Posts

Forced Into the Mask

I find myself barraged by reasons that others wear a mask during this CoVid-19 hysteria. I will tell you why I can be seen wearing a mask. It is probably for different reasons than justify those around me. Unlike so many others, I don't do wear the mask to protect the health of someone else or the health of myself. I firmly trust that as this virus moves throughout the population (sooner better than later), individuals will either build up an immunity to it or die. I believe that mask use, "social distancing", and curbs on commerce designed to "flatten the curve" only serve to destroy an otherwise healthy economy and empower evil people with copious amounts of time to devise nefarious ways to dominate others and destroy our sacred American liberties. I firmly hold that  everyone  will eventually be exposed and either survive their exposure or not and we should not allow any time for terrible people to find ways to capitalize on people's fears. I see the ...

The Robustness Principle

"Be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send" Postel J., (1989) Request for Comment (RFC) 1122 , Requirements for Internet Hosts -- Communication Layers, 1.2.2 - Robustness Principle. There are very few people who have been so wise and productive that I choose to revere them. One of these is the computer scientist Jon Postel , whose list of accomplishments is long. If you are reading this now, you have Jon and a handful of others to thank for the massive "network of networks" that each of us use everyday in our digital communications. Youtube, Netflix, Facebook, and everything else on the Internet owe a great debt of gratitude to Jon and his collegues who concieved, designed, and built the inter-network in the first place. Most people consider computer science to be pretty esoteric, however I have found that in any field of endeavor, certain principles emerge that, not only explain reality, but guide us to better and wiser ways of being....

Reacting to Social Justice Warriors (SJWs)

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The Book of Mormon has so many jewels that help us deal with troubling times! One of the recent manifestations of troubles is the rise of Social Justice Warriors, sometimes known as SJWs, and their increasingly successful forays into many political and social institutions.  It is easy to think of an SJW as simply a high-spirited defender of various rights and peoples, but all too often we see such folks engage in riotous behavior and some of their more punitive proposals codified in regulation.  They seem nice and good in the beginning, but as they gain some influence, we see many of them taking a decidedly dark turn. I was reading today in 3 Nephi 3 :11-12, where the prophet Mormon give us some insight into a powerful political group called the Gadianton Robbers  (v.11) and how the established government and their supporters chose to deal with them (v.12). I highlight in red a phrase that should ring true of the SJW, who might be identified as one current incarna...

The Letter from James (James 1 - 5)

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After all the elaborate writing of Paul, I always find the epistle of James to be a wonderful and understandable respite, except for the fact that James highlights many principles of behavior and living on which we need to be working! Here is a bit of a list that I came up with.  Surely, all of you could come up with better lists, given how "meaty" James is! It is better to be a "low" person with afflictions than a rich man living in ease. (1:9-11) Everyone is tempted (not just "bad" people) - it is how we endure temptations that matters (1:12-15) Actually being and doing good is much better than hearing and talking about doing good. (1:22-25) Pure Religion - visit the fatherless children and widows - sounds like ministering! (1:27) You shouldn't treat people differently, rich or poor. (2:1-9)  You can't pick and choose the laws you keep, you have to keep them all. (2:10-12) "...faith without works is dead..." (2:17-26) Be car...

Changing a Climate Without a Clue

Climate is changing all the time. In what records scientists have been able to develop, there have been things like ice ages and warming trends in the past, among all sort of variations. These seem to have been happening for the entire lifetime of the earth, which length of life there is all sorts of debate. Basically, experts can't definitively agree on much about how the earth works, much less something as basic as its age. A first painful question:  How do we know if the changes were are observing now in the Earth's climate are really anything that we can affect? I don't think the actions of humans created the last big ice age - either there were far too few of us or we were more like apes and therefore, by politically correct (pc) standards, totally benign. Why did the climate make a big change then and why?  All we can do is shrug and say "wasn't us!" Some painful follow-up questions:  What if our heroic efforts to suppress temperature rise actually...

The Struggle to Find Masculinity

I listen often to a psychologist and college professor named Jordan Peterson and his insights into our current social upheavels. I was strongly impressed to share this snippet of one of his lectures on masculinity .  In his own way, he describes the sort of responsibility that is particularly resonate with young men that have often been cast aside as worthless and destructive to an emasculated world desired by some. For my part, I encourage everyone to seek wisdom and they will often find themselves at the feet of Jesus Christ . If you get there through the words of a psychologist or at the hands of a priest, it matters little.  Christ will help you find the true masculinity and transcendence that your soul demands.  I don't pretend to be some paragon of virtue, but I have become acquainted with Jesus and his teachings from many sources  and I invite all to find the truth of God through his prophets .  It is a worthy pursuit for any who seeks the divine m...

My Own Gratitude

As I look back on my life so far, I remember again that I am profoundly blessed and I thank God for his watch-care for me and my family. It can all be summed up in one word: gratitude . My mom generously gifted the house in Tucumcari to us and we were initially preparing it for sale until Lisa suggested living in it, her continuing love of the area coming through. After a huge downsizing, she is snuggly nesting in her new place. I still work my weekdays about a hundred miles away in Portales and spend time with her on the weekends. I am grateful for the generousity of my mother! Speaking of the job, I am blessed to continue my work at Eastern New Mexico University , administering some computer servers and applications. It can be a bit more pressure than I prefer and I will surely appreciate retirement when it comes, but it is fine employment that lets me provide well for my family. Few jobs pay as much in this area and I have friendly people to work with, so I hope I am not found...