SUNDAY 11th OCTOBER 2015 07:10 BST

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
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1. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
11th October 1531
The Battle of Kappel
Huldrych Zwingli, one of the major leaders of the Protestant reformation of the 16th Century, was killed in this battle. There had been ongoing tension between the Protestant and Catholic cantons of Switzerland following an inconclusive war two years earlier.

Some of the districts in the future Canton of Grisons had gone to war with the Duchy of Milan. They were aided by the Protestant but not the Catholic cantons of the Swiss Confederation. The Protestant cantons viewed this as a breach of contract and a food embargo was declared against the Catholic cantons. As the Protestants held key transport routes, this threatened famine.

Zwingli had long coveted a "Holy War" against the Catholics and as he had hoped, the embargo provoked the Catholic cantons to declare war. Zwingli however had overreached himself. His army was less than well-organized, exhausted from a forced march and outnumbered more than two-to-one. The battle was a crushing victory for the Catholics, leaving the way to Zurich open.

A Protestant relief army, also disorganized and outnumbered, was subsequently driven off and Zurich sued for peace. The resultant "Second Territorial Peace" forced the dissolution of the Protestant alliance and the forced recatholicization of key strategic transport route areas. Beyond these areas, each canton was given the right to choose its own religion

An unintentional consequence of the short war was perpetual religious coexistence, as neither side had the ability to completely overwhelm the other, although the Catholic cantons were in the majority. 

However, the settlement did nothing to ease tension between the two groups and there several subsequent wars over the next three centuries. 

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

Twitter Followers = 2,023 (up 1)
Non-followed eliminated = 1
@AbundanceClues
Unfollowers eliminated = 0 
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New Followers followed back =0
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Spammers not followed back = 2
@citiqufafyc, +1 untraced

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

Two potential causes of grief, namely the Weekend Job and Daughter, fortunately failed to manifest worse-case scenarios. Changes at the Weekend Job if anything made life easier there and Daughter backed off from forcing Missus to choose between us. This means that the Weekend Job can just tick over as a small part of what I do and Missus fortnightly visits to Daughter will be free of drama.

Consequently, I can focus on self-development and self-promotion undistracted. The intention for the character is to keep focused in the moment with gratitude and on fulfilling goals in that moment, whilst Consciousness lifts right out of the character and experiences itself fully self-aware from the Character's perception of time and space. It is most fortunate that circumstances are benign enough for focus to be on response. The character would prefer to have a focus immune to adversity and be entirely devoted to appropriate action, but the reality is that this is unlikely as the involuntary emotional responses to circumstances are just too strong.

That said, if the character makes hay while the sun shines, and circumstances are benign enough for long enough, emotional control in adversity will be at least considerably stronger. The progress already made is considerable - I am no longer lost in self-sabotage and life is in the main blissful. Character is living according to preference and loving it, fully embracing uncertainty and its ephemeral nature.

The character chants daily: "Thank-you universe, I have no complaints whatsoever!"

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you going somewhere are are you just drifting in the current?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Dry and cloudy throughout with a light easterly or north-easterly breeze
Clear skies overnight
Max Temp = 11 degC at 1pm
Min Temp = 7 degC at midnight
Sunrise at 07:26
Sunset at 18:20
Moon:

Weathertrack: A large anticyclone over Scandinavia will keep Britain dry

Air Pressure: 1020 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

Don't forget to turn your clocks back today if you want them to be set to the wrong time :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
John Oliver on Volkswagen

8. TRIVIA
Many of the ingredients in chocolate are proven to cause arousal similar in effect to sexual foreplay.

9. ZEN WISDOM
The courage to meet and talk with people is absolutely crucial. Choosing dialogue is itself the triumph of peace and of humanity.