Still Alive

This song has been making the rounds recently. When I first heard it I thought it was neat but could not figure out what the heck the lyrics had to do with anything. They seemed sort of random yet like there was some inside joke that I did not understand.

I set out to do a bit of Googling and discovered that this song was from the ending credits of a computer game called, "Portal". So far everything I have read about it makes it a great game to play so I'll probably be getting it soon just so I can play this game and understand the song even more.

After reading several comments about the song and the game I have a basic understanding of the song now and it really makes it even better. I'm going to let you do your own research if you want to understand the song because having not yet played the game, I'd probably just get it all wrong anyway.

Enjoy the song, and let me know what you think!

In case you don't want to scribble all of the lyrics down from the video here they are in print...

Still Alive - Lyrics
==========
This was a triumph.

I’m making a note here: "Huge success".

It’s hard to overstate my satisfaction.

Aperture Science

We do what we must

because we can.

For the good of all of us.

Except the ones who are dead.

But there’s no sense crying over every mistake.

You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

And the Science gets done.

And you make a neat gun.

For the people who are still alive.

I’m not even angry.

I’m being so sincere right now.

Even though you broke my heart.

And killed me.

And tore me to pieces.

And threw every piece into a fire.

As they burned it hurt because I was so happy for you!

Now these points of data make a beautiful line.

And we’re out of beta.

We’re releasing on time.

So I’m glad. I got burned.

Think of all the things we learned

for the people who are still alive.

Go ahead and leave me.

I think I prefer to stay inside.

Maybe you’ll find someone else to help you.

Maybe Black Mesa

That was a joke.

Ha ha, Fat chance.

Anyway, this cake is great.

It’s so delicious and moist.

Look at me still talking

when there’s Science to do.

When I look out there, it makes me glad I’m not you.

I’ve experiments to run.

There is research to be done.

On the people who are still alive.

And believe me I am still alive.

I’m doing Science and I’m still alive.

I feel fantastic and I’m still alive.

While you’re dying I’ll be still alive.

And when you’re dead I will be still alive.

Still alive

Still alive

Change

It's inevitable, at least that's the consences.

Since we can't prevent change from occuring, it's more important how we deal with changes as they come along.

I'm retired from the Air Force, so I'm used to changes as I moved from base to base. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to not have to move as much as many other folks in the military.

My father is like a Gypsy, because he seems to relish moving all of the time. Every few years he's selling one house and buying another. He currently works for a company where he can drive all across the country delivering RV's to dealers. Once he told me that he believed that the world was meant to be explored, and that's what he likes doing.

A chip off the old block I'm not. Occasional travel is enjoyable, but uprooting my home every few years would make me crazy. I like planning how I am going to improve my home.

For example, I want to knock down a wall between two rooms in my basement this summer and turn the single large room this would create into a library.

In our family room, I plan on getting a flat-panel TV and embedding it into a wall so the wall remains flat and the TV is flush inside the wall. The components will be below this in a knocked out portion of the wall with the back extending into the adjoining room. In the adjoining room there will be a built-in bench seat to cover the fact that underneath is all of the stereo equipment from the family room. This will have the added benefit of being able to reach the back of my components easily to change wiring when needed. I will also run a network cable into the spot so I can connect network devices such as my Apple TV.

These are all nice changes, but what happens when life tosses you a change you don't really want?

My personal constitution allows me to remain stable during difficult times. I'm not sure how I got this way. If I knew, I could probably go on a speaking tour, write a book, and make millions showing other people how to toughen up.

Even though I might be considered an expert when it comes to not showing how much change affects me, I know the real story.

I am affected by changes just like everyone else. The way I deal with things is to look at my situation logically and try to handle things as intelligently as I can. Sometimes this requires the illusion that I am tough, and can appear to handle anything, but it's not always the case.

Life ends. I have lost several people, and animals, that have meant a great deal to me, and will lose a lot more as time goes by. This change cannot be prevernted. At least not yet.

To deal with this, I prepare my emotions by accepting the fact that the day will come when those older then I will pass. I think it helps to acknowledge this early on, and deal with these emotions over time rather then deny it will happen and then suddenly get hit. It's the whole cricle-of-life thing. It's gong to happen, so don't fight it.

The latest change in my life is getting divorced after 19 years of marriage.

Although this too is painful, I have seen it coming for a long while now. For years I have expected this inevitable outcome and have mentally prepared for the day. The result is that we are working out the details together and trying to remain friends throughout the process.

Divorcing intelligently is not the norm. In fact, many people we have had to deal with from our insurance company to our lawyers are amazed at how calmly we are proceeding.

Unfortunately, most divorces happen when one person is completely caught off-guard not realizing there was a problem with their marriage to begin with. Of course, this may be one of the problems...

Denial, not just a river in Egypt.

I was going to give advice to people who might be facing this, but I am not qualified to do so because every situation is different and everyone reacts to this sort of thing differently.

I will say that during this process emotions are high. Internally I have been on an emotional rollercoaster since the process began. If you are even remotely thinking of this in your own situation, make damn sure you have tried everything you possibly could before proceeding. It just makes good sense, before you destroy your family, to exhaust every avenue that is available to you.

In the end, after trying everything at your disposal, then talk it over and proceed intelligently and calmly. I'm certain it will be insanely difficult if just one of you feels this way, and considerably easier if you are both coming to the same realization that things are just not working.

Sometimes, it's tough to take the high road whe things aren't working for one and not the other. Instead of selfishly fighting them, it's best to release them.

I remember part of a saying that goes something like, “If you love someone, set them free...” Doing this is much better then, “I'll see you in court, bitch!”

Fair Game

I'm hearing a lot of talk and news coverage recently about how we should boycott the Olympic games, or boycott the opening ceremonies, or attack the torch runners.

Although many people do not agree with how China handles their affairs, the simple fact is that the Olympic games are an international gathering of atheletes regardless of the status between countries.

Even though they have in the past, the Olypmic games should not be used as a political tool. For some reason the term, “Is nothing sacred?” comes to mind right now.

China has poor people skills, especially when it comes to rights and freedoms. We all know this, and we get it. There is no need to use the Olympics to attempt to make your point just because they are being hosted in China this time around.

Go ahead and use the news coverage of the Olympics to bring to light the attrocities in China, but don't attempt to do physical, or political, things to prevent the games from occuring.

Atheletes from around the world have literally worked hard all of their lives to get to the Olympics, and who are you with your political agenda to try and prevent them from participating.

I get really annoyed with people who use other people and events to further their goals. If your cause is great then continue to educate people through whatever means necessary, such as the web, seminars, news reports and the like. Eventually, people will see your point of view and be pursuaded to help out.

If you have a cause that nobody is really interested in, guess what? Nobody is interested in it! This does not mean you can then burn down facilties, kill people, or highjack other events to try and bring attention to your cause. They have a word for these actions. Terrorism.

There is great passion in people for various causes, and that's a good thing. Without passionate people we would probably still have many horrible situations throughout this planet. All I am saying is, don't let your passion turn into a dangerous thing.

If you want to call for all of those to feel as you do to not watch the Olympics, then great. All of your supporters can happily do other things while the Olympics are on, and you can feel good about doing something in your own way to protest China hosting the games.

Once you start affecting peoples lives who do not follow your zeal for your cause, now you've crossed the line and are on the border of being out of control.

How do I deal with topics I want others to know I care about? Well, your reading this site aren't you?

It's not much, but it's my personal platform to rant about what annoys me. And right now it's you. Those of you who seek to savatage the Olympic games for your cause.

Highway High Jinks

I received this in email today and thought it was a hoot.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR A FUN TIME ON THE INTERSTATE


Step 1 - Tie balloons to car.

Step 2 - Drive like a bat out of hell...

Step 3 - Watch people freak out!!!!!

Living Hell - Audio Version

In 2003 I wrote a few fictional articles for Halloween. One of these articles entitled, “Living Hell”, was one of my favorites.

So this year, I decided to make it into an audio file for Halloween.

This decision was a last minute one, and I basically wanted to see if I could throw something together quickly.

It’s taken me several hours to accomplish, because like anything involving a computer there were many stumbling blocks that got in my way.

In the end, I managed to cludge together a fairly decent attempt at entertaining audio.

I hope you enjoy listening to this file as much as I enjoyed writing, and now reading, it for you.

Click here to listen...

Virginia Tech Rampage

I can’t sit back and listen to the sad story of the Virginia Tech slaughter without making my own comments.

The thing that makes my comments different from the news is that I am not going to try and place the blame for this on anyone but the shooter.

Before the smoke even cleared the President of Virginia Tech, Charles Steger, was chastised for not warning the rest of the students after the first shooting earlier in the morning.

There was no reason to warn everyone because two people were shot. In case you have been living under a rock, and I find that many people seem to these days, there are shootings that take place on any given day in most cities across our country. They just happen so frequently that it’s not major news.

Check out the police blotter in your city sometime to get a little dose of reality. This is why you don’t flip people off on the freeway, or venture into areas where scary folks are hanging out.

The simple fact is, after the first shooting took place, there was no clue that more were on the way. The police were on the scene and they did not think to raise the alarm campus-wide as well, and they are the professionals!

Next, for all of the folks who think the guns were the problem, chill out just a tad. There are millions of guns in this country, but not millions of Virginia Tech incidents.

There is talk tonight, after the multimedia package that the gunman left has been gone through, that it shows obvious signs that this was going to happen. News commentators site that because he did not speak to people, wrote disturbing things, and was angry all the time, this should have been prevented.

What they don’t offer is how. Shall we imprison everyone who writes dark things? Is it time to begin arresting people just because we know they’re going to do evil? How the heck do you know!!! What trial is done that will dig into everyones medical records and personal writings? Is it time to start listening to people who rat-out there friends and lock people up because they just don’t look or act like everyone else?

We have all seen, and known, creepy people in our lives. I have crossed their paths through my entire life, whether in school or at work. As far as I know nobody I have known has ever ended up doing something like this. Should I have turned them in and ruined their lives because I suspected them being a tad nutty? I think not.

It’s time for everyone to take a step back, take a deep breath, and approach this incident from reality and not stupidity.

I am truly saddened for those who have lost someone in this terrible action by an obviously evil man. This does not mean that I am willing to jump on any of the current bandwagons to condemn someone for this clowns actions. It was not the fault of the Virginia Tech President, it is not the fault of the guns he used, it is not the fault of his doctor, it is not the fault of and system. IT IS NOBODY’S FAULT BUT THE PERSON WHO PERFORMED THE DEED.

You are NEVER going to be able to predict every type of these actions. The unfortunate truth is that the only time you can catch these people is when they stray and do bad things.

Perhaps the one thing I will agree on, is that if someone is diagnosed as being harmful to either themselves, or others, they should not be allowed to obtain a weapon through legal means. Will this prevent them from getting a weapon? Perhaps, or perhaps not. It may slow them down or possibly even prevent something like this altogether.

Before you respond to this story, and tell me I’m wrong because you blame something or somebody, you’d better have some facts to back up your statement, or you might as well just crawl back under your rock.

A disturbed killer is gone, and the only bright spot in this incident is that he took his own life so we don’t have to subject the country to years of him in court, or the expense it would incur. It’s going to get enough press as it is.

Let these people rest in peace, remember them, mourn their passing, and then move forward.

Do You Dream Of Insect Adventures?

Perhaps it’s the late hour, the movie I am watching, or just the fact that I’m on another business trip, but suddenly I felt like it was time for a new article.

It’s not just my imagination. It can’t be. They make movies about it, they write books about it, everyone talks about it, so it must be true.

Life is too short.

Unfortunately life ends abruptly for too many people. When the Grim Reaper comes there’s no “do-overs” and no second chances. When that time comes, I wonder how many people have regrets of not living life to the fullest.

What does living life to the fullest mean? I guess for some it means traveling all over and seeing as much as they can of this world. For others, they enjoy giving everything to help others in need. The sad thing is, I think most people never realize what they want to do until it’s too late.

We can’t all live out our dreams because of money, obligations, and that pesky little thing called reality.

Why it’s true that some have risked all to chase their dreams, and have succeeded, many others have pursued some of the same dreams and have met with disaster.

Sometimes, as romantic and exciting as it may seem to drop everything and head off in search of your utopia, it is much more difficult to let your dreams float on by while you remain sane and practical.

I have written an article before about how the grass can appear to be greener on he other side, and I suppose this is just a revisit of that same concept.

Don’t feel as though you must abandon all hopes and dreams, but merely temper them with thought and intelligence. There should be no reason to destroy your life in the pursuit of the enticing greener pasture. That green pasture you see could very well be artificial turf!

Taking all of this into consideration, I can also give a nod to the notion that you only live once. If it’s possible to bend reality just a bit, to realize some of your dreams, or to enjoy life a bit more, then I say mold reality into what you would like it to be. Just don’t bend reality so far that it breaks.

If you want to start a new business, for example, then go for it, just don’t quit your current job and plunge your family into bankruptcy to do so. Be smart. Start your new career by seeing how much you can do while still maintaining a healthy financial lifestyle. Once you have proven yourself in this new course then you can look into sliding out of the safe job and dive full speed ahead into your new found desire.

Is there someplace you have always wanted to go, or someone you have always wanted to see? Go do it now, or very soon. The older you get, the more difficult it will become to travel and do the things you have always wanted to do.

Visit family and friends before it’s too late. See the Grand Canyon, or go on that exotic vacation you have always wanted to take. Playing it safe is one thing, living in a vacuum-sealed bubble because you are to confined in your current thinking is another.

I would rather do the things that make me happy now, rather then wondering if I should have done them as I lay on my death bed. The limit you take these adventures to must be weighed by the consequences they will bring.

Destroying your family by traveling the world in search of new insects might not be very smart. After all, your family should always come first. On the other hand, your family should not be the factor that stifles your life. They may not understand what you desire, and that’s okay. As long as your actions do not harm others then I say go in search of your insects, just make them short trips and don’t lose sight of what should be coming first in your life.

I love the Wiccan Rede that states, “An it harm none, do what thou will”, which is similar to many religious thoughts of the “Golden Rule” which basically states, “Treat others how you wish to be treated.”

Live life to the fullest, don’t be afraid to visit those you care about, because life is too short to sit around wondering if you should have taken that kayak trip five years ago, or told someone you loved them.

Musical Dreams

Listen to music without any speech
Just close your eyes and let your mind reach
Feel the tune through your ears and down to your bones
For the full effect you must use headphones

Immerse yourself in the low and the high
Go on a journey up through the sky
Keep your eyes closed as you travel along
Enjoy every note of this magical song

There’s no need for drugs, alcohol or other
This trip is courtesy of your sister or brother
Talented people, with musical genes
Turning us on to their wonderful scenes

Avoid the screaming and other harsh things
Embrace the soft, the wind and the strings
Your spirit will lift and your soul will sail strong
Like a ship on the ocean you’ll ride on the song

Turn not completely from the talent of voice
For there too is a time when it’s just the right choice
The power of words and the message they bring
Can make your heart open to join in and sing

My tale is all true with music the key
To unlock your dreams and set them all free
Large or small you can break the mystical seal
Good music and headphones will make them all real

Sunglasses At Night

Many people are trying to reinvent themselves.

As humans we tend to never be satisfied with our appearance. Whether it’s clothes, weight, hair, shoes, or something else, we are always trying to do things that change our looks and perhaps redefine who we are in the eyes of others.

The nice thing about traveling is that I get the chance to observe other people heading from and to places all around our tiny planet. Sometimes you can almost guess where people are heading by the company they are keeping and the clothes they are wearing.

An example is that I have seen many women dressed like they were going to diner in a fancy restaurant, and pretty much in every case they were meeting a special someone when they landed. Most of the time it was seen to be a boyfriend rather then a husband based on the absence of rings on that special finger.

Families are rather easy to pick out as they herd their offspring along, trying to keep track of each other, toys, strollers, ipods, coloring books, baby dolls, travel games, the list goes on and on. This is normally accompanied by statements about them heading to Grandma’s house or to an amusement park such as Disneyland. The obvious appearance of returning Disneyland families are the never-ending amount of “Disney Wear” and bags that they have.

Then there are the business folks. Toting briefcases, dressed in suits, and talking on their cell phones arranging meetings and discussing issues. Tending to fall into this category on most of my trips, I get to dress in jeans and a t-shirt and haul my stuff around in a nice backpack instead of using the more stuffy look of briefcase and a suit.

As casually as I am dressed, I am still doing work most of the time I’m traveling. Sometimes there is the exception when I feel the urge to put down my Blackberry and type an observational article for my website.

Some of the more amusing people are those that don’t typically fit into any particular mold. What is the deal with wanting so bad to look cool that you go overboard? These people are not just trying to look cool for the time they are traveling, they are probably just extending their normal “Joe Cool” look they wear at home.

One example is the people wearing these low-riding jeans that hang down to their knees and expose their underwear. Fortunately I see this fad moving along and these clowns are becoming fewer and fewer. More then likely it’s because they finally got tired of having to constantly pull their pants up. It also might have something to do with looking more stupid then cool.

Next we have the people who seem to love to wear their sunglasses so much that they wear them inside. Even at night I have seen these “too cool for you” people come strutting off the plan at night with their mirror shades on. News flash, you’re not cool, you look like an idiot.

Realistically we should not judge people by how they look or what they wear, but let’s get serious for a moment. If you’re walking around at night with your cool-rays on, there is definitely something more to you then meets the eye. After all, if you look around and your “style” is so unique that absolutely nobody around you have seem to adopted it, chances are you’re so far out of the fashion world that you look more like a freak then a fashion idol.

As I type this I see a girl, maybe in her twenties, wearing ripped blue jeans, and a wonder bread t-shirt. This normally would not have attracted too much attention, but she is also sporting a Mohawk! If that’s not all she curled up across several seats and is apparently going to sleep. Again, it’s not so much that she is sleeping at the airport, I have even had to do this a time or two, but it’s 1:13PM. Most of the time you see this type of behavior early in the morning, or late at night when folks have been traveling all day. When you combine all of these things together in a complete package, it’s just funny to see.

Hats are another interesting thing to watch while traveling. Personally, I find the knit ski-type caps itchy if worn too long, but here I sit across from a guy in a t-shirt and jeans, working on his laptop, wearing a ski cap. If it was snowing in the terminal, this might make sense, but it’s not. There are two folks from different groups wearing Australian-style cowboy hats, and an older gentlemen in a t-shirt and a bowler type hat. To be fair he did walk up with a type of suit jacket on, but a bowler and a t-shirt just looks a little odd.

As usual there are the few kids (or adults who have not grown up yet) wearing baseball caps. And here’s something I never really understood, the act of wearing your sweatshirt hood all of the time. Is this another attempt at looking cool, because I really don’t see the need to constantly be under a hood. This is coming from a guy who is wearing a hood from a cloak in his avatar picture. I guess the difference is that I did that to look mystical, I don’t walk around that way (unless it’s snowing and I am wearing my traveling cloak outside, or it’s Halloween).

As I take another quick peek around me I see the rest of the folks, though interesting, are somewhat normal in their appearance, and my plane will be boarding in a few minutes so I’d better get this posted.

The next time you look in the mirror and are trying to decide to what level you would like to take your coolness to, I would caution you to error on the side of subtle rather then bizarre. If you choose to dress in the extreme, don’t be offended at the looks you will receive, or if you end up in someones blog.

Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses...

As normally happens while pondering a topic to write about, my thoughts about immigration have changed several times, and will probably flip flop around some more as the days go by.

At first, like most Americans, my reaction was, "The hell with them! They're illegal and they need to be sent home!"

After all, if you entered this country illegally you deserve to be sent home with your tail between your legs. Rode out of the country on a rail. Thrown in jail. Strapped to an ant hill with honey on your butt! Right?

This is not such a cut and dried topic though the more I think about the variables that come into play on this issue. Let me first tell you of my current position, then I will go into what I think needs to happen in the future.

When I heard about people protesting in the streets and carrying Mexican flags I was pissed off. I also get mad when I hear we are bending over backwards to change everything in this country to the Spanish language, and forcing our schools to lean toward Mexican immigrants in their teachings.

Point blank, I agree with Theodore Roosevelt when he said,

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, birthplace or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Or Henry Cabot Lodge,

"...Let every man honor and love the land of his birth and the race from which he springs and keep their memory green. It is a pious and honorable duty. But let us have done with British-Americans and Irish-Americans and so on, and all be Americans - nothing more and nothing less. If a man is going to be an American at all let him be so without any qualifying adjectives, and if he is going to be something else, let him drop the word American from his personal description."

As I watched the recent demonstrations with everyone wearing white to symbolize peace, and with the overwhelming majority of the flags now being waved being American, I felt proud to be an American. These people are demonstrating that they are not here just to infiltrate this country, many of them truly want to become Americans.

It's difficult to see immigrants, illegal or otherwise, waving the American flag and literally screaming to this country that they want to become Americans. How can we not embrace a people who are doing what Americans have been doing since this country was founded? They want a better life for themselves and their families. Like those immigrants who have come before them, they see that better life in America.

The problem now becomes how do we proceed with our current dilemma? We've certainly got a whopper.

Here is what I think should happen if I were king.

First, and foremost, we need to seal our borders once and for all. This is not just to keep people from immigrating to our country, but we absolutely need to prevent criminals of all manner from entering. I don't care if we build a wall, lay land mines, or create a moat of rabid gerbils, it has to be done, done now, and done right.

Second, as much as everyone hates this thought, we need to somehow allow those people who are currently here now to integrate into our country. The music has stopped, they all have a chair to sit in, the game is over. Is it fair to others who have waited in line? No, but it's a harsh world.

Don't get me wrong, these people should not be completely off the hook.

Once we recognize them as immigrants they need to take courses to learn English, and should have to pass the same test as anyone who wishes to become a citizen in this country. I don't even care if the government pays to educate them. The caveat will be that their educational focus will be English, and no other direction. You learn our way, or it's the highway!

Third, it's time for the employers to start supporting this country as well. No more looking the other way. You hire a person who has entered this country illegally, and it can be proved in court that you did this knowingly, your heading to jail on a Federal charge and your business becomes the property of the government to sell so they can pay the cost to imprison you. The penalties must be severe enough to make these folks think long and hard about hiring illegals.

Finally, after all of this hand-holding, compromising, expense and hard work to Americanize these recent visitors, if you are becoming a new citizen of this country you should have a probation period where you had better keep your nose clean and not commit any crimes or you're out of here! If you are booted from the country for committing a crime, you NEVER get to return, not even to go to Disneyland or visit Mom. We see you again, and you're in jail for a very long time.

This country can be compassionate, but we need to be hard when required.

The Statue of Liberty has inscribed on it the following poem of which most people in this country seem to have forgotten.

The New Colossus
by Emma Lazarus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles.
From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!"” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Annoying The Faithful

On The Roost Tsykoduk wrote an article titled, “Is faith allergic to sunlight?” in response to criticism from a reader called, “Obidavekenobi” that, “The percentage of your posts that deal with bashing the Christian religious world view is rather high. It sometimes disturbs me.”

Since most of you know that I love a good discussion on religious topics I just could not resist weighing in on this one. By all means head on over to Tsykoduks site and read the full discussion, but since my reply to this article was long-winded, as usual, I thought I would post it on the Handbasket as an article as well.

So grab a soda, swallow some Exedrin, and be prepared to once again read my seemingly inexhaustible ramblings on religion, faith and the zealots who perpetuate the ongoing saga that affects us all.

You seem to demand ‘proof’ for everything, and anything less than that is ‘blind faith.’ - DaveJustus replying to Tsykoduk

According to Dictionary.com, faith is,

Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.

An example of this type of faith is something like having faith that air will be around for a long time. You are confident that it will be around because you know truthfully that it is around now, and has been around in the past.

You can have faith in a person to do something for you because in the past they have always come through for you when needed.

Blind faith, on the other hand, is believing in something without any proof or track record. Following the writings of people from long ago does not warrant faith, it warrants blind faith. The exact religion is irrelevant. Most man-made religions require blind faith because they offer you intangible hope for the exchange of your obedience to their laws, rules, or teachings. It really is that simple.

By researching many religions throughout the world we see similar stories that have been created by humans used to explain things like their natural surroundings, their existence on this planet, and why they should be in power and control over what you do.

Have you ever spoke to someone who has quit smoking and now seems to be a zealot over their new found freedom from the nasty habit? They are elated and wish to share their success and happiness with others. Normally at the expense of making everyone else around them nutty in the process, especially people who still smoke.

I have undergone a similar transition when it comes to religion, and I think this is what is going on with Tsykoduk as well. It's not that we enjoy “bashing” other religions, we just want people to learn exactly what being the follower of a religion means.

I feel that in a way following a religion you have not studied deep is slavery to an idea others made up a long time ago. I continuously find it amazing that people refuse to learn about their own religious system, and are literally blind to its teachings without even knowing what they are agreeing to. To me, these people are blissfully ignorant.

Be Christian, Buddhist, Islamic, Wiccan, or whatever floats your boat, but actually study a learn what it is you're giving your life over to. Many people attempt to discuss this topic based on how they have always lived or believed, not because they have any substantial proof to back up their religious choice.

Good intellectual discussions on religion intrigue me. Poorly thought out religious mud-slinging does not. I'm not a religious person (oh really, never would have guessed). So unless you roll up your sleeves and bring out the big guns on why you believe how you do, there's no need to discuss religion with me.

My views are simple because after digging deep into a multitude of religions for the past 20 years or so, my belief is direct, and my resolution firm. I will not follow anyone, or any religious doctrine, without good cause. I have yet to find that cause, so my belief is in the natural world. I place my dedication to those things that I can influence, and try to act as a positive force in this world.

At times this is sometimes interpreted as an attack on religion, because the religious folk get very offended if you point out the short comings of their belief instead of sitting down in their “thinking chair” and providing a well researched point of discussion on why I am incorrect in my observation.

Our freedoms are not to be taken lightly, I will defend to the death a persons right to believe and practice that belief any way they wish short of harming others. You will never see me champion the cause of removing those rights.

When a religious zealot even whispers the possibility of preventing someone else from exercising their own rights, or attempts to force their belief system on others, then I take offense, and so should all of you who want to retain these rights. I'm not just fighting for the freedom of Christians, but for Buddhists, Wiccans, and those who worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Hmmm, perhaps I over-extended my two cents.