First Blog

Most of us know of Charlton Heston as an excellent actor, with spectaculars such as Ben Hur and The Ten Commandments in his filmography. However, he did more, much more.  Let me highlight his contributions to philosophy, as a performer.  In the series of audiobooks, The Giants of Philosophy , he recorded many years ago, he took on a task no other top movie star has ever attempted that being to bring serious philosophy to the masses.  These books are well produced and include segments on Kant, Aristotle, Spinoza, Hegel, and many others.  Most run two hours or more.  Not only that they are available on YouTube.  Free.  Check them out.  You will not be disappointed.

Homework 101  - Run for president of the USA Really?  Of course not.  But everyone should write their speech of what they have to offer, of what they stand for, and of why others should cast their vote in your favor. You can mention your family values, religious values, philosophical ideas, what the public means in your life, and all the rest.  You can invoke your party, your beliefs, your convictions, and your humor.  You should state what you have done, how you have led, and how you wish to lead your country and the world. You should express your big ideas, bold ideas, new ideas, the wrong ideas, and all ideas which comprise your vision. With your speech you have created your vision for America.  With your speech you can compare your vision as compared with what is offered by opponents. Only when you impress your ideas on paper can you know in your heart what you wish for, hope for, and what you demand for your country. This is your homework assignment.

The talking points nation.   We are faced with a huge population whose knowledge base, whose opinions, and whose operational guidelines are contained within a few sheets of talking points . Information is exchanged via talking points, and knowledge is conceived through talking points.   Sure, there is the talking points exchange from time to time, wherein some points are replaced by others, but the total number is conserved.   It is akin to the Malthusian, wherein when the number of talking points exceeds capacity to absorb there results a diminution and constriction of the whole.   Definitely not gestalt.  This may, under the most generous interpretation, be a consequence of modern information overload, dissembled national viewpoints, or highly crafted antipodal positions.   With less generosity it may be more simply disinterest, preoccupation, or depth of understanding, all as promoted by our schools. Political demagoguery is paramount in their creation of talking points

The other day while I was listening to a radio show, an advertiser boasted their underwear would make me twice or three times as cool.  Sounds great BUT what does this mean?  Nada.   We have here a mix of the quantitative with the qualitative – seemingly a trend in the misconception of terms.    The new (false) math applies multiples to qualitative objects.  Twice as cool.  Twice as hot. Double your happiness. Ten percent of your brain power.  Loving you three times as much… Dress up your claim with math, and you convince the ignorant.  That so many use these false math claims are made indicates a profound ignorance or misunderstanding of the listening public. Google almost anything and you will get hits.  Google any multiples of anything and get hits again.  Some examples: Double your love life; Triple your risk; Quadruple your happiness – wow!  Can you really "double your pleasure, double your fun," by chewing Double Mint Gum?   Are our students given to doublin

Recently on TV we've seen a number of young adults burning the flag, often in public places. To us old folks, we see this as rebellious youth or reprehensible or simply ungrateful.  We've seen the Eric Sheppard Challenge, which is to stomp on the flag as a sign of disrespect toward a symbol representing oppression, police brutality, or whatever else it the topic du jour .  This is disheartening for a person who for many years has loved that symbol of freedom for us and much of the world. Is this the new force in America, to reshape it into some utopian vision of all together in a new and totally fair order, with true equality? Makes one think of Lenin, who announced the same goals. OK, this brings up my ages old sense of anti-communism.  Maybe they think this time they'll get it right.  It was a sign of worry, to me anyway.  But then just by accident I saw on TV a recent flag burning where there was a protest by a number of folks disagreeing with the burning. These anti

Here are a couple of comments you may not have heard before.  The left and the right extremes.  Each has locked him or her self into cubicles and thrown away the keys.  Nothing except highly polarized information sustaining their viewpoint can penetrate their view-ports.  Of course, there are constant visits by their clergy to keep them pure, and to review the catechism.  When you enter one of the cubicles, you have a life sentence .   Can you image one on the far right saying, “You know that idea of Obama on health care makes sense.  I could go with it.”  Or someone from the far left, saying “The surge of Bush in Iraq actually had a benefit and began to stabilize the area.” Never, never, and never. Said the lefty to the righty, “My billionaires are honest, trustworthy, and brave.  Yours are dishonest money grabbing capitalists.”  Said the righty to the lefty, “My billionaires are simply trying to preserve the best form of government that has ever been.  Yours are closet comm

The killer Dylann Roof, of the Charleston church murders  is all the things that have been mentioned, racist, hater, perverted, and more.  All agree. These killings are also about stupidity.  This dropout is just plain stupid, a traditional breading ground for bad ideas and violence.  One thing about stupid people is they cannot admit or acknowledge it.  In most cases, they don't even know it.   They often wrap themselves in an idea or concept though which they can believe a truth or mission has been found, conveniently transcending academic achievement.  In this case it was racism and associated hatred.  Though he had dropped out, he had found his higher mission, and this proved in his mind he "knew" his higher objective had been achieved. This is one of many the forms of radicalization. It is one of those forms that must express itself in violence. He is also a product of schools that no longer teach any form of citizenship or personal responsibility.  He ta

In a recent report of compensation of university presidents, it is reported that the average annual compensation (in all forms) is just over $428,000 in 2014, up 7% from a year earlier, according to an analysis of 238 chief executives at 220 public universities from the Chronicle of Higher Education, nearly four times what the average full professor makes.   See http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/07/pf/college/highest-paid-public-university-presidents/ That’s a lot of money.   But what is the true compensation?   They suffer universal contempt from the faculty* who think the job is mostly routine, something any (very careful) idiot can do.   They are also living at the whim of their boards that seem to reflect the general public opinion which is about the same as faculty.   Most of them have given up successful research careers, which is what brought them into the business in the first place.   They live in the money world, where all kinds of observation is made about great educatio

When I was a kid, we had at least two delicacies at Christmas time, pickled herring and sardines.   Both were luxuries.   I came to love them both.   Need I mention that both come in variations of quality?   Well, they do.   Let’s talk sardines, those tiny fish packed into a small tin in a variety of sauces, mustard, tomato, olive oil and more.   Let's talk about sardines packed in olive, or extra virgin olive oil, my preferred.   Thinking they are all the same, you go to the store, and select the brand in your price range, normally about $1.00-5.00 for a 3.75 oz. tin.   What to pick? Sardines come from Mexico to British Columbia, from Morocco, Portugal, Norway, Scotland, and Poland.   There are many more places from which these prized tiny little fishes are harvested and packed. Do not be deceived.   The price is a not solid indicator of the quality, and the quality is not exactly determined by price.   Except in one case.   King Oscar sardines are packed in Poland.

The scale of crime and punishment.   This is a timeless hierarchy, sweeping across human history. When the citizen parks illegally, there is a punishment appropriate.  When the small time street crook is caught for stealing a few bucks and is caught, punishment appropriate is administered.  (The police are here) When the corporate embezzler steals thousands and is caught, punishment appropriate is administered. (The district attorney is here.) The ancient Code of Hammurabi ends here. When the CEO of a "cannot fail company" errors costing billions to investors is caught, there seems to be little punishment, aside from possibly losing their position. (Politicians are here - sometimes.) When the high level administrator of a nation agency errors costing lives and trillions in treasure is exposed, who is punished?  In many cases there can be an increase in their level of admiration. (Who is here? Who is complaining? Who is punished, except for the public?)