I don't know what this means...

I'm visiting home for Christmas Break, so I am around my family a lot more than usual, ok?  Yesterday my mom said I sound like an anarchist when I talk about politics.  I don't think I'm an anarchist... I mean, I like infrastructure and such.  I would say I am a moral and economical conservative with definite libertarian leanings but who likes to consider issues from multiple sides and who does not like to be pigeon-holed into any specific group.  Ah, that's it!  A conservative independent!  Shoot--that's a specific group.  This is going to be harder than it seemed at first...

Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead!

Hee hee.  This is petty funny.  How The Wizard of Oz Should Have Ended.  If you haven't seen any of these videos, well, you should.

As Vlad Taltos said, "I don't care what kind of hotshot wizard you are, a knife blade between the shoulder blades will seriously crimp your style."  I think that goes double for guns.

Merry Christ mas!

Remember, whether or not you believe in him, whether or not you think he is real, it is pure foolishness to dismiss the power of Jesus Christ.  Look at history, and how this one man has influenced everything from the time he was born, roughly 2000 years ago.  We would not be where we are today, for good or bad, without him.  Remember whose birthday we celebrate today--the very Son of God.

Buzzwords: Liberty

I have often thought that people often throw around powerful words without thinking about what they are saying.  So today I am going to briefly define a big one, or rather, I am going to let Noah Webster define it for me, straight from his 1828 dictionary.

Liberty:  "Freedom from restraint, in a general sense, and applicable to the body, or to the will or mind. The body is at liberty, when not confined; the will or mind is at liberty, when not checked or controlled. A man enjoys liberty, when no physical force operates to restrain his actions or volitions."

More though is this: Civil Liberty, which is "an exemption from the arbitrary will of others, which exemption is secured by established laws, which restrain every man from injuring or controlling another. Hence the restraints of law are essential to civil liberty."

Another distinction is Political Liberty, which is "sometimes used as synonymous with civil liberty. But it more properly designates the liberty of a nation, the freedom of a nation or state from all unjust abridgment of its rights and independence by another nation."

So I hope that when you next hear or use Liberty, you remember exactly what is being said. 

Sherlock Holmes on Climategate

In "A Scandal in Bohemia,"  Sherlock Holmes states "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.  Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."

I don't think anyone else can say any more than that.

Edit:  I just saw the new Sherlock Holmes Movie, and they totally used this line!  I works in so many situations...

Good line for a T-shirt

"Disco is not an option"

Feel free to let me know if you want to license it.

GAH! The politicians are killing me!

Bernie Sanders, on the forced reading of his 700 page amendment to an already bloated piece of legislation: 

"The best the Republicans can do is try to bring the U.S. government to a halt by forcing a reading of a 700 page amendment. That is an outrage.  People can have honest disagreements.  But in this moment of crisis, it is wrong to bring the U.S. government to a halt."

Is is not wrong to pass laws that no one has read?

What. A. Flaming. Hypocrite.

Movie Lines: Gladiator

I watched Gladiator last night, in preparation for the final I just took this afternoon.  And yes, the test was that bad.  But there were two lines that stuck out to me:

1)  "People should know when they are conquered."

The reason this one hit me, is, I think, because of how the mainstream reacted to the election last year, and what the O-Team seems to think about anyone who doesn't agree with them.  I get a "We should all agree and work together!" vibe from those people, "and anyone who doesn't like it should get off their high horse!"  The nature of the system, however, keeps the sides roughly balanced; disagreement is built in.  But I am not obligated to agree with everything or anything--in fact, I won't! 

2)  "We are docile... we are obedient... we are treacherous."

Just because I don't like the way this country is going doesn't mean that I am actively planning the demise of the system.  However, because I don't "know that I am conquered," I will not support what I do not agree with.  I am not actively planning the demise of the system, but...
I am waiting for it. 
And the way things are going, I believe the demise is coming, one way or another

Wow

Sometimes, while walking school or wherever, worrying about life, you turn around and see amazing things. This morning, while going to my last day of class for the semester (finals week is next week, hence some of the worrying--not to mention the economy, the war, the politicians ramrodding legislation, etc.), I saw some of the most amazing clouds. They looked kind of like giant roses, lit from behind by the sunrise. I quickly shot a picture with my phone (so please excuse the fuzzyness) and the colors faded away. Looking around me, it seemed like no one else was paying attention, and no one I asked later said they had seen it.

Sometimes the Glory of God just reaches out and smacks you on the side of the head and says "Don't worry about tomorrow, it won't happen until tomorrow! Today has enough trouble by itself." (Matthew 6:34, from the official bluesun paraphrase) Sometimes we need to stop for a second and take a picture. All those sayings aren't sayings because they aren't saying something, ya' hear me?

HAHA!

One more homework assignment, and this semester is in the bag! Next week is finals, and then I can go home assuming the car works, it's not snowing somewhere in the 700 miles, the passes are open, and I get through the crazy Salt Lake Traffic on the way south!

It's been a good run, school, but I fear our time is nearly up, and it may be time to put our relationship on hold for a while. I'm sure I'll see you again, for good or ill.

It's COLD out there, kiddies

By golly, but it's cold out there. Three days of not breaking 0 Fahrenheit! Usually there is a week like this at the end of January. Now I wonder what the end of January is going to be like next year! In case anyone wants to know where I am, you can pretty much look at a temperature map of the lower 48, and put your finger in the middle of the coldest spot.



Unfortunately, I also had a job interview today, which meant I had to wear flimsy dress clothes. Apart from being chilly, though, it seemed to go ok.

Luckily, I also just got a coupla heavy chamois shirts that I ordered from Cabela's today. Now I have a hot meal in me, warm clothes on me, and a homebrewed stout in my hand. Tomorow is still going to be cold, but things are looking up.

Tuck in your shirt?

I received this the other day and thought that it was somewhat interesting. Some people might get paranoid and ask for more rules--but I think this kid could be heard from a mile away, and he would be walking pretty funny. What do you think this school does when it gets cold out, and the kids have to wear coats?

"This policy was a collaborative effort between parents, teachers, and administrators in this community." But what about the children? Some people might get paranoid and ask for more rules--but I say give them training and let everyone wear baggy clothes...

Kwela

Have you ever wondered what would happen if rap artists had gone in a different direction musically?

Kwela Tebza

And here is the wikipedia article, of course:

Kwela

The part I love the most (apart from the catchy music) is the fact that they use penny whistles!

First Post

I've been thinking about this long enough, I figure now is the time to start. It might take off, or die like so many other nameless blogs have. Just depends on how my interest/convictions/whatever hold. I had to do this for a class once--we wrote blogs about movies that we watched in class. I passed, so I figure I have a shot at making this work out.

But always remember:
"BLOGS: Never before have so many said so little to so few."