2011 in review

WordPress.com prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog. This is for earthpages.org and doesn’t include earthpages.ca, which pulls in about 1/2  more of the traffic logged here.

What I found interesting was that a lot of visitors came to the site searching about sexuality and Jung’s idea of the shadow (= dark side of the psyche). I guess that’s something of a comment on where many people are at today.

The question is, do I post more sexy and dark side articles to attract more people, or do I continue to try to uplift by pointing to the light? A New Year’s dilemma which I guess will only be answered in time!

Here’s an excerpt:

The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed about 72,000 times in 2011. If it were an exhibit at the Louvre Museum, it would take about 3 days for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Cambodia appeals Hindus to help safeguard landmark Preah Vihear Shiva temple

Preah Vihear temple is one of the main factors of the current Cambodia-Thai dispute via Wikipedia

Special to Earthpages.org

Cambodia has sought the help of the Hindus worldwide to help safeguard the landmark Preah Vihear Shiva temple, which was reportedly damaged recently due to Thai-Cambodia border clashes.

Ros Borath, President of Cambodia’s National Committee for the World Heritage, in a emailed letter to Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, wrote with the hope that “Hindu world will soon take notice of this place, most sacred to Shiva, and help people of Cambodia to safeguard this world heritage monument with universal spiritual value as propounded by Lord Shiva”.

“Preah Vihear is Mount Kailash of South East Asia in the Dangrek range. Bhadreshvara-Shiva arrived here from Vat Phu via India to radiate his Shiva Teja over people of South East Asia flourishing under the Angkor kingdom. Preah Vihear is the open air theatre for the cosmic dance of Shiva. The colossal dancing image of Shiva is sculpted on the door frame (Pediment) of the mandapa of the main temple”, Borath argued.

Describing the Temple, Committee President Borath further wrote: “Besides the central temple where this dancing image of Shiva is sculpted, there are four other temples at the four levels of the plateau (gopura II-IV). These gopuras are in reality mandapas where the gods of the family of Shiva (parivara devata) are depicted. Images of Brahma, Vishnu, Krishna and Shvia are all carved in bas-reliefs on the lintels and pediments over the doors of these five temples. Sanskrit and Khmer inscriptions found from Preah Vihear inform us that this temple complex was a great hermitage center for meditation, following the path of Shiva. There were a number of hermitages at the foothills of Dangrek, and the networking of these ashramas was done from Mount Preah Vihear, Kailash of mainland Southeast Asia.”

“Since the sculpture of Shiva is above the door of the mandapa of the main temple, its safety is in great danger. All the images of parivara devata of Shiva, as they are sculpted out side the structure on the doorframes, are in great danger”, he added.

From KM wikipedia at วิกิพีเดียภาษาเขมร User T-Rithy

Pictures of the Preah Vihear Shiva temple were also attached, indicating damages to Gopura (towered gateway found at the entrances to temples) I, II, III, IV, and V resulting from Thai-Cambodia border clashes.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, urged various Hindu organizations world over to raise public opinion about this Shiva (Bhadreshvara) Temple, claimed to be one of the world’s biggest temple complex dedicated to Shiva.

Expressing serious concern at the reported damage, Rajan Zed said that international community, UNESCO, and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) should immediately provide funding to bring back this Lord Shiva temple to its original shape as it was before Thai-Cambodia clashes began February four. These organizations should not shy away to shoulder their responsibility of saving the important heritage of the world and respecting the feelings of Hindus worldwide, Rajan Zed said and added that  besides temple repairs, some infrastructure in the area should also be provided for devotees and other visitors.

Zed stressed that this landmark age-old and revered Preah Vihear Hindu Shiva temple complex was important to Hindu heritage and must be preserved to pass it on to the future generations. Damage to 11^th century Shiva temple was shocking and hurtful to the Hindu community world over. Lord Shiva, one of the major deities in Hinduism forming great triad with Brahma and Vishnu, was focus of worship of the Hindus, and it was important for them that Preah Vihear Hindu Shiva temple be protected. It was a world heritage and it was moral duty of the world to keep it intact for the coming generations.

Known as Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, this remote temple at the border between Thailand and Cambodia, which had reportedly not been clearly demarcated, had been a source of tension for generations. Preah Vihear was said to even predate Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple complex by about 100 years and its stunning setting made it finest of all the ruins left from the mighty Khmer civilization, Rajan Zed stated.

Zed pointed out that world should not let this sacred site dedicated to Lord Shiva (situated where Preah Vihear province of northern Cambodia touched Sisaket province of eastern Thailand) be further damaged to advance political agendas of some as there appeared to be a no clear solution to settle the long-standing territorial dispute surrounding the temple, which was already a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and whose history could be traced to 9^th century when the hermitage was founded.

Moreover, Temple of Preah Vihear, an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture mostly created by Suryavarman I and Suryavarman II, was a unique architectural complex of a series of sanctuaries and was said to be exceptional for the quality of its architecture and carved stone ornamentation. It was reportedly dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva in his manifestations as Sikharesvara and Bhadresvara. It was also said to be marking representation of sacred Mount Meru, the abode of the gods, and showing a depiction of Churning of the Ocean, a Hindu scriptural episode, Rajan Zed said.

Cambodian Government’s Committee describes Preah Vihear as: The site serves as a sacred place worshipping to the Hindu god Shiva manifesting as Sikharesvara (the Lord of Peak) and his figures are depicted on pediments and lintels.

Related Articles

• Art & Culture News: Hindus upset at damage to landmark Hindu temple by Thai-Cambodian clashes (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
• Cambodia takes military attaches of 12 countries to see damages of Preah Vihear temple…Siam sneaked in 1997 treaty over Khmer with Yuon (khamerlogue.wordpress.com)
• Thai army admits firing on Preah Vihear … but still accuses Cambodia (ki-media.blogspot.com)
• Cambodia’s Preah Vihear temple sees no tourists since recent deadly clashes (khamerlogue.wordpress.com)
• UNESCO envoy meets prime ministers of Siam, Cambodia on temple (khamerlogue.wordpress.com)

Pope encourages joining digital “network of relationships”

Pope Benedict XVI prays in front of the image of Our Lady of Fatima in central Portugal, May 12, 2010 Image by Catholic Church (England and Wales), credit M.Mazur/www.thepapalvis via Flickr

Special to Earthpages.org

The Pope has invited young people “to make good use of their presence in the digital world”.

In a message for “45^th World Communications Day” posted on Holy See website on January 24, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI said: “The web is contributing to the development of new and more complex intellectual and spiritual horizons, new forms of shared awareness”. He urged his followers “to join the network of relationships which the digital era has made possible”, adding that “this network is an integral part of human life.”

But the Pope also pointed out: “It is important always to remember that virtual contact cannot and must not take the place of direct human contact with people at every level of our lives……Direct human relations always remain fundamental for the transmission of the faith!”

The Pope listed the limits of digital communication as: “the one-sidedness of the interaction, the tendency to communicate only some parts of one’s interior world, the risk of constructing a false image of oneself, which can become a form of self-indulgence”. He listed dangers of entering cyberspace as: enclosing oneself in a sort of parallel existence, or excessive exposure to the virtual world.

Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, suggested other Hindus to realize the Self. He argued that digital networks were just tools, and the broader goal being self-realization, it really did not matter which tools one used.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, blamed Pope for indulging too much into materialism and consumerism in his promotion of “digital world”, “cyberspace”, etc.

Ancient Hindu scripture Katha Upanishad points out that when wise realize the Self, they go beyond sorrow. Self is supreme and those who meditate on Self are freed from the cycle of birth and death. When one realizes Self, there is nothing else to be known, quotes Rajan Zed.

Related Articles

• The Pope is cool with Social Media (inquisitr.com)
• Pope Blesses Social Networking [Religion] (gawker.com)
• Pope gives social networking his blessing but warns of risks (theglobeandmail.com)
• Pope warns of alienation risk in social networks (reuters.com)
• The Pope slams fake social media profiles and linkbait (thenextweb.com)
• The Pope Would Like You To Be Yourself Online [Religion] (kotaku.com)
• Pope blesses social networks: “Who is my neighbour in this new world?” (boingboing.net)
• Pope: Internet Isn’t the End of the (Good) News (gearfuse.com)
• The Pope Gives His Blessing to Facebook, Orkut, and Social Media (blogs.forbes.com)
• Pope Benedict XVI tells young to beware internet’s virtual world (dailymail.co.uk)

Top Three Tweets

 

More alternative headlines at twitter.com/earthpages

 

1. Neuroscience and free will: religion and science do not always disagree – Telegraph: http://bit.ly/cBhsmh
2. God in America on PBS – chicagotribune.com: http://bit.ly/bzJkEl
3. Check this video out — TobyMac – Lose My Soul feat. Kirk Franklin & Mandisa youtube.com/watch?v=coHKdh… via @youtube

Stephen Hawking on Larry King Tonight – Top Three Tweets

More alternative headlines at twitter.com/earthpages

1. No God needed? Stephen Hawking and O.C. priest on Larry King – OC Science : The Orange County Register: http://bit.ly/9CIY1g via @addthis
2. AFP: China to launch next lunar space mission: http://bit.ly/dA31Hx via @addthis
3. Facebook inches past Google for Web users’ minutes – Yahoo! News: http://yhoo.it/bU5AvZ via @addthis

Related Articles

• Piers Morgan is the New Larry King! (manolith.com)
• Larry King Live Ends, the Web Reacts (mashable.com)
• Larry King: Retiring From ‘Larry King Live’ (justjared.buzznet.com)
• Video: Larry King Interviews His Replacement, Piers Morgan (shoppingblog.com)
• Piers Morgan to Replace Larry King: Who Is Piers Morgan? (nowpublic.com)
• Fr. Robert Spitzer, SJ, to debate Dr. Stephen Hawking on “Larry King Live”… (insightscoop.typepad.com)
• “Stephen Hawking: The Grand Design” and related posts (motls.blogspot.com)
• Stephen Hawking’s Not-God Conclusion & the Religious Response (beliefnet.com)
• A physicist on Hawking’s self-creating universe (geneveith.com)
• HumanistLife : God makes “cameo” in new Stephen Hawking book (humanistlife.org.uk)
• “Stephen Hawking on the universe and god” and related posts (case.edu)
• HumanistLife : Julian Baggini on Stephen Hawking’s deicide (humanistlife.org.uk)
• Theists Are Scared of Stephen Hawking (arizonaatheist.blogspot.com)
• Stephen Hawking Says God Did Not Create the Universe (blippitt.com)
• Stephen Hawking asserts God didn’t create universe (ctv.ca)

Top Three Tweets

More alternative headlines at twitter.com/earthpages

1. ZENIT – All Are Called to Mysticism: “Many seek in the East what Christian mysticism already contains” http://bit.ly/cdAJBt via @addthis
2. Nanotechnology Yields Breakthrough In Cancer Research – Science News – redOrbit: http://bit.ly/cTATye via @addthis
3. Cosmic Log – Hawking says God’s not needed. So?: http://bit.ly/chnUb7 via @addthis

Related Articles

Mysticism

• [Wanderer] Career – Mystics from Strange Glyphs (gerallkahla.blogspot.com)
• Hazy Elemental Photography – ‘Earth, Water, Ghost’ by Martin Johansson has a Mystical Vibe (GALLERY) (trendhunter.com)
• Triangulations : My Mystical Personality (triangulations.wordpress.com)
• Myticism and the Center of Light (teachstreet.com)

Nanotechnology

• Nanotechnology’s Shift from R&D to Commercialization Urged (spectrum.ieee.org)
• International Collaboration is Route to Nanotechnology Investment (news.suite101.com)
• Nanotechnology For Dummies | SubPlanck.com (subplanck.com)
• NANOTECHNOLOGY UPDATE: Nanotechnology Community Asked for Guidance on Formulation of Strategic Plan… (pajamasmedia.com)
• Shasun to make foray into nanotechnology (thehindu.com)
• Nanotechnology Quintuples Heating Capacity of Solar Water Heaters (merid.org)

Stephen Hawking

• “Stephen Hawking: The Grand Design” and related posts (motls.blogspot.com)
• Hawking can’t possibly be right until his results have been confirmed in an online poll (scienceblogs.com)
• Hawking says God not needed for creation (mysanantonio.com)
• Stephen Hawking asserts God didn’t create universe (ctv.ca)
• Hawking Picks Physics Over God in Big Bang (foxnews.com)

Top Three Tweets

More alternative news headlines at twitter.com/earthpages

1. `Organized’ Christianity is organized imperfection – Letters to the Editor – MiamiHerald.com: http://bit.ly/aA8ugK via @addthis
2. Many celebrated Canadians held racist views unacceptable today: http://bit.ly/8ZyN9z via @addthis
3. Purgatory a Catholic concept – The Buffalo News: http://bit.ly/d8Ehdx via @addthis

Top Three Tweets

More alternative news headlines at twitter.com/earthpages

The first tweet isn’t too shocking. It’s probably only a matter of time before robots and people begin to resemble one another.

But the second tweet is a bit alarming. What’s alarming is that there’s no discussion about the possibility of this kind of technology being misused.

And even worse, there’s no discussion about the role of interpretation re empirical results.† It’s as if everything I learned in sociology, cultural studies, philosophy and religion is just thrown out the window in favor of this particular scientific discourse. And that’s a bit unsettling.

1. BBC World Service – News – Nao: the robot that detects and expresses emotions: http://bit.ly/d03mBr via @addthis
2. New brain scan to diagnose autism in 15 minutes: http://bit.ly/dno8WM via @addthis
3. Are physicists just making up dark energy?: http://bit.ly/9283yW via @addthis

† For those interested in thinking about science, I suggest Freeman Dyson’s book, Infinite in all Directions.

Top Three Tweets

More alternative news headlines at twitter.com/earthpages

• There was no Big Bang at the start of the universe, says physicist: http://bit.ly/atreBO via @addthis
• Carl Jung Explains Sarah Palin | The Atlantic Wire: http://bit.ly/dybok3 via @addthis
• Churchill UFO cover-up supports Eisenhower’s alleged meeting with Aliens | UFO Digest provides proof: http://bit.ly/a6aJS6 via @addthis

Top Three Tweets

More alternative news headlines at twitter.com/earthpages

1. Web-crawling computers will soon be calling the shots in science | Science | guardian.co.uk: http://bit.ly/aQhjuL via @addthis
2. Steve McSwain: Finding God After Leaving Religion: http://huff.to/aN6zNY via @addthis
3. Vatican sets off controversy with church law revisions that list ordaining women with pedophilia, other offenses http://bit.ly/9JoilD