Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Estrogen and Lung Cancer

The AP's Lauran Neergard is reporting that researchers are exploring the possible link between estrogen and gender differences in lung cancer rates and types.

It's a good-news/ bad-news kind of thing.

Women tend to get different kinds of lung cancer than men. While it's unclear if they're at greater risk of developing the disease, some research suggests they may absorb more cancer-causing chemicals from cigarettes and become sick after smoking less. Among people who never smoked, more women than men are diagnosed with lung cancer.

On the other hand, women tend to survive lung cancer slightly better than their male counterparts. And some of the newest lung cancer drugs, Tarceva and Iressa, seem to work more often in women.


Either way, I guess the basic lesson is: Don't Smoke. And go out of your way to avoid second-hand smoke, especially if you're a woman with lots of estrogen.

Peace,

Tor

Linking to: Freedom Watch, Common Folk Using Common Sense

and we got a trackback ping from Susan Reynolds, who would like you to read Beyond Blog and Art -- Patriots and Paradign [sic] Shifts. Hey, the earlier post was intended to be the OT post this week, but that's ok. We're just happy to be gettin' the good reading material sent our way.

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The DaVinci Code at the Colonial Theatre: Final Puzzle and Open Trackback

The final DaVinci Code puzzle that I've framed for the Colonial Theatre is now up at the website. Good luck.

This is this week's post. Anyone may trackback to this post on most any subject (I've never refused any yet), as long as there's a link to this post or to this blog in your post. I'll put the links up manually later in the day. If you see links below, please click through and read them, because someone has taken the effort to get the word out on something they've written.

Conservative Cat has submitted his take on John Murtha's Tribe Problem. Especially recommended for listeners of Laura Ingraham.

Planck's Constant asks his readers about Google Search and how did you get here? Pretty impressive. I'm the number one search for "Tor's Rants." Nyah nyah.

Peace,

Tor

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Monday, May 29, 2006

Chris Bliss Juggles to Fatboy Slim

For all the folks who were left wanting more of Chris Bliss, here's another video. This time, he's interpreting a new song by Fatboy Slim. Guess the whole Bliss Diss thing has worked in his favor.

UPDATE 6/12/06: Welcome to folks who came here via the Tempe Improv's bio page for Chris Bliss. Looks like he's having a couple of shows for you Arizonans over the next few days. After watching the video below, you might want to check out an even longer (and better) video of his juggling on an earlier post. And if you're looking for other things to tickle your funny bones, you might want to check out this list of my humorous posts. (Warning: Maine humor can be extremely dry and long-winded.) And there are topics galore available through the FreshTags navigation in the left-hand column. Enjoy your visit to my humble blog, and enjoy Chris Bliss's show in Tempe! I'm so envious.


Get this video and more at MySpace.com

h/t Justin Russell

Wishing you a peaceful and safe Memorial Day,

Tor

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Saturday, May 27, 2006

Buddhism and Freedom Don't Always Mix

To any Buddhist readers of Tor's Rants, especially Americans or other westerners, I commend this story about free speech and technology in Cambodia. Basically, the next generation of cell phones won't be allowed, ostensibly because of their possible utility to pornographers.

In a petition addressed to Hun Sun and dated May 19, Bun Rany argued that obscene images have "gravely negative consequences for social morality" and could increase the "sexual exploitation of women and children and other vices that would cast our society as a very dark one."

On Friday, Hun Sen said he agrees with his wife and that while Cambodia is still unable to cope with pornography on the Internet, "how can we go for video phones?

"Hold it. Do not yet start the mobile phone services through which the callers can see each others' images," he said in a speech during a visit to a Buddhist pagoda in the capital, Phnom Penh.


And pay particular attention to the end of the article.

It was unclear if legislation is necessary for the ban to take effect. Hun Sen's orders are often carried out without challenge by Cambodia's government and lawmakers.

Cambodia is predominantly Buddhist and socially conservative. People normally do not talk openly about sex.


Hun Sen is, of course, a fellow who has much blood on his hands in recent Cambodian history. I have no doubt that he is much more worried about the ability of people to organize resistance to his power through multiple methods, including the new cell phone technologies. Even tho the new cell phones are currently unaffordable by most Cambodians, he knows that the prices will come down all too quickly for his taste.

His appeal to Buddhist conservatives to help him limit the freedom of flow of information by playing to their fears of pornography, and sex itself, should be an eye-opener to most western Buddhists. Don't believe that the entirety of the Buddhist tradition is compatible with your post-modern values.

I remain a Buddhist, mindful of the capacity of Buddhism to be used for political means.

Peace,

Tor

Linking to: The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Point Five, 7 Deadly Sins

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Friday, May 26, 2006

Two Stories from the Front Line of the War on Drugs

As we head into Memorial Day weekend (who am I kidding, it really started about 3pm Wednesday!), let us remember those who have been sacrificed in the War on Drugs.

Two stories -- one taking place right here in Liberty, Maine, and the other in Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania, remind us just how screwed up this drug war really is.

First, a pair of miscreant teenagers in Liberty, Maine were caught by a homeowner who returned home at an unaccustomed hour.

Brett Oathout reportedly arrived at his Boynton Road house in Liberty at approximately 11:30 a.m. Wednesday— -- which was not part of his usual routine -- and found one male near his front door and the other male coming down his stairs.


So he grabbed his trusty baseball bat to keep the criminals at bay, called the police, and headed into his house to see what they'd taken (at which time the teens screwed1). Then the case took an unexpected turn: the teens said they had stolen some weed from Oathout.

Brockway said during a search, Locke was found to be in possession of marijuana that he allegedly took from Oathout's home.

Oathout gave officers permission to search his residence, at which time officers found marijuana. Oathout was then summoned for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.


Now I'm all for the legalization of all currently controlled substances, and marijuana is no exception. But, if I had contraband in my house (which I do not), I would never give police permission to search it. I guess the guy must be a really heavy user for his brain activity to be so marginal (I don't know him personally). Good thing for him, at least his prospects for cancer are now thought to be diminished.

Our second story from the War on Drugs concerns that most dastardly of all scourges that our nation's children face on the playgrounds: caffeinated gum. Seems a junior high school student received a three day suspension for sharing some with a classmate.

Products acting as a stimulant are prohibited and possessing them is grounds for disciplinary action, [School District Superintendent Amy] Palermo said....

"What if the gum had been given to a student with a heart condition? As a parent, would you want your child to be able to get that type of product?" Palermo said Thursday.


Is it just a coincidence that one of the towns neighboring Liberty is named Palermo? I think it's just another sign of the conspiratorial powers at work here.

Anyway, the school itself is a drug dealer, but only after hours:

The school has soda machines, but they are not turned [sic] during school hours and drinks containing caffeine are not sold in the lunchroom.


Of course, once that last bell rings, on go the machines so the kids can get all the caffeine they need to stay up and do all that homework. Yeah, right. I'm sure they have a monitor right at the vending machines to make sure no student with any possible medical condition that caffeine would adversely affect could possibly purchase any of the evil drug. They can get all the uncaffeinated fruit juice they have money for, tho. Who could deny America's children -- especially the children of Pennsylvania -- all the empty calories they desire? It's not like we have an obesity crisis, or anything.

Peace,

Tor

1Sorry for any misunderstandings that folks who aren't white northeasterners might have about my use of this word. Here, it is used in the sense of leaving in a hurry. You can read more about it at Urban Dictionary.

Linking to: Leaning Straight Up, MacBros' Place, Comedian Jenee: People are Idiots, Woman Honor Thyself
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The Plumbutt Chronicles

Welcome to The Plumbutt Chronicles, the latest renter in the right-hand column. When I saw on his profile that Billy Boy is an avid Nietzsche and Thich Nhat Hanh reader, I knew it was likely a good fit. And this post on the legal troubles of Lewis the Cat clinched the deal. Do go over for some good Memorial Day Weekend reading.

Peace,

Tor

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Thursday, May 25, 2006

Late Breaking News.....

.....the Spanish-American War is over! Or, at least the financing of it. Now if we can just get that pesky Post Office to back down from its Bill 602P, we'll be stylin'.

Peace,

Tor
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The Buddhist I Ching: Difficulty


This week's random I Ching hexagram is number 3, Difficulty.

From Thomas Cleary's translation of the commentary by Chi-hsu Ou-i:

In Buddhist terms, the first movement of ignorance is firm; defining objects based on awareness is flexible. Once there is subject and object, then there is a basis for the continuity of the process of subjectivity being mistaken for objectivity; this is how difficulty arises.

The initial random stirring of mind is the first way of entrapment in compulsive mental habits, yet it is also the barred opening to liberation; just observe the quality of movement of mind. During this movement, the dichotomization of subject and object takes place; then the mind grasps objects, defines and labels them, and acts on and gets entangled in the subjectively constructed continuity of the perceived world. Thus the image of "thunder and rain filling, heaven creating confusion and obscurity."

It is best to immediately apply subtle observational knowledge to analyze this process; one should not sit in the nihilistic nest of unknowing. Generally speaking, when practitioners notice that random thoughts have not cropped up for a while, they mistake this for empowerment; they do not know that annihilation is the abode of production. So one should not stick to this realm of tranquility and should break through it.


Especially the last paragraph that I've quoted above seems to be talking about the Satan's Cave phenomenon that I briefly wrote about last week. People like to believe that they are working toward a goal, and that the goal will be recognizable when they've arrived at it. Buddhist teachings, on the other hand, seem to always be saying to me that if I can verbalize or otherwise comprehend a spiritual goal, I have misapprehended it.

I wish I could find the quote now, but I believe I'm not horribly mangling the meaning of Pema Chodron when I attribute to her the notion that an enlightened being should be indifferent as to whether the world about them is calm or busy, or whether they are experiencing plain or pleasure. But a beginning practitioner might need to find the calm, before they can find that there is no difference between the calm and the busy. Or perhaps, that the calm and the busy are differentiated only in our minds.

I am particulary stricken by the part of the quoted passage which talks of the mind's "grasp[ing] objects, defin[ing] and label[ing] them," and its similarity to a quote from existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard: "Once you label me, you negate me."

Once you say, "Oh, those people coming over the border are illegal aliens," you start the process of dehumanizing them.

Once you think, "Tor's a libertarian, so he's a whack job who's to the right of George W. Bush," you start to miss the many ways in which I'm to the left of the Clintons.

Once I think, "I'm a Buddhist, so I should revere the Dalai Lama," I'm getting into the cult of personality, and away from my own path to enlightenment.

Peace,

Tor

P.S. Thanks to these folks for making the I Ching graphics!



Linking to: Liberal Common Sense, TMH's Bacon Bits, Right Wing Nation
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Channel 7 in Bangor is Run by Idiots

The folks at WVII-TV in Bangor, Maine must be idiots. My lovely wife Rowan and I were trying to watch the two-hour season finale of Lost last night, and those goobers kept putting advertising on the bottom of the screen.

I don't mind advertising. I've got it on my blog. But their advertising at times overlay the opening cast and production credits. I'm sure J.J. Abrams wouldn't be amused.

Each ad banner would say something like, "The finale is being sponsored by...." and would list two local businesses. Usually the second business's name was cut off by the bottom of the television screen. I sure hope those second businesses didn't pay too much for their ads, compared to the first businesses.

Peace,

Tor

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Lance Dutson Interviews Barbara Merrill

Just a quick note to point out Lance Dutson's interview of Maine gubernatorial candidate Barbara Merrill. For the record, I'm teetering on the fence as to whether I'll vote for her. There are a few good things she's got going for her, but her idea that she (or anyone) should be able to dip into taxpayers' funds to run her campaign is well nigh a deal-breaker for me. Lucky for her I'm not a one-issue voter. And the only Baldacci challenger who's scorned a taxpayer-funded campaign, David Emery, doesn't have much else going for him.

Peace,

Tor

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Tuesday, May 23, 2006

The DaVinci Code at the Colonial Theatre Puzzle Four & Open Trackback

The penultimate puzzle that I have framed for the Colonial Theatre's DaVinci Code contest is now available at the Colonial's website. Up for grab are free movie tickets and other prizes!

Good Luck!

Peace,

Tor

This is this week's post. Trackbacks on nearly any subject (at my sole discretion, and I haven't refused any yet) are allowed till midnight my time. You just need to link to this post in your post. I'll add the links here later today. Thanks!

Planck's Constant wants you to read (and I highly encourage this) the latest on the Natalee Hollaway case. And we thought the phone sex ad from the Maine Office of Tourism was bad. Wait till Lance hears about this.

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Friday, May 19, 2006

The DaVinci Code Is Worth Seeing

I just got home from running the projector for the first showing of The DaVinci Code at the Colonial Theatre.

While it will never go down in the annals of cinematic classics, it is a very enjoyable diversion. I think a lot of the critics at Rotten Tomatoes decided not to like the movie before they even saw it. This might have been either because they had very high expectations for it as fans of the book, or they wanted to take the opportunity to show that they're not part of the Antichrist MSM Brigade that conservative talk radio has been setting up as a straw man as of late. Or maybe there's finally a backlash forming against Ron Howard and/or Tom Hanks. I just don't know. But the horrible reviews aren't warranted.

We had a sold-out first show tonight, and the crowd was very into the movie. I didn't have to tell a single teenager to shut up tonight. The pacing was just right: exposition, chase, exposition, chase. Some of the chases were a little silly, but never boring.

Peace,

Tor

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The Buddhist I Ching: Stripping Away


This week's random I Ching hexagram is number 23, Stripping Away. (Yes, I know it's Friday, and a day late, and a bit shortish, but at least I'm doing it....)

From Thomas Cleary's translation of the commentary by Chi-hsu Ou-i:

In political terms, after disarmament and development of culture, people tend to indulge in comfort, leading to the inevitable decline of the basic energy of the country.

In Buddhist terms, when there are too many regulations, this inevitably defeats real practice.

In terms of contemplating mind, there is a positive sense and a negative sense. The positive sense is that after concentrated insight is developed, the "skin" of the ego is stripped away and true reality alone remains. The negative sense is that mundane imitation of concentration and insight can develop mundane intellect and ability, but the essential practice of real cultivation will be overcome by this.


Some western Zen practitioners refer to "Satan's Cave," which is a point in meditation when one experiences inner peace, calm and euphoria. It's easy for someone who has been meditating to escape the miseries of existence to mistake it for the ultimate goal of enlightenment. (Of course, I'm quite jealous, never having even experienced this.)

I think in other sects of Buddhism, and in other religious traditions as well, it's possible to be caught up in the "mundane imitation of concentration and insight." Then we get caught up in how orange our robes are, how long our hair is, whether our neighbors speak English, whether they read the same translation of the same scriptures, or whether they say "AY-men" or "AH-men."

I think.

Peace,

Tor

P.S. Thanks to these folks for making the I Ching graphics!



Linking to: Leaning Straight Up, Stray Dog Found, MacBros' Place, Gospel Fiction, Comedian Jenée: People are Idiots , Woman Honor Thyself
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The Vegan Diet

Jackie Ford of South Africa has once again rented the box in the upper right-hand column and filled it with The Vegan Diet. Still worth a visit. This time, there's good info on egg substitutes
 and a column from the Arizona Daily Star on vegan athleticism.

Peace,

Tor

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Tuesday, May 16, 2006

UnionMaine.Net

Some residents of Union, Maine have set up a website to help citizens keep track of what's going on in their town's government. Much of the initial motivation to develop the site seems to have been tied to controversy over the merger of the town's fire department and emergency medical services. As a libertarian, I'd be in favor of leaving both to the private sector, which would surely frighten both sides of the issue in Union. But the great thing about this site is that it aims to shine light into the decision-making processes going on in Union. The internet shows again that it's a powerful force for leveling the playing field between citizens and their government.

And these guys have set up a forum where totally anonymous posting is allowed! Talk about Wild West Web!

Peace,

Tor

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Planned Economies and Maine Seafood Processors

Anyone who wonders why planned economies are so evil needs look no further than the experience of Lyndon Smith. Maine's Economic and Community Development Department is perverting the free market among seafood processors by providing grants to processors to whom banks won't lend money because the processors are too vulnerable financially. This puts the processors who are able to swing a bank loan at a competitive disadvantage. Once again, government favors those who are failing in business in order to increase dependency on government, and expand the power of the political elite. And the whole economy suffers for it, especially the working class.

Lyndon Smith noted the competitors were able to buy new cookers and do renovations to make their businesses more efficient and thus be able to lower their operating costs.

"I built my business myself. When I need money, I have to go to Camden National Bank. I can't get government grants," he said.

"I don't mind if someone sets up shop next to me and competes. I do mind if my tax dollars are going to people who compete against me," Smith added.

Bounty employs five people, down from 10.
"“I don't know how much longer I can keep the doors open," Smith said.

He noted he built his business from the ground up, putting in as many as 20 hours of work each day. He said he does not want to get government grants and feels the government should not be aiding other businesses in this way.

Jeff Fitzgerald, a planner with the Hancock County Planning Commission in Ellsworth, said he understands the frustration of Smith but that the program in Hancock County was not creating new competition but simply allowing existing small, at-home processors to remain in business.


Jeff Fitzgerald should be fired, along with the rest of the Hancock County Planning Commission and the entire staff of the Economic and Community Development Department. Their positions should not be filled with new employees; indeed, these government functions should be shut down. Planned economies have never worked. The plight of Lyndon Smith proves it.

There's no telling if Lyndon Smith would be able to stay in business without having the power of the state giving advantage to his politically-approved competitors. But he, along with all the other small businesses in Maine, deserves the chance to try.

Peace,

Tor

Linking to: Freedom Watch, historymike's musings, Common Folk Using Common Sense, Stingray
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DaVinci Code at the Colonial Theatre: Third Puzzle & Open Trackback

The third puzzle I have framed for the Colonial Theatre in honor of the opening of The DaVinci Code this weekend is now available on the Colonial website.

Peace,

Tor

This is this week's post. Trackbacks on nearly any subject (at my sole discretion, and I haven't refused any yet) are allowed till midnight my time. You just need to link to this post in your post. I'll add the links here later today. Thanks!

Jon Swift has conducted an analysis of the marginalia in President Bush's copy of My Pet Goat.

greenr would like you to read about a proposed offshore windfarm in Texas.

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Monday, May 15, 2006

Extreme Makeover in Rockland?

In my native Rockland, Maine, schoolboard chair Audrey Buffington has written a letter to the producers of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

In a one-page letter to "Extreme Makeovers: Home Edition," Buffington described the elementary school's aging facilities and air quality concerns.

She referred to the facility as a "sick school," and outlined the district's $186,000 cleanup, during which students were housed in area churches.

"Although the endotoxins are at acceptable levels now, the school board, parents, and staff are very concerned about having our precious kindergarten and first-grade students in the building," Buffington wrote. "We keep our fingers crossed daily that no one will become ill as a result of being in such an environment."


I've got mixed feelings on the goal here. On the one hand, getting a private concern to fund the school's renovation so the taxpayers won't have to is a short-term plus. On the other hand, the end result would still be a government-run school. It would be great if ABC wrote back, saying, "We'll do it, but then we'll be converting the school into a nongovernmental, nonprofit public school that won't be supported by tax dollars at all. We'll help the community raise scholarship funds so any Rockland resident will be able to afford to send their kids there (if they want to), and an endowment to help sustain the new school in the long run. Then it'll be on its own."

The real question I have about this story is what Buffington's really up to. She's not a dumb person. I don't know her personally, but have followed her educational reform attempts in the news. She must know that she'd have a better chance of balancing the school district's budget with Powerball lottery ticket winnings than getting Extreme Makeover to renovate the school.

I suspect she's just getting some free publicity for the upcoming school budget vote. Despite having cut some positions, the board is asking voters to approve a budget that will require an seven percent increase in funding from property taxes. And they already know that the voters will likely vote it down!

Dyer voted for the budget but warned that without additional cuts the public likely will reject it at the polls.

"If we take it to the voters now we will still be here in August," Dyer said, referring to the series of public budget forums held last year to adopt the budget.

If the budget is rejected at the polls, the board will then decide whether to make changes and send it back to a referendum vote at the polls or to schedule a public district budget meeting vote at which those who attend the meeting get to vote.


If you think the voters are going to turn it down, why submit it in the first place? Because you know you can pack the district meeting with people who will approve it, after it fails at the polls. That's what they're trying to do in Belfast, but might not get away with this time.

Peace,

Tor

Linking to: Pirate's Cove, Committees of Correspondence

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Visit PoliticalForum.com

Thanks to PoliticalForum.com for becoming a sponsor of Tor's Rants! I've given the site a quick look-over, and it seems to have a good mix of topics for anybody to post about, from any point of view. Head on over; you might see me there!

Peace,

Tor

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Thursday, May 11, 2006

The Buddhist I Ching: Regulation


It's just a little unsettling for a libertarian of any stripe to undertake the discussion of "regulation," even if it's a concept randomly selected from the Buddhist I Ching. In this case, it's hexagram number 60.

From Thomas Cleary's translation of Chih-hsu Ou-i's commentary:

Water is dispersed by wind, regulated by a lake. When it is regulated, it does not overflow and does not dry up, so it can always provide moisture; therefore regulation is successful. If dispersal is excessive, it results in exhaustion, so it is taken up with regulation; but too much regulation results in suffering, so it is not to be held to permanently.


One can see the influence of China's native Taoism on the Ch'an (Zen) school of Buddhism here. It's very naturalistic and concerned with striking an elemental balance that's just so.

That's fine and dandy when contemplating spiritual progress. One shouldn't practice mindfulness of breathing to the detriment of development of loving-kindness. Nor should one work too hard to spread the Buddha's dharma when one hasn't applied it to one's own situation in a rigorous way.

The I Ching is meant to be taken in many levels, however, and sociopolitical is one of those levels:

Nature has four seasons, kings have laws; both of these is what is referred to as getting through by balance and rectitude.


Deference to regal authority has always been one of the aspects of the history of Buddhism with which I've had great difficulty. Especially since the legend of Gautama Buddha states that he abdicated his royal station to find enlightenment, I've been very puzzled to see the extent to which the Sangha and royalty have supported each other over the centuries, in many different cultures.

Of course, Ou-i was writing at a time and in a place where political and expressive freedom like much of the world has today was unthinkable. To the extent that he was trying to make a model for the kings to follow as beneficent monarchs, that was all to the good. Perhaps Ou-i even considered it an expedient means to the end of eventual political freedom, if he was even the slightest bit concerned with such matters. For many Buddhists through the ages, spiritual enlightenment and freedom from suffering have been paramount, and have made any political or mundane reality moot. This is one of those times that time-travel would come in handy.

The libertarian in me still believes that freedom from both mundane and spiritual suffering will best come about in an environment where people are allowed to have the maximum amount of liberty conceivable.

Peace,

Tor

P.S. Thanks to these folks for making the I Ching graphics!



Linking to: Liberal Common Sense, TMH's bacon Bits, Quietly Making Noise, Imagine Kitty Magazine
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Emails from Jesus

Head straight over and read this week's blog tenant at Tor's Rants, Emails from Jesus. It's not just a collection of emails from Jesus, but also from his Adversary. I had run across this site some time ago, before its recent facelift, when JC looked a little more like Bob Dobbs' nephew. I'm happy to have it as a tenant. Click on the thumbnail at the top of the right-hand column, and tell 'em Tor sent you!

Here's a good bit of Buddhist-bashing from a recent entry:

Oh No He Di'n't

Hey J-dude,

Just a few questions to ask.

Is Buddha your buddy? What's the weather like in Heaven? And do you think it makes any sense to condemn someone to hell if they (well, Judas) are supposed to betray you?

My Child,

Buddha is a really cool dude, and a friend of both of ours. I'm trying to get him on board with us here, but he's not having it. Something about woot.com interfering with his Eightfold Path. I dunno.

We have a weather button now. Check in daily to see - you know, just in case you...uh...visit.

That whole Judas thing is way misunderstood. Peter and John had this bet going, Judas had too much wine, someone said something about my momma - it's just a really long story I don't wanna get into, man. But yeah, totally made sense at the time.

Yours,
Jesus


Peace,

Tor


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Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Buddhism, Sexism and Religious Intolerance

Many Americans who fancy themselves Buddhists live under some dangerous misconceptions about Buddhist belief and history. Most of these misconceptions derive from their political leanings (mostly extremely liberal) and wishful thinking.

One of those misconceptions is that the history of Buddhism is lacking in violence.

China's Xinhua News (read: propaganda) agency is reporting that Dalai Lama loyalists tore down statues of Dorje Shugden, and of course blames the Dalai Lama for inciting the act. I highly doubt that the Dalai Lama ordered or encouraged this act, but I don't doubt that the folks who did this did it out of a sense of loyalty to him.

The earliest Buddhists in India would enter Hindu temples and destroy images of Shiva. Even these days, a bunch of Cambodian Buddhists can be build up a head of steam and burn down a Christian church.

So as an American Buddhist, I implore all my fellow American Buddhists to stop insisting that violence and Buddhism have never mixed. They shouldn't mix, but they have, and still do. Pretending that knowing that somebody's a Buddhist means also knowing that they are a peaceful person makes as much sense as pretending that knowing somebody's a Christian means also knowing that they won't sell you a lemon for a used car.

Denying the truth does not lead to spiritual attainment.

Another misconception many American Buddhists have is that Buddhism is not compatible with sexism. Mettanando Bhikkhu has an excellent essay that posits the sexism of the early Buddhists as the prime reason that it died out in its native India.

Till now, I always thought that the rigidity of the early Buddhists and their desire to differentiate themselves from Hindus lost out against Hinduism's ability to take any idea, even an idea seemingly antithetical to Hinduism, and incorporate it seamlessly into itself. Whereas later Buddhism, as it spread into other cultures, syncretized with the native practices and philosophies, and consequently endured.

Which brings us full circle to the issue between the Dalai Lama and worship of Dorje Shugden. If H.H. wants Tibetan Buddhism to endure, he will have to allow different sects to adopt practices as they see fit.

Peace,

Tor

Update: Welcome, readers of Blogmandu! Tor's Rants is a multi-topic blog, of which Buddhism is just one strand. You may use the FreshTags navigation in the left column to find my recent posts on Buddhism, or click on the word "Buddhism" next to the del.icio.us checker below to find a comprehensive list of my posts. Of course, I hope you'll look around a bit at my other rantings...they are, after all, through a Buddhist's perspective.

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Second DaVinci Code Puzzle

The second of five puzzles I have framed for The DaVinci Code is now available on the Colonial Theatre website.

Peace,

Tor

P.S. Sorry to OTA participants for not posting my scheduled open trackback yesterday. Blogger was down in the morning when I would have done it, and I needed to work yesterday evening, since our projectionist-in-training isn't ready to work solo yet. I did notice that some folks trackbacked on Monday's post, and that's fine with me, since it's in the spirit of things. So here are the folks who did it:

Diane's Stuff, Blue Star Chronicles (bis), Jon Swift, and last but not least Planck's Constant.

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Monday, May 8, 2006

Late to the Loompanics Closing Party

Apparently, I missed the announcement that Loompanics is going out of business. Their website says that they are now selling off the rest of their stuff at 75% off. I'm not sure if they're actually still in business, since the original announcement about the closure of the publishing company was made in January of 2006. I'd recommend making a phone call before typing any credit card info into an order form online.

For those who are in a state of ignorance, here's what Loompanics is/was:

Loompanics was an American book publisher specializing in nonfiction on generally unconventional or controversial topics, with a philosophy arguably tending to a mixture of libertarian and left wing ideals, although Loompanics carries books expressing other political viewpoints (including far right) as well as outspokenly apolitical ones. The topics of their list of the title list include drugs, weapons, anarchism, sex, conspiracy theory, and so on. Many of their titles describe some kind of illicit or extralegal actions, such as Counterfeit I.D. Made Easy, while others are purely informative, like Opium for the Masses. Loompanics has been in business for nearly 30 years. The publisher and editor is Michael Hoy. In January 2006, Loompanics announced that it is going out of business, and that it was selling off its inventory.


I guess I forgot to get onto their mailing list again the last time I moved. I probably did that on purpose, thinking that I could always go to their website when the spirit moved me. But a lot of the "information" that Loompanics published is now more easily obtainable on the web. Like how to set up a travel-trailer homestead, complete with a low-budget septic system. Or how to build a log cabin for under fifteen grand. Or how to obtain a new identity.

What made me think of looking up Loompanics after these past few years? This Washington Post story about a Floridian who apparently has been living under an assumed identity in Great Britain and Germany for more than twenty years. Sounds like he pulled it off for so long by using the sort of information that Loompanics used to publish.

This fellow, if he is who the police think he is, adopted a new identity to evade justice for an act of violence. But not all who adopt new identities without the state's permission (e.g. witness protection programs) are doing it for immoral reasons. Some do it to escape oppression -- or certain death -- at the hands of the state. Imagine if Raoul Wallenberg hadn't saved tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews by falsely -- and illegally -- issuing them Swedish identity cards.

It is in the spirit of Wallenberg that so many in New Hampshire have been vociferously protesting the national NH Real ID law.

Lauren Canario dressed up in a Nazi-esque khaki uniform and helped run a fake checkpoint where she demanded people's identification.

Real ID "sounds a lot like the old Nazi movies, and we just wanted to illustrate that," she said in an interview last week.


It's true that identity theft and fraud are issues in which the state might legitimately need to get involved. But there should always be a way for people to escape the state's scrutiny when tyranny arises. Or even before the tyranny is anything but a lone demagogue's dream.

Peace,

Tor

Linking to: Pirate's Cove, Committees of Correspondence, Pirates! Man Your Women!

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Sunday, May 7, 2006

Golf Clubs on eBay

Some friends are selling on eBay some vintage golf clubs that one of them inherited from an ex some time ago. You can find their current listings here. You will find that the mitts of yours truly appear in some of the photos. If any hand-modeling scouts feel the need to contact me for extremely lucrative photo shoots, you know where to find me. (Disclosure: my lovely wife, Rowan, is doing the work in getting the golf clubs listed, and is getting a cut of the proceeds from the eBay sales.)

Peace,

Tor

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Doug Hall: Maine Boy Does Good on "American Inventor"

Doug Hall, the fellow in the Hawaiian shirt on American Inventor, is a native of Maine.

I have a hard time believing that he's considered "the show's villain."

"It's TV, and they edit it to make me look as mean as possible," Hall said. "I'm the villain, even though I'm the one wearing the Hawaiian shirt."


I get more of a villain vibe from Ed Evangelista. Doug always seems personable to me. Did you see the way he was very proud of the lady who put together the restroom survival kit? And the way he made a point of talking to the family of the kid who make the dog air conditioner? And he's the one who's always hugging everyone, for cripe's sake! That's a villain?

We need more villains like Doug Hall.

Peace,

Tor

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Linking to: The Uncooperative Blogger, Stuck on Stupid, The Bullwinkle Blog, 123 beta
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Friday, May 5, 2006

Warren Kremer Paino Blinks; Lance Dutson Vows to Keep Raking Muck!

Woooooooooooo-hoooooooooooo!

Lance Dutson announced this afternoon that Warren Kremer Paino advertising has withdrawn their lawsuit against him. Congratulations, Lance. And congratulations to all the folks who linked to him, and got the story out; most of all, congratulations to his top-notch legal advisors.

Chalk up one for the blogosphere this time. Government and its contractors remain fair game for criticism. As Rep. Stephen Bowen put it in his press release earlier today:

Rep. Bowen contends further that fundamental rights are at issue here. "In a small state like ours, where people retain a strong voice in public affairs, everyone has the right to question what the state is doing and how it is spending our money," he said. "That right is sacrosanct."


Peace,

Tor
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CBS Launches "innertube"

The whole shift to online programming by the networks is happening much more quickly than I ever imagined. Now CBS has launched "innertube", which will have both previously aired and original programming:

Among the shows debuting this month: "Greek to Chic," a makeover reality series for college students; "BBQ Bill," a sketch comedy series with Rick Najera; "Animate This!," where celebrities narrate funny stories from their lives that are animated; and "Beyond Survivor," a behind-the-scenes look at the reality show.


They're smart to make initial programs appeal to younger folks who tend to have a lot of free time and blazing fast web access. But they're also going to be showing programs that turned out to be not-quite-ready-for-prime-time:

Later this month, "innertube" will begin streaming "Fire Me ... Please," a reality series that was canceled on the network last year before all of the episodes aired. Similarly, "innertube" will be the destination for episodes of the drama "Love Monkey" that were not aired before it was taken off CBS for low ratings.


Is it possible that many shows might receive a second wind after being available for on-demand viewing? If enough people watch the shows online, and enough advertisers are willing to pay to support them online, then somebody's going to produce them. Simple economics.

There also have to be some bean-counters somewhere who realize that they might make more money from having episodes of old shows available online than releasing them on DVD. Or even syndicating them.

TV producers will have to establish a fine balance between their own profitability and the profitability of the networks and affiliates who got them this far. Eventually, tho, I envision that most broadcast television stations will simply disappear. That'll free up a lot of broadcast bandwidth for other things that haven't been invented yet.

Peace,

Tor

Linking to: Leaning Straight Up, MacBros' Place, Gospel Fiction, Comedian Jenée: People are Idiots , Woman Honor Thyself


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Thursday, May 4, 2006

The Buddhist I Ching: Thunder


This week's randomly selected hexagram from the Buddhist I Ching is number 51, Thunder.

From Thomas Cleary's translation of Chih-hsu Ou-i's commentary:

Developed people do not worry or fear. Why would they need repeated peels of thunder before they practice introspection cautiously? Cautious introspection actually refers to their daily practice of being careful by themselves of what they might not notice. This daily effort can foster what is good and diminish what is bad. Because they are accustomed to cautious introspection in daily life, therefore even when they run into "repeated thunder," they no longer worry or fear.


This commentary underscores the positive results of a good meditation practice. Sorry to say, my meditation practice has left a lot to be desired for quite some time now. Even so, I still feel the vestigial effects of my former zeal for sitting in my mental and emotional patterns. I must try and resume my former ways.

One excellent meditation that I used to alternate with mindfulness of breathing meditation is called mettabhavana, or loving-kindness, meditation. I can attest to its efficacy in helping calm negative emotions, and in dealing with difficult people (even if you're the one who's being difficult). Developing loving-kindness for all beings helps one see the root causes of suffering. And seeing the root causes of suffering helps one develop loving-kindness for all beings. It's a wonderfully vicious circle.

On the opening night of Star Wars: Episode I, I waited in line for six hours (note to self: waiting in line for six hours for a movie is dumb) with the hope of getting into the first showing at a few minutes past midnight. The rules the theatre owners, who -- unbeknownst to both them and me at the time -- would later become my employers, had laid down were that each person standing in line would be able to buy four tickets.

As the evening progressed, we who were standing in line near the cut-off point of patrons who could be reasonably assured the ability to buy tickets noticed some funny goings-on ahead of us. We'd see people come stand by the folks who were going to buy "their tickets" for them. No problem there. It would get everyone into the theatre more efficiently when the time came.

But as the ticket-selling time neared, the boundary between the line of ticket-buyers and everyone else became hazy. Eventually, there was no way to tell for sure who had been standing there for hours on end, and who had just shown up.

At that time, since I had been quite disciplined in my mettabhavana practice, I was able to almost spontaneously generate metta for the very brats who were out to deprive me of my viewing pleasure. (In retrospect, I should say that they were likely acting out of a conspiracy of loving-kindness for me, to keep me from seeing one of the worst movies released that year.)

As the commentary says, people who practice daily won't get shaken when "repeated thunder" is heard. Nowadays, I'm sure I'd be much more likely to grumble. Under my breath, but grumble, indeed.

I need to sit.

Peace,

Tor

P.S. Thanks to these folks for making the I Ching graphics!



Linking to: Liberal Common Sense, TMH's Bacon Bits, Quietly Making Noise, Sed Vitae

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