Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sunday Reflection
"For to be free is not to merely cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." -- Nelson Mandela
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
What is Wisdom?
Why might the search for Wisdom trump the search for Happiness?
(Published on July 19, 2011 by Michael W. Austin in "Ethics for Everyone")
In our search for happiness, we often forget a crucial element. This forgotten element is the virtue of wisdom. This is not a trait we discuss much, perhaps because we are skeptical that there is such a thing as true wisdom. However, I believe that wisdom is a genuine virtue worth pursuing. If we think of happiness not as merely getting what we want, but rather as being a certain sort of person, then we must pursue wisdom.
But what is wisdom?
First, the wise person has good understanding and possesses a good dose of common sense. She knows and understands some of the deeper truths about life. For example, she is able to apply an understanding of the connections between virtue and happiness to her everyday life of relationships, finances, and the use of her time.
Second, the wise person is able to discern right and wrong. Wisdom, that is, includes the ability to make sound moral judgments. In our world, people give up wisdom to get power, pleasure, fame, and wealth (if you doubt this, watch almost any reality television show!). The better course of action, however, is to give up these things to get wisdom, if need be.
Third, a wise person is curious. She has a sincere desire to understand. Young children display this as they incessantly ask "Why?" At some point, our thirst for understanding leaves us, perhaps because of how we are educated. At any rate, the wise person recaptures this thirst.
Fourth, a wise person is versatile. She has an active interest in many different subjects, rather than a narrow focus on one or two topics. Malcolm X was an example of this. When he was imprisoned, he decided to use his time to learn. His lack of education was a barrier, but rather than giving up he worked hard to overcome it by reading the dictionary from A to Z! He then read all of the books in the prison library on a wide variety of subjects, including history, science, literature, philosophy, psychology, and theology. He subsequently became a leader in the Civil Rights movement and lectured at Ivy League universities.
Finally, the wise person is a good critical thinker. She has and exercises the capacity to tell truth from falsehood by identifying flaws in reasoning, good arguments from bad ones, and by continually asking "Why believe that?" By identifying assumptions behind arguments and perspectives, she is able to evaluate her beliefs and the beliefs of others in her quest for truth. And in the search for true happiness, for deep inner fulfillment and harmony, the knowledge and application of truth to life is essential.
(Published on July 19, 2011 by Michael W. Austin in "Ethics for Everyone")
In our search for happiness, we often forget a crucial element. This forgotten element is the virtue of wisdom. This is not a trait we discuss much, perhaps because we are skeptical that there is such a thing as true wisdom. However, I believe that wisdom is a genuine virtue worth pursuing. If we think of happiness not as merely getting what we want, but rather as being a certain sort of person, then we must pursue wisdom.
But what is wisdom?
First, the wise person has good understanding and possesses a good dose of common sense. She knows and understands some of the deeper truths about life. For example, she is able to apply an understanding of the connections between virtue and happiness to her everyday life of relationships, finances, and the use of her time.
Second, the wise person is able to discern right and wrong. Wisdom, that is, includes the ability to make sound moral judgments. In our world, people give up wisdom to get power, pleasure, fame, and wealth (if you doubt this, watch almost any reality television show!). The better course of action, however, is to give up these things to get wisdom, if need be.
Third, a wise person is curious. She has a sincere desire to understand. Young children display this as they incessantly ask "Why?" At some point, our thirst for understanding leaves us, perhaps because of how we are educated. At any rate, the wise person recaptures this thirst.
Fourth, a wise person is versatile. She has an active interest in many different subjects, rather than a narrow focus on one or two topics. Malcolm X was an example of this. When he was imprisoned, he decided to use his time to learn. His lack of education was a barrier, but rather than giving up he worked hard to overcome it by reading the dictionary from A to Z! He then read all of the books in the prison library on a wide variety of subjects, including history, science, literature, philosophy, psychology, and theology. He subsequently became a leader in the Civil Rights movement and lectured at Ivy League universities.
Finally, the wise person is a good critical thinker. She has and exercises the capacity to tell truth from falsehood by identifying flaws in reasoning, good arguments from bad ones, and by continually asking "Why believe that?" By identifying assumptions behind arguments and perspectives, she is able to evaluate her beliefs and the beliefs of others in her quest for truth. And in the search for true happiness, for deep inner fulfillment and harmony, the knowledge and application of truth to life is essential.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Techno Thursday
Cool Site of the Day
This site is a ton of fun. Plenty of entertainment, plenty of inspiration!
Hopefully this will make up for the fact that I forgot about the past 3 days worth of entries!
This site is a ton of fun. Plenty of entertainment, plenty of inspiration!
Hopefully this will make up for the fact that I forgot about the past 3 days worth of entries!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
LGBT Community Picnic (with Kickball) July 16
Dear Friends,
Saturday July 16th will be the first LGBT Community Fun Day.
Brandywine Springs Park
3300 Faulkland Road
Wilmington, DE
11:00am - 5:00pm
If you are among the LGBT community or know anyone who is,
please understand that this event was designed specifically for you.
* There will be kickball and other games...
(if you have a game or sports equipment you'd like to contribute, please do)
* We will even encourage a friendly kickball tournament among those willing to play.
If you haven't already, please try to organize your own 9 person kickball team before arriving, it will help the tournament to develop sooner. Pre-chosen team names and/or themes would be fantastic too!
* There will be sodas and hot dogs.
* Your friends will be there and new friends will be there!
**** However, it is the PARK's rules that no alcohol will be present. If you feel inclined to drink, meet your new friends afterward... but don't let that hinder your participation.
This event was organized by GLOW. GLOW is a new group in New Castle Co. formed to become a new landmark for the LGBT community of Delaware. GLOW represents "Gay, Lesbian, Other, Whatever" quite possibly the most all-encompassing acronym, which is why we loved it.
If you are familiar with AIDs Delaware, CAMP Rehoboth, COLAGE, Delaware Bears, Delaware Pride, Equality Delaware, GLU, Haven, PFLAG, Rainbow Chorale, or Renaissance.... We encourage you to motivate yourself to come and see what all the fuss is about. (Yes, every group was named to both inform and pique your interest further)
Saturday July 16th 11:00am - 5:00pm
Brandywine Springs Park
3300 Faulkland Road
Wilmington, DE
We will see you there!
Saturday July 16th will be the first LGBT Community Fun Day.
Brandywine Springs Park
3300 Faulkland Road
Wilmington, DE
11:00am - 5:00pm
If you are among the LGBT community or know anyone who is,
please understand that this event was designed specifically for you.
* There will be kickball and other games...
(if you have a game or sports equipment you'd like to contribute, please do)
* We will even encourage a friendly kickball tournament among those willing to play.
If you haven't already, please try to organize your own 9 person kickball team before arriving, it will help the tournament to develop sooner. Pre-chosen team names and/or themes would be fantastic too!
* There will be sodas and hot dogs.
* Your friends will be there and new friends will be there!
**** However, it is the PARK's rules that no alcohol will be present. If you feel inclined to drink, meet your new friends afterward... but don't let that hinder your participation.
This event was organized by GLOW. GLOW is a new group in New Castle Co. formed to become a new landmark for the LGBT community of Delaware. GLOW represents "Gay, Lesbian, Other, Whatever" quite possibly the most all-encompassing acronym, which is why we loved it.
If you are familiar with AIDs Delaware, CAMP Rehoboth, COLAGE, Delaware Bears, Delaware Pride, Equality Delaware, GLU, Haven, PFLAG, Rainbow Chorale, or Renaissance.... We encourage you to motivate yourself to come and see what all the fuss is about. (Yes, every group was named to both inform and pique your interest further)
Saturday July 16th 11:00am - 5:00pm
Brandywine Springs Park
3300 Faulkland Road
Wilmington, DE
We will see you there!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Saturdays at Home: Toilet Brick
So, next time you hear someone proclaim they're going to drop a brick in their toilet, congratulate them. Why? The old folk wisdom that says place a brick in your toilet's water tank is partially correct: It's an effortless way to save water, but a brick isn't the best choice of object. Use a plastic bottle filled with water instead.
Don't worry, you don't have to turn hippie and "let it mellow if it's yellow" in order to save clean water — which is an increasingly scarce resource. Most toilets will flush perfectly well with a little less H2O. The average model uses three to seven gallons per flush. A bottle in the tank will displace enough water to save half a gallon to a gallon each use, or up to about 10 gallons a day in a typical home.
All you have to do is drop a little sand or some pebbles into a bottle, fill it with water, and put it in the tank, making sure not to disturb the toilet's working parts.
What's wrong with a brick? They have been known to disintegrate in toilet water over time, leading to damaged plumbing. If you are a mason or otherwise determined to use a brick, wrap it in a sturdy plastic bag first. Interestingly, some utilities in Europe give away special sachets, called Save-A-Flush, which were specifically designed to displace water in toilet tanks.
For a little more effort, use old jelly jars.... barely any effort....
This literally could not be easier. Fill jars with water. Set jar in tank. Forget about it forever. The only catch is to make sure the labels are off the jars. You don't want them to come off and float around in the tank -- they might interfere with the flushing mechanism.
Savings:
Two cups of water per flush and I'd say we're now averaging eight flushes per day. So 8 x 2 = 16 cups per day, or one gallon. In one week, that's seven gallons of water. In a year, 365 gallons saved! That shaves another percentage point off my riot numbers! Woo!
Don't worry, you don't have to turn hippie and "let it mellow if it's yellow" in order to save clean water — which is an increasingly scarce resource. Most toilets will flush perfectly well with a little less H2O. The average model uses three to seven gallons per flush. A bottle in the tank will displace enough water to save half a gallon to a gallon each use, or up to about 10 gallons a day in a typical home.
All you have to do is drop a little sand or some pebbles into a bottle, fill it with water, and put it in the tank, making sure not to disturb the toilet's working parts.
What's wrong with a brick? They have been known to disintegrate in toilet water over time, leading to damaged plumbing. If you are a mason or otherwise determined to use a brick, wrap it in a sturdy plastic bag first. Interestingly, some utilities in Europe give away special sachets, called Save-A-Flush, which were specifically designed to displace water in toilet tanks.
For a little more effort, use old jelly jars.... barely any effort....
This literally could not be easier. Fill jars with water. Set jar in tank. Forget about it forever. The only catch is to make sure the labels are off the jars. You don't want them to come off and float around in the tank -- they might interfere with the flushing mechanism.
Savings:
Two cups of water per flush and I'd say we're now averaging eight flushes per day. So 8 x 2 = 16 cups per day, or one gallon. In one week, that's seven gallons of water. In a year, 365 gallons saved! That shaves another percentage point off my riot numbers! Woo!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Wednesday's Woman: Storm Large
Isn't she lovely? That voice alone... Yes, please!
One more because she's so delicious...
One more because she's so delicious...
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