Sunday, December 12, 2010

How to increase Your Mind Power

How to increase Your Mind Power
In this page you can find information about mind power and how to increase it. It is an introductory page to some powerful mind-expanding techniques. Although that our mind has unlimited potential, we only use the brain power we are conscious of.

As you explore new dimensions of thinking, there are many techniques that can help you improve your existing mind powers. I will try to approach some of these techniques providing you with information about them and also with instructions on how to apply them to you.

With the term mind power we usually mean the overall capacity of the mind. This capacity can be expressed in many ways, some of which are listed below:

• Cognitive Abilities

• Intelligence

• Paranormal Mind Powers

• Creativity

• Talents

• Way of Thinking

• Consciousness

• Intuition



My view is that mind power, as intelligence, is not comparable and cannot be measured. This is happening because of its infinite dimensions. Two people may have great mind power but no one can say whose is stronger.

In another case someone may have a great mental ability but lacking in other abilities. There is no absolute scale by which you can measure your mind power.

The only thing you can say for sure is that you can increase your mind capability through practice.

There are many techniques that can help you take advantage of more of your mind’s capacity. Using them may improve your everyday life while in the same time change your overall way of thinking.

For example, imagine how great it would be if you could read a whole book in just 2 hours. Imagine how much knowledge you could be able to absorb. Such a method is a life changer. The good news here is that this is possible and anyone can do it. It just needs motivation and patience.


Motivation and Patience?

Now you may wonder whether I use techniques like the above… some of them yes, others I plan to.

The major problem with all these mind power techniques is our lack of discipline. If you want to succeed, you have to stay tuned in and invest large amounts of effort and patience. This applies to everything in life. I suppose you can remember times in your life where you had to work hard in order to succeed.

You may have to study hard to get your degree or to train hard to win a tennis match. Remember, whatever you did needed commitment. So if you want to increase your mind power you also have to put effort in it. Stay focused on whatever you do and you will succeed.

Mastering some of the following techniques may increase your mind power.


• Mind Mapping

• Brain Teasers and Games

• Speed Reading

• People Observation

• Meditation

• Critical & Lateral Thinking

• Wondering and Thinking Deeply

• Writing

• Language Learning

• Realizing Brain’s Limits

• Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)

• Thought Management

• Mind Control


This list can go on and on as there are a lot more mind-expanding dimensions that can be included in it. Ok, some of the above are interrelated, like Meditation and Mind Control or Language learning and Writing.

Some meanings are subsets of others. The reason that I mention them is because I want to emphasize on them as I consider them important. Also, it is a way of narrowing them down. For example Learning a new Language is a very broad meaning while Writing is a narrower one.

Your brain consists of the left and the right hemispheres. It is proven that the two hemispheres manage different mental tasks. The above list improves tasks that belong to both hemispheres.

For example some Brain teasers and games improves left hemisphere while Lateral thinking is a right hemisphere process. There are also techniques that improve both hemispheres. An example is writing which requires creativity and also linguistic skills.


Analyzing the List

Let’s discuss briefly the list of mind power techniques.


Mind Mapping

My first experience with Mind Mapping was some years ago. I remember that I had read a book written by Tony Buzan entitled “Use your Mind”. Mind Mapping is a learning technique that exploits more of your mind capabilities. Who said that learning is linear?

Using mind maps while your learn, you help your mind to store the information into the long-term memory. A mind map is not linear. This means that you cannot read it in a sequential way. It is just a scheme containing all the important information you want to memorize.

Mind mapping is not a replacement to the traditional method of learning but a supplement. You use it as you study. In order to create a mind map you have to know the important meanings, definitions and concepts of what you read. That’s why you cannot replace the traditional way of studying with mind mapping.

When I was a student, I used to create mind maps. I can say from my experience, that it was really helpful. They came in handy, especially in lessons with many definitions and formulas. The last time I used mind mapping was for a lesson for my postgraduate degree two years ago.

If you haven’t ever used mind mapping then I recommend you try it. It’s a powerful tool that can increase your mind power.


Brain Teasers and Games

Brain teasers and brain games are entertaining and you can also benefit from them. I like to play such games; some of them are tricky and challenging.

There are many types of brain teasers and games. Each type is intended to improve a specific area in your brain. Brain areas such as frontal, parietal and temporal lobes, are related to different mental tasks. So improving these areas results to better and faster thinking.

It would be very good for your brain and your mind if you could dedicate some of your daily free time, if any, to playing such games. You don’t need more than 15 minutes per day to keep your brain in shape.

It is true that the brain is like a muscle. You have to train it. It is vital for you to maintain your existing neuron networks. If you don’t, then your brain won’t use them and will shut them down. Thus, your mind power is lowering by the time.

Speed Reading

These techniques help you read faster. There are many ways to do this. I have tried some of them in the past. You just have to get used to it. This may be a little tricky because you cannot remember this every time you read something. Despite also this, it is a little tiring after a while.

There are many speed reading courses online. I would like to try the Photoreading course by Paul Scheele. I have heard good things about it but I have never tried it. I didn’t find the time to try it actually. When I do I will let you know my results. If they are positive I will also write a full review about it and recommend it.

This course is supposed to help you read a whole book in a matter of minutes. While you "photoread" you use both your conscious and subconscious mind. You actually take mental photos of the pages of the book and you can retrieve them from the memory anytime. Sounds interesting…


People Observation

Well, by using this term I mean to observe people’s reactions, behavior and body movements. A part of this is the body language. People Observation takes you a step further from the body language. You observe also their mindset.

You can find similarities in the way of thinking in completely different people. If you do this with every person you meet, after some time, you will be able to do this subconsciously. In the end you will have an intuitive feeling about the thoughts of others and their emotional states. Thus your Emotional Intelligence will have improved and so your mind power.

Observing people, even if you don’t know them, also improves your psychological skills. You will be able to detect lies, intentions and maybe some thoughts of others.

I used to do this consciously every time I met someone. If there was no one to meet, I just watched the people around me. Finally this skill became active permanently and I never think of it. This gives me an advantage into my interpersonal relationships. It’s a good way to better understand and communicate with other people.


Meditation

Meditation is a very old relaxation practice used mainly by oriental civilizations. Nowadays it is very popular and it has been proved that meditation can have positive effects on body and mind.

When you meditate you go deep into yourself and slowly you silence your thoughts. Meditation is the art of awareness. Any act which is done with awareness and doesn't involve judgment or feelings is meditation.

With meditation you can increase your brain power in various ways like altering your consciousness to a higher level. These will be discussed in detail in the Meditation page.

Meditation is also a method of mind control and thought management.


Critical & Lateral Thinking

Critical thinking, in general, is the ability to judge properly a situation and then decide if you agree or disagree with it. This situation may be an argument, a belief or an action.

Critical thinking is a left hemisphere process and involves basically logic. But it is not only logic’s product. Critical thinking involves other skills as well such as clarity, fairness and others.

It is believed that people who have critical thinking usually tend to reject. But actually, people who reject have no critical thinking. They just are suspicious and afraid of everything. If you think of yourself as a critical thinker because of rejecting everything, sorry but you aren’t.

Lateral thinking now is a completely different way of thinking. Lateral thinking is a product of creativity and it is a right hemisphere process.

When you think laterally you approach a situation in an indirect way. You create new ideas and invent new perspectives.

This type of thinking is used in problem solving. Lateral thinking helps you in solving problems in a creative way (using brainstorming and analyzing the new ideas), finding a solution that is not initially visible. Lateral thinking is also an ability that is appreciated in management and business.

It is also synonymous to the phrase “thinking out of the box”. When you reach a level where you can think in this way then you will have increased your mind power for sure.


Wondering and Thinking Deeply (or Philosophy ?)

Wondering comes before Philosophy. It is a trait that indicates the existence of Spiritual Intelligence. Wondering has to do with supreme questions like how the world was created, the existence of god etc.

When you wonder you have the tendency to search and try to find answers to such questions. Of course you can only find theories as none of these questions have been answered. You finally end up with your own theories and explanations. Then you test your theories in your everyday life.

These processes lead your mind to a never-ending analysis of the world around you, inducing you to think deeply. This is also a way of lateral thinking.

Thinking deeply is like Philosophy. But, as Philosophy, nowadays, means the homonym science school, I prefer to call this mind expanding technique just “Thinking Deeply".

More or less we all have moments of deep thinking in our everyday lives. By doing this, we may realize truths that we were unaware of, changing our understanding of the world.

You may have noticed that you are thinking completely different now than 5 years ago. This happens because every day you realize things that change your way of thinking. Thinking Deeply helps you understand better the world and the people around you.

It is also a form of lateral thinking. Asking yourself why and trying to understand how things work, induce you to think laterally. Thinking Deeply increase your consciousness level and so also your mind power.



Writing

Writing is one of the four linguistic skills. The other three are speaking, reading and listening. I chose writing because it engages your mind’s creativity and also gives you the time to organize your thoughts.

When you write an article, like me now, thousands of thoughts and ideas pass through your head. You may not know how to start writing an article (blank page syndrome) but after a while your mind is full of ideas (brainstorming) that you can write for hours.

When you write your mind is in a creative state. Doing this too often, your mind learns how to enter the creative state faster. You can reach a level at which this will be happening instantly. By becoming more creative you increase your mind power significantly.


Learning a Foreign Language

It is proven that nothing can maintain your mind’s resources better than learning a new foreign language. When you learn a new language a process called neurogenesis is engaged in your brain. Neurogenesis is a term describing the creation of new neuron networks.

Despite this fact, a different language introduces you to a new different way of thinking. Your intelligence and memory improve as you learn all the new vocabulary, syntax and grammatical rules. It engages all of your brain’s subsystems.

I once read in a magazine that learning a new language slows down the aging process. It is an all-in-one way to expand and keep your mind in shape and a very powerful technique to increase your mind power.


Knowing your Brain’s Limits

How can this knowledge contribute to your mind expansion? It keeps you motivated and healthy.

This is not actually a technique but a prerequisite. You have to know your brain’s limits in order to achieve your goals. You cannot expect that you will develop telekinesis in a matter of days or months. The possibility of ever developing such a power is nearly zero.

The above example emphasizes on the fact that you must have patience. Setting rational goals that your brain is able to achieve will have much greater results than setting goals that you don’t believe in.

The brain is not a machine, it is a biological organ. This means that it needs rest. Don’t keep your brain working without rest because you damage it. You will lose all of your gains if you don’t pay attention to your brain’s needs.

Good brain foods must be also a concern as these will boost the brain's potential limit. Feed well the grey matter and you will be rewarded.

Sleeping is a vital process for your mind. It needs it to organize the day’s new experiences, so give it its time. Try to sleep as many hours as your mind needs, not less but also not more. Oversleeping is also not good for your mind.


Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)
Neurolinguistic Programming is a set of psychological tools that increase your influence over other people. Mastering NLP techniques gives you a huge advantage and disposition when interacting with people.

You can actually control other people’s minds if you are an expert in NLP. Ok, it’s not easy to reach such a level but you can learn some basics that you can use in order to influence someone. We will discuss some NLP techniques in the NLP page.


Thought Management

What I refer to as thought management is the ability to organize your thoughts and set priorities effectively. This usually applies to a working environment where many jobs have to be done in a short amount of time.

People who have a good thought management own managerial positions in companies. They are able to put priorities to a job stack and finish all of the jobs in time. Doing this is very difficult because such a job position is very stressful.

You have to remain calm in order to have a good thought management. This is a result of mind power increase rather than a technique. When you control your stress levels then it is easier for you to manage your thoughts.


Mind Control

Your mind power will be increased noticeably as you start controlling your mind. There are techniques, such as the Silva Method, which help you bring your thoughts under control.

Mind control is not just a technique but a set of techniques. This is a category in itself that will bring your consciousness to an upper level. Expect the effects to be strong and to change your general world perception.

All the above are tips and techniques that will evolve your mind. You don’t have to master all these techniques in order to ascend level. Take your time and don’t get anxious. Remember patience is the key.

http://www.mind-expanding-techniques.com/MindPower.html

Achieving Your Dreams And Goals

Achieving Your Dreams And Goals
Turning dreams into reality
By Remez Sasson

Achieving your dreams and goals depends on several factors:

1. You should have a specific goal.
2. You have to be sure that you really want to achieve your goal.
3. You need to have a clear mental image of your goal.
4. You need a strong desire.
5. You need to disregard and reject doubts and thoughts about failure.
6. Show confidence and faith and persevere until you gain success

How many people fulfill all the above-mentioned requirements? Just a few! Most people do not know that there are some laws governing success, which should be followed.

It is so easy and simple to daydream and then say, "Well it is just a daydream. It will never come true". It is so easy to give up due to lack of faith.

Achieving your goals shouldn't be a tough ordeal. In fact, it can be fun and pleasure, if you go in the right way. It is not hard physical work that brings success. Great success does not require hard physical labor. In fact, you need to do mental work.

Visualization and repeating affirmations make up this mental work, and are important stepping stones to achieving success. When you visualize and affirm you focus and channel your energies toward your goal. Your mind is geared toward finding solutions to bring your goal into manifestation.

By thinking in a positive manner on your goal, and not letting any doubts enter your mind, your intuition starts working, you see opportunities, and you have energy at your disposal to follow your goals and dreams.

Some people listen to subliminal messages, for programming their minds for success. There are many CD's available today, which implant subliminal messages into the mind, so as to activate its power. Some people prefer to use them, because this does not require any effort on their part. It is said that these subliminal messages, which go straight to the subconscious mind, bring faster results. Maybe they do, but then you have no control on what goes into your mind.

When you visualize and affirm your goals, you gain much more then just programming your mind passively with subliminal messages. The attention, intention and energy you channel toward visualizing and affirming, develop in you inner strength, concentration, willpower and self-discipline. You actively develop your inner powers.

One of the advantages of visualization and affirmations is that you can use them wherever you are, at any time, without the necessity of any external instruments. All you need is your mind.

Success appears in various ways, sometimes in a miraculous way, sometimes in an ordinary way, and sometimes through an opportunity that appears. A door opens, but you have to get in and take advantage of the opportunity.

Correctly following these methods will bring you more ambition, inspiration and motivation, which would enhance your chances of success.

Remember, there are big goals and there are many small daily goals, which visualization and affirmations can make them easier and faster to achieve.

People often erroneously think that goals mean only big goals, such as:
becoming wealthy,
getting an expensive car,
possessing a big house with a swimming pool,
building a very successful business.

The truth is that the following are no less important goals:
getting to work on time,
spending more time with the family,
reading a book,
going to see a movie,
eating less.

How do you visualize and affirm?
Are there any special rules and instructions?
Yes, there are!
Like any other subject, if you want to do it right you need to study it right. It is simple and easy to learn to achieve success through visualization and affirmations. Anyone can learn to use them right. Browse the website, and you will find a lot of practical and useful information.

http://www.successconsciousness.com/achieving_your_goals.htm

Saturday, December 11, 2010

How do business women dress in UAE?













As soon as UAE keep their traditions, attire of emirati business woman the same that she wears in public – veiled + abaya.
Other nationalities don't have to veil (if they are not Muslims) cos' Emirates the same time is a very liberal country most likely it may shock nonresident aliens how the locals dress. However, nobody wear the too short of skirts usually a little bit under the knee or exactly the knee length skirts. Nothing see-through or tight, No sleeveless or low cut shirts. Some women put on too much make up as it is their custom but it's not a necessity.

http://khaleejia.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-do-business-women-dress-in-uae.html

Presenter underwear..oopss

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND3YGK1jQUw&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2WR7Jsf6Jk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DZ-gUfKQFA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAm7JnVtXhY&feature=fvw

Kate Garraway amazing upskirt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oeNO8nJR_w&feature=related

Kate Garraway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHhTzBsGkEk&feature=related

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

The 9 Weirdest Things About the WikiLeaks Story

The 9 Weirdest Things About the WikiLeaks Story
Here are the 9 craziest facets of the international uproar surrounding WikiLeaks and Julian Assange.
December 6, 2010 |

The release of the US embassy cables has thus far been one of the most... interesting moments in recent US (and World) history, impacting global politics in a way that is unprecedented. Nestled amid the outrage and debate are some truly weird aspects that make the brouhaha seem like a lost installment in the Jason Bourne chronicles (or Catch Me If You Can).

More important than the drama and gossip, WikiLeaks is a tentpost in the information age, a milestone potentially heralding a new era of internet transparency. As world governments balk at the exposure of their secrets -- and scramble to suppress the information -- Assange and his crew are expressing their right to free speech and facilitating the public's fundamental right to know exactly what their leaders are up to, particularly when it entails wars, torture, and secret military action. Here are the 8 craziest facets of the international uproar surrounding WikiLeaks and Julian Assange.

1. Hackers on the Offensive

A group of hackers have pledged to wage war against companies that have "censored" WikiLeaks. Yesterday morning Operation Payback targeted PayPal in a DDoS attack (the company no longer lets people donate to WikiLeaks through its service). Later in the day they launched a successful attack on PostFinance, the bank that froze the assets of the Julian Assange Defense Fund. As of last night, the PostFinance site was still down.

2. Julian Assange Has Not Broken Any Laws ... Yet Our Government and Others Treat Him Like He Has

A Canadian advisor called for Assange's assassination, Joe Lieberman pressured Amazon to hypocritically tear down the cables, and officials and media repeat accusations that he is a terrorist despite the fact that the Wikileaks' actions have resulted in no physical harm to anyone -- unlike, say, certain governments. But amid all this, it is important to note that neither Julian Assange nor WikiLeaks have broken any laws, whether American or Australian, in releasing the leaked documents. And yet some lawmakers are so hysterical, such as GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch O'Connell, they are suggesting the US invent new laws, solely for the purpose of bringing Assange to trial. Meanwhile, the government continues to intimidate companies who host the cables, with no actual legal ground whatsoever. As Glenn Greenwald points out:



People often have a hard time believing that the terms "authoritarian" and "tyranny" apply to their own government, but that's because those who meekly stay in line and remain unthreatening are never targeted by such forces. The face of authoritarianism and tyranny reveals itself with how it responds to
those who meaningfully dissent from and effectively challenge its authority: do they act within the law or solely through the use of unconstrained force?


The Swiss government has also frozen his legal defense fund, so even if someone does invent a way to nab him legally, his right to a fair trial is compromised.

3. Julian Assange Preps “Poison Pill” in Case He’s Killed or Arrested

As established, Wikileaks leader Assange is not wrong in assuming at some point he may be arrested (Interpol’s on the hunt) or killed (world leaders want his head). Or that WikiLeaks will be shut down. And so, like anyone who knows he's a walking target, he has put out a little bit of insurance on himself and WikiLeaks. Today he announced that, should anyone attempt to harm (or incarcerate) a hair on his head, he’ll pull the trigger on a “poison pill” that would allegedly expose even more explosive information, including some documents about BP, Bank of America and Guantanamo Bay. According to the Daily Mail, an encrypted file sent out to various fellow hackers contains the information, and can be disseminated all across the internet if he decides to give them the key -- an uncrackable password consisting of 256 digits. Mark Stephens, Assange’s lawyer in Britain, has said the information is tantamount to a “thermonuclear device,” consisting of “doomsday files.” Another lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, claims she’s been receiving intimidating letters from Washington.

Ms Robinson references a letter from a state department legal adviser addressed to both herself and Mr Assange - appearing to suggest that Wikileaks and its lawyers were one and the same.

She said: 'By eliding client and lawyer, that was a very inappropriate attempt to implicate me. That is really inappropriate to come from the state department of all places; they understand very well the rules on attorney-client protocol.'


Meanwhile, the lawyers have claimed they’re being watched by strange men in dark cars parked outside their homes. Reading newspapers. Probably about their client.

4. But You Can’t Really Arrest Julian Assange

A great novelist once wrote, “Sometimes a man retreats so far inward he mistakes isolation for dominion.” In this case, though, Assange’s essential MIA-ness (he’s supposedly in England) is pretty close to dominion. He is acting like a man without a country, and this is his armor against the world. As AOL notes, “The international nature of his organization makes questions of jurisdiction nearly impossible to answer.” And because he is not a US citizen, he can’t be tried for treason, a technicality apparently lost on some leaders and journalists. While the US could technically arrest him for spying, the best bet for those searching for his hide is if Sweden could extradite him for charges related to alleged rape. That is, if Sweden managed to get it together... their first attempt at extradition was foiled by bungled paperwork -- extradition papers filed with Great Britain did not state the maximum sentence for his charges, a small but important requirement for extradition. Meanwhile, Assange’s native Australia has upped the ante, promising him consular help if he’s arrested by a foreign government, even while condemning the leaks -- meaning he might be able to, simply, return home Down Under.

5. Columbia Students Warned Against Linking to Wikileaks ... then Columbia Decides Linking to Wikileaks is OK

Last week, Columbia University’s School of International and Political Affairs told its students not to link to or Tweet anything having to do with WikiLeaks, warning their curiosity could endanger their chances of ever being employed by the government. The school’s employment office sent out an email to the students, many aspiring diplomats, saying an alumni from the State Department gave them a heads up about seeking Wiki info, noting that even posting comments about the leaks "would call into question your ability to deal with confidential information." The directive scared a lot of grad students for quite a few days. That is, until yesterday, when SIPA Dean John H. Coatsworth decided to err on the side of free speech, clarifying the Columbia email that was initially seen as a scare tactic. In a subsequent email to students, Coatsworth wrote:


“Freedom of information and expression is a core value of our institution. Thus, SIPA’s position is that students have a right to discuss and debate any information in the public arena that they deem relevant to their studies or to their roles as global citizens, and to do so without fear of adverse consequences.”


Furthermore, another SIPA Professor told Wired.com that students would be remiss if they didn’t seek out the Wikileaks cables. “If anyone is a master’s student in international relations and they haven’t heard of WikiLeaks and gone looking for the documents that relate to their area of study,“ said Middle East expert Gary Sick, “then they don’t deserve to be a graduate student in international relations.” The First Amendment prevails. Also... touche.

6. “Sex by Surprise?"

The charges against Assange in Sweden have now been characterized as “sex by surprise” -- and no one seems to know exactly what that even means.

Assange's London attorney, Mark Stephens, told AOL News today that Swedish
prosecutors told him that Assange is wanted not for allegations of rape, as previously reported, but for something called "sex by surprise," which he said involves a fine of 5,000 kronor or about $715. "Whatever 'sex by surprise' is, it's only a offense in Sweden -- not in the U.K. or the U.S. or even Ibiza," Stephens said. "I feel as if I'm in a surreal Swedish movie being threatened by bizarre trolls. The prosecutor has not asked to see Julian, never asked to interview him, and he hasn't been charged with anything. He's been told he's wanted for questioning, but he doesn't know the nature of the allegations against him."



The charges have something to do with condoms, and their lack of use, or breakage, although it’s largely unclear exactly what. The women accusing Assange have stood behind their accounts, but he believes the Swedish government's seemingly wishy-washy actions are part of a larger conspiracy to nab him for WikiLeaks. The New York Times:



According to accounts the women gave to the police and friends, they each had consensual sexual encounters with Mr. Assange that became nonconsensual. One woman said that Mr. Assange had ignored her appeals to stop after a condom broke. The other woman said that she and Mr. Assange had begun a sexual encounter using a condom, but that Mr. Assange did not comply with her appeals to stop when it was no longer in use. Mr. Assange has denied any wrongdoing and has questioned the veracity of those accounts.



Yesterday, new warrants were issued for Assange and he is presently making arrangements to meet with Scotland Yard. The premise for the warrants has not been revealed.

7. Future Cables Reference UFOs!

So maybe this is more like the X-Files. In a rare interview with the Guardian last week, in which Assange answered reader-submitted questions, he confirmed that not-yet-published documents reference unidentified flying objects. And lest you think he is jumping any sort of shark, it should be known that his information was vetted with journalistic rigor, just like every other piece of info he’s published. The full question and answer:



Mr Assange,

Have there ever been documents forwarded to you which deal with the topic of UFOs or extraterrestrials?

Assange: Many weirdos email us about UFOs or how they discovered that they were the anti-christ whilst talking with their ex-wife at a garden party over a pot-plant. However, as yet they have not satisfied two of our publishing rules.

1) that the documents not be self-authored;

2) that they be original.

However, it is worth noting that in yet-to-be-published parts of the cablegate archive there are indeed references to UFOs.



Of course, it’s not exactly proof of the existence of aliens (or even alien-like bacteria here on earth), but it is a fascinating bit that not only intrigues, but illustrates the breadth of information Assange is sitting on.

8. Feds Go Nuts to Prevent Soldiers from Seeing Wikleaks

Soldiers in Iraq attempting to read the leaked cables -- or even read articles about them -- get a redirect notice on their government network saying they’re on the verge of breaking the law. The redirect has affected virtually every major news website, clearly, since not one has refrained from covering Wikileaks (despite their mass condemnation of the stuff). But as Gawker points out, “Many of those soldiers receiving the warnings have security clearances that would have granted them access to the State Department cables before they were leaked.” One presumes the same goes for some of the government employees, who were issued a similar warning about reading the documents.

9. Iran Accuses US of Leaking Wikileaks

An ironic conspiracy theory when one considers the outrage Cablegate has sparked among everyone from Hillary Clinton to Mike Huckabee, although our
Secretary of State exercised quite a bit more restraint than the gun-happy Huckabee. But considering what the leaks revealed -- that countries all across the Middle East have urged the US to strike against Iran -- it’s an understandable conclusion. The leaks prompted an Israeli paper to express triumphant joy in feeling solidarity for its extreme stance on Iran -- an op-ed was titled The World Thinks Like Us–and Ahmadinejad stated his view on the matter explicitly, asserting the American government made the cables ”organized to be released on a regular basis and they are pursuing political goals.” Meanwhile, cables that stated Iranian dissidents had some involvement with the Israeli Mossad would not only strengthen current powers but undermine the dissident movement itself -- endangering the lives of Iranians critical of Ahmadinejad’s policies. The Daily Beast:

“New and harmful” was how Freilich described the WikilLeaks revelation that Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, consulted with Washington about working with Iran's students and ethnic minorities to topple Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's regime in Iran.

Julianne Escobedo Shepherd is an associate editor at AlterNet and a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and editor. Formerly the executive editor of The FADER, her work has appeared in VIBE, SPIN, New York Times and various other magazines and websites.


http://www.alternet.org/world/149100/the_9_weirdest_things_about_the_wikileaks_story/

Saturday, December 4, 2010

6 Reasons To Put Love Before Your Career

6 Reasons To Put Love Before Your Career
One man's take on having it all: career, love, family, and success.

By Brian Fairbanks May 20, 2010
Back in February, YourTango contributor John Bowe posted a piece called "Work vs. Love: A Man's Case for Putting Work First," arguing that it's best for us all to go solo until we've made a living, regardless of how it hurts our romantic prospects in the meantime.

As a fellow (male) writer, I'd like to contend that he's dead wrong. Love doesn't have to interfere with your career; it can actually support it. YourTango reader BookMama asked Bowe, "What if you have more than one dream in life: a partner who loves you, children, and writing or whatever your career is?" My answer would be: Pursue them all, all at once. Here's why:

1. Relationships don't interfere with your career; dating does
In my experience, it's dating that gets in the way of writers and other ambitious people. Dating can become a serious time suck if you're doing it remotely right and going out at least once a week. The phone calls, the IMs, the discussions with friends—it all adds up to a good deal of work and greatly reduces the ability for career people to focus on their professional lives.
Personally, getting past the constant going-out-and-meeting-people and arriving at the one-person-only relationship phase is integral to my concentration and momentum as a writer.

The bottom line is, if someone truly cares for you, they will understand when your projects are more important than your plans to take them to tango class. (A simple "The money I'm making from this design will help pay for next semester lessons, I promise" certainly helps.) The New Way To Have It All: First Baby, Then Love

2. Living with someone and being creative is better than living alone and being creative
Picture this scenario: you're working on a long-term project that's taking up all your time and energy. You have no significant other at the time and are too busy to date. You sink into depression and become easily distracted while the deadline looms. If you had a boyfriend who came over and brought you takeout, wouldn't that help turn things around?

Your girlfriend or boyfriend can talk you through tough creative patches or keep on your case to apply for a fellowship you're being pessimistic about. Sure, building a career and a marriage ended in disastrous results for greats like Sylvia Plath and Norman Mailer, but it wasn't the writing that caused those relationships to collapse. If you are going to fall in love, why hold back in favor of your career when your Facebook page is about to have its first fan?

3. Marriage won't distract you
The main issue I have with Bowe's perspective is the idea that a dream would have to be shoved aside to let someone else join the team. If a marriage involving a creative person is going to work, both partners need to support—not hinder—each other. The couples whose dreams of glory fall by the wayside are probably made up of people who would have given up sooner or later anyway.

As for Bowe's worry that marriage equals having kids, who are obviously going to greatly diminish your "me" time, I've found that ambitious people tend to find a way to get things done between diapers or parent-teacher conferences; they're going to make it no matter what "gets in the way." Why I Chose To Be Unmarried And Childless
4. There's a reason "richer or poorer" is in those marriage vows
Considering the stiff competition and difficulty of having long-term success in artistic careers, it's good to remember that, like many of the best things in life, love isn't about money. It's about sticking with people, regardless of whether they ever make it, and being grateful that at least you're together and working through it.

5. Do we really have a choice?
Bowe says he recently fell in love for the first time in 15 years. I want to know: Would he have changed his views on love vs. career if he had met someone undeniably special along the way, or if he hadn't lucked into love now that he's decided he's ready?

To look at it another way, everyone falls into a Jennifer Aniston-sized love rut once in a while, and that is the time to focus on other things like family, the debt situation, and maybe changing jobs or cities. But to give up entirely on dating and focusing only on the career until you're 45—is that even possible? Love doesn't care if you're working on a novel or done with a screenplay and now looking for love. You can't force it, so there's no point in saying, "I'm just going to pretend not to have feelings until I'm well-established."

6. Long-term outlook
I agree with Bowe that it's extremely difficult to create a career as an artist with kids—especially without the dough to go out and schmooze while Mary Poppins does the tutoring. In fact, it's hard enough to make a living as a writer being single and not dating at all. But even if he's right, if being alone does make it easier—is that what we really want? To wake up at 45 with successful careers after ten or twenty years of being alone? I, for one, would rather strive for balance. And then if I do achieve success, there will be someone there to celebrate with.

http://www.yourtango.com/201069923/6-reasons-put-love-before-career/page/3