Boston dynamics is doing research for military technology... the demo it walking on all sorts of terrain, and it fucking hops!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
An open letter to Dr. Laura
This is apparently an open letter that has been on the internet for a number of years. Ive seen it before a few times, and it always makes me smile. See for yourself...
Dear Dr. Laura,
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.
- When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odour for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odour is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
- I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
- I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
- Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
- I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
- A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
- Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
- Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. How should they die?
- I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
- My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev.24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev.20:14)
I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Your devoted disciple and adoring fan,
J. Kent Ashcraft
Thursday, August 27, 2009
"Just Allow it to happen..."
In life, there is a creative spontaneity that happens... by simply living.
It happens by living simply. As simple as it needs to be, and not more.
It happens by living genuinely. In the same way an apple tree ... 'apples', as Alan Watts used to say. There is no difference between the tree simply being a tree and the apple happening. The apple is literally an arbitrary mental construct that we have imposed upon its anatomy. The apple and the tree are one process, there is no difference between them except that which we create. It is not trying, nor not trying to 'apple'... it just does, and quite beautifully.
Yet this state or experience of being is shrouded in a dynamic jungle... a jungle of concrete-ness. You cannot try to make it happen, in the same way that you cannot not try to make it happen. It is literally allowed to happen.
And yet this word (allowed), is used in only one of its forms. "To give the necessary time or opportunity for"... This isnt a passive sense of the term. To allow myself to be genuine requires masterful looseness... an experienced veteran who maintains a beginners mind.
When we simply live, spontaneously, creatively... in such a way that nothing more or less needs be taken into account, we instantaneously and interdependently enable our own freedom. This is the context through which being genuine is realized - (made real). Its not forced to take place, it cant be. It simply happens.
And it happens simply.
If being genuine is intentionally sought after, we become trapped or obsessed with being genuine, and act the part so much that we become a fake... someone else. If we intentionally try to not do it... the same happens but it happens through the gate of denial.
Kind of like when you hold a handful of water. If you hold it tightly, it squirts out through your fingers, if you hold it too loosely, it dribbles away. Yet there is a way to do neither and still, almost effortlessly, stay in a balanced relationship with the water...
The genuine self then, is allowed to happen. Like the water it is not pushed away by your efforts, nor invited into a void by your denial.
Happy Thursday!
It happens by living simply. As simple as it needs to be, and not more.
It happens by living genuinely. In the same way an apple tree ... 'apples', as Alan Watts used to say. There is no difference between the tree simply being a tree and the apple happening. The apple is literally an arbitrary mental construct that we have imposed upon its anatomy. The apple and the tree are one process, there is no difference between them except that which we create. It is not trying, nor not trying to 'apple'... it just does, and quite beautifully.
Yet this state or experience of being is shrouded in a dynamic jungle... a jungle of concrete-ness. You cannot try to make it happen, in the same way that you cannot not try to make it happen. It is literally allowed to happen.
And yet this word (allowed), is used in only one of its forms. "To give the necessary time or opportunity for"... This isnt a passive sense of the term. To allow myself to be genuine requires masterful looseness... an experienced veteran who maintains a beginners mind.
When we simply live, spontaneously, creatively... in such a way that nothing more or less needs be taken into account, we instantaneously and interdependently enable our own freedom. This is the context through which being genuine is realized - (made real). Its not forced to take place, it cant be. It simply happens.
And it happens simply.
If being genuine is intentionally sought after, we become trapped or obsessed with being genuine, and act the part so much that we become a fake... someone else. If we intentionally try to not do it... the same happens but it happens through the gate of denial.
Kind of like when you hold a handful of water. If you hold it tightly, it squirts out through your fingers, if you hold it too loosely, it dribbles away. Yet there is a way to do neither and still, almost effortlessly, stay in a balanced relationship with the water...
The genuine self then, is allowed to happen. Like the water it is not pushed away by your efforts, nor invited into a void by your denial.
Happy Thursday!
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