Occupy Wall Street March on and Occupation of Times Square – 2011.10.15 – Day 29 #OWS #USDOR #OccupyWallSt

Section 529 Row 3 Seat 8

What pisses me off most is that the Mets organization complains and bitches about losing money left and right.  They complain that nobody comes to the games.  Well, maybe that’s because they treat their fans like shit.  Giving someone who purchased a pack of tickets, well in advance, shit seats is not going to make them want to do it again.  Those seats were worthless.  I couldn’t see ANY of left field.  And to make matters worse, I could BARELY see home plate or third base.  Seriously, have you ever tried to enjoy a baseball game where you couldn’t see home plate because part of the building was in the way?  These seats ruined my experience, and I probably won’t be purchasing any additional tickets for the rest of the season, nor will I consider a multi-game pack of tickets for next season.

Section 529 Row 3 Seat 8 Citi Field

While I’m on a roll ranting about Citi Field, let me also complain about the service of the staff there.  It is also shit.  I’ve been to almost a dozen games this year, so it’s not just a fluke, it is consistent.  If you want to get a beer and/or some food between innings, you’ll consistently miss 1 or more innings of game play.  This is because the staff working the concessions are not the brightest folks.  I’m all for giving mentally challenged people an opportunity in life, but when you are charging $50 to get into the game, $8 per beer, and $8+ per food item, the service should at least be better than McDonalds.  Unfortunately the service is worse than McDonalds.  It apparently takes 3 people to serve 1 beer at Citi Field.  While the next register sits empty.  The lines move at a snail’s pace.  I’ve been in line for over 1 inning, only to be the next person in line, only to be cut off because the bottom of the 7th inning began, which is the beer sales cut-off point.

All in all, I’m not having much fun going to the games anymore.  It’s not even the Mets playing like shit that frustrates me, I can live with that.  I can’t live with spending way too much money only to be fucked in the ass by an organization which doesn’t care for those folks spending their hard earned money at the establishment.  After this season I think I’ll be staying at home to watch most of the games.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

For us, it has always been. Equally, it has remained a focal point for emotions like desire and longing, that poets and playwrights throughout human history have visited this place of false light. On its face (or within) would giants seek even the tiniest snippet of inspiration. Its spheroid body hangs lazily, its illumination is both weak and borrowed, void of any warmth. Even still, the moon rocks. Never you mind that pun, weary web-traveler. I’m just a hopeless fan of a stupid rock.

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George Carlin believed that “the earth doesn’t share our prejudice against plastic.”  To take it further, considering Earth to be a life form, we honestly couldn’t do more than speculate what it would or wouldn’t care about.  Littering, drilling, strip mining, logging…..  Maybe, just maybe, it could care less about all that crap.  Remember, I’m just pulling all of this out of an unseemly place. Still, logic can be fun.

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The uncertainties of the universe continue to intrigue me; and all the while, creativity allows us to hold some grip of control over a reality that becomes increasingly complicated.  Let us, therefore, give proper homage to a concept I became a fan of overnight:  Power Thursday.

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For a while, we assumed that the stars were gods, watching over us.  Currently, we have a better understanding of the physical nature of stars.

For a while, we were drilling holes in people’s heads or cutting out parts of their brains in order to make them “normal” again.  We know better now.

For a while, lesser status was given to certain human beings based on superficial attributes, like skin color.  Some of us still feel the pain of that stupidity.

For a while, some people were stupid enough to think that a style of music could bring down the whole of society.  Okay, some people are still that dumb.

The point remains:  we think we know stuff.

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Okay, it’s difficult to know exactly where to begin on this one…

Your penis is too small.

A hypothetical couple returns home from an evening out.  The woman is sexually interested, but the man is too drunk to rise to the occasion.  Lame.

Some lame douche gets lucky at a bar and, inebriated, gets to escort some hottie home.  The deed is over within a couple of minutes and she lays there, unfulfilled and wondering what better selection she might have missed at that last water hole.  Sorry, sweetheart.

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Let us begin with a short tale of a situation that undoubtedly occurs a countless number of times throughout this country on any given day or night…  All names used are fictional for two reasons: 1.) I don’t know the actual names of any of these people, and, even if I did, 2.) I’m not entirely without tact.

Sharon is in her early thirties, a middle class mother-to-be showing approximately six months of pregnancy. As she enters the grocery store where I am currently purchasing items, she has two teenage girls trailing her all the way to the beer cooler.

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I’m not going to deny the fact that many of my fellow human beings consider me to be negative, and so label me as such. Far be it for me to act in any way that belies my instinct or the way that I feel about the world around me. This being the case, allow me to share with you my feelings regarding “Hallmark Holidays,” which includes birthdays, Christmas, Sweetest Day, and, of course, our most famous, Valentine’s Day…

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So, I’m sitting in my apartment tonight, and my Chefmate P70D2AL-D4 Microwave starts beeping randomly. At first it was just a single beep, then a few minutes later it went ape-shit. Scary thing was it first was saying 6:66 then 66:66. The keypad wouldn’t work anymore, and just kept on beeping until I unplugged the thing. Reading around the internet, I’ve found that others have had this same problem with this microwave. Wonderful.

So if you are buying a cheap microwave, don’t get this one. We got ours from Target if that matters. Thing that really ticks me off is that we just got this thing last year! Of course we didn’t hang onto any of the warranty information, I mean who does? The cost of shipping it out to be repaired, and being without an important appliance, what’s the point? I think it’s a conspiracy, stupid Made in China piece of garbage.

Time to hit Amazon and look for a new microwave with free shipping, because I don’t want to have to haul one on the bus and subway again back to my apartment.

Dear Rep. Velazquez,

I won’t bore you with a form letter. I am writing today to ask you co-sponsor HR 1207 to allow the G.A.O. to audit the Federal Reserve.

As a member of the financial services committee you are in a unique position to help further President Obama’s promise of transparency and vote in this bi-partisan issue. This bill has over 200 sponsors from both sides of the isle, and is now being considered by your committee for further action.

There is no logical reason why the Federal Reserve shouldn’t be audited by Congress. Your efforts in supporting this important legislation would go a long way in proving to your constituents that you not only hold the Federal Reserve to the same standard as you do your constituents, but it would also show that you believe in transparency. Anything less than support for this resolution suggests that you are in favor of secrecy and a lack of accountability to the people who pay the bills. We pay the tab; we have a right to know where our money is going.

If you are not going to support HR 1207, I would appreciate a letter from your office with the reasoning behind your decision, so that I may further understand all sides of this issue. At this point I see no logical reason why this shouldn’t be supported by all members of congress.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this very important matter. We have a historical opportunity to change this country for the better, and I hope we can make it happen.

-Concerned constituent in NYC

I encourage everyone to contact their members of congress and ask that hey support H.R. 1207. There are currently over 200 cosponsors as of today (June 9, 2009), both Democrats and Republicans.

In order to speak of libertarianism one must first attempt to define the terms of greatest importance to the libertarian perspective. The first of these terms is liberty. One way of defining liberty is the “freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control” (Dictionary.com). Liberty is exemplified when the individual is in a state of independence so that he may make his own decisions about how his life will be lived. Liberty is threatened when an individual, group of individuals, or governing body tries to enforce control over another individual, group of individuals, or governing body. Liberty is an uncompromising position. There are no “what ifs” or “buts” when it comes to liberty. Either something helps to support liberty that already exists and creates a greater context where liberty can grow, or it inhibits liberty and works to exert greater control and a decreased freedom of choice and action.

Another way of defining liberty is “the absence of coercion of a human being by any other human being; it is a condition where the person may do whatever he desires, according to his wisdom and conscience” (Harper 3). It must be made clear that this definition leaves room for varying degrees and views of morality. Liberty in and of itself is neither “good” nor “bad”. Rather, it allows the individual to decide what is “good” or “bad,” and to make errors in judgment and behavior that they may learn from. Attempts to legislate morality in regards to an individual’s conduct tend to subvert individual liberty. Wherever there is liberty there must also be personal responsibility. If an individual were to value their own liberty they must hold themselves to a particular standard where she not only promotes liberty for herself, but for others as well. As Mary Ruwart has expressed, “Liberty requires respect for the personal choices that others make. In trying to control others, we will eventually find ourselves controlled” (Ruwart 1). One does not have to agree with another’s decisions or how he would live his life. However, at least a basic respect for their right to do as he chooses must be observed. If one individual or governing body were to create a rule which limits another individual’s behavior it only becomes a matter of time before a rule will be made which limits the law maker’s own behavior.

A third way of looking at liberty brings us back to Bastiat’s original question posed above. If we’re looking at liberty in terms of oversight, a libertarian tends to believe “that individuals and society can work out their own problems in the absence of top-down management” (Rockwell 1). It is not any other individual’s or governing body’s responsibility to tell another how to live, think, work, or play. In fact, liberty encourages the individual to have freedom of thought, word, and deed. The idea of liberty is by definition, nonrestrictive in regards to directing an individual’s code of conduct. In fact, libertarians tend to come from a diverse array of lifestyles. In order to further define what it is to be a libertarian one must also consider the other pillars that hold it up.

While the idea of liberty on its own may seem too broad to be pragmatic in today’s troubling and complex social climate, one must understand that libertarianism is not a strict platform of behavioral standards or a code of ethics. Instead, it is a basic framework of principles that all support and build on one another in the striving for maximum liberty. While libertarians may debate specific questions of morality and matters of public policy, the non-aggression axiom is paramount to libertarian ideals and helps to further define what it is to be a libertarian. Walter Block’s assertion that “we’re all libertarians if we agree on the non-aggression axiom and property rights” is an accurate one (Block 5:58). Someone who professes to be a libertarian yet finds exceptions in the non-aggression axiom is undermining the philosophic system as a whole.

Examples of the non-aggression axiom have appeared as early as ancient Greece. The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus is credited with expressing that “The justice of nature is a pledge of reciprocal usefulness, neither to harm one another nor be harmed” (Morgan 423). This is the most basic pledge of the non-aggression axiom. Basically, a libertarian may not initiate the use of force or coercion against another. The only justification for a libertarian to engage in the use of force against another individual or property is in cases where one is acting in defense of aggression. Only in the defensive context may one individual encroach upon another. Unfortunately, this interpretation has taken a life of its own in this age of terrorism.

Some self-described libertarians have tried to argue that we live in different times and the idea of preemptive strikes laid out by the Bush Doctrine are compatible with libertarianism and the non-aggression axiom. This assertion is nothing more than a distortion of what the non-aggression axiom states. Not only is this axiom meant to govern the acts of the individual, but it also extends all the way to the state. Generally speaking, the foundational concepts of libertarianism apply to all of life’s contexts regardless of how large or small they happen to be. Acts of aggression against other nations are just as unacceptable as acts of aggression against the individual. Allowing preemptive acts of aggression is akin to allowing one group to impose restrictions on liberty to another group. Allowing for this exception would only go to undermine the foundations of the entire philosophy. Just as there are no “what ifs or “buts” in regards to liberty, there are none for the non-aggression axiom.

To further define the conditions that liberty and the non-aggression axiom set up, one must also consider the idea of absolute property rights. As Butler Shaffer says, “individual liberty and the private ownership of property are synonymous” (Shaffer 1). Under libertarianism, the ability to own private property is stressed to guide the exchange of goods and services, and as a further clarification in regards to what is protected under the non-aggression axiom. In a manner of speaking, one’s property is an extension of the self. Furthermore, each individual not only owns the extensions of the self but she also owns her person. By viewing herself as her own property and her property as a part of her self, it allows for the non-aggression axiom to be much clearer in regards to what can and cannot be aggressed upon. Each individual has the right to utilize what he or she owns in any way of their choosing as long as it does not violate the non-aggression axiom.

If the concept of self-ownership were rejected, the implication would be that another person has a higher claim on an individual’s life than the individual himself would have. An individual who is the property of another, and not owned by the self, is by definition a slave. Libertarians reject this notion that human beings are born and exist as slaves. The product of one’s life and liberty becomes his or her property. Exerting time, energy, and talents towards a goal which produces wealth of some kind entitles an individual to hold that production as their property. Property is the fruit of one’s labor, so-to-speak. By disallowing the ownership of property is to subject individuals to a life which also in turn equates to a life of slavery. If individuals each possess property, exchange of said property is an eventuality.

The free exchange of property, or commerce, is an offspring of property rights and is governed under the principles laid out above. Therefore, the non-aggression axiom will govern how people engage in trade with one another. This allows an individual to hold his own property and do with it as he wishes, free from coercion. If an individual feels she is being unfairly treated in dealing with another, she may choose not to engage in business with that person. It is this idea of voluntary interaction and exchange which is the key to understanding the libertarian philosophy. Under libertarianism, the belief is that voluntary society is morally and practically the best form of society. In such a system of living, individuals become personally responsible for their own actions and their dealings, and with whom they themselves deal with.

This idea of individual responsibility acts as the glue which holds liberty, non-aggression, and private property together. Without a sense of individual responsibility, no benevolent system will ever come to fruition and exist for very long. If an individual refuses to be responsible and uphold the non-aggression axiom and allows for exceptions to creep into his or her day to day behavior, other individuals will eventually defend against the aggression which in turn will threaten each individual’s liberty. If care is not taken to be responsible in dealing’s of private property, the chances of the same dire result of the loss of property, liberty, and increased aggression becomes more of a reality. These dangers are not only apparent on a personal level, but also in a societal context.

In order to explore real fundamental change in our society, the libertarian philosophy becomes a convenient and effective filter of examination. A society structured under libertarian principles would function much differently than our current society does today. An adjustment of ideas and priorities must take place in order for it to be understood, to take hold, and to succeed. Libertarianism cannot be viewed in the same light as the dominating political philosophies that exist in contemporary American society. During each national election, for example, the voting public makes a decision in regards to which group of people to involuntarily plunder and who to redistribute that which has been plundered. This is done through the mechanism of taxation. Rather than having a debate about whether or not individuals would prefer to retain property and do with it however one would see fit, the debate is framed in such a way that doesn’t even raise this basic concept of the libertarian philosophy.

Individuals do not have the right to use coercion to fix social problems, so the state should not have that right either. If a man were to take the property of a woman and give it to a third individual, we would consider this theft. When the state engages in the same basic activity it is framed as taxation and redistribution or subsidization. If it is wrong to steal, then it should also be wrong to tax. If it is wrong to kidnap, then a government should not be allowed to institute a draft or other mandated compulsory service to the state. That which is illegal in private society should also be illegal in public matters. Instead, individuals are lead to believe that all of these actions are done in the common good of man.

Unfortunately, many programs and systems in place that function under this image do just the opposite. Public institutions tend to be far more inefficient than their private counter parts. People who believe in the libertarian philosophy feel that economic incentives in the free-market should act as the carrot which drives innovation and harbors solutions. Government interventions in the markets are viewed as an act of force or coercion in the dealings of private citizens, which not only distorts market prices but also slowly erodes basic liberty. One may argue that the act of voting will make these actions that of the people themselves. The libertarian would argue that it does not matter who or what the source of such actions happens to be. Increasing the number of people who agree to take property from one individual or group and give it to another does not justify the action or change whether it is right or wrong.

Rather than exercising the right to vote in the voting booth, the libertarian philosophy proposes that individuals take responsibility to stay informed and vote with his actions and dollars. In a true free-market system, each and every time someone engages in commerce, he or she is casting a vote. If the integrity of the person, the product, or service being offered is in question, it is then the responsibility of the individual to cast a vote by disengaging from further business with the entity that is in doubt. If government sponsored coercion in the form of taxation, subsidies, and other meddling in the market place were to cease, the market itself would be determined by man. In an artificially stimulated environment, not only do markets become distorted, but individual responsibility and morality become subverted as well.

In a society that has systems designed to subsidize industry, legislate morality, and exert control over the liberty of man, libertarians believe that many of the incentives and ingrained rugged individualism that is part of the American tradition have been overthrown. If there is no risk of failure, then there is no real incentive to take care of and improve said systems. Rather than taking care of one self, family, and community, individuals rely on the state to take care of basic needs. This leads to an inefficient mode of living, and allows systems and ideas that have long lost their use and value to live on; prohibiting expansion, growth, and progress. Only under the ideas presented in the libertarian philosophy can we begin to adjust our ideas and the systems that spring up around them in such a way that truly benefits the common good, and respects the individual’s right to engage voluntarily in the activities of his or her choosing.

In America’s history, a 1% tax by the British on tea was enough to spark a revolution. Today, we see state sponsored looting on a scale far greater than 1% on a single product. If some time was taken to have an honest and healthy debate about the functions of state in society, and the individual’s role in the absence of a statist entity, ideas could easily begin to shift and adjust toward greater liberty. Through liberty and the non-aggression axiom, individuals could find themselves in command of greater resources and increased peace of mind knowing that each individual were their own house’s keeper. Accepting the weight of responsibility that comes with such a free philosophy would be nil in comparison to the demands placed by the state, the increased poverty, and lack of liberty which comes along with it. Maybe it is finally time to respond to Frederic Bastiat’s question, and take the steps necessary to advance the cause of liberty. Perhaps it is time for another revolution, a revolution of ideas.

Bibliography

Bastiat, Frederic. The Law. Auburn, Alabama: Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2007.

Thoreau, Henry David. Walden and Civil Disobedience. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2003.

Morgan, Michael L. Classics of Moral and Political Theory. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Co., 2006.

Harper, F.A.. “Liberty Defined.” Ludwig von Mises Institute. 09 September 1957. Ludwig von Mises Institute. 17 December 2008. <http://mises.org/resources/2677>

Ruwart, Mary. “The Indivisibility of Liberty.” LewRockwell.com. 23 April 2008. LewRockwell.com. 17 December 2008. <http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig3/ruwart3.html>

Rockwell, Jr., Llewellyn H.. “Liberty Yet Lives” LewRockwell.com. 04 November 2004. LewRockwell.com. 17 December 2008. <http://www.lewrockwell.com/rockwell/liberty-lives.html>

Shaffer, Butler. “Are There Limits to Liberty?” LewRockwell.com 25 June 2002. LewRockwell.com 17 December 2008. <http://www.lewrockwell.com/shaffer/shaffer22.html>

Rockwell, Jr., Llewellyn H. “The Lew Rockwell Show” Lew Rockwell interviews Naomi Wolf. 30 October 2008. The Lew Rockwell Show. 10 December 2008. <http://www.lewrockwell.com/podcast/feed.xml>

Block, Walter. “Rothbard and Big Tent Libertarianism.” Walter Block – Rothbard and Big Tent Libertarianism. Ludwig von Mises Institute, 13 October 2007. 11 December 2008. <http://mises.org/multimedia/mp3/25thNYC/11-Block.mp3>

Thornton, Mark. “An Introduction to Libertarianism.” Mark Thornton – An Introduction to Libertarianism. Auburn University Libertarians, 18 January 2005. 09 December 2008.

<http://mises.org/multimedia/mp3/Thornton-01-19-2006.mp3>

“Liberty.” Dictionary.com. 2008.

Thankfully, Cynthia Mckinney was more receptive to answering the moderator’s questions than she usually is in interviews.  One example of her usual and more difficult style would be when Greta Brawner interviewed her for an hour for CSPAN’s series entitled, Road to the White House.  She displays an Palin-esque quality of avoiding any direct question and talking about whatever she feels.  This becomes annoying at best – angering at worst.  Coming from someone who generally supports her and agrees with much of what she says, I can only imagine what it must have been like to hear her reapetedly ignore the questions posed by NPR’s Neal Conan on Talk of the Nation for someone unfamiliar with her.  NPR’s Scott Simon of Weekend Edition can also be credited with giving her some airplay in one of Cynthia’s better, albeit brief, showings.

Bob Barr is polling at a modest 1.5% nationally and has also benefited by being featured on Road to the White House.  I feel he had a far better showing on both Washington Journal and Road to the White House due to actually presenting some sort of concise message.  Not only that, but he succeeded in the simple task of answering questions posed to him.  What a radical move.  Especially considering the hosts of CSPAN and NPR tend to be far more fair in comparison to most moderators.  NPR’s News & Notes also gave him a few minutes to detail his campaign goals alongside Weekend Edition’s profile of the candidate.

Unfortunately for Barr and Mckinney, neither of them appeared in the only Third Party Debate after the one at Columbia was canceled.  Complete with caller responses immediately following the event, Ralph Nader and Chuck Baldwin were the only two to take part.  This is a really pathetic result for something I personally deem to be quite important.  I was personally influenced by the Libertarian platform presented by Michael Badnarik in the 2004 election as a result of CSPAN airing the Third Party Debate.  Ralph Nader and Chuck Baldwin were both also featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition.

After viewing and listening to the minimal coverage the Third Party Candidates receive, I honestly have to say I’ve been the most impressed with Chuck Baldwin’s performances.  He comes off as the most honest of all the candidates and presents the most compelling message.  He is the most outspoken against real issues such as the Federal Reserve, the New World Order, gun rights, and other Constitutional principles.  This is not an endorsement, however.  Unfortunately, I disagree with him in regards to some other elements of his platform.

At the end of the day I am still an undecided voter.  All I know is that I reject the two corporate puppets that most media outlets present to us as the only options.  Its sad that many people believe them.

I had a really good idea..

Wrapped in a shell that is my own consciousness, an idea formed, giving a certain spark of life to something new. A concept, or envisioned thing, if you will, springs forth from the impenetrable fortress that is my brain.

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Joseph Biden has stated that “we’re going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis” and that he can “guarantee you it’s going to happen.”  He continued to state that “it’s not going to be apparent that we’re right” in regards to how an Obama/Biden administration would handle such a situation.  Here – take a listen for yourself:

He isn’t the only one that feels this way.  When questioned about Biden’s statements, Fmr. Secretary of State Madeline Albright felt that “its just a statement of fact, frankly.”  Sen. Joe Lieberman appeared on Face the Nation on 06.29.2008 and echoed Biden’s sentiments by saying that “our enemies will test the new president early.” He also went on to tell Bob Schiffer to “remember that the truck bombing of the World Trade Center happened in the first year of the Clinton Administration.  9/11 happened in the first year of the Bush Administration.”  I’d like to personally thank Joe the Politician #2 for narrowing the timeline for when the next terrorist attack or crisis will strike America and the world.  It will happen with in the 1st year of the next President’s term.

However, that is not close enough.  I think I’d like to narrow it down a bit more.  Lets see what Fmr. Secretary of State Colin Powell had to say while appearing on Meet the Press on 10.19.2008:

In case you missed it, Colin Powell stated that “there is going to be a crisis [to] come along on the 21st or 22nd of January that we don’t even know about right now.”  Oh, really?  What an interesting thing to say.  However, don’t worry!  The United States Military is already in place and engaged in homeland tours – for your protection of course.  Who needs a 2nd amendment and Posse Comitatus when you have the US Army on American soil to protect you?  Oh, wait.

You have been doing a huge disservice to the Libertarian Party during this election.  First you snub Ron Paul’s 3rd Party Press Conference and now you refuse to show up at the 3rd Party debates being held this Sunday.  Grow the fuck up and get your head out of your ass,  Mr. Barr.

I have been fighting for and championing greater access to debates for the 3rd parties.  People need to hear the Libertarian platform in these trying times.  You are doing the country a great disservice by refusing to debate other 3rd party candidates.  You are behaving like a petulant child, probably because Ron Paul has failed to endorse you and the fact that Dr Paul has single-handedly blown the LP out of the water in terms of financing and following.

Instead of trying to win over the hearts and minds of liberty loving americans, your campaign has been busy bad mouthing other 3rd party cantidates and alienating members of the freedom movement brought in by Ron Paul.  This is neither the time nor the place for such petty attacks.  Your campaign is really starting to turn off a lot of people in the freedom movement.  I sometimes believe that you are still working for the CIA, as an agent provocateur, to discourage and break up the movement.  Ron Paul scared the establishment and you come in to divide and conquer.

If indeed you are a true Libertarian and pro-liberty, start acting like it.  IF I do decide to vote for your sorry excuse for a Libertarian ass, I will do so in  the spirit of the party and its ideals.  I will not be casting a vote in favor of Bob Barr, because sir, I do not like you.  I  wanted to like you, I’ve tried to like you, but you make it so hard.  You sir, are an asshole.

Even though I endorsed you on my website last week, I now encourage those who cannot look past your problems to write in Dr Ron Paul.  It’s better than giving a vote to you and endorsing your bullshit.

Show up to the debate Sunday.  Win.  Spread the cause.  Shit or get off the pot.

There is very little difference between the policies of McBama.  Slight nuances maybe.  Neither candidate has concrete plans for change, despite the rhetoric. If people would stop voting for the lesser of two evils, and vote their conscious, its very possible that we’d get some real change.  I agree, the fear that McCain would win might be enough for some to vote for Obama, but I for one like my country and don’t want to see it slip into socialism.  On the same token, I don’t want to see McCain turn the country into a police state, or continue this folly of continuous war (nor do I want to see Palin as president when McCain kicks the bucket).

Just because everyone says that we have a “two party system” does not mean it has to go down that way.  There are so-called “third parties” out there, that are probably more aligned with your beliefs and feelings about how things should be run.  It’s unfortunate that the media does not give alternative parties the press they deserve.  The media is too invested in the two major parties to shake things up, and most people are too emotionally invested in the Democratic and Republican parties to actually vote their gut.  It’s a sad state of affairs.

The closest thing we had to a true third party candidate with a chance was Ross Perot in 1992.  He was allowed into the debates and got almost 20% of the national vote.  This scared the shit out of the 2 major parties.  As a result, debates since 1992 have only had the Republican and Democratic candidates in the debate.  This was orchestrated by the 2 main parties to never again allow a threat to their party supremacy.

The fact that the way things are allowed to be this way speaks volumes of the willful ignorance of the American people.  There seems to be no long term memory for historical events, or the actions of people in previous administrations.  The same people have basically been in power in America since the late 1960′s.  Yet people continue to vote them and their surrogates into office, while at the same time wishing and hoping for “change”.  Change cannot be possible until people start voting their conscious.

At this point, I would like to suggest that if you hate taxes, love the constitution, want your personal freeoms, privacy and liberty preserved, and want to stop the war… send a message… vote for Bobb Barr of the Libertarian Party.  Again, he may not be the BEST choice, but he is a voice of reason in unreasonable times.  A vote for a third party is NOT a wasted vote, it sends a message and will help shape the political landscape in the future.

No, what really gets my goat is these jackasses with their huge plugs for their computers.  You know, the square adapter that takes up 2 vertical outlet spaces (when plugged into the top outlet of a 2 outlet jack).   Whenever I’ve asked one of these drones if I could possibly plug their bulky adapter one plug lower, so I can fit into the jack, they roll their eyes or act like I’m causing them some sort of pain.  I even carry a 3 outlet extender in my bag, so if there aren’t enough outlets other people can plug in.  Mac users act like its their birth-right to take up all of the outlets in a coffee shop.  Why would you not think about someone else by taking up the entire bank of outlets in an already overcrowded coffee shop?  I don’t get it.  Power outlet space is already at a premium at every single coffee shop, what give’s Mac users the right to monopolize an entire bank of outlets?  I think this cuts to the heart of the issue, they have no right, but they think they are entitled because they belong to the cult of Apple.  Fuck em, and their too big plugs and too short power cords.

I’d like to relate a story about someone named Luke.

When I went to attend class on Monday, only to find out that the first two of my three classes were cancelled, I found myself sitting outside near the large chess board located near the center of campus. Imagine this thing measuring around fifteen feet on one side, the plastic pieces standing about knee-high. There are always casual players about and at least several spectators engrossed in watching. I’ve taken quite a liking to designating this spot for sitting.

I arrived at school about 30 minutes early, as is typical for me, and headed for that very spot, noticing a game in progress as I approached (also typical). Sitting down, it occurred to me that there was something quite different about this particular game of chess. Not different in that the pieces were upside-down or spray-painted green or anything like that, but still, there was something usual about the present game. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

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I met myself. I must say, I was not impressed.

This was not the me that I know, or think I know. This was another me, one that rears his head when least expected, to plant the seeds of negativity in the minds of those around me, while I am left to deal with the rampant crop of idiocy that blooms soon after. In others, he inspires doubt, disbelief and uncertainty towards me, my integrity, my ideals and my resolve. Through action, through words, he commands a presence of a nature that is the polar opposite of that which I strive to be. Ignorance and apathy are his playthings, lies become his weapons, and cruelty his entertainment. He is contradiction. He is violent anger and withdrawn depression. He exists as my favorite enemy, a nemesis to be sure.

Would it be considered suicide for me to kill this veritable doppelganger?

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At the time of this writing, I know that I don’t necessarily know what it is that I think I know.

At the time of this writing, there are still forces in the universe I do not understand.  Their whims, their almost imperceptible moods continue to influence my environment in ways I cannot comprehend.

At the time of this writing, I await that one person who, by her nature, can bring an extra dimension of meaning to my life, without fear of letting me know when I’m totally full of crap.

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Something that pisses me off every time I hear about it, is when the police use a Taser on a “suspect” for little or no reason. Every day you hear of a new story about police officers using Tasers excessively. Television shows like “Cops” and “Jail” show officers using Tasers on people with little or no provocation. Officers always claim that they “fee threatened” or “fear for their lives”. I believe the use of Tasers should be outlawed and banned in the USA. When you watch these videos of police using a Taser, many times it is hard to believe that the office could have felt threatened.

Now, I do agree that officers should have options for non-lethal force when appropriate. But it seems that the policy has become “Taser first, as questions later”. As for a Taser being non-lethal, there are hundreds of incidents where people die from the Taser. It’s like playing Russian roulette. There will be continue to be hundreds of unnecessary deaths each year due to Tasers.

If you don’t know about the Police brutality, or don’t have an opinion about it, check out the following and put yourself in these people’s shoes for a moment…

Here’s a story from just a couple of weeks ago of a 16 year old boy who somehow fell over 30 feet from an overpass. The police came to respond, but they then decided it would be appropriate to Taser him 19 times… If the kid was acting crazy it was because of the shock from the fall, not drugs or alcohol (none was found in his blood).

This next video shows a Utah Highway Patrol officer pulling over a young man with his pregnant wife in the passenger seat. The man driving the van is asking why he’s been pulled over, and is complying with officer requests. When the victim turns to walk away from the officer, the UHP officer unleashes when the guy has his back turned. Another example of officers choosing to Taser instead of talking.

CNN Coverage of the above:

In what may be the most sickening use of force, an off duty officer uses a stun gun on a father holding his newborn baby. Again a total case of “shock first, ask questions later”:

I mean, what is a guy holding a baby going to do to threaten an officer?? Apparently the nurses forgot to take off a bracelet on the baby and an alarm went off, as if he was trying to kidnap the baby… But the mother was there as well, the officer just would not listen. Shameful.

Apparently speaking truth to power is also a taser offense. By now you may have heard of the “Dont Taze Me Bro” incident, well below is the video. This guy asked if John Kerry was a member of Skull and Bones, and got mobbed by police officers, taken down, and tased:

Again, more shameful shit. Keith Olbermann from MSNBC gives a great summary:

Finally, for anyone trying to say that Tasers are non-lethal, consider the fact that hundreds have died from the violent electrical shocks from Tasers. That does not sound like non-lethal at all, in fact it sounds quite lethal.

We need to stand up as a people and have Taser use by Law Enforcement banned.

This is not the letter, however, but merely a precursor, if you will; a mere message of preparation for the letter which follows.  You will know when the letter begins, I am fairly certain of that.

This will be no ordinary letter, mind you.  Not like the letter from grandma, or the kind you get when your wife leaves you, or a notice of past due amount from your credit card company, or even the officious type of letter you received a couple of weeks ago telling you that you don’t qualify for federal student aid because you totally forgot to sign up for selective service when you were eighteen, even though you swear you remember doing it.  No, this is quite a different kind of letter.  You have never been the recipient of this kind of letter.  I know this because I haven’t written it to you until now.  It is quite possible, in fact, that after I write it, you may still not be such a recipient, even after you’ve recieved the damned thing.  I’m not sure, as I haven’t decided yet.

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Delusion: Take a pill. It seems, more and more, that we assign to the category of “disease” a number of conditions which seem to me to exist not so much as illnesses, but instead are misconstrued as such.  This sort of misguided perception threatens to slow, or even completely halt, our progress as a species.

How long can we get away with inventing mental conditions in order to excuse our dumb behavior patterns?

Seclusion: I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. If one were to search diligently enough, one might find entire towns full of children who have been diagnosed with a condition which is aptly named “attention deficit disorder.”  While I do not deny the existence of this condition, I do highly doubt that the sheer number of cases diagnosed are, in fact, justifiable.

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Is everybody ready? It’s almost time to play that silly game we involve ourselves in every four years or so. Keep in mind that while I do not consider myself an expert on politics, I do consider myself a relative master of pattern recognition.

Delusion: We the people. Yep, it’s nearly that time again, when the two party system engages in battle via television, radio and what is loosely termed “public debate.” This election, at least the choices seem a bit more colorful, if you’ll excuse the unintended pun. Personally, I find it rather exciting to see an African American candidate, with potential for female vice presidential candidates in the mix. This, at the very least, gives the impression of progress, in a manner of speaking. One must ask oneself, however, will this really amount to any measurable change?

Seems to me that no matter what color you happen to be, or what religious background you may have, or what sexual organs you possess, that if you make it far enough to actually run for president, you probably share many of the corruptible traits that any presidential candidate possessed. I imagine that they all have the same taskmasters, anyway.

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It is important to be aware of those times when we are in error. It is on those occasions that our true character can be tested. One’s response to such a realization, or whether the realization occurs at all, can speak volumes about a person’s dedication to that which can be deemed “true.”

I have, over the years, developed a particular fondness for finding myself in the wrong, and admitting it. There are times, I will concede, that I still find it difficult to do so. However, as this kind of circumstance tends to be one of our best learning mechanisms, the pride I hold for my ability to admit such a fault typically outweighs the difficulties associated with doing just that.

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The great poets are dead or gone, the final remnants of their genius left to whip about in the wind as shreds of paper dance in the path of a fast moving object. Rennaissance is replaced with revolution. The more romantic notions of this world have all but disappeared, unrecognizable to younger generations, presented in works of art as historic frames of mind. Irrepressible, pure emotions are haphazardly given the slightest considerations in a modern world of more competitvely-colored overtones.

Understanding and reason, and the basis for these things, reside in the mind’s ability to be aware of its self, to contemplate itself, its purpose, its reason for subsisting in such an indifferent universe. Emotion, the intrusive neighbor, dwells several floors down, haplessly barging in on the mind in order to complicate its existence and, at the same time, impose a certain amount of meaning. It yearns to simultaneously satisfy and confuse the mind’s sense of purpose.

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Delusion: Supposititious. You! Remove the face, and take off that hat. They do not suit you and there no longer exists a need for such nonsense. Please, at least for the moment, allow the real to show through. Prove to me that you’re a real human being, complete with faults and the same amount of apathy that I, myself, can display. If you don’t know, say so. If you don’t care, don’t pretend to. If you can’t possibly stand me, then act accordingly. Anything else would be a complete waste of time.

Seclusion: The customer is priority one! Attention customer service representatives: It matters not that your company believes it is imperative that you tell me to “have a nice day.” I know full well that you do not mean it, that you could honestly care less what kind of day that I have, intended or otherwise. Please, if you must thank me for my patronage, then leave it at that. You don’t care, and I don’t care that you don’t care. Oh, and be sure to relay that message to the idiots on high who insist that you must, at all costs, pretend to care.

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Delusion: It is what it is. An issue develops, seeming to exist as a potential threat to your mental well-being, with potential for goal-related interruptions, mental distractions or all around retardations. If it were just another human, it would have robbed you of your valuables and left you half-beaten in a ditch by now. Your mind, despite whatever discipline it can cling to, tends to wrap itself around the subject whenever it’s allowed a free moment. You close your eyes for sleep, only to find the problem staring at you in the face with a beastly grin. It even has the audacity to enter your dreams. There just isn’t a line of respect these things will not cross.

No matter how hard you may try, you cannot escape its constant reminding, hoping that you spend your worry on it.

Seclusion: Underneath it all. The more ridiculous of us would allow such an intrusive pest to consume specific parts of our lives until it successfully numbed all sensation in those same specific parts. The moderately intelligent find a way to deal with the issue, sometimes positively; other times, not so much. However, we must ask…are we certain there isn’t more to the situation itself? Perhaps deeper?

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Electronaut’s content and topics will be chosen and written by him with no editorial oversight. I look forward to the points of view he will bring to thew0rd. You should all enjoy his posts as his writing style is much better than my own. I know we are all looking forward to his posts in the future. Thank you for gracing us with your presence Electronaut.

I recently purchased a set of Motorola Bluetooth™ Active Headphones S9 and on the very first day of using them, the larger sized ear-buds fell off when they were around my neck.  This was probably more my fault than a design flaw.  Well, I wrote to Motorola customer support and explained the situation.  I was fully willing to pay for new ear-buds (maybe up to $5), but Motorola was kind enough to send me a free set of ear-buds.  I received them in the mail a couple days later.  That is impressive.  I’ve written to many companies for various issues with products or service, and this is one of the few times that I’ve gotten a satisfactory resolution with little pain on my part.  Many companies don’t even bother responding (Looks in TGIF’s direction).

I know it’s bad that I am so impressed, but I am.  So I figured the least I could do for such good customer service was to write favorably about it and hope that other companies start to follow suit.  Kudos to Motorola for handing the situation as well as they did.

When I see stories about our government sanctioning torture, spying on Americans, murdering innocent Iraqis, warmongering, hiring mercenaries to fight our wars, cronyism and turning America into a police state, I get really pissed off and nervous. What pisses me off most is that the average American doesn’t know or care about any of these issues, at least not enough to try to change things. They toss up their hands and say “What can I do?”.

I’ll tell you what you can do. Start talking about these issues with anybody who isn’t aware. Start voting for principled politicians (are there any?). Get involved with non-profits and local politics. Stop making excuses for being ignorant. The reason all of this is allowed to happen, is because the majority of people allow it to happen. Those in power COUNT on your apathy and ignorance to further their plans for control of the populace.

I was raised to believe that America was “the land of the free”. A place where different people can come together in a common belief of freedom and liberty. You don’t mess with someone and they cant mess with you. Live and let live. That is not the America that I see today. Through the politics of fear we have allowed the government to erode our civil liberties, invade our privacy and label whole groups of people as ‘the enemy’. All under the guise of “preserving the American way”. I would like to remind everyone of a famous quote by Benjamin Franklin: “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” I think Keith Olbermann did a great job explaining the path America is headed down in the video below.

And if you still dont think that any of these issues affect you, think about this poem from Pastor Martin Niemöller about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

The time has come for anybody who claims to care about their fellow man, to take a stand. Start caring and start fighting for your liberty and that of your family. You think that all of this stuff doesn’t affect you, but it does.

For the benefit of anybody who may have already upgraded their Treo to version 1.22 I’ll give you some resources to check on some of the issues involved with the update. After that, I will go on my rant lambasting Palm.

From Palm’s announcement about the recall of the update:

We have temporarily taken down the Verizon Wireless Treo 700w/wx updater as a result of reports from customers who have experienced data network connectivity issues after installing the software update on their devices.

The issue is caused by a device setting that affects connectivity to the Verizon Wireless network under certain situations and only occurs on devices that have installed the updater. Users receive an error message and typically can reconnect to the data network after a short period of time. This data connectivity issue does not affect the device or personal data in any other way.

Treo 700w/wx users on Verizon Wireless experiencing this issue will see the following error messages more frequently:

• Page Cannot Be Displayed
• Answering Modem is Disconnected
• No Modem at Above Number

We are currently working on delivering a solution and will repost the updaters as soon as they are available. If you would like to be notified by email when the updaters are available, please submit your email address. Thank you for your patience.

The main issue with the 1.22 update appears to be difficulty connecting to the EVDO data service. I have experienced this problem since updating my phone. Most of the time when I try to connect to the data service I get the error:

Dialed #777 – No modem at above number. To check your connection settings and change them if needed, tap settings.

I can usually reconnect to the EVDO network if I turn off my phone (by holding down the red power button) and turning it back on. It’s a real pain in the ass when 9 out of 10 times you try to connect it doesn’t work.

Another issue appears to be that my speaker phone volume is about 1/2 as loud as it usually is. It is so quiet now it makes the speaker phone function virtually worthless. Also, my voicemail indicator wont go away even though I have checked and erased all of my voicemail messages…quite annoying.

It appears that other issues people are having include IrDA not working, WIFI SDIO cards not working, and more. Check out the forums over at treocentral.com for more discussion about the issues people are having.

Now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for…a Rant against Palm and other manufacturers who screw early adopters and use consumers as beta testers for expensive products:

I have been an early adopter of various gadget technologies for over a decade. Unfortunately being an early adopter has become synonymous with “Chump”. I get excited over new technologies and try to find ways to incorporate them into my lifestyle. But the companies that release these technologies seem to think that they can release half-assed products and expect people to flock to them like flies on shit. Worst yet, is when a major problem does arise the company doesn’t communicate with consumers about those issues. A prime example of this is the thread on Palm’s own forum about the 1.22 firmware upgrade issues, Palm doesn’t even have the decency to reply to customers about their concerns.

I for one am sick of spending hundreds of dollars on products that don’t work as advertised.

So there is a lot of hype about 7.7.07, so I figured I would chime in with my own notes. Just in case you have been living under a rock, today is the “Live Earth Concert”. The cool thing is that it’s being broadcast live around the world on the internet. Possibly one of the largest streaming events on the internet. While I agree with raising awareness of Environmental issues, I’ve never thought huge concerts were the best way about doing it, but to each his own. Be sure to at least check out the sites as they are interesting. MSN and Microsoft are the sponsors of the technology side, and I do have to admit I am impressed at the level of interactivity and sophistication. Good times indeed.

One of the interesting things on the Live Earth page is that they use “green hosting” for their web site hosting. A small step in the chain but worthwhile, as huge server farms use tremendous amounts of energy. The hosting is provided by AISO.Net which uses solar energy to power their facilities. Besides all of the cool internet based technologies, alternative energy technologies are starting to heat up. Should be an interesting few years as those energy technologies receive more investment.

I say “Give me the free media with some ads, its cool”. Let me download free mp3s with a 5-10 second advertisement at the end, or even an advertisement for the album art. Give me some commercials when I’m streaming internet television and just make sure it’s quality content. If I don’t want the advertisements I will gladly purchase your product. However the flip side to that is I do not want advertisements in the media I pay for. I recently canceled my digital cable television account. I got sick of paying for 12 hours worth of infomercials and paid-advertising programs. Digital cable was costing me over $100 each month. Cable TV is going to lose to Internet TV. I have been consuming “free” legal media on the internet for the past several months. Quality content is starting to be shown all over the internet, with huge media companies licensing their shows to be shown online.

I’ve been beta testing Joost for the last few months. (If you would like an invite to the Joost Beta, leave a comment and I will do what I can.) Joost has improved quickly in its short run, signing the likes of Paramount, CNN, Comedy Central, Adult Swim, and more for channels of content. The advertising is generally unobtrusive, but slightly repetitive but thats to be expected in a beta with limited advertisers. There is word that Joost is developing an embedded platform for a set-top type box. Expect to see devices in the future that pull content from the internet to display on your HDTV. The line between TV and computer will only blur more. IPTV could hit the Sony PS3, Microsoft Xbox 360, or Nintendo Wii through updates in the future. Game consoles are already in millions of homes worldwide, and could evolve into content delivery systems as well as gaming systems.

Portable media is also the future. As the wireless networks get better and the devices more sophisticated, people will be able to access media anywhere in the world, on demand. The iPhone and Orb for cell phones is just scratching the surface of mobile digital media. The next few years will be interesting indeed. I can’t wait until all of the major media networks release their new programs simultaneously on the internet as well as broadcast television.

The latest generation of internet tools have been interesting and fun. They are pushing the bounds of technology, social systems, business culture, and the economy. But it is lacking accessibility and training. The rapid expansion of Web 2.0 has left most people in the dust. Many of the people I work with are just starting to understand email and searching the internet. It’s unfortunate that more efforts have not been focused on training users. People I talk to are “interested” in technology, and using it to help them in their lives. But many don’t get the training to use what they have. I believe more training should be provided by the technology manufacturers and retailers.

Training is getting better, its because more companies are adopting “open” standards. It is easier to get consumers and average people trained in technology if there is a standard way of doing things, and a standard vocabulary. User friendly interfaces are important too, but if someone doesn’t understand what they can do, what their options are, the interface doesn’t matter much. I believe too much training is invested in the specific environment, and telling people what to click. Training should focus on the underlying principals and concepts of working with computers, networks, software. Once people understand what computers are capable of, and how they generally work, they can use deductive reasoning to figure out most issues related to operating the computers.

I suppose part of the “digital divide” is that some have access to more information than others. But the best thing about the Internet is that once you are in, you can access information about virtually anything. There is almost no reason not to know things if there is access to the internet nearby. I don’t think most people understand HOW to find the information they are looking for easily. I believe its up to all the geeks out there, or technology savvy, to help those who aren’t so comfortable with technology. Instead of just solving their problem for them, explain WHY its broken, how it works, how to avoid it in the future, and how to fix it. I understand many people don’t want to hear it, but there are others who are enthusiastic to learn a new thing or two if you are willing to show.

Empowering more people to participate in the world of online communications will make it better. More people will be able to publish content and tell their own story. Thus adding to the global cache of human information. Its exciting times we live in…

When I use the term "Web2.0" I am using the term to describe not only software, but the way we interact with eachother through the software.  Besides the enhanced and friendly user interfaces of some Web2.0 sites, this new generation of the web is all about sharing.  We are just being able to communicate in virtually any medium anywhere in the world, in near real-time.  This is a revolutionary advance that will have profound effects on how we work, play, and communicate across the globe.  Web2.0 is all about making these technologies easier to use, easier to share, and and easier to find.  Collaboration and transparency aren’t just buzz words, they are principals shaping a new society. 

Many people are writing off Web2.0 as the "Second Internet Bubble" and unfortunately I believe that they are mainly correct.  But just because some companies will go out of business and some venture capitalists loose a couple million, it’s no excuse to write off the techniques and theories that are driving this movement.  The ideas of collaboration, transparency, and open source are just starting to emerge in the popular culture meme across the globe.  Large multi-national corporations and Governments are beginning to embrace some of the social theories put forth from this new global cyberculture.  Web2.0 gives more power to the person at the keyboard, instead of just reading the Web like a newspaper, YOU are the web.  Your friends are the web.  It has never been easier for the average person to share their knowledge and experiences with the world.  Technology is worth understanding, because in the Web2.0, every voice can be heard.

I encourage everybody to jump into new technologies with gusto.  Don’t be afraid of technology, it’s here to help you.  Once you understand what this new software and philosophy is all about, you can begin to share it with others.  As more people form loose social networks and begin to collaborate on a large scale, the better the "web"/"content"/"value"/"internet"/"experience"/"connection" will be in the future.  There is a wealth of human knowledge that has yet to be shared.  As we have more access knowledge we humans can begin to better understand everything.

From a pure new user standpoint I would suggest using the following websites to become accustomed to "Web2.0" tools and concepts.  Don’t be afraid, they wont bite.  If you don’t understand something, search google!:

• Netvibes ( personal start page )
• Del.icio.us ( social bookmark sharing )
• Picasa ( google’s photo sharing service )
• Gmail ( google’s free email service )
• Meebo ( web based instant messaging for aim, icq, msn, yahoo, gtalk, and meebo widgets )
• Craigslist ( localized public message board )
• Ziki ( online identity management, if you use more than 2 "web2.0" sites, you should use Ziki)

I’ve given you enough homework for today.  Stay tuned for more information on living with technology in future installments.  I’m not done with this topic by a long shot….