April Week 1, 2009
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April Week 1, 2009
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Wednesday, April 01, 2009 Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you yourself test and judge to be true. Buddha - Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta I got zapped today, Doc said I could continue even though the skin is 'peeling' a bit... NPR always does an April fools story, I listened to All things considered and there was nothing until they got to the Listeners Comments part of the show and there were some irate comments about a story I didn't hear that they did yesterday about Whale Framing in Illinois... I cracked up... Listen Now. 'The Capitol Steps' were on too, one skit had two people trying to outdo one another as to which had the smallest carbon footprint, the lady said "Well... I only eat organically grown vegetables that have died naturally within 50 feet of my home." Thursday, April 02, 2009 Some men of a secluded and studious life have sent forth from their closet or their cloister, rays of intellectual light that have agitated courts and revolutionized kingdoms; like the moon which, though far removed from the ocean, and shining upon it with a serene and sober light, is the chief cause of all those ebbings and flowings which incessantly disturb that restless world of waters.
Charles Caleb Colton, author and clergyman (1780-1832)
The Wiemar/Hitler comparison is probably the best one here. The thug party out of power rallies as much fear as possible by accusing the government of doing what they themselves were and are/will be doing - as soon as they can break through again, just enough to take over one last time. The dems are not getting it. The republicans are more dangerous now than before. The psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung warned, after WWII, that the greatest threat to humankind in the future lay in the rise of "epidemics of mass psychosis" such as those that helped created Nazi Germany in the 30s. It seems to me that our nation has been in the grip of just such a mass epidemic of madness since 9/11 and the victory of Obama is only a symptomatic relief (compared to Bush) not a treatment of the disease itself. Those right-wingers like Glenn Beck, Limbaugh, et al who claim Obama is a dictator are as mad as it gets, as are the millions who support and listen to them. I think the correct psychological term is "projection" and "denial". They project onto others the evil within themselves. This is at the root of war and mass violence of all kinds, and has been since the beginning. Not a problem easily solved. How to get these mad millions to see that they themselves are what they most fear and hate? And so the world goes, as Shakespeare said, from "strange to stranger". Republicans tend to believe in extremist conspiracies because they accuse others of the sorts of things that they themselves do when they are in power. They believe that President Obama might try to become a dictator because Bush tried it. They believe that Democrats might attempt to achieve totalitarian power because they want such power for themselves. Extremists always expects extremism from others. Republicans live in a dualistic universe. Their imperative is to identify evil [by accusation, by association] and then kill. So when they start developing conspiracy theories it's highly likely they are only telling what they would do with a mandate as solid as Obama's. It's projection. So it's enormously useful for Glenn Beck et al. to broadcast these notions; they give us insight into just how twisted they are. Republicanism is all about privilege. They know their edge exists as an imposition upon the rest of society. This is what frightens the bejesus out of them: that their privilege will be taken from them. But how did they get the privilege in the first place? They seized it. Now, the tables have turned. All of a sudden, seizing privilege is a bad thing. Friday, April 03, 2009 "If the people are not convinced (that the Free World is in mortal danger) it would be impossible for Congress to vote the vast sums now being spent to avert danger. With the support of public opinion, as marshalled by the press, we are off to a good start. It is our Job - yours and mine -- to keep our people convinced that the only way to keep disaster away from our shores is to build up America's might." Charles Wilson, Chairman of the Board of General Electric and Truman appointee to head the Office of Defence Mobilization, in a speech to the Newspaper Publishers Association, 1950 Radiation is done, burn looks like hell and I guess that the radiation will continue to do damage for a while but at least I won't be getting any more. I will see Dr Anthony in June, I need to make appointments with him and Dr. LaValle. Also need to get Me Amanda and Monica into the dentist and Christy needs to go see Dr McKenna, When we hear executives say the word 'Bonus' we are supposed to believe it isn't two words. We need to remember that when we hear it it is not supposed to be a verb. Saturday, April 04, 2009 "If once [the people] become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions." Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington, 1787 I really need to get back out in the world, my entire social life lately has consisted of going down to the MMM and gabbing with whoever is there over a cup of coffee... pathetic. I have always aspired to be a gregarious guy but I have never managed to pull it off, I get tongue-tied. One of my problems is an inability to be superficial, I take stuff way too seriously and I just can't seem to shine anything on. Oh well... I yam what I yam and I yam what I yam that I yam And I got a lotta muscle and I only gots one eye And I'll never hurt nobodys and I'll never tell a lie Top to me bottom and me bottom to me top That's the way it is 'til the day that I drop, what am I? I yam what I yam. Popeye (The Sailor Man) Sunday, April 05, 2009 Let those who would die for the flag on the field of battle give a better proof of their patriotism and a higher glory to their country by promoting fraternity and justice. Benjamin Harrison, 1889-1893: - Inaugural Address, 1889 Christy spent the day making Tamale's... I mean the whole day. I went for two one mile walks and other than that I guess I just sort of laid around. Christy says Radiation messes with your immune system... I guess I can't testify to that but it sure messes with your "get off your ass and do something" system.
Every society and religion wants to believe they have a lock on morality and ideology... they don't, we are all in this together.
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