Las Vegas, February 2021
(19 photos)
Photos from my trip to Las Vegas, NV (February 27 - March 3 2021)
Flawed Humans and Their Ideas
Part IV: Do people’s improprieties automatically invalidate any ideology they represent?
One of my frustrations with the state of political discourse these days, is the focus on people rather than on the ideas or principles that they are supposed to represent. For example, during the 2020 US presidential election, most of the ‘reasons’ I heard for supporting a candidate amounted to personal and character attacks against the other candidate(s). When asked what their preferred candidate actually represented ideologically, or what their platform or policy proposals were, many people drew a blank. Usually, the answer was something along the lines of, “Well, he’s not the other guy.”
Anatomy of a Romance Scam
I Very Love You!
When I was preparing to give overseas dating a try back in 2017, I heard many stories and warnings about Email romance scams. People (typically men) spend hours corresponding with someone overseas who they believe is a romantic interest. In reality, the person they’re talking to is not who they say they are, and they are most certainly not in love. In fact, these are often sophisticated operations—ran like call centers—involving teams of Email writers who make money ‘stringing’ victims along with hopes of romance, companionship, future visits, and intimacy.
New Jersey to Utah by Train
Aboard the California Zephyr
My lease was up in New Jersey at the end of September 2020, so I decided to move to Idaho to save on rent, take an extended break from work, and be closer to family during the COVID-19 pandemic. I drastically downsized by selling or getting rid of most of my furniture and possessions, shipped a few boxes of stuff I wanted to keep to Idaho, and then took Amtrak trains from Newark, NJ to Salt Lake City, UT.
What Form of Government Gives Common People the Most Power?
What system is best for preserving rights and guarding against those who wish to consolidate power for themselves?
In his most recent letter, my dad shared some thoughts and asked a really interesting question that I’ve been pondering on for the past few of weeks. I decided to share and respond here, mainly so that I could link to some sites and graphs in my response that I found to be of interest, but also to ensure it’s legible!
Why I’d Rather Rent
Home ownership just doesn’t appeal to me
A good friend of mine messaged me the other day about some drama they’re going through involving a duplex they purchased a year or two ago. It was another reminder of how happy I am to rent.
Economic Systems vs. Political Systems
Part III: Socialism does not preclude democracy
Another myth I often encounter regarding socialism is that it is somehow antithetical to democracy; that it breeds despotic regimes and runs counter to the American notions of freedom. We often hear about ‘communist dictators’, but rarely ‘capitalist’ ones (though they most certainly exist).
What to Do with Monuments That Have Fallen out of Favor?
This isn’t a new dilemma
Various suggestions have been floated on how to deal with statues and monuments that idolize people or ideas that have wound up on the losing side of history, and have since fallen out of favor with the general public. Some want them gone completely. Others say to leave them in place—to do anything otherwise would be erasing history.
What’s in a Name?
Part II: Fascists are not Socialists
In part 1, I mentioned being raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and used it as an example of something that tends to be surrounded in a lot of misconceptions and untruths in popular culture and the general public. Bear with me as I use the Church as an example once again.
Latter-day Saints and Anti-Mormons
Part I: A lie is a lie, even if it’s about something you don’t like
I was raised in a family that were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and like other children of Latter-day Saint families, I was baptized at the age of 8. My mother was also raised in a Latter-day Saint family, and my father was a convert to the Church in his 20’s.
Air Traffic Control vs. Space Shuttle
We’re coming in a bit hot…
Last week’s first SpaceX crewed flight to the International Space Station (ISS) got me binging on spaceflight-related articles and videos lately. Although I knew the space shuttle somehow returned to Earth by gliding in for a landing like a plane, I really had no idea how this transition from orbiting spacecraft to atmospheric glider worked. I imagined it could make for a pretty unusual conversation with air traffic control (ATC) though:
Socialism: The Real Red Pill
Not that counterfeit right-wing stuff
Stop taking fake red pills, and instead take the genuine product. Socialism is the real red pill.
QAnon Quackery
A socialist perspective
Recently, I received the following text from a family member eager to share a compelling video they had viewed. This isn’t the first time I’ve been sent a link to QAnon-related content, but it has been a while (especially since I ditched social media) and I was a little surprised that this stuff is still making the rounds. I don’t know if this is due to the conspiracy theory gaining something of a ‘second wind’, or if it just never really subsided like I had imagined, but either way I’ve finally decided—reluctantly—to address it here and share some of my thoughts.
Wombat Poop is Square
Just in case you didn’t know
I love the random things you learn online. For example, did you know that wombat poop is square? I didn’t, until today. Thank you internet!
Helical Scan
Why is that shiny thing inside the VCR crooked?
Did you ever look into the open door of a VCR (if you were old enough to have access to one years ago) and wonder why that shiny round component inside looked crooked or ‘lopsided’? I remember thinking that as a kid. It looked like it hadn’t been mounted correctly.
Civilian MREs
Another COVID-19 quarantine survival technique
In the military, we often ate ‘Meals, Ready to Eat’ (MREs) in the field. After taking inventory of my freezer today during the ongoing coronavirus quarantine, I realized that microwave dinners are basically just MREs for civilians.
Are You Impressed?
The Hotshots guide to modern dating
This basically nails what modern dating feels like.
Who Creates Wealth?
By Jonathan Rowe and David Bollier / The Missing Sector
Jonathan Rowe and David Bollier raise some really good thought-provoking questions in this article about economics, ‘the market’, and its insidious creep into every aspect of our lives. They ask, “Is everything for sale?” It touches on the need to create boundaries on the market’s “relentless creep”.
Private Gain Must No Longer Be Allowed to Elbow out the Public Good
By Dr. Philipsen / aeon.co
Again, I’ve stumbled on an article today that mirrors so many of my thoughts. This is another article of the sort I was planning on trying to write at some point, but Dr. Philipsen has beaten me to it in excellent form.
We Are Living in a Failed State
By George Packer / The Atlantic
In this great article, Packer hits on many points and thoughts that echo my own. The true tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic’s affect on the US isn’t the virus itself, but the woefully inadequate response led by incompetence, decades of cuts to public spending and infrastructure, privatization of public resources and services, and political squabbling.