Instant hero
Thank you Ryan for this. They are among us. The arrogant bastards who don't fall in line.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Dropping like flies
Why can't presidential elections be more like Survivor or The Apprentice. I would have a much easier time throwing one guy I can't stand off the island. Or say, McCain, ya fired! That would be awesome.
I'd also like to see todays issues as historic philosophers would see them. Maybe do a bit of research and see who Plato would vote for compared to Aristotle. Jefferson vs. Hamilton. John Candy vs. Phil Hartman.
I'd also like to see todays issues as historic philosophers would see them. Maybe do a bit of research and see who Plato would vote for compared to Aristotle. Jefferson vs. Hamilton. John Candy vs. Phil Hartman.
ALF
Okay, how bout this one...Just because you understand evil doesn't mean you can do anything about it; on the contrary. The fact you understand it means you are less capable of doing anything about it. Not unless you can somehow rewire another person's brain. Not unless you can rewire your own brain. And that requires a mighty confidence in your ability to identify it; much less know the proper solution; much less your brain surgery skillz. Ever have the suspicion that the understanding of evil itself could be the only requirement necessary for its perpetuation? That the ability to recognize its source is the very thing that allows us to confuse other things with it, and therefore its primary proponent? Ever feel like all well-intentioned actions, including your own, are possibly contributing to global strife? That even if they could do some good in theory they are misinterpreted as evil? That preventing yourself from evil on the most minute scale is a full time job? Are world leaders susceptible to this? From watching the debates they seem rather confident this sort of thing doesn't bother them. Maybe they know something I don't. Maybe they are made of a finer clay than the rest of us. Like Bono.
I'm certainly thankful they aren't carting my family and friends off to death camps yet. Or released some "good will" virus that kills off everyone without a certain "good person" gene in their particular strand of DNA. What I mean is, I'm glad they aren't significantly impeding my ability to exercise my ability to contribute to the "good" - whatever that means for me (and doesn't harm anyone else). In their attempt to help they take 50 percent of my income. It could very well be these days that the less you accomplish the less damage you have done. What happens when every employee, every business owner, and every politician has some sophisticated ulterior motive dedicated to screwing everyone else to a greater net degree than they are being screwed themselves? What kind of enlightened philosophy is this based on? What the hell is really going on out there? And then people go and join the Animal Liberation Front - is that just a veiled protest against humanity? Is it justified?
Here's what I mean...you work as some well paid grunt consulting a huge American corporation that sells technology to another company that builds special top secret radioactive weapons for Blackwater. At the same time your tax dollars are going over seas to fund the safety of a suicidal hoard of barbarians as a humanitarian cover to secure the oil fields because we can't figure out how to become energy independent.
Are we really so hard up and afraid of "radicals" that we need to play their game by their rules? (Wire tapping, suspension of Habeas Corpus, etc.). What are we afraid of? Do we really think they hate us because we're rich? We (America) must identify with that somehow. We must think if another country were far richer than us that we would be capable of strapping bombs to our chests. I think that's preposterous. Maybe the rabid cut throat politicians who have clawed their way to the top drool over money and power like that, but we certainly don't have such petty, superficial values. Seems to me we're not fighting with our brains as much as our insecurities.
I'm certainly thankful they aren't carting my family and friends off to death camps yet. Or released some "good will" virus that kills off everyone without a certain "good person" gene in their particular strand of DNA. What I mean is, I'm glad they aren't significantly impeding my ability to exercise my ability to contribute to the "good" - whatever that means for me (and doesn't harm anyone else). In their attempt to help they take 50 percent of my income. It could very well be these days that the less you accomplish the less damage you have done. What happens when every employee, every business owner, and every politician has some sophisticated ulterior motive dedicated to screwing everyone else to a greater net degree than they are being screwed themselves? What kind of enlightened philosophy is this based on? What the hell is really going on out there? And then people go and join the Animal Liberation Front - is that just a veiled protest against humanity? Is it justified?
Here's what I mean...you work as some well paid grunt consulting a huge American corporation that sells technology to another company that builds special top secret radioactive weapons for Blackwater. At the same time your tax dollars are going over seas to fund the safety of a suicidal hoard of barbarians as a humanitarian cover to secure the oil fields because we can't figure out how to become energy independent.
Are we really so hard up and afraid of "radicals" that we need to play their game by their rules? (Wire tapping, suspension of Habeas Corpus, etc.). What are we afraid of? Do we really think they hate us because we're rich? We (America) must identify with that somehow. We must think if another country were far richer than us that we would be capable of strapping bombs to our chests. I think that's preposterous. Maybe the rabid cut throat politicians who have clawed their way to the top drool over money and power like that, but we certainly don't have such petty, superficial values. Seems to me we're not fighting with our brains as much as our insecurities.
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Stone
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
Does that purple stone look pretty
Do you want to hold it in your hand
If you do it's such a pity
If you don't it's something grand
Grand and lovely little stone
Do you want it, do you dare
If you thought you could resist it
You could take it you wouldn't care
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
If you only weren't so pretty
If you had been scratched before
If you had a tiny speck of dust
Within your wondrous core
If I run ten thousand miles
And shovel several tones of shit
Then one day I could afford you
Then one day I wouldn't abhor you
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
Everyone wants you little stone
Everyone hates you little stone
You're the carat, you're the cause
The biggest stick with teeth and claws
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
Does that purple stone look pretty
Now that you can hold it in your hand
But isn't it such a pity
You just smashed it into sand
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
Does that purple stone look pretty
Do you want to hold it in your hand
If you do it's such a pity
If you don't it's something grand
Grand and lovely little stone
Do you want it, do you dare
If you thought you could resist it
You could take it you wouldn't care
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
If you only weren't so pretty
If you had been scratched before
If you had a tiny speck of dust
Within your wondrous core
If I run ten thousand miles
And shovel several tones of shit
Then one day I could afford you
Then one day I wouldn't abhor you
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
Everyone wants you little stone
Everyone hates you little stone
You're the carat, you're the cause
The biggest stick with teeth and claws
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la di da la la la la la la la la la la
Does that purple stone look pretty
Now that you can hold it in your hand
But isn't it such a pity
You just smashed it into sand
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Old Man Dilfred
On pier 3, Old Man Dilfred sat on a bench throwing little white morsels out to the swarm of seagulls that had congregated on the wood decking. His ten year old grandson sat quietly next to him. It was a warm, slow, summer day and they calmly watched an oil tanker move imperceptibly in the distance. A strange nagging female voice sent shudders through them both...
You're not supposed to feed them don't ya know. Human food isn't good for them.
It ain't food.
Well, whatever it is, it isn't good for them.
Dilfred tore open a pack of something, then lobbed another piece onto the gray wood. A gull immediately snatched it up, lifting its beak to the air to swallow it whole.
That isn't what I think it is...
Well, I ain't a mind reader, ma'am.
Yes it is. You're throwing Alka Seltzer, aren't you? Good God. You're going straight to hell.
No it isn't and no I ain't. It's just an urban legend anyway.
Is it really?
Yep. Just a myth. They regurgitate anything that makes them feel sick. We tried it in the Navy years ago. Didn't do a damn thing.
Well, you still aren't being a very good example, are you.
She turned up her nose and walked away. Dilfred flinged another piece.
Ya know, some people just seem to know exactly what's right, don't they buddy.
Wonder why she'd say a thing like that, grandpa. Don't understand some people. Maybe I will better one day.
Maybe you will, maybe you won't, I reckon you might be surprised what you find out. Reminds me of yer paw though. Oh, but I won't bother you with that one. Hand me another one of those.
I want to hear it.
Hear what?
The story about paw.
Oh, maybe some day.
Tell me, tell me.
Okay, okay. You are a curious one, just like him. And I guess yer old enough, and then I guess that's where this one starts. Ya see, he were oh, Id say about your age when this all began. If it werent every day he would git home from school and shut himself in his room there. Hours and hours hed be in there without sayin a word. We didnt quite know what to make of it. Anyway it was about that time he started askin all these questions. We wouldd be sittin there at dinner over meat loaf and yer paw would ask somethin like "whats wrong with being a vigilante?" Well, your grandma and I didnt quite know how to respond to thatn so we just asked if wanted some ketchup on his.
Turns out he was readin books in there, and it didn't take long for he stopped askin questions of us. We couldn't stop him from readin if we wanted to, and yer grandma was a bit concerned about this. After all, they've been a lot written that's caused a lot of bad things. But anyways, he was only happy when he was readin so we left him be. Oer the years it didnt seem to do much harm.
After a few years yer paw went off to college. Now, college ain't for everone, but yer paw was cut right our for it. Boy would he study, and he was a good student. Oh, and he had fun. Oh you know he made lots of friends and what not. We thought college would make him happy, but after a couple years something about him changed. Yep, it might have been around his sophomore year. I can't say exactly what it was. He just wasn't as happy any more. I understand he set out to learn one thing or another and that wasn't what he found out - or something like that. He explained it once but I forget.
Well then, after he graduated, yer paw went to work. That cheered him up a little I think. And you know what a good worker he is. He quickly moved up in the company and before long he was vice president. He gave keynote speeches and went to important meetings with important people and all that. I was always proud of him, and still am. But, thats when he started to get angry. I cant say what it was exactly, but there was something different about yer paw in those days. He thought his company was up to one thing but it was really up to something else, er something like that. Im not good with the details, but there were some good hard-working people who were treated unfairly, and I believe it's good he decided to quit.
Well, then, after that is when he ran for office. I knew he'd have a hard time winning. Oh, he whips those boys all around - they cant hold a candle to him with all his smarts. But yer paw was never much of a public speaker. Thats the only reason he lost you know. Anyways, after the campaign he settled back into the job he has now. Well, and that's when everything changed. For some reason hes been calm and even content ever since. When we see him anyways. Never quite know what that boys up to.
But I guess you might say that a curious boy such as yourself, well, you might find out some things you like. But you also might find out a whole lot of other stuff you don't like one bit. And when you learn about some of the bad things out there you might feel like you ought to go out and change them. And that's when most folks get into trouble, helpin so much they make things worse. But one day, if yer lucky, you'll be able know enough about one or two things to do some good - harder than it sounds.
Maybe if you take after yer paw you'll fix a thing or two, and by the time yer his age I'll bet therell be plenty needs fixin. But these days ya dont need to worry about them seagulls - their best interests seem to be all taken care of.
You're not supposed to feed them don't ya know. Human food isn't good for them.
It ain't food.
Well, whatever it is, it isn't good for them.
Dilfred tore open a pack of something, then lobbed another piece onto the gray wood. A gull immediately snatched it up, lifting its beak to the air to swallow it whole.
That isn't what I think it is...
Well, I ain't a mind reader, ma'am.
Yes it is. You're throwing Alka Seltzer, aren't you? Good God. You're going straight to hell.
No it isn't and no I ain't. It's just an urban legend anyway.
Is it really?
Yep. Just a myth. They regurgitate anything that makes them feel sick. We tried it in the Navy years ago. Didn't do a damn thing.
Well, you still aren't being a very good example, are you.
She turned up her nose and walked away. Dilfred flinged another piece.
Ya know, some people just seem to know exactly what's right, don't they buddy.
Wonder why she'd say a thing like that, grandpa. Don't understand some people. Maybe I will better one day.
Maybe you will, maybe you won't, I reckon you might be surprised what you find out. Reminds me of yer paw though. Oh, but I won't bother you with that one. Hand me another one of those.
I want to hear it.
Hear what?
The story about paw.
Oh, maybe some day.
Tell me, tell me.
Okay, okay. You are a curious one, just like him. And I guess yer old enough, and then I guess that's where this one starts. Ya see, he were oh, Id say about your age when this all began. If it werent every day he would git home from school and shut himself in his room there. Hours and hours hed be in there without sayin a word. We didnt quite know what to make of it. Anyway it was about that time he started askin all these questions. We wouldd be sittin there at dinner over meat loaf and yer paw would ask somethin like "whats wrong with being a vigilante?" Well, your grandma and I didnt quite know how to respond to thatn so we just asked if wanted some ketchup on his.
Turns out he was readin books in there, and it didn't take long for he stopped askin questions of us. We couldn't stop him from readin if we wanted to, and yer grandma was a bit concerned about this. After all, they've been a lot written that's caused a lot of bad things. But anyways, he was only happy when he was readin so we left him be. Oer the years it didnt seem to do much harm.
After a few years yer paw went off to college. Now, college ain't for everone, but yer paw was cut right our for it. Boy would he study, and he was a good student. Oh, and he had fun. Oh you know he made lots of friends and what not. We thought college would make him happy, but after a couple years something about him changed. Yep, it might have been around his sophomore year. I can't say exactly what it was. He just wasn't as happy any more. I understand he set out to learn one thing or another and that wasn't what he found out - or something like that. He explained it once but I forget.
Well then, after he graduated, yer paw went to work. That cheered him up a little I think. And you know what a good worker he is. He quickly moved up in the company and before long he was vice president. He gave keynote speeches and went to important meetings with important people and all that. I was always proud of him, and still am. But, thats when he started to get angry. I cant say what it was exactly, but there was something different about yer paw in those days. He thought his company was up to one thing but it was really up to something else, er something like that. Im not good with the details, but there were some good hard-working people who were treated unfairly, and I believe it's good he decided to quit.
Well, then, after that is when he ran for office. I knew he'd have a hard time winning. Oh, he whips those boys all around - they cant hold a candle to him with all his smarts. But yer paw was never much of a public speaker. Thats the only reason he lost you know. Anyways, after the campaign he settled back into the job he has now. Well, and that's when everything changed. For some reason hes been calm and even content ever since. When we see him anyways. Never quite know what that boys up to.
But I guess you might say that a curious boy such as yourself, well, you might find out some things you like. But you also might find out a whole lot of other stuff you don't like one bit. And when you learn about some of the bad things out there you might feel like you ought to go out and change them. And that's when most folks get into trouble, helpin so much they make things worse. But one day, if yer lucky, you'll be able know enough about one or two things to do some good - harder than it sounds.
Maybe if you take after yer paw you'll fix a thing or two, and by the time yer his age I'll bet therell be plenty needs fixin. But these days ya dont need to worry about them seagulls - their best interests seem to be all taken care of.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Miles
Years ago, Miles was reported to be an awful human being by every estimation, and there was corroborating evidence to support this. There was little good to say about him so he was mostly ignored. But at any appropriate opportunity, which was almost any time, his family and friends decided they would remind him of the hard truth. That he was:
Lazy
Boring
Insignificant
and most of all,
Stupid
He wasn't sure what he could do to resolve these things. Being so stupid, he couldn't understand what they meant particularly...only that they were criticisms, and that he was the exact example of them. When he heard others criticized he seldom understood why. Of course, he knew others needed help seeing how flawed they were, and wanted to help, but he was unable to detect all the flaws in people the other kids did, being stupid and all.
As he grew older he realized it was the people who reminded him of his flaws that seemed to be the most unhappy. Indeed, he saw that being critical of others itself seemed to be a flaw. Not only that, a person's capacity to criticize others seemed to be exactly proportional to their own disappointment in themselves.
As he thought about it he realized that he had no reason to believe those who charged him all his life and the years of despair were unnecessary. He was indeed stupid, but only for listening to them. In such he also realized the capacity for people to become that which they are wrongly accused. Furthermore, petty accusations that are correct only reinforce the self-destructive behavior because they lead to more despair and anguish, and that criticisms are actually seldom truly intended to benefit the accused - nor are they precisely directed.
He had such anger for the people who had falsely misjudged him all his life that he wanted to scream at them. More than that, he wanted to scream at the whole world and tell everyone to go to hell. That was when he first discovered how the others had felt when they had accused him. It enraged him. Now, he had indeed succumbed to what he might have predicted. He was so frustrated and disappointed in himself that he had become the very thing that he had never before understood.
If he could be so weak and stupid, he could prove that others were just as pathetic. He felt for the first time like he must monitor the behavior of others looking for weaknesses to exploit. He realized it didn't matter what they did - only that they had reservation when doing it that made them vulnerable. But that wasn't enough. He could be most effective if he treated others objectively, pointing out flaws that were petty, but literally irrefutable. After all, if someone was incapable of proper grammar or syntax, how could they possibly achieve anything of any difficulty whatsoever.
Of course, he was really a good person, so he needed to treat others as he wished to be treated. Easy, he decided he would welcome insults and nasty treatment from others. Then he went online and purchased a book: "How Piss-off Thy Neighbor in Politically Correct Ways."
Not only would others feel completely dejected, but he would be completely innocent of any crime, since he was only pointing out the plainly observable. This could have the most devastating effect on his nemesis - everyone.
So, he sat in his room studying the common things people messed up, like grammar, spelling and so forth. There he sat for years perfecting the art of criticism. He indeed became perfect at identifying every technical slip of the tongue he heard. He was delighted to see that others were most furious when he would act completely baffled at a thought because of some trivial mistake.
In the subsequent years he became rather unpopular. But, he wasn't able to anger people to the degree that he was angry, and it angered him. After all, he was now incapable of missing any minor flaw whatsoever. He was therefore flawless. Yet somehow still unhappy.
In the end his childhood accusers could not have been more correct.
Lazy
Boring
Insignificant
and most of all,
Stupid
He wasn't sure what he could do to resolve these things. Being so stupid, he couldn't understand what they meant particularly...only that they were criticisms, and that he was the exact example of them. When he heard others criticized he seldom understood why. Of course, he knew others needed help seeing how flawed they were, and wanted to help, but he was unable to detect all the flaws in people the other kids did, being stupid and all.
As he grew older he realized it was the people who reminded him of his flaws that seemed to be the most unhappy. Indeed, he saw that being critical of others itself seemed to be a flaw. Not only that, a person's capacity to criticize others seemed to be exactly proportional to their own disappointment in themselves.
As he thought about it he realized that he had no reason to believe those who charged him all his life and the years of despair were unnecessary. He was indeed stupid, but only for listening to them. In such he also realized the capacity for people to become that which they are wrongly accused. Furthermore, petty accusations that are correct only reinforce the self-destructive behavior because they lead to more despair and anguish, and that criticisms are actually seldom truly intended to benefit the accused - nor are they precisely directed.
He had such anger for the people who had falsely misjudged him all his life that he wanted to scream at them. More than that, he wanted to scream at the whole world and tell everyone to go to hell. That was when he first discovered how the others had felt when they had accused him. It enraged him. Now, he had indeed succumbed to what he might have predicted. He was so frustrated and disappointed in himself that he had become the very thing that he had never before understood.
If he could be so weak and stupid, he could prove that others were just as pathetic. He felt for the first time like he must monitor the behavior of others looking for weaknesses to exploit. He realized it didn't matter what they did - only that they had reservation when doing it that made them vulnerable. But that wasn't enough. He could be most effective if he treated others objectively, pointing out flaws that were petty, but literally irrefutable. After all, if someone was incapable of proper grammar or syntax, how could they possibly achieve anything of any difficulty whatsoever.
Of course, he was really a good person, so he needed to treat others as he wished to be treated. Easy, he decided he would welcome insults and nasty treatment from others. Then he went online and purchased a book: "How Piss-off Thy Neighbor in Politically Correct Ways."
Not only would others feel completely dejected, but he would be completely innocent of any crime, since he was only pointing out the plainly observable. This could have the most devastating effect on his nemesis - everyone.
So, he sat in his room studying the common things people messed up, like grammar, spelling and so forth. There he sat for years perfecting the art of criticism. He indeed became perfect at identifying every technical slip of the tongue he heard. He was delighted to see that others were most furious when he would act completely baffled at a thought because of some trivial mistake.
In the subsequent years he became rather unpopular. But, he wasn't able to anger people to the degree that he was angry, and it angered him. After all, he was now incapable of missing any minor flaw whatsoever. He was therefore flawless. Yet somehow still unhappy.
In the end his childhood accusers could not have been more correct.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Dwarvia - The Darkness
It was a bright summer morning when it arrived. Coast dwellers say it came from the east like a storm cloud and grew higher, faster, and darker before it washed over the shoreline and then drifted over the mainland, blanketing all of Dwarvia. It wasn't a cloud, it wasn't dust, but a strange dry haze that hung in the air like cigar smoke. It was orderless and invisible at short distances, but from the mountains and hillsides the fields and prairies disappeared into darkness in all directions, and the sun became a dim white saucer floating through the soupy sky.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Sicko
I watched Sicko last night at Ryan's place. In the past I have recoiled in horror at the presumptuous and slanted nature of Mr. Moore's documentaries. Apparently, when faced with the sick and dying even the callous Mr. Moore has enough conscience to respect facts and correctly identify the proper victims. I think he may have even touched on some of the real causes here. Most importantly, I think this time he stumbled on a real problem that needs little sensationalism to demonstrate.
The most important thing I got out of this was the realization that our health care system is already socialized. And as such, Medicare and the prescription drug plan already suffer from the inevitable disastrous effects - government cooperation with corporations who suffer the irresistible temptation to screw the public for their own benefit.
This is an interesting situation. Our country was founded on the principle that we have a "right to life." If Mr. Moore isn't fibbing, our (socialized) system has actually withheld treatment resulting in death. I was terrified to see this. But, to what degree do we cooperate in order to make sure this never happens? Do we ban cigarettes because they sometimes cause death?
It's really all about risk. Do we allow people to take heavy risks in return for financial prosperity? That is, do we allow people to not pay for health coverage? If so, it seems to me we would be obligated to let the uninsured die and assume that is what they wanted. (The alternative requires taking money out of the pockets of the responsible folks anyway). Since we usually assume people do not want to die, it seems to me the rest of us are going to pick up the slack no matter what. So, maybe we should bite the bullet here and all agree not to kill each other after all.
The most important thing I got out of this was the realization that our health care system is already socialized. And as such, Medicare and the prescription drug plan already suffer from the inevitable disastrous effects - government cooperation with corporations who suffer the irresistible temptation to screw the public for their own benefit.
This is an interesting situation. Our country was founded on the principle that we have a "right to life." If Mr. Moore isn't fibbing, our (socialized) system has actually withheld treatment resulting in death. I was terrified to see this. But, to what degree do we cooperate in order to make sure this never happens? Do we ban cigarettes because they sometimes cause death?
It's really all about risk. Do we allow people to take heavy risks in return for financial prosperity? That is, do we allow people to not pay for health coverage? If so, it seems to me we would be obligated to let the uninsured die and assume that is what they wanted. (The alternative requires taking money out of the pockets of the responsible folks anyway). Since we usually assume people do not want to die, it seems to me the rest of us are going to pick up the slack no matter what. So, maybe we should bite the bullet here and all agree not to kill each other after all.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Sing
It's amazing how the cells in our bodies replace themselves. Like skin. It replaces itself every few months or so. Not sure about brain cells. Nonetheless I think there is ample evidence to suggest that a brain is capable of rewiring itself - either willfully or through encouragement.
For example, completely restrained, balls situated within a machine vise, lever moved a quarter turn for each time I refused to rebuke the former statement, there is a strong possibility I could be completely convinced my brain was not capable of rewiring itself.
For example, completely restrained, balls situated within a machine vise, lever moved a quarter turn for each time I refused to rebuke the former statement, there is a strong possibility I could be completely convinced my brain was not capable of rewiring itself.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Quiet
I smell quiet. It smells like ticking, a laptop hard drive, cat breath, a bus; voices in my head.
Busy these days. Penelope Press got it's second gig - a contract technical writing project (yes, about Finale again). So, little time for else at the moment.
Busy these days. Penelope Press got it's second gig - a contract technical writing project (yes, about Finale again). So, little time for else at the moment.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Bullshit
Cheers. It's time for a ramble, so here we go. Bullshit. That's what this one's about. Whenever you listen to anyone, whenever you hear the radio, or go to a city council meeting, remember to repeat it to yourself. "Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit." Then, when you can settle down and have some time to think about it all, you can carefully extract the tiny shred of non-bullshit from the remainder of the steaming pile.
There are some exceptions to the rule. When someone beats the crap out of you, and you are a bloody mess is some ally, that is not bullshit. If you spend an evening next to a barstool adorned with a voracious mass of sobbing flesh, that is not bullshit. When you hear a great song, not bullshit. A great story, poem, movie, or blog - also not bullshit.
We all have bullshit detectors. Mine turns on after about two beers (at least I think it does). Sometimes I even detect myself - that means it's time for a third. Maybe that's why I love beer so much. No one can be an intentional nefarious liar after a few beers. There's a rule for y'alls - never trust anyone who doesn't drink - they probably have a corpse in their trunk.
But really. If you are a serial killer, do you really risk getting wasted with your buddies? Is that really a smart move? Probably not. If you are wanted in 48 states, do you really throw a 20 kegger open house. So there it is...Beer , the great equalizer. Come to my house and equalize with me. It will be fun. And not bullshit. Vagabonds, baristas, heads of state welcome. Music, poetry, friends, humans were built for this. Swing over, search my house for corpses, then drown yourselves in sweet malt beverages. What? Are you hiding corpses or something?
Come and bring your thirst - I'll be bumbing around till next Monday while the lady does her important business stuff in LA. Yes, I am somewhat jealous. I hear it is above zero degrees there. Yes, I have had enough beers to not care right now. But most importantly, no bullshit. Okay, that'll do it for now. Cheers!
There are some exceptions to the rule. When someone beats the crap out of you, and you are a bloody mess is some ally, that is not bullshit. If you spend an evening next to a barstool adorned with a voracious mass of sobbing flesh, that is not bullshit. When you hear a great song, not bullshit. A great story, poem, movie, or blog - also not bullshit.
We all have bullshit detectors. Mine turns on after about two beers (at least I think it does). Sometimes I even detect myself - that means it's time for a third. Maybe that's why I love beer so much. No one can be an intentional nefarious liar after a few beers. There's a rule for y'alls - never trust anyone who doesn't drink - they probably have a corpse in their trunk.
But really. If you are a serial killer, do you really risk getting wasted with your buddies? Is that really a smart move? Probably not. If you are wanted in 48 states, do you really throw a 20 kegger open house. So there it is...Beer , the great equalizer. Come to my house and equalize with me. It will be fun. And not bullshit. Vagabonds, baristas, heads of state welcome. Music, poetry, friends, humans were built for this. Swing over, search my house for corpses, then drown yourselves in sweet malt beverages. What? Are you hiding corpses or something?
Come and bring your thirst - I'll be bumbing around till next Monday while the lady does her important business stuff in LA. Yes, I am somewhat jealous. I hear it is above zero degrees there. Yes, I have had enough beers to not care right now. But most importantly, no bullshit. Okay, that'll do it for now. Cheers!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Dwarvia
The Dunder Dwarves, like all in Dwarvia, drank only the delicious milk of the halisaur, which were large, winged reptilian creatures said to be a type of luck dragon. They didn't really know why, but no one in Dunder village had ever cared to drink anything else. There was little reason to. Every dwarf owned his own halisaur. In fact, by law each was given one at birth, and the town had been peaceful as long as anyone could remember. But legend tells us it wasn't always that way...
In an earlier age halisaurs were not so common. In fact, they were only owned by a single family of rich dwarves named the Drubens, who kept them locked in secret pastures guarded by menacing fear dragons that would soar above the towering pasture walls. At this time the milk from the halisaurs was sold to the dwarves; not just the ones from Dunder village, but the whole country of Dwarvia.
The Drubens had plenty of land, and sold their milk at a handsome price. But managing the halisaurs was a constant fiasco. It just so happens halisaurs are easily disgruntled when arranged into herds, and many bizarre accidents would plague the farm when the proportion of herders was too low. Workers would succumb to the most miraculous misfortunes including lightning strikes, ant invasions, spontaneous quicksand accidents and even miniature tornadoes. Because of this, the number of farm workers was never enough to properly tend to the necessary work. Few workers dared work for the Drubens.
Eventually, after an unfortunate dandelion incident, the Drubens decided they must raise wages to attract more workers. Deciding the pay was worth the risk, hundreds of new herders began tending to the pastures, and soon the disasters mellowed in frequency and severity. The perpetual mayhem was diminished to a dull roar of minor misfortunes.
But to compensate for the higher wages the Drubens had no choice but to raise the price of milk. But, the price required was so high that all of Dwarvia revolted. They organized an army, defeated the fear dragons, and released the entire hoard of halisaurs. The people of Dwarvia were surprised to find that there was precisely one halisaur for each dwarf, and each was delighted to provide milk for one master. And this is how every dwarf got their halisaur.
Then the halisaurs became more productive and all of Dwarvia celebrated with great festivals. Cheerful and well-mannered, many of the halisaurs began producing more milk than necessary - more than any one dwarf could drink. So, those with extra milk sold it for whatever price they could get. Some halisaurs produced more milk than others, so there was always some dwarf willing to buy another's extra.
As the years passed, the halisaur's cooperative nature became obvious. They were peaceful, docile creatures along side their master, and the dwarves became affectionate towards their halisaur, feeding and caring for it appropriately. There was a mysterious aura about them. For example, throughout Dwarvia, one halisaur was always born for every baby dwarf, and never more than one. This nature of the halisaur was never entirely understood, but it continued for so many years, that all dwarves knew they could count on a halisaur at birth or shortly after.
Caring for a halisaur is not always easy, and some dwarves were better suited for it than others. Many who became occupied with their farm, business or other endeavor left friends or family to care for theirs, which the halisaurs would tolerate begrudgingly. It was simply a fact of life that cheap and plentiful halisaur milk was always available, and generations of dwarves passed until this everyday part of their culture was almost an afterthought.
One day a Dwarf named Dwain was approached by a famished traveler from a distant part of Dwarvia. The visitor, who called himself Ruben, claimed to have lost his halisaur. Never had Dwain imagined one could possibly lose their own halisaur - it was unheard of. Ruben was invited to stay with Dwain, and was given milk and restored to health. Dwain and his wife Darla felt very sorry for poor Ruben, who cried and complained often about his loss. Ruben would often lament that he couldn't continue his journy home without a halisaur to accompany him. Finally, after much discussion, Dwain and Darla decided they would give one of their halisaurs to Ruben. Ruben at first rejected their offer, but Dwain and Darla finally assured Ruben they could share the milk from their remaining halisaur. Finally, Ruben accepted, and took Dwain's halisaur for the journey home. As a return gift, Dwain and Darla were given ten gold pieces for their generosity.
At first, Dwain and Darla were reprimanded by all in town. No one had ever abandoned their halisaur. But, when they explained that it was given to replace the one lost by a starving, destitute traveler, they were forgiven. Their punishment was sharing the milk from one dragon, which happened to be enough for them both anyway. But others in town heard that the traveler had paid ten gold pieces, which was quite a lot of money. Soon, another was rumored to sell his halisaur for an amazing one hundred gold pieces. Over the next several years, many sold their halisaurs, and most of them were sold to rich, but starving travelers who had claimed to have lost theirs.
Decades passed, and dwarves continued to sell their halisaurs until they were very rare in Dwarvia. It was discovered that Ruben had never lost his halisaur, but swindled it for the Druben family who had decided to go back into the business of herding halisaurs. By this time so many dwarves had been born, and therefore so many halisaurs, that great islands and even small continents were devoted to their management. And the Drubens changed their name to the Drabens, and they bought all the halisaurs they could and herded them on these islands. Despite effective new pacification methods the halisaur compounds were notorious for freakish accidents, and the price of milk again began to go up.
Eventually, the secluded Dunder village was the only place in Dwarvia that still contained any halisaurs. And this is where our story begins.
In an earlier age halisaurs were not so common. In fact, they were only owned by a single family of rich dwarves named the Drubens, who kept them locked in secret pastures guarded by menacing fear dragons that would soar above the towering pasture walls. At this time the milk from the halisaurs was sold to the dwarves; not just the ones from Dunder village, but the whole country of Dwarvia.
The Drubens had plenty of land, and sold their milk at a handsome price. But managing the halisaurs was a constant fiasco. It just so happens halisaurs are easily disgruntled when arranged into herds, and many bizarre accidents would plague the farm when the proportion of herders was too low. Workers would succumb to the most miraculous misfortunes including lightning strikes, ant invasions, spontaneous quicksand accidents and even miniature tornadoes. Because of this, the number of farm workers was never enough to properly tend to the necessary work. Few workers dared work for the Drubens.
Eventually, after an unfortunate dandelion incident, the Drubens decided they must raise wages to attract more workers. Deciding the pay was worth the risk, hundreds of new herders began tending to the pastures, and soon the disasters mellowed in frequency and severity. The perpetual mayhem was diminished to a dull roar of minor misfortunes.
But to compensate for the higher wages the Drubens had no choice but to raise the price of milk. But, the price required was so high that all of Dwarvia revolted. They organized an army, defeated the fear dragons, and released the entire hoard of halisaurs. The people of Dwarvia were surprised to find that there was precisely one halisaur for each dwarf, and each was delighted to provide milk for one master. And this is how every dwarf got their halisaur.
Then the halisaurs became more productive and all of Dwarvia celebrated with great festivals. Cheerful and well-mannered, many of the halisaurs began producing more milk than necessary - more than any one dwarf could drink. So, those with extra milk sold it for whatever price they could get. Some halisaurs produced more milk than others, so there was always some dwarf willing to buy another's extra.
As the years passed, the halisaur's cooperative nature became obvious. They were peaceful, docile creatures along side their master, and the dwarves became affectionate towards their halisaur, feeding and caring for it appropriately. There was a mysterious aura about them. For example, throughout Dwarvia, one halisaur was always born for every baby dwarf, and never more than one. This nature of the halisaur was never entirely understood, but it continued for so many years, that all dwarves knew they could count on a halisaur at birth or shortly after.
Caring for a halisaur is not always easy, and some dwarves were better suited for it than others. Many who became occupied with their farm, business or other endeavor left friends or family to care for theirs, which the halisaurs would tolerate begrudgingly. It was simply a fact of life that cheap and plentiful halisaur milk was always available, and generations of dwarves passed until this everyday part of their culture was almost an afterthought.
One day a Dwarf named Dwain was approached by a famished traveler from a distant part of Dwarvia. The visitor, who called himself Ruben, claimed to have lost his halisaur. Never had Dwain imagined one could possibly lose their own halisaur - it was unheard of. Ruben was invited to stay with Dwain, and was given milk and restored to health. Dwain and his wife Darla felt very sorry for poor Ruben, who cried and complained often about his loss. Ruben would often lament that he couldn't continue his journy home without a halisaur to accompany him. Finally, after much discussion, Dwain and Darla decided they would give one of their halisaurs to Ruben. Ruben at first rejected their offer, but Dwain and Darla finally assured Ruben they could share the milk from their remaining halisaur. Finally, Ruben accepted, and took Dwain's halisaur for the journey home. As a return gift, Dwain and Darla were given ten gold pieces for their generosity.
At first, Dwain and Darla were reprimanded by all in town. No one had ever abandoned their halisaur. But, when they explained that it was given to replace the one lost by a starving, destitute traveler, they were forgiven. Their punishment was sharing the milk from one dragon, which happened to be enough for them both anyway. But others in town heard that the traveler had paid ten gold pieces, which was quite a lot of money. Soon, another was rumored to sell his halisaur for an amazing one hundred gold pieces. Over the next several years, many sold their halisaurs, and most of them were sold to rich, but starving travelers who had claimed to have lost theirs.
Decades passed, and dwarves continued to sell their halisaurs until they were very rare in Dwarvia. It was discovered that Ruben had never lost his halisaur, but swindled it for the Druben family who had decided to go back into the business of herding halisaurs. By this time so many dwarves had been born, and therefore so many halisaurs, that great islands and even small continents were devoted to their management. And the Drubens changed their name to the Drabens, and they bought all the halisaurs they could and herded them on these islands. Despite effective new pacification methods the halisaur compounds were notorious for freakish accidents, and the price of milk again began to go up.
Eventually, the secluded Dunder village was the only place in Dwarvia that still contained any halisaurs. And this is where our story begins.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Ron Paul vs. the Libertarian Party
lib·er·tar·i·an n.
One main idea is that life, liberty, and happiness came first, and then governments were instituted by men to protect these things, or at least the freedom to pursue them according to one's ability. So, the question our founding fathers had to ask themselves was something like..."How do we protect the rights of every citizen from coercion without breaking our own rule?" Considering the tendency for civilizations to fall to tyranny, how do we protect every individual in future generations from:
We call ourselves a democracy, but the founding fathers were terrified of a true direct democracy. In such a system, 51% could legally rule over the remaining 49%. And they knew that 80% of the electorate were blithering idiots anyway even if they did pay attention to what was going on. So we ended up with a Constitutional Republic, and use a democratic system to elect the representatives. And then there were the three branches, checks and balances, serving to protect the country from the droves of raving lunatics we were bound to elect. Yada yada. You know all this. But as we observe what they did, it's perhaps even more important to remember the reasons they did it.
They did it because throughout history civilizations always tend to fall to one sort of tyranny or another. The state always eventually exploits the people it was founded to protect for its own preservation, making it the cause of the problem rather than the solution. This is what all the founding fathers attempted to avoid. We see evidence of self-preservation tendencies today whenever government "steals from Peter to pay Paul" in order to secure Paul's support (earmarks, subsidies, etc.). Recently, it has also done things like wiretapping, and all that Big Brother stuff associated with the war on terror. These things all corrode individual liberties and consolidate power into the hands of the state. So, would the authors of the Constitution condone this behavior?
Most think the Constitution is great because it can be amended to fit a changing society. This may be true to some extent, but more importantly, its principles continue to persist after 230 years. These principles were true thousands of years ago and they will likely persist thousands of years from now. In a rapidly changing society, there is a temptation to believe that these principles can be sacrificed for the greater good - a fallacious argument repeated time and again by individuals or groups who would benefit from such a thing at the expense of everyone else.
The general consensus is still...Individual liberty = the common good. Since no one knows any one else's definition of happiness, every individual must be protected from coercion by others, and allowed to use their capabilities for their own benefit to the greatest degree possible though voluntary cooperation and mutually beneficial contract. All the states could somehow agree with this in the late 18th century, and as far as I know, it's still the law - on paper anyway. And since we have this freedom, we can choose how to spend it ourselves. We sacrifice liberty when we get a job, get married, or join a curling league. But the point is, we get to choose, not the government.
Anyway, the protection of one's intellectual and religious freedom was at the core of our system, and motivated by the principles of individual liberty - the same thing the Libertarian party is dedicated to. Is the Libertarian party subject to the same corrosive influences our founding fathers battled? Absolutely. How has the Libertarian party fared compared to the US government? Not so good.
Here's the problem. You need to respect everyone's right to express their ideas if you are a true libertarian, as long as they don't cause harm or silence others. Surprise! Some libertarians have really whacked-out views. In fact, those that cling to their right of expression despite constant and overwhelming popular opposition are most dependent on liberty - even while blithely rejecting its fundamentals themselves! Given the inclusive principles of liberty, it seems inevitable that the most abhorred outcasts at the fringes of society will call themselves Libertarians, then use any success of the party to trumpet their minority positions. It's the same thing lobbyists and special interests do to take advantage of the US government. It's the opposition to such behavior that attracted many to the Libertarians to the party in the first place.
Now that Ron Paul has gained some support, those same wackos are trying to hijack his candidacy as well. Neo-confederates, secessionists, 911 truthers have all come out of the woodwork in wild support of Dr. Paul. And the nation, which detests such views, is noticing. In response to this, to protect the reputation of the Libertarian party, many of its members are distancing themselves from the Paul campaign. They still agree with Paul's ideas and his message, but believe the preservation of the Libertarian party is more important.
So it comes down to this. The defender of liberty is now being challenged. For those who believe Ron Paul's message is sound...Are you willing to defend your beliefs despite attacks to your character based on fallacious associations? Are you willing to pledge your life, fortune, and sacred honor in defense of liberty, or the Libertarian party? Does a libertarian employ their right to champion what is unpopular because it is right? Or, do they employ their right to defer their responsibility to an organization dedicated to promote liberty on their behalf? Can such an organization ever be true to its principles?
- An advocate of the doctrine of free will.
- a: a person who upholds the principles of individual liberty especially of thought and action b: a member of a political party advocating libertarian principles
One main idea is that life, liberty, and happiness came first, and then governments were instituted by men to protect these things, or at least the freedom to pursue them according to one's ability. So, the question our founding fathers had to ask themselves was something like..."How do we protect the rights of every citizen from coercion without breaking our own rule?" Considering the tendency for civilizations to fall to tyranny, how do we protect every individual in future generations from:
We call ourselves a democracy, but the founding fathers were terrified of a true direct democracy. In such a system, 51% could legally rule over the remaining 49%. And they knew that 80% of the electorate were blithering idiots anyway even if they did pay attention to what was going on. So we ended up with a Constitutional Republic, and use a democratic system to elect the representatives. And then there were the three branches, checks and balances, serving to protect the country from the droves of raving lunatics we were bound to elect. Yada yada. You know all this. But as we observe what they did, it's perhaps even more important to remember the reasons they did it.
They did it because throughout history civilizations always tend to fall to one sort of tyranny or another. The state always eventually exploits the people it was founded to protect for its own preservation, making it the cause of the problem rather than the solution. This is what all the founding fathers attempted to avoid. We see evidence of self-preservation tendencies today whenever government "steals from Peter to pay Paul" in order to secure Paul's support (earmarks, subsidies, etc.). Recently, it has also done things like wiretapping, and all that Big Brother stuff associated with the war on terror. These things all corrode individual liberties and consolidate power into the hands of the state. So, would the authors of the Constitution condone this behavior?
Most think the Constitution is great because it can be amended to fit a changing society. This may be true to some extent, but more importantly, its principles continue to persist after 230 years. These principles were true thousands of years ago and they will likely persist thousands of years from now. In a rapidly changing society, there is a temptation to believe that these principles can be sacrificed for the greater good - a fallacious argument repeated time and again by individuals or groups who would benefit from such a thing at the expense of everyone else.
The general consensus is still...Individual liberty = the common good. Since no one knows any one else's definition of happiness, every individual must be protected from coercion by others, and allowed to use their capabilities for their own benefit to the greatest degree possible though voluntary cooperation and mutually beneficial contract. All the states could somehow agree with this in the late 18th century, and as far as I know, it's still the law - on paper anyway. And since we have this freedom, we can choose how to spend it ourselves. We sacrifice liberty when we get a job, get married, or join a curling league. But the point is, we get to choose, not the government.
Anyway, the protection of one's intellectual and religious freedom was at the core of our system, and motivated by the principles of individual liberty - the same thing the Libertarian party is dedicated to. Is the Libertarian party subject to the same corrosive influences our founding fathers battled? Absolutely. How has the Libertarian party fared compared to the US government? Not so good.
Here's the problem. You need to respect everyone's right to express their ideas if you are a true libertarian, as long as they don't cause harm or silence others. Surprise! Some libertarians have really whacked-out views. In fact, those that cling to their right of expression despite constant and overwhelming popular opposition are most dependent on liberty - even while blithely rejecting its fundamentals themselves! Given the inclusive principles of liberty, it seems inevitable that the most abhorred outcasts at the fringes of society will call themselves Libertarians, then use any success of the party to trumpet their minority positions. It's the same thing lobbyists and special interests do to take advantage of the US government. It's the opposition to such behavior that attracted many to the Libertarians to the party in the first place.
Now that Ron Paul has gained some support, those same wackos are trying to hijack his candidacy as well. Neo-confederates, secessionists, 911 truthers have all come out of the woodwork in wild support of Dr. Paul. And the nation, which detests such views, is noticing. In response to this, to protect the reputation of the Libertarian party, many of its members are distancing themselves from the Paul campaign. They still agree with Paul's ideas and his message, but believe the preservation of the Libertarian party is more important.
I think we must face the fact that the libertarian community does include many racists and other unsavory characters who see in our message of limited government an opportunity to act on their creepy impulses—people whose own hostility to the state is rooted not in a love of individual freedom and human initiative as ours is, but in an opposition to modernity, secularism, equality, urban life and bourgeois values. We must make it clear that they aren’t welcome in our big tent.I have a warning for members of the Libertarian party. Liberty is always going to be most attractive to the minority; the outcasts along the fringe. To support liberty it may be our individual duty to renounce the wackos, correct them, or let them frolic to make fools of themselves, but no group or individual has authority to silence them - much less one with respect for liberty. We must depend on a society best poised to allow their opponents the freedom to refute them. Liberty is a brutally honest thing, and a thing to be feared. It opens the flood gates allowing the loons to parade the streets in support of that which society rejects. It gives a mouthpiece to the ignorant, and to the knowledgeable, and expects truth will prevail. We accept it for many reasons. For example, the possibility that one day, throughout the centuries, there might come a time when one loon is proven right.
-Freespace
So it comes down to this. The defender of liberty is now being challenged. For those who believe Ron Paul's message is sound...Are you willing to defend your beliefs despite attacks to your character based on fallacious associations? Are you willing to pledge your life, fortune, and sacred honor in defense of liberty, or the Libertarian party? Does a libertarian employ their right to champion what is unpopular because it is right? Or, do they employ their right to defer their responsibility to an organization dedicated to promote liberty on their behalf? Can such an organization ever be true to its principles?
A population fooled into supporting individual liberty has already lost it.(Some of this inspired by chapter 2 of On Liberty by John Stuart Mill).
Saturday, January 12, 2008
More Bastiat
Alright, I've mentioned Bastiat's broken window parable before. Here's a quick recap of the argument (modified just a bit):
A current manifestation of this argument is that war is good for the economy because it provides jobs. This is a very potent argument used to defend the existence of the military industrial complex and aggressive war. But, this is really the same as breaking a massive amount of windows. We need to consider what other things the hundreds of billions of dollars could be spent on if we didn't have this war to pay for. Maybe we could even let our citizens keep more of their hard-earned money so they could use it for, oh I don't know, health insurance, education, skittles? Pretty hard to kill someone with skittles (although they are not good for your teeth).
Taking this further, everything is purchased at the expense of some other thing. It begs the question...what are our national resources best used for? What are our individual resources best used for? What do we need to pool our money together to accomplish through the state, and what portion of our income is best spent at our own discretion?
Imagine over one-third of your yearly income. Imagine writing a check for that amount. Then think of everything the federal government has provided for you. Then think about the possibility that intervention abroad has incited hatred making you less safe, that No Child Left Behind has deteriorated school performance and that the Patriot Act has violated civil liberties.
Then remember that those thousands of dollars have actually already been spent and are being used to pay interest on foreign debt. Then remember that every household is actually accountable for $400, 000 in public debt!
The system, our elected government, with the help of corporate influence, is being used for its own preservation at best, and our exploitation at worst. What is the solution? We must first hold the beast accountable with education, and starve it with cuts in taxes and spending. We need to stop using our resources to smash windows, and start using it to secure our individual security, personal sovereignty, and economic prosperity.
- A clan of tax protesters storms the White House, smashing all the windows.
- The president hires a window repair man to fix the windows.
- Argument: This is good for the economy because it provides work for the window repair man.
A current manifestation of this argument is that war is good for the economy because it provides jobs. This is a very potent argument used to defend the existence of the military industrial complex and aggressive war. But, this is really the same as breaking a massive amount of windows. We need to consider what other things the hundreds of billions of dollars could be spent on if we didn't have this war to pay for. Maybe we could even let our citizens keep more of their hard-earned money so they could use it for, oh I don't know, health insurance, education, skittles? Pretty hard to kill someone with skittles (although they are not good for your teeth).
Taking this further, everything is purchased at the expense of some other thing. It begs the question...what are our national resources best used for? What are our individual resources best used for? What do we need to pool our money together to accomplish through the state, and what portion of our income is best spent at our own discretion?
Imagine over one-third of your yearly income. Imagine writing a check for that amount. Then think of everything the federal government has provided for you. Then think about the possibility that intervention abroad has incited hatred making you less safe, that No Child Left Behind has deteriorated school performance and that the Patriot Act has violated civil liberties.
Then remember that those thousands of dollars have actually already been spent and are being used to pay interest on foreign debt. Then remember that every household is actually accountable for $400, 000 in public debt!
The system, our elected government, with the help of corporate influence, is being used for its own preservation at best, and our exploitation at worst. What is the solution? We must first hold the beast accountable with education, and starve it with cuts in taxes and spending. We need to stop using our resources to smash windows, and start using it to secure our individual security, personal sovereignty, and economic prosperity.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Penn and Teller
Frank Luntz may be the most evil person living today. Meet your enemy ladies and gentleman (courtesy of Penn and Teller).
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Roli poli fish heads
I really have nothing much to say. But, that happens to be the mode of thinking I prefer when saying stuff, so I won't let it stop me. Sure, I should have plenty to say, having just watched the Republican debate, but I really don't. I think I'm comfortably numb. Okay, that's enough . Here are some quotes to moisten the noodle.
Drink heavily, and buy more guns.
- Jim Bovard, at Freedom Summit 2005, responding to a question about what we should do now about government abuses of rights.
In a truly civil society peopled primarily by enlightened, sober individuals, the carriage of arms might be deemed gratuitous, but it is nonetheless harmless. In a society that measures up to anything less than that, the option to carry arms is a necessity.Just something different. Trying to gather my thoughts from the debate I guess. Which seems like too much to handle at once.
-Geek with a .45
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Bo
Once long ago a young man by the name of Bo lived a solitary life in a small thatched hut deep within a remote mountain valley. There he tended to a plot of alpine land rich with beans, tubers, and barley. Through the center of the valley flowed a stream which meandered among various fruit and shade trees and from the fields, trees, and stream Bo gathered what he needed to eat and drink.
Each morning as the first rays of sun illuminated the high peaks Bo would emerge from his hut and walk down the gentle slope to his fields. He would drop his hoe into the moist soil and begin his daily routine. As he worked he would think about his mother and father, as well as his siblings. He remembered his sister, the little one, who would grasp his finger tightly and smile. And these thoughts eased the strain of his tight shoulders as he worked the land.
But these moments always faded to heartache as Bo recalled the tragedy; first his mother, then his father, and finally the last of his brothers and sisters. Each day another would awake with the cough, and each would be dead by evening. This continued until only Bo and his little sister were left. And then finally one day she awoke with the cough as well. And these days Bo would look on the hillside opposite his hut to see the place where he buried them. And because of this his fields were fertilized with tears.
Many years passed, and good fortune brought him abundance in fruit and grain; more than he could ever eat himself. But Bo never saw another soul, and he was often lonely, and often thought of venturing from his home. He knew his extra grain was of value and could be sold at a town many miles away. As a boy he had traveled with his father once into town, but remembered the perilous journey, and dared not risk leaving the valley alone. He did not know the path, and could not let his fields choke with weeds for that many days. So, he put the thought to rest, and stored his grain to preserve it as best as he could.
One day as he was fishing, Bo heard rustling in some bushes across the stream. Thinking it a wolf or bear, he quickly hid behind a nearby boulder. His heart pounded and he stood perfectly still as he heard the creature approach the water. He then heard some splashing and figured the beast had decided to swim across. Terrified, he picked up a stone and crouched slowly peaking around the side of the boulder, ready to strike if it attacked him. To his astonishment, it was a young woman who bathed casually, humming to herself and swimming gracefully against the current. He relaxed and put down the stone, admiring her brown hair and bare shoulders. He feared he would startle her if he didn't remain hidden. He wished to speak with her, but could not decide what he would say anyway. Bo continued to watch as she emerged from the water and dressed herself. His heart continued to pound. He remained silent as she walked away.
After this he thought of the girl often, and went to the boulder at the same time of day in case she were to return, which she often did. Then one warm day, after she didn't arrive, Bo decided to swim himself. He removed his clothes and relaxed in the cool water, humming to himself the familiar tune. As he swam he noticed giggling from the bushes. She had noticed him before, and had been spying on him this day. Luli was her name, and she splashed Bo and swam with him. That day she followed him back to his fields.
Luli lived with Bo, and loved him, and Bo became madly in love with Luli. Bo awakened every morning to water splashed in his face, or laughter, or her warm skin against his. They grew very close, and she was very playful and happy with him. And she often hugged and kissed him and told him how much she loved him. After several months living with Luli, he could not imagine life without her, and believed he needed nothing more from life than her company.
Then one day Luli told Bo that she needed to leave. And she did, and would not tell Bo why. And Bo cried often. Again watering the soil with his tears. But his fields did not produce as much as before. Bo did not leave the hut some days, and sat on his bed and thought. He thought about everything they had said to each other and everything they had done. He could not understand why she left. And his fields dried and cracked. And when he walked to the stream it was not to fish but only to think about Luli. He lived off the sparse fruit from the trees. He was often hungry.
After several years, Bo still could not understand why she had gone, but his despair had changed to anger. He decided he must know why she had left him. He could live without her by his side, but he could not live without knowing why. If it was a misunderstanding, he had to make it right. If it was her willful choice, he had to know it. Either way, he would not rest until he found out. The next day he walked from valley and never returned.
Each morning as the first rays of sun illuminated the high peaks Bo would emerge from his hut and walk down the gentle slope to his fields. He would drop his hoe into the moist soil and begin his daily routine. As he worked he would think about his mother and father, as well as his siblings. He remembered his sister, the little one, who would grasp his finger tightly and smile. And these thoughts eased the strain of his tight shoulders as he worked the land.
But these moments always faded to heartache as Bo recalled the tragedy; first his mother, then his father, and finally the last of his brothers and sisters. Each day another would awake with the cough, and each would be dead by evening. This continued until only Bo and his little sister were left. And then finally one day she awoke with the cough as well. And these days Bo would look on the hillside opposite his hut to see the place where he buried them. And because of this his fields were fertilized with tears.
Many years passed, and good fortune brought him abundance in fruit and grain; more than he could ever eat himself. But Bo never saw another soul, and he was often lonely, and often thought of venturing from his home. He knew his extra grain was of value and could be sold at a town many miles away. As a boy he had traveled with his father once into town, but remembered the perilous journey, and dared not risk leaving the valley alone. He did not know the path, and could not let his fields choke with weeds for that many days. So, he put the thought to rest, and stored his grain to preserve it as best as he could.
One day as he was fishing, Bo heard rustling in some bushes across the stream. Thinking it a wolf or bear, he quickly hid behind a nearby boulder. His heart pounded and he stood perfectly still as he heard the creature approach the water. He then heard some splashing and figured the beast had decided to swim across. Terrified, he picked up a stone and crouched slowly peaking around the side of the boulder, ready to strike if it attacked him. To his astonishment, it was a young woman who bathed casually, humming to herself and swimming gracefully against the current. He relaxed and put down the stone, admiring her brown hair and bare shoulders. He feared he would startle her if he didn't remain hidden. He wished to speak with her, but could not decide what he would say anyway. Bo continued to watch as she emerged from the water and dressed herself. His heart continued to pound. He remained silent as she walked away.
After this he thought of the girl often, and went to the boulder at the same time of day in case she were to return, which she often did. Then one warm day, after she didn't arrive, Bo decided to swim himself. He removed his clothes and relaxed in the cool water, humming to himself the familiar tune. As he swam he noticed giggling from the bushes. She had noticed him before, and had been spying on him this day. Luli was her name, and she splashed Bo and swam with him. That day she followed him back to his fields.
Luli lived with Bo, and loved him, and Bo became madly in love with Luli. Bo awakened every morning to water splashed in his face, or laughter, or her warm skin against his. They grew very close, and she was very playful and happy with him. And she often hugged and kissed him and told him how much she loved him. After several months living with Luli, he could not imagine life without her, and believed he needed nothing more from life than her company.
Then one day Luli told Bo that she needed to leave. And she did, and would not tell Bo why. And Bo cried often. Again watering the soil with his tears. But his fields did not produce as much as before. Bo did not leave the hut some days, and sat on his bed and thought. He thought about everything they had said to each other and everything they had done. He could not understand why she left. And his fields dried and cracked. And when he walked to the stream it was not to fish but only to think about Luli. He lived off the sparse fruit from the trees. He was often hungry.
After several years, Bo still could not understand why she had gone, but his despair had changed to anger. He decided he must know why she had left him. He could live without her by his side, but he could not live without knowing why. If it was a misunderstanding, he had to make it right. If it was her willful choice, he had to know it. Either way, he would not rest until he found out. The next day he walked from valley and never returned.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Pearl Buck
Overwhelmed with the mayhem and distractions of the modern world I decided to slip back into the beginning of the last century to a rural farm in Imperial China in The Good Earth by Pearl Buck. Reading this novel was such a relief I sincerely wish I could erase it from my memory and begin it all over again. No spoilers, I'll just say a few words...
Imagine looking over a plot of farmland and saying to yourself "I can live on this." And I mean, "I can use my bare hands to work the soil and feed myself and my family." There would be perpetual back breaking labor with little time for anything else. There would be the regular fear of drought or flood and starvation. And despite rigorous labor there are no guarantees - life continues to teeter on the whims of chance.
This life is hard to imagine, and I find something so noble and comforting about it. It made me want to brew, which I did, which gave me more time to think about it. I think we all know that none of us are capable of sustaining ourselves, and I guess I find that somewhat uncomfortable personally. We leave so much of our fate in the hands of others, and this gives us so much prosperity, but also so much responsibility. It makes me want to pick up a trowel. Reading about all the hardships I almost feel as though I've left my own fields go to weeds.
I highly recommend this book. Its language is so simple and readable, its themes so ubiquitous, I am going to have it purged from my mind at the first opportunity for a repeat.
Imagine looking over a plot of farmland and saying to yourself "I can live on this." And I mean, "I can use my bare hands to work the soil and feed myself and my family." There would be perpetual back breaking labor with little time for anything else. There would be the regular fear of drought or flood and starvation. And despite rigorous labor there are no guarantees - life continues to teeter on the whims of chance.
This life is hard to imagine, and I find something so noble and comforting about it. It made me want to brew, which I did, which gave me more time to think about it. I think we all know that none of us are capable of sustaining ourselves, and I guess I find that somewhat uncomfortable personally. We leave so much of our fate in the hands of others, and this gives us so much prosperity, but also so much responsibility. It makes me want to pick up a trowel. Reading about all the hardships I almost feel as though I've left my own fields go to weeds.
I highly recommend this book. Its language is so simple and readable, its themes so ubiquitous, I am going to have it purged from my mind at the first opportunity for a repeat.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Liberal stuff
lib·er·al·ism
Pronunciation: \ˈli-b(ə-)rə-ˌli-zəm\
Function: noun
a: often capitalized: a movement in modern Protestantism emphasizing intellectual liberty and the spiritual and ethical content of Christianity
b: a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market, and the gold standard
c: a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties (Webster)
Yes, I am a shameless Liberal. I particularly like "intellectual liberty" and "freedom from restraint." But put together, some folks seem to use a relaxed interpretation - such as "liberty to say anything that serves my interests without restraint."
Here are some modern translations of some historic phrases:
The real ones:
The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.
-Edmund Burke
Pronunciation: \ˈli-b(ə-)rə-ˌli-zəm\
Function: noun
a: often capitalized: a movement in modern Protestantism emphasizing intellectual liberty and the spiritual and ethical content of Christianity
b: a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market, and the gold standard
c: a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties (Webster)
Yes, I am a shameless Liberal. I particularly like "intellectual liberty" and "freedom from restraint." But put together, some folks seem to use a relaxed interpretation - such as "liberty to say anything that serves my interests without restraint."
Read my lips. No new taxes.
-George H.W. Bush
The challenge is to practice politics as the art of making what appears to be impossible, possible.Okay, so that last one is a joke, but you get the idea. Presidential candidates can somehow promise the impossible - improve the performance of local schools, save the economy from recession, and prevent suicide terrorism and the global spread of extremism. Are these things really possible? Occasionally it even seems like the politicians are afraid to trust the concept of liberty itself...
-Hillary Clinton
When John Kerry is president, people like Christopher Reeve are going to walk. Get up out of that wheelchair and walk again.
-John Edwards
We just can't trust the American people to make those types of choices...Government has to make those choices for people.What? Which decisions are you, in Washington, more capable of making than I about my life? What privileged information do you have about me, in which to base these decisions, that I am unaware of? It seems clear the principles of Liberalism, which are at the very foundations of this country, have been completely forgotten by many in the stew of the political frenzy. But this problem isn't new:
-Hillary Clinton (to Rep. Dennis Hastert)
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
-George Bernard Shaw
If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.So, why aren't more people exercising their right to run a campaign on the hard facts and realistic capabilities? What happened to running on the "essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual?" Is it because individuals don't contribute to their campaigns as much as huge corporations? Seems like a possibility to me.
-George Orwell
Here are some modern translations of some historic phrases:
Give me liberty, or give me a subsidy for my corporate farm.
-Overpaid CEO
I regret that I have but one life to give for the military industrial complex.
-Soldier
Obedience is the true foundation of liberty. The disobedient must be terrorists.
-Rudy Ghouliani
Power is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to take liberty from others.**************
-Garden variety politician
The real ones:
Give me liberty, or give me death.
-Patrick Henry
I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.
-Nathan Hale
Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.
-Henry David Thoreau
Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others.*********
-William Allen White
The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.
-Edmund Burke
Who is watching the watchmen?
The few times I have listened I have found Minnesota Public Radio host Kerri Miller's show "Midmorning" relatively fair. She kept the questions fair and unbiased. Then, this morning, when she was interviewing Iowa caucus goers, she said this:
These are words from a soothing, innocent, academic, inquisitive female voice; seemingly a champion of truth. Then, she casually asks whether universal health care, the opposite of what people are fed up with, is the answer...I don't care if universal health coverage is the answer or not - this is how tyrants get elected to office, and doesn't belong on public radio.
Is our public education system preparing children's brains for this type of treatment? Are public schools really teaching their students the skills necessary to identify rhetoric and demagogy? Or are teachers afraid of handing students that power? I fear our country is not prepared for this. Public figures know this, and they are using it to advance their agendas.
Who is watching the watchmen?
Do you think people are so angry, so fed up with the current medical system, that they are ready to go in the opposite direction, towards universal health care?I would expect this kind of demagoguery from a political candidate, but not a reputable talk show host on public radio. I'm most concerned because no one seems to recognize this type of deception.
These are words from a soothing, innocent, academic, inquisitive female voice; seemingly a champion of truth. Then, she casually asks whether universal health care, the opposite of what people are fed up with, is the answer...I don't care if universal health coverage is the answer or not - this is how tyrants get elected to office, and doesn't belong on public radio.
Is our public education system preparing children's brains for this type of treatment? Are public schools really teaching their students the skills necessary to identify rhetoric and demagogy? Or are teachers afraid of handing students that power? I fear our country is not prepared for this. Public figures know this, and they are using it to advance their agendas.
Who is watching the watchmen?
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