Catching up

[MauEvig]

Honestly, it's sad of me to think that so many innovations come about because of the loss of human life.
But the truth is still the truth, even if it's not a pleasant truth.
If only more innovations came about for the betterment of humankind, and perhaps by extension, all life on Earth as well.
But I'm a pacifist and idealist I suppose.

I'll note that I don't mind violence in a movie or television show setting. I mean, I enjoy the horror genre and I enjoy stories that have plenty of action in them. But I'm referring more or less to real life, when real people are involved.

That said, I make exceptions for self defense. I also support the martial arts, because martial arts can be used as a means of self defense or defending loved ones. I have no issue with sports like wrestling or boxing either.

Just throwing that out there to clarify.

Defending our country is important and having a strong military is as well.

But starting war just to start war for the sake of profit...that's just wrong. Although historically I do know that WWII got the world out of the Great Depression. But it just feels more like trading one evil for another. For the economy to prosper there has to be a need or a want, and those needs and wants need to be produced. War created a need, therefore weapons were produced and jobs were made.

I wish more conflicts were resolved by other means. Competition, games, and I don't mean games like The Hunger Games.

I know the word "utopia" has a negative connotation to it due to its association with Socialism and Marxism. But the definition of the word is "A perfect world." We live in a dystopia, the complete opposite. I don't think a true utopia is possible with human beings.

Really cool you got to meet Lois Lowry, author of The Giver. What was that like? I've only read the one book in 8th grade so like yourself, I haven't read any of her other books. I think they tried to compare it to Logan's Run, an old movie with a similar premise. But I've only see clips of it. Never the whole movie. I know not too long ago they made a film adaptation to it. I wonder how close to the book it is. Of course, with films, they're going to add stuff and cut stuff out that wasn't in the original.

I do think it was a good story for older middle school aged kids. I may consider adding it to my own curriculum, but I need to get that teaching license first. Right now my main obstacle is paying for the license which is $100 up front, getting my transcripts and paying for the praxis exam. Everything's so expensive these days.

I enjoyed the Knuckles series. I really enjoyed the interactions Knuckles had with Wade. But I do feel like the focus should have been more on Knuckles and the echidna tribe rather than Wade, but I did enjoy how they played off each other. I feel like both characters grew from the experience of working together. I'm even more excited for Sonic 3 now!

[Murfreesboro]

We had a casual dinner together and talked mostly about movies. Pretty Woman, with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, was popular at that time, and I recall we talked about that some. Lowry seemed like a pretty normal lady.

The word "utopia" connotes a perfect world I guess, but it literally means "nowhere." It was invented by Thomas More ("A Man for All Seasons" protagonist, lived under Henry VIII) for a satire he wrote. It comes from Greek, I think. I've never read More's Utopia, but I think, like most utopian fiction, it was probably pointing out the actual dystopian features of society. More, a devout Catholic, was ultimately beheaded because he refused to support Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn, his pregnant mistress. That divorce, of course, is what kicked off the Protestant Reformation in England, because the Pope refused to sanction it.

The movie A Man for All Seasons, based on a stage play, was a massive hit in the mid-1960s. I believe it won Best Picture. For sure Paul Scofield, as More, won Best Actor. If you've never seen it, you should seek it out.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

Murf - While I agree with everything you mentioned about the positive technological advancements that have come from war, I was speaking specifically about the unnecessary destruction and death that comes with war when I posted the lyrics from that song.

There is no arguing that after WWII our country saw a major shift in the direction and quality of life here, things were great, people started to enjoy life, the baby boomer generation happened, and our nation saw a stream of prosperity that, in my opinion, went well into the 90s.

If I remember my history correctly, it was President Eisenhower in his farewell address that warned us about the possibility of corruption in our military, and that it could lead to the establishment of our military being more industry based. Depending on your point of view, some people would say that he was right. Yes, there have been some great things that war gave us the avenue to explore that we otherwise wouldn't have, and those discoveries have led to a better way of life for people here, and eventually for people around the world.

I think that some Americans glorify war, or at least they try to. While we haven't had a major war here in a long time, I think that people on this side of the world don't realize how hard life is for people in a country where war is a part of daily life. There are innocent people in those countries that suffer because of the idiots in charge that make the decisions, most of their citizens don't even agree with them or want to go to war, they just want to raise their families and live good lives, but they suffer just because they were born in the wrong country.

What I'm going to say next might bother some people, but I'm always honest with my opinions, even if other people don't agree.

While I'm against war, if another war were to happen, my wife and I are prepared for it. Both of us have guns, and we have trained at the shooting range with them, the kids don't even know we have them, but when they are old enough, we will train them to use them as well. I have mentioned before that our kids also do martial arts, and we teach them that they should only use it to defend themselves.

I know that people like MauEvig and Mike are against killing, and that's fine, I believe that every life is precious, and that we should only kill to defend ourselves. With that said, if another war happened, we will do what is necessary to defend our family, if that means killing someone, then that's the way it is.

By the way, what I said about utopia was a joke, I was referencing the show Utopia, but I guess nobody here has watched it.

[Murfreesboro]

I've spent the last 40+ years living with a man whose first career choice was military. Sadly for him, he had a heart condition that hasn't bothered him in civilian life, but one that made the arduous physical training of the military potentially dangerous, so he chose to get out. However, all things military are his absolute passion. So when I gave a partial list of tech advances that have come from war, I was really just repeating some of the things he's told me. (Well, except for my own father's seeing the jets in WW2.) And of course he's not a war monger, not wild to see a shooting war, although I think he might have been disappointed when he wasn't called up for the first Gulf War. He was still active reserve then, and he was itching to use the training he'd been given, but it wasn't to be.

It won't surprise you to hear that he is also a passionate advocate of 2nd Amendment rights. He believes all our other rights depend on it, and is fond of pointing out that the very first thing Hitler did when he came to power was to confiscate civilian firearms. He also points out that, without fail, mass shooters choose gun-free zones. He refuses to enter a store or restaurant that is "posted" (ie, gun free), because he believes this is just an invitation to bad guys with guns.

Sorry I didn't catch the Utopia reference, HH, although what I said about it was directed more toward Mau than you. It got me thinking again about Thomas More and that excellent movie that most people don't seem to remember these days.

You're right that Americans today have little concept of what war actually is. The South, of course, has had a collective memory. My hometown of Jackson, MS, was called Chimneyville for twenty years afterward because the only thing left standing there was the brick chimneys. Everybody associates Sherman with Georgia, but he burned through Mississippi as well. He left exactly three buildings standing--the Governor's Mansion, where he was headquartered; the Old Capitol, which he was using as a hospital; and the City Hall, where the Shriners met, because Sherman was a Shriner (high order Mason). But even in the South those memories are fading. So many people in this part of the country no longer have those deep roots. My own husband is the only member of his family who was born in the South. I don't think his father's German family was even in this country at that time.

[MauEvig]

Oh no worries you guys, I'm not offended in the slightest about anything said here.

I make exceptions for defending yourself, your loved ones, your household, your family and even your pets, etc.

If our country was being attacked, you bet I'm going to defend my loved ones to the best of my ability.

Some people are just trying to survive. You can't fault them for it.

I never blame civilians for their faulty government. Corruption is everywhere it seems. But those just trying to live their lives? They should get to live their lives to the happiest potential possible.

I realize in some cases it's necessary to be violent. What I'm against is actively looking for trouble so to speak or being a bully. That I'm 100% against.

I fully 100% support doing whatever means necessary to protect yourself and loved ones.

So yes I support the 2nd amendment as well as Freedom of Speech.

I'm more or less an independent voter, I don't really have a political party. I'm somewhere in the middle. Some have called me a libertarian but I'm not 100% sure if that title fits either. I'm just me. I vote for the guy who I think will do the best job in office.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

I have only respect for the brave men and women that serve in the different branches of our armed forces, it is because of their dedication and sacrifice that the rest of us can enjoy our lives.

Your husband is absolutely right with his opinion on the current gun laws, they give the advantage to the wrong people, and leave the rest of us at risk. Of course, the gun laws varies from State to State, and where we are most people are divided about the issue, and they hardly discuss it.

The guns that my wife and I have were purchased legally, and they are registered, and it is our right to defend ourselves if some psycho tries to harm the people around us. We have 2 guns at the restaurant just in case a situation were to happen, only myself, my wife, and 2 managers know where they are, and each of us is trained to use them.

I also wanted to say that I think the longevity of your relationship with your husband is impressive and awesome, especially in the world we live in today. My wife and I both feel the same way about our relationship, we take our marital vows very seriously, and are both in this until death do us part, the word divorce doesn't exist for us. I think it's terrible that so many people in this world treat the sanctity of marriage like it means nothing, but to us, marriage isn't just a commitment to each other, but a commitment to the good Lord above.

I don't really have a political party. I vote for the guy who I think will do the best job in office.

Actually, I'm the same way. It also reminds me of the old saying... protect the chair, not the man. It basically means that you back the President and his position as the leader of the country, regardless of his political affiliation, and how you feel about him personally.

[Andybev01]

Whenever the topic of defence of family and community is discussed I think of this:

"The most terrifying force of death, comes from the hands of Men who wanted to be left Alone. They try, so very hard, to mind their own business and provide for themselves and those they love. They resist every impulse to fight back, knowing the forced and permanent change of life that will come from it. They know, that the moment they fight back, their lives as they have lived them, are over. The moment the Men who wanted to be left alone are forced to fight back, it is a form of suicide. They are literally killing off who they used to be. Which is why, when forced to take up violence, these Men who wanted to be left alone, fight with unholy vengeance against those who murdered their former lives. They fight with raw hate, and a drive that cannot be fathomed by those who are merely play-acting at politics and terror. True terror will arrive at these people's door, and they will cry, scream, and beg for mercy... but it will fall upon the deaf ears of the Men who just wanted to be left alone." - Author Unkown

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

Well, you can't argue with that.

[Murfreesboro]

That's an amazing passage. I wonder who wrote that.

On long marriages: if there were an easy formula for making relationships last, everybody would already know it, and there would be no divorces. But I think you and your wife are on the right track, HH. I do think it is all about commitment, no matter what. And both people have to be equally committed, because one person can't keep a marriage. It also helps if people can learn to laugh when things get tough or frustrating. And if/when something really scary happens, like serious illness or injury, it helps if people share a religious faith and can pray together.

[Andybev01]

Whoever wrote thst has a great understanding of the human condition.

Whenever I read it a draft seems to kick up a lot of dust in the house.

[Murfreesboro]

Ooh, that's kind of eerie.

[MauEvig]

Perhaps some mysterious energy is attached to it. Or perhaps a ghostly specter tied with the writing! Maybe it's the ghost of the author himself, or some other connected entity.

Or it could just be a coincidence but that's no fun.

[Andybev01]

It's how to say that you're crying without saying that you're crying.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

I have 2 questions for you guys.

1. Has anyone here been watching the new Doctor Who series? I think the first few episodes were fine, but the fourth episode was really good, it had you guessing through the whole show how it was going to play out, and I think it's one of the best episodes they have done in the last few years.

I like the new Doctor, but just like Smith and Whittaker before him, I think that most of the modern Doctors play the role too much like Tennant did, and I know they are just doing what the writers tell them to, but it just gets boring after awhile. I think that's one reason I liked Capaldi so much, because while he maintained the familiar things that you expect from the Doctor, he also brought his unique style to the role, just like every actor that played the Doctor in the classic series.

2. Has anyone here ever been on a cruise ship before? It's something that I've always wanted to do since I was a kid, and my wife and I were recently discussing our next family vacation and we want to go on one of those family themed cruises that they offer. We were thinking about the Disney cruise in particular because their specialty is on the family experience, and we were surprised that it's affordable compared to similar family cruises out there.

[Murfreesboro]

Great to hear from you, but I can't help on either of these questions. Haven't seen the new Dr, have never been on a cruise ship. My older son went on a cruise to the Bahamas with his high school band his Sr year, and I think he enjoyed it. It wasn't a long cruise, though, maybe just 3 or 4 days on the ship. The whole trip, including transportation to and from FL, had to be made over a one week spring break.

One of my cousins went on a cruise decades ago and said they really feed you.