My First Technology Gig (satire)

It is amazing to see how wealthy retirees live in their big houses with two cars, two computers, a laptop, a tablet and a cheap HTC smartphone. (I won't mention the LG 230 flip phone much).

The new SUV is cool with an entertainment centre using bluetooth to hookup to the phone to play music on.

People this old will not have a clue of how to move their pictures off their phone onto their computer, and to put new pictures on their phone again. Nor will they know that they need a data USB cable to copy to and from their smartphone, or even how to get their phone to send music to their entertainment centre in the SUV.

Furthermore, they need to be reassured that knowing their computer password won't let me break into their computer on the Internet - I have to be in the den on their computer to do that. Also Facebook never automatically shares their intimate photos with the world - they have to do that themselves.

That is where I come in, to help them learn how to do it. Though, at their age, without daily practice, a week later they will have forgotten how to do it because they do not practice what I preach to them.

I think I have found my niche market for my technology skills: people over 60. Since it isn't right to charge them $80/hour, I'll take $20 a lesson, which can last from an hour to two hours.

There is no way I'd stay any longer. My reasoning is, it is impolite to stay at anyone's place for more than two hours unless they expressly have invited you for dinner too.

I sure like this new part-time job that I lucked into by helping my client Paul with his smartphone while at an LDS baptism last week.

Dear Google, Here is a Crime Fighting Thing to Do (satire)

Google could help out criminals by getting Washington to give away each one a free Nexus 7, a $250 cash card, and $250 of cloud space on Google in exchange for remaining rehabilitated. They also will get six weeks of training in how to use the Nexus 7 in how to use Blogspot and Youtube to make a blog and to monetize it.

Any former criminal who sells their Nexus for drugs or uses the Nexus for illegal purposes is subject to a $250 fine and 1 year in jail with 3 years probation and banned from the Internet for five years.

Oh, and they don't get a new mini tablet when they get out. They get a used Nexus 4 smartphone and 6 months unlimited talk but have to pay for unlimited texting with a carrier of their choice (a $1000 value).

Basically the ex-con is given a $200 cash-card for this purpose. On this card is a chip in it that will be checked when the reformee sees his probation officer. If he sells it, then the information on the chip in the card will prevent use by another person because the pin number for it will be checked against the buyer's ID. Anyone caught selling their cards is subject to a $250 fine. A person who forgets his card's pin number will have to pay a $20 fee to get a replacement which will only have the balance remaining assigned to it.

This will prevent reformees from profiting from this "freebie".

When they get a full-time job, they have to pay back the Govt. at $20/mo for 5 year for a total of $1200. the money from this keeps the program going. Any default on this results in a year's time in jail, and rejection from future enrollment in this program.

This idea can also be used to get the intelligent people with good memories off welfare before the monotony of being on the dole leads to endless poverty i.e. for new people on welfare who are determines to make money off Blogspot and Youtube creating their own legal content.

Google, make this work for the good of America.

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Original post: October 26, 2013 at 12:29 PM PDT
First repost: December 20, 2013 at 07:32 PM PST

Holy Anger is Righteous Anger

Holy anger is righteous because it does not affect rebirth in the Pure Land.

Suppose at service a heckler curses the priest loudly and disturbs the wa, the harmony during chanting of the Twelve Adorations.

Holy anger is when the priest stops the service and asks the heckler to leave immediately. 

That kind of anger is warranted because a temple is for dharma practice, and hecklers are unwanted.

Though it is best that a member of the temple ask the heckler to leave first, because if the priest has to intervene then he'll need to calm down before carrying on with the service.

Holy anger does not affect rebirth.
Even if it is evil passion, because such anger is used to ask a heckler to begone or to awaken a napping member of the temple, it is justifiable.

As long as the priest or member does not curse or use violence, no harm or evil karma results.

Thus it is excusable, this holy anger.

Thinking Things Through

Thinking is not the same as doing something because of a thought, be it good or bad.

To be oppressive to other people is harmful. This is the essence of what is considered evil, though it is moderate and is only rarely taken to extreme.

In contrast, to be patient and loving to everyone is harmless and most beneficial to the people who need such caring and love. This arises from the basic goodness which is in all sentient beings yet is only offered to close friends, family and loved ones.

For it take practice to be caring to everyone. It involves being willing to trust oneself and especially in other people, and to nurture the same qualities of patience and love in other people, too.

Thinking of being patient and loving to others, especially someone you never met, requires careful consideration of taking action in a trusting manner, confident that other people will treat you as a loving and patient manner, too.

However, I am not preaching trusting an unknown stranger just like that, since social etiquette usually dictates treating a guest with kindness when a host. As a guest, it's usually prudent to treat your host with courtesy and respect so that whenever you come to visit, you always have a place to stay.

As well, it makes good sense to think before I act, as rash action tends to lead to breaches of etiquette.

Yet thinking is not the same as doing an act. Always it helps to think through an action (helping others, for example), within the context of being helpful and of service to others. For by helping others, work gets done in a manner that is mutually beneficial to all.

However, this article isn't filled with commands and rules, even though it may seem like it. Rather, I am writing it to demostrate that thought precedes action, and have done so to encourage beneficial and positive outcomes based on patience and love.

Ten Deeds of Merit

All sentient beings are potential Buddhas; all they are required to do is to realize Buddhahood is to cross over to the Middle Way, by abandoning their worldliness and following the Ten Virtues.

While this seems like a simple thing, few sentient beings are able accomplish it due to attachment to one or all of the Ten Evil Acts. In order to practice the Ten Virtues, the practitioner is encouraged to practice the Ten Deeds of Merit:

1. Charity (giving without expectation of reward)
   
2. Morality (
   
3. Mental culture (meditation and reading the sutras)
   
4. Reverence or respect
   
5. Service in helping others
   
6. Sharing merits with others
   
7. Rejoicing in the merits of others
   
8. Preaching and teaching the Dhamma
   
9. Listening to the Dhamma
   
10. Straightening one's views

If it is not possible to practice all of the Ten Deeds of Merit, then Buddha Recitation will prepare the devotee for afterlife in the Pure Land of Bliss.

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Reference:

Ten Evil Acts: http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/156.htm
Ten Virtues: to not practice the Ten Evil Acts