Featured Discussions - Zoobird2024-03-28T14:35:43Zhttps://www.zoobird.com/forum/topic/list?feed=yes&xn_auth=no&featured=1Tao, non-doing from a 3rd century statementtag:www.zoobird.com,2011-05-25:2129360:Topic:382282011-05-25T16:38:11.512ZMichael Levinhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelLevin
<p>Prince Wen Hui's cook was cutting up an ox.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Out went a hand, down went a shoulder. He planted a foot.</p>
<p></p>
<p>He pressed a knee. The ox fell apart with a whisper. The bright cleaver murmured like a gentle wind. Rhythm! Timing! Like a sacred dance. Like the mulberry grove.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Like ancient harmonies!</p>
<p><br></br> "Good work!" the Prince exclaimed. "Your method is faultless!"</p>
<p>"Method?" said the cook, laying down his cleaver.</p>
<p></p>
<p>"What I follow…</p>
<p>Prince Wen Hui's cook was cutting up an ox.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Out went a hand, down went a shoulder. He planted a foot.</p>
<p></p>
<p>He pressed a knee. The ox fell apart with a whisper. The bright cleaver murmured like a gentle wind. Rhythm! Timing! Like a sacred dance. Like the mulberry grove.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Like ancient harmonies!</p>
<p><br/> "Good work!" the Prince exclaimed. "Your method is faultless!"</p>
<p>"Method?" said the cook, laying down his cleaver.</p>
<p></p>
<p>"What I follow is Tao. Beyond all methods!</p>
<p><br/>When I first began to cut up oxenI would see before me the whole ox, all in one mass. After three years, I no longer saw this massI saw distinctions.</p>
<p></p>
<p>But all I see now is nothing with the eye. My whole being apprehends. My senses are idle. The spirit free to work without plan follows its own instinct guided by a natural line.</p>
<p></p>
<p>By the secret opening, the hidden space, my own cleaver finds its own way. I cut through no joint, chop no bone. There are spaces in the joints. The blade is thin and keen. When this thinness finds that space, there is all the room you need. It goes like a breeze. Hence, I have this cleaver nineteen years as if newly sharpened.</p>
<p><br/>True, there are sometimes tough joints. I feel them coming. I slow down. I watch closely, hold back, barely move the blade.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And whump! the part falls away Landing like a clod of earth.</p>
<p><br/>Then, I withdraw the blade. I stand still and let the joy of the work sink in. I clean the blade and put it away."</p>
<p><br/> Prince Wen Hui said, "This is it! My cook has shown me how I ought to live my own life!"</p>
<p><br/><em>--Chuang Tzu</em></p> fair and balanced tradetag:www.zoobird.com,2008-10-20:2129360:Topic:65302008-10-20T15:09:11.204ZCarol McDonaldhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/CarolMcDonald
travelling in brazil and buenos aires recently I was wondering why has North America been (generally) more successful than South America? Brazil and Argentina had economic booms... and busts. I think it is because historically N. America has had a more stable and relatively less corrupt government, a strong middle class, strong work and values ethics, creating an infrastructure of trust and opportunity. It is important that the government provide a education , opportunity, a safety net , but at…
travelling in brazil and buenos aires recently I was wondering why has North America been (generally) more successful than South America? Brazil and Argentina had economic booms... and busts. I think it is because historically N. America has had a more stable and relatively less corrupt government, a strong middle class, strong work and values ethics, creating an infrastructure of trust and opportunity. It is important that the government provide a education , opportunity, a safety net , but at the same time the people should not depend on the government to provide for them.<br />
<br />
I have repeatedly heard politicians say that free trade has led to greater prosperity here and abroad. China has become the global factory, Brazil the world's farmer, and India its back office, this is not viable longterm.<br />
Right now we don't have "free" trade, its not "free" when pollution is so bad the olympic athletes were concerned about breathing in Beijing, and green stuff had to be removed for the rowing competition. Its not "free" when we import almost everything and some of our best exports--- movies and software-- are not purchased but copied illegally. What we need is fair and balanced trade.<br />
Limits should be set so that we only buy as much from a country as they buy from us (I mean real products not debt). We should make sure to keep some manufacturing here, we can't just be a country of services. We should make sure that we keep enough hi-tech jobs here to encourage future generations to study science and tech in college.<br />
It is risky to depend on other countries for food, manufacturing , or hi-tech. The philippines used to export rice, now they import it. I think every country should be able to feed itself, at least I want to live in a country that grows enough food to feed itself.<br />
It is wrong when the country's largest employer is walmart, what kind of future does that offer? A country of have's and have nots.<br />
The strength of our country is a strong middle class, a mostly stable incorrupt government, an infrastructure of trust and values, a work ethic, and a future of more than flipping burgers. Juicingtag:www.zoobird.com,2008-09-13:2129360:Topic:49652008-09-13T13:27:01.106ZMichael Levinhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelLevin
<img height="480" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310076815?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="640"></img><br />
<p>My juicer creates more pulp than I think it should. Champion makes a juicer that is much more efficient. Combine it with something that looks like a hydraulic auto transmission lift and some cheesecloth and you have a very efficient, if time consuming, method of extracting juice. The idea is to take the pulp from the Champion juicer and put it in cheesecloth. Then, use the hydraulic press to extract every last bit of juice out of the pulp. Then, I don't know... Is the pulp good…</p>
<img width="640" height="480" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310076815?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/><br />
<p>My juicer creates more pulp than I think it should. Champion makes a juicer that is much more efficient. Combine it with something that looks like a hydraulic auto transmission lift and some cheesecloth and you have a very efficient, if time consuming, method of extracting juice. The idea is to take the pulp from the Champion juicer and put it in cheesecloth. Then, use the hydraulic press to extract every last bit of juice out of the pulp. Then, I don't know... Is the pulp good for anything? Everything I read says that whole foods are so much better. Especially Agatson's work with the South Beach Diet. I guess that juiced fruit and veg just tastes good and is easier to get in your stomach sometimes. Thoughts?</p>
By the way, I nearly became addicted to Jamba Juice in Berkeley.<br />
<img width="450" height="600" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310077738?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/> St. Augustine grass problemstag:www.zoobird.com,2008-06-23:2129360:Topic:12952008-06-23T19:52:36.890ZCharlene Dietzhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/CharleneDietz
We have a part of our lawn that has this on going problem. Every summer it develops brown places and the grass dies. The yard care people say it isn't chinch bugs nor is it brown patch. We need to do something to keep the yard from dying away.<br />
Any ideas?<br />
If it is a fungus---does anyone have experience with treating it? And what is it?<br />
We have stumped two professional companies.<br />
Charlene
We have a part of our lawn that has this on going problem. Every summer it develops brown places and the grass dies. The yard care people say it isn't chinch bugs nor is it brown patch. We need to do something to keep the yard from dying away.<br />
Any ideas?<br />
If it is a fungus---does anyone have experience with treating it? And what is it?<br />
We have stumped two professional companies.<br />
Charlene Swatting Fliestag:www.zoobird.com,2008-06-19:2129360:Topic:9982008-06-19T16:24:58.985ZMichael Levinhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelLevin
<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,278559,00.html"><img src="http://www.foxnews.com/images/289063/0_62_flyswatter320.jpg"></img></a><br />
<p>You know what really bugs me? Repetitive tasks, not learning from my own mistakes, forgetting things. I'm a glass half full kind of person. So, this isn't about what you don't like. It's more about what simple solutions you've found. Like what? Ha! Thought you'd never ask....here are a couple of examples:</p>
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/2582410168_8fa057a53e.jpg?v=0"></img><p><a href="http://www.mindview.net">Bruce</a> has the best parties. And, everyone gets a fresh…</p>
<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,278559,00.html"><img src="http://www.foxnews.com/images/289063/0_62_flyswatter320.jpg"/></a><br />
<p>You know what really bugs me? Repetitive tasks, not learning from my own mistakes, forgetting things. I'm a glass half full kind of person. So, this isn't about what you don't like. It's more about what simple solutions you've found. Like what? Ha! Thought you'd never ask....here are a couple of examples:</p>
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/2582410168_8fa057a53e.jpg?v=0"/><p><a href="http://www.mindview.net">Bruce</a> has the best parties. And, everyone gets a fresh towel to dry their hands after washing. Sustainable, simple, nice looking, too.</p>
Did you know appliances sometimes use electricity even when they're turned off? The main culprits are instant-on products with transformers that stay hot. Unplug them or use a power strip. It will save electricity and the appliances will last longer, too.<br />
<br />
What about you? Have any cool ideas or brilliant examples? We'd love to hear all about them here.