How To Have Grit

It pisses me off to read non-critical criticism (I know...) from old moronic slaves, who dare pretend to represent other people. Today, I ran into the title "Young lack the grit to get jobs." In other words, here's another person blaming the children on the mistakes of adults.

This critical article from News Frames, said exactly what I thought, but did not say what I feel. I feel cheated.

I feel cheated by the previous generations; those who are still alive and working to harm the younger generation. Our parents and our grandparents. They have cheated us out of our natural liberties and choices. They are cheating us out of our happiness and wishes.

My young generation, and the one to follow, suffer the tyranny and abuse of previous generations. The excuse we hear, of course, is that they "were treated badly, so nothing else could be expected" of them. If that is so, then...

The round table of law must sit the wise among our young,
instead of the durable among our old.

If we cannot expect anything good out of our formers, then we cannot trust our lives into their hands. All governing bodies and the ruling intelligentsia must be replaced by our generation, without an overlap period. After all, training under those who are inherently wrong, will only harm the fresh minds of the young.

The generation that does not suffer war, poverty, hunger and idiocy, must take charge and responsibility. Only those who are not broken can help repair this mess we call modern culture.

FacePlus? GoogleBook? What?

I have recently decided to become more active on my Google Plus account.

Originally, I started with Facebook, like most people, and had enjoyed it thoroughly. I still do, actually. It is a great website to keep after old relationships, global friends, share photos and meet strange people in regard to strange personal hobbies. I like sharing with people and talking about life! :=D

So, what is up with Google Plus? Am I supposed to copy everything from my FB account over to G+? That does not make sense. So, I did not.

These days, I use my G+ account for more professional, business-like relations. For example, I make connections with people who do similar work to what I do. Blogging, writing, eBook authoring and general brave entrepreneurship. It is fun!

But, I still use FB for my more general hobbies, such as trolling (for humor! not for the actual badgering of people!), personal friends and random bits of philosophy. It is sort of like my practice ground, before I dare publish odd things into this blog, for your respected eyes to read.

Well portrayed... I'd give kudos if I knew who is the artist!

So, what is the deal with all those socializing websites?

The Case For Responsibility

I personally feel that the most important and practical debate of the Twenty-First(21st) Century is that of Responsibility.

What is there to discuss about Responsibility?

Responsibility, as an ideology or idea, is horribly misrepresented in modern culture, all over the world. I suspect that the number one cause for all harm and discontent to people, today, is the misunderstanding of Responsibility.

Responsibility is the amount of interest a person has towards anything that can be defined, including objects, people, events or ideas. The content of such responsibility is subjective and ever changing.

Responsibility is only relevant when there is conflict.

Conflict can be inside of the person or between people. In any case, when there is conflict, then it is immensely valuable to figure out who is responsible for what, exactly.

The process of thinking that follows, is such that asks the following questions:

Why is this important to me?

How important is this to me?

What can I lose if I do not take care of this?

What can I lose if I do take responsibility for this?

Who else is responsible for this?

What am I willing to do to take responsibility for this?

What can I gain if I take responsibility for this?

And more.

The results of not taking care of our Responsibilities is horrendous.

Either, by letting the wrong people take over our own responsibilities, or by neglecting to take care of them ourselves, or by not realizing our responsibilities, or by wrongly evaluating the importance of our responsibilities, we bring about results that are bad for both ourselves and others.

An example from one end of the scale is that of the government. Having a governing body take care of responsibilities that are our own, leads to dissatisfaction and conflict. Eventually, it leads to having those governors force us into compliance, simply because we were not willing to take responsibility for our own. Giving a stranger power over us and then arguing that they are abusing that power is illogical. It is simply our fault.

From the other end of the scale, there is the example of personal neglect. Instead of taking care of ourselves, mentally, physically and socially, we blame conditions and others for our problems. It is evident that self-care, such as exercise and education, is a personal responsibility. Nobody wants to be liable for the personal development of another person, who is not their child, except when they accept payment for it.

Responsibility is a subjective, personal, private experience, which is reliant on personal characteristics that change all the time.

Just as it is impossible to directly force an emotion on another person, so it is impossible to directly force responsibility on another person. While it is possible to manipulate another person into feeling an emotion or accepting a responsibility, it is not a direct action, but rather a costly and risky manipulation.

However, responsibility is very flexible. We can share responsibility and enjoy cooperation. Or, we can have negating responsibilities and endure competition.

To clarify the practical uses of responsibility in our daily lives, let us take two situations. Each, with its' own degree of responsibility.

If I were to have a child of my own, then both me and the mother would be responsible for the well-being of that child. Normally, parents feel very strongly towards their children. This means that we will both feel great responsibility towards that child. Also, this will mean that any inability we show in taking care of that child will reflect very badly on us in society.

On the other hand, responsibility can be a very minor and personal issue. If I were to plant an apple tree and let it be, and another person would have an apple fall and hit their head, then I could be considered liable for that incident. Obviously, such a minor incident would not bring public attention to me, nor would that person have a strong case against me, for having that apple fall there and then.

To conclude, our priorities reflect our responsibilities. Whenever it seems that our situation is lacking or wrong, then it is evident that our priorities are somehow not correct, and so we are simply not taking responsibility where and when we should.

This is the first of many notes I have begun working on in private. For my next post on this, I will discuss Responsibility versus Ownership, as ideologies and as practical thinking strategies. It will be very relevant to all freedom lovers! Beware, Libertarians and Anarchists!

Science-Fiction & Fantasy In Contemporary Life

Popular Animated Modern Fiction Is Often Creepy,
But It Certainly Ain't Depressing!

Have you ever felt like reality could benefit, a lot, from all those fiction stories surrounding us all?

Surely, many fiction tales touch the dread in our hearts that the future may come and with it an unstoppable horror. Stories like 1984 and I, Robot raise both interest and worry about the inevitable.

But, whoa there just a minute! How come those far in between and few stories get all the rap? While, every fiction lover out there knows just how much more vast and meaningful non-moralistic fiction stories are in modern literature. I mean, most fiction stories tell us of legions of good ideas for the future, regardless of ethics.

Definitely, they too have conflict in them, as this attracts the mind and thus the reader. Beyond having the common story-telling tricks, though, most fiction stories do not predict a 'Hell on Earth' - or outside of Earth, for that matter.

For example, stories such as The Foundation series by Isaac Asimov and Have Space Suit—Will Travel together with Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein, tell us of mesmerizing pseudo-futures without bowing down to nihilism or to fatalism. The list of fiction stories that demonstrate, in our imaginations, the endless possibilities of the future, are that part with greater mass, in all readers' minds and hearts.

This concludes my rap about the real vibe of fiction books.

You Grok That?

HIS ENERGY LEVEL IS AT FIVE THOUSAND!!!

Woohoo, my rather cutsie blog has finally reached the 5k unique viewers mark!

Celebrations do apply... *ehm* So, do send me a tenner(10$) and email me for a topic of your choice for the next post! The sending by Paypal option is on the left, by the way.

Happy dawg is happy!

Only The Wise Person Is Good

And the stupid person is bad. Let us clarify!

I have always liked the infamous quote, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Other versions go something like this:

"Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works." - Variation

"L'enfer est plein de bonnes volontés et désirs." - Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

"Facilis descensus Averno." - Virgil's Aeneid

What does this mean?

If a person's view of what is good or right is such that it ignores other people's views, then by necessity, that person will harm those others. This is, because being considerate of other people requires the use of empathy and sympathy based on information. When a person bases their feelings on personal opinion, then their actions ignore the will of others.

In other words, a person who is ignorant of the will (even opinion) of others, is bound to create conflict between themselves and those others, eventually and often.

How can a person take others into consideration without knowing what they think?

No person can take others into account, without knowing them properly. It is true that some things seem easily generalized. Noticeable examples would be the need for food and water, hygiene and the company of others. Never the less, beyond the very basic needs, without proper communication, there is no way to avoid the conflict of wills.

This is why we have the Golden Rule in its' variations:

"己所不欲，勿施於人。" – Confucius

"Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss." – Laozi

"Do not do to your neighbor what you would take ill from him." – Pittacus

Do notice that I take only the versions that use negation. I do not think that a person who chooses to harm themselves should harm others, likewise.

Pittacus would agree!

Freedom Versus Liberty

Am I free to do as I wish?

No. The answer is always no. There are degrees of freedom to every person, and these are defined by natural and social pressures. A person cannot be completely free, and just the same a person cannot be completely without freedom. We always have a choice, even if that choice is not to our liking.

What is liberty, then?

Both words mean freedom, but liberty is used in connotation with persecution and defense. To have liberty is to be without persecution. To have no unfriendly forces putting pressure on your choices. We can either be with liberty or without it. Unlike freedom, liberty has no degrees. A liberated people have no enemies forcing their choices.

Can I be both free and liberated?

Yes. While we cannot force our enemies into surrender, and thus changing their opinions of us, we can find ways to make their efforts not worthwhile. Being liberated from external social forces, by design, now we maximize our freedoms. Being free means to feel that your most important choices are your own; including daily actions, social interactions, professional work and self-care. A liberated people can continue to design their environment, so that not only liberty is kept, but also that individual freedoms are enhanced.

How can a people enhance their freedom, then?

Just as we would put a fence (a physical negative incentive) to keep aggressors at bay, we would also put social rewards (a social positive incentive) to encourage non-aggressive behavior within our friendly circles. The former, making unwelcome outsiders feel that handling the fence is not worthwhile the catch beyond that fence. The latter, making valuable friends and family encouraged to behave positively by rewarding them constantly - not by agreement, but by emotional reward.

A romantic fantasy...

Free to live as you wish with all that you need,
while kept Liberated from aggressors in a remote and inaccessible place.

Pull Myself Up To The Bar

I will not forget those people who live on trees.

I have recently purchased a pull up bar. The kind that attaches to the door frame with vacuum.

That's not me! But, it's the same idea.
I really need a camera for this blog...

I have had the fortune to spend some time studying Anthropology. During that short period, I could not avoid seeing just how much the environment affects people. I have noticed how human bodies are shaped according to their use. While most tribes seemed to be generally healthy and in shape, their physique was somehow not very attractive. I could not quite point out what was incorrect about their shape, until I saw the Korowai tribe!

These folk climb trees every day.
They live in tree houses. How awesome is that?!

I have yet to see tribal people with such a well formed physique, all around.

I know that most tribal people are rather active and healthy, and so there is no claim that the Korowai are somehow "stronger." What I have noticed is that when people have a lot of climbing in their daily lives, then their upper-bodies are better formed. This gives a well-balanced structure to the body.

So, together with general fitness, examples such as these have given me a lot of encouragement to include climbing, or just pull ups, in my daily routine. And I have to say - it works! (I promise a photo in the near future!)

Koan

Two feet clap and make a sound; what is the sound of one foot?

*LOL* White people meditating.

Wine, Pizza & National Parks

It is just another lovely autumn evening, as I look outside my window and imagine all the endless possibilities out there. "If only I could have some land to live and farm on," I think to myself.

It is not reasonable that all public lands are in the hands of national park services. There are very few people who would actually want to farmstead in small communities, without harming the natural environment, as it has existed for thousands of years. Us few, and enjoyable folk, should have access to the wild. Those lands that are neglected by the national park services.

My first note is that national park services mistreat and doom our natural environment to desolation. The process of desertification and loss of wildlife has been running amok, ever since those guys took over. Many animals that are recorded in the pages of history, even from only a century ago, are already gone or quickly vanishing. This is true worldwide!

My second note, which casually leans on the first, is that ecologically inclined people, also known as local (non-industrial) farmers, are exactly what our environment needs! Regular people, without the use of massive industrial machinery and pollutants, have kept nature in a balanced and lush state, since time immemorial.

I believe in nut & fruit orchards, just like I believe in good food.

Just think about it. People farmed the land, in many different ways, for millennia, and no major ecological distastes happened. It is true that many empires slowly and dreadfully destroyed native forests, for example, in the Mediterranean area. Never the less, even then all that was lacking was the replanting of trees; exactly what farmers are doing now, in some areas, sometimes with government support and funds (Some time ago, I saw a good example on video about China.)

So, it is about time that states the world over started getting their ecology into perspective, and returned the wild back to the hands of the simple farmers. Back to the hands of those that can really serve the wild, unlike the National Park Services.

Satoshi Kon's Tokyo Godfathers

An emotionally touching animated movie with a truly complex and brilliant storyline.

Tokyo Godfathers - "Three homeless people find an abandoned baby on Christmas eve!"

Satoshi Kon, the anime director behind Paranoia Agent, Perfect Blue, Paprika and other brilliant productions, has definitely hit the mark with this title, as well.

In The Internet, People Photoshop You!

This kind and brave lady decided to ask people, online, to edit her background. Apparently, she found the wallpaper boring.

Original Photo.

You can check out all the funny variations over here:
http://theskunkpot.com/index.php/girl-asks-the-internet-to-photoshop-a-better-background/

Made me giggle. :=D

Google Blog Search

During my daily routine of finding interesting conversations on the web, for the sake of spreading my name and ideas to the world, and also for my own education, I ran into this:

It appears that Google has a separate search page for blogs. How intriguing!

If you have a suggestion for any website, where I can find interesting conversations about life, adventures, freedom, arts or anything creative, at all, then click on the "comment" link below (the text changes, but it always has the word "comment" in it!) and tell me about it.

Anyways, I am off to roam again. Cheers.

Logical Thinking And Productivity

Let us start with the conclusion:

There need be a balance between logical thinking and intuitive thinking, in order to achieve a regular and useful rate of productivity.

Now that it is out of our hair, let us talk a bit about the reasons behind this statement.

Random lady presents: Unintuitive Logic!

Logical thinking is a very powerful tool. It lets us deduce conclusion about situations that cannot be intuitively understood. Also, it lets us understand problems faster than we would otherwise, in constructed environments. Meaning, environments that are constructed by identifiable parts; not an urban lot.

Intuitive thinking lets us figure our way through situations, where we simply do not have enough information available to us, to calculate anything useful. Our intuition is an interesting mixture of memories and thoughts that combine, as to give us hints about life. These are sort of   red alerts  in our mind that announce anything that resembles our previews experiences, or any information that is coded into our DNA.

It is evident that sometimes we are reliant upon logic, for the benefit of predicting the results of interactions. It is less evident that we are reliant upon intuition, to act wisely. The latter is, due to intuition being so obvious that we simply do not notice it.

This is how I intuit modern culture.

Modern culture encourages us to think logically, rather than intuitively. This is a fallacy, which makes no sense in practice. Intuitive behavior is so prominent in us, that we are bound to choose intuition over logic in almost anything we do. Nobody actually thinks everything they do through, logically. We are not born that way, neither are we raised that way. Never the less, we do have the responsibility to choose between logic and intuition, whenever the occasion arises.

An easy to understand example, would be to assume intuitive thinking upon the construction of any modern instrument. Ten out of ten engineers would agree that, without proper study and application, this will fail miserably. It would not be practical, if not even dangerous to the practitioner.

A harder to understand example, in the case of assuming logical behavior on a person, would leave us wanting. Predicting what people do, when you interact with them, is not likely. While we do have interesting generalized statistics about certain conditions, in which people interact, we do not have anything so reliable that we would risk our lives upon its' predictability. Airplanes rely on engineering, for flight, and not on the mood or opinion of the captain.

People intuit emotions. Even angry babies do.

Update! Top Navigation Options & Donations!

If you enjoy my blog or any of my posts, then please help support this enterprise by buying your own post!

Look at the left menu and locate the Buy Now button. You can select either of the three available options:
1. Buy one post of any topic you want me to discuss.
2. Buy two posts of any topic you want me to discuss.
3. Buy an interview post, in which I will interview you personally about any topic of your liking.

Navigation Menu!

^ This ain't it! It's just an image!

My more veteran readers will notice three new navigation options, between the title and posts section: Muse, Mind & Mastery. I have decided to categorize my blog in those three general terms, not excluding other minor tags, for easier navigation.

If you feel like bathing in random emotions, then go ahead and check out the Muse section, for posts about art, creativity and inspirational messages.

Otherwise, if you would prefer more intellectual content, then go ahead and check the Mind section, for posts about philosophical arguments and a variety of interesting ideas to ponder and debate.

Still, if you would simply rather catch up on my latest scheme, then the Mastery section is for you. There, you can read about my latest ventures in life, be they virtual or material. This also generally includes How To's and different useful practical tidbits.

The Society For The Study Of Modern Visual Culture

Also known as Genshiken in popular manga and anime fan circles.

It's like Seinfeld, in that it's a series about nothing in particular.

I am enjoying the Nidaime season of the anime - which, confusingly enough, translates as "Second Semester," as far as my Japanese goes - and which is after the Genshiken 2 series! So, mind your chronication.

I often ask myself, why is it that I watch a series that is, to a far extent, ridiculous? I mean, the ideas presented are far from reflecting reality, nor are the events in it very sensible to a real person. So, why do I bother with a farce? Why do I enjoy being lied to?

Well, without going too far with the judgementalism thing, I feel that it would be fare to say that people watch these series, because they give us things that we are missing in our own life. A sense of adventure and comradry. Romance. The idea that people can express their own unique and often extremely unpopular opinions, without being viciously attacked by their peers.

It is easy to judge myself, for not demanding, from myself, all those things that I know I lack. But, it is neither fair not smart to do so. We can only affect our lives to a small extent, beyond which only compromise and patience remain tools of value.

So, while I continue enjoying impossibly idealistic and romantic notions, it is safe to say that I am lucky to have it as a second hand experience, rather than not have it at all, in my life. :-)

Hurray for Otaku!

The beginning is confusing and strange, but worry not, it is the real thing.
Enjoy episode 1:

Let Us Take A Single Step Further

Or, as I have originally referred to this post in my head:
Why Do All Ideologies Not Work?

First, let us start by briefly defining what an ideology is, in practice.

An ideology is a set of logical rules, vis-à-vis "ideas," that we choose to live by. In other words, my ideology represents the perspective I have on life. More often than not, I would refer to my ideology, in order to decide my actions, rather than describe my ideology by reviewing my past choices.

We develop an ideology as a strategy to cope rapidly with challenges. Having a pre-made set of rules that we feel are safe to follow, lets us worry less and achieve more. This, of course, does not mean that we have more success in life - but, rather that we feel a sense of steady progress and stability. Important things to have!

So, why does having an ideology not work?

Funny drawings are great at giving us a break, while reading a long post.

Well, I do not want to drive anybody to extremes. Having an ideology, in the sense that I have an idea or a set of ideas, is not a bad thing. We all have ideas, after all. We only face a conflict, if our idea of life does not represent our own experience of life.

For example, if I find it important to have a romantic partner (spouse), and upon examination I see that I have no such person in my life, then I will reveal an internal conflict. Like in any conflict, I then have to choose to either pursue my goal or to give up on it.

If, on the one hand, I choose to pursue it, then I might do so without really asking myself, whether this goal is worthwhile. It just might be that at my current situation in life, having a spouse is not a good idea. Harmful, even.

Yoga works. It just does. Even though it looks silly.

On the other hand, if I let go of this idea, then I can feel I am missing out on something big. It would take soul searching for a resolution, and that may take more time than I am willing to spend. It is not easy to resolve internal conflicts, because they are internal, and thus not available for outward examination. People often recommend writing your thoughts down, exactly for this purpose.

Ideas are a great occupation. I love ideas! Most people do. Maybe some few silent hermits - not so much. Ideas let us review life inside our own minds. Ideas let us understand life better. Deeper. With more meaning.

Ideas, dangerously enough, are also infectious and addictive. We fall prey to ideas all the time. Holding onto an idea that does not work for us, is a sure recipe for hurt and failure. That is why, having a full set of ideas that are interconnected - an ideology, is many times more dangerous. We can find ourselves trapped in our own minds.

To conclude this idea, this individual idea that decided to stand up against all those groups of ideas out there, remember this:

If you have two ideas and they are in conflict, because life disagrees with your current perspective, then simply put them aside and find a new idea that works for you.

It is as simple as that. Take a step backwards and review everything, again.

Conversations With An Anarchist Soldier 2 - Far From The Border

This post is the second part to Conversations With An Anarchist Soldier. If you have not read it yet, then please do so, even briefly. Otherwise, this post will not make much sense to you.

My mom called a friend, who knew a rather high ranking officer, in one of the bigger military bases in central Israel. He gave me a quick interview, a private one, and let me join his little section of army life.

Today, I would refer to the job I got as "assistant clerk to officer of education and parties." It sounds like a fun title, but I can guarantee that it was nothing more than pushing papers and missing on sleeping and living time. Basically, I was drafted to co-clerk the desk of some less-important officer.

Being a computers specialist by hobby, I volunteered to do technical jobs for them. I even got the rare opportunity to work on their public-relations website, which entertained a well known actress, commonly known as "Roni Superstar." Most folk do not believe this real story, anyway, but I can testify to spending alone time with her. She was good company. :-D And I will say no more.

My five(5) month service as a clerk was heavy on my conscious. I went for a jog almost daily, just to keep my energy levels up. Waking up in the early mornings, sometimes near dawn, just to serve a meaningless purpose in the army, was far from fulfillment. I was forced to shave and cut my hair short. I wore the same green uniform that everybody else wore. It felt like pretending to be real soldiers. The army is more than just a duty in Israel. It is an ideology and a social trend. If you are not in, then you are out.

Finally, I could not ignore the fact that I was wasting my life away, due to cowardice and conformity. I stopped forcing my superfluous exercise regime and went to speak with the army shrink. That is how most people get out of the army. You simply insist that you are not suitable for service, psychologically. It has become a sort of art form in itself, in our country; but, in reality it is often just being extremely real and open in front of that stranger, who calls himself a doctor. That is what I did, and after a month's time, he accepted that I was not suitable to be a soldier boy.

It is true, you know. I am far from suitable to serve under others. I am a rebel by nature; unable to live a lie and treat life as if it were a game. I am made of what all entrepreneurs and adventurers are made from: Guts!

I imagine that most who fantasize about army life, dream about intense combat situations of Bad versus Good. Maybe, even those who would like to support the soldiers as clerks, dream of a job full of justice and loyalty. Those things, whether you are an infantry soldier or a clerk, are very rare in reality. Most of the work is just dragging yourself daily doing menial chores. It is cheap and socially popular slavery in the name of security. Nothing less, nothing more. There are no heroes in the military; only regular occupied people.

So, while I do admit to meeting some very interesting people during my service, none of whom have I kept contact with, this confession is as accurate as I can write. My purpose in sharing this with my readers is to show another perspective on life. My own unique perspective. It is why I write this blog.

These couple of posts are very special to me, because I had not planned on sharing my rather miserable history in the army; it is not something to recollect without discomfort. Then, in doing so, I have made this blog - and you my readers - that much more part of who I am.

Please, feel free to ask me questions in the comments! I will do my best to expand on all these events.

Conversations With An Anarchist Soldier

Traveling through North Western Europe by hitchhiking encouraged me to have personal conversations with different people. One of those people was Christian. A middle-aged traveling Anarchist.

Christian told me about his history in Germany. Back in his youth, I guess about forty(40) years ago, he was issued a draft into the army. That was back when they had mandatory army service. He told me about how he came to the conclusion that killing people and following commands as a soldier would be wrong. That he did not and does not support what they do, and do not believe in their ways.

After he was finished sharing his short history and origins as an anarchist, I told him how much trouble I had went through, when I decided to go against the Israeli army, after being drafted. Unlike a pacifist, who fends off the draft ahead of time, I was not decided on how I felt. So, when my parents pushed me to join the army, I went along.

Big mistake. Well, it was an adventure, and I did learn a lot about the insides of the dysfunctional military complex. It is always useful to know things first hand, especially if you decide to do anything about it, later on.

My journey inside the Israeli Army started by being drafted into boot camp for infantry. We ran and we shouted and we had long guns. We shot them, too. I did not feel anything about it, until I had a chance to speak with a guy who did this routine before me. He was from a couple drafts ago, so he had already seen and done quite a lot. Things move very rapidly, when you just join the army. They do not give you a moments' rest nor a full night's sleep.

He was injured from their routine. I am a curious guy, so I asked him about how it was like in their situation. What I heard brought me back into reality. Confrontations with Arabic civilians, and military training that guarantees serious injuries. Spending endless days in remote hell-holes without any purpose, but to be a watch dog that bites criminals and innocents alike.

I did not like what I heard. The emotion inside of me that goes against all that is hateful, harmful and ignorant rang loud and clear. The following day, I felt unwell and insisted that I cannot join the morning routine. Instead of sending me to the camp doctor, I received endless threats and was eventually just ignored, in my bunk - in the desert. As an added bonus, the other cadets were encouraged to taunt me, and so I was verbally bullied for the rest of my stay.

This reaffirmed my suspicion, that being humane or sensible are not army values. It was a couple of amusing weeks that followed actually, as I simply roamed the camp with a friend, who was unwilling to cooperate, as well. He was from a religious background, but was forced into the army, anyway. Naturally, everything and anything was foreign and harmful to him in the army, so his response was expected. In my case, I was simply considered spoiled. We messed around with people and stuff in the camp and did things that might get me in trouble if I published, while still living in this country. That is what happens when people ignore you, instead of work with you. You become free and troublesome.

Eventually, our time had come, and we had some higher up officer sentence both of us to the same punishment. Eight(8) days in army jail, with the first night under arrest, which was, in all practicality, a tight dungeon. Not very friendly, but we were still cheerful. The real shock came when they took us in a small truck without windows, with all the other soldier prisoners smoking heavily inside, to the central jail facility. You can imagine how quickly I got used to cigarette smoke, even being a non-smoker, before that.

In jail, they made us wear prison uniforms - amusingly, they were old USA military uniforms - and they made us do chores, for most of the day, every day, but Saturday. Labor camp by Jews and for Jews. It is not for nothing that people use the term Judeonazi on many Israelis.

I had two memorable events in jail. One, was a thug trying to force me into giving him my cigarette allowance. Yes, we had cig' allowances every day or so. Not being a smoker, I just gave it away to the guy who came in with me. The thug, on my second day, approached and put his arm over me - in a "friendly" manner. I think I surprised him to no end by immediately reaching over with my own arm. I explained that I do not smoke and that my cig's are with my friend, and that he is free to share them. I was left alone after that.

The other event taught me a lot about totalitarian regimes. I spent too long on the can, doing the infamous "number two", which we all do daily. By "too long" I mean that the guy watching over me said that I need to get out, and I responded by saying that I am not ready. To my horror, I was facing the jail judge the very next day. A twenty-something year old girl in officer uniform. She was planning on giving me more time in jail, just because she felt I was being rude. I admit that I can be a very rude person, in general, but I still felt that forcing jail-time on me was harsh.

Luckily, this ended without incident, as my mom came to my help and talked with the officer, by phone, about not extending my stay. She gave some medical excuse and I was forgiven and forgotten. I found myself working the rest of my days there, by washing everyone's dishes by day, and by doing tower-watch by night. That is, watching so that nothing goes through the jail fence. It was an urban area.

After that wild month or so in the army, learning what being infantry is all about, under the misguided advice of my parents, I agreed to be drafted again. This time, into clerical duty.

Tomorrow, I will continue this historical post about being a clerk in the army, and reach the conclusion of one of my very first wild adventures, as an adult in society.

The Global Internal Revenue Service Of The USA

The Americans strike again! This time, they strike at everyone!

"Tax Information Incomplete" My Ass!

Quoting from Amazon, again:

The U.S. IRS requires Amazon to collect 30% from royalty payments issued to non-U.S. entities. The tax withholding will automatically be deducted from your royalties when they are paid.

The same is true for the other big, and previously useful, eBooks website Smashwords:

If you reside outside the US, your Smashwords earnings are subject to a 30% tax withholding, mandated by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

So, it appears that the attack on the Internet and our informational liberties is still ongoing, even if we do not actually live in the USA. Simply because the USA is currently a host to some of the biggest online companies. I have a feeling that this will rapidly change.

Now, I must bother to move my eBooks over to somewhere, that does not collect taxes for a country I do not reside in, nor am a citizen of. I have been searching around for a website that is relatively popular, yet is not USA based. Interestingly enough, the Kobo website, which appears to be based in Japan, looks promising! Got to love those Japanese, eh!

As a post script, I will mention that certain countries are able to get certain tax reductions, towards the 20% and 10% rates. So, if you feel stuck with a USA based website, then at least, you can bother and have your taxes reduced.

Better Have Extreme Politics

We all seem to have two options in life. On one end of the scale, we have security and safety. On the other, we have freedom and liberty. Naturally, there are endless variations of the two, as it were, balancing the scale in different ways.

Extreme politicians for extreme politics!

The Socialist state is one where everyone takes responsibility over everyone else. That is the idea, anyhow. In practice, it means that everybody is taxed aplenty, in order to equalize society, financially, as much as possible. Some may see it as unfair, but they would not usually be the ones who direly need the resources.

The Libertarian state is one where each takes responsibility for his own, and any social connection is either voluntary or incidental in nature. In practice, people tend to network more often than not, and so it would result in different areas with changing social rules, laws and accepted practices; not to mention unaccepted practices.

Each has its' faults. A Socialist society, while quite comfortable to live in, can be socially exhausting and extremely constrictive. A Libertarian society, while quite liberal in personal choices, can be disorganized and harsh on the unlucky; even if it is less brains than luck, in many cases.

Towards which end of the scale would you lean and why? Comment below!

For me, it is not so much a matter of moralistic ideology, as it is a practical ideology. I would lean strongly towards a Libertarian society. The risks are obvious, and we all suffer the stupidity of those in riches and power, on a daily basis. Never the less, I feel that freedom is a pain worth suffering, if only to enjoy that feeling, that really everything is possible.

The freedom to roam and do and try!

    The liberty to fail and hurt and cry!

I hope I do not come out as too much of an Emo! Hahaha

Keeping Warm At Night

Now, I know, every so often I post some personal post, supposedly out of nowhere. I am a conscious Extremist and a self-proclaimed Adventurer, so bear with me. :=D

Autumn, also known as the Fall season, is upon us, here in the Northern Hemisphere of Planet Earth. Chilly nights and more frequent rains are expected, for many of us, in temperate climates. With this, I would like to discuss keeping warm at night and during sleep.

And don't forget to keep chic!

Every time the weather changes, I am reminded just how precarious it is, to let the body lose its' natural warmth. After a couple of cold nights and rather bad sleep, I have pulled out my pajama (just sweat shirt and pants, really) from the closet, once more. Ahh, how cuddly!

We may not always notice it, but our sleep and health can quickly deteriorate, when the body is not kept warm during sleep. It is the most important time of all to protect ourselves. Sleep is when we heal and rejuvenate from our daily efforts.

With that said, we should always keep a healthy airflow through our closed spaces, so it is better to wear more and cuddle, then to shut the windows completely, and suffocate!

So, as a short reminder, keep warm and dress well for your sleep. It is, after all, an important social event, between you and your dreams. ;-}

FIX: Google Chrome Stops Rendering Pages

By chance, I have discovered a quick-fix to the notorious Chrome (Web Browser) issue with some computers, where it simply stops rendering pages, and usually displays blank/white backgrounds without any visible content.

Techno Art!

The Fix:

Simply press F12 to open the DevTools menu. This appears to refresh the browser's renderer, and thus restores everything to right. No restart necessary or any crashes happening.

Anyways, it works well for me, so I hope others can enjoy the benefit! Comment and share, if this works for you, too!

How To Mind Control A Cat

Step one, touch the cat's nose.

Step two, blow on the cat's face.

Step three, say "meow", and then hiss at the cat, while still touching its' nose.

If you have managed all of the above, then you have mastered the art of cat mind control, also publicly abbreviated as CMC.

I know I am far from being the only cat owner on the planet.

Well, I can't really call it ownership, eh. It is more like "living with a cat."

I did not even adopt her. She adopted me. Came to my window one day; I keep an open window.

She was just a pup (sorry, dog person) and was kinda cute, so I let her fuzz about.

I suspect that her mother brought her over. Another, older looking, white cat tailed behind her, quietly watching.

It sure can be hard, being a cat.

How I Learned To Be Hungry

At the tender age of twenty(20), I started taking interest in my diet, as a particular. Before then, I mostly bothered with avoiding the "really bad" items, like Coke Inc. sodas and McBlurghs.

You see, it is a funny thing, but I was actually raised on those two seemingly friendly corporations. We always had Coca Cola in the fridge, growing up, and it was not a rare event for us to get eat at the local Burger King. Oh, memories...

(A couple paragraphs about my childhood... Skip it if you can't bother...)
Now, surprisingly, already as children, both me and my older brother started condemning our parents for smoking. We were raised on certain values, such as the nineties(90's) American television, and we did not really have other sources of acculturation. It did not take much, from that act, to turn against Coke. Such consuming habits (pun intended) were bad for people, and we saw the truth in that; even if it was coated with zeal and general morality on the TV.

Eventually, I noticed myself becoming more fat than I wanted to be, as a kid that watched a lot of WWF and NWN wrestling and valued physical aesthetics. I realized that it was not just "bad" consumables that were hurting people, but it was a greater issue to observe and examine. At that point, I started noticing my diet, and reduced specific items, such as Peanut snacks ("Shoosh") and pita bread (that extremely doughy bread, if you've ever seen one.) It worked.
(End of childhood bit.)

As an older teenager, looking for more excitement and understanding, I learned of vegetarianism and veganism. I took the time to experiment with different foods, that I would either reduce and avoid or introduce and increase. I decided to completely embrace a 99.9% vegetarian diet, and eventually vegan, at about twenty(20).

Joel Salatin knows how it feels like, to be a hungry farmer.

In recent years, after much learning from experience, I have come to the conclusion, that while I do support the moral issue of killing or mistreating animals for food (or otherwise), I do not feel that I would rather starve, than feed on others. A year with hippie anarchists in nature, with very little food, and also a lot of adventures, in both East and West, has taught me the value of eating what is available.

Only recently, have I really learned the meaning of being hungry. Do not get me wrong now, I had many occasions in which I was famished, but managed with the little bread and fruit that were available. But, that only worked when I was living an abnormal (and generally unsustainable) life style. I feel that the excitement kept me going, mostly.

So, to conclude, while a person can survive on less, at least more often than not; it does seem apparent, that living hungry is not pleasant or wanted. These days, at twenty-six(26), I am still 99% vegetarian, but I eat cheese regularly to keep full, and even some eggs.

Eating the flesh of animals is still not attractive for me, morally, so I avoid it; but, I do get those little tidbits here and there, when they are made available.

What about road kill and moral corpse consumption?

Honestly, I have to agree that it is moral to eat it, if you found it dead. However, it would not be so, if you know that its' death had anything to do with you being hungry.

I imagine a farmer, keeping an eye out for fresh corpses, to quickly process for eating and storage. It might not be sexy, but hunger does not seem to care about aesthetics.

We Aren't Over Populated, We Are Over Urbanized

I would like to suggest the simple idea, that over-population can only exist within cities, and cannot exist outside of a city.

Let us examine the facts.

1. Outside of cities, there are fewer people.

2. Cities are constructed in such a way, so that they can handle more people than can be sustained from the land.

3. Cities must be hierarchical, for the control of their limited resources. An unorganized city would not be a city, at all.

4. In the wild, the survival of people depends on their personal or community's ability to sustain itself.

Take a look at the map. Compare urban areas to rural areas, and then to non-settled areas. It is painfully obvious that over-population exists strictly and only inside cities.

Depicting Manhattan before urbanization.

Other than personal conflicts between peoples, without the utilization of cities, there would be no instigator to the many hazards we face today; the results of massive human populations in a small area.

The notion that people cannot survive in the wild is as ridiculous as the idea that people can prosper in the city.

People are being forced and herded into the cities for the benefit of a few owners. Nature does not support this kind of organization. That is why it starts crumbling from the moment it is made, and it crumbles ever more forcefully as time goes on. It will not last.

We can have all the benefits of the modern world without enforcing on ourselves any city. Science, technology, medicine and education do not need the city. They only need their own homes, just as we make shelters and shrines.

Japan before & after. Thanks to National Geographic for sharing this amazing photo.

Sleep As Much As You Can

Yes. I have said it. Those who say otherwise are biased, and thus are strictly wrong.

The myth of oversleeping is nonsense, that the popular media keeps encouraging due to those old notions, that people should wake up early - regardless of when they go to sleep.

Thanks to Cat Kalen for braving this topic!

In schools and work places, those nifty enslavement institutions, people are expected to wake up at the same hour, regardless of their own personal situation. This is stupid. It might have worked for previous generations, but with the advent of technology and the internet, we see a decrease in the uniformity of sleeping & waking hours in modern society.

Simply put, when you have had enough sleep, then you wake up. Naturally. We do not fall asleep by choice, and we should not wake up by choice. Surely, if there is anything alarming happening, then we would break our sleep. But, that is the exception, and must not be the rule. "Alarm" clocks are evil. They stress you first thing in the morning, and by disturbing your natural sleep patterns, they induce the effects of sleep deprivation.

Stuart drinks a cup of coffee and falls asleep.

I was horrored to see how many articles on Google say the opposite of what I, and others, are saying about this.

While there is indeed a plethora of researchers and doctors claiming the former, there are as many, if not so popularized, who say the latter. So, do your own study and self-evaluation. Do not let people convince you that you are in the wrong, just because you are different.

Sleep well. ;-)

Acorn Season!!!

Well, nut season in general, here in the Northern Hemisphere of planet Earth.

Oh, the joy of collecting browning acorns. I will give them a quick roast on the pan and munch happily. Some will be kept for seeding the ground.

On a similar note, I have very much enjoyed Scott Mann's podcast interview with Larry Korn, a student of the beloved Masanobu Fukuoka. They talk about the differences between Permaculture and Natural Farming, and how both system, which have similar results, come from very different ideologies. Check it out:
http://www.thepermaculturepodcast.com/2013/larrykorn/

The Designed Life Is Less Troublesome

Not for the first time, I have just enjoyed watching Toby Hemenway's talk about designing our surroundings and Permaculture. After, quite recently, deciding that my game project (see a few posts below) is a fail, due to the lack of tools for its' making, I returned to the drawing board.

My drawing board is, more often than not, the simple Paint program in Windows.

Naturally, I saw myself returning to those topics that have always drawn my attention. News and updates from the Permaculture world, may sometimes be slow to come, due to the nature of the profession. Yet, this means that when there are news, they are ever more exciting and interesting to learn!

In the above refreshing talk, Toby takes us from our common history - and how it brought us to our current situation - and all the way into the latest positive examples of good environmental design. I hope you enjoy it, as much as I have.