Your Lifebeat section today warns parents: " Childhood
burns can kill years later ". I guess it is just human
nature to worship the gods that will kill you. How benign
sunlight can feel on the human body. Unlike cigarette smoke,
a little of it , IS good for you.
I have noticed that little league ball players
spend hours on a scorching afternoon exposed to the intense
radiation of a merciless sun . No evidence of sun screen
lotion on their arms or faces ! I guess their coaches
are well-rounded idiots .
On a blazing hot summer day, it makes me sick
to see grown ups emerge from those horrid tanning salons :
30 Days for $30 !
Isn't that hole in the ozone layer perilous enough ?
Why do adults pay good money for a prune face and a
" Look Ma I've got hepatitis " complexion ?
A militant INDEPENDENT democratic socialist's attempt to expose the truth of our culture – in all its rich irony and absurdity.
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Tuesday, June 27, 2000
Tuesday, June 20, 2000
Again on bad manners
I ordered breakfast today at a small restaurant on the campus
of the University of Rhode Island. The restaurant employs mostly
students -judging from their topics of conversations and their
bad manners .
Just as I was handed my breakfast, I heard the 20 something
counter girl say loud enough for every customer to hear : " In
just two months, I'll never have to serve food to anybody again ! "
Well EXCUSE ME -a paying customer - for making your present
life so unpleasant !
Her rudeness was followed by inane babble about getting
married someday in a rose garden in Scotland, the unattractiveness
of a male customer who had his hair too long or too short, a
young post man -lacking ambition - who was too fond of older women...
etc.
The girl will be attending Emerson College in Boston. A
future obnoxious thespian, perhaps ? Or the dear wife of some
infatuated fool ?
Am I still idealistic in believing that people ultimately
get what they deserve in life ?
What does Miss Manners think ?
of the University of Rhode Island. The restaurant employs mostly
students -judging from their topics of conversations and their
bad manners .
Just as I was handed my breakfast, I heard the 20 something
counter girl say loud enough for every customer to hear : " In
just two months, I'll never have to serve food to anybody again ! "
Well EXCUSE ME -a paying customer - for making your present
life so unpleasant !
Her rudeness was followed by inane babble about getting
married someday in a rose garden in Scotland, the unattractiveness
of a male customer who had his hair too long or too short, a
young post man -lacking ambition - who was too fond of older women...
etc.
The girl will be attending Emerson College in Boston. A
future obnoxious thespian, perhaps ? Or the dear wife of some
infatuated fool ?
Am I still idealistic in believing that people ultimately
get what they deserve in life ?
What does Miss Manners think ?
Lovecraft correction
Yes, " Swan Point Cemetery is home to anyone who was
anyone in the Ocean State . " But your excellent article on
this " sylvan refuge for repose and recreation " ( June 15. Metro )
incorrectly identifies our world famous author H.P. Lovecraft as
a " science fiction " writer. In fact - I'll quote the Encyclopedia
American here - he was an " American writer of horror -fantasy
fiction ". And indeed hailed by critics as the " inventor of
modern horror. "
Writes one Robert Jon Wheeler : " Science fiction is
separated from fantasy by the believability of the ideas presented. "
As a philosophical materialist, H.P. Lovecraft could not possibly
have believed his own very weird tales.
For an insight into his strange personality, I recommend
S.T. Joshi's recent biography ( reviewed in the Projo ).
anyone in the Ocean State . " But your excellent article on
this " sylvan refuge for repose and recreation " ( June 15. Metro )
incorrectly identifies our world famous author H.P. Lovecraft as
a " science fiction " writer. In fact - I'll quote the Encyclopedia
American here - he was an " American writer of horror -fantasy
fiction ". And indeed hailed by critics as the " inventor of
modern horror. "
Writes one Robert Jon Wheeler : " Science fiction is
separated from fantasy by the believability of the ideas presented. "
As a philosophical materialist, H.P. Lovecraft could not possibly
have believed his own very weird tales.
For an insight into his strange personality, I recommend
S.T. Joshi's recent biography ( reviewed in the Projo ).
Saturday, June 17, 2000
73 year old on BAD MANNERS
There is a little bit of Old China in me, I guess . So I
listen when an old man speaks :
" Unfortunately rudeness is becoming an increasing propensity
in the United States. I know full well that I am 73+ but in my
mind the people under 30 years of age in this wonderful country
are the rudest, most impolite, arrogant, inconsiderate Americans I
have ever known ! Not only are they rude in almost everything
they do; they do not give a damm ! "
What went wrong ? With the world becoming more and
more crowded, are not MANNERS even more important than
laws in making everyday life bearable ?
The 73 old gentleman reported that he called a
store customer to tell her that he had found $250 of
her money on the floor. She did not even say THANK YOU !
I would have thanked him AND kissed his ass !
listen when an old man speaks :
" Unfortunately rudeness is becoming an increasing propensity
in the United States. I know full well that I am 73+ but in my
mind the people under 30 years of age in this wonderful country
are the rudest, most impolite, arrogant, inconsiderate Americans I
have ever known ! Not only are they rude in almost everything
they do; they do not give a damm ! "
What went wrong ? With the world becoming more and
more crowded, are not MANNERS even more important than
laws in making everyday life bearable ?
The 73 old gentleman reported that he called a
store customer to tell her that he had found $250 of
her money on the floor. She did not even say THANK YOU !
I would have thanked him AND kissed his ass !
Wednesday, June 14, 2000
Great column today !
Good morning . Yes, indeed : " freedom dissolving before
our eyes. " And who notices ? Not the LEFT -and Orwell was,after
all, a gentleman of the LEFT. Those terrible " right-wing
conservatives " notice. It seems that they have an agenda-call
it FREE SPEECH .
I highly recommend " The Shadow University " by Alan Cors and
Harvey A. Silvergate. And also " Illiberal Education " by
Dinesh D'Souza .
The PC critics will challenge you : " How can CONSERVATIVES
be RIGHT about anything ?
Perhaps it is time to resurrect the old " House Un-American
Activities " and give those PC professors a truly FAIR trial. :
" Now I have a list of 250 card carrying professors who
have sinned against academic freedom ...
" I will now present a fine young man who once edited a
college newspaper...
" We call upon Charles Bakst Jr. "
our eyes. " And who notices ? Not the LEFT -and Orwell was,after
all, a gentleman of the LEFT. Those terrible " right-wing
conservatives " notice. It seems that they have an agenda-call
it FREE SPEECH .
I highly recommend " The Shadow University " by Alan Cors and
Harvey A. Silvergate. And also " Illiberal Education " by
Dinesh D'Souza .
The PC critics will challenge you : " How can CONSERVATIVES
be RIGHT about anything ?
Perhaps it is time to resurrect the old " House Un-American
Activities " and give those PC professors a truly FAIR trial. :
" Now I have a list of 250 card carrying professors who
have sinned against academic freedom ...
" I will now present a fine young man who once edited a
college newspaper...
" We call upon Charles Bakst Jr. "
Tuesday, June 13, 2000
" Derrotar a Kells " ?
My CCRI Spanish came in handy when I read " Hispano busca
derrotar a Kells " on your Pagina Latina page ( June 12, page C6).
Did not Charles Bakst say in his June 8 column that Senator
Kells of District 10 is quitting politics, " ten years is
enough " ?
Bob Kells was a " good neighbor " of mine when I lived
on Rutherglen Ave. in the Reservoir Triangle of Providence.
Yes, I routinely voted for him. Now Bob senses that the
area has profoundly changed. And the PR problems of the
Providence Police have not helped his career ambitions.
Bakst says that District 10 is now a " rich mix
of whites, blacks, Latinos, and Asians . "
But according to Joe Almeida: " Ya es tiempo que
los negros y los latinos se unan " ( article ).
Is my Spanish off or do I read ethnic politics at
its most vile here ? To be sure, blacks and latinos should
get along as we ALL must. . But should blacks and latinos
UNITE politically ? Against WHOM ? Whites and Asians ?
I believe that ethnic politics is corrupting the
Democratic Party nationally. Must it pander shamelessly
in order to win elections ?
derrotar a Kells " on your Pagina Latina page ( June 12, page C6).
Did not Charles Bakst say in his June 8 column that Senator
Kells of District 10 is quitting politics, " ten years is
enough " ?
Bob Kells was a " good neighbor " of mine when I lived
on Rutherglen Ave. in the Reservoir Triangle of Providence.
Yes, I routinely voted for him. Now Bob senses that the
area has profoundly changed. And the PR problems of the
Providence Police have not helped his career ambitions.
Bakst says that District 10 is now a " rich mix
of whites, blacks, Latinos, and Asians . "
But according to Joe Almeida: " Ya es tiempo que
los negros y los latinos se unan " ( article ).
Is my Spanish off or do I read ethnic politics at
its most vile here ? To be sure, blacks and latinos should
get along as we ALL must. . But should blacks and latinos
UNITE politically ? Against WHOM ? Whites and Asians ?
I believe that ethnic politics is corrupting the
Democratic Party nationally. Must it pander shamelessly
in order to win elections ?
Tuesday, June 6, 2000
Hollywood's " Deconstructionism "
Fuzzy History is just as outrageous as Fuzzy Math. Your
editorial today , " Hollywood's big lies ", makes me wonder
if Hollywood is the real inspiration for academia 's asinine
" " deconstructionism " ".
When making a " history " film , don't worry too
much about the actual TEXT!
Yes, indeed : " little things like truth mean
nothing " next to " production values " ( PROFITS ) and
PC values .
I am now convinced that the ONLY revolutionary force
in the world today is the TRUTH.
To quote the author of " The Revolution Betrayed " :
" If lies were made of dynamite, the whole world would
explode ! "
The TRUTH today as all the status of an illegal alien
in Barrington , R.I . ( has )
editorial today , " Hollywood's big lies ", makes me wonder
if Hollywood is the real inspiration for academia 's asinine
" " deconstructionism " ".
When making a " history " film , don't worry too
much about the actual TEXT!
Yes, indeed : " little things like truth mean
nothing " next to " production values " ( PROFITS ) and
PC values .
I am now convinced that the ONLY revolutionary force
in the world today is the TRUTH.
To quote the author of " The Revolution Betrayed " :
" If lies were made of dynamite, the whole world would
explode ! "
The TRUTH today as all the status of an illegal alien
in Barrington , R.I . ( has )
Sunday, June 4, 2000
Fuzzy Math Indeed !
Why is there more common sense in the corrupt bourgeois
press nowadays than in innocent, idealistic Academia ?
Your editorial this morning " Beware fuzzy math "
rightly sees a connection between this " constructivist "
rubbish and the more abstruse rubbish : " deconstructionism "
-which is the ideological basis of much professorial quackery.
The essence of " deconstructionism " is a disbelief in
an orderly, rational universe. In religious language it is
a rebellion against God Himself; in secular language we call
it HUBRIS .
Deconstructionism loathes the objectivity of SCIENCE -
the belief that reality is independent of our wishes, of our
POLITICS.
By the way the New Math in my school days was not
a complete pedagogical disaster : I still remember that : "The
null set set is a subset of all sets. "
Saturday, June 3, 2000
Death by sound bite
How quickly comes death by sound bite nowadays. Ask the
Prime Minister of Japan , Yoshiri Mori, who thinks that
Japan is a " divine nation " centered on the emperor.
How many American politicians might think that America
is God's Country - and even say it ?
I believe that America is indeed God's Country and that
HIS light shines on Bill Clinton's face.
Not for nothing Bill was just honored with the Charlamagne
Award. But will he unify all Europe under that Old Time Religion ?