would they think?
Do you walk around with your hands in your pockets?
Do you look at the ground all the time?
Do you sit and watch television or listen to the radio while on duty?
Do you look bored and inattentive? Practice being firm and not taking no for an answer without getting angry. Keeping your cool is also a big part of this.
It all boils down to how you present yourself. Do you "look the part"? Do you carry yourself with confidence?, Do you ACT the part? Do you speak the part? If you can, then you are developing Command Presence, which will make your job a LOT easier.
************************** end quote
So.
Look the part, Looks
Carry yourself with confidence, Demeanor
Act the part, Actions
Speak the part. Speech
COMMAND PRESENCE.
Good lessons for any young man to learn
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Command presence: Feeding your own self confidence
By Chief Ron Richards
Command presence is essentially presenting yourself as someone in authority, trusted and respected. This is partially done through the message conveyed by how you LOOK, how you CARRY YOURSELF, how you ACT, and how you SPEAK.
Remember, first impressions are a lasting one. Looking like an unmade bed is not the way to instill confidence. In order to look the part, dress professionally. Always wear a clean, pressed uniform. Look professional.... at least look like you know what you are doing.
Personal appearance is not something that starts when you walk into the fire station or appear on an incident. It starts well beyond that. How are you groomed? What does the car that you drove to the station look like? Has it been washed in the last year? It the back seat full of coffee cups and food wrappers? What about your desk? Is it orderly or does it look like a forty mile an hour wind just blew all your papers on the floor and the janitor picked them up and threw them on your desk?
Taking pride in your personal appearance and grooming not only projects a professional image to the public, but it also helps make you feel more confident. The response you get from the public when your appearance is that of a professional will also help you feel more confident. When you feel confident it will help you approach situations with a better mindset.
Body language
How you carry yourself portrays command presence or lack of it. Confidence is projected through your body language, and how you verbally deal with individuals and groups.
Walk with your head up, eyes alert, and your expression intent. You do not want to appear weak or vulnerable. You want to project the image of someone that knows why they are where they are, and who is trained and knows what they are doing.
Walk with intent. Don't shuffle your feet or use a "lazy" walk. Pick up your feet and move like you know where you are going, and that you have a purpose in going there.
You need to portray an "I am in charge of this situation" image. The key is to be outwardly confident - even if on the inside you are scared out of your wits. You want your body language to convey confidence.
Your speech is another aspect of command presence. More people than you think hear you speak. Besides your face to face communications, many hear you speak on the radio. If you have the "terror in the voice" scream going on the radio as you arrive on an incident saying, "Chief 47, assuming the Blaze Street command..."that will not instill a whole lot of confidence in your peers or subordinates. I've referred to this as the "Big-Eye" syndrome. That's when you see a big fire and your two eyes open so wide that they appear to be one gaping whole in your forehead and the high pitched, screaming voice just puts the icing on the cake instilling an image that you are scared $%&less!
A solemn but good example of command presence communications is listening to the communications between a commercial airlines pilot and an air traffic controller just seconds before a plane crash. That pilot knows what's in store but still portrays confidence until the bitter end.
What do people see you doing?
If someone was watching you to see if you were able to react if they did something, what would they think?
Do you walk around with your hands in your pockets?
Do you look at the ground all the time?
Do you sit and watch television or listen to the radio while on duty?
Do you look bored and inattentive? Practice being firm and not taking no for an answer without getting angry. Keeping your cool is also a big part of this.
It all boils down to how you present yourself. Do you "look the part"? Do you carry yourself with confidence?, Do you ACT the part? Do you speak the part? If you can, then you are developing Command Presence, which will make your job a LOT easier.
************************** end quote
So.
Look the part, Looks
Carry yourself with confidence, Demeanor
Act the part, Actions
Speak the part. Speech
COMMAND PRESENCE.
Good lessons for any young man to learn
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Promoting Chivalry for TODAY
In his enthusiastic foreword to Robert Lewis's book, Raising a Modern-Day Knight, Stu Weber writes:
"Our culture is in deep trouble, and at the heart of its trouble is its loss of a vision for manhood. If it's difficult for you and me as adult males to maintain our masculine balance in this gender-neutral' culture, imagine what it must be like for our sons, who are growing up in an increasingly feminized world."
We must supply our young men with healthy, noble visions of manhood, and the vision of the knight, is without equal. In the knight we find a conception of manhood that can lift, inspire, and challenge our young men to new heights of achievement and nobility.
This is why I am laying plans to establish an Academy of Knighthood and Chivalry and will be challenging unsung knights around Oregon and the rest of the country to do the same.
Join me.
Contact me at wendell.archer@gmail.com.
"Our culture is in deep trouble, and at the heart of its trouble is its loss of a vision for manhood. If it's difficult for you and me as adult males to maintain our masculine balance in this gender-neutral' culture, imagine what it must be like for our sons, who are growing up in an increasingly feminized world."
We must supply our young men with healthy, noble visions of manhood, and the vision of the knight, is without equal. In the knight we find a conception of manhood that can lift, inspire, and challenge our young men to new heights of achievement and nobility.
This is why I am laying plans to establish an Academy of Knighthood and Chivalry and will be challenging unsung knights around Oregon and the rest of the country to do the same.
Join me.
Contact me at wendell.archer@gmail.com.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Patience
I feel like I'm doing time. I count the days from payday to payday. And this month (Oct) is the time to pay my final payment on the Hub Motor I've been purchasing ..... OR ..... Buy a used tricycle (supposedly recumbent and $2k new) for a mere $150.
But the connection to the tricycle did not happen as planned so I've decided to go ahead and send in the last payment on the motor,
Next month I'll get the trike. After that comes batteries and the solar panels.
Slow is the process.
Patience is the watchword.
But the connection to the tricycle did not happen as planned so I've decided to go ahead and send in the last payment on the motor,
Next month I'll get the trike. After that comes batteries and the solar panels.
Slow is the process.
Patience is the watchword.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
September 7 and still I wait patiently.
Have I said it before?
Life is a Beach... and I live below the high tide mark.
It seems like troubles just regularly roll over me. One after another.
Time passes as I patiently wait for results and milestones and income.
Time will try your patience.
Life is a Beach... and I live below the high tide mark.
It seems like troubles just regularly roll over me. One after another.
Time passes as I patiently wait for results and milestones and income.
Time will try your patience.
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