Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse
By Lance Muller | May 19, 2011
There are all kinds of emergencies out there that we can prepare for. Take a zombie apocalypse for example. That’s right, I said z-o-m-b-i-e a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-s-e. You may laugh now, but when it happens you’ll be happy you read this, and hey, maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two about how to prepare for a real emergency.
A Brief History of Zombies
We’ve all seen at least one movie about flesh-eating zombies taking over (my personal favorite is Resident Evil), but where do zombies come from and why do they love eating brains so much? The word zombie comes from Haitian and New Orleans voodoo origins. Although its meaning has changed slightly over the years, it refers to a human corpse mysteriously reanimated to serve the undead. Through ancient voodoo and folk-lore traditions, shows like the Walking Dead were born.
In movies, shows, and literature, zombies are often depicted as being created by an infectious virus, which is passed on via bites and contact with bodily fluids. Harvard psychiatrist Steven Schoolman wrote a (fictional) medical paper on the zombies presented in Night of the Living Dead and refers to the condition as Ataxic Neurodegenerative Satiety Deficiency Syndrome caused by an infectious agent. The Zombie Survival Guide identifies the cause of zombies as a virus called solanum. Other zombie origins shown in films include radiation from a destroyed NASA Venus probe (as in Night of the Living Dead), as well as mutations of existing conditions such as prions, mad-cow disease, measles and rabies.
The rise of zombies in pop culture has given credence to the idea that a zombie apocalypse could happen. In such a scenario zombies would take over entire countries, roaming city streets eating anything living that got in their way. The proliferation of this idea has led many people to wonder “How do I prepare for a zombie apocalypse?”
Well, we are here to answer that question for you, and hopefully share a few tips about preparing for real emergencies too!
Better Safe than Sorry
So what do you need to do before zombies…or hurricanes or pandemics for example, actually happen? First of all, you should have an emergency kit in your house. This includes things like water, food, and other supplies to get you through the first couple of days before you can locate a zombie-free refugee camp (or in the event of a natural disaster, it will buy you some time until you are able to make your way to an evacuation shelter or utility lines are restored). Below are a few items you should include in your kit, for a full list visit the CDC Emergency page.
- Water (1 gallon per person per day)
- Food (stock up on non-perishable items that you eat regularly)
- Medications (this includes prescription and non-prescription meds)
- Tools and Supplies (utility knife, duct tape, battery powered radio, etc.)
- Sanitation and Hygiene (household bleach, soap, towels, etc.)
- Clothing and Bedding (a change of clothes for each family member and blankets)
- Important documents (copies of your driver’s license, passport, and birth certificate to name a few)
- First Aid supplies (although you’re a goner if a zombie bites you, you can use these supplies to treat basic cuts and lacerations that you might get during a tornado or hurricane)
Once you’ve made your emergency kit, you should sit down with your family and come up with an emergency plan. This includes where you would go and who you would call if zombies started appearing outside your door step. You can also implement this plan if there is a flood, earthquake, or other emergency.
Never Fear – CDC is Ready
If zombies did start roaming the streets, CDC would conduct an investigation much like any other disease outbreak. CDC would provide technical assistance to cities, states, or international partners dealing with a zombie infestation. This assistance might include consultation, lab testing and analysis, patient management and care, tracking of contacts, and infection control (including isolation and quarantine). It’s likely that an investigation of this scenario would seek to accomplish several goals: determine the cause of the illness, the source of the infection/virus/toxin, learn how it is transmitted and how readily it is spread, how to break the cycle of transmission and thus prevent further cases, and how patients can best be treated. Not only would scientists be working to identify the cause and cure of the zombie outbreak, but CDC and other federal agencies would send medical teams and first responders to help those in affected areas (I will be volunteering the young nameless disease detectives for the field work).
To learn more about what CDC does to prepare for and respond to emergencies of all kinds, visit:
http://emergency.cdc.gov/cdc/orgs_progs.asp
Topics: Science, Social Science, Zombies | No Comments »
Will Jesus return on May 21st, 2011?
By Lance Muller | May 16, 2011
Given the track record of such things, man’s predictions of the world’s end are best ignored.
But still, I think we should we pay attention to Harold Camping, the influential 89-year-old evangelist who says Jesus will return on May 21.
It’s not that Camping is right. Indeed, I will be on record saying that Jesus most likely Will Not descend from the clouds on May 21, if only to prove that No Man Knows the Date of his return. But something important probably will happen on May 22: A demonstration that people strongly committed to the truth of a proposition are capable of dismissing even overwhelming evidence that they are wrong.
Please note that I said “people.” Not “religious zealots.” Not “cranks.” Just “people.” The ability to evade evidence and to continue to believe, even when it’s bonkers to do so, is universal. We all possess it. And if we’re not careful, we will exercise it and fool ourselves badly.
We know this thanks in large part to the work of the legendary psychologist Leon Festinger.
“Suppose an individual believes something with his whole heart,” Festinger and colleagues Henry Riecken and Stanley Schachter wrote more than half a century ago.
“Suppose further that he has a commitment to this belief, that he has taken irrevocable actions because of it; finally, suppose that he is presented with evidence, unequivocal and undeniable evidence, that his belief is wrong; what will happen? The individual will frequently emerge, not only unshaken, but even more convinced of the truth of his beliefs than ever before.”
This wasn’t conjecture. It was observation.
The Millerites
Prophecies by man routinely fail. Just as routinely, believers insist they didn’t. A famous example is New England farmer William Miller, whose Bible study convinced him the world would end “about the year 1843.” When the year drew near, the “Millerite” movement fixed a precise date for the end of the world. Excitement built. The day dawned. Nothing happened. Disappointed, the Millerites went back to the Bible. And lo! They discovered that the correct date was still to come! They became even more certain and excited than before. But that date also came and went. So the process was repeated. And repeated.
Only after the world had failed to end four times did the Millerites finally give up.
Festinger and his colleagues witnessed this process first-hand in 1954, when they infiltrated a small apocalyptic sect.
The group believed that on Dec. 21, at midnight, they would be whisked off the planet shortly before a terrible cataclysm destroyed the world as we knew. Midnight came. Nothing happened. What now? As the psychologists expected, reactions differed. Those with only a modest commitment to the prophecy quietly drifted away. But other group members had quit jobs, sold possessions and cut ties with loved ones. They agonized for hours. How could they have been wrong? Impossible. There must be some explanation.
Suddenly, the leader had a revelation: The prophecy hadn’t failed! God had been so moved by the faith of the little group that He had decided to spare the world! Joy and jubilation followed -and everyone became even more convinced they had been right all along.
Cognitive Dissonance
Obviously, these are extreme cases. But for Festinger, they were merely dramatic illustrations of a basic feature of human psychology. He called his theory “cognitive dissonance.”
When two thoughts sit uncomfortably together -”I gave up everything because it’s the end of the world” alongside “the world’s still here” -we seek to reconcile them. By ignoring. By forgetting. By rationalizing. Somehow or other, whatever it takes.
Festinger’s theory is now well-supported by decades of research.
Two key points emerge:
One, cognitive dissonance is ubiquitous. We all deal with it every day, almost always without realizing it. Say you finally go to that fancy restaurant, spend a fortune on a meal, and the food you get just isn’t that good. What happens next? You can’t reduce the bill. But you can elevate your opinion of the meal. And you probably will, without knowing you did, or why.
The second insight is that when commitment is intense, cognitive dissonance can make it all but impossible to say “I was wrong.” Consider the case of John DeWitt, the American general in charge of security on the Pacific coast after the attack on Pearl Harbor. DeWitt was certain Japanese-Americans would unleash a wave of sabotage, so he called for them to be interned. Two years passed. There was no sabotage. None. Any chance DeWitt had been wrong? Of course not. “The very fact that no sabotage has taken place is a disturbing and confirming indication that such action will be taken,” he said.
We see this all the time in politics. In the late 1980s, after inflation had fallen dramatically in the United States, surveys found that most Democrats believed inflation was still high. Why? Because the president was Republican. Distorting the facts eased the cognitive dissonance of a major improvement happening under a president they considered a major disaster. (And no, it’s not a liberal flaw. In 1996, after the deficit had been slashed under a Democratic president, more than half of Republicans believed the deficit was bigger.)
So what about old Harold Camping? Will he shrug and say “I guess I was wrong” when Jesus fails to make an appearance May 21?
I’d bet that he won’t. Instead, he will go back to his Bible study, do some math, and discover that the real date is some time in the future. How can I be so sure? Because Camping used to preach that the world would end on Sept. 6, 1994.
He wasn’t wrong then. He won’t be wrong now.
Topics: Bible, Bible Study, History, Science, Social Science | No Comments »
Star Wars and the Bible
By Lance Muller | May 4, 2011
The Bible in Star Wars
I have been a fan of Star Wars since I first stood in a very long theater line in Denver to see Episode IV on May 25, 1977, it’s premiere. Even back in my youth I saw and understood the classic story of Good versus Evil play out. It was only after becoming a Christian that I realize that many great stories in literature and film are derived from the Bible. Let’s review the entire Star Wars saga and see where we can find echoes of the Bible.
Before we start, we must realize that “Star Wars” is not a perfect picture of biblical truth. However, the influence of the Bible in “Star Wars” motion pictures is very apparent. Also these musings are without knowing Mr. Lucas’s actual beliefs on the subject, however we do know that the America he grew up in during the 50′s were where most people at least knew the Golden Rule, five of the Ten Commandments, and at least attended church services at Easter and Christmas. Let’s begin with the Original Trilogy and end with the Prequels.
Episode IV:
The best example we have here is Obi-Wan Kenobi battling Darth Vader. First, Vader tells him that he is now the master, and Ben replies: “Only a master of evil, Darth.” The evil of Satan is nothing compared to the goodness of God. It is not equal to God’s good. In biblical terms evil is easy, because how difficult is it to think of yourself first and look out for your own interest? Obviously, it’s not at all. Next, Ben tells him “if you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine”. When Christ died on the cross for the sins of mankind he saved all who would believe in him from death (Ben died to free Luke and the others from the Death Star). However, Christ’s work continues, paying for our sin he was physically resurrected and gives believers his Holy Spirit.
In literature there are often figures known as “the Christ character”. The author uses them to save the others in some way (the Lion in “Lion, Witch, Wardrobe”, for example). To a degree (albeit to an imperfect degree), Ben is symbolic of both Christ and the Holy Spirit, because he continues to speak to Luke and guide him with the information he needs.
Episode V:
Yoda again reminds Luke that the Dark Side of the Force is not equal in strength, or greater, than the Light Side. Luke asks “is the Dark Side stronger”. Yoda: “No, no. Quicker, easy, most protective.” Again, evil is easy, doing the right thing is difficult.
In another scene with Yoda Luke’s X-Wing sinks and Yoda rises it from the murky water. Luke exclaims: “I don’t believe it!” Yoda says, “That, is why you fail.” Jesus tells us in John 3:16 that “whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life”. The word for “believe” means to “trust in, cling to, put your faith in”.
Episode VI:
This is where the film and biblical truth have a major difference. Luke knows there is “still good” in his father, but people are not saved on the basis of their goodness. “Only God is good”, Jesus told his disciples. Therefore, we do not earn salvation, but it is a gift of grace.
Vader’s redemption is not without repentance: he turns from the Dark Side of the Force by destroying the Emperor and returns to the Light Side (again, not a perfect allusion, but certainly a good illustration to a point). Therefore, Vader is no longer a slave to the Emperor or the Dark Side (symbolic of sin).
Episode VI is also the first film where we notice “Jedi hating”. First, from Jabba the Hutt (more so in the novel than in the movie) and second from the Emperor. It seems Jedi are either respected or hated (come to think of it, Owen Lars had a little of this in Episode IV).
We can interpret the Jedi as being symbolic of Christians. Some people respect Christianity, even if they themselves are not. Others absolutely hate Christians. When we watched the Prequels, especially Episodes I & II we can often disappointed in the Jedi. Yes, they have supernatural abilities, but they often make major mistakes. Obi-Wan wasn’t all that nice to Anakin in the beginning, and the Jedi left Boba Fett orphaned and alone. However, this in and of itself is a good Biblical lesson: if we were perfect, we wouldn’t need the saving. God grants salvation to imperfect people and then conforms them to the mind of Christ–but this is a lifelong process. Going back to the blog that inspired me to write this–do I see Christians as guardians? Yes, but like the fictional Jedi, we make mistakes. We sin. That is why Jesus tells us not to judge, because only a Perfect Judge can be just.
The Prequels
If the original Trilogy focuses on Jedi and the redemptive power of the Light Side of the Force, then the Prequels focus on the Sith and the seductiveness of the Dark Side. I did not think it was a mistake that Palpatine’s robes have red streaks when he first tempts Anakin with the Dark Side. Palpatine certainly signifies Satan. Like the biblical devil he is manipulative, shrewd, he twists the truth, he is a liar, he plays with emotions. The Bible says that knowledge puffs up and Palpatine tells Anakin, “I foresee that you will be the greatest of all the Jedi”. He puffs Anakin with pride and the Bible tells us “pride goes before a fall”. Like the devil Palpatine gets people “bogged down in procedure” and gives them phantom menaces to chase while a larger problem goes unchecked (i.e., their spiritual condition).
The part in Episode III that gets me the most is how right on Anakin is when he says, “the Jedi are selfless, they only care about others.” In Philippians 2:3-4 Paul writes: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (NIV version). Paul says that’s the attitude Christ Jesus had during his ministry on Earth and as Christians (which simply means “little christs”) we ought to have the same. So the Sith and the Jedi are not the same; although I can see how Palpatine can twist it into that.
More in the Future
Well there you have it. I am sure there are many more examples that we can connect the dots. As time permits in the future, we will explore other Christian Theme literature from the authors C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Tolkien and Lewis both regarded their writing as essentially Christian. Tolkien admitted that they were “a fundamentally religious work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision”.
Similarly, many of Lewis’s works borrowed extensively from Christian narratives: one of the clearest examples is the Chronicles of Narnia, which has been interpreted as an allegory for certain Biblical stories, namely one of the central stories is of a great king who is sacrificed to save his people and is resurrected after three days. Hope you enjoyed this posting!
Topics: Bible, Christian Themes, Geek and Computer Stuff!, Movie Review, Sci Fi Movies, Star Wars | No Comments »
How To Live Your Life To The Fullest
By Lance Muller | May 3, 2011
What is “Living Life to its Fullest”?
Have you noticed that there are a lot of people posting on FaceBook and Twitter that they are “Living Life to Its Fullest”? Now we understand that their actual motives for sharing that information may be simple exuberance because they are having a happy moment, or that they are doing something that truly makes them happy. At other times, we sense that the person is only trying to make FaceBook points with Family and Friends… basically pride is making them brag and boast. Funny how it seems that many of these same people have also shared moments of despair within days or even minutes of declaring how happy they were.
However, their postings bring up a very serious question. How do we “Live Life to its Fullest?” Let’s begin by realizing that the measurement of Fullness is subjective for each one of us. What makes me happy will not necessary make you happy. So how do we define it for ourselves? By looking at what others are doing or what they have? Unfortunately that is what most of us do already and that seems to only disappoint us and make us unhappy. It’s not working…
The Unexamined Life
I’ve always been fascinated by Socrates’ bold statement that “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
He doesn’t mince words. He doesn’t say that the unexamined life is “less meaningful than it could be” or “one of many possible responses to human existence.” He simply and clearly says it’s not even worth living.
So we have to begin by examining our lives. How do you feel about your life today? Are you living every day in joy (joy is deeper and longer lasting than happiness)? Do you love what you’re doing? Are you content or excited most of the time? Are you looking forward to what’s coming up next? Are you living your best life?
If your answer to any of the above is a no, you need to realize that your life experience is up to you. It starts with the choices you make. Why settle for anything less than what you can get? You need to find the best that is tailored to you and your personality, circumstances and lifestyle.
Beginning to Examine Your Life
The following is a list of activities, points of perspective and habits that could help you pursue living your life to its fullest, beyond just a happy moment here and there. It’s time to re-engineer your life, or at least take the time to re-assess where you are and where you are going. Be sure to take stock of the complete picture. Examine your life from these perspectives:
Physical - We tend to focus way too much on this one and chase after standards that are impossible. Be realistic and practical. Shoot for health, not temporary looks.
Mental – Have you stopped learning? Or worse, are you filling your mind with worthless information such as fluff trivia of today’s culture. Try to add more dimensions to your life by adding skills and knowledge that will enrich your life.
Emotional - Do you have a handle on your emotions? Do your emotions control you or do you control your emotions? Emotions are God given and can really add richly to our lives, as long as we learn to manage them and the circumstances that give birth to many of them.
Spiritual – This area is the most neglected area of all of our lives, but has the hope and promise of carrying us above and beyond this physical life. I share many postings on this topic in my blog because it can truly give you peace and security in this life, before you enter the next. Please be wise and make the effort to improve this vitally important part of your life.
Now without any more further ado! Here are the 101 ways (there are more than just these) to live your life to the fullest:
101 Ways to Live Your Life to the Fullest
1.Live every day on a fresh new start. Don’t be held back by what happened yesterday, the day before, the week before, the year before, and so on.
2.Be true to who you are. Stop trying to please other people or be someone else. It’s better to be an original version of yourself than an exact duplicate of someone else.
3.Quit complaining. Don’t be like the howling dog, always howling and never doing anything. Stop complaining about your problems and work on them instead.
4.Be proactive. Stop waiting for others around you to do something and take action yourself instead.
5.Rather than think “what if”, think “next time”. Don’t think about things you can’t change (namely what has happened and thoughts of other people) or unhappy things because these are disempowering. Instead focus on the things you can action upon. That’s the most constructive thing you can do in any situation.
6.Focus on WHAT vs. How. Focus on WHAT you want first, before you think about HOW to do it. Anything is possible, as long as you set your mind, heart and soul to it.
7.Create your own opportunities. You can wait for opportunities to drop in life. Or, you can go out there and create your own opportunities. The latter is definite and much more empowering.
8.Live more consciously each day. Stop sleepwalking through life. Your life is something to be experienced, not coasted through.
9.Be committed to your growth. In the Map of Consciousness, there are 17 levels of consciousness – from Shame to Enlightenment. The higher level of consciousness you are in, the richer your life experience. Achieving higher consciousness comes from your commitment to growth.
10.Know your inner self. This means knowing who you are and what you represent. Be clear of your personal identity.
11.Discover your real life purpose. Set the mission statement for your life; one that will drive you to life your life to the fullest. For me it’s Christ as revealed in the Bible. I think you will find many answers there yourself.
12.Live in alignment with your purpose. What can you start doing immediately that will let you live 100% in alignment with your purpose? How can you live true to your purpose within every context/situation/environment you are in, every second of the day?
13.Set your life commandments. Define your personal commandments to live your best life. What adages and principles do you want to follow in your life? This will have lastings implications in this life and the next!
14.Discover your values. Values are the essence of what makes you, you. This can be a real challenge for many people. However, your values eventually turn into actions, good or bad. Craft them for good.
15.Hold yourself to the highest conduct. Every one of us have our own set of ethics, principles and moral codes. Live true to them every day. Also, live in full alignment with your purpose (#11), commandments (#13) and values (#14).
16.Design your ideal life. What is your ideal life? Design it. First, assess your life at the moment via the life wheel. Then, ask yourself what it takes to live a 10/10 life (in all 10 areas – career, health, love, social, etc…). What is the life that will make you the best person you can ever be? Set your BHAGs – big, hairy and audacious goals! There are no limits in life – only those you set for yourself!
17.Stop putting life on hold. Are you putting any parts of your life on hold? What is one area of your life you have been putting off/avoiding/denying? Uncover it and start working on it.
18.Create your life handbook. Your life handbook is your life-long personal manual to live your best life – from your mission statement, your values, your long-term goals, short-term goals, personal strengths, blind spots to address, plans, among others. Personally, mine is the Bible. Never has steered me wrong!
19.Set your goals. After you design your ideal life, set your 5-year, 3-year and 1-year goals. The more specific your goals, the better!
20.Take action on your goals and dreams. Create an action plan with your strategy, plan and immediate next steps.
21.Create your bucket list, i.e. things to do before you die. Then, get out to achieve them.
22.Don’t do things for the sake of doing them. Always evaluate what you’re doing and only do it if there is meaning behind them. Don’t be afraid to quit the things that don’t serve your path.
23.Do the things you love, because life is too precious to spend it doing anything else. If you don’t enjoy something, then don’t do it. Spend your time and energy on things that bring you fulfillment and happiness.
24.Discover your passion in life. What sets you on fire? Go out there (and explore inward) to know what you love to do.
25.Make your passion a full-fledged career. Then, start pursuing it. Stop working in a job you are passionless towards. Quit your job when you are ready to do it full-time.
26.Turn your passion into a huge success. Turn your passion into a multi-million dollar business. Better yet, make it a multi-billion dollar one.
27.Learn from criticism. Be open to criticism but don’t be affected by it. Criticism is meant to help you be a better person. Learn from it.
28.Be positive. Is the glass half empty or half full? How about neither? It’s actually all-full – the bottom half is water, the top half is air. It’s all a matter of perception. Take on empowering perceptions, not those that bind you. If you can see the positive sides of every thing, you’ll be able to live a much richer life than others. Purge unnecessary negativity from your life.
29.Do unto others what you would like others to do unto you. The law of reciprocity – Golden Rule
30.Don’t complain or badmouth about other people.
31.Be empathetic. If everyone only see life from his/her own perspective, we’ll forever be close-minded and insular. See things from others’ shoes.
32.Be a compassionate person. Show compassion and kindness to everyone around you
33.Develop 100% self-belief. Believe in yourself and your abilities. Remove your limiting beliefs and replace them with empowering ones (Day 25 of 30DLBL). If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect others to believe in you?
34.Let go of unhappy past. This means past grievances, heartbreaks, sadness, disappointments, etc.
35.Forgive those who may have done you wrong in the past. “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and realize it was you.” – Lewis B. Smedes
36.Let go of attachments. Don’t fixate yourself with a certain status, fame, wealth or material possessions. These are impermanent and will ultimately disappear one day when you die. Focus on growing and living life to the fullest instead.
37.Let go of relationships that do not serve you. That means negative people, dishonest people, people who don’t respect you, people are overly critical and relationships that prevent you from growing.
38.Spend more time with people who enable you. Hang out with people who you compatible with, like-minded people, people who are positive, successful, strong achievers and positive for your growth. You are after all the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.
39.Build genuine, authentic connections with people around you – strangers, friends, family, colleagues, business partners, customers/clients, etc. Spend more time to know them better and foster stronger connections.
40.Connect with an old friend. There is no end to the number of friends you can have. Reach out to people from the past.
41.Do a kind deed a day. What is something you can do today that will make the world a better place? Go and do it.
42.Help other people who are in need. Voluntarism is one outlet. You can also start with your friends and family.
43.Help people when they least expect it, without reason. You don’t need any reason to help others. Do it because you want to. Share the love with everyone.
44.Go dating (if you’re single).
45.Fall in love ♥
46.Review your life. Set a weekly review session to assess how you are doing for your goals and your life. Review your purpose once every 3-6 months too so you know you’re on the right path.
47.Overcome procrastination. Procrastination is a huge waste of your time (and your life). Get rid of it once and for all.
48.30 minutes a day. Set aside at least 30 minutes every day to work on a quadrant 2 goal that, when you achieve it, will bring about the biggest source of fulfillment and happiness in your life
49.Get out there and make new friends – whether in your workplace, online, friends’ friends, social groups, etc.
50.Be your advisor (from the future). Imagine you’re the future you, 5 years later. How would you advise yourself? Write it down. Now, apply them. Check out Future Prediction Exercise article in The Personal Excellence Book, which teaches you to predict your future, then learn from it.
51.Write a letter to your future self. Actually, write 3 letters – for yourself in 1, 3 and 5 years. The longer the letters, the better. Envision how you’ll be like in the future. Make each letter a minimum 2 pages long. Now, seal them and put them in a safe place. Set it in your calendar so you’ll know to open them when it’s time. This will inspire you to work your hardest and achieve your maximum results in the time period.
52.Declutter. Start from your computer, then your table, your room, your bag/wallet, and your home. The more you throw the unwanted and old stuff away, the more room you’re creating for new things to enter.
53.Keep learning. There is something to learn from everything you see, hear and experience. This includes your mistakes and past misshaps (if any). Learn to interpret each event objectively. Focus on what you can learn from it so you can apply them moving forward.
54.Keep developing yourself. Equip yourself with a huge breadth of knowledge. Learn different skills, pick up different hobbies, study different fields.
55.Keep upgrading yourself. Equip yourself with a huge depth of knowledge. While you can usually only level up to 99 in video games, in real life you can level up to infinity. Go for further studies if need be. Develop your skills. Level up. Build your >10,000 hours in each skill.
56.Try new things. What’s something you’d normally not do? Get out of your comfort zone try something different. It can be something simple like taking a new bus route, trying a new food item, picking up a new hobby, or something bigger like studying a different field, picking a new skill, traveling to a country you’ll never visit, etc. You set your own limits.
57.Get yourself out there. This applies for everything. (a) Get out there geographically. Go out, travel and explore the world. Set sail into the sea. Go backpacking by yourself and visit as many countries as possible. Get on a road trip and visit the different places that come out. (B) Get out there situationally. Stop sticking to routines and comfort zones. Try something different. (c) Get out there in life. Stop watching TV and living vicariously through the TV characters. Go and live the life of your dreams.
58.Be the absolute best in what you do. Go for the #1 position in what you do. If you want to spend your time doing something, you might as well be the best in it. Strive for the best – you don’t deserve anything lesser than that.
59.Don’t settle. In the same lines as #58, don’t settle for less. Don’t settle for someone you don’t like as your partner. Don’t settle for a job you don’t like #25). Don’t settle for friends who make you feel like a lesser person (#37). Don’t settle for a weight you are unhappy with. Go for what you really want.
60.Stretch yourself. What are you doing now? How can you achieve more? Set bigger goals. Explore your limits and break them.
61.Embrace new ideas. Don’t mentally limit yourself; Let your mind be a breeding ground for new ideas.
62.Create your inspirational haven. Turn your room into a place you love. Do the same for your work desk. Get rid of things that make you unproductive. Surround it with things that inspire you and trigger you to action.
63.Behave as your ideal self will. All of us have an ideal vision of who we want to be. How is your ideal self like? How can you start to be that ideal self now?
64.Set your role models in life. With role models, you become much better than you can be by yourself. Seeing them and what they do reminds us of what we can be and what we can do, so they drive us on to greater heights. Start with moral examples like Jesus.
65.Get mentors and/or coaches. There’s no faster way to improve than to have someone work with you on your goals. Not only will they drive you to achieve more for yourself, they’ll also share with you important advice which you can use to create even more success for yourself. Many of my clients approach me to coach them and the net result: they achieve significantly more progress and results in their life than if they had worked alone.
66.Uncover your blind spots. The more you uncover, the more you grow, the better you become.
67.Increase your consciousness. The more conscious you are, the more evolved you become.
68.Ask for feedback. As much as we try to uncover our blind spots (#66), there will be areas we cannot identify. Asking for feedback gives us an additional perspective. Some people to approach will be friends, family, colleagues, boss, or even acquaintances, since they will have no preset bias and can give their feedback objectively.
69.Generate passive income. Create passive income streams so your income is not tied to the time you spend on your work. Of course you’ll still continue to work, but only because you want to and not because you have to.
70.Help others live their best lives. There is no better way to grow than to help others grow. Ultimately, the world is one. We are all in this together.
71.Get married / Start your family / Have kids! But be sure that it’s what will work for you. It does for me!
72.Improve the world. There are many things in the world that need your attention and help. Poverty. Disaster recovery. Illiteracy. Children in need. Depleting rainforests. Animal rescue. Endangered species. How can you do your part?
73.Spearhead a humanitarian cause/organization you are passionate about.
74.Give more value than you receive. There is so much unspeakable joy that comes from giving. And when you keep giving, you’ll find that you actually receive a lot more in return, in spades.
75.Be big picture focus. You can either set your eyes on the big things or get hung up by the nitty gritty details. The former will help you get a lot more out of life than the latter. Focus on the big rocks in life and put first things first (Quadrant 2 tasks). Practice the 80/20 rule – focus on the 20% things that give you the 80% fulfillment in life.
76.Be clear of your end objective. What is the end goal you seek? Is what you’re doing bringing you there? If not, put it aside. As long as you keep taking on things that meet your end goal, you’ll eventually reach there.
77.Go the 80/20 route. For every goal you have, there are different paths to achieve it. Pick out the 80/20 path, i.e. the most effective path that brings you there the fastest with least amount of effort.
78.Prioritize (80/20 actions). As you embark on the 80/20 path for your goals, focus on the important tasks and cut out the less important ones. That means do the 20% actions that give you the 80% results.
79.Live in the moment. Are your thoughts wandering around all the time? Calm your mind down. Be present. The only time you’re ever living is in this moment. Meditation helps to remove mental clutter.
80.Relish in the little moments. Snuggling under warm covers on a rainy day. Ice cream on a hot day. A kiss with your loved one. Being with your best friend. A walk by the park. The breeze on your face. Quiet, alone time. Watching the sun rise/set. Soak in all these little moments of life. They are what make up your life.
81.Take a break. Being the best also requires you to take breaks when needed. Make sure you rest when needed. Doing so lets you walk the longer mile ahead.
82.Stop wanting things a certain way. I wrote a 3-part series before on the downsides of perfectionism and how to overcome them. Be firm on your end goals and your ideals, but let go of the fixation that things have to be a certain way. You’ll realize it’s by doing that that you achieve what you want.
83.Focus on creation.
84.Don’t criticize or judge others. Respect others for who they are.
85.The only person you can change is yourself. Stop expecting others to behave in a certain way. Rather than demand that others around you change, focus on changing yourself. You’ll be happier and live a more fulfilling life this way.
86.Embrace gratitude. Be grateful for everything you have today, and everything you will get in the future.
87.Express gratitude. Let the people who’ve touched you know of your gratitude towards them. You’ll be surprised what a little act like this can do. If you don’t tell them, they’ll never know.
88.Let loose and have fun. Sing at the top of your lungs. Dance in the rain 
. Run barefoot and feel the ground underneath your feet. Release of your self-imposed shackles and be free .
89.Get into nature. Many of us live in concrete jungles. Soak in the beauty of nature.
90.You have a choice. Recognize you always have a choice in how to live your life.
91.Laugh more . Are you reading this with a straight face? Smile and have fun .
92.Embrace change. The only thing that’s constant is change. Change means growth. Rather than resist change, learn to versatile such that you can make the best out of the changes that come. In fact, become an agent of change.
93.Be more risk-inclined. Don’t be afraid to take risks. The bigger your risks, the bigger your return.
94.Embrace mistakes. The more mistakes you make, the faster you learn. Make sure to draw lessons so you can build on them. (#53)
95.Embrace disappointments. Many people try to avoid feeling disappointed. They develop a resistant relationship with disappointment. However, disappointment is part and parcel of being human – it reflects your real passions. Don’t resist it – instead, embrace it. Understand it, then channel into it to create more in life.
96.Challenge your fears. All of us have fears. Fear of uncertainty, fear of public speaking, fear of risk… All our fears keep us in the same position and prevent us from growing. Rather than avoid your fears, recognize they are the compass for growth. Address and overcome them.
97.Maximize your mind, body, heart and soul. Living your best life requires you to maximize yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. If you’re highly successful, very materially abundant, have a big circle of friends, very spiritually aware but you neglect your physical health, that’s not living your life to the fullest. The same for other scenarios where a part of you is blocked off. Maximize all 4 aspects of you.
98.Be your best self. Essentially all the articles here at The Personal Excellence Blog are about being your best self and achieving your highest potential. It’s only through being the best we can be that we live our life to the fullest.
99.Love yourself. You are the person you have to live with for the rest with your life. Treasure and love yourself.
100.Love others. Be grateful for all the people around you because they help you to grow. They enrich your life experience. Without them, your life would not have been the same.
101.Last but not least: Love life. I always find living to be a fascinating experience. How we’re all on earth, with millions of species, 30,000 different life forms, over 7 billion people, and all thriving in its own way, existing, co-existing and in co-creation mode. There’s so much we don’t know out there, so much to be experienced in life, that it’s just wonderful.
Topics: Family and Friends, Humor, Learning, Logic, Social Science, Uncategorized | No Comments »
What is Pascal’s Wager?
By Lance Muller | May 1, 2011
WHAT IS PASCAL’S WAGER- Introduction
When discussing God’s existence, the name Pascal immediately comes to mind. But can you remember what was meant by…”Pascal’s wager?”
WHAT IS PASCAL’S WAGER- Blaise Pascal
Pascal lived from 1623-1662. He was renowned as a French mathematician, physicist, philosopher, and theologian. Anyone who has taken a high school or college geometry class has no doubt heard of Pascal and his mathematical studies.
WHAT IS PASCAL’S WAGER- The Essential Argument
In the area of religion, Pascal is best known for his “wager.” Pascal, a Christian believer and apologist, argued that while God’s existence cannot be known with rational certainty, it is nevertheless prudent to believe in God. In his book Pensées, Pascal argued that either God exists or he does not exist. However, our present life, and possibly our future destiny, rests upon the alternative that we choose. Pascal reasoned that by believing in God (Christian theism), you have everything to win (in fact, you have eternal life to win) and nothing to lose. However, by not believing, you have nothing to win and everything to lose (in fact, you could lose your eternal soul). He therefore reasoned that if you consider what’s at stake, your best (or safer) wager is to believe in God. To wit — “Pascal’s wager.”
What shall we make of Pascal’s wager? It certainly is not a proof of God’s existence in the traditional sense. But it does appeal to our practical, common sense approach to decision making. Without doubt, unbelievers are taking an enormous risk.
WHAT IS PASCAL’S WAGER- The Evidence for God
It should also be noted that the evidence for God’s existence, if examined with a truly open mind, is extremely compelling. In fact, let me say that anyone looking at the evidence without bias would conclude that a belief in God is the only rational alternative. If you are seeking for God — He can be found! He has made Himself known by the light of Creation (Rom. 1), the light of conscience (Rom. 2), and the light of Christ (John 1). Remember what God says: “I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me” (Prov. 8:17).
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SOMEONE WORTH LOSING EVERYTHING FOR
By Lance Muller | April 23, 2011
I expect that most people will not be reading this posting for various reasons. Some will not because they think that they have better things to do. Others will not because they will see that it has something to do with the Bible, and think that they have heard it all before. And still others will not because they are afraid of what it will cost them. I know that if I encountered this type of article a few years back, that is what I would have thought. I encourage you to take the time and do something Radical! Read this and then tell me if it did not challenge you like nothing else ever has… Are you brave enough? I dare you!
Do we believe Christ is worth abandoning everything for? Do we believe Jesus is so good, so satisfying, and so rewarding that we will leave all we have, all we own, and all we are to find our fullness in Him? Do we believe Him enough to obey Him and to follow Him wherever He leads, even when the crowds in our culture, and maybe in our churches, turn the other way?
The cost of following Christ is great. However, the cost of not following Christ is even greater. The cost of believers not taking Jesus seriously is vast for those who don’t know Christ and devastating for those who are starving and suffering around the world. The cost of not abandoning everything to follow Christ is great for those men and women who miss out on the infinite joy of knowing and experiencing Christ in all His fullness.
Luke 14:25-33 (New International Version, ©2011)
The Cost of Being a Disciple
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
Investigation
When [Jesus] spoke these verses in Luke 14 He was on the road to [Jerusalem]. The context immediately preceding this passage finds Him in attendance at a dinner party held by a prominent Pharisee where He told a parable of a great feast for which the invited guests were too enthralled in their own lives to attend.
Jesus knew He was on His way to His death. He was going to the place where He would make the ultimate sacrifice to pay the penalty for the sin of all humankind. Many of His followers, however, continued to look to Jesus to be a deliverer in a military sense, one who would free them from Roman oppression. The crowd following Him only continued to grow.
Since Jesus understood what He was going to face, He also knew the trials through which His followers would have to persevere. He needed them to understand the level of commitment that was required in order to truly follow after Him where He was leading.
Importance
This passage teaches that [Jesus is God and Savior]. This passage of Scripture is important because it leads learners to consider the cost of following Jesus. It makes it clear that in order for a person to be a true disciple of [Christ], one must devote himself or herself to Him above anything and everyone.
This passage also points to the truth that [Salvation Is By Faith Alone].
Interpretation
Luke 14:25-26 Jesus could never be accused of appealing to popular opinion. Though it appears He was garnering mass appeal, He was more interested in developing true [disciples] as opposed to crowds of adoring fans.
The difficulty in understanding His teaching to the crowd obviously stems from the harshness of the language He uses. The tendency is to try to rationalize verses like these by thinking that Jesus was only using [hyperbole] and did not really mean what He was saying. However, Jesus used the word “[hate]” for a very specific and purposeful reason. The Greek word miseo is not an absolute but a relative term. It could mean to “love less” (Mt 10:37). However, here Jesus’ point was that a true disciple’s devotion to Him should make all other relationships appear to be characterized by hate in comparison.
This certainly doesn’t lessen the impact of Jesus’ words, especially in a society where honor of one’s parents was viewed as the highest of life’s callings. He still meant that our love for Him takes first priority above all others in our lives. Teachers regularly demanded great respect and affection, but in Jewish tradition only God openly demanded such wholesale devotion as Jesus claims here (Deut 6:4-5).
Luke 14:27 When a criminal was condemned to death by [crucifixion] he would have to literally carry his cross, usually the horizontal beam, to the site of the upright stake where he would be put to death. This was the same fate to which Jesus was journeying. No one would choose to suffer this indignity and torture, yet this is precisely the path Jesus calls His disciples to choose.
The picture here is one of death and sacrifice. In order for a person to truly follow Jesus, one must continually die to oneself, letting go completely of all that he or she has desired and pursued in life in order to fully embrace all that Jesus desires for him or her.
Luke 14:28-30 The failings of inadequate or half-finished structures were well known. However, the point here is the shame the builder would suffer in a society obsessed with honor if he was unable to finish what he set out to accomplish. No builder of any reputation would allow himself to be caught in such a situation.
The same should be true for the disciple of Jesus. He or she should consider, before he or she ever commits, the persistence and perseverance he or she will need in order to follow Jesus wherever He leads.
Luke 14:31-32 Whereas it would be a great embarrassment for a builder to be unable to finish his project, no shame could outmatch that of a king waging a foolhardy war. Contrasted with the previous three verses, the cost considered here is whether or not the disciple is willing to follow Jesus in the midst of great adversity that threatens to possibly overwhelm him or her.
Luke 14:33 Only the person who has considered the cost of following Jesus and committed to pay whatever it may be can truly be Jesus’ disciple. The calling of Jesus does not necessarily involve the complete abandonment of one’s possessions and relationships, though it might. Rather the life of a disciple is one that most certainly requires full surrender to Jesus as his or her Lord. His or her commitment to Him must be without any reservation.
Implications
These verses contain what is considered one of the most difficult of Jesus’ teachings. However, the difficulty does not excuse us from taking very seriously what Jesus teaches here. The call to be a disciple is not one to be taken lightly. It is not easy. It is demanding. It requires great sacrifice and commitment.
In our culture that seeks to always appeal to one’s own selfish interests and comforts, Jesus calls us to put Him first, a priority so above everything else in our life that they pale in comparison. Perhaps the most daunting conclusion we can draw is the unspoken questions Jesus leaves us with at the end of these verses: “Now that I have been clear about what it will cost, will you follow me?”
The above is from a book and bible study I am reading called “Radical”. In Radical, David Platt invites you to encounter what Jesus actually said about being his disciple, and then obey what you have heard. He challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated a God-centered gospel to fit our human-centered preferences. With passionate storytelling and convicting biblical analysis, Platt calls into question a host of comfortable notions that are common among Christ’s followers today. Then he proposes a radical response: live the gospel in ways that are true, filled with promise, and ultimately world changing. Is there anything in your life worth losing everything for? How about your own soul?
Mark 8:36 (New International Version, ©2011)
36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
http://www.amazon.com/Radical-Taking-Faith-American-Dream/dp/1601422210
Topics: Bible, Bible Study, Christian History, Social Science, The Bible Answers, Uncategorized | No Comments »
The Five Stages of a Blogger’s Life
By Lance Muller | April 20, 2011
Hope you enjoy this. Concept by Paul Bradshaw, drawings by the wonderful Alex Hughes. The running commentary is my own.
Stage 1
SO you have decided to start your own blog… There is always a starting place and typically there is a learning curve… There is a long wait sometimes for the feedback, the notoriety, the fame, the psychic paycheck and the personal satifaction of a job well done. But you are driven to write by some unknown force…
Stage 2
Then suddenly there is engagement! People have noticed you and the feedback comes flooding in. This is exactly what you were hoping for. You have connected! People find what you are writing about interesting, even facinating! It’s PAYDAY!
Stage 3
Now your readers have become a community. Your community! And you are writing not for yourself, but for them. You are feeding their souls with the wisdom you dispense. They want more and more and you are more than happy to give of yourself!!!
Stage 4
So you write more and more… You look for topics, pearls of wisdom, quotes, news, how to’s and you start installing new widgets and the latest blog features to keep your readers, your community happy! You are now managing an ever growing publishing empire!!! You work day and night… night and day…
Stage 5
When suddenly one day, POOF! You have had enough! This has now become a second career and involves a ton of work to maintain your high standards!!! You can’t take it any more… You take a break… you unplug… you disengage… and you find a freedom that you never dreamt was possible… and then it hits you! Blogging was never really about writing for other people… It’s all about writing for yourself… To feed your soul… To express Yourself… aaaahhhhhhhh… Now you get it!
You exclaim, “Man! I gotta blog about this!!!” Then you are back at it… and Loving IT!!!
Topics: Blogging, Humor, Social Science, Writing | No Comments »
You Too Can Be A Blogger!
By Lance Muller | April 20, 2011
What is Blogging?
Blogging is the art of sharing your thoughts, your talents, your recipes, your opinions, your dreams and hopes with other people on the Web who want to know about you, or would if only they knew you existed. Blogging can also be a more serious enterprise that focuses on news analysis and commentary, photographs, music, art, videos or any other kind of information. For almost any topical interest, there’s an opportunity to blog about it.
I personally use my blog as a web log of the things that I find interesting whether it’s Books I am reading, Movies that I have just watched, a Vacation I am planning, Pictures that I have taken or Simple Memories of days gone by. For the reader, I hope to maybe introduce them to some new idea, place, person or just update family and friends on what my family and I are up to. Besides, It’s FUN!
Your Own Blog
You can have a blog just for yourself. You can have a blog for friends and family, or perhaps for your local stamp collector club. No matter what kind of blog you want, finding cheap web hosting plans for your blog isn’t hard. Many high-quality hosting providers exist which offer good plans at little cost or no cost. Just google it!
Different Types of Blog
Regardless of size, complexity or intent, a number of common blog types inhabit the Web.
- Personal diaries, logs or journals. These are the most widespread, and are almost always written by a single individual.
Pros: Need only simple themes. Easy to write or neglect at will. Little pressure, can be a lot of fun.
Cons: Possible boredom or even burnout if too active without occasional breaks. Risk of loud-mouthed commentary getting back to bosses or friends. Be careful what you blog about! - Personal photograph galleries (photoblogs). These likely will require blog software to be augmented with plug-ins meant especially for photograph management.
Pros: Admiration from friends and family for great photographs. - Cons: Decent equipment can be quite expensive. Learning to take good photographs is time-consuming, as is hunting down outstanding photographic opportunities.
- Art blogs. Literature may also be covered. This type of blog will do best with writers who have extensive knowledge of specific areas of art or literature, and have plug-in requirements similar to those of photoblogs.
Pros: Aids professional development. May attract job offers germane to art or literature specialty.
Cons: Ensuring accuracy of claimed facts may be exhausting. May require complex visual layouts. - Music blogs. These frequently use third-party file servers for the actual MP3 downloads, and are thematically similar to photoblogs.
Pros: It’s music, and a lot of it. Might get a good deal of traffic with profitable advertising revenue.
Cons: Must be cautious about ensuring that the legal owners of the copyrights for encoded music have explicitly allowed such downloads. Risk of lawsuits from the R.I.A.A. - Video blogs (vlogs). These often are multi-author.
Pros: Video is fun. Might get significant monetized traffic.
Cons: May require more complicated setup with third-party video servers such as YouTube or Amazon S3. Can be costly to operate. Risk of lawsuits from the M.P.A.A. if copyright is infringed. - Political or general news commentary blogs. These strongly resemble personal journals, and may be multi-writer.
Pros: Participants get to opionate, comment, critize and scold to their hearts’ content. May attract decent traffic and advertising revenue.
Cons: Requires dedication to staying current with events, with few breaks if audience is to be kept. - Podcasting blogs. These are similar in style to commentary blogs, with the same technical requirements as for music blogs or vlogs.
Pros: Can attract a large audience with good advertising revenue. Little risk of lawsuits from R.I.A.A. or M.P.A.A.
Cons: Requires broad range of knowledge about topics, production values, audio and video editing.
Which Kind of Blog
Only you can decide which sort of blog works best for you. If you’re not certain, then start a little blog for whatever pops into your head. If a certain topic or format such as vlogging especially interests you, then concentrate on that. WordPress is a very popular and powerful blogging platform, and starting with it won’t hurt. I am using WordPress for this blog. It is also easy to find cheap web hosting plans for WordPress. It could be all the blogging platform you’ll ever need.
Whichever options you choose, enjoy yourself! Blogging can enrich your life, please your friends and maybe help improve the world, just a bit. Let me know if the writer in you is being displayed in your own personal blog. Nothing like having your own soapbox to speak from!
Topics: Blogging, Family and Friends, Learning, Memories | No Comments »
Disneyland Procedure Book: The Haunted Mansion
By Lance Muller | April 18, 2011
I must admit that when people ask me what is my favorite ride at Disneyland, I have to fudge and name three; The Indiana Jones Adventure Ride, The Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion.
The Haunted Mansion has always held a deep fascination for me especially the technology, detailed decorations and in how with the help of cast memebers, how it all works together to excite us.
I have always had the haunted house bug and even designed and executed my own as a kid. I found online an interesting backstage disney document which is required read for disney cast members to learn the in’s and out’s of running the Haunted Mansion. I hope that you enjoy these most interesting excerpts:
Disneyland Standard Operating Procedure Book
The Haunted Mansion
EFFECTIVE DATE: 5/11/75
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
Construction on the exterior of the Mansion was completed in 1963. In style, it is Antebellum Southern, themed to its location on the Rivers of America in the New Orleans area. Since its completion, Disneyland has been inviting ghosts from all over this world, and the next, to move in for “active retirement.”
Latest population figures show that there are 999 residents at home in the Haunted Mansion, and they are always looking for #1,000 which might be any volunteer brave enough to enter. Ghost residents are a potpourri of supernatural, occult, psychic, and historical types, ranging from Egyptian and Roman, to Napoleonic and Dickens era. There is also an assortment of fluttering bats, talking ravens, screaming banshees, owls, cats, and baying hounds.
The Ghost Host is head man of the Mansion’s skeleton crew. His mysterious voice accompanies guests throughout the adventure. The ride-through of the Mansion’s labyrinth of cobwebbed-filled halls, pitch-black corridors, and deathly-cold rooms is made by means of two-passenger carriages of the continuously moving Omnimover WED-way Transportation System. Each of the 131 cars is capable of 180 degree turns, both left and right, and are pre-programmed to turn in the direction of visible and invisible sights and toward the sources of unearthly sounds.
The Haunted Mansion has been in the planning stage for more than ten years, since Walt Disney first assigned his staff to research supernatural phenomenon and “haunted” places. “We’ll keep up the grounds and things outside,” Walt said, “and the ghosts can take care of the inside.”
The Haunted Mansion is the eighth Disneyland attraction to utilize the Disney-developed “Audio-Animatronics” system that combines three-dimensional animation and sound through the use of electronics. It brings the ghosts “to life.” Many new techniques in sound and “illusioning” have been developed by WED Enterprises and its subsidiary, MAPO, Inc. for use in the Haunted Mansion to make ghosts appear and disappear at will, to make marble statues “talk”, and to enable both the ghosts and the furniture to “float” around and through the Mansion’s rooms.
FACT SHEET
1. Opening Date – August 9, 1969
2. Cost: $7 million. It is Disneyland’s fifty-third major attraction and brings the capital investment in the Park in 1969 to $126 million.
3. Capacity A. 2,618 guests per hour (based on loading) B. Two guests in every car, every 3 seconds (cars are spaced every 6.0 feet with cars travelling at a speed of 2 feet a second (1.364 miles per hour).
4. Cycle Time: (Cars from one point back to that point again) Average 6 min.
5. Guests per minute: 41.38.
6. Length of the track: 786 feet.
7. Number of carriages: 131.
8. Power: Ten 7 1/2 horse power drive units.
9. Waiting times (based on 100% operation)
A. Main Gate: 5 minutes.
B. First Queue: 10 minutes.
C. Second Queue: 18 minutes.
D. Third Queue: 30 minutes.
E. CC #2: 50 minutes.
10. Elevators (Intervals of complete descent/ascent cycle:)
A. Close door – 7.5 seconds.
B. Descent – 104 seconds (light load).
C. Open door – 7.0 seconds.
D. Ascent 25 seconds.
E. Open door – 7.5 seconds.
TOTAL: 151 seconds approximately. Varies with size of load.
11. Unload belt speed 25 seconds for length of 30 feet 6 inches.
12. Load and unload belt is 63% of the speed of the entire system
ROOMS AND AREAS
1. Picture Gallery: An eerie-lit setting without doors or windows where paintings seems to “stretch” and guests are shown “the coward’s way out.”
2. Corridor of Haunted Portraits: Where each lightning flash “ages” and changes portraits from what they seem to be to what they really are.
3. Endless Hallway: A misty passageway that beckons guests to enter, but offers no end.
4. Conservatory: Inside, a casket sits amidst the cobwebs in a room cluttered with plants and flowers — all deceased. Outside the broken glass window an eerie landscape is shrouded in fog.
5. Corridor of Doors: A chill hangs silently in the air, and then suddenly, the frightful sounds of unseen figures.
6. Clock Hall: A grandfather gargoyle clock solemnly tolls the hour — always “13:00″.
7. Seance Circle: The spirits respond as Madam Liotta chants incantations in her crystal ball.
8. Grand Hall: Where a birthday party is taking place around the long, dusty dining room table. The “Ghostess” has invited many of her friends of the spirit world to share her birthday cake, to dance and play as ghosts of many periods in history appear and disappear as the pipe organ sounds a merry waltz.
9. Attic: Where the sound of a beating heart echoes through a musty room filled with monstrous memories.
10. Graveyard: The private park and playground of the spooks who inhabit the Haunted Mansion, where crypt doors creak and tombstones quake as the spirits join in to sing “Grim Grinning Ghosts”. While medieval minstrels play, a Victorian-era King and Queen balance a teeter-totter on a gravestone… marble busts suddenly come to life to join the chorus… playful spirits ride their bicycles around and around the tombstones… a headless knight sings… and picnicking ghosts raise their glasses in toast to one another and the wonderful fun they’re having.
11. Crypt: A somber setting where in contrast, a trio of happy hitchhikers grin ghoulishly as they seek a way out… preferably the seat right next to you.
CROWD CONTROL #1
1. Crowd control duties are three-fold:
A. Crowd Control — Open crowd control areas as needed. Keep the lines moving at all times, to prevent “cutting” in line and keep guests off the grass and direct guests with wheelchairs to porch, (VIP door), and strollers to the proper parking area. (Refer to wheelchair policy).
B. Trash Control — Absolutely no food or drinks are allowed past the main gate. Put all popcorn left at the gate in the trash receptacles.
C. Public Relations — Learn the location of snack bars, restaurants, restrooms, water fountains, and attractions in the immediate area. Answer all questions as accurately and pleasantly as possible.
2. Position: On wall at the gate if CC #1 is open. If queue is inside the gate, please stand on the ground.
3. Dress Variation:
A. In hot weather males may substitute a long vest for the coat, at direction of foremen.
B. In cold weather, females may wear a black Disneyland sweater.
C. Non-reflective (non mirrored type) dark glasses may be worn.
CROWD CONTROL #2
1. This position also handles guest questions, also strollers and wheelchair positioning.
2. When needed, open the crowd control section of the pathway near the railway station.
3. Call foreman about any unusual situations or major problems by using the raft dock phone.
TURNSTILE
1. Ticket Taking
A. One “E” coupon or the equivalent should be received from each person over the age of three. (No combination of tickets).
B. Tickets are to be torn in half and placed in the ticket box.
C. Care should be taken to insure the turning of the turnstile for each ticket holder.
2. Admit as many guests as necessary to keep the porch full.
3. All tickets purchased from the Central Ticket Booth should be registered on the CBT meter located on the ticket box.
4. Courtesy tickets involve the following types:
A. White ticket with pink keys.
B. Re-admission tickets.
5. Count as courtesies:
A. All members of parties awarded entrance by supervision (any blue I.D. card)
B. All tour guide VIP hostesses.
6. Parties awarded back door clearance must have clearance by area supervision or be accompanied by a VIP hostess with a back door clearance card from City Hall.
7. Dress variation
A. Long vest may be substituted for the coat in hot weather (males) (At direction of foreman)
B. A black Disneyland sweater may be worn in cold weather (women) (At direction of foreman)
8. In a slower period of time the porch turnstile should be used and the turnstile operator will also act as the Foyer Operator.
9. Please ask all guests to refrain from smoking inside the attraction. (All food and beverages should be finished before entering).
FOYER
1. The operator should allow entrance to groups of approximately 70-85 guests. A group this size will comfortably fill the foyer with the corners empty. Operators should be alert to calls from the elevator operators and/or load operators with regard to the length of the line in the hall. A light load consists of approximately 30 guests.
2. When running one ER only, operators should motion guests from turnstile to mansion entrance. A full group should be inside foyer with the doors closed before the start of the foyer spiel.
3. To insure a good beginning to the tour, care should be taken to close the foyer doors. They should not be reopened until the elevator doors are closed.
4. Operators should encourage the gusts to “Step to the right please, fill the entire room.”
5. Guests should be requested to proceed to the far wall without forming lines. Operators should check to see that gaps and spaces are eliminated in the foyer.
6. Operators should be notified of parties entering through the VIP door. A friendly greeting will always be appreciated. Also foyer operator should notify turnstile operator of party, to be properly recorded.
7. Any guest needing assistance in exiting from the foyer should be accompanied by the foyer operator through the VIP door and out the CC2 gate. Tickets are obtained from the turnstile.
8. Male operators are required to wear coats at all times, whenever on stage.
EXPANDING ROOMS
The Expanding Rooms carry the guests from the foyer to the hallway — approximately fifteen feet underground. This is done by two hydraulic elevators capable of carrying approximately 80 people — down only.
1. While loading guests into the Expanding Rooms, the spiel in the ER’s will state: “Welcome foolish mortals… mortal state.” At this time the operator will stand in front of the switch panel asking guests to “Please step forward toward the center of the gallery.” NEVER start to descend until the load spiel is finished!
2. The spiel will begin upon descent, “Your cadaverous pallor… of course there’s always my way.” When the room turns dark at the bottom, the operator can move forward toward the doors and guide guests out when the doors open.
3. When running two ER’s, start your ascent on the words “your imagination,” (otherwise start up when all guests have exited your ER.)
4. When one Expanding Room is operating it is not necessary to wait for a signal to start the ascent. As soon as guests leave the gallery, it is all right to ascend, but only when one Expanding Room is operating and the other is parked.
5. If mechanical difficulties arise, ie., doors won’t open or close, call the foreman who should then check the situation to see if maintenance assistance is required. If the doors do not open, call for foreman. Flip the emergency switch to off. Remain calm and tell the guests there is a mechanical difficulty and that it won’t be long. It is very important to be courteous and calm during the breakdown so the guests will not worry. If guests are in the room very long, it is a good policy to give out re-admission tickets for their inconvenience.
6. Under no circumstances take an elevator back up with a capacity load. If the doors won’t open, do not ascend. The elevator oil lines will burst. The only time that the Expanding Room will ascend with guests will be in emergency situations, and the weight limit will be 2,000 pounds, no more than 10-12 people. The descending limit will be 12,000 pounds.
7. When we are in a slower period of time and only one Expanding Room is being used, the Expanding Room should be rotated on a day to day basis. The Expanding Room operator is responsible for keeping the foyer operator informed of the condition of the hall as to whether lighter or heavier loads are required. The hall should remain filled to a point approximately ten feet back from the bend in the hall (not ten feet from the ER doors).
8. During slow periods and operating in early morning, the operator will walk the guests from the ER to load belt. Put the elevator switch in the stop position when doing so.
9. If Expanding Room is occupied, do not leave it unattended unless it is an extreme emergency.
LOAD #1
1. Operators should stand off the load belt facing the cars or be walking the load belt facing the guests and directing the guests into the cars. NOTE: Do not lean on wall.
2. The cars will accommodate two adults and a third person if that individual is small (which is left to the operator’s discretion). Whenever possible keep family groups together. There should NEVER be four adults in one car.
3. The load #1 operator will maintain flow-control on load belt at ALL times and assist the guests by POINTING to the car each group will take and verbally instruct each group to “Watch your step.” “Two or three to a car please.”
4. The operator should be especially solicitous to the elderly and lame. He should assist them in their initial step onto the load belt by stepping out with them and offering physical support.
5. Do not load defective cars. They will be marked with a strip of white tape.
6. When the system is down, the operator should remain in his position. His chief function is to keep the belt clear until the ride resumes operation.
LOAD #2
1. The operator at load #2 has several functions.
A. Assist guests into cars if needed.
B. Insure that all guests get safely into cars and insure that clamshells close.
C. Emergency stop the Omnimover system if needed. Activate emergency spiel.
D. Handle wheelchairs in absence of the foreman.
E. Regroup guests if traffic on the load belt gets disorganized.
F. Restart Omnimover system on all clear signal from foreman.
2. Load #2 operator will carry the “remote” and a flashlight.
3. The load #2 operator will walk the load belt directly across from the control console. NOTE: Please maintain this position unless assistance is required by load #1. Unload #2 operator, under normal circumstances, should not be closer to load #1 than the console.
4. In the event of an emergency stop situation, the load #2 operator will first push the emergency spiel button. Then assist guests into cars and clear the load belt. When the load belt is clear he will pick up the “hot line” intercom and obtain an “all clear” from unloader before restarting the system. He must also notify the unloader of any guests who may need assistance exiting from cars.
5. If a guest chooses not to ride, escort him to exit via door #2 and call turnstile for a ticket.
6. Always be ready to activate the emergency stop “remote” control if needed. But if a guest cannot enter the car before the end of the belt, take him back for another try without stopping the system.
UNLOAD
1. The unload operator is responsible for getting all guests out of the cars safely.
2. The unloader should position himself, walking the unload belt, so that all guests exit the cars in front of him before the end of the unload belt.
3. The unloader is to assist all guests having problems exiting cars.
4. The unloader will, at all times, carry a “remote” control device.
5. Inform all guests wearing long maxi-type dresses to raise them slightly over comb plates on unload belt and upramp.
6. Check upramp periodically to see if upramp is running correctly — if off, wait until ramp is clear of guests to re-start. NOTE: Ramp should engage and start with one turn of key — If this fails notify foreman and do not re-start.
7. In the event of an emergency stop, the unloader will clear his unload belt and inform the loader that “all is clear.”
UTILITY
1. The function of the utility operator is to maintain order in the attraction.
A. To correct unruly guests.
B. Maintain watch of animation and any potential hazards.
2. Operator should have a flashlight at all times.
3. Stay out of guests’ view as much as possible so as not to spoil the show.
4. Cover the following positions (roving).
A. Entrance to Grand Hall.
B. End of Grand Hall.
C. Entrance to graveyard (door #5).
5. If a guest is caught causing damage escort him to the foreman who will notify security.
6. If a guest is smoking ask him to please extinguish it.
7. When the Omnimover system is stopped, watch for guests climbing out of cars or destroying sets.
8. If any illegal drug is found or a guest is using any such drug, notify foreman. Do not take drugs, etc., from guest, but notify security.
9. Due to long dresses, female operators will not be stationed in utility position while attraction is operating.
10. Operators will cross between moving cars only if it is absolutely necessary and only where the cars are moving in the same direction.
11. If a guest is found out of a car, do not put him back in the car; walk him to service via the service access hallway. NOTE: Be careful of crossing between moving cars and of guests with malicious intent. And do not step on safety plates.
TIPS FOR HOSTS AND HOSTESSES
1. Safety is the most important thing we can offer our guests. NEVER sacrifice it for any reason. Report immediately to your foreman all safety hazards that come to your attention.
2. Courtesy is what our guests will take home — a lasting impression.
3. Capacity will increase our guests’ fun time.
4. Cleanliness is a Disneyland Trademark. Do your part to preserve our reputation.
5. Please maintain wardrobe standards at all times; clean costume, proper grooming, etc.
6. Never leave your position unless properly relieved or in case of emergency.
Topics: Amusement Parks, Disneyland, Geek and Computer Stuff!, History | No Comments »
What is a Freelance Cartoonist, you say?
By Lance Muller | April 13, 2011
After my last posting about postage stamps and freelance cartooning, I was asked these two questions: What is a freelance cartoonist and how does one becomes a cartoonist? Well, I’m here to help. But first, let’s be clear that cartooning is a rare combination of talents that involves the ability to write comdy and draw funny pictures. If your desire is to become the next Charles Schulz then get in line and be prepared to wait a long time since the only way to get to the funny papers is for one of these Comci Strips Artists to kick the bucket! And sometimes even when they do, their art lives on in republishing (like Peanuts) or a ghost artist taking up the torch.
So if you aspire to getting into the funny business of cartooning, be ready for the long haul. It’s tough working for yourself; which is exactly what a freelance cartoonist is. You contract yourself out for specific jobs or send unsolicited work to magazines and publishing syndicates. It’s all up to you! Freedom!!!
However, if you’re just looking for an easy way out of working for a living, this probably isn’t it. Cartooning, like most other endeavors, can be brutally hard work . . . and, like most other endeavors, it can be deliriously wonderful play that you just happen to get paid for.
This type of career is more about what you can do than what you know, so instead of a fancy degree, you can break into the business with a good artist portfolio of your work and some published samples.
The most important thing for you to do if you want to be a cartoonist, is to draw every chance you get. And don’t take the lazy man’s way out and only draw the things that are easy for you. You’re only fooling yourself if you do. Draw, and keep on drawing . . . from life, from memory, from imagination.
You don’t need fancy drawing pencils and pads either. Ordinary note books and regular pencils (whatever number you prefer) are plenty good enough. The really important thing is the developing coordination between your hand and eye.
And here’s a fact that should surprise you . . . the best teachers in the world are all set to help you for FREE. That’s right, the cartoonists who sell their work for the highest prices today are ready to teach you to draw.
All you have to do is leaf through any magazine or newspaper that prints cartoons. If you don’t have any lying around, go out and ask the neighbors for back issues . . . or make a trip down to the nearest library or go online. Get yourself a collection of cartoons that appeal to you.
I use to go through all the publications I can lay my hands on and clip out all the cartoons. I kept it up until I had drawings by every artist I admired; in fact I still have those thousands of clippings. These cartoonists were the best teachers in the world, because these are the guys who were selling their work and getting published. Study what the selling artists of today are doing. They’re the ones who really know what cartooning is all about.
Notice how they place their characters. See how they vary the lines in their drawings. Study their methods of shading. Compare the different ways they draw people. Look at the way they sketch the backgrounds. See how they convey comedy in action and reaction. Analyze every detail of every drawing that makes that drawing work with the gag (cartoonhumor). Cartooning and humor evolves, so stay in tune with what is happening today. However, remember that the old stand-bys; like a pie in the face or slipping on a banana peal are still funny, just present these tried and true gags in new and unique ways! Comedy is real life situations with a twist!
Then try to draw that way yourself. Use every trick you can steal to make your drawings sparkle just like the professionals. Gradually, you’ll pick up one idea from one artist, something else from a second and another wrinkle from a third. Pretty soon, you’ll be cranking out clean cartoons in a style all your own.
If you don’t think you can learn about drawing this way, let me tell you something: The pros do this all the time . . . it’s the way it’s done. So go to it.
Some skills, such as learning to draw perspective, you’ll probably have to learn from regular art books because it is hard to acquire such knowledge merely by looking at finished art work. In the main, however, you will find that the best cartoon instruction in the world is only as far away as the nearest printed cartoon.
My goal was to break into the comic strips and I spent many years trying, but I didn’t get the breaks soon enough to keep at it. I was becoming a true starving artist. So it was back to school to persue a business degree, however I never regretted the time chasing down my dream… I truly believe that it gave me a wonderful sense of humor and a keen artistic eye that has allowed me to enjoy this world of ours a bit more than otherwise. Besides, my kids have inherited the artist talent and are goign for their own dreams… in addition, I have a retirement hobby all lined up. Freelance Cartooning!!! See you in the funny papers…
Topics: Comics and Cartoons, Family and Friends, Learning, Manga | No Comments »
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