Monthly Archives: September 2003

Death and Life

This entry was posted in Philosphy on by

The Talking Dog has found another gem and it is a powerful piece:

Its been too long since I linked to Israeli blogger Imshin, one of the brightest lights of the blog world. But with this piece, she has transcended blogging, frankly, she has transcended everything, with this observation of the universe that is in the traditions of the greatest sages and mystics ever to exist. (I’m blown away by it.)

Near the end of her essay Imshin writes:

Death comes quickly and, more often than not, doesn’t bother to call ahead to say it is on its way and give us a chance to prepare. And even if it does, how does one prepare?

Read Imshin, read The Talking Dog’s response and then as she says:

Take a minute. Look up from your computer screen and look around you.

Please do this regularly.
And realize that, though most ignore it, death does call ahead. The message is there before our eyes throughout our lives. For most the message does not include a date and time but that should not matter as it is widely known that we humans are mortal. Read the message, make sure your affairs are in order, and act out your life to its fullest potential.

Read Your Contract

This entry was posted in Law on by

I’ll bet this is in really small print in the contract they sign:

Murwin, like thousands of other military personnel hospitalized every year, is expected to reimburse the government $8.10 per day for food. That’s standard procedure because of a law Congress passed in 1981. But it has angered many military families over the years.

This should really help recruiting once it reaches the status of full disclosure.
On the other hand, it’s a bargain compared to what a civilian would pay in a public hospital.
Via Steve Verdon.

Really, It is Stealing

This entry was posted in Law on by

Modulator has briefly commented on this in June but the Bitch has Words takes apart all the arguments supporting illegal file sharing that I’ve come across.
First, though, she admits to being a thief:

I committed the first four transgressions many moons ago, when I was a wee pup. I committed the final one, music downloading, last December, as I compiled a set of songs for a friend.

Now, her telling us this doesn’t give her arguments any greater moral weight and it doesn’t need to as they are good enough on their own. A sample:

(more…)

Don’t Tread on Us

This entry was posted in Capitalism Constitution Drug Laws Economics Law Enforcement Libertarianism Patriot Act on by

I don’t usually borrow whole posts but this from Doug Allen at Catallarchy aptly describes one aspect of the bizarre and misguided priorities that citizens of the US have built up around themselves over the last 200+ years:

Somewhere, violent criminals are still at large. Somewhere, a shady character is plotting terrorist activities. Somewhere, a drunken teen is getting behind the wheel of a car. Somewhere, a man is beating his wife.
But law enforcement resources are being used to charge Tommy Chong, fine him, and send him to a prison filled with dangerous whackos for nine months for selling bongs over the Internet.

When people exchange goods on mutually agreeable terms leave them alone.