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The Great Gig In The Sky

Posted on Jul 4th, 2008 by Photizo : A Livingstone Photizo



Pink Floyds
The Dark Side of The Moon
The cover is a reference to the
 group's reputation for amazing light shows.


Today on the 4th of July I couldn't help but be reminded of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, the meaning behind it and of course the Great Gig in the sky and those amazing light shows. Tonight most will head out and stare up into the night sky in the midst of this maddening world and watch the fireworks on the 4th's Gig.

Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon is said to be the 4th best selling album of all time and I remember as a teenager falling asleep to this classic night after night entranced by it's sounds. The concept album explores the nature of the human experience from birth to death and the madness in between. All of the tracks and meanings are amazing but one that gave me chills was always the 5th track or the Great gig in the Sky.




It features the soaring voice instrumental music by Clare Torry and was originally called either "The Religion Song" or "The Mortality Sequence" during recording. It's been said that when she nailed it on the first take she apologised thinking it wasn't very good.   For the blog I have loaded a cover with fireworks, but for the real deal which can never be replicated, click here

Pink Floyd - The Great Gig in the Sky (1988)


The album begins with "Speak to Me / Breathe" and is about birth and being a child with new earthly experiences. "Time" deals with growing older and the overwhelmingly fast approach of death - youth being gone before one even realizes it. "The Great Gig in the Sky" deals with thoughts of death and religion, "Money" deals with consumerism with tongue-in-cheek lyrics and wealth-related sound effects. "Us and Them" deals with conflict, ethnocentrism, and the belief that a person's self is "always in the right". The final track is "Eclipse" that deals with growing too old to be who one once was, and finally, death.

Having enjoyed Pink Floyd I decided to make my own version of Eclipse below. Enjoy the Fourth of July, some great tunage and drive safe!


Pink Floyd - Eclipse - Dark Side of the Moon


DEO

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Water is Life

Posted on Jul 2nd, 2008 by Photizo : A Livingstone Photizo



Water is the life force of the body and is an essential component of blood, lymph, bodily excretions as well as every part of every cell in the body. In any diet or health program, water is key to balancing the body and flushing out toxins. Though you may live for weeks without food, without water, the body will die within days.

With water comprising on average 55 to 80 percent of your body's weight, making sure you drink high quality is essential to maintain proper health. Water is used by the body to:

Regulates body temperature
Carries nutrients and oxygen to all cells in the body
Moistens oxygen for breathing
Protects and cushions vital organs
Helps to convert food into energy
Helps body absorb nutrients
Removes waste
Cushion joints
Protect organs and tissues


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Dehydration


Every day, up to two-and-a-half quarts of water are spent through perspiration, urination, and exhalation. Because the body has no reserve, we must replace what is lost daily to ensure optimum health and well being. Dehydration is a major cause of ill health and and leads to decreased energy and vitality as the body loses it's ability to carry out cellular functions and rid the body of wastes and toxins.

Our bodies require a certain amount of fluid intake on a daily basis to function; the minimum is equal to four 8 ounce glasses (one liter or one quart). But if you lead an active lifestyle you will need two to three times this basic amount. Drinking plenty of water enables the body to replace the fluids which are required to perform our normal bodily functions. If we take in less or lose more fluid than is needed, the end result is dehydration.


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Water is Life

DEO

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Proud Papa!

Posted on Jun 16th, 2008 by Photizo : A Livingstone Photizo



 Dakota

Sunday was Fathers day which brings the realization that for every year that passes, your son becomes more of a man. Dakota is now 11 and quickly coming into his own. I blogged about my son Oct. 26, 2007 after a trip to Colorado and a request to watch a video.

Since then he has grown and I have tried not to spend as much time at the computer....but as you may have seen, I have not been here for some time because I have taken up a new Hobby in Day Trading. I began a New Blog and have been making some extra money on the side as a swing trader in the stock market. When I made $14,000 in 3 days and came in 2nd place in a portfolio contest on a popular stock site my first try, I was hooked.  But time is more precious then money and time spent with my son is the best time of all.

This week I'll be going on a cruise and wanted Dakota to take up Scuba Diving. Though he has yet to finish the class, by end of summer we should be able to go anywhere in the world and scuba together and create some amazing memories.




So on Fathers day when driving back from dinner Dakota was sitting in the back seat listening to his I-Touch and kept singing one song over and over as best he could, not knowing I was listening with his headphones on....and smiling at his tunage. the song?...Lynryd Skynyrd's SiSimple Man by Shinedown.

My son learns everday from my examples but the message of this song is clear, Be A Simple Kind Of Man, Be Something You Love and Understand I like those words and just as he wanted to show me his video back in October of Don't Blink, I offer this video to my Son for Fathers Day.



Shinedown - Simple Man

Happy Fathers day to all Dad's blessed to have Children,

DEO


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Breath Awareness

Posted on Jun 15th, 2008 by Photizo : A Livingstone Photizo



The most basic breathing practice is simple breath awareness. Come into a comfortable seated position - cross-legged, kneeling, or in a chair. It's important to have the spine straight, so that the lungs and torso have room to expand in all directions as you breathe. To lengthen the spine, consider sitting with a folded blanket just under the hips (cross-legged) or between the hips and heels (kneeling).

Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath. Begin by simply noticing each breath as it happens. As you inhale, notice that you are inhaling. As you exhale, notice that your are exhaling. Continue this noticing until you feel your awareness settling comfortably and reliably on the breath. You can then refine your awareness, by noticing more subtle aspects of the breath. Consider shifting your awareness to the following aspects of the breath:

Notice the breath entering and exiting the body at the tip of your nose.

Notice the breath move through the airway, from the nose to the mouth to the throat as you inhale, and from the throat to the mouth to the nose as you exhale.

Notice the quality of your breath: Does it feel jagged or smooth? Does it feel rushed or slow? Does it feel shallow or deep?

Notice the sound of your breath: Can you hear it? What does it sound like?

Notice the length of each inhalation and exhalation. Are they even? Is the breath slowing down or speeding up?

Notice the belly moving with the breath. Place your hands on your belly and feel the belly expand and contract.

  Notice the rib cage moving with the breath. Place your hands on your rib cage and feel the ribs expand and contract.

Notice the chest and upper back moving with the breath. Wrap your arms around your upper chest and shoulders, and feel the chest and upper back move with the breath. (see the hug breath for a more detailed version of this observation).

Notice the full dimensionality of your breath: radiate out, in all directions, with each breath.

Continue to notice whatever you notice - go deeper with this awareness practice and notice the subtleties of your own breath. With this practice, you are not trying to consciously control the breath. However, as you become more aware of the breath, you may find that the quality of your breath changes. Allow this to happen naturally, without strain or effort.

Suggested Practice Time: 5 minutes or longer. Practice several times a day, if possible. This is a practice that can stand on its own, whenever you have the chance to practice it.




 Kelly McGonigal, PhD is a leading expert on the mind-body relationship and the psychology of yoga. She teaches yoga, meditation, and psychology at Stanford University, and is a passionate editor and freelance writer in the areas of mind-body psychology and integrative healthcare. Her writing and work has been featured in Yoga Journal, Yogi Times, L.A. Yoga, Yoga Chicago, Yoga for Everybody, and IDEA Fitness Journal, and she has been featured as a mind-body expert for many publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, Body + Soul, Fitness, Women’s Health, Martha Stewart Weddings, Readers Digest,  Runner’s World,  and MSNBC.com.

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The Onion News - Videos

Posted on Mar 29th, 2008 by Photizo : A Livingstone Photizo



From time to time I like to pass along a little snapshot of a particulate art form, artist or creative spirit that I find unique, funny, engaging or moving in some way as we live in an age where the Medium in the Message. These artists sometimes ask us to think and stretch the limits of our imagination with their creativity which have come in many different forms.

Sometimes it's just simple act of a hug, the fun and authentic music of  The Kooks, or amazing computer software that changes how we interact as in the Perceptive Pixel  to the incredible CG short movie from Industrial Light and Magic that begs you to look into the body, mind and spirit entitled A Work in Progress or the fantastic and relevant art parody of Havidol  to the creative and professional photography of David Nightengale and of course the Worlds Fastest Car and Sexy Models.

Art comes in so many forms but lately online videos have really been heating up the internet so I thought I would throw one more offering out there for you to take a look at from Onion News.

Having already blossomed as a newspaper, Web site and book publisher, The Onion’s brand of humor is now available in the hottest  medium of the moment: Online video.  If you have never heard of The Onion News they are perhaps the most dominant provider of fake news anywhere. And they do it so well that even some of the comments from the videos posted on YouTube are fooled, which of course says so much for the Idiocracy of America.

 

 

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 Their videos are hilarious in their approach and witty in their content. These new videos will make you laugh and beg you to ask, why can’t the majority of Americans see through the bullshit which is a perfect segway to showcase a typical satire of the political scene. Take a look.

 

Poll: Bullshit Is Most Important Issue For 2008 Voters


Perhaps my favorite political spoof was the following who
for all of those who understand the truth behind Diebold will appreciate.

 

The Onion: Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 08 Election


 But of all the spoofs they do so well I’m glad to see such great material regarding the Iraq War. As readers of this blog know I have been a strong advocate against this ridiculous war with all it lies and useless destruction it has caused, The untold numbers of human tragedy and suffering our Neocon  Nuts have created as I wrote on in the Maters of War and Memorial Day pieces.

Here are a few …

 

The Onion: How Can We Make The War In Iraq More Eco-Friendly


 

The Onion: Army Holds Annual Bring Your Daughter To War Day


 Here is there most watched video  and a great look at the Queen Waiving duties.

 

The Onion: Queen Will Leave Behind Long Legacy Of Waving

 And finally a fun  look at the mechanization of our society.


The Onion: Are We Giving Robots Too Much Power?


I hope you enjoyed some of these as much as I did and noticed the ticker running on the bottom. There are of course many more that can be viewed here.

DEO

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Steps to Wellness

Posted on Mar 12th, 2008 by Photizo : A Livingstone Photizo



"Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit.  When one is
free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.

B.K.S. Iyengar

Over the last several weeks I've been fighting  flu and a lingering bronchitis that left me with a general malaise in my everyday activities. With the immune system weakened, my energy low I decided to revisit 5 steps for integral wellness that can re-balance the mind, body and spirit. So this last week I have gone vegan, begun a cleansing program, turned off the TV, tuned out the stress and tuned into the observer.

So I thought I would offer up these steps that I find helpful when dealing with sickness, stress, DIS -ease or just a feeling of overwhelm. Forgive the writing as it is more in article format in style rather then blog free flowing thoughts, but the points are valid and information helpful.


 

The first and most important step to wellness is understanding who you are as spirit, mind and body. It is these three elements that makeup our reality as the spirit moves the mind, which in turn sets the body in motion.  Spirit over mind over matter, or the observer, the process of observing and the observed.

In today's modern world our minds have been polluted by a virtual tsunami wave of information. This media wave acts as a toxin as our minds try and cope with the stressors of information overload. To stay sane , the mind filterers and prioritizes through what is needful and ignores the rest until we deal with them in our sleep as the unconscious replays the days events in dreamtime.

When the mind is preoccupied and or confused as to its purpose by the cluttering of thoughts and the infotainment buzz, it is unable to direct the body in a meaningful way. This leads to both mental and physical fatigue as our energy is drawn down by thoughts and behaviors that are self sabotaging or without real meaning. A life without direction and purpose soon leads to depression, sickness and DISease. The key to integral wellness is to find the meaning and purpose of your life which brings peace and tranquility and a greater sense of well being. Your inner strength soon shines through as it radiates outwards towards others. This is real beauty and wellness.

 

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Steps to integral wellness.

Step 1: Cleanse your mind and Body.

As we begin each day in our fast past lives our mind and body are constantly processing  thoughts, emotions, and experiences at an incessant rate.  As the body reacts to changes in it's physical, mental or emotional experience it can make you feel overwhelmed, causing stress. If stress continues this leads to distress which throws the body out  of balance leading to physical symptoms. If the stress is prolonged the symptoms can lead to disease and death. Stress has been linked to six of the leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide

Cleansing the body

With our bodies out of balance the mind fatigues and begins to worry and try to cope with the imbalance, so a good place to start is by cleansing the body to free the mind. Here area few simple steps you can take.

Detox - is the process of cleansing and restoring the body to a state of natural balance and harmony by ridding the body of toxins. This is done by increasing the efficiency of the digestive system and stimulating other parts of the body that are responsible for cleansing and elimination of wastes.

Your body is designed to deal with toxins by neutralizing, transforming or eliminating them. The liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymph nodes and skin all work at ridding the body of toxins and waste. It is when the body reaches an overload of these toxins that our immune system is compromised and we suffer. Here are a few ways of detoxing.

Drink more water - Just drinking at least three pints of water each day will help you flush out toxins.

Eat more fruits and vegetables - Fruits and vegetables are higher in water content, contain powerful antioxidants and provide fiber for easy digestion. Eat less meat and dairy products.

Avoid chemicals and refined foods - Stay away from preservatives and chemical additives in foods such as Aspartame found in diet sodas and packaged as Nutrsweet Equal and others. Over 100 million American now consume aspartame products which  literally stimulate the neurons of the brain to death causing brain damage of varying degrees. Aspartame contains 10% methanol, and without ethanol and pectin, it's antidotes, it quickly turns toxic. Ethanol & pectin prevent methanol from being metabolized into formaldehyde (embalming fluid) & formic acid (same chemical as fire ant venom), both deadly toxins.  Bottom line, stay away from anything that contains aspartame.

As detoxification takes effect the healing process will be set in motion and your health will steadily improve.

Free the body and free the mind.


Human beings were never designed to live and cope with the high stress demands of the 21st century lifestyle. With the mind having to make decisions every moment of the day we tend to get caught up in the thinking game and can easily become overwhelmed by the frantic pace of it all. Our minds turn round and round incessantly thinking of this or that, worried about the past or anticipating the future, when NOW is the only time you will ever have. The past is gone, the future is yet to be, which is why we call the present a 'gift'.

Relaxing the mind is the natural balance to relaxing the body and to be able to deal with the stressors in your life, you need to be able to do both. By learning to turn of the mind like a switch, you will find it easier to separate your mind from its immediate surroundings. To find stillness in your life means finding peace, and finding peace brings mind and body to a natural state of harmony.

 Here are a few ways to relax the mind.

Meditation - Meditation is by far the most effective way of focusing your mind to bring about relaxation, peace and tranquility. With the ability to control your mind instead of allowing your mind controlling you, the peace and harmony you lack in anxious thoughts will disappear. You will find yourself  with more energy and better able to cope by managing your time more effectively.

 How it works

Your brain is the body's computer center of all your thoughts,  feelings and sensory experiences. The brain communicates by electrical impulses or what we call brain waves. This language of the brain manifests itself as four states of electrical activity or consciousness. They are:


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Beta - From concentration to anxiety or fight or flight.

Alpha - Relaxation, super learning to pre sleep and access to unconscious mind

Theta - Increased creativity, the ah-ha moment, to  Dreamin state (REM), trance and access to unconscious mind.

Delta - Dreamless sleep, deep trance like state, total loss of body awareness, access to the unconscious and the collective unconscious mind.


Meditation affects this electrical impulses or language and produces high-intensity alpha waves which are associated with super learning, deep relaxation and mental alertness. This state helps break through the learned patterned responses of stress from the sense of urgency and anxiety that you may habitually encounter.

Taking time out each day has proved to lead to a more positive attitude, a greater sense of well being and a feeling of being very much in control.

 For more information on meditation Click here.

To find out more on the most amazing transformation tool on the planet. click here

Visualization and positive affirmations

Visualization is a technique that concentrates the powers of our imagination and enables people to overcome obstacles in their lives, improve memory, enhance learning, and to heal physically, mentally, and emotionally. Imagery is helpful in developing focus and concentration; calming; coping with stress/anxiety. Visualization combined with positive affirmations can be extremely powerful.

 The idea behind positive affirmations is a simple one.

 Thoughts create emotions - emotions create responses,
and responses reinforce thoughts.

 The mental map of our belief system is maintained by this very simple premise. To help undue conflicting or self sabotaging thinking, simply find a quiet moment and

Here are some examples of  Positive Mind/Body Affirmations

I handle stress and tension appropriately and effectively.
My mood is calm and relaxed.
I can cope well and get on with my life during times of stress.
I think thoughts that uplift and nurture me.
I enjoy thinking positive thoughts that make me feel good about myself and my life.
I deserve to feel good right now.
I feel peaceful and calm.
My breathing is slow and calm.
My muscles are relaxed and comfortable.
I feel grounded and fully present.
I can effectively handle any situation that comes my way.
I think through the solutions to my emotional issues slowly and peacefully.
I am thankful for all the positive things in my life.
I practice the relaxation methods that I enjoy.
My body is healthy and strong.


DEO

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Across The Universe All You Need Is Love (Videos)

Posted on Feb 10th, 2008 by Photizo : A Livingstone Photizo


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All You Need is Love


Spolier warning
Entering an Uber blog


The other day I had a few extra hours to spare so I decided to rent a movie I had wanted to see in the theaters called “Across The Universe.”  The movie is a kind of hybrid of music video and movie musical describing the counterculture of the 60’s in the midst of the Vietnam War while our young leads find themselves and each other on their own personal journeys across the universe set in New York’s Greenwich Village.

The characters in the film consist of a  Liverpool wanderer named Jude, the American girl-next-door named Lucy, her irreverent and rebellious older brother Max, a lesbian named Prudence, a singer named Sadie alla Janis Joplin and a guitarist named JoJo alla a soft Jimi Hendrix who all make up the bohemian household in Greenwhich.

Here is the theatrical trailer.

Across The Universe - Trailer



What I enjoyed about this film is the artistic scope with respect to its use of colors, imagery, choreography, music, lyrics and message. Something I try to do in the majority of my blogs minus the dancing of course. But I do enjoy incorporating music that draws meaning to the message surrounded but what I hope others find less then mundane art that reinforces that message.


The rock musical borrows from just about every rock musical you can think of. There are symbolic references to such musicals as the Beatles “A Hard Day’s Night, “Help”, “A Yellow Submarine,” the two main male characters alla the two male leads in leads “Hairspray,” the New York bohemian setting  of “Rent,” the Who’s “Tommy,” Pink Floyds “The Wall,” and even “Grease.”
There are also the cameo appearances by Bono, Eddie Izzard (one of favorite comedians), Joe Cocker and Salma Hayek.

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 In Across The Universe we see a brilliant use of a lyrical stream of consciousness through the use of over 30 Beatles songs that seamlessly weave the personal tragedies and triumphs of the stories of each of these characters as they set out Across The Universe to explore their own personal journeys.  As a tag line for the movies states,


"In the lyrics of the world's best known songs
lies a story that has never been told... until now."

The names of the principal characters - and several of the secondary roles - are derived from names in the titles or lyrics of Beatles compositions.


    * Jude - "Hey Jude"
    * Lucy - "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "I Am The Walrus"
    * Max - "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"
    * Sadie - "Sexy Sadie"
    * Jojo - "Get Back"
    * Prudence - "Dear Prudence"
    * Dr. Robert - "Doctor Robert"
    * Mr. Kite - "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!"
    * Daniel (Lucy's American boyfriend) - "Rocky Raccoon"
    * Bill (Sadie's Manager) - "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill"
    * Molly (Jude's English girlfriend) - "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
    * Desmond (Jude's boss in America) - "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
    * Pam (Desmond's coworker) - "Polythene Pam"
    * Martha (Jude's mother) - "Martha My Dear"
    * Julia (Lucy's sister) - "Julia"
    * Rita (The Contortionist) - "Lovely Rita"
    * Teddy (Max's Uncle) - "Teddy Boy"


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The Nine


In Across the Universe, the characters were actually chosen for their talent in singing as they are actually singing these songs not in a studio, but live while filming on the spot. Our main character is played by Jim Sturgess who was in a rock band in England when discovered. In Across The Universe he plays a English bloke from Liverpool named Jude who works as a shipbuilder. 
 
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Jim Sturgess