Life is like unto a long journey with a heavy burden. Let thy step be slow and steady, that thou stumble not. Persuade thyself that imperfection and inconvenience are the natural lot of mortals, and there will be no room for discontent, neither for despair. When ambitious desires arise in thy heart, recall the days of extremity thou has passed through. Forbearance is the root... Read More
The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled.
Oh, unfathomable source of ten thousand things!
Blunt the sharpness,
Untangle the knot,
Soften the glare,
Merge with dust.
Oh, hidden deep but ever present!
I do not know from whence it comes.
It is the forefather of the gods.
1. Beyond Action and Reaction we would establish ourselves.
2. We start from opposite statements of a chosen world. Set up violent structure of adolescent clearness between two extremes.
3. We discharge ourselves on both sides.
4. We stand first on one side, then on the other, but always for the SAME cause, which is neither side or both sides and ours.
5. Mercenaries were always the best troops.
6. We are primitive Mercenaries in the Modern World.
7. Our Cause is NO-MAN'S.
8. We set Humour at Humour's throat. Stir up Civil War among peaceful apes.
9. We only want Humour if it has fought like Tragedy.
10. We only want Tragedy if it can clench its side-muscles like hands on it's [sic] belly, and bring to the surface a laugh like a bomb. -Italian BLAST MANIFESTO
...I actually saw the original copy of these pages on display at the Tate Modern museum in England. It's where the Label "Blast First!" got it's name, as that was printed on the first pages of the manifesto. It was a total reaction to the decimation of the inteligenista of Europe during the first world war.
Mercenaries were always the best troops... do you think this is true? I think so... In the idea that "Kurtz" in Appocalypse Now did... Mercenaries act without feeling, they only do. They do to achieve a goal, without emotion... yet, they are not necissarily 'evil' men... by what standards man can laud the word evil on one another, as one man who kills another man is sentenced to death is evil, and another men who sends thousands of men to their deaths (Gallipoli, etc) are simply immune from blame.
The political parties that I style great are those which cling to principles rather than to their consequences; to general and not to special cases; to ideas and not to men. These parties are usually distinguished by nobler features, more generous passions, more genuine convictions, and a more bold and open conduct than the others. In them private interest, which always plays the chief part... Read More
I find it interesting that anyone can define either of us as liberal or conservative based upon a few words here and there on a web site we visit sporadically...either way do any of them know that I was a Poli. Sci. minor in college and studied it vigorously as just that...a science? Nope - I'll bet they don't. But it is not an issue I feel the need to shove down anyone else's throat - we are a well educated, intellectual, empathetic and forward thinking family - we do not need to defend or define ourselves for anyone.
Why defend when you aren't being attacked? You are well educated and intellectual, as well as empathetic people. In light of these facts, voting for G.W. Bush appears to make little, if any, sense whatsoever.