SUNDAY 23rd MARCH 2014 08:04 GMT

NEW BOOK AVAILABLE NOW!! - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

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1. THIS DAY IN WORLD WAR 2 (23rd March 1944)
In the Arctic...
Kriegsmarine patrol boat V-6109 is sunk by Soviet aircraft

On the Russian Front...
Soviet 1st Ukrainian Front attacks Tarnopol and pushes back German 1st Panzer Army

In Germany...
Romanian leader Ion Antonescu meets with Hitler and requests the return of territory given to Hungary in 1940

In Italy...
Having made no significant progress, New Zealand Corps ends its offensive at Cassino.

In Palestine...
Jewish Irgun organization attacks British offices in Jerusalem, Haifa, and Jaffa

In the Pacific...
IJN submarine I-42 is sunk by USN submarine Tunny 

Japanese 17th Army opens new attacks against US Empress Augusta Bay beachhead on Bougainville Island   

USN destroyers Franks and Haggard bombard the Japanese seaplane base on Eloaue Island in the St Matthias (Mussau) Islands 

In Burma...
US 5307th Provisional Unit and Chinese units advance around Inkangahtawng 
British 14th LRP Brigade begins air movement into Chindit Aberdeen base overnight
Indian 17th Infantry Division fighting through Japanese blocks on the Tiddim road in order to withdraw toward Imphal

Today's Air Raids...
Brunswick, Handorf and targets of opportunity in German by US 8th Air Force
Dortmund, Germany by RAF Bomber Command
Northern France on railways and airfields by US 9th Air Force
V-Weapons sites, Northern France by RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force
Laon and Lyons, France by RAF Bomber Command
Wake Island, Ponape Island, Maloelap Atoll and Jaluit Atoll by US 7th Air Force
Aitape, Wewak, Alexishafen and military targets in New Guinea by US 5th Air Force
New Britain on military targets by US 13th Air Force
Indochina on transportation routes and military targets by US 14th Air Force
Moulmein, the Chin Hills and military targets in Burma by US 10th Air Force

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
The Milk Run
Ironing
Me Time/Meditation
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 1,722 (no change)
Nonfollowed eliminated = 0
Unfollowers eliminated = 0
New followers = 0




3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
A fundamental revolution has gone on in my reaction to being "told off" in recent times. After a lifetime of responding by being upset and Munchausen's Syndrome, these days my standard response is contempt. The change is quite fascinating to me and shows how much my perception has changed. 

There have been two significant realizations that have brought this change about. Firstly, that those leading have their own agenda and don't necessarily know what they're doing. Secondly, that those who stand their ground and are prepared to get hurt to do so get treated better.

My experience of the corporate environment in particular, and to incursions and attacks generally, is that in most cases when you are confronted, if you get stroppy and stand your ground, and take a hit if necessary, you are then not proactively confronted by that individual again - they avoid you if they can! "Once bitten twice shy" seems to be a fundamental human quality. No one wants to invite a situation where they're going to get grief.

All this has been incredibly empowering and liberating. I have utterly lost all fear of confrontations, and I am quite prepared to make enemies and end relationships of any kind, business, social or family as a consequence. I have lost the "brake" of fear, the only brake now being loved ones, and the consequences of my actions on them.

Though I am fully prepared to embrace and wield the dark emotions, I'm very aware of how easy it is to become possessed by them. In previous times when upset I have tried thinking my way out of it or refocusing. What I have learned is that once you are emotional, thought cannot help you, and focusing is impossible. The correct response is in fact internal silence. This stops the neurons firing and setting off other neurons.

Internal silence does not come naturally! It must be learned. I can already invoke it, but am not yet at the level of sustaining it for prolonged periods. Now that I'm convinced that it's the healthiest mind-state, it's a skill I fully intend to master within the next couple of years.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
How much better would your life be if people were unwilling to confront you?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Dry and sunny in the morning
Showers in the afternoon
Dry in the evening, with clear skies and a frost overnight
A cold moderate north-westerly will gradually ease during the day.
Max Temp = 6 degC
Min Temp = 2 degC
Sunrise at 06:03
Sunset at 18:25

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
I've been waiting for the bus so long, someone just stapled a lost cat flyer to my chest : D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
Mock The Week: Unlikely things for a Sports Commentator to say & Commercials that never made it to air 

8. TRIVIA
On average, flying fish can glide 160 feet (50m), but have been known to glide as far as 660 feet (200 m). And they can reach heights up to 19 feet (6m).

9. ZEN WISDOM
Character can be shaped or etched. It may be true from a medical perspective that our psychological and physiological traits are generally predetermined genetically. Knowing this, however, adds little to our lives. All that matters is how we can better ourselves here and now.