I updated my post on Black Rock City maps to include this year’s “Acid Deco” map.
I updated my post on George Carlin to include video of his “There Is No God” and “Words You Can’t Say on Television” routines.
Archive for August, 2006
Updates
Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006The Power of Nightmares
Saturday, August 19th, 2006The Power of Nightmares is a thought-provoking 3-hour BBC documentary that presents the strongest case I have seen for the damage caused by the confluence of fundamentalist religious faith— whether it be Christian or Islamist— and “ends justify the means” thinking so prevalent among politicos today.
Watching the over 40 years spanned by the history this documentary presents, I repeatedly saw my life flash before my eyes— “I was only two years old then,” “I was twelve then,” “I was thirty then—” the world-shaping events of which I was only vaguely aware at the time brought into sharp focus by the context this film provides.
9/11 was not the beginning of a war, nor the end of an era— it was one skirmish in an ongoing competition between virulent and increasingly symbiotic ideologies memes) aimed at rallying the masses (you and me) to unite behind some form of faith-driven fundamentalism that vilifies, represses, and/or kills all opposition. The Power of Nightmares presents these ideologies not as grand conspiracies by inscrutable masterminds, but the tragic bumblings of those infected by these memes, who under their influence have become willing to pervert pragmatism from the service of human peace and cooperation to the service of their personal meme-gods— gods for whom fear and blood sacrifice have long been a minor consequence of their survival.
Watch this show. Disagree with it if you like, if you can do so rationally. But never shield your beliefs, especially the ones most deeply-held, from criticism— to do so is the death of the mind.
The Power of Nightmares — Part 1 of 3 — 1 Hour
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8217638438978899371The Power of Nightmares — Part 2 of 3 — 1 Hour
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2839463332690200955The Power of Nightmares — Part 3 of 3 — 1 Hour
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3649090417189127240Good Citizens Know Their Rights During Law Enforcement Encounters
Thursday, August 3rd, 2006Busted: The Citizen’s Guide to Surviving Police Encounters is an amazing, well-produced video (45 minutes) that should be required viewing for all U.S. citizens above the age of about 14. During routine traffic stops and other encounters, police often ask questions that amount to “idiot tests,” and which can easily lead citizens to unknowingly waive their Constitutional rights. By knowing your rights, you can help keep otherwise honest law officers from overstepping their rightful authority.
One other note: This video does depict people being caught breaking the law. As a blog entry at FlexYourRights.org points out:
If we’d tried to teach the 4th Amendment without depicting petty criminality, BUSTED would be more boring than a romantic evening with abstinence enthusiast Jay Stephenson.
Whether or not you break the law, you should know your rights.
If you attend Burning Man, it is also important to review the specific guidance provide by the Burning Man Organization.
The entire video is available on YouTube (embedded below) and can also be downloaded via BitTorrent. Also, make sure you read the FAQ.
