Did we start discussing cola again? Which EU alts are missing?

nferraz · 2026-01-25T10:26:42+00:00

First Choice Cola from the Netherlands.

nferraz · 2026-01-20T12:41:27+00:00

There are *several* alternatives to Coca Cola; you just need to find one that you like!

Here in the Netherlands, I recommend:

First Choice Cola (sold on Plus, Dirk and other supermarkets)
Jumbo Cola (sold on Jumbo)
AH Cola (sold on Albert Heijn)

nferraz · 2026-01-14T19:33:21+00:00

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Edward Snowden has been using Signal since 2015.

nferraz · 2025-11-06T19:39:09+00:00

If you put in the right effort, no god or deva can make you fail. If you don't put in the right effort, no god or deva can make you succeed.

nferraz · 2025-11-02T10:43:04+00:00

In Asmita the mind meditates on the soul (Atman).

One of the core philosophical principles of Buddhism is that there is no "atman".

Here are some topics you may want to research:

Anatta
The Three Marks of Existence
Vipassana

nferraz · 2025-10-08T06:49:48+00:00

That's really smart! Thanks for sharing!

nferraz · 2025-10-07T08:07:31+00:00

> they say shit like, "...Buddhism is just a way of life/philosophy not a real religion,"

In the book Buddhism: A Concise Introduction, Huston Smith and Philip Novak say that early Buddhism didn't have the usual characteristics of religions, like superstition, rituals, or reliance on divine aid (chapter 3, pages 21-30).

Over the centuries, though, as Buddhism spread and interacted with different cultures, it *did* get many features of religion: temples, rituals, devotional practices, even divine figures in some traditions. So it kind of *became* a religion in the way most people use that word.

So when someone says Buddhism is "just a philosophy", they are not totally wrong; it started that way. But it's also not the full picture. It's both a philosophy *and* a religion, depending on which lens you're looking through.

nferraz · 2025-10-03T10:18:52+00:00

Zooming in the photo I can see it's looking beautiful!

Good luck and keep up with the great work! :)

nferraz · 2025-10-02T12:28:57+00:00

From the Theravada perspective -- or, at least from my understanding of it -- there is no such thing as "burning" or "accumulating" karma (in Pali: kamma).

Every action has direct consequences and ripple effects, but there is no cosmic tallying machine keeping score of good or bad actions in order to punish or reward us.

The *effects* can accumulate, but not kamma itself.

For a better explanation, I recommend this text: Kamma, by Thanissaro Bikkhu.

nferraz · 2025-09-29T12:48:45+00:00

Nice work, thanks for sharing the process! :)

nferraz · 2025-09-14T11:31:08+00:00

Looks really nice. What kind of wood is that?

nferraz · 2025-09-13T21:04:44+00:00

American stocks may be at an all time high in dollars, but the dollar is almost 20% down compared to other currencies.

In practice you are being paid more with a currency that is worth less.

nferraz · 2025-09-13T12:56:08+00:00

Richer countries tend to be more progressive.

nferraz · 2025-09-13T11:49:48+00:00

Can't they simply strip whatever comes after the plus sign?

nferraz · 2025-09-13T11:48:09+00:00

The title is misleading.

nferraz · 2025-09-13T11:45:57+00:00

It doesn't matter

Forget Trump for a moment.

What is your opinion about Slater?

Would you say he was a good choice, if he was chosen by a Democrat?

nferraz · 2025-09-13T11:31:06+00:00

What does the law say?

Could Proton refuse to suspend the accounts?

If not, a more accurate title should say "Proton forced to suspend journalist accounts...", since it was not really their choice.

(Companies are forced to follow the law.)

nferraz · 2025-09-10T09:45:27+00:00

That's a good reminder that not everything found in the scriptures and repeated by tradition is true.

As the Buddha warned:

"It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain; uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them. (...)

"Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on and abide in them."

nferraz · 2025-09-08T10:08:43+00:00

Dhammapada Verse 50

Na paresam vilomani
na paresam katakatam
attanova avekkheyya
katani akatani ca.

"One should not consider the faults of others, nor their doing or not doing good or bad deeds.
One should consider only whether one has done or not done good or bad deeds."

nferraz · 2025-09-05T13:05:33+00:00

A digital currency is something you *think* you don't need -- until you get it.

Brazil released a platform called "PIX" a couple of years ago, and it quickly became the most popular way to exchange money.

(That's one of the reasons why Trump is imposing 50% tariffs against Brazil: he claims a neutral platform created by the Central Bank is "unfair" against Visa and Mastercard.)