Zen and the Art of /.*/

I just returned from a meeting among some like-minded folk discussing victories and defeats in the past election and plans to help rebuild the party so that we can win some elections in 2010 with some real liberty-minded candidates. I was reminded of this letter-to-the-editor I wrote prior to the February 2008 caucuses and which was printed in the January 30th edition of the Osseo Press. It is interesting to re-read now, over a year later. Here it is, for what it’s worth.

I long ago signed up for an account on LibraryThing, but never got around to actually entering all of my books. A recent friend request from a real-life friend and coworker prompted me to revisit the site.

Taking advantage of the fact that I recently bought a barcode scanner for the sake of taking inventory of pull-tab boxes, and using it as a good excuse to further postpone other nagging responsibilities, I spent a couple hours scanning in my collection of books.

The great state of Minnesota has approved a $238,000 grant to “help two daily newspapers adapt their products to an increasingly Internet-based industry.”

We, as a nation, are collectively going completely bat-shit crazy.

Check “Yes” or “No.”

As much as I hate to have to do it, because I know how big of a pain they are, I’ve added a captcha (http://recaptcha.net/) to the comment form. I know they suck and I know you know you’re human, but I’ve started getting 50+ spam comments a day and I don’t have time to deal with it.

H.F. No. 997, as introduced - 86th Legislative Session (2009-2010) Posted on Feb 19, 2009

A resolution memorializing the federal government to halt its practice of imposing mandates upon the states for purposes not enumerated by the Constitution of the United States and affirming Minnesota’s sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Continue reading

There are so many fallacies being perpetuated so often in these strange days that one would need to write a book to address them all. Fortunately for us, there are many great books and articles that have already been written that do, if only we’d read them. Despite the fact that they’ve been dealt with time and again, people concerned for the well-being of society must continue to address each of them.

I recently received this from Michael Badnarik. On his website a while back I voted for Minneapolis as a great place for him to come and give his Constitution Class. He recently reset all of the votes and is asking for people to return to the site and vote for the cities that would like him to visit so he can get accurate, up-to-date numbers.

I strongly encourage you to cast a vote for Minneapolis (or your own town if you aren’t from around here):
http://www.constitutionpreservation.org/class.aspx

A character in Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan, when told the theory of Pythagoras that the earth is round and revolves around the sun, replies:

“What an utter fool! Couldn’t he use his eyes?”

Flat-earth geocentrism is the quintessential modern epithet applied to an opponent who either can’t or refuses to see past the immediately evident phenomena and grasp the larger truth.

Despite its tired, clichéd status, it is still a great metaphor.

Reprinted here because I could not find a good posting of it elsewhere online–and because it deserves to be posted far and wide.

I was at book club again tonight (booksandbars.com) for probably the first time in 6 months, which was in turn probably the first time in the 6 months prior. Every time I go to book club, I see great people that I have not seen in too long and get to discuss delightful topics over pleasantly potent potables.

But every time I go back, I have a hard time explaining why it’s been so long. I always feel like I’m making excuses, usually some variation of “I’ve been really busy,” which always feels like a cop-out.

Of course, that is in fact the truthful proximate cause–I am damn busy. As my friends like to give me a hard time about: “I got shittodo.”

But this is certainly not the ultimate cause.