Holte's corner

She Came one Night

I went to an excellent play last night at the "Teatro De la luna". It's name is "Volvió una noche" and it was written by Eduardo Rovner. Anyone who is an adult and has a traditional style mother can probably relate to this play. Even if they don't speak any Spanish. The play runs a translation in English over the play, and it is fun to watch even if one is a gringo like me....

References and more reading

"http://www.latinamericantheatre.com/rovner.htm"

http://www.potomacstages.com/Teatro.htm/a>

Exemplars and Originalism

It is important to listen to someone who is an enemy of important
principles. For example understanding the Federalist papers requires
understanding Patrick Henry, "Cato and Brutus" every bit as much as
any of the Federalist.

It's important to understand a document and its sections principles,
context, literal meaning, original intent, and historical developments
in its interpretation. Scalia as a sophisticated person is important
to listen to, but because he is sophisticated, radical and partisan it
is important to read him in context with others or balance his words
with someone like Ms. Smiths. He makes claims to an objectivity he
doesn't in fact possess. Which is the fault of many who claim an
objectivist position. They are not really objective at all. In fact their opinions are highly subjective.

Better than this is to use the principles of logic to ensure that principles are elucidated and applied as they are "originally" defined in the sense of being true principles. Ms. Smith appears to be critiquing Scalia, but she's really explaining how to reason from principle to practice.

http://www.law.duke.edu/journals/djclpp/index.php?action=showitem&id=46

Housing meltdown and the Brain

The housing market meltdown is occurring. Congress is letting the Feds bail out the largest perps, trying to close the barn-door (after the horses have run) and not doing much else. The "reform package" before them is a re-organization of the people involved in regulation and not a serious address of the underlying problems, which are the fact that a lot of people are losing their homes, and that financial institutions are backed by poor quality "financial instruments" as a result.

Jumping on Congress

Bruce Fein is still fighting for impeachment. So am I. The US Government broke laws at the behest of the President. They committed unconstitutional and immoral actions in torturing prisoners, spying on the People, and a long list of other corrupt, authoritarian and violent actions. The President, with cooperation from quisling democrats and goose-stepping followers broke the law and the constitution -- and continues to do so.

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1205-28.htm

Darwinism in the Movies

Some good recent movies: "The counterfeiters", manages to combine a movie about the Holocaust with a crime and technology tale. It's well worth seeing. The real story is even better: http://www.lawrencemalkin.com/kruegers-men-the-story.html .
Another good movie to watch is "There will be blood" which profiles turn of the century wild-catting and corporate shenanigans.

Both profile a world where self-interest is betrayed by moral confusion, and where people are making decisions of life and death in a world that seems darwinian.

Actions and Words

We were having our interminable (and sometimes fun) arguments and we got a sort of dialogue going:
Mark Rogow wrote:
> Hi Chris. There are two basic ways to change the real world
> [the tendency from the Lower Six to the Higher Four] to achieve
> a desireable end: Mandates, laws or rules and regulations from
> without; and an awakening from within.
Chris:
> No, laws, rules, mandates and awakening are not enough. Action is what
> changes the 6 worlds. Those who go into the forest to awaken awaken to
> the level of "Self-enlightenment" but that doesn't translate to full
> and complete enlightenment because we are connected to the Saha world
> through our actions. Both awakening and mandates are means towards
> that end.
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Robin:
> I think the Lotus Sutra refuted that. You are expressing a partial
> view of provisional mahayana. Also, the use of the term pratyeka would
> likely only apply to those who never heard the dharma at all. I do not
> think the Suttas tell us much about pratyekas. There is some
> contradiction. Perhaps in terms of life philosophy, we can say
> pratyeka is a necessary partial aspect of full awakening.

Want to read my response, continue...