American Buddhist Net

Health Insurance Rules May Cost You Your Life

American Buddhist Net News
Alvin Revere
July 31, 2008

Let's do a quick thought experiment.

Please consider the following situation--you either have or do not have health insurance.

Here's the question. You think you may have a medical problem: Should you go to a doctor for diagnosis and treatment?

If you do NOT have medical insurance, the answer in many or even most cases would be no because your visit may lead to an entry on your medical record showing that you now have high blood pressure, depression, or some other not-so-serious ailment. On the basis of this new record, you could very well be denied medical insurance in the future when your finances are in better order and you can afford it.

If you DO have medical insurance, the answer in many or even most cases would still be no because you might lose your job and your policy and thus find yourself in the position outlined above.

As long as you have group coverage and as long as you keep it, you are more or less fine. But once you lose your job or decide to become self-employed, you will find yourself--along with 18 million other Americans--shopping for an "individual" health insurance policy. And if you have any of a slew of medium-serious conditions, you may be considered "unisurable."

July 29, 2008
American Buddhist Net News
Alvin Revere

A bill to change national election day from Tuesday to the weekend was introduced this spring by Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI).

In an essay in support of his bill, Kohl says: After all is said and done, a democracy is only as strong as the participation in it.

We agree wholeheartedly with that statement, but then wonder why Kohl almost immediately contradicts himself three-five times (depending on how your figure it) in the following statement: I reintroduced legislation to change our national election day to the weekend with the goal of encouraging greater participation and improving the process by which we as voters determine who should represent us in government and lead our nation.

July 28, 2008
American Buddhist Net News
Alvin Revere

Realpolitik is defined as realism in politics. It stresses power over ideals. Realpolitik leads to an expansionist foreign policy based on narrow, materialistic interpretations of national interest.

Fakepolitik is defined as an ego-based Realpolitik that stresses the career of the individual over all other concerns. Fakepolitik invariably leads to corrupt and inefficient government filled with egocentric office-holders who will say and do practically anything to remain in power, or get more. Their political speeches are generally characterized by lying, bait-and-switch, vague goals that are never fulfilled, cooing tones, and soppy emotions that hypnotize the gullible.

The strategic advantage of Fakepolitik lies in its capacity to fool most of the people much of the time. Its fallback strategy, if it is seen through by large numbers of citizens, which often happens as elections near, is to position its candidate as the "lesser of two evils." By definition, there are always only two possible "lesser of two evils" in the USA since even more of them would make for confusion, both for newscasters and TV viewers.

Generally speaking, all "viable" US politicians must practice Fakepolitik to garner media attention and the respect of their "colleagues." The media demands it due to its need for crisp conflict without meaning or nuance. Politicians demand it because how can you cut a good deal with any other type?

Today is the summer solstice--the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Today is also the birthday of Saint Robyn, an obscure but wonderful spiritual being who has made so much so much better. Happy Birthday, Robyn!

If you submit a comment, blog or forum entry on American Buddhist Net and it is identified as spam but it is not spam, the reason probably is that it contains a lot of URLs.

We have to check several places to find posts that have been held up for this or other reasons and sometimes we miss something. If a day or so passes and you still do not see your post, please send us an email and we will look for it.

If you post something, please be patient while the software does its thing. It may take a minute or more to appear after you have submitted it. Thanks. ABN

We have added a few new categories to the left sidebar, and subtracted a few. Please check it out. ABN

The Nichiren Buddhist Sangha of Texas along with the Nichiren Order of North America will be having a summer retreat in August of this year (2008). The retreat will be held at the Margaret Austin Center located just Northwest of Houston from August 1st to August 8th. This will be the first week long retreat offered by Nichiren Shu in North America. It will be focused mainly on practice with some discussion and Dharma Talks. Please consider attending this historic event to learn more about your practice and yourself. If you are new or curious about Nichiren Buddhism, this will be a wonderful week to learn about the practices of our lineage. It will be a perfect time to deepen faith and make friends in the Texas area and from around the continent of North America.

WASHINGTON, April 4, 2008, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- H.H Dorje Chang Buddha III, a Treasury of True Buddha-Dharma, a book that confers the most evolved and enlightened status on H.H. Master Wan Ko Yee, was presented to the Library of Congress yesterday at an event attended by Members of Congress, the Diplomatic Corps and sixteen Dharma Kings and Rinpoches from around the world.

PEMA CHODRON
PRACTICING PEACE IN TIMES OF WAR
at the Center for International Conflict Resolution (CICR),
Columbia University June 6-8, 2008

Beloved Buddhist teacher, Pema Chödrön, will teach a three-day program at Columbia University on strategies to support individuals and organizations working to create a peaceful and just world. Pema Chödrön has focused her teachings on how the inner practices of mindfulness-awareness from the Tibetan Buddhist path can be used by people of any faith in all walks of life to deal with extreme stress and suffering. Pema will be joined by a remarkable and diverse group of activists experienced in peace keeping and human rights worldwide.

Cites conversion to Buddhism and enormous guilt for "all the bad things I've done"

American Buddhist Net News
April 1, 2008

"I just couldn't take it any longer," the former vice-president said at a hastily called news conference at midnight on the steps of the White House.

"For my whole life, I had always believed what I had been taught--that greed is good, and that anger is our best weapon against the people we hate. When I realized how wrong I have been, well... I am terribly sorry for all the bad things I have done."

Standing at his side in place of president Bush, Laura Bush said of his resignation: "Naturally we do not approve of his conversion to a godless faith, but we accept his decision and will pray for him, as always."

Cheney's resignation was likely prompted by a recent meeting with the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader. Witnesses reported seeing the vice president in tears after his meeting with the monk last week. One heard him exclaim, "How could I have done that? What was I thinking all these years?"

His next move? "I am going to California to be near Richard Gere," Cheney said. "I have always liked his movies, but now I realize that they represent even more than I had understood."

President Bush has offered the V-P slot to the Dalai Lama saying he can "appoint anyone I damn well please." But the monk has declined the offer, saying that he must prepare for upcoming meetings with Chinese officials. "You think Cheney was bad?" he said. "That was nothing compared to these guys!"

American Buddhist Net News
March 31, 2008

Some non-Hindu religious leaders have come out in support of Hindus who were concerned about the upcoming Hollywood movie “The Love Guru” apparently degrading their institutions.

Father Charles T. Durante, a Catholic priest well respected in northern Nevada for his various community outreach efforts, in a statement today, said, “…it is important that we respect those parts of every faith tradition which are held especially sacred. I applaud Paramount Pictures for being open to the request of Hindu leaders to preview this film and listen to any concerns that may arise for them…”

Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, a well known Jewish leader in parts of California and Nevada, in a statement today, stressed, “While “The Love Guru” appears to be a funny take on New Age spirituality, it seems like it may portray many Hindu practices in a less than sensitive light…it would be appropriate for the producers of “The Love Guru” to make efforts to assure the religious communities of the United States that they in no way wish to make any general statements about Hinduism.”

We have been experiencing technical difficulties and so will limit posting for a short time.

Thanks for understanding.

ABN

We have added a Google search function to American Buddhist Net. It can be found at the top of every page.

As part of a broader conspiracy to grab the lands of Sarnath Arannyo Kuthir , a Buddhist meditation centre cum temple run by a disciple of Vev. Bana Bhante, a fictitious case has been filed against 500 Jumma men and women including the chief priest of the meditation centre and a dead person.

January 12, 2008

We have been experiencing some problems with slower than normal load times, degraded search functions, and some text displays.

We hope to fix these problems soon and apologize for them. For now, readers can still do a decent search for posts on this site by going to Google search and typing "americanbuddhist" before your key words.

Thanks for understanding.

(In reposting this today, I happened to notice the time code. It was completely accidental and inadvertent.)

ABN

December 24, 2007
Alvin Revere

A central focus in news stories on the destroyed CIA tapes should be on how those tapes further--and very seriously--gut the government story of 9/11.

Mainstream news, however, keeps playing this story as being one about "waterboarding," "circling wagons at the CIA," "what the White House knew or didn't know," or even, incredibly, how the CIA is "behind" other nations in the way it interrogates prisoners.

It should be crystal clear to all how utterly horrible Zubaydah and Nashiri's "evidence" is and was. The men were tortured for months, no transcripts were made of their interrogations, and now we know that the videos of those sessions were deliberately destroyed. That is ghoulish and macabre and falls so far below the supposed standards of this nation it simply must shock the conscience of anyone who is paying attention.

American Buddhist Net News
December 14, 2007

Colorado State Senate of USA will reverberate with Sanskrit mantras for the first time on January 29.

Rajan Zed, a prominent Hindu chaplain, will read the historic opening prayer from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before Colorado Senate in Denver on this day. After Sanskrit delivery, he then will read the English translation of the prayer.

According to reports, no Hindu has delivered opening prayer in Colorado State Senate since first Colorado Legislative Assembly convened in September 1861.

American Buddhist Net News
December 2, 2007

Scientists have found that all our problems can be placed under one heading: Seriousness. Seriousness is the leading cause of everything from Cancer to Reincarnation. Scientists have already discovered a new source of healing. It is a psychic energy point located between the heart chakra and the throat chakra. It is called the Clown Chakra.

If people are feeling miserable, if they have financial problems, if their relationship situation is the pits, if they are in ill health, if they have a need to sue people, if they find fault with their brother, then obviously, their Clown Chakra is closed.

American Buddhist Net News
November 24, 2007

Rajan Zed, the internationally acclaimed Hindu chaplain, who read the historic first Hindu prayer in United States (US) Senate in July last, has been denied the request of reading opening prayer in the House of Commons of United Kingdom (UK).

In a reply to Zed's request, Angus Sinclair, Secretary to the Speaker of House of Commons, wrote, "Since 1660, and without exception, prayers have been conducted by the Church of England, a Protestant denomination with the Christian faith. The Church of England is the established Church of the United Kingdom and any change to the prayers could only occur after much parliamentary debate which would precede consultation with the Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth the Second."

Alvin tells me that the names "Jane" and "Harman" in this limerick should not be confused with the Congresswoman from California, The Most Honorable and Practically All-Knowing Jane Harman, who coincidentally is the author of the bill that inspired this superb verse. By the way, Jane, this next comment actually is intended for you. Please remember two things from now on: 1) You took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America, and 2) the First Amendment was specifically designed for a very important reason--to control people like you. ABN
___________________

American Buddhist Net News
November 21, 2007
Alvin Revere

The Ballad of Jane Harman

There once was a woman named Harman
Whose thoughts were most alarmin'.
"It's not my thoughts," she said,
"It's your thoughts that led
"To the laws that we need to control 'em."

Dear Jane, let me stress what you've missed
The Amendments were added for EMPHASIS
So the people might speak
When buffoons crack a cheek
And spew gases that reek to High Heaven.

First Amendment to the United States Constitution

_____________________________________________________________________

Further reading: Jane Harman's bill provides that we can be investigated for demonstrating in support of the Constitution.

American Buddhist Net News
November 12, 2007

Fri. Nov. 16th, 6:30-8:30pm at Soulscape Bookstore in Encinitas CA (765 South Coast Hwy. 101, Lumberyard Shopping Center)

Info 760-758-3085.

American Buddhist Net News
November 11, 2007

Lama Ole will teach participants about meaningful view and the inner workings of mind. Instructions on meditation will be given, through which the direct experience and wisdom gained can be actively applied in all life situations. Science has shown meditation's benefit to mind and body; and it has been the subject of many current articles appearing in such diverse magazines as Scientific American, National Geographic, Time, and Oprah Magazine.

American Buddhist Net News
November 9, 2007

We are very honored to have Lama Lhanang Rinpoche visiting us here in San Diego. He is a high teacher of Buddhist philosophy and is coming to share his wisdom with all of us on Saturday and Sunday, November 17th and 18th.

American Buddhist Net News
October 23, 2007

BURMA--SAN DIEGO CONTACT for Burmese refugees donations: John & Elaine Mc Levie 760-633-4445. Most urgently needed items: baby diapers, warmer clothing in small sizes, kitchen utensils, blankets, towels, food, shoes & sox, furniture - tables, chairs, lamps & a person who speaks & understands the Karin & English languages. In a pinch, contact Chris von Rathmann 760-633-4544.

American Buddhist Net News
October 8, 2007

Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies is happy to announce that Alan Wallace will be leading a series of six retreats, each a week long, at the Old Mission in Santa Barbara in 2008. Each will balance lectures, meditation and discussion periods. Residential facilities are available onsite or one may commute.