SATURDAY 8th MARCH 2014 06:59 GMT

NEW BOOK AVAILABLE NOW!! - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

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1. THIS DAY IN WORLD WAR 2 (8th March 1944)
On the Russian Front...
Soviet 1st Ukrainian Front, 2nd Ukrainian Front, and 3rd Ukrainian Front all advance
Hitler orders German soldiers to "turn towns into fortresses"

In Helsinki, Finland...
The Finnish government decides to ask for more guarantees before agreeing to an armastice

In the Mediterranean...
Kriegsmarine vessel TA-15 is sunk by Allied aircraft in the Aegean
RN destroyers bombard Korcula Island in the Adriatic

In the Pacific...
Japanese 17th Army artillery begins pounding US airstrips at Empress Augusta Bay beachhead on Bougainville Island, forcing American aircraft to evacuate. The 17th Army launches an attack on the beachhead overnight

US 5th Marine Regiment advances toward Talasea on New Britain 

US Task Force Brewer "mopping up" remaining Japanese resistance on Los Negros Island

Japanese vessel Shobu Maru is sunk by RN submarine Sea Rover in Strait of Malacca

In Burma...
Elements of Japanese 33rd Infantry Division cross the Manipur River near Maulbem and begin moving to block Indian 17th Infantry Division's line of withdrawal toward Imphal  

West African 81st Infantry Division withdraw to Wabyan in the Kaladan valley

Today's Air Raids...
Berlin by US 8th Air Force. Despite heavy fighter escort, 30 bombers are lost, but the Luftwaffe loses an unsustainable 53 fighters
Netherlands on Luftwaffe airfields by US 9th Air Force
Northern France on V-Weapons sites and other military targets by RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force
Mille Atoll and Wotje Atoll by US 7th Air Force
Engebi Island by Japanese aircraft
Ponape Island and Kusaie Island by US 7th Air Force
Rempi, New Guinea by RAAF
Awar and Nubia airfields, New Guinea by US 5th Air Force
Rabaul, New Britain by US 13th Air Force, sinking IJN guardboat No. 2 Nanshu Maru
Los Negros Island and Manus Island by US 5th Air Force
Burma military targets by US 10th Air Force - USAAF 1st Air Commando destroys at least ten Japanese aircraft on the ground

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging/Me Time
Short Missus Time
Shift 2 of the Weekend Job
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 1,715 (no change)
Nonfollowed eliminated = 0
Unfollowers eliminated =0
New followers = 0 

3. TODAY'S SELF OBSERVATION
If Thursday was a family synchronicity of frustration, Friday was a synchronicity of mildly unsettling events. A small section of garden wall collapsed. A gang of kids ran off with our emptied wheelie bin, though fortunately no further than the end of the road and Son recovered it. Shift 1 of the Weekend Job has been advanced 1 hour. Missus couldn't find a pair of jeans in her cupboard that I found straight away. 

Finally, a distressed young Asian woman knocked on our door at random asking to dial 999 after a family "domestic". We spent an hour or so sheltering this woman, who was threatening suicide, before an ambulance crew took her away to check her over.

If there was any conclusion to be drawn from this somewhat unusual day, it was the importance of mind-management. For many of us responding to things in the best way does not come naturally, and by the use of focus, it is necessary to prevent the mind wandering into dark places. I was quite pleased with my own responses. My training caused me to react in the most appropriate way to all these events, but I had to work my focus hard. Though I don't like feeling dark emotions, they are a useful indicator that firstly acceptance then the exercise of focus is required.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Do you know how to respond in the best way to situations that arise?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Dry, mild and cloudy throughout, skies clearing overnight
A moderate and noticably mild south-easterly wind will swing south-westerly by the afternoon
Max Temp = 12 degC
Min Temp = 3 degC
Sunrise at 06:40
Sunset at 17:57

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
Make yourself at home - clean my kitchen  : D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
QI - Alan Davies gets exasperated about religion

8. TRIVIA
During the temperance movement of the 1890s, cannabis was commonly recommended as a substitute for alcohol. The reason for this was that use of marijuana did not lead to domestic violence while alcohol abuse did.

9. ZEN WISDOM
A person’s true nature is revealed at times of the greatest adversity.