Rand on Faith

cvining

Faith is the worst curse of mankind, as the exact antithesis and enemy of thought. To rest one's case on faith means to concede that reason is on the side of one's enemies - that one has no rational arguments to offer.

 

Quote Author

When I was 14

cvining

When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.

Quote Author

Citation

Widely attributed, probably inaccurately since Mark Twain’s father died when he was eleven years old

One Redwood

ztadmin

I think, too, that we’ve got to recognize that where the preservation of a natural resource like the redwoods is concerned, that there is a common sense limit. I mean, if you’ve looked at a hundred thousand acres or so of trees — you know, a tree is a tree, how many more do you need to look at?

Quote Author

Citation

Candidate (not yet governor) Ronald Reagan, while speaking before the Western Wood Products Association in San Francisco on 12 March 1966. This is often misquoted as "If you've seen one Redwood you've seen them all"

Speaking of Redwoods

ztadmin

I saw them; there is nothing beautiful about them, just that they are a little higher than the others.

Quote Author

Citation

Speaking of Redwoods on 15 March 1967

Gnosis for the day

cvining

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him get a vaccine or booster.

He who lives by denying science dies denying science.

There are no atheists in foxholes or deniers in hospitals.

He died doing what he loved: being an idiot.

I don't know why the "g" is silent in "gnostic" but not in "agnostic".
 

Commentary

A call for calm and mercy: no death penalty for the January 6 coup

cvining

I wish to join the call for calm. To those who feel insurrection is treason, punishable by death, I council calm and mercy. We are bigger than those insurgents of January 6, 2021 who sought to topple our government, our constitution, our core belief in rule by law.

Ten years in prison, as called for in the US code (below) for rebellion and insurrection. Fine them, bar them from ever holding office. The death penalty for treason? I understand, but in the name of calm and unity, let's be merciful. Throw them in prison and we'll move on.
 
Many other laws were broken too, but these are the ones that threaten the core of our nation. And I don't give a damn why they did it. When they stormed the Capitol, they threw any possible merit to their perceived grievances out the freaking window.
 
If you, dear reader, dear friend, disagree. If you feel any sympathy for the insurrectionists, I'll try to listen to you, hear you out, publicly or privately. Don't expect to change my mind, as I don't expect to change yours. But I will listen. Even as I cheer on efforts to hunt down and hold accountable every single  participant. 
 
 
For reference, here are selected Sections from the US Code 

Commentary

Subscribe to