UPDATES ARCHIVE FOR DECEMBER 2006
HOME PAGE	KLEINER'S KORNER FOR WEEK OF DECEMBER 25, 2006 MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! Have a grand day with your families... Steve Klein 1. A CHRISTMAS STORY TO TOUCH EVERYONE’S HEART Thanks to a KK reader for sending in this Christmas Story sure to warm every KK reader. link here . 2. FINE PARENTING AND A GREAT ATTITUDE OVERCOME "BLINDNESS" "In a pillow fight, 14-year-old Ben Underwood can deliver a dead-on shot; in foosball, he's a determined competitor; when a video game is going, his fingers fly. And when he is on his skates, he's fearless. For most teenagers, it's nothing remarkable. But Ben is blind. As CBS News correspondent John Blackstone found out, Ben uses sound to find his way around. To walk down the street with Ben is to be amazed at what he can see with his "ears."...'Nobody is going to tell him that there is an impossibility for him. 'Cause there are none,’ says his mom. 'This mom ought to be teaching a course on how do you raise a kid who can't see well,' says Kaiser-Permanente ophthalmologist Dr. James Ruben. He says Aquanetta has done exactly the right thing with Ben: never being overprotective and never putting limits on him. ‘You know, I think the real story here is not… is not his talents, but his attitude. And attitude is what it's really about.' Aquanetta agrees. 'We have to give our kids confidence. We give them pride. Empower him with who he is, and be proud of who you are, no matter what!’ she says. ‘There's nothing you can't do...' she adds. 'And that's the attitude, you know what I'm saying? That's what I want to give him.' Watching him in action, it seems clear that Ben really can do anything," quoting CBS News Early Show. [Ed. Note: Be sure to click on the video on the right side of the page and get ready for a treat!] link here . 3. “SMALL CHANGE, BIG DIFFERENCE” “Modest Needs is breaking new ground by eliminating the layers that separate donors from recipients and turning the latter into the former. The transparency of Modest Needs appeals to a new generation of donors who want to see precisely how their dollars are helping others remain self-sufficient. To date, Modest Needs has raised about $1 million (the average contribution is about $15 a month) and contributed small amounts (always under $1,000) to about 3,000 families and individuals. In Oregon, 57 households have received help from Modest Needs. Recently a woman living in a small Oregon town fell behind on her rent and car payments. She had managed to support two children and graduate from a two-year massage therapy program. Confident that she'd soon have a job, she asked Modest Needs for $595 to catch up on her car payments, pay her rent and make small payments on other debts. Modest Needs checked out her documentation, posted her plea and donors decided to fund her request. Modest Needs sends checks directly to an applicant's creditors. ‘That's how philanthropy is supposed to work,’ Taylor says from the Modest Needs office in New York City,” quoting The [Portland ] Oregonian. link here . 4. "HOMELESS KIDS’ WISH LISTS HAVE A LENS ON THE FUTURE” "Most holiday greeting cards feature rosy-cheeked Santas, serene snowscapes or trumpeting angels dusted with glitter and filled with cheery yuletide greetings. But the cards created by a group of homeless children and teens at two Salvation Army shelters in Raleigh, N.C., and Orlando are different. Instead of Santa, they have pictures of such cherished dreams as a college degree or a new home. In October, the youngsters set out with disposable cameras to photograph things they wished for during the holidays. But instead of iPods or PlayStations, these photos showed a hunger for a better life for themselves and their families. ‘I didn't want material things,’ says Tiffanie Stewart, 17, of Orlando. ‘I asked for smiles on my mom, a house and a car to get around.’ Now, with the help of celebrity photojournalist Linda Solomon, who also has a longtime interest in bringing photography to underprivileged young people, the wishes and pictures they took are being printed on holiday cards and sold to the public. General Motors, which financed the program, says 100% of the proceeds will go to Salvation Army shelters in their home cities," quoting USA Today. link here . 5. THIRD ANNUAL “LIGHT TO UNITE WORLD AIDS DAY Until December 31st, Bristol-Myers is donating a dollar to AIDS research every time someone goes to their website and moves the e-match to the e-candle and lights it. You can only do it once. Please forward this link on. link here “The National AIDS Fund is a unique network of 29 Community Partnerships, supporting over 400 grassroots HIV/AIDS organizations annually. When you support NAF, $0.92 of every dollar goes directly to communities most impacted by HIV/AIDS,” quoting their site. link here . 6. “HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR WINS TOP SCIENCE COMPETITION” “A high school senior from Oregon won a $100,000 scholarship from the Siemens Foundation in one of the nation's premier high school science competitions on Monday for his research in a new area of mathematics called string topology. The research conducted by Dmitry Vaintrob, 18, a student at South Eugene High School in Eugene, Ore., could provide knowledge that mathematicians and physicists might apply to understand electricity, magnetism and gravity, judges at the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology said. ‘His work is at the Ph.D. level, publishable and already attracting the attention of researchers,’ said competition judge Michael Hopkins, a professor of mathematics at Harvard,” quoting the AP. link here . 7. “EXPERTS RECONSTRUCT LEONARDO’S FINGERPRINT” “Anthropologists said they have pieced together Leonardo da Vinci's left index fingerprint - a discovery that could help provide information on such matters as the food the artist ate and whether his mother was of Arabic origin. The reconstruction of the fingerprint was the result of three years of research and could help attribute disputed paintings or manuscripts, said Luigi Capasso, an anthropologist and director of the Anthropology Research Institute at Chieti University in central Italy. "It adds the first touch of humanity. We knew how Leonardo saw the world and the future ... but who was he? This biological information is about his being human, not being a genius," Capasso said in a recent telephone interview. The research was based on a first core of photographs of about 200 fingerprints - most of them partial- taken from about 52 papers handled by Leonardo in his life. Capasso's work, presented in 2005 in a specialized magazine called Anthropologie, published in the Czech Republic, is on display in an exhibition in the town of Chieti through March 30,” quoting AP News. link here . 8. GREENEARTH CLEANING PROCESS FOR THE DRYCLEANING INDUSTRY “For years, there has been no choice but to clean clothes in solvents which have been based upon carbon chemistry. Recently we have found a new solvent -- liquid silicone! Unlike current solvents, it's a solution that is not based on carbon chemistry. GreenEarth Cleaning, L.L.C., has patented the process which uses this exciting solution. We, along with other cleaners, have formed a Network of Affiliated GreenEarth Cleaners to bring this GreenEarth Cleaning process to the drycleaning industry and to our customers.” link here USA locations: link here . 9. MONOLITHIC DOMES AGAIN MAKE NEWS A. “A proposed 7,000-seat Monolithic Dome indoor arena was the subject of a front page article in the Tacoma News Tribune. Dubbed the Southwest Washington Regional Equestrian Center, the arena would be located in Centralia, a city about halfway between Seattle and Portland. It would not only play host to pro rodeo, but also concerts, dog shows, motocross, and other events,” quoting Monolithic. link here The Tacoma News Tribune story of December 20, 2006. link here B. A dome community in Hyderabad, India “It describes the three-story, 2,250-foot domes as ‘superb, modern accommodations that combine quality and affordability with an impressive attention to detail.’ Best of all, the brochure gives credit to our own Monolithic Dome Institute, which developed the technology for constructing the buildings, pointing out that their ‘seamless design and reinforced concrete shell make the buildings disaster proof against earthquakes, hurricanes and fire,” quoting Monolithic. link here The Monolithic Dome is a super-insulated, steel-reinforced concrete structure used for homes, schools, gymnasiums, bulk storage facilities, churches, offices, and many other uses. link here . 10. "IN MEMORY-BANK 'DIALOGUE', THE BRAIN IS TALKING TO ITSELF" "New recordings of electrical activity in the brain may explain a major part of its function, including how it consolidates daily memories, why it needs to dream and how it constructs models of the world to guide behavior. The recordings capture dialogue between the hippocampus, where initial memories of the day’s events are formed, and the neocortex, the sheet of neurons on the outer surface of the brain that mediates conscious thought and contains long-term memories. Such a dialogue had been thought to exist, but no one had been able to eavesdrop on it successfully. The new insight has emerged from recordings of rat brains but is likely to occur in much the same way in the human brain, which has analogous structures and the same basic principles of operation. The finding, reported on the Web site of the journal Nature Neuroscience by Daoyun Ji and Matthew A. Wilson, researchers at the Massachusetts Institue of Technology, showed that during nondreaming sleep, the neurons of both the hippocampus and the neocortex replayed memories — in repeated simultaneous bursts of electrical activity — of a task the rat learned the previous day," quoting the New York Times. link here . 11. FILM LOOKS AT INDEPENDENT AMERICA – STOPS IN YELM “In 2006, filmmakers Hanson Hosein and Heather Hughes set off on a cross-country journey with an unusual goal: shunning "big box" outlets and chain stores, the couple would only do business with "mom and pop" shops,” quoting Hot Zone. [Ed. Note: One of the stops was in Yelm, WA, where the City Council, led by former Mayor Adam Rivas and then Council member Ron Harding (now Yelm's Mayor), said no citizen can speak before the Council about Wal-Mart or "big box", as shown in this film.] link here The Yelm City Council earned the egregious Jefferson Muzzles Award for its disregard of fellow citizens' views. link here See the trailer with the Yelm City Council vetoing citizens’ rights on the Independent America website. link here . 12. THE FINAL WORD ON DVD “THE SECRET” I am continuing to get mail about my observations about The Secret. I provided all of the links and my observations as information to KK readers. As I stated, always trust your own knowingness. Here is the written statement from Ms. Hicks on why she is no longer part of the The Secret 2nd edition. [Ed. Note: To quote Ms. Hicks from this statement, “We think that "The Secret" clearly and beautifully presents Abraham's Law of Attraction.” So, the Law of Attraction is now firmly established as Abraham’s Law, rather than what is in each individual innately. HMMM!] link here . RAMTHA SCHOOL NEWS “JZ KNIGHT, THE CHANNEL OF RAMTHA, will be joining the exceptional faculty of ORBS: What Is Going On? The Prophets Conference Sedona taking place the weekend of May 4-6, 2007, at the Radisson Sedona Resort. She will be presenting her talk on "Dimensional Entities" (orbs),” quoting the Prophets Conference newsletter. link here . LOCAL NOTES Covered in Yelm’s Community Blog hosted by this writer last week were these stories: A. City of Yelm pumping more dollars into an aquifer study. (Dec. 18) B. Children's School (CSE) gets new director (Dec. 19) C. Toxic-free dry cleaners now online (Dec. 20) D. Winter solstice day in the Northwest (Dec. 21) E. Filmmakers of movie "Independent America" stop in Yelm and cover City Council's anti-citizens' stand (Dec. 22) F. Rail potential in Thurston County's future along I-5 corridor - not Yelm (Dec. 23) G. Merry Christmas (Dec. 24) link here . QUOTE OF THE WEEK “The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.” Charles Du Bos (1882-1939) French critic of French and English literature . Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2006. For archived issues of Kleiner’s Korner, click on "Current Kleiner’s Korner and Archives" at link here Send comments to steve@kleinerskorner.com . KLEINER'S KORNER FOR WEEK OF DECEMBER 18, 2006 Dear Readers, At no time since the US Presidential election of 2004 has any KK generated more controversy than last week’s about The Secret DVD. While I knew my comments would cause a of flurry of emails, the passions exhibited in the shear volume and responses were substantial. I love that so many of you examined and contemplated the information, whether you agreed or not & I really appreciated those of you that shared your views. This blog report titled “Some secrets behind The Secret?” sent by a KK reader provides further information as to Ms. Hicks being absent from the 2nd edition of The Secret DVD, about which many of you wrote and offers other interesting observations. As always, trust you own knowingness. There is no single source of truth, for that is relative to each individual's experiences. link here Happy Winter in the Northwest beginning at 4:22pm PST Thursday, December 21. link here 1. FOLLOW-UP ON PREVIOUS KK STORIES A. The independent hit movie shown earlier this year at Yelm Cinemas and included in the RSE summer curriculum “Who Killed the Electric Car” is now out on DVD. link here B. Al Gore was the featured guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show on December 5, 2006 with the theme “Global Warming 101 with Al Gore.” Several important issues were brought before this huge viewing audience. “Al Gore says global warming is an urgent crisis — might you be part of the problem? What "going green" really means, and the few simple changes you can do to make a big difference.” link here C. “He isn't a head of state nor is he one of the world's wealthiest people, but Dr. Muhammad Yunus found a way to help more than 100 million people around the globe step out of poverty. For his efforts, Dr. Yunus has been awarded a 2006 Nobel Peace Prize,” quoting his appearance on Oprah December 4th. link here D. "A huge study from Denmark offers the latest reassurance that cell phones don't trigger cancer...The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is the largest yet to find no bad news about the safety of cell phones and the radiofrequency energy they emit. But even the lead researcher doubts it will end the debate...Cell phones beam radiofrequency energy that can penetrate the brain's outer edge, raising questions about cancers of the head and neck, brain tumors or leukemia. Most research has found no risk, but a few studies have raised questions. And while U.S. health officials insist the evidence shows no real reason for concern, they don't give the phones a definitive clean bill of health, either, pending long-term data on slow-growing cancers,” quoting the AP. link here E. Update on running a car on water: link here . 2. "SATELLITES MEASURE MELTING GREENLAND ICE" "NASA’s GRACE satellites have measured an increasing rate of ice melt in Greenland. According to new analysis by researchers at the University of Arizona at Austin, the loss of ice from Greenland’s southeastern region has sped up between 2002 and 2005. Approximately 239 cubic kilometers (57 cubic miles) is now lost each year. Greenland contains 10% of the Earth’s fresh water, and this melting ice is contributing 0.56 mm (.02 inches) to globally rising sea levels. A new analysis of data from twin satellites has revealed that the melting of Greenland’s ice sheet has increased dramatically in the past few years, with much of the loss occurring primarily along one shoreline potentially affecting weather in Western Europe. The loss of ice has been occurring about five times faster from Greenland’s southeastern region in the past two years than in the previous year and a half. The dramatic changes were documented during a University of Texas at Austin study of Greenland’s mass between 2002 and 2005. The study was published today [Aug. 10] in the journal Science. Related results on the significant loss of ice from Antarctica were published in Science in March by other researchers participating in the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission. The GRACE mission is funded by NASA and the German Aerospace Center, and led by Aerospace Engineering Professor Byron Tapley at the university... Greenland the second largest, reservoir of fresh water on Earth, with the latter containing about 10 percent of the world’s fresh water. Melting of ice from these two regions is expected to impact sea level and ocean circulation, and potentially the future of climates worldwide... Within the subpolar zone that includes Greenland, the rapid rise in meltwater along its eastern coast could add to other warming-related factors believed to be weakening the counterclockwise flow of the North Atlantic Current. For instance, the increased meltwater could change how more buoyant fresh water mixes with salt water in a branch of this flow called the Norwegian Current. This change could lower the temperatures of water, and thus wind, that travels past the west coast of Ireland and Great Britain. That ocean temperature change would occur because the current might not move northward past Norway before returning to more southerly latitudes. Warmer, southerly waters would be stalled from moving northward if that happened, resulting in chillier winters in parts of Western Europe. 'If enough fresh water enters the Norwegian Current,' Tapley said, 'and you interrupt return flow, then there could be climate effects in Europe,'" quoting the University of Texas at Austin Press Release. [Ed. Note: This confirms what this writer heard taught at Ramtha's School earlier this year.] link here . 3. ANTARTICA'S CHANGES ALARMING SCIENTISTS A. ROSS ICE SHELF MAY COLLAPSE WITHOUT WARNING "The Ross Ice Shelf, a massive piece of ice the size of France, could break off without warning causing a dramatic rise in sea levels, warn New Zealand scientists working in Antarctica. A New Zealand-led ice drilling team has recovered three million years of climate history from samples which gives clues as to what may happen in the future. Initial analysis of sea-floor cores near Scott Base suggest the Ross Ice Shelf had collapsed in the past and had probably done so suddenly. The team's co-chief scientist, Tim Naish, told The Press newspaper the sediment record was important because it provided crucial evidence about how the Ross Ice Shelf would react to climate change, with potential to dramatically increase sea levels. 'If the past is any indication of the future, then the ice shelf will collapse,' he said. 'If the ice shelf goes, then what about the West Antarctic Ice Sheet? What we've learnt from the Antarctic Peninsula is when once buttressing ice sheets go, the glaciers feeding them move faster and that's the thing that isn't so cheery.' Antarctica stores 90 per cent of the world's water, with the West Antarctic Ice Sheet holding an estimated 30 million cubic kilometres. In January, British Antarctic Survey researchers predicted that its collapse would make sea levels rise by at least 5m, with other estimates predicting a rise of up to 17m," quoting the New Zealand Herald. link here B. "PENGUINS OFFER EVIDENCE OF GLOBAL WARMING" "The first Adelie penguin chicks of the season -- black fluffballs small enough to hold in the hand -- started hatching this month, and the simple fact that there are more of them in the south and fewer of them further north is a sign of global warming, scientists say,” quoting Reuters. link here . 4. VALERIE HARPER AWARDED FOR EMPOWERING WOMEN, ELIMINATING HUNGER “Since 1977 she has channeled much of her prodigious energy into The Hunger Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating hunger, in part by empowering women. 'The real issue holding hunger in place is the subjugation, marginalization, and disempowerment of women,' says Harper. 'Wherever you have abject hunger, you will see low status of women. But when there are resources in the hands of women, the kids eat.' The Hunger Project, which has aided some 2.5 million people in 13 developing countries in Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, provides women with loans for small businesses and farms, promotes girls' education, and helps build food banks, health clinics, and schools. In the past year Harper has worked to raise consciousness about poverty and hunger by traveling to Africa, lobbying Congress, and hosting fundraisers. Activism springs from optimism, she says,” quoting AARP Magazine. link here The Hunger Project website: link here See all of the 2007 Impact Award recipients including Marlo Thomas's work with children. link here . 5. "HUMPBACKS HAVE HUMANLIKE BRAIN CELLS" "Humpback whales have a type of brain cell seen only in humans, the great apes and other cetaceans such as dolphins, researchers reported on Monday [Nov. 27]. This might mean such whales are more intelligent than they have been given credit for, and suggests the basis for complex brains either evolved more than once, or has gone unused by most species of animals, the researchers said. The finding may help explain some of the behaviors seen in whales, such as intricate communication skills, the formation of alliances, cooperation, cultural transmission and tool usage, the researchers report in The Anatomical Record," quoting Reuters. link here . 6. "SCIENTISTS TRAIN BEES TO SNIFF OUT BOMBS" "Scientists at a U.S. weapons laboratory say they have trained bees to sniff out explosives in a project they say could have far-reaching applications for homeland security and the Iraq war. Researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico said they trained honeybees to stick out their proboscis — the tube they use to feed on nectar — when they smell explosives in anything from cars and roadside bombs to belts similar to those used by suicide bombers. Researchers in the program, dubbed the Stealthy Insect Sensor Project, published their findings Monday [Nov. 27]," quoting Reuters. link here . 7. WIND & SOLAR PRODUCTS INNOVATIONS A. "WIND GENERATOR AWARDED BEST OF WHAT'S NEW" "Today [Nov. 7] Southwest Windpower announced its newest product, the Skystream 3.7™, has been awarded a 2006 Best of What’s New Award from Popular Science in the Home category. Each year, Popular Science reviews thousands of new products and innovations and includes the top 100 winners in its annual Best of What’s New issue. To win, a product or technology must represent a significant step forward in its category. link here B. "NANAOSTRUCTURE DISCOVERY...PROPELS SOLAR THIN-FILM COMMERICALIZATION" "HelioVolt Corporation was founded in 2001 in order to develop and market new technology for applying thin-film photovoltaic coatings to conventional construction materials. The company’s proprietary FASST™ process, based on rapid semiconductor printing, was invented by HelioVolt founder Dr. Billy J. Stanbery, an eminent expert within the international PV community in the materials science of CIS and related compound semiconductors. FASST™ is a low-cost, flexible manufacturing process for CIGS synthesis and is protected by both eight issued US patents and by global patents pending," quoting Heliovolt. link here . 8. "ALPS WARMEST IN 1,300 YEARS AS "WINTER" SETS IN" "It is warmer in Europe's Alpine region now than at any time in the past 1,300 years, the head of a wide-ranging climatic survey said on Tuesday. From Ottawa to Moscow, temperatures generally have been way above average at the start of winter in the northern hemisphere, with flowers blooming on snow-starved slopes of Alpine ski resorts and bears struggling to hibernate. 'We are now experiencing the warmest period (for this season) in the past 1,300 years,' said Reinhard Boehm, chief climatologist at Austria's Central Institute for Meteorology and Geo-Dynamics in Vienna. He cited a study by a group of European climatic institutes that reconstructed more than a millennium of weather patterns in a region ranging from France's Rhone Valley in the west to Hungary in the east, and from Germany's Nuremberg area in the north to Italy's Tuscany in the south," quoting Reuters. link here And, USA Today's report on this story: link here . 9. "VIDEO GAME VIOLENCE GOES STRAIGHT TO KIDS' HEADS" "A study of adolescents finds that violent video games stir up the brain's emotional-response center while reducing activity in regions linked to self-control. 'This is the first time that it has been demonstrated that violent video games can affect brain physiology and the way the brain functions,' said lead researcher Dr. Vincent Mathews, professor of radiology at Indiana University School of Medicine. 'After playing a violent video game, these adolescents had an increased activity in the amygdala, which is involved in emotional arousal,' Mathews said. 'At the same time, they had decreases in activity in parts of the brain which are involved in self-control,' he added. The findings were to be presented Tuesday in Chicago at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. Video games accounted for $10 billion in sales in the United States last year, but there is growing concern about the effects the games may have on those who play them," quoting HealthDay News in Forbes. [Ed. Note: For a business journal with the reputation of Forbes to print this is interesting, since this story may hurt the video game business or cause changes.] link here . 10. NUTURE MY BODY: YELM-BASED BUSINESS DEBUTS “After seven years of research and development we launched our business in June of 2006. Our mission is to provide the safest and most natural personal care products that reflect the unique beauty in all of us while maintaining our stewardship with the Earth. One planet, one us, together we can make a difference. What lead Patricia Kerr to conceive and give birth to this dream? Twenty-six years in the beauty industry as a licensed Esthetician and Hairstylist, a certificate in Nutrition, Bodycare & Herbalism, coupled with past experience of overexposure to chemicals," quoting Nuture My Body. [Ed. Note: Ms. Kerr is owner with husband Rich Arnold.] link here . 11. SLEEPSONIC: YELM-BASED INTERNET RETAILER ADVERTISES IN NYC “Sleepsonic.com, an [Yelm, WA. Based] internet retailer, joins an all-start cast of advertisers on the 40 sqm video screen above the entrance to New York City’s Madison Square Garden. From Dec 17th until New Year’s Day, the ad will run along side those for LL Bean, Tefel, Logitech, Brown & Foreman, Drinks America, Donald Trump’s new line of vodka, and many more…Up to now, Sleepsonic has been promoting itself mostly in the internet. But their flagship product, the sleek black personal sound delivery system, SS-200 Executive Pillow, was found by the advertising agency that is running the ads. According to them, Sleepsonic met their standards for a high quality product that millions of people, especially in New York City, can use and so Sleepsonic.com was invited to be a client,” quoting the Sleepsonic email. “Sleepsonic™ is a free-standing personal stereo sound solution in a mini--pillow design, created for your ears only. It is a great item to take when traveling,” quoting their site. [Ed. Note: This writer has used this product in conjunction with a nighttime subliminal CD for over a year and loves it!] link here . 12. “10 FILMS THE GOVERNMENT RATHER YOU NOT SEE” Quoting the Skeleton Project [Ed. Note: Most of these films have been listed on Kleiner’s Korner from this enlightened list.] link here . RAMTHA SCHOOL NEWS A. JZ Knight’s interview by Maureen Moss on the World Puja network titled “Become A Remarkable Life” was the most inspiring and uplifting this writer has ever heard given by JZ. You can access the MP3 download here: link here More info on this interview: link here B. RSE Teacher Greg Simmons debuts his new book “These Things You Shall Do...AND GREATER: The Physics of Change”, scheduled for a January, 2007 release. “Greg moved to the Pacific Northwest to be near Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment. He has been a student for twenty-five years, the marketing director for eighteen years, and Ramtha’s first appointed teacher for the past nine years. He has had the privilege to teach thousands of students in over twenty different foreign countries. Currently he is featured every month on www.beyondtheordinary.net Webcast radio program. [Greg’s book] is dedicated to understanding the correlation between ancient wisdom and modern science,” quoting his website. Greg says, “For those who pre-order the book, I will send you a signed copy.” link here C. This writer and his wife visited the RSE Beginning Retreat in Hawai’i on December 13 at the end of our vacation and wish to share this precious picture posted on the venue’s blog of one of areas where a Ramtha School training was taught: “FieldworkSM - The ability to focus on a single thought for a period of time.” link here D. RSE and several students’ creations are featured on the homepage of the Bleeping Herald and include: 1. Conquer Yourself Brand Apparel Company link here 2. Elora Media Children’s Books link here 3. The Global Intelligencer link here E. “Miceal Ledwith, L.Ph., B.A., L.D., D.D., was Professor of Systematic Theology for sixteen years at Maynooth College in Ireland and subsequently served for ten years as President of the University. He was a member of the International Theological Commission, a small group of theologians of international standing, charged with advising the Holy See on theological matters. He also served as Chairman of the Committee of Heads of the Irish Universities and as a member of the governing Bureau of the Conference of European University Presidents (CRE)... His forthcoming books are entitled The Message Whose Time Has Come Again and The Ascent to God: The Soul's Journey Within,” quoting Philippe Matthews SHOCKphilosophy Institute of Advanced Manifestation site. You can now access and purchase Dr. Ledwith’s courses here. link here Dr. Ledwith will also have a regular column on the Bleeping Herald beginning next month: link here F. "Creative Wings Productions is a business that has begun as a result of my love of drawing and nature and also my great respect for the people living in this time, particularly children who have the greatest potential to evolve spiritually and thrive in a future that I believe will be vastly different from the current world situation. My first book is an opportunity for me to express some of my own experience in a way that may be helpful to children," quoting Christine Brickwood’s website. link here You can order Ms. Brickwood's book here: link here CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PRODUCTIVE & TALENTED STUDENTS!. LOCAL NOTES Yelm Community Blog hosted by this writer covered these topics last week: A. Ed Wiltsie's Earth Changes December 16th talk postponed until January. (Dec. 14 & 15) B. Record winds wreak havoc in Puget Sound causing widespread, multiple-days power outages (Dec. 15) C. Yelm-based Survival Center ready to serve your emergency needs (Dec. 16) link here . QUOTE OF THE WEEK "He who reigns within himself and rules his passions, desires, and fears is more than a king." John Milton (1608-1674) English Poet . Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2006. For archived issues of Kleiner’s Korner, click on "Current Kleiner’s Korner and Archives" at link here Send comments to steve@kleinerskorner.com . KLEINER'S KORNER FOR WEEK OF DECEMBER 11, 2006 Dear Readers; This is to address a subject on which I have received several emails requesting an explanation as to why Kleiner's Korner has not listed and/or endorsed the movie, The Secret. While I have seen the movie, I had noticed several things that caught my eye, so I did some research: 1. Esther Hicks was the most prominent person speaking in the film, yet was not listed on the DVD or website Teacher's List. 2. The backdrop behind Ms. Hicks every time she spoke were the words, “Ask and It Is Given.” 3. At the end of the film, a graphic saying “Special Thanks to Jerry & Esther Hicks" followed by their website link: link here 4. The Secret appeared to be a take-off on What the Bleep link here , yet without the drama storyline. Even familiar Bleep speaker Fred Alan Wolf was in this film, along with Prophet’s Conference speaker John Hagelin. . All of these things led me to do some research. To provide some background information, that may be a review to some & new to others, here is what I uncovered: Amazon.com lists the movie The Secret and says, “The Secret - Original Version with Esther Hicks (Channeling Abraham) (2006)… Esther Hicks, the channel who speaks for "Abraham," is in this original version.” [Ed. Note: This is the source for my purchase of this DVD.] link here Quoting Steve Pavlina's website, “The Secret is apparently based on the book Ask and It Is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks and Wayne W. Dyer.” link here Amazon quotes on its site about the book: "We are called Abraham, and we are speaking to you from the Non-Physical dimension..." link here Further, the Amazon.com review of the book "Ask and It Is Given" says “Although Jerry and Esther are listed as the authors, Ask and It Is Given is actually a collection of channeled messages from Abraham.” Quoting Wikipedia, “Esther Hicks is the channel for a group of spiritual teachers who call themselves "Abraham". Most commonly, this work is referred to under the name Abraham Hicks.” link here . While The Secret theme centers around what is described as The Law of Attraction, stating every human being gets exactly what they are thinking in their life at any moment, consider that this same material in its original version, undiluted and unique at the time, was introduced in the late 1970's by Ramtha The Enlightened One as channeled by JZ Knight. Ramtha always said we humans are divine beings because we are indeed, the creators of our reality and our life. Quoting Ramtha’s website, [ link here ] "the four cornerstones of Ramtha's teachings are: 1. The statement "You are God" 2. The directive to make known the unknown 3. The concept that consciousness and energy create the nature of reality 4. The challenge to conquer yourself" "Scientific techniques and equipment now exist to study the phenomenon of channeling" by measuring "physiological, neurological, and psychological responses" and thus eliminating any possibility of fraud, "conscious fakery, schizophrenia, or multiple personality disorder"; tests that can be administered by "neuro-scientists, psychologists, sociologists, and religious experts." . To add to the authenticity of the message from Ramtha delivered for almost 30 years [Ramtha first appeared to JZ in February, 1977], JZ Knight underwent scientific testing in 1996-1997, both to show the truth of the message and the genuineness of the messenger. This testing was done not once but three times in front of 1,000 people. She is one of the only channels to have undergone scientific scrutiny by religious experts, psychologists, & neuro-scientists that verified her credibility as a Channel, as described on her website: link here The summary of the scientific research papers from Ms. Knight's testing is here: link here . Dr. J. Gordon Melton was one of these officials and "is an American religious scholar who was the founding director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion and is currently a research specialist in religion and New Religious Movements with the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is the author of more than twenty-five books, including several encyclopedias, handbooks, and almanacs on American religion and new religious movements," quoting Wikipedia. Dr. Melton's work is considered by many to be the leading authority "into alternative and minority religious bodies." He is one of several persons that could coordinate research on any channeled entity or group of entities for analysis and authenticity. . Ms. Hicks has yet to undergo such testing. While The Secret's information is uplifting and pertinent for viewers who have never heard this message previously, I did not find anything new or unique in this film that I had not learned from Ramtha, his school, and as one of his students for the last 21 years. Until such events that Ms. Hicks gets tested by scientists and those results are published as scientific research documents for all to review, then I place Ms. Hicks’ work as channeled material in the context of a conjecture [Webster’s: "the formation or expression of an opinion or theory without sufficient evidence for proof."]. Ramtha's teachings and work through JZ Knight not only represent this message of personal empowerment in its original form but also offer important instruction, initiation, and practical application of these truths to anyone interested in this field of study. The added stamp of scientific testing and authenticity shared by Ramtha is important in this sense; they assure the serious student that their Teacher is actually qualified and capable of offering instruction and guided direction in these matters.. Ms. Hicks says she started to channel in 1986 [ link here ], a full nine years after Ramtha The Enlightened One first channeled through JZ Knight, whose 30th anniversary working together in this life is in 2 months. link here Therefore, this writer is providing this information in response to requests about this subject from Kleiner's Korner readers AND for each reader's own discernment. These are my views only, based on what I have learned in this study and may not be in alignment with yours. Readers should never take my word for anything and only trust their own knowingness. . Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2006. For archived issues of Kleiner’s Korner, click on "Current Kleiner’s Korner and Archives" at link here Send comments to steve@kleinerskorner.com . KLEINER'S KORNER FOR WEEK OF DECEMBER 4, 2006 "FEED 3 Million Children in 33 Days! Our current goal is to FEED 3 Million Children (residing in America) in 33 Days, and we expect to accomplish this task in a way that inspires and empowers the Feminine Spirit residing within us all to "feed and share." Our monetary goal is $3 Million in 33 days, which lays the foundation for a residual stream of donations and for larger campaigns to follow! We forsee future campaigns extending out to lend support and cause change in our entire Global Family," quoting FEED333. link here 1. “MUSICAL PROGIDY RECORDING HIS 5TH SYMPHONY – AT AGE 14 “Jay Greenberg is an American composer who some say is the greatest musical genius to come along in 200 years. He wrote five symphonies by the time he was 13 years old. Correspondent Scott Pelley first met Jay two years ago when his works were being performed on stage; the story was seen by executives at Sony BMG, who signed Jay as a recording artist. Recently, Pelley caught up with the young composer again in Britain, where the London Symphony Orchestra was recording Jay's fifth symphony. Jay, who signs his works with the nickname "Blue Jay," is 14 now,” quoting CBS News 60 Minutes. link here . 2. “THE MEMORY PILL” “If there were something you could take after experiencing a painful or traumatic event that would permanently weaken your memory of what had just happened, would you take it? As correspondent Lesley Stahl reports, it’s an idea that may not be so far off, and that has some critics alarmed, and some trauma victims filled with hope…’Propranolol sits on that nerve cell and blocks it, so that, think of this as being a key, and this is a lock, the hole in the lock is blocked because of propranolol sitting there. So, adrenaline can be present, but it can't do its job,’” says “The man who discovered this … James McGaugh, a professor of neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine,” quoting CBS News 60 Minutes. link here . 3. "PHYSICIST STEPHEN HAWKING WINS COPLEY MEDAL" "Physicist Stephen Hawking received the highest award for scientific achievement Thursday [Nov. 30] for his work in theoretical physics and cosmology. The Copley medal first was awarded in 1731 by the Royal Society, Britain's elite scientific academy. Previous recipients have included Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Louis Pasteur and Capt. James Cook.'"This is a very distinguished medal,' Hawking said in a statement. 'It was awarded to Darwin, Einstein and (Francis) Crick. I am honored to be in their company.' ...'Stephen Hawking has contributed as much as anyone since Einstein to our understanding of gravity," said the society's president, Lord Rees. "This medal is a fitting recognition of an astonishing research career spanning more than 40 years,'" quoting the AP. link here AND THIS: "British billionaire Richard Branson says he's sending over a medical officer to talk with physicist Stephen Hawking about getting him into space. That's how the founder of Virgin Galactic responded to Hawking's comment that "maybe Richard Branson will help" him achieve his long-held goal of reaching the final frontier, even though he's a quadriplegic who needs a blink-controlled computer to communicate. Branson and other Virgin executives indicated today that if there's any way on earth to accommodate the good doctor-with-a-disability, they'll do it. And for practice, Hawking could conceivably experience weightlessness aboard a Zero Gravity Corp. plane as early as next year. It would be one giant leap for the world's best-known physicist - and a powerful signal of support for other people with disabilities," quoting MSNBC's Cosmic Log. link here . 4. “THERE’S A SPY IN YOUR CAR” Did you know your airbag in your car has a device attached called an Event Data Recorder (EDR) similar to an airliner's Black Box recording speed and other details continually. According to CNN, that device can be used against you in a court of law: "That 'black box' in your car may seem like a good idea, but it could send you to jail." The EDRs are not checked or calibrated any further once installed, calling into question their reliability as a device to jail someone. If your car is a 2004 or newer, the vehicle's Owner's Manual should list that you have an EDR. link here . 5. “DO UFOs EXIST IN THE HISTORY OF ARTS?” “Since the beginning of man, humans have always felt a need to reproduce celestial events, first on the wall of caves, and then on canvas. It is not a case that sometimes History, Arts, Archaeology and Anthropology have been often rewritten on occasion in light of new elements whose existence no one had previously suspected. From the past we receive strange signals of interference in our life and in our culture. Strange flying objects depicted in ancient works of art raise disturbing questions about our history and the role of man in the Universe,” quoting American Chronicle. link here . 6. “CAVE AN ICE AGE TIME CAPSULE” “The bear that left a 3-foot-long claw mark in an Ice Age clay bank was the largest bear species ever to walk the earth, about 6 feet tall at the shoulder and capable of moving its 1,800 pounds up to 45 miles per hour in a snarling dash for prey. The claw mark by the extinct giant short-faced bear still looks fresh today in a southwest Missouri cave that some scientists are calling a national treasure -- an Ice Age time capsule sealed for thousands of years. Discovered accidentally five years ago on the outskirts of Springfield, Riverbluff Cave is slowly yielding its fossil treasures as a small team of scientists and volunteers gingerly explores it while trying to preserve a rich bed of remains, from bones to tracks and dung,” quoting the AP. link here . 7. “ANIMAL RIGHTS - THEY THINK, FEEL PAIN” “Recent news that Happy, a 34-year-old Asian elephant, recognized herself in a giant, shatter-proof mirror at the Bronx Zoo is just the latest in a burgeoning list of eye-opening revelations into the minds and motivations of other beings. Recent studies have shown that mice empathize with familiar mice who are suffering, that captive male monkeys will hand over a bottle of fruit juice for a chance to ogle photos of female monkeys' bottoms and that rats accustomed to being tickled will come running for more, making high-pitched chirps linked to the origins of human laughter. Such discoveries are not confined to mammals. Pigeons navigate using human roads, ravens slide or roll down snow banks just for kicks and iguanas will shun boring food to brave the cold for a gourmet treat…Because animals are sentient -- because they can feel fear and pain, pleasure and joy -- it follows that to them, their lives have value. It matters little what their IQ is. Their pain and pleasure are akin to yours and mine, and their will to live is just as strong. If animals experience the world essentially as we do, can we really justify harming and killing them for our own interests?” quoting the Miami Herald. link here . 8. ANALYSIS: “GLOBAL WARMING ALREADY KILLING SPECIES” “Animal and plant species have begun dying off or changing sooner than predicted because of global warming, a review of hundreds of research studies contends. These fast-moving adaptations come as a surprise even to biologists and ecologists because they are occurring so rapidly. At least 70 species of frogs, mostly mountain-dwellers that had nowhere to go to escape the creeping heat, have gone extinct because of climate change, the analysis says. It also reports that between 100 and 200 other cold-dependent animal species, such as penguins and polar bears are in deep trouble. ‘We are finally seeing species going extinct,’ said University of Texas biologist Camille Parmesan, author of the study. ‘Now we've got the evidence. It's here. It's real. This is not just biologists' intuition. It's what's happening.’ Her review of 866 scientific studies is summed up in the journal Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics,” quoting the AP. link here The journal Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics: link here . 9. “ONE AIRLINE TAKES PRO-ACTIVE ROLE IN CLIMATE CHANGE” “At the Dutch Aviation Agenda Conference (De Nederlandse Luchtvaartagenda) held today in Noordwijk, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines called on participants representing the Dutch aviation sector to adopt a proactive approach towards addressing climate problems. We cannot adopt a wait-and-see attitude. We must address the problem in a proactive manner as opposed to being reactive. Together, even if its one step at a time, we can make a dynamic start. At KLM, we are keen to establish a working group representing the Dutch airline industry to examine ways to implement all the available improvements, said Jan-Ernst de Groot, Executive Vice President of KLM in his keynote speech... De Groot: The airline industry has pushed through numerous environmental improvements in recent years. But that’s not enough. We can achieve more together by taking account of environmental performance in relation to all our business activities. Fuel consumption, weight, engines, routes, ground equipment, ground movements, infrastructure there’s room for improvement in many areas. And we need government support in this respect. In creating a European airspace, CO2 emissions could be cut by as much as 10% to 12%. KLM’S approach consists of three steps: reduction (stop at nothing to reduce pollution at source through technological and/or operational improvements), control (the emissions trading system would appear to be the most effective and efficient system to control emissions and could serve as a powerful marketing mechanism that stimulates innovation) and compensation (e.g. in the form of reforestation and/or technological investments in other forms of compensation,” quoting M2 Communications. [Ed. Note: How about hydrogen powered jet engines?] link here . 10. “BANKER TO THE POOR: MICRO-LENDING & THE BATTLE AGAINST WORLD POVERTY” “It began with a simple $27 loan. After witnessing the cycle of poverty that kept many poor women enslaved to high-interest loan sharks in Bangladesh, Dr. Muhammad Yunus lent money to 42 women so they could purchase bamboo to make and sell stools. In a short time, the women were able to repay the loans while continuing to support themselves and their families. With that initial eye-opening success, the seeds of the Grameen Bank, and the concept of microcredit, were planted…The idea behind the Grameen Bank is ingeniously simple: extend credit to poor people and they will help themselves. This concept strikes at the root of poverty by specifically targeting the poorest of the poor, providing small loans (usually less than $300) to those unable to obtain credit from traditional banks. At Grameen, loans are administered to groups of five people, with only two receiving their money up front. As soon as these two make a few regular payments, loans are gradually extended to the rest of the group. In this way, the program builds a sense of community as well as individual self-reliance. Most of the Grameen Bank's loans are to women, and since its inception, there has been an astonishing loan repayment rate of over 98 percent. Banker to the Poor is an inspiring memoir of the birth of microcredit, written in a conversational tone that makes it both moving and enjoyable to read. The Grameen Bank is now a $2.5 billion banking enterprise in Bangladesh, while the microcredit model has spread to over 50 countries worldwide, from the U.S. to Papua New Guinea, Norway to Nepal," quoting Amazon.com. [Ed. Note: This is informational only and not an endorsement.] link here . 11. CHRONICLE OF THE BIRTH OF AN ISLAND “’Yesterday we saw the birth of an island, most likely we were the first humans to see the new creation.’ The story is told… of the Maiken, a two-man yacht which docked last month in Australia after a six month journey from California. Skipper Fredrik and his uncle Hakan encountered the nascent island in August this year. Their online acount (sic) reads like the chronicle of a journey from earlier century. ‘You might have heard about the sailor superstition that you should never leave on a Friday,’ wroite (sic) Captain Fredrik. ‘Well, we did and the sea turned to stone,’” quoting The Times (UK). link here The weblog of the Maiken: link here . 12. “HEAR & READ YELM MAN’S INCREDIBLE SEA-SURVIVAL STORY “New Zealand boat builder and sailing guru survived four months lost at sea in an upturned trimaran, and says four miracles brought him home (including a reversal of ocean currents). This is a transformational story of high adventure and survival. “Lost at Sea, A Survivor's Story” by Yelm resident John Glennie. Listen to his story on the Laura Lee Show.” link here Mr. Glennie was interviewed in Yelm in September for a documentary slated for Japanese television. He was owner and captain of the boat Rose-Noelle when it capsized. His book (The Spirit of Rose-Noelle) chronicles the 119 days he and his crew spent adrift at sea that commanded the unofficial world's record for survival in a cold climate. link here . RAMTHA SCHOOL NEWS =Two new LIVE STEAM events for Current Students worldwide: December 12th - JZ Knight from Yelm, WA 7:00 PM PST JZ Knight will be addressing the Beginning Retreat taking place in Kalani, Hawaii & December 15th - Ramtha from Yelm, WA 7:00 PM PST Ramtha will be addressing the Beginning Reatreat taking place in Kalani, Hawaii Both sessions are $50. link here =Fabulous new CD releases include: -From the Specialty Library: The Brain, Inner Earth, Pyramids, Understanding Womanhood, Yahweh - Jehovah, Animals, Music, Crystals and Mythical Creatures. Each of the above were previously released only on cassette tape. -NEW! The Neuronet to the Levitating Buddha Where the Journey Begins - Miami, FL 2006 From Suppression to Love and the Power to Change - Hollwood, CA 2006 The List: Frogs on the Deschutes -New! DVD "Days of the Ram - Then and Now" recorded in Yelm - July 17, 2005. link here . LOCAL NOTES If you missed Yelm's first community blog last week, here are covered stories: A. Ed Wiltsie's talk on Earth Changes coming Dec. 16, scroll to Nov. 26 B. Farm Bank Project event comes to Olymp[ia Dec. 10, scroll to Nov. 27 C. Business Examiner story on area Christmas trees shipped to world markets, scroll to Nov. 28 D. Yelm's Survival Center oldest continually operating preparedness business, scroll to Nov. 29 E. Seattle-based Alaska Airlines paints 737 with Disney's Aladdin in conjunction with Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Spirit Of Make-A-Wish®” Aircraft. scroll to Nov. 30. F. Local National Weather Service station at Olympia Regional Airport records just shy of all-time wettest month in recorded history here. scroll to Nov. 30. Seattle breaks there wettest month. G. LID approved construction to begin on Yelm Ave. West. link here . QUOTE OF THE WEEK “The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” H.L. Mencken (1880-1956) 20th century journalist, satirist, social critic, & free-thinker known as the "Sage of Baltimore" . FOLLOW-UP TO LAST WEEK'S SOTRY In response to last week's item about Criss Angel (born Christopher Sarantakos). Here is what Wikipedia states, "Some of Angel's levitation tricks have been explained by Criss himself, notably on a DVD which is available for purchase from his official website store. The levitation featured on the DVD was an original invention of Jacob Spinney. Angel often states that several of the levitations, teleports and demonstrations of telekinesis he performs are done through the power of mind, body and spirit attained through meditation. Some of the other methods are well known within the magic fraternity and have been performed previously by magicians such as David Copperfield, David Blaine and the Pendragons. Angel is writing a book entitled Mindfreak: Secret Revelations from the Master of Surreality. Many viewers and critics allege that Angel uses camera special effects, post-production effects, forced viewing angles, and assistants acting as amazed spectators for the TV audience. [Ed. Note: As stated, you decide the context of Mr. Angel's work. Never take my word for anything here, instead always trust your own knowingness.] link here . Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2006. For archived issues of Kleiner’s Korner, click on "Current Kleiner’s Korner and Archives" at link here Send comments to steve@kleinerskorner.com .