Jon Stewart takes on the latest corporate scam to get out of paying its fair share of taxes to help pay for all the infrastructure it uses here in America. Inversion is where a US corp buys a business overseas and then transfers the corp headquarters, thus avoiding paying any taxes here. Yet they still have stores here and make their money selling products to Americans, as well as getting free infrastructure. The video makes clear that they were already getting huge tax breaks, paying way lower than the supposed highest corp tax rate according to regressives. They feel they shouldn't pay any taxes, that only the rest of us peons should do that. Regressives are sure corps are people, so let's hear them on how these 'people' are traitors to America.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Cracking the Code, Chapter Seven
Continuing from this post.
To communicate effectively one must
figure our their own and the other's core story. We might use the
same words but they'll have different meanings depending on the
story. Recall that the typical liberal story is about a world that is
fundamentally good and fair, and the goal is to help people realize
their potential. The typical conservative story is that the world is
a dangerous and scary place so we must restrain individuals and their
bad impulses. (I again refer to numerous
studies supporting these broad generalizations.)
Jessica and Casey
It was another spectacular night again on SYTYCD, with several superb performances including two team numbers, the boys against the girls, choreographed by Travis Wall and Mandy Moore. But this was my favorite of the night. You can see all the performances here.
National Whistleblower Appreciation Day
Was yesterday, and instituted by the US Senate last year. I
blew the whistle on my former profession, the insurance industry. I was
an underwriter who was increasingly being asked to insure bad risks so
that the company's financiers could amass quick growth and then sell,
thereby burdening the buyer with the debt that would inevitable follow
as a result. It's the same scheme that caused the financial crises of
'08, still ongoing and still not regulated.
A few words on fear
It is a natural and healthy emotion, like when we are confronted with
a tiger in the jungle. It gives us the impetus to fight or flee, both
necessary for our survival. So survival drives are not in themselves
negative but serve vital functions. The problem is manipulating them by
creating enemies when it is not based in fact to enrich oneself at the
expense of everyone else.
A case in point is the 1%, who create all sorts of false fear to get people to vote against their own and the public interest. The legitimate fear is of these greedy narcissists who are destroying the economy for most of us, for our very survival is at stake. So we need to fight in this case instead of flee. The 1% know full well that their activities create legitimate fear so they have to redirect it with lies within their seemingly good-sounding story about the free market and individual merit. They denigrate the poor and middle class worker as somehow responsible for the mess they created, thereby getting us to turn on each other instead of directing our fear and anger at its legitimate target.
A case in point is the 1%, who create all sorts of false fear to get people to vote against their own and the public interest. The legitimate fear is of these greedy narcissists who are destroying the economy for most of us, for our very survival is at stake. So we need to fight in this case instead of flee. The 1% know full well that their activities create legitimate fear so they have to redirect it with lies within their seemingly good-sounding story about the free market and individual merit. They denigrate the poor and middle class worker as somehow responsible for the mess they created, thereby getting us to turn on each other instead of directing our fear and anger at its legitimate target.
The stimulus boosted the economy
You'll repeatedly hear the regressive story that the economy is failing and it's all Obama's fault. As usual the story is based on lies. GDP increased 4% last quarter, the third highest growth quarter in the last 7 years. This was due in large part to the stimulus bill the President initiated early in his tenure. And economists are in virtual agreement about this according to a U of Chicago survey: 36 out of 37 leading economists said it reduced unemployment. There is overwhelming consensus about this. Much like with climate change, with 97% consensus from climate scientists.
And all the more amazing since those lying regressives have blocked every other attempt to improve the economy since they took over the House in 2010, another fact. Given the above stats, if they truly believed in America and would've done something, anything, to improve it our economy would likely have fully recovered by now. It's obvious they really want the economy to tank because their narrative is false, proven time and again to have failed. To deny reality time and again is a severe illness. Do you really want delusional people governing our country?
And all the more amazing since those lying regressives have blocked every other attempt to improve the economy since they took over the House in 2010, another fact. Given the above stats, if they truly believed in America and would've done something, anything, to improve it our economy would likely have fully recovered by now. It's obvious they really want the economy to tank because their narrative is false, proven time and again to have failed. To deny reality time and again is a severe illness. Do you really want delusional people governing our country?
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Both Hamas and Israel are immoral
According to this article, which let's them both have it. Both are responsible for the civilian deaths in Gaza. Amnesty International has verified that Hamas uses human shields in storing munitions in and firing them from residential areas, as well as telling civilians to ignore bombing warnings. They also fire rockets indiscriminately into Israel for the express purpose, as noted in their charter, of obliterating Israel.
Cracking the Code, Chapter Six
Continuing from this post.
Research has shown that negative
framing, as in using the word not before an adjective or
adverb, is not processed by the unconscious. Hence asserting that one
is not guilty reinforces the word guilt instead of negating it, at
least at the unconscious level. This also goes for linking negative
descriptions to something you want to communicate positively, like
progressive compassion fights regressive oppression. The negative
word at the end then gets subconsciously associated with compassion.
Lakoff also discusses this in his manual Thinking
Points. However negation can be used as a technique to
manipulate a desired outcome. For example, one could say about an
opponent: “I don't think he's a traitor and I'd never call him a
traitor.” Which reinforces the notion that his opponent is indeed a
traitor!
The four pillars of a decentralized society
See the following video. Early civilization was decentralized but limited to small groups due to human limits of trust. With the advent of agriculture large groups led to a centralized command and control structure. Now with technological advances starting with the printing press we can return to a decentralized society of trust for large groups of people.
The four pillars are decentralized communication, law, production, and finance. You'll see many of the ideas of the Commons Rifkin discussed, but with some additional innovative ideas. See this short video for the details.
The four pillars are decentralized communication, law, production, and finance. You'll see many of the ideas of the Commons Rifkin discussed, but with some additional innovative ideas. See this short video for the details.
Unconscious desires
We're having a discussion on this topic at IPS forum starting with this post. Therein Joseph linked to a Bryant blog post on how neurologists are using brain scans to create more effective advertising. Joseph discusses some measures to counteract such manipulation. My responses so far are below.
This is what I'm discussing in the review of Hartmann's book through the use of reframing. Lakoff of course has been on to this for years, as has Luntz. The latter two are well aware of the brain scanning and cognitive correlates for this sort of manipulation. Hartmann's purpose in writing the book is exactly to provide one with the tools to see through the manipulation by learning how they do it. And to do it oneself, but grounded in reality checks and an ethical code to manipulate for good, like a doctor or therapist. As a former bodywork therapist I 'manipulated' bodies with such intent through training. It also applies to this form of manipulation and training as well.
Speaking of which, Bryant has a recent post on an ethics of love. It is akin to the sort of progressive reframing that induces positive change in others for compassionate social good instead of the regressive sort that creates fear and punishment for private gain.
Joseph replied that in stories there is the manifest content of story elements, the latent content of the hidden meanings and messages, and the unconscious content that keep up behaving dysfunctionally despite revealing the latent content as in Hartmann's proposals. My further responses follow:
This is what I'm discussing in the review of Hartmann's book through the use of reframing. Lakoff of course has been on to this for years, as has Luntz. The latter two are well aware of the brain scanning and cognitive correlates for this sort of manipulation. Hartmann's purpose in writing the book is exactly to provide one with the tools to see through the manipulation by learning how they do it. And to do it oneself, but grounded in reality checks and an ethical code to manipulate for good, like a doctor or therapist. As a former bodywork therapist I 'manipulated' bodies with such intent through training. It also applies to this form of manipulation and training as well.
Speaking of which, Bryant has a recent post on an ethics of love. It is akin to the sort of progressive reframing that induces positive change in others for compassionate social good instead of the regressive sort that creates fear and punishment for private gain.
Joseph replied that in stories there is the manifest content of story elements, the latent content of the hidden meanings and messages, and the unconscious content that keep up behaving dysfunctionally despite revealing the latent content as in Hartmann's proposals. My further responses follow:
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Cracking the Code, Chapter Five
Continuing from this post.
Something to avoid is long sentences with several polysyllabic words.
This may work well with the highly educated but not much with everyone
else. It helps to frame the story in personal terms, naming specific
people and relating how they were helped by the desired policy in
simple, sensory and emotional terms. But also telling the moral, how
such a personal story relates to said policy.
Cracking the Code, Chapters 2 - 4
Continuing from this post.
Chapter Two
There are five stages to classic story structure. 1) A character has his/her world thrown out of balance. 2) Things get complicated and one tries to restore balance. 3) A crisis is faced wherein one must make a life-changing choice. 4) The climax is reached where the choice reaps consequences and the moral is revealed. 5) Loose ends are tied up. He then gave a few story examples that had these elements and claimed this structure has been hard-wired into us.
Chapter Three
Establishing rapport requires that we ascertain which sensory modality is primary for out interlocutor. We frame our worlds through our senses. For most in America the visual is their primary modality. For others auditory or kinesthetic, especially in different cultures. This can be determined by listening intently to how one uses language. However when using political speech one needs to be multi-model to reach the differing preferences of a larger audience.
Chapter Four
Chapter Two
There are five stages to classic story structure. 1) A character has his/her world thrown out of balance. 2) Things get complicated and one tries to restore balance. 3) A crisis is faced wherein one must make a life-changing choice. 4) The climax is reached where the choice reaps consequences and the moral is revealed. 5) Loose ends are tied up. He then gave a few story examples that had these elements and claimed this structure has been hard-wired into us.
Chapter Three
Establishing rapport requires that we ascertain which sensory modality is primary for out interlocutor. We frame our worlds through our senses. For most in America the visual is their primary modality. For others auditory or kinesthetic, especially in different cultures. This can be determined by listening intently to how one uses language. However when using political speech one needs to be multi-model to reach the differing preferences of a larger audience.
Chapter Four
Cracking the Code, Chapter One
Hartmann makes clear that communication tools are neutral and require an ethical base and a positive vision. They can be and are used to manipulate others through fear to gain power, which threatens our democracy. Conservative leaders like Luntz, Gingrich and Rove have mastered these tools to convince their middle-class base that global corporations and the ultra-rich promote their interests, when in fact they do not in the least. It is a clear case of conscious, intentional and deceptive manipulation to enrich themselves at public expense. To fight back we need to learn these tools and how they are being abused.
He starts by examining the historical bases of the conservative and liberal stories. Prior to the 1600s in England the European narrative was based in the great chain of being ordained by God. This provided the social hierarchy from monarchs to peasants. Hobbs changed this with his book Leviathan, arguing that all men are created equal and deserved property rights. However underlying this was the notion that human nature was inherently evil and needed a ruling force to contain it. While this was originally the church, in the modern era it became the supposed neutral and mechanistic force of the free market's invisible hand as well as the church. Government was to be shunned, for it was controlled by the evil forces of mankind. This became the basis of the conservative worldview.
Cracking the Code, Introduction
Continuing from this post.
In communication emotions come first, but meaning must be shaped by a story or narrative. These stories must activate our deepest emotions but also mold them into a worldview for comprehending what we perceive and feel. The US framers told a story of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. FDR told one called the New Deal where government helped us achieve those original principles. But Reagan told an entirely different story about the free market and against government.
Many of today's stories are based on fear, activating one of our basest emotions. When so activated we perceive most everything as a threat and retreat into our own worlds of family and friends. This story is specifically designed to do exactly that to keep us from caring about and helping others, to keep us self-involved, for it allows the power brokers to get away with reaping most all of society's benefits while keeping us from doing anything about it. It even trains us to hate others who are in the same boat as ourselves, struggling to get by, as if they deserved their fate for lack of incentive or freeloading.
In communication emotions come first, but meaning must be shaped by a story or narrative. These stories must activate our deepest emotions but also mold them into a worldview for comprehending what we perceive and feel. The US framers told a story of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. FDR told one called the New Deal where government helped us achieve those original principles. But Reagan told an entirely different story about the free market and against government.
Many of today's stories are based on fear, activating one of our basest emotions. When so activated we perceive most everything as a threat and retreat into our own worlds of family and friends. This story is specifically designed to do exactly that to keep us from caring about and helping others, to keep us self-involved, for it allows the power brokers to get away with reaping most all of society's benefits while keeping us from doing anything about it. It even trains us to hate others who are in the same boat as ourselves, struggling to get by, as if they deserved their fate for lack of incentive or freeloading.
TPP protests are having an effect
Kudos to these protestors for making a difference in trying to stop this insidious 'trade' deal. Please join them wherever and whenever you can, including the many petitions circulating online.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Shake that Tooh
Love it. I'm now inclined to rent the movie. And I want to see them choreograph a Bollywood routine to this song on SYTYCD.
Maher on the free market
It's not free and it's not much of a market. It's monopolies that don't give a shit about customer service because they don't have to, while charging outrageous prices.
20 myths about sex
See this informative video. Some of them are not that surprising, others quite enlightening. The 2nd myth on penis size will no doubt freak out insecure males with delusions of grandeur.
Why not p2p spirituality?
I referenced examples of a different fourth turning in previous posts of this thread, like secular Buddhism and Bauwens' article "The next Buddha is a collective." Here's another example from Bauwens in an article that came out today, "If we can have p2p economics, why not p2p spirituality?" I like that it's in the journal Transformation,
whose tagline is "where love meets social justice," highlighting my
favored notion of spirituality as liberating social action.
Some commentary on Thompson
In the video from the last post. At 59:50 he discusses the difference between Yogacara and Madhyamaka on
the self. He follows this with comparing them to the neuroreductive and
enactive views in cognitive science. The latter includes social
cognition through language, so language is a legitimate part of a
performative self, whereas in Yogacara it is merely illusion. We
discussed this quite a bit in the Batchelor thread.
He sees the enactive view as a middle way where "the self is a
dependently originated process with a conventional identity." The self
is not an illusion while not being an independent essence (1:05:30).
At around 1:07:00 he's asked if his view is Prasangika. He clarifies that is it more how Tsongkapa reads Chandrakirti, also distinguished in the Batchelor thread with how Gorampa sees Prasangika. Hence the two truths debate elaborated therein. Thompson is using the distinction between Yogacara and Madhyamaka, and the Batchelor thread shows the heavy influence of Yogacara in the Gorampa versions of Prasangika Madhyamaka.
At around 1:07:00 he's asked if his view is Prasangika. He clarifies that is it more how Tsongkapa reads Chandrakirti, also distinguished in the Batchelor thread with how Gorampa sees Prasangika. Hence the two truths debate elaborated therein. Thompson is using the distinction between Yogacara and Madhyamaka, and the Batchelor thread shows the heavy influence of Yogacara in the Gorampa versions of Prasangika Madhyamaka.
Waking, Being, Dreaming
The following video is Evan Thompson presenting on his new book named above at CIIS on 5/1/14. We started an IPS discussion on Thompson that began with info on the new book. This video has also been posted there and some discussion of it will ensue.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
CA doing well despite regressive doomsday predictions
As usual Krugman sets the regressive straight. CA implemented higher taxes, increased spending, raised the minimum wage and implemented an Obamacare exchange. The regressives predicted that this would destroy their economy, but guess what? Employment is up higher than the national average. Healthcare premiums are below expectations while enrollment is up, cutting the uninsured in half. They have a budget surplus. CA is a shining example of why the progressive agenda works and why the regressives hate it so.
Sam Harris on Gaza
See his post here. A few excerpts follow:
"Whatever terrible things the Israelis have done, it is also true to say that they have used more restraint in their fighting against the Palestinians than we—the Americans, or Western Europeans—have used in any of our wars. They have endured more worldwide public scrutiny than any other society has ever had to while defending itself against aggressors. The Israelis simply are held to a different standard. And the condemnation leveled at them by the rest of the world is completely out of proportion to what they have actually done.
"Whatever terrible things the Israelis have done, it is also true to say that they have used more restraint in their fighting against the Palestinians than we—the Americans, or Western Europeans—have used in any of our wars. They have endured more worldwide public scrutiny than any other society has ever had to while defending itself against aggressors. The Israelis simply are held to a different standard. And the condemnation leveled at them by the rest of the world is completely out of proportion to what they have actually done.
Hello mata
I recently mentioned the term matarealism, the mata sound reminded me of this old song from my yute. I know, my brain is weird.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Lying CEO flourishs under Obama
See this article. Remember this rich asshole CEO who said if Obama was elected he'd lay people off or shut down his company? He said he'd have to because Obama's socialist taxes would destroy his incentive to work and make a profit. So what happened since Obama has been in office? He not only didn't fire people but had to hire more due to his business flourishing. With Obamacare he could afford to make new investments, like buying the Orlando Predators, a Las Vegas hotel/casino and restarting work in his new 90,000 square foot house. I guess that socialism is working out for him since we don't hear him complaining these days.
Cracking the Code by Thom Hartmann
I started an ongoing IPS thread on this book, summarizing and commenting on it as I read it. The opening paragraph follows. Please check back with the thread, as I'll be adding new material daily until I'm done reading it, and likely for a time thereafter.
This is a book about communication, and how through it we are manipulated to do another's bidding. It focuses on political communication, how leaders frame ideas in ways that influence us unconsciously to vote in particular ways. And even more so, shape how we view the world and everything and everyone around us. Conservatives in particular learned these lessons well from psychology, biology and advertising. They have become masters of manipulating people to act against their own best interests. Progressives can learn it too, but instead of using it to manipulate others it can be geared to helping us see through such manipulation and thereby liberate us to think for ourselves. It teaches us how to crack this code.
This is a book about communication, and how through it we are manipulated to do another's bidding. It focuses on political communication, how leaders frame ideas in ways that influence us unconsciously to vote in particular ways. And even more so, shape how we view the world and everything and everyone around us. Conservatives in particular learned these lessons well from psychology, biology and advertising. They have become masters of manipulating people to act against their own best interests. Progressives can learn it too, but instead of using it to manipulate others it can be geared to helping us see through such manipulation and thereby liberate us to think for ourselves. It teaches us how to crack this code.
Friday, July 25, 2014
5 Israeli talking points on Gaza debunked
See this article for the details. The points debunked follow:
1) Israel is exercising its right to self-defense.
2) Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005.
3) This Israeli operation, among others, was caused by rocket fire from Gaza.
4) Israel avoids civilian casualties, but Hamas aims to kill civilians.
5) Hamas hides its weapons in homes, mosques and schools and uses human shields.
1) Israel is exercising its right to self-defense.
2) Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005.
3) This Israeli operation, among others, was caused by rocket fire from Gaza.
4) Israel avoids civilian casualties, but Hamas aims to kill civilians.
5) Hamas hides its weapons in homes, mosques and schools and uses human shields.
The Loner
Tina S, now 15, does it again with this cover. In Tina's hands it also seems that Vigier is the new Fender or Gibson for this kind of sound.
Build me up buttercup
Here's a song from my yute. I like this video of it because of the period interpretative dance.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Jon Snow interview of Israeli spokesman
This is the interview Scahill referenced at the end of the previous video. I get it that Hamas is a terrorist organization that could give a shit about the Palestinians living in Gaza. And use them as shields from which to launch their rockets, knowing Israel will retaliate with air strikes in those areas. I just wish it were true that Israel is using its advanced weaponry for surgical strikes to take out Hamas. But to date with about 800 Gazans dead it seems to be empty rhetoric.
Jeremy Scahill on Gaza media coverage
"Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli propagandists are largely given
carte blanche to say what they want on American television with very
little push back."
Bridget & Emilio
There were several great routines last night on SYTYCD, but this was my favorite choreographed by Travis Wall.
Germany is the most energy efficient
According to this story, based on a study of 16 major economies by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Germany did so due to "mandatory codes on residential and commercial buildings as it works to
meet a goal of reducing energy consumption by 20% by 2020 from 2008
levels." All while achieving economic growth, thus belying the regressive rationalization that you can't do both. The report uses 31 indicators in 4 broad categories: buildings, industry, transportation and national effort. Italy was 2nd and the EU 3rd, while the US placed 13th. It is no surprise, given Germany's and the EU's commitment to implementing Jeremy Rifkin's Third Industrial Revolution while the US doesn't even have a clue. China is getting with the program and they are now 4th.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
A Commons approach to infrastructure
See this story. From the Executive Summary:
“Traditionally, a commons is a natural resource that gives rise to the problem of collective action: Individuals who act alone without consideration for others will arrive at outcomes that are bad for all. Pioneering research by Elinor Ostrom, a scholar of economic governance, has revealed that the claimants to a common pool resource are sometimes able to organize themselves to manage the commons on a day-today basis and to adapt to changing circumstances. In this paper, the authors study the dynamics of a commons organization: In 2006-2007, the Manchester City Council created a commons organization to design a number of new school buildings. The Council had broad decision rights over school design and construction, but rather than delegating those rights to its own staff or to a joint venture, as were the typical practices, the Council gave each school co-equal rights to approve the design so that no building project could go forward unless signed off by both the school and the Council staff. As such, the Council converted the decision-making process from a controlled, centralized style to a commons-based approach. Using the principles of Ostrom’s commons theory the authors show that, overall, the commons form of organizing brought with it concomitant risk. This risk, however, was significantly lessened through the creation of a robust commons organization."
“Traditionally, a commons is a natural resource that gives rise to the problem of collective action: Individuals who act alone without consideration for others will arrive at outcomes that are bad for all. Pioneering research by Elinor Ostrom, a scholar of economic governance, has revealed that the claimants to a common pool resource are sometimes able to organize themselves to manage the commons on a day-today basis and to adapt to changing circumstances. In this paper, the authors study the dynamics of a commons organization: In 2006-2007, the Manchester City Council created a commons organization to design a number of new school buildings. The Council had broad decision rights over school design and construction, but rather than delegating those rights to its own staff or to a joint venture, as were the typical practices, the Council gave each school co-equal rights to approve the design so that no building project could go forward unless signed off by both the school and the Council staff. As such, the Council converted the decision-making process from a controlled, centralized style to a commons-based approach. Using the principles of Ostrom’s commons theory the authors show that, overall, the commons form of organizing brought with it concomitant risk. This risk, however, was significantly lessened through the creation of a robust commons organization."
Weird Al hits number one
Yes, his latest CD Mandatory Fun has hit the top spot on the Billboard 200. Recall the video below, where he explains how producing and giving away videos from the CD on YouTube will lead to sales. The Fox Snooze capitalist just cannot grasp this concept, how sharing for free actually sells things.
AIPAC and US's morally bankrupt Israel policy
See this story. I've wondered recently why US representatives and politicos refuse to say nary a bad word on Israel's Palestinian policy. The story's answer is AIPAC, the highly influential US Israeli lobby. We blindly accept Israel's story about how Hamas was behind the kidnapping and killing of 3 Israelis, yet no evidence has been provided. Sources were quoted as saying the real reason for the invasion was due to the recent agreement between Fatah and Hamas on a unity government. This would likely lead to pressure on Israel for a two-state solution, to which Netanyahu has vowed never under his watch. None of which can even be addressed lest AIPAC uses its lobby to thwart any dissident's campaign.
UN probe into Israeli human rights violations
From this story:
GENEVA, July 23 (Reuters) - The United Nations Human Rights Council agreed on Wednesday to launch an international inquiry into violations that may have been committed during Israel's latest military offensive in Gaza.
At the end of an emergency session, the 47-member Geneva state forum adopted a resolution presented by Palestinians by a vote of 29 states in favor, 1 against (the United States) with 17 abstentions (including some European Union members).
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
GENEVA, July 23 (Reuters) - The United Nations Human Rights Council agreed on Wednesday to launch an international inquiry into violations that may have been committed during Israel's latest military offensive in Gaza.
At the end of an emergency session, the 47-member Geneva state forum adopted a resolution presented by Palestinians by a vote of 29 states in favor, 1 against (the United States) with 17 abstentions (including some European Union members).
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
DC Circuit court rules against Obamacare
See this story on the above, where the 2 regressive judges on a 3-judge panel voted to deny subsidies to those insured on the federal exchanges under Obamacare. The 3rd judge wrote a dissent destroying their faux reasoning, obviously influenced by their regressive hatred of Obamacare. I'll copy the entire dissent below, as it's short and accurate. The Administration will ask for the full 11-member DC circuit court judgment, which they'll likely win given its 7 Democrat and more reasonable-minded members who actually take precedent into account rather than legislating from the bench. No doubt dissenting judge Edwards' rationale will prevail, as follows:
Bilateral integration
I was listening to Thom Hartmann's radio show this morning and he was talking about this. He noted that Mesmer was on to something with his technique, but that the interpretation was wrong about it being some sort of metaphysical force from the moon that did the healing. Then Braid renamed it hypnosis and Freud took it up as therapy. It has since been demystified through empirical research that shows it works by alternating focus from one side of the body to the other, thereby stimulating brain hemispheric integration. Hence early Mermerism and hypnosis had one watch either the therapists hand or a watch as it moved from side to side.
Also part of the technique was to bring into focus a traumatic event causing symptoms while doing the bilateral movements, which allowed for the event to be acknowledged and integrated. Some of the modern applications of this therapy are NLP and Eye Motion Desensitization and Reintegration (EMDR). Hartmann did a book on this called Walking Your Blues Away, free Google preview here, where the simple of act of walking combined with eliciting traumatic memory can serve the same purpose.
Also part of the technique was to bring into focus a traumatic event causing symptoms while doing the bilateral movements, which allowed for the event to be acknowledged and integrated. Some of the modern applications of this therapy are NLP and Eye Motion Desensitization and Reintegration (EMDR). Hartmann did a book on this called Walking Your Blues Away, free Google preview here, where the simple of act of walking combined with eliciting traumatic memory can serve the same purpose.
What happens when you criticize Israel
Recall this post. Below Stewart demonstrates that one cannot even ask questions about Israel's military policy toward the Palestinians without be called a terrorist supporter.
Divergence
In the movie Divergent is a caste system based on
type for which one is tested. This was no doubt dreamed up by the
Erudites, the intellectual class. Everyone must neatly fit into a
category. If they don't they are divergent and must be killed, as those
with aspects of the different categories (factions) upset the neat Order
of things. Interestingly, the head Erudite thinks its human nature that
must be suppressed, since it doesn't fit into their perfect abstract
Order.
The protagonist, Tris, is of course divergent. Thing is, we all are a mix of these categories. Even with typologies like the Meyers-Briggs we change types over the course of our lifetimes, ofttimes more than once. Even within its typology, no one is fully in one of the types but by degrees leaning into mixes of them. Which of course depends on different life cycles, environments, social contexts, etc. All of which bring out different aspects of our mindsets and behaviors.
Bottom line for this post, consistent with my ongoing criticism of kennlingus and models like the MHC, is that both of them are dysfunctionally trying to fit round pegs into square holes, into their perfect Platonic and/or Aristotelian categories like the Erudite. And the Real is divergent.
Note: I personally have strong Erudite qualities and value them. It is not the Erudite per se that does the above, just when they lose balance with the other factions and move into dysfunction and become a dominator holon. Like the difference between real and false reason.
From this old post, quoting Women, Fire & Dangerous Things:
The protagonist, Tris, is of course divergent. Thing is, we all are a mix of these categories. Even with typologies like the Meyers-Briggs we change types over the course of our lifetimes, ofttimes more than once. Even within its typology, no one is fully in one of the types but by degrees leaning into mixes of them. Which of course depends on different life cycles, environments, social contexts, etc. All of which bring out different aspects of our mindsets and behaviors.
Bottom line for this post, consistent with my ongoing criticism of kennlingus and models like the MHC, is that both of them are dysfunctionally trying to fit round pegs into square holes, into their perfect Platonic and/or Aristotelian categories like the Erudite. And the Real is divergent.
Note: I personally have strong Erudite qualities and value them. It is not the Erudite per se that does the above, just when they lose balance with the other factions and move into dysfunction and become a dominator holon. Like the difference between real and false reason.
From this old post, quoting Women, Fire & Dangerous Things:
Monday, July 21, 2014
Stewart on regressive compassion for refugee children
Remember Colbert on this issue. Now Stewart sings praises to regressive compassion toward the refugee children, who see them as an invasion force. We progressives can only hope to one day love our neighbors as well as these kind and generous folks.
Run Liz Run
Here's a new song encouraging Senator Warren to run for President. Also go to the campaign page to join the movement.
Media reporting on climate change
See this story. Reporting on this issue is up in 2014, but that's not saying much. This year there has been a total of 60 minutes of coverage on the major Sunday talk shows. MSNBC led the way with 20 minutes so far. However that time has been split between accurate, science-based reporting and debate-style reporting, where climate change denial is represented as an equally accurate position. The following chart breaks it down in these 2 categories for the major networks. No surprise, Fox had 0% of accurate reporting.
Israel & Palestine
Watching the Sunday talking heads made it clear that the Palestinians are not even recognized, let alone addressed. Everyone says: "Israel has the right to defend itself." True, but to the extremes they are doing so? Indiscriminately killing innocent women and children? Sure, go after the Hamas involved in the rocketing, specifically target them. But blowing up neighborhoods because Hamas has been there? Absolutely no one in the media questioned the talking politicos on this, just accepting that Israel had the right to do whatever they wanted in retaliation.
Then finally I saw this article speaking for the Palestinians.
Then finally I saw this article speaking for the Palestinians.
Consumer financial protection is working
The following is an email from Senator Warren. This stuff is working because we the people get behind the likes of Warren, who created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We can continue to overcome Big $ if we but organize and get active. Warren:
"Not long ago, I was at a McDonald's when a man came over, held out his hand and said he had been having trouble with a fee his bank had charged. It wasn't huge, but he said the bank should not have charged him. He called and argued, talked with customer relations, asked to speak to a manager -- and he got a big, fat zero.
Then he said he remembered about the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and told the bank he would file a complaint. They put him on hold and then came back and said they would reverse the fee. The agency worked.
Today is the fourth anniversary of Dodd-Frank, the law that established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau -- and the third anniversary of the date the CFPB became an independent agency. And in those three years, the agency has done a lot to help level the playing field.
"Not long ago, I was at a McDonald's when a man came over, held out his hand and said he had been having trouble with a fee his bank had charged. It wasn't huge, but he said the bank should not have charged him. He called and argued, talked with customer relations, asked to speak to a manager -- and he got a big, fat zero.
Then he said he remembered about the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and told the bank he would file a complaint. They put him on hold and then came back and said they would reverse the fee. The agency worked.
Today is the fourth anniversary of Dodd-Frank, the law that established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau -- and the third anniversary of the date the CFPB became an independent agency. And in those three years, the agency has done a lot to help level the playing field.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Justice Dept. should just quit pretending
See this story suggesting the above. No, it's not a regressive appealing to a capitalist agenda by justifying what the banks did. It's a progressive saying that what the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) is doing is such a travesty of justice as to be only further degrading that notion with every prosecution. David Dayen certainly thinks banks and bankers should be prosecuted and punished for their crimes, but what the DOJ is doing is antithetical to those goals.
SCROTUS
Here's a song about the Hobby Lobby decision. "They'll cover your penis by not your whoseiwhats." "SCROTUS: deciding constitutional law base on their junk...science."
Liberal science denial
Yes, regressives have science denial big time on many issues. But some liberals are not immune* either, especially when it comes to vaccination. * Pun intended.
Metal Vivaldi
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Colbert on regressives' authentic love for refugee children
Yes, the regressives love these children so much they are doing the following. Some love, huh?
The quantum bounce
Here's a twist on the fold: loop quantum gravity.
Physicists in black hole research now posit that they can only compress
so far because space-time is quantized into "tiny, individual loops
that cannot be subdivided any further." This causes black holes to reach
that point where they turn into white holes and ejaculate their jizz
outward, known as the quantum bounce. They suggest that such a bounce
might even be how our universe began in the big bang.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Senator Warren on the corrupt Supreme Corp
We really have to convince her to run for President. In this video she rails on the Supreme Corp's decision in the Hobby Lobby case. She cites a study of the most corporate-friendly SCOTUS Justices in the last 65 years. The 5 current regressives on the Court ranked in the top 10, with Alito and Roberts being 1 and 2. She pushes for the newly proposed legislation in the Senate to overturn that decision, which of course was filibustered by the regressives.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Kacy makes history
Kacy Catanzaro is the first woman to ever qualify for the final round in American Ninja Warrior. Here's her qualifying performance, all the more amazing since she's only 5 feet tall and many of the obstacles seem impossible for that height.
Mountains are mountains again
Update: see the continuing discussion in this post and following.
Continuing from the last post, this is also part of a FB IPS discussion on the topic. Therein Joseph said, excerpted:
"Often, highly evolved or individuated persons, especially if they have had certain STATE experiences, will already be carrying a Master Signifier - as their own interpretation of that state experience. As Wilber wrote, a person will interpret their state experience in accordance with their level of development. So for someone of this ilk to be in a group whose purpose is to create some new emergent, they will have a HUGE hurdle to overcome - they must be able to lay down their own PRECIOUS, their own Master Signifier that they're carrying in their pocket. This Master Signifier is their privileged perspective.
Continuing from the last post, this is also part of a FB IPS discussion on the topic. Therein Joseph said, excerpted:
"Often, highly evolved or individuated persons, especially if they have had certain STATE experiences, will already be carrying a Master Signifier - as their own interpretation of that state experience. As Wilber wrote, a person will interpret their state experience in accordance with their level of development. So for someone of this ilk to be in a group whose purpose is to create some new emergent, they will have a HUGE hurdle to overcome - they must be able to lay down their own PRECIOUS, their own Master Signifier that they're carrying in their pocket. This Master Signifier is their privileged perspective.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
The unprecedented is common and natural
I'm
struck by how every written or spoken communication is an occasion of
the unprecedented. Yes, we use the same words we've always used, maybe a
new one on occasion. But each time we speak or write is novel in that
we've never done it exactly that way before. It seems ironic that we're
searching for ways to elicit the unprecedented when we do it naturally
with every utterance.Which reminds me of this post.
Over 100 Republicans back Democrat candidate for Kansas governor
Integral transformative practice
Balder started an IPS thread on the topic here. My comment so far:
Back on the Gaia forum I discussed Fenner's deconstructive contemplation
in relation to Derrida's deconstructive (methodless) method. Fenner's
method is based on various Buddhist ideas. I've also made much hay on
the relation between Derrida and Buddhism. The latter connection has
been much researched, and Fenner's bibliography (link above) cites a
number of those studies. Like Fenner's method, Derrida's deconstruction
is not a fixed method but particular to the matter at hand, which is always singular
and novel. Same with his notion of iteration, which like Levin
acknowledges the repetition of the always already and yet includes the
not yet, given the novel singularity of each particular. Like Fenner it
is a 'way' to enter the ineffable and talk about it! And a way to talk ourselves into it!
Recall Cameron's post on Derrida here, which caused much consternation to the kennilinguists at Integral Life.
Recall Cameron's post on Derrida here, which caused much consternation to the kennilinguists at Integral Life.
Language as transformative practice
Continuing from this post, I referenced Levin's "Before the voice of reason."
Re-reading it I'm struck by how he wants to reestablish a link with
that pre-linguistic and embodied connection with the world which sets
the stage for language. As is my wont I immediately see image schema as
fulfilling this role, though Levin is not thinking in those terms. He
does get close to this in the following passage, noting that our
pre-liguistic connection to nature requires that “there can be no memory
without entanglement in the fabulations and alembications of the
imaginary” (61).
And it is not by chance that these image schema ground and develop into linguistic metaphor, metonymy, etc. Hence we get our mytho-poetic language as gateway into both the always already and the not yet, inspiring us to open to mystery and wonder and communicate it via such embodied language. Hence a good poem can actually lead us to the experience, as does a good work of any other form of art. I know dance, both as performer and spectator, does this for me with emotional and aesthetic intensity. And I'd add so does rhetoric, as it too is an art form that reconnects us to our body and nature, yet also takes flight into and elicits the not yet of the unprecedented.
Also of interest is this passage on Heidegger's deconstruction of metaphysics, indicative of my earlier ruminations about how our language presupposes ontological premises:
And it is not by chance that these image schema ground and develop into linguistic metaphor, metonymy, etc. Hence we get our mytho-poetic language as gateway into both the always already and the not yet, inspiring us to open to mystery and wonder and communicate it via such embodied language. Hence a good poem can actually lead us to the experience, as does a good work of any other form of art. I know dance, both as performer and spectator, does this for me with emotional and aesthetic intensity. And I'd add so does rhetoric, as it too is an art form that reconnects us to our body and nature, yet also takes flight into and elicits the not yet of the unprecedented.
Also of interest is this passage on Heidegger's deconstruction of metaphysics, indicative of my earlier ruminations about how our language presupposes ontological premises:
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
The Ready for Warren campaign
See this report on a new campaign to convince Senator Warren to run for President in 2016. "The group already has a Facebook page, Twitter account and a new website." We really need to convince her that Clinton will not support the sort of progressive agenda we want, the sort of progressive agenda Warren believes in. Only Warren is going to represent those ideas. And more importantly, implement them if she's President. Her candidacy would also bolster more progressives running for Congress and winning those seats, as polls consistently show progressive issues are in the vast majority. We need her to run and win the Presidency to return this country to a democracy. With Clinton we'll only continue down the inevitable road to oligarchy.You can support this effort by signing the petition at the website, getting on the mailing list and continuing to support Warren's candidacy.
Kansas failed tax-cut ideology
Sam Seder discusses the brilliant regressive tax policy of Kansas Governor Brownback. It's based on the Laffer curve, which says that the less you tax people the more productive they'll be.The regressive Browback bought this repeatedly failed economic policy, lowered tax rates on business and the wealthy, and the results are in. Kansas ran a deficit of $700 million last year. Moody's lowered the State's bond rating. Job growth is one of the lowest in the nation. Net business growth is in the negative. I know, facts don't matter to these folks.
Language and the unprecedented
In the FB IPS forum Mark asks if language can be used to get at an unpredecented transformational experience. We discussed Levin's work in this regard in this IPS
post and following. A few excerpts of that discussion follow:
“The attunement...having originally preceded the ego-logical consciousness, is not realized, and does not actually take place, until the belated moment of its reflected recuperation. The 'always already' that memory strives to retrieve is inseparable from a 'not yet,' a future conjectured in hope” (61).
Here's an excerpt from my referenced thread that demonstrates “using a mytho-poetic language...to evoke in us...this reconnection with both the always already and not yet."
Monday, July 14, 2014
Political economy as spiritual practice
*Updated below with more material.
I was re-reading the IPS thread on Otto Scharmer and this post refers to one of his blog posts. I noted that in figure 1 he correlates the spiritual divide with our current governance systems not giving voice to the people (aka fascist oligarchy) and private property rights. That's right, these are his spiritual issues. Figure 3 shows to what we are moving in the spiritual areas noted above, toward awareness based collective action and commons based ownership. Which supports my thesis in the dialogue with Mark (here and following) that these are spiritual issues. And that Warren moves in this direction while Clinton does not. Hence my focus in this blog on political-economic enaction as spiritual practice.
Also recall this post on Panikkar regarding religion and politics. (The whole thread is also relevant.) An excerpt:
I was re-reading the IPS thread on Otto Scharmer and this post refers to one of his blog posts. I noted that in figure 1 he correlates the spiritual divide with our current governance systems not giving voice to the people (aka fascist oligarchy) and private property rights. That's right, these are his spiritual issues. Figure 3 shows to what we are moving in the spiritual areas noted above, toward awareness based collective action and commons based ownership. Which supports my thesis in the dialogue with Mark (here and following) that these are spiritual issues. And that Warren moves in this direction while Clinton does not. Hence my focus in this blog on political-economic enaction as spiritual practice.
Also recall this post on Panikkar regarding religion and politics. (The whole thread is also relevant.) An excerpt:
John Oliver on the wealth gap
He ridicules how regressives call any mention of income inequality 'class warfare,' as if stating facts is a political agenda. Regressives are so accustomed to fabricating facts to fit their own political agenda that they actually thinks that's how facts work.
Whole Foods capitalist ideolgy is failing
This story should be no surprise. Whole Foods has always been overpriced and everyone knew it, hence the nickname Whole Paycheck. But that was their marketing strategy. It wasn't just whole, healthy food, but that sort of food for the upper middle classes and higher. The whole strategy was based on and aimed at those who fed on the capitalist free market wet dream, that if you just try hard enough you too can be healthy, wealthy and wise.
When the economy was good there were enough yuppies to afford shopping at this status symbol. But since the economy tanked due to those capitalist forces sick with greed and self indulgence, quite a few of those prior professionals have entered the ranks of the unemployed or underemployed and can no longer afford to spend their whole paycheck on good food. Also consider that lower-end grocers are now picking up those products at far lower prices, since they see the writing on the wall of the bad economy and cater to the lower classes.
When the economy was good there were enough yuppies to afford shopping at this status symbol. But since the economy tanked due to those capitalist forces sick with greed and self indulgence, quite a few of those prior professionals have entered the ranks of the unemployed or underemployed and can no longer afford to spend their whole paycheck on good food. Also consider that lower-end grocers are now picking up those products at far lower prices, since they see the writing on the wall of the bad economy and cater to the lower classes.
Krugman: healthcare reform is working
He's right to keep hammering this, since lamestream media won't even cover it. The latter won't cover it because it's not bad news, which seems the only kind of news they'll report. And this of course leads to why the polls are still low for the Affordable Care Act, despite it working so well. Of course people on the program are by far happy about it, including Republicans, and the good news is spreading quickly by word of mouth. But leave it up to the media, which is supposed to report the news, not just the bad news, to keep the myths and lies alive.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
More regressive lies on Obamacare
Recall Maher's recent new rule on zombie lies, several of which were about Obamacare. Krugman notes that the rate of uninsured is directly correlated to Obamacare. Regressives though are lying about that one too, saying it's a result of the improving economy. Set aside for the moment that regressives have done everything they can to thwart economic improvement, meaning that they've blocked every suggestion along that line, as well a doing nothing whatsoever to help. Krugman cites more facts that there is a direct correlation with declining uninsured in States that have implemented the Medicaid expansion, and same correlation with worse numbers in those States not implementing it. It's further proof of both the success of Obamacare and how the regressives would actually rather see people not get healthcare and die than admit their complicity in failed policies. These are some sick bastards.
Saturday, July 12, 2014
President makes fun of regressives
They want to sue him for doing his job, which includes doing their job since they won't do it. I guess they're pissed because he makes a fool of them, not at all that hard.
Zombie lies
Bill Maher nails the typical and incessant regressive lying about everything. Sure, even liberals lie. But when they are caught and called on it they
actually admit it and quit that lie because "they realize there's this
thing called observable reality." Not so with regressives. They continue pathological lies that never die, like zombies, since they are incapable of recognizing that they lied in the first place. They are immune to facts, science and observable reality. See the video for numerous examples.
Benji & Torri
And here's what he looks like with his regular partner in their choreographed routine.
Benji and Deborah
I was hard on Benji for the SYTYCD choreography. So I found this video where he and his partner won the Jack and Jill Champions competition at the recent SwingDiego event. This is purely lead-follow improvisation.
Joking Bad
This is an oldie but goodie of Fallon doing a Breaking Bad parody. I loved this show and the spoof is quite funny if you were familiar with the show.
Friday, July 11, 2014
House regressives caught lying again
No surprise, really. It's SOP for them, to say one thing and then do exactly the opposite. And also claim they are not doing what they are obviously doing. It's a very sick denial game, and I do mean sick as in illness. What now? They voted to extend business tax breaks which will add $287 billion to the deficit, and not one penny of it is paid for elsewhere. Regressive are constantly harping on how we have to cut, cut, cut, but that's only for programs that help the poor or middle class. Or if we do spend, we have to make up for it somewhere else. But when it comes to the rich it's give, give, give with no make up. And in this particular case, the rationalization is that the tax breaks will spur the economy and the facts are that they never did or will.
To fake or not to fake?
Remember Meg Ryan's in-deli faked orgasm? According to her most if not all women have faked it at one time or another. So does it matter if they fake it? And why would they do it? I know some women tell men white lies to boost they confidence, which makes them perform better. Does faking it serve a similar purpose?
Thursday, July 10, 2014
The TPP gets worse
See the petition text below and please consider signing it here. Now the TPP has provisions to censor the internet! These people are insidious and evil. And must be stopped.
Footnotes
[1] Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. Source: EFF
[2] TPP talks in full gear as chief negotiators join working-level meeting. Source: Mainichi
[3] How the Trans-Pacific Partnership would impact Internet freedom. Source: Expose the TPP
[4] Social media companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and Internet user groups speak out about costs of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Source.
REVEALED:
“Chief negotiators” are now stepping in to finalize a Trans-Pacific
Partnership (TPP) plan that could censor expression online for
generations.1 2 Your
comments on mobile platforms, content on YouTube, and posts on Facebook
could be censored. Whole websites could even be blocked.3
We only have 48hrs before meetings in Ottawa conclude: Let’s raise a loud global call for TPP chief negotiators to back off and save free expression now. TPP negotiators received citizen comments in a face-to-face meeting with OpenMedia just hours ago,4 but now chief negotiators are stepping in to ram the censorship plan into place. If
enough people speak out now, we’ll put up a giant “Save Free
Expression” banner in front of the TPP meeting building – a banner that
decision makers and the media can’t ignore.
[1] Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. Source: EFF
[2] TPP talks in full gear as chief negotiators join working-level meeting. Source: Mainichi
[3] How the Trans-Pacific Partnership would impact Internet freedom. Source: Expose the TPP
[4] Social media companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and Internet user groups speak out about costs of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Source.
One of the best last night on SYTYCD
Compared to the last routine, this was one of the best. The Argentine Tango community is much like the west coast swing dance community, in that both focus almost solely on one dance. This can lead to the kind of insularity and insensitivity to one's dancers when choreographing a routine, especially when said dancers have never done the dance before. But unlike Benji's routine that was definitely not the case here. Yes, the choreographers stuck to the purity of their dance's technique and asked their dancers to do some rather difficult moves. But they didn't push them so far that they required of them to do every trick in the book in rapid fire succession that it destroyed the flavor and style of the dance. There was plenty of more basic technique to transition between the flair and the passion. A fine example of making your dancers look good, and they indeed looked really good.
Benji flops on SYTYCD
I was excited for Benji Schwimmer's return to So You Think You Can Dance last night, now as a choreographer. He directed a west coast swing routine but unfortunately it was one of the worst of the evening. Nigel was right when he said Benji was mean, in that he gave the dancers something that would look good on him. He didn't though take the dancers' strengths or skills into consideration and tailor the dance to them. They looked awkward and at times even clumsy, and these dancers are far from that. The routine was filled with the sort of tricks that Benji is famous for, but lacked even a modicum of any recognizable west coast swing patterns or rhythm. It was a disastrous flop that indulged Benji, not the dancers or the audience. And I was hoping for so much more, since I really like him. Compare it with this routine.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Business IS psychopathic
This is not at all surprising, given that business itself is built upon these characteristics. And having worked in business for many years I can attest to its veracity. Those who succeed in business are usually not the best or brightest workers, or the most ethical or compassionate. To the contrary: Basically they are psychopaths, but just short of the type that stalk people and kill them. They are manipulative, anti-social narcissists. No wonder the key to business success is lying, cheating and stealing. That is business.
PS: I was in business a long time and it wasn't always this way. But things went pathological at some point and only continue down this destructive path.
PS: I was in business a long time and it wasn't always this way. But things went pathological at some point and only continue down this destructive path.
Democracies need collective bargaining
See this article. With collective bargaining democracy flourishes. Without it they become oligarchies. The evidence is clear. Since 1983 US participation in unions has gone from 20 to 11 percent. In that time worker productivity and GDP have gone up by 80%, yet wages have stagnated. Obviously there is a direct relationship between the oligarchy's agenda to destroy unions and these stats. The greedy bastards do not want to share the wealth. And without collective bargaining employees have no leverage whatsoever to negotiate better wages. Democracy requires it, oligarchy denies it. The question is, do we the people want a democracy?
Also remember this telling graph:
Also remember this telling graph:
Support the new Bill to overturn the Hobby Lobby decision
From Senator Warren:
Led by Senators Patty Murray and Mark Udall, we've just introduced a new bill – the Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act. The bill reverses the Supreme Court's decision by making it clear that employers cannot deny access to any of the health benefits required by the ACA – not immunizations, not blood transfusions, not HIV treatments, and not birth control – while preserving reasonable accommodations for religiously exempt employers.
If we're going to respond to Hobby Lobby, it's got to be through a legislative fix. And if the Republicans won't fight for the women they represent, then we're going to take that fight to them. Let them explain why they think employers should decide what health care a woman can get covered by her insurance .
Sign up now to show your support for the Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act.
Led by Senators Patty Murray and Mark Udall, we've just introduced a new bill – the Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act. The bill reverses the Supreme Court's decision by making it clear that employers cannot deny access to any of the health benefits required by the ACA – not immunizations, not blood transfusions, not HIV treatments, and not birth control – while preserving reasonable accommodations for religiously exempt employers.
If we're going to respond to Hobby Lobby, it's got to be through a legislative fix. And if the Republicans won't fight for the women they represent, then we're going to take that fight to them. Let them explain why they think employers should decide what health care a woman can get covered by her insurance .
Sign up now to show your support for the Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act.
New study on regressive cultural evolutionary adaptive lag
I call them regressives for a reason. See this story that highlights new research from the Archives of Sexual Behavior. E.g, regressives in the recent Hobby Lobby Supreme Corp case argued that easy access to contraception promoted infidelity and promiscuity. This may be tied to the old school notion that women must economically depend on men. It stems from a "cultural evolutionary adaptive lag, that
is, because the environment has changed faster than the moral system.” Such environmental changes include workplace equality, where women can earn enough money to take care of themselves and therefore are no longer economically dependent on men. And yet regressive beliefs are tied to prior times when women were so dependent. So instead of catching up with the times they want to regress back to 'better' days.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
deconstruction
Recall this post on Serres? Serres emphasis on the infra-language of a given text reminds me of descriptions of deconstruction:
"Deconstruction is not a method and this means that it is not a neat
set of rules that can be applied to any text in the same way.
Deconstruction is therefore not neatly transcendental because it cannot
be considered separate from the contingent empirical facticity of the
particular texts that any deconstruction must carefully negotiate."
Monday, July 7, 2014
Latour on Serres
See this Latour article. I'm
fascinated with how Serres does not see strict divisions between
domains. Or a metalanguage that contextualizes them all within a
critique or model. Not only different domains but what one who uses
metalanguages might interpret as past and lower levels that must be
supplanted. It seems more like how Luhmann sees the various mutations of
a human or society, as that of structural couplings. Or how Gebser does
as well, how they all continue to exist simultaneously via such
couplings. And yet there is not overarching 'integral' metalanguage
(model, method) etc. As in Morton or Zizek, there is no Nature. I like
this quote:
Regressives have severe confirmation bias
We've discussed this before, that everyone on occasion tends to believe what they want to and discard evidence to the contrary. But regressives have this malady much worse than most. Recall this study (#12) proving exactly that. And so it goes on climate change and the economy, as Krugman aptly points out. They missed entirely the financial crises because they were religiously attached to the notion that business free of regulation and government intervention was the be-all of a market economy. When they were proven wrong they did not change their beliefs to match to facts but tried to explain away the facts, often with the most bizarre of conspiracy theories. It's a disease and such representatives should be declared unfit for office just as if they had another serious illness that won't accept reality.
Hartmann on US Constitutional monarchy
See the following video where Hartmann points out that the Supreme Court does not have Constitutional authority to create or strike down laws, something is has been increasingly doing. Congress does have Constitutional authority to reign in the Court over this and they need to exercise that authority. As to who determines what is Constitutional, per Jefferson it is the people, and we change that through our votes.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Rousey destroys Davis in 16 seconds
Successfully defending her UFC title. It seems the only one who has a chance is Cyborg. And everyone wants to see that fight.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Regressives direct the Pentagon to ignore climate change
See this story. Last year the Dept. of Defense concluded that "climate change presents infrastructure challenges at home and abroad." A Pentagon report this March "found that climate change impacts are 'threat multipliers,' and that the rapid rise of global temperatures and associated extreme weather events could exacerbate issues like 'poverty, environmental degradation, political instability and social tensions -- conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence.'"
So what do the House regressives do?
Chainsaw
I remember what you said that night
That you would love me for the rest of your life
We wrote forever with a pocketknife
But forever's goin' down tonight
I got my chainsaw
It's also great for 2-stepping. See the note at the end of the song if you're a tree hugger.
That you would love me for the rest of your life
We wrote forever with a pocketknife
But forever's goin' down tonight
I got my chainsaw
It's also great for 2-stepping. See the note at the end of the song if you're a tree hugger.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Robert Reich speaks to the 1%
Here's a video of his presentation to the Aspen Institute. He starts by noting that economics didn't used to be a separate discipline, that heretofore it was described as political economy. Adam Smith considered himself a moral philosopher. And that is what he discusses, how our economy is about how we as a nation see what is good and decent, how we view each other and take care of each other. It is about our morals and values and not just about money divorced from such considerations.
Supply side charlatans
Krugman nails the supply siders to a cross of their own making. He discusses how Kansas decided to give this long-failed policy a try and of course and as usual, it didn't work. And the guy who recommend it is on ALEC's 'board of scholars,' a contradiction in terms. ALEC proposes this sort of legislation all around the country and their agenda is tax cuts to the rich, tax increases on everyone else, and drastic cuts to social programs. And the tax cuts on the rich, which is supposed to create jobs and boost the economy which will trickle down to the rest of just never happens, ever. This specious spin used to work but more and more Americans are finally waking up and recognizing that that scant trickle is the fact we're being pissed on.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Stand up to stop climate change
From Jeffrey Sachs:
Now you can stand up and make your voice heard. Many of the world's leading scientists and climate experts have put forward a statement to global leaders for delivery at the United Nations Climate Summit on September 23. Here is your chance to add your name with these illustrious signatories by clicking here and adding your own name to the statement.
We've just about run out of time to keep the rise of global temperature below 2 degrees Centigrade (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The world promised to do it back in 2010. But it hasn't acted. This is your moment, as a Global Citizen, to raise your voice to head off disastrous climate change.
Now you can stand up and make your voice heard. Many of the world's leading scientists and climate experts have put forward a statement to global leaders for delivery at the United Nations Climate Summit on September 23. Here is your chance to add your name with these illustrious signatories by clicking here and adding your own name to the statement.
We've just about run out of time to keep the rise of global temperature below 2 degrees Centigrade (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The world promised to do it back in 2010. But it hasn't acted. This is your moment, as a Global Citizen, to raise your voice to head off disastrous climate change.
Want to save democracy?
See the following video by Lawrence Lessig on the Mayday PAC, a superPAC raising money to support Congressional candidates dedicated to getting big money out of politics. We've been complaining about how our government is highjacked by big money, how we have no voice, how government doesn't care about us. Well here's your chance to do something significant to remedy that. Donate whatever you can afford. And most importantly, pass this along to everyone you know, for it is not being advertised and only gains strength through our efforts. Per the website they've already received $2million, with another $3million pledged. They need $2million more in pledges by tomorrow to meet their second crowdfunding goal.
Is teleology necessary to mereology?
Continuing from the last post, even within a mereological containment schema, recall this post earlier in the thread questioning its universal, cross-cultural validity.
This article explicitly
connects L&J's image schemas to Piaget's work to the neglect of
Vygotsky. It is like the former in that it is a universalistic and
individualistic model of cognition.
"Our suggestion, then, is that a nonlinguistic sociocultural difference regarding canonical artifact use, embodied in the material cultures and exemplifed in nonlinguistic cultural practices, gives rise to slightly but significantly different conceptualizations of 'containment' in the different cultures" (35-6).
Along these lines recall this and a few following posts from another thread. Some excerpts:
On this last point, kennilingus and the model of hierarchical complexity (MHC) assume a teleology. For the Lingam it is a morphogenetic gradient from involution that pulls evolution up toward it, like a strange attractor. For the MHC it is both Platonic ideal forms and Aristotelian universal categories. Both require that the lower be subsumed in the higher, and both assume that this higher is the real goal to which evolution is moving. Both require essences.
"Our suggestion, then, is that a nonlinguistic sociocultural difference regarding canonical artifact use, embodied in the material cultures and exemplifed in nonlinguistic cultural practices, gives rise to slightly but significantly different conceptualizations of 'containment' in the different cultures" (35-6).
Along these lines recall this and a few following posts from another thread. Some excerpts:
On this last point, kennilingus and the model of hierarchical complexity (MHC) assume a teleology. For the Lingam it is a morphogenetic gradient from involution that pulls evolution up toward it, like a strange attractor. For the MHC it is both Platonic ideal forms and Aristotelian universal categories. Both require that the lower be subsumed in the higher, and both assume that this higher is the real goal to which evolution is moving. Both require essences.
Integral defined and delimited
Let's take a look at the word integral, since that is one of the defining terms of this forum, and the
defining term of an entire philosophical movement. As an adjective it
means, among other things, the relation of parts to wholes, aka holons
and mereology. Hence the predominant fixation of all things integral
with mereology. As a noun it is the integrated whole. It comes from the
Latin for whole. Synonyms include essential, indispensable, requisite,
hence mereology as the indispensable and requisite factor in
kennlingus, including its essentialism. The term lends itself to both
the dignity and disaster of kennlingus for choosing this as its defining
banner.
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One must anchor feelings to communicate well. He gives an example of a Gingrich memo from 1996 that said one must create contrast with their opponent by casting them in negative emotional terms. Then when an opponent's name comes up it is anchored in those negative emotions. An example was Reagan's 'welfare queen,' which still resonates with regressives to this day. And this despite the fact that the example Reagan provided was spun of whole cloth and no person fitting that description was ever found. It was effective though in virtually dismantling Johnson's Great Society. One can also do the reverse, anchoring positive emotions with one's allies or Party.