Getting Realistic About Pessimism

The other day I ran across this quote by Mark Twain that tickled my comfort bone:

“At fifty a man can be an ass without being an optimist but not an optimist without being as ass.”

 

 

 

 

This got me thinking about my naturally optimistic core where I walk out some very pessimistic considerations in action and deed.   

Is the light at the end of the tunnel an oncoming train? I often think it is. That is, until I’m confident I can see daylight and not hear the distinctive hum of a diesel electric motor or hear the high pitch of steel wheels grinding on track. I need proof in the darkness of uncertainty.

Getting Ourselves Off The Hook Q&A

In this piece, I will attempt to address questions, concerns, and statements made by individuals who voiced objection to the Sandy Hook essays and/or other remarks I have made regarding 2^nd amendment rights and the debate over the ban on “so called” assault weapons.

I have elected not to mention names out of respect for their privacy, even though I do not hide my identity.

I some instances I was forced to extract a question from comment(s), a somewhat subjective process. However, I tried to use the exact language used by the poster whenever possible.  As more questions come in, I will add them to this post.

Getting Ourselves Off the Hook Pt 5

The Right Firearms and the Right to Self Defense

Go to the Introduction

Go to Part 2 The Common Good and the Dignity of the Human Being

Go to Part 3 The Militia. An Antiquated Term?

Go to Part 4 The Problem with Governments

Part 5 -Ignorance from Firearms

For those who know little about firearms, self-defense, and use of force dynamics, it’s easy to see the assault rifle as excessive; but, they are far from it. The term “assault rifle” itself is a misnomer in any case.

Getting Ourselves Off the Hook Pt 4

The Right Firearms and the Right to Self Defense

Go to the Introduction

Go to Part 2 The Common Good and the Dignity of the Human Being

Go to Part 3 The Militia. An Antiquated Term?

Part 4 -The Problem with Governments

We must be honest. Governments do go bad. In fact, our nation was born from this sad fact. We shouldn’t delude ourselves into thinking this can’t happen in the U.S.

The founders of our Republic were sending a message to future generations when they penned our nation’s founding documents.

This message is the clearest. I fear it has been clearly forgotten. For clarity’s sake, I will be clear here:

The history of man is MORE a story of governments gone bad than those that have not.

Getting Ourselves Off the Hook Pt 3

The Right Firearms and the Right to Self Defense

Go to the Introduction

Go to Part 2 The Common Good and the Dignity of the Human Being

Part 3 - The Militia. An Antiquated Term?

For the average American, it’s generally inconceivable to consider ourselves vulnerable to foreign invasion or attack. We think our military can never be defeated.

Think again. Historically speaking, no nation has ever been able to make that claim ex post facto. Although, many have certainly believed that pre facto. We are fools if we think we are an exception in this sense.

If our military was ever defeated, who will be left protect us from the horror and genocide that may follow?

Getting Ourselves Off the Hook Pt. 2

The Right Firearms and the Right to Self Defense

Go to the Introduction

Part 2 -The Common Good and the Dignity of the Human Being

Governments are created to serve the common good of man.

But, the common good must be held in balance with the dignity of the human being, which is its foundation.  The common good should never crush that. When it does, the human being is deprived of its truer nature.  The common good, which seeks the best for all men, is no longer attainable because the fundamental aspects of humanity are undermined.

Getting Ourselves Off the Hook

The Right Firearms and the Right to Self Defense.

Introduction

Perhaps too much time has passed since the horror of Newtown was seared into our memories. Anyone could see what would come of this. Rather than recognize this as a terrible and unexplainable tragedy, those in power, those with dark agendas, would seize this as an opportunity for Americans to vote away their freedom for a greater level of perceived security.

This is occurring now- “Let’s take another look at that troublesome 2^nd amendment.”

Google Everything…And, I MEAN Everything

These are some very useful services offered by Google that you may or may not know about. You might find some of them interesting. I am never astonished enough when I consider the sheer volume of information now available at our fingertips. It is at the same time wonderful and frightening too. Like so many things of this nature, we should pause and reflect on the proper use of raw information. It brings to mind some thoughts and quotes from several great thinkers:

“Information is Not Knowledge.” -Albert Einstein
“Knowledge is Power (scientia potentia est.)” -Sir Francis Bacon from Meditationes Sacrae 1597
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." – Lord Acton.
“With enlightenment, comes mission.” – a lesson from the allegory of the cave in Plato’s “Republic.”
 "To whom much is given, much is expected.” - Luke 12:48

The source story can be read by clicking on the link below. One should read the article so you can learn, in more detail, on the capabilities and limitations of these services.

FOXNews.com - The Undiscovered Google: 7 Services You Need to Try

I have taken the liberty to list some of the links to these services below. Enjoy.

Google Books. An attempt to digitize vast tomes of books and magazines.
Fast Flip. An online news source and compiles currents news from multiple sources.
Life Images. Millions of images from Life Magazine and many other sources.
Goog 411. A free 411 service. Interesting.
Product Search. Formerly Froogle, search for millions of products, prices, comparisons, etc.

Creativity, Imagination, and Deception

Using the technique of “futuring” one would have to recognize how this type of technology can be misused to deceive. Fantastic and wonderful on many levels but like most things, we must be guarded and stay educated as to its uses.

Remember when movies were made on location.

A really cool video that let’s us see how movies are being made now.



Source, Patrick Madrid's Blog

The Immorality of Suspicion by Fr. Paul

Another terrific article by Fr. Paul.  A must read.

Editorial (01/27/10)


The Immorality of Suspicion

The amount of damage done to souls, to priests, to parishes, to apostolates because of loose tongues is impossible for any human mind to calculate. One of the components of uncharitable speech is, very often, suspicion. Perhaps the suspicions arise from pride, or insecurities, or whatever, but we’ll leave that aside and in this week’s article, we shall focus on the question of suspicion itself.