http://www.near-death.com/jung.html (Karl Jung's near death experience: 'there was no longer anything I wanted or desired. I existed in an objective form; I was what I had been and lived. At first the sense of annihilation predominated, of having been stripped or pillaged; but suddenly that became of no consequence Everything seemed to be past; what remained was a "fait accompli", without any reference back to what had been. There was no longer any regret that something had dropped away or been taken away. On the contrary: I had everything that I was, and that was everything . . .') http://www.iands.org (International Association For Near Death Studies: 'A near-death experience (NDE) is one of the most powerful emotional and psychological events known. Many people who have had such an experience feel that it was the single most profound event of their lives . . .') http://www.near-death.com (Lots more near death experiences) http://www.hrfq.com (Japan's newest download site) How Do You Know When You've Found True Love? "When it happens, it happens and it's something stronger than the mind can deal with. Suddenly you're willing to change absolutely everything in your life to accommodate this person and all you can do is look at them and marvel at the miracle of their presence in your life. However, holding out for such a lover is like holding out until you win the lottery as the odds of meeting this person at a time when you're both free and willing are similarly as slim. So don't hold out or hold back and try to have the best time you can all the time. Enjoying yourself isn't going to stop the power of destiny." Mexican Tattoo Kids Fight Back A heavily tattooed Mexican man suspended himself from hooks at a public demonstration in Mexico City last week, aimed at improving civil rights for pierced and tattooed people in Mexico. "In Mexico a tattooed person is the victim of all kinds of discrimination," protest organizer Dante Salomo told local website Terra.cl, "They don't get good jobs and are mistreated everywhere." "Clearly there is still discrimination in Mexico, perhaps less in the city, but certainly in the rest of the country," fellow organizer Susana Escobar told the International Herald Tribune, "There is a lot of discrimination against people with tattoos." Though in countries like Britain tattoos are now genuinely mainstream (a recent study suggested 29% of 29-34 year olds have them) in Mexico they remain closely associated with criminality and drug addiction, the Herald reported, reflecting body arts' long historical associations with vice. The pattern is repeated in Russia, according to prisoners' charity Foreign Prisoners Support Service (FPSS), which reported recently that prisoners continue to use tattoos to symbolise gang affiliation and crimes committed including murder. "From the mid-1960's to the 1980's, thirty-five million people were incarcerated (in Russia) and of those, twenty to thirty million were tattooed," FPSS said on their site. "The tattoos display inmates' contempt for official justice and retribution-- phrases and images directly mock the political system and the absence of any possibility for "reform" within the jails," Scary Tattoo Links: http://www.phaseloop.com/foreignprisoners/exp-russian_tats.html (Foreign Prisoners Support Service: Russian Prison Tattoos: ' techniques; 'the tattoos are painfully applied with needles and electric shavers, using ink made from urine, soot, and shampoo. Infection from the procedure is frequent, and death not uncommon . . .') http://www.raptureready.com/featured/schaefer/tattoo.html ('The Mark of Rebellion. The Bible condemns all rebellion throughout its pages and declares that rebellion is as bad as witchcraft. (1Sam. 15:23) It is clear that the tattoo has always been an indication of a spirit of rebellion and deviancy on its wearers . . .') http://bible.com/bibleanswers_result.php?id=230 ('The Bible warns us against tattoos in Leviticus 19:28 (Amplified) which says, "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord.") Brit Girl In French Language Terror British recruitment consultant Louise Clarke, 30, from Bath developed a rare brain condition called Susac's Syndrome recently which caused her to suddenly speak French all the time, according to reports in the British press. The former language student also developed a taste for croissants and became so delusional she called all her friends and asked them to visit her in Paris, the Independent revealed. "It started with migraines and hallucinations. I eventually got so confused that my sister took me to A&E (accident and emergency). I was gabbling away in French at my hospital bed," she said, ""Suddenly thinking you're French is terrifying," she added. Her fears could soon be alleviated under a new scheme introduced by Parisian authorities, who this week unveiled a new 'visual dictionary' website aimed at helping Brits understand French people's shrugs, gestures and unusual mannerisms. The site teaches Brits how to adopt classic Parisian poses including La Moue (in English the 'pout'), described as 'the classic way to convey just about any negative emotion, including discontent, disdain and disgust'. "Start by looking bored," the pout instructions explain, "Pucker your lips and shake your head slowly for more impact." Anglophile Parisian Patrick from rising electro-eclectic band Chef refused to be disappointed by Ms Clarke's alarm at being French, instead agreeing that he's equally terrified to be French right now. "With the spring elections coming up and knowing that we have a choice for President between Segolene Royale in the best case and Nicolas Sarkozy in the worst means I'm not proud to be a part of this nation right now," he told Skrufff. "I think it's actually frightening, as neither of them will be able to shake up France and there's no outsider on the political scene at the moment. Sarkozy is dangerous," he added. http://www.cestsoparis.com ('You don't need to speak French to understand Parisians . . .') http://www.myspace.com/chefondagrill (Chef's (extremely unusual) new single Toaccating is out in the New Year)