So tonight I watched some terrible TV
I saw Richard Dawkins on Bill Meher along with Michael Moore and Janine Gurrafalo (sp?)
I watched 3 to 4 episodes of South Park.
I watched a new show called the Modern Family
and finally 10 minutes of "Cougar Land"
First off let me say the last show is unwatchable. I give it 4 weeks tops. The Modern Family is only slightly better. The married with children dad has never really appealed to me and he's up to his old tricks with a younger hotter wife (go figure). The characters are pretty vapid and I don't recommend it. Sadly, South Park was the pinnacle of my night, even though it occurred during a losing effort in Scrabble with Shay (despite an early 50 point lead after turn 2 I guess there can be only so many I's Q's and X's a man can put up with...)
So begins my rant on Bill Meher. Bill Meher is a moron. He's not particularly funny as a comedian, and he's even less so as a TV show host. That being said, he has a knack for getting people with vast amounts of knowledge on the same stage. It's probably not hard given that these donkey liberals probably share a commune every Sunday at the altar of infinite hypocrisy. What do I mean?
Let's start with Richard Dawkins. Richard Dawkins is as stubborn an ideologue as the very religious fanatics he attacks. During the show, he blamed all of terrorism on faulty religious beliefs. Interesting, that sounds a lot like your last book....are you channeling your inner T. Boone Pickens? Maybe he just believes what he says so strongly he is unwilling to consider other factors. Apparently Janine is the only other panelist on the show willing to question Dawkins (although she does only that, and does not go nearly far enough)..."why if religion is the sole culprit is it that insane religions here do not produce similar suicide bombings?" Thank you voice of reason... clearly pinning terrorist acts on religion alone is irresponsible. I dare say that more atrocious acts have occurred UNDER the banner of religion, but to notice this and declare it a correlation are two distinct things. In most instances of terrorism, far more than religion is at the motivational core. Economic factors, political factors, devaluing of life, and revenge weigh more in terrorist cases than religion probably ever did. I'm not saying I know it, I'm just saying it seems much more likely the correlation lies within these realms. Richard Dawkins is a moron because he doesn't understand the function of religion anymore. He claims that religion is akin to the appendix, genetic waste, something left over from a time when we needed something more than what science had given us. Well sir, religion hasn't stopped giving people the sense of community, the social desire to love and be loved unconditionally in the face of all evidence and reason...to be loved. This is the human condition, and religion will never fade out so long as nothing fades IN to take its place. Why else would absoludicrous ideas like the Mormon church exist today...nay FLOURISH! Because a large part of what we humans due is impose structure upon a world as WE see fit, not as it actually is. Much like Mr. Dawkins has pinned the ills of the world on religion, instead of on the real issues.
Michael Moore has become the face of something frightening. The truth. If he expands upon his ideas of capitalism expressed in his upcoming film, he may become my favorite Gadfly of all time. He's doing it late however, as the documentary "The Corporation" came out a while back in foreign countries expressing the same sentiments that capitalism is dead. I'll wait until I see the movie to truly anoint him, but I have a good feeling. That being said, I HATE the way Michael Moore presents himself. He is all that is wrong with Hollywood. Blatantly Partisan, terribly biased, and unfortunately fat and annoying. If the truth had a real spokesman...or even an unknown spokesman, we would all be much better served.
The infinite hypocrisy... Bill Meher, Liberal Media, Conservative Media, Media Matters.com, Fox news, Hollywood... F U ALL! Each one of you has picked a side, put the blinders on, and started shouting at the top of your lungs. Mr. Meher, you criticize Obama for coming to the negotiating table with Republicans in the house and senate. You say he should not even consider the politics of the right wing, they had their chance, now its ours. Perhaps, the problem with the past 8 yrs of government were not the political ideals of one man, but the complete disregard of the political ideals of half a nation! Last I checked the president does not have a mandate! It is his JOB to sell people on his plans, to debate ideas, to negotiate. Screw you Fox news, for allowing people like Glen Becke on the air at all. He is nothing more than a shock jock in sheep's clothing. In the end, F US...because the media is just after the all mighty dollar like the rest of us, and something about their strategy is working...which doesn't say a whole lot about us as a nation.
This is the temple of heaven. It was beautiful and so full of life on a sunday. I got the sense that this was the place to be for fun and games with family and friends. There were groups playing badminton, and kicking around a Hack-y-sac like shuttlecock thingy. It was definitely a cultural experience. I would say its akin to hippies throwing frisby in the park.
where all sorts of fun can be had. This is in the top 5 skylines in the world for obvious reasons. The Pearl of the Orient is a gawdy, ugly, and ultimately quintessential piece of Shanghai's soul. This view is from the top of the Hyatt hotel where we went to high tea twice, and enjoyed a few sugary cocktails atop their roof bar. I highly recommend it.
mom littering...and enlightened monks
