Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Iran, a Force for Evil
Iran is a real force for evil in the world. They are the real enemy of freedom. Forget about Afghanistan. Why the U.S. elected to invade a country with no real power or influence, Afghanistan, is a question that tempts me to doubt the intelligence of our leaders. We go in there with our bombs and our bullets, but there is nothing to destroy in that undeveloped cesspool, and the enemy is easily replaceable due to widespread ignorance, lack of birth control, and financial support from the U.S. and from the drug trade. I do not understand why our leaders learned nothing from Viet Nam.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Obama and the Environment
When the Obama Administration encounters science it doesn't like, it has a simple solution: punish the scientist. In that respect, it is similar to the Bush Administration. Both Presidents are the same on marijuana, too. Even though science is quite clear that alcohol is more harmful than marijuana, it is marijuana, not alcohol, that the Federal government goes to great lengths to eradicate. Our leaders are indifferent to science and uninterested in learning. That is why the country is in the situation it is in today. If the country were a restaurant, it would have been shut down already either for health code violations or lack of business. Imagine a restaurant that sends all its customers to other restaurants to eat and refuses to serve food at all. That is the U.S. today, shipping jobs and resources overseas and letting the people and the infrastructure rot.
The Ratio
The time that a serious job seeker spends applying for a single job compared to the amount of time an employer spends evaluating the applicant is 100:1. Employers are cherry-picking among applicants, wasting the time of 99% in order to get at the most desirable 1%. Few companies want to work with a resume anymore. Instead, a job seeker must become a volunteer data entry clerk, filling out an application that duplicates pretty much everything that is on the resume, so that the data becomes searchable.
One company requested that I fill out a lengthy questionnaire. I spent an entire day preparing that, and the result was so good that they decided to interview me over the phone. Preparation for an interview always costs me more time than the actual interview itself. I want to know as much as I can going into the interview. Whether that impresses anyone these days, I don't know. I think people automatically assume that one has a mobile device in his hand and is using it for crib notes.
A video interview followed, and I got the impression that I'm disqualified because I'm overqualified. Rather than nip that bud early in the process by using a technique known as "reading comprehension," they chose to read comic books in the office or whatever it is they do on a working day. The hiring manager had not read my application, had not read my resume, and had not even read the questionnaire, but waited until the second interview to evaluate the weight of my experience, which is heavy. The desired candidate, I gather, will be fifteen years younger, untested and unsure of how to handle the situation when the septic tank discharges into the air conditioning unit. That will be their problem, not mine. My problem is how to reduce the amount of time that companies demand that I waste. I'm not sure it is possible to avoid the questionnaires, I.Q. tests, and other time-wasting hurdles that one jumps through only to be smacked down at the end.
One company requested that I fill out a lengthy questionnaire. I spent an entire day preparing that, and the result was so good that they decided to interview me over the phone. Preparation for an interview always costs me more time than the actual interview itself. I want to know as much as I can going into the interview. Whether that impresses anyone these days, I don't know. I think people automatically assume that one has a mobile device in his hand and is using it for crib notes.
A video interview followed, and I got the impression that I'm disqualified because I'm overqualified. Rather than nip that bud early in the process by using a technique known as "reading comprehension," they chose to read comic books in the office or whatever it is they do on a working day. The hiring manager had not read my application, had not read my resume, and had not even read the questionnaire, but waited until the second interview to evaluate the weight of my experience, which is heavy. The desired candidate, I gather, will be fifteen years younger, untested and unsure of how to handle the situation when the septic tank discharges into the air conditioning unit. That will be their problem, not mine. My problem is how to reduce the amount of time that companies demand that I waste. I'm not sure it is possible to avoid the questionnaires, I.Q. tests, and other time-wasting hurdles that one jumps through only to be smacked down at the end.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
"The Beginners" *****
I saw "The Beginners" at a cinema tonight and was quite pleased by the excellent writing and superb acting. A truly flawless movie, it is the best of 2011.
I had not been out to a cinema in years. I must say the movie-going experience has gotten worse, not better. There were almost a dozen shrill, jarring commercials for products like insurance and luxury cars that made me sorry I was there. Why should I have to watch commercials after I paid for a ticket? I felt like the theater was punishing me for visiting. If I had waited for the movie to arrive via NetFlix, presto, no commercials. One of the stupid commercials played in reverse (including the soundtrack) after it had played. I do not know whether that was a technical malfunction or an intentional device. Another annoyance was that sound effects from another movie in an adjoining screen could be overheard--explosions, shots and cursing. The sound is turned up too loud.
Despite my favorable impression of the movie itself, I do not intend to go out to the cinemas again for a long time, because it is clear to me the cinema owner has zero respect for the audience. But what else is new? This has long been the case. Besides the high ticket price and the lousy and expensive food, now the audience must contend with loud, obnoxious commercials with no relation to movies. Small wonder, then, that there were plenty of empty seats. In a theater with a seating capacity of 200, fewer than twelve seats were occupied, even though the movie itself was outstanding.
The museum was little better. Among the masterpieces of artwork and sculpture, in the lobby below, a rapper was permitted to scream his tirade or whatever he calls it at a very loud volume, so that it was impossible to think about anything except for the stupid thoughts originating from his empty head concerning murder or mayhem or whatever nonsense it is that he thinks is so interesting that everyone must listen to it, whether they want to or not. It may come as a surprise, but people visit an art museum to look at the art, not listen to rap or any other type of music played at a high volume. One thing is decided. I do not plan on buying a membership to the museum in this lifetime.
I had not been out to a cinema in years. I must say the movie-going experience has gotten worse, not better. There were almost a dozen shrill, jarring commercials for products like insurance and luxury cars that made me sorry I was there. Why should I have to watch commercials after I paid for a ticket? I felt like the theater was punishing me for visiting. If I had waited for the movie to arrive via NetFlix, presto, no commercials. One of the stupid commercials played in reverse (including the soundtrack) after it had played. I do not know whether that was a technical malfunction or an intentional device. Another annoyance was that sound effects from another movie in an adjoining screen could be overheard--explosions, shots and cursing. The sound is turned up too loud.
Despite my favorable impression of the movie itself, I do not intend to go out to the cinemas again for a long time, because it is clear to me the cinema owner has zero respect for the audience. But what else is new? This has long been the case. Besides the high ticket price and the lousy and expensive food, now the audience must contend with loud, obnoxious commercials with no relation to movies. Small wonder, then, that there were plenty of empty seats. In a theater with a seating capacity of 200, fewer than twelve seats were occupied, even though the movie itself was outstanding.
The museum was little better. Among the masterpieces of artwork and sculpture, in the lobby below, a rapper was permitted to scream his tirade or whatever he calls it at a very loud volume, so that it was impossible to think about anything except for the stupid thoughts originating from his empty head concerning murder or mayhem or whatever nonsense it is that he thinks is so interesting that everyone must listen to it, whether they want to or not. It may come as a surprise, but people visit an art museum to look at the art, not listen to rap or any other type of music played at a high volume. One thing is decided. I do not plan on buying a membership to the museum in this lifetime.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Online Anonymity
I do agree with this perceptive article in PC World.
The crusaders against anonymity really need to think things through a bit more than they have. I think the CEO's are only concerned about maximizing profit. From their point of view, anonymity is not helpful. From the point of view of anyone else, anonymity can be an essential tool. It has its place. One cedes credibility by going anonymous, but gains a huge measure of protection from everyone except Johnny Law.
I can see both sides of the argument, though. A solid case has been made in The Guardian that anonymity tempts weak-minded people to misbehave, to indulge their Id, regressing to childish behavior patterns. On a web site that I admin, that was exactly what happened. The posters behaved as though they were in grade school, despite being senior citizens in many cases. They complained to the "teacher," bullied, insulted, threatened, and generally played the fool until we pulled the plug. Perhaps the hotheads will attempt to run their own forum somewhere. Good riddance. Karma will school them. I don't ever want to host another tribe of truculent trolls. When I think about how much time I spent customizing and improving the forum, I'm embarrassed by my generosity.
The crusaders against anonymity really need to think things through a bit more than they have. I think the CEO's are only concerned about maximizing profit. From their point of view, anonymity is not helpful. From the point of view of anyone else, anonymity can be an essential tool. It has its place. One cedes credibility by going anonymous, but gains a huge measure of protection from everyone except Johnny Law.
I can see both sides of the argument, though. A solid case has been made in The Guardian that anonymity tempts weak-minded people to misbehave, to indulge their Id, regressing to childish behavior patterns. On a web site that I admin, that was exactly what happened. The posters behaved as though they were in grade school, despite being senior citizens in many cases. They complained to the "teacher," bullied, insulted, threatened, and generally played the fool until we pulled the plug. Perhaps the hotheads will attempt to run their own forum somewhere. Good riddance. Karma will school them. I don't ever want to host another tribe of truculent trolls. When I think about how much time I spent customizing and improving the forum, I'm embarrassed by my generosity.
Why I Stopped Eating Fast Food
My favorite fast food joint was Taco Bell. I used to pick up a meal there after work about once a week. The food tasted all right. However, I began to notice side effects. The cheap food seemed to put the pounds on, and it seemed to be causing acne. I wasn't sure, so I attempted an experiment. I quit eating at Taco Bell. Presto, no more zits. I felt better and slept better at night. I recollect similar experiences with other fast food chains. I have not performed a chemical analysis of fast food, but my hunch is that the low prices mean not much care is taken in procuring healthy food.
I discovered that there is food even faster than fast food chains. It's called getting up and making it yourself. The best part about making food is the leftovers. They can be warmed up later in the microwave, which is even faster than cooking.
I discovered that there is food even faster than fast food chains. It's called getting up and making it yourself. The best part about making food is the leftovers. They can be warmed up later in the microwave, which is even faster than cooking.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Hail the Hero
There was a hero in the recent Norwegian massacre, a German man, Marcel Gleffe, who risked his life to save others.
The villain, whose name is not worthy of any mention, had the mindset of an insect, with retarded social, if adequate operational intelligence. The net outcome of his dark deed is that his ilk will continue to be despised throughout the world. It was a miserable failure in public relations, an atrocity that will provide grist for myriad conversations and publications. An insect such as he that conceives of human society as consisting only of cold numbers cannot be expected to grasp the full magnitude of his error.
The way that gays went from being persecuted to becoming members of the Establishment was not by killing, not by harming, and not by doing evil unto anyone, but by speaking out, listening, sharing, befriending, and forming alliances with others. It is through cooperation and hard work, not bloody violence, that an idea or a group earns acceptance. Those who commit violence receive the opposite of their goal.
The villain, whose name is not worthy of any mention, had the mindset of an insect, with retarded social, if adequate operational intelligence. The net outcome of his dark deed is that his ilk will continue to be despised throughout the world. It was a miserable failure in public relations, an atrocity that will provide grist for myriad conversations and publications. An insect such as he that conceives of human society as consisting only of cold numbers cannot be expected to grasp the full magnitude of his error.
The way that gays went from being persecuted to becoming members of the Establishment was not by killing, not by harming, and not by doing evil unto anyone, but by speaking out, listening, sharing, befriending, and forming alliances with others. It is through cooperation and hard work, not bloody violence, that an idea or a group earns acceptance. Those who commit violence receive the opposite of their goal.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Other Issues Besides Sexuality
I'd still be interested in politics and doing my part, even if sexuality became a non-issue, as it may very well become in the future.
Let's say gays get the right to marry across the U.S. What next? I think that marriage covers all the bases as far as sexuality goes. Maybe I'm missing a part of the puzzle, I don't know, but that's how it seems to me.
For me, manufacturing would be the #1 issue. I believe goods imported from China should be taxed to reflect the long-term costs of doing business with a slave state that is the sworn enemy of our ally, Taiwan. I believe that Congress should heed American manufacturers whenever they complain about the issue of China selling products below cost. Every American job that is lost as a result of Chinese competition is a cause for profound concern. I think that Congress does not have the correct priorities today. The correct priority is to reinvigorate the manufacturing sector in the minimum amount of time. Afghanistan and Iraq are not appropriate matters for our leaders to spend time or money upon. The appropriate focus should be upon revitalizing the U.S. economy for the long-term.
The environment would remain an important issue to me, that and fair treatment of the poor, the sick, and people in prison, especially non-violent offenders. I'd remain interested in ending the drug war and treating drug offenders in a medical, rather than a legal framework. I'd still vote for Democrats, because they seem less crazy than the Republicans on just about every issue under the sun, more in touch with science and more concerned with working-class folks. My father and mother are both Democrats, and I'd probably be a Democrat even if I had been born straight.
Let's say gays get the right to marry across the U.S. What next? I think that marriage covers all the bases as far as sexuality goes. Maybe I'm missing a part of the puzzle, I don't know, but that's how it seems to me.
For me, manufacturing would be the #1 issue. I believe goods imported from China should be taxed to reflect the long-term costs of doing business with a slave state that is the sworn enemy of our ally, Taiwan. I believe that Congress should heed American manufacturers whenever they complain about the issue of China selling products below cost. Every American job that is lost as a result of Chinese competition is a cause for profound concern. I think that Congress does not have the correct priorities today. The correct priority is to reinvigorate the manufacturing sector in the minimum amount of time. Afghanistan and Iraq are not appropriate matters for our leaders to spend time or money upon. The appropriate focus should be upon revitalizing the U.S. economy for the long-term.
The environment would remain an important issue to me, that and fair treatment of the poor, the sick, and people in prison, especially non-violent offenders. I'd remain interested in ending the drug war and treating drug offenders in a medical, rather than a legal framework. I'd still vote for Democrats, because they seem less crazy than the Republicans on just about every issue under the sun, more in touch with science and more concerned with working-class folks. My father and mother are both Democrats, and I'd probably be a Democrat even if I had been born straight.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Two Good Shows from the UK
Two recent excellent shows from the UK are Upstairs, Downstairs (2010) and Downton Abbey. These two shows are destined to become classics. I find them equal in quality. While they are comparable, each has elements that make it unique. The writing, I think, is slightly superior in Upstairs, because it deals with real social and historical issues rather than trivialities, while the camera work, set and costumes are better in Downton, a show with a much higher budget. Downton seems to dwell upon apolitical themes, whereas Upstairs doesn't mind getting into things with meaning. I think I find more kinship generally with Upstairs, but admire Downton because it is excellent and luxurious pure escapism. To be honest, I'm not altogether sure. It may be that I am mistaken about things, and Downton is better written. I think I'll just have to watch Downton again in order to make up my mind.
A Four-Leaf Clover
When I read some of the things that right wingers say out loud, even in Congress or on national television, it leads me to think that, if they could get away with it, some of 'em would put a gun to my head and pull the trigger, in fact they'd probably wipe out a great many other people besides me. Crazy as hell some of them seem to me, stirring up mischief for no good reason at all and saying things that just aren't true, even when they know it. I don't know whether I need to give any examples, because it's such a common thing. There's the wacko Birther movement, then all of the extreme things that people say against gays, and the occasional, not quite as common, extreme prejudice certain people have against marijuana.
I'm not going to repeat the garbage people say against gays. A skeptical reader could do five minutes worth of research if he felt the need. My search terms in that link are pretty innocuous, as well, and not likely to uncover the worst of the worse. I'm sure that a determined reader could uncover that on his own. I prefer not to discuss such things. Instead, I will take a single, mild, even funny talking point from the Republicans--that gay marriage is going to lead to polygamy. That makes no sense whatsoever. Straight marriage could just as easily lead to polygamy. And who does polygamy anyway? I thought that was old-school Mormon. The Mormons reformed, I thought.
I don't know what to say to people that claim Obama isn't American. It does seem like a racist thing to me. It is appalling that so many people, according to polls, really believed that line. Perhaps that gives an indication as to why this country is in the situation it is in.
And marijuana--worth putting people in jail over? I don't get it. I remember what a group of state senators said in response to the movement to decriminalize marijuana. "Never will happen in our state! We don't care about the cost of incarceration! We'll build more prisons!" That's the mentality. Build more prisons, do more harm to people. Another state senator, Republican of course, was in favor of caning marijuana users. One never hears those same senators going on about alcohol. They don't give two hoots about marijuana. They just know it is popular among liberals, and they would like to harm the liberals if they possibly can without repercussions, give them a felony conviction, ruin their lives.
People who have never tried pot can imagine it's some kind of horrible thing. People who have never had a gay friend may well think all sorts of crazy things about gays. I still don't know what to say about the Birthers. I think people have limited experience in their lives, because human lives are so brief, and they assume that anything they are told by a trusted authority is true. I remember arguing with my father over pot. He never tried it and did not know anyone who had, except for my older brother and me. He told me he thought pot was bad because the government said so. Just because the government said so! Yes, authority is often right, but is it possible, just possible, that on certain occasions, it's terribly wrong? Maybe authority needs to be modified and improved. That's my position. I like to see things improved.
But not everybody cares about improving things or even getting things done. In my lifetime, I've encountered opposition from lazy and corrupt drunks with no concern about civility, no concern about teamwork, and just the most obvious selfish motivations having to do with minimization of work and effort and maximization of idleness. They are the most resistant to change, because change means work, change means effort, and they are as lazy as the day is long. I never have understood why people hate working and hate thinking. Those are the two things I love the most, and I do them all day, every day, even in my supposed leisure time. I'd rather solve problems than watch a show any day of the week. Is that strange? At least at the end of the day, I have a feeling of accomplishment, that it was worth getting out of bed, worth being alive. I don't like feeling that a day was ever wasted. Time is important. There is a purpose to life.
I remember a right-winger at the office where I worked. This was the second or third time I had ever laid eyes on him. He was talking to my supervisor about politics, a subject I tried to avoid, and he looked at me, smiled, and said that Democrats were traitors and deserve a bullet in the head. I had never talked about politics at work before. To this day, I don't know what he was on about, looking me in the eye. This was during the Clinton years. Clinton was not even that liberal. Definitely, Nazis are still around. What happened back then could happen again, I think. There are people out there that want to try it again, give it another go. Of course they don't want to go to prison, either, but they would do certain things if they could get away with it.
Bozo did well for himself. He was permitted to work at home, set his own hours and pretty much come and go as he pleased. He never updated his technical skills, had poor communication skills, and often had underlings do his work because he was incapable of getting anything done that wasn't simple.
I didn't get any special protection. I was kept on because I was better than some of the other programmers on my team. Some of the others liked to walk around the office with a coffee mug in their hand, chatting with their buddies most of the day about sports and sex. I remember that. Me, I was weird. I preferred remaining in my cubicle, getting things done, and why? Because I liked the work. I liked the work better than talking with old hardheaded conservatives that want to kill anybody that doesn't think the same way they do. Some people thought it was weird to sit at the desk doing work all day. It was out of the norm at that place.
Which strategy is better? Social engineering, or actually getting the work done? I don't know. Both strategies work well from what I have experienced. I suppose social engineering is easier if there's a gap between the ears. Certainly the social engineers did quite well for themselves, maybe even better than the real engineers. They were rewarded, pampered, and even promoted on frequent occasion, although sometimes when things blew up in their face, and they couldn't shift the blame, they were asked to resign. Good workers, on the other hand, were kept on, but not promoted or pampered. The rewards, salary increases, were tangible, if moderate. That's the kind of company I worked for. Maybe that's why I left. I don't know. Resentment? Maybe. Plenty of factors. I don't think I was very lucky in my career. Moderately successful, yes, but certainly I was maneuvered into a dead end, career-wise, by the antiquated technology I was assigned to maintain.
I'm holding on to a four leaf clover, besides all of the three-leaf clovers on this blog. I'm hoping that my luck improves. Maybe it won't be today or tomorrow, but I've got time, and there's no telling what the future may bring one day. I think it is wise to stay prepared and remain receptive for good fortune, if it ever does ring the phone. Seems to me the phones are ringing over in India and China more often these days. But who knows?
I'm not going to repeat the garbage people say against gays. A skeptical reader could do five minutes worth of research if he felt the need. My search terms in that link are pretty innocuous, as well, and not likely to uncover the worst of the worse. I'm sure that a determined reader could uncover that on his own. I prefer not to discuss such things. Instead, I will take a single, mild, even funny talking point from the Republicans--that gay marriage is going to lead to polygamy. That makes no sense whatsoever. Straight marriage could just as easily lead to polygamy. And who does polygamy anyway? I thought that was old-school Mormon. The Mormons reformed, I thought.
I don't know what to say to people that claim Obama isn't American. It does seem like a racist thing to me. It is appalling that so many people, according to polls, really believed that line. Perhaps that gives an indication as to why this country is in the situation it is in.
And marijuana--worth putting people in jail over? I don't get it. I remember what a group of state senators said in response to the movement to decriminalize marijuana. "Never will happen in our state! We don't care about the cost of incarceration! We'll build more prisons!" That's the mentality. Build more prisons, do more harm to people. Another state senator, Republican of course, was in favor of caning marijuana users. One never hears those same senators going on about alcohol. They don't give two hoots about marijuana. They just know it is popular among liberals, and they would like to harm the liberals if they possibly can without repercussions, give them a felony conviction, ruin their lives.
People who have never tried pot can imagine it's some kind of horrible thing. People who have never had a gay friend may well think all sorts of crazy things about gays. I still don't know what to say about the Birthers. I think people have limited experience in their lives, because human lives are so brief, and they assume that anything they are told by a trusted authority is true. I remember arguing with my father over pot. He never tried it and did not know anyone who had, except for my older brother and me. He told me he thought pot was bad because the government said so. Just because the government said so! Yes, authority is often right, but is it possible, just possible, that on certain occasions, it's terribly wrong? Maybe authority needs to be modified and improved. That's my position. I like to see things improved.
But not everybody cares about improving things or even getting things done. In my lifetime, I've encountered opposition from lazy and corrupt drunks with no concern about civility, no concern about teamwork, and just the most obvious selfish motivations having to do with minimization of work and effort and maximization of idleness. They are the most resistant to change, because change means work, change means effort, and they are as lazy as the day is long. I never have understood why people hate working and hate thinking. Those are the two things I love the most, and I do them all day, every day, even in my supposed leisure time. I'd rather solve problems than watch a show any day of the week. Is that strange? At least at the end of the day, I have a feeling of accomplishment, that it was worth getting out of bed, worth being alive. I don't like feeling that a day was ever wasted. Time is important. There is a purpose to life.
I remember a right-winger at the office where I worked. This was the second or third time I had ever laid eyes on him. He was talking to my supervisor about politics, a subject I tried to avoid, and he looked at me, smiled, and said that Democrats were traitors and deserve a bullet in the head. I had never talked about politics at work before. To this day, I don't know what he was on about, looking me in the eye. This was during the Clinton years. Clinton was not even that liberal. Definitely, Nazis are still around. What happened back then could happen again, I think. There are people out there that want to try it again, give it another go. Of course they don't want to go to prison, either, but they would do certain things if they could get away with it.
Bozo did well for himself. He was permitted to work at home, set his own hours and pretty much come and go as he pleased. He never updated his technical skills, had poor communication skills, and often had underlings do his work because he was incapable of getting anything done that wasn't simple.
I didn't get any special protection. I was kept on because I was better than some of the other programmers on my team. Some of the others liked to walk around the office with a coffee mug in their hand, chatting with their buddies most of the day about sports and sex. I remember that. Me, I was weird. I preferred remaining in my cubicle, getting things done, and why? Because I liked the work. I liked the work better than talking with old hardheaded conservatives that want to kill anybody that doesn't think the same way they do. Some people thought it was weird to sit at the desk doing work all day. It was out of the norm at that place.
Which strategy is better? Social engineering, or actually getting the work done? I don't know. Both strategies work well from what I have experienced. I suppose social engineering is easier if there's a gap between the ears. Certainly the social engineers did quite well for themselves, maybe even better than the real engineers. They were rewarded, pampered, and even promoted on frequent occasion, although sometimes when things blew up in their face, and they couldn't shift the blame, they were asked to resign. Good workers, on the other hand, were kept on, but not promoted or pampered. The rewards, salary increases, were tangible, if moderate. That's the kind of company I worked for. Maybe that's why I left. I don't know. Resentment? Maybe. Plenty of factors. I don't think I was very lucky in my career. Moderately successful, yes, but certainly I was maneuvered into a dead end, career-wise, by the antiquated technology I was assigned to maintain.
I'm holding on to a four leaf clover, besides all of the three-leaf clovers on this blog. I'm hoping that my luck improves. Maybe it won't be today or tomorrow, but I've got time, and there's no telling what the future may bring one day. I think it is wise to stay prepared and remain receptive for good fortune, if it ever does ring the phone. Seems to me the phones are ringing over in India and China more often these days. But who knows?
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Straight Marriage, Gay Marriage
Find a beautiful younger woman, and a marriage of 30 years means squat. I find it interesting that the king of a media empire that sometimes rails against gay marriage treated the institution of marriage like rubbish.
It's funny how homophobes claim marriage is a fragile sacred cow that can't be changed, when some of them, especially the rich and powerful, change it at the drop of a hat whenever it suits them. I am reminded of Newt Gingrich, who divorced his wife while she was in the hospital with cancer. Lots of class, Jack. I'd never do that to my partner. These guys could learn about loyalty and morality from a gay couple. It is ironic that they have so much influence on whether gay couples get the right to marry.
It is a strange thing to have so many irons in the fire of an enormous political debate trumpeted throughout the media. If gay marriage becomes the law of the land, then I win big. Many of the problems that loom great before me will resolve. If it remains under ban, then I lose big, or rather, continue losing like I always have. Even my life expectancy is tied to the question of gay marriage, because marriage brings so many legal and financial benefits. The idea of lifelong monogamy does not worry me in the least--as a matter of fact, it would be my choice without marriage, and is my choice.
I suppose the argument that runs against gay marriage is thus: abandon your lover and find some poor desperate woman, make believe that you love her, and marry her instead. That was indeed the chosen remedy of some gay men in the past. Is it fair to the woman? I don't think so. I don't think it's a good idea for either partner. It is likely that one or both partners in a sham marriage are going to fool around on the side.
I don't understand the reason for trying to push human reproduction at a time when the population is so great already. Homosexuality is a blessing in an overpopulated world. If I looked around me and saw not enough people, then I'd get with a woman and try to make more. But that's not the case. The situation is the opposite.
I think people are insane to insist on only one path in sexuality. Here's a whole group of people willing to voluntarily excuse themselves from the reproductive cycle (*in most cases). Seems like a godsend. I do think gays were sent by God, if there is a God, and I think they are a solid benefit to society, especially in today's world. People should count the benefits, rather than imagine costs.
It is difficult for me to discuss with people other than friends an issue that is so close to my personal welfare. I have so much at stake. I am tempted to consider those who oppose gay marriage to be my enemies, because they are accomplices to the legal mechanisms that inflict suffering upon me. I try to remind myself that such people lack empathy and understanding. The issue does not effect them personally. It is an opportunity for them to wield power against others, and I just happen to be an other, and my otherness is an accident of fate. There is something in the human psyche that delights in inflicting suffering upon others. The same element is to be found in many other issues, not just this one.
However, those that lack empathy and understanding do not escape from their deeds and their words unscathed. Such behavior will also manifest in their relations toward their own, and there comes what has been termed karma or divine punishment.
Karma or divine punishment feels wrong to me as a philosophy, though.
The closest approximation to truth seems, to me, that humankind forms one organism, as our cells together form one body. So if a human being harms another, it is like a cancerous growth, a cell that went berserk and needs to be removed by the body's immune system. If too many humans harm others, then the body is diseased and needs surgery, or it may even die. The overall health and improvement of the body is the most important thing. I feel this most of all when I am lying in bed at night, that there is a deeper meaning to life than just what is perceived in everyday life. I feel that things are okay somehow.
It is difficult to fully accept individualism, because life is brief and sometimes without much meaning or higher purpose. Many individuals are sacrificed with no apparent rhyme or reason. I may be sacrificed too, or you the reader for that matter. So that is why I think we may be small units within a much larger entity, rather than separate and entire within ourselves. I'm not sure how it all works. There is a great mystery about life. I don't think everyday reality is all that there is. And even if it were, we should imagine something else just to amuse ourselves.
It's funny how homophobes claim marriage is a fragile sacred cow that can't be changed, when some of them, especially the rich and powerful, change it at the drop of a hat whenever it suits them. I am reminded of Newt Gingrich, who divorced his wife while she was in the hospital with cancer. Lots of class, Jack. I'd never do that to my partner. These guys could learn about loyalty and morality from a gay couple. It is ironic that they have so much influence on whether gay couples get the right to marry.
It is a strange thing to have so many irons in the fire of an enormous political debate trumpeted throughout the media. If gay marriage becomes the law of the land, then I win big. Many of the problems that loom great before me will resolve. If it remains under ban, then I lose big, or rather, continue losing like I always have. Even my life expectancy is tied to the question of gay marriage, because marriage brings so many legal and financial benefits. The idea of lifelong monogamy does not worry me in the least--as a matter of fact, it would be my choice without marriage, and is my choice.
I suppose the argument that runs against gay marriage is thus: abandon your lover and find some poor desperate woman, make believe that you love her, and marry her instead. That was indeed the chosen remedy of some gay men in the past. Is it fair to the woman? I don't think so. I don't think it's a good idea for either partner. It is likely that one or both partners in a sham marriage are going to fool around on the side.
I don't understand the reason for trying to push human reproduction at a time when the population is so great already. Homosexuality is a blessing in an overpopulated world. If I looked around me and saw not enough people, then I'd get with a woman and try to make more. But that's not the case. The situation is the opposite.
I think people are insane to insist on only one path in sexuality. Here's a whole group of people willing to voluntarily excuse themselves from the reproductive cycle (*in most cases). Seems like a godsend. I do think gays were sent by God, if there is a God, and I think they are a solid benefit to society, especially in today's world. People should count the benefits, rather than imagine costs.
It is difficult for me to discuss with people other than friends an issue that is so close to my personal welfare. I have so much at stake. I am tempted to consider those who oppose gay marriage to be my enemies, because they are accomplices to the legal mechanisms that inflict suffering upon me. I try to remind myself that such people lack empathy and understanding. The issue does not effect them personally. It is an opportunity for them to wield power against others, and I just happen to be an other, and my otherness is an accident of fate. There is something in the human psyche that delights in inflicting suffering upon others. The same element is to be found in many other issues, not just this one.
However, those that lack empathy and understanding do not escape from their deeds and their words unscathed. Such behavior will also manifest in their relations toward their own, and there comes what has been termed karma or divine punishment.
Karma or divine punishment feels wrong to me as a philosophy, though.
The closest approximation to truth seems, to me, that humankind forms one organism, as our cells together form one body. So if a human being harms another, it is like a cancerous growth, a cell that went berserk and needs to be removed by the body's immune system. If too many humans harm others, then the body is diseased and needs surgery, or it may even die. The overall health and improvement of the body is the most important thing. I feel this most of all when I am lying in bed at night, that there is a deeper meaning to life than just what is perceived in everyday life. I feel that things are okay somehow.
It is difficult to fully accept individualism, because life is brief and sometimes without much meaning or higher purpose. Many individuals are sacrificed with no apparent rhyme or reason. I may be sacrificed too, or you the reader for that matter. So that is why I think we may be small units within a much larger entity, rather than separate and entire within ourselves. I'm not sure how it all works. There is a great mystery about life. I don't think everyday reality is all that there is. And even if it were, we should imagine something else just to amuse ourselves.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Evil Scientists
I watched "Operation Crossbow," a BBC documentary, tonight. It was about the Allied aerial reconnaissance against Nazi Germany during WW2 that resulted in the diminishing of the threat posed by the V-1 rockets. German scientists had developed highly advanced rockets that were to cost 9,000 lives.
I think there is a basis for holding scientists to a higher standard than political leaders, generals or other civilians. Scientists are smart and should know better. If they can penetrate the secrets of nature, they should also have a grounding in basic ethics. If a scientist serves a power as evil as Nazi Germany, particularly in a military capacity, his evil rises to a level above that of other human beings, who may be deceived, stupid or ignorant. A contemporary example of evil scientists would be the nuclear scientists that serve the Iranian regime.
I almost regret not having been alive during WW2 and having missed out on what seemed a glorious war. Even the smallest act must have been imbued with profound meaning and purpose when a people are joined in a collective struggle against absolute evil.
I think there is a basis for holding scientists to a higher standard than political leaders, generals or other civilians. Scientists are smart and should know better. If they can penetrate the secrets of nature, they should also have a grounding in basic ethics. If a scientist serves a power as evil as Nazi Germany, particularly in a military capacity, his evil rises to a level above that of other human beings, who may be deceived, stupid or ignorant. A contemporary example of evil scientists would be the nuclear scientists that serve the Iranian regime.
I almost regret not having been alive during WW2 and having missed out on what seemed a glorious war. Even the smallest act must have been imbued with profound meaning and purpose when a people are joined in a collective struggle against absolute evil.
Unemployment
My experience in technology is extensive. I breathe and bleed tech, having programmed since the age of fourteen. I'm what is called a natural. I didn't go into programming just for money, but because I enjoyed it and discovered I was good at it.
Nevertheless, on a regular basis, I am being passed over for jobs that I am qualified or even overqualified for, despite flexibility over the issue of salary and other matters and despite an eagerness and readiness to learn. In many cases it seems that I am not even given a second glance, but dismissed out of hand for one reason or another, most likely age or a gap in employment or the lack of employment. I did not think so before, but sometimes I fear that I may never work again in my chosen field and that my productive life is over.
Of course, there are many people in the same boat or even in worse circumstances, so I do not feel alone, not in today's economy. I do not believe it is anything to be ashamed of, either, because I am just as competent as ever, ready to reach the same height of excellence that I reached in the past. My loss is not only my own, but in part, also a loss to the companies that overlook me. It is possible they can find candidates who are better. I have worked with programmers superior to me in skill on at least three occasions. It is more likely they will find candidates who are just as good. I've been fortunate enough to work with my equals many times. It is also possible that their selection will not be as good, or will crash and burn, as I have seen many programmers do. But that is their problem. Those companies will have to deal with the fallout. I won't be there to pick up the pieces as I was in so many other cases of programmers who bailed out, went bananas or got fired.*
I feel sad at the lack of hope for me and probably millions of others, but not ashamed, because the circumstances of today were not of my doing. Today's economy is an indictment of a political and economic philosophy that is not my own. I sometimes feel angry, because there are many who express contempt toward others and obtain a strange satisfaction from the suffering of others. But they are not important, only loud and shrill, like crickets at night. Angry and mean people tend to clamor for the most attention. Often it is best to ignore them. They do not have much capacity for learning. Those who have understanding are more interesting, and I prefer to pay attention to them.
I don't let anger keep any grip upon me, but let it disperse after it has formed. It is not useful, as some people think, as I used to think, but harmful, and interferes with intelligence, like many other emotions. I'm not wise enough that I can dispense with anger altogether, and I don't know anyone who is. Anger happens in the human being. How to prevent its formation is beyond my understanding. I do know how to deal with it, though. Let it go. Don't take it seriously or at least not for long. Taking things very seriously is a grave mistake. I think a light touch is the way, a bit of humility and humor, combined with a desire to understand and to grow. Anger is the Enemy, getting in the way of intelligent thought, placing obstacles in the path of personal growth. Despair is the same.
Let us say the absolute worse happens in the next moment: a meteor hurls through my roof, striking me dead. Is that the end of the world? No, the world keeps on going, unless the meteor was very big indeed, in which case it would be termed an asteroid or a comet. I believe the Moon formed following a collision between this planet and a comet long ago. At any rate, I don't think the stakes are high for my own existence. I'm in favor of its continuation, but it does not exceed the value of other imperatives such as ethics, beauty and people that I care about. In other words, what happens, happens, and in the end I'm just a small part, a single pixel in the Impressionist painting of the world. Threads of consciousness, memes shared by me show every indication of persisting, even flourishing in my opinion, and that to me is more important. The wine exceeds the value of the vessel.
When I close my eyes at night, I feel encompassed by the greatest love, a restorative and nourishing force that makes me feel as though everything is as it should be, that things are right and good, just as they are. That does not result in a waking complacency. I've never been complacent. I'm always modifying things, trying to make them better. It is the nature of a programmer. It is not necessary to feel overwhelmed by worries and anxieties in order to get things done. That is a common misconception that I used to have. I get things done on time. Never have been a procrastinator. I just don't spend so much time worrying. There is a certain amount of fearlessness. Sometimes fear occurs to me, but then it seems strange, from someone else, from a weaker person. Fear is not any more helpful than anger. Fear of death and disease are shared by many people. I feel afraid about those inevitable fates too until I think them over, and I always come to the same conclusion in the end. There doesn't seem much purpose in being afraid of something that is going to happen no matter what. Acceptance may be a better strategy offering more benefits.
Nevertheless, on a regular basis, I am being passed over for jobs that I am qualified or even overqualified for, despite flexibility over the issue of salary and other matters and despite an eagerness and readiness to learn. In many cases it seems that I am not even given a second glance, but dismissed out of hand for one reason or another, most likely age or a gap in employment or the lack of employment. I did not think so before, but sometimes I fear that I may never work again in my chosen field and that my productive life is over.
Of course, there are many people in the same boat or even in worse circumstances, so I do not feel alone, not in today's economy. I do not believe it is anything to be ashamed of, either, because I am just as competent as ever, ready to reach the same height of excellence that I reached in the past. My loss is not only my own, but in part, also a loss to the companies that overlook me. It is possible they can find candidates who are better. I have worked with programmers superior to me in skill on at least three occasions. It is more likely they will find candidates who are just as good. I've been fortunate enough to work with my equals many times. It is also possible that their selection will not be as good, or will crash and burn, as I have seen many programmers do. But that is their problem. Those companies will have to deal with the fallout. I won't be there to pick up the pieces as I was in so many other cases of programmers who bailed out, went bananas or got fired.*
I feel sad at the lack of hope for me and probably millions of others, but not ashamed, because the circumstances of today were not of my doing. Today's economy is an indictment of a political and economic philosophy that is not my own. I sometimes feel angry, because there are many who express contempt toward others and obtain a strange satisfaction from the suffering of others. But they are not important, only loud and shrill, like crickets at night. Angry and mean people tend to clamor for the most attention. Often it is best to ignore them. They do not have much capacity for learning. Those who have understanding are more interesting, and I prefer to pay attention to them.
I don't let anger keep any grip upon me, but let it disperse after it has formed. It is not useful, as some people think, as I used to think, but harmful, and interferes with intelligence, like many other emotions. I'm not wise enough that I can dispense with anger altogether, and I don't know anyone who is. Anger happens in the human being. How to prevent its formation is beyond my understanding. I do know how to deal with it, though. Let it go. Don't take it seriously or at least not for long. Taking things very seriously is a grave mistake. I think a light touch is the way, a bit of humility and humor, combined with a desire to understand and to grow. Anger is the Enemy, getting in the way of intelligent thought, placing obstacles in the path of personal growth. Despair is the same.
Let us say the absolute worse happens in the next moment: a meteor hurls through my roof, striking me dead. Is that the end of the world? No, the world keeps on going, unless the meteor was very big indeed, in which case it would be termed an asteroid or a comet. I believe the Moon formed following a collision between this planet and a comet long ago. At any rate, I don't think the stakes are high for my own existence. I'm in favor of its continuation, but it does not exceed the value of other imperatives such as ethics, beauty and people that I care about. In other words, what happens, happens, and in the end I'm just a small part, a single pixel in the Impressionist painting of the world. Threads of consciousness, memes shared by me show every indication of persisting, even flourishing in my opinion, and that to me is more important. The wine exceeds the value of the vessel.
When I close my eyes at night, I feel encompassed by the greatest love, a restorative and nourishing force that makes me feel as though everything is as it should be, that things are right and good, just as they are. That does not result in a waking complacency. I've never been complacent. I'm always modifying things, trying to make them better. It is the nature of a programmer. It is not necessary to feel overwhelmed by worries and anxieties in order to get things done. That is a common misconception that I used to have. I get things done on time. Never have been a procrastinator. I just don't spend so much time worrying. There is a certain amount of fearlessness. Sometimes fear occurs to me, but then it seems strange, from someone else, from a weaker person. Fear is not any more helpful than anger. Fear of death and disease are shared by many people. I feel afraid about those inevitable fates too until I think them over, and I always come to the same conclusion in the end. There doesn't seem much purpose in being afraid of something that is going to happen no matter what. Acceptance may be a better strategy offering more benefits.
* - A common story throughout my career involved cleaning up other people's messes, pulling their rear ends out of the fire. I was there when the waste matter hit the fan. I was calm and rational, thinking in cold blood. Quick fixes were everybody's favorite, but I worked all day and all night if I had to, the thrill of battle spurring me on. I don't mind the drama or the pressure, but thrive on it, and can work alone or with a team.
I'm a good person to have around when things go wrong, because I don't get flustered. I relish the challenge, because it focuses all of my energy until I become greater than I was before. After final victory, there is time to celebrate, to unwind. Maybe customers are grateful, maybe not, but one's coworkers always are pleased, even if no one else recognizes what was accomplished, which is often the case because mishaps tend to be concealed from the eyes of higher-ups.
Thunderbird 5.0--Thumbs Down
I was willing to try Thunderbird because I'm a fan of Firefox, another Mozilla product. Version 5.0 made an even worse impression than version 3.0, however.
Thunderbird 5.0 has a default interface that can only be described as strange, a list of commands arranged one per line on a plain white screen like a web site from the 1990's coded by someone who just picked up HTML for the first time.
Thunderbird usurps control from the user, attempting to connect immediately, before the user has had an opportunity to enter all of the details about a mail server. This generates errors, some of the time, and is both annoying and alarming. I do not see any advantage to this approach. The developers rely upon a database maintained at the Mozilla web site and auto-detection in a misguided attempt to spare the user from ten seconds of typing. Ten seconds? Is that really a problem that is worth compromising security? During this automatic connection attempt, if the user has not first selected SSL encryption, Thunderbird will reveal to any listening hackers the unencrypted password and username, placing its users at risk of identity theft and financial loss in order to potentially spare them ten seconds worth of typing--although ten times the ten seconds gets lost if there are any failed automatic connections. The program assumes that the email address is the same as the username. That is certainly not true for all mail servers, but the program will attempt to connect anyway using the erroneous credentials, during which time the user will be staring at the screen, waiting.
The basic problem with Thunderbird, as well as with many software applications, is that the designers assume that they know much better than the end user. When that assumption proves mistaken--the user actually knows better than the developers about his own mail server--then the application falls flat upon its face.
I found Thunderbird to be annoying and primitive. I uninstalled it after twenty minutes. I was not impressed with Thunderbird several years ago and am even less impressed today. Thunderbird is the Google Chrome of mail clients, making a feeble attempt to be simple and easy to use for novices, but lacking in the features and flexibility that expert users desire.
I believe Thunderbird was designed with the mobile user in mind. Users that have a black-and-white display with a resolution of less than 640x480 and a keyboard that is less than two inches wide may prefer Thunderbird, because it uses very little screen width and makes heroic efforts to spare the user from typing.
Thunderbird 5.0 has a default interface that can only be described as strange, a list of commands arranged one per line on a plain white screen like a web site from the 1990's coded by someone who just picked up HTML for the first time.
Thunderbird usurps control from the user, attempting to connect immediately, before the user has had an opportunity to enter all of the details about a mail server. This generates errors, some of the time, and is both annoying and alarming. I do not see any advantage to this approach. The developers rely upon a database maintained at the Mozilla web site and auto-detection in a misguided attempt to spare the user from ten seconds of typing. Ten seconds? Is that really a problem that is worth compromising security? During this automatic connection attempt, if the user has not first selected SSL encryption, Thunderbird will reveal to any listening hackers the unencrypted password and username, placing its users at risk of identity theft and financial loss in order to potentially spare them ten seconds worth of typing--although ten times the ten seconds gets lost if there are any failed automatic connections. The program assumes that the email address is the same as the username. That is certainly not true for all mail servers, but the program will attempt to connect anyway using the erroneous credentials, during which time the user will be staring at the screen, waiting.
The basic problem with Thunderbird, as well as with many software applications, is that the designers assume that they know much better than the end user. When that assumption proves mistaken--the user actually knows better than the developers about his own mail server--then the application falls flat upon its face.
I found Thunderbird to be annoying and primitive. I uninstalled it after twenty minutes. I was not impressed with Thunderbird several years ago and am even less impressed today. Thunderbird is the Google Chrome of mail clients, making a feeble attempt to be simple and easy to use for novices, but lacking in the features and flexibility that expert users desire.
I believe Thunderbird was designed with the mobile user in mind. Users that have a black-and-white display with a resolution of less than 640x480 and a keyboard that is less than two inches wide may prefer Thunderbird, because it uses very little screen width and makes heroic efforts to spare the user from typing.
Monday, July 18, 2011
A Dream of Swimming
I dreamed I was swimming last night in a pool. Observing me were many people, including some I recognized, such as my supervisor and the vice president at the last company I worked for. They criticized my swimming as being too slow. That stung me, because I had always wanted to please the higher-ups, but I kept swimming. My favorite style was the Frog, where one kicks behind and sweeps above, keeping the head underwater until the hands are parallel with the shoulders, at which point one emerges for a gulp of air. It is not the fastest style. Other swimmers were faster, and I endeavored not to get in their way.
I was never considered slow in any job-related capacity. Faster than expected was a more common impression. I think the dream concerns the need for speed in so many online games, at least at the higher levels of competition. Chess and Lexulous are both timed, and players complain about a ponderer like me. When I forget myself, I can look at a position for hours, trying to riddle out the perfect line. It comes from being a programmer. Of course no one is much concerned with perfection. They want a good quick game during their coffee break or whatever thin slice of leisure time they find in the hectic modern life.
I've been asked to take timed tests in college and more recently for the sake of employment. In those cases, I have little trouble, because the time allotments tend to be quite generous in my opinion. I do find it bizarre that a college degree no longer suffices, that a high GPA no longer suffices, and employers demand that an applicant complete an IQ test. By doing so, they betray a contempt of higher education. In one case, I received a request to complete an IQ test from someone I did not recognize. I wrote back, asking for information about the position being applied for. I think if I took a test without knowing the stakes, then that would be flunking another kind of IQ test, showing gullibility. I won't just take a test for anybody out of the blue. There needs to be something in it for me, a potential reward, such as a job. If the sender is not willing to offer me any identification, then that particular opportunity was simply not meant to be. Good riddance. I think IQ tests are a bit insulting, not to mention time-wasters, but then so are drug tests. What they test for is pliability, not intelligence. They want sheep that will do as told. Work on this hour-long test for free, please, and we will contact you if we feel that you're not a moron, even though you've already indicated it by taking the test.
I am slow, compared to some I've seen. But I think simple things are never simple. I think complexity gets hidden and poses a danger when one remains unaware of it. The longer one thinks about something, the more that becomes apparent. I find that my opinions evolve as I uncover more information. That is why I have often deleted posts on my blog. One must remain open to the possibility of an initial impression being mistaken.
I was never considered slow in any job-related capacity. Faster than expected was a more common impression. I think the dream concerns the need for speed in so many online games, at least at the higher levels of competition. Chess and Lexulous are both timed, and players complain about a ponderer like me. When I forget myself, I can look at a position for hours, trying to riddle out the perfect line. It comes from being a programmer. Of course no one is much concerned with perfection. They want a good quick game during their coffee break or whatever thin slice of leisure time they find in the hectic modern life.
I've been asked to take timed tests in college and more recently for the sake of employment. In those cases, I have little trouble, because the time allotments tend to be quite generous in my opinion. I do find it bizarre that a college degree no longer suffices, that a high GPA no longer suffices, and employers demand that an applicant complete an IQ test. By doing so, they betray a contempt of higher education. In one case, I received a request to complete an IQ test from someone I did not recognize. I wrote back, asking for information about the position being applied for. I think if I took a test without knowing the stakes, then that would be flunking another kind of IQ test, showing gullibility. I won't just take a test for anybody out of the blue. There needs to be something in it for me, a potential reward, such as a job. If the sender is not willing to offer me any identification, then that particular opportunity was simply not meant to be. Good riddance. I think IQ tests are a bit insulting, not to mention time-wasters, but then so are drug tests. What they test for is pliability, not intelligence. They want sheep that will do as told. Work on this hour-long test for free, please, and we will contact you if we feel that you're not a moron, even though you've already indicated it by taking the test.
I am slow, compared to some I've seen. But I think simple things are never simple. I think complexity gets hidden and poses a danger when one remains unaware of it. The longer one thinks about something, the more that becomes apparent. I find that my opinions evolve as I uncover more information. That is why I have often deleted posts on my blog. One must remain open to the possibility of an initial impression being mistaken.
Friday, July 15, 2011
A Few Words about Wordpress Security
A recent widespread attack that has damaged many Wordpress blogs exploited the file permission of wp-config.php. The permission for that file absolutely must be 400 or 440. Search for yassine edder on Google, a scum that is running an automated script out of Tunisia. The hacker I will henceforth call "Asinine" hacked a friend of mine, who was terrified of losing everything. I worked for three hours to analyze and then undo every last bit of the damage. But now I know some things about Wordpress security. And I have added tens of thousands of IP addresses in Tunisia to my blacklist, just in case Asinine hops over to a different cafe.
I cannot stress enough the importance of setting the file permission of wp-config.php. Lock it down tight. Don't delay, do it today.
No one, and I mean no one, should install Wordpress without first becoming very familiar with the security requirements. There are precautions that should be established prior to going public with a site. Setting the file permission of wp-config.php is #1 on the list. Until it is set in a proper manner, the site can be hacked by any idiot from here to Tunisia.
Make regular backups of your Wordpress site. I prefer using the excellent Snapshot Backup Plugin for Wordpress by Jay Versluis. I don't know whether he is any relation to the Versluis who created the excellent HV Menu, but such a connection can only be flattering. Indeed, the reason I downloaded the plugin was because of the name recognition.
I use .htaccess rules to secure the archive files on my Apache server. This will prevent unknown parties from downloading archive files, which remains a security risk until or unless the archive is deleted.
Copy and paste the following into the existing .htaccess in the wp-content directory or create .htaccess there if it does not already exist.
The above code uses a whitelisting strategy. Replace the IP address 111.222.333.444 with your own static IP address. The code will prevent anyone from downloading the .tar file--or any file with the text "sql", "old", "ini", "bak", "gz" or "log" in it, except for someone at the specificed IP address. If placed into the .htaccess in wp-content, it will control access for all files and directories within wp-content. It does not affect the parent of wp-content.
Another way to protect archives, instead of using a whitelist, would be to demand that the downloader enter a password. This is also possible to do in .htaccess, but I went with the whitelist, because it's more convenient for me.
Incidentally, the same whitelisting strategy is highly effective for the .htaccess located in the wp-admin directory. Do not allow anyone except one IP address to access the adminstration log-in. This will lock down security on your Wordpress site. Wards off brute-force attacks and other games hackers play. It could be adapted for sites with multiple admins, as long as the IP address of each admin is known and remains static. Could be a problem with a mobile admin, though!
I cannot stress enough the importance of setting the file permission of wp-config.php. Lock it down tight. Don't delay, do it today.
No one, and I mean no one, should install Wordpress without first becoming very familiar with the security requirements. There are precautions that should be established prior to going public with a site. Setting the file permission of wp-config.php is #1 on the list. Until it is set in a proper manner, the site can be hacked by any idiot from here to Tunisia.
Make regular backups of your Wordpress site. I prefer using the excellent Snapshot Backup Plugin for Wordpress by Jay Versluis. I don't know whether he is any relation to the Versluis who created the excellent HV Menu, but such a connection can only be flattering. Indeed, the reason I downloaded the plugin was because of the name recognition.
I use .htaccess rules to secure the archive files on my Apache server. This will prevent unknown parties from downloading archive files, which remains a security risk until or unless the archive is deleted.
Copy and paste the following into the existing .htaccess in the wp-content directory or create .htaccess there if it does not already exist.
The above code uses a whitelisting strategy. Replace the IP address 111.222.333.444 with your own static IP address. The code will prevent anyone from downloading the .tar file--or any file with the text "sql", "old", "ini", "bak", "gz" or "log" in it, except for someone at the specificed IP address. If placed into the .htaccess in wp-content, it will control access for all files and directories within wp-content. It does not affect the parent of wp-content.
Another way to protect archives, instead of using a whitelist, would be to demand that the downloader enter a password. This is also possible to do in .htaccess, but I went with the whitelist, because it's more convenient for me.
Incidentally, the same whitelisting strategy is highly effective for the .htaccess located in the wp-admin directory. Do not allow anyone except one IP address to access the adminstration log-in. This will lock down security on your Wordpress site. Wards off brute-force attacks and other games hackers play. It could be adapted for sites with multiple admins, as long as the IP address of each admin is known and remains static. Could be a problem with a mobile admin, though!
I wonder who traxodone@gmail.com is? That individual sent me an email mere hours after I had posted this:
Hi Igor,
I've find your blog through Google and I hope you can help my. My blog is hacked by this guy from Tunisia, how can I restore my blog and password for wp admin?
Kind regards,
traxodone
I wrote back asking for more information, such as the blog ID and some reasons I should volunteer my assistance. No response. Well, I can't help anybody that does not communicate. Said individual may well be the hacker responsible for the attacks.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Sen. Bernie Sanders: Absolutely Brilliant
I saw Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (the April 27th, 2011 episode), and he was absolutely brilliant and absolutely right. Sanders represents what is good and right in America.
Alcohol & Cancer
Alcohol has been linked to cancer, again.
Weed is linked to cancer, too; it fights cancer. It is non-carcinogenic and non-toxic, properties not shared by alcohol.
The U.S. government displays abject ignorance by enforcing draconian laws against harmless weed, while booze causes health costs to skyrocket.
Human beings have long sought an inebriant of some kind in order to take a break from the relentless calculations of everyday living. It is unrealistic to expect that everyone is going to choose sobriety all the time and forever.
A simple legal and cultural switch from booze to pot would save the U.S. trillions in long and short-term health care costs. Yes, trillions. Alcohol kills; pot does not. Period.
One cannot expect the U.S. government to do anything sensible. Considered more important are foreign wars on behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan, where we are despised in return for providing trillions of dollars in aid. Considered more important is the never-ending drug war against drug users that costs hundreds of billions of dollars and fills the prisons with nonviolent offenders. Considered more important is aid to enemies disguised as allies like Pakistan. Basically, the U.S. government flushes half our taxes down the toilet every year. That is why the country is in the situation it is in today.
The workers are just as creative, hard-working and educated as ever, but the leaders, such as Lamar Smith (R-Tx), are hardheaded political hacks without the slightest capacity for creativity.
Weed is linked to cancer, too; it fights cancer. It is non-carcinogenic and non-toxic, properties not shared by alcohol.
The U.S. government displays abject ignorance by enforcing draconian laws against harmless weed, while booze causes health costs to skyrocket.
Human beings have long sought an inebriant of some kind in order to take a break from the relentless calculations of everyday living. It is unrealistic to expect that everyone is going to choose sobriety all the time and forever.
A simple legal and cultural switch from booze to pot would save the U.S. trillions in long and short-term health care costs. Yes, trillions. Alcohol kills; pot does not. Period.
One cannot expect the U.S. government to do anything sensible. Considered more important are foreign wars on behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan, where we are despised in return for providing trillions of dollars in aid. Considered more important is the never-ending drug war against drug users that costs hundreds of billions of dollars and fills the prisons with nonviolent offenders. Considered more important is aid to enemies disguised as allies like Pakistan. Basically, the U.S. government flushes half our taxes down the toilet every year. That is why the country is in the situation it is in today.
The workers are just as creative, hard-working and educated as ever, but the leaders, such as Lamar Smith (R-Tx), are hardheaded political hacks without the slightest capacity for creativity.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Thumbs Down--First Alert Smoke Alarms
First Alert smoke alarms were designed by a cretin. It is nearly impossible to extract an old 9V battery. One has to pry it out using a knife, and the fit is so tight that it is possible to destroy the battery or the alarm in the process. After one connects the battery, the alarm emits a shrill scream that could trigger a heart attack.
A handy device for consumers would be a portable database with blacklisted manufacturers, so that one knows which brands to avoid. First Alert is a brand to avoid at all costs. If another smoke alarm costs three times as much, purchase it. At least the other manufacturer may have given some thought to the issue of battery replacement.
A handy device for consumers would be a portable database with blacklisted manufacturers, so that one knows which brands to avoid. First Alert is a brand to avoid at all costs. If another smoke alarm costs three times as much, purchase it. At least the other manufacturer may have given some thought to the issue of battery replacement.
Fusion Power
Fusion power seems to me a better investment than either Iraq or Afghanistan. I don't see why those two countries merit many trillions of dollars, whereas $30 billion can't be found to develop and exploit fusion energy. We should leave the lunatics in the Middle East to war among each other, and develop a replacement for oil.
Big defense corporations want to feast on the money cow known as war, and they control Congress. That is why there always has been and always will be war.
Big defense corporations want to feast on the money cow known as war, and they control Congress. That is why there always has been and always will be war.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
A Republican with Sense
At least one Republican Presidential candidate has a lick of sense.*
* - Well, alright, there's also Ron Paul. That atypical Republican has got more brains than half the G.O.P. as represented in Congress. Not only does he know how to read, he wrote his own book. But he never wins, and nobody seems to take him seriously. He and Bozo, above, are the only Republicans that could really give Obama a run for his money--and split the Democratic constituency. The other Republican candidates are obvious, forget about it, dyed-in-the-wool hardcore conservatives that want to turn the clock back to 1950, forgetting that 1950 stank like rotten eggs. I don't even know how to spell their names and won't try.
Tariffs for Tyrannies
A tariff should be imposed on all goods and services originating from tyrannies to reflect the moral cost of such items that were manufactured using slave labor. That would have an immediate effect of reducing unemployment in the U.S. to zero percent as the U.S. begins manufacturing products again.
China, Syria, and Iran are obvious candidates for a tariff, but even countries like Malaysia are not free, but only masquerading as free nations. Upon closer inspection, Malaysia is revealed to be a tyranny ruled by corrupt oligarchs. A country is not free where peaceful protests are not allowed, and people can be arrested merely for wearing a yellow shirt.
Whenever tariffs are mentioned, there are some that fret over a trade war. They have in mind specific imported goods that might become more expensive for their company or themselves.
Other countries fear a trade war. The U.S. has little to fear from a trade war. The U.S remains the biggest consumer market in the world. The U.S. receives far more imports than it sends out as exports, a disparity that has cost millions of American jobs, a disparity that tariffs would address in a direct and effective manner. Let the rest of the world launch a trade war tomorrow. The New World has always been, throughout its history, self-sufficient, by necessity. What does the Old World have that the New World does not? Nothing, except slaves. There are sufficient stocks of petroleum, coal, uranium, iron, copper, aluminum, and rare earth metals throughout the New World. Nor would a trade war be comprehensive of all countries in the Old World; few countries would wish to sign on to a trade war against the largest consumer market.
China, Syria, and Iran are obvious candidates for a tariff, but even countries like Malaysia are not free, but only masquerading as free nations. Upon closer inspection, Malaysia is revealed to be a tyranny ruled by corrupt oligarchs. A country is not free where peaceful protests are not allowed, and people can be arrested merely for wearing a yellow shirt.
Whenever tariffs are mentioned, there are some that fret over a trade war. They have in mind specific imported goods that might become more expensive for their company or themselves.
Other countries fear a trade war. The U.S. has little to fear from a trade war. The U.S remains the biggest consumer market in the world. The U.S. receives far more imports than it sends out as exports, a disparity that has cost millions of American jobs, a disparity that tariffs would address in a direct and effective manner. Let the rest of the world launch a trade war tomorrow. The New World has always been, throughout its history, self-sufficient, by necessity. What does the Old World have that the New World does not? Nothing, except slaves. There are sufficient stocks of petroleum, coal, uranium, iron, copper, aluminum, and rare earth metals throughout the New World. Nor would a trade war be comprehensive of all countries in the Old World; few countries would wish to sign on to a trade war against the largest consumer market.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Betty Ford, R.I.P.
Betty Ford's tenure as wife of President Ford was before my time, or rather at the very beginning of it, and I can't say I recall much about her, but from what I've read, she sounds like an interesting, forthright and candid person, who preferred the unvarnished truth over the lie.
I sometimes find that I prefer the wives of Republicans to their husbands, because even if the wives are Republicans themselves, they may have unexpected enlightened views on various subjects. It may be due to their being women. In general, I agree with women more often than men. The trouble with some men is that they have a tendency to think in cold blood without heeding the impulses of their heart. They lack a certain amount of compassion, moderation, and most of all, a desire to cooperate with others rather than compete with others. In any society, the desire to cooperate is very beneficial to all.
I sometimes find that I prefer the wives of Republicans to their husbands, because even if the wives are Republicans themselves, they may have unexpected enlightened views on various subjects. It may be due to their being women. In general, I agree with women more often than men. The trouble with some men is that they have a tendency to think in cold blood without heeding the impulses of their heart. They lack a certain amount of compassion, moderation, and most of all, a desire to cooperate with others rather than compete with others. In any society, the desire to cooperate is very beneficial to all.
Too Many Spaces to Criminal Cases
Criminal cases seize too many spaces in the media. The audience has a morbid interest, but is it good? The easiest way for a nobody to be somebody is to kill somebody. This is well-known among nutcases, from what I've read. There's something wrong with that. The media should make an attempt not to dwell upon trivia and negativity. They do exert an influence upon the reader's opinions and beliefs. On my blog, I try to avoid discussing criminal cases and sex scandals. Such topics receive more than adequate exposure on other blogs.
Many conservatives I have spoken with express a cynical view of human nature. They assume that everyone is motivated only by selfish interests. They are reluctant to accept benevolent motives in others, because it conflicts with their theory of human nature. They have a pronounced fear of crime. They purchase handguns for their personal protection. They believe that people will do evil whenever they can get away with it. The creators of South Park express such a view. I believe that the media encourages their point of view by dwelling upon crime and other negative and unpleasant matters.
The millions who live in a decent manner, work hard and do what's right are not reported, but live their lives in anonymity. Why are they worth any less verbiage? They should be reported too, upheld as examples for others to follow. In fact, the coverage ratio of decent people versus psychos should be 10,000:1, or equal to their actual representation in the general population. Today, the ratio almost seems to favor psychos.
I think human nature is open to amelioration and that is why I am a liberal. With education, progress, and successive generations, it was possible for Europe to evolve from the Dark Ages to what it is today, which is grand and splendid, the envy of everyone throughout the world. But I spend more time reading about history and science than I do reading the media.
Many conservatives I have spoken with express a cynical view of human nature. They assume that everyone is motivated only by selfish interests. They are reluctant to accept benevolent motives in others, because it conflicts with their theory of human nature. They have a pronounced fear of crime. They purchase handguns for their personal protection. They believe that people will do evil whenever they can get away with it. The creators of South Park express such a view. I believe that the media encourages their point of view by dwelling upon crime and other negative and unpleasant matters.
The millions who live in a decent manner, work hard and do what's right are not reported, but live their lives in anonymity. Why are they worth any less verbiage? They should be reported too, upheld as examples for others to follow. In fact, the coverage ratio of decent people versus psychos should be 10,000:1, or equal to their actual representation in the general population. Today, the ratio almost seems to favor psychos.
I think human nature is open to amelioration and that is why I am a liberal. With education, progress, and successive generations, it was possible for Europe to evolve from the Dark Ages to what it is today, which is grand and splendid, the envy of everyone throughout the world. But I spend more time reading about history and science than I do reading the media.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Vote Democratic
Republican policies under G.W. Bush smashed the economy so soundly that it couldn't be fixed in a mere two years. Obama's notable accomplishment was that the country did not slide into another Great Depression.
Republican philosophy is built around tax breaks for the rich and never-ending, financially ruinous foreign wars. The Democratic party would be even better if it were more liberal, but of the two parties, it is the better one. A Democratic Congress will pave the way toward a more robust recovery. If the Republicans lose seats in Congress in 2012, then America will gain intellectual power.
The body is strong, but the head must be as well.
Republican philosophy is built around tax breaks for the rich and never-ending, financially ruinous foreign wars. The Democratic party would be even better if it were more liberal, but of the two parties, it is the better one. A Democratic Congress will pave the way toward a more robust recovery. If the Republicans lose seats in Congress in 2012, then America will gain intellectual power.
The body is strong, but the head must be as well.
Trusting Foreign Technology
I'm pleased to see that Congress is waking up to the fact that moving jobs and manufacturing overseas comes with another cost--computer viruses.
This is not rocket science.
U.S. citizens are more trustworthy than strangers from Russia or China.
That single sentence is so obvious, yet so often dismissed, that it should be tattooed to the forehead of every CEO in the U.S.
To frame the issue in familiar terms for a CEO, U.S. citizens are shareholders in this country. Their destiny is intertwined with the destiny of the U.S. in a thousand different ways. Their loyalty is assured.
This is not rocket science.
U.S. citizens are more trustworthy than strangers from Russia or China.
That single sentence is so obvious, yet so often dismissed, that it should be tattooed to the forehead of every CEO in the U.S.
To frame the issue in familiar terms for a CEO, U.S. citizens are shareholders in this country. Their destiny is intertwined with the destiny of the U.S. in a thousand different ways. Their loyalty is assured.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Fox News has a Nasty English Cousin
Looks like one of Murdoch's properties has been sullied by unethical behavior, this more shocking than anything in recent memory.
Am I surprised? Not in the slightest. The incident confirms my opinion of News Corpse.
Am I surprised? Not in the slightest. The incident confirms my opinion of News Corpse.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
"Broken Controllers" Classifies Me as a Sports Writer
I noticed that one of these content aggregation sites subscribed to an RSS feed of my blog. I can't think of any reason I should mind.
This blog is averaging about 35 visits per day, nothing to write home about, although a bit better than last year's average of 20 per day. I interpret my blog as a journal that I share with strangers Just Because. I don't even know all the reasons why. At least on a blog, there is a chance someone other than myself might read one of my entries, if only by accident. There is also a chance they might benefit by doing so, although I'm not placing any bets on it.
However, this aggregation site classified me in a forum called "Sports Club," which I find amusing. When have I ever blogged about sports? I think Philosophy, Politics, or even Computers/Internet would be more appropriate. I doubt they have a Dungeon Crawl forum.
Well, at least one question is settled, that of whether Broken Controllers' webmaster ever bothered reading anything on my blog before subscribing to an RSS feed.
This blog is averaging about 35 visits per day, nothing to write home about, although a bit better than last year's average of 20 per day. I interpret my blog as a journal that I share with strangers Just Because. I don't even know all the reasons why. At least on a blog, there is a chance someone other than myself might read one of my entries, if only by accident. There is also a chance they might benefit by doing so, although I'm not placing any bets on it.
However, this aggregation site classified me in a forum called "Sports Club," which I find amusing. When have I ever blogged about sports? I think Philosophy, Politics, or even Computers/Internet would be more appropriate. I doubt they have a Dungeon Crawl forum.
Well, at least one question is settled, that of whether Broken Controllers' webmaster ever bothered reading anything on my blog before subscribing to an RSS feed.
How to Miss Some of the Web
Many users have Google set as their home page. To visit a site, they enter its url in the Google search engine. If Google does not find the site, then as far as a novice user is concerned, the site cannot be found.
Not all sites have been exposed to Google. In order for Google to know about a web site, someone has to take the trouble of introducing the site to Google through a public link that is crawled by the Google robot.
The most effective way to visit a site is to enter its url in the browser's url input field, located at the top of the screen in mainstream browsers. However, one cannot expect a novice user to be aware of that.
There is no perfect solution for a novice user. In some cases, users seem better off entering urls in the Google, due to the risk that a typo could connect the user to a malicious site without any warning. Google at least flags some malicious sites, offering an early warning, prior to making that second, fatal click. However, when Google does not find a site, it may suggest a different site in its search results, possibly a malicious site.
Not all sites have been exposed to Google. In order for Google to know about a web site, someone has to take the trouble of introducing the site to Google through a public link that is crawled by the Google robot.
The most effective way to visit a site is to enter its url in the browser's url input field, located at the top of the screen in mainstream browsers. However, one cannot expect a novice user to be aware of that.
There is no perfect solution for a novice user. In some cases, users seem better off entering urls in the Google, due to the risk that a typo could connect the user to a malicious site without any warning. Google at least flags some malicious sites, offering an early warning, prior to making that second, fatal click. However, when Google does not find a site, it may suggest a different site in its search results, possibly a malicious site.
Proofreading Obsolete?
Corporations today seem to assume that editors and proofreaders are obsolete. After all, Microsoft Word has built-in spell checking, as do many other apps. Who needs an employee with writing ability?
I found this whopper on ABC News without even trying. It confused me at first until I realized that the journalist goofed.
In the picture caption, it is claimed, "The longer the ring finger compared to the index finger, the longer the penis, Korean researchers say."
The first line of the article reads, "The longer a man's index finger when compared with his ring finger, the longer the length of his penis, according to Korean researchers."
Either the Korean researchers need to make up their minds, or ABC News needs to hire a proofreader.
I'm sure the glaring mistake will be corrected by somebody at ABC News, but not before thousands of people have already read it.
Downsize at your peril, corporate America. Not every job can be farmed overseas or replaced by technology.
There is an urgency to being the first on top of a story. I know all too well that is not possible to achieve perfection in a short amount of time on a consistent basis. Only with reflection, which requires time, is it possible to detect and correct mistakes and oversights, and even then there is always something that seems amiss. Humans are by nature pragmatic and imperfect creatures who create things that work, but are not necessarily elegant or without flaws in their first version. That is why new versions must be generated all the time.
I am sure the journalist in question would have preferred a seven-day grace period in which he could examine his articles prior to their publication. But is it possible in a high-turnover, high-pressure media company? If the answer is no, then such a company had better hire a team of proofreaders and editors for the sake of quality control.
I found this whopper on ABC News without even trying. It confused me at first until I realized that the journalist goofed.
In the picture caption, it is claimed, "The longer the ring finger compared to the index finger, the longer the penis, Korean researchers say."
The first line of the article reads, "The longer a man's index finger when compared with his ring finger, the longer the length of his penis, according to Korean researchers."
Either the Korean researchers need to make up their minds, or ABC News needs to hire a proofreader.
I'm sure the glaring mistake will be corrected by somebody at ABC News, but not before thousands of people have already read it.
Downsize at your peril, corporate America. Not every job can be farmed overseas or replaced by technology.
There is an urgency to being the first on top of a story. I know all too well that is not possible to achieve perfection in a short amount of time on a consistent basis. Only with reflection, which requires time, is it possible to detect and correct mistakes and oversights, and even then there is always something that seems amiss. Humans are by nature pragmatic and imperfect creatures who create things that work, but are not necessarily elegant or without flaws in their first version. That is why new versions must be generated all the time.
I am sure the journalist in question would have preferred a seven-day grace period in which he could examine his articles prior to their publication. But is it possible in a high-turnover, high-pressure media company? If the answer is no, then such a company had better hire a team of proofreaders and editors for the sake of quality control.
Microsoft Allies with Baidu
Microsoft has allied with Baidu* to censor information from the Chinese people and help the authorities hunt down pro-democracy activists. Baidu is a Chinese search engine that, unlike its competitor Google, works hand-in-glove with the Chinese tyranny. On the web site I admin, I ban all activity from the Baidu search robot without exception. I view it in a similar light as pre-1946 Krupp.
While Microsoft invests heavily in China and other countries, having moved many of their middle-class jobs outside of the U.S., American consumers remain eager to purchase Microsoft products.
I am reminded of an Aesop's fable. I don't know whether children today read Aesop. I read my book cover to cover several times over when I was a boy. I thought it was strange and mysterious that these fables had survived for thousands of years, and I liked to imagine people of long ago retelling these stories. Many stories did not make sense to me until I read them several times. In some cases, I asked my parents for further explanation and elaboration. This story, however, speaks for itself.
While Microsoft invests heavily in China and other countries, having moved many of their middle-class jobs outside of the U.S., American consumers remain eager to purchase Microsoft products.
I am reminded of an Aesop's fable. I don't know whether children today read Aesop. I read my book cover to cover several times over when I was a boy. I thought it was strange and mysterious that these fables had survived for thousands of years, and I liked to imagine people of long ago retelling these stories. Many stories did not make sense to me until I read them several times. In some cases, I asked my parents for further explanation and elaboration. This story, however, speaks for itself.
A man asks an eagle for a feather for his cap. "Why sure," said the eagle, "I have many to spare and am flattered that you want one of my feathers." "Oh yes," said the man, "your feathers are the most useful of all." The man tipped his cap to the eagle and went on his way.
Several days later, the eagle was flying home to feed its young ones when an arrow pierced its wing. As it plummeted to the ground, it recognized its own feather in the arrow and saw below the same man he had helped before.
Monday, July 4, 2011
A Dream Given, Then Taken Away
No, I'm not being metaphorical, this time. Honestly, the dream metaphor is overused.
I had a real dream last night fueled by two cups of passionflower (dried, cut leaves of the beautiful flowering Passiflora incarnata) tea, but the dosage I fear was too strong. Although I remembered the dream as I emerged from sleep, I drifted in and out of sleep for an hour, and when I woke up, it was erased. Such is the danger of imbibing too much passionflower. I still feel groggy as I write this.
The trouble with concocting herbal teas without the use of prepared teabags is dosage. One never knows the precise potency of a stock. It is clear to me now that my particular stock is very potent indeed. The effect was startling as I lay in bed last night. I felt tendrils of the herb wrapping around my body and drawing me into the realm of sleep. I had half a mind to jump up, drink coffee and fight it off, just to demonstrate that I could, but decided that would be the act of an amateur, and besides, frittering the night away at the computer would annoy me even more than being shoved into sleep by an aggressive herbal entity.
If I dose again--which I don't plan to do for several days--half a cup should be sufficient for restorative sleep and a remembered dream.
Time for a cup of tea. The black stuff.
I had a real dream last night fueled by two cups of passionflower (dried, cut leaves of the beautiful flowering Passiflora incarnata) tea, but the dosage I fear was too strong. Although I remembered the dream as I emerged from sleep, I drifted in and out of sleep for an hour, and when I woke up, it was erased. Such is the danger of imbibing too much passionflower. I still feel groggy as I write this.
The trouble with concocting herbal teas without the use of prepared teabags is dosage. One never knows the precise potency of a stock. It is clear to me now that my particular stock is very potent indeed. The effect was startling as I lay in bed last night. I felt tendrils of the herb wrapping around my body and drawing me into the realm of sleep. I had half a mind to jump up, drink coffee and fight it off, just to demonstrate that I could, but decided that would be the act of an amateur, and besides, frittering the night away at the computer would annoy me even more than being shoved into sleep by an aggressive herbal entity.
If I dose again--which I don't plan to do for several days--half a cup should be sufficient for restorative sleep and a remembered dream.
Time for a cup of tea. The black stuff.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Providence
I would like to know the providence of Plato's writings. It seems to me that much of what Socrates espouses is proto-Christian. I know that Christians were in the habit of destroying pagan art and literature and sometimes appropriating it for their own ideological ends. It may be that Plato's works were revised or censored by later Christian scholars.
I don't understand why my translation of Plato makes frequent references to God, when the Ancient Greeks were polytheistic. Elevation of philosophers who reject the material world seems much in line with the early Christian hermits. Socrates looking forward to death and expecting rich rewards in the afterlife--Christian. Rejection of sexual, sensual and dietary pleasures--Christian. I'm no Ancient literature scholar, so I don't know, but I do wonder. I wonder whether scholars have an answer.
I enjoyed the part where Socrates talked directly to Phaedo. But his dialogue with Cebes put me off the book for good. I'm not willing to question whether or not eight plus two equals ten. It seems to me the ratio of verbiage to ideas is high, and many of his ideas seem mistaken, a matter of semantic tricks only.
Whenever Socrates describes the soul, or psyche, it sounds an awful lot like the brain, which underlines the Ancient Greeks' ignorance about the brain. I think that if Socrates had been aware of the functions of the brain and become familiar with our modern knowledge of medical science, he would have abandoned his ideas about the soul.
I don't understand why my translation of Plato makes frequent references to God, when the Ancient Greeks were polytheistic. Elevation of philosophers who reject the material world seems much in line with the early Christian hermits. Socrates looking forward to death and expecting rich rewards in the afterlife--Christian. Rejection of sexual, sensual and dietary pleasures--Christian. I'm no Ancient literature scholar, so I don't know, but I do wonder. I wonder whether scholars have an answer.
I enjoyed the part where Socrates talked directly to Phaedo. But his dialogue with Cebes put me off the book for good. I'm not willing to question whether or not eight plus two equals ten. It seems to me the ratio of verbiage to ideas is high, and many of his ideas seem mistaken, a matter of semantic tricks only.
Whenever Socrates describes the soul, or psyche, it sounds an awful lot like the brain, which underlines the Ancient Greeks' ignorance about the brain. I think that if Socrates had been aware of the functions of the brain and become familiar with our modern knowledge of medical science, he would have abandoned his ideas about the soul.
Friday, July 1, 2011
The House
I dreamed I was renting a room in a large old Southern house. I don't know why. Was I selling antiques or living there or both? Was I alone? I don't know. There were many other renters with various agendas. I don't remember their traits, only that there were many. They would talk among each other and with me, and it sounded like a murmur, and I cannot remember what was said.
The door to my room became locked or jammed one day, and the landlords wouldn't or couldn't do anything about it. Other renters faced the same predicament. The doors to their rooms were also barred.
After many inquiries, I talked to someone that revealed a secret entrance to my room through an adjacent room. I had to remove the shelves, which were full of white towels, and open the cupboard door, because it was actually a secret door to my room. Several people were with me because they wanted to gain access to their rooms as well. I don't remember who they were or what they wanted.
I don't remember much more. Upon waking, the dream did not make immediate sense to me, but the house and the landlords remind me of The Skeleton Key, which may be the best horror film ever made. That movie has a way of creeping into the unconscious. I don't recommend anyone watch it unless they want elements cast into their dreams.
My interpretation is that the dream depicted an underworld where my soul was kept until I found a way to get into this world. The way was barred, as it was for many souls, until someone or something revealed to me a secret entrance or until I found it myself after much searching. Many souls wanted to get in, but I was there first, and so I was born. The others must find their own ways.
I think the dream was inspired by reading several more pages of The Last Days of Socrates by Plato*, in which the old man is going on about immortal souls and the underworld. I read all that with disbelief. It seems to me he was flattering his ego by claiming that people like him, philosophers, would get rewarded the most in the afterlife, a typical thing for a man to believe. Humans wish to assert control over things. Death is the ultimate usurping of control, and so men weave fantasies to assert control even over death. And Socrates wished to put on a brave face before his friends as he faced death.
Then again, what if he were right, and there were souls, and what I think of as me derived from another substance, immaterial and more or less permanent? Then in that case, the dream about the house and the secret doorway was a recollection of an actual event rather than a busy exercise of a human brain in the REM stage of sleep.
The door to my room became locked or jammed one day, and the landlords wouldn't or couldn't do anything about it. Other renters faced the same predicament. The doors to their rooms were also barred.
After many inquiries, I talked to someone that revealed a secret entrance to my room through an adjacent room. I had to remove the shelves, which were full of white towels, and open the cupboard door, because it was actually a secret door to my room. Several people were with me because they wanted to gain access to their rooms as well. I don't remember who they were or what they wanted.
I don't remember much more. Upon waking, the dream did not make immediate sense to me, but the house and the landlords remind me of The Skeleton Key, which may be the best horror film ever made. That movie has a way of creeping into the unconscious. I don't recommend anyone watch it unless they want elements cast into their dreams.
My interpretation is that the dream depicted an underworld where my soul was kept until I found a way to get into this world. The way was barred, as it was for many souls, until someone or something revealed to me a secret entrance or until I found it myself after much searching. Many souls wanted to get in, but I was there first, and so I was born. The others must find their own ways.
I think the dream was inspired by reading several more pages of The Last Days of Socrates by Plato*, in which the old man is going on about immortal souls and the underworld. I read all that with disbelief. It seems to me he was flattering his ego by claiming that people like him, philosophers, would get rewarded the most in the afterlife, a typical thing for a man to believe. Humans wish to assert control over things. Death is the ultimate usurping of control, and so men weave fantasies to assert control even over death. And Socrates wished to put on a brave face before his friends as he faced death.
Then again, what if he were right, and there were souls, and what I think of as me derived from another substance, immaterial and more or less permanent? Then in that case, the dream about the house and the secret doorway was a recollection of an actual event rather than a busy exercise of a human brain in the REM stage of sleep.
* - my progress in The Last Days is slow because I seldom agree with Socrates about anything and don't think he is wise at all at least by modern standards. I can only manage a couple pages per day without putting the book down in boredom or annoyance. He was a tragic figure, not meaning harm to anyone, a seeker after truth, and I feel that he was unjustly condemned. I think instead that he should have been engaged in debate and made to defend his ideas, but maybe that is an unrealistic expectation for that time period. He had probably offended one too many of the rich and powerful.
Every time Socrates makes a pronouncement and his chorus of yes-men chime in with their immediate and unquestioning approval, I want to say, now wait just a minute, this makes no sense at all, because of X, Y, and Z. I think the book reads better when Socrates speaks in a monologue, without all the yeses, as during his Apology.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)