“The certainties of common sense and natural attitude to things... being the presupposed basis of any thought, they are taken for granted, and go unnoticed, and because in order to arouse them and bring them to view, we have to suspend for a moment our recognition of them.”
— M. Merleau-Ponty
"There are three basic problems: how a mind can know the world of nature, how it is possible for one mind to know another, and how it is possible to know the contents of our own minds without resort to observation or evidence. It is a mistake, I shall urge, to suppose that these questions can be collapsed into two, or taken into isolation."
— Donald Davidson
"Insofar as he makes use of his healthy senses, man himself is the best and most exact scientific instrument possible. The greatest misfortune of modern physics is that its experiments have been set apart from man, as it were, physics refuses to recognize nature in anything not shown by artificial instruments, and even uses this as a measure of its accomplishments."
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
They're killing Flipper inTaiji, Japan?
I'm horrified.
I'm ignorant.
I've been fooled, for my entire life.
Because, I thought SeaWorld was cool. I thought Dolphins lived happily in captivity. But apparently not. That's not the worse of it. I've been shown far more than I would have expected is happening.
I just watched the documentary, The Cove.
But, let's back up just a bit here....
Like many my age, and as you can see from my last blog this morning, I grew up watching and loving, the one time popular TV, "boy and his Dolphin" show, "Flipper".
A spin off from an original movie, Flipper entered our homes consciousness, giving us a new view of the oceans and the life that resided there. The man who captured and trained the Dolphins in the TV show was Ric O'Barry. In the 1960s, O'Barry helped capture and train the five wild Dolphins who shared the role of "Flipper" in the hit television series of the same name. He has since, because of that TV show, learned about Dolphins and what they are like. Aside from their being mammals, to him they are simply too intelligent to be the fodder to be harvested by Japanese fisherman.
Now, I love Japanese culture. But, they are doing the same exact thing that so has saddened me about our Western cultures. They are thinking that they are the only important species on the planet, and so hey, its okay, its just fine to kill Dolphins. They have also slaughtered the whales, now where are we?
One Japanese Dolphin harvester even mentions it in the documentary, not knowing he is being recorded surreptitiously at the slaughter site, at the secret cove, saying that when he was in Chile, he saw so many blue Whales they called them, the "clump of bamboo". The ocean "looked truly black, from whales", he said. Its not like that anymore. Whales and Dolphins have been harvested to the point of scarcity, with Whales endangered for decades.
In the documentary, O'Barry pointed out the lives Dolphins live in captivity. He says that at SeaWorld, they feed the Dolphins digestive aides because they are so stressed out doing their daily shows. He also says that the "smile" Dolphins are so well known for, are just by design of their mouths and they are not smiling at all.
When a SeaWorld sponsored event was to have O'Barry as a guest speaker, they allegedly had him pulled at the last minute; also allegedly, for the reason that O'Barry speaks against Dolphins being kept in any kind of captivity, which goes counter to what SeaWorld professes about their Dolphins' lives.
I think a lot of the Japanese understanding of Dolphins is pretty much summed up by one official who asked at one point in the documentary, "What's so special about these fish?" First, they aren't spending the time with them (alive) so as to actually find out; and secondly, they are not fish, to begin with. They are after all, mammals. Like people. Like, us.
Perhaps that isn't much of an argument when you consider what other animals that are also mammals: cats, dogs, primates, bears, etc. Mammals are a class of vertebrate, air-breathing animals whose females are characterized by mammary glands, and both males and females are characterized by hair (and/or fur), three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the brain.
A common misconception is that Dolphins are fish. Yet, they meet all the requirements for being mammals (also, Whales and Porpoises are aquatic mammals). Dolphins live in the water, but are air-breathing and warm-blooded animals. They do have a small amount of hair located right next to the blowhole. Also, instead of fur, Dolphins have blubber, lending to their streamlined form to more easily slice through water.
Another feature of Dolphin anatomy that indicates them as mammals is their womb. A Greek phrase translates Dolphin's name as "womb fish" because they give birth to live young rather than laying eggs.
Its no secret that Japan has long continued whaling, even after international, world wide bans on it. Through a loop hole in the ban, they are killing whales for "Scientific Research" purposes. But its blatantly obvious this is not the case (see, Whale wars for more information).
So if the ban is not enough of a reason to not kill Dolphins, people have been absorbing mercury from them, as they have been from their environments, for decades or probably much longer. Industry and societies have dumped waste into the oceans, and have found their way into Dolphins and other sea life. In eating them, plenty of Japanese have suffered the effects, all the way down to birth defects. Japan is well aware of this now and have taken steps to avoid this, and are regularly monitoring it.
Why isn't there an organization to protect Dolphins, and other water borne mammals? Supposedly there are, as they explore in the documentary. But they have not been effective either. Not to mention, some other small, basically powerless countries have sided with Japan. Mostly I've seen this happen when a country wants their own freedom to continue questionable practices.
Blood in the water.
The most telling and dramatic point of the documentary is after the activists secretly plant high def cameras in the secret cove, with one under water. When the killing starts, the screen darkens and turns red, the same color much of the cove turns. It is a sickening thing to see.
At a conference, the head of Japan's department for dealing with the world regarding their questionable fishing practices, said that over the past years, they have decreased the killing time down each year.
Yet the video clearly shows, after herding them to shore, they are just repeatedly stabbing Dolphins with spears from small boats until they die or drown. Nothing humane about it, its a slaughter. They don't even bring them out of the water to kill and so have to search for any remaining bodies on the bottom of the cove using skin divers (no air tanks as its shallow where the netted in area is by the shore).
Although I appreciate cultural differences, if my wish about this could be fulfilled, they would stop this killing immediately. Of course, we can always hope the governments of the world do something about this. But regretfully its more likely our hope would be misplaced.
Margaret Mead once said, "Never depend upon institutions or government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals."
So, there it is.
I'm ignorant.
I've been fooled, for my entire life.
Because, I thought SeaWorld was cool. I thought Dolphins lived happily in captivity. But apparently not. That's not the worse of it. I've been shown far more than I would have expected is happening.
I just watched the documentary, The Cove.
But, let's back up just a bit here....
Like many my age, and as you can see from my last blog this morning, I grew up watching and loving, the one time popular TV, "boy and his Dolphin" show, "Flipper".
A spin off from an original movie, Flipper entered our homes consciousness, giving us a new view of the oceans and the life that resided there. The man who captured and trained the Dolphins in the TV show was Ric O'Barry. In the 1960s, O'Barry helped capture and train the five wild Dolphins who shared the role of "Flipper" in the hit television series of the same name. He has since, because of that TV show, learned about Dolphins and what they are like. Aside from their being mammals, to him they are simply too intelligent to be the fodder to be harvested by Japanese fisherman.
Now, I love Japanese culture. But, they are doing the same exact thing that so has saddened me about our Western cultures. They are thinking that they are the only important species on the planet, and so hey, its okay, its just fine to kill Dolphins. They have also slaughtered the whales, now where are we?
One Japanese Dolphin harvester even mentions it in the documentary, not knowing he is being recorded surreptitiously at the slaughter site, at the secret cove, saying that when he was in Chile, he saw so many blue Whales they called them, the "clump of bamboo". The ocean "looked truly black, from whales", he said. Its not like that anymore. Whales and Dolphins have been harvested to the point of scarcity, with Whales endangered for decades.
In the documentary, O'Barry pointed out the lives Dolphins live in captivity. He says that at SeaWorld, they feed the Dolphins digestive aides because they are so stressed out doing their daily shows. He also says that the "smile" Dolphins are so well known for, are just by design of their mouths and they are not smiling at all.
When a SeaWorld sponsored event was to have O'Barry as a guest speaker, they allegedly had him pulled at the last minute; also allegedly, for the reason that O'Barry speaks against Dolphins being kept in any kind of captivity, which goes counter to what SeaWorld professes about their Dolphins' lives.
I think a lot of the Japanese understanding of Dolphins is pretty much summed up by one official who asked at one point in the documentary, "What's so special about these fish?" First, they aren't spending the time with them (alive) so as to actually find out; and secondly, they are not fish, to begin with. They are after all, mammals. Like people. Like, us.
Perhaps that isn't much of an argument when you consider what other animals that are also mammals: cats, dogs, primates, bears, etc. Mammals are a class of vertebrate, air-breathing animals whose females are characterized by mammary glands, and both males and females are characterized by hair (and/or fur), three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the brain.
A common misconception is that Dolphins are fish. Yet, they meet all the requirements for being mammals (also, Whales and Porpoises are aquatic mammals). Dolphins live in the water, but are air-breathing and warm-blooded animals. They do have a small amount of hair located right next to the blowhole. Also, instead of fur, Dolphins have blubber, lending to their streamlined form to more easily slice through water.
Another feature of Dolphin anatomy that indicates them as mammals is their womb. A Greek phrase translates Dolphin's name as "womb fish" because they give birth to live young rather than laying eggs.
Its no secret that Japan has long continued whaling, even after international, world wide bans on it. Through a loop hole in the ban, they are killing whales for "Scientific Research" purposes. But its blatantly obvious this is not the case (see, Whale wars for more information).
So if the ban is not enough of a reason to not kill Dolphins, people have been absorbing mercury from them, as they have been from their environments, for decades or probably much longer. Industry and societies have dumped waste into the oceans, and have found their way into Dolphins and other sea life. In eating them, plenty of Japanese have suffered the effects, all the way down to birth defects. Japan is well aware of this now and have taken steps to avoid this, and are regularly monitoring it.
Why isn't there an organization to protect Dolphins, and other water borne mammals? Supposedly there are, as they explore in the documentary. But they have not been effective either. Not to mention, some other small, basically powerless countries have sided with Japan. Mostly I've seen this happen when a country wants their own freedom to continue questionable practices.
Blood in the water.
The most telling and dramatic point of the documentary is after the activists secretly plant high def cameras in the secret cove, with one under water. When the killing starts, the screen darkens and turns red, the same color much of the cove turns. It is a sickening thing to see.
At a conference, the head of Japan's department for dealing with the world regarding their questionable fishing practices, said that over the past years, they have decreased the killing time down each year.
Yet the video clearly shows, after herding them to shore, they are just repeatedly stabbing Dolphins with spears from small boats until they die or drown. Nothing humane about it, its a slaughter. They don't even bring them out of the water to kill and so have to search for any remaining bodies on the bottom of the cove using skin divers (no air tanks as its shallow where the netted in area is by the shore).
Although I appreciate cultural differences, if my wish about this could be fulfilled, they would stop this killing immediately. Of course, we can always hope the governments of the world do something about this. But regretfully its more likely our hope would be misplaced.
Margaret Mead once said, "Never depend upon institutions or government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals."
So, there it is.
"They call him, Flipper!"
When I was a kid, I was a TV kid. It was my babysitter. I knew the TV Guide magazine by heart. A great deal of my character came from several seminal TV shows, some of which involved the ocean.
Among them were, Flipper (1964-67), and Sea Hunt (1958-61). Sea Hunt gave me the adventures and action of the underwater world, but Flipper gave me that sense of wonder, beauty and peace.
There were other TV shows that shaped me in my childhood. I will mention some here just for posterity sake, such as: The Rifleman (1958-63) which I owe the most to of all the television programs from my childhood; I Spy (1965–68); The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (1964-68); The Avengers (1961–69); Danger Man (1961-62) although I never saw this show until 2010, it later lead to the creation of Secret Agent (1964-66); The Saint (1962-69);
The Addams Family (1964-66). Then there were plenty of comedy and sitcoms, Laugh-in, The Smothers Brothers Show, on and on.
Flipper was a spin off from the original 1963 movie starring Chuck Conners, who was the dad on The Rifleman, and a kind of surrogate father for me, as I'm sure he was for many boys back then. The man who captured and trained the dolphins in the Flipper TV Show was Ric O'Barry. In the 1960s, O'Barry helped capture and train the five wild dolphins who shared the role of "Flipper" in the hit television series.
Like many my age, I grew up watching and loving, Flipper. Kathy, was the real name of the main character, Flipper, although there were several females used for the show. I looked forward to every episode of the show and it shaded my view on the oceans, the creatures that live there and my understanding of what the oceans mean, or should mean to us as inhabitants of this planet.
Between Sea Hunt and Flipper, they opened me up for the grand adventures that are the oceans of the world. Also, Jacques Cousteau's contribution to my own and the world's sensibilities about the oceans are unlimited. These all led me to eventually becoming a SCUBA Diver in 1970. I also took two quarters of Oceanography in college and came close to changing my major to that discipline.
All my life, I've found it difficult to live very far inland from open salt waters. There is something life affirming to me about the oceans. There is more oxygen created from the oceans than all the world's forests put together. We have to appreciate what the oceans give us, but we seem to fail to on that account. Some of us do appreciate the life giver that the oceans are.
It takes having a connection, feeling that connection. Perhaps, we have too many cop shows on TV, too many reality shows, banal and superficial, unimportant, self-serving as they are. Its time we have a new show, one that will fire people up about the oceans, the greatest direct and last frontier on this planet. Some of us have that still, from our childhood.
And really, I have Flipper to thank for much of that.
Among them were, Flipper (1964-67), and Sea Hunt (1958-61). Sea Hunt gave me the adventures and action of the underwater world, but Flipper gave me that sense of wonder, beauty and peace.
There were other TV shows that shaped me in my childhood. I will mention some here just for posterity sake, such as: The Rifleman (1958-63) which I owe the most to of all the television programs from my childhood; I Spy (1965–68); The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (1964-68); The Avengers (1961–69); Danger Man (1961-62) although I never saw this show until 2010, it later lead to the creation of Secret Agent (1964-66); The Saint (1962-69);
Flipper was a spin off from the original 1963 movie starring Chuck Conners, who was the dad on The Rifleman, and a kind of surrogate father for me, as I'm sure he was for many boys back then. The man who captured and trained the dolphins in the Flipper TV Show was Ric O'Barry. In the 1960s, O'Barry helped capture and train the five wild dolphins who shared the role of "Flipper" in the hit television series.
Like many my age, I grew up watching and loving, Flipper. Kathy, was the real name of the main character, Flipper, although there were several females used for the show. I looked forward to every episode of the show and it shaded my view on the oceans, the creatures that live there and my understanding of what the oceans mean, or should mean to us as inhabitants of this planet.
Between Sea Hunt and Flipper, they opened me up for the grand adventures that are the oceans of the world. Also, Jacques Cousteau's contribution to my own and the world's sensibilities about the oceans are unlimited. These all led me to eventually becoming a SCUBA Diver in 1970. I also took two quarters of Oceanography in college and came close to changing my major to that discipline.
All my life, I've found it difficult to live very far inland from open salt waters. There is something life affirming to me about the oceans. There is more oxygen created from the oceans than all the world's forests put together. We have to appreciate what the oceans give us, but we seem to fail to on that account. Some of us do appreciate the life giver that the oceans are.
It takes having a connection, feeling that connection. Perhaps, we have too many cop shows on TV, too many reality shows, banal and superficial, unimportant, self-serving as they are. Its time we have a new show, one that will fire people up about the oceans, the greatest direct and last frontier on this planet. Some of us have that still, from our childhood.
And really, I have Flipper to thank for much of that.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The Buddha and the Terrorist
This does remind me of a line in a Woody Allen movie where they are talking about a Nazi group marching.
Woody Allen: "Has anybody read that Nazis are gonna march in New Jersey? Ya know? I read it in the newspaper. We should go down there, get some guys together, ya know, get some bricks and baseball bats, and really explain things to 'em."
Victor Truro: "There was this devastating satirical piece on that on the op-ed page of the Times – devastating."
Allen: "Whoa, whoa. A satirical piece in the Times is one thing, but bricks and baseball bats really gets right to the point of it."
Helen Hanft: "Oh, but really biting satire is always better than physical force."
Allen: "No, physical force is always better with Nazis."
Although that may indeed be true; and, although I must confess myself to a gut instinct to search out the families and friends of every terrorist and suicide bomber and eliminate their entire family line and group of friends from this planet; and although that might very well in the end eliminate this type of nonhuman attitude and despicable personages from our existence; and, although we have no need for people such as those; and, although killing those people off, may very well not only, NOT work, but could even work against us; it is therefore even more important to come across stories such as the following, as both a consideration and a lesson....
The Buddha and the Terrorist
Satish Kumar
Algonquin Books 09/06 Paperback $14.95
ISBN: 1565125207
We live in a world where terrorists cut off hostages' heads and fighters in the so-called war on terrorism murder civilians in their beds. The cycle of violence is fueled by virulence in the media and harsh rhetoric in political circles.
Satish Kumar made an 8,000-mile peace walk around the world and later founded the London School for Nonviolence. Now he has come up with a very timely contribution to the cause of peace and reconciliation — a compelling retelling of an ancient parable about the Buddha and the terrorist.
In his foreword, Thomas Moore sets it alongside the Gospel of Jesus, the Tao of Lao Tzu, and the way of love in Sufism as a renunciation of violence and a plea for "restoring the holiness of life's power."
In a northern town of India, a man known as Angulimala has been randomly murdering people and cutting off their fingers. No one can stop him since he is so strong and determined.
The Buddha hears about this killer and is unafraid: "Life lived in fear is no life.... I must reach out to those who are possessed with anger and ignorance." Encountering Angulimala, he tells him that he is capable of being a friend, of compassion, and of change. The killer is taken aback for the Buddha enables him to see himself afresh, to deal with the pain of his past, and to come to terms with the separation he feels from others.
Thanks to his dialogue with the Buddha, Angulimala becomes a monk and takes the name Ahimsaka ("The Nonviolent One"). But the King and those who lost their loved ones to the terrorist want revenge. Here is where we recognize the forces that are at play in our society.
Approaching the eighth anniversary of 9/11, many Americans still cling to the idea of an eye for an eye and the illusion that we can create a society where all are secure from the deeds of evil-doers. What we see at work in this brief story is the restorative power of forgiveness. This poignant parable emphasizes the primacy of loving the enemy and practicing nonviolence.
This may in part relate to the situation of the Mosque being built two blocks from Ground Zero in New York City. Not to even mention that those Muslims are of a type that we need to support, world wide.
We need to change the social situations that led to 9/11. We may need to simply kill some terrorists. But I suspect that many terrorists, especially they young, suicide bombers, are not unlike suicides in general, in that they need reorientation.
Its a complex situation requiring complex solutions. Nothing is easy in this area. Just consider that you cannot use a blanket solution to such complicated situations. And, that we need long term solutions to finally end it completely.
Woody Allen: "Has anybody read that Nazis are gonna march in New Jersey? Ya know? I read it in the newspaper. We should go down there, get some guys together, ya know, get some bricks and baseball bats, and really explain things to 'em."
Victor Truro: "There was this devastating satirical piece on that on the op-ed page of the Times – devastating."
Allen: "Whoa, whoa. A satirical piece in the Times is one thing, but bricks and baseball bats really gets right to the point of it."
Helen Hanft: "Oh, but really biting satire is always better than physical force."
Allen: "No, physical force is always better with Nazis."
Although that may indeed be true; and, although I must confess myself to a gut instinct to search out the families and friends of every terrorist and suicide bomber and eliminate their entire family line and group of friends from this planet; and although that might very well in the end eliminate this type of nonhuman attitude and despicable personages from our existence; and, although we have no need for people such as those; and, although killing those people off, may very well not only, NOT work, but could even work against us; it is therefore even more important to come across stories such as the following, as both a consideration and a lesson....
The Buddha and the Terrorist
Satish Kumar
Algonquin Books 09/06 Paperback $14.95
ISBN: 1565125207
We live in a world where terrorists cut off hostages' heads and fighters in the so-called war on terrorism murder civilians in their beds. The cycle of violence is fueled by virulence in the media and harsh rhetoric in political circles.
Satish Kumar made an 8,000-mile peace walk around the world and later founded the London School for Nonviolence. Now he has come up with a very timely contribution to the cause of peace and reconciliation — a compelling retelling of an ancient parable about the Buddha and the terrorist.
In his foreword, Thomas Moore sets it alongside the Gospel of Jesus, the Tao of Lao Tzu, and the way of love in Sufism as a renunciation of violence and a plea for "restoring the holiness of life's power."
In a northern town of India, a man known as Angulimala has been randomly murdering people and cutting off their fingers. No one can stop him since he is so strong and determined.
The Buddha hears about this killer and is unafraid: "Life lived in fear is no life.... I must reach out to those who are possessed with anger and ignorance." Encountering Angulimala, he tells him that he is capable of being a friend, of compassion, and of change. The killer is taken aback for the Buddha enables him to see himself afresh, to deal with the pain of his past, and to come to terms with the separation he feels from others.
Thanks to his dialogue with the Buddha, Angulimala becomes a monk and takes the name Ahimsaka ("The Nonviolent One"). But the King and those who lost their loved ones to the terrorist want revenge. Here is where we recognize the forces that are at play in our society.
Approaching the eighth anniversary of 9/11, many Americans still cling to the idea of an eye for an eye and the illusion that we can create a society where all are secure from the deeds of evil-doers. What we see at work in this brief story is the restorative power of forgiveness. This poignant parable emphasizes the primacy of loving the enemy and practicing nonviolence.
This may in part relate to the situation of the Mosque being built two blocks from Ground Zero in New York City. Not to even mention that those Muslims are of a type that we need to support, world wide.
We need to change the social situations that led to 9/11. We may need to simply kill some terrorists. But I suspect that many terrorists, especially they young, suicide bombers, are not unlike suicides in general, in that they need reorientation.
Its a complex situation requiring complex solutions. Nothing is easy in this area. Just consider that you cannot use a blanket solution to such complicated situations. And, that we need long term solutions to finally end it completely.
Have you every had this happen?
Have you every had this happen?
In an alley, you run up against a wall.
You can't get over that wall.
You can't get around that wall.
You're standing on concrete.
You hear a soft gentle sound over the other side of that wall.
Something melodic, familiar, unique, different and you want to capture it, put it in a box, store it in your ipod, play it for your friends, keep it for yourself, discover what it is that is making that beautiful damn sound; but you can't get to it.
When you try to capture it, it plays all static back and its hard to hear. So you know you have to get through that wall, to see what that is, face to face; try to capture it in your hands, or on video; realizing you couldn't put it in a cage.
But you know you have to do something. You can't go back, you can't go forward, and it can't come to you either; because you feel like its singing that song to you, because you can feel it, and you know that is your song and, it knows that it it your song.
Trouble is, you can't be sure of so many things. So, what do you do?
Best you can, I suspect. Maybe with a little help from the other side.
But, you have that wall staring you both in the face.
The cold war must have been Hell on those Berliners....
In an alley, you run up against a wall.
You can't get over that wall.
You can't get around that wall.
You're standing on concrete.
You hear a soft gentle sound over the other side of that wall.
Something melodic, familiar, unique, different and you want to capture it, put it in a box, store it in your ipod, play it for your friends, keep it for yourself, discover what it is that is making that beautiful damn sound; but you can't get to it.
When you try to capture it, it plays all static back and its hard to hear. So you know you have to get through that wall, to see what that is, face to face; try to capture it in your hands, or on video; realizing you couldn't put it in a cage.
But you know you have to do something. You can't go back, you can't go forward, and it can't come to you either; because you feel like its singing that song to you, because you can feel it, and you know that is your song and, it knows that it it your song.
Trouble is, you can't be sure of so many things. So, what do you do?
Best you can, I suspect. Maybe with a little help from the other side.
But, you have that wall staring you both in the face.
The cold war must have been Hell on those Berliners....
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
How to attract, Satisfy and keep your man?
Its always good to view things in ways different from our own. The following is not my own, but an acquaintances' point of view; one that I thought is worth exploring, considering and seeing if there is anything of value in it, for your own relationship. Check it out.
We should challenge ourselves daily with thoughts foreign to our own rutted paradigms. Its what I love about talking to people around the world on the internet and in person.
Py Kim Conant is someone I met a few years ago. She wrote a very interesting book that she was promoting then: "Sex Secrets of an American Geisha". It has some revolutionary ideas that she gleamed from studying what I might call, "Geisha technology". Some of the myths she explores below are sophisticated and require a somewhat adult orientation, so be aware of that.
I got to know her a bit online and started suggesting a local radio show to be on in Seattle. Later, I suggested the KOMO TV Afternoon show and she did get on there, too. She flew in to Seattle and we met up. Then we had dinner and hung out shopping for clothes for her TV shoot the next day. Py is an immense bundle of energy in a very tiny package, quite very entertaining to be around and I found myself smiling a lot that evening.
Py's thoughts below may seem revolutionary to some; or, counter-revolutionary, or to yet others, counter-evolutionary; but if you look at what she is saying, I think you will find some truths and a bare comment on the relationship between modern men and women that is lacking in their romantic areas. She points out some things that people just don't seem to be able to get a handle on and can't figure out why. Maybe because some or all of their basic paradigms on romantic interpersonal relationships are skewed to begin with.
Py has pointed out many of these reasons and offered ways, or given an insight on ways, that these road blocks can be worked through or in some cases, shattered. Part of the problem is t€hat we think we are so modern, so beyond certain ways of thinking, that makes up "beyond" these considerations.
The following is from Py's blog after her new book (see below also: "Sex Secrets of an American Geisha: How to Attract, Satisfy, and Keep Your Man.") hit store shelves.
Py's Myths about romance....
Py's book, "Sex Secrets of an American Geisha: How to Attract, Satisfy, and Keep Your Man" may seem "counter-intuitive" for most people. Py says there are common myths people believe that she wants to debunk.
Some of these may challenge your own beliefs. If that's the case, don't just shut down, considering them, see how they could fit into your understanding of relationships, and how you can make use of them. Because, they do have value. Perhaps not in the way that Py sees them, as she is Korean and from a different culture than most Americans. But many of these are tried and true by Geisha's over a period of many years. Granted it was for a Japanese and ancient culture. But that doesn't mean that you cannot alter them to fit your way of thinking, and to make use of some hybrid of them, to increase the romantic intensity of your relationship.
• Myth 1: Being very feminine is weak and submissive. Truth: It empowers a woman.
• Myth 2: It's what's inside that counts. Truth: Because men are visual, you need to be beautiful, feminine, and sexy to attract men.
• Myth 3: Feminists can't attract, satisfy, and keep a man. Truth: You can be both a feminist and a feminine-ist, a woman who values, loves, and wants to operate out of her femininity.
• Myth 4: The G-spot for female ejaculation is no big deal. Truth: Learn to female ejaculate and become a "shooter"; expand your sexual satisfaction/options.
• Myth 5: Dieting is about food. Truth: A plan (not a diet) is about two things: awareness of your weight and exercise, not food.
• Myth 6: Men and women are pretty much the same. Truth: Men and women are very different psychologically.
• Myth 7: I should wait until he asked me to marry him. Truth: Sooner-rather-than-later, you need to set deadlines.
• Myth 8: Eventually, I'll get married. Truth: To marry a Good Man you need to make love and marriage your high priority, and a plan.
• Myth 9: Men are generally very confident sexually. Truth: Men are extremely vulnerable and fragile regarding their sex lives.
• Myth 10: Men aren't comfortable with vibrators. Truth: He can love your vibrator, since you'll never give credit for your orgasm to the vibrator.
• Myth 11: I have to say "no" to my husband to sex sometimes. Truth: Never say "no" to sex to your husband. You need to arrange a date in the near future.
• Myth 12: You want to get married. Truth: You want to have a great marriage, not a great wedding.
If you want to see that her "truths" are true, check out the book, "Sex Secrets of an American Geisha: How to Attract, Satisfy, and Keep Your Man" published by Hunter House at any major bookstores nationally and at: Amazon.com.
We should challenge ourselves daily with thoughts foreign to our own rutted paradigms. Its what I love about talking to people around the world on the internet and in person.
Py Kim Conant is someone I met a few years ago. She wrote a very interesting book that she was promoting then: "Sex Secrets of an American Geisha". It has some revolutionary ideas that she gleamed from studying what I might call, "Geisha technology". Some of the myths she explores below are sophisticated and require a somewhat adult orientation, so be aware of that.
I got to know her a bit online and started suggesting a local radio show to be on in Seattle. Later, I suggested the KOMO TV Afternoon show and she did get on there, too. She flew in to Seattle and we met up. Then we had dinner and hung out shopping for clothes for her TV shoot the next day. Py is an immense bundle of energy in a very tiny package, quite very entertaining to be around and I found myself smiling a lot that evening.
Py's thoughts below may seem revolutionary to some; or, counter-revolutionary, or to yet others, counter-evolutionary; but if you look at what she is saying, I think you will find some truths and a bare comment on the relationship between modern men and women that is lacking in their romantic areas. She points out some things that people just don't seem to be able to get a handle on and can't figure out why. Maybe because some or all of their basic paradigms on romantic interpersonal relationships are skewed to begin with.
Py has pointed out many of these reasons and offered ways, or given an insight on ways, that these road blocks can be worked through or in some cases, shattered. Part of the problem is t€hat we think we are so modern, so beyond certain ways of thinking, that makes up "beyond" these considerations.
The following is from Py's blog after her new book (see below also: "Sex Secrets of an American Geisha: How to Attract, Satisfy, and Keep Your Man.") hit store shelves.
Py's Myths about romance....
Py's book, "Sex Secrets of an American Geisha: How to Attract, Satisfy, and Keep Your Man" may seem "counter-intuitive" for most people. Py says there are common myths people believe that she wants to debunk.
Some of these may challenge your own beliefs. If that's the case, don't just shut down, considering them, see how they could fit into your understanding of relationships, and how you can make use of them. Because, they do have value. Perhaps not in the way that Py sees them, as she is Korean and from a different culture than most Americans. But many of these are tried and true by Geisha's over a period of many years. Granted it was for a Japanese and ancient culture. But that doesn't mean that you cannot alter them to fit your way of thinking, and to make use of some hybrid of them, to increase the romantic intensity of your relationship.
• Myth 1: Being very feminine is weak and submissive. Truth: It empowers a woman.
• Myth 2: It's what's inside that counts. Truth: Because men are visual, you need to be beautiful, feminine, and sexy to attract men.
• Myth 3: Feminists can't attract, satisfy, and keep a man. Truth: You can be both a feminist and a feminine-ist, a woman who values, loves, and wants to operate out of her femininity.
• Myth 4: The G-spot for female ejaculation is no big deal. Truth: Learn to female ejaculate and become a "shooter"; expand your sexual satisfaction/options.
• Myth 5: Dieting is about food. Truth: A plan (not a diet) is about two things: awareness of your weight and exercise, not food.
• Myth 6: Men and women are pretty much the same. Truth: Men and women are very different psychologically.
• Myth 7: I should wait until he asked me to marry him. Truth: Sooner-rather-than-later, you need to set deadlines.
• Myth 8: Eventually, I'll get married. Truth: To marry a Good Man you need to make love and marriage your high priority, and a plan.
• Myth 9: Men are generally very confident sexually. Truth: Men are extremely vulnerable and fragile regarding their sex lives.
• Myth 10: Men aren't comfortable with vibrators. Truth: He can love your vibrator, since you'll never give credit for your orgasm to the vibrator.
• Myth 11: I have to say "no" to my husband to sex sometimes. Truth: Never say "no" to sex to your husband. You need to arrange a date in the near future.
• Myth 12: You want to get married. Truth: You want to have a great marriage, not a great wedding.
If you want to see that her "truths" are true, check out the book, "Sex Secrets of an American Geisha: How to Attract, Satisfy, and Keep Your Man" published by Hunter House at any major bookstores nationally and at: Amazon.com.
A John Wayne moment
This is one of my favorite anecdotes about the actor, John "Duke" Wayne. In the early 1960's Duke and his wife were leaving a SHARE western themed benefit. From the book by The Duke's wife, Pilar, "My Life with the Duke":
"On our way home that night, Duke had an urgent need to use the men's room. He told our driver to stop at the next bar or restaurant. We pulled up in front of a run-down beer hall, and Duke uncoiled from the back seat. He strode through the establishment's front doors and disappeared from my view.
"Duke had dressed for the evening with special care. He wore silver-spurred boots, a matched pair of pearl-handled six-guns holstered snug against his hips, and a well-worn Stetson. He told me the men at the bar stared wide-eyed as he appeared in their midst. The only sound in the room was the k-ching, k-ching of his spurs as he strode to the restroom. When he emerged a few minutes later, the bar was still enveloped in silence. No one spoke as Duke walked back out the door, k-ching, k-chinging all the way.
"Duke got back in our limousine and exploded into laughter. After describing the scene he asked, "What the hell do you suppose those guys will tell their wives?" And then, being Duke, he went back into the bar and bought those men a round of drinks."
"On our way home that night, Duke had an urgent need to use the men's room. He told our driver to stop at the next bar or restaurant. We pulled up in front of a run-down beer hall, and Duke uncoiled from the back seat. He strode through the establishment's front doors and disappeared from my view.
"Duke had dressed for the evening with special care. He wore silver-spurred boots, a matched pair of pearl-handled six-guns holstered snug against his hips, and a well-worn Stetson. He told me the men at the bar stared wide-eyed as he appeared in their midst. The only sound in the room was the k-ching, k-ching of his spurs as he strode to the restroom. When he emerged a few minutes later, the bar was still enveloped in silence. No one spoke as Duke walked back out the door, k-ching, k-chinging all the way.
"Duke got back in our limousine and exploded into laughter. After describing the scene he asked, "What the hell do you suppose those guys will tell their wives?" And then, being Duke, he went back into the bar and bought those men a round of drinks."
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