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Before god i pronounce you husmand and wife
September 1, 2007

I was married one and a half times. The first lucky lady was Jennifer. We almost went through the whole ceremony but when the time came to kiss the bride, I panicked and ran away. I then jumped off the monkey bars and sprained my ankle. This was witnessed by god for it was done behind St. Patrick's on the playground of my Catholic grade school.

The second time was a real marriage when I was 18. By that time I had my fill of the Church and my bride Sinthia had no love of god, so we opted for a civil ceremony. Her Baptist preacher father was quite disappointed. The wedding was, if I may take the liberty, the most unique marriage in the history of Human kind. It was performed on July 4th, in a park, with all the family and friends we could muster. The Justice of the peace came 3 hours late. He forgot about the service because he got hung up at an Irish wake. My Green Beret short fuse father was furious. He denies it, but I remember him waving his .357 Colt Python chrome plated revolver around telling everyone he was going to blow the head off of that Mick McJP. I just turned up the punk rock music and tried to keep the guests over 80 from dieing in the killer heat. But luck is always on my side. The JP finally arrived, drunk, and my dad didn't kill him. He performed and we only had one hiccup during the ceremony. My step aunt stood up and screamed "louder!" He paused and screamed back that if she couldn't hear him she should move "closer!" Well, Sin and I kissed and then hopped on a 1976 Honda Super Sport and road away. I've been a statistical anomaly from the start. After I graduated from culinary school we moved to Key West and had a gay time. I kept my head under the water killing fish and Sin served fish.

I recently was at the Teamsters Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Caucus website when I read this odd line, "According to recent statistics, the American gay and lesbian population represents close to a 60 billion travel market We do love to travel! Sadly, a staggering number of hotel workers who served us so well are struggling just to make ends meet. Many of them are members of our own LGBT community..." I wonder if I would be considered a member of the LGBT community? After all, sitting on my porch on Truman ave, I could look across the street at Numbers Gay strip club. My friend talked Sin and I into going there for a drink. The naked guys didn't bother me because I'm sure their straidar indicated I wasn't a tipping customer. Though the videos playing on the monitors gave me the he-be-je-bes. At any rate, I was a citizen of one highest per capita gaylebitranian city-states (conk republic) on the planet and I had a difficult time making ends meet serving the LGBT travelers. When I would go snorkeling with one of my gay friends was he a visiting member of my strait community or did I have a gaypass? I don't know. Nonsexual sexuality communities are very confusing.

Recently Mississippi was declared the fattest state in the union. A whooping 30% of the population are clinically obese. They also recently "passed a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman and refuse to recognize same-sex marriages from other states." - wiki. I think there might a correlation between the two facts. New Orleans chocolate mayor knows all about the advantage of a two-edged sword. I don't think that Mississippians are frightened of skinny homosexuals, I think their hate of homos has more to do with the Holy Book. Regardless of whether "gods" scribes got the Manly man in the skies intent correct or not, most Christians and Muslims throughout history have viewed homosexuality as a grotesque crime. It seems a perfectly acceptable position seeing as one of the commandments is to not covet you neighbors wife's ass, not your neighbors "life partner's" vibrator. Marriage and religion have been twisted together for many ages.

When a priest or rabbi performs a wedding they become an agent of the state. That is a clear violation of the separation of Church and State and shouldn't even be debatable. Ironically, nations where homosexuality is punishable by death, most notably Saudi Arabia, The Islamic Republic of Iran and Sudan, marriages aren't a religious event, they're a civil contract. The solution to same sex marriage is simple, sanction the term marriage to religion and let it have no secular meaning. When couples go to Church to be wed they do so to have god witness the ceremony (odd for an omnipresent guy). If homosexuals are upset that religious organizations beliefs are unfair and irrational, it's because they are. Duh. Why would homosexuals want to give their money to an organization that promotes prejudice and prescribed collectivity anyway? Who would have thought that the answer to the problem resides in Secular Heterosexuals taking a hit and giving up the publicly recognized word, marriage. However, anti organized-religion supernaturalists that want to be "married" have the Unitarian Universalist Church, they'll happily marry anyone in the name of (insert deity of choice here).

Wild beast shed hair here
September 3, 2007

I went to the Tickfaw (wild beast shed hair here) state park yesterday. I rented a canoe for twenty Bucks and launched myself into the blissful wilderness. Most of my occupancy at New Orleans has been in the heart of the city, specifically, Uptown, The French Quarter and The Faubourg Marigny. I haven't had a car on the road for, well, never any consecutive yearly amount of time to speak of. The city has become my home and is one of my best friends. Fortunately for the wilderness, I'm not currently contributing my car's drippings to the drainage system. But not having consistent car access does limit my opportunities to visit the wilderness. An OK catch 22. I like people and New Orleans has plenty.

The more time that passes the more I embrace the identity, Naturalist. Primarily I've assumed it because it's a positive way to reject religion and head-up-their-ass New Agers. Naturalism is the conviction that only matter and energy did, does and will exist and other than choice, cause and effect are omnipresent. It's the opposite of Supernaturalism, an identity that most who embrace, don't even know they are. Supernaturalism is the essential element in all religions and witchcraft because without it, the belief in consciousness after-death, self reincarnation, The holy spirit and magic are null and void. They all require ectoplasm of some sort. Most people that hear "Naturalist" think of a person who worships the wilderness or enjoys designated areas where nudity is acceptable. I'm not a nudist, though I do enjoy a good skinny dip in the ocean night. But when I think of "who I am", my cloths do not come to mind. And although I don't worship the wilderness, I do have a strong attraction to her. The really odd quality about my mind is that I "behave" like a religious new ager, but despise the true form of both. I'm a religiousish worshipless new aging Naturalist.

I spoke with my Ex-wife Sinthia yesterday and found that she's in a stranger place than I. She added an ad to Craig's list looking for a friend. She lives in a village just outside San Francisco with a population of 60 thousand. She feels alone. She feels like it's impossible to meet people in an area that 5 thousand years ago would have relatively been a Shangtoklondpariyorkanglemex. The Naturalist sniffs and declares something is horribly wrong. Statistically speaking humans are more alike than unlike. In fact we are so much more alike than unlike, the thought that we have to filter through a few million people to find a compatible friend is boggling, more than boggling, disturbing. I blame The peoples remote and the unrealistic dream world (applause light flashing) of Friends. Many moons ago, Sin and I recognized a unique quality I possess. That even though I don't have frequent friend interaction, I never have felt a lack of friends. I'm not a loner, mind you.

Five million two hundred forty five thousand two hundred and sixteen minutes ago I went on a three day water fast in Albuquerque. In direct opposition of reason, I strapped a sleeping bag to my back and hiked a couple thousand feet up the Sandia mountains. In the morning I kept climbing until I reached a peak where the city was isolated from view. I hit Walter (who comes up with these names?) and started to focus on my deep breaths. In about a blissful minute I looked out at the beautiful seen and felt that nature some how was aware of my presence. Now don't call me crazy, I don't mean that there was some "nature brain" out their registering me, but rather the vista and I were intimately connected. It was as if it and I were interdependent in our existence. Had I not been there the photons that were bouncing off of each piece of sand and shrub would have been absorbed into some other piece of sand or shrub and eventually turned into heat. Instead, that energy entered my body and was registered in my mind. It "gave" itself to me and I said, "Hello, I think you're sexy and this is a great dance". Then I ate a power bar to keep from passing out and went back to turning the cogs generating bread.

Paddling the canoe through the Tickfaw river I had a similar sensation. Except for my vessel, I felt totally removed from the conscious world, but with a strange sense that I was among an ancient friend, pure Wild Nature. She doesn't hide anything. If something's bothering her, she lets the observant know. She's a strait up girl and doesn't give a shit about those who disrespect her. She can and will bite back. As I paddled my canoe up river I couldn't help but think of what it was like a half millenia ago. This was shattered by the occasional run in with a distant buzz of a lawn mower, jet liner and a non fishy oil slick. Paddling past a tipped three wheeler, folding chairs and "posted" sign, I felt like I was viewing a human zoo. Certainly I'm not suggesting that Humans need to flee the wilderness completely. It just seems odd that in a country as big as ours, with a relatively modest population, a person has a difficult time escaping civilizations foot print.

I paddled past a school of funny air breathing swimmers. I don't know what they were but I suspect many of them are going to be dead soon. Best-friend, Nature, is going to feed off the weak. I looked back at the people behind the bars of excess and wondered why, with the incredible intelligence we posses, do we make more offspring than Best-friend Nature can handle. Someone's gonna get hurt. On my way back to the Canoe launch it started to thunder and rain. I took my shirt off and enjoyed the feeling of being a Native in a beautiful land. I marveled at the lighting while holding an aluminum paddle.

Fun at Voxulution
September 6, 2007

Voxpop : Evolution and game theory

In Vox's post he criticizes evolutionary theorists use of game theory as a means to describe evolution. I do agree with Vox that many people who are enthusiastic of evolution do so in inappropriate (and I'm sure I've been a culprit) ways and game theory is most likely one of them. However, in Vox's post the Christian blindness can be seen in that he unconsciously assumes evolutionary theorists assume an agent behind the process that produces complex organisms. He also assumes typical Human arrogance in declaring that other animals are incapable of thinking.

Voxpost states - "The fact that Darwinists are making this assumption of rational action in the case of plants and animals instead of humans only makes their theories look even more absurd"

Voxcomment - "...I am aware that no Darwinist believes intelligence drives evolution, they believe Natural Selection does."

It's safe to say that since we have reached a point were we can virtually eliminate the pressures nature presents, we've reached the end of a long evolutionary chain. The puzzling question is why the majority of Humans aren't concerned with (hopefully) our future generations. I almost envy people who believe in heaven, what a burden it would remove from my mind.
Robert Sutton | | 08.31.07 - 2:51 pm |

“are making the same mistake as the macroeconomists and game theoreticians in assuming perfectly rational decision makers.” - Vox

What is the meaning of “perfectly rational” here? I mean, is it logical and assuming a great knowledge on the subject, that people or groups will tend to make the same or similar decisions in a given situation (or make the same/similar assumptions).

I can understand how the outcome might be different than expectations, as economics is just one of the disciplines, and relying solely on that is kind of expecting a mechanic that specializes solely on tune-ups to state the likely performance of a vehicle, failing to take into account the tread wear, bearing greasing, torque, gear ratios, etc..

I told a friend of mine who specializes in economics, and is pretty good with currency trading (and would be rich if he would keep to his formula instead of being overly aggressive), the problems that would likely be encountered if the Fed raised rates during the summer of last year. He looked at me like I was mad, the reality of which is beside the point, and when I went through the other reasons why (outside of economics), he said it was logical but that he would have to disagree because he would stick with the economics. Low and behold, we are very near the risk of stagflation, and while the housing market wasn’t itself the bulk of the economy, the areas of lending, selling, and buying were strongly attached and could (have) provided for a set of predictable repercussions that were not predictable outside of pure economics (the beginning of a dynamic shift outside the scope of most existing generalized models, but which could have easily been incorporated).

If you are speaking of “rational” in the economic definition, then I would agree. In the bigger picture though, people are simply not all that mysterious or cognizant. You would figure that a people that, for a large part, are programmed through their experiences, might be a little more aware that the equivalent of a virus, backdoor, or hole might be part and parcel with their brain, or that reprogramming, oh, maybe for passivity or for a kill switch on action, might be present. The higher the IQ, the faster it can be processed, though the more subtle it must be.

David Caldwell for 2008 US President
David Caldwell | Homepage | 08.31.07 - 7:17 pm |

David, could you elaborate on this, please? How is reprogramming accomplished? and the kill switch installed...?

Make me believe it and you have my vote.

Thanks
Stan | 08.31.07 - 7:35 pm |

I don’t have the skills to make anyone believe anything. Generally, I have the tendency to be able to make people not believe something, unless people hear what I said from someone else later, and then come back to tell me about this great thing they heard. Generally speaking, I should actually be writing that the NAU is a good thing, that it is better to sit at home and not get involved, and that communism is the way to go. But that is another matter, one I may have to ponder for its’ usefulness to get the things that need to be done, done.

Anyway Stan, first off, lets see if there are some basic premises we can agree on.

1. Do you believe that humans are in part biological?
2. That aside from any born instincts, people are largely a blank slate?
3. That parents, peers, and other things encountered shape not only what we are exposed to for comparison, but how we feel about or perceive something?
4. that two identical babies, one raised in China, and one in the US, may have two very opposing views by adulthood as to what is right and wrong, as well as what society and system is best to live under, maybe even as to what happiness means or how it is achieved?

David Caldwell
Caldwell for 2008 US President
David Caldwell | Homepage | 08.31.07 - 8:18 pm |

Yeah, I don't know DC. Advertising, marketing et al sound like they're working with a rational population en masse, but when they're trying to sell beer, lottery tickets or porn, they're just targeting the lowest common denominator. Bread and circuses is an old formula. Encouraging people to make irrational purchasing decisions, by definition, is not rational.
jer_the_bear | 08.31.07 - 8:20 pm |

I just answered my iPhone. It was Bill Gates. He told me that I was unaware of iPressure and I would be iSsimilated. Vox you are 33% right: "perfectly rational decision makers."

Buying bread and making bread are three different things.

I like blue; I'll vote for you DC ;)
Robert Sutton | | 08.31.07 - 8:39 pm |

Encouraging people to make irrational purchasing decisions, by definition, is not rational. jer_the_bear 08.31.07 - 8:20 pm
Rational, in terms of their best interest, I agree wholeheartedly. I see rational as a thought process that leads to predictable behavior or tendencies. That is, the person understands, but does not necessarily make the wisest choice, only a logical one based on the conditioning. The marketing affects the thought process, bringing in other variables, whereby it may not necessarily predict specific instances for all cases, but may work on a more generalized level.

David Caldwell
Caldwell for 2008 US President
David Caldwell |  | 08.31.07 - 8:45 pm |

"I like blue; I'll vote for you DC ;)"

Except on Fridays Robert, because pans are round.

And in case you were wondering, you are different, just like everybody else. (just love that quote).

Communal assertion of individuality is lovely. Is anyone else willing to conform to being rebellious or participate in responsive spontaneity?

David Caldwell
Caldwell for 2008 US President
David Caldwell |  | 08.31.07 - 8:53 pm |

You've got it all wrong DC. You've lost my vote. The quote ""I am unique, just like everyone else."""
Robert Sutton | | 08.31.07 - 9:03 pm |

Gravatar Not trying to be malicious or anything tonight, just in a slightly jovial and light mood.

Anyway, most everything around you has been marketed, from the car and house desirable square footage, right down to the paperclip and push-pin, or at least where you buy them from. How effective is generating name recognition in all of this? (rhetorical question)

Anyway, are the four posits I have, well, er, posited “reasonable” assumptions (not just to Stan, as he may be busy or not, as I often am for days now)?

David Caldwell
Caldwell for 2008 US President
David Caldwell |  | 08.31.07 - 9:06 pm |

I can see the similarities in the invisible hand of evolution and the partially visible hand of the free market. I just think evolutionary biologists carry the theory way too far and into areas it isn't relevant.
Robert Sutton | | 08.31.07 - 9:07 pm |

DC,

1. All biological to start with. (no immortal or pre-existant "soul". A human as constituted IS a "soul".)

"I'm a SOUL, Man." - Bleus Freres.

2. Brain shape is important. Neurotic people can change the shape of their brain with willpower by focusing on resisting a neurotic impulse and overcoming it.

3. Yes, except only negatively for people with Asperger's Syndrome.

4. Not if they are twins. Twins have a unique statistical probability to be twinlike and Geminiacle.
.
Bone Head | 08.31.07 - 9:23 pm |

Even among beer, the effects can be interesting. This one brand had been sitting there on one of the shelves for several months, with cases stacked in stock and doing nothing (I had been involved with the business only sparingly). Once I became more involved, I had the beer moved down one shelf to just at or below eye level of someone 5’6”-5’11”, which is where it had been several years before, back when it was a good seller. For the first week, no one touched it. The next week, stock of it was empty by ordering time, and it has moved quite well since. One shelf up, and it might have well as not existed. One shelf down and it is gone.

Because people don’t tend to pay great attention to things they do often, they rely more on patterned behavior. Placement requires taking into account the psychological impact of the placement. We simply have things we don’t want to spend a lot of time thinking in great detail about every time, especially for things that are repetitive in nature, and so understanding “behavior on auto-pilot” is important.

Being on “auto-pilot” also increases potential for suggestibility. Why else do you think illusionists often induce distraction in their acts? So they can direct the focus of your attention away from where they would like you to be on auto-pilot.

David Caldwell
Caldwell for 2008 US President
David Caldwell |  | 08.31.07 - 9:23 pm |

I agree with 1,2 and half of 4.

3. "That parents, peers, and other things encountered shape not only what we are exposed to for comparison, but how we feel about or perceive something?"

3 and 3.5 bother me.

3: The ego and superego interact with each other. Therefor no outside source needs to be involved for feelings to be developed. certainly there can be a substantial amount of influence. But influence and cause are not the same thing.

3.5: Though I know that two different cultures can produce different opinions on right and wrong there are morals that transcend culture. The confusing and heavily philosophic issues of right and wrong are subject dependent. There is no such thing as the right "color", but there are universally right principles. Self ownership being the most important.

I know that many Eastern cultures and religions embrace the concept of "group thought" but it crumbles under the scrutiny of logic. Granted a City can be analogous to the mind: each neuron representing an individual resident in the community creating a "common good." But in reality a single neuron can not think independently, every human can.
Robert Sutton | | 08.31.07 - 9:26 pm |

I think it only works in terms of generating extra interest within the general population.

Many resist the brainwash, or ignore or forget it.

Marketers don't care about them, they are strickly concerned with the willing hearers.

And this way they grow rich. You don't need to reach everybody, just enough to make it pay.

This is not rocket surgery. (apologies to he or she I cannot recall on another or this thread)
.
.
Bone Head | 08.31.07 - 9:28 pm |

Bone Head, for a baby (1), generally in terms of after birth?
On (2), among a general population?
So, (3) is what you would expect of the norm?
(4) your response is better even in results of identical twins, in terms of patterns of behavior.I worded (4) poorly, as each assumption was supposed to build on another. That means that, aside from genetic tendencies in behavior (instincts). The first was whether or not someone agrees there is a biological component (identifies pure social cognitives), the second removed the biology (identifies pure naturalists), the third focuses on those close to us and society, and the fourth was supposed to be with those close to us stripped away (raised in, but not specifically based on parents).

David Caldwell
Caldwell for 2008 US President
David Caldwell |  | 08.31.07 - 9:51 pm |

DC, sir,On rerereading your #4, I should of course said "especially" instead of "not if".

Certainly a miniscule error, but OH, what the cost.
.
Bone Head | 08.31.07 - 10:13 pm |

Ok, on 3, you take more or less a Freudian approach. This basically breaks things down between desire, external rules, and the general arbiter when dealing with what is experienced. The ego is the arbiter, and the superego are the external rules. Id is the desire. According to Freudian thought, the arbiter does interact with the external/learned rules which are supposed to be in conflict with the born/internal desires. By this approach, parents, peers, and society would provide the basis for the superego. So I take it you mean the id and the ego interact? This is not a hypothetical on whether or not one can do without external experience, but whether or not the external has an impact. Freud would conclude “yes,” because the conflict brings about a set of emotions that would be less likely to be experienced had the superego not been present during an event.On 3.5, is the “group thought” enough to keep them on their path as a group, aside from a one on one logical conversation?

David Caldwell
Caldwell for 2008 US President
David Caldwell |  | 08.31.07 - 10:17 pm |

“not if” was just as good Bone Head. I just wanted to let you know I understood and agreed with the natural/instinctual portion having a definite impact on overall behavior.David Caldwell
Caldwell for 2008 US President
David Caldwell | Homepage | 08.31.07 - 10:26 pm |

So Robert, does this suffice to make (3) and (4) reasonably agreeable, so as to move closer to me explanation on reprogramming and the kill switch? Basically they are designed to se if we agree that a large part of who we are comes from outside us, and that different experiences may have a profound impact on who we turn out to be, up to maybe 40% of the reason for behavior, which is where a bulk of psychologists would place it today, and with up to about 40% being a result of biological encoding.David Caldwell
Caldwell for 2008 US President
David Caldwell |  | 08.31.07 - 10:35 pm |

I shouldn't have used the Frued reference. I don't even understand my id and my dickmind. Consciousness and subconscious better fit the explanation. Neuroscientists don't yet (and I think never will) fully understand consciousness. However, there is do doubt that there is an internal dialog in our mind. Dialog requires "two" and within these two sides our our mind we can form our own opinions and desires in regard to the market place.

You have a certain amount of legitimacy claiming that the environment (marketers) provide our options, thus provide the available spectrum. This implies an infinite amount of marketable items though. That simply isn't the case. No two paintings are the same but all paintings are paintings. What causes me to like a painting (that has no established value) and my neighbor to like another, will never be understood from a market perspective.

DC - "is the 'group thought' enough to keep them on their path as a group"

I don't think groups can have "a path" without artificial constructs such as Dogma or Fascist tenets. The only reason an individual can have "a path" is because they are "internally totalitarian."
Robert Sutton | | 08.31.07 - 10:37 pm |

If I had to make an uneducated superguesstimate.

1% genetic (unless there's an inherited mental illness)

+/- 99% comes from outside us

The important thing to note is that individuals have significant control on what "different experiences [we] may have" Certainly we have no choice in regards to gravity or much effect on the economy individually speaking. That's why marketers market iMind as the coolest of coolosity. That increases the "outside" power factor.
Robert Sutton | | 08.31.07 - 10:52 pm |

Artificial constructs are what I’m getting at, not naturally occurring (based on instinct). Quite a few people support a Parliamentarian system (most likely those raised with one), quite a few prefer a Constitutional Republic (the same). Pepsi is big up north in the US, while Coke-a-cola is big in the south (I know, there are Mountain Dewer’s and such, but generally). Is there something fundamentally biologically different in all these groups, or are they similar enough biologically that environment plays a significant role? At one time, people did not drink many sodas, though they were available, and now it is common to drink one without special time or occasion. Was there a genetic change, or a social change in behavior? This is distantly related to the reprogramming and the kill switch (means preventing behavior from traveling in a direction, not causing someone to go on a killing spree), only in a much longer term mannerI’ll have to get back to this in the morning.

David Caldwell
Caldwell for 2008 US President
David Caldwell |  | 08.31.07 - 11:08 pm |

Decisions are made in the mind. Mind is not genetic. Marketers (and religion) strive to turn off the mind. Because if they are successful the flock give up their power of choice.

Don't be fooled by the determinist argument though. To submit will is an act of will.
Robert Sutton | | 08.31.07 - 11:20 pm |

What is this psychiatrist bull, DC?That is totally innapropriate and counter-productive.

Did you get an anonymous contribution?
.
Bone Head | 08.31.07 - 11:52 pm |

Mind you
September 11, 2007

Dualism is an ectoplasmic orgasm. In the philosophy of mind, dualism is the belief that mind and body are two distinct separate things. It's the belief that the mind is not dependent on the brain for it's existence. It's difficult for even me, a die hard sci-fi fan, to imagine my "essence" being downloaded into a computer main frame so my mind can continue it's existence. For those who think that their dreams are real and they have a reservation in almighties kingdom, it's easy to imagine their mind as a mystical blue uploadable aura. Go Go Ghost busters!

I don't quite understand the "need" to believe in the spirit. There certainly isn't any empirical reason to do so. It's one of those leap of faith things. The belief can easily be seen as a natural extension of the desire of self preservation programmed into every thinking animal. All it takes is the capacity for imagination and sky castles, virgin orgies and infinite family reunions could cause a person to actually anticipate the closing of the curtains. But for a realist such as myself, thinking about the curtain call reduces the amount of thinking time I know I have on stage. Why squander my life on promises from people who's greatest wisdom is, "because I said he said so in my head, now get ready for your dunk, we're gonna take away your mediocrity and make you born again, special like... Booga Booga."

The antithesis of body and mind dualism is materialistic monism, the belief that there is only one type of stuff. There seems to be a great deal of word play in this mole arena, because stuff automatically references matter. Energy, in the E=MC2 sense, is certainly "stuff". I assume thinkers who parade the monists title are well aware of this and conclude that there is one type of stuff that can be chopped into two substuffs and those substuffs come in a variety of flavors. I'll digest that with great satisfaction because there is plenty of empirical evidence for that universal conclusion. I, in that sense, am a Natural materialist. But strict Monist materialism is a few bricks short of a shit house.

Numbers and Words are the first things that pop in my mind which violate the monist materialistic belief. Both of these things are not the symbols or sounds that form them but the association they have to the materialistic, abstract or obtuse things they represent. Granted they only symbolize elements, actions, objects, qualities and quantities of such, relations in time, quantities or qualities of subjectivities or arbitrary defined actions. Not to mention non representational communications that many works of art assume. At any rate or mass, there are things that aren't made out of stuff. The reductionist could demand we reduce those metathings to the thing they are dependent on. The empirical end of this is the atom or photon. Obviously reducing our existence to a single atom or neuron firing is just as ludicrous as widdling our self down to a non existent soul. I'm not arguing against that the self is dependent on the mind or that the mind is dependent on the brain. What I argue is that We make what is, far more than what can be seen under an electron microscope.

The materialists demand that we are nothing more than a collection of atoms and a string of firing neurons. While that certainly is what we are physically composed of, self awareness is far more than "simple" consciousness or a brain state. Patters are analogous to what we are in the fact that they don't have a "body" of their own and don't exist until rendered and continue to exist as fact even after they're dissolved even into the abyss of total chaos. Unlike a tick-tax-toe rendering of a pattern made out of apples or oranges, who's existence is not dependent on the substrate, we are dependent on the molecules individual uniqueness for our patterns. While every healthy human is born with the capacity for self awareness, it is not something that is automatically fully manifested and quite frankly, it's truth can be corrupted with delusion.

I don't actually believe there is an explanation of self awareness. And the "feedback loop" of the materialists is so sterile it's analogy kills the mystical beauty of the god like quality. I've been thinking of a way to describe "it" with a metaphor all day and the maestro and hu's orchestra seems to be the best as of yet:

At conception our parents build the walls of the concert hall. As we grow we populate the hall with carpet, chairs, ceiling fans and lighting but still are an empty shell of a thing. When the first brain wave is initiated the maestro pops into existence naked sitting in the pit. The moment of the second brain wave pulses and the hall is flooded with air enabling sound. The first mental cry the maestro points in the pit and creates an instrument section. When we're born the auditorium is filled with an audience, not other maestros, but rather the external world. As the maestro instructs the instrument sections what to do, the audience responds, most typically producing milk. As the maestro grows hu adds more and more sections until finally hu has a bono-fide orchestra. Then something truly magical happens, the maestro polishes hu's sheet music enough to see hu's image. Hu passes the mirror around to his orchestra and observes, making judgments about the sheet music and develops intention on future music. At this point hu can hear other music coming from adjacent halls with their own maestros. An other miraculous thing happens when hu becomes skilled enough with hu's mirror. The walls of the hall collapse and reveal millions of other orchestras. Unfortunately their are billions of halls built up concealing wonderfully unique tunes. The orchestra gets intrigued and the maestro stage dives and is virtually carried into the private halls of others to see why the walls are still up in so many halls. Inside the walled halls a horrific state is discovered. The mirrors of these poor saps is painted over, concealing the beautifulness of self reflection. Some of the paintings are childish renditions of other maestros, but the vast majority are of something even more hideous. They are paintings of atonal viruses, most notably Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad.

But of course we're just atoms. I just had an ectoplasmic orgasm boo yeah!

I’ve been trying to understand why so many intelligent articulate people in this world refuse to be open minded. I’m not referring to the “matrix universe” level of open mindedness, but rather open to the point of evaluating one’s assumptions. I suppose that’s what separates raw intelligence from wisdom. There is obviously a poison in society that is causing rampant blindness. My first thoughts are of the obvious, Faithfact, Telereality and McI’mclickin’it, but there must be something I’m not seeing, something more to it.

I’ve just let my mind run it’s abstract free flow. I don’t know exactly were I developed the skill but a pet theory about individual blindness kerneled in the frontal lobe. Humans envision themselves as a static thing. It’s an understandable concept to attach to , because an identity by it’s very definition is static. A chair today was a chair yesterday and will be a chair tomorrow. So perhaps there is a hardwired element in our brains which predisposes a person to latch onto to their current beliefs as eternal. But that is counter to healthy rational mentality. We need not constantly self debate that the sky it up there, but if it starts falling we best reevaluate what we think.

The following is a post lifted from an Active duty Soldier of the United States of America, who goes by the handle “Shore-Leave Organization of the Islamic Conference”. He did a critique of my favorite personal defense weapon, the benchmade push dagger. He’s obviously unaware that I was one pen stroke away from joining the Army two years ago. I’m not sure whether I’m just really good at manipulating people into making them look like fools or if he’s actually as blind as he appears to be. I’ve cut down the comments slightly to make it a quicker read. Enjoy!

Shore-Leave OIC said... Benchmade? More like Bitchmade!

Well today was certainly a surprise, a while back Kønig Hasemörder recommend a product to me, specifically 2.5” bladed push dagger from the folks at Benchmade. After an interesting argument and a series of valid points I folded like a card table and my curiosity got the best of me, the tune of $68.69 (with shipping and handling via FedEx, no tax, and an NRA discount).

My immediate impression of knife was “what the fuck”. In all seriousness I’m pretty picky about products that I paid legal tender for, weapons are certainly no exception. The first thing I noticed was the rubber coated handle which I thought was “odd” because the stock photo was a bare-bones metal handle. It’s really annoying to pay money for something and then get something else. Moving right along I then noticed that said knife was coated black and not a natural stainless steel as pictured on the website that sold me it, hey no biggie. A Google search revealed it was in fact black; maybe PersonalSecurityZone just uses one hell of a lens flare….

The sheath “looked” sturdy and seemed it had good retention capabilities. I really liked the fact I could put it around my dog tags, on a belt, rig it up on my gear, or just stick it in my boot. I was a bit concerned about the quality of the steel used for the nuts and bolts on the clip as it seemed it would take to rust very well. On the flip slide it wouldn’t break off like some plastic clips but rust has a tendency to spread and screw up clothing. If I’m wearing this under my shirt on my dog tags, I would definitely be concerned when operating in a temperate environment where sweat and humidity do a number to every and all things metal. Good to see someone’s thinking over there at Benchmade, oh wait their not…

Okay, now back to that rubber coated handle. Did the folks at Benchmade pay an 11 year old Chinese boy to dip this in a bucket of hot rubber and then finish it off with a lighter? In all due respect, that is what it looks like. Granted this rubber coating provides a nice non-slip surface area it doesn’t look nearly as professional or well made as the Cold Steel push dagger (for half the price with a 3.5” blade…) Oh snap, did I just plug the competition! Reminds me of a joke, “How do you know when your product sucks? When its compared to another product at half the price and STILL blows!”

The sheath itself seemed okay but it was a bitch to yank it out. I thought there was some quick release mechanism, nope, you just need to yank on it. Yea, I’m going to be yanking on this blade under my moisture whicking shirt that is under my ACUs that is under my LBV. Riiight… Too bad Benchmade didn’t include a medic kit with this badboy because that is all that is missing after you inadvertently slash an artery by trying to remove it. If this was a sheath for a normal knife I wouldn’t be bitching but people buy push daggers because they need to conceal them. A HALF ASS DESCENT quick release sheath isn’t that hard to come up with. Who the fuck is their target audience? Acne ridden cosplay minors, airsoft players, ARFCOM members, or the legions of armchair commandos that over populated the net? Its important to note that my wife (yes, the shore-leave OIC is in fact taken; sorry ladies) also couldn’t pull the dagger from its sheath. Maybe because it’s new, maybe because it sucks so hard. Whatever the reason don’t purchase this dagger for the little lady in the hopes of self protection unless you plan on sharpening the sheath itself.

The blade itself seemed legit; once again Benchmade is keeping with its intent not to be labeled an overachiever. I would have thought a double edged blade on a push dagger was given but hey, this is Benchmade we’re talking about folks, not ColdSteel.

The knife is probably worth a good $45 dollars yet it retails for about $80. However I’m not done with my review yet, the folks at PersonalSecurityZone.com deserve special attention for their stellar service. This is the first and last time I will be dealing with them unless it is in regards to a refund. They had this knife at the cheapest price and not surprisingly they also had the worst service. I had paid $11.50 for FedEx delivery yet never received a tracking number but only an automated bill that didn’t have my NRA discount included. Nice….

Well today I get a knock at the door and it’s the UPS man! That’s right folks, the U-fucking-PS man just showed up with a small box that had NO RETURN ADDRESS. I open it up and there is my Benchmade knife (I’m surprised it was in a package) packed in brown wrapping paper. The packing list was signed “Ghostdog” which to this day I have no fucking idea who or what “Ghostdog” is. Maybe “Ghostdog” put a rubber coated handle on my push dagger, if so “Thanks Ghostdog! Next time hire a professional to do it.” Or maybe, just maybe “Ghostdog” was the dipshit that sent my package by UPS and not FedEx with no tracking number. But wait, there’s more! This package required a signature or else it could not be released, I suppose it was pure fate that told my ass to take a long lunch today or else I would have missed my parcel thanks to “Ghostdog”. Luckily “Ghostdog” did remember to input that amazing NRA discount of five bucks but somehow forgot to put it in the bill. Perhaps that NRA discount didn’t apply with FedEx shipping. Maybe there was some fine print that said, “By the way, if you use the NRA discount we will send you the most beat-up product we can find in my mom’s basement, er I mean warehouse and ship it via UPS whenever my brother gives me a ride downtown, oh I mean the “delivery” guy picks it up.”

All in all I give Benchmade a 2.5 out of 5 for this product considering its price. Drop it down to $45 bucks (about the cold steel price) and we’ll talk. As for PersonalSecurityZone, I hope they have some personal security against lawyers because I want my fucking $11.50 for FedEx shipping back!

P.S. Kønig Hasemörder you SO fucking owe me a ColdSteel push dagger now!
Posted by Shore-Leave OIC

Kønig Hasemörder said...

Ghostdog, sweet.

I don't know about the rubberized handle. Mine is bare metal but then again I supported my local merchant and had the advantage of holding it before I bought it. It does require some strength to remove the knife from the sheath but in a stressful situation I don't think I'd have any problem. I've practiced drawing the weapon and have become rather good at it having it in hand in under a second.

I'm actually surprised you didn't notice the one real difficency with the design. The retention is rather firm, which I like because I have it one my person 16/7, but the metal clip is on backwards. Out of the box the clip's opening is susuptable to the force of removing it. Turn it around and the U part of the clip receives the opposing force of removal.

It's funny that you would think about wearing this chunky knife around your neck. That's were I think ice pick weapons belong. By the way, my first push dagger was a cold steel with a flimsy small tang, poorly designed round rubber handle and a blade that rusted on the first drop of sweat. The benchmade is 440c stainless steel and won't be rusting anytime soon.

As far as the edge is concerned it seems you have the same mindset as my green beret father. What is with you visually weighted macho men? I graduated from culinary school in 94 and sharpened, honed and held knives for 12 years strait. I know a little something about cutting pathetic meat, moderate cartilage and the more substantial vegetable fibers. Single edge blades are just as sharp and effective as double. Sure, they don't have the blood channel, anti healing design of the bayonet, but hey, a hole is a hole.

Perhaps this is more what your looking for. I don't owe you shit. ;)
September 10, 2007 6:21 PM

thimscool said...

LMAO
September 10, 2007 6:31 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

Hardy hardy har!

No, I wear it around my neck. I usually have three to four weapons on me 24/7. The primary defense being either a .40S&W CZ75 compact or a Sig Revolution TTT .45ACP Followed by a knife for cutting boxes and stuff, (any cheap $5 dollar knife) and then a CRKT M16 knife I reviewed earlier. The Benchmade would be worn under my shirt as a "last ditch" weapon. Cause...ya never know.

I prefer double edged as I've had knives snap on me before. And knives don't just "snap" they through shards everywhere. A double edged knife is thicker, and takes less force to snap.

No offense, but that is the LAST time I take knife advice from a cook! Its one thing to cut a slab of meat on a table, its another thing cut someone who is CONSCIOUS and FULLY AWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. They tend to "get all hostile" and "loose it!" And its in your best interest to end things as quickly and violently as possible. In my experience of being in the military and vast hunting years. Chances of a blade hitting the ground, concrete, or being bent in bone since it got "stuck" are just realities.

As for supporting my "local merchant". Yea, well when US citizens start supporting their soldiers I'll start buying from my "local" merchant. These "local" merchants always have a hard-on for soldiers and are more than happy to rip them off. I have had to brief soldiers to be wary of anyone in a 10km radius of a military installation and these guys are flat out predatory. I usually avoid them like the plague and when people ask what I do that is the LAST thing I mention for fear of getting a bad deal. Everyone has to survive, myself included. I'll go with quality and cost.

As for the design, I would never put this on my belt. Where is the advantage in that? Seriously, if your going to put something on your belt don't put some little push dagger, put a real weapon. As this weapon was DESIGNED to be a backup weapons (not a primary weapon in your case) and is small, it makes it an ideal canidate for concealment. The whole point of having a small push dagger is that no one knows you have one, unless your searched. And I don't wear baggy/loose fitting clothes, and my shirt is usually tucked in. So I don't hang anything (cell phones, ipod, anything) off my belt. Hell, I usually carry my keys, wallet in my left hand and my right hand is always empty. If anything "happens" I drop everything in my left hand and go for the pistol. But that's just me.

As for ice-pick weapons. Seriously, pick up hunting. Use a bow or if your a real BAD-ASS a bowie knife. After you stalk a deer and stab it and it runs away for 2KM (or just never stops running) you'll realize how useless those weapons are for primary defense. BTW: a deer is a man-sized target. Now try a bow, you might be better, not try a rifle. Even with a rifle, sometimes they just take off.

I know for a fact it takes a good 3 shots on average to down a human target. Ain't no way in HELL I'm going to rely on a ICE PICK for self-defense. A push dagger is as low as I go.

As for the Cold Steel daggers, do you mean their first generation or their second generation? I saw their first generation and it looked like crap, their second generation looked better.

As for your rusting knife...did you oil it? Do you oil any of your knives? I usually oil mine every two ro three days. From personal experience, no matter how high quality the steel human sweat and the environment WILL RUST it eventually if you don't oil it. A good 3-in-1 oil does the trick.

The latest incarnation of the safe keeper uses a 4116 steel, which probably holds an edge better. Usually steel that holds a good edge (or is preferred for firearms) tends to get tarnished easily if you don't care of it. Unless you put a good coat on it, but that works for firearms, blades always have an exposed edge so you need to keep it oiled properly.

Your father isn't macho, he isn't trying to be macho, he is a product of his level of training. In the same way many military guys don't try to fit some "image" of badasses-ness, that is just a product. We don't go to the gym every day and shoot to "be cool" and be some "awesome tough guy" that shit is a BY-PRODUCT. The macho lameasses are the ones who do that but are actually an accountant or the manager of a Wal-Mart, they're the posers..not us. We have our preferences and train like we do so we DON'T DIE! God knows if I worked as an accountant I would NEVER go to the gym and drink every day!

And yes a hole is a hole, but unless its a hole to the head, it takes A LOT OF FUCKING HOLES to stop someone much less kill them.

By the way, I just realized something. How in the fuck did you get your ColdSteel knife tip screwed up? I buy cheap $5 bargin bin knives to cut stuff, and descent knife is only used ONCE and then discarded. I don't use any real knife for anything other than what is was designed to do. IE stab people unless its some emergency situation and I need to pull some McGyver shit. Who the fuck buys a knife just to cut boxes and open envelopes, that is what KEYS are for!
September 10, 2007 6:46 PM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

I didn't screw up the tip of the cold steel dagger, it just pocked with rust for no other reason than it's made out of shit metal. I carry this as my "backup" or duty knife.

I haven't used or oiled my Benchmade. It simply doesn't rust. Just like my Henckel chef knifes I didn't oil for 12 years cutting acidic fruits and dead meat. Iron rusts, that's what nickel is for.

The thing I've noticed about weapon heads is not that your not necessarily outwardly macho but you spend a good deal of your life drolling over golden saber hollow points.

I don't expect to ever have to use my knife for self defense. If you use the best weapon you have, your mind, you'd be more likely to get hit by lightening than have to fight. The reason I have a "backup" as a primary, is because the advantage of having something over nothing is worth wearing a weapon like a piece of jewelry.

When I become a target, or the world goes to complete shit, I'll start wearing a 1911 or perhaps a Desert Eagle. But until then, I'll enjoy being light on my feet.
I was joking about the ice pick. One would be more likely to kill themself wearing that around the neck, than fight of a raging dear.
September 10, 2007 7:15 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

Actually, I think the whole "hollow point" things is stupid, and I've already done a post about that. I shoot plain jane full metal jacket ammo (From Wal-Mart, in the bulk pack)

I don't swoon over weapons, I respect them but am very discriminating. When I first joined the military I didn't really care and thought a lot of the older guys were stupid...I learned a lot.
September 10, 2007 8:07 PM

thimscool said...

Then share some wisdom one post down...
September 10, 2007 8:18 PM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

I have a slight love of the bang. Growing up one of my chores was reloading 12 gauge shells. I loaded about 800 a month.

I'm well aware of the NRA arguments for guns, seeing as a 2000 pound wheeled death machine is just as dangerous on the street yadda yadda yadda. However cars are designed for locomotion, not killing.

I have seen the psychological effect having something that can "take an arm off at 40 yards" does to a person. It ceases to be about protection and becomes a means to manifest ego. The gun becomes a significant part of a persons personality, just like the blade has become part of me. I even paint with a knife. The gansta's in New Orleans laugh at a .32 and my dad calls my push dagger a toy. Something is horribly wrong.

I know that criminals "don't get gun permits" but the belief that the answer is to "arm every man woman and child to make society safer" is a symptom of a sick society. If every American who spent a the majority of their life preparing to kill a phantom attacker "because they refuse to be a victim" spent that energy working on the core problem, ignorance, we wouldn't even need seat belts.

You're a strange Nazi. You are so articulate and intelligent, but your philosophy and attitude make me sick. "Happiness is a warm gun."

If you haven't noticed I'm a strong explicit atheist. I asked my Christian father what he thought heaven was like. He said it's different for each person. For him it's a field with a dear walking out and he has his snipper rifle and shoots the dear. Then another dear walks out and he shoots it. And then another, and another. Ad infinity. 0_o

It's time to stop evaluating the curve of the magnifying glass, put it down and leave the ants alone. What truly disturbs me about my observation of weapon heads is the anticipation of use. If you anticipate "every situation" you just might cause one.
September 10, 2007 8:37 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

I think the opposite, people who don't anticipate things usually end up in them. If I anticipate starving in the wilderness, I bring some protein bars, a GPS, extra water, and maybe even a dog. If I am off slightly then I realize I'm stupid and get back on track. The difference is the guy who doesn't prepare, things begin to SNOWBALL and he may even die.

When I drive I am always scanning the road and sometimes tell my passengers to STFU so that I will avoid a "potential" accident. My friends and family think I'm paranoid about bad drivers. Yet my sister has been in FIVE accidents and my wife has been in TWO and narrowly escaped death because I WAS PAYING ATTENTION and slammed on her foot with my foot to brake and swerved the car.

Prepared people often don't find themselves in bad situations, and when those situations do arise they are a bump in the road.

As for real world self defense issues, maybe its confidence from knowing you can arm yourself and not wait for an armed response by someone else (shifting responsibility) but I think every responsible citizen should be responsible for their own safety. This isn't limited to self-defense. You should have gas in your car, a retirement plan, a way to defend yourself, some emergency cash on hand ( or as they say 2 months salary), a cellphone, a few cans of crap in case something happens, insurance on your car, insurance on your life in case you pass away, etc

A gun is no different. The difference is some people just focus in on "gun" and then they freak out and opinions start sprouting up everywhere like mold. How much safer would the world be if everyone everywhere was armed? The Nazis probably wouldn't have even killed one non-aryan person and they're takeover would have turned into a civil-war/stalemate with no genocide.

Almost every genocide in mankind was preceded by an attempt to disarm everyone first. The samurai executed thousands of Christians but the FIRST step was banning swords and arrows for all but the Samurai class. The first thing Hitler did was ban guns.

Mao once said "Power eminates from the power of a gun" Truer words have not been said, and unfortuantely as civilized as we think we all are in this world, bad people do continue to do bad things. It doesn't matter if your a christian or an athiest "evil" does exist and some people DO get off by rape, torture, mutilation, humiliation, slavery, genocide, etc. And by get off, yes I mean that literally.

I don't know what makes them tick and I don't really care but I won't be one of their victims.

I eat healthy and exercise for the same reason I have firearms, to protect myself and my standard of living. But unlike some people I encourage EVERYONE to at least try my way of thinking. I am very worried about anyone who attempts to shift my power and responsibility of self-defense to the state.

The government could not prevent the violence/rapes in the Superdome in hurrican katrina, so why the fuck will I surrender my right to defend my and my family? I don't think so. Maybe one day we will meet some utopian Star Trek bullshit but as of right now on "planet earth" not some ivory tower, I'm going to need a .45ACP.

I don't know why criminals do what they do but I know they've been doing it since before the first civilization was formed, and they will be doing it long after you and I are dead. Why take a fucking chance?

As for a .32, well a .32 is better than nothing. I wouldn't laugh at it, but honestly...you ever consider getting something else? Its not a cock competition its just reality. I'm not nearly as "hardcore" as some gun nuts, and many consider my "liberal" or "level headed" when it comes to guns. Do you practice with your .32. Honestly, my advice, if you don't shoot it once a month, get rid of it as it is more of a liability (in untrained hands) than an assets. Its a good idea to KEEP reciepts from when you go to the range in case you have to prove in court, you DID practice and not just some whacked out nut job who bought a gun and put it under his bead. It wouldn't be that hard for the prosecution to convince a jury of your "peers" you were irresponsible in gun ownership as you never practiced with it. Its like having a car and never driving, then one day you do and someone dies. Yea...you don't look good....

Now do anticipate its use, I sure as hell hope I never have to use my weapons (again). Its not some glory cool experience, and something we can ALL do without, but the opposite of having it like being hacked to death by Iraq militia or having your head sawed off with a blunt (but stainless steel!) kitchen knife, or having your family gang-raped then slaughtered. Fuck it, I'd deal with the guilt.

Of course will that happen (or in some cases happen again) probably not (unless I get deployed again) but hell, I will probably never get in a car accident and I've never been in one so I might as well cancel my car insurance and stop wearing my seat belt right?

You can't get rid of ignorance, unfortunately. its a part of being human...we ain't robots...
September 10, 2007 9:02 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

The difference between me and you is that I understand how you think but it doesn't make me sick, though misguided I do admire it to some degree. I'm not saying my way of thinking is "superior" to yours, but I hope despite the fact people like you don't like guns and want a better world, at least acknowledge the realities we deal with on a day to day basis.

Kønig Hasemörder said...

I like guns. I just don't like the idea of people wearing them to the grocery store. If shopping is that dangerous, I'd rather live in a police state than having john smith pointing and shooting. And if the police state was headed by Hitler, I'd rather be dead.

I don't own a gun for several reasons I can't disclose on a blog but mostly because I don't have a car to go to the range. I felt it was useless to have one in house. Had I the money enjoy shooting, I would have a 1911 Wilson Combat and a Belgian Browning over and under skeet gun. But until then I'll live with my Katana in the bedroom.

"You can't get rid of ignorance, unfortunately. its a part of being human."

That's what makes me sick. You state that as fact. It is manifestly not, ignorance in America is willed. However, with a defeatist attitude like that society has already made it's decision.
September 10, 2007 9:30 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

It is a fact that ignorance is a part of the human psyche, not just America. You can't know EVERYTHING, it is simply not possible, that is why mankind works in "groups" or "teams". The baker, the artist, the warrior, the whore, the teacher, the scientist, etc all work together because individually if we all just tried to know EVERYTHING and not be ignorant then we would fuck up and get eaten by a bear or something.

Instead we live in society and are most difficult problems is what to order at Starbucks while not holding up the entire line at 8:00am.

The fact is we are ignorant. We can't know how to fly a jet, load up a 747 Jumbo jet, land the bitch, get off, design a logistical system to take us to our mom's house. No, we rely on other people or "subject matter experts" for that.

Now by default there will be some problems, like chef's telling soldiers what is the best knife to use, or soccer mom's voting on gun rights, or catholic priest telling us what is and is not okay to do sexually with another willing adult. This very conversation is proof of that. You have no military experience, and probably have never had your life REALLY threatened yet based on your readings/opinions feel validated in your thoughts.

I'm not saying we should all just surrender our opinions and thoughts to supposed subject matter experts, but the reality is we all can't know everything. Ignorance will always exist to a certain degree. We can hope to limit that but we aren't all going to become "mini-Gods" who know everything. We may become "mini-Gods" who THINK we know everything...which is far more dangerous...

As for wearing a gun to grocery store, I don't wear one in because I think the grocery store is unsafe. I carry it with me everywhere I go just like my wallet, ID, sunglasses, cellphone. The difference is a gun is designed to kill so people get skiddish because you have a weapon in the produce isle. Nevermind the fact I could probably kill 90% of the people I meet with a choke-hold, making absolutely no noise within SECONDS, the gun that gives a ear shattering BANG that alerts everyone is more deadly...whatever...

I'd rather have John Smith pointing and shooting than a cop. I've SEEN police shoot, and I've seen people in the military shoot and its SCARY ! You must think cops and soldiers all love guns and shoot every day, the opposite may be more true. I have been to the range with active law-enforcement that routinely MISSED at 50 yards but you TRUST them over some dude who loves guns and shoots every weekend? Just because you got a badge and gun doesn't mean your competent. The same is true for soldiers. The common man is afraid of everyone being armed because they will just be shooting "willy-nilly". Yet they conviently glaze over the fact most law-enforcement statistics reveal that police officers usually miss and chances of being hit by a stray bullet from a cop is MUCH higher than that from a civilian. Nevermind the fact police have the power to kick in someone's door and start blasting away, unlike John Smith. And police officers never make the mistake and KICK IN THE WRONG DOOR and KILL THE WRONG PEOPLE....do they?

At least I know John Smith isn't kicking in my door with a 12 guage unless he's gone plumb psycho. As opposed the Sheriffs office that "made a mistake".

And what is really pathetic is saying "if Hitler was head of state I'd kill myself". Wow, yet you claim americans are ignorant...interesting.

If Hitler was head in state, while your busy suck-starting a 20-guage, I will do my best to change things. And I don't mean by marches or feeding the children, I mean guerilla tacts. Hell someone has to fight, and it sure as hell ain't the "We are all ignorant so I'm going to blow my brains out" emo types. Yea, I might be caught, yea I might get killed but then again I might actually overthrow the bastard or make him think twice about maltreating citizens.

All it takes for evil to prevail is good men to do nothing (or suck start a 12-guage whatever comes first)

Saying society is ignorant isn't some defeatist attitude its reality. If my computer crashes then I'm looking for the skinny asian kid nextdoor, I'm not going to waste my time screwing around with it. And if he needs his car fixed or a hurricane hits and ne needs to survive then I help him out. The point is he's igonorant and so am I in some things. But we are AWARE of it, as opposed to being blissfully ignorant AND arrogant in thinking "we can do all things"

And damn, you sure do get sick a lot. Guns are just tools, they can be used for oppression, fighting oppression, self defense, murder, genocide,rape, hunting, or settling family disputes (kidding). The point is they are tools, and its the user who gives them intent. They aren't intrinsically "evil". Its like plastic surgery, I think its bad but I'm not dumb enough to think plastic surgery shouldn't be allowed, it was designed to help people that we're heavily disfigured either by birth or a horrible accident. yet now its main purpose is giving air-heads a bigger (but less sensitive) breast. That doesn't make it "stupid", just the users.

As for Wilson Combat 1911...damn you got some deep pockets. I think they have some nice pistols but I'm not spending that kind of money for one. A rifle, MAYBE, a pistol...nigga please!
September 10, 2007 10:04 PM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

"the fact most law-enforcement statistics reveal"

There are lies, damn lies and statistics - Mark Twain

My claim that 'ignorance in America is willed.' was not intended (obviously) to mean that we can individually know everything. And I wasn't even referring to specific knowledge, I was referring to principle truths. Truths that humans have been capable of achieving for millenniums. If they were realized by all we wouldn't have one nuke on the planet. Nukes are just big guns ya' know.

The reason I pointed out our United State is that we have the most wealth and security on the planet, yet the vast population live in a constant state of fear.

I know that I'm not a "mini-god" and if a hitlerish dictator (other than bush) took control of the country, I know that my little gorillas would be exterminated like cockroaches achomlishing nothing. I'm using the best defensive weapon I have, the pen.

I would survive in a nightmare of fascism because I would morph into a good little 20 gauge cock sucking Christian and start writing with invisible ink. I know heading for the hills are a fiction, so I would just snuff it if I couldn't bare to adapt. I'm just a part of society and if society choses that path, I have no choice but to accept it.

The point is, I know that the "team" is how society will succeed. My job is opening enough eyes, and have their eyes open other eyes, to make the world realize there is only one team. Star Trek Federated bullshit I know, but the Human Race will ether sink or swim, and the choice is today.

So keep reviewing your tools, carrying your gun around, casually, wild west style, and add to the paranoia that's causing this mess. Or better yet join the police force because they need all the help they can get.

There's terrorists in them thar' hills. Better hide in the Bush.
September 10, 2007 10:48 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

Well I don't believe its the "terrorist" at all, and I think they are the last problem.

As for a state of paranoi. Americans are some of the most educated people on earth (I'm sure you think that sounds stupid but try living overseas for a while, not a vacation but actually live overseas and you'll be shocked at their ignorance). I've heard the "We are all paranoid" cowboys argument before and it simply doesn't hold argument. In fact, you could say all of the western world is a bunch of paranoid cowboys, from the Greeks to the present day.

The reason we may come off as paranoid is that in western civilization the common man has a lot more power than in other cultures. We usually aren't servants of the state or subjucated , as such we have more individual freedoms and individual responsibilities and we are a bit more cautious in all things...self-defense included.

As for an oppressive government, yes you can fight one successfully. Pens are great bullets are better. Your father was a green beret, I'm sure he is painfully aware that a few tribes men with rifles can screw up or destroy a big government. Believe me it can be done. People ban arms for a REASON. If the powers at be really thought that "we" couldn't do anything, there wouldn't be so many laws against firearms. This isn't opinion, its history.
September 11, 2007 6:10 AM

speaking of which, I think what we are basically arguing here is what is known as the "prisoners dilema" in regards to weapons profileration, especially regarding nuclear weapons.

Under that theory, by default everyone is armed because the reverse benefits no one. Collectively if we worked together we would ALL be better off, but as the prisoner dilema states, mankind is incapable of working in such a manner. I'm sure you may have heard of it already if not http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner's_dilemma

explains it okay
September 11, 2007 6:15 AM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

Trying to reduce the behavior of Nations to individuals playing a game of poker is an example of how deluded the home of the frees view of the world is. Game theory demands that all players are equally powerful and aware of the rules of the game. I'm for total nuclear disarmament or giving every Nation a nuke. What's wrong, don't like the rules?

"but as the prisoner dilemma states, mankind is incapable of working in such a manner."

If we as a species can not free ourselves from this self inflicted prison, I agree with you, the solution is lost. Even the idea that society is chopped into parts and those parts are competing for a payoff, blows my mind. There is only one game, one player and one solution. What stands in the way of that is Mob rule and/or Religion.

"Pens are great bullets are better. Your father was a green beret, I'm sure he is painfully aware that a few tribes men with rifles can screw up or destroy a big government."

My fathers opinion as a Bronze star Purple heart three tour Veteran is one of a child? He would have used the pen to solve Viet Nam and Operation Iraqi freedom. Though the pen would have been from the tip of the Commander in chief as he released the Nukes. The war did something strange to him. He realized he was capable of experiencing fear. Something he thought he was incapable of and the soul source of his pain. Now he waits for the collapse of society so he can drink from his in ground pool and use his arsenal.

He strokes his guns because it is a symbol that he has concurred his fear??? I've listened to that nut quack for 32 years. I've seen his loading room develop into a stream lined machine and the gun safes multiply. His Blasting verbatim is ad nausium. I know why he has devoted his life to weapons and the war channel, because he wants to feel useful and is counting on the world falling to shit. Well my friend, the monkey is holding the butcher knife and if the world chooses that path their will be no water to drink or air to breath. So your weapon reviews will be for naught. Do something useful and work on transferring your self to the mind of a radiation resistant roach. Or, like I suggested before, use your love of weapons and join the police force so you have a legitimate outlet and support the peace, not the fear.

"and you'll be shocked at their ignorance"

I'm not shocked, because they don't have the money to fund their schools like we do. If they had half the funds and a quarter their population they would put us to shame with their will. You're confusing knowledge with intelligence and shining stars with general population. America does have the most intellectually intense situations breeding freaks of intellect. It also houses vast pastures as grass eating telezombie sheep. The general population was more intelligent 3000 years ago than they are today. Not because they believed the earth was flat, which they had valid reason to, but because they actually had to use their minds. You know, exorcise. The most intelligent person knows what they know and knows what they don't know. I know I don't know a lot, say something to open my eyes. Or continue to present your rap opinion facts.

The armies separated; Pyrrhus replied to one that gave him joy of his victory, that one more such victory would utterly undo him.
September 11, 2007 8:49 AM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

Okay...in case you haven't noticead I am an active duty military member. Why would I quit and then join the police force? Am I doing no good for anyone by being in the military? You keep mentioning the police force as if they are beyond approach. You seem to continue to attack those who have weapons, review weapons as if you have unresolved issues with weapons in general. I don't know but I'm sensing something more than "I hate guns"

I mentioned the prisoners dilema and you conviently just glazed past that. If you actually understand the prisoners dilemna then you'll know it applies to nations and their build up of armies and weaponary.

The pen is mighter than the sword? The pen is backed by the sword! Your father wouldn't have used a pen, he would have used a nuke. Just because someone SIGNED some paperwork doesn't mean the pen is mighter than the sword. The nuke was still launched. Saying the pen is mightier than the sword is like saying the key is mighter than the car.

I never called your father childish ,I don't know where this is coming from.

I've had conversations with anti-gun people before and it always turns into some self-righteous bant about the "children" a new world, world peace, the sorry state of mankind and how right they are. The arguments take on an almost "holy" self-righteneous of ideas.

Your not an athiest, you believe in yourself and mankind far too much despite evidence to the contrary.

I haven't heard such self-rightenous arrogance since I went to a Baptist church. I say facts because I HAVE facts. I speak from experience. I did not spend my life TALKING about change or merely blogging, I joined the military and for better or for worse I know I made a change. And its better to try to improve the world and screw up than just bitch about and rant about how smart you are and how dumb everyone else is.

Long after my death what me and few other "ignorant" americans did in Afghanistan and Iraq will be remebered. We prevented a few "bad things" from happening and I know for a fact I saved a few people's lives. And I'll be damned if some "do-nothing" is going to insult me, or my lifestyle as they spend the majority of their time critizing the world and talking about how much better it can be.

In the words of Three-6-Mafia, "It is what it is" and that's the world, take it or leave. Things are perfect and they never will be. Life isn't perfect, even nature has its problems. That's just life and people who have a problem with that will never find any happiness. They will critize their world, their jobs, their countrymen, their Gods, their religions, their wives, and their children.

You need to get over yourself.

Its a real insult to hear someone say, "Do some good and be a cop" as if I'm doing nothing. What your father does is his OWN buisness. He did his part in the world and I'm sure you think it was all joke and don't even know 5% of what he did because I'm sure almost everything he did was classified. He's had for more experience in this world than you. And believe me, military experience isn't just "point and shoot". You don't walk into some village like Rambo.

I've lived both lives. I did the hippie self-arrogant thing in college, I volunteered at soup shelters, I even flirted with different political ideas and philosophies. All that shit changed when I was sent all over the world from Tokyo to places I couldn't even pronounce. I was englightened to the world and as Socrates said, "The only thing I can be sure of now is that I know nothing"

So I don't SPOUT off my opinions as a pseudo-religion or critize people who actually DO SOMETHING with their own lives.

I was hoping this conversation would end as so many "anti-gun" conversations do. Someone gets emotional like you just pissed on their ancestors grave, and flip out on you with borderline personal attacks. Its just a tool, nothing more. If you have a issue with people carrying around one then you have other issues that need to be addressed.

We're people smarter 3000 years ago than today? I guess if you count all the genocides and blood shed and lack of freedoms. Wars were common and killed A LOT MORE PEOPLE. Pillaging was okay, rape was okay, and genocide was expected. If someone in Africa was starving no one gave a shit, racism was the status quo, and if someone even THOUGHT you didn't believe in God you were burned alive. Yea...they we real fucking smart...

If I ever find a time machine I'll hook you up
September 11, 2007 12:05 PM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

O_o
September 11, 2007 1:28 PM

Woozie said...

That's not a knife...

Y'all spend too much time debating...stuff. It went from push daggers to something about active duty military service. I think you're perfect for each other ;)
September 11, 2007 2:59 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

No Woozie, it actually went from

Push daggers to

Guns

To gun control

to the fallacy of a Utopian dream

the military service

to his father

to the prisoners dilema

back to his father

to questioning mankind

then resting on TIME MACHINES!

Like all conversations with people who hate the military/guns it always ends with TIME MACHINES! Because someone is pissed that a Nuke/Uzi was invented and wants to undo Pandoras Box (or at least the weapons that we discovered by opening it) we can keep everything else that is a by-product of human achievement

And Konig don't give me the O_o I should be doing the o_O to you!
September 11, 2007 4:31 PM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

"I have a slight love of the bang."
September 10, 2007 8:37 PM

"I like guns."
September 10, 2007 9:30 PM

It makes me feel stupid repeating myself. I thought the O_o would cause you to reread your counter @ September 11, 2007 12:05 PM. I guess not. So I'll just quote you: "The pen is backed by the sword!"
September 11, 2007 4:40 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

I love guns and things that go bang, is that wrong? Should I love dasies, flower children, and peace protest? WTF!

Are you even listening to the main argument or do you regularly just dismiss what is said by people who don't like what you like or have a different lifestyle?

Yes the pen is BACKED by the sword. The only reason the pen is mighty is because there is a cop, soldier, or nuclear warhead behind it.

When the judge writes that warrant for your arrest, its not the pen you have to be worried about, its that SWAT team kicking in your door at 2am you have to be worried about.

And yea, the pen wrote the constitution, it was amazing. It was the WAR THAT FOLLOWED that made it more than just a piece of paper.

Hell, there is all kinds of drivel (like your blog) and laws written down that don't mean jack because they are never enforced like J-Walking or laws against sodomy. No one cares because no one is worried about some gun toting man enforcing it.

Or here's a better one, the US says "stop fighting" in some Eastern European shithole. They have some 2 month conferences and talk and finally come to the conclusion of writing down some stuff. Yeah pen! Problem is no one just stops fighting and says, "Oh shit, was that written with a pen? We doomed now son!" No, you have to PHYSICALLY GO THERE and project pieces of metal at very high speed from some type of tube (IE barrel) and kill people. Then the masses are like, "okay, I'll listen, but don't kill me".

Yes the pen is backed by the sword. I knew what the fuck I wrote the first time I don't need you reposting my thoughts like I got a goddamn twin who does half my shit for me.
September 11, 2007 4:58 PM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

"I love guns and things that go bang, is that wrong? Should I love dasies, flower children, and peace protest? WTF!"

Kønig Hasemörder said...
September 10, 2007 8:37 PM
September 10, 2007 9:30 PM

Oh by the way, for the prisoner dilemma to be relevant, all members must be in prison. I guess you're not as free as you thought.

The pen is backed by principle, metaphorically speaking of course.

September 11, 2007 5:08 PM

Woozie said...

Daisies make my skin itch, children suck, peace protests suck. But you know what else sucks? Bad grammar. It's peace protests, not peace protest. Grammar Jew.

The pen is not always backed by the sword. Galileo told people the universe didn't revolve around the Earth, the Catholic church threatened to rip his head off, but people eventually believed him. No one ever went to war over that.

What about the civil rights movement? Sure there were some relatively violent people involved like Malcolm "by any means necessary" X but MLK and other supporters of nonviolent resistance definitely had a larger impact on the civil rights movement being (mostly) successful.
September 11, 2007 5:41 PM

thimscool said...

In the beginning was the word.

You can't even make a sword without the words necessary to think concepts... And I'll bet that metallurgy was put to pen long before any sword was put to flesh.

Am I just parsing... (wait for it) words? No.

Undirected force is nothing. The pen backs the sword, which backs the pen. Chicken and egg question.
September 11, 2007 6:06 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

Woozie: As for peace protest. Ghandi devoted his whole life to it, then got shot, and India still got devided. Hence, we have Pakistan

Sword: 1 Pen: 0

Galileo doesn't even count, that was science. He made some stuff and people didn't believe him but he wasn't trying to force his views. If anything he was just more frustrated. Its like the human Genome, isn't a sword vs pen case

Moving right along we have some guy who mentioned metallurgy

Okay, I am willing to bet dimes to donuts that the SWORD came first THEN the word. Why? Because after some guy eventually got it down, it was WORTH writing down. Usually if you look at human civilization, you have a bunch of wars/warlords and THEN after everyone is done fighting, people start creating writing systems. They don't make writing systems first, if that was true every people on earth would have their own writing system FIRST.

Come on man, these questions can be answered by a 7th grade history book, READ PEOPLE! READ!

Yes we are all in a prison, its called earth. You know there seems to be a fundamental block in my conversation with you, and dare I say it, I think you lack in FORMAL education. Anyone who has sat down in psychology/sociology 101 would have understood the prisoners dilemna and how it applies to the earth.

I'm not taking you to school, you can do that on your own time. The rest your arguments have broken down into poorly coordinated borderline personal attacks and re-posting what I already said. That shit might work on the internet when your battling it out on some disgruntled teenager/man-boy but it doesn't work on me.

Community college is cheap, go get some!
September 11, 2007 6:24 PM

thimscool said...

OINC, put down the whippet dispenser.

I didn’t say that words predate fighting… I was just pointing out that, if one wants to make a sword that actually works, one needs a recipe for steel. I’m willing to bet that there were no swords before Sumerians. I believe that Conan is fiction, not history, bro.

Now obviously there were some heavies with clubs deciding who got to be medicine man, but I think you’re missing my point. Let’s warp to WWII for another illustration. My granddad made a camera that took 20 shots in quick succession, one millionth of a second apart. He used this camera to take the first images of the birth of a flame… inside of a ramjet manifold. He subsequently was part of the project that made our ramjets about 20% more efficient than the German models. That meant deeper bombing raids and faster, more agile fighters. Sword, meet pen.

The gentlemen that conceived of the A-bomb, and then the H-bomb were not writing with swords in dirt. Sword, meet pen.

My point is not to say that you are completely wrong. My point is that you are only half right… and that’s not good enough to win a war.

Having said that, Mr. Rabbitslayer (Hasemorder) is talking about poetry in the face of tyranny. I would have to agree that this approach will fail.

However, leaving aside the pen, and poetry... there is a good example of words and concepts triumphing against tyranny. It's pretty amazing that Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire... Not that the Romans didn't alter it substantially. But only fifty years before it was adopted, they were still slaughtering Christians at the circus. And the Christians did not resort to force.

What do you make of this counterexample?
September 11, 2007 6:50 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

Alright, I'm STILL not getting your logic. And as to how you arrived at the conclusion that the pen is mightier than the sword based on the fact someone designed something is a HUGE stretch to say the least. With that logic FOOD is more important than the sword and the pen because without your granddad wouldn't have made it past being an infant. But hey, whatever...what the fuck do I know?

I have declared myself correct. Why because its my goddamn blog!

But seriously what you said was a huge stretch. The sword is what backs the pen. The sword came before the written word, this isn't even debatable unless you want to argue history. Then we both have to whip out our post-graduate gowns and caps in order to argue that one.
September 11, 2007 7:11 PM

thimscool said...

OK. I have a Masters in Physics from SUNY Stony Brook.

You’re right, you don’t get my logic. But first let’s deal with the trivial issue:

The sword was invented in the middle bronze age, sometime in the second millennium, BC.

Writing was invented in the early bronze age, before the third millennium, BC.

If you read any reputable book on prehistory or archeology, you will learn that writing was closely tied to the further development of those cultures into city-states, eventually leading to sword craft, large armies, and empire building.

But none of that matters, because I have already conceded that before there was writing, force was dominating the way that societies were organized. In short, we’re basically in agreement.

The disconnect comes because you think I believe that the pen backs the sword, and not vice-versa. You’ve misunderstood me. I am saying that this is like asking if the chicken or egg came first. Weapons and brains depend on each other in all but the most primitive organisms, which evolved long before us humans came around to debate the point.

You said it well earlier when you pointed out that we all depend on each other because ignorance is a condition of life… people like me need people like you, and vice-versa.

Got me?

What service are you in?
September 11, 2007 7:28 PM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

"You know there seems to be a fundamental block in my conversation..."
September 11, 2007 8:06 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

I see

as for your second question. I'm in the service...as far as which one why do you ask? I make it a point not to talk about my work.
September 11, 2007 8:14 PM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

: )))
September 11, 2007 8:19 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

Thanks Konig Hasemorder! 35 fucking comments NOT abount Benchmade's push dagger. way to keep things on track their bud. You should go work for Amtrak
September 11, 2007 9:47 PM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

Ghostdog, sweet.

Word War III iNazi on Acid
September 13, 2007

Yet more Brilliance from God's Christian Warriors...

Shore-Leave OIC posted...

Not that posting this will change anyone's opinion as ignorance is a choice, but I 'll post it anyways. Once in a while I have a conversation with a "sheople" that has been fed the lies of mainstream society and despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary actually believe the law enforcement should be the only armed member of society and will protect you in time of need. There have been many papers written about the lie behind gun control but I will just cut to the chase and publish what I believe gives a fair and unbalanced opinion. Thank God for freedom of speech.

[concealed weapon propaganda video]

The following [see his blog] is another good short movie you should watch and encourage others to be aware (even has a nice way to email itself) to others. This film deals with something many Americans never had to face, what happens when self-defense is outlawed. Many Americans feel firearm ownership is necessary for self-defense against rising crime rates, but the real threat comes from uniformed thugs and oppressive governments.

"Myth: Gun Control Reduces Crime"

Kønig Hasemörder said...

Victim man, "I turned around and showed them the business end of a pistol". Mustache man, "Just pulling out the gun was enough to stop them." Victim man, "Yeah, it works. Merely having a weapon and being able to display it, when I was threatened saved my life."

A gun should be pulled to shoot, not to scare.
September 12, 2007 4:19 PM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

A gun should be pulled to shoot and not to scare, but I tend to think that in the drawing phase so called "tough guys" immediately retreat. The few people who I know who actually have had to draw a weapon outside of combat, within milli-seconds of the weapon being drawn the "bad guy" ran away.

You don't want to be the guy who shot someone in the back trying to defend yourself. If you draw it and the so called "hard" badass turns into a smurf and runs for it, you just reholster your gun and that's it. But yea, your intent should be to SHOOT and not scare.

Though in many self-defense cases the prosecution WILL ask you if you gave a verbal warning, fired a warning shot, displayed your firearm even though you and I know better, a jury of our "peers" doesn't.

[The other video] isn't some back country "ya'll need guns" flick either. I found this over at stoplying.ca which has some pretty good articles and videos. Of course some people will dismiss anything on the website as it seems extremely liberal but I don't discriminate where I get information from, so I like to hear views from the whole gaumet ASSUMING these views are articulated and coherent, not just someone's personal "bent" with little to no justification. All to often "pro gun" websites just boil down to "everyone is stupid, read this!" and it the link is either the Turner Diaries or some other drivel that is heavy on opinions and personal beliefs.
September 12, 2007 5:47 PM

Woozie said...

I still find it funny that some people who say the Second Amendment doesn't protect the people's right to bear arms say that the comma (...security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed) is just a pause to catch your breath-but they can't find another comma like that anywhere else in the Constitution.
September 13, 2007 6:51 AM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

People will believe what they want to. I can only hope I am not making a similiar error in my thinking. I often think to myself if the right to bear arms can really help in peventing genocide. Does it give mankind the right to resist, does it equal the playing the field? Or will those that are weak in mind and body destined to be lambs for the slaughter. Do defenseless people choose to be that way, would they rather comply with the hope of survival than fight for their right to live?

I often wonder about some of the victims of genocide such as in Germany or under the Khmer Rouge. These people remind me so much of the American Idol/fast food eating people everywhere. The combination of ignorance and arrogance boggles the mind, and they sew their own fates. And even when they can riot, as they are being hauled off in train cars...they don't.

It reminds me a lot of the people in Virginia Tech. A few students and teachers knew things would end badly and attempted to help others or try to bum rush Cho, but others just sat there, either oblivious to what was going on as they were busy checking their email or iPods and I'm sure others just "froze" and took the bullets or played dead. Hoping maybe the crazed killer would miss or he would think they were dead. Playing possum and hoping for the best is no means of survival. God is often absent in these times, and why should he be present. We have all the tools and decision making ability to fight or at least die fighting. I don't think we are supposed to just die like cows in a cattle shoot.

Banning guns helps no one, its like taking the horns off wild beast in an attempt to lower fatalities by hikers. Its been proven it doesn't work yet people still try to "make" it work for their own political agendas and to secure their own power.

Its really scary that in the second video, the laws and registrations necessary to own and purchase a gun are similar in California. What is even more disgusting is that these big powerful governments also had a fear of "edged weapons". The whole "violence" argument doesn't hold any weight, they wanted total control and in order to do that they needed to "de-fang" society. An edged weapon? Seriously if you already outlawed guns why are you now going after edged weapons? Afraid you might get stabbed while raping someone? Its ridiculous.

But the really sad thing is some states and many politicians feel the exact same way, its as if they looked at the same video as said, "These are some good ideas!", the same could be said of George Orwell's 1987 (or whatever year)...patriot act....that's another story.

Having guns for self-defense is good, having a few extra and an assult rifle for a SHTF situation, hostile takeover, or some door to door deportation of "illegal immigrants" or "minorities" is better, but if anything, at least having one means you die fighting and standing, not naked and half starved, seperated from your family in some prison. But guns alone don't ensure your safety from criminals or oppression, it is, as was said in Full Metal Jacket, "The cold heart that kills" a warrior mindset if you will, the desire not to be a victim.
September 13, 2007 7:20 AM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

"Playing possum and hoping for the best is no means of survival. God is..."

Are you really this stupid? I would have thought natural selection would have taken care of you years ago. Oh that's right, you joined Bushes army, it's only a matter of time.

In case you haven't picked up on it yet, I'm not supporting outlawing guns and I also feel it's a good idea for competent, mentally stable, home owners to have one inside and practice at the range from time to time. Got me, Tom?

What are your thoughts of this? Updating the outdated principle of the second amendment to include this clause. Bearing arms requires one to bear them, not conceal them.
September 13, 2007 8:15 AM

Shore-Leave OIC said...

Konig, what little respect I had for you is gone. This is going past words. I don't know what your bent is and I really don't care. You got your own blog, if you want to vent against people who are in your president's army then go do it over there. Try to keep things on the discussion or STFU.

Who's Tom?

I don't think the 2nd amendment is outdated. There is a reason the US is a constitutional republic as opposed to a total democracy, and its to prevent people like you who "know better" from screwing everything up.

You don't like like the president, you don't like this country, you don't like the constitution. Fine, then take your happy ass to the nearest international airport and GTFO. The United States isn't the only country on the planet, you want something more to your liking then go to Canada or England, you won't even have to learn a second language.

I tried to answer the rest of your drivel but was unable to formulate a half descent response because I had no idea what your point was.

You don't have to post at my blog, I'm sure you can find likeminded people elsewhere on the internet.
September 13, 2007 10:14 AM

Kønig Hasemörder said...

"This is going past words."

Is that a threat my friend? Should I pull out my Shield? It's "Direct" not "Total" Demockraweed. And the Constitution was written by Atheists and Deists to keep idiots from creating A "Christian Nation" and the "Good fight" that inevitably follows.

I'll leave you alone. Go find an IED.

I know what New Orleans means
September 15, 2007

Two years ago I told my mother I was going to join the United States Army. Her reaction perplexed me. I expected her to be concerned that I would be sent strait to Iraq, and the wonderful Interstate system there. But to my surprise she was full of joy, almost ecstatic about the thought of her boy going to war. To put this strangeness in context, she was a nurse during the Vietnam conflict and witnessed the trauma of war and married a disordered and stressed out veteran. She's also a devout Christian who does unto others as she would have them due onto her and turns the unslapped side of her face to her foes. I'm still a little confused that she didn't mind me stating that I wanted to blast radical Muslim brains out.

The day before I was to sign my life away, I was painting en plein air in Los Angeles' China town. After I finished my painting I went into the most popular food establishment and got some grub. I was shocked to find out these Americans ate deep fried chicken feet. I've eaten tongue, I've eaten foie gras, I've even eaten sea urchin but chicken feet bones is way past my tolerance limit. After I finished my plate of rice and mysterious animal parts, I walked the streets looking for starving artist apparel. I found bright blue camo shirts that were ridiculously inexpensive and thought it would be a good idea to "blend" in at orientation. The merchant had an Arab accent so I asked where he was from. It turns out he was from Iraq. I told him I was about to join the Army to see what his reaction would be. At first he got upset and tried to talk me out of it, but the more he talked to me the more his attitude changed. He began to like me and my civil mindedness. When I left he was wishing me well and said the Army needed more people like me in it. Back at the requiting office I got my ASVAB back with a score of 85. I was to come back the next day to take the piss test and get sworn in.

That evening I had a bizarre experience and wrote this:

I have been in Hollywood, working out, going to the recruiter every other day. Today I hiked Mount Runyon. I was almost to the top and picked up a smooth rock and held it in my hand. The first word in my head was, "Projectile". I debated with myself about the first weapons mankind used, "Was it the rock or the stick?" Then I started wondering if the first person that used a rock to fight with, did they throw it, drop it or use it in their hand. Then I started to wonder why I can't stop wondering about things, especially weapons. I guess it's part of having testosterone.At the summit I was out of wind. I was bummed because I hadn't run across any reptiles, for I love chatting with my friends. There was a small bird perched in some shrubs that went tweet tweet. Being polite I tweeted back. I love talking to my friends. They usually don't understand this English thing so I try my best speaking there language. I aaakkkkk at squirrels, meeeoooww at cats, and whistle at birds. But something very strange happened when I started talking with this bird. It jumped to flight and started flying around my head in 30 yard ellipses. I thought it might be a nest issue but there was no nest or little ones to be seen. This was a tiny bird and had short parrot like wings. It made incredible sharp banks at an alarming speed. I guess around 40 miles an hour. Then it started making maneuvers around my head. I'm not exaggerating. This bird was dive bombing my skull, literally coming a foot from my face at 40 miles an hour. I could hear the swoosh which was strange from anything that small and organic. Why was it doing this?

On my way down I stared out and looked at my favorite building in LA. It's the most unique one I've ever been in. I've spent a great deal of time occupying the net with joe. It contains a school for TV actors, an Internet coffee shop and the US military recruiting office. An odd combo for sure. As I was looking at the building staring at the picture of Donald Trump polishing JR's shoes, I noticed a large sign in front. This is what the sign says, "6 - 6 - 06 The signs are all around you". Fuckin' Weird.

I decided not to join, after staring at the camo covered bible on the recruiters desk and the episode of "Over there" playing in the office showed a soldier getting his legs blown off in a Hum V. The bad cop of the good cop bad cop team told me that I was a Zero and everything I've done up to this point in my life was worthless, that cooking was for pussies, that my family would never have any respect for me and my art sucked. That was all I needed to hear, I don't work for idiots.

Two years later I'm back in New Orleans rejoicing in how wonderful it is to be here instead of Baghdad. I bet when most of the American Nationalists think of New Orleans they picture puke and tits on Bourbon street, trash, gansta rap and .45s, corrupt politics, and "Essence / Bam". I knew a guy who sold Emerald Legacies coke (or pepsi, I can't remember which) and he said he wasn't that bad of a cook. But any one who knows what it means to miss New Orleans knows that this is the richest spot on the continent. We've giving birth to dynamic celebrations, great food, great literature, shitty levees, great artists, great music, and we used to have a great public hospital. The Federation has cursed us with a welfare state situation and the ignorance it breeds. The resources the Nation steals, duty free, off our coast cripples the funding of our public schools; and the wetlands, our natural hurricane protection. But in comparison to the other cities I've sampled in the United States, they haven't an ounce of the soul we have. I've decided to supplement my income by joining the New Orleans Police Department. This is a place in time and space that's worth protecting.

When I told my Pennsylvanian mother that I was joining the NOPD she answered with silence. I even sensed a level of anger. Why in Christendom would my mother prefer her only son to fight as a grunt, in a bogus war, in the middle of a desert, rather than protect an American Gem?

From the contagious compulsion to capture the visually stimulating beauty we're drenched in...

...to a family that makes "Snow Balls" an art form. I love New Orleans.

Freedom's Bullshit
September 19, 2007

If Iraq isn't stable it will be a breeding ground for terrorists

For this premise to be true, instability must be a root cause of terrorist creation. Instability is not the cause of terrorism. Terrorism, or more specifically, violence used for the soul purpose of psychological manipulation, only works when there is stability, something to lose. When a regional society has no stability, terrorism no longer has any power. That's when an outright war ensues, and at that point the enemies become actual targets. A civil war in Iraq would cause the Suns and Shits to start killing each other instead of innocent bystanders or US. Until then the leader is an idea already planted in the minds of countless men, women and children: a poisonous religious conviction. A belief so strong it over powers reason, compromise or the thought of negotiation.

To hear congress talk about surrendering really makes me angry

If we were actually fighting an army that could surrender, we would have won the war within a month. Leaving Iraq would not be surrender. In war there is offense and defense. Our offense is unmatched in the world, no nation by itself would ever dare attack the United States. But our defense is pathetic. It was over come by razor blades for christ sakes. The terrorists aren't afraid of M16 daisy cutting bunker busters, they're afraid of the nose of a German Shepard and Geiger Counters

We're dealing with the safety of our country, of our sacred United States of America

sa·cred adj.
1. Dedicated to worship of a deity.
2. Worthy of religious veneration.
3. Made or declared holy.

Vicar of Christ
September 22, 2007

It's been a few years since I've produced a detailed portrait. After considering Einstein, Hitler and Darwin I chose his holiness, Pope Ratzinger. I was going to draw a picture of hell behind him but I concluded that he alone carried enough weight.

The "Vicar of Christ" title of the pope implies his supreme and universal primacy, both of honor and of jurisdiction, over the Church. Catholics find justification for this in the words of Jesus Christ to St. Peter - "Feed my lambs ... Feed my sheep" (John 21:16-17). The Church believes Jesus made St. Peter the leader of the Apostles, hence, Prince of the Apostles, and constituted him as the guardian of His entire flock in His own place, thus making him His Vicar and fulfilling the promise He made in Matthew 16:18-19.

In the course of the ages other vicarial designations have been used for the pope, such as Vicar of St. Peter, Vicar of the Prince of the Apostles (again referring to St. Peter, the first Pope) and even Vicar of the Apostolic See, but the title Vicar of Christ is more expressive of his supreme headship of the Church on earth, which Catholics believe he bears by virtue of the commission of Christ and with vicarial power derived from Him. Thus, Pope Innocent III declared that Christ had given power only to His vicar, Peter and his successors and stated that the Roman Pontiff is "the successor of Peter and the Vicar of Jesus Christ" - wikipedia

For reference purposes I've included a recent photo of the touchdown Jesus from Loyola University.

Today I spoke with a Sunday school teacher and asked her what wonderful wisdom she bestowed upon her young teenagers. She responded with the standard stigmata issue. The blood obsessed Catholics have a slew of icons depicting the stigmata of Christ. The religion of peace's spokes people are diligent in declaring that the holes in the palm of Christ are symbolic. Instructing the youngsters to the reality of the crucifixion, Sunday school teachers point out the nails went between the radius and ulna. That's the only possible way, without breaking the laws of physics, to suspend a 160 pound deity from a cross who's preparing to fly into the clouds. Earlier today at Saint Louis cathedral I listened to Arch Bishop Alfred Hughes pound the "Man can not serve money and God" sermon. Then he asked for money. He said that God had blessed him during a category 5 hurricane and his miraculous evacuation via internal combustion. That's when he realized what he actually owned didn't matter. Then he asked for money again.

End transmission
September 25, 2007

The Nazi on shore leave "Shore-Leave OIC" has banned me from his blog. Whatever his position is in the United States Army is irrelevant, for he wants the Army to be replaced with Tactics. Tactics and technology will turn our Army into kids in a bunker playing Nintendo, with drone planes and armed robots. That is not an Army. The heart of the Army is the grunt, his blaster, his hole and his presence. Slowly but surely the infantry's presence has been reduced, first by bows, then by gun powder. Our Army's function was completely replaced last century by politics, jet fuel and the advent of the Nuclear bomb. The new war became economics and mental occupation (aka fearism). To defeat Communism the United States encouraged the Privatizing Corporations of America to pump the US economy with the Militarized Industrial Complex. This enabled the politicians to realize their goals by creating more publicly acceptable and "humane" killing machines and increased the power of sanctions. Now their dream is almost fully realized with armed remote GPS systems and the Quasi-Federal Reserve. An Armies purpose is to occupy. No Nation State that respects the ideology of Nation State should occupy a sovereign state other than as an absolute last resort for current self preservation. But that is the problem with State lines that are formed by history, for history is made every second and occupation changes the line. The following is my farewell dance with one of our soldiers. Some posts have been edited for length but the context was left intact.

Shore-Leave OIC published...Get Some! [video of Backwater killing from a rooftop with sniper riffles. Video was removed due to violation of terms] A Backwater operator in action, a buddy of mine gave them rides in his "Shit Can of Death" (Chinook for you civilians) when he wasn't busy. While this video certainly has a "cool factor" I have no respect for mercenaries. Now I'm sure some people will say, "They aren't mercenaries they are contractors". Whatever, if it walks like duck, talks like a duck... That being said, at least they are on our side!

Cathy said... Makes me wonder if mercenaries have killed any of our guys/girls by mistake. I suppose that would be a well kept secret.

Shore-Leave OIC said... Unfortunately fratricide is part of reality. Soldiers, mercenaries, and even the enemy has accidentally killed each other in combat in the "fog of war". I'm sure you remember the Pat Tillman incident. I'm sure Backwater may have made similar mistakes but these are often publicized and aren't very sensational news, its a part of life. The biggest risk of fratricide is usually the Air Force. They have a LOOONG history of accidentally dropping bombs on the wrong guy. I suppose when your 10,000 feet in the sky, everyone looks the same as you drop a 2,000lb bomb. An incident that did get international news is how a group of British mercenaries got cut in half (LITERALLY) by a .50 caliber machine gun. The problem was they went through a check point but didn't know the proper pass phraze, so the guards (US military) open-ended up with a .50 Cal, the remaining personnel were dispatched with small arms fire. Nothing happened to the military detail as they did their job, it wasn't their fault the English mercs didn't know the pass phraze, and in wartime security is high. Some people cried fowl but just a week ago that same security detail lost three men after another vehicle didn't know the pass phraze and then exploded itself (a terrorist attack)

Woozie said... Could you explain how the military trusts mercenaries? I don't get it.

Shore-Leave OIC said... Well the correct term should be contractors. The term mercenary more or less describes what they are doing as opposed to their official title of “force augmentation” or “security detail”. The military trust them as any other contractor who prepares food, provides security on CONUS installations, or performs logistics capabilities. All contractors are subject to a thorough background investigation that is usually done through the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The company is also measured against past performance, clientele, and the employees it has as well as current ongoing operations. All of this is then verified again through the IRS and supplemented (in some cases) with a complete audit. Contractors have been performing activities that range from classified to top secret since the Revolutionary War, so the theory behind Backwater is nothing new. The simple fact is that the military could either build up SOCOM to deal with every and all problems, a solution that would take DECADES to implement or it can sub-contract out specific activities to certified contractors. In terms of Backwater itself, it’s important to note that most of their personnel are in fact prior military members with experience ranging from telecommunications, aviation, special operations, and information services. I’m sure you can find more about Backwater on their website…maybe even submit your application

Kønig Hasemörder said…  That's right wooz, be a pipe hittin' niggah. "All of this is then verified again through the IRS" I love it. Bad credit can keep one out of the mercenary biniz'

Shore-Leave OIC said... That IRS audit is for the company, I don't think it would keep an individual out unless he held some type of clearance.

Kønig Hasemörder said…  I'm assuming that Backwater is a corporation. If so, then the company is considered a legal person which removes even more liabilities from the members that constitute it. Although the audit does make sense, our Army wouldn't want to hire private killers that are too concerned with the bottom line. Who knows what corners they would cut. This is madness.

Shore-Leave OIC said... Our military has already and will continue to employ these individuals. the video you saw was real, and they are still in action. Hiring contractors in nothing new, and this goes back since the country was founded. Recently Backwater was in the news as some of its members families have brought a lawsuit against it claiming Backwater provided bad security to their sons. I don't know if that has been resolved. The individuals hired from Backwater usually all hold at least a secret if not "eyes only" clearance from our own government. Many of them were former special operations or delta operators. So the US isn't too worried about using them. As for hiring contractors from Africa, South Africa, Australia, South East Asia...no way...unless its gate-guard duties.

Kønig Hasemörder said…  Arrrr.

Shore-Leave OIC said... Backwater banned in Iraq!

Kønig Hasemörder said…  The stock holders are sure to be sore.

Shore-Leave OIC said... In all honesty, they will probably be "banned" for a few weeks, things will blow over, bribes taken, and when the president of Iraq feels he has project his "tough" image to the Americans, BW will be back in action like Action Jackson

Shore-Leave OIC published...Ode to Violence [photo of .45 auto, bullets, playing cards, watch and whiskey] Violence has always gotten a bad rap. That's because people just don't understand it. First of all, regardless of what people tell you, violence solves problems. Actually, violence, taken to certain extents, can solve any problem. Is someone annoying you with their idiotic opinion? Beat the hell out of 'em. Don't know the answer to a math problem? Pistol whip your teacher until he gives it to you. Having trouble understanding tax forms? Firebomb the I.R.S. headquarters. War and famine exist on earth? Nothing that can't be solved by nukes, nukes, and more nukes. See, how can someone be against something with so many practical uses? And, for the environmentalists out there (and other whiny annoying people), violence is completely natural and bio-degradable: the lions savagely tear at the antelope for food, the wolves viscously bring down a deer, my dog angrily bites me when I tease him, and the dolphins stupidly run into nets made for catching tuna (well maybe that last example doesn't show animal violence in nature, but I like the image of it). Why don't one of you enviro-mental-cases try talking things over with a mountain lion and see what happens? I bet you one of your arms and legs that it chooses violence. And why not. Violence is truly a universal language. Do you really think we are able to reason verbally with people in Iraq who don't understand why their nation is poor when their leader uses all their money to build himself eighty palaces? But everyone... check that ...everything understand the message behind saturation bombing. Violence truly allows every living thing to communicate between each other. Can we expect there to be understanding between species when everything has its own form of communication: our thousands of languages, the dogs barks and stances, the bees complicated dance, the dolphins whistles and clicks (the dolphin's language, incidentally, contains three hundred variations of the expression, "Duh...", but has no word for, "Look out for that tuna net!"), etc. Hell no. That's where violence comes in. Think of it less as aggression and more as an effective form of communication. When the wolf viciously bites at an intruder on its territory, it's simply saying, "Excuse me, sir, but this is my property, and I would like some privacy." When the intruder savagely claws back as it tries to escape, it's communicating, "I see. Sorry. I guess I'll be leaving." When you get too near a bee and it stings you, that's but its way of saying, "Noli tangere!" When you crush the bee out of spite, that's just your reflexive way of declaring, "Don't do that. It upsets me." Why spend millions trying to understand what dolphins are trying to say when a few boots to their heads will communicate all we ever need to tell them? There's no reason. It's just people's ignorance that prevents us; that's all. If people could just understand how effectively violence allows us to communicate with all living things, perhaps it would be a better world. Why if everyone could be violent to everything for but one day, think of all the understanding it would create of each other. We would have reopened the gates to the Garden of Eden, a viciously savage Garden of Eden, but a Garden of Eden nonetheless. The only people stopping this bloodthirsty utopia are the pacifists, but I know that a brutal beating will show them our side. So, remember, while you may bring a pocket translator to better communicate with people of other languages and cultures, I pack a Colt .45. 'nuff said.

thimscool said... Some day, you will have a daughter. And on that day, you will see the light. :)

Cathy said... Thank you thimscool. I notice quite a lot of wisdom coming from you. Shore-leave I don't know what you've experienced in this life; but it must have been terrible. For violence to be your answer to solving problems and/or annoyances makes you sound like a bully. Frankly you don't seem like a bully to me. So I'm not sure what this is all about, maybe just a crappy Monday. Sending you a bloggy hug.

Kønig Hasemörder said… How can one communicate effectively with a liar. Those are Golden Sabers, are they not?

Shore-Leave OIC said... Are they Golden Sabers? Honestly I think they are just regular hollow points, aren't Golden Sabers black? Any ways CONTROL YOURSELVES PEOPLE! THESE ARE THE JOKES! Wow, I never thought this post that was a joke would get responses so quickly. Damn, I post ESSAY material on woman, gun control, etc and all I ever get is one off-topic comment. Can you people not distinguish SARCASM from reality? DAMN!

Kønig Hasemörder said… I've never seen black golden sabers. The distinguishing quality I've noticed is the pre-made slits in a spiral pattern on the cupronickel. The Golden Ratio is the language of love for Gods.

Shore-Leave OIC said... Truth be known, I don't take blogging OR the ensuing BLOG WARS!!! too seriously ^_-

Sh