The beauty of our universe:
Friday, February 09, 2007
Synchronicity
I matched MadJenny's result on this personality test:
[Cue "Twilight Zone" music]
Creepy...
I matched MadJenny's result on this personality test:
| Your Five Factor Personality Profile |
 Extroversion: You have medium extroversion. You're not the life of the party, but you do show up for the party. Sometimes you are full of energy and open to new social experiences. But you also need to hibernate and enjoy your "down time." Conscientiousness: You have high conscientiousness. Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life. Most things in your life are organized and planned well. But you borderline on being a total perfectionist. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have medium neuroticism. You're generally cool and collected, but sometimes you do panic. Little worries or problems can consume you, draining your energy. Your life is pretty smooth, but there's a few emotional bumps you'd like to get rid of. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is high. In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas. You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits. A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything. |
[Cue "Twilight Zone" music]
Creepy...
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Book review: Blowback, by Chalmers Johnson
Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire by Chalmers Johnson (2000)
Johnson, an American economist and East Asia specialist of some repute (co-founder of the Japan Policy Research Institute, did consulting for the CIA on Maoist China) wrote this book well before the events of September 11th, 2001. Although recognized when it was first published, it quickly shot up the bestseller lists during the "War on Terror", most likely because Johnson saw something like 9/11 coming.
"Blowback" is a term used by the intelligence community to describe unintended consequences of covert operations. Because the general public is kept in the dark about covert operations, when violent consequences result, the public is generally surprised and believes the aggression was without cause. Being so uninformed, the general public feels they have been unfairly targeted by freedom-hating evil-doers, not understanding that their government has ravaged the homeland of the evil-doers through economic or military imperialism and a severe disregard for the native culture.
Writing in very accesible style, Johnson makes his points with clarity and vigor. He largely confines the discussion to areas of his expertise: East Asia and economics. Johnson begins with the tale of US military bases in Okinawa. Since the end of the Second World War, the United States has maintained a military presence in Japan, ostensibly to keep the Soviet Union and Maoist China in check and to prevent the spread of communism into the rest of East Asia (see Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations to see how well that worked during the Cold War). The vast majority of US bases in Japan are based on the island of Okinawa, which was an independent nation until its occupation by Meiji Japan in the late 19th century. It was the site of perhaps the bloodiest campaign of the Pacific War, and after spilling the blood of thousands of Marines on its soil, the US military never left. However, the arranged marriage between the Okinawans and US military personnel was hardly harmonious. Johnson relates a series of offenses perpetuated by US servicemen, starting with the rape of a 12-year-old Okinawan girl in 1995 by three military personnel, and moving on to pollution, deadly traffic accidents, violence, land appropriation, extraterritoriality, and overall cultural insensitivity.
In subsequent chapters, Johnson relates American support for East Asian dictators throughout the Cold War and afterwards, noting examples of the CIA undermining democratically-elected governments in favour of compliant strongmen.
Johnson's thesis is that since the end of the Cold War, with their enemy defeated and the reason for supporting military bases, covert operations and brutal dictators around the world gone, US foreign policy now has the goal of transforming the economies of all other nations into mirrors of its own. Not accepting the possibility that Japanese or Korean capitalism might be organized differently than American capitalism, the US uses the World Bank and the IMF to force "globalization" (ie, Americanization) on foreign markets. Also, in the post-Cold War world, the US relies more and more on military and economic dominance to get its way, while diplomacy is tossed aside (clearly the foreign policy of the current Bush administration is almost the culmination of Johnson's fears).
Essentially, Johnson feels that this is naught but American imperialism. American foreign policy no longer seeks to contain Soviet influence, so it must manufacture new reasons to justify military bases around the world, and economic and political interference in every other nation's affairs. These justifications are forcing the rest of the world into the American economic system, and policing the world against "rogue states" (Axis of Evil, anyone?), whose ability to actually threaten American power is practically non-existent. (Lest I sound heartless, there could be 10 more 9/11s, and America would still be the lone superpower. Far less stable governments have endured far more.) Pre-9/11, you would have added the threat of China to that list, even though China has little military capability beyond its own borders (though extensive economic influence through Chinese expatriate communities in East Asia) and likely little desire to exercise military might: history shows China only seems to be concerned with territory it believes it has historical claims to--Taiwan and Tibet, and not much else. And yet, there is threat exaggeration. Whether motivated by greed on the part of the military-industrial complex, or some kind of messianic idealism on the part of American foreign policy, Johnson feels this is imperial overstretch, and there's no way the United States can continue on this trajectory without serious blowback (and not just violently, but economically or diplomatically as well).
Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire by Chalmers Johnson (2000)
Johnson, an American economist and East Asia specialist of some repute (co-founder of the Japan Policy Research Institute, did consulting for the CIA on Maoist China) wrote this book well before the events of September 11th, 2001. Although recognized when it was first published, it quickly shot up the bestseller lists during the "War on Terror", most likely because Johnson saw something like 9/11 coming.
"Blowback" is a term used by the intelligence community to describe unintended consequences of covert operations. Because the general public is kept in the dark about covert operations, when violent consequences result, the public is generally surprised and believes the aggression was without cause. Being so uninformed, the general public feels they have been unfairly targeted by freedom-hating evil-doers, not understanding that their government has ravaged the homeland of the evil-doers through economic or military imperialism and a severe disregard for the native culture.
Writing in very accesible style, Johnson makes his points with clarity and vigor. He largely confines the discussion to areas of his expertise: East Asia and economics. Johnson begins with the tale of US military bases in Okinawa. Since the end of the Second World War, the United States has maintained a military presence in Japan, ostensibly to keep the Soviet Union and Maoist China in check and to prevent the spread of communism into the rest of East Asia (see Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations to see how well that worked during the Cold War). The vast majority of US bases in Japan are based on the island of Okinawa, which was an independent nation until its occupation by Meiji Japan in the late 19th century. It was the site of perhaps the bloodiest campaign of the Pacific War, and after spilling the blood of thousands of Marines on its soil, the US military never left. However, the arranged marriage between the Okinawans and US military personnel was hardly harmonious. Johnson relates a series of offenses perpetuated by US servicemen, starting with the rape of a 12-year-old Okinawan girl in 1995 by three military personnel, and moving on to pollution, deadly traffic accidents, violence, land appropriation, extraterritoriality, and overall cultural insensitivity.
In subsequent chapters, Johnson relates American support for East Asian dictators throughout the Cold War and afterwards, noting examples of the CIA undermining democratically-elected governments in favour of compliant strongmen.
Johnson's thesis is that since the end of the Cold War, with their enemy defeated and the reason for supporting military bases, covert operations and brutal dictators around the world gone, US foreign policy now has the goal of transforming the economies of all other nations into mirrors of its own. Not accepting the possibility that Japanese or Korean capitalism might be organized differently than American capitalism, the US uses the World Bank and the IMF to force "globalization" (ie, Americanization) on foreign markets. Also, in the post-Cold War world, the US relies more and more on military and economic dominance to get its way, while diplomacy is tossed aside (clearly the foreign policy of the current Bush administration is almost the culmination of Johnson's fears).
Essentially, Johnson feels that this is naught but American imperialism. American foreign policy no longer seeks to contain Soviet influence, so it must manufacture new reasons to justify military bases around the world, and economic and political interference in every other nation's affairs. These justifications are forcing the rest of the world into the American economic system, and policing the world against "rogue states" (Axis of Evil, anyone?), whose ability to actually threaten American power is practically non-existent. (Lest I sound heartless, there could be 10 more 9/11s, and America would still be the lone superpower. Far less stable governments have endured far more.) Pre-9/11, you would have added the threat of China to that list, even though China has little military capability beyond its own borders (though extensive economic influence through Chinese expatriate communities in East Asia) and likely little desire to exercise military might: history shows China only seems to be concerned with territory it believes it has historical claims to--Taiwan and Tibet, and not much else. And yet, there is threat exaggeration. Whether motivated by greed on the part of the military-industrial complex, or some kind of messianic idealism on the part of American foreign policy, Johnson feels this is imperial overstretch, and there's no way the United States can continue on this trajectory without serious blowback (and not just violently, but economically or diplomatically as well).
Now with more deadly sins
See which secondary deadly sin you're guilty of! Choose two of the Seven Deadly Sins closest to your heart and consult this chart:
From Indexed.
See which secondary deadly sin you're guilty of! Choose two of the Seven Deadly Sins closest to your heart and consult this chart:
From Indexed.
Monday, February 05, 2007
At last, the kryptonite worked!
Captain Copyright, the reprehensible mascot created by the federal government to brainwash children into accepting criminally restrictive copyright practices (while glossing over concepts of fair use) has been put down.
See BoingBoing for more.
Captain Copyright, the reprehensible mascot created by the federal government to brainwash children into accepting criminally restrictive copyright practices (while glossing over concepts of fair use) has been put down.
See BoingBoing for more.
Now that the internet meme is behind us...
...we can resume your regular diet of links and YouTube videos!
Does Montreal have the worst library system in North America? This Montreal Gazette op-ed writer seems to think so!
Via LISNews.
...we can resume your regular diet of links and YouTube videos!
Does Montreal have the worst library system in North America? This Montreal Gazette op-ed writer seems to think so!
Via LISNews.
Blog post #62: In which the False Prophet participates in his first internet meme...
OK, so Hedda Dabbler, who has been playing hooky from work to help welcome her new son into the world and thus has time for these things, has tagged me for one of those blogger memes that circulate the blogosphere.
So without further ado, here are six weird or unknown things about me:
1) I have a PlayStation 2, but instead of using it to play the latest releases, I use my late-generation console to play games that were cutting edge between 20 and 30 years ago.
2) From Grade 11 until second-year university, I used to have shoulder-length hair. If I can dig up a picture I'll scan and post it.
3) The first Canadian federal election in which I was eligible to vote, in 1997, I voted for the Natural Law Party. It was more a protest vote than anything else: I thought Chrétien was an imbecile and utterly useless (and it's still sad it took most of the country seven more years to realize that), couldn't vote for the Conservatives after Mulroney, and couldn't vote for the NDP. In the next federal election, I actually voted for Stockwell Day and the Canadian Alliance Party. Solely because they promised to increase military spending and because he wasn't Chrétien. I could castigate myself for these and other votes I've cast in the past, but I have yet to enter a voting booth and not feel the need to take a shower afterwards.
4) Although I am a die-hard heavy-metal fan, and over half my CD collection is heavy metal or hard rock bands, Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, Heather Nova and Bjork all feature prominently in my collection as well.
5) I was almost a music major, but I didn't have the discipline to pass the performance audition (despite easily aceing the ear test and the theory test). Apparently being a half-assed hack on four instruments is not as valued as being really accomplished on one.
6) I used to carry a small notebook with me everywhere and write down little things I'd learned, or my ideas for stories or songs, or pithy quotations I'd heard or read. I filled three of the them, which I called "The Gospel of False Prophecy" and I promised myself that after I'd filled four, I'd buy a PDA to replace them. Then I lost the fourth volume (hereafter known as "The Apocrypha") when it was about 1/3 full and replaced it. I managed to fill the replacement halfway before giving up on the enterprise.
UPDATE: It occurs to me that #4 is the reason I love female-fronted metal and hard rock bands (Evanescence, Nightwish, Lacuna Coil).
OK, so Hedda Dabbler, who has been playing hooky from work to help welcome her new son into the world and thus has time for these things, has tagged me for one of those blogger memes that circulate the blogosphere.
So without further ado, here are six weird or unknown things about me:
1) I have a PlayStation 2, but instead of using it to play the latest releases, I use my late-generation console to play games that were cutting edge between 20 and 30 years ago.
2) From Grade 11 until second-year university, I used to have shoulder-length hair. If I can dig up a picture I'll scan and post it.
3) The first Canadian federal election in which I was eligible to vote, in 1997, I voted for the Natural Law Party. It was more a protest vote than anything else: I thought Chrétien was an imbecile and utterly useless (and it's still sad it took most of the country seven more years to realize that), couldn't vote for the Conservatives after Mulroney, and couldn't vote for the NDP. In the next federal election, I actually voted for Stockwell Day and the Canadian Alliance Party. Solely because they promised to increase military spending and because he wasn't Chrétien. I could castigate myself for these and other votes I've cast in the past, but I have yet to enter a voting booth and not feel the need to take a shower afterwards.
4) Although I am a die-hard heavy-metal fan, and over half my CD collection is heavy metal or hard rock bands, Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, Heather Nova and Bjork all feature prominently in my collection as well.
5) I was almost a music major, but I didn't have the discipline to pass the performance audition (despite easily aceing the ear test and the theory test). Apparently being a half-assed hack on four instruments is not as valued as being really accomplished on one.
6) I used to carry a small notebook with me everywhere and write down little things I'd learned, or my ideas for stories or songs, or pithy quotations I'd heard or read. I filled three of the them, which I called "The Gospel of False Prophecy" and I promised myself that after I'd filled four, I'd buy a PDA to replace them. Then I lost the fourth volume (hereafter known as "The Apocrypha") when it was about 1/3 full and replaced it. I managed to fill the replacement halfway before giving up on the enterprise.
UPDATE: It occurs to me that #4 is the reason I love female-fronted metal and hard rock bands (Evanescence, Nightwish, Lacuna Coil).
Where no Python has gone before...
I can't embed this YouTube video since the poster has disabled it. But it was pretty funny.
UPDATE: This one's even better:
I can't embed this YouTube video since the poster has disabled it. But it was pretty funny.
UPDATE: This one's even better:
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Then again...
A follow up to my previous post:
Clearly I need to work on my mastery of Biblical minutia. Though to what end? I know The Odyssey pretty well too, but it hasn't made me a believer in Poseidon.
UPDATE: I challenge everyone to try the Gospel Story Quiz. You may be surprised at how ignorant you are!
A follow up to my previous post:
You achieved a score of 32%!
That could've gone significantly better, but let's face it, this was a difficult quiz. You probably haven't read the Bible in as much depth as such an important book deserves. Better luck next time.
The Bible Quiz of Greater Ultimacy
Quizzes for MySpace
Clearly I need to work on my mastery of Biblical minutia. Though to what end? I know The Odyssey pretty well too, but it hasn't made me a believer in Poseidon.
UPDATE: I challenge everyone to try the Gospel Story Quiz. You may be surprised at how ignorant you are!
Do you think this will keep the evangelicals off my back?
I wonder which question I got wrong?
You know the Bible 98%!
Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!
Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes
I wonder which question I got wrong?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
