Dithyramb

Ostracism

How shall one deal with immoral people who are not law-breakers?

Amit Ghate has written a piece called Ostracism where she argues for ostracism as a way of dealing with immoral people (like Ward Churchill).

By ostracism she means "to exclude someone from society by neither communicating nor dealing with him in any form" (and not the  original ancient Greek practice of writing on broken pieces of pottery, called Ostrakon, which were used for voting to have someone banished from the city-state.)

Ostrakon with the name Themistocles written on it.

Remember, Remember...

...the fifth of November
(From The Times Literary Supplement)

"The Gunpowder Plot officially revealed on November 5, 1605, was certainly the greatest single act of terrorism ever planned against the English State, and arguably the most dramatic in world history. Had it succeeded, it would have killed most of the royal family and the aristocracy, and hundreds of the leading men of most counties and major towns: effectively the majority of the political nation of the time. It would also have completely destroyed the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Hall, Westminster Abbey and St Margaret’s, and many more people would probably have perished in the fire that would have raged through the district after the explosion. These consequences are not the broad suppositions of historians’ but precise ballistic tabulations made by the Centre for Explosion Studies at Aberystwyth in 2003. Such a scale of destruction had been meted out to polities before, for example when the Mongols annihilated the states of Central Asia and Iran. The difference in this case was one of technology: that what had formerly required the resources of a huge army, and months of slaughter and demolition, would have been accomplished on this occasion by the striking of a single match. The plot represented the application of a new and horrific kind of weapon to traditional political aims. In that sense the appropriate modern parallel is not with September 11, but with Hiroshima."

 

 

Remember remember the fifth of November
              Gunpowder, treason and plot.
  I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
              Should ever be forgot...

Search-Engine Keywords

An interesting post on search-engine keywords, more specifically on searching for tips on bomb-making, from the Gates of Vienna: Reverse-Engineered Taqiyyah

Harry Binswanger and Allan Gotthelf on Ayn Rand

New York Centenary Reminiscences of Ayn Rand by Harry Binswanger and Allan Gotthelf (Ayn Rand Bookstore)

"In an informal talk at ARI’s Ayn Rand Centenary celebration in New York City, Harry Binswanger and Allan Gotthelf reminisce about personal experiences each had with Ayn Rand, focusing on incidents that illustrate her character and personality. Topics range from cats to concepts, from the paintings in her apartment to her love of Aristotle, from her Scrabble-playing to her own readings of Atlas Shrugged, from her quick wit and stunning insightfulness to her passionate intensity and her inspiring presence."

Definetely something to put one one's wishlist.

Asterix & The Falling Sky

I read the new Asterix Comic Book - Asterix and The Falling Sky, a few days ago (in Norwegian). Verdict: Thoroughly enjoyable.

The title refers to the only things that the Gauls fear: That the sky will fall down on their heads.

This time the main threat is not the Romans...

It Makes You Wonder...

Imagine your a woman

I Just bought...

...two of my favourite movies on DVD. Erik the Viking and Shakespeare in Love.

 

Features on Erik the Viking:

*Programme Notes
*The Making Of Erik The Viking
*Feature Reports
*Selected Scene Index

Special Features on Shakespeare in Love include:

• Shakespeare In Love And On Film
• Television Spots
• 1998 Academy Award®-Winning Costumes
• John Madden Commentary Track
• Track With Cast & Crew
• Deleted Scenes
• Shakespeare Facts
• Theatrical Trailer

I love special features on DVDs. They really do enhance viewing pleasure.

200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar

200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar!
The Nelson Society
The 1805 Club

Telegraph: Service brings Nelson up to date

 

 

       Nelson painted by Lemuel Abbott

For more information on Lord Nelson one can read the classic:
The Life of Horatio Lord Nelson by Robert Southey

David Donachie has written and exciting and enjoyable trilogy on Nelson and Emma:  On a Making Tide, Breaking the Line and Tested by Fate.

Terrence Rattigan, the great playwright, has written a magnificent piece called A Bequest to the Nation (which is featured in the Collected Plays of Terrence Rattigan and can be purchased from the Paper Tiger).

Decline in the sale of Frozen Pizza in Norway

Pizza Obsession Waning

But still:

"The average Norwegian consumes nearly 5.5 kilos (12 pounds) of frozen pizza per year."

That's not including eating pizza in resturants and making them from scratch in the comfort of one's home..

"In 2004 Norwegians spent over NOK 2 billion (USD ) on 50 million pizzas, a total consumption of 50,000 tons of the Italian treat.

Frozen pizzas made up 22,000 tons, restaurant and take-aways 13,000 tons and industrious Norwegians produced 15,000 tons of home-made pizzas."

That is a  lot when divided by 4,6 million people. Quite mind-boggeling to be exact.

More on the obsession can be found here!

Interview with Allan Gotthelf on Ayn Rand

Prodos has released an old interview with leading Aristotle scholar Allan Gotthelf where he talks about his book On Ayn Rand.

From: Prodos

Good morning.

I've just put back online an interview I recorded in early 2000
with one of my favorite philosophers, Dr Allan Gotthelf.

Dr Gotthelf is Chairman of the Ayn Rand Society and is
visiting professor of History and Philosophy of Science at
the University of Pittsburgh, where he holds the
University of Pittsburgh Fellowship for the Study of Objectivism.

I think you'll love this talk. By way of discussing
Dr Gotthelf's book, "ON AYN RAND" we cover so many
fascinating and important issues - not only to do with
Ayn Rand's ideas, but about thinking philosophically in general.

Listen online now @
http://www.prodos.com/archive079gotthelf01.html

Some of the topics covered include:

- The Benevolent Universe Premise and the Heroic View of Man.
- What value is central to Ayn Rand’s view of a hero?
- What is reason?
- What are emotions?
- Is there a connection between the two?
- Are reason and emotions inherently at odds with each other?
- Are reason and passion mutually exclusive?
- Reason and self-esteem.
- How should a person gain his philosophy?
- Anyway, what is philosophy?
- For that matter, What is the meaning of life?
- Is some degree of mysticism required to answer this question?
- What is “value”?
- What does it mean for a human being “to live”?
- Selfishness: what is it according to Ayn Rand?
- Contrasting it with the Nietzchien view.
- The harmony of rational interests.
- In Ayn Rand’s novel, "The Fountainhead," Howard Roark
  gives up a job that would bring him wealth and fame.
  How was that, by Ayn Rand’s philosophy, a selfish act?
- How did Allan Gotthelf first meet Ayn Rand? And what were her first
words to him?
- The origin of Ayn Rand’s name - and a correction.

And much, much more!

Listen online now @
http://www.prodos.com/archive079gotthelf01.html

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
If you LOVE this interview: BLOG IT!
What? You don't have a blog?? Then get a blog!

A free, beautiful, easy-to-use blog from:

http://ThinkerToThinker.com

Express and extend your writing and thinking prowess!
Be a LION. Not a mow-ess!

http://ThinkerToThinker.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

At Your Service,

PRODOS

http://prodos.com

Eat My Shorts!

The Simpsons exported to Arabs -- Minus Bacon, Beer: Key Aspects of New Middle East Version Gets Lost in Translation

"Oct. 18) -- After 17 seasons of entertaining U.S. audiences, "The Simpsons" can now be seen on Arab television. While U.S. foreign policy is not always a hit overseas, there is a huge audience for American popular culture.
...

"Translating the show linguistically, as well as culturally, as well as socially so that it appeals to the audience that's watching it here, I think there's a lot of details that one has to pay attention to," said Nadia Rahman, a professor at the Zayed University Media Center in the United Arab Emirates. "How does the mother dress? How does the sister dress?"

So MBC is making some changes as the characters go from American to Arab. They will remove references to things forbidden by the Koran, such as bacon, beer, and other references that might be construed as offensive.
...

Homer Simpson's ubiquitous Duff beer will now be soda in the Arab version of the show.

Hot dogs will become Egyptian beef sausages, and donuts will become popular Arab cookies called "kahk." Moe's Bar has been completely written out of "Al Shamshoon."

With characters who are Jewish (like Krusty the Clown), Hindu (like Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu) and Christian (like the family's pastor, Rev. Lovejoy), Al Jean — "The Simpsons" executive producer — says those changes mean they aren't "The Simpsons" anymore."

The Show seems hardly recognizable.

Air-strikes and Smurphs

Mark Steyn has written a piece on modern warfare called Sometimes it is worth going to war where he argues the case for the moral superiority of air-strikes over any type of tribal warfare.

Missiles to threaten Europe

Russians help  Iran with  missile threat to Europe

"Former members of the Russian military have been secretly helping Iran to acquire technology needed to produce missiles capable of striking European capitals."

Banning the Burqa

Holland fears killings over ban on burqa

Nicotine Beer

Drink more to smoke less

"Drinking and smoking -- a match, apparently, made in heaven, but not heavily advertised by world religions -- is about to experience a new, post-prohibitive reincarnation in the shape of NicoShot, a nicotine-laced beer.

A German beer producer, Nautilus, has announced that it is currently testing NicoShot, a beer containing 6.3 percent alcohol and three milligrams of nicotine per bottle.

"Many countries have a smoking ban in bars and restaurants," a Nautilus spokesperson said. "With our beer, you won't have to go outside for a quickie.""

Absolutely brilliant! Creatively circumnavigating the bureacratic sea of anti-smoking regulations that has been forced down the throats of  proud pub-owners and pub-goers.

Three Cheers: Hipp Hipp Hurrah, Hipp Hipp Hurrah!, Hipp Hipp Hurrah!

Merkel to take the helm in Germany

Merkel will lead as Schroeder yields chancellorship

Death to all Smurphs!

Smurf Massacre Terrifies Kids!
Gargomel is pleased!

"BRUSSELS - The people of Belgium have been left reeling by a public service commercial featuring the Smurfs, in which the blue-skinned cartoon characters' village is annihilated by warplanes.
...
The 25-second commercial is the work of UNICEF, and is to be broadcast on TV across Belgium next week as a public fundraiser. It is intended as the keystone of a drive, by UNICEF's Belgian arm, to raise about $145,000 for the rehabilitation of former child soldiers in Burundi.
...
Belgian television viewers were given a preview of the commercial earlier this week, when it was shown on the main evening news. Reactions ranged from approval to shock and, in the case of small children who saw the episode by accident, wailing terror."

Traumatizing kids to show that war is hell!...

"The ad pulls no punches. It opens with the Smurfs dancing, hand-in-hand, around a campfire and singing the Smurf song. Bluebirds flutter past and rabbits gambol around their familiar village of mushroom- shaped houses until, without warning, bombs begin to rain from the sky.

Tiny Smurfs scatter and run in vain from the whistling bombs, before being felled by blast waves and fiery explosions. The final scene shows a scorched and tattered Baby Smurf sobbing inconsolably, surrounded by prone Smurfs.

The final frame bears the message: "Don't let war affect the lives of children.''"

Maybe they should have though about that before they aired it on the evening news.

Developing Nuclear Capabilities

How can the IAEA win the Nobel Peace Prize given this development?...

MI5 unmasks covert arms programmes

"The determination of countries across the Middle East and Asia to develop nuclear arsenals and other weapons of mass destruction is laid bare by a secret British intelligence document which has been seen by the Guardian.

More than 360 private companies, university departments and government organisations in eight countries, including the Pakistan high commission in London, are identified as having procured goods or technology for use in weapons programmes.

The length of the list, compiled by MI5, suggests that the arms trade supermarket is bigger than has so far been publicly realised. MI5 warns against exports to organisations in Iran, Pakistan, India, Israel, Syria and Egypt and to beware of front companies in the United Arab Emirates, which appears to be a hub for the trade.

 

Article continues

 

---

 

 

---

The disclosure of the list comes as the Nobel peace prize was yesterday awarded to Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the UN watchdog responsible for combating proliferation. The Nobel committee said they had made the award because of the apparent deadlock in disarmament and the danger that nuclear weapons could spread "both to states and to terrorist groups"."

IAEA: Rewarded for being a failure!

Long Live Piglet!

The Sun

"NOVELTY pig calendars and toys have been banned from a council office — in case they offend Muslim staff.

Workers in the benefits department at Dudley Council, West Midlands, were told to remove or cover up all pig-related items, including toys, porcelain figures, calendars and even a tissue box featuring Winnie the Pooh and Piglet."

Mark Steyn has a good commentary on the story entitled Making a pig's ear out of defending democracy

"When every act that a culture makes communicates weakness and loss of self-belief, eventually you'll be taken at your word. In the long term, these trivial concessions are more significant victories than blowing up infidels on the Tube or in Bali beach restaurants. An act of murder demands at least the pretence of moral seriousness, even from the dopiest appeasers. But small acts of cultural vandalism corrode the fabric of freedom all but unseen."

Cox & Forkum have created this brilliant illustration!

Al-Qaeda Job Vacancies

A hilarious post from Secular Blasphemy

"Al-Qaeda job vacancies

Help wanted. Crappy salary, paranoid boss, short life expectancy and imaginary retirement benefits. Sounds like the kind of job you'd like to have? In case, what about a job doing video editing for al-Qaeda?!"

Introducing EON

I'm a proud member of:

EON - The European Objectivist Network

Description:

"The European Objectivists Network (EON) is a forum for communication and action among all European Objectivists around the world and all Objectivists resident in Europe. EON seeks to promote and tie together national, local and specialist Objectivist groups as well as individuals in Europe (and beyond, at my discretion).

To use an epistemological analogy, EON is a higher concept that integrates all European Objectivists into a single unit, and thereby facilitates wider communication, sharing of information, promotion of events, education and support for intellectual activism, and ultimately, the spreading of Objectivist influence.

All Europeans with a genuine interest in Ayn Rands philosophy are encouraged to join even though you may be active in a national group. EON will link you with other groups in other countries and enable us to work together to promote laissez-faire ideas in politics, egoist ethics, and objectivity in academia on a wider scale. The future nature and activity of the group may be modified as our membership expands. An associated website will follow in due course."

So to all Objectivists in Europe - why don't you join us for a better tomorrow!

                                                    (Soria Moria by Th. Kittelsen)

 

Another Nobel Peace Prize Disgrace

"Norway" has done it again. IAEA has been given the Nobel Peace Prize. Why? It's an ineffective organisation much like the UN, that has been critical of American  "unilateralism" and which has done it's best to obstruct the USA. And maybe that is the reason! To officially give moral sanction to the "multilateralist-UN-approach" and implicitly criticise US foreign policy.

Why take offence?

The Nobel Peace Prize has previously been given to the infamous Yassir Arafat, who invented modern aircraft hijacking!

The prize has been rendered worthless a long, long time ago.

Improving Dithyramb

I'm in the process of updating links and generally improving the site.

Disturbing Sex Tourism

Daniel Pipes covers some truly horrifying stuff in an article entitled Arabian Sex Tourism

Axiomatic issue nr. 1 is now avaliable!

Axiomatic issue nr. 1 is now available!

About Axiomatic:

"Axiomatic is an online magazine for Objectivists. Each month we bring you a series of articles that analyze Objectivism, apply Objectivist principles to other fields of study, or help you integrate Objectivism into your daily life.

When you subscribe to Axiomatic, you will receive instant access to the latest issue, available both on the web and in a downloadable, printable PDF file.

Future plans include: a group blog, Podcasts, a discussion forum, and an online store where you can spend too much money for a coffee mug just because it has our logo on the side."