Please check out the Buddha quotes! There’s something good there for focus up philosophers and everyone. Positive thinking begets positive doing. I think it is said the Buddha’s last quote was about loving ourselves. Check them out. It is the post prior to this one.
Today is 12/10/20 I have included an earlier post to see where we are now. Possibly it will give us an insight to where we are going from here.
Worldwide cases of Coronavirus 69,631,143. Deaths due to Covid-19 1,583,267. Recovered- 48,267,599 Hooray.
Of the world population we are number one ranked with about 15,900,000 cases and just over 298,000 deaths. Yesterday was the highest death rate in one day. Over 3,000. One good news front is the recovered 15,210,000 (yay). We are not doing good for our citizenry. We need to wear masks, wash our hands often, stay far from others There are people who do not show symptoms and they can be spreading the virus. Err on the side of caution, always. A question I have and haven’t seen answered is what is this Coronavirus costing the U.S. in dollars and cents (Good Sense vs bad sense like not wearing a mask or denying there is a pandemic) ? Think of the cost in lost business, travel, tourism, hospital costs, unemployment benefits, etc. ad infinitum. I don’t even want to think about the enormity of it. Yet it has been on my mind. We know the airlines are hurting. We know the travel and tourism is way down. Restaurants are failing. On and on businesses are hurt. I don’t have a solid number for total downturn in business. My guesstimation is between 11% and 20% down in business loss. By the same token Australia which is relatively Covid-free is down 7%. P.M. Scott Morrison has ordered vaccines for all his citizens from England and will make them available Scott free. Do you like the alliteration? In Canberra, Australia capital territory the cases of Covid-19 are 117 cases recovered are 114 with 3 deaths. Admirable numbers for almost 400,000 people. The total deaths in all of Australia is around 900. New Zealand has 25 deaths.
Perhaps with better leadership we will do better. We will have a chance to see what president elect Biden can do. He is inheriting a tough opportunity. Let us all support him. If you have any sway with the Democrats please suggest that Biden contact all the world leaders to jointly improve the world’s situation. The virus, ecology, economics, all can use a common bond to assure we have a planet to leave to our grandchildren. Not a heated, toxic wasteland, deplete of oil, temps above the living range in most of the world, air practically unbreathable, water too polluted to drink.
We want and need a new energy. An energy that survives. Maybe magnets will help save the day. New sources of water desalination. New spiritual invectives, admonishing us to look within. Supporting our life, love and peaceful co-existence. Working together to benefit each other and our blue marble that has supported us so well up to now. Now we can choose to support it. Let’s do it with great and grand exuberance. Do it with vigor and the highest good for the greatest number. So mode it be.
What do we know now? The pandemic is rampant in this country. We have almost 900 deaths per million people. Italy, Spain and Belgium have over 1,000 deaths per million. In searching for the best places in the world to go might be Samoa or Vanuatu. Now I have never even heard of Vanuatu but they like Samoa have no deaths caused by Coronavirus. Vanuatu, near Australia, has one case and Samoa has two cases of the dis-ease.
Our world is changing and will take much time to recover. I say to people often that the good old days were the holidays of 2019. Think of last Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year is and will continue to be very different. News Year eve is going to be a special challenge. People want to party. Dr. Fauci has expressed his fear that two to three weeks after the holidays we will have another spike. Not that yesterday’s case load of over 218,000 new cases isn’t challenge enough. A seven day average of around 209,000 cases per day isn’t bad enough. The fact that this has been going on for this long without good support from our party in power in the U.S. government. California where I was last week has a mask order and a curfew. So let’s say it again, “Wear a mask, stay separated, wash your hands often and listen to scientists and medical professionals,” need I say more? I also use the paper hand towel in public restrooms to open the door after washing hands so I don’t physically touch the door handle. Then that paper towel is thrown in the trash. Learned that on cruises. We keep hand wipes with alcohol and hand wash in our vehicles. Use it when we get in the car after grocery shopping, etc. Hands, keys door handle, steering wheel and any thing touched are all wiped down. Be safe. E.
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Earlier this year I wrote:
At this writing 4/10/20 there are over a million and a half worldwide cases of Corona virus worldwide. In the US there are close to a half a million. Deaths worldwide are over ninety five thousand with fourteen thousand plus in the USA alone. Not to put too fine a point on our pencil markings herein we might say we are failing miserably in the fight to overcome the spread of the virus. .We have good friends in the medical profession in Australia and maybe we, our government, can learn something from them. They now have a travel ban from city to country and visa-versa. People must have written permissions of necessity or job clearances to travel distances. Especially across state, province lines. The police will stop cars and turn them around without proper clearance to travel the highways. They are confined to home and no gatherings of more than two people are advised. Widespread business closings are enforced and open and honest communication is constantly evolving. There is information and advice to inform people about exactly what they can and cannot do. Businesses deemed to be essential will be open, social distancing enforced. Supermarkets, banks, pharmacies, c-stores, freight, food delivery and bottle shops are open. Police patrol stations, of course, are open. Pubs, clubs, cinemas, casinos, nightclubs, places of worship, gyms, sport activities were closed or shut down by order of the PM, Scott Morrison. Hairdressers are okay if social distancing is enforced and restaurants recommended to do takeaway cooking. Hearing from our friends that in Sydney the government has taken over several hotels and any Australian citizen who has traveled out of the country is sequestered there for fourteen days prior to returning to his or her home. Good idea? Very good idea, when we hear that most of the cases in New York are from a European derivative of the virus. How refreshing it would be to have open and honest communication from our president and government leaders. I listen to Dr. Fauci. When I went to Pepperdine University one of my professors told us we did not have communication if it wasn’t open and honest communication. What have we got now? Entertainment, sales pitches, condemnation and mis-education from the white house and friends. When we hear that medical professionals are stealing all the medical needs and supplies it makes us sad to hear figures about medical professionals deaths. Columbia university in Manhattan (NYC) has asked for volunteers because half of their staff has contracted Coronavirus. At a New York City hospital more than two hundred workers had been sick with the virus. The 30,000 people in New York with the disease are putting more than a strain on hospital front line, ER, ICU-Intensive Care Units, and other staff. Doctors and nurses are getting sick and dying in hospitals around the US and the world. We hear there is a shortage of masks, I forgot mine when my wife went in to the emergency room and the hospital would not give me one. We are running without a proper number of ventilators, and other health related garments and equipment. I was not old enough to remember WW 11/world war two, yet I have read and seen the effort we put forth to save the world for democracy. When this many people in America are threatened why not turn out all of our resources to fight this disease to save our democracy? Have we saved it in one generation and are losing it in this one? This pandemic is real, at least it seems real to me, how about you? Can we not influence our government leaders, especially the white house to take up the fight rather than trying to sell us on the prospective of their doing such a good job? Maybe conquering this virus would make America great. We are supposed to be a world leader and here we are falling so far behind that we have a majority of cases above any other country in the world. Does that sound right? I had a thought Yesterday amidst a headache that almost stopped me from doing what I wanted to do. Let’s suspend mortgage payments for at least two months and up to as long as this pandemic is threatening Americans. We bailed out the banks. It was the hard working Americans who suffered when the banks did not take care of business properly. They sold mortgages, and other instruments that the people at the top knew were unsustainable. Then they got money to bail themselves out of trouble. Does that sound fair or did you not get hurt in the crash? Well now we need them and let’s see how much they’re willing to help and bail us out. If mortgages are forgiven then rents should also be forgiven. I know people who pay from one thousand to five grand a month rent.
I also feel for the small businesses who have mortgages and small churches who may not have services because of Covid-19 and depend on contributions to survive. Could the larger, may I say richer churches assist them to survive? That is the clear thinking, fully revealed, free and unobstructed religious philosophies. The ones that give the congregation the power to think about their spiritual education realistically. Every person in the world can and should emulate the masters. The teaching of Jesus, Buddha, Babaji and Yogananda could be road maps for individuals. Emulate the masters. Do the right thing. Do what that inner wise knower directs. Meditate, meditate, meditate, the universe is available. Tune in to spirit whenever we can. Our soul knows the past, and present and creates the future for each of us. When we know the soul desires and wants above the body/brain needs we can and will think and act with the highest of integrity and honesty. Religion can teach that each human being is capable of the greatest good known. Will we do it exactly like Jesus, or St. Frances, or Gautama Buddha, or Parmahansa Yogananda, or Babaji or other saints? Probably not! Can we each do good things? We absolutely can. Leave no stone unturned until you find your path to the good, true and lovable. Focus Up Philosophers are now entreated to look for the good and praise it. Build a strong and reachable happy place in the upper middle of your brain. (About an inch above and between upper ears) Go there when you are making decisions. Focus up whenever you want to be, do and have more. I don’t mean money, I mean the best of human endeavors. Write until you have mastered that medium. Speak privately and in public until you have mastered that medium. Practice on your family now that we are forced inside. Record your talks and critique your presentation(s). Read good books. Try Shakespeare, Emerson, Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi and the Second Coming of Christ, Ernest Holmes, text book, The Science of Mind; Plato, The Republic and be sure to explore questioning; Will and Ariel Durant, especially The Lessons of History; Socrates; Aristotle; American poets, Frost, Dickinson, Whitman, T.S. Elliot, E.E.Cummings, Poe, and the like. My wife, Carole recommends Carl Sagan, and Ann Druyen, husband and wife team. Try Woolly by Ben Mezrich. He says that the politicians fear and dislike scientists and we must change that. Possibly a goal for Focus Up Philosophers, yes? Those are some of my thoughts on the soul and religion and we can get spiritual now or later We are already imbued with an inner wise knower. I think that when the government fails the bodies on the planet then they ought to learn and grow beyond their negativity. That’s only me, please understand. E.
P.S. Buddha quotes are great reading. Please go to the post and let me know what you think.
(Some people are afraid of being too happy or joyful. They think if they are something terrible will happen soon. This is known as cherophobia. Do not buy into this philosophy. Become a focus up philosopher and use these pages and posts to express and experience joy.)
Don’t worry, be happy! Not a Buddha quote per se. Good thinking for all time.
Our last post was the sayings and quotes of Jesus from the King James Bible. Today we are going to do the sayings and quotes of the Buddha. Buddha quotes in bold.
As I understand it the Buddha was Siddhartha a prince who left the palace of his father and went into the land to see the people and learn about human nature. He walked and discovered truths about humankind. He sat under the Bodhi tree and essenced out a philosophy that has become a huge religious philosophy for our planet. The following are his quotes. Please note: I have offered some info that may be added to or helped understanding of certain quotes. Also note: there may be more modern quotes inasmuch as the Buddha title is given to contemporary philosophers.
Goodness is about character – integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like.
We are constituted so that simple acts of kindness, such as giving to charity or expressing gratitude, have a positive effect on our long-term moods.
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
I thought it might be nice to see a couple of quotes in fanciful and picture form. Take these and use them, for sure. Buddha quotes are all over the internet and I suggest one looks for one that speaks to them. They can be printed and put on the front door so they can be seen as one starts out the day Possibly you’d want to print several and use them throughout your day..Use a quote a day or for a week or more. Use it until you are living it. Remember to focus up into your win center and let the quote become part of the info you use when making decisions or life changes. Memorize quotes. The information will be there once committed to memory. .
More quotes attributed to the Buddha:
You, yourself as much as anybody else in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.Please note: speaking as one who knows this and sometimes forgets. Let us remember to love ourselves as we love one another.
“Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.”
“A jug fills drop by drop.” Please note: my family was staying with my mom’s parents in southwest Virginia, I like to say in the Blue Ridge mountains. I watched my grandmother put a dirty pot under the dripping faucet one night. I got up very early in the morning and went in to the kitchen Lo and behold the pot was filled with clean water. My young eyes looked at the clean water and I learned a lesson that day. Drop by drip the clean water had washed away the dirty water and helped clean the dirty pot. Amazing, yes? Is that what happens when we start thinking positive thoughts. Putting good thoughts in our consciousness. Does that clean out the soiled thinking and its surrounds? Think about it.
“Fashion your life as a garland of beautiful deeds.” Please note: we don’t hear the word garland nowadays. A garland is, according to my man Merriam; a circular or spiral arrangement of intertwined objects like flowers. Suppose you had that spiral of good deeds always wrapped around your loving neck. …
“A man is not called wise because he talks and talks again; but if he is peaceful, loving and fearless then he is in truth called wise.”Please note: My sweet wife was yelled at because our dog went to the bathroom on a neighbor’s rocks. Being a conscious dog owner she cleaned up after her dog. The neighbor knocked on the door, said, “Welcome to the neighborhood and yelled at her and berated her. Her final statement was that if she wasn’t careful the woman would go to management. My wife felt terrible for the rest of her evening. She had done the right thing according to life and nature. She had not followed all the strict protocols of the housing community which she did not know at the time. It made me wonder how a neighbor and potential ally against any sort of community infringement would lash out so vehemently. Why would one yell and scream at a brand new neighbor? Fear, it must be fear of something. Let us use this as a lesson to endeavor to be understanding and as the Buddha says, “Wise.”
Top 10 Buddha Quotes
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
“It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.”
“It is better to travel well than to arrive.”
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
“The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.”
“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.”
“There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.”
“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” Please note: share happiness at every instant and every opportunity. People may not acknowledge you or your happiness, but they can never decrease your happiness and they may catch the spirit.
“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”
“What we think, we become.Please note: how true this is. Ernest Holmes coined the phrase, “Change your thinking change your life.”
Please note: These quotes I wrote the other day. Give it a go and write your own quotes. I am sure they can be good for you. Email them to me and I can include some of them. ernienylander@gmail.com
Today, tomorrow and forevermore integrity shall rule the day.
Open and honest communication is the only true communication
Pure joy is more than a surfboard
Peace is a blessing for persons of goodwill.
Laughter is as good a medicine as we’ve got.
Joy heals.
Our thoughts create our world
Thoughts are our reality. Our thinking is our life.
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Please note: we will be adding a teen beat section. Have your teen get in touch. If you have a thought specifically for teens let me know. ernienylander@gmail.com
I thought we might learn something from Jesus’ words and quotes from the king James version of the bible. Please note: I have edited some, not many, of them to make them more relevant to today’s thinking. Jesus spoke with words of the times to people on the ground in that day. I have also put notes after some of the quotes. Jesus’ words are in red, I trust, and the (Please note) these after notes are my thoughts. Also note: my thoughts, Jesus was not a Christian. He was of Jewish faith. He spoke in Aramaic. He was interested in honoring his father in heaven. He also wanted followers to honor and follow the Christ within each. He taught as one of power. He was offered a place in the God-Head and chose to return to Earth to teach the children. So, children, lightworkers, old souls, Christ spirits all, let’s see what we can learn.
The Christ Jesus’ commandments
Love the lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment
The second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.
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Blessed are you even as they revile you. Please note: what you think of me is none of my business. “I am blessed.” A good affirmation. Say it one time, a dozen times, or a hundred times a day. The important point is that you know it.
Let your life so shine before men that they see your good works. Please note; let your good works be your highest and greatest offerings to all people. The good you do will return, especially if it is done for all the planet, all the animals, all the people.
Let your yes be yes, and your no be no. Please note: Yoda said, “Do or do not, there is no try.” Be straight, be honest and have integrity. Today integrity counts.
If you are asked for your shirt give it. Give him your coat as well.
If you are forced to go one mile with another then go the second mile as well. Please note: I heard the words when I was young, “Go the extra mile.” these two quotes are good to know and use. When there is need, give more than asked and both you and they are blessed.
Love your enemies bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you and pray for them who hurt you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your father in heaven.
When ye pray, use no vain repetitions as the heathen. For they wish to be heard for their much babbling.Please note: pray knowing your prayer is already answered. Pray with power and powerful thoughts and words. Pray for and accept immediate results. Also, be ready with acceptance if your response to prayer takes time. Whichever happens be ever accepting and eternally grateful. Receive graciously, the asked for results. Live in joy and serve the world with your good works. Life may not seem fair, yet there is always something to be learned. Lessons are with us non-stop here on Earth and prayer changes things.
Your father knows of the things you have need of before you ask him. In this manner pray, Please note: it is the Lord’s prayer not Jesus’ prayer
Pray here the Lord’s Prayer
Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.Please note: old saying, “By the inch it’s a cinch, by the yard it’s so hard.” Also note: DEDWD. Do Each Day’s Work Daily.
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.Please note: we are the ones who bring judgement and condemnation on ourselves. It is a law called karma. Of course, you know cowboy karma: what goes around comes around. It is immutable and inevitable that you will get yours. I will get mine. Everyone will get it. Remember, there is forgiveness. Forgive all concerned, especially yourself.
Also note: next post will share a new consciousness. It is an opportunity for those willing and able to accept and work it.
First remove the plank from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers’ eye. Please note: the plank is in our eye the speck is in our brother’s or sister’s eye. Can we not see clearly who has the visual impairment? If others are not perfect how can we help clear a speck from their eye?
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In everything, do to others what you would have them to do to you.
Please note: we might add, do for others what you want others to do for you.
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Enter by the narrow gate. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life. And there are few who find it.Please note: the loaded camel would not be able to enter the narrow gate. Ask, is each thought, word and action of our day worthy of eternal life.
Beware of false prophets.
Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you. Please note: when you forgive all concerned, you are forgiven also.
Be of good cheer daughter, your faith has made you well. Please note: your faith heals. Be of good faith
Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves,
If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Please note: Jesus the Christ did not say for you to give him your cross.
Let the little children come to me and do not forbid them for such is the kingdom of heaven
If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. Please note: St Francis of Assisi a potentially rich merchants son did just that.
Do not be called Rabbi, for one is your teacher, the Christ (Within) and all are brethren.Please note: the small still voice is ever speaking the words of life, love and the pursuit of spirit in joy. All are brethren is significant, yes?
Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name claiming to be Messiah. They will deceive many. Please note: ever and always question those who think or say they’re above you. Do not follow any messianic speaker who lacks the qualities of Christ Jesus. I use the ding and clunk theory. Check your inner wise knower, or heart of hearts. May we call it soul or Christ within, and when you hear a beautiful ding like the liberty bell before it cracked then the speaker, concept, idea, group is for you. If in your consciousness there is a clunk like the liberty bell after it was cracked then the person, message or movement is not for you. When there’s a clunk go another way, find another path, and do not follow this speaker, or join this group, do not follow in their direction.
These sayings, from the book of Matthew.
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A few sayings from the Gospel of John, as follows. John is more metaphysical:
Do not judge according to appearance, judge with righteous judgment. Please note: The right use of judgement infers that we think, say, and do the right thing. Whatever looks good outside may not be good on the inside. Also note: We must check with our inner wise knower for a ding or clunk before we speak for or against another.
Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. Please note: Jesus knelt and wrote in the sand. Then he told the villagers holding rocks the above. There were no stones thrown.
Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.Please note: we all make choices. Choose wisely when you have stones in your hand or sand under your feet.
Believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.Please note: might we also insert, believe in enlightenment-become enlightened, believe in learning-become children of learning, believe in peace-become children of peace? Goal: create a new group of lightworkers and world servers who believe.
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A new commandment I give you. Love one another.Please note: speaking as the Christ he gives his commandment. Also note: the Christ spirit is within each and every one of us. Need we say, love ourselves as well as one another?
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Ask and you will receive, that your joy will be full. Please note: the reception of health, healing, happiness, wholeness, peace, forgiveness, and every good thing is accompanied by joy. Pure joy can be primary in our receiving the good, true, and lovable here on Earth.
These things I have spoken to you. The Christ within you will have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. Be of good cheer and overcome the world. Please note: The Christ within is here to love this beautiful planet. This planetary learning system in which we live, move, and have our beingis here for us to enjoy. People are fearful of being happy. They think if they experience joy then travesty or pain will happen right after. It is called cherophobia. Be of good cheer. Don’t worry be happy!
Peace be with you. Please note: why fight for peace or yell for silence or dance for architecture or lock the cell door for freedom or kill bodies for life everlasting.
Receive the holy spirit, forgive the sins of any, and all and they are forgiven. If you retain the sins they are retained. Please note: forgive and you are forgiven. Hold on to sins and yours will be held also. We sometimes say that the acronym for s.i.n. is Self-Inflicted Nonsense
Do not be unbelieving, be believing. Please note: when we believe we expand our consciousness our openness and therefore the serendipity of believing is working for us.
These sayings from the Gospel of John
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Please note: I did not look for passages that condemn more for ones that bless. Take one quote a day or for the week if it speaks to you. Live the quote for that period of time Then take another to live. It will change your thinking and we trust improve your life.
Please note: There is no ban on abortion. There is no untruth. There is only belief in the father in heaven and the Christ within us.
We learned the progression of Jesus was as follows: Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus the Christ, finally Christ Jesus. This last is when Jesus laid down his persona and became the Christ first and foremost.
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There is the story of Jesus talking on the hillside. He was going on and on and it got to be past lunchtime. The disciples came to him and told him the crowd was getting quite hungry. Jesus said to feed them. Easy enough, right? Master we only have a couple loaves of bread and seven fishes. Jesus said, that it was okay to pass them out. The disciples were perplexed. How is that going to work they grumbled to each other. Can you just hear it?
They passed the food out and when the baskets came back there was enough to feed the disciples as well. Thank God!
The rest of the story.
The Jews of that time wore tunics. These were robes, long white robes with pockets. Now mom or wives had put lunches and maybe snacks in the pockets. Jesus spoke so lovingly about sharing that these sometimes self-centered Jewish men gave of their food to the whole group. All were fed, even the disciples.
Jesus spoke lovingly about sharing and they did. They shared their food. Even if they had little they shared. Might that be a lesson for today?
New problems require new solutions. Old problems may have solutions sitting around waiting to be used again. Remember to ‘focus up’ when problem solving.
Focus Up Philosophy Society teaches how the win center one inch above and between your upper ears can be the difference between a mediocre solution to a problem and an incredible solution. Remember, focus in the win center and look at the past, present and future, before you make decision(s).
Coronavirus news: Three vaccines are ready to hit the streets. Scott Morrison tells us he is buying vaccine for every person in Australia. He will pass it out for free to all Australians. New Zealand 2 cases Nov. 29 4-Nov 30 and 28 deaths. Australia 8 Nov. 29, 11 Nov. 30 and 908 deaths. These countries seem to be doing the right thing. Masks, social distancing, etc. Here in the U.S. covid Nov 29 136,313. Nov 30, 167,759 deaths 269,000. Could we do better? Note: California has mandatory masks and a 10:00 curfew.
Dr Fauci said he would take the vaccine and make sure his own family was vaccinated. I will take it. At nearly eighty I am being cautious. Also note: It is 90-95 percent effective so we mustn’t let down our guard. The world has changed. The good old days were Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years eve of last year. (2019) Think about it.
Happy Thanksgiving 2020! May we wish you a merry Christmas and happy New Year. Be safe this holiday season.
Www dot Focus Up Philosophers dot com. Come along with us and we’ll show you how to focus on your win center. That center in the brain where wins are registered and stored. The location about an inch above and between the upper ears. When you are making decisions then make them from the win center rather than the lower or dinosaur age brain center, or as scientists call it the limbic brain.
I have made more than a few decisions in my almost eighty years on the planet. Some were the best decisions for me. Some the best decisions for people concerned. Finally, some decisions that were the highest and best for all people concerned, plus for planetary intelligence, integrity and survival. I wish all decisions were for the highest and best for all concerned. All concerned would mean people and I am now concerned for our planet. If our planet doesn’t survive, can we?
FUPS class 202. Note: I just got the insight and information that if we cooperate our planet will survive. Get that, cooperation will allow the planet to live. Cooperation is the goal of all people of goodwill. Find a way you can cooperate with those who do not totally agree with you today. Cooperate with a group who is different from you and your inner wise knower tells you they are doing good works nevertheless. Do this and biology can live longer. Cooperate and you will begin to know and know that you know. Enlightenment can be enhanced by your cooperation. Peace will increase in body, mind and planet when you cooperate. Health and happiness will increase and become ever-present when you cooperate. Cooperate, thank you. Focus Up Philosophy Society teaching 202.
Back to focus up philosophy decisions 101. I have made decisions that were then or as I think of them now are terrible. Some of those decisions, choices and attitudes I still think about sadly today. If I may be allowed to assist you in making better decisions, then read on young reader, or mature and interested reader. Think positively, live and learn. Higher and better thinking and doing will benefit you now and in your future. It affects the future of all concerned. Since we are sharing this planet the best all of us can be, do and have is what we shall accomplish and create.
Look at the lives of some people who lived for all the world’s people and the planet. I don’t know all or even most of them. The list would be long. The list might include people who did not get the calling until later in their lives. Maybe a certain amount of struggle and strife was good for them and the world of effects. Maybe a couple or so will excite something within you and you can read about them and their accomplishments. Mother Theresa, R.B. Fuller, A. Einstein, A. Lincoln, Marie Curie, T Jefferson, Cleopatra, I. Newton, J. Gutenberg, Joan of Arc, L. Pasteur, Jane Austin, O. & W. Wright, Plato, F. Nightingale, L. Beethoven, W. Heisenberg, R. Descartes, Michelangelo, Queen Isabella, Lao Tzu, S.B. Anthony, E. Dickinson, M. Gandhi the Mahatma, I. Gandhi, his wife. Search out those people who you admire and want to emulate. If one or all peoples simply lived by the words of Christ Jesus it could bless us everyone.
Start a journal and write daily what enthuses, excites and influences you. Fear not, and be not fearful of writing, speaking or living your highest and best life. If your highest and best life requires u-turns, course corrections or even do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, just do it. Think, say, write and do your best and focus up into the win center. Focus up when making decisions, corrections and choosing or changing your path. Remember that the future is unknown. The greatest liberty and highest freedom you choose and request for yourself, other human beings and the planet now, can be everlasting. Higher and better decisions and choices made from the win center will possibly bless you and yours. You may forever look back on good instants, good decisions, good choices and smile. This time is precious so think, speak and do your best.
Look at your life and inspect it carefully. When life is lived in the realm of win-win-win. I win, you win and the planet wins. Endeavor to choose to decide and make good decisions. Being almost eighty I recapitulate my life and decisions, I often remember and look back at good, bad and indifferent choices and decisions. I may not be perfect or perfected today yet I know I’m better than ever I was in the past. If we have dealings today, you can more trust that all will be well. Making decisions from my win center has taught me something about the higher realities of brain functioning.
This will be a short brief how to. It may also give you a bit of the why, when and where. If we take the newspaper reporters edict of, “Who, what, when, where, how and sometimes why” then we may have a better understanding of win center decisions.
Start with who. Who can do it? Who can focus up and be in the win center? As far as I know and believe all people can do it. Easy for you to discern if you can or can’t. Think of a time when you won, or had a high experience, or experienced a love of life, person, painting, tree, beach, ride, or anything that made you extremely happy or even gave you a high, j.e win and happiness experience. Maybe a movie or win was so good it made you laugh or high for happiness. At that moment you were in your upper brain or win center.
Who: Consider yourself as one of the who’s that can be in the win center. Now concentrate about an inch above and between your upper ears.
What: I recommend sitting quietly with both feet on the floor. You may want to lie back some place comfortable. At this point you can focus up. Stay in that mode for as long as you can, preferably with your eyes closed. The minimum I like is three minutes. If I have only a minute, I take it happily and do my best for that short time. It’s interesting how much we can accomplish quickly when there’s a desire. We will have other exercises and ways to focus up into the win center. Practice entering your win center. Pay attention to any insight, picture or feeling received while there.
Insights can be very subtle. In my experience one can get the insight wanted or needed and without conscious recognition it can pass right by. Insights and intuition can pass by and not register on your inner awareness. Write in your journal. If it does not get your attention and tweak your knowing an opportunity may be missed. It can be one dramatic hit, insight, or choice. Often it is an unfoldment. If it is written down then you can add to the knowledge as information unfolds over time.
When: It is little vague situations and every day steps to higher consciousness or downward thinking that is needed for making the best choices. In college one of my professors gave us the insight as follows. DEDWD, which he said stood for do each day’s work daily. At the beginning of the semester he gave us 50 chemistry problems to solve. He reminded us a couple of times that they were due at the end of the semester. The day before the final exam for the semester he reminded us that the problems were due on the next day. The day of the final exam arrived and I turned in my problems. Yes, you guessed it I stayed up most of the night doing the problems. Only having a couple of hours of sleep made me a little slow taking the exam. All semester I was the first one to finish tests. I made great grades all semester and I wondered about the final exam. I didn’t do as good as I had all semester. Did I learn the DEDWD practice? Will you learn it now?
Sixteen years later when I was doing my masters degree we had three to 5 books a week to read and write a summary of each one. The last day of the class I turned the summaries in. I took the final exam and aced it. I had read the books all quarter long. I studied until about ten o: clock the night before the exam. Got a good night’s sleep and wow, what a difference. DEDWD was finally learned by yours truly.
Where: Big decisions may take more time, conscious thought, and/or subconscious reckoning plus understanding. Big decisions are important.We can stop where we are and take the time to decide. In those instances wherever we are, we can allot the time and space to focus up. Concentrate and give an important choice or big decision the full attention it deserves. Wherever you are there is a space-time to focus up. I have been known to do it waiting to be called for a restaurant dinner, in airplanes and airports, sitting in my car when the party is in my house, in a movie theatre while waiting for the movie to start, on the beach in Rosarito Mexico sitting feet from the water’s edge. I once was directed to a huge tree in a forest. The tree had been burned out and was very unique in this part of the forest. I sat in front of it and had one of the best experiences of unique feelings for that tree and me. To summarize my experiences in places far and near, just do it. Do the right thing for you, for people, for the planet and receive the good karma that returns to you.
How: We know that the win center is above, between and behind eye level about an inch and a half. It is directly in the center of the brain. I like to say it’s an inch above and between your upper ears. Once you know how to focus there we can learn a bit more about how to access, focus in and use this important center of the brain.
Use your imagination to create a cave where your win center is. The focus up place in your upper brain. Make it a place where you can be comfortable. Appoint it with what you want surrounding your higher consciousness. Your cave surrounds and protects your consciousness. Your cave is highly personal space. Appoint it as you like. Give it light. My cave has softly lighted walls. Give this personal cave an outlook onto something that makes you feel good, feel happy, feel blessed as it were. Maybe a valley or a city or possibly outer space. My cave is high on a mountainside and looks down over a valley. The cave is yours, the outlook point is yours and you want to feel good, be happy and know you are a worthy winner when within it. Now you are in your cave looking out without hubris, or better-than ego.
Focus consciously in your cave. Remember that it is in your brain about an inch above and between your upper ears. Said another way, it is an inch and a half above, between and behind your eyes in the middle of your upper brain. Think of something you want to decide, change, discuss or consider. You may want to sit comfortably with eyes closed. Look around your cave. Look out of the cave entrance and view your construct of the vision you’ve created. Be quiet and listen for an answer if you have posed a question. Give it a minimum of three minutes. If you do not get a hit or answer be conscious and aware as you come down in thought from your cave. An answer may come in interesting and unique ways. We say, be alive, awake and aware.
You may want to assign a time each day to lift up your thinking and focus up into your cave. I can recommend doing it before meals or snacks. Early in the morning seems to be a good time. The world is quieter around us. The interruptions are few. Sit in an easy chair, feet on the floor, hands comfortably in your lap and focus up into your cave. If you have any troubles getting into the cave, think of a win in your recent or far distant past. Volleyball is one of my win center touchstones. Maybe yours is tennis, spelling bees, business acumen, investment strategies, movie great moments, sales closings, recipe taste-greats, race wins, super teaching moments when the students get-it, or you understand a challenging concept and/or other peak moments.
Once you are comfortable and focused in your cave you may ask a question, pose a problem or get a decision in mind you want to make. Once you have it strongly and powerfully in mind wait for insights and answers. The subtlety may escape you if you aren’t vigilant and focused. It may be a fleeting moment or passing glance. A person’s face may appear. A feeling from high school or college or a first job or first sale or first dance or first kiss. In your cave you may want to have a mirror. This mirror can show you yourself as a higher and greater being or thought form. Look in the mirror and ask for an answer from this upper brain, win center or higher consciousness. Think on any instance, picture or impression you receive. The insight or answer may be right before you and not easily discerned.
Best of the best to you on your journey. Know you are a being of love and light. Focus up anytime you wish to rise above the down here thinking that you may think is you.
Why: You deserve the very best. You are a divine human treasure, a perfect Human Being. Now go and be your highest and best persona. People around you who are also alive, awake and aware will get the new and improved you.
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Now let’s think about Covid—19. What do we know so far? It is a virus. We call it a novel corona virus. It has affected people around the world. The USA is the highest rate of spread and death. It is the worst case scenario in this pandemic. Covid-19 kills at a striking rate. If it doesn’t kill it can cause mental and physical degeneration. Organs like lungs, heart, blood system, even the brain and other major organs can he compromised. The effects can be long term. We sometimes talk of a possible health crisis in a few years (1-10). The offshoot of this knowledge is that you don’t want to get this Coronavirus.
We hear that the treatment of one of our American citizens cost you and me around $100,000 for a cure. What would you estimate this virus has cost us US citizens in dollars and sense. Good sense we mean. Please note that one state in Australia is down to 1 case or less per day. What are we doing to ourselves? Especially those of us who are black, brown and yellow who are at a higher risk. Can we remember to love ourselves enough to stay healthy? Love ourselves enough to love all others on the planet here in the world of effects? It is a big task and I know you are up to it.
How can you reduce the likelihood of catching it and spreading Coronavirus? 1. Wear a mask, Wear your own mask and request or demand that all others wear their own mask. 2. Wear gloves when recommended. 3. Stay 6 feet, 2 meters to 10 feet, 3 meters away from other people. 4. Do not attend indoor gatherings. 5. If you feel sick or have a premonition of a problem get tested. Keep hand cleansers in your car and near to handwashing area in your home. Use a paper towel to handle the door knob in public restrooms when possible
This virus is airborne and transferred from human to human when they talk, cough, sneeze or even when you breathe another’s breath. Always err on the side of caution! Long term effects of this disease may be worse than the short-term sickness. People report difficulties in becoming totally healthy, long term shortness of breath, mental challenges, and other health related problems after they think they’re beyond the dis-ease or may we call it an ill-mess,
May we recommend meditation? Above and beyond focus up time we recommend two each fifteen to thirty-minute meditations daily. Meditate when you are not digesting or agitated. To contact us send a note. Recommend us to others. www.focusupphilosophers.com. Best of the best always. ESN, friends and family
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I wanted to write a spiritual post this week. It was not to be. Maybe all is spiritual in the greater context of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As the F1 race drivers say, “Yesterday was then and this is today.” We win, come in second or later third or on down the line and then there’s always tomorrow. A millisecond of time can make the difference in first and second place. Makes me realize that the world is different and the planet is in a very different place in the blink of my eye. Tomorrow is part of forever. Forever is part of the grand scheme of the immense love, intelligence, grace, dignity and integrity that we want to experience in our universal world in the cosmos.
This week was election coverage and debate and the loss of my wife and my plans for our endemic future. We didn’t see the debate. I think I will forego all debates and just watch the fact checkers afterward. I remember in high school our debates were fact filled, honest and full of integrity. When I taught in junior high school science we had flying saucer debates. The one side. ‘for saucers’ was great. The side against was unswayed. Then the next week each side had to switch and debate for the other belief. It was interesting how good each side was on the second go-round. I could’ve gone for either side in each debate. Jolly good fun.
Last month I issued a challenge to conservatives and myself I listened an hour a day to talk radio, Fox TV, and even read republican literature and information. My friends who are staunch conservatives, republicans and even racists I find have a viewpoint. My friends who are progressive, liberals and democrats also have their viewpoints. The two sides are far apart in their methods and means to reaching success for the American populace. That success might look like business on top and people paying the way. The other might look like people and environment first, politics second and third may be a fair share paid by billionaires and corporations.
Nobody wins when we beat down, berate, and dis other people. People unlike ourselves and who have differing beliefs than the other side of the spectrum. Maybe they could debate and switch to the other side of an issue to see how they’d do?
Let’s change our thinking and beget statesmen (statespeople?) and be true Americans benefitting all of our country and all of our people That’s the way that everyone and the country wins. In my opinion we can and must find a way to work together.
When there is give and take, like ebb and flow, and every American lives as above so below every life can be lived as the highest good for the greatest number. Every person could, should and would commit daily to a higher purpose. A purpose beyond the small, negative, personally enriching and personal lives debasing philosophies. Forget the small down here, me first thinking. The new edict will be to love one another.
Love all people and love ourselves. Use things. Rather than loving our things and using …. No more cutting down, debasing, or killing people who do not agree with us.
We really should, could and ought to make our two political sides work together. Problems will only be solved by politico mutual working together and public consent plus willingness.
We cannot bury our heads in the sand or the clouds. We must be flexible enough to learn, grow and communicate with one another. We will, we must solve problems together. Then and only then can we consider ourselves good and beneficial American citizens.
All of us improving ourselves and making life’s challenges opportunities. Bonding together to become positive for the world we seem to be polluting. Do this and we can each become a beneficial presence for the planet. In our focusupphilosophers.com website we recommend people to be divine human treasures.
Working together for social, societal and economic benefits for all human beings will make me feel good. ESN
The above is a letter to the editor that I am sending to the local Utah newspapers. I think newspapers are great. Most of their reporters work hard to get to the truth and tell it like it is. My bride Carole reads newspapers every day, I know because I go out to the curb and collect them so she can read them when she gets up in the morning. Heat, rain, snow, it matters not. I am her willing delivery boy. Sometimes she buys a different paper at the store so she can read more than one.
I have commented on Coronavirus in other posts and I will do so now. Covid-19 novel Coronavirus is growing again in the USA. My good friend in Australia says that in his area there have been no new cases in his city of Canberra for so long that many people don’t wear masks. When there is a case or two the government mandates masks, 1-3 meters social or physical distancing, and constant hand cleansing with soap for 20 seconds, 70% alcohol and the like. He and his wife wear masks and do other safety precautions because they are part of the medical community.
They were here in January and February so I got to talk to medical professionals first hand in the beginning. Lady Gabrielle read the information on the internet constantly. She discerned that common precautions were necessary. She admonished me to wear masks when going out. I wore a mask when the governor of Utah said to only wear a mask if you were sick.
Carole and I wear masks and physical distance whenever we are out of our neighborhood. Now and until there is a vaccine tried, true, trusted and perfected we will continue to do so. We have wipes in the cars with alcohol and use them whenever we return from stores, etc.
Carole made a hand cleaner for home. Mix 1/4th liquid soap, 1/4th alcohol, 1/4th hand moisturizer and 1/4th hydrogen peroxide. I use it in addition to soap when I come in to the house.
I watched an interview with Tony Fauci. He said that he had been concerned about viruses for years. He seemed sad that the current administration didn’t take his knowledge, predictions and fears seriously. He said that in his opinion the medical community should take charge of our situation regarding the virus. A virus that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans.
Focus Up Philosophers Society FUPS news:
The brain has a few distinct areas that we can and have tapped in to. We most know about the limbic brain because it is the flight or fright, do our daily routine and live the good life, or challenging life which is located between your ears and eyes.
There is a higher part of your brain that you can use. It is about 1.5 inches above s and in the middle of your ears. It is the win center of your brain. It stores and can restore the feelings and memories of the highest and best wins, feelings and moments of your life.I recommend that you focus up whenever making big decisions, or planning for trips and your future.
In my short lifetime of almost eighty years I have seen a lot
My grandfather on my mother’s side never flew in a plane
Yet you should’ve seen him drive his brand-new Packard
I fell out of the back seat while playing war games
My grandmother was not ready to let me go
And hung on to my hand as I dragged on
Down the road a foot in front of the back tire
On the rear wheel of that fine new Packard
Grandpa Wright said woah nellie and we
Rumbled on down the road at breakneck speed
When he found the brake we stopped short
I looked at my shoes first time I wore out tops
Before I wore out the bottoms, I was sure
We are the children of the parents we chose
Living the dream of life on this grand old man
Nurtured by our loving earthly mother nature
Being the persons we choose to be and are
Being the lovers of life or the creators of dark
We achieve that for which we ask for alone
One with the divine or left out in cold sure
We are one, we are one soul mind brain pure
Soul mind brain alignment as we are all one
Being faithful and true is the best we can do
My father’s dad flew to New York then a boat to Sweden
His homeland and the land of my paternal grandmother too
They returned every other year to see family and friends
I never went with them and today I regret it let me tell you
I think it would’ve been a blast to see the land that raised
Two loving people who were good to us even to a fault
Their friends and family must’ve been exceedingly proud
Of two who went to America and achieved the best here
Engineer of engineers was he and devoted couple were they
Life is love and that was their destiny in the new world
Living in Virginia’s capital and having a super friend
Also from Scandinavia living next door to bug them
And compete who was best the Danes or Swedes
My dad spoke Swedish with them when they didn’t
Want me to know what they were talking about
I wonder now what they were saying about me
We are the children of the parents we chose
Living the dream of life on this grand old man
Nurtured by our loving earthly mother nature
Being the persons we choose to be and are
Being the lovers of life or the creators of dark
We achieve that for which we ask for alone
One with the divine or left out in cold sure
We are one, we are one soul mind brain pure
Soul mind brain alignment as we are all one
Being faithful and true is the best we can do
My mom was a southern Virginia girl and didn’t forget
How to discipline two challenging yet interesting children
We knew how to bug each other and parents to boot
We didn’t know how to turn it off sometimes and oops
When my dad got involved it was time to regroup
And calm down and as he would say without remorse
“Gentle boys make gentlemen” understand that son
Their marriage wasn’t made in heaven, but here on earth
They had their challenges and solidly stuck it out for us
Am I a better person for their love? I think yes now
Not perfect am I, a little too quiet and shy for sure
Then out there and talking with everyone and wow
They respond with interesting reason every single person
Is different for sure, unique in their own personality
It seems we learn from every person we encounter
That we are all cut from the same sheet of music
Just singing our own personal and individual song
Knowing that we must always let others sing along
Singing the good words singing the good lyrics
Singing to praise the good where we find it
Knowing we are all in this boat together on the sea
Playing the game as we are teammates you and me
Winning the game is not an option it’s the way to play
When we have the best of the best to do and say
Love is our goal for the whole world every day
Love for the creative light of our universal play.
We are the children of the parents we chose
Living the dream of life on this grand old man
Nurtured by our loving earthly mother nature
Being the persons we choose to be and are
Being the lovers of life (Light) or the creators of dark
We achieve that for which we ask for alone
One with the divine or left out in cold sure
We are one, we are one soul mind brain pure
Soul mind brain alignment as we are all one
Being faithful and true is the best we can do
Now let’s write the music,
Just a couple of thoughts on the Covid-19 pandemic. We are in this mess and we may choose to do better this fall and winter. Wear mask, wash hands, wear clear glasses and/or face shield. I was at a very busy craft faire today and was talking to mother and daughter pair. Mom was masked, daughter not. I talked the daughter into putting on her mask. I looked her in the eye from 6 feet away and said, “You do not want the virus. Yes, you are young, but you are not invincible. Besides your mom does not deserve to catch it from you.
We hear that the Whitehouse is a ghost town. Nobody is there much anymore. 34 people have tested positive for Coronavirus. Mr. Trump got 100,000 dollars worth of care. I wonder what the other Whitehouse staffers are getting. Do you?
Stay safe! Trust everyone and tie your camel as they say. The eye of the needle is a small door that lets you and the camel in. It does not let the overburdened camel with goods tied to its side in. It does not let the person in who is carrying huge arms full of extra goods.
Focus on the good true and lovable. Focus up! 1 inch above and between the tops of your ears. Do it and record the response we trust it is the highest good for the greatest number. E.S, N.
I haven’t written much lately. 1. We are working for the U.S. Census 2020 2. We had a mini tornado go down our street and we lost 2 pine trees in our yard and one from the neighbor’s yard fell across our side yard.Wind gusts from 91-102 MPH Interesting, yes? 3. We have sold the home in Pleasant View, Utah and are moving.
As a note, I copied this from the New York Times. It is expressly theirs. I wanted readers to read and evaluate. Comments may be sent to ernienylander@aol.com
Your answer to that question guides your judgment of the Trump administration’s response. Ross Douthat of The Times has argued that it was merely mediocre, while Vox’s German Lopez and The Atlantic’s David Frum consider it to have been far less effective than other countries’ responses.
One of the people who’s weighed in — via email — is Donald McNeil. By now, you may know him as the Times science reporter who has frequently appeared on “The Daily” podcast to talk about the coronavirus.
Donald makes a fascinating point: Don’t look only at snapshots, like a country’s per capita death toll. “It’s not fair to pick one point in time and say, ‘How are we doing?’” he writes. “You can only judge how well countries are doing when you add in the time factor” — that is, when the virus first exploded in a given place and what has happened since.
The pandemic, he adds, is like a marathon with staggered start times.
The virus began spreading widely in Europe earlier than in North America. Much of Europe failed to contain it at first and suffered terrible death tolls. The per capita toll in a few countries, like Britain, Italy and Spain, remains somewhat higher than in the U.S. But those countries managed to get the virus under control by the late spring. Their caseloads plummeted.
In the U.S., the virus erupted later — yet caseloads never plummeted. Almost every day for the past six months, at least 20,000 Americans have been diagnosed with the virus. “Europe learned the hard lesson and applied remedies,” as Donald says. “We did not, even though we had more warning.”
This chart makes the point:
By The New York Times | Sources: Johns Hopkins University and World Bank
The population-adjusted death toll in the U.S. surpassed Western Europe’s two months ago. The U.S. toll is far above those of France, Germany, Canada, Japan, Australia and many other countries — and is on pace to overtake Italy’s in the next few days and Britain’s and Spain’s not long after that.
Donald does add one important caveat. “We won’t really be able to judge until it’s over,” he says. Cases have recently begun rising again in Spain and some other parts of Europe, raising the possibility that Europe is on the verge of a new surge of deaths. In the U.S., Labor Day gatherings and the reopening of some schools may cause new outbreaks — or may not.
For now, the simplest summary seems to be this: Adjusting for time, there is no large, rich country that has suffered as much as the U.S
Back to Ernie’s writing
Back to our Focus Up Philosophers . We are moving from this house. One day we had 5 people working here and putting things in storage. We have 3 storage units and they’re all about 3/4ths full. Yikes!
We have bought a store to sell Carole’s historical prints and be an office for LeeAnn’s Real Estate career. It’s on historic 25th Street. The one Al Capone said was too angry-mean for him to visit. I hear that one could mail a letter from anywhere in the U.S. and put 25th St. Utah on it and it would get here.
The neighbors offered to help with tree removal when our good friend Jesse James told the LDS ward bishop of our plight. The professionals wanted several thousands to do it. We feel blessed to have such good neighbors.
Here’s a picture and you can get an idea of the size of these old pines.
I think it was 6 or 7 truck & trailer loads of branches and trunk wood that went to the Mormon Church green dump. Some of the larger trunk pieces were taken by a neighbor to heat his cabin in Idaho.
More to come next week Today: (9/13/2020) Remember to focus Up and think for yourself. Question what comes at you this week. Listen to the scientists and medical professionals who do not have personal agendas. Do not accept herd mentality. The intelligent scientists who have, ‘The highest good for the greatest number’ in mind.
Wear a mask in stores, (Please make sure you cover your nose) in groups, in restaurants-except when eating, etc. Have multiple masks. Let masks rest for 2 or more days between wearing. Wash your hands, Count out 20 seconds while washing. I do it and it makes Carole wonder about me. We believe now that 20 seconds of soap hand washing takes care of the Coronavirus. keep hand cleaner, 70% alcohol and/or alcohol wipes near-in cars etc. I get wipes and add 70% alcohol, Listerine for good smell and use them between getting in and out of the car. Stay 2 meters or 6 feet apart. If you see someone coughing, sneezing, etc. get more than 6 meters or 20 feet away. ‘Err on the side of caution.‘ Blessings, ESN
Listing #: 61311281 on KSL.com Antique Krakauer upright piano. Beautiful hardwood vintage early 1900’s. Check it out. Great piano great price.
I remember some of the stories my parents and other people told me in the good old days before Covid-19. Just a few months that have changed the world as we know it. I thought it might be a good thing to remember some of the stories. If you have a good one or two send them to us and we’ll share them.
My dad went to Roanoke college in Salem, Virginia. He lived in Richmond which is almost 200 miles away. He had stories galore from that period of time in his life. Dates are in the 1920’s. (Razzmatazz and all that jazz!) One thing I remember is that he went to school there at the same time as Robert Mitchum. I don’t remember any stories with RM and my dad, sad to say. Here are a couple of stories that I do remember. Mi padre went to college and traveled from Richmond to Roanoke College (Salem Virginia) in several different cars. One was an Auburn Roadster that one of his friends owned. The Auburn was a sporty car with a boat looking rear end called a boat tail. It was fast and handled the speed very well my dad mused. Parent and driver/owner of the Auburn were traveling through one of the small towns who had a very low, low speed limit. Being teenagers with a fast and quick car I am sure they were traveling above the legal limit. Almost at the end of town they heard a siren. My dad was surprised that the car was instantly speeding up because his friend was engaging power rather than stopping for the siren. Normally my male parent thought that he would pull over and stop for a police siren. My dad looked at his friend with a questioning glance. The friend smiled, then laughed and pointed behind them with his big grin, My dad looked back and saw that the siren was mounted on a bicycle with the policeman pumping feet on the pedals. He was riding it hard as he could and was fading quickly into their distant past.
The next story he delighted to tell upon occasion was about driving down the highway in an old Ford. This was in the days prior to safety glass. They scared up a flock of chickens with the Ford and one broke the window came through the middle of the windshield and hit the back window of the car. Both men had ducked and weren’t hurt. They did have to stop and clean the car.
Before World War II dear old dad worked in the Blue Ridge Mountains for the Civilian Conservation Corps, called the CCC. It was a tough time in our history and the country was taking care of its people by hiring them to work on infrastructure. They built rock walls around the highways, as well as many other projects in the mountains. The rock walls are still visible there today. While working in Damascus, Virginia he met my mom. They married and I was born in Marion, Virginia. In my first year of life and I don’t know how good it was but my dear old dad made home brew (beer). He made it right there in the apartment they lived in. He needed a place to let it age in the bottles, so he decided the best place for temperature and aging ambiance was underneath my crib. Mom put a stop to it after one of the bottles blew its cap. Maybe that’s the cause of my questionable quirky intelligence or interesting focus on life.
On a different note, let’s talk of our planet as well as ourselves.
Native Americans have a rite of passage they call a Vision Quest that involves young males entering manhood. It marks a significant change in the individual. It his often humbling, singularly powerful and a great opportunity to learn about the nature of the person having the experience and to see oneself in a new light. I think today with Covid-19 we can go on our own new vision quest away from the madding crowd. What will it include? Spending time alone, or with a significant other, passing time in nature or in a favorite room in our home. Being quiet, thoughtful or suspending thought through meditation. Something I recommend would be to write down what your vision is. A. Start with yourself. B. Expand it to family, neighbors and friends. C. Include the world in the way you would want it.
I’ll share some of a vision quest that I might have here and now.
I have a vision of our country instituting the CCC again. Call it the Civilian Conservation Corps or not, what I want to envision is people working together. We are going to have many people out of work now because of the challenges of Coronavirus. Now is the time we can create opportunities to improve, even save our infrastructure with young people and/or aged people wanting to work and needing jobs. If I were younger I’d consider making underwater epoxy and coverings to shore up and save bridges, docks and other over and under-water structures. One of my chemist friends did that some fifty years ago. My vision sees improvements in roads. My vision sees saving, improving and upgrading our brick and mortar buildings. My vision sees batteries on trailers that hook on to electric cars to improve their driving range. My vision sees people driving less, and driving fuel efficient vehicles My vision sees improved rail lines and railroad tracks new and improved. High speed rail is part of my vision going from coast to coast and up and down our coasts. My vision sees a new cooperation with rail and truck deliveries that lowers fuel consumption dramatically. My vision sees an American who can wait patiently for goods and services so thereby we could save energy. My vision sees new cars and trucks that are hydrogen powered with stations to support. Start small and end up with a new environment that benefits the planet and its people. My vision sees renewable energy improvements and placements everywhere. When we drive south out of Las Vegas we see solar power energy generating stations (3) that look wonderful. We can see the reflectors enhancing the sun’s energy and focusing it on the collectors above the desert floor. It is striking and heartening to see. Solar electric energy to be available for all needed homes, factories, commercial buildings, etc. Solar hot water everywhere. My vision quest would see wind energy utilized where it is available. Small wind generators for homes in windy areas. Wave energy on shores that are now unused for tourism and other non people intensive areas. My vision sees a new era of cooperation between government, science, and all people. My vision sees conquest of Covid-19 and all dis-ease and ill-messes with the ingenuity, intelligence and power of science, medicine and the mind. The greatest of these as I travel the world in my vision quest is Mind. With mind engaged all things are possible. When all things are possible to mind then we must focus on the highest and best for each person as well as our planet.
It is difficult for me to believe that the good old days were Christmas of 2019. We hugged our families and friends and neighbors. We shook hands freely. We sat close to people in churches and theaters we traveled freely on foot or bicycles and underground on subways, overground on buses and in the air on airlines. We were close to people anywhere we went we could feel free to be close to people. We could pick up products anywhere and bring them into our homes without fears of infections. The good old days is a relative term nowadays, isn’t it? Think about the good old days of Christmas 2019 and plan to act accordingly until we have a vaccine and do the right thing, the prudent thing until then. Fear not, be not afraid there will come better days. ‘Till then stay safe!
Here are a couple of stories out of my past from the forties and fifties. That is 1940’s and 1950’s. Please note that I was born in 1941. My grandfather in southwest Virginia was an interesting gentleman. I do mean a gentleman. He owned and ran the general store. It sold clothes, food, gifts and etc. One day I picked up a little bird that had hit the big store window. It took a couple of days to nurse it back to health and we let it fly away. It is a memory of one of our vacation trips to Damascus Virginia. I have many good memories of the Blue Ridge Mountain areas of Virginia. Some make me smile, or shudder, sometimes tingle and the most earth-splitting make me shake with memorable feelings. Yes I am a man who has and talks about feelings. The first one I think of and the most memorable story is one when I was much shorter than I am today. My grandfather got a new car, a big car because of his family traveling with him. The owner of the hardware store had bought a Cadillac. Grandpa Wright got a Packard. It had four doors. The back doors were called suicide doors and opened forward. That is the hinges were in the rear of the door and the handle was toward the front. Those doors were easy to get in and out of for passengers, Interestingly they were prone to opening all the way once the latch was open. Since this was a new car we all got in and headed out to Sunday brunch through one of the mountain roads. I was in the back seat with Ma-Wright, my grandmother. I was naturally fooling around like any good child would. This was about 1945 when I was about four. I hit the door handle with my head and the door flew open. The car had a coat sash across the back of the front seats. That was a leather strap that went from one side of the back of the front seats to the other. I grabbed that and my grandmother grabbed my other hand. I can remember seeing the road rushing under me and the rear tire about a foot behind my shoes. Soon the car stopped and everyone picked me up off the pavement and I totally ruined the trip for Sunday brunch. We went back to my grandparents home. There the antiseptic was brought out and it had to be the painful one. I think they called it Merthiolate. Mercurochrome was painless, but that was not for them or me. That night I dreamed of spiders and was awake off and on for most of the night. The next day when I put on my shoes I had the thought it was the first time I wore out the tops of my shoes before the bottoms. A week or so later I heard that Pa-Wright had pulled back on the steering wheel while hollering Whoa to stop his horse that he normally drove. Prior to owning this new car he had a horse and buggy. My dad had to tell him to put his foot on the brake. Evidently I made quite a trip on my knees and tops of shoes. One foot in front of the rear wheels with one hand on the coat sash and grandmothers hand holding me inches away from sure disaster.
Another short tale was the day our family was planning to leave the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains after a summer visit. We were going to drive home to Ohio where we lived. I’m reasonably sure this was after a two week holiday my dad took from work each summer. Note, this was not the same year as the previous adventure. Pa-Wright gave me handfuls of candy in the morning. Being an obstreperous kid I had bugged the store employees and customers so I was given candy bribes to entice me to go away. I remember that I ate most of it before getting in the car. I may have shared one or two pieces with my sister. Guess who got sick? Guess whose mother had to change her dress out beside the barn when my system rejected the overdose of sugar and caffeine? Approximately six or more hours in the car, driving to Worthington, Ohio. Guess who had sugar blues and caffeine paranoia most of the way home? .
On another visit I was walking with cousin Stuart in town. We walked over to the Damascus Methodist church. There was Uncle NS Wright and I think he was digging out part of the foundation and laying bricks with only one or two helpers. I didn’t see anyone else working as diligently as he did in the dirt of what must’ve been going to be the basement. Several people we stood beside were watching him. I stood there and watched. Now I wonder why I didn’t offer to help. Now I wish I had. As they say hindsight is 20-20.
Cousin Nancy and I were playing in the upstairs bedroom of grandma Wright’s home. There was a stairway out the back door to the second floor. Since it went from the ground to the second floor non-stop there seemed like there must have been twenty steps. We envisioned a white bear coming up and down the stairway. The stairway was long and straight. It hugged the outside wall of the back of the house. They were wooden stairs and aged by weather and sunlight. They had no finish on them, but were still in good shape. One long stairway from the ground to second floor. Played on by a single white bear. For me ‘twas a cartoon bear not in the least scary. It had power to fly whenever it wanted. Playful white bear, a friend and imaginary playmate for cousin Nancy and me.
Nancy married a gentleman who was also named Wright. Since she was a Wright the newspaper printed the story headlined as I remember it; two Wrights can’t make a …
Many people knew Grant D. Wright better than I did. Maybe no one respected him more than me. When I was anywhere near the Wright home I enjoyed staying in their spare room.
I remember one day that I got in to Springfield Virginia and Nancy and Grant invited me to stay with them. Their three boys were off somewhere and so the house was uncharacteristically quiet. Nancy suggested that we sit out on their partio . She said that we could visit while she made dinner. I requested garlic grits as one of my treats. Nancy Grant and I sat and talked briskly for about a half an hour. Nancy got up and went in to the kitchen. Grant and I sat in silence for most of the time that it took Nancy to make dinner. Interestingly when we got in to the house to eat, We ate and talked right through the dinner and then into the den and continued the conversation. It was that night that Nancy was the catalyst for conversation. Yet in the silence that Grant and I shared it now seems that we were communicating at a high level.
Ond day in California Grant and I were walking down the street of the area where they lived in ZZZ . We watched the children riding bicycles and laughed when they jumped on and off with alacrity. We decided that there were no older women riding bikes In that neighborhood the mothers could ride to the store, the pool or wherever it was close enough for them to go if they had a three wheel bike. They would be able to ride to the store without burning gas. They would be able to carry groceries home. They could pur a child seat on it and take a youngster with them. They would want a sporty frame and wheels that made sense strength and weight wise. We thought a suspension that allowed the people riding the three wheller to lean into turns. Then we thought that price would eliminate that feature. We wanted to make it buyable for the average household income would have to be able to buy it. The average woman, wife, mother as well as those above average would want them. We never went any further than talking about it. I guarantee you it was fun to talk about. Three months ago, my wife and I were walking by a bike shop in California and there in the outdoor area was a tekkie three wheel bike with electric power. The one thing Grant and I hadn’t considered, rechargeable power units on cool looking and interesting three wheelers any woman would be proud and utility as well as conservation minded women would appreciate. Now just a great sales campaign and three wheelers could be off and running or rolling.
wrong.
Cousin Stuart and I were difficult children. Hard to keep pinned down and stationary. We were continually moving. Prior to driving cars, we played all over the available town, river and islands. The swimming pool was a favorite place to go in summers. Since I mainly visited in summers I was usually in shorts and maybe a t shirt.
On Saturdays when my parents were in town I think it was twenty eight cents that they put in my hand. Cousin Stuart and I would saunter off to the theatre. On Saturday afternoons there was a movie and cartoon and sometimes a serial also. Horatio Hornblower sailing adventure movies were my favorites. The dress and swords and guns and cannons were great. We would get popcorn to help replace the energy that we burned being active boys. I watched the movies enraptured in the adventure of it all.
Then after the movie we would go to the drugstore. The counter at the drugstore served cokes and other drinks with soda and sometimes ice cream. My twenty eight cents afforded me all that fun and food and drink. It was an adventure that lasted fully a half a day.
Then fired up with sugar and caffeine we would grab sticks and go swashbuckling on the high seas with captain Hroatio Hornblower at the helm. We would be buccaneers, seafaring adventurers and winners of every battle. We never battled each other. Too much respect I trust. Sometimes as we swash-buckled over the high seas of the river that flowed through town. Once we got on a little almost island. I remember falling part way in to the river and being humiliated by my coordination or lack thereof.
Later in life when I had a drivers license we would commandeer an old (1949) Mercury from the store and ride, ride, ride. We seemed to always have a great time whenever and wherever we would go riding. I’m sure now that Nancy and Stuart were two of my favorite relatives.
All in all, the time spent in the Blue Ridge was a magical part of my youth. Stuart throwing pillows at Cousin Andy’s legs and him rolling on the house carpet. Riding all over town in the old model T Ford one of the girls dad’s let us drive. Walking miles just to walk and see what was happening around town. Sometimes I’d be walking somewhere to get there on time. Of course it always takes longer than it takes so I was continually late. I remember my Aunts making me wash with a scrub brush because I was so brown. I was suntanned I trust and just not dirty. Bottom line was they thought I was continually dirty. They never seemed to see that there was no difference in my brown-ness as I emerged from the bath.
In the fifties I spent a couple of summers in Damascus mom’s hometown in the southwestern Virginia mountains. It was before I could drive and no TV, of course, so we had fun without what children can or could do today for entertainment. Part of my small town education was how to play Canasta. It was a game of cards. It was supposed to be a game of chance. My aunt and grandmother became partners and contested Cousin Stuart and me. Well here’s how we played it. The first hand was always won by us boys. We had the best cards and won handily. Of course, Stuart and I loaded the deck. We would go in and place cards where we wanted them. Every other card was a good one. So the second and fourth, sixth and eighth, tenth and twelfth cards were the very best cards in the deck and so on. Think about it. We always dealt the first hand and so it would go opponents get card one Stuart or I would get card two. From then on, we get the even number cards which were the best cards. Wow could we win that first hand of Canasta. I don’t remember winning any other hands. The ladies were crafty and good honest players as I remember.
Enough about me. Send us stories we can share about the good old days before Covid-19 and we can share them with other focusuppholosophers,com
I guess we should update our knowledge on Covid-19. If you read our earlier posts you’d know the reasons for the name. Not to be too redundant I’ll do it again here. Co-corona, v-virus, i-infectious, d-disease and 19-2019.
The number of cases continue to grow. Our neighbor believes it is a conspiracy and they are just puffing the numbers of cases What we now believe is that the virus lives in bats who are contemporary animals that have many tendencies that are reptilian. They flap their wings seventeen times per second. This causes stress that is not exhibited in any other mammals because bats are the only mammals that fly extended flights. Extended flight has caused them to be very different from other mammals. Probably the bat gave this Covid-19 virus that does not seem to affect them like it does us, to an animal. In China there are wet markets where live and unprocessed food animals are sold. There is, or was one large wet market in Wuhan, China. Possibly a bat passed it on to an animal in the wet market. Then the infected animal passed it on to a human. It could have been live and sneezed or possibly when eaten. Then the human to human exchange began. To date 6/8/20 we have 7,132,732 cases with 406,959 deaths worldwide. The trend seems to be down a bit this month. Think of it, we are happy with a reduction in cases of still around a hundred thousand people catching the disease daily. Could be our politicians let us down in the very beginning of this Coronavirus pandemic. Where were the scientific and medical minds? There have been many recoveries and this is the good news. The challenge with recoveries is that many will suffer effects lifetime. Either lungs, heart, kidneys, liver or other organs. To summarize, we do not want to get this disease. It is age destructive. The older one is the more apt to die. I guess the good news for my wife and I is that we are old and staying out of as much danger as possible here in Utah. We wear our mask and rotate a different mask and let them rest for four days or wash them. They’re not necessarily pretty, although I have one that’s great, made by daughter Sharon. Wear your mask! We wear disposable gloves when and where necessary.
Worldwide cases of 7 million plus and over 4 hundred thousand deaths. Not a good number but over 3 million have recovered and are still alive. Let’s send good thoughts to those who have it and we trust are recovering and give thanks for those who are on the flip side of the disease and healthy again. We can bless those who have made their transition to the next higher level because of it. Especially first responders, doctors, nurses, volunteers and the like who have transitioned off the planet because of doing good works.
On another possibly more positive note let’s look at some affirmations and quickies that you can use. I won’t always know the origin or creator and if you wish to look them up you can.
Look for the good and praise it.
We are here to love people and use things. Not to love things and use people.
Our friends are our telltales. Our children are our mirrors.
Time is of the essence. Time and tide for no man wait.
The moving finger writes, and having writ moves on.
Change your thinking change your life.
Some games you’re gonna win, some you’re gonna lose and some will get rained out. Lou Gehrig (1939?)
Where there is love there is life. Mohandes Gandhi the Mahatma
Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom Thos. Jefferson
Folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be Abe Lincoln
One of my favorite words is obstreperous. One can be interesting and obstreperous. If you’re bored, meditate, read, write, create, learn an instrument, practice what benefits you and/or do something positive for others. Being at home we can be, do and have good, true and lovable times.
Send us your stories, favorite quotes, favorite words, basically anything that motivates you in a positive and focus up direction. focusupphilosophers@gmail.com
Like us, recommend us and use the focus up philosophy for decision making. ergo:
Remember, you can be a Focus Up Philosopher by focusing up into your higher brain. That’s about an inch above and between your upper ears. Decision making is a good time to focus up. While you’re focusing in the upper brain think of the past & past decisions you’ve made. Then think of the future 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 1 year or a lifetime of yours and others and planetary future. I hear the Japanese are taught to think 150 years in the past & future. Our Focus Up Philosopher Society (FUPS) recommends focusing up once an hour minimum. Sit quietly, focus up for 1-3 minutes. Solve a problem, make a choice, think of a service you can do for another or others and the planet. Focus up time is a good time to do positive thinking.
Weekify: This week if you can please look another human being in the eyes for 5 minutes. Sit a safe distance away and look into a significant other or friend, etc’s. eyes for five full minutes. Time it and give them all your attention. It’s life affirming, even life changing. 5 minutes, 35 minutes a week if you wish to elevate your life and quite possibly the life of another.
Remember to share your ‘Good old days’ (prior to December 31/2019) email: focusupphilosophers@gmail.com.
Blessings, Ernest
P.S. This just in. Featured on MSN .
“When the world looked to Asia for successful examples in handling the novel coronavirus outbreak, much attention and plaudits were paid to South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
But there’s one overlooked success story — Vietnam. The country of 97 million people has not reported a single coronavirus-related death and on Saturday had just 328 confirmed cases, despite its long border with China and the millions of Chinese visitors it receives each year.
This is all the more remarkable considering Vietnam is a low-middle income country with a much less-advanced healthcare system than others in the region. It only has 8 doctors for every 10,000 people, a third of the ratio in South Korea, according to the World Bank.
After a three-week nationwide lockdown, Vietnam lifted social distancing rules in late April. It hasn’t reported any local infections for more than 40 days. Businesses and schools have reopened, and life is gradually returning to normal.
To skeptics, Vietnam’s official numbers may seem too good to be true. But Guy Thwaites, an infectious disease doctor who works in one of the main hospitals designated by the Vietnamese government to treat Covid-19 patients, said the numbers matched the reality on the ground.
“I go to the wards every day, I know the cases, I know there has been no death,” said Thwaites, who also heads the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City.
“If you had unreported or uncontrolled community transmission, then we’ll be seeing cases in our hospital, people coming in with chest infections perhaps not diagnosed — that has never happened,” he said.
So how has Vietnam seemingly bucked the global trend and largely escaped the scourge of the coronavirus? The answer, according to public health experts, lies in a combination of factors, from the government’s swift, early response to prevent its spread, to rigorous contact-tracing and quarantining and effective public communication.
Acting early
Vietnam started preparing for a coronavirus outbreak weeks before its first case was detected.
At the time, the Chinese authorities and the World Health Organization had both maintained that there was no “clear evidence” for human-to-human transmission. But Vietnam was not taking any chances.
“We were not only waiting for guidelines from WHO. We used the data we gathered from outside and inside (the country to) decide to take action early,” said Pham Quang Thai, deputy head of the Infection Control Department at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi.
By early January, temperature screening was already in place for passengers arriving from Wuhan at Hanoi’s international airport. Travelers found with a fever were isolated and closely monitored, the country’s national broadcaster reported at the time.
By mid-January, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam was ordering government agencies to take “drastic measures” to prevent the disease from spreading into Vietnam, strengthening medical quarantine at border gates, airports and seaports.”
Thwaites said, “The population is much more respectful of infectious diseases than many perhaps more affluent countries or countries that don’t see as much infectious disease — Europe, the UK and the US for example,” he said.
“The country understands that these things need to be taken seriously and complies with guidance from the government on how to prevent the infection from spreading.” (Thanks MSN)
Please listen to science and medical professionals when there’s a question about your health. Do not listen to politicians for medical or health advice. ESN
P.P.S. Book: We’ll tell you more about the book ‘Splendid South Africa and Swaziland. If you want to consider ordering one on our third printing coming up let us know. Cost is $18.95 plus $4.00 shipping.
P.P.P.S Carole is an artist. Here is a painting or two. Interested in seeing more? Go to www.cqnart.com
Think how much others have given to make our country, our world what it is today.
We often hear of Betsy, Ben, Thomas, George, Abraham, Harry S., Rosa, Teddy, Sacagwea Franklin and Eleanor, Martin Luther, and the others of history whom we revere. For each of them there are thousands whose names are not written on the annals of history who gave myriads of time, money and were dedicated to fostering our freedom and liberty.
There are towns, fields and places like Boston, Chickamauga, Bull Run, 7 mile forge, Richmond, Gettysburg, Atlanta, and the Alamo that ring in our history adventure. Do you know the story behind, ‘One if by land two if by sea?’ How about, ‘5440 or fight, Seward’s folly and the Louisiana Purchase?’ Possibly you’ve heard, ‘Walk softly and carry a big stick, give me liberty or give me death.’ The stories, legends and songs of the heroes do not hide the fact that there are millions of supporters about whom we don’t talk, eulogize or even remember. Perhaps your ancestors, family or friends are part of this group. The timeworn expression, ‘What have you done for me lately?’ comes to mind. What have we done for Lady Liberty, America the beautiful and our democracy? What have we done to promote good, true and lovable thinking?
Adventurers like Jim Bowie, Davey Crockett and Kit Carson got the credit for their exploits. How many unnamed unheralded and unsung heroes followed them and buoyed their reputations? The Alamo was a loss in history and yet those heroes will be remembered in our history.
Today we are going to think about you. We’re going to tell stories of those whom we may have not thought about, or talked about, or even considered as part of that rousing history of the rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air. Ah yes it’s America. We, yes we are part of it. Let us note what good we have done for our country, our brothers and sisters and the planet. We invite you to tell us a story you know. I’ll tell you a sorta sick one I know. Friends would go into a San Francisco restaurant and register as the Donner party of 7-6-5-4. I didn’t do it they just told me about it! Then of course the hostess would call out the registration. Thimk about it.
The Shoshone tribe of Native Americans have a good way of picking their chief. Anyone in the tribe who does a kindness for others or a community service for the good of the tribe gets called in to the chief’s presence. The chief gave the one who did the kindness or service an eagle feather. Today it doesn’t matter whether that tribe member is male or female. Ages can be from six to sixty. When the old chief is on his death bed he chooses the next chief. The member with the most eagle feathers becomes the next chief. This is the member of the tribe with the most feathers and who has done the most service and kindnesses. It is deemed by the dying chief that he or she is worthy of being chief.
I asked myself if I could be chief. Could you? Possibly a good thing to do in your isolation would be to count your kindnesses and register your eagle feathers. I have ____?_____ eagle feathers.
I feel blessed to be part of this grand experiment in democracy or republic as Ben Franklin said it was. Do you realize that there has not been a democracy that has sustained since Greece. The Greeks only maintained their democracy for about one hundred eighty six years. We have beaten that record and are reaching for another milestone in history. If we can survive the Coronavirus named Covid-19 we will be reaching the two hundred fortieth plus year of our democracy. Some would say it is representative democracy or indirect democracy that we have designed rather than a pure democracy. That means that the populace votes on and elects representatives who will do what is in their best interest. So if we use 1776 to 2020 we can say our form of democracy is two hundred forty four years old. Many people think that for the last four or more years it is plutocracy. My bride says we must watch the film; ‘Kill Chain,’ the cyber war on democracy.
Interesting fact about the 21 gun salute. I have heard it is for 1776. In fact one historian told me they used to shoot one gun then two rounds of seven guns and finally one round of six guns.
Covid-19 or as it has been called the Coronavirus is a deadly virus causing a world pandemic. One hundred and two years ago, 1918, the misnamed Spanish Flu spread across the world. The first wave was bad and then with the end of WWI people forgot or did not want to do social or as we Focus Up Philosophers say physical distancing. The celebrations for the ending of the war, November 1918 forced people into close contact with one another. This second round of the pandemic killed more people than did WWI. 50 million deaths plus. Added to this fact soldiers returned from the war sick and spread the disease to other Americans. Also the influenza spread when people went to parades and the like for the end of the war. It is believed the troops brought a deadlier strain to America from Europe.
One of the wins was New York City. The city took steps to limit the spread of the influenza. It staggered work hours, banned communal drinking cups at fountains, recommended masks and stopped spitting on the sidewalks. Their percentage of deaths per thousand people was around 4.7 and Boston had a 6.5, while Philadelphia had over 7.
Today’s ratio varies from 1.4 in Manhattan to over 2.7 in the Bronx. There are more cases of course because of the greater population. There either have been or are over 176,000 cases in the city. In 1918-19, I think there were 115,000
Since it was before TV, radio, and the internet posters and newspapers were printed to explain the influenza and methods of self protection. Interestingly the Boy Scouts patrolled and warned spitters with poster cards.
We have found out that people who test positive would be advised to get a pulse oximeter and make sure your oxygen ratio is above 95. If under that call your doctor and get a recommendation immediately. They’re in the $35 range.
For goodness sake be cautious. Wear mask and when needed gloves. As we’ve said before err on the side of caution.
One other concept is our focus up decision making process. Remember to focus up at least once an hour. When we focus up into the upper middle of our brain which is our happiness center or win center. It may be the ventral striatum. Some scientists have tested subjects and say that is the area that lights up from happiness and wins. I call it my cave. It is the place where we automatically go when we win the big race or have that high from completing a challenging task. It is easily reached by focusing about an inch above and between your upper ears.
We call it a cave center where we can build our own winning space. I know we all have unique imaginations and can and will create a happy place to go whenever we feel down or need an uplift. I have mine that I have gone to for more than thirty years. I wrote about it in an earlier post. You do not need to know all about my cave center to create yours.
The one good time to go there is when you are decision making. Let us speak of decisions in the best possible way. When we have a big decision to make we can focus up into our cave. Begin the decision making process by looking at the past. Your past decisions influence your life and the big decision you are making currently. From the focus up cave look at your wins. These have probably been from good decisions you have made. Look at the future from your focus up and winning perspective. See yourself in the future. Visualize yourself and your life any number of hours, days, weeks, months, years or decades with good decisions (A single good decision) made in the here and now.
The reason we make decisions from the cave, Happiness Center, or win area is that if we make the decision from the brain between the eyes which is the limbic brain. When we decide from the limbic brain we are making decisions that our animal instincts demand. Of course we need the limbic brain for everyday tasks and even safety. It is our flight or fight brain. It resides between and behind the eyes. In the world of effects it is necessary for us to remain here in the midst of dangers and quick and easy stay alive decisions. The cave, focus up, winning and happiness center 1.5 in. above and behind the eyes is a higher consciousness center. Therefore the decisions, that is the considered decisions made here are in the norm higher and more thoughtful. Especially if we will take the time to look into the past and future to get perspective. We recommend one to three minutes in the happiness-win center focusing on the decision. Past, present and the here and now decision to be made can change your world. Maybe even the whole world will change with one decision.
Now that I’m eighty-ish I look at some of the big decisions I’ve made and wonder. I wonder what my life would look like had I made a different choice. It’s called recapitulation. I am continually recapping my life. I think I have made some really great decisions. Most of what I am and who I am now is good. Did I make some bad decisions? I made some doozies. I made some that I must apolagize for. So I trust I am forgiven.. Thanks all.
Something I read years ago said that the saddest words were ‘If only.’ If only I had done this or that. The concept was that we are condemned more by what we didn’t do than what we did do. My advice to you would be to focus up and make the decision after you’ve looked at your past and the decisions you’ve made and the future projecting yourself into it. Look at the best of the best of each choice you have. Then decide and make the higher, happier and most beneficial life for yourself and others. Become a divine human treasure. Hang out with those whom you attract at your higher level of consciousness. Collect those eagle feathers. Do kindnesses and service to your friends, family and neighbors. Remember always we are here to love our neighbors, ourselves and even our enemies. Love people, and use things. Not, love things, use people.
Some of my contemporaries say to live with an attitude of gratitude. I have said that we must become the master. Master ourselves, the world and learning to love that is why we chose to be here in this interesting time. A time between living, learning and loving for exponential growth and Covid-19. Spend time learning, creating and doing what you can live to love. Then when you recapitulateor recap in your life you will have something good to remember. You’ll have a lot of good to remember.
Dealing with a pandemic on a day to day basis and staying safe as well as having a life is interesting, yes? In the hope of making your time as productive as you wish it to be. Let me say, I understand that Harvard is offering free classes. Weber State University is offering a class to assist us in making sense of the pandemic. A professor has asked every department to chime in and offer their expertise.
Make yourself a goals list. When you complete one and have a win that you can register in your focus up, happiness and win center in your brain then star that goal. Draw a big star on the goal number. That’s a win that you can put in your dusty ditty bag and carry with you forever. Carole and I wrote a book about our South Africa trip. That is a star on the write a book goal. Our friends George and Gabrielle did the pictures. Now we’re in print. Next we want to design a game and have school children around the world play it and pressure the poachers to stop killing rhinos and other animals in South Africa. When we can star that number on our goals list we’ll exhibit ecstasy in our focus up brains. Our happiness center will be truly happy.
Anyone wanting to contribute as part of the Focus Up Philosophers Society (FUPS) website write and let us know. Email us: focusupphilosophers@gmail.com. Thimk and refer a friend www.focusupphilosophers.com Like us. Tune in once a week for the newest info we have. This week we will start a focus up tradition which we call Weekify: You can add it to your dictionary. You can meme this knowledge and tradition to others so we can grow our good life and positive messages.
Weekify: This week we are all going to become, no we will commit to being a ‘Divine Human Treasure’ Write what that will mean to you and yours. Also remain committed to contacting neighbors, friends and family. Check in with them + think about serving them possibly even what you can do about loving them.
We are for the most part staying home and doubling the size of our garden.. If you want us to send you and yours Focus Up Philosophers good thoughts let us know. We are here for you. We willdo some Zoom presentations if and when you wish. Feel free to let us know what you want to learn and/or share. I spoke to some 1,600 business execs about sales management and success last week on Zoom. Anyone wishing to hear more about the business presentations a friend does email us and we will send you his info.
If you wish we can do other Zoom presentations, A. Meditation. up-level consciousness. B. Nature of the Soul. C. Science of Mind. D. Focus Up Philosophers thoughts and good news. E. (Tell us what you want)
We watched the Virtual star party at the Ott Planetarium website. I think you can probably pull that up and watch it now or whenever you wish . Also, we learned how to use Stellarium (free app) Then we Zoom conferenced with Audrey and Sharon in CA from our home here in UT.
Saturday night we had a stay-date. We had a date night and stayed at home. Three or four hours of uninterrupted consciousness about each other. I dressed in my top drawer Hawaiian shirt. Carole brushed her hair and dressed to the nines. We watched an old movie and hugged on the couch. ‘Twas great. Maybe next week we will dance the Shag. The Shag is the east coast beach music dance. Sort of a slow bop. Not a Fred Astaire dance step, but very cool.
Sunday, of course was Mothers Day and Carole had a great one I trust . Anika baked a cake. LeeAnn brought wondrous food for us and I cooked Salmon on the grill. Lauren who is vegan had vegan burgers. We ate on the patio so physical distancing was easy. Happy belated Mothers Day to all mothers out there.
Our fervent desire, (Focus Up Philosophers) is for each and every person to know and live as inheritors of our glorious and incomparable universe.
This Coronavirus pandemic will motivate the world to come together and begin to work in concert and harmony with each other. Countries, religions, and races will focus together to work with and for each other. The goal is to grow exponentially into a compendium to improve relations and technology worldwide.
Reduction of energy waste.
Environment stability to preserve the plants, animals, water, current temperature range, and land masses or continents as they are today.
Increase integrity, openness and honesty worldwide.
Replace singular thinking people at the top of government with 9 member groups who can make good decisions for our planet, our lives and our future. The race mind of our entire planet must be focused on and for the good, true and lovable, now and forevermore.
Take all agendas other than compassion, strength, unity, intelligence and love out of the United Nations and let it become a planetary guidance organization. Actually this is about what New York City determined it needed to handle the Coronavirus pandemic.
Planetary, country, state, city and county governments shall have the good of the planet and all of its people as the first order of business. After that individual well being and elimination of lack of water, food, clothing, and domicile needs are to be handled with all haste.
No children, homeless, fearful, mentally challenged, or other people are to be forgotten citizens of our world. Our brothers and sisters must not be forgotten. There must be enough resources applied to the job of taking care of everyone. We are all valuable, everyone.
The bottom line, let’s not wait until the year 3,000 to end war,(Fear) terrorism, (Fear) hatred, (Lacking Love) self aggrandizement, (Not Loving self + fear) and love of money, (Lack of spiritual enlightenment + fear of loss)
The metric system will become standard worldwide and when it can be accomplished driving of vehicles shall be standardized.
The world will be governed and run by the best possible people. They will be determined by the best of the best minds, intuition and spirits in 9 fields of endeavor. (1). Medical- scientific, (2). Environmental, (3). Spiritual, (4). Government-Law & Enforcement, (5). Education-Intellectual-History-Arts-Music, (6). Transportation-Shipping, (7). Clean Water-water control, (8). Building-development & infrastructure, (9). Physical-mental for individuals, media, groups, Physical shape, conditioning and development, Mental upgrading and up-level-learning and loving to learn, Also debate, respecting all sides and others opinion of an argument.
Statesmen/women will run governments. All governments shall operate for the mutual benefit of the planet and all its people.
Judges, attorneys and law professors will examine and must concur with laws old and new. Recommendations will be offered and changes to laws, etc. made when advisable.
The constitution shall be evaluated and if needed, brought up to date.
The electoral college shall be abolished. It is no longer needed since one function was to assure white dominance in elections.
Historians shall cooperate on textbooks for teaching young people. The truth of history will out and it shall be agreed upon by scholars, historians and people from the regions written about.
Science and medicine shall rule the scientific and health care industry. Politicians, statesmen and women will not be involved.
Scientists, health officials & medical professionals will determine the efficacy and rules about animal protein sold for consumption.
All wet markets will be regulated by a Scientific agency set up to make the rules. China and other countries with these markets will have prepackaged and refrigerated meat protein standard. We understand that it is a way of life for many people. Retraining and education will be available.
Wild animals will not be sold at wet markets. Neither for consumption nor pets. All animals will be tested for health before being adopted. Adoption(s) will take in the best principles for person(s) and animal(s).
Solar installations on buildings and homes will be aided with tax and other financial incentives. Solar electricity and hot water are desired.
Buildings and homes in subtropical and tropical climates shall have roofs that are white or off white in color. Homes in colder climes can be darker in color.
Triple pane windows and two inch separated double pain glass with argon will be required in very cold climates. Jalousie windows shall be replaced worldwide.
Wind installations will be aided with tax and other financial incentives. Smaller wind vanes that can be placed in back yards will be offered with financial incentives.
Wave power installations as above. Beach areas without commercial incentive will be fitted with wave generators,
It is our desire to leave as much oil and gas in the ground as possible. It may act as a shock absorber if an asteroid or other object hits the earth.
Trucks and rail transportation shall have an integrated approach to moving goods. A council on transportation and shipping for ground delivery of goods shall take charge once an order is placed with a manufacturer. Goal is 100% shipment leaving factories in two days. Then with integrated shipping for lowest cost and best energy effeciency goods arrivals will be scheduled. Second rail lines shall be built where feasible
Monorails will be built above and between roads on interstate highways. People mover trailers that are indestructible shall be built and ride sharing in the US will be initiated as soon as reasonably conceivable.
TSA and other agencies will be tasked with certification of travelers for the protection of drivers and passengers. Safe drivers will be compensated. Initiated riders will get priority passes.
Cars will be retrofitted with electric motors and solar panels. People with retrofitted or other energy effecient vehicles can tow the indestructible trailers that move people safely. These will be stored and utilized when and where they’re best utilized.
New vehicles will be at minimum hybrid and ideally electric. No one will countermand energy efficiency regulations.
Electric cars will have trailers attachable and detachable that have batteries and solar panels for greater range. Trailers can be stationed at recharge points and rented for the day, week, etcetera. I.e. between SF and LA., and between NYC and DC., and between Atlanta and Miami.
New battery technology will be explored diligently.
Infrastructure will be upgraded and fixed post haste. Bridges, roads, buildings, and homes will be upgraded as time permits. The cost for these upgrades will be shared by lending institutions and government backed loans.
We bailed out the banks, now it’s their turn. Small business and individuals will be loaned monies to keep them alive and productive.
Area 51, Wright-Pat, and any other sites where we may have stored alien bodies and crafts will be explored and any alien technology will be shared with the people and companies who might find uses for any advances in energy Saving our planet is of tantamount interest.
Judges terms will be four years. Peer review will be every two years. Judges getting less than a ‘Passing’ average will either be put on probation or replaced. Judges and elections or appointments will not be political. Bipartisan committees will be chosen by law professionals.
Three strike rules will be eliminated. All long-term prison terms will be reevaluated by bipartisan judge panels. These 9 person panels will be inclusive of races and genders.
Prisons will be teaching, healing and reintegrating entities. We want to reform criminals when possible. Prisons will become hard learning institutions. People with multiple offenses will be tested frequently for learning that they’re doing while incarcerated.
The so-called War on Drugs will end, and resources will be supplied to addicts who will be encouraged to reform. Enforcement personnel will be motivated to end all illegal drug manufacturing and trafficking.
The federal government will end the mandating of drug policies for states. Drug sentences will be evaluated. States will determine their drug policies. Cannabis shall be declared legal for all countries. Especially for medical purposes.
We will train statesmen and downgrade politicians who do not pass courses. Statesmen/women must be trustworthy, reliable, integral and have a compassionate world view. Non-partisan decisions will be expected whenever possible
We will train prospective parents. They must pass the trainings or retake them until they pass.
A woman’s right to choose will not be a religious football. The Soul is never harmed by fetus or zygote termination in the female. We will learn to live as Soul with a body. Not just a body with a Soul somewhere that nobody knows how to reach.
We are here to love people and use things. Not to love our things and use people.
Every person shall learn to love themselves. And they will learn to love neighbors as themselves. Also all will learn to love enemies. Thereby reducing the enemy relationship.
All nations shall work together for good. No war or other hostilities will be tolerated between countries,nations, states or groups. Terrorism shall not be taught or tolerated. Any person or group encouraging or teaching terrorism, or open hostilities shall be disbanded or if gone too far, punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Assault weapons shall be bought by the government, stored safely and used only in case of emergencies.
Shock commentators will have fact checks immediately following each program. The radio stations will give an equal time for factual commentary on the previous broadcasts.
Newspapers shall be open and honest communication of the facts. Commentaries will be labeled as such.
All elections to be free of influence from outside of country. People shall be taught and trained to evaluate information. Intuition will be valued and increased by its use and positive actions promoted by it. Truth and lies will be separated out and the facts must be examined. Give me the facts maam, just the facts. Remember that phrase from Dragnet? Facts without emotion can be examined logically to find truth.
People shall learn history, so we are not condemned by the lack of knowledge to repeat our mistakes.
There shall be a board of governors in each state to act as watchdogs on religious leaders who are not teaching the words of love and Christ, Buddha, i.e. the highest good for the greatest number without an us vs. them teaching. Politicians who are not certified as statesmen/women will be actively limited, removed or campaigned against in elections,
Teachers shall be honored and pay increased. We want the best and brightest teaching our children. The people who decide to continue education deserve the best of the best in education.
Social Security shall be buoyed for now. SSA money collected from workers shall be put in no loss investments and not in the general fund.
The general fund shall be collected taxes from a flat tax.
The Post office shall be opened up to sell packing and moving materials. Also take payments for utilities. Post office shall remain a government enterprise. It will not be sold off to WalMart. Staffing shall be increased to handle extra work. Self-service checkouts will be increased.
Debate will be taught and encouraged in Middle School and High Schools. Debate clubs shall be funded and encouraged worldwide.
Representatives shall have a maximum of two each, two-year terms. Campaigning will only be for six weeks prior to election.
Senators are allowed two six-year terms. Campaigning shall be allowed for eight weeks prior to elections.
Campaign promises shall be enumerated and checked.
Representatives and Senators paid one hundred thousand dollars taxable income with health care equal to all citizens. Public housing shall be built in DC for Representatives and Senators. All parties will be housed in the housing together. Opposing parties shall be housed next to each other. I.e. A, B. A, B. A, B. We trust this will foster communication above and beyond just the floor of the House or Senate.
Candidates and challengers will get thirty minutes TV time. One major article in newspapers, and three minor articles. Two magazine articles and twenty-four live rallies (Zoom meetings if it is unsafe to gather)
All monies collected and spent on campaigning by parties and candidates shall be openly reported.
The top income tax shall be 90%. Flat taxes shall be instituted without the possibility of skating out on payment. The government agencies shall have the right to collect taxes. This will be done with integrity and calmness. No forcing, coercing or animosity will be engendered.
The starving and homeless shall be rescued. Food, clean water, medical attention, clothing and rooms provided for every human being wanting or needing them.
Public transportation will be a right. Plug in Hybrids shall be available at a nominal cost to rent. Retirees and people making less than fifteen thousand dollars per annum and families making less than twenty thousand dollars a year will be eligible.
Christ, Buddha, Kahuna, Mahavatar, Mahatma, Saint, and Focus Up Philosopher higher consciousness decision making training shall be available for a nominal cost evenings at high schools and colleges. Courses are mandatory for both males and females 21 to 28 years of age.
Marriage of any two human individuals will be sanctioned .
Children are a choice. Families will be encouraged have no more than two children. Adoption shall be encouraged. Group homes shall be open to couples wanting to adopt.
All people get medical attention at nominal cost or no charge
Drug companies will be managed and controlled for the good of the people in need. When money is needed to encourage new medicines the companies in question will put forth a prospectus and the money will be available.
Churches shall be limited to only church activities tax free. Any sales, money making schemes or activities other than services shall be taxable.
Taxes shall be projected and paid on time. Interest shall be six percent and penalties shall be no higher than ten percent per year.
All laws shall be evaluated by panels of judges, law professors and lawyers. pro bono as their monies reach one hundred thousand per year income pro bono time shall be a part of their work life.
Corporations shall be structured, run and motivated as, for and to do the highest good for the greatest numbers of people and our society. They will no longer be held to the standard of only money-making ventures. They will not be set up to solely enrich stockholders, corporate presidents, CEO’s and other privileged executives.
Money must not become our deity. Know that there is a universal power for good. It is greater than we are and we can use it. So, use this universal power for good. Please do.
Thanks to all Focus Up Philosophers who contributed and assisted with ‘The New FUPS world.’ We invite other contributions. If exceptions are taken and/or there’s a better thought you have, let us know.
Covid-19 and Coronavirus: What we know now
Keep good thoughts because there’s unlimited good in the universe. This is not the last word you’ll want to read, keep up with the news on a public radio, public TV, Newspapers, science magazines etc. Please remember that some news seems to be more of a sales pitch than news. If you listen to the shock radio common-tators do it with an ear to reality. You can check the things they say. Dr. Fauci is a good person to listen to.
Please connect with family, friends, and yes neighbors to be sure they are either well (Healthy) or taken good care of. We have a green placard on our front door to indicate all’s well. Yellow would mean trouble and red is stop there is a major problem.
The virus lives about 3 days on stainless steeland other hard items . It may last on an item like a mask. Therefore, you’ll want to rotate masks every 4 days. Wear your mask everywhere. Repeat wear your mask. Daughter Sharon makes them with hepa-filters. If you want one let us know and I’ll have her call you. focusupphilosophers@gmail.com When you are out and about and you may have touched something compromised, do not touch your face.
Keep physical distance of 6 ft. or 2 meters when walking, talking and around any other people. When exercising or running we recommend 10 feet or 3 meters separation. These are good ballpark figures. If you have any concerns err on the side of caution. We would rather have people alive and well making good decisions on their health and for the health of others.
What we know now is that the virus is contained in the droplets that come out of our mouths and maybe nose when we cough or sneeze. These droplets are heavier than air and fall on items around the sneezer or cougher. If what we believe is true they can be harmful for three days. The item with droplets can transmit the virus. Seems that raw cardboard boxes might have a shorter time of possibly transmitting the infectious virus. Be cautious with anything you bring into your dwelling place. Our medical friends say that to err on the side of caution is a good error. So take their advice if you make mistakes and are healthy… Hooray! We are reading and seeing people disregarding mask and other guidelines. We wonder how good of an example they are setting for others who might be in jeopardy? I asked about microwaving if that stops it? Since it is not a living entity maybe not was my thought. A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates inside cells of myriads of life forms.
We said earlier, in a previous message, wash hands for 1 minute with soap and water when coming back in from outside, in stores or being with other people. The Coronavirus seems to be stopped with one-minute soap washing. Wash those hands often. Alcohol also stops it. Keeping hands washed, and packages, if needed, from stores or delivery is a good idea.
An immunologist tells that there are tests for antibodies to the Coronavirus. There are about 99 approved. The FDA has tried to test them, but not all tests are accurate. It seems the ones from America are better, yet there may be good and bad results. You may not want to test for antibodies at this time. Antibody tests are unreliable.
There are people who may get the Coronavirus twice. Antibodies may help, yet there is inconclusive evidence or reliability as of now. Catching it once does not seem to mean you can’t get it again
I saw 2 people in a store who had been tested for Covid-19. In fact both people had been tested twice. They work with people and do not want their clients to be infected. Nor do they want themselves catching it. They said the test was fairly brutal. The swab was inserted up their nose way too far for comfort. The gentleman said they must’ve wanted to touch his brain.
Medical professionals are telling us to clean and disinfect daily. If you have kept physical distance like in number two above, you are doing a good job. Things you want to make sure are cleaned and disinfected are: Wallet, watch, keys, glasses, cell phone and any hard surface item you carry out into the world of effects. (The real world outside where people go)
There is an FDA approval for Remdesivir. It seems to lessen the healing time and effects of serious cases of Coronavirus.
The bottom line is you do not want the Coronavirus inside your body. Be safe, be cautious, and let us know how you are. We are holding and sending good thoughts to and for people all the time. Any of you who want to offer us support, please let us know.
Put this on your calendar:
May 6th six to eight o’clock mountain time (5 to 7 Pacific) the Ott Planetarium is having a virtual star party. Ott Planetarium is advising us to download Stellarium Software, it’s free. You can go to Facebook.com/ott.planetarium.weber. to see the Ott Planetarium Star Party.
We’re inviting you to tune in with us. Note: My wife and I are going to barbecue on the grill and have a sequestered star-be-cue! Join us… facebook.com/ott.planetarium.weber
By The New York Times | Sources: Johns Hopkins University and World Bank
