Are you a self-described 'moderate'? Of course you are. Who isn't? Put that idea to the test with the Political Compass, and see where you stand.
I scored a -8.00 on Economics and a -7.08 on Authoritarianism, making me part of the Libertarian Left.
Your turn.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Thursday, July 21, 2005
VooDoo Geopolitics
Hey, anyone remember Jean-Bertrand Aristide? Former president of Haiti who was forced out, then restored by Clinton, then forced out again?
It seems he's still a political force on the island; so much so that his supporters are often killed for demanding his return, and then their family members put his picture on the bodies of their loved ones.
Back in 1994, President Clinton hailed Aristide's return as "the triumph of freedom over fear". Certainly the mean wasn't ideal; corruption and violence were common aspects of his regime, just as they have been for every Haitian government since the 19th century. But he was democratically elected, his alleged crimes are nothing next to the proven crimes of the gangsters running the country now, and the military junta that had held sway over Haiti for so long was finally broken. So why aren't we rushing to help him again?
Aristide currently lives in exile in South Sfrica. When asked why he lost American support, he offers three basic reasons: "Privatization, privatization, and privatization."
Back in 1994, when Aristide had already been overthrown by a US-backed coup in 1991, Clinton agreed to lend the exiled leader military support so long as he promised to embark on a policy of 'free trade' and sell off Haiti's publicly-owned utilities. Aristide swallowed most of the deal, but refused to simply privatize everything without the approval of parliament. When parliament declined to grant that permission entirely, mandating anti-trust legislation and providing each worker with a certain amount of stock, Washington went berserk. $500 million in promised loans were cut off, and money was poured into opposition groups, ultimately culminating in the February 2004 coup that drove Aristide from power again.
What has replaced him is chaos and brutality that Papa Doc would've been proud of. Despite the constant attacks, murders, extortions, and myriad other threats, the protests remain strong. Even today, crowds of Haitians fill the slums of Port-au-Prince calling for Aristide's return, protesting the privatization scheme and attackiong the proposed sham elections. Robert Noriega, assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, has said that these pro-Aristide groups are receiving their orders directly from the man himself. Aristide disagrees, saying:
It seems he's still a political force on the island; so much so that his supporters are often killed for demanding his return, and then their family members put his picture on the bodies of their loved ones.
Back in 1994, President Clinton hailed Aristide's return as "the triumph of freedom over fear". Certainly the mean wasn't ideal; corruption and violence were common aspects of his regime, just as they have been for every Haitian government since the 19th century. But he was democratically elected, his alleged crimes are nothing next to the proven crimes of the gangsters running the country now, and the military junta that had held sway over Haiti for so long was finally broken. So why aren't we rushing to help him again?
Aristide currently lives in exile in South Sfrica. When asked why he lost American support, he offers three basic reasons: "Privatization, privatization, and privatization."
Back in 1994, when Aristide had already been overthrown by a US-backed coup in 1991, Clinton agreed to lend the exiled leader military support so long as he promised to embark on a policy of 'free trade' and sell off Haiti's publicly-owned utilities. Aristide swallowed most of the deal, but refused to simply privatize everything without the approval of parliament. When parliament declined to grant that permission entirely, mandating anti-trust legislation and providing each worker with a certain amount of stock, Washington went berserk. $500 million in promised loans were cut off, and money was poured into opposition groups, ultimately culminating in the February 2004 coup that drove Aristide from power again.
What has replaced him is chaos and brutality that Papa Doc would've been proud of. Despite the constant attacks, murders, extortions, and myriad other threats, the protests remain strong. Even today, crowds of Haitians fill the slums of Port-au-Prince calling for Aristide's return, protesting the privatization scheme and attackiong the proposed sham elections. Robert Noriega, assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, has said that these pro-Aristide groups are receiving their orders directly from the man himself. Aristide disagrees, saying:
The people are bright, the people are intelligent, the people are courageous. They know that two plus two does not equal five.Maybe; but have you seen our test scores, Jean-Bertrand? Math has never been America's strong suit.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Real Men Don't Use the Treble Clef
In the grand scheme of things, this might not be very important, but it's so insanely stupid that I felt I had to bring it up:
So goodbye, David Daniels, Andreas Scholl, Angelo Manzotti , and so many others. it was fun hearing you sing 'Va Tacito', but I guess now Julius Caesar will have to be sung by a woman.
From the LA TimesAs a serious fan of classical music (including Baroque opera) I can tell you that such a decision can only stem from both a complete ignorance of musical history and an extreme paranoia about how thickness of vocal cords relates to sexuality. Also, they seem to be unaware that many high-lying Handel and Vivaldi roles are still male characters, making this whole scheme counter-productive.
Texas hits a low note
Here it is, the new definition of gender, coming to you oh-so-straight from Texas: Real boys don't sing soprano.
Boys cannot audition for soprano or alto roles in that state's All-State Choir. Girls cannot audition for tenor or bass. No matter where their talents lie.
As a result, 17-year-old Mikhael Rawls, who already has won awards for his countertenor — the male parallel to soprano — can't try out in the part where he excels.
That rule was made by the Texas Music Educators Assn. You would think music teachers would know that countertenors such as Mikhael are a widely respected part of classical music and tradition.
...
The organization says the rules prevent youngsters from damaging their voices by singing out of their appropriate ranges. They are right that kids should sing in their natural voices. For some girls, that's tenor, and for some boys, alto; for a few boys like Mikhael, it includes the high notes. He has been singing soprano parts as the only boy in his high school's a cappella choir. Boys will indeed be boys — soprano or bass.
We hope Mikhael goes on to success as a countertenor — and honors his open-minded high school by helping other young singers.
His family has been contacted by lawyers eager to file a discrimination suit. Here's the stranger part of the tale: His mother has declined, saying she doesn't think lawsuits are the right way to handle every disagreement.
To which we can say only: Bravo!
So goodbye, David Daniels, Andreas Scholl, Angelo Manzotti , and so many others. it was fun hearing you sing 'Va Tacito', but I guess now Julius Caesar will have to be sung by a woman.
Saturday, July 16, 2005
20 Books Everyone Should Read
In no particular order:
Fiction
1. Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche
Written in a fascinating, esoteric style, just beware of taking it too far.
2. Justine by the Marquis de Sade
Sometimes, goodness is not rewarded.
3. 1984 by George Orwell
Only Orwell could include an essay about oligarchic collectivism in his novel and get away with it.
4. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
5. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
6. The Once and Future King by T.H. White
7. Government by B. Traven
8. The Aeneid by Virgil
9. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
10. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Non-Fiction
1. Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell
In addition to being a gritty war memior, offers an honest, level-headed, vision of the better world that people of good will could build.
2. Anarchism by Peter Kropotkin
Clearer, wiser, and more positive than Marx, while laying out a far more workable vision of the world.
3. The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money by John Maynard Keynes
The genesis of the pro-growth, pro-planning economic model that was largely responsible for the post-WWII boom in Western prosperity.
4. Black Like Me by John Griffin
Can a white person in America ever really understand what it's like to be black? By disguising himself as one, John Griffin takes a serious step towards comprehending the race situation in America.
5. Collected Works of Robert Ingersoll
Demolishes monotheism on both moral and theological grounds, while employing both inexorable logic and unwavering humanity.
6. The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
Offers a glimpse of the vastness and complexity of life on earth. Created the biggest cracks in the facade of religious dogma since Galileo.
7. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
Establishes the basic efficiency of cooperative labor while continuing to caution against economic elitism and the then-nascent threat of corporate power.
8. The Dialectic of Sex by Shulamith Firestone
Forces one to re-consider basic questions of sexuality, parenting, and gender roles.
9. The Trial of Socrates by I. F. Stone
A stunning piece of historical scholarship as well as a re-evaluation of Socrates that could change the entire history of Western philosophy.
10. The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton et al.
Well, as long as we're here...
Also I might mention The Bible, without which one cannot undertsand Western civilization. I just didn't want to put it in 'fiction' or 'non-fiction' to avoid offense.
20 is an arbitrary number in any case.
Fiction
1. Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche
Written in a fascinating, esoteric style, just beware of taking it too far.
2. Justine by the Marquis de Sade
Sometimes, goodness is not rewarded.
3. 1984 by George Orwell
Only Orwell could include an essay about oligarchic collectivism in his novel and get away with it.
4. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
5. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
6. The Once and Future King by T.H. White
7. Government by B. Traven
8. The Aeneid by Virgil
9. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
10. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Non-Fiction
1. Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell
In addition to being a gritty war memior, offers an honest, level-headed, vision of the better world that people of good will could build.
2. Anarchism by Peter Kropotkin
Clearer, wiser, and more positive than Marx, while laying out a far more workable vision of the world.
3. The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money by John Maynard Keynes
The genesis of the pro-growth, pro-planning economic model that was largely responsible for the post-WWII boom in Western prosperity.
4. Black Like Me by John Griffin
Can a white person in America ever really understand what it's like to be black? By disguising himself as one, John Griffin takes a serious step towards comprehending the race situation in America.
5. Collected Works of Robert Ingersoll
Demolishes monotheism on both moral and theological grounds, while employing both inexorable logic and unwavering humanity.
6. The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
Offers a glimpse of the vastness and complexity of life on earth. Created the biggest cracks in the facade of religious dogma since Galileo.
7. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
Establishes the basic efficiency of cooperative labor while continuing to caution against economic elitism and the then-nascent threat of corporate power.
8. The Dialectic of Sex by Shulamith Firestone
Forces one to re-consider basic questions of sexuality, parenting, and gender roles.
9. The Trial of Socrates by I. F. Stone
A stunning piece of historical scholarship as well as a re-evaluation of Socrates that could change the entire history of Western philosophy.
10. The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton et al.
Well, as long as we're here...
Also I might mention The Bible, without which one cannot undertsand Western civilization. I just didn't want to put it in 'fiction' or 'non-fiction' to avoid offense.
20 is an arbitrary number in any case.
Monday, July 11, 2005
Why We Need to be PC
In the US, there are few things more popular to attack than 'political correctness'. I don't mean PC as simply not using a few insensitive words, but PC as some enormous left-wing conspiracy to rob people of their rights of free speech. This devilish thought-control has apparently made us into a bland, timorous nation where straight, white, Christian men are banished from the halls of power and influence to make way for the takeover of black, lesbian Wiccans.
And yet, not everything we don't like has happened because political correctness has become overwhelming. If you can believe it, some things needed changing. Alot of the 'traditions' we've kept around for the past 50 or 100 or 2,000 years were simply garbage that needed cleaning out as soon as possible. Besides, all the supposedly unassailable minorities (such as blacks, gays, Muslims, etc.) are hardly free of criticism and suspicion; while white, Christian men continue their dominance over American political and economic life.
Cries of 'PC! PC!' have become a dismal, obvious excuse for lazy racists, sexists, homophobes and sundry other bigots across the country. Yes, such people really do exist! It's almost become a sort of game; various right-wing figures try to outdo each other to make the most sweeping, offensive, unjust generalization before hiding behind the cover of 'sticking it to the PC police'. One can hardly listen to some conservatives argue for more than five minutes without hearing him (or her) lean back, sneer, and, with the air of someone revealing that ice is actually frozen water, declare "It may not be PC to say so, but..." as if that gave them free reign to say absolutely anything, no matter how stupid or untrue.
Just browsing around on FreeRepublic as I sometimes do (though I don't reccomend it to anyone else) I find two accusations of 'PC liberal trash'. One involved Philadelphia public schools requiring a course on black history, and another involved the banning of a poster who had submitted an article supporting the theory of global warming. Heavens! Teaching science? Learning about black history? In America? What a crazy idea!
Political correctness, like any good cause, can be exploited. Yet its aim remains to challenge the idea that the things some people are used to are somehow sacred or 'traditional' and therefor immune to change just because we haven't had the sense or the courage to do something about it.
And yet, not everything we don't like has happened because political correctness has become overwhelming. If you can believe it, some things needed changing. Alot of the 'traditions' we've kept around for the past 50 or 100 or 2,000 years were simply garbage that needed cleaning out as soon as possible. Besides, all the supposedly unassailable minorities (such as blacks, gays, Muslims, etc.) are hardly free of criticism and suspicion; while white, Christian men continue their dominance over American political and economic life.
Cries of 'PC! PC!' have become a dismal, obvious excuse for lazy racists, sexists, homophobes and sundry other bigots across the country. Yes, such people really do exist! It's almost become a sort of game; various right-wing figures try to outdo each other to make the most sweeping, offensive, unjust generalization before hiding behind the cover of 'sticking it to the PC police'. One can hardly listen to some conservatives argue for more than five minutes without hearing him (or her) lean back, sneer, and, with the air of someone revealing that ice is actually frozen water, declare "It may not be PC to say so, but..." as if that gave them free reign to say absolutely anything, no matter how stupid or untrue.
Just browsing around on FreeRepublic as I sometimes do (though I don't reccomend it to anyone else) I find two accusations of 'PC liberal trash'. One involved Philadelphia public schools requiring a course on black history, and another involved the banning of a poster who had submitted an article supporting the theory of global warming. Heavens! Teaching science? Learning about black history? In America? What a crazy idea!
Political correctness, like any good cause, can be exploited. Yet its aim remains to challenge the idea that the things some people are used to are somehow sacred or 'traditional' and therefor immune to change just because we haven't had the sense or the courage to do something about it.
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