burned down reality

Haiti- a curious question.

2010-01-25T22:05:00.005-06:00

The unfortunate disaster in Haiti,(a quick recovery and successful future are deeply in my thoughts as my heart feels for them in this terrible time) has brought about a serious cause and unification in many governments and organizations from around the world to quit differences and unite to bring help and comfort to millions of people who very, very much need it.

This is truly a wonderful thing to behold, seeing millions of people who have nothing in common with those suffering, doing what they can to alleviate the pain of those endangered.

However, this raises a very curious question. Should a democratic ( or a federal constitutional republic, in the United States case) government use public funds to help people?

Now before I'm burned at the stake or labeled as something less than polite, I'd like to state that this is merely from an analytical point of view. I am a student of the constitution, and only comparing our current course of action against the rules and laws by which this great nation was created and successful by.

Based on a recent poll by CBS, it seems that most of Americans would agree that it is the U.S Governments responsibility to help them (Poll Below)

CBS News Poll. Jan. 14-17, 2010. N=1,090 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

"Do you think the United States has a responsibility to provide humanitarian assistance to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, or doesn't the United States have this responsibility?"

Has Responsibility 84%
Doesn't have responsibility 11%
Unsure 5%.

With this being said, let us look to the constitution to see what it has to say about using taxpayers money.

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.Article 1, Section 8- United States Constitution

Nowhere, does it say that taxpayers money can or should be used in situations such as the disaster in Haiti- As Haiti is a sovereign nation in and of itself.

This does not imply that the Government should do nothing, rather the opposite. It should aid private charity in the way that it has for a very long time- either give tax breaks, or make the buying of aid supplies tax exempt.

While most Americans are okay with having their money taken from them (after all, if the government takes their money away before they even receive it, the people never miss it), many Americans are not pleased with such actions.

I'll leave you with something to think about.

If someone holds a gun up to you and steals your wallet and money. Thats stealing.

If someone holds a gun up to you and steals your wallet and money, then proceeds to give it to homeless people. That is also stealing.

[New] Post

2009-10-15T15:45:00.002-05:00

So I'm sitting here right before my music class and I've got so much to say, so much has happened since my last post.

Still haven't set up my computer, Working five days a week and going to school the other two- taking fairly difficult classes.

Philosophy
Public Speaking
Music

They aren't difficult classes in and of themselves, however the amount of work and preparation for these classes is the difficult part.

Reading countless essays on ancient and contemporary philosophers, analyzing their logic- trying to find faults or strengths and writing essays over those. Good news is on my essay exam, I scored next to perfect on an essay disproving the existence of God based on Paley's the watch and the watchmaker (very, very interesting, I highly recommend reading it if possible).

Aside from school, there have been many things going on in my personal life. Things I won't go into detail about here- but needless to say it's been very hard. I feel the comfort in mundane things, the working everyday, the class and the work. It's really helped me to feel the ground beneath my feet and appreciate it more than I ever have before.

Before I go, I would like everyone to think about all the simple processes in this life that serve to solidify our presence here. Our jobs, our schools, and our families- These are things that I have taken advantage of to a large detriment to myself and I have paid a heavy cost for this.

Be thankful for what you have, even the small things that bore you and make life seemingly unbearable.

Here and Now

2009-08-31T21:42:00.002-05:00

so it's been a while since my last post. I've moved cities, states, schools, jobs.

in a transient phase, just got my bed and such in my room. Computer is lacking keyboard and mouse.

I'll be updating most regularly once my computer is up and running

Broken Hearts and New Starts (part 2)

2009-08-01T13:16:00.003-05:00

The ironic thing about the title of this post, along with the previous post is that when I wrote it, it had a totally different meaning in my heart and mind.
Somehow, it applies to my current situation more than it did before, and in a much better way than before as well.

When I wrote my last post, I was under the impression that the two year relationship with the Love of my life was over, that I had made too many mistakes to be forgiven for- that my lack of understanding, not only of her, but of myself was too much to handle.

After writing that post, I made a miraculous discovery with a lot of help from Love (It's what I'll refer to as from hereafter, as well as metaphorically speaking). She helped me to understand my actions and she helped me through some very rough memories of growing up and my (lack) childhood.

I won't go into details here, but I had a very,very tough and destructive childhood resulting from my parents. The details of that, I've never told anyone- not even my closest friend. When I remembered these events and relived these memories- which was occurring with increasing frequency. I become cold, cynical, and distant. I was pushing myself away from her, unknowingly, but because I was broken and the repressed memories were starting to leak through and affect my personal life.

Love (emotion and who it represents) helped me talk about these things, to let them out. I didn't have to feel ashamed of my past and I no longer had to overcompensate for it either.

I honestly and truly feel like this is the first day of my life. I've never been more happier, never been more motivated to succeed.

It's all thanks to Love.

Broken Hearts and New Starts (Part 1)

2009-07-30T12:35:00.004-05:00

So after spending all night driving recklessly through the rain, losing my mind, and screaming,crying,pleading into my phone- I've discovered how easily it is to become thrown off track in life.

After having something in my life for nearly two years, a constant and warm thing- most of the time, the idea of it not being there scares me. It's as if you have a dog that sleeps in your bed with you every night, there's a warm comforting spot where the dog lays- then suddenly its gone, cold, and dark, and lonely.

No, I'm not single yet. However, I happen to be in a state of limbo- purgatory if you will. With inclinations on both sides of the coin.

It never ceases to amaze me, the ebb and flow
of human emotion and reasoning.
On this its important that we observe our fellow
man-but much more important to observe
it in
yourself.

The current relationship I'm in (was?) probably
the best thing that ever happened to me.

It got me away from the dangerous bullshit I used

to enjoy.
It got me back in school.

It made me appreciate people more.

So many great things have changed in my life for the better.

But.

I've never been one to talk badly to people, I was prim and I was proper.

Now, I shoot insults out at people (including said girl) like its T-shirts at a football game. And not because I mean them- It's just how I've started to respond.

If I get defensive, It's on.

This is a terrible way to be. She and I are both guilty of it, me probably more so than her.

Scratch that

Me much more so than her.

Relationshits and Love

2009-07-29T02:34:00.002-05:00

Right now I'm in a very rough patch as far as my Love life goes.

I capitalize "love" for a very specific reason, because it is Love
not that worn out fifteen year old phrase that often symbolizes
goodbyes. I mean true Love, when you know you are destined
for that person and no one else.

As I was saying, a rough patch.
But what is a "rough patch"?
How long does it last?
How long should it last?

These are questions I ponder relentlessly as if the answer is just within reach, but I feel the torment of Tantalus himself upon reaching the verge of my answer.

I live my life very simplistically, I want few things, I need even less and I've reached the maturity to decipher my needs from my wants.

Love is something I believe I need, Love is something I know I want.
But at what cost should we give to achieve this? A life, a choice, a calm?
I don't know all that I've given, or all that I could give.

Once I've resigned myself to give something away, I no longer think about it as being mine. To me it's simply- gone. I no longer miss or pine for what is no longer mine, because it doesn't make sense to. However with this philosophy comes danger, When you give and forget, other people start to forget- in regards to what they're taking.

My rough patch, is not actually a rough patch at all- but rather an inability for me to understand or comprehend a number of my faults and shortcomings. This leads me to believe that everything is okay- even when they are most clearly not.

That is the rough patch for me, a paradox of sorts.

I don't realize I'm in a rough patch, and the only reason I'm in a rough patch is because I fail to realize that I am in one.

Perhaps my live and let live mantra is gathering dust along with my chivalry (which is surely gathering dust).

I'm so easy to make happy, I can be happy with almost anything. But maybe, I'm too easy to please, just maybe my standards of happiness are too low. Perhaps I shouldn't be okay with things that I'm okay with, should I take a stand against things I'm not against?

How does one fix this problem?

How do you cure a problem that most people would kill to have?

The importance of being earnest[ly interested in the politics of our nation]

2009-07-28T16:46:00.001-05:00

I want to take the time to make aware the importance of debate- in all things, but specifically on politics.

Lets start by thinking about the consequences of not debating ideas. It's called tyranny. Where things are done in one way, regardless of the will of the people- because people are too afraid or too lazy to discuss the things important to them. So this is why it's important for a diverse group of people share their ideas to make the world a betters place.

Now some [real]quick history. You know what the longest running republic empire was? Rome, It's an easy answer.

Next question. What nation was also the most successful in supporting a public forum where the government and citizens could discuss and argue points over issues important to them?

Rome.

See any similarities there? Because I do.

The biggest problem in America today is not our lack of intelligent people, Our generation is renowned for having access to more information than ever available. A great number (not the majority, unfortunately) of us actually use the information and toss away our ignorance and trade it in for intellect.

The biggest problem is our lack of Forum, or a lack of willing participants in Forum.

"The Socratic Method (or Method of Elenchus or Socratic Debate), named after the Classical Greek philosopher Socrates, is a form of inquiry and debate between individuals with opposing viewpoints based on asking and answering questions to stimulate rational thinking and to illuminate ideas."
(taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_method)

Who wouldn't want to stimulate rational thinking or illuminate ideas? Ignorant people.

Yes, some people take debate too far- they get overly aggressive, perhaps even physical- these people lead other to think that debate is a conflict of sorts.

Making people smarter should never be a conflict, one would hope it would be only natural.

I know i've learned a ton from talking to all sorts of people, Liberals, Repubs, Socialists, Communists and many many other political affiliations.

While I don't always agree with them, I can appreciate their perspectives and it allows me to see things from more than one angle for a little bit- which always makes an intellect go.

So please, I'm asking you dear reader- do not get offended when someone doesn't agree with you, don't get offended if things get warm, politics is naturally a cause to be passionate in. Why wouldn't you feel strongly about discussing the fate of all the people in a nation?

Is the FARC being supplied by Venezuela?

2009-07-28T04:58:00.004-05:00

I noticed this morning searching google (after not sleeping tonight) a news article regarding weapons found on a raid on a FARC guerrilla base in 2008.

While guerrillas having weapons is nothing new, The source of these weapons is quite interesting.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the FARC, I will give you a brief rundown courtesy of Global Security.Org

Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - FARC

Description

Established in 1964 as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party, the FARC is Colombia’s oldest, largest, most capable, and best-equipped Marxist insurgency. The FARC is governed by a secretariat, led by septuagenarian Manuel Marulanda (a.k.a. “Tirofijo”) and six others, including senior military commander Jorge Briceno (a.k.a. “Mono Jojoy”). The FARC is organized along military lines and includes several urban fronts.
In February 2002, the group’s slow-moving peace negotiation process with President Andres Pastrana's administration was terminated by Bogota following the FARC's plane hijacking and kidnapping of a Colombian Senator from the aircraft. On 7 August, the FARC launched a large-scale mortar attack on the Presidential Palace where President Alvaro Uribe was being inaugurated. High-level foreign delegations—including the United States—attending the inauguration were not injured, but 21 residents of a poor neighborhood nearby were killed by stray rounds in the attack.

Strength

Approximately 9,000 to 12,000 armed combatants and several thousand more supporters, mostly in rural areas.

Location/Area of Operation

Colombia, with some activities—extortion, kidnapping, logistics, and R&R—in Venezuela, Panama, and Ecuador.

Now to the reasoning behind my interest.

It seems that the weapons recovered were not the usual suspects that one might expect to find in a Latin America guerrilla base, the Ak-47s, RPG-7s, UXE, etc- The weapons found were At4 shoulder fired anti-tank weapons.

Even more odd, is the fact that these weapons were produced by Saab Bofors Dynamics, a subsidiary of Saab AB. So lets get this straight, High tech weapons manufactured by a company in Karlskoga, Sweden somehow reach a militant revolutionary group hiding in the forests of Columbia?

If you're confused, than that makes two of us- But dear reader, the plot thickens.

The Colombian Government attempted to track these weapons, to see who supplied them to the FARC. Guess what they found? Venezuela.

The Swedish apparently sold these weapons to Venezuela, no later than 2006 according to Jan-Erik Lovgren, the overseer of weapons exports- as he claims "that his country stopped selling weapons to Venezuela in 2006"

Venezuela has denied any connections and is convinced that these
allegations are a direct attack on its country.

I'm not throwing blame, but it seems that one way or another the FARC got the weapons from Venezuela, as the FARC surely didn't travel to Sweden to get them and Venezuela is only a trip down the old logging road from Columbia.

But keep in mind, There has also been
controversy regarding Sweden dealing
weapons to militia groups around the world.

Most Interesting. But a story for another day.
Stay well Dear ɹǝpɐǝɹ.

Sources
CNN Article
Saab Bofors Dynamics Wiki
GlobalSecurity

Why must one choose, when the choice isn't theirs to make?

2009-07-28T00:12:00.004-05:00

I'm in an ever constant mood of changing ideas. To me the only constant thing I have (internally) is conflicting decisions on what to do next in my life.

To me the conflict is not what to do, as much as it is what to do next. The most difficult thing to me is deciding what the priority for now is.

Being intelligent is oft times a curse as much as it is a gift. Not to say I would rather be unintelligent, however it's very frustrating to have all these goals and not only the know how to do them and complete them but also the motivation.

What is the problem, you ask dear reader?

One, Single word.

Focus.

In my rush to develop new ideas, new goals, new projects.
I seem to forget that in order to actually get somewhere in this world,life,existence- I must be able to decide which to do now, and which to do later. Which is seemingly impossible for me to even imagine being able to do.

Possible Career Paths:
Photography
Exploring/Guide
Military
Political Science
Journalism
Music
[many more]

How does one pick one thing?
Could you tell me please?
I'll take your picture.
If you like.
Or Not.

I don't really know how to choose
I've never been the really decisive one.
Then again, I never really cared.

Again

2009-07-27T21:46:00.003-05:00

I remembered this and hopefully will use it truly, as a blog is intended. Previous use of this was for photography, however as I found that it was painfully hard to upload my dozens of hi def photos, I moved to other things- found nothing and stopped blogging.

But new life requires new breath, so this will be a true blog with occasional photos to enhance the readers experience.

En
Jo
Y

L
If
E

today

2008-04-12T08:55:00.002-05:00

today is the day of prom, i've been looking forward to it ever since my lady told me about it. there will be pictures and laughs and perhaps drinks to boot.It's not mine, since i've been out of school for a minute or two, however my lady is not [although she graduates this year]. a wondrous occasion i hope i can capture and bring here

still sick

2008-04-09T13:58:00.001-05:00

new photos soon though

i would say. . .

2008-04-06T20:52:00.001-05:00

bah

listen to

2008-04-04T04:07:00.001-05:00

Rain dogs
by
tom waits.

no pictures as of yet, i'm sick

so tired

2008-04-01T20:35:00.001-05:00

I didn't sleep last night, went to my 8am class. after that came home and slept, I slept through phone calls and alarms. i'm tired, so tired and i don't know why...

sweet picture

2008-03-31T00:26:00.002-05:00

dress up

2008-03-30T23:40:00.002-05:00

my great grandfathers tux from the 1940's

pictures

2008-03-30T08:57:00.005-05:00

a lesson in boredom

2008-03-30T08:56:00.002-05:00

a thought

2008-03-29T05:13:00.002-05:00

there are many people who believe that their personal safety is more important than anything else. they are concerned with death and are afraid of when the time comes. it's only natural to feel this way, however one reaches a point in their lives where they have seen enough of both life and death to understand that their really is no difference. at one point, we all must live- after that point we all must die. eventually all of our hard work will be dust, and our memories forgot. all in all, the man who dies at one hundred- has achieved nothing more than the baby who dies at a day old.

however while we are alive, it's my belief that we must have a purpose- a reason if you will. something that drives us. more often than not, as i note above- it's personal safety. i think that this pathetic, simply gross and worse than animal instinct. it's a learned instinct, a paradox.

my purpose, is to protect the ones i love from danger and harm- emotional or physical. those who lack the will to protect anything, often end up getting protected by someone better than themselves.

i often thought that every man is equal, that the indoctrination i received growing up was the truth. it's not. a man who does not care to defend himself or the things he cares about, is less. a vile creature, not deserved to be called a man. he only remains alive at the cost of others around him who are not as base as he.

(this post inspired by john stuart mill and marcus aurelius)

more pictures

2008-03-28T14:40:00.005-05:00

its really hard to do justice to these pictures on this blog- as it limits the size (and detail) of the pictures, however if anyone sees one they like, i can send the picture directly to them

Some photographs of things

2008-03-27T18:06:00.005-05:00

things I enjoy doing.

2008-03-26T00:29:00.000-05:00

taking pictures
kissing my girlfriend
thinking about politiks
dreaming
strumming on guitar ( i can read sheet music, but thats it)
boxing
thinking about philosophy
acting out hypothetical situations in my head
smiling
puppies
reading quotes
playing video games
nature
wondering why we are here
spoiling my friends
defending my friends

but most of all
I enjoy loving
every minute
of my life with
whomever
i'm with at
whatever time i'm with them. . . .

initial posting

2008-03-25T22:02:00.000-05:00

so a little about myself, i'm a 20 something college student double majoring in international relations and journalism- with a minor in middle eastern studies. i currently live in or around nashvegas,tn- and have for the past almost year. i'll be moving before the summer is over to someplace new, which is a theme for my life.

my passions are: music, books, history, political theory, fighting, poetry and prose- anything else i think of will be added- rest assured

this blog will be about many things. whichever comes to mind while i'm sitting in front of this computer screen. posts may be about politics, jobs, music, events that happened to me during a day, something that happened at work, poems i write on a whim- anything, anything at all.

i realize that my grammar isn't pristine, i may use words that seem strange in a certain phrase. rest easy knowing that i'm aware (usually) of these mistakes and like the holes in brand name designer jeans, are completely deliberate.