Politspective

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is..."

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:54:36 +0100

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

- Charles Darwin (via hasty-g)

"We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have other spoken for us … From the press and the..."

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:40:14 +0100

““We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have other spoken for us … From the press and the pulpit we have suffered much by being incorrectly represented.””

- Freedom’s Journal, March 16th, 1827

Taken from News for all the People by Juan González and Joseph Torres ; 2011

— The Freedom’s Journal was the first black-owned Newspaper in America. The quote comes from their inaugural issue.

holysoul: propers to nprmusic: “And as always in parting, we...

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:17:13 +0100

holysoul:

propers to nprmusic:

“And as always in parting, we wish you peace, love and soul.”

R.I.P. Don Cornelius.

Oh, the Places You'll go

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:03:00 +0100

By Dr. Seuss

“Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You’re off to Great Places!

You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself  any direction you choose.

You’re on your own.

And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets.

Look ‘em over with care.

About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”

With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,  you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down.

In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And then things start to happen, don’t worry.

Don’t stew.  Just go right along.

You’ll start happening too.

OH! THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

You’ll be on your way up!

You’ll be seeing great sights!

You’ll join the high fliers  who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.

You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t. Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so  but, sadly, it’s true , that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on.

You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump.

And the chances are, then,  that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump,  you’re not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself  is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.

A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!

Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?

How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right… or right-and-three-quarters?

Or, maybe, not quite?

Or go around back and sneak in from behind?

Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,  for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused  that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace  and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,  headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place…  …for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or the waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite  or waiting for the wind to fly a kite, or waiting around for Friday night, or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake, or a pot to boil, or a Better Break,  or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants,  or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.

NO! That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying.

You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high!

Ready for anything under the sky.

Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go!

There is fun to be done!

There are points to be scored.

There are games to be won.

And the magical things you can do with that ball  will make you the winning-est winner of all.

Fame!

You’ll be as famous as famous can be,  with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t.

Because, sometimes they won’t.
I’m afraid that sometimes you’ll play lonely games too.

Games you can’t win ’cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!

Whether you like it or not.

Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance  you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.

There are some, down the road between hither and yon,  that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go  though the weather be foul.

On you will go  though your enemies prowl.

On you will go  though the Hakken-Kraks howl.

Onward up many a frightening creek,  though your arms may get sore  and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike.

And I know you’ll hike far  and face up to your problems  whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course,  as you already know.

You’ll get mixed up  with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great tact  and remember that Life’s  a Great Balancing Act.

Just never foget to be dexterous and deft.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed? Yes!

You will, indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So… be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,

You’re off the Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So…get on your way!”

You can buy the full illustrated book here: http://www.amazon.com/Oh-Places-Youll-Dr-Seuss/dp/0679805273

Aus: Forschung und Lehre http://www.forschung-und-lehre.de/

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:34:09 +0100

Aus: Forschung und Lehre http://www.forschung-und-lehre.de/

Droht Gefahr von dummen Artikel?

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:42:51 +0100

Eine Antwort auf den Artikel von Jochen Bittner bei “Die Zeit”.

Wahrscheinlich meint es der “Die Zeit” Journalist Jochen Bittner einfach sarkastisch, wenn er meint, dass man dem Verfassungsschutz vorgeworfen hat “das Undenkbare nicht gedacht zu haben”.

Vielleicht entsteht aus lauter Ignoranz die Behauptung, dass Politik auf den Straßen zu brennenden Mittelklassewagen führt. Wahrscheinlich mag er es reaktionär, wenn er es so verwerflich findet “den Herrschenden ihre ökonomischen Machtgrundlage zu entreißen”.

Aber was, wenn dahinter einfach mehr steckt? Oder genauer gesagt, weniger? Was, wenn der Artikel einfach nur dumm ist?

Es ist ja nicht gerade undenkbar, illegale, neonazistische Gruppierungen wären Gewaltbereit. Der Vorwurf lautete, wo es doch so offensichtlich war, wieso der Verfassungsschutz so lange nicht agierte.

Parlamentarismus ist auch nicht mit Demokratie gleichzusetzen. Es kann Demokratie ohne Parlamentarismus geben, aber wichtiger: Parlamentarismus kann auch ohne Demokratie existieren. Und in der Tat, mit ein bisschen Recherche hätte der Herr Bittner herausgefunden, dass die Parlamente, Kongresse, Kammern und dergleichen, sehr, sehr selten (um nicht NIE zu sagen) die Zusammensetzung des Volkes wiederspiegeln. Kein Wunder, dass Leute unser System nicht immer als echt demokratisch sehen. Kein Wunder, dass viele einen Systemwechsel fordern. Das macht sie nicht zu Antidemokraten, schon gar nicht zu Verfassungsschändern.

Aber bitte, zumindest von Überwachung kann jedenfalls nicht die Rede sein. Denn der Verfassungsschutz tut ja nicht mehr als jede Zeitungsredaktion machen könnte. Nur einen Haken hat es trotzdem: Sie sind keine Zeitung, sondern ein Organ des Staates.

Blöde Artikel können auf vielerlei Humus wachsen. Auch auf “Der Zeit”.

http://www.zeit.de/2012/05/Beobachtung-Linkspartei-Pro?commentstart=9#comments

"Geometrie ist also überall, wie schon der Philosoph Plato sagte. doch muss man Augen haben um sie..."

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:11:38 +0100

““Geometrie ist also überall, wie schon der Philosoph Plato sagte. doch muss man Augen haben um sie wahrzunehmen, Intelligenz besitzen, um sie zu verstehen, und eine Seele, um sie zu bewundern.””

- Malba Tahan - Beremís Welt

rnnbrwn: Bill Maher - Irritable Bowel Syndrom In which Maher...

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:38:57 +0100

rnnbrwn:

Bill Maher - Irritable Bowel Syndrom

In which Maher discusses how Socialism relates to American Football.

Via Yewknee.

"Um ein demokratisches Gemeinwesen am Leben zu erhalten, seien zwei Faktoren wesentlich, so Nussbaum: Die Fähigkeit, lokale Traditionen, in denen man sich bewegt, kritisch zu hinterfragen - Immanuel Kant sprach davon, "sich aus der selbstverschuldeten Unmündigkeit zu befreien" - und offen für die Probleme von Minderheiten und Menschen zu sein, die sich nicht an den jeweiligen gesellschaftlichen Standard anpassen wollen oder können. Nussbaums Warnung vor der Erosion der humanistischen Bildung verbindet sie mit einem Appell, allen Menschen ein würdevolles Leben zu ermöglichen. Das sei die entscheidende Aufgabe der Geisteswissenschaften, so Nussbaum - speziell in einer Welt, die von polaren Gegensätzen bestimmt sei."

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:10:09 +0100

"Um ein demokratisches Gemeinwesen am Leben zu erhalten, seien zwei Faktoren wesentlich, so Nussbaum: Die Fähigkeit, lokale Traditionen, in denen man sich bewegt, kritisch zu hinterfragen - Immanuel Kant sprach davon, "sich aus der selbstverschuldeten Unmündigkeit zu befreien" - und offen für die Probleme von Minderheiten und Menschen zu sein, die sich nicht an den jeweiligen gesellschaftlichen Standard anpassen wollen oder können. Nussbaums Warnung vor der Erosion der humanistischen Bildung verbindet sie mit einem Appell, allen Menschen ein würdevolles Leben zu ermöglichen. Das sei die entscheidende Aufgabe der Geisteswissenschaften, so Nussbaum - speziell in einer Welt, die von polaren Gegensätzen bestimmt sei.":

Wie so Geisteswissenschaften auch in der Krise wichtig sind.

Ms. Etta James: Rest In Peace!

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:51:52 +0100

Ms. Etta James: Rest In Peace!

williamsonsbeauty: El sombrero vueltiao, típico de las sabanas...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:55:42 +0100

williamsonsbeauty:

El sombrero vueltiao, típico de las sabanas de Córdoba y Sucre, regiones costeñas de Colombia, conocidas por las fuertes olas de calor, pasó de ser una prenda campesina rústica a un símbolo nacional de Colombia.

photo by alexandra cardona

"This Martin Luther King, Jr. Day finds our nation rightly united in honoring the man who challenged America to live up to the promise that all men are created equal. But it’s also worth remembering that it was not always this way. King was widely reviled in his lifetime, attacked as a troublemaker, a liar, a con man and a communist. These smears are part of his legacy as well. They remind us that even American icons were once demonized and derided. And when we whitewash history into simplicity, we lose a sense of the real struggle that can inspire endurance today."

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:21:20 +0100

"This Martin Luther King, Jr. Day finds our nation rightly united in honoring the man who challenged America to live up to the promise that all men are created equal. But it’s also worth remembering that it was not always this way. King was widely reviled in his lifetime, attacked as a troublemaker, a liar, a con man and a communist. These smears are part of his legacy as well. They remind us that even American icons were once demonized and derided. And when we whitewash history into simplicity, we lose a sense of the real struggle that can inspire endurance today.":

John Avlon for The Daily Beast

"I really don’t know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea…All of us have, in our..."

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:58:15 +0100

““I really don’t know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea…All of us have, in our veins, the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat,in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it, we are going back from whence we came.””

- President John F. Kennedy, Speech given at Newport at the dinner before the America’s Cup Races, September 14th 1962 (via flstyle)

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:01:43 +0100

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

"Everywhere in Latin America one finds a tremendous resentment of the United States, and that..."

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:13:26 +0100

“Everywhere in Latin America one finds a tremendous resentment of the United States, and that resentment is always strongest among the poorer and darker peoples of the continent. The life and destiny of Latin America are in the hands of United States corporations. The decisions affecting the lives of South Americans are ostensibly made by their government, but there are almost no legitimate democracies alive in the whole continent. The other governments are dominated by huge and exploitative cartels that rob Latin America of her resources while turning over a small rebate to a few members of the corrupt aristocracy, which in turn invests not in its own country for its own people’s welfare but in the banks of Switzerland and the playgrounds of the world.”

- Martin Luther King, Jr., Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? (1967)

MLK Jr.

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:20:36 +0100

MLK Jr.

[A year ago,] "Obama, who’d just lost to Hillary Clinton in an upset, delivered his “Yes We Can” speech. It made literally no mention of George W. Bush or Dick Cheney, literally no mention of those seeking the GOP nomination, and it referenced Republicans only twice — each time to highlight the fact that Obama was prepared to work with anyone, regardless of party. In the same speech, then-candidate Obama looked at his competitors and said, “All of the candidates in this race have good ideas and all are patriots who serve this country honorably.” He also shared a vision, which included ending the war in Iraq and reforming the nation’s health care system. Romney, with the benefit of a teleprompter, delivered a very different kind of speech last night. Within seconds of thanking his supporters, Romney began a lengthy condemnation of the president, who, along with “some desperate Republicans,” wants to “put free enterprise on trial.”

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:14:06 +0100

[A year ago,] "Obama, who’d just lost to Hillary Clinton in an upset, delivered his “Yes We Can” speech. It made literally no mention of George W. Bush or Dick Cheney, literally no mention of those seeking the GOP nomination, and it referenced Republicans only twice — each time to highlight the fact that Obama was prepared to work with anyone, regardless of party. In the same speech, then-candidate Obama looked at his competitors and said, “All of the candidates in this race have good ideas and all are patriots who serve this country honorably.” He also shared a vision, which included ending the war in Iraq and reforming the nation’s health care system. Romney, with the benefit of a teleprompter, delivered a very different kind of speech last night. Within seconds of thanking his supporters, Romney began a lengthy condemnation of the president, who, along with “some desperate Republicans,” wants to “put free enterprise on trial.”:

- The Washington Monthly on yesterday’s speech from Mitt Romney and how it compared to the speech delivered by Barack Obama in the same State four years ago.

"The study of economics does not seem to require any specialized gifts of an unusually high order. Is..."

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:28:43 +0100

““The study of economics does not seem to require any specialized gifts of an unusually high order. Is it not, intellectually regarded, a very easy subject compared with the higher branches of philosophy or pure science? An easy subject, at which very few excel! The paradox finds its explanation, perhaps, in that the master-economist must possess a rare combination of gifts. He must be mathematician, historian, statesman, philosopher -in some degree. He must understand symbols and speak in words. He must contemplate the particular in terms of the general, and touch abstract and concrete in the same flight of thought. He must study the present in the light of the past for the purposes of the future. No part of man’s nature or his intuitions must lie entirely outside his regard. He must be purposeful and disinterested in a simultaneous mood; as aloof and incorruptible as an artists, vet sometimes as near the earth as a politician.””

-

John Maynard Keynes

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:34:21 +0100

““In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.””

- Martin Luther King Jr. (via smokinglola)

dfxm326: Long before multicultural characters and themes were ...

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:31:48 +0100

dfxm326:

Long before multicultural characters and themes were commonplace, Ezra Jack Keats crossed social boundaries by being the first American picture-book maker to give black children a central place in children’s literature.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats; 1962