| Saturday, May 17, 2003 |  |
| Charley Reese | 1 comment |
 17 May 2003 @ 17:13No Big Difference There is a lot of talk about Democrats not offering any leadership, and that's true. What alternatives they do propose are simply variations of what the Republicans have proposed. That's because both parties agree on the same basic premise: There must be a strong, central government with an imperialist foreign policy. The true alternative to both parties is to return to the constitutional republic the Founding Fathers created. That would mean getting the federal government entirely out of such areas as welfare, education and medical care. It would mean disbanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and abrogating the treaty that makes us a member of the United Nations. It would mean repeal of the legislation authorizing the World Trade Organization, closing all of our overseas military bases, eliminating all forms of foreign aid and strictly limiting the CIA to nothing but collecting information. It would mean allowing states to handle situations the Constitution intended for them to handle, whether we agreed or disagreed with the way they were handled. The Constitution gave us a true federal system in which, to use James Madison's words, "95 percent of all governing" would be done by the sovereign states, with no direction, interference or funding from the federal government. The role of the federal government in the Constitution is severely limited. That republic was destroyed at Appomattox in 1865, and since then the Constitution has been gradually reduced to nothing by deliberate and gross misinterpretation. The question for judges is not whether they are liberal or conservative, but whether they are judicial activists or judges who will construe the Constitution as it was written and in context. There is absolutely nothing in the Constitution that allows the federal government to legislate on abortion, medical care, education or the environment, much less on what kinds of sex lives people live or what substances they choose to drink or otherwise consume. There is nothing in the Constitution that authorizes Congress to tax the American people and give the money to foreign governments. Americans ought to think how strange it is that people in Missouri and Tennessee whose homes and businesses have been destroyed by tornadoes can expect nothing from the federal government except loans at interest, while the same government is making a gift of billions of dollars to foreign governments like Egypt and Israel. It is strange indeed for the federal government to undertake to rebuild Iraq but not Pierce City, Mo., or Jackson, Tenn. These are the kinds of paradoxes Americans ought to think about. Then perhaps they will begin to demand better government from their politicians. I recognize that we cannot return to the 18th century, but there is no reason why we should abandon the great principles that created this country. The federal government can't govern the people well for the same reason the Central Committee of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union couldn't govern very well: It's too distant from the people. How can bureaucrats in Washington educate children in Alaska and Nevada? Education is a function that should be left entirely to the states. When the Constitution was adopted, there was no public education. The responsibility rested entirely with the parents. And, yes, children unlucky enough to have irresponsible parents suffered as a result. And that's still true today, despite trillions of federal dollars and shelves of laws and regulations. If you look truthfully at the situation, you will see that none of the social problems the government has undertaken to solve, at the price of treasure and liberty, has ever actually been solved. Think about that. There are better alternatives to the ways we are doing things now, but you won't hear about them from either Democrats or Republicans, because they love the power the present system gives them. The last thing they want is a nation of thinking, self-reliant individuals who are beholden to no one, least of all to a bunch of selfish politicians. More > |
| Art of Natural Magic With Sound | 0 comments |
 17 May 2003 @ 17:13I still mourn the passing of Terence McKenna. I had the pleasure of being with him in the early days of his public talksand it brings a lot of happiness to see his words circulating and re-circulating. In this way we can continue to be present with and embody his genius. From Re-evolution 12”, by The Shamen Excerpted from: “guerillas of harmony: communiques from the dance underground” compiled & introduced by cinnamon twist The emphasis in house music and dance culture on physiologically compatible rhythms and this sort of thing is really the rediscovery of the art of natural magic with sound; that sound, properly understood, especially percussive sound, can actually change neurological states, and large groups of people getting together in the presence of this kind of music are creating a telepathic community of bonding that hopefully will be strong enough that it can carry the vision out into the mainstream of society. I think that the youth culture that is emerging in the nineties is an end of the millennium culture that is actually summing up Western civilization and pointing us in an entirely different direction, that we’re going to arrive in the third millennium, in the middle of the archaic revival, which will mean a revival of these physiologically empowering rhythm signatures, a new art, a new social vision, a new relationship to nature, to feminism, to ego. All of these things are taking hold, and not a moment too soon. Human history represents such a radical break with the natural systems of biological organization that preceded it, that it must be the response to a kind of attractor, or dwell point that lies ahead in the temporal dimension. Persistently Western religions have integrated into their theologies the notion of a kind of end of the world, and I think that a lot of psychedelic experimentation sort of confirms this intuition, I mean, it isn’t going to happen according to any of the scenarios of orthodox religion, but the basic intuition, that the universe seeks closure in a kind of omega point of transcendence, is confirmed, it’s almost as though this object in hyperspace, glittering in hyperspace, throws off reflections of itself, which actually ricochet into the past, illuminating this mystic, inspiring that saint or visionary, and that out of these fragmentary glimpses of eternity we can build a kind of map, of not only the past of the universe, and the evolutionary egression into novelty, but a kind of map of the future. This is what shamanism has always been about, a shaman is someone who has been to the end, someone who knows how the world really works, and knowing how the world really works means to have risen outside, above, beyond the dimensions of ordinary space, time, and casuistry, and actually seen the wiring under the board, steeped outside the confines of learned culture and learned and embedded language, into the domain of what Wittgenstein called “the unspeakable,” the transcendental presence of the Other, which can be absanctioned, in various ways, to yield systems of knowledge which can be brought back into ordinary social space for the good of the community, so in the context of ninety percent of human culture, the shaman has been the agent of evolution, because the shaman learns the techniques to go between ordinary reality and the domain of the ideas, this higher dimensional continuum that is somehow parallel to us, and yet ordinarily occluded by cultural convention out of fear of the mystery. What shaman’s are, I believe, are people who have been able to de-condition themselves from the community’s instinctual distrust of the mystery, and to go into it, to go into this bewildering higher dimension, and gain knowledge, recover the jewel lost at the beginning of time, to save souls, cure, commune with the ancestors and so forth and so on. Shamanism is not a religion, it’s a set of techniques, and the principle technique is the use of psychedelic plants. What psychedelics do is they dissolve boundaries, and in the presence of dissolved boundaries, one cannot continue to close one’s eyes to the ruination of the earth, the poisoning of the seas, and the consequences of two thousand years of unchallenged dominator culture, based on monotheism, hatred of nature, suppression of the female, and so forth and so on. So, what shamans have to do is act as exemplars, by making this cosmic journey to the domain of the Gaian ideas, and then bringing them back in the form of art to the struggle to save the world. The planet has a kind of intelligence, it can actually open a channel of communication with an individual human being. The message that nature sends is, transform your language through a synergy between electronic culture and the psychedelic imagination, a synergy between understanding and intuition, and dissolve the boundaries that your culture has sanctioned between you, to become part of this Gaian supermind, I mean I think it’s fairly profound, it’s fairly apocalyptic. History is ending. I mean, we are to be the generation that witnesses the revelation of the purpose of the cosmos. History is the shock wave of the eschaton. History is the shock wave of eschatology, and what this means for those of us who will live through this transition into hyperspace, is that we will be privileged to see the greatest release of compressed change probably since the birth of the universe. The twentieth century is the shudder that announces the approaching cataracts of time over which our species and the destiny of the planet is about to be swept. --Terence McKenna |
| US Launches Genetically Mod Trade War | 2 comments |
 17 May 2003 @ 17:13US Launches GM Trade War By Steve Schifferes BBC News Online, Washington Washington has brought a complaint against the European Union for refusing to allow the sale of genetically modified (GM) food or crops, escalating trade tensions between the world's two biggest economic blocs. The United States - and twelve other agricultural exporting nations - want the EU to repeal its five-year moratorium on GM foods, or face trade sanctions under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick said that the US had run out of patience after years of EU procrastination on the issue. "The EU's persistent resistance to abiding by its WTO obligations has perpetuated a trade barrier unwarranted by the EC's own scientific analysis, which impedes the global use of a technology that could be of great benefit to farmers and consumers around the world," he said. (The EU) has perpetuated a trade barrier which impedes the global use of a technology that could be of great benefit to farmers and consumers around the world Robert Zoellick US Trade Representative The EU is unlikely to lift the block on GM food imports, which is widely supported by European consumers, and is also developing tough new labelling regulations which worry US farmers. EU trade commissioner Pascal Lamy questioned the motives behind the US case, and denied there was a "moratorium" on GM foods. "The EU regulatory system for GM authorisation is in line with WTO rules: it is clear, transparent and non-discriminatory. There is therefore no issue that the WTO needs to examine," he said. If this attempt succeeds, the US will force GM foods onto European markets regardless of the wishes of consumers Linda Stupples Friends of the Earth And EU consumer and green lobby groups vowed to oppose the US decision. "If this attempt succeeds, the US will force GM foods onto European markets regardless of the wishes of consumers," said Friends of the Earth Policy Director Liana Stupples. Trade Wars Under WTO rules, the two parties have 60 days to consult before a trade disputes panel is set up. Ultimately, if the panel rules against the EU, it could impose trade sanctions, giving the US the right to impose retaliatory tariffs on EU goods. Mr Zoellick told BBC News Online that the US would be seeking "several hundred million dollars" in damages, but that the importance of the case went far beyond the immediate damage to US agriculture. Developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America were cutting back on research and production of GM crops, because they were afraid they could not export them to Europe, he said, hurting poor farmers worldwide. And to support his point, scientists and farmers from developing countries joined the press conference to argue for the economic benefits of GM crops. Mr Zoellick denied that the US decision to bring the case had anything to do with the WTO's recent approval of $4bn in EU retaliatory sanctions against the US in another case, involving tax breaks for foreign subsidies of US companies. However, he appeared to concede that the US had delayed bringing the case in the run-up to the Iraq war, when it was trying to gain EU support for a fresh UN resolution. World Trade Talks The US move could also increase the difficulties of reaching a deal on agriculture in the Doha round of global trade talks. Those talks appear stalled ahead of a summit in Cancun, Mexico, in the autumn. The US and the EU are at loggerheads over how to reform agricultural subsidies to benefit developing countries. Many of the countries joining in the US action are part of the Cairns group of agricultural exporting nations which has been lobbying the WTO to open agricultural markets. A number of them are now seeking separate free trade agreements with the United States. Countries joining US trade complaint: Argentina, Canada, Egypt Countries joining as third parties: Australia, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru and Uruguay. Story from BBC NEWS Published: 2003/05/13 18:17:28 GMT More > |
| How You Sneeze Reveals Your Personality | 0 comments |
 17 May 2003 @ 16:05How You Sneeze Reveals Your Personality How you sneeze--a delicate little achoo that barely makes a sound or an explosive blast that brings the neighbors running to see if you're okay--reveals the deepest secrets of your personality. That's what behavior expert Patti Wood, MA, CSP claims. In a "she-got-paid-to-do-this?" type study, Wood analyzed the different ways people sneeze and then classified the sneezes into four personality types based on the DISC Model of Behavior. Actually, she did get paid to do it--by Benadryl Allergy medicine. And this is the result of that research. You can psychoanalyze your sneezes on the Benadryl Web site. (Once you get to the Web site, you'll find the first link to the Achoo IQ Test on the bottom left.) Or, do it the fast and easy way and identify your sneeze below and then read about the personality type that matches it. THE SENSITIVE SNEEZER The Sneeze: One small sneeze and it's over. You're so polite, you turn your head away. The Personality: You are warm and friendly and like a relaxed pace. The most important thing in your life is your relationships with others. You will work to avoid conflict and get along--even if that means keeping your mouth shut or making personal sacrifices. You are loyal, calm, and dependable. People say you are a good listener, though sometimes you feel interrupted. You are helpful, supportive, and nurturing of others. THE BE RIGHT SNEEZER The Sneeze: When you sneeze, you cover your mouth. The Personality: You are careful, accurate, and a deep thinker. Before you speak, you carefully consider what you will say. You are detailed and precise and catch mistakes that others miss. You have great insights and opinions, but you don't always get a chance to express them. You like to read books that make you think. You enjoy solitude so much that you prefer working by yourself and relaxing at home. You take your time, play by the rules, and wish others would do the same. THE GET IT DONE SNEEZER The Sneeze: Whenever it's possible, you hold in your sneeze. When you can't hold it in, the sneeze is big and loud. The Personality: You are fast, decisive, and to-the-point. You wish others could be the same. You are efficient and uncomplicated. You do not have to rely on others. You are a leader. You are forceful and commanding and work to get things quickly accomplished. You seek physical exertion. You do not like to be used unfairly by others. THE ENTHUSIASTIC SNEEZER The Sneeze: You sneeze multiple times very loudly. When you sneeze, everyone in the room knows it. The Personality: You are a charismatic leader and influencer. You are imaginative and have great "out of the box" ideas. You are intuitive and can inspire and motivate others. You value your relationships and hold them dear. You welcome new people and new opportunities. You are optimistic and spontaneous. You are open and people know what you are feeling. You are articulate and enjoy a good conversation whether it is on the phone, over dinner, or out socializing. |