A Grievous Insult

Perhaps I shouldn't let things like this get under my skin. But at the risk of turning this blog into a Miss Manners column I'd like to share a little something with you, gentle reader.

An accepted personal invitation my not be disregarded.

Last night, Diane had invited some of her staff over to the house for dinner and a movie. She asked me to cook and host, which I agreed to gladly. Since it was a weeknight I decided on simple, but quality fare - porterhouse steaks, grilled, a side of roasted spaghetti squash with a simple tomato sauce, among other items. Although she had invited more, three had accepted invitations (a single and a couple). The first guest arrived relatively on time, but Diane received a call, after the invited time, that "Bill" was running very late, occupied with something else, but not an emergency. We took our time, then ate, and finally, after an hour and a half, I asked Diane to call him. He was still "busy". I asked her to tell him and his wife not to come.

These are people that Diane works with, so part of my impotent fury is that I can't directly address them. But here's why I'm angry and insulted:

• An invitation to our home requires us a large amount of effort and expense.
• We have to clean, arrange for the kids to be transported or cared for, and in this case fed.
• We purchased food and drink, at no small expense.
• I left work early to prepare the meal and expend a considerable effort in making the evening enjoyable and entertaining.
• A dinner party planned for 5 is an very different dynamic when only one guest appears.
• Other people were not invited that could have attended.

This person will NOT be invited again. It is my understanding that he runs a side business and became busy at a customer site. I do not accept this as an excuse. Once he accepted the invitation he was obliged to present himself at the appointed time, save for grave personal emergency. If this person was under my influence, this would severely bar his advancement. I would not consider it shabby or petty to shun avoid their company.

Behave with consideration and you're welcome in my home and table. Piss me off and you'll end up in this blog.

Rule #3. You can believe whatever damn stupid thing you want*

*as long as you claim no authority to enforce it.

Yes, here the crux of the matter. Virtually all of humanity's problems boil down to matters of belief. Very few issues are purely greed or lust (and frankly, they're much more fun and less damaging than the whole belief thing).

And it's the followers that are the problem. Leaders are powerless, but followers, or "functionaries" as my good friend Penny calls them, are the ones that shed the blood and attempt to force all into behavioral boxes.

Why? Because of one word: SHOULD. I've been inside the belief structure - I was raise that way. But from the very start, from my earliest memories, I was struck with the hypocrisies. Christianity has a big problem here and it isn't alone, but it's the one I know best. The complete practice of Christianity is incompatible with modern life. In it's current incarnation it is structured around allowing people the most minimal contact with religious life while exercising the maximum behavioral control. If one were to actually follow the precepts of Christianity as recognized by most of the major brands, you'd quickly be labeled either a fanatic or a nut. Do you really expect me to give up everything, accept everyone, turn the other cheek, and here's the big one, pretty much ignore all authority and hierarchy? And when you in turn look at those that do follow their religion religiously, you have the extremes that we find both humorous and dangerous.

Jesus, as presented in the New Testament, was a dangerous man. Why? Not because of the reported miracles or for anything he said. He's portrayed and the most unthreatening man you could imagine, even to his death. But his FOLLOWERS were becoming the threat. Frankly, they were right to be scared. I can't find any measure that will provide evidence of positive good done by these followers that can't be outweighed by a hundred times the evil they've perpetrated in his name.

Alas for you, lawyers and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin; but you have overlooked the weightier demands of the Law, justice, mercy, and good faith. It is these you should have practised, without neglecting the others. Blind guides! You strain off a midge, yet gulp down a camel!

Alas for you, lawyers and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of cup and dish, which you have filled inside by robbery and self-indulgence! Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside of the cup first; then the outside will be clear also.

Alas for you, lawyers and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like tombs covered with whitewash; they look well from outside, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all kinds of filth. So it is with you: outside you look like honest men, but inside you are brim-full of hypocrisy and crime. . .

Matthew, 23rd Chapter

I'll admit, it's damn difficult to face that there's no purpose to human existence. This life we have is it. There's no second change, next round, higher plane. And building a life that has its own meaning, that is satisfying and is creditable (I'm not sure I'm ready to tackle laying that one out yet) is a challenge that most simply can't or won't face.

And frankly, I don't care if they do or don't, as long as they leave everyone else alone!

See? There's a good reason they haven't made me supreme ruler of this little galaxy.

Rule #2 - Use The Scientific Method

Listen, that old adage of "there are many ways of discovering the truth" and laments of "Western ways of thinking", I'm sorry about it, but poppycock. The Scientific Method is the only way.

I'll repeat, I'm not looking for arguments, so argue amongst yourselves. Here's the test: Demonstrate an instance when a method or practice other than the Scientific Method has uncovered and explained any physical phenomenon.

This rule is like unto the first. It is based on skepticism and does not rely on authority. The results are available to all who follow the experimental steps.

And while we're at it I'll tip my hat to Rule #3. You can believe whatever damn stupid thing you want as long as you claim no authority to enforce it.

See how this is working out?

Free Sheet Music

Wow - now here's something worthwhile - Welcome to the Mutopia Project.

Over 320 pieces of musice available, to date - and best for me - 170 piano works!

Ah!

Rules To Live By

First, there are no rules.

That may be the most difficult step to take.

"What, then how do I know if I'm doing it right?"

Well, you'll have to determine that yourself. If you expect me to tell you if you're a good person, if you're successfully, if you're smart, beautiful, or worthy, then you're in a heap o' trouble.

And if I can't tell you these things, who can?

No one.

More specifically, here's my first rule, restated and clarified: Always, without exception, mistrust and challenge anyone or anything that claims authority or seeks positions of command or control. Distrust more those who seek to be governed and attempt to include you within the body.

Chaos? Anarchy? No, not at all. I do not say resist authority, only to question it.

All other rules may be derived from this one alone. It is the central component of my philosophy.

The hard part is this: rejoice in this task. To not allow despondency and despair to rule. Peeling back the layers, discovering the real mechanism of the universe, of the affairs of men, or your very heart and soul is a joyous task. Revel in it. For every belief you leave behind, for every misconception and lie you shatter, for every step you take in sharpening the focus on your vision and understanding, declare victory and gain strength.

There are things I could tell you. But I won't rob you of the joy of discovery.

My Latest Gadget

The SST-768 Harmony Remote.

Yes, I have many, MANY remotes. I even have one very expensive and supposedly programmable one. But no luck. So we try this one. Now Mac OS X compatible!

As Seen on Fark

I'm a bald man and I have no problem with that. I'm fine with the way I look. Actually, I kinda like it this way. I started loosing hair in my early 20's and it went pretty quickly. I could pull off a "thinning" hair look, but instead I shave the top of my head and keep the rest buzz-cut short. Easy to deal with and no shame.

But some day, I expect to have a full head of hair. Just not this way: One Day We'll Grow Hair Like Wheat.

Some day, maybe inside the next 20 years, I expect medical science to perfect a lot of treatments that will extend life and youth. At least I'm holding out hope. I envision a simple treatment, maybe a pill or a nose spray, that will correct all of my bodily ills. My back won't hurt any more. I'll drop all the extra pounds. My hair will grow back, my scars disappear, I'll throw away my glasses, and I'll stop snoring.

Last Sunday, Bob Hope died at the age of 100, a very old man. I look forward to 100 when it's considered nothing but a milestone and we don't know how long people live.

Interesting, and probably right

The Dominion: The Conceited Empire

Although I think he gives Europe too much credit. When I put on my oraclular hat, I see China as a particularly interesting future economic power. I see Russia as the India (cheap, well educated labor). I see Europe much as it is today - still struggling through 2,000 years of backbiting and spending the month of August on holiday.

A Pocket Full Of Great Books

On occasion I run across a selection of these wonderful little blue books, published by Konemann. They are a marvel and a bargain, to book. They're perfectly sized for slipping in a coat pocket. Very well made. They are classic books and I've enjoyed picking them up as I find them. All are hardback, with slip cover. About five by four inches and rarely more than a half inch thick. I usually find them in discount book stores, although new. My greatest success has been Half Price Books, but I've also found them in book stores in NYC and San Francisco (the legendary City Lights, I believe). My latest find was in the independent and highly recommend Columbus (German Village, really) The Book Loft.

This Saturday, I came their version of "War and Peace" and what a wonderful way to read it. A little boxed set, broken into four volumes. I've also found copies of Poe, Dickens, Jane Austen (one can't just say "Austen", can one?) as well as titles like Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr. J & Mr. H, 20,000 Leagues, etc.

I recommend them to your attention: Konemann's War and Peace

A Word To The Wise

I'm a lazy and stubborn man, much given to my own comfort and entertainment. But if one tries often enough, I can be made to understand where I've gone off course.

Case in point, my particular friend, Penny, has been gently arguing that my choice of title for "The Wanted Way Of Things" is off course. She is my first reader (and sometimes only!) in much that I produce and I value her input, for good reason. But in this case I've resisted her with "That's what I want it to mean!".

Now that you show the contextual source of the title, I see that the quote you remember contains the phrase "the wonted way of things."

I urge you strongly to change the actual title of the story to The Wonted Way of Things.  Or, if what you want is to leave your title as is, because you are playing against the other (Jack London) meaning, then I urge you to include the quote as a headnote to your story.  [I should say that I don't get this sense of 'playing against' from your story, but that's your call.]  

The differences in denotation between wanted and wonted are very large, enough that it will make a huge difference -- it's not just a spelling variation.  (like flog and flag).

Of course, she's right. I've added the quote to the story, but I'm holding out on the title. My point in the story, which perhaps I have not achieved, is to build a strange fear that things might actually want something. Or more to the point, that things have an accustomed way - that of entropy - and by giving them a voice it may turn to actual want. But in not providing the quote, I don't allow that dissonance to fully emerge.

In my defence, I don't think that most people are familiar with "wont". The story must work on its own, regardless of the title. But a good title is more than just a hand way to remember which story we're talking about. A title can provide a frame, a context all its own. I hope that with the added quote and context I'll get a little closer to a successful and satisfying tale.

I've learned to listen to the wise old owl. You'd be wise to listen as well.

A Quote, Out of Context

By the way, the title of the short story I published below, "The Wanted Way Of Things" is a phrase that struck my ear a couple of years back when listening to an audio book version of "The Call Of The Wild" by Jack London. Here's the complete quote, in context:

"They had made short work of the snow-shoe rabbit, these dogs that were ill-tamed wolves; and they were now drawn up in an expectant circle. They, too, were silent, their eyes only gleaming and their breaths drifting slowly upward. To Buck it was nothing new or strange, this scene of old time. It was as though it had always been the wonted way of things."

Another one caught me the other day and would make a great title in a number of ways. It was a phrase from the Richard Powers book, "Plowing The Dark". The phrase was "The black of elaborate plans". I like the simpler, "Elaborate Plans", but the whole phrase has a nice turn to it, don't you think?

I have an old novel-in-progress with the working title of "Harrowed In Deep" that might work better with the title "Elaborate Plans". I'd have to chuck most of it - dated and now the best part of 15 years old and therefore painful to revisit as a writer. But there's probably some salvageable stuff in there. It was initially meant as an tribute to John D. McDonnald.

Farewell, Mr Jefferies

I just saw this obit, on the BBC of all places. Matt Jefferies as passed away.

On the wall above my desk at home I have a simple and elegant drawing. It's a piece of set design from Mr. Jefferies' note books. I much admire his work. A man who few knew his name, but virtually everyone on the planet who's been anywhere near a TV in the last 35 years has seen and been influenced by it.

And so, a little story.

I'm a fan of Star Trek, but a bit different than most you've met or imagined. I was the right age for it, born in 1960, but my parents weren't interested. I remember seeing only part of one episode during its original three year run ("The Tholian Web"). From where we lived, on the prairies of Southern Illinois, we didn't get it in syndication, even later. Soon, at age eleven, I was starting to read science fiction and discovered at a local book store a thin volume labeled "Star Trek 9". The ninth in a series of novelizations of the series by James Blish. I was hooked, instantly, and began saving my dimes and buying books as I could find them. Before long I new all of the stories by heart, never having see a complete one. I had a poster, a montage on my bedroom wall. My imagination filled in all the details with the rough out line of the pictures and the well-told stories.

I quickly moved on to read widely in science fiction and well beyond as well. But those early days of stories and imagined flights to the stars made me a fan forever. It aggravates me to read the fanboy sites and arguments about dogma and orthodoxy. I've never been to a convention, I won't argue with you the fine points of plots, characters, and technology. But my youngest daughter and I make sure to see every new episode of Enterprise, together.

In my dreams I sit on the bridge of the starship Enterprise truly go where no one has gone before.

Thank you, Matt Jefferies.

Blogging In the Not So Daily Mode

Been travel'n. All work related. Makes Randy a dull boy.

And of course, now that I'm back, I get to dig out from the email which I couldn't retrieve and respond to, the work that's piled up, and the phone messages (which I mostly ignore, but still . . .).

Can't wait for wireless everywhere. Oh, and don't like hauling around a laptop, either.

For this trip I needed a Windows laptop to demonstrate software, so I got a temporary one - a new Sony VAIO. It was small, light, with integrated wireless. I hated it, even disregarding the typically aggravating Windows nonsense.

Here's the one tell-tale. The power cord "wrap" was a foot long piece of velcro. Thank you very much. Most of the time, it's caught in its own snarl. I compare to the thoughtful Apple engineering. They'd never put up with that (Steve Jobs would put someone's head on a pike for even suggesting it). And this was Sony. I expected more from them. But the machine was in a plain box, no setup instructions, and in less than 1 week's gentle use the CD/DVD door fell off and the whole thing was already beginning to looked scuffed and shabby. I returned it gladly to Circuit City with their "No Questions Asked" policy. Of course, they asked me 2 questions, but I let them off without calling them on the issue. They wanted to know if anything was wrong with it and I was charitable in telling them "no, it worked, but didn't meet my needs".

Not Quite The Thing

Hmm, this old thing again: You are your music collection.

Hmm - I don't buy it.

However, I do form opinions about people by their books. It's more than judging a book owner by their covers. And I clearly know that their is a significant difference between what someone has read and the books they choose to keep. And beyond that, it's only a clue to their personality and intellect, not a precise map. But when I visit someone's house, one of the first things I look for is their reading material. Too often I find nothing. Zip, nada, zero. Maybe a magazine. An old copy of People. Yikes.

What can you tell about me by the books you see in my house? Well, it depends in what room you're in.

If you enter the house from the front door, you'll find the music room on your right. A baby grand piano and string base. No recorded music evident. You'll have to look through the music cabinet there, but you'll only find what we're playing recently. My drawer is filled with Scott Joplin, the Grieg lyric pieces, a few pop collections (James Taylor, Billy Joel, and one of my favorites, some nifty arrangements by Jimmy Web of his hits). Maybe some Broadway scores, like Guys and Dolls, some Irving Berlin and a collection of Oscar Hammerstein. Other drawers contain the girls current lesson. Jennifer's neatly organized in her music case, Kathleen's jumbled in the drawer, probably not closed, and strewn across the piano. The rest of the music is in the living room cabinets.

Oh, back to the books.

You'll enter the family room and find a wall of books. It's overflowing and I'm beginning to wonder where I'll put the next 40 years or so of them. Starting in the far corner you'll find shelves loaded with religion, philosophy, classics and mythology, science, and humor. The next section is largely history - a shelf or so of American and another or so of world. Lower down you'll find mystery with a large section filled with James Lee Burke and another with a significant collection of early 20th century American mystery. The lower shelf in the section is filled with Ghost stories and horror. Another full section is filled with plays and books on theater, with a few on movies. These shelves are all for the most part hardback with a few trade paperbacks (the plays are mostly actual play books and scripts).

By my leather reading chair is a book stand with a few in current reading.

But if you go upstairs to my office/den, you'll find a very different me. Another leather chair, but this one less formal than the overstuffed monster down stairs. This one is a Ekornes "Stressless" with footstool. You'll find another entire wall, also bursting with books. Here you'll find paperbacks as well as hard backs. Lots of science fiction, categorized loosely. One shelf is dedicated to naval fiction, mostly Patrick O'Brian. A middle section is reference and science texts, computer software.

I think that a knowledgeable reader spending a few minutes browsing my shelves might be able to judge the following: The collector is likely male, a voracious and wide reader. Given to self entertainment, probably highly imaginative. Fairly well educated, but mostly self-educated in literature. Curious, restless, politically hard to pin down, but with the lack of any identifiable political books, it's likely that the reader is not a conservative. In fact, taken in whole, it's likely that the reader does not identify with a party or political bent. The stack of Barbara Tuckman books suggests, combined with the books on science and skepticism bear this out.

The additional information of the titles and condition of the books would add to this profile, but I'll leave that to you if you visit me.

What do the books you keep say about you?

Oh, from their list in the article, I have only the Beethovan. I have a wide classical collection, lots of Jazz, a little pop, but very little recent. My iPod is loaded with a pretty interesting mix, but not if you only listen to top 40 radio.

Chilling Headline - Well, At Least For Me

Just saw this headline on cnn.com Last Ship Of Mars Armada Starts Trip.

What, there's an armada? Why wasn't I notified? How could you have left without me? Is something terrible about to happen here?

As if I didn't have enough nightmares about atomic bombs and tornados, now I'll dream about being left behind (please keep your damn rapture warnings to yourself).

The Onion Strikes Again

Ah, satire.

Bush Asks Congress For $30 Billion To Help Fight War On Criticism

At least I wish it was satire. I think it's too on the mark, so we'll just call it reportage.

Back at it

Digging out from the backlog almost makes one consider never vacationing at all.

Nah.

As to the beach books. The James Lee Burke, while his typical excellent writing, is the same novel, yet again, but set in the Civil War. Fine for a beach read.

Oh, but the book by Mr. Branton, a disappointment. I hereby give up on critically acclaimed modern comic novelists. I toss this in the same heap as the equally bad "The Corrections" and "The Teatherballs of Bougainvillea". Note, I don't link these works. I'm not going to make it easy for anyone to read these. Do so at your own risk.

I've started, but not finished George Dyson's book. What fun! First and second hand history by someone that understands what's going on. Just imagine what life would be like today if we'd let the physicist build and run the space program instead of the bureaucrats and test pilots.

And Jennifer and I are reading the latest Harry Potter out loud. We're only getting through a chapter or so a day. We're enjoying it, so if you've read it already, keep your mouth shut!

Away

I'll be "off post" for a bit - heading off for our yearly beach vacation. I've got the stack of books ready. They include:

House of Wacks (although mine didn't come with the nifty Betty Page cover.
White Doves At Morning James Lee Burke (my beach buddy for over a dozen years)
Project Orion George Dyson - totally blown away by his Darwin Among the Machines

Of course, I couldn't resist, so the new Harry Potter will be waiting for us at the Lighthouse View when we get there on Saturday. I hope to get some family reading time in before the press spoils the whole thing.

La Vida TV

BoingBoing has been covering a recent spate of cellphone legislation around the world. Most of it's directed at the camera enabled. I do not currently own one of these, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. Personally, why would I want a crappy digital camera? Well, because you'd always have it with you. A crappy photo of something happening is far better than no photo at all. Eventually this technology will be woven into our clothes - virtually impossible to limit cameras, voice and video from anywhere. Can't ban it, so better start figuring out how to live with it.

And the phone cameras won't be crappy forever. I'm increasingly aware that the cellphone is becoming the platform of the future. In fact, I can easily imagine a future where the personal computer disappears and we simply lease space and processing from (I'm not sure who - hopefully not the phone companies). At home or at work we'd have a monitor of some sorts, but our cellphones would give us exactly the same amount of access. I love my iPod, I use my Palm but love it less daily, but I NEVER leave the house without my phone. What I really want is one indestructible and cheap device (virtually disposable), that give me access to unlimited computing power, every piece of music, film or TV show, every book ever written, that fits in my pocket or on my belt.

Do I want it to fit in my ear? Probably not. but I'd love for it to talk to my sunglasses. Worried about invasion of privacy? You should be. But banning the technology is a poor way of attacking the problem. So, how do you fight it? Etiquette!

I'm serious - more to come.

Field of Vision

Last night I went to see The Matrix Reloaded, shown on the local IMAX. My friend, Penny joined me.

Wow.

This is an amazing way to see a feature film, but perhaps too intense for regular viewing. The picture, huge, bright, crystal clear, was actually too big. One couldn't see it all. And the shear size of the image and its quality did no favors for the actors skin - showing every flaw in striking detail.

Now perhaps that's one of the visual effects the directors were after, and I have no complaints on that side. I found the movie, the 2nd of 3 parts, to be visually stunning, entertaining, and engrossing. I await the next and final chapter (as opposed to the next Star Wars movie, which I rather dread).

But back to the IMAX. I'm becoming something of a cinema connoisseur, not movies, mind you, where I'm certainly an enthusiastic amateur, but for the movie house itself. Having studied and built my own cinema, I've had to examine and consider the environment for viewing movies for over a year now. I'm by no means an expert, but I an keenly aware of the items that make for an ideal, and less than ideal movie experience. I can't explain acoustics, but I've worked with those who do, as well as lighting, projection, image quality, even seating and refreshments. By way of proof, a friend and frequent movie goer (at least once a week if not more) when visiting my cinema recently reported that watching a movie (actually The Matrix), was "the best movie or theater experience I've had in over 20 years", only to be matched by a now closed 20s era movie palace.

But back to my point. The IMAX may produce physically undesirable effects - it's just too big, too loud, too intense and too immersive. I was tired and had a bit of a headache coming out of the movie.

In addition, I'd written recently about enjoying watching the credits. On this screen, once again, they're too big and difficult to focus on. They may have been easier to see, read, and understand on a smaller or normal sized movie screen. It will be interesting to see this film in my cinema when it becomes available on DVD.

All that aside - a very interesting way to see a movie and I'm open to seeing another on the IMAX screen to try it again.

Discuss