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This is my simple religion.
There is no need for temples;
no need for complicated philosophy.
Our own brain, our own heart is our temple;
the philosophy is kindness.

~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Here are a few stories and quotes for your enjoyment. We hope you will find some to be inspirational or perhaps thought provoking.

STORIES

If
By Rudyard Kipling

The Bully Awards
The Award for most prolific workplace bully is presented...

K'ung-ming's Special Source of Supply
Exerpt from "Tactics of Ancient China: A Sun Tzu Companion"
By Brad Haugaard. The full text can be found at SackLunch.net.

New CEO Means Business (Joke)

Company Policy
Start with a cage containing five monkeys ...

Paradoxical Commandments
Guidelines for finding personal meaning in the face of adversity.

QUOTES

STORIES

If

By Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

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The Bully Awards

The Award for most prolific workplace bully is presented:

"Yes, yes, we're all happy to be here..." (applause - the presenter adjusts the microphone on stage). Please show your appreciation for our biggest bully to date!

She ascends the dais and accepts the engraved "BULLY" trophy.

"Yes, it's been a tough year. So many career books, so many titles. 'How to work for a Tyrant,' 'Your Boss is an Idiot,' 'Surviving the Workplace'... yes, they're on to us. Even a major motion picture has celebrated corporate bullies on the big screen... The Devil Wears Prada!"

(Laugher and applause)

"Now, folks, even though we are enjoying our place in the sun, we must remember that there is always work ahead. Competent employees must be humiliated, "hard workers" to be taken advantage of. The new ones are always fun, though, aren't they? So optimistic and cheerful?"

(Laughter and clapping from the audience)

(Serious tone) "But we must be vigilant. We must utilize our resources in order to keep those bright ones in thier place. If we don't, we might (long pause) have to...uhm..work."

(Silence)

(Brightly) But that won't happen, will it? No. If you have done your job, you've got your bully team in sync. Backroom meetings, sudden silence, rumour mongering, all just instinct by now, ehh? Remember, those kids at HR dream of being actual management. Encourage that dream, make them believe they do have power. Human Resources take care of the paperwork that is a hassle. They'll find the loopholes we need to make our underlings' lives Hell, and they're happy to do it, so never forget your most convenient resource -- Human Resources. May I have applause for our HR representatives?

(Cheers, much applause)

"Let us not forget the union representatives. The poor dears, caught in the road like rabbits in headlights. As long as they are pulled in every direction, they can only be the best of tools with which to torment our employees -- And the best bit is, they believe they're doing good!

(Applause)

"I'd also like to thank my own managers. They are so obedient in believing only my accounts and reading my memos. They've been of tremendous help in assisting me to crush my inferiors. I know that they will continue to help me in advancing my career (gives "evil eye" to uncomfortable man at front table) so let's show some appreciation to our executives! Always accepting my credit for others' hard work!"

"And let's not forget our legal teams -- defending corporate corruption just for money! Aren't they worth those tedious depostions...?"

(Standing applause, clinking of glasses)

Again, I thank you for this (holds trophy high to loud cheers), and I know we can continue to show our strength -- as long as nobody gets copies of our resumes..." (laughter) Thank you, HR. Thank you, unions. Thank you, upper management and legal team, and thank you, all my minions. I'd share this with you... but... I don't share... stuff... Anyway, enjoy the refreshments. Remember, you can't climb the ladder without smashing those attempting to climb after you... Keep 'em dumb, keep 'em down!"

(Waves trophy and leaves dais)

(Ballroom of workplace bullies clap and shout appreciation)

I was hiding under a table, but was feeling very sick so didn't hear the rest of it. Maybe next time.

~ Rabbit

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K'ung-ming's Special Source of Supply

Chou Yü, an advisor and general high in the government of the Kingdom of Wu, was very jealous of K'ung-ming, a fellow adviser.

K'ung-ming, who was far more skillful than Chou Yü, was on loan to the Wu from warlord Yuan-tê. But Chou Yü was jealous and decided to do away with K'ung-ming.

But just to murder him would be unacceptable; and he feared his military opponent, Ts'ao Ts'ao, would laugh at him.

So he set a trap. Summoning all the officers of his army, he asked K'ung-ming what the best weapons would be for a battle on the water.

"On the great river arrows are the best," K'ung-ming replied.

And Chou Yü agreed, then asked K'ung-ming to supply him with 100,000 arrows.

K'ung-ming asked when he would need them by, and Chou Yü (who planned to withhold the materials he would need to make the arrows) said 10 days would be fine.

No, K'ung-ming replied, a battle could be expected before then, so he would have them in three days.

Chou Yü was delighted, seeing he would have an ideal excuse to execute K'ung-ming when he failed to produce the arrows. But taking every precaution, Chou Yü ordered the workmen to delay the work as much as possible.

But instead of approaching the workmen, K'ung-ming secretly spoke with a friend, one of the naval commanders, asking him to have 20 ships ready in three days, covered with cotton screens and bundles of straw.

In the foggy darkness on the morning of the third day, K'ung-ming set sail with his 20 ships toward Ts'ao Ts'ao's naval camp, where the sailors beat drums and shouted.

Ts'ao Ts'ao's commanders, suspecting an ambush in the fog, decided not to engage K'ung-ming's small flotilla, but instead sent six companies of archers to the bank and began shooting at the ships.

K'ung-ming ordered his ships closer, so more arrows struck them and stuck in the straw and cotton.

Then with the sun rising and burning off the fog, the flotilla sailed off, shouting out, "We thank you, Sir Minister (Ts'ao Ts'ao), for the arrows."

This story is an exerpt from
"Tactics of Ancient China: A Sun Tzu Companion"
By Brad Haugaard.
The full text can be found at SackLunch.net.

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New CEO Means Business

A company, feeling it was time for a shake-up, hires a new CEO. This new boss is determined to rid the company of all slackers. On a tour of the facilities, the CEO notices a guy leaning on a wall. The room is full of workers and he wants to let them know he means business! The CEO walks up to the guy and asks, "And how much money do you make a week?"
A little surprised, the young fellow looks at him and replies, "I make $300.00 a week. Why?" The CEO then hands the guy $1,200 in cash and screams, "Here's four weeks pay, now GET OUT and don't come back!"
Feeling pretty good about his first firing, the CEO looks around the room and asks, "Does anyone want to tell me what that goof-off did here?" With a sheepish grin, one of the other workers mutters, "Pizza delivery guy from Domino's."

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Company Policy

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result; all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water.

Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it. Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they are not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all of the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here. And that, my friends, is how a company policy begins.

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Paradoxical Commandments

In 1968, when Kent M. Keith was a 19-year-old sophomore at Harvard, he wrote the Paradoxical Commandments as part of a booklet for student leaders. He describes the Commandments as guidelines for finding personal meaning in the face of adversity:

People are illogical, unreasonable and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you`ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

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QUOTES

The world is a dangerous place,
not because of those who do evil,
but because of those who look on and do nothing.

~ Albert Einstein

Indifference, to me, is the epitome of evil.

~ Elie Wiesel

I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever
human beings endure suffering and humiliation.
We must always take sides.
Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.
Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.

~ Elie Wiesel

There may be times when we are
powerless to prevent injustice,
but there must never be a time
when we fail to protest.

~ Elie Wiesel

Nemo me impune lacessit.
(No one harms me with impunity.)

~ Motto - Order of the Thistle

"If everyone is in agreement to condemn someone accused,
release him, for he must be innocent.".

~ Talmudic Principle

It isn't the rebels who cause the troubles of the world,
it's the troubles that cause the rebels.

~ Carl Oglesby

Management doesn't seem to understand
the importance of the human factor.

~ Charles, Prince of Wales

Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful.

~ Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spake Zarathustra

The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor
is the mind of the oppressed.

~ Steven Biko

We draw our strength from the very despair
in which we have been forced to live.
We shall endure.

~ Cesar Chavez

When morality comes up against profit,
it is seldom that profit loses.

~ Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm

We will have no truce or parley with you,
or the grisly gang who work your wicked will. 
You do your worst--and we will do our best.

~ Sir Winston Churchill

Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps,
for he is the only animal that is struck with
the difference between what things are
and what they ought to be.

~ William Hazlitt

The superior person understands rightness;
the inferior person understands profit.

~ Confucius

Nothing strengthens authority as much as silence.

~ Leonardo da Vinci

People might not get all that they work for in this world,
but they must certainly work for all that they get.

~ Frederick Douglass

The limits of tyrants are prescribed by
the endurance of those whom they oppress.

~ Frederick Douglass

So much of what we call management
consists in making it difficult for people to work.

~ Peter Drucker

We must always seek to ally ourselves with
that part of the enemy that knows what is right.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

There's enough on this planet for everyone's needs,
but not for everyone's greed.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

In the old days all you needed was a handshake.
Nowadays you need forty lawyers.

~ Jimmy Hoffa

I have come to regard the law courts
not as a cathedral but rather as a casino.

~ Richard Ingrams

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible
will make violent revolution inevitable.

~ John F. Kennedy

One man can make a difference,
and every man should try.

~ John F. Kennedy

We're just honest working men that have been pushed
so far and so hard that we can't keep it up any longer.

~ Frances O'Rourke, 1937 UAW sitdown striker

All animals are equal, but some animals
are more equal than others.

~ George Orwell (Animal Farm)

During times of universal deceit,
telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.

~ George Orwell

Power is not a means; it is an end...
The object of persecution is persecution.
The object of torture is torture.
The object of power is power.

~ George Orwell (1984)

The only tired I was, was tired of giving in.

~ Rosa Parks

If you let a bully come in your front yard,
he'll be on your porch the next day
and the day after that
he'll rape your wife in your own bed."

~ Lyndon Baines Johnson, 36th US President

Goods produced under conditions which do not meet
a rudimentary standard to decency should be
regarded as contraband and not allowed to pollute
the channels of international commerce.

~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

You take my life when you do take the means whereby I live.

~ William Shakespear, The Merchant of Venice. Act iv. Sc. 1

"Be not afraid of greatness:
some men are born great, some achieve greatness
and some have greatness thrust upon them."

~ William Shakespeare, "Twelfth Night"

All truth passes through 3 stages. 
First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it is violently opposed.
Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

~ Arthur Schopenhauer 

There is no readier way for a man to bring
his own worth into question than by endeavoring
to detract from the worth of other men."

~ John Tillotson

The worst sin toward our fellow creatures
is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them:
that's the essense of inhumanity.

~ George Bernard Shaw

Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men.

~ Seneca

Victory is always possible for the person
who refuses to stop fighting.

~ Napoleon Hill

Nearly all men can stand adversity,
but if you want to test a man's character,
give him power.

~ Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld

The glory of great men should always be measured
by the means they have used to acquire it.

~ Francois de La Rochefoucauld

I'm not afraid of storms,
for I'm learning to sail my ship.

~ Louisa May Alcott

The weak have one weapon:
the errors of those who think they are strong.

~ Georges Bidault

Beware of him that is slow to anger;
for when it is long coming, it is the stronger when it comes,
and the longer kept. Abused patience turns to fury.

~ Francis Quarles

Things are going to get a lot worse
before they get worse.

~ Lily Tomlin

Long is the way
And hard, that out of hell leads up to light.

~ John Milton, Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 432.

What the caterpillar calls the end,
the rest of the world calls a butterfly.

~ Lao Tzu

Life is too important to be taken seriously.

~ Oscar Wilde

We must learn to live together as brothers
or perish together as fools.

~ Martin Luther King Jr

Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor;
it must be demanded by the oppressed.

~ Martin Luther King Jr

No oppression is so heavy or lasting as that
which is inflicted by the perversion and
exorbitance of legal authority.

~ Joseph Addison

If we desire respect for the law,
we must first make the law respectable.

~ Louis D. Brandeis

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Indifference, to me, is the epitome of evil.

~ Elie Wiesel