Speaking of Redwoods
I saw them; there is nothing beautiful about them, just that they are a little higher than the others.
Citation
Speaking of Redwoods on 15 March 1967
"Faith is believing what you know ain't so
"
Gnosis for the day
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
FLM: Fox Lies Matter
FLM: Fox Lies Matter
https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2021/02/05/lou-dobbs-canceled-fox/
Commentary
A call for calm and mercy: no death penalty for the January 6 coup
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
Antigonish
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today,
I wish, I wish he'd go away...
When I came home last night at three,
The man was waiting there for me
But when I looked around the hall,
I couldn't see him there at all!
Go away, go away, don't you come back any more!
Go away, go away, and please don't slam the door...
Last night I saw upon the stair,
A little man who wasn't there,
He wasn't there again today
Oh, how I wish he'd go away...
-- William Hughes Mearns 1899
Commentary
Where were you when?
Where were you when the Nazis bombed Pearl?
Where were you when Ruby killed Jack?
Where were you when Bobby killed Martin?
Where were you when Glenn walked the moon?
Where were you when Columbia was challenged?
Where were you when Chad hanged Al?
Where were you when the CIA burned the twins?
Where were you when Donald pulled off his coup?
Commentary
Compassion: a rambling conversation of Communism, Ayn Rand, Harper Lee and other cabbages and kings
A dialogue on compassion between a friend and I. Edited to make me look better. And him worse.
GLB
1988 was the year I quit the Republican Party.
On a nice spring/summer day, we walked to the Rockville City Hall and I changed my registration from Republican to Independent. (And the rest, as they say, is history.)P.S. Attached is a photo of yours truly meeting William F. Buckley Jr. at Gonzaga University in 1962. Notice the priest is watching me suspiciously -- even though I was a good conservative then, maybe the priest smelled a whiff of heresy? (Priests seem to be good a finding heretics.)
CBV
You should have stayed, and fixed the GOP
Commentary
Revolution Redux (mangled from the awesome original by Lenon and McCartney)
Revolution Redux
(mangled from the awesome original by Lenon and McCartney)
You say you won the revolution
Well, you know
We all want to see the votes
You tell me that it's mass collusion
Well, you know
We all want to see the votes
Well, you know
We all want to see the votes
You tell me that it's mass collusion
Well, you know
We all want to see the votes
But when you talk about voter fraud
Don't you know the courts have thrown you out
Don't you know it's gonna be
All right, all right, all right
Don't you know the courts have thrown you out
Don't you know it's gonna be
All right, all right, all right
You say you got an affidavit
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the facts
You warn about a retribution
Well, you know
We'll stop you if we can
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the facts
You warn about a retribution
Well, you know
We'll stop you if we can
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be
All right, all right, all right
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be
All right, all right, all right
You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free you mind instead
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free you mind instead
But if you go carrying torches for Donald Trump
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right
Commentary
We are all going to die
I debated posting this at all because it's a downer, and there's nothing particularly new here. But it is on my mind so here goes.
We are all going to die. The total morality rate is 1. The question is how we live, how and when we die. Times like these force us to think about how we live, how our choices affect not only our own lives but also the lives of others.
I'm a numbers guy. It may seem callous and cold to speak of life and death as if it's a calculus problem. And indeed, that is a risk. But the alternative, to be willfully ignorant of the numbers, seems to me criminal. If we are to make informed decisions, numbers matter.
So, here are some key numbers emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Commentary
I had a dream
I dreamt I was in a reception line at a formal event. At the head of the line was the President of the United States, shaking hands one by one.
He took my hand firmly as I stepped forward for my turn. I leaned slightly toward him and said "We have something in common, you and I."
"Really? What's that?"
I let his strong grip pull me closer, and spoke in a hushed tone so only he could hear: "Neither of us belongs here."
Commentary