Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Intelligence vs Instinct.

Is it better to have more intelligence than instinct? We as humans have over the years gained intelligence and given up some of out basic survival instincts. Yes it is good to have intelligence, we have learned so many things that help us survive, but if a major event happens and most of the modern day technology is not available to us how long could we survive on our own? Most animals today survive in the wild without any or little intelligence. In the wild you must have instincts or you will not survive. If you were able to take an animal and suddenly give it intelligence and turned it back loose in the wild, do you think it would survive or would it try to use it's newfound intelligence and give up the basic instincts that had helped it survive in the past?
I've always said that thinking will get you killed. Now not in all cases, but when it comes to a sudden life or death decision, the instinctive decision will be quicker than the intelligent one any day. The reason being that if you react by instinct your body will take over and do what needs to be done to survive, if you try to think about it, your reaction time will be slow and unsure because the brain will be trying to comprehend everything that is going on and at the same time will be trying to rationalize your actions. The human has basic survival instincts, we have over the years replaced those instincts with intellect, that's what I believe separates us from the animal kingdom. When it comes to everyday life we, humans, tend to use our intellect to guarantee our survival, where animals depend on instincts. So go out and use your intellect, but remember that if needed you do have some instincts.......

Friday, February 24, 2006

Are We Primitive?

I was reading a site on evolution today and found the following, (taken from http://www.onelife.com/evolve/manev.html):
Homo habilis was called the handy man because tools were found with his fossil remains. This species existed between 2.4 and 1.5 million years ago. The brain size in earlier fossil specimens was about 500cc but rose to 800cc toward the end of the species life period. The species brain shape shows evidence that some speech had developed. Habilis was about 5' tall and weighed about 100 pounds. Some scientists believe that habilis is not a separate species and should be carried either as a later Australopithecine or an early Homo erectus. It is possible that early examples are in one species group and later examples in the other.
The site went on to talk about the different species of humans and how they have evolved. Today we, Homo sapiens sapiens, have a brain size of around 1300cc, if I remember this correctly. We are more advanced today and look back and study the previous species of man and think of how primitive they were. Well evolution has not stopped by no means, so in years to come will some new species of man be digging up our remains and studying us and thinking that we are primitive. Also will mankind continue to grow in size and intellect or will evolution remove man and replace him with something else?
Also there are those that do not believe in the evolution of man, for God made man and commanded him to go and populate, so here we are. If that is your belief than you know that there is an end for man, for we are on this earth to test our faith and that the end is coming.
Either way you look at it, man could most certainly be evolving, whether it be just a more intelligent human or a spiritual being.
But enough of that, back to my original thinking. Are we primitive? I think yes, in years to come the "future man" will look back on our time and think "how could a human live like that?" So go out and live life and remember, we're just a small pebble in the endless road of evolution....

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Evolution

Lately I've been reading about evolution, so far I've found some pretty interesting stuff.
So I'll probably be talking a lot about evolution coming up. So the big question of the day is not whether or not you believe that we, as humans, evolved from apes but rather do you believe that we "humans" are still evolving and if so when do you think that humans will evolve into another being?????

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

It's not fun being in charge...

Well I haven't posted in the last few days, been busy (at least that's what everyone says, so I'll just borrow that line). I have been given the task at work of being in charge of an up coming training exercise, it's definitely not as fun when you have to be the one that gets everything lined up and ready. Before I just always got to kick back and wait until a training day came along with no worries. I can't say it's been all bad, but it sure puts a lot of extra stress on a person when they are in charge. But I guess it was just my turn to spend some time on the chaos side of the balance, I'll just have to find my little notch of serenity and trudge on......

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Calming the disturbed mind

I was speaking with a friend the other day and a statement was made that caught my attention. We were speaking about the disturbed mind, in which I refer to often. I was talking about drinking and how to much of it can turn the disturbed mind loose. My friend then stated that some people will drink to "sedate" the disturbed mind, which is a different aspect on my thoughts on drinking and the disturbed mind. It's possible that by drinking some people are actually able to suppress the disturbed mind. Highly possible, but at the same time risky, for just that one or two extra drinks and the balance of control over the disturbed mind could sway and the disturbed mind could be turned lose in total control.......

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Seniority

Seniority: derived from senior, meaning : older in years or time of service, any elderly person or one more advanced in rank.
In today's society seniority is more linked to laziness. The longer someone is at a job the less and less they think they have to do, because after all they've got seniority. You want to impress the world, don't stand around saying " I've got x amount of years in this line of work" go out and do something and show the world that yes you have been at your job for many years, but in that time you have gained WISDOM not incompetence. Let's look at the word wisdom: the ability to make sound judgments; insight or intuition; extensive knowledge; an accumulated body of knowledge. Now let's look at incompetence: a lack of ability.
I know there are those of you out there that have a coworker or, God forbid, a boss that just doesn't have a clue of how the day to day things run at your work place, but hey, they put their time in and have gained the ever illustrious "Seniority" in which we must all strive to gain if we plan to get ahead in the workplace, because as you probably know, hard work only gets you a sore back.........

Saturday, February 11, 2006

A Rocky Training Exercise

Well just recently I had a "training exercise" in which all serenity was lost on my part, luckily not for long. But, just like I always say, "once something hits the atmosphere you can no longer control where it goes". So I have some chaos running loose in the world and no longer have control of where it goes or who it affects. Not a real good thought. The training exercise was not a total loss, I did come away from it with more knowledge of myself and also of some other people in which I am around from time to time, so that's good knowledge to have for the future. The best way to win a confrontation is to have knowledge of how a person will react to a certain situation and to use that knowledge to your advantage and win the confrontation before it even begins. The only bad thing is that I let go of my "disturbed mind" for that short moment and now the person that I have knowledge on also has knowledge on me. So I'm going to have to work a little harder at making sure I don't relinquish any of my weakness' to anyone and keep my eyes and ears open to learn a little more about theirs.
So as you begin your next "training exercise" just remember to think, "is losing my temper and turning loose my disturbed mind worth giving someone that little bit of knowledge of how I'm going to react to their test?"

Thursday, February 09, 2006

A Bottle Full of Chaos.....

Well today I'm going to tell you a little about myself in order for you to understand what I came to realize the other day while doing work. I'm on the local SWAT team where I live. My role in the team is perimeter. I've been with the team for about six months and I must say that in those six months I've learned more than I probably have in the last two years, it's been a great experience thus far. Enough of that. Just recently I got to be involved in my first call out with the team, as you could guess the adrenaline level was high. Being perimeter I was to be placed in the lead vehicle and was to be one of the first to come onto the property, and was to deploy a diversionary devise, more commonly known as a "flash bang", in the front as I was going to the rear of the structure if people were present, if not I was to deploy the "bang" at the rear of the structure. As I came onto the property there was no one at the front so I continued to the rear, avoiding a rather "pissed off" rottweiler who was trying to chew through the fence of his pen. Once I was at the back of the structure I deployed the "bang" and the entry team began their entry deploying more "bangs" inside, taking everyone inside into custody without incident. By the way the dog decided he didn't want anything to do with me after the "bang" went off, so he just stayed inside his doghouse until we left.
Now with that said, it occurred to me later that night while listening to the members of the entry team say that the "bangs" had caused such confusion to the people inside the structure, that they did not even attempt to react to the entry teams entrance that this small devise we carry with us is simply a "bottle full of chaos" in which we as SWAT members can pour out on the world at any given moment, when needed of course. I know some of you out there are thinking, boy these guy's think they can do anything they want, well we can't. Just like any of us that turns chaos loose on the world, we have to answer to any wrongs that we cause by turning chaos loose. There are certain rules that we must follow and abide by. So as you go about your day to day life, just remember to follow the rules, because if you don't, someone like me might come into your life and pour chaos all over your world.........

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

"A Disturbed Mind"

I earlier posted comments on another blog in reference to the "disturbed mind" and people drinking on New Years Eve. For some of you, you've already heard this, but I like the subject so I'm going to touch on it again since I refer to the disturbed mind on many occasions. I believe that everyone has a disturbed mind, for some they have no trouble with it and have a control over it. Others have come to grips with it but choose to let it loose from time to time. One way that people let the disturbed mind loose is to drink, that way they can with a clear conscience do the things the disturbed mind wants to do and they will have an excuse, "I was so drunk, I don't remember what I did". Have you ever heard or said that statement before. Keep in mind I did my fair share of letting the disturbed mind loose on the world, but then I decided that I wanted to be in control so I gave up drinking. Not saying that you have to give up drinking all together, just remember that when you drink in large amounts you lose control and the disturbed mind will then get its chance to take over and cause chaos.
Let's get it straight that drinking is not the only vice that can let the disturbed mind loose. For some people, the clinically insane, the disturbed mind has simply taken over and is total control. Emotions are another way to turn the disturbed mind loose on the world. Anger, pain, greed, lust, despair, envy and even love can cause you to take a back seat in the game of life and let the disturbed mind take over in the drivers seat. Some of you might think, "how can love cause the disturbed mind to be let loose?" As you know love is a very powerful emotion, to me I believe that it is one of the most powerful. A person in love will do things that they would not normally do, have you ever thought you were in love with someone and tried to win their love in return and later in life thought back and said, "what the hell was I thinking", you wasn't you were in the back seat and we have all heard the stories on the news of someone killing or hurting someone and everyone that was interviewed would say, he or she was a nice person and that they just couldn't believe that they did what they did, well for some reason the disturbed mind stepped forward and took over. Not that the disturbed mind concept is an excuse to do things, after all it is your disturbed mind and you will be the one to answer for it's actions if you let it loose. So as you go out day to day in your life, just remember that small things like losing your temper, becoming depressed, wanting more and more money, drinking that extra drink or even loving someone too much could swing your balance of control in the favor of the disturbed mind and let it loose to cause chaos. Because once the disturbed mind gets loose, it doesn't have to answer for what it does, you do..............

Monday, February 06, 2006

Just here today.

Well today I'm just here. Spent most of the day yesterday in the struggle between serenity and chaos, so today I'm just here, I woke up this morning calm and relaxed. So a good struggle every once in a while is good, but it seems to wear you down. But even in struggle with chaos, I was able to remain polite to the public, so that's a very good thing. The more you can control your actions when your mind is in chaos the better off you are.
But I'm a long ways from total control of my mind, by all means. I did good with my inner conflicts yesterday, but I had to stay in solitude for most of the time. But all in all it was a good exercise, you need a little conflict from time to time to be able to train your mind, because just like anything else if you don't use it, you'll lose it. So just remember on those chaotic days when you are in total conflict, they are only a training exercise.......

Friday, February 03, 2006

Reaching a Goal.

Yesterday I reached a goal that I had set for myself six months ago, talk about being in a state of serenity. It felt great. Having goals in life is very important, now you don't want to go out and set yourself some goal that is unobtainable. I know some of you are thinking, "anything is possible when you put your mind to it". And I agree with that, but some times you have to be realistic. The trick to setting goals in life is to remember "the balance". If you go out and set goals for yourself that would take your whole life to accomplish it will be easy to lose site of those goals. I'm not saying give up any long term goal, I'm just saying that it is good to know you have done something, so keep your long term goals, but also give yourself some short term goals. By setting small short terms goals you can keep yourself motivated by reaching them and before you know it you have reached your long term goals.
So go out and reach for the stars, just remember to bring them down one at a time......

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Is War Justifiable???


I read somewhere that War is never justifiable. I must disagree, War is very justifiable. Now war is not always started for a justifiable reason, but by the end there is a justifiable reason, whether it is trying to stop the war or trying to win. Plus without war how would you know peace? We must remember the balance in our world. Some people believe that there should be no wars at all, but for those of you that think that way might want to look in the Bible in Revelation Chapter 12 for it reads in verses 7-9: And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
I know for some, you are going to say "I don't believe in the Bible" and that's fine with me, I'm just using it to show that war has been going on, or talked about going on, for a very long time and I feel that it will continue on for many more years.
Next for those of you who feel that war is never justifiable, would you have liked it better if our founding fathers had decided that they also thought war was not justifiable and had not fought for our independence in the American Revolution. Or should the world have looked the other way and decided to let Adolf Hitler continue his holocaust since war is not justifiable.
Just as there will always be good and bad, there will always be peace and war. And even though war is not something that the world likes to see it is justifiable to keep the peace......

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Is Too Much of Something Bad??

I belive that too much of anything is bad. I heard it said the other day "that a little fear is a good thing". I agree with that, fear can be a very powerful emotion if it is kept in control. A person who is afraid will have more power and will react to a situation quicker, but you have to learn to control your fears and not let it turn into panic. While a little fear is good, a little panic can be devastating because once panic sets in you began to lose reason and good judgment. You will still have a boost of strength, but you will not be able to control yourself and will spin further and further out of control.
The same can be said about anger. A little anger when you know how to control it is a very powerful ally, but just like fear if you can not control it, it turns into rage and then all is lost for you will do nothing but be on the attack, with no regards to any reason.
Next is love, can too much love be a bad thing. It's possible, if someone begins to let the love they have for someone or something turn into obsession, and just like with fear and anger once love changes into obsession you began to lose control and reason.
Then there is Power, and we all know that too much power is bad. And that brings to mind the saying that "Knowledge is Power", so is too much knowledge a bad thing?????

The Balance in the Universe.

The balance in the universe, should I say the balance inside each of us? Each day we wake up and began trying to find our state of serenity in the world, some days it is a good day and others, well let's just say they are chaos. But as you go along in your day to day life there is also the struggle inside of us between good (lawful) and bad (chaos) or as said before, "the disturbed mind". For most people they go along day to day without any problems with the struggle and follow the lawful side of the mind and abide to the laws of the land and never give the disturbed mind any second thought. And in the same token there are those who go along in their day to day life and follow the disturbed [chaos] mind and never give a second thought about the lawful side on the mind. These are those people you see every day on the news and think to yourself, "how could a person do that?", in the disturbed part of the mind many things are possible. And last you always have the group that is riding the fence, these are the ones who some days, pardon the cliche, walk in the light and other days walk in the dark, these type of people are harder to spot than the ones who chose to follow the disturbed mind all the time, since they will generally not let the disturbed mind loose unless they know no one is watching and they will not have to answer for the disturbed minds actions when they are following the lawful side.
But we must have people in each group to keep the constant balance in the universe, so remember as you began your day, how you decide to gain your serenity could effect the balance....