If I Died Today

I had a dream last night that I was in a car accident. I was pinned inside my car which had flipped over on the side of the road. No one had arrived at the scene and as I waited for help to arrive I realized two things. One, my injuries would not allow me to live much longer. Two, I was okay with that.

Being a dream, I did not have to deal with the reality of pain or anxiety that would normally occur in such a situation. So I was able to peacefully focus on reviewing my life…what I had done, what I was currently doing, and what I still wanted to do. I discovered that I have lived a good life (so far) and if things were to end today I would not feel cheated or deprived. Not just in the dream world, but in reality as well.

  • I have grown from a child to an adult.
  • I have played, competed, and worked.
  • I have failed and succeeded at numerous endeavors.
  • I have had family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and partners.
  • I have been single, married, and divorced.
  • I have owned my own home.
  • I have made investments, been in debt, and gotten out of debt.
  • I have discovered our world from the smallest forms of life to the largest structures of our universe.
  • I have contemplated the beginning of time and the nature of man.
  • I have studied the great philosophers as well as the Sunday comics.
  • I have escaped into make-believe worlds and delved into real-life stories.
  • I have traveled across much of our country, from Florida to Montana, from New York to Nevada.
  • I have flown in private planes, sailed on boats, been chauffeured in limousines, and crossed rugged terrain on an ATV.
  • I have eaten in 5 star restaurants and shaken hands with famous people.
  • I have rappelled off towers and climbed rock walls.
  • I have been injured and I have healed.
  • I have made people laugh and made people cry.
  • I have taught what I know to others.
  • I have planned for the future and throw caution to the wind.
  • I have been both the cool guy and the nerd.
  • I have discussed morality, spirituality, society, and politics.

In other words, I have lived as much as anyone has and do not feel an emptiness inside. If this were my last day on earth, I would feel comfortable that I have not squandered my life away. I have no regrets.

I have heard the phrase, “If you have no regrets, you haven’t really lived,” but I don’t agree with it. I believe this is just a sentiment to either pacify those with regrets or rationalize those with wild lifestyles. I think you can live a full life without racking up a series of bad choices that will haunt you later on in life.

Would I do anything differently if I could? Yes, I would change everything. Not to correct mistakes I’ve made, but to make new experiences. I’ve already lived through these…why do them again?

If you have guilt or regrets, you are living in the past. If you have fears or anxiety, you are living in the future. If you have neither, you are living in the present.

Physical Touch

GoogleFacts recently stated that, “Physical touch makes you healthier. Studies show that massages, hugs, and hand-holding reduces stress and boosts the immune system.”

Explains why I am sick a lot.

Presidential Debate: Clinton-Trump

I’m about to watch the first of the 2016 Presidential Debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. I’m leaning toward Clinton, but I want to (try to) give both a fair chance.

It’s not that I’m pro-Clinton, rather I’m anti-Trump. My concern is that Trump has no tact and no concern for the people. I believe he would make a terrible president. Intentionally or not, he instills animosity in crowds and brings out the worst in people…individualism to the extreme. I don’t think that would be good for our country.

I get the ideals he is basing his platform on, even though he hasn’t actually stipulated any of them. (Hoping for that tonight.) I just don’t believe his sincerity. I believe he is using the “Make America Great Again” emblem and the GOP as means of promoting himself to president. I don’t believe he is Republican. I believe he is Trump and will use what is available to further his agenda.

I also don’t think he grasps the details of how the government operates. His comments suggest his knowledge of positions and authorities isn’t what it should be for the Commander-In-Chief. He often states he will do things if elected that the POTUS simply doesn’t have the power to do. He tells us what Hillary should have done as Secretary of State that isn’t within the purview of that position. I don’t know if he’s trying to rally the troops or that he truly doesn’t understand the scope of that office. Perhaps he doesn’t care. But it’s clear that his previous experience will in no way assist him in this position.

I don’t have a problem with a businessman running for president. I voted for Perot (although I wouldn’t again). And I’ve always said that if the elections were held on April 15th, Steve Forbes would have held the office by now, perhaps to good effect. But Trump isn’t a businessman, not really. He’s a front man.

He’s a snake-oil salesman. Few, if any, of his venture are successful. He says what he needs to say to get you to believe him. He makes things up for the benefit of his own stories. He has actually made up rumors on the spot and then referred to those rumors to further his argument. Unbelievable.

It’s a telling sign when the major players aren’t in his corner. None of the previous presidents support him. Key members of the GOP don’t back him. And not even his fellow businessmen donate to his campaign. http://fortune.com/2016/09/24/fortune-100-companies-donald-trump/

Don’t get me wrong. Hillary isn’t a peach either. She is more steeped in Washington politics than almost any candidate in recent history. Her trustworthiness just isn’t there. But when she seems shady, at least you know that she knows what she’s hiding. I don’t think Trump is even aware of what he makes up. He contradicts himself so much that I’m not sure even he can keep track. Or cares.

I believe Hillary is the lesser of two evils.

I know that people want to shake things up, I get that. But there’s a difference in shaking things up and tearing things apart. I just don’t see any upside to what Trump offers. This is no longer about platform or party. This about who you want to represent the United States around the world. For me, that is not Trump.

Am I Happy?

It’s been one of those days…the kind where everything seems to go wrong. I was so frustrated with everything by the time I got home from work that I just went straight into my room, shut off the lights, and fell asleep until about 1:30 AM. Now I’m wide awake.

Time has passed and thinking back upon it, the “everything is going wrong” feeling is probably nothing more than bad pattern recognition. There are thousands of events that make up our lives each day. The number of things that “go wrong” from day to day is minuscule and doesn’t really change all that much. And they are usually spaced out pretty evenly.

But every so often the wrong events will happen in a short timespan and we feel that a pattern is emerging when it’s really not. That false pattern leads us to believe that the day is ruined or that the universe is conspiring against us. Once in this mindset, we start looking for evidence to support it and see bad things happening all day. A slippery slope.

Of course, understanding this now in no way helps my mood when these situations happen. Which brings me to a realization: it really doesn’t take much to throw my day out of whack. Three or four bad events and the day is lost. Why am I so close to the edge? Why is it so easy for me to fall into this trap?

Perhaps I’m just not as happy of a person as I think I am. I like to believe I am happy, but if that were the case, it should take more than a dropped coffee cup and bad traffic to change my outlook.

I guess I’m not really happy. But I’m not sad or angry or perplexed either. I’m just here. Going along each day because that’s what you do. Excepting suicide, there is no alternative.

This brings me to a basic flaw I see with religion. Most people, it seems, would like to live forever…despite literature and film being filled with examples of why this is a bad idea. The idea of life everlasting, that is advertised by most religions, is appealing to nearly everyone. A good hook, I think.

But if you’re not interested in living forever, if the one you have now is more than sufficient, what appeal does religion offer? I can’t imagine going on and on and on. I can barely imagine getting through this life. Why would I want more? There’s only so much that we humans can experience, learn, understand, and retain. One normal lifespan seems adequate to me. Two lifespans is almost unthinkable. But forever?

I understand the idea of transcending the human experience and limitations through spiritual awakening. But honestly that seems more like a CYA gimmick to me. When you look at the fine print, there’s no way to validate or define that notion. It’s added on to assure people it’s a good thing.

SELLER: Buy my service and you’ll receive unlimited widgets.

BUYER: Why do I want unlimited widgets?
SELLER: Because you do. Everyone does. More is better.

BUYER: But I’m not sure I need unlimited widgets. I can barely use the ones I have now.
SELLER: With my service you’ll be a changed man…one who can appreciate unlimited widgets.

BUYER: So I have to agree to let you change me into someone who can appreciate unlimited widgets just so that you can sell me a service that provides unlimited widgets?
SELLER: … Heretic!

I have heard it said, more than once, that the reason so many people throughout history are religious is because it is a universal truth that most people eventually discover. I would counter by claiming that most people believe because religions are based on humanity’s weaknesses and desires. Most people experience the same hardships, so most people find religion comforting.

Person: Life sucks.

Church: We’ll make it better.
Person: My loved one died.

Church: We’ll let you see them again.
Person: I’m scared.

Church: There, there.
Person: Am I a good person?

Church: No, but you can be.
Person: Does anyone truly know me?

Church: We do.
Person: Does nobody see what I sacrifice for others?

Church: We do.
Person: How can you do all this?

Church: We can’t explain it. Just trust us.
Person: When will all of these things happen?

Church: After you’re dead.
Person: So you have nothing to offer me now while I’m living?

Church: Look at all the good we do for people in need.

Person: So does the Red Cross.
Church: … (insert random scriptural passage)

When you find a person who does not need the comforts of religion, who does not seek life everlasting, you will find someone who has an external eye on the subject. This person sees that religion is not a universal truth, not some ubiquitous echo of a divine creator, but a social institution created to fill the needs shared by humanity. That person is more often than not an atheist. This is what I am.

I’m not stating that religion doesn’t have it’s place in our world. Religions do a lot of good for a lot of people. But they also polarize our world and have grave consequences for how we interact with each other. I haven’t made up my mind on whether religion is net positive or negative.

Either way, I don’t believe in any religion’s underlying assumptions. I do believe that (1) most people need religion to make it through life, (2) they rationalize it however they can, and (3) it is futile to argue against someone’s beliefs.

So I respect it, I just don’t believe it.

The Death Penalty

Ariel Castro, no relation to Cuban leader Fidel Castro, found dead in prison cell. He was given multiple life sentences in prison for each of his heinous crimes.

This news neither surprises me, nor bothers me. I can understand why he wouldn’t want to spend the rest of his life behind bars. But life in prison doesn’t do justice for the things he did: kidnapping, rape, abuse, murder…again and again. Someone who can so easily ignore the basic human rights of others, doesn’t deserve any himself.

This is why I’m in favor of the death penalty. Some people just don’t deserve to live.

If we as a society can take away a life through abortion, then we can certainly take away a life through capital punishment. We kill the innocent, but give room and board to the guilty. Hmm. Our sense of morality is a little out of balance.

It bothered me when the sentence was passed. A thousand years in prison? Which doesn’t start until after he has died? How does that begin make sense? Anything beyond life is irrelevant. How does adding a millenium to his sentence make a difference?

According to that logic, we would have to leave his body in a cell to rot until the 31st century. Of course, his sentence would probably be cut in half for good behavior, so his corpse would get a burial just after Mal Reynolds and the Browncoats lose the Unification War of 2506 in Firefly.

The problem with the death penalty is time. The death penalty doesn’t work as a deterrent because too much time passes between sentencing and carrying out the verdict…about 15 years (2010 average) according to Wikipedia. There is no immediacy to the verdict. No one is afraid of something that might happen more than a decade down the road. (Ask anyone who smokes.)

But my support of it is based less on deterrence than simply getting people out of this world…permanently. I don’t want the possibility that they may be paroled for good behavior or get an early release due to budget cuts. I also don’t want to pay for their lives while they’re in prison. Why should I have my taxes increased to support those who spit in the face of our society?

Every community has rules and there are consequences if you break those rules. Show us that you can’t abide by the rules and we’ll sequester you away. But show us that you can’t abide by the basic laws of human nature and we’ll take away your right to live.

Who are we to judge? We are society. And we have a right to protect ourselves.

Riddick

Despite being a fan of the series, I’m not entirely looking forward to the next installment in The Chronicles of Riddick.

The series started off with Pitch Black (2000), a survival story about about space travelers marooned on a deadly desert world. The movie was okay but not great. There really wasn’t much of a plot and it was only Vin Diesel’s on-screen charisma that made it watchable.

The second installment, which few people saw (or even heard of), is a short (35 min) animation called Dark Fury (2004). It was voiced by many of the same actors from the first film, including Diesel as Riddick. It covers the time between the first and second movies, showing what happened to Riddick, Jack, and Imam after they leave the desert world. It provides some continuity and back story that the first movie lacked.

The third installment, The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), was definitely a step forward. It delivered good action scenes, beautiful sets and visual effects, and a comprehensive storyline. This one got me hooked on the series. The introduction of the Underverse really opens up the plot and makes it much more appealing than Pitch Black.

Unfortunately, it appears that the upcoming movie, Riddick (2013), will revert back to the overly simplistic plot of Pitch Black. All we see in the previews is Riddick escaping(?) from mercenaries and killing large creatures. That sounds more like Pitch Black than a new chapter in the story. All action and no plot was fine for the first film, but it no longer satisfies. We need the story to move forward. There are questions to be answered.

For example, the last film ended with Riddick killing the Lord Marshall and assuming leadership of the Necromongers. How, then, does he end up captive in a merc ship on a barren desert planet…again? What did he do with his legion? Where are the Necromongers?

Those details aside, there are two questions I need answered for this story to be complete: (1) Will Riddick ever visit the Underverse? and (2) Will we ever see Furya restored and his people begin to flourish again? I know that he’s supposed to be one of the last Furyans, but no one’s sure. They have to finish out the story. You can’t build up a narrative in the second installment, then disregard it completely in the third. That isn’t storytelling.

Vin Diesel, in a recent interview, stated that he also has these same questions. That’s good to know. It’s always a plus for me when the actors generate true interest in the stories they bring to life.

Data Creation

Every day, we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data – so much that 90% of the data in the world today has been created in the last two years alone.

-IBM, 2013

Fast & Furious Agency Switching

In The Fast and the Furious, Brian O’Conner is an LAPD officer. At the end of the movie, he loses his job because lets Toretto go.

In 2 Fast 2 Furious, O’Conner is not cop, but works for US Customs. At the end of the movie he is back to being a civilian.

In Fast & Furious, O’Conner is now and FBI agent (not sure when that happened), but his supervisor at the agency says he was lucky to be reinstated. Reinstated? When was O’Conner ever an FBI agent to begin with? By the end of the move, you guessed it, he loses his job and becomes a civilian again.

In Fast Five, O’Conner, Dom, and Mia have a run in with DEA agents aboard a train. Yes, he’s a civilian.

In Fast and Furious 6, O’Conner and Dom team ip with Hobbs in DSS (Diplomatic Security Services – the law enforcement arm of the Dept. of State)…so they’re kind of deputized as federal agents. End of the movie? Just a civilian, but at least in the government’s good graces.

Isn’t all this agency switching a little much? At this rate, by the end of the franchise, O’Conner will have worked for or with every branch of law enforcement at both local and federal levels.

I really hope they stop making these movies before we see Brian O’Conner: Mall Cop.

Toothpaste on Headlights

I read about this trick where you rub regular toothpaste onto your car’s headlights and years of grime and buildup are immediately removed.

Sounded too good to be true, given that it costs hundreds of dollars to have it done professionally. But I gave it a shot…figuring that it only takes a few minutes and a small bit of toothpaste.

Surprisingly it works pretty well. After only one pass, my headlight is nearly clear again. I wouldn’t say it sparkles, but it doesn’t look yellow anymore. I might give it a second pass in the morning.

It may only last a few months without applying a sealant, but it’s no problem to repeat the process as needed.

Employers Asking for Passwords

A recent article on Mashable talks about Congress trying to pass the Password Protection Act to keep employers from snooping around inside someone’s social media account.

This is one of those situations I can’t believe is actually happening. I honestly wondered if this was one of those urban legends, like the girl who baked herself in a tanning bed before prom.

A username/password allows someone to create or modify content. But this is not necessary if you just want to see what someone has publicly posted. It would be of no use to an employer unless they were trying to edit the posts or close the account, neither of which they have a right to do.

If an employer is asking for your login information, then it’s clear they doin’t understand how online accounts work. The most they need is a screen name to follow you. Perhaps that’s what they are really looking for?

Having said that, there is no way in hell I would give an employer my password. I don’t care what the law of even the company policy says. That is so beyond the boundary of ethical behavior that I would ask to speak with the company’s legal counsel and verbally challenge my continued employment with that company.

I’ve hinted about this in my previous post: Social Media Needs to Stay Social.