The Coffee House.

Clip From "Bananas"

2009-07-06T11:10:00.001-05:00

Comedy Relief From Honduran Coup. Possible Footage From Upcoming Zelaya Trial???

John Pilgar: The War On Democracy

2009-06-30T09:08:00.001-05:00

Thomas Keating Centering Prayer Guidelines Intro

2009-03-12T11:54:00.000-05:00

Faith And Works

2009-02-16T09:41:00.001-06:00

Ajahn Brahm On Spirituality And Forgiveness.

2009-01-27T13:09:00.001-06:00

Why Meditate?

2009-01-09T07:13:00.000-06:00

Thich Nhat Hahn - The Energy Of Prayer.

2008-12-09T19:43:00.000-06:00

Buddha, Man, and Jesus.

2008-12-06T19:03:00.002-06:00

Radical Forgiveness and Strength.

2008-12-05T12:17:00.001-06:00

Letting Go Of And Embracing Your Anger.

2008-12-05T08:38:00.000-06:00

Pope's Comments Seem to Throw Cold Water On Worth of Interfaith Dialogue.

2008-11-27T10:47:00.000-06:00

From: Dallas Morning News

Pope's Comments Seem to Throw Cold Water On Worth of Interfaith Dialogue.

9:27 AM Mon, Nov 24, 2008 | Permalink
Bruce Tomaso E-mail News tips

No one who knows anything about Pope Benedict XVI believes he is ever going to be enthusiastic about interfaith discussions if they put the various faiths involved on equal footing -- if, in other words, an underlying assumption of such talks is that Islam, or Judaism, or Buddhism, or whatever, is as valid a way of expressing human understanding of God as is Christianity.

In Benedict's mind, that is simply not the case: The pope, make no mistake, is Catholic.

According to this story from The New York Times, Benedict appears to have reinforced his opinion in comments published Sunday in Corriere della Sera, Italy's leading daily newspaper.

Benedict praised a forthcoming book about Christianity, saying it "explained with great clarity" that "an interreligious dialogue in the strict sense of the word is not possible." In theological terms, he added, "a true dialogue is not possible without putting one's faith in parentheses."

His comments were contained in a letter to Marcello Pera, the author of the new book, "Why We Must Call Ourselves Christian," which argues that Europe should stay true to its Christian roots. That's a point Benedict has made many times, even as Europe at once grows more secular, and more religiously diverse.

The entry "Pope's comments seem to throw cold water on worth of interfaith dialogue" is tagged: Benedict , book , Catholic , Christianity , comments , dialogue , faith , interfaith , Italian , New York Times , newspaper , pope , published

Categories: Arts and media, Catholics, Celebrities, Christianity, Interfaith efforts, News from afar

How To Be Positive.

2008-11-15T21:39:00.001-06:00

Clean And Sober In The Present Moment

2008-11-10T13:42:00.001-06:00

River Meditation 11/01/08

2008-11-01T20:55:00.001-05:00

Barack Obama: Closing Augument (Full Speech)

2008-10-31T11:19:00.003-05:00

From: BarackObamadotcom

Everything Under The Sun

2008-10-30T10:52:00.001-05:00

Crux and Rev. B

Religious leaders call for peace, harmony MANILA

2008-10-28T21:11:00.003-05:00

Religious leaders call for peace, harmonyMANILA -- Leaders from China's five big religions pledged to play a further role in fostering peace and harmony at the recent 7th Assembly of Asia Conference of Religions.

Themed Peacemaking in Asia, the assembly attracted more than 370 religious leaders from 30 countries and regions before it wrapped up last Wednesday.

The participating Chinese delegation was headed by Liu Bainian, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, and included 28 other Chinese religious leaders.

During an inspirational speech, Liu said constructing Asian peace is of profound significance, as religion could be a spiritual source of peace and at the same time could be the deep root of generating conflict.

"It can not be ignored that wars, disasters, terrorism, the gap between the rich and the poor, deteriorating environment as well as the conflicts among countries, nations and religions still pose great challenges in Asia," Liu said.

:The conflicts today have more or less a religious background," he added.

"To solve these issues will need the efforts of religious organizations all across Asia."

In China, all religions have equal social status and develop under the country's policy of freedom of religious belief.

"All religions in China coexist harmoniously and never have had any inter-faith disputes," he said.

Chinese religious circles will continue to intensify international exchanges and cooperation to maintain national unity as well as world peace and development, he added.

The call for peace was echoed by other Chinese religious leaders.

Ren Farong, President of China Taoist Association, said Daodejing of Laozi, concentrates on the merits of oriental wisdom and the fundamental principle of letting everything take its natural course.

"Just imagine all local wars, regional conflicts and environmental degradation in the world are caused by human errors. Therefore, Taoism advocates governing by doing nothing that goes against nature," Ren said during a keynote speech.

Dao Shuren, Vice President of China Buddhist Association, said Buddhism popularizes many ideas, such as "all living beings are created equal" and "instructing and inspiring all living things in the world", which encourages the common people to build a peaceful world.

"Buddhism also calls for 'protecting a life, doing good, equality and peace, all awaken people's minds and finally achieve a peaceful world," Dao said.

Chen Guangyuan, President of China Islamic Association, said once religion is involved in conflicts, they become much more complicated and sensitive to deal with, making it important to improve understanding among religions and keep away from conflicts.

"Chinese Muslims love peace and always pursue peace and will play a bigger role in maintaining world peace and fight against terrorism, extremism and separatists," Chen said.

Jin Wei, Vice President of Three Self Patriotic Movement Committee of the Protestant Churches in China, said human rights and peace express the core values of all religious faiths, including Christianity.

"Peace is the common goal of all faiths and it offers a common ground for dialogues among all faiths," Jin said.

China Committee on Religion and Peace (CCRP) was established in July 1994, and involves leading figures in the country's five major religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholic and Christianity.

CCRP joined the World Conference on Religion and Peace in 1994, and became a member for Asia Conference of Religions for Peace in 1996.

Copyright By chinadaily.com.cn. All rights reserved

Church And State In 2008 Presidential Race. Fear and Ignorance Still Rule The Day.

2008-10-27T06:03:00.004-05:00

In a previously free country, should a person's religion make a difference in any political race?

Reflections On Buddhist/Christian Dialouge: Attachment. Part 1.

2008-10-25T19:21:00.000-05:00

Reflections On Buddhist/Christian Dialouge: Attachment. Part 2.

2008-10-25T19:00:00.000-05:00

The Girl Who Silenced The World.

2008-10-24T19:18:00.001-05:00

From: abe100031

SNL Political Satire: George W. Bush Gives Endorsement To Palin - McCain Ticket!

2008-10-24T14:47:00.002-05:00

Living In Simplicity!

2008-10-22T14:05:00.000-05:00

From CNN:

Emptiness

2008-10-22T08:43:00.000-05:00

Colin Powell Explains Why He Endorses Barack Obama.

2008-10-20T08:19:00.001-05:00

Gen. Powell does something rare in American politics. He bravely puts politics aside, and does the right thing!

Colin Powell Decimates McCain's Negative Smears.

2008-10-20T08:03:00.001-05:00

Evening Meditation

2008-10-19T14:14:00.000-05:00

Reflections On Buddhist/Christian Dialouge

2008-10-18T19:27:00.000-05:00

Cutting Through The Bull

2008-10-17T17:31:00.001-05:00

Plumbers For Obama

2008-10-17T13:19:00.001-05:00

Highlites of "The Last Debate"?

2008-10-17T11:19:00.000-05:00

Live From New York, It's Tina Fey as Sarah Palin!

2008-09-29T08:26:00.001-05:00

Clip Courtesy of NBC.

Finding Serenity

2008-09-14T09:58:00.001-05:00

Finding Serenity After Addiction -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

Leo Buscaglia - Love The Ultimate Affirmation.

2008-09-13T13:20:00.000-05:00

Realizing or Revealing Religion.

2008-09-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

Step One With Fr. Martin.

2008-09-06T22:59:00.000-05:00

One Day At A Time...Joe Walsh and The Eagles

2008-08-29T08:12:00.001-05:00

Jung, AA, And Drug Seeking Behaviour.

2008-08-22T19:25:00.001-05:00

Alcoholism: Help or Give Up?

2008-08-14T13:41:00.000-05:00

From: airricksreloaded

3D Dialouge: Alcoholics Anonymous

2008-08-11T13:37:00.000-05:00

Building The House Of Peace.

2008-08-08T09:32:00.000-05:00

From: Ajahn Brahm

Work What Works For You.

2008-08-08T08:14:00.001-05:00

Wondering Where The Lions Are.

2008-07-30T09:38:00.000-05:00

Overcoming America's "Oil Addiction."

2008-07-25T11:04:00.000-05:00

Know Your Boundaries At Work.

2008-07-24T04:31:00.001-05:00

Know Your Boundaries at Work
Date updated: December 15, 2006
By Darin Painter

Content provided by Revolution Health Group

Sally in Sales refuses to back down from a challenge. She refuses to take no for an answer. Did you hear she refuses to breast-feed? Amber in Accounting leaves no stone unturned. She leaves the office late when necessary. Did you hear she's leaving her husband?

Understanding co-workers' skills can be powerful — knowing their scuttlebutt can be problematic.

"Your ability to carry a conversation is crucial in building relationships with fellow employees, but boundaries must exist," says Susan Morem, a Minneapolis-based business consultant and author of How to Gain the Professional Edge, 2nd edition (Ferguson Publishing Co., 2005).

"The border separating professional and personal relationships isn't easy to patrol, especially at smaller, informal offices," she says. "But conversational boundaries help to determine the reputation of an employee and staff. Simply put, boundaries preserve integrity."

Whether you're a principal, manager or rank-and-file employee, taking the following advice will help to ensure that conversations with co-workers never distract from a productive, positive workplace.

Beware of feeling informal
Some organizations clarify "appropriate" office communication, but most codes of conduct mention only potential legal headaches such as sexual harassment and invasion of privacy.

"There's generally no clear rule about where to draw the line, so a good rule of thumb is to avoid issues that might make someone uncomfortable," Morem says. Such topics of conversation may include romance, physical appearance, health, race, religion and personal finance.

"Refrain from gossip," Morem advises. "Remember: Those who talk to you about others will also talk about you to others."

Morem says most gossip and other inappropriate conversations occur in places that feel informal, such as elevators, hallways and bathrooms. But co-workers should never get the false sense of security that they're off duty in these locations.

"It's better to pretend your personal microphone is always on. Don't say something if you don't want it heard or repeated," he says. "Making an unsuitable remark damages how others perceive you, and the negative effects on reputation and future advancement can be long-term."

But making such remarks isn't always the problem; co-workers can aim to prevent hearing them. While it's natural for employees to show interest in one another's lives, someone has to be courageous enough to cut off a co-worker when warranted, says Lydia Ramsey, a consultant on office etiquette in Savannah, Ga., and author of Manners That Sell (Longfellow Press, 2000).

One strategy is to turn off-topic conversations back to work-related issues as quickly as possible. An unwillingness to reveal too much personal information — or to listen to another person reveal it — shouldn't be seen as unfriendly, Ramsey says. By smiling and simply saying, "Let's not go there," you can stick to suitable discussions without seeming like a stick-in-the-mud.

Just as informal places can get co-workers into trouble, so can seemingly informal methods of communication. "Employees should treat email as broadcasted words that can be read and printed," Morem says. "It's easier to pass around rumors, gossip and tasteless jokes to multiple people via email than by word of mouth. If you think before you speak, don't forget to think before you hit the 'send' button."

Forge office friendships with care
When you're at the office for around 2,000 hours a year, you're bound to develop friendships with co-workers. Some may become confidants with whom you share personal details.

"Make sure you know and completely trust this kind of co-worker friend," Morem suggests. "It's a risk any time someone has knowledge about details you don't want to make public."

When co-worker friendships fizzle, the parties often have to see each other daily. Also, keep in mind that office walls are (sometimes literally) thin, so it's best to share personal information during non-working hours.

A close friendship in the office can cause reluctance to express problems. Employees whose friendships interfere with objectivity need to create some distance, Morem says.

Expect boundary differences
The workplace not only combines people of different backgrounds, ages, talents and skills but also folks of different boundary types, says Maggie Down, a relationship counselor and psychotherapist in Perth, Australia.

People with "overdeveloped" boundaries often are brash and don't notice they're sharing too much information, while people with "underdeveloped" boundaries often believe it's not OK to protest such communication.

"Getting along at work is often a matter of being flexible and willing to compromise," she says. "It's also important to be tolerant of individual differences."

Because those differences are widespread and co-workers' boundaries are subjective, office humor is risky, Morem warns. "Most people want to laugh, but you never know who you're going to offend," she says. "The more people you involve, the more likely someone will feel embarrassed or picked on. Jokes can backfire, so tread lightly with them."

Employ tact
If you have a problem with a co-worker, address what you can do to solve it. Talk to the offending person directly and privately.

"Talking behind someone's back makes the situation worse," Morem says. "Choose a neutral place away from your work area, such as over lunch or in a quiet area during a break."

If a co-worker says something that offends or upsets you, try to respond instead of react. "Reaction is immediate and emotional. When we react to something, we are more likely to say or do things we might later regret," Morem says. "A response is planned and controlled, and it leads to fewer communication issues."

©2006 Revolution Health Group, LLC. All rights reserved

Wettest Place On Earth...To Become Desert?

2008-07-21T08:18:00.001-05:00

From BBC NEWS

Is world's wettest place getting drier?

By Alastair Lawson
BBC News, Meghalaya

The town of Cherrapunjee, in the north-eastern Indian state of Meghalaya, is reputed to be the wettest place in the world.

But there are signs that its weather patterns may be being hit by global climate change.

"Not without reason has Cherrapunjee achieved fame as being the place with the heaviest rainfall on earth," wrote German missionary Christopher Becker more than 100 years ago.

"One must experience it to have an idea of the immense quantity of rain which comes down from the skies, at times day and night without a stop. It is enough to go a few steps from the house to be drenched from head to foot. An umbrella serves no purpose."

Late monsoon

But according to Cherrapunjee's most renowned weather-watcher, Denis Rayen, the climate of the town is changing fast.

"In the days of the Raj, the British used to come here to the the Khasi hills to escape the heat - we are 4,823ft (1,484m) above sea level," he says.

"But today I am not sure they would be able to do that, because it is getting a lot hotter here and the monsoon is arriving later."

Official figures compiled by the Indian Meteorological Office in the nearby city of Guwahati back up Mr Rayen's arguments that north-east India as a whole is getting hotter.

"The average temperature for Guwahati at this time of the year should be around 32C - but this year the temperature has been as high as 38C," said weather expert Harendas Das.

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

Denis Rayan explains climate change in Cherrapunjee

"It's too early yet to say precisely what is happening, but the evidence suggests that higher temperatures mean the whole area is experiencing less rainfall."

Figures compiled by Mr Rayen show that Cherrapunjee may struggle to maintain its position as the world's wettest place. Rainfall figures for 2005 and 2006 were below average.

"The average rainfall at Cherrapunjee during the last 35 years has been 11,952mm (470ins) and there were several years when it was substantially more than this," he says.

In 1974 it rained 24,555mm (967ins) - which Mr Rayen says is "the highest recorded rainfall in any one place in any one year".

On 16 June, 1995, it rained a record-breaking 1,563mm (61.53ins) over a 24 hour period.

"But in 2005 and 2006 our yearly rainfall was well below the average. We could well be witnessing a severe change in our climatic conditions because of global warming."

While the annual rainfall for 2007 was back to normal, Mr Rayen argues that the "pattern of delivery" of Cherrapunjee's rainfall is changing. In previous years, 98% of the area's rainfall was between March to October.

This year the rains did not arrive until June, and the reason for that he says could be man-made.

"During the last few years, I have seen the forests vanish in front of my eyes," said Mr Rayen.

"A combination of global warming and intensive deforestation is taking a heavy toll in this, one of the most beautiful areas of India.

"Because it now rains heavily over a shorter time period, crops are destroyed and there is intensive soil erosion. The lack of woodland means that the water flows faster from Meghalaya into the Bangladesh delta, only 400km (249 miles) away."

Mr Das says that parts of Meghalaya are "at risk from desertification" because of a combination of increasing urbanisation and industrialisation on the one hand and deforestation and shortages of ground water on the other.

"Because the capacity of the soil to hold water is lost, there is a real possibility that the wettest place in the earth may soon be facing water shortages," he says.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/7511356.stm

Published: 2008/07/21 09:26:17 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

Displaced Populations...from ABC News.

2008-07-19T19:30:00.003-05:00

Last-Ditch Resort: Move Polar Bears to Antarctica?
By BRANDON KEIM
July 19, 2008 —

If the most dire climate predictions come to pass, the Arctic ice cap will melt entirely, and polar bears could face extinction.

So why not pack a few off to Antarctica, where the sea ice will never run out?

It may seem like a preposterous question. But polar bears are just the tip of the "assisted colonization" iceberg. Other possibilities: moving African big game to the American Great Plains, or airlifting endangered species from one mountaintop to another as climate zones shrink.

"It's a showdown. The impacts of climate change on animals have become apparent. And it's time to decide whether we're going to do something," said Notre Dame ecologist Jessica Hellmann, co-author of an influential 2007 Conservation Biology paper (.pdf). "Reducing CO2 is vital, but we might have to step in and intervene."

Once dismissed as wrongheaded and dangerous, assisted colonization -- rescuing vanishing species by moving them someplace new -- is now being discussed by serious conservationists. And no wonder: Caught between climate change and human pressure, species are going extinct 100 times faster than at any point in human history.

And some scientists say that figure is too conservative. The real extinction rate, they say, is a full 1,000 times higher than normal. The last time such annihilation took place was during the time of the dinosaurs. And though many conservationists say that saving species by transplanting them is foolish, others say there's no choice.

"They want the world to be what it was before. But it's not going to happen," said Australian ecologist Hugh Possingham, author of an assisted-colonization article published Thursday in Science (citation page).

The language of Possingham's paper is understated -- its centerpiece is a risk-benefit flow chart -- but the recommendations are radical. He proposes a systematic analysis of Earth's threatened species, identifying those suitable for last-ditch uprooting.

That the scientific world's most august publication carries such a proposal marks a sea-level shift in conservationist consciousness, say researchers. Others have weighed the idea, but Possingham's team came down firmly in favor.

Adding to the momentum, the Ecological Society of America's annual meeting in August will be preceded by a three-day discussion of assisted colonization, by ecologists, policy wonks and lawyers.

But not everyone is in a rush. "I think it's a bad idea," said Duke University biologist Jason McLachlan, also a co-author of the Conservation Biology paper. "There are a million examples of invasive species introduced with good intentions that caused all sorts of damage."

Unfortunately, perhaps, for the polar bear, it's a perfect example of McLachlan's objections. Cost and logistics aside, the bears would wreak havoc in an ecosystem unprepared for them.

"Antarctic penguins and seals aren't adapted to surface predators," explained Steven Amstrup, the chief U.S. Geological Survey polar-bear researcher. "The bears would have a field day for a while, because they could walk right up to them and eat them. For a short period of time, it would be great, but in the end the whole system would probably collapse."

Accounts of destruction wrought by invasive species are legion, from wild hogs in the southern United States and zebra mussels in the Great Lakes to cane toads in Australia and mongeese in Hawaii. An endangered species that now seems sympathetic could quickly become a villain.

But assisted-colonization proponents believe their animals, unlike other invasive species, would be carefully selected and their effects anticipated.

"You work out what the risks are before you take action," said Possingham. "You go through these decision trees, and start by doing some trials under very controlled circumstances, then we'll learn about it."

Things could still go wrong, said Hellmann, but the consequences pale in comparison to those of climate change and inaction. And for animals whose natural habitat has been eradicated, or who live -- as did the golden toad of Costa Rica's cloud forest -- in rapidly changing places from which they cannot escape, there may be no other option.

"If all other conservation methods fail, and evidence shows that a species is in danger of extinction, then assisted migration becomes an option that we should consider seriously," said Nature Conservancy ecologist Patrick Gonzalez.

McLachlan, however, has other reasons for opposition. Assisted colonization could be seen as a quick-fix panacea, distracting people from the necessary task of preserving habitat and braking climate change. More philosophically, there's something troubling about treating nature as a zoological theme park.

"We're destroying any semblance of the idea that a place has its own biota and history," he said. "It's not just saving a couple whooping cranes, it's redesigning the entire biota of Earth. And that's incredibly creepy to me."

Hellmann agrees that assisted colonization could be mistaken as a convenient solution. But the purity of nature, she said, is now a myth.

"You can find signatures of humanity in the deepest jungles and remote locations. This idea of pristine nature doesn't really apply," she said. "If assisted colonization will have benefits, it seems strange not to cross some arbitrary line."

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Of course sooner or later we will have to think about moving human populations as well. Where do we relocate such places as New York, San Francisco, or the entire state of Florida? Any takers?

Change My Heart O God.

2008-07-18T08:25:00.000-05:00

The Hidden Story Of Jesus.

2008-07-16T09:54:00.001-05:00

Global warming forces Russian scientists to abandon the ice

2008-07-14T16:51:00.001-05:00

From: Scientific American

Global warming forces Russian scientists to abandon the ice
By David Biello

It looks as though global warming will cut short a study of… global warming.

MVK International Exhibition Company

That’s what happens when your lab sits on a melting ice floe. Adrift on ice in the Arctic Ocean, 21 Russian scientists (and two dogs) will need an early rescue thanks to global warming. The ice chunk supporting North Pole-35—a project designed to study Arctic flora and fauna, environmental conditions and even geography—has dwindled from 3 square miles to just 0.7 square miles.

That's still 2 million square feet, but it brings the floe's edge too close to the expedition's huts and equipment for comfort. So instead of abandoning the floe in September, as planned, scientists will climb aboard a research vessel towed by the nuclear ice-breaker Arktika in coming days. Just when depends on ice conditions, of course.

North Pole-35 is the 35th time Russian scientists have floated across the Arctic since 1937. On previous missions, they’ve helped define Russia's claims to Arctic territory, including the rich oil deposits believed to lie beneath the northernmost ocean. The current expedition started in September 2007, and most last at least a year.

The early rescue is yet another sign that the Arctic sea ice is rapidly disappearing. It worries climate scientists because the impacts of the North Pole melting are unknown. They could include changes in the amount of rainfall and snow across the northern hemisphere. Still, it is of a piece with U.S. ice experts’ predictions that the Arctic could be ice-free as early as September of this year— a situation unknown in recorded human history—thanks to an early start to the melting season and a record retreat last year that left weaker ice in its wake. Russian scientists’ ability to go with the floe in future may be in doubt.

"The observed rates of change have far outstripped what we projected," senior research scientist Mark Serreze of the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center told me last year. "We seem to melt a little more each summer."

Where Egos Dare.

2008-07-14T07:41:00.001-05:00

Pride And Humility In Recovery

2008-07-07T16:42:00.000-05:00

From 1958 - Global Warming

2008-07-04T22:18:00.002-05:00

"We've known all along...sadly."

Global Warming Info From UNSW Australia.

2008-07-04T21:20:00.002-05:00

Climate Change Vulnerability of The World.

2008-07-04T14:48:00.002-05:00

From: www.independent.co.uk

Yellow areas are countries expected to be least impacted by climate change, dark blue areas are counties which will be the most severely impacted by climate change.

North Pole

2008-07-01T20:24:00.001-05:00

"The Arctic is often cited as the canary in the coalmine for climate warming ... and now as a sign of climate warming, the canary has died." (AFP, file photo: Paul J Richards)

Global Warming Tips.

2008-07-01T06:58:00.000-05:00

Islands Going Under.

2008-06-30T17:19:00.000-05:00

From: Greenpeace

A Word On Global Warming.

2008-06-30T13:18:00.000-05:00

Global Warming: A Christian Response.

2008-06-30T09:28:00.000-05:00

Addicted To Oil: Winning The Oil Endgame.

2008-06-30T07:35:00.001-05:00

Interview with Amory Lovins.

The American Denial Of Global Warming.

2008-06-29T22:19:00.000-05:00

From: uctelevision

2008-06-29T13:40:00.001-05:00

By TINA LAW - The Press | Monday, 30 June 2008

Eco-website builds global following to fight climate change
A Kiwi-inspired start-up company is building a global following of people keen to fight climate change.

Celsias.com has up to 300,000 regular users in 120 countries and its web traffic grew 65 per cent a month during its first 14 months of operation.

The website, whose founding directors include former Christchurch mayor Vicki Buck and environmental entrepreneur Nick Gerritsen, was launched in November 2006 as a blog, but was last week relaunched to encourage people to register actions against climate change.

It has also been named one of the world's top five eco-websites by The Times online newspaper in Britain.

Celsias chief executive Nick Lewis said the site now enabled people not only to read about global warming, but also to commit to doing something about it and then to take action.

"We have to change behaviour. Talking about it and reading about it is not enough."

Since the new site was launched the average number of pages viewed during each visit has more than doubled from 1.3 pages to 3.3 pages a visit.

Celsias was also making a renewed bid to get companies to register their green credentials. "If companies do not do their bit to reduce global warming our efforts will not amount to much."

Lewis said research showed companies were frustrated they could not shout about what they were doing for the climate because people were sceptical of their motives.

Celsias provided those businesses with an avenue to talk about their actions and have others comment on them. It would also help to increase the company's profile and could encourage eco-conscious staff to work for them, Lewis said.

Two multinational companies have signed up so far and another six are coming on stream. Lewis would like to have 12 in the next six months.

Getting companies on the site was how Celsias planned to generate an income because those businesses would pay a fee.

Celsias, which has had more than $500,000 invested in it, was expected to break even early next year. It employed four full-time staff in Wellington, but people often thought it was based in the United States.

A not-for-profit foundation would also be set up in the next six months to help fund projects registered on the site.

One hundred projects are registered, from saving the Wairau River in Marlborough to tree planting in Malaysia. One corporation had already committed funds to the foundation.

You may not copy, republish or distribute this page or the content from it without having obtained written permission from the copyright owner. To enquire about copyright clearances contact clearance@fairfaxnz.co.nz.

Sea Level Rise

2008-06-29T12:23:00.001-05:00

Getting To Grips With Global Warming

2008-06-29T12:02:00.002-05:00

From: Jamaica Observer

Getting to grips with global warming

Tony Gambrill
Sunday, June 29, 2008

A couple of weeks ago the Republicans in the US Senate, by employing a filibuster (preventing a vote by endless discussion until time runs out), blocked a bill that would require the reduction in carbon emissions by 70% by mid-century.

Still the oil companies and other big business interests who appear to have virtual control of the U.S. government must have been dismayed when President Bush, after his own three-year filibuster, was forced by the courts to release the Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources of the National Science and Technology's report which underlined the growing danger of global warming. Of significant interest to us was its reference to "evidence suggesting a substantial human contribution to recent hurricane activity", i.e. greenhouse gas emissions. Of course, curbing industrial emissions is a costly business and profits would be hit and motorists hurt even more than they are at present with soaring gasoline prices.

If you recently watched the US major networks nightly newscasts you will have recognised some of the effects of global warming; heat waves, drought, wildfires, melting ice and - coming soon - seriously rising sea levels, an increase in disease and the extinction of plant and animal species.

Should Jamaica have been located geographically somewhat further north we might have witnessed polar bears stranded on passing ice flows with seals and penguins trying to mate on RIU hotel beaches.

So it's going to get one or so degrees hotter every year.no big thing. Just open the windows, turn on the fan, switch on the air conditioning, drink more water, roll on the anti-perspirant, walk a little slower, do a little less.

Alright then, let's say it's getting warmer and we must take heed. How big a heed? Drought was the primary cause of wildfires in the U.S. two years ago when 100,000 fires were reported, nearly 10 million acres burned, all of which was l25% over the ten-year average, and a billion-dollar annual cost is projected for wildfires from now on. Drought in particularly vulnerable regions like central Africa is likely to cause civil strife and drive thousands if not millions to attempt to emigrate.

In some areas in America, ironically, warmer temperatures increase the energy of the climate system (the same energy that fuels our hurricanes) and, overall, in that country national precipitation is up five to ten percent. Is this why the Midwest is currently drowning?

More and more heatwaves are expected. Five years ago 35,000 lives were lost in Europe - 15,000 in France alone where temperatures in this temperate-zone country reached as high as 104% Fahrenheit for two weeks. A side effect is the probable increase in disease where, for instance, mosquitoes breed in formerly inhospitable areas bringing dengue fever and malaria.

With an even hotter climate in store, Jamaica will likely go from sub-tropical to tropical by definition, and we can import colourful parrots and mischievous monkeys from Trinidad as we march relentlessly towards becoming an appendage of that oil-rich emission-making island. And if the piranhas find it too hot in Venezuela's Orinoco River and decide to emigrate, we could even discover these human flesh-eaters in the Black River.

The really worrisome aspect of global warming apparently is the rising sea level. The United Nations respected pundits (Nobel Prize- winners) predict we could experience a rise of l0 to 23 inches by 2100. Take the Arctic sea-ice, for instance. Over the past 30 years it has lost a million square miles of perennial ice (an area the size of Denmark, Norway and Sweden combined). Similarly in the Antarctica the ice cap is disintegrating at a rate that even the hardened scientists find astonishing.

Look on the positive side. More water means more room for yachting, jet-skiing, surfboarding, scuba-diving and recreational fishing. In fact, more room for fish to breed. As seaside houses slide into the ocean and the seafront as we know it today disappears, more houses can be built on stilts to alleviate further anxiety.

Naturally, we will have to tweak the old Tourist Board slogan "We're more than a beach, we're a country." How about "We're no longer a beach, we're barely a country."

Something for Ed Barlett to think about.

St. Francis Church Has Moved!

2008-06-29T03:56:00.000-05:00

St. Francis Church For The Recovering has moved.

Old Web Address: http://churchinablog.blogspot.com

New Web Address: http://stfrancischurch.blogspot.com

Sorry for any inconvenience.

Ralph

One Salient Oversight: North Pole to melt in the next few months

2008-06-27T08:30:00.000-05:00

One Salient Oversight: North Pole to melt in the next few months

Consequences of Climate Change.

2008-06-26T11:54:00.001-05:00

From: US News And World Report.

Climate Change Will Have Destabilizing Consequences, Intelligence Agencies Warn
The classified study looks at the national security implications of global warming
By Kevin Whitelaw
Posted June 25, 2008

U.S. intelligence agencies usually work hard to stay outside the political fray, but this week they waded firmly into the debate over climate change by producing an unsettling assessment of the national security implications of changing weather patterns.

Thomas Fingar heads the National Intelligence Council.
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"We assess that no country will be immune to the effects of climate change, but some will be able to cope more effectively than others," says Thomas Fingar, who heads the National Intelligence Council, which drafted the assessment, adding that sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Southeast Asia would be the hardest-hit regions. "However, the spillover—from potentially increased migration and water-related disputes—could have a harmful global impact."

The full report, issued as a National Intelligence Assessment, is classified, and officials say they are not planning to release it. The NIA is distinct from the better-known National Intelligence Estimates by being more speculative and relying more heavily on public sources. Both represent the consensus judgment of the nation's 16 intelligence agencies and carry great analytic weight in Washington.

Appearing before a congressional panel, Fingar discussed the report's findings, which focused heavily on the potential impact of climate change in the next two decades on agricultural production, severe weather effects, water resources, and the possibility of refugee flows from newly drought-ridden areas.

In Africa, for example, climate-related tensions are "a main contributor to instability," Fingar said. "We judge that sub-Saharan Africa will continue to be the most vulnerable to climate change because of multiple environmental, economic, political, and social stresses." In other words, African countries are among the least equipped countries to adapt to changing climactic patterns. Yields of some of Africa's more rainfall-dependent crops, for example, could plummet by up to 50 percent.

There could be similar problems in Asia, where populous nations are likely to experience an increase in either droughts or extreme weather that produces severe flooding. Most alarmingly, the assessment worries that between 120 million and 1.2 billion people could continue to experience what analysts politely term "water stress" with Asia's fast-growing population. This could create massive refugee flows as large groups of people leave for more stable areas.

But the intelligence community concluded that climate change alone is "unlikely to trigger state failure" or full-blown water wars between countries battling over increasingly scarce water resources.

And not all the effects of climate change are necessarily negative. The study pointed out that the United States could experience some economic boosts from cereal crop yields that are expected to rise by as much as 20 percent. But those gains could be offset by the costs of responding to more severe natural disasters and rebuilding expensive coastal infrastructure vulnerable to flooding.

Fingar was careful to note that the intelligence community did not research the science of climate change. Instead, it relied on midrange projections from the most recent report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Tags: global warming | national security
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"On Bullshit" and "On Truth" Interview with Harry Frankfurt.

2008-06-13T15:58:00.002-05:00

Believe or not, a serious scholarly discussion!

The Religions of the World In 2 Minutes.

2008-06-10T12:26:00.000-05:00

The Life Of Buddha.

2008-06-10T11:41:00.001-05:00

George Harrison: Within You Without You.

2008-06-10T08:50:00.003-05:00

"We were talking, about the love that has grown so cold.
And the people who gain the world and lose their soul.
They don't know.
They can't see.
Are you one of them?

When you see beyond yourself, then you will find peace of mind is waiting there.
And you'll come to see that we're all one and life flows on within you and without you."

Global Warming

2008-05-20T22:06:00.001-05:00

Global Warming and Cyclones.

2008-05-20T20:03:00.000-05:00

UNICEF: First Response After Quake In China.

2008-05-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Thich Nhat Hanh: Peace Is Every Step.

2008-05-13T08:50:00.001-05:00

That's The Way God Planned It.

2008-05-06T19:11:00.001-05:00

Billy Preston from The Concert For Bangladesh

Clean And Sober Movie Trailor

2008-05-06T13:24:00.000-05:00

The Ultimate Question.

2008-05-04T14:38:00.001-05:00

Life, the Universe, and Everything from the Buddhist Society of Western Australia.

Amazing Grace: John Newton Documentary

2008-05-04T14:16:00.000-05:00

Anouk- Losing My Religion

2008-04-27T15:14:00.000-05:00

Larry Norman in Norway, June 2007.

2008-04-27T14:16:00.001-05:00

Put Your Life In Jesus' Nail Scared Hands.

Drunks Do The Darnest Things!

2008-04-25T07:43:00.000-05:00

Thanks For The Gratitude.

2008-04-17T16:39:00.002-05:00

Why Easter and Alcohol Don't Mix!

2008-03-22T09:36:00.000-05:00

Larry Norman. 1947-2008

2008-03-09T13:13:00.003-05:00

Why Don't You Look Into Jesus? (1975)

Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music? (2000?)

Larry Norman. Always asking the right questions!

AA in the U.K.

2008-02-13T11:44:00.001-06:00

Man goes to AA in England thinking it is the Automobile Association.

Matthew on Judgement

2008-02-08T18:14:00.000-06:00

Judging Others (Matthew 7: 1-6)

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye, and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."

Life Connection

In many ways judging is a form of co-dependant behavior. Why? Because people who judge focus exclusively on others while neglecting their own shortcomings. The remedy for judging? Taking our own moral inventory regularly and asking God to remove our planks. Of course we sometimes need to form opinions about others' character or behavior - to maintain our health or safety, for instance - but we can do this in a spirit of humility, without judging.

From the Recovery Devotional Bible, New International Version. Verne Becker Ed. Zondervan. Grand Rapids, Michigan USA.

How To Pass A Drunk Driving Test

2008-02-08T15:45:00.000-06:00

Faith, Works, and Recovery.

2008-02-05T17:53:00.000-06:00

Inner Peace, part 1, by Dr. Wayne Dyer

2008-01-28T08:29:00.000-06:00

More on Inner Peace at:
http://churchinablog.blogspot.com

AA: Some Misperceptions

2008-01-26T11:18:00.000-06:00

Comedy, I think...

Funny Pepsi Commercial

2008-01-26T09:16:00.001-06:00

Gratitude and Thankfulness

2008-01-21T18:31:00.000-06:00

One of Us - Joan Osborne

2008-01-13T10:12:00.000-06:00

Changes

2008-01-06T19:05:00.000-06:00

I heard early in the program that insanity was doing the same things over and over again, but expecting the results to be different. As an alcoholic I fit this definition of insanity very well. I would drink time and time again, hoping that the end result would be different. Of course, the same old stuff would happen instead; waking up not knowing what I had done the night or day before, hangovers, remorse, the whole stinking bag of garbage. After a few months in recovery, wondering what a normal life was supposed to be like, I was listening to an old REO Speed Wagon song "Roll With The Changes", and a way out of insanity became clear. "If you're tired of the same old story...turn some pages. I'll be here when you are ready...to roll with the changes." I had finally gotten, "sick and tired of being sick and tired" as I heard a few old timers in the program say, and I was ready for some changes. I realized my old life could never be the way it was before. I had changed, my attitudes had changed, my life had changed. There was no going back to the way things were. After a few more minutes listening to that song, I was ready to roll with the changes. I had no idea change would come as fast as it did. In a few weeks forces beyond my control changed my ministry and my home life forever. We lost our church and our home in the church parsonage. We went from a comfortable living to being unemployed and out in the sticks. It was a frightening and uncertain position to be in, and we mourned the passing of the old way of life, for a while. But through it all "Roll with the changes..." kept going through my head. Changes have come, and I have since come to realize alcohol was not the only thing in my life that needed to be changed. I had allowed myself to be trapped by my former ministry and career and other's expectations of me. Now I feel a new sense of freedom, and amide the uncertainty I continue to move ahead in faith, in a direction I now feel called to, and continue to "Roll With The Changes!" Better things must surely be ahead!

Ralph L.

The Promises

2008-01-06T19:04:00.000-06:00

"If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past, nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us---sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them."

The Big Book, 4th edition, pages 83-84.

Casting Crowns-Set Me Free

2008-01-05T18:02:00.000-06:00

You Might Be An Alcoholic If....

2008-01-03T14:35:00.000-06:00

Over the course of my recovery, I have taken my share of quiz's and surveys designed to help answer the question, "Am I an Alcoholic?" The following is my contribution to the survey market based on the old Jeff Foxworthy comedy routine. Although I am writing this in a rather "tongue in cheek" manner, this is a very serious discussion. Here then are some of the possible warning signs of alcoholism:

1. If you started drinking before you started walking......you might be an alcoholic.

2. If your friends and family members have expressed concern about your drinking......you might be an alcoholic.

3. If you have ever woken up in your front lawn wondering why your neighbors were looking at you strangely......you might be an alcoholic.

4. If you have ever asked yourself the question,"Am I an alcoholic?"......you might be an alcoholic.

5. If you can start drinking O.K., but can't ever seem to stop......you might be an alcoholic.

6. If your drinking has cost you jobs, careers, homes, husbands, wives, children, husbands and wives, your neighbor's children, your dignity and your self-respect, and some how through it all it was always somebody else's fault......you might be an alcoholic.

7. If you have ever used the "F" word in church......you might be an alcoholic.

8. If you have ever used the "F" word from the pulpit......you might be an alcoholic minister.

9. If things have gotten so bad that even your own dog won't sleep with you......you might be an alcoholic.

10. If you have tried to stop drinking on your own and can't......you might very well be an alcoholic.

If two or more of these statements apply to you, then you most likely are an alcoholic. If you have decided for yourself that you are indeed an alcoholic, and would like to know how to live without drinking, follow these simple rules:

1. Don't drink.

2. Don't die.

3. Get help!

There are many AA and other 12 step groups out there that are willing to help. Put pride aside and avail yourself of these resources. Many of us have found alcoholism is too much to handle on our own. But, with help, it can be overcome.

God Bless,

Ralph L.

Kung Fu Moment: The Fighting Nun

2007-12-22T21:01:00.000-06:00