Smoke and Wind

Too Dei Too

2006-11-16T13:58:00.000-08:00

State imposition of the death penalty is a horrible thing, but not the most horrible of things.
Laying down societies arms against those individuals whose aim is to destroy society (or, at least, to destroy members of society) fails to render the body of a man to the alter of Justice, and is worse than signifying, expressing, imposing, measuring, and effectuating the ultimate punishment a society can make in a time of war; death. To take the life of a murderer is protecting the public as a whole from the civil war that is created through vengeful blood feuds, and the inherent injustice in allowing one member of society to play god with the whole. God cannot be imitated or else he is merely a god, and a man who imitates God so such a degree ceases to be a man. While a man in war can kill for the glory of God, a man at war with himself kills for the glory of his rebellion. He is transformed through this ultimate action of the will, rebellion against society and Morals and Justice and, in the process, kills himself. Therefore, when the state implements a system of justice that allows for the imposition of the death penalty the state is not killing the man, but removing a suicidal corpse from the only living thing this rebellious child of God has left; a soul. One hopes that the living soul imitates the one who pardons all living souls, whether their bodies are sentenced to life or death, ultimate vengeance belongs to the Judge not of this world.

Too Dei

2006-08-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

Many an intelligent creature, after being persuaded by performance on exams or oratories, ceases to expand his mind and begins believing it has reached its potential.

It is at this point that, like a star reaching the excess of itself, the man collapses upon his own ideas and theories. The resulting supernova is persistent on covering the entire world, and everyone in it, with his imagined potential. One of my old professors would, I think, call these persons the, “Flightless birds of academia”; I will call them the exploding consequences of pride falling upon itself.

It is not surprising that these people wish to use their theories to disprove God, because it is God who constantly reminds them that there is a bigger star; a Son, who, like a black hole of Truth behind a meandering meteor, reminds them of their personal insignificance.

"indicates a high degree of order"

2006-03-16T15:13:00.000-08:00

God, DNA, and the Milky Way

"I refuse to believe that God would play Dice with the Universe" -- AE

Chesterton...I love this guy...

2005-12-16T13:59:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

"The great majority of people will go on observing forms that cannot be explained; they will keep Christmas Day with Christmas gifts and Christmas benedictions; they will continue to do it; and some day suddenly wake up and discover why." - "On Christmas," Generally Speaking

2005-12-14T17:53:00.000-08:00

So I don't have a Dead Ceaser on my page...here's a pic I took...I couldn't believe you could actually balance coins like this...amazing...!

Everyone should be watching "Rome" on HBO...

2005-11-21T16:53:00.000-08:00

This photo is obviously post Brutus.

Be careful who your friends are, be even more careful which "friends" you piss off.

I had to share this somewhere so I thought I would share it here.

ID v. EV or DIVE or DIE - V - or I'VE got v. D

2005-10-31T18:10:00.000-08:00

I disagree with the proposition being bandied about that intelligent design (ID) and Evolution (EV) are diametrically opposed. They are merely looking at the same observations and using a different word to mean the exact same concept. In ID “Intelligence” is being given to some third party. While in EV “Nature” is given a type of “intelligence” or at least, whatever it is given looks an awful lot like intelligence.

Evolution is that “Nature” (by whatever that word means) “selects” what qualities of variation are “fit” to survive until the next generation. Those qualities that are the strongest, survive, those variations that do not reproduce will not survive. This occurs in nature and is something I do not disagree with nor properly disbelieve.

Now, here’s the rub, when variation becomes so extreme “nature” again “selects” this largely varied creature to develop into a new species that is no longer able to produce offspring with the previous species. This species must either find a reasonably adaptable mate or wither and die. This is where I part company with the EV theorists because this I cannot agree with or believe. What outside force determines at which point a species is “too far”? Well, an EV theorist would answer “environment”, but that simply begs the question. What about the “environment” will lead a species to be transformed into a completely new species? EV – the aspect that led to the variation.

So, then, we must now ask, does variation occur in order to adapt to the environment or does the environment create variations in order to be adapted to. Or, is there a third possibility, that variation occurs, but without any form of purpose or predictability. If it is the first or second possibility then the EV theorist has merely personified nature with intelligence it clearly does not possess (For nature was not intelligent enough not to create rational creatures who would be capable of polluting it in such a way as to destroy it.) If it be the third theory then, and this belief be held to be the accepted scientific paradigm, then, there is NO science for there is NO reason.

If something has no purpose and cannot be predicted than science cannot exist because the true aims of science (See Sir Frances Bacon) are predictability and understanding. Understanding is impossible without a purpose. Therefore, if there is no purpose, there is no science.

It is my position that EV may, in one sense, be harmless and completely mindless not to accept and in another sense EV may destroy the very seat on which it sits.

Evolution, originally and as part of its essential elements, merely states that there are laws in nature and that one of those laws is the law of natural selection. Natural selection, in turn, recognizes that variation occurs in nature and that there seems to be a process to it.

“Not in one case out of a hundred can we pretend to assign any reason why this or that part differs, more or less, from the same part in the parents. But whenever we have the means of instituting a comparison, the same laws appear to have acted in producing the lesser differences between species of the same genus. The external conditions of life, as climate and food, etc., seem to have induced some slight modifications.” - Origin of the Species (Chap. 5 summary, Batnum Classic edition pg. 140)

That variation occurs cannot be reasonably disputed, but that this variation occurs without a processor is absent from reason.

This “process” is explained away as a fundamental law of nature, but that doesn’t answer the truly interesting questions like what is the fundamental law of nature? What is a law without a intelligent rational legislature, poor example because these types of legislatures make laws everyday, but more precisely they are composed of (unarguably?) rational creatures, namely mankind.

For what is intelligence or knowledge or wisdom for that matter without a standard on which to measure it against.

What makes one form of conduct rational and another irrational? What makes one variation succeed and another dwindle? Surely, there cannot be a “rational” or “reasoned” explanation for this phenomena.

In Sum: If evolution, as the atheist means it, be true (and there is much doubt about that going around, not just in religious circles, but within the scientific community as well which is why we’re having this debate, you think there’d be a hubbub if the only people who proffered ID were placed safely behind a pulpit?) then there is no intelligence. If there is no intelligence, then there can be no intelligent design. And, if there is no intelligent designer, there would be no atheists.

The profoundly perplexing problem of a “prime mover”
in the ev-olu…zzz...-tion…zzz…of matter.

There must exist a prime mover even to begin the process of evolution. To borrow from Chesterton, evolution is one of those slow, soft and quiet words that pacifies and hypnotizes the reader into submission without ever really answering an answerable question.
Evolution is the kind of word that satisfies and pacifies a grandmother when being told why her children’s families were late for Sunday dinner. “It was the evolution of traffic mum, it was the slow progress we made from the Church Door to the nature of the countryside, we evolved slowly…were be the vittles?” I would be happy to believe in evolution as a scientific position or even a pseudo religion if it could explain (or even attempt to explain) how something can develop (no matter how slowly) from nothing. It’s a simple question, the kind a child asks from the back seat on long rides to grandmother's house.

I disagree with intelligent design pretty much for the same reasons I disagree with evolution. It doesn’t answer any questions. I especially don’t want ID to be taught to my children in school. Who knows what type of “extra-terrestrial” intelligence people will be shoving down my children’s throats. No, I’ve developed a pretty easy explanation for this whole thing. While it’s the simplest and most easily rejected argument, I also find it to be the most comforting and the most practical and practicable answer. While it is comforting, I also find it the most difficult, perplexing, irrational, and rebellious answer.

“In the Beginning God created….”

I also don’t want this taught to my children in public school for the same reason I objected to the previous “extra-terrestrial” explanation.

While I don’t think it is morally or even philosophically unjustifiable to wonder or debate about the origin of man. Once we can agree that we (mankind) are here and we are somehow different (varry if you rather) from than every other type of creature on earth in this respect. That is when we can get to the real important questions, like what shall we do whilst we are here? and Where are we going to?

Was thinking today...

2005-10-31T17:42:00.000-08:00

"The purpose of a lawyer is to answer questions and question answers."

A modest proposal: Abortion properly instituted

2005-10-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

An ACT:

PURPOSE: It has come to the attention of society that Abortion is a central issue that divides us politically, religiously, emotionally, and morally. As an answer to this dilemma, I propose a Ten-Year Waiting Period on all abortions. During this time we will attempt to teach the "Tissue". If the tissue is of proper quality, a trial will be conducted to determine if the Donor is willing to keep the tissue. If not, the tissue that has successfully completed the 10 year training period will be raised by the State for the purpose of education in the highest schools and guaranteed the best jobs.

Those tissues who complete the first 4 years of the governmental program will be granted a name by the state for the purpose of self identity. It will then be understood between the new "Child" (Former "tissue") that his life belongs to the state because the state has sparred him from the will of his mother. The Rules regarding the rearing or disposal of a tissue/child will be as such:

Sec. 1 -- All tissue who cannot walk by the age of two are drown by the tissue owner in a lake of suitable size and temperature. If the tissue owner shall not be found it shall be deemed an abandonment. In such event, a rock of suitable size and color shall be placed around the child's waist to take the place of the tissue donor.

Sec. 2-- All children who cannot read by the age of five are stoned by the extended family of the tissue owner.

Sec. 3 -- All children who cannot read Shakespeare in a proper old English accent by the age of Eight will be sent to the front lines of any major conflict.

Sec. 4 -- All children who are unable to speak a foreign language by the age of 10 will be sold for parts to needed transplant recipients, smokers, drinkers, workaholics and of course those on dialysis in need of kidneys. The revenue of which shall be used to facilitate the program. Livers shall be taxed at the highest rate.

A Federal Social Worker will determine all specifics of this proposal any disputes must be brought to arbitration under the guide of a district judge.

This program would have the effect of supplying our national defense and allow those unfortunates an opportunity to live off of the previously disregarded lives.

This ACT shall be in effect for 20 years at which time it shall be reviewed for any necessary changes. At such time, if a food shortage due to nuclear war, bird flu, or general malaze shall develop the authority is given to the arbitor to shorten the develpment time period to a 5-year "fattening up" period.

Proposed by;

Marcus Sarcastic (Rep. Allen) (Whig)
Carl Justjoshing (Rep. Blackacre) (Torrey)
Niel Madeitup (Rep. Fakeplace) (Reform)

Cindy Sheehan...

2005-09-30T06:40:00.000-07:00

Former Mayor and Television personality has some neat thoughts

here about reasons for going to war.

Well..

2005-07-28T06:27:00.000-07:00

While I'm at it....

Here's the Lewis v. Freud page...there is no stream of the program, but there is a bunch of information about it and when it may be on again...it was really a great show...

Ohh...By the way...

2005-07-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

Click here to see the second best PBS program ever "The theory of everything" about string theory (The first being C.S. Lewis v. Freud) ...Really super mega gigantic interesting...Science finally gets down to the crux of the mattter in creation...

And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." Genesis 1:20

RNAi

2005-07-28T06:03:00.000-07:00

Ok, I was watching NOVA last night on PBS and they had this great explanation of what RNAi is...it's like the efficient cause of gene activation...Anyway...they spelled it out really cool like (cartoony in fact) and I though it was great. The link to a webpage (if you have smaller bandwidth) is Here, but if you want to watch the segment in windows media format you'll have to click here.

2005-07-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

HLR Editor, 29 times before the SC, wrote a brief once as a critic of Roe v. Wade. I think he'll get confirmed (how could they not), but he won't be a Scalia or a Thomas, I think he'll be an O'Conner who sides more with the Conservatives, but who can still maintain some impartial street cred.

2005-07-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

I was at B & N this weekend and I can't believe no one thought this might be inappropriate.

Top 100 of the past 300 years that influenced Rock and Roll (A completely pointless subjective ranking of various songs)

2005-07-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

First of all, some ground rules. The way this list was compiled was by searching my record collection and combing through my old DJ list for songs that may possibly be able to be in my top 100. The first rule that I created was that once an artist has been listed, said artist may not appear again. The reason is because this list is so subjective positions 20-80 might have only consisted of four bands (Pixies, Nirvana, White Stripes, and Weezer). This rule allows for the greatest variety. However, the song chosen does not purport to be that artists “best” song, but merely an influential song that may or may not be popular.

It might be the song that you listen to when you borrow a record from a friend that makes you want to purchase that record for yourself. Or, it may be the song that you play on repeat when the blonde in biology cheats on you with your best friend. Or, it may simply be the song that makes you happy you saw the sun today.

Either way, this list is nothing more than a compilation of songs I think are good. That is, if I were stranded on the proverbial island with only 100 songs to listen to for the rest of my life, these would be the ones I would take….as of today. The hard thing about this list was narrowing down an artist I love and admire like Johnny Cash into one song. Also, those artists who reinvent themselves often it was difficult to choose which “version” to include. Oh, there will be no 80’s hair metal or Pink Floyd. No Apologies need be made.

100 – “Lawyers, guns, and money” – Warren Zevon
Any list has to start somewhere, I choose Warren Zevon. Not because I love him, but because this song is pretty cool and I didn’t want to start a list about music while in law school anywhere else. Humor in Rock in Roll has always been in two different forms. There is the silly (Monkees, some would argue Kiss) and there is the sardonic. Some would say the distinction is between stupid and smart, but I think it can be smart to be silly sometimes. Anyway, great song to start of with.

99 – “Devil Got My Woman” – Skip James

This song should be on any list about music. The man was a pimp, a bootlegger and then was reformed. His voice is so odd for a blues musician and it is truly unique. The world is in this song and the man behind it the song says it all.

98 – “Kisses Sweater than Wine” – Jimmy Rodgers

A good song takes you somewhere you weren’t before the song began. It can do that by either the melody or rhythm or in this case the lyrics. The story that is told (in a very late 50’s folk style is of a man who is looking back on his life and can discover the main catalyst for all of the major points of his life. The kiss of a woman. The romantic in me loves that statement that it is the kiss of a woman that marks the major parts of a man’s life. What is a wedding without a kiss? But these weren’t just any kisses, they were kisses sweeter than wine. The song is triumphant in that “We had a lot of kids a lot of trouble and pain, but, Oh Lord, we’d do it all again”. Now that I think about it, it is a similar statement to something the shock band Butthole surfers said, it’s better to regret something you did than something you didn’t do. I’m still struggling with the truth of that statement on a grand level, but I think on a small scale the statement rings true, especially with something like kisses. Do you regret kissing someone? But I truly bet you regret NOT kissing someone, but I digress, great story type song, great artist.

97 - “It Don’t Mean a thing (If it ain’t got that swing)” – Duke Ellington

One of my favorite quotes about music is attributable to Duke Ellington when he said, “There are only two kinds of music, good and bad”. What truth and beauty are in that statement. A song either has got it or it don’t, there ain’t no middle ground. This song has it and it is an amazing journey within the bars of this orchestral poem. My first contact with this song was oddly enough in a movie called “Swing kids”. Some girl told me I reminded her of a character in the movie so, vanity being what it is, I had to watch the movie. Quite a good film, but I really couldn’t see the comparison. However, this song has always stuck with me and I believe it is influencial to rock and roll because of a. it’s rolling bassline that introduces the main theme, but disappears during other melodic verses. The contrast is also wonderful in this song. Oh ya, it’s pretty catchy to. Finally, the title itself is a type of statement about life that could be considered a type of “rock attitude”. It’s a great piece of work and it’s a shame I am limiting myself to just one inclusion per artist because this cat would be a regular.

96 – “Roadrunner” – The Modern Lovers

If you were ever in a band, this two chord early punk classic was one of the easiest songs to play and thus one of the first songs mastered. I first heard this song when I was about 14 on the Sex Pistols “soundtrack” “The great Rock and Roll Swindle” and it was just the band mucking around during studio time. Of course, Johnny Rotten didn’t know the (incredibly simple) lyrics and had to have Steve Jones chime them in and he would repeat them. What I loved when I heard this song was that it developed seamlessly into a misguided interpretation of “Johnny B. Goode”. Where once again, Mr. Rotten laughed off not knowing the lyrics. While not the greatest song, I believe it is a fantastically influential song and deserves to be on the list.

95 – “Miserlou” – Dick Dale

Pulp Fiction, surf rock genius are the first things I think about when the opening notes of this original heart thumping album come a blazin’ in. Here’s a little history about Dick Dale and his completely original sound.

Dick Dale invented surf music in the 1950's. Not the '60's as is commonly believed. He was given the title "King of the Surf Guitar" by his fellow surfers with whom he surfed with from sun-up to sun-down. He met Leo Fender the guitar and amplifier Guru and Leo asked Dale to play his newly creation, the Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar. The minute Dale picked up the guitar, Leo Fender broke into uncontrolled laughter and disbelief, he was watching Dale play a right handed guitar upside down and backwards, Dale was playing a right handed guitar left handed and changing the chords in his head then transposing the chords to his hands to create a sound never heard before.
Leo Fender gave the Fender Stratocaster along with a Fender Amp to Dale and told him to beat it to death and tell him what he thought of it. Dale took the guitar and started to beat it to death, and he blew up Leo Fender's amp and blew out the speaker. Dale proceeded to blow up forty nine amps and speakers; they would actually catch on fire. Leo would say, 'Dick, why do you have to play so loud?' Dale would explain that he wanted to create the sound of Gene Krupa the famous jazz drummer that created the sounds of the native dancers in the jungles along with the roar of mother nature's creature's and the roar of the ocean. -- Source

94 – “Washington Post March” – John Phillip Sousa

In 1889, Sousa wrote "The Washington Post" march to promote an essay contest sponsored by the newspaper; the march was soon adapted and identified with the new dance called the two-step. "The Washington Post" became the most popular tune in America and Europe, and critical response was overwhelming. A British band journalist remarked that since Johann Strauss, Jr. was called the "Waltz King" that American bandmaster Sousa should be called the "March King." With this, Sousa’s regal title was coined and has remained ever since – Source – www.marineband.usmc.mil

93 – “96 Tears” - ? and the Mysterians

Garage rock perfection. As a little bit of trivia this song was originally titled 69 tears but was changed for the obvious sexual overtones. This is on the list because it represents what simplicity there is to rock and roll and how four guys in a garage can truly have at least one hit song. Rock and roll is a representation of the American dream where if you create something good you will succeed. The “If you build it they will come” dream that surrounds most of what we Americans desire.

92 – “1979” Smashing Pumpkins

This song represents what I believe will be the legacy of the Smashing Pumpkins. They will be remembered as a time rather than as a band. They will be synonymous with “90’s” retro music and this song is definitely a highlight. With cryptic lyrics and rave beats, this song combines elements of 90’s über-cool with classic rock and what is left is a transition song of sorts.

91 – “Bittersweet Symphony” – the Verve (1997)

This is a really great song from a really great band. This song samples heavily from an orchestral version of “The Last Time” by the Rolling stones and without this sample I don’t believe the song works. Mick and Keith must have agreed because they ended up getting a ton of money to sell the rights to this sample in order for the Verve to release it. The diagram, Band A writes song #1 which is not a hit and never released on a proper album. Band B uses a sample from the song #1 and makes millions of dollars. Band A therefore makes millions of dollars from the ingenuity and creativity of Band B. Gotta love American Music! What follows is a legal explanation from superswell.com

In 1997, The Verve's album "Urban Hymns" peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Charts. What ensued was a bitter (and not sweet) legal battle resulting in The Verve turning over 100% of the royalties to the Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones argued that The Verve had violated the previous licensing agreement by using too much of the sample in their song. The Verve argued that The Rolling Stones got greedy when the song became successful. Herein lies the issue of moral rights of a samplist.
"The last thing I ever wanted was for my music to be used in a commercial. I'm still sick about it", The Verve's lead singer Richard Ashcroft said in a recent interview. So, that's exactly what Rolling Stones manager Allen Klein did. Capitalizing off the success of the song, Klein licensed The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" to Nike, who proceeded to run a multi-million dollar television campaign using The Verve's song over shots of its sneakers. Klein also used the song to hawk Vauxhall automobiles. Additionally, though the song was authored by The Rolling Stones, the Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra performed the sampled recording and also filed suit upon the success of the song. (Herein lies a fine caveat to license both the recording and composition rights from whomever maintains them.) To add even more insult to injury, when "Bittersweet Symphony" was nominated for a Grammy, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were named the nominees and not The Verve. What could be more "Bittersweet" than your song reaching the top of the charts and not being able to enjoy a cent of its success? "

90 – "Cross Road Blues" - Robert Johnson

The opening guitar crawl seems to bleed into this voice that screams with the high pitch of the 78rpm recording. He’s talking about a pain I think we can all relate to, the pain of making a choice and then regretting it. Of crossing the road and wishing that at the time you went the other way. Some believe this man is the father of modern rock and roll. More believe the legend that he sold his soul to the devil in order to secure musical legend. There is something so believable about that story. That if one did sell their soul, the result would be this music. The sounds of pain, regret, hope and sometimes silliness characterize this genre and Robert Johnson is a key player in the genre. He is also the first on the list to die at the mythical age of twenty-seven.

Three Centuries of Rock and Roll

2005-06-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

In the coming days I'm going to be doing something similar to what my friend Kelly is doing. He is counting down the top 100 Metal songs. I'm not particularly fond of Metal, so even naming 100 true metal songs would be quite the task for me. However, I do know some music. So, I'm hoping to be doing the "Top 100 Songs/Sonata's of the Past Three Centuries which influenced Rock and Roll". I plan on getting some musical discussion here, but since no one reads this its mainly literary and musical knowledge masterbation. If nothing else, it will get me to delve into my long dusty music collection to see if I can find some nuggets that I've been missing. Numbers 100 - 90 will be coming soon!

I claim no expertise on anything and I plan on messing up alot. However, maybe you'll find some songs you've forgotten or some that will be forgotten soon.

Get Behind Me Satan

2005-06-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

What follows are the liner notes from the above mentioned album. Never before have I been moved by liner notes. Generally, they merely thank the production company that will one day rob them and their children of royalties, but this is an intance of someone using the space provided to actually say something. What's more important than saying something? Saying something that needs to be said. I'm starting to think that the pendulum may actually be swinging from the misguided "hippie" ideal towards a genuine search for truth. I'm happy with this because any genuine search for truth will result in the finding of truth, eventually. Which is a beautiful thing because truth is beauty, beauty is love, love is justice and God runs the market on all of these. It's a buyers market. As an editorial point, it seems Mr. White went to the e.e. cummings school of capitalization and the Bob Dylan institute for punctuation. All errors, intentional or otherwise, are not the scribes, but the authors.

Liner notes, Jack White III

there once was a story i wanted to tell, but i assumed it was one you all knew too well. maybe i was wrong. was wondering how cleare we were gonna say it. how to keep us all interested enough to not drift off and start fantasizing about romantic things. but then again, what about those things in books, and in movies? are they real? does anybody care? you ride the bus don’t you? ain’t nobody ever bumped into you before? was it an accident? lotta questions. rhett and scarlett, what they are? can’t be true love. but there are others. unrequited is a word too. it’s in the dictionary. after truth i believe. everyday life some others i guess look at as romantic. but what about us people? are those elements impossible for us to experience? do you know and welcome the idea of tru love, staging, destiny, mis en scene, hope for internal completion? everyone’s talking about their hurt and their rage on the radio. and the armchair judge is the family bible in prime time today. what reality is fake? then drama is superficial and not admired, the judge and the apology is shallow, love is put aside. i think there’s one truth, with no subjectivity. and in the corner is a booth with some productivity. under my are is a device with conductivity and gave it to you. no lessons o.k.? the city i live in it ain’t no different man! your sidewalk has less cracks in it? how spoiled we are right! funny, funny, funny. but you must have bought a book, and it is a reality to hold in your thought, let’s put it together though. we know not to kill after seeing a murder on the screen, but do we know not to love when we see two fulfilled? your morning can go however you want it. no one owes you breakfast for example. no one owes you a ride. and you know damn well you could walk there if you wanted to. and you know too that you could have what you need. to give is true and admirable too, but to be taken from is loss and and totally false. imagine that you are being taken from. what faith is tested? what hope is wuthering? what angel was persecuted who worked so hard at something never to achieve it? prove it to me. and what child who was innocent was pushed to the ground never to get up again? where’s he/she at right now? where’s a starbucks when you need one? am i in destiny, am i in my kitchen? you’re the book dammit. you are the morning. don’t deny yourself with this duty-woman! don’t damn yourself with a painted smile on a skull-man. put it on the table. and don’t deny it. whatever it is. do yourself a favor and breathe real, get it? funny, were all still here man. nobody left, and it’s odd because the more you deny it, the funnier it gets. three kids are playing on the playground, and one turns to the others and says “are they making us go to school or are we learning for the sake of beauty?” the other kids love this idea, and they laugh and pass notes about it for days. so we all know the right thing to do, and we all root for the underdog in the book, and in real life?. not just in some sports game. you know, but—hey wouldn’t it be nice if every sports team was only allowed to have team members from its own city? no trading. evil can be funny. rightousness is a barrel of laughs too. come on, we all know! it’s a new century, no sarcasm kids. boy these kids can take! how bout take the tongues out of the cheeks? no blasphemy. no talking under your breath. tell me what you want, and we can get together. i’m not kidding. they wrote the books to share with you what they assumed could be. they made the films to expolore what you didn’t get to do at work today. and they wrote the songs to fill in the gaps between being someplace, and getting there. but it by no means, don’t mean, it can’t be. you’re probably already there, just admit it. just say it. then you’ll get it. stay the truth and hold with this word behind tooth, to know that truth pushes truth forward, and to be taken is to be held, and to be stolen from is to lose what truth you deserve, pretending this is pretending the play with no audience but yourself, the options are sometimes not options at all, but distractions or temptations to live for something or someone else instead of yourself, breathing can’t be taken, the fact can’t be shaken, and the truth is still waiting always for you. i think we’re gonna be ok.

Congrats Jack White!

2005-06-03T06:51:00.000-07:00

Jack (Gillis) White married uber model Karen Elson. I'm really diggin' this guy. Not only does his new album have one of the best titles ever for a rock n' roll record, but he gets married the way a gentleman would. He got married in a canoe by a Shaman priest in the middle of a river at a point at which three rivers intersect and then he went and had the marriage blessed by a proper catholic priest in a proper cathedral. Oh, and his ex-wife/sister/drummer was also a (slash) maid(matron to be specific) of honor. What a cool guy. Did Mick Jagger ever do anthing this cool? Did Robert Plant? What an extraordinary life this man is leading and how lucky I am to be able to read and watch it.

in his own words.

"Well I'm sorry but I'm not
interested in gold mines,
oil wells, shipping or real estate
what would I liked to have been?
everything you hate

There is a man
a certain man
and for the poor you may be shure
that he'll do all he can
who is this one?
who's favorite son?
just by his action has the traction
magnets on the run
who likes to smoke?
enjoys a joke?
and wouldn't get a bit
upset if he were really broke?
with wealth and fame
he's still the same
I'll bet you five he's not alive
If you don't now his name"

And another...

"Well i hold the rope
and i hold the sail
and i kept my papers
to keep from land in jail
and i fought piranhas
and i fought the cold
there was noone with me
i was all alone

Well it's easter morning now
and there's noone around
so i unroll the cement
and walk into the town
there was noone with me
and i was all alone
and i fought piranhas
and i fought the cold

Well you know what it's like
i don't got to tell you
who puts up a fight
walking out of hell now
when you fought piranhas
and you fought the cold
there's nobody with you
and you're all alone"

2005-05-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

I am Charlie because I too am lucky to be here

2005-05-23T11:00:00.002-07:00

Speaking of the perils of television...

2005-05-23T11:00:00.001-07:00

I can't wait for this movie!

2005-05-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

I know too many of these girls

From the "What are we doing?" file...

2005-05-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

California class on business ethics from a distinct perspective. Click Here

A good one today from Bruderhof...

2005-05-04T20:51:00.000-07:00

A Day Will Come...
Fyodor Dostoevsky

Christ said, “Go and give all you have to the poor and become the servant of all men,” for if you do that, you’ll become a thousand times richer because your happiness won’t be made just of good food, rich clothes, satisfied vanity, and appeased envy. Instead it will be built on love, love multiplied by love without end. And then you will gain not just riches…but the whole world!

Today we amass material things without ever satisfying our greed, and then we madly squander all we have amassed. But a day will come when there will be no orphans, no beggars; everyone will be as one of my own family, everyone will be my brother and sister, and that is when I will have gained everything and everyone!

Today even some of the richest and mightiest people care nothing about how long they have been given to live because they can no longer think up ways to spend their hours. But one day our hours will be multiplied a thousandfold, for we will not want to lose one single moment of our lives, as we will live every one of them in the gaiety of our hearts.

And then our wisdom will come not out of books but from living in the presence of God, and the earth will glow brighter than the sun, and there will be no sadness, no sighs will be heard. The whole world will be paradise.
Finding the gospel in Dostoevsky.

Milking male horses..."How scandalous!"

2005-05-04T06:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=8114

I like conservatives, in fact, I am one.
However, we do silly things.
We also say very silly things sometimes.
Further, it seems from the link above that some of us don't have a very good sense of humor.

I'm sure the joke has been around a long time, probably even from before there were American conservatives.

Not the greatest joke mind you, but good in a pinch and when you need a funny bit for a movie about "City Slickers"

2005-05-03T15:08:00.000-07:00

Worse than Television

Why I do have television, but the television doesn't have me.

2005-05-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

I was raised by television so I feel a sort of need to come to my surrogate mother's defense. After school till sleep, the glow of the t.v. made the dark less scary and the quiet less unbearable. She taught me some interesting things and some horrible things. Do I wish I would have put down the remote and played more football? Honestly, no.

What I gathered from your post is that t.v. is mostly an advertisment. I agree. However, this seems to imply that the "monitor" your t.v. has become is somehow something other than an advertisement. While some movies are meant to enlighten, I would argue that a vast majority are there to sell popcorn and to get a McDonald's tie-in.

What I kept wanting to say while reading your post is that television is a medium, it is not the enemy. Television has the ability to do both good an evil because the humans who develop its programming also have that ability.

It seems by this reasoning you could denounce countless other mediums like newspapers, magazines, or even the internet you used to post the blog I just read. Aren't there horrible things a google click away on this dreadful medium? But , aren't there amazing things as well? A camera can be pointed at a slaughter or the heavens, but if you don't like the picture don't throw away the camera, throw away the photographer.

Therefore, I would say (borrowing from Chesterton) that we can thank God for television by not watching too much of it or by not watching it for its sake.

As an aside, I don't have cable. I have an antena, but I haven't sat down and watched a show on the television for at least 5 months. Anyway, let me know what you think and keep posting. This will be a great way for me to keep up on the goings on of Mr. Morten. (Also known as - the king of contracts)

An Easter song for ya....He's Risen...

2005-03-27T13:25:00.000-08:00

You want me home, but I'm gone all night
and we've probably been in some kind of fight
But if that's not real, than that's not right
And I'm beginning to see the light.

Yes, I'm beginning to see the light

When all the stars up in heaven were rushed by an angel
To see the light in your face better and if
God would only listen he would surely create us
a hope of his everlasting grace

I may be young, but I still know
the things you put down can rise from below
I can hardly believe you would put this on my door
'cause I have heard this song before.

When all the stars up in heaven were rushed by an angel
To see the light in your face better and if
God would only listen he would surely create us
a hope of his everlasting grace

You want me home, but I'm gone all night
And we've probably been in some kind of fight
If that's not real than that's not right
And I'm beginning to see the light.

Yes, I'm beginning to see the light.

--Liz Phair "I'm beginning to see the light"

I tried...

2005-02-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

I decided to take this stuff down until I find a direction I want to go with it. It was just silly/stupid/inane/mis-spelled garbage. So, until then.