Time for a laugh, a good laugh.
Last week, Obama said Libyan dictator Gaddafi must resign on Thursday. He failed to say, however, what time on Thursday, so Gaddafi didn't know when to go...so he stayed. When your boss tells you you're through, shouldn't he tell you precisely as of when?
Hillary Clinton said "The Libyan people deserve a government that recognizes their universally recognized rights." Like the right to be taxed? The right to have your property taken away by eminent domain? The right to be told what drugs you can put into your body? The right to be drafted into the military? The right to be required to have health insurance? The right to be told that your sexual persuasion does not permit you to get married? You mean those URR's?
Obama froze all Libyan government assets in the U.S., including the ones which ought not have been allowed to be hidden here in the first place.
Our guardianship says the turmoil in Libya (where is Libya, by the way?) is a threat to our national security. Libyans are a threat to take over America? Hey, if Libya is a threat, what about those protesters in Wisconsin?
Are you laughing yet?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
SLOW DOWN, LIFE AHEAD
Americans are obsessed with their efficiency, which means, for the most part, getting things done faster.
"Get in touch with the whole internet world 14% faster...dial up your Ipod selection in milliseconds...cook twice as quick in our new laserbeam inferno cooker...etc."
The SAT exam...which graduating high schoolers take, and which colleges rely heavily on in choosing which applicants to admit to their school...has 195 questions to be done in 200 minutes. "Read the math question, think about information it gives you, what it is asking, solve it in 60 seconds, or we don't want you. You are not up to speed, dummy."
Now all of that would be...alright...if we were machines...which we are rapidly psycho-illogically becoming...but we ain't...we have a thinking, feeling brain. And neither of those generally overlooked traits function well, if at all, at high speed. They both need time to percolate, absorb, sense, explore, consider, relish, admire. To smell the roses. Not faster, quicker, sooner, but deeper, more fully, more personally, with greater nuances, texture, awareness. so ease up, throttle down, ease up, decelerate. What are we running away from? Where are we running to?
"To paraphrase Saint-Exupery, "It is only with the heart that one can see fully; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
"Get in touch with the whole internet world 14% faster...dial up your Ipod selection in milliseconds...cook twice as quick in our new laserbeam inferno cooker...etc."
The SAT exam...which graduating high schoolers take, and which colleges rely heavily on in choosing which applicants to admit to their school...has 195 questions to be done in 200 minutes. "Read the math question, think about information it gives you, what it is asking, solve it in 60 seconds, or we don't want you. You are not up to speed, dummy."
Now all of that would be...alright...if we were machines...which we are rapidly psycho-illogically becoming...but we ain't...we have a thinking, feeling brain. And neither of those generally overlooked traits function well, if at all, at high speed. They both need time to percolate, absorb, sense, explore, consider, relish, admire. To smell the roses. Not faster, quicker, sooner, but deeper, more fully, more personally, with greater nuances, texture, awareness. so ease up, throttle down, ease up, decelerate. What are we running away from? Where are we running to?
"To paraphrase Saint-Exupery, "It is only with the heart that one can see fully; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
Friday, February 25, 2011
TGOODBYE, MIKE
Answering critics questioning how he could be a commentator on what presumably ought be an objective media outlet, Fox News, Mike Huckabee proudly annnnnnnnnnnd defiantly announced, "I am not part of Fox's news side, I am on the program side. I do not pretend to me nor am I objective".
Roget's Thesaurus: "Objectivity: unprejudiced, unbiased, unjaundiced, impartial, fair, just, equitable, impersonal, uninfluenced"
Newman: Objective: based on reality (not whims, feelings, fantasies), truth, right
Wouldn't want you to be any of those dastardly things, Mike, certainly not as President!
Roget's Thesaurus: "Objectivity: unprejudiced, unbiased, unjaundiced, impartial, fair, just, equitable, impersonal, uninfluenced"
Newman: Objective: based on reality (not whims, feelings, fantasies), truth, right
Wouldn't want you to be any of those dastardly things, Mike, certainly not as President!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
CLOSE OUT THE CLOSINGS
This may not be the most important post I have ever written, but it highlights foolishness in society's norms that hide true feelings behind meaningless convention even in unimportant matters.
It's about the way we've been taught to close business letters:
YOURS TRULY...what does that mean? I always tell you the truth? Ha! And what does Yours mean? You are mine? To do what with?
GODSPEED and MAY GOD BE WITH YOU...sorry, not your choice
BEST REGARDS...to whom, from whom, in regard to what? And how does that differ from warm regards, kind regards and just good ole fashioned regards?
CORDIALLY...compared to what, ruthlessly?
SINCERELY...I know what that conveys, "I really really really mean what I wrote"... compared to the usual "I mean 47% of what I wrote"
RESPECTFULLY...how can you respect me when you don't really really really know me?
And respect me for what?
FAITHFULLY YOURS...I haven't a clue what that means
PRAYERFULLY...what are you praying for? That I pay your bill? OK, let's pray:
"Kol Nidre, vesaurey, vecharomey, ve kenuyey?" That was good!
And please, don't Dear me, I am not interested in how attracted you are to me, especially if you're threatening to foreclose on my home.
Then, again, maybe we can work out a deal.
AS USUAL,
Ray
It's about the way we've been taught to close business letters:
YOURS TRULY...what does that mean? I always tell you the truth? Ha! And what does Yours mean? You are mine? To do what with?
GODSPEED and MAY GOD BE WITH YOU...sorry, not your choice
BEST REGARDS...to whom, from whom, in regard to what? And how does that differ from warm regards, kind regards and just good ole fashioned regards?
CORDIALLY...compared to what, ruthlessly?
SINCERELY...I know what that conveys, "I really really really mean what I wrote"... compared to the usual "I mean 47% of what I wrote"
RESPECTFULLY...how can you respect me when you don't really really really know me?
And respect me for what?
FAITHFULLY YOURS...I haven't a clue what that means
PRAYERFULLY...what are you praying for? That I pay your bill? OK, let's pray:
"Kol Nidre, vesaurey, vecharomey, ve kenuyey?" That was good!
And please, don't Dear me, I am not interested in how attracted you are to me, especially if you're threatening to foreclose on my home.
Then, again, maybe we can work out a deal.
AS USUAL,
Ray
Monday, February 21, 2011
MY DESERT ISLAND
On my desert island, there will be:
* no conversational emails...humans will talk with each other and hear the inflections, the nuances of expression...they will hear and feel "I love you" from the heart and not from the keyboard
* children will be taught the art of logical thinking and the virtue of independence...there will be no calculators used in schools or on exams, students will use and sharpen the calculator that nature gave them...there will be no public schools
* there will be no coupons giving discounts on the price of goods only to those who spend precious time (far more valuable than the discounts) cutting coupons
* there will be no reality shows, no talk shows, no sitcoms on television, which will air only performing arts, sporting events and one half hour of daily news...there will be no commercials
* children will choose their own names at age 15
* no license will be required for marriage, no judge's approval for divotce
* all drugs will be over the counter to adults
* animals will not be hunted for pleasure, caged or eaten
* all decibel levels (radio, tv, stereos, ipods, etc) will be kept at a level that does not interfere with one's ability to hear oneself think
* workers will be paid cash at the end of each day's work...there will be no withholdings, no company benefits, no paid vacations, no sick leaves
* there will be no government
* everyone must do one thing each day to make the island more beautiful
* my desert island will be open only to those I invite to live there...there will be a "3 times you're out" guideline: do two things at the same time and/or be negative and/or be dishonest 3 times and you will be permanently banished from my island!
* no conversational emails...humans will talk with each other and hear the inflections, the nuances of expression...they will hear and feel "I love you" from the heart and not from the keyboard
* children will be taught the art of logical thinking and the virtue of independence...there will be no calculators used in schools or on exams, students will use and sharpen the calculator that nature gave them...there will be no public schools
* there will be no coupons giving discounts on the price of goods only to those who spend precious time (far more valuable than the discounts) cutting coupons
* there will be no reality shows, no talk shows, no sitcoms on television, which will air only performing arts, sporting events and one half hour of daily news...there will be no commercials
* children will choose their own names at age 15
* no license will be required for marriage, no judge's approval for divotce
* all drugs will be over the counter to adults
* animals will not be hunted for pleasure, caged or eaten
* all decibel levels (radio, tv, stereos, ipods, etc) will be kept at a level that does not interfere with one's ability to hear oneself think
* workers will be paid cash at the end of each day's work...there will be no withholdings, no company benefits, no paid vacations, no sick leaves
* there will be no government
* everyone must do one thing each day to make the island more beautiful
* my desert island will be open only to those I invite to live there...there will be a "3 times you're out" guideline: do two things at the same time and/or be negative and/or be dishonest 3 times and you will be permanently banished from my island!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
SPENDING SMART
Tens of millions of people in America suffer from crippling diseases. Hundreds of millions worldwide.
I have written before about reducing our nation's debt, and I stand firm on that point. But if the politicos feel compelled to increase our spending and the burden we are placing on future generations to pay it off, then I propose the following: Do not give the money to foreign countries and their questionable and suspect leaders, but give it instead to drug research companies around the world to be used solely for research to prevent/cure/control major diseases/afflictions/plagues, including heart maladies, cancers, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, pulmonary diseases, tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid, and others.
All knowledge gained by this research would immediately be made known to all peoples of the world...to benefit them and all future human life.
If spend we will, time to spend smart.
I have written before about reducing our nation's debt, and I stand firm on that point. But if the politicos feel compelled to increase our spending and the burden we are placing on future generations to pay it off, then I propose the following: Do not give the money to foreign countries and their questionable and suspect leaders, but give it instead to drug research companies around the world to be used solely for research to prevent/cure/control major diseases/afflictions/plagues, including heart maladies, cancers, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, pulmonary diseases, tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid, and others.
All knowledge gained by this research would immediately be made known to all peoples of the world...to benefit them and all future human life.
If spend we will, time to spend smart.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
THE TRUMP CARD
I have never been a fan of Donald Trump. Quite the reverse. I have always thought he was a pompous, self-inflated compulsive addicted to adulation and attention.
Now...I can't fully believe I am about to say this...I am warming up to him running for, and me supporting him, for President next year.
He is a very conservative Republican with ardent support for a strong military. He is prepared to offer federal assistance to needy freer nations of the world, provided they "pay" for it by giving us something in return that benefits our country (eg, money, military positioning, etc.). He has a mind on reducing federal debt (something he may know something about), without cutting support programs that people have contributed taxes to and are dependent on. He is pro-life, and opposed to gay marriage (he is wrong about the latter; it is none of our Guardianship's (see post, Name Change)business whom or what you choose to marry, support, live with (other than underage children)...marry your cat, as far as I'm concerned.
Has Trump had political experience? No. Maybe that's good. The people I see with decades of political experience don't seem to have a clue as to what to do to protect our country, to give it the environment in which to thrive. Who is better and electable out there?
He seems to know and is not afraid to identify our enemies (eg, China), and says he will treat them accordingly. He projects the attitude Ayn Rand identified at the core of the American spirit: Don't Push Me Around.
Ron Paul, whom I generally like, asked how Trump could run since he has never won an election for executive office. I suppose Paul told the voters not to vote for him when he first ran for office. Paul could have made the same argument to Washington, Madison, Taylor, Pierce, Buchanan, Grant, Garfield, Harrison, Hoover, Eisenhower. Some of them were pretty good.
Now...I can't fully believe I am about to say this...I am warming up to him running for, and me supporting him, for President next year.
He is a very conservative Republican with ardent support for a strong military. He is prepared to offer federal assistance to needy freer nations of the world, provided they "pay" for it by giving us something in return that benefits our country (eg, money, military positioning, etc.). He has a mind on reducing federal debt (something he may know something about), without cutting support programs that people have contributed taxes to and are dependent on. He is pro-life, and opposed to gay marriage (he is wrong about the latter; it is none of our Guardianship's (see post, Name Change)business whom or what you choose to marry, support, live with (other than underage children)...marry your cat, as far as I'm concerned.
Has Trump had political experience? No. Maybe that's good. The people I see with decades of political experience don't seem to have a clue as to what to do to protect our country, to give it the environment in which to thrive. Who is better and electable out there?
He seems to know and is not afraid to identify our enemies (eg, China), and says he will treat them accordingly. He projects the attitude Ayn Rand identified at the core of the American spirit: Don't Push Me Around.
Ron Paul, whom I generally like, asked how Trump could run since he has never won an election for executive office. I suppose Paul told the voters not to vote for him when he first ran for office. Paul could have made the same argument to Washington, Madison, Taylor, Pierce, Buchanan, Grant, Garfield, Harrison, Hoover, Eisenhower. Some of them were pretty good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)