GREECE: Last Ditch Scramble To Avoid Default; Is On The Verge Of Completing The LARGEST Sovereign Debt Restructuring In History!

The Telegraph UK

Greece in last ditch scramble to avoid default

written by Louise Armitstead

Thursday March 8, 2012

Greece is on the verge of completing the largest sovereign debt restructuring in history, but doubts remain over whether the stricken country can avoid a default.

Athens officials last night estimated more than 85pc of private creditors had accepted the €206bn (£173bn) bond swap shortly after a deadline expired yesterday evening. That is enough for the deal to go through, but leaves the possibility the government might have to use its controversial Collective Action Clauses (CACs).

Ratings agencies have warned they will declare a default if Greece activates the CACs, which allow the government to impose the deal on the remaining bondholders. The CACs will be used if the take-up falls below the desired 95pc but above the required 66pc.

The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) is poised to convene again to decide if the deal amounts to a “credit event” that would trigger billions of euros of insurance.

Athens said the figures would be revealed at 6am GMT today. The 17 eurozone finance ministers have scheduled a conference call at lunchtime today to review the deal. They will meet on Monday to decide if Greece’s €130bn bail-out funds can now be released.

With the bondholder acceptance level too close to call yesterday, Evangelos Venizelos led the charge against a group of rebel Greek investors. The Greek finance minister said it was an embarrassment that six out of 15 state-controlled pension schemes – including one that serviced his own ministry – were withholding their support hours before the deadline. “When pension funds in other countries that invested in Greek bonds are taking a haircut, how can our own funds refuse to join in?” he said.

Others refused, too. Delta Lloyds, the Dutch insurer with €71m of Greek bonds, said it would not vote for a deal that would be imposed on some investors. Still, as the number of acceptances rose, stock markets across Europe rose by around 2pc each.

Most traders expected the CACs to be activated but were relieved that an orderly default was secure after eight months of wrangling. Some were still optimistic that 95pc of bondholders would accept the deal, pushing it through without a hitch. “Bondholders would be mad not to accept the offer,” said one. “The alternative is getting nothing.”

The deal, in which creditors swapped their bonds for new ones worth a quarter of the value, is designed to wipe out more than €100bn of Greek government debt by 2020. Its completion is also a key condition of Greece’s international paymasters – they will not release the €130bn bail-out funds without it. Greece needs the cash to repay a €14.5bn bond due on March 20.

Critics argue that, even with the bondholder deal, the bail-out measures are inadequate. Raoul Ruparel, of Open Europe, said: “The package still offers little hope of making debt sustainable in Greece and puts taxpayers at the risk of greater losses under what looks to be an inevitable Greek default.”

CHINA: China Has Repatriated ALL 31 North Korean Refugees It Arrested Last Month! Could Face Execution For Fleeing Country During The Mourning Period For Late Leader Kim Jong-Il

AFP

China returns 31 N. Korean refugees: Seoul activists

written by Staff

Friday March 9, 2012

SEOUL — China has repatriated all 31 North Korean refugees it arrested last month despite international pressure against the move, activists said Friday, warning they could face severe punishment.

Campaigners fear the refugees could suffer abuse or even face execution for fleeing the country during the mourning period for late leader Kim Jong-Il, who died late last year.

Do Hee-Yun, head of the Citizens' Coalition for Human Rights of Abductees and North Korean Refugees, said the group of 31 people had been in three separate groups and were arrested in different places in China.

"They were returned to the North clandestinely over the past two weeks," Do told AFP. "They are likely to be severely punished as they fled the North during the mourning period."

The North has been in mourning since Kim Jong-Il died of a heart attack on December 17. He was succeeded by his youngest son Kim Jong-Un.

Rumours have been rife near the border that Jong-Un has issued a shoot-to-kill order against people attempting to cross the border during mourning and has also called for stern punishment for their relatives, Do said.

North Korea has in the past treated those who simply crossed the border to find food with relative leniency while punishing severely those who attempted to flee to the South, according to North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity.

However, all fugitives are now treated as traitors worthy of severe retribution, the group of North Korean defectors based in Seoul said.

Seoul has repeatedly urged Beijing to treat fugitives from the North as refugees and not to repatriate them. China says they are economic migrants and not refugees deserving protection.

The UN refugee agency urged Beijing not to send back the North Koreans. Rights watchdog Amnesty International says returnees are sent to labour camps where they are subject to torture.

US Representative Chris Smith, co-chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, urged Washington to link treatment of refugees to its decision last week to deliver 240,000 metric tons of food aid to North Korea.

More than 21,700 North Koreans have fled to the South since the 1950-1953 war, the vast majority in recent years. They typically escape on foot to China, hide out and then travel to a third country to seek resettlement in the South.

CHINA: Attempts To Ban Book In Hong Kong! Chinese Communist Party Frets Over A New Threat: A Book By An Aged Communist

The Washington Post

Chinese Communist Party frets over a new threat: A book by an aged communist

written by Andrew Higgins

Thursday March 8, 2012

HONG KONG — As publisher of the secret journal of purged Communist Party chief Zhao Ziyang and other political blockbusters, New Century Press has grown accustomed to dealing with bursts of rage from Beijing.

But it never expected a fuss over its latest venture: a densely footnoted monograph on political theory by an 83-year-old communist with a heart condition.

“Frankly, this book was never going to be a sensational bestseller,” said Bao Pu, the founder of the Hong Kong-based publishing house.

But there is no telling what will stir anger these days in a country that is increasingly prosperous and powerful but also curiously insecure — so much so that China spends more on internal security than on defense and views as a threat an octogenarian authority on Marxism and believer in democracy.

Bao said he got a late-night call last week from officials in Beijing — who have no jurisdiction over what gets written or read in Hong Kong — demanding that he halt publication of a collection of essays by Du Guang, a retired professor at the Central Party School, which serves as a think tank as well as ideological boot camp for China’s ruling Communist Party.

“This is what happens if you give unlimited power to the security apparatus,” Bao said, echoing a widespread view that the party, though the architect of China’s spectacular economic renaissance, is in thrall to retrograde security organs that see flickerings of subversion in every corner.

Du’s book was originally due to be published March 1 — just before the opening Monday in Beijing of the National People’s Congress, China’s rubber-stamp parliament. Budget figures released at the start of the conclave show that China will this year increase spending on domestic security forces by 11.5 percent to $111 billion — $5 billion more than the military will get.

Bao said he decided to delay publication but still intends to release Du’s book, adding it to a growing list of publications issued in Hong Kong that rattle Beijing. The former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997 but retains free speech and other liberties absent in the rest of China, has developed a vibrant niche publishing industry geared to mainland visitors eager for information they can’t get at home. Its output ranges from lurid accounts of the mistresses of party officials and “insider” revelations of dubious authenticity to far more serious — and, for Beijing, more disturbing — works on Chinese politics and history by people such as Du.

A study of the party

Unlike student protesters who enraged the party by erecting a statue modeled on New York’s Statue of Liberty in Tiananmen Square in 1989 or the jailed Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo who championed Western liberties and mocked party dogma, Du is a party member who takes Chinese communism seriously. In some ways, though, that makes him especially troublesome.

His book, an advance copy of which has been reviewed by The Washington Post, doesn’t ridicule the party or call for its overthrow but dissects its theoretical gobbledygook and traces how far it has drifted from its early ideals. The book’s title: “Getting Back to Democracy.”

Contacted by telephone in Beijing, Du, who recently underwent heart surgery, said he couldn’t comment, explaining that he is not allowed to give interviews without permission from the Central Party School’s Old Cadre Bureau, which controls housing, medical care and other services for elderly staff members.

On Monday afternoon, shortly after the opening of the National People’s Congress, officials paid a visit to Du and told him that the school’s party committee had decided that his book must be stopped, according to an e-mail the scholar sent to a Chinese friend in the United States.

Internet censors, meanwhile, have started blocking his blogs on Chinese Web sites. Furious, Du wrote an angry post, which — in a sign of how difficult it has become for authorities to control the flow of information — has been re-posted on Web sites that are still accessible. “The strangling of free speech is not possible,” Du wrote. “It only . . . makes you lose face before the whole world.”

‘The wrong road’

In his still-unpublished book, Du reflects on how he embraced communism more than half a century ago because it promised an end to dictatorial rule but “slowly came to realize that there is a great distance between the ideals of the past and the road taken by our society and country. I feel a responsibility to cry out to those who lead this country’s ruling party and to common people: we have taken the wrong road.”

The party says that it doesn’t reject democracy but only its Western forms, an argument that resonates at a time of growing Chinese nationalism. It points to the National People’s Congress, which has nearly 3,000 members, allows some discussion of policy and no longer votes unanimously in favor of everything.

But the legislature still invariably approves party-scripted legislation. Its chairman, Politburo Standing Committee member Wu Bangguo, is a fervent critic of what the party scorns as alien Western notions of democracy incompatible with China’s “national essence.” At last year’s session, Wu outlined a doctrine of “Five Don’ts,” denouncing multiparty competition, pluralism and other innovations as heresies that will plunge China “into an abyss of internal disorder.”

Please click HERE to read the entire article...

USA: Red Cross Helping People Recover After Tornadoes; Urges Preparedness As More Storms Predicted

RED CROSS PRESS RELEASE:

Red Cross Helping People Recover After Tornadoes; Urges Preparedness As More Storms Predicted

WASHINGTON, Thursday, March 01, 2012 — Weather experts predict another round of severe weather tomorrow across the middle of the country, and the American Red Cross is urging people to get ready now in case the storms materialize in their communities. Meanwhile, Red Cross workers continue to help people affected by Wednesday’s early morning tornadoes in the same part of the country, providing food, shelter and emotional support.

Weather forecasters say Friday’s storms could affect areas from the southern Great Lakes to the lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys, including the cities of Indianapolis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Nashville and Birmingham, where residents may see tornadoes, straight-line winds and hail.

The Red Cross has safety steps people can follow to protect members of their household. “Pick a safe place in your home or apartment building where household members and pets can gather during a tornado,” said Rick Bissell, PhD, MS, MA, member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council and chair of the Preparedness Sub-Council. “Use a basement, storm cellar or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.”

Other steps people should take include:

• Watch for tornado warning signs such as dark, greenish clouds, large hail, a roaring noise, a cloud of debris or funnel clouds. Secure outside items such as lawn furniture or trash cans, which could be picked up by the wind and injure someone.
  
  
• If a tornado watch is issued, it means tornadoes are possible and people should be ready to act quickly. If a tornado warning is issued, it means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar and people should go underground immediately to a basement or storm cellar or to an interior room such as a bathroom or closet.
  
  
• If a tornado warning is issued and someone is outside, they should hurry to the basement of a nearby sturdy building. If they cannot get to a building, they should get in a vehicle, buckle in, and drive to the closest sturdy shelter. If flying debris occurs, a person can pull over and stay in the car with the seat belt on, their head below the window, and cover their head with a blanket or their hands. If someone does not have a vehicle, they should find ground lower than the surface of the roadway, and cover their head with their hands.
  
  
• If someone is in a high-rise building, they should pick a place in the hallway in the center of the building.

Red Cross shelters were open overnight in Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Missouri, where the Red Cross is serving hundreds of meals a day in the affected areas where people are without power. Numerous injuries have been reported, and many homes and businesses destroyed. The Red Cross is working with local government and community partners to help people, as they begin to clean up their neighborhoods. , In addition to providing health and mental health services, Red Cross damage assessment teams are fanning out in the affected communities today.

Harrisburg, Illinois was particularly hard hit and Red Cross Blood Services delivered blood products to a medical center in the area to support patient needs. The blood inventory in the affected areas is sufficient at this time. If someone would like to give blood, they must be 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet height and weight requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and be in general good health. Eligible blood donors can schedule an appointment by calling 1-800-RED CROSS, or visiting http://www.redcrossblood.org/.

To find an open Red Cross shelter, people can visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). iPhone users can download a free Red Cross shelter view app from the app store.

People can help those affected by disasters like the Midwest tornadoes and storms, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Consider making a donation today by visiting http://www.redcross.org/, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Contributions enable the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters.

Those affected can let loved ones know they are safe by registering on the secure Red Cross Safe and Well website, where they can also update their Facebook and Twitter status. If you don’t have computer access, you can also register by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Loved ones outside the disaster area can use Safe and Well to find information about loved ones in the affected areas by using a pre-disaster phone number or complete address. Smart phone users can visit www.redcross.org/safeandwell and click on the “List Yourself as Safe and Well” or “Search for friends and family” link.

Follow safety steps. As people begin to deal with the aftermath of the tornadoes, the Red Cross reminds people they should return to their neighborhood only when officials say it is safe to do so. They should also:

• Stay out of damaged buildings and immediately report any fallen power lines or broken gas lines to the utility companies.
  
  
• Use flashlights, not candles when examining buildings. If someone smells gas or hears a hissing noise, they should open a window, get everyone out of the building immediately and call the gas company or fire department.

More tornado safety information is available on the Preparedness Section of the Red Cross website.

USA: Death Toll Reaches 39 After Tornadoes Ravage The Midwest And South

Detroit news

Death toll reaches 39 after tornadoes ravage Midwest, South

written by Tom Lobianco and Bruce Schreiner

Monday March 5, 2012

Louisville, Ky.— Fifteen-month-old Angel Babcock seemed to be the miracle survivor of a deadly tornado that killed her parents and two siblings when she arrived Friday night at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Ky. Though critically injured, she was opening her eyes, and hospital workers said that was a hopeful sign.

But the New Pekin, Ind., girl's condition deteriorated Saturday as her brain swelled, chief nursing officer Cis Gruebbel said. As the day went on, Angel's eyes ceased to move, and there was no sign of brain activity.

The child's grandmother, Kathy Babcock, told ABC News that she and other relatives decided Sunday afternoon to remove Angel from life support after medical staff told them there was nothing more they could do.

"I had my arm around her when she took her last breath," Babcock said. "I sang to her 'Itsy-bitsy spider.'"

Angel's death ended a hopeful tale for survivors in the Midwest and South and brought to 39 the number of people killed by the storms that devastated five states.

As residents picked through the rubble and made plans to bury their dead, they also began trying to find a semblance of normalcy as officials continued to assess the damage.

The National Weather Service in Louisville, Ky., said the tornado that struck New Pekin measured an EF-3 on the enhanced Fujita scale, while another tornado that struck nearby Henryville, Ind., was stronger yet, measuring an EF-4 and packing winds of 175 mph.

Early Monday, a blanket of wet snow covered Henryville and other parts of tornado-stricken Clark County. State homeland security spokeswoman Emily Norcross said the 2 to 4 inches of snow would likely slow the clean-up effort because it covered debris and concealed potential hazards.

"It's slippery and it's hampering visibility on roads, so it's more difficult to see small debris like nails," Norcross said. "It's complicating things."

Theresa McCarty, owner of Pop Top Bar in New Pekin, said her husband was with emergency workers Friday when they found the Babcock family. Their bodies had been scattered, she said.

McCarty, her friends and co-workers talked about establishing the bar as a central refuge for victims of the tornado from the immediate region, including making roughly 1,000 meals Sunday for victims and volunteers.

But when she talked about the Babcock family, she got quiet: "It was the whole family."

Speaking from his bed at the University of Louisville Hospital, Jason Miller told NBC's "Today" show Monday that he invited the Babcock family into his home as the storm was bearing down. As it hit, they took shelter in the hallway, grabbed hands and began to pray.

Miller said he remembers being sucked up into the air but blacked out soon after. His arm, back and five ribs were broken.

"It's very saddening to hear that the whole family passed away and I was sitting right there holding their hands two seconds before they died," Miller said.

A memorial service for the Babcock family was scheduled for Monday afternoon at a church in Salem, Ind.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels told CBS' "Face the Nation" that the twister "moved like a lawnmower though some of the most beautiful countryside, and some of the most beautiful towns that we have."

A story of hope emerged from North Carolina, where three children survived after being torn from their beds by a tornado early Saturday. The twister sucked 7-year-old Jamal Stevens from his room and threw him about 100 feet from his Charlotte area home to land alongside an interstate. His 3- and 4-year old sisters were found in nearby yards. All three were released from a hospital Sunday.

In Henryville, about 20 miles north of Louisville, school was canceled for the week because of heavy damage to the education complex housing elementary through high school students.

Even so, small signs of normalcy slowly began to emerge.

Utility crews replaced downed poles and restrung electrical lines. Portable cell towers went up, and a truck equipped with batteries, cellphone charging stations, computers and even satellite television was headed to Henryville on Monday.

"We're going to keep living," said the Rev. Steve Schaftlein during a Sunday service at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, where about 100 people gathered under a patched-up 6-foot hole in the church's roof to worship and catch up on news of the tornado.

Even with life upended in so many ways, one family got a reminder that a deadly tornado can't uproot everything.

The home that Shalonda Kerr shares with her husband and Jack Russell terrier outside of Chelsea, Ind., was obliterated: The front wall was ripped clean, leaving the home looking eerily like a shaken dollhouse. An upended couch and a tipped-over fish tank lay in the rubble.

The mailbox was untouched. Its front hatch was tipped open, revealing a white piece of paper.

"Inside was a $300 IRS bill," Kerr said, laughing amid the ruins.

BURKINA FASO: At Least 10 Dead In Ethnic Clashes Over Chieftaincy Claim

The Washington Post

Report: At least 10 dead in ethnic clashes in Burkina Faso over chieftaincy claim

written by The Associated Press staff

Saturday March 3, 2012

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Ethnic clashes in a southern village of Burkina Faso have left at least 10 people dead, in a dispute over which community has the right to appoint a local chief, state radio reported Saturday.

The report said the violence between the Liliou and the Akonga communities was sparked by a disagreement over the chieftaincy of the village of Guenon, located more than 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of the capital, Ouagadougou.

The Liliou is rejecting the current chief, who is from the Akonga ethnic group. The rivalry culminated Friday when the son of the Akonga chief was killed by the Liliou group. More than 100 houses have been set ablaze, state radio reported. The Akonga sought revenge, killing nine members of the rival community.

Contacted by telephone, Interior Minister Jerome Bougouma said “ancient frustrations have fueled the tension.” He was in Guenon leading a ministerial delegation to plead for peace. Dozens of members of the security forces were deployed to the area to try to prevent further violence.

“The death toll could rise, because the fighting has continued in the bush, where one of the rival groups has found shelter,” Koudougou Ouena, a resident of the locality, told The Associated Press.

Bougouma said the three-person ministerial delegation was able to plead for the burial of the nine victims of the Liliou family.

CONGO: Witnesses Describe Apocalyptic Scenes After Congo Blast! More Than 100 People Killed And Hundreds More Wounded

Yahoo news

Witnesses describe apocalyptic scenes after Congo blast

written by Laudes Martial Mbon, AFP

Sunday March 4, 2012

Stunned residents of Congo's capital surveyed damage caused by deadly blasts at a weapons depot Sunday that levelled homes, destroyed military barracks and blew out windows in a neighbouring city.

"I experienced the apocalypse," said Jeanette Nuongui, the soul survivor from a family home that was destroyed in one of the blasts that rocked Brazzaville.

"It is by the grace of God I am here. My mother died, my father, my two brothers and my two sisters also. There's nothing left," she added.

At least 100 people, possibly many more, were killed and hundreds more wounded when a weapons depot caught fire, triggering a series of at least five explosions.

Firefighters were finding it hard to fight blazes because of ongoing blasts, officials said, with a military barracks and the area around the munitions depot devastated.

"It was the first explosion that blew everything up," said Victorien-Constant Obani, a soldier whose house was located opposite the barracks. His wife was injured in the arm.

"What happened here was more than a typhoon, more than a civil war," Obani said. "My house was destroyed, I don't know what I am going to do."

The blasts were even felt across the Congo River in the neighbouring city of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where windows shattered on some buildings.

Soldiers said a blaze in two munition depots in the Mpila armoured brigade barracks, in east Brazzaville, had triggered the explosions.

"I was terrified by the smoke climbing into the sky," said Willy Kaba, who arrived soon after the first explosion at about 0800 GMT. "After plucking up courage, I approached the scene and saw the whole munition camp destroyed -- the buildings, the walls."

Resident Dutroc Messengo said a young man had lost both legs and another was killed when their house collapsed.

Another resident, Blaise Mongo, said women and children had fled to neighbourhoods away from the ruined area, while men stayed behind to protect what little remained from looters.

Near the barracks, three churches were damaged or destroyed and houses could be seen with their roofs hanging off, their doors broken and windows blown out.

Xinhua news agency said some 140 Chinese workers from the Beijing Construction Engineering Group were working near the munitions depot when the blasts occurred.

The dormitory building of China's Huawei company was badly damaged, but there were no casualties reported there, Chinese officials said.

Looking Through the Eyes of Love... ♥

This is such a beautiful song with powerful lyrics to complement this touching movie. The original movie "Ice Castle" was released in 1978. AMAZING story! Professional ice skater loses her eye sight and her boyfriend's love and persistence gives her the courage to continue skating blind and become the world class champion figure skater she was. The gift she had was within. ♥ Enjoy! :)

Looking Through the Eyes of LOVE ~ Melissa Manchester
Theme song from the movie "Ice Castle"

Please, don't let this feeling end,

It's everything I am,

Everything I wanna be;

I can see what's mine now,

Finding out what's true,

Since I've found You

Lookin' through the eyes of LOVE.

Now I can take the time,

I can see my life

As it comes on shining now;

Reachin' out to touch You,

I can feel so much,

Since I've found You

Lookin' through the eyes of LOVE.

And now I do believe,

That even in a storm, we'll find some LIGHT;

Knowin' You're beside me,

I'm alright.

Please, don't let this feelin' end,

It might not come again;

And I want to remember

How it feels to touch You;

How I feel so much,

Since I've found You

Lookin' through the eyes of LOVE.

Characteristics of Self-Actualized People

Characteristics of Self-Actualized People

written by Kendra Cherry

[source: About]

Abraham Maslow proposed a hierarchy of needs that represented various needs that motivate human behavior. The hierarchy is often displayed as a pyramid, with lowest levels representing basic needs and more complex needs located at the top of the pyramid.

At the peak of this hierarchy is self-actualization. The hierarchy suggests that when the other needs at the base of the pyramid have been met, the individual can then focus their attention on this pinnacle need. Self-actualization is described as "…the desire for self-fulfillment, namely, to the tendency for him to become actualized in what he is potentially."

Self-Acceptance and Democratic World View

Self-actualized people tend to accept themselves and others as they are. They tend to lack inhibition and are able to enjoy themselves and their lives free of guilt. Other people are treated the same regardless of background, current status or other socio-economic and cultural factors.

Realistic

Another major characteristic of self-actualized people is a sense of realism. Rather than being fearful of things that are different or unknown, the self-actualized individual is able to view things logically and rationally.

Problem-Centered

Self-actualized individuals are often motivated by a strong sense of personal ethics and responsibility. They enjoy solving real-world problems and are often concerned with helping other people improve their own lives.

Peak Experiences

Self-actualization is also characterized by having frequent peak experiences. What exactly is a peak experience? According to Maslow, these "Feelings of limitless horizons opening up to the vision, the feeling of being simultaneously more powerful and also more helpless than one ever was before, the feeling of ecstasy and wonder and awe, the loss of placement in time and space with, finally, the conviction that something extremely important and valuable had happened, so that the subject was to some extent transformed and strengthened even in his daily life by such experiences."

Autonomy

The self-actualized individual does not conform to other people's ideas of happiness or contentment. This original perspective allows the individual to live in the moment and appreciate the beauty of each experience.

Solitude and Privacy

Self-actualized individuals value their privacy and enjoy solitude. While they also love the company of others, taking time to themselves is essential for personal discovery and cultivating individual potential.

Philosophical Sense of Humor

Self-actualized individuals generally have a thoughtful sense of humor. They are able to enjoy the humor in situations and laugh at themselves, but they do not ridicule or make fun at the expense of another person's feelings.

Spontaneity

Another characteristic of self-actualized people is a tendency to be open, unconventional and spontaneous. While these people are able to follow generally accepted social expectations, they do not feel confined by these norms in their thoughts or behaviors.

Enjoy the Journey

While self-actualized people have concrete goals, they do not see things as simply a means to an end. The journey toward achieving a goal is just as important and enjoyable as actually accomplishing the goal.

God Will See You Through The Storm

God Will See You Through The Storm

written by Dwight Thompson

[source: Cfaith-Freedom in the Word]

Storms drive little birds to seek shelter, but the eagle flies higher because of the storm.

Storms drive some from God—others they drive to God.

God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

A vessel was almost driven onto a rocky coast during a storm. Contrary to orders, one man went on deck. He saw the pilot holding the wheel unwaveringly, slowly turning the ship back out to sea. When the pilot saw the man, the pilot smiled. The man went below saying, "All is well, I saw the face of the pilot and he smiled."

Hudson Taylor said, "It does not matter how great the pressure; it matters only where the pressure lies, whether it comes between you and God, or whether it presses you closer to his heart."

Character is to the heart what a foundation is to a house. Compromise in either cannot stand in a storm. Listen to the words of Matthew regarding foundations:

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain cam down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. (Matthew 7:24-27)

The same pressures come to the good and the bad, but how they abide them proves the character.

Inward Obedience Provides Outward Growth

Someone has said, "With Jesus in the vessel, I smile at the storm. Fear sees the storm; faith sees God in the storm. Jesus Christ is no security against storms, but He is perfect security in storms. He does not promise an easy passage, but He guarantees a safe landing."

When the Titanic was built, it was called the "unsinkable ship." Yet the world soon learned that this was not true, for the vessel sank after hitting an iceberg.

Contrary to the Titanic, with Jesus in the ship of our lives, no matter how severe the storm, we are unsinkable with Him as our pilot.

The Real Treasure... ♥ This Is So BEAUTIFULLY Expressed

The Real Treasure

[source: Osho International]

Don't waste your life for that which is going to be taken away. Trust life. If you trust, only then can you drop your knowledge, only then can you put your mind aside. And with trust, something immense opens up. Then this life is no longer ordinary life, it becomes full of God (Love), overflowing. When the heart is innocent and the walls have disappeared, you are bridged with infinity. And you are not deceived; there is nothing that can be taken away from you. That which can be taken away from you is not worth keeping, and that which cannot be taken away from you... why should one be afraid of its being taken away? It cannot be taken away, there is no possibility. You cannot lose your REAL TREASURE.

What Is Life About?

When I woke up this morning,

I asked myself, "What is life about?"

I found the answer in my home..

The fan said, "Be cool."

The roof said, "Aim high."

The window said, "See the world!"

The clock said, "Every minute is precious."

The mirror said, "Reflect before you act."

The calendar said, "Be up to date."

The door said, "Push hard for your goals."

The floor said, "Kneel down and pray."

~ Anonymous

If You Want To Replace One Empty Suit With Another Who Is At The Behest Of The Puppet Masters, Then Vote For Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich If You Want More Of The Same BS Obama And Bush Served Up!

Hold The Line, LOVE Isn't Always On Time (1978)

Hi everybody! I heard this CLASSIC song on the radio yesterday while out running errands. I actually stopped to write down the title so I wouldn't forget lol ;) I wanted to share with you today! ENJOY!!! :D

I was asked to explain this song's lyrics, so I looked it up and found the following on Yahoo answers:

Nitegirl76 asked: What is the meaning to the song Hold the Line by Toto? Hold the Line, love isn't always on time? I would appreciate opinions to the meaning of the song, Hold The Line by Toto. What does the lyrics hold the line, love isn't always on time mean. It was sent to me and I'm not sure how I should take it.

Marleymoo2 replied: The song is talking about love and timing. It's saying that it might take time for love to come but it will come, not right away and you might have to wait or "hold the line". But love perseveres through all and shows its face when the time is right. That's what the song is about.

Hold the Line ~ Toto

It's not in the way that you hold me

It's not in the way you say you care

It's not in the way you've been treating my friends

It's not in the way that you stayed till the end

It's not in the way you look

or the things that you say that you'll do

Hold the line, LOVE isn't always on time, oh oh oh

Hold the line, LOVE isn't always on time, oh oh oh

It's not in the words that you told me, girl

It's not in the way you say you're mine, ooh

It's not in the way that you came back to me

It's not in the way that your love set me free

It's not in the way you look

or the things that you say that you'll do

Hold the line, LOVE isn't always on time, oh oh oh

Hold the line, LOVE isn't always on time, oh oh oh

It's not in the words that you told me

It's not in the way you say you're mine, ooh

It's not in the way that you came back to me

It's not in the way that your love set me free

It's not in the way you look

or the things that you say that you'll do

Hold the line, LOVE isn't always on time, oh oh oh

Hold the line, LOVE isn't always on time, oh oh oh

(LOVE isn't always on time)

Hold the line, LOVE isn't always on time

(LOVE isn't always, LOVE isn't always on time)

Hold the line, LOVE isn't always on time, LOVE isn't always on time

LOVE isn't always on time, LOVE isn't always on time, oh oh oh

The Courage of a Flower Compared To The HUMAN SPIRIT... ♥ I Have To Share This Lovely Awe-Inspiring Osho Zen Tarot Card Description With You! ♥

Courage

[source: Osho International]

The seed cannot know what is going to happen, the seed has never known the flower. And the seed cannot even believe that he has the potentiality to become a beautiful flower. Long is the journey, and it is always safer not to go on that journey because unknown is the path, nothing is guaranteed.

Nothing can be guaranteed. Thousand and one are the hazards of the journey, many are the pitfalls - and the seed is secure, hidden inside a hard core. But the seed tries, it makes an effort; it drops the hard shell which is its security, it starts moving. Immediately the fight starts: the struggle with the soil, with the stones, with the rocks. And the seed was very hard and the sprout will be very, very soft and dangers will be many.

There was no danger for the seed, the seed could have survived for millennia, but for the sprout many are the dangers. But the sprout starts towards the unknown, towards the sun, towards the source of light, not knowing where, not knowing why. Great is the cross to be carried, but a dream possesses the seed and the seed moves.

The same is the path for man. It is arduous. Much courage will be needed.

This card shows a small wildflower that has met the challenge of the rocks and stones in its path to emerge into the light of day. Surrounded by an aura of bright golden light, it exposes the majesty of its tiny self. Unashamed, it is equal to the brightest sun.

When we are faced with a very difficult situation we have a choice: we can either be resentful, and try to find somebody or something to blame for the hardships, or we can face the challenge and grow.

The flower shows us the way, as its passion for life leads it out of the darkness and into the light. There is no point fighting against the challenges of life, or trying to avoid or deny them. They are there, and if the seed is to become the flower we must go through them. Be courageous enough to grow into the flower you are meant to be.

The DASH Poem Movie! Re-Post From 12/28/08

"Life is short, live it. Love is rare, grab it. Anger is bad, dump it.

Fear is awful, face it. Memories are sweet, cherish it."

~ by @QuotesNSmiles ♥

I ran across this poem and so glad that I did. It touched me so much that I had to add it to my Movies that Enlighten the Soul section of my blog to share with you. The dash in MY life is the reason why I CHOOSE to be happy and to live MY life to the fullest in every which way!!! The poem is very hard to read in this screen, you may want to click here to view it in full-screen at the SimpleTruths website. I typed the poem for my international readers who need to translate. I have taken the following from the YouTube description of this poem:

The Dash Poem Movie is based on Linda Ellis' poem "The Dash" when Linda Ellis wrote her poem, The Dash, in one afternoon ten years ago, it would change her life forever. In 239 words, she captured the "Simple Truths" of why we were put on this earth.

***************************************************

"I read of a man who stood who stood to speak at the funeral for a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning... to the end. He noted that first came the date of her birth and spoke of the following date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all... was the DASH between those years.

For that DASH represents all the time that she spent ALIVE on earth. And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth. For it matters NOT how much we own; the cars, the house, the cash. What matters is how WE live and love... and how WE spend our DASH!

So think about this long and hard; are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged. If WE could just slow down enough to consider what's TRUE and REAL... and always try to understand the way other people feel. And be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives... like WE'VE never loved before. If WE treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile... remembering that this special DASH might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read, with your life's actions to rehash, would you be PROUD of the things they say about how YOU spent your DASH?"

I Choose! Thanks For Sharing This Christopher! :) It's So Beautifully Expressed. ♥

I CHOOSE: ♥ An Inspirational Poem ♥

I CHOOSE

by Bernadette Ballezza

I choose to be happy.

I choose to live in a kind universe.

I choose to find things in common with the people that come into my life, celebrating our similarites and honoring our differences.

I choose to trust that this life isn't a random life.

I choose to reach out and help another, knowing I can make a difference, even though I may never witness the outcome.

I choose to pursue an honorable career.

I choose to believe we are all here for a reason, a good reason.

I choose friends who will restore me with support, joy and kindness and offer me the opportunity to do the same for them.

I choose to search for authentic meaning in my daily experiences.

I choose to welcome life's lessons.

12 Encouragement Quotes

‎12 Encouragement Quotes

1. "No person, [race or group (emphasis mine)] can make you feel inferior [or insecure (emphasis mine)] without your permission. (emphasis mine)]" ~ by Eleanor Roosevelt
   
   
2. "Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.” ~ by Mark Twain
   
   
3. What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now.” ~ Auhor unknown
   
   
4. "I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!" ~ by Dr. Seuss
   
   
5. ‎"Fall seven times, stand up eight." ~ Japanese Proverb
   
   
6. “Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." Christopher Robin to Pooh
   
   
7. "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~ by Ralph Waldo Emerson
   
   
8. "The difficulties of life are intended to make us better, not bitter." ~ by Author Unknown
   
   
9. "What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly." ~ by Richard Bach
   
   
10. "Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are." ~ by Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha
    
    
11. "Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant." ~ by Horace
    
    
12. Dreams are like stars. You may never touch them, but if you follow them they will lead you to your destiny. ~ by Lawrence Block

BONUS

"Life is short, live it. Love is rare, grab it. Anger is bad, dump it. Fear is awful, face it. Memories are sweet, cherish it." ~ by @QuotesNSmiles on twitter

BONUS BONUS

"When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place." ~ Author unknown ♥

RIP Andrew Breitbart (Feb 1, 1969 – Mar 1, 2012)

Andrew Breitbart

(February 1, 1969 – March 1, 2012)

Thank you Andrew for everything you did on the American public's behalf. Most of all for being so gung-ho about digging deep in the crud of human behavior in order to expose the truth with irrefutable proof about every scoundrel who was deceiving and taking advantage of the American public. You will be terribly missed. I still can't believe you're gone. :*(

*********************************************

Andrew Breitbart (February 1, 1969 – March 1, 2012) was an American publisher, commentator for the Washington Times, author, and occasional guest commentator on various news programs, who served as an editor for the Drudge Report Web site. He was a researcher for Arianna Huffington, and helped launch her web publication The Huffington Post.

He ran his own news aggregation site, Breitbart.com, and five other websites: Breitbart.tv, Big Hollywood, Big Government, Big Journalism, and Big Peace.

On March 1, 2012, Joel Pollak, editor-in-chief and in-house counsel for Breitbart's website, released a statement saying that Breitbart had died unexpectedly from natural causes earlier that day in Los Angeles. He was 43 years old. A bystander saw him collapse while out on a walk in Brentwood shortly after midnight and called paramedics, who rushed him to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center where he was declared dead.

Andrew Breitbart was married to Susannah Bean, the daughter of actor Orson Bean, and had four children. [source: wikipedia]