What Is Barack Obama Doing To Piss Me Off Today

I felt like I knew him, or at least knew what he was about. A bleeding-heart liberal whose compassion for human life would literally shake the foundations of U.S. policies, rising above and leading us out of the hard-line bullshit “No, We Can’t” actions and attitudes of a traditional, retarded bureaucracy. I guess that was [...]

The Definitive Experience

On certain rare and startling occasions, a person finds that her character is unexpectedly put to the test…. I feel that “definitive experiences” such as these can show us who we want to be, and what truly matters to each of us. Without such shocking stimuli to spur us into action, many of us drift through life apathetically, never discovering a cause to devote ourselves to. With last weekend’s events behind me, I find that my former apathy has dissolved, to be replaced by a new sense of ambition to become my ideal self. This ideal self is someone strong and compassionate, someone whose determination and resolve truly matter, at least in the eyes of two baby raccoons.

Land of the free and home of the brave (but only if you’re not gay)

 I’d like to start by clarifying something:  we do not live in a democracy.  I know.  You may have thought we did.  Let me clarify.  We do not live in a democracy.
We live in a republic.  It is a democratic republic, but it is a republic.
“I Pledge allegiance to the flag of United States, and [...]

10 Movies that Make You Think

This is my no means a definitive list of the Top 10 Most Philosophical Movies of All-Time (such a task would be impossibly subjective). It is, on the other hand, a list of excellent movies that will make you think much more than the ‘ordinarily’ run-of-the-mill Hollywood garbage. So please, queue these in your Netflix, [...]

Gonzo Philosophy

Friday night in ‘Burque found five young friends kickin’ it to a slower groove, after security has busted up our party on account of someone else’s music. The host reclined, saddened by our communal loss, and consoled himself with a well-taken hit from a festively colored bowl. Sinking into a chemical calm, he found the [...]

Murdering Mums

After encountering the “Kid found buried in playground,” headline last week about the death of a toddler I have been plagued by thoughts of similar stories like the all too recent Caylee Anthony case. Cases like these always linger in my mind, much like the Andrea Yates case where the Texas mother had drown her [...]

Thrown off by what you asked for

Is there a problem with the humor in our country? What are the effects of what’s going on in our world and how Humorists are dealing with it? Will our country being in a positive-headed position be the death of decent contrived humor? Bashing political parties, the armor of both Obama and Dubya, and the peripheral nature of other politicians are mingle with the ammo Humorists use to make their bread and butter. When there’s little to complain about, the result is a kind of vague displeasure mixed with sardonic musings which fail to really cut to the heart.

I Can Make You Longer And Stronger

A 30% addition to the human base average. Its cheap, easy, healthy, maybe even fun—definitely a strong ‘maybe’ there. Regardless, this is going to revolutionize the human experience. Just think: my old, crotchety ass raging into the future, much to the dismay of latter generations. Tee hee.
What I am recommending is intermittent fasting; instead of [...]

Heritage Or Hate: A discussion of cultural and ethnic pride and the ever- present irritant of racism

I think it’s unfortunate that such individuals’ appreciation of their cultural heritage seems hinged on a disdainful presumption of superiority over other races. It is truly ironic if the best thing a person can say about his cultural or ethnic heritage is “at least I’m not a __.” Hatred is not a cultural identity, nor is ridiculing other cultures an insightful way of appreciating one’s own. While I sit reading the Eddas (the primary source of Norse mythology, written down and preserved in medieval Iceland), I find myself actually enjoying them, rather than sneering at their “superiority” over other examples of cultural literature, such as the Upanishads or the Bible. I strongly wish that all cultural traditions, whether from Tibet or Scandinavia, could be readily appreciated by all people, without the tainting influence of racism. I also long for the day when my love of Germanic history and its rich, ancient culture would no longer make me a target for neo- Nazis or those who suspect me of being one.

Physics, Mysticism, and Flying Spaghetti Monsters

Even though I was born and raised catholic, I went through an experimental phase as an adolescent.  I got dunked in a river by Baptists trying to save my soul; I learned the ways of healthy living from Christian Scientists; I was taught the urgency of the apocalypse by Seventh Day Adventists; I even participated [...]