Blogcritics Author: Angela Chen Shui

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Saint Germain On The Role Of Churches and Governments

Angela Chen Shui — Tue, 8 Mar 2005 17:13:34 EST

I just listened to a channel by Saint Germain on releasing energy and belief systems that no longer support who we are choosing to be. It specifically deals with how the different belief systems prevalent on Earth at this time have served to maintain a power balance that allows a small minority to control the accepted version of reality. The Shoud starts out with Tobias recapping last month's channel where Saint Germain spoke about energy, illusion and the creative ability and rights that every human being has. He touches on the powerful nature of the story or illusion that each of us lives within and the inordinate amounts of energy that we expend on maintaining and expanding the illusion. Saint Germain then comes in to expand on the energy and illusion vs. reality themes. He speaks about the role several spiritual groups played in history to maintain a balance of energies on Earth at times when the power of the church was strong, brutal and violent. He speaks of working with the secret societies of the Rosicrucians, the Free Masons and the Illuminati to provide a radiance of the truth that divinity resides within each person and not just in the authority figures of the church as expressed in the accepted mass conscious belief of the time. He also discusses how some of the teachings of these groups watered down and changed from the original intention. He speaks about a past life in Atlantis where he was a slave boy that got caught in the spiralling energy experiments that got out of control and resulted in the destruction of that civilisation.. Saint Germain also discusses the hypnosis of religion, government and business that now holds billions of persons in its grip. He addresses how individuals and the societies they are a part of work hard to maintain and expand the stories that expand from the belief systems of each stage of human history. I have listened to these channels every month since June, 2003 because the material presented is in alignment with my own knowingness within. The Saint Germain/Adamus channel is called 'Shoud 8 - Freedom of the Soul, part 3' and can be found at the very bottom of the page. I listened to the actual Shoud or channel by Saint Germain but there is also a welcome and introduction by Geoff and Linda, the hosts, prior to the channel and a Question and Answer session afterwards. The Tobias and recent Saint Germain channels are not available at Amazon. The link for all the material that comes through Geoffrey Hoppe is here.Angela

Teacher of Divinity, Spiritual Life Coach, Internet Mompreneur http://www.soulselfhelp.com

Steve Fossett Ends Phenomenal 3-Day, No-Refueling Record Solo Flight Around The World

Angela Chen Shui — Thu, 3 Mar 2005 19:54:46 EST

Steve Fosset, 60 year old billionaire entrepreneur aviator pilots the globalflyer in the first solo no-refueling circumnavigation record-breaking 3-day flight. The flight took exactly 67 hours, 2 minutes and 38 seconds and ended at the 12,000 foot runway in Salina, Kansas. Salinas was chosen as the final stop in this aviation breakthrough flight precisely because of its superior length. Proud citizens of Salina, it's high school Cougar band, the press, his long-time friend, fellow aviator, co-sponsor and head of Virgin Atlantic, Richard Branson and Fosset's wife greeted the smiling Steve warmly. Upmost on everyone's mind was the physical state that Steve Fosset would be in after being cooped up in a sitting position in the 7-foot long cockpit for the entire flight, drinking water, protein shakes and only able to indulge in short cat naps throughout. He stood strongly, waved continuously, ran away a bit when Richard Branson doused him properly with celebratory champagne. He looked as cheery and strong as he did when he completed his previous hot air balloon flight around the world and ran a marathon a day or two afterwards. The flight was meticulously planned and flawlessly executed. The plane was constructed from highly advanced and durable composite material and carried 13 different tanks of gas. The breakthrough technology, expert planning and Steve Fosset's good old-fashioned pilot skill, responsible for continuously maintaining the plane's balance by shifting fuel consumption from tank to tank, all combined to create the Virgin Atlantic globalflyer victory. Flying over Hawaii last night, it was discovered that 2,600 pounds of fuel had leaked of the 18,000 pounds originally stored before the plane's Monday takeoff. The tough decision about whether to call it quits or to continue was evaluated by mission control on the ground, the chase plane and Steve himself. In the end, with the jet stream sometimes reaching as much as 130 knots and Steve's continuing good physical condition, Steve said 'let's go for it'. Fosset constantly flew in and out of the tailwinds to fulfill marker requirements for the historical circumnavigation. His expert aviation skills combined with the better-than-expected jet stream tipped the balance and brought the globalflyer successfully and safely home. Burt Ruton, airplane designer, gave Fosset a 8 1/2 score on his landing and commended him on a 'phenomenal job'. The Smithsonian Institute has already requested that it be chosen as the permanent resting place for the Virgin Atlantic record breaking globalflyer. Congrats to Steve Fosset, Richard Branson and Burt Ruton for combining money, technology and smarts to produce a record no-refueling solo flight around the world that will herald other aviation breakthroughs for some time to come.Read here for information on the First Females of Flight Here for Fossett's hot air balloon flight First black female solo pilot here

Teacher of Divinity, Spiritual Life Coach, Internet Mompreneur http://www.soulselfhelp.com

BBC Week In Pictures: February 19-25, 2005

Angela Chen Shui — Sun, 27 Feb 2005 14:07:56 EST

I visited the BBC website to look at their pictures and found this past week's picture review. What a nice surprise to find they do a weekly picture review... I love looking at wonderful pictures! My favourites include: �a man holding his hunted fox against a wonderfully dramatic sky backdrop. I look forward to the day when we no longer get pleasure from killing our animal friends; �a crafstman making a lantern in preparation for the Chinese lantern festival - this one has a fabulous perspective and colour; �a man collecting scrap metal in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. This reminds me of all poor people everywhere on our planet who eke out minimal subsistence by foraging in dumps. Just a visual reminder for me of why we have to collectively create a way for everyone to get the food, clothing, shelter, health care and minimal money substance required so that foraging in dumps would only be a hobby for those who choose it; a strange but delightfully different tennis court where tennis stars Andre Agassi and Roger Federer may have battled fear of heights in addition to each others shots; a wonderful 'perceptions vs reality' shadow shot of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, symbolising a conclave of the same name held in India this past week; fresh, colourful, vibrant new life surrounded, threatened even by snow showers. I really love the symbolism of this one!; Iraqui Shia women weeping. Image symbolised several pet topics: 1) the instinctive human attunement to our inner divinity, despite culture and other differences. This expresses itself as active involvement, intrigue or disdain for religious or spiritual matters; 2) how women represent 'heart' on our planet and that until women come into full balance within themselves and with men on all levels everywhere, the full expression of the power of heart, which is love will not be fully experienced in our collective lives; 3) the importance of releasing emotions to maintain some semblance of sanity in today's world. ;-) Here are the BBC pics. Enjoy! I think I'll review these pics on a weekly basis, unless somebody else is already doing this. I don't remember seeing weekly reviews on BBC's weekly picture review here at BC. Has anyone?

Teacher of Divinity, Spiritual Life Coach, Internet Mompreneur http://www.soulselfhelp.com

Christopher Pittman: 12-year Old Killer Charged As An Adult

Angela Chen Shui — Sun, 20 Feb 2005 15:35:05 EST

This morning I re-read this post and thread, wrote a comment and realised I had more to say. This is cross-posted from my blog.I probably qualify to be labeled a 'bleeding heart', whatever that is. Among some of the labels I can apply to myself, one of them is that I am a mother of two children. From my earliest conscious years as an adult, I have also considered every single child on this planet to be 'mine' so I also speak from that perspective.. I don't get how a 12-year old boy, any 12-year old boy, can be tried by adults as an adult. If this is another example of the best solution we can collectively come up with to deal with our children who go down an extremely wrong road, who are child killers, then we have not reached very far as a civilisation. If this world is organised logically, then I happily renounce being logical. We live on a planet of wealth, advanced technology, super 'reasoning' skills and 'wonderful' systems to manage our collective life, including war. Yet we don't get that every single child that currently draws breath is a blank slate upon which surface our collective consciousness will be reflected. If we have children who kill people it's because our world is organised in such a way that there are benefits gained when people are killed. Do not expect children to act differently from adults that cohabit their same planet. Do not expect children to not act out the denied hatred, rage, loathing and healthy indifference that underlies much of how we have chosen to organise life on our planet. Adults may mask all of this well. Children do not. Murder is a 'pre-meditated act done with the specific intent to take a human life'. Whatever factors we choose to bring to bear when pondering this incident, 'our' child took the life of two persons and burnt their house down. Look around our wonderful planet. Lives are being taken every day for many 'logical' reasons. That's 'real'. What is also 'real' is that life is wonderful for only a handful. There were many factors that summed together to create that awful day when a 12-year old boy, Christopher Pittman, killed his grandparents and when those other children opened guns on their own loved ones, peers and/or strangers. Just as building more prisons has proven irrelevant to stemming crime, incarcerating children who kill for adult terms does not stop other and increasingly more children from murdering. There are many factors that add up to a planet where billions live in poverty when there is enough wealth to go around to at the minimum, feed, clothe, shelter and provide good health care and some money to every single human being alive. Fix those factors. No, transform them. All of them. Then we can pick up this conversation about children once again. I'm a 'bleeding heart' who feels the pain of the majority of human beings. Call me a liberal, a libertarian or worse, a leftist. Whatever label you feel fits from your perspective. If what I write and express here from my heart needs to be dismissed, go ahead, dismiss all of this. The labeling technique has worked historically to shut people up by whatever means necessary who dare to take a stand for 'we must create a better way'. Other than labeling and those other 'old' forms of reaction, there is another way to proceed. It begins with understanding that the 'what's missing' in the world's equation is 'heart'. The expression of more heart on our planet will do the trick. But the expression of and the creation of heart-based 'systems' that reflect more heart requires more compassion, more empathy, more walking in those 'other' persons' shoes. There are enough alternate ideas about organising our world's resources out there to take constructive and practical, results-oriented conversations further. The 'logical' who care to add enough measures of heart to understand the importance of making life work for all and the 'bleeding hearts' who care enough about manifesting a 'new' way to risk being shut up and shut down repeatedly rather than be silent can choose to work together. Motivation for creating this partnership will either come from inner growth of all involved leading to changed outer attitudes, conversations and actions or from outer triggers that force our hands because the band aid approach becomes patently obsolete to enough of us. How can we, each one of us, proceed in our lives each day so that we feel and are more compassionate, more empathic towards others who do not live their lives in the same way that we do? How can we 'be' more compassion and practical love today? Before every last bit of my body is burnt in the furnace, if not at the stake like all those other times, I breathe for the day when heart blooms fully enough to create logic that works for all.

Teacher of Divinity, Spiritual Life Coach, Internet Mompreneur http://www.soulselfhelp.com

America's Best Show Dog Is Carlee, A German Shorthaired Pointer

Angela Chen Shui — Wed, 16 Feb 2005 16:24:14 EST

It's over! Several days of judging, rousing audience participation, excited auction bidding and nail biting anticipation. The Westminster Kennel Club's 2005 Show is over.The final judge had to review the top 7 dogs that were all outstanding. Four large dogs, one medium sized and two representatives of the small variety vied for the top position and the whirlwind network shows and public appearances.All seven were crowd favourites. The Pekinese, the Bloodhound, the Great Perinese, the lively, personable Terrier. The other three lovelies were breeds whose names I can't quite remember now.It was Carlee who stole the coveted prize. She stood at attention, rear feet perfectly placed without being touched by her handler, Michelle Ostermiller, who also handled the winner last year. Carlee did everything Michelle asked her to and stood as if to say 'Here I Am' to a silent, stunned crowd riveted by Carlee's magical presence.The judge commented that Carlee, a German Shorthaired Pointer, was 'a spectacular breed type with fabulous condition'.Congratulations to my girl Carlee, her owner and Michelle Ostermiller, her handler who truly allowed Carlee to shine. Enjoy your retirement, Carlee!

Teacher of Divinity, Spiritual Life Coach, Internet Mompreneur http://www.soulselfhelp.com

World Press Photo Award 2004

Angela Chen Shui — Sat, 12 Feb 2005 10:45:45 EST

Last night I saw coverage of pictures that won the World Press Photo Award 2004 on the television and just looked them up again on the BBC web site. The pictures chosen are usually snapshots that freeze an important moment in human history and records it for posterity. The entries cover some of the dramatic occurrences that we all witnessed and lived through in 2004. The photographs are a clarion call for the work still left to be done so that each and every human being actually experiences the rights guaranteed by our United Nations charter. Let us look at them and re-commit ourselves to BEING love, wisdom and peace as our daily lives unfold. Let us in our own small ways help those with whom we interact daily understand that freedom, adequate food, clothing, shelter, health care, education and abundance are rights of every human being. The pictures invite us to take on the personal responsibility to be a cause for the transformation of consciousness in our individual spheres, we cause ripple-effect transformation on our entire planet. Self help for self only, without a vision of a world that works for all, is personal achievement in a vacuum, built on sand and lacking long term security.

Teacher of Divinity, Spiritual Life Coach, Internet Mompreneur http://www.soulselfhelp.com

'Short Shorts' Party to Kick Off Jamaica Carnival, February 12, 2005

Angela Chen Shui — Thu, 3 Feb 2005 20:08:58 EST

The popular 'Short Shorts' Party at the Tropical Beach, Montego Bay kicks off this year's Jamaica Carnival season on February 12, 2005. This will the 16th year of Jamaica Carnival, founded by the world-renowned Calypsonian Byron Lee of 'Byron Lee and the Dragonaires' fame.This year's Jamaica Carnival will feature events that spread out over more of rural Jamaica than occurred in the past. It culminates with the Kingston Road Parade and grand finale at the National Stadium car park, St. Andrew, on Sunday, April 3, 2005.My own carnival days were spent on the campus of the University of the West Indies, which was the original carnival location. The regional student population, hailing from carnival hotbeds like Trinidad, St. Lucia, and Barbados, ensured that carnival was 'hot, hot, hot'!!! I have fond memories of all the 'jump-ups' and especially of 'Ring Road,' where we all calypsoed right around the circular road that rings the administration, Arts Faculty and Library.Last year's successful integration of dance hall with soca in the Jamaica Carnival resulted in a wider cross section of Jamaicans coming out to party, and it is projected that even more Jamaicans and visitors will turn out this year.How to dress for carnivalLight, comfortable, and cool clothing is a must for carnival in Jamaica. The sultry heat and large throngs of dancing fun lovers make comfy and cool an absolute priority. Carry drinking water, preferably in a container with a strap that can hang from the neck, leaving the arms free for merry making. Add a rag or towel, cap or scarf as headgear, and rub on lots of sunscreen!!! Costumes are usually available for purchase. If interested, you can keep checking http://www.jamaicacarnival.com/ for updates, and remember to fly with our local airline, Air Jamaica. Read more about Byron Lee in this piece from Air Jamaica's Sky Writings magazine: http://www.airjamaica.com/skywriting/Aprilsky/dragon.aspCome on, treat yourself. You know what they say about 'all work and no play'!!! Relaxation and fun are an important part of creating inner balance and overall health!!!Help!!! I had some hot carnival pics, especially a lovely guy for the ladies, but alas, I have no clue how to upload here. The pics didn't paste with the text... Sorry!!! ;-) If someone tells me how, I'll add them....http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/screensavers/ for carnival screen savers.Listen especially to 'Dollar Wine,' 'Fire Say Say,' 'Jump Up,' 'Lady Teaser,' 'Hot, Hot, Hot,' and 'Dance Hall Soca' in the CD samples below. My favourite is the 'Soca Fire Inna Jamdown Stylee' CD!!! Enjoy!!!

Teacher of Divinity, Spiritual Life Coach, Internet Mompreneur http://www.soulselfhelp.com

GENDER ALERT: Iran Opens Up Presidency To Women Or Do They?

Angela Chen Shui — Sat, 22 Jan 2005 15:20:08 EST

In the ebb and flow of global gender rebalancing, the impulse towards freedom and expanded expression for women create interesting flukes in our third dimensional reality.Five hours ago the BBC posted an item "Iran Opens Up Presidency To Women'. Six minutes ago I noticed an update titled 'Iran Denies Letting Women Seek Presidency'. When I checked back at the BBC, the entire story was reworked and the prior one deleted.My cut and paste of the former:"Iranian women are free to stand for the presidency, an electoral watchdog says. The hardline Guardian Council said women can contest high office if they "possess the necessary qualifications", overturning an existing bar. The Islamic republic is set to hold presidential elections in June but it is not known yet if any women will run. Iranian law states the president must be one of the political "rejal" - an ambiguous term that can be interpreted to mean "men" or "personalities". Iranian TV on Saturday quoted Gholamhossein Elham, a spokesman for the Guardian Council, as saying that the broader definition of "rejal" includes women. No reason was given for the new interpretation. As well as forming electoral laws, the Council is responsible for vetting individual candidates. The forthcoming election will conclude the second and final term in office of reformist President Mohammad Khatami. Religious hardliners dominate the current parliament, which contains 11 women MPs. Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel prize-winning Iranian human rights lawyer and leading dissident, has repeatedly ruled out running for political office." You can read the similarities of the new version at the same url: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4197889.stm Oh, well. Shall we take this as encouragement that more equality is on its way but impulses, energy, not yet strong enough to fully bring it forth?In the meantime:"Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel prize-winning Iranian human rights lawyer and leading dissident, has repeatedly ruled out running for political office." To read up on Shirin Ebadi:http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01/15/iran.ebadi.ap/http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1210-02.htmhttp://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/12/10/nobel.peace/

Teacher of Divinity, Spiritual Life Coach, Internet Mompreneur http://www.soulselfhelp.com

Huygens Probe Lands: Titan to Earth, Come in Earth!!!

Angela Chen Shui — Fri, 14 Jan 2005 16:05:05 EST

After seven years of waiting, the landing of the Huygens probe on Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is now being celebrated as the latest segment of human exploration of space. The announcement that the probe had relayed scientific data via the Cassini mother ship orbiting Saturn was received with applause and jubilation at the European Space Agency's mission control in Darmstadt, Germany.A joint project of NASA, ESA and the Italian space agency, the Cassini-Huygens mission was launched on October 15, 1997 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It swung by Venus, Earth, and Jupiter before entering Saturn's orbit on July 1, 2004.Images previously unseen because of the thick haze surrounding Saturn and its moons will be viewed by millions on Earth over the course of the next few days. Data received from the probe is expected to shed light on the atmosphere of Titan and possibly yield clues about the origin of life on Earth.This wonderful news is a great New Year start to many scientific "ahas" that will be announced at a fast pace within and beyond the next three years. The continuous advancement in consciousness on Earth that supports and facilitates every scientific breakthrough such as this successful probe landing on Titan, heralds the transformation of commonly accepted views of reality within the very near future.ViewNASA

Teacher of Divinity, Spiritual Life Coach, Internet Mompreneur http://www.soulselfhelp.com

Tsunami Affects Some of Asia's Last Stone Age Tribes

Angela Chen Shui — Wed, 5 Jan 2005 22:39:53 EST

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Andaman Sea are home to Asia's last Stone Age tribes.There are six main groups:1. the 270 strong Jarava; 2. the 100 member Onge; 3. the 50 - 250 member Sentinelese; 4. the 41 member Great Andamanese; 5. the 380 Shompen; 6. and the 30,000 member Nicobarese.The Associated Press reports that "some anthropological DNA studies indicate the generations may have spanned back 70,000 years. They originated in Africa and migrated to India through Indonesia, anthropologists say." IPSNews reports that "Survival International (SI), a London-based group that tries to defend the world's most vulnerable indigenous peoples, said that four of the five most isolated groups on the islands - the Jarawa, the Onge, the sentinelese, and the Great Andamanese - may have suffered little, if any loss of life.""Sophie Grig, SI's Andamans campaigner, said she expected the isolated communities to be less affected in the long term because they do not rely on an extensive infrastructure."They build their own houses, hunt their own food and are entirely self-sufficient and therefore won't suffer in the same way as the settler communities who use roads and boat services and rely on others to build their houses or to buy and sell their food," she told IPS. "As long as the fresh water supplies of the isolated peoples are intact, then they should be able to continue their lives just as they've always done."The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which are administered by India, are geographically much closer to Burma and Thailand, stretching along a 435-mile archipelago about 400 miles directly north of the epicenter of the earthquake that triggered the tsunamis that killed at least 150,000 people around the Indian Ocean."The survival of these Paleolithic tribes and their way of life has been threatened mainly by the encroachment of settler communities and the roads that cut through their forest. "In May 2002, the Indian Supreme Court ordered that road to be closed, settlers removed from the area and all logging banned, but the government has so far been slow to enforce its decree."Grig said that, "the isolated peoples should not be grouped together with other communities and given rations and other supplies that they might come to depend on. The isolated communities have remained isolated from their own choice - they have made it clear that they wish to remain independent from outsiders and have defended themselves and their land from the settlers." "Therefore, I would imagine that they will continue to resist outside help, even if it's offered."Outsiders are forbidden from interacting with the tribesmen because such contact has led in the past to alcoholism and disease among the islanders and sexual abuse of local women.The Indian government turned down offers of international aid for the islands on Monday, saying it had "enough assets at its disposal."and:"Reports from overflights of Sentinel Island, which is home to the most isolated of all the tribes, indicate that the inhabitants survived the waves, greeting a helicopter that flew over the island, which is impossible to reach by sea, with arrows and rocks. SI, however, reported that it could not be fully confident of the fate of the Sentinelese because so little is known about them."Read more about this little known and almost extinct group of the tsunami-afflicted region here and here. Read about the work that goes on at Survival International here.

Teacher of Divinity, Spiritual Life Coach, Internet Mompreneur http://www.soulselfhelp.com