“The central message here is that simply closing the kitchen door to take a smoke is not protecting the kids from the effects of that smoke,” he said. “There are carcinogens in this third-hand smoke, and they are a cancer risk for anybody of any age who comes into contact with them.”
Among the substances in third-hand smoke are hydrogen cyanide, used in chemical weapons; butane, which is used in lighter fluid; toluene, found in paint thinners; arsenic; lead; carbon monoxide; and even polonium-210, the highly radioactive carcinogen that was used to murder former Russian spy Alexander V. Litvinenko in 2006. Eleven of the compounds are highly carcinogenic.
This isn’t coming from one of the many propaganda/disinformation organizations out there. This is from the New York Times. Yet another example of pure Bullshit from the anti-smoking activists that seek to remove personal freedoms by using misleading language and poorly researched/documented scientific hypotheses. They use scare tactics to influence governmental authorities to take away the rights of free people.
Will garbage like this save the NYT from an inevitable fate? Depends on how ignorant their readers are I guess…
I’ve been hearing so much buzz about the revolutionary browser known as Flock. I finally checked it out today as a possible alternative to the not-so-freshly-maintained Portable Firefox for my iMac at work. I learned previously a little trick to create symlinks to my iPod (when mounted) so that I could run just about any browser from my iPod without leaving any pesky personal data on my work computer. The conundrum I am in is that I need Firefox to use a proprietary database application that our company relies upon. So far I haven’t been able to find a solution to switch on the fly between profiles on Firefox.
Flock seemed like a good solution because it promised the following:
Management of multiple web-based email accounts (I have two gmail accounts, plus one Google apps for your domain account)
And finally, “Flock delivers the latest webmail, photos, videos and updates from your favorites sites, so you can stop running around.” (So I should be able to add FriendFeed, right?)
So while doing some other things at the office today, I downloaded the app and began configuring it. Here is what I learned:
Flock only handles gmail accounts and does not handle GAYFD accounts.
Steven Lipski has vowed to stay off the booze for a bit after the Jersey City Councilman urinated from the second-floor balcony of a Washington D.C. nightclub onto revelers groovin’ to the sounds of a Grateful Dead tribute band Friday night. Cops dragged Lipski out of the popular venue after staffers spotted his drunken weenie raining down on concert goers. The 44-year-old Democrat refused to comment on the peeing incident, but told reporters gathered outside his home that he’s “resolved not to touch alcohol again.” Doin’ Jersey proud, one peeing legislator at a time!
“The purpose of all these techniques is to alternately expand and then contract the number of options so as to convert circular vote problem into more transitive patterns—before voting. In short, when you come to a problem—don’t vote on it until you’ve redefined it to improve the odds of majority acceptance.”
I think that the point that I’m driving towards is that democracy, both in theory and in practice, violates the principle of the unalienable and natural rights of all mankind such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The reason is simple: Democracy is a system of majority rule. The majority rules over the minority. The either/or duality of democracy actually alienates the freedom of those that are subject to the popular opinion. The democratic governments of the world may be more tolerable than other forms of government, such as totalitarianism, fascism, etc., but it still requires the submission of individuals to the rule of the government in violation of Natural Law.
As USA progressed from the Declaration of Independence, through the ratification of the Constitution, to present times, the government has claimed more and more power. While in the infancy of the nation, democracy may not have represented such a serious detriment to liberty, the Civil War proved just how serious a threat that majority rule could be. According to the Declaration of Independence, allegedly drafted by Thomas Jefferson (a slave-owner), all men are created equal. The problem was that not everyone considered non-white people to be humans. The minority in the South were willing to defend this perspective to the death.
Added to this is the constant push and pull between the two primary political parties. As one party gains power, they pass legislation in their favor. Legislation is another word for a rule that limits the freedoms of others. I’m not talking about basic concepts of morality - everyone agrees (without the need for an imaginary deity) that murder, theft, child abuse, etc. are wrong. The bulk of the laws passed in the last 232 years of US history have to do with other things, like taxes and laws defining what substances adults can consume in the privacy of their own home. As the next party moves in to office, they pass laws to counteract the actions of the previous incumbents, rather than removing laws. Thus this vicious cycle leads to more and more laws, more taxes, and less freedom. And the choices that voters are given become more carefully defined by the politicians so that the choice invariably ends up being between the lesser of two evils.
The only move therefore is to eliminate democracy and eliminate the state. Allow the people to rule themselves. In other words:
“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
The release that caught my eye was Vegas 96 (available on disc from Phish Drygoods and for download from LivePhish.com), a show that I attended personally. That was definitely one of the greatest live shows I have ever seen. Listening to the opening “Wilson” from the live recording yesterday, I had to catch my breath - I still remember the music.
Phish returns to the stage for three concerts at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia on March 6, 7 and 8, 2009.
A limited number of tickets are available directly through Phish Tickets’ online ticketing system at http://phish.portals.musictoday.com/ . The ticketing request period is currently underway and will end on Wednesday, October 8th at 11:59AM EST.
Tickets go on sale to the public on Saturday, October 18th at 10 AM EST and may be purchased online at http://ticketmaster.com or by phone at 757.671.8100, 757.872.8100 or 804.262.8100. Tickets will not be available at the venue box office and there is a two-ticket limit per show.
The band intends to announce additional touring in 2009 early next year.
I’m so excited I’m actually going to purchase some goods from the boys in the form of a live concert recording of a show I went to (and subsequently contracted pneumonia from - thanks Ginger) in Las Vegas in 1996. Flying Elvises (or Elvii), half of Primus, opera singers, and plenty of goodies - that was one hell of a show, and it took me two weeks to recover.
I like the new mediums that have sprouted over the last decade. To the point where I was recently on the verge of canceling my cable package altogether.
Probably 80% or more of the content I consume, both audio and video, come through RSS feeds to iTunes. I remember very vividly watching Steve Jobs introduce the new “podcast” feature in an update to iTunes. I learned that Adam Curry had pioneered (even if he didn’t completely invent it) podcasting with his show, the then-daily, Daily Source Code. I listened daily and began to discover many other podcasts which I listened to at work and on the road, keeping me sane and somewhat connected with an outside world. I unsubscribed briefly during the nasty fight between Curry and Madge Weinstein, but after a couple months, I went back - the show was just too good.
Then Adam had his “awakening” and the show took a real turn for the better, in my opinion. I remember where I was actually and this is an interesting story… I was on top of a roof in Vegas conducting an investigation. On the way back to California, I was listening to the next episode where Adam confirmed these newfound views. I couldn’t help but raise my fist in support when I approached the small village of Dunn, California, with its large Ron Paul Revolution billboard. Adam has been firing on all cylinders leading into episode 800…
I finally listened to Episode 800 of the Daily Source Code today and I nearly shat myself when I saw the title and accompanying album art. Despite the 2+ hours of content, I had to listen until the end - the point where Adam begins discussing his newfound love for a little old book/cult known as the Secret. Google it if you don’t already know, but it is pure shit of the worst self-help/holistic/psychic friends/alien anal probing/crap-based pseudoscientific kind. I have nearly lost half my family to this narcissistic garbage. I could go on for days about the Secret and its ilk (Fuck you Oprah, and you too Louise Hay), but suffice to say, I can’t go on with Adam’s show anymore. This is too much. Maybe someone will enlighten him to the fact that the Secret is worse than the old media for providing a means of mind control for the people. But I digress.
Just about the time that I finished listening to this marathon episode, I listened to the most recent TWiT with Leo Laporte, with special guests, Jason Calacanis, Wil Harris, Kevin Rose, and Sarah Lane. They were discussing layoffs in the tech industry. Sarah and Kevin mentioned that they would be hosting a show together today, that would come out Wednesday - their first show together since TechTV/G4 days - Wow! Just as TWiT was wrapping up on my iPod, I catch a mention on twitter about Revision 3. Within a few minutes it is confirmed that not only are PopSiren and Internet Superstar cancelled, but Sarah Lane, Martin Sargent, Jay Speiden and a few others were fired. What a day.
Driving home today I was behind a Toyota 4Runner with the following bumper stickers prominently displayed: “Ron Paul” and “Yes on Prop 8″.
First some background.
Dr. Ron Paul is a Republican Congressman from Texas. He advocates libertarian ideals and most importantly is a Constitutionalist. He ran briefly this year for the Republican nomination for US President, but failed to get the nomination. Following this concession he has campaigned ardently for revolution and liberty. According to Wikipedia:
Paul has been described as conservative, Constitutionalist, and libertarian.[2] His nickname “Dr. No“[25] reflects both his medical degree and his insistence that he will “never vote for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution.”[34] One scoring method published in the American Journal of Political Science[159] found Paul the most conservative of all 3,320 members of Congress from 1937 to 2002 (wherein “conservative” is defined by a strict reading of the Constitution, rather than its common-usage definition of supporting restrictive, authoritarian, and/or traditional interests).
California State Proposition 8 is best described by Wikipedia as follows:
Proposition 8 is an initiativemeasure on the 2008 CaliforniaGeneral Election ballot titled Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry.[1][2] If passed, the proposition would change the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California.[3] A new section would be added stating “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”
Dr. Paul is very much against the involvement of the Federal government in matters of the individual states. However, according to Wikipedia, Dr. Paul’s stance (mirroring the stance of most libertarians) on marriage is clear:
If you believe in federalism, it’s better that we allow these things to be left to the state. My personal belief is that marriage is a religious ceremony. And it should be dealt with religiously. The [government] really shouldn’t be involved. The government got involved mostly for health reasons 100 years or so ago. But this should be a religious matter. All voluntary associations, whether they’re economic or social, should be protected by the law. But to amend the Constitution is totally unnecessary to define something that’s already in the dictionary. We do know what marriage is about. We don’t need a new definition or argue over a definition and have an Amendment. To me, it just seems so unnecessary to do that. There’s no need for the federal government to be involved in this.
So for the guy driving the 4Runner on the 94 today with the pro-liberty and pro-authoritarian bumper stickers - you sir are a douchebag. But then, isn’t most of America just like this guy? How many people support lowering or eliminating taxes, but support the Federal Reserve, or support the corporate welfare in the form of lucrative government contracts financed by tax dollars? Or how about the people that support legalization of marijuana, but think prostitution and pornography should be more strongly prosecuted? Or how about people that support the FISA bill/TSA/Homeland Security/Patriout Act and a foreign policy relying heavily on military force (or threat thereof) but think that 9-11 was “an attack on American freedom”? Or how about the people that support a nationalized healthcare system but don’t want the government to rule on Terry Schiavo or abortion? Or what about the people that want intelligent design taught in the schools and want more federal funding for education?
Maybe it is time to rethink the need for any government at all. Forget the polls on the 4th of November, instead “Remember, Remember the 5th of November…”
Apparently he is some sort of sports figure that plays on Mark Cuban’s team. I only know this because I subscribe to Mark’s blog - the only sports I have any interest in are billiards, sumo wrestling, competitive pipe smoking and the barista competitions. Mark had a couple of posts related to some incident involving Mr. Howard and some statements that were made and distributed through teh YouTubes. I think this is the original video (although I have no idea):
I think he said something to the effect of, “I don’t celebrate this shit, I’m black” in regards to the Star-Spangled Banner - a drinking song that was parodied by Francis Scott Key, later becoming the national anthem. I guess Mr. Howard also says something like, “Fuck Obama ‘08.”
These comments have made him an enemy of quite a few people. Cuban himself became a target because he allegedly said something inflammatory in reference to Howard as “being a nice guy.” The point of Cuban’s posts on his blog were to draw attention to the numerous racist and threatening emails that he received for calling Howard a nice guy.
Personally I couldn’t agree more with Howard’s objection to the US national anthem. I just wish he would have had the opportunity to more fully explain his dislike of the national anthem. I haven’t sang the anthem or saluted the flag in well over a decade. Howard’s ancestors were probably brought to this country in the cargo hold of a ship before being sold as livestock to a plantation owner. (Sadly, many people forget or do not know how the slaves got onto the slave ships in the first place - one tribe kidnapped another tribe and sold the prisoners to the the slave traders. Racism may have sustained and perpetuated the slave nation in the US, but tribalism is what made it possible to begin with.)
For most of my life, when it came to politics, I simply chose to abstain. Initially (as a teenager) I found inspiration in statements made by the great John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie. Following his conversion to the Bahá’í Faith, he adopted their precept of non-involvement in politics, even though he was a presidential nominee in 1964. I related to this idea (not just because he was a hero to me as a jazz musician) but I wasn’t sure why.
I also questioned the role that the government actually deserved to play in my life. As I learned more and more about history and politics, I realized how fucking corrupt our government was. And yet it was fairly obvious that the USA was not nearly corrupt as many other governments in the world. That questioning became a true disdain and I quickly found myself despising the entire concept of government.
After years of avoiding anything having to do with politics due to my distaste for government, I somehow found myself more and more informed and aware. Like many in the world, 9/11 was a watershed moment. But unlike most people, the first thought in my mind upon learning of the first plane’s crash (I tuned in just in time to see the second plane hit) was, “Shit - there goes our freedom.” I told my wife what happened and predicted that a) the government would use this opportunity to dissolve as many freedoms as possible and do their best to shit on the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and b) that they would declare war and use the opportunity to carry out even worse crimes against humanity.
For a while, I identified myself when asked, as a libertarian. Note the small “l” - I have not ever been, am not nor will ever be a member of any political party. Ron Paul seemed like a pretty decent candidate - in fact, probably the only candidate I would have ever supported besides Dizzy Gillespie.
I recently revisited a piece of American History that I never recalled learning in the public school system. This has to do with Thomas Jefferson and his war against the Barbary Pirates back in 1801. To sum it up, he decided to skip the provisions limiting power of the presidency in the Constitution and declared war against these foreign parties in an effort to a) protect the commercial interests of a few powerful corporations and b) to limit tax dollar expenditures that had been used by the federal government in ransom payments to the pirates. Congress forgave him and so did the nation. But that isn’t all - his actions became a blueprint for American foreign policies for the next 200 years.
The thing is, no government will ever protect the freedoms of the people. The government rules over the people, whether it is a democracy, monarchy, plutocracy, theocracy, or whatever. So if “no government” will provide freedom to all, there should be no government.
I have never, do not currently, nor do I ever anticipate supporting any government in any form.
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