Hell on Earth (No Blessings!) -- with ZERO POWER -- Because of no "Renewed Mind"
Mood:

energetic
Topic: God

We all know that those of us who call ourselves 'Christians' are saved and will go to heaven eventually ... that's true as far as our 'faith' is concerned!

But for many of these Christians -- while they are still on earth (with a yet-to-be-glorified-by-Jesus body at the time of 'regeneration' that Jesus spoke about, as recorded in Matthew 19:28) -- they are living a 'hell on earth' -- with little 'blessings' (especially, material blessings!) and, worse, with ZERO POWER to fight against the cohorts and minions of that loser known as satan! (I won't dignify that idiot by using an uppercase 's' in his lousy, loser name!)

That is, most Christians believe that Jesus Christ is Lord & Savior, that He laid down His life so that His blood washes us so clean of our sins that we are now a blessed House of God where the Holy Spirit of God in-dwells in us, and that this Comforter (aka Counseller; Helper, the 'One') cloths us with His Presence and His Power!

But most of us don't seem to have this Power because we don't have the 'Kingdom mindset' that Bill Johnson speaks and writes about.

Yes, Christians are 'born again' -- a term that Jesus used when He spoke to Nicodemus, as recorded in John 3:3 -- and this means we have the Person of the Holy Spirit. And, we also can feel the Presence of the Holy Spirit -- especially when we prayed, and when we listen and/or sing songs of praise and worship. But most of us lack the Power of the Holy Spirit -- the third 'P', which comes only if we walk in the Kingdom and have a Kingdom mindset.

After all, Jesus said, "Repent, for the Kingdom is at hand."

At this point -- the eyes of those powerless (i.e., with ZERO POWER!) and loser-type (i.e., Hell-on-Earth) Christians are glazing over ... and they are showing their disinterest by an exaggerated yawning! How pitiful for these zero-power, zero-blessings, sucker (!), loser-type Christians!

If your eyes are not glazed over, and if you are not pretending to yawn -- if you want all that Kingdom Mindset, Kingdom Power, Kingdom Life with Kingdom Blessings ... why! ... Read on, dah!

To most Christians, "Repent" apparently brings a crimp to their earthly living or "lifestyle"! They can't do this -- or that! They can't sleep around, aka "screw" around! They can't live it up! They can't drink this or that, smoke this or that, they can't gamble and gamble and gamble -- or try this or that!

Can't!

How boring! -- say these Christians, when they hear the no-no word, "Repent!"

Obviously, these Christians don't understand what "repent" means!

To Bill Johnson, "repent" means to "change your way of thinking" -- page 156 of his book When Heaven Invades Earth. And in a later book -- The Supernatural Power of the Transformed Mind -- in page 44, Bill Johnson explains what "repent" means:

"Re" means to go back. "Pent" is like the penthouse, the top floor of a building. Repent, then, means to go back to God's perspective on reality. And in that perspective there is a renewal, a reformation that affects our intellect, our emotions, and every part of our lives. Without repentance, we remain locked into carnal ways of thinking. When the Bible speaks of carnality, it doesn't necessarily mean obvious, disgusting sin. Most Christians have no appetitie for sin [e.g., they don't go around saying they want to "screw an Ang-moh woman"]; they don't want to get drunk or sleep around, but because they live without the demonstrated power of the gospel, many have lost their sense of purpose and gone back to sin. Having a renewed mind is often not an issue of whether or not someone is going to heaven, but how much of heaven he or she wants in his or her life right now. (emphasis added - Paul Quek)

Jesus urged us to do an about-face in our approach to reality because His Kingdom is at hand. He brought His world with Him, and it's within our reach. He wants you to see reality from God's perspective, to learn to live from His world toward the visible world. But if you don't change the way you think ...

That is, if you don't want to renew your mind (i.e., if you don't want to change your thinking or attitude, also known as "repent!") -- no Kingdom Power for you!

Tough, dah!

No -- or little -- blessings while you are on earth!

Living on earth -- as if you are in hell!

So sorry!

And it's not even the devil's fault!

God won't give you all that money you want -- otherwise He will end up destroying you!

If He gives you all that money you have been asking for, you will start your high living ...

Gambling away ...

Drinking away ...

Smoking away ...

Screwing women all over the place [e.g., actually doing what you had been dreaming about, like "screwing Ang-moh women"] ...

You know? ... The usual "wine, women and song" story of the carnal world.

In fact, the devil -- not God -- is more than willing for you to have all that money you have been praying for ... for the devil knows that ... all that money will destroy you!

So, let us be mindful of what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:2 -- "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Just in case you think all this stuff about the devil is kids' stuff ... only meant for Sunday School ...

Well, think again ("be transformed by the renewing of your mind") ...

Especially those of you who are now powerless, because you refuse to have a Kingdom mindset and refuse to walk in the Kingdom that is already, as Jesus said, "at hand!" (aka, "here!").

Wow!

Why do people choose to be powerless, I often wonder?

Bill Johnson says in his When Heaven Invades Earth, "We were born in a war. There are no time outs, no vacations, no leaves of absence. The safest place is in the center of God's will, which is the place of deep intimacy. There He allows only the battles to come our way that we are equipped to win."

Earlier, Bill Johnson had declared that "I was not left on planet earth to be in hiding waiting for Jesus' return. I am here as a military representative of heaven. The Church [i.e., all Christians] is on the attack [We are assaulting the "gates of Hades / hell"]. That's why the gates of hell, the place of demonic government and strength, WILL NOT PREVAIL against the Church."

Bill Johnson also wrote that "Submission is the key to personal triumph. Our main battle in spiritual warfare is not against the devil. It is against the flesh. Coming into subjection puts the resources of heaven at our disposal for enduring victory -- enforcing what has already been obtained at Calvary."

In a later book -- The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind -- Bill Johnson wrote, after quoting Matthew 16:18-19 (in which Jesus told His apostles that "I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it"):

The Church is the gate of heaven (another way of saying the House of God). Now Jesus introduced the idea of the gate of hell. When I was younger, I read this wrong somehow and thought it meant that "the gates of heaven will prevail against the assault of the enemy". That fit my theology better back then. I saw the Church as a group of people locked inside a compound, shoulders against the gate, trying to hold the fort as the devil and his powerful minions beat against it. I saw the Church in a posture of fear and weakness, trying to protect what we had until God hurried up and rescued us from the big, bad devil. But Jesus gave us an opposite picture. He said, "The gates of hell will not prevail." Has it ever occurred to you that we're on offense, not defense? The principalities and powers that set up dominions or "gates" all over the earth will not prevail against us! We are advancing and winning, and Jesus promises that in the end, no gate of hell will stand. Wow!

Yeah!

We are attacking the "gates of hell" ... we are the ones assaulting those idiotic gates!

Cheers!

Halleluyah! [Praise "Yah(weh)", God the Father!]

Amen! [So be it!]

Have fun!
Cheers!

Halleluyah (Praise "the LORD our God" / Praise "YAHWEH our Father")!

-- Paul Quek
e: paulquek88@yahoo.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
b: http://paulquek888.tripod.com/blog/
b: https://paul-quek.tripod.com/index.blog -- this blog!
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com
w: http://paulquek.aokhost.com
w: http://paulquek888.tripod.com
w: http://pq.escrapbook.tripod.com

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!
Get paid on 100% of your website traffic, no clicks necessary!
How is this possible? << CLICK HERE (video) >>

Or: << HERE (Details) >>

Or: << HERE (Signup) >>

Or: << HERE (Mainpage) >>

Achievement: 1st Milestone (30 webpages) in 'Mysteries of the World' Website
Mood:

a-ok
Topic: Mysteries

Since 28 February 2008, I have been working on my first Business Website, with my own domain name. That is, "Mysteries of the World" website.

And I have been constructing this website with the help of the Site Build It! (or SBI!) system -- for 28 February 2008 was the day I "signed up" to use (and paid for) the SBI! system.

The site -- "Mysteries of the World" -- is still very much a "work in progress", of course.

And it hasn't got to the Monetization Stage yet -- which is "Day 10" in the SBI! 10-day process of constructing-and-launching a small-small business website.

I am now in Day 7 going on to Day 8.

You will definitely learn PATIENCE with the SBI! way of doing things!

Most others who build business websites tend to think of the monetization models first. But with the SBI! system, you think about building CONTENT first, from Day 6 onwards (although, during Day 5, you have already explored, considered, and planned what monetization models to adopt).

Days 1-4 involved thinking and planning: you get to consider questions such as "What are your interests and passions?", "What kinds of businesses will excite you?", "What kind of business websites will excite you?", "Who are your competitors (competing websites)?", "What are the likely domain names to consider (given the website theme that interests you)?", and so on.

Oh yes, during these 4 days, you also brainstormed and brainstormed, and then brainstormed again and again ... until you've got your "website structure" done up on paper (or in a spreadsheet -- your choice!), with each web page having its own unique "keyword(s)".

Then -- and only then -- do you select a suitable and available domain name (which should be obvious by now!), and register for this domain name in Day 5 (after exploring, considering, and planning the monetization models).

Yes, siree -- definitely, SBI! is quite different from most other website construction paradigm, philosophy, and process.

Moneywise, SBI! had costs US$299 per year (this is my 1st year, of course), including the fee for website hosting ... the cost-price of SBI! includes the entire SBI! "process-plus-tools" system that helps with the website's theme selection, website-structure planning, webpage construction (not just the Look-and-Feel, but also the CONTENT BUILDING; SBI! is not interested in "building a website in 15 minutes" -- what "content" can you come up with, in 15 minutes?), analysis of each web page as it is being built, adding in a blog to the website, etc., etc., etc. ... All with next-to-zero knowledge of HTML and what-not's (so, no geeky knowledge or experience required -- just concentrate on building the CONTENT, what your business website is about).

SBI! also has an interesting online forum (mostly SBI!er-driven, but with lots of input and encouragement also from Ken Evoy, the owner-entrepreneur of the SBI! system) -- as well as online support, of course.

Anyway, it's only this week in July 2008, that I had reached my first 30 web pages, a sort of milestone (!) -- actual construction of the web pages started on 1 May 2008, so that I had spent 9 weeks or so to do the 30 web pages, averaging 1 web page in about 2-3 days (note: I had already spent a previous 9 weeks or so, from end-February 2008 to 1 May 2008 -- as already explained, this occurred during Days 1-5 of the SBI! process -- to brainstorm and select the site theme and the necessary keywords to use for the potential 200-300 web pages in this "Mysteries of the World" website, within a flexible "website structure" (homepage as Tier 1 page; "hub" pages as Tier 2 pages; and the bulk of webpages are Tier 3 pages).

Next stop: for the next 9-12 weeks, I must work faster and smarter (I've already got "up to speed" on the subject-matter, to some extent) ... and I will add at least another 30-90 webpages, while simultaneously working on attracting at least 15-30 unique visitors per day for the website as a whole!!! Only then, will I add in (implement) the "monetization" constructs or models (in Day 10), which I had already initially considered and planned during Day 5 of the SBI! 10-day process.

Anyway, in this (second) week of July 2008, I am taking a break from constructing the webpages for the "Mysteries of the World" website ... but while taking actual breaks, I had also put in a few posts in various of my other -- "hobby-type" (i.e., non-business) -- websites and blogs, including the Yahoo! 360° blog known as "Paul's Blog @ Yahoo! 360°".

Of course, after this period of R&R (i.e., "rest and refreshing" as well as "rest and recreation"), I will continue with the CONTENT BUILDING for this SBI! site known as "Mysteries of the World".
Have fun!
Cheers!

Halleluyah (Praise "the LORD our God" / Praise "YAHWEH our Father")!

-- Paul Quek
e: paulquek88@yahoo.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
b: http://paulquek888.tripod.com/blog/
b: https://paul-quek.tripod.com/index.blog -- this blog!
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com
w: http://paulquek.aokhost.com
w: http://paulquek888.tripod.com
w: http://pq.escrapbook.tripod.com

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!
Get paid on 100% of your website traffic, no clicks necessary!
How is this possible? << CLICK HERE (video) >>

Or: << HERE (Details) >>

Or: << HERE (Signup) >>

Or: << HERE (Mainpage) >>

Blessings or no-blessings -- via the Power of our Tongue
Mood:

bright
Topic: Mysteries

Just two days ago, several of us were in a neighbouring country with the aim of enjoying a sumptuous and delicious meal, when a brother-in-Christ spoke, without thinking (as is his usual style), of the traffic situation.

When reminded to speak only of what is to be called into being (“… God ... calls those things which do not exist, as though they did” -- Romans 4:17, NKJV), he went into a tirade, harangue and diatribe -- that is, speech characterised by strong feeling and expression, as well as uncontrolled bitterness and abusiveness.

If ever there was a display of a lack of manifestation of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, that was it -- there were clearly zero "love, joy, peace ... patience, kindness, goodness ... faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).

But then this brother-in-Christ has often displayed (through speech -- AND body language, such as facial expression) an utter contempt for anybody who professes in the faith -- despite having declared himself to be a follower of the Way, the Life and the Truth (i.e., Christ).

As Jesus Himself once explained, it is not what enters into a person's mouth that condemns ("defiles" - NKJV) him -- it is what comes out of a person's mouth that condemns him! (Matthew 15:11)

Hence, the Power of our Tongue!

I fear that, like Jude pointed out in Jude 5, NKJV ("... I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe"), this brother-in-Christ -- while not quite in the same position as "vessels (or objects) of His wrath, marked (or prepared) for destruction", like the Pharaoh and his soldiers, whom God initially raised to power and greatness, with lots of blessings, but whom God had beforehand marked for subsequent destruction, which the Egyptians subsequently experienced -- may be saved but to be destroyed subsequently, like the Hebrews were subsequently destroyed by wandering, without blessings, "in the wilderness (desert)".

That is, the Hebrews were saved from a situation without blessings (slavery, bondage, beatings, persecution, poverty, no wages or gold or silver -- while in Egypt), but because of their subsequent unbelief after having been saved (similar to the contempt that this brother-in-Christ showed, and continues to show, about anyone professing in the faith, despite declaring himself to be a Christian), the Hebrews were condemned to wander in the wilderness (desert -- no blessings!) for 40 years ... until this older generation died off, and a newer generation were raised under the leadership of Joshua and Caleb (the two spies out of ten who believed in God's promise) to take over the Promised Land (i.e., situation of blessings).

In the past, we have been on the receiving end of such expressiveness, from this brother-in-Christ ... let us pray that God in His Mercy, would continue to grant His Grace to this brother-in-Christ. In Jesus' mighty name, God, we claim for this brother-in-Christ, your Promise as written by your Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus ..." (Romans 8:1, NIV).

Before signing off, let us firstly renew our faith by declaring our love for our God, in all 3 Persons of the Godhead. Secondly, let us ask to receive blessings continually from God, by His Grace. Finally, let us recognize that it will be instructive to deepen our understanding of the Power of the Tongue, by reading up on some articles on this topic ... so here are some writings that I have culled from the Internet ... Enjoy!

Jenna Robinson, writing as the 'Bible Basics Editor' @ BellaOnline -- her article is entitled "The Power of the Tongue", quoting both the Old Testament and the New Testament -- reminds us that:

The Power of the Tongue

Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat of the fruit thereof.” As Christians, do we plot the ‘demise’ of our dreams, [our] visions and our blessings with what we allow to come out of our mouth? Are we seriously watching the things that we say, not just about ourselves but also about our circumstances, situations and others?

Even more so today ... we [must] closely critique the things that we say before we say them. If it was ever a time to ‘think before you speak’ truly it is now! Many times we are speaking things that have put delays on our prosperity, promotions, blessings and we haven’t even realized it. When we fail to speak ‘continuous strengthened faith’ about what we are waiting on for others or ourselves, we delay their route to the manifestation realm.

Often times we are too quick to say the things that come into our mind without evaluating if they are edifying or not. There’s a process to speaking mature strengthened faith on a continuous basis to your situations. First, you must have firm and solid faith; next your attitude must exemplify your non-wavering faith and thirdly, you must stand strong in your conviction to believe beyond all doubt. When all these things are in spiritual sync then your mindset parks in the ‘critique mode’ for the things your mouth tries to utter.

You will begin to arrest your thoughts and frisk them thoroughly to see if they are carrying doubt of any kind. II Corinthians 10:5 says, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing captive every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

If the thought in your mind is not supporting your faith, ‘you don’t speak it!’

What we must continually remind ourselves about faith is that, it's what we do ‘not’ see naturally, so no matter what we see visibly, faith sees the opposite and it is on this sight we process our belief. As we believe what we see through our faith, we speak only those things that promote, support and encourage the forward progress of the blessing of the manifestation to us [and others]. We must talk faith to our circumstances at all times -- just as it says in Romans 4:17, “… Even God, who quickens the dead, calls those things which be not as though they were.” If we wait until we ‘see’ the visible results of what we are asking for, this is not faith!

We have to do something with the span of time between when we have it in mind and when it tangibly becomes ours. If we don’t ‘speak’ strengthened faith to ourselves, the thoughts in our mind will keep us on an endless emotional roller coaster .... We must always ‘choose’ to speak life to everything that is of a concern to us [and others] and believe what we say until complete manifestation.

(Adapted by Paul Quek, for this Blog ... thanks to Miss Jenna Robinson! May God's Grace be upon her ... and everyone else.)

Here is another piece, with less biblical (and more contemporary) language -- from Chris Widener (URL -- http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Power-of-the-Tongue&id=10319):

The Power of the Tongue

There is an old proverb with a lot of wisdom. It says, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and whoever loves it will eat its fruit."

It is so true. What we say has the ability to create situations, emotions, and thoughts in others. A kind word helps people, negative words hurt - sometimes for a very long time.

Most of the time we think of this concept in relation to how we treat others and that is good. In fact, I wrote an article in the last month or so called "The Power in Praising People." If you missed it, you can get it at the website. [URL -- http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Power-in-Praising-People&id=10310]

But here I want to talk about this concept in relation to ourselves. How does what we say affect us? Tremendously. There is a simple principle here. Only say things that will create in you positive emotions, thoughts, feelings, and ultimately, actions.

Let me give you a good example. We do not allow the words "I can't" in our house. Why? Because we CAN! The very minimum is "I'll try." We ask our kids to say "I'll try." If we allow our kids, or ourselves, to fall into the trap of saying "I can't," guess what? We won't! And that's not good, is it?

Do you tell yourself negative thoughts during the day? Most of us can fall into that temptation, can't we? I was working the other day and I was brewing over something bad that had happened and I was just getting bent out of shape. So I stopped, realized I had the power to choose what I was saying to myself and began to think about and tell myself good things. And my day changed for the better.

Have you ever been in your backswing on the golf course and said to yourself, "I am going to shank this one." What happens? You shank it. This actually happens to me. So what do I do? I stop my backswing, reset myself, and tell myself I am going to hit it straight down the fairway. What happens? About half the time I hit it straight, the other half, I shank it .... At the very least I increase my chances of performing better. Bad thoughts almost guarantee my failure, while good thoughts increase my chances for success dramatically.

A salesman may see someone walk through his door and say to himself, "I'm not going to be able to make this sale." I can't. I won't.

Some of us aren't even aware that we talk negatively to ourselves. Take some time today to think about what you say to yourself. Maybe ask a close friend if you have this habit. If you find yourself doing this, it is time to change!

Now, don't get me wrong. Self-talk is not a substitute for effort and ability, but it is a strong helping factor. Find some simple phrases that will help you get through the day with more success. Whatever your situation or work is, I am sure there are specific things you can say that will build you up and stick you on the road to success!

The words that you use and the conversations you have with yourself create things in you. They can create positive things or negative things. It is our choice. The tongue has the power of life and death. This is why it is so important to be diligent in using the power of the tongue to create a positive force in our lives.

Remember, your tongue has power. Use it!

(Adapted by Paul Quek, for this Blog ... thanks to Mr. Chris Widener)

There are numerous other writings, of course ... such as MAKING YOUR MOUTH A SHARP SWORD, from "MESSAGES OF WARNING - From The Loving Heart of God", by Rev. Archimandrite Fr. Eusebius A. Stephanou, Th.D., Brotherhood of St. Symeon the New Theologian, Miramar Beach, Florida. You may want to delve into his ARCHIVE to see whether his "pastoral messages" are useful to you -- if nothing else, to receive blessings from the Lord! Amen! (So be it!)

Have fun!
Cheers!

Halleluyah (Praise "the LORD our God" / Praise "YAHWEH our Father")!

-- Paul Quek
e: paulquek88@yahoo.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
b: http://paulquek888.tripod.com/blog/
b: https://paul-quek.tripod.com/index.blog -- this blog!
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com
w: http://paulquek.aokhost.com
w: http://paulquek888.tripod.com
w: http://pq.escrapbook.tripod.com

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!
Get paid on 100% of your website traffic, no clicks necessary!
How is this possible? << CLICK HERE (video) >>

Or: << HERE (Details) >>

Or: << HERE (Signup) >>

Or: << HERE (Mainpage) >>

Antics of Politicians - Incoming Emails & My Replies
Mood:

cool
Topic: Uncategorised-Unimportant

Just in case you've got nothing much to do -- especially on a sleepy Tuesday afternoon! -- you may wish to peruse this short series of emails to me, as well as my replies, that should make it clear that I abhor politics (and politicians -- despite my Charismatic beliefs! Sorry! I ask for your forgiveness, LORD GOD the Father, YAHWEH/YAHVEH, Abba! Father! Daddy GOD -- in Jesus' mighty name! Amen!):

----[ Received Mail Content ]----
Subject : Reform Party Inauguration Dinner
Date : Wed, 9 Jul 2008 21:03:13 -0400
From : ...
To : "Paul"

Dear Paul,

Mr. JBJ will be celebrating the inauguration dinner for the Reform Party at Fortunate Restaurant on Friday, 11 Jul 08. Tickets are charged at $30 per seat. If you are interested to attend this historic event, just give me a call or drop me an email before 12pm 11 Jul 08.

Venue: Fortunate Restaurant
Address: Blk 181 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh #02-602 Singapore 310181
Date: 11 Jul 08
Time: 7pm
Cost: $30

My reply was as follows:

Subject: [RE]Reform Party Inauguration Dinner
Sent Date: 07-09-2008 9:38:00 PM
From: "Paul Quek"
To: ...

Thanks for the invite - but I am apolitical ...

[Still - often -- especially on a sleepy Tuesday afternoon! -- I enjoy laughing at the antics of ALL politicians (as reported in the public information media, such as offline newspapers as well as the Internet's online newspapers, websites and blogs) - but I am, basically, apolitical, so I don't really go out of my way to search out these so-called "news". And attending, or giving my time to, any event connected to ANY politician? Thanks, but no thanks(!) - I have already got too much on my plate, as it is -- e.g., with my websites and blogs! But - thanks again for your invite! Cheers!]

-- paulquek

m: 9783 7277
e: paulquek888@lycos.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com

> To: quekpaul@hotmail.com
> Subject: ponder
> Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 21:15:25 +0800
> From: ...
>

> This is an e-mail from (Singapore Democratic Party) sent by ... . You may find the following Link interesting: < ... weblink censored ... >.

This was my reply ...

From: Paul Quek (quekpaul@hotmail.com)
Sent: 10 July 2008 10: 30AM
To: ...

Don't waste time on politics and other useless activities - focus instead on building up your net worth -- then QUIT, lah - hehhehheh!
- From your friendly neighborhood apolitical not-abducted-by-aliens Zen Charismatic barbecue-stingray aficionado - dah!

-- paulquek

m: 9783 7277
e: quekpaul@hotmail.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com

> To: quekpaul@hotmail.com
> Subject: <name censored> is lying
> Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 20:58:15 +0800
> From: ...
>

> This is an e-mail from (Singapore Democratic Party) sent by ... . You may find the following Link interesting: < ... weblink censored ... >.

Below was my reply ...

From: Paul Quek (quekpaul@hotmail.com)
Sent: 10 July 2008 10: 51AM
To: ...

So what's new, bud? You mean, u believe any crap from any politician!!!???

Wake up, dah! From the Zen paradigm, the antics of politicians are not much different from that of all others, including moi, of course, hehheh!

Lighten up, dah! From the Charismatic viewpoint, we should pray for their eventual seeing-of-the-light. Besides, Romans 13 teaches us to be subject to ALL authorities because ALL authorities are ordained by the Sovereign Will (aka "Will to Decree") of God -- even if, eventually, after having been raised up to authority by God, some of these authorities, being clearly "vessels [or objects] of His wrath marked [or prepared] for [future or eventual] destruction" (per Romans 9:22), will suffer the fate of the Pharoahs and his mighty army, eh? That is, now they have their just rewards (e.g., power, glory, accolades from men, awards, money, etc., etc., etc., ... ) -- but, for some of these authorities, their fate is already sealed and foreordained - you know, the 'smoking section'? Tough (for them), what!!!??? [I promise to be there -- to help 'stoke the fire'!]

Personally, the antics of politicians should be enjoyed as a sideshow in the arena of life -- especially on a sleepy Tuesday afternoon!

Cheers!

-- paulquek

m: 9783 7277
e: quekpaul@hotmail.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com

> To: quekpaul@hotmail.com
> Subject: justices
> Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 20:08:11 +0800
> From: ...
>

> This is an e-mail from (Singapore Democratic Party) sent by ... . You may find the following Link interesting: < ... weblink censored ... >.

Below was my reply ...

From: Paul Quek (quekpaul@hotmail.com)
Sent: 10 July 2008 11: 15AM
To: ...

See my previous replies about the antics of self-important politicians - and how unimportant politicians are to the rest of us! -- Cheers -- thanks -- bye-bye/chiao! -- and may the Person, Presence & Power of GOD be with you always!

-- paulquek

m: 9783 7277
e: quekpaul@hotmail.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com

Note: This post is classified under "Uncategorised / Unimportant", as politics and the antics of politicians are of no importance whatsoever to this website -- and thus does not merit any other classification or categorization other than "Uncategorised / Unimportant". Still -- enjoy whatever you can -- especially on a sleepy Tuesday afternoon!

Have fun!
Cheers!

Halleluyah (Praise "the LORD our God" / Praise "YAHWEH our Father")!

-- Paul Quek
e: paulquek88@yahoo.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
b: http://paulquek888.tripod.com/blog/
b: https://paul-quek.tripod.com/index.blog -- this blog!
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com
w: http://paulquek.aokhost.com
w: http://paulquek888.tripod.com
w: http://pq.escrapbook.tripod.com

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!
Get paid on 100% of your website traffic, no clicks necessary!
How is this possible? << CLICK HERE (video) >>

Or: << HERE (Details) >>

Or: << HERE (Signup) >>

Or: << HERE (Mainpage) >>

'No Place For Islands'
Mood:

lyrical
Topic: God

A couple of years ago, a friend gave me a book entitled Come Before Winter ... the title is from one of the Epistles (letters) of the Apostle Paul (aka "Saul" or "Shaul") to his friend and co-laborer in Christ, a person who rejoiced in the name of Timothy (or "Timotheus", as his father was Greek -- Acts 16:3b).

At the time of writing the epistle/letter to Tim, Paul was in prison in Rome.

What Paul probably didn't know was that his writing would eventually -- like 2,000 years or so later -- become known in Christendom as The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy (or 2 Timothy , for short).

The specific chapter and verse in question is -- from the New King James Version (NKJV) -- 2 Tim 4:21, thus:

Do your utmost to come before winter. (NKJV)

Paul knew that his end was near ... Tradition has it that Paul was beheaded by the Roman Emperor, probably the mad Nero. Anyway, earlier, Paul had told his friend Tim, in Chapter 4, Verse 6b, that:

... the time of my departure is at hand. (NKJV)

But Paul declared in the next verse:

I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith.
(2 Tim 4:7, NKJV)

And Paul warned Tim and anyone reading this letter (his letters were circulated to the churches, especially those in many parts of Asia Minor -- most are now called Turkey):

Preach the word!
Be ready in all season
and out of season.
Convince, rebuke, exhort,
with all longsuffering [patience]
and teaching.

For the time will come
when they will not endure sound doctrine,
but according to their own desires,
because they have itching ears,
they will heap up[on] for themselves teachers;
and they will turn their ears away from the truth,
and be turned aside to fables.

But you be watchful in all things,
endure afflictions,
do the work of an evangelist,
fulfill your ministry.

(2 Tim 4:2-5)

Anyway, on page 116 of the book Come Before Winter ... (my copy was published in 1985), in the chapter entitled "No Place For Islands", there are some simple yet enlightening words from the author Charles R. Swindoll (note: font styles -- boldface, italics, colors -- added):

Nobody is a whole chain.
Each one is a link. ...
Nobody is a team.
Each one is a player. ...
Nobody is a whole orchestra.
Each one is a musician. ...
Nobody is a whole play.
Each one is an actor. ...

...

... in God's Family
... working together is Plan A for survival.
And since we're so different
(thanks to the way God built us),love and acceptance
are not optional luxuries.
Neither is tolerance.
Or understanding.
Or patience.
... all those things you need from others
when your humanity crowds our your divinity.

Thanks to the author Charles R. Swindoll for those precious words.Let us all manifest the "fruit of the [Holy] Spirit", mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23, that is, the following triplets of triples (that's my way of memorizing the nine-part "fruit" ... one fruit with three-by-three -- i.e., nine -- parts):

Love, Joy, Peace,
Longsuffering [Patience], Kindness, Goodness,
Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.

Have fun!
Cheers!

Halleluyah (Praise "the LORD our God" / Praise "YAHWEH our Father")!

-- Paul Quek
e: paulquek88@yahoo.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
b: http://paulquek888.tripod.com/blog/
b: https://paul-quek.tripod.com/index.blog -- this blog!
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com
w: http://paulquek.aokhost.com
w: http://paulquek888.tripod.com
w: http://pq.escrapbook.tripod.com

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!
Get paid on 100% of your website traffic, no clicks necessary!
How is this possible? << CLICK HERE (video) >>

Or: << HERE (Details) >>

Or: << HERE (Signup) >>

Or: << HERE (Mainpage) >>

Jim Marrs, Conspiracy Theories & "Rule by Secrecy" NYT Bestseller

Jim Marrs, Conspiracy Theories
& "Rule by Secrecy" Bestseller Book

Collated by Paul Quek
@ Thoughts-And-Things (blog)

Jim Marrs

According to Wikipedia, Jim Marrs (born: December 5, 1943) "is a conspiracy theorist, news reporter, college professor, and author of books and articles on a wide range of assorted conspiracy theories" and Marrs' book Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy "was a source for Oliver Stone's film JFK [subtitle: The Book of the Film (Applause Screenplay Series)]."

Wikipedia went on to say that Jim Marrs "has also written books asserting the existence of government conspiracies regarding aliens, 9/11, telepathy and secret societies. He was once a news reporter in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex and has taught a class on the Kennedy Assassination at University of Texas at Arlington. Marrs is a member of the Scholars for 9/11 Truth."

Jim Marrs became a New York Time Best Selling Author with the publication of his book Rule By Secrecy: The Hidden History That Connects the Trilateral Commission, the Freemasons, and the Great Pyramids, in early 2000, by HarperCollins. The book "claimed to trace a hidden history connecting modern secret societies to ancient and medieval times" (Wikipedia).

Conspiracy Theories

Wikipedia also has two entries on the matter of conspiracy theories, one being a disambiguation entry entitled "Conspiracy theory (disambiguation)", and the other entry is on the Conspiracy theory proper. The disambiguation entry has a short statement saying that the term "conspiracy theory" can mean "either attempts to explain the ultimate cause of an event or chain of events as a secret plot by a covert alliance, or theorizes on how and why such an alliance could and would have accomplished their plot."

The other, "proper" or main entry, states that:

A conspiracy theory usually attributes the ultimate cause of an event or chain of events (usually political, social or historical events), or the concealment of such causes from public knowledge, to a secret, and often deceptive plot by a group of powerful or influential people or organizations. Many conspiracy theories imply that major events in history have been dominated by conspirators who manipulate political happenings from behind the scenes. According to Dr. Jerry Lower, conspiracy theories can "be taken as actual theory, i.e., the viewpoint with the greatest explanatory value and the greatest utility as a starting point for further investigation, explanation and problem solving."

Reviews of a NYT Best Seller ("Rule By Secrecy")

Here is an excellent but brief review of Jim Marrs' New York Times best-seller, Rule By Secrecy:

A Treasure-Trove of Conspiracies, December 18, 2006
By P.K. Ryan
Rule By Secrecy [subtitle: The Hidden History That Connects the Trilateral Commission, the Freemasons, and the Great Pyramids] is a detailed expose of secret societies and the conspiracies that surround them.
Author Jim Marrs sets out to prove that these secret societies possess hidden knowledge of mankind's origins and that virtually all of the major events (wars, revolutions, depressions, etc.) of modern human history have been engineered and/or financed by these groups in order to maintain control of these secrets.
He attempts to link such organizations such as the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission to secret societies such as the Freemasons and the Illuminati.
Banking giants such as the Rothschilds, Rockefellers, and Morgans are also covered in detail for their government connections and enormous power and influence.
The common denominator between these seemingly dissimilar groups appears to be world domination and the possession of spiritual secrets, ... better described as the "Ancient Mysteries".
Marrs touches on numerous secret societies -- the Knights Templar,Priory of Sion, Rosicrucians, Skull & Bones etc. -- and assigns them all a place in this "far-reaching web" of conspiracies.
One of the more interesting concepts argued by Marrs is that of the "Hegelian dialectic" which he argues has been used time and again by such groups as theIlluminati, Freemasons, etc. This concept (thesis+antithesis=synthesis) is where a group incites a conflict and then plays both sides of the fence.
On page 202, Marrs writes:
"It is evident that, to whatever degree, individuals connected by blood, titles, marriage, or membership in secret societies have manipulated and controlled the destinies of entire nations through the fomentation and funding of war. These people .... obviously look to some higher purpose -- whether that be sheer wealth and power or perhaps some hidden agenda concerning mankind's origin, destiny, and spirituality."

While most of the subject matter is indeed fascinating, much of it was just not convincing to me. His sources are very suspect (he frequently quotes authors like David Icke) and some of the links between these aforementioned groups are tenuous at best. With that said, I did find certain aspects of the book to be more plausible than others.
Like many of the previous reviewers, I also have trouble accepting Marrs' conclusions concerning the origins of mankind.
Nevertheless, I found the book to be a very enjoyable and compelling read and would venture that if even half of what Marrs asserts is true, mankind has had the wool pulled over it's eyes for way too long.
-- Adapted from http://www.amazon.com/review/R33LFUDRS5YSUA

Publishers Weekly wrote an unflattering review of Jim Marrs book, Rule By Secrecy:

In this unconvincing potboiler, [Jim] Marrs, who charged that conspiracies were behind the JFK assassination (Crossfire; [subtitle: The Plot That Killed Kennedy]) and government cover-ups of the UFO phenomenon (Alien Agenda; [subtitle: Investigating the Extraterrestrial Presence Among Us]), now offers a sweeping view of world history through the warped prism of conspiracy theory.
The world's richest and most powerful individuals, he opines, wield excessive influence over governments and news media through their control of multinational corporations and organizations he refers to as "secret societies," such as the Council on Foreign Relations, the international Trilateral Commission and the Bilderberg group (which holds annual closed-door conferences around the globe).
The aim of these "secret societies," suggests Marrs, is one-world government and centralized social control, and in this respect, he adds, all these groups and their offshoots carry the imprint of older secret brotherhoods, including Freemasonry and the Illuminati.
Conspiracy buffs will have a field day wading through this morass, but other readers will remain unpersuaded by a tract that proceeds by way of innuendo, quotation of other conspiracy researchers' extremist opinions and unsubstantiated statement.
Marrs squeezes into his procrustean framework the origins of WWI and WWII,Nazis' occult dabblings, the Russian Revolution, the Morgan and Rothschildbanking dynasties and the Knights Templar, and he uncritically entertains a host of maverick theories.
His conspiracy trail winds up back in Mesopotamia, as he plies territory mined by Zecharia Sitchin, who believes that extraterrestrials founded the earth's earliest civilizations.
Ultimately, this mishmash lacks the semblance of plausibility that helped makeAlien Agenda [subtitle: Investigating the Extraterrestrial Presence Among Us] a bestseller.

Audio CDs - Talk Show

There is a recording of "The Rob Simone Talk Show" that features a radio interview entitled Jim Marrs "Secret Societies" Radio Interview, in which Rob Simone and Jim Marrs "discuss the complete truth of the global secret societies and Illuminati networks from ancient times to the Nazis, to now and beyond".

Originally aired on 104.4 FM London, the Jim Marrs "Secret Societies" Radio Interview is 1 of 5 that make up the Rob Simone Talk Show 10 audio CD Interview Archive Broadcast Box Set VOLUME 1, and thus also includes interviews with David Icke, Michael Cremo, William Henry and Major Ed Dames.

MP3 Download

Anyway, if you like to listen to a song of the same name -- Rule By Secrecy -- by "Legally High @ Stone City" (from their album "Second Hand Smoke and Mirrors"; original release date: January 1, 2007; song length: 5:23 minutes), even if the song has nothing to do whatsoever with Jim Marrs and his book (Rule By Secrecy: The Hidden History That Connects the Trilateral Commission, the Freemasons, and the Great Pyramids), but despite that you are willing to explore some great music, then CLICK HERE.

Have fun!
Cheers!

Halleluyah (Praise "the LORD our God" / Praise "YAHWEH our Father")!

-- Paul Quek
e: paulquek88@yahoo.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
b: http://paulquek888.tripod.com/blog/
b: https://paul-quek.tripod.com/index.blog -- this blog!
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com
w: http://paulquek.aokhost.com
w: http://paulquek888.tripod.com
w: http://pq.escrapbook.tripod.com

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!
Get paid on 100% of your website traffic, no clicks necessary!
How is this possible? << CLICK HERE (video) >>

Or: << HERE (Details) >>

Or: << HERE (Signup) >>

Or: << HERE (Mainpage) >>

Unsolved Mysteries of the World
Mood:

chatty
Topic: Mysteries

What's with the most mysterious, mystifying, unsolved -- or unexplained satisfactorily -- mysteries, myths, legends, folktales, fables, enigmas, crimes, unusual events, and the like ... of this world?

It's now the eighth year into the 21st century ... and -- despite all the modern technologies with respect to exploration, aerial surveillance, analysing, forensics, historical research, higher criticism, lower criticism, textual criticism, and whatever-tools-you-care-to-name -- I believe we are not that much closer to solving, or putting a definitive answer to, many of those mysteries, etc.

I mean ... listen, we still don't know what's happening, if anything is really happening, within the so-called "Bermuda Triangle" and in similar areas or regions of mysterious disappearances, events, and phenomena.

unsolved mysteries of the world, bermuda tirangle, bermuda_triangle.jpg

And we still can't say for sure whether the apparently-mythical land of Atlantis and the enigmatic "Loch Ness Monster" in Scotland really exist -- or don't exist.

For sure, we are nowhere near to any satisfactory solution, even among the so-called experts, with regards to such matters as the rather awkward-looking statues on Easter Island, or the equally-awkward looking megaliths of Stonehenge.

And, yes ... the die-hard mystique of the Egyptian pyramids as well as the Sphinx, still remains with us today ... perhaps, the mystique may never go away -- unless some aliens or ETs (extraterrestrials) arrive from or through their "Stargate(s)", and announce to us that they had been visiting us for centuries before humankind even had a civilization to speak of ... and that these aliens were in fact responsible for those pyramids and the like -- which, of course, on the face of it, sounds a bit insulting to the Egyptians (you mean, the ancient Egyptians couldn't have managed to carry out all those monumental works, with just sheer ingenuity/mental-muscles as well as lots of sinewy muscles?) Sigh! How little we think of ourselves -- or of our past achievements!

And, unless you are absolutely dogmatic about it, what about the Shroud of Turin? Is it a fake, by Leonardo da Vinci or someone else? Or was Jesus Christ -- aka Yahshua ha Mashiarch -- really the cause of the apparently-discernible "image" on the Shroud?

Who in the world, anyway, was Jack the Ripper?

And, who were the Freemasons, Illuminati and similar so-called "secret organizations or societies" ... and what are some of their symbols (such as the all-seeing eye, reminiscent of the Eye of Ra or Horus) doing on apparently unrelated stuff, such as on the bank/currency notes of the USA and certain plaques in certain public places?

And, what in the world were those pygmies -- the aptly-named "hobbits" -- of Flores (Indonesia) doing in our world? They shouldn't have existed ... but they did. How embarassing -- or exciting? (I tend towards the latter!)

Come to think of it ... it's not just "ancient mysteries" or "prehistoric mysteries" that we are nowhere near to any satisfactory solutions. In the previous, or 20th, century, there were some really famous, exciting but unsolved cases or scandalous events, such as the JFK assassination (not everyone thinks the case is done and over with) and the sudden death of actress Marilyn Monroe (real name: Norma Jean).

What about the disappearance of the aviator Amelia Earhart?

And did we really catch the real culprit(s) behind the kidnapping and death of the firstborn infant of the Lindberghs?

The long and short of it all is ... I am quite disappointed at the apparent lack of progress in solving all these -- and many, many more -- mysteries. But they make for interesting, fascinating and relaxing reading, right?

Especially if you want to really stretch your mind's eye or imagination a little more than usual in order to get the creative juices flowing ...

So, dig it and explore away ...

Have fun!
Cheers!

Halleluyah (Praise "the LORD our God" / Praise "YAHWEH our Father")!

-- Paul Quek
e: paulquek88@yahoo.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
b: http://paulquek888.tripod.com/blog/
b: https://paul-quek.tripod.com/index.blog -- this blog!
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com
w: http://paulquek.aokhost.com
w: http://paulquek888.tripod.com
w: http://pq.escrapbook.tripod.com

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!
Get paid on 100% of your website traffic, no clicks necessary!
How is this possible? << CLICK HERE (video) >>

Or: << HERE (Details) >>

Or: << HERE (Signup) >>

Or: << HERE (Mainpage) >>

Myths & Legends Are Not Trivial - But Are Very Useful
Mood:

chatty
Topic: Mysteries

"Every human society maintains its sense of identity with a set of stories that explain, at least to its satisfaction, how things came to be." So says Vine Deloria, Jr., in Red Earth, White Lies (1997), with a subtitle Native Americans and the Myth of Scientific Fact.

Continues Deloria, Jr., as follows:

A good many societies begin at a creation and carry forward a tenuous link of events, which they consider to be historical -- which is to say actual experiences of the group that often serve as precedents for determining present and future actions.
Sometimes these stories incorporate moral teachings and what we have come to call religious traditions, the actions of the higher spiritual powers or invisible forces that were important actors in the more spectacular and memorable events of their history.
A good many societies speak of catastrophic events or of the movement of their people from one planet to another.
Monsters and strange creatures also appear in stories and beg credibility when these tales are recited.

For me as a Charismatic Christian, what Deloria, Jr. writes next is more than interesting and fascinating, for Christianity's basic foundation is from the people known as "Hebrews" and "Israelities":

Of those societies that found a way to create a written record of the past, the Hebrews have been most influential, since it was the adoption of the Hebrew version of ancient events that came to be accepted, through the spread of Christianity, as the valid and incontestable explanation of how this planet came to be.
Arguments about the great flood of Noah and the presence in geological strata of skeletons of animals not seen today opened the floodgates of controversy about the age of the Earth and directed the attention of Western thinkers toward the proposition that our planet might have a different past.
Eventually, the believers in biblical accuracy were put to rout by secular thinkers who substituted infinite amount of time during which everything "evolved" in place of the shorter time scale of creation and religious history as it was represented in the Bible.

If you wish to read further on this controversy, go read the Deloria, Jr. book.

Even without the above controversy between the religionists and the secular scientists, interest in myths has been generated by a greater awareness of their importance. Richard Cavendish (ed.), in Mythology (1992; 1999) -- sub-title: An illustrated Encyclopedia of the Principal Myths and Religions of the World -- wrote in the "Introduction" that:

Interest in mythology has grown steadily throughout the last hundred years, powered by the realization that myths are not childish stories or mere pre-scientific explanations of the world, but serious insights into reality.
They exist in all societies, of the present as well as the past.
They are part of the fabric of human life, expressing beliefs, moulding behaviour and justifying institutions, customs and values.
It is consequently impossible to understand human beings without an understanding of their myths.
...
Myths are imaginative traditions about the nature, history and destiny of the world, the gods, man and society. They ... deserve serious attention, for what they mean to those who believe in them and as statements about fundamental issues of life.
One of the disadvantages of the old-fashioned derogatory use of the word myth, to mean a foolish story or a false idea, is the implication that myths are trivial.
The reality is the reverse.
It is the things which people regard as important that find a place in their mythology.

The investigation of myths is no longer a theoretical exercise, having move from the cosy drawing-smoking rooms of the gentry philosophers and historians, to the harsh, dirty and often wet and sometimes dry, environment of the fields and hills, of the excavations and extant villages.

The anthropologist John Beattie, in Other Cultures (1964), observes that "only in the modern era -- specifically, only since the second half of the nineteenth century -- have ... theories [of myths] purported to be scientific". Thus:

... it was the reports of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century missionaries and travellers in Africa, North America, the Pacific and elsewhere that provided the raw material upon which the first anthropological works, written in the second half of the last [19th] century, were based.
Before then, of course, there had been plenty of conjecturing about human institutions and their origins ...
But although their speculations were often brilliant, those thinkers were not empirical scientists; their conclusions were not based on any kind of evidence which could be tested; rather, they were deductively argued from principles which were for the most part implicit in their own cultures. They were really philosophers and historians of Europe, not anthropologists.

Despite the scientific foundations in which the study and investigation of myths, legends, folktakes, fables, and so forth, have been placed, sometimes to such an extent that these myths, etc. began to be treated as so much 'dry, dull stuff', there is one set of myths that I have always found enjoyable ... and these myths are what Moyra Caldecott calls Mythical Journeys, Legendary Quests (1996), sub-title The Spiritual Search -- Traditional Stories from World Mythology.

From Europe, based on the Judeo-Christian traditions, we have the quest for "the Holy Grail". From the Hellenistc, Graeco-Roman traditions, we have Jason and the quest for "the Golden Fleece".

Earlier civilisations and cultures gave us Gilgamesh and his quest for Immortality (Sumerian myth), and the journey of Merytamun to the hall of Osiris (Egyptian myth).

And, from Arabia, we have tales about the seven voyages of Sindbad the sailor. India gave us the journey of Nala and Damayanti.

These and many other quests and journeys are quite enjoyable to read and contemplate, to give your creative juices a much need "oomph", in case you need them.

In closing, we can conclude that myths, etc., are quite useful and not trivial at all ... and you don't have to feel threatened by them.

Have fun!
Cheers!

Halleluyah (Praise "the LORD our God" / Praise "YAHWEH our Father")!

-- Paul Quek
e: paulquek88@yahoo.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
b: http://paulquek888.tripod.com/blog/
b: https://paul-quek.tripod.com/index.blog -- this blog!
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com
w: http://paulquek.aokhost.com
w: http://paulquek888.tripod.com
w: http://pq.escrapbook.tripod.com

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!
Get paid on 100% of your website traffic, no clicks necessary!
How is this possible? << CLICK HERE (video) >>

Or: << HERE (Details) >>

Or: << HERE (Signup) >>

Or: << HERE (Mainpage) >>

Clearing Stuff
Mood:

incredulous
Topic: Secular Life

(This post was made originally on 14 October 2005, at about 9.50am. It was revisited, reformatted and revised on 18 Febraury 2008.)

Personal Log, Earth Date 14-10-2005 0950GH ...

It never ceases to amaze that over time (say, a few weeks or months), one just manages to accumulate a HUGE -- and by that, I mean, HUMONGOUS -- pile of reading "stuff" ... making my study table or writing desk (the one made of wood, not the computer or virtual "desktop") look like, I don't know, a messy professor's desktop ... or a messy teenager's study table ... or ... you get the picture.

So, since I want to store up some of the stuff that I had been hoarding but haven't quite find the time to finish reading, I thought I'll just skimp through the stuff, summarize whatever bits and pieces of info (byte-sized info) that I want to keep, and simply junk the whole pile of paper away into the trash bin.

Okay, let's see ...

"Moderate drinkers make better thinkers than those who tipple too much or not at all ... according to tests done on 7,000 Australians ... conducted by researchers [Doctors Kaarin Anstey and Bryan] at the Australian National University."
Hmmm ... despite being an almost-100-per-cent teetotaller, I guess I better scoot down to the Cold Storage supermart to buy a couple of bottles of wine.
Scanned image of a whale ... or its tail.
    "Fooling the mind to fight the flab" screams the title of an article in the August 4, 2005, edition of the TODAY daily tabloid ... the subtitle tells a little more: "Subjects 'brainwashed' to eat better."
    The report came from the UK's broadsheet The Guardian, which was reporting on research conducted in the USA's University of California (but the campus name wasn't mentioned; perhaps, UCLA or UCIrvine; I'll check on the Net some other time).
    Apparently, Prof Elizabeth Loftus, a professor of psychology, social behaviour and criminology who led the team of researchers, had "brainwashed" a number of volunteers into losing their taste for certain fattening foods by implanting unpleasant childhood memories about them.
    The implications of this kind of "research" goes beyond food and flab ... the "security apparatus" of numerous states and countries would most certainly be interested in the application of "brainwashing" -- against "enemies of the state", of course.
Scanned image of a Chinese junk (ship).
    Reinventing Singapore: "We must continue to reinvent ourselves," said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. "We must build new competencies, as we are doing in biotechnology and multimedia. We must also continue growing our external wing, and seek opportunities in Asean, China, India, and the Middle East. Then we will create new jobs, and more than make up for the old jobs that are phasing out."
    Re-tooling Singapore: "We are emphasising lifelong learning, and not just pre-employment education," [said PM Lee].
    Remaking Singapore: "We also need to remake our city, so that it is vibrant, cosmopolitan and throbbing with energy, with our own distinctive X-factor that makes us stand out from other cities," said PM Lee. The integrated resorts are not just about drawing tourists. The deeper reason is the need to continually remake Singapore.
    Rejuvenating Singapore: To deal with the growing income gap, lower-income Singaporeans need help keeping up and finding new opportunities. PM Lee said: "We are training them in useful skills, redesigning their jobs to pay better, educating their children well, and helping them with their utilities and transport bills."
Scanned image of fireworks and our DURIAN
    In an article in The Straits Times (Tuesday, August 9, 2005, which is our "National Day"), entitled "Life begins at 40" -- Singapore turns 40 this year -- Kamal Kant, a career management professional, wrote: "Singapore may have become more prosperous, but Singapore workers are reminded time and again that people from other countries can replicate their achievements for lower wages, rendering Singapore workers and skills obsolete and irrelevant very quickly.
    "At the individual level, therefore, there is a constant need to reinvent yourself if you expect to succeed. Individual personal career strategies must focus on achieving new and higher levels of skills and abilities.
    "Singaporeans need to think of opportunities in the unconventional and radically different new world of work. ... Work will require increasingly better interpersonal and soft skills."

Have fun!
Cheers!

Halleluyah (Praise "the LORD our God" / Praise "YAHWEH our Father")!

-- Paul Quek
e: paulquek88@yahoo.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
b: http://paulquek888.tripod.com/blog/
b: https://paul-quek.tripod.com/index.blog -- this blog!
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com
w: http://paulquek.aokhost.com
w: http://paulquek888.tripod.com
w: http://pq.escrapbook.tripod.com

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!
Get paid on 100% of your website traffic, no clicks necessary!
How is this possible? << CLICK HERE (video) >>

Or: << HERE (Details) >>

Or: << HERE (Signup) >>

Or: << HERE (Mainpage) >>

"Older Workers, Newer Opportunities"
Mood:

surprised
Topic: Secular Life

(This post was made originally on 1 November 2005, at about noontime. It was revisited, reformatted and revised on 17 Febraury 2008.)

Personal Log, Earth Date 17-02-2008 2345GH ...

Here are excerpts from a 2005 report in the New York Times:

Countries the world over will see a big jump in the number in their population who are greying.

USA: In the United States, a big retirement spike is expected in 2009 as the first wave of the baby boom generation, the roughly 76 million people born between 1946 and 1964, turns 62 and becomes eligible for Social Security benefits.
The landscape of working life in America will change as this large generation puts a unique stamp on what it means to retire. ... Most boomers hope to work in retirement, mainly to maintain income and health benefits. ... However, if baby boomers "are not provided with the types of work options that they say they are interested in, they will begin to leave the labor force in large numbers, leaving employers in the lurch," [said Ms Sara Rix, senior policy adviser for AARP, a non-profit organization for people aged 50 and above.]
For many, those options include part-time jobs and telecommuting so that they can work where they live, said Ms Connie Moore, a Forrester Research analyst. "A lot of companies do not know the extent of their problem," she said. "They do not know who is retiring when. They do not know what skills they are going to be deficient in. They really do not know the lay of the land."

As millions of baby boomers worldwide head towards retirement, a new market has opened up for companies in areas such as developing computer technology for older workers and creating alternative work arrangements.
Computer giant IBM is one such company that is hoping to cash in on this new business opportunity. It is expecting to announce this week [late September-early October 2005] a new array of business consulting services to help companies adapt as waves of baby boomers begin retiring in the next few years.

Besides the USA, other countries facing an aging workforce are as follows:

Japan: Within the next 10 years, more than 33 million Japanese -- or 26 per cent of the country's population -- are expected to be aged above 65. With the low birth rate, the workforce is set to drop by more than a third by 2050.

Australia: In Australia, the number of people aged 60 to 64 is expected to almost double in 2016. Like Japan, it is looking at encouraging companies to retain older workers and encouraging part-time work as a solution.

China: By 2040, China is projected to have 397 million people (or 28 per cent of its population) over 65. Demographers fear that with declining birth rates, the Chinese could be stuck with the "4-2-1" problem of one child having to support two aged parents and four grandparents.

Source: New York Times (Sep-Oct 2005)

Gina Ruiz, staff writer of Workforce Management, wrote an article entitled "Age Wave: Adapting to Older Workers", saying that:

Synopsis/Blurb: The ranks of workers 55 and older are swelling, yet few employers have adjusted to meet the needs of this strategically important segment of the workforce. Researcher and author Ken Dychtwald says companies might want to start thinking about flexible schedules, ergonomics and enchanced opportunities for older workers before they lose vital expertise.

Most employers are aware that the baby boom generation is getting older and inching closer to retirement, but few have implemented strategies to effectively handle the impending transformation. That’s the assessment from Ken Dychtwald, author [for example, The Age Wave: How The Most Important Trend Of Our Time Can Change Your Future, with author Joe Flower] and CEO of Age Wave, a San Francisco company that focuses on the mature workforce.

wave, age, middle age, aging, population, boomers, baby boomers, Age Wave, age_wave_1990_ken_dychtwald_phd_193x288.jpg

age, i got the power, age_power_pbs_home_video_156x288.jpg

By 2015, the number of workers 55 and older will hover around 30 million, or 20 percent of the total labor force. Today, this group constitutes just 12 percent of all workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This strategically important segment will undoubtedly develop a host of specific needs along the way, including more schedule flexibility, enhanced opportunities for newer challenges and improved workplace ergonomics. And if employers want to keep business running smoothly and profits strong, they will have to adjust accordingly.

Mature workers wield a lot of leverage, not only because they are among of the most experienced and well-trained employees in the workforce, but also because there aren’t bountiful numbers of younger workers waiting in the wings to pick up the slack.

The good news is that persuading this group of workers to remain professionally active may not be too difficult. A Merrill Lynch survey reports that about 76 percent of baby boomers say they want to continue working in some capacity after they reach retirement age -- but it will have to be on their terms. Those most likely to continue working are the ones who have experienced a high degree of professional success in physically undemanding jobs, such as professors, attorneys and executives.

In his forthcoming book Workforce Crisis, Dychtwald gives specific examples of companies and best practices to manage the changes. He also dispels antiquated notions and myths about the mature worker. Dychtwald recently spoke to Workforce Management staff writer Gina Ruiz.

Have fun!
Cheers!

Halleluyah (Praise "the LORD our God" / Praise "YAHWEH our Father")!

-- Paul Quek
e: paulquek88@yahoo.com
b: http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
b: http://paulquek888.tripod.com/blog/
b: https://paul-quek.tripod.com/index.blog -- this blog!
w: http://www.mysteries-of-the-world.com
w: http://paulquek.aokhost.com
w: http://paulquek888.tripod.com
w: http://pq.escrapbook.tripod.com

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!
Get paid on 100% of your website traffic, no clicks necessary!
How is this possible? << CLICK HERE (video) >>

Or: << HERE (Details) >>

Or: << HERE (Signup) >>

Or: << HERE (Mainpage) >>

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!

Hence, the Power of our Tongue!

Jenna Robinson, writing as the 'Bible Basics Editor' @ BellaOnline -- her article is entitled "The Power of the Tongue", quoting both the Old Testament and the New Testament -- reminds us that:

The Power of the Tongue

(Adapted by Paul Quek, for this Blog ... thanks to Miss Jenna Robinson! May God's Grace be upon her ... and everyone else.)

Here is another piece, with less biblical (and more contemporary) language -- from Chris Widener (URL -- http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Power-of-the-Tongue&id=10319):

The Power of the Tongue

(Adapted by Paul Quek, for this Blog ... thanks to Mr. Chris Widener)

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!

Love, Joy, Peace,Longsuffering [Patience], Kindness, Goodness,Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!

Jim Marrs, Conspiracy Theories & "Rule by Secrecy" Bestseller Book

Jim Marrs

Conspiracy Theories

Reviews of a NYT Best Seller ("Rule By Secrecy")

Audio CDs - Talk Show

MP3 Download

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!

Advertisement

Web Masters/Authors!

Love, Joy, Peace,
Longsuffering [Patience], Kindness, Goodness,
Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.

Jim Marrs, Conspiracy Theories
& "Rule by Secrecy" Bestseller Book