I love to know you think of me
I love to know you care,
I’m happy when you chat to me
in MSN or mail
But please don’t send me eCards anymore.

I love to hear about your deeds
I always want to know.
When you call I feel so happy
even if it’s just hello.
But please don’t send me eCards anymore

But when I get eCard from you
I wasn’t on your mind.
You have a mailing list, I know
and a commercial site to find.
Send me a single line to say
that you are fine and care.
But please, I really meant it
don’t send me eCards anymore.

There is no God but the stock market
and the analyst is it’s prophet.
As long as you follow its rules,
handsome shall be your profit.

The more you follow its ways,
the less you will look around.
This is what he really wants
to keep you deaf and blind.

Thinking is not for you.
Just think that you think, that will do.
Focus you mind on your greed
and slave to the whip of his lead.

Metal and glass, unlike slum,
are the pits where you slave to his drum.
Slave you are, slave you will be,
he ensures the way out you’ll not see.

If it’s new resolution you seek,
don’t pray for the rich any more.
Just open your eyes,
shutter your mould
Behold.

This time it's NOT a quote from Monty Python

Priests scuffle with brooms, stones at Church of the Nativity
December 28, 2007 - 7:10AM

Robed Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests went at each other with brooms and stones inside the Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity as long-standing rivalries erupted in violence during holiday cleaning.

The basilica, built over the grotto in Bethlehem where Christians believe Jesus was born, is administered jointly by Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic authorities. Any perceived encroachment on one group's turf can set off vicious feuds.

Dozens of priests and cleaners came to the fortress-like church to scrub and sweep the floors, walls and rafters ahead of the Armenian and Orthodox Christmas, celebrated in the first week of January. Thousands of tourists visited the church this week for Christmas celebrations.

But the dusting became a dustup, turned ugly after some of the Orthodox faithful stepped inside the Armenian church's section, touching off a scuffle between about 50 Greek Orthodox and 30 Armenians.

Palestinian police, armed with batons and shields, quickly formed a human cordon to separate the two sides so the cleaning could continue, then ordered an Associated Press photographer out of the church.

Four people, some with blood running from their faces, were slightly wounded.

Some time ago, Oregano, made a cynical note stating how biased we all were, and how all we cared about was the petty things close to us (like Diana), while completely ignoring major, often world-changing, event.

I completely agree with him, and his comment reminded me of the week after the Sep 11 attack. At the time, I was riding a taxi in Singapore, and on the radio they were estimating the number killed in the attack.

The taxi driver, an Indian guy, was laughing his head off, as he found it most amusing that until the previous week he hadn’t known that the Twin Towers existed, but now that he knew they existed, they didn’t.

As the time, I – like many – was still in a total shock, believing that the world is coming to an end. I simply couldn’t think rationally, and couldn’t understand how he was so heartless to find the funny side of such a monstrous disaster.

The driver, on the other hand, was quite perplexed by my reaction, and said, “Only a few months ago all the area of my village back home was flooded, and million lost their homes, and no one knows how many died. Here, it’s only a few thousand people that died very fast. So what’s the big deal?”

He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy!

(Monty Python)

Morning,
open your eyes.
Is it sun you see,
or is it your mind?

Some run fast, some walk slowly
but we all share the great love
for the single moment,
when time freezes
and all that left is
us,
nature
and the moment

Did you ever wonder how much you’re worth? The following anecdote may give you some estimate.

A company I once worked for, manufactured software used for some medical equipment. A malfunction would have meant death, and we were very proud of our record of reliability. So we decided to expand our business to other areas, and wanted to use our reputation for reliability to expand for the financial markets (believe it or not, there are commonality between these industries.)

I was introduced to a top banking executive who asked to see our record. When he found out that our references were all from the medical world it wasn’t good enough for him. As he stated bluntly: “If somebody dies because of your software you’ll pay $250,000. But here if a mistake happens we lose real money.” So if you ever wondered, for the business world, 250,000 is what you’re worth, and this value they use when they make their business decisions.

As a side note, a few years later the same guy was diagnosed with Leukemia, I am not sure what ‘real money’ meant for him then.

When love is brought about
remember what brought it,
don’t think about the love.

Love may not last,
but if you know what made it be
you’ll always find it.

This is a real 'how to advice', from less than 50 years ago. Three things are obvious:

1. How much the world has changed
2. How much man has not
3. Sex was no mentioned at all

I think I prefer our times after all.

“Sincerity always pays off in the long run” was a statement that unclefrank made in one of our blog discussions a few days ago. (Frank is frank)

I kept thinking about it ever since. How much truth is there in this statement? So let’s imagine a scenario (quite realistic in my opinion) in a relationship in which both partners have agreed to be completely honest with each other.

The man, after a crap day at work, has just arrived back home. The woman sees that he is not well and is trying to find out what went wrong and cheer him up. He, on the other hand, just wants some quiet time, watch TV, or maybe have sex, but definitely he doesn’t want to talk.

W: how was your day, dear?
M: (groans, while turning the TV on): crap.
W: (being sympathetic): Why? What happened?

Now the man has to decide if he is going to be honest, or should he try to keep the peace. He decides to be honest.

M: I don’t feel like talking. Can I just watch football quietly, please? We can talk tomorrow. (nothing rude, just being politely honest)

Now the woman, understandably, feels rejected and hurt. She, as well, can be honest, and express these feelings, or try to keep the peace. Again she goes for honesty.

W: it really irritates me when you just come home, turn on the TV and don’t want to talk. Why don’t you want to talk to me?

The man is facing the same dilemma again, but he still believes that honesty is the best way.

M: Why don’t we just have sex? I really don’t feel like talking now.

You can easily imagine the rest of this evening. So what went wrong? After all both side fulfilled their agreement to be honest.

As long as at least one of the sides is capable of feeling hurt, rejected or insulted a balance between honesty and keeping the peace should be struck. Otherwise, when honesty wins, relationship will lose.

Which is more important? This is a hard question that each of us must answer for themselves.

The chances of anything coming from Mars,
are a million to one he said.
But still they come.

Does anyone know how do I unsubscribe a certain blog?

The tragedy of relationships starts the moment you have lost your ability to keep each other happy, yet maintained the ability to inflict pain and make each other miserable. Once you are there, there is no way back. Step down.

When you look at the sky what do you see?
Is it the birds in the wind,
or the clouds floating by?
Can you still see the sun
when the day has just gone?

When you look at the clouds what do you see?
Do you see a rabbit or an angel,
a horse or a devil?
Can you still see the blue
through the clouds above you?

When you look at the stars what do you see?
Do you see diamonds flickering in heaven,
or huge suns burning their hydrogen
in the vastness of space of time?

When you look at yourself what do you see?
Are you a spec of dust or a flicker of light?
Can you see your mind or your heart?
Is it what you are now, or what you may be?
When you look at yourself what do you see?

The ways you choose to go,
lead you where they want.
You might think you know
however, you do not.

You think you make your choices,
but they are made for you.
Your birth and death are written
on cards the Moirés drew.

If you were very same,
just set in different scene,
or different circumstances,
how different you’d have been?

So you can make your choices
but please do not forget,
the sea of luck you’re sailing
can change with no regret.

so just enjoy the wind
whenever it’s your way.
But keep in mind that winds
have nasty ways to stray.

Don’t think about the end
and please don’t miss the way.
As long as it goes on
you have no choice but stay.

The nightingale does not resent
the cuckoo’s simple song.
But you,
if I don’t think like you,
you tell me that I am wrong.

A woman I know once confessed that at times when never she becomes frisky for no apparent reason, she gets a glimpse of how men feel most of the time, and sympathies with them. This is novel, as many women simply blame men for being what they are, and not what women believe they should be.

But this is not merely a problem of men and women. How often do we criticize people, or think they are stupid or useless with no understanding whatsoever of their point of view, feeling or thinking?

Under normal conditions, you may not be able to understand how anyone can be gay, have a life as an accountant, or goes on a suicide mission. But have you ever tried to truly put yourself is someone else’s shoes, and see the world the way they see it? You will then discover that your own point of view may not be the best one after all. It’s definitely not the only one.

The more you read and learn,
the more you realise
that everything written,
of how to live
you have known for ever.

All the books in the world,
will not change this,
or make it better.
So put them all down,
and live.