“If I were inventing democracy from scratch, I would not have invented political parties” (p17). Yes! “Mindless partisanship insists on a team mentality. My team versus your team …” (p17). “Decisions are made on the basis of public opinion research far more than on the basis of policy analysis by the civil service” (p75). Yeah, …
Category: uncategorized
Aug 29 2020
The Corporation – Joel Bakan
Well worth the read! (A surprising, but not, answer to what the fuck is wrong with our world? How have we gotten to the point of no return?)
Jul 21 2020
Prayer
Check out https://deadwildroses.com/2020/05/03/the-dwr-sunday-religious-disservice-jesus-is-a-dick/
Apr 01 2020
from David Brin’s “Detritus Affected”
“Physicians swear a Hippocratic Oath whose central vow is ‘do no harm’. I wonder–how many other professions might do well to set that goal above all others?” Excellent question. “Look, see this broken plastic wheel? Part of a cheap toy, circa 1970. Giveaway prize in some fast food outlet’s promotional kiddie meal. Seventy grams of …
Mar 17 2020
Capernaum – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Capernaum (movie) currently on netflix.ca – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED It will stay with you for the rest of your life.
Nov 16 2019
When men are raped
When men are raped, as they often are in prison, does anyone ask them are they sure they didn’t want it? Does anyone come even close to suggesting they asked for it, they are to be blamed for it? Is anyone quick to add ‘alleged’ to the report?
Aug 17 2018
Gwynne Dyer (along with half the species) misses an obvious point
I highly recommend Gwynne Dyer’s Climate Wars, but I must say he misses an obvious point, especially evident when he says “There are almost seven billion of us, and it is almost impossible to imagine a way that we can stop the growth before there are eight and a half billion” (p.268) — because it’s …
Jun 20 2018
Opinions, Judges, and Juries
Why is it that a prerequisite for being a jury member is that you have no opinion about the case—in particular or in general. Those “who may have strong prejudices about the … issues involved in the case, typically will be excused” (uscourts.gov/FederalCourts/JuryService). Only airheads need apply. I don’t believe there are such prerequisites for …
Dec 18 2017
Oh the horror
On yet another occasion during which I was stunned by one of my neighbour’s stupidity and ignorance, it suddenly occurred to me that the person I was speaking with probably hadn’t read a book since high school. (Yes, it then occurred to me that s/he probably hadn’t read a book during high school either.) Then …
Dec 11 2017
Why is honesty rude?
If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. What? Why is honesty rude? What kind of society considers honesty, truth, to be less important than—what? Social cohesion? And that assumes that people will be offended by the truth. If the truth is about them, I suppose that’s an accurate assumption. But what …
fiction
