QotD

"That's why it's so hard to find The (or A) Right One. Not only do we have to be attracted to each other all along whatever scales we're each carrying around in our heads, but we also have to have neuroses that are complementary."

Some things don't change...

Slashdot: A former executive for banner ad giant DoubleClick has been selected to be the first ever privacy czar for the Department of Homeland Security, according to The Washington Post.

Reminds me of Reagan picking Watt for Interior Secretary. Yet another piece of evidence supporting the claim about Bush Jr. that a political cartoon once said: He's not repeating his father's mistakes. He's repeating Reagan's.

In reply to Kelique

Fripp:

Challenging fantasy generates reaction in proportion to the strength with which the fantasy is held. In other words, look out. If any of this seems remote from daily life, or theoretical, look around - it is clearly not. Bumping up against each others' hopes, aspirations, aims, dreams – and utterly unrealistic, witless imaginary schemes – is pretty much daily stuff for anyone that does anything with anyone else; let alone in an area where the creative imagination is fundamental.

Where a good person is in fantasy, yet seeing that this will cause damage to myself/a common undertaking, a bringing-down-to-earth is necessary sooner-or-later; but this earthing can cause a few emotional bruises and, handled unkindly, even psychic damage.

This grounding call recently fell to me. I saw a good person move into imagination, saw the repercussions of this down the road & was not prepared to let the future be connected to that fantasy. So, seeing trouble coming that I was unable/not prepared to deal with at a later date, I decided to act. For the limited character that I am, my guiding principles were these:

once a decision is taken, better to act on that decision as soon as feasible, in a clean & straightforward fashion.

act rightly, and you will be able to deal with the repercussions.

"Acting rightly", to the degree that I was able, I knocked the fantasy on the head. Trusting in this, I trust to the repercussions.

The key to this is the intention & motivation that give rise to a decision, act or strategy. When we act intentionally, even with the best intentions, and call a person on their assumptions or behaviour, the impact can be considerable. In any case, our own assumptions & behaviour, unintentionally, will already have generated irritation & difficulties of which we are unaware. An excuse sometimes offered, for our own careless dealings with others, is that I have provided "opportunities" (i.e. difficulties) for another person to use in their own work. This is fundamentally dishonest. Dealings of this power & subtlety are only for the qualified; those qualified are small in number; and those small-in-number don't advertise.

Just some thoughts.

*sigh* -- whatever happened to representation?

And weren't the Republicans pro-line-item veto years ago? Whatever happened to that campaign now that they run all three branches?

JWZ: Without public notice, a hearing, or debate in Congress, both houses passed the "RAVE Act" yesterday. This legislation makes it possible for the federal government to prosecute innocent business owners for the drug offenses of their customers. The new law holds a business owner responsible if anyone uses illegal drugs while on their property, whether they are aware of it or not, and even if the business owner takes action to try and prevent drug use!

This became law using one of the sleaziest tricks in the Congressional arsenal. How do you get an unpopular bill passed? Attach it as an amendment to a popular bill! In this case, the "RAVE Act" was attached to the "AMBER Alert" bill, which is legislation about child abduction that has nothing to do with drug policy.