The Stark Tenet

A Reminder to All

2009-07-08T14:26:00.002-05:00

Foreign Policy Magazine looks at the most repressive places to live in the world.

North Korea

North Koreans enjoy the lowest level of freedom in the world, according to Freedom House. All power is held by Kim Jong Il, who assumed power in 1994 upon the death of his father, North Korea's founding leader Kim Il Sung, whose statue in Pyongyang is shown above. The regime maintains a network of prison camps in which thousands of political prisoners are subjected to brutal conditions. All facets of a person's life -- including employment, education, place of residence, access to medical facilities, and access to stores -- are determined by a semihereditary system of social discrimination that classifies citizens into 53 subgroups under broad security ratings (from "core" to "wavering" to "hostile") based on their family's perceived loyalty to the regime.

It's sadly a long list.

Source: Reason's Hit & Run

Errol Morris on McNamara

2009-07-08T12:49:00.003-05:00

Errol Morris talks about Robert McNamara, who recently died.

HOW should we remember Robert McNamara? As an engaged public servant who participated in some of the most important decisions of the 20th century? A hawk who served as the chief architect of the war in Vietnam? A technocrat who never fully understood the moral implications of his policies? A hero who steadfastly worked to prevent the escalation of conventional war into thermonuclear conflict? All of the above?

It’s impossible to mention his name without starting an argument. Mr. McNamara engendered strong opinions, particularly among those who came of age in the 1960s. People have wanted to know, “Did he ever say he was sorry?” They wanted an apology for his role in Vietnam. The publication of his memoir “In Retrospect” (in 1995) only seemed to make people angrier with him.

He was a very interesting character.

I suggest everyone check out Morris' great documentary on McNamara, The Fog of War.

Repost from Last Year: 4th of July

2009-07-04T20:04:00.001-05:00

Some videos for the occasion:

"Kate Smith - God Bless America"

"US National Anthem drowned out by cheers at 91 NHL ASG"

Everyone have a great day.

Photo from:
LIBERTAS

Bill of Rights: What Liberals and Conservatives Think of It

2009-07-01T15:08:00.007-05:00

Pretty funny. It's true for those on the fringes of the left and right. It's a caricature of those that lean left or right though.

The Dead Weather Equals Awesome

2009-06-29T23:42:00.001-05:00

Enjoy.

Interesting Debate

2009-06-26T13:20:00.001-05:00

Intellectual Property vs. Creative Freedom, by Cathy Young.

Borrowing is an essential part of the creation of culture. If we eliminated all derivative works, we would lose, among other things, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (based on a story by an Italian writer), and Jean Rhys's acclaimed novel Wide Sargasso Sea, the story of Mr. Rochester's mad wife from Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Of course, classics have also inspired mediocre sequels or reimaginings, such as third-rate novels that continue the story of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. But that's for readers to decide.

Stanford law professor Lawrence Lessig has argued that unless copyright law is reformed, it will end up stifling the creativity of a generation, particularly in the age of digital art. At the very least, the law should focus more on whether the copyright holder suffers actual economic loss, or be denied rightful gain, because of the infringement. As for restricting the use of one's character or story by other artists of writers, it seems fair that, like the right to sue for libel, this right should be terminated by death. (Personally, I would support a term of 50 years, with a portion of revenues from any derivative work published thereafter going to the original author.)

The debate continues.

Bukowski Time

2009-06-20T23:26:00.000-05:00

I am now reading Women.

Obama and Darfur

2009-06-03T21:50:00.004-05:00

Article from the Editors of The New Republic.

But it is not just the seeming absence of focus on Darfur that troubles us. What little indication we have of the administration's plans has been troubling as well. The Washington Post recently quoted a Darfur activist who had met with Obama's Sudan envoy, Scott Gration, three times. The activist described Gration's approach as follows: "He thinks that to keep banging on Khartoum is not the right way. He said he wants to build rapport with Khartoum." If this is truly going to be the administration's strategy, then it is deeply wrongheaded. Sudan's leaders are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in power.

Darfur is still a mess.

Write a letter to Obama here.

Politics aside, something needs to be done.

Newspaper Bailout?

2009-05-25T17:32:00.006-05:00

Reason TV:

Journalistic independence, that's a biggy.

Solutions for newspapers or in other words when I'll start paying for my news:

1. Get rid of the stupid folded super large paper versions of newspapers. It's hard to focus when I have to fold a paper 10 times and need to try to find the rest of a story on A12. Plus I get ink on my hands and it smudges. Go the Economist route, and use a magazine format. I know, I know, it's the traditional newspaper image, but whatever, I'm a consumer and I want to read with ease.

2. Do what Star Tribune is doing, even though it has its flaws for making profit. I'm sorry, I'm not going to pay money to know what's going on in Pakistan, that's what Google News is for. Yet I am willing to pay for in depth investigative journalism.

3. Christian Science Monitor style, all online.

A big NO to bailing out the newspaper industry.

Star Trek Review

2009-05-10T14:04:00.003-05:00

The film worked real well as a Sci-Fi film, and I liked it. As someone who occasionally watched Star Trek: The Next Generation when I was younger, I have some idea what Star Trek is about. For me, this film blasts everything before it out of the water. There were many moments that were just pure awesome, something that even the Wrath of Khan couldn't accomplish. That being said, I'm a big fan of J.J. Abrams, and maybe my taste for his work is simply why I like this movie so much. Cinematography was beautiful, and the score great (same guy who does Lost). Check it out.

Stark Rating
Entertainment Value: **** (4 out of 5)
Artistic Value: *** (3 out of 5)

Downright Scary

2009-04-29T00:34:00.003-05:00

Here is a video on Chinese black jails.

Surprisingly this video comes from Al Jazeera.

Source: Foreign Policy Passport

Worst Idea of Yesterday

2009-04-29T00:29:00.002-05:00

You're kidding me right?

Source: Instapundit

A True Protest

2009-04-27T16:09:00.002-05:00

5 lawmakers were arrested today protesting Sudan's Omar al-Bashir.

A spokesman for Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md., told The Hill that the five and organizers of the protest from the Save Darfur Coalition crossed a Secret Service perimeter around the embassy and ignored three warnings to leave the property. They were expected to be fined for a misdemeanor and released.

Members of Congress arrested were Edwards; Jim McGovern, D-Mass.; John Lewis, D-Ga., a veteran of the civil rights movement in the 1960s; Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the only Muslim member of Congress, and Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif.

Also arrested were Jerry Fowler, coalition president; John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project, and Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.

A dignified protest, without any rocks or Molotovs.

Socialism for Breakfast

2009-04-26T19:50:00.003-05:00

Hit and Run's Michael Moynihan takes apart The Daily Show's soft glove representation of Swedish Socialism.

Not a particularly funny bit, considering the available material, but a few points about the total awesomeness of Swedish social democracy and the show's but-we're-only-joking case for the Swedish model. (They are, after all, making a serious political point in an unserious way.) Cenac's interview with ex-Abba frontman Björn Ulvaeus, during which he attempts to get him to admit that the song "Money, Money, Money" is a paean to American capitalism, leaves one with the impression that the millionaire songwriter is rather pleased with his country's glorious socialist history. Well, no.

While I agree on many points made by Moynihan, you got to admit the way Sweden reached its Socialism is preferable than say Venezuela. Socialism is fine if the people want it, as long as it doesn't come with the curbing of democracy, individual rights, isolation and an overarching State. The Swedish model is preferable to the Chavez model. That being said, I don't want either model.

Into the Dark

2009-03-22T14:06:00.002-05:00

It seems there is no party to turn to these days, both Democrats and Republicans seem to offer no solutions to our crisis, and are not helping at all. It's hard to comment on them. Meanwhile, the world is still the same, Iran still trying to fool the international community, and the others, still doing what they are doing. If I didn't know any better, I'd think we were still in 2008. While improvements have been made, other bad decisions were their replacement. I don't know what to say.

Is this apathy, disappointment, what?

Still on Hiatus, Still on Hiatus

2009-02-26T21:28:00.005-06:00

In the meantime, I'm going to give two lists of describing my political views. It is hard to characterize myself (for I have diverse views), so I'm going to give positive descriptions, and negative descriptions to help those people who want to either identify with me or insult me. There might be some contradictions on both lists, yet this is to be expected (for in the positive column, I take elements from each description and/or viewpoints). Some in the negative column might include off base descriptions, though that doesn't mean I view them negatively (i.e. I have nothing against someone being conservative, which I am not, though those who would identify me as one do). I might come back and update it occasionally while I'm on my hiatus. Stay tuned.

Positive:
-moderate
-secular (yet not restrictive of religion)
-tolerant
-classical liberal
-liberal internationalist
-human rights oriented
-idealist
-capitalist
-moderate free trader
-not a hawk or a dove
-individualist
-If not limited government, efficient government
-promotion of liberal democracy (and belief of)
-for gun rights (to a point)
-social equality
-belief in federalism (to a point)
-marriage for all (i.e. marriage for GLBT people)
-military service for all (i.e. acceptance of GLBT people)
-against ethnic profiling
-fair immigration (amnesty, fines, closed border)
-limited drug legalization (users go to treatment not jail/prison)
-for helping Iraq and Afghanistan transition from developing democracies to liberal democracies
-support unions (to a point)
-support corporation/business owners (to a point)
-for fiscal responsibility and decreasing the deficit
-optimist (as opposed to alarmist)

Negative:
-imperialist
-cultural imperialist
-right-winger
-conservative
-liberal
-heathen
-capitalist
-democracy promoter (against the will of...)
-hawk
-militarist
-fascist
-backward
-emotionless
-colonizer
-bigot
-neocon (neoconservative)
-in denial of...

The Difference Between Good and Bad

2009-02-01T11:23:00.006-06:00

The difference between good CGI (If video is taken off YouTube, look for the Transformers 2 trailer)...

and bad CGI...

George Lucas just had an aneurysm.

LOST: Are You Watching It?

2009-01-30T23:27:00.003-06:00

I am.

Some say the show has lost its edge, I say bull. Season 4 wasn't that great (worst out of all of the seasons, I wasn't a big fan of the Oceanic Six idea), yet I'm a forgiving person. This season is revealing a lot, and it's awesome.

Lostaway, okay?

In the Meantime

2009-01-28T16:42:00.002-06:00

John Coltrane - Every Time We Say Goodbye - 1961

Still on hiatus.

The Speech

2009-01-24T15:38:00.003-06:00

Here is the speech. It was a good speech, though I've heard better (from Obama I mean). But there was one part that kind of offended me, which caught me off guard a little. It is quoted below.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

…Um what?

"On this day, we gather," meaning obviously the inauguration, he won on election night and he is going to be sworn in as President. The use of "we" at first brings to mind "we" as American citizens, yet that is not necessarily what it conveys. It is “we,” those who voted for Obama, his supporters and followers. There is nothing wrong with that, and I have no problem with those specific words. Yet it is the next sort of words in where I'm a little offended, where people gathered "because we have chosen hope over fear, unity over conflict and discord." What am I to make of this, as someone who did not vote for Obama? That I most likely have chosen fear over hope and conflict and discord over purpose? From all the lines from his speech, this one will stick with me for a very long time. It will probably be the only line I will remember (which is sad, really). Maybe I’m overdramatizing the line, maybe not. Whatever the case, who is really to blame?

Obamanation: Image is Everything

2009-01-21T16:13:00.007-06:00

I was creeped out during the primaries, creeped out during the general election, and am now equally creeped out that this cult of personality still persists. It seems to keep growing, with no end in sight. It's one thing to feel empowered, uplifted and all around excited about the prospect of a politician you can finally believe in. It's a completely another thing to have idolization take place. Where a face replaces any objective meaning, where artists make propaganda like videos, and people go damn near hysterical with obedience (When someone starts a sentence with "Obama is asking me..." or "He wants me to..." it gets to a point where one is looking more for a father than a President to lead this nation). For God's sake, we even have corporations now in the act. It's one thing to praise him, it's another thing to worship him.

Being a cynic, I’m naturally a bystander to this phenomena rather than a participant, and I hope to keep it that way.

Back to hiatus.

Hiatus

2009-01-15T23:16:00.004-06:00

For a short period of time. I'll be back. In the mean time...

Laugh and cry at this trailer for Streets of Fire.

Oh Dafoe.

Food for Thought Three

2009-01-09T16:23:00.004-06:00

You are a news organization and you are covering a conflict. On one side you have an established democracy that for years has been confronted with threats to its security and existence. It has a pretty large military and the means to defend itself. On the other side is a terrorist organization, which has limited representation out of nationalist fervor, and shoots rockets aimlessly into the democracy (with a focus on their civilians). Which side do you present more positively? Which side do you give leeway with when it comes to the facts? To many it’s a no-brainer, to others, it’s ambiguous.

Clearer to the point: One side intends to kill civilians while the other tries to avoid them.

Foreign Policy Magazine Expands

2009-01-05T09:07:00.003-06:00

The Stark Tenet 3.0

2009-01-04T00:56:00.000-06:00

...with a new blog title design.

Lame.