The Mamas and the Papas are a better group than the Beatles. I think the Beatles were overplayed and over-promoted. Radio stations in my day only played a handful of songs from Mamas and Papas, but they played the Beatles and John Lennon over and over again. In reality, the Mamas and Papas are better in every respect than the Beatles, though not John Lennon, who is tops in Rock and Roll in my book. I think the main reason that Mamas and Papas never made it as big as the Beatles was that their lyrics were too druggy, talking about the use of hard drugs like smack. Of course parents don't want their kids listening to that sort of thing, so I imagine many radio stations refused to play a lot of Mamas and Papas. It was sad to read that so many of the Mamas and Papas died of drug overdoses.
The biggest defect of the Sixties was the experimentation with addictive drugs, bad ones like heroin, cocaine, speed and pills. If people had just stayed with weed, they would have been better off. I think the government made a strategic blunder by making weed illegal. A person that tries marijuana may be tempted to make assumptions about other illegal drugs, that they are OK and do not pose any substantial risks. If marijuana had been legal, because of its harmlessness (relative to most other drugs), then the logic of the government's position would be nigh unassailable. It is the illogical nature of the government's position that many people find to be offensive.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
A Bad Precedent
Malicious scum have been busy posting derogatory and irrelevant theories about a crime victim, Trayvon Martin. The relevant facts concern a single night. There are those that would prefer that the public become confused or grasp at some harebrained reason to rationalize a senseless slaying.
I am appalled that no arrest has been made in the case. It makes me wonder about the state of our Republic. The signal being broadcast from one end of the country to the other is that you can get away with shooting someone dead if you manufacture a claim of self-defense. The result of this and other cases is that more and more people are going to be carrying loaded guns with them in public, and they will shoot anyone that makes them feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.
One may expect more killings to occur as the result of unpunished ones. A precedent has been set, indoctrinating an entire generation with deadly consequences. This case is a public relations disaster, an ill omen, a bad precedent, an evil lesson for young people, and a bad influence on everyone. Republican politicians have mishandled the case due to their negligence, bad faith and gross incompetence.
Who would want to go live in the city of Sanford now? Not anyone that I would want as my neighbor. I would certainly think twice before visiting, let alone moving there, and setting up a business would be completely out of the question. I am not as sure about the implications for the state of Florida, because Florida is a big state with many features. Perhaps Florida will emerge relatively unscathed, although what happened in Sanford could have happened anywhere in that state.
It has become less safe to be a pedestrian in this country. Arrogant scum in cars in the U.S. have always been aggressive and dangerous, but nowadays an added wrinkle is that they might kill a pedestrian with a firearm. It is open season on pedestrians, some of whom will respond by carrying loaded guns in order to protect themselves against maniacal drivers, who also carry loaded guns. I used to like walking places in order to save gas money and to get a bit of exercise, but nowadays it seems like one takes the chance of being shot by some stupid ignoramus just by the simple act of walking home from the store. I suppose in order to be safer, one must use the car even to drive one block. It is not safe to walk any distance anymore, because Bozo might drive up behind you and shoot you dead.
I am appalled that no arrest has been made in the case. It makes me wonder about the state of our Republic. The signal being broadcast from one end of the country to the other is that you can get away with shooting someone dead if you manufacture a claim of self-defense. The result of this and other cases is that more and more people are going to be carrying loaded guns with them in public, and they will shoot anyone that makes them feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.
One may expect more killings to occur as the result of unpunished ones. A precedent has been set, indoctrinating an entire generation with deadly consequences. This case is a public relations disaster, an ill omen, a bad precedent, an evil lesson for young people, and a bad influence on everyone. Republican politicians have mishandled the case due to their negligence, bad faith and gross incompetence.
Who would want to go live in the city of Sanford now? Not anyone that I would want as my neighbor. I would certainly think twice before visiting, let alone moving there, and setting up a business would be completely out of the question. I am not as sure about the implications for the state of Florida, because Florida is a big state with many features. Perhaps Florida will emerge relatively unscathed, although what happened in Sanford could have happened anywhere in that state.
It has become less safe to be a pedestrian in this country. Arrogant scum in cars in the U.S. have always been aggressive and dangerous, but nowadays an added wrinkle is that they might kill a pedestrian with a firearm. It is open season on pedestrians, some of whom will respond by carrying loaded guns in order to protect themselves against maniacal drivers, who also carry loaded guns. I used to like walking places in order to save gas money and to get a bit of exercise, but nowadays it seems like one takes the chance of being shot by some stupid ignoramus just by the simple act of walking home from the store. I suppose in order to be safer, one must use the car even to drive one block. It is not safe to walk any distance anymore, because Bozo might drive up behind you and shoot you dead.
Ron Paul is Right On
I can't find a single thing in Ron Paul's statement on CBS that isn't 100% true. The Republican Party is lucky to have Ron Paul. I wish that Ron Paul represented my state, because then I might think about voting Republican. He's the only one of the remaining candidates for the Republican primary that has anything remotely interesting to say and the only one that has not sold out.
Don't Bomb Iran First
Okay, I'm on the peace train. I hope that Israel does not bomb Iran, first. Only bomb Iran if Iran attacks first. It's an important distinction. I think that Gary Sick makes a cogent case against a preemptive strike. I cannot refute his analysis. It sounds plausible.
The fact of the matter is that the United States is overextended in faraway junkyards like Iraq and Afghanistan, and our economy is in poor shape, and now is not the time to start another big, expensive war with another idiotic country. Better to let Iran go the way of North Korea economically and politically. It is not our responsibility to rescue the Iranian people from their homicidal regime. They would only hate us for helping, anyway, just like the Iraqis and Afghanis. The time has come for the U.S. to focus on improving the U.S., not ungrateful foreign countries. Israel is going to have to learn how to cope psychologically with M.A.D., just like the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A. did for fifty-odd years.
The fact of the matter is that the United States is overextended in faraway junkyards like Iraq and Afghanistan, and our economy is in poor shape, and now is not the time to start another big, expensive war with another idiotic country. Better to let Iran go the way of North Korea economically and politically. It is not our responsibility to rescue the Iranian people from their homicidal regime. They would only hate us for helping, anyway, just like the Iraqis and Afghanis. The time has come for the U.S. to focus on improving the U.S., not ungrateful foreign countries. Israel is going to have to learn how to cope psychologically with M.A.D., just like the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A. did for fifty-odd years.
Animal Rights Vs. Human Rights
I'm against sharks, because they compete with humans for high-quality, nutritious food and offer little or nothing to humankind in the way of aesthetic value. Recently there have been a spate of shark attacks on humans in western Australia. I think that justifies permitting fishermen to catch shark for meat. It is not a bad thing to dispose of predators that compete with humans for food, because there are still people in the world going hungry. I take a more benevolent view of herbivores, such as elephants, and predators that are further down the food chain, such as hawks. Humans have increased their numbers to such an extent that there is no real benefit having other predators around that eat the same food, except in the special case of predators with aesthetic value, such as lions and tigers, who may also attract tourists. I am in favor of eco-tourism, because it is an effective way to redistribute wealth, separating the idle rich from their money.
However, I don't really understand men that want to kill big game for sport and not eat the meat. It seems strange to me, indicative of a lack of imagination among other things. Those who kill big game in order to feed their families are understandable. The big game would behave in the same manner, if the tables were turned.
However, I don't really understand men that want to kill big game for sport and not eat the meat. It seems strange to me, indicative of a lack of imagination among other things. Those who kill big game in order to feed their families are understandable. The big game would behave in the same manner, if the tables were turned.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Replace Money with Cards? Yeah, Right.
Those lazy buns that want to replace cash money with credit cards and stop the government from circulating any money are due some rue from the clue canoe. Credit cards store more than financial amounts. They store information, and their information can be stolen and misused, as happened recently. I think it is completely idiotic to propose doing away with money. Money is free to use and carries no information with it. Money is the perfect payment vehicle, and if we had not already invented it, it would be the perfect successor to that primitive, insecure, expensive and dangerous antique known as the credit card. Credit cards will never replace money, and if money is eliminated, then the world will be less free as a result and less secure.
Keith Olbermann
I've never watched any show with Olbermann, but did see clips of him on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He seemed to be the liberal equivalent of Rush Limbaugh, so I never felt any desire to tune in. There is something to be said for being nice, funny, or cute. I can do angry myself. I don't need somebody else to do it for me.
Looks like Olbermann is wasting a whole lot of time and money of liberal and progressive people by taking Current TV to court over his expensive fifty-million dollar contract. In the first place, I don't know who is worth fifty million dollars. Maybe Jon Stewart is. I don't know about Keith Olbermann. I don't even know anyone that watches him. At least Jon Stewart can appeal to the other side through the lubrication of wit.
If I were going to watch anybody on politics besides Jon Stewart, then I'd probably give Rachel Maddow a go. In fact, I may do so. Lately, I've gotten tired of Jon Stewart. His recent shows have seemed a bit boring. I also don't understand why he brings in a constant stream of airhead celebrities to talk about their stupid movies. I suppose he's taking money from the studios, but why should I watch an insipid interview about a movie I never plan to watch?
Looks like Olbermann is wasting a whole lot of time and money of liberal and progressive people by taking Current TV to court over his expensive fifty-million dollar contract. In the first place, I don't know who is worth fifty million dollars. Maybe Jon Stewart is. I don't know about Keith Olbermann. I don't even know anyone that watches him. At least Jon Stewart can appeal to the other side through the lubrication of wit.
If I were going to watch anybody on politics besides Jon Stewart, then I'd probably give Rachel Maddow a go. In fact, I may do so. Lately, I've gotten tired of Jon Stewart. His recent shows have seemed a bit boring. I also don't understand why he brings in a constant stream of airhead celebrities to talk about their stupid movies. I suppose he's taking money from the studios, but why should I watch an insipid interview about a movie I never plan to watch?
Friday, March 30, 2012
Testing
A common problem with small time gamer or forum sites is they have an inadequate test environment, typically little or none. Debugging should only ever be done on a test site, and the changes placed into production only after all possible (or rather, foreseeable) bugs are fixed. Those bugs that can't be foreseen are the only ones that production users, or customers in a business setting, may encounter. Unfortunately, small time web sites tend to make changes on the fly, with the result of inconveniencing some or all of their users. The best changes are slow ones done with care and deliberation and prior notice to users.
I think testing is the single greatest weak point in the software industry, encompassing all the security holes, bugs and failures caused by software that simply was not tested enough. The same could be said of hardware, of course. A web master with a track record of unrolling changes that are perfect for most users and approved by them is a real professional, and he must have a good team of testers.It is very difficult to attempt to anticipate every possible variable or even to identify all the variables at play. Much in computer science has always been assumed. One common and costly assumption was that the first two digits of any four-digit century would always and forever be "19" instead of anything else, like oh, say "20". Another assumption is that electrical power will always be available. What if it is not? Many programs have lost data due to something as simple and common as a power outage. The list goes on. Testing can become quite expensive and time-consuming depending upon the amount of thoroughness desired. The balance between cost and benefit depends upon the application.
I think testing is the single greatest weak point in the software industry, encompassing all the security holes, bugs and failures caused by software that simply was not tested enough. The same could be said of hardware, of course. A web master with a track record of unrolling changes that are perfect for most users and approved by them is a real professional, and he must have a good team of testers.It is very difficult to attempt to anticipate every possible variable or even to identify all the variables at play. Much in computer science has always been assumed. One common and costly assumption was that the first two digits of any four-digit century would always and forever be "19" instead of anything else, like oh, say "20". Another assumption is that electrical power will always be available. What if it is not? Many programs have lost data due to something as simple and common as a power outage. The list goes on. Testing can become quite expensive and time-consuming depending upon the amount of thoroughness desired. The balance between cost and benefit depends upon the application.
Homo Sapiens 2.0
The temporary and precarious nature of our existence sometimes disturbs me and makes me fear for the people I care about, but for myself, I am not so worried. I suppose it would be unfortunate to be deprived of additional pleasure and fulfillment, but I have already had more than my share, I think, particularly when one considers the sometimes abbreviated, often more difficult lives of those ancients who had more talent and contributed more to the world than I did. Just to name one instance, Shakespeare did not live past the age of
fifty, I believe, and certainly many of my acquaintances have already
exceeded his span, and it is likely his life was more difficult due to
the times he lived in.
We are fortunate to be human, compared to say squirrel or cat, but being human does carry with it the curse of mortality, impermanence. Perhaps one day scientists will develop Homo Sapiens 2.0.
My vision of Homo Sapiens 2.0 stores our identity in bits and bytes upon a computer system. In the first place, I realize it is very controversial to propose that a human personality can be broken down into bits and bytes and stored on a computer. I believe that it can, that there is nothing to our psychology that cannot be translated into software. If I like something, I like it to a degree that can be quantified on a scale from one to a hundred, and if I dislike something, that dislike can also be quantified, and rules and provisions can be established that further refine my likes and dislikes. All of this should be immediately apparent to anyone who has ever programmed a computer. It is the non-programmers who tend to think that computers will never simulate human beings. I would never make such a rash presumption. Already, computers play better chess than human beings, and they do many other things better than we do as well. In time, artificial intelligence will eclipse our own native intelligence, and then it will be a simple matter to simulate our little personalities.
However, in order to interact with each other and with the physical environment, I think it will always be useful to spawn organic clones that are robust yet replaceable in the event of injury or death. We will, each or some of us, spawn clones to get things done, but when these clones die it will be of little or no concern to the entity that dwells in safety and redundancy on a computer system.
We are fortunate to be human, compared to say squirrel or cat, but being human does carry with it the curse of mortality, impermanence. Perhaps one day scientists will develop Homo Sapiens 2.0.
My vision of Homo Sapiens 2.0 stores our identity in bits and bytes upon a computer system. In the first place, I realize it is very controversial to propose that a human personality can be broken down into bits and bytes and stored on a computer. I believe that it can, that there is nothing to our psychology that cannot be translated into software. If I like something, I like it to a degree that can be quantified on a scale from one to a hundred, and if I dislike something, that dislike can also be quantified, and rules and provisions can be established that further refine my likes and dislikes. All of this should be immediately apparent to anyone who has ever programmed a computer. It is the non-programmers who tend to think that computers will never simulate human beings. I would never make such a rash presumption. Already, computers play better chess than human beings, and they do many other things better than we do as well. In time, artificial intelligence will eclipse our own native intelligence, and then it will be a simple matter to simulate our little personalities.
However, in order to interact with each other and with the physical environment, I think it will always be useful to spawn organic clones that are robust yet replaceable in the event of injury or death. We will, each or some of us, spawn clones to get things done, but when these clones die it will be of little or no concern to the entity that dwells in safety and redundancy on a computer system.
A Review of Sellyourgold.Com
I checked out this site for selling gold, but like all gold-buying sites, it left me cold. For one thing, that web site does not specify how much they pay for gold. They prefer to remain mysterious. I and everyone else in the world want to know the minimum scrap price they are willing to pay for gold. None of these gold-buyers reveal that essential bit of information.
That site quotes prices that they have paid in the past (when gold was how much? $50 a gram? $20 a gram? who knows?) per pennyweight of gold, an archaic measurement. Pennyweight has no relevance in the modern world. We might as well go back to measuring distance in furlongs if we are going to use pennyweights. The metric gram is sufficient for all measurements of weight. There's nothing complicated about milligrams and it is understood universally.
Any fifth-grader worth his salt can calculate the commodity value of any marked piece of solid gold jewelry using nothing more than a metric scale with an accuracy of +/- one milligram and a magnifying glass to read the mark. Read the mark to determine karat weight. Divide karat weight by twenty-four to obtain the percentage of gold. Weigh the jewelery to obtain gram weight. The last variable, the current price per gram of gold, must be obtained online and will vary from day to day, even second by second, although I only care about the daily price and would accept anything within a dollar or two of it. Multiply the percentage of gold by the total gram weight by the current price per gram, and presto, the commodity value is obtained. Easy. Nothing to it. Javascript to help people estimate commodity value could be written in a single afternoon. I do not know why these gold buyers don't offer such a service, when they have clearly spent a small fortune on web design.
I have decided to hang on to my gold jewelery, because I don't trust any of the commercial gold buyers. I have yet to find one that pays a decent amount, in the 85 - 90% range for scrap value at the current commodity price.
That site quotes prices that they have paid in the past (when gold was how much? $50 a gram? $20 a gram? who knows?) per pennyweight of gold, an archaic measurement. Pennyweight has no relevance in the modern world. We might as well go back to measuring distance in furlongs if we are going to use pennyweights. The metric gram is sufficient for all measurements of weight. There's nothing complicated about milligrams and it is understood universally.
Any fifth-grader worth his salt can calculate the commodity value of any marked piece of solid gold jewelry using nothing more than a metric scale with an accuracy of +/- one milligram and a magnifying glass to read the mark. Read the mark to determine karat weight. Divide karat weight by twenty-four to obtain the percentage of gold. Weigh the jewelery to obtain gram weight. The last variable, the current price per gram of gold, must be obtained online and will vary from day to day, even second by second, although I only care about the daily price and would accept anything within a dollar or two of it. Multiply the percentage of gold by the total gram weight by the current price per gram, and presto, the commodity value is obtained. Easy. Nothing to it. Javascript to help people estimate commodity value could be written in a single afternoon. I do not know why these gold buyers don't offer such a service, when they have clearly spent a small fortune on web design.
I have decided to hang on to my gold jewelery, because I don't trust any of the commercial gold buyers. I have yet to find one that pays a decent amount, in the 85 - 90% range for scrap value at the current commodity price.
Gay Marriage Vs. Civil Partnership in the UK
Although I am pleasantly surprised by the conservatives in the UK, I find it difficult to get enthused about Conservative PM David Cameron's proposal to open the institution of marriage up to gays. In the UK, gays already have civil partnership. Apparently there are few advantages to be gained by changing the already existing "civil partnership" into "marriage". One gains the title, the religious ceremony, and the ability to divorce in the case of adultery. To the best of my knowledge, civil partnerships already offer the option of dissolution (akin to divorce), and therefore, I do not find those things very advantageous for gays. Perhaps there is a piece of the puzzle that I am missing due to inadequate reporting in the media.
However, I suppose it is an encouraging sign that the UK Conservatives are embracing gay rights at long last and showing their ideological brethren in the U.S. how to become relevant in the 21st century. I certainly would have to look at the Republicans a second time if they came out in favor of gay rights. Today, many Republicans go out of their way to offend gays. Not every Republican is a bigot, but bigots vote Republican, if they vote at all.
For my part, once gays win civil partnership rights, that is pretty much all that is needed, other than avoiding censorship and other efforts to marginalize gays. I am not concerned about the terminology used to describe a same-sex union. I am not interested so much in the word "marriage" or the religious ceremony as the practical, necessary, real-world benefits bestowed by civil partnership. Our lives would not be as hard nor as precarious if we had the many rights and privileges our straight friends enjoy as a matter of course. If the Anglican bishops want to have a separate arrangement in their Church for gay unions, "separate but inferior," that is of little consequence to me, and I would be inclined to not care at all, for the simple reason that I am not Anglican or Catholic.
However, I suppose it is an encouraging sign that the UK Conservatives are embracing gay rights at long last and showing their ideological brethren in the U.S. how to become relevant in the 21st century. I certainly would have to look at the Republicans a second time if they came out in favor of gay rights. Today, many Republicans go out of their way to offend gays. Not every Republican is a bigot, but bigots vote Republican, if they vote at all.
For my part, once gays win civil partnership rights, that is pretty much all that is needed, other than avoiding censorship and other efforts to marginalize gays. I am not concerned about the terminology used to describe a same-sex union. I am not interested so much in the word "marriage" or the religious ceremony as the practical, necessary, real-world benefits bestowed by civil partnership. Our lives would not be as hard nor as precarious if we had the many rights and privileges our straight friends enjoy as a matter of course. If the Anglican bishops want to have a separate arrangement in their Church for gay unions, "separate but inferior," that is of little consequence to me, and I would be inclined to not care at all, for the simple reason that I am not Anglican or Catholic.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Castro Meets the Pope
There is something poignant and meaningful about Castro meeting the Pope and speaking in civil and cordial terms. Their friendly meeting shows that killing off one's enemies is not the best way to go about things. Far better to show patience and understanding and to wait for the imperial court of the world & the times to settle the great Questions. I can remember when some Republicans were calling for the assassination of Castro. It is probably better that he lived without undue interference. If nothing else, a superb accomplishment of Castro is the free public health care system in place in Cuba, as well as the Cuban doctors and nurses that are exported throughout the third world. I believe that the sanctions in place against Castro's regime should be lifted. His regime is not as bad as others that we do business with.
In truth, Castro and the Pope have much in common. While inhabiting different sides of the political spectrum, they are both representatives of declining ideologies.
In truth, Castro and the Pope have much in common. While inhabiting different sides of the political spectrum, they are both representatives of declining ideologies.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Marijuana & Obamacare
If the U.S. Supreme Court now throws out provisions of the health care reform,
then a reinterpretation of the Commerce Clause has occurred, which would have implications for marijuana prohibition, were the Supreme Court composed only of honest individuals. However, I suspect the Justices vote along party lines with little or no regard for logic, reason or the Constitution. They pick and choose based upon their own prejudices.
They may rule that the federal government "exceeds its authority" in compelling citizens to purchase health insurance, and then turn around and support previous rulings that a citizen growing a non-toxic, non-addictive, medicinal natural plant may be imprisoned. In the former case, the Court supports "individual freedom," whereas in the case of marijuana, the government can do whatever it wants, anytime it wants, and for any reason, whether valid or not.
I think that this Supreme Court has been clipping away individual rights and freedoms for a long time, and it will oppose health care, while claiming that they are supporting "freedom," namely the "freedom" to suffer and die without health care or with substandard health care. Meanwhile, marijuana, which has never caused death, unlike substances such as prescription drugs, tobacco and alcohol, continues to be the most common excuse that the government uses to wage war against its own citizens.
They may rule that the federal government "exceeds its authority" in compelling citizens to purchase health insurance, and then turn around and support previous rulings that a citizen growing a non-toxic, non-addictive, medicinal natural plant may be imprisoned. In the former case, the Court supports "individual freedom," whereas in the case of marijuana, the government can do whatever it wants, anytime it wants, and for any reason, whether valid or not.
I think that this Supreme Court has been clipping away individual rights and freedoms for a long time, and it will oppose health care, while claiming that they are supporting "freedom," namely the "freedom" to suffer and die without health care or with substandard health care. Meanwhile, marijuana, which has never caused death, unlike substances such as prescription drugs, tobacco and alcohol, continues to be the most common excuse that the government uses to wage war against its own citizens.
Good Republicans are Eliminated
Good Republicans get eliminated by the base. The only Republican I may have voted for over Obama, Jon Huntsman, was eliminated early in the Republican primary. Only far right-wing nuts survive the primary process, because only they reflect the Republican base. You have people who do not believe in evolution, who want to make birth control an issue, who think women are sluts, and who want gays to go back in the closet. They think education is a misdemeanor at best, and war is the only way to improve the country. In a nutshell (not the Republican one), that's why I vote for Democrats, every time. I hope that one day the Republican party will start nominating intelligent and reasonable people again, like they did back in Lincoln's day.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Florida Republicans Say, "Thou Shalt Kill"
What if the New Black Panther Party decided to launch a Neighborhood Watch program of their own, riding around black neighborhoods with loaded guns and questioning any random white man or woman they see walking along the road at night?
In the Wild, Wild West of Florida, anyone has the right to kill anyone they please due to Florida's Stand Your Ground law, the brainchild of the Republican Party & the NRA, which allows people to kill anyone they want, anytime they want, as long as they remember to tell the cops they were in fear of their life when they shot and / or killed the unarmed victim. They certainly won't be contradicted by anyone, as dead men tell no tales!
Republicans think the Ten Commandments must be posted in public spaces all over creation. I suggest they learn how to follow the Commandment that says, "Thou shalt not kill." That's the most important one of all. Once they master that one, then they can progress to the other nine. But by that time, they will have become Democrats.
Republicans hate gays, marijuana and birth control, but they love guns, war and now just plain ol' shootin', murderin' and killin'.
In the Wild, Wild West of Florida, anyone has the right to kill anyone they please due to Florida's Stand Your Ground law, the brainchild of the Republican Party & the NRA, which allows people to kill anyone they want, anytime they want, as long as they remember to tell the cops they were in fear of their life when they shot and / or killed the unarmed victim. They certainly won't be contradicted by anyone, as dead men tell no tales!
Republicans think the Ten Commandments must be posted in public spaces all over creation. I suggest they learn how to follow the Commandment that says, "Thou shalt not kill." That's the most important one of all. Once they master that one, then they can progress to the other nine. But by that time, they will have become Democrats.
Republicans hate gays, marijuana and birth control, but they love guns, war and now just plain ol' shootin', murderin' and killin'.
One Thing About Obama: He's Smart
One big reason I like Obama and will vote for him in 2012 is that he's smart and has good morals. I even get the impression that he is smarter than me, and that's a good thing. He damn well better be smarter than me if he is going to lead the United States! In this article, Obama demonstrates awareness of American Sign Language.
Cash Money, Now and Forever!
Some in the mainstream media are eager to celebrate the end of cash. They want to eliminate cash from the world and replace it with credit cards.
If cash isn't used, then the government is disenfranchised from the economy, which sounds good to conspiracy theorists, but consider for a moment the alternative methods proposed for paying for transactions. Using a card of any kind, whether it goes through Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, or any bank enriches a private corporation, which then accrues immense wealth and power. Some of these corporations are already wealthier and more powerful than some states in the United States and some countries in the world. These private tyrannies remain unaccountable to voters or to anyone other than a small group of large stockholders or private owners. They can and will do whatever the hell they can get away with.
The choice between cash and cards is an easy one. Cash for me, thank you very much, whenever I can. Most merchants I know are happy to receive cash, and some of them offer a discount to those customers that pay with cash, because otherwise the merchant has to pay the credit card company a transaction fee. I don't know what rock the writers searched under to find these strange business owners that don't like cash.
Calculating how much cash to pay, how much change to make, and storing the little coins and paper are all helpful and restorative exercises for the brain. Using the brain is a good thing. I like to perform simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Sometimes I like to do simple algebra as well. These tasks are fun, not boring or difficult. As for cash itself, it can be beautiful, when designed properly. My favorite coin is the Walking Liberty, and my favorite bill is the 1976 two-dollar bill with the interesting scene on the reverse.
Making everything as easy as splat is a bad idea. A transaction needs to be slow enough to permit people to stop and consider what they are doing when they make a purchase. Cash is a powerful defense against the impulsive purchases that cards encourage. I wish that paying for things took ten times as long as it does now, because few would then buy the useless plastic crap imported from China and sold at Wal-Mart.
If the lazy idiots and conniving capitalists win this war they are waging against cash, then I will mourn the humble little coins and bills that used to circulate, those elegant symbols of our Republic and its long history, so useful for the education of children and reminders of the great minds that shaped our world. The death of money would be a long nail in the coffin of our democracy.
If cash isn't used, then the government is disenfranchised from the economy, which sounds good to conspiracy theorists, but consider for a moment the alternative methods proposed for paying for transactions. Using a card of any kind, whether it goes through Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, or any bank enriches a private corporation, which then accrues immense wealth and power. Some of these corporations are already wealthier and more powerful than some states in the United States and some countries in the world. These private tyrannies remain unaccountable to voters or to anyone other than a small group of large stockholders or private owners. They can and will do whatever the hell they can get away with.
The choice between cash and cards is an easy one. Cash for me, thank you very much, whenever I can. Most merchants I know are happy to receive cash, and some of them offer a discount to those customers that pay with cash, because otherwise the merchant has to pay the credit card company a transaction fee. I don't know what rock the writers searched under to find these strange business owners that don't like cash.
Calculating how much cash to pay, how much change to make, and storing the little coins and paper are all helpful and restorative exercises for the brain. Using the brain is a good thing. I like to perform simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Sometimes I like to do simple algebra as well. These tasks are fun, not boring or difficult. As for cash itself, it can be beautiful, when designed properly. My favorite coin is the Walking Liberty, and my favorite bill is the 1976 two-dollar bill with the interesting scene on the reverse.
Making everything as easy as splat is a bad idea. A transaction needs to be slow enough to permit people to stop and consider what they are doing when they make a purchase. Cash is a powerful defense against the impulsive purchases that cards encourage. I wish that paying for things took ten times as long as it does now, because few would then buy the useless plastic crap imported from China and sold at Wal-Mart.
If the lazy idiots and conniving capitalists win this war they are waging against cash, then I will mourn the humble little coins and bills that used to circulate, those elegant symbols of our Republic and its long history, so useful for the education of children and reminders of the great minds that shaped our world. The death of money would be a long nail in the coffin of our democracy.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Test Scores Mean Zip
The No Child Left Behind Act, the No Child Right Behind Act, or whatever federal, state or local programs that emphasize tests, tests, and more tests, and even more tests on top of the tests that students are already being tested on, are bad ideas based in good intentions. When salary is tied to students' test performance, guess what, the test scores are going to improve just like magic, or just like teachers spent a couple hours in the staff room erasing answers and marking in the right ones.
There is a difference between tests to control pass or fail and the tests the government requires in order to evaluate teachers and schools. I think students are government-tested entirely too much. In my day, the kids had one official statewide test at the end of the year, period, end of story, and even that one was a week-long hassle and detracted from learning. Testing is not learning. Testing is just a gimmick to appease anxious parents/voters.
It is no great mystery why Johnny Stupid can't design rocket ships. Stupid kids with stupid parents are not going to perform well, and no amount of effort by teachers will change that. No amount of government money thrown down the toilet is going to change that, either. Until stupid people start using birth control, there are going to continue to be a lot of stupid kids in the world. The answer to education problems is a nineteen cent condom along with an instructional video on how to use it.
There is a difference between tests to control pass or fail and the tests the government requires in order to evaluate teachers and schools. I think students are government-tested entirely too much. In my day, the kids had one official statewide test at the end of the year, period, end of story, and even that one was a week-long hassle and detracted from learning. Testing is not learning. Testing is just a gimmick to appease anxious parents/voters.
It is no great mystery why Johnny Stupid can't design rocket ships. Stupid kids with stupid parents are not going to perform well, and no amount of effort by teachers will change that. No amount of government money thrown down the toilet is going to change that, either. Until stupid people start using birth control, there are going to continue to be a lot of stupid kids in the world. The answer to education problems is a nineteen cent condom along with an instructional video on how to use it.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Good Times?
I have a funny feeling that these years we are living through will be remembered as the good years--maybe even the best, although for my money the 1990s were the best for me from the perspectives of health and wealth.
The environment seems like an important issue simmering on the back burner, ignored altogether by Republicans. What if the weather turns really bad and stays really bad for a long period of time? I suppose that those of us alive today will be glad that we were alive today and look back upon this time as a good one.
The environment seems like an important issue simmering on the back burner, ignored altogether by Republicans. What if the weather turns really bad and stays really bad for a long period of time? I suppose that those of us alive today will be glad that we were alive today and look back upon this time as a good one.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
An Infatutation with Firearms
When I was a little boy, I was drawn to fire--flames and burning--but not firearms, other than toy guns or squirt guns, because they simply weren't available (we had no guns in our house). As a teenager, guns were regarded as foreign and dangerous objects, and when I did encounter them, I treated them with apprehension and mild disdain and did not fire them even in play.
I'm glad I don't have any infatuation with firearms, but I'm aware that a number of men do seem to be in love with the things that go bang. They are drawn to guns like moths to a flame. Some get into a great deal of trouble and bring enormous hardships down upon themselves due to their actions involving firearms.
Human beings have no natural defense against the metal missiles fired by guns, and that is why guns are such a big problem in the world, responsible for so many life-altering injuries and deaths. If there were some defense, such as a natural protective armor or self-regenerating capacity, then we might as a species take a more liberal attitude toward guns and their users. But once a man is shot, he tends to go down and stay down. Many are the gun owners that wish that the person they shot could get up again and be safe and sound. Many are the gun owners that regret pulling that trigger.
In regard to the unfortunate incident in Florida, I think a self-destructive urge was at play, a death wish closely related to the need to prove oneself. I would imagine that appointing oneself as the Neighborhood Watch, when nobody was asking or paying for this service, and taking it upon oneself to go out at night and hunt and confront a young man walking alone in a neighborhood was motivated by the desire to express machismo. Such an act was only possible with the addition of a firearm, because the same individual would never have been able to prevail in any fair fight. A coward, unversed in combat and lacking in actual courage, turned to a gun in order to supply what Nature did not, force and courage.
Instead of being the lauded hero of the neighborhood, as perhaps he imagined before our prospective Batman set out on his foolish solo mission with a loaded gun, he is now the detested villain, known throughout the country and even the world for a single act involving a firearm. No one has much to say in his favor, but many speak ill of him, and the vultures are circling, and his remaining days upon this Earth seem dark with many shadows. He went looking for trouble but didn't find it and decided to make it. So it is often with men that feel that they have something to prove, that want to show to others that they are a man and can't seem to find an appropriate and rational avenue to pursue that goal.
I would think he would have been better off volunteering at the local fire department, animal shelter or community theater rather than driving around at night with a loaded gun, looking for trouble.
I think that television is partly to blame for indoctrinating so many young people with the idea that guns are the way to prove oneself, that guns are the solution to problems, for idealizing violence. In real life, things seldom work out they way that they do on television shows. Of course, no one ever volunteers at the local fire department, animal shelter or community theater on a television show. More likely in T.V. land, they are associated with the mafia, a corrupt police cabal, Mexican gangs or are solitary vigilantes. (I betray my age with the references to television, because these days, video games occupy more time of young men than anything on television.)
Law enforcement strategy is largely based upon noticing things that are out of the ordinary, that do not fit an accepted pattern, an assumed version of what is normal. Black people were out of the ordinary for the neighborhood. The perpetrator did not expect that a young black person would have any legitimate reason to be walking alone at night in that area. His imaginative faculties clearly are very poor in view of his actions that night. If anyone should never have appointed themselves to the Neighborhood Watch, he is a prime example. His doom may be wrought on the basis of stupidity, cowardice and overreaction rather than malice in his heart toward any specific group. That does not excuse his actions. Stupidity has never been an acceptable defense for any sort of crime, only a mitigating factor that might be considered during the sentencing phase--or might not.
Robert A. Heinlein once wrote that there is only one capital crime in the universe, and that there is no appeal and no parole and the sentence is carried out immediately, and that crime is stupidity. Most of us spend our lives just trying to avoid making any stupid mistakes. I think it is a double tragedy when someone commits a stupid mistake that results in harm to another person. It is a tragedy for the victim as well as the perpetrator when he is eventually apprehended and has to face the consequences.
I'm glad I don't have any infatuation with firearms, but I'm aware that a number of men do seem to be in love with the things that go bang. They are drawn to guns like moths to a flame. Some get into a great deal of trouble and bring enormous hardships down upon themselves due to their actions involving firearms.
Human beings have no natural defense against the metal missiles fired by guns, and that is why guns are such a big problem in the world, responsible for so many life-altering injuries and deaths. If there were some defense, such as a natural protective armor or self-regenerating capacity, then we might as a species take a more liberal attitude toward guns and their users. But once a man is shot, he tends to go down and stay down. Many are the gun owners that wish that the person they shot could get up again and be safe and sound. Many are the gun owners that regret pulling that trigger.
In regard to the unfortunate incident in Florida, I think a self-destructive urge was at play, a death wish closely related to the need to prove oneself. I would imagine that appointing oneself as the Neighborhood Watch, when nobody was asking or paying for this service, and taking it upon oneself to go out at night and hunt and confront a young man walking alone in a neighborhood was motivated by the desire to express machismo. Such an act was only possible with the addition of a firearm, because the same individual would never have been able to prevail in any fair fight. A coward, unversed in combat and lacking in actual courage, turned to a gun in order to supply what Nature did not, force and courage.
Instead of being the lauded hero of the neighborhood, as perhaps he imagined before our prospective Batman set out on his foolish solo mission with a loaded gun, he is now the detested villain, known throughout the country and even the world for a single act involving a firearm. No one has much to say in his favor, but many speak ill of him, and the vultures are circling, and his remaining days upon this Earth seem dark with many shadows. He went looking for trouble but didn't find it and decided to make it. So it is often with men that feel that they have something to prove, that want to show to others that they are a man and can't seem to find an appropriate and rational avenue to pursue that goal.
I would think he would have been better off volunteering at the local fire department, animal shelter or community theater rather than driving around at night with a loaded gun, looking for trouble.
I think that television is partly to blame for indoctrinating so many young people with the idea that guns are the way to prove oneself, that guns are the solution to problems, for idealizing violence. In real life, things seldom work out they way that they do on television shows. Of course, no one ever volunteers at the local fire department, animal shelter or community theater on a television show. More likely in T.V. land, they are associated with the mafia, a corrupt police cabal, Mexican gangs or are solitary vigilantes. (I betray my age with the references to television, because these days, video games occupy more time of young men than anything on television.)
Law enforcement strategy is largely based upon noticing things that are out of the ordinary, that do not fit an accepted pattern, an assumed version of what is normal. Black people were out of the ordinary for the neighborhood. The perpetrator did not expect that a young black person would have any legitimate reason to be walking alone at night in that area. His imaginative faculties clearly are very poor in view of his actions that night. If anyone should never have appointed themselves to the Neighborhood Watch, he is a prime example. His doom may be wrought on the basis of stupidity, cowardice and overreaction rather than malice in his heart toward any specific group. That does not excuse his actions. Stupidity has never been an acceptable defense for any sort of crime, only a mitigating factor that might be considered during the sentencing phase--or might not.
Robert A. Heinlein once wrote that there is only one capital crime in the universe, and that there is no appeal and no parole and the sentence is carried out immediately, and that crime is stupidity. Most of us spend our lives just trying to avoid making any stupid mistakes. I think it is a double tragedy when someone commits a stupid mistake that results in harm to another person. It is a tragedy for the victim as well as the perpetrator when he is eventually apprehended and has to face the consequences.
The Gym and Other Wastes of Time
There is plenty of work to do in the world, and working out at a gym seems to me a silly or at best a selfish act, because no good work is getting accomplished by the shifting of dead weights or the turning of a treadmill. I have always preferred doing something physical that either serves a purpose or else makes money. Working out at a gym, or going for a walk with no other purpose in mind than walking, always struck me as a slightly foolish waste of time and energy. That said, I've spent plenty of time going for pointless walks and runs and lurking in gyms. But no more. I think it is better to find personal projects around the house, yard or community to work on and complete rather than buying a gym membership. In that manner, the imagination and the soul (and possibly the bank account) are exercised and enriched in addition to the body.
Rather than lift weights at a gym, a prospective bodybuilder would be well-advised to sell his services as a mover and be paid to lift, rather than paying for the privilege of lifting. Rather than walk in a park for no other reason than exercise, a man would be better off working a job that requires him to spend some time on his feet, thereby getting paid, in effect, to walk and move around.
Rather than lift weights at a gym, a prospective bodybuilder would be well-advised to sell his services as a mover and be paid to lift, rather than paying for the privilege of lifting. Rather than walk in a park for no other reason than exercise, a man would be better off working a job that requires him to spend some time on his feet, thereby getting paid, in effect, to walk and move around.
Yet Another Stupid Republican Law
Florida's Stand Your Ground law has been shielding killers and keeping them out of jail for quite some time. Mr. Zimmerman is just the latest rocket scientist to apply the Republican-crafted law to defend himself against charges of murder.
On a related note, the former Mississippi governor, a Republican, pardoned several murderers and even bought them cars for their personal use, which begs the question of what sort of favors these murderers did, or will do, for him.
On a related note, the former Mississippi governor, a Republican, pardoned several murderers and even bought them cars for their personal use, which begs the question of what sort of favors these murderers did, or will do, for him.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The Catholic Church
The Dutch Catholic Church castrated boys in the 1950's. I wonder what we will one day discover that they are doing in 2012?
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Is Red Meat Bad?
A recent finding by researchers indicates that any dose of red meat is bad for health. I find that rather surprising. However, I have reduced my consumption of meat to once a day. I may reduce it further, to once every two to three days, if there is a health benefit. I am pretty flexible on diet and will eat anything that seems to improve health, as long as it does not taste too bad or cost too much.
So-Called Terrorist Bombings in Syria
I wouldn't put it past the Assad regime to stage the so-called terrorist bombings in Damascus and Aleppo. The fact of the matter is that the regime is an expert in those sort of bombings and finances them around the world. No one is better at it than Assad's regime. If some other actor is responsible, then the Syrian regime can hardly complain, because the chickens are coming home to roost. A dose of their own medicine might do them some good.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Iraq
The billions we spent in Iraq have resulted in a pro-Iran, anti-American government that allowed the Iranians to use Iraqi airspace to send Iranian troops and war material over to Syria to assist Assad's regime.
Republican leaders must hate the American people, because they want to spend taxpayer money on hostile or indifferent foreigners, but begrudge every penny spent on unemployment insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, Social Security, or any other program that helps ordinary Americans.
Republican leaders must hate the American people, because they want to spend taxpayer money on hostile or indifferent foreigners, but begrudge every penny spent on unemployment insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, Social Security, or any other program that helps ordinary Americans.
Friday, March 16, 2012
An Obvious Injustice
The outrageous case of Mr. Zimmerman, self-appointed vigilante who shot and killed an unarmed black teenager, is bad news for everybody, because it will inflame racial tensions and foster a sense of injustice. The harm is compounded by the inaction of the local police department.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Assad's Personal Emails
A bit of black humor is on display in the exposure of Assad's personal emails, which reveal a shallow, self-absorbed man detached from the horror and brutality all around him and focused only upon personal pleasure. Then again, I suppose most criminal psychopaths are the same. There seem to be plenty of similar types right here in the U.S.
Wall Street Banks
If perfect justice were done, the big Wall Street banks (like Goldman Sachs) that are responsible for the economic crisis and that took billions of dollars in government bailout money and used it to buy T-bills would be nationalized, and the executives put to work doing something productive for a change, such as shoveling coal. If that sounds communist, then maybe it is. Corrupt capitalists are the entire reason that communism ever existed in the first place. A little taste of communism might be just the right medicine for these Wall Street types.
Scott Deathly
Scott "Deathly" traveled to small undeveloped countries around the globe spreading an ideology of hate. Seems like Deathly was persuasive in Uganda, because that country is once again considering legislation to murder gays. A number of innocent people in Uganda have already been butchered by vigilantes. I hope that the lawsuit against Deathly succeeds where moral arguments and media attention have not.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth
Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth.
(I know, that's a dated expression, ain't it? I'm from the 19th century, how are you doing?)
Malawi is complaining because Madonna has spent only 3 million of a promised 11 million in charity so far. Sounds like corrupt officials are upset because they can't get their greedy little paws on the rest of the stash.
One thing about me is that I do *NOT* look a gift horse in the mouth. If someone does something for me, I keep a ledger in my head that shows their debits and credits. I remember good deeds and seek to pay them back in whatever way I can. In the case of bad deeds, I may avenge, forgive, wait or may decide to sever contact, depending upon the situation. But I know that if I were Malawi, I would not be complaining about 3 million dollars in free money and more to come. Let Madonna build those schools wherever the hell she wants. They are FREE!
(I know, that's a dated expression, ain't it? I'm from the 19th century, how are you doing?)
Malawi is complaining because Madonna has spent only 3 million of a promised 11 million in charity so far. Sounds like corrupt officials are upset because they can't get their greedy little paws on the rest of the stash.
One thing about me is that I do *NOT* look a gift horse in the mouth. If someone does something for me, I keep a ledger in my head that shows their debits and credits. I remember good deeds and seek to pay them back in whatever way I can. In the case of bad deeds, I may avenge, forgive, wait or may decide to sever contact, depending upon the situation. But I know that if I were Malawi, I would not be complaining about 3 million dollars in free money and more to come. Let Madonna build those schools wherever the hell she wants. They are FREE!
Arab Dependency
A likely reason the Arabs have done little to assist the Syrian people is that they have come to view the United States as the policeman of the world, scrambling to do the bidding of any oppressed people anywhere in the world free of charge. The problem with that scenario is that we are an unpaid policeman, and meanwhile, our national debt is enormous and growing. Arab newspapers blame the U.S. for everything wrong in the world, even the crackdown by the Syrian regime, which is our fault because we have not donated billions of dollars to the Syrian opposition yet and because at one time in the past, before the recent crackdown, Hillary Clinton offered some words of praise for Assad. If a dog sneezes in the Arab world, it is the fault of the United States. They have nothing but blame and criticism for the U.S. on a regular basis.
I think the U.S. should not intervene in Syria. It is the Sunni Muslim Arabs who are suffering. If their brothers of the faith in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt don't give a damn about them, then maybe they aren't worth a damn to begin with. If those countries want to contribute financially toward a rescue operation, then the U.S. should sell its military services, but only if the price is right.
I think the U.S. should not intervene in Syria. It is the Sunni Muslim Arabs who are suffering. If their brothers of the faith in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt don't give a damn about them, then maybe they aren't worth a damn to begin with. If those countries want to contribute financially toward a rescue operation, then the U.S. should sell its military services, but only if the price is right.
Monday, March 12, 2012
History
Our leaders may have attended college, but they learned absolutely nothing from the Viet Nam experience. I don't know whether they were paying off their professors for grades or just skimming by with a barely passing grade, but they definitely did not take the lessons of history to heart. Afghanistan is the modern-day Viet Nam. A big, fat, stinkin' waste o' money to be paid for by you and me, with the outcome that an entire nation hates our guts and will rejoice to hear any bad news befalling us.
I Don't Mind Gingrich as Much
Out of morbid curiosity, I checked out the campaign web sites of both Gingrich and Santorum tonight, and without a doubt it was Gingrich's I preferred. He does not go out of his way to offend gay people like Santorum does. Santorum is a real bigot, the worse I've seen running for President since Jerry Falwell. I think Gingrich is a little bit smarter than Santorum to say the least.
Not Surprised
I'm not surprised by research showing that cats can't taste sweetness. The only time my cats have shown interest in sweet food has been when it contained dairy, fish or meat.
The Washington Times
I never expected I'd have a reason to read something on the Washington Times web site, much less that I'd enjoy it. Here's an interesting article about the beliefs of voters in Mississippi and Alabama.
Let us not generalize about ignorant Southerners, now.
These are Republican primary voters, who obviously are more likely to be conservative. A majority of them don't believe in evolution, they love Rush Limbaugh, and they think Obama is a Muslim. They must be amazingly happy, because I hear that ignorance is bliss.
Let us not generalize about ignorant Southerners, now.
These are Republican primary voters, who obviously are more likely to be conservative. A majority of them don't believe in evolution, they love Rush Limbaugh, and they think Obama is a Muslim. They must be amazingly happy, because I hear that ignorance is bliss.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Just Like My Dad
This article about drunken celebrity actor picking a fight with his pot-smoking son reminds me of my Dad.
Those who drink tend to seek out conflict with others. They are trapped in a cycle of violence and anger, which alcohol reinforces. There is a great contrast between the alcoholic and the pot smoker. The pot smoker prefers peace and quiet. That is the fundamental difference between the alcoholic and the pot-smoker. Booze promotes violence, while weed promotes peace.
The fact that marijuana is illegal demonstrates the primitive nature of our legal system. Man has not fully applied his reasoning capacity toward the law. Many laws remain on the books due to tradition, prejudice, paranoia, ignorance and superstition.
Those who drink tend to seek out conflict with others. They are trapped in a cycle of violence and anger, which alcohol reinforces. There is a great contrast between the alcoholic and the pot smoker. The pot smoker prefers peace and quiet. That is the fundamental difference between the alcoholic and the pot-smoker. Booze promotes violence, while weed promotes peace.
The fact that marijuana is illegal demonstrates the primitive nature of our legal system. Man has not fully applied his reasoning capacity toward the law. Many laws remain on the books due to tradition, prejudice, paranoia, ignorance and superstition.
An Excellent Point
A retired public school worker in Seattle, who voted for McCain in 2008, summarized my viewpoint on Santorum, Gingrich & Romney in this superb article in the New York Times:
“They’re nothing but hatemongers trying to control everyone, saying, ‘Live as I live.’ ”That is why I vote for Democrats, Libertarians, Independents--or not at all. Republican is not even an option for me, because Republicans want to get up on their high horse and tell me they know what's best for my personal life.
Afghanistan
Our leaders aren't mentally retarded, one might hope, and so the only plausible explanation for our perpetual investment in Afghanistan is that the "right" people are making a massive profit off the war. Afghanistan is another one of the many mechanisms used to transfer wealth from the middle class to the rich.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Losers Shop at Wal-Mart
Losers shop at Wal-Mart. That would include myself, as of yesterday. I went there to pick up a few things, none of which I found. Wal-Mart does not carry good brands, such as King Arthur Flour, but instead carries inferior garbage, which tends to be popular. I could not find my favorite brand of gum, UP2U, at a reasonable price, nor Terra, my favorite brand of vegetable chips.
The shopping experience at Wal-Mart has been specially designed, and I admire the designer, to be the most unpleasant experience I have ever had in a store. I admire the designer because it really takes a lot of effort and imagination to make the shopping experience as intensely unpleasant as Wal-Mart's. The noise level, traffic congestion both inside and outside the store, lighting, store layout, and everything is just horrible, which guarantees that each and every customer will feel worse after they shop at Wal-Mart.
Instead of shopping at any big store, the smart way to gather necessary household items is to comparison shop online and then buy them in bulk via Amazon, WEBstaurant, and other web-based wholesalers. The United States Postal Service, derided by some but never by me, will ship goods to your front porch at a very low rate and with surprising speed. (They will also pick up packages from your front porch if you ship via USPS Priority Mail, something inconceivable from a private shipper.) By buying as many goods as possible in bulk online, I have managed to save 20 to 50% on costs and have had a much better experience overall.
The shopping experience at Wal-Mart has been specially designed, and I admire the designer, to be the most unpleasant experience I have ever had in a store. I admire the designer because it really takes a lot of effort and imagination to make the shopping experience as intensely unpleasant as Wal-Mart's. The noise level, traffic congestion both inside and outside the store, lighting, store layout, and everything is just horrible, which guarantees that each and every customer will feel worse after they shop at Wal-Mart.
Instead of shopping at any big store, the smart way to gather necessary household items is to comparison shop online and then buy them in bulk via Amazon, WEBstaurant, and other web-based wholesalers. The United States Postal Service, derided by some but never by me, will ship goods to your front porch at a very low rate and with surprising speed. (They will also pick up packages from your front porch if you ship via USPS Priority Mail, something inconceivable from a private shipper.) By buying as many goods as possible in bulk online, I have managed to save 20 to 50% on costs and have had a much better experience overall.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Gun Violence
Seems like every time I read the national news, there is a story about gun violence somewhere in the United States. Usually some man (always a man) gets angry at someone else and shoots them or just shoots random people that happen to be in his path. This is really a disgusting scene that gets replayed, it seems, on a daily basis, judging by the headlines.
There does seem to be a problem with anger management in our country, and that problem is compounded by the easy availability of guns. Instead of working through disagreements, people just want to pull a trigger and solve their immediate problem, as though the gun is the remote control to a TV and pressing a button will change the channel to a better show. In reality, pressing that trigger changes everybody's life for the worse. Fools lack the imagination to forecast what the world will be like after they pull that trigger.
One small step to reducing the amount of anger in this country would be to switch the national recreational drug of choice from alcohol to marijuana. It is self-evident based upon even a cursory glance at the data that alcohol promotes violence, whereas marijuana reduces it. But the conservative Republicans are engaged in a jihad against marijuana, which they think is the spawn of Satan. They think that marijuana is the stepping stone to meth or heroin. In reality, alcohol is the stepping stone to meth or heroin, and before that, sugar and tobacco.
Republicans hate freedom with a passion only rivaled by their hatred of minorities, so they pass laws that force workers to urinate into a cup in order to get or keep a job. Republicans delight in humiliating people and reducing them to the state of animals. Republicans understand that urinalysis is heavily biased against marijuana, more so than any other drug. Pot is detectable for up to a month after use. The same is not true of any other drug. Thus, one can better avoid detection by using meth, alcohol, heroin, or crack. One of the factors, certainly not the only one, that increases the amount of anger and violence in this country is that people feel it necessary to avoid marijuana in order to get or keep their jobs, but then they resort to things like alcohol and other substances. I know a lot of people who drink simply because they are afraid to smoke marijuana due to the threat of urinalysis.
Some people think that urinalysis is a good idea because drinking is safer than marijuana. The reality is that drinking is not better. Drinking is far worse. What happens when people drink and get angry is that violent reactions are more likely to occur. Sometimes gun are used. Two contributing factors to the high death toll from gun violence in this country are the prevalence of alcohol and the prohibition of marijuana.
There does seem to be a problem with anger management in our country, and that problem is compounded by the easy availability of guns. Instead of working through disagreements, people just want to pull a trigger and solve their immediate problem, as though the gun is the remote control to a TV and pressing a button will change the channel to a better show. In reality, pressing that trigger changes everybody's life for the worse. Fools lack the imagination to forecast what the world will be like after they pull that trigger.
One small step to reducing the amount of anger in this country would be to switch the national recreational drug of choice from alcohol to marijuana. It is self-evident based upon even a cursory glance at the data that alcohol promotes violence, whereas marijuana reduces it. But the conservative Republicans are engaged in a jihad against marijuana, which they think is the spawn of Satan. They think that marijuana is the stepping stone to meth or heroin. In reality, alcohol is the stepping stone to meth or heroin, and before that, sugar and tobacco.
Republicans hate freedom with a passion only rivaled by their hatred of minorities, so they pass laws that force workers to urinate into a cup in order to get or keep a job. Republicans delight in humiliating people and reducing them to the state of animals. Republicans understand that urinalysis is heavily biased against marijuana, more so than any other drug. Pot is detectable for up to a month after use. The same is not true of any other drug. Thus, one can better avoid detection by using meth, alcohol, heroin, or crack. One of the factors, certainly not the only one, that increases the amount of anger and violence in this country is that people feel it necessary to avoid marijuana in order to get or keep their jobs, but then they resort to things like alcohol and other substances. I know a lot of people who drink simply because they are afraid to smoke marijuana due to the threat of urinalysis.
Some people think that urinalysis is a good idea because drinking is safer than marijuana. The reality is that drinking is not better. Drinking is far worse. What happens when people drink and get angry is that violent reactions are more likely to occur. Sometimes gun are used. Two contributing factors to the high death toll from gun violence in this country are the prevalence of alcohol and the prohibition of marijuana.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
This Editorial on Iran Makes Sense
Of all the opinion pieces I've read concerning Iran--and I did read some from conservative Republicans (for balance)--this one by the Lake County Bee makes the most sense to me.
Let Iran produce nukes. If Iran strikes Israel, or if any terrorist group in the world gets any radioactive material whatsoever, then Iran will no longer exist as a territory inhabitable by human beings. Iran is giving an insurance policy that no one will use nukes, because if anyone in the world uses nukes, then it is Iran's fault by default.
In the meantime, Iran can learn all about suffering with never-ending sanctions as an educational experience.
Let Iran produce nukes. If Iran strikes Israel, or if any terrorist group in the world gets any radioactive material whatsoever, then Iran will no longer exist as a territory inhabitable by human beings. Iran is giving an insurance policy that no one will use nukes, because if anyone in the world uses nukes, then it is Iran's fault by default.
In the meantime, Iran can learn all about suffering with never-ending sanctions as an educational experience.
Sabu the Clown
That Sabu clown sounds like a real jerk. Worse than his hacking was his keeping the neighbors up all night with his muzak, selling smack and just plain old stealing from people. It is exactly that type of clown that goes around vandalizing web sites.
What If I Were Hacked?
My recent post about Sabu and Lulzsec made me consider possible retaliation, because those so-called "freedom fighters" do not really believe in freedom of speech after all. They believe in crime and retaliation and that is all.
In the back of my mind, I consider the possibility that my blog, email address or other cyber-identity might some day be hacked or otherwise compromised by cyber-vandals (otherwise known in the media as "hackers," but they ain't nothing more than common vandals, little different from the clowns who deface road signs) or even paranoid law enforcement or some other element that I haven't yet considered.
Sometimes I edit a post and Blogger reports that there are conflicting edits, which makes me wonder whether somebody out there is trying to hack this little insignificant blog. Then I think, "Nah, couldn't be. My blog doesn't matter enough to be hacked." But you never know.
The simple fact of the matter is that I do make back-ups of my stuff on a semi-regular basis, so the complete destruction of my cyber-posts would inconvenience me for about five minutes at the most. Besides, I ain't Shakespeare and don't feel like I'm composing anything irreplaceable on here. I know better than to post my best stuff online, because people will steal it and claim it as their own. Also, I'm not proud and don't really care if someone posts "f*** u igor" or some other derogatory message. Similar things have happened before in the past and I'm sure will happen again at some point in time, the Internet being what it is.
Sometimes I have been contacted by people on fishy pretenses who seem a little bit too eager to learn more about me, while being mysterious about their own identity. As far as law enforcement is concerned, I don't feel I have anything to hide, and if they want to waste their time examining my activities then I would find that amusing, although the taxpayers might not be quite so amused by the waste of government resources.
My blog serves as a place where I can post my many grievances, complaints, insights, observations and predictions. If people find something useful or amusing here, then that is fine by me, but if not, that is okay, because I'm not in a popularity contest here. If I wanted this blog to be popular, I'd post exclusively on narrow technical topics, as so many bloggers do, instead of controversial topics such as politics and philosophy, because not many people really care what igor has to say about those things. But I don't care that they don't care. I post for myself. This is my public diary, not so much concerning the mundane events of my life but rather the intellectual threads that interest me. Take it or, more likely, leave it.
In the back of my mind, I consider the possibility that my blog, email address or other cyber-identity might some day be hacked or otherwise compromised by cyber-vandals (otherwise known in the media as "hackers," but they ain't nothing more than common vandals, little different from the clowns who deface road signs) or even paranoid law enforcement or some other element that I haven't yet considered.
Sometimes I edit a post and Blogger reports that there are conflicting edits, which makes me wonder whether somebody out there is trying to hack this little insignificant blog. Then I think, "Nah, couldn't be. My blog doesn't matter enough to be hacked." But you never know.
The simple fact of the matter is that I do make back-ups of my stuff on a semi-regular basis, so the complete destruction of my cyber-posts would inconvenience me for about five minutes at the most. Besides, I ain't Shakespeare and don't feel like I'm composing anything irreplaceable on here. I know better than to post my best stuff online, because people will steal it and claim it as their own. Also, I'm not proud and don't really care if someone posts "f*** u igor" or some other derogatory message. Similar things have happened before in the past and I'm sure will happen again at some point in time, the Internet being what it is.
Sometimes I have been contacted by people on fishy pretenses who seem a little bit too eager to learn more about me, while being mysterious about their own identity. As far as law enforcement is concerned, I don't feel I have anything to hide, and if they want to waste their time examining my activities then I would find that amusing, although the taxpayers might not be quite so amused by the waste of government resources.
My blog serves as a place where I can post my many grievances, complaints, insights, observations and predictions. If people find something useful or amusing here, then that is fine by me, but if not, that is okay, because I'm not in a popularity contest here. If I wanted this blog to be popular, I'd post exclusively on narrow technical topics, as so many bloggers do, instead of controversial topics such as politics and philosophy, because not many people really care what igor has to say about those things. But I don't care that they don't care. I post for myself. This is my public diary, not so much concerning the mundane events of my life but rather the intellectual threads that interest me. Take it or, more likely, leave it.
Listen to Kofi Annan
I respect Kofi Annan, who has impressed me as an ethical, objective and intelligent spokesperson for the United Nations. Annan advises against Western intervention in Syria. I think we should heed his words. Turkey is also opposed to intervention by non-regional powers. It is not our responsibility to be the policeman of the world. I think that the Arab powers can pony up some cash to fund and arm the opposition, if they so desire. The Arab nations are certainly not lacking in either money or weapons. They need to back up their words with actions. The United States has carried the cross for freedom for far too long, and we have discovered through bitter experience that many people don't care as much about freedom as they do about their narrow tribal interests. Afghanistan and Iraq may prove to be gigantic wastes of U.S. taxpayer dollars.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Punishment of the U.S.
The whole fiasco in Afghanistan is karma coming back to punish the United States for supporting the Islamists against the Soviet Union in the 1980's. The same people we armed attacked the World Trade Center and have been fighting against us in Afghanistan. It would have better, all things considered, if we had supported the Soviet regime in Afghanistan. By now, Afghanistan might be a semi-modern country. Certainly women would be better off under a non-Islamist government.
Ronald Reagan was one of the greatest fools that the United States has ever had as a President. His stupid and obvious blunder in the 1980's was to cost us billions. I think it is revealing how all the Republicans worship Reagan almost as a rite of passage during the nomination season. They would probably be even worse than Reagan and make blunders costing many trillions of dollars more.
Ronald Reagan was one of the greatest fools that the United States has ever had as a President. His stupid and obvious blunder in the 1980's was to cost us billions. I think it is revealing how all the Republicans worship Reagan almost as a rite of passage during the nomination season. They would probably be even worse than Reagan and make blunders costing many trillions of dollars more.
Islamic Intolerance
The muslim states walked out of a United Nations conference discussing human rights for gays. In Muslim countries, gays are arrested just for being gay, and sent to prison or executed. That is a simple fact. The more Islam in a society, the more intolerance, the more oppression, the more barbarity. The only antidotes to Islamic ignorance are other religions and other belief systems. Almost any other religion in the world is preferable to Islam from a human rights perspective. Islam remains trapped in the Middle Ages.
Fare Thee Well, Kucinich
I never really knew much about Rep. Kucinich (D-OH), other than the fact he is a liberal Democrat, until he made headlines by losing his election in his newly gerrymandered district. Gerrymandering is another flaw in our imperfect Republic. The Republican-controlled state legislature targeted Kucinich for elimination and redesigned his district with that specific goal in mind. Their evil strategy brought the desired result and deprived his former constituents of their desired representative.
After reading a hostile review of Kucinich in New York Magazine, I checked out an alternative media source for balance and learned about the various issues that Kucinich has been involved with. I think on the balance that Kucinich was a good leader that raised important questions and contributed worthwhile ideas on a regular basis. I think it is a good thing when somebody in Congress is not going along with the majority, but is following his own conscience. Kucinich was against the Libyan intervention and is against intervention in Syria or Iran. Although I believe differently, I think it is valuable to have someone in Congress articulating a different point of view, because the present Congress seems to be all too eager to jump into Middle East conflicts. We should not have gotten involved in Iraq and we should not have gotten involved in Afghanistan and had we not, our country would be over a trillion dollars to the better. So I say that people should listen to Rep. Kucinich, because he has some valid points to make.
After reading a hostile review of Kucinich in New York Magazine, I checked out an alternative media source for balance and learned about the various issues that Kucinich has been involved with. I think on the balance that Kucinich was a good leader that raised important questions and contributed worthwhile ideas on a regular basis. I think it is a good thing when somebody in Congress is not going along with the majority, but is following his own conscience. Kucinich was against the Libyan intervention and is against intervention in Syria or Iran. Although I believe differently, I think it is valuable to have someone in Congress articulating a different point of view, because the present Congress seems to be all too eager to jump into Middle East conflicts. We should not have gotten involved in Iraq and we should not have gotten involved in Afghanistan and had we not, our country would be over a trillion dollars to the better. So I say that people should listen to Rep. Kucinich, because he has some valid points to make.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
I Voted for Jon Huntsman
When I got to the ballot machine, I changed my mind and voted for Jon Huntsman, even though he has conceded. Huntsman better reflects my values than Ron Paul. Unfortunately, I don't know of any media source that is reporting the number or proportion of votes cast for Huntsman. The media is only concerned about the top four candidates. I still have the satisfaction of knowing that I cast a vote for a good person. I didn't feel right about voting for a man who wished gays went back into the closet, according to his newsletters back in the 1980's. Well, this gay was at the voting booth rather than the closet. And I always vote and I don't care whether it matters or not. The reason the country is in the mess it is today is that so many good and decent people do not pay heed to politics and do not bother to vote or have gotten into the habit of "holding their nose" when they vote, voting for bad people just because of their stance on one or two issues.
If you feel like you have to vote for a bad person, just because that person agrees with your position, then maybe your position is wrong, because bad people tend to support bad things. I would be forced to reconsider my whole philosophy if Santorum was my candidate.
If you feel like you have to vote for a bad person, just because that person agrees with your position, then maybe your position is wrong, because bad people tend to support bad things. I would be forced to reconsider my whole philosophy if Santorum was my candidate.
Sabu of Lulzsec
Turns out the leader of Lulzsec had no ideals and believed in nothing except himself, which is about what I expected out of that clown. Time to pay for all that cyber-vandalism, d00dz. Can anyone say "pwnd?"
When I read the details of how he was busted, I realized that all the talk of his skillz was hogwash. Facebook? Really? LOL!
When I read the details of how he was busted, I realized that all the talk of his skillz was hogwash. Facebook? Really? LOL!
Monday, March 5, 2012
McCain on Syria
McCain may be right about intervening in Syria. Iran and Syria are the main supporters of terrorism in the world today, so anything we can do to exterminate their leadership may be in the self-interest of the U.S. It might save a lot of money in foreign aid in the long run if we don't have to endure Iran and Syria-sponsored terrorism and nuclear brinksmanship for years to come.
On the other hand, if we let the fanatical Muslim element take over in Syria, the situation there could go from bad to worse for gays, women, Christians, atheists, and anyone other than the Sunni Muslim majority.
I'm still undecided and don't really know which way would be best. It's really a gamble either way. A civil war may actually be preferable. I don't see why the United States has to pay to solve Syria's problems, only to get slapped in the face once the majority takes over and starts hanging people that believe something different from what they do.
On the other hand, if we let the fanatical Muslim element take over in Syria, the situation there could go from bad to worse for gays, women, Christians, atheists, and anyone other than the Sunni Muslim majority.
I'm still undecided and don't really know which way would be best. It's really a gamble either way. A civil war may actually be preferable. I don't see why the United States has to pay to solve Syria's problems, only to get slapped in the face once the majority takes over and starts hanging people that believe something different from what they do.
Rush Limbaugh and His Big Mouth
Rush Limbaugh really stepped into it this time with his "slut" comment. That mistake indicates that he may be falling into old habits. Limbaugh would be better off with weed, but that is a therapy that people like Limbaugh never consider because of its old association with hippies. My advice is lay off the pills.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Gambling
I read a story today about a gambling proposal in Georgia. Some tycoon proposes building massive gambling complexes in several cities. The following lures are used: job creation, tax revenue, and college scholarships.
I consider gambling to be a tax on fools, who pay the tax voluntarily due to their superstitious beliefs and their inability to comprehend mathematical probability. I have even known many computer programmers who played the lottery. They may have been well-versed in a computer language, but they knew nothing about mathematical probability. To them, one chance in a million was the same as one chance in ten. "One in a million" means that you could live many, many lifetimes without witnessing the desired event. Most state lotteries have odds that are worse than one in a million. That is all I need to know to have no interest in gambling.
I am not opposed to legalized gambling. The government should not be in the business of vice prevention. I am in favor of permitting a gambling complex to be built only if the government stays out and does not grant any special favors to the business owners in the form of tax breaks or anything else. All too often, government hands over the assets of the public treasury to private business owners, who give little or nothing back in return. I expect that if any gambling enterprise is approved, taxpayers will be forced to pay for the construction costs, and the business will run tax-free for years. That seems to be the typical arrangement, after the business owner has corrupted all the necessary officials. Only for that reason would I oppose legalized gambling. Many times in the past, cities have paid millions of dollars to build stadiums that have enriched private owners with little or no benefit for the people that live in the city.
I consider gambling to be a tax on fools, who pay the tax voluntarily due to their superstitious beliefs and their inability to comprehend mathematical probability. I have even known many computer programmers who played the lottery. They may have been well-versed in a computer language, but they knew nothing about mathematical probability. To them, one chance in a million was the same as one chance in ten. "One in a million" means that you could live many, many lifetimes without witnessing the desired event. Most state lotteries have odds that are worse than one in a million. That is all I need to know to have no interest in gambling.
I am not opposed to legalized gambling. The government should not be in the business of vice prevention. I am in favor of permitting a gambling complex to be built only if the government stays out and does not grant any special favors to the business owners in the form of tax breaks or anything else. All too often, government hands over the assets of the public treasury to private business owners, who give little or nothing back in return. I expect that if any gambling enterprise is approved, taxpayers will be forced to pay for the construction costs, and the business will run tax-free for years. That seems to be the typical arrangement, after the business owner has corrupted all the necessary officials. Only for that reason would I oppose legalized gambling. Many times in the past, cities have paid millions of dollars to build stadiums that have enriched private owners with little or no benefit for the people that live in the city.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Shooting
The shootings at schools, workplaces and elsewhere are disgusting. Worst are the random shootings, which imply contempt of the entire world. These I hate the most.
For my part, I'd rather be shot in cold blood and praised by those that survive than be the hated and condemned shooter. It is worse by far to live with the burden of a senseless crime than to die. I must say that in some cases, not all, I pity the condemned who must live with the knowledge and the dire consequences of their crimes.
I believe that the easy availability of guns is the clear and obvious reason that these shootings happen. Guns are too cheap, too easy to obtain and too simple to use. People have to take more training to drive a car than to shoot a gun, and the reverse should be true in all fairness. It would be an easy matter to install technology on firearms to render them inoperative without a password or other form of identification, such as a fingerprint. Only the United Nations has any hope of enforcing such a change on a global scale, and the change needs to be global. One day perhaps this may become a reality.
Weak-minded men are drawn to firearms because firearms are simple, and it is the only thing that they understand, the simple arithmetic of subtracting a human life. In a better world, a world with a god, these men would all be grouped together on a remote island where these walking and talking problems would find solutions for one another.
Of course, if it were not for guns, men would still find ways to butcher other men, but they wouldn't be as efficient at it.
For my part, I'd rather be shot in cold blood and praised by those that survive than be the hated and condemned shooter. It is worse by far to live with the burden of a senseless crime than to die. I must say that in some cases, not all, I pity the condemned who must live with the knowledge and the dire consequences of their crimes.
I believe that the easy availability of guns is the clear and obvious reason that these shootings happen. Guns are too cheap, too easy to obtain and too simple to use. People have to take more training to drive a car than to shoot a gun, and the reverse should be true in all fairness. It would be an easy matter to install technology on firearms to render them inoperative without a password or other form of identification, such as a fingerprint. Only the United Nations has any hope of enforcing such a change on a global scale, and the change needs to be global. One day perhaps this may become a reality.
Weak-minded men are drawn to firearms because firearms are simple, and it is the only thing that they understand, the simple arithmetic of subtracting a human life. In a better world, a world with a god, these men would all be grouped together on a remote island where these walking and talking problems would find solutions for one another.
Of course, if it were not for guns, men would still find ways to butcher other men, but they wouldn't be as efficient at it.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Maureen Dowd on Santorum
I'm always surprised at just how good Maureen Dowd is. In the case of Santorum, she nailed it.
I don't think there's another political writer in America that I like as much as Dowd.
I don't think there's another political writer in America that I like as much as Dowd.
Windows XP for HTPC
Windows XP is the best choice for low-cost and simple HTPC. I spent a lot of time trying to breathe life into various flavors of Linux, but Linux wants people to commit a lot of time in order to iron out all the hardware and software problems that arise with Linux. These problems are not fun and not interesting, and I don't have that much time to burn, so Windows XP is the only viable choice for me.
Windows 7 is nicer, but completely unnecessary except for hardcore gamers. Windows XP works just fine for those on a budget. I like games produced between 2001 and 2005, so I may never need to upgrade to Windows 7.
I found a great web site the other day for optimizing Win XP for HTPC.
By using many of that gentleman's recommendations for disabling unnecessary Windows services and by making educated deductions based upon his excellent information, I was able to cut the boot time of my HTPC from 3 minutes to 30 seconds.
Windows 7 is nicer, but completely unnecessary except for hardcore gamers. Windows XP works just fine for those on a budget. I like games produced between 2001 and 2005, so I may never need to upgrade to Windows 7.
I found a great web site the other day for optimizing Win XP for HTPC.
By using many of that gentleman's recommendations for disabling unnecessary Windows services and by making educated deductions based upon his excellent information, I was able to cut the boot time of my HTPC from 3 minutes to 30 seconds.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
That Old Dishtowel Santorum
Today I read an editorial in the Wall Street Journal dismissing Satanorum. If the WSJ is against Satanorum, he doesn't stand a chance. Satanorum is a disgusting old dishtowel. Apparently, many Republicans think so too.
Ron Paul called Satanorum "fake" in a debate, and I thought to myself that there is no better adjective to describe Satanorum, although "malicious" and "deceitful" are two other apt descriptions.
I may not agree with Ron Paul on some issues, but in many areas I think he is an enlightened man, ahead of his time. I will vote in the Republican primary, and I plan to vote for Ron Paul since he is the only candidate with any resemblance whatsoever to my own beliefs. If my vote can reduce the support for Satanorum by even 1/1,000,000, then it is worth my time and energy. I would crawl for five miles to the voting booth in the pouring rain if I had to in order to vote against that disgusting old dishtowel Satanorum.
Ron Paul called Satanorum "fake" in a debate, and I thought to myself that there is no better adjective to describe Satanorum, although "malicious" and "deceitful" are two other apt descriptions.
I may not agree with Ron Paul on some issues, but in many areas I think he is an enlightened man, ahead of his time. I will vote in the Republican primary, and I plan to vote for Ron Paul since he is the only candidate with any resemblance whatsoever to my own beliefs. If my vote can reduce the support for Satanorum by even 1/1,000,000, then it is worth my time and energy. I would crawl for five miles to the voting booth in the pouring rain if I had to in order to vote against that disgusting old dishtowel Satanorum.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Gorby
The only politician that really surprised me was Gorbachev. He was a lot better than he had to be. I remember reading articles about peristroika [SP?] and wondering just what had possessed the Soviet leader to come around to our general point of view about government. The longer Gorbachev served as leader, the more surprises he gave us. The net result is that now Russia is viewed as more of a neutral nation than any kind of enemy. The enemy is perceived to be Iran. That is definitely a worthwhile feat to accomplish--getting off the radar of the most powerful military on earth. Russia doesn't have to squander so much on military budgets anymore, if it doesn't want to do so. I think that when one considers the costs of war, then peace is preferable, and one might be willing to pay any price for peace. Besides, the old U.S.S.R. had a lousy economic model, and continuation in the old system would have been absurd.
I believe that Gorbachev was one of the few leaders who really thought like a chessplayer. He dropped ideas with dispassion when they were proven false. He adopted new ideas with rapidity when they were calculated to give benefits. In such a manner does a chessplayer consider his moves.
I believe that Gorbachev was one of the few leaders who really thought like a chessplayer. He dropped ideas with dispassion when they were proven false. He adopted new ideas with rapidity when they were calculated to give benefits. In such a manner does a chessplayer consider his moves.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Good News out of Russia
About the only good news out of Russia these days concerns its continuing scientific research. At least Russia has not abandoned science altogether, unlike Iran, which only has an interest in weapons.
These scientists had better be careful, though, because they could revive a super-bug that might spread into the human population.
These scientists had better be careful, though, because they could revive a super-bug that might spread into the human population.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Santorum
Santorum thinks Obama elevates the Earth above Man? I'm not quite as powerful. I can only elevate a pebble above Man. I tried two pebbles once, but juggling is not my forte.
The New Gods in Dungeon Crawl
Of the new gods in Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, my favorite is Ashenzari, followed a distant second by Cheirobidos. I don't see much advantage in Fedhas. Ashenzari requires little of his followers, little more than a minor inconvenience involving cursed items, but the payoff to a devout follower can be huge.
We're Lucky to be Human
I look at my cat sometimes and think that I read envy. We are so powerful, compared to them. The things that we do, such as having mastery over sound, images, smells, light and darkness, often seem like magic to their eyes. In some ways, we seem god-like.
I think every human is lucky to be human, because humans rule the Earth. We are even seeking to acquire the Moon and the other planets. Unsatisfied with our blessed estate, we even seek to conquer mortality itself and live forever. Humans have always been unsatisfied. That may be the one curse to intelligence. We always crave more. We always seek to modify our environment in order to enjoy a better standard of living. Cats don't strive. They may seek a more comfortable cushion, but they build nothing and they gather nothing except the occasional toy.
So the human being is fortunate, but does not know that he is fortunate. He is the luckiest form of life, enjoying a self-awareness greater than any other life form. He is the flower of creation. It should be our lot to create beautiful things with art and music. I think that is the ultimate direction. There are more beautiful things as the human race matures and grows more powerful. There are more possibilities.
Our existence is changing, our environment is changing far faster than our genes. We have left behind the conditions that made our physical traits expedient. Modern people spend hours in a seated position. Little musculature is required in today's world. The car takes us places, not the feet. Almost all but the easiest physical labor is performed by machines. Even talking is often unnecessary due to electronic communication. The body is really more of a hindrance than an aid. We would be better-suited to the modern world without a body. It is unnecessary; we could be happier and more permanent as a collection of bits and bytes within a computer.
I think every human is lucky to be human, because humans rule the Earth. We are even seeking to acquire the Moon and the other planets. Unsatisfied with our blessed estate, we even seek to conquer mortality itself and live forever. Humans have always been unsatisfied. That may be the one curse to intelligence. We always crave more. We always seek to modify our environment in order to enjoy a better standard of living. Cats don't strive. They may seek a more comfortable cushion, but they build nothing and they gather nothing except the occasional toy.
So the human being is fortunate, but does not know that he is fortunate. He is the luckiest form of life, enjoying a self-awareness greater than any other life form. He is the flower of creation. It should be our lot to create beautiful things with art and music. I think that is the ultimate direction. There are more beautiful things as the human race matures and grows more powerful. There are more possibilities.
Our existence is changing, our environment is changing far faster than our genes. We have left behind the conditions that made our physical traits expedient. Modern people spend hours in a seated position. Little musculature is required in today's world. The car takes us places, not the feet. Almost all but the easiest physical labor is performed by machines. Even talking is often unnecessary due to electronic communication. The body is really more of a hindrance than an aid. We would be better-suited to the modern world without a body. It is unnecessary; we could be happier and more permanent as a collection of bits and bytes within a computer.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Trouble in the World
Actually, I don't think there is much trouble in the world. The media amplifies relatively minor problems--"relative" to the number of people affected out of a global population. I believe most human beings alive today are generally happy and contented with their lot in life.
However bad things may be in a certain area, one must remind oneself of history. In the past, things were far worse than they are now. There was more war. More injustice. More poverty. More of everything, in fact, except those things that are good. If I were alive in ancient Rome, at my age, I'd probably lack teeth by now. I'd have a good chance of being a slave. I'd have to be on my guard at all times against criminals. Disease would likely have ravaged my body. I'd probably suffer from malnutrition. That is the truth.
The modern world also seems clear of crime for the most part, except in some bad neighborhoods. Many gun enthusiasts believe otherwise, and their rationale defends their interest in guns. They need guns to protect themselves, or so they think. But in the past, there was more crime, and more criminals that got away with their crimes. Today, the number of tools in the hands of law enforcement are dazzling to behold and quite beyond the resources of any common criminal acting alone.
However bad things may be in a certain area, one must remind oneself of history. In the past, things were far worse than they are now. There was more war. More injustice. More poverty. More of everything, in fact, except those things that are good. If I were alive in ancient Rome, at my age, I'd probably lack teeth by now. I'd have a good chance of being a slave. I'd have to be on my guard at all times against criminals. Disease would likely have ravaged my body. I'd probably suffer from malnutrition. That is the truth.
The modern world also seems clear of crime for the most part, except in some bad neighborhoods. Many gun enthusiasts believe otherwise, and their rationale defends their interest in guns. They need guns to protect themselves, or so they think. But in the past, there was more crime, and more criminals that got away with their crimes. Today, the number of tools in the hands of law enforcement are dazzling to behold and quite beyond the resources of any common criminal acting alone.
Iran's Savages
The savages in Iran are about to execute a Canadian web programmer.
Iran is ruled by ignorant savages intent upon furthering the cause of evil in the world.
I look forward to the day when Iran receives severe punishments for its many crimes, past and present.
Iran is ruled by ignorant savages intent upon furthering the cause of evil in the world.
I look forward to the day when Iran receives severe punishments for its many crimes, past and present.
Foxconn
I have never purchased a Foxconn product knowingly, and after reading this article, never will.
I'm amused by those who purchase Apple I-junk (produced by Foxconn). There is no functionality offered on those overpriced gadgets that is worth their price.
Cellphone-addicted airheads have even spawned a new neurosis, nomophobia.
I think those morons should pick up a book once in a while.
I'm amused by those who purchase Apple I-junk (produced by Foxconn). There is no functionality offered on those overpriced gadgets that is worth their price.
Cellphone-addicted airheads have even spawned a new neurosis, nomophobia.
I think those morons should pick up a book once in a while.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Santorum and Oblivion
I think the words Santorum and oblivion are synonyms. He will be quickly forgotten once his fifteen minutes are over with. He was defeated in his last election, but although he is a natural loser, I really hope that he wins the Republican nomination, because nothing would go further towards ensuring a Republican defeat in 2012. Google is correct in regard to the definition of Santorum.
I do regret that there is not a decent challenger to Obama for the 2012 election. Obama could be challenged successfully--and defeated--but only by a candidate from the left, not the right, because Obama is a right-wing Republican conservative, no matter how Republicans pretend otherwise.
I do regret that there is not a decent challenger to Obama for the 2012 election. Obama could be challenged successfully--and defeated--but only by a candidate from the left, not the right, because Obama is a right-wing Republican conservative, no matter how Republicans pretend otherwise.
Enemies Can Be Useful
One trait I have that I think is rare is that I value criticism, even from enemies. Perhaps criticism is most valuable when it comes from an enemy, because there is no need to acknowledge or respond to an enemy; such criticism is completely free of charge.
Iran's Ignoramuses
I love the story about how an Iranian terrorist blew his own leg off. Good for him!
It often happens that evil-doers buy their own punishment. I saw a picture of the terrorist in the Bangkok Post, and he looks like he has been through a meat grinder. I don't think he is going to be looking forward to the rest of his days.
Iran seems to be run by a bunch of ignoramuses who do nothing but set their own interests back due to their ignorance and stupidity.
It often happens that evil-doers buy their own punishment. I saw a picture of the terrorist in the Bangkok Post, and he looks like he has been through a meat grinder. I don't think he is going to be looking forward to the rest of his days.
Iran seems to be run by a bunch of ignoramuses who do nothing but set their own interests back due to their ignorance and stupidity.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Ebay's Wonderful Technical Error
Ebay offered me a $10 rebate in exchange for selling $10 worth of goods in the fall of 2011. I did so. Since then, I haven't received the gift card, and I couldn't be happier. That's right, I'm pleased as punch. Why? Well, I called up the Ebay customer service number to complain (I do like complaining), and here's what the CSR told me. "There is a technical issue that is preventing Ebay from crediting your account and the account of other customers that received the $10 credit." When I asked when or if the problem would ever be resolved, he said he didn't know. Then he asked me if I was enjoying my free listings. In exchange for my patience and understanding, Ebay is letting me list up to 50 items for free every month. Now, that is an extremely useful capability to have. It puts power back into the hands of the seller. Instead of being held hostage to an auction, with guaranteed fees should the auction fail, I can list and relist multiple times until I get the price that I want--all at no additional charge. I love it, and I could care less about the lousy $10, because I've saved about $100 in fees. Best of all is the feeling of confidence I have. Ebay receives its usual substantial final value fees in return, so both Ebay and I come out ahead.
One thing is certain, though. Once my free listing days are over, so are my Ebay adventures. It's a buyer's market out there, and many auctions do fail or succumb to bid snipers who bid at the last second of the last minute with the minimum price.
One thing is certain, though. Once my free listing days are over, so are my Ebay adventures. It's a buyer's market out there, and many auctions do fail or succumb to bid snipers who bid at the last second of the last minute with the minimum price.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Burning DVDs to Watch Movies
When someone tells me they need to burn a DVD to watch a movie, that is when I know I am talking with a technological moron. Anyone still using DVDs after 2007, let alone 2012, has not been paying attention. I imagine that they also rub two sticks together in order to make fire.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
I Knew It Before I Read It
When I saw the headline, "The Ten Most Dangerous Cities for Pedestrians in America," I knew already which region of the U.S. those cities would be in--the South.
Of course, any list of the ten worst cities in any category under the Sun would tend to cluster around the South. But I know from experience that in any given neighborhood in the South, there is likely to be no sidewalks, narrow and poorly maintained roads, erroneous or absent road signs, and little regard shown for pedestrians.
Of course, any list of the ten worst cities in any category under the Sun would tend to cluster around the South. But I know from experience that in any given neighborhood in the South, there is likely to be no sidewalks, narrow and poorly maintained roads, erroneous or absent road signs, and little regard shown for pedestrians.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Linux
I figured out the Linux developer's game. They don't want Linux to be popular--ever. There's nothing in it for them. The way they make money is consulting with big companies. Linux is used for servers. So companies pay mega-bucks to developers with lots of Linux ability. The only thing the developers do is craft fancier bells and whistles in the OS. They never have, and never will, iron out the thousands of hardware incompatibilities, even ones that are ten or twenty years old.
I tried a variety of Linux OSes on three different machines, and my mileage varied. Some systems were silent. Some had no video. Some didn't boot. Some had no mouse. Needless to say, I forgot all about Linux and went back to the only working OS that works all the time and supports all hardware: Windows. Linux is crap and will always be crap because the developers don't want it to be anything but crap. It may, however, be feasible in certain niche applications such as a back-end server, where only a limited amount of hardware needs to be supported.
I tried a variety of Linux OSes on three different machines, and my mileage varied. Some systems were silent. Some had no video. Some didn't boot. Some had no mouse. Needless to say, I forgot all about Linux and went back to the only working OS that works all the time and supports all hardware: Windows. Linux is crap and will always be crap because the developers don't want it to be anything but crap. It may, however, be feasible in certain niche applications such as a back-end server, where only a limited amount of hardware needs to be supported.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The Media Obsession with Violent Crime
The media's obsession with violent crime, suicide, and sexual crimes, does encourage the perpetuation of such crimes. Weak-minded young people have large amounts of energy, but not much internal direction, and these types will go whichever way the wind blows, and the media passes wind.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The Case Against War with Iran
The Guardian makes a persuasive case against war with Iran.
Even so, I favor bombing Iran, because Iran is the embodiment of evil in the world. It is far better and far cheaper to reduce Iran now, before it gathers nuclear weapons. Any delay merely postpones the inevitable bill that will come due. Iran is completely focused and completely determined to have a war with the United States at some future point in time.
The strongest argument against bombing Iran is the poor state of the U.S. economy. We are not prepared for another war from an economic standpoint, and war with Iran might cause another Great Depression. For this reason, it may be better to stay cheap and simply rely upon M.A.D. (Mutual Assured Destruction) to deter nuclear aggression.
I think the decision confronting American and Israeli leaders is very difficult, and I don't envy them. I expect that they will not bomb, simply because of political considerations, and that is perfectly understandable. No one wants to go down in history as the aggressor or war-monger, no one that is except for Iran. Perhaps it is better from an ethical standpoint to permit Iran to make the firststrike blunder, which will then morally justify comprehensive and terminal retaliation. Iran will also be held directly accountable, along with Pakistan and North Korea, for any and all nuclear attacks waged by independent terrorist groups.
Even so, I favor bombing Iran, because Iran is the embodiment of evil in the world. It is far better and far cheaper to reduce Iran now, before it gathers nuclear weapons. Any delay merely postpones the inevitable bill that will come due. Iran is completely focused and completely determined to have a war with the United States at some future point in time.
The strongest argument against bombing Iran is the poor state of the U.S. economy. We are not prepared for another war from an economic standpoint, and war with Iran might cause another Great Depression. For this reason, it may be better to stay cheap and simply rely upon M.A.D. (Mutual Assured Destruction) to deter nuclear aggression.
I think the decision confronting American and Israeli leaders is very difficult, and I don't envy them. I expect that they will not bomb, simply because of political considerations, and that is perfectly understandable. No one wants to go down in history as the aggressor or war-monger, no one that is except for Iran. Perhaps it is better from an ethical standpoint to permit Iran to make the first
Friday, February 3, 2012
Iran
Once Iran obtains an atom bomb, it is only a matter of time before it is used. Those who believe that Iran will show the same restraint as the U.S. and Russia are kidding themselves.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)