News Story 26 Feb 09

News is often bad so may as well start with the bad news for the day. If luck has its way there will then be room for some good news.

The bad news is that the current Chinese presidents greatest achievement to date (other than for his efforts being promoted to president) is that he was governor of the Tibetan region during the brutal crushing of the second Tibetan uprising.

The good news – see I had a feeling there would be some good news forthcoming – is that Australia will soon no longer manufacture any clothing, and hence if Australia goes to war with China they will have to fight naked. No problem in that I should think, at least we can drive our cars around until they run out of fuel from the Middle East.

Interesting news is that the most pressure applied to a bridge comes not from a convoy of fully laden trucks driving over them, but from a tightly packed bunch of marathon fun-runners pounding their way across it.

Of relevant news – you may well be wondering – applies to the (osho) International Meditation Resort in Pune, India – a resort that claims to have over 100, 000 visitors annually. In particular I refer here to its new almighty, award winning, towering, monolithic, pyramid-like meditation auditorium.

The news is that this building has had cement failure, and a neighbouring building (constructed as part of the same project) has had failings due to mixing down of cement (not using enough cement in the concrete mixture).

The interesting question is what happens to the brickwork, structural steel, cement, welds, and bolts, when the devoted Osho sannyassins pound the floor of the Auditorium during their controversially active morning Dynamic meditation?

Of course it hardly seems worth mentioning that for years people drank contaminated drinking water at this so-called spiritual oasis.
To tie things up neatly, I wonder how many Chinese children died in schools that collapsed during last years horrific earthquake disaster due to atrocious and incomprehensible workmanship?

For the second string on the wrapping, the parallel between Chinese food contamination scandals and contamination of drinking water at the resort is also interesting.

You probably would not be surprised to learn that for my efforts to expose the truth I have been banned from this (osho) resort; I have been threatened in writing; I have been verbally threatened; I have been threatened with being punched, have been pushed, and have been punched; I have been threatened with metal rods and sticks; and I have (probably) been threatened with a knife.

I almost forgot about a sweet little anecdote. A brick-layer came to the resort to do some work-as-meditation. He was put to work supervising labours doing construction projects. The summary of the scenario was that the workers thought that he would obviously not know anything about construction work, and so they could pull the wool over his eyes (so to speak). He was of the opinion that they were trying to steal cement. What they did was overstate the amount of cement needed and used for any particular job. Now a supervisor who has no idea of construction would not have a clue how much cement is needed for a job. However this person happened to be a brick-layer by trade.

I don't recall the exact details: whether they were stock-piling cement on the side or whether at the end of the job it appeared that all the cement was used, yet could not possibly have been: someone who knows about such things would be able to look at the colour of the concrete to see how much cement is used in the concrete mixture. The likely scenario put forward to me was that over-quoting and supposedly using this excessive amount meant that the labourers were free to steal a certain amount of valuable cement.

Now if someone wanted to investigate the quality of cement work on a project they could easily look at the amount of cement used, and draw conclusions accordingly. However in this case the conclusions would be wrong.

So what about the mixing down of cement that I identified on the project that included the grand meditation pyramid? One possibility is that the correct amount of cement was quoted, with lesser cement used, and some of the valuable product strangely disappearing – perhaps into nirvanna?

While I am on the subject, one last little twig. Trees and branches have historically been neglected, and a high-tension cabling system winds trees up into a dangerous state of tension.

It has been some time since my last un-meditative visit to the resort, and I assume that deep meditation in the still-standing auditorium has channelled wisdom and compassion into the supposedly spiritual management.

As far as the Chinese communist party is concerned, the latest US state department survey has noted last years brutal crushing of Tibetans for the third time, and also an increase in the level of human rights abuses generally.

The contents of this article reflect the opinion of the author only. Some of the contents may appear factual, but are conclusions. The author shall not be held liable for any of the articles contents.

Also, the author is not a civil engineer, but is an engineer with practical civil experience.

Finally, it should be noted that the author worked with engineers and consulting microbiologist at the resort, and is a qualified engineer.

Story 25 Feb 09

Unfortunately I have a bad memory and today could not be bothered looking up what I wrote yesterday. So if the story doesn't fit do not be surprised.

It was unfortunate that Alan Greenspan (the last chairmen of the US federal-reserve), a free-market ideologue, was forced to go through an identity crisis by the American financial meltdown. I shall restrain myself and not mention here anything of the recently departed president Bush.

What is also interesting is comments I heard last night on the radio that denounced the concept of welfare. It was said that to share is to divide, and to grow is to share. To be forced in any way to give your wealth that you have worked so hard for to those who couldn't be bothered getting off their asses and doing something, is an outrageous indignity. Furthermore, it eats away at the free spirit of man and makes him feel like doing nothing at all.

Accepted that the person presenting this argument will not go easily into the category he is so despising. However with such a narrow-minded point of view, one day I wouldn't be surprised if he developed a mind-splitting mental illness. In which case, the character may be unable to work, and probably his stupidity would have meant he had very little savings to rely on. I would argue that there should be the notion of state support, however not for the person in question.

Accepting the obvious merit of his argument, the categories of people in financial hardship is vast. No doubt so many people really do need support in some way for some length of time. Obviously there needs to be a balance. It is good to discourage the quality of laziness that is often so tempting and ruinous of creativity and zest for life. However just the same it is not good to encourage the kind of blind financial obsession that has led to housing-stress, financial crisis, economic crisis, human depression, and possibility economic depression – with hence the possibility of further human depression. It should be noted here that I am not just talking about America. There are many other countries with similar issues, and many more that may follow suit.

However, taking me back to US financial gurus, on the radio this morning the current US federal reserve chairmen said that if all the stabilising and kick-starting measures actually work, then things will get better soon. However if they don't work, then guess what, things won't be getting better soon. Wow, thanks guru Ben, I don't suppose that president Obama was planning for his plans not to work!!!

That concludes the story for today.

Tomorrows Story 24 Feb 09

What an interesting day indeed it is. I was very much troubled when I read yesterday's story, and considered the potential implications. However in this moment my mind is at ease. You see a miracle happened to me. I had the pleasure of being saved by Benny Hinndrance. Bless me and lord shower angels and confetti all across my way, for all my physical ailments have evaporated, I know longer have a housing crisis, and I gave all my money to his blessed crusading and cronies. Ah yes what be it me to be troubled with this world when I can enjoy being hypnotised by Benny Hinndrance.

Meanwhile Wayward Wally was deep in contemplation devising a most devilishly cunning plan, as cunning as a fox who is professor of cunning at Foxford University. However he came upon two significant problems.

Firstly Wally was concerned about the dark word democracy. The very word had sinister undertones, and even uttering out-loud left Wally feeling deeply drained. He had seen with his own eyes the effects of this word in countries struggling to climb out of war. When elections are called in any particular region or country, abductions, torture, murder, and violence in general, escalates. This was proof to Wally that democracy had to be a bad thing.

The other issue troubling Wally is quite surprisingly relating to none other than Benny Hinndrance. Wally new full well that Benny Hinndrance was lost in a delusional, grandiose state of communion with the the big cheese. Therefore he knew that that Benny was nothing more than tasty sweets to little sleepy children. The trouble was however that his sweets were so yummy, and all the kiddies were very very hungry. Indeed this was the hunger that Wally himself was wanting to feed.

Admittedly Benny had stumbled on a few little secrets. Firstly he has the capacity to hypnotise people who are almost asleep. Secondly, if people have psychosomatic issues - even say a physical ailment that has healed, yet the person still believes they have a problem - then Benny can wave his magic bible and hallelujah a miracle has happened. Benny really believes in his own delusion, and he knows what people deeply need – love; compassion; and trust.

Wally was perplexed because to him it seemed that there was little difference between Benny and his cronies, and preachers who profess violence in the name of the Moslem religion. Both flock seem blind and easily lead. The only difference appeared to be that the message was vastly different. Benny really did say the nicest things. He actually means well, and can actually help. So it seemed a little strange to Wayward Wally. Hence he decided to go and see his guru, Adwarf Hateler.

Adwarf was as usual full of sparkling revulsion. However he remained silent for a while pondering the puzzle.

Today's Story - 23 Feb 09

Excuse me Adwarf Hateler, I was sitting here wondering about how to create mass atrocities, and for some reason instantly thought of you, said Wayward Wally.

Well Wally, responded Adwarf, I am ravenously flattered and distinctly surprised. What be it me to deny you such a grand request my devout friend.

Thinking for less than a single moment Adwarf Hateler responded with the following:

The matter is really quite simple. It be a little known truth that the real cause of World War II and the Holocaust was of underhand means. What I did on the sidelines in my pursuit of global power and submission was to send foot-soldiers around the world. Their mission was to create the Great Depression – and indeed great it was. I only mention this fact briefly here, as the subtle hypnotic deceptions that created this tool makes for another story entirely. When hence the Great Depression was in fully swing it became very easy to create enemies, and for enemies to create wars, and for wars to create my masterpiece.

Henceforth it is my suggestion to create a second great depression. When you get a global economic crisis in full swing the rest will almost take care of itself. Shouldn't be much difficult I should think.

Wayward Wally thanked Adwarf Hateler for his wisdom, and began immediately to carve out a cunning plan from the skeletal edifice.