And I Quote:...

I read a fantastic article in The New Yorker today about quotes. It's worth taking a look at, especially when you consider the licentious audacity to alter a quote to make it more, well, quotable. I'm not liking this activity at all. "Whodathunkit?" Read the article here...

Why Believe?

Following are a couple of quotes from an interesting article I found a link to over on Arts & Letters Daily. I'll let the article speak for itself, but there are a number of things therein that have fluttered across my limited little brain in the past couple of years. It can all be summed up in the two words I've chosen as the title for this post: why believe? To read the article in its' entirety, click here. Now for the quotes of particular interest to me:

"In his 2004 book, The End of Faith, Sam Harris pointed out that alone of all human assertions, those qualifying as "religious," almost by definition, automatically demand and typically receive immense respect, even veneration. Claim that the earth is flat, or that the tooth fairy exists, and you will be deservedly laughed at. But maintain that according to your religion, a seventh-century desert tribal leader ascended to heaven on a winged horse, or that a predecessor had done so, without such a conveyance, roughly 600 years earlier, and you are immediately entitled to deference. It has long been, let us say, an article of faith that at least in polite company, religious faith — belief without evidence — should go unchallenged.
No longer. If recent books — many of them by prominent biologists — are any indication, the era of deference to religious belief is ending as faith is subjected to gimlet-eyed scrutiny."

Then...

"On the one hand, religious belief of one sort or another seems ubiquitous, suggesting that it might well have emerged, somehow, from universal human nature, the common evolutionary background shared by all humans. On the other hand, it often appears that religious practice is fitness-reducing rather than enhancing — and, if so, that genetically mediated tendencies toward religion should have been selected against. Think of the frequent advocacy of sexual restraint, of tithing, of self-abnegating moral duty and other seeming diminutions of personal fitness, along with the characteristic denial of the "evidence of our senses" in favor of faith in things asserted but not clearly demonstrated. What fitness-enhancing benefits of religion might compensate for those costs?
The question itself is novel. Social scientists, for example, have long considered religion as sui generis, not as a behavioral predisposition that arose because in some way it contributed to the survival and reproduction of its participants. For Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion) as well as Daniel C. Dennett (Breaking the Spell), religion is primarily the misbegotten offspring of memes that promote themselves in human minds: essentially, religion as mental virus, thus something adaptive for "itself" and not for its "victims." Or it could be a nonadaptive byproduct of something adaptive in its own right. For example, children seem hard-wired to accept parental teaching, since such advice is likely to be fitness-enhancing ("This is good to eat," "Don't pet the saber-tooth"). In turn, this makes children vulnerable to whatever else they are taught ("Respect the Sabbath," "Cover your hair") as well as downright needy when it comes to parentlike beings, leading especially to the patriarchal sky god of the Abrahamic faiths."

"A World Between A Lilac And A Wall"

After a lapse of a few weeks, I finally dug into some more of Michael Pollan's oustanding writing again this week. This time, in My Two Gardens, he paints a great picture that includes, among other things, a child's fascination with gardening; a father's disdain for lawn maintenence; a grandfather's passion for neatness, tidiness, orderliness and an utter disapproval of weeds and beards (which, somehow, go together); and the effects the passage of time has on both gardens and families. I'm currently not in a position to focus on gardening, so I think Pollan's accounts are giving me a vicarious thrill...

I'm Not The Center of The Universe

"We assume our personal preferences are the standard by which all art should be judged."

Once again, Scott Adams has delivered a thought-provoking post over on his Dilbert blog. I've noticed this phenomenon many times & in a variety of ways, and I've come to my own personal conclusion that it's rooted in that God-awful trait called selfishness. This characteristic goes way beyond our judgment of art, and touches so many other areas of our lives. No, the fact is, there are billions of other people in the world, and I'm not the star that the rest of the world revolves around. This is good to know...

In Case You Planned On Being Appreciated Today

I make time to read the Dilbert blog (see my Frogroll to the right for the link), and also click over from there frequently to the daily comic strip. The one above is actually from yesterday, and I like it so well I just had to link to it because I really connect with it in a number of ways. I don't work or do anything in life expecting appreciation, but every once in a while I'll think someone may appreciate my gesture just a little. Yeah, well, my "false hope" has been flattened more than once! Life is grand, I love every minute of it...and that's a true story.

Borat

Well, I finally did it. I gave in and watched this insane film some friends had recommended entitled Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan I don't know that I'll rate it as one of the funniest movies I've ever watched, but it certainly has it's moments. Two such moments I've found on youtube, and included them here:

1.) The opening plus some deleted scenes. Check out the clip at 4:09 into it to see the deleted scene of Borat in the grocery store being introduced to Cheese. Click here.

2.) The part of the movie where Borat meets "Mr. Jesus" at a Pentecostal church service, and speaks in tongues. Click here.

I've read where Sacha Baron Cohen got sued because of the frat boys scene, which is what provided the final motivation to watch the thing in the first place. I just had to see what the fuss was about.

*****UPDATE*****
Click here for a United Pentecostal Church International take on the comedic intentions of Sacha Baron Cohen in their church service.

"Canada Huh?...Almost Made It"

I was reminded of this movie today, so I decided to post about one of the greatest scenes in all of comedy movie history. It's the opening scene to Super Troopers, and you just haven't lived life to the fullest if you haven't watched it.

I've viewed this part of the movie time and time again, and for some reason, it never gets old...

Enough Of The %$*& Nonsense Already!

Okay, first off I need to say that this is not a vote of support for Don Imus. Perhaps I'm just not enough in-the-know when it comes to radio personalities not named Limbaugh or Stern (and I don't listen to either of them), but I don't recall ever hearing of this guy prior to the events I'm writing about today.

Last week Mr. Imus made some comments that really have pissed off a boatload of people. He called the basketball players from Rutgers women's team "nappy-headed hos". He's since offered to meet the team and offer another apology. In reference to this meeting, one of the players, Matee Ajavon said: "“I could say that we honestly don’t know what to expect from Don Imus and what we will plan on asking him is his reasons and how you could just say things that you have not put any thought to? Right now I can’t really say if we have come to a conclusion of whether we will accept the apology. What I can say I think this meeting will be crucial for us, the state of New Jersey and everybody representing us.” (Read the article here.) First of all, Matee, I should point out that these were comments made during an (apparantly) unscripted interview, in which case it's quite common to say things you haven't put a lot of thought into. Secondly, Matee, who among us says things we've completely thought out 100% of the time? I'd venture to say it's mighty close to none of us. From time to time we say things off the top of our head without thinking much about it. Does that make hurtful things excusable? No, of course not, just like it doesn't mean every cotton pickin' thing said is right. Sometimes we say hurtful, and incorrect things. So what? It's a part of our rights contained in the 1st Amendment..."freedom of speech".

Now, my biggest question is this: why is Don Imus being given such a hard time while, say 50 Cent & Snoop Dogg who "never hesitate to shoot a ho", Chingy who asks "got his money ho?", & Ludacris who proclaims "youza ho" on his hit song, "Ho", are selling records like there's no tomorrow, all the while offering up "ho's" and "nigga's" on nearly every track?

In all honesty, I (a white male), would pay money to hear any of these artists (all black men) sing, and I own albums by each and every one of them; and, it bears repeating, I don't listen to Don Imus (a white male) at all. But, is it okay for some to say "ho" while others should be castigated? Don't mind me, I'm just rapping out loud...

*****UPDATES*****
(Added 4-17-07)
Here's an interesting article from ESPN.com's Page 2, entitled Imus shouldn't give hip-hop a bad rap. Perhaps I've been corrected...

(Added 4-24-07)
I've been posting a lot lately from Scott Adams, but in his most recent Dilbert Blog post he offered an interesting take on the highlights of this story. I have to agree with him...

The Innocent Man

While on vacation a couple of weeks ago I finished John Grisham's latest book, The Innocent Man. I've read every book published by Grisham, in order, so I'm quite experienced with his writing style and ability. This is his first non-fiction legal thriller, and in my opinion it is a splendid read. If you like his novels (my fav is The Partner), then you'll certainly be entertained by this one that, though minus the wonders of created characters, is just as compelling and full of suspense.

In a related bit of news, I read this article yesterday about a man in Texas who is going to be exonerated because of DNA testing in his case. James Curtis Giles (not the evangelist, Jabel) is being helped by The Innocence Project which I first read about in the Grisham book.

With the rise of CSI and other crime-solving shows, the focus on forensic science is at an all time high. Crime scene investigation, though, is not fool-proof, and the ethics (good and bad) of the investigators seems to play a much larger role than what I ever considered. I always thought it was pretty cut and dried, but alas, once again, I was wrong...

*****UPDATE*****
4-23-07
Another Innocence Project victory, it seems. Click here.

"Keep Moving Forward"

Friday night I took my yahoo's to see the new Disney animated feature Meet The Robinsons, a retro-futuristic film, that, in my mind, was a little Back To The Future-esque. It's a thrill a minute going to see a film at the theater with my guys, and when we see something as action-packed and adventurous as this one, it's an even cooler experience, it seems. I'll give my thumbs-up to the film, even if it doesn't quite reach Toy Story or Shrek status. I was much pleased with both the animation and the story line. I have to make a soul-baring confession, though. The feel-good ending got me all choked up, and when the central theme and lesson of the movie, "keep moving forward", was revealed to be drawn from a quote by my new-found hero Walt Disney, I had tears in my eyes. The movie closes with this profoud quotation:

“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”–Walt Disney

I applaud the Disney desire to motivate and encourage us to reach forward and achieve great things...this is a beautiful motive. I'm elated to see that forty years after Walt Disney's death, his great company is carrying the torch he lit onward to a new generation of young people surrounded by their own struggles and difficulties. I'm about 60% of the way through Neil Gabler's biography of Walt, and I've read time and again how he overcame great obstacles and personal hardships to create this imagination factory we still recognize today as one of the greatest companies of all time. Knowing Walt Disney was a determined, hard-working, persistent individual, quotes like the one above have an even more profound impact.

The movie began, quite interestingly, with a short of Mickey, Donald & Pluto building a boat, entitled Boat Builders (Note: this hyperlink takes you to the page on bcdb.com, which is for the "Big Cartoon Database") I've been reading about the Disney shorts and the impact they had on the world of animation, and about Mickey and the impact he's had on the world, so although I've seen a boatload of the cartoons before, I'm watching now with a brand new enthusiasm.

Mickey specifically out of all of the Disney characters seems to be the most like Walt, what with his "pluck", aw-shucks persona and win-at-all-costs determination. Also found at the beginning of this latest Disney feature was a snapshot of Mickey in Steamboat Willie. As I was driving home the other night (we watched the late show, so it was after 11 p.m.), and my boys had dozed off, I began using my imagination a bit and wondering if there wasn't something to that interesting title, "Steamboat Willie". It was the first sound cartoon to gain widespread appeal, and thus was a pioneer in the world of animation. It was also early in the rise of Mickey as a national icon, and was enjoying great success when America was nearing the unprecidented financial crisis which was the Great Depression. In my mind's eye the other night, I quickly broke down the title and realized it was made up of all kinds of "keep moving forward" ideas.

1) "Steam..." I need not go into great detail, suffice it to say one of our more recognizable motivation phrases is "full-steam ahead".

2) "...boat..." Is there a stream, a wide-river, an ocean even in your way? No fear, build a boat and float across the depths until you reach your goal on the other side.

3) "...Will..." One dictionary defines "will" as "diligent purposefulness; determination". Cliche', yes, but I still love "where there's a will, there's a way".

4) "...i..." In a time where blaming others on our problems and dire circumstances is seemingly running rampant, it's quite important to realize that if we are to make it in life, we've got to depend on ourselves. There's a lot of power in having an "I can" attitude.

5) "...e" Finish it off with a little "e for effort", and we've got ourselves a veritable motivational address in two words that's enough to fuel the fulfilment of our dreams for the rest of our days.

In spite of failures, disappointments, setbacks, hardships, & difficulties...keep moving forward.

Cayman '07 Post 7

Yeah, it was hard to sleep Thursday night, knowing that it would be my last in paradise for a while. The windows were open, the constant and stiff ocean breeze filled the rooms with a pleasant ambiance, and should’ve been just the tonic for a perfect rest. Alas, my mind would have none of it, and was actively recalling every sandy step on the beach, every salty splash of the sea, every tingle of sunshine, and every smile and nod from my fellow countrymen and the locals throughout this past week. Driving away from the resort was done with a palpable content, realizing I’ve been afforded a most enjoyable excursion that isn’t enjoyed by everyone, and for that I’m very appreciative. One last trip along the coastal highway and my level of satisfaction rose to euphoric levels…once again, windows down, music up.
Check-in at the airport after dropping off the rental car was mostly smooth, if not just a smidgeon too long and involved. I was a bit miffed about having to pull out my passport 3 times for review prior to getting back to my terminal waiting area, but hey, that’s one of the prices of freedom and protection from terror, I presume. Or, perhaps more likely, it adds to my sense of security, whether I’m actually any more safe with all of these procedures is anyone’s guess.
My first golden moment of the day was when my youngest son blurted out “Big Black Dick” loudly in the food court area of the George Town airport. I glanced over, and sure enough, he was right. Right out in the open is a 7 foot statue (pic above) of some pirate named Big Black Dick, and there’s a variety of rums that bear his name. I’d forgotten about him…my God, stop already!
A little later my 2nd “oh yeah!” moment happened, in the duty-free liquor store called “Bodden Freeport”. I walked in, and the attendant was an oriental chick. What got me was what was playing on her radio: Eric Church’s song Guys Like Me! He’s one of my fav modern country artists, and that song specifically I like to think I identify with (minus the “best blue jeans have Skoal rings” part-I’m not that tough, it seems…) I came out to my waiting spot and pulled out my DJ and plugged in the album Sinner Like Me, my first listen of this one all week long. I swiftly determined it’s a perfect soundtrack for my pre-flight home to the good ol’ Midwest of the the U.S.A. Yip, you can take the boy outta the country, but you can’t take the country outta the boy! (Man, was that cliché or what?...)
Oh, my…after going through all of the international travel procedures, we finally made it back to American soil not a moment too soon. A brief encounter with the drug-sniffing beagle (relax, by encounter I don’t mean getting caught) at Tampa caused us much amusement. I guess I expected all security dogs were supposed to look menacing, but alas, there is a job for the apparently harmless ones, too. The airport there is much roomier and modernized, with loads and loads of things to do to occupy the tedium of a layover. I had just pulled out my computer and said to myself something about there needing to be free wi-fi in places like that when, true story, I heard the tinny voice over the intercom say it was offered. I quickly jumped online and goofed off a bit…and listened to some more Eric Church.
The last leg of out return trip was fine, except the plane leaked, the furnace was stuck in the off position, and there were no free peanuts. But we made it home safely, and the trip was enjoyed by all...(Note: the pic above is from Rum Point, one of our fav haunts on our journey.)