The more I think about it, we've got lots of ethnic food around the Cheboygan area. Italian, Mexican, Polish, Chinese, Thai, but no Czech. For that you've got to go to Traverse City, some hundred miles away. I would have never suspected the Dairy Queen of having anything like that, though. I haven't been inside that place in decades.
Pasties were brought to the U.P. by Cornish miners a long time ago. They may be found in several Cheboygan stores, but the best ones are sold by the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans. Once a month they and their wives get together at their clubhouse and make a whole lot of them. You can buy them at the clubhouse, which is a few miles out of town, or at the entrance of the Family Fare, which allows all kinds of sales by clubs and organizations. The vets haul them there in a big army truck, which they own. They also own a helicopter, but they don't fly it. It's mounted on a pedestal in front of their clubhouse, a relic of the Vietnam War on permanent display.
As far as I know, pasties are made with regular pie crust, folded around the filling and pinched together on one thick side so that you can hold the thing with coal blackened hands and eat everything up to the thick part, and then throw the thick part away. We, however, prefer to eat the whole thing with a knife and fork on a plate with beef gravy poured all over it. The filling is hamburger meat, potatoes, carrots, rutabagas, and onions. You bake the whole thing in the oven, just like a pie. You can substitute other meat for the hamburger, but then you should probably pre cook the meat.
I don't know about flatbread, but regular bread will keep in the freezer for a long time. I make my own, three loaves to a batch, slice it after it's cooled, and then put the slices into four zip lock freezer bags, one gallon size. One bag goes into the refrigerator, and the other three go into the freezer. When I take a bag out of the freezer, I open the zip lock and dump out the loose ice crystals that have formed. You can usually skip that step with store bought bread. Then I set it on the table with the bag open for an hour or so before zipping it back up and putting it into the refrigerator for tomorrow's use. I have heard people say that bread kept in the refrigerator doesn't keep as well as bread stored at room temperature, but that has not been my experience.
I looked up Old Dog's link about wood splitters. Some interesting videos, but I'll just stick with my store bought hydraulic unit. It may be slower, but it's at least as fast as I am. I would never be able to keep up with some of those faster machines. I also like the way mine works in the vertical mode because I don't have to pick up the bigger blocks, I can roll them or push them with the tractor right up to the unit. Then I can work from a kneeling position and pass the split pieces into the front end loader. When the bucket is full, I get on the tractor, drive it to the barn, and dump the wood on the pile.
Friday, July 29, 2016
Daily bread
All of my information on the Strangites is from a single source: http://www.strangite.org/
The site hasn't been updated in quite a while, but they still have a bit of a grudge against the "corporate" organization in Utah. It's complicated, but they excommunicated Brigham Young; lot of bad blood between the two factions at the time. Quite an interesting history of little known lore.
The Strangites relocated to Beaver Island because a vision told them to, and so they did.
-----
If I can trust my online sources, focaccia is closer than you think, Mr. Beagles. Matter of fact, five years ago the Cheboygan Tribune had a recipe for focaccia.
But check this out:
Chicken Bruschetta
Seasoned all white meat grilled chicken, mozzarella cheese, freshly chopped tomatoes seasoned with Italian herbs drizzled with a tangy balsamic glaze and crisp lettuce served hot from the oven on a basil cheese focaccia roll.
Available at the Dairy Queen on Main Street in Cheboygan.
I don't know what grocery availability is like in northern Michigan, but surely there are "ethnic" sections in the stores or obscure little markets that stock such exotic items. You may be surprised.
Most flatbreads use the same ingredients, with variations on types of oil and flour used, and are easy to make. Sometimes I think about baking bread or making ramen noodles but none of the recipes I've seen lend themselves to single servings. I don't want to have to eat the same stuff everyday; a full batch of anything is too much for me and wasting food is not a habit of mine.
-----
A while back Uncle Ken and I were yakking about regional food, and were speculating on whether Mr. Beagles had a yearning for good Italian beef sandwiches or deep dish pizza. But since Mr. Beagles bailed out of the Chicago area right after high school, maybe not. Those acquired tastes take time, and money from a job, to develop.
Then I mentioned a food unique to northern Michigan, the mighty pasty, with which Uncle Ken was unfamiliar. I know they were a big deal in the UP, but not sure if they are common south of the bridge. The way I described them was they're like a giant empanada or dumpling; a pastry shell stuffed with mostly meat and potatoes (if memory serves). Maybe I should make some of those; easy enough to vary the fillings and I'm sure they would freeze well. A mutant pasty using Mexican-type ingredients would be amazing...and now I'm getting hungry.
-----
For Mr. Beagles' amusement, here is a link to some wacky, home-made log splitters:
http://hackaday.com/2016/07/28/log-splitters-hacking-wood-for-heat/
Some of the linked YouTube videos are as scary as hell; safety does not seem to be a big priority.
-----
Had a curious experience last night. The TV was tuned to the local PBS station for the Donkey's convention, but the audio source was my old iPod. The speechifying is too annoying to keep listening to, and I can always switch the audio source if anything looks interesting.
The Big Girl comes out, resplendent in white as she makes her grand entrance. I don't think she's ever looked better. As soon as she stepped up to the podium and began speaking, The Who started playing "Won't Get Fooled Again." Seriously. I can't make up stuff like that.
What are the odds? Over 1800 songs, from Bach to Lupe Fiasco, all on shuffle (random) play. Eerie. Anyhow, I let the music play on and never heard what she had to say. I can always read about it later.
-----
"The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence." -- Charles Bukowski
The site hasn't been updated in quite a while, but they still have a bit of a grudge against the "corporate" organization in Utah. It's complicated, but they excommunicated Brigham Young; lot of bad blood between the two factions at the time. Quite an interesting history of little known lore.
The Strangites relocated to Beaver Island because a vision told them to, and so they did.
-----
If I can trust my online sources, focaccia is closer than you think, Mr. Beagles. Matter of fact, five years ago the Cheboygan Tribune had a recipe for focaccia.
But check this out:
Chicken Bruschetta
Seasoned all white meat grilled chicken, mozzarella cheese, freshly chopped tomatoes seasoned with Italian herbs drizzled with a tangy balsamic glaze and crisp lettuce served hot from the oven on a basil cheese focaccia roll.
Available at the Dairy Queen on Main Street in Cheboygan.
I don't know what grocery availability is like in northern Michigan, but surely there are "ethnic" sections in the stores or obscure little markets that stock such exotic items. You may be surprised.
Most flatbreads use the same ingredients, with variations on types of oil and flour used, and are easy to make. Sometimes I think about baking bread or making ramen noodles but none of the recipes I've seen lend themselves to single servings. I don't want to have to eat the same stuff everyday; a full batch of anything is too much for me and wasting food is not a habit of mine.
-----
A while back Uncle Ken and I were yakking about regional food, and were speculating on whether Mr. Beagles had a yearning for good Italian beef sandwiches or deep dish pizza. But since Mr. Beagles bailed out of the Chicago area right after high school, maybe not. Those acquired tastes take time, and money from a job, to develop.
Then I mentioned a food unique to northern Michigan, the mighty pasty, with which Uncle Ken was unfamiliar. I know they were a big deal in the UP, but not sure if they are common south of the bridge. The way I described them was they're like a giant empanada or dumpling; a pastry shell stuffed with mostly meat and potatoes (if memory serves). Maybe I should make some of those; easy enough to vary the fillings and I'm sure they would freeze well. A mutant pasty using Mexican-type ingredients would be amazing...and now I'm getting hungry.
-----
For Mr. Beagles' amusement, here is a link to some wacky, home-made log splitters:
http://hackaday.com/2016/07/28/log-splitters-hacking-wood-for-heat/
Some of the linked YouTube videos are as scary as hell; safety does not seem to be a big priority.
-----
Had a curious experience last night. The TV was tuned to the local PBS station for the Donkey's convention, but the audio source was my old iPod. The speechifying is too annoying to keep listening to, and I can always switch the audio source if anything looks interesting.
The Big Girl comes out, resplendent in white as she makes her grand entrance. I don't think she's ever looked better. As soon as she stepped up to the podium and began speaking, The Who started playing "Won't Get Fooled Again." Seriously. I can't make up stuff like that.
What are the odds? Over 1800 songs, from Bach to Lupe Fiasco, all on shuffle (random) play. Eerie. Anyhow, I let the music play on and never heard what she had to say. I can always read about it later.
-----
"The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence." -- Charles Bukowski
Baker's Nosh
I didn't have it quite right about middle class society. There was
something that I wanted to say, but I wasn't sure exactly what and I thought I would start writing and figure it out. I used the example of
Baker's Nosh because that was where I started thinking about it. In
answer to Old Dog, I felt comfortable leaving my stuff out the first
time I came there, But there is a vibe there, the people seem to be
regulars that come there every Saturday and it is obvious that they
mostly know each other.
It's in a gentrifying area of Uptown. and it's kind of artisanal. The food is baked right there fresh every morning and there is quite a variety, certainly a step above Starbucks. It's a little pricier too. I used to pay five and change at Starbucks for a venti and a pumpkin loaf, but here I pay seven and change for a coffee smaller than a venti and that tremendous focaccia. I would say it's a little upscale, but in a folksy rather than a snooty way. Also it's a dog place. Everybody brings their dog and the people who work there hand out treats and make a fuss when the dogs arrive. All that barking, all those probing muzzles, I'm not a fan, but people with dogs need somewhere to go, and I can be tolerant as long as there is focaccia.
I don't want to use the word yuppies because nobody is that young and yuppies seems to denote people working hard to get ahead and who are very materialistic. Maybe these are gracefully aging yuppies, people who have gotten to where they want to go and are happy enough with that, and are materialistic in that they like good food and drink, but not like flashy cars.
And Beagles is quite right that you don't have to be middle class to have a place like that where everybody knows each other and you can leave you stuff anywhere, and you won't get punched in the nose for bumping somebody's elbow. I'm sure there are places in Cheboygan where the waitress calls you Hon. I like being called Hon. The people that serve up my coffee and focaccia never call me Hon, but then they are all guys so that's probably ok.
But I was working my way to a point where if you go somewhere where people trust you and you them, life is easier than where nobody trusts each other. I was going to stretch that into a liberal kumbaya, which is more complicated I know, but time is running out this morning.
And the other point was about how I was always making trouble in school and I didn't like the teachers bossing me around and I didn't like all that booshwa crapola, but maybe I was wrong because if you do all those things later in life you get to eat focaccia in a nice setting among nice people. I need to flesh that out a bit too, but not this morning.
I think Bernie took it way too long after he was mathematically eliminated, but I'll give him a little slack now that he has come around, and if he wants to go back to being an independent, fine.
I don't think the DNC screwed the Bernie Babes, it was just a little shenanigans, and it's not like he wouldn't have lost without that. I think there are certainly ugly things in Carrot Top's taxes, but it could be many different things, and we can only speculate.
It's in a gentrifying area of Uptown. and it's kind of artisanal. The food is baked right there fresh every morning and there is quite a variety, certainly a step above Starbucks. It's a little pricier too. I used to pay five and change at Starbucks for a venti and a pumpkin loaf, but here I pay seven and change for a coffee smaller than a venti and that tremendous focaccia. I would say it's a little upscale, but in a folksy rather than a snooty way. Also it's a dog place. Everybody brings their dog and the people who work there hand out treats and make a fuss when the dogs arrive. All that barking, all those probing muzzles, I'm not a fan, but people with dogs need somewhere to go, and I can be tolerant as long as there is focaccia.
I don't want to use the word yuppies because nobody is that young and yuppies seems to denote people working hard to get ahead and who are very materialistic. Maybe these are gracefully aging yuppies, people who have gotten to where they want to go and are happy enough with that, and are materialistic in that they like good food and drink, but not like flashy cars.
And Beagles is quite right that you don't have to be middle class to have a place like that where everybody knows each other and you can leave you stuff anywhere, and you won't get punched in the nose for bumping somebody's elbow. I'm sure there are places in Cheboygan where the waitress calls you Hon. I like being called Hon. The people that serve up my coffee and focaccia never call me Hon, but then they are all guys so that's probably ok.
But I was working my way to a point where if you go somewhere where people trust you and you them, life is easier than where nobody trusts each other. I was going to stretch that into a liberal kumbaya, which is more complicated I know, but time is running out this morning.
And the other point was about how I was always making trouble in school and I didn't like the teachers bossing me around and I didn't like all that booshwa crapola, but maybe I was wrong because if you do all those things later in life you get to eat focaccia in a nice setting among nice people. I need to flesh that out a bit too, but not this morning.
I think Bernie took it way too long after he was mathematically eliminated, but I'll give him a little slack now that he has come around, and if he wants to go back to being an independent, fine.
I don't think the DNC screwed the Bernie Babes, it was just a little shenanigans, and it's not like he wouldn't have lost without that. I think there are certainly ugly things in Carrot Top's taxes, but it could be many different things, and we can only speculate.
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Focaccia ?
focaccia: (1969) a flat Italian bread typically seasoned with herbs and olive oil.
I was not familiar with that word, so I looked it up, and now I know. Nobody sells that around here, but maybe somebody should.
The Mormons I have known were really nice people, but maybe it wasn't always so. Historically, they tried to set themselves apart from other people, who they called "Gentiles". That's what Jews used to call non-Jews, and I don't think it's a complimentary term. Those Gentiles weren't so nice to the Mormons either, but I don't know who started it.
I don't know why the Strangites settled on Beaver Island, but I know that, in those days, the islands and coastal areas of Michigan were more economically important than the inland areas. Great Lakes navigation has a long history, dating back to the 1600s when the French came through looking for the North West Passage. Mackinac Island was an important gathering place for the Native Americans long before it became a center for the fur trade. After the fur trade declined, there was lumbering and commercial fishing to keep people close to the water. With the advent of railroads and highways, the interior became more important for agriculture and industry, and the waterfront became a draw for tourism and recreation.
Uncle Ken brings up an interesting point about middle class morality, but I'm not sure that the middles class has a monopoly on it. I have encountered both nice people and mean people among the rich and poor alike. I think it has more to do with how you are raised and who you hang around with. It's human nature to try to get along with the people in your immediate vicinity. The farther away a person is, the less important it is that they like you. People who travel a lot, and people who deal with travelers, tend to be more friendly on a superficial level, but are less prone to form strong bonds with the people they encounter. People who don't get around much tend to bond more strongly with their neighbors, but are generally less receptive to new acquaintances. Of course you can over ride human nature, but it requires a deliberate effort. Human nature is just what you default to if you're not paying attention.
I was not familiar with that word, so I looked it up, and now I know. Nobody sells that around here, but maybe somebody should.
The Mormons I have known were really nice people, but maybe it wasn't always so. Historically, they tried to set themselves apart from other people, who they called "Gentiles". That's what Jews used to call non-Jews, and I don't think it's a complimentary term. Those Gentiles weren't so nice to the Mormons either, but I don't know who started it.
I don't know why the Strangites settled on Beaver Island, but I know that, in those days, the islands and coastal areas of Michigan were more economically important than the inland areas. Great Lakes navigation has a long history, dating back to the 1600s when the French came through looking for the North West Passage. Mackinac Island was an important gathering place for the Native Americans long before it became a center for the fur trade. After the fur trade declined, there was lumbering and commercial fishing to keep people close to the water. With the advent of railroads and highways, the interior became more important for agriculture and industry, and the waterfront became a draw for tourism and recreation.
Uncle Ken brings up an interesting point about middle class morality, but I'm not sure that the middles class has a monopoly on it. I have encountered both nice people and mean people among the rich and poor alike. I think it has more to do with how you are raised and who you hang around with. It's human nature to try to get along with the people in your immediate vicinity. The farther away a person is, the less important it is that they like you. People who travel a lot, and people who deal with travelers, tend to be more friendly on a superficial level, but are less prone to form strong bonds with the people they encounter. People who don't get around much tend to bond more strongly with their neighbors, but are generally less receptive to new acquaintances. Of course you can over ride human nature, but it requires a deliberate effort. Human nature is just what you default to if you're not paying attention.
The dial goes to 11
There are not many Mormon jokes that I'm aware of but your Brigham Young joke made me laugh, Mr. Beagles. It must be hard to write jokes about a group that is perceived as positively as Mormons.
Sure, they some quirky beliefs but they seem honest and responsible, if a bit dull. Or I thought they were dull until I read Mr. Beagles' post about a bit of their history and the Strangites on Beaver Island.
Beaver Island? I don't think I've ever heard of it but a little online effort set me straight. It's the largest island in Lake Michigan and is currently a vacation destination, accessible by ferry boat or small plane. Google Earth shows some of the most dense tree cover I've ever seen. Must be a cozy place, having only a little more than 500 residents, and a special bonus is the cranberry bog near the middle of the island.
Since the Mormons were settling in southern Wisconsin I wonder why the Strangites decided on Beaver Island, which is a hell of long way from the Burlington area. It isn't like they called Uber for a ride. It's an interesting enough topic for further inquiry.
-----
I'm not sure if Uncle Ken's observations of behavior at the Baker's Nosh truly reflect any middle-class morality. That sounds like the kind of place that gets a lot of repeat business and, if they don't know you by name, they recognize you by face. Places like that are self-regulating and folks tend to respect each other. But how was it the first time you went in? Did you leave your stuff at the table or did it take a while before you became comfortable enough to do so?
-----
Very interesting how FaceBook spawned the Institute. I wonder how many other blogs started the same way,. Many blogs flare up and then peter out; you can see examples if you use the arrows at the top of the page. Plenty of joyful enthusiasm on those blogs, but the last posts may have been three years ago. I wonder what happened.
-----
I just read that Bernie has bailed on the Dems and is going back to the Senate as an Independent. Not quite gracious in defeat, is he? I can't imagine that his many supporters will jump on the Big Girl's well funded wagon; the DNC screwed them and they know it.
Then there's the CarrotTop, who keeps dialing up the crazy machine. He's stated that he has no business interests in Russia, but Putin's oligarchs have plenty of financial interests in Chump International. The tin-foil brigade proposes the real reason the nominee refuses to release his tax records is that they will show questionable foreign financial involvement.
And this morning I read that Marvin Bush, youngest brother of W and Jeb, is endorsing the Libertarian slate.
Three more months of this, friends...are we having fun yet?
Sure, they some quirky beliefs but they seem honest and responsible, if a bit dull. Or I thought they were dull until I read Mr. Beagles' post about a bit of their history and the Strangites on Beaver Island.
Beaver Island? I don't think I've ever heard of it but a little online effort set me straight. It's the largest island in Lake Michigan and is currently a vacation destination, accessible by ferry boat or small plane. Google Earth shows some of the most dense tree cover I've ever seen. Must be a cozy place, having only a little more than 500 residents, and a special bonus is the cranberry bog near the middle of the island.
Since the Mormons were settling in southern Wisconsin I wonder why the Strangites decided on Beaver Island, which is a hell of long way from the Burlington area. It isn't like they called Uber for a ride. It's an interesting enough topic for further inquiry.
-----
I'm not sure if Uncle Ken's observations of behavior at the Baker's Nosh truly reflect any middle-class morality. That sounds like the kind of place that gets a lot of repeat business and, if they don't know you by name, they recognize you by face. Places like that are self-regulating and folks tend to respect each other. But how was it the first time you went in? Did you leave your stuff at the table or did it take a while before you became comfortable enough to do so?
-----
Very interesting how FaceBook spawned the Institute. I wonder how many other blogs started the same way,. Many blogs flare up and then peter out; you can see examples if you use the arrows at the top of the page. Plenty of joyful enthusiasm on those blogs, but the last posts may have been three years ago. I wonder what happened.
-----
I just read that Bernie has bailed on the Dems and is going back to the Senate as an Independent. Not quite gracious in defeat, is he? I can't imagine that his many supporters will jump on the Big Girl's well funded wagon; the DNC screwed them and they know it.
Then there's the CarrotTop, who keeps dialing up the crazy machine. He's stated that he has no business interests in Russia, but Putin's oligarchs have plenty of financial interests in Chump International. The tin-foil brigade proposes the real reason the nominee refuses to release his tax records is that they will show questionable foreign financial involvement.
And this morning I read that Marvin Bush, youngest brother of W and Jeb, is endorsing the Libertarian slate.
Three more months of this, friends...are we having fun yet?
middle class morality
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, that's the book I read
about the Mormons. He's the guy who also wrote Into the Wild about the
guy who holed up for a winter in an abandoned school bus in Alaska and did not
come to a good end. Both good books and the latter had a good movie
made out of it.
The book starts with a murder and the author used that to begin talking about Mormons. He went into it thinking he would be making fun of the Mormons, but as he got to know them he became very fond of them, and I've heard this before they are very nice people.
But back in the day they did try to take over places they moved to and nobody liked them much and I'm not surprised that the killers of that king fellow got off with a small fine, but I hear back in that day you could buy a Buick for a buck and a quarter. Well there weren't any Buicks back then, but I reckon you could have bought something big.
There's this place, Baker's Nosh that I go to for a focaccia and a coffee before my watercolor class. It doesn't open until 8, and then there is a line and I am out there in their outdoor dining area with my art bag and my portfolio which are kind of bulky and awkward, but that's okay I can leave them at the table when I go in to get my coffee and focaccia because nobody is going to steal them. When I get in line I don't have to worry about anybody trying to butt in front of me, and I don't have to count my change because those guys behind the counter would never steal from me. If I happen to jostle somebody on the way out, or if they jostle me, we will both be all smiles and apologizing, "Oh I'm so sorry." "That's fine, probably I shouldn't have been in your way." That sort of thing.
Middle class morality. We are all middle class, which is to say well enough off, and we always mind our manners, but we don't get taken advantage of because the people we deal with are the same as us, and that is just not done.
When I go to the Jewel, sometimes the clerks are nice enough to me, but sometimes they just grunt when they take my money, and sometimes I am in a hurry and i just shove my money at them because I am in a hurry. At Whole Foods however the clerks always have a smile and the customers, knowing this, always greet them with a smile back.
If I were in the ghetto however, where the living is not easy, I would probably not be able to leave my stuff outside, I would have to worry about some big guy shoving in front of me. The guy at the cash register might cheat me. If there was a jostle it might well end up with a fight.
When I was young I was kind of against what I thought of as middle class morality. It was all so, so booshwah. But settling in my chair in the outdoor dining area with my stuff right where I left it, not sore about somebody butting in front of me, with my correct change in my pocket and no shiner because of that mother fucker bumping me in line, I take a bite of focaccia, a sip of joe, and I think, ain't life grand.
The book starts with a murder and the author used that to begin talking about Mormons. He went into it thinking he would be making fun of the Mormons, but as he got to know them he became very fond of them, and I've heard this before they are very nice people.
But back in the day they did try to take over places they moved to and nobody liked them much and I'm not surprised that the killers of that king fellow got off with a small fine, but I hear back in that day you could buy a Buick for a buck and a quarter. Well there weren't any Buicks back then, but I reckon you could have bought something big.
There's this place, Baker's Nosh that I go to for a focaccia and a coffee before my watercolor class. It doesn't open until 8, and then there is a line and I am out there in their outdoor dining area with my art bag and my portfolio which are kind of bulky and awkward, but that's okay I can leave them at the table when I go in to get my coffee and focaccia because nobody is going to steal them. When I get in line I don't have to worry about anybody trying to butt in front of me, and I don't have to count my change because those guys behind the counter would never steal from me. If I happen to jostle somebody on the way out, or if they jostle me, we will both be all smiles and apologizing, "Oh I'm so sorry." "That's fine, probably I shouldn't have been in your way." That sort of thing.
Middle class morality. We are all middle class, which is to say well enough off, and we always mind our manners, but we don't get taken advantage of because the people we deal with are the same as us, and that is just not done.
When I go to the Jewel, sometimes the clerks are nice enough to me, but sometimes they just grunt when they take my money, and sometimes I am in a hurry and i just shove my money at them because I am in a hurry. At Whole Foods however the clerks always have a smile and the customers, knowing this, always greet them with a smile back.
If I were in the ghetto however, where the living is not easy, I would probably not be able to leave my stuff outside, I would have to worry about some big guy shoving in front of me. The guy at the cash register might cheat me. If there was a jostle it might well end up with a fight.
When I was young I was kind of against what I thought of as middle class morality. It was all so, so booshwah. But settling in my chair in the outdoor dining area with my stuff right where I left it, not sore about somebody butting in front of me, with my correct change in my pocket and no shiner because of that mother fucker bumping me in line, I take a bite of focaccia, a sip of joe, and I think, ain't life grand.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Another Mormon Heard From
I seemed to remember that one of the Mormon factions that dispersed after the death of Joseph Smith established a community on Beaver Island, which is not far from Beaglesonia, so I looked it up on Wiki yesterday. Here's a brief summary of what I found:
Before Smith died, he sent one James Jesse Strang to establish a Mormon community in Wisconsin. After Smith's death, there was a dispute about who should be his successor and the group split into several factions. Strang's faction had some 12,000 members, which made it the second largest Mormon sect after Brigham Young's. All of these members did not follow Strang to Beaver Island. I don't know how many, but it was enough to make the locals worry about them taking over the neighborhood. All the other Mormon sects called their leader "president", but that wasn't good enough for Strang, and he had himself crowned king in 1844.
Although he soon became known as the King of Beaver Island, most historians believe that he only considered himself to be king of his church, and had no intention of establishing Beaver Island as a sovereign state. Somebody must have misunderstood, because Strang was charged with treason and sent off to Detroit for his trial. Strang, who had been a lawyer before he became a king, conducted such a brilliant defense that, not only was he acquitted, but the trial generated so much favorable publicity that it led to him being elected to the Michigan State Legislature. While there, he was instrumental in organizing the Northern Lower Peninsula into counties and townships.
Strang was re-elected to a second term, but didn't get to finish it because he was gunned down by a couple of disgruntled former church members in 1856. They shot him three times, and then clubbed him with their pistols, but it still took him something like nine days or to die. The assailants immediately turned themselves in to the captain of a U.S. naval ship that happened to be tied up to the same dock upon which the crime had been committed. The captain, apparently believing that they couldn't get a fair trial on Beaver Island, transported them to Mackinac Island where they were tried, convicted, and each fined $1.25. (I am not making this up!) Some said that the captain was in cahoots with the murderers, but that was never proven in a court of law. Meanwhile a "drunken mob" attacked the Mormon community and expelled them from Beaver Island. Most of these exiles eventually joined the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints, which was formed around one of Joseph Smith's sons, but the Strangite sect is still in existence today, although not nearly as numerous as it once was.
Before Smith died, he sent one James Jesse Strang to establish a Mormon community in Wisconsin. After Smith's death, there was a dispute about who should be his successor and the group split into several factions. Strang's faction had some 12,000 members, which made it the second largest Mormon sect after Brigham Young's. All of these members did not follow Strang to Beaver Island. I don't know how many, but it was enough to make the locals worry about them taking over the neighborhood. All the other Mormon sects called their leader "president", but that wasn't good enough for Strang, and he had himself crowned king in 1844.
Although he soon became known as the King of Beaver Island, most historians believe that he only considered himself to be king of his church, and had no intention of establishing Beaver Island as a sovereign state. Somebody must have misunderstood, because Strang was charged with treason and sent off to Detroit for his trial. Strang, who had been a lawyer before he became a king, conducted such a brilliant defense that, not only was he acquitted, but the trial generated so much favorable publicity that it led to him being elected to the Michigan State Legislature. While there, he was instrumental in organizing the Northern Lower Peninsula into counties and townships.
Strang was re-elected to a second term, but didn't get to finish it because he was gunned down by a couple of disgruntled former church members in 1856. They shot him three times, and then clubbed him with their pistols, but it still took him something like nine days or to die. The assailants immediately turned themselves in to the captain of a U.S. naval ship that happened to be tied up to the same dock upon which the crime had been committed. The captain, apparently believing that they couldn't get a fair trial on Beaver Island, transported them to Mackinac Island where they were tried, convicted, and each fined $1.25. (I am not making this up!) Some said that the captain was in cahoots with the murderers, but that was never proven in a court of law. Meanwhile a "drunken mob" attacked the Mormon community and expelled them from Beaver Island. Most of these exiles eventually joined the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints, which was formed around one of Joseph Smith's sons, but the Strangite sect is still in existence today, although not nearly as numerous as it once was.
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
fb spawned the institute
A lot to be said about that Mormon thing. To me the most interesting is
the role of prophecy. Of course their religion is due to those golden
tablets, but more prophecies kept coming and finally they had to call an
end to prophecy just to keep the big dogs in power. I believe there
was one more prophecy, the one against polygamy, and then maybe one more
to be nicer to blacks, in order that they could get along with
everybody.
Meanwhile some of them didn't go along with the polygamy thing and they live in the hills with those harems of long-skirted babes that you see in those shows on the lesser cable stations. Others just keep on having prophecies, like maybe it is ok to drink or smoke and wouldn't a cup of joe hit the spot with Jesus?
Then there is that thing with the goofy underwear which frankly the less I know about the happier I am.
Lot of jokes around here since we expanded our experts. I like it. I'm not much of a teller of jokes myself, you have to slide in the punchline just so, and I never get it quite right. There is a joke there, but I am going to leave it.
There's a guy at the Ten Cat, one of the pool players, who can do that, just tell one joke after the other, and I've run into people like that before. They have like a whole routine in their head and they just trot out one joke after another.
Without facebook there wouldn't be any Institute. When we walked off the Gage Park stage with our diplomas I never saw Beagles again, didn't even know he had become Beagles. He went off to serve his country by protecting the Krauts from the Russkies and I went off to a land where I could drink beer with just a student ID.
Maybe ten years later his sister started waitressing at the House of Chin where i was bartending. We hung around in the same group. Her husband played softball on the same team as me, but when I left Champaign in 1984 I never saw her again.
Maybe thirty years later I joined fb and all of a sudden here were all these people who I hadn't seen in thirty, maybe forty years, among them Sister Sue. And then one day i got to thinking about Beagles and I asked her about him and she said well here is his email, and there you are.
I wonder if Old Dog, though not a fber can access fb pages.
I think this whole thing about Putin trying to torpedo the big girl is just too far-fetched. I'm embarrassed that my fellow dems are pushing it.
So Trump had that plagiarism thing, that Lyin Ted thing, that Trump crazy harangue thing and all the pundits were clicking their tongues. Have you ever seen such a poorly run convention. And now he has a bounce and he is leading the big girl. After that shameful display of the spoiled-baby Bernie babies, the pundits all seemed to agree that Bernie had made the speech that healed the wounds, though I heard that just before I fell off to sleep.
Having some Hoosiers over today and tomorrow, two Cubs/Sox games, so I probably won't be posting again until Thursday or Friday.
Meanwhile some of them didn't go along with the polygamy thing and they live in the hills with those harems of long-skirted babes that you see in those shows on the lesser cable stations. Others just keep on having prophecies, like maybe it is ok to drink or smoke and wouldn't a cup of joe hit the spot with Jesus?
Then there is that thing with the goofy underwear which frankly the less I know about the happier I am.
Lot of jokes around here since we expanded our experts. I like it. I'm not much of a teller of jokes myself, you have to slide in the punchline just so, and I never get it quite right. There is a joke there, but I am going to leave it.
There's a guy at the Ten Cat, one of the pool players, who can do that, just tell one joke after the other, and I've run into people like that before. They have like a whole routine in their head and they just trot out one joke after another.
Without facebook there wouldn't be any Institute. When we walked off the Gage Park stage with our diplomas I never saw Beagles again, didn't even know he had become Beagles. He went off to serve his country by protecting the Krauts from the Russkies and I went off to a land where I could drink beer with just a student ID.
Maybe ten years later his sister started waitressing at the House of Chin where i was bartending. We hung around in the same group. Her husband played softball on the same team as me, but when I left Champaign in 1984 I never saw her again.
Maybe thirty years later I joined fb and all of a sudden here were all these people who I hadn't seen in thirty, maybe forty years, among them Sister Sue. And then one day i got to thinking about Beagles and I asked her about him and she said well here is his email, and there you are.
I wonder if Old Dog, though not a fber can access fb pages.
I think this whole thing about Putin trying to torpedo the big girl is just too far-fetched. I'm embarrassed that my fellow dems are pushing it.
So Trump had that plagiarism thing, that Lyin Ted thing, that Trump crazy harangue thing and all the pundits were clicking their tongues. Have you ever seen such a poorly run convention. And now he has a bounce and he is leading the big girl. After that shameful display of the spoiled-baby Bernie babies, the pundits all seemed to agree that Bernie had made the speech that healed the wounds, though I heard that just before I fell off to sleep.
Having some Hoosiers over today and tomorrow, two Cubs/Sox games, so I probably won't be posting again until Thursday or Friday.
Monday, July 25, 2016
A Failure to Communicate
I looked up the Mormons on Wiki this weekend, and found that there was more to that Mormon War than I had previously known. The wagon train massacre was only one incident, but it was the most deadly incident in the total conflict, accounting for 120 deaths out of the 150 produced by the whole war. It was not much of a war by today's standards, but it was a pretty big deal at the time.
When the Mormons first settled in Utah it was still part of Mexico, so it appears that they were deliberately trying to leave the United States. When the U.S. took over, however, the Mormons applied for statehood, but Congress made Utah a territory instead. President Millard Fillmore was sympathetic to the Mormons and appointed Brigham Young to be the territorial governor. His successor, James Buchanan, was not so sympathetic, and replaced Young with somebody else. He didn't inform Young of his decision so, when the new governor showed up, Young refused to step down. Then there were some federal judges who left the territory because nobody was bringing civil cases to their courts, preferring to submit their disputes to church authorities. Then President Buchanan sent some federal troops to Utah, just to establish a U.S. presence and maintain law and order, but he again neglected to tell the Mormons about it. When Young got word of federal troops approaching the territory for some unknown reason, he mobilized the militia. He sent some detachments out to harass the troops and capture some of their supplies, but not to directly engage them in battle. He later sent letters to his commanders telling them to allow all civilian wagon trains to pass through the territory unmolested, but the guys who killed those settlers didn't get their letter until two days after the massacre. In the end, the conflict was settled by negotiation and Brigham Young stepped down as governor although, as leader of the Mormon Church, he remained a big influence in Utah until his dying day.
I am reminded of an old joke about Brigham Young. I didn't get this from Wiki, I got it from one of my old army buddies. Stop me if you've heard it before.
Lady: "Are you Brigham Young?"
Brigham Young: "I am."
Lady: "Are you the leader of the Mormon Church?"
Brigham Young: "I am."
Lady: "Are you the man who has over 50 wives?"
Brigham Young: "I am."
Lady: "Well I think you ought to be hung!"
Brigham Young: "I am."
The tool described by Old Dog is indeed a fish scaler. My wood splitter just splits wood, that's all it does. The hydraulic system is integral to the unit and can't be used for anything else. I split my firewood with simple hand tools for about 24 years, and have been using the hydraulic splitter for about 12 years. I usually skid logs out of the swamp all winter and then cut them up and split them in the spring, but I'm running way behind this year. Come to think of it, I've been running about a month behind on all my projects for several years now, and I'm beginning to think it's the new normal.
When the Mormons first settled in Utah it was still part of Mexico, so it appears that they were deliberately trying to leave the United States. When the U.S. took over, however, the Mormons applied for statehood, but Congress made Utah a territory instead. President Millard Fillmore was sympathetic to the Mormons and appointed Brigham Young to be the territorial governor. His successor, James Buchanan, was not so sympathetic, and replaced Young with somebody else. He didn't inform Young of his decision so, when the new governor showed up, Young refused to step down. Then there were some federal judges who left the territory because nobody was bringing civil cases to their courts, preferring to submit their disputes to church authorities. Then President Buchanan sent some federal troops to Utah, just to establish a U.S. presence and maintain law and order, but he again neglected to tell the Mormons about it. When Young got word of federal troops approaching the territory for some unknown reason, he mobilized the militia. He sent some detachments out to harass the troops and capture some of their supplies, but not to directly engage them in battle. He later sent letters to his commanders telling them to allow all civilian wagon trains to pass through the territory unmolested, but the guys who killed those settlers didn't get their letter until two days after the massacre. In the end, the conflict was settled by negotiation and Brigham Young stepped down as governor although, as leader of the Mormon Church, he remained a big influence in Utah until his dying day.
I am reminded of an old joke about Brigham Young. I didn't get this from Wiki, I got it from one of my old army buddies. Stop me if you've heard it before.
Lady: "Are you Brigham Young?"
Brigham Young: "I am."
Lady: "Are you the leader of the Mormon Church?"
Brigham Young: "I am."
Lady: "Are you the man who has over 50 wives?"
Brigham Young: "I am."
Lady: "Well I think you ought to be hung!"
Brigham Young: "I am."
The tool described by Old Dog is indeed a fish scaler. My wood splitter just splits wood, that's all it does. The hydraulic system is integral to the unit and can't be used for anything else. I split my firewood with simple hand tools for about 24 years, and have been using the hydraulic splitter for about 12 years. I usually skid logs out of the swamp all winter and then cut them up and split them in the spring, but I'm running way behind this year. Come to think of it, I've been running about a month behind on all my projects for several years now, and I'm beginning to think it's the new normal.
Another city, another circus
Earl Sinclair, that's the guy! I remember thinking of Sinclair Oil and their dinosaur logo. Coincidence? I think not...don't some folks on the east coast (Brooklyn, maybe) pronounce oil as "erl?"
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There is a fuzzy memory of a fish scaler; was it curved with a bunch of toothy bits along the edge? We usually fished for the local panfish; bluegill, perch, crappie, and what was called a sunfish. Bait was typically earthworms, using a cane pole. Good times.
Nowadays when I have a serious fish craving I hop on the Montrose bus and go to Hagen's Fish Market, a little west of Central. They have this smoked rainbow trout from Canadian streams that is awesome. Hagen's is the kind of place that will smoke any fish you bring in if you've had a good day on the waters. Nice that places like that are still around.
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Is fb referring to FaceBook? I haven't noticed any additional ads since posting here, but I don't book the face.
That doesn't look like a lot of equipment to me, just the minimal stuff required to maintain a bit of land in that neck of the woods. The log splitter must be a treat to use and much less likely to cause an injury. Plus, you have a hydraulic gizmo which can be handy for other things.
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Fifty years sound about right for the last time I skitched. Never used buses, though. Always used cars on the side streets; you'd just crouch down by the trunk, grab a hold of the big chrome bumper and the driver never saw you. But the best shoes for skitching had leather soles, which were also the worst for traipsing through the snow. And the snow had to be *just* right...perfect conditions were rare. It was the kind of thing you did maybe once a season, just to do it. Knew a fella that broke a tooth on the back of a Yellow Cab, so it wasn't without some risk.
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And so the DNC festivities begin tonight. I don't know what to make of the WikiLeaks emails and how they screwed Bernie. Then there's the chatter about the Russians being behind the leaks in an effort to boost CarrotTop.
There's a fun website I found that tells you which candidate matches your own views. You answer a bunch of questions, about a whole lot of issues, and it gives you a match. Pretty slick, I think. You can also indicate how important the issues are for you.
Yes, it's another rabbit hole but it covers other countries, too. The answers you give for the US survey can tell you what party in Germany you should support, if you were living in Germany, of course.
What I really appreciate is they way the issues are explained, with links for further information. And if none of the answers really work, you can add your own. There are only two guys running the site and they claim no political affiliation or sponsors. Looks legit, but what do I know?
The site is here: www.isidewith.com
Apparently my best match is the Green Party and the worst match is Republican.
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There is a fuzzy memory of a fish scaler; was it curved with a bunch of toothy bits along the edge? We usually fished for the local panfish; bluegill, perch, crappie, and what was called a sunfish. Bait was typically earthworms, using a cane pole. Good times.
Nowadays when I have a serious fish craving I hop on the Montrose bus and go to Hagen's Fish Market, a little west of Central. They have this smoked rainbow trout from Canadian streams that is awesome. Hagen's is the kind of place that will smoke any fish you bring in if you've had a good day on the waters. Nice that places like that are still around.
-----
Is fb referring to FaceBook? I haven't noticed any additional ads since posting here, but I don't book the face.
That doesn't look like a lot of equipment to me, just the minimal stuff required to maintain a bit of land in that neck of the woods. The log splitter must be a treat to use and much less likely to cause an injury. Plus, you have a hydraulic gizmo which can be handy for other things.
-----
Fifty years sound about right for the last time I skitched. Never used buses, though. Always used cars on the side streets; you'd just crouch down by the trunk, grab a hold of the big chrome bumper and the driver never saw you. But the best shoes for skitching had leather soles, which were also the worst for traipsing through the snow. And the snow had to be *just* right...perfect conditions were rare. It was the kind of thing you did maybe once a season, just to do it. Knew a fella that broke a tooth on the back of a Yellow Cab, so it wasn't without some risk.
-----
And so the DNC festivities begin tonight. I don't know what to make of the WikiLeaks emails and how they screwed Bernie. Then there's the chatter about the Russians being behind the leaks in an effort to boost CarrotTop.
There's a fun website I found that tells you which candidate matches your own views. You answer a bunch of questions, about a whole lot of issues, and it gives you a match. Pretty slick, I think. You can also indicate how important the issues are for you.
Yes, it's another rabbit hole but it covers other countries, too. The answers you give for the US survey can tell you what party in Germany you should support, if you were living in Germany, of course.
What I really appreciate is they way the issues are explained, with links for further information. And if none of the answers really work, you can add your own. There are only two guys running the site and they claim no political affiliation or sponsors. Looks legit, but what do I know?
The site is here: www.isidewith.com
Apparently my best match is the Green Party and the worst match is Republican.
skitching
That's quite a display of equipment and what a woodpile. Now I
wonder if fb is going to be peddling me heavy equipment and wood in the next few
days. After that display of gun porn a week or two ago it was trying to
sell me all kinds of shooting arms.
There was one time when our family vacation was in a cottage by a lake in I believe Michigan. My grandparents on my mother's side came by for a few days and apparently they were fishermen. They set us up with sticks and string and probably a safety pin and a little piece of bologna and were they ever biting. I seem to remember hearing the term blue gill. They bit as soon as the safety pin hit the water and they didn't even seem to mind if the kid had not bothered to put a new piece of bologna on it. It was like fish lemmings. Later I watched my grandfather scale them. Not for long. I never became a fisherman.
Or a chopper of wood. The closest to that I came was when I had to take a wood shop class at Tilden Tech. One of the first things they did was give us a block of wood and told us to plane it down so that it was a perfect rectangular solid, nothing but flat and right angles. I planed it down to the size of a toothpick without ever having reached that perfection. Likewise the second piece of wood. Finally I paid a guy to borrow his rectangular solid.
So I guess I was cut out to be a city boy.
I guess it's too late for me and Old Dog to get out our baggies and our water skis and skitch a ride to Cheboygan for the seminar at Club 27. I wonder if they have iced mugs. Iced mugs might make yellow beer palatable. Maybe next year.
I hesitated to use the word skitch, because, well, I haven't used it in like fifty years. I'm pretty sure it was a common young man word back in the day, probably still is today. As we used it, it was when you grabbed unto a bus, mainly because they couldn't see behind, on an icy day and then just slid along behind it when it took off. I recall talking about it, but not doing it, which in retrospect was probably a smart thing on my part.
Dems open in Philly tonight. Cubs and Sox will be playing over the next four days so I won't be watching much of it. Maybe tune in between innings, but i know it will be just a bunch of blah blah blah propaganda. I'm voting for her and all, but the big girl's voice is like chalk on the proverbial blackboard.
There was one time when our family vacation was in a cottage by a lake in I believe Michigan. My grandparents on my mother's side came by for a few days and apparently they were fishermen. They set us up with sticks and string and probably a safety pin and a little piece of bologna and were they ever biting. I seem to remember hearing the term blue gill. They bit as soon as the safety pin hit the water and they didn't even seem to mind if the kid had not bothered to put a new piece of bologna on it. It was like fish lemmings. Later I watched my grandfather scale them. Not for long. I never became a fisherman.
Or a chopper of wood. The closest to that I came was when I had to take a wood shop class at Tilden Tech. One of the first things they did was give us a block of wood and told us to plane it down so that it was a perfect rectangular solid, nothing but flat and right angles. I planed it down to the size of a toothpick without ever having reached that perfection. Likewise the second piece of wood. Finally I paid a guy to borrow his rectangular solid.
So I guess I was cut out to be a city boy.
I guess it's too late for me and Old Dog to get out our baggies and our water skis and skitch a ride to Cheboygan for the seminar at Club 27. I wonder if they have iced mugs. Iced mugs might make yellow beer palatable. Maybe next year.
I hesitated to use the word skitch, because, well, I haven't used it in like fifty years. I'm pretty sure it was a common young man word back in the day, probably still is today. As we used it, it was when you grabbed unto a bus, mainly because they couldn't see behind, on an icy day and then just slid along behind it when it took off. I recall talking about it, but not doing it, which in retrospect was probably a smart thing on my part.
Dems open in Philly tonight. Cubs and Sox will be playing over the next four days so I won't be watching much of it. Maybe tune in between innings, but i know it will be just a bunch of blah blah blah propaganda. I'm voting for her and all, but the big girl's voice is like chalk on the proverbial blackboard.
Sunday, July 24, 2016
So Many Hobbies, So Little Time
I think that Jim Henson was dead or retired by the time the "Dinosaurs" series came out, but his son Brian was listed as executive producer. Earl Sinclair was the daddy dinosaur. He worked as a tree pusher for B.P. Richfield of the WESAYSO Company.
If you ever have to scale a fish again, they make a special tool for that called a "fish scaler. You can use a knife in a pinch, but a fish scaler works much better. They are not expensive and are sold in any bait and tackle shop. To keep the scales from flying all over the place, scale your fish under water in a sink or wash basin. Any fish over foot long is better if it's fileted and skinned. It's a bit of a skill, but it can be learned. Some people filet everything, but I like the taste of the skin on the smaller fish. The skin on the larger fish frequently has a strong taste, and it's better to remove it. You need a special thin bladed knife for that job, called a "fileting knife".
I don't think the fishing has declined all over. It's just that a spot that was good last year may not be so good this year. In a river, all you usually have to do is move up or down stream, or closer or farther from the bank. Fish do not stay in the same place all the time anyway, depending on weather, water temperature, and availability of food. To be consistently successful, you have to follow them wherever they go. Every day you start off where they were the last time and, if they're not there, try to figure out where they went and go there. It helps if you spend a lot of time on the water. If you just go a few times a year, you will likely fish where they were last week.
I burn about 10 full cords of wood a year (4' X 4' X 8'). The trees are not all the same size, so there would be no point in counting trees. On my property, the trees are growing back faster than I cut them down, so I'm not going to run out any time soon. The areas I want to keep open are mostly tractor trails and clearings for the wildlife. Wildlife likes a variety of habitat, all trees is just as bad as no trees. I have a hydraulic machine to split my wood, I'll see if I can find a picture of it in my files.
If you ever have to scale a fish again, they make a special tool for that called a "fish scaler. You can use a knife in a pinch, but a fish scaler works much better. They are not expensive and are sold in any bait and tackle shop. To keep the scales from flying all over the place, scale your fish under water in a sink or wash basin. Any fish over foot long is better if it's fileted and skinned. It's a bit of a skill, but it can be learned. Some people filet everything, but I like the taste of the skin on the smaller fish. The skin on the larger fish frequently has a strong taste, and it's better to remove it. You need a special thin bladed knife for that job, called a "fileting knife".
I don't think the fishing has declined all over. It's just that a spot that was good last year may not be so good this year. In a river, all you usually have to do is move up or down stream, or closer or farther from the bank. Fish do not stay in the same place all the time anyway, depending on weather, water temperature, and availability of food. To be consistently successful, you have to follow them wherever they go. Every day you start off where they were the last time and, if they're not there, try to figure out where they went and go there. It helps if you spend a lot of time on the water. If you just go a few times a year, you will likely fish where they were last week.
I burn about 10 full cords of wood a year (4' X 4' X 8'). The trees are not all the same size, so there would be no point in counting trees. On my property, the trees are growing back faster than I cut them down, so I'm not going to run out any time soon. The areas I want to keep open are mostly tractor trails and clearings for the wildlife. Wildlife likes a variety of habitat, all trees is just as bad as no trees. I have a hydraulic machine to split my wood, I'll see if I can find a picture of it in my files.
Rather be fishing
Did that Dinosaurs show have a character named Earl? That's about all I remember, and that Jim Henson may have had something to do with it.
Stupid things are often the beginning of many profound conversations. Anything to get the ball rolling, and this has been a very good year for many people saying many stupid things. I need not elaborate.
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Fishing is something I haven't done in many decades, always for good eating and not catch and release. But once you catch them you gotta clean them and removing the scales was the worst, as I recall. There never seemed an easy way to do it except scrape them off with a blade and try to keep the scales out of your eyes and mouth as they flew about. Very much worth it in the end as you savored the fish fresh out of the frying pan.
I was reading that, on the east coast, the lobster fields are moving north due to the water getting warmer. Do you think the less productive fishing in your area is due to something similar? Or it could be a natural cycle caused by an increase of their predators. Any speculation at the feed store?
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How many trees do you need for your firewood supply? If you don't let that one area revert to trees do you think you may run out of your fuel supply?
My 80+ year old great-grandfather found much amusement in my attempts to split birch logs for firewood. The small wiry guy kicked the ass of the strapping young lad when it came to splitting the wood. Mercifully he demonstrated the proper method and technique, long since forgotten; there's no denying the visceral pleasure of using a double-bladed axe.
Stupid things are often the beginning of many profound conversations. Anything to get the ball rolling, and this has been a very good year for many people saying many stupid things. I need not elaborate.
-----
Fishing is something I haven't done in many decades, always for good eating and not catch and release. But once you catch them you gotta clean them and removing the scales was the worst, as I recall. There never seemed an easy way to do it except scrape them off with a blade and try to keep the scales out of your eyes and mouth as they flew about. Very much worth it in the end as you savored the fish fresh out of the frying pan.
I was reading that, on the east coast, the lobster fields are moving north due to the water getting warmer. Do you think the less productive fishing in your area is due to something similar? Or it could be a natural cycle caused by an increase of their predators. Any speculation at the feed store?
-----
How many trees do you need for your firewood supply? If you don't let that one area revert to trees do you think you may run out of your fuel supply?
My 80+ year old great-grandfather found much amusement in my attempts to split birch logs for firewood. The small wiry guy kicked the ass of the strapping young lad when it came to splitting the wood. Mercifully he demonstrated the proper method and technique, long since forgotten; there's no denying the visceral pleasure of using a double-bladed axe.
Friday, July 22, 2016
I'm the Baby, Gotta Love Me
I guess that was a stupid thing I said about the normal human beings, but sometimes it's fun to say stupid things. Speaking of stupid things, we have been watching that old TV show from the 90s called "Dinosaurs" from our DVD collection lately. You know, the one with the Muppet-like creatures that are supposed to be dinosaurs, but the show is really a satire on the human condition. One of the characters is a baby dinosaur who, whenever he does something bad or stupid says, "I'm the baby, gotta love me!", as if that makes everything all right.
I didn't know about Buchanan, but I heard somewhere that Abraham Lincoln might have been gay. Then there was Tchaikovsky, who used to be my favorite composer until I discovered Wagner. I don't think that Wagner was gay, but he was an egotistical prick. Too bad he wasn't an American, he might have made a decent president. Truth be known, there were probably lots of famous gay people in history, but nobody noticed because people didn't brag about stuff like that in those days.
I saw on the news this evening that it is indeed the Chicago to Mackinac race that is on for this weekend. The one I read about in the paper a week or two ago must have been the Port Huron to Mackinac race. Both of those events take place in July, which is the busiest month for boat traffic around here. I think that some other boats that are not in the races follow them up here and party with the racers afterwards.
I have a 14 foot aluminum fishing boat myself, powered by an electric trolling motor. I just putter around the river with it, right here in town. I don't think I'm going to get it into the water at all this year. I'm still cutting firewood and, when that's done, it will be time to start mowing. Once a year I mow a bunch of land that I have previously cleared and don't want it to revert to trees and brush. The fishing has not been very productive the last couple of years, and I probably should be looking for a new spot. Maybe next year.
I didn't know about Buchanan, but I heard somewhere that Abraham Lincoln might have been gay. Then there was Tchaikovsky, who used to be my favorite composer until I discovered Wagner. I don't think that Wagner was gay, but he was an egotistical prick. Too bad he wasn't an American, he might have made a decent president. Truth be known, there were probably lots of famous gay people in history, but nobody noticed because people didn't brag about stuff like that in those days.
I saw on the news this evening that it is indeed the Chicago to Mackinac race that is on for this weekend. The one I read about in the paper a week or two ago must have been the Port Huron to Mackinac race. Both of those events take place in July, which is the busiest month for boat traffic around here. I think that some other boats that are not in the races follow them up here and party with the racers afterwards.
I have a 14 foot aluminum fishing boat myself, powered by an electric trolling motor. I just putter around the river with it, right here in town. I don't think I'm going to get it into the water at all this year. I'm still cutting firewood and, when that's done, it will be time to start mowing. Once a year I mow a bunch of land that I have previously cleared and don't want it to revert to trees and brush. The fishing has not been very productive the last couple of years, and I probably should be looking for a new spot. Maybe next year.
Let the games begin
Like Mr. Beagles, I thought the Chicago/Mackinac race already occurred, but not so. It is happening this weekend.
I've known a couple of people who've raced that event. Although there are a lot of rich guys that race in the "elite" classes, there are even more folks that have cheaper boats and grab a few buddies for a weekend of shits & giggles. They don't expect to win, but just enjoy sailing, and it can be quite the challenge; Lake Michigan can get nasty. That's my understanding, anyhow.
One of these guys has a friend who.does the race, but the guy doesn't have enough time to sail the boat back to Chicago. So my friend drives up to Mackinac with his wife and they sail the boat back to Chicago, enjoying a leisurely summer outing. The boat owner drives back in the car, and a good time is had by all. I'm sure my friend packs plenty of lunch buckets.
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Uncle Ken, are you putting words into Mr. Beagles' mouth? In referring to Gary Johnson (is he Ben?) as a normal person, I meant of the non- opportunistic power-grabbing type. He have may have meant non-traditional types, but I don't know. I'll let him amplify his statement, if he so desires.
According to many historians, we've already had a gay president: James Buchanan. Historical speculation is a questionable activity, but you can look it up and judge for yourself.
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The non-response to the Melania question is consistent with Ben's behavior as I have seen and read. He has been discussing only the issues and not the candidates on a personal level. A question about a family member would certainly be off limits; Ben is behaving like a gentleman. And he's climbed Mt. Everest...how cool is that? Furthermore, he's called PumpkinHead a pussy a few times, with no response or lawsuits; probably before he decided to run. He has since kept a civil tongue as far as I can tell.
Speaking of family members, I've read an article about a possible dynasty, like the Kennedy and Bush families. There's a scary thought for you. And isn't the kid, Barron, the tallest ten year-old you've ever seen? Something about that kid gives me the creeps but I can't put my finger on it. Kids that age shouldn't like wearing suits and ties, but that's my opinion. He could be good, for nothing.
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So, next week at this time the DNC circus in Philadelphia will be over and the real fight begins. Don't be surprised if the old-school Repubs who boycotted their convention decide to endorse the Libertarian candidates. Tongues are already wagging in the Romney and Bush camps. Or so I've read...
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Old joke time.
Q: What's the difference between humor and odor?
A: Humor is a shaft of wit.
I've known a couple of people who've raced that event. Although there are a lot of rich guys that race in the "elite" classes, there are even more folks that have cheaper boats and grab a few buddies for a weekend of shits & giggles. They don't expect to win, but just enjoy sailing, and it can be quite the challenge; Lake Michigan can get nasty. That's my understanding, anyhow.
One of these guys has a friend who.does the race, but the guy doesn't have enough time to sail the boat back to Chicago. So my friend drives up to Mackinac with his wife and they sail the boat back to Chicago, enjoying a leisurely summer outing. The boat owner drives back in the car, and a good time is had by all. I'm sure my friend packs plenty of lunch buckets.
-----
Uncle Ken, are you putting words into Mr. Beagles' mouth? In referring to Gary Johnson (is he Ben?) as a normal person, I meant of the non- opportunistic power-grabbing type. He have may have meant non-traditional types, but I don't know. I'll let him amplify his statement, if he so desires.
According to many historians, we've already had a gay president: James Buchanan. Historical speculation is a questionable activity, but you can look it up and judge for yourself.
-----
The non-response to the Melania question is consistent with Ben's behavior as I have seen and read. He has been discussing only the issues and not the candidates on a personal level. A question about a family member would certainly be off limits; Ben is behaving like a gentleman. And he's climbed Mt. Everest...how cool is that? Furthermore, he's called PumpkinHead a pussy a few times, with no response or lawsuits; probably before he decided to run. He has since kept a civil tongue as far as I can tell.
Speaking of family members, I've read an article about a possible dynasty, like the Kennedy and Bush families. There's a scary thought for you. And isn't the kid, Barron, the tallest ten year-old you've ever seen? Something about that kid gives me the creeps but I can't put my finger on it. Kids that age shouldn't like wearing suits and ties, but that's my opinion. He could be good, for nothing.
-----
So, next week at this time the DNC circus in Philadelphia will be over and the real fight begins. Don't be surprised if the old-school Repubs who boycotted their convention decide to endorse the Libertarian candidates. Tongues are already wagging in the Romney and Bush camps. Or so I've read...
-----
Old joke time.
Q: What's the difference between humor and odor?
A: Humor is a shaft of wit.
Thursday night in Cleveland
Beagles, you seem to be saying that women, nonwhites, and gay people are not normal people. Was it that much fun to say?
I saw like fifteen seconds on the local news of guys on boats and they said something about a race and I assumed it was that one which used to be kind of popular, or rather the local media tried to make it sound exciting, probably because their bosses were rich people with boats. It was like, will the Chicago guy (who was probably from like Wheaton) beat that Michigander? Gosh I sure hope so, that will make me so proud.
I like that lunch bucket thing. Maybe what those boaters should do is like bring a bunch of lunch buckets down from Michigan to a bowling alley in Gage Park and they could bowl against the local lunch buckets. The bowling alley could add a selection of wines from Tuscany and they could lounge around in their topsiders and everybody could have a good time and nobody would get wet. That's why they call me an idea man, well that's what I call myself.
I don't know about Ben and Jerry. I read something somewhere (see I'm getting like you guys) where a reporter was asking Ben if he had any comments on that Melania thing, and he was all like, well I don't want to say anything. Don't want to say anything? What the fuck? A reporter is asking you a question and you would rather not comment? Especially about one of your opponents getting his teat a bit in the wringer? I don't think these guys are ready for prime time.
Nothing much going on in Cleveland last night, a bunch of third stringers droning on and on. Lock her up. Lock her up. They don't even need to have anybody speak, just let the crowd in their funny hats chant for a few hours, they couldn't be happier.
And then Ivanka, well they all look alike to me, I can tell the girls from the boys, but otherwise they all look alike. I'm embarrassed that the lame stream press goes gaga over these lobos and lobas. Oh they look like such nice kids, oh they are so accomplished, oh how well they speak. Gosh remember those sweet-faced Nazi youth crooning the Horst Wessel Song so prettily?
Oh how about that? I had always thought the Horst Wessel was some kind of wild flower or something and I was going to make some comparison between that and Trump's locks, but it turns out that Horst Wessel was the guy who wrote the song, which I just read the lyrics of and it's all about making Germany great again.
I know comparisons to Nazis are trite and way over done but there was Old Yeller bleating about law and order. The word was that he was reading from a teleprompter, but I was thinking he must have been ad libbing a bit because he didn't sound all stiff like the last time he was reading. He brought up the wall, but didn't take it all the way. He brought up banning muslims but again danced away from it. He was a little liberal in talking about how he wanted to help minorities, even gays, but there was nothing specific of course, well there never is.
This law and order thing though, I don't know, I know how it gets hearts beatings. I went to bed a little afraid.
I saw like fifteen seconds on the local news of guys on boats and they said something about a race and I assumed it was that one which used to be kind of popular, or rather the local media tried to make it sound exciting, probably because their bosses were rich people with boats. It was like, will the Chicago guy (who was probably from like Wheaton) beat that Michigander? Gosh I sure hope so, that will make me so proud.
I like that lunch bucket thing. Maybe what those boaters should do is like bring a bunch of lunch buckets down from Michigan to a bowling alley in Gage Park and they could bowl against the local lunch buckets. The bowling alley could add a selection of wines from Tuscany and they could lounge around in their topsiders and everybody could have a good time and nobody would get wet. That's why they call me an idea man, well that's what I call myself.
I don't know about Ben and Jerry. I read something somewhere (see I'm getting like you guys) where a reporter was asking Ben if he had any comments on that Melania thing, and he was all like, well I don't want to say anything. Don't want to say anything? What the fuck? A reporter is asking you a question and you would rather not comment? Especially about one of your opponents getting his teat a bit in the wringer? I don't think these guys are ready for prime time.
Nothing much going on in Cleveland last night, a bunch of third stringers droning on and on. Lock her up. Lock her up. They don't even need to have anybody speak, just let the crowd in their funny hats chant for a few hours, they couldn't be happier.
And then Ivanka, well they all look alike to me, I can tell the girls from the boys, but otherwise they all look alike. I'm embarrassed that the lame stream press goes gaga over these lobos and lobas. Oh they look like such nice kids, oh they are so accomplished, oh how well they speak. Gosh remember those sweet-faced Nazi youth crooning the Horst Wessel Song so prettily?
Oh how about that? I had always thought the Horst Wessel was some kind of wild flower or something and I was going to make some comparison between that and Trump's locks, but it turns out that Horst Wessel was the guy who wrote the song, which I just read the lyrics of and it's all about making Germany great again.
I know comparisons to Nazis are trite and way over done but there was Old Yeller bleating about law and order. The word was that he was reading from a teleprompter, but I was thinking he must have been ad libbing a bit because he didn't sound all stiff like the last time he was reading. He brought up the wall, but didn't take it all the way. He brought up banning muslims but again danced away from it. He was a little liberal in talking about how he wanted to help minorities, even gays, but there was nothing specific of course, well there never is.
This law and order thing though, I don't know, I know how it gets hearts beatings. I went to bed a little afraid.
Thursday, July 21, 2016
No Normal Human Beings Need Apply
A normal human being, you say? Too bad, he'll never make it. We've had our African American president, next on the agenda is a female president, then a gay president, then maybe a Hispanic president, or one of those goofy people who want to use the wrong bathroom. Let's face it, we are no spring chickens anymore, by the time they get back around to a normal human being president, we will be long gone. (Okay, that was racist, sexist, and sarcastic, but it sure was fun to say.)
I thought that Chicago to Mackinac Island yacht race was over, but maybe it was the other one, the one from Port Huron to Mackinac Island. Those events are not for the likes of us normal human beings. First you need a boat that is so expensive that, if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it. Then you need a skilled crew of healthy vigorous young people, which further disqualifies the likes of you and me. Then I suppose you have to join an exclusive yacht club, but I'm not sure about that. We have one of those clubs right here in Cheboygan, they've got their own man-made harbor in Duncan Bay, but they can't stop me from fishing in it because it's open to the Great Lakes, which makes it navigable water under both state and federal laws.
One of the club's founders is a bit of a loose cannon. At some point he had a falling out with his partners and bought a small private marina right next door. Then he put up a big sign on U.S. 23 highway advertising his place as "Duncan Bay Marina", and the Duncan Bay Yacht Club sued him for taking their name in vain. I don't remember hearing how it came out, but the sign was taken down a long time ago. I think this guy was still with the original club when he made this famous statement in a city council meeting. It was right after the paper mill closed down, and the city fathers were discussing options for the city's future. Some of them wanted to try to attract more industry to replace the jobs lost from the paper mill, and others wanted to go after more tourist business instead. Our hero was in favor of the tourist option because, "We don't need any more lunch bucket people in this town."
I thought at the time that, if I ever became filthy rich, I would like to buy a big fancy boat and name it "The Lunch Bucket". Then I would bribe somebody to obtain the boat slip right next to his. Then I would start a raggedy assed folk music band and call them "The Lunch Bucket People", and we would conduct all our rehearsals and noisy parties on the deck of our boat while it was docked in the yacht harbor. Well, I never got filthy rich, but a little fantasy never hurt anybody.
I thought that Chicago to Mackinac Island yacht race was over, but maybe it was the other one, the one from Port Huron to Mackinac Island. Those events are not for the likes of us normal human beings. First you need a boat that is so expensive that, if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it. Then you need a skilled crew of healthy vigorous young people, which further disqualifies the likes of you and me. Then I suppose you have to join an exclusive yacht club, but I'm not sure about that. We have one of those clubs right here in Cheboygan, they've got their own man-made harbor in Duncan Bay, but they can't stop me from fishing in it because it's open to the Great Lakes, which makes it navigable water under both state and federal laws.
One of the club's founders is a bit of a loose cannon. At some point he had a falling out with his partners and bought a small private marina right next door. Then he put up a big sign on U.S. 23 highway advertising his place as "Duncan Bay Marina", and the Duncan Bay Yacht Club sued him for taking their name in vain. I don't remember hearing how it came out, but the sign was taken down a long time ago. I think this guy was still with the original club when he made this famous statement in a city council meeting. It was right after the paper mill closed down, and the city fathers were discussing options for the city's future. Some of them wanted to try to attract more industry to replace the jobs lost from the paper mill, and others wanted to go after more tourist business instead. Our hero was in favor of the tourist option because, "We don't need any more lunch bucket people in this town."
I thought at the time that, if I ever became filthy rich, I would like to buy a big fancy boat and name it "The Lunch Bucket". Then I would bribe somebody to obtain the boat slip right next to his. Then I would start a raggedy assed folk music band and call them "The Lunch Bucket People", and we would conduct all our rehearsals and noisy parties on the deck of our boat while it was docked in the yacht harbor. Well, I never got filthy rich, but a little fantasy never hurt anybody.
Flashback
I'd forgotten about the movie Network until Uncle Ken mentioned it recently, so I thought I'd give it another peek. Found it online at one of the streaming sites and watched in amazement; hard to believe the movie is forty (!) years old. It is eerily prescient; the monologue by Ned Beatty's character regarding Globalism is chilling, but brilliant. Paddy Chayefsky was a damn fine writer.
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According to quotemaster.org, the statement "The lesser of two evils is still evil" is attributed to Solomon. Yeah, the really rich guy that built the Temple, way back when, and also wrote a lot of Proverbs.
Can't beat the quality of writing in Proverbs..."Like a gold ring in a swine's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion." Good stuff.
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Speaking of lesser evils, this may be the year that a third party can get some traction. Gary Johnson (Libertarian) was on WGN morning news a few days back and he acquitted himself very well. I was thinking, "Wow...he talks like a normal human being." If he can climb in the polls a bit he'll join the presidential debates (unless the system is rigged). A three-way debate would be awesome.
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According to quotemaster.org, the statement "The lesser of two evils is still evil" is attributed to Solomon. Yeah, the really rich guy that built the Temple, way back when, and also wrote a lot of Proverbs.
Can't beat the quality of writing in Proverbs..."Like a gold ring in a swine's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion." Good stuff.
-----
Speaking of lesser evils, this may be the year that a third party can get some traction. Gary Johnson (Libertarian) was on WGN morning news a few days back and he acquitted himself very well. I was thinking, "Wow...he talks like a normal human being." If he can climb in the polls a bit he'll join the presidential debates (unless the system is rigged). A three-way debate would be awesome.
wednesday night in ohio
If you think the country would be equally bad off with either
candidate elected then the third party is where you ought to be. I
suppose it's a way of sending a message to the parties. But if you hate
both candidates but think one may be slightly less evil than the other
one, then you should vote for the lesser evil.
Which I think will be the slogan for this campaign for both candidates. Hilary Clinton the lesser evil. Donald Trump the lesser evil. Well they won't be actually calling themselves lesser evils they will be calling their opponent the greater evil.
That's certainly what was going on with the repubs last night. Talk about bouncing the rubble. How many ways can you call the big girl the devil incarnate? Not that many but it is something that the crowd in Cleveland never gets tired of hearing, like a six year old with a Disney dvd. As the pundits said (punditted), mentions of the big girl were ten times more common than for Carrot Top. Except for his kids. Last post I called then a nest of vipers which isn't really accurate, if they were vipers they would be turning on Pops. Den of wolves is more like it. Den of wolves with slathering jaws and mad red eyes is probably more accurate still. I couldn't watch them.
Watched Lyin Ted. He walked into the convention like a bad guy walking into a saloon. There were whispers among the poker players and the bar girls. Rumors were that he was not going to endorse Old Yeller, but he hadn't quite come out and said that either.
He swaggered unto the stage, looked around with that sly (slavering) smile, launched into the preacher speak thing he does, now soft, now loud, and then towards the end he endorsed the wall and the deportation - relieved smiles crossed the lupine features of the den of wolves - and he stressed how important it was to get out and vote - they were up on two legs, paws poised to pound - for the down tickets, the senators and reps and govs, not a word about the amber asshole.
And there he was, looming at the back of the crowd, tossing his locks petulantly, much like his jet had flown past Lyin Ted's little gathering earlier in the day, making his way towards the stage, giving the thumbs up as if he hadn't even noticed.
Then Pence lumbered onto the stage. The pundits keep saying he is a nice guy, which I think is their nice way of saying a dullard. It was about time for bed.
I think the movie that best fits this election is Network. I think I may have mentioned that before, probably before Old Dog stepped into this here saloon.
Speaking of saloons, I saw where they are getting set up for that big boat race which I think goes from the southern edge of Lake Michigan to the northern edge. It's too late for this year but maybe next year Old Dog and myself can build a boat (how hard could that be?) and join the race, and like the hare when the turtles are lumbering, drop into Club 27 (surely in this day and age even bars on the outermost fringe of this great nation have something in addition to yellow beer) and engage in a seminar with Beagles before getting back on the boat and passing the turtles just in time to, I dunno, what do you get if you win that race?
Which I think will be the slogan for this campaign for both candidates. Hilary Clinton the lesser evil. Donald Trump the lesser evil. Well they won't be actually calling themselves lesser evils they will be calling their opponent the greater evil.
That's certainly what was going on with the repubs last night. Talk about bouncing the rubble. How many ways can you call the big girl the devil incarnate? Not that many but it is something that the crowd in Cleveland never gets tired of hearing, like a six year old with a Disney dvd. As the pundits said (punditted), mentions of the big girl were ten times more common than for Carrot Top. Except for his kids. Last post I called then a nest of vipers which isn't really accurate, if they were vipers they would be turning on Pops. Den of wolves is more like it. Den of wolves with slathering jaws and mad red eyes is probably more accurate still. I couldn't watch them.
Watched Lyin Ted. He walked into the convention like a bad guy walking into a saloon. There were whispers among the poker players and the bar girls. Rumors were that he was not going to endorse Old Yeller, but he hadn't quite come out and said that either.
He swaggered unto the stage, looked around with that sly (slavering) smile, launched into the preacher speak thing he does, now soft, now loud, and then towards the end he endorsed the wall and the deportation - relieved smiles crossed the lupine features of the den of wolves - and he stressed how important it was to get out and vote - they were up on two legs, paws poised to pound - for the down tickets, the senators and reps and govs, not a word about the amber asshole.
And there he was, looming at the back of the crowd, tossing his locks petulantly, much like his jet had flown past Lyin Ted's little gathering earlier in the day, making his way towards the stage, giving the thumbs up as if he hadn't even noticed.
Then Pence lumbered onto the stage. The pundits keep saying he is a nice guy, which I think is their nice way of saying a dullard. It was about time for bed.
I think the movie that best fits this election is Network. I think I may have mentioned that before, probably before Old Dog stepped into this here saloon.
Speaking of saloons, I saw where they are getting set up for that big boat race which I think goes from the southern edge of Lake Michigan to the northern edge. It's too late for this year but maybe next year Old Dog and myself can build a boat (how hard could that be?) and join the race, and like the hare when the turtles are lumbering, drop into Club 27 (surely in this day and age even bars on the outermost fringe of this great nation have something in addition to yellow beer) and engage in a seminar with Beagles before getting back on the boat and passing the turtles just in time to, I dunno, what do you get if you win that race?
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee Are Dead
Without doing the math, I estimate that I have spent at least half of my adult life voting for third party candidates. The reason was because, as George Wallace used to say, "There isn't a dime's worth of difference between the Democrats and the Republicans". Well, it's not like that anymore, is it. I don't remember which third party used to refer to the two major party candidates as "Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee", but I'm pretty sure it was the Libertarians who used to say, "The lesser of two evils is still evil." That old saw horse doesn't work anymore either because, "Trump and Hillary are both evil, but they are two different kinds of evil." I wish I had made that one up myself, but I must credit Kathryn Jean Lopez, a syndicated columnist who appears in our local paper periodically. Ms. Lopez is a card carrying Catholic, so I suppose she considers Hillary to be evil because of her position on abortion. I don't know what she has against Trump, but there is a lot to not like about Trump. At the time she wrote this, there was some kind of Christian coalition that was trying to build a third party around a guy, whose name I don't remember, but he declined the honor and I haven't heard anything more about those guys.
The thing is, nobody needs to create a new third party, there are at least two of them that have been around for a long time, the Libertarians and the Greens. Whenever the subject comes up, people say they won't vote for a third party because they can't win. They can't win because people don't vote for them, and people don't vote for them because they can't win. Well, if enough people voted for them, then they would win, and then, I suppose, people would start voting for them. I don't vote for somebody because I think they are going to win, I vote for somebody because I like them, or at least I dislike them less than their opponent. In the case of Trump and Hillary, I don't know which one I dislike least, so I don't know what I would do if there wasn't the third party option. It's hard to compare Trump and Hillary because, like the lady said, they are two different kinds of evil.
I don't know what's going to become of the Republicans now, with some of them belatedly kissing up to Trump and some of them boycotting the convention because of him. Maybe the party will be rent in twain, and then they both will become third parties. Meanwhile, on the local level, Michigan has their regular non-presidential primary coming up on August 2. Our incumbent congressman and state representative are both not running for re-election, so their seats are up for grabs, and there has been a lot of grabbing going on. There are four or five candidates running for each office, and that's just on the Republican side. The candidates for congressman have been running negative ads against each other on TV, each one accusing the others of not being true conservatives, and none of them claiming to be a moderate. Our candidates for the state legislature have not been on TV much, but we are getting their propaganda in the mail every day. They too are all trying to out-conservative each other with a vengeance. The Tea Party movement may be dead, but their ghost will haunt the wilds of Northern Michigan for years to come..........Cool!
The thing is, nobody needs to create a new third party, there are at least two of them that have been around for a long time, the Libertarians and the Greens. Whenever the subject comes up, people say they won't vote for a third party because they can't win. They can't win because people don't vote for them, and people don't vote for them because they can't win. Well, if enough people voted for them, then they would win, and then, I suppose, people would start voting for them. I don't vote for somebody because I think they are going to win, I vote for somebody because I like them, or at least I dislike them less than their opponent. In the case of Trump and Hillary, I don't know which one I dislike least, so I don't know what I would do if there wasn't the third party option. It's hard to compare Trump and Hillary because, like the lady said, they are two different kinds of evil.
I don't know what's going to become of the Republicans now, with some of them belatedly kissing up to Trump and some of them boycotting the convention because of him. Maybe the party will be rent in twain, and then they both will become third parties. Meanwhile, on the local level, Michigan has their regular non-presidential primary coming up on August 2. Our incumbent congressman and state representative are both not running for re-election, so their seats are up for grabs, and there has been a lot of grabbing going on. There are four or five candidates running for each office, and that's just on the Republican side. The candidates for congressman have been running negative ads against each other on TV, each one accusing the others of not being true conservatives, and none of them claiming to be a moderate. Our candidates for the state legislature have not been on TV much, but we are getting their propaganda in the mail every day. They too are all trying to out-conservative each other with a vengeance. The Tea Party movement may be dead, but their ghost will haunt the wilds of Northern Michigan for years to come..........Cool!
More blather
Jokes about women drivers gave me pause. It seems to me that there aren't many jokes anymore; plenty of comedy but no jokes in the classic sense. Maybe there's a young Henny Youngman out there, working the strip clubs.
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It's interesting how online communication has evolved. I recall the BBSs, forums, UseNet, and when a 14.4 modem was wicked fast.
There was BoardWatch magazine, which I eagerly awaited every month. The notion that people had multiple phone lines to service their BBS seems absurd today, but folks were happy to pay five or ten bucks a month for the privilege of downloading unlimited porn from Rusty & Edy's BBS. Never went there myself, but I recall that they had upwards of twenty phone lines. So there was plenty of money to be made.
Then Tim Berners-Lee messed it all up when he developed the World Wide Web. Golly, that was something! The BBS was dead, stiffer than a carp. When Mosaic showed up. I thought I was living in the age of miracles, and very glad to stop using Lynx for browsing.
Fast forward to the 21st century and we are awash in social media, of which blogs are a significant part. Blogs lack the immediacy of twits and bookface posts but also have a greater depth and usually reflect a bit more thought.
The contributors here are close to being on the same wavelength, with not much static. Mr. Beagles' recent statement is an almost word-for-word copy of what I told Uncle Ken last week. If I don't comment on something, it is either because I agree with it (and nothing more needs to be added) or I'm thinking about it. If there is something I disagree with, and feel strongly enough about it, I'll say something. Maybe. I don't feel a compelling need to agree with everyone about everything, and we can agree to disagree.
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I lack Uncle Ken's superior cable access to the RNC convention, but I've seen bits and pieces on PBS and other networks. I've seen a lot of online stuff, the analysis of which is all over the place. It's getting to the point where it's impossible to find the truth hidden among all the facts.
I have a feeling that all the dystopian science fiction I've read, and movies I've seen, have come to life. 1984, of course. Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451...the list goes on. Lots of Twilight Zone, and can't forget Rollerball (1975). Maybe I should watch Idiocracy tonight, for a few laughs.
So here's a fantasy scenario of mine:
In late August, or early September, the Hoosier bails out, stating "I can't in good conscience continue; this guy is nuts."
Hilarity ensues.
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It's interesting how online communication has evolved. I recall the BBSs, forums, UseNet, and when a 14.4 modem was wicked fast.
There was BoardWatch magazine, which I eagerly awaited every month. The notion that people had multiple phone lines to service their BBS seems absurd today, but folks were happy to pay five or ten bucks a month for the privilege of downloading unlimited porn from Rusty & Edy's BBS. Never went there myself, but I recall that they had upwards of twenty phone lines. So there was plenty of money to be made.
Then Tim Berners-Lee messed it all up when he developed the World Wide Web. Golly, that was something! The BBS was dead, stiffer than a carp. When Mosaic showed up. I thought I was living in the age of miracles, and very glad to stop using Lynx for browsing.
Fast forward to the 21st century and we are awash in social media, of which blogs are a significant part. Blogs lack the immediacy of twits and bookface posts but also have a greater depth and usually reflect a bit more thought.
The contributors here are close to being on the same wavelength, with not much static. Mr. Beagles' recent statement is an almost word-for-word copy of what I told Uncle Ken last week. If I don't comment on something, it is either because I agree with it (and nothing more needs to be added) or I'm thinking about it. If there is something I disagree with, and feel strongly enough about it, I'll say something. Maybe. I don't feel a compelling need to agree with everyone about everything, and we can agree to disagree.
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I lack Uncle Ken's superior cable access to the RNC convention, but I've seen bits and pieces on PBS and other networks. I've seen a lot of online stuff, the analysis of which is all over the place. It's getting to the point where it's impossible to find the truth hidden among all the facts.
I have a feeling that all the dystopian science fiction I've read, and movies I've seen, have come to life. 1984, of course. Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451...the list goes on. Lots of Twilight Zone, and can't forget Rollerball (1975). Maybe I should watch Idiocracy tonight, for a few laughs.
So here's a fantasy scenario of mine:
In late August, or early September, the Hoosier bails out, stating "I can't in good conscience continue; this guy is nuts."
Hilarity ensues.
from Cleveland
I've been watching the repubs and I am somewhat surprised that it is
not as much fun as I thought it would be, but then I have to ask myself,
why did I think it would be so much fun, and I'm not sure. I guess I
expected the Never Trumps to put up more of a fight, but they are
vanquished and their tales are between their legs.
Mostly it's all just anti Hilary stuff. It gets a little old because once you have declared her the devil incarnate where do you go from there? But I guess the repubs can't get enough of it. One of the pundits was saying to one of the other pundits that gee this anti Hil stuff is getting, well, old. Isn't the point of a convention to build up your own candidate? Normally, the other pundit punditted (probably not a word but surely it should be) that would be the case, but in the case of Trump nobody knows what to say because nobody is sure what he will say next.
There is only one thing to be sure of, he will make this country great again, somehow, and you know the way he keeps popping up he is watching, like Big Brother, and they might say something that he didn't like.
How about that Melania? The latest, as of this morning, is that somebody else wrote the speech and she inserted those plagiarized parts. But where is this info coming from? There are all these reports coming from inside the Trump campaign, but no names for who they come from.
How about that Hollywood-pretty den of vipers that is Trump's offspring? Brrrr.
Well see, I hate it, but I can't take my eyes off of it. I think Old Dog remembers a columnist named Bob Greene who wrote this awful treacly stuff. There was a column in the Reader, written interestingly enough by Neil Steinberg, which made fun of Greene's columns and was called I Read Bob Greene So You Don't Have To. Well I watch the republican convention so you don't have to.
I guess the term I should have used instead of bullshitting was bull sessions. You were young and you were exposed to conventional wisdom, but there were parts that didn't make sense to you. You couldn't take this to an adult because they would just tell you to shut up and maybe you would get into trouble, so you took it to your peers.
This reminds me of the story of Beagles losing his Methodism and heading into the wilds of Alaska. Well it didn't happen exactly that way, you know I like to drum up a little drama, but maybe Beagles will retell that story.
A lot of people just cobble together something and it's like okay, now I'm done thinking about things and they just carry those particular beliefs to the grave.
Mostly it's all just anti Hilary stuff. It gets a little old because once you have declared her the devil incarnate where do you go from there? But I guess the repubs can't get enough of it. One of the pundits was saying to one of the other pundits that gee this anti Hil stuff is getting, well, old. Isn't the point of a convention to build up your own candidate? Normally, the other pundit punditted (probably not a word but surely it should be) that would be the case, but in the case of Trump nobody knows what to say because nobody is sure what he will say next.
There is only one thing to be sure of, he will make this country great again, somehow, and you know the way he keeps popping up he is watching, like Big Brother, and they might say something that he didn't like.
How about that Melania? The latest, as of this morning, is that somebody else wrote the speech and she inserted those plagiarized parts. But where is this info coming from? There are all these reports coming from inside the Trump campaign, but no names for who they come from.
How about that Hollywood-pretty den of vipers that is Trump's offspring? Brrrr.
Well see, I hate it, but I can't take my eyes off of it. I think Old Dog remembers a columnist named Bob Greene who wrote this awful treacly stuff. There was a column in the Reader, written interestingly enough by Neil Steinberg, which made fun of Greene's columns and was called I Read Bob Greene So You Don't Have To. Well I watch the republican convention so you don't have to.
I guess the term I should have used instead of bullshitting was bull sessions. You were young and you were exposed to conventional wisdom, but there were parts that didn't make sense to you. You couldn't take this to an adult because they would just tell you to shut up and maybe you would get into trouble, so you took it to your peers.
This reminds me of the story of Beagles losing his Methodism and heading into the wilds of Alaska. Well it didn't happen exactly that way, you know I like to drum up a little drama, but maybe Beagles will retell that story.
A lot of people just cobble together something and it's like okay, now I'm done thinking about things and they just carry those particular beliefs to the grave.
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Everything's Fine
Remember when they used to make jokes about women drivers? I don't know why, but it was a common myth at the time that women didn't drive as well as men. The only one I remember is, this guy asked his friend how his wife's driving was coming along, and the friend answered, "Fine......fine......fine....... one fine after another." Anyway, I think we are doing just fine with this blog. We tend to wander around a bit, but so do people in real life conversations.
Before there were blogs, there were forums, aka bulletin boards. Somebody would start a topic and others would add comments to it. Most forums had one or more moderators who were supposed to keep everybody on topic. Forums were fine, but I like blogs better, you don't have to worry about staying on topic because all the topics are in one place. One thing I've noticed is that, with three participants, there seems to be more topics going on at once. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, but maybe we don't need to address every topic in every post we make. If I don't say anything, it doesn't mean I'm not interested, it just means I have nothing to add at the moment. That's how it should be in real life too. You aren't supposed talk all the time just to hear the sound of your own voice. If you've got something to say, say it, and then give somebody else a chance to speak too...... or so I have been told.
I haven't been watching the GOP convention, but I have heard on the news that a lot of people who usually attend those things aren't showing up this time. I suppose that means they don't want to be viewed as supporting Trump. Some of the pundits seem to think that the Dump Trump movement is still planning on pulling something, but they're not sure exactly what. I don't care, I'm voting for the Libertarian candidate this time. I don't know a lot about him, and I don't plan on trying to learn more. All I need to know is that he's not Trump and he's not Hillary. If I dig too deep, I might find out that I don't like him either. Who would I vote for then?
Before there were blogs, there were forums, aka bulletin boards. Somebody would start a topic and others would add comments to it. Most forums had one or more moderators who were supposed to keep everybody on topic. Forums were fine, but I like blogs better, you don't have to worry about staying on topic because all the topics are in one place. One thing I've noticed is that, with three participants, there seems to be more topics going on at once. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, but maybe we don't need to address every topic in every post we make. If I don't say anything, it doesn't mean I'm not interested, it just means I have nothing to add at the moment. That's how it should be in real life too. You aren't supposed talk all the time just to hear the sound of your own voice. If you've got something to say, say it, and then give somebody else a chance to speak too...... or so I have been told.
I haven't been watching the GOP convention, but I have heard on the news that a lot of people who usually attend those things aren't showing up this time. I suppose that means they don't want to be viewed as supporting Trump. Some of the pundits seem to think that the Dump Trump movement is still planning on pulling something, but they're not sure exactly what. I don't care, I'm voting for the Libertarian candidate this time. I don't know a lot about him, and I don't plan on trying to learn more. All I need to know is that he's not Trump and he's not Hillary. If I dig too deep, I might find out that I don't like him either. Who would I vote for then?
Silver linings
Although many of us are shocked about the way things have transpired in the political arena of 2016, should we be surprised? Many bytes are being spilled as the pundits chew on the causes, but this has been a long time coming, and the chickens are coming home to roost.
The ideal of the United States is confronting the reality of the United States, and it ain't pretty. Despite the noble origins, our history has many regrettable aspects which we have ignored or forgotten, at our peril.
To expound further is too taxing at the moment but I remain optimistic for the long term outcome. A couple of Frenchies have helped....
"In a democracy people get the leaders they deserve." -Joseph de Maistre
"The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults." -Alexis de Tocqueville
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Bullshitting, or as I prefer, the art of philosophical discourse, seems to be falling out of favor. It's that binary thing again; black/white (not talking about race) is easier for some folks to discern than infinite shades of gray. Technology doesn't help much except for the rare astute blog. There was a good article in the Atlantic recently about how Google is making people more stupid; worth a read. To find it, just Google "Google stupid." Is that what is called irony?
Some geezers at the end of the bar are still doing their best to elevate bullshitting to a high art form, or so I've heard. Not all bullshitting produces bullshit...
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I was going to say something maudlin about "silver linings" but then I thought of a presumptive nominee... "Silver linings are for LOSERS! You want GOLD."
The ideal of the United States is confronting the reality of the United States, and it ain't pretty. Despite the noble origins, our history has many regrettable aspects which we have ignored or forgotten, at our peril.
To expound further is too taxing at the moment but I remain optimistic for the long term outcome. A couple of Frenchies have helped....
"In a democracy people get the leaders they deserve." -Joseph de Maistre
"The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults." -Alexis de Tocqueville
-----
Bullshitting, or as I prefer, the art of philosophical discourse, seems to be falling out of favor. It's that binary thing again; black/white (not talking about race) is easier for some folks to discern than infinite shades of gray. Technology doesn't help much except for the rare astute blog. There was a good article in the Atlantic recently about how Google is making people more stupid; worth a read. To find it, just Google "Google stupid." Is that what is called irony?
Some geezers at the end of the bar are still doing their best to elevate bullshitting to a high art form, or so I've heard. Not all bullshitting produces bullshit...
------
I was going to say something maudlin about "silver linings" but then I thought of a presumptive nominee... "Silver linings are for LOSERS! You want GOLD."
driving off a cliff
I should have noticed that that was Old Dog's comment because it was in the middle of a bunch of ellipses.
I agree with Beagles that there probably is no reason to change our format, it would in the end just make things more complicated and adversely effect our much vaunted spontaneity.
Maybe I shouldn't have said meaningless (though I do believe it is meaningless, but that is an argument for another day) for the caveman stepping into the enlightenment dilemma. Maybe it's more like doing right, or more specifically knowing what is the right thing to do, that's the thing that seems to drive philosophers batty. I imagine it's not hard to do what's right when your life is pretty simple and you don't have that much brain power.
But once you get to thinking about things you begin to wonder what is the meaning of doing right, and what if doing the right thing right now results in worse things happening later, and should you do what you feel is right or should you think it out as to what the consequences will be, and is it possible to construct a theory (philosophy) that will tell you what is the right and wrong thing to do in every circumstance? Questions like that, the kind of questions that go on in bullshitting sessions.
It seems to me that in our teens and early adulthood we have those bullshitting sessions, but not much later in life. It seems to me that most people just drop the subject with a shrug and go on about their lives and some of us come up with a halfass answer that is not perfect but will do for something to say when the question comes up and just stick with that. And still others discover some obscure blog.
I am so disappointed to learn that Camus was not behind the wheel. I like to think of him as driving that winding seaside road and thinking like the guy looking for love pulling the petals off the flower. To commit suicide. To not commit suicide, and then finally saying "Of fuck it," and driving off the cliff.
His whole philosophy was about how to lead your life and then his ends by some other guy taking his eye off the road. Ah the irony he may have thought heading for the jagged rocks.
Watched the Republicans last night. I thought I would be laughing my ass off, but I kept getting more and more scared. A lot of hate, a lot of fear. This current shooting spree I believe they are going to try to ride that to victory, and they may well succeed. When the mob is scared they prefer people who show no doubt over people proposing complicated answers.
I agree with Beagles that there probably is no reason to change our format, it would in the end just make things more complicated and adversely effect our much vaunted spontaneity.
Maybe I shouldn't have said meaningless (though I do believe it is meaningless, but that is an argument for another day) for the caveman stepping into the enlightenment dilemma. Maybe it's more like doing right, or more specifically knowing what is the right thing to do, that's the thing that seems to drive philosophers batty. I imagine it's not hard to do what's right when your life is pretty simple and you don't have that much brain power.
But once you get to thinking about things you begin to wonder what is the meaning of doing right, and what if doing the right thing right now results in worse things happening later, and should you do what you feel is right or should you think it out as to what the consequences will be, and is it possible to construct a theory (philosophy) that will tell you what is the right and wrong thing to do in every circumstance? Questions like that, the kind of questions that go on in bullshitting sessions.
It seems to me that in our teens and early adulthood we have those bullshitting sessions, but not much later in life. It seems to me that most people just drop the subject with a shrug and go on about their lives and some of us come up with a halfass answer that is not perfect but will do for something to say when the question comes up and just stick with that. And still others discover some obscure blog.
I am so disappointed to learn that Camus was not behind the wheel. I like to think of him as driving that winding seaside road and thinking like the guy looking for love pulling the petals off the flower. To commit suicide. To not commit suicide, and then finally saying "Of fuck it," and driving off the cliff.
His whole philosophy was about how to lead your life and then his ends by some other guy taking his eye off the road. Ah the irony he may have thought heading for the jagged rocks.
Watched the Republicans last night. I thought I would be laughing my ass off, but I kept getting more and more scared. A lot of hate, a lot of fear. This current shooting spree I believe they are going to try to ride that to victory, and they may well succeed. When the mob is scared they prefer people who show no doubt over people proposing complicated answers.
Three's a crowd?
Note: this was written before I read Mr. Beagles' current post:
My understanding of Mormons has been spotty, but you fellows have nicely summarized some of their history. Other than my Uncle Andy, who married my mother's sister, I don't think I've ever known any Mormons personally and we've never discussed matters of faith.
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Camus wasn't driving the car in his fatal car crash. His publisher, who also died, was the driver. The fates are fickle.
But Uncle Ken is correct in his assessment of the difficulty in commenting. I'll have to take the responsibility for this; I add too many topics and let my thoughts wander too much. So, I'm going to put myself on probabtion until I get a better feel of the literary integrity of the Institute. This means I'll not initiate new topics or questions unless they relate to matters already at hand. It's worth a shot. Too many cooks and all that...
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This is new:
Mr. Natural was is a character created by Robert Crumb, noted artist of the undergound comic era of the 60s and 70s. "Keep On Truckin'"
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The notion of insane babies was mine, reposted by Mr. Beagles who is correct in that they are blank slates and not insane.
Monday, July 18, 2016
The Last Prophet
It is more complicated with three people, but I don't think we need to institute more structure in the Institute. I suggest we let the discussion run wild for awhile and see what happens. Like that famous guy said, "When there is no need to change, there is a need not to change."
The question about being born insane, which Ken attributes to me, originated with Old Dog. I re-quoted it two posts ago and was trying to address it in my last post. I'm not sure that I understand the question, but that's never stopped me before.
I'm not sure that I understand Ken's statements about the world being meaningless either, and I have no idea who Mr. Natural is. I don't think the world is meaningless, but I suppose it depends what you mean by "meaningless". We've got this whole world teeming with all kinds of life forms that are dependent on each other for survival. Something has to die so that something else can live. Sometimes a whole species goes extinct, but then another species pops up to take its place. Seems pretty meaningful to me. I find it easier to believe that there is some kind of plan that is driving it all but, even if there isn't, it's hardly a trivial thing. There may be other worlds out there that are just as meaningful, but we don't know that for sure, so we'd better take care of the world we've got, just in case it's the only one.
I believe that the scriptural justification for the belief that there are no prophets nowadays comes from First Corinthians Chapter 13. I am familiar with the passage, and I don't get that out of it. The phrase "prophesy will cease" is frequently quoted out of context. If you read the whole chapter, Paul is trying to settle a dispute among the congregation in Corinth about what is more important, prophesy, or speaking in tongues. He asserts that both prophesy and speaking in tongues will pass away because "....our prophesy is imperfect and our knowledge is imperfect but, when the Perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away." The capitalization of "Perfect" indicates that Paul is talking about the Second Coming of Jesus, which he and most other early Christians believed to be imminent. When Jesus comes again, there will be no need for prophecy because all the prophesies will have been fulfilled.
Mohammed preached something like that back in the day. If memory serves me, he recognized five true prophets in history: Adam, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. Mohammed asserted that he was the sixth and final prophet, because the Apocalypse was going to happen in his lifetime and, after that, there would be no need for any more prophets.
I read somewhere that Joseph Smith had been interested in the story of Mohammed, and may have gotten some of his inspiration from it, although I doubt that most Mormons would agree. Last I heard, the Mormons were still calling the current leader of their church a prophet. We used to know some Mormons back in the 80s, and they told us that their prophet had recently advised them to stockpile non-perishable food because hard times were coming. I told them that, for us, the hard times were already here, and that we had enough to do just putting this week's groceries in the house. They said that, if I would quit drinking, smoking, and doing everything else that was fun, I could give ten percent of my income to their church and have money left over. They weren't being pricky about it, they were actually really nice people who had our best interests at heart. We went to church with them once and were in there for like five hours. I don't regret the experience, but I was happy to finally get out of there and light up a cigarette.
The question about being born insane, which Ken attributes to me, originated with Old Dog. I re-quoted it two posts ago and was trying to address it in my last post. I'm not sure that I understand the question, but that's never stopped me before.
I'm not sure that I understand Ken's statements about the world being meaningless either, and I have no idea who Mr. Natural is. I don't think the world is meaningless, but I suppose it depends what you mean by "meaningless". We've got this whole world teeming with all kinds of life forms that are dependent on each other for survival. Something has to die so that something else can live. Sometimes a whole species goes extinct, but then another species pops up to take its place. Seems pretty meaningful to me. I find it easier to believe that there is some kind of plan that is driving it all but, even if there isn't, it's hardly a trivial thing. There may be other worlds out there that are just as meaningful, but we don't know that for sure, so we'd better take care of the world we've got, just in case it's the only one.
I believe that the scriptural justification for the belief that there are no prophets nowadays comes from First Corinthians Chapter 13. I am familiar with the passage, and I don't get that out of it. The phrase "prophesy will cease" is frequently quoted out of context. If you read the whole chapter, Paul is trying to settle a dispute among the congregation in Corinth about what is more important, prophesy, or speaking in tongues. He asserts that both prophesy and speaking in tongues will pass away because "....our prophesy is imperfect and our knowledge is imperfect but, when the Perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away." The capitalization of "Perfect" indicates that Paul is talking about the Second Coming of Jesus, which he and most other early Christians believed to be imminent. When Jesus comes again, there will be no need for prophecy because all the prophesies will have been fulfilled.
Mohammed preached something like that back in the day. If memory serves me, he recognized five true prophets in history: Adam, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. Mohammed asserted that he was the sixth and final prophet, because the Apocalypse was going to happen in his lifetime and, after that, there would be no need for any more prophets.
I read somewhere that Joseph Smith had been interested in the story of Mohammed, and may have gotten some of his inspiration from it, although I doubt that most Mormons would agree. Last I heard, the Mormons were still calling the current leader of their church a prophet. We used to know some Mormons back in the 80s, and they told us that their prophet had recently advised them to stockpile non-perishable food because hard times were coming. I told them that, for us, the hard times were already here, and that we had enough to do just putting this week's groceries in the house. They said that, if I would quit drinking, smoking, and doing everything else that was fun, I could give ten percent of my income to their church and have money left over. They weren't being pricky about it, they were actually really nice people who had our best interests at heart. We went to church with them once and were in there for like five hours. I don't regret the experience, but I was happy to finally get out of there and light up a cigarette.
what does it all mean Mr Natural?
This question from Beagles has piqued my interest.
are human beings born insane, and the belief in imaginary things makes us sane enough to function
Since insane is the opposite of same, surely we are not born that way. And I think the insane we are talking about here is not the kind that sends you into the rubber room, but rather the belief in things that don't make sense if you explore them logically, rather than an inability to think straight at all. Well we're not here to discuss insanity today.
What I have wondered though is that for a long time our forebears were just scrambling for existence, and like my cats (I assume) wouldn't even be able to formulate the question of whether life has any meaning. Eventually we got language, and somewhere after that, but before we got agriculture, our ancestors must have begun thinking, what does it all mean. I believe, as Mr Natural sez, that it don't mean shit. I wonder if at that point there were some who couldn't take the fact that it didn't mean shit, and they just wandered off into the night and never had kids and so their genes were lost and only those of us who had the genetic make up to survive a meaningless world survived. I don't guess I really believe this, but I think it makes a good discussion point.
Of course even today we have those disturbed by a meaningless life. I believe it was that cool but wacky philosopher Camus, who claimed that the first question of philosophy was why not commit suicide. After a bit of thinking I believe he decided that he shouldn't commit suicide and then he drove his sports car off a cliff. I suppose Mr Natural was chuckling.
It so happens that I am reading a book about early Christianity, and there did indeed come a point where it was declared that the age of prophecy was over. Well you have to do that or else how can you have any belief system if something new comes up every weekend? Especially if that revelation, as I suspect it almost always did, reflected badly on the current administration. The Mormons, as you recall, started off with a revelation, but they too had to cap the age of revelation.
And you know the church, it always wants to project this idea that it is eternal and has been so forever, but it has gone through many changes over the years.
One of the problems with the Mormons was their way of taking over. You're sitting in the town square whittling to beat the band and here come the Mormons ('Mons!, oh nevermind. And you're thinking well an odd looking lot, kind of a disturbing glint in their eyes, a somewhat sinister curl in their smug smiles, but this old town has been going down the hills and we could use some more new people, people to shop in our stores and maybe give us jobs in their stores.
But it never worked out that way. The Mormons opened their own stores and only shopped in them and only hired other Mormons to work in their stores, and then they started running their people for city offices and of course those people got one hundred percent of the Mormon vote, and sooner or later that led to pitchfork and torch time.
It's getting a little more difficult to comment with three people, now i have to not just reply to Beagles but to what Old Dog said about Beagles and vice versa. I wonder if we should have some structure like closing comments, but I'll just leave that for contemplation for the nonce.
are human beings born insane, and the belief in imaginary things makes us sane enough to function
Since insane is the opposite of same, surely we are not born that way. And I think the insane we are talking about here is not the kind that sends you into the rubber room, but rather the belief in things that don't make sense if you explore them logically, rather than an inability to think straight at all. Well we're not here to discuss insanity today.
What I have wondered though is that for a long time our forebears were just scrambling for existence, and like my cats (I assume) wouldn't even be able to formulate the question of whether life has any meaning. Eventually we got language, and somewhere after that, but before we got agriculture, our ancestors must have begun thinking, what does it all mean. I believe, as Mr Natural sez, that it don't mean shit. I wonder if at that point there were some who couldn't take the fact that it didn't mean shit, and they just wandered off into the night and never had kids and so their genes were lost and only those of us who had the genetic make up to survive a meaningless world survived. I don't guess I really believe this, but I think it makes a good discussion point.
Of course even today we have those disturbed by a meaningless life. I believe it was that cool but wacky philosopher Camus, who claimed that the first question of philosophy was why not commit suicide. After a bit of thinking I believe he decided that he shouldn't commit suicide and then he drove his sports car off a cliff. I suppose Mr Natural was chuckling.
It so happens that I am reading a book about early Christianity, and there did indeed come a point where it was declared that the age of prophecy was over. Well you have to do that or else how can you have any belief system if something new comes up every weekend? Especially if that revelation, as I suspect it almost always did, reflected badly on the current administration. The Mormons, as you recall, started off with a revelation, but they too had to cap the age of revelation.
And you know the church, it always wants to project this idea that it is eternal and has been so forever, but it has gone through many changes over the years.
One of the problems with the Mormons was their way of taking over. You're sitting in the town square whittling to beat the band and here come the Mormons ('Mons!, oh nevermind. And you're thinking well an odd looking lot, kind of a disturbing glint in their eyes, a somewhat sinister curl in their smug smiles, but this old town has been going down the hills and we could use some more new people, people to shop in our stores and maybe give us jobs in their stores.
But it never worked out that way. The Mormons opened their own stores and only shopped in them and only hired other Mormons to work in their stores, and then they started running their people for city offices and of course those people got one hundred percent of the Mormon vote, and sooner or later that led to pitchfork and torch time.
It's getting a little more difficult to comment with three people, now i have to not just reply to Beagles but to what Old Dog said about Beagles and vice versa. I wonder if we should have some structure like closing comments, but I'll just leave that for contemplation for the nonce.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Born Ignorant
I think it would be more accurate to call a new born baby "ignorant" than "insane". Humans are born knowing practically nothing, but they begin learning almost immediately. Most of what they learn comes from other people and, after the first couple of years, much of that knowledge comes in the form of stories. Not all stories are true, but the best ones teach a lesson about life, whether they're true of not. Is this what you meant when you said "belief in imaginary things"?
Religions do so evolve over time, but not all of their followers are happy with the changes that take place. These guys are called "fundamentalists". They are always trying to get back to the old time religion, even though some of the old tenants are no longer workable, which is why they were changed in the first place.
The Mormons were persecuted, mostly because of their belief in polygamy. Their founder Joseph Smith and his brother Hiram were murdered by a mob while they were locked in a jail cell, shot to death right through the bars. The flock scattered after that, with the largest faction, led by Brigham Young, ending up in Utah. Some time later, there was a massacre of a wagon train full of innocent settlers that were just passing through the territory. It seems that some paranoid Mormons thought the settlers were an invasion force that had come to drive them out of Utah. Other than that, I don't think the Mormons were any more violent than anybody else in those days.
The polygamy thing came from a divine revelation given to their founder, who they called their "prophet". When Utah applied for statehood, they were told they had to renounce polygamy or no deal. I don't remember who was their prophet by then, but he coincidently had another divine revelation that rescinded the original revelation about polygamy. Some of the Mormons never did accept that second revelation, and spun off their own Fundamentalist Mormon Church. These are the guys who you hear about every now and then getting into trouble with the law over the issue. Well, not the original guys because they're all dead by now, but you know what I mean.
There are still a few prophets among us, but they are generally regarded as crackpots or charlatans. I've often wondered if the prophets of Biblical times were any better. Some of their predictions seem to have come true, but we don't know how many others made predictions that never came true because those guys wouldn't have made it into the Bible. Then there's the greatest prophet of all, Jesus, who predicted that He would be back within the current generation to kick ass and take names. When He didn't show up as expected, His followers just re-interpreted the prophesy, and they have been re-interpreting it ever since.
Religions do so evolve over time, but not all of their followers are happy with the changes that take place. These guys are called "fundamentalists". They are always trying to get back to the old time religion, even though some of the old tenants are no longer workable, which is why they were changed in the first place.
The Mormons were persecuted, mostly because of their belief in polygamy. Their founder Joseph Smith and his brother Hiram were murdered by a mob while they were locked in a jail cell, shot to death right through the bars. The flock scattered after that, with the largest faction, led by Brigham Young, ending up in Utah. Some time later, there was a massacre of a wagon train full of innocent settlers that were just passing through the territory. It seems that some paranoid Mormons thought the settlers were an invasion force that had come to drive them out of Utah. Other than that, I don't think the Mormons were any more violent than anybody else in those days.
The polygamy thing came from a divine revelation given to their founder, who they called their "prophet". When Utah applied for statehood, they were told they had to renounce polygamy or no deal. I don't remember who was their prophet by then, but he coincidently had another divine revelation that rescinded the original revelation about polygamy. Some of the Mormons never did accept that second revelation, and spun off their own Fundamentalist Mormon Church. These are the guys who you hear about every now and then getting into trouble with the law over the issue. Well, not the original guys because they're all dead by now, but you know what I mean.
There are still a few prophets among us, but they are generally regarded as crackpots or charlatans. I've often wondered if the prophets of Biblical times were any better. Some of their predictions seem to have come true, but we don't know how many others made predictions that never came true because those guys wouldn't have made it into the Bible. Then there's the greatest prophet of all, Jesus, who predicted that He would be back within the current generation to kick ass and take names. When He didn't show up as expected, His followers just re-interpreted the prophesy, and they have been re-interpreting it ever since.
Lazy Sunday
Punctuation was one of the many topics discussed during the Tencat seminar this past Friday night. Both Uncle Ken and I are in agreement regarding the Oxford Comma, but UK is not so sure about my extravagant usage of the ellipsis and semi-colon. I like them because I when I write, I develop ideas verbally and there are slight pauses introduced by the punctuation which more closely reflect the spoken word.
Then UK told me that I remind him of Bender Rodriguez, the robot from Futurama. Not the sound of the voice, but the speech patterns. That's a notion I have not yet entertained; it's worth a viewing of some old DVDs, if I can find them. There are many cartoon aspects of my reality....
-----
See those hyphens above? Same thing; to break up ideas. Uncle Ken says that he triple-spaces for a change in topic, but they are visually too subtle for my browser (Firefox). A harmless affectation...
And see the ellipsis? I use them when an idea or thought just peters out. It is sure to give future grammarians fits of displeasure.
-----
For a final thought on punctuation, Mr. Beagles' conversation with his grandfather made me smile. As I re-read it, I unconsciously inserted a comma which made it read "I'm good, for nothing!" Maybe that was the intent of Little Boy Beagles, but it wrecks the warmth of the story and would have made it forgettable, I think.
-----
Ah, theology! Philisophy! Quite a frequent topic in the Friday seminars. Uncle Ken was raised Methodist, as I recall, and I've had plenty of years in Lutheran schools. We can certainly flap out gums, at length, on many aspects of Protestantism.
I like and dislike all religions in equal measure. All traditional faiths provide sound moral frameworks, which is good for a stable society. But it pisses me off when religious tenets are forced upon the "non-believers." The proselytizing religious fundamentalists of all stripes are assholes, in my opinon.
A while back I told Uncle Ken about a philosophy of mine, in three short sentences.
1. We don't pick out parents.
2. We don't choose where we were born.
3. We don't have a choice on how we were raised.
As we grow up and mature we begin to challenge and question many things which often causes conflict within family and community. But there comes a time when we have to assume the responsibility of our lives and proceed accordingly. Hopefully we can become decent people, although it doesn't always work out that way. Some folks buy into everything they've been told and perpetuate a lot of stupidity.
Suppose a baby, born blind, was adopted by a family, of a different race and religion, in another country. How would their sense of self-identity develop?
A friend of mine (not blind) was born in Mexico, with a Mexican birth certificate. His parents were German citizens and they moved to Chicago when he was a baby; he doesn't speak a lick of Spanish, but knows a bit of German. As far as the law is concerned he is still an undocumented alien. I'm not sure of all the details, but it's a can of worms. I think he considers himself German, but I see him rarely and the topic seldom comes up.
-----
One of the beefs I have with organized religion is that they all developed and grew but then stopped evolving, getting stuck at a certain point in time with all tenets locked in place. Which is dumb, I think. Ideas that worked out well hundreds or thousands or years ago may not make a lot of sense today.
It's like there came a point in time where it was decided that there were to be no more prophets, no more growth or development of matters of faith. WTF?
People that justify their behavior because it's based on the Bible, "The word of God," have got it wrong. I was taught that the Bible was the divinely *inspired* word of God, written by the hand of man. And like all works of man. errors can occur.
Divine inspiration has been continuous throughout history and should be incorporated into modern belief systems, don'cha think?
And do you suppose that folks in 19th century America considered Mormons in the same way we consider Scientologists today? The Mormons have a much more violent and bloody history, though.
-----
Enough. The RNC circus in Cleveland starts tomorrow and I'm out of popcorn.
Then UK told me that I remind him of Bender Rodriguez, the robot from Futurama. Not the sound of the voice, but the speech patterns. That's a notion I have not yet entertained; it's worth a viewing of some old DVDs, if I can find them. There are many cartoon aspects of my reality....
-----
See those hyphens above? Same thing; to break up ideas. Uncle Ken says that he triple-spaces for a change in topic, but they are visually too subtle for my browser (Firefox). A harmless affectation...
And see the ellipsis? I use them when an idea or thought just peters out. It is sure to give future grammarians fits of displeasure.
-----
For a final thought on punctuation, Mr. Beagles' conversation with his grandfather made me smile. As I re-read it, I unconsciously inserted a comma which made it read "I'm good, for nothing!" Maybe that was the intent of Little Boy Beagles, but it wrecks the warmth of the story and would have made it forgettable, I think.
-----
Ah, theology! Philisophy! Quite a frequent topic in the Friday seminars. Uncle Ken was raised Methodist, as I recall, and I've had plenty of years in Lutheran schools. We can certainly flap out gums, at length, on many aspects of Protestantism.
I like and dislike all religions in equal measure. All traditional faiths provide sound moral frameworks, which is good for a stable society. But it pisses me off when religious tenets are forced upon the "non-believers." The proselytizing religious fundamentalists of all stripes are assholes, in my opinon.
A while back I told Uncle Ken about a philosophy of mine, in three short sentences.
1. We don't pick out parents.
2. We don't choose where we were born.
3. We don't have a choice on how we were raised.
As we grow up and mature we begin to challenge and question many things which often causes conflict within family and community. But there comes a time when we have to assume the responsibility of our lives and proceed accordingly. Hopefully we can become decent people, although it doesn't always work out that way. Some folks buy into everything they've been told and perpetuate a lot of stupidity.
Suppose a baby, born blind, was adopted by a family, of a different race and religion, in another country. How would their sense of self-identity develop?
A friend of mine (not blind) was born in Mexico, with a Mexican birth certificate. His parents were German citizens and they moved to Chicago when he was a baby; he doesn't speak a lick of Spanish, but knows a bit of German. As far as the law is concerned he is still an undocumented alien. I'm not sure of all the details, but it's a can of worms. I think he considers himself German, but I see him rarely and the topic seldom comes up.
-----
One of the beefs I have with organized religion is that they all developed and grew but then stopped evolving, getting stuck at a certain point in time with all tenets locked in place. Which is dumb, I think. Ideas that worked out well hundreds or thousands or years ago may not make a lot of sense today.
It's like there came a point in time where it was decided that there were to be no more prophets, no more growth or development of matters of faith. WTF?
People that justify their behavior because it's based on the Bible, "The word of God," have got it wrong. I was taught that the Bible was the divinely *inspired* word of God, written by the hand of man. And like all works of man. errors can occur.
Divine inspiration has been continuous throughout history and should be incorporated into modern belief systems, don'cha think?
And do you suppose that folks in 19th century America considered Mormons in the same way we consider Scientologists today? The Mormons have a much more violent and bloody history, though.
-----
Enough. The RNC circus in Cleveland starts tomorrow and I'm out of popcorn.
Friday, July 15, 2016
Good For Nothing
When I first found out the truth about Santa, my mother asked me not to tell my sister who is around four years younger than me, so I didn't, but I think she found out from another source shortly thereafter. We didn't get fewer presents after that, we just knew where they were coming from. I can't speak for my sister, but I was never good just to get presents, it was just my nature to be good. Uncle Ken has heard this story, but Old Dog has not, and we never get tired of these old classics.
My grandfather was in the habit of giving us kids money after asking us if we had been good since his last visit. I felt kind of weird about it, but my mom said that it gave grandpa pleasure, and we shouldn't deny him that. This little interchange happened spontaneously the first time, and then it became a family tradition:
Grandpa: Are you a good boy?
Me (proudly): Yes I am.
Grandpa: Yeah, I know your kind, you're good for a nickel.
Me (indignantly): No I'm not!
Grandpa: Are you good for a dime?
Me: No, I'm just good, that's all.
Grandpa: Then you must be good for a quarter.
Me: No, Grandpa, I'm good for nothing!
It now appears that Old Dog introduced the Santa theme as a way to segue into a discussion about theology. Cool! Uncle Ken is kind of an atheist or agnostic, and I am a self styled Deist, which is somebody who believes in God but not religion.
"So now I must ask, are human beings born insane, and the belief in imaginary things makes us sane enough to function?" An interesting question, I don't believe I've ever looked at it that way. Let me think about it for awhile and I'll get back to you.
Don't worry about grades, Old Dog, this is not school and nobody is paying us to do this. We do this for our own satisfaction so, as long as you're having fun, you're doing all right.
My grandfather was in the habit of giving us kids money after asking us if we had been good since his last visit. I felt kind of weird about it, but my mom said that it gave grandpa pleasure, and we shouldn't deny him that. This little interchange happened spontaneously the first time, and then it became a family tradition:
Grandpa: Are you a good boy?
Me (proudly): Yes I am.
Grandpa: Yeah, I know your kind, you're good for a nickel.
Me (indignantly): No I'm not!
Grandpa: Are you good for a dime?
Me: No, I'm just good, that's all.
Grandpa: Then you must be good for a quarter.
Me: No, Grandpa, I'm good for nothing!
It now appears that Old Dog introduced the Santa theme as a way to segue into a discussion about theology. Cool! Uncle Ken is kind of an atheist or agnostic, and I am a self styled Deist, which is somebody who believes in God but not religion.
"So now I must ask, are human beings born insane, and the belief in imaginary things makes us sane enough to function?" An interesting question, I don't believe I've ever looked at it that way. Let me think about it for awhile and I'll get back to you.
Don't worry about grades, Old Dog, this is not school and nobody is paying us to do this. We do this for our own satisfaction so, as long as you're having fun, you're doing all right.
Nice guy
Rather than dismiss the World Giving Index out of hand I reserve the right to be skeptical, at this time. The numbers just aren't there...people can respond any way they want, just to look good.
I did a Google for "World Greed Index" and the results were disappointing. The big hits centered on CNN's "Fear and Greed Index," which is a tool for Wall Street types. No sense in me trying to ride that horse.
-----
Bad mouthing the jolly old elf? Nothing of the sort was intended, Uncle Ken. I acknowledge my inability to properly frame my thoughts...it had less to do with S. Claus and more to the notion of belief systems, and how they develop.
My memory is hazy but I think I heard about Santa before I heard about the son of the carpenter and his young girlfriend. The notion of receiving gifts, for no reason whatsoever except being "good" was a mind-blower, and didn't have much to do with the loot. It was all gravy as far as I was concerned. Know anybody that got a lump of coal? I don't. BTW, I asked my sister's kids (all late 20s) if they've ever handled coal and they looked at me like I sprouted antennae. Maybe I should carry a piece of coal in my pocket and ask some random Millennials (or younger) if they know what it is.
Over time, I noticed that Santa played favorites...little Mike down the street got a whole bunch of stuff, while Linda next door didn't get shit and she was much better behaved. Took a while to realize that Mikey's family was a lot better off than Linda's.
A perusal of Santa Claus on Wikipedia showed me the extent of "Big Santa," and I won't argue about it. The ideal is real enough and I can live with it.
So now I must ask, are human beings born insane, and the belief in imaginary things makes us sane enough to function? A poorly phrased question, but maybe you can see where I'm trying to go with this. I'm not so sure, myself.
Jeez, writing in the Institute's blog is a lot of hard work brain-wise, and I'm not used to it. I would grade my efforts thus far as between a D+ and C-, but it's early enough in the semester that I can maybe raise my grades. I dread the mid-term...
A final word on the original Saint Nicholas, the bishop of Smyrna. He paid the dowries for the three daughters of an impoverished devout Christian so they didn't have to become prostitutes. Nice guy.
-----
Good discussion of the Devil's Advocate. I noticed that people sometimes regard a simple question as an accusation or attack. Maybe it's my tone of voice. Are folks getting more thin-skinned, or it's that crusty geezers are not easily offended?
-----
Poor France. It's not just guns and bombs to worry about, add trucks to the list. What's next?
I did a Google for "World Greed Index" and the results were disappointing. The big hits centered on CNN's "Fear and Greed Index," which is a tool for Wall Street types. No sense in me trying to ride that horse.
-----
Bad mouthing the jolly old elf? Nothing of the sort was intended, Uncle Ken. I acknowledge my inability to properly frame my thoughts...it had less to do with S. Claus and more to the notion of belief systems, and how they develop.
My memory is hazy but I think I heard about Santa before I heard about the son of the carpenter and his young girlfriend. The notion of receiving gifts, for no reason whatsoever except being "good" was a mind-blower, and didn't have much to do with the loot. It was all gravy as far as I was concerned. Know anybody that got a lump of coal? I don't. BTW, I asked my sister's kids (all late 20s) if they've ever handled coal and they looked at me like I sprouted antennae. Maybe I should carry a piece of coal in my pocket and ask some random Millennials (or younger) if they know what it is.
Over time, I noticed that Santa played favorites...little Mike down the street got a whole bunch of stuff, while Linda next door didn't get shit and she was much better behaved. Took a while to realize that Mikey's family was a lot better off than Linda's.
A perusal of Santa Claus on Wikipedia showed me the extent of "Big Santa," and I won't argue about it. The ideal is real enough and I can live with it.
So now I must ask, are human beings born insane, and the belief in imaginary things makes us sane enough to function? A poorly phrased question, but maybe you can see where I'm trying to go with this. I'm not so sure, myself.
Jeez, writing in the Institute's blog is a lot of hard work brain-wise, and I'm not used to it. I would grade my efforts thus far as between a D+ and C-, but it's early enough in the semester that I can maybe raise my grades. I dread the mid-term...
A final word on the original Saint Nicholas, the bishop of Smyrna. He paid the dowries for the three daughters of an impoverished devout Christian so they didn't have to become prostitutes. Nice guy.
-----
Good discussion of the Devil's Advocate. I noticed that people sometimes regard a simple question as an accusation or attack. Maybe it's my tone of voice. Are folks getting more thin-skinned, or it's that crusty geezers are not easily offended?
-----
Poor France. It's not just guns and bombs to worry about, add trucks to the list. What's next?
'Thrians!
I guess you are right Beagles, a man is innocent until proven guilty. I
hadn't thought that one through. I guess it's good to have a union
protect you at times like that, otherwise you are out on your ear. I
guess it's the way that police unions are always protecting bad cops and
fighting rules to root them out, that makes me disfavor them.
Generally anymore we use the term devil's advocate, to mean we are giving a contrary opinion, but one we are not necessarily espousing ourselves, as in dem headquarters, "Let me play the devil's advocate, how could Hilary not have known that those emails contained classified matter?" The purpose here would be to see what the other side might say and then find a way to counter it, like when they have those pre-debate debates and somebody stands in for the opponent.
And sometimes it's a way of covering yourself. You want to express this contrarian opinion, because maybe it's been bugging you, but it's unpopular in your crowd and you don't want them to think that you yourself believe it, so you preface it with that phrase, "Let me play devil's advocate."
As for that story, it's hard to believe that Satan is not a lawyer isn't it? If it was a jury trial why didn't they hang the jury, and if a judge trial why not the judge.? Hum, why not hang Jesus, isn't it His job to keep us from doing the devil's work? Well I guess the point is free will, and you are just telling the story, you are being the devil's advocate.
Foreign aid, we have been through that before. It's not all that much money, and per capita it doesn't amount to much and mostly it is just a tool of foreign policy, do what we want and the money flows, otherwise we shut it off.
My bigger point is how do you measure generosity, bravery, honesty, or other abstract, poorly defined, qualities, especially across countries, to the point where you can rank one above the other?
I notice neither of the other members of the institute has fessed up to going along with the Santa game to get more loot. I'm trying to remember if when I was a kid, I enjoyed gifts more knowing that they were no-strings attached, rather than from my parents who might expect some good behavior from me in exchange. Of course Santa was supposed to keep track of the naughty and nice, but you know, you can just see Santa standing in front of the stocking with a lump of coal in one hand and a bright red fire truck in the other and you know he's going to say what the hell, and his eyes all atwinkle, toss the truck into the stocking. There is still plenty of winter where he comes from and fire trucks don't burn that well.
Well Christmas (and here of course,I mean Santa Christmas, those religious nuts can just do a little research and put the birth of their savior in say, April, when the shepherds would be seeking their sheep, and leave Dec 25 to us latter day Mithrians ('Thrians!)) is the most hypocritical day of the year. There is all that peace on earth and good will to man crapola, but we all know it is all about the loot. But you know I'm not all that against hypocrisy, it's just another form of manners, and if it took that screaming Christmas section of Walgreens that you passed to buy a lousy pack of gum, to move you to give the bum outside the door a buck, well still the cause of good will towards man is advanced.
Generally anymore we use the term devil's advocate, to mean we are giving a contrary opinion, but one we are not necessarily espousing ourselves, as in dem headquarters, "Let me play the devil's advocate, how could Hilary not have known that those emails contained classified matter?" The purpose here would be to see what the other side might say and then find a way to counter it, like when they have those pre-debate debates and somebody stands in for the opponent.
And sometimes it's a way of covering yourself. You want to express this contrarian opinion, because maybe it's been bugging you, but it's unpopular in your crowd and you don't want them to think that you yourself believe it, so you preface it with that phrase, "Let me play devil's advocate."
As for that story, it's hard to believe that Satan is not a lawyer isn't it? If it was a jury trial why didn't they hang the jury, and if a judge trial why not the judge.? Hum, why not hang Jesus, isn't it His job to keep us from doing the devil's work? Well I guess the point is free will, and you are just telling the story, you are being the devil's advocate.
Foreign aid, we have been through that before. It's not all that much money, and per capita it doesn't amount to much and mostly it is just a tool of foreign policy, do what we want and the money flows, otherwise we shut it off.
My bigger point is how do you measure generosity, bravery, honesty, or other abstract, poorly defined, qualities, especially across countries, to the point where you can rank one above the other?
I notice neither of the other members of the institute has fessed up to going along with the Santa game to get more loot. I'm trying to remember if when I was a kid, I enjoyed gifts more knowing that they were no-strings attached, rather than from my parents who might expect some good behavior from me in exchange. Of course Santa was supposed to keep track of the naughty and nice, but you know, you can just see Santa standing in front of the stocking with a lump of coal in one hand and a bright red fire truck in the other and you know he's going to say what the hell, and his eyes all atwinkle, toss the truck into the stocking. There is still plenty of winter where he comes from and fire trucks don't burn that well.
Well Christmas (and here of course,I mean Santa Christmas, those religious nuts can just do a little research and put the birth of their savior in say, April, when the shepherds would be seeking their sheep, and leave Dec 25 to us latter day Mithrians ('Thrians!)) is the most hypocritical day of the year. There is all that peace on earth and good will to man crapola, but we all know it is all about the loot. But you know I'm not all that against hypocrisy, it's just another form of manners, and if it took that screaming Christmas section of Walgreens that you passed to buy a lousy pack of gum, to move you to give the bum outside the door a buck, well still the cause of good will towards man is advanced.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
The Devil's Advocate
The reason that police and other government workers, like school teachers, are suspended with pay when they have been accused of a crime is that they haven't been convicted yet. We can't keep them on the job because there is sufficient doubt about their ability to perform it safely, but we can't punish them yet because they are innocent until proven guilty, just like everybody else.
The reason that labor unions stand up for people who are under suspicion is to insure that they get their due process. It's kind of like the concept that everybody who is put on trial for a crime must have a lawyer to represent his interests. Even if it turns out the guy is guilty, he has certain rights, and it's his lawyer's job to see that he is not illegally deprived of those rights. At a time when everybody else is mad at the accused person, somebody needs to stick up for him just to be sure that he gets a fair trial.
When the Catholic Church is considering somebody for sainthood, one priest is assigned to see if he can dig up any dirt about the candidate. This priest is called "The Devil's Advocate". He is not really on the Devil's side, but his job is to pretend that he is. The logic is that, at a time when lots of people want to make the candidate a saint, there should be at least one person who is trying to disqualify him. It's the converse of the "innocent until proven guilty" concept.
I know an interesting story about the origin of the term "Devil's advocate". I read this a long time ago in a book that was titled "The Devil's Advocate". It was a fictional novel, but there was an introduction that explained the origin of the term. It's a good story, even if it's not true. Stop me if you've heard this one:
There was a town in Scotland that was famous for it's excellent lawyers. One day somebody was able to actually capture the Devil, and the townspeople decided to put him on trial for all his sins. The problem was that no lawyer could be found who wanted to be the Devil's advocate, so it looked like the Devil would have to be set free. Finally, one lawyer volunteered to defend the Devil, only so that the trial could legally take place. The lawyer built his defense around the argument that the Devil himself never did anything wrong, he just inspired other people to do bad things. If those people had not cooperated, the Devil would have been powerless. The jury bought it, and they set the Devil free, but they hung his lawyer.
When our daughter was little, she enjoyed Christmas as much as any other kid. Indeed, she seemed to appreciate her presents more because she knew where they came from. Years later she told us that we had done the right thing telling her the truth about Santa Claus.
Maybe the reason Americans are believed to be more generous than some other people is the way our government passes out foreign aid. Most of it is connected to some kind of political agenda, and a lot of it never gets to the people for whom it was intended, but I think that we give away more money and goods than any other country. One reason might be that we have more money and goods than any other country, unless Red China has surpassed us by now. When they do, if they haven't already, I wonder if they will be as generous as we were back in the day.
The reason that labor unions stand up for people who are under suspicion is to insure that they get their due process. It's kind of like the concept that everybody who is put on trial for a crime must have a lawyer to represent his interests. Even if it turns out the guy is guilty, he has certain rights, and it's his lawyer's job to see that he is not illegally deprived of those rights. At a time when everybody else is mad at the accused person, somebody needs to stick up for him just to be sure that he gets a fair trial.
When the Catholic Church is considering somebody for sainthood, one priest is assigned to see if he can dig up any dirt about the candidate. This priest is called "The Devil's Advocate". He is not really on the Devil's side, but his job is to pretend that he is. The logic is that, at a time when lots of people want to make the candidate a saint, there should be at least one person who is trying to disqualify him. It's the converse of the "innocent until proven guilty" concept.
I know an interesting story about the origin of the term "Devil's advocate". I read this a long time ago in a book that was titled "The Devil's Advocate". It was a fictional novel, but there was an introduction that explained the origin of the term. It's a good story, even if it's not true. Stop me if you've heard this one:
There was a town in Scotland that was famous for it's excellent lawyers. One day somebody was able to actually capture the Devil, and the townspeople decided to put him on trial for all his sins. The problem was that no lawyer could be found who wanted to be the Devil's advocate, so it looked like the Devil would have to be set free. Finally, one lawyer volunteered to defend the Devil, only so that the trial could legally take place. The lawyer built his defense around the argument that the Devil himself never did anything wrong, he just inspired other people to do bad things. If those people had not cooperated, the Devil would have been powerless. The jury bought it, and they set the Devil free, but they hung his lawyer.
When our daughter was little, she enjoyed Christmas as much as any other kid. Indeed, she seemed to appreciate her presents more because she knew where they came from. Years later she told us that we had done the right thing telling her the truth about Santa Claus.
Maybe the reason Americans are believed to be more generous than some other people is the way our government passes out foreign aid. Most of it is connected to some kind of political agenda, and a lot of it never gets to the people for whom it was intended, but I think that we give away more money and goods than any other country. One reason might be that we have more money and goods than any other country, unless Red China has surpassed us by now. When they do, if they haven't already, I wonder if they will be as generous as we were back in the day.
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