I was reading this article today about an exchange of gunfire between U.S. and Pakistani forces, when I came across this line, "calls are rising to cut or suspend the billions of dollars a year in aid that flow to Pakistan." Well, it's about time. Congress is due some rue from the clue canoe. Billions, really? To a country that hates our guts? Tell that to students trying to get Federal aid to go to college.
I hate to pull a Donald Trump and call our leaders fools. Let me put it this way. Our leaders make it difficult to arrive at a positive evaluation of their intellect. Is that more tactful? Certainly Donald Trump made some succinct points about our nation's foreign policy.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Religion's Utility
Religion was probably a powerful and effective coping mechanism in the days when people were dying younger and more often from violence, accidents, starvation and most of all from diseases that we now know to be caused by microorganisms. Its utility should not be underestimated. It attempts to frame the human existence within a sweeping cosmic drama, giving meaning to otherwise mundane events of everyday life.
How can "everything's random" beat intelligent design, from an aesthetic point of view? I think atheism has more potential for an imaginative person, because admitting the mystery surrounding creation, rather than having a pat answer, encourages a different hypothesis to be considered at any time.
One of my fantasies (not elevated to the status of a theology yet) is that human life is an experiment conducted by greater beings who wish to determine, through the scientific process, the answers to certain questions. True scientists, they are not content with just one specimen, but require a large number, for the purpose of statistical accuracy. In part, maybe the most important part, they want to know what is good and what is evil and why. To this end, human beings play upon the stage. We live, breed, talk, fight, and die. In the ongoing debate over this and that, sometimes one side holds sway, sometimes another.
If that system were real, then scientists would be the ones closest to God in a manner of speaking. They would be the new priests.
Another fantasy I have is that we are the creators. That is, we created the Universe and everything. Not in the past, but in the future; we are progressing towards our divinity. Those alive today are the primitive ancestors of the future gods, just as primordial slime were our ancestors. Time in this system must be viewed as a circle, rather than a straight line. I am not sure how to conceive of time. Upon achieving divinity, time no longer represents an obstacle, although the past cannot be changed.
Let me see whether I can explain this imaginary system better. In the distant future, let's assume we become god-like beings, immortal and almost omniscient (I can't even conceive of omnipotent). A problem remains. The Universe is finite, because the rate of expansion continues unchecked. Foreseeing the destruction and rebirth of the Universe, which dooms all life, even the life of an immortal, and wishing to preserve a vestige of themselves, future beings may encode some undetectable vestige within their constituent parts, as tiny as atomic particles, to our way of thinking non-living, which would endure however long it took for the universe to be reborn. Their advanced science would predict that on a small number of planets, life would evolve from organic molecules at some point in the distant future, and on an even smaller number of planets, intelligent life would develop, and through the process of evolution, some relic of themselves would reappear, maybe even a clone of themselves. This cycle of the rebirth and destruction may have occurred many times.
I've often wanted to write a good science fiction story, but my early attempts were lamentable, even embarrassing to the extent I can't even locate any backup copies. They are erased forever. Part of the reason are the rejection slips I received from publishers and the stony silence I received from others. Rejections are bad enough, but being simply ignored does not help a writer's self-esteem. The general financial outlook for writers is terrible, so my decision not to pursue writing seems pragmatic. I'm dazzled by creative superpowers like Tolkien, Anne Rice and many lesser writers who have the ability to transport a reader to a fascinating supernatural universe where anything can happen, unlimited by the laws of physics. I can't imagine how such writers get as good as they do. I am also dazzled by the writers for television shows like True Blood, Downton Abbey, Beautiful People, Peep Show and Mad Men. I think they are absolutely brilliant.
How can "everything's random" beat intelligent design, from an aesthetic point of view? I think atheism has more potential for an imaginative person, because admitting the mystery surrounding creation, rather than having a pat answer, encourages a different hypothesis to be considered at any time.
One of my fantasies (not elevated to the status of a theology yet) is that human life is an experiment conducted by greater beings who wish to determine, through the scientific process, the answers to certain questions. True scientists, they are not content with just one specimen, but require a large number, for the purpose of statistical accuracy. In part, maybe the most important part, they want to know what is good and what is evil and why. To this end, human beings play upon the stage. We live, breed, talk, fight, and die. In the ongoing debate over this and that, sometimes one side holds sway, sometimes another.
If that system were real, then scientists would be the ones closest to God in a manner of speaking. They would be the new priests.
Another fantasy I have is that we are the creators. That is, we created the Universe and everything. Not in the past, but in the future; we are progressing towards our divinity. Those alive today are the primitive ancestors of the future gods, just as primordial slime were our ancestors. Time in this system must be viewed as a circle, rather than a straight line. I am not sure how to conceive of time. Upon achieving divinity, time no longer represents an obstacle, although the past cannot be changed.
Let me see whether I can explain this imaginary system better. In the distant future, let's assume we become god-like beings, immortal and almost omniscient (I can't even conceive of omnipotent). A problem remains. The Universe is finite, because the rate of expansion continues unchecked. Foreseeing the destruction and rebirth of the Universe, which dooms all life, even the life of an immortal, and wishing to preserve a vestige of themselves, future beings may encode some undetectable vestige within their constituent parts, as tiny as atomic particles, to our way of thinking non-living, which would endure however long it took for the universe to be reborn. Their advanced science would predict that on a small number of planets, life would evolve from organic molecules at some point in the distant future, and on an even smaller number of planets, intelligent life would develop, and through the process of evolution, some relic of themselves would reappear, maybe even a clone of themselves. This cycle of the rebirth and destruction may have occurred many times.
I've often wanted to write a good science fiction story, but my early attempts were lamentable, even embarrassing to the extent I can't even locate any backup copies. They are erased forever. Part of the reason are the rejection slips I received from publishers and the stony silence I received from others. Rejections are bad enough, but being simply ignored does not help a writer's self-esteem. The general financial outlook for writers is terrible, so my decision not to pursue writing seems pragmatic. I'm dazzled by creative superpowers like Tolkien, Anne Rice and many lesser writers who have the ability to transport a reader to a fascinating supernatural universe where anything can happen, unlimited by the laws of physics. I can't imagine how such writers get as good as they do. I am also dazzled by the writers for television shows like True Blood, Downton Abbey, Beautiful People, Peep Show and Mad Men. I think they are absolutely brilliant.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Best Picture of 2011
This is the best picture I've found all year. It expresses what's on my mind. I want the misnamed, unconstitutional, bigoted Defense of Marriage Act struck down by the courts*. I want the Republicans who support it ousted in the next election. I want those empty suits replaced by Democrats and Libertarians. That means I plan to do something this year and every year: vote.
It doesn't take much of a prognosticator to imagine that DOMA's days are numbered. But I'd rather it go the way of the Jim Crow laws sooner rather than later. Something tells me that civil unions on the federal level are three years away.
* - Guess who else is against DOMA? None other than the original sponsor, Bob Barr. He realized years ago it was a bad policy. What the world needs is more love, not more hate. There's enough hate to go around.
Donald Trump Bows Out
Setting aside his political views, Donald Trump wouldn't have made a good President because he's tacky. Of course, this is why he knew he had to run as a Republican.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Tough Review of Ubuntu
Every once in a blue moon, I dabble with the fantasy of leaving Windows XP behind and installing a flavor of Linux, such as Ubuntu. Piers Anthony wrote a criticism of Ubuntu, enough to almost persuade me that PC Linux OS might represent the best flavor for me--except that in the March, 2011 edition, he notes that PC Linux OS still will not print. I would rather not have to deal with a raft of unfamiliar technical problems if I'm not getting paid to do so. So I imagine I'll stick with Windoze through another year.
After a bit of poking around reading reviews of Linux distros, I wrote to suggest that he try Linux Mint, a refinement to Ubuntu, but its relation to Ubuntu nixed that. I tried Ubuntu myself a couple of years ago, but it never installed right on my machine--nor did Mempis for that matter. It's unfortunate, because I'd be happy to consider any decent alternative to Windoze. I think Linux in general works better on certain hardware configurations than others. If one has an unlucky configuration, Linux may represent nothing more than a big old waste o' time.
After a bit of poking around reading reviews of Linux distros, I wrote to suggest that he try Linux Mint, a refinement to Ubuntu, but its relation to Ubuntu nixed that. I tried Ubuntu myself a couple of years ago, but it never installed right on my machine--nor did Mempis for that matter. It's unfortunate, because I'd be happy to consider any decent alternative to Windoze. I think Linux in general works better on certain hardware configurations than others. If one has an unlucky configuration, Linux may represent nothing more than a big old waste o' time.
I Saw Bruno
I saw the supposedly homophobic movie Bruno, but was not offended. GLAAD urged a gay boycott of the film. I passed it by only because I'm not crazy about the Borat guy. Eventually, a year or so after its release, I decided to watch it to see what all the fuss had been about. Yes, homophobia in all of its many permutations is on full display in the film. No, I did not think it offensive. I think the movie is actually a satire on homophobes, portraying their primitive conception of gays. Of course real gays are not like Bruno. That's obvious or should it be to anybody who isn't living in a cave. Bruno plays every homophobic chord there is, and at the end of it all, the audience is thinking, "So what?" It renders mundane and non-threatening, through repetition, what may have seemed, in an earlier time, threatening. I think it's good and watched the whole thing to the end. In fact, I think the GLAAD boycott was a clever marketing strategy to give the film street cred among the homophobes. I bet it worked in large measure to lure the other side into the audience.
But there's a more important question. Was it funny? No, I didn't laugh, but I did smile. I kept watching because I wanted to see what shocking thing would happen next. That kept me going through the entire length. The best phrase I can use to describe the film is homophobic camp. As such, it has a little something to please everybody. Viewers can read the message that they want to read into the movie, but only at the risk of getting it completely wrong. I think the movie makes its message clear at the end when Snoop Dogg says, "If you're gay, okay."
But there's a more important question. Was it funny? No, I didn't laugh, but I did smile. I kept watching because I wanted to see what shocking thing would happen next. That kept me going through the entire length. The best phrase I can use to describe the film is homophobic camp. As such, it has a little something to please everybody. Viewers can read the message that they want to read into the movie, but only at the risk of getting it completely wrong. I think the movie makes its message clear at the end when Snoop Dogg says, "If you're gay, okay."
Friday, May 13, 2011
Blogger Pharted
I checked on my Blogger Dashboard twice today. First time, I noticed that my last blog post was devoured by Blogger's latest technical snafu. "Oh well," thought I, "it was just one of my typical rants against Republicans or foreigners. What's the loss?" Second time, I noticed the blog post was restored, but with a weird glitch. Two hexadecimal whatzits prefixed each of the two topic-labels assigned to the post, thus creating two weird new topics on the right-hand side of my blog. Another post written the same day or the day before was afflicted by the same bug.
Here's my policy. Deletion, okay. Mutation, okay in a player-character in Dungeon Crawl, but in my blog, Not Acceptable. I edited the categories and all is well now. I bet those programmers over at Google are about ready for some Zzz's right now. I know when I supported systems, a goof like that would have meant an all-nighter or two or three or four. Can't say I emerged unscathed over a period of ten years. Complicated systems that rely on other people's code sometimes do have a tendency to do unexpected things. No one is more understanding about such matters than another programmer. Of course, I have a recent backup of my blog and its template, so I'm not too concerned about a total wipe-out.
Here's my policy. Deletion, okay. Mutation, okay in a player-character in Dungeon Crawl, but in my blog, Not Acceptable. I edited the categories and all is well now. I bet those programmers over at Google are about ready for some Zzz's right now. I know when I supported systems, a goof like that would have meant an all-nighter or two or three or four. Can't say I emerged unscathed over a period of ten years. Complicated systems that rely on other people's code sometimes do have a tendency to do unexpected things. No one is more understanding about such matters than another programmer. Of course, I have a recent backup of my blog and its template, so I'm not too concerned about a total wipe-out.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
That'll Teach Them Doctors a Thing or Two
Republicans are at it again. This time they're censoring what doctors can say in the examining room. A $500 fine will be assessed against any doctor that asks a patient whether he has guns in the home. The N.R.A. wanted to make asking a felony.
I don't think the law will stand up in court. I think it's amusing. Just when you think you've reached the end of the Republican barrel of stupidity, they pull out the bottom to reveal a tunnel leading down into the center of the earth.
I don't think the law will stand up in court. I think it's amusing. Just when you think you've reached the end of the Republican barrel of stupidity, they pull out the bottom to reveal a tunnel leading down into the center of the earth.
Not Original
A proverb came to me on waking this morning. "Live in such a manner that you may die with few regrets." But I am not sure it is any better than the efficient carpe diem. Also, it sounds awfully similar to other proverbs I have heard before.
I do not believe it possible to die with no regrets, as some say for dramatic effect. That's hubris, in the first place, because everybody makes mistakes, great or small, in the human existence. Surely if one has no regrets, one would not wish to die at all. That too is a regret.
I do not believe it possible to die with no regrets, as some say for dramatic effect. That's hubris, in the first place, because everybody makes mistakes, great or small, in the human existence. Surely if one has no regrets, one would not wish to die at all. That too is a regret.
Monday, May 9, 2011
A Lack of Writing
One of my disappointments concerning ancient history is the lack of any written record for my closest ancestors from 3,000+ years ago. How did the people in Britain live, for instance? We can only draw general conclusions based on objects and bones that have been dug out of the ground. A great many questions arise which remain unanswered. Who were the heroes, the kings, the generals, the inventors, the priests? What were their names?
It's a pity our ancestors didn't take time out for writing in all the time they spent bludgeoning one another over the head with clubs. Have we strayed much from their ways? Not so much. There's literacy, but many prefer bludgeoning to writing. Literacy is viewed as a means to an end (a job, or more to the point, money). At the library, hordes are using computers, but few are reading any books. Funding for libraries continues to plummet. Soon, public libraries will go the way of the Tudor hospital.
Even the Roman Empire is a disappointment. At the height of their power and security, they chose to continue engaging in invasions, some extremely costly, much like our involvement in Afghanistan. The Romans showed little interest in seafaring or inventions, even though one of their inventors, the aptly named Hero, dabbled with a steam engine. Today also, the primary item on the national agenda is a costly, counter-productive war in which the country stands to gain nothing but debt. Our leaders are unconcerned with scientific research or development. All they care about is bludgeoning their enemies over the head with a club. Their evolution has not progressed beyond the ancient Celts or Romans.
It's a pity our ancestors didn't take time out for writing in all the time they spent bludgeoning one another over the head with clubs. Have we strayed much from their ways? Not so much. There's literacy, but many prefer bludgeoning to writing. Literacy is viewed as a means to an end (a job, or more to the point, money). At the library, hordes are using computers, but few are reading any books. Funding for libraries continues to plummet. Soon, public libraries will go the way of the Tudor hospital.
Even the Roman Empire is a disappointment. At the height of their power and security, they chose to continue engaging in invasions, some extremely costly, much like our involvement in Afghanistan. The Romans showed little interest in seafaring or inventions, even though one of their inventors, the aptly named Hero, dabbled with a steam engine. Today also, the primary item on the national agenda is a costly, counter-productive war in which the country stands to gain nothing but debt. Our leaders are unconcerned with scientific research or development. All they care about is bludgeoning their enemies over the head with a club. Their evolution has not progressed beyond the ancient Celts or Romans.
Stats Mislead
More than half of all net traffic today is composed of automated bots running errands for their masters--spammers, criminals, leaches, hackers, corporations, and spies for corporations and governments. If your stats page indicates you received 1000 visitors today, divide by half, to begin with, to arrive at a slightly more accurate figure. The number of bots may be much higher. Mine is an extremely conservative estimate. The actual number may be closer to seventy percent. I'm not pulling the number out of thin air. Out of curiosity, dedication, determination, or whatever strange whim possesses me, perhaps by channeling the spirit of a watchdog, I have burned the midnight oil many a night analyzing raw server logs.
Few bots identify themselves. Today, these seem rare as unicorns, except for the major search engines. Most disguise themselves as users with a browser. Thus, few are identified by statistical engines. Nevertheless, people often quote me high numbers for their site. Do I expect anyone besides another dedicated admin to believe me? No. And few admins these days go to the trouble of browsing a raw log.
On this site, I believe eighty percent of the visitors are non-human. But that's not so bad. The robot crowd may be smarter on the whole than the humans, based upon some of the lame comments I've received over the years that indicate my readers are reacting to the first phrase, sentence or technical difficulty they encounter rather than reading my posts in their entirety. Heaven forbid that any dungeon crawl user spend more than five minutes of his precious time on solving a problem before pestering me to figure every little thing out for them. Lazybones is a worldwide epidemic. Perhaps catering to the "cheating" crowd attracts a higher proportion of the lazybones. I'll tell you what, when I was fourteen, I did not have the Internet feeding me instant solutions to every difficulty. All I had were my programming manuals, which I read cover to cover, and the computer, and I figured things out on my own, enjoyed it and took pride in it. When one programs, one creates, and the thrill of creation brings one closer to God, in a manner of speaking. Programming is more fun than any game under the Sun, period, end of story. Some users of my regen.bat can't even be troubled to insert REMark statements into the batch. Knock, knock. Anybody home in there?
Few bots identify themselves. Today, these seem rare as unicorns, except for the major search engines. Most disguise themselves as users with a browser. Thus, few are identified by statistical engines. Nevertheless, people often quote me high numbers for their site. Do I expect anyone besides another dedicated admin to believe me? No. And few admins these days go to the trouble of browsing a raw log.
On this site, I believe eighty percent of the visitors are non-human. But that's not so bad. The robot crowd may be smarter on the whole than the humans, based upon some of the lame comments I've received over the years that indicate my readers are reacting to the first phrase, sentence or technical difficulty they encounter rather than reading my posts in their entirety. Heaven forbid that any dungeon crawl user spend more than five minutes of his precious time on solving a problem before pestering me to figure every little thing out for them. Lazybones is a worldwide epidemic. Perhaps catering to the "cheating" crowd attracts a higher proportion of the lazybones. I'll tell you what, when I was fourteen, I did not have the Internet feeding me instant solutions to every difficulty. All I had were my programming manuals, which I read cover to cover, and the computer, and I figured things out on my own, enjoyed it and took pride in it. When one programs, one creates, and the thrill of creation brings one closer to God, in a manner of speaking. Programming is more fun than any game under the Sun, period, end of story. Some users of my regen.bat can't even be troubled to insert REMark statements into the batch. Knock, knock. Anybody home in there?
Gays More Likely to Have Cancer?
An article in Pink News says gays are more likely to have had cancer than straights.
My own experience in the gay community leads me to think there may be something to that, because the bar scene was important in the pre-Internet days. There were other factors at play encouraging gays to drink up, including feelings caused by social ostracism, such as depression, guilt, shame, confusion--all of which can be rendered into numbness by alcohol. Alcohol is a big risk factor, by itself enough to explain the higher incidence of cancer.
Conditions are improving for gays overall in our society, as noted by Obama and Hilary Clinton, and I think many problems afflicting the gay community will reduce in severity, leading to improved efficiencies, happiness and productivity overall for society in general. People think gay rights are only for gays. They are mistaken. Gay rights will be good for everyone. It means the gay teacher who is great with kids can stay in his job instead of being summarily fired and possibly replaced by a know-nothing. It means the gay couple that take care of one another, take care of their friends, pay their taxes and pay their bills on time are more likely to stay together. Society as a whole reaps the benefits.
My own experience in the gay community leads me to think there may be something to that, because the bar scene was important in the pre-Internet days. There were other factors at play encouraging gays to drink up, including feelings caused by social ostracism, such as depression, guilt, shame, confusion--all of which can be rendered into numbness by alcohol. Alcohol is a big risk factor, by itself enough to explain the higher incidence of cancer.
Conditions are improving for gays overall in our society, as noted by Obama and Hilary Clinton, and I think many problems afflicting the gay community will reduce in severity, leading to improved efficiencies, happiness and productivity overall for society in general. People think gay rights are only for gays. They are mistaken. Gay rights will be good for everyone. It means the gay teacher who is great with kids can stay in his job instead of being summarily fired and possibly replaced by a know-nothing. It means the gay couple that take care of one another, take care of their friends, pay their taxes and pay their bills on time are more likely to stay together. Society as a whole reaps the benefits.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Uptick in Heroin Use?
This article reports on an uptick in heroin use among young people in Massachusetts. That hints at an increase in the region's misery index. When young people can't find jobs, when they don't have much hope for the future, then drugs of despair, such as smack and meth, gain allure.
Injection drugs--yuck. The thought of such a thing in the year 2011, when information is widely available on the Internet, seems peculiar. Is it a sign of worse things to come? I think most people in the country don't see much reason to hope for a brighter future. When there is an unending exodus of professional jobs, when the standard of living for the middle class is eroding fast, and Republicans wage class warfare against the workers, and our tax money goes to people who hate us in the Middle East, clearly it's a no-brainer that our leaders are no-brainers.
I'm just happy to have been alive during the boom times, the good times, and what could arguably be termed the Golden Age of America, 1980 - 2000. Now that that era is over, a long, steady decline is underway.
Injection drugs--yuck. The thought of such a thing in the year 2011, when information is widely available on the Internet, seems peculiar. Is it a sign of worse things to come? I think most people in the country don't see much reason to hope for a brighter future. When there is an unending exodus of professional jobs, when the standard of living for the middle class is eroding fast, and Republicans wage class warfare against the workers, and our tax money goes to people who hate us in the Middle East, clearly it's a no-brainer that our leaders are no-brainers.
I'm just happy to have been alive during the boom times, the good times, and what could arguably be termed the Golden Age of America, 1980 - 2000. Now that that era is over, a long, steady decline is underway.
A Bit of Mysticism
If there is a greater power or system, and if it perceives me, and if on occasion I perceive its perceiving, then at such times I feel cherished, as though I am cradled in the arms of the goddess.
Friday, May 6, 2011
They Don't Know What Time of Day It Is
Reading the views of analysts quoted by Voice of America indicates they don't know what time of day it is. Give more money to Pakistan? More money to Afghanistan? Whose money? China's, clearly. The U.S. government is not making any money. China is financing the war. I'd say Bin Laden's extermination offers a pretext for an early exit.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
I Love Teachers
Am I surprised Republicans and their propaganda organ, Fox News, declared war on teachers? No. It's just another one of the lame, counter-productive wars the Republicans wage, in this case against their own countrymen.
I love teachers. I think education and educators are the nation's top resource.
And teachers tend to like me, as well. Here's what one wrote regarding one of my presentations: "Excellent research, preparation and delivery! Nicely dressed & groomed. Nice use of scientific terms. Beautiful pamphlets. You have a talent for teaching and speaking. Get your Ph.D. & come back and teach for the university!"
I liked that so much, I posted it on the bulletin board in my study. My teacher did not have to write all of that. She could have just given me a 100 and been done with it. I think it's indicative that she cared. It's a pity that so many bankers did not care. They spent all their time devising ways to cheat their customers, clients, taxpayers, and shareholders. The current economic situation, the one that Republicans want the workers to suffer for, is the result.
I don't think teachers are overpaid. I think they are overworked. I think bankers are overpaid. Bankers have not been doing a good job. If anyone is lazy, it's the bankers.
Don't mess with the teachers, Republicans. On the other hand--do. I think that issue is going to come back to bite 'em in the next election. At least I hope it does. Seems like the Republicans get away with every type of nonsense under the sun. Voters keep signing up for more abuse.
I think the question of which party to support is simple. Democrats are on the side of the workers, that is, the 99% of the country that performs useful work. Republicans are on the side of those that want to profit at the expense of everybody else. There is overlap. There are exceptions. There are Democrats that vote like Republicans. I don't know whether there are any Republicans that vote like Democrats. The Republican Party tends to run a tight ship. But the general rule applies. That's why I vote straight-ticket Democrat. It's the only thing straight about me. In rare cases where the Democratic ticket is too similar to the Republican ticket on the issues, to the point that both appear identical, I vote Libertarian.
I love teachers. I think education and educators are the nation's top resource.
And teachers tend to like me, as well. Here's what one wrote regarding one of my presentations: "Excellent research, preparation and delivery! Nicely dressed & groomed. Nice use of scientific terms. Beautiful pamphlets. You have a talent for teaching and speaking. Get your Ph.D. & come back and teach for the university!"
I liked that so much, I posted it on the bulletin board in my study. My teacher did not have to write all of that. She could have just given me a 100 and been done with it. I think it's indicative that she cared. It's a pity that so many bankers did not care. They spent all their time devising ways to cheat their customers, clients, taxpayers, and shareholders. The current economic situation, the one that Republicans want the workers to suffer for, is the result.
I don't think teachers are overpaid. I think they are overworked. I think bankers are overpaid. Bankers have not been doing a good job. If anyone is lazy, it's the bankers.
Don't mess with the teachers, Republicans. On the other hand--do. I think that issue is going to come back to bite 'em in the next election. At least I hope it does. Seems like the Republicans get away with every type of nonsense under the sun. Voters keep signing up for more abuse.
I think the question of which party to support is simple. Democrats are on the side of the workers, that is, the 99% of the country that performs useful work. Republicans are on the side of those that want to profit at the expense of everybody else. There is overlap. There are exceptions. There are Democrats that vote like Republicans. I don't know whether there are any Republicans that vote like Democrats. The Republican Party tends to run a tight ship. But the general rule applies. That's why I vote straight-ticket Democrat. It's the only thing straight about me. In rare cases where the Democratic ticket is too similar to the Republican ticket on the issues, to the point that both appear identical, I vote Libertarian.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Bin Laden's Bin Deaden
At least one troublemaker in the world met his end last night. Hats off to the brave soldiers that slew Bin Laden. I'm willing to wager that there are hundreds of millions of people that would have pulled the trigger on Bin Laden, including yours truly. Our newly minted heroes have bragging rights for life, unless sworn to secrecy.
Questioning the legality of the assault does not interest me. If Bin Laden and cohorts were shot in their sleep, fair enough. One need only consider their admitted actions, capabilities, and intentions. They would have done worse. They did not honor the rules of war. Such a policy is not without consequences.
I'm tired of hearing about the radical Islamists. Their political and social views are medieval. Now that Bin Laden's Bin Deaden, I hope we can get the hell out of that lunatic asylum known as the Middle East in the near future and save some money for spending on these United States. The United States is where the United States should focus its attention and resources.
Questioning the legality of the assault does not interest me. If Bin Laden and cohorts were shot in their sleep, fair enough. One need only consider their admitted actions, capabilities, and intentions. They would have done worse. They did not honor the rules of war. Such a policy is not without consequences.
I'm tired of hearing about the radical Islamists. Their political and social views are medieval. Now that Bin Laden's Bin Deaden, I hope we can get the hell out of that lunatic asylum known as the Middle East in the near future and save some money for spending on these United States. The United States is where the United States should focus its attention and resources.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
New York Daily News on Gay Marriage
I disagreed with a recent opinion piece on the New York Daily News on gay marriage, so I registered in order to leave a comment. Their registration process is lengthy. Twenty questions are asked. They want to know how much money I make, what kind of job I have, and my birthday. Do they really deserve all of that information? In the past, newspapers were content if a letter-writer signed his first and last name, address, city, and state (zip code optional). NY Daily News also had a lengthy checklist for newsletters--every topic under the Sun. Are people still reading emailed newsletters?
I entered a valid email address, received the registration email, clicked on the link, and attempted to log in, only to be denied with an error message: "your email address is invalid." My foot. Looks like the New York Daily News needs to focus more on debugging their computer software and less on political issues that do not concern them. Why are there so many quarrelsome troublemakers in the world that want to interfere in the lives of others? Whatever happened to "live and let live?" In the end, the troublemakers will find solutions for one another.
I gave up on registering. Communicating with fools can be a fool's errand. Sometimes silence is best. My blog is good for venting, as always, if nothing else. And in Google News, I click on that wonderful new feature, "Show Less of..." in order to reduce the number of instances of New York Daily News. Using that feature has already eliminated several other media sources, such as Fox, from the headlines for me.
Bigots that defend DOMA would change their tune in a skinny minute if their own lives were impacted. A taste of their own medicine would do them a world of good. They need to experience firsthand an intrusive law that burrows into their own personal lives and causes them a multitude of hardships. They like pointing the finger at others, but when they point that finger, three are pointing back at them.
I entered a valid email address, received the registration email, clicked on the link, and attempted to log in, only to be denied with an error message: "your email address is invalid." My foot. Looks like the New York Daily News needs to focus more on debugging their computer software and less on political issues that do not concern them. Why are there so many quarrelsome troublemakers in the world that want to interfere in the lives of others? Whatever happened to "live and let live?" In the end, the troublemakers will find solutions for one another.
I gave up on registering. Communicating with fools can be a fool's errand. Sometimes silence is best. My blog is good for venting, as always, if nothing else. And in Google News, I click on that wonderful new feature, "Show Less of..." in order to reduce the number of instances of New York Daily News. Using that feature has already eliminated several other media sources, such as Fox, from the headlines for me.
Bigots that defend DOMA would change their tune in a skinny minute if their own lives were impacted. A taste of their own medicine would do them a world of good. They need to experience firsthand an intrusive law that burrows into their own personal lives and causes them a multitude of hardships. They like pointing the finger at others, but when they point that finger, three are pointing back at them.
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