So what have I got against Thanksgiving? Nothing really, I'm not some self-important gen-X wannabe hipster cringing at the thought of eating too much kitschy holiday fare with relatives I don't really like.
Rather, I enjoy eating good food, I'm old enough to be nostalgic for turkey, cranberry sauce in the shape of the can it came in, and lots of mashed potatoes and stuffing drowned in brown gravy. And I really like being around my family, maybe because I didn't grow up surrounded by these people, seeing my extended family, sharing a good meal, and even listening to them talk sports, and gossip about people I only vaguely know is a novel, pleasant experience.
This Thanksgiving, I had a cold, and stayed home. So I missed the big meal, the family, the sitting stuffed like some human shaped casserole, only peripherally aware of the big men in bright uniforms running around a white-marked field of green on the TV, while the men-folk, yell instructions nobody outside this small gathering will hear. A little way a way, feminine voices speak of marriages, divorce, death, birth, money-troubles and children.
This could be any family, but it's mine, and I'd liked to have been there. And yes, I was thought of, and my mother and step-father, when they visited later, filled my fridge with enough left-overs to make several very nice meals for me. So, despite the fact that I'm still coughing up nasty stuff, and eating aspirin like after-dinner mints, I have a lot to be thankful for. I'm thankful for the nice meal that my step-father and mother brought almost 80 miles one-way for me to enjoy, I'm very thankful for their support, I've been going through a lot of dark times, out of work, and feeling very rudderless in life right now, and my family has been a beacon in the blackness for me more than once.
But I have more to thank than just my loving family, I have a lot of stranger's to thank. People I don't know and who don't know me. Some do no more than pay their taxes, and vote for the people they think will best represent them in government. Some work to build and maintain water-works, power-plants, and the all-important sewer-systems, so farmers can turn water, soil, sunlight and chemistry into the food we all enjoy without a thought to those who make it possible. And so that we have a ready supply of water when we need it, to cook, to clean, and to drink, and so that we can drink water without worrying about catching disease. These things aren't universals, we westerners are lucky to be born when and where we were.
So, in the end, I think I feel Thanksgiving angst not because people aren't thankful enough, but because they all too often don't give thanks to those who's hard work and ingenuity made it all possible. So to you, the tax-payer, the local, state, and national representatives (even the ones I didn't vote for, even if I've called you names you probably did deserve), to the civil engineers, the construction workers, the farmers, the soil-conservationists, the waste-management people, garbage men, electricians, educators, and the thousands I, in my ignorance, have failed to name, I give my warmest thanks.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
And the Award for Worst Excuse Ever ... of All Time! goes to ....
Minnesota Republican lawmaker Tom Hackbarth, who when confronted by the police when a security guard saw him armed, lurking in-front of a planned parenthood clinic in St. Paul Minnesota, stated that there was just a big misunderstanding, he didn't even know that the parking-lot he'd parked at belonged to the planned parenthood clinic, he was instead looking for a woman he'd met online and had coffee with once before who told him she couldn't go out with him that night (Rep. Hackbarth is married, but getting a divorce), because she had a prior engagement with a girlfriend. Hackbarth assured officers, that he was only checking out the woman's story (whom he suspected was really meeting another man), and therefore everything was just fine. So with one fell swoop, he dispelled the mistake that he was a creepy anti-abortion terrorist, with the truth about him being a creepy internet stalker. Whew! I'm glad that got cleared up. And yes, the cops kept his gun that night (he did get it back however). For the actual news story, go here.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Random Rant: Why People are Abandoning Cable
I just finished reading an opinion piece titled Why Are People Abandoning Cable TV?, in which Graeme McMillan argues that the drop-off of cable subscription rates is in large-part due to viewers choosing to watch shows online. He sites the lower prices of services like Hulu Plus, but really doesn't delve any deeper into the matter. I think that there are more forces driving viewers away from cable subscription and towards the internet for their "TV" viewing, and the biggest might not be the price differential.
It is my opinion, that a major factor is that the networks have severely underestimated the intelligence of the viewing public, and this coupled with a tendency for networks to move from disparate discrete demographics to a homogenized mish-mash of me-too programming has put off the majority of cable subscribers. The bottom third who might otherwise watch this drivel can see the same kinds of programming from their local TV stations, and likely can't afford the pricey cable fees anyway.
I remember a time when new cable stations were coming out, each to fit a entertainment niche that wasn't being filled by one of the big broadcast networks, like MTV that provided music videos and concerts, A&E that gave viewers slightly higher-brow programs compared to broadcast stations, HBO which brought recent movie releases into the subscriber's home,later the Discovery Channel brought science, nature and educational shows to cable audiences, and later still the History Channel brought viewers historical documentaries and dramas. Now, the same types of programs as one might find on NBC will be broadcast on HBO, A&E and MTV. The History Channel is more likely to have a credulous program on UFOs as to have a documentary about the Boer War, and Discovery is more likely to be showing ghosts than it is it's only hold-out from the good old days, Mythbusters.
In fact one can click through channel after channel and see the same show, with slightly different names. Since viewers can see this kind of show on broadcast TV, there's nothing to keep them paying the high subscriber services. But it gets better than that, because the internet allows users to find the programs they really like, and there's a lot of good content out there. Hulu, Netflix, and iTunes makes it easy to find any of the few network shows you might like to view, either free, or for much less than you'd end up paying for cable, and services like YouTube, Fora.tv, and TED.com provide content across a wide spectrum, that one simply cannot find on television.
It is my opinion, that a major factor is that the networks have severely underestimated the intelligence of the viewing public, and this coupled with a tendency for networks to move from disparate discrete demographics to a homogenized mish-mash of me-too programming has put off the majority of cable subscribers. The bottom third who might otherwise watch this drivel can see the same kinds of programming from their local TV stations, and likely can't afford the pricey cable fees anyway.
I remember a time when new cable stations were coming out, each to fit a entertainment niche that wasn't being filled by one of the big broadcast networks, like MTV that provided music videos and concerts, A&E that gave viewers slightly higher-brow programs compared to broadcast stations, HBO which brought recent movie releases into the subscriber's home,later the Discovery Channel brought science, nature and educational shows to cable audiences, and later still the History Channel brought viewers historical documentaries and dramas. Now, the same types of programs as one might find on NBC will be broadcast on HBO, A&E and MTV. The History Channel is more likely to have a credulous program on UFOs as to have a documentary about the Boer War, and Discovery is more likely to be showing ghosts than it is it's only hold-out from the good old days, Mythbusters.
In fact one can click through channel after channel and see the same show, with slightly different names. Since viewers can see this kind of show on broadcast TV, there's nothing to keep them paying the high subscriber services. But it gets better than that, because the internet allows users to find the programs they really like, and there's a lot of good content out there. Hulu, Netflix, and iTunes makes it easy to find any of the few network shows you might like to view, either free, or for much less than you'd end up paying for cable, and services like YouTube, Fora.tv, and TED.com provide content across a wide spectrum, that one simply cannot find on television.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Movie Review: De-Lovely
The movie De-Lovely is a lovely romp through the life and times of Cole Porter as interpreted by screenwriter Jay Cocks and director Irwin Winkler. The story opens with Cole Porter (played by Kevin Kline) at the moment of death, visited by a spectral "Director," (Gabe, played by a very arch Jonathan Pryce) who takes him to a small theater where they revisit his life with his wife, Linda (Ashley Judd).
The conceit of directing his life as a musical number allows the story to throw out chronology and in some places historical fact. It also allows the old Cole to act as narrator. A convenient feature that is sometimes used too heavy-handedly, for instance, when the scene cuts from the music room where Cole is playing This Thing Called Love, to the bed-room scene between Cole and Boris.
Scattered throughout the picture, used to move the story along, rather than to document the chronology of Porter's work are wonderful arrangements of his songs sung by the popular artists of today. Sheryl Crow's rendition of Begin the Beguine, arranged by Steven Endelman, is particularly haunting.
The movie is marred in a few ways, Alanis Morissette's costume is the one case where the normally flawless wardrobe department let us down, what is she supposed to be, a clown? Linda Thomas' ex-husband is depicted crashing the marriage and confronts her about her marriage to Porter and physically assaults her in the stairway of the Ritz Hotel, this seems to me a clumsy way to let the audience know that the Thomas marriage was abusive.
Furthermore, Linda is portrayed as a controlling whiner, and even uses her miscarriage to force Cole to leave New York for Hollywood. Yet, his homosexuality (depicted as the cause of all their tension) isn't a secret when they are married. And then there's the obvious as a sledge-hammer to the head foreshadowing of Cole's riding accident (can you count all the horseys?).
But still, even with it's flaws, the gorgeous musical numbers, the Armani designed suits Kevin Kline wears, and the beautiful sets make up for the flaws. If you like the music of Cole Porter, period pieces from the 1920s, and lush beautiful movies give this one a try. It's perfectly kid-safe, despite the PG-13 rating, the only violence being one small scene where Edward Thomas her ex-husband slams her against the wall, and no rough language or sex-scenes in the movie. Having said that, I would imagine there is little to appeal to younger audiences, but If you like the 1920s, Cole Porter and/or the musical theater, then you should at least rent this movie.
The conceit of directing his life as a musical number allows the story to throw out chronology and in some places historical fact. It also allows the old Cole to act as narrator. A convenient feature that is sometimes used too heavy-handedly, for instance, when the scene cuts from the music room where Cole is playing This Thing Called Love, to the bed-room scene between Cole and Boris.
Scattered throughout the picture, used to move the story along, rather than to document the chronology of Porter's work are wonderful arrangements of his songs sung by the popular artists of today. Sheryl Crow's rendition of Begin the Beguine, arranged by Steven Endelman, is particularly haunting.
The movie is marred in a few ways, Alanis Morissette's costume is the one case where the normally flawless wardrobe department let us down, what is she supposed to be, a clown? Linda Thomas' ex-husband is depicted crashing the marriage and confronts her about her marriage to Porter and physically assaults her in the stairway of the Ritz Hotel, this seems to me a clumsy way to let the audience know that the Thomas marriage was abusive.
Furthermore, Linda is portrayed as a controlling whiner, and even uses her miscarriage to force Cole to leave New York for Hollywood. Yet, his homosexuality (depicted as the cause of all their tension) isn't a secret when they are married. And then there's the obvious as a sledge-hammer to the head foreshadowing of Cole's riding accident (can you count all the horseys?).
But still, even with it's flaws, the gorgeous musical numbers, the Armani designed suits Kevin Kline wears, and the beautiful sets make up for the flaws. If you like the music of Cole Porter, period pieces from the 1920s, and lush beautiful movies give this one a try. It's perfectly kid-safe, despite the PG-13 rating, the only violence being one small scene where Edward Thomas her ex-husband slams her against the wall, and no rough language or sex-scenes in the movie. Having said that, I would imagine there is little to appeal to younger audiences, but If you like the 1920s, Cole Porter and/or the musical theater, then you should at least rent this movie.
Book Review: The Perfect Thing by Steven Levy
If you've read my review of Hackers, you know that I am a fan of Steven Levy's writing. This book is the most on-target of the three Steven Levy books that I have read.
He takes the reader on an interesting ride inside Apple's product design process, through the halting, steps that lead (eventually) to the iPod. Documenting the well-known precedents, the early transistor radios that allowed kids to tune into the young, energetic rock-and-roll, anywhere they went, and the Sony Walkman that redefined personal music in the 80's. But also touching on important Pioneers like Andreas Pavel's "Stereobelt", and DEC's PJB.
Other chapters cover the rise of the iPod from its obscure beginnings to it's modern iTunes store ubiquity, the effect of the iPod on our daily commute, the MP3 craze, and the record industry's crazy reactions to even the most well-intentioned enterprises, and the sometimes irrational beliefs (such as the belief expressed in the chapter "Shuffle" that one's iPod "liked" some bands more than others) people sometimes hold about their beloved iPods.
I love my iPod, and I definitely love this book. Go buy, borrow or steal it now! Okay, you probably shouldn't steal it, but at least check it out at the library, it's a definite good read.
He takes the reader on an interesting ride inside Apple's product design process, through the halting, steps that lead (eventually) to the iPod. Documenting the well-known precedents, the early transistor radios that allowed kids to tune into the young, energetic rock-and-roll, anywhere they went, and the Sony Walkman that redefined personal music in the 80's. But also touching on important Pioneers like Andreas Pavel's "Stereobelt", and DEC's PJB.
Other chapters cover the rise of the iPod from its obscure beginnings to it's modern iTunes store ubiquity, the effect of the iPod on our daily commute, the MP3 craze, and the record industry's crazy reactions to even the most well-intentioned enterprises, and the sometimes irrational beliefs (such as the belief expressed in the chapter "Shuffle" that one's iPod "liked" some bands more than others) people sometimes hold about their beloved iPods.
I love my iPod, and I definitely love this book. Go buy, borrow or steal it now! Okay, you probably shouldn't steal it, but at least check it out at the library, it's a definite good read.
Book Review: Hackers by Steven Levy
Hackers covers hacker history from the late fifties to the early eighties. Levy captures the passion of these young men for the computer. He distills for the layman the adventure of programming as few have. Particularly in parts 1 and 2 of his book.
Famous hackers from history such as Alan Kotok, Peter Samson, Steve "Slug" Russel of Space War fame, Bill Gosper, Richard Greenblat, Lee Felsenstein, Stephen Wozniak and Steve Jobs of Apple, Richard Stallman, Richard "Lord British" Garriott and John Harris fill the pages with their various adventures, wins and losses.
This book is however slightly marred by Levy's lack of computer knowledge coupled with apparently shoddy research (several key program names, such as TICO for TECO, are misspelled). This is not serious, but his tendency to loose track of the subject matter, spending too much time writing about various Computer Science types like Minsky and McCarthy or suits such as Bill Gates, Adam Osborne and Ken Williams, in some cases necessary to add context, but other times, I suspect, because these men (All fascinating in their own right, and many computer programmers at some time or another) and their motives are more easily grasped by Levy and his readers alike, detracts, ever so slightly, from an otherwise excellent book.
Despite some very minor flaws, this is a wonderful book on hacking and hackers, be they the TMRC TX-0 Aficionados back in the late fifties and early sixties, the wirehead hardware junkies of the seventies , or the home-computer game hackers of the eighties. I would strongly recommend this title to computer wonks and laymen alike.
Famous hackers from history such as Alan Kotok, Peter Samson, Steve "Slug" Russel of Space War fame, Bill Gosper, Richard Greenblat, Lee Felsenstein, Stephen Wozniak and Steve Jobs of Apple, Richard Stallman, Richard "Lord British" Garriott and John Harris fill the pages with their various adventures, wins and losses.
This book is however slightly marred by Levy's lack of computer knowledge coupled with apparently shoddy research (several key program names, such as TICO for TECO, are misspelled). This is not serious, but his tendency to loose track of the subject matter, spending too much time writing about various Computer Science types like Minsky and McCarthy or suits such as Bill Gates, Adam Osborne and Ken Williams, in some cases necessary to add context, but other times, I suspect, because these men (All fascinating in their own right, and many computer programmers at some time or another) and their motives are more easily grasped by Levy and his readers alike, detracts, ever so slightly, from an otherwise excellent book.
Despite some very minor flaws, this is a wonderful book on hacking and hackers, be they the TMRC TX-0 Aficionados back in the late fifties and early sixties, the wirehead hardware junkies of the seventies , or the home-computer game hackers of the eighties. I would strongly recommend this title to computer wonks and laymen alike.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A Choleratic Cluster F*ck
I just finished reading this article on the CNN web-site. The article itself says nothing new about cholera, once an epidemic breaks out, It will continue until the people can get a clean water source.
It's really sad that a natural disaster had to hit the poorest nation in the Americas. The total lack of adequate waste management is turning a disaster even worse, and now, the victims are turning on the very people and organizations that are trying to alleviate the problem, taking the problem from worse to abysmally worse. I have hope, that working together, the people of the world can patch the problem up, but how high will the death-toll reach before that happens. And what can other nations do to change the conditions in Haiti so they won't happen again, it's not as if Haiti's neighbors haven't been donating money, but where has this money gone? I'm sorry, I try to remain detached and look for possible answers on this blog, but the cholera epidemic in Haiti has me flummoxed the more I find out about it, and I really don't know how we can fix it. Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas, and doesn't show any signs of positive change. Are we going to watch as mismanagement, corruption, ignorance and a almost total lack of infrastructure result in a perfect storm of auto-genocide for the first independent nation of Latin-America? If not, what can we do? These are not rhetorical questions, I don't know how to save Haiti, and I don't see any other long term plans other than keep sending aid that doesn't seem to do anything.
And then there's this 'story' on the same web-site, stirring up fear, stupidity and ignorance of the way cholera spreads to infer that the US is in some way in peril of being struck by a cholera epidemic.
The comments on both stories are appalling, spanning from crass stupidity and ignorance, through veiled racism to outright racist shittery. I need a good nice story to cuttle up with, a nice fun fluffy story to balance all the gloom and stupid. Where's the anti-gay preacher or politician with his hand down a rent-boy's pants when you really need them? Okay, that last question was rhetorical.
I'm sorry if this post is long and rambling, but I have to get this out of my system somehow.
It's really sad that a natural disaster had to hit the poorest nation in the Americas. The total lack of adequate waste management is turning a disaster even worse, and now, the victims are turning on the very people and organizations that are trying to alleviate the problem, taking the problem from worse to abysmally worse. I have hope, that working together, the people of the world can patch the problem up, but how high will the death-toll reach before that happens. And what can other nations do to change the conditions in Haiti so they won't happen again, it's not as if Haiti's neighbors haven't been donating money, but where has this money gone? I'm sorry, I try to remain detached and look for possible answers on this blog, but the cholera epidemic in Haiti has me flummoxed the more I find out about it, and I really don't know how we can fix it. Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas, and doesn't show any signs of positive change. Are we going to watch as mismanagement, corruption, ignorance and a almost total lack of infrastructure result in a perfect storm of auto-genocide for the first independent nation of Latin-America? If not, what can we do? These are not rhetorical questions, I don't know how to save Haiti, and I don't see any other long term plans other than keep sending aid that doesn't seem to do anything.
And then there's this 'story' on the same web-site, stirring up fear, stupidity and ignorance of the way cholera spreads to infer that the US is in some way in peril of being struck by a cholera epidemic.
The comments on both stories are appalling, spanning from crass stupidity and ignorance, through veiled racism to outright racist shittery. I need a good nice story to cuttle up with, a nice fun fluffy story to balance all the gloom and stupid. Where's the anti-gay preacher or politician with his hand down a rent-boy's pants when you really need them? Okay, that last question was rhetorical.
I'm sorry if this post is long and rambling, but I have to get this out of my system somehow.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The British Royal Family
Steven Fry twitted today about some marriage or such in the British Royal Family, and I, funnily enough, upon reading this, had an epiphany. I have to say, that I’ve always thought the idea of having a royal family rather anachronistic, and it still bothers me, I must admit, that some of my fellow Americans are just as enthralled by these dotards, as the British (maybe even more so, in some cases).
I realize my ire is largely misplaced, none of this current crop of bumblers are the tyrants of the history books, or for that matter, even that closely related to them, and as a citizen of another nation, I don’t even have to support them and their silly church. However, the idea of a family of inbred welfare recipients living in palaces instead of the low rent trailer park they could have so easily have been plucked out of, seems silly, and the idea of a hereditary head of state, even a basically powerless one, twinned with the same person heading a state-religion, is abhorrent to me.
But, today I realized that they do serve a sort of purpose, although a prohibitively expensive purpose, they act, I believe, as a sort of national dysfunctional family, to whom Brits who might have nothing else to connect over can collectively point to, much like a far flung family bonding over this troublesome drunk uncle, or that retarded cousin, and in so doing, feel more closely bonded together.
I realize my ire is largely misplaced, none of this current crop of bumblers are the tyrants of the history books, or for that matter, even that closely related to them, and as a citizen of another nation, I don’t even have to support them and their silly church. However, the idea of a family of inbred welfare recipients living in palaces instead of the low rent trailer park they could have so easily have been plucked out of, seems silly, and the idea of a hereditary head of state, even a basically powerless one, twinned with the same person heading a state-religion, is abhorrent to me.
But, today I realized that they do serve a sort of purpose, although a prohibitively expensive purpose, they act, I believe, as a sort of national dysfunctional family, to whom Brits who might have nothing else to connect over can collectively point to, much like a far flung family bonding over this troublesome drunk uncle, or that retarded cousin, and in so doing, feel more closely bonded together.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
What I wan't from my governments
Yes, governments, plural, since we as individuals live under layers of governments from federal to state and local governments, there would be changes at all levels.
1. Strengthening of the first amendment wall of separation of church and state. And interpreting freedom of speech and press in the broadest terms.
2. Laws limiting the right of the people to keep and bear arms, particularly restrictions on carrying loaded guns in cars, or on one's person should be eliminated. A background check and gun permit should be all that is required for one to carry a weapon concealed or not. Any non-automatic weapon that doesn't use explosive shells (i.e. no machine-guns, sub-machine-guns or grenade launchers, but no silly distinction's about semi-auto weapons based on fear-mongering) should be legal to own and carry.
5.
3. Eliminate the patriot-act, CIA and NSA. Prosecute prisoners in Guantanamo Bay in civil courts, or release them, holding people in prison for indefinite periods of time without charges is inherently un-American.
4. Eliminate all laws restricting adults use or sales of drugs, tax them within reason, and put one tenth of the tax-money that had been spent on the "war on drugs" on an educational campaign and to set up drug clinics using scientifically proven effective programs (i.e. no 12-step or other woo based solutions that don't actually show positive results) to help addicts to recover.
5. Legalize sex-workers and set up regulations to combat STDs among that industry, oh, and tax it within reason.
6. Remove all US forces from foreign soil, redesign armed-forces to be a purely defense-force to protect US states, and territories, including massive reductions in defense spending.
7. Increase 10 fold spending for science research grants for higher education, particularly in the area of pure research.
8. Increase by 10 fold spending on NASA, including adding incentives for cooperation with private sector to help make space a profitable area for investment.
9. Include a skeptical thinking class in all schools starting in grade school, through high-school. Also, sex-education classes (including birth control and STDs ) should be a manditory part of middle-school and high-school. Private schools, and home schooling systems should have to hold to these same standards. Religious schools, if they want to teach creation should have it in a separate theology class.
10. Eliminate any special tax exemptions for churches.
11. Eliminate laws restricting a woman's right to choose what she does with her own body.
12. Civil union's for everyone, any sex, and any number of individuals (under an arbitrary limit to be agreed apon, say > 1 < 10). Also eliminate any special tax-exemptions or incentives that act effectively as a single's tax.
13. Remove any licensing or regulation of business where it cannot be proven that said regulation isn't required to ensure the safety of the public. Too much regulation is used by large corporations to act as a barrier to competition from small business that might otherwise out-compete them.
14. No government regulated monopolies. We need to seriously think about what services are best run by government, and completely socialize them, and which are best left to the private sector, and completely de-regulate them, composite solutions are invariably a worst-of-both-worlds solution.
15. Reign in the FCC, let them decide who gets what bit of the airwaves where and keep them from dictating or censoring content. For that matter, eliminate all forms of censorship excepting self-censorship of industry by industry.
16. Copyrights should be for 14 years, with the copyright holders right to renewal for another 14 years, until his death. Eliminate all software patents.
17. Reform social security to insure that it will be tenable when I'm old enough to draw it. Creep the retirement age up to 70 over a 10 year period.
18. I think that unemployment insurance might be an area that would be better served by the private sector. Either way, someone who is a low unemployment risk shouldn't have to pay the same as somebody who is often unemployed.
19. Repeal helmet laws and seat-belt laws for adults, and while we're doing that defang the federal and state governments ability to strong-arm state and local governments to pass laws not in the interest of their citizens. And no laws impinging on the rights of the people to live their lives as they see fit if it doesn't directly impact the rights of their fellow citizens.
I am hoping this blog-post will be a catalyst to get my friends talking about these issues, please post any additions, changes or problems you see, or oversights on my part. I'd like to hear you opinions.
1. Strengthening of the first amendment wall of separation of church and state. And interpreting freedom of speech and press in the broadest terms.
2. Laws limiting the right of the people to keep and bear arms, particularly restrictions on carrying loaded guns in cars, or on one's person should be eliminated. A background check and gun permit should be all that is required for one to carry a weapon concealed or not. Any non-automatic weapon that doesn't use explosive shells (i.e. no machine-guns, sub-machine-guns or grenade launchers, but no silly distinction's about semi-auto weapons based on fear-mongering) should be legal to own and carry.
3. Eliminate the patriot-act, CIA and NSA. Prosecute prisoners in Guantanamo Bay in civil courts, or release them, holding people in prison for indefinite periods of time without charges is inherently un-American.
4. Eliminate all laws restricting adults use or sales of drugs, tax them within reason, and put one tenth of the tax-money that had been spent on the "war on drugs" on an educational campaign and to set up drug clinics using scientifically proven effective programs (i.e. no 12-step or other woo based solutions that don't actually show positive results) to help addicts to recover.
5. Legalize sex-workers and set up regulations to combat STDs among that industry, oh, and tax it within reason.
6. Remove all US forces from foreign soil, redesign armed-forces to be a purely defense-force to protect US states, and territories, including massive reductions in defense spending.
7. Increase 10 fold spending for science research grants for higher education, particularly in the area of pure research.
8. Increase by 10 fold spending on NASA, including adding incentives for cooperation with private sector to help make space a profitable area for investment.
9. Include a skeptical thinking class in all schools starting in grade school, through high-school. Also, sex-education classes (including birth control and STDs ) should be a manditory part of middle-school and high-school. Private schools, and home schooling systems should have to hold to these same standards. Religious schools, if they want to teach creation should have it in a separate theology class.
10. Eliminate any special tax exemptions for churches.
11. Eliminate laws restricting a woman's right to choose what she does with her own body.
12. Civil union's for everyone, any sex, and any number of individuals (under an arbitrary limit to be agreed apon, say > 1 < 10). Also eliminate any special tax-exemptions or incentives that act effectively as a single's tax.
13. Remove any licensing or regulation of business where it cannot be proven that said regulation isn't required to ensure the safety of the public. Too much regulation is used by large corporations to act as a barrier to competition from small business that might otherwise out-compete them.
14. No government regulated monopolies. We need to seriously think about what services are best run by government, and completely socialize them, and which are best left to the private sector, and completely de-regulate them, composite solutions are invariably a worst-of-both-worlds solution.
15. Reign in the FCC, let them decide who gets what bit of the airwaves where and keep them from dictating or censoring content. For that matter, eliminate all forms of censorship excepting self-censorship of industry by industry.
16. Copyrights should be for 14 years, with the copyright holders right to renewal for another 14 years, until his death. Eliminate all software patents.
17. Reform social security to insure that it will be tenable when I'm old enough to draw it. Creep the retirement age up to 70 over a 10 year period.
18. I think that unemployment insurance might be an area that would be better served by the private sector. Either way, someone who is a low unemployment risk shouldn't have to pay the same as somebody who is often unemployed.
19. Repeal helmet laws and seat-belt laws for adults, and while we're doing that defang the federal and state governments ability to strong-arm state and local governments to pass laws not in the interest of their citizens. And no laws impinging on the rights of the people to live their lives as they see fit if it doesn't directly impact the rights of their fellow citizens.
I am hoping this blog-post will be a catalyst to get my friends talking about these issues, please post any additions, changes or problems you see, or oversights on my part. I'd like to hear you opinions.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Where do you get your morals from?
I am an atheist, in that while I don't know that there is no god, I see no need of a god for the universe to exist as it does now, and so I assume due to lack of evidence that there is no god, furthermore, I am assured that the theist knows no-more about the universe than myself. If there is one true religion, then how, with the dizzying array of belief systems, each with its plethora of sects, can one ever know which it is?
But that's not what this entry is about, rather it is about the infuriating argument some theist use as an attack on the non-believer. If you don't believe, then where do you get your morals? This is a common question one sees in many forums where believer and non-believer congregate together.
However, I see it as a really poorly thought out question. The question implies that the religious person gets his or her morality from their scriptures or theology, however, I find this to not be the case, if that were so, then the moral beliefs of all Christians would be exactly the same and mirror the bible scripture perfectly. Ditto Muslims, Jews, Hindus and etc. Each religious group would have exact and unchanging moral codes in accordance with their religious texts and dogma.
This is simply not the case. Not only do different sects with in a religion espouse different moral beliefs, different individuals within the same church will often hold radically different beliefs about what is and is not moral. It's as if they were each coming to different conclusion's about morality irrespective of scripture.
This is, I propose, exactly what is going on. The believer and the unbeliever are both using the same processes to come to a set of moral understanding through their culture, introspection, and understanding of individual rights and duties. That the believer dresses his beliefs with passages of scripture is no different than when either of us quotes a bit of literature or poetry that encapsulates an idea or feeling. Good people of faith will unfailingly quote passages decrying believers to do good to others, do good works and etc., and bad people of faith will find plenty of passages to cloak their own prejudices and nastiness. There are plenty of good and bad bits in most religious texts for this practice to thrive.
But that's not what this entry is about, rather it is about the infuriating argument some theist use as an attack on the non-believer. If you don't believe, then where do you get your morals? This is a common question one sees in many forums where believer and non-believer congregate together.
However, I see it as a really poorly thought out question. The question implies that the religious person gets his or her morality from their scriptures or theology, however, I find this to not be the case, if that were so, then the moral beliefs of all Christians would be exactly the same and mirror the bible scripture perfectly. Ditto Muslims, Jews, Hindus and etc. Each religious group would have exact and unchanging moral codes in accordance with their religious texts and dogma.
This is simply not the case. Not only do different sects with in a religion espouse different moral beliefs, different individuals within the same church will often hold radically different beliefs about what is and is not moral. It's as if they were each coming to different conclusion's about morality irrespective of scripture.
This is, I propose, exactly what is going on. The believer and the unbeliever are both using the same processes to come to a set of moral understanding through their culture, introspection, and understanding of individual rights and duties. That the believer dresses his beliefs with passages of scripture is no different than when either of us quotes a bit of literature or poetry that encapsulates an idea or feeling. Good people of faith will unfailingly quote passages decrying believers to do good to others, do good works and etc., and bad people of faith will find plenty of passages to cloak their own prejudices and nastiness. There are plenty of good and bad bits in most religious texts for this practice to thrive.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Facebook Censors 'Everybody Draw Mohammad Day' Page, Pakistan Lifts Ban
I would hope that we can save said wack-o's from religion instead, this would have two advantages. Saving minds from religious wack-odom, and cutting down on collateral-damage, especially as some of that damaged collateral could concevably be me. Sane ex-wack-o's are better than dead wack-o's IMHO.
About South Park
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
Facebook Censors 'Everybody Draw Mohammad Day' Page, Pakistan Lifts Ban
Why not? More freedom is better than less. This is why hate speech laws are wrong. It's better that we all get offended than that anyone is censored. Being offended is *NEVER* grounds for violence. Violent reaction against words is always wrong, and so is censorship. I'd rather know what you really think than to have my feelings spared.
Censorship is always evil.
About South Park
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
Facebook Censors 'Everybody Draw Mohammad Day' Page, Pakistan Lifts Ban
Care to elaborate, it looks pretty much exactly the same to me. I'm in favor of protecting freedom of speech even when I disagree vehemently with the ideas expressed therein.
About South Park
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
Belgian Catholic Church Offices Raided Amid Sex Abuse Allegations
Sounds like the international community needs to sanction the Vatican the same way we would any other rogue state.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
Monday, June 14, 2010
My answers to Vanity Fair's interactive Proust Questionare, with extended commentary.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Indulgence. Not simply self-indulgence, but indulging in sharing of luxury with others, and therefore combining my own personal ecstasy with my vicarious enjoyment of others pleasure.
There is something wonderfully pleasurable about introducing others to pleasures that they were previously unaware. It can actually re-awaken in one interest in said activity that was otherwise growing stale.
2. What is your greatest fear?
Growing up and getting old, not primarily of the wasting away of my looks, although I'd be lying if I didn't admit mourning my youthful beauty, but instead of becoming mentally stagnant.
3. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
I suppose I would have to say Thomas Jefferson, since his political and moral philosophy resonates most with my ideas of ethical behavior and the role of government in peoples lives. Although, his actual practices did not live up to his ideals regarding slavery and race.
4. Which living person do you most admire?
My mother.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Cowardliness
6. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Prudery and Puerility, the two sides of a very nasty coin. Nothing is more disgusting than a person who needs to make something "dirty", "bad" or "shameful" in order to enjoy it.
7. What is your greatest extravagance?
A bottle of brandy, or an ice cold martini, perhaps a nice piece of Roquefort or the feel of cashmere or silk against my skin, my tastes are simple, often too expensive to indulge myself in, but simple.
8. On what occasion do you lie?
When admitting the truth would cause me to lose face.
9. What do you dislike most about your appearance?
The roundness of my face.
10. When and where were you happiest?
Riding hard on a winding road on my motorcycle.
11. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
I'd like to be 25 again.
12. If you could change one thing about your family what would it be?
Their wealth. All things being equal (i.e. not having to trade my relatives for some random bogons), I'd rather come from a disgustingly wealthy family.
13. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My photography.
14. If you died and came back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
If I died, I couldn't leave to have a chance of coming back. Dead people don't tend to travel that much.
15. What is your most treasured possession?
My life, without which no other possession is worth a plugged nickel.
16. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Loss of pride.
17. Who are your heroes in real-life?
Anyone who stands up to tyrants.
18. What is it you most dislike?
Allegory.
19. How would you like to die?
In the far future, as a result of some form of orgiastic party celebrating some great achievement of mine, in an art form that doesn't yet exist.
20. What is your motto?
Never postpone until tomorrow, what you can postpone until next week.
Indulgence. Not simply self-indulgence, but indulging in sharing of luxury with others, and therefore combining my own personal ecstasy with my vicarious enjoyment of others pleasure.
There is something wonderfully pleasurable about introducing others to pleasures that they were previously unaware. It can actually re-awaken in one interest in said activity that was otherwise growing stale.
2. What is your greatest fear?
Growing up and getting old, not primarily of the wasting away of my looks, although I'd be lying if I didn't admit mourning my youthful beauty, but instead of becoming mentally stagnant.
3. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
I suppose I would have to say Thomas Jefferson, since his political and moral philosophy resonates most with my ideas of ethical behavior and the role of government in peoples lives. Although, his actual practices did not live up to his ideals regarding slavery and race.
4. Which living person do you most admire?
My mother.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Cowardliness
6. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Prudery and Puerility, the two sides of a very nasty coin. Nothing is more disgusting than a person who needs to make something "dirty", "bad" or "shameful" in order to enjoy it.
7. What is your greatest extravagance?
A bottle of brandy, or an ice cold martini, perhaps a nice piece of Roquefort or the feel of cashmere or silk against my skin, my tastes are simple, often too expensive to indulge myself in, but simple.
8. On what occasion do you lie?
When admitting the truth would cause me to lose face.
9. What do you dislike most about your appearance?
The roundness of my face.
10. When and where were you happiest?
Riding hard on a winding road on my motorcycle.
11. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
I'd like to be 25 again.
12. If you could change one thing about your family what would it be?
Their wealth. All things being equal (i.e. not having to trade my relatives for some random bogons), I'd rather come from a disgustingly wealthy family.
13. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My photography.
14. If you died and came back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
If I died, I couldn't leave to have a chance of coming back. Dead people don't tend to travel that much.
15. What is your most treasured possession?
My life, without which no other possession is worth a plugged nickel.
16. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Loss of pride.
17. Who are your heroes in real-life?
Anyone who stands up to tyrants.
18. What is it you most dislike?
Allegory.
19. How would you like to die?
In the far future, as a result of some form of orgiastic party celebrating some great achievement of mine, in an art form that doesn't yet exist.
20. What is your motto?
Never postpone until tomorrow, what you can postpone until next week.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Fun and tearful remembrances of a tiny black wedge-shaped computer
I spent the evening playing with an online emulator for the Timex/Sinclair 1000. Here is a link to the emulator if you want to try it. While not a perfect simulation of the TS1000 experience, it was a bit of a trip down memory lane to a system that will, despite all of its copious limitations, always have a tiny wedge-shaped place in my heart.
You see, the Timex Sinclair 1000 (a rebadged Sinclair ZX81 with a whole 2K instead of the ZX81's measly 1K of memory) was my very first personal computer. I'd been turned on to personal computer's a few years earlier, but most systems were so far outside the bounds of my piggy bank, that I couldn't imagine actually owning one. But the TS1000, came out costing less than $100, and by the time I bought mine, it was IIRC less than $50.
I took it home and hooked it to my family's 13" television set and spent untold hours plugging away, first at the programming excersizes in the tiny computer's owner's manual (The one exceptionally good thing about this machine was its well written user manual), and then writing my own simple games (with only 2K for screen buffer and program storage, they had to be simple).
My family did a lot of traveling when I was a boy, and my father soldered up a battery pack so I could play with my computer when we were away from 110 volt power, our TV set was an AC/DC model, and the cassette recorder ran on batteries anyway, so I was able to hack away anywhere we went.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
The Next Fall
When I was younger,
And the world was tender,
I felt I could take on anything.
Life was intoxicating,
And love was liberating,
I found pleasure even in pain's sting.
But now I'm so unsure about my life,
Even In the bright day I know I'm right,
All my ups are just setups anymore, and I know.
I know all my ups are just,
leading me right to my next fall,
And when I fall down, I fall so down.
I know all my ups are just,
leading me right down into the ground,
And it feels like I'm about to drown.
And when I've fallen down,
Buried deep within the ground,
I know there's no sense to anything.
The sun shine is bleak,
The cosmic music's so cheap,
And I lost my grip on everything.
It seems I fell down,
All my friends left town,
And I lost the power to do anything.
You know I'm so unsure about my life,
Even In the bright day I know I'm right,
All my ups are just setups anymore, and I know.
I know all my ups are just,
leading me right to my next fall,
And when I fall down, I fall so down.
I know all my ups are just,
leading me right down into the ground,
You'd think I'd get used to it by now.
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