PhilipHarris's Blog

FARMINGTON - Farmington area resident, UMF graduate, poetry and greeting card publisher Cynthia Brackett-Vincent is co-editor (with Carol Smallwood) of the just-released nonfiction anthology, Contemporary American Women: Our Defining Passages.

This exciting collection addresses women’s issues and will also provide a unique, dynamic much-needed new text for college/university Women’s Studies classes. Summary: “This unique collection includes over fifty articles by more than thirty-five diverse American women who revisit, celebrate, and share defining moments in their lives. Readers will see the universal in milestones of body, mind, family, career, and personal empowerment-whether joyous or difficult, chosen or unexpected, common or rare. These are poignant passages of women, told by talented and award winning writers: intimate glimpses into the lives of our sisters, friends, aunts, mentors, wives, grandmothers, partners, mothers, daughters-ourselves.”

Early Praise for Contemporary American Women: Our Defining Passages:

“Even though this collection is about contemporary ‘American’ women the stories are universal. As I read each, I can see myself in them.”
-Supriya Bhatnagar, Director of Publications at the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, editor of The Writer’s Chronicle

“This collection reveals those intimate moments that change women’s lives: the ways we tough it out, break down, and become whole again.”
-Arlene L. Mandell, Pushcart Prize nominee. American Association of University Women’s short-story contest winner, 2008.

“These experiences exemplify the range of passages that existing anthologies have yet to address in a single volume. The authentic, often lyrical prose speaks to a broad audience within and beyond academics.”
-Diane LeBlanc, Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Director of College Writing, St. Olaf College; Bechtel Prize winner.

Available from Amazon.com, the publisher’s website (AllThingsThatMatterPress.com), and soon in select bookstores. 268 pages; ISBN 978-0984259434; Paperback; $18.99.

How many millions take the vow of food abstinence on January 1st?  How many millions give up shortly after the first?  There is little doubt that Americans have gotten fat and that obesity is a major health issue confronting today’s youth.  The age of high calorie fast foods combined with the sedentary life style of the ‘joystick’ must be a boon to the clothing industry as people need ever increasingly larger sizes of clothes.

 It is estimated that 95% of all diet plans fail.  Those New Year resolutions sound great but most of the crash diet programs never work and many can actually make you ill.  One of the key issues with dieting is that the fixation on weight loss actually results in frequent weight gain.  The focus upon food creates a mental trap since that mindset keeps you thinking about wanting more food.  It is the idea that form follows thought.  Aside from the hundreds of fad diets that make will the covers of tabloids and talk shows, there are even more books that will offer some kind of miracle program for you to lose weight.  What is the consumer to do?

 There is a new book out by Linda Walker called, NO MORE LOSERS: A BOLD NEW APPROACH TO ACHIEVING THE BODY YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED.  Is this just another diet book that makes promises that cannot be kept?  It would appear not.  In fact, in the foreword it says, “This is not a diet book. You won’t find some new-fangled diet plan that promises magical results.”  The author says, “I know what it’s like to go from one diet to the next.  I’d lose and I’d gain.  I’d lose more and then get that back and more.  I was so good at this yo-yo dieting that it virtually became my lifestyle.  It wasn’t until I’d finally begun to suffer from increasingly serious health complications due to my weight that I was alarmed enough to search for a real answer to my weight problem.” 

 Did the author find a new pill that would bring salvation?  No.  Did she find a new miracle food that would melt those extra pounds away in just two weeks?  No.  Did she discover come new vitamin that she will offer to you at a bargain price that will shed those unwanted pounds?  No.  What Linda Walker discovered is what she terms, “CLICK-ON” to weight REDUCTION.  She says that you do not go into ‘lose weight mode’ but rather ‘reduction mode.’  In this method you ‘click-on’ a mental switch “that lets you break free from the bad habits of a lifetime and gives you total control over your mind and body.”

 In NO MORE LOSERS, Linda takes you through her life’s journey and constant struggle with her weight.  She recalls the upbringing that insisted that you eat everything on your plate, the system of sweets for rewards, and then the constant taunts and cruel remarks of her school mates.  And now, after ‘reducing’ her weight by 100 pounds, she says that this was done without pills and without giving up any of her favorite foods.  She says, “I haven’t counted one calorie or fat gram.  And the best part of all is knowing that I will never get back any of that unwanted weight ever again!”  What is the key to this “simple 10 step (minus one) approach?   The key is understanding the difference of two simple words: “losing” and ‘reducing.”

 With chapter headings such as, STOP LOSING AND START WINNING, STOP EXCUSING AND START REDUCING and STOP THE BAD AND START THE GOOD, you quickly see that this is not a new diet fad but rather a life approach that results in permanent weight reduction and not weight loss.  Keep one thing in mind, when a person ‘loses’ something, the first thing they try to do is to find it.  When you ‘reduce’ something, you create an entirely new way of thinking that will alter your life and your health.

NO MORE LOSERS is written by LINDA WALKER and published by ALL THINGS THAT MATTER PRESS. It is also available on Amazon.com in both print and Kindle Edition and as an E-Book from Mobipocket. 150 pages, $14.99.

One thing must be clear from the outset; Nostradamus is not a purveyor of doom and gloom.  He does not predict the end of the world nor does he foretell of the “second coming” of anyone.  Regardless of the words, he does not believe in an anti-Christ.  Nostradamus does not tell “all” in the quatrains, rather he reveals his mysteries in his symbols.

The quatrains are like the parables that are understood by the few.  There inner truths reserved for the initiates.  While many quibble over the meaning of the words, they fail to see the heart that lies beneath.  The Universe speaks in images and symbols and Nostradamus was a tool of the Universe – he was an initiate of the highest order and it is to his symbols one must turn to grasp the rudiments of the words.  They go hand-in-hand; they are the duality that shapes the entire manifest world.

Perhaps the biggest failure of most is their attempt to try to interpret his symbols from the perspective of religious dogma.  While he had to use the words of the day and placate the powers that be, Nostradamus was not under the thumb of religious ideology.  He knew how to play the game in order to keep his head.  So much has been slipped under the nose of theocracy it is a wonder they have not seen the writing on the wall.  There is a famous quote about pearls before swine and so few have really understood its meaning.

As I have said in my writings in the novel, WAKING GOD, certain symbols have been our guide for countless millennia.  These symbols became what are commonly called the Tarot.  While many will argue that the Tarot was a 16th century creation, that argument also falls under the category of those beautiful pearls.  That Nostradamus used that symbology is indisputable.  His real story is in the picture and not the text.  However, if one uses Christian myth as the basis for interpreting those symbols, you are condemned to mire in the muck of ignorance. 

It is little wonder that the Church created devils and demons to gain and maintain their power over the masses.  All reasoning people would surely understand that stories of a vengeful god, filled with wrath and contempt for its creation would garner few converts unless they were threatened with eternal damnation for disobedience.  The serpents and dragons of Nostradamus do not represent evil.  That is merely a lie told by those trying to protect a lie.  Certainly, anything that would expose that lie would be considered evil.  To them, the “truth” is evil since it underpins their very foundation. 

To begin to understand the inner message of Nostradamus, all religious connotations must be cast aside.  Do not think of the images of the pope as necessarily being the literal pope.  Do not see the serpent as evil, see it as wisdom.  When Patrick drove the serpents from Ireland, what he really did was drive the Druids from their homeland.  The serpent represents wisdom in the same way it did in the story of Moses.  Is DNA involved in his images?  In WAKING GOD we talk of the ‘good seed’ imbedded within our DNA and this reference is made in numerous Tarot pictographs.  The wisdom of the awakening DNA was no stranger to Nostradamus.  Beware of seeing the crescent moon as a symbol of Islam.  It is important to note that it is often portrayed as a double image.  This deals not only with the inner and hidden meaning of Islam; it also deals with the Goddess whose Tarot card is number two.  It is she who is the fount of wisdom.  His many female images do not allude to foreshadowing a female pope, but rather to the return of the Goddess and all of her wisdom. 

Contrary to very popular belief and error, the burning tower does not represent the end of the world.  The tower is man’s dogma undergoing purification of the spiritual fire.  This fire is often portrayed as destructive in religious circles, e.g the fires of hell and the lake of fire in Revelations.  Contrary to this erroneous thinking, the alchemic fire gave birth to the universe and its purifying nature frees the mind from mental bondage.  Even Jesus said he came to” baptize by fire.”  I doubt he meant he wanted to burn everyone in the flames of Inquisition.  Keeping in mind the importance of numbers and their meaning, note that the tower has three openings.  The number three appears everywhere in the Tarot and in the plates of Nostradamus.   Card three of the Tarot is the Empress, the Goddess, who gives birth to wisdom.  She has one foot on a crescent moon and her crown is adorned by 12 stars.  Card 12 is the hanged man who, by reversing his thinking is awakened to the inner truths of the Universe.  His coat displays two crescent moons.

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This is the second piece of a multi-part article on THE LOST BOOK OF NOSTRADAMUS.

Not sure what to give as a gift this holiday? If you are into books read the the most review of my novel, A MAINE CHRISTMAS CAROL.

A Maine Christmas Carol

ISBN: 1594314446

Philip F. Harris

Publication Date: Cambridge Books 2007

Philip Harris’ A Maine Christmas Carol, a modern retelling of the Dickensian fable of Christmas’ past, present, and future in a middle class New England setting is a holiday treat for readers of all ages.  The spirit of the original story is cleverly unraveled in a more up to date but equally grim narration of the experiences of a blighted contemporary Scrooge named Thomas as he “sees” Christmas with his spirit guides.

The classic unfolding of the life of a beleaguered and very ill-spirited young man faced with the consequences of his own self-serving actions is cleverly layered with messages aimed at the socially irresponsible of our own life and times. A Maine Christmas Carol is a powerful parable of the ills of progressive society left to exist unchecked and held unaccountable. Through the eyes of the spirit guides, Thomas sees that while he is not responsible for the happiness of others, his actions do deeply impact all those who come in contact with him. From the local shop owners to his eight-year-old sister, his exploits leave a deep and lasting impression. Even more critical to note is the tsunami-like wave affect his acts, deeds, and lack of achievement has on those he will never meet. What he does not do with his life is just as significant as what he has done so far in his 16 years.

In Harris’ A Maine Christmas Carol, a new family tradition is born. The easy conversational writing style, the logical flow of the story, and the twist to the original story makes this book a new classic that will go on the shelves right next to Dickens’ original morality tale.  Harris does a marvelous job of weaving Thomas’ profound experience of redemption with the underlying themes of social justice and poverty. A Maine Christmas Carol is explicit in demonstrating the relationship of the privileged class in our country who has failed to address the social issues facing our society. Philip Harris has clearly and unequivocally produced a rich allegory that redefines the importance of Christmas to a new generation of readers. 

SHANNONS EVANS, CHIEF EDITOR

WWW.MYWTITINGMENTOR.COM

11-27-07

The novel is set in Hallowell, Maine and sends a strong anti-drug message to our youth. If you are so inclined to support a Maine author, this may be the book for you.  My other books and more details on A MAINE CHRISTMAS CAROL can be found on http://dickens111.tripod.com/theliteraryworksofphiliph
arris/

all of my books are on www.amazon.com

The U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee decided to broaden its resolution condemning the Ottoman Empires genocide of Armenians to include a few more historical events.  Not wanting to offend just the Turks, the Committee thought they should spread the condemnations.  Citing the contagious new disease, Bush-itis, which makes you want to offend everyone, allies in particular, The Committee felt they should set the historical records straight.

The new resolution has labeled as genocide the following events or actions:  the Assyrian Empire, the Peloponnesian War, the Amalekites and the Midianites, the Third Punic War, the Mongols,  Christopher Columbus,  Spain in general and the Inquisition,  the U.S. slaughter of native Americans,  the Slave trade, Argentina, the British for their actions in Australia, the French Revolution, the Germans for their actions in South-West Africa,  the UK for the Irish famine, the Russians, the Nazis, Croatia, Guatemala,  Bangladesh, the Tutsi, the Khmer Rouge, Indonesia, Lebanon, Iraq, the former Soviet Union,  China for their actions in Tibet, Brazil, Bosnia, Rwanda,  Sudan,  and the Pope for the slaughter of the Cathars and Pagans in general, and God and his angels for their action in Egypt and the general smiting of those opposed to Him. 

The White said that they were pleased that the Committee did not just single out Turkey since we still need our bases in their Country.  Deputy Press Secretary Scott Stanzel said that while more historical could have been a part of the resolution, it will do for now.  He added that he hopes the committee will tackle this touchy subject again next year in the hopes of telling historians what should be in the history books rather than relying upon common sense and historical conjecture.

In response to the Committee’s resolution, not only has Turkey recalled its ambassador but the Vatican, England, Spain, Russia, China, most Latin American countries, Indonesia and every country mentioned or implied in the resolution has followed Turkey’s lead.  It has been noted that angels have been seen at the U.S. Treasury erasing the words, In God We Trust from U.S. currency in retaliation for the Biblical implications of genocide. 

Committee members were not concerned over the recent diplomatic events as they assured each other that their actions would get them some votes at re-election time from the groups that have been targets of the genocides cited in the resolution.  Their only real concern was the angelic activity but, they placated themselves by admitting that the removal of the phrase on the currency would gain the votes of the atheists.  They were further heartened by the fact that the President had not as yet alienated all of these groups and they were pleased to beat the White House to the punch.