The Ballad of the Existentialist

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The Ballad of The Existentialist

There's a world outside that window
Would you step into the sun?
Chasing shadows can't be in you
When the battle has been won

Try so hard to verbalise it
Understand it for yourself
Just find your feet and stand beside me
Don't put yourself back on the shelf

Just know that I'll be by my side, you..
The world is sinking deep inside..

Paint a picture, tell a story
Leave a trace behind to see
In years to come you'll call me boring
In your reflection you'll see me

Just know that I'll be by your side, you..
The world is sinking deep inside.

Okay so, I tried to use iWeb '08 but I just couldn't get Google analytics to work, so I switched back to blogger.  If you missed the last two posts, you can find them here:  http://www.web.mac.com/kamal16

kamalology.net is still the new address though.

NEW BLOG ADDRESS:

kamalology.net

Yes, from now on, I'll be updating the blog at that address.

The Question of Religion: Exploring Some Existential Concerns

The Question of Religion: Exploring Some Existential Concerns

A lecture by Prabhsharanbir Singh (Punjab)

Wednesday,
August 8 at 6 p.m.

Senior Common Room (305),
Founder College, York University

Visit www.yorku.ca
for a map of the campus

Within this talk, Prabhsharanbir Singh interrogates the presumed universalism of a post-secular period found in the writings of continental philosophers. He demonstrates his own unavoidable love–hate relation with thinkers such as Nietzsche, Heidegger and Derrida. Love because they all challenge the presumed universalism of the western subject, and hate because even with their focus on the other, the Eastern Other is systematically ignored.

Using the work of John Caputo, Singh provides a brief overview of how religion has changed from St Anselm’s times to the secular present. However, Singh notes a certain provincialism in Caputo’s argument that ignores non-Western religions and cultures, and locates the source of this provincialism (via Heidegger) in Philosophy’s mode of questioning, specifically every philosopher’s penchant for asking the “what is” question. Singh asks, “what problematic is generated when those societies enter the post-secular era which were never fully secularized?

Does ‘the actual state of affairs’ and ‘the truth about contemporary continental philosophy’ narrated by Caputo remain actual and true when applied to eastern varieties of religion?” In so doing Singh, illuminates a huge ironic, narcissistic if not hypocritical dark and blind spot in past and current Western philosophical thinking that constantly seeks the Other and its alterity yet never truly engages with it.

In contradistinction, through a third way of reading religion (beyond the Western religion and the Hindu dharma) to those traditions that emphasize religion as path (panth). Here Singh’s focus falls upon the Sikh tradition as the example of this third way of reading religion. However Singh notes how colonialism, modernity and secularization all coerced indigenous elites to remake their religious traditions in the name of Western conceptions. Singh thus not only calls for a more honest engagement by Western thinkers with the non-Western Other, he also highlights how this alienation has been internalized by Indians themselves. Yet this complex problematic can be transformed.

According to Singh the Sikh tradition has many examples of non-violent ways of relating to the Other that demonstrate what is most needed today, in a world that is undergoing the globalization of a Euro-American conceptual and capitalist universe.

TODAY!!! FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE!

YUDH Combat Academy - 1st Anniversary

(Click the image above for photo's)

Robin Hood works at the bank

Wicked story in Germany recently. There's a bank manager who went into the bank accounts of very wealthy people, took out very small amounts of money and gave it to people who would have been homeless without it. We're talking about people in very unfortunate circumstances vs. people that are filthy rich. 10 grand could mean everything to someone with nothing (and nothing to someone with everything).

So 5 years and $2.8 million later Robin Hood @ the bank turns himself in and get slapped with 2 years and 10 months in prison.

Now here's the thing, this man's actions were completely altruistic, he kept nothing for himself and did what he did to help people in dire need. Does he deserve 3 years in the slammer? Isn't jail for dangerous people, who don't do good for society?

To me, this guy is a Hero of the finest kind (in the same league as Romeo Dallaire). Let's just say, hypothetically, there's a woman who stayed at home and took care of 4 kids. Her husband, the only working member of the family, dies. they have no savings and are in debt, she's got no money and no hope. At the same times there's plenty of people out there living lavish, lavish, and ridiculously more lavish lives. Fair? In swoops our banker, takes just enough money to pay the womans debts and gets her started towards moving on with life and providing for her children, meanwhile taking nothing for himself.

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying let's all go out and play robin hood (well, maybe I am). And I'm not saying stealing is right in all cases. But in a world where money wears the crown maybe stealing a robin hood hat aint such a bad idea.

But wait, there's more. The banker isn't the only one.

There's a group of young anti-capitalists (yay!) dubbed the Robin Hood gang. They dress up as superheroes with funny names and raid wealthy shops, giving what they stole to the poor. They make fake movie tickets and give those to the poor among other things.

I wouldn't exactly call stealing from the rich and giving to the poor a crime, the very existence of such a gap is a crime in itself. So do what you gotta do people, be a moral hero (and a real world criminal) and take the power back.

Okay so here's the update. I haven't worked out, trained or followed my diet for the past 3 weeks (although I've still been eating well). Mainly because it's wedding season (I photograph weddings) and I was way behind on editing all the wedding photos. But I'm caught up now and I'll start posting again. I still weight the same I did the last time I posted. By the way, if anyone wants a motivator to lose weight, posting your progress works! (As long as people like singhwithaplan are around!)

k.

YUDH Open House

Current Weight:
208.0 lbs

Loss since last post:
3 lbs

Total Loss:
22 lbs

Pounds left to reach 175:
38 lbs

fireproof

Melting 4

Sorry about the missed thursday post, I did the weigh in but just didn't get time to sit at the pc, ehem... I mean MACBOOK.

Current Weight:
211.0 lbs

Total Loss:
19 lbs

Pounds left to reach 175:
37 lbs

Okay so this week for me was horrible. I think I ate out 4 times and I've been out of training for two weeks due to a pulled calf (that only lasted 3 or 4 days though), a left arm that won't straighten at the elbow and bruised ribs. But since this Thursday I've been doing good. Hopefully I'll be down two pounds by this coming Thursday.

singhwithaplan said...

awesome news.

congratulations on your continued loss bro.

what are you doing to lose weight, good diet with excercise?

what type of food you eating, and how often/types of training you doing.

losing 2lbs a week is a good amount, not too much to be worried about health risks but enough to show improvement.

p.s suprised to see a 'thursday' post ON thursday =D

Thanks Singh. I've been going to the gym about twice a week (trying for 3 but it never seems to happen. And training the rest of the week, except Sundays.

The thing is, my weight loss isn't reflecting the way my body is looking. My waist is shrinking and I can clearly see that I've lost a lot more fat that what the scale is saying. But I guess that's just the muscle getting where it needs to be for the training and then eventually it'll flat line and I'll see the pounds drop.

But all I have to say today is...

RAMPAGE!!!

Melting 3

Current weight:
212.0 lbs

Total loss:
3.6 lbs

Loss since last post:
1.4 lbs

Last post:
213.4 lbs

Unofficial total loss:
18 lbs

Pounds left to reach 175:
37 lbs

Before I started blogging my weight I had started losing from 230 lbs. By the time I posted 215.6 I had already lost 14.4 lbs. Unofficially I've lost 18 lbs total. So starting next Thursday I'll post the total losses since 230 lbs. It just gives me a little more motivation to keep losing!

Melting more...

Okay, so Thursday has arrived and I can't dodge this any longer. So here goes...

Current Weight:
213.4 lbs

Last Post:
215.6 lbs

Total Loss:
2.2 lbs

Replies.

singh with a plan said...

bro, you missed like 20 thursdays =[

update update update, this should be at the top of your website! for every ufc post there should be a health post, update the keen supporters worldwide, do it for the people

I got a little lazy for a while. But thankfully I've been doing good the last little while. It's weird because I've moved down 3 belt holes (probably not the most accurate way of measuring) but strangely I haven't lost any weight. I can see in the mirror that I'm slimming down though.

No problem Singh Sahib, I'll start posting the weight again, hopefully the numbers will start dropping now.

Reply to a Truthful Problem.

Anonymous said...

There is a difference between contextual truth and infinite truth. Contextual truth is defined by your emotions, thoughts, and actions. Contextual truth is written facts that can become outdated or proven incorrect. Even science is contextual truth because it is only true within the context of the experiment and the time frame before something more precise comes along. When something more precise comes along, the first truth is less true than it was in its time context. On the other hand there is infinite truth. It is the truth that was always true and always will be true. It is the infinite reality that does externally may appear to be ever changing but at its root it is permanent and unwavering. It was, is and will be true and real, regardless of the context.Akaal Purakh is the truth. Everything else is the temporary, contextual, relative truth, which will at some point be proven false or "less than true."

Truth is only relative to the believer. It's why there's so many different brands of truth.

Science, research, discovery - whatever you want to call it, is true so far until it's proven wrong or outdated. But that's part of the beauty of the search, it's constructive discovery, not ideology. We work together to find better ways to live and and adapt. Religion however is much different, once professed it's unchanging. Believers refuse to confess things that are obviously not true. Of course that's up to them, if that's what they want to believe (so long as it doesn't actively inflict violence on others, which is often the case). Infinite truth is just another one of those truths (like all others, arguably) that falls under the category of subjective truth. An infinite truth is true to some, and they will never profess otherwise since it's the keystone of their belief. Akaal Purakh can not be proven false, but can not be proven true either. Akaal Purkah is true to the believer.

Jesus is the only saviour, Mohamed is the last prophet, Guru Nanak is the true Guru. All of these statements are in conflict with each other. Each follower will profess the truth of these statements with the same conviction and will believe with the same fervor. The truth of what each follower professes is very different, yet they all share the same mentality.

What does a believer say to an atheist when the atheist says there's no god? You're wrong? Well yeah, obviously. But the atheist will fire back with the same answer.

Truth is what you want it to be.

Shinda said...

Chuck over Rampage..

Anonymous said...

GONZAGA!! ALSO, LIDDELL OR RAMPAGE?

RAMPAGE!!!

Laugh some more...

The Future = Georges St. Pierre

UFC 69 Matt Serra vs Georges St. Pierre

Anonymous said...

POST POST POST. WHAT HAPPENED, BRUDDA?!

And so the anonymous UFC fan strikes again...

Well, obviously for me this was the end of the world. I could not believe what I had just seen. Our national hero TKO'd. What a nightmare.

But then again, it's not so bad. Except Fedor, what great fighter hasn't lost? Especially like this.

GSP is still the top contender. If GSP and Matt Serra were to fight again tommorrow, I bet the odds would be in favour of GSP in the same proportions. If it were the case that Serra went the distance and dominated GSP (Like Randy did to Tim), then yeah, this would be a bad loss. Once you daze someone, (GSP got hit in the carotid artery) you have a good chance of winning, and to Matt Serra's credit, he did a great job.

Personally, I think GSP gave Serra too much respect. It seemed like he was watching out for the take down, but then again, I'm sure GSP's camp expected that Serra would be working on his striking. Normally you see St. Pierre come out pretty strong, but this time he seemed reserved, only using single jabs and some kicks. I couldn't believe Matt Serra actually scored a superman punch.

What pissed me off even more though, was Matt Hughes' reaction at the end of the fight saying 'I love it.' The only reason he loves it is because he knows he's gonna be fighting Serra for the title and will probably win. Before he know's it, he'll suffer annihilation one more time at the hands of Captain Canada.

What happens next? Hughes is probably next for title contention. GSP will most likely fight Koscheck. By the way, contrary to what most people are thinking, I thought the KOS vs. Sanchez fight was awesome. Koscheck executed his gameplan perfectly, and it's good to see Diego come out with a loss.

But now that the initial depression of UFC 69 has faded, the loss aint all that bad. Georges is still gonna dominate the Welterweight division, no doubts there.

Zuffa the Giant

I guess now that Shinda's said it I gotta write it, every time he links me in a post my hit count quadruples.

I'm not too happy with the UFC/Pride takeover. Yeah sure there's gonna be great match ups but one organization owning all the elite fighters in MMA isn't good for the fighters. For Example, Mirko CroCrop is got paid $350,000 for his first UFC fight(although 30% of it goes to foreign tax). If it was the case where Pride and UFC were owned by Zuffa, there's no way that would have happened, there'd be no need for CroCop to even come to the UFC because any fight is possible now and for dirt cheap. If there's no fighters union already, they should make one fast.

Personally, I think any fighter competing in Pride/UFC should be paid enough where they can train full time for an upcoming fight. That means a minimum of $20,000 per fight for even the unknown fighters.

Zuffa buying pride is big but it's nothing new. Zuffa has bought out a number of MMA organizations which they normally shut down and take the fighters, they own World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) as well.

250 grand for a fight is a lot, that's how much Randy and Chuck get paid, I'm not saying they need to make millions per fight, but what they make is piss compared to what the organization pulls in every every event. It's gonna be even worse now that there's no major competition.

Anyway, what less can you expect from capitalists.

Now on to more important things, our national hero Georges St. Pierre is probably gonna walk through Matt Serra and hopefully he'll get a shot at Deigo Sanchez after he wins GSP vs. Hughes 2, Sanchez vs. GSP will be a good fight. I still don't think Sanchez has a chance, but even after the Sanchez fight, who's left for GSP? Oh by the way, GSP will be at Kombat Arts in Mississauga on April 22nd for a training seminar.

Cornell West - What it means to be a Leftist.

To watch the whole talk, download March 13th's Democracy Now! broadcast.

Couture plays Politics at UFC 68

Oh my god.

That was one of the most entertaining fights I've ever seen. We were at Nihang's house and at the edge of our seats the whole fight. Randy came in with a plan and handled it. The only problem now is facing the winner of the next Cro-cop fight, which will most likely be Mirko Cro-cop himself. To tell you the truth, I seriously think Randy can take this one. Randy's the type of fighter that will pick apart his opponent during training and learn his game inside out.

If Cro-cop can keep it on his feet, he'll most likely win. I Randy can take it to the ground and keep it there, he'll most likely take it.

Anyway, at the end of the fight Randy made a comment about 2 things that make the U.S. so great. He said something like 1 - Jesus Christ who died for our sins and 2 - the G.I. that goes out there to keep our country free.

The second I heard that, my night was ruined. You have, probably the most famous champion in the world right now, defining the current world superpower as primarily Christian AND he said it in the mid-west. I can't imagine how many non-Christians felt alienated by that.

More importantly however, is the G.I. statement. It just goes to show how uninformed the majority of the American public is when it comes to 'Supporting the Troops'. Propaganda that's worked perfectly since day one and heavily promoted by the blind following the blind. It's stuff like this that allows the U.S. government to terrorize the world the way it pleases.


I see this trailer at least twice a week (I finally had my camera with me to take its picture). It's the perfect example of what American's taught to think - the troops are marching in to kill our evil enemy.

The military is of course a last resort, even for the U.S. Before that come bribes and blackmail, this is where the superpower comes and tries to take control of the country's resources. If that doesn't work, there's assassination. If there's still no success, then you send in the tanks, jet's and troops to raze it to the ground (and it doesn't really matter much if citizens die, you can keep that quiet). The G.I.'s don't have a choice in the matter, if they don't go, they get thrown in jail, as is the case with Ehren Watada.

And who better to tell the truth than the Economic Hitman himself, John Perkins:


So, Randy, the G.I.'s aren't there to protect your freedom like your president tells you. They are sent there to ensure U.S. Government and Corporate intrests are secure, whether they know it or not.

ONE MORE TIME!!!

A Truthful Problem

We have choices when it comes to that ‘singular’ truth (a singular choice?), each of them uniquely different yet strikingly similar.

Religion or not, a truth is a truth, one that we choose to accept, believe, practice and give our lives for. Whether it’s a single person or masses, that truth will be personal to them and will become true through their practice of it, but only through practice (belief is part of that practice). And this is where the clash arises, either there is one truth or no truth at all.

Of course, to a follower of truth, the second option is not an option at all. Yet to those who see the second option as truth, the first option is not an option at all since the second is truth to them. And what about those who agree on the first option but disagree on the correctness of it? Who does that truth belong to, to one and not the other? One truth or no truth at all begs the question, what if all this is the truth as it should be?

There’s a difference between realizing that truth and finding the path that brings you to realization. Or maybe not, maybe finding the path to realization will eventually bring us to realization, maybe that path really is divine. Or maybe the other guy’s path is true, or maybe not. Which one are you?

There’s moral truth(s) and divine truth(s). What does it do for us? It gives our lives meaning. The search for truth is just another way of saying, what does it mean to be alive (the question, the question, the question!!!). Truth becomes meaning, and meaning in turn becomes truth and that truth becomes divine, because there is no thing that can be higher than truth. To be divine is to be true – formulation of truth.

Is truth living honestly? Is honesty always moral? What if telling a lie saved a person’s life? Sometimes you gotta tell a lie to do a truthful act. And there forms another truth: The act of truth is knowing when to be dishonest. Believe it, practice it, die for it.

Could it ever be the case where truth becomes no more than an idea? Because there’s just way too many truths to count? Is believing just part of being human? (…all for one, or none at all!!!)

You practice yours, she practices hers, that dude over there has one of his own. Does the last man stand? After all, it’s because of ideas that we kill each other (as V says, 'Beneath this mask there is more than flesh, beneath this mask there is an Idea, Mr. McCreadie ...and Idea's are Bulletproof!) Or do we go our own way until we eventually bump heads again? …and life goes on with every possible scenario.

The problem arises when we come to a conclusion, when the search for truth ends (but then again if it never ended, what truth could there ever be?). Once we’ve found it, or think we’ve found it, we’re almost never able to see anything outside it, it’s when truth becomes subjective, it’s when the point comes where we’re confined within our practice of truth.

…ain’t that the truth!

Democracy Now!: Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders is an independent senator from Vermont, calls himself a democratic-socialist.

This is a wicked talk at the Conference for Media Reform.

Americans unveil 'people-zapping' ray gun

The Active Denial System was demonstrated at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia (Elliott Minor/AP) Mark Bridge

The US military has unveiled a space age 'non-lethal weapons system' – a ray gun that shoots a beam that makes people feel as if they will catch fire.
The Pentagon claims that the Active Denial System, dubbed "the people zapper", is a harmless way to control rioters or get enemies to drop their weapons.

But experts in the UK and Germany questioned the system’s safety, warning that exposure to the beam for more than a few seconds could cause extensive and potentially life-threatening second degree burns.

Dr Steve Wright, of Leeds Metropolitan University, an expert on non-lethal weapons technology, said: "There is a great worry that these weapons will redefine existing standards of cruelty."

Military officials, however, said that the system could save the lives of innocent civilians and service members in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. They said targets would flee the beam on reflex, avoiding sustained exposure.

During the first media demonstration of the weapon, airmen fired beams from a large dish antenna mounted on a Humvee at people pretending to be rioters and acting out other scenarios that US troops might encounter.

The crew fired beams from more than 450 metres away, nearly 17 times the range of existing non-lethal weapons, such as rubber bullets.

While the quick burst of 54C heat was not painful, it was intense enough to make participants think their clothes were about to ignite.

"This is one of the key technologies for the future," said Marine Colonel Kirk Hymes, director of the non-lethal weapons programme which helped develop the new weapon.

"Non-lethal weapons are important for the escalation of force, especially in the environments our forces are operating in."

The system uses millimeter waves, which can penetrate only 1/64th of an inch of skin, just enough to cause discomfort. By comparison, common kitchen microwaves penetrate several inches of skin.

The millimeter waves cannot go through walls, but they can penetrate most clothing, officials said. They refused to comment on whether the waves can go through glass.

Two airmen and ten reporters volunteered to be shot with the beams, which easily penetrated various layers of winter clothing.

Under the tests, volunteers were exposed to short bursts of heat only, but weapons experts cautioned that trigger-happy soldiers could override a pre-set cut-off to zap cornered targets in a long blast.

Airman Blaine Pernell, 22, said he could have used the system during his four tours in Iraq, where he manned watchtowers around a base near Kirkuk. He said Iraqis constantly pulled up and faked car problems so they could scout out US forces.

"All we could do is watch them," he said. But if they had the ray gun, troops "could have dispersed them."

The weapon is not expected to go into production until at least 2010, but all branches of the military have expressed interest in it, officials said.

Prof. Jagdish Singh on the Sikhs and Dalits

Prof. Jagdish Singh on the Sikhs and Dalits

WHO ARE YOU!!!

And the anonymous CAPITALIZED UFC commentor strikes again:

Anonymous said...
COUTUREEE IS BACKKKKKKK

For me, this is HUGE. I'm a Couture fan under any circumstance. AND as a HEAVYWEIGHT to fight Tim Sylvia!!!!!!!

I can't wait! I'm all giddy...