Stranger in a Strange Land/A Synopsis

 

"Stranger in a Strange Land" is a science fiction novel written by Robert Heinlein, first published in 1961. The story follows Valentine Michael Smith, a human born on Mars, who returns to Earth as an adult and struggles to understand and integrate into human society.

Something happened to the first humans who landed on Mars. All contact with them had been lost. The book therefore begins with the arrival of a rescue mission to Mars, which discovers the protagonist, Valentine Michael Smith, who has been born and raised on Mars, by native Martians. He possesses extraordinary abilities due to this unique upbringing. Smith is brought to Earth by the mission and becomes a subject of intense interest and scrutiny, especially by the media and religious groups.

As Smith learns about human culture and customs, he becomes disillusioned with the selfishness and materialism of society. He starts to question traditional morality and social norms, including monogamy and organized religion. 

Who is Wolf Alice?

 

If you're a fan of alternative rock music, then you may have already heard of the band Wolf Alice. This London-based four-piece group has been making waves in the music scene since their formation in 2010. They have released three studio albums and have earned critical acclaim for their unique sound and powerful live performances.

Wolf Alice's music is hard to pin down to a single genre. They draw inspiration from a variety of sources, including grunge, shoegaze, and indie rock. Their songs are characterized by fuzzy guitar riffs, dreamy synths, and the haunting vocals of lead singer Ellie Rowsell. The band's sound is both atmospheric and hard-hitting, creating a sonic landscape that is both expansive and intimate.

Ayn Rand and Objectivism

Ayn Rand was a Russian-American philosopher, novelist, and playwright who is best known for her philosophy of Objectivism. Her ideas have had a profound impact on the political and economic landscape of the United States, influencing the conservative movement and inspiring libertarians around the world. In this blog post, we will explore the key tenets of Rand's philosophy and the implications of her ideas.

Legalize Marijuana

Marijuana, also known as cannabis, has been a controversial topic for decades, with arguments ranging from its therapeutic value to its negative effects on users. The debate on whether to legalize marijuana has become increasingly important, as more countries and states have moved towards legalizing it for medicinal and recreational use. In this essay, I will argue for the legalization of marijuana, highlighting its medicinal benefits, potential economic benefits, and the fact that the criminalization of marijuana has been largely unsuccessful in reducing its use.

Capitalism 101

 

Capitalism is the only economic system that is consistent with the principles of individualism, freedom, and prosperity. It is a system based on the idea that individuals have the right to own and control their own property and pursue their own self-interest, free from the interference of government or other external forces.

At the heart of capitalism is the concept of the free market. This is a system in which individuals are free to buy and sell goods and services on the basis of voluntary exchange. Prices are determined by supply and demand, and competition ensures that prices remain fair and reasonable. In this system, there are no restrictions on who can enter the market or what they can produce. This creates a level playing field that allows individuals to compete and succeed based on their own abilities and efforts.

Morning Entry, February 20, 2023/Conspiracy Theory

 

Well, so here it is, February 20th, 2023. I am sitting at my desk writing this, thinking about a variety of things. I have a conspiracy theory: the Chinese government arranged for President Trump to leave office by rigging, cheating, and gaming the elections, in collusion with certain US politicians.

The number of US politicians with ties to the Chinese is noteworthy here. Especially the Biden family. Yes, I believe that there are people who would easily sell out this country for personal gain. OK, so where's the evidence of this? Let me ask you a question: how in the FUCK did a Chinese spy balloon get completely across North America-a distance of over 3,000 miles-without being shot down? Radio and TV commentator Dan Bongino discusses the China situation in depth. US Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) spoke on the matter of  Twitter interfering in the election by suppressing and eliminating news information that would have had an impact on the election. Here is a link to an overview of the so-called "Twitter Files". 

There Will Never be a Way

What is art? Here is a definition from Google:

 (art is) "...The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power."

Or this, from the Britannica on-line dictionary:

"...Something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings."

Now the question is, are these valid definitions? All art is simply the expression of human creative skill and imagination ? That sounds good enough for me, but I would have to add that art also has a deeply subjective value, either to the artist or to his patrons, or both. People are willing to spend time and money on producing art, and consuming art. There are both spiritual and material components involved here that the vast majority of us take very seriously.

A Symptom of Cultural Rot

 

It seems like the absolutely coolest thing in the world to do, is to scoff at even the very idea of sexual morality. Not only that, but there's also this thing about scoffing at traditional gender roles. Women are told that they don't have to be women, and men are told they don't have to be men. Holding these attitudes at the same time makes you warmly accepted on social media. Just say "men can have periods", and you're in.

Then there's the biological male athletes who identify as trans competing against biological women. They think everyone should be focused on the tranny's struggle to overcome sexual dysphoria and social conditioning. Fairness-justice-to the real women athletes-is irrelevant. Also, there are men who honestly believe that the best way to get a mate is to feign suspicion and contempt for maleness-and essentially, become feminine.

All of this is clearly absurd, and irrational. In this worldview, the law of identity (everything is what it is) does not apply. Contradictions exist. 

Music 101: An Example of Artificial Intelligence at Work

The following essay was written by Chat GPT, an artificial intelligence:

Music is an integral part of human culture and has been around for thousands of years. From ancient civilizations to modern-day pop, music has always been a source of expression and enjoyment for people of all ages and backgrounds. In this post, we will be exploring some of the basic concepts of music and how they are used to create the sounds that we love.

Morning Entry

 February 6, 2023

I had yesterday and Saturday off, but since today is Monday,  I must go back to work. I get every other weekend off.

It's not so chilly this morning, as it has been for the past few days. Fortunately, I find myself looking forward to work today. 

The picture at left shows my work desk at home. I know how to read and write music, but lately, all I've been doing is just playing. 

I'm well into a work-a-day routine, and I probably should take a few days off in the future and go someplace different. 

Morning Entry

 

February 5, 2023/0243

The picture at left was taken at the Salvation Army homeless shelter in Savannah. I lived here for 9 months before I found a job, saved money, and moved into an apartment. If you're wondering why it took so long, it's because they require you to wait 6 months-a veritable vacation from life itself-in order to do a lot of thinking and praying about what, exactly, got you to this point. Meanwhile, they put you to work around the shelter 40 hrs. a week (I worked in their warehouse, and did a stint as a front desk clerk).

But today, I am no longer homeless, working a full-time job at a local hospital about a mile and a half from my apartment. Today, I am grateful to the Salvation Army in Savannah for helping me get back on my feet again.

Victor Davis Hanson's lecture Hillsdale College

“Mr. Hanson, an accomplished classicist and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, is one of the great amalgamators of American political writing. He has a particular gift for bringing together a dizzying array of events, controversies and ideas and making sense of them by advancing a coherent argument that incorporates thousands of years of history… Mr. Hanson hits hard, but I don’t find his analysis unfair or partisan. There is enormous value, moreover, in thinking about toxic political developments not as problems of the moment but as destructive pathologies to which all societies are prone at all times.”―Wall Street Journal

Morning Entry

by John Russell Turner

I've been working at St. Joseph's hospital here in Savannah, GA for 8 and a half months. The people who run the place call my job "environmental technician"; but I call it "porter", because I take the trash out and dispose of things around the hospital. Here's how a typical day for me goes: I clock in, and head to our department office for a meeting. After the meeting is over-usually 15 minutes or so-I go to the chute room and empty the trash bins there. Afterwards, I go to seven different wards in the hospital and pick up their trash. Around mid-day I go up to the seventh floor and work my way down, picking up cardboard and biohazard on the way. So I walk about 15 miles a day, and three miles going back and forth to work from my apartment. It's not strenuous work, but the constant walking around the hospital gets a bit tough on my feet. I have a sturdy pair of walking shoes, however, and so it's all good.

I woke up a bit early this AM, so I have some free time to write this. Perhaps later I'll look more into a couple of AI programs I've been interested in. 

Politics and the English Language

by George Orwell

Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but it is generally assumed that we cannot by conscious action do anything about it. Our civilization is decadent and our language — so the argument runs — must inevitably share in the general collapse. It follows that any struggle against the abuse of language is a sentimental archaism, like preferring candles to electric light or hansom cabs to aeroplanes. Underneath this lies the half-conscious belief that language is a natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes.

SONG AND DANCE MAN

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP IN THE SEVENTIES, I (and most of my peers) thought of Bob Dylan as someone our parents listened to, along with others like Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, and the hundreds of bands popular in the 1960's. That in itself was enough to relegate Dylan to the "uncool" list, as far as we were concerned. Besides, most of us were busy listening to bands like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Foreigner, AC/DC, et al...and Dylan had an air of being highbrow, of being "relevant" and "meaningful", which alone was enough to make that fabled teen-age list of the uncool.