15 years ago today, my uncle Patrick Allen Wegesend, passed away. He was 53 years old.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Sep/20/ln/ln46aobituaries.html
(he will be referred to in the rest of this article as "Uncle Pat")
Uncle Pat was the older brother to my mother. Out of her 6 brothers, Uncle Pat was the one she had the closest relations with.
He was the uncle that I had the closest relations with.
Uncle Pat was a constant visitor to my mom and grandma's home, and we would have long meaningful conversations about life and current news. We would talk about world events, history and tabloid news.
Uncle Pat had a very kind & generous spirit.
==========
But even with our close relations, Uncle Pat had some secrets that would only be revealed later.
Uncle Pat was going through some major health problems.
I've heard conversations about him having diabetes.
But I learned the truth in my conversation with grandma that Uncle Pat had AIDS.
That was a shocker.
Usually, when it is announced that someone got AIDS, there are instant questions on how that person got it.
I asked my grandma.
She said that Uncle Pat got it from a man he was living with a few years earlier.
What?
You mean to tell me Uncle Pat was ...............?
That side of Uncle Pat wasn't talked about.
I was naive about the whole thing.
I was assuming that Uncle Pat was living with a friend, not realizing what type of friendship it was.
Uncle Pat didn't exactly fit the stereotype of a gay person "having a limp wrist", never wore feminine clothing, didn't talk with a stereotypical "gay voice", none of that!
While Uncle Pat never had that rugged exterior like some other uncles, he didn't fit the "mahu" stereotypes either.
There were a few other uncles that weren't married either, but I doubt that homosexuality had anything to do with that! Some people just liked the independence of living alone. I like the independence of living alone, and I'm heterosexual.
Anyways, when my grandma informed me about Uncle Pat having AIDS, it was probably somewhere between 2000-2002. It was within Uncle Pat's last few years. I didn't say anything about it to anyone.
On the day that Uncle Pat died, I told my mother what grandma said about Uncle Pat having AIDS and how he got it, and my mother basically confirmed everything grandma said.
It was also the first time me and my mother having a conversation about Uncle Pat's homosexuality and him having AIDS.
My mother said that very few people understood how much Uncle Pat suffered throughout his life.
She said that Uncle Pat felt misunderstood by his brothers. That grandma wasn't so nice when Uncle Pat revealed his sexual orientation until Uncle Pat told grandma "You think I like being this way?" At that point, grandma understood! It was a revelation to grandma that sexual orientation is an inborn trait, that many people who are homosexual are suffering with living with such a secret that if they revealed it, it could mean the difference between full acceptance versus being outcasted by loved ones.
To add to that, being that many homosexuals "lived in the closest", the best options that many felt they had was to go to "gay bars" in secret, where they feel they can live their true selves for a few hours. Those places were notorious for their hookup scenes, and being that men can't get pregnant, there was less hesitation among gay men to "hook up", making them vulnerable to STDs.
When the AIDS crisis hit in the 1980s, it was seen as a "gay disease". Among those already outcasted by their families, peers, churches and mainstream society, many gay men with AIDS had no emotional support to help them survive such a brutal disease. It's bad enough that AIDS was basically a death sentence, even worse when many who suffered didn't have emotional support from family due to homophobia.
While the AIDS crisis might've enabled a few ultra-conservative preachers to preach homophobia, news reports about the suffering of AIDS patients eventually had the rest of the population rethink their prejudice against the LGBT population. People start to realize that their jokes about homosexuality isn't "just a joke" but something that can traumatize people who are already suffering.
As I learned about Uncle Pat's reality, I feel really guilty about laughing at homophobic jokes and making homophobic comments when I was younger.
I didn't even know what homosexuality was until 5th grade in sex ed, and my brother told me that gay men had anal sex, we were both disgusted.
Nobody in our schools was out of the closet, except for this one loud transgendered person who was a senior when I was a freshmen in high school. In that environment, there was a near consensus that homosexuality was something to be ridiculed.
Around the same time, this being the 1990s, that same-sex marriage was in the news, as there was a lawsuit in the Hawaii court systems. So it was something discussed in social studies classes. Hearing that issue discussed in 10th social studies class was the first time I heard classmates defending the right to allow same-sex marriage. As far I know, none of them were openly LGBT, but they were already "ahead of their time" on this issue.
The late 90s was also when Ellen DeGeneres had her "coming out" episode. That was the first time I had any discussion about homosexuality with my mother. My mother defended LGBT rights, but at the time, she didn't mention about Uncle Pat's sexuality.
Those discussion motivated me to research the issue. Back then, I didn't have internet access (it was the late 90's, the internet was still a new thing), so reading books about it in the back of the library (away from everyone else) was the only option. Even with that, I learned a lot! I learned that many LGBT had those innate feelings and they knew they had to keep it a secret because they knew even their closest friends would turn against them. Learning that broke my heart. I felt guilty for any homophobic thoughts/jokes I expressed because there's a possibility my comments hurt the hearts of people who might still be in the closet.
It took me a while to openly defend LGBT rights, because others would be like "eww, you're defending same-sex marriage because you gay"
I remember in freshmen year of college (1999-2000) in speech, we had to randomly pick a paper that had a topic written on it. The paper was folded so you can't see what you're picking. The other topics included abortion, gun control and doctor-assisted suicide. I was hoping for those topics. The folded paper I picked happened to have "same-sex marriage" written on it. One more person had the same topic. One of us had to defend it, the other had to argue against it. I decided that it was time to defend it, just as boldly as I was already defending my viewpoints on other topics. I learned then that the university was a different environment than high school, and that you won't be stigmatized for defending LGBT rights. (Remember, this was the turn of the century. Yes universities were already "liberal" but not a single state legalized same-sex marriage yet).
Even at that point, I still didn't know about Uncle Pat's orientation. It was still a "secret".
Had he lived longer, maybe he might've been more willing to talk about it.
Had he lived until this year, he would've seen same-sex marriage legalized, and maybe, he might be more willing to talk publicly about his orientation.
Or maybe he just wanted to be left alone in privacy.
Either way, I will continue to miss Uncle Pat, his generous spirit and the discussions we had.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Friday, August 11, 2017
Trump, North Korea, Guam and Hawaii
North Korean rulers have long been testing nuclear weapons and threatening to use it against anyone who offends them!
They're now giving warnings that they will launch missiles towards Guam, a small island in the western Pacific that also happens to be a US territory, and therefore a host to US military bases.
Now Donald Trump is threatening North Korea with "fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before."
Meanwhile, the US military is also beefing up their missile defense systems to protect their bases in Hawaii as well.
Being in Hawaii, I can definitely feel the nervousness about North Korea's threats.
If Trump wants to attack North Korea, he better destroy all their military facilities fast, because North Korea will use everyone it got! After the first attack, North Korea will launch every single long-range missile in its arsenal!
In that scenario, Guam and Hawaii are screwed, even if the US wins!
But at the same time, we have to ask the tough questions.
Would North Korea be threatening Guam or Hawaii if they were independent nations?
After all, North Korea isn't threatening Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands or Papua New Guinea!
That's because they're independent nations that aren't hosting US or European military bases!
This isn't Blame America First, it's just an observation of facts!
Let's be real about this, the US took control of Hawaii and Guam not for the benefit of their people, but to use their lands as military launching pads towards Asia.
But why? Why do the US need a military launching pad towards Asia? Why can't the US learn to mind its own business!
If poverty-stricken North Korea can build nuclear weapons and long-range missiles, why can't "economic miracles" South Korea, Japan and Taiwan do the same!
If North Korea can scare Big Bad USA with its long-range nukes, why can't Taiwan do the same to China?
Meanwhile, it is the USA that abused the Marshall Islands by forcing their people off their islands and using those islands as nuclear testing sites.
That's right, it wasn't North Korea, China or Russia that abused the Marshall Islands with nuclear testing.
Meanwhile, the radiation has caused so much medical problems to the Marshallese people, that many of them come to Hawaii to get their medical needs taken care. Sadly, those people face racist abuse in Hawaii after all they've been through!
Many in Hawaii and Guam are reluctant to become independent partly because of the addiction to "federal funds", when much of that money has been taken away from us as federal taxes. Why should we pay money to the US federal government (where senators and reps from other states argue over what to do with it) when we can be independent, we keep our tax revenues here and we tell ourselves what to do with it!
But even a bigger factor of why many in Hawaii and Guam are reluctant to be independent is because of the trauma of World War 2.
At the time, much of the world was under the rule of European empires, and Japan wanted its own empire.
Therefore, Japan attacked US territories in the Pacific!
But we're not living in 1941 anymore!
I doubt North Korea has any interest in conquering the entire Pacific! They're only threatening Pacific Islands that host US military bases! They're not threatening independent Pacific Island nations! China hasn't even threatened the other Pacific Islands either!
Guam and Hawaii needs to be defended, but we should stop being used as US military launching pads towards Asia!
Guam and Hawaii needs to be defended, but we should stop being sitting ducks targeted for retaliation over someone else's rivalries!
Guam and Hawaii should be independent, and collaborate with other Pacific Islands in establishing a military defense system.
Guam, Hawaii and the other Pacific Islands should collaborate in establishing a naval system designed purely for self-defense purposes.
Guam, Hawaii and the other Pacific Islands should collaborate in establishing a missile defense system to protect ourselves.
Guam, Hawaii and the other Pacific Islands should collaborate in establishing an air force designed purely to defend our skies!
If other places can do it, why not us? Why beg for a faraway empire to do it for us, when we should do it ourselves?
All the European, American and Asian empires should just leave us Pacific Island residents alone already! Stop using our lands as "bargaining chips" and "targets" over your rivalries. Leave us out of it !
----------------
For all those US military troops stationed in the Pacific Islands, this isn't personal against you! You joined to defend your country, but you're being pimped by your government! Your government is pimping you to be involved in foreign disputes that your government shouldn't be involved in!
Now, some of you probably fell in love with our islands while being stationed here. If it was up to me, a newly independent Hawaii and a newly independent Guam would invite you to join our military, under the condition that you follow OUR rules and you defend OUR interests!
============
You can learn more by checking out this editorial by the Hawaii Independent
The Hawaii Independent. “Rather than keep us safe, U.S. militarism puts Hawaiʻi in the crosshairs.” June 1, 2017.
http://hawaiiindependent.net/story/rather-than-keep-us-safe-u.s.-militarism-puts-hawaii-in-the-crosshairs
They're now giving warnings that they will launch missiles towards Guam, a small island in the western Pacific that also happens to be a US territory, and therefore a host to US military bases.
Now Donald Trump is threatening North Korea with "fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before."
Meanwhile, the US military is also beefing up their missile defense systems to protect their bases in Hawaii as well.
Being in Hawaii, I can definitely feel the nervousness about North Korea's threats.
If Trump wants to attack North Korea, he better destroy all their military facilities fast, because North Korea will use everyone it got! After the first attack, North Korea will launch every single long-range missile in its arsenal!
In that scenario, Guam and Hawaii are screwed, even if the US wins!
But at the same time, we have to ask the tough questions.
Would North Korea be threatening Guam or Hawaii if they were independent nations?
After all, North Korea isn't threatening Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands or Papua New Guinea!
That's because they're independent nations that aren't hosting US or European military bases!
This isn't Blame America First, it's just an observation of facts!
Let's be real about this, the US took control of Hawaii and Guam not for the benefit of their people, but to use their lands as military launching pads towards Asia.
But why? Why do the US need a military launching pad towards Asia? Why can't the US learn to mind its own business!
If poverty-stricken North Korea can build nuclear weapons and long-range missiles, why can't "economic miracles" South Korea, Japan and Taiwan do the same!
If North Korea can scare Big Bad USA with its long-range nukes, why can't Taiwan do the same to China?
Meanwhile, it is the USA that abused the Marshall Islands by forcing their people off their islands and using those islands as nuclear testing sites.
That's right, it wasn't North Korea, China or Russia that abused the Marshall Islands with nuclear testing.
Meanwhile, the radiation has caused so much medical problems to the Marshallese people, that many of them come to Hawaii to get their medical needs taken care. Sadly, those people face racist abuse in Hawaii after all they've been through!
Many in Hawaii and Guam are reluctant to become independent partly because of the addiction to "federal funds", when much of that money has been taken away from us as federal taxes. Why should we pay money to the US federal government (where senators and reps from other states argue over what to do with it) when we can be independent, we keep our tax revenues here and we tell ourselves what to do with it!
But even a bigger factor of why many in Hawaii and Guam are reluctant to be independent is because of the trauma of World War 2.
At the time, much of the world was under the rule of European empires, and Japan wanted its own empire.
Therefore, Japan attacked US territories in the Pacific!
But we're not living in 1941 anymore!
I doubt North Korea has any interest in conquering the entire Pacific! They're only threatening Pacific Islands that host US military bases! They're not threatening independent Pacific Island nations! China hasn't even threatened the other Pacific Islands either!
Guam and Hawaii needs to be defended, but we should stop being used as US military launching pads towards Asia!
Guam and Hawaii needs to be defended, but we should stop being sitting ducks targeted for retaliation over someone else's rivalries!
Guam and Hawaii should be independent, and collaborate with other Pacific Islands in establishing a military defense system.
Guam, Hawaii and the other Pacific Islands should collaborate in establishing a naval system designed purely for self-defense purposes.
Guam, Hawaii and the other Pacific Islands should collaborate in establishing a missile defense system to protect ourselves.
Guam, Hawaii and the other Pacific Islands should collaborate in establishing an air force designed purely to defend our skies!
If other places can do it, why not us? Why beg for a faraway empire to do it for us, when we should do it ourselves?
All the European, American and Asian empires should just leave us Pacific Island residents alone already! Stop using our lands as "bargaining chips" and "targets" over your rivalries. Leave us out of it !
----------------
For all those US military troops stationed in the Pacific Islands, this isn't personal against you! You joined to defend your country, but you're being pimped by your government! Your government is pimping you to be involved in foreign disputes that your government shouldn't be involved in!
Now, some of you probably fell in love with our islands while being stationed here. If it was up to me, a newly independent Hawaii and a newly independent Guam would invite you to join our military, under the condition that you follow OUR rules and you defend OUR interests!
============
You can learn more by checking out this editorial by the Hawaii Independent
The Hawaii Independent. “Rather than keep us safe, U.S. militarism puts Hawaiʻi in the crosshairs.” June 1, 2017.
http://hawaiiindependent.net/story/rather-than-keep-us-safe-u.s.-militarism-puts-hawaii-in-the-crosshairs
Learn Your Geography (part 2)
(note: you can see part 1 at http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2014/10/learn-your-geography.html)
Some kids say "why we gotta learn geography, when are we going to need that information?"
They assume that if their parents don't use geographic information in their jobs everyday, then they don't need to pay attention during geography lessons.
But there's more to life than just knowing things related to the everyday duties of your specific job!
Your everyday reality is affected by what's going on in other places.
For example, Donald Trump is threatening to go to war with North Korea.
Yet, a bunch of people from the United States can't even locate North Korea on a map
When your country is about to go to war with another country, YOU BETTER KNOW WHERE IT IS?
But more importantly, if you might be sent to fight (and get killed, or at least amputated), you need to know why you're being sent there! There's a context to the situation, wars don't just pop out of nowhere, there's a reason for it!
And it's not just about wars!
Even for peaceful things like trade, you need to know about it!
If those people can't find North Korea on a map, then they can't find South Korea on a map!
South Korea, where all the SamSung products, as well as Hyundai and Kia cars come from! (and yes, K-Pop and Gangnam Style too)
Could you at least have some interest in where the products you or your peers are using come from?
-------------------
Knowing geography can also help you learn where the recent immigrants are coming from!
It can also help you understand their situations better.
I mean, why wouldn't you want information that can help you understand the people around you better?
It's embarrassing that many people in Hawaii ( a group of PACIFIC ISLANDS) know almost nothing about OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDS, some of them sources of new immigrants.
If you took the time to learn about other Pacific Islands, you would be more understanding about their situations.
I mean I actually heard people in Hawaii assume that Samoa and Micronesia are in the same part of the Pacific Ocean.
What?
The plane going from Hawaii to Samoa is going a different direction than a plane going from Hawaii to Micronesia.
And to hear people not know there are different island, cultural and language groups within what is Micronesia? Those people actually assume they all speak the same language?
Those islands maybe small (that's why the Europeans called those islands "micro", a Greek term for "small", which unfortunately has become a racial slur used against people from those islands), but they are spread out over a large area, of course that would make a difference in the cultural and linguistic evolution of the people of the islands!
All this is EASILY AVAILABLE INFORMATION!
I remember reading about this from encyclopedias and looking at atlases when I was a kid, ...................which was a few years BEFORE the internet became available to the masses.
But now we have smartphone, which gives you access to the information about the world that can fit into your pocket, but yet people don't even want to learn basic geography?
Come on people!
I'm not expecting everyone to learn every small town and every small pond that exist!
But at least know the continents, countries and major cities!
And if you hear a country's name being mentioned on the news .........LOOK IT UP!
You can do that! So let's do that!
Some kids say "why we gotta learn geography, when are we going to need that information?"
They assume that if their parents don't use geographic information in their jobs everyday, then they don't need to pay attention during geography lessons.
But there's more to life than just knowing things related to the everyday duties of your specific job!
Your everyday reality is affected by what's going on in other places.
For example, Donald Trump is threatening to go to war with North Korea.
Yet, a bunch of people from the United States can't even locate North Korea on a map
Jimmy Kimmel Live
"How Many Americans Know Where North Korea Is?"
When your country is about to go to war with another country, YOU BETTER KNOW WHERE IT IS?
But more importantly, if you might be sent to fight (and get killed, or at least amputated), you need to know why you're being sent there! There's a context to the situation, wars don't just pop out of nowhere, there's a reason for it!
And it's not just about wars!
Even for peaceful things like trade, you need to know about it!
If those people can't find North Korea on a map, then they can't find South Korea on a map!
South Korea, where all the SamSung products, as well as Hyundai and Kia cars come from! (and yes, K-Pop and Gangnam Style too)
Could you at least have some interest in where the products you or your peers are using come from?
-------------------
Knowing geography can also help you learn where the recent immigrants are coming from!
It can also help you understand their situations better.
I mean, why wouldn't you want information that can help you understand the people around you better?
It's embarrassing that many people in Hawaii ( a group of PACIFIC ISLANDS) know almost nothing about OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDS, some of them sources of new immigrants.
If you took the time to learn about other Pacific Islands, you would be more understanding about their situations.
I mean I actually heard people in Hawaii assume that Samoa and Micronesia are in the same part of the Pacific Ocean.
What?
The plane going from Hawaii to Samoa is going a different direction than a plane going from Hawaii to Micronesia.
And to hear people not know there are different island, cultural and language groups within what is Micronesia? Those people actually assume they all speak the same language?
Those islands maybe small (that's why the Europeans called those islands "micro", a Greek term for "small", which unfortunately has become a racial slur used against people from those islands), but they are spread out over a large area, of course that would make a difference in the cultural and linguistic evolution of the people of the islands!
All this is EASILY AVAILABLE INFORMATION!
I remember reading about this from encyclopedias and looking at atlases when I was a kid, ...................which was a few years BEFORE the internet became available to the masses.
But now we have smartphone, which gives you access to the information about the world that can fit into your pocket, but yet people don't even want to learn basic geography?
Come on people!
I'm not expecting everyone to learn every small town and every small pond that exist!
But at least know the continents, countries and major cities!
And if you hear a country's name being mentioned on the news .........LOOK IT UP!
You can do that! So let's do that!
Tuesday, August 01, 2017
Chester Bennington
Another rock legend died this year.
This time it's Chester Bennington, the lead singer for Linkin Park.
Linkin Park was known for combining the nu-metal sounds with the rap vocals of Mike Shinoda and the angst-ridden singing vocals of Chester Bennington.
Linkin Park came to fame in the early 2000s, a time when the nu metal and rap-metal ruled the world of rock. Limp Bizkit, Korn and Kid Rock were the kings of rock of that era! Other bands that were popular at the time included (but definitely not limited to) Disturbed, POD, Papa Roach, Staind, Evanescence, Rammstein and Slipknot!
However, with all due to respect to those bands, Linkin Park became the most popular band of them all!
Whereas the other bands either faded or disbanded, Linkin Park continued to succeed into the following decade.
While their base was nu metal and rap-metal, they weren't limited to that. They had albums with more electronic and alternative rock sounds.
While metal tends to appeal to a more macho crowd, Chester Bennington's singing expressions of vulnerability allowed the band to cross over to a less macho crowd, making them the spokespersons of vulnerable youth who might be outcasted by their peers or their family. It was also balanced by Mike Shinoda's rapping vocals which gave the band an appeal to the hip-hop crowd.
The band also collaborated with rap mega-star Jay-Z, giving them an increasing appeal to the hip-hop crowd.
Linkin Park had their first hit album Hybrid Theory in 2000.
Their 1st major single was "One Step Closer" which is about one person who can only take so much crap and just can't hold in his anger anymore
Here's the 2nd single "Crawling", about emotional pain
Here's "In the End", which you can hear more of Mike Shinoda's rapping vocals.
This time it's Chester Bennington, the lead singer for Linkin Park.
photo by Stefan Brending for Festival Summer
Wikimedia
Chester Bennington
Linkin Park was known for combining the nu-metal sounds with the rap vocals of Mike Shinoda and the angst-ridden singing vocals of Chester Bennington.
Linkin Park came to fame in the early 2000s, a time when the nu metal and rap-metal ruled the world of rock. Limp Bizkit, Korn and Kid Rock were the kings of rock of that era! Other bands that were popular at the time included (but definitely not limited to) Disturbed, POD, Papa Roach, Staind, Evanescence, Rammstein and Slipknot!
However, with all due to respect to those bands, Linkin Park became the most popular band of them all!
Whereas the other bands either faded or disbanded, Linkin Park continued to succeed into the following decade.
While their base was nu metal and rap-metal, they weren't limited to that. They had albums with more electronic and alternative rock sounds.
While metal tends to appeal to a more macho crowd, Chester Bennington's singing expressions of vulnerability allowed the band to cross over to a less macho crowd, making them the spokespersons of vulnerable youth who might be outcasted by their peers or their family. It was also balanced by Mike Shinoda's rapping vocals which gave the band an appeal to the hip-hop crowd.
The band also collaborated with rap mega-star Jay-Z, giving them an increasing appeal to the hip-hop crowd.
Linkin Park had their first hit album Hybrid Theory in 2000.
Their 1st major single was "One Step Closer" which is about one person who can only take so much crap and just can't hold in his anger anymore
"One Step Closer"
Here's the 2nd single "Crawling", about emotional pain
"Crawling"
Here's "In the End", which you can hear more of Mike Shinoda's rapping vocals.
"In the End"
-----------------
Linkin Park continued their success with their 2nd album Meteora, with the hit songs "Numb" and "Somewhere I Belong".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsCD5XCu6CM
"Somewhere I Belong"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXYiU_JCYtU
"Numb"
and of course, the remix with Jay-Z
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNPECkESPbU
Linkin Park w/Jay-Z
"Numb/Encore"
========================================
However, even with all those hit records and sell-out concerts, Chester Bennington was suffering from depression.
He suffered from sexual abuse, physical bullying and a family breakdown when he was growing up.
He eventually developed a drug addiction.
His music spoke to the pain of millions of youth!
As we learned from Robin Williams, all the success and money will NOT erase personal traumas.
Money and therapists can only do so much!
Even with money and success, a person can only take so much suffering.
On July 20, 2017, Chester Bennington was found dead by hanging. It was assumed to be a suicide.
====================
PS: check out my blog post on Robin Williams and depression
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2014/08/robin-williams-and-depression.html
However, even with all those hit records and sell-out concerts, Chester Bennington was suffering from depression.
He suffered from sexual abuse, physical bullying and a family breakdown when he was growing up.
He eventually developed a drug addiction.
His music spoke to the pain of millions of youth!
As we learned from Robin Williams, all the success and money will NOT erase personal traumas.
Money and therapists can only do so much!
Even with money and success, a person can only take so much suffering.
On July 20, 2017, Chester Bennington was found dead by hanging. It was assumed to be a suicide.
====================
PS: check out my blog post on Robin Williams and depression
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2014/08/robin-williams-and-depression.html
Friday, July 28, 2017
I like Nightclubs more than Campfires
Those who are on facebook have seen those memes with a photo of a people gathering around a campfire, and a statement saying that that is a better experience than being at a nightclub
Guess what?
I have a different opinion!
I rather be at a nightclub than to be around a campfire!
I love being on the dancefloor!
I love the DJs playing some great music!
I love bonding with others while dancing to a great song!
And yes, I'll admit, I love dancing with women on the dancefloor, getting as close as she allows me ;)
Who needs a campfire when I can be doing that?
Yes, all those photos are mine!
All of show some great and special experiences!
Some of the most special nights in my life were at the nightclubs!
I hang out with current friends, reunited with old friends and made new friends there!
I also said my last goodbyes to friends who are leaving the island and moving on to the next phase of life!
I am at the club to celebrate birthdays, New Years, Halloween, you name it!
But whatever the occasion, we celebrate the moment!
And when the music matches the moment, it becomes a special moment that lives in my heart a long time!
And when I shared those photos on facebook, people who only see a serious or quiet side of me are like "damn I never saw that side of you before"! 😄
Yeah, maybe some people at the club are superficial, but don't expect everyone at your campfire to be honest when they're sharing stories with you!
So you can Virtue Signal all you want about how superior you are for liking campfires!
Meanwhile, I'll enjoy the magical experiences at the nightclub ;)
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Brief Thoughts on the Environment
Many things in Life are Complex and can't be reduced to simple slogans.
The Environment is important!
Yes, I think it's important to have clean air, clean water and clean land!
But that's easier said than done!
We take items from the Earth for our everyday use! We don't want to live without those items.
Even reducing our use of such items can be complicated!
============
For example, petroleum can be very dirty to our environment. Oil spills pollute the water, and the gasses that come from burning oil pollute the air.
Yes, many alternative sources of electricity (ie. solar, wind, natural gas, geothermal, nuclear) exist.
But much of the petroleum is being used for transportation.
(note: ironically, some of the most vocal Virtue Signalers on the environment drive their own cars! I don't! Who has the bigger carbon footprint now?)
But it's not just personal vehicles. It's also the ships and trains that transport the items we use! It's the planes we ride to travel.
Having transportation vehicles operate without oil and natural gas is the biggest challenges of our time.
We have to solve that transportation problem before we can even think of shutting down petroleum and natural gas operations.
The best we can do is make sure they are properly regulated so that they can retrieve the oil & gas with minimal effects on the environment.
As for pipelines, I think they are too risky. Because they are underground, it's hard to see their leaks until it's too late. This was why many people protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline.
==================
For electricity, the most efficient power source (besides fossil fuels) is nuclear energy. It doesn't produce the greenhouse gases that fossil fuels do. They also produce more electrical energy faster than wind or solar.
But nuclear accidents can have deadly consequences as we learned from Chernobyl and Fukushima.
So nuclear isn't really going to be more popular anytime soon!
=================
Yes, I know there are very inconsiderate people who litter plastic bags. Yes, I know plastic bags are bad for our lakes, rivers, streams and oceans.
But plastic bags are much more efficient than paper bags.
Plastic bags are stronger under wet conditions than paper bags.
Plastic bags are also easily reusable.
Plastic bags can be recyclable.
Just like there are financial incentives for the general public to recycle aluminum cans and glass bottles, there should be financial incentives to recycle plastic bags.
Financial incentives to recycle plastic bags will be the fastest way to get rid of all that plastic litter on our land and waters.
I always see the homeless looking for aluminum cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles to recycle. This gives them a chance to make some money in a legal way.
Once financial incentives are there to recycle plastic bag, you will definitely see the homeless picking up plastic bags everywhere. All the litter would be gone fast! No homeless person wants to be the fool in his/her click that overlooked one plastic bag to be recycled.
======
Some environmental conferences don't print their written materials on paper. They call it "going green".
They expect people to use their laptops and develop digital eye screen (which I'm feeling as I'm typing this).
But laptops (as well as smartphones and anything computer related) requires a whole bunch of minerals that are mined out of the ground. Mining operations are brutal on the environment.
Mining operations are also essential to make those Hydroflasks that Virtue Signalers believe should replace plastic bottles.
=======
As for paper, I think we should make our paper from hemp.
Hemp could produce the same amount of paper while using less space than trees. Hemp paper is also stronger and deteriorate slower than tree paper.
But the problem is hemp reminds people of marijuana, which scares right-wing conservatives.
Time to put those fears aside, encourage the use of hemp for paper, and allow users who prefer paper to use them to analyze long documents instead of being forced to develop digital eye strain from looking at screen.
Allow for hemp to be used to make plastics too! Hemp plastics are biodegradable and recyclable.
The Environment is important!
Yes, I think it's important to have clean air, clean water and clean land!
But that's easier said than done!
We take items from the Earth for our everyday use! We don't want to live without those items.
Even reducing our use of such items can be complicated!
============
For example, petroleum can be very dirty to our environment. Oil spills pollute the water, and the gasses that come from burning oil pollute the air.
Yes, many alternative sources of electricity (ie. solar, wind, natural gas, geothermal, nuclear) exist.
But much of the petroleum is being used for transportation.
(note: ironically, some of the most vocal Virtue Signalers on the environment drive their own cars! I don't! Who has the bigger carbon footprint now?)
But it's not just personal vehicles. It's also the ships and trains that transport the items we use! It's the planes we ride to travel.
Having transportation vehicles operate without oil and natural gas is the biggest challenges of our time.
We have to solve that transportation problem before we can even think of shutting down petroleum and natural gas operations.
The best we can do is make sure they are properly regulated so that they can retrieve the oil & gas with minimal effects on the environment.
As for pipelines, I think they are too risky. Because they are underground, it's hard to see their leaks until it's too late. This was why many people protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline.
==================
For electricity, the most efficient power source (besides fossil fuels) is nuclear energy. It doesn't produce the greenhouse gases that fossil fuels do. They also produce more electrical energy faster than wind or solar.
But nuclear accidents can have deadly consequences as we learned from Chernobyl and Fukushima.
So nuclear isn't really going to be more popular anytime soon!
=================
Yes, I know there are very inconsiderate people who litter plastic bags. Yes, I know plastic bags are bad for our lakes, rivers, streams and oceans.
But plastic bags are much more efficient than paper bags.
Plastic bags are stronger under wet conditions than paper bags.
Plastic bags are also easily reusable.
Plastic bags can be recyclable.
Just like there are financial incentives for the general public to recycle aluminum cans and glass bottles, there should be financial incentives to recycle plastic bags.
Financial incentives to recycle plastic bags will be the fastest way to get rid of all that plastic litter on our land and waters.
I always see the homeless looking for aluminum cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles to recycle. This gives them a chance to make some money in a legal way.
Once financial incentives are there to recycle plastic bag, you will definitely see the homeless picking up plastic bags everywhere. All the litter would be gone fast! No homeless person wants to be the fool in his/her click that overlooked one plastic bag to be recycled.
======
Some environmental conferences don't print their written materials on paper. They call it "going green".
They expect people to use their laptops and develop digital eye screen (which I'm feeling as I'm typing this).
But laptops (as well as smartphones and anything computer related) requires a whole bunch of minerals that are mined out of the ground. Mining operations are brutal on the environment.
Mining operations are also essential to make those Hydroflasks that Virtue Signalers believe should replace plastic bottles.
=======
As for paper, I think we should make our paper from hemp.
Hemp could produce the same amount of paper while using less space than trees. Hemp paper is also stronger and deteriorate slower than tree paper.
But the problem is hemp reminds people of marijuana, which scares right-wing conservatives.
Time to put those fears aside, encourage the use of hemp for paper, and allow users who prefer paper to use them to analyze long documents instead of being forced to develop digital eye strain from looking at screen.
Allow for hemp to be used to make plastics too! Hemp plastics are biodegradable and recyclable.
Saturday, July 22, 2017
You Can't Evade the Fact that Laws Are Enforced by Violence
A few days ago, I had a blog post about my debate with a Phony Pacifist who laughed at the idea that her proposed ban on plastic bags/bottles could be enforced by violence!
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2017/07/phony-pacifists-want-laws-to-threaten.html
She thinks that fines are nonviolent punishments!
But the whole point of having laws is intimidation. It is to scare people into submission.
But what about those who refuse to submit!
Do those who refuse to submit to laws against relatively minor things be at risk for getting beaten and killed by police?
Look, you can talk about how we can train police to not be brutal, but in the heat of the moment, you don't have much time to reflect. You take action and reflect later!
Conservatives want laws against drugs, because "drugs are bad". Of course drugs have side effects. But how far will go police go to enforce laws against drugs? How far will go against those who refuse to comply?
In one example, in Germany, a man alleged to have drugs ran off when the police came. He got shot in the head and died!
https://www.thelocal.de/20140728/policeman-kills-fleeing-drug-dealer-with-bad-shot
That's what happens when you have laws. People will defy those laws, and people who defy those laws will face violent force by police.
Cigarettes are technically legal, but only if the sellers submit to very high taxes. People don't want to pay high taxes, so they buy from sellers who sell for cheap. People who are desperate for money will get involved in selling cigarettes. One of those sellers was Eric Garner.
New York police are pressured to enforce laws against "unlicensed cigarettes". Eric Garner defended his right to sell items to consenting adults. So when you are pressured to enforce laws against selling unlicensed cigarettes, and the person refuse to submit..................police violence happens. Police surrounded Eric Garner (who is bigger than your average person, but WASN'T THREATENING VIOLENCE AGAINST ANYONE) and used a chokehold on him. He died!
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2014-12-04/law-puts-us-all-in-same-danger-as-eric-garner
The people who wanted those laws against drugs and cigarettes might not have wanted people to get killed by police because of those laws.
But when you pass a law, you are allowing police to use intimidating tactics against those who refuse to comply. When people refuse to comply, the police WILL use any means necessary to get that person to comply! When I mean "any means", I mean ........."any means". Punches, kicks, batons, pepper spray, chokeholds, tasers, even bullets!
It doesn't matter if the police aren't allowed to use certain tactics.
They will use those tactics because they are not immune to having trouble controlling their anger!
They will use those tactics because they don't want to be seen as wusses!
They will use those tactics because they don't want to "waste" time arguing or pleading with those who refuse to comply!
They will use those tactics because they think "I'm police, the jury will find me Not Guilty no matter what I do"
They will use those tactics because "f---- you, because I can"
If the police will shoot a person who refuse to comply with drug bans
AND
If the police will put a chokehold on somebody who refuse to comply with laws selling unlicensed cigarrettes
What exactly will stop the police from using brutal tactics against somebody who refuse to comply with laws against plastic bags or plastic bottles?
Asking such questions isn't about having a "plastic fetish"?
Asking such question is being realistic about what laws are, and how they are really enforced!
The Phony Pacifist can evade all those question by using "LOL" and words like "plastic fetish", but that just goes to show that she refuse to admit that she wants people to be intimidated into stopping the use plastic.
That's why she blocked me on facebook!
I asked the tough questions and refuse to back down when confronted by words like "LOL" and "plastic fetish"
I correctly point out that laws are enforced by violent intimidation!
I correctly point out that fines are money that people must pay OR ELSE the government will use force to anyone who refuses to pay!
I would have at least have more respect for Phony Pacifist if she admits that she wants police to use force against those who use plastic bags.
After all, many conservatives are OPENLY APPROVING of police using brutal force against those who use or sell drugs!
But many left-wingers are two-faced in that they protest police brutality, but want laws enforced against plastic items.
No amount of "LOL" or "plastic fetish" slurs will erase the fact that those laws allow for physical intimidation against those who use plastic bags or plastic bottles.
Phony Pacifist understands that, so she blocked me on facebook!
Too Much Reality for her to handle!
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2017/07/phony-pacifists-want-laws-to-threaten.html
She thinks that fines are nonviolent punishments!
But the whole point of having laws is intimidation. It is to scare people into submission.
But what about those who refuse to submit!
Do those who refuse to submit to laws against relatively minor things be at risk for getting beaten and killed by police?
Look, you can talk about how we can train police to not be brutal, but in the heat of the moment, you don't have much time to reflect. You take action and reflect later!
Conservatives want laws against drugs, because "drugs are bad". Of course drugs have side effects. But how far will go police go to enforce laws against drugs? How far will go against those who refuse to comply?
In one example, in Germany, a man alleged to have drugs ran off when the police came. He got shot in the head and died!
https://www.thelocal.de/20140728/policeman-kills-fleeing-drug-dealer-with-bad-shot
That's what happens when you have laws. People will defy those laws, and people who defy those laws will face violent force by police.
Cigarettes are technically legal, but only if the sellers submit to very high taxes. People don't want to pay high taxes, so they buy from sellers who sell for cheap. People who are desperate for money will get involved in selling cigarettes. One of those sellers was Eric Garner.
New York police are pressured to enforce laws against "unlicensed cigarettes". Eric Garner defended his right to sell items to consenting adults. So when you are pressured to enforce laws against selling unlicensed cigarettes, and the person refuse to submit..................police violence happens. Police surrounded Eric Garner (who is bigger than your average person, but WASN'T THREATENING VIOLENCE AGAINST ANYONE) and used a chokehold on him. He died!
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2014-12-04/law-puts-us-all-in-same-danger-as-eric-garner
The people who wanted those laws against drugs and cigarettes might not have wanted people to get killed by police because of those laws.
But when you pass a law, you are allowing police to use intimidating tactics against those who refuse to comply. When people refuse to comply, the police WILL use any means necessary to get that person to comply! When I mean "any means", I mean ........."any means". Punches, kicks, batons, pepper spray, chokeholds, tasers, even bullets!
It doesn't matter if the police aren't allowed to use certain tactics.
They will use those tactics because they are not immune to having trouble controlling their anger!
They will use those tactics because they don't want to be seen as wusses!
They will use those tactics because they don't want to "waste" time arguing or pleading with those who refuse to comply!
They will use those tactics because they think "I'm police, the jury will find me Not Guilty no matter what I do"
They will use those tactics because "f---- you, because I can"
If the police will shoot a person who refuse to comply with drug bans
AND
If the police will put a chokehold on somebody who refuse to comply with laws selling unlicensed cigarrettes
What exactly will stop the police from using brutal tactics against somebody who refuse to comply with laws against plastic bags or plastic bottles?
Asking such questions isn't about having a "plastic fetish"?
Asking such question is being realistic about what laws are, and how they are really enforced!
The Phony Pacifist can evade all those question by using "LOL" and words like "plastic fetish", but that just goes to show that she refuse to admit that she wants people to be intimidated into stopping the use plastic.
That's why she blocked me on facebook!
I asked the tough questions and refuse to back down when confronted by words like "LOL" and "plastic fetish"
I correctly point out that laws are enforced by violent intimidation!
I correctly point out that fines are money that people must pay OR ELSE the government will use force to anyone who refuses to pay!
I would have at least have more respect for Phony Pacifist if she admits that she wants police to use force against those who use plastic bags.
After all, many conservatives are OPENLY APPROVING of police using brutal force against those who use or sell drugs!
But many left-wingers are two-faced in that they protest police brutality, but want laws enforced against plastic items.
No amount of "LOL" or "plastic fetish" slurs will erase the fact that those laws allow for physical intimidation against those who use plastic bags or plastic bottles.
Phony Pacifist understands that, so she blocked me on facebook!
Too Much Reality for her to handle!
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