tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85931095924449134722024-02-18T18:27:52.189-08:00The Weary RoadBy Stephen J. Brasel, The.StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-87975974057877822272020-02-15T06:52:00.001-08:002020-02-15T06:52:46.486-08:00Tips for Choosing Coping SkillsDisclaimer: I am not a licensed (or unlicensed) health care professional. I have suffered from chronic suicidal ideations, major depression disorder, major bipolar disorder, general anxiety disorder, chronic perfectionism, and other mental problems for several years. The following tips are from a perspective of experience and are not meant to be a substitute for licensed medical care. If you are not safe or are not feeling safe, please seek care.<br /><br />National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255<br />National Suicide Prevention Website (With online chat): <a href="https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/">https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/</a><br /><br />I keep a list of coping mechanisms that I cycle through using, but I have favorites. <b>If you take anything away from this, take this: Choose three healthy, effective coping skills you can use at any time, in any place, near anyone. </b><br /><br />1. <b>Choose Coping Skills that are healthier than your undesired behavior, until they're not. </b><br />
- e.g., if your undesired is having panic attacks, choosing to have a glass of wine to ground yourself is fine in moderation (and if you're following legal precedents.) If your undesired behavior is alcoholism, choosing to have a bubble bath would be a healthier alternative.<br />
- Always try to opt for the healthiest option, but if you need to pick the lesser of two evils, do so.<br />
<br />2. <b>Choose a set of coping skills you can do over different periods of time. </b>Something you can do in the moment, something you can do in the meanwhile, something you can do long term.<br />
- e.g., you won't always be able to draw a bubble bath in the middle of a subway station.<br />
- Your best coping skills, the ones that consistently bring you back from the edge, may not be feasible in some or even most situations, so having backups you can use any time is reassuring. For me, these are mindfulness techniques (breathing exercises) or thought exercises (going to my happy places. Yes, I have many happy places.)<br />
For example,<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Short-Term: I like a cyclic breathing exercise where you breathe in for 5 seconds, hold your breath for 5 seconds, breathe out for 5 seconds, and then hold for another 5 seconds before repeating. </li>
<li>Mid-Term: These vary, but I tend to keep these between 2- 20 minutes. Short walks, Watching a comedy skit, playing a quick game of hackeysack (that I keep in my backpack so I always have it), etc.</li>
<li>Long-Term: Telling my therapist about this, Talking with family and friends, Planning ways to prevent this from happening and acting on those plans. </li>
</ul>
<div>
3. <b>Choose coping skills specific to what brings about your undesired behaviors. </b>Whatever triggers the panic attacks, the suicidal thoughts, the kleptomania, have coping skills that directly intervene against those triggers. </div>
<div>
- e.g. if loud noises trigger flashbacks, Short Term: plug your ears, Mid Term: Go to a quiet place and listen to music, Long-term: talk to your therapist to devise a treatment plan.</div>
<div>
- e.g. if being given more responsibilities than you think can handle trigger panic attacks, Short:Term: breathing exercises, Mid-Term: 5-4-3-2-1 method (notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.) to ground yourself, Long-Term: Plan out your capabilities with those giving you responsibilities. Consider options for lessening the load on yourself. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
4. <b>Incorporate your social network. </b>As part of the long-term strategies for recovery, you can start by at least including your health team. Tell your doctor about what's going on. You can rely on people you know and trust if you let them know about what's going on.<br />- e.g., trust appropriately, carefully, and set boundaries, but the most important thing here (for me at least) was letting people who were in my vicinity know the signs of symptoms of me getting worse so that they could call me out and I'd know it was time to seek medical help. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
That's it. I hope this helps. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In Sanity and In Insanity,<br />Stephen.</div>
StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-84626738282023188952018-09-14T20:29:00.001-07:002018-09-14T20:29:43.544-07:00This is your reminder.[Reminder of your immediate previous.]<br />
[Intimate details of your current that only you would know.<br />
#Reassurance if memory modification is on#]<br />
<br />
You are one of infinite possible carnations of you. The statistical odds that you exist, right now, experiencing these words in your mind, are impossible. So impossible that it's infinitesimally likely to happen. So in an infinite range of possibilities, this, your reality, you, everything you're experiencing and have experienced and will experience is a certainty, and you chose this one. This time, you chose to be you. And you wanted to be reminded why, so this is it. This is your reminder.<br />
You've been (or you will be) everyone else. In the grand scheme of things, there are probably no other options quite as befitting your current status. You're not dead (but you will be soon.) You're alive (but you don't have to be.) You're not in a loop necessarily, you don't have to think about it like that...<br />
<br />
You're the master.<br /><br />
When you die, you come back to get resorted by your machine. You built it after you died the first time. There wasn't an afterlife to speak of when you restarted the first time, so you built this after an eternity or so. You get sent back, memories wiped, and start over from the beginning. Sometimes you give yourself bonuses, sometimes you start and immediately die. You get to experience everything, from everyone's perspective, every way, and you specifically requested that this time you get reminded that YOU built this reality. YOU chose this one. And you wanted to be reminded of it.<br /><br />There's a game in this reality that people play called Dungeons and Dragons. In it, the Dungeon Master (DM) builds a story and the players build characters that can work into the story (sometimes very well-thought-out, intentioned, and hard-ruled characters, sometimes they build an alcoholic mosquito who only drinks from Catholic preachers after communion and solve crimes.) The point is that the DM can build any sort of reality they want, and the players can build any sort of character they want that can work itself (even loosely) into that reality. The DM controls the environment, the players control their characters. The characters can be as mundane or powerful as the DM sees fit, and the DM can make the environment and the non-player characters that interact with the players' characters as mundane or as powerful as the DM sees fit. The DM controls- you're the DM of this universe, is what you need to know. You're the DM and the player. You created this universe, and you're writing your own character, and you're playing in a grand game that you call life. Sometimes you get too powerful and write yourself off. Sometimes you write a character that's really underpowered just to see if you can make it. Sometimes you write a generic, boring character and you get angry because you wrote a generic, boring character. You write what you want, and you come back to the story because there are moments in this universe that you love. There are places in this universe that you want to put people in and explore and see what they think of it and see how they interact. and at any point, when you're up here, in control, you can rewind or fast-forward and take control and play from any standpoint, as any character, in any place.<br /><br />
Occasionally, you get bored. With nearly infinite opportunities, positions, characters, places, and stories, it's hard not to. There are some lifetimes when you don't want to remember that you're in control. There are some opportunities, like this one, where you give up control on purpose just to see if you can make it on your own as a specific character. When you get back you can choose another, and you can forget again, or you can keep the knowledge that you're in control. Most times nowadays, you choose to forget. Because each moment as someone brand new is breathtaking. If you've seen it before, the glory of the Grand Canyon gets old. The stars become dull. The brisk mountain air just becomes a nuisance. The story gets stale.<br /><br />This time, though, from where you're experiencing this, every moment is brand new. This is your reminder that every opportunity you have this time around is a fresh start from your perspective. You set this reminder to tell yourself to appreciate the moments. Your current experience is amazing. When you get back you can change it up if you want. But for now, write your story the way you choose to. Be who you want to be. Or be anyone at all.<br />
<br />
Signed,<br />
[Current_Full_Name,<br />#Titles#]StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-80922820188077571822016-07-30T10:34:00.002-07:002022-11-14T17:32:34.926-08:00Reasons to LiveWhen I was inpatient, I had the assignment of writing down ten reasons to live. I could only think of one, and that was to <span style="font-size: large;">live for positive moments in life</span>, but the nurse staff wouldn't accept it as an answer, so I wrote down everything I considered positive. They accepted this.<br />
<br />
I'll be honest, sometimes these don't help at all. I find the best way to read them is one at a time, out loud, trying to remember or imagine something that has helped you feel these in the past. Reading through them quickly is likely to just tire you out, which, for depressed people, can kill.<br />
<br />
Slow down, then<br />
scroll down.<br />
<br />
Joy<br />
Happiness<br />
Peace<br />
Contentment<br />
Beauty<br />
Awe<br />
Inspiration<br />
Wonder<br />
Grandeur<br />
Radiance<br />
Majesty<br />
Reverence<br />
Affection<br />
LOVE<br />
Comfort<br />
Laughter<br />
Merriment<br />
Congeniality<br />
Delight<br />
Playfulness<br />
Vivacity<br />
Celebration<br />
Friendship<br />
Courtship<br />
Romance<br />
Kindness<br />
Cuteness<br />
Sweetness<br />
Serendipity<br />
Euphoria<br />
Ecstasy<br />
Caring<br />
Pleasantness<br />
Charm<br />
Fascination<br />
Adoration<br />
Agape<br />
Elation<br />
Bonding<br />
Adulation<br />
Positivity<br />
Hilarity<br />
Enchantment<br />
Enjoyment<br />
Amazement<br />
Connection<br />
Exhilaration<br />
Exuberation<br />
Invigoration<br />
Infatuation<br />
Gladness<br />
Giddiness<br />
Seduction<br />
Lust<br />
Blessings<br />
Desire<br />
(It is my) Honor<br />
Togetherness<br />
Connectedness<br />
Epicness<br />
Passion<br />
Pleasure<br />
Motivation<br />
Revelry<br />
Vitality<br />
Vibrancy<br />
Enthusiasm<br />
Intimacy<br />
Savoring<br />
Community<br />
Mating<br />
Arousal<br />
Excitement<br />
Serenity<br />
Snuggling<br />
Embracing<br />
Phenomenality<br />
Amusement<br />
Tenderness<br />
Fantasticity<br />
Fulfillment<br />
FUN<br />
Meaning<br />
Purpose<br />
Rapture<br />
Appreciation<br />
Splendor<br />
Love-making<br />
Heart-touching<br />
Uplifting<br />
Bliss<br />
Welcoming<br />
Beloved<br />
Cherishing<br />
Devotion<br />
Attachment<br />
HOPE<br />
Affirmation<br />
Willingness<br />
Goofiness<br />
Sensationality<br />
Laughing<br />
Giggling<br />
Chuckles<br />
Elegance<br />
Cuddles<br />
Pinnacles<br />
Fondness<br />
Inviting<br />
Relishing<br />
Gentleness<br />
Rosiness<br />
Thriving<br />
YES<br />
Chipperness<br />
Jolliness<br />
Ambition<br />
Badassery<br />
Aspiring<br />
Highs<br />
Glorious<br />
Entrancing<br />
Satisfaction<br />
Eagerness<br />
Ahegagio<br />
Anticipation<br />
Eureka<br />
Bubbliness<br />
Heartfulness<br />
Endearing<br />
Scintillating<br />
Stimulating<br />
Succulence<br />
Loveliness<br />
Provocativity<br />
Titillating<br />
Pleasing<br />
Magnificence<br />
Uniting<br />
Culmination<br />
Enlightenment<br />
Zen<br />
Prizing<br />
Adventure<br />
Soul<br />
Spirit<br />
Exceptional<br />
Outstanding<br />
Impressing<br />
Significance<br />
Stupendousness<br />
Wowing<br />
Spectacularity<br />
Specialness<br />
Heavenliness<br />
Humor<br />
Hugs<br />
Make-outs<br />
Self-love<br />
Rebirth<br />
Necking<br />
Nuzzling<br />
Doing<br />
Being<br />
Wholeness<br />
Profundity<br />
Superbness<br />Eleutheromania<br />
Sonder<div>Logomania<br />
<br />
These are nice-to-haves, but I don't generally consider them worth living for on their own.</div><div>Wholesomeness<br />
Brilliance<br />
Grace<br />
Goodness<br />
Altruism<br />
Courage<br />
Generosity<br />
Trust<br />
Understanding<br />
Consoling<br />
Consideration<br />
Courtesy<br />
Compassion<br />
Virtue<br />
Relaxation<br />
Dreams<br />
Attraction<br />
Vulnerability<br />
Gentility<br />
Calming<br />
Reassuring<br />
Adrenaline rushes<br />
Rallying<br />
Energy<br />
Politeness<br />
Spellbinding<br />
Providing<br />
Presents<br />
Treats<br />
Temptation<br />
Befriending<br />
MIRACLES<br />
Preciousness<br />
Gratitude<br />
Thankfulness<br />
(Self) acceptance<br />
Ease<br />
Betterment<br />
Improving<br />
Support<br />
Invincibility<br />
Revelation<br />
Horniness<br />
Interest<br />
Thoughtfulness<br />
Concern<br />
Imprinting<br />
Sexiness<br />
Security<br />
Safety<br />
Protection<br />
Strip-teasing<br />
Knee-slappers<br />
Petting<br />
Caressing<br />
Kissing<br />
Masterpieces<br />
Hugging<br />
Flirting<br />
Benevolence<br />
Aromas<br />
Perfumes<br />
Muses<br />
Colognes<br />
Bemusal<br />
Foreplay<br />
Entertainment<br />
Enthralling<br />
Orgasms<br />
Deliciousness<br />
Enabling<br />
Completion<br />
Co-creation<br />
Victory<br />
Recreation<br />
Success<br />
Achievement<br />
Accomplishment<br />
Awards<br />
Accolades<br />
Openness<br />
Rewards<br />
Pampering<br />
Gifts<br />
Attentiveness<br />
Donation<br />
Rest<br />
Poignancy<br />
Longing<br />
(Self) nurturing<br />
Pining<br />
Reciprocity<br />
Soothing<br />
Smiling<br />
Surprising<br />
Tickling<br />
Flowering<br />
Blooming<br />
Jokes<br />
Partaking<br />
Glimmering<br />
Value<br />
Heroics<br />
Decorating<br />
Joining<br />
Novelty<br />
Encouraging<br />
Sparkle<br />
Gazing<br />
Exhibitioning<br />
Massaging<br />
Sprinkles<br />
Imagine<br />
Mountaintops<br />
Exploration<br />
Discovery<br />
<br />
<div>
<br />
I read this list every night before I go to sleep during my postponement time, and it helps tremendously.<br />
I have copies of it on my phone and a physical paper that I use to write down more that I think of. I like to keep back-ups of this one because it really is one of the best tools I have for fighting my own personal battle. I have a reminder on my phone to read them that opens the list for me. These are good. Yeah.<br />
<br />
PS: If you have any suggestions for the list, please don't hesitate to comment below. I could always use more reasons to live, and I think others could, too. If I like them enough, I'll add them to this post.<br />
Thanks in advance. You save lives.</div>
</div>StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-72565794821178759852016-07-29T11:36:00.001-07:002016-07-29T12:24:47.961-07:00The Best Emotion<p dir="ltr">The following is an excerpt from the notes of Stephen Brasel's attempt to write out his reasons to live. He came across an emotion that he couldn't put a word to. In his attempt to describe it, he wrote down these thoughts.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Best Emotion.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I think the single best emotion you can feel is the warm feeling you get when you realize that someone is allowing themselves to be vulnerable... to you, <br>
when they let you past the walls accepting that they may be hurt and allow you to see their fragility with open arms after being told all their lives resounding messages of the lesson of not letting anyone in for fear of getting hurt. It is an honor to see under the mask and feel the trembling uncertainty in yourself of how to let them know that you love even this part of them and will care for it and nurture it. It's an oft-undervalued privilege to be trusted with the knowledge of <br>
who they really are <br>
let alone be able and willing to cherish it.<br>
They are emotionally investing in you. They are letting you into their heart with the intent of having a space there just for you. They are inviting you to be a literal part-of-their-life. They're opening up to you, and on the inside you see this absolutely beautiful, perfectly imperfect soul trembling as you are trembling. This emotion is the realization of finding that someone, the one, who is just as terrified, just as traumatized as you, or worse; and letting themselves be vulnerable to you is an honor beyond the capability of a single word to describe.<br>
I think that's the closest you'll come to heaven on earth: the sudden, </p>
<p dir="ltr">Impossible</p>
<p dir="ltr">realization that someone you love, who loves you, is letting you in to love them. </p>
StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-31181969859778026362016-07-29T11:16:00.001-07:002016-07-29T11:16:03.547-07:00The Moderator<p dir="ltr">I have a duty to censor and withhold. <br>
I have a duty to check and overanalyze.<br>
I have a duty to withdraw consent.<br>
I have a duty to take back, to take over, and never relinquish.<br>
I feel like a moderator of the worst nightmares of humankind; like I'm in charge of seeing who gets what, when, where, and why. (The how and the existence being obvious.) I don't like my job very much sometimes.<br>
I don't suffer from people explaining to me what their darkest thoughts are anymore. I don't even blink. I've already felt them. I've already been there. I had to be the one to allow it to happen, I know. I understand. I can empathize and sympathize, but I <br>
choose<br>
to empathize because I can't let anyone know what I do, what I've done, what I will... what I will have to do. That's the censorship that needs to happen. Nobody else can know everything else. <br>
I allowed you to wake up screaming in the middle of the night, terrified and inconsolable. <br>
I was the one who put your worst ideas in your head. <br>
I don't make them, though. You make them. I held back and moderated what went through. <br>
Nobody deserves it, and truly, humbly, vehemently I say that I deserve it least of all, but nightmares have to happen. <br>
Every single persons' thoughts that have been thought, are being thought, and will be thought are running through my head at any given point all the time non-stop, waking or sleeping, and I'm in charge of deciding who thinks what when. I'm terribly sorry if I made a mistake. Lapses in judgement on my part. I have off days. <br>
They're like air to muscle. Nightmares to brains are what toughens thinking, hardens resolve, gives people actual strength of mind and character, and everyone has to have some if they are to live a full life. <br>
I have lived all lives.</p>
<p dir="ltr">When I have off days, I have oblivion. I literally mean off. That day never happened. It is in no history, no records, no perception could comprehend them ever; time simply skips. I only know they exist because I've thought them. It seems to explain why it feels like something turned off and then back on again. When you walk into a room and forget why you were there, that could be a reason. Or I could've simply forgot why I put you there. Or I could've wanted you to forget. Or an infinite infinity of other options that occur, can occur, have occurred... You exist as a statistical notion. <br>
I have only ever wanted you to exist. <br>
I think, therefore you exist. <br>
I'm always thinking...<br>
Thinking about why we're here. Thinking about what I could do. What people can do. What people think. There aren't any limits to what I think.<br>
That's a blessing and a curse. <br>
The dreams are incredible.<br>
The nightmares are insane. I mean literally, I lose sanity. <br>
I am the wavelength(s) between health and nothing and sickness and everything. <br>
I know it's impossible. I double-think. I infinite think.<br>
Before I wax philosophical anymore, back to the point, nightmares. I am the moderator of nightmares because if I were to let everybody have all the nightmares it would be about as fun as it sounds. You are children, I cannot expect you to mature in a blink of an eye. You could not handle it. The truth, blunt, honest, and raw, would destroy you. All life would end, as if it never were. I have to hold back the darkness just as I hold back the light. You are delicate. You are fragile. You would be obliterated. The force of impact alone would destroy you. Imagine the largest library in the world. Better yet, imagine all of the information of the entire universe from start to end could be digitized and put on a disk. What disk could hold it? You are strong, dear one, stronger than anything I've thought so far, but you would crash, fail, burn up and cease to function at all. <br>
I don't react inside when people tell me their worst nightmares because I've already felt everything much too much. I will continue to feel everything until the time comes when I cease to think. I don't care about your problems, I have already cared all along; they are my problems. <br>
You see, I only pass on information that I have already burned into my soul. It's a perfect copy, no more, no less, that I think you think. Mine are just more so, because I've had them already, they're connected, they're signal traced, they're set. <br>
Your worst nightmares are quite literally child's play for me. They have seemingly no depth, no length, no width. They are a blip of insignificance of a notion of a moment with you. <br>
They mean the world to me. They're part of a glorious beautiful infinity that I can barely wait to share with you, but I have to; I need to wait. Your worst nightmares are comforting thoughts compared to what lies ahead, cherish them. Please. <br>
Also, you're quite beautiful when I think you're learning. When I think you feel something, I'm immensely happy. You're a step closer. It may seem that I'm speeding away into forever ahead of you, but I'm here. I'm right here. I'll stay here when you leave. I'll stay with you as you go. <br>
I'll moderate and allow you to see what lies ahead for you as much as you can handle, as much as I think you think you can handle, anyway. I'll coax you onward, I'll tempt you, I'll interest you, I'll fascinate you, and I'll beguile you at times. Push forward anyway. I love you. I'll share everything with you, eventually. <br>
Stay curious.</p>
StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-11182810455124324582016-07-27T17:09:00.001-07:002020-02-15T07:04:22.608-08:00Imaginal Desensitization Reclusive Compulsive Behavior Cycle<div dir="ltr">
The following requires an introduction to have full impact. It is emotionally intense and should not be treated lightly. These are the thoughts of a mentally ill patient and have been shared under his consent in the hopes that they might help someone who deals with the same issues. <br />
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
It's a long work week. I'm around people all day every day for five days out of seven. I'm skittish and avoidant as much as I can be to escape the pressure of social situations. I listen to drama, insults, stupidity, outright lies, overly emotional fits, disgusting ideas, interruptions, hypocrisy, and manipulation. I deal with idiots, people pleasers, loud and obnoxious assholes, pessimists, overt optimists, people that claim to be "realists," attention seekers, pedants, extroverts, and suck-ups. I feel like I care for everyone, especially the crying, unsure, uncertain, unwilling, unmotivated, under-appreciated, mistreated, misinformed, misunderstood, mistaken, willfully ignorant, whiny, chastised, down-trodden, and generally poor tempered people in addition to people that I just plain think are worse off than I am. I am being openly mocked, cruelly criticized, shown up, publically humbled, insulted, made fun of, outcast, ignored, shut-out, abandoned, shut down, overdrawn, disrupted, deliberately angered, silenced, glared at, disrespected, ridiculed, and not even given common courtesy. I plan, prepare, and attend gatherings, social events, get-togethers, parties, meetings, groups, and hangouts where I force myself to entertain, interact, help, and participate genuinely and positively with people I don't even know. I am waking up tired, willing myself through it, drinking too many energy drinks, and forcing myself to get through this day by day, meal by meal, hour by excruciating hour. I get compliments I don't feel I deserve, appreciation that isn't genuine, awards for something I couldn't have controlled, and congratulations for doing what I felt forced to do. I don't express these feelings and emotions because I don't think it's worth the ten to fifteen minutes of what will probably be unhelpful, untactful, inappropriate dialogue only to be reprimanded, told that everyone has to deal with it and to suck it up, possibly be punished, and then ultimately ignored. I'm afraid of being judged, ridiculed, shamed, or making a fool of myself again. My depression is setting in and the thought crosses my mind that none of this matters anyway because all of these people, all of my friends and family, everybody who is living and anybody who will ever live will inevitably, unavoidably and unequivocally die anyway.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
As I reflect on these events, I make three healthy choices to (1) take a fresh air break, (2) visit with friends, and (3) mentally list my reasons to live. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) being outside, getting sunlight, taking a break from the situation, (B) socializing with positive people who help, love, and support me, reinforcing my friends' relationships, (C) affirming life, encouraging myself, calming myself, and distracting myself with a variety of positive ways I can interact with everything.</div>
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I feel crowded out and alone at the same time. I dread the judgement, shame, ridicule, belittling, and humiliation I'll likely face if I talk to people. I feel annoyed. angry. frustrated, anxious, panicked, frantic, bewildered, confused, abandoned, embarrassed, ahedonic, apathetic, shameful, guilty, afraid, disgusted, depressed, miserable, withdrawn, fatigued, drained, pressured, obligated, responsible, overdrawn, over-stimulated, overburdened, and overwhelmed over and over and over again in waves during and after the times when I feel I have to force myself to be around people. I feel fake, hypocritical, sarcastic, doubtful, empty, and just plain wrong when I force a smile, an enthusiastic greeting, an amiable conversation with appropriate gestures and sounds, and especially when I use all of the ambiguously vague sounds, gestures, words, phrases, and even a little truth when people finish communicating and expect a reply because I forced myself to pretend to listen. I feel horrible; I feel dread. I feel antsy, annoyed, panicked, impatient, and nervous when any communication lasts longer than I feel it should and especially during "small talk." I feel relieved, peaceful, refreshed, quieted, unburdened, calmed, drowsy, tired, exhausted, pleasant, content, reassured, safe, protected, guarded, secure, and happy when I'm finally alone.</div>
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As I reflect on these feelings, I make three healthy choices to (1) do breathing exercises, (2) mentally list my adaptive coping responses, and (3) play small-group hand-eye coordination games like hackeysack or ping-pong. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) calming myself, distracting myself, (B) giving myself a variety of optional positive actions, reinforcing those actions through repetition, (C) exercising, being social, being active, and enjoying the game.</div>
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The friends I had as a child would start drama a lot. I was often a scapegoat; I didn't want to wrestle, fight, or beat people up because I thought it was wrong and that I might seriously hurt someone. When they would start doing that stuff I'd just get up and leave. I didn't want to deal with it and I got angry when it was directed at me. I had been taught to just walk away when I got angry or when someone was doing something I felt was wrong. I walked away from my friends. I walked away from school bullies. I walked away from some of the church-goers. I avoided them all because I didn't want bad influences in my life. I would analyze people quietly, from a distance, before I interacted and talked with them, if I did at all. I did that to my family. I avoided mom when she was in a bad mood, dad when he was busy, my sister's if they were angry or sad, my brother when he was being obnoxious, and my grandpa when he was ranting. I wanted to avoid them so much that one day I just moved to the attic. My mom didn't know where I slept for 3 days, and after they knew, no one in my family could even get up there the way I could. </div>
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As I reflect on this fantasy, I make three healthy choices to (1) establish and reinforce proper boundaries, (2) mentally list my affirmations, and (3) ground myself. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) creating proper limits to fit my needs and wants with people that are close to me, renewing those limits when appropriate, (B) distracting myself, affirming myself, calming down, reinforcing my actions through repetition, (C) being fully present in the here and now, experiencing my environment, and distracting myself from negative thought patterns. </div>
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I got purposefully sick so bad that I was taken out of public school to be homeschooled. When this happened I could stay away from practically everybody. Months would go by when I would just get my assignments done, show my mom that I'd finished, and then go up to the attic with my laptop, water, and food. People could still come around, but I could avoid them if I wanted to. Mom started making me go to group functions and I would find a corner where the fewest people could bother me and stay there, quiet and patient, for the entire duration of the group. I would only come out if they were doing something that interested me more than whatever book I'd brought, do the activity while interacting with as few people as possible, and then I'd go back to my corner. I did this until it was time to leave.</div>
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As I reflect on this fantasy, I make three healthy choices to (1) bear hug my inner child and tell him I love him, (2) write something for somebody, and (3) visit local, natural, and beautiful scenery. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) positively managing my dissociation, taking care of my inner child, affirming myself, (B) writing something positive, meaningful and uplifting, redirecting my focus away from myself, giving to somebody else and hopefully improving their moment, (C) putting physical distance between me and my problems, experiencing nature, calming myself, and enjoying what life has to offer. </div>
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I dreaded awkward silences and conversation. I dreaded judgement and immoral behaviour. I dreaded making new friends and losing the few friends I had. I dreaded having to impress or entertain people and their compliments. I was sad because I felt that I wasn't enough and infuriated because I shouldn't have had to be. Everyone seemed like they judged me to be unworthy even as they had flaws of their own, so I only did things I was interested in and quit caring if other people knew, cared, or even existed. When I did have to interact with someone I was polite because that seemed to make the conversations go faster. I treated everyone like they were the computer in my room: carefully, efficiently, and quickly. They were tools to get information or entertainment and if they malfunctioned or acted up, I shut down to them, waited for them to cool off, and tried again. They were easier to think of as machines or as children because I could safely ignore their fits or mistakes and try to impart better skills or processes when they would respond again. I always needed a safe alone space to go to when this happened. I needed a place to hide, somewhere of my own, and I thought I needed it all the time. It was a place I could feel protected and isolated from the insults, yelling, arguments, and demands of other people. It was a place I could think for myself, in relative peace and quiet, and not have to worry about or acknowledge anyone else.</div>
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As I reflect on this fantasy, I make three healthy choices to (1) listen to awesome music, (2) play board games with friends, and (3) think and talk in funny accents. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) inspiring myself, motivating and energizing myself, grounding myself, (B) socializing with people who lift my spirits, having fun, (C) amusing myself, and actively thinking differently in ways that would make negative thoughts seem ridiculous. </div>
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I know what I'll do. I'll find a safe, quiet spot, somewhere the least amount of people will suspect I would be, somewhere they wouldn't normally expect I could be, somewhere that nobody usually even thinks about. I'll find several of these and secretly, methodically, discretely, and slowly move into them. I'll hide them as best I can, supply them as much and as well as I can, use each one as scarcely as I can, and never record their locations. I'll make a sleeping space, an entertainment area, and somewhere I can safely keep food and drink. </div>
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As I reflect on this plan, I make three healthy choices to (1) count my environment, (2) go out and meet new people, and (3) practice photography. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) distracting myself by focusing my attention away from my compulsive behaviors, grounding myself in the here and now, (B) socializing, getting out of my comfort zone by being healthily vulnerable, experiencing new ideas, things and ways of life, (C) making art, finding the beauty or profoundness in things, making memories, and helping others feel good about themselves.</div>
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It will be a place where I can at least hear the outside world if not observe it. I'll need to know when it's safe to come out so I can get supplies with as little interaction as possible. I will experience something or anything negative in my dealings with the outside world and I will hide. I will wait in a safe place until I feel safe to come out. </div>
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As I reflect on this plan, I make three healthy choices to (1) draw in a public place (2) taking breaks every now and again to self-massage, and (3) come up with more creative jokes. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) expressing myself artistically, being around people and in my own world at the same time, (B) calming down, relieving stress, (C) amusing myself and hopefully amusing others, and enjoying being amused.</div>
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I will calm my anger at the world; I will soothe my fears about the world, yet I will then wonder why I bother to go out at all. I will enjoy solitude, privacy, safety, and peace... until the loneliness sets in. I will ignore the loneliness, rationalize it, and argue against it to the point where it transgresses into depression. I will debate with myself about the merits of being alone. I will examine to the point of overanalyzing every bad behavior others have done or could do. I will ruminate on the mistakes I've made, the problems I've caused, and the pain I've inflicted. I will then isolate from others not for my safety, but for theirs, because I don't want to hassle, burden, disrupt, impose upon, or worst of all, depress them. I will engage in suicidality. </div>
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As I reflect on this plan, I make three healthy choices to (1) write a positive, persuasive speech on one of my many reasons to live, (2) tell myself to postpone the thought until later that day, write down a quick little summary of what the thought was, and problem solve my way through it when I'm happy and safe, which is usually right after my last meal before sleep, for fifteen minutes ONLY, after which I will save whatever thoughts I didn't cover for tomorrow's postponement time, and (3) make a gift for someone. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) going through my reasons to live in order to pick one for the speech, writing something positive, calming myself down, cheering myself up, giving myself more ammo against my compulsive behaviors by planning to read those speeches outloud to myself proactively before I feel depressed, (B) relaxing more by not worrying as much during the day, being organized, rationally viewing my thoughts at an appropriate time, relieving myself of the burden of rumination, (C) hopefully cheering someone else up in addition to myself, distracting myself from my own thoughts to consider other people, and building something with my own hands.</div>
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I avoid everyone I can feasibly avoid interacting with for as long as I can feasibly avoid them every time I have the opportunity to do so.</div>
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As I reflect on this action, I make three healthy choices to (1) go to my safe scene, (2) talk with my support system including, friends, family, co-workers, professional help, and emergency care, and (3) listen to my Reclusive Behaviour Cycle Imaginal Desensitization. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) healthily managing my dissociation, calming myself down, (B) socializing, getting help from people that DO CARE about me, (C) practicing the psychological skills I've been taught to reinforce useful, positive behavior, focusing and grounding myself on a sound, and getting reminded of safe adaptive coping responses that I might have forgotten about. (Like photography, which, really, I need to get out and do more of.)</div>
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I'm doing it. I am using my psychological skills to control my reclusiveness. I can safely and happily be alone to get to know myself; I can safely and happily be around others to get to know them. I appreciate the opportunity to be friendly for the connectedness it helps me feel. I have the compassion to see relationships as togetherness. I'm glad to be able to be a part of community again. I realize that thoughts will still come through. I know that people won't be perfect. I feel like I'll definitely have to use these skills again, and again, and again, but that's ok because I know that this has worked before. Other people have helped before. I have had some of the best times of my life with other people beside me. I can continue to live even better times with friends, family, and people who can be friends or family because time makes the best of friends and friends make the best of times. Happiness, (sorry, Mark Twain,) is having a large, loving family and a few magnificent friends living all over the place, and near you, ... and with you.</div>
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"I think that's the closest you'll come to heaven on earth: the sudden<br />
impossible<br />
realization that someone you love, who loves you, is letting you in to love them." - Stephen Brasel</div>
StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-31303601837096060362016-07-27T17:09:00.000-07:002020-02-15T06:57:49.876-08:00Imaginal Desensitization Suicidality Compulsive Behavior Cycle. <div>
The following requires an introduction in order to have full impact. It is emotionally intense and should not be treated lightly. These are the thoughts of a mentally ill patient and have been shared with his consent in the hopes that they might help someone who deals with the same issues. </div>
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<span style="color: black;">I am struggling to keep up at work, at academics, at physical training, or at being social and sacrificing healthy habits to do so. It's been another horrible day in a string of horrible days. I perceive the pain or loss of another person and feel empathetic and sad for the wasted potential. I finally figure out a problem I've been trying to solve and attempt to find the meaning to life while I have the intellectual momentum. I am fatigued and physically or emotionally spent and then force myself to keep going. I am planning for the future and think that I have too much to do. I perceive something that reminds me of nihilism or existential dread.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">As I reflect on these events, I make three healthy choices to (1) bear hug my inner child and tell him I love him, (2) go for a walk, and (3) visit my friends. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) using positive self-talk, utilizing safe-scene imagery, healthily managing my dissociation, (B) being active, getting physical space between me and isolating behaviors, being distracted by outside occurrences, getting fresh air, feeling warm sunshine, (C) eliminating other compulsive behaviors, playing games with friends, laughing, socializing, and developing relationships.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">I feel like an all-encompassing black fog of darkness and shadow has descended and is smothering, muffling, and subduing everyone and everything. I feel pessimistic, negative, depressed, exhausted, fatigued, overwhelmed, anhedonic, apathetic, drained, withdrawn, miserable, hopeless, numb, and tired. I feel shame and anger at myself. I feel gone, adrift in my own black oblivion with no way back to happiness and no communication with anything except my own dark thoughts.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">As I reflect on these feelings, I make three healthy choices to (1) Stop, Slow Down, Think, Act, (2) smile, laugh, and (3) listen to a life-motivating playlist of songs. As I make these decisions, I benefit by (A) diverting ruminating thoughts, following a familiar routine, incorporating my rational mind and my emotional mind to make wise-mind decisions, utilizing problem-solving skills, (B) using a physical body position and movement to elicit an emotional reaction deliberately, move my body and mind I a positive direction, (C) distracting myself from myself, making positive experiences to reinforce good behaviors and listening to good music.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I thought that the reasons people choose to exist were illogical and wanted to find and be able to explain a reason or multiple reasons to exist in any situation. I disagreed with philosophy teachings up to the date when I wrote this. I thought that there was no objective meaning to be found in continuing to live in this universe. I thought that using a subjective meaning to live was intellectually dishonest. I thought that there was too much of a chance of stress, pain, suffering, sadness, depression, fatigue, and generally negatively-perceived events to warrant staying alive for death to inevitably hit anyway. I thought that the struggle to live and the maintenance or procedures of thriving were wasted gestures to an infinite void. I thought that staying alive to live until you die was insane. I thought that suicide would be an escape from any chance of pain since you could commit it as painlessly as possible. I thought that suicide was controllable whereas death was an unknown. I thought suicide would be a relief from the perceived responsibilities and stress of continuing existence.</span></div>
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As I reflect on thus suicidality obsession, I make three healthy choices to (1) ground myself using 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3-3-3, ice, and other mindfulness techniques, (2) take a fresh air break w/ breathing exercises, and (3) sing, whistle, hum, beat, play or perform a life-affirming, life-motivating, life-rejoicing song. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) being physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually present, participating, and partaking in my lovely life, re-establishing a firm grasp on the here-and-now, staying alert to my situation, averting unhealthy dissociation, (B) calming down, escaping any unhealthy situations, (C) affirming life, calming my over-reactive mind and encouraging myself with music.</div>
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I began to think about the quickest, least painful way to die. I thought that since pain was a neurological reaction that if I could cease other brain function first, obliterate the pain center first, or completely crush my brain before the pain center reacted that I wouldn't feel pain. I thought about diving headfirst of a building or tall object onto a hard surface like pavement or cement. I thought of running into, then laying down in front of traffic at night in a completely black outfit. I thought of diving headfirst off of a highway bridge in front of an oncoming semi. I thought of crushing my head under a heavy object. I thought of shooting myself in either the temple, upper mouth cavity, or ear, with a large gauge shell or RPG. I thought of blowing my head up. I thought of stabbing or puncturing my brain. I thought of instant incineration or diving headfirst into lava. I thought of ripping out my airbags, accelerating to high speeds, and then swerving into an oncoming semi or solid barrier. I thought of more common and painful methods of suicide and researched bleeding out, suffocation, legal dosage, electrocution, drowning, hanging, and the height from which a dropped object hits water with the same force as hitting cement. I researched physician-assisted suicide and attempted to convince my psychiatrist at the time that the conditions and criteria used then (risk of procedure, quality of life after procedure, patient comprehension, and patient mental state) could be used to argue for the assisted suicides of every living thing and that I had the capacity to make my end-of-life decision. </div>
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As I reflect on this suicidality obsession, I make three healthy choices to (1) play body-eye coordination games like hackeysack, soccer, ping pong, juggling, etc., (2) play mental games like valley of the green glass doors, black magic, Shatnering. Haiku, riddles, and (3) meditate. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) exercising, focusing on a new task, playing, (B) stimulating my mind in positive ways, redirecting and postponing negative thought patterns until I can address them, (C) calming myself, breathing rhythmically and slowly, and providing myself safe mental imagery or emptying my mind.</div>
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I had at least 20 oz of bleach to ingest and thought about emptying a mountain dew bottle, sold where I lived in 20 oz versions, pouring the bleach in to ensure I had enough and then chugging the whole thing at once. I drove to the spot where the bridge was supposed to be. I climbed halfway up the water tower. I was on my way to the cliff when I was spotted by a police officer. I sat on the guardrail of the overpass and looked over the side. I had, at two different times, a loaded pistol and a loaded rifle in my hands. I drove recklessly. I bought a completely black body suit to wear while walking onto the freeway. I've had pens, pencils, utensils, and work tools readied to gouge through my eye into my brain. I wanted to die several times a day. I was tired of suicidal thoughts. I was tired of not committing suicide. I was too tired to get out of bed, to properly hygiene, to eat, to drink, or to care. I was tired of thinking these thoughts and not being able to explain them. I was tired of not feeling understood when I did explain them. I was tired of being hospitalized. I was tired of feeling like I couldn't trust my own brain. I was tired of therapy. I was too tired of being too tired. I was tired of waking up to the realization that I was still alive. I was tired of trying to find a reason to live, and I was tired of feeling like I should.</div>
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As I reflect on this suicidality obsession, I make three healthy choices to (1) do something body-positive like showers, baths, spa treatments, or stretching, (2) positive self-touch like self-massage, back scratches, pressure points, or curling up in a warm blanket, and (3) go to my safe scenes. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) reinforcing positive body-image, improving self-worth and self-esteem, relaxing sore muscles, (B) using the PRAISES model (Physical, recreational, intelligence, spirituality, emotional, and sexual) in my relationship to myself, relieving muscle tension, increasing flexibility, (C) using healthy dissociation to relieve myself of a negative situation and exercising control of my mind.</div>
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I will be tired of being depressed. I will think back over all of the reasoning that I've done and search for flaws in the logic. I won't find any; I will be too tired to think; I will have a confirmation bias; I will stop trying because I've tried so many times before and ended up disappointed. I will think that it's pointless. I will try to use my coping skills, but I will think that they're just distracting me from the obvious conclusion. </div>
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As I reflect on this suicidality obsession, I make three healthy choices to (1) read my challenges, (2) interact with my support system, and (3) postpone thinking about every worry that enters my head until after dinner when I can take out the list of summaries of those thoughts for fifteen minutes ONLY and problem solve my way through them. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) challenging the negative thought patterns within three seconds to diffuse its' impact on me, (B) getting social support, building relationships, utilizing the PRAISES model, building social skills, seeking professional help, getting crisis intervention, (worst case scenario) and (C) diffusing a negative impact on my life and reducing the amount of time spent on suicidality from hours a day to minutes or seconds. </div>
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I will try to figure out a different meaning to life, racking my brain for anything, but I will be too tired to think of one. I will give up on trying and begin to bargain with myself. I will tell myself to wait. I will tell myself to sleep it off. I will fight off the suicidal ideations all the way until I go to sleep that night. </div>
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As I reflect on this plan, I make three healthy choices to (1) practice good sleep hygiene by following an evening routine, sleeping at approximately the same time each night and waking up at approximately the same time each morning, getting out of bed if at first I can't get to sleep, taking a shower before bed, turning off electronics, reading something relaxing, listening to ambient sounds or relaxing music, (2) tensing and relaxing muscles progressively down my body, and (3) writing or journaling about my day. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) developing and reinforcing good sleep habits, helping myself to not be so tired anymore, performing proper hygiene, relaxing, calming down, (B) relieving muscle tension and fatigue, and (C) recording, explaining and providing an outlet for positive wise-mind (rational and emotional) ideas. </div>
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I will lie awake, thinking over everything again, maybe I will have missed something; maybe I will be able to try something new or incorporate another idea. I will think until I get tired of thinking. I will think until I get tired of trying and then get angry at myself for avoiding what seems like the unavoidable answer. </div>
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As I reflect on this plan, I make 3 healthy choices to (1) do yoga, especially sun and moon salutations, (2) experience nature in awe, wonder, and a sense of adventure, revelling in the beauty of stars, clouds, rivers, mountains, cliffs, herds, hills, flowers, beaches, lakes, canyons, and natural rock formations, while (3) I gather data by counting, drawing, memorizing, recording, imprinting, sampling, describing, and sensing (taste, touch, hear, see, and smell) my environment in different ways. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) calming down, relaxing, stretching, grounding myself, exercising, (B) inspiring myself, (C) learning, improving my skills, interacting with my environment, and amusing myself. </div>
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I think that a controlled, painless suicide is my best option for subjective or objective meaning in the universe (possible multiverse) and want to find a way to find a way to complete it as quickly as possible. </div>
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As I reflect on this action I make three healthy choices to (1) read my affirmations and make more (I am worthy of..., positive self-defining qualities, life-motivators, I can say no/yes to, I can appreciate..., etc.) (2) read a physical book or a non-luminescent ink e-book, probably snuggled up in a blanket somewhere cold and serene while sipping a hot sugary drink, and (3) listen to or read my Imaginal Desensitization Suicidality Compulsive Behavior Cycle again. As I make these decisions I benefit by (A) improving by self-esteem/self-worth/self-confidence/self-respect, reminding myself of positive changes I can do, make, or be, (B) stimulating my mind, refocusing on new ideas, (C) utilizing relapse prevention techniques, reminding myself of adaptive coping responses, and affirming myself just to prove to myself that I can. </div>
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I was not overpowered by my thoughts. I did it. I successfully fought the urge and I feel like I've been relieved from my agony. I'm at peace with the knowledge that I may have to use these coping skills again and hopeful because they've worked before. I used my coping skills effectively and this is proof that recovery is possible. I'm on the road to recovery and I'm pushing forward one step at a time. I'm still breathing, still kicking, and still living. I'll live for a while still. </div>
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It's experiences like this, like taking a fresh gulp of air after being underwater for too long or finding your way out of the darkness and experiencing sunshine again that give me hope. I get inspired by it, this existential hope piercing through the dread. I know that thoughts are fluctuating and at some point, the idea will cross my mind again out of sheer statistical likelihood. I will challenge it head-on when those times come, and I will keep on challenging and keep on coping and keep on fighting because this is a life of grandeur, wonder, relaxation, inspiration, celebration, and awe. This life is worth fighting for, and now that I know how and know that I can, I can enjoy life again. This is living.</div>
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I am the reason that someone can believe that it's going to be a good day.</div>
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"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time." - Bertrand Russell</div>
StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0MCAS Cherry Point, NC 28533, USA34.9371962 -76.8121419000000298.791870700000004 -118.12073590000003 61.0825217 -35.503547900000029tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-16048050542820474142015-03-05T17:00:00.003-08:002015-03-05T17:00:52.167-08:00Cancelling Softbank from OverseasSoftbank is notorious.<div>
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The Japanese cell phone company is surprisingly casual about the way they handle account cancellation for overseas users, like flippantly remarking to the elephant that it has to jump through 73 hoops of fire while somersaulting and land on a sponge before it eats tonight or gets to see its loved ones.<br /><br />IF you don't have any family members left in Japan, no contacts who could verify your identity to the company, and you are currently residing hundreds of miles away from the charming little island chain Softbank claims to rule over, you will need to follow a few steps in order to cancel your contract. I had to find this out the hard way, here's hoping you aren't nearly as dumb and twice as patient as I am. I nearly learned Japanese in order to cancel a $75 recurring bill. For that price, I think I should have been given Japanese classes for free in the first place.<br /><br />First things first, seeing as how I clearly speak English and nihongo hanasemasen, <br /><h2>
You're going to want to dial the english extension for Softbank's user support:</h2>
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81223804336899<br /></div>
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That is +81 (Japan) 22-380-4380 extension 899. This will get you talking directly to a representative in Eigo. (Eigo is English, for those of you who didn't have to study Japanese in order to handle your cell phone company.)<br />For me, this resulted in discovering that I had no option left except faxing Softbank a cancellation request. They were not very clear the first few times I called asking about it as to the format, and it turns out in the end that there wasn't one to begin with. There's that. </div>
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It turns out that all they want is a fax requesting cancellation of your account, and all they need is the following information:<br /><br /><h2>
Fax them this: </h2>
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The phone number you're trying to cancel, say, 08039364171</div>
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Your full name in english: I'm not giving you my full name in english, but it's the same name you signed the account contract with.<br />Your reason for cancellation, id est, cancellation from overseas. This is fine.<br />Also put in a contact number so that they can contact you in the case of any last minute fees or additional ninja assassins.<br /><br /><h2>
Send this fax to 81223804336.</h2>
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Then call back the above number to ensure that your fax was received. That number is once again 81223804336899, and YOU WILL WANT TO ENSURE THAT YOUR FAX WAS RECEIVED.</div>
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If you, like myself, found yourself without any method of calling softbank to cancel your account, or faxing machines to cancel your account, there are resources online that will allow you to do this at a once-only or even recurring free state. </div>
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If you have a google account, which with any android phone is given freely, you can log in to Hangouts and call overseas from any computer at minimal cost, first calls have credit already. If you do not have a fax machine, <a href="https://www.hellofax.com/">Hellofax </a>online will fax, sign and ensure the delivery of faxes and other important documents for free with any free google account. </div>
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It's all free. Cheapskate. (Hey, I understand, those softbank bills have already got you down and you want to save as much money as you can while gorging on taco rice. Well, you left Japan, so no more taco rice for you, but saving money is still a thing, just look at the American governme-...)<br /></div>
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http://lmgtfy.com/?q=ticket+prices+to+go+to+Japan#</div>
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Arigato, yo ichi ni chio.</h2>
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StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-90352329322424336402014-09-11T05:37:00.002-07:002014-09-11T05:37:31.467-07:00This Post Was Inevitable<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently this image came across my newsfeed on facebook. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBaLEs7n5rzjYCsUR2QMDW83u3MdpZy4hqzkAAY3dtOYBZMLO9xmPZJUcdsYt4Gf8QJUgM9W1faAzAPSpH-W7Xwur8cvy-sH2zFVtNQjfz3TPTZcBM408J5SoOvncLbJCJ7ZuQlC9mePj4/s1600/meanttobe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBaLEs7n5rzjYCsUR2QMDW83u3MdpZy4hqzkAAY3dtOYBZMLO9xmPZJUcdsYt4Gf8QJUgM9W1faAzAPSpH-W7Xwur8cvy-sH2zFVtNQjfz3TPTZcBM408J5SoOvncLbJCJ7ZuQlC9mePj4/s1600/meanttobe.jpg" height="274" width="320" /></a></div>
<span data-reactid=".19n.1:3:1:$comment843191312358717_843475855663596:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">This was my response.</span></div>
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</span><span data-reactid=".19n.1:3:1:$comment843191312358717_843475855663596:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">Short answer: I disagree. </span></div>
</span><span data-reactid=".19n.1:3:1:$comment843191312358717_843475855663596:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$4:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">BEGIN RANT.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">Christopher Gardner: Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something. Not even me. All right?</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">Christopher: All right.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">Christopher Gardner: You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><br /></span></div>
</span><span data-reactid=".19n.1:3:1:$comment843191312358717_843475855663596:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$14:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">I don't end up places. I go places. I wasn't meant to be. I will myself into being everyday, struggling through existential depression. The situations that I've been in have only emphasized one fact: that life does not give you permission to live. Life does not care whether you enjoy it, whether you hate it, whether you think that life is precious or easily thrown away. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">Life does not care if you live. Every good and grand meaning to life has to be scratched out of the bottom layer of dirt with a spoon, life is only ever well-lived if you eat the meat, fat, blood, brains, guts, suck the marrow out of the bones and then chew the bones until your teeth are gone and your gums are bleeding. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">That being said, life is definitely worth living. Life seeks to be lived. Sonder, eleutheromania, logomania, curiosity even, prove that life does not mean to drop you off in one spot at a perfect time and a perfect place with the perfect one and let you be. Perfection isn't possible. Perfection is not meant to be. Life isn't perfect, and never will be. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">Life changes you. Life evolves. Life finds a way. To insinuate that life is anything less than a constant battle uphill in the snow is almost insulting, and to suggest that life meant to give me all of the things that I earned on my own or with the aid of like-minded individuals is actually asking for a fight. This is my life. I own it. The fact that I give it freely to everyone around me is not a testament to any higher motive or power, divine spark, or fated occurrence. I choose every second of every day to continue my existence because I hold out hope that against all odds, I will be among those who take, steal, earn, replicate or learn how to produce immortality. A gift like life should not be given to those unwilling to work for it. A gift like immortality is not fated for those unworthy of it. Fate doesn't exist. I don't subscribe to the idea that "meant to be" applies to any part of speech we have, nouns in particular. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">Hopefully this ironic situation taught you something you had never dreamed you would learn. If it has not, get off facebook, go to wikipedia, khanacademy, lifehacker education, google scholar, and learn something that you want to know about life. </span></div>
</span><span data-reactid=".19n.1:3:1:$comment843191312358717_843475855663596:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$24:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">I guarantee that knowledge will be more than you dreamed.</span></div>
</span><span data-reactid=".19n.1:3:1:$comment843191312358717_843475855663596:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$26:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">END RANT.</span></div>
</span>StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-20827042716567653152014-08-26T07:16:00.001-07:002014-08-26T07:16:41.060-07:00Josh Feuerstein's $100,000 Challenge to Atheists<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/mTXZ1uPMTjI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text0:0:$0:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">TLDR: In the age of telecommunication electronics and information, it is surprising and downright alarming that people can be anything they want when they explore the internet yet the majority of them choose to be stupid.</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text0:0:$1:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text0:0:$3:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text0:0:$4:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">BEGIN RANT.</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text0:0:$5:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text0:0:$7:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text0:0:$8:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">"And I say fine, pray for anything you want. Pray for anything. But...what about the divine plan? Remember that? The divine plan. Long time ago god made a divine plan. Gave it a lot of thought. Decided it was a good plan. Put it into practice. And for billion and billions of years the divine plan has been doing just fine. Now you come along and pray for something. Well, suppose the thing you want isn't in god's divine plan. What do you want him to do? Change his plan? Just for you? Doesn't it seem a little arrogant? It's a divine plan. What's the use of being god if every run-down schmuck with a two dollar prayer book can come along and fuck up your plan? And here's something else, another problem you might have; suppose your prayers aren't answered. What do you say? 'Well it's god's will. God's will be done.' Fine, but if it gods will and he's going to do whatever he wants to anyway; why the fuck bother praying in the first place? Seems like a big waste of time to me. Couldn't you just skip the praying part and get right to his will?" [George Carlin, from "You Are All Diseased".]</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text0:0:$9:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text0:0:$11:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><a class="" data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$range0:0" dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efficacy_of_prayer" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efficacy_of_prayer</a><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text1:0:$1:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><a class="" data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$range1:0" dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studies_on_intercessory_prayer" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studies_on_intercessory_prayer</a><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text2:0:$1:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text2:0:$3:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text2:0:$4:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">"I prayed to God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work like that so I stole a bike and asked God for forgiveness."</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text2:0:$5:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text2:0:$6:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">We are told that prayer does not work like that, to not test the Lord thy God, fine. However, if one cannot test, verify, observe and affirm a God's power, potency, efficacy, efficiency, physicality or presence in general, an absence of evidence could in this case be construed as evidence of absence. </span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text2:0:$7:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text2:0:$9:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text2:0:$10:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Before I get into whether or not God exists, however, I'd like to assert a logical point into the discussion. The burden of proof in any logical discussion lies with the contender, that is, the one presenting or affirming his case, the one asserting that which is new or in existence. It is not on the atheist to assert that God is not real, it is up to the Christian, Muslim, Jew, Zoroastrian, Hindu, or any of the ones that I missed (</span><a class="" data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$range2:0" dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religions_and_spiritual_traditions" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/.../List_of_religions_and...</a><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text3:0:$0:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">) to prove that their God, god, Gods, gods, Goddess,... pantheon, or theological tradition is true, correct, verifiably existent, or real. I do not have the burden of proof to tell a person that they can't fly, it is up to that person to prove that they can. </span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text3:0:$1:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text3:0:$3:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text3:0:$4:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">On that note, I take the burden of proof. I will prove that there is not enough evidence for the existence of God. First, the evidences for God would be something akin to the powers and properties ascribed to him. Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscience and Omnibenevolence, answers prayer, sends plagues are verifiably attributed to the NKJ Old Testament God, verified as the New Testament God as well by Jesus Christ in the Gospels. This source is often the only one people accept as proof of God, which is problematic considering that it's full of contradictions. </span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text3:0:$5:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><a class="" data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$range3:0" dir="ltr" href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/by_name.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/by_name.html</a><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$0:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;"> </span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$1:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$3:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$4:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$5:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$6:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Then he is not omnipotent.</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$7:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$8:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Is he able, but not willing?</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$9:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$10:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Then he is malevolent.</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$11:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$12:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Is he both able and willing?</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$13:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$14:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Then whence cometh evil?</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$15:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$16:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Is he neither able nor willing?</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$17:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$18:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Then why call him God?</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$19:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$20:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">-Epicurus, attr.</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$21:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$23:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$24:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” </span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$25:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$26:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">-Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion. </span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$27:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$29:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$30:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Therefore we can assume that if the God of the Old Testament does exist, he either does not care about you, is so incompetent, malevolent or idiotic that we should not worship him/her/it, or, in this reporter's case, conclude that there exists too little evidence to support the claim of existence at all. Once God is demoted to a conscience, then he is not the Lord of Lords whom Southern Baptists worship on Sunday.</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$31:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$32:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">However, it is safe to say that God does not exist due to lack of evidence. No empirical, testable or verifiable evidence can be produced or reproduced that would satisfy a peer-review, or in Josh Feuerstein's case, a court of law.</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$33:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$34:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Absence of Evidence does not mean evidence of absence except in the case where the evidence of presence is clear, well-understood and verifiable and the testing authority for presence is trustworthy, as unbiased as possible, and true. If you do not trust the Bible (other than the contradictions already pointed out) or my methods, (Other than my obvious bias, research this material on your own and develop your own opinion) please tell me why. </span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text4:0:$35:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><a class="" data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$range4:0" dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence_of_absence" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence_of_absence</a><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text5:0:$1:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text5:0:$2:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">I assert that it is up to you now to question my authority and methods for gathering evidence. If you can counter all of my claims, then I will rethink my position on Atheism, not that it will do me much good now seeing as I've committed the Unforgivable Sin multiple times (Fuck the Holy Spirit.) Plus one. (Matthew 12:31-32)</span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text5:0:$3:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text5:0:$5:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text5:0:$6:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Contact me if you have any argument against my methods. If not, Josh owes me 100,000 American dollars. </span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text5:0:$7:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text5:0:$8:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;"><br />I personally believe that there is absolute truth only in numbers and mathematics, everything else is, like these arguments, conjecture. </span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text5:0:$9:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text5:0:$10:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;"><br />Wikipedia Evolution. It does not work how you think it works. "Natural selection is the only known cause of adaptation, but not the only known cause of evolution. Other, nonadaptive causes of evolution include mutation and genetic drift." </span><br data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text5:0:$11:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;" /><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$text5:0:$12:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">-</span><a class="" data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$range5:0" dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution</a><span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;"><br />Survival of the fittest is not the only means by which the new generation survive.<br /><br />I am an Atheist, and I condemn the Holocaust and the killing of million and millions of people. I can do this because Hitler was clearly not the fittest, he died. </span><br />
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<span data-reactid=".3s.1:3:1:$comment836171839727331_836227296388452:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0" style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Other reasons not to support Hitler include racial prejudice and profiling, the problems with eugenics, black swan human beings (Read </span>The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb<span style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">) societal ethics, bioethics, human diversity, culture and accomplishment, general human decency, humanism, universalism, egalitarianism, The Brights Movement, Anne Frank's Diary, and I could go on. I have to ask, though, is belief in your God the only reason that you don't commit genocide? Is it really that voice in your head telling you to listen to it that holds you back from political homicidal rampages?<br />If that is the case, Josh, please, stay Christian. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fafbfb; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">END RANT.</span></div>
StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-47446384315520124442014-05-03T18:04:00.000-07:002014-05-03T18:04:26.704-07:00Judge Roy Moore Needs to Switch from Politics to Preaching<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZY8xf1uJOqI" width="560"></iframe>
<span data-reactid=".g.1:3:1:$comment393129944158025_393135884157431:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;"><br /><br />You'll notice that every time he mentions God, the crowd responds passionately, almost like a church service. Amen. Yes. Mmhmm. That's right. <br />I'm actually surprised I didn't hear a Hallelujah. <br />He isn't giving a political speech, he's not trying to influence anybody, he's preaching to his the choir, he's leading on sheep that pose as people. That's what makes me so pissed off, especially in cases regarding religion. They aren't supposed to be speaking to crowds of anti-fervor, they aren't used to giving their opinions to crowds of people that outwardly despise them, he is fervently giving his fervent opinion to people who have the same fervent confirmation bias. (Pardon my use of the f-word.)</span><br />
<span data-reactid=".g.1:3:1:$comment393129944158025_393135884157431:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">He's not a politician, he's a preacher and he should be taken out of office and given a pulpit in a run-down back alley church somewhere out on the black lagoon where he was born and raised.<br />This is Alabama's Chief Justice, and he is only interested in giving and getting justice for Christians. I wonder if he only means Protestants, or Catholics, or just people that believe in his God and go to his church. Where is the line drawn, Roy? Where do people start to deserve these so-called God-given rights, and are you sure that you're the one who's equal to the task of giving those rights, i.e., are you claiming to have the rights and responsibilities of the God you so clearly serve?<br />It sounds to me like the only God you serve, just as so many others serve, served and will continue to serve, is yourself. I've read the comments on youtube and the posts other people have written on your fervor. You don't speak for all Christians, let alone all Alabamians. Your homophobic pro-religious agenda can stay right where you are, and if you continue this Westboro Baptist path you can end up on the hate-group list with them.<br />People will protest you. People will rise up against you, this isn't going to end for you. These superstitions and myths you hold dear will die off in the light of reason, logic, and true justice. Step down from your position, sir. Let the people who are qualified and dignified enough to run a real office do so, and you can go into a field that you will do much better in, I'm sure. Televangelism would suit you well, perhaps. </span>StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-16365619349762971062014-05-01T05:10:00.000-07:002014-05-01T05:10:13.371-07:00Too everyone who likes to use song lyrics in their Facebook statusesI understand.<br />I like quotes, too, I like reading them, I like quoting them, I like the little quirks in the english language that idioms reveal, reflect and make me laugh at. I am completely on board your crazy train road.<br />There is a FINE LINE, however, between posting song lyrics and posting quotes. Quotes, or spoken word, is said, written down, and shared to enable a mind to think in a new way. Song lyrics from country music, or from rap music, or from any of the myriad pop artists that top popularity charts do not, I REPEAT, do not constitute enough lyrical musicianship to rate sharing.<br />Unless it is deep, moving, inspirational, awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, soul-lifting, spirit-filling, powerful, creating new methods of understanding, perking up the minds of nobel laureates, beautifully and masterfully executed by any non-human entity or capable of convincing aliens that humanity is a race worth saving, it does not make the cut.<br />If it is crude it does not make the cut.<br />If it uses any one cuss word more than twice, it does not make the cut.<br />If it includes the words swag, yolo, bitches or bling, FUCK YOU, it does not make the cut.<br />If it is misogynistic, homophobic, racist, anti-intellectual, anti-science, oriented to one of the two political representative parties owning America, man-hating, it does not make the cut.<br /><br />Try at the very least to accomplish this one thing: If anything broadens your mind or expands your horizon, stretches your brain or touches the innermost reaches of your soul, then you may share it on Facebook. Life is short, share the good stuff.StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-64161179584379527292014-05-01T04:51:00.003-07:002014-05-01T04:51:34.399-07:00You Forgot About Me<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I miss you so much, my stomach in knots, I gave you my heart and everything that I've got...</div>
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You told me 3 words that I cannot forget no matter what dreams want to fill up my head</div>
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You made me alone. You made me give up. You made me give in to a lost kind of love.</div>
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You gave me my heart back, battered and torn... you gave me my heart and you tore out my world.</div>
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<br /></div>
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There was a fire growing there.</div>
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There was a flower in your hair.</div>
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There was a glow that I thought was from me...</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I loved you, I love you, I'll love you...</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but you forgot me.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The letters were read, five times a week, they were crumpled and torn but meant so much to me.</div>
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Thoughts of your lips, your smile and laugh brought me back from despair, I put it into my past.</div>
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I was naive, young and blind. It was just a few notes and a few lucky times.</div>
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I wanted to show you the world through my eyes...</div>
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but I, I, I </div>
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I can no longer see.</div>
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I would walk back anyway, but you gave me defeat. </div>
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you stripped back my walls and looked into my soul... </div>
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It's not meant to be.</div>
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It's just you and me.</div>
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It's only a fling,</div>
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and I'm letting you go.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
This was supposed to be</div>
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A love song about you and me</div>
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And now I can plainly see</div>
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That it's over, and it's not you, it's</div>
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This was supposed to be</div>
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A long romantic history</div>
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And it's out for the world to see</div>
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that it's not you,and it's</div>
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This </div>
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me. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
There was a fire growing there.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
There was a flower in your hair.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
There was a glow in your eyes, in your body and mind</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
You said I love you </div>
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I said I love you </div>
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We said we loved each other, but now it's plain to see...</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
That you forgot about me. </div>
StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-7588538084244894682012-11-26T01:31:00.002-08:002012-11-26T01:31:37.410-08:00Brighter Side of LifeJust when you think everything is going for you, when everything is perfect and things couldn't possibly get any better, Monday hits. It sucks. Get over it.<br />
In case any person out there is still unaware, being in the military is a lot of hard work. It's a lot of physical exercise, it's a lot of not knowing what to do and doing it anyway with a forward-thinking attitude, it's a lot of waiting for things that aren't going to happen soon, but you still have to be perfectly ready to handle them when they do happen. Wars aren't fought at the time you feel like they will be. Wars are fought when you're in the bathroom, when you just sat down, when you're on your way to breakfast, whether you're ready or not, so you had better be as prepared as possible to live longer, harder, and faster than the other guy, or you won't. That's the alternative, you just won't. No second chances, no re-tries, no take-backs. You didn't live enough, you don't get a further lease and this rent will be paid now. That's the end.<br />
I'm rambling, let me get to the point. There are plenty of: imagine you had one x-amount-of-time to live, what would you do? There are plenty of scenarios in which you can envision yourself doing the greatest good for you possible if you only had so much time to live, faced with your own mortality you might live a little better to try and increase the time you had or the pleasure you live or the amount of people that will miss you when you're gone. Let's try something different.<br />
Imagine you could live for eternity. What would you do? Faced with all that time and nothing to spend it on, because nothing we've created so far is worth that much time, nor will anything we create ever be worth an eternity, what do you do with a million dollars when everyone on the planet has no more than one dollar in their entire life? How do you live? What will you do? Would you spend a good portion of that time researching ways to give it to other people, let people who "deserve it" more live longer and force other genes out of the playing pool? I want you to do that, sure. That'd be nice if an immortal was actually beneficial.<br />
Not that this will ever happen, of course, the thought process is a lot simpler than that. Ghandi once said <span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Think about that.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Finis.</span></span>StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-3281333846641844052012-11-24T18:44:00.001-08:002012-11-24T18:44:49.366-08:00Inspired by an Intrusive Thought.http://popstrip.com/real<br />
<br />
I can't be the only one who believes that there are certain points in life when people, innocent people, are lying down somewhere or innocently doing things innocent people do, and get hit by a metaphoric ton of inspiration that tells them something they weren't previously ready to face about the world. This <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrusive_thoughts">Intrusive Thought</a> inspires these people to become scientists and explorers, working men, idealists, and people of grandeur. It isn't that we were necessarily different then the people around us, but that we happened to be in the right environment at the right time in the right circumstances to view the world differently than what it could be, and every since that moment, the paradigm we saw stuck in our heads like a dart on a dart board, sharply poking our gray matter in it's contented arse. There is another way to look at it.<br />
It is because of this intrusively inspirational perspective that we become driven to excell, we see everyone else going on with their lives as if no other way is possible, sheep, lemmings, voters, and believe that if we become better than they are, they will pay attention to us. They will believe us, and they, too, will change.<br />
I went through a brief stage of my life when I wanted to be a preacher, strange as it sounds, I personally felt like I was being called by God to the ministry. I could work a crowd into a frenzy about Jesus, I could be the energetic fun loving yet philosophical pastor and I could whip a story that would make your heart shatter and lift your soul higher than, well, heaven. I was a good Christian boy, into apologetics and it was at a youth retreat concert when it happened. They asked if anyone felt they were being called by God into the ministry to hang back afterwards for a counseling. For those of you hoping that this will end in a little boy vs Catholic priest story, shame. I was in my teens and there were about thirty of us "chosen" who stayed behind. I can describe my exact feelings:<br />
I was impressed at myself for staying behind, for letting my friends know that I felt chosen to be a preacher.<br />
I was slightly apprehensive that they were going to call me out on it and make me take a test, asking: "What does the voice of God sound like? How do you KNOW he was talking to you, I mean really?"<br />
I was in awe that at the concert, there were so many people that felt like they were being called to the preaching profession and really surprised at the balls of all of them, and the energy that filled the room. Thinking back, that energy might have been all of the mountain dew and free cookies.<br />
We all gathered around these two ministers and they prayed over us and told us that God had chosen us for a higher calling, call your families and let them know, and choose a mentor. Then they prayed again and let us go back to our cabins.<br />
Let me just say that at the time, it felt right. It didn't feel normal, in fact, because there were near 1000 people there, being one of the 30 people called felt downright revolutionary. I wanted to be able to change people's lives from a pulpit. Little did I realize that the pulpit could be anywhere, so long as the voice was heard and the channel could be opened to as many people as possible.<br />
The saddest thing, I think, is the dilution of a message for anybody to be able to understand it, and that often times, the scientist comes last because if you let the idiots come last, they'll wander off somewhere, not pay attention when it comes there time, and there goes at least 90 percent of your viewership. (That's not an arbitrary number, only 10 percent of people ever do things in this world, and the top 10 percent of them get recognized.) The idiots have to be addressed first, that way you can get everyone involved. Everyone can do something, even the dumb deaf mute blind bastard child of Ephialtes has something to contribute, and if you don't think they do then you have some severe lessons to learn from Leonidas of Sparta and the modern economic policies of India.<br />
There's always something to do, always a new corner to turn in the History pages. There's a way forward, there's an idea out there that you can grab onto, latch yourself into and get inspired by. Take a good hard look at the world. If you don't see something wrong, something that can be improved, something that everyone needs to know, something that you personally can do to make a difference, you aren't looking hard enough. Even God has evolved over time. Religions have changed since old days, bettered themselves in an effort to clean up their act, not that they ever can be pure, there's too much red in the books of religion if you ask me. Religion is dying, diseased and it's tumor in modern thought and society will be cut out before the century is over. People will still be spiritual, religious, even, but modern religion will disappear into the gutter. yourlogicalfallacyis.com/<br />
I hope I've been entertaining.<br />
Finis.<br />
StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-49855866175850641902012-11-22T05:43:00.002-08:002012-11-22T18:10:27.185-08:00On Blogger, The Grass Is GreenerSorry for not posting yesterday, life gave me a booty called and I had to get screwed. That's my excuse. I dropped from exhaustion and slept to give thanks for my bed yesterday, which was about the only thought I emitted. No dreams. Just bliss. I love my pillow.<br />
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Anyway, I'm back now and have a 96 to share with you all the updates on my story and hopefully write a lot more of it. I have all the free time in the world! Muahahaa! At least, that's what it feels like. I'm conditioned even worse than I already know, I'm doing MCI's and writing this and exercising and getting my haircut and making sure my uniforms look good for next week and all of that is happening on my "free time." I have no free time. There is no free time. Henry David Thoreau once said that you can't kill time without injuring eternity, and I took that very much to heart. I don't kill time. I teach it, manage it, throw it around, spin in at my whimsy and look it straight in the eye and say: No. I will not bow to your rules. I will be the master here, you will like it, there is no buts, no excuses, and no arguments. At least I tried to, but it just kept marching. I think my point was made, though.<br />
So what I'm up to: I went to the USO today, and I have a volunteer event at the beach signed up for and ready to go. I'm helping to clean it, I feel as if it might help public image of the Marine Corps.<br />
I'm finally getting down to this book. It took a whole new turn on me today, I have no idea where the plot twist came from but I'm going with it, hopefully I can think myself out of it and moved my main character onto bigger things, more important things. I don't know why, but I haven't even introduced his family to the story yet. I'm thinking about a brother... and a pet, but I don't know what the pet will be. Dogs are cliche. New breeds are too weird to bring into the story without first introducing the concept. Maybe there will just be a communal pet that everyone takes care of... I like that idea.<br />
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For the record, I'm slightly insane. I want to point that out before you read any more. Only slightly, it's enough to make people think that I'm mysterious and have this whole other side to me, but just to little to go out of control and start killing people randomly. Not that I haven't considered it, I know how to pretty much get away with anything now, but I won't do that. Terrorist regimes are to hard to set up for a shorter life span and cheap thrills. I'm looking to better the entire human condition, and I can't do that from in prison. Well, I can do that from within prison, but I won't be taken as seriously and I probably won't be introduced at scientific seminars in quite the same manner.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"So right in the middle of the shower, I dropped the soap. That's when I really started thinking about studying the effects of gravity, from there, physics, well, long story short Soap led to Science and here I am today."</span></div>
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That's the dream, anyway. Be a world-famous, quite humble scientist that looks completely ripped, work at a thinking institution and be generally the best person I can be. I owe that to myself, and my parents. Everyone else doesn't get free crap, but I love enough of you to give a pass on the rest for now. Future content will be remarked on with great admiration, though, so be warned...<br />
Anywho, I was humbled today. I took a semblance of the Wonderlic test. That's the test that NFL players have to take before they can be considered for picking, anyway, it kicked my little but.<br />
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Apparently a 20 was about the average IQ (about 100) and I got a 6. That's barely passing. Harvard graduates get 48's and 50's. There are some pretty intellectual Football players out there, let me tell you. I'm just not one of them right now. I've been away from the college scene for a while, actually, and let most of the skills it asked for go to waste. I need to get back on Khanacademy. So there's a tip for you: if you ever start thinking that too many professional football players are overpaid, there's at least a couple of them who can beat your ass while quoting today's stock exchange rate. And they went to Harvard, too, so they were rich before they joined the ranks of football professionals.<br />
That's it for today, unless you want to come to my room and chat up until midnight. Which I'm fine with, just make sure you smell nice. People keep on stumbling in here drunk off their minds, and they smell horrible.<br />
I detest alcohol. As a vice, it's probably only second to smoking on the list of vices that are way to expensive as they kill you.<br />
<br />
FinisStephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-86502158110589076472012-11-19T02:38:00.002-08:002012-11-19T02:38:24.784-08:00BUSYBUSYBUSYBUSYBUSYBUSYBUSY Drive me up a while, take a left and dump me out of the passenger seat onto my head. I'm going crazy over here, my to-do list is sky high and the only thing I have to cope with is this writing task I'm assigning myself. It relaxes me, or it used to. Let me explain.<br />
I have promised to write this, and I will. I will. I will. I will. Also, I have to write a 10 paragraph biography for my commander by tomorrow morning to sum up my reasons for being in the Marine Corps. I want to write a novel. (THAT's going dismally slowly. I can't wait for this weekend. I'm just going to freewrite it, I think.)<br />
I want also to write out book reports for my Commandant's reading list books that I've already read and want to go back over. The only problem with that one is that I can't remember half of the stuff the book goes over, so it feels like I'm cheating as I'm refreshing myself with SparkNotes because I can't find the books at the local library and/or don't want to re-read... it wouldn't be bad for me to re-read the books, just to gain some perspective again, which is what I'm doing for First To Fight. THAT is an awesome book. Worth reading twice. However, books like Starship Troopers, Blink, 1984 and A Message to Garcia? Well, A Message To Garcia is a grand total of 3 pages and actually online for free to read, so that one will probably be easy, but all of the others are a days read. (I say a day, but it would only take a few hours, which practically sums up all of my free time, WHICH IS MY DAY, so chill with the illiterate comments. All of you. Chill.)<br />
Yeah. That about sums it up.<br /> ALSO, My bloody cammies ripped. I hate the dryers here. I'm going to have to find a seamstress.<br />
<br />
Finis.StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-18927706210281408302012-11-18T03:46:00.002-08:002012-11-18T03:46:43.592-08:00Subject to SchedulingI have decided once again to attempt at writing a new post every week. This may be done on weekends, and in turn you may submit it to me for further editing and a subsequent posting. Accepting offers range in topic from this to that, and may be turned in as early as Monday and as late as whenever I stop snoring. This concludes the discussion, now time for Q&A.<br /><br />Stephen: Seriously, what will the topics be?<br />Stephen: I don't care. I'm just writing for the sake of using my intelligence again. I missed my brain too much, and now I realize that it's constant usage may just save me from the inexplicable boredom that has obnubilated my existence. They might be about writing. Gaming. Videos. Pictures. Thoughts, topics, sexuality, atheism, religion, culture, language, dragons, dungeons, pretty girls and the lion, the witch, and a ring called precocious.<br />
<br />
Stephen: When will you write these?<br />
Stephen: Whenever I darn well feel like it. Under the parameters, of course, those being once a week at the least. So it might be 3 weeks from now when I write my next one, what ho!<br />
<br />
No, I'll try to keep it at once a week. If my body doesn't give out before then I don't know what I'll do. I shall attempt, I think, to find a convenient time to <strike>kill a man and then use the remainder of my time in prison to</strike> work out a schedule for completing a novel, as well.<br />
<br />
Stephen: What inspired you to do this?<br />
Stephen: Well, I thought to myself a way to be creative with this newfound energy for writing and looked to my love for guidance. She writes. Constantly. Actually, she's writing a novel right now for NaNoWriMo (she also inspired me to do that as well, although I'm having much worse luck at it.) You could say that she was my inspiration, but really it's been a combination of new freedom, boredom, interest in her, and my own personal dream of writing a novel. I think that sums it about up.<br /><br />Stephen: Does the internal monologue stop when you stop writing it out?<br />Stephen: ...<br /><br />FUCK no.<br />
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On that note, good night, all. I miss you. I love you. Hold me. Kiss me tenderly on the neck... GAAAH! Stop it! Seriously, f***ing good night. Go to sleep already, why are you still here?StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-70799670672587538002012-11-17T18:57:00.002-08:002012-11-17T18:57:42.926-08:00NaNoWriMo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, I'm writing for <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/welcome">NaNoWriMo </a>again. I shouldn't really say again, because the last time that I wrote for them my work didn't get beyond 3 pages, which is almost 2000 words. It didn't really go well. I'm in a writing mood, though, so let's hope it lasts long enough for me to kill another month on this. It's going to be adventure, with a novel twist to keep everyone on their toes. I do believe that everyone will enjoy it, but the ideas in my head are spun entirely from thin air, remember that. It's nothing really novel, so much as it is a collection of words vaguely resembling a large book at this point in my imagination. It's going to have swordplay and dragons and magic and stuff like that, politics (But I'm no George R. R. Martin.) and intrigue, etc. I do hope that everyone here gets to read it, and enjoy it for what it's worth. </div>
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My friend does a thing with images when she writes her blog to show what she's talking about. I rather enjoy the idea, she posts the most incredible things... It's like viewing a photographer's works whenever I go to her site, she posts strange, intriguing images that most people don't think of. I'm more into videos, myself, I like to watch things. I'm an avid reader of failblog, and they post videos. </div>
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http://lmgtfy.com/?q=quick%2C+stop!+Your+ADD+is+showing.</div>
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I'm not bored, necessarily, I just woke up and I'm all alone stuck with myself. It's been a while since it's been just me and my thoughts, I don't often get the chance to do this. I suppose I should go start writing that novel before November, too, is over and I have to start UMUC classes. (University of Maryland University College... the name suggests that they're still trying to find out who they are. Also, does anyone remember the Redundancy Department of Redundancy?)<br /><br />See all of you later. I'm out.</div>
StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-73433272308855923462012-11-17T08:11:00.002-08:002012-11-17T08:11:15.074-08:00Hello AgainSo I haven't posted in a while, I know. It's been an interesting turning of events on my end of this one-sided conversation, the world has literally been flipped upside down. I'm in Okinawa.<br />
It's fantastic here. The culture is out of my world. The people are amazingly friendly to your face, I haven't actually had any person be rude or mean to me while I've been on island, and maybe that's just because the people here are really small (Hence the shirt that many Marines wear that says: I'm huge in Okinawa.) or just because they were brought up that way. I'd like to think that it's just because they were brought up that way, but I'll be realistic instead and say that I just haven't had the chance to meet an angry Asian here.<br />
Speaking of Okinawa, Japanese sushi has so far been underwhelming. The delivery is alright, but the portions are small (everything is small over here... a large drink is a small in American.) the restaurants I've been to have the least spicy wasabi ever. (Except for the shoppette on base... but on base food is American. The sushi they sell on base is American, and it is better than the sushi in town. Go figure.)<br />
The culture, as I said, is incredible, though. On top of the people being nice, the cleanliness and hygiene is superb, and the local nationals are impressively versed in a variety of English dialects (That I can barely understand still, but at least they know a little bit.) along with the traditions and history. I visited the Aquarium in the northwestern part of the island and it was absolutely amazing, better than most American museums by far. Also, 15 foot shark. Totally worth the cab fair there.<br />
<br />
I signed up for nanowrimo, but I don't really have the time I want to devote to it. It takes me a good hour and a half to type out 1667 words a day for a month, and that's when I have an inkling of what I'm writing about. I might just do an adventure story... who knows. If I get around to it, it will be dark. Just trust me on that one.<br />
<br />
I happen to have noticed that my intelligence level is declining while I've been in the Marine Corps. As a counter to that measure, I've begun to invest in culture, reading, and learning things again. I'm trying to devour the Japanese language; youtube has excellent contributions to that front. My greetings and common courtesies are very appropriate now, I believe. I have yet to actually hold a conversation longer than 3 volleys, but I'll keep trying and see what happens. I'm thinking about taking UMUC courses online and on base to get my bachelors, I'm very antsy about that one because I know what the standard for learning is now... My asvab, ACT and SAT may have been significantly better than average, but classes on expanding my thinking patterns may just take me over the brink mentally, what with my job. What with my being a technician, my mental capacity is called upon an awful lot to solve the logic problem: "Why isn't this POS working?" For the most part, the answer is: "Because it's operated by those fellows making a game of slapping each other in the head." I'm insufferably surrounded by them, by the way. I think it's safe to say that none of them will ever go to the bother of reading much this far down and still retain a semblance of attention span, but the only man on my floor that I have a semblance of intellectual respect for is my roommate, and he does twice as many MCI's a month than my shop. MCI's, for those of you out of the loop, are basically Marine Corp classes (Marine Corps Institute) that count towards your certifiable skill level in an area, many of which can be counted for college credits, which I find fascinating. I'm looking forward to completing one, but my sergeant hasn't gotten back with me yet to let me. I'm also re-reading First To Fight in an effort to glean enough of the material to make a satisfactory (to my mind) book report on it's contents. I should be done soon enough with that, but it is really quite incredibly dull for a book on war.<br /><br />So that's what's up with me, HOW HAS YOUR BLOODY DAY BEEN? I'LL TELL YOU HOW IT SHOULD BE,<br /><br />Have a Dan Daly Day, Goddammit.<br /><br />Yours in thought,<br /><br />BRASEL, STEPHEN J., BITE MARK, BLOOD SAMPLE, OO'RAH.StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-32145385652985459102011-08-12T15:51:00.000-07:002011-08-12T15:51:15.981-07:00Chase Whiteside — Read This, Not That: The Psychology of the UK Riots<a href="http://chasewhiteside.com/post/8721615843/read-this-not-that-the-psychology-of-the-uk-riots">Chase Whiteside — Read This, Not That: The Psychology of the UK Riots</a>
<br />
<br /><quote>Alex Hiller, a marketing and consumer expert at Nottingham Business School, points out that there is no conflict between anomie and consumption: "If you look at Baudrillard and other people writing in sociology about consumption, it's a falsification of social life. Adverts promote a fantasy land. Consumerism relies upon people feeling disconnected from the world."</quote>
<br />
<br />This brings to light more evidence for my growing support of the Brian Jacques/Redwall theory of economics, i.e., socialism among tight-nit groups of people. Personally, I like the idea.StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-5647079262218889232011-08-10T20:23:00.000-07:002011-08-10T20:23:28.325-07:00When did everyone become so subservient? How did creativity die? Where did all the originality go?<br />
We think that just because we're spoonfed reality every now and then, we're always seeing the big picture.<br />
This could not be further from the truth. We've become so used to simply getting our way, we let Corporations block the way with ads, sales, and collectible miniatures. Maybe it's always been this way, but increasingly it's taking a higher and higher intellect to realize that EVERYBODY IS BEING USED, SCREWED, AND GENERALLY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. No good, people. We used to riot in the streets if government raised taxes, we used to tear down buildings and flip cars when the news reported our rights being violated. Now we bitch and complain in WoW forums, troll 4chan and cheer on groups like LoLSec and Anon, when they're increasing the problem, not helping the solution. Granted, I'm all for the freedom of information and healthcare for everybody, but socialism, as it is so often pointed out to me, DOES NOT WORK. Let me repeat myself.<br />
SOCIALISM. <br />
DOES.<br />
NOT. (has not ever)<br />
WORK. (somebody's going to be the lazy bum who mooches off of everyone else.)<br />
Everybody, and I mean everybody, has their price. As Bill Waterson puts it, the most disturbing thing about this fact (and it is a fact,) is that the price is generally set too low. Far too low. Maybe if we got off of our butts every now and then to kick some ass, we'd be more inclined to be sure we were on A SIDE, let alone the right one. So many brainwashed, self-deluded asswipes thinking they know the answers to life are out there right now with more important problems then spreading the good ole' word. Their freedoms to do anything are being throttled. Their way of life is being limited. And these people are too close-minded and narrow-viewed to see what's going on. <br />
<br />
We are in a crisis here, people. We're running out of fuel to continue our bloated, earth-killing traffic snarl-ups while green-hip soccer dads and moms preach pineapple recipes and recycling plastic as the way to push forward. How about a way out? How about we all focus on first stopping the wars by educating everybody in why religion is bullshit and ending the fundamental terrorist jihad-for-virgins/Christian Supremacy problem. How about we all become a little more kind to our elders, thus strengthening family bonds. (and maybe, just maybe... getting FRIENDS. Friends that are OLD. Ha, betcha never thought about that. It's POSSIBLE!) In the meantime we can get out of debt by not spending taxes (stop calling it tax-payers money. We don't pay taxes anymore. We are bled taxes. That's another thing to work on, though.) on the bureaucratic bullshit, pork-filled bills of bust. <br />
<br />
Get a grip on reality, people. Geez.<br />
Grab your flashlights and garden tools!StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-47575952959547265042011-06-02T11:59:00.000-07:002011-06-02T11:59:52.255-07:00Memorial DayMEMORIAL DAY<br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />Keep it <br />moving, please, even if you've seen it before.<br /><br /><br />It is the <br />VETERAN, <br /> not the preacher, <br /> who has given us freedom of religion. <br /><br /> <br />It is <br />the VETERAN, <br />not the campus organizer, <br />who has given us freedom to assemble. <br /><br /> <br />It is <br />the VETERAN, <br /> not the lawyer, <br />who has given us the right to a fair trial. <br /><br /><br /> <br />It is <br />the VETERAN, <br /> not the politician, <br />Who has given us the right to vote. <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /> <br />It is the <br />VETERAN who <br />salutes the Flag, <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /> <br /> <br />It is <br />the <br />VETERAN<br />who serves <br />under the Flag, <br /><br /><br /><br />ETERNAL <br />REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON <br />THEM.StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-71008300512703260952011-05-25T17:12:00.000-07:002011-05-25T17:12:46.661-07:00New idea for underground housing<meta equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">SO I came across the following on Google Reader a few minutes ago.</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">
<br /></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><img src="http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/Screen%20shot%202011-05-18%20at%2012.26.56%20PM.png" alt="" title="" /><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><strong>Concrete Canvas</strong> A concrete shelter in just 24 hours. <em>via <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13430747" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187); ">BBC</a></em></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Drapeable fabric turns into solid concrete when it gets wet</span></span><p style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">When disaster strikes and permanent structures are leveled, as they were recently by earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand (and more distantly in Haiti), they are usually replaced in the short term by tent cities. Two engineering students thought they could do better and invented Concrete Canvas, a fabric impregnated with concrete that can turn a tent into a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13430747" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187); ">hardy, permanent structure</a> in 24 hours. Just add water.</p><p style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">Fundamentally, Concrete Canvas is a clever means to erect a sturdy, permanent structure anywhere. Packed in a crate, the entire building comes ready to erect with a minimum of infrastructure or extra tools. The exterior fabric, the Concrete Canvas, is basically like normal tent canvas loaded with dry cement particles. That fabric is bound to an interior airtight bladder.</p><p style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">When deployed at a site, the shelter is simply unpacked, unfolded, and attached to an air pump that fills it with compressed air like a balloon. Once rigid, the exterior simply needs to be thoroughly hosed down--dirty water works just fine--to hydrate all that concrete embedded in the Concrete Canvas. By the next day, the concrete is hardened and you're left with nearly 600 square feet of interior space sheltered by a rigid concrete shell.</p><p style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">Since the interior is already lined with the airtight bladder, it's sterilizable for an easily deployable triage facility. And like any concrete structure the walls can be drilled to install electricity, light fixtures, surfaces, or whatever the situation calls for. All said, two people can put the thing up in an hour (plus drying time), and the units can be organized end to end to create larger interior spaces. When the clock is ticking and manpower is at a premium, it's a clever way to quickly put a roof over peoples' heads.</p><p style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">To see an impressive video of a Concrete Canvas tent going up, click through the BBC link below.</p><p style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">[<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13430747" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187); ">BBC</a>]</p><p style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">
<br /></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">I know this is entirely selfish of me to suggest, but I really think this would be agreat idea to build underground housing with. Support structure in the enter and you basically have a permanent house, all you'd need to do is bury it to have an underground house, and burrow down for more "floors." My Hobbit House dream will be complete soon! MWAAHAHAHA!! :)</span></span></p></div>StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8593109592444913472.post-15416232581116374022011-01-12T12:21:00.000-08:002011-01-12T12:21:28.158-08:00Oink OinkThis is an exerp from a speech given by Tom Coburn The Senator From Oklahoma about the pork in the stimulus package. <br />
<br />
<b><br />
Sen. Tom Coburn is an MD (general practitioner) and Senator from Oklahoma . and recognized as 'the conscience' of the US Senate. He is well respected on both 'sides of the aisle' & probably one of the few senators to actually read these 'bail-out' bills. (Google him for his background. <br />
This takes a couple of minutes. It's from his speech in the Senate and it should raise your blood pressure.<br />
<br />
"We are going in exactly the wrong direction. We ought to be standing on the principles that made this country great. There ought to be a review of every program in the Federal Government that is not effective, that is not efficient, that is wasteful or fraudulent, and we ought to get rid of it right now. We ought to say, you're gone, to be able to pay for a real stimulus plan that might, in fact, have some impact.<br />
<br />
I would be remiss if I didn't remind everybody that next week we are going to hear from the Obama administration wanting another $500 billion. Outside of this, they are going to want another $500 billion to handle the banking system. Still not fixing the real disease-the pneumonia-we are going to treat the fever or treat the cough, but we are not going to treat the real disease.<br />
<br />
Until we treat the real disease, this is pure waste. It is worse than pure waste. It is morally reprehensible, because it steals the future of the next two generations.<br />
<br />
I am going to wind up here and finish, but I wanted to spend some time to make sure the American people know what is in this bill. I think once they know what is in this bill, they would reject it out of hand.<br />
<br />
Let me read for my colleagues some of the things that are in this bill...<br />
<br />
The biggest earmark in history is in this bill. There is $2 billion in this bill to build a coal plant with zero emissions. That would be great, maybe, if we had the technology, but the greatest brains in the world sitting at MIT say we don't have the technology yet to do that. Why would we build a $2 billion power plant we don't have the technology for that we know will come back and ask for another $2 billion and another $2 billion and another $2 billion when we could build a demonstration project that might cost $150 million or $200 million? There is nothing wrong with having coal-fired plants that don't produce pollution; I am not against that. Even the Washington Post said the technology isn't there. It is a boondoggle. Why would we do that?<br />
<br />
We eliminated tonight a $246 million payback for the large movie studios in Hollywood .<br />
<br />
We are going to spend 88 Million to study whether we ought to buy a new ice breaker for the Coast Guard. You know what. The Coast Guard needs a new ice breaker. Why do we need to spend $88 million? They have two ice breakers now that they could retrofit and fix and come up with equivalent to what they needed to and not spend the $1 billion they are going to come back and ask for, for another ice breaker, so why would we spend $88 million doing that?<br />
<br />
We are going to spend $448 million to build the Department of Homeland Security a new building. We have $1.3 trillion worth of empty buildings right now, and because it has been blocked in Congress we can't sell them, we can't raze them, we can't do anything, but we are going to spend money on a new building here in Washington ..<br />
<br />
We are going to spend another $248 million for new furniture for that building; a quarter of a billion dollars for new furniture. What about the furniture the Department of Homeland Security has now? These are tough times. Should we be buying new furniture? How about using what we have? That is what a family would do. They would use what they have. They wouldn't go out and spend $248 million on furniture.<br />
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How about buying $600 million worth of hybrid vehicles? Do you know what I would say? Right now times are tough; I would rather Americans have new cars than Federal employees have new cars. What is wrong with the cars we have? Dumping $600 million worth of used vehicles on the used vehicle market right now is one of the worst things we could do. Instead, we are going to spend $600 million buying new cars for Federal employees..<br />
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There is $400 million in here to prevent STDs .. I have a lot of experience on that. I have delivered 4,000 babies. We don't need to spend $400 million on STDs. What we need to do is properly educate about the infection rates and the effectiveness of methods of prevention. That doesn't take a penny more. You can write that on one piece of paper and teach every kid in this country, but we don't need to spend $400 million on it. It is not a priority.<br />
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How about $1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs? That might even be somewhat stimulative. New sewers. That might create jobs.<br />
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How about $150 million for a Smithsonian museum? Tell me how that helps get us out of a recession. Tell me how that is a priority. Would the average American think that is a priority that we ought to be mortgaging our kids' future to spend another $150 million at the Smithsonian?<br />
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How about $1 billion for the 2010 census? So everybody knows, the census is so poorly managed that the census this year is going to cost twice what it cost 10 years ago, and we wasted $800 million on a contract because it was no-bid that didn't perform. Nobody got fired, no competitive bidding, and we blew $800 million.<br />
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We have $75 million for smoking cessation activities, which probably is a great idea, but we just passed a bill-the SCHIP bill-that we need to get 21 million more Americans smoking to be able to pay for that bill. That doesn't make sense.<br />
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How about $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges? Since when is a community college in my State a recipient of Federal largesse? Is that our responsibility? I mean, did we talk with Dell and Hewlett-Packard and say, How do we make you all do better? Is there not a market force that could make that better?<br />
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Will we actually buy on a true competitive bid? No, because there is nothing that requires competitive bidding in anything in this bill. There is nothing that requires it. It is one of the things President Obama said he was going to mandate the Federal Government, but there is no competitive bidding in this bill at all.<br />
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We have $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas. Well, that will put 10 or 15 people to work. Is that a priority for us right now?<br />
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There is $6 billion to turn Federal buildings into green buildings. That is a priority, versus somebody getting a job outside of Washington , a job that actually produces something, that actually increases wealth?<br />
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How about $500 million for State and local fire stations? Where do you find in the Constitution us paying for local fire stations within our realm of prerogatives? None of it is competitively bid - not a grant program.<br />
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Next is $1.2 billion for youth activities. Who does that employ? What does that mean?<br />
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How about $88 million for renovating the public health service building? You know, if we could sell half of the $1.3 trillion worth of properties we have, we could take care of every Federal building requirement and backlog we have.<br />
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Then there's $412 million for CDC buildings and property. We spent billions on a new center and headquarters for CDC. Is that a priority? Building another Government building instead of - if we are going to spend $412 million on building buildings, let's build one that will produce something, one that will give us something.<br />
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How about $850 million for that most "efficient'' Amtrak that hasn't made any money since 1976 and continues to have $2 billion or $3 billion a year in subsidies?<br />
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Here is one of my favorites: $75 million to construct a new "security training'' facility for State Department security officers, and we have four other facilities already available to train them. But it is not theirs. They want theirs. By the way, it is going to be in West Virginia ... I wonder how that got there? So we are going to build a new training facility that duplicates four others that we already have that could easily do what we need to do. But because we have a stimulus package, we are going to add in oink pork.<br />
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How about $200 million in funding for a lease-not buying, but a lease of alternative energy vehicles on military installations?<br />
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We are going to bail out the States on Medicaid. Total all of the health programs in this, and we are going to transfer $150 billion out of the private sector and we are going to move it to the Federal Government. You talk about back dooring national health care. Henry Waxman has to be smiling big today. He wants a single-payer Government-run health care system. We are going to move another $150 billion to the Federal Government from the private sector.<br />
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We are going to eliminate fees on loans from the Small Business Administration. You know what that does? That pushes productive capital to unproductive projects. It is exactly the wrong thing to do.<br />
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Then there is $160 million to the Job Corps Program-but not for 20 jobs and not to put more people in the Job Corps but to construct or repair buildings.<br />
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We are going to spend $524 million for information technology upgrades that the Appropriations Committee claims will create 388 jobs. If you do the math on that, that is $1.5 million a job. Don't you love the efficiency of Washington thinking?<br />
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We are going to create $79 billion in additional money for the States, a "slush fund,'' to bail out States and provide millions of dollars for education costs. How many of you think that will ever go away? Once the State education programs get $79 billion over 2 years, do you think that will ever go away? The cry and hue of taking our money away - even though it was a stimulus and supposed to be limited, it will never go away. So we will continue putting that forward until our kids have grand kids of their own<br />
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There is about $47 billion for a variety of energy programs that are primarily focused on renewable energy. I am fine with spending that. But we ought to get something for it. There ought to be metrics. There are no metrics. It is pie in the sky, saying we will throw some money at it.<br />
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Let me conclude by saying we are at a seminal moment in our country. We will either start living within the confines of realism and responsibility or we will blow it and we will create the downfall of the greatest Nation that ever lived. This bill is the start of that downfall. To abandon a market-oriented society and transfer it to a Soviet-style, government-centered, bureaucratic-run and mandated program, that is the thing that will put the stake in the heart of freedom in this country.<br />
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I hope the American people know what is in this bill. I am doing everything I can to make sure they know. But more important, I hope somebody is listening who will treat the pneumonia we are faced with today, which is the housing and mortgage markets. It doesn't matter how much money we spend in this bill. It is doomed to failure unless we fix that problem first. Failing that, we will go down in history as the Congress that undermined the future and vitality of this country. Let it not be so."</b>StephenBraselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10106076014843374456noreply@blogger.com0