What I Learn-ed in High School Class

So today I was trashing all the crap I hold on to “because someday I might actually want to reread my high school history paper on how Manifest Destiny is not Dead, It’s Mutated into a (hidden) core American policy called Imperialism“. Although this paper probably could be rewriten today to include much more truths that are evedent to me now… *cough* W’s underlining Puritan Ethic (1, 2) that subconciously (maybe conciously) steers his decisions and our country into the ground.

Anyway… I probably could go on about the above but just for my sake I wanted to quote some of my notes from class… I guess I was a smart kid back then:

In Studying David Hume:

Quote: “All the materials of thinking are derived either from our outward or inward sentiment: The mixture and composition of these belongs alone to the mind and will.” He also said: “All our ideas or more feable perceptions are copied of our impressions or more lively ones.”

Hmmmm…wow but what I write: What Hume is sayin is that all our ideas are formed from the impressions and experiences of the past. We take what we have learned in the past and rearange those thoughts to form new ideas.

Well that makes sense.

The Proof: If we analyse our ideas we can see that they are just components of simple impressions and thoughts. Hume says for an example the idea of God: by our definition he would be an infinate intelegent, wise and good Being. However, we have created this idea of God through our own mind by building in ideas of good, wise, and intellegent things and magnifing those to the infinate level. This is our perception of God even though we have no proof of his existance.

Also if a person has a deformity or disability he lacks the sensations and ideas that compliment that “organ”. “A blind man can form no notion of colors, a deaf man of sounds”.

I think of the Dave Chappell show skit where Dave plays a blind white-supremist, growing up in the south and is taught at an early age he’s white… “because it would just be easier for him” He doesn’t know it and through out his life he grows up racist against whitie. His perception is hindered by his disability but his ideas are generated from his environment, teaching and the people around him. People aren’t born racist, they are taught to be that way by the people around them. Of course in the skit no one knows he’s black because he’s always wearing the hooded kkk outfit and no one has seen him, they have just heard of him. The iorny is revieled when he is de-hooded at a rally and proclaims his biggotry amongst the followers… and of course they are taken aback as they have been “following” the preachings of this racist black man – against his own… Damn fun I tell ya!

I’ve rambled on enough…. click here for a download of Dave Chapelle “Good evening Bitches…” and Wayne Brady – “Is Wayne Brady gonna have to choke a bitch!” skit Download

Things you have to believe to be a Republican today

Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush’s daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a “we can’t find Bin Laden” diversion.

Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with communist China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.

A woman can’t be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multi-national corporations can make decisions affecting all humankind without regulation.

Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.

The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans’ benefits and combat pay.

If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won’t have sex.

Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism. HMOs and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart.

Global warming and tobacco’s link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.

A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.

The public has a right to know about Hillary’s cattle trades, but George Bush’s cocaine conviction is none of our business. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you’re a conservative radio host. Then it’s an illness, and you need our prayers for your recovery.

You support states’ rights, which means Attorney General John Ashcroft can tell states what local voter initiatives they have the right to adopt.

What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the ’70s & ’80s is irrelevant.

Try to figure out why stem cell research is taboo, but creationism makes a lot of sense.

Kerry Seen As Debate Winner Around World

Looking more “presidential” than the incumbent, John Kerry comes out with a victory with the first debate between the two large party candidates. Internationally, this was largely viewed and afterwards drew large support for Kerry’s stance on his international policies. Bush seemed to be confident yet near the end began to get frustrated and repeated his points over and over….seemingly because he didn’t write down enough rebuttals to Kerry’s broad store of knowledge on international matters.

I listened to the debate mostly and of what I saw Bush seem more comfortable speaking into the camera (to the public) (looking good) than “reciting” more on the issues presented; where Kerry spoke to his opponent and not to the people (in the camera) that need to hear the message most. Kerry is still a chill of a character but I’d rather have a boring president do the right job for the country than some coke snorting, war dodging, C student, greedy yet pleasantly warm & fuzzy puppet for a president.

News stories

Yahoo News Story Link

“Many Europeans forget that there is a war climate in the U.S., and that emotion can be more important than reason,” Hacke said.”
Christian Hacke, a political science professor at the University of Bonn, Germany

More International comments on Kerry’s margin of victory in the debate on 9/30/04

John Kerry was more presidential in his demeanor than incumbent George W Bush during their first debate on Thursday – a BBC News Story

“When you hear the same words with more frustrated body language, the message sounds like a lie.”
Patti Wood, an Atlanta-based consultant and expert on body language commenting on President W