Def mulling

Hahaha what a bunch of hypocritical farts. Also "Weaponised Keynesianism"!! The term hits the spot bang on! Sounds like an RATM song or something.

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/06/23/frank-f22-monopoly/

Point to note - Concerning the system of governance in the US I didn't know that House Armed Services Committee can over overrule the objections of a Defense Secretary as well as the Presidents Administration (essentially the President himself). Does this not nullify the failsafe of having an elected representative itself? Especially when you have a president with a fairly strong hold over Congress.

Also, what's the process out here? All I hear about is the delays in funding defense projects and the fact that we are very slow when in this sort of situation (which may actually be a good thing?? dunno).

Add to places to travel to

Illegal Arms market - Durra, Pakistan

Moron of a filmmaker but what a crazy market. Now that is a trip worth making.

Tiananmen Square Blues

It is a sign of the times we live in that so few people remember the Tiananmen square massacre whose' 20th anniversary would be today. Except fo the usual "we need to make this token protest - but we don't really mean it - and everyone is gonna forget about it by tomorrow anyway" stuff nothing much seems to be happening in the international communiy. The weird thing is why nobody has said a thing about why the media has been so silent on the subject.

I guess if things were different now it would sort of be ok to ignore the anniversary - but the truth is that nothing's changed since '89. China continues to have a miserable civil rights record, the Commie govt still does what it likes to the environment, what happens outside a Shanghai or a Beijing is still anyone's guess, even the actual figures and facts about what happened in Tiananmen square that day is murky. The Tibetan issue has been shot to hell and back. Hell! I recently met more than one person who did not know that Tibet had been an independent country just around 40 years back.

Actually let me correct the 'no change' bit - China's economy is booming. This has basically resulted in the governments of most countries stampeding over each other in order to kiss some Dragon ass. This has obviously resulted in most nations "suggesting" that mainstream media go easy on China. As far as Indian foreign policy on the issue is concerned it's simple - there pretty much isn't any. Ignore it ever happened and maybe China will suddenly feel for us and give up their claim over Arunachal Pradesh - HA!! What else do you expect from a bunch of old fogey babus who can barely take a stand to pee much less on an issue of concern.

Anyway, I am going to do what most well-meaning, direction-less folks do in this situation.... light up, curse, and probably hope that the times actually are a' changein'.

Kam dhanda nahi tha. And for the uninitiated, yes I am carrying a Bo.

Album Art

This is a pretty decent collection of album art considering the fact that there is a lot of really good work out there. Most of them are not that obscure though. Good to see the King Crimson and KMFDM albums on the list.

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/05/13/100-obscure-and-remarkable-cd-covers/

No shelter if youre looking for shade
I lick shots at the brutal charade
As the polls close like a casket
On truth devoured
Silent play in the shadow of power
A spectacle monopolized
The cameras eyes on choice disguised
Was it cast for the mass who burn and toil?
Or for the vultures who thirst for blood and oil?
Yes a spectacle monopolized
They hold the reins, stole your eyes
All the fistagons the bullets and bombs
Who stuff the banks
Who staff the party ranks

From RATM's Guerrilla Radio.

I did not cast a vote for anyone this General Election (I registered though). I am glad. Even more so because it does not matter in this fucked up system of coalition politics. With everyone sleeping with everyone irrespective of any ideology or principle.

Rip off

The crew the crew,
they danced by the light of the moo'.
With bread in their stomachs,
and dripping sweet brew,
and mud caked nails and shaggy beards,
and spent steam rising off their glinted spears,
the moon, the moon,
they danced by the light of the moon.


* I think this is ripped off from some poem I learnt in school

And if that wasn't enough they put the second video up on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJMd3xsncnk

Attempt 35146

The first Waffle of the Year

So then, came across Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene"again. I first read the book completely around 3 years back but had started it when I was still in school - due to a passing reference made by a teacher. The book is part of a base of sources around which I have built my thought processes. It fits in (or at least I like to think so) very nicely with Objectivism and and a couple of other streams of thinking which I (at least till now) believe true.
Found an interesting essay here

I think he seems a little confused (moves towards a little popular thought) when he writes “Have in mind that I defend cooperation and think selfish actions are generally foolish not only in my profession but as a lifestyle based on the selfish principle of maximizing rewards.” Now, what I think he should have done is put the following into the sentence - Rational self interest.
Thats it! following Rand's ethic of rational self interest will automatically mean that if you are in a situation where you cannot answer the question “Why should I” then the answer has no benefit to oneself then committing that action is pointless.
Thus you would cooperate because you believe that cooperation would do you good and not because you are have to - meaning you are selfish even when you believe you are altruistic.