Archive for March 2005
Alternatively…
Well, let me put it this way: Some people have been tossing these traffic camera "tickets" straight into the trash for quite a while now...just like some people have been tossing their jury summonses straight into the round file for as long as they can remember. Some people don't want to be willing accomplices to their own robbery or enslavement. And some people certainly don't want to help the state be more efficient in its stealing. Let the state undertake to deliver their traffic tickets and jury summonses by personal service. Can you guess what'd happen if a lot more people did that? Update: It's probably a waste of time to point this out to the first commenter, Theodore Craig. Generally, when I hear "if just one ____ is saved...," it's just time to pack up shop, because you're not dealing with anyone who's yet learned the finer points of thinking.
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They’re Not the Only Ones
"The statement that the plaintiff is a 'Dumb Ass,' even first among 'Dumb Asses,' communicates no factual proposition susceptible of proof or refutation." That may be true, but I'd still say that trial judge Harry Tobias, who refused to toss this case and left that duty to the appellate court, is a Dumb Ass.
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On the Purpose of Civilization
There’s a new post up at Greg Swann’s place on the heels of our discussion of the Schiavo case (see here, which leads to all previous post on both sides). I think it’s probably no accident that Greg posted this now, though he doesn’t explicitly implicate Schiavo, et al. It’s an interesting argument, the barest gist of which, is: The purpose of civilization is to prevent rape, to make the world safe for women and children. To make a world where women are not raped and killed and where children are not stolen and sold and raped and killed. Civilization is the means by which men make the world safe from their worst impulses, and it is remarkably successful. I encourage you to go read the entire exchange and see the argument in full. As for myself, count me agnostic. I tend to think that civilization is just as purposeless as human evolution—as is, indeed, existence itself. I believe that purpose applies only to individuals and that such purpose is inherently selfish. To the extent that individuals cooperate on a million different levels with one-another (from romantic love between a man and woman to mega-corporations, and everything in-between), it ultimately...
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Overture (Yahoo Search Marketing Solutions): You Suck!
Oh, I know, your store front is always bright and shiny and fast. But become a pay-per-click advertiser and actually log in, and one is suddenly on the absolute most consistently slow, buggy, and intermittently inoperable major commercial website ever. E V E R ! It was like that a year ago, when I first began, and several hundred thousand ad-dollars later, it's just as bad. And, yes, I'm on a frame relay data circuit. Too bad Google's AdWords doesn't deliver anywhere near the consumer-based traffic at cost that you seem to be able to do, 'cause their web interface is somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 times better than yours, I estimate. C'mon, for the kind of money we're paying you (and the service is effective), you ought to be able to put together a decent website that runs a lot faster.
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Schiavo; Take Two
Greg Swann kindly takes time out to reply to my last: ...but my view is that Richard's take falls apart because consent can only be expressed--or revoked--in real-time, not in advance. If I understand and am restating it accurately, Greg argues that you cannot rightly hold someone to something they have consented to in advance—if—either they revoke such consent later—or—are in a state where they are unable to affirm or revoke consent later. Assuming I've treated his argument fairly, then I'd have to say that I just don't agree, in general. The whole point of this exercise is about being in a predicament where one cannot affirm or revoke consent (otherwise moot). What Greg seems to be arguing is that you should not have the moral authority over your own disposition to lay out in explicit terms, that: "If I ever end up incapacitated, cannot communicate, and the mediacal prognosis is for no material improvement, then kill me, no matter what, by any means you choose." I understand Greg's argument to be that if I were to do that for myself, and were then to end up in such predicament, then it would be morally wrong for someone to carry...
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Schiavo
Under an entry of the same title, Greg Swann comes forth with an argument that’s counter to mine (here and here) and other similar arguments. Greg knows that I take everything he writes very seriously, as well I do this piece. But, this time, I have to say that I think he’s wrong. To be clear, I don’t think anyone is wrong to prefer that Terri Schiavo remain incapacitated as she’s been for 15 years. I do think it’s wrong, however, for those with the authority and responsibility, to not respect her wishes and to carry them out. Failing explicit knowledge of precisely what her wishes were or would have been in this situation, then I think it’s wrong for anyone to prevent her husband from carrying out his wishes in the matter. I am stoutly opposed to "sanctioned" violence in any form, with the only exception being where to fail to act with immediate force will result in even greater injury. That’s a different formulation than the standard non-initiation of force principle I’m familiar with. I confess that I’ve not seen it before, but I think I get it. What this does is deliver the classic principle of not...
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The TSA, Revisited
There's a new comment to this previous entry that really deserves to be quoted as an entry of it's own. Now, I realize that anecdotes can be made up. All I can say is that based upon my own first-hand experience, I have no particular reason to doubt any of this. I had a rude awakening only yesterday at the hands of the TSA. I have read your comments and could not agree more. I did not feel safe, I felt incredulous ,then I felt intimidated, then angry. Now I am afraid, those that question anything are searched more. They actually try to break things in their search. Any suggestion is met with escalation in intimidation. This is how government power and oppression starts and I am truly fearful, even in writing this. Wow, next time I fly I'll be stuck 2 hours or more and purposely made to miss my plane. Or better, arrested on some made up charge. I am not sure if it is Bush alone, it is the rest of our elected officials too. I was guilty ,as they are, of mostly taking a private jet everywhere. They have no idea that standing in a security...
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Bye Bye
Bye Bye, my beloved Hummer H2. Bye bye..any thought of a hybrid in my future. It's too late for that. I must have one of these. First order of business: A drive down Market St. in San Francisco. I have the greatest time when I do that in the Hummer. Just imagine what fun it will be with one of those. Yippee!
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Cc: Richard Shencopp
To: Dave, my dear brother: Since you're Cc'd, I must assume that you have something to do with this illiterate's uninvited intrusion into my inbox (see below). Who is this? You know, I neither invited nor asked this "person" to read my blog. I'd certainly never invade his private afternoon with such a message to his private mailbox--to him personally--from out of the wild blue yonder--like--who and what the hell is this? At any rate, if you emailed out a link to my most recent dose of Uncommon Sense, please refrain from including Mr. Richard Shencopp in any further distributions. It appears that he is unable to handle it. Of course, the foregoing will comprise my next blog entry. I'll be sure and put Mr. Shencopp's name in bold. R From: Richard Shencopp [r.shencopp@comcast.net] Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 6:33 PM To: Richard Nikoley Cc: David Nikoley Subject: I think you should take your fucking Hummer & attach it to your fucking hangglider [sic] & sail off into the fucking sunset & join John Wayne you dumb-ass pilgrim. Get a fucking clue about being a Mormon, oops, I mean a Moron.
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Terry Golway of The New York Observer is an Idiot
Want proof? Read this article in The New York Observer. You know what? I don't think Terry Golway of The New York Observer is an idiot because he doesn't like the Hummer H2 or other SUVs. His likes and dislikes are his. I also don't think that Terry Golway of The New York Observer is an idiot because he likes the Toyota Prius and the other hybrids, and the new ones coming out. Hell... I'm seriously interested in the new 270 hp Lexus SUV hybrid myself, and whatever else is coming on line (hybrid SUV-wise) over the next few years. I have no doubt that the hybrid is the future, and even already, the next generation of Lithium-Ion batteries that go into the hybrids will last the life of the car. The price premium will be gone in a few years. The last downsides are going away. There's no stopping it. And anyway, who'd want to? No, the reason Terry Golway of The New York Observer is an idiot is because he has no idea what the fuck he's dealing with. There's not a single person of his ilk (journalists, environmentalists, bureaucrats) who have a goddamned thing to do with...
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And Another Thing…
...regarding this. I've actually read the argument in several places that if, indeed, Schiavo is in a persistent vegetative state, she doesn't know the difference between being "alive" or dead--and so why not just keep her alive for the sake of her parents and other family who are willing to see to her care? Are you able to see to the depths of that argument? It means that in spite of her wishes, and in spite of what the hypothetical wishes of anyone you talk to would be, keep her alive--to live as a shell of a human being for none other than the sake of others. This just goes to show: once you allow that individuals have irreducible duties other than to themselves or those they've accepted by covenant, there's no end to the "possibilities."
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“Plonk!”
For those unaware, that title is an old Usenet and discussion list term. There's a whole lot of meaning wrapped up in it. Anyway, that's what I did with regard to the two talk-radio stations I listen to here in the Bay Area: KSFO and KNEW. I just can't take Terri Schiavo 24/7 any longer. Anyone remember Greg Kihn? Well, he's been the morning DJ of San Jose's classic rock station, KFOX, for quite a few years now. Actually, it's the best of both worlds. Greg has a great dose of Uncommon Sense, plus he knows great music, and especially, great guitar--and plus--he has the sort of prejudices you'd expect an old-school rocker to have and doesn't mind touting them, or insulting someone who doesn't share them. So, goodbye morning talk-shows
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Creeps…
...One and all. As I was sayin'. (tip: Balko)
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From the “Just When You Thought You Had it Made in the Shade” Dept.
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Self Respect?
Is there anybody out there who can even begin to explain to me how such perverse shenanigans goes on in the plain light of day? I mean, far more than being an outrage on any number of levels, how do such people as these look at themselves in the mirror? It is beyond me. Is it possible that they are honestly unaware of just what sort of people they are? Or, is it that they know very well, don't care, and have everyone else fooled? By the way, I'd first heard the gist of this story on KSFO Radio yesterday during my drive to the office, but Captain Ed really digs up the details.
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“Caring”
"She has become a pawn in a political football game." Yea, no shit.
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Parliament of Whores
Of course, I borrow the title from P.J. O'Rourke. But it's a suitable description of what Matt Welch reports.
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The Morons Have no Clothes
Each Thursday of the week I can expect to get an email from my dad forwarding John Stossel's weekly email, where he outlines the upcoming show--including his Give Me A Break! segment--and usually has a bunch of email reactions from the last episode of 20/20. Man, I'm sorry I missed the last one on the TV. In a segment called You Call That Art?, he got a bunch of 4-year-olds to create "modern-art masterpieces," and then had ordinary people, artists and "experts" evaluate them alongside "genuine" pieces created by "masters." Well, I can't bring you the video segment, but I just might be able to make you piss in your pants with laughter--especially once you get a load of the outrage from the emails. You of the mind: treat yourself and read on. The rest of you really and desperately need to know that the laughter you hear regularly is likely the real people laughing at you. First, here's the 3-page scoop from Stossel's website. Some funny excerpts: One artist, Victor Acevedo, described one of the children's pieces as "a competent execution of abstract expressionism which was first made famous by de Kooning and Jackson Pollock and others. So it's...
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Perception Test
Here's a simple, one-question test to judge what sort of perception you have (which is the nicest way I know how to put it, if you catch my drift). 1. Regarding the Congressional hearings over steroid use in baseball, these hearings are about: a. Preserving "our" game of baseball. b. Concern for the long-term health of "our" professional athletes playing "our" sport of baseball, as well as the competitive well-being of "our" non-steroid using athletes. c. Fear of the message drug use sends to "our" children. d. A pathetic parliament of out-of-control busybodies and wannabes who can't miss a single opportunity to put on such a charade--so that all of you dupes have nary a single opportunity in your miserably dependent lives to ever forget, for even one single second, how essential and important they are in overseeing every aspect of everything you do. The principle is quite simple: if you don't like how the baseball organization conducts their affairs, then don't patronize them. Update: Or, to state the last paragraph Rachel Lucas style: TAKE A HIKEY IF YOU NO LIKEY.
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Blake, Peterson…OJ
From what I know of the facts in the Blake case, I never had a strong conviction that Blake did it (or was the puppet master), or didn't do it. And so, I'm satisfied. You see, my interest is in justice, and by that, I mean: justice. I could give fuck-all about any prosecutor's career, and I could give a shit about the political heat the Chief is taking--or the goddamned mayor for Jesus' sake. Fuck all that. And especially, fuck the public's "need" for justice. It's not their business. And you know what else? Justice requires no "authority." Justice, when done, is an equal-opportunity principle. Every one of you is just as justified (often moreso) in carrying out a death sentence as any nation, state, or municipality. If justice means a guy buys it, then who mets out that justice is irrelevant. Case in point: did you see the justified chortling by Laci's relatives over what Peterson got? Does anyone doubt that given the opportunity, there's more than none of Laci's relatives who'd be more than happy to carry out the sentence? You see, in this case, all a rational person needed to know was that her body washed...
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