Nostradamus was an apothecary and prophet of the sixteenth century who wrote prophecies based on his unique version of astrology that are still applied to events today. Altogether, he is credited with over six thousand prophecies, many with similar language to other seers and historical records and holy books. Most of his predictions can be associated with disasters, both natural and supernatural, such as homicides, earthquakes, volcanoes, war, floods, etc. It is claimed that he prophesied the French Revolution, the world wars, Adolf Hitler, and even the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001. In many cases, these predictions can only be applied to his prophecy quatrains in retrospect, but even applying them retroactively, they seem appropriate for the event … eerily so. In addition, many 2012 apocalypse proponents say that Nostradamus predicts the world’s end, a global catastrophe, on December 21, 2012, in conjunction with the Mayan calendar’s end and the Book of Revelation. His prophecy about the end of the world through global climate change or solar impact upon the world, echoes Revelation when he says that the comet or planet impact will cause World War III. After the world war, he predicted that there would be the thousand years of peace (again, compare to Revelation’s millennia of Jesus’s reign on earth). Others interpret the cause of the global catastrophe in a different way, but the basic spirit of the quatrain is one of death, destruction, and despair yielding eventually to a new age. But as hopeful as that sounds, the 2012 date, only a few years away, marks the beginning of chaos. It is hard to see the light at the end of that tunnel when so many people will be effect in such horrible ways. Many people who believe that the world is ending on December 21, 2012, believe that the end date is when the confluence of global and even cosmic events reaches a snapping point when everything has to change – our way of life, the state of the world, the state of consciousness. They see the events around them – 9/11, the failing economy, the widespread wars, the nuclear threat, the dwindling resources, – as evidence that something has got to give. They believe that this increase in negative energy has to do with our approach toward the “dark rift” of the galaxy thought to happen in 2012. The sun will align with the plane of the galaxy in an occurrence that only happens every 26000 years, the Mayan calendar’s Long Count cycle. It is presumed that this means only catastrophe, a staple in Nostradamus’s many predictions for the centuries after his death. In an unusual coincidence, perhaps, Nostradamus died on December 21.
Archive for August, 2010
Knowledge Equals Money
“Five years from today you’re going to be the same person making the same money except for the books you read and the people you meet.” – Charlie “Tremendous” Jones Where do you want to be five years from now? How about ten years from now? The first step is to identify your goal. Zig Ziglar says that if you have no goal you’ll hit it every time. Do you want to make $50,000 per year or $150,000? Do you want to be driving the same car and living in the same home? Do you want to be working at the same job? Whatever your goals, continuous learning will help get you there. Dr. Tom Stanley, in his book “The Millionaire Next Door”, says the average millionaire reads at least one non-fiction book each month. If a new career is where you see yourself heading, first look inward to discover how you are made and what you are best suited for. Once you begin to discover your true direction in life don’t stop developing your plan. Even if a transition looks to be three to four years away you can begin now.A quick sampling of classes at my local community college shows that for less than $60 in most cases I can take a class to become a bank teller, certified bookkeeper, medical office transcriptionist, home inspector, EMT, travel planner, or interior designer. I can also take classes to learn how to sell on eBay (want to start your own eBay business?), how to create graphics, websites or multimedia, how to start my own wedding consultant business or even how to parent positively. The sky really is the limit when it comes to changing your direction in life. My team and I take classes and attend seminars quite frequently. This week I am headed to Nashville with one of my coaches to spend some time with my friend Dan Miller and other 212 Connection members. If you attend any classes to further your learning at the local community college, you may even see my team and me there trying to learn all that we can.
Book Authors Should Share Free Content on the Internet
Book authors sell their books — the fruits of their writing labor. Thus it may seem counterintuitive to recommend that, for online book marketing success, book authors must be willing to share abundant free content. Why is this? On the Internet people are usually looking for relationships (connections) before buying something. Even if the book author has an effective website – one that makes it immediately clear what’s on offer and provides an easily visible BUY button, this effective website is often not enough by itself to motivate buying the author’s book. Let’s look at 10 ways that fiction and nonfiction authors can share free content: 1. Offer a free sample chapter on their websites and on other sites around the Internet. 2. Write a blog with information based on their book or on another interest. 3. Provide book group discussion questions. 4. Leave thoughtful comments on other people’s blog posts. 5. Participate in conversations on Twitter. 6. Write articles and upload these to article directories. 7. Participate in groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. 8. Write book reviews on Amazon. 9. Write brief book review comments on Glue.com. 10. Upload the entire book or several chapters to fReado.com. Now let’s discuss what all this free content sharing does: – Perhaps most importantly, it demonstrates that you can indeed write well – that your book is probably well-written. – It also demonstrates that you’re not just out to sell your books. You’re interested in engaging with readers. In fact, readers can contact you directly at social media sites such as Twitter. – Third benefit? You may have just written enough new material to compile into an ebook that you can sell off your website. – And, finally, it does help you sell your books because people are reminded of you and your book at different places around the web. How many times have you decided to buy something and then forgotten to buy it? With your name and writing examples all over cyberspace you’ve provided potential fans with subtle reminders about your book. Some writers are concerned that others will “steal” their material. I believe you have to be willing to take this slight risk in order to reap the greater probability of having people become interested in your writing. Most writers would like a large reading public. Book authors can attract a wider fan base by being willing to share free content on the Internet.
What is Flannery O’Connor talking about when she’s talking about the “grotesque” in southern fiction?
I’m not sure what she means, it’s a little deep for me to understand. Does she compare it to “regular” grotesque? “grotesque” (in general) vs “grotesque in souther fiction”, if this makes any sense. I guess I’m not really sure what she’s talking about when she’s talking about the grotesque in southern fiction.
Posted in Historical Fiction Books 
Tags: About, Fiction, Flannery, grotesque, O'connor, she's, Southern, talking 
3 Comments »The Legends of the Holy Grail
Copyright (c) 2010 James Holan The legend of the Holy Grail is one of the most debated legends from medieval times. It is surrounded with famous political figures such as King Arthur and his knights, the Knights Templar, several Popes and other religious affiliates, as well as the Christian icons Jesus and God. Despite these political and religious icons, there are also a variety of Pagan and Welsh icons in the early legends who are not only related to these Arthurian concepts but who also quest for the same object, the Holy Grail. The fact that these two traditions, the Pagan/Welsh and the Christian, have similarities opens up the question of whether the Grail is a Christian tradition or if it came from an earlier Welsh/Pagan tradition that eventually became the Arthurian legends we recognize today. In the case of the Holy Grail, there is evidence in both Christian and Pagan/Welsh folklore to suggest that the Grail Legends are in fact a derivative from Pagan/Welsh beliefs. This is seen through the evolution of oral tradition and fairytales, in the accounts of the famous historian Geoffrey who wrote about King Arthur, and the symbol of the Fisher King, the most debated and misunderstood symbol of the Holy Grail Legends. To truly understand the legend of the Holy Grail two specific aspects of the Grail Legends have to be explored: the history of the Grail and the history of the people who quested for it. The first and possibly most important person in connection with the Holy Grail is Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, the Holy Grail was the cup Christ drank from at the last supper as is depicted in Leonardo da Vinci’s painting “The Last Supper” completed in 1497. Next, the cup was used by Joseph of Arimathaea to catch Christ’s blood at the crucifixion. Later, the cup was said to have protected Joseph while he was in prison and, after fueling his escape, led him to Europe. Because of this, the Grail has long been associated with bringing the drinker eternal life as is seen in the popular Indiana Jones movie, “The Last Crusade.” In the Arthurian Legends, King Arthur and his knights also quest for the Grail to heal the Fisher King and bring order back to medieval Britain. The Holy Grail does not always take on this particular “history,” however. In the recent book, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, another possible history of the Grail is explored. According to Brown, the legend of the Holy Grail in Arthurian folklore is mistaken. Instead of being a cup or chalice, the Holy Grail is Christ’s bloodline started by Mary Magdalene. This secret, his book suggests, is kept by the secret society of the Knights Templar who were created by the Priority of Sion. The Knights Templar members were in charge of protecting the descendents of Christ by not telling the world of the bloodlines existence (Brown). Historically, the Knights Templar were in charge of helping people through the Holy Land. It is also said that they were responsible for a treasure that was located in the Temple of King Solomon. Some people believe this “treasure” is either the Holy Grail or a written documentation of Christ’s bloodline. Unfortunately, the Knights Templar were eventually executed by order of King Philip IV of France, although, some believe that Pope Clement V also had something to do with the Knights Templar’s eradication. If this is true, which documentation suggests, the Knights Templar would not be in existence today to guard the secret of the Holy Grail. In both cases, the Holy Grail is still a Christian icon, whether it is a bloodline or a cup. According to other beliefs, however, the Holy Grail is connected to old Welsh and Pagan traditions. In one of the Pagan Traditions of the Holy Grail, the Grail actually is said to evolve from the legend of the Goddess Cerridwyn. Cerridwyn was blessed with a beautiful daughter and an ugly son. According to legend, because of this, she decided to make a potion that would make her son wise. The caldron the potion was made in became known as Cerridwyn’s Caldron, which stood for renewal, rebirth, transformation, and the gift of plenty (Mabinogion). All of these concepts are also attributes of the Grail seen in Arthurian legend, which leads some people to believe that Cerridwyn’s Caldron is the original Grail. In other words, the Grail evolved from the earlier Welsh legend to form the Chalice we see in the later Arthurian legends. This legend, in particular, first appears in the Mabinogion, a book of Welsh legends known to be older than the Arthurian legends (Mitchell). Since the story of Cerridwyn is not historical but fictional, it cannot be said to pertain to the actuality of there being a real Grail. However, it does suggest that if there was not an actual Grail but instead a well evolved legend, then the legend would not come from the Christian tradition but instead from the earlier Welsh/Pagan tradition. The same principle is seen in the Arthurian legends in the Mabinogion with the Legend of Peredur, the Son of Evarwc. The Tale of Peredur is said to be the first tale of the Grail Knight Perceval who, under that name, was written about by Chrestien de Troyes, in his book, Perceval le Galois (Cline). The two stories, although one is a French Romance and the other is a Welsh legend, are surprisingly very similar. In both stories, Peredur/Perceval comes from a single parent household because his father has died leaving his mother a widow. His mother, in both stories, is very protective but eventually lets him go to be a Knight. Before he leaves, in both stories, she tells him to remember his manners, per say. This eventually leads to Peredur/Perceval missing his chance to help the Fisher King by asking the famous question, “For whom does the Grail serve (Cline).” Some people believe that Perceval is based [...]
Cash in a Flash by Robert G Allen and Mark Victor Hansen – Review
How would you like to have the ability to generate cash swiftly in your life, nearly on a whim? Robert G. Allen and Mark Victor Hansen in their latest book explain the secrets in quickly generating abundance wealth in concise terms and have included a 90 day millionaire’s challenge. This book is written in the same left-brain, right-brain style as their earlier book, The One Minute Millionaire, and continues the fictional story of Michelle from their earlier book. Both are extremely well know authors. Two earlier books from Robert Allen are Multiple Streams of Income and Multiple Streams of Internet Income which cover both the real estate and online marketplaces. His first book, Nothing Down Real Estate was his biggest seller and started many on the path to real estate riches. Of course, Mark Victor Hansen is well know for the “Chicken Soup” book series, including the best selling non-fiction book of all time, Chicken Soup for the Soul. As an aside, I have followed Robert Allen for several years now, as a fellow associate in a leading network marketing company, USANA Health Sciences. His story of how he got involved in network marketing, reluctantly, via his wife’s persistence is compelling, as is his personal story, which I’ve mostly learned through my personal association with him. Having survived a serious car accident and the loss of his house and fortune in a California mudslide, he attributes his remarkable good fortune in both health and abundance wealth situation to his involvement with network marketing, or multi-level marketing (MLM). He often states emphatically that network marketing is the most lucrative venture he has ever participated in, including all the royalties from his publishing. His earlier books have also highlighted the importance of MLM and network marketing for him personally. Cash in a Flash is a book with a very important, and seemingly impossible goal. As in their previous book, they have followed their own advice in creating an “over the top” mental picture. In the One Minute Millionaire, for instance, they created a wildly improbable newspaper article about the release of a blockbuster movie based on the book. The headline created was: “The One Minute Millionaire Makes Movie History – #1 Movie in America Completely Sold Out Thirty Days BEFORE it Opens.” After eight years of shopping the movie idea to Hollywood studios, they have finally secured a major movie deal with an award-winning production house. In advertising their current book, they “‘see’ themselves on the cover of Time magazine for having helped get America out of the most crippling ‘repression’ since the Depression of 1929.” After personally “devouring” this book, I can see the rationale for this expectation. The ONLY issue will be getting these concepts widely circulated enough and read by enough people to make this a reality. Their concepts and plans are certainly well laid and proven to be successful. The book’s success formula is: Success = a focused mind + a determined heart + a focused, determined team. In order to achieve abundance wealth for yourself in the millionare challenge, you are instructed to come up with a plan based on products, services, and/or information given your own personal knowledge, passions, skills, desires, talents, connections, and prior successes. The object is within 90 days to create a significant income “chunk,” e.g. $100,000. Given existing talents, this should be low-hanging fruit. The strategy isn’t about learning new skills, which could take longer than your 90-day challenge “window.” I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get started! Wax on, wax off. This is certainly a must read for anyone whether disheartened with their current position and achievements in life or already wildly flourishing. And the more that read this advice, the better chance to literally turn the American economy around, which is their “real” goal.
Looking for Mr. Gilbert: The Reimagined Life of an African American.: An article from: Black Issues Book Review
Product DescriptionThis digital document is an article from Black Issues Book Review, published by Cox, Matthews & Associates on March 1, 2005. The length of the article is 343 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.Citation DetailsTitle: Looking for Mr…. More >> Looking for Mr. Gilbert: The Reimagined Life of an African American.: An article from: Black Issues Book Review
Fiction Books – A break out from the everyday
Fiction is any outline of conspire that deals, in some measure or in whole, with events that are not realistic, but to a certain extent, imaginary and made-up by its instigators. Even though Fiction a lot illustrates a foremost branch of fictitious work, it is also applied to dramatic, cinematic, documental, and pleasant-sounding work. Fiction Books are a mythical style by means of imaginary or inspired writing, as opposed to existent facts, generally written as prose. Fiction Books are the imaginary books twisted exclusively for a work of fiction. In other words, Fiction Books are the non-existent books or one shaped purposely for a work of fiction that every so often presents the base of the stratagem of a tale, a common thread in a series of books, or the workings of a particular writer or list of work. Fiction Books could as well be used as a pride to point up a story inside a story. Reading Fiction Books is an enormous mode to acquire a nippy instantaneous break, to be straight away transported into a different globe. There is no boundary to the places Fiction Books can take you. While reading Fiction Books, there is somewhat on stopping to spotlight on words given for our reading contentment that is to say instantaneously comforting. Fiction Books let us stepping into a surreptitious world that we have to settle down enough to go through. The magnificence and tempo of Fiction Books has the capability to cool and unwind us. Fiction Books are proficient of inciting a lot of and various expressive reactions. Fiction Books can make you laugh out loud, it can make tears spill out onto the page, it can be edge-of-the seat horrifying, it can make you feel embarrassed, and it can challenge your interior viewpoints. There is a world of sensation in each chronicle and you at the same time as the reader get to be a part of it. There is no need to search out for Fiction Books like the previous day. In modern days, there are lots of Online Store for Books such as AnyEdition.com that put forwards all sorts of Fiction Books. If you are keen on evading into Fiction Books, then you can precisely pick from AnyEdition and GrabMore.
What are the effects of fiction books on teens?
I’m doing some research for a subject of mine, and I would like to know your opinions. What are the effects of fiction books on teens? You can specify the genre. And in case you know a similar journal or research, could you please include the website or book and the author? Thank you. Thanks for adding the title of the books, but could I know your opinions too? The books are just for reference, I actually need the opinions more. Thank you.
Muscle Building Fiction – The Truth behind The Myths
From the pages of The Truth About Abs – Mike Geary If you’v been training, here’s a short list of bodybuilding fiction that could derail your overall routine. 1. 12 Rep rule Most weight training program include this much repetitions for gaining muscle. The truth is this approach places the muscles with not enough tension for effective muscle gain. High tension e.g. heavy weights provides muscle growth in which the muscle grows much larger, leading to the maximum gains in strength. Having longer tension time boosts the muscle size by generating the structures around the muscle fibers, improving endurance. The standard prescription of eight to 12 repetitions provides a balance but by just using that program all of the time, you do not generate the greater tension levels that is provided by the heavier weights and lesser reps, and the longer tension achieved with lighter weights and more repetitions. Change the number of reps and adjust the weights to stimulate all types of muscle growth. 2. Three Set rule The truth is there’s nothing wrong with three sets but then again there is nothing amazing about it either. The number of sets you perform should be base on your goals and not on a half-century old rule. The more repetitions you do on an exercise, the fewer sets you should do, and vice versa. This keeps the total number of repetitions done of an exercise equal. 3. Three to four exercises per group The truth is this is a waste of time. Combined with twelve reps of three sets, the total number of reps amount to 144. If your doing this much reps for a muscle group your not doing enough. Instead of doing too many varieties of exercises, try doing 30 to 50 reps. That can be anywhere from 2 sets of 15 reps or 5 sets of 10 reps. 4. My knees, my toes It is a gym folklore that you “should not let your knees go past your toes.” Truth is that leaning forward a little too much is more likely a cause of injury. In 2003, Memphis University researchers confirmed that knee stress was almost thirty percent higher when the knees are allowed to move beyond the toes during a squat. But hip stress increased nearly 10 times or (1000 percent) when the forward movement of the knee was restricted. Because the squatters needed to lean their body forward and that forces the strain to transfer to the lower back. Focus on your upper body position and less on the knee. Keep the torso in an upright position as much as possible when doing squats and lunges. These reduces the stress generated on the hips and back. To stay upright, before squatting, squeeze the shoulder blades together and hold them in that position; and then as you squat, keep the forearms 90 degree to the floor. 5. Lift weights, draw abs The truth is the muscles work in groups to stabilize the spine, and the most important muscle group change depending on the type of exercise. The transverse abdominis is not always the most important muscle group. Actually, for most exercise, the body automatically activates the muscle group that are needed most for support of the spine. So if you focus only on the transverse abdominis, it can recruit wrong muscles and limit the right muscles. This increases the chance of injury, and reduces the weight that can be lifted. After great success, I HIGHLY recommend a killer stomach workout system called The Truth About Six Pack Abs – Check It Out because it worked for me and many people I’ve spoken to..