a song for two people i have loved and lost
If I'd've known the way that this would end
If I'd've read the last page first
If I'd've had the strength to walk away
If I'd've known how this would hurt
I would've loved you anyway
I'd do it all the same
Not a second I would change
Not a touch that I would trade
Had I known my heart would break
I'd've loved you anyway
It's bittersweet to look back now
At memories withered on the vine
Just to hold you close to me
For a moment in time
I would've loved you anyway
I'd do it all the same
Not a second I would change
Not a touch that I would trade
Had I known my heart would break
I'd've loved you anyway
And, even if I'd seen it coming
You'd still've seen me running
Straight into your arms
I would've loved you anyway
I'd do it all the same
Not a second I would change
Not a touch that I would trade
Had I known my heart would break
I'd've loved you anyway~*
love is what you feel for someone who is the embodiment of the things you most value. that is what you were to me.
to the person who taught me how to hold my own life as the highest value, another song...
Never wanna break your heart
Never wanna make you cry
Never wanna give up and die
Even if you can't stand up
Even if you lose your life
I'm a friend by your side
You're never gonna be alone
You can never let down
Never let down
You can never let down
Never let down
Never wanna make mistakes
Never wanna do no wrong
Never have a place to belong
And I'm never gonna leave you out
If you ever lose your way
Not alone or betrayed
I'm always gonna be around
You can never let down
Never let down
You're doing alright
You're doing ok
Just follow your heart
And don't run away
You can never let down
You're doing alright
You're doing ok
Just follow your heart
And don't run away
You can never let down
You're doing alright
You're doing ok
Just follow your heart
And don't run away
Never wanna break your heart
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Monday, June 21, 2004
the author of my econ textbook is a freaking communist: "The communist credo 'From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs' was something the Soviet leaders claimed to follow, and it does have a nice ring to it. But in actuality, theri income distribution system, with its jerry-built structure of wage incentives, bonus payments, and special privileges, was probably no more equitable than our own."
I think Rand might have something to say about THAT.
I think Rand might have something to say about THAT.
Sunday, June 13, 2004
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Monday, June 07, 2004
Sometimes I am ashamed to call myself a Democrat. One of those times was this afternoon, reading more democratic whining about Bush and his tax cuts. It was the usual “tax cuts favor the rich” propaganda that gets thrown around by Bush’s opponents. Clearly, few Americans care to subject this argument to reason, or they would have discarded it long ago.
What is taxation? It is the theft of money from those who have earned it by the government. Whether you earned it by serving food to the homeless or by making porn videos, the point is that the money belongs to you and the government gets to take it from you in any amount it sees fit. For a discussion of the morality of taxation, see my previous post.
One of the pet forms of indignance practiced by those who hate Bush is outrage at his enormous tax cuts. The two components of Bush’s plan attacked (the other four are ignored) are the elimination of the estate tax and the lowering of income tax. Both of these benefit “the wealthiest 2% of Americans” and “do nothing for the poorest citizens” (the fact that income tax for the highest bracket was not lowered is not mentioned). Does this come as any surprise? The poorest citizens pay almost nothing in taxes. Why should they expect to be saving much when the amount they pay is lowered? The estate tax also benefits only the wealthiest (i.e. most successful) among us. Only those assessed to be worth 1.5 million dollars have to pay the estate tax, 45% of every dollar in excess of 1.5 million. Why does the government have a right, after already having taken 50% of a person’s income every year, to take another 45% of the "surplus" of what the rest of his income has acquired? No answer.
It is in the main objection to these tax cuts that the despotic state of the American soul rears its ugly head. This objection is as follows: the government will lose hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue when the cuts are implemented, which would have otherwise paid for services that everyone else needs. Translation: if you stop stealing from rich people, there will be no one left to pay for the services that everyone who doesn’t pay for them wants. By what standard is it acceptable for people who want services to force other people to pay for them? No answer.
In addition to the cuts themselves, Bush used the budget surplus to give out a tax refund. This was equally offensive to the pro-theft rabble, since much more money was given to the wealthy than to the poor. This is a gross example of context-dropping: they conveniently forget that the money given to the rich came from the rich in the first place. They cling to the notion that giving money to rich people instead of to poor people is wrong and ignore the fact that the money being handed out is being given to those who it originally belonged to, not randomly distributed to whomever. (Of course, even if it had not come from the rich and were to be handed out randomly, neither group would have a moral claim on it, so it would not be unfair to give it to the rich. I ignore this for the sake of argument) Apparently, they would prefer that the money stolen from the rich be handed out to the poor, who did not earn it. If this sounds like the story of Robin Hood, make no mistake: it was not against the rich but against the unjust tax collectors that Robin Hood waged his battle. He stole from those who had not earned to give back what had been earned to those who had earned it.
The hatred of Bush’s tax cuts amounts to a hatred of success and a desire for the unearned, and the fact that this hatred is held strongly by all members of the political spectrum is a disgrace to America.
What is taxation? It is the theft of money from those who have earned it by the government. Whether you earned it by serving food to the homeless or by making porn videos, the point is that the money belongs to you and the government gets to take it from you in any amount it sees fit. For a discussion of the morality of taxation, see my previous post.
One of the pet forms of indignance practiced by those who hate Bush is outrage at his enormous tax cuts. The two components of Bush’s plan attacked (the other four are ignored) are the elimination of the estate tax and the lowering of income tax. Both of these benefit “the wealthiest 2% of Americans” and “do nothing for the poorest citizens” (the fact that income tax for the highest bracket was not lowered is not mentioned). Does this come as any surprise? The poorest citizens pay almost nothing in taxes. Why should they expect to be saving much when the amount they pay is lowered? The estate tax also benefits only the wealthiest (i.e. most successful) among us. Only those assessed to be worth 1.5 million dollars have to pay the estate tax, 45% of every dollar in excess of 1.5 million. Why does the government have a right, after already having taken 50% of a person’s income every year, to take another 45% of the "surplus" of what the rest of his income has acquired? No answer.
It is in the main objection to these tax cuts that the despotic state of the American soul rears its ugly head. This objection is as follows: the government will lose hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue when the cuts are implemented, which would have otherwise paid for services that everyone else needs. Translation: if you stop stealing from rich people, there will be no one left to pay for the services that everyone who doesn’t pay for them wants. By what standard is it acceptable for people who want services to force other people to pay for them? No answer.
In addition to the cuts themselves, Bush used the budget surplus to give out a tax refund. This was equally offensive to the pro-theft rabble, since much more money was given to the wealthy than to the poor. This is a gross example of context-dropping: they conveniently forget that the money given to the rich came from the rich in the first place. They cling to the notion that giving money to rich people instead of to poor people is wrong and ignore the fact that the money being handed out is being given to those who it originally belonged to, not randomly distributed to whomever. (Of course, even if it had not come from the rich and were to be handed out randomly, neither group would have a moral claim on it, so it would not be unfair to give it to the rich. I ignore this for the sake of argument) Apparently, they would prefer that the money stolen from the rich be handed out to the poor, who did not earn it. If this sounds like the story of Robin Hood, make no mistake: it was not against the rich but against the unjust tax collectors that Robin Hood waged his battle. He stole from those who had not earned to give back what had been earned to those who had earned it.
The hatred of Bush’s tax cuts amounts to a hatred of success and a desire for the unearned, and the fact that this hatred is held strongly by all members of the political spectrum is a disgrace to America.
Sunday, June 06, 2004
after watching the season finale of gilmore girls and wondering where the implied condom came from, i've been taking a poll. we all know the "condom-in-the-wallet" stereotype, but is it true? stay tuned for the exciting results!
so far:
guys polled: 15
condom-carriers: 1
now, all the guys i know are nerds so we'll see how the numbers change if i get a chance to ask some non-nerds.
*5/19 update*
we have our first condom-carrier! not in the wallet, but in the backpack, which i decided was close enough.
*5/20 update*
thanks to ben for his polling help, bringing our total up to lucky 13!
*6/8 update*
BobTheKillerGoat: one guy has reported that he now carries a condom because of the survey
so far:
guys polled: 15
condom-carriers: 1
now, all the guys i know are nerds so we'll see how the numbers change if i get a chance to ask some non-nerds.
*5/19 update*
we have our first condom-carrier! not in the wallet, but in the backpack, which i decided was close enough.
*5/20 update*
thanks to ben for his polling help, bringing our total up to lucky 13!
*6/8 update*
BobTheKillerGoat: one guy has reported that he now carries a condom because of the survey
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Things I Hate: a sometimes-annotated list-in-progress full of love and sunshine for my own personal enjoyment. (note: many of these items will be "people who (insert stupid thing)." now this doesn't actually mean i hate all people who do this stupid thing. it just means i hate the thing, and it's easier and more colloquial to describe the thing as an action of people. so if you get offended by the fact that i "hate stupid people" because you, yourself are stupid and think i hate you personally, then you are living up to your category on my hate list) (note 2: "hate" really means anywhere from mild irritation to utter loathing, because i only feel like making one list.)
1. Stupid people. (note: at least 75% of the remainder of this list will most likely, at any given time, be reducible to this particular item. stupid people are everywhere and practice stupidity in many different ways)
2. people who think it's okay to steal from other people just because those other people are rich
3. people who walk slow in the mall in front of me and take up the entire walk area so i can't get around them
4. people who stop suddenly in the mall in front of me so i have to do intricate ballet steps to avoid hitting them
5. people who appeal to the constitution or other legal documents to support their claims in cases of morality
6. religion
7. hypocrisy
8. spinach
9. most vegetables, in fact, although i do like carrots and lettuce is acceptable on occasion
10. people who decide to end relationships (romantic or platonic) without informing the other involved parties and then, later, pretend that the end of the relationship was the fault of the other involved parties.
11. fickle people
12. vomitting
13. art history: this is the most pointless, useless subject offered at UCLA, with the exception of culture classes such as "gay/lesbian/transgender perspectives on pop music." it serves absolutely no purpose aside from personal interest.
14. GEs: completely useless. if i am going to be an engineer, there is no reason in the world that i need to know about italian renaissance art. none. Likewise, if i am going to be a curator at a museum, there is no reason in the world that i need to know calculus. GEs are a waste of time, money, patience, effort, tears, sweat, and bacon.
15. when people go crying to their mommies about the fact that a universal tax cut gives more money to rich people than poor people. duh.
16. people responsible for giving me grades who give me specific instructions, grade me down for following those instructions, and then claim never to have given those instructions
17. bigotry
18. the mentality that leads to hispanic californians staging a massive strike and protest because the governor won't give CA drivers' licenses to ILLEGAL immigrants
19. when people demand things that aren't theirs
20. video games with really bad endings, like when they just roll the credits and show pictures of the characters in the background. *cough* WINDWAKER *cough cough*
21. the fingernail on my middle finger on my right hand. it grows funny so it always flakes in this one spot and looks all gimpy. it sucks
22. people who stop being friends with me because i don't like new york city.
23. affirmative action: god forbid people get into college based on MERIT. oh no, we can't have THAT.
24. the fact that i have lost my bruincard THREE times in 5 quarters of school
25. when girls have their thongs hanging out the top of their pants OR when girls sit down and have plumber ass. for god's sake, tuck that back in.
26. when people wear those damn snowboots with skirts short enough to count as belts
27. michael jackson's nose
28. folk music
29. especially mariachi
30. the smell of cigarette smoke
31. altruism
32. conformity and anticonformity. Two sides of the same coin, with the second one being worse. Conformity = doing something because other people do it. anticonformity = doing something because other people don't do it. both of these involve a person allowing the actions or opinions of others to dictate their own. anticonformity is worse because it involves both conformity and hypocrisy. the anticonformists are pretending to be non-conformist by doing what everyone else isn't or avoiding doing what everyone else is.
33. condiments
34. UCLA parking services
35. show-offs
36. people who get mad at me for being better at something than them or smarter than them
37. people who listen to their music way louder than they have to so that i can hear it through the wall in my room and can't listen to my own music
38. people who don't understand to either put their damn subwoofer on the GROUND or else don't have the bass cranked way up. DESKS DO NOT ABSORB BASS.
39. that justin timberlake song from the superbowl
40. all justin timberlake songs.
41. people who think that they somehow have a right to things that aren't theirs.
42. copyright limitations
43. public domain activists
44. feminists
45. blogger support
46. people who made fun of LOTR nerds before the movies came out and then became obsessed with it once the movies came out and act like they are now the supreme authority on the subject and like it wasn't your obsession first. posers.
47. *thanks to kristen for this one* when people put cheese back in the fridge without sealing the bag so it gets all weird and you have to cut off the bad part, and before you know it you're out of cheese.
48. when i am reading or watching tv or drawing or playing video games or otherwise obviously engaged in some kind of sensory activity and someone starts talking at me. it's rude and annoying. at least wait until i pause in my activity and indicate that i want to give you my attention, because if you don't, i guarantee i won't hear a word you're saying.
49. the AARP
50. sororities/fraternities, stereotypically
51. creepy dance instructors
52. 36-year-olds who stalk 19-year-olds
53. phony vapor lock in my car
54. people who use "u" instead of "you" and "r" instead of "are" and other such subsitutions online. even worse is people who use them in real life, such as in essays for school.
55. national guilt
56. that freaking fanta commercial with the song. i hate it.
1. Stupid people. (note: at least 75% of the remainder of this list will most likely, at any given time, be reducible to this particular item. stupid people are everywhere and practice stupidity in many different ways)
2. people who think it's okay to steal from other people just because those other people are rich
3. people who walk slow in the mall in front of me and take up the entire walk area so i can't get around them
4. people who stop suddenly in the mall in front of me so i have to do intricate ballet steps to avoid hitting them
5. people who appeal to the constitution or other legal documents to support their claims in cases of morality
6. religion
7. hypocrisy
8. spinach
9. most vegetables, in fact, although i do like carrots and lettuce is acceptable on occasion
10. people who decide to end relationships (romantic or platonic) without informing the other involved parties and then, later, pretend that the end of the relationship was the fault of the other involved parties.
11. fickle people
12. vomitting
13. art history: this is the most pointless, useless subject offered at UCLA, with the exception of culture classes such as "gay/lesbian/transgender perspectives on pop music." it serves absolutely no purpose aside from personal interest.
14. GEs: completely useless. if i am going to be an engineer, there is no reason in the world that i need to know about italian renaissance art. none. Likewise, if i am going to be a curator at a museum, there is no reason in the world that i need to know calculus. GEs are a waste of time, money, patience, effort, tears, sweat, and bacon.
15. when people go crying to their mommies about the fact that a universal tax cut gives more money to rich people than poor people. duh.
16. people responsible for giving me grades who give me specific instructions, grade me down for following those instructions, and then claim never to have given those instructions
17. bigotry
18. the mentality that leads to hispanic californians staging a massive strike and protest because the governor won't give CA drivers' licenses to ILLEGAL immigrants
19. when people demand things that aren't theirs
20. video games with really bad endings, like when they just roll the credits and show pictures of the characters in the background. *cough* WINDWAKER *cough cough*
21. the fingernail on my middle finger on my right hand. it grows funny so it always flakes in this one spot and looks all gimpy. it sucks
22. people who stop being friends with me because i don't like new york city.
23. affirmative action: god forbid people get into college based on MERIT. oh no, we can't have THAT.
24. the fact that i have lost my bruincard THREE times in 5 quarters of school
25. when girls have their thongs hanging out the top of their pants OR when girls sit down and have plumber ass. for god's sake, tuck that back in.
26. when people wear those damn snowboots with skirts short enough to count as belts
27. michael jackson's nose
28. folk music
29. especially mariachi
30. the smell of cigarette smoke
31. altruism
32. conformity and anticonformity. Two sides of the same coin, with the second one being worse. Conformity = doing something because other people do it. anticonformity = doing something because other people don't do it. both of these involve a person allowing the actions or opinions of others to dictate their own. anticonformity is worse because it involves both conformity and hypocrisy. the anticonformists are pretending to be non-conformist by doing what everyone else isn't or avoiding doing what everyone else is.
33. condiments
34. UCLA parking services
35. show-offs
36. people who get mad at me for being better at something than them or smarter than them
37. people who listen to their music way louder than they have to so that i can hear it through the wall in my room and can't listen to my own music
38. people who don't understand to either put their damn subwoofer on the GROUND or else don't have the bass cranked way up. DESKS DO NOT ABSORB BASS.
39. that justin timberlake song from the superbowl
40. all justin timberlake songs.
41. people who think that they somehow have a right to things that aren't theirs.
42. copyright limitations
43. public domain activists
44. feminists
45. blogger support
46. people who made fun of LOTR nerds before the movies came out and then became obsessed with it once the movies came out and act like they are now the supreme authority on the subject and like it wasn't your obsession first. posers.
47. *thanks to kristen for this one* when people put cheese back in the fridge without sealing the bag so it gets all weird and you have to cut off the bad part, and before you know it you're out of cheese.
48. when i am reading or watching tv or drawing or playing video games or otherwise obviously engaged in some kind of sensory activity and someone starts talking at me. it's rude and annoying. at least wait until i pause in my activity and indicate that i want to give you my attention, because if you don't, i guarantee i won't hear a word you're saying.
49. the AARP
50. sororities/fraternities, stereotypically
51. creepy dance instructors
52. 36-year-olds who stalk 19-year-olds
53. phony vapor lock in my car
54. people who use "u" instead of "you" and "r" instead of "are" and other such subsitutions online. even worse is people who use them in real life, such as in essays for school.
55. national guilt
56. that freaking fanta commercial with the song. i hate it.
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
the first online documentation of my cosplaying at fanime 2004:
http://images.cosplay.com/showphoto.php?photo=141781&password=&sort=1&cat=all&page=2
http://images.cosplay.com/showphoto.php?photo=141781&password=&sort=1&cat=all&page=2
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