the luminous blog

Charlie had his Oona - why couldn't each of us get a rich, sexy
widow named Unah - willing to invest millions in YOU...?
We should all be so lucky in finding that "Unah and only"... eh?
(Ok - admittedly, only a very select elite few of us truly are
deserving of such luck - the rest of you guys out there; the cheats,
the liars, the types that make them chickies wanna cry - you are
most certainly NOT meritorious of such glorious gifts of life!!!).


FROM MRS.UNAH BIO
COTONOU,
REPUBLIC OF BENIN

Dear friend,
I am a Sierra Leon by nationality, presently residing here in the
Neighbouring country Benin republic as a result of war that erupted in
Freetown. I got your contact from your country business guide
.We therefore solicit for your assistance to grant us the moral and
technical advice that we may require to Relocate/invest overseas.
It is true that I had not known you before, but I have no option than
To risk believing that God will not let us alone. It's my pleasure to
Contact you for a business venture which I and my Son, intend to establish
in your country. When war erupted in Freetown, there is certain Amount of
money totalling USD nineteen million ($19,000,000.00) which my late husband
was able to move out of Sierraleon through a diplomatic channel, with the
assistance of a securities and finance company before he was assassinated by

unknown persons.

Now I and my son decided to invest these money in your country or any where
safe enough outside Africa for security and political reasons.
IMPORTANT
We want you to understand that you will assist us to secure these funds for
the investment first, from the securities company.
We are interested in hospitality industry

If you want to assist us, feel free to contact me urgently through my son
Justin bio who is presently seeking asylum in Europe
Through this email address( justinbio01@velocall.com )or call him
On this telephone number (0034 679 865 288) to enable him give to you
further Information relative to the presence/position of funds which will =

authorize the securities company to release to you as our partner and beneficiary

Thanks and God bless
MRS.UNAH BIO

Hmm... too bad this is indeed a scam
Lots of guys would love to have some BIO-logical warfare there
in Mrs. Unah's bedroom... After all, 19 MIL are at stake...! LOL

Sensors to detect crude radiological bombs planned for airports

---------------------------------------------------

OTTAWA (CP) - Dirty-bomb detectors are being installed at the Ottawa International Airport under a federal project aimed at eventually adding them to air facilities across the country.

The move is intended to stem post-Sept. 11 fears a terrorist will slip a crude radiological device into luggage or onto an airplane. Officials are particularly worried about the possibility of a dirty bomb packed with conventional explosives such as dynamite to scatter radioactive material stolen from a medical lab or industrial site.

The initial blast could kill or disable bystanders, while fallout may claim more victims and effectively shut down a public facility for weeks.

"The airport itself could be the target of, say, a dirty bomb," said Ted Sykes, a senior project manager.

"Or the airport and aircraft could be used as a means by which to move this stuff from one part of the country to another, or one part of the continent to another."

Fears were heightened last year when documents discovered in Afghanistan suggested Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network may have successfully built a dirty bomb.

There is currently "limited capability" at Canadian airports to detect illicit radioactive materials, says a summary of the government project.

The $4-million pilot effort is part of the federal science community's efforts to improve preparedness for a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack, a program known as the CBRN Research and Technology Initiative, or CRTI.

Project partners include the federal Health and Transport departments, the Ottawa police service, the Ottawa Airport Authority and private firm McFadden Technologies Ltd.

The prototype system will consist of both fixed sensors in the corridors of the Ottawa airport as well as roving detectors inside vehicles that patrol the grounds, said Sykes, a CRTI portfolio manager.

Initially, there will be three or four outfitted cars cruising the airport, with the first in place by the end of the year.

But it's too early for project staff to know how many mobile sensors are needed to cover the Ottawa facility, Sykes said.

"They're going to try to determine, is that the right amount? Do you need more, do you need less?" he said.

"And they'll combine this with the fixed-point sensors to have a system in place that could potentially help detect illicit transportation of material before that turned into a dirty bomb."

The project will use a geographical positioning system, cellular communication and mapping technology to enable staff in a central control room to monitor the various sensor readings.

A colour-coded scheme would help them interpret what each of the detectors is reading, Sykes said.

"Green is good, yellow means there's potentially an issue and red would mean you might have a hot radiological reading by one of the sensors."

The Ottawa pilot should be fully operational by next fall for a one-year testing phase, to wind up in September 2006.

The outcome will help determine the system's future and its potential expansion to other Canadian airports, Sykes added.

The CRTI program already includes a project to install dirty-bomb sensors in as many as 40 RCMP patrol cruisers in the national capital region.


----------------------------------------------


Of course... war is never clean
To be won, it has to be fought dirty...
down in the trenches... down in the gutter...

Still... calling this potentially calamitous weapon
a "dirty-bomb"... seems straight out of "Get Smart"
and is thus, downright silly!

I would've called it - Potential Great Plague v. 2.0

:

Or Antidote to the Love Bug(s) as it may be... ;)
In these times of LOCK-OUTS and other strikeouts
in the dating scene, it is MY DUTY to supply the
poor, clueless as hapless hockey fans with ALL THAT
THEY MAY NEED to vent their frustration of being
"NHL STARVED" (a condition worthy not of worry and
concern but really of scorn and ridicule...!!!) on
their even moreso clueless DATES - brainless from
the very start for having even BOTHERED to give
the time of day to the likes of... B.H. - NYR -
Y2KKK1 - VEGAGAL and the other FH "looselosers"
GUYS - THIS IS FOR YOU!!! :)

Rules to leave by

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You went out for a coffee and don't want to have another. Your second monster-truck date is going to be your last. How do you let them know? By Brent T.


Taken straight from... some dating site
(grrrrrrrrrrrrreat - isn't it? they make their cash by setting you up - and now they help you move on - to set you up again... ad infinitum! The perfect con, verily... eh? ).

Is a phone call required or will an email suffice? Do you have to do it face-to-face? Knowing how to end short-term relationships is often tougher than the actual decision to end them.
Here are some do's and don'ts to keep you on the right track.

Don't Disappear - Using your Harry Potter invisibility cloak to vanish is both lame and cowardly. You must tell them that you aren't interested in pursuing things. Cutting off all contact leaves them wondering what they could have done wrong. Imagine your feelings if someone never called you to say, "Thanks, but no thanks."



Do Be Honest - Okay, if it's their vestigial head that's creeping you out then you can gloss over it, but try to tell the truth as much as possible without being hurtful. If you've only dated a short time, the reason is likely just a lack of chemistry. Try saying something like, "I really don't feel like we had a connection together, but good luck with your search." It doesn't lay any blame, and they'll likely find your honesty refreshing.

Do Be Clear - Don't lead them on with mixed messages designed to spare their feelings. If you aren't clear ("I really like you, but I'm not ready to be with anyone right now"), they may choose to interpret your message with the hope of another date in the distant future.

Do Be Doo - Sorry. I couldn't resist.

Don't Wait - Get it over with as soon as you make your decision. Waiting only prolongs the inevitable and makes it harder to do, and this is one time in a relationship when harder isn't better.

Don't Choose Significant Days or Places - "Happy Birthday. My present is this box of 'Don't Ever Call Me Again'." Don't spoil birthdays, holidays, and places they love (like their favorite restaurant) with the bad taste of rejection.

Do It Virtually - If you've had an exclusively cyber- or tele-romance, it's perfectly acceptable to let them know that you'd prefer to fly solo using your most frequent means of communication, be it email, instant messaging, video, or telephone. The same holds true if you've only gone on a few dates, but in this case, you can obviously choose a face-to-face if it feels right to do so.

Do It In Person - As a guideline, after seven dates you owe someone a face-to-face talk. Use your judgment of course, as this number can be more or less depending upon the intensity and seriousness of the dates (spread out over a year versus a week, for instance).

Do Go Public - If you're breaking up in person, do it in a public place. It's safer, they're less likely to make a scene (wait until your food has been cleared from the table, just in case), and it's easer to go your separate ways afterwards. Give them a heads-up beforehand by saying something like, "I want to talk about our relationship." That way they don't come expecting a date and end up with a real letdown.

Don't Bring Backup (Most of the Time) - Do it on your own. Bringing your posse along only puts them on the defensive. If you have safety concerns, bring someone along, but have them hang out of site where the dumpee cannot see them.

Don't Back Down - Once you've made the decision, stick to it. If it's the right thing for you, don't let them talk you out of it.

The best advice for letting someone down gently is to remember the golden rule: put yourself in their underoos and think how you would like to be treated in the same situation. Act accordingly. It's hard to go wrong when you do.

EXCEPT THAT... some (like B.H. & E.V.) like to go wrong...
It turns them on...
Go figure...

Namaste!
How is it pronounced, what does it mean?
Subject: Re: Namaste
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian,alt.religion.hindu,
alt.fan.jai-maharaj,hawaii.nortle,
alt.religion.vaisnava
From: (Dr. Jai Maharaj)
Date: Sat, 16 Aug 1997 22:26:20 UTC
In article, (amar joshi) wrote:
> I am looking to verify the correct spelling and
> definition of the word "Namastee" from sandskrit.

Commonly written "Namaste", it is pronounced as "Namastay"
with the first two a's as the first a in "America" and the
ay as in "stay", but with the t pronounced soft with the
area just behind the tip of the tongue pressing against the
upper-front teeth with no air passing (as the t in "tamasha").
- Jai Maharaj

> I have been told it means something like to
> pay homage to the inner light in all living things.
> Can you help me with this???
> sgray@javanet.com

I had occasion to post the following in 1993 and 1996:

Subject: Re: Sukhmani says Namaskaar to Brahmins
From: Dr. Jai Maharaj
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian,soc.culture.punjab,
soc.culture.indian.delhi,alt.fan.jai-maharaj,
soc.culture.indian.gujarati,soc.culture.indian.marathi,
soc.culture.indian.telugu,soc.culture.indian.karnataka,
soc.culture.indian.kerala,soc.culture.bengali
Date: Sun, 14 Jan 1996 14:01:55 -1000

In the article <30F7BAD4.5907@sky.net>,
of Sat, 13 Jan 1996 07:59:48 -0600,
Rahul Anand Narain wrote:
COLLinda wrote:
>> What is the difference (if any) in saying "Namaste" and
>> "Namaskar"? Are they addressed to or used by different people?
>> Or are they essentially identical? I've heard people using
>> both, but I haven't noticed any pattern. / Linda Nelson,
>> Chicago Online
>
> Jai Maharaj had a lovely post regarding this. a couple of years
> ago or so. I had had saved it but am not able to locate it.
> Maybe he can repost the article?

There have been several posts on the subject during the last few
years, but I think the following authorized reproduction from
HINDUISM TODAY is one of the best. For subscription and other
information about Hinduism Today, please connect with the Web site
at this URL:

http://www.HinduismToday.kauai.hi.us/ashram/

Hinduism today is a full-color, international monthly which has been
published continuously since January 1979.

Copyright 1993 by Himalayan Academy. ISSN: 0896-0801. All Rights
Reserved. Please see full copyright notice at the end of the
article.

N::N "Shake hands and come out fighting." It's the referee's
A::A final counsel to two pugilists about to beat each other's
M::M brains out with clenched fists. Even outside the ring, a
A::A handshake can be a little off-putting. When one returns
S::S to the West from an extended sojourn in Bharat or
T::T elsewhere in Asia, the hand suddenly thrust forward can
E::E seem more ominous than friendly, especially if the hand
offered is that of a stranger. Of course, one soon
acclimates and the menacing aspect of this salutation subsides.

Perhaps that moment of intimidation derives from the history of
the handshake. According to one anthropologist, the handshake
evolved in medieval Europe, during the times of knights. It seems
not all were laudable Lancelots or gallant Gallahads. More than a
few would approach opponents with concealed weapons and when
within striking distance do the needful, driving dagger or
striking sword into the unguarded paladin.

To fend off the fear of a foe's foul foil, knights took to
offering their open and visibly empty hand to each other. It was
a kind of surety, a gesture of trust which said, "See, I am
unarmed, so you may safely let me approach." As the story goes,
soon the gesture itself took on meaning and the less noble, less
lethal man on the street adopted the handshake as the proper way
to greet others.

In much of the world today, people do not shake hands when they
meet. They may hug formally or kiss one another on the cheek, as
in eastern Europe and Arab states. They may bow softly, eyes
turned to the ground, as in Japan and China. The Hawaiian
greeting, termed "honi," consists of placing the nostril gently
beside that of the person greeted, a kind of sharing of breath,
which is life and Pran(a).

For, Hindu(s), of course, the greeting of choice is "Namaste,"
the two hands pressed together and held near the heart with the
head gently bowed as one says, "Namaste." Thus it is both a
spoken greeting and a gesture, a Mantr(a) and a Mudr(a). The
prayerful hand position is a Mudr(a) called Anjali, from the root
Anj, "to adorn, honor, celebrate or anoint." The hands held in
union signify the oneness of an apparently dual cosmos, the
bringing together of spirit and matter, or the self meeting the
Self. It has been said that the right hand represents the higher
nature or that which is divine in us, while the left hand
represents the lower, worldly nature.

In Sanskrit "Namas" means, "bow, obeissance, reverential
salutation." It comes from the root Nam, which carries meanings
of bending, bowing, humbly submitting and becoming silent. "Te"
means "to you." Thus "namaste" means "I bow to you." the act of
greeting is called "Namaskaram," "Namaskara" and "Namaskar" in
the varied languages of the subcontinent.

Namaste has become a veritable icon of what is Bharatiye. Indeed,
there must be a Bharatiye law which requires every travel
brochure. calendar and poster to include an image of someone with
palms pressed together, conveying to the world Bharat's
hospitality, spirituality and graceful consciousness. You knew
all that, of course, but perhaps you did not know that there can
be subtle ways of enhancing the gesture, as in the West one might
shake another's hand too strongly to impress and overpower them
or too briefly, indicating the withholding of genuine welcome.

In the case of Namaste, a deeper veneration is sometimes
expressed by bringing the fingers of the clasped palms to the
forehead, where they touch the brow, the site of the mystic Third
Eye. A third form of namaste brings the palms completely above
the head, a gesture said to focus consciousness in the subtle
space just above the Brahma-randhra, the aperture in the Crown
Chakr(a). This form is so full of reverence it is reserved for
the Almighty and the holiest of Sat Guru(s).

It is always interesting, often revealing and occasionally
enlightening to muse about the everyday cultural traits and
habits each nation and community evolves, for in the little
things our Big ideas About Life find direct and personal
expression. Take, for instance, the different ways that American
and Japanese tool-makers approach the same task. A saw for
cutting lumber, if designed in the U.S., is made in such a way
that the carpenter's stroke away from his body does the cutting.
But in japan saws are engineered so that cutting takes place as
the carpenter draws the saw toward himself. A small detail, but
it yields a big difference.

The American saw can, if leaned into, generate more power, while
the Japanese saw provides more control and refinement in the cut,
requiring surprisingly less effort. Each has its place in the
global toolbox. each speaks -- like the handshake and namaste
greetings -- of an underlying perception of man's relationship
with things.

In the West we are outgoing, forceful, externalized. We are told
by Ma bell to "reach out and touch somebody." We are unabashedly
acquisitive, defining our progress in life by how much we have --
how much wealth, influence, stored up knowledge, status or
whatever. Every culture exhibits these traits to some extent, but
in the east Mother is there to remind us, "Reach in and touch the
Self." here we are taught to be more introspective, more
concerned with the quality of things than their quantity, more
attuned with the interior dimension of life.

So, there you have it, the whole of Eastern and Western culture
summed up in the handshake which reaches out horizontally to
greet another, and Namaste which reaches in vertically to
acknowledge that, in truth, that there is no other.

As a test of how these two greetings differ, imagine you are
magically confronted with the Divine. The Paramatma, Almighty,
walks up to you on the street. What do you do? reach out to shake
His hand? Probably not. Though suitable between man and man, it;'
an unseemly expression between man and Paramatma. We never shake
hands with paramatma. I mean, what if your palms are sweating?

So you namaste instead. the reason it feels natural to namaste
before Paramatma is that it is, in its very essence, a spiritual
gesture, not a worldly one. By a handshake we acknowledge our
equality with others. We reveal our humanity. We convey how
strong we are, how nervous, how aggressive or passive. There is
bold physicality to it. For these and other reasons, Popes never
shake hands. Kings never shake hands. Even mothers don't shake
hands with their own children.

Namaste is cosmically different. Kings do namaste, Sat Guru(s)
namaste and mothers namaste to their own family. We all namaste
before the Almighty, a holy man or even a holy place. The namaste
gesture bespeaks our inner valuing of the sacredness of all. It
betokens our intuition that all souls are divine, in their
essence. It reminds us in quite a graphic manner, and with
insistent repetition, that we can see Paramatma everywhere and in
every human being we meet. It is saying, silently, "I see the
Deity in us both, and bow before Him or Her. I acknowledge the
holiness of even this mundane meeting. I cannot separate that
which is spiritual in us from that which is human and ordinary."

And while we are singing the praises of Namaste, it should be
observed how efficient a gesture it is in an age of mass
communication. A politician, or performer can greet fifty
thousand people with a single Namaste, and they can return the
honor instantly. In such a situation a handshake is unthinkable
and a mere waving of one hand is somehow too frivolous.

There are other, more mystical meanings behind Namaste. The nerve
current of the body converge in the feet, the solar plexus and
the hands. Psychic energy leaves the body at these junctures. To
"ground" that energy and balance the flow of Pran(a) streaming
through the nerve system, Yogi(s) cross their legs in the lotus
posture, and bring their hands together. The Anjali Mudra acts
like a simple Yog(ic) Asan(a), balancing and harmonizing our
energies, keeping us centered, inwardly poised and mentally
protected. It closes our aura, shielding us psychically. It keeps
us from becoming too externalized, thus we remain close to our
intuitive nature, our super consciousness.

Here are some insights into Namaste from a number of Hindu(s):

o Namaste elevates one's consciousness, reminding one that all
beings, all existence is holy, is the Almighty. It
communicates, "I honor or worship the Divinity within you."
Also it draws the individual inward for a moment, inspires
reflection on the deeper realities, softening the interface
between people. It would be difficult or offend or feel
animosity toward any one you greet as Paramatma.

o Namaste is a gesture of friendship and kindness, also of
thanks or special recognition. Mystically it is called
"Namaskara Mudra" in the Agami(c) Pooja, and it centers one's
energy within the spine.

o I've heard it means "I salute the Almighty within you." The
true Namaste gesture is is accompanied by bowing the head and
shoulders slightly. This is a gesture that lessens our sense
of ego and self-centeredness, requiring some humility to do it
well -- whereas shaking hands can be quite an arrogant event.

o Touching the hands together puts you in touch with your
center, your soul. namaste puts you forward as a soul, not an
outer personality.

o The gesture has a subtle effect on the aura and nerve system.
bringing focused attention and a collection of one's forces,
so to speak. It also protects against unnecessary psychic
connections which are fostered by shaking hands. This might be
called a form of purity also -- protecting one's energies.

This form of acknowledgment is so lovely, so graceful. Just
look at two people in Namaste and you will see so much human
beauty and refinement.

Copyright 1993 by Himalayan Academy. ISSN: 0896-0801. All Rights
Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of the publisher.

End of Forwarded Article.

Yes, folks - with the luminous blog, you always learn something! ;)

Blessings!

U.S. National - AP


Woman Auctions Father's Ghost on eBay



HOBART, Ind. - A woman's effort to assuage her 6-year-old son's fears of his grandfather's ghost by selling it on eBay has drawn more than 34 bids with a top offer of $78.



Mary Anderson said she placed her father's "ghost" on the online auction site after her son, Collin, said he was afraid the ghost would return someday. Anderson said Collin has avoided going anywhere in the house alone since his grandfather died last year.


In a description titled "This isn't a joke," Anderson told Collin's story on eBay:


"I always thought it was just normal kid fears until a few months ago he told me why he was so scared. He told me 'Grandpa died here, and he was mean. His ghost is still around here!'"


Lest the boy's fears scare off potential bidders, Anderson added, "My dad was the sweetest most caring man you'd ever meet."


Some of the prospective buyers have posted their own messages.


"Your story brought tears to my eyes," one bidder said. "I just wonder how this will turn out for your son. I'm sure his Grandfather loved him very much."


Anderson also put her father's metal walking cane up for auction so she would have something to actually send the winning bidder. The proceeds from the auction will go to buy Collin a special present, she said.


Anderson makes one special request of the winner bidder: "I would like to ask you to write a letter after you've received the cane (and the ghost) to my son letting him know that he's there with you and you're getting along great."


The bidding was due to close yesterday (Monday) afternoon.


A message left with San Jose, Calif.-based eBay Inc. in San Jose, Calif., was not immediately returned Saturday.


Hmm... the town of Hobart is now officially PUT ON THE MAP!
Makes me think of "Hobbes Lane" was it...?
In a classic HAMMER HORROR FILM... used to love that stuff! ;)

I would be remiss if I were to leave off the hook
smalltown sheriffs, dullard deputies and other crooks
They surely know not what they do most of the time
unable to tell right from wrong; tantrum from crime
No wonder them county jails are filled with innocents
and them counties' streets are rife with creeps and jerks
For they punish and lock up the rightfully impatient
and leave on the loose the sickos and the perverts!
Yes - such is the fine meting out of justice out there in redneck land
The rest of us with common sense and a true idea of what is right are left to do what we can
Oh no wait - I forgot - they will lock us up as well
if we DARE dispense justice ourselves - vigilantism hell!
(LOL)

Another case of spontaneous poetry renascent
in my luminous repertory... ;)

(because the week-end, well... is either hectic or sacred
-or both! Simply no time to blog...!)

When is Dubya stopping by T.O. then...?!?
(Please don't tell me that he did already -
and unlike all the other poor innocents who
have died atrocious deaths there in the past few DAYS...
HE of all people did not even threaten to choke
himself to death again with a PRETZEL...?!?)




Luminous blog...
Dark humor...
what a concept... eh?
An experiment into the... paradoxical, verily...!
As Bobby would say; "Enjoy, humanoids" ;)

Blessings!