You might be surprised by the breadth and reach of the influence of Plato. Even Ralph Waldo Emerson is one of his progeny. Emerson also had a lot of Swedenborgian Rosicrucian leanings and was heavily influenced by Thomas Carlyle whose biographers have still not figured out what his secret was that made him tell them they would never get him or his life right. That secret ties Carlyle and Goethe to Swift and other literary and scientific members of the Hibernians who oversee the Priory of Sion and Royal Society. Here is what Columbia Encyclopedia on the web has to offer.

We must not forget that a large part of the effort to integrate philosophy and spirituality has been done, and sometimes people called Nazis (Carlyle) had a lot to do with fostering the humanitarian movement and what is called transcendentalism. Emerson is one of the greats along with Thoreau and Whitman - at least in their influence on my life as I grew up.

“The writer’s father, William Emerson, a descendant of New England clergymen, was minister of the First Unitarian Church in Boston. Emerson’s early years were filled with books and a daily routine of studious and frugal homelife. After his father’s death in 1811, his eccentric but brilliant aunt, Mary Moody Emerson, became his confidante and stimulated his independent thinking. At Harvard (1817-21) he began recording his thoughts in the famous Journal. Poor health hindered his studies at the Harvard divinity school in 1825, and in 1826, after being licensed to preach, he was forced to go south because of incipient tuberculosis. In 1829 he became pastor of the Old North Church in Boston (Second Unitarian). In the same year he married Ellen Tucker, whose death from tuberculosis in 1831 caused him great sorrow.

Emerson’s personal religious scruples and, in particular, his conviction that the Lord’s Supper was not intended by Christ to be a permanent sacrament led him into conflict with his congregation. In 1832 he retired from his only pastorate. On a trip to Europe at this time he met Carlyle (who became a close friend), Coleridge, and Wordsworth. Through these notable English writers, Emerson’s interest in transcendental thought began to blossom. Other strong influences on his philosophy, besides his own Unitarian background, were Plato and the Neoplatonists, the sacred books of the East, the mystical writings of Swedenborg, and the philosophy of Kant. He returned home in 1834, settled in Concord, Mass. and married (1835) his second wife, Lydia Jackson.”

I feel it is imperative to place some real history in this book. There are so many people who know something is wrong with our history and they believe in fictions like Atlantis which was based on Plato in large part. I feel quite passionate about these matters as you will see. This excerpt is taken from my book The Rising Roman Empire.

BERBERS ARE BEES TOO?

I must admit I was both pleased and surprised to read various Stuart historians during my research, saying that the Berbers are part of the Stuart lineage. Niven Sinclair and William Hamilton Stewart may not be the best sources but they give the more unvarnished picture of the situation even if it does appear a bit racist. After all is said and done my Hamilton/Lynn/Burke (mother) and Baird/King/Keough (father) genetic background have a lot of elitist people who gave up trying to make the world a better place for everyone.

I cannot say exactly when the pendulum turned fully towards the present malaise and I cannot be sure when it was that they became free and safe through the use of their advanced technology and use of islands as defendable homelands. The defendable mountains and islands seem to have been sought out rather soon after the Caucasians became more than just a curiosity. One of the key places of development is in the Tarim Basin surrounded by mountains and a desert. It may even have been the original Mediterranean (’between two mountain ranges).

My guess is the elitist campaign happened around the time Sinclair says he can trace his family to the Berbers - about 20,000 years ago. I think they made a deal with an Asian group at that juncture. The legends of MU and Atlantis take a lot of interpreting and analysis in comparison with the known artifacts. The Royal Bloodlines are just as complex and important to examine. You will not find it in Cahill’s book on the Jews. (1)

As I often say - Plato was a ‘front’ man who made the story of Atlantis to suit his elite family and the needs of the ruling classes who were Hellenizing all knowledge. Now, you can see - I don’t believe in aliens as our forbears, or Atlantis. But you might be surprised how many times people tell me that is what my history sounds like. Funny thing - that is what their history is founded upon. That, and a growing hierarchy that put some men above others and all men over women in their class. It is not a ‘his’-story I enjoy or promote the continuance of, but I do have to face the facts that it is what most people believe.

Plato was the descendant of the wise Solon and I suspect his Danaus forbears are related to the Semitic Sargon the Great. In his era Ptolemy certainly drew his family tree back to the Danaus or Danaan great by the name of Herakles or Hercules. We will see that the Antonine Roman Emperors are of this same lineage. In the case of Ptolemy, who was put in charge of Egypt by the Kelt/Thracian/Macedonian hermeticist Alexander, he encouraged Manetho to write a Kings List which drew his lineage to Hercules. This is evidence of the founders of Egypt being Danaan or de Danaan in the line of Isis and Osiris. That Kings List forms the basis of the Bible Narrative and Egyptology today. It has some errors - to say the least.

However, it is of interest to note that Manetho has Isis coming to found Egypt around the time that we see the genetics shows the white man came to exist. Also we have recent archaeological proof of deep mining engineering here at that time. Isis Pelasgi is one of the continuing titles of the Ptolemaic lineage including Cleopatra. And we saw the Pelasgi in the quote from ESOP earlier. The Berber ’sea people’ or ‘pirates’ include those people who lived in Genoa around 2000 BC. The Cisalpine Gauls including the great historian Livy and his family will play a major role along with their Veneti ‘brothers’ of Brittany as our history continues. For now it is important to say that the name of Brittany and Britain come from one of these Keltic families named Bruttii or Brutus who are Sons of Aeneas and Trojan War heroes; just like the family of Julius Caesar who they later assassinated. These extended families kept a verbal (sometimes written) history that forms the basis of the kind of things that Royals and Knights Malta still place great value upon. Here is a response to a person (Essene Templar that he is) which I made in a Grail project I am involved in researching.

‘When I use the term extended family I am hearkening back to a time and place such as you suggested had little or no real ecclesiastical structure. Elder Council ran places that never really wanted any of the genocide practiced upon them by those trying to help them PROGRESS by nice sounding phrases like Manifest Destiny.

This kind of structure was part of what almost died off in most of the world at the end of the Punic Wars, but the land use laws of Ireland and indeed most of the ethics were still there until the 17th Century. It is a time when hereditary kings did not exist and FREEDOM was the most valuable resource of adventurous and creative or daring people. Brotherhood was real and women were equal. There was enough of it left in Carthage when Aristotle visited for him to be impressed with the Democratic reality of the society. In reference to Jesus, I would tend to agree with what you said.

But there is a lot more to it. THE DAVID are also (in an earlier time) THE BRUCE or Bruttii. His family were very wise and had been back to Melchizedek if not before that. His brother was the leader of the Essenes and he was from the wealthy stock of Solomon. I believe he went to India and other places. I am almost certain he spent time with Comarius who tutored Cleopatra in Egypt. There is a reason the Gnostics saved the Dag Hammadi Scrolls that give the best insight to Jesus and his brothers. They were willing to die for it.

As you know the families and even community of Jews still help each other get a head start in whatever business they are into. I hear you get to fail a couple of times if necessary too. But the corruption of values and the denominational in-fighting has even affected Samoa in the last decade. So I can not point to any large scale current models of what kind of society was looked over and advised by the pan-tribal Druids who treated the whole of their society with respect. The Cathars might have been their last large-scale attempt. They were scientists and administrators and not religious as we think of churches. In fact churches were outdoors and they had nothing to hide.’

Author of Diverse Druids. Columnist for The ES Press Magazzine, Guest writer at World-Mysteries.com

Spread betting is a complicated venture; the statement is nothing but a popular misconception. Proponents of this form consider it to be real easy, once the new player has understood the concept. It enables you to win or loose money depending on how close off or far you are in your betting. Spread betting can be an exciting way to win or loose money, either in casino or while playing online. Win or loss depends majorly on your grasp of the understanding of the betting process.

One of the interesting factors of spread betting is that it allows you to place bets on just about any sport from football to horse racing and at the same time you can place bets on the ever changing stock market.

People have an option on where do they wish to dip in the world of online betting. It could be in a real casino or an online gaming site. In fact there are hundred of sites also offering free training sessions and tips for players new to the world of spread betting.
However once you are well versed with the basics of the game there are limitless venues where you can venture in this world. However like any other form of gambling, this too can be highly negative in yields and thus one should play only moderately, according to the financial resources you have. The game in general, is meant to be enjoyed and can yield an exciting time when played with someone educated in basics.

Like all other gambling games spread betting too has its own historical background.

Spread betting evolves from the basic qualities of gambling, placing money on the outcome and win or lose depending on that outcome. The uncertainty of winning or losing is the very reason for the addictive nature of this game. While in other forms of gambling win or loss depends on the outcome of one game, in spread gambling you may potentially win no matter what the final score. The actual numeric outcome of the game or market has no effect on you win or lose. You will win or lose as long as you bet correctly in the higher or lower margin of the outcome.

Much like other forms of betting, spread too has some bets, which are more popular then others. Some of the most wide spread betting occurs in Europe, where the well spread soccer circuit provides exciting games amply throughout the year. However with so many sports and competitions to bet on, it is hard to pin point any one form as the most popular focus. Besides games spread betting is particularly active on the financial market as well.

People spread bet on the financial markets in hopes of increasing their income or making up for the losses.

Information about betting could be found out by a number of ways. If you are decided on betting, find out as much as you can and know more as nothing here works better then an informed choice. Spending some time with someone experienced in the world of spread betting can be beneficial as you get to know the ins and outs of the game better.

Mansi aggarwal writes about spread betting. Learn more at http://www.bettingthespread.com

There were chapters on the New York Theater — Broadway and Non-Profit Organizations; the Community Theater; Educational Theatre; and the Professional Resident Theaters. They noted that the regional theater had grown from 12 theaters in 1950 to twenty-three in 1960 to sixty-two by 1968. So the movement was no longer in its infancy, and it was starting to blossom. So what were some of the observations and predictions?

First, it drew a distinction between it and the commercial NY theatre: “instead of being set up for the production of a single show and then dissolved at the end of its run, they are organized for continuity of management and artistic policy, and, in the main, of performing and technical personnel, playing extended seasons of 20 weeks or more…” NTC, the authors go on, “has a special interest in this movement, having dedicated itself from the beginning to the decentralization of theater in the United States…[M]ost of them have certain goals in common, which set them apart” from the NY commercial theater and the educational theater “and which make them part of what we have called a movement.”John Reich, the director of the Good man, described his program for success, which included “careful casting: combining some guest actors of repute with the regular company, including students, but offering the guest players only parts they have not previously performed, and screening them judiciously for their human qualities and potential influence upon the company as well as for their artistic talent.”

“The majority of the regional theater’s professional actors,” the authors continue, “come from the New York theater. The success in luring good actors away from New York is due chiefly to the challenging and varied roles available. An actor offered four or five roles per season which has has always dreamed of playing, and which would never be available to him in New York, becomes friendly toward the idea of a prolonged residence in another city. Any good actor is interested in improving his art and recognizes that roles in great plays enlarge his horizon and skills. Conditions and pay in regional theaters, too, are quite favorable. These theaters employ actors both on production and on seasonal contracts. Of 25 regional theaters replying to NTC’s queries, 12 employed on contract per production while 19 employed actors also by the season. Their actor’s average salary is reported as approximately $200 per week — far better than the general average of $50 - $65 a week for off-Broadway shows.”

“The professional actor in regional theater, therefore, has greater security than he does on or (still less) off-Broadway, unless he happens to be continually in demand. This offer of security may be the strongest asset possessed by these theaters in drawing and holding talent and in building a cohesive ensemble.” {ital mine]

“In spite of the relatively good pay, seasonal contracts, and challenging roles in the regional theaters, managing directors report a considerable turnover of actors. Only about three-quarters of a typical company return each season…”

The authors conclude, “the Professional Resident Theater movement — and it is a movement — has broken the stranglehold of Broadway by planting in almost half a hndred cities across the land, and even in Manhattan, professional organizations permanently rooted and growing in their communities; also by demonstrating that it can attract good actors in large numbers away from the lures of the Great White Way by offering seasonal securrty, challenging roles in classic, modern, and experimental productions, and a chance to live more stable, normal lives — and even raise families if they choose — while expanding and perfecting their skill as artists.”

Their last words: “NTC closes its report on the professional resident or regional theater movement with some optimism, much hope, and many perplexing questions. The most encouraging fact is: it exists, it is here to stay — so far, so good.”

Forty years later, when people like me or Mike Daisey draw attention to the problems of the regional theatre movement, and discuss the abandonment of the founding values, we are called “naive” by the current leaders, and others express doubt as to whether there has ever been a time in the American theatre when there was a possibility of stability, of commitment, of an escape from the blackjack model of regional theatre. This report belies those doubts. It clearly shows that not only were those values and ideals held by the leaders of the regional theater movement, but far from representing “naive” ideals, they were actually being successfully implemented and lived. Nineteen of twenty-five,  or 76% of the resident theatres that responded to queries, employed actors by the season. The average salary of $200 per week was the equivalent today of about $1250 a week, which made actors firmly middle-class.  And if the authors of this study were right, and the offer of security was “the strongest asset possessed by these theaters in drawing and holding talent and building a cohesive ensemble,” then the abandonment of those values and that commitment to security represents a betrayal of the regional theater movement by its leaders, and a gutting of what made it unique and healthy.  And that is shameful. And to forget that such a theater existed, and did so in a healthy and vigorous way that was the cause of “optimism, and much hope,” is to buy into the ahistorical, cynical culture that has taken over our arts institutions. And we must demand that we do better, and accept accountability for readjusting of way of doing business to reinstate what was most promising about the real regional theatre that came into being in the third quarter of the twentieth century.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Scott Walters)

A lot of new age piano music consists of repeating patterns, or textures in the left hand while the right hand improvises a melody. This approach is really a good one! It frees you up to create in the moment. First you decide what chord or chords you’ll be using in the left hand. You then create an ostinato or arpeggio that lays the foundation for the entire piece.

It’s like the background a painter uses before the foreground is drawn in. In the case of music, the background would be the textural patterns in the left hand. Then the right hand comes in “to paint” in the rest of the picture - in this case, the improvised melody.

George Winston used this approach in the piece “Rain.” First you get this beautiful textural background created exclusively by the left hand. He covers more than an octave with the left hand using the thumb to reach past and make the music sound fuller. Now, in this piece he uses only a few chords, but interest is maintained through the improvised melody. In my piece, Flashflood, from Anza-Borrego Desert Suite, I use the same technique.

I start by playing an ostinato in the left, than add in the melody in the right. I keep playing the ostinato for as long as my intuition says, “this sounds good,” then add in some contrast, either by changing chords, or by adding in new material.

It’s important to realize that complete textural backgrounds can be created using the left hand alone. In fact, entire pieces of music can and have been created using this very versatile approach. It’s especially suited for new age music. So, here’s a step-by-step procedure for creating textures:

1. Choose your chords - These can be triads, or Open Position Chords, or any chord structure

2. Create a pattern for your left hand

3. Improvise a melody with your right hand

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!

Chords. They’re amazing. There’s no doubt about it. Especially when it comes to piano playing and the Open Position Chord. Here we can use both hands to create music with. The chord is broken up into its main elements and its voicing is spread out which gives it a nice open sound. The sound that’s perfect for the New Age style.

To use the OPC requires little more than fingering the chord itself because once the chord is played, music comes out. All that’s required now is to be able to experiment with the sounds and textures. It’s absolutely critical that the thinking mind stop and feeling be allowed to come to the front.

This is possible by adopting an attitude of abeyance. Not being concerned with what’s coming out of you.

For example in Lesson 20: “Reflections in Water,”
I use the OPC to create a gentle mood. How? By first allowing myself to get in right-brain mode, then letting my fingers do the walking! I know what the chords are, I know that I’ll be using the OPC. I then let it all go and let my feeling lead me to where it wants to go and this always leads to
the ideal music.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!

Tomorrow, I will post segments of a mid-1960s report about theatre in America that describes where the regional theatre was then, and what it intended to continue to be.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Scott Walters)

A digital SLR camera or a single lens reflex (SLR) camera is one of the most popular cameras amongst photographers today. These cameras not only provide high quality images but the photographer can also largely control how he wants the final product to look like. Hence, people who are extremely fond of clicking pictures have a great time while using a SLR camera. If you have a creative spark in you then you will want to consider one of these at some point. I am using a Canon Rebel right now but the Nikon F6 is next on my horizon of my purchases. These are moving into the 8 mp and up range now so the quality is quite good.

The SLR is not cheap at all. The price historically started at about $5,000 - which is very steep. So, only those who are either professionals or wannabes purchased an SLR for themselves. Nowadays however, in order to make the SLR available to a larger number of photographers, companies such as Canon and Nikon have come up with SLRs falling in the price range of around $1000 without extra lenses.

What is it that attracts people to an SLR ? One of the main reasons is that an SLR produces pictures which are of much higher quality than point-and-shoot cameras. The contrast and color are extremely good since the lenses used in an SLR are of very good quality. It is an old maxim in the photography world that much of the quality in your images comes from the glass you put in front of the camera. The better the glass the better the photo, it worked in the film days and it still works in the digital age. The camera is important but don’t skimp on the lens.

The photographer can change the lenses in an SLR, depending upon the shot that he/she plans to take. For example, a wide angle lens is used to take pictures of landscapes such as animals in the wild while telephoto lenses help to take extremely detailed pictures of small objects. Thus, one can pick and choose according to the environmental needs. Today some of the manufacturers have started building in image stabilization to their lenses. This really helps when taking long focal length images. While it uses additional power it can be extremely useful.

In addition to the above, the creative opportunity available to the photographer is much more in a SLR than a regular camera. This is because of the fact that a SLR has a lower contrast and image sharpening features. Hence, the photographer can do a lot of editing on his own to get the kind of effect that he desires. This can be viewed as a disadvantage as well by those who are not truly photo enthusiasts. So, for you guys, a point-and-shoot camera is the best option as not only is it cheaper but also adjusts things automatically.

Since a SLR is comparitvely more expensive than other digital cameras, it is very important that you get yourself a proper insurance for the camera. Especially if you plan to travel a lot with your SLR, insurance is extremely important. And also make sure that damage protection does form a part of the insurance deal as some insurance policies do not provide it. So, read the fine print before signing on the dotted line!

Kevin Rockwell worked as a network TV cameraman for 20 years shooting news and sports. Now a devoted fan of digital photography and video he works to gather information, tips and news for digital camera users. Oh and he loves to shoot pictures of his kids playing sports.

http://www.great-digital-cameras.com/gdcj.html

Watch any of the major movie, television, and music award shows on television today and one of the first things you’ll notice about the celebrities on the red carpet, aside from their extravagant (and sometimes outlandish) attire, are the amount and size of the jewelry they are wearing. Hip-hop jewelry, more commonly known as bling-bling, is definitely not understated fashion. The bigger and the flashier it is, the better. Preferred by many of today’s celebrities, hip-hop jewelry adorns the fingers, necks, arms, even the teeth of many stars.

Oversized studs and chains are the trademarks of hip-hop jewelry and are preferred by celebrities such as Sean Combs, or P. Diddy. At the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, he sported a diamond ring, bracelet, and watch from Jacob and Company. Rapper 50 Cent is another celebrity who is hardly ever seen without his hip-hop jewelry. On his web site, 50 Cent offers more affordable, though just as flashy, bling-bling for those of us who do not earn the megabucks that he and his fellow celebrities rake in. There are also many other web sites that offer low-priced hip-hop jewelry inspired by popular rap artists.

Hip-hop jewelry comes in many shapes and sizes, all of them meant to catch the eye and attract attention. Heavy chains of silver or gold (or both) can oftentimes be seen on celebrities such as LL Cool J and Ja Rule in their music videos. Hip-hop jewelry web sites offer fully ‘iced-out’ bling-bling, or watches, rings, bracelets and earrings that are heavily decorated with real or faux diamonds. So-called ’spinner’ watches and rings are big best sellers in the hip-hop jewelry category. Also available are customized, removable gold, silver and platinum teeth which may be studded with jewels and gemstones, so even the pearly whites can have their share of hip-hop jewelry.

Women celebrities are keeping pace with their male counterparts when it comes to wearing hip-hop jewelry. Stars such as Beyonce, Lil’ Kim, Ashanti and Missy Elliott are regularly seen in pictures wearing large diamond jewelry items of various colors. Even young female celebrities are getting on the bling-bling bandwagon. Teen stars like Jo Jo and Hilary Duff are said to be avid hip-hop jewelry enthusiasts and count themselves among the large number of bejeweled stars today.

Large, ostentatious pieces of jewelry did not start becoming popular only because of the hip-hop cultural phenomenon (think Elvis Presley and Tom Jones), but hip-hop has altered the jewelry market in a big way. Fans see what their favorite celebrities are wearing, and there are numerous options for them to emulate their idols - at least in terms of fashion. Jewelry has always been a part of popular culture, and today’s hip-hop jewelry and the celebrities who wear them are even more so in this age of instant information.

Sam Serio is an Internet Marketer, musician and a writer on the subject of jewelry and gemstones. For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com