crash, bang and wallop

The world has gone mad.

Crash - Financial institutions in chaos (those that still exist), turmoil in the markets, government bail-outs to some and not others, restrictions on the types of trading that can be carried out in an attempt to stop speculators, and lack of confidence by many. These are some of the results of this week, described as "never experienced anything like it since 1929".

Bang - problems with the LHC in CERN means that the "big-bang" 'atom smasher' will have to be shut down for repairs, before it has been used in a serious experiment.

And Wallop - Baha'is are still imprisoned in Iran, denied access to education, their administration disbanded years ago because of government orders. And now a petition being circulated round mosques calling for the dissolution of the Baha'i administration. Sorry, is the government of the country so out of touch with what it has already done in the past? Or is it just stirring up hatred for the Baha'i minority in the land of its birth? Thanks to Iranpresswatch for this news.

"Though the world is encompassed with misery and distress, yet no man hath paused to reflect what the cause or source of that might be. Whenever the True Counsellor uttered a word in admonishment, lo they all denounced Him as a mover of mischief and rejected His claim." Baha'i Writings

be careful what you say

Well I should have expected it. I make some comments and my words seem to get twisted round.

"I should go to your aid" I said in a previous blog. "Does that mean that you would not?" someone asked. No, I will go to your aid. By using the word 'should' I intended to give it a moral obligation, as I hope I portrayed when I said that not helping was leading to injustice.
"So, you are good with your fists?" queried another. Not a bit of it. I still hold the view that violence is the last resort.

I suggested a 'what if' attitude, and received a comment 'congratulating' me on my compensation culture approach. How strange! If I, through my own actions, fall down a drain or, as I have done, trip over the curb whilst running for a bus, I do not expect to go cap in hand begging to the council. We must all take responsibility for our own actions, and not seek to blame others.

No, forget the 'should have expected it'. I did expect it.

peace and justice

A comment to one of my earlier posts suggested that being peaceful meant that I would never fight terrorists or bring them to justice. What a strange notion.

The most important principle is justice, and that includes punishing those that do wrong as well as supporting those who are the victims. I would never condone terrorism.

If I see someone attack you in the street, then I should go to your assistance. If I ignore you and leave you to suffer, then that is injustice. However, we must be careful that our own actions are not excessive and themselves are the cause of further injustice. A community protecting itself is one thing, vigilantism is quite another.

"The best beloved of all things in My sight is justice" - Baha'i Writings.

testing times

Some comments have wondered why it is that I should experience so much difficulty in my work with computers, even going so far as to suggest I move to a different type of job.

Well, you see, my job is to test computer systems, and so it is not surprising I find problems - because I go looking for them! I carry this attitude of "what happens if" to other activities outside of work. Instruction manuals and other documents get a critical eye from me, as do proposals by public figures.

Independent investigation of the truth is an important principle of the Baha'i Faith.

LHC and the Big Bang

I am not worried about anything that might happen at CERN. I believe the Baha'i teachings that all humanity are moving towards a world civilization based on peace and justice that will last for thousands of years into the future.

We can help it come faster - by being kind to all - or we can be the source of pain and suffering by espousing violence and hatred. We can confinue the myth that science and religion are opposites and never the twain shall meet, or we can recognise that each in its own way is attempting to explain the mysteries of Creation.

No, it is impossible for science to prove that God does not exist. After all, Who created science in the first place!!

"All praise to the unity of God, Who out of utter nothingness, hath created the reality of all things." Baha'i Writings

No Religion ?!

One comment added to a previous blog item of mine referred to the line "and no religion too" from the song "Imagine".

I realise where people are coming from when they say that - all the animosity expressed by one group towards anyone who does not share their own particular views as shown by hundreds of years of history.

Abdu'l-Baha, the son of the Founder of the Baha'i Faith said that if two people argued over religion then both were wrong. He also said that if religion caused hatred and enmity then we would be better off without it.

However, I firmly believe that we all have a spiritual existence and cannot be described purely by reference to our physical selves. I cannot explain to anyone, and have often been laughed at when I relate, my own personal experiences that convince me that there is so much more to our existence than this material world.

call yourself a computer expert?

Well, no I didn't. But that has not stopped some folks posting their pleas for help on Linux as comments on my blog. I am flattered. As to getting help, I would suggest looking out a Linux support group near to where they live and posting there for help. I cannot answer some of the questions, particularly about hardware that I have never used, but I am sure there is someone with the answer. So, go on, put linux User Group into your favourite search engine along with the town nearest you. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Baha'is try to live by the principles of honesty, modesty, service to others, investigating the truth. You may find your computer support group has some of those same ideas. After all, they are none of them in it for the money!

different computer operating systems

A comment on one of my previous posts asked what the benefits and drawbacks were in using Linux.

Well, everyone has their own needs, and what suits one person may not suit someone else, so here are my personal views.

Drawbacks of running Linux include having to wait for drivers that handle your particular computer hardware (or writing it yourself if you are capable), transferring data to/from proprietory programs used by your colleagues, and generally perceived as a bit awkward by those who use a different, more widespread system.

Advantages are the cost and the feeling that I am contributing in some small way to freedom of choice. I have a full database system, web server, accounts package, UML diagramming, music package (MIDI interface and notation editor) and office software all free.

I have made offerings to some of them mostly in the way of documentation and whilst appreciated this is not obligatory. But it is this sense of community, and helping each other that initially drew me to Linux all those years ago.

back after a gap

I have been away from the blog for a couple of months, and it was a bit surprising to see so many comments that have been added in the intervening weeks. I am reading through them all and will add some thoughts of my own. I am not sure, though, if some of the comments were meant seriously.

So back after a vacation (coast and countryside in Northumberland, and not a mobile phone or computer for weeks!)