Sumwun

Under Cover Ladies

2011-11-29T13:43:00.001-05:00

Dear Saudi Arabia,

I want to suggest a different way of looking at the issue of women and their place in society.

In the West it's easy for us to say that causing women to be covered head to toe is repressive of and insulting them.

It is our presumption that both genders share equal status and stature in society and that our society is fuller, more interesting, and benefits more fully from its human resources than other cultures when we include everyone.

You need only look at World War II, where American women built weapons to supply the war effort, to understand a possible natural advantage of freeing women to do as they can and as they will.

I also want to point out that causing women to be covered and repressed is insulting to men.

In my culture, I can see women at work, at holiday destinations, at night clubs or restaurants. I must cope with a the natural reaction I have to the attractiveness of women and I can do so. I must be professional with a woman whose only reason for speaking to me might be work related. Not every contact between genders must have our natural desires be the focal point. Men and probably women too, deal with how these natural impulses influence how they feel. I think it can be both a little stressful and a little stress mitigating to see women in and have self control over my own reaction to those situations.

I can handle it! So can you! Respect yourself enough to believe that.

A society where the desires of women are met might be a happier one for both genders.

Think of the advantages to your country and the region of freeing, fully educating and allowing full participation of women in your society. Something like Islamic Science should not sound like an oxymoron. Once, some of the best science of the world was developed and recorded by Middle Eastern cultures. Think what you can do if you double your effective capability by freeing women.

Modernity is not just one way of life...it's the idea that by exploring what is possible we could discover new solutions. Maybe the world needs some of your society's best thinking on the way forward. Giving proper dignity and freedom to all members of your society will help the world overcome obstacles to understanding what your society has to offer.

Let's not forget the benefits of free thought and freedom of religion. One thing at a time then.

Thank You,
Sumwun

=sw

Slut Walk Starts Discussions

2011-05-10T14:51:00.006-05:00

Whether or not one thinks it is a good name, the name "Slut Walk" draws controversy which brings a lot of focus to the subject of rampant rape in many societies world wide.

Nothing a victim does makes someone rape her. The solution is for perpetrators not to victimize others. The solution is for men not to rape women.

Is it a male issue? Yes. It needs to be seen that way.

With due respect to the set of victims that do not fall into the definition of male against female rape, it is generally a discussion about why men rape women and what should be done about it.

In a theoretical way, to make my stance clear and as a kind of boiler plate against critics who don't read as carefully, I think a woman should be able to walk around nude and behaving seductively and not be raped.

I also think that as much as men should respect women, women should respect male nature. Aroused passions are a natural response to females. Women share the public space with men. That means that I do think women make a better civic choice when they dress and behave more modestly. A self respecting woman may enjoy her sexuality without making it a public display. This has nothing to do with the choices and actions of violent criminals.

Modesty is a value.

That said, no rape or assault is invited by how any woman may choose to dress. Rape is an attack from another person. It really should not matter how the victim behaves, when considering what causes the crime. Whether a woman's modesty or lack of it is socially acceptable is a different question with its own merits.

The way human beings evolved comes from a complex history of male and female partner choice, and possibly from a history of institutionalized rape, like the "Divine Right of Kings" to a first night with any subject's new bride. Military raids and conquests often if not always involved rape throughout history. It is a form of genetic propagation that does not involve female mate selection. Truly the kind of person who rapes may have been likely to reproduce his genes.

Rape existed before pornography, before modern law and society. The definition of rape even varies around the world and in people's personal perceptions.

I am not sure we know the cause of rape as well as we should. Some say it is violence and not sexual. My intuition is that in a society where people's social, family and sexual needs have a healthy way of being fulfilled perhaps rape perpetrators are only found among the extreme elements of society and maybe the mentally ill.

There is something to be said about practical advice. Some people will steal a car that is locked and secured in a garage. Others may steal a car because it is left unlocked and running at a convenience store. It is true that theft prevention efforts prevent some theft. Is it the fault of the victim of theft if their belongings were not secured or cared for? Not really, the thief is to blame for the theft. But it's hard to argue that we shouldn't study who gets raped where and when and try to prevent future suffering by advising people of what reduces their risk. This does not get at the root of the issue or solve the problem of the original criminal behavior.

We need to address the cause of male behavior and construct a society that is organized to reduce these behaviors to a minimum.

A society without rape is a society that loves, cares for and is concerned for both its men and women. It is a society where the needs and nature of each is respected. It is a society where traditional breeding rituals... the need to be able to "display the goods" and "show interest in the goods"...are natural and healthy ways of encouraging mate selection that are not condemned as "invitations to violent assault" as if anyone would desire that. I don't think repressing women's dress styles is the right goal or any kind of solution.

I do know that people should be able to live, love, partner consensually in peace and remain unmolested.

=SW

A Comparison

2010-11-16T22:58:00.008-05:00

Why not designate the "No Go" areas of Pakistan UN administered areas and send in the troops?

The Pakistan government appears to no longer have any power or authority over some areas, so they truly are not under their governed territory.

It gets tiring to hear that we cannot stop non-state actors because we are allies with their state of residence.

I suppose, as much as I might hate the behaviors of some American extremist fringe groups, I would not want other countries to send in the drones. Still, our allies have to do a better job at being sovereign in their own lands!

Even our own super power has to face the shame of impotent regulation of Wall Street greed, as a comparison to say Yemen's lack of enforcement against terrorist groups.

Our freedom to innovate, imagine and raise capital to invent new things in an environment of the rule of law is what made us great. The rampant abuse of that system is a terrible threat to our greatness.

Still, it's not an equivalent comparison. Sub-state actors in other countries are not just extremists acting in their own country, they threaten us directly and by name. I think we are justified when responding to such threats.

Consider that it's a consciously employed technique to put a friendly government up as a shield to allow terrorist groups to flourish. Could Pakistan be purposely defending home-grown terror by telling us what we want to hear at the diplomatic level?
What is the motive? May I suggest the possibility that some Muslims hold aspirations we would call totalitarian with regard to Islam forming a future world government?

I expect the liberal American response would be to insult me as culturally biased, even "racist" for suggesting such a thing.
I am certainly not a racist nor am I opposed to anyone's private, personal worship practices, but even the core, central interpretation of Islam is as an all consuming lifestyle that does not exclude governmental aspirations which are not just aspirations, but facts in many countries.

I am biased with regard to how we are governed. I think a dogmatic religious government which is inescapably based in irrational beliefs is dangerous and inferior to our free, democratic government system, even with its imperfections.

Our western religious "inquisition" is long gone, but horrific things still exist in many places in the world and let's not be blind to the aspirations of those bases of power to rule over us as well.

=sw

Draw Mohammed Day

2010-05-17T11:49:00.003-05:00

The point of drawing mohammed is to insist that people are free to speak, criticize and satirize without the fear of death threats.

Although, I must say that I think a video response to "Draw Mohammed Day" that emphasizes the good things people believe about their prophet IS an appropriate response.

It is just not right to equate a cartoon with hatred. Everyone who is offended takes that offense actively and is responsible for it.
I don't think it's polite to be mocking or insulting of people's cherished beliefs, until they try to impose their values on others through coercion, threats, violence or rage.

I think Islam needs some feedback. Allowing people to depict mohammed could lead to understanding and sharing in addition to the mocking cartoons.
Christians also have written in their scriptures "Thou shalt make no graven images" and "worship no idols". It's probably the same source material for both the Bible and the Koran.

Christians have come to interpret that advice spiritually, not literally. You can make a picture or statue of your god, but you worship the god not the symbol itself. It can also be interpreted to mean that religious believers should not idolize material things or non-spiritual ideas.

Eventually Muslims will come around, but what everyone else is telling them is that certain reactions are not appropriate, proportional or acceptable. Lashing out violently over drawings is not socially acceptable. Assault is unlawful.

That Muslims are insulted by drawings of Muhammad and will be vocal about that is something non-muslims can understand and accept.

Murder, violence, death threats, assaults, property destruction and the like we do not have to accept.

Over the centuries I can only hope people cling to good principals of social behavior instead of dogma. The dogma's have a great risk of being wrong and persisting uncorrected.

In some ways the rage people feel about religious "offense" hides the fear and doubt every person must feel from time to time with our analytical pre-frontal cortex needing evidence and seeking a consistent reality.
Religion can be a form of denial and can lead to unhealthy circular and cognitively dissonant thought patterns.

I understand that, culturally, Muslims have lived with centuries of dogma taking the lead role in how people understand reality. I cannot expect Muslims not to feel offended when their sacred beliefs are mocked. I just want to remind them that their religious rules and beliefs have no application, authority or bearing on the rest of us and to attempt to enforce their laws upon non-muslims is at best intolerant and at worst absolutely unacceptable and will need to be countered. Hopefully the mild sting of social criticism using free speech with be enough to carry that message.

=SW

Muslim Responses to Free Speech

2010-04-26T03:03:00.003-05:00

Somehow, after the insensitive cartoon has been made, and justifiably, some feelings were hurt, still the stinging indignation is pointed at the free speech rather than at the death threats and in all too many cases actual murders perpetrated by those who call themselves Muslims. The choice is whether to side with the irrational murderous rage or with the freedom to speak.

The focus of indignation must surely be the untempered reaction of the radicals. The focus is the believer, already given to leaps beyond reason by believing in the first place, who is not able to limit his or her recourse to something fitting offended sensibilities but must make such an outcry as to place oneself above all others and invoke the right to take away human life as some kind of payment for hurt feelings. No laws, judgements, trials, sense, reason or self-control employed, just blind murderous rage. That is what is truly offensive. That is what should be the target of all our outrage. It is unacceptable to overlook the sanctity of human life before going right for the free speech as the target of anyone's indignation.

The trouble with belief is that the ability to make great leaps without evidence leaves the door open to accepting many more irrational ideas without question. The deep ignorance of statements by Pat Robertson about the Earthquake in Haiti being some kind of punishment for a pact with an invisible evil being is one example. Plate tectonics and physics explain that, there is no need to invoke the supernatural. Infact, it does more harm to stop and pretend it was done by magic, thereby contending that further study is either impossible or unneeded. How callous the statement is to those suffering the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives.

A Muslim Cleric in Iran tried to declare that female immodesty is causing Earthquakes via the mechanism of God's anger.

"Many women who do not dress modestly lead young men astray and spread adultery in society which increases earthquakes" Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi said.

This is absolute ignorance coupled with a brilliantly cynical use of social control mechanisms. That the people have already surrendered to belief without evidence makes it possible.

One can never be sure of what the next leap into irrationality will be, among any religious group.

Moderate Muslims need to turn their attention away from obscure cartoons, toward their more extreme co-religious elements and begin to criticize their behavior, if only because it is actually destructive to human life and risks defaming all those who share their faith, instead of just simply being "unkind" like a political cartoon.

Every other faith group seems to be above taking offense to their critics or perhaps they have found constructive ways to project their own positive messages. Institutions are in need of a little ribbing from time to time to point out their injustices and faults.

No person or group can be immune from criticism. The act of killing, making death threats or even making thinly veiled death threats is not an appropriate nor acceptable response.

No more unjustified murders can be allowed before civilized society must act to defend civil living. People frankly have the right to offend one another and to speak their minds without being targeted for death. If the terrorist had powerful weapons they would use them. Free countries already have powerful weapons and the depth of their restraint is shown when confronting fascist radicals such as those who murdered Theo Van Gogh for making a short video against wife-beating!

People must come to their senses and start criticizing the violent and murderous radical religious actors not the free speakers!

=sw

Global Wha Wha?

2010-04-23T10:04:00.001-05:00

I read two articles today that both struck me as a little far fetched...at first.

Someone pointed out that there was a Live Science article proposing that the movement of Ice Weight as water could redistribute pressures which can disrupt force balances and lead to Earthquakes. Global Warming is increasing Earthquakes, at least until the ice is all melted and the water weight is done shifting. That seems plausible.

See the 2007 article:
http://www.livescience.com/environment/070830_gw_quakes.html

And then there's today's article. Where a Muslim Cleric in Iran tries to declare that female immodesty is causing Earthquakes via the mechanism of God's anger.

"Many women who do not dress modestly lead young men astray and spread adultery in society which increases earthquakes," Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi said.

Is it really still the dark ages over there? I thought it through. If Global Warming causes Iranian women to uncover "some of their hair" and wear more "revealing" clothing (I presume they mean...like Ankle and Neck) then one could correlate that the same thing that is contributing to a spike in Earthquakes is also contributing to a spike in dressing lighter among Iranian women!

Here is a the link to the BBC article about Iranian women:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8631775.stm

Of course, no matter what happens it will be taken as a spur to more religious commitment:

"What can we do to avoid being buried under the rubble? There is no other solution but to take refuge in religion and to adapt our lives to Islam's moral codes," he said.

The Cleric's attitude is awfully insensitive to the tens of thousands of Iranian Earthquake victims and their families over the last decade. This is on its face an egregious (though that word should be used for things that are not as common as this) example of the exploitation of tragedy and the use of fear to manipulate credulous people. I find it shameful and yes, ignorant as well, by the best definition of the term.

=sw

Just one Bible verse

2010-04-14T10:23:00.003-05:00

I am going to examine just one claim of the Creation myth in the Bible by evaluating just one verse:

Genesis 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

To someone who knows about modern scientific discoveries and understanding, the passages in Genesis reveal a deeply localized pedestrian view of the Universe from the perspective and understanding of an unsophisticated observer. The emphasis on Earth its self as significant in the Universe betrays a provincial perspective. The scale of the rest of the Universe compared to the significance of the Earth and its day, night, sky, waters...is staggeringly great. It almost too much to express.

Our Sun is an average star. Even so, it is around a million times greater in volume than the Earth. There are billions of stars in billions of galaxies in the Universe many of them larger than the Sun by orders of magnitude. To say all of that was created on the fourth day when making the Earth took more than a day is clearly a notion proceeding from the perspective of an Earth bound author with little scientific knowledge. It is to the desert religious of the bronze age as if the stars were quickly stipple painted on to the sky as an after thought.

I understand that this is not the lynch pin of religion, of course. Though reading the myth does reveal its heavy dose of anthropic preference and inadequate description of what we now know is out there.

The most obnoxious thing is the phrase "two great lights". Because the author, or the author's imagined god, didn't happen to know that the Moon merely reflects the Sun's light and is not a source all its own.

When scrutinized from a perspective of truly greater light and knowledge, the Bible stories show their deep lack of understanding and real information about the Universe and they appear to be just what they are, the best effort of a quivering baffled and dazzled early man.

=sw

Implications of Conservative Thought

2010-02-13T01:26:00.004-05:00

I think what is happening in Colorado Springs is really interesting. Apparently inspired by the Tea Party Movement, they are conceding to do without many public services as an experiment in lower taxation. It's funny to me that Greece is in the opposite situation. The Greeks are unable to convince and prepare the public for the austerity measures necessary to balance the budget. People in Greece are rallying at the severe reduction in government services while Colorado Springs is rallying to severely reduce government services. It will be fascinating to see how it turns out. Germany is surely not excited about bailing out Greece and had, in fact, set "no bailouts" as a condition of economic (specifically currency) union with Europe. Interesting times!

I think the Tea Party movement imagines that private business can provide services better than governments can. This sounds good and reasonable to me actually, until you realize that the outcome will probably be that wealthy people have excellent services and poor people suffer dearly under conservative politics. And the implication is the wealthy will have to defend their wealth with weapons against the rest of the world.

Conservatives philosophy has an inherent flaw. It's all about US, our town, our people making a good life for ourselves. The trouble is, as I have said before, for everyone in the world to live like a wealthy American we need a planet 70 times larger in land and resources. This implies, uncomfortably, that we and our ways are better and more valuable to preserve than the millions of other people out there. It means that one society has to imagine its self as more worthwhile and with higher individual value than every other society and support this claim with big guns trained on the hungry masses.

The conservative mentality is "if it's us or them...then I think WE should win!" When the draft comes, I'll surely be fighting right beside them. However, is this the only and best way to run a planet? I'd think that normalizing wealth would be the only humane way to have a peaceful world without war.

Studies show that wealthier societies do not have such high birth rates. What do we think we are going to do about all the new mouths to feed under the current patterns? Trust in starvation, floods, wars and other acts of "god"? A sustainable world is one where everyone is well enough off that they don't use reproduction as a weapon, but the world manages growth at or below the planet's reasonable capacity and everyone is well off. EVERYONE IS WELL OFF! That means you can't have tycoons that scorch the environment and amass wealth at the expense of other people. Earth is a finite system.

Capitalism is a fine motivator and has been priceless to establish our society.
"Gather all the wood you can and we will be sure of having fire"...until there is no more forest as "tribes" compete to out-grow each other.

In a finite world where the system is competition for resources, it makes sense to have as many children as possible, amass as much wealth as possible and dominate. The implication is...you give hunger, thirst, disease, exposure and sometimes bombs to all the other over-growing factions. Thus the Earth is won for US not them. That's the end game of conservatism. It makes perfect logical sense, but is utterly inhumane and couldn't be called christian at all (if christian still means loving one's neighbor).

Pseudo-communistic dictatorships have been tried as well as violent fascist totalitarian systems. Somewhere there is another way that provides enough motivation while not refusing dignity and individual worth to any person.

=sw

Trying to Peg Everything

2009-11-24T23:09:00.006-05:00

Since I nearly got beat-up by the Freshman football team in high school when I was a sophomore (I talked them down, actually). I have realized that people try to peg, categorize, pigeon-hole and make clichés of others using easy to identify symbols.

The football players shouted out "Fags" to me and my friends who were on our way to a French club party dressed, as we always did, in our long trench coats with long highlighted bangs (1985 or so?). To me, wearing a trench coat was just a way to be self expressive or at least to fit in with my small group of friends. It had nothing to do with being a gun toting punk and nothing at all to do with sexuality since we were all mormon virgins who wanted hot girls who hated us and shunned probably hot girls who were too accessible to be desired. None of us was ever gay in our lives but we sure took some abuse for that team. Enough to appreciate what actual gay people might go through, if only in some measure.

I like to think that high school stupidity, heaping flack upon anyone different, was from youth and inexperience. Yet, somehow the attitude often carries over into adulthood.

There are so many inane ways in which people try to identify lifestyle like McCarthy sussed out communists.

Things I have heard that are supposed to indicate that people are "gay", "liberal", or "right-wing cowboys" or "assholes" are just way off. Maybe some people just mean "different" by those labels. Still, there is little openness to difference in some attitudes of those who even feel like they are "just kidding around" while they propagate and reinforce silly ideas.

Popped collars? Gay? I thought maybe it just meant "Douche Bag"? Pardon me while I also make a cliché of people!
Cleanliness? Is it godliness or godlessness that it is closest to. I think people should make up their minds.
Driving a small/big car? It would be a good thing if all big tough belt buckle-wearing men were all homophobic and drove Mining-Dump-Trucks so no one would mis-read their sexual intentions. The premise is so ridiculous.

I hear things like that a lot. "Girl Car, boy car, old lady car, gay car, dork car, cocks-drive-this-car" etc.

I saw a sticker that said "Silly boys, Jeeps are for girls".

As a rational being I have explained to many that an automobile is an abstract device that takes feet, hands, brains and eyes to drive...the genitals are not relevant and (hopefully) not involved in controlling the vehicle.

Maybe some of this is just women wanting to assert their touch upon a segment of the world to make it feel like they can have it as their own, not just borrow it from male-ness. That transition is acceptable I suppose, though some day we must finally be rational and accept no one else as worth more than ourselves no matter how their collar is placed or even what color the collar is.

Anyone can drive anything. Anyone can like anything and it doesn't have to mean some secondary thing. This is what women have been fighting to tell us since the 60's. A woman who likes sex doesn't have to also be a slut etc. A mexican doesn't have to also be saddled with every cliché ever invented about Mexicans without any compelling interest in the individual.

"You drive a girl car"... I have heard before. My Dark Blue german sedan with awesome v6 power and 5 in the floor that can cruise at 139 mph is a girl car? People are nuts. My car is also a Mexican by birth, by the way. It still doesn't like mariachi music, but if it did it would be perfectly OK.

It's all in good fun on one level, but in the process we really do try to impose an equally ridiculous standard of behavior on people who's diverse behavior, no matter how seemingly different or ridiculous, is really personal and not really any of our business.

Generalizations can be destructive. 100 a day are spouted on T.V. (Especially on those daytime talk shows and guess who watches those! Don't be tempted to generalize!) Some people cause real harm trying to socially impose them.

"Gingers have no soul" is funny to an adult, but it can be a reason for violence to children. Perhaps no one has a soul, but just because that hip guy at work is wearing a pink oxford doesn't mean he drives a jeep (or whatever nutty conclusion you'd like to draw).

Labeling is just cruel...Not all bitches are stupid :) Not all douche bags are wealthy!

I think you get the point. Cars are cars people. We should all stop thinking you can dissect people without getting to know them. Besides, we can't let gay people be the only ones who like beauty and dress well.

Pop your collar at your own risk, especially in your european convertible! (Now I'm doing it too! Make it stop!)

=sw

No War

2009-10-17T03:37:00.003-05:00

I have been thinking about war a lot lately.

Today, in November 2009, the United States is at war. I have written before about how we won World War II. I have always had an interest in seeing, reading and hearing all I could about the World wars. Maybe it just seemed such a fearsome prospect that I wanted to be sure I understood how it came about and came to an end if only to feel it could be avoided or to feel some sense that the world was a safe enough place for me to live in.

I'd love to hate war. I'd love to work to end it and prevent it in all circumstances. I have run the theoretical models in my head over and over again. Repressive regime or dictator wants to control and enslave all mankind, I do not wish to be controlled or enslaved along with millions of others so I must stand up and fight. War is thus made.

Sometimes I think the most reasonable end to war is overwhelming force. Back in the day we used incendiary and even nuclear weapons to make the point that Empires and Reichs were not going to dominate free people. To make the point stick required unhindered recourse.

How can I hate war but call for overwhelming violence? If there must be war shouldn't it be decided as swiftly as possible?

I really don't enjoy considering the plausibility of the theories that profiteers arrange for wars to be able to buy up wealth when prices are low or panicked and thereby own more of the world after the prices recover. What a cold rationality.

Then again, we have had a population crises before and I think a philosopher like Nietzsche would applaud convenient solutions such as global conflict to reduce the exponential growth.

My very religious mother likes to say "God has plagues, wars, famines and thirst to handle population growth, don't worry about it". That sounds like the least-managed outcome I can envision.

Dr. Norman Borlaug died this year. He helped forestall what might have been a major 20th century disaster by encouraging the use of new high yield crops and by lobbying for policy changes in areas of high growth in population such as India and Pakistan. He warned that while the grain production might now be ahead of the population growth, the limit would be reached again as the population grows beyond the ability of science to produce higher yields while at the same time arable land shrinks because so many more people need to live and be housed.

Many religious cultures would try to out grow their counterparts by overbreeding to the point of senselessness watching infrastructure fail to keep up. Attitudes like that are deeply detrimental to the future of life on earth. If the capacity of the planet is greater than the current population, we should grow cautiously and sensibly. Now it seems there is a war to flood the world with ones own culture and ethnicity.

In a contest such as this, those who limit their reproductive rate risk being overwhelmed by the others. It reverses the logic of cautious growth. This push to maintain relevance in exponentiating throngs will bring conflict over finite land and water resources.

I think the irrationality of religious belief often becomes the core cause of war. It is often religious people who aspire to have as many children as possible. This is also usually much more than just a personal hope, it is thought to be a moral duty to God.

An American Physicist and Nobel Laureate said:

With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.
-Steven Weinberg

What is the solution to be? Is the prescription really war, famine, flood and pestilence?

Perhaps the earth can sustain more people that I might think. Maybe a sentient culture needs many people to survive at all. Still, where ever the limit, there is one and I think the problem is not being addressed. Violent evil dictators have tried their solutions. I think there is something better.

Can we live without war? I would like to think so, though my common sense sees a different picture.

-sumwun

MSI's Craptastic Philosophy

2009-06-01T12:16:00.007-05:00

Maybe they should be called "Mac's Slow Imitator" oh yah... with gold star support for a lousy OS!

Again I say, no one wants underpowered, less useful computers. Getting the price lower is only meaningful when performance is matched or improved upon. You can make it pretty, but a personal computer is ultimately a device valued most for what it does. The other thing is...if you want innovative design, look somewhere else. MSI's Wind is essentially a knock off of an Apple monitor design from 10 years ago.

MSI 2009:

Apple 1999:

Ten years is along time in the computer world.

Yes I know, MSI made an "all in one" computer out of Apple's Cinema Display design. They also already tried to copy the new iMac's form factor, missing the boat in my opinion.

MSI:

Apple:

I think MSI should "come orignal" (as 311 sings), and build some powerful machines instead of trying to make people happy with dumbed down, wholly inadequate machines.

Their designs are already not only far behind Apple but also failed attempts to imitate Apple. Another sad truth about being far behind... so are their OS options.

=sw

Thinking Back on World War II

2009-04-13T00:13:00.006-05:00

I hear so much uproar about the idea that we can never stop fascism, pirates, suicide bombing and the culture of terrorism.

They can use human shields and take hostages and threaten everyone, decapitating our citizens or soldiers with impunity. When we kill a pirate or an extremist fighter their martyrdom breeds 20 more, it's said. It's not socially acceptable or even morally right to demonize the religion they exploit to carry out whatever crime they want god to back.

I have a kind of tongue in cheek argument against all that. I would by far prefer a peaceful co-existence of free and diverse societies to war. Though if it must be war...if Islamist, Taliban or other extremist fighters feel emboldened enough to behead their neighbors, then something is deeply out of sync with that peaceful vision.

So I propose, mostly as a thought exercise, an alternative to feeling victimized by terror.

Comparisons can be made of the Word II War Axis powers to the the anti-semitic, anti-western rhetoric of radical Islamic movements of today. In some ways we are even referring to governments in the Muslim world who use propaganda to educate children with rhetoric that demonizes Jews and Westerners, makes suicide bombing an ideal for living and even speaks of the annihilation of Jews, Israel and any other culture or group that aligns with the Jews. They teach children that a god turned Jews and Christians into apes and pigs and other ridiculous rhetoric. Students are shown videos of real and dramatized suicide bombing acts, to glorify these and recruit new bombers. For some reason, one needs a steady stream of new recruits to continue suicide bombing campaigns.

Comparisons can also be made between the rise of racist, anti-semitic fascism in Germany and the rise of anti-western anti-Israeli Fascism in Iran and Pakistan. Many Palestinian, Saudi, Iranian and other Islamic populations believe in the idea of conquering the west and having a world governed by religion, specifically their Muslim Sharia law. The Taliban movement instituted that system in Afghanistan and is now trying to "Talibanize" Pakistan now that Afghanistan is occupied by coalition powers (or Allies of nations standing with the Unites States).

Sharia law is something Muslims are trying to push into government all over the world, including large countries in Africa like Nigeria and even in England.

Some think that the west is idling its way to being conquered, while ignoring these trends on a kind of autopilot of political correctness.

As I promised, I wish to break the politically correct barrier and recall some of the factors that allowed us to win World War II, which was a battle against seemingly all powerful fascist, totalitarian governments that wished to conquer the world and racially targeted millions for murder.

Studying a past victory over fascist, racist enemies should give us a hint as to how to defeat the same kind of culture in our time.

Stalin's soviet regime bore the brunt of the Allied casualties. Stalin apparently killed many of his own people. He also had heavy losses because of Hitlers decision to break promises and breach accords and attack the Soviet Union. These facts were important in the turning of the tide, though when taken in total, the war required other efforts to succeed as well.

There were brave, determined soldiers who simply marched into harms way, landing on beaches and throwing themselves into the fight who turned many occupied areas into reclaimed Allied or liberated lands. An example of this the Americans in North Africa, who learned hard lessons of combat and pushed to defeat the Germans there with the British pushing from the other side.

I could cite the British Commonwealth citizens as examples. These were troops from New Zeeland and India who fought along side Polish, and American troops in Italy to slowly push back Nazi positions. I am sure I have left many nations off the list here.

Also the British, Canadians, Americans and other Allies that pushed up onto the beaches of Normandy to break the German occupation.

I could say that, from an allied perspective, many manufacturers took part in designing, building and deploying the needed hardware for war. Many of these allowed women and minorities to support the war effort by working on weapons or taking on varying degrees of military duty.

Americans grew victory gardens to stem food shortages and did without or rationed many goods so soldiers could have provisions.

Another thing that America and Britain did to push for victory against Germany and Japan was the practice of indiscriminate carpet bombing with incendiary bombs. The Nazi's started the practice during the blitz on Britain. Thermite and White Phosphorus were used to purposely ignite fires, even fire storms. These substances once alight could burn through metal.

At least 25 German cities and many Japanese cities were bombed in this way. Dresden and Tokyo are among the stand out examples where the destruction was the most horrible. More Japanese people lost their lives in the Tokyo firestorms from American incendiary bombing than in the Nuclear strike on Nagasaki (that came after).

Because of the terror associated with this kind of attack, they have been outlawed by the UN.

Our modern high tech weapons try to reduce collateral damage, in what is a seemingly more humane practice of targeting closely what are deemed military assets.

Using firebombing exacts a cost on an entire society for what their fighters are doing. It is a terror weapon, creating the fear of overwhelming, indiscriminate, random destruction. The humanity here is the intended effect that a culture can be freed from oppression for future generations, reducing, in the long run, the suffering of themselves and others under fascist regimes that institutionalize killing and hatred.

Some say there is no terror weapon greater than the suicide bomber. I would disagree with that and insist that the fire-storm method of exacting a social cost for war-like, murderous and other terrorist behavior is an effective weapon even more frightening than suicide bombing.

I can see the arguments people make...that bombing a poor and starving population during war is insanely cruel and it is really the evil dictator and his power structure that should be the true targets.

Yet, pin point bombing of Nazi tanks, gun positions, planes,ships and other military assets may have slowed their war machine but the entire Nazi culture, ideals and spirit were what firebombing suppressed and defeated. It was the Allies way of saying...the cost of your evil ideology is to be paid by all of you until it is brought to an end.

Nothing would bring terrorist warriors to change their ideology faster than the understanding that the cost was indescribably high and poignantly dear for continuing to teach, promote, indoctrinate their own people and carry out such evils.

There are no effective human shields against indiscriminate regional bombing.

The outcome of World War II was not reinvigorated angrier Nazi's with martyrs to inspire them, it was the total defeat of the institution and the culture that supported it. Sure there may be people who still harbor similar pathologies, but they are entirely marginalized and outlawed. Similarly, the attacks on Japan did no lead to more Bonsai charges and angry Kamikaze raids with even more emboldened killers shouting praises to the Imperial emperor. It ended the culture, the ideal and the concept of Japanese Empire. It does not mean there are no longer criminals or evil intentions in Japan, but they are no longer the main stream. A peaceful society is the main stream.

For example, the wars between Israel and Palestine will go on forever because the Fascist palestinian terror gangs desire the complete destruction of Israel (and perhaps western culture in general). The way to end the war is to end the ideology of hatred toward Jews and the West. Then future Palestinian peoples can rejoin the world community and begin to live in peace like Germans and Japanese now do.

Can we end that ingrained, under-educated and brainwashed militancy with peaceful means? I welcome that. I am not sure how well that would have worked against Nation Socialism or Imperial Japan.

As it is, we tend to be apologetic far too often. It is not acceptable for people to teach hatred in their schools and religious gatherings. It is insanity, irrationality and makes such a culture not a moral equivalent for our western culture and freedom.

We know how to defeat the most fearsome, powerful and overwhelmingly indoctrinated fascist regimes. It is was done in WWII against overwhelming odds.

I would think we are in a much better position now to combat ignorance, Fascism, Totalitarianism and religious extremism. We must simply remember the justness of our cause, the value of our freedom and way of life and the reach of the options available to us to counter the vast and deep ignorance, hatred and violent nature of an enemy we surely don't want to have charge of our lives, our lands and our governments.

I think we should stop cradling and apologizing to "the good people" while trying to target "the bad people" and send a message that the price will be shared by all members of an antagonistic culture until the ignorance is eradicated.

Sometimes I am of that mind, that we should use all means to defeat the terrorists. Other times I wonder who can describe the peaceful resolution to the conflict created by radicalism and the huge obstacle of years of ignorance through indoctrination.

Indiscriminate firebombing is a weapon against suicide bombing and terrorism. If there is a peaceful solution, it must involve showing millions of indoctrinated people how wrong they all are before the Religious government is instituted under our feet and therefore over our heads.

I often repeat this example about what makes war so unavoidable. I truly am a peace-loving person. I do not wish to harm or kill anyone. Though, in a symbolic example that applies to nations, someone may come along and put a gun to my head and insist that my way of life is offensive and evil and that they desire to destroy me. Whether or not it can be argued that I could improve my way of life, this situation leaves me with a choice. I can die a pacifist, allowing those who would gladly commit violence to live on, reproduce and occupy the world or I can have enough strength to stand and counter that argument and choose to live on myself and fight so long as my life is threatened.

I'd rather stand up, push back and fight to defend my way over the other way. Then people like me, who do not love war or killing, but who will defend their lives are those that live on in the world.

I would love to be able to conceive of a peaceful, effective tactic or "weapon" against mass-ignorance, suicide bombing and terrorism. Until such time, I think the UN should lift the ban on incendiary weapons and firebomb the hell out of the war lords, perverse militants and murderous movements of the world and stop impotently messing around as if our western society isn't ultimately better, more deserving of preserving and refuse to accept any "inevitability" or purportedly "irreversible" trends.

=sw

The Context of Israeli Military Action

2009-01-15T12:56:00.004-05:00

One valid argument Palestinians have made against Israeli practices is all about settlements. Israel has, over many years established "Kibbutzim" or "Clusterings or Gatherings" and other settlements all over the West Bank and Gaza. This seems to be an attempt to change the facts on the ground and perhaps expand Israeli land claims.

For there to be peace, the right thing to do would be for Israel to unilaterally halt settlement expansion and even withdraw from existing settlements. This would be a painful and dramatic process, removing Jews from their adopted homes and forcibly returning them to Israeli lands.

This moving process was begun in the Gaza strip. Israeli soldiers, in their largest Peace-time operation, gathered settlers and removed them from their homes, lands, greenhouses, neighborhoods, gardens and synagogues. This web site shows the process:

Israeli Exodus from Gaza

This was a painful, humbling process which was the right thing to do. The removal of Israelis from Gaza by their own military was carried out with love, concern and patience but with a determination to reverse the settlement trend in this first test case.

Once Israel had conceded that they should leave settlements as part of the peace process, how did the Palestinians respond? By allowing a foreign (Syrian) terror gang to take over and begin to fire rockets into Israel.

With this as a result, Israel cannot progress to the next logical step, which would be an exodus from the West Bank settlements. Israel is compelled to close crossings and invade Gaza to put a stop to the madness of Hamas rocket attacks.

Palestine will never become a state (comprised of the West Bank and Gaza) while the insanity of Hamas continues. Hamas militants bring down death and destruction upon their own people, their own families, by firing Rockets or participating in suicide bombing. That is all they are achieving. They are not accomplishing even a step toward a Palestinian state. Israel has to fight their ideology, there is no other reasonable choice. Although, Hamas can prevent more harm.

Wise Palestinian leaders could turn back the Israeli tanks and shells with a short declaration. It is not even that much.

Simply express a desire to have a viable Palestinian state, recognize Israel's right to peace and security and claim that right for yourselves by abandoning violence.

Teach your children to love their neighbors and they will have a future.

Turn your anger and indignation against radical militants among you. See that they are the cause of the suffering. When a militant fires a rocket from near a school, he is designing the death of your children as a feeble attempt to discredit the just actions against them. Israel would never fire weapons on Gaza were it not for militants firing rockets.

Hamas are not heroes loyal to the Palestinian people. They are the enemy of a Palestinian state and the enemies of Palestinian peace and prosperity because, in their minds, Israel should not exist.

Militants will never have their unjust desires fulfilled. Their attitude only leads to more pain, more suffering and the destruction of their own people. Eventually Hamas and other radical militants will be put down. If not by Israel, but Israel's allies. Even the Arab countries must concede Israel did the right and noble thing withdrawing from Gaza and they are justified in stopping the rocket attacks.

Palestinians and Arab nations that can influence events in the region must actively reverse the culture of suicide bombing and rocket attacks. Teaching violence and hatred to generation after generation is no way to get peace.

If the best we can get from Palestinians is rockets, suicide attacks and an endless culture of hatred and irrationality then what is so bad about Israeli settlements? They may even change the character of the lands enough to stop the madness.

Eventually, civilized nations will reluctantly exercise the power needed to end the evil ideologies of Hamas as they have against other evil ideologies in the past. It is possible to put an end to evil cultures, designs and ambitions, no matter how insurmountable Hamas may seem, they can be absolutely and utterly defeated should that be the only way to stop their attacks. The Nazi Third Reich and the Japanese Empire seemed utterly insurmountable and had conquered vast regions of the world. Their ideologies were utterly defeated, though not their peoples.

Just as a peace loving Germany and Japan are welcomed and embraced by the world after the defeat of their former regimes, it is not Palestinians that need to be defeated. They are long over due for having a Peaceful, stable status. It is the ideas of the militants that must be defeated.

=sw

CNN video problematic

2009-01-08T13:35:00.005-05:00

Shifting in a lurching way from serious international conflict to domestic internet annoyances, I have to complain about CNN video.

They deploy an HD-shaped window on their site then proceed to STRETCH content that has a Standard Definition aspect ratio (4:3) to the 16:9 shape of their window.

I have complained about televisions doing this, but this is a web site... there is absolutely no excuse for this kind of stupidity in visual rendering.

I believe it calls their journalistic integrity into question. It would be offensive if they animated mustaches onto faces or digitally altered images to include animated digital hats or logos. What they actually do is distort every single pixel of the image, stretching it out of reality.

Here is a captured image from their site:

Here is my digitally corrected version, restoring the real inherent aspect ratio of the video content:

It's clear that the corrected image is far more true to life and real than the stretched one. This lovely woman's face is stretched to pancakoid by CNN's flawed video deployment.

Try opening those two images into separate browser windows to their native resolutions and comparing the look and sizing of them.

I doubt they do it on purpose, it's just that they don't care enough to deliver the best. They are just too lazy to care.

That is a shame, since their business is producing video content and deploying it!

I hope they "find the side bars" for their non HD content and stop stretching the truth.

=sw

About Israel in Gaza

2009-01-05T01:35:00.007-05:00

I think it can be seen by everyone that Israel's air strikes and invasion of Gaza appear to be disproportional to the amount of death and destruction caused by the thousands of rockets fired into their territory in recent months by the Hamas "defacto" authority in Gaza.

Looking at this conflict as it is in one moment is not adequate. On the face of it Israel is killing many more people with its response to the scourge of rocket attacks than the rocket attacks killed. First, numbers are not the best way to see this and secondly, Israel is fighting something much more serious that is only represented by the rocket attacks.

To my first point, every life is valuable. The quality of those lives is valuable in a way that cannot be counted. I feel the pain of the losses on both sides. I don't blame the children who are killed in Gaza for the politics that led to their deaths. Every Israeli life is precious as well. The Israeli people must also live in constant anxiety from rocket attacks.

Secondly, Israel is not fighting a legitimate group. They are fighting a bunch of thugs and terrorist gangsters who, no matter how organized, how religiously faithful to their beliefs or how elaborate their clothing and weapons, are just like their counterparts in Lebanon (Hezbollah), an illegitimate, violent, hate-fueled band of bully-thugs whose only goal is the destruction of the tiny minority of Jews in the world and the negating of Israel in its entirety.

Jews aren't just any group. They have been conquered and pressed like olives to make oil over thousands of years. These are they who suffered at the hands of the tyrannical racist Nazi regime a holocaust of death greater than the entire population of Palestinians living in the Palestinian territories. Those lands only seem exclusively "Palestinian" because of an insult to Jews by the Roman Empire where upon conquering the Jewish lands renamed the whole area "Palestine". Note how remarkably Roman the symbol of the Palestinian Authority appears:

The Palestinian Authority is, by the way, the group that should be in charge in Gaza and be well on its way to being a state that peacefully co-exists with Israel.

Suppose a violent race-based gang took over a populous county in the United States. How long would we let that stand before the military was sent in to stop the nonsense? That's exactly what's happening in Gaza. A violent gang has wrangled control and is attacking Israel, inciting violence and calling for Israel's destruction.

The British defeated the Ottoman Empire in World War I and therefore took control of those lands. They wisely preserved one of the traditional and few places that can be called a Jewish homeland. The response of a number of the Palestinians living there at the time (already among many Jewish settlements) was to be a bad xenophobic neighbor.

America welcomes thousands of refugees from war torn countries. Imagine if I turned on the new arrivals and spat venom and hatred about them and even attacked them in the streets. In the case of Israel, Jews fought back and empowered themselves to preserve the new nation the UN mandated for them and the Jews weren't all refugees. Some Palestinian "bad neighbors" who didn't have to lose their homes under the treaty, responded to the circumstances ignorantly and with xenophobic rage and not a little Islamic pride and made war with the Jews instead of living in peace.

There are still Palestinians living inside the borders of Israel. It's not impossible for people of different faiths to live in peace even inside the Jewish state.

The gangster war-makers must be shown that their methods are madness. The Nazi's were defeated for the same reason and it was awfully violent and required overwhelming force exerted from all sides. 20 million enemy Germans died. Their losses numbered greater than the Jews they killed. The same lesson is in place now. It's not the small numbers of deaths caused by Hamas rockets that should be the focal point. It is the evil of their ideology that must be defeated and their losses will be far greater until their world view is fundamentally defeated.

It's not so much how they wish to worship, though their predominant religion is exploited and intertwined in their hateful message, it's their attitude that "the Jews don't deserve to exist and have a state". That's what puts the Palestinians on a losing side, no matter their over-breeding to compensate for their losses.

I can think of almost no level of Jewish aggression that is too high when their survival as a people and their sole refuge in the world, that they can call their own, is threatened. The death toll on the Palestinian side is as individually tragic as that of every Nazi father lost to his children fighting for a flawed ideology. I feel all the human losses, but there is no doubt that the internationally recognized sovereign state of Israel is justified in this conflict while Hamas is a criminal organization on a mission of genocide. It is only lucky their rockets are not bigger and more deadly, because they would surely use them.

If it were up to me, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian territories would become vassals to another more powerful nation who would rebuild their culture to be residents, not refugees and reconstruct proper education, political institutions and economies. I know some would say that these militant gangs take on this role in the absence of stronger leadership, though I know that they behave more like children having a tantrum. Children with access to explosives.

The militant gangs like Hamas and Hezbollah are wrong and must get their crying done and comply with civil living. They will only hurt themselves banging their childish heads against a wall and fretting over what they think they are due. Meanwhile, they miss out and grow poorer and suffer, behaving like victims. They are truly victims of their own violent hateful ideals. The moment Palestinians become good neighbors, their lives can begin to be rebuilt and improve. I know of no rogue Jewish gangs firing missiles into the civilian neighborhoods of the Palestinian Territories. All the Jews want is to control their own peace.

Every dead child, parent, sibling or loved one in Gaza and Israel must be placed at the feet of the ignorant and futile ambitions of Hamas (and Hezbollah, to say nothing of their probable backers in Iran). They are the cause of the suffering. When a child is hurting himself and others, he first must be made to stop. Hamas is like that child.

=sw

Population Arguments

2008-12-23T17:41:00.004-05:00

I have been reading some population debates online and it has caused me to reflect on it yet again.

So many people like to shout about "getting yourself fixed" or "not having children in this climate" or "stopping breeding" or how responsible it is not to reproduce.

There have also been comparisons to bacteria in a petri dish exponentially expanding their numbers blissfully uninterested in the finite nature their "sugary-gell" resources.

In that model, where we are a bacteria and the Earth is the dish of finite resources, our population is ultimately limited. It will not grow exponentially forever, as the Earth's resources are not infinite, even though one can see that human population can grow at an exponential rate (while the resources are not yet exhausted).

So, at some point the growth curve will round off. I just finished reading Carl Sagan (and Ann Druyan)'s book "Billions and Billions" from which some of my thoughts on this are derived.

The point is this: an individual deciding not to breed will never limit or reduce the potential population of the Earth. The population will march forward so long as even 2 people and their offspring breed exponentially. Their descendants will eventually fill the whole earth. So the only thing to stop it is a die off due to failing resources. We can become more efficient and try to become more just in the sharing of resources, but ultimately that upper limit is where the population cannot grow any more because of hunger, thirst and exposure.

The only decision those who choose not to reproduce are deciding is, how many of the future Earthlings will be their descendants.

To control population we must get everyone on board...EVERYONE. If we can disable reproductive powers and hand them out at a controlled rate we can then control the future balance. It's like polio, you must vaccinate everyone or you have not solved the problem.

Right now, it is a contest between you and me as to how many of the future humans will resemble me or you. The end of expansion will come in all cases, all you can do is lay hold on more resources. This is how many people are thinking who try to out-breed others.

Groups are conscientiously using Natalism to compete for the Earth's limited resources and space. The Palestinians are breeding with wreckless abandon to try to "outnumber" the already small (in a planet wide sense) group of Jews.

Mormons have a culture of pushing breeding to try to out strip the world population growth rate. Although they are noticeably failing to increase the Mormon percentage of the Earth's population. They are being strongly out done by the other groups. Making Mormons a smaller and smaller percentage of Earth's population even with their growth rates and missionary efforts.

You can't stop Central Americans from breeding at ages far closer to the onset of fertility than is culturally acceptable in the United States, so in that sense, the future will be more of them and less of us. Their time-span for a "Generation" could be half that of ours. That's a "survival of the fittest" strategy where they are winning. Not to mention the highly successful Asians.

Even if many humans die off at an alarming rate when the "sugary-gel" (Earth's life sustaining resources) vanishes, those left will resemble the current proportions of groups that had both wealth and large numbers of offspring.

So, is it irresponsible to reproduce? The upper limit is already set to stop our exponential growth. That limit is set by the finite availability of food, shelter, water, warmth and wealth. Choosing not to reproduce, even if MOST of us chose the same thing, is only a way to subtract your genetic heritage from history and quit the contest. It will not reduce the march upward, it will happen as fast as it can with or without your genes. All you are deciding is how many of the left over humans will be like you.

All it takes is one non-compliant group and over a few generations they will exponentially fill the space you leave by not having children. Self-selecting your own unfitness to propagate seems remarkably self-defeating.

If we disable reproduction and manage it, allowing a balanced mix of people to procreate, then we can control the future by our actions. Until such a freedom limiting method is instituted by an awful sounding regime, individual choice will not reduce the world population. Others will just grow more.

=sw

OnStar and Freedom of Movement

2008-12-11T11:19:00.004-05:00

In the current economic situation we are in, I would like to think I could plan to buy an American car the next time I go shopping. Maybe in a year or so. Shopping for a new car is always a year away somehow.

I would not want a vehicle with OnStar. All the wonderful features it provides cannot overcome the one troubling drawback. The actual prospect that a networked car can be disabled.

I don't believe it's a conspiracy. It's just a potential opportunity for corruption that trouble me. One of the things dictators do is inhibit freedom of movement. This is something that, intentionally done, hacked or abused is possible in a car that is on the grid the way an OnStar vehicle is.

My car has a governor that means its speed is limited to 135mph. It doesn't cut out, it just doesn't accelerate any more beyond that speed (don't ask me how I know). This never limits my movements. I don't have a need to drive that fast anyway.

OnStar is capable of slowing a vehicle to 5mph or less. This is very nice when someone has stolen a car and is causing a high speed chase to take place. Peoples lives are put in danger by high speed chases. The lives of my fellow citizens are important to me, though I still think I should be the one to log in and kill the car with my own credentials. I don't think someone else should ever be sitting behind a kill switch on my own car.

In the wrong hands, this is a tool of dictatorship.

What did we think would never happen that has surely happened? The current American government has given itself the power to declare anyone an enemy and to detain the person without charge or habeas corpus rights (the right to seek relief for unlawful detention).

I find networked cars unnecessary for law abiding citizens. Accident detection and communication are helpful. Remote access to a kill switch (or even a "slow down" switch) is not acceptable to me. It will deter me from buying a GM product.

=sw

How I Chose

2008-11-05T10:55:00.007-05:00

When I saw the woman at a McCain rally step to the mic and say "The Lord says care for the poor". I knew where my vote should go.

It struck me as entirely inappropriate for her to speak as if in church, when at a political rally in America. I respect her freedom to do so, It just made me concerned that some people don't understand the separation of church and state doctrine that keeps claims about unseen beings from directing our public and civic policy.

Even my right wing christian friends agree with all this so long as the unseen being is not their unseen being.

I realize I voted for a church going christian. But I also voted for an eloquent rational thinker.

While thinking about who I wanted to vote for,I saw the movie Religulous and I watched Bill Maher on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC October 7, 2008.

He used scathing wit and humor to totally trounce the irrational right and mock their appeals to ignorance and bigotry.

He also reflected many of my beliefs and values on his own show in his New Rules segment. He said, "You can't be president if you practice a violent middle eastern religion and worship a genecidal desert god, which is why Sarah Palin cannot be president".

Funny then sobering...

I saw Sarah Palin's crass jingoistic comments about there being "a patriotic" part of America as a comment that appeals to credulous people driven by emotion to believe whatever best conforms to the majority and fears diversity. She used the phrase "those that are fighting our wars for us" to refer to her small town America constituents. That says it all about right wing elitism.

It boggles the mind that the Republicans want joe sixpack to believe that the system is not set up to concentrate wealth away from him and to rob his retirement accounts for ceo mansions.

There seems to be a rash of ignorance on the right, driven by irrational belief and fear mongering. When the stupidity of the American religious extremists reared its head, McCain actually had to correct his own party members and assure them that they need not fear an Obama presidency.

Obama was of course born in the United States of America (Hawaii) and raised with American cultural values.

In this world of ever increasing enlightenment about natural law, science and knowledge, I don't want to be ruled by a whacky cult that believes in witchcraft and longs for the end of the world.

=sw

Net Books and Smart Cars

2008-10-27T09:50:00.004-05:00

I see a silly trend. When companies run out of ideas they try to pitch something that is "less" as something "new".

Everyone keeps trying to get rid of the personal computer platform. Because what we want is less power, less accessibility, less capability right?

That's of course just wrong. What people are looking for in a "net book" is a small and light personal computer. That's why Apple got it mostly right. They did not try to make an incapable dumbed down machine, with the Mac Book Air. They designed a personal computer making compromises only to achieve weight and size limits.

These stupid concepts like a "dummy terminal" or a "dumbed down" laptop called a "NetBook" are marketing ploys that are trying to mask the failure to produce a smaller size Personal Computer.

No one wants a less useful machine.

It reminds me of the Mercedes "Smart Car" which is an idiotically small car that is supposed to be a compromise for fuel efficiency without actually providing much better gas mileage than many larger, more convenient vehicles from Honda, Toyota and even BMW.

These things like the Smart Car and Net Book are silly marketing games being played by companies who are trying to convince you that you don't want the real thing and I think they are wrong.

=sw

Not an Atheist

2008-10-06T00:10:00.009-05:00

This is a little commentary on why I do not wish to be called an Atheist.

I have some religious friends. These are people I like with whom I occasionally have philosophical discussions that usually end in agreeing to disagree.

One of my friends likes to casually refer to me as an Atheist. I understand that when religious people come up with a 5 point test of what makes an Atheist I may qualify on all five of them, however, I do not define myself in terms of other people's perspectives.

Atheist sounds like "Anti-something". I believe there probably isn't a God, especially that meets any of mankind's popular definitions. If we are not alone in the vast universe, there may be powerful beings we would find godlike out there, only because they are more advanced...or maybe we would realize that the difference was simply growth, know how and experience.

I think there probably isn't a God (and I capitalize it just so christians know who I am saying probably doesn't exist). I cannot prove a negative. I can't demonstrate to you that there is no God just by showing you silent moments or unanswered prayer. In the same way faith is required to believe in God because the proof is not there.

I am certainly not anti-"something I don't even believe in".

It's like the when I filled out the e-Harmony forms. Yes, they let me in somehow! On their form they have ethnicity choices. The closest one for me, as a caucasian, was "White (Non-hispanic)". Well pardon me, but I am not used to defining myself by how "hispanic" I am or am not. No insult to hispanics of course. It's just not a notion I am associated with. Calling me "non-hispanic" puts way too much focus on hispanics. I don't even wish to make a statement about anyone else's ethnicity or how it differs from mine when simply describing myself to someone.

It's like considering how "Un-Australian" I am. I am not defined by what I am not. That's illogical and really awkward to me actually.

Likewise I will never wish to be labelled by what I do not believe in.

Imagine this unlikely introduction: "Ladies and gentlemen, the non-car thief, Mr. So and So"... With me saying, "I have never even thought about car theft much less do I want the phrase in my title!"

Or "Mr. So and So, the Non-Santa Clause believer"...what do I say to that, "um...yah..I gave that up when I was a kid, my non-santa clause belief status is really not even a part of who I am anymore."

In the same way I am not an Ex-believer or an Atheist. I am simply me. I am a rational thinker, a skeptic, a doubter and someone who loves knowledge, science and evidence.

I am finally a grown up human being who wants to see his place in the Universe as it really can be known with the best knowledge available. I don't want fantasy stories or religious dogmas anymore. I find no comfort in the quaint and violent scripture myths.

I think 1000 years from now some whacky sect will believe in "Captain Picard" as their God and will even have "real" pictures of the man (unlike the Christian faith). They will not admit to their basic misunderstanding that this was a character in a performance. While there may have been a moral to the story, it was always a story. I see the Bible in the same way. They were myths meant to inspire, socially control and politically manipulate people or challenge rulers.

I thought the other day of the meaning of "Rational Belief" to which I lay claim. Rational is a word about a ratio. A ratio of claims to supporting evidence. If claims exceed a 1:1 ratio with evidence, you'll find me skeptical. I did not say I would automatically reject all such notions with confident authority, that's what an Atheist tries to do, also without evidence. I am far more curious and am willing to try ideas and listen to reason. The experiments, evaluation of data and conclusions are all part of the scientific method. Being skeptically curious leads to new experiments and new knowledge.

I am not against the ideas of justice and reconciliation taught by some belief systems, nor am I anti-God. I am just me and I think religion has done incredible amounts of damage to the world.

I just saw "Religulous", the Bill Maher documentary about religion. It was a great film that really reflected how I feel about how problematic belief can be.

He said one great thing near the end:

Religion tries to make a virtue out of not thinking. -Bill Maher

I agree with that and will continue to use my mind, grow my understanding and increase my knowledge while refusing to end all thought and consideration by quickly resorting to a label.

=sw

Why I am Against the Bail Out

2008-09-29T22:01:00.009-05:00

At first I thought a bailout would resemble socialism. Now I think it would more closely resemble a wealth grab in an economic dictatorship.

The market leading managers and CEO's abandoned the basic rules of economics by obscuring worthlessness with complexity and then tried to abdicate all responsibility for their exploitation. They want to siphon off wealth with reckless disregard for their fellow citizens and then want tax payers to be burdened with their golden parachutes, bad debts and recapitalization of their banks and "investment/ financial institutions".

Lincoln looks angry!

Capitalism is not a dictatorship where wealthy people may irresponsibly give loans to people who can't afford them then sell those loans as commodities as if they are guaranteed valuable assets then expect everyone to reward them for their failure.

In Capitalism, when people fuck up they should fail.

If the average citizen messes up and gets fired, they walk away with no severance pay, no help, no bail out or promises. Not even a silk parachute, or some kneepads.

Many of these failures are of the Enron "Criminal" variety and will result in jail time. I think such prosecution should also result in the seizure and sale of the assets of these criminals. Where is your retirement? It's in some 24 million dollar Florida mansion to which some CEO will happily resort when his 2 year sentence is commuted to 6 months for time served and "good behavior".

Or worse, it's over seas where you will never see it again.

Will the IRS put a lien on that CEO's mansion for the taxes you owe, that you spent to heat your house while you were unemployed? No! They will come to YOU for that, as if the failure of your employers company was down to your job skills or behavior.

Lots of work isn't worth what people are paid. Alan H. Fishman of Washington mutual did not contribute enough to the society by holding the wheel of a sinking ship for 3 weeks to earn $11 Million dollars in a "Golden Parachute". Fuck that! You fail, you get fired. Learn something, move on. Hopefully some other CEO didn't rape your 401k for his beach house.

Maybe a better society is possible, one not based on greed and destroying wealth and resources for one's own over-consumption. I don't think any of the communist dictatorships of the world got it right either.

Though sometimes, a more socially aware society seems like a better way. If you sew and reap you may eat. If you cannot reap but you can make something someone needs, or serve them in some way they need, you may be compensated to a reasonable proportion with food and shelter. If you are too helpless to contribute, your basic needs will be provided.

Capitalism is sometimes so cruel and ignorant to the plight of humanity occupying a 7,926 mile diameter space ship (Earth) with limited resources. It's not all about one person having every luxury. It's about the survival of us all (arguments against over-breeding in another posting).

The wealth of the planet belongs to all! This system of veiled theft is bad enough. We are already on the hook for 500 billion or more in bailout money for the banks and mortgage firms we plan to save. The 700 billion on top of it would just reward the crass, corrupt wealth sucking machine on Wall Street for failure. It would represent the largest imaginable burglary of tax payer, citizen wealth to private already corruptly wealthy banks, managers and CEO's.

CEO pay is justified by returns, so it actually rewards exploitation and law-breaking if the increase is good

What they couldn't get by gouging my 401k they'll get from the investment IRA I rolled it into, beautiful!

Wasn't most of America's wealth already confined to a small percentage at the top before this crisis? What do they want now, the rest?

Where will it come from?

You and I will be working our asses off without reward for years to pay these bastards even more money from the taxes on our labors. If you ask me, It's a goddamn coup de états and we just became serfs, to one degree or another.

=sw

A Broken IT Culture that is Doomed to Fail

2008-09-25T10:27:00.011-05:00

I predict that the concept of disabling the usefulness of a computer by not allowing users to install software will become a failed IT policy.

The policy was born of Microsoft Windows security deficiencies. Instead of demanding a properly developed and secured operating system, IT managers simply find it easier to essentially disable and handicap Windows users to help resist virus vulnerability and security flaws that are built into Windows by poor design.

The qualifier is that no machine is invulnerable, but you don't put a horse down before it gets sick. Disallowing installation of software crimps off the innovation and flexibility blood supply of the user and I will show, could even lead to physical injury.

Based on many real world scenarios that have come to my attention, here is short story:

Carla wants a portable computer. It would give her new capabilities as a field rep for her company like being able to access office documents and spreadsheets, maps, contracts, pdf field manuals and up-to-date weather info etc. Also very important to her well being, it would allow her some personal access to music, email, instant messaging and entertainment sources while she is on the road. She has not been issued a computer to do her job, but having access to one would make her more capable and efficient. She plans to buy her own laptop, but mentions her plan to her boss.

The Boss promptly sees the benefit of her vision and assures her he would gladly supply the laptop.

One morning she heads into the main office and voila, there it is:

A new laptop with Windows XP installed!! Woohoo! (because Vista is completely useless, but passes the "really pretty" test, sure)

[*Note: For the purpose of my blog I photographed a Dell running Debian/ Gnome because I don't have any crappy Windows machines in my life to even take a picture of.]

Aside: The new Vista commercials should be more realistic..."WOW"..at first then "WTF...???" and "SHIT!"...soon after.

Now she can fulfill her vision of having the benefits she sought. So she immediately seeks to install some widget software to get weather, Google Earth for her work real estate and mapping needs, Apple's iTunes for her iPod and store account to get her favorite music, movies and TV shows etc. She also likes to download her favorite I/M clients and OTR encryption tools (for security!).

Well, she can't install any of that, and the IT (idiotic trance) department is too mortified by Windows' reputed bad security and vulnerability to malware to give her the magic "Admin access" (which on any other machine is "regular user trying to do ANYTHING useful with a computer" access).

What can she do? Of course she could drag around 2 laptops, one for work and one for herself!

That's only 10-20 pounds of machine, carrying case and accessories. She could actually physically injure herself carrying two computers around. It's a ridiculous notion.

No way! That is not a solution!!

Oh I know, she will drive all the way to the home office every single time she even wants to evaluate any new software (or even run an update script for her third-party apps) and plead with a dense Microsoftie IT manager to please just allow her to do her job and have what she needs on the road.

All that driving back for every stupid thing makes Windows machines bad for global warming. Never mind the cost to the environment of the manufacture of a useless device. Now we need 2 machines made for each person because of inherent software flaws and the obtuse policies used to work around them!?

Forget it!

What will she do instead? Buy ONE machine that does everything she could possibly need including run Office software and if absolutely needed, emulate that one stupid app made only for Windows by idiots. And she will have a machine she can actually use, upon which she can install anything and not fear a highly unlikely virus and it will meet all her business and personal requirements with ease. Then she'll only need to carry around just that one lightweight brilliant computer:

The idea that effectively disabling a computer from being used is a "good security model" will utterly fail. This will benefit Apple or Linux or any other platform with a clue. Withholding Administrator Access from a user on their own machine is a failed IT policy which is a blatant direct descendant of Microsoft software flaws. It is a losing proposition in the long run, where better computers with superior operating systems are clearly a preferable option.

=sw

Tons of Travel

2008-09-22T12:59:00.005-05:00

I have been a lot of places lately. Here is my USA map:

The cyan states are places I have been before. The orange-ish states are those I have been to this year. We are talking feet on the ground, I don't count airplane fly-over.

I have traveled a good 6000 miles, even more if I did count flights.

There are clearly some road trips yet to do. I want to visit Florida, New England...Minnesota and the Dakotas.

I need to do an Elizabeth Town type road trip to Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma. While I may not get to all the States this year, I could get pretty close.

What exactly does one see in North Dakota!?

=sw

Pandora

2008-09-22T11:51:00.006-05:00

I really enjoy Pandora, the internet streaming music service that works like a radio station keyed to a single or group of seed artists to shape a program of songs in the user's preferred style.

It's pretty damn good and works rather well. It even digs into beloved album tracks you'd think would never get noticed. And the streaming is smart, pre-loading songs as much as possible to prevent mid-stream hiccups.

While Pandora is in stereo on broadband, it does run in Mono on the iPhone. However, that may be necessary to fly below the 115kpbs Edge network limits. 128kps or 160kbps mp3's in stereo won't fit, so 64kbps or 80kbps mono mp3's are used...see 160 > 115 while 80 < 115 so mono streaming works well generally, depending on Edge signal quality.

I tried going for a 4 mile walk the other night with Pandora playing on my iPhone (using the dedicated Pandora app). Walking around with Pandora on the iPhone is a surreal and wholly modern experience.

Walking around with Pandora on the iPhone is a surreal and wholly modern experience.

I realized I could not watch any marketing messages they might deliver while the iPhone was in my pocket.

I think Pandora offers a paid service, though to support the free service I could stand a 20-30 second audio ad every 3 songs or so. I think Pandora is a great evolution from traditional radio, though its very nature creates enormous licensing costs.

While Radio can pay one ASCAP fee for broadcasting a song to millions, Pandora is probably stuck with a fee per stream per user. There should be some middle ground license to allow Pandora's brilliant service to be more viable.

I get into Pandora, and who knew how much 80's hair band music made into my memory when I was a teenager. I can kind of tolerate it now, amazingly.

=sw

Captive Marketing

2008-09-18T12:05:00.007-05:00

In Las Vegas flying US Airways I discovered that I would be hit up with credit card marketing from the gate to the plane.

When you pay an airline more than you would pay for a 4 star hotel room, then pay them extra for baggage and they still have to hit you up for a coke and market credit cards to you...you know they were not managed properly.

They all want to be listed first on the travel web sites as the cheapest. Though, you quickly learn, that despite having paid hundreds to be canned up and exposed to irradiating microwave radiation from space, you still can't get even a 1/2 can of soda if you didn't bring cash!!!

Baggage, drinks and good service should be included. Just show us the real prices for fuel and proper service!!! I predict US Airways is going to be gone or fail, if it hasn't done so already. It's a ridiculous flying experience. Maybe Delta will fix them.

From now on, Southwest and Delta have provided a good experience for me. I hear Virgin America and Continental are good options for being treated well for your investment in travel.

Marketing to me while I am confined to an airplane is so over and gone.

=sw

Things I hate about...

2008-09-17T10:25:00.010-05:00

my iPhone:
Why can't my iPhone do picture messaging? Whatever political reason they have not to support it, it is not worth it.

What I get is a "viewmymessage.com" link with a cryptic, awful, impossible to memorize username and password. THEN, the viewmymessage site sometimes doesn't even work on the edge network!

What AT&T need to do is program the authentication info into the link they send me so I can tap and view the multimedia message immediately!

What is all this anyway? The iPhone should be the definition of multi-media mobile life. If picture messaging is not supported, the least they can do is make it easy to access in Safari!

I think AT&T and Apple need to get their show together. All the nice features of the iphone can easily get forgotten when something so obviously flawed and so regularly irritating happens. I am a hardcore Apple fan and I miss my Motorola Razor sometimes. It could shoot video, send and receive picture messages...and I could hack it to play any mp3 as a ring tone!

I want on my iPhone:
* Any ringtone from any mp3!!!
* Picture messaging!!!
* The ability to shoot video!!!

As it stands, these features are represented by a symbolically blank screen:

My iPhone is a computing device I have purchased. I want to be able to use it how ever I like.

These improvements are software, not beyond reasonable and I believe they are necessary to keep any reasonable person from wishing to dump their iPhone.

=sw

Why Drilling is Not the Answer

2008-09-10T09:49:00.012-05:00

There is no doubt that I would board a yacht if a pretty brunette promised me there would be offshore drilling.

Our nation seems to be stuck in a similar trance. Even Democrats are approving more drilling.

Well over a decade ago, Carl Sagan warned that the climate consequences of human caused emissions would be vehemently denied, simply because the changes required would be so great.

The last thing we need to do is drill for more oil.

If we all had electric cars, they would emit less carbon dioxide even if we charged them on coal fired power. Also the coal is domestic not shipped from foreign sources often with destabilizing influence. Even this is a "step one", not a long term solution.

Solar Thermal power can spin turbines in the day and even store heat in molten salt at night. We could use Solar generated electricity to electrolyze and compress hydrogen for storage.

Bio fuels can be made from plants other than corn that can produce more alcohol per acre, more harvests per year and not compete for food growing lands. Swamp reeds like cat-tails have such benefits.

Wind power can be increased and a portion of it used to make and compress Hydrogen.

Even T.Boone Pickens makes a great point about switching to domestic natural gas. Driving a Honda Civic GX (Compressed Natural Gas model) is both cheaper (in terms of fuel costs) and emits far less CO2 than any hybrid. It is a cleaner way to use domestically sourced fossil fuels that is available now. That is a far better choice than finding more oil. Eventually, we'll want to get out of the fossil fuel business.

We could then clean the atmosphere using new carbon capture technology and renewable energy powered methods to store it in solids like sodium carbonate. There is already too much CO2 for us to contend with that we will not be able to avoid future serious impacts such as extreme weather, dust bowl droughts, sea level rise, cold snaps in places not adapted to them etc.

We don't need cheap oil now. We need to get off the oil! We need to invest in and develop what is at hand and already apparent and available.

Sometimes the debate in this country seems to legitimize the needs of those who would rape the planet and trod the less fortunate under their feet to enhance their own wealth before doing what is best for the ecosystem we all share and upon which we all rely. Such corruption is growing in big businesses of all kinds, though particularly in the energy sector.

I will vote for the candidate that supports renewable energy and rejects sacrificing the biosphere for the profits of a few.

=sw

On the Books

2008-08-10T11:38:00.003-05:00

I see that these two sections are alphabetized. I also see a delightfully subversive message in this aisle title at the Salt Lake City Library.

While I was there I was thinking about the "New Powers" the government has. They can compile a list of what you check out and draw conclusions about you without taking a compelling interest in who you are and why you were curious about whatever you decided to check out or even perhaps "pick up" and read.

If you choose simply to expand your knowledge by reading books within the library, making the wrong choices of just what to read could get you branded negatively which could lead to being imprisoned or even executed for treason if the impression of you is blown out of proportion enough to get the attention of the President of the United States who could declare you an enemy.

We should be able to read and learn any knowledge our society concedes may have place in the library for increasing our knowledge without creating a record of what we read and without any obstruction or interest whatsoever by any other person.

Should someone commit a crime, such as conspiracy to do harm, certainly they may be accused and prosecuted. We should not all start out as criminals. I am sick of feeling I cannot use the library, internet or other sources of knowledge without being watched over.

Some rationalize "I have nothing to hide". This is not what it is about. It is not freedom to be so observed. It is unacceptable.

I feel the same way about bank account reports, despite the obvious usefulness for finding criminal behavior. If criminal behavior is suspected in a specific case, the law enforcement agent representing the people of this country may seek a warrant to investigate that individual. How have we tolerated that our accounts should automatically light warning lamps in government offices?

Can someone explain to me where the civil liberties of the law abiding citizen have gone? I will have privacy and the presumption of innocence. I will not quarter soldiers within my home, accounts or computers. These are my constitutional rights.

Where is our America?

=sw

SMS Price Gouging

2008-07-14T01:15:00.003-05:00

I am tired of the SMS price Gouging.

SMS, or Short Messaging Service allows you to send text to other cell phone users whose phone's support text messages.

Companies charge $5 for 200 or 20 cents a message. These kinds of prices figure at about a THOUSAND DOLLARS per Megabyte....$1000/ MB.

That is ridiculous. I have unlimited data on my iPhone for $20/ month. That could be many megabytes even gigabytes of data transfer. This awful price gouging for short text messages should not be tolerated. I am paying for access to the data network. I wish they would just figure out how to price that right and stop trying to scrape and gouge customers using small amounts of data that can simply be marketed differently. I am tired of being told how to use that access to the network and that some uses are more costly than others. Especially when the costlier uses have a very small data footprint but simply have a larger marketability.

The cell phone vendors need to remember what their product is, interconnectivity, not tying to fake us out and control how we use data. I want to be able to make a ring tone of what ever I want to as well. Presume I paid for the CD or digital download!!

And my rant is spent.

=sw

Test of Basic Skills

2008-07-08T02:01:00.004-05:00

Passing through Iowa I had a "What the Fuck is this!?" moment.

I know truck stops hear what people are willing to spend for specialty coffee drinks and they decide they can "pull this off" and the following happens...This is going to read a bit like "How it's made" but believe me...it's how it's not made.

I order a Latte from the menu for between 3-4 dollars. I ask for a double shot.

The server gets a waxy 20 ounce soda cup. She reaches for a coffee globe with drip coffee in it...fills the cup. She grabs the vanilla flavoring...administers exactly 2 shots of that into the cup then begins to mix in the flavoring with what looks like a milkshake blender machine. I realize there is no espresso machine nor espresso in sight.

The lid-less beverage IS slightly bubbly on top and looks a tan color, until after a few sips it is black coffee again.

They have cardboard hand protectors, at least, but no 20 oz. lids to be had. The server...one could never call her a barista until some steam or milk entered the scene... jams what looks like a clear domed slurpee cap with a big hole in the top onto the cup.

Voila!

And I think to myself...WTF is this? What planet am I on? I don't even have the patience or stomach to inform them how clueless they are...which is why they will never learn, as I am sure others feel the same way.

Latte...does mean "Milk" in Italian right!?

I was dismayed. When you are aching for a Latte...entered a building with a giant red Cafe sign...you dream of getting what you want. I learned...in some states...Cafe means "bacon and eggs at all hours" and trendy coffee drinks have a high profit margin, but are cheap fakers. It's amazing they have caffeine in them at all. It sure makes Salt Lake seem cosmopolitan by comparison.

WTF did I just say?

=sw

Managed Fusion Power

2008-06-29T00:24:00.007-05:00

The wild and free Sun, our local deep space campfire, is powered by condensed hydrogen atoms that as they get mashed by gravity, they heat up and merge (or fuse) to form Helium atoms.

This process releases a photon each time.

All that Hydrogen, which was really about all there was before the Universe condensed into stars, galaxies etc., creates a lot of energy and light as it fuses into Helium. The Sun is also, to use a scientific description, frikken huge. Its diameter is 68+ times that of the earth. So the way we get our life sustaining energy is from a big wild roiling explosive ball of nulear fusion.

The Sun is an entirely unmanaged resource. Or it seems about as well managed as an energy source as a BP Texas oil refinery. So much of the energy of the Sun just jets into space in random explosions.

It would be amazing if we could use Hydrogen to make a star that was carefully managed from the start. It could be steadily fueled and waste products somehow safely purged. We could maybe even design a star to live far longer that our Sun.

Our star, SOL, is among the longer lived star types. Some are so massive that they explode and die far sooner compared to other stars. The solar sphere is so vast and yet only a comparatively small bit of that energy strikes the Earth. A carefully designed, planned and managed star could be a stable reliable source of energy for many worlds for billions more years than the 5 billion our star will burn.

The work of replicating the Sun's energy system is in progress in the study of Fusion reactors

We need the supernovas and red giants of the universe to manufacture elements of higher atomic number in their violent death throes.

It just seems to me that if the Sun were an engine, that has a lot of torque but randomly backfires and blows seals, we'd see it as needing design improvements.

Not that I am complaining about my current solar-powered existence.

=sw

Killer Cover

2008-06-20T02:12:00.004-05:00

I can trust the Killers with Joy Division covers. That is saying a lot. They made it "poptastic" as Stephen Morris (Joy Division / New Order drummer) would say while keeping the feel of soldiering jangly guitars and the driving bass line. I simply love it.

It even has a nice instrumental that is really New Orderish for a Joy Division cover.

Yewchube rules...though it is in MONO...which is lame.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIe3IgmdSlI

=SW

South Carolina's Jesus License Plate Wish

2008-06-06T22:57:00.005-05:00

I seem to address a lot of religious topics for a non-believer, but some things just raise my alarms.

Why can South Carolina have Nascar license plates, Or school plates like this:

And foundation plates likes this:

But not a Christianity plate? Surely Jesus is as valid a thing to put on ones plates as a Nascar icon or a school!

I would say "The Problem Is..." but it is not a problem. In the United States of America we have a constitution that is the basis for our laws.

The first amendment to the Constitution, part of the Bill of Rights, states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion...

The license plate is a kind of government document and in America, the Constitution specifically says the government should not promote a religion. It doesn't say anything about schools, car racing, fishing...etc...etc...it mentions religion. This was done for a specific reason, because of the special concern surrounding the influence of devotion in society. The framers knew people could not be truly free if the government put its stamp of deadly authority on any religion.

So, you can't have Jesus license plates in this country! Love your country, because the same Constitution prevents someone else from foisting their religion on you.

Get a bumper sticker.

=sw

Aquaman

2008-05-26T01:04:00.005-05:00

Since I like Smallville, and I noticed that Millar and Gough also made the Aquaman pilot and I downloaded it from iTunes. I have been putting it off though I finally got around to it.

The pilot is promising. It has the familiar witty banter between a hero and an unaware smart and verbally acute woman. In this case, Eva (Amber McDonald). She reminded me of the Lois Lane character (Erica Durance) in Smallville.

I would have thought, since Will Toale played Aquaman on Smallville that he would have been cast for the series. Instead they cast Justin Hartley, who does a good job, though he also plays Green Arrow on Smallville. That's an unfortunate dramatic problem for talented actors playing 2 roles in the same comic book universe. It's difficult not to look like yourself.

I still wonder what happened with Will Toale?

Adrianne Palicki played a searingly hot "Siren"...The writers introduce her in a way that really gives you the experience of being lured in and convinced by her. Also, the nude underwater swimming scene with Nadia (the Siren) pushes television margins. Since this is from iTunes, it may have slipped by where a broadcast would not, but with a pause button as my witness, I saw everything.

By the way, It is great to see Lou Diamond Phillips on T.V.

I like Aquaman...maybe they will bring it back. What better excuse to show lots of bikinis.

=sw

Stuck in Belief

2008-05-21T23:55:00.011-05:00

Today I had a conversation with some friends of mine. These are people I really like and admire.

We like the same movies and music.

However, I am a skeptical non-believer with an understanding of the perspective of faithful people since I was raised devoutly religious.

I heard someone suggest that one of the presidential candidates fit a rough description of an Anti-Christ. I said...you mean successful lawyer, married, parent, church going, Unites States Senator so and so seems like the epitome of evil in your faith? The evidence given was that this person would be charismatic.

What an out-there election tactic some preachers must be using!

This is a puzzling jamb in my opinion. Faithful, good people are stuck believing something where their own beliefs are used as proof of themselves. They discern truth and falsehood by checking whether something calls Jesus the Christ or not.

So things that agree with and support ones own faith and beliefs are the ultimate evidence of truth..even the exclusive evidence.

I had two insights recently.

One is that religion serves a valuable social purpose. It is a calling card, not a flawless one, for people who share your values. It means you can trust strangers if they profess your faith or one close enough to trust. You don't need to know much else. Also a christian? Here, take the car keys, my daughter and my wallet and go and get dinner and bring it back. Nothing will go wrong, people who profess our faith were taught like us and will act like us and not steal and not lie and not harm us.

It stems from a deep longing for social contact, a desire to be safe and a reliance on the power of social compliance.

There is a benefit to be had, I see that. Though at what cost? Reason? Common sense?

The reality is that many who profess faith are as human, flawed and prone to do evil things as every other person is. Some people who live with rational thinking as their guide can be the most compassionate, thoughtful, trustworthy and honest people. Yet anyone can make a mistake or suffer from a lapse in judgement or health or even low blood sugar.

Sometimes the searingly faithful brainwash themselves into a trance (using droning repetitive and awful religious pop music) where they are so fearful of "outside" influences that they see others in a really unfair way. I think it is sad that many so lock themselves into binding circular pseudo-reasoning that they can hardly learn to accept truth. Especially when truth is revealed by scientific consensus and not sourced from their only allowable trusted sources.

My other insight was almost off topic, though it relates. I realized things aren't always what you think they are the first time around.

That is the flag of Pakistan, which contains a common Islamic symbol of a crescent with a star in front of it.

I know what the symbol means on one level...it is associated with Islam or Muslims. I have puzzled, being a fan of Astronomy, what it symbolizes. It couldn't be the Moon, there are no stars between the Earth and Moon, obviously. So how can a star shine through a planet? Then I thought it could symbolize Jupiter, with one of its sunlit moons transiting in our line of site and reflecting some light back to us, like Venus appears star-like in the morning.

Then I thought it could represent the Fertile Crescent region of the world. The star could roughly approximate Mecca, if the Crescent shape were rotated and positioned so it matched the shape of the Fertile Crescent running from along the Nile Egypt up around Lebanon, Syria, maybe parts of Turkey and along through Northern Iraq and down in following the Tigris and Euphrates river valleys. Maybe there is a Muslim who knows.

=SW

Intelligent Design

2008-05-10T00:29:00.005-05:00

It must be spring time. All the life emerging all around, especially in the very green climate where I live, must bring people to flights of fancy. I hear it from my chiropractor, from co-workers, from my neighbors whenever I talk about the beauty and wonder of spring. There must be an intelligent designer.

Wikipedia has a great entry about the rise and fall of this priest in a lab coat:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_design

The argument, from my perspective, isn't about whether there actually is a God. It's about how to know a fact. God must remain a faith based matter for the same reason Intelligent Design is not science. There is just no way to prove it.

The U.S. National Academy of Sciences has stated that "intelligent design, and other claims of supernatural intervention in the origin of life" are not science because they cannot be tested by experiment, do not generate any predictions, and propose no new hypotheses of their own.

Whatever they call their now legally defeated movement, they are faith based beliefs...which are fine if people desire to have them...they just aren't a science or even a "theory"...because something must have testable experiments to be a scientific theory.

A theory, in the realm of science, can't just be something that pops into your head like "I think there's a spaceship behind the moon". That is merely "a conjecture, an opinion, or a speculation" (National Academy of Sciences quote N.A.S.)

In science, a theory is a testable model of the manner of interaction of a set of natural phenomena, capable of predicting future occurrences or observations of the same kind, and capable of being tested through experiment or otherwise verified through empirical observation. -N.A.S.

The idea that there is a God that designed everything is a fine opinion, it just is not knowledge that should be taught as such in our schools, private or not. It's simply unethical and mentally abusive to teach conjecture to impressionable children as if it were fact.

A creator may well be something we like to hope for, something we believe and preach in spiritual settings. We are free to delight our hearts with whatever we choose in those settings. I don't think science can, at this point, prove or disprove the ultimate existence of a creator or lack thereof. I don't think it's a contradiction to be a faithful person and a scientist, most of the time. Science does allow us to expand our knowledge, filling in those gaps we used to attribute to the "God of the Gaps", as Carl Sagan said.

In teaching science, the conclusions of repeatable and peer reviewed experiments are explained for what they say for themselves. The scientific method is taught so students can understand how the knowledge was discovered in the first place and how they can replicate those experiments to prove their results to themselves.

Forcing one group's hopeful imaginations or beautiful dreams on the education system would be a frightening and tragic dumbing down of critical thinking skills in our nation.

The same faith-based activists would react much like I do to them if, for example, a Muslim group were trying to impose Islamic teachings on their school age children.

Again to paraphrase the brilliant rational thinker and Astro-Physicist Sagan, The mission of the creationists is not to give students the best of our collective knowledge, it is to preserve the emotional attachment they have to the things they believe. Their mission is not truth-seeking at all, it's the preservation of long held dogma.

Here is a passage that sums up how I feel about the issue. It is a quote from the writings C.F. Volney, which I found on Project Gutenberg after reading about it in "Demon Haunted World" (by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan):

...to live in harmony and peace, we must agree never to decide on such subjects, and to attach to them no importance; in a word, we must trace a line of distinction between those that are capable of verification, and those that are not; and separate by an inviolable barrier the world of fantastical beings from the world of realities; that is to say, all civil effect must be taken away from theological and religious opinions.
C.F. Volney (published 1787, original in French)

I guess I have shown by all my quoting that my reaction to the pseudo-science Intelligent Design movement is shared by many great thinkers who expressed my concern and dismay about the movement much better than I could. From Volney over 200 years ago to Sagan only a decade ago and including the very recent statements from the N.A.S.

Many smart grown up Americans walk around repeating Intelligent Design ideas that are so ill-conceived as to be evidence against themselves. They talk of accepting evolution while pretending there is such a thing as a limit on "cross-species" evolution, a fully non-scientific idea, invented to help people rationalize their beliefs and reduce their cognitive dissonance.

I hear proponents of this sham say things like "we don't even know whether butter is good for you or not, we can't trust our science!" .

I'd like to address that one argument. Whether eating butter is good for you is a question with a lot of variables. First, the real issue is probably more one of whether local news programs actually do rigorous research into their sources and subjects on slow news days.

I digress to the idea of many variables. Maybe the question should be one of whether butter is good for you in certain quantities or combined with certain foods or when one has a sedentary lifestyle or an active lifestyle. Clearly there are always new studies, new discoveries and other motives, other than pure knowledge, for promoting one opinion over another.

Maybe sales of butter are slumping one quarter, so a corporate staff member is paid to write an article emphasizing anything at all positive or virtuous about eating butter.

That whole mess is somehow used to reduce the value of scientific knowledge that helps us to understand things like Gravity, Electricity, the Chemistry of Plastic or the properties of Light. The "virtues of butter" is an incomplete set of knowledge just like the "origins of the universe" is also an incomplete set of knowledge.

This incompleteness is exploited in a logically false way to play down the tested hypotheses and valuable results of science for the purpose of muddying people's understanding so they can still accept rationally unsupportable or at best, unprovable, beliefs. It is a totalitarianism of ignorance that is deeply troubling.

I recently saw Eddie Izzard's wonderful "Stripped" tour. In his show he did a bit about the Planet Mercury, and it went something like (and I take vast paraphrasing liberties): "It's a dry, lifeless, waterless world where the temperature ranges from −180 to 430 °C from night to day. What's so intelligent about that design? That's not intelligent design, it's either random and God doesn't exist or he's one sardonic smart ass".

=sw

Wired! Electrically.

2008-04-23T12:49:00.005-05:00

http://www.teslamotors.com/

This is a fully electric vehicle available now, though there is a huge waiting list. It’s also 100K or so.

I think electric vehicles are great...they allow your fuel source to vary and get greener from Coal to Natural Gas to Wind to Solar depending on who supplies your power. You could even opt for all wind on your power bill and have a wind powered car.
Also, if we are going to emit CO2 anyway, the economy of scale of Coal power plants is probably more efficient than burning gasoline and Coal is a domestic source not a foreign one. All electric is all good no matter how you look at it.

=sw

Natalism

2008-04-21T12:30:00.003-05:00

I sometimes get accused of taking a "victors perspective" on the Palestinian-Isreali conflict. I am not sure what people mean...are they talking about biblical jews returning from exile in Egypt marching in circles around Jericho or do they just mean...that the British won the war with the Ottoman Empire?

In any case, though I am solidly set on the need for a Jewish homeland in the world, I loathe and regret the suffering of the Palestinians. I think Gaza is such an inhumane place in some ways, run by thugs hell bent on teaching hate to their children to regain homes and lands the cost for which was long ago exceeded by their destructive behaviors and their losses at the hands of the Israeli military who seem to have a planned 10:1 destruction ratio in mind when retaliating against rocket attacks.

In some ways, I am convinced that Palestinians and Jews lived more peacefully and happily together at the time...maybe in the mid 80's...where Palestinians had very free and open commerce with Israel and crossed back and forth across territory borders daily for work. Ok, it wasn't perfect...suicide bombings from the Palestinian side and invasive settlements on the Israeli side led to a divisive zeitgeist along with the recent "intifada".

Now the Palestinians, especially in Gaza, are in a kind of constant desperation. Israel, now it has depopulated its Jewish settlements in Gaza, can manipulate energy and goods flow, guarding both their land border with Gaza and access to the Mediterranean sea. Recently the Palestinians burst through the border Gaza shares with Egypt, though this border is also controlled by Israel...in theory.

I think Palestinians have in mind that they can out-breed the Jews and use Natalism to eventually change the facts on the ground. While practicing this ideal, they grow hungrier, more pressured for resources and have serious health issues like sand-berm sewage storage lakes that burst actually drowning people..with the potential to harm many people. There is also an enormous disease risk in trying to over populate on principal. Eventually this tactic will bring disasters to Palestinians who would do far better to recognize Israel, live in peace even as citizens of the same country. They could hold office, have stability and benefit from the western lifestyle. It could be done, it would just take some common sense, leadership and vision. When there is peace, Palestinian compensation claims could be considered and promoted by the international community...investment could flow into these lands.

This awfully evil policy of keeping Palestinians in ignorant blind hatred of Israel is a great part of the harm done to this people. Stop firing rockets, stop terroist bombings and the future can look different. If not, the Palestinians will fight against a negative public image as terrorist thugs when what they really need is international financial and humanitarian aid on a huge scale.

Maybe I do see a "Victors Perspective" but that also includes concern for my fellow human beings who are taking a path which will lead them into needless pain and suffering. We may never be able to change their hearts about the absolutely immutable need for a Jewish state, but I would love to change their minds about dashing themselves to bits against its walls.

=sw

Fitna Film

2008-03-27T10:04:00.004-05:00

I have been following the news about the planned release of the movie by Geert Wilders called "Fitna".

I always want to seek the most rational point of view I can, though sometimes this is an art.I expect my perspective to be biased by my experience and I try to check for that in my thought patterns.

When I boil this down I see some things on both sides of this issue.

First, having lived in the Flemish speaking Belgium I can attest to some of the attitudes people have toward the rise of population in their countries of those from other countries and cultures. A good friend of mine, we'll call him Thomas, used to tell me about his views on this matter during dinners to which he and his wife and family would regularly invite me.

Thomas would focus on some details of the impact of immigrants, and even their descendants, particularly from countries in the Muslim world. He'd complain about health code violations from animal sacrifice rituals, identity problems with full coverage clothing and generally about the trend toward people creating a multi-cultural situation where many did not need to learn the Dutch or French languages because they had all they needed in their ethnic enclaves.

I was aware of the emotional nature of Thomas' reactions to the changes taking place in his country and society. The ethnic differences and perceived multi-culturalism made him feel like his own society, built up over years of identity forming struggle, survival, compromise and achievement, was under threat. Thomas has a strongly held belief that Islam was spread by the sword and that Mohammed himself beheaded many Jews and many of his rivals among his own people.

I think Europeans have a small part of their identity that is closely associated with holding back what they perceive to be Islamic raids on their lands and way of life. Something similar is held among Islamic peoples of the Middle East and Mediterranean regions where they view Christians as Crusaders whose raids and onslaughts have been held back over the many years. Evidence for both beliefs can be cited.

Europeans feel they have achieved secular, tolerant, free societies governed by law which is sustained by democratically elected representatives. That is a factual, though perhaps a bit idealized description which leaves out a lot of references to corruption, but a fair description none-the-less.

I think most Dutch people are tolerant, accepting and accommodating to foreigners who choose to join their way of life. They expect that new immigrants will obey and be subject to Dutch laws and beyond that, they are welcome to dress, pray, speak and do as they see fit.

To state the point of tension plainly, the Dutch value freedom of speech. To speak ones mind, state ones point of view, whether in word, art, drawing, film or music is a n inalienable right to them. Not everyone will be pleased with what you say, and if you break laws with your work, you can be subject to prosecution. This may be for libel or violating other legally coded limits. Sometimes history plays a role, so there is such a thing as banned literature in The Netherlands. "Mein Kampf" is an understandably banned book. The German World War II invasion of the Netherlands and the Holocaust have left an indelible impression on the social circumstances and laws of the Netherlands.

Protest, I think, is accepted as a valid response to a work of art. Legal action as well is within the realm of what is acceptable in Dutch society. Murder is not an acceptable course of action for making ones displeasure known.

I am referring to the story of Theo Van Gogh who made a film depicting a Muslim woman voicing the possible secret worries of a woman in a strict Muslim home environment. The actress was dressed in what looked like concealing Islamic conservative head and facial covering, while her nearly naked body was visible through a see through part of the long covering. Symbolically I can see the message of the clothing. The piece is very "artsy" but also makes some points about the lack of support a Muslim woman may have, even from her own family, if she is beaten or raped...even by family members.

I know that Theo Van Gogh also said deplorable things about Jews. I can understand someone being angry with Theo Van Gogh for his outrageous statements. As a former Mormon, I understand the anger religious people feel when their symbols are misappropriated to criticize their faith.

I cannot understand or accept Theo Van Gogh's fate. He was murdered by Mohammed Bouyeri, who left a note with even more deplorable anti-semetic statements as well as other references to a radicalized Egyptian Islamic group.

I can agree with the Dutch sentiment that such a killing is not a justifiable behavior and not compatible with their society. This line of reasoning all too quickly leads to ethnic slurs, an "us vs. them" mentality and talk of a "Final Solution".

It is simply not acceptable for someone to come from another culture, observe the ideas of someone in their host culture and murder that person for those ideas. This just cannot stand. I think reasonable people can accept the mixing of others from other cultures in their streets. I don't think they have to put up with something that looks like an act of war by an invader. Even if that person is a second generation descendant. A man who has such a poor level of respect for the laws, customs and culture of his newly adopted land clearly represents a real and serious problem that needs to be dealt with. It appears that the act of murder was somehow, in the mind of this particular Muslim perpetrator, justified by a belief system or doctrine. What is to be done about this, especially if it is a trend?

"How is it ok for religious zealots with Middle Eastern roots to enter Dutch society and tell them how to live?" That is the rhetorical question asked by many people who feel angered and threatened by Muslims living in the Netherlands.

From watching filmmaker Geert Wilders in interviews, it is clear he is not a cultural relativist. He tends to believe that some traditions are simply good and some are bad. He unabashedly states that some ways of life are better than others. I can understand how easily he could arrive at this notion given some of the outrageously ancient attitudes exhibited in "holy" books. Though, if the Koran is a source of ideas that are incompatible with Dutch society then so is the Bible.

I stare blankly in horror at the news of so called "Honor" killings, which are simply not humane and acceptable behavior. Then again, neither are abortions or death penalties by the same standards.

I think that ultimately every religion has irrationalities in it and the potential for fundamentalists to interpret the sayings and writings of the faith for what are by any definition evil purposes.

When I really think about it, I know there are over a billion Muslims in the world and I certainly do not fear them or think they are all trying to do evil. On the contrary, most of them are people I could get along with. I am aware that my perspective is under a powerful influence of the media, but I have also have personal experience with Muslims. I find them to be reasonable, good, descent, also sometimes imperfect human beings like anyone else. Sometimes I detect the notion that some young Muslim men have not found and defined the limits of the recourse against offenses to their faith. That is a troubling thing to discover. This seems to be the case even in people who are upstanding family men in America who appear to all observation to be moderate and tolerant.

I also see the similarities in what western religions value and what Muslims people value. The similarities are everywhere. Christians, Jews and Muslims share a wealth of religious stories and characters.

Still the question remains. What do you do about it when people murder their fellow citizens for their views? Surely that cannot stand. Geert Wilders is under death threats for creating an opinion piece. Like him and his movie or not, the threat of killing him for having a voice in a free society is a deep and intense undermining influence to freedom. He must not have to die so someone else doesn't feel "offended".

There is a better way to voice opposition to the movie that Muslim people will need to find, perhaps their own voice is what they need to find. Death threats soundly prove all of Meneer Wilder's points. I see Geert as taking a hard line himself and I do not feel comfortable with the way he insults the Koran, even though I am not a Muslim. Though I certainly have never heard him threaten death to anyone. He wants to preserve, and even share, the liberal Dutch society with others. He only voices his thoughts about his culture and what he perceives as threatening it. What less can be expected of a free man, Even if you don't like his attitude or ideas.

=sw

Scientifically Designed by Idiots

2008-03-05T02:52:00.005-05:00

I have recently had the absolutely baffling experience of encountering the "Step One Survey II™". This is a "tool" used by some HR departments to evaluate candidates in a way that is meant to determine their honesty and reduce the chance of hiring someone who might participate in fraudulent behavior, rip the company off, deal drugs at work or hoark things from the suppy cabinet.

The survey asks the same questions over and over in many different ways. What is the idea? Do they think they will trick me into a false memory?

Even after the third time they ask in a slightly altered way, I've still never used or distributed drugs in the workplace!

I have noticed these tests are most often sold to paranoid, perhaps gullible, small town companies probably by filling their decision-maker's imaginations with fearsome visions of the cruel world of the unwashed heathens outside their quaint under-sexed and bored main streets.

The result of my choice to deal in good faith with employers is that I refuse to comply with these ridiculous surveys which were "scientifically" designed by idiots. They weed me out, thanks to my dignity, even though I am not the drug using thief they fear. That person is probably not qualified for that job anyway. Nevermind the possibility they could lie and game the test.

I'd rather pee in a cup.

=sw

Leopard Update

2008-02-13T01:33:00.004-05:00

Ah the glorious and wonderful, laudable and noble dock menu hath returned in true Leopard form.

Seriously now, I know this is far too important to me. Though when one lives all ones life (except for time at the bar, with the ladies, enjoying the great outdoors or working out at the gym) on the computer, these things matter a lot.

Other than the glamorous 1920 x 1200 sized (not naked) pictures of my favorite actresses, the dock menu is the best looking thing on my screen...this week. HYPERBOLE!! Say it with me now... HYPERBOLE!! You there, on the left...yes you. You are actually saying "Hyper Bowl" and that's not quite right.

=sw

Seeing The Forest for the Green

2008-02-04T13:51:00.001-05:00

As the "green" movement hype pushes to fever pitch, I have observed some wonderful human behavior that mocks rational thinking and demotes reason to a second class citizen.

I am a centrist in a way. Some of my convictions may seem to fall far from the middle to one side or the other, though I make my own platform based on the best information I can get combined with my own values and perspective.

I am often stunned by the views on the political right surrounding global warming. I also think some of their claims about hype are entirely valid, though they do not remove the reality we are facing.

First, what stuns me. Sometimes I hear an attitude of "counter arguing" global warming claims. A common one is "the sun is actually warming up, see how all the other planets are warming". This is usually said as if the conclusion can then be "see? we don't have to do anything...I can continue to live in a self-centric bubble and not care what happens to other people...everyone else is living like I do and anyway, Jesus will end the world long before anything we can do."

This thought pattern is eminently debunk-able and really beyond rational thinking. The Sun is naturally the most important source of warmth for the planets. This does not negate the solid "greenhouse effect" science of Carbon Dioxide, Methane and other molecules. If Solar warming is increasing (which is still the subject of some debate among scientists) then this only serves to intensify the greenhouse effect. The warming itself IS cause by the Sun (excluding geothermal warming), and the human greenhouse gas impact is what makes that a serious problem for climate change. Even without an increase in Solar warming levels, the greenhouse effect would continually warm our planet by trapping the more and more heat over time. Additional Solar warming only exacerbates the green house effect. It doesn't excuse mankind.

Therefore, We still have a problem to which we largely contributed.

Naturally, the ability of the atmosphere to keep heat is a wonderful thing at certain levels. This helps us make it through nights and winters. The problem is the runaway increase in temperatures caused by the presence of greenhouse gases in too much abundance. Our portion of that only adds to what the Earth naturally emits from volcanoes, fires or decomposing vegetation. The Earth also has natural sinks for CO2 like plant growth or the sea. By absorbing so many carbon molecules, The sea maybe be becoming more acidic than we'd like it to be. A process that will eventually end the life of some species.

Clearly warming is happening. Climate change is happening. Sea level rise is happening. Though it may seem it happens more slowly than we felt it might, given the urgency put forward by Al Gore, we have to remember that the warming can be additive and even exponential.

Now to the Conservative criticism that the Left is full of hype.

Conservatives do have a point when left wing celebrities pay lip service to the global warming and sea level rise problems while flying around the world, driving SUV's and purchasing beach front property that surely will be underwater soon if they keep living that way. I speak as if my smaller carbon foot print is not part of the problem. It all adds up.

I think this "hypocrisy" argument holds water, but that does not correct the problem of global warming from human emissions.

I have replaced all but one bulb (I kept the dimmer light) in my place with compact fluorescent bulbs:

This makes me feel great, but look at this:

My estimated carbon footprint:

Electrical use related emissions = 2 tons/year
Automotive related emissions = 8 tons/year
Natural Gas emissions = 2 tons/year

My compact fluorescent bulbs MIGHT reduce my electrical usage at home by maybe .4 tons per year.

Including Natural Gas, my Car and Electricity I am at about 12 tons/year. I install a bunch of bulbs and I am at 11.6 tons. Have I gone green? Perhaps a tiny bit.

Even so, is the CF bulb over hyped? It does cost greenhouse emissions just to manufacture and ship these bulbs. They can be heavier than the old bulbs, but they draw a lot less power and last longer. In the end, the mass purchase of these bulbs could reduce the need to manufacture the old kind, thereby not netting much increase on the "making and shipping" side of things. They do use less power and that means lower CO2 and mercury emissions (from coal fired power plants). Let's overlook the mercury they contain themselves. If all light bulbs became fluorescents the carbon impact of lighting would be reduced. But personally feeling much greener for having done it, is a bit over-hyped. It still made sense to do it.

This can all be counteracted by the dramatic growth of population in other countries. We are all in the same biosphere, so their emissions play a zero sum game with ours. If all the millions of incandescent light bulbs not sold to me get sold to the third world because the incandescent bulbs are cheaper...what have I really done for the environment?

Simply transferring American over-consumption to other nations does not reduce emissions at all.

Apparently, we should all be vegan monks who live in silent darkness and walk everywhere.

It must be tough to an animal lover when saving the world means not only refusing to eat the cows, but culling all the cattle as well.

Sometimes you can get the impression that people think it's always other people's over-consumption that is the cause of their own inconvenience. Some act as if it is other people's over-breeding, other people's showers that are too long or thermostats that are too high. If all the poorer people could just live a more meager and lowly existence, then the jet-setting, fine dining life of luxury could continue, uninterrupted, for those who have it.

Tree planting is another common myth-laden issue. Trees will mostly return their CO2 to the atmosphere when they eventually rot and burn. They are at best a temporary sink to buy time. Even if they stay as beams in a house, they will be prepped and treated with greenhouse gas emitting processes and they have to be shipped from where they grew to where they are used. Trees are nice, they are not "THE" answer.

Ultimately, it will take a lot of changes. Maybe the bulbs are in the right spirit and other similar reductions can help. All of my effort, even if I convinced 150,000 friends, will of course be wiped out on Super Bowl Sunday. Even though they try to reduce emissions, it is overshadowed by the huge cost in greenhouse emissions holding the event generates. I don't think we should cancel all that is fun, though real solutions that have a meaningful impact are yet to arrive.

=sw

Microsoft and Yahoo!

2008-02-01T12:08:00.000-05:00

The exclamation point is part of the Yahoo! name. That may give you an idea bout how I feel about this proposed merger.

I must lament... oh must it be?

does Microsoft have to further defile all that is good, holy and silicon valley?

must the one Mircosoft Way replace the Web Your Way!!! .........

must I be made to pine for the old days? can't Yahoo! merge with a nice neighbor like Apple or even Sun. I get that Google is a competitor and Microsoft wants to compete. But our precious ?

I remember having to stop using Hotmail when Microsoft bought them out. I was ok with occasionally tolerating IE for work testing and MSN Messenger for lowest common denominator PC users who just won't trouble themselves to try something else. But this is like a punch to the gut. It's like having Volkswagen get bought by GM. Nobody wants to lose what's great about Yahoo! to the Microsoft machine.

oh ?

Now, everyone, join with me and sing the Yahoo! anthem. Maybe if enough of us sing, we will ward off the impending evil. Feel free to wave your arms in the air. You might look retarded, but it's all about how you feel. Click the album cover below:

=sw

Data Curator

2008-01-30T10:21:00.000-05:00

I have been doing the work of a data curator lately. I have generated a lot of absolutely original information over the years and it is not easy to prevent it all from being lost to dying media and expiring formats.

In the 90's I saved a lot of song files to DataDAT format using an Atari Falcon. I would back up each track and each mix of songs I was working on as data encoded sound streams that were saved like files to DAT tapes. I want to recover all my old DAT tapes and back them up on DVD-R, Hard Drives or whatever works best.

A Dat Tape and a AAA battery (from http://www.wikimedia.org/)

And an Atari Falcon computer:

Warning: Techno-babble...

I upload the tapes to a SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) Hard Disk attached to the Atari. The Falcon system has its own format for the drive which cannot be read by my Mac. So I had to find a format they can both read. Eventually the lowest common denominator was MS DOS FAT 16 format. So my 4 Gig drive is divided into 5 partitions and I actually formatted it from my Mac OS X Tiger unix command prompt. The FAT 16 switch is available there. It all works great, but I have to remember to put the Falcon in black and white video mode to free up just enough speed and memory for successful uploads.

Warning: Waxing philosophical...

Over the long run, all data will need to be carefully maintained so as not to slip away. I think people may eventually print files as small pixel patterns to acid free paper. Then they could scan them back to the hard disk with a flat-bed scanner and some Bit Recognition Software. Something like this is already done in smaller amounts of data on your driver's license.

The right kind of paper and ink could last longer than a Hard Drive platter might. The Hard Drive's platter, reading/writing circuitry or mechanism may corrode or fail far sooner. Paper could be scanned by new future higher tech machines and it is a little more stable than magnetic storage tends to be. Optical devices like CD-R, DVD-R erode far more quickly than well done paper and ink. Even Hard drives may last longer than optical media. I don't know yet whether Blueray improves on shelf life for the optical media. Paper is also "optical" in a sense.

It would take a lot more physical space to store the same file size in paper than on a Hard Disk, though it is a way to preserve the data for longer.

Maybe etching into a carbon slab is the way to go...essentially a sheet diamond storage system. This would be a way to store the most precious data society has for a long time. Maybe that's not possible yet or something better will come around.

We do need to think about how we will preseve information. Someone has to think of a way to put signs outside our radioactive nuclear waste pits that don't fade away over 10,000 years.

All I did was rescue some unique magnetic patterns from the 80's and 90's...and they already felt like they were slipping into the digital void.

=sw

Priesthoods

2008-01-18T10:23:00.000-05:00

Society seems to enjoy making priesthoods of knowledge. This is a group or class that is entrusted to understand and explain with authority things no one else can understand or should bother themselves to understand because the one authoritative way of seeing things is already determined.

Once you have a priesthood you can then use your own compliance with their edicts to set yourself above and apart from others and in turn shame and degrade them! Exciting isn't it? (rhetorical am I not?)

As an ex-religious I have seen this kind of behavior...the leaning on an agreed upon authority and following it blindly while heaping disapproval or even venom upon any non -compliant people.

I also see this in the "Web Development" field.

Some have granted a "Priesthood" status to the W3C. "THEY" have deprecated the use of the word URL. Never mind the culture or history or people's speech patterns. You see, their authority extends over the earth as a mighty flood with the power to control your every utterance and ban you from stepping out of line in word and deed!

We should all now say URI. And I say we should all now say "Fellate my Phallus" instead of...nevermind.

I digress. I understand that scientifically it is a better word to describe what people have apparently misused "URL" to describe for years. I get the technical argument that URL's are a subset of what URI's are etc.

What I can't agree with is an organization, only given notice by the famous names that subscribe to it, can somehow now "correct us all" into changing the way we speak and attempt to retroactively remove our "bad habits" because it knows best. We all know what we mean when we say "web address" and for anything anyone cares about #thepulpit can be called a URL even though it is strictly a URI as it has no explicit network access method...but of course it has an implied network access method called a browser . (And the browser can connect to local files, hypertext, file transfer, page positions etc.)

I maintain that we should not let any "Priesthood" tell us it knows best. This is my world too and I will adopt standards I agree with and reject up-tightness I can't stand at will as a free human being and so can you.

=sw

Nevada vs. Nevahda

2008-01-08T04:24:00.001-05:00

Since I lived in Utah and visited both northern and southern Nevada many times, I know that people in Nevada don't pronounce their home's name the way it is pronounced by millions of people on the East coast.

I have heard every argument, such as the argument that Nevada comes from spanish etc. The majority people living in Nevada are not native Spanish speakers.

Nevada is also a State in the United States (please refer to the treaty if Guadalupe Hidalgo if you are confused about that). While the U.S. is not officially an English speaking country, it is defacto a majority English language country. This means that the residents of Nevada are not wrong in how they pronounce their own State's name.

Some make the argument that by the same standard I should call Paris "Pahreee" and Mexico "Mehico" because the people who live in those places pronounce their homes like that respectively.

This is not the same standard because these are places in foreign countries. Nevada is right here at home. I don't hear people campaigning to call Arizona Addizonah. No one thinks that we should all pronounce California like Arnold Schwarzenegger does.

Is there any other widely mispronounced State name? Maybe I could start some trends like "NayBrahSkah" or "Oh Heeee Oh". I guess Illinois gets the rare mistake of Illinoise, though most people say it right like the locals prefer. Even though this one more closely matches the French name heritage I am sure is the reason for the silent s.

Poor Arkansas...it would be a lot easier if Kansas were "Kansaw".

Every one east of the Mississippi mispronounces Nevada. It is just annoying. Like if snooty people insisted on saying Minnesota with a hard T like MinnesoTAW. How many times could I say Mitchigan before being corrected.

When I tell people here in the central east coast that NevAHda is actually wrong, they say "My Mom says it that way" or "Tim Russert says it that way on NBC". I am pretty sure Tim Russert also lives east of the Mississippi.

I guess I will have to start saying Alabayma (wait this could be correct!) and Noff Cahrowleeena. Still, I am not going to glottal stop my Hawaii any time soon.

=sw

Oh Holy God

2007-12-17T20:21:00.000-05:00

How do I feel about the Holidays, now I have peeled back many layers of religious indoctrination and desire to live life and interpret it through rational means?

In some ways I am as familiar and comfortable with "Christmas" and a kind of "American T.V. Hanukkah" as I ever was.

What do I believe? I believe that this is a time of human celebration that existed long before, or as long as, any other tradition later grafted into it. The dogma's and doctrines I find detract from the "human family" spirit of the season. Christmas was co-opted from an ancient Pagan "festival of the lights" which seems to have a Jewish cousin. I think the explanation for the holidays is simple.

In times long before artificial light when a fire may have been the only man-made night lighting, many earth-peoples noted the lengthening nightly darkness and the arrival of the dominance of the "lights" or stars over the daily cycle.

A lot of our ancient traditions come from cultures that are largely in the northern hemisphere. Something similar happens down south, just 6 months out of sync. So, everywhere you are, there is a time of year where the sun's day shortens and darkness seems to continually conquer the cycle of day and night. We know, of course, that this doesn't so much happen at the equator.

Also, the earth is always 50% light and 50% shadow at any given moment. It just so happens that during certain times of year and because of our 23.5 degree tilt, your house may only spin through a section of the light side and a lot more of the dark side. This may help if you don't already "get it":

Clickest Thou Unto This Place

Day and Night, and the seasonal difference in length of the "light vs. the dark" hours seem to be ready symbols for the struggle between light and dark or good and evil. I think humans have such a strong sense of these ideas because the planet spins.

December 25th also marks the first visible hint that the Sun's long day will return as the position of sun-rise begins to move back along the horizon. (Really, the angled Earth's motion around the sun is the actual event being observed).

Now THAT is cause for celebration involving light! The Sun, our life giving and sustaining star, will surely return to maintain life and eventually rule the longer days. The Sun starts winning the contest of day/night length around Easter, "coincidentally".

I like shiny, sparkly, red, green and fun things so I like Christmas. Nothing says "long nights of many stars" more than a Christmas tree. Nothing says how glorious it will be when the Sun returns (in spring) than a Star above a tree, or 7 to 9 burning candles. Since I think that Christians co-opted the holiday to promote their mythos, I do get a deep internal groan when I hear "The Real/True meaning of Christmas" speeches. To me, Christ means "anointed one" in Greek and that might as well be us to each other. Anointing one another with gifts to celebrate our human concern for one another, our glorious life in this wondrous Universe.

Rather than being mundane, I feel my view of the Holiday sees the wonder of life in its true stature as being what it is. Though I will not tell you mine is the "True Meaning" because I still think people have a right to be into and believe what works for them, so long as they don't try to impose their dream world on me with laws or force.

I guess I am kind of Japanese about Christmas now. Quaintness, electronic gadgets (haha), wonder, gifts, joy and pleasure of being alive are what I celebrate. Yet unknown wonders still exist and I allow myself to hope for great things at this time of year.

Have happy holidays, a Merry Christmas (or whatever adjective you prefer) or whatever you wish to celebrate! Like it or not, we all share the human condition and that is cause to rejoice, even if your nearest Angel is a Heavenly Hostess.

=sw

Visited Utah

2007-12-03T23:28:00.000-05:00

Over the thanksgiving weekend I went to Salt Lake City.

I stayed with my friend Jeffrey on the living room floor with one of those real high-tech Swiss Gear mattresses. I figured...I am of Swiss heritage, so Swiss Guy, Swiss watch, Swiss gear. His parents graciously invited me to join them for Thanksgiving dinner. They have a nice formal European dining experience with traditional American holiday food, apart from the excellent German riesling! Mr. Gold is an American and the Mrs. is German so it works out to be a best of both worlds kind of social event. There are always engaging conversations and anecdotes about Utah culture from the former mormon perspective. I call the decor Berlin Art Decco and you take your shoes off at the door. Such a good time.

I met Christy, "the degenerate elite" herself (link at right under "Great Minds"). Unlucky me, she's in a relationship, though our friendly lunch and coffee was like meeting a long time friend. I really like her and I wish I lived nearer to her to be able to enjoy her company more often. She is cool and connected to a good group of people who probably share my perspectives.

While in Utah, I saw my good friend from high school, Shannon. She and her husband are allowing each other to have the occasional night off with friends, which is cool. I am deemed imminently trustworthy, which really makes me feel un-manly, though I stand by my standards. Hey I am not a saint, I only refuse to make the same mistakes over and over again...referring to a few dates I have had with women who were divorced and then turned out only to be "separated". So it goes, sometimes.

I deserve a clean-slate, free-of-all-ties woman. I am not saying she can't have a past or even children, though to me it is simpler not to try to become a step-dad. In a biological way, why should I raise another man's offspring? In a personal way...why can't she just sort things out with their father? Ok, I know it's not always easy or simple. At my tender age it seems a lot of my opportunities (where women find me interesting) are in the "complicated" category.

I love my friend Shannon very much and we always have an incredibly great time when we get a chance to spend some time talking or sharing a meal. It is my sincere hope that she sorts things out with her husband. I have always approved of the guy, he is cool, witty and a nice looking person. They should just get their shit together before a REAL home-wrecker comes along.

I saw my long time crush Melanie who brought a boy to our only romantic date opportunity in years. Oh well. I am a fool for dreaming. I am also a single guy who has about 8 or 9 love interests, so until one gets serious I am a bit girl crazy. I don't understand Melanie. She holds something back from me...maybe many things. She is so retarded for thinking I couldn't handle really knowing who she is. I have known her for 10 years, I am always going to care about her no matter what. I flirt with her because I find her very attractive but I never made "her loving me back" a contingency for caring about her. Silly women, can't they trust? Can't they be truthful, real? I always over-tip her at her night job as a cocktail waitress at a swanky little hip club with great music. I do that because it's the only thing I have enough of to share that she has a hard time rejecting...still she tries to stuff my paper back into my shirt pocket, but my rational arguments usually win: "I know I can't buy your love, and you are due a good tip from time to time".

I had dinner with my friend Jan. She is Bi. Which I think means she wants to marry a man and leave him alone every night while she goes out with chicks! Heheh. I also love her deeply and we always hold hands a lot while we are together. I cannot presume what she could want from me, though I have made a rational decision we are not a good match. I hate to be petty, I just want a heterosexual girlfriend. It is not unreasonable. Maybe I just don't understand anything. I do know I fully enjoy her companionship and it is always great to see her. She is also way way cool, way way smart and way way hot.

So what have I done? Above I mentioned a "date with girl who has a boyfriend", "date with married girl", "date with girl who brought her new boyfriend", "date with girl who likes girls more than me". It's like I am not really trying!

I know why. I am heartbroken from years of strong relationship bonds with about 4 different women (successively) where those ties and bonds eventually broke and left me some of the worst pain I have experienced in life. I am spent! I am just now recovering from my shadows of disillusionment and heartache enough to risk something.

So what did I risk? If I am really going to count a date as an emotional risk it has to be with a woman who is single and available! Why not ask someone out who is known for being a single icon in the dating scene and even makes a living from it!?

I met Sarah Nielson for a drink. I have been in love with women like her all my life. She is smart, cute, funny, witty friendly and seemingly forthright. I really liked her. I was a little nervous when she brought out her writer's pen to note something I had said, though she did not completely blast me in her column "The Dating Years". She insisted on bringing a friend, so I brought a friend along too. It made the situation go from a romantic encounter to a social encounter, though it was still enjoyable and no one was murdered by an evil stranger they just met, which would have been really inconvenient to say the least. Her friend, Maddie, was fun and funny and helped make it a good time.

Sarah was like a bloody mary drink. Warm and delicious yet with a sense that "hey this is made from good ingredients, maybe it's good for me!" At the same time she is just a little salty, though not bitter.

Who am I to think I could be the one man among many who would bring an end to the dating years and win her heart!? Though I did think about it and I still do.

=sw

The Sudan

2007-12-01T17:13:00.000-05:00

If it's not a three way civil war or a government tolerated (if not sponsored) murderous horseman militia, then it has to be reactionary extremists longing to murder anyone even perceived as threatening their deep deep religious insecurities. I know some more traditional groups from the Sudan were quoted as saying "This was an innocent mistake" and other younger Sudanese groups stated "this is ridiculous and she should be released immediately".

Still, there is that "stuck in the dark ages of ignorance" class of society who want the very life of a British woman who allowed her 7 year old students to name a stuffed bear Mohammed. The name finally gets its "Teddy Roosevelt" moment and this is perceived as anything other than adoring familiarity!? There are many regular old good and bad men who share this name, because it is promoted with murderous rage throughout the society. A little research can help one determine for one's self whether "murderous rage" is an appropriate description of the activites of the Janjaweed militia in Darfur, Sudan.

One great mark of the success of this rhetoric should be that a group of children in this Islamic society want to associate something adorable with a prophet whose name they adore!

When some choose to make death threats against a school teacher over this, It is the depth and height of ignorance. What should be punishable by lashing and death is to threaten an innocent school teacher and honorable woman with death and lashing over such a non-incident.

Instead, sprained and broken reasoning is used by fanatical adherents whose devotion and hypersensitivity has rotted their common sense.

It is a wholly inappropriate and intolerant response to an innocent choice which actually exhibits deference to the very leader whose name and teachings are said, incredibly, to be insulted. It is truly difficult to decide who exhibited the most childish behavior in this situation.

[edited because I concluded that I was mocking others beliefs in this section, which really negated my criticisms]

=sw

So Much Weird

2007-11-18T02:27:00.000-05:00

Tagged: I am to post 7 weird things about myself.

The rules are:

A). Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
B). Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
C). Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
D). Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1) I usually have about 150,000 completely inappropriate and not apt things to say at exactly the wrong time.

2) I get lyrics wrong. With a fervor that is un-ending. I mis-heard what was really "Push it, make the beat go farther." My version was much more apt considering Ms. Manson's hotness, use your imagination.

Seriously, she's making my beat go farther right now.

3) I get names wrong all the time.

4) My dry risk-taking humor is hilarious. (right?) I am always willing to risk anything for a laugh, despite my amazing charm and rugged good looks.

5) I can't rollerblade or ice-skate backwards. Forwards I am great.

6) I never drank anything until I was 28.

7) Haven't you heard enough? I am not sure this is so weird, but sometimes, to concentrate, I have to keep my ears busy. I always listen to music at work while coding. It's like it distracts part of me that needs constant novelty, so I can get some stuffy logic done.

ok I am going to tag the following blogs:

1) http://www.logicallycritical.net because I enjoy the programs and maybe just typing something won't take too much time
2) Skepticality...because there are at least 2 of them so maybe they have 14 weird things...
3) Dooce...because someone should! And I used to live in Utah so, Semper Fi Lehi. That just rhymes, I am from Sandy.
4) Belaja! (or Open Vein) I like British stuff and there really needs to be more posting there.
5) Sister Mary Lisa: world traveller
6) Sarah Bellum... there can't be anything weird about her!?
7) Anyone else I missed, yes that means you, so get postin'.

=sw

NBC on Apple

2007-11-17T15:13:00.000-05:00

I was pleased to find the NBC Nightly News back on the iTunes music store.

I really like NBC News. I primarily watch the Nightly News, though sometimes I watch the Today Show and occasionally Date Line and Meet the Press. I also enjoy the many NBC Universal television shows found on NBC and other networks as well.

I have renewed my Nightly News subscription on iTunes. I watch every minute of every broadcast, including all the promotional information. I understand NBC and Microsoft have had a long standing relationship.

I am an Apple Mac OS X (Leopard) user. It doesn't matter to me that I like NBC News and that there is a partnership with Microsoft. I use Microsoft software on my Apple computer, like Word, Excel and MSN Messenger. Sometimes I need PowerPoint, Entourage (the Microsoft Exchange and internet email client for Mac OS X), especially at work. I rely on Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection software on my Mac OS X workstation at the office.

Apple's Safari browser, Quicktime media software and iTunes music jukebox/ store client software run on both Windows and Mac OS X.

Most people know all this. I say it to point out that I do not see that being an exclusive Mac user puts me in a camp of necessarily hating Microsoft. There are actual useful harmonies and conveniences to using the Microsoft software, especially in a world where so many people use Windows.

I will never use Windows. It's not political, it's just rational. The Apple Mac OS X ownership exeprience is just so much better in its entirety. Having used everything ever, I know what works best and causes the least stress and annoyance.

This means that any media outlet that is Windows only will never get my money. Here I am!

As a Mac user who likes NBC media, I want to be able to buy Heroes, Chuck, Las Vegas, Late Night with Conan O'brien, Madden Sunday Night Football, Bionic Woman, Scrubs, The Office, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, JourneyMan, My Name is Earl and all the other great NBC content on the iTunes music store.

I want to be able to sync my favorite shows to my iPod or iPhone or Apple TV (HD Digital Video device).

To me, my Apple digital lifestyle and the highly desired NBC content are a perfect match. I know I have blogged about this before, but I just have to make the point on behalf of many others who may feel the same way.

If NBC keeps the Apple channel open it would just be a little extra. This channel is not the same as the DVD sales channel. People who watch live will still watch live. People who DVR the shows will still do it. I would bet the almost anyone who buys the DVD's will still do so. Many times the serious fans will buy iTunes seasons AND the DVD collections later. DVD releases will probably have higher quality media than the music store (especially as Blue Ray becomes more popular...or HD DVD..which sounds like a disease to me for some reason). People will also buy the DVD collections for the exclusive content they hold.

I am ready and waiting to buy at least the shows I have bought last season, and maybe more, if NBC will just concede that the pricing is in the right zone and the revenue stream, however small, is additional to their other channels of distribution.

Be creative, NBC! Offer something more and negotiate a higher price for it with Apple, like true 720p downloads could be a place to go when negotiating for a little higher price, even if it's for an introductory period.

I hope they can work it out.

=sw

Snopesies

2007-11-16T11:07:00.000-05:00

Don't get me wrong. I like snopes.com. It seems its purpose in life is in harmony with my values, like debunking myth and rumor by shining the cold light of reason on ALMOST everything.

I have noticed a strange phenomenon. It is that some of the most credulous people around are the first to jump to snopes and wield that racket to deflect any notion anyone has of believing something without proper reasoning, research and evidence.

It is always the most pious, religious, believing person in the office or peer group, often a female, who snaps up the snopes and hands them about like a super rational truth machine.

To use a handy biblical reference...they are so quick to reach to pluck the mote (sliver) from another's eye without seeing the beam (timber!!!) in their own eye.

There should be things on snopes.com for these people like:

-There is no evidence Jesus existed
-The Earth is ACTUALLY far older than 6000 years!
-Humans do share more DNA with Chimps than rats do with mice!!!
-Christian symbolism may very well have been derived from ancient astrology and astronomically observable phenomena...I'm just saying.

What good is Snopes if it does not cause the most duped most credulous among us to be nudged? They, in fact, curiously love this site. Probably because it does not ask them to use the same standards of evidence and level of scrutiny with their own irrational beliefs as it does with others.

Yes, if you read me you know I read the works of scientist/ authors like Sagan and Einstein etc. Sagan talks about how believers cling to the gaps in scientific knowledge as a place to wedge in the role of God. It is true, Science is a way of thinking and arriving at understanding through a rigorous method that has a high standard of evidence and requires experimentation. Science is not a complete explanation of all that ever was...though I think it strives for this.

So there are gaps in the scientific knowledge. Religion has a tendency to place God in the Gaps. "The God of the Gaps" as Carl Sagan says. When science bridges these gaps and fills in this knowledge, the need for that god (now lower-case) disappears.

Every Christian agrees that Zeus and other gods were quaint ancient metaphors for celestial bodies, or astronomical events that were used to explain all that was not yet understood like tides and seasons and fate and events.

The trouble is, no one dares to see the myths of our own time. That Jesus is a character that came from myths that have symbolism for the Sun, solstice, seasons and ages. Jesus may only ever have been a character in fables of Sun worshipers and astrologers.

There IS evidence to prove that our fables our also fables, just like the ancient Greek and Egyptian mythologies. For some reason many just don't want to know it or consider it.

Maybe ignorance IS bliss.

=sw

Ye Olde Printing

2007-11-07T12:16:00.000-05:00

What is DPI? Dots per inch...in printing. Which is akin to pixels per inch on a screen.

So why do we need paper for documents? Of all the reasons paper isn't better than up to date live information, there are two advantages paper still has.

1) It keeps information in a fairly stable way, long term, without continual or even the apparent subsequent need for energy.

2) The resolution of printed information is higher than our screens can display.

So let's discuss these things. Keeping paper dry and stable for a long time does require energy. Reading a printed page requires energy from lighting and printing the page required energy in the first place. This information is already in our computers which require energy to retrieve it and view it anyway.

Also, printed pages impact the environment by using up trees and the process of manufacturing paper. Which, again, is in addition to that required to manufacture the computer.

The printed page is not up to date. A friend of mine told me about an executive that rushed to his office to tell him a report was not up to date, slamming a stack of pages on his desk. My friend re-ran the report on his computer and sure enough it was up to date. "Your paper is 2 days old", he informed his boss.

So now we are printing many more than just one version of things. That multiplies the energy needed.

Now to the other issue. The sharpness or resolution on printers is better than our screens have been. Screens typically have had 72 or so dots per inch of screen space. While printed pages have 150 to 300 dots per inch or even much higher.

A 150 DPI page is good enough for a high school term paper. 300 DPI is good enough for black and white fonts in a professional environment. 600 DPI might be what you want for full color imagery or even photo prints.

Consider this:

The iPod Nano has an awesome 200 pixel per inch screen. What if they made a tablet that has this kind of resolution expanded to 8 1/2" x 11" ? That would be a device that could begin to replace paper. Vector based media would scale to use as many dots as are there and a full page could be displayed as legibly as a print out but on a screen. Adobe's Portable Document Format renders this way. That should reduce the need for paper. Soon even 300 DPI and 600 DPI screens will be available further removing the need for the many office uses where paper offers no advantage.

Someday screens will replace printouts. Like on Star Trek the next generation, we will all carry around tablets. Hopefully we can do it with some style, especially if Apple makes it.

=sw

Calling Me Godless

2007-10-04T22:48:00.000-05:00

It is not so strange to find ignorance among those who blindly believe. Those can go hand in hand. Although, I have often found wise, thoughtful and learned believers in my experiences.

I read a lot of Carl Sagan. I have read "The Varities of Scientific Experience - A Personal View of the Search for God". This is a book made from transcriptions of his visit to The Gifford Lectures. He tells his audience that when people speak about God, the first thing you have to sort out is what exactly they mean by God. Here is a quote that is related to what I read in the book:

When people ask me after one of my lectures, “Do you believe in God?” I frequently reply by asking what the questioner means by “God.” The term means a lot of different things in a lot of different religions. For some, it’s an outsized, light-skinned male with a long white beard, sitting on a throne somewhere up there in the sky, busily tallying the fall of every sparrow. To others — for example, Baruch, Spinoza, and Albert Einstein — God is essentially the sum total of the physical laws which describe the universe. I can’t imagine anyone denying the existence of the laws of nature, but I don’t know of any compelling evidence for the old man in the sky.

In the cosmic context, the very scale of the universe — more than one hundred billion galaxies, each containing more than one hundred billion stars — speaks to us of the inconsequentiality of human events. We see a universe simultaneously very beautiful and very violent. We see a universe that does not exclude a traditional Western or Eastern god, but that does not require either.

If there really is a not a God, then when a "riled up" religious person calls anyone "Godless", they are also speaking about themselves. If there truly is a God, then calling someone else Godless is a lie and a denial of one's own belief. For if a God exists, being Godless is impossible, whether you like it or not.

I see so many people justify bad behavior because of their faith. Yet I have seen other people who acheive heights of character when inspired to behave like the royal heritage they feel their faith reveals to them.

If you are going to start ignoring the beatitudes, then by all means, cling to your faith. That still won't entitle anyone to repress anyone else for their religion.

Sometimes goodness becomes corrupted. When you begin to demand kindness and try to enforce courtesy the point has been missed.

Sometimes I am sure religious people feel I have been placed here to test their faith. I have such insight into their perspectives as I struggled to believe for many years. It is so difficult to even come to common terms. Neither of us, the believers nor the non-believers, was placed here by anything. We are the outgrowth of complex and amazing processes that should be elevated in their significance for what they truly are.

I would be pleased to acknowledge God. The root word of "acknowledge" is "Knowledge" or in Latin "Scientia". I must have the science, the research, the evidence. The irony is that if there is a God, Science is nothing less than the ordered study of creation. If there is not a God, Science is the study of all that is.

Just the word "Creation" burns the ears. The constant preaching and repetition of things that are not known. So it is written. Many things are written. It is simply nothing less than ignorance to put over presumptions, hopes, dreams and interpretations of ancient unlearned men's dreams as knowledge. It is a deep tragedy that many who purport to desire great familiarity with the divine can allow themselves to know so little about the Universe they live in and are a part of.

Like I always concede, scientists can be religious, and internally they may feel they can sort and balance their knowledge with their faith. It is just barley bearable misery to see the other kind of religious people, the blowhards, latch so readily upon ignorance and offer it up as if it were the flawless truth. What a dangerous thing rampant credulity can be.

Maybe my old religious sensibility now just promotes the virtues of the Mac. At least my claims can be tested and the purported results can be obtained and evaluated independently.

I was watching House this week, which might as well be "Non-believer-revival" (or say Heathen Fireside). There was a character who was an African American mormon intern, given away to House by his BYU class ring. They needed to conduct a liver test without generating a lab record as a favor to a woman who wanted to get into the Airforce. The team decided they could use tequila to run the test. They needed a "control" group to observe Heavy, Occassional and Non-drinker responses compared to the patient response to consuming a shot every few minutes. House asked the mormon character to drink as the "Non-drinker" control for the experiment. He refused, citing his religious beliefs were more important than the woman's career choices. House argued that the test could also save her life as well as her career. The intern doctor agreed to participate. House asked him later why he allowed his belief to be supercede by House's will. "You made a rational argument", said the religious character. House said, (and I paraphrase) if rational arguments always worked on religious people there wouldn't be any anymore.

I know I make a post relating to this subject every few weeks, though I continue to have this conversation with the world and within.
=sw

Iraq War

2007-10-02T19:13:00.000-05:00

With all the news about the "private army" contractors in the Iraq War I decided to look up some videos on YewChube.
Here is a still from one of the videos I watched.

This Iraqi man, probably younger than me, was weeping.

Why is weeping? Because his goal was probably to blast some American invaders out of his holy city (Najaf), like a good and faithful local boy should.

I may not agree with the teachings of extremists and insurgents. I may not agree with religious people's beliefs at all, but this moment made me realize that there are those who do what they have been taught is right and are not evil people just because they are fighting us. Maybe this kid isn't that guy...maybe he is one of the bastards who beheads people or pays teenagers to commit suicide or maybe he is just a local Muslim kid who feels like fighting the invaders and their ruthless mercenary companions (like contractors) is his moral and patriotic duty, from his perspective. To me this gives me a lot of heartache and misgivings about war.

I wish there were no war. I wish there were no reason to fight. I want our billions to be spent on national healthcare and energy research. Why can't we use our dollars and smarts here at home to solve our problems?
I may not know all the reasons for war, though I may not like them all if I knew them.

In any case, a private unregulated army not commanded by elected leaders, is not a good idea.

Zeitgeist

2007-09-26T08:50:00.000-05:00

This is a german word pronounced to rhyme with say ..."Kite Diced...Zite Giced".
Anyway, as most people happen to know it means something like "the current state of things" or the "status quo" or the "prevailing spirit of the moment". See, it's so much simpler to just say Zeitgeist.

Browsing yewchube, which is my duty as a human being, I found segments of this movie until I saw some hot girl post the whole link.

http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

And for your amusement the hot girl:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuKg5XV6b3g&mode=related&search=

I am pretty sure she is Canadian.
I hope you find the movie as thought provoking and interesting as I did.

It is somewhat sensationalist for entertainment value, though it contains good questions and compelling arguments for your consideration.

=sw

Jena

2007-09-21T00:18:00.000-05:00

These are my thoughts on what I understand about what is happening in Jena, LA.

It is my understanding that there is a shade tree on the property of a highschool. I have heard that the tree was planted by 2 young women, one black and one white, many years ago as a symbol of racial harmony.

I know what highschool can be like. Kids can be cruel and irrational as they test the limits of their power in social situations. In an atmosphere like that, some students had it in their heads that the shade tree was somehow to be for whites only, echoing long outlawed segregation.

When an African-American student raised concern about the issue in an assembly, the school officials stated that they could, of course, sit whereever they please. Thereafter, some white students hung nooses from the tree.

The weight of history hangs over this kind of behavior, especially a symbol like a noose which was used to carry out arbitrary and summary executions of many black Americans over many years. It was not so long ago that such things took place.

I have a coworker who grew up in central Virginia. He still remembers many stories he heard as a kid and some first hand incidents he witnessed where the father of an African American friend or neighbor was dragged from his home into the street and beaten.

Free American men women and children have been falsely accused, bombed during church, torn from their families and insulted, abused and murdered. A 14 year old black boy in the south was once drowned in a river for merely whistling at a white woman.

Racially motivated hangings (also sometimes referred to as lynchings) carried out by violent mobs have taken place in the past. These occurences where not so long ago in history and frequent enough to be common knowledge.

The use of such a symbol of repression as a noose, and the history behind such symbol is a cruel and violent, abhorrent act all its own. It is more than a prank. Legally it ought to be considered at least harassment if not a death threat. It is something terribly serious in our culture to communicate in such a way to a people who have had a history of injustice and harm done to them. Not to mention years of slavery preceeding the segregation times.

The kids who admitted to placing the nooses have yet to be charged.

Teenagers get in fights. These things will happen. Especially when injustices are carried out against them in these Highschool social battles. Apparently some fights took place surrounding these events. These involved bloodied bruised faces and even allegations of attempted murder. There were apparently many fights with many subjected to harm on both sides of the racial divide.

It seems that only African American youths were actually charged in the assault cases. One of these young men was being held in jail and now that his conviction has been overturned by a judge is still in jail.

That seems highly irregular.

This is a civil society. I don't think it's wrong to prosecute assault. Yet, in light of the egregious nature of the extenuating circumstances that led to the violent backlash, it should be understood that these 6 young men, who actually were charged, had a justified outrage.

All parties to the fighting should be cited. Also, those who have now admitted to hanging the nooses should be charged with something befitting the utter disregard for decency and the social contract in which they have engaged. Couldn't there be a "disturbing the peace", "inciting riots" or other applicable charge filed against those kids?

It looks awfully skewed that not one of the arrested parties happens to be caucasian.

I believe it is clear that use of a violent symbol that threatens death, invoking real and horrifying actual events from the not too distant past is far more serious an offense than some teenage fist fighting, even if the fights were started by these morally wronged young men.

=sw

Hey Diddle Diddle with the Kitty in the Middle

2007-09-17T09:33:00.000-05:00

I saw Aerosmith with a band called "The Blackhearts" over the weekend.

I had thought I was going to see "Joan Jett and the Blackhearts" open the show...though it turned out to be an early 80's punk/clash like band fronted by a woman with a hot voice whose name was "Joan Jett" who, for your information, is simply the lead singer of a band called "The Blackhearts" from New York. If you don't get it right soon we are going to have to hit you in the face with awesome rock and roll! "Yah, Oh yeah".

Yes they finally played everything we know well like that "I don't give a damn on my bad reputation" song. That "I love rock and roll so put another dime in the juke box baby!!!" song. It's ok that the money amount sounds wrong, it was always just a euphemism anyway. Also "Crimson and Clover" over and over...I mean just once.

Joan Jett had 2 side stage bleachers of American armed forces V.I.P.s. She was able to honor their spirit of service while criticizing the government in a song for their opaque nature during the Bush administration...she even played some sound clips of the Whitehouse spokesman being deliberately confusing...and of George Bush failing to use the "fool me once shame on you...fool me twice shame on me" phrase correctly.

On to Aerosmith. First, this band is still really great. They play well, put on a great show with a lot of charisma. Much of the rock and roll charisma comes from Steven Tyler who is not afraid to be funny. They proudly employ his mouth as a band member all its own. There are a lots of shots where the stage cameras are zoomed in to his mouth which gets projected on 3 huge screens. It's funny and great and very "rock and roll" all at once.

Their show started with a retro style video showing their international destinations with a clip of a B29 flying from place to place and an old news-reel like voice talking about the major cities and destinations around the globe. That ended with...and now...the band arrives at the "rockinest" town of them all "Bristow!!!" (Bristow Virginia being the small town where the Nissan Pavillion concert venue is located outside Washington, D.C. It was so damn funny.

During "Pink", one of the big famous Aerosmith tracks...he actually wears a pink feather boa...(something you'd usually expect to see at an Erasure concert). Right at the beginning Tyler shouted to an audience member "get off the phone"...classic.

While they played a good solid 2 hours or so, they didn't seem to play end to end hits. It was more like...rock and roll moments interspersed with big familiar hits. This is noodle rock and they noodled around more than an Italian pasta maker. I guess the die hard fans know what they want to hear.

I did enjoy the big famous songs. My expectation for the show was that I would hear "Love in an Elevator" and then I'd go home happy. It was their first song...so the show went well for me and a Heineken Keg-can and a small group of friends.

=sw

A Killer App for the Opera browser

2007-09-14T14:59:00.000-05:00

I use Pandora for music at work. I think Pandora is so handy and brilliant. It's like a satellite radio on your desktop. Here is a screenshot, I recommend clicking on it to see the full resolution view.

I use the Opera web browser to play pandora. I can cinch up the page to just be around my Pandora player view and Opera remembers where I was (at Pandora's site playing music), how I sized the window and where I put it on the screen (Mac OS X). This means I can quit Opera and reopen it and it positions my Pandora window and begins playing music again, Just like an app. This is Opera 9.21.

It's also helpful if I have to use my browser, say Firefox, in a proxy for work. I often need to quit Firefox or re-point its proxy for work uses. All of this would interrupt my Pandora player, so having it in another browser is very handy. Especially one with the behavior of Opera.

Pandora introduces me to music I might like I might never have heard and Opera makes it work almost like a music application. It is an excellent experience for sure.

=sw

My September 11th Tribute to New York City 6 years on...

2007-09-10T22:49:00.000-05:00

Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,
I'm a woman's man, no time to talk.
Music loud and women warm.
I've been kicked around since I was born.
And now it's all right, it's O.K.
And you may look the other way.
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man.
Whether you're a brother
Or whether you're a mother,
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Feel the city breakin'
And ev'rybody shakin'
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha,
Stayin' alive.
Stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha,
Stayin' alive.
Well now, I get low and I get high
And if I can't get either I really try.
Got the wings of heaven on my shoes
I'm a dancin' man and I just can't lose.
You know it's all right, it's O.K.
I'll live to see another day.
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man.
Whether you're a brother
Or whether you're a mother,
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Feel the city breakin'
And ev'rybody shakin'
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha,
Stayin' alive.
Stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha,
Stayin' alive.
Life goin' nowhere.
Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin' nowhere.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Stayin' alive
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,
I'm a woman's man, no time to talk.
Music loud and women warm.
I've been kicked around since I was born.
And now it's all right, it's O.K.
And you may look the other way.
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man.
Whether you're a brother
Or whether you're a mother,
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Feel the city breakin'
And ev'rybody shakin'
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha,
Stayin' alive.
Stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha,
Stayin' alive.
Life goin' nowhere.
Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin' nowhere.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Stayin' alive
Life goin' nowhere.
Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin' nowhere.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Stayin' alive

-Bee Gees

Mexicans Without Borders

2007-09-04T10:25:00.000-05:00

In my area there is group that bears the name "Mexicans Without Borders". This appears to be borrowed from the venerable "Doctors Without Borders" group whose humanitarian spirit is captured in the name.

A name like "Mexicans Without Borders" seems to suggest nothing noble or humanitarian at all. It seems to suggest that Mexicans are allowed to freely migrate all over North America or perhaps where ever they please, with a complete disregard for the rule of law and social contracts. Never mind that the narrowly nationalist name disregards the existence and concerns of anyone not from Mexico.

I always like to overemphasize this: I like Mexicans. I like Central and South Americans among whose people I have some friends. I do not like anyone who disregards the law and carries out antisocial behavior against others. So I don't like the kidnappers, drug dealers, rebel militants or gangs from these areas or from anywhere. I don't approve of the illegal behavior of illegal immigrants to my country and I don't approve of people who support and encourage illegal activity.

I know that produce may cost more when only legal workers harvest it. I think that the market will adjust. The U.S. may need to allow more workers in legally if they are needed and if they respect the terms and conditions of their visa or eventual citizenship.

There should not be illegal immigration. There should be orderly, legal immigration.

Mexico has borders. Many of them established by the Mexican-American war. We have already decided this war, there is no need to have it again.

For the first time this week I understood something better. While watching Peter Navarro discuss some of his books on a public TV station, I came to understand the role China plays in Mexican illegal immigration and in other world problems.

China does not play on the same field as Europe and the United States. It seems that China seeks to aggressively acquire and control resources and assets around the world through deal making. This takes those resources off the free market and as Mr. Navarro says, is a highly confrontational way of working in the world.

It may be that the manufacturing economy of China hits Mexican workers and economies even harder and earlier than it impacts Americas labor markets. This intense pressure contributes to migration to seek work and livelihood.

We are one world after all. Yet, people coming to the U.S. should have respect for our laws, not boldly flout them...or even disregard or disobey them. If the new rule is that anyone can go anywhere, I may just settle on some beach front property in Mexico and see how that works. I have a feeling Mexico would enforce their immigration laws. I think we should do nothing less.

=sw

NBC Universal

2007-08-31T14:28:00.000-05:00

I bought Heroes last season from the iTunes music store...All the episodes. I want to buy it again this season. It was about $2.00 an epidode. Since it is data, I would think there is some cost savings on the product development side compared to DVD. The price for the season should be comparable or less than a DVD. While you get a replayable version shortly after it airs, you don't get the whole season up front and you can do that same thing with a DVR anyway.

NBC still broadcasts this show to millions, still sells DVDs to millions. Why they would block the revenue stream of the itunes users I have no idea. It seems nonsensical.

Unless...this is just another petty Microsoft bid to channel shows to their XBox live system from Apple's iTunes. Why they presume they could not "add" to their online viewers by using multiple channels for distribution is something I don't understand. I just want Heroes on my iPhone.

I know I could get what I want with or without the cooperation of the out-of-touch stooges in the board room, but for Sagan's Sake (so says Starbuck in the original...) let me PAY for Battlestar Galactica and Heroes by keeping them on iTunes!!!

PLEASE let me buy shows on iTunes!! I beg you, LET ME GIVE YOU MONEY...you friggin nut-cases!!!

I can play Heroes season 1 on my iPod, iPhone or AppleTV! Of course I am not going to pay double what I would pay for DVDs, duh, but let me pay the $2.00 per episode! I'd even go for some ads in the data stream.

Is it really cheaper to sue people? Why do Xbox live and iTunes have to be mutually exclusive? We know it's computer data, it isn't THAT painful to distribute it...Hell, the people who use the torrent networks seem to get it done rather efficiently!

There seems to be a hint that high budget shows will go the way of the great Pyramids, something that is only possible when a very few control a lot of wealth. Ok, I am not a slave to TV, though it must be compelling enough to make ads worth what people pay.

I dream of a well made show that is so widely purchased that it can be funded by the viewers directly, though that would mean artistic development, not profiteers, would need to get most of the money. That is counterproductive to the rich getting richer.

Besides, if the shiny talking box doesn't tell me what to buy, how on Earth will I ever know?

=sw

A Great Drink

2007-08-29T11:54:00.000-05:00

There is a delicious drink called a Kobai. I don't know that my musician friend Jefferson Montoya invented it, though it is a fine beverage. I like to chill the ingredients, though it is good with room temp liquor as well.

Just mix Kahlúa, Southern Comfort and Orange Juice in equal amounts.

Some people increase the Orange Juice a little, though it will just take longer to get trashed and share too much personal info.

It is a delicious drink with a good kick and some great flavor combinations. No part of it seems to overpower, it just adds complexity. I have enjoyed quite a few Kobai moments with my friends in Vegas. Cheers! Thanks to Jefferson, now go buy his album, it rocks. You could get a free ipod according to his site.

=sw

My Glorious Resilience

2007-08-25T14:25:00.000-05:00

As I go from day to day and meet the challenges of modern human life I have to stop sometimes to appreciate how truly adaptable I am. I have been enjoying "Year Zero" the latest NIN album and while I measure best in cm, I have to say I have survivalism too!

I must give myself credit. I never knew what self control really was. I generally spent most of my life apart from a few subtle aberrations under a strong titanium clamp of self control. Surely it is self control that keeps me from driving into the gully when I am on a highway or from committing crime or even misdemeanors. Self control helps me make healthy food choices much though not all the time.

I realized a whole new arena of self control where I need a lot of work. As I finally get into investing some extra money in stocks and bonds and other markets, I see I have been a powerfully active and avid investor for years. I emotionally invest to the nth degree.

Those familiar with therapy will tell me that I am "co-dependent" sometimes. I depend too much on outward approval for inner self esteem. Emotionally investing in what others feel is not bad for those who have to make an effort to do it, though for me I need to practice this new aspect of self control. I need to not feel awful so much. When the hot bar tender chick smiles at me and asks me how my day was or the flat out gorgeous woman who cuts my hair makes light conversation I tend to over invest in feelings like "oh a beautiful woman is talking to me". Though I know the reality is that this is business like cordial behavior related to the transaction we are making, my emotions up and run away with the idea that lovely women are responding in an apparently positive manner to me.

Though I am outwardly cordial, give a good tip and say a friendly "have a good weekend" to these service providers, inwardly I feel devastated and very powerfully sad and bitter. Mainly because I allowed my emotions to fool me. I allowed my heart to hope such things when I should have practiced self control.

When self esteem is a constant project for me like so much piled up laundry and ironing, it can feel strange to actually need to try to exercize self control about feeling a need for human intimacy. It's not that these people are tortured talking to me, it might be much less pleasant for them to talk to someone not as positive and friendly as I am, it's just that for me, in my internal life...when I am driving away...I need to have practiced some investment discretion...some emotional self control over how much self worth I am pouring into the outcome of these encounters. They aren't a good source for that.

The same goes for workplace success. It can be good and sweet, though it is not even a major portion of my core self worth.
Managing emotional investment can be like trying to keep an inflating balloon mashed into its original size while taking on more and more pressure. So I have to control the "valve". I need mental self control over the need for human intimacy and acceptance, while still acknowledging this as a legitimate part of a full life. It is tough to be me! It takes real effort.

Desire can be like a shuttle launch in my mind. It's hard to hide the effects of the unfulfilled "want" from the public. Though I have to be a soldier, be a man, and "need" less...be able to be ok with no validation, no love and no intimate relationships. Am I right? Then the true air of love will be like a calm cool breeze I will notice better with out the hurricane of disillusionment that normally roars.

It sucks to know beauty, to see the spring and pretend I have no thirst.

All I really need is inner peace.

(though you should see these women, they are so beautiful...you'd at least have to praise my good eye for hotness)

Still, I must respect myself and my nature and needs as valid and real. I just don't want them to rule my happiness, I want the self control over my emotional inflation. Hence the title, "My Glorious Resilience" rather then my old negative thought habits like "How middle-aged-ugly-sons-of-bitches-with-no-game cope with sexual frustration"....I still see the humor in that title though. Beware of the "hyphen"!!!

If only I had enough self control not to blog so honestly about the struggle.
=sw

Key Bank Tower Implosion in Salt Lake City

2007-08-20T13:50:00.001-05:00

This was a structurally sound great and spacious building that just didn't fit in with the "taleban" mall plans. Your tithing money at work. And don't try to tell me they aren't using tithing money. It's like saying "We paid with bread, not with wheat"!

I'm a Virgin

2007-08-11T21:51:00.000-05:00

Oh God Yes is it ever true. I am, of course, a "born again virgin" and what better place to hang out than the "Virgin Music Festival". What a great time!!!
My (lack of belief in) GOD! 2 days of concerts!!! 24 hours of music total!!!

And it was like...non-stop parade of hotties!!!
I chatted up a few girls, one was so friendly and nice and engaged damnit...She showed me her WCP though, what a sport....what is WCP you ask? I'll give you a hint...the first 2 letters are for White and Cotton.

You know, the sound quality was so excellent...they say the best in the industry for concerts. No feedback noise EVER!!
Everything was so beautifully mixed that I just selected a stage distance that was in keeping with my comfort and it was always just great. I could always see the musicians on stage or see the big huge video screens with award winning camera work.

So it was excellent all around.

I met the chick that runs a commune in the woods that owns the copyright to the "Stop Bitching, Start a Revolution" T-shirts. I bought her a beer. She looked like she needed one and was very grateful.

I saw Richard Branson in the crowd, so cool he actually showed up, what a hip bloke.

I sat pretty close for the piano playing chick, Regina Amos Spektor...I mean...Regina Spektor...what did I say? She is witty and lovely and funny...I bought a CD of hers from the Virgin Mega Store tent and waited in line for 20 minutes to get her to sign it. She was incredibly sweet and sincere and nice...I fell for her madly. I guess I am starstricken.

I saw the Smashing Pumpkins...reunited, brilliant, in good form and on their game. They played new stuff like "Death From Above"...the new goth anthem...and old stuff too "Inspite of my rage I am still just a rat in a cage...". The "1979" song sounded amazing even without the sampler. Billy Corgan is all business, focused and intense...he is one Smashing Pumpkin. He is really focussed and concentrates when performing and the band comes off sounding tight...like so many 18 year olds breasts. They go from mosh music to reflective emotional music...such a range.

Interpol were just amazing. They are like Joy Division if they made it big...reliable melancholly drone of pure direct injectable joy. They showed up in suits and ties with a big red Epiphone hollow body electric in the guitarists hands. They looked brilliant. And there is no "I" in "Threesome" I checked.

The show had 2 huge stages...plus a big temporary structure/ tent thing with DJ's and techno....it had surround sound...so pumpin hot with huge screens and lights...Diesel Boy and no less than Crystal Method who just made the place a huge dance.

"All these little pills that give us such a thrill until they kill a million brain cells"

Crystal method have the best gig ever. One guy runs the buttons..and spins the "scratch" disk and the other dances with hot chicks at the front of the stage. Then they switch. "Get Hypnotized"! The one guy stands up on top of things and whips the crowd into a frenzy...the sound was so right on...not earsplitting but clear and thumpin good. I am completely drunk right now.

Even the food was wild too. Ever seen people at a concert sit down with 3 or 4 fresh boild crabs and start cracking them open with a little wood mallet? It was way different from regular show food. All the plastic was made from corn and compostable.

The show was repleat with a lot of activists...fire breathers and stuff...OxFam America was there ...they are my favorite place to put my "tithing" money anymore.

I will have to do a whole other posting on Baltimore itsself. So many quirky experiences available there. I stayed at the Marriot Water Front hotel, which is really nice and just drove or Metro'd to the show .

Since it was 2 days long I have to tell you about a few more bands. I saw "Bad Brains" who are like...reggae then speed metal then reggae. I caught the WuTang Clan...nice to see some hip hop rap stuff represent. I had a special moment after Bad Brains when a shoe-gazer band called "Explosions in the Sky" was checking sound. I was standing by a Baltimore 98 Rock tent where they were playing Joy Division "Dead Souls" on their stereo and the sound check guy was like "Oh you've got green eyes oh you've got blue eyes, you've got grey eyes" and I felt the zen of melancholly New Orderness that made life good.

The there was....drum roll please.....

The POLICE! Yes with Sting....

He was so classy..."That's Stuart Copeland and Andy Summers...." never once saying who he was because we all know, of course. He was in excellent form...playing the bass and singing like a siren. He even did some 4ft jumps in the air like a rockstar. It was so great to see them. They just played the hits in excellent form. Once he said "This is not at all autobiographical.." before "Don't stand so close to me". Funny. I loved the show, they rocked the place...lots of "Message in a bottle" crowd singing along with some "eeeeooooo...eeeeyooooo.....eeeeeyoooo...". Roxanne is still a damn hooker...after all these years...I'm impressed, frankly.

I almost "hooked up" with some hottie who was clearly to flipped out on something to make good choices so I dropped that like a hat from a bridge.

This is not someone I met...this is a picture of the stage...and NOTHING ELSE!!!

My pics are just my lil iPhone, so they aren't much to see...trust me...it was a great show.

=sw

Bond Movie Music

2007-07-30T09:04:00.000-05:00

I grew up with the Bond films.

We used to go watch Bond movies as groups of friends in the back of someone's parent's SUV with Quiet Riot blaring...what a cool parent we had in our group.

I was thinking about my favorite Bond theme songs. Of course there is the unforgettable Monty Norman theme with the "Dum di-di dum dum". Here are my top 5 Bond themes of all time:

5 "Live and Let Die" Sir Paul McCartney (iTunes) (yewchube)

No, Guns and Roses didn't write it, though they did a solid cover of it.

4 "A View to a Kill" Duran Duran (iTunes)(yewchube)

Once the epitome of hip and mod, now a little cheesy...still a great Bond song. The video is amusing if not for the originally intended reasons.

3 "Nobody Does it Better" Carly Simon (iTunes)(yewchube)

Many have sung this one, and I still think nobody does it better.

2 "For Your Eyes Only" Sheena Easton (yewchube)

Where is the official iTunes version Sheena? I love this song.

1 "The World is Not Enough" Garbage (iTunes)(yewchube)

What an achievement, they wrote a new rock song with the classic bond feel and all the Garbage trademarks. Brilliant. The music video is amazing.

Have a happy monday!

=sw

It's a Jungle

2007-07-24T09:43:00.000-05:00

I am into my second year in a new city. I am slowly making good friends, which are hard to come by really. I feel I need a good social circle as a step on the way to having a relationship again. Since my last 2 year relationship ended in January of 2005, I have been a complete mess.

I know why I don't jump right in to another relationship, doing that led to how I feel now: miserable, detached, guts torn out etc. I don't feel that way every second, though the recurrence of such feelings seems to go away very slowly after a relationship.

Didn't I try to fire off a few quick and easy bangs the way she did to get over things? In my way, I did. It takes me more time to get the big easy. It took me about a year and a half to get to where the ex was in 3 weeks. What can I say?

Now I am in a long drawn our depressed funk...like the drought in the Western U.S. Not every day is awful, people survive...though there are big long term questions. Will this ever end? Will we survive? And rolling right out of my analogy...will I love again?

I am not getting hotter really...the struggle to look sexy is getting slightly more challenging actually. I exercise, walk around, ride my mountain bike and try to stay fit, though in my heart there's a Joy Division concert blaring loudly. If you don't know what that means, it's a reference to a post-punk band known for deep melancholly whose lead singer met a sad self-inflicted end. Not exactly uplifting...sometimes comforting in misery. My bio-feed-back graph looks something like this about now:

I am comforted that I can complain about life on my blog and not have it read by very many people, hahah.

I like to make music so I am working on preserving all I have created into a collection. I am not trying to modernize or update the sound of some of these songs, just keep them for what they were. If I don't go to the trouble to record and mix them properly they will not be accessible even to me. I used a lot of old dying 80's computer gear to make some of my electronic sound and I never recorded the songs properly even once. I just made some tape demos. I will be singing them a-new and maybe taking some mixing liberties. I also will have the full freedom and flexibility to remix them and update them if I choose.

I keep myself busy, try not to think of the ex too much...(so pathetic as I am sure she has done too many drugs and dudes to even remember much about me). I continue to guard my heart. It loves deeply and fully and if it doesn't work out, It's a slow and painful extraction process. For all my loneliness I am not eager to jump right into this kind of result again.

My sister always says you should give yourself a good solid 15 minutes of misery, self-pity and woe then let it go, stand up and go live victoriously. So here I go...If I can just get out of the chair...

=sw

Country Justice

2007-07-09T23:36:00.000-05:00

I went on a river float trip with a group that rented part of a private camp ground. We were 50 or more in number and single, married, older, younger, men and women. A good balance of people who had planned ahead and prepared to reserve a large area far in advance of the trip. It was as close as you can get to a church-like group, like I experienced growing up, without religion playing any defining role in the grouping at all. Most enjoyed some drinking, some didn't and so forth.

This was out in the Virginia country side along the Shenandoah river. I think that "Country Roads" song by John Denver is really about Virginia, just "West Virginia" fit a little better in the meter. West Virginia is not far off in any case and I think a part of the river flows through the upper arm of that state.

There were some fireworks, some whoops and hollers could be heard across the river valley. I daren't say "redneck" but by the end of the float, even one of our friends who is originally from India had a sun burn, so you definitely get a little sun on the summer river float.

A few times I heard, from outside our area of camp, the "Dukes of Hazard" style Dixie car horn "Oh..I wished I lived in the land of cotton..." Seriously, someone had that horn. It sounds kind of bigoted to me, though I suspect the highly represented vacationers of Mexican origin probably thought it sounded a little more like Mariachi music with sloppy timing.

For some reason, some people beseech me for my judgment on things. It's like I have that..."tell me your story and I'll absolve you of all your sins" like "approachable" demeanor. As I have blogged before, sometimes it's a woman at a dance club confessing her 3 secret boyfriends...affectionately named Monday, Wednesday and Friday. "what are doing Saturday" would be my response.

This time, it was two fairly young men. I was standing under a shade tree in the hot day about 50 feet away from the restrooms (which haven't been updated since the 60's). I was waiting for a couple of the ladies before we headed back to our camp to have dinner. These guys had some river float gear and asked me politely if I planned to be there a little while and could I watch their belongings while they took a quick restroom break.

I said sure and asked their names.

They were about 17 or 18, both way taller and bigger as in buffer than I am. They were polite and respectful and I shook their hands as I got their names. One kid kind of pulled back a bit and said "woah" from the handshake. He showed me scars all up and down his arm where they couldn't be seen from the top with the reach of a handshake.

He was torn up big time with scabs and scars maybe a few days to a week old. I said "oh, yah, that's pretty serious". He proceeded to tell me how it happened.

Apparently this guy had been at a big high school "schools out" party and witnessed a guy he knew hit a girl in the face and break her front teeth out. The girl is his good friend and so he went out after the guy (we'll call him the perp...like perpetrator of the punch to the girl) who had run out of the house. The perp jumped into a car which was being driven by another girl. My new acquaintance with the scabbed arms, call him Johnny, slapped the passenger side 1/4 size triangular window a couple of times, yelled at the perp to get out. He eventually pounded on the window then grabbed a stick to bolster his punch and punched in the window, grabbed the perp and pulled his face into the smashed 1/4 window glass repeatedly.

Then the cops showed up.

I said, "and you both got assault charges right?" and so it was. He asked me what I thought of that. I told him "assault is assault" and even though hitting girls is socially egregious and against the law, under the law what he (Johnny) did was also assault and not regarded as justified by another assault. Morally perhaps country justice was in order, I am not sure, though I agree any assault should be what it is. It is not up to Johnny to charge, convict and mete out punishments. I also felt the overwhelming sense of offense at the perp hitting a girl. She was, in this case, essentially defenseless against the attack and I don't beleive such a thing could ever be justified by anything she might do.

Yet, I also have a strong moral sense that right and wrong should not be emotionally applied nor distributed via 'roid rage. No victim is worth more than another. Perhaps it can be shown, circumstantially, that ones suffering is especially great under ones unique circumstances. Still...

Country Justice troubles me. It is an affront to Equal Justice Under Law so highly prized by our nation. I am stingingly disgusted that a man would hit his girlfriend. It is very offensive and horrible. Yet, my personal emotional reaction is subjective and does not comport with an equitable legal system.

I guess I am not too worried about these kids. They talk of violence with wonder and fascination, but I think getting glass in your arm might tend to teach you you are not indestructible. Too bad he had to go the hard way. On the other hand, what a friend when you need one.

Oh, the float trip was relaxing and fun, only a few sunburns.
=sw

Wimbledon on Streaming Radio

2007-07-05T10:44:00.000-05:00

If ever there was a bad idea it is the live streaming radio feed of Wimbledon tennis.

I happen to tune into the BBC streaming radio from time to time throughout the day. Today they were streaming live audio from the Women's tennis matches at Tennis' big event.

I cannot listen to Wimbledon on streaming radio. It is two women grunting and screaming with all their might in desperate exertions...then applause.

At least there is that spongy "thock" of the ball on the grass courts to give some idea of a context to the other sounds.

The best part is...desperate grunting female exertions...then...the whoaaa....of the shocked and disappointed crowd.

It is so laughably amusing to hear. If only the lady players would yell at the judges more.

=sw

Kama Sutra II

2007-06-25T19:43:00.000-05:00

I am sure you all read my political postings with rapt attention and just agree so much that no comment is necessary.

Really though...

I know everyone just wants more Kama Sutra!!... in their lives and on my blog, so here we go! This time I will try KSHk...Kama Sutra Haiku. The Haiku trend was brought on by the Degenerate Elite. You know who you are.

Of course I must tell you I simply found these photos online earlier this year. They are apparently photos from an ad campaign from Turkey. If you found these on your own, at least I know you have never seen them with Haiku's yet!

This should prove quite fun
Haiku for Kama Sutra
Poses in clothing!

That's how she likes it
We connect in a structure
Geometric love.

When you give your best
And keep your head in the game
You never lose face

If I concentrate
And really focus on things
I can see your junk

Did you know this babe?
I am one for fine dining
Why partake alone?

Just like all people
When I see these lovely shots
I want a love life

And why shouldn't I?
Fulfill this good desire
I am a cool guy!

I sincerely hope you enjoy them. Until next time!
=sw

Titular Testation

2007-06-25T12:11:00.001-05:00

I added a new title bar, Red faced, high in the clouds, Stone faced, getting revelation and standing a-skance from the light.

I like the new templates, very nice. Huzzah blogger, ol chaps.

So the FBI is trying to issue guidelines about University Employees to help people spot "enemies of state". Per slashdot.org

"FBI is offering to brief faculty, students and staff on what it calls 'espionage indicators' aimed at identifying foreign agents. Unexplained affluence, failing to report overseas travel, showing unusual interest in information outside the job scope, keeping unusual work hours, unreported contacts with foreign nationals, unreported contact with foreign government, military, or intelligence officials, attempting to gain new accesses without the need to know, and unexplained absences are all considered potential espionage indicators."

The trouble is, these guidelines need to be combined with some other common sense. I will take each of the identifiers they have used and comment on them:

Unexplained affluence
Just because someone in your employ at a school has some money, doesn't mean an explanation is even owed to anyone. Suppose he or she simply has a wealthy relative...even a wealthy foreign relative...and it just isn't anyone's business?

Failing to report overseas travel
I am not sure employees have to account to their workplace for where they go when they are not at work. Certainly one must possess the necessary documents to travel and this need not be dealt with at all by one's employer, it's an abuse of power and a violation of privacy I would think.

Showing unusual interest in information outside the job scope
Curiousity? Simple desire to learn new things? Are we all suddenly communist drones stuck in a fixed career for life? This is really a repressive notion.

Keeping unusual work hours
I work in IT and I know unusual hours can be common. If the hours comport with the job description this should not place anyone under suspicion, though as a management issue, some people need not be on site after hours.

Unreported contacts with foreign nationals
The implication that any social contact ought to be reported to an employer or school is really not sounding like my America. That is really disturbing. It is possible speak to foreign nationals regularly in this great land without it involving threatening national security or being anyone's business.

Unreported contact with foreign government, military, or intelligence officials
Again the word "unreported". As if I should file a memo to my boss all about who I met at lunch. What is the imagined hypothetical situation here? An employer spots his copy clerk at wine bar on the weekend sitting with a uniformed general and confronts the employee for not "reporting" the meeting? I find this kind of suspicion frenzy dangerous to civil, free society.

Attempting to gain new accesses without the need to know
"Hey...can I have the password to the server with the grades on it"...I suppose it's common sense that some employees or students do not need access to sensitive private information. Though this could lead to a knee jerk reaction to interest in perfectly legitimate public information.

Unexplained Absences
This can happen to anyone. Really, you have a personal emergency and miss a school day. How many people skip their own classes for no good reason at all? I don't think this one alone really seals the deal for determining a spy.

I care about my country, I love it enough not to want it to spiral into the salem witch trials because most every key identifier for espionage is something that could be a simple matter of liberty and privacy and not necessarily indicate anything.

Besides, how clumsy and stupid do they think someone would be if they were really a spy? The safety of the nation is important, though so is the character of the life we are preserving. If most people fit into some of these identifiers at some time we may be just inciting panic for no good reason, causing a majority of false positives and unnecessary suspicion and mistrust.

Our society is free because of trust. If the FBI allows the threats from abroad to erode trust they may be doing far more damage to our own country than an enemy could inflict on us.

=sw

Kyoto Politics

2007-06-18T11:18:00.000-05:00

It is starting to become clearer that carbon dioxide emissions are becoming a global problem. The top 20 emitters are listed by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The top one is the United States, though China is a close second, especially considering the growth rate of emissions from that country.

If the problem is urgent, if American scientists and, increasingly, politicians know the risks, why has the U.S. refused to ratify the Kyoto protocols?

It may be, that under the current agreement Large emitters such as China and India, which could potentially grow much larger, are not required to reduce their emissions under the protocol. Though the U.S. emissions are dramatically higher, this is effectively a call to negate America's historical competitive advantages.

The theory behind Kyoto is that if America reduces its emissions then that leaves room for growth or sustained levels of emissions from other countries. In reality, all nations need to reduce emissions and rationalizing that some nations should not have to do so amounts to a desire to transfer economic activity from the U.S. to other nations.

Because this is an important global issue about which something must be done, it would seem that the U.S. would prefer to rely on its technical and innovative prowess to deal with the carbon dioxide issue rather than effectively hand its sovereign power over to other nations.

Should there be an accord that recognizes that every nation must work to reduce CO2 emissions and change its energy usage patterns, then that is an accord America could sign. The U.S. would also have an extra large responsibility to reduce emissions, under such an agreement.

What Kyoto represents is simply the transfer of economic and industrial activity from the United States to other countries like India and China. This is an obvious political and competitive coup through which American politicians can see directly.

If CO2 is a real problem, everyone must target downward, instead of trying to transfer American industrial and technological lead time to other nations in a kind of carbon welfare system.

The United States will, no doubt, need to seek solutions to the CO2 emission issue and the effects of global warming will impact every nation. Though, it is clear as day why the U.S. and nations like Australia do not ratify the Kyoto protocols. Both nations have signed the protocols, demonstrating the importance of the issue at hand. However, the solution must involve all nations seeking reductions, not some nations simply seeking a larger slice of American historical advantage, insisting on a school-yard catch-up game instead of seeking actual reductions of their own CO2 emissions.

The U.S. should keep its sovereignty and insist on accords that target reductions by all, and do not offer a kind of carbon amnesty for coming late to the industrialized technology game.

=sw

War Theory

2007-06-08T23:51:00.000-05:00

Why is there war? Why are we at war?

I think, among some communities generally described as Arabs, like the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon or extremist insurgents in Iraq, religion is a ready shield. It is so plain for me to see that a religion of peace has nothing to do with terrorism and gangster-like activity these groups of people undertake. I almost feel the sense of hopelessness even some military members feel. The voice that says "these people are insane fanatics that will never come to their senses" or "we should write them off and bomb them all".

I may not have much in common with these people though I have humanity in common. Why am I not motivated to exploit the religious sentiments of people to whip them up into a warring, irrational, hateful frenzy as some videos seem to show groups like these do. What would make me feel as hopeless, frustrated and desperately angry as these fellow human beings do?

I suspect there is a war on with Iran already. Maybe it's even with parts of Pakistan and maybe North Korea is even involved, certainly in the area of disseminating information about nuclear weapons research.

The war with Iran is being fought in political stand-offs, kidnappings, brash statements and crass conferences like the one hosted by iran denying the Holocaust. The 80's war in Afghanistan was a proxy war between the U.S.S.R. (now mainly Russia) and the U.S.A. and the Vietnam war was fought against Chinese backing, as was the Korean War. The wars in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan (of today) are looking like Proxy wars.

On the surface, the difference in the predominant religion of the parties may serve as a motivator in oversimplified anger building exercizes. As an American, I know I am not at war with Mohammed, Islam or any religion.

I believe these wars are about economics.

Now the G8 conference is on, remember that about 65% of the worlds economy is represented by Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. This looks exactly like a post-world-war II bargaining table.

Excluded? Predominantly muslim countries. Not only them, but China, India, Australia, All of Africa and All of South America are, on the surface of it, excluded. I know other countries also hold meetings during the conferences, but really...

War is about wealth.

How do some more extremist muslim people feel? Slighted? Universally disadvantaged? Like other people, who do not share their religion, hold the billions to such a degree that they can win wars, assign territory and enforce it all?

I understand the deep seated need for a feeling of faith in justice. I can see why many people hope that Sharia Law (an example a system of laws that is consistent with muslim values) will afford some leverage, advantage or opportunity to over a billion muslims.

I have no sympathy for those who choose the path of terror, violence, war lordism, gang-like criminal behavior. And I, ofcourse, find the idea of religious law to be a contemptable concept that is not how I prefer to live, though I am trying to see what is the cause of war, of the warlike spirit.

I heard, last week, that the billionaires in Aspen, CO are trying to keep the pesky millionaires out. This trend is so unsettling. While the free market system is not without its benefits and advantages, and while I desire to be wealthy like many American Dreamers, I will always reject, out of hand, the notion that money elevates anyone to a higher worth as a human being. All the illusion, the trappings, exclusivity and ownership should never nudge a human being's inherent worth one 1000th of a nanometer abover another's.

I feel a duty to country to point out the risk of misdirection from important things speaking about Paris Hilton can cause. Don't let her distract you from important events like the "retirement" of General Pace, erstwhile chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. armed forces for 2 years now. Though Paris illustrates my point.

Paris Hilton's wealth and status may have led to the offer of special treatment for the "socialite" (oh geez, is this a career?) by the criminal justice system. This leaves other jailed women wondering if they couldn't just have a medical issue and be sent home as well. This manufactured class difference may be what leads to the anger that leads to the resolve to fight that leads to war. At least it seems to work that way for some apparently disadvantaged people in parts of the world.

Poor, angry with no prospects...many will fall victim to recruiting to these various factions. I believe that fighting poverty fights the ability of those wishing to exploit this anxious resource of idle stressed populations to prosecute a war.

So what is wealth really? I'll think about that one for a while and post later.

=sw

Parthenogenesis

2007-05-26T11:13:00.000-05:00

I heard about the hammer head shark in captivity with other females who delivered a baby shark "Immaculate Conception" style in a process known as parthenogenesis. Probably named for ancient Greek myths. Can you imagine the construction workers from the Parthenon: "Listen, Telemakos, the Parthenon didn't build itsself!" Sadly, knowing the ancient Greeks, they were probably using slave labor. Democracy was not for everyone back then.

I prefer "Emaculate Conception". Candles, egyptian cotton, mood setting music, massage oil, no condom (It's conception after all).

It seems there are a lot of examples of Parthenogenesis in the animal world. Indeed every vertabrate that is not a mammal has exhibited this capability at some point observable to modern science. Also many non-vertabrates can "get her done", so to speak, "all by herself" as it were. Annie Lennox is a prophetess.

This is an amazing ability and except for the lack of a mammalian incident (much less a human one) on record, this would seem to lend credence to the concept of a "virgin birth" like the one in the beliefs held by Christians.

Mary was said to have been a virgin who was suddenly pregnant without even mention of a mans name....wait a tick...there was that bloke Gabriel. Probably, Mary hooked up with her cousin's boyfriend, a non-practicing jew who'd been living in Samaria and was sent as a "messenger" to visit the family and ended up standing over her at some point. Gabe said things to Mary that I have at least thought of saying to any hottie who has favored me with her charms like "Hail [name here] full of grace"... and as her robe falls to the stone floor of the summer home on Galilee..."blessed art thou among women"...and later that evening another utterance echoes through the atrium..."Mother of God". Warning: that was sacreligous. I should have warned you before it happened. I'm sorry, baby, Now you'll have some 'splainin' to do to Joseph!

Yes, Occam's razor, if used for nothing else in this postulation, tells me that the simplest answer is Mary did things in the usual way. You know, things happen and you lie to yourself about them and spin them to those whose reactions you fear most. Women are equipped for this sort of thing by evolution.

That's why Jesus looked so much taller than the rest of the O'Nazareths in the family portraits which we of course have in museums proving the whole story happened. Right? ...What? There's no evidence just copies of manuscripts about a story? Huh?

Parthenogenesis is a natural occurrence in some creatures, and if it happened in a woman once, it being a natural (if rare) phenomenon, that would seem to take the need for a miracle off the table.

I will let you all know as soon as I "genesis" an ancient Greek temple in my sleep. You can all party with me. Bring a silk pillow and some wine, wear a grape vine around your forehead and dress in a comfortable, loose-fitting robe. Women only. Hey it's my "Parthenon", genesis your own.

=sw

Great Book I am Reading

2007-05-18T00:20:00.000-05:00

If you read me ever, and you are few and highly valued....you know I love to read Carl Sagan's writings and lectures. I am reading "The Varieties of Scientific Experience" by Carl Sagan...edited by Ann Druyan (Annnn Droooooyan!).

Thinking about the wars around the world...the Palestinians fighting eachother...the Sunni's and Shi'ites fighting eachother and other such conflicts, some of Sagan's words ring true. Here he paraphrases a way of thinking to demonstrate how dangerous it can be. This may seem familiar to anyone who has transitioned from faith in a belief system to self-determined free thinking.

"Our history is in part a battle to the death of inadequate myths. If I can't convince you, I must kill you... ...You are a threat to my version of the truth, especially the truth about who I am and what my nature is. The thought I may have dedicated my life to a lie, that I might have accepted a conventional wisdom that no longer, if it ever did, corresponds to external reality, that is a very painful realization. I will tend to resist it to the last. I will go to almost any lengths to prevent myself from seeing that the worldview that I have dedicated my life to is inadequate." -Carl Sagan

This book is a great read and seems as relevant as can be to today.

=sw

Damn Stars

2007-04-29T02:45:00.000-05:00

I stare at the stars. They are so close yet so far away. I admire the stars and they know nothing of me. I long to be warmed by their rays and nearer to them. They are a danger to me. Like Ikarus to the sun or like a moth to the fire. I wish the stars were not so far...there are millions of them, many of them in pairs...many explode many have children orbiting around them. Like our star.

The stars have no use for me. They deny me access with distance. They tell me "No"...they tease me and run from me...red shifting...red shifting my face to shame.

Stars will be the death of me. I want to be around them...be in them...be a part of them. I feel I am made from them. I know they are a part of me and I long to commune with them. I have seen their auroras...watched their morning glow...gazed upon their sunsets and risen when they say and gone to bed as they ask. I have burned myself upon their intense heat and run to the cold distance of their systems to hide from the them. I am a million miles away and a million lifetimes hopelessly isolated and marooned from the stars. They are my peace, my bane...my hope and my shame.

There is nothing I can do to be at peace about them. No fix for my banishment. No amount of patience to meet the stinging urgency and no stopping the expansion of my universe...leading to endless distance and a cold, dark, ashen, silent isolation.

=sw

Golf

2007-04-05T09:38:00.000-05:00

I have trespassed on some of the finest country clubs in the land ...on walks.

Apart from an innate ability to strike at things with a club, I am completely useless at golf.

I mean...the concept of grabbing a shaft close to my waist with both fists comes naturally to me, as well as the general concepts of "Flailing" and "Whacking". I love to be out in nature. Why shouldn't I like Golf?

I guess I just don't like keeping score. I wonder if drinking some scotch would actually help my game? I wouldn’t want to get ticketed for “driving” under the influence...or “putting” under the influence.

Golf was probably invented to keep firebrand scotts from flogging their mates.

In any case, until they make glowing balls that emit beeps, Golf will always be a big challenge for me.

=sw

HDTV

2007-03-19T19:22:00.000-05:00

I have a little list of pet peeves like...

* No one ever taught me the secret language of love
* The CW's Smallville isn't on iTunes (yet).
* Fox's House isn't on iTunes (yet).
* Even though I wish there could be only Peace, I still think sometimes war is necessary
* Hamas won't acknowledge Israel and give up on their stupid evil desire to murder their neighbors
* Ipods Don't have a removeable battery
* and other important peeves like....HDTVs that are displaying stretched regular TV content

Let me just address that last one.

HDTV comprises such a complex field of products, specifications and numbers that I will just try to keep this simple.

HDTV displays and signals accomodate a wide screen. It is not quite twice as wide as it is tall. The typical ratio as I understand it is 16:9 where regular TV is 4 x 3.

So...if your screen is a regular TV that is 480 pixels tall it will be 640 wide. (480/3) * 4.

If your screen is an HDTV that is 720 pixels tall it will be 1280 wide. (720/9) * 16.

All over this damn crazy modern transitional world I see wide screen (16:9) screens with 4:3 content that has been stretched to fit!!! OMG this drives me crazy.

See, content meant for a certain screen is said to be 1:1...the proportions are true to reality. A circle will look round, a human head will be correctly proportioned and real looking.

Stretched content is not true to reality and thus distorts the way people look. It's an abuse of the technology. Regular screen content should leave blank spaces on the sides of an HDTV screen, so that it stays correctly proportioned. Only HDTV content should span the screen. I hate this trade off. It's so lame to make people and objects stretch to look unnatural just to spare the screen or use the full screen.

Here, I will visually demonstrate with this example from House (Fox) character Dr. Allison Cameron played by the lovely Jennifer Morrison...who is married...wait I have another pet peeve:

* Jennifer Morrison taken

Here she is in HDTV...

Here she is in a regular TV form factor...

Here she is in "faked HD" which is a regular TV signal stretched to fill an HDTV screen. It is Pure Visual Heresy and leaves the actor out of proportion from her usual attractive, natural human form. Yes, I am thinking about it too much.

I always say "stretched" as I walk by a TV in that mode. Not everyone notices, I have discovered, but to me it is obvious.

Imposed Culture

2007-03-13T15:55:00.000-05:00

I know how the French feel now.

When Americans visit France, sometimes there is a cultural tension that results from the presumption of some American visitors that everyone should be able to speak English while providing any service. French people get very irritated at this because they have establsihed a wonderful French cultured whose fine lifestyle and values are closely intertwined with the French language to amount to "Frenchness". Something that is often envied and used in marketing around the world. The French are often the example to the world of a "good life" kind of society.

This is all wonderful, having a cultural identity. Things get uncomfortable for the French when immigrants don't want to assimilate to "Frenchness" and live the good life. Also, when foreign visitors presume there should be some accomodation made by the French to a foreign (to France) language or culture. The French feel "we are the source of high society and good living, you should adapt to be more like us, not the other way around".

I can see their point. We do like to use the French-mystique to our advantage when trying to portray something as exclusive or wonderful in some way. This is still true even given the disagreements between the French and Americans over Iraq policy.

Unless the world is supposed to homogenize to a bland averageness, local culture should be valued. This idea of culture will have some unfortunate ethnic and racial overtones at times. Simply having a unique culture means "We are We and Thou art Thee" and that means people will try to find characteristics they can use to sort out who's whom. Sometimes this will be language or perhaps a general "look". This is all quaint until it gets ugly.

When I visit another country, though I want some benefit of the doubt for simply not knowing everything, my cognitive position is that I am an outsider and should respect and adapt to local customs and laws. If local customs are so out of harmony with my beliefs and values that they are offensive to me, it is probably my responsibility not to visit that country or to keep my dissatisfaction to myself while I am there.

Now to my point. If I were to illegally immigrate into another country I would not presume having any rights or any privelage to ignore bothering to learn the local language. I know that when enough people who only speak Mexican Spanish arrive in my neighborhood that they will be able to run their own economy and culture never needing to learn English. Many of them will have immigrated legally, but many others will be here illegally AND make their own subculture. This might be organic, human and part of the process of change. I find it personally irritating and an affront to the law abiding, legal immigrants and citizens of the country.

It's almost like people from other countries don't "feel" that the American laws apply to them and they feel that the English speaking American culture is foreign to them and they don't see the hypocrisy I see in having migrated contrary to our laws. They are, after all, not "their laws".

Sometimes people display the flag of a foreign country on TV or in their vehicles. I saw a large Mexican flag being waved about live on camera on one of the 2006 New Years Eve specials.

This is America, it should be ok to speak freely or appreciate other cultures or display a flag from whereever you choose. I have always been an American patriot, even though I was born in Canada, because my mother is a patriotic American and taught me to love her home country. I have displayed French flags while learning French, just to appreciate the culture. I had a large Belgian flag in my room at one point. Lots of people display the Union Jack (British Flag) for fun or style cause it's a cool symbol. I am ok with similar displays of other flags, such as those from immigrant's home countries.

There is something different, though, when an ethnic group disregards our country's laws, immigrates en masse and doesn't even bother to learn the language or participate in the system of government much less the culture. Then I start to feel like the French. I feel more of an "us vs. them" mentality. I feel that this is my country and people came here to be in it, they should respect it and adopt it or go home. An illegal immigrant waving a flag is not simply showing pride in a culture, it starts to look like a cultural invasion.

I was trying to order a sandwhich at the local blimpie inside a BP gas station near my home. BP is already a foreign company, but the sandwhich counter rep. could not speak word one of English. It was as if...this is a place for spanish speakers only and that I was somehow out of place. I found this to be incredibly irritating. I have nothing against Mexican people or cultures. I think Spanish is a fine European colonial language just like English is such. However, I am an American. I speak English and I am here in America expecting those who come from other countries, like I did, to respect and adopt the American culture. I know they will add to it, but I simply do not accept that they should disrespect it and ignore our laws and culture. They don't have to come here to live if they don't want to.

My view is not oversimplistic, I am in favor of legal migraton and integration. I use a lot of new words that come from there being many Spanish speaking immigrants around. I welcome that. I eat Mexican Food with pleasure. Though I hold the line that illegal immigration is not tolerable. After that, even legally immigrating people need to understand they are becoming part of a vast and diverse American culture that is necessarily not going to be Mexican, if it is going to be a new and different life. Someone who doesn't see the importance of speaking my language in my country will not get my business.

What makes it so? All the little wars, skirmishes and social battles won in the past brought us to where we are. I want a United States type of America. There is a reason there is not a movement to become part of Mexico. We think we have something that cannot be had in the Mexican system and so do 12 million illegal immigrants from Mexico. The question is, can they flout the law and ignore the local culture and expect something better than the corrupt society they left behind?

The same goes for North Africans in France, West Africans in Spain and all the other migration around the world.
=sw

Walkie Talkie

2007-03-07T00:08:00.000-05:00

I often hear the chirp of the Nextel/Sprint and other walkie-talkie cell services around the office. It's almost like a status symbol to say ..."I have this cool phone with this cool technology."

I think it should not be a status symbol. Think of it...someone else who has the ability to chirp into your phone and say whatever they please on a speaker phone at any time owns you. (for my geekier readers I am saying you are pwned)

I could never allow especially a best friend to have push button access to my personal audio earshot without a filter.
=sw

Talking to Women

2007-02-24T16:00:00.000-05:00

Most people who get a chance to feel comfortable talking to me at all seem to share everything. It is remarkable the things people tell me. Especially women. I like talking to women preferentially when I am out at a bar. I don't shun social conversation with men or anything, I am just single and available so I happen to get into a lot of discussions with women.

Sometimes it's even awkward when some designated driver guy's girlfriend is trashed and starts saying "you're cute...I like you...you have good taste in music....you're funny." I am just left to say "thanks, you're too nice...etc." and make a "sorry man" face at her boyfriend. Inevitably he'll take a break and she'll say things like "he's cheated on me a couple of times, but I forgave him...maybe I shouldn't have." It's like I want to say "you're hot and all, but are you trying to get me into a fight?"

Other times people tell me, in plain spoken detail, about their first sexual experience. This is every bit as uncomfortable for me as it should be, though I am kind of used to it. It's the curse of being a truly nice guy. I am not fault-free by any means, just sincere and I think I generally project what and who I really am.

One time a girl oversharing with me told me about how she was fucking three different guys and keeping that from all of them. I was thinking about how it was not her desire for lots of sex that I found objectionable, but her casual ability to deceive others....setting them up for emotional and health risks they did not choose themselves. That was the real immorality I saw. Every guy dreams of a woman with a lot of sexual energy, a great sexual attitude and eagerness.

Later that night, at a bar called DV8 in Salt Lake, (long ago), she actually validated me to another woman. That's an interesting phenomenon. The 3-boyfriend girl saw me flirting with another girl and said "hi ..." [calling me by name]. Even though the girl I was flirting with knew her, didn't like her, considered her a rival...this referral made the girl I was flirting with feel like I was a known and understood quantity. I was "safe". Which led to a lot of good times and a painful drawn out break up as well. It was better....I suppose...to have lived and loved rather than never to have loved.

Being "safe" is a fine thing to be if it gets me what I want, the affection, attention and progress to sexual intercourse with women. I am a person who errs on the side of less aggressive sometimes anyway, and I believe in fairness and equality, mutual respect.

The other day I had a monday off for President's Day. I decided to go out to a local bar/restaurant I have been visiting lately. I was already a little trashy (inebriated)? waiting for my food to show up and a nice kid came over and informed me it was gay night. He pegged me for straight and was very polite and nice.

A few minutes later the nearby tables began filling up with very well dressed men and women who were all gorgeous, beautiful people. These two girls kept making out...in an animated, exhibitionistic way. They writhed together long blonde hair flying with wreckless abandon. It was a funny, delightful and kinda hot sight.

I noticed and smiled at them. I had been staring into my Guinness searching for meaning...rationalizing not spiralling into depression, "like you do". Anyway, the moment they saw they had my attention they got up, left their gay-boy-friends and came over and sat right by me on a chair, with knees sidled up by mine, and made out somemore. They gently moved my hands onto their backs and the one girl said...."feel her breasts, aren't they wonderful?" They were. She was wearing an "anti-gravity" shirt with easy hand-slip access. She swooned dreamily....I think I did too, I said "sweet lovin' lord those are beautiful". You know what I did and I now call this night the soft silky "grapefruit" experience.

I still imagine a news headline "Local Tit-Grabber Increases Female Visits to Area Bars". Right.

They spent the whole evening hanging out with me...putting their hands on mine and casually touching and kissing me often and vice-versa.

Back to being "safe". One girl after kissing me a couple of times just might have noticed my enthusiasm and interest and asked..."so where's your boyfriend?". It kind of struck me...oooooh....I get it...I am allowed to casually touch because they presume it doesn't excite me because I am "safe". Since I was not going to stop this punani train, I just said "I'm single".

One of these girls was "bi" and the other was a broken hearted straight girl (girl as in...in her 20's) who was on the rebound from a break up.

It was fun. It was exactly how I want every night on the town to go. I yearn for the touch, affection, acceptance and intimacy with hot, sweet, nice women. It's why I go out, it's why I exist. I wish that I could go to a place where I can be seen for who I am and still be "safe" enough to be someone with whom attractive women can share affection. The only regret from the evening was the false pretense of being a man alone there on a monday that made them assume I was "safe". Apart from that, If I am getting something I want out of the experience I don't care how a woman defines herself socially.

Being a nice guy can be great at the right time. Much of the time I feel like I should watch the Godfather and Scarface a few times, man up, treat women obliviously so they will respect me (that's how it works right?). I have to admit I don't understand it all, but I want to very much. Of course I am supposed to just live well and not care...and all that without trying at all.

So yah, from now on I am too cool to care, and I am an aloof enigma who doesn't try too hard. I still hope all that gets me chicks....duh.

=sw

Imagining the Future

2007-02-17T01:34:00.000-05:00

I love to imagine the future. I think my real skill is just thinking about what is known to everyone and seeing some of the pieces fit together.

I make no claim to having a novel source of ideas. I am just a creative mind and a human pattern matcher, add heavy doses of slashdot, NPR, Discovery, BBC News and other a few other sources and mix it up with a little ingenuity and sometimes you get something useful.

Here are some short future comments. This is all freely available and many of you know much of this already, but in case you don't.

Someday there will be a superman musical. It will simply happen. I don't know when or who or how, but it is a sure thing.

Computer screens will increase dramatically in resolution and reduce steadily in price in the near future. Eventually, screens will be able to display a document as well as a color laser printer (or better) and in the same size space. The Apple Cinema Display is pretty awesome at 2560 x 1600 ( and it's already a couple years old) though some day screens will be more in the 6000 x3000 range and even sharper (or higher).

Batteries are doomed. They will all be replaced by capacitors. Nano-capacitors have been invented already and this technology will replace all need for batteries. These capacitors will charge quickly (unlike a battery) and drain slowly. They will never need to be replaced in the lifetime of any product they are in so they will just be built in.

Fuel will be solar, wind, bio sourced (like alcohol fuel or bio-diesel) and probably nuclear. These are as renewable as the sun is and won't emit CO2. Nuclear power has that pesky problem of waste, though we may some day figure out how to reduce the half-life of Nuclear waste. From what I understand, re-processing nuclear fuel from uranium reactors to plutonium reactors reduces waste, though requires excellent security as the plutonium may be "weapons-grade".

Humans may actually have to purposely emit CO2 someday to prevent global ice ages (I mean in 1000's of years). It's 12 deg F out right now so I am trying to still believe in global warming.

Fusion power will be made to work some day. So we will be able to tap into the same kind of energy the sun does. That will open many doors for us.

By 2040, prepetual life will start to become a possibility. It will probably be for the very rich and there will still be no guarantee you won't get hit by a bus or something. I just mean that we will have a very good understanding of how to maintain the body in good health and control the mechanisms of disease.

Companies are experimenting now with using inkjet printers to place bio-material in the pattern they desire. Using cells instead of ink, put simply. Someday they may even be able to print out 3d organs, 1 layer at a time, made from cells that are coaxed from stem cells into becoming the right kind of cell for say the heart, liver or other organs. Maybe these stem cells could even be "harvested" from the adult patients themselves so the 3d layer-created printed-out organs will actually be ready for the intended recipient, and not be rejected. Maybe we'll even understand enough about the chemistry and processes of life to replace any part of the body.

Now, in the more speculative areas, I believe that some day physics will acheive a grand theory of everything, explaining almost everything that is possible. We will understand the nature of the Universe. We will have an understanding of gravity that is as good or better than our understanding of other fundamental concepts like electromagnetism. Knowing all this will be like, as Carl Sagan said, "reading the mind of God". We will need to be prepared for the very possible circumstance that science reveals knowledge that supercedes long held traditions about the human condition and the nature or existence of the divine.

So that's about enough for a day. It's going to be a weird, wild, amazing future. I used to be taught that it all had to end and that it was SOON SOON SOON. I do not believe it all has to end. I think there is great promise in humanity's future.

=sw

Trolley Square

2007-02-13T19:39:00.000-05:00

I heard online that there were shootings in my old home town at a mall near downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. ksl.com has the news, you can read about it there.

In light of the news from Salt Lake, where I used to live, I want to talk about Trolley Square.

I have been in every corner of that mall 100 times. I have taken an embarrassingly large number of dates to the same restaurants there, like the Desert Edge Brewery, Hard Rock, Rodizio Grill, Green Street and the Old Spaghetti Factory. I have gone to Sacred Roots for hair cuts many many times...even before they moved to the other side of the mall. I have holiday shopped there for every holiday...I have "back to school" shopped..."spend my bonus" shopped and every other kind of shopped there.

I have fed the fish, saw tons of bands play, gotten a "couples massage" there with my girlfriend at the time...so I have been naked in Trolley Square (back in the Message Therapy place and under a sheet, don't ya know).

Not only have I brought a few dates there, I have eaten in every restaurant that ever was in Trolley Square at least once and some many many times. I have bought something in almost every store at some point.

My bank was there for many years. I used to imagine the place as a garage for the trolley trains of long ago, and marvelled at how the remodelling was done. I have gazed into the exposed brick and beams.

I have been drunk of my ass and sang Karaoke and had the time of my life flirting with a lot of different women there at Trolley Square. I have visited friends at work, saw many movies (is there still a theater IN the mall?) I have bought chocolates and earrings for girlfriends there.

I have performed 3 songs at Hard Rock Cafe during a musicians conference I attended. I have seen Alphaville do a concert outside the west entrance. You know, "Forever Young" and so forth.

I have met up with family members and friends I hadn't seen in years there. I have parked in a good number of the parking spaces at Trolley Square at one time or another.

I have had hot wings and beer under the Trolley Square water tower, by which you can tell the weather (did you know?).

I have fallen in and even out of love right there in Trolley Square.

Trolley Square has always been a place for pleasure, enjoyment, fulfillment, relationships, reunions, self-improvement, entertainment, drinking and dining.

I feel enormous sadness and shock at the senseless killing that was random and brutal that took place at the mall.
My heart goes out to the families of those who died and to all those who were injured and traumatized by these events.

I know it's early days and I am far away so that lessens the immediate impact for me, yet, I hope that the community can heal and that the actions of one criminal will not stop this place from being somewhere the community gathers and lives in peace and joy.

There are playgrounds and city parks in Belgium and France where war once came through, and violence once held sway.
Now these places are for people to relax, feel at peace, see the ducks and laugh, play sing, dance and be a community.

I think of Trolley Square as a kind of oasis of culture and life in Salt Lake and I hope it can remain that for many years to come.

=sw

Longevity

2007-02-13T00:28:00.000-05:00

With medical advances arriving the promise of increased longevity is slowly arising. Increased human longevity could bring profound changes to society and the way things work. It is especially concerning that access to longevity itself may be based on economic status.

Suppose a drug dealer shoots and kills an innocent bystander who is a 40 year old man, effectively robbing him of perhaps half his life. Even if he were only to live only another year naturally, the crime is still every bit as punishable.

It does start to feel more serious, though, when the possibility of long life is available through medical science. Maybe this hypothetical situation could have happened in 2040 or later. Suppose the man was taking a "Methusala" pill daily and would have live for another 100, 150 years or even more. It may be perceived as even more egregious to rob someone of a much longer life. This is akin to the way we feel about the death of children or teenagers now. With so much ahead of them, the injustice stings our sensibilities more.

When we eventually, perhaps inevitably, are able to extend life, we may have to balance reproduction levels somehow. Maybe one will have to trade fertility for increased longevity. Perhaps the effects will be tied up together in the treatments. In the same pill so to speak. I am not sure it is necessary though.

Suppose, with extended life, human beings could travel to other star systems to search out new homes. Or we could live much longer in a hollowed out (hopefully also nicely appointed and well lit) asteroid far from the effects of any sun like Carl Sagan postulates in his book "Pale Blue Dot".

Maybe with incredibly long life, larger projects would become possible. Such as building elaborate homes in space by assembling materials over time. We already have the components of solar "push" technology which would use focused energy from the sun to adjust the position of objects. Another factor would be time...perhaps a lot of time, though we would also have time to develop new and better energy sources.

Could people, given 1000's upon 1000's of years, assemble planets...even stars? Ok this is getting highly speculative since we can only dream of slightly nudging a large asteroid enough that its eventual trajectory misses hitting the earth. Such an asteroid would be the about a kilometer in one or more of its dimensions. That is pretty tiny compared to a planet...even a small moon. Phobos, a moon of Mars, is 22.2 km in "diameter" (it is not at all round, more like a potato).

I digress. Human longevity will be a factor in the future, politically, scientifically and socially. I just hope it isn't another class-making factor. Class being the attempt to manufacture a privileged perspective, as an illusion, when none really exists.

=sw

Newspeak

2007-02-09T13:40:00.000-05:00

New, funny words seem to get into our language sometimes. In the U.S. I have heard the term WONK for people who are so in the KNOW that they sound almost snooty for knowing. Maybe I am a WONK for knowing what a WONK is!?

Then there's Noopsie...from the Tivo show The O.C. (poor Mischa Barton, held responsible for single handedly killing a show though maybe saved herself from eternally playing one character) I finally think I have that word figured out. I think it's for those born with a silver spoon in their mouth. A kind of privelaged and entitled class that are so privelaged and entitled they hardly know that they are. You take silver SPOON and reverse SPOON to get NOOPS then diminutize it in a dismissive yet adoring way to NOOPSIE.

Even if I have these "wrong" there is really no absolute right or wrong in evolving language. I have spoken backwards for fun for much of my life so I sometimes catch on to these things.

Maybe I should invent my own words like as JetSet is to world travel maybe an ETSAT could be to someone with good taste. NAMUH's (Nah-moooz) could be atheists who still have morals. Maybe TRAMS are people that are so smart they believe in sustainable development and walkable communities.

EKUN, eco-friendly people who are OK with Nuclear power because it doesn't emit carbon dioxide.

REDEEPS, those who buy hybrid cars just so they can accelerate faster at the same fuel consumption and carbon emission rate as their old car, which they sold to someone else anyway.

YAG's, men who like Cold Play AND sex with women.

What do you think? Any more newspeak words out there? I am still waiting for my Wall-Size T.V.

=sw

God is not a woman

2007-02-04T06:36:00.000-05:00

Men who say God is a woman are smart, because it scores them points with women.

I think women who say God is a woman want to emphasize that their gender should be accepted and respected. To gain esteem of self and others why not co-brand with a concept widely revered by men and women? Naturally women do deserve equal treatment as human beings and should respect themselves and be accepted and respected by all humans.

Let me start here: anthropromorphizing the divine is vain (as in both self-serving and pointless) and exactly where we went wrong with religion in the first place. Male and female humans are so similar in the cosmic perspective that there is no reason in the idea of a God of a particular gender. One is as good as the other in this symbolism. I think elevating human characteristics to God-defining-level is of no particular interest to my view of things eternal, all powerful and omnipresent. People only do it to attach something about themselves to something powerful.

God is probably..."Gravity" or "Order" or some other concept. Saying "God is an American" makes about as much rational sense. It is the application of a lower order, limited concept upon a higher order limitless concept and it has no useful meaning at all, unless David Bowie says it.

I think there may not be a God of any kind we hope for. If there is such a God, even the definition we invented for Him or Her places this being well outside the limits that proscribe Human Beings. Women are born, live, bleed, feel pain, die. This is not a definition of God by anyone's standard. This is, however, an equally perfect definition of a man.

God is black, God is muslim, God is a jew, God is a mormon, God is Jesus, God has a beard, God has a womb, God is me. All these are the foolish self-serving imaginations of insecure humans seeking self-esteem, self importance...seeking a way to have it over on whomever they feel normally has it over on them.

Calling God a woman is the same idea as using God to support the Irish Republicans against the Unionists and vice versa. It's the same idea as using God to justify terror attacks.

The only reason to say it is to enhance one's own position in regard to other people. This God person gets used and abused for mutual repression and man or woman's inhumanity to man or woman. God gets exploited to push just about anything. Ultimately, God is a man-made concept. This does not preclude there being wonders and realities yet beyond our understanding, but this one is a rusty tired old dented hammer that has been used far to much by people to bludgeon one another.

I hope women will seek their self esteem and have the respect they deserve as human beings. Groping for God status is an act of desperation and corruption to which no man or woman aspires for any noble reason, but only to dominate and repress one another. After we are over the need to reach to the ultimate symbol, maybe it is finally time to look within for worth.

Yes, you guessed it, I am also contending that God is not a man.
=sw

Epicureanism

2007-01-31T13:50:00.000-05:00

I am an Epicurean all the way. At first I thought it was just because I like wine and live for pleasure. Though now I understand the crossover of how this philosophy unites with other things I believe.

Crediting Wikipedia here:

Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based upon the teachings of Epicurus (c. 340–c. 270 BC), founded around 307 BC. Epicurus was an atomic materialist, following in the steps of Democritus. His materialism led him to a general attack on superstition and divine intervention..[]..Epicurus believed that the greatest good was to seek modest pleasures in order to attain a state of tranquility and freedom from fear (ataraxia) as well as absence of bodily pain (aponia) through knowledge of the workings of the world and the limits of our desires. The combination of these two states is supposed to constitute happiness in its highest form.

Democritus was the one who figured out that the world's seemingly random weather and events could very well be based on laws and predictable effects and consequences and not the will of "Gods" at all.

Epicurus was called an atomic materialist because this was the time when free thinkers in these city-states, not limited in their scientific explorations by powerful religions or kings, determined that all matter could be divided into indivisible building blocks called atoms. Ok so there is more to the story of atoms and elementary particles, but the kernal of the idea was a revolution. It meant that we might be physical beings only. The meaning of our lives and the consequences of our actions might be played out in patterns established by rules of nature...that we might call "Laws of Physics".

They discovered that the world may not be governed by magical omen or mysterious hands, but by predictable effects. Rather than diminishing the meaning of life, this seems to dramatically raise the stature of each moment to the "real deal" the experience we are having. We need not wait to have some other experience later...we don't need to be foolish, but don't need to be irrationally subservient to ultimate consequences that cannot be proved. This means every idea should be evaluated for its merits.

I heard about Kate Hudson carrying around Holy Water and thought that...if doing so makes her feel better and gives her personal peace and power and she is willing to accept that it makes her look a certain way to those who do not share her magical thinking, then I suppose no one should try to suggest she stop the practice. Though, I would not want the practice taught as curriculum without much more scrutiny, more evidence and reason. When I look at Kate Hudson, my evolved biology tells me to let her do whatever she pleases. I wish hotness weren't its own license, but I can't fight it.

In these days of hints of a universe that might be described as a grand illusion of energy states, it is never certain that we know everything. There is so much left to learn and explain. This is why critical thinking skills may be the best thing Honors English taught me.

I think that as a religious youth, I was taught or, at least believed, that without ultimate consequences nothing meant anything and that we would all spiral into immoral and destructive living.

Epicurus teaches me that the moments of our lives where our real choices, our tangible experiences, conversations, expressions and touches happen all have "Epic" meaning in the universe, in the story of man-kind. Even without a God, indeed especially without a God, everything has deeply intense meaning. We are stewards to existence and each other. This IS the big show. Rather than everything becoming meaningless without the eternal reward or punishment, How we treat life and each other is even more important if it is all there is.

I cannot prove or disprove God, and I know that I rehash this over and over. I feel the way Edgar Allen Poe described as published in the Broadway Journal, Oct. 4, 1845.

I will paraphrase. Poe, who had no trouble putting thoughts into words on paper, admitted to feeling or sensing ideas that were "a class of fancies, of exquisite delicacy, which are not thoughts, and to which, as yet, I have found it absolutely impossible to adapt language. I use the word fancies at random, and merely because I must use some word..." Poe goes on to describe:

...this ecstasy, in itself, is of a character supernal to the Human Nature–is a glimpse of the spirit's outer world; and I arrive at this conclusion–if this term is at all applicable to instantaneous intuition–by a perception that the delight experienced has, as its element, but the absoluteness of novelty. I say the absoluteness- for in the fancies–let me now term them psychal impressions–there is really nothing even approximate in character to impressions ordinarily received. It is as if the five senses were supplanted by five myriad others alien to mortality.

So, while I am an Epicurean that believes in a rational world, I have also felt these impressions of some "greater nature". Perhaps this is the experience religious people call "spirituality". Maybe between these feelings and other coping mechanisms, sentient life is made tolerable or perhaps these impressions hint at things we have yet to learn about our existence.

Certainly feeling a sense of ecstatic idealism seems to be compatible with a pleasure-seeking existence. Though, Epicureans are not hedonists, as you will read in the Wikipedia definition. Hedonism has pleasure as its highest ideal. Epicureans believe in the harmony of satisfaction through understanding the needs and limits of the natural world and living well in the "sweet spot" of harmony with them. At the core, it must be understood that rules govern the predictability of life. The way we can establish security and bliss is through knowledge of an indifferent, ultimately reliable universe.

If only "Secular Humanist Epicurean" didn't actually sound as comfortingly dull and easy going as it is meant to be.

Give the Jews a Break!

2007-01-27T22:20:00.001-05:00

In the theme of talking about how population figures tell a story, I want to point out the disparity between Jewish and Muslim population world wide.

I am under the impression that Palestinians are seeking to use natalism to change the facts on the ground in Israel and Palestine. This means they are trying to breed their way into being a larger population than the Jews.

This attitude is not a new or novel idea. Catholics valued large families greatly especially in the last century. Catholic beliefs ban birth control and divorce even now.

Christians in general were estimated to number 2,133,806,000 world wide in (Encyclopædia Britannica Book of the Year 2006).

Muslims are counted differently by various sources. There are about 1.6 billion Muslims in the world from what I can estimate.

There are 13.3 million Jews in the world. That means the Muslims world wide outnumber the Jews 100 to 1. In light of this discrepancy can't we give the Jews a break and let them have a small part of their traditional lands in the middle east? To make the understatement of a century, The Jews have had a hell of a time.

I feel like Muslim peoples who hate Jews must, at first, have felt humiliated by the loss of the Ottoman Empire to the allies. This is what allowed the British to draw the borders in the region and ultimately drive the UN decision to restore the Jewish homeland to Jews.

I understand that there a Palestinians who lost property and inheritance in this global decision. There are many Jews who lost property in Europe as well. There were many Jews who lost their lives. I think that if the history of the Nazi aggression were at least taught in schools in Muslim nations then there would be a chance for these peoples to understand the reason for Israel, the plight of the Jewish people. This may prevent them re-enacting such horrific choices. How else can they learn from history if they do not study it?

It is my view that Muslims would do well to stop hating and resenting the Jews, stop waging and endless campaign of venom, of terror and intolerance against a comparitively tiny Jewish global minority. Stop the intolerance and intransigence regarding other religions. Maybe there might begin to be understanding and benefits from the cultural and economic innovation going on in the West and elsewhere.

Now, the rich kings and princes of these lands know of Western freedom and the rule of law that makes economies function, but the people often dwell in ignorance of democracy, and of the trust based legal systems of the west.

One could so easily say that I am just as ignorant of the Islamic world as they are of me, but this is just factually not so. I have viewed and studied correct and representative information from many reliable sources. I understand, at least academically, the 5 pillars of faith. I have taken a compelling interest in the practices of the Haj (or Muslim Pilgrimage to Mecca) and I have read large parts of the Koran. I even understand that one must read the entire Koran in Arabic to claim to have read it. While I have not, that's ok. Because I am not of the same faith and it is enough to care and to understand at such a level as I do.

I do not wish death and destruction on anyone. Therefore I reject the notion that any belief system warrants the destruction of anyone else. I come out from a stance that enlightenment breeds peace. I do not desire that my own people or Islamic peoples should live in ignorance. To put it plainly, the reasoning does not reverse and reliance upon dogma truly is a vanity of the highest degree. That vanity being that the life of another is not valuable because one does not comply with or submit to some tennet of faith.

This little rant should be given by the apparently silent and invisible moderate Muslim majority.

If the vast and populous Muslim world wants to help Palestinians, they should take them in, help to house and feed them, help them to keep what land they have and develop a peaceful coexistence with the Jews. If ones religion teaches that the tiny minority of Jews somehow all "deserve death", or are "vermin" or need to be lorded over and bullied by any other majority...let that person examine his own faith and consider that such a belief is false, wrong and unsustainable. Hatred of ones fellow beings is not righteousness, not fidelity, it is ignorance and foolishness.

I long for those who hate blindly to wake up, to grow up, to rejoin the human family, to receive an education and be enlightened.

Though I hear "Death to America" I still do not hate those who shout it, I do not think they deserve to die. I want only that they should live in peace and if they be free to choose and please to do so, practice a religion of peace.

I do not believe in Islam, Judaism or any other religion as such. I do believe that man should be free to think for himself or herself without fear. If there is a divine presence, perhaps tolerance is the test and lesson of life. Even if there is no higher power, Man should understand that what he brings to another can just as readily be brought upon him. Remember the old golden rule?

Don't hate Jews, or anyone for that matter. The population tells the story. As the figures have shown, Muslims outnumber Jews 100:1. It just looks bad to want more advantage, more dominance. I cannot sympathize with anyone who sees fit to wish destruction upon others who do not share their beliefs.

I know good Palestinian families lost their homes and lands in 1948. The world would love to hear the case and assist and compensate these 60 year old wounds as is appropriate. The sound of suicide bombing is drowning out the cry. The sound of tribal war-lordism's rockets deafens the West from hearing this complaint. To us, some must simply sacrifice a little so that this Jewish people might recover from the offense history has committed against them. Palestinians have no shortage of brethren who could come to their aid if blindness and vanity did not prevent it.

The Haulocost was real, all too awfully real.

Israel is justified in its existence. That's why we Americans sit on our hands and allow them to defend their lands. There are just as many Muslims Americans as Jewish Americans. Before there is one more shout of Muslim indignance, let these angry men do their due diligence, study the history, understand the circumstances surrounding U.S. policy. Take note of how the U.S. came to the aid of Muslims in Kosovo to stave off their tragedy, a lesson learned from the Holocaust. Note how Muslim men bring down hell upon their fellow men in Darfur. Let there be some reason in the debates before there is more blood-lust.

=sw

Blogger Blah

2007-01-26T00:06:00.000-05:00

I "upgraded" to the new blogger that google now owns. It seems they turned a lot of the names of people who have commented to "anonymous". Very disappointing.

So here's the rub

2007-01-21T12:52:00.000-05:00

I admit it. Sometimes I go to church with my folks when I am visiting over the holidays. It always confirms for me that I don't agree in a very real and basic way with many things preached and put over by the LDS faith. I don't mind spending time with my folks and it's usually for a christmas service in an "outside of Utah" congregation so they are groovy and end it after an hour.

Sometimes they speak about the family of Abraham and being adopted into it etc. It seems that mormon "patriarchal blessings" which assign the recipient to the heritage of one of the tribes of Israel, have created some discomforts with racial issues over who is IN the covenant family of Abraham and who is not. They had to give a long drawn out speech about how "it doesn't really matter, we are adopted if we behave, etc....so pay no mind to the assignment in the blessings" etc. How about saying..."this is all about as real and important as Dungeons and Dragons rankings are to real life". That would really clear it up.

Occam's razor would cut right through the cognitive dissonance and quickly declare that the simple solution is "This is all bullshit".

Another axiom to which I object is the idea that the world is doomed the end is near and there is no hope of escape. I don't believe the days of mankind must needs be numbered. We know from our best research that our sun will probably turn into a red giant someday, charring the earth to cinders as it grows to engulf it. So, yah, we should find some other ways of living or places to live in this vast universe beyond the solar system, or at least beyond the reach of the eventual Solar "prostate" swelling, long before that happens. That will not happen for a few billion years.

We are far more likely to destroy ourselves before the Sun has a chance. The sad irony is that religious believers may be the source of the destruction, the ones who bring it about. Just as it is suspected that christians may have set the Great Rome fire of July 19, A.D. 64 to "bring about" the fulfillment of prophecies about Rome's destruction.

I am waxing tangential here, but I think sometimes things are written down and become more important than they really were, simply because the writing survived long enough. Something like "Rome shall burn" may just have been a taunt at a sporting event. "Rome is going down...God damnit!" yelled by a Venice fan during a Gladiator match. Suddenly it is prophetic because someone set fire to the city to make it so!?

This prophecy stuff is weird. When it's gloomy, it amounts to premeditated murder. "The king of suchandsuchland shall die on the third day of they 7th week of the 9th moon of the year 86" or something...sounds like "plans" not prophecy. Maybe we should arrest these people who suggest 1/3 of the waters will be poisoned. What exactly did John the Revelator have in mind? John the damn terror plot planner.

To make it through the 90 minutes of concession I choose to make to family harmony each year, I like to change words of Hymns mostly in my head. I like changing words to ad humor to life in many cases. Like the wintery (usually holiday) song "Walking in a Winter Wonderland":

Later on
We'll conspire
as we dream
by the fire
to face unafraid
the [baby] we made
walking in a winter wonderland!

This makes the song far more honest about its message.

So in church, take "Jesus Said Love Everyone" or any other hymn...and replace "love" with "rub" to fully entertaining effect.
(yes I am a mental juvenile ok?) Though I thought to do this many years ago while sitting in a sunday service in a "singles" congregation watching two hot women in their 20's dressed for church give eachother intense back rubs during the long droning speeches. That's when I knew men of faith were not fulfilling all the purposes of their creation leaving these babes just with eachother and the only apparently socially acceptable physical contact in church-circles: girl on girl massage.

Jesus said [rub] everyone
treat them kindly too
when your heart is filled with [rubs]
others will [rub] you

or

As I have [rubbed] you
[rub] one another
this new commandment
[rub] one another
etc. (because I don't know how to spell shalmehn-gno because I am not a rabbi)

It also works with the Beatles:

She [rubs] you ya ya ya
She [rubs] you ya ya ya
With a [rub] like that
You know you should be glad....ooooooh!

Ok I will spare you all any more levity. Just know that laughter is great medicine and the louder the better.
=sw

Kama Sutra

2007-01-12T00:06:00.000-05:00

SML commented on a recent blog and requested more Kama Sutra stuff. So I decided there was only one high brow way to combine my western education and upbringing with the Kama Sutra in any way that is at all tasteful.

The Kama Sutra was once emailed to me in its entirety, with pictures and all, while I was in college. I am sure the beautiful woman who sent it to me was aching for my attention but my uptight religiously indoctrinated conclusion was she was mocking me. Naturally, that's why a hot college girl you always chat to in the mac-lab emails you the Kama Sutra.

Aaaargh...how not to live with regret!? The point is, at the tender age of "college freshman" I knew exactly what it was and read EVERY word and studied the pictures.

While it IS my goal to be free thinking and address any topic whatsoever, I am not trying to make a porn-blog. Therefore...

Today I combine my love of Middle English Poetic Meter (Iambic pentameter), and other forms as well, with the MOST tasteful Kama Sutra pictures I could possibly imagine...which are still very sexy....from a clothing ad campaign in Turkey. I borrow them shamelessly from Fresh99.com.

I will not endeavor to refer to these Kama Sutra positions by their real names...and now...I digress.

For each depiction
I shall write a poem:

You rise, an ocean crashing on the rocks
Before, upon me... hair is as a mist
Two hands lay palms to rest upon my shins
My arms embrace you; heels support my back
You are within me, I am within you

my love is sweet fate
we want the very same things
this one she likes most

Some may live for fast cars
Some lust for cool phones
Some long to drink fine wine
And some to walk brilliant rows
I live for only one thing that soon comes to mind
To be possessed in your legs, give your neck a dulcet kiss
and see that look on your face, it's the reason I live.

Treat me as your chair
Your comfy leather couch
I will always be there
To... to... cup your breasts
As you crab walk over me
Yes, what I remember
And what you recall
May seem different at first look
Though the intensity is what we share
The focus for eachother
The diverted stare
Lost in the dream we made real
Catching each other's eyes in our wall of mirrors
We both seek heaven ahead, me through you and you on our bed.

There you go.
If you liked those, I will make more some time.

=sw

Interpreting Population

2007-01-08T05:33:00.000-05:00

After my recent "sexy-time" post, I am now discussing some of the possible consequences.

I have been browsing the CIA world fact book and noticed that, in the world, there is huge discrepancy in population between males and females between the ages of 15-64 (using the CIA data's age ranges). It appears there may 51,732,166 more men than women in this age range. Then there is the age of 0 to 14 where there are 48,977,175 more males than females.

In the older ages the women live longer so there are 56,986,505 more women 65 and older than men. This still means that there are 43,722,836 more males than females in the world and there really are 100,709,341 more males than females that are under 65.

Think about it, under the age of 65, there are One-hundred-Million more males than females in this world.

Nature tries to even out population. If left to nature, gender populations curiously balance. The balance even seems to correct for war, risky behaviors of young men driven by testosterone and other factors.

The apparent explanation for the population difference lies largely with cultural attitudes of countries on the Asian continent, primarily China and India.

China has about 43,494,720 more males under 65 than females.

India has 33,320,388 more males than females in this same range.

Each has well over a billion people in total.

Do we credit the Kama Sutra?

These 2 countries account for about 76% of the gender discrepancy, with their neighbors and the culturally similar diaspora of each world wide accounting for a good portion of the rest.

There are really two different attitudes with one result, more boys.

In China, I have gathered that the general feeling is that because Boys can carry on the family name in the traditions of the culture, they are sometimes preferred. Under a "one-child-only" (per couple) policy, proud chinese families may opt to go for a boy and not a girl in order to carry on the name. Some feel a duty to the needs of the state regarding reproduction generally.

In India, it seems to lean more toward the traditional notion that sons care for parents while daughters cost the parents a large dowry or "wedding gift". In addition to this Dowry, given to the family of whomever the girl marries, the daughter is also "given away" to this other family who now benefit from her economic contributions.

I can see that it makes sense in one family to consider these options, but there are externalities created when some choose to have sons.

In China, the microcosmic family planning regarding the propogation of a surname through male offspring does not seem to take into account the global issue of with whom the propogation can possibly take place. With so many families choosing for boys, there simply aren't girls in the country for every boy to marry with whom they can continue family lines.

In India it is a similar problem. It is all good and well to be the smart family that brings in the dowry and keeps the next generation of sons in the family rather than the one that has daughters, has to pay up and lose the "retirement plan". Yet, when too many families do this, there will not be women, nor dowries to be had. Still these sad sons can do nothing with life but support their parents. They are like modern Eunuchs who must endure a lonely life without the prospect of marriage, yet as fully functioning men with all their natural desires intact.

Before I jump into what it all means, let's check into how it is done.

Not to "split heirs" here, but sometimes, as in animal breeding practices, centrifuges are used to divide the male sperm from female sperm. Thus ensuring that an artificial insemination is with the right stuff for the desired outcome...err....result.

That's right, the fathers bring the gender destiny to the reproductive picture. A quick global apology on behalf of all men to medieval women who were shunned, mistreated or even killed for not "giving their man" a son when commanded.

Even modern women still read "wives tales" about "what to do when" to pre-determine the gender of a child.

There is the dirty secret of rumored intentional drowning of girls, abandonment to exposure or starvation death. Abortion is probably a large part of the picture.

These figures already account for the living, so orphaned girls cannot serve to reduce the discrepancy.

What does it all mean?

It means that there are 50 million single men who can't find a wife anywhere on the planet...and there will be 50 million more growing into age 18 soon, long before the other 50 million are 65.

They won't all be Chinese and East-Indian. Many upper class, rich, goodlooking men from these cultures will marry women from other societies. That is natural, though also does not resolve the descrepancy, not by one soul. So there are still 100 million men on earth with no marriage prospects or no chance at any kind of exclusive relationship with a woman. Isn't this a formula for unrest?

What are these men up to? We have established that this gender discrepancy can transfer to anyone around the world, so these men could be from anywhere. They are available to be recruited by terrorist groups who promise them exactly what they cannot find in life, but must die to get (70 virgins or some impossible ratio). An over-abundance of men on the earth makes some seem expendable for war or suicide bombings to some cultures. The needs of this 100 million could be part of the source of pressure to traffic women from poorer countries into sexual slavery. Moldova is a prime example of a country whose young women are frequently lured into sexual slavery in places like Turkey with the promise of reputable jobs. Even if some 7% or so of the single men are gay, that still leaves 93 million men with no wives. Add on the double reduction for each lesbian couple, and the insanely self-serving anti-social practice of polygamy and the discrepancy goes right back up.

Perhaps western countries at near gender parity, could have a campaign like "Make girls for peace".

I believe this is a serious social problem of our time. It stems from simple household economics or pride which do not translate to a macro-scale. The best case scenario would be that we have a lot of extra peace-keeping troops at hand. Educated, nerdy, lonely, horny peace-keeping troops with loaded guns they never have cause to fire.
=sw

Holiday update

2006-12-29T00:46:00.000-05:00

Christmas with the family! I always enjoy being with my family. I do love all my family and they are each great in their own way.

My dad likes to keep the dish network on the church propaganda channel. Every day is like sunday indeed. For God's sake can we turn off the church and eat? It really is just like family-friendly fascism. I am all propaganda'd out. I never want to hear another church Elder talk about how faith can move mountains as if Mount Saint Helens is 1/2 gone because some Priest was "practicing".

The promises church speakers make are like the fake presents that are still under the tree in the museum on December 27th. No one is racing to open them because they know there is actually nothing of value inside. It is just all show, glitz, and mood setting.

I sometimes postulate that if investing tangible time and value into something that is no more provable than a fantasy brings someone to occasional idealistic selflessness, there may still be some good in it. I know that the religious systems to which people subscribe are not necessary for human beings to improve their character or care for one-another. They may actually be inefficient obstacles that, on balance, create more suffering and misery than they inspire goodness.

I listened to some of the " Slayer, Christ Illusion" album a week or so ago. It won a grammy, so it must be worth something. The music is solid and of a high quality in the genre. Much of what they make is for their own pleasure, though they do suggest that religion is a mass delusion.

I think if people want to hope for something that could be and can't be disproved, that is their own business. Faith, being the human hopes and dreams that may yet be, is at the core of human existence. We are reality generating machines and we can bring about many of of our dreams which have yet to exist.

Though, when one loses contact with reason and begins to state as reality things for which one merely hopes, there is some confusing self-delusion going on. One must always be prepared for the possibility that one's assumptions could be superceded by better science, knowledge and understanding.

Christmas also brought some good times touring through Seattle. Fresh fish, Coffee, Espresso, Lattes, Capucino and ...did I mention the Coffee? I have visited the Museum of Flight, Pacific Science Center, Puget Sound and the family all went to the holiday ball-breaker, "The Nutcracker".

I like hearing Tchaikovsky. This ballet, which I had never seen before, has been around long enough that it has popularized its music as Christmas music. It is an enjoyable ballet with enough material to give different companies some room for interpretation. I can still feel some old notions of royal social order in the dance.

The dances with a man and a woman seem to show the man turning tipping, arranging and manipulating the woman whose overwhelming power is to keep his interest focused only and continually on her and to captivate him at her side through it all. It is the love détente, each feeling in control in the manner he or she prefers.

Ballet seems to have a medieval quality of nearly worshipping women as precious objects on a pedastal, though these dancers really are admirable athletes. The men are secondary on this stage, though they seem to be able to do the flutter jumps well, the lightness of which belies the strength they need to perform them. Yet, nothing holds a candle to the women on point. What a wonder to behold. It makes one admire Russian culture.

There is my Christmas update, enjoy.

=sumwun