Theoden King

09:56 pm: The 14 Defining Characteristics of Fascism
Not exactly new, but still interesting to review now and then...

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14-defining characteristics common to each.

( Break out your scorecards! )

06:11 am: The last time I posted was NOT January. :)
I got up at 4:30 this morning for a 6 AM flight.

I am on my way to San Franscisco... gifts for the nieces and newphews in tow...
I have to check luggage which makes me nervous! I don't want to lose the gifts!

05:28 pm: What can't we say?

I happened upon a very interesting essay on the nature of thought taboos - not specifically focused on our current socio-political environment, but looking at human culture in general.  The author makes a few interesting parallels, and pulls in several historical examples:

   - Natural Selection
   - Copernican Theory (Earth revolves around Sun)
   - Communism/Socialism/McCarthyism

 The basic gist is that we (as a culture) share a tremendous blind spot, made up of socially accepted opinions that we simply choose not to question.  What do these omissions say about us as a culture, and more specifically, as people existing within that culture?

This essay is several pages long, but it's pretty well written and I encourage anyone with a few extra minutes to read through it.  At the very least, you'll probably view media and pop culture a bit differently from now on.

http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html

( Some examples... )

10:50 pm: In San Diego and Colorado
Hi all!

I am in San Diego and Colorado for work! I get to visit my Aunt while I am there. I flew out on Alaska airlines with my laptop bag, my rolly luggage and my hat.

terradon uploaded a new pic for me that she took of me in downtown portland.