I have reached an age that I know my strengths and weaknesses. The weaknesses that cause the most annoyance are lack of physical stamina and arthritis and its symptoms, joint and back pain. For the last week, every night when I'm in bed, I can feel the joints of my fingers warm, throbbing and aching. It worries me because I suspect that they are changing from what they are now to the claw-like fingers that other arthritis sufferers in my family have had. I don't know what to do about it other than eat well, avoid alcohol like the plague, limit any stress to the finger joints, and consume Ibuprofen whenever the pain is bad. All that will probably be insufficient to ward off the effects of arthritis.
I wish there was a cure for arthritis, but it seems that world leaders have other priorities than scientific and medical research. I wonder whether there is anyone in the U.S. that really thinks the trillions we blew on Viet Nam and then recently Iraq and Afghanistan was money well-spent, when that money could have upgraded our knowledge of medicine and disease not just for us, here in America, but for our entire species.
My strengths are my analytical nature, sensitivity to the feelings of others, politeness, customer service, punctuality, and kindness to others.
I'm not the kindest person I know, but I am hesitant to cause anyone any sort of discomfort or unease and am willing to help strangers out if the cost to me is small. Lending someone I don't know $5 is out of my range, though. I'm suspicious of undue demands and wary of getting involved with people I don't know well. Helping someone with money may or may not actually help them. If they are going to use the money to buy alcohol, then it is a harm. I never give money to beggars, and the notion of begging seems strange and dishonorable to me. If I were hard up, then I would feel obligated to offer a service in exchange for money.
Empathy is very helpful, because it smooths social interactions and makes the working environment productive and efficient. I am very pleased that I have learned to pick up on subtle social cues that I used to miss when I was a teenager. I can read body language and know enough not to take other people's words at face value. Tone of voice and expression convey more information than choice of words.
Politeness is underrated by many otherwise good people. I used to cut fool with people when I was a teenager. Humor is all well and good, but the trouble with wit is that laughs are short-lived, but memories of words linger long after they are spoken. Sometimes people brood over what is spoken in jest. Why? Because there is much truth passed off as humor. The reason things are funny is often because there is a grain of bald, unvarnished truth in an utterance. Wit tends to exaggerate, however, and there lies the possibility of trampling on another person's feelings. I have learned to restrain wit. Only with close, intimate friends should wit be used and even then with caution. What people really admire and appreciate is someone who reflects a positive image of themselves. People don't ever want to have their shortcomings pointed out. They may laugh, but they will remember the slight. Even if they know about the shortcoming, it is better to pretend as though one is completely unaware of it.
An analytical nature is extremely important because we live in a complicated, ever-changing world. There are many complicated choices, and sometimes it is crucial to pick the right one and avoid traps and pitfalls. Unfortunately, many people lack an analytical nature. The leaders that they elect to represent them are, therefore, salesmen, not engineers. That is why our leaders have made many foolish and costly decisions that have retarded economic and scientific progress. An analytical mind will say, "OK, wait, slow down. Let's not get emotional. Let's not decide in haste based upon fear or greed. Let's examine all of the possibilities here. Let's dig up all the details. Let's compare and contrast each of the available choices. Let's make a decision only when we have thought everything through with cold, calculating, precise and well-informed intellect." The thing about me is that I love details. I want to know all the gory facts. My brain is hungry for useful information and useful knowledge. This has proven very helpful to me in many situations.
Punctuality is a reflection of my desire to remain calm and in control. I feel anxiety when the possibility arises of disappointing others. Being on-time or early is an easy way to establish a positive impression. To me, it is worth half an hour or even more of my time to eliminate any possibility of being late.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Buy U.S. Tech and Be Spied Upon
Sometimes it seems to me that the top priority of our leaders is to destroy the U.S. economy.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Putin and Pinocchio
The Washington Post, my favorite U.S. newspaper, has a good article analyzing Putin's recent speech justifying his theft of the Crimea.
When Foul Seems Fair, Beware
When evil-doers employ words and forms that match their souls, be thankful. It is a small mercy. They have not guile. They are weak.
When foul seems fair, like Sauron in exile among elves and men, assuming the guise of virtue, then there is danger, for that is a crafty foe.
When foul seems fair, like Sauron in exile among elves and men, assuming the guise of virtue, then there is danger, for that is a crafty foe.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
What's Wrong with Wireless
Wireless is insecure by design. That's why I don't do wireless. If you use a wireless network, keyboard, or mouse, then a hacker can intercept that communication. Your implicit intention is to broadcast your computer activity to the entire world.
I've never understood why people will pay a premium for wireless keyboards or mice when extension cables are dirt cheap. Wireless keyboards and mice are inferior in every respect to their wired cousins. Wireless input devices are not only insecure, but require batteries, which is a huge hassle compared to hassle-free wired input devices.
I've also never understood the appeal of wireless networking for indoor use. I can understand using wireless when outdoors or in the car. I just don't get using wireless in a home or business. It is both slower and insecure.
Many of my neighbors use wireless. I know because my laptop picks up their home networks. I don't hack them. But someone with less morality could certainly attempt to hack them and at the very least use and abuse their internet bandwidth for his own purposes. I fault the local ISP's for promoting wireless internet services for their own convenience, merely because their technicians don't want to crawl around in the crawlspace.
Running ethernet cable under the house only takes an hour at most. A man has to have a powerful case of the Lazybones to prefer wireless. By doing so, he will have a slower and less secure network.
I've never understood why people will pay a premium for wireless keyboards or mice when extension cables are dirt cheap. Wireless keyboards and mice are inferior in every respect to their wired cousins. Wireless input devices are not only insecure, but require batteries, which is a huge hassle compared to hassle-free wired input devices.
I've also never understood the appeal of wireless networking for indoor use. I can understand using wireless when outdoors or in the car. I just don't get using wireless in a home or business. It is both slower and insecure.
Many of my neighbors use wireless. I know because my laptop picks up their home networks. I don't hack them. But someone with less morality could certainly attempt to hack them and at the very least use and abuse their internet bandwidth for his own purposes. I fault the local ISP's for promoting wireless internet services for their own convenience, merely because their technicians don't want to crawl around in the crawlspace.
Running ethernet cable under the house only takes an hour at most. A man has to have a powerful case of the Lazybones to prefer wireless. By doing so, he will have a slower and less secure network.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Gun Nuts
I have been following the case of Oscar "The Pistol" Pistorius and am surprised by his documented obsession with firearms. What kind of ego is on this guy that he feels his life is so precious that he has to carry a loaded firearm around at all times just on the very, very slight possibility that someone might engage him in a gun fight? Is he holding the secret to nuclear fusion in his head? I think he has an empty head.
I do not understand the logic behind shooting at a closed door without knowing who is behind that door. If a man is going to shoot, he had better damn well know what he is shooting at. Otherwise, he is guilty of premeditated murder, case closed, no need for trial. He is either crazy as a loon, in which case he needs to be in a secure facility for the remainder of his natural life, or else he is evil, in which case the same is true. I really think the trial is a bit of a farce. I am not interested in any further evidence other than the central fact that he shot at a closed door.
The odds of needing a firearm to fend off attack are quite minimal. I hear a lot about citizen gun owners engaging violent criminals and getting shot, even killed. The unfortunate reality is that violent criminals are often better at violence than law-abiding civilians. For one thing, violent criminals don't care. They don't care whether they get shot. That's why they are violent criminals. They are willing to take extreme chances and risk death. They are often young, agile, strong, and experienced with firearms. The odds are they will win a gunfight, all other factors being equal.
I think it is better to go ahead and take the small chance of getting gunned down than to carry a gun around and possibly become responsible for what that gun can do if it is improperly used or gets into the wrong hands. Some people are just too eager to flirt with death. Death comes soon enough. No need to hurry things along!
It seems to me the wrong sort of people gravitate toward firearms. When someone tells me they carry loaded guns around, nine times out of ten, they look like the type of person that is going to shoot someone by accident because they are foolish, have limited social skills or problems with anger management and emotional maturity. Nervous, small, angry, immature men who feel weak and inadequate carry loaded guns. I think it is a penis replacement.
Law enforcement in this day and age is extremely effective. Let the cops handle the killers! They are better shots, have better weapons and tactics, work effectively as a team, and are well-trained to handle the rough stuff. There is no one that can stand against the modern police force of countries like the United States. I don't care how tough a criminal may think he is, he can and will be brought down. I am not trained to do it and prefer to leave the garbage disposal to the professionals.
I do not understand the logic behind shooting at a closed door without knowing who is behind that door. If a man is going to shoot, he had better damn well know what he is shooting at. Otherwise, he is guilty of premeditated murder, case closed, no need for trial. He is either crazy as a loon, in which case he needs to be in a secure facility for the remainder of his natural life, or else he is evil, in which case the same is true. I really think the trial is a bit of a farce. I am not interested in any further evidence other than the central fact that he shot at a closed door.
The odds of needing a firearm to fend off attack are quite minimal. I hear a lot about citizen gun owners engaging violent criminals and getting shot, even killed. The unfortunate reality is that violent criminals are often better at violence than law-abiding civilians. For one thing, violent criminals don't care. They don't care whether they get shot. That's why they are violent criminals. They are willing to take extreme chances and risk death. They are often young, agile, strong, and experienced with firearms. The odds are they will win a gunfight, all other factors being equal.
I think it is better to go ahead and take the small chance of getting gunned down than to carry a gun around and possibly become responsible for what that gun can do if it is improperly used or gets into the wrong hands. Some people are just too eager to flirt with death. Death comes soon enough. No need to hurry things along!
It seems to me the wrong sort of people gravitate toward firearms. When someone tells me they carry loaded guns around, nine times out of ten, they look like the type of person that is going to shoot someone by accident because they are foolish, have limited social skills or problems with anger management and emotional maturity. Nervous, small, angry, immature men who feel weak and inadequate carry loaded guns. I think it is a penis replacement.
Law enforcement in this day and age is extremely effective. Let the cops handle the killers! They are better shots, have better weapons and tactics, work effectively as a team, and are well-trained to handle the rough stuff. There is no one that can stand against the modern police force of countries like the United States. I don't care how tough a criminal may think he is, he can and will be brought down. I am not trained to do it and prefer to leave the garbage disposal to the professionals.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Anger
Of the two chief negative emotions, anger and sadness, anger presents the most risk to heart health because of its intensity. Sadness is something that can fade after a nap, or if not, then it may be amenable to medication, such as chocolate. Anger tends to come on quickly and cause the release of adrenal hormones, with the elevation of heart rate and blood pressure.
Upon reflection, I do not think there are many things worth getting angry over. However, the fast pace of modern life, with its endless complexity and injustices great and small, leaves many people vulnerable to anger. Those who are angry tend to infect others with the same emotion, perpetuating a cycle of anger throughout society.
Society is divided into tribes that bicker and find fault with one another. Male vs. female is common, followed by old vs. young, straight vs. gay, white vs. black, religious vs. secular, or conservative vs. liberal. One must continually lower expectations, because beings that present a rational and high-minded front to the world may prove to be tribal animals, quick to judge others for the slightest pretence.
I recognize my own propensity to anger as being similar to that of my father's. I call this beast "Sgt. Silly," imagining a red-faced drill sergeant yelling at fresh recruits for some petty, insignificant infraction.
On the whole, anger has seldom been really useful, but more often been harmful. The harm is not always defined by actions or words but rather the insidious effects on internal organs, such as the heart, because anger acts like a potent toxin. Recovery from anger is slow, and the effects appear to be long-lasting.
Anger is best indulged by the rich and powerful, who can effect real change in the world when motivated by anger. I think that happens from time to time. Certainly those who donate millions of dollars to various causes, political or social or charitable, are not always motivated by mere greed. Sometimes they are angry, or concerned, or enthusiastic. Whatever their emotional motivation, they wish to change the world.
For the poor, anger is typically only harmful to the bearer, because with few exceptions, the poor can do little or nothing to change the world in a useful, meaningful way.
One of the reasons that I have used marijuana from time to time is to find liberation from anger and anxiety. Marijuana seems effective to that end. I am not sure it is possible to be angry while high. Marijuana bestows forgetfulness, a blessed decaying of the memories of past injustices, of which every life must have a record. Yet marijuana dulls the intellect, and for that reason, for the time being, I follow the path of abstinence, because I need all my wits about me, every iota of intelligence. I look forward to a time in the future when I can sit down again beside the old tree and watch the stars.
Upon reflection, I do not think there are many things worth getting angry over. However, the fast pace of modern life, with its endless complexity and injustices great and small, leaves many people vulnerable to anger. Those who are angry tend to infect others with the same emotion, perpetuating a cycle of anger throughout society.
Society is divided into tribes that bicker and find fault with one another. Male vs. female is common, followed by old vs. young, straight vs. gay, white vs. black, religious vs. secular, or conservative vs. liberal. One must continually lower expectations, because beings that present a rational and high-minded front to the world may prove to be tribal animals, quick to judge others for the slightest pretence.
I recognize my own propensity to anger as being similar to that of my father's. I call this beast "Sgt. Silly," imagining a red-faced drill sergeant yelling at fresh recruits for some petty, insignificant infraction.
On the whole, anger has seldom been really useful, but more often been harmful. The harm is not always defined by actions or words but rather the insidious effects on internal organs, such as the heart, because anger acts like a potent toxin. Recovery from anger is slow, and the effects appear to be long-lasting.
Anger is best indulged by the rich and powerful, who can effect real change in the world when motivated by anger. I think that happens from time to time. Certainly those who donate millions of dollars to various causes, political or social or charitable, are not always motivated by mere greed. Sometimes they are angry, or concerned, or enthusiastic. Whatever their emotional motivation, they wish to change the world.
For the poor, anger is typically only harmful to the bearer, because with few exceptions, the poor can do little or nothing to change the world in a useful, meaningful way.
One of the reasons that I have used marijuana from time to time is to find liberation from anger and anxiety. Marijuana seems effective to that end. I am not sure it is possible to be angry while high. Marijuana bestows forgetfulness, a blessed decaying of the memories of past injustices, of which every life must have a record. Yet marijuana dulls the intellect, and for that reason, for the time being, I follow the path of abstinence, because I need all my wits about me, every iota of intelligence. I look forward to a time in the future when I can sit down again beside the old tree and watch the stars.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Want Faster Internet? Move to Uruguay.
The Week has an article on why U.S. internet is so slow. Basically, the right-wingers in Congress hamstrung the country as they always do, all in the name of less government and more "freedom." Enjoy your freedom today while people in other countries access the Internet at 3-5x the speed that you do.
I don't believe that most people in Congress really understand or care about what is going on in this country. The Republicans in particular only care about making money in the short-term for themselves through various scams and deals. They don't understand computers, science, or morality. Twenty years ago, I used to think that Republicans could manage the economy fairly well, but they can't even do that. When we had a Republican President and Republican majorities in Congress, the economy sank down into a long-lasting recession because of their incompetence. The Republicans can do nothing well. They have no ideas that are worth anything, and at some level, they know it. All they do is obstruct the other side from getting anything done. Meanwhile, the nation's power and wealth dwindle away.
I don't believe that most people in Congress really understand or care about what is going on in this country. The Republicans in particular only care about making money in the short-term for themselves through various scams and deals. They don't understand computers, science, or morality. Twenty years ago, I used to think that Republicans could manage the economy fairly well, but they can't even do that. When we had a Republican President and Republican majorities in Congress, the economy sank down into a long-lasting recession because of their incompetence. The Republicans can do nothing well. They have no ideas that are worth anything, and at some level, they know it. All they do is obstruct the other side from getting anything done. Meanwhile, the nation's power and wealth dwindle away.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Turn Off AT&T's Voice Mail Indicator Light
I told the technician I didn't want AT&T's voice mail service when he installed U-verse. Nevertheless, all my phones started blinking with the voice mail message indicator after he installed U-verse.
To get around this particular AT&T annoyance, call 1-888-288-8893, go to setup, and turn off the voicemail message indicator. This is just another bullying attempt by AT&T to try to pressure their customers into buying more unnecessary and inferior AT&T services.
To get around this particular AT&T annoyance, call 1-888-288-8893, go to setup, and turn off the voicemail message indicator. This is just another bullying attempt by AT&T to try to pressure their customers into buying more unnecessary and inferior AT&T services.
I Use IP Chicken
I like the above service for determining the local IP address. Clean, fast, and simple, with a privacy policy I can understand. There are many competitors, but IP Chicken does IP-checkin' (chicken) the way it should be done.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
How to Configure Your Mail Reader When Switching from DSL to AT&T U-Verse
One of these days I'm going to pop a gasket. With me, the odds are higher due to Mitral Valve Prolapse and lack of medical insurance. Those with MVP can just drop dead any old time according to Wikipedia's wisdom. Well, I just hope it's later rather than sooner. If my blog stops having updates, then my readers can put two and two together. Even from beyond the grave, I will ensure that my blog remains a spam-free zone due to my security settings.
The latest irritant to elevate my blood pressure was AT&T technical support. I recently switched from DSL to U-verse. When I tried to check my AT&T email via the popular Thunderbird mail reader, I received an error message that indicated something was wrong with AT&T's mail server. I waited a couple of hours and tried again and got the same error. I called AT&T and spent about half an hour on the phone with a friendly guy who assured me that my new account was provisioning and all would be fine by the morning. Great, I said.
Trouble was, AT&T's guy lied. Through his teeth. Just outright lied. He had no idea what he was talking about. The following morning, I still got an error message, and twelve hours later, ditto. I called AT&T tech support again and got someone who sounded like she had been smoking weed and swigging tequila. She was giggling and talking to other people in the background, and the background noise was very intense, with people talking in Spanish and English, so much so that she did not hear half the things I said. I had to repeat every other sentence. In addition to this, the line went mute, cutting her or me off sporadically. She asked if she could call me back, and I said yes, but that didn't help. The same problem persisted throughout the call. We were talking on my landline, incidentally. The problem was certainly not on my end, because I have talked to other people on the same phone without any issue. My connection was completely wired, not in any way wireless. Her connection had the problem.
Between bouts of silence and background noise, she reminded me that AT&T does not support Thunderbird. Over the years, I have received the same scripted line every single time I call AT&T asking for help configuring my mail reader. AT&T gives short shrift to mail readers. Why do they hate mail readers? Well, let's think about that, shall we? It is in AT&T's interest to herd people through their web portal, isn't it? That way, their customers are exposed to all kinds of advertising.
Whatever. I'm not the type of guy to take "No" for an answer, not when I pay over a hundred dollars a month for the service. My mail reader was working yesterday, and after their guy installed U-verse, it stopped working. I had changed nothing on my end. I knew it was their fault and anyone with intelligence would know that too.
She asked if she could take control of my computer, and I said no, because I run Linux and I'm not sure how to grant that kind of access and don't want to, either, because I'm absolutely certain it would not help. Then she wanted me to reboot my computer, and at that point I went over the edge, because rebooting is something a tech tells people when he doesn't know anything. I started ranting about AT&T's contractual obligations, and then she muted me again. So I hung up. Clearly she knew nothing and was not going to help.
I called back, chose a different option on their phone menu, hoping to contact someone different, and got a tech rep that sounded nicer. She was in a different office, a quiet one. I guessed the water bong hadn't made the rounds at her office. There was no background noise, and she didn't sound like she was high. She wasn't giggling at obscene jokes her co-workers were sending in the office. She actually walked me through Thunderbird's set-up, but everything she told me about the configuration was already set. After all, the mail reader had been working perfectly prior to the switch to U-verse. Although she was nice, her advice was useless.
Here's the bottom line after about two hours of aggravation with AT&T's tech support. No configuration changes need to be made to the Thunderbird mail reader. Nothing needs to be done to the mail reader at all. The only reason the techs suggest that is because they don't know what they are talking about.
Thunderbird is a highly intuitive mail reader developed by Mozilla, the same company that develops Firefox. Thunderbird configures itself automatically. There is no need for the end user to input anything other than email address and password. There is little chance of an incorrect configuration. AT&T technical support does not know what time of day it is. It is aggravating to call up technical support and listen to pushy drunks that don't know anything other than what their script tells them. I have to teach them their job, because they do not know anything about computers. Meanwhile, I can't access my email.
There is only one thing a customer needs to do to fix the mail reader after the switch from DSL to U-verse. Log in via the web browser. Period. Yahoo has a serious bug or else an intentional, selfish annoyance (take your pick). The end user is required to log in via the web browser once in order to use the mail reader, even if he has been using the mail reader for years via DSL.
AT&T and Yahoo don't like mail readers. They wish to discourage their use, because mail readers do not add to their bottom line. They make the mail reader difficult to use because they want to push more of their crap products via the web site. They wasted two hours of my time with this nonsense for no other reason.
The mail reader still reports an error indicating a problem with their internal service when I first load Thunderbird. I have to press OK to accept the message, then click "Check Mail" to check mail again. This is because AT&T does not configure the U-verse mail server properly. I suppose they never will fix it, because they very nearly have a monopoly in my location. They treat their customers like dirt because they can get away with it.
The latest irritant to elevate my blood pressure was AT&T technical support. I recently switched from DSL to U-verse. When I tried to check my AT&T email via the popular Thunderbird mail reader, I received an error message that indicated something was wrong with AT&T's mail server. I waited a couple of hours and tried again and got the same error. I called AT&T and spent about half an hour on the phone with a friendly guy who assured me that my new account was provisioning and all would be fine by the morning. Great, I said.
Trouble was, AT&T's guy lied. Through his teeth. Just outright lied. He had no idea what he was talking about. The following morning, I still got an error message, and twelve hours later, ditto. I called AT&T tech support again and got someone who sounded like she had been smoking weed and swigging tequila. She was giggling and talking to other people in the background, and the background noise was very intense, with people talking in Spanish and English, so much so that she did not hear half the things I said. I had to repeat every other sentence. In addition to this, the line went mute, cutting her or me off sporadically. She asked if she could call me back, and I said yes, but that didn't help. The same problem persisted throughout the call. We were talking on my landline, incidentally. The problem was certainly not on my end, because I have talked to other people on the same phone without any issue. My connection was completely wired, not in any way wireless. Her connection had the problem.
Between bouts of silence and background noise, she reminded me that AT&T does not support Thunderbird. Over the years, I have received the same scripted line every single time I call AT&T asking for help configuring my mail reader. AT&T gives short shrift to mail readers. Why do they hate mail readers? Well, let's think about that, shall we? It is in AT&T's interest to herd people through their web portal, isn't it? That way, their customers are exposed to all kinds of advertising.
Whatever. I'm not the type of guy to take "No" for an answer, not when I pay over a hundred dollars a month for the service. My mail reader was working yesterday, and after their guy installed U-verse, it stopped working. I had changed nothing on my end. I knew it was their fault and anyone with intelligence would know that too.
She asked if she could take control of my computer, and I said no, because I run Linux and I'm not sure how to grant that kind of access and don't want to, either, because I'm absolutely certain it would not help. Then she wanted me to reboot my computer, and at that point I went over the edge, because rebooting is something a tech tells people when he doesn't know anything. I started ranting about AT&T's contractual obligations, and then she muted me again. So I hung up. Clearly she knew nothing and was not going to help.
I called back, chose a different option on their phone menu, hoping to contact someone different, and got a tech rep that sounded nicer. She was in a different office, a quiet one. I guessed the water bong hadn't made the rounds at her office. There was no background noise, and she didn't sound like she was high. She wasn't giggling at obscene jokes her co-workers were sending in the office. She actually walked me through Thunderbird's set-up, but everything she told me about the configuration was already set. After all, the mail reader had been working perfectly prior to the switch to U-verse. Although she was nice, her advice was useless.
Here's the bottom line after about two hours of aggravation with AT&T's tech support. No configuration changes need to be made to the Thunderbird mail reader. Nothing needs to be done to the mail reader at all. The only reason the techs suggest that is because they don't know what they are talking about.
Thunderbird is a highly intuitive mail reader developed by Mozilla, the same company that develops Firefox. Thunderbird configures itself automatically. There is no need for the end user to input anything other than email address and password. There is little chance of an incorrect configuration. AT&T technical support does not know what time of day it is. It is aggravating to call up technical support and listen to pushy drunks that don't know anything other than what their script tells them. I have to teach them their job, because they do not know anything about computers. Meanwhile, I can't access my email.
There is only one thing a customer needs to do to fix the mail reader after the switch from DSL to U-verse. Log in via the web browser. Period. Yahoo has a serious bug or else an intentional, selfish annoyance (take your pick). The end user is required to log in via the web browser once in order to use the mail reader, even if he has been using the mail reader for years via DSL.
AT&T and Yahoo don't like mail readers. They wish to discourage their use, because mail readers do not add to their bottom line. They make the mail reader difficult to use because they want to push more of their crap products via the web site. They wasted two hours of my time with this nonsense for no other reason.
The mail reader still reports an error indicating a problem with their internal service when I first load Thunderbird. I have to press OK to accept the message, then click "Check Mail" to check mail again. This is because AT&T does not configure the U-verse mail server properly. I suppose they never will fix it, because they very nearly have a monopoly in my location. They treat their customers like dirt because they can get away with it.
Judgement Day
At the end, I emerged from darkness and stood before the watchers of the world.
I said, "I gave what I was given. I did what could be done."
Among the watchers, truth prevails. Everything is known.
The light consumed what I was before.
Annihilation,
Recombination and regeneration.
There have been others.
There are others.
Before the breaking of the world, there will be others.
The wheel spins
and so it goes.
Judgement Day means different things to different people. Upon reflection, my dream could occur to a saint, an ordinary person or even a suicide bomber. People have such different ideas about God. Who is right? That is one of the problems with religion. It is possible to adapt the same meme to different uses.
I think that hearing so much and so often about God from so many unpleasant people turned me off from religion. They inoculated me against religion. My intellectual immune system eliminated the weak germs of door-to-door proselytizers and televangelists. I developed adaptable and effective antibodies and am now immune to all strains of religion.
I reuse the material acquired early in life and spin it into positive things rather than throw it away. I retain certain feelings about divine retribution, divine oversight of the world and even divine intervention. Because I like people and want to understand them, I continually absorb a certain amount of the beliefs of my friends and relatives. Until I open myself to another person's thoughts, they remain "other." I have to step inside their mind. I have to look around and see what there is to see through their eyes. Once I drink of their thoughts, then they become understandable, predictable and a warmth and intimacy may develop.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
The Apple Shareholder's Meeting
I was impressed by a story about an Apple CEO who apparently cares about more than just the bottom line or ROI (Return on Investment). He demonstrates enlightened selfishness. Some people will never understand, not in a million years, why a business should do the right thing even when it costs more money. They look at spreadsheets and count up numbers and think about money. I think it is better to look at people and think about people. We are human beings. We are not machines.
If people get the impression that Apple is good, that matters when they're thinking about making a technology purchase. They may be willing to pay a little extra for an Apple product. Goodwill cancels out buyer's regret. Goodwill makes excellent starting points for conversations about Apple.
If people get the impression that Apple is good, that matters when they're thinking about making a technology purchase. They may be willing to pay a little extra for an Apple product. Goodwill cancels out buyer's regret. Goodwill makes excellent starting points for conversations about Apple.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Uganda
Uganda bites the hands that feed it. Those in the West who donate to Uganda will now have blood on their hands. Such a stain is difficult to wash off. It is one thing to give charity to those of gentle hearts and minds or those of unknown quality who might be given the benefit of the doubt. It is another to donate to declared, boastful, outright cold-blooded hate-mongering murderers. There will be political consequences for any politician in the West that proposes sending aid to Uganda at any time now or in the future. In the past, it was unknown what sort of people the Ugandans were. Now we know all that we need to know. The equation is simple. Aid to Uganda = aiding and abetting murderers.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Where is the U.S. Going?
The problem with America is that too many people place money before country. They sell out. In order to save money, they send jobs overseas or import workers from other countries to do jobs Americans could do. Everywhere one reads that tech companies need to hire skilled immigrants, but this is a lie. There is more than enough indigenous talent to go around. Companies just don't want to pay living wages. They want to pay $1 an hour for tech support.
The reality is that the rich are only concerned about getting richer. The politicians do not care about any of the problems impacting workers. All they care about is assisting their cronies to sell bullets and bombs. That is the only real reason we invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, in order to enrich the cronies of politicians. All of the other reasons given are transparent lies. I read recently that the U.S. spends $4 billion a month to protect Afghanistan, where the economy generates $1 billion a month. That is clear and obvious stupidity, unless one's cronies are getting rich from the protection racket. The whole situation regarding foreign policy just seems stupid and designed to benefit a few rich cronies at the top at the expense of the rest of the country.
The politicians work tirelessly to make the country worse off than it was before, creating new problems rather than solving old ones. They start new wars, continue old ones, waste money, and create new problems for the workers.
At least Obama did something. He won health care for the workers, but in order to pass something through the stodgy, right-wing Congress, a Congress of millionaires, many compromises had to made. The result is still better than the old system, but it's not perfect. I give Obama credit for actually doing something positive to help working-class people, whereas his predecessor Bush did nothing except make the country poorer. There are a lot of things Obama could have done, had the Congress worked with him instead of against him. Any perceived shortcomings are the fault of the Republicans, who sabotage anything that might help workers.
I have come to believe that Republicans hate workers even more than they hate gays and racial minorities. Any issue that touches on the lives of working people, the Republicans are predictable. They don't even need to think about it. Anything that might harm, impoverish, hinder, or complicate the lives of workers, Republicans support 100%. All the changes made by Republicans tend to make workers poorer and sicker. I cannot think of a single thing the Republicans have ever done to help workers, but I can think of about a dozen things the Republicans have done to harm workers.
Foreign policy and national security are issues where President Obama has proven naive and unaware. He does not seem to grasp the long-term ramifications of his foreign policy decisions. I think it is really horrible to bribe the hostile state of Pakistan with billions of dollars so that we can bomb their country. I think it is such a bad decision that it may in fact be a symptom of collective insanity, of schizophrenia.
Obama is just as bad as Bush was with his national security dementia. But perhaps the problem is systemic. Obama inherited a massive national security complex, and it wants to be used. The machines want to be used, and all the people who think like machines also want to be used. To not use them has political costs. Newspaper editors characterize Obama as "ineffective" and "vacillating" because he does not bomb Syria into the Stone Age. But Obama has cooperated with the machine in most respects. Perhaps Obama is not courageous enough to challenge long-held assumptions and existing political dogma, such as the war against marijuana. I do not think we have had a really courageous, dynamic and interesting President in my lifetime. We have had men who follow. They just go along with whatever is going on when they inherit the office. They are not thinkers.
I foresee the swift decline of this country's economic, educational, democratic and social measures. Already we see that the rights we once held dear are being eliminated one by one. This country is less free with every passing year. The state is getting more paranoid and more effective at using technology to spy on citizens. Anyone can be put in prison for life at the touch of a button. If someone is inconvenient, they can be quite easily framed for any number of sex or drug offences. The apparatus to make this happen is already in place. It may even have been used already. No one knows, because there aren't many investigative journalists around anymore. Very few changes would be required to change the U.S. into a country resembling, say, Russia or China.
There will be a massive lower class, people entrenched in poverty, and a tiny upper class. Crime, drug use, and political instability will become much more common. Education will decline as people realize that it has little or no economic value. A college degree means nothing in the U.S. It is just a piece of paper that represents debt.
The reality is that the rich are only concerned about getting richer. The politicians do not care about any of the problems impacting workers. All they care about is assisting their cronies to sell bullets and bombs. That is the only real reason we invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, in order to enrich the cronies of politicians. All of the other reasons given are transparent lies. I read recently that the U.S. spends $4 billion a month to protect Afghanistan, where the economy generates $1 billion a month. That is clear and obvious stupidity, unless one's cronies are getting rich from the protection racket. The whole situation regarding foreign policy just seems stupid and designed to benefit a few rich cronies at the top at the expense of the rest of the country.
The politicians work tirelessly to make the country worse off than it was before, creating new problems rather than solving old ones. They start new wars, continue old ones, waste money, and create new problems for the workers.
At least Obama did something. He won health care for the workers, but in order to pass something through the stodgy, right-wing Congress, a Congress of millionaires, many compromises had to made. The result is still better than the old system, but it's not perfect. I give Obama credit for actually doing something positive to help working-class people, whereas his predecessor Bush did nothing except make the country poorer. There are a lot of things Obama could have done, had the Congress worked with him instead of against him. Any perceived shortcomings are the fault of the Republicans, who sabotage anything that might help workers.
I have come to believe that Republicans hate workers even more than they hate gays and racial minorities. Any issue that touches on the lives of working people, the Republicans are predictable. They don't even need to think about it. Anything that might harm, impoverish, hinder, or complicate the lives of workers, Republicans support 100%. All the changes made by Republicans tend to make workers poorer and sicker. I cannot think of a single thing the Republicans have ever done to help workers, but I can think of about a dozen things the Republicans have done to harm workers.
Foreign policy and national security are issues where President Obama has proven naive and unaware. He does not seem to grasp the long-term ramifications of his foreign policy decisions. I think it is really horrible to bribe the hostile state of Pakistan with billions of dollars so that we can bomb their country. I think it is such a bad decision that it may in fact be a symptom of collective insanity, of schizophrenia.
Obama is just as bad as Bush was with his national security dementia. But perhaps the problem is systemic. Obama inherited a massive national security complex, and it wants to be used. The machines want to be used, and all the people who think like machines also want to be used. To not use them has political costs. Newspaper editors characterize Obama as "ineffective" and "vacillating" because he does not bomb Syria into the Stone Age. But Obama has cooperated with the machine in most respects. Perhaps Obama is not courageous enough to challenge long-held assumptions and existing political dogma, such as the war against marijuana. I do not think we have had a really courageous, dynamic and interesting President in my lifetime. We have had men who follow. They just go along with whatever is going on when they inherit the office. They are not thinkers.
I foresee the swift decline of this country's economic, educational, democratic and social measures. Already we see that the rights we once held dear are being eliminated one by one. This country is less free with every passing year. The state is getting more paranoid and more effective at using technology to spy on citizens. Anyone can be put in prison for life at the touch of a button. If someone is inconvenient, they can be quite easily framed for any number of sex or drug offences. The apparatus to make this happen is already in place. It may even have been used already. No one knows, because there aren't many investigative journalists around anymore. Very few changes would be required to change the U.S. into a country resembling, say, Russia or China.
There will be a massive lower class, people entrenched in poverty, and a tiny upper class. Crime, drug use, and political instability will become much more common. Education will decline as people realize that it has little or no economic value. A college degree means nothing in the U.S. It is just a piece of paper that represents debt.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Russia is Better than North Korea
North Korea is one country that's more screwed up than Russia. North Korea's dictator epitomizes a devil sworn to absolute evil, someone who has absolutely no concern about anyone besides himself, someone who delights in the suffering of others and seeks it out even when there is a considerable cost. The clearest match for the North Korean tyrant would be Hitler or Stalin.
I don't think there's any way that Dennis Rodman can make up for the fact that he travelled to North Korea, put on a show and praised the tyrant. He's covered himself with the tyrant's slime and will always have that stench about him. Long after Dennis Rodman has departed from this world, the one thing that will be said about him is that he was the North Korean tyrant's trained poodle. Everything else will be a mere footnote. Was that infamy worth the hundreds of thousands of dollars, the publicity, or whatever?
Servants of evil delude themselves with expectations of various rewards. In reality, they are used while useful, then thrown to the dogs. Sometimes they are thrown to the dogs even if they are useful. Evil-doers happen to like throwing people to the dogs.
I don't think there's any way that Dennis Rodman can make up for the fact that he travelled to North Korea, put on a show and praised the tyrant. He's covered himself with the tyrant's slime and will always have that stench about him. Long after Dennis Rodman has departed from this world, the one thing that will be said about him is that he was the North Korean tyrant's trained poodle. Everything else will be a mere footnote. Was that infamy worth the hundreds of thousands of dollars, the publicity, or whatever?
Servants of evil delude themselves with expectations of various rewards. In reality, they are used while useful, then thrown to the dogs. Sometimes they are thrown to the dogs even if they are useful. Evil-doers happen to like throwing people to the dogs.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Internet Trolls
Slate Magazine has an interesting article on internet trolls. I had an internet troll comment on my blog just this week. He left homophobic insults, expecting me to be outraged, to respond or just to publish his inflammatory remarks. I did none of the above. I deleted his comments without a second thought, grinning at the thought of the time he wasted typing them in. I have experience with the most savage and sophisticated Internet trolls, both as a forum moderator and web site admin.
You know what baby? Igor was not born yesterday. Nothing outrages me and nothing surprises me. I've seen it all. I know that trolls have zero interest in the truth, zero interest in goodness, and maximum interest in discord, evil and chaos. They are sworn to the darkness. They are like arsonists or rapists, except they operate online because it's easier and doesn't expose them to mace, gunfire or arrest. They are fulfilling a little need that isn't getting satisfied elsewhere. Internet trolls are not difficult to identify, understand or deal with. The only question is which can of pesticide to spray on them.
I had a good friend who believed all comments should be published even if they contain death threats or bomb formulas. He was an ultra-libertarian. I suppose that if a rapist came along, he would spread his legs in the name of freedom. That is his prerogative. His site, his rules.
I play by a different set of rules. A stranger that seeks my attention had better unball his fists, wipe the drool from his beard, zip up his trousers and speak in a civil tone of voice. Otherwise, the door is shut, locked and bolted, and if need be, the police are on their way. End of discussion.
You know what baby? Igor was not born yesterday. Nothing outrages me and nothing surprises me. I've seen it all. I know that trolls have zero interest in the truth, zero interest in goodness, and maximum interest in discord, evil and chaos. They are sworn to the darkness. They are like arsonists or rapists, except they operate online because it's easier and doesn't expose them to mace, gunfire or arrest. They are fulfilling a little need that isn't getting satisfied elsewhere. Internet trolls are not difficult to identify, understand or deal with. The only question is which can of pesticide to spray on them.
I had a good friend who believed all comments should be published even if they contain death threats or bomb formulas. He was an ultra-libertarian. I suppose that if a rapist came along, he would spread his legs in the name of freedom. That is his prerogative. His site, his rules.
I play by a different set of rules. A stranger that seeks my attention had better unball his fists, wipe the drool from his beard, zip up his trousers and speak in a civil tone of voice. Otherwise, the door is shut, locked and bolted, and if need be, the police are on their way. End of discussion.
Pussy Riot is Awesome
I used to listen to punk. Nowadays the only punk band I listen to is Pussy Riot. I listen to their political interviews. I think that they are a nice fresh cup of Awesome. An article in the Washington Post relates how they are still trying to get jailed protesters released. What would make me believe in God is if the dictator Putin were put in prison for his many crimes, and Pussy Riot took over the reigns of power in Russia and implemented a true and lasting republic. That could only be accomplished with divine intervention, I think!
There is something about virtue that makes a person even more attractive, lending them a bit of the divine. To stand for something lends that something to an individual. A virtuous person has substance that is more than skin-deep. I see Liberty and Motherhood in these two courageous young women. Their likeness has been struck on coins for hundreds of years. They do not belong just to this age. They are eternal.
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| From another story on CNN |
Monday, February 17, 2014
God's Indifference
Some believe in religion. Who can say where the truth lies or whether the priest lies? If there are gods, I think that they are indifferent to our fate. Our suffering moves them not at all. In a human being, such cold-blooded ambivalence is deemed evil. God is given a pass, but what is God?
Riddle me this. Precisely to what do you pray and why? I have spoken with many believers, but never received a satisfactory answer to that question.
In the Bible, HE remains anonymous with no history and no background. HE displays neither visible form nor audible voice. HE could be anything at all--devil, charlatan, fiction, alien, or arch-villain, take your pick. Perhaps this is a strategic rather than accidental omission. HE adapts to his audience, shape-changing to appear just a little bit different to every believer. HE is the playdough of philosophy, adapting like a virus to the requirements of his individual hosts. This is why there are so many different sects and even within the sects, individuals believe different things. There is no agreement among believers.
I do not think any religions have got God right. They do not even know what they worship. They are placing all of their money on the table to buy a mystery gift box without knowing what is inside the box. I think it would be better to know what is inside the box first.
---
Common ground among believers and non-believers can be found on practical issues, such as morality. I do not think religion is necessary for morality, and it may even get in the way by inserting an unnecessary and fragile support structure.
---
I see many references in classified advertisements to so-and-so being a Christian, implying that therefore they will be honest and not cheat others, but I think that such a statement reveals spiritual immaturity and spiritual arrogance. There are countless cases of professed Christians doing evil. I think it is more likely a professed atheist would be honest and not cheat others, because more honesty is required to admit to a minority belief. I avoid those who insert a statement about their religion while advertising a product or service, because I think that they may have something to hide. They are playing upon the prejudices of gullible believers and seeking out those who are easy to cheat.
---
The most foolish among the non-believers, especially those who have recently lost their religion, assume that, since there may be no divine punishment or reward for behavior, they should do whatever they please. Perhaps the choice for good or evil is a matter of taste, but if so, evil is in poor taste and more likely to obtain poor results in the long run. There are examples in history of both believers and non-believers doing evil and doing good. I am not sure what the correlation is between belief system and moral behavior and probably no one really knows.
---
The greatest tragedy of modern religion is the low calibre of modern priests. The exodus of the intelligent over the centuries has forced churches to subsist with dim lights indeed. Of course the churches must change fundamentally not only their opinions upon social issues but their very doctrine in order to attract the intelligent in large numbers. Some perceive that, but many resist change, because change is a disturbing thing for many people who do not wish to think about the ramifications. Unfortunately, the world that we live in is extremely complicated, and there is a natural human desire for simplicity. I love to watch movies about magic, gods and goddesses. Such things appeal to me a great deal. I do think the world could be a better, more interesting place with gods and magic, although there is a possibility it could be worse.
I believe that the church must retreat to a proper sphere, that of morality alone, and leave questions of history, science and theology alone. Perhaps the Unitarians are closest to this ideal at present. Of course it is tempting to venture into other fields, writing opinions about things such as God and angels and passing them off as facts, but doing so places credibility at risk. Better it is to say, I am human, and I do not know of such matters, nor can I know. In regard to those religions that claim to know what they cannot, I am atheist. I do like to think about a goddess watching over me, because that would be nice, having a protector and all, but I doubt she would really bother. Surely she would have better things to do with her time, being a goddess. At any rate, lately I've noticed that when I am in need, she hits the snooze button and can't be reached on the telephone.
I do not think that many churches have mastered the basics of morality, because they are so tied up in knots over relatively simple questions of human sexuality. If they cannot understand issues having to do with mere genitalia, then it is difficult to see how they will ever cope with weightier issues, and indeed the church was missing in action over all the big issues of the twentieth century. Where were the priests when the Holocaust happened? They were busy chastising their flock about such matters as divorce, contraception and homosexuality, no doubt.
Riddle me this. Precisely to what do you pray and why? I have spoken with many believers, but never received a satisfactory answer to that question.
In the Bible, HE remains anonymous with no history and no background. HE displays neither visible form nor audible voice. HE could be anything at all--devil, charlatan, fiction, alien, or arch-villain, take your pick. Perhaps this is a strategic rather than accidental omission. HE adapts to his audience, shape-changing to appear just a little bit different to every believer. HE is the playdough of philosophy, adapting like a virus to the requirements of his individual hosts. This is why there are so many different sects and even within the sects, individuals believe different things. There is no agreement among believers.
I do not think any religions have got God right. They do not even know what they worship. They are placing all of their money on the table to buy a mystery gift box without knowing what is inside the box. I think it would be better to know what is inside the box first.
---
Common ground among believers and non-believers can be found on practical issues, such as morality. I do not think religion is necessary for morality, and it may even get in the way by inserting an unnecessary and fragile support structure.
---
I see many references in classified advertisements to so-and-so being a Christian, implying that therefore they will be honest and not cheat others, but I think that such a statement reveals spiritual immaturity and spiritual arrogance. There are countless cases of professed Christians doing evil. I think it is more likely a professed atheist would be honest and not cheat others, because more honesty is required to admit to a minority belief. I avoid those who insert a statement about their religion while advertising a product or service, because I think that they may have something to hide. They are playing upon the prejudices of gullible believers and seeking out those who are easy to cheat.
---
The most foolish among the non-believers, especially those who have recently lost their religion, assume that, since there may be no divine punishment or reward for behavior, they should do whatever they please. Perhaps the choice for good or evil is a matter of taste, but if so, evil is in poor taste and more likely to obtain poor results in the long run. There are examples in history of both believers and non-believers doing evil and doing good. I am not sure what the correlation is between belief system and moral behavior and probably no one really knows.
---
The greatest tragedy of modern religion is the low calibre of modern priests. The exodus of the intelligent over the centuries has forced churches to subsist with dim lights indeed. Of course the churches must change fundamentally not only their opinions upon social issues but their very doctrine in order to attract the intelligent in large numbers. Some perceive that, but many resist change, because change is a disturbing thing for many people who do not wish to think about the ramifications. Unfortunately, the world that we live in is extremely complicated, and there is a natural human desire for simplicity. I love to watch movies about magic, gods and goddesses. Such things appeal to me a great deal. I do think the world could be a better, more interesting place with gods and magic, although there is a possibility it could be worse.
I believe that the church must retreat to a proper sphere, that of morality alone, and leave questions of history, science and theology alone. Perhaps the Unitarians are closest to this ideal at present. Of course it is tempting to venture into other fields, writing opinions about things such as God and angels and passing them off as facts, but doing so places credibility at risk. Better it is to say, I am human, and I do not know of such matters, nor can I know. In regard to those religions that claim to know what they cannot, I am atheist. I do like to think about a goddess watching over me, because that would be nice, having a protector and all, but I doubt she would really bother. Surely she would have better things to do with her time, being a goddess. At any rate, lately I've noticed that when I am in need, she hits the snooze button and can't be reached on the telephone.
I do not think that many churches have mastered the basics of morality, because they are so tied up in knots over relatively simple questions of human sexuality. If they cannot understand issues having to do with mere genitalia, then it is difficult to see how they will ever cope with weightier issues, and indeed the church was missing in action over all the big issues of the twentieth century. Where were the priests when the Holocaust happened? They were busy chastising their flock about such matters as divorce, contraception and homosexuality, no doubt.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Three Fingers are Pointing Back at Russia
The media attention given to Russia's inadequacy as an Olympic host is worth reading. Thanks, Russia. I never laughed so hard thinking about Russia before.
Sochi's woes remind me of an ancient proverb. When you point a finger at others, three fingers are pointing back at you. Russia declared war on gays for no apparent reason other than to create another scapegoat for social ills. Should we be forgiving of Russia's inadequacies? Should we look the other way when brown liquid pours from the faucets? Should we gloss over the sit-down toilets side-by-side in the men's and ladies' restrooms?
Three fingers, Russia, and they are your very own.
On February 7th, 2014, four activists were arrested in St. Petersburg "for taking photos with a banner referring to Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter ‘Discrimination is incompatible with the Olympic Movement.’”
One would think Russia's leaders would want to improve their image in the world, not tarnish it further. Perhaps the leaders lack social intelligence along with basic morality. Having both handicaps is a severe limitation indeed. That explains why corruption and mismanagement are rampant in that country. Brown liquid pouring from the faucets, indeed.
Sochi's woes remind me of an ancient proverb. When you point a finger at others, three fingers are pointing back at you. Russia declared war on gays for no apparent reason other than to create another scapegoat for social ills. Should we be forgiving of Russia's inadequacies? Should we look the other way when brown liquid pours from the faucets? Should we gloss over the sit-down toilets side-by-side in the men's and ladies' restrooms?
Three fingers, Russia, and they are your very own.
On February 7th, 2014, four activists were arrested in St. Petersburg "for taking photos with a banner referring to Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter ‘Discrimination is incompatible with the Olympic Movement.’”
One would think Russia's leaders would want to improve their image in the world, not tarnish it further. Perhaps the leaders lack social intelligence along with basic morality. Having both handicaps is a severe limitation indeed. That explains why corruption and mismanagement are rampant in that country. Brown liquid pouring from the faucets, indeed.
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