JP Morgan was one of the richest men in the world (if he wanted to, he and all his partner companies could have bought all the land owned by all of the 22 US states west of the Mississippi River at that time (worth about $22.245 billion)). He did this through buying many companies and taking them over, usually becoming monopolies.
The JP Morgan Company still runs today under the name of JPMorgan Chase owned by stockholders. Today, it is one of the oldest banks in the world and a leading bank in the world.
Albert Hofmann
Albert Hofmann (11 January 1906 - 29 April 2008) was a Swiss scientist. He invented Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Hofmann wrote more than 100 scientific articles and a number of books, including "LSD: My Problem Child" (1979).
Hofmann was born in Baden, Switzerland. He studied chemistry at the University of Zürich. His main interest was the chemistry of plants and animals, and he studied about the chemical structure of the common animal substance chitin. Hofmann worked at the pharmaceutical-chemical department of Sandoz Laboratories in Basel.
Five years after its first synthesis, he discovered by accident the psychedelic effects of LSD, after absorbing some through his fingertips on April 16 1943. Three days later, he deliberately consumed 250 micrograms of LSD, and experienced far more intense effects. This was followed by a series of self-experiments. He first wrote about these experiments on April 22 of the same year.
He became director of the natural products department at Sandoz and went on studying hallucinogenic substances found in Mexican mushrooms and other plants used by the indigenous peoples. This led to the synthesis of psilocybin, the active agent of many magic mushrooms.
Hofmann called LSD "medicine for the soul".
He had a heart attack in his home in Burg im Leimental on April 29, 2008, and died at the age of 102.
Mahasiddha
A mahasiddha (Sanskrit: "maha" - great, "siddha" - achiever) is type of yogi important in Tantra. They are found in both Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism. They are connected with unusual ways of thinking and with the highest levels of spiritual enlightenment. They are very different from arhats, the saints who gave up the world to achieve buddhahood.
The Mahasiddhas are actual people who acquired magical powers from their spiritual practice. A mahasiddha is a bodhisattva, someone who can enter "nirvana" whenever they want, but instead choose to stay in "samsara" to help others.
In both Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist traditions there are 85 Mahasiddhas. The lists are not all the same, but there are many Mahasiddhas who appear on most lists. In Tibetan Buddhist art, they are often shown in paintings together, for example around the border of a "thanka".
Each Mahasiddha has come to be known for certain things. One of the most loved Mahasiddhas is Virupa, who is a saint of the Sakyapa sect. He lived in 9th century India and was known for his great attainments. Other important Mahasiddhas include:
In Buddhism there are 89 Mahasiddhas:
Acinta,
Ajogi,
Anangapa,
Aryadeva,
Babhaha,
Bhadrapa,
Bhandepa,
Bhiksanapa,
Bhusuku,
Camaripa,
Campaka,
Carbaripa,
Catrapa,
Caurangipa,
Celukapa,
Dan,
Darikapa,
Dengipa,
Dhahulipa,
Dharmapa,
Dhilipa,
Dhobipa,
Dhokaripa
Dombipa,
Dukhandi,
Ghantapa,
Gharbari,
Godhuripa,
Goraksa,
Indrabhuti,
Jalandhara,
Jayananda,
Jogipa,
Kalapa,
Kamparipa,
Kambala,
Kanakhala,
Kanhapa,
Kankana,
Kankaripa,
Kantalipa,
Kapalapa,
Khadgapa,
Kilakilapa,
Kirapalapa,
Kokilipa,
Kotalipa,
Kucipa,
Kukkuripa,
Kumbharipa,
Laksminkara,
Lilapa,
Lucikapa,
Luipa,
Mahipa,
Manibhadra,
Medhini,
Mekhala,
Mekopa,
Minapa,
Nagabodhi,
Nagarjuna,
Nalinapa,
Naropa,
Nirgunapa,
Pacaripa,
Pankajapa,
Putalipa,
Rahula,
Saraha,
Sakara,
Samudra,
Santipa,
Sarvabhaksa,
Savaripa,
Syalipa,
Tantepa,
Tantipa,
Thaganapa,
Tilopa,
Udhilipa,
Upanaha,
Vinapa,
Virupa,
Vyalipa,
Lokesh
Red Hat sect
In Tibetan Buddhism, the "Red Hat" sects or schools include the three oldest of the four main schools, to wit:
The newer Gelug school is known as the "Yellow Hat Sect".
Red hat
Red hat or Red Hat may refer to:
Drugs
Drugs change the way the body works. It could mean:
Peter Shotton
Peter ("Pete") Shotton (4 August 1941 – 24 March 2017) was a longtime friend of John Lennon, who founded The Beatles. He later wrote a memoir, "John Lennon "In My Life"", that was later retitled "The Beatles, Lennon and Me".
Shotton and Lennon met as boys, in their hometown of Woolton, England. Woolton is a suburb of Liverpool. The two fought at first, but soon became best friends. They went to school together, and often got into trouble together. They formed a "gang", with other boys who lived nearby.
During their teenage years, rock and roll became popular in England, as it did in America. Folk music and were also popular. Young people all over England formed skiffle bands, and played folk and rock songs. Lennon got a guitar from his mother. He and Shotton formed a band, the Quarry Men, with classmates from their school (named Quarry Bank), and other friends.
Shotton's role in the band was to play percussion on a , and to sing harmony. While Lennon had genuine musical talent, Shotton did not become a skilled musician, and did not enjoy playing music. After Paul McCartney joined the Quarry Men, he and Lennon began to work together on music. McCartney was very talented, and Shotton felt out of place in the band. He waited a long time, before he finally told Lennon.
Lennon "fired" Shotton from the Quarry Men after they played at a party. He took the washboard away and broke it over Shotton's head. All the same, they were still friends, and spent time together. When they finished high school, Lennon went on to art college, and Shotton trained to become a police officer. The Quarry Men changed from playing skiffle to playing rock and roll. They also changed names a few times, before calling themselves the Beatles.
When Lennon became famous with the Beatles, he invited Shotton to visit at different times. He and George Harrison, another band member, bought a supermarket with part of their , and made Shotton its manager. Shotton married and had a son. He spent most of the week with his family, but would visit Lennon's home on weekends. Lennon counted on Shotton to be a real friend, who was not only around because Lennon was famous or rich. Shotton and Lennon's wife Cynthia got along well, and Shotton sometimes took Cynthia out for the evening, when Lennon needed to work on music.
Shotton also helped now and then with the Beatles's music. He sometimes helped or ideas for songs, or played or other percussion instruments on their recordings. Later, when the Beatles started their own company, Apple Corps, Shotton became its first managing director.
Apple Corps was not a successful company, and it caused problems between the Beatles, and with the people who worked with them. The problems were not Shotton's fault, but he felt as much pressure and stress as anyone. He resigned his job at Apple. Lennon tried Shotton out as a , but this did not go well. Lennon's relationship with Yoko Ono also caused problems between Lennon and Shotton.
Shotton decided it was best to part ways with Lennon, while their friendship was still strong. He went back to running his supermarket, and he and Lennon lost touch. After Lennon and Yoko Ono moved to America, Shotton visited them in New York City, and they enjoyed seeing each other again.
John Lennon was murdered late in 1980. When Shotton heard the news, he drove to George Harrison's home, Friar Park, and spent the day with Harrison. Later he wrote his memoir.
Shotton gave up his supermarket, and began a chain of restaurants, Fatty Arbuckle's, which became a success. He later sold this business, and retired to live in Ireland. When former members of Lennon's Quarry Men re-formed in the 1990s as a nostalgia act, Shotton performed with them. He later sang "Imagine" at a tribute to Lennon and the Beatles in Woolton.