Post Modern Liberal Insanity #4

by

R.E. Prindle

Marching To Altruria

     Back in the sixties or seventies the electronic musicians Beaver & Krause put out a parody on the Liberal affliction  called 'We're Marching To Altruria.'  Had this fabulous sped up Lemming-Munchkin chorus trotting down the Yellow Brick Road to a sort of goose step heading to Etruria or the Emerald City.  Baum didn't know what he wrought; I hope he wasn't trying for it anyway.

     B&E had their lens trained on the Liberal fever perfectly.  That religious urgency, that religious feeling of certainty.  Hep one, hep two, we can't be wrong because we know we're right.  Goose step, goose step.

     With their eyes fixed sternly on the horizon the poor darlings couldn't see the trail of wreckage they left behind them.  Took some time out to smoke some poppy, see if they couldn't bring reality  into focus with their fantasy.  Didn't help.

     The poor Dears would come up with all these wouldn't it be nice if...notions like free this for the less fortunate, free that for the indigent. Unused ramps here and unused ramps there, tens, hundreds of thousands, even millions for this stuff that benefitted a very few.  Generous but misguided.  Sometimes you can do more harm by trying to do good.

     They got it in their heads that cars were bad but bikes were good so they set about penalizing drivers and promoting psychotic bike riders.

     That's a nice contradiction.  There are not very many who can't use stairs while the number who can't bike are legion.  Consistency of course is the bugbear of minds both great and small.  It doesn't hurt to know what you're doing.  But if one is concerned for people who can't climb stairs why isn't one concerned for people who can neither walk distances or have the ability and stamina to ride bikes, especially up hills.  If you live on the salt flats riding bikes is less of a problem.  Still unpleasant but less of a problem.  If you live where there are numerous two or three mile 6% grades bike riding is only for the demented.  Nevertheless, bike lanes run up 8 and 10% grades.

     Liberals have never known to think things through but why should we elect these idiots and then pay them a quarter million a year to mess up our lives?

     Think about it.

For whatever reason, growing up for me was a constant battle with my father. He was the epitome of authority, sometimes frighteningly so. He was too hard. And so I rebelled against my mother, because I thought she was too soft. In the second grade, I rebelled by staying at my desk when the fire alarm rang. I was picked up by my arm and hauled outside to stand on gravel with the rest of the baby cattle. In the seventh grade, I rebelled against my Christian teachers who I thought ludicrous for following such antiquated ideals. Who were they to rub their shit off on me? They were the mothers – too soft – who followed that unwavering, strict, suffocating, rotten template given years ago by a religion whose traditional stance was to subjugate women, justify slavery, and condone murder.

My childhood and adolescence were rife with unsettled extremes. Extremes of the secular variety, and others religious. I constantly sought balance. As I grew older, I found myself attracted to pop culture icons that blew normativity like it was some freeze-pop, using it for a fleeting moment of deliciousness before spitting its rigged wooden stick out when all sweetness was gone. I attempted to exhaust my sweetness, too. I was obsessed with bands like The Cure, Depeche Mode, and later icons like Marilyn Manson and Bjork, because they represented a queer kind of sensibility – a middle finger up for all to see, fucking patriarchy into oblivion. I wore torn shorts and jeans, big black T-shirts and converse by day; combat boots, fishnets and eyeliner by night.

And at age seventeen, my father saw my coming out of the closet as some monumental form of rebellion. To me it felt like liberation. He tore down the posters of The Cure on my wall, forced me to wear “normal” clothes, and said I couldn’t even think about getting an earring until I moved out. At age twenty-three, after finishing two undergraduate degrees, I left home. Six months later I had two diamond studs stapled into my left and right earlobes to celebrate what I thought had been a successful sedition.

Many years and relationships later, I still find myself rebelling. Not because of teenage angst or the need to find who I am. This sort of rebellion is against a mainstream that's gotten wickedly out of control. Normative to the point of persecuting those who are different, simply because they are.

To put it frankly, I’m bored. And I’m tired off all the bullshit. I’m tired of the societal need to “belong." I’m tired of Reality-TV. I’m tired of bullshit art. I’m tired of straights telling gays what they can and cannot do. I’m tired of men telling women what they can and cannot do. I’m tired of mainstream hip-hop. I’m tired of voting for the Presidential candidate I dislike the least. I’m tired of people trying to tell me what is and isn’t normal. I'm tired of exploitation. I'm tired of infomercials. I’m tired of useless death and poverty. Johnny Depp and Will Smith made $75M and $80M in 2007, respectively. I’m tired of apathy. I’m tired of celebrity. I’m tired of “style.”

I still clash with my father. I don’t think that silent battle will ever end. And neither will the bullshit. Sometimes to be a rebel is glorious. To stand up for something and make a difference is pure aphrodisia.

Dear Reader,

Beginning this Monday, July 28 through the month of September, Urban Molecule presents “Rebels, Revolutionaries and Revelations,” a look at how Hip-hop, Punk, Radical Feminism and the Queer Movement have taught us a hell of a lot about art, and ourselves. Join us as we brave the Dog Days of Summer with a look into the world of rebel art.

Sincerely,

Christopher de la Torre

More about Christopher
photo credit: Jose Salamone

Some wait for an "externally driven spark" in Iran (aka "External Threat", "Invasion", "War with Iran" i.e. to prevent IRI to become a nuclear armed power, oh yes, a Nuclear Armed "Power").

Others, never fail to share wisdom by saying: "Iranian People will have to lead and liberate themselves"...

Knowing the realities of how the Iranian people are prevented from mostly even breathing easily, how can the Iranians liberate themselves?  Though, I am pretty sure many of the revolutionary guards are increasingly turning against the inner circles and some outer circles of the regime.  Regardless, how Iranians are meant to liberate themselves from this monstrous regime must be the world's best kept secret.

I see two reasons why something similar to a Miracle or maybe A Miracle only would change the situation in Iran for the better. The reasons for my cynicism are, broadly, twofold:

1.  "External Threats"  will only act when they perceive their own interests directly threatened.

2.  Iranian culture (at least recent one) is that many, if not most Iranians, primarily think about their own individual self interests & are self-centered.

For example, the specialty of quite a few prominent Iranian dissidents, once they arrive in EU, USA or elsewhere is making money, through various means, why shouldn't they?!  In any case, even if some of these still wanted to, they'd be absolutely helpless to make a difference regarding the disposal of the regime, or the improvement of the situation in Iran itself.  Their efforts at best will be highly reactive.

At the same time, many Iranians in Iran are not revolutionaries, they'd be happy with little IRI granted freedoms and procrastinate ... as for ex-pat Iranians, they talk a lot but have little influence so far as Change in Iran is concerned - of course, we may want to wait for a 30 or so year program of change....

In fact, I think, if many average people in Iran had the choice and the help, similar to certain "exiled Iranian dissidents", 2/3 of the population would leave Iran in order to be able to live and breathe freely elsewhere... Perhaps, we can then leave Iran to the Islamic Republic of Mullahs with their Thugs, Palestinians, Hezbollahis, Basijis, Hookers, inalienable rights to Nuclear Power, and so forth ...

I am often advised to have HOPE and maybe "this dog will bite its own tail eventually".  Unfortunately, I don't think IRI is designed to bite its own tail, much less so if we simply "Hope for it"...

But I do have this - as the French say je ne sais quoi (intuition) - feeling that it may just happen when we least expect, sooner than later, and despite the above ....  Allah o Akbar !!

Evolution, Melanin And Brain Power

#2 Part 2

by

R.E. Prindle

     Melanin is only one aspect of evolution.  I presume erik assumes that the only genetic differences between the various human species is color.  If low melanin were simply geographical  and if evolution had ceased when HSI, the African, evolved then indeed all Homo Sapiens would have the same capabilities but obviously in different stages of development.

     We know howeer that evolution didn't cease one hundred fifty thousand years ago when Homo Sapiens evolved from the Last Hominid Predecessor.

     Let's consider two anomalies that distinguish Homo Sapiens from all other mammals with the exception of the Great Apes.  All other mammals are hairy whether they live on the Equator or the North Pole.  All other mammals with the exception of the Great Apes have tails.  Both Apes and HS at one time had tails.  They are now vestigial.

     The Great Apes who live in Africa are black beneath their hairy coats.  Certainly melanin is less needed by the Hairy Apes than White HS in the temperate zones.  Why haven't Apes switched off their melanin genes?

     If having high melanin has a protective benefit in the tropics and if the hominid predecessors had a full coat of hair which they surely must have what happened to it?  Wouldn't the hair have been more protective and beneficial than high melanin?

     With the Apes the anthropoids diverge from the four legged standard of mammals.  HS is the most erect of all.  As I said in EMBP #1  in the evolution of new organs or changes to the organism the organism cannot add to the existing structure from new materials it can only convert other substances to fill the new needs.  Thus it must be true that HS is relatively hairless because the hair was converted geneticall to other uses.  When the hair disappeared the predecessor of HS was black but much less protected from the sun because of the hair loss.  So melanin had nothing to do with the tropical sun.  HS was already black.  He started looking around for clothes.

     The tail also could be eliminated safely so that it too disappeared to be used in evolutionary changes elsewhere. 

     If the HS brain continues to evolve adding new capabilities the material to do so will have to be provided by the alteration of some other organ or substance such as melanin.

     We know that evolutionarily great changes have occurred.  The changes necessary for the organism to walk erect are astounding.  And yet HS must have moved on all fours at sometime in its past.  I can tell you this, geography had nothing to do in the alteration of our species so it could walk erect.

     There are many things yet to be explained.

Post Modern Liberal Insanity #3

by

R.E. Prindle

     There was a time when 'Liberals' had causes that meant something.  Ending child labor, ending lynching, the eight hour day, things that meant something while improving the quality of life for millions of people.

     The pressure was on; those things were gradually achieved.  Of course you didn't have to be a Liberal to oppose child labor, lynching or equitable hours but the Liberal took the credit. Heck Henry Ford, not usually credited with being a Liberal, established the eight hour day by fiat on his own.  With the most egregious inequities corrected by sometime after WWII  the Liberals had run out of causes.  While dreaming up new actions one of the things they settled on was sex.  Sexual attitudes were too Puritan or Victorian they said, just as though God had told them the Puritans and Victorians were wrong.  We had to turn sex away from reproduction into recreation, then wars would end.  We needed more pornography they said so anti-pornography laws disappeared and soon we had Deep Throat and Debbie Does Everyone On Earth as mainstream family entertainment.

     Liberals became sexually liberated.  They'd do anything.  Then this strange concept of 'democracy' emerged where it was undemocratic not to be sexually liberated, not 'democratic' to place restriction on public sex or to encourage young boys and girls to become homosexuals and lesbians.  I always thought fucking was the most universally democratic thing in the world.  If you want to do it, do it.  But apparently homoseuxals wanted you to watch and applaud them while they were doing it.

     Israeli occupied Hollywood created a forty mile diameter zone around itself where pornography was legal.  Then they mode homosexual sex films and distributed them across country as family entertainment, put them on TV.

     Their argument was you didn't have to watch if you didn't want to.  See that little knob there?  Just turn it off.  Then they said you couldn't turn it off or criticize their behavior becvause it was 'undemocratic.'  When we pointed out they they didn't have to read criticisms of themselves if they didn't want to, that argument was no longer valid; not applicable in the circumstances.

     But then the homosexual Liberals stepped over the line.  They made it mandatory to teach five year old boys and girls to be homosexuals in the public schools.  The Democratic majority objected but homosexual judges said they they would determine what was democratic and what wasn't and if any member of the majority didn't like it, a jail cell was waiting.  The judges controlled the police.  This is a nation of 'laws.'

     So Democracy now meant the rule of a perverted minority against the will not only of the majority but nature.

     There is a reason that sexualization doesn't take place until puberty at twelve or thirteen.  It's called being mature enough to begin to deal with sexuality.  Nature doesn't even care if you're mentally mature or not but it is necessary to be physically mature so that girls can bear the strain of birth.  Two, three or four kids later they can die as far as nature is concerned.  In natural conditions the girls did.

     In civilized conditions they don't.  Nor do young children who need those years to deal with increasingly complex adjustments need to have sexual concerns thrust upon them.  Yeah, I know, I've heard about those monkeys too, but I don't live in a tree.  All the Liberals want is the young and pure to do anyway.  If you haven't gotten it figured out homosexuality is a mental disease.  Man boy love indeed!

     This is what Liberals have come to:  diseased sex.  Such a disgusting end.  However if a great majority cannot manage a minority what can one say?  If the majority is willing to tolerate such an obscentity then they deserve to endure what they let be imposed on them.

     Somebody must know these politicians and judges.  Give them a little eye to eye contact.  Take them aside at your clubs.  You know how to do it to the guy down the street or the guy in the next cubicle.  Get on it.

who all want so bad to have words

it's not often true

the things that we do could change herds.

Of people, young people who need

their lives just a portrait of want

they live without cause 

there must be a cause for our hunt.

We're all looking in from outside

that boy up and died

at the funeral they cried

but somebody lied

it's a shame now to see

that he'll never be

the man that he could

but nobody would

and all of us should lend a hand. 

It's got to be more than just schools

c'mon man, not all of us fools!

You only give rules

You treat us like stools

you gave them to skate

but now just to hate

it's so reprobate

the minds that don't wait to get old.

Now they're all writing with paint

the thoughts of the faint can't you read

their weary hearts break

we made a mistake with our seed. 

It's time to be drawing the line

Things are not fine can't you see

there's no time to take

there's no time to fake

the kids that were lost

are we counting the cost

how much more of our lives 

will we listen to jive-talking men?

The answer's the same young and old

it's no mystery what now to do

we're shelling out money

it doesn't seem funny

that most of the bank

gets tossed in a tank

we stir it around

while our children are bound

they're lost should be found

and politicians are crowned

our future's not sound

is anyone to be found

I'm not the only one that can see.

That if we will all raise a voice

I don't see a choice here do you?

Now is our time

I'm dropping a dime

I'm down on my knee

I'm giving my plea

for the people in need

we must do the deed

and toss away greed

the children we'll feed

their hope we will save

and no early grave

and less suicide 

and boy what a time

the future looks bright 

with all the same sight

let's do what is right for our kids.

BUILD MORE FOR TEENAGERS!

BUILD MORE FOR TEENAGERS!

(just a quick thought for today) If we take to heart the message of Ubuntu, which says: "the only way for me to be human is for you to reflect my humanity back at me" ... how is your humanity reflected? What does it come back looking like to you?

Se durano troppo mi annoiano, ho bisogno che si muovano sempre; la staticita’ mi porta noia. Quando ero un po’ piu’ giovane paragonavo la mia vita ad un film.

Solo che io ero lo spettatore e la vedevo scorrere come in uno schermo davanti a me, i rumori e le voci arrivavano anche dai lati, da dietro ma tutto si riduceva ad immagini che scorrevano velocemente; immagini che io potevo guardare, ma non toccare.

Non so, sara’ stata colpa della mia prof di latino che mi ha fatto vedere The wall a scuola a 13 anni, oppure e’ solo colpa del crescere nella ovvieta’ del paese, ma ho sempre avuto la presunzione di essere superiore. Di capire cose che molti non capivano, di essere coerente anche a mie spese. Di saper chiedere perche’, di sapermi rifìutare.

Qualsiasi sia stato il motivo ho sempre visto le cose e le persone capendo, o pensando di capire cosa ci fosse dietro ogni colore, comportamento, suono.

 Col tempo sono diventato piu’ tollerante, ho capito che c’e’ da imparare da tutto e da tutti. E non importa essere superiori o inferiori, non viviamo con un metro alle spalle che misura ogni millimetro in piu’ o meno che prendiamo,cio’ che importa e’ la direzione verso cui ci muoviamo. Insomma come al solito sto perdendo il filo del discorso.. tutto questo era per dire che quello che e’ rimasto di quel periodo e’ che le cose, soprattutto se sono semplici, devono muoversi continuamente; oppure avere un inizio ed una fine altrimenti ricordo solo noia.

Oggi ho lasciato la band.

E dopo questa decisione drastica, che covavo dentro da un po’ aspettando di avere le certezze che ancora mi mancavano, sono qui a cercare di non giudicare nessuno, pensare che l’errore puo’ sempre essere nascosto dappertutto, e che se e’ nascosto dentro me probabilmente non sono in grado di vederlo.

Pero’ faccio un’autoanalisi che mi permetta di migliorare, e la prossima volta sbagliare di meno. Mi piacerebbe che tutti facessero lo stesso, so che qualcuno in particolare non lo fara’, pero’ ci spero lo stesso. Il mio sogno di una band perfetta e’ un gruppo capace di mandare messaggi, sfruttando l’arte, che spingano a riflettere le persone su alcune tematiche importanti del mondo.

Vorrei, nei miei sogni, poter parlare con la musica per poter dire a tutti che devono guardare alcuni documentari, leggere alcuni libri, e poi trarre le proprie conclusioni.

Il tutto per poter far si che un certo tipo di dittatura finisca (e non mi rivolgo al nano please tenetelo fuori da questo blog) e che le persone inizino ad aver la possibilita’ di sperimentare una liberta’ vera, forse mai esistita. Il tutto perche’ egoisticamente vorrei provarla anche io.

Ecco quando finisce una band muore un pezzo del mio sogno. Muore perche’ mi rendo conto di quanto e’ difficile realizzare qualcosa del genere, mi rendo conto che, anche se si riuscisse a realizzare, non e’ detto che poi le persone reagirebbero, e mi rendo conto che io stesso non sono capace di portare a termine qualcosa del genere.

Ed oggi mi sento un po’ spaesato perche’, forse usandola come scusa, pensavo che la band sarebbe stato il mio modo di fare una rivoluzione. Ora mi serve una bussola perche’ devo trovare un nuovo modo di combattere. O di aiutare chi combatte.

Io devo fare qualcosa nella mia vita. Questo e’ sicuro.

I know this anime/manga is gory and I haven't really gone and watch it. But I'm here to talk about the Revoltech Revolution Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken) action figure line that's up for release this September 2008. The action figure shown above is Kenshiro, the main protagonist of the series. He comes with an alternate head for a different facial expression, a bunch of different hands, nunchucks and an alternate shoulder design. There's another Hokuto no Ken character released along with Kenshiro and it appears to be one of his enemies that he kills with some attack that makes the upper torso explode which is the main feature of the action figure. Not too fond of exploding innards but it might tickle the fancy of other Hokuto no Ken fans.

More pictures of Kenshiro at Amiami.com. Pictures of the other Hokuto no Ken character at Amiami as well.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is actually, one of the most manly men on the planet. He has "Ahmadinejad" man points.

This of course, as with Clint Eastwood, means he is so manly, that his man points cannot be calculated, and "Ahmadinejad" is taken as a numeric value relating to: "Clint Eastwood" (a numeric value relating to infinity) man points, minus one.

This means:
Where Clint Eastwood, is equal to infinity, Ahmadinejad is equal to Clint Eastwood, minus one.

and in turn, this translates to the following constant:

"Ahmadinejad, like Clint Eastwood, is very much, above the law."

Mahmoud is the most manly leader a country could ever wish for, he pisses on the UN, he shits on America, and he spews streams of manly steaming hot vomit on the Jews, (I've nothing against the Jews of course, in fact, I quite like the Jews, they own my bank, they run it efficiently - however, I do find that Mahmoud's actions cancel out my love for the Jews, as it is scientifically proven that: Mahmoud = More luzly than the Jews.)

"Respect for basic human rights in Iran, especially freedom of expression and assembly, deteriorated in 2006. The government routinely tortures and mistreats detained dissidents, including through prolonged solitary confinement" - Human Rights Watch.

This, quite frankly, just makes me respect this man ten times more than I already do, fuck freedom of expression and assembly, people are dumb as shit, they don't deserve it. People watch Big Brother and think that reading the Sun makes them intellectual.

People are too dumb to be allowed freedom of expression, because every view they express is utterly retarded. Barring all my views of course, because my views are obviously genius poured out through the medium of the English language.

Here are some very true facts about Mahmoud, the slickest man on earth.

1. Mahmoud doesn't have hands, he had womb crushers, he calls his left womb crusher "Fury of Mahmoud" and his right womb crusher "Wilbert."
2. Mahmoud doesn't have feet, he has vulva mashers.
3. Mahmoud shoots lazer beams from his eyes.
4. Mahmoud once fought a tiger.
5. Mahmoud is so well dressed, he makes Jean-Paul Gaultier feel like fashion's bitch boy.
6. Mahmoud has 6 penises. All of them, are as long as the Qu'ran.
7. Mahmoud has had sex with your wife more times than you have.

Any leader that sports quotes such as

"Israel should be wiped off the face of the Earth"
"There are also false claims that these religions will save mankind. But Islam is the only religion that can save mankind."
"The holocaust is a myth."
and my personal favourite
"THERE ARE NO GAYS IN IRAN! I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU HEARD THAT!"

is just fucking cool in my book, I don't need anymore reasoning than that to fully support a man in his quest.

In the UK, we have politicians who hide their real agendas and thieve and and corrupt all around them in snide little ways, playing the blame game as soon as they get caught, well fuck that shit, I'd much rather have a guy like Mahmoud, who just comes out and says it as it is, "Yea, I hate the Jews, yea, there's no gays here, yea, I'm pretty much a terrorist, yea we have nukes and we hate everyone!"

As opposed to the panzy boys we have in British parliament, who pander to the idiot public and blame everyone but themselves when their popularity dwindles and evaporates into a void of non-existence and disinterest.

Mahmoud is like an Islamic superhero, his powers include hating the gays, smiting the Jews, plausible denial, misogyny, and owning an army of hovercraft...

Mahmoud is manly as shit, he's so manly, that he fucked his old school teacher.

Mahmoud also took part in The 1979 Islamic Revolution. Although he's too modest to admit to it. This is mostly because, if he admitted to this, everyone would know that, in actuality, Mahmoud is Anti-Semitic-Misogyny-lovin'-homophobia man! The manliest of all super-heroes!

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the friendliest hard-line, Jew hating, mad man in the world!

I hereby award, Mahmoud, Virgil's "Manly mother-fucker of the month" award. I think Mahmoud is so cool, I'm gonna put him in my blog roll, under the category of "Virgil's Manly Mother-Fuckers"

Another of Mahmoud's superhero powers, is the super hero pose. Not so much as power, as it is a trait common amoungst super heroes, enjoy these fine examples of Mahmouds posing prowess.

5 Reasons why I really fucking <3 Mahmoud:
1. He hates you, as much as I do.
2. He hates women, as much as I do.
3. He wants to nuke shit, as much as I do.
4. He's lulzy.
5. His trolling skillz are insane.

5 things I'd do to Mahmoud if I was a steaming Islamic hottie.
1. Flirtatiously show him my ankles.
2. Giggle at all his anti-semitic jokes.
3. Cook meals for him, iron his shirt, walk 20 steps behind him, allow him to dominate me in bed whenever he wants it.
4. Bear his children.
5. Write "I love Mahmoud" in the sky, with the blood of small children, as a testament to my love for Mahmoud.

I very much imagine, that if I were indeed a steaming Islamic hottie, this is how I would gaze at Mahmoud when he wasn't looking.

Back to the topic of this post: the assumptions that Americans make behind false choices.  First, what is a false choice?  A false choice is making a decision about a question that is closed to all the variables.  Better said in an example give by Ron Paul, "Should we launch preemptive wars against this country or that one? Should every American neighborhood live under this social policy or that one? Should a third of our income be taken away by an income tax or a national sales tax?"  The assumptions that Americans make are that the two variables in the false questions are the only ones, and any one who tries to say differently is not mentioned by main stream media.   Have you been fooled into arguing over something such as a false question?  I think we all have. 

Our country and media are completely filled with these false questions and most Americans don't realize it.   Maybe we should ask, should we have preemptive wars or not? Should we decide the social policy of neighborhoods or let them do it, should we have heavy taxes, light taxes, or no taxes?  Questions in the debates today are not formed in the following manor.  Where the U.S. was once the heart of debate on politics, examining all areas and answers to a question, we are now closed minded to other options than what is put out in front of us.  Its just like saying welcome to America the land of the free, would you like to be a fisherman or a industrial engineer-those are your choices.  I promised to keep it short, I just wanted to get the initial idea out there and let it soak in a bit.  Hopefully you learned something new or were inspired to do something with the infomation, but those are your only two options.

You just ate biscuits.

A large screen opens when "Thumbnail image" is clicked.

＜Use painting materials＞
「Drawing ink」

Copyright（C）T-KONI . All Rights Reserved.

------------------------------------

＜Free material＞ It is possible to use it free of charge.
T-KONI`s Free material　"Illustration, web material, wallpaper, and coloring paper"
「Download site of "Free material"」
T-KONI`s"Paper book jacket design"
It is possible to use it free of charge.
「Download site of "Paper book jacket"」
「How to make "Paper book jacket"」

Overlooking the Hudson River Valley of New York.

The Battle of Saratoga was fought in September and October of 1777. It was a decisive American victory which resulted in the surrender of the entire British army that was invading New York from Canada. The picture of the canons is from Saratoga National Historical Park, overlooking the Hudson River Valley, in New York.

www.nps.gov/sara

Learn More: The American Revolution

Save To:

The image, Saratoga National Historical Park, is subject to copyright by Oram24. It is posted here with permission via the Flickr API by barneykin, administrator of "The Revolution ed" pool.

The Battle of Saratoga was fought in September and October of 1777. It was a decisive American victory which resulted in the surrender of the entire British army that was invading New York from Canada. www.nps.gov/sara

Learn More: The American Revolution

Save To:

The image, Statue, is subject to copyright by Michael Garcia. It is posted here with permission via the Flickr API by barneykin, administrator of "The Revolution ed" pool.

« Vous voulez me juger, et sans doute vous me frapperez demain. Je ne crains pas la mort, et je ne viens pas vous disputer ma tête. L’histoire m’a appris que la mort des rois apparaît aux peuples comme la solution des crises terribles.

« Je ne vous contesterai donc pas le droit de me juger. Vous êtes la force, comme j’étais la force; vous êtes les maîtres d’aujourd’hui, comme j’étais le maître d’hier ; et, si le peuple que vous représentez avait le droit d’envahir les Tuileries au 20 juin et au 10 août, s’il avait le droit de suspendre mes fonctions de roi, d’abolir la royauté, de proclamer la République et de m’enfermer au Temple, il a aussi le droit de m’arracher la vie et de donner à l’exécution capitale qu’il prépare une apparence de jugement. Mais pourquoi suis-je ici ? et d’où vient le conflit qui m’amène, moi, le roi d’hier, devant les représentants révolutionnaires de la nation ? C’est moi, moi seul que vous accusez. C’est à moi seul, c’est à ce que vous appelez mes trahisons, que vous imputez la responsabilité des agitations dont souffre la France. Et c’est sur la tête d’un seul homme que vous faites porter le poids d’événements immenses. Prenez garde, vous qui vous croyez républicains ! penser ainsi, c’est être encore monarchiste, car s’il est vrai qu’un seul homme détermine, en bien ou en mal, la marche de l’histoire, le droit de la royauté est fondé. La nation accusatrice d’un côté, et un individu accusé de l’autre : c’est la monarchie retournée, mais c’est encore la monarchie. Et moi, qui devrais avoir de la puissance des rois une plus haute idée que celle que vous en avez vous-mêmes, je vous dis qu’en résumant sur la tête d’un seul homme la responsabilité d’une crise aussi vaste et d’un conflit aussi profond, vous cédez, plus qu’il n’est raisonnable, au prestige séculaire de la royauté.

« Le passage de la monarchie absolue, que je représentais, à la démocratie extrême que vous voulez fonder, ne va pas sans difficultés et sans périls. Ce n’est pas ma faute si depuis des siècles il n’y avait pas en France des institutions de liberté et si tout le pouvoir était concentré aux mains des rois. Ce n’est même pas la faute à mes ancêtres.

« Croyez-vous que c’est la volonté seule des rois qui, en France et en Angleterre, a pétri différemment les institutions ? Peut-être, en France, fallait-il cette centralisation du pouvoir royal pour abattre ces grands feudataires, ces despotes féodaux qui foulaient le peuple et morcelaient la nation. Vous croyez avoir abattu la féodalité ; mais il n’en restait plus que l’ombre ; ce sont les rois qui lui avaient enlevé d’abord sa force et sa substance. Et si cet effort royal ne vous a pas légué une France libre et habituée à la liberté, il vous a légué, du moins, une France unifiée, et où la souveraineté de la nation peut se déployer plus largement qu’en aucun pays du monde. Peut-être le mouvement populaire, qui me menace et qui va m’emporter, aurait-il été ajourné d’un demi-siècle si, moi-même, je n’en avais pas donné le signal par la convocation des Etats généraux et par le doublement du Tiers.

« Que votre orgueil ne s’irrite pas si je vous dis que c’est moi qui ai mis dans vos mains l’instrument de la Révolution qui va me frapper. Je ne l’ai point fait par une sorte de complaisance généreuse : il n’y a guère d’exemples, dans la vie déjà longue des sociétés humaines, d’un pouvoir qui sacrifie spontanément une part de ses prérogatives. J’avais besoin de la nation pour rétablir les finances, pour obtenir des ordres privilégiés des contributions devenues nécessaires à l’Etat et que leur égoïsme imprévoyant m’avait refusées. Tel est le mystérieux enchaînement des choses, que c’est peut-être pour avoir endetté la monarchie en soutenant l’indépendance de l’Amérique, que j’ai été obligé de faire appel en France aux Etats généraux et d’ouvrir la Révolution. Mais j’avais bien le droit de penser que des précautions étaient d’autant plus nécessaires que le peuple de France n’avait pas été accoutumé à se gouverner lui-même. Une transition trop brusque pouvait tout perdre. C’est pourquoi j’ai surveillé, pour la contenir, la Révolution commençante et, là, où vous avez cru voir intrigue et complot, il n’y avait que l’accomplissement de mon devoir de roi envers la royauté et envers la Révolution elle-même.

« La noblesse et le clergé, malgré leurs fautes, étaient les appuis séculaires de la monarchie. J’ai tenté, tout en limitant leurs privilèges, de les sauver, comme ordres, d’une destruction totale. Avez-vous le droit de m’en faire un crime ? Mais, si c’est un crime d’avoir tenté d’arrêter la Révolution à tel ou tel degré, pourquoi les révolutionnaires n’ont-ils pas demandé d’emblée l’abolition de la royauté ? Pourquoi ont-ils essayé de concilier la tradition royale et la souveraineté populaire ? C’est l’Assemblée constituante qui a inscrit la royauté dans la Constitution.

« Aujourd’hui, vous vous dites ou vous vous croyez tous républicains, et, à vous entendre, on croirait que la monarchie est une sorte de monstre antique, dès longtemps enseveli, et dont le souffle même ne vous a pas effleurés.

« Or, il y a deux ans encore, il n’y avait peut-être pas un républicain parmi vous. Même quand j’eus quitté Paris pour aller chercher dans l’est de la France un point d’appui contre les factions qui m’opprimaient, nul n’osa, dans l’Assemblée, demander nettement la fin de la monarchie. Ceux mêmes qui proposaient la suspension de l’inviolabilité et la mise en jugement semblaient penser à un autre roi ; et les pétitionnaires du Champ-de-Mars furent désavoués par tous les partis de la Révolution. J’avais laissé pourtant, dans la lettre qui fut lue à l’Assemblée, un témoignage décisif de ma vraie pensée ; et à ceux qui m’accusent de les avoir trompés, je réponds qu’ils ont tenu à se tromper eux-mêmes. Ils avaient peur de la République et, tout en dénonçant ma perfidie, ils se plaisaient à me supposer plus révolutionnaire que je ne pouvais l’être, pour échapper à la nécessité redoutable ou de limiter la Révolution ou d’abolir la royauté. S’il y a eu mensonge, il est là ; s’il y a eu tromperie, elle est là. C’était se tromper soi-même et tromper la nation qu’imaginer qu’on pourrait pousser à l’extrême la démocratie sans abolir la royauté, et dépouiller l’arbre de toutes ses feuilles sans l’abattre. C’est moi qui pourrais me plaindre d’avoir été utilisé par l’instinct de ruse de la Révolution pour faciliter le passage de la monarchie à la République. On gardait un semblant de royauté pour rassurer les esprits simples et c’est sous l’abri de la monarchie qu’on travaillait à la destruction de la monarchie.

« Et, s’il n’y a pas eu là de calcul, si la France a cru sincèrement à la nécessité de la monarchie dans l’ordre nouveau, comment peut-on faire un grief au roi d’y avoir cru, lui aussi, et d’avoir voulu maintenir les étais sans lesquels, à mon sens, elle ne pouvait durer ? J’ai gémi de la lutte engagée par vous contre le clergé et il est vrai que j’ai usé du droit de veto que me donnait la Constitution pour amortir les coups que vous lui portiez. C’est que la religion, en même temps qu’elle est la consolation et le besoin de mon cœur, est, selon moi, la garantie de l’ordre et la règle nécessaire des mœurs et de la liberté. Or, j’ai pensé que les attaques trop véhémentes et trop violentes contre le clergé ébranleraient la religion elle-même. Me suis-je trompé ? Dans les premiers temps de la Révolution, il y avait chez les révolutionnaires eux-mêmes une sorte d’empressement pieux et jamais on ne parla plus dévotement du Dieu de l’Evangile qu’à l’heure où on en dépouillait les ministres. Aujourd’hui encore, vous vous appliquez à ne pas découvrir au peuple la philosophie impie d’un grand nombre d’entre vous. Quand un imprudent, pour des raisons d’économie (car vous avez à votre tour des embarras financiers : ils vous perdront comme ils m’ont perdu), propose la suppression du traitement des prêtres, vous vous soulevez contre lui parce qu’il indispose les peuples [allusion à la proposition de Cambon, le 13 novembre 1792, de supprimer le budget des cultes]. Mais, qui aurait osé prévoir, il y a deux ans, que cette proposition serait faite ? Qui aurait pu prévoir qu’un jour, à votre tribune, un audacieux dirait : « Je suis athée », et serait applaudi par un grand nombre d’entre vous ? C’est donc bien la lutte contre le christianisme qui s’annonce et, si je l’ai pressentie, si j’ai voulu protéger le clergé contre des passions qui s’étendraient insensiblement à la religion elle-même, j’ai été prévoyant et j’ai servi la Révolution qui périra le jour où il apparaîtra à tous qu’elle est incompatible avec le christianisme.

« Pour m’accuser de trahison, vous êtes obligés d’accuser aussi de trahison la plupart des hommes illustres qui ont servi la Révolution. Car tous, La Fayette, Mirabeau, Barnave, d’autres encore, ont cru que la Révolution devait s’arrêter et se fixer, qu’elle se perdait à dépasser la ligne qu’ils avaient marquée eux-mêmes. Vous pouvez les flétrir et les frapper. Mais vous flétrissez et vous frappez la Révolution elle-même, car le déshonneur de ceux qui l’ont servie se communique à elle. Croyez-vous, de bonne foi, que ces hommes ont cédé à des pensées basses, qu’ils furent à la merci d’une pièce d’or ? Non certes, ils crurent servir encore la Révolution et la liberté en s’opposant aux excès qui pouvaient les compromettre, en cherchant à organiser ou à raffermir la force nécessaire du pouvoir exécutif. Et si des hommes nés de la Révolution et qui n’avaient de force, de crédit, d’espérance que par elle, ont cru qu’il fallait la contrôler et la limiter, qui pourra faire un crime au roi lui-même, descendant des rois et gardien de la royauté par la Constitution comme par la tradition, d’avoir eu la même pensée ?

« Prenez garde ; en condamnant le roi sous prétexte de trahison envers la Révolution, vous allez vous menacer de mort les uns les autres ; car vous êtes voués désormais à dénoncer et à frapper comme des traîtres tous ceux qui n’entendront pas comme vous les intérêts de la Révolution et qui n’en porteront pas les limites au point arbitraire et vacillant marqué par les passions du jour.

« J’ai parlé de Mirabeau que vous frapperiez, s’il n’était mort, de La Fayette qui serait captif ici s’il ne l’était en Autriche, de Barnave qui languit dans son cachot, sous l’inculpation d’avoir donné des conseils politiques au roi constitutionnel. Là ne s’arrêteront pas les soupçons. Déjà, ceux-là mêmes qui, de leur parole imprudente et éloquente, ont animé le peuple contre les Tuileries sont traîtres et suspects, parce qu’ils n’ont pas refusé un mémoire politique qui leur était demandé[1]. Et déjà le général, qui dans les plaines de Champagne, a arrêté la marche des armées prussiennes et autrichiennes, est accusé, par les plus véhéments et les plus populaires de vos journaux, d’avoir ménagé dans sa retraite l’armée prussienne et d’avoir combattu, comme on prétend que de Lessart négociait, dans l’intérêt de l’ennemi.

« Il est étrange, en vérité, qu’on me reproche comme un crime d’avoir songé aux conséquences que pouvait avoir une guerre illimitée et d’avoir voulu les prévenir ! Vous qui m’accusez de n’avoir pas brusqué la rupture avec l’Autriche et de n’avoir pas répondu partout par la guerre à la plus légère offense des cours étrangères, êtes-vous sûrs que la Révolution peut affronter sans péril la guerre avec le monde ? Etes-vous sûrs que la France nouvelle ne laissera dans cette colossale entreprise ni ses finances, ni sa liberté ? Etes-vous sûrs que les incertitudes de la lutte n’exaspéreront point la rivalité des factions au point de déchirer et d’épuiser la Révolution ? Et, si je me suis préoccupé des contrecoups qu’aurait la guerre sur l’état des esprits et sur le destin de la royauté, qui donc m’en a donné l’exemple ? C’est vous ! Ceux qui, au printemps de cette année, vous ont entraînés à la guerre ont dit partout qu’elle était nécessaire pour mettre la royauté à l’épreuve, et pour changer la Constitution. Ils ont fait de la guerre un moyen politique contre le roi ; de quel droit me reprochent-ils de m’être préoccupé, en effet, des conséquences politiques qu’elle pouvait produire et d’avoir, par mes paroles, par mon attitude, cherché à atténuer le plus possible le conflit d’où l’on attendait un bouleversement intérieur et le renversement de la Constitution ? De quel droit me reprocher d’avoir ménagé jusqu’au bout les chances de paix quand vous donnez ouvertement à la guerre un genre factieux ? Mais, prenez garde, vous avez provoqué l’univers pour abattre la royauté. En cessant de ménager la royauté, vous avez cessé de ménager le monde. Je vous laisse, devant la postérité, la responsabilité des désastres qui peuvent suivre.

« Si je vous dis ces choses, ce n’est pas pour défendre ma tête : vous êtes trop divisés pour être justes. Déjà, vous épiez vos moindres gestes, vous commentez vos moindres paroles, afin d’y découvrir l’indice d’une complaisance pour celui que vous appelez le tyran. Il ne suffira pas d’avoir voulu ma mort ; il faudra l’avoir voulue au degré et en la forme marqués par la faction dominante. Vous êtes trop occupés à vous surveiller et à vous dénoncer les uns les autres pour avoir la force de vous élever à de hautes vues et pour faire le partage des responsabilités. Après m’avoir déchiré, vous vous déchirerez à propos de moi. Jusqu’ici, c’est la témérité du peuple qui seule avait versé le sang. Maintenant, c’est la Révolution organisée qui fait œuvre de mort. Vous portez tout de suite la mort à ce sommet qui s’appelait hier la royauté ; elle en descendra aisément. L’échafaud que vous dressez pour moi s’élargira jusqu’à occuper tout le forum. Si vous étiez plus unis, si vous n’aviez pas peur les uns des autres, vous auriez pu, tout en maintenant et affermissant votre République, mettre la personne du roi hors de cause et réserver l’avenir.

« J’ai beaucoup lu et médité l’histoire de Charles Ier. J’étais depuis longtemps averti, par un pressentiment, par l’inquiétude générale des esprits et des choses, que moi aussi, j’étais réservé à l’épreuve suprême. J’y suis préparé. Mais ne vous flattez pas que les événements de France se résoudront comme les événements d’Angleterre. L’Angleterre est une île ; ses agitations sont limitées et Cromwell a pu les fixer. Vous êtes ouverts à toutes les forces de l’univers, et cette lutte formidable suscitera ici des passions et des événements tragiques. Vous n’êtes pas sûrs que la France épuisée ne soit pas tentée un jour de redemander un abri à la royauté. J’aurais voulu, si ce retour des choses doit se produire, que la monarchie ne fût pas rétablie en France par la pitié. La pitié est aveugle et violente : et les rois qui seront ramenés par elle n’auront pas le sens des temps nouveaux. En faisant tomber ma tête, vous mettez en mouvement la force dangereuse de la pitié : il valait mieux réserver l’avenir à l’expérience et à la raison... »

Jean Jaurès, Histoire socialiste de la Révolution française, tome V, La mort du roi et la chute de la Gironde, (pp.44-51), Éditions sociales, Paris, 1968-1973. Édition revue et annotée par Albert Soboul.

This time has come to throw off the yoke of the single party Republicratic rule that has choked out dissent and created the illusion of powerlessness for the last century. Both parties are ultimately beholden to their corporate backers, who are the ones who act like they hold the power, and like sheep the American People instead immerse themselves in American Idol so they can kind of believe they will have some say in whose CD's they will be purchasing next week.

WAKE THE FUCK UP! We do the work! They are few, but control much. We are the ones who have the strength in numbers. Remember what Bizillionare Warren Buffett said, "There is a class war going on, and my side is winning."

Unite! That is what will truly scare the shit out of them.

Konami nos informa mediante nota de prensa del lanzamiento en el primer trimestre de 2009 de Rock Revolution, un juego musical destinado a las plataformas PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii y Nintendo DS. Konami promete con Rock Revolution ofrecer el juego musical más avanzado del género para cualquier plataforma, soportando el kit de batería más realista, además de accesorios de bajo y guitarra. Rock Revolution para PlayStation 3 y Xbox 360 incluye una amplia recopilación de canciones que supera los 40 temas, en cada uno de los cuales los jugadores deberán sincronizar las instrucciones de la pantalla con sus pulsaciones en los instrumentos, sin olvidar el ritmo. En Wii, el juego permitirá la utilización del combo Wiimote+Nunchuck, para emular la guitarra y la batería sin necesidad de accesorios. Y, por último, los usuarios de DS escogerán un instrumento para seguir la misma mecánica del juego en las otras versiones, pero ayudándose del stylus de la portátil, que contará con un repertorio de 20 canciones.

I'm tired of hearing about global warming, climate change,carbon tax, and the like. Enough is enough. Our premier doesn't give a damn about me, or you, or any of our families. He doesn't worry about things like missing a credit card payment or putting gas in the tank, or whether or not his kid can play football if you cant afford the registration fees. Does he even drive himself anywhere, anymore?  It is simply not his reality.

 And so, the carbon tax really doesn't mean anything to him other than some really bad PR right now. It wasn't motivated by a care of the environment, it was motivated by an egomaniacs delusional fantasy about self importance. This, from a man who spends vacations in Hawaii, living the high life, while the rest of us are forced to stick our feet in the kiddie pool with a heat lamp to get a tan. He couldn't buy enough carbon credits to offset his air travel in one year, and  this summer so many of us cant afford to fly anywhere for vacation... I think he would do the environment a much better service by  simply shutting his mouth to prevent hot gas from escaping everytime he speaks.

I am an average Jill. I come from a forestry town up north, one that is going to be hurting badly when the beetle kill wood  being logged runs out. My dad has always worked harder than anyone I know, and he would give any of his friends the shirt off his back. His job is dangerous at times in the pulp mill. Chlorine gas leaks, black liquor tanks, complicated machinery. Many of his friends have died younger than they should have: cancer , heart attacks, strokes. All to make sure that pulp keeps being processed. Pulp is huge for BC.

There are thousands more men and women like him in our province, and if it wasn't for them, Gordon Campbell wouldn't have anything to run. The men and women building that ill-fated sky train line into Richmond. The young crane operator who died. The men who spend days and nights, long and lonely on the road to bring us our food, and clothes and whatever else is transported by semi. Men like my husband and his coworkers who take so much abuse and flack just trying to make a living. Construction workers, truck drivers, labourers, taxi cab drivers, you name it.

These men and women work hard to provide for their families, sometimes dirty, no thanks, shitty jobs just to make ends meet and feed their kids.

Will they be able to heat their house and feed the family this winter? The sad truth is, some will, some won't. There will be children who are too cold, or too hungry to fall asleep this year. There will be more kids without presents at Christmas and so long to that hockey team little Billy wanted to play on.

You think I'm kidding? This is the reality thousands are facing with this extra tax, and it is the way the current government sees fit to thank all of us for working hard to make him look good.

This is how the province thanks them. A $100.00 bribe and a whole lot of worry for the future. He gave us our own $100.00 back, and then tried to say how lucky we are for getting it... go figure. And we should buy light bulbs with it, or weather stripping - as if.

I have a neighbour who works extremely hard. She has several kids that she takes care of for daycare, and she walks all over the neighbourhood several times a week delivering the local paper from a stack on top of her stroller. She does it rain or shine, and her kids help her out. I bet that rebate cheque was a nice windfall for her, but I wonder what happens when it gets really cold out in the winter? Did she save it for then ? Our houses are older, and the heat escapes everywhere. Its expensive to heat them already, and the price of natural gas is going to be rising again. Thanks Gordon.

The premier doesn't seem to realise how many average people there are who are living pay-cheque to pay-cheque. He doesn't seem to realise that they can only take so much, and that people are starting to clue into the reality behind this tax. His narrow views and hidden agendas have lasted this long because the average Joe honestly didn't pay much attention beyond  whining about the local  political scandals, but that is quickly coming to an end.

The carbon tax has woken people up, and how! More people than ever are talking, seeking information, and really delving into how he has run his administration to the point that Basi-Virk is becoming a household word.....

 In forcing this tax upon us, Old King Gordo inadvertently opened his own can of proverbial worms. We shall see how he harness's them all...

A reform is a correction of abuses; a revolution is a transfer of power.
Edward Bulwer-Lytton

I perceive that, in revolutions, the supreme power rests with the most abandoned.
Georges Jacques Danton

We went to Philly today. Our first time there. The place where it all happened. Back then. The birth of the US of A. Before that. Just A. No US. Hah! No us. A few things stood out about Philly. Stuck in my head. Here's a few highlights. Just three random notes on my experience and observations while in Philly - and I'll start with the heavy one.

1. Independence Hall is way small

It's amazing how small Independence Hall really is. Not a big building or even a big hall really. I mean really. It is a pretty insignificant-looking building. Brick and mortar. Pretty square with a little tower on top. Two floors and that's it. You wouldn't notice it if you drove past. Okay - take away the Rangers and you wouldn't know it was much of a historic place. Especially not if you compare it to some of those buildings in England. No castle this. Not Windsor. Not even a wing in Buckingham Palace. Hardly a maids quarter in Downing Street. I mean really, even my living room is bigger. Well, almost. Not really. But you get the idea. It really isn't that big a place.

It's so small you can't even change your mind in there. And the "entertainment area" upstairs isn't much to write about either. Smaller than most boardrooms. But in its day one of the largest rooms in America. They even hired it out for weddings back in the old days. (Sorry - they don't do that anymore. So don't even bother asking.) Yes, the building and rooms are small. Very small. But it fills a huge space.

What is amaziing is that from the most humble beginnings we have the most powerful nation and notion in the world. Not just in military and economic power. More than that. Way more than that. That will come and go. But from this little crappy room came an idea. An idea that inspired people across the world. And continue to inspire people everywhere. And drive fear and hatred into others. The idea of "the people". To rule themselves. To be free. To be equal (eventually). Not bound by king or religion. But by "the will of the people". A-bloody-mazing. All from this little room in Independence Hall. I felt underwhelmed and overwhelmed at the same time. It is so appropriate that this room be so small. So insignificant.

Because it tells us that the freedom we seek is not in big symbols. Not in a big White House. Or a House of Parliament (in the UK and elsewhere). It is in the heart of us all. It is small. It starts small. It starts with us. And then it builds. And grows. And the single heart (or small hall) is a drop in the ocean. But the meaning we give it and the struggles that go with it make the dam fill and will break the walls. The walls that keep us chained. We are the freedom. We are the people. We can be the driver of change no matter where we are. In our houses in Boston or Baghdad or Beijing. It doesn't matter. The will of the people starts anywhere. And everywhere. No matter what the size might be. The heart is to big for that room. Or your room.

Man, I am glad that the Independence Hall is so small. Because the power of that is just so huge.

Oh - hang on. You know it isn't actually called the Independence Hall? No. It is actually the Pennsylvania State House. Again. Beautiful. Call it what you want. The people will give it a proper name.

I like that it is known as Independence Hall. So American. So to the point. Say it as it is. If it was the English? They would call it the Great Hall of Change. The French would call it Hall de Magnificant. South Africans would call it Die Moerse Groot Hol. But no. Americans just call it Independence Hall. Not even Hall of Independence. Just two simple words. And to the point. Good on you. Keep it simple. Keep it straight. And say it like it is.

Another lesson - especially for Americans. You don't need the big car to make a difference. You don't have to make it bigger to make it better. These Founding Fathers got together in this small little building and wrote a one page little document. The Declaration of Independence. And then, about 11 years later, another one. A simple one page document that started with a simple preamble...

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

All this from a small room in a little nondescript building in Philly. You don't need it to be bigger to be better. They didn't use a word they did not mean or need. They just did what worked best and what was needed. Scale back baby. They gave you the right to pretty much do what you want. But you would celebrate them more if you remember what they did and that you carry the same responsibility today. So drop the big car and super sized meal. You don't need it. Your ego doesn't need it. They didn't need it.

The smaller the better. Less is more. God bless those dudes in the small house. Job well done. Wicked man. You were way cool. And you didn't even have air conditioning.

2. Rocky Rules!

Yeah! Went up the Rocky Steps! Sorry, Philadelphia Museum of Art. My wife really wanted to see it. And so did I. Kids didn't get it. Kept on asking, "Why the heck do you guys want to go up there?" And we'll look at each other and laugh. And start humming, "Duh, duh, duh … duh duh." You know. The Rocky song as he ran up the steps! We just had to go.

Of course we wanted to sound all superior. Didn't want the "people" to know we are going to the Rocky Steps. We waved down a taxi and jumped in. I sat in the front seat because it would be a squeeze with four of us in the back. The cab driver looked at me and asked, "Weh ya'll goin?" (Or something like that.) My response... "Philadelphia Museum of Art. Please." He looked at me and mumbled, "Rocky Steps?" I was like a kid and gave him my idiot smile and said, "Yeah!" I am not sure if he rolled his eyes.

But we got there. My wife and myself were like little kids. But we had to go to the Rocky statue first. Get our photo taken. Wife and daughters stood while I took a photo. And then came Blainy. A dude hanging around as the "official" photographer. Offered to take a few shots of us as a family at the statue. And made us do all these poses. Arms in the air like Rocky! Man it was cool. Sylvester is way bigger than I imagined though.

Blainy handed back the camera and said he "accepted tips". A bit of a shame really. I was going to pay him a decent wage. But a tip is 15% of the pay - so I gave him 15% of what I was going to pay him originally. He lost out on that one.

No. Not really. But I thought it would have been cool to tell him that.

And then the steps. My wife went up and I took a few shots. And then I had to go up. I wanted to run up those steps like Rocky. But I had the Oakley backpack stuffed with maps and toys and drinks and food and more things for the road. So I just slowly made my way up the steps. But in my mind I was running up those steps. With the music playing. "Duh, duh, duh … duh duh." I got up to the top at last. Sweating more than Rocky did after he ran up the steps. But hey, he did it in winter with no backpack. And he got paid to look good.

But it wasn't just us. Everywhere people were running up those steps. Old people. Young people. Middle-aged people. Men. Women. Kids. And all of them ran like Rocky. And when they got to the top? Like Rocky. Jumping up and down with their arms in the air. It was a sight. It was great. Rocky rules.

The Rocky Steps. More impressive than that little room back in the Pennsylvania State House. But almost as inspiring. At least it worked off a few of those Philly Cheese Steaks.

3. Philly Cheese Steaks are awesome!

A friend of mine - let's call him Slacker - told me to have a Soft Pretzel and a Philly Cheese Steak (and a Hoagie). Never had the Hoagie. I mean really. How much can one man eat in a day? The Pretzel was great. But the Philly Cheese Steak was awesome! Wow. They really knew what they were doing with this one. Meat and cheese. Mixed and melted together. As simple as that. I dropped the onion. I love onion. But onion doesn't love me. We have... hum... issues. That always needs some dealing with later in the day... And counseling doesn't help. Neither does Pepto Bismol. Still. The Philly Cheese Steak was awesome. But also troublesome. For reasons other than the onions.

You know that Philly is the fatest city in America? No wonder. How many Hoagies and Soft Pretzels and Philly Cheese Steaks can you eat before you start swelling up? I had to flee Philly before I "forced" myself to eat another Philly Cheese Steak. And I already had one-and-a-half! (My wife didn't have all of hers.) Man, they are damn good. Too good. Way too good. And it shows. In the waistline. And waste line. Too much of a good thing isn't a good thing at all.

Philly - take note of the Founding Fathers and their lack of "size". Cut back on those Philly Cheese Steaks and Soft Pretzels. And Hoagies. Get out and run up those Rocky steps a bit more often. Be lean. Like the Founding Fathers with words. Wait. Now I know why those Founding Fathers kept on meeting up in Philly. It's those damn Philly Cheese Steaks. They just couldn't say no. Or stay away for too long. I thought they looked a bit "rounder" than I expected...

__________________________________

Note: Friends make the world go round. I must tell you just a little about us being in Bucks County. We are staying in a gorgeous house in Riegelsville. It is really beautiful. A dream house for anyone who need to get away for a few days. Or forever. All thanks to my good friend M and his husband R who gave us their house for the week. Actually, I never checked if they are married. I haven't met R yet. But looking at his house - he knows about making a home. And making it beautiful. But that's just it. They have this stunning house and they just gave it to us for a week. I didn't aks. M just asked me if we don't want to go there. Almost begged me to go. And R hasn't met any of us yet. And M only knows me. Haven't met my wife or kids. We have known each other for about two months now. Become really good friends. But still. They gave us their house for a week. And the fact that R gave us their house without having met me or my family. What can I say. Some people are special. And they are for sure. More than special. Just two of those people I am honored to know. And even more honored to have as friends. M even phoned today to check how we are doing. Wanted to know if we were enjoying ourselves. M&R - salt of the earth. But with taste.

I am just so happy that they didn't see the t-shirt I bought today. It's brown with two simple sentences in 70s style blue writing. "49% trailer, 51% trash". Love it.

Oh - why are the postcards of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall printed in China? Really people...

We're having fun. We're having a ball. See ya later.