Misanthrope

With all due respect, I vote for neither "entrees,' as both involve the cruel and needless murder of innocent beings. Beings who cling to life every bit as you or I, who feel pain as much or more than we do, who wish to care for their young - but instead their young are violently torn from their bosoms before their time. Beings, who like us, enjoy the warmth of the sun on their backs. Instead, they are stacked on top of each other like machines in aptly named Factory Farms, deprived of fresh air, or room to even turn around in their tiny cages. Beings, who like you or I, prefer to sustain their bodies with real food. Instead, they are fed drugs, genetically modified grains and the ground remains of their own kind. And after enduring a short, miserable existence, they are transported cross country in slaughter trucks be it 30 below zero or 110F. No mercy is afforded these warm-blooded animals. Finally, they meet their fate in the slaughter house - a place hidden from view from the masses. Why do you think that is? If you had any idea of the attrocities taking place in these hellish realms, Dear Reader, you would think twice before eating that blood-stained entree. Happily, there are many alternatives to dead cow and dead pig that do not involve, in any way, the senseless murder of innocent beings.

Thank you, Shree! I will have to look into coming up with a different siggy. In the meantime the "about me" page is now working nicely....

Thank you, TrueFusion. I have tested this out on other pages within the profile and indeed, they appeared to load properly on both Mac and Windows machines via the usual platforms. It is not a huge deal, though. I think what I'll do for the time being is simply post my "about me" drivel somewhere else within the profile page. I imagine this little glitch will resolve itself soon. Good to hear from you again, btw. Cheers,Misanthrope

The color scheme and design is, simply put....sublime. It opens with a fiery theme, reminiscent of the Phoenix rising from the flames of the newly awakened base chakra. To that end it is somewhat startling, just as the birth pangs of anything significant usually are. But the end user is then rewarded with the soothing calm of oceanic elements within the forum proper. Brilliant! And this is just his initial offering. At this rate I imagine anything is possible.

I appreciate your apt suggestion, rpgsearcherz. And yes, I have visited the editor in question and attempted to reinstate my pitiful profile.....days, if not weeks ago. I I have loaded the page on repeated occasions. Sometimes "about me" loads, sometime not. I'm wondering if it's a cursory glitch in the upgrade or maybe something on my end.

I absolutely love the new forum platform. Please point and/or redirect my post if I am in the wrong area, but I have one concern regarding my profile page. With the advent of this new forum, my "about me" page disappears, on and off. It is as folows: It is a silly passage, I know. Yet it means something to me. Perhaps a learned mod/admin/staff, or other might tell me how to activate my "about me" page, and/or point me in the right direction to do so. Thank you, fellow Sutras! As always, I appreciate your help. Misanthrope

Hehe....now that I've got some ale down my thirsty gullet courtesy his Enlightened Guruship, I can finally get on to firing up the green, healthy smoke he so desires, and rightfully so! He has certainly earned the right to a little R&R. Wouldn't you all agree? If no, I'm afraid I shall have to take you to task. Speaking of, can anyone here help him (and us) implement and incorporate wikepidia to this end? I have no knowledge of this. I'm afraid my disciplines are thus far limited to fine arts, esoterica, linguistic acrobatics, and mostly.... beer. Oh, and satire. Please keep in mind, Gentle Reader, that his success, is OUR success! Thanks for trying to help, Anwii. I'll keep messin' around and see if I can't get it to work. There are things in my "about me" page I simply must share with the unwitting, unsuspecting masses. Oh, the horror!

I echo previous statements in their entirety, and more. Like yourself I've been out the fray for quite some time, though my reasons weren't quite so altruistic. But we all have our reasons, don't we? I have two nieces in the American Army. They could have gone straight in to the service as Officer's, as the two of them had earned their respective undergraduate degrees in Criminal Justice (their father a criminal shrink, their uncle a lawyer, their aunt - a certifiable nutcase.....go figure!). I have nothing but the utmost respect for the courageous men and women who, in youthful innocence, put their very lives in harm's way for the greater good. But I will forever remain at odds with the corrupt government(s) who take advantage of these fine young people to secure their corrupt agendas. That being said, it's a relief to hear you are home, safe and sound, and hopefully taking advantage of all the benefits your status now allots you. If you haven't already, you may want to pursue an Undergraduate, or better yet, Doctorate degree, courtesy Uncle Sam. and get paid to do so! I, regretfully, was one of those idiots who ended up paying my own way through University sans a scholarship which didn't cover the full brunt of cost. After four years of drudgery I still owed $10,000, even after working every day after school to fund my education. My wiser, older sibling did just the opposite. He enlisted in the Navy and got Uncle Sam to not only pay for his degree but a whirlwind tour of Asia, life-long preferential benefits and something more than the provincial world-view so many an American are apparently afflicted with. That said, I've no doubt someone of your moral fiber and self-discipline can achieve anything he wants, with our without T-Mobile and their assorted ilk. Why not go for the gusto, and become a Doctorate of this or that discipline? I've yet to meet anyone holding an advanced our undergraduate degree who ever regretted his decision!

Thank you for inviting loyal members to contribute to this worthy endeavor, Shree. You are to be commended for stepping outside the stifling prison of mediocracy the lot of humanity finds itself in; and moreover, possessing the pioneering fortitude to push forward, as the few before us who actually possessed the vision to create a better a world. A world, mind you, that tries with all it's might and rancor to shackle Genius, Greatness, Goodness. I would like to think, in some small way, my long-standing presence here has already inspired a shift toward the inner-directed, spiritual direction I happily see this fine forum headed - or, if nothing else, an appreciation for fine spirits and satirically-driven conversation. At any rate, I am proud to join your lofty ranks in reaching toward this Gnostic end. Now, bring me a beer! (and a shot of single malt Scotch to savor this priceless moment). Platonically, Misanthrope

I have been out of the fray for some time and have to say, what a difference a day makes, or in my case, several months of ill-earned hiatus. I am thoroughly impressed with the many improvements I see here, least of all, the forum name change to "Xisto." This namesake is right up my Gnostic alley. I like it, I want more of it, and think the internet community would concur. Kudos to whoever thought up and possessed the enlightened fortitude to adopt this timely name. After all, it's about time Knowledge kicks some ignorant hind end, wouldn't you say? We've dwelt in the dark of Plato's proverbial cave long enough. But enough of my drivel.I have a but a fleeting concern regarding the version (3?) in question: I cannot get my "about me" page to post. It appears I can edit this section but it won't actually render for other members to view. I know the lot of you can't wait to hear the horrendous details that lurk therein:)

Now you've got my mouth watering and stomach juices conspiring against me, and I've just eaten. In other words, you're making me damn hungry. A few questions: when you say rice are you referring to Indian basmati? I do have a wonderful source of it if that's the case. Is there a western-available herb I can replace the jeera powder with? Or perhaps it's not a necessary ingredient? You mention oil in the recipe as opposed to ghee. Which oil? I was always under the impression ghee (clarified butter) was the cooking fat of choice in Indian cuisine. Believe it or not I have all the other ingredients, including the mysterious "devil dung."

And I thought I saw life through a jaundiced eye. But poster has inadvertently outlined a very good reason for goal setting, as doing so can greatly diminish the mundane, day-to-day problems she speaks of. Really, I don't see much point in being here if we're not working on improving ourselves one way the other other. I'm certainly not going to feel any worse the ware for trying and failing. At least I'll know I tried, which in the end does account for something. Folks who never attempt to better themselves, who "go with the flow," or go along to get along, as it were - are taking up good airspace and are a thorn in my misanthropic side. Some would argue they are one step away from devolving back into the animal kingdom. The thing is, life is always in a state of flux whether we like it or not, and if we do nothing to guide our own way then something else, often referred to as "fate," will step in and do it for us. So, instead of letting yourself get flushed downstream with the mass of morons who don't bother to question such things, why not take life by the reigns and exercise a little more autonomy and control over your own destiny? Utilize your divine birthright. Some call it positive affirmation, some call it New Year Resolutions, some even call it magick. For myself, the term self-mastery seems most fitting of all.

I happen to appreciate all things weird. Growing up in drizzly Seattle, Washington where the sun shines a mere fraction of the year, weird was the order of the day. And even on sunny days, our family on more than unusual occasion would find itself drawn to a very weird store hugging the shores of rainy Puget Sound. Our dear Mother often gave us tours of Ye Ole Curiosity Shope, where all manner of dead things exhibited themselves in bizarre, sometimes hideous, but always macabre form. Shrunken heads from the Americas, mummies hailed from the near east, and the poor, poor sea horses shriveled up, dried up and sold as mere trinkets to the vulgar tourist spectator. Weird. The mere mention of the word implies something out of the oh-so limited dimension we find ourselves shackled in, something out of the work-a-day normal hell. When I hear references to the word, I must admit - my soul rejoices! To think, another soul may at last be breaking free from its shackles! Thoughts initiated in this thread are enlightened, intelligent, and original, and thereby?creative. So it only follows the man asserting them possesses the same qualities. I see no reason for topic starter to apologize for possession of the heightened awareness he obviously possesses, and wishes to accent. Same difference. I am sick and tired of hearing intelligent folk apologize for their mental prowess! When was the last time you heard a geek apologize for knowing too much code? It's ok to be an arrogant geek, but the true genius is feared and ridiculed. Contrary to the vulgarized paradigm we find ourselves in, I suspect we are not actually born into this world on equal footing, or what some refer to as being born ?equal.? One need only look at a snowflake to view the disparity. Each one is decidedly different. Divine in it?s own right, yes, but different?. individual. Suggesting all men are ?equal? (in the current politically correct dialectic) does injustice to the human spirit, as it shackles it the lowest common denomator. I relate to topic starters concerns as nowadays, the majority of schools preach ?all is love and light? when in fact hereditary and/or knowledgeable practioners understand that simply isn?t the case. There are always two sides of the story in this dualist reality we find ourselves in. If there is light, there is darkness. And unless you are an ascended master, I don?t care how much ?love and light? you put out there, you must not only acknowledge invasive energies, but take proactive steps to keep them from entering your circle. Topic starter may wish to consult earlier incarnations of modern metaphysics, before the whole thing turned into a three-ring Wiccan/New Age circus for the unwashed masses. The majority of ?magickal? websites are pure, unadulterated trash, so look to pre-Gardnian thought for serious literature. Obviously the traditions are real as history is replete with in-your-face evidence. Interesting that quantum physics be brought up. I recently listened to a lecture by a specialist who wasn?t a physicist himself. I think he?s actually an electronics engineer. None-the-less his peer-review documentation made a compelling case dispelling the science vs. magic drift. The two are the same, as any true practioner knows.

Thank the gods for Mac auto-save. On New Year Resolutions, 2010: Indeed. Then again, I hate people in general - but in an impersonal, loving, subjective sort of way. Something about a species that kills for sport, rapes for the thrill of it, and blindly embraces lies over truth just rubs this misanthropic oddball the wrong way. Then there are those rare folk who rise out of the muck and filth to eventually qualify as human. And as much as I admire them from afar I claim no membership in their lofty ranks. I too frequently find myself chasing my own tail in this relentless wheel of life, and am still very much in the process of attempting to free my soul (tipareth) from this prison planet. Sadly, the fates seem to throw just enough curve balls to prevent the mass of men from realizing their divine birthright, and I am no acceptation. Perhaps man as a collective should declare a new and united resolution: Screw the Fates! I wasnt always a night owl, but Ive never been a true early bird either. When I was doing music for a living I was forced to acclimate to a pseudo swing-shift schedule, waking up around noon, starting work at eight or nine pm, and quitting anywhere between 2 or 4am depending on which state I happened to be working in at the time. Nevada was a killer. Casinos expect five hour sets from their musicians. Ouch. Still, the schedule came more naturally than the standard blue collar slave shift of 8am to 5pm. And who the hell wakes up at 4am on their own volition? As some of you already know I live in the rural hinterland. Few of my neighbors hold jobs that require them to be anywhere at a specific time. They farm, they operate cottage industries, they log their own land. In short, they do not have to wake up at 4 freakin am every morning, yet thats what they choose to do. One neighbor, who is a school teacher (shudders), is required to report to her government post at 8am. She is one mile from this structure. Do you think shed wake up a reasonable 6am (she is a mere mile from the school)? Oh no, she has to be like everyone else around here and wake up at 4 am. I am an annoying anomaly in these parts. I understand the cynicism toward New Year resolutions. Who defines the start of the year, anyway? Our current calendar system is, if memory serves, based on the Julian/Roman worship of the two-faced god, Janus (January). Prior calendars started with spring and autumn solstice, respectively - a far cry from the dead of winter. The Chinese, in their pre-communist ingenuity, came up with a calendar that actually reconciled the first two. So yes, mark your resolutions throughout the year and as you see fit, but also tap into the collective consciousness that unwittingly lends power to specific days. Its not so much a respect for a tradition that, in my view, deserves none, but the pragmatic ability to ride the psychic tide for all its worth. I do lots of things at my desk, little of which have anything to do with work. Perish the thought! Stuffing my face is one of them. And when Im not shoving food in my face, Im washing it down with alcoholic beverage of choice, which at this time of year happens to be Scotch. For myself, Ive found I can imbibe in copious quanties of either substance with impunity as long as they are of the highest quality. In other words, the beer must be bottle-conditioned and from a non-fluoridated source. Budweiser is not spoken of in these parts. The Tequila must be 100% agave, not some chemically compromised substitute. The food, if at all possible, should be organic and free of genetically modified organisms. Unfortunately, this means eliminating the convenience foods most folk have grown accustomed to. The neuro-toxin, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) was struck from my shopping list years ago. Avoiding it means avoiding most pre-packaged foods, as it presents itself in many guises: natural flavors, hydrolyzed protein, etc. The other players in weight gain are high-fructose corn syrup, genetically modified organisms, processed oils (Canola), and Bovine Growth Hormone. As most folk have little time to cook everything from scratch avoiding all convenience foods is hardly practical. There seems to me a concerted effort on the part of our corporate controllers to make us all fat, dumb, and happy. The better for them to carry out their draconian agendas

If only everyone had this attitude. Sounds like a winning self-help book title, actually. My observation has been folk are more concerned about appeasing the culture creators who force them into pre-ordained molds than following their own truth. They do this at their own peril, and at the expense of their own uniqueness. A worthy resolution if there ever was one. Humans have been compared to electrical conductors/batteries (remember the Matrix film?) that both absorb/release energy. For myself, the low-frequency energies which dominate urban centers proved an inhospitable habitat for personal evolution. I spent much of my waking hours devising ways to leave these densely populated areas until at last I found the outback.

Why BuffaloHELP, what poetic prowess you have! My sweet mother, bless her soul, was always fond of Robert Burns. I like the way you incorporated the spirt of Auld Lang Syne into this beautiful presentation. She would have loved it. You've reminded now of a scotch tasting I'm looking forward to attending next month. Like many tastings, it's dedicated to the memory of Burns and Auld Lang Syne. I'm going to give the haggis a miss, however. May the New Year be a blessed one for you, and all Trap 17 members. Cheers,Misanthrope

I started a thread on New Year resolutions and I forgot to mention any of my own. For starters, I need to stop staying up so late every night and I need to figure out how it started in the first place so I can reverse the trend. Mind you, I see nothing inherently wrong with being a night owl. The problem is, the rest of the world gets up at the freakin' crack of dawn so I am often rudely awakened by some early bird making my phone ring. That, and businesses tend to close at 5pm in these parts. By the time I'm up and out the door these places are getting ready to shut their doors.

Are you prepared to leave behind this decade and embrace a brand new one? A brand New Year? If so, your efforts to usher in the new have found a fitting stage, a virtual diary, if you will. Voice your resolutions at will. Now is the time to reflect on how you lived your life the last twelve months so that you might move forward with full memory, thus avoiding the ?walking dead? syndrome the majority often find themselves. They are doomed to repeat the same mistakes day after day, year after year, and some would argue, life after life ? because they never took the time to look within. You, dear reader, do not have to become a casualty of the fates. What have you learned about yourself this past year, and how do you wish to improve yourself in 2010? Exorcise more, go to University, start a business, find your soul mate? It?s all good. The tradition of making New Year resolutions is as old as Babylon, and for good reason. The ancients understood the power of putting thought to paper. Writing down your goals is the first step in realizing the thoughts you map out on your mental canvas. 2010 promises to be no ordinary year, so goal preparedness is more important than ever. As economic stability continues it?s unprecedented downward spiral, many forecasters predict a collapse of the dollar, the effects of which will reverberate across the world. The year is noted within some esoteric circles as a time of unraveling of the old paradigm to usher in a new epoch - known in more common vernacular as the Age of Aquarius, ultimately culminating as the capstone of ?The Great Work.? I am more familiar with the term great work in its application toward the individual and his personal efforts to spiritually evolve. If man is indeed a microcosm of the creative force than he too experiences cyclical patterns (ages) of spiritual import.

Hurah! You two are geniuses. This has fixed the problem with me having to manually enter html to double space. I'm hopeful other html functions will work out too now that the permission has been changed to 777. Thanks again BuffaloHelp and truefusion for your stellar support.

Assuming opposing/dualistic forces play an integral role in the troubled human psyche, contradictory submissions from the individual seems a natural and even necessary progression on the long, winding road to personal gnosis. I blame no man for abandoning/questioning one belief for another in an attempt to become more human, more self- aware, more divine. On the contrary, I find myself more often than not taking issue with those speaking from a more fixed platform….even though I have and often still fit the category. I sometimes find it difficult reading my older material as my “beliefs” have since undergone some measurable change. I am thankful they have. Does that sound contradictory enough for you, dear reader? This author has consciously resisted mental stagnanation, lest her ethereal bodies become a breeding ground for psychic parasites (demons?), much as a stagnant pond attracts mosquitoes and virulent bacteria. Nothing in the natural world stands still, so why should the human mind be shackled motionless by external factors? Especially when those external factors have an agenda. One is born a Jew, one must adhere to orthodox ritual or join the Goyum in eternal ignorance. One is raised Catholic; one must receive confirmation or brave eternal damnation. Hogwash, I say! The only entities benefiting from this mental prison are the gatekeepers. Isis, RA, Jehovah, MTV,….where does it end? Every age a new god, a new savior. The masses, it seems, don’t care much for individual liberty. For my part, the walking, living, breathing contradiction is always a refreshing respite from the fanaticism of the myopic masses who blindly adopt the program assigned by their overlords. My bottom line is this: If you have examined yourself enough to suspect self-contradiction, than at least you’ve examined yourself. And you are obviously thinking things out. Or you are stark raving mad. Either way, you are thinking! Most folk, from my observation, are adverse to even broaching the subject of Jungian-based introspection, lest it challenge hard-wired programs. Hats off to the challengers, I say. And given the agenda-driven lies offered to the masses, proceeding with what one inherently “feels” is right may be the best course of action of all. I was ruminating some more on the topic starter’s dilemma, that being the question of why demonic entities might be more attracted to certain individuals. And as much as I ponder this I keep coming back to the engagement factor. The I Ching, for example, is fairly clear in it’s stance toward evil, which comes down to this: Do not compromise with evil. This ancient maxim (with it’s inclusion of the word compromise) implies to me the following: Firstly, once you engage evil as something that can be reasoned with from any semblance of civility, you set the stage for a war you can’t win. Reminds me a little of something gleaned from magician, Eliphas Levi. He warned would-be practioners not to be surprised if evoked demons react to rituals by fornicating and sh*tting within the magic circle. These entities, he surmised, are not civil, they are without empathy and what you or I might consider a conscious. Starting to sound rather psychopathic. Secondly, evil must be dealt with from a place of authority – with you acting as authority. Indeed, the prevailing theme of all exorcism rituals I’m aware of is the authoritave stance the exorcist takes. They do not ask the entity to leave the possessed. They do not play nice. Once they have successfully procured the name of the entity, they demand that it leave with all psychic arsenal at their disposal.