I have never enjoyed a Will Ferrel movie. I’m not amused by slacker comedies like Superbad. I don’t listen to pop music, could care less about the feel good hit of the year. So much television, reality TV, it all rots my brain, provides not intellectual stimulation at all. Stupidity is why we don’t think Saturday Night Live is funny anymore. It has gone from sharp criticism and high concept to a series of dumb gags, where stupid people behave stupidly and that’s all there is. No point, no humanity, no character, no plot, just stupidity. There was a turning point in my life, shortly after seeing Dumb and Dumber where I realized that the stupid was coming, where we began celebrating stupid. It followed with Jackass, Tom Green, and a host of imitators. I watched an underwhelming disappointment at this wave of moronic behavior.

I like some low humor, don’t get me wrong. I’m a huge fan of Mel Brooks. The old Bill Murray screwball comedies are pure gold. The Zucker Brothers were brilliant with Airplane and The Naked Gun. I also have a love of that low and primitive art form of physical comedy and slapstick a la Chaplin, Keaton, and Peter Sellers.

On the other hand, I rather require some intellectual stimulation. Monty Python, now there’s a comedy troupe. Intelligent and timely, nobody could make a joke about Wittgenstein and make it relevant as Python. The words “Anarcho-syndicalism” were never spoken with such humor and such poignancy. Does this affinity for intelligence in my life and interests make me a dull person, or an elitist? Would you not have a beer with me because I can’t quote Something About Mary from memory?

I ask because this has been bothering me quite a bit. Why do we celebrate stupid in this country? I guess that’s the straight way to say it.

We have a choice in front of us right now: Barack Obama, Columbia University, Magna Laude Harvard law school alum, civil rights attorney, and Constitutional Law professor at Chicago Law School, who incidentally plays a mean game of basketball verses John McCain, who graduated 894th of 899th at the Naval Academy (a comment from Yahoo answers says, “If he did this gives him 100% more than Obama (wait does that even make sense?)) and his VP whose main claim to fame is the ability to ape strings of words somebody told her to say, but not coherently or in answer to the right questions, the ability to field dress a moose and who made it through college in six years and five schools with a four year degree.

The question I hear about some people’s criteria in choosing a President is “Would I like to have a beer with him?” The other thing I hear often is about how Sarah Palin appeals to anti-intellectuals. Anti-intellectuals? Am I being persecuted because I’m smart? Because I like to read a book every now and again? Because I’m not the lowest common denominator?

There was a time when we would elect our elite to office, and this country was great. We would put up great men, and vote for who we thought was greatest. Now we have voters who feel that an intellectual can’t sit down and have a beer with them. When the Republicans say this nation was once great, I fear they are right, and this is the cause of it. Don’t worry, I still feel they are going about it all wrong, my beliefs haven’t changed and I haven’t been replaced by a super secret conservative Johnny CloOne.

I’m a fairly smart guy as they come. I worked hard to know how to form sentences and thoughts, how to research what I wanted to know, and learn how to do what I wanted to do. I have a good grasp of science, the arts, current events, technology, computers, the internet. I’ve read a book or three, and I know quite a bit about history. I have the curiosity to pursue the knowledge that I wish to have. I never thought it was a special ability. I don’t feel myself to be superior, or elitist. There are far smarter people than me in this world. I try to select leaders based on competence and intelligence.

I take offense at this anti-intellectual trend, because I know better. I have had the good fortune to have had beers with a good deal of people in high places. I have spent time with award winning authors, high level scientists, ground breaking surgeons, all while being a young writer musician with no real background to back up my presence other than I read the news a lot, and can be conversant. I’ll tell you, they’re good down to earth people. They’re fun to have a beer with, and really like to talk about what they do, and what you do, and what’s going on around them, and anything that comes up. In fact, they are very accessible. Some of them might even be able to quote Something about Mary.

I look at McCain and Palin and am horrified. Sure McCain doesn’t know if Spain is an ally or not, and sure he invented the Blackberry and all. Sarah Palin is an anti-evolution zealot who thinks proximity to a foreign country is foreign policy experience. Must be through osmosis. Of course, if you aren’t intellectual, you probably don’t get that joke.

I’m tired of these people ruining this country because they think somebody wouldn’t be fun to drink a beer with. It is funny that we would want somebody we could relate to in a position of such importance when 99.9% of us will never even have the opportunity to shake his hand in a meet the candidate line.

I watched the debate tonight, and saw John McCain criticize Barack Obama for asking for three million dollars for a projector for a planetarium near Chicago. I actually know the museum director who is seeking these funds. It would be such a terrible thing for our children to learn science. Absolutely horrible. Tragic to think that we might actually have a future of intellectuals in this country.

I wonder if this is the bully and the geek phenomena. McCain is quite the bully. Verbally his is combative, and his temper has put him into plenty of fights with people who are smarter than him.

I will be very disappointed if we as a nation elect Dumb and Dumber. It’s bad enough that we’ve suffered eight years of this nitwit. But let’s look at who really led the push to get Dumberer into the office: conservative Christians. The same people who think that the world is 6,000 years old, man and dinosaurs walked the Earth together, that evolution isn’t true and a talking snake is all the problem in the world. Christians like their new recruits dumb. It makes them less resistant to the reprogramming. Intellectualism stands in the way of their message.

Want to know why?

They don’t want science taught because it contradicts the bible. The scientific method is a path of inquiry that provides instructions on how to ask questions and question truth. They don’t want arts and English taught because what do you do when you study these things? You start analyzing. If you want followers, you don’t want people who can poke holes in your doctrine, question your orders, or have any individuality and independence of thought. The bible tells us not to question God, or his chosen leaders, or his book.

They want theirs stupid.

To be fair, I know plenty of brilliant Christians and religious folk in general. I will someday right about how religious beliefs and intelligence are not mutually exclusive. Until I write that, you’ll just have to take my word on it.

But back to electing the right people. Magna Laude Harvard law with a mean hook shot. Sounds good to me. I’d have a beer with him. We could probably discuss the meaning of life, or the Life of Brian. Either is fine by me.

1. Have your own vehicle (BRACe will provide a magnetic sign for the vehicle and a yellow light).
2. Be the eyes and ears of the neighbourhood NO BRAVERY REQUIRED! (i.e. you do not intervene in any happenings, just drive around and report)
3. Choose a two hour time slot between 00h00 and 06h00 (00h00-02h00; 02h00-04h00; 04h00-06h00)
4. Choose one day of the week that suits you.

Where the fuck do I begin?

After 17 daze of living on nothing but sugar, fried food, margarita's and cotton candy I have woken to a not-so brave new world.  My pockets have been emptied of everything.  No synaptic provocateurs, no money, no job, no nothing.

I see a political landscape in which people are more interested in calling one another names rather than coming up with solutions to significant problems (fyi - in my humble opinion the $700B bailout bill wasn't a solution).  Biden and Palin - interesting choices....makes me question the judgement of both candidates.

Why is it that we have more choices of peanut butter than candidates for president?  I guess it's a good thing in that it eliminates the potential for a fringe candidate getting elected with less than the majority of the popular vote.  We couldn't let that happen.......could we?

I see a world reeling from financial mismanagement, head-in-the-sand paralysis and greed.  A great acronym NINA.  Sure it was one of the ships that pirated the pilgrims from england to massatwoshitts.  Maybe that is appropriate.  In the world of mortgages it means - No Income No Asset verification.  Great way to lend money, assholes.

Where the fuck was I when that line formed.....got no job, got no assets but write me a $250K mortgage so I can buy me a house.  Shit with the real estate market going up, maybe I'll flip the house, pocket the profit and get back in line.  In the interim lets package all these NINA mortgages into a neat little investment bundle and sell them to, let's say AIG.  Bingo.....

I heard some wise dude on the radio the other day and he said that wall street is no longer an investment arena.  Wall Street, according to this dude, has become a speculative arena.  Somehow this isn't surprising. 

Today's world is one of instant gratification, instant communication, even instant replay.   It's become, for lack of a better term, IWORLD.  A place where it's all about the I not about the we. 

Sure I am generalizing, but it's my blog and I get to do that.

Shit, you can't go anywhere without your cellphone or pda for fear of being out of touch.  We need access to everything and anything.  Do you really care if one of Brittany's kid's took a nice shit today? 

I love the fact that there is a guy, Cramer on MSNBC who tells you what stocks to sell or buy.  What ever happened to doing your own due diligence and research?  Lazy fuckers!  Actually, if you simply follow Cramers lead you can always blame your losses on someone else.  This too seems like another come thread running through today's world.....it's not my fault it's someone else's.

As the great writers for Monty Python once penned, "society's to blame, ok will be charging them too."

What ever happened to sound fundamental financial management?  Whatever happened to companies caring about their workers through great benefits and competitive salaries?  Where did accountability go?  Shit, wasn't it a few short years ago that the Enron debacle brought about the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.  I think the other name for it was:  the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act.

We walk around with ipods and things called zen plugged into our ears to drown out the noise and eliminate any interaction with the world and people around us.  Maybe it's just to drown out the negativity.

As I have said since day one folks - we have to be positive.  WE, have to set the example for people, we have to help folks get out of this rut, we have to be the pozitoodinal light that shines even when times are the darkest.

I had a nice venting today via my blog and feel better and renewed to be that bright light of pozitoodinal energy.  Let's make this ourworld instead of I world. 

Reach out to someone and smile.

Open a door for someone.

Let someone merge into your lane.

Let someone go ahead of you in line with less things in their shopping basket.

Drop off some canned goods or a dollar or two at a local food bank.

A fun movie for me has one of the following characteristics: great dialogue, an unusual plot, something funny, With that said, here is a list of ten fun movies:

1. The Big Lebowski - A million great lines are uttered in this movie. This was the Coen Brothers at their best. There's a t-shirt for sale on the internet proposing The Dude and Walter for President and Veep.
2. Being John Malkovich - One man's weird is another man's fun. I love this movie.
3. Night On Earth - The best of Jim Jarmusch's many great movies.
4. True Romance - Written by Quentin Tarantino the cast included Christian Slater, Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, Samuel L. Jackson, James Gandolfini, Val Kilmer, Gary Oldman, Michael Rapaport, Bronson Pinchot, Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, and one of those Arquettes.
5. Blue Velvet - David Lynch's masterpiece.
6. Borat - The subtitle says it all, "Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." Who wouldn't want to see that. Very nice.
7. Thank You For Smoking - There are always two sides to everything whether it's my divorce or smoking.
8. Clerks - The best of the Kevin Smith flicks.
9. Harold and Maude - A love story for no one in particular.
10. Monty Python and the Holy Grail - and now for something completely different.

Keep in mind, these are fun movies as determined by me. If you don't like 'em, well... it just isn't your day today.

So last week I vowed to give up beer for three weeks to maximise the health gains brought on by running and weightlifting. I lasted about 29 hours. My girlfriend's friends were visiting from the US and I had to show them a good time...and join in. Not very exciting if they come to the UK and their British host isn't even drinking beer, is it? It's ok though, I've learned that it's wrong to just give up things completely. All it does is make you want more, like when they slap an 'Explicit Lyrics' label on a CD and it suddenly becomes a mysterious, alluring piece of material for any 12-year-old with a strict parent. So from now on, things will be consumed in moderation. I'll drink bottles instead of pints, because they're smaller and usually more expensive. Great. 

This last week has been a real social whirlwind actually. Although I moved to Manchester two years ago, I've found it hard to make many friends in my area. There's nothing wrong with me (hopefully) - I'm just a normal guy who does normal stuff. I have one really, really good mate here though, and a couple of friends I've met through various means (no Russian brides) who I think will become really good friends in the long run.  Apart from my lady's friends staying (wasn't overly keen on the girl but her boyfriend was a nice bloke), I've been eating out (at restaurants, ahem), having the odd drink as previously documented, and just generally making a couple of new friends. Tonight we'll be participating in the pub quiz and I'm going to try very hard not to drink. 

Music-wise I've been listening to Elbow's 'The Seldom Seen Kid', which I'm only on the second run through. It's good though, and they're a band I've always promised I'd listen to further one day. After noticing they drink in my local watering-hole, I thought I'd give their new disc a spin. I suppose it fits into alt-rock, but that tag could hold any number of artists with completely different styles. Anyway, it's good stuff and definitely worth looking into.  I've also listened to the Vans Warped Tour '08 compilation album, as a lad at work brought it in from his local library. I have fond memories of my teenage years being peppered with punk and pop-punk from the likes of New Found Glory, Finch, Blink 182 and many, many more. I still love these bands and the music they make, so I was quite disappointed to discover most of the songs on this compilation are, well, crap. It's all very generic emo-tinted punk music that just doesn't stoke the fire for me. Maybe it's because I'm in my mid twenties now, or maybe it really is just ten-a-penny rubbish, I don't know. There are a few great bands on there I love though, particularly Against Me!, Bedouin Soundclash, Motion City Soundtrack and The Gaslight Anthem. Speaking of which, my short article on The Gaslight Anthem has just been published on Clash magazine's site (click here to have a read.) Back then (i.e. the long-gone era of 1998-2001) the bands in that scene all sounded really fresh and fun, whereas today many just sound like carbon-copies of those that came before them. Maybe I am becoming a nostalgic old bastard after all! 

Games-wise I've been playing a lot of the first Saints Row game. I really forgot how much fun that game is! It's like GTA IV but without any of the limiting realism, much like GTA: San Andreas. It's a game that doesn't take itself seriously at all, and because of it is very, very enjoyable. There's screen tear, the framerate isn't great and the graphics are boxy, but it doesn't matter because it's very easy to forget about these things once you're in there. I'm very much looking forward to the sequel this month now. I've also been having a bash at Scene It? Lights, Cameras, Action! which I bought an unused copy of for £17 at Game in the Trafford Centre, bargain! Rubbish to play by yourself, as 99.9% of trivia games are, but get a few mates round and get the drinks flowing and it's as good as any board game. 

At the weekend I watched Being John Malkovich, having never seen it before. One of the best films I've seen in a while. I'm saying nothing about it though, so if you haven't seen it do yourself a favour and grab a copy. I also watched Monty Python's Holy Grail, which I haven't seen in a while. I don't think there's been a British comedy that's beaten it yet in terms of humour and ingenuity. "It's merely a flesh wound!" Brilliant. 

That's about it. I'll promise to update this more frequently, primarily because writing such a long post is a pain in the arse.

That's right, my life has been split down the middle, sociology on the one half and rugby on the other. Its not a bad way to live really, just sort of difficult to find a balance for everything else. I promise you more hard hitting political and social commentary--right after I figure out the nuances of a scrum.

After yoga I decided it was too nice of a day to spend it indoors rather than continuing my mission to rid the house of clutter and dust (of which I put in a good dent yesterday and early this morning).  I haven't been to the park in a while due to a combination of IBS of which the symptoms have miraculously disappeared in the last month (hmm), a stint of biking, and the endless days of drizzle.  The sun was warm and the wind was blowing just below brisk but the air was crisp.  I have lived in this city for 12 years and I have never ever seen a snake, but today nestled between a chain link fence and a stone retaining wall was this fellow also enjoying the sun.  The snake has gotten a bad rap in the Judeo-Christian mythology, but I have a different take on it and have for many years.  When I was in college I bought a snake ring with an onyx eye and I have worn it nearly every day for the last 18 years.  I had read at that time that the snake was a link between nature and "man" (WOman).  I also have heard that the snake guarded the Buddha while he sat meditating by the bodhi tree, since my last name means guardian I really like this reference. The snake also circles the Tree of Life which I have had a fascination with for about a year and have been building creative juice to paint one all this time.  (some paintings take a brief time to imagine but this one needs a more deep internal focus which is germinating).  And of course because a snake sheds it's skin it is also seen as a symbol of rebirth and renewal. 

It was a really wonderful walk it felt good both physically and spiritually and the dog was pretty happy about it too.  The quaking aspen were lovely, their rattling leaves sounding like  rain shower.   I also heard a duck quack and I swear it sounded like a loud raucous laugh, I just cracked up laughing imagining the ducks telling each other jokes.  "Three humans walk into a pond..." or "Three ducks walk into a bar..." and of course a punch line only a duck would get. 

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071853/

Regi: Terry Gilliam og Terry Jones

Manus: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones og Michael Palin.

Med: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones og Michael Palin.

Spilletid: 91 minutter

For tredje gang kommer altså Monty Python med på listen, og det er selvfølgelig ikke uten grunn. Omtrent alle som er morsomme i dagens samfunn er blitt kraftig inspirert av Monty Python, i hvert fall kan det virke sånn. Nå har jo da denne sketsjegruppen blitt presentert to ganger allerede på bloggen, så vi går heller rett videre på handlingen.

Vi befinner oss i middelalderen. Kong Arthur går rundt og samler sammen riddere fra hele riket sitt. Grunnen viser seg å være at han vil finne den hellige gral, og da trenger han hjelp. Det skal vise seg å bli et eventyr uten like, der de må motstå en sta svart ridder, trollmannen Tim, brovokteren, ridderne som sier "Ni!" og ikke minst franskmenn.

Et musikalsk innslag fra filmen der. Det å la en sketsj bryte opp filmen på denne måten er noe Python-gjengen er eksperter på, da de også for eksempel har et subplot gående som begynner med at en historiker forteller oss om middelalderen, før han plutselig blir drept av en ridder som kommer forbi. Gjennom hele filmen får vi innblikk i at politiet etterforsker dette drapet, som tilsynelatende ikke har noe med hovedhandlingen å gjøre.

Mange vil nok syns at humoren er litt for merkelig, spesiell, og kanskje kun absurde situasjoner, men dette er sketsjekomikk av ypperste klasse. En kan lett se at det ligger stor kunnskap bak mange av morsomhetene, som for eksempel to sykdomsbefengte fattigfolk som sitter i gjørma og graver, men holder samtidig en innviklet diskusjon om styresett i gang.

Jeg vet egentlig ikke helt hva mer jeg skal si om denne filmen, som altså er den morsomste jeg vet om. Den er ikke spesielt fin å se på, men det gjør absolutt ingenting. Skuespillet er, som jeg sa om Life of Brian, en glede å se på, med perfekt komisk timing. Det er gøy å se dem prøve seg på spillefilm for første gang, noe de da klarer usedvanlig godt.

Slutten er veldig omdiskutert, og uten å avsløre for mye kan jeg si at folk ofte føler seg snytt. Personlig syns jeg den er helt på sin plass, og jeg lo lenge etter at den var ferdig første gang jeg så den. Og senere har det blitt flere ganger, ler like mye hver gang. Har skaffet meg en fantastisk versjon på dvd, som inneholder soundtracket i tillegg. Og om du ikke liker å se filmen alene, så følger det med et kommentatorspor av en som sitter og ser filmen, spilt av John Cleese. Mest grynting og å sette seg til rette, men gøy uansett.

I reklamer for filmen når den kom ut, ble det brukt taglines som "Makes Ben Hur look like an Epic." og "And now! At Last! Another film completely different from some of the other films which aren't quite the same as this one is.", noe som er smågenialt i seg selv. På IMDb har filmen en veldig god rating, 8,5/10 med 124 889 stemmer. Det gjør den til den 61. beste filmen på top 250. Sjekk ut traileren nedenfor (den er morsom), og få sett denne filmen så fort som mulig!

Har du sett den? Si hva du syns i kommentarfeltet!

Pe 5 octombrie `69 se transmite pe BBC primul episod din Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Dupa 4 sezoane ale serialului de comedie, cei de la Monty Python (doi absolventi de Oxgord, doi de Cambridge si un american) mai fac 4 filme (And Now For Something Completely Different, The Holy Grail, Life of Brian si The Meaning of Life).

Americanul trupei, Terry Gilliam, care in `68 obtine cetatenie britanica, renunta in 2006 la cetatenia americana in semn de protest fata de George W. Bush. A facut initial animatii, apoi a jucat in roluri marunte, a scris si regizat pentru Monty Python. Mai tarziu, Gilliam face cateva filme de vazut (Brazil, The Fisher King, Twelve Monkeys, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas si Tideland).

Fear and Loathing e povestea ziaristului hipiot Hunter S. Thompson, care dupa ce l-a vazut pe Johnny Depp, a hotarat ca doar el il poate juca. In plus, l-a ras in cap si i-a imprumutat hainele lui din anii `70. Filmul e despre o calatorie prin America, o decapotabila, droguri, mai multe droguri si un oras cu lumini.

Pe coloana sonora apare un cover dupa Viva Las Vegas, melodia lui Elvis. Aceeasi melodie e si pe soundtrack`ul de la The Big Lebowski, cu Jeff Bridges in rolul principal. El joaca si in Tideland`ul aceluiasi Terry Gilliam.

Mai multe, maine!

1829	Chester A. Arthur, the 21st president of the United States, was born in Fairfield, Vt.
1921	The World Series was broadcast on radio for the first time.
1937	President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for a "quarantine" of aggressor nations.
1941	Former Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis, the first Jewish member of the nation's highest court, died at age 84.
1953	Earl Warren was sworn in as the 14th chief justice of the United States, succeeding Fred M. Vinson.
1962	The Beatles' first hit, "Love Me Do," was released in the United Kingdom.
1969	"Monty Python's Flying Circus" made its debut on BBC Television.
1983	Solidarity founder Lech Walesa was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
1986	American Eugene Hasenfus was captured by Sandinista soldiers after the Contra supply plane he was riding in was shot down over southern Nicaragua.
1988	Democrat Lloyd Bentsen lambasted Republican Dan Quayle during their vice-presidential debate, telling Quayle, "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."
1989	A jury in Charlotte, N.C., convicted former PTL evangelist Jim Bakker of using his TV show to defraud followers.
1990	A jury in Cincinnati acquitted an art gallery and its director of obscenity charges stemming from an exhibit of sexually graphic photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe.
2001	Former Senate majority leader and ambassador Mike Mansfield died at age 98.
2001	A man died of inhaled anthrax in Boca Raton, Fla.
2001	Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants set a new mark for home runs in a season, hitting his 71st and 72nd in a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers to break Mark McGwire's record of 70 set in 1998. (Bonds finished the season with 73 homers.)
2003	Israel bombed an Islamic Jihad base in Syria.
2005	Defying the White House, the Senate voted 90-9 to approve an amendment that would prohibit the use of "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" against anyone in U.S. government custody.

Of course, for me, the two most important of these are the wonderful contributions made by our brothers and sisters across the pond in the UK.....Enjoy!

 Let's discuss history.  This is an open thread.

I am amazed at how often people will use 'philosophical' arguments to support unscientific positions, such as creationism/intelligent design. 'Philosophical' arguments also seem to play a central role in theology.

Philosophical and logical arguments have their place. In many ways mathematics can be seen as arguments by logic. The danger lies in using them as a substitute for real experience. Such arguments easily become divorced from reality and can then be used to justify conclusions which conflict with reality. In particular they give free reign to subjective opinions, personal prejudices and emotional commitment to conclusions.

I guess that is why some people prefer 'philosophical' and 'logical' arguments to consideration of emprirical evidence.

Being subjective

Of course, everyone is prone to subjectivism. But objective reality is what keeps science honest. Ideas, hypotheses, theories and speculations are expected to be tested and validated by mapping against reality.

Philosophy and logic are used dishonestly when the discussion is just a game and participants grab at arguments to justify their preconceived positions, or to 'shoot down' opponents arguments. 'You can't even prove that you exist' or 'you can't prove that you are not a brain in a vat' arguments are just ways of avoiding the real evidence.

And there is always the way that words are used. Philosophical categories are usually not defined and very often participants will understand them differently. Consider words like 'matter', 'materialism', 'natural', 'supernatural' and 'naturalism.' I often find that the meaning I would give to these words is different to what some others do. Without common meanings discussion becomes a bit irrelevant so I prefer to avoid such terms.

For example, we used to consider 'matter' in a mechanical way. As something with physical substance. That may have been useful a few hundred years ago but is not adequate for our current scientific knowledge. Consequently 'matter' today has a deeper meaning and use of the term in philosophical debate needs to accommodate this. But it very often doesn't.

How often do we hear science being criticised as 'materialist' where 'matter' is assumed to be only something with physical substance. It's a silly criticism because it is using these words in a very archaic way - matter' today has a deeper meaning. When this deeper meaning is understood the 'materialist' criticism is not relevant to modern science as any simple consideration of the history of science will show.

Substituting logic for reality

Logical arguments are also often used in ways which don't take into account modern knowledge. Consequently such arguments which may be true in their abstraction are used to justify conclusions about reality which may be completely wrong. For example conservation laws today are applied in a very different way to 150 years ago when nuclear transformations and the equivalence of mass and energy were not known. Similarly we often hear the 2nd law of thermodynamics being used inappropriately to 'disprove' evolution.

Evedn where 'logical' arguments are used honestly mistakes can be made by applying abstract principles to real life situations. Without empirical checking it is easy to draw the wrong conclusion. The abstract logic cannot be used as a ‘proof.’

I think Monty Python conveyed the problem of a philosophy divorced from reality in their video of the International Philosophers football game. It's an old clip but an excellent one.

Philosophers' football (3 min 47 sec)

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I should be working on my dissertation and getting ready for the upcoming Abiquiu Studio Tour (more about that soon), but some of the things one finds on the net are just too entertaining to keep for oneself, such as the Sarah Palin Debate Flow Chart which you can actually wear on a T-shirt:

P.S.: I just learned who created this fabulous chart: his name is Aden Nak and he blogs at ph33r and loathing. Bravo!

"Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace"

...

And now for something completely different.

Simple.

hyde:

- hyde doeshita: taken from Gackt no Furachi no Otoko tachi radio show.

- aa genki? hyde desu: taken from Gackt no Furachi no Otoko tachi radio show. It should be "aa Gacchan genki?" but I edited it XD

- kohii guhuhu kohii: edited from Cartoon Kattun.

- konbanwa hyde doesu: taken from Gackt no Furachi no Otoko tachi radio show.

ken - tama ni ha denwashite yo: taken from Ontama.

Gackt:

- jijijijin denwa da yo: taken from Iro melomix CM. (also perfect for ringtones)

- hai Gackt desu: taken from U-HA CM.

- hanasou yo... hoge: taken from Iro melomix CM. (also perfect for ringtones)

- kimi no koe ga hoshii: taken from dwango CM.

- kore sekai no kihon desu: taken from Metal Gear Solid 2 CM.

Kagrra,:

- inishie no tobira ga ima hirakaremashita: taken from Hyakkiyakou.

- akaku akaku akaku somare: taken from Kiyuu no Uta.

- kikaikaikaikai: taken from Hyakkiyakou.

Monty Python (yes gotta have one of these):

- message for you sir: taken from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

So that's it. I'll share more if I make new ones. I'm currently looking for a clear version of both L'Arc's NTT Personal CMs especially the one with hyde saying "Kimi ni aitai, kimi ni hanashitai". Oh, if you have any suggestions for a nice sms alerts please tell me. Next I will skim out bytes from Gocha Maze ^^.

Another shout out to tetsu XD HAPPY BIRTHDAY XD

Se você ainda não conhecia, conhece agora. ;)

This is very very funny!

It happens the last two times I flew and went to the toilet, there was announcement to return back to the seat :).

One resource in exploring and addressing the fear of man is Ed Welch's excellent book When People are Big and God is Small.  I can't recommend it enough.

In doing some research for illustrations, I realized I wish I could play this Monty Python clip for them.

Mi viene in mente un corto dei Monty Python dal titolo "The Crimson Permanent Assurance", ve lo ricordate? Lo avete forse visto all'inizio del film "Monty Python, il senso della vita": un gruppo di vecchi assicuratori, stanco delle angherie sucite dalla dirigenza, prende il potere della piccola compagnia di assicurazioni e si lancia all'attacco del mondo della grande finanza, scompaginando tutte le corporations. Se non erro quel corto (con il palazzo che prendeva il largo come una nave trainato dalle vele-ponteggi) è stato anche citato in uno spot televisivo, mi sembra proprio da una banca o un'assicurazione.
Allego un editoriale di Andrea Baranes apparso sulla newsletter di Banca Etica.

Come linea di indirizzo generale, è necessario un nuovo sistema di regole per frenare lo strapotere della finanza e per riportarla alla sua funzione originaria. Non un fine in sé stesso per produrre denaro dal denaro ma un mezzo al servizio dell'economia produttiva e delle attività commerciali, che ponga il rispetto dei diritti umani e dell'ambiente al centro del proprio operato, attenta alle conseguenze non economiche delle proprie azioni e nella quale la trasparenza è un valore fondamentale. Queste richieste sono da anni le parole d'ordine della finanza etica, da molti ancora considerata un'esperienza di nicchia, poco più di una testimonianza di solidarietà e di attenzione all'ambiente. La profonda crisi che stiamo vivendo mostra invece che queste richieste rappresentano oggi una strada obbligata per il mondo finanziario tradizionale travolto dalla mancanza di regole, che ha imposto al mondo negli ultimi trent'anni.

Clicca qui per vedere l'articolo originale

  Two pilots are bored silly up in the cockpit on a long transatlantic flight.  Wanting to break the tedium of staring out at nothing but clouds, sky, and water, the captain grabs the intercom to address the passengers...

"LADIES AND GENTLEMAN....MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE....THIS IS THE CAPTAIN SPEAKING.....THERE IS NO ABSOLUTELY NO CAUSE FOR ALARM!!"

He looks over at the co-pilot who is giggling and laughing and remarks "That will get them thinking....What exactly is there nothing to be alarmed about?" "Are the wings on fire?"

The captain grabs the intercom again.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, THIS IS THE CAPTAIN AGAIN....THE WINGS ARE NOT ON FIRE...REPEAT..THE WINGS ARE NOT ON FIRE!!"

The captain grins and turns to the co-pilot, "Now their wondering,,,why did he just say that?......"

A flight attendant comes into the cockpit, sees the two pilots laughing, and realizes what they are doing. The captain asks how the passengers are doing and the flight attendant replies that they are all nervous and confused as to what is going on. He then remarks that a passenger has just got up from his seat and has entered one of the plane's bathrooms.

The pilot grabs the microphone..."PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR SEATS AND FASTEN YOUR SAFETY BELTS IMMEDIATELY PLEASE!!!"

The flight attendant laughs and reports that the man has just bolted out of the bathroom with his pants still down around his ankles and is struggling to get back to his seat. All 3 crew members start laughing hysterically. The flight attendant, wanting to get in on the fun, then announces that he is going to do his "SERIOUS WALK' down the aisle. He puts on a serious, terrified look on his face and bolts from the cockpit.

The pilot then get's back on the intercom.  "LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, THIS IS THE CAPTAIN AGAIN...I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER SOME OF THE VITALLY IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WITH YOU.....IN CASE OF EMERGENCY IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOU REMEMBER TO.......sHHHHHHHH sSSSHHHHHH (Co-pilot simulates LOUD static over the line) ...AS THE WARNING BUZZER SOUNDS"

Both pilots continue to crack up laughing.  The pilot then decides to further confuse the passengers..." THE SCRANSOMS ABOVE YOUR HEAD ARE NOW READY TO FLANGE!! PLEASE UNFASTEN YOUR SAFETY BELTS AND PRESS THE EMERGENCT FOTOSCAMPS ON THE SEATBACK IN FRONT OF YOU!!" "PLEASE FIND THE EMERGENCY SPRILL IN THE WASHROOM AT THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFT.....AND RELEASE IT"

The cabin erupts in chaos as confused passengers scramble around the cabin. The pilots are rolling on the floor laughing.

"THE EMERGENCY SPRILL MUST BE RELEASED!!" "DO NOT PANIC!! INFLATE YOUR LIFE VESTS!! TAKE YOUR CARRY-ON BAGS FROM THE BINS ABOVE YOUR HEAD AND MOVE THEM TO THE BINS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT....BUT DO NOT UNFASTEN YOUR SAFETY BELTS!!" "NOW SIT ON YOUR HAND LUGGAGE BUT DO NOT UNFASTEN YOUR SAFETY BELTS!!"

The pilots laugh hysterically until the flight attendant returns into the cockpit.

"They have all jumped out....the passengers have all jumped out!" 

The pilots continue laughing until they realize the flight attendant is not joking. The pilot looks around and whispers to the co-pilot.."You know  I would not be surprised if there is some trouble over this...."

(From Monty Python's Flying Circus)