QUOTE OF THE DAY


from Wordsmith:


'Ask the experimenters why they experiment on animals, and the answer is: "Because the animals are like us." Ask the experimenters why it is morally OK to experiment on animals, and the answer is: "Because the animals are not like us." Animal experimentation rests on a logical contradiction.'

-Charles R. Magel, professor of philosophy

THE SIX POISONS



Boodiba's current teacher recently mentioned something about the Six Poisons to her. The perimenopausal mind recalled learning about them at some point, but could not remember the specifics.

Then I found this:

The six poisons:

A vital aspect of internal purification that Pattabhi Jois teaches relates to the six poisons that surround the spiritual heart. In the yoga shastra it is said that God dwells in our heart in the form of light, but this light is covered by six poisons; kama, krodha, moha, lobha, matsarya, and mada. These are desire, anger, delusion, greed, envy and sloth. When yoga practice is sustained with great diligence and dedication over a long period of time, the heat generated from it burns away these poisons, and the light of our inner nature shines forth.

One hopes that by yoga, they mean all eight limbs - not just asana (the poses) - and/or yoga as taught in the Bhagavad Gita.

When it is just about asana practice - especially Mysore-style ashtanga - it can add to the poisons (desiring and being greedy for more poses, envy of those who are "ahead" in the practice, being angry at the teacher for not giving more poses, being deluded about the importance of the pose, and sleeping all afternoon because of the intense, early morning practice). At least in the beginning anyway. (That could explain why there are six series).

Sri Ramakrishna said the greatest obstacles to spiritual growth are "women" and "gold" (desire and greed).

My teacher mentions anger, lust and greed. (He also says that without Yama [ethical roots], there is no Yoga).

I'm challenged by all of them, but the biggies would be sloth and anger (although I haven't put a fit through a wall or window - or broken a phone - since I started practicing yoga.... knock wood now).

What are your biggies?

THE RETURN OF ROBERT FEDER

The former Sun-Times media critic started his new Vocalo blog on Monday.

He hit his stride today, with a salty piece on the demise of Chicago's hallmark radio station, WGN.

An excerpt:

Everything that’s gone wrong at WGN-AM (720) in the past year can be summed up in two words: “Pig Virus.”

No, we’re not talking H1N1 here. “Pig Virus” is the nickname Howard Stern gave long ago to Kevin Metheny, the man in charge of programming at the Tribune Co.-owned news/talk station since January.

Under Metheny, an acolyte of Tribune Co. operating boss Randy Michaels (and one of nearly two dozen Clear Channel alumni Michaels brought in with him), WGN has shown disdain or disregard for listeners who felt a unique bond with the station and its personalities.

There was the needlessly ham-fisted way Kathy O’Malley and Judy Markey were run off the air after a phenomenal 20 years as midday duo. (Since they’re still being paid every penny of their contracts, what was so urgent that WGN couldn’t let them finish out as they’d planned and retire this spring?) There was the hiring of morning host Greg Jarrett, a capable broadcaster but one who’d never worked a day in his life in Chicago, to step right into the No. 1 job in local radio. (Jarrett almost lost me for good his first day on the air when he mispronounced “Devon Avenue.”) And there have been numerous other personnel and programming moves — in afternoons and on weekends, especially — that simply boggle the mind.

Read the rest of the story here.

I LOVE MY (LITTLE) INDIA






My guide to Chicago's Little India neighborhood is now online.

You can read it here.







Some tips:

-The main drag is on Devon Avenue between Damen and Francisco.

-Most places open around 11, and are closed on Tuesdays (the sign will say "Tuesday Closed")






-There's a free parking lot (5-10 weekdays and 12-10 weekends) at St. Timothy's, on the corner of Rosemont and Washtenaw.

-The best selection of fabric can be found east of Western AVenue.






-Other types of ethnic goodies - kosher, Russian, Jewish, Georgian, Iraqi - can be found west of California Avenue





-The late-night mecca Delhi Darbar Kebab House recently reopened at 2916 W. Devon Avenue. They're open from 5pm to 4am, and the food is made per order - and inexpensive.








I already miss living in this neighborhood....








....and I haven't even moved yet.

SCARY!





On Halloween I did door duty at a friend's house.

The kids came in droves, between 5 and 7pm.

Princesses were big this year. And characters from "Scream." The best was a very original court jester, complete with over-the-top makeup. He was going it alone, too.

Most endearing were the kids who could barely get up the stairs, and could hardly form the worlds "Twick ow Tweat" - once they remembered what to say, that is. Sometimes the parents had to prompt them. So, so cute.

I was not a fan of those who came with two bags, saying, "One is for my little brother."

Indeed, a few tart things came out of the mouth - especially when big kids with no costumes (or just a mask) came around:


- "No trick-or-treating while talking on the cell phone!"

- "No smoking while trick-or-treating!"*




and my favorite, to a group of three very big "children" wearing hoodies and carrying pillowcases:


- "You're kind of old for this."

- "We're the last generation," they replied.



That one made my night.







*This reminds me of what came out of the mouth on my first trip to Mysore, when I saw a fellow AYRI student sucking on a cigarette - after hearing him brag ad nauseum about being a yoga instructor back home. "So, yoga teachers smoke now?" Suddenly, I was the only one left at the table.

ELVIS THE YOGI





from the motion picture "Easy Come, Easy Go" - which came out a year before Elvis's famous Comeback Special (His career had been considered by many to be artistically fallow since his return from the Army (1960), the subsequent Beatles invasion and a slew of mediocre motion pictures).

He seems pretty flexible to me.

“Yoga Is As Yoga Does” Lyrics

Well I can see that you and yoga will never do

Yoga is as yoga does there’s no in-between
Your either with it on the ball
or you’ve blown the scene
I can see lookin’ at you, you just can’t get settled
How can I even move, twisted like a pretzel

(Yoga is, yoga does)
(There’s no in-between)
(Your either with it all the way)
Or you’ve blown the scene
(Or you’ve blown the scene)

Come on come on, untwist my legs
Pull my arms a lot
How did I get so tied up
In this yoga knot
You tell me just how
I can take this yoga serious
When all it ever gives to me
is a pain in my posterious

(Yoga is, yoga does)
(There’s no in-between)
(Your either with it all the way)
Or you’ve blown the scene
(Or you’ve blown the scene)

Stand upside down on your head,
feet against the wall
A simple yoga exercise done by one and all
Now cross your eyes and hold your breath,
look just like a clown
Yoga’s sure to catch you if you come falling down

(Yoga is, yoga does)
(There’s no in-between)
(Your either with it all the way)
Or you’ve blown the scene
(Or you’ve blown the scene)

(Yoga is, yoga does)
(There’s no in-between)
(Your either with it all the way)
Or you’ve blown the scene
(Or you’ve blown the scene)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to Shiva for the head's-up

IT'S BAA-ACK: THE RETURN OF THE WEST RIDGE POTHOLE!

Just in time for Halloween...




Apparently the metal plate wasn't fastened down.





Oops! So much for The City That Works.









Good thing the neighbors never put the pylon away.