V

"Despite the appearance of being separate individuals, we are all connected to patterns of intelligence governing the cosmos."

- Deepak Chopra

"If there were no debts in our money system, there wouldn't be any money."

- Marriner Eccles, Governor of the Federal Reserve, 1941

Those who educate children well are more to be honored than parents, for these only gave life, those the art of living well.

- Aristotle

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.

- Buddha

"I think that only daring speculation can lead us further and not accumulation of facts."

- Albert Einstein

Beyond the iris captures all
All with whom light shares its power
Power concentrated in form of flower
Flower arranged like atoms of ours
Our selves left curious connected in strains
Strained to wonder if all will remain
The same in repeat or repeated defeat

The answer lay beneath the eyes
Within every tear of joyous cries
Reflecting eternity in love's return
Encapsulating the sea's roar with yearn
As the heart beats' strength brought her to me
The winds of Autumn carried sensuously
A seed of Heaven that rooted Your Humble
Our pasts burst forth another path for each other
Looking back at the future we outlasted our dreams
Our hearts mended minds' past memories
And when time returned entranced and paired
We spent every moment eternally shared

"The greatest achievement is selflessness. The greatest worth is self-mastery. The greatest quality is seeking to serve others. The greatest precept is continual awareness. The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything. The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways. The greatest magic is transmuting the passions. The greatest generosity is non-attachment. The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind. The greatest patience is humility. The greatest effort is not concerned with results. The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go. The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances."

- Atisha

It seems like yesterday that the U.S. government decided to provision its' citizens with a nation-wide tax refund. Literally, the Federal Reserve printed money and gave it to people that had given them money through taxes. This in turn devalued the global U.S. dollar; in other words, the amount of money in your bank account is now worth less so that the nation can receive a check for few hundred bucks. However, not EVERYONE in the U.S. received a check. There were many people whom had owed back-taxes; thus their refund check was returned to the Federal Reserve. Many found their check in an endless route of the U.S. mail system with the constant message of, "it's on the way," drilled in their ear by a "friendly" I.R.S. spokesman.

Then came the "surprise" failure of the Bear Stearns investment bank. Purportedly due to a failed approach to sub-prime mortgage investments. Few have really talked about their partnership with the Citic Securities, a Chinese company, in the fall of 2007 in which they swapped shares.

Shortly thereafter, in March of 2008, the Federal Reserve lent $30 billion to JPMorgan Chase to acquire Bear Stearns. Just days after this line of credit was approved by the Federal Reserve, JPMorgan Chase bought out Bear Stearns for one-tenth of the firm's market price.

Next comes yet another "surprise." The U.S. government's take-over of the previously government owned, now "sponsored," home loan banks: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The result of this take-over was quite odd. In exchange for $1 billion worth of equity in each of the institutions, the US government has allowed itself to infuse as much as $200 billion of American tax payers money. That's right. You didn't read that wrong. That 30-50% portion of your paycheck that is ripped from your grasp with little effort nor choice is being used to give 2 privately owned banks $100 billion a piece for simply bad business. Christopher Dodd, the Connecticut Senator and head of the Senate Banking Committee, raises some very intriguing questions in this NPR interview.

Now the current turmoil of the banking industry has brought more trouble to the American People. Three other private banks are now seeking "help" from the fed for their failed interests in the sub-prime market. The proposed solution by top government officials? A $700 billion bailout to cover the banks losses!? Supposedly to help "recover" the financial markets to prevent a "world-wide depression." I certainly hope the FBI's investigation turns up with some juicy truths of scandalous proportions so that those whom have caused this mess are rightfully jailed instead of given money and a gag-order.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur talks about the bail-out plan and the recent state of the financial markets. In the end, it all seems to be a game that you play once you reach a certain tax bracket.

"A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another. If these minds love one another the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But if these minds get out of harmony with one another it is like a storm that plays havoc with the garden."

- Buddha

"Every kind of work can be a pleasure. Even simple household tasks can be an opportunity to exercise and expand our caring, our effectiveness, our responsiveness. As we respond with caring and vision to all work, we develop our capacity to respond fully to all of life. Every action generates positive energy which can be shared with others. These qualities of caring and responsiveness are the greatest gift we can offer."

- Tarthang Tulku

Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.

- Buddha

The six experiments at the LHC are all run by international collaborations, bringing together scientists from institutes all over the world. Each experiment is distinct, characterised by its unique particle detector.

The two large experiments, ATLAS and CMS, are based on general-purpose detectors to analyse the myriad of particles produced by the collisions in the accelerator. They are designed to investigate the largest range of physics possible. Having two independently designed detectors is vital for cross-confirmation of any new discoveries made.

Two medium-size experiments, ALICE and LHCb, have specialised detectors for analysing the LHC collisions in relation to specific phenomena.

Two experiments, TOTEM and LHCf, are much smaller in size. They are designed to focus on ‘forward particles’ (protons or heavy ions). These are particles that just brush past each other as the beams collide, rather than meeting head-on

The ATLAS, CMS, ALICE and LHCb detectors are installed in four huge underground caverns located around the ring of the LHC. The detectors used by the TOTEM experiment are positioned near the CMS detector, whereas those used by LHCf are near the ATLAS detector.

The Four Noble Truths are: 

1. The world is full of suffering and stress.
2. The cause of this suffering and stress is desires of physical instincts. 
3. If desire can be removed, then suffering and stress will be ended.
4. Desire can be removed by following the Eightfold Path: Right Views, Right Thoughts, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.
   

I recently came across a phenomenal article on a Vedic approach toward attaining business excellence. The article creates some wonderful abstractions to management concepts and connects these with a bigger picture using philosophical ideas. The article divulges into historical events and how these events created the change toward higher quality business through excellence. This is a must read for anyone entering the entrepreneurial realm.

"Man has been searching for excellence since evolution. He has an instinct to remain happy. Happiness can be attained either through self-contentment or through the fulfilment of the desires. While Vedic philosophy stresses on the former, the latter has played a crucial role in the business excellence journey. The goods produced or services rendered can bring happiness only when they meet the desired objective. Man has been in constant pursuit of more and more to satisfy his ever-growing desires. The search for excellence has been going on for thousands of years.
...
'Sangathan Sukta' presents a perspective of excellence for society, where every member is willing to sacrifice his gains for the well being of others. Thus every member of society gets his lower level needs fulfilled, which leads to building of higher moral values for all. Thus slowly we attain a level of excellence where all remain happy and healthier. The Vedic concepts of growth are based on self-management and self-discipline.

Accordingly everyone is expected to follow his Swa-Dharma and continuously make sustained efforts for self-growth as well as for the growth of society."
- Business Excellence Enshrined in Vedic (Hindu) Philosophy, by Sharma, A K and Talwar, Balvir

"He who will not economize will have to agonize."

- Confucius

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious."

- Albert Einstein