Afghanistan

Think upon the trillion dollars poured into Afghanistan. Was that a good use of taxpayer funds? Would it have been better spent here in the U.S.A.? Is a cure for cancer completely without value? Is there nothing to be gained from defeating AIDS?

Afghanistan is an unholy mess, the product of the stupidity of our leaders. Their leaders are even more corrupt than ours, and their entire purpose in life is to steal the maximum amount of money from the American taxpayer. They even steal the bullets we give them to defend them against the Taliban. I say let the Taliban take over. We should exact reparations from the land, mining valuable materials from the mountains, while napalming the populated Taliban-infested areas whenever they pose a threat to the transportation of material out of that blighted region. The Taliban is like roaches, they can be sprayed on a periodic basis to keep them in check. Who cares who governs the rest of that country? Abandon the untrustworthy people, and take back from the mountains all the money that was poured into that cesspool. At least that way, the American taxpayer will receive a certain percentage of his hard-earned money back. A check should be sent to each and every American taxpayer, once per year, for the next hundred years, to distribute the profits made by selling Afghan stones and minerals.

Why is the U.S. determined to be the perennial loser in every foreign conflict? Why is our tax money destined to be poured down the toilet and flushed away?

I Love Chess

I love chess because it is pure. No B.S., just mathematical truth. There is a queer beauty in it.

The alternative to chess, doing what many others do, which is to say, sitting around gossiping, seems pointless and rather debasing as well. At least with chess, one exercises the mind.

Trump

The grinning crocodile, Trump, made a none-too-subtle remark recently that gun owners might assassinate Hillary Clinton, merely because she favors modest and sensible additional controls over firearm sales, such as banning assault rifles and so on. The gun control lobby in the U.S. is completely insane. There is no need to explain. Just research for about half an hour, and it should be obvious.

Let us examine Trump's thinly veiled threat against Hillary in cold blood. Let us say Hillary is gone. Her replacement would also beat Trump and might actually prove a stronger candidate. That is why Hillary is perfectly safe. I do not fear any assassination attempt against her. The ones to fear for are the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr., who gave a better speech than any human being in living history. The evil-doers knew he was irreplaceable. That is why they murdered him. They will not touch a hair on Hillary's head, because she is replaceable, and what is more, the replacement might be better.

Cassandra

I thought this morning that I'm a Cassandra. It is my doom to see things and tell others what I see, but never to be believed. My Father disregarded all I told him to his detriment. I tried to protect him, but of course he would not listen to me. I do not have the additional power of persuasion. I've grown well-accustomed to not being listened to, but sometimes, I tell people things anyway, out of affection, loyalty, a sense of duty or perhaps just an old habit that was never quite completely broken. Sometimes it amuses me as inexorable Fate proves me right, but people never like to admit they were wrong. Cassandras are resented universally. Silence is best, in general.

The quest after Truth is like the serpentine dance of the dragon. When you think you have her, she has eluded you altogether. Nothing is easy. If someone thinks that the world is easy, they have missed about ninety-nine per cent of the equation.

Out-Christian the Christians

There are many who profess to be Christians and proclaim loudly their religiosity. I am amused by their designs to make others think they are good. They sometimes succeed through strenuous efforts at self-promotion and frequent, very public attestations of faith. They gain leverage among others of like mind in order to advance in their careers and in the world. That is their goal and their machinery is transparent to those who watch and listen.

When possible, I like to out-Christian the Christians, not in words but in deeds, and to operate, not necessarily seen or recognized, as a force for good in the world, by helping and assisting others who are good. I do not mind being anonymous. I like doing good just because. Not because I believe some invisible man is watching, a godling or some such, though perhaps that is so. My opinion is unsettled on that matter. How would I know other than how I feel? Feelings are not infallible. I could well be mistaken.

But if there were a god, she is rather a goddess, because I cannot conceive of a masculine god. The power of generation is feminine. The male can only subtract, not add. We subtract rather too often in my opinion. It is regrettable.

As for Tacita, she is not the primary goddess, but a relation. Distant, I think.

A Master's Degree in Marketing

This is the funniest IT story I've read in ages.

You know, the best way to drum up business is to design a good product and provide good service. Little tricks don't get you far.

U.S. Foreign Policy

The Syrian War is the result of Assad being the dictator. If he had been willing to negotiate and make concessions, then much death and destruction could have been avoided. He is the big loser, as is Syria, because that area will remain devastated for quite some time to come, unless the Western powers foolishly donate billions of taxpayer dollars to rebuild it.

Our leaders are misguided anytime they donate money to foreign powers. Such a decision should be left to the voters in a special referendum. I do not consent for $1 of my tax money to be used on Syria, either on bombs or on reconstruction, and certainly not on both. Why not spend that money on improving our country, if indeed money must be spent at all?

The U.S. seems a foolish country, because we fund both sides in foreign war that does not involve us. We fund both the bombing and the reconstruction and get taken advantage of throughout the entire process by corruption. Trillions of dollars are flushed down the toilet.

The anger I feel over this probably explains the popular support for Trump. But Trump is disingenuous. He would do and say whatever to benefit himself. I do not think he has much concern for either the country or for humanity at large. I have never trusted Trump. His record speaks for itself. There is no need to listen to Trump's opponents. Listen to Trump and look at his history. Hillary's history is certainly better than Trump's. She is a worker, she is dedicated, and she works for what she believes to be the good of the country. She does not cheat and she does not steal. The greatest criticism of her is that she was around when hard decisions had to be made, and she made hard decisions in difficult times. What has Trump done, other than line his own pockets? That is why, despite my disapproval of U.S. foreign policy, I will vote for Hillary.

Iran

I think the Obama Administration needs to send a letter to every citizen in the United States to let them know how much of their tax money has been sent to Iran. I can't imagine a more boneheaded enterprise than sending money to a nation that supports terrorism against American citizens and kidnaps American citizens. Now the kidnapping game is on in earnest, since everybody knows the U.S. will cough up $100 million for a single military person.

Opposing Change

Conservatives oppose change because their personality dictates it. They don't like to think about things much. They fear the unknown. They don't want to bother with studying anything, because that involves work. In short, they have a case of the La Zee Bonez, a disease that is rampant throughout the human race. Those who oppose change get awfully upset at the very idea that things might change, because then, they would have to exert a few seconds, maybe even a minute, of actual thinking. That is a huge thing to ask of them, when normally they do not think about anything at all.

Corruption and Waste

Corruption is rife in the world. In general, people do not listen to what is right, but what is best for them. Morality appears to be a new innovation in the human ape.

Government service is sometimes viewed as an opportunity to be idle and, sometimes, to steal.

Perhaps it is true that people get the government they deserve. If bad leaders are voted into office, then the people do actually get what they voted for, after all. Those regions that elect good people get better government out of the bargain. I wonder whether the U.S. deserves Trump? I certainly hope not.

Astral Stuff

I am not sure what to make of the concept of astral travel. I have read in Tyson's works that anything that happens in the astral plane happens in the mind alone and not outside of the mind. If so, what is the difference between astral travel and reading a good book? To me, it seems silly to imagine an unseen place without a good script, as found in a good book.

Also, what is the difference between astral travel, as defined by Tyson, and writing fiction?

Germany Bleeds

The news streaming in from Europe seems a never-ending stream of Muslim-manufactured atrocities. The politicians in Europe lack basic common sense. Germany is learning what should have been obvious to anyone with a functioning brain. When you invite a bunch of Muslims to the party, what you get is brain-splatter on the walls and blood all over the floors. Europe is a strange region. If you like them, believe in their culture and philosophy and want to contribute, you are unwanted. If you hate them, want to kill and rape them, then they will bend over backwards to let you in. Moreover, they will pay you not to work. This fits in with the general hypothesis that people, perhaps unknowingly, worship Thanatos, want to die and want to suffer. It is a basic impulse at conflict with happiness and progress. They want to bring the wolf to the table. Of course, the fanatical Muslims are only too happy to oblige.

Erdogan is Ugly

Erdogan, the dictator of Turkey, is just an ugly human being, sitting on the toilet and pretending to be a leader. When he dies, Turkey will be better off. That reptile won't ever give up power while a pulse still beats in his skin. There is going to be a lot of killings and a lot of imprisonment and torture while he lives.

Doing and Thinking

I think that individuals are capable of surprising changes, including improvements, in their beliefs. If my father were alive today, I believe his views on marijuana would change, just as he changed his mind on the subject of homosexuality. When I was a boy, he was a big homophobe, referring to gays as "perverts" and probably worse. He never invited any gay person over to his house and had no gay friends. All of that is ironic, because his son was gay and would have turned out better if things had been normal rather than paranoid and ignorant. At the age of nineteen, when I came out to my father, he decided to educate himself on the subject of homosexuality for the first time. He read books and discussed the subject with others. His views underwent an alteration for the better.

I had a dream of my father last night. I dreamt that he searched my room, as he always used to do. It was his favorite pastime, rationalized as necessary, due to my typical teenage vices of cigarettes, alcohol and pot. He boasted of confiscating my vaporizer. I then pointed out that A.) the thing cost over a hundred dollars, and I really didn't appreciate having to buy a new one now, and B.) I was an adult now and in fact I was his equal, because I supported myself and was independent in every way. Moreover, he was elderly, and it was I that looked after him, rather than the other way around.

For item C, I pointed out that everyone with an education had by now accepted that marijuana was, well, not necessarily health food, but a medicine, and certainly not any more dangerous than alcohol, or for that matter, aspirin or coffee. My father was a learned man that liked to read magazines of the world's opinions and discoveries. In 2016, the truth is out there, for those that wish to listen. My father sagged his shoulders and said, "We know different, now. I was mistaken about this, and I am sorry. I concede to Science." Because Science was his God. And science has spoken about the medicinal plant, a gift to mankind. He apologized for having confiscated my vaporizer but had already destroyed it.

Perhaps in a way, my father's spirit was apologizing for all those searches and seizures, for all those angry scenes, a pointless parade of imagined parental duty. People do tend to act automatically, like robots, behaving in ways they have been programmed to do, rather than pausing to consider the merits of things. Perhaps there isn't always time or energy left over from doing to indulge in much thinking.

Europe Gets a Lesson in Common Sense

Europe is getting a lesson in common sense when it comes to accepting so many "refugees" from Muslim nations. Those nincompoops need to stay where they are and fix Islam, not come over to the West and start problems with their wrong-headed notions. If you let in a bunch of people that have no stake in your culture or philosophy, then they may actually be interesting in killing, robbing or raping your people. That is a lesson Europe is starting to learn, unfortunately. It is a pity that the politicians over there are so boneheaded, they think everyone around the world wants to hold hands and sing Kumbaya. There is a reason that people are voting for the right-wingers, and it is because they see this, because it is obvious, whereas the politicians don't see anything.

Police Need Job Insecurity

Police need to know that when they do wrong, they will be fired. They should be fired from the police force when they pepper-spray people for no reason. They can go to work for Wal-Mart as Wal-Mart greeters. "How may I help you today?" would be good therapy, repeated daily for the next ten years. I do not understand when police officers that shoot, beat, spray, or kill people are reassigned, suspended, or given some other silly wrist-slapping. In any other job, they would be fired, at the very least. Firing would be the minimum consequence. Police need to learn about job insecurity like the rest of us. They are not employed for life. Who among us is employed for life? None of us are very secure in our jobs. None of us can count on that paycheck being there tomorrow. Police need to learn that they are living in the real world, not the fantasy world of never getting fired. Also, police unions should be banned altogether, and any police officer that joins some kind of secret union should be fired. There is no place for unionization or job security for anyone that holds a loaded firearm.

This would put a cap on all the negative stories circulating about law enforcement. The majority are decent, but there needs to be ongoing culling, just like in any other profession. Unfortunately, today, the bad cops just get reassigned or suspended, and go on doing bad things until one day they show up in the headlines.

Turkey's Last Chance

Turkey's last gasp as a republic expired over the weekend as vampire Recep Tayyip Erdoğan managed to fend off a rebellion. Now the ghoul is greedily preparing the deaths of thousands to ensure he can rule until his last, evil heartbeat. Turkey should never be allowed in the European Union, and should be regarded as a second-class citizen in NATO. After all, evil Turkey assisted ISIS and is regularly on the side of NATO's enemies. The only reason Turkey doesn't openly declare itself an enemy of the West is because it is scared of Russia. Russia has no illusions about Turkey, whereas the West has been very mild and tolerant of Erdogan's wickedness and duplicity. Turkey hates the West, hates democracy, and hates science, technology and culture. The only thing Turkey wants is beheading, torture, and fanatical Islam, in large doses, preferably televised, with all other television and Internet censored.

Nocturnal Perfection Achieved by Linux Mint 18

What I want in an operating system is simple. I want to look at a screen that is easy on the eyes. I spend a lot of time on the computer, and I don't need to be staring into a light bulb. I do not like headaches and I do not appreciate eyestrain. After twenty years, Windows does not understand this. Windows insists upon burning out the eyeballs of its users. Ubuntu is no better. Only Linux Mint understands, as of version 18.

I'm happy with Linux Mint 18, because it has included a dark theme that just works all the time. Fastest and easiest route to nocturnal perfection that I have ever experienced in any operating system. I liked it so much, I donated to the project. In my opinion, Mint-Y-Dark is reason enough to convert to Linux Mint 18. Meanwhile, I don't know what Windows and Ubuntu are doing, but they are not doing anything for me.

Mr. Developer, please. Think, for a moment, about the human body. In particular, have pity on the human eyeball. It is not designed to stare into the Sun all day long. Try to design your product so that it works in harmony with the user and is not harmful to the user.

My Radical Idea

I have at least one radical idea. I believe we can safely reduce the number of police by about 25 - 50% without consequences, other than a temporary unemployment bump. I think that would reduce a lot of the officer-involved shootings in America. There are too many police without enough to do. That is the central problem. They are driving around looking for something to do to bump up their quotas. I do not think police suffer from a huge racism problem. I think that police suffer from not enough work to do and from most of their work being petty nonsense that doesn't make any difference to the community.

If there are to be less police, then the ones that remain will really be working on meaningful things, like crime, rather than driving around wasting gas and harassing poor people. To reduce the burden on law enforcement, we should also legalize marijuana and prostitution.

I don't really know what to say to people that think marijuana needs to be illegal in 2016 and beyond. Read some books, get educated, try to advance in learning. Go to Norml.org and learn the facts rather than the old, disproved propaganda.

Prostitution is a more honest form of a trade that goes on anyway under various pretenses. People will always be attracted to money and to power, and nothing is going to change that. Sex for goods or services is as old as sex itself and is practiced in all the animals.

Also, have the mentally ill homeless people taken care of by a specially trained mental illness service. We should not call cops to deal with the mentally ill. Cops are not therapists, psychologists, or anything like that. Cops deal with crime. The mentally ill need help, usually in the form of anti-psychotic drugs or just rest and food. Some people additionally need guidance and advice.

Another thing we can do to reduce the burden on law enforcement is install a governor on all motor vehicles to prevent their traveling above 80 mph. That would reduce speeding using a simple technical device, which can be verified as functional by a cellular internet connection, without the need for cops. Using millions of cops simply to enforce speeding laws is inefficient. I really do not think that people go into law enforcement with the desire to hand out tickets to lead-foots.

Knock Idols Off Their Pedestal

Whenever one creates idols, it is wise to knock them off their pedestals whenever possible. Idols beget idolatry, which is supposed to be naughty. I do not believe a human being qualifies as a deity. Such an elevation oversteps a boundary. Some human beings do approach the divine, but not quite there, surely.

I like to gather knowledge about my idols, using tools that are familiar to me, and that serves to humanize and demythologize them. Then I can incorporate my former idols into my understanding of reality and human existence.

Best of all is to have a belly-laugh over a former idol. Thanks for that, Donald.