A wish for a successful Walpurgisnacht to everyone!

I can't help but notice how frequently I argue with people, quite vehemently, too, over some topic only to discover halfway through the argument, that we've been saying the same thing. The problem being in the language, which allows us to say the same thing in what appear to be antagonistic ways. I'm willing to admit that on the odd occasion I might be the one at fault, expressing myself incorrectly. But for the most, it's the other person who's guilty of being the root cause of the misunderstanding. A misunderstanding which stresses us both out, wastes our time and serves no useful purpose.

A very intelligent man recognized this as a problem back in the 1920s, and created a whole field dedicated to it and its solution, which he called General Semantics. His seminal work on the subject, published in 1933, is a landmark opus, contains valid solutions for all the issues and is still readily available. Yet not one in a hundred would recognize this man's name, and probably not one in a hundred thousand has read his works. Why are we as a race so blind to most things which would help us progress? Is there some sort of Lemming thing active within our makeup which forces us to ignore the constructive and embrace all that hinders? I've heard quite a few people speculate that had General Semantics been applied by even a hundredth of the population, we would have immediately seen great leaps, socially and scientifically, as most of mankind's setbacks are due to improper formulation of ideas. Our languages are capable of expressing blatant nonsense with no safeguards built in to make these recognizable.

How many whole communities might have been spared throughout history if nonsensical, irrelevant arguments had been recognizable as such? How many Jenins and September 11s might we avoid even now, going forward? How many individuals would not need to be on prescription drugs designed to make reality less unbearable for them simply because their perceptions are being filtered through faulty language programming? What would today's world be like if we had listened to this great man 70 years ago?

This state of affairs would be terribly sad if it didn't produce such amusing headlines...

This is blatant discrimination!!! Can't a guy have an imaginary friend anymore???

This weekend's preparations for Walpurgisnacht went very well. I have not been online since Friday, and have not watched any news at all, so I'm woefully out of date. I'll be catching up soon, and will post again today if I see anything on which I just have to speak out... :)

Yet another school shooting, this time in Germany...

I immediately started thinking that this is a recent phenomenom. I don't recall any cases like this happening, oh, 50 years ago? I could be mistaken and I have not the time to research it right now. Mayhaps later. Anyway, something must have changed drastically betwixt the time when this didn't happen and the time when it started happening. It shouldn't be too hard to pin down. Why isn't anybody seriously investigating this? Maybe the solution is obvious but politically incorrect and thus unacceptable? Just an example, and I'm definitely not saying this is the cause, nor am I saying it isn't, corporal punishment is no longer allowed in today's schools, hence the lack of discipline and accountability. Just a thought...

And then, to top it all, I read the final part of the CNN article. To the effect that the shooting happened just "hours before the German parliament approved a new bill tightening the country's already strict gun controls". I'm usually not your run of the mill, paranoid conspiracy fan but this seems just too perfect. It's enough to make me wonder... What if They did have mind control and wanted a bill tightening gun controls to be passed? What better way to ensure success than orchestrating a school shooting just before the vote is to be held...?

Mediums, fortunetellers and other commercial magick folks are a frequent source of amusement to me. Why in the Dark One's unutterable name would someone who has the power, in the case of the fortuneteller, to see the future have to subsist by charging other people for readings? I could understand someone like this doing it out of altruism, in extreme cases, but living off their supposed talent? You'd think they'd just lead what would appear to be a charmed life from the common man's point of view and have no need to charge less favored people for any services at all.

Now how about mediums? You'd think that more sooner than later they'd run into a Deadite that had left money in a secret, numbered account, or buried in his/her backyard or whatever, and had died before communicating this to anyone else. Yet aside from the occasional celebrity medium, most that I've met are dirt poor.

Was it Franklin that said it? "A fool and his money are soon parted." No, it wasn't Franklin. It was Thomas Tusser.

So I'm NOT the only one to see the similarity...

I know. This is a recurring theme and I'm probably boring anyone reading this to tears. That is, if anyone actually reads this, which I doubt, that not being the purpose of it at all. Every time I see something like this, I try and try to understand and I just can't. Maybe I am wrong. And maybe pigs CAN fly, too. And yes! The check IS in the mail!

I just can't wrap my mind around the concept that some people are willing to spend $50,000 dollars on some mangy cur adrift on a boat, when there are examples of needy humans all around us. Not that I usually give a rat's ass for most humans, but I still think that in relative worth, a man is worth more than a dog. If it were a cat, I might approve, cats being people, after all. Still, I see examples of human suffering, children going hungry, children receiving inadequate medical attention, and I just think that there are lots of better ways to spend $50,000 dollars than in attempting to rescue an animal.

I think I'm going to bum an idea off of Douglas Adams, and start the Save The Humans Foundation.

If I could be a Superhero, I'd want to be Choda Boy...

Walpurgisnacht draws close, and though I do not feel it to be so, it is possible that this year is The Year. Nevertheless, I doubt it, I rather think I would feel it, know it, in the core of that which is me, and I don't. As of tonight, I will begin my usual routine of preparation. It will be a good Walpurgisnacht, whatever else happens, as living in a place I had never inhabited before, there is much power available to me. It will also give me a 'map' of the loci available near me, as the power waxes, giving me insights not achievable thorugh physical means.

Bless me, Sancta Walpurgis, for I wish to sin... Vita sanctae Walpurgis virginis...

I've seen today how weakened we have become from thinking that all loss of life just HAS to be avoided. In most lethal accidents I see on the news, there is inevitably a spokescritter for the company in question stating that they will spend as many millions as it takes, and expend as much effort as necessary, to make sure they identify the cause and try to avoid it in the future.

Folks... The only sure way to avoid death is by not being born. Accidents happen. Sure, we should try and avoid them, but there is a little something called statistics. We will always have accidents, and there comes a point when making something proof against X particular cause of failure will just open it wide for some as yet unforeseen Y cause of failure. And the people in charge know this all too well. They are forced to cater in the PR world to the stupidity of the masses, which refuse to learn enough science so as to understand how the world works, yet must dictate how the world is to be run. How pathetic...

Every day I am sure I have seen the pinnacle of American stupidity and mediocrity. Then the next day dawns and I am again proven wrong. You know what the problem is? Back in Colonial days, the ratio of fools to intelligent folks was probably the same as today, but back then 100,000 thinking men in the 13 states were able to keep in check the 1,900,000 morons. In today's 50 states, 12.5 million thinkers are powerless before 237.5 million imbeciles.

This was driven home to me tonight, while watching the news and seeing some idiotic woman belonging to PETA raise a god awful stink about the way UNC treats some laboratory rats and mice. This stupid, senseless bitch probably went home right after the interview and had herself a nice, juicy steak. And she probably does not see the irony of it. And I stake my reputation that these same PETA people give a rat's ass on any human suffering they might witness. They care about animals, see? Stupid, outrageous idiots turn against their own race out of selfloathing... It boggles the mind, I just browsed through the PETA site and they're actually concerned about a "Shocking Opossum Cruelty Case". I love animals as much as the next person. Hell, I love and can stand most animals a lot more than I love or can stand the majority of my fellow men, but in general, even I am prepared to admit that a man's life is worth more than an animal's life.

Against stupidity the Gods Themselves contend in vain...

Bush is in a quandary. Poor guy. On the one hand, he's got to peddle our position against terrorism, whatever form it might take, even if that form is suicide bombers in Israel (and they are suicide bombers, people, no matter what the PC crowd say is the correct way of calling them now). On the other hand, we do need Arab oil, as well as support in our anti-terror efforts. On the gripping hand, though, we must admit that Bush has gotten better at spreading the message. In his first speech on the subject, he declared war on the whole planet (I heard him, he said 'War on Terra' quite clearly, numerous times), lately his advisors have either explained that it's not on the whole planet, just on Terror, or have taught him to pronounce it correctly.

My suggestion would be for us to quit trying to make everyone else happy. We do not need to be consistent. We're the only superpower left. Mr. Bush, quit trying to appease all the idiotic and outdated countries in the Middle East, who are mostly envious or resentful at our position in today's world. If you need to lay down the law to someone, do it. If you want to nuke the Jews, or the Arabs, or both, go for it. Quit bending over backwards everytime some petty dictator complains. What use power if you don't use it? Since neither the Jews nor the Palestinians will release their claim on Jerusalem, let's just say it's ours and have done with it!

Why don't we try and solve problems the old-fashioned way? It is manifest that Bush's diplomacy is not enough to achieve peace in the Middle East. Most of the world will back any type of deal which will lead to a permanent cease fire, yet none have worked so far. I propose we go back to more primitive solutions, time tried and proven to have solved problems more intricate than this one many a time.

Let's revive the Games. We can give both Arafat and Sharon swords and let them have at it, to the death, unless the loser manages to get a thumbs up from the public. Hey! It worked when Rome was in charge of the region, didn't it?

Ooh... The Pope has summoned all the U.S. Cardinals to the Vatican. Roman mothers! Lock your kids up tight! You have been warned...

The world gives us a lesson many should take to heart. The recently ousted Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez, is back in power. What all are now calling a coup d'etat lasted around 48 hours. Many of his fellow citizens, including owners and representatives of private TV stations, newspapers and commerce associations applauded Chávez's removal from power. They will now surely have cause to repent their rash words in the days to come. Colombia's president, Andrés Pastrana, went on record during Chávez's absence saying how happy he and his country were, and that now relations with Venezuela would definitely improve. Guess again, idiot.

Lesson: One should never publicly laugh at a powerful person's woes, until one is sure that the woes are permanent.

I think I finally figured out why I'm here. Well, besides the women, the booze, the mind altering drugs and the music. I think my earlier development was too fast, and I missed out some vital bits. I've come to this conclusion based on my subconscious inclinations, which are often at odds with my conscious interests. I must master what it is to be human before I can return to my rightful place, and stand with my Brothers when the appointed time comes.

And even better, I regain more of my past every day, and the process seems to be accelerating...

Oh, Gods! The White House just decided to stop calling them suicide bombers, and now refer to them as homicide bombers! That's dreadful! That will make the explosions 35% more powerful with a subsequent 43% increase in loss of life!!!

No, wait... Somebody just pointed out that it's only a change in wording... That it won't actually affect anything, as such... Well, that was your CNN Non-News Bulletin for today. I still can't believe some idiot wasted 10 minutes of airtime discussing the White House's change of wording.

Sometimes I think the Luddites were right. Humanity has become enamoured of the boolean logic computers normally work with, too much so, in my opinion. People insist that things be either black or white, good or bad, hot or cold, and so on. The real world doesn't work that way. There is something called Fuzzy Logic that was thought up as a solution to my complaint, but it is very rarely referenced by anyone except geeks.

How many people screw up their lives completely solely because they mistakenly think they MUST choose between one option or another, and refuse to consider any sort of middle ground? Hell, forget about individuals, look at Israel and Palestine. Let us hope the day does not come soon when we as a race must make an informed choice as to where to go from here. Let us hope that when that day inevitably dawns, we have abandoned our boolean bias.

Now that cloning is here with us, I'd like a couple of questions answered. The questions are valid even without this technology, but the fact that it is now possible really brings them to the foreground.

The anti-abortionists (and this includes the old dude in Rome and his cohorts) have long brandished the argument that the soul exists from the moment of conception. Conception, for those hazy on the subject, occurs when sperm fertilizes ova. When we clone, there is no conception as such. What we do is take a cell and 'force' it to behave as a single celled embryo and start the same process as when conception happens. Cell division, differentiation, etc. In animals there isn't a major problem, as most people deny them the possibility of having a soul outright. With humans, though...

Would a clone have a soul? Would it be the same soul as the original body had? What if that original is still alive? If I make 2 clones of a dead guy do they get half a soul each? What the hell kind of soul do identical twins have? They came from a single act of conception.

Curiously enough, what I do agree on is that there is a soul, so I can't wait for my human cloning experiments to bear fruit so I can answer all these questions!!! I will post my findings here, eventually...

While watching several programs on the Discovery Channel something amusing struck me. They were all forensic, detective or otherwise crime related shows. They walk the viewer through a real crime, highlighting the mistakes the perp made and which ultimately cost the perp his or her freedom.

Take it from an expert. If I'd been asked to create a How To multimedia presentation on murder and how to get away with it, I'd be hardpressed to come up with something as effective as the last 3 shows I've seen on the Discovery Channel. And then they're scratching their heads, wondering where people come up with the inspiration for the crimes they commit.

LMAO Modern civilization is priceless...

I usually keep the TV on as background noise while I'm at home, even if I'm not actively watching/listening to it. Yesterday I mostly kept it on CNN. I was amazed at the inordinate amount of time CNN spent analyzing whether Bush had actually used the word 'now' and exactly what he meant by it.

I want to let CNN in on a little secret... This is Dubya we're talking about, not Shakespeare. The guy barely knows how to speak something resembling English and you want to devote half of the day to a study of his use of one word? Most of the time, he doesn't know what he's saying. Now I understand why Fox News is getting all the viewers these days...

Here's an example of the sort of things Dubya usually says: "I understand that the unrest in the Middle East creates unrest throughout the region."—Washington, D.C., March 13, 2002

Now, he's not a whiz, but he is our President and you gotta love him. You don't have to study his words, though...

Wherefrom comes this insistence that there be a group of hidden controllers, moving everybody's strings, shaping the world's events to a secret plan? These Illuminati, as they are called by most connoisseurs (others just call them Them), have been reputed to exist for as long as mankind, if not longer. They have been involved in every single cusp in time, shaping history itself to some grand design whose fruition lies in the misty future. The belief in the Illuminati is as necessary to people as the belief in Gods. When things go wrong, we need to have some sort of superior being or beings on which to squarely place the blame. No, it wasn't our own stupidity as a race that caused the Middle Ages, it was the Illuminati! It wasn't a random event of nature which caused all those people to die in that earthquake, it was God's Will. Notice the similarity between the two last statements?

The Illuminati don't exist. I guarantee it. I wouldn't lie about this, unless, of course, I was one of Them again... LOL

"With great power comes great responsibility." A very wise man said this once. Well, okay, actually I got it from a Spiderman comic, Peter Parker says it a lot, as a result of his Uncle Ben having been wasted on account of Spiderman's inactivity at a certain nexus in time. But how true is it?

The U.S.A. is indubitably the most powerful country in today's world. Are we therefore obligated to be the world's policeman? We all know what everyone else usually feels about pigs, I mean, policemen, don't we? That's just one of the reasons why everybody else hates Americans. (And there's another one, we call ourselves Americans. What're the rest of the inhabitants of North, Central and South America supposed to be? Bird guano? But we'll discuss our naiveté in a future post.) Why must we be perpetually saving everybody else's butt from the flames? When has anybody ever been grateful about it? C'mon, give me one example (besides England, they're just not human there) of a country we've stepped up to bat for and who hasn't resented us for it immediately. If two countries, or reasonable facsimiles thereof, decide they want to duke it out until only one is left standing, who are we to break up the fun every time?

Let's leave the rest of the world to its own devices for a year or two. I guarantee it won't hurt us. There'll be less countries to worry about afterwards, I guarantee that, too. Of course, should anyone attack us, my suggestion doesn't prohibit nuking them into next week, that's different.

We cannot be loved by everyone, that's been proven. So let's go for feared by everyone. That one'll work, and it's fun!

Something wicked this way comes... LOL

This is soooo amusing... What sort of men did people think went into the celibate priesthood? And do people think that a vow of celibacy means your cock no longer gets hard? The amusing part is, of course, that this will further discredit the Church. It's a shame the Pope is so old and feeble, he's way beyond his choirboy-humping days, it would've been awesome for THAT to have come out on a CNN exclusive.

All the Institutions of the old age are being discredited to make way for the new. The Age of Horus is finally arrived! Joy!

Suppose, and I ask hypothetically, there was this awesome opportunity to gain power, sitting right there, for anyone to take, but which nobody had, apparently, seen. Suppose, furthermore, that the simple act of taking this power would cause harm to some people. And... And... And if I do not take this power, inevitably, someone else will, sooner or later. Would I be justified in taking it, morally, I mean?

Would it help if I promise to only use it for evil?

I think the rest of the world is so tired of the Israeli vs Palestinian thing, and the conflict is so old, and the two sides are so habituated to it that coverage of the conflict should cease altogether on CNN.

It should be covered from now onwards on ESPN. We should be able to make bets on and/or vote for casualty count, day winner, best offensive play, best defensive play, MVA (most valuable asshole) and other applicable categories.

I'd bet on Palestine, if you forced me to pick a side.