The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said. | |
— Peter Drucker | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | The Press Is NOT The Enemy |
2016 | It Ain’t Easy |
(Leap Year 29th) | Or Try To, Anyway… |
(Leap Year 29th) | Circles Within Circles |
2015 | A Series Of Funerals |
2014 | And Your Point Is? |
2013 | Infinitely Care |
2012 | In My Room |
(Leap Year 29th) | Stingray – TV Series Review (This is my most popular post since starting my blog – hands down! It still draws hits almost every week. The hits seem to come mostly from Central Europe. I guess the show must be in syndication there.) |
(Leap Year 29th) | A Single Thread |
2011 | Lyrical Mixture |
Teaching = Translating | |
Archive for February, 2018
Ethics Lesson
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Ethics, Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution, Learning, Philosophy, Quotes, Steven Levy, The Hacker Ethic, The Hands-On Imperative on February 27, 2018| Leave a Comment »
The Hacker Ethic |
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Access to computers — and anything which might teach you something about the way the world works — should be unlimited and total. Always yield to the Hands-On Imperative! | |
All information should be free. | |
Mistrust Authority — Promote Decentralization. | |
Hackers should be judged by their hacking, not bogus criteria such as degrees, age, race, or position. | |
You can create art and beauty on a computer. | |
Computers can change your life for the better. | |
— Steven Levy | |
From his book: “Hackers: Heroes Of The Computer Revolution“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | May I Have Some More, Please? |
2016 | A Little Lost |
2015 | This High Place |
2014 | Elected Madness |
2013 | Well Written |
2012 | Related Parts |
2011 | The King Is Oscar |
Better Reputation? | |
In My Room (2)
Posted in Health, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Bill Moyers, Joseph Campbell, Mental Health, Philosophy, Quotes, Sacred Place, The Power Of Myth on February 26, 2018| 6 Comments »
You must have a room, or a certain hour or so a day, where you don’t know what was in the newspapers that morning, you don’t know who your friends are, you don’t know what you owe anybody, you don’t know what anybody owes to you. This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be. This is a place of creative incubation. At first you may find that nothing happens there. But if you have a sacred place and use it, something eventually will happen. | |
… | |
For them [the Plains Indians] the whole world was a sacred place. But our life has become so economic and practical in its orientation that, as you get older, the claims of the moment upon you are so great, you hardly know where the hell you are, or what it is you intended. You are always doing something that is required of you. Where is your bliss station? You have to try to find it. Get a phonograph and put on the music that you really love, even if it’s corny music that nobody else respects. Or get the book you like to read. In your sacred place you get the “thou” feeling of life that these people had for the whole world in which they lived. | |
— Joseph Campbell | |
From the book: “The Power Of Myth” (with Bill Moyers) | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Pretending |
2016 | And Songs Too… |
2015 | On The Road To Failure |
2014 | Each Moment |
2013 | Conversation |
2012 | 4 Down, 11 Done (At Last) |
I’m Not Afraid | |
2011 | Who’s Risk Is It, Anyway? |
I Will Love You… Forever
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Communication, Love, Philosophy, Quotes, Stephen King, Words on February 25, 2018| Leave a Comment »
The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them. | |
— Stephen King | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Pebbles In Your Shoe? |
2016 | Resolute Will |
2015 | Absorbed And Civilized |
2014 | Relax And Lead |
2013 | Location, Location, Location |
2012 | Are You Really Good? |
2011 | Relatively Objective, Anyway |
Mirror, Mirror
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Experience, Philosophy, President Abraham Lincoln, Quotes, Vices, Virtues on February 24, 2018| Leave a Comment »
It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues. | |
— President Abraham Lincoln | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Keep On Keeping On |
2016 | Reflections |
2015 | Is It Time Yet? |
2014 | Ask Any Follower |
2013 | Cornered Or Surrounded? |
2012 | Escape |
2011 | Achievement |
Not Unreasonable Enough | |
Oh, Heaven (Too)
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Afterlife, Bertrand Russell, Boredom, Heaven, Hell, Isaac Asimov, Philosophy, Punishment, Quotes on February 23, 2018| 2 Comments »
I do not myself believe that any person who is really profoundly humane can believe in everlasting punishment. | |
— Bertrand Russell | |
I don’t believe in an afterlife, so I don’t have to spend my whole life fearing hell, or fearing heaven even more. For whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse. | |
— Isaac Asimov | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Now Pausing Makes Sense |
2016 | Just Spicy |
Only One Part | |
2015 | Positive Acts Of Creation |
2014 | One Thing Is Clear |
2013 | Corrections |
See Greatness | |
2012 | Gemutlichkeit |
2011 | Back On The Asphalt |
Oh, Hell
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged André Gide, Death, George Bernard Shaw, Hell, Philosophy, Quotes, Reincarnation on February 22, 2018| Leave a Comment »
In hell there is no other punishment than to begin over and over again the tasks left unfinished in your lifetime. | |
— André Gide | |
Death is for many of us the gate of hell; but we are inside on the way out, not outside on the way in. | |
— George Bernard Shaw | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | No Welcome Mat Here |
2016 | Making It Up |
A Missed Beat | |
2015 | We Are All Explorers |
2014 | Still Trying To Cope |
2013 | Dear Diary (A good chuckle!) |
2012 | Conveniently Sequential |
2011 | King’s Speech Number Four |
Rational Probability | |
Wakanda Forever
Posted in Movie Review, Movies, tagged Andy Serkis, Angela Bassett, Black Panther, Black Panther -- movie review, Chadwick Boseman, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Erik Killmonger, Everett K. Ross, Forest Whitaker, Highly Recommended Movie, King T'Challa, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, M'Baku, Martin Freeman, Michael B. Jordan, Nakia, Okoye, Princess Shuri, Ramonda, Ulysses Klaue, W'Kabi, Wakanda, Winston Duke, Zuri on February 21, 2018| 8 Comments »
Black Panther (2018) — movie review | |
Today I went to the new Marvel super-hero movie, “Black Panther“. The movie stars Chadwick Boseman as the title character King T’Challa / Black Panther; Michael B. Jordan as the main bad guy Erik Killmonger; Andy Serkis as the secondary bad guy Ulysses Klaue; Letitia Wright as Princess Shuri (T’Challa’s little sister); Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, the King’s girlfriend / love interest; Danai Gurira as Okoye, the general of army and the King’s personal guard; Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi, the King’s best friend and husband of general Okoye; Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross, a US CIA operative who risks his life to save Nakia; and Winston Duke, as M’Baku, chief of the gorilla tribe. There are also noteworthy appearances by Angela Bassett as Ramonda, the King’s mother and Forest Whitaker as Zuri, a high priest and counselor to the King. | |
This is a stand-alone movie within the “Extended Marvel Universe”. As such, it is the origin story of the super-hero – “Black Panther” who comes from the fictional, Central African country of Wakanda. Basically, there are five tribes in the country, each of which is patterned after an animal deity, but the Panther symbol is the primary one for all but the gorilla tribe. T’Challa’s father dies and he must become king. He is challenged by the chief of the gorilla tribe, who T’Challa defeats, but who T’Challa allows to live because his tribe needs his leadership. | |
Blah, blah, blah, T’Challa’s cousin (Killmonger) uses Klaue as an entry into Wakanda, and then claims the throne as his own. Killmonger defeats T’Challa in personal combat, but fails to kill him. Blah, blah, blah, T’Challa recovers and defeats Killmonger in personal combat (Killmonger chooses death over subservience). Blah, blah, T’Challa announces to the United Nations that Wakanda wishes to share its technologies with the rest of the world. | |
So, is this a “great” movie? Probably not. Is it a “great” comic / super-hero movie? Yes! Definitely. I would rank it up with IronMan and Wonder Woman as among the best in its genre. It’s entertaining (action), visually striking (colorful and with great special effects), and it has a better than average story-line which transcends the typical “comic-book” genre. In its own way, it is very political and ethics driven. Basically, do the wealthy and advanced countries have an obligation to help those with less? Alternatively, does military might give one country the right to subjugate the rest of the world? | |
Did I have any criticisms? Yes, but they are minor. I would have liked to see a little more development of the five tribes. The Panther and the Gorilla tribes were introduced, but I really got no idea what was going on with the other three. The second minor point was the two main battles were in dark environments which made it difficult to follow the martial arts. While this is a not, strictly speaking, a martial arts movie, I like to see the actual moves. Like a few of the “Transformer” movies, sometimes the shot was too close to see what was happening, and, sometimes it was just too dark with the combatants both in black costumes. They did give us a bit of help by altering the color of the striping and necklace between the hero and the villain. Again, these were minor points. | |
I would also like to add a side comment… IMHO this is not a “pro” African-American film. It is an African film. The good part of that is that it presents people of color in roles (King, Queen, brilliant scientist and general) which are not common in American films and which can hopefully help all peoples of color start to visualize themselves in similar roles (that of good people in impactful lives). The bad part is that the “African-American” (Killmonger) is portrayed as no better than any of the white / European colonizers whom they (he) purportedly are criticizing. Killmonger attempts to destroy Wakandan heritage and to turn the nation into a new-age British Empire. We must also be careful to recognize that, in the end, the hero is victorious by force of arms and combat skill and not because of enlightenment, moral superiority or any oral argument. | |
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and give it a very highly recommended rating (if not a must see). As I stated with the Avengers movies, we really are in a golden age of movies based on comic-book super-heroes. | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | In Defense Of A Free Press |
2016 | Lost Opportunity |
2015 | Are You Listening Ladies? |
2014 | Practice, Practice, Practice |
2013 | A Fist Full Of Confusion |
2012 | Teaching Faith |
2011 | The Heart Of Terror |
The Proportion Of Gravity And Probability | |
I’d Be Happy With Another Score (Or So)
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Aging, Edward Abbey, Immortality, Longevity, Philosophy, Quotes on February 21, 2018| Leave a Comment »
I do not believe in personal immortality; it seems so unnecessary. Show me one man who deserves to live forever. | |
— Edward Abbey | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | In Defense Of A Free Press |
2016 | Lost Opportunity |
2015 | Are You Listening Ladies? |
2014 | Practice, Practice, Practice |
2013 | A Fist Full Of Confusion |
2012 | Teaching Faith |
2011 | The Heart Of Terror |
The Proportion Of Gravity And Probability | |
Know Any Christians?
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Christians, Friedrich Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, Knowledge, Philosophy, Quotes, Truth on February 19, 2018| Leave a Comment »
The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends. | |
[And…] | |
In truth, there was only one christian and he died on the cross. | |
― Friedrich Nietzsche | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | The Only Thing I Can Give… |
2016 | Wiser But Less Cocksure |
2015 | Not Today |
Wicked | |
2014 | …Am Too |
2013 | Credible? |
2012 | Both |
2011 | Risking Hidden Linkage |
Praise God
Posted in Faith, Humor, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Future, Humor, Oscar Wilde, Past, Philosophy, Quotes, Saints, Sinners on February 18, 2018| Leave a Comment »
Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future. | |
– Oscar Wilde | |
[Or what a boring world this would be… — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Necessary Gaps |
2016 | Nor My Dogs |
2015 | Say What? |
I’m A Dog, Too! | |
Beginnings | |
2014 | Astonishing Choices |
2013 | Three Hard Tasks |
2012 | The Only Remains |
2011 | Personal Capability |
What Price Failure? | |
Both Of W’s Elections | |
Tea (Baggers) Anyone? | |
Nice To Meet You
Posted in Family and Friends, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Friends, Maya Angelou, Philosophy, Quotes, Strangers on February 17, 2018| Leave a Comment »
A friend may be waiting behind a stranger’s face. | |
― Maya Angelou | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | All Nations & Religions |
2016 | Given The Choice |
Why Is He Wearing Red? | |
2015 | Within The System |
2014 | None But… |
2013 | Obviously Longer |
2012 | A Childhood Poem |
Who Are You Callin’ Leather-Faced? | |
2011 | In No Particular Order |
The Need For Proof | |
Wars Without Taxes
Posted in Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Aesop, Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Taxes, War on February 16, 2018| Leave a Comment »
We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction. | |
― Aesop | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Multiplication And Division |
2016 | I Went To The Woods… |
2015 | I’ve Got To Run |
2014 | Which Is It? |
2013 | Making You Stronger |
2012 | Sick Of Being Sick |
Greater Than Power | |
2011 | Clear, Specific And Measurable |
2010 | The Runner’s High |
Into The Dark… | |
My Hope
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Books, Fear, Knowledge, Philosophy, President Thomas Jefferson, Quotes, Reason, Truth on February 15, 2018| Leave a Comment »
I cannot live without books. | |
[And… ] | |
I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led. | |
― President Thomas Jefferson | |
[I have always hoped to live up to this “bold” standard. — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | We All Lose |
2016 | Wants |
2015 | Let Us Join |
2014 | Feeling Kept? |
Chillin’ | |
2013 | The Lucky Few |
2012 | A Post-Valentine’s Day Message |
2011 | Risk, Lyrics, Starting Over, And My Trip To The ER |
Lucky Choice | |