Fire in the sky

Fire in the sky! This is an image sequence containing 70 lightning shots, taken on Ikaría island, Greece, during a severe thunderstorm that took place June 16, 2011. In order to make the sequence, I set the camera to a tripod taking 20-second shots. After 83 minutes I ended up with this wall of lightning!


http://blueline2011.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/photo-of-the-day/

Fire burns in Greece, threatening homes

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2012/06/16/fire_threatens_houses_south_of_athens/
ATHENS, Greece—Greek police arrested four people Saturday for accidentally causing a fire raging south of Athens and threatening houses. Three firefighters have been injured, one with extensive burns, but no civilian casualties have been reported.

Police say the four were doing a welding job at a construction site early Saturday afternoon when a spark hit dry grass and ignited a fire.

Strong winds quickly spread the fire which is now ranging on a 12-kilometer front to the west and south of the town of Keratea, 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Athens, burning several houses in the process.

At dusk, the 12 airplanes and two helicopters operating in the area had to be withdrawn and the fire is being fought on the ground, with 115 vehicles and over 300 firefighters taking part.

A home for the elderly was evacuated and its 42 residents moved to a nearby resort, authorities said.

Three smaller fires that also started near Athens late Saturday afternoon have been brought under control. One, in the district of Pallini, just east of the capital, started in dry grass and threatened an ice cream factory, partly burning some outbuildings. Fourteen vans outside the factory went up in flames.

Two other fires broke out in the northwest and southeast corners of the southern Greek Peloponnese peninsula, requiring dozens of fire vehicles to rush to the scenes. They still ran unchecked late Saturday, as did a fire that broke out on the island of Kythnos, in the Aegean Sea. The island does not have a fire brigade detachment and the fire was being fought by private citizens with few means at their disposal.

The blazes were being fought one day before Greeks vote in a national election that could determine whether their indebted nation stays in the euro or leaves in chaos.

The prevailing weather in Greece has been hot and dry recently and although temperatures have decreased somewhat, winds have picked up, leading authorities to issue warnings just hours before the fires broke out. The winds are blowing at a speed exceeding 55 kilometers (34 miles) an hour, with wind gusts reaching 80 kilometers (50 miles). Meteorologists have warned that winds will pick up speed Sunday morning and will not abate somewhat until late on Sunday.

Karagounis Puts Greeks Up 1-0 WIN FOR GREECE

Greece are ahead of Russia 1-0 at halftime of their Euro 2012 group stage finale in the most unlikely, but typically Greek, circumstances possible. For 45 minutes, Greece did almost nothing going forward, but took advantage of a defensive lapse in stoppage time to score a stunning goal against the run of play at the end of what was previously a spectacularly dull half of football.

The opening minutes of the game were entertaining, however. Konstantinos Katsouranis forced a save out of Vyacheslav Malafeev in the 6th minute, which seemed to signal that Greece had some attacking intent, but it was their first truly dangerous foray forward. Russia picked up the pace for a few minutes afterwards and created a couple of decent half-chances, but things settled down around the 20th minute. For the next 25 minutes, almost nothing happened as both teams looked very content to head into the half tied 0-0.

Then, a massive error at the back for Russia. Yuri Zhirkov attempted to head a Greek throw-in ... well, it's not entirely clear what on earth he was trying to do, but the result was a nearly perfect through ball for Giorgos Karagounis. He was sent clear through on goal and hit a calm and composed finish past Malafeev, giving his team an unlikely lead just before the halftime whistle.

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2012/6/16/3091773/russia-vs-greece-halftime-score-live-streaming-updates-euro-2012

Cyprus faces the choice of a European bailout or a loan from Russia

The Cypriot government is weary of turning to the EU bailout fund due to fears that it might, like Greece, be forced to make painful austerity measures as a condition for the money. Cyprus is particularly afraid it might be asked to raise its 10 percent corporate tax rate, which attracts much foreign business.

Cyprus' left-wing President Dimitris Christofias has repeatedly lamented what he described as Europe's erroneously single-minded focus on austerity at the expense of policies that promote economic growth.

Because of these concerns, the government is again reaching out for a helping hand from Russia, a trusted ally with vested interests in the island's economy.

Russians have billions stashed in Cypriot banks and Russian companies are looking to invest in natural gas exploration off the island's south coast, where a large mineral deposit has already been discovered.

If the country does apply for aid from the European bailout fund, having backing from Russia in the form a loan could strengthen Cyprus' hand in negotiating better terms for the rescue money from its EU partners, the anonymous official said.

Alternatively, Cyprus could use the EU bailout money to recapitalize the banks and the Russian cash to finance the country's public debt and foster growth, he added.

Still, some analysts see a Russian loan as a risky proposition. Nicosia-based economist Michalis Florentiades said that while it would buy Cyprus time to reorder its finances, the country could soon find itself in the same position if it doesn't push through the kind of reforms urged by the EU to restore investor confidence. At some point, Cyprus will have to regain the bond markets' trust in order to tap them for capital.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-06/D9VDMTI80.htm

Canada will not bailout Europe

The fear this time around is that if Greeks vote for the anti-austerity parties in Sunday's election, it could result in the country defaulting on its debts and getting kicked out of the eurozone.

When asked if Greece would exit the eurozone, Flaherty said that was "up to the voters."

Flaherty described the debt crisis in Greece as "very serious" but added that he was "much more concerned" with the economic turmoil in Spain.

The government in Madrid has accepted a bailout for its cash-strapped banks. But there are fears among world leaders that Spain, which has the fifth-largest economy in Europe, could still need a much larger bailout to get its debt under control.

"That's a large economy, that's an economy comparable to Canada's," Flaherty said.

The European debt crisis is not confined to Greece and Spain. Portugal and Ireland have already received bailouts while Italy continues to be mired in debt.

European rescue

While countries outside of Europe have pledged billions of dollars to the International Monetary Fund to stabilize the world economy if the need arises, Canada and the U.S. have rejected the idea.

Flaherty told Solomon that Canada is not prepared to dedicate "Canadian resources to help bail out relatively rich European countries."

Canada's position has been to encourage Europeans to sore up their own funds to build up a firewall that would signal to the markets that E.U. members are prepared to support their own.

Flaherty did not want to speculate about any conditions under which Canada would boost its IMF funding, saying only the situation would be different if the Europeans proposed a plan and said they didn't have "adequate resources."

"If it ever came to that, that they didn't have adequate resources, then that would be different," Flaherty said. "I don't think they'll ever be able to show us they don't have adequate resources."

http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/canada-eyes-greek-election-ahead-of-g20-summit-in-mexico

SUICIDE GROWS AS GREECE SUFFERS

Psychiatrist Kyriakos Katsadoros estimates suicides in Greece have increased '30 to 40 per cent' since the onset of the financial crisis. Photo: Getty Images

IT WAS only a Skype consultation but it was still charged with emotion. The voice of the man on the computer screen was choked with distress. He often stopped to sob.

He had gone to a Greek island desperate for work. The job had not eventuated and now his partner had left him. He wanted to kill himself. This is a familiar story to psychiatrist Dr Kyriakos Katsadoros, who works for Greece's suicide prevention help line, talking to callers from all over the country. The Athens help line is a barometer of the nation's misery and the pressure reading is high.

Dr Katsadoros says there are no official figures yet, but since the onset of the Greek financial crisis, ''I believe that there's been a 30 to 40 per cent increase in suicide. That estimate is based on the number of phone calls we receive, the reading of newspaper clippings and medical articles.

''Before the crisis, there was at least one suicide a day. Since the crisis, we estimate that there are at least two a day.''

A radio station reported five deaths on one day this week after a caller rang in to tell of yet another. Greeks are beginning to talk about suicide figures the way financiers study bond rates, as a kind of pulse check of national wellbeing. Dr Katsadoros says that before the crisis, three-quarters of help line calls related to emotional problems. Now the help line has four times the number of calls, running at more than 3000 a year. Each suicide reported in the media seems worse than the last. One of the first to grab national headlines was that of left-wing protester Dimitris Christoulas, 77, a retired pharmacist. Distraught at cuts to his pension and new taxes, in May he went to Syntagma Square and shot himself.

''I cannot find any other form of struggle except a dignified end before I have to start scrounging food from the rubbish,'' he said in a note. He added that one day young Greeks would take up arms and hang ''the national traitors'' in Syntagma Square. At least four other people tried to kill themselves over financial troubles in the same week, police say.

Even more distressing than Mr Christoulas' suicide was the case of Antonis Perris, an unemployed musician. He left a note saying, ''I have been taking care of my 90-year-old mother for 20 years now … three or four years ago she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and recently she has been subject to schizophrenic fits and other health problems. Nursing homes don't accept patients who are such a burden. The problem is that I was not prepared … when the economic crisis hit and I do not have enough money in my account.''

Mr Perris, 60, and his mother held hands and jumped off a balcony in Athens. Both died.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/world/greeks-count-cost-of-heartbreak-in-tough-times-20120614-20cv2.html#ixzz1xzH4XGnS

Poverty in Greece

Mass unemployment is now permanent, with the official jobless rate at 21 percent. For the first time, more than 50 percent of youth are without a job. More than 500,000 people have no income whatsoever in what was, until a few years ago, a nation with rising living standards. So desperate is the situation that some 500,000 people have left the country.

With 1,000 people a day being made unemployed, along with a never-ending onslaught on wages and benefits, an ever widening layer of society is now known as the “new homeless.”

This month, Christos Papatheodorou, social politics professor at the Democritus University of Thrace, told the AFP news agency that homelessness “risks exploding.”

The official poverty figures cited by ELSTAT do not include the thousands of homeless people in Greece. Papatheodorou noted that the European Union statistics institute Eurostat and national agencies “base their figures on a typical household, that is, on those having a roof above their heads. Therefore, the increase of extreme poverty among homeless people does not appear in the statistics.”

The Financial Times commented this month: “As Greece’s crisis deepens, the social fabric is showing signs of unravelling, raising questions about how much more austerity the country can take. Job losses, along with pension cuts, have created a new class of urban poor.”http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/mar2012/gree-

Greek Elections and Soccer on the same weekend - good timing??? -

Giannis Poulopoulos - Otan Milas Gia Xorismo

Dosmou tathanato nero - Marinella

Greek Elections

http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2012/06/15/bracing-for-greek-elections/

By Steven Russolillo

Will the Greek elections be remembered as the ultimate “buy the rumor, sell the news” type event?

Stocks surged again, with the Dow notching back-to-back triple digit gains for the first time this year. Investors are bracing for this weekend’s elections, although the late-week rally has certainly caught many investors off guard.

All eyes now turn to the Greek elections, as investors of all stripes brace for another round of financial turmoil.

Earlier Friday, Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Chicago-based Harris Private Bank, blasted a note to clients prepping them to brace for another round of volatility. He explains how the firm has been largely overweight in U.S. stocks since early 2010, and expects to maintain that same positioning after this weekend’s events:

Because we have been preparing our portfolios for the Greek endgame for some time, we are monitoring positions but not taking any further action in anticipation of Sunday’s election.  This does not preclude the possibility that the market will sell off assets classes of all stripes next week should the election produce unpleasant surprises.  However, we have assessed the situation and believe that some economies are embarking on a decoupling process that will continue after the initial shock.  Asset classes that have been unfairly punished at the hands of the Eurozone crisis may be able to bounce back as this process takes hold.  That would be very similar to the reaction of U.S. stocks amid the late 1990s Asian currency crisis:  the S&P 500 initially swooned but then kept right on running.

He explains how the market has had years to price in “the slow motion train wreck that is Europe.” No matter how the elections play out, he’s prepared to ride any short-term volatility and wait for a longer-term move higher.

At this point the market already reflects some level of potential European damage.  When the newspapers cover endless scenarios for years in advance of an event, oftentimes there is lessened shock when the big day arrives.  In other words, the slow motion train wreck that is Europe has been on investors’ minds for an entire market cycle – and it is one of the reasons equities are trading at valuation discounts.  We are not of the view that valuations will recover to normal levels in the short term but cheap prices provide a margin of safety if the turbulence persists…

To summarize, we have decided to maintain current postions in anticipation of the Greek vote.  We have been preparing for this likelihood ever since our calls for a Eurozone breakup were met with skepticism.  While our current opinions have not changed, market information evolves on a daily basis and we stand ready to take additonal action if necessary.  We continue to bias heavily into U.S.-domiciled stocks, holding only cursory exposure to Western Europe, Australia and Japan.

Illegal Immigrants in Greece

England-bound

More than 1,500 illegal immigrants were caught in Patras last year; every vehicle carrying them was impounded.

But while the port authorities are rigorous in their checks, plenty more migrants will attempt the journey. Over 80% of those entering the European Union now pass through Greece.

The typical route is in through the north-eastern corner of the country, across the Evros river from Turkey. They continue through Athens and down to Patras, in limbo until they pick what they hope is the right time to leave.

"I'm scared I'll die at any time because it's so unsafe here," one Afghan says while cowering on a disused railway track. "Nobody looks after us - there are no human rights in Greece. My dream is to go to England and I'll try every day to get there."

Many immigrants have made perilous journeys, but Greece is rarely their final destination

The influx of new arrivals here has made immigration a hot social issue and a key theme in the upcoming election. In last month's inconclusive poll, the virulently anti-immigration Golden Dawn party swept into parliament for the first time in its history, promising to lay landmines along the border with Turkey.

The party rejects the neo-Nazi label, but its leader has been filmed making Hitler salutes, and he recently denied that gas chambers were used in the Holocaust and said the figure of six million Jews killed was "an exaggeration".

During a heated TV debate on Thursday a party spokesman hit a woman MP in the face, prompting a warrant for his arrest.

Last month, Golden Dawn members rounded on a derelict factory in Patras traditionally used by immigrants for shelter. They threw petrol bombs and set fire to parts of the building, clashing with riot police. The incident was sparked by the murder of a Greek man, allegedly by three Afghans.

The victim's cousin, Thymios Koklis, says the attitude of Greeks towards uncontrolled immigration is hardening.

"We can't have so many immigrants - we don't even have jobs ourselves," he says. "The migrants are in a way the victims of this whole story. But I would blame the government that doesn't do anything to protect Greeks from the hordes who come here. We're very scared of them - people say they would take the law into their own hands."

Would he take the law into his own hands?

"If the state can't protect me, someone has to. Myself and my family," he says.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18371800

Being a good freind

Know when to take the conversation deeper. Jesus had impeccable instincts for when to share a story or thought that would cut to the heart of an issue. When he was talking with the woman at the well in John 4, he effortlessly and insightfully found the real issues that were troubling her. He went from a surface-level conversation about the differences between Jews and Samaritans to a personal discussion of the woman’s faith and life. It takes time and skill to develop the instincts to take conversations to a deeper level; most of all, it takes a genuine love for people.

When you love people, you listen to them and want to hear what’s important to them. When they feel that love, they’ll be invited to open up and share deeper issues with you. Don’t force a conversation where it’s not going. Let it happen and be available when you friend is ready to talk.

Be comfortably awkward. Jesus brought an awkward presence wherever he went and he was comfortable with it. As a rabbi, it was uncommon for him to go and eat with those labeled as sinners. But he did it with complete confidence, not because it wasn’t awkward, but because he loved the people.


As a Christian, I’ve been to parties where I was an awkward presence, but I was comfortable with it because I loved (still do) the people at the party. Once we approached that awkward moment and moved past it, my friends were better able to see that I loved them more than I was worried about appearances.

Friendship doesn’t equate with condoning. Jesus was accused of condoning prostitution, embezzlement and blasphemy because he was friends with people who did those things. Never once did Jesus apologize or stop being friends with them. Neither did he condone things that were wrong.


I have friends who’ve done everything. I don’t condone sin, but I will continue to be their friends. I love them. It’s not my job to convince them that what they’re doing is wrong. It’s my job to be their friend. My condoning or not condoning their actions has no bearing on their lives or the lives of anyone else. What does, though, is how much I care about them and show it to them with my actions.

What other ways was Jesus a good friend? How can you be more like Jesus in your friendships? 




http://powerpointforpreachers.blogspot.ca/2012/04/how-to-share-good-news-without-being_18.html

Forgiveness and Guilt

Guilt and forgiveness in Christianity.

As is well-known, the theme of guilt and forgiveness is important within Christianity. Given that forgiveness is an important word and significant to many people, I shall describe the different views that exist and comment on them.

The Our Father and “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” has a special place in the prayers of Christians. The theme of sacrifice is directly linked to guilt. The other day, both a thought and a question flashed through my mind. I had not allowed them into my consciousness before because of attachment to old thoughts. I realized that, judging by his painful death on the cross, Jesus must have had karma, too. Why should he not have known karma if he is one of us and our brother? He also had to learn and develop.

Later I read in the very inspiring, channeled books by Ceanne deRohan 3, the following: No matter how much you might want to say that Jesus was perfect, He had guilt mixed with love. The guilt that created His death on earth… It seemed to be a direct answer to my question. At any rate, we can say with certainty that in Christianity love and guilt have been thoroughly mixed together.

Guilt and love have been mixed together, too, with regard to sacrifice. By sacrificing yourself for someone or something, you imply a negative attitude towards yourself. With sacrifice you give up something essential of yourself. With love you do not have to give up anything. You just share your whole being and your abundance, and you do not have to give up anything or miss anything. You do not have to be crucified for love. At a deeper layer, perhaps that was the mistake Jesus made or rather that was his lack of knowledge—otherwise it would not have happened. Perhaps he came to earth because He had something to learn just like the rest of us. In this way, he was and is our brother. Is it conceivable that because of the subconscious guilt he had, and he is not alone in that, guilt and forgiveness have acquired the emphasis that they have had up until now? Of course, his followers are to blame for this, but Jesus might have unknowingly set a trend. That has not done us any good. It is time to set ourselves free from guilt.

It is not effective to go on thinking in terms of guilt and forgiveness. As long as we remain imprisoned in this theme, we will fundamentally stagnate at the level of the will and the reason. Guilt is nothing but a lumping together of emotions: fear, sorrow, and anger. If these emotions come to light and are digested, guilt will disappear. If there is no longer any guilt, there will be no accusations and hence no need for forgiving or being forgiven.

omtimes.com

http://omtimes.com/2012/01/forgiveness-and-emotional-digestion/

Mou elipses - Apostolia Zoi

Ela kardiamou

Nane kala opou kai nane kai as mexi ksegrameni

Debtocracy International Version

Debtocracy International Version by ThePressProject

The Drachma start up

Bad money by NM La-la-la I'm not listening, I kept saying, I'm not going to waste my time with stupid EU subsidies managed by the Greek government. They're corrupt and idiotic, I'd rather fund it myself or look for proper investors. But look at this one, my friend says: it's a new program, it's aimed for tech startups selling software over the internet using cloud technologies. It subsidizes 70% of your expenses and you can raise 300k euros if you have a little over 100k. Almost has your name on it. Ok, so we checked out how it works. Take a seat, the stupidity might knock you out. Supposedly the program gives you 300k if you spend 400k (roughly speaking) on building your company. You have to apply with your business plan and detailed budget to get approval. This will take a few months, paperwork and fees to people in the know that will help you make a winning proposal. Then you have to spend the money out of your own pocket. Yes, they don't actually give you any money, you're spending your own money, but you have to do it under the strict control of the budget you submitted. Then, maybe a year later, if you meet several conditions (let's assume everything's going well and you do) they will approve to pay you back the money. I'm told that for the Greek government to actually pay you the cash it might take an extra year. Now, what if you actually didn't have the money, which is usually the reason people look for funding. You could ask for an advance payment. This would take some time to approve, it would be partial and in order for them to give you the approval you'd have to first issue a bank guarantee to them for the same amount. So you'd have to give them the money so they can give it to you because you asked them to give it to you because you don't have it and that's why you were looking for a subsidy in the first place. I am not making this up. You'd wonder if anyone actually applies for this retarded program. I wondered, too, for about a minute, then decided I have better things to do with my time. Another friend was telling me about a similar monstrosity a few years ago. It was meant to provide liquidity to small businesses, to invigorate the economy. Among other requirements you'd have to have 3 years profitable record, no debts, and other conditions that would typically not describe a company that has liquidity problems. Oh and you'd have to have the money up front. (Do they even know what "liquidity problem" means?) So, only big, profitable companies who really didn't need that money could qualify for it. But because it was given with great interest rates, a lot of them applied, put them in the bank with a good interest rate for long-term deposits, got a loan for a smaller interest rate, did nothing with the money and made a small profit in a few years. If you were trying to design a program that does not help liquidity and on top of it freezes some cash in long-term deposits, that's the program you'd design. Who the hell makes these things up? Next time you hear some cretin in a government agency advertising how they are going to throw 100 million in the market to incentivize innovation and growth, this is what they mean. Sometimes I wonder, are they serving some corrupt purpose, or are they just that clueless? In other news, I was speaking to our accountant in the UK. She says the government has some tax incentives for startups. They are very simple: for the first 300k of profits you make, you have a reduced tax rate (about 20%) for every 100 pounds you spend on R&D you get 225 pounds deducted from your profits before tax is calculated; in fact if this would mean a tax return, you actually get some money back no pre-approvals for the above, you just declare your spending come tax-time and you know that you will receive the benefit first time entrepreneurs have a reduced dividend taxation at 10% for the first 10 million they make So, they tell you that if you take the risk to start something new they'll let you make enough money at first to make it worth it, they'll give you a tax break if you're doing research and they'll let you keep a bit more of your early profits, because that's what usually fuels your early growth. And it's a simple part of the tax policy. But that's too hard to come up with, isn't it? http://drachmastartup.wordpress.com/2012/06/07/bad-money/

The Nile entered into the Atlantic Ocean? Did Atlantis exist?

Through the use of retrocognition, the Cayce readings provide a wealth of insights into the ancient world. More than simply discussing hidden archeological sites and uncovered records of forgotten civilizations, Edgar Cayce claimed that the history of humankind went back some ten million years! Although much of this material may be impossible to verify, sometimes contemporary research has uncovered evidence to confirm information given in Cayce's trance state. As one example, a number of readings discussed the fact that the Nile had changed its course over eons and had once emptied into the Atlantic Ocean:

Reading #364-13:
Edgar Cayce: ...The Nile entered into the Atlantic Ocean. What is now the Sahara was an inhabited land and very fertile. What is now the central portion of this country, or the Mississippi basin, was then all in the ocean; only the plateau was existent, or the regions that are now portions of Nevada, Utah and Arizona formed the greater part of what we know as the United States...

Reading #276-2:
Edgar Cayce: ...In the one before this we find again in this same land now called Egypt (this before the mountains rose in the south, and when the waters called the Nile then emptied into what is NOW the Atlantic Ocean)...

Reading #5748-6:
Edgar Cayce: ...In those periods when the first change had come in the position of the land, when the Nile (or Nole, then) emptied into what is now the Atlantic Ocean, on the Congo end of the country. What is now as the Sahara was a fertile land...

As if to confirm some of the above, an article published in Science (August 1986), reported that the Shuttle Imaging Radar from the Space Shuttle had discovered previously unknown river valleys beneath the driest part of the Sahara. Through satellite imaging and on-site archeological investigations, it appeared as though the present day Nile had changed its course, once flowing across the Sahara, through Africa, and into the Atlantic Ocean! Only time will tell how many more of the readings historical claims regarding such places as Atlantis, ancient Egypt, and ancient Persia, will eventually be verified.

The Island of Atlantis, as described by Plato, is often perceived to be huge, the size of Asia and Libya (North Africa) combined.  Published satellite imaging of the underwater regions of the world clearly indicates that no such land mass ever existed. (Still, this is not a perfected science and as recently as 2004, new underwater mountain ranges were being discovered)  More relevant is the fact that any earthquake powerful enough to completely destroy all evidence of this Island, one at least the size of modern Australia, would have effectively ended 95% of all life on earth. (If not through the quake itself then through the ensuing volcanic activity.)

 So is this description of Atlantis wrong?  Well no – not actually.  The answer lies in the ancient Greeks appreciation of the size of the world and the way they thought about it.  Two factors need to be considered.  Firstly, the world was that which was occupied by people and thus not the vast empty landmasses in between such as the Sahara. (Robertson and Vincent - 2004) Secondly, the further away from Greece the landmass, the less certain they were of its exact size.  So in effect it is reasonable to conclude that Atlantis may not have been as big as it appears to be described.  This is not an error on the part of Plato – he was recording facts as he understood them.  The error is modern mans with his vastly superior understanding of the geography of this world.

http://unxplained-factor.com/atlantis.htm

http://www.mt.net/~watcher/ufoatlan.html

The renowned American psychic Edgar Cayce ( 1877 - 1945 ) conducted "readings" on thousands of people in his time, often talking to them about their previous lives. Some of the people he interviewed had, in a previous life, lived in Atlantis, and from these people he collected some unbelievably detailed descriptions of the place.
Cayce also made many predictions, a couple assosciated with Atlantis. The most interesting and exciting of these Atlantis predictions is this :

"A portion of the temples may yet be discovered under the slime of ages and sea water near Bimini... Expect it in '68 or '69 - not so far away."

Sure enough, in 1968 (some 23 years after Cayce's own death) the Bimini Road was discovered in less than 15 feet of water on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, at North Bimini Island in the Bahamas. The Bimini Road is a half mile long road of perfectly aligned limestone rocks, most spectacular when viewed from the air. Some skeptics believe that these rocks are a natural formation, and not man-made. But now, thanks to new evidence uncovered at the area, many experts disagree.
Did Atlantis exist?

Edgar Cayce revealed that new land will appear in 1968 or 1969 off the east coast of North America, the so-called "rising of Atlantis".

It was in that timeframe that the Bimini Road was discovered in the Atlantic Ocean. Whether this is actually a road or natural, geologic erosion is being hotly debated. Many people believe this to be the actual portion of Atlantis that Cayce was referring to.

Cayce maintained that Atlantis was an ancient civilization that was technologically superior to even our own and that its last surviving islands have disappeared somewhere in the Atlantic ocean some ten thousand years ago. 

Cayce revealed that the size of Atlantis was equal to that of Europe, including Asia in Europe. He saw visions of this continent of the past which had gone through three major periods of division; the first two occurred around 15,600 B.C., when the mainland was divided into islands. The three main islands of Atlantis Cayce named were Poseida, Og and Aryan. 

He said the people of Atlantis had constructed giant laser-like crystals for power plants, and that these were responsible for the second destruction of the land. Cayce blamed the final destruction of Atlantis and the disintegration of their culture on greed and lust. But before the legendary land disappeared under the waves, Cayce revealed that there was an exodus of many Atlanteans to ancient Egypt. Cayce attributed the Biblical Great Flood of Noah to be a result of the sinking of the last huge remnants of Atlantis.

During Cayce's otherworldly journeys, Cayce would often reveal the past lives of those who would come to him for information concerning their health. A number of people who came to Cayce were told by him that they had past lives in the legendary lost land of Atlantis. In fact, Cayce revealed that a vast number of souls who lived past lives in Atlantis have been incarnating to America for a long time now to usher in a new era of enlightened human consciousness. In all, Cayce referred to Atlantis no fewer than seven hundred times over a span of twenty years. 

http://www.near-death.com/experiences/cayce11.html

http://www.unmuseum.org/atlantis.htm

Humanity is in our hands

Our planet is actively changing. In one reading, Cayce stated that none of the physical devastation he predicted has to happen. The stability of the planet lies in humanity’s collective hands. Cayce also confirmed the biblical axiom that 10 good people can save an entire city. This brings to mind an old story told by the editor of Guideposts magazine. He received letters from two different women in a small town in California. Each told him how they were awakened in the dark hours of predawn and powerfully guided by Spirit to go out into the street of their little town and pray. They both did. Around 5 a.m., a powerful earthquake hit their town, destroying the entire downtown area, but not one person was killed or even injured. These two ladies did not know each other, living on opposite corners of the town. In this case, the prayers of two saved a town.

Rather than get anxious over the world situation and sound-bite political leaders, prayer is a powerful service we can perform for our fellow planet dwellers. Our prayers ascend into the Collective Consciousness and subliminally affect the whole of human consciousness and nature’s sensitive vibrations.

Prayer time is also a wonderful sanctuary from the world’s weight. In this inner space of contacting God with love and caring for others, we can find a refuge for our often weary hearts and minds.

When asked what the New Age means to humanity, Edgar Cayce replied: “by the full consciousness of the ability to communicate with the Creative Forces and be aware of the relationships to the Creative Forces and the uses of same in material environs. This awareness during the era or age in the Age of Atlantis and Lemuria or Mu brought what? Destruction to man, and his beginning of the needs of the journey up through that of selfishness.” (1602-3)

Cayce is informing us that in a previous time cycle, humanity had a level of consciousness and relationship with the Creative Forces that allowed us to live at higher levels of material, mental, and spiritual activity in the Earth and beyond. Unfortunately, we misused this consciousness and the power that came with the close relationship to the Forces. This misuse brought on the destruction of our great cultures and a long, karmic soul journey through the pain and confusion that resulted from our selfishness and self-centered focus on our will without regard for the will of the Creator and others. Now, as the cycles come around again, we are nearing a time when the level of consciousness and relationship with the Creative Forces will allow us once again to regain these powers. How will we use them this time?

Before we despair that humankind is going to misuse these again, let’s remember that many, many souls and even the Logos, the Word, have come and continue to come into materiality to help prepare the way for this rebirth. We overestimate the power of the world and its leaders. The unseen, heavenly forces have greater power and will overcome the world’s darkness and selfishness, breaking through with a light that will transform this realm for a thousand years, when all evil and temptation will be bound and a golden age will reign. The biblical book of the Revelation conveys this prophecy: “I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:2)

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a huge subject and certainly one in which the Bible is not silent. In the Bible we can read about our amazing and loving Heavenly Father who forgives us of all trespasses. God calls sinners to seek Him and promises them forgiveness. It is because of His great mercy and grace that God rescues the believer from the dominion of darkness that began way back in the Garden. Jesus extends a loving invitation for forgiveness of sins which is only possible through His shed blood. He gave His life so that we may live. We are forgiven because He was forsaken – That is amazing love! Here are some encouraging Scripture quotes about forgiveness.


Matthew 5:22-24 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.


Proverbs 22:24-25 Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-friendship-20-good-scripture-quotes/#ixzz1xh0llEAk

Luke 7:47-48 “…Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Jesus speaking to the accusers and the woman caught in adultery)

Psalm 103:8-12 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Venus in the 8th house

Those with Venus in the 8th demand a high level of commitment from both their personal and business partners. The 8th house represents merging with others emotionally, sexually and financially. Planets in this house are concerned with the fundamental issues of life – birth, death and sex. Intimate relationships expose our hidden selves and close relationships require a high level of trust and honesty. Venus in the 8th house can penetrate into a deeper level of relating than most people. No other placement of Venus can understand the unconscious side of relationships. Venus in this house is attracted to deeper and dangerous levels of engagement. They crave intense, deep, emotional relationships, and would even prefer a stormy, tumultuous relationship to one which is smooth but lacking in depth. Those with Venus here may be drawn into power-struggles and destructive relationships, and they are prone to jealousy The individual loves with all consuming, total devotion and expect the same attention from a partner. Casual and light relationships hold no appeal for them. Crisis in a relationship serves to deepen the bond, but the more unconscious conflicts often threaten to tear them apart. Venus in the 8th house attracts money through inheritances, legacies and business transactions. The individual may also be gifted at regenerating finances. The experience of Venus in the 8th house can sometimes mean the death of a parent at an early age, or the loss of a lover or spouse. The experiences are not necessarily tragic, but the event will plunge Venus into the necessary intensity and depth.
http://theastrologyplace.blogspot.ca/2011/01/venus-in-8th-house.html
 

Jupiter in Gemini 2012-2013

Kismet Instrumental

Aggigma Psixis

Kasidiaris sues Kanelli ( rolls her eyes)

ATHENS, Greece — The Greek extreme-right party spokesman who caused an uproar last week by slapping one female politician on live TV and throwing a glass of water on another has sued the two women as well as the television channel that hosted the news show.

The move Monday by Ilias Kasidiaris, the 31-year-old spokesman for the extremist Golden Dawn party, is the latest twist in a bizarre political saga. Kasidiaris himself avoided an arrest warrant for the confrontation last Thursday, resurfacing late Sunday after the warrant had expired.

Kasidiris appeared at an Athens court Monday, flanked by other party members, to submit lawsuits against Communist Party candidate Liana Kanelli and Syriza party member Rena Dourou on charges of alleged unprovoked insults and against Antenna television for alleged illegal detention.

Authorities had issued an arrest warrant for Kasidiaris after he threw water over Dourou and then slapped Kanelli hard three times across the face during a heated discussion on a morning political show Thursday. A video of that show has been widely seen on the Internet.

Under Greek law, an arrest warrant for a misdemeanor must be carried out by midnight the day after the act has occurred, in which case a trial is immediate. If the suspect is not apprehended within that time frame, the case turns into a judicial procedure in which a trial date is set, often for several months or even years later.

Kasidiaris laid low immediately after the incident, but resurfaced Sunday evening at the opening of a Golden Dawn office in an outlying part of Athens. No court date has been set yet for him.

Kasidiaris argues that he was provoked by insults during the television show and that the 58-year-old Kanelli hit him first with a newspaper.

Moments after Kasidiaris hit Kanelli, the channel cut to a commercial break and when the program resumed, Kasidiaris was no longer there. Attempts were made to hold him in an office room while the police were called, but he broke through the door and left.

He said Monday he was also suing a journalist at Antenna for “instigation to abuse of power” for allegedly provoking a prosecutor to order his arrest.

Kasidiaris had also been due to stand trial Monday in a separate case, in which he is accused of participating in a 2007 attack on a student. The case was postponed to Sept 3. In it, he faces charges of assisting in a robbery and bodily harm after his car was allegedly used in the incident.   Washington Post