The power of barking

Or, another example: Since I acquired my magic tiger stopping rock, I've not been attacked once by a tiger. Faith! Praise Dog!

No Tilters

Take your lance elsewhere, tilter. This windmill is not going anywhere, and in fact, is environmentally friendly. Why do you hate the environment, Don?

Oh, right. Delusion. Similar to the Republican's response to global warming. Did you hear July was the hottest month on Earth in recorded history? Liberal lies, I'm sure.

Monsters among us

And yet, at this very moment, millions of Americans are lamenting the oppression of the evil OBAMER administration. Look here, and see their fears turned into horrible art - George Soros, the evil behind all evils, apparently, in the Wingnut fevered brain, feeding his minions, OBAMER! among them.

This is how Wingnuts see the world - as a terrible fantasy where they are forever the victims fighting back against the evil LIBERAL monsters.

IE stupid monsters, capable of anything. Monsters on all sides, nichtwar?

But there is still Truth, or closer approximations of it, and lies and ignorance.

Where do you stand? And if it's for Truth, then it's time you started pushing back against the forces of lies and ignorance.

Alien Jesus N'gath'luxt for your Hlex'gnath

If we're lucky (unlucky) enough to discover advanced alien life, I wonder how christianity, and all religions, would take it? I can imagine there would quickly develop a myth that Jesus did indeed appear to the aliens - in their form - to save them from their own fall in the Garden of Nr'ex'lux-nagath. And then was crucified upon an alien cross on an alien Golgotha. Indeed, re-write the bible in alien terms and you've got your ends tied up, and are free to keep on Believin'. The discovery of alien life - even microbes - will do nothing to shake most people of their religion, as this belief is mostly immune to facts in the first place. Hence the word "belief".

At least - hopefully! - we'll get some good art of it. Though I've not seen much good religious art these days, or for the last 200 years or so. Seems as if the Muse has left it behind. Good for Her!

I don't really love that Dirty Water

Yeah, hockey! That was fun. Like all sports except Baseball, hockey is a form of football, plus some basketball and American football. On Ice. I enjoyed watching the Bruins playoff run and might become a full time hockey fan. Well, actually, probably not, but it's fun to contemplate. I mean, really: Defining yourself by mega million sports corporations? Lame.

For example:

This is Sully. Or Murph. Or Fitz. He's defined by this artificial tribe that's been created over the last 20 or so years: Boston, sports, Irish, etc. I'm sure he'll love the tats in the year 2033.

It's all symbols, fluffery, distractions. Distractions have their role, no doubt, but as a primary focus, not so good.

This is a thing, by the way, that was no doubt born circa 2003, 2004 with the Red Sox run for the championship: Believe. I want to Believe. Believe in Boston. Believe in flimsy tribal allegiances to drive sales.

This is the Wheel of Karma, of course. But also another "Sully's" brand Boston product. $$$

Having moved back to Boston in 2000, I've witnessed firsthand all the major sports championships, and the subsequent "Celebrations". And I propose the reaction of the Boston Police to the these celebrations over the years parallels the changes in America as a whole. As in - 2001, the police were totally caught off guard, and the Sullys went joyously wild. By 2004, the black clad Storm Trooper look had been perfected, but not the tactics - the Troopers were caught in a defensive position, and lashed out, killing a few, injuring many. By 2005, they learned to be "preemptive", sealing off all the Celebratory areas ahead of the game's finale. 2007 and 2008 (Red Sox, Celtics) featured a jaded, tired, going through the motions pantomime of the riots of 2001-2004. No one was really into it. And now, 2011, so much has changed. Gone was the black armor riot gear. Gone were the preemptive squad lines. Gone was the clubbing and gas and sandbag guns. I just watched in some disbelief on the TeeVee the Boston cops, in reflective orange safety jerseys, calmly guiding drunken Sully's off the T entrance, even helping them climb down. The news hairs were agog, they kept describing the evening as "Community Policing" as opposed to "Militaristic" tactics.

Yeah. Exactly. And I know why:

Obama. He's the antidote to the craziness of 2000-2008, and it's working. Slowly but surely, we, as an artificial tribe called America, are pulling back from the brink. Believe it.

Peace and Love and Lack of Burning Cars, y'all.

I may be a midget in a motorized wheelchair, but...

... at least I'm not black. Sigh. Probably what this guy is thinking, feeling, and has been thinking for a long time. No doubt he's had a tough life, but it's hard to feel sympathy for someone who is so misguided. I mean, it's understandable - people get into all kinds of things in order to feel the bliss that is belonging, that is feeling like you have a place. Doesn't matter what the thing is, mostly. But not all the time.

When you are actively espousing intolerance towards others - any others - you've crossed the line. I've long toyed with this idea: A good rule for living - a good basis for a religion, in fact - is tolerance to all. Except, alas, for the intolerant. Allowing the intolerant to actively work against the tolerant is like allowing a cancer to do whatever it wants, because "its alive too". Maybe, but by letting it live, you die. By allowing intolerance to bloom, tolerance is inhibited. 

Thus, defenders of tolerance must be intolerant towards the intolerant. Puzzling, is it not?

Also, fuck the KKK.

The Great Bea Yond

Bea Arthur is a great hero to many, apparently. For deeds such as depicted here, I assume. Dino rasslin'.

Unbelieveable

Unfortunately, belief might not be close to enough, as we have, in our midsts, people with power determined to undermine anything Obama might do to get this nation on track. Repuglicans. They are a blight not just on America, but the World, and until they are overcome philosophically - until we learn to work together than tear each other down (ha!), then the insanity is likely to continue, regardless of what Obama does or does not.

Sadly, belief is our greatest threat as well. Belief in lies and superstition.

Don't Stop Believin'

I'm still a believer. How could you not be? The man is a natural leader and FSM knows we need one.


We need to believe - no matter how grounded in logic and fact you are, belief is still required to operate in this world. Our very reality is a collection of fictions, stories woven by our senses, interpreted by our brain, distributed via chemicals and pulses, aggregations of thousands of actions collectively we call, ourselves. The mighty I. But that's just a belief, one that could be changed overnight. 


So, keep believing. Just believe in better stuff.