I did not know this imagery of treatment, seen often times in movies, is for depression. It is called electroconvulsive therapy.
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Learn Classical Title: Suite 1 in Sol Maggiore - Prelude by Bach
Popular, but I didn't know the name.
Posted in Music
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Fyodor Dostoevsky's Conversion
Ravi Zacharias said of his conversion in prison. I looked, the closest source would be:
"...Notes from the House of the Dead:
The convicts took their prayers very seriously, and each time they came to church each one of them would…buy a candle or contribute to the collection. “I’m somebody, too,” was what they thought or felt as they gave it up – “everyone’s equal before God…” We took communion at early mass. When, with the chalice in his hand, the priest cam to the words “…receive me, O Lord, even as the robber,” nearly all the convicts fell kneeling to the ground with a jangling of fetters, apparently interpreting these words as a literal expression of their own thoughts.[Fyodor Dostoevsky, House of the Dead, trans. David McDuff (London: Penguin Books, 1985) 275]
This moment illustrates the beginning of Dostoevsky’s conversion. Once he saw the peasants as brothers in Christ, he came to believe once again that criminals were spiritual beings, worthy of care and capable of redemption..." - Source
Notes from the House of the Dead:
The convicts took their prayers very seriously, and each time they came to church each one of them would…buy a candle or contribute to the collection. “I’m somebody, too,” was what they thought or felt as they gave it up – “everyone’s equal before God…” We took communion at early mass. When, with the chalice in his hand, the priest cam to the words “…receive me, O Lord, even as the robber,” nearly all the convicts fell kneeling to the ground with a jangling of fetters, apparently interpreting these words as a literal expression of their own thoughts.[Fyodor Dostoevsky, House of the Dead, trans. David McDuff (London: Penguin Books, 1985) 275]
This moment illustrates the beginning of Dostoevsky’s conversion. Once he saw the peasants as brothers in Christ, he came to believe once again that criminals were spiritual beings, worthy of care and capable of redemption
Posted in General
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Shi Shengmo
I once heard from Dr. Tong of an opium addict who's very good at literature: Won all three top prizes with the essay titled "The bad influence of opium" while Xi Sheng Mo (席勝魔) himself was still an addict.
I could not find any other information about him until I heard his name mentioned again when Mefferd interviewed Bob Fu on his book "God's Double Agent".
The name's the same, but I do not find Dr. Tong's account of Xi's story. I did not know that Xi Shengmo had become a pastor. Perhaps there is a biography.
Update 3/12/2026: I finally found some articles about Dr. Tong's version thanks to AI, though the literary contest (1879) was mentioned (held by missionaries, David Hill and Timothy Richard) on Christian theme topics such as dealing with opium. He submitted 4 essays under 4 different names and won 3 of 4 prizes. He was hired by the impressed David Hill as teaching assistant and fought with his withdrawal and converted.
Here's more from google AI:
We know he wrote on subjects including "the source of true doctrine," "the regulation of the heart," and "the evils of opium".
The story of his literary victory is preserved in detailed missionary records, most notably in the biography Pastor Hsi: One of China's Christians by Mrs. Howard Taylor, which is available through digital archives like Missiology.org.uk.
He's written some hymns: i.e. A Song of Sacrifice
Posted in Projects, Theologization
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Bookstore in Chinatown (NYC)
So hard to find one I better remember this one: Oriental Books & Stationery Co. Inc.
29 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002
Tel: 212-962-3634
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Watch Adjustment in Chinatown (NYC)
I thought I could find one easily, as I always came across them. But I better write this one down, a jewelry store, but he does basic watches too. (chain link watches)
Wei Ling Li
Tel: 1917-678-8686
20 East Broadway Street, New York, NY 10002
E-mail: yhian1a2b3c58@yahoo.com.cn
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Transparent Cubby
A program called "Transparent Windows" is causing my Cubby to act strange on Windows 7. When mouse over, Cubby window becomes transparent automatically with window frames around it. If Transparent Windows is not running, Cubby is fine.
This issue is negligible.
Posted in Technical
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Outlook 2007 "The name or distribution list has been deleted..."
When third party add-on (icloud) messed up my outlook with unwise synching, I get this error when I use distribution list item:
"The name or distribution list has been deleted and is no longer a valid address book entry. The operation failed. An object could not be found"
(I had recreated the same distribution list from scratch again and thought I had fixed it). Remove the auto-completed item pertaining to the problem from the drop-down auto-complete list.
Posted in Technical
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True Identity of a Christian
One thing a Christian cannot be possible doing is knowing certain thing to be sinful and yet still able to justify it as the best solution there is.
Posted in Theologization
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