INSPIRATIONAL: John Taylor Gatto “schooling and education”

Monday, August 30, 2010

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/64305.html

John Taylor Gatto: Here he is on the difference between schooling and education.

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Stunning!

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What gets taught in schools:

  1. confusion — everything is interrupted
  2. class position evy fear – contempt — rigged competition
  3. indifference — lesson of bells — nothing is permitted to upset routine
  4. emotional dependency — surrender to the chain of command
  5. intellectual dependency — told what to think
  6. evaluation of experts of what you are worth
  7. you have no privacy — closely watched

Taught to be an Egyptian slave —- stones in a pyramid

Argh

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INSPIRATIONAL: Donate Vital Organs Before He Dies

Thursday, August 26, 2010

http://reason.com/blog/2010/08/06/man-wants-to-donate-vital-orga

Man Wants to Donate Vital Organs Before He’s Dead
Ronald Bailey | August 6, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Should a person who is dying of an incurable illness be allowed to donate his organs before the disease kills him? Gary Phebus who is suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) wants to do just that: donate his heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, the whole shebang now. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord leading in most cases to complete loss of control of voluntary movement and which eventually kills the patient.

*** end quote ***

Well, as a little L libertarian, I’d suggest that the Gooferment stay out of it and allow the free market to solve the problem.

Clearly we may need some “rules” to ensure an orderly market. We can have “suicide by organ donation”; any more than we want “suicide by cop”. Can’t have kidney’s being “repoed” by bill collectors. Can’t have poor people sacrificing their organs to pay the bills.

By the same token, we are burying and incinerating organs that could save human lives due to stupid public policy. Why shouldn’t a poor man be able to sell his organ and leave his family a legacy? Other people make big bucks out of transplants. Only the donor doesn’t get a check. That’s not fair either.

We have organ tourism. Rich people shop for venues that are most favorable to them.

So let’s not pretend that the current system is “sweetness and light”!

At the very least, these guys have a starting point.

http://www.lifesharers.org/

*** begin quote ***

Welcome to LifeSharers

If you ever need an organ for a transplant operation, chances are you will die before you get one. You can improve your odds by joining LifeSharers. Membership is free.

LifeSharers is a non-profit national network of organ donors. LifeSharers members promise to donate upon their death, and they give fellow members first access to their organs. As a LifeSharers member, you will have access to organs that otherwise may not be available to you. As the LifeSharers network grows, more and more organs may become available to you — if you are a member.

Members Even if you are already a registered organ donor, you should join the LifeSharers network. By doing so, you will have access to organs that otherwise may not be available to you.

By joining LifeSharers you will help reduce the deadly organ shortage. By offering your organs first to other organ donors you create an incentive for non-donors to become donors. As more people register as organ donors, fewer people will die waiting for transplants.

By joining LifeSharers you will also make the organ transplant system fairer by helping registered organ donors get their fair share of organs. About half of the organs transplanted in the United States go to people who have not agreed to donate their own organs when they die. That’s not fair, and it’s one of the reasons there is such a large organ shortage.

Join LifeSharers now. It’s free. It could save your life. Everyone is welcome to join. There’s no age limit, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition. Once you’ve joined, you can sign up your children as well.

*** end quote ***

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Encourage+free+market+body+organs/3411193/story.html#ixzz0x5c8EKXu

*** begin quote ***

If there’s a recipient who wants to pay for an organ and a living donor who is willing to sell their organ why prevent it? Is it ethical to play God and forcefully condemn donors to poverty and potential recipients to death?

A person’s autonomy should be respected. It doesn’t matter whether the donation is motivated by charity, financial desperation or unmitigated greed and whether the selling of organs offend the moral sensibilities of the religious, medical or Canadian community, organ donation is a personal choice.

So, let people work out the ethical implications of selling their body parts and increase the supply by allowing a free market in organs.

*** end quote ***

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INSPIRATIONAL: Hopefully you’ll give a pint!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Dear Reader:

I told the story of how I first started to give blood in Jasper Jottings back in 2005.

http://www.jasperjottings.com/2005/jasperjottings20051023.htm

*** begin quote ***

Like the good Brother who encouraged me to give blood for the first time with the exhortation, “you’re probably not too stupid to bleed right … …

*** end quote ***

I started giving and it seemed easy enough. I never kept track of how much I gave over the years. But it was a lot. Never thought too much about it. Just a function of habit. Have an opportunity present and I’d go bleed.

(Always thought about that forgotten Brother, and wonder if he thought we all got smarter with age?)

That ALL changed in the last five weeks.

Frau was in the ER, CCU, and various parts the hospital. She had a (still) unexplained blood loss. She required 26 pints over the 5 weeks in and out of the hospital as the various doctors tried to figure it out. The magic liquid just came every time it was called for.

Wasn’t until today, when I received an email from the Red Cross about donating blood, that it really clicked.

It was this past week end, when they gave her steroids, and the blood loss slowed to a manageable pace. (She’s on a pace that says she’ll need a pint in a month.) Not a cure by any means, BUTT (there’s always a big but), if those 26 people hadn’t made time to donate, we’d be having a completely different blog post.

Now, evidently, we have good health insurance, since no one has asked me to replace or pay for the blood she’s needed.

But, believing in the Law of Karma, I’d like to replace those 26 pints. Since I don’t have 26 to spare, it would take me a few years to satisfy that “cosmic debt”. (Even though, I’ve probably “pre paid” it.) So I’m going to ask for your help.

We don’t need a formal “directed donation” of O+. But, I would appreciate if you would donate a pint. In her name, for her: “Frau Reinke”.

p.s., don’t tell her, she’d be embarrassed at the attention and mad at me for make her the center of attention.

By way of “reward”, or “punishment” depending upon your view point, I will enter everyone who donates a pint into a raffle for an autographed copy of “CHURCH 10●19●62”. Value somewhere between zero and about $60. Contest runs between now and the last day of September. Please email or mail me some evidence of the donation. I’ll figure out some way to get a random number.

Thanks for considering this request.

fjohn

*** begin quote ***

It is often difficult to collect enough blood to meet the needs of patients during the summer months. With schools out and families on vacation, it’s important for eligible donors to come forward and give the gift of life.

All blood types are needed, especially types O negative, A negative, and B negative.

Please call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or CLICK HERE http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation to find a convenient donation opportunity and to schedule an appointment.

*** end quote ***

Summer Need1(1)-1

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MONEY: The Pope should lead the way to “honest money”

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican-coin-now-in-circulation/

Vatican coin now in circulation

*** begin quote ***

Vatican City, Jul 23, 2010 / 05:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Coins bearing the image of Pope Benedict XVI are now in open circulation within Vatican walls. As of this month, Vatican visitors will find that 50 cent pieces are being given as change at places such as the gas station, pharmacy and post office.

*** end quote ***

Imagine the impact on the world if the Pope led the way to “honest money”?

Hard to imagine.

Gooferments, around the world, steal the people’s wealth by inflation. They claim the “King’s right”, the “Soverign’s duty”, or the “Tyrant’s Treasure Chest” to produce “honest coins” or “money”. (Like the marketplace could not figure out what “money” was “honest” on its own. Gresham’s Law http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gresham%27s_law would demonstrate whats good and what’s not, without any “inspectors”. The Gooferment steals the wealth by printing more paper money, called “fiat currency”. Fiat because it has value because the Gooferment says it has value. No conflict of interest there.

Now here’s why the Pope should care. Inflation, the printing of “extra” money, impoverishes the poor, middle class, savers, and old age pensioners. That’s why he should care.

Inflation results in higher prices in the marketplace. Wages lag inflation. If they rise at all, it won’t be proportional. Investment, similarly, never “catch up”. So pensioners get hit with a triple whammy: their pensions are usually fixed and so don’t go as far as they used to, their savings are eroded, and prices go up.

So that’s why the Pope should act.

The Church has always been the traditional refuge for the serf from the abuses of the King. (I’ve seen enough Robin Hood and Zorro movies to know that.) It’s time for that to happen again.

Imagine if the Pope ordered all Vatican coinage to be in gold or silver?

First impact, that they’d be selling like hot cakes to the tourists. Then would come the folks overseas. As an example of “honest money”. The Vatican could even show a profit; much more than what they rip off coin collectors for meaningless proof sets.

And the little people would have money that could not be stolen silently by the King’s printing press.

Even the most illiterate dumber-than-a-rock parishioner could see the benefit of using the Pope’s money for savings.

It would be the ultimate control on the power of the King — the Gooferment.

IMHO one of the reasons, or possibly THE reason that Old Sadam got knocked off his horse was NOT wmd; the tyrant had the audacity to suggest that he wanted to be paid for his oil in gold. Rumor was that he was months away from starting an oil exchange denominated in gold. Remember the “Gold Dinar”? Not that he had a religious bone in his tuckus, he was pushing the religious aspect too. Hey, he realized that the FED was going to “tax” him on his dollar holdings. Silently. With no muss ‘n’ fuss, as the printing presses kept rolling out dollars.

So, Holy Father, the little people of the world would like you to end the tyranny of the King, who steals their little bit of wealth, give us honest money. If you truly believe in the workman being worth his wage, then make sure he get it in something that is worth something. Honest money is Godly money. And, slapping on a few saint’s pictures on the coins wouldn’t hurt morality either.

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INTERESTING: Doing impressive scary stuff for its own sake

Saturday, July 3, 2010

FROM ONE OF MY HIGH SCHOOL CHUMS

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=RobaJKGMMiE (N.B. ten minutes, SFW, in German)

*** begin quote ***

The following was produced as a commercial for a German heavy equipment manufacturer. You don’t want to be in the same marketplace with competitors like this.

The operator isn’t exactly a slouch either.

They didn’t tell us how they got it down

*** end quote ***

Very entertaining.

We, in the USA, have lost that “competitive feeling”.

Why did these guys do it? Who cares they did it.

I think it has to do with the feminization of our culture. Women’s rights has emasculated us. No one does big scary shit just for the sake of the adrenalin rush. Still still, be polite, don’t offend anyone, political correctness, graft, laziness, and corruption are the values praised today.

Argh!

We should have rebuilt the WTC in record time with three towers, the middle one being a little taller.

We should throw out all these “leaders” an get some Pattons, some Jesse Venturas, some Reagans. To inspire us.

We have a temporary advantage while the Arab countries fight with one hand behind their back (i.e., they suppress their women).

We need to eliminate the welfare / warfare state and throw open the borders to anyone who wants to come here to work. We need the energy.

Drill, nukes, as well as conservation and new technology.

We need honest money to make this all possible.

Most of all we need to take back our birthright as “not females”!

Argh!

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<Yes, dear, put down the computer and finish the housework.>

Argh! Squared!

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FUN: Completed the 750WORD monthly challenge

Thursday, July 1, 2010

http://750words.com/entries/stats/177342

201007010752.jpg

Strangely addictive!

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QUOTE: “Do every act of your life as if it were your last.” ~Marcus Aurelius

Sunday, May 23, 2010

“Do every act of your life as if it were your last.” ~Marcus Aurelius

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INSPIRATIONAL: Mothers’ Day memories

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Happy Mother’s Day!

I wish my Mother and Mother-in-law was here so I could wish them both a great day.

My Mom passed early in April. Her last years were hard on her: physically and emotionally. Her dignity was gone many years before. I know she was upset with her life in her last years.

My Mother-in-law passed 38 years ago. Way to soon. And, Frau was never the same after that. She went quickly and, while shocking, it was dignified. Wonder what would have been if she’d been permitted to stay around. Life would have been different!

Neither women tolerated fools well. Both we’re hard workers.

Both women grew up poor and that went with them throughout their life.

I have many regrets, but “Life Goes On”.

Miss you Moms!

(Interesting how “Mom” is defined in the media. Mother-in-laws probably have as big an impact on your happiness as your Mom does. THe popular phrase “If momma ain’t happy, no one is” is always applied to wives; I extended it to the Moms as well.)

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JOBSEARCH: Build a inet biz; it may take off

Monday, May 3, 2010

http://techcrunch.com/2010/05/01/advice-from-founders-who-bootstrapped-their-way-to-success-2

Advice From Founders Who Bootstrapped Their Way to Success
by Vivek Wadhwa on May 1, 2010

*** begin quote ***

It was founded in 2000, after Nickell, then a 20-year-old web developer, won a t-shirt-design contest. With an investment of $1000, he built a website to which people submitted t-shirt designs, and the favorites were printed in limited-edition runs. In 2006, the company had gained traction, was generating nearly $10 million in revenue, and took a small investment from Insight Venture Partners.

My Q&A with Jake:

Would you have taken a VC investment if you could have, when you started?

Definitely not, as I was starting a hobby and not a business. It’s kind of like asking if I would consider a VC investment to help me start learning to skateboard. Sure, I’d spend a couple hundred bucks on a board, some pads and maybe some materials to build a ramp, but I’m not looking for millions or even hundreds or tens of thousands to just create something for fun. Even if I was starting a business, I don’t think I was raised that way or have that type of personality. I didn’t even have my first credit card until I was maybe 23, so I really just don’t do well with spending money I don’t have.

*** end quote ***

This timely post reinforces my formula points #5 and #6. (imho)

Success for your generation is:

{Extraneous Deleted}

(5) one or more internet based businesses — your store is always open;

(6) a free time hobby that generates income;

{Extraneous Deleted}

In the cited example, the hobby became his internet business and it carried him away. We should all be so lucky.

But don’t over look the essential point, bootstrap a hobby into a source of income.

Thanks to my old workmate Vivek. Guess I should have listened to him more when we worked together. Who knew he was so smart?

(Sotto voce: He didn’t seem that smart at the time.)

ROFL!

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INSPIRATIONAL: My Summertime friends

Monday, May 3, 2010

One of the interesting parts of owning a “summer home” is neighbors.

You become attached, involved, and friends.

But, only for the “summer”.

That’s defined for us from when we turn the water on to when we turn it off.

Each spring, we sort of hold our breaths while we find out if everyone survived. As one of the “younger couples” on the street, each year we dread losing a few neighbors.

“Life goes on.”

Some of the neighbors are like us and open up asap and close as late as possible.

(I wish it was year round. Virtually no people in the winter. Perfect for an ITSJ like me.)

When one of my neighbors was AWOL, I decided to break my own rules about phones — I didn’t have her email — and call. With some trepidation.

(Our “rutgers womens bball games” friends have also suffered the fate of old age and passed. We have a similar dread of the first game each season to see who didn’t make it.)

So I called fearing the worst.

But it was good news, there’s a baby on the way. So we’ll have a baby next door this summer. Great. It means life goes on. And, someone to inherit that family’s summer home.

And, maybe some one to mark when our time comes.

I informed the lady in question about the direct path to my will for children named “Ferdinand”. She thanked me for a good belly laugh.

That’s me just spreading humor around.

When I introduced myself as “her favorite author calling”, she laughingly told me that I was the only author she knew. (She’ll have to get out more.) And, she too had an excuse for not reading it over the winter. Pregnancy. Guess you have to keep your priorities straight.

She should have read the book! ROFL.

Great news!

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