Car Problems

Not usually one to do this, but I must share.....

Was driving home last night, heading for a martial arts class I teach/attend, stopped at a crossroads. Nothing unusual so far. I see smoke pouring from under the bonnet. Distressing.

I bomb it into a carpark and raise the hood of said vehicle, and see nothing on fire, but the radiator cap missing. There is not enough room between bonnet and cap for it to pop off and fall down through the engine and out. There isn't. There was no shrapnel, so it didn't shatter into many pieces and fall away.

I haven't been under the hood for a few weeks, so I'm sure I would have noticed something amiss, and I travel a fair distance every day to and from work.

A friend I bumped into whilst staring at the missing cap, or the gap where the missing cap was supposed to be, suggested it had been nicked, half inched and it was a trick his friends used to pull as kids.

Bloody technical practical joke if it was, but it's still vexing. Then whilst at Halfords (tm) I noted my driver tyre was punctured and flat (5 psi rather than the usual 30). Thats two. They say it comes in three's. Wonder whats next.

Luckily there is a QuikFit (tm) and auto spares place just around the corner from me and side by side, which made this morning convenient and expensive (tm).

How to fix the economy

Can't be done with the mindset people have right now.

First off, a clarification, People vs Person.

The People are a colletive, they need governing, guidance, their cares are based around working public services, roads, the economy and laws for example. People stand in groups, either by country, belief or just

A Person is an individual, they need heat to keep warm, food and water to be sustained, freedom to be creative and be all they can be. A person stands alone, whether they want to or not.


People aren't very bright, when in confrontation all people shout together, a cacophany of voices unaware that their focus can't hear them due to the noise. They act as a flock doing what they do by the example of others.

A person usually will confront with a definitive argument, their voice can be heard and as long as they are willing and not someone looking for physical confrontation, reasoned with. They act dependant on their own viewpoint and experiences.


An economy deals with People. The current state of the economies of the world however were effected by Persons, individuals who made decisions at a high level which in turn influenced the people, after all people are a flock, and the example or instruction they give guides other who in turn by example or instruction guide others, and so it goes on. If a person can do this much damage, then a person can reverse it, but the instruction and example must filter down to everyone underneath. So it is with Economic models, the decline of the US economy by example has filtered down to others. So how is it dealt with?


1) The higher economies that controlled by instruction or example must be set aside. In this case, the U.S economny who's banking institutions who put so much into toxic debt was the photographers flash bulb that started the domino effect. At the moment all oil around the world is dealt in US Dollars. This needs to change, switching it to the Euro (something that OPEC was going to do at one point.) http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKL0882239220080208

2) In order to kick start things off again, a starter motor of extraordinary strength is required. I'm proposing the Euro due to its size in the world economy and strength comparitevly. However those not in the Euro but in Europe need to be, so the UK economy and any external Eurpean contries about to come in need to be part of this and quickly. This shouldn't mean giving up any kind of individual rights to currency, after all I can imagine a Euro with the queens head on, each country minting their own euro Face (with one common face to all Euros), the German one with the Eagle, etc.

3) New Technology. A global requirement for a new focus is requried, and with the automobile industry leaching billions in order to stay afloat, I would suggest new legislation and investment by the goverments (who should at this point have interests and shares in the banks of that country) into Hydrogen fuels, with legislation forcing fuel pumps at every station, public vehicles to be mandatorily fueled by the new innovation. If worldwide the impetus to invest would be immense.

And in theory, that should do it, with a lazais fair approach taken by governments on the economy itself, but instead focusing investment and super-projects with a central theme, and creating a super-economy who's job it would be to chain react to other economies, the money should start moving.

WTF?

I have ideas. I mean, everyone has ideas, but sometimes I want to write them down. Sometimes I would even like others to read them. Often I am not after feedback, though logical discourse is always welcomed. Occasionally I get out. Frequently I don't.

This is one of my many soapboxes.

Aspects

I'm not sure if the term 'Aspects' is correct. I've tried to find another word which can really sum up what I'm trying to put over, and it's a common, well used concept, used in many, if not all paths to self improvement, those being the separation of Mind, Body and Spirit from the self.

These are, I believe, important concepts to consider.

Your Mind, the way you think and solve problems. How you decide what you are going to do with your life, what you remember. It's a very cold side of you, very methodical. It's your reasoning, how you justify your actions.

Your Body, the way you physically DO things. Bloody obvious, I know, but it is not just the muscles this talks of, but your physical projection in this world, and your interaction with everything in it.

Your Spirit, the not so obvious aspect of you. Difficult one to try and sum up this, but if your body is your physical self, then your spirit is your Non physical self. It's different from your Emotional side (see below), it's unquantifiable. The world is being torn apart and put back together by those seeking just the smallest sense of understanding of the Spirit. A lot of people don't believe it exists. A lot of people do, and a lot of people, most if they are honest with themselves, generally nod in the direction of the Spirit content to know that there may be something there but not to worry too much about it as it can probably look after itself, but it holds close to it some of our strongest parts, that part that hopes.

However, there is I believe a fourth...

Your Emotion. Separate from the Mind yet at the same time very close to it as it can also dictate how you react. It however isn't cold, Separate from the Body but tied in very close, as an imbalance in how you are treating your Body will affect. Separate from the Spirit, but almost the same as Emotions can empower the Spirit, but also shrivel it.

I used to think I was doing quite well when it came to developing Mind, Body and Spirit. I exercise and enjoy it, I work with computers and enjoy solving problems, and even spend time meditating on the spirit, but it was never enough. It was only when I managed to find the fourth element, Emotion, that I managed to bring a balance to myself, though I found my Emotional development severely lacking, and still do. You cannot grow unless you address all four aspects. If just one is left behind, the others cannot progress beyond a certain level, until the absence is addressed, as each one derives strength from the other. Emotion allows us to utilise the strengths of the other three aspects to a much greater degree, enhancing the concentration of the mind, or the strength of our back, or our faith, if used correctly. When used incorrectly, say in anger, then it becomes destructive. The mind becomes locked in a cycle of hate, the body damaged through our actions, the spirit becomes dark.

I guess my point is, develop all four aspects, together, paying a close eye on what Emotion is doing. Use your mind to justify the emotion, use your body to experience the emotion, use your spirit to hold the emotion and empower it, and you won't go far wrong.

Confict.

It's everywhere. When asked about conflict, you may start thinking about armed conflicts in different parts of the world, but it's everywhere and the way we as people deal with it is identical, regardless of the scale of the conflict.

The smallest conflict is on a one to one scale. It occurs when two people have a difference that needs to be resolved. Simple as that, Conflicting Ideas, differences of opinion. Now, how we resolve that follows a generic formula which is based on the four aspects.

Now, the first step is Spiritual. That in built sense of what is right and wrong that comes from the heart, not from the logical step-by-step progression of argument or evidence, but that true part right inside that knows that to kill is wrong, to grow is right. A lot of conflicts don't require this step, as most conflicts are trivial in the grand scheme of things. Arguing who's turn it is to roll a dice in Monopoly does not rate high on the spirit-o-meter. Oddly enough, spiritually speaking, having a war over who owns a piece of land is also trivial, as that land a) Belongs to no one, we just rent, and b) is in the land of the physical. The first step then is intuitive to the spirit, and is resolved before what we know as conflict takes place, before a word is uttered or the mental concept that something needs resolving has even taken place. Sometimes we choose to ignore this voice however, urged on by negative aspects for gain. Why do a group of youths kick a man to death whilst betting on who would knock him out first? (reference)

Secondly, we attempt to resolve the difference of opinion Logically (Mind). We use logical argument, evidence, precedent to sway the conflict in your favour. After all, all conflict must resolve with some kind of outcome. In the case of the board game, a exercise of elimination (e.g. who went last time, who has yet to go, etc) could determine logically who goes next. On the other hand, you could give logical argument that a people had been settling in an area, show demographics of growth, historical records, etc. We know the consequences of our actions, and it's important to note that there will be, Consequences. Sorry about the bold type there, but it's an important, very import part of this stage of conflict because without consequences, without the knowledge that there are consequences, and what they are, it's very easy to jump past this point if there aren't any, or don't appear to be. Take away the consequences of your actions, something you can say, well, if I do X, then Y will happen, then you take away one of the fundamental parts of us. But if a logical, rational resolution can't be found, then we move into ....

Emotional resolution. We try to resolve the conflict, the difference of opinion, by invoking emotion in each other. It could be genuine, a country in need of aid may invoke emotions of pity or determination to do something. Case in point, Live Aid, the media shown to the world did a fantastic job of bringing forward some of our most powerful emotions. You can tell us with dry words about starvation or war in another country, and we may do something, but when we "feel" what's going on through the media available to us, then the masses start to react.

It's a difficult thing to try and quantify, emotional conflict, as we get down the list, the form of resolution becomes stronger. Spiritual resolution relies on you listening to your core, and it's very quiet. Logical resolution talks to you, rationally. Emotional resolution is full of ups and downs, fire and ice, it is not quiet at all, and is one of the most powerful as if you win through emotional resolution, if it's resolved, then the winner...is right. No questions asked. Emotional resolution is about changing your choice. Logically you know that the restaurant will be busy, that choosing the place you want to go to will result in a much smoother evening, but emotionally, you are reminded that the other place is where you first met and though it will be busy it would mean so much .....

Greed - change your mind for personal gain,

Fear - to do what we say, or else,

Anger - because of what they have done,

Guilt - because of what you have done.

The negative emotion is often used to bring the resolution to the other sides way of thinking. However it's not all that bad. As any man who knows, knows, Love is often used but it's closer to the spirit, in so much as you may logically get to a point of logical resolution, but before you have gotten there the heart strings twang and you change your mind, but that's fine, as it's your choice and it's done without personal gain, you have changed you mind, just because.

Once the emotions fail, then I'm afraid there is only one final course of action. The physical response, use of the Body. In conflict in a pub, for example, a spilled pint could lead to a laugh, a quick offer to replace the pint (the logical course of action), maybe even stepping into the emotional boundary of a hearty laugh about it to bring the level up. It could also go the other way, with the Spiritual step thrown right out of the metaphorical window, the mind coming to a conclusion that it was on purpose. Sometimes there is a preliminary, a pushing and shoving (remember the negative emotions are much closer to the Physical response than the positive emotions) to invoke fear, then a physical response.

Much the same happens with armed conflicts. Two countries try (even if just on the face of it) for diplomatic resolution (Mind). When they start to break down, they try to cause fear to the opponent, and/or anger of some description to their own countrymen, be it Religious Fanaticism or Racial Hatred, or one of hundreds of "reasons". Once enough momentum has built up (as it takes a lot longer to mobilize a country for conflict than it does to mobilize your mates in a pub for some reason) then the physical conflict begins until one or both sides has damaged the other enough.

And we are getting better and better at doing a lot of damage, very very fast. If we want to grow, our conflicts need to change. First we need to realise...

• - The Spirit (our instinctive ability to know what is right and what is wrong) should be listened to more closely. Its a very very quiet voice. There isn't really a way to Win a spiritual conflict, but if it follows the same formula for the rest below, then the key is to have a stronger spirit. If this can't be resolved, then....

• - To win a logical conflict, you need to have the strongest logical argument. If this can't be resolved then....

• - To win an emotional conflict, you need to have the strongest emotions (and

strongest ability to control your own). And if this can't be resolved, and the negative emotions are invoked, and still there is no resolution....

• - To win a physical conflict, you need to BE the strongest.

However, if it gets to this point, then both sides have lost.