I wrote about a recent class in aikido class and with this retort learned the real meaning of building sand castles.
"Everyday, you build a sandcastle that is washed away with the tide. The next day, you must build it again. And it will be more grand than ever before. You cannot try to preserve the castle for it will dry out, crumble, and no longer be what you originally had. You must allow what you learned from the building of that sandcastle to remain with you, but let go of the castle itself.
The next day upon your beach venture, you will be able to build a much more beautiful castle than you ever could before.
Aikido is the perfect example of this castle. What you have learned you can take away with you, but the showing of that skill cannot be preserved or recreated. Everyday, you have a new empty beach on which your castle can be built. Without that clean mindset, you castle cannot be as unique and one of a kind."
Sunday, January 31
Quote of the Day
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." -Kurt Vonnegut
Friday, January 29
How to report the news
There's news then there's FARK a made up word that means the news story you are reading/watching on TV is not news at all but nonsense and babble cleverly dressed up as news. Here is an example of what that looks like. Pay attention campers, where will be a spot quiz.
Wednesday, January 27
What's on your iTunes?
The top ten most played songs on my itunes. In case anyone cares.
1 Breathe / Anna Nalick- The rhythmic piano chords and insistent tone voice really makes this song and the advice “Breathe, just breathe” is just right.
2 La Valse D’Amelie / Yann Tiersen- A lovely valse from the delightful French Film “Amelie”.
3 The Wind / Cat Stevens- A song under 2 minutes that I never tire of. “ I listen to my words but they fall far below, I let my music takes me where my heart wants to go” which speaks to me of my writing. Poignant and truthful.
4 This Song has No Title / Elton John - one of his lesser known compositions gets to me. Maybe it’s the existential query: “and each day I learn just a little bit more, I don’t know why but I do know what for, if we’re all going somewhere let’s get there soon. . .”
5 Martha My Dear / The Beatles- Great song , period.
6 Comtine D’Autre: L’Apres Midi / Yann Tiersen- Another piece from “Amelie” and a favorite with pianists if You Tube is any indication. I do a good “air piano” rendition of this.
7 Pretty Good Year / Tori Amos-She is abstract, sensitive , sometimes pretentious but always original. This has eclipsed her other song “Happy Phantom” on the list.
8 Aquarium / Camille Saint-Saens- This is from the “Carnival of the Animals”. It reminds me of a vivid dream where I was gazing at night sky full of shooting stars and excitedly ran into the house to tell my family about it. This music was playing in the background, I swear.
9 Real Men / Joe Jackson- It’s a bit pedantic but the message is relevant. “What’s a man mean?” What ever happened to him after his album “Stepping Out” ?
10 Micela’s Theme ( entr’acte to Act 3 of Carmen) / Bizet- This is my favorite piece of opera music. A short musical introduction that always makes me cry. Please play this at my memorial and I will be forever grateful.
1 Breathe / Anna Nalick- The rhythmic piano chords and insistent tone voice really makes this song and the advice “Breathe, just breathe” is just right.
2 La Valse D’Amelie / Yann Tiersen- A lovely valse from the delightful French Film “Amelie”.
3 The Wind / Cat Stevens- A song under 2 minutes that I never tire of. “ I listen to my words but they fall far below, I let my music takes me where my heart wants to go” which speaks to me of my writing. Poignant and truthful.
4 This Song has No Title / Elton John - one of his lesser known compositions gets to me. Maybe it’s the existential query: “and each day I learn just a little bit more, I don’t know why but I do know what for, if we’re all going somewhere let’s get there soon. . .”
5 Martha My Dear / The Beatles- Great song , period.
6 Comtine D’Autre: L’Apres Midi / Yann Tiersen- Another piece from “Amelie” and a favorite with pianists if You Tube is any indication. I do a good “air piano” rendition of this.
7 Pretty Good Year / Tori Amos-She is abstract, sensitive , sometimes pretentious but always original. This has eclipsed her other song “Happy Phantom” on the list.
8 Aquarium / Camille Saint-Saens- This is from the “Carnival of the Animals”. It reminds me of a vivid dream where I was gazing at night sky full of shooting stars and excitedly ran into the house to tell my family about it. This music was playing in the background, I swear.
9 Real Men / Joe Jackson- It’s a bit pedantic but the message is relevant. “What’s a man mean?” What ever happened to him after his album “Stepping Out” ?
10 Micela’s Theme ( entr’acte to Act 3 of Carmen) / Bizet- This is my favorite piece of opera music. A short musical introduction that always makes me cry. Please play this at my memorial and I will be forever grateful.
Blogging Self Awareness
It was bound to happen. At last a blog that satirizes blogs. Not quite the same as Douglas Hofstadters famous self referential story in Scientific America but it's good for a laugh.
Monday, January 25
Sunday, January 24
For those strong of heart-you'll need a strong stomach too..
The following speech, which I have excerpted, was forwarded to me recently. That such outrageous statements like these come my way mystifies me but I felt the need to comment.
Geert Wilders, Chairman, Party for Freedom, the Netherlands, at the Four Seasons, New York, introducing an Alliance of Patriots and announcing the Facing Jihad Conference in Jerusalem.
“I come to America with a mission. All is not well in the old world. There is a tremendous danger looming, and it is very difficult to be optimistic. We might be in the final stages of the Islamization of Europe. This not only is a clear and present danger to the future of Europe itself, it is a threat to America and the sheer survival of the West. The United States as the last bastion of Western civilization, facing an Islamic Europe . . . Let no one fool you about Islam being a religion. Sure, it has a god, and a here-after, and 72 virgins. But in its essence Islam is a political ideology. It is a system that lays down detailed rules for society and the life of every person. Islam wants to dictate every aspect of life. Islam means 'submission'. Islam is not compatible with freedom and democracy, because what it strives for is sharia. If you want to compare Islam to anything, compare it to communism or national-socialism, these are all totalitarian ideologies. . .
Dear friends, liberty is the most precious of gifts. My generation never had to fight for this freedom, it was offered to us on a silver platter, by people who fought for it with their lives. All throughout Europe , American cemeteries remind us of the young boys who never made it home, and whose memory we cherish. My generation does not own this freedom; we are merely its custodians. We can only hand over this hard won liberty to Europe 's children in the same state in which it was offered to us. We cannot strike a deal with mullahs and imams. Future generations would never forgive us. We cannot squander our liberties. We simply do not have the right to do so.
We have to take the necessary action now to stop this Islamic stupidity from destroying the free world that we know. ”
I found this speech beyond offensive. Speaking of extremist, This man is reviled as one in his own country. He was barred from entering the UK because of his racism. Dutch authorities tried to get his film Fitna, which links the Koran to terrorism, banned and no TV company would air it. As reported on the BBC "The Dutch MP had upset the Muslim world before Fitna by calling for a ban on the Koran and likening it to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf."
Yes there are extremists in Islam, there are extremists in every religion. Terrorists have used them to justify their cause through out history, This is nothing new.
The claims that Islam is taking over Europe is hyperbole at best and racist at worse. To call all Moslems extremists is irresponsible and absurd. Most Moslems are appalled by terrorists appropriating their religion and there are plenty speaking out about it.
We should guard against intolerance and it's partner violence with reason, law and resolve, not with equally inflammatory language. As the last sentence of the message sent to me so ironically put it:
". . . it is so very important that we understand there is NO possibility of a coexistance with a culture that fervently believes they have a Divine Mission to EXTERMINATE all those who refuse to bow to the will of ISLAM”
This applies equally to the idiots who believe this horse shit.
Saturday, January 23
Quote of the Day
With the following quote I can cover the homophobia of religion and Conan's departure from the Tonight Show.
"A cardinal declared gays do not go to heaven, which begs the question: who does God's hair?" Conan O'Brien.
Nuff said.
"A cardinal declared gays do not go to heaven, which begs the question: who does God's hair?" Conan O'Brien.
Nuff said.
Tuesday, January 19
Gays Vs. the Prigs- on Trial
"Has anyone noticed that now that lesbians and gay men have left the closet to assert their equal rights as citizens, their adversaries seem to be running for a closet of their own?" - Linda Greenhouse.
The trial over Prop 8 in CA that banned same sex marriage continues in Federal court. There is a lot of live blogging since the Supreme Court approved a halt to cameras in the court by the defendants of Prop 8. They're afraid of retaliation from gays -who have along history of violence against homophobes, you know.
Anyway the whole thing is long, complicated, better reported on by others and highly entertaining. I recommend you check out the links, especially the Campaign for Courage and their own little battle with the opposing team over competing logos. Very entertaining.
The trial over Prop 8 in CA that banned same sex marriage continues in Federal court. There is a lot of live blogging since the Supreme Court approved a halt to cameras in the court by the defendants of Prop 8. They're afraid of retaliation from gays -who have along history of violence against homophobes, you know.
Anyway the whole thing is long, complicated, better reported on by others and highly entertaining. I recommend you check out the links, especially the Campaign for Courage and their own little battle with the opposing team over competing logos. Very entertaining.
Monday, January 18
Like Real Life
In aikido class, I was doing a simple little throw I've done a million times for the last 20 years, it wasn't working and I was getting annoyed. "What's going on here?" I heard my inner self ask impatiently. My aikido partner-an energetic teenager- summed up the situation well. Sometimes aikido class is like building a sand castle, it's beautiful but dissolves with the incoming waves. Like real life.
I figured out the problem as I pedaled home on my bike. Attacker does A and I respond with B , followed by C. Because the uke (attacker) didn't do B the way I expected, it disturbed my response and I got stuck. It was expectation versus the reality of the situation. Like real life. Wait a minute! that sounds like a realization. It was a reminder that training in the dojo is all very nice but it has to apply to the real world or it's worthless.
Don't rely on expectations, they can go awry and when they do, you have to stay centered instead of getting frustrated that things didn't work as you planned. Like real life.
I figured out the problem as I pedaled home on my bike. Attacker does A and I respond with B , followed by C. Because the uke (attacker) didn't do B the way I expected, it disturbed my response and I got stuck. It was expectation versus the reality of the situation. Like real life. Wait a minute! that sounds like a realization. It was a reminder that training in the dojo is all very nice but it has to apply to the real world or it's worthless.
Don't rely on expectations, they can go awry and when they do, you have to stay centered instead of getting frustrated that things didn't work as you planned. Like real life.
Sunday, January 17
Friday, January 15
Gays Vs. the Moralists Number . .Oh fuck it
"There is nothing wrong with going to bed with someone of your own sex. People should be very free with sex, but they should draw the line at goats." Elton John
The trail over Prop 8 in California has recessed for the week and it so far it's a cross between a soap opera and bizarro world as the proponent's engage in some very convoluted logic against same-sex marriage.I'm not even going to try to explain this one kids. Oh yeah and the Supreme Court blocked cameras from the trial. Damn. That would have been fun and educational but apparently the proponents of Prop 8 don't want anyone to see it. Hmm, ponder. So it's ok to televise a lurid trial like OJ Simpson but not one that challenges the constitution.
Excuse me while I get a strong drink.
Tuesday, January 12
She Does Get Ink
The following is my letter to the editor published last week in the Register-Guard, the local newspaper.
When did the US decide it was acceptable to torture people? On September 12 , 2001 that’s when. Before then we would decry it’s use in third world countries and banana dictatorships we propped up. But when some bad people killed some of our people we reacted like everyone else with retaliation.
After the latest incident with the bomber from Yemen, the hysterical cries of a mob gathering to stone a whore drowns out reason. None of this will end the fear of terrorist attacks, none of it will gain us valuable information, even if we caught the real leaders it will do no good, why?
Because torture is not about extracting information, it’s about extracting revenge. Even professional interrogators know this doesn’t work.
The effect will only lead to a war of attrition. “Let’s do to them what they did to us” is an ancient battle cry. We have to recognize this is merely a need to satisfy our bloodlust, not a way to stop those with fanatical egos. It suits any government to keep the populace in a state of fear, so suspicion, paranoia and angry are given loud free reign to prevent real peace from being achieved.
When did the US decide it was acceptable to torture people? On September 12 , 2001 that’s when. Before then we would decry it’s use in third world countries and banana dictatorships we propped up. But when some bad people killed some of our people we reacted like everyone else with retaliation.
After the latest incident with the bomber from Yemen, the hysterical cries of a mob gathering to stone a whore drowns out reason. None of this will end the fear of terrorist attacks, none of it will gain us valuable information, even if we caught the real leaders it will do no good, why?
Because torture is not about extracting information, it’s about extracting revenge. Even professional interrogators know this doesn’t work.
The effect will only lead to a war of attrition. “Let’s do to them what they did to us” is an ancient battle cry. We have to recognize this is merely a need to satisfy our bloodlust, not a way to stop those with fanatical egos. It suits any government to keep the populace in a state of fear, so suspicion, paranoia and angry are given loud free reign to prevent real peace from being achieved.
Monday, January 11
randomness defined
Saturday, January 9
The Hokey-Pokey Can Solve All Our Problems
George Mitchell recalled the Northern Ireland peace process being difficult because the two sides were so combative. They refused to talk to each other. He found a way to get them to talk on a common subject they were both interested in: Soccer, and so was able to break down barriers.
Something like that needs to be done with other stubborn, defensive conflicts like the Israelis and Palestinians. Instead of having them sit at a table give them dancing lessons. Seriously, as they come into the room inform them that their are going to learn to dance the hokey-pokey. Move the table and chairs aside, have them take off their shoes and coats, get comfortable and learn how to put their right foot in and their right foot out and turn it all around. Nothing gets people to cooperate than a common goal -or competition.
In times of real crisis people will drop their differences for a universal good and what could be more universal than dance. In the gnostic gospels Jesus says : “He who does not dance, does not understand the mystery”. It’s time to understand the mystery and you know what?- Maybe the hokey-pokey is what it’s all about.
Tuesday, January 5
Porn for TSA
Airport security body scanners being used in England are already facing problems and resistance from passengers. They are intrusive, revealing and what about the radiation? Children are being exempt because of the fear their image will be peddled as kiddie porn. WTF? Wait a minute?! What about the claim that the image is wiped out after a scan and the observer doesn't know the identity of the person scanned?
Hmm, seems the nosy power demons may have slipped up. Safe? I don't think so. Next time you have to fly show up in shorts, a tank top and flip flops.
Hmm, seems the nosy power demons may have slipped up. Safe? I don't think so. Next time you have to fly show up in shorts, a tank top and flip flops.
Monday, January 4
The Year in Review Part 2
I have been sorting out my notes and found some leftover bits and pieces on various subjects. Here, in no particular order I present some observations about events, controversies, and the media from the last year that caught my eye.
We were treated to yet more examples of TSA incompetence from their security manual being posted on the internet to the latest bomb threat and their bone head security solution to it, that that average person can see is useless. Real security is based on stopping bad people not bad things. It’s about correctly interpreting the ego of these bad people. As Dr. Hawkins says about ego in his book, "Reality vs. Subjectivity":
"The ego is not only unable to correctly access situations that are fatal but it even willingly sacrifices life for its own ends. The ego is therefore potentially deadly and would rather 'see you dead than admit it is wrong. . . The ego is intran sigent in that it fails to learn from its mistakes. Failed policies are reinstated repeatedly, even in the face of major catastrophe, and the justification is almost always a resort to some moralistic catch phrase that services the political gains of the propagandists who exploit the gullibility of the naive public."
We think racial profiling is wrong blah, blah but law enforcement has been engaging in racial profiling for years. Ask any Black or Hispanic how many times they have been pulled over by a cop. Is the TSA afraid of using ethic profiling because of the political backlash or because the profiling won’t work? Take some lessons from the Israeli's, they know how to do this.
Speaking of fantasy the ( non) issue of gay marriage is till in the news with the advocates sounding more intelligent than the opponents.
“Gay people should be free to marry and other people should be free to believe that our same-sex marriages are wrong because their religion forbids it or because that's how they were raised or because they just think it's icky. Just because same-sex marriage is legal doesn't mean that everyone is required to approve. Interracial marriage is legal despite the disapproval of some; inter-faith marriage is legal despite the strong and sometimes violent disapproval of most religious traditions; divorce is legal despite the disapproval of Jesus Christ himself and despite being forbidden by the Roman Catholic Church. Gay people want the same deal interracial couples, inter-faith couples, and divorced-and-remarried couples all have now: our marriages should be legal even if some people disapprove.” Dan Savage
Gays are also angry and impatient. And you don’t want to piss off a drama queen.
":. . . If Obama wants to support gay equality, he knows what to do. If Pelosi and Reid want to support gay equality, they know what to do. If HRC believes in gay equality, they also know what to do.So spare us the schmoozing and the sweet-talking and do it. Until then, Mr. President, why don't you have a nice steaming cup of shut-the-fuck-up? " Andrew Sullivan
Meanwhile certain so called Christians ( Scott Lively, Caleb Lee Brundidge, Don Schmierer) are now backpedaling from the propaganda they spewed in Uganda now that the country is pushing for a law that would put homosexuals to death. Good thing they weren’t told Jews were out to pervert their children.
Health care reform is still a disgusting joke. If you think our system is fine, good for you. The Republicans on the other hand hope that I die quickly if I’m hit by a car. So do I because I have no insurance.
On that cheerful note I wish everyone a happy new year where you are in good health when you attend the wedding of a gay friend after flying safely on a plane.
We were treated to yet more examples of TSA incompetence from their security manual being posted on the internet to the latest bomb threat and their bone head security solution to it, that that average person can see is useless. Real security is based on stopping bad people not bad things. It’s about correctly interpreting the ego of these bad people. As Dr. Hawkins says about ego in his book, "Reality vs. Subjectivity":
"The ego is not only unable to correctly access situations that are fatal but it even willingly sacrifices life for its own ends. The ego is therefore potentially deadly and would rather 'see you dead than admit it is wrong. . . The ego is intran sigent in that it fails to learn from its mistakes. Failed policies are reinstated repeatedly, even in the face of major catastrophe, and the justification is almost always a resort to some moralistic catch phrase that services the political gains of the propagandists who exploit the gullibility of the naive public."
We think racial profiling is wrong blah, blah but law enforcement has been engaging in racial profiling for years. Ask any Black or Hispanic how many times they have been pulled over by a cop. Is the TSA afraid of using ethic profiling because of the political backlash or because the profiling won’t work? Take some lessons from the Israeli's, they know how to do this.
Speaking of fantasy the ( non) issue of gay marriage is till in the news with the advocates sounding more intelligent than the opponents.
“Gay people should be free to marry and other people should be free to believe that our same-sex marriages are wrong because their religion forbids it or because that's how they were raised or because they just think it's icky. Just because same-sex marriage is legal doesn't mean that everyone is required to approve. Interracial marriage is legal despite the disapproval of some; inter-faith marriage is legal despite the strong and sometimes violent disapproval of most religious traditions; divorce is legal despite the disapproval of Jesus Christ himself and despite being forbidden by the Roman Catholic Church. Gay people want the same deal interracial couples, inter-faith couples, and divorced-and-remarried couples all have now: our marriages should be legal even if some people disapprove.” Dan Savage
Gays are also angry and impatient. And you don’t want to piss off a drama queen.
":. . . If Obama wants to support gay equality, he knows what to do. If Pelosi and Reid want to support gay equality, they know what to do. If HRC believes in gay equality, they also know what to do.So spare us the schmoozing and the sweet-talking and do it. Until then, Mr. President, why don't you have a nice steaming cup of shut-the-fuck-up? " Andrew Sullivan
Meanwhile certain so called Christians ( Scott Lively, Caleb Lee Brundidge, Don Schmierer) are now backpedaling from the propaganda they spewed in Uganda now that the country is pushing for a law that would put homosexuals to death. Good thing they weren’t told Jews were out to pervert their children.
Health care reform is still a disgusting joke. If you think our system is fine, good for you. The Republicans on the other hand hope that I die quickly if I’m hit by a car. So do I because I have no insurance.
On that cheerful note I wish everyone a happy new year where you are in good health when you attend the wedding of a gay friend after flying safely on a plane.
Friday, January 1
Year in Review-it's short entry
2009 didn’t start off real well. I spent the first six months really depressed while I slaved away at the tea house construction. The summer was a string of Saturdays at the Market doing tarot readings ( $5 for a quickie and $12 for a long one, and get your mind out of the gutter.)
July saw the completion -more or less of the tea house with a fabulous blessing by a Buddhist monk and friends who gathered to ooh an aah the little treasure which I escape to whenever I can. Thanks Steve Parrish for your help raising the roof.
I thought I had hit rock bottom as a writer because nothing I mean NOTHING was happening in the inspiration department , Man I was ready to kill that creative muse if I could find the bitch. Then something amazing happened- I entered the National Novel Writing Month (web link) contest and wrote a novel I had been wanting to write for 25 years. I finished it in 51,000 plus words and 27 days. Yes!!
For a month I was happy. I woke up every day excited about putting words down on paper - in long hand and loving every fucking stressed out- “got to get it down “rock and roll moment. The hell with anti-depressents I found my bliss baby. I end the year with the promise of working on the 2nd draft of “Private Audience” in time for the screenplay contest in April.
The next year is already filling up with promises of another aikido demonstration at the Asian Celebration in February and competition in April. I will be planning a party for my big 50 birthday in March and bracing myself to get a tattoo to mark the occasion.
The summer will be spent doing tarot at the Saturday Market again. And writing, lots of writing. Give me ideas folks I’m ready to dive in.Whew!
July saw the completion -more or less of the tea house with a fabulous blessing by a Buddhist monk and friends who gathered to ooh an aah the little treasure which I escape to whenever I can. Thanks Steve Parrish for your help raising the roof.
I thought I had hit rock bottom as a writer because nothing I mean NOTHING was happening in the inspiration department , Man I was ready to kill that creative muse if I could find the bitch. Then something amazing happened- I entered the National Novel Writing Month (web link) contest and wrote a novel I had been wanting to write for 25 years. I finished it in 51,000 plus words and 27 days. Yes!!
For a month I was happy. I woke up every day excited about putting words down on paper - in long hand and loving every fucking stressed out- “got to get it down “rock and roll moment. The hell with anti-depressents I found my bliss baby. I end the year with the promise of working on the 2nd draft of “Private Audience” in time for the screenplay contest in April.
The next year is already filling up with promises of another aikido demonstration at the Asian Celebration in February and competition in April. I will be planning a party for my big 50 birthday in March and bracing myself to get a tattoo to mark the occasion.
The summer will be spent doing tarot at the Saturday Market again. And writing, lots of writing. Give me ideas folks I’m ready to dive in.Whew!
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