TONY KAKKO сообщил о том, что его новый проект, получивший название HIMMELKRAFT, нашел лейбл:

«Мир! У нас есть контакт! Himmelkraft очень рады присоединиться к команде Reaper Entertainment и наконец-то выпустить этот проект в свет, чтобы избранные могли услышать, увидеть и... поучаствовать в нем.

Это был ОЧЕНЬ долгий путь, чтобы добраться до этой точки, но теперь мы здесь. Мы делаем первый из, надеюсь, многих, многих шагов. Я искренне надеюсь, что этот альбом понравится вам так же сильно, как Himmelkraftians наслаждались его созданием. Они обязательно вас услышат».

В своем дебютном альбоме Tony Kakko приоткрывает завесу над своим странным новым миром под названием Himmelkraft ровно настолько, чтобы вы смогли впервые взглянуть на то, что лежит за его пределами, и сразу же захотеть большего. Kakko — мастер повествования и шаман музыкальных эмоций. В Himmelkraft его фирменные черты представлены в совершенно новом, неожиданном и захватывающем виде.

Премьера первого сингла намечена на 22 ноября, а выпуск альбома на март 2025 года.

Состав:

Tony Kakko as Unu O’Four - vocals, keyboards
Pasi Kauppinen as Du O’Four - bass
Timo Kauppinen as Tri O’Four - guitars, banjo
Jere Lahti as Kvar O’Four - drums & percussions
#HimmelKraft

“Shattered Crosses”, новое видео группы IGNITOR, доступно ниже. Этот трек взят из альбома Horns And Hammers, выход которого состоялся третьего октября на Metal on Metal Records:

“Horns And Hammers”
“Imperial Bloodlines”
“Dark Horse”
“Cyber Crush”
“Shattered Crosses”
“Taking Up With Serpents”
“Ferocious The Martyrs”
“Suicide Anthem”
“Chaos Maximus Eternal”
“Terminus”
“Hell Shall Be Your Home” (Live / bonus track)
#Ignitor #HeavyMetal #Heavy_Metal
Видео: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY4HQ3Wra98

Bantam Tools Acquires Evil Mad Scientist to Accelerate Development of Next Generation Art and Handwriting Machines Windell Oskay and Lenore Edman of Evil Mad Scientist named CTO and COO of Bantam Tools  PEEKSKILL, N.Y, January 16, 2024 — Bantam Tools, the desktop CNC manufacturer that builds exceptional computer controlled machines for innovators, is excited to … Continue reading Bantam Tools Acquires Evil Mad Scientist →

Bantam Tools proudly unveils its latest advancement in proven plotter technology with the launch of the new Bantam Tools NextDraw™ series of drawing and handwriting machines. Engineered for artists, innovators, and educators seeking exceptional versatility and performance, Bantam Tools now offers a trio of new models designed for drawing and handwriting. “The Evil Mad Scientist … Continue reading Introducing the Bantam Tools NextDraw™ →

My son Cole, pictured here as a goofy kid many years ago, is now six feet six inches tall and in college. Cole needed a letter of recommendation recently so he turned to an old family friend who, in turn, used ChatGPT to generate the letter, which he thought was remarkably good. As a guy who pretends to write for a living, I read it differently. ChatGPT’s letter was facile but empty, the type of letter you would write for someone you’d never met. It said almost nothing about Cole other than that he’s a good kid. Artificial Intelligence is good for certain things, but blind letters of reference aren’t among them. The key problem here has to do with Machine Learning. ChatGPT’s language model […]

The post If you want to reduce ChatGPT mediocrity, do it promptly first appeared on I, Cringely.






Digital Branding
Web Design
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Команда MP Motorsport объявила, что Ричард Ферсхор сядет за руль одной из её машин в оставшихся гонках сезона, а также будет выступать в 2025 году...

Дэн Фэллоуз оставляет пост технического директора Aston Martin F1 – как сообщает пресс-служба команды, это произойдёт уже в ноябре...

Shinichiro Watanabe compares COWBOY BEBOP to LAZARUS but admits nothing beats his experience on SPACE DANDY in this interview.

This week's Top Comics to Buy for November 13 features buzzy books like Absolute Batman, G.I. Joe, and more!

The Small-Animallike Lady is Adored by the Ice Prince is a brand new romance manga from Yen Press. This first volume takes us to a familiar setting where there's a royal arranged marriage involved, and some frozen hearts are melted along the way!

Henry Barajas' Death To Pachuco , a Chicano noir set in the Zoot Suit Riots, is now live on Kickstarter

Dark Horse Comics has announced a six-volume Madman Omnibus release featuring Michael Allred's classic character, slated for release in 2025.

How has Doctor Sleep fared 5 years since its release?

Due to demand from vendors, The Brooklyn Independent Comics Showcase (BICS) is going to a two day show in 2025

#55 Enlightenment - How to Let Go of Our Suffering & Live

The post #55 Enlightenment – How to Let Go of Our Suffering & Live appeared first on Enlightenment Podcast.

The post #59 Enlightenment – How to End the Suffering in Life appeared first on Enlightenment Podcast.

For many years, the fees charged by investment managers of mutual funds grew ever so slightly, gradually approaching 1.5%. Over the last few years, though, the growth in these management fees has stopped. In fact, it reversed. Last year the average management fee charged for actively managed mutual funds was 1.38%, or 138 basis points, where a basis point is one tenth of one percent. But that average is badly misleading. It’s misleading because it treats all funds, regardless of size, as the same. When you adjust the fees for the size of the funds, you find that the dollar-weighted average for actively managed funds is now below 100 basis points. Three things have caused this reversal in management fees: low returns in the stock market, the growth of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and a price war among the biggest players in the market.

The first two of these factors need little explanation. Over the last ten years, an investment in many bond funds out-performed an investment in diversified equity funds. These low returns have many investors focusing on the costs they incur for the management of their money. These costs include transaction fees for trading securities and management fees for the companies managing mutual funds or exchanged-traded funds. The second factor, the growth of ETFs, is somewhat less obvious, but important. ETFs have garnered a significant share of new money invested in equity funds over the last few years. Companies managing ETFs charge low fees for managing these funds because they have very low costs for shareholder servicing and some other administrative functions associated with investment management. Shrewd mutual fund managers have reduced prices in order to manage the gap in pricing they allow for their managed mutual funds compared to comparable ETFs.

These two causes of the fall in prices for investment management now have a third important factor. This third factor may turn out to be the most important of all. (See the Symptom & Implication, “The industry is seeing its first price wars” on StrategyStreet.com.) As described in other blogs (see blogs HERE and HERE), Vanguard has started, and continued, a price war in the ETF market. For example, iShare’s MSCI Emerging Market’s ETF and Vanguard’s Emerging Market’s ETF compete directly. Vanguard’s fund charges 27 basis points. The iShare’s fund charges 69 basis points. The iShare’s fund entered the market well before the Vanguard fund, and was much larger than the Vanguard fund. However, during 2010, the Vanguard ETF added $18 billion to its fund while iShare’s added about $4 billion. Price matters among peers.

The iShare’s funds are not always market share losers, however. The iShare’s Gold Trust is an ETF that competes with a larger rival, SPDR Gold Trust. Until June of last year, both of these ETFs charged 40 basis points. In June, iShares cut its management fees to 25 basis points. SPDR Gold Trust stayed pat at 40 basis points. Over the next few months, the iShare’s fund gained $875 million in new money, while the SPDR Gold Trust saw a net loss of $1.2 billion of money under management. Price matters among peers.

These management fees can even go to zero. One ETF today has no management fee, zero. It gets its revenues by lending out the securities in its portfolio. (See the Symptom & Implication, “Technology improvements bring falling prices” on StrategyStreet.com.)

Of course, as companies engage in price wars, they advertise their lower prices extensively in order to capture as much market share as possible before their competitors respond. The result: customers are becoming ever more price sensitive about the management fees they pay, simply because the management companies tell them to be more sensitive.

How long will it be until this fee warfare spreads to other smaller types of ETFs? Not very long, as long as price moves share.

The newspaper industry has faced a mighty challenge over the last few years. There is so much “free” content to complete with them. Newspaper revenue continues to plummet. Internet users are reluctant to pay for content. All the free content, supported by advertising revenue, has decimated the newspaper industry. The industry’s cousin, the magazine industry, is not far behind.

This trend can’t continue forever. Already, many people are asking themselves how much they can trust the information on the internet. The need for Reliability drives the demand for Snopes.com. How many “free” web sites can earn enough from advertising to pay all their bills? An effective industry answer to “free” may be forthcoming in the News Corp online newspaper called “The Daily.” The Daily will cover general news, sports, arts and opinion in a format dedicated to the Apple iPad. In addition to the written content, the product will carry high definition video and 360 degree photos. The same product will be available in a few months for the Android-based tablet computers.

The Daily will sell for $.99 a week, or $39.99 a year, a very low price compared to newspapers. With this model, the product receives revenues both from the subscribers and from advertisers. Subscribers have the Reliability benefit of knowing that the content producer cares about facts, accuracy and readable writing style. Advertisers pay for eyeballs that follow a Reliable product.

The Daily is what we call a Next Leader product. This is a product that offers much better than industry standard performance for a low price to a specific subset of industry customers. The Next Leader can offer the very low price because it has a much lower cost structure than is typical in the industry. There are two basic types of Next Leaders. The first are Reformer products. This type of Next Leader product reduces the benefits for the user (usually Function benefits) while increasing the benefits for the buyer (usually Reliability and Convenience benefits) compared to the industry Standard Leader product. The second of the two types of Next Leader products are Transformer products. These products increase the benefits of the user but offer, at least initially, fewer benefits to the buyer than the Standard Leader product offers. The Daily is a Reformer product. It offers the Convenience of formatting fit for a tablet computer so it provides easier access for a segment of the industry’s customers. Its low cost structure results from its elimination of printing presses and distribution costs.

If this new tablet-based product offers a quality read, it will hasten the day when virtually every newspaper and magazine is offered first online and only secondarily in hard copy. The online versions will come at a fraction of the cost of the hard copy versions. Readership is certain to grow.

How to build muscle and loose fat at the same time.

By: Tim Ernst

Is it possible to gain muscle while at the same time loose fat? Some argue that you either have to do one or the other. I'm here to tell you that it is possible, but the secret is all about nutrient timing.

There are certain times of the day when you want to be in a caloric surplus. The only way to build muscle is to be in a caloric surplus and the only way to loose fat is to be in a caloric deficit. How do you do both at the same time?

Research shows that your most optimal time for muscle growth is what you consume after your workout. If you are not consuming enough calories after your workout, then you are just wasting your time.

Here is an example on how to start your day.

8:00 am: Low-carb protein shake with a greens product.

10:30 am: 2eggs plus 4 whites scrambled with cheese, spinach, onions, peppers, and mushrooms.

1:00 pm: 2 oz of dry roasted nuts.

3:00 pm: Chicken Breast with sweet potato or brown rice.

5:00 pm (workout) Consume your a favorite pre workout shake if you want for energy but, it's not necessary.

5:30 pm 30 minutes into your workout consume a high carb drink like Karbolyn, Power Carb, or Vitargo.

5:45 pm (immediately post-workout): quickly digested protein/carb beverage.

6:15pm: 2 oz of pasta (dry weight); 4 oz of Ground Turkey mixed with egg whites.; 2 slices of 12-grain bread; package of broccoli or green beans.

7:45 pm: 1 cup brown rice, cous cous, or quinoa 4 oz of chicken breast; 2 slices of 12-grain bread, asparagus.

10:00 pm: Hand full of mixed nuts or avocado and fish oils.

That's it!

Get ready to GROW.

As you continuously approach your fitness goals, you eventually hit a plateau, which occurs when you've nearly reached your ideal fitness level. At this point, you're basically stuck at one level, but you can take it to the next level easier than you make think.

Everyone who does resistance training―from newbies to professional bodybuilders―will hit this point, but what's important is knowing how to increase your productivity and enhance your workout, and with these 21 facts, you can definitely reach your fitness goals faster.

1. Are you exactly the same as your neighbor, or for that matter, even your sibling? Since we'll assume you answered, “No,” you must understand that everyone is different and doesn't respond to the same muscle building techniques; therefore, you should alternate the speed of your repetitions for optimal results.

2. What your parents gave you doesn't have to determine your goals. You should achieve your fitness objectives despite any genetic barriers you may have―i.e. a high BMI.

3. Establish your goals on paper. Research indicates that when a person writes down detailed goals with deadlines to meet, that the individual has a specific path to follow and is more likely to be successful at achieving that goal.

4. Age is nothing but a number, so don't let your age be a factor in achieving your goals, especially since you can't change this number. Focus on what you can control, such as your sleeping patterns.

5. Find a workout buddy. When you have someone to push you, you'll work harder than you would alone.

6. Keep in mind the ratio 10:1, because you generally need to gain 10 lbs for every inch of girth you add to your arm size. For instance, a majority of people gaining 50 lbs during the course of five years will also gain five inches in their arms.

7. Prior to increasing speed or resistance, increase the range of motion first, meaning you should fully contract and stretch your muscles. If you don’t, you’ll only receive partial results.

8. You need at least eight hours of sleep per night to build muscles, so aim to get this many winks as much as possible. Remember, a few late nights won't hurt, but making it a habit will take a toll on your target fitness level.

9. Stay hydrated! Your body needs at least 1 gallon or 16 cups of water per day for proper muscle growth. The composition of your body is 70 percent water, and in order for your body to maintain an anabolic state, water is essential.

10. Consume raw vegetables whenever you can. Cooking veggies removes much of their nutritional value. In fact, boiling these healthy treats removes between 50 to 75 percent of their nutrients. You may steam them, if you can't eat them raw, but never boil them.

11. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and despite their bad reputation, they're one of the healthiest foods you can select, especially for bodybuilding.

12. If you don't have one already, go out and purchase a blender. The amount of calories that you must eat as a bodybuilder are much easier to consume in liquid form. This vital piece of equipment is definitely important if you have a busy lifestyle that doesn't allow you to eat every three to four hours.

13. When you go grocery stopping, stick to shopping in the outer aisles. These aisles are typically where the fresh dairy and meat are located. The inner portion of the grocery store consists of processed foods and canned goods that should be avoided if you want to build muscle fast.

14. Never use a supplement in place of a meal. You must put food before supplements, so that you're consuming all the nutrients you need for bodybuilding. The nutrition you receive from foods surpasses that of a supplement.

15. In regards to supplements, creatine stands out as the top bodybuilding supplement. Beginning in the 90s, creatine has been at the top of supplement charts and has not seen a decrease in popularity since. The daily dosage recommendations vary; however, the most common dosage schedule consists of taking 20-30 grams for the first 5-7 days, then reducing the amount to 3-5 grams per day.

16. Maybe you don't have enough energy to workout, or maybe you want to increase the amount of time you workout. If either of these scenarios are the case, you should choose coffee for a pick-me-up, since it contains a mild stimulant known as caffeine. Caffeine is an inexpensive and safe performance enhancer.

17. You wouldn't drive your car without warming it up on a cold day, so why would you exercise without getting your body warmed up? Get those muscles warm to avoid injury while working out. Complete at least five to 10 minutes of stretching, in addition to some light cardio before you begin heavy lifting.

18. You've heard before that cheaters never prosper, but in certain cases, this isn't true. Although cheating to finish a set quicker or to lift more weight isn't positive, cheating on the last few reps makes the weight feel easier. This stimulates more muscle fibers with greater intensity.

19. Play nice and take turns! The you-go, I-go concept leads to an intense workout, because after you do a set, your partner immediately does one after you, then before you know it, it’s your turn again. You both use the same weights, but you take turns without any rests in between, and you see who can do the most reps per set. Try this technique with your workout buddy when you do barbell curls or other simple exercises.

20. During the 1940s and 1950s, Reg Park and Vince Gironda made a super intense technique for bodybuilding popular, which consisted of doing 10 sets of 10. This old-school procedure may have a modern name of “German volume technique;” however, this has been a preferred method to build muscles for quite some time. It causes your muscles to grow rapidly. Basically, you should do 10 sets of 10 reps for one body part at a time. Then, you should superset at two different body parts each workout. Make sure you don’t rest for more than a minute in between each exercise. Use this regimen for three weeks, and then return to a more traditional approach.

21. Switch up your routine. After three weeks, you should change your program completely. Basically, it should be opposite of the original order you did the exercises in. For instance, if you worked on your chest first, you should do it last next time. If you worked on abs on Monday, you should do them on Friday next time. Change up the amount of sets you do, as well.

Vince Delmonte

How To Get Ripped Fast

By:  Vince Delmonte

Those with perfect bodies have the following: muscles, a symmetrical and balanced shape, and abs that are well defined. Basically, the idea is to be ripped to the bone and maybe even a little shredded. For those who are unsure of where to begin, I’ll assist you by discussing the points you should concentrate on, such as proper nutrition, aerobic exercises and weight training. With these tips, your body can be ready to hit the beach by next summer.

The people who have not met their bodybuilding goals tend to fall into one of two categories. Either they're the big man who looks ripped in clothing, but when the shirt is stripped from his body has no muscle definition and excess body fat, or he is the skinny guy who has it in his own mind that he is built, but has no muscle mass to support his frame. Whether you’re the big guy who eats the recommended calories and continues to get bigger or you’re the skinny guy with veins bulging from your arms, but lack the big body to be intimidating, you may need some help in the bodybuilding department. Both categories will get a laugh, when entered into a bodybuilding contest.

Start by determining your body type. Are you the lean string bean who needs to add muscle mass, or are you the buff man who needs to lose some of the excess weight? If you said yes to needing to add more muscle mass, then you need a bulking program; however, if you said you need to lean down a little, then you need a fat loss program. Remember, you can’t achieve all your goals at once.

• Training sessions should last less than 45 minutes, for skinny guys;
• The main focal points should be on compound movements, rather than isolated movements, for skinny guys;
• There should be a five percent increase in strength every two weeks for skinny guys;
• One to two forced reps are the maximum a skinny guy should do to avoid wasting energy;
• At max, skinny guys should split body parts into a three-day program;
• If you’re a bulky guy, you can train for 1 hour to 1½ hours to burn extra calories;
• Unlike a skinny guy’s workout, bulky guys can utilize isolated movements to burn calories;
• Maintaining strength is a vital aspect of guaranteeing you will not lose muscle, when you’re a bulky guy;
• Drop sets and pre-exhaust work well for extra energy expenditure, for bulky guys;
• As a bulky guy, you can spend an increased amount of time on each muscle group, and you can split up body parts over a five-day period.

• A skinny guy should consume approximately 15 times their own body weight in calories to increase muscle mass;

• Eating at least 1 gram or even 1.5 grams of protein per pound can be beneficial for skinny guys to bulk up;

• For skinny guys, carbs should be eaten at a 2:1 ratio of carbs to proteins;

• As a skinny guy, you should include high-quality fats every time you eat a meal;

• Workout nutritional drinks are an excellent source of calories that skinny guys should be drinking

• For skinny guys, your largest meals should be consumed at breakfast time and before and after a workout;

• Potatoes, whole grains, oatmeal and rice contain beneficial nutrition for the skinny guy, and should be consumed in large quantities;

• For bulky guys, your caloric intake should be equivalent to 10 times your current body weight;
  
• As a bulky guy, you should eat about 1 to 1.5 grams of protein for each pound of lean muscle mass you have;
  
• A ratio of 1:1 should always be followed. This means bulky guys should eat 1 gram of protein for every 1 gram of carbs;

• If you’re a bulky guy, you should eat healthy fats only. This includes olive oil, avocados, nuts and flax oil;

• Bulky guys should never eat solid carbs during a workout. Liquid carbs are the way to go;

• Carbs that come from fruits and vegetables are the best source of nutrients for a bulky guy.

• If you’re a skinny guy, only do cardio if your calorie intake is in a 1000-calorie surplus;
  
• As a skinny guy, your cardio workout should be as far away from your weights as possible;

• Skinny guys need less than 20 to 30 minutes of cardio per session;

• When you’re a skinny guy, you should only do cardio two to four times each week;

• Prior to doing a cardio workout, skinny guys should always consume enough calories to have a full stomach;

• A protein-carb workout drink is ideal after a skinny guy works out;

• Long endurance training should be avoided, for skinny guys;

• As a bulky guy, you should do cardio directly after your weights;

• Bulky guys should combine long, slow and interval cardio;

• If you’re extremely bulky, you may want to consider doing cardio seven to 10 times per week. Don’t exceed this recommendation;

• In order to lose fat, bulky guys need to do cardio on an empty stomach to lose weight quicker;

• Sipping on a protein drink will help bulky guys avoid muscle loss.

Now, you have everything you need in order to get ripped fast, no matter if you’re the bulky man or the skinny guy.

The Facts You Need To Know About Supplements that have proprietary blends.

Nearly 75% of the world population takes some type of supplement each day. There are literally thousands of brands and millions of products to choose from. Is there really a difference between them?

The FDA allows questionable fillers and binders such as; cork by products, chemical FD&C dyes, sodium benzoate, dextrose, ethycellulose, and propylene glycol to name only a few. Although these ingredients may be legal, what are the nutritional benefits? Reports have indicate that some of these ingredients can be toxic at certain levels with prolong use.
The FDA does not monitor the contents or purity of a supplement nor the source of a nutritional ingredient.

Purity: What does it really mean? ---Defined: The quality or state of being pure or unmixed with any other element.

In most cases, Impure ingredients are used by many companies. The FDA does not require manufacturers to list these ingredients (on the nutritional labels) if they are not added when making the final dosage form. Many times the raw materials may contain only 90% or less of the listed ingredients along with 10% or more corn starch and lactose. Lactose and corn are known allergens for some people. These items have been known to cause digestive disturbances and weaken the immune system. A conscientious company will not compromise the integrity of a product with such raw materials.  There are 3 types of grades but, we are going to talk about 1 here for the purpose of this article.

1.  Pharmaceutical Grade supplements meet exacting pharmaceutical production standards.
Pharmaceutical Grade supplements are manufactured to a very high standards of potency, purity, dissolution, and a higher degree of bioavailability – the degree at which the vitamin is absorbed into a living system.The term pharmaceutical grade was originally taken from the standard of certification of the facilities in which pharmaceutical grade supplements were made.  Pharmaceutical grade also refers to the ingredients in the supplement. Pharmaceutical grade vitamins meet the highest standards for purity and concentration.

Finally, pharmaceutical grade supplements have a high bioavailability. This means that when you take a pharmaceutical grade products, your body absorbs an optimal amount of nutrients. Better nutrient absorption means greater health benefits.

If you want to know what supplements to buy, look for the "GMP" or "CPMG" stamps on the container.  These two stamps indicate that they were manufactured in a pharmaceutical company.  Be careful with products that have proprietary blends.  Proprietary blends have ingredients that are not listed on the container so you really don't know what you are consuming.

choose-health.org 
pharmanutrients.com 2009
healingedge.net 2012

Hi, it's me,Grace. I've been bored with all of this rain, so I resorted to taking silly pictures of myself with the iPad.


Grace The Polar Bear


Grace the Dachshund


Dizzy Grace


Piggy Grace


Gracie Twins

What do you think?

This is the look I give when I want someone in my family to read my mind.... "Hmmmm, they say. Grace looks like she wants a new toy". I have a blast unstuffing my new squeaky duck toy. It's no match for my chewing talents. See, I told you! That look works every time. Grace :)

The Hopi prophecy for the year 2012 is the most important one, in my opinion. Whereas many prophecies speak of this "end of the world," the Hopi are the ones who've given us the most specific instructions for what to do.

According to most ancient prophecies, the Shift of Ages in 2012 is not necessarily the end of the world. It could be the end of an era of darkness on the Earth.

But according to the Hopi prophecy, WE are the ones who get to choose.

The future, or lack of it, is up to us!

 

While the Hopi had an oral rather than written tradition, they also created images that helped to tell the story, as reminders.

The one that is of most interest here is called the Hopi Prophecy Stone.

Although the stone has been much damaged and even altered, we will be addressing it as the Elders say it was, before its discovery by the white people.

 

The Hopi Prophecy Stone depicts the Creator of the world (far left), and beside him, the Circle of the World, which it was the Hopi's task to protect.

In the Creator's hand is held the two destinies humanity can choose -- one that leads to a good resolution and one that leads to a dead end.

The box represents all the people.

The diverging point of the Creator's path shows a time when some people would break away from the true path, and go the way of falseness and wickedness.

The path at the bottom represents the true path, the path of goodness.

It shows 3 calamities, as circles representing "shaken gourds" or world-shaking events, which some have interpreted as world wars. A third world war would therefore be indicated. (Could it be the unremitting war that the USA has conjured up against the Middle East? We can hope that nothing worse is predicted.)

In between and beyond the calamities, the sign of growing corn (life) combined with the sign of a cane (long life) reasserts humanity's continuity.

The last circle is said to be the final calamity, the purification of evil from the face of the Earth.

At the end of the righteous path, we find the Creator waiting for us again: the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega.

This is the spiritual path, the path of goodness and kindness.

Reunion with the Divine is the goal and destination of this path.

I would add to this interpretation that the true path is the humble path, the one closest to the Earth and nature, grounded. In this image, it is the path that is closest to the Creator.

I believe the upper path being the false trail, shows that the path of domination, of power/control, of seeking to be superior over others, is definitely a wrong turn.

And that a way of living in balance and respect with nature is part of the good path. Something Native Americans have warned Europeans from the beginning. (This may be another reason Wicca and Paganism are increasing in popularity, as more people leave the wicked path behind.)

I think it is also not coincidence that the sign of the corn is used. Life could have been signified by the cane alone. But it is a growing plant that indicates the path of goodness, and the fruit of that path.

Nature is the good path.

Although here I have drawn in the heads of the figures, the Elders say that the figures on the Hopi Prophecy Stone originally had no heads. (I've indicated this with the heads not joined to the bodies.)

This could indicate that those following the path of wickedness are not choosing wisely.

That would seem to be evident, as we can now see the inevitable result of small personal wickednesses such as greed, self-interest, insecurity, animosity, etc. Even more visible are the growing results of these: violence, war, domination, sacrificing of others and the future for personal gain, etc.

According to Martineau, however, it signals that death must come of following the wicked path.

Perhaps both meanings would apply.

The zigzag path seems to indicate that the way of wickedness is irresolute and crooked. It reminds me of politicians promising first one thing and then the opposite, depending on whatever people want to hear.

Being guided by greed, control, and fear, the Path must veer hither and yon according to the needs of the moment. By contrast, the path of truth is always aimed at the Divine, and does not waver in momentary crises.

Notice that before the third calamity, the corn symbol touches the top line. This shows that people on the path of wickedness can change direction at that point, and rejoin the path of goodness.

After that point, it is too late, for humanity's careless wickedness brings us to a dead end. The back-curving line shows a point of no return.

The symbol of the corn becomes even more prophetic, as we now seem to have seen the end of natural corn. GMOs have invaded even the purest corn stocks in the world.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that corn is used as a symbol of life, here. Of course, it was a staple crop of the Hopi. But perhaps the corn touching the wicked path is also a symbol that we can choose the wicked way with our food supply, like genetically altering them.

Perhaps the path from goodness to wickedness goes both ways?

 

The Hopi Prophecy Stone shows us that the parameters of our choice determines the future we will have.

Are we headed toward a Golden Age?

Or extinction?

It is not a matter of what we wish for.

It is a matter of what actions we take.

The Hopi prophesy tells us what we must do to create a positive future for the Earth -- a future in which humanity continues to exist.

This makes it the most important of all the 2012 predictions.

Not just doom and gloom, nor hope and pray, but the concrete actions and mindsets that will see us through!

With Bright Blessings,

 

Do I want to live forever?


When I was a child I desperately wanted to live forever. I think most kids did. It was one of those fantasy things.


Today my thoughts have changed quite a bit. I now believe that once I pass beyond the veil in death that I will eventually come back to live again through reincarnation. This, in a way, is living forever. One of the biggest draw back from actually living forever is that everyone you care about will pass beyond and leave you. Yea you will make new friends and lovers but they too will pass beyond and leave you to move in an endless cycle. Oh sure it would be interesting to experience the advances, turmoil, wars, times of peace, and other things, I don't believe that would make the endless cycle of loss easier.


Today we are infatuated with the concept of eternal life in the form of vampires in such movies as the Twilight Saga and TV shows like True Blood and Vampire Diaries. Yes they live 'forever' but they must also suffer with living forever.


For me I look forward to seeing The Summerland, to enjoy a rest before returning and living again.  That being said I expect to live well into my 90's.  Gods willing.


Blessed Be.

Have you got friends or family wondering what this astral projecting interest of yours is all about?

Do you ?nd it tough to explain in a simple, accessible way?

Well here’s a little site that may work well – especially for your peeps who like to keep a beat.