The Road To Hell...

Posted by Ren in The Present

We make a ladder of our thoughts where angles sleep, but sleep ourselves at the floor; our high resolves look down upon our slumbering acts." ~19th century poet and social critic Letitia E. London

The need to separate intention from desire is something most of the worlds ancient wisdom traditions place great importance on. In fact they all have some sort of dogma or practice designed to teach just that; often by… Staying Hungry!

Now why would keeping yourself hungry (by fasting) keep your intentions pure? We'll get there in a moment; first I assure you this IS NOT an article about or advocating fasting (far from it) BUT as most people are not really aware of why that particular practice is so deeply rooted in some of THE most sacred times for so many of the worlds most influential religions, AND it does serve a VERY important (but often overlooked) purpose (that IS relevant to this article), it's important to remind/inform about the practice (the links will take you a bit deeper into each religions periods of fasting if your curious to know more).

On the Judeo/Christian (more "western" oriented) side of things there are the fasting traditions which include Jews fasting for Yom Kippur (their time for reflection and "atonement") and one of their most important periods of the year - AND - there is the Christian fasting period of Lent, an equally important 40 day period of fasting and prayer preceding the most important Christian holiday (Easter).

On the more "eastern" side of things there is Islam's holy month of Ramadan a 30 day period of fasting and prayer which marks that wisdom traditions most sacred period - AND - in Buddhism; one of who's foundation pillars is the suppression / mastery of desire (which is one of the things this article will touch on), there are also fasting traditions aimed at purifying spiritual intent.

Although there are MANY other ways the worlds codified spiritual practices use to quiet the mind and refine intention (such as meditative practices, repetitive rituals of prayer or physical activities, even the extreme practice of self flagellation because the mastery over pain is another [all be it extreme] way to teach the mastery over desire), the wise ones all figured out one of the easiest (and most intellectually neutral) ways to quiet the mind and train the spirit how to master and control desire, is simply by giving the body (our strongest inner voice when it comes to desire) something to focus on (like hunger).

The time proven theorem is that if you master that most basic desire to eat (or at least focus on suppressing it), your spirit is free to pray on and put into action your good intentions (and eventually should be able do so without having to distract a part of yourself with hunger suppression).

For some of the aforementioned religions fasting also teaches empathy for those less fortunate. And remember, the practice often occurs during THE MOST SACRED TIMES for the respective religions because they all recognize the importance of teaching the differentiation between (end of introduction… whew! )…

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Most of us want to do "good" but... to want ANYTHING (even to do "good" things) is an ego driven DESIRE and once desire is involved things inevitably become subject to corruption.

A long time ago, the most wise awakened to the realization that to act out of want (for any reason) is ALWAYS doomed to failure. Those wise ancients put a great deal of good intention into codifying ways for us to avoid the corruptive influence of the "I want" because they knew that...


Even our best and brightest (be they intellectual, "moral", "spiritual" artistic or political), are subject to the same derailments of good intentions that the rest of us fall pray to (often in direct proportion to the degree of ego reinforcing admiration / adulation they receive). It's why the repeating pattern of history is punctuated by "great" people who often disappoint in one way or another (often causing great suffering to others). That's what vows of poverty and various practices of abstinence and self denial were designed to prevent and it's (arguably) the "best" amongst us who would most benefit from said practices.

And what about the expression that to get anything "worthwhile" done, you really have to "WANT it more then anything in the world "(?). That's true sometimes actually (the "I want" can be the trigger for a good intention) , but if the "WANT" remains the motivating call to action, the "road to hell" awaits.

Aside from having real faith, we can benefit from constantly reminding ourselves (by whatever means at our disposal) to act ONLY out of intention (which arguably makes it impossible to act "badly"). Acting out of the "WILL to power" places no ego fueled catalyst between an intention and an action - and - since "pure" present actions rising out of intention do not gratify the ego (there's no time for them to), all such acts are truly… "SELFless" in nature so we can do good for ourselves and others -and- yes.even "feel" good about ourselves (but that's nothing to be held on to less you wind up back on that "road to hell").

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An extreme example of an action motivated by pure intent is the sacrificing of ones own life (or the placing of ones own life in mortal danger) for another. Anecdotes tell us when something like that happens, it's immediate. It's not something that's pondered on or justified. The ego and its desire for self preservation is overridden and action is energized only by the immediate intention to save a life (or prevent harm or sadly, to take life).

• One person takes a bullet or a stab for another.
  
  
• A stranger rushes into oncoming traffic to rescue.. a dog!
  
  
• One stranger puts himself between two others who are about to fight (without considering they themselves may be harmed).
  
  
• And sadly, in asymmetric warfare, one person gives their life to take the life of "the enemy" (or often who they have been manipulated into thinking is "the enemy")
  
  

All of the above are SELFLESS acts. NO ONE in the above examples desired to do what they did, they just acted out of a present tense will to power, an intention… and all had to instantaneously suppress desire to act. All such folk who are lucky enough to live to reflect on their actions… will inevitably say things like "I didn't think, I just acted". But this article isn't a rumination on heroism.

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I can understand why although its one of the most important aspects of many religious dogmas its often one of the least emphasized teachings (it does after all empower the individual without necessarily intellectual, "moral" or codified "spiritual" reference points and then of course... there's the fact that the more empowered one is, the less DESIRE one has for belonging to organized religious institutions or cults… which can be bad for their bu$iness). However…

It actually IS dangerous (and can create sociopath like behaviors) if one separates all spiritual consideration from the mastery of desire and acts out of "pure" intent without a solid "spiritual" foundation (the "I" can then become more important then the "WILL" and back on the road to hell you go!). Without intellectual / spiritual vigilance, one can be misguided (even by themselves) or "programmed" into "negative" behaviors quite easily. One does not, after all, want to wind up purposely doing "bad" things for "good" reasons and doing "good" things for "bad" reasons… never makes up for the "bad" either. So, if your "seeking" along the aforementioned lines, please be MINDfull.

It can be a hair thin (and perpetually moving) line that separates the "I want" from "I WILL"; walking it requires careful, constant self reflection and perhaps a "trusted" external guide of some sort (which it'll be up to you to research, use, and eventually discard when it [or he or she] is no longer needed as such).

Then there's also the notion that a dear friend of mine has which says until you eliminate the concept of "I" from the whole equation, you can't get anywhere near a mastery over any part of your true self but I think I'll leave that concept for one of "The Renegade Sufi's" guest blogs (if he wants to tackle it at The Gravaton) and just say...


My good wish for you is that you learn to intuit the difference between your desires and intentions, that you learn to carefully juggle your intellect, your gut instincts and your spiritual leanings to find the best path to keeping your (ACTIVE action producing) intentions "pure". It wont always gratify in the way you might expect but… it will make you a better person and you'll avoid un-INTENTION-ed harm to yourself and others.

Thanks to Daisy Sola (of Sola Pilates), Allyson Grey (of CoSM) and (the Renegade Sufi) Dawoud Kringle for assisting my research for this article. And thanks to the next member of the Gravaton Collective, the next main guest blog author and my life long "brother"

J. "Myztico" Campo

for providing the imagery that accompanies this article*.

All the Gravaton Blogs I write are triggered by a good or bad event (either personal or external) that I come into contact with; then I try contextualize said event for myself in "public" view with these articles (with the intention of helping at least one other person). In the case of "The Road To Hell", the idea came from finding out that a "good" person had been doing a very bad thing to me. (On the advice of one of the friends I thanked above) I held off on writing this piece until I could digest the circumstances more fully and then… came a GOOD trigger event and it was that (person) which inspired me to put fingers to keyboard for this piece. So with affection, respect and love this one is …

For Natalia Lincoln, A gifted speculative fiction writer (and that's an Amazon purchase link for her latest book "The Mirror" up there), performing musician, composer, brave surfer of life's waves and currently… one hell of a jelly doughnut (sorry , lil inside joke on that last one).

Welcome to the Gravaton

Peace

Ren

You've just read an entry in the Gravaton Mini Blog. To read more you can always return here as well as visit the other blog site The Gravaton Blog which will contain different (though sometimes related) content. Go see for yourself.

*all images copyright 2008 J. Myztico Campo

History Repeats its Own Spiritual Crisis.

Posted by Ren in The Present

"There is a desperate search for the sacred in a society predicated on the idea that there is no power greater than the state (or more specifically, the economic market forces that dictate its operation and values)." -- Dawoud

This guest Gravaton Mini-Blog appears thanks to the always reliable "Renegade Sufi" (my friend) Imam Dawoud Kringle. It remains his intellectual property and is presented here on a non-exclusive basis. If there were any edits or suggestions by me they have already been incorporated into the article with the authors permission.

Introduction

Some months ago, I was scheduled to perform as a featured musician at an event held in a large art gallery in New Jersey. The subculture that was the "target audience" was what I would describe as modern entheogenic shamans (read users of various hallucinogenic [mostly illegal] substances many of whom claim "sacramental" and "spiritual" reasons for doing so).

There were panel discussions, a dance performance, and other presentations of various kinds.

Three minutes into the piece I was scheduled to perform, a drum circle started playing nearby! (said drum circle was one of the scheduled events, as was my performance). Although I couldn't believe the gatherings organizers would allow two separate simulations music performances to occur within such close proximity, I suppressed my first impulse to stop, pack my instrument, and walk out (only the thought of offending my friends, and some other admirers in attendance, prevented me from doing so) and I instead, with my heavily amplified instrument began more of a street fight (with the nearby drum circle) than a musical performance. After a while, I realized there was no point in continuing. So, tired and disgusted, I brought my music to a close as elegantly as I could.

This experience, in a place that was supposed to be about fostering a strengthening of our sacred interconnectedness, lead me to some thoughts I'd like to share.

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The ordeal I described in the introduction (at the hands of the participants in the drum circle) is but a symptom of a greater problem.

I see this whole enthogenic "scene" as a modern manifestation of what had happened in the 60's. This is the early 21st century Peace & Love era. And I see the same thing happening to it that happened 40 years ago where It started out as an ideal but lacked the discipline, focus, and respect for true wisdom and knowledge that would have given it the strength to survive.

My experience as a performer and/or speaker at various events in the entheogenic "scene" has shown me that all too many of the people who seek some kind of "instant enlightenment" through entheogens, yoga, meditation, or whatever, are just spinning their wheels. This is not to say that these tools are bad or useless. But they are a means to an end, and a 'seed" that must be cultivated in fertile soil.

Individuals turning to entheogenic "enlightenment" require a real foundation in a spiritual discipline of some kind (a decent level of intellectual and emotional maturity wouldn't hurt either) before embarking on what amounts to chemical self experimentation. With a solid intellectual and spiritual foundation, they have a chance at the kind of insight that will permit them to actually evolve their being via their chosen "sacraments" and practices.

There is an old Buddhist story. A Shaolin monk addressed his students and announced that such and such a student had achieved Enlightenment. The other students later asked him how he felt now that he was Enlightened. He said "As miserable as ever!"

What we have now (as it was 40 or so years ago when the psychedelic subculture began) are for the most part weak, unfocused, spoiled children who mistake a few hours of sensory overload for a genuine spiritual experience. They mistake the map for the territory, and mistake the experience for the lesson. They will come back from their experience unchanged, uninspired; and as miserable as ever.

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There is a propensity in the modern day entheogenic scene to mix and match religious and mystical elements in an indiscriminate manner. Hinduism, Buddhism, a "politically correct" and watered down version of Sufism, and smatterings of paganism and polytheistic beliefs are thrown together helter skelter in whatever way suits the moment. It would be incorrect to say that the method is inefficient, because there is no method at all. No foundation upon which to build.

Ego driven idealism and an attempt at a non-hierarchical spiritual anarchy (without a necessary method and foundation from which to at least depart) will guarantee the downfall of any new age movement . In fact, they misinterpret and deride the need for a hierarchy. All things that exist are hierarchical. The error they make is that they do not wish to sacrifice their ego to allow themselves to be guided - and wear a mask of resistance against potential tyranny to hide the fears of their ego. The historical model of the 60's bears witness to this. In the end, apart from a handful of enlightened beings who arose from that period, most walked away and "sold out" - and the rest fell victim to the ugly realities of an earthly existence that they were not prepared to face.

I believe that among the current seekers of entheogenic "spirituality" are some enlightened people who are initiating an authentic apotheosis. But there are serious obstacles to overcome. I advise the reader with all the sincerity at my command to meditate on what I've said and am about to say.

Many people tax their psychological and spiritual resources because of an inner calling to seek something spiritual. The true spiritual quest often then gets clouded by taking too much of whatever substance is at hand, or being distracted by the other senses, or social awkwardness, etc. This self defeating pattern is part of the spiritual crisis our post-Western civilization is now in the midst of.

One of the things that many users of entheogens report is coming to a new found awareness of the profundity of the "web of life" and their place in and connection to it. Typically, when anyone is brought face to face with something deeply spiritual, something inside them remembers their true origins, the true "source". An (often temporary) "awakening" occurs. Yet the ego, the mind, tries desperately to pull them back because we are, for the most part, dimensionally challenged beings.

Often, what we see (including when taking entheogenic journeys) blinds us. What we think (from an egocentric perspective) numbs our potential wisdom and our "Firasah" (the quality of being able to see by the Light of Allah [aka God]).

We often fail to see (and or remember) that our minds (through which we catalog the entire experience of life, let alone the experience of a "trip"), is not the extent of our beings. It is only a small tip of a very vast iceberg that the entity we insist upon calling "I" cannot fully (if ever really) perceive.

But the totality of our being… always perceives us; and is shouting into our largely deaf ears a desperate invitation to unite with it and become whole beings. It's the interplay between the cruder material mind and ego and the ephemeral magnetic pull of that "source" which seeks to unite us with it, that gives us all the impulse to "seek". And even though in the seeking, we can often loose our way, an unwavering practiced faith in the greater power of that which always perceives us, can keep the light of Allah (aka God) helping to illuminate our way even when we miss-step in our impelled quest for higher states of knowledge.

Since this entire rumination was triggered by my having had a challenging time at a musical performance one day, I'm brought (in closing) to something I notice with my music: When I perform, and the music happens as it should, there is no more "I" to play the music. There is only the music, and the listener. Dawoud no longer exists. Which is the reason why, although I'm delighted that people enjoy what I do, any compliments I usually receive are a bit embarrassing. There is no Dawoud to take credit for the music. I have been given a gift: what right have I to expect a reward for it? Keeping this in mind is one of the ways I keep from losing my way, every day.

Ma'a Salaam {With peace}

Dawoud Kringle

Welcome To The Gravaton.

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Come Talk To Me

Posted by Ren in The Present

There's an old technique in contract negotiation: NEVER be the one who walks away from the negotiating table… Never!

In any situation, the only way for two or more parties to have a chance to come to an understanding.. (assuming they should want to).. is if they keep communicating. Now that can't happen if at least one of the parties walks away from the "negotiation". This holds true in all dealings (not just contract talks) at all levels, even between nations.

Since we mostly live in linier time, our crude attempts at communication often fumble as we process what we hear while we plan what we're about to say (effectively taking ourselves out of the present which is where we most need to be when attempting a communion of understanding with another). I'm guessing that's why people have fallen back so much on email and texting as it enables us to focus on what we want to say without the distraction of being in the fluidity of a live conversation and hey… those things are useful but…

you can't look into the eyes of an email, or read the inflection or body language in a text message so if its important to you, then eyeball to eyeball is the only way to go (falling back on the phone if there's no other way).

It seems (for both people and nations) the more important something is to us, the more fearful we are of direct communication about it. Perhaps because we fear having our "illusions" deconstructed which can happen as you see yourself or your ideas reflected back at you in the "mirror" of how someone else responds to what you give off. One needs to have both strength of ego and a "balance" of perspective (about oneself and the other party) in order to move past that point where ones inner reality goes splat against the windshield of another's inner reality (which is how it can feel sometimes).

In the swirling of words and actions between people (who are almost always in different past/present/future inner states of being at any given time) its often easy to give off unintended signals and in turn, be blind to or misinterpret the signals aimed at you.

That the above happens, is inevitable, but when it happens too much between the same people or groups or governments then communication breaks down as people just give up trying to make themselves understood (or give up in fear of some sort of rejection of their wants or needs -- including how they may want or need to be viewed by others).

Usually right before parties stop trying to communicate about something "important" comes… Anger… then add a dash of recrimination, a touch of resentment and poof! bridges get burned for good. The great irony is that often… the most intimate communications, (the core truths if you will), lie hidden in between the final angry, spiteful words (or the equally powerful silences) that usually precede the breakdown. Now I'm not gonna lie to y'all, it's usually too late when things go that far off the tracks. Soooo….

My good wish for you is:

Always try LISTENING to others with an open mind and (most importantly) an open heart…

Be patient, its very rare that two or more people are in the same (past/present/future) inner space at any given time and you might have to wait a long time for the wheel to come around so to speak but…

If it matters to you, persevere in good faith, in a present tense state of mind (without any expectation of an outcome) then…

If it matters to the other(s) whom you want (or need to) come to an understanding with, just give it time, it'll happen, I promise you (well, that's how its supposed to work at any rate) and…

If a synchronicity never occurs, then find something positive to take away from the experience.


Hey! You could even write a mini-blog about it in the hopes of helping another get through a similar experience. Hmmmm. Ya know, that's not a bad idea.

Down below, a different version of the song up top** with subtitles and a nicer ending.


Welcome to the Gravaton

Peace

Ren

You've just read an entry in the Gravaton Mini Blog. To read more you can always return here as well as visit the other blog site The Gravaton Blog which will contain different (though sometimes related) content. Go see for yourself.

*Performed By Peter Gabriel & Paula Cole ** Performed by Peter & Melanie Gabriel

The Messenger, And The Message

Posted by Ren in The Present

Its easy for anyone to have an occasional flash of inspiration and insight. I'd like to think that even I'm capable of it. Those "flashes" of inspiration might even be of some use to yourself or those you might share them with.


Sometimes though, we can confuse the source of inspiration / insight with the person that delivers it.

On a metaphysical level there is a shared spiritual wisdom pool that informs almost all the codified philosophies that most of the worlds religions use as a basis for their teachings. Also, any reasonably well read person can, just by relying on memory and a little creative knitting of various concepts, come up with some insightful ideas (whether they're being sincere or not, whether their intention is to be of help… or simply to engender worshipful admiration or.. both those things at once).

If you hear or read some really helpful and / or inspirational words and those words motivate you to find some new personal truths to guide yourself by, remember these old expressions:

That's to say "universal" truths tend to reveal themselves universally to anyone that takes the time to quiet their minds and contemplate the nature of simply… "being". That a few universal truths might come to you and… that you might be able to express them (and sometimes you won't be able to as much as you can just feel them), does not mean you are the source of that wisdom. And if that wisdom comes to you via another, they likewise are not the source but rather just the conduit to transmit that knowledge to you.

While there are effective ways to express universal truths and those ways can be tailored to target specific people in specific situations (either to help and / or manipulate them)… believe it when I say that… absolutely nothing your either hearing or internally receiving by way of spiritual insight is an original idea. All those 'truths were received, pondered upon, interpreted and often grossly distorted thousands (or depending on your view of human history, tens of thousands) of years ago.

It's a blessing to undergo spiritual transformation fueled by receiving wisdom from whatever source feeds it to you But It's extremely dangerous to confuse the messenger with the message (whether the messenger is your own internal conduit to the source or someone else who passes you insights they have received or just extrapolated from what they've read).


Always stay open to receiving the message but be ever vigilant not to confuse it with the messenger. (Even some of history's worse and most reviled villains have left behind some insightful / inspirational writing… but that doesn't make them worthy of being considered anything more then the flawed creatures we all are).

Whatever path to knowledge you choose, Whatever name you have for God or even if you consider yourself "godless"… May the message always awaken within you and may you never become corrupted by its omniscient power.

Welcome to the Gravaton

Peace

Ren

You've just read an entry in the Gravaton Mini Blog. To read more you can always return here as well as visit the other blog site The Gravaton Blog which will contain different (though sometimes related) content. Go see for yourself

I Hold The Line

Posted by Ren in The Present

"I hold the line - the line of strength that pulls me through
the fear"

from Peter Gabriel's "San Jacinto"

The songs subject isn't appropriate to this blog but the intent of it's chorus (which hits during the second half) resonates strongly here.

We've been gifted with the trinity of mind body and spirit. Its as if the creator wanted to give us a tie breaker for those times when the heart pulls you one way and the mind pulls you another and you just cant see your way through to a resolution.

Mind and body (heart) are the loudest demanders of our everyday attention and when they pull in opposite directions without a mediating force, confusion and fear take hold. For some… it can get much worse…even madness is possible.

But there is… A LINE.. connecting those dual rulers of our "coarser" natures. It's the pivot point on the scales of our inner conflicts and…

When a mind/heart schism develops … the line that tethers them begins to vibrate and resonate. If we ignore it… It gets LOUDER and if we have even a hint of sanity.. and leave ourselves open to it… It… will compel us (even at great personal cost) to choose the right path. We may not understand why… It may even break our hearts (for a while) but holding to that line always leads to a better place.

Call the line conscience, If it pleases you. It comes from the spirit in us and if we are about to undertake an action that might cause suffering to ourselves or others… it will SCREAM at us to STOP… and consider what we are about to do.

If we turn away from that vibrating resonance in our souls when it speaks to us, we become as a tripod that loses one of its legs… falling… and if we hit the metaphorical ground before we can reach for that "line of strength" our creator blessed us with… we can loose our souls.

Sometimes we cant reach for that aforementioned line by ourselves… I once overheard a wise man I've come to have great affection for (Alex Grey) tell one of his students, "we are surrounded by angels and we can call to them and they can help us" (if we have faith)…

Those "angels"... might come to you... in the flesh… in the form of the people that surround you (so keep your eyes, ears and heart open to receiving them) and they may not even be aware of their nature but… they will reach out to you… at just the right time... and pluck that possibly dormant line of spirit connecting your mind and body… before you hit the ground.

I was compelled to write this Gravaton Mini-Blog because--

On a night I was about to loose my soul, a friend introduced me to an angel named Daygots… unaware of the effect she would have on me at that particular point in my life. She kept me from hitting the ground… and left me open to seeing all other the angels around me. With great respect and gratitude, this article is dedicated to her.

Hold the line.

Welcome to the Gravaton

Peace

Ren

You've just read an entry in the Gravaton Mini Blog. To read more you can always return here as well as visit the other blog site The Gravaton Blog which will contain different (though sometimes related) content. Go see for yourself

Ten Trillion Dollars

Posted by Ren in Politics

But first, for the sake of the RSS feed, lets catch up on some Gravaton site news.

• Gravaton Music's first release "The Message" was completed (with the addition of its second five tracks) and is available for purchase

• There is ongoing coverage of the 2007 AES Convention at the Fun Forums which focuses on home and pro-sumer applications for pro-audio technologies and products.

• And finally the Fun Forums welcomed new member, working professional movie, television and stage actor Antone Pagan who's currently working on a revival of (the Six Time Tony award nominated - &- also, winner of New York Critics Circle Award and… an Obie Award for the "best play of the year") Short Eyes for the Broadway stage. I'm flattered that he chose the Fun Forums to post his first press release for the project.

ONE TRILLION DOLLARS. That's One thousand BILLION DOLLARS or one Million Million.

Imagine the good you could do with just that much money. Divide that trillion onto 1000 equal parts (of a billion each) or one million equal parts (of a million each), and spread it evenly throughout the country. Ah.. The schools, the hospitals, the roads, the libraries, the medicine, the food, the free health care, the space program…just use your imagination. ONE THOUSAND BILLION dollars (just one trillion) used for the good of the American people.

Why did I start with a Trillion if this Gravaton mini-blog is titled Ten Trillion Dollars? Because that's how much money the last American administration (under Bill Clinton) left as a SURPLUS in the government bank account. Sort of a rainy day fund if you will. Where did that trillion wind up? Most of it was squandered away (partially in a tax cuts for the wealthy and in corporate welfare) in the early days of the next administration (under GW Bush). So poof! A Trillion… Gone! Look around you. Do you see any of it? Did any of it "trickle down" to your community? How did one thousand billion dollars (A Trillion) get given away with nothing to show for it in less then 24 months?... We allowed ourselves to get distracted in all the ways I've written about in prior blogs and lost that first Trillion that Clinton left for all of us in the bank. But...

I titled this article Ten Trillion Dollars because today… thanks to those tax cuts and corporate welfare (which are still in effect six years later and the supposed new "war on terror")… we (the American Nation et al) are now over an additional NINE TRILLION IN DEBT (that's minus 9 trillion on the national bank statement) for a total of TEN TRILLION DOLLARS.

Wrap you mind around that number. TEN THOUSND BILLION -or- TEN MILLION... MILLION DOLARS and climbing Every day since this was first written

If my country is Ten Trillion in the hole then why isn't there anything to show for it? War on terror? Ten Trillion dollars later and they still can't catch Osama? Yeah, right!

Imagine the complete transformation that Ten Trillion dollars in spending (and borrowing) would have brought to this county if it had been spent FOR the people instead of on the wants of the power hungry. Think of the clean energy research that could have been done, the free ivy league education that could have been made the birth right of every American, the free health care, the expanded and repaired roads the government subsidized middle class housing.

Or hey, lets get all sideways with this (I mean since we are talking about TEN friggin TRILION bucks).

If you're a law and order person, think of all the prisons that could have been built to make sure criminals would stay locked away… almost zero crime would have been a real possibility…

How about if your anti-abortion, you could have paid every single woman who wanted to have one, a ridiculously large amount of money to have the child and then built all the orphanages needed to warehouse all those unwanted children in perpetuity…

Don't like gays… you could have paid them all to just leave the country and fund genetic research into eliminating the gay gene and spent a boatload of money in outreach and education and law enforcement to prevent children from being rewired into being gay by abuse.

How about, create non-addictive hard drugs.

Build a hundred foot high wall around the entire country to keep out those pesky illegals.

I'm serious... With ten trillion you could have probably done all that and more. The mind reels at the possibilities because it was a staggering amount of money that got wasted / stolen since GW and the crew took power.

Even idealized things like moon bases and manned mars missions, deep sea research bases. Use your imagination. What could you have done if you were allowed to spend ten thousand billion dollars (TEN TRILLION)? on the national well being. You know, we could have all had 100 percent secure airports and sea ports too.

But again... look around you. Where did it go? Why don't you (or your friends and family) have anything to show for it?

One last time… In about the last six years, an additional... (that's in ADDITION to regular government spending levels from prior to six years ago)... TEN TRILLION DOLLARS (9 in debt) got spent… by your government… the one you are supposed to be in control of.

If your old enough to remember what the world (including America) was like seven years ago and you look around today you'll be hard pressed to find a justification for the squandering our national resources in the way we have for the last six and a half years.

We didn't just allow our money to get spent. We allowed future generations of Americans (and by extension a good portion of the world) to be robbed of a better society as well.

It's never to late, until it's too late.

Welcome to the Gravaton.

Peace

Ren


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Compassion (Peace if Peace Be Whats Best)

Posted by Ren in The Present

I'd written a Main Blog article named There are limits a little while ago and I'd ended it with "Peace (if peace be what is best)" and a commenter on that article asked me what I'd meant by that. This mini blog explains how I could write that phrase and be well meaning. Conflict is sometimes inevitable… and…. Correct, so long as one is deeply rooted in…

Taking on the first question on: Yes you can be a warrior, you can even kill the "enemy" and be a kind companionate individual… if you war/kill only as a last resort… if you have taken the time to understand your enemy… if you have sought to empathize with the enemy and if you have sought reasonable openhanded fair discourse to communicate your differences of opinion so as to insure that if you must fight, you have a mutual respect for each other so that… if you must kill you do so without rancor or malice AND THAT IS THE KEY… To act decisively towards an enemy (if you have no choice but to be enemies)… without rancor or malice.

In war, to hold as dear the lives you have taken as you do the lives you have lost and If you have vanquished an enemy, to act mercifully in victory… It's a tall order I know, but if you are truly convinced of the rightness of your position (and the un-supportability of your enemies) Then you will never be truly victorious (or even have a real chance at a lasting victory) unless you engage your enemy as I have thus described.

Taking on the second question: To seek a communion of understanding (not necessarily agreement mind you) as to why you are in an adversarial situation will hasten the decisive evolution of the situation

(so that if you must war, then you can do so sooner and more effectively rather then later.

If you want dialogue you can seek it out without fear of losing face).

Your enemy will hold you in esteem (even as you war) if it knows you understand its reasons for fighting you and… if your enemy thinks (you've made an effort to understand them and) you've miss-understood them, it may even try open avenues of communication rather then continue to attack.

Again, I know it's a tall order but the "fug it jus kill em all attitude" will insure that you'll be fighting a LOOOONG time and even if you win, you loose peace of mind because… they (your enemies) will be back with vengeance in their hearts and you'll have to fight them again and again.

Finally addressing the third question: You can only be made stronger/wiser if you embrace compassion, understanding empathy and forgiveness.

With Compassion even if you must kill, you would do only what's necessary. Your enemy (in defeat) will remember your compassion and be less likely to rise up against you again and you would have no choice but to act in a manner that insures you can sustain the peace (after a war) even if it displeases you to do so.

With application of understanding/empathy (rather then just brute force) you could (if you must war) win more quickly, vanquish more totally (and yet more mercifully) and upon reflection of what you (told yourself you) had to do to win, you will have actually grown wiser (not just stronger) as a person or a society.

Finally with application of forgiveness, you can live in the present free of fear and misperceptions and be able to build on the past rather then always have to fight the same old fights (generation after generation) with different labels.

This Gravaton Mini Blog is the follow-up/bookend to The Hail Storm. No matter what side or type of conflict you find yourself participating in, I hope this article makes it easier for you to get through it with your soul intact.

Welcome to the Gravaton.

Peace

Ren

You've just read an entry in the Gravaton Mini Blog. To read more you can always return here as well as visit the other blog site The Gravaton Blog which will contain different (though sometimes related) content. Go see for yourself.

Make Some Italian American Men Mad And You Wind Up With Hip Hop

Posted by Ren in Fun Stuff

Well... In this particular instance, that's just what happened.

With the launch of the Gravaton Music site now accomplished, I thought this would be a good time to stick with a "musical" theme and pass on this true story about a nice man I worked for who accidentally made it possible for Hip-Hop to permeate/saturate the music industry (I promise you whether you love it or hate it, you probably didn't know this bit of "music" history).

Before you read about the one real reason why we're all now aware of Hip-Hop, a couple of quick announcements for the RSS feed (of which the Gravaton Mini Blog is a part).

• The Gravaton Chat Channel is officially up and running.
• The Tech Trends forum has been improved and now has some interesting new daily additions sprinkled in amidst the obligatory corporate news. Check it out because some Tech Trends can be fun and August's Fun Forums Contest will be taking place there. Alrighty then....

First Have a giggle

Here's the real deal, not the MTV/VH-1 documentary versions designed to legitimize/aggrandize the phenomena. Its a story about the revenge of a fine group of gentlemen (some of which are of Italian American heritage) who were sometimes referred to in the music industry as the "Network" (of independent promoters).

In the days before MTV, when radio ruled and no one could hope to sell records/8tracks/cassettes (remember those?) or sell out a tour without radio airplay, the Network could all but guarantee you a number one hit single... in exchange for a mere hundred thousand dollars or so (less money for a lower chart position). These... (and again I stress)... fine gentlemen of the "Network" had cultivated a rapport with radio station programmers throughout the country and through that rapport were often (some would say always) able to convince said programmers of the artistic merits of whatever record the Major labels needed to insure would get airplay. Sometimes it would just be a "paper hit" which meant a high chart position on playlists but not actually selling well in stores. The fact remained though, if you wanted to sell records, you couldn't do it without a "hit" single (and you couldn't have a hit single without the Network).

Pretty much everyone was happy with the system and some of the promotional fees connected with a given record often paid for the contests that a radio station would "sponsor" so even the listeners (sort of) got a piece of the action. Everyone was happy except for an old employer of mine (a man I hold in high esteem, a kind, intelligent, accomplished man) named...

Here is a VERY abbreviated listing of David's accomplishments and/or positions he's held (with apologies to him and his family if I've omitted anything or erred in any way):

• One of the authors of the Berne Convention for the protection of literary and artistic works.
• One of the Co-founders of Spin Magazine
  
• The President/CEO of MTV and also... this job...
• The President of the Warner/Elektra/Atlantic Music Group ("WEA") ... hold that last one in your mind because it was from that particular position that David, who had set out to accomplish something quite different, would up being responsible for all the hip-hop around you today.

WEA was one of the "Big Three" (record companies) the other two being Columbia & RCA and the Big three pretty much controlled what music America and much of the world listened to. Today those same three companies have morphed into The Warner Music Group, Sony Music & BMG and two of them merged into being SonyBMG. So now we have a BIG two.

Lets roll back time to when there were a "Big Three" (during the late 70's/early 80's) and the "Network" could guarantee you the "hits". The funds allocated to the Network for "independent promotion" were being spent in addition to the large budgets each of the big three were spending on their in house promotions departments (which handled advertising, marketing and... oh yeah... they were supposed to "promote" new releases to radio stations around the country... The very same thing that the big three were paying the Network to do ).

David Horowitz (being thoughtful and practical) reasoned that if millions were being spent by the in house promotions departments at every major label, then why were millions more being given to "independent promoters" to do jobs that the major labels had in house trained professionals to do? It just didn't sit right him so he hatched a plan.

Everyone in the industry would be convinced to simultaneously boycott the "services" being provided by the Network, then radio stations would have no choice but to deal directly with the major labels. After all... they had to play new music and the Big Three were the ones who provided that music so why not cut out those pesky independent promoters (of proud Italian American Heritage) and force the radio stations to appreciate the hand that feed them (so to speak) and save a ton of money too! Sooooo...

David lined up the Big Three (normally fierce competitors... a tribute to his powers of persuasion) and all of them agreed... the Network would be ignored into in-consequence and the industry would move even closer to complete vertical integration... The power of the big three was to be further consolidated.

The Network... responded... They used some finely honed persuasive techniques to convince radio station programmers throughout the country to reject the Big three's direct promotional efforts. Paylists were frozen in place. No new hits would be on the airwaves anytime soon. Heals were dug in, no one blinked.

The Record companies were convinced there could be no top 40 radio without them providing the music and they had pockets deep enough to overcome the persuasive techniques being employed by (once again I stress...) the fine gentlemen of the Network. Heals were dug in deeper... and still, no one blinked.

The Network would need do something more dramatic then just keep new "hits" off the radio. The existing frozen play lists (and their current "hits") were still making money for the big three... A much more dramatic gesture would be required and so...

In a phenomena that had never occurred before or since... almost every major label hit that was getting radio airplay the time, plummeted off the charts (with a corresponding plummet in sales revenue for the big three). The Network had demonstrated that there was money... and then there was power and they... wielded power!

The network didn't intend for radio stations to be without anything to play however so, in preparation for their display of power they had gone to tiny labels and said, (I paraphrase now) "give us anything you've got". The tiny labels said, "but we can't afforded to pay you what the major labels are paying you for your services fine sirs"... And the Network responded, "fagedaboutit! just give us anything you've got and a small token of appreciation and we'll turn it into a hit"... And... they did (by once again using those persuasive abilities of theirs).

Suddenly radio station programmers found new depths of enthusiasm for "music" they heretofore, had ignored. Amongst those "give us anything you've got" tracks that became "hits" (some, if only on paper) were all the early Rap "hits" (along with some of the early "alternative" rock/pop "hits"). Some of those little labels actually sold enough of those "novelty records" during that period to grow their operations large enough start playing the game more seriously and when the major labels blinked... and the embargo on the Network collapsed... there were suddenly a few new players on the field that had learned fast and realized... there was great value in having a "hit" on the radio that extended far beyond just selling records or selling out a tour. They eventually learned the value of hit videos too.

Great fortunes have been made (and laundered) since then. A "culture" has developed and... since appreciation of any form "music" is a learned process (which is why one cultures music can sound so un-musical to another culture)... Hip-Hop (for better or worse) is now part of the musical lexicon. I even like some of it.

There you have it! A Network of independent music promoters is threatened and they decide to show the major labels (lead by David Horowitz) threatening them that they can make ANYTHING into a hit... and pull any existing hit off the charts at will. I'm guessing David was left with a bit of a distaste for "Rap Music" after taking on the Network because during his run at MTV, I don't recall there being many Rap videos played.

I hope you found this bit of music history interesting. Its good to be writing again. Thanks to all those inquired after the Blogs while I'd taken the time to launch Gravaton Music . As always,

Welcome to the Gravaton.

Peace

Ren

You've just read an entry in the Gravaton Mini Blog. To read more you can always return here as well as visit the other blog site The Gravaton Blog which will contain different (though sometimes related) content. Go see for yourself.