A few handy thoughts: My philosophy without an entire book

While this is not everything I believe, it is a primer on whatever philosophy I have culled together. It is not written as the final word on things, rather, it is just a starting point. Subject to change - as the U.S. Constitution duly is. But it is at the foundation of what I deem important

On Religion: God made a universe, and man was set in motion to either: to make it better (by his flawed reckoning); fuck it up (once again by his own dichotomatic mental process - that of separating good from bad); or just exist in it, with barely a concern for his fellow man; or maybe a concern, but usually with a projection of what is good or bad onto the object of said concern. Makes you want get drunk, now, doesn't it? The Founding Fathers of America were pretty much Deists. While they may have pandered to the common man (denominator), they really preferred to just concentrate on the details of keeping a ragtag, racist, rebel rousing, rough-for-money lot from not killing all their ideas before an abundant land of resources could be turned into a printing press of money. Yet, through the spectacle of time, media, and contortion, these men got more labels of religious piety and concrete Puritan beliefs than a Jeff Gordon race car.

On Politics: If I vote Republican it will be because: I feel a need for more corruption and I have a several hundred million in the bank to buy off either party. Call that a hedge...But that means the Democrats are not a lot much in tune with what it takes.

It is hard to turn around the bus when it is on a cliff and the dead end is too close to back up towards....we missed the boat on what it takes to be the world leader. And the Democrats needed more balls and sense when dealing with the conservative lot...Just a opinion 50% will not like.

These mistakes have arose out of every administration since FDR (not particularly FDR - because, if, you look at his record for economics - taken from Great Depression to 50% of World GDP in 1945-46 - or foreign policy - win wars, rebuilding a new world 'order' - that he tried to set it up.) Yet too, no man knows the future - especially Presidents with all the information they have. FDR did make plenty of errors too, some as a matter of weakness in his final six months on Earth, when the need to fight is quite hard to muster...

But I digressed.

The party system is riddled with poor operation and poor candidates. I am though thankful for the fact I woke up and America had not fallen apart while I slept.

Instead, it does so while I walk in it daily....

Witty quotes to summarize feelings:

• I don't want to sell anything, buy anything or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or process anything sold, bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought or processed -- or repair anything sold, bought or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that. John Cusack - From 'Say Anything'
• Perhaps they were right in putting love into books - William Faulkner
• "Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? " George Bernard Shaw that RFK made famous "...and Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that." George Carlin 
• Riddle me this, riddle me that, who's afraid of the big black bat? -Edward Nygma in Batman II
• Excuse me? Ever dance with the devil in the pale moon light? - Michael Keaton (Batman 1989)
• Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.
  Escribir, por ejemplo: "La noche está estrellada,
  y tiritan, azules, los astros, a lo lejos."
  El viento de la noche gira en el cielo y canta....  

• Tonight I can write the most sorrowful lines. 
• I can write, for example: "The night is star-filled
• and the blue stars are shivering in the distance."
• The night wind turns in the sky and sings... Pablo Neruda

 Movie Dialogue:With Honors (1994)
Simon Wilder: You asked the question, sir, now let me answer it. The beauty of the Constitution is that it can always be changed. The beauty of the Constitution is that it makes no set law other than faith in the wisdom of ordinary people to govern themselves.
Professor Pitkannan: Faith in the wisdom of the people is exactly what makes the Constitution incomplete and crude.
Simon Wilder: Crude? No, sir. Our founding parents were pompous,  middle-aged white farmers, but they were also great men. Because they knew one thing that all great men should know: that they didn't know everything. Sure, they'd make mistakes, but they made sure to leave a way to correct them. The president is not an elected king, no matter how many bombs he can drop. Because the crude Constitution doesn't trust him. He's just a bum, okay, Mr. Pitkannan. He's just...a bum.

A Few Good Men

Jessep (Jack Nicholson): You want answers?
Kaffee (Tom Cruise): I think I'm entitled to them.
Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I want the truth!
Jessep: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls. And those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives...
       You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall.
       We use words like honor, code, loyalty...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use 'em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!
Kaffee: Did you order the code red?
Jessep: (quietly) I did the job you sent me to do.
Kaffee: Did you order the code red?
Jessep: You're goddamn right I did!!

These are starters again. Just nuggets to think on.


The movie quotes reflect that things are always questionable. What are we trying to do: save lives?, as Col. Jessup reflects while doing it without the honor to the basic human tenant that all life is precious. Though, I do agree that it is a tough duty to defend freedom with your hands tie behind your back. In the With Honors' piece, I suspect we all feel bum-like, the inevitable result of life being a series of misfortune and poor doors chosen. The Batman selections are the psychological deconstruction of not playing with a full deck characters. They too see the need to question. Say Anything is self-evident; the need to play the game like others is not really what I want to do either, yet, I've done it. RFK and Carlin question why and why not and the time it takes.


So there it is - for all to see - my credos in life at this juncture. In 2020 or 2024, maybe it will be more thorough and a more enlivening discussion to reflect on what I believe.