The truth is that a vast restructuring of our society is needed if remedies are to become available to the average person. Without that restructuring the good will that holds society together will be slowly dissipated… It is that sense of futility which permeates the present series of protests and dissents. Where there is a persistent sense of futility, there is violence; and that is where we are today. | |
— William O. Douglas | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | By Any Other Name (Or Description) |
2021 | Democracy, Pandemic, Economy And Climate Change |
Heaven Is… | |
2020 | Hoping For #46 In January 2021 |
2019 | Interesting, But Not Fascinating |
But Try To Eat The Low-Hanging First | |
2018 | Me, Too |
2017 | Apt Enough? |
2016 | Now Or Ever |
21, Pause, Restart | |
2015 | I Am Shocked, Sir, Shocked… |
Lucy & FSND-2 | |
2014 | Less Difficult |
2013 | The Spirit Of Liberty |
2012 | The Essential Freedom Of Aloneness |
2011 | A Problem Of Scale |
Fred Doesn’t Live Here Anymore | |
2010 | Another Book, Another Jog… |
Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category
Restructuring Persistent Futility
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged American Politics, Dissent, Futility, Philosophy, Protests, Quotes, Society, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, Violence on January 24, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Dissent We Witness
Posted in History, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Computers, History, Humanity, Mankind, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, Wealth And Poverty on January 21, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Man is about to be an automaton; he is identifiable only in the computer. As a person of worth and creativity, as a being with an infinite potential, he retreats and battles the forces that make him inhuman. The dissent we witness is a reaffirmation of faith in man; it is protest against living under rules and prejudices and attitudes that produce the extremes of wealth and poverty and that make us dedicated to the destruction of people through arms, bombs, and gases, and that prepare us to think alike and be submissive objects for the regime of the computer. | |
— William O. Douglas | |
Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court | |
[Resistance / dissent is – probably – already futile… — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | End The Filibuster |
2021 | Be Creative, Question Assumptions |
By No Means | |
2020 | I’ll Eat To That (Gemütlichkeit) |
To The Front | |
2019 | #ContinueToResist |
Except Willful Ignorance And Prideful Stupidity | |
2018 | More Executive Time For #DumbDonald |
2017 | Watched The Inauguration |
Two Geniuses | |
2016 | Come Dance And Laugh With Me |
2015 | Looks Good To Me |
2014 | Desire For The Sea |
2013 | The Fierce Urgency Of NOW |
Happy Inauguration Day! | |
2012 | One Path |
Sorrow And Joy | |
The Seven Year View | |
2011 | Emergent Practicality |
The Darkness Of 6 January 2021
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged 6 January 2021, Civilization, Former President Donald Trump, Nightfall, Oppression, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, The Bill of Rights, The Constitution, The Jungle, Twilight on January 6, 2023| 1 Comment »
The Constitution and the Bill of Rights we designed to get the government off the backs of the people — all the people. Those great documents guarantee to us all the rights to personal and spiritual self-fulfillment. But that guarantee is not self-executing. As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such a twilight that we all must be most aware of the change in the air — however slight — lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness. | |
— William O. Douglas | |
[Thinking back to the riot at the Capitol Building and the attempted coup by disgraced / former President Trump and his followers, I am reminded that “civilization” (like our liberties) is in a constant struggle with the “jungle” and the jungle never gives up in its struggle to reclaim whatever has been lost. It is up to each American to support / promote our democracy and Constitutional Republic. Trump remains an announced candidate for 2024. The darkness remains at the edge of democracy. — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Defeated: So Far (Anyway) |
2021 | Elections Have Consequences |
It’s Cold Way Down There | |
2020 | Fearless Security |
2019 | I Prefer A Neat Single Malt |
2018 | Seeking Finer Fruits |
2017 | Something That Is Absolute |
2016 | Animate And Encourage |
Out Of Time | |
2015 | In Time |
2014 | Robust Interconnectivity |
2013 | What Have We Here? |
2012 | Tributaries And Eddies |
An Honest Politician | |
2011 | Penultimate |
No Implication Of Reasonableness
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged American Politics, Carl Sagan, Human Nature, Philosophy, Pseudo-Science, Quotes, Science and Learning, Scientists on December 30, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Very few scientists actually plunge into the murky waters of testing or challenging borderline or pseudo-scientific beliefs. The chance of finding out something really interesting — except about human nature — seems small, and the amount of time required seems large. I believe that scientists should spend more time in discussing these issues, but the fact that a given contention lacks vigorous scientific opposition in no way implies that scientists think it is reasonable. | |
— Carl Sagan | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Let Yourself Soar In 2022 |
Where You’re Concerned | |
2020 | The Most Dynamic Link |
Looking Forward To 2021 | |
2019 | A Proud Assertion |
2018 | Ask #45 About Anything |
2017 | Playing Makes Sense |
2016 | And Fathers, Sons |
2015 | My Suspect Confidence |
2014 | Disguised Blessings |
2013 | Be |
2012 | The Only Way to Win |
2011 | Honest Writing |
Says The Rich
Posted in Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Republicans, Swimming, Taxation, Tides, Warren Buffett on December 19, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked. | |
— Warren Buffett | |
[For most of the last 60 years, all we’ve heard from the Republicans is: “Lower taxes on the rich and require everyone to work for their social safety net “benefits” and America will be a “better” place.” How’s that worked out for the middle and working class American? — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Most Likely Beast |
Memories To Last A Lifetime | |
2020 | Meet Unexpected Success |
Sweet Love | |
2019 | Curing With Salt |
2018 | A Politician With Skills |
And / Or A Genuine Smile | |
2017 | A Lone, Brave Voice… |
2016 | Job Security |
2015 | For I Have Always Lived Violently |
2014 | We Stand !! (I Stand With George) |
Additional Requirements | |
2013 | In The Present Day |
2012 | Feeling It |
2011 | Stretching Science |
Honesty In Business
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Business, Frank Zappa, Honesty, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, The Big Lie, The Real Frank Zappa Book, Unions on November 23, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I realize that a lot of people feel that speaking out against unions is almost: ‘Un-American.’ I remind them: not all of America is unionized — in fact, the vast majority of Americans are not — and glad about it. | |
Some people fear that if the unions were to vanish, the labor situation would return to the way it was in the beginning, with child labor and sweatshops. I agree with them. Large employers do tend toward unscrupulous behavior when nobody is looking over their shoulder. | |
So, what the bottom line here? I would like to see more honesty in business — at both ends of the table. Honesty in U.S. business appears to be at its lowest ebb in history. | |
There are a number of reasons for that. When political leaders do not demonstrate honesty, when people lie constantly in the media — everybody gets used to “The Big Lie” as a way of life. At that point, honesty becomes a quaintly outmoded concept — nobody wants to be honest anymore, because if they are, they might finish last. | |
I would say that today, dishonesty is the rule, and honesty the exception. It could be, statistically, that more people are honest than dishonest, but the few that really control things are not honest, and that tips the balance. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Momentary Offering |
Happy Noise | |
2020 | No Crumbs |
Too Many Detectives On This Case | |
A New Day Is Coming | |
2019 | Or In This Case – What’s Wrong |
2018 | Just Passing Through |
2017 | True Torture |
Happy Thanksgiving – 2017 !! | |
2016 | Overtaken |
2015 | Alone Praying |
2014 | A Full Man |
2013 | Off Defending The Universe |
Taking Precautions | |
2012 | Never, Never, Never |
2011 | Testing 1, 2, 3 |
MAGA’s And The Big Lie About The 2020 Election
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged 2020 Presidential Election, Beliefs, Francis Bacon, MAGAs, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, The Big Lie, Truth on November 15, 2022| Leave a Comment »
For what a man would like to be true, that he more readily believes. | |
— Francis Bacon | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | These Days Rather Loosely Held |
Harvest Time | |
2020 | Why I’m Happy |
The Wind In My Face | |
2019 | I Think Impeachment Is Another Test #45 Has Already Failed |
2018 | Second Chances – Rice, Now Trees |
And Then You Have To Start Training Again | |
2017 | Small Hands, Small Grasp |
2016 | Two Murrow’s |
Election + 1 Week | |
2015 | Not Mine, Anyway |
2015 | South By South East |
2013 | Don’tcha |
2012 | I Hear A Distant Thunder |
2011 | A Poison Tree |
Voting / Election Day, America!
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged 2022 Mid-Term Elections, Arthur Wellesley Wellington, Election 2022, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Today's Business, Voting on November 8, 2022| 2 Comments »
My rule is always to do the business of the day in the day. | |
— Arthur Wellesley Wellington | |
[If you haven’t already voted early, please vote today. The Democracy you save, may be ours! — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Closer To Understanding |
On My Knees | |
2020 | Profit From Ongoing Disintegration |
I’m A Dreamer | |
2019 | Even When We Have A Criminal / Dangerous / Incompetent President |
2018 | But It Keeps Trying |
Blue Wave, But Not Blue Tsunami | |
2017 | The Promise At Risk |
2016 | Or As Will Come In Time |
2015 | It Is Another Beautiful Day At The Red Pony Bar And Continual Soiree… |
2014 | Days And Years |
2013 | Currency And Transport |
2012 | Something Which Did Not Exist Before |
2011 | True Magic |
Civic Duty Completed – Awaiting Results
Posted in Politics, tagged 2022 - I Voted, 2022 Mid-Term Elections, American Politics on October 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I cast my vote via early drop-off earlier this week… (Here is my confirmation on the CA web site.) | |
Please complete your own civic responsibility and VOTE! (The democracy you save may be ours…) | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Two Eff’n Right |
Is There A Notion For That Motion? | |
2020 | The Premium Few |
No Sympathy Here | |
2019 | Is That Why Love Hurts? |
2018 | And Honest Politicians |
2017 | Maya, Maya |
2016 | Give Value |
2015 | Believe In Substitution |
2014 | Pragmatic Religion |
2013 | How’s Your View? |
2012 | Giants Win Game 3 Of The 2012 World Series 2 To 0!!! |
Still Haven’t… | |
Accidental Me | |
2011 | What Is Your Ratio? |
2010 | Giants Win Game 1 With 11 Runs Scored – Repeat 11 Runs!! |
Make It So
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Community, Love, Mission, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, U.S. Representative John Lewis, Young People on October 25, 2022| Leave a Comment »
What I try to tell young people is that if you come together with a mission, and it’s grounded with love and a sense of community, you can make the impossible possible. | |
— U.S. Representative John Lewis | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | A Simple Choice, Really |
Waaaay Before The Movie | |
2020 | I Just Want To Stay Happy |
Fading… | |
2019 | Show Righteousness, Not Fear |
2018 | Sounds Like Politics, Too |
2017 | Resist More |
Conservatives Are Not The Enemy | |
2016 | Two Weeks To Go… |
2015 | Remembering |
2014 | The Creeping Death Of Civilization |
Orange October (X) – A Blue Morning Turns Into An Orange Evening | |
2013 | License Problem |
2012 | Giants Win Game 2 Of The 2012 World Series 2 To 0!!! |
Adage, n. | |
Questions Women Should Ask Before Voting… | |
2011 | What Are You Looking At? |
A General Guideline For Voting In The 2022 Mid-Terms
Posted in Humor, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged An Incomplete Education, Bedroom Shades, Books, Bugs, Censorship, Democrats, Democrats vs Republicans, Exterminators, Humor, Judy Jones, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Republicans, William Wilson on October 22, 2022| Leave a Comment »
How can you tell if you should be voting Democrat or Republican: | |
Vote Republican if you hire exterminators to kill bugs in your house. | |
Vote Democrat if you step on the bugs. | |
Vote Democrat if you buy books which have been banned somewhere. | |
Vote Republican if you form censorship committees and read the books as a group. | |
Vote Democrat if you eat the fish and game you catch or hunt. | |
Vote Republican if you hang them on a wall. | |
Vote Republican if you keep your bedroom shades drawn (although there is little reason you need to). | |
Vote Democrat if you ought to but don’t. | |
— From “An Incomplete Education“, by Judy Jones and William Wilson | |
[The above quote was posted several years ago, but I’ve recently re-read it, so I’m re-posting it. I would add: | |
Vote Democrat if you believe America should be a representative democracy based on the votes of a majority of the American public. | |
Vote Republican if you believe a theocratic minority (mostly hypocritical) should be able to impose their religious beliefs on the rest of America. | |
— kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Press On |
Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This | |
2020 | AMA |
Still Shiny | |
2019 | Things That Go Bump In The Night |
Hoping I’m Careful | |
2018 | I Must Be Truly Wise |
2017 | My Sensei |
2016 | The Worst Sin |
2015 | Rules Of Thumb |
2014 | A Prayer |
Orange October (IX) – Giants Lose Game 2 In Bullpen Collapse | |
2013 | Complacent Reality |
2012 | Two-minute Sex |
Just Staring, Why? | |
2011 | A World Of Difference |
Ask Your Friends To Vote In November
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged 2022 Mid-Term Elections, American Politics, Mahatma Gandhi, Philosophy, Quotes, The Future, The Present, Voting on October 13, 2022| 3 Comments »
The future depends on what we do in the present. | |
— Mahatma Gandhi | |
[Ask them TODAY!! We are less than 30 days from the mid-term elections. — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | What Matters To Me |
With The Slamming Of The Door | |
2020 | Make Voting A Habit |
You Ought To Hear Him Tell His Stories | |
2019 | 2019 49ers Season Starts 5-0!! |
Will Any Republican Senator Vote For Impeachment? | |
2018 | VOTE – We Need A Wave |
2017 | Soothe, Inspire And Recharge |
2016 | Aren’t We? |
2015 | Cold Embrace |
2014 | Delightful |
2013 | Apprenticeship |
2012 | Curtain Rods |
2011 | A Living Force |
2010 | BART Rides – A Tipping Point |
…A Decent Human Being Or A Successful President
Posted in Leadership, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged #TrumpTheTraitor, Artist, Hubris, Larry Wall, Leadership, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes on October 12, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Hubris itself will not let you be an artist. | |
— Larry Wall | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Better To Lie, Get Rich And Destroy Your Country |
Love Is All There Is | |
2020 | You Remind Me Of Someone |
When I Grow Up I Want To… | |
2019 | Running History, But I Don’t Expect Many To Match It… |
It’s Probably Easier When You Live Alone | |
2018 | 25 Days Until The November Election |
Old And Young | |
2017 | Universal Soul Sounds |
2016 | Not Rivals |
2015 | Dead Sure |
2014 | Are You Educated? |
2013 | For Myself |
2012 | And When I’m Gone… |
2011 | Complete Conviction |
Only More Democracy & Honest Elections Can Keep America “Great”
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged 2022 Mid-Term Elections, General Welfare, George Santayana, MAGAs, Majority Vote, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Representative Government on October 11, 2022| 2 Comments »
Fanaticism consists in redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten your aim. | |
— George Santayana | |
[You cannot “Make America Great Again” by restricting the voting rights of those who don’t agree with you or redistricting representative government to promote minority rule over a majority vote. The “way” to win elections is with better policies and ideas for promoting the general welfare. — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Of Course The Term “Value” Is Undefined |
Waiting | |
2020 | I Hadn’t Thought Of That |
Keep Looking! | |
2019 | Knocking On Impeachment’s Door |
2018 | Do You Remember? |
2017 | Choose Life |
My Response To President Trump’s Threat To NBC | |
2016 | We, Us, All |
2015 | No Less |
2014 | Life Advice (50) |
Orange October (IV) – Giants Win Game 1 Of NLCS! | |
2013 | Running To |
2012 | Suddenly |
2011 | Liberal Washington |
2010 | Giants Advance To NLCS!! |