Joser and Red talk about nothing and how nothing is sacred. Especially this podcast.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: State Legislatures and ALEC HBO
iframe width 480 height 270 src https://www.youtube.com/embed/aIMgfBZrrZ8 frameborder 0 allowfullscreen> /iframe>
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Here But For The Grace of Others
Take a little time.. to think about how you got to where you are.
Are you a fighter? Are you a survivor? Did you do it all on your own?
No.
Chances are, if you live in this modern world and this writing has reached you, you had more than a little help along the way.
It's something that I've been thinking about since my fight with cancer.. All the talk about divine plans and prayers.. it really never sat well with me.
I knew I needed strength and hope and so did my family and friends but.. my life was directly in the hands of the doctors and nurses who cut into my body or injected medicine into my veins. It was a group of people there, many people, all working together to keep me alive..
and they managed to do it. All their combined experience, knowledge, expertise, and (I'd like to think) compassion.. it all came together just for me.
So I thought.. recently, that's basically what our entire lives are.. As Mike Rowe liked to point out in his talks and his shows.. Someone has to grow the food we eat. Someone has to build the homes we live in. Someone has to deliver the goods to the stores that someone else runs in a vehicle that someone somewhere built so that we can go purchase them using money that someone gave us in return for something we did or built or provided..
We are all SO dependent on each other in this world that it is absolutely heartbreaking to think of how much intolerance and indifference and hatred there is.. how much resentment for our fellow human beings.. and even our fellow organisms..
I know it sounds like some hippie-dippie nonsense but think about it.
Where do you get your clothes, food, water, power, gas, transportation, income, health care, dental care, appliances, ... everything you need to live... The very foundation upon which your home, your town, your city... was all built. The infrastructure.. the governing body... the nation...
Where would you be without everyone that came before you and everyone living their lives right along with you?
You came from parents, didn't you?
We are all here but for the grace of others.
Be mindful of that. Regardless of what you believe about divinity or nature.. We are alive because, however directly it may be, someone else helped.
@ThatJoser
Are you a fighter? Are you a survivor? Did you do it all on your own?
No.
Chances are, if you live in this modern world and this writing has reached you, you had more than a little help along the way.
It's something that I've been thinking about since my fight with cancer.. All the talk about divine plans and prayers.. it really never sat well with me.
I knew I needed strength and hope and so did my family and friends but.. my life was directly in the hands of the doctors and nurses who cut into my body or injected medicine into my veins. It was a group of people there, many people, all working together to keep me alive..
and they managed to do it. All their combined experience, knowledge, expertise, and (I'd like to think) compassion.. it all came together just for me.
So I thought.. recently, that's basically what our entire lives are.. As Mike Rowe liked to point out in his talks and his shows.. Someone has to grow the food we eat. Someone has to build the homes we live in. Someone has to deliver the goods to the stores that someone else runs in a vehicle that someone somewhere built so that we can go purchase them using money that someone gave us in return for something we did or built or provided..
We are all SO dependent on each other in this world that it is absolutely heartbreaking to think of how much intolerance and indifference and hatred there is.. how much resentment for our fellow human beings.. and even our fellow organisms..
I know it sounds like some hippie-dippie nonsense but think about it.
Where do you get your clothes, food, water, power, gas, transportation, income, health care, dental care, appliances, ... everything you need to live... The very foundation upon which your home, your town, your city... was all built. The infrastructure.. the governing body... the nation...
Where would you be without everyone that came before you and everyone living their lives right along with you?
You came from parents, didn't you?
We are all here but for the grace of others.
Be mindful of that. Regardless of what you believe about divinity or nature.. We are alive because, however directly it may be, someone else helped.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Believe the Lie
It's a sad state of affairs when, in a world in which we have so much information and knowledge available to us, we still find those who will more readily accept a lie than a truth.
Today marks the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission landing on the moon. Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins made history.. but not on a sound stage.
What does it say about a person who will believe that the government of the United States is poisoning its people with vaccines, chemtrails, and other chemicals and toxins.. but can't accept that there were six manned missions to the Moon?
Twelve people walked farther from civilization than ever had.. or have since.. and even with the documentation, film, photographs, moon dust, moon rocks.. All of which can be looked up and researched on sources other than Wikipedia... There are still people more willing to believe that the government lied to the world.. because of some VHS-made (now, YouTube) documentaries from people who had nothing better to do but to spread their own message of distrust.
God is real but the moon landing was fake.
Yeah, that makes sense.
~ Joser
"The truth doesn't change depending on whether or not you believe in it."
Today marks the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission landing on the moon. Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins made history.. but not on a sound stage.
What does it say about a person who will believe that the government of the United States is poisoning its people with vaccines, chemtrails, and other chemicals and toxins.. but can't accept that there were six manned missions to the Moon?
Twelve people walked farther from civilization than ever had.. or have since.. and even with the documentation, film, photographs, moon dust, moon rocks.. All of which can be looked up and researched on sources other than Wikipedia... There are still people more willing to believe that the government lied to the world.. because of some VHS-made (now, YouTube) documentaries from people who had nothing better to do but to spread their own message of distrust.
God is real but the moon landing was fake.
Yeah, that makes sense.
~ Joser
"The truth doesn't change depending on whether or not you believe in it."
Monday, May 26, 2014
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Right? Right.. not that Right..
"God-given"
"Inalienable"
"Inherent"
"Right."
What is a "right" and what does it actually mean?
In politics today that term is used an awful lot along with many qualifiers and yet.. there is still debate over what is and isn't a right.. and what should be.. and what should not.
The most common belief of rights is that they are given to us by a greater power.. a divine power. At least, in the western world, it is the most common.. as far as I understand... but I won't get into any of that. I'm just going to ponder what a right is and we'll see where it takes me.
As best as I can break it down.. Rights are... abilities... things we can choose to exercise if need be. In western law, the Miranda Rights. The "Right to Remain Silent", the "Right to an attorney". In the Bill of Rights.. the "right to bear arms", the "right to due process"..
Abilities or options that we assume to be inherent or in us and that can not be taken away by an outside source of power. At least, that's what we want to believe.
The right to free speech. To say what we want.. when we want.. where we want.
The right to defend ourselves in whatever capacity necessary.. whether through force or otherwise.
These are things that are within us all (for the most part) and that, through no official means, can be taken away.
Thinking about this a while back I came to the conclusion that there are a few real "rights" that we all have.. innate rights. Things about us, abilities, that are present in what makes us living, conscious, intelligent beings that, barring extreme measures, cannot be taken away. Least of all, legislated away. No matter what any political force may try to claim, your ability to do these things remains intact... that is the nature of rights in society.
At least, as far as I've come to understand it. So here they are:
The Right of Expression.
- Nobody can stop you from expressing your emotions or thoughts or beliefs or ideas. They can disagree, they can make rules about when and where you should and shouldn't say something.. Logic can dictate whether or not you should express what you wish in certain places.. as can taste.. but no law can physically prevent you from BEING ABLE to express yourself. The ability to express yourself is inherent from your first cries as a baby to your outcries of injustice as an adult. This is a basic right that no law or society has ever had to dictate. It is pure and natural and therefore.. truly inalienable. This is our right to express ourselves. Our Freedom of Speech.
The Right of Choice
- Another innate ability that we, as conscious beings, possess. Our ability to distinguish between A and B and, subsequently, choose between A and B. No, whether that choice is "A", "B", "both", or "none" is really irrelevant. The mere ability to make the distinction between and then to make the decision is what is at our very core. Most, if not all, animals posses this trait. This is, again, pure and natural behavior that exists within our minds and bodies. It is deeply rooted in us as a Survival Instinct. Remember "Fight or Flight"? Choice. The choice to defend ourselves or to run away, to escape.. to live without the risk of harm. The choice to defend ourselves from allegations. The choice to join our lives with another person and to have a family. The choice to be part of society and participate. Choice. That is our right. To bear arms if need be. To due process. To marry. To vote.
Hmm.. isn't it strange that you have to fight for "Rights"?
As far as my understanding goes... "Rights" were made up by man.. by governing bodies.. by societies and civilizations.. There's no such thing as "rights" beyond what is drawn up on paper.
What I described.. Expression.. Choice.. Those are inherent abilities (I could argue that they're really just one).. but "Rights"? Not really...
Rights are given to you according to the controlling power. In the United States, the Constitution. Laws. They have to spell our what your "Rights" are and, up to several moments in time, whether or not you qualified for certain rights.
The "right" to marry whomever you want... the "right" to vote... the "right" to become a citizen...
They don't really exist except on paper but they're dictated as if they were tangible commodities. Actual "things" that can be taken away at a moment's notice.. or without notice.
We are not born with rights. Take away all governments.. all belief systems.. all language...
We are left with abilities.
To express ourselves.. to choose. From birth to death.
At least, that's what I think.
- Joser
"Inalienable"
"Inherent"
"Right."
What is a "right" and what does it actually mean?
In politics today that term is used an awful lot along with many qualifiers and yet.. there is still debate over what is and isn't a right.. and what should be.. and what should not.
The most common belief of rights is that they are given to us by a greater power.. a divine power. At least, in the western world, it is the most common.. as far as I understand... but I won't get into any of that. I'm just going to ponder what a right is and we'll see where it takes me.
As best as I can break it down.. Rights are... abilities... things we can choose to exercise if need be. In western law, the Miranda Rights. The "Right to Remain Silent", the "Right to an attorney". In the Bill of Rights.. the "right to bear arms", the "right to due process"..
Abilities or options that we assume to be inherent or in us and that can not be taken away by an outside source of power. At least, that's what we want to believe.
The right to free speech. To say what we want.. when we want.. where we want.
The right to defend ourselves in whatever capacity necessary.. whether through force or otherwise.
These are things that are within us all (for the most part) and that, through no official means, can be taken away.
Thinking about this a while back I came to the conclusion that there are a few real "rights" that we all have.. innate rights. Things about us, abilities, that are present in what makes us living, conscious, intelligent beings that, barring extreme measures, cannot be taken away. Least of all, legislated away. No matter what any political force may try to claim, your ability to do these things remains intact... that is the nature of rights in society.
At least, as far as I've come to understand it. So here they are:
The Right of Expression.
- Nobody can stop you from expressing your emotions or thoughts or beliefs or ideas. They can disagree, they can make rules about when and where you should and shouldn't say something.. Logic can dictate whether or not you should express what you wish in certain places.. as can taste.. but no law can physically prevent you from BEING ABLE to express yourself. The ability to express yourself is inherent from your first cries as a baby to your outcries of injustice as an adult. This is a basic right that no law or society has ever had to dictate. It is pure and natural and therefore.. truly inalienable. This is our right to express ourselves. Our Freedom of Speech.
The Right of Choice
- Another innate ability that we, as conscious beings, possess. Our ability to distinguish between A and B and, subsequently, choose between A and B. No, whether that choice is "A", "B", "both", or "none" is really irrelevant. The mere ability to make the distinction between and then to make the decision is what is at our very core. Most, if not all, animals posses this trait. This is, again, pure and natural behavior that exists within our minds and bodies. It is deeply rooted in us as a Survival Instinct. Remember "Fight or Flight"? Choice. The choice to defend ourselves or to run away, to escape.. to live without the risk of harm. The choice to defend ourselves from allegations. The choice to join our lives with another person and to have a family. The choice to be part of society and participate. Choice. That is our right. To bear arms if need be. To due process. To marry. To vote.
Hmm.. isn't it strange that you have to fight for "Rights"?
As far as my understanding goes... "Rights" were made up by man.. by governing bodies.. by societies and civilizations.. There's no such thing as "rights" beyond what is drawn up on paper.
What I described.. Expression.. Choice.. Those are inherent abilities (I could argue that they're really just one).. but "Rights"? Not really...
Rights are given to you according to the controlling power. In the United States, the Constitution. Laws. They have to spell our what your "Rights" are and, up to several moments in time, whether or not you qualified for certain rights.
The "right" to marry whomever you want... the "right" to vote... the "right" to become a citizen...
They don't really exist except on paper but they're dictated as if they were tangible commodities. Actual "things" that can be taken away at a moment's notice.. or without notice.
We are not born with rights. Take away all governments.. all belief systems.. all language...
We are left with abilities.
To express ourselves.. to choose. From birth to death.
At least, that's what I think.
- Joser
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Australia’s Government is Poised to Kill Hundreds of Sharks off its Western Coast - Bites @ Animal Planet
Jeremy Wade, host of Animal Planet's "River Monsters" show wrote an open letter to Colin Barnett, Premier of Western Australia on the issue of culling sharks because a few people were attacked.
Australia’s Government is Poised to Kill Hundreds of Sharks off its Western Coast - Bites @ Animal Planet
Australia’s Government is Poised to Kill Hundreds of Sharks off its Western Coast - Bites @ Animal Planet
Friday, February 7, 2014
How Awesome Was Muhammad Ali?
On Monday, January 19, 1981, a distraught man climbed out onto a balcony in Los Angeles. Depressed and very close to jumping, the young man was eventually talked down by none other than The Champ himself.. Muhammad Ali! It was several long hours but eventually Ali managed to do what the police felt they could not have.. He approached the 21-year-old and brought him back down.
Ali Helps Talk A Man Down From A Ledge
This being Nothing Sacred, of course, I should point out the closing paragraph of the article (you read it, right?)
Ali Helps Talk A Man Down From A Ledge
This being Nothing Sacred, of course, I should point out the closing paragraph of the article (you read it, right?)
However, several hundred onlookers were less helpful.
"They were chanting in unison for the man to jump." He said.
"We had to clear them off the street."
Ain't that something...
~ Joser
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)