Sunday, April 3, 2011

Swords Into Plows

The increasing number of the human species that behave well reduces the activity of those humans who try to further their means by war.

Immanuel Kant
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Hello Andorra. May there be peace in your mountains.
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I can't tell whether the human race is getting saner or madder. There is a lot of evidence to prove both theories. Some idiots in Florida burn a Quran, a book they've never read, and some other idiots in Afghanistan take revenge by attacking UN workers, who had nothing to do with it.

There are too many people in this world who believe the ancient canard that the way to resolve disagreements, disputes and dangers is by violence But as Isaac Asimov said "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent."

We have our war machines in place. It used to be called The Department of War, in the days when we needed to be prepared to defend ourselves. Then, in the 40's it became euphemistically called The Department of Defense, and we've been waging war ever since. We are told that those wars are in order to protect our freedoms. We are told that by some whose pockets are benefited by them, and, sad to say, a great many people still believe it. But as Nehru noted "It is the habit of every aggressor nation to claim that it is acting on the defensive."

I don't know if Kant is correct. I want to believe that the human race is producing more and more people who wish to behave in a sane and reasonable manner. If they are there they certainly don't make the news. It's the mad and bad that make the news.

What can one humble senior citizen say to them?

STOP SPENDING MONEY ON WAR.

STOP GIVING TAX BREAKS TO THE WEALTHY.

STOP CUTTNG THE PROGRAMS THAT MAKE LIFE BEARABLE AND ENJOYABLE FOR THE REST OF US.

AND STOP ARGUING ABOUT IT.

(I, for one, am not impressed with you.)

DB - The Vagabond
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Puzzle

No fooling around, here is this week's puzzle.
These are all legitimate movie titles in translation.
Your task, if you wish to survive, is to translate them back into their original titles by the end of next week.

Several Saints
Uprising Over The Thanksgiving Dinner
How One Murders An Imitator
Swept Away In A Breeze
The Lion Is Burning It's Feet
What The Flute Makes
The Insects' Messiah
She Married The Monster
Mr. Summerfall Winterspring
The Chimpanzees Live There
Confessing When Drenched
He Paid Very Close Attention, Unfortunately
Boiling When It's Dark
Misplaced Religious Artifact Stolen
Trees Around The Little House
Leo's Secret Message
Ultimate Spanish Dance in France
Country In A Maternity Ward
Instructions In Stone
Creepy Creatures Aloft
The Bitch Is Domesticated

1 entry so far.

Good luck
dbdacoba@aol.com

DB
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SPRING QUESTION
(This is not a contest)

NASA has planned to send a two man mission on an 18 month trip to the planet Mars. It would take 6 months for the astronauts to get there and after 6 months of exploration another 6 months to return.

Should they do it and why, and if not, why not?

dbdacoba@aol.com

4 answers so far

I eagerly await your answer.

DB
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5 comments:

pacifica62 said...

I love Asimov's quote. So true. I also think that we are told many things by our governments that are not true and they are said only to justify a so called "defensive" action. Make no mistake, wars make some people very rich. There are people who want to behave in a sane and reasonable manner, sometimes they are heard and most times they are ignored. Their voices cannot be heard above the chaotic screaming and shouting of the insane who want to go to war.

Geo. said...

On one hand, media interest in the contents of Terry Jones' incinerator attests to the banality of our times. On the other, Afghan populace is in a pretty excited state, which might improve if we'd quit bombing the bejesus out of them. Neither side will calm down until phrases --like "axis of evil"-- peculiar to the Bush administration and maybe Marvel Comics fade from use.

DB said...

Excellent comments both. Thank you.
DB

Patricia said...

Thank you. :) :)

Big Mark 243 said...

Well said. Both on the post and the first two comments!!