Friday, August 15, 2014
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Picking Some Nits
10 mod 7 = 3
vs.
10 = 3 (mod 7)
i believe the former is explicitly correct and the latter is misleading and less correct.
because 3 (mod 7) doesn't necessarily equal 10.
vs.
10 = 3 (mod 7)
i believe the former is explicitly correct and the latter is misleading and less correct.
because 3 (mod 7) doesn't necessarily equal 10.
Arguing with the riot police
is kind of like arguing with the parking enforcement officer.
He doesn't actually care. He's just doing his job. Of course there will be some among the enforcing / riot police population who thoroughly enjoy pushing others around, but they're even less likely to care about your complaints. In fact, your anger probably only makes them enjoy the experience even more.
The people who really make the decisions you oppose aren't standing in front of you. The people who make those decisions are the bosses of the people standing in front of you. The bosses are the ones who make the rules for others, then use others to enforce those rules, all the while observing from a safe distance.
So sure, you can yell and scream at those individuals standing in front of you. It may even make you feel a little better, so maybe it's worthwhile for that reason alone. But you shouldn't be under any misconceptions as to exactly what you're doing (ie. yelling at parking enforcement officers) or what the upside of that activity may be (ie. potential changes in policy).
Although I will grant there is a potential PR benefit to be gained from such symbolic gestures and the pictures thereof (although it may only be among people who already agree with you).
And I'll repeat, there is nothing "less peaceful" about protesting with guns in your hands as long as you are lawfully carrying. If you have a Constitutional riot to protest, when and where you are protesting, and a Constitutional right to carry a weapon while engaging in that protest, then that is what you should do, if you really want to control your own situation. If, instead, you are interested only in the symbolic, then by all means, let them know they control you. Put your hands up, prostrate thyselves and chant a few catchy phrases. Such activity often plays well in short video clips taken from a close enough distance to imply a grander scale, and/or sound bytes which can then be used by the media outlets which already agree with your position and stated goals. 15 years from now that might even have an effect on policy.
He doesn't actually care. He's just doing his job. Of course there will be some among the enforcing / riot police population who thoroughly enjoy pushing others around, but they're even less likely to care about your complaints. In fact, your anger probably only makes them enjoy the experience even more.
The people who really make the decisions you oppose aren't standing in front of you. The people who make those decisions are the bosses of the people standing in front of you. The bosses are the ones who make the rules for others, then use others to enforce those rules, all the while observing from a safe distance.
So sure, you can yell and scream at those individuals standing in front of you. It may even make you feel a little better, so maybe it's worthwhile for that reason alone. But you shouldn't be under any misconceptions as to exactly what you're doing (ie. yelling at parking enforcement officers) or what the upside of that activity may be (ie. potential changes in policy).
Although I will grant there is a potential PR benefit to be gained from such symbolic gestures and the pictures thereof (although it may only be among people who already agree with you).
And I'll repeat, there is nothing "less peaceful" about protesting with guns in your hands as long as you are lawfully carrying. If you have a Constitutional riot to protest, when and where you are protesting, and a Constitutional right to carry a weapon while engaging in that protest, then that is what you should do, if you really want to control your own situation. If, instead, you are interested only in the symbolic, then by all means, let them know they control you. Put your hands up, prostrate thyselves and chant a few catchy phrases. Such activity often plays well in short video clips taken from a close enough distance to imply a grander scale, and/or sound bytes which can then be used by the media outlets which already agree with your position and stated goals. 15 years from now that might even have an effect on policy.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Hands up protest?
I kind of think it'd be far more useful to march with loaded weapons, cocked at the ready, exactly as the police would do when they are attempting to intimidate citizens who have committed no crime (assuming of course the existence of open carry allowances, otherwise instead of holding the hands up, holding the empty hands in a shooting pose).
It feels to me like a moment to push back hard, rather than meekly.
You know, assuming the incident went down as the protesters believe it did. I have no thoughts on that. I haven't seen video, and there are few things less reliable than emotionally-involved eyewitnesses facing potential social pressure, except of course the 3rd, 4th, and nth-hand recounting of those initial witness' accounts.
It feels to me like a moment to push back hard, rather than meekly.
You know, assuming the incident went down as the protesters believe it did. I have no thoughts on that. I haven't seen video, and there are few things less reliable than emotionally-involved eyewitnesses facing potential social pressure, except of course the 3rd, 4th, and nth-hand recounting of those initial witness' accounts.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
I had a roommate who looked like Charles Manson
And another who looked like a central-casting serial killer.
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Project Kids Are Just Different... And Exactly The Same
Ran into a classic, snaggle-toothed project kid yesterday and it takes about 10 seconds to realize you're dealing with a different sort of youngster when you talk with project kids. Shyness is sort of beaten out of them early on, and they exude that "poke you in the chest to see if you fight back" attitude in the things they say (and sometimes those things are very adult sorts of topics).
They're always testing, and angling, as their environment has taught them to do.
In that sense they are, today, exactly the same as they were decades ago. It took about 10 seconds to realize that. I must say that it provided more a feeling of nostalgic relief and comfort with my surroundings than any sort of pity, sadness, or self-righteous, adult-perspective-having indignation. I assume that speaks poorly of me as a person but it is what it is.
They're always testing, and angling, as their environment has taught them to do.
In that sense they are, today, exactly the same as they were decades ago. It took about 10 seconds to realize that. I must say that it provided more a feeling of nostalgic relief and comfort with my surroundings than any sort of pity, sadness, or self-righteous, adult-perspective-having indignation. I assume that speaks poorly of me as a person but it is what it is.
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