Flight of the Conchords

You have to watch this. These are two Kiwi comedians who are making it big in USA with their show Flight of the Conchords. Go to YouTube and watch all their clips. Very funny stuff.

Slideshow of my trip to America

Here are my photos of my trip to America. It is a bit rough because I did not want to spend a long time making it, but you get the idea.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2851496809593372740&hl=en

Craig and Lara’s new baby

Dunno what the little fella’s name is. Craig, let us know.

Senator Suing God

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297121,00.html

Nebraska Democratic State Senator Ernie Chambers has decided to go straight to the top in an effort to stop natural disasters from befalling the world.

Chambers filed a lawsuit against God in Douglas County Court Friday afternoon, KPTM Fox 42 reported.

The suit asks for a “permanent injunction ordering Defendant to cease certain harmful activities and the making of terroristic threats.”

The lawsuit identifies the plaintiff as, “the duly elected and serving State Senator from the 11th Legislative District in Omaha, Nebraska.”

Chambers also cites that the, “defendant directly and proximately has caused, inter alia, fearsome floods, egregious earthquakes, horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornados, pestilential plagues…”

Chambers says he isn’t suing God because he has any kind of beef with the deity. He says the suit is to fight possible laws restricting the filing of frivolous lawsuits. Chambers tells KPTM FOX 42 News that his lawsuit is in response to bills brought forth by other state senators to try and stop lawsuits from being filed.

“The Constitution requires that the courthouse doors be open, so you cannot prohibit the filing of suits,” Chambers says. “Anyone can sue anyone they choose, even God.”

Chambers bases his ability to sue God, as, “that defendant, being omnipresent, is personally present in Douglas County.”

Coming Home

I am currently at the San Francisco airport waiting for my flight back to New Zealand. I’ve had a great time here in USA and seen a much better side of America – mainly from visiting a Kiwi in northern California.

I’m making a slide show which I’ll post on this site shortly.

I’m signed onto a wireless network and they have a curious picture on their front page. Check it out:

What are they doing?????

The Dhammapadda

There is no finer introduction to the Buddhist approach to life than to read the first few lines of a scripture called the Dhammapadda. These are supposed to be the original words of Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as the Buddha and lived more than 2,500 years ago.

There are many translations of the Dhammapadda; here is one:

All that we are is a result of what we have thought. What we think and feel today is a result of our previous thought and our thoughts and feelings of the future depend on what we think today. If a man thinks bad thoughts, suffering will follow him, just as certainly as the wheel of a cart follows the ox that pulls the cart.

All that we are is a result of what we have thought. What we think and feel today is a result of our previous thought and our thoughts and feelings of the future depend on what we think today. If a man thinks pure thoughts, suffering will not follow him, happiness will.

“He hurt me, he abused me, he attacked me, he robbed me”; in those who harbour such thoughts, feelings of hatred will arise.

“He hurt me, he abused me, he attacked me, he robbed me”; in those who do not harbour such thoughts, feelings of hatred will not arise. Hatred is not overcome with hatred; hatred is overcome by love alone. This is universally correct.

This quotation contains the essence of the Buddha’s approach to life: what you have thought mainly determines what you think and feel now: if you think bad thoughts, you will suffer through your feelings, but if you think pure thoughts you will be happy.

They gave me a hat…

We saw some cowgirls in town and I thought they were just putting it on for show, but others thought they were authentic Wyoming cowgirls. Rian, the course leader, decided I needed a cowboy hat so he bought me one…. (he’s very wealthy – he lives next door to Larry Ellison and other billionaires in Woodside, California.) We had a lot of fun with the hat.

Pictured with Anita from Dayton, Ohio, another course participant: