Journal Entries
grief and science
Posted Oct 9, 2005
Frank Bidart - poem ;The Arc
"I tell myself: 'Insanity is the insistence on meaning.' "
That unreasonable insistence seems to rise like an involuntary cry when we step into the landscape of loss.
He is speaking of grief here.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/09/books/review/09pinsky.html
This one scientists perspective on Science and grief.
"Nor can we know ahead of the fact (and here lies the heart of the difference between grief as we imagine it and grief as it is) the unending absence that follows, the void, the very opposite of meaning, the relentless succession of moments during which we will confront the experience of meaninglessness itself."
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Feeling meaningless.
Stephen Hawking's announcement that he was wrong 30 years earlier to say that information swallowed by a black hole could never be retrieved. The Times reported this change of mind in 2004 as significant 
it preserves science's ability to "run the proverbial film backward and reconstruct what happened in, say, the collision of two cars or the collapse of a dead star into a black hole."
Didion (another book discussed in article) arrives at the difference between the will of "the insistence on meaning" and the will of reconstruction for the sake of progress, be it grief or science.
Hmm this post may only make sense to me at this moment in time!
That is why it is in my journal
Discuss this Journal entry [11]
Latest reply: Oct 9, 2005
S.C. Judge spot
Posted Oct 6, 2005
Sources:
1 Statement by Michelle Malkin, October 3rd, 2005
http://michellemalkin.com/archives/003660.htm
2 Statement by Patrick Buchanan, October 3rd, 2005
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5445086/
3 "Bush Seeks to Quell Criticism of Court Nominee from the Right," New York Times, 10/4/05
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=953
4 "Bush base rattled by court pick" Atlanta Journal Constitution, 10/05/05
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=954
5 "Conservatives are wary over President's selection", The New York Times, 10/04/05
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=955
6 Texas Speaker Reportedly Helped Bush Get Into Guard" The Washington Post, 9/21/99
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=956
7 "What's the deal with Harriet Miers?" The Village Voice, 10/03/05
http://villagevoice.com/news/0540,webmondo3,68426,2.html
8 "Miers ties to Bush include personal lawyer" Associated Press, 10/03/05
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9577329/
9 "Bush promotes Miers from staff to Counsel" The Washington Post 11/18/04
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=957
10 Federalist Papers #76 by Alexander Hamilton:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=958
11 "Can this nomination be justified?" George G. Will column in the Washington Post, 10/05/05
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=959
MoveOn.org Political Action is entirely funded by our 3.3 million members.
This is depressing.
It should be noted if you cannot or do not want to read the links, she has been the Presidents legal counsel.
It seems she is a very good lawyer.
She has legally kept Bush out of trouble and hassles numerous times. She appears to be one of the the main keepers of his secrets.
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OF course it is not a pro- Bush website but has gained some influence during this administration. Although Bush says he does not read the papers moveon gets the attention of the poll watchers which he does care about.
7 trips to New Orleans after the polls fell
Just how much did that cost and what real help did it offer?
Seems the tax payers are paying 1,200 a week to house people on cruise ships. That is more than it costs to take a cruise
1,200 a month ( Not Week!) would pay for an apartment or home rental.
The contracts and waste are naueseatingly accepted. There is an ingestigation beginging.
*sigh*
Lets see now how many millions will that cost us?
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: Oct 6, 2005
Scott Peck died
Posted Oct 3, 2005
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/175/story_17594_1.html
Scott Peck died. 
He was an inspiration to me and many in the fields he dealt with.
His longest selling best seller; The Road Less Traveled - 13 years on the best seller list.
His famous starting line.....
Life is difficult.
Yes indeed it is!
He talked about the things I wanted to in a way I did not know how to express or combine. He helped me make changes and sort out some things I desperately wanted to ponder with another human.
Thank you Scott Peck!
Discuss this Journal entry [11]
Latest reply: Oct 3, 2005
I believe....
Posted Sep 22, 2005
I believe-
That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
That it's taking me a long time to become closer to the person I want to be.
That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
That you can keep going long after you feel you can't.
That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.
That regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
That money is a lousy way of keeping score.
That my best friends and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.
That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
That no matter how badly your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief.
That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.
That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
That two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.
That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
*From my Auntie
Discuss this Journal entry [27]
Latest reply: Sep 22, 2005
beefs with actions on Katrina
Posted Sep 11, 2005
When the President first spoke of the disaster he spoke of people being inconvenience and uncomforatble and without airconditioning in the heat. People were dying , already and worsening by the hour. It was life and death not a messy inconvenience. They needed food and water and shelter.
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FEMA the National disaster program was put into the Department of Defense which is also handling Terrorism and the War in Iraq.
It was part of the Bush plan to combine more agencies.
There was enough confusion and too large of a beaurocracy unable to communicate before 9-11which made for more problems.
It was a very bad move to make Fema part of homeland security.
The money that was handed out for National security was done so without needing approval or accounting. In fact it was ok'ed to be kept secret Sme agencies have voluteered the information and it was not suitabe IMO.
There should have been some minimal requirements. A priority set in place for Communications first of all.
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That is the fastest way eo evaluate and send support where needed. It was a huge problem for many departments before Terrorism and it seems there was not enough attention paid to it afterwards.
I think that Microsoft should donate laptops and wireless set-ups in these instances. The computers have been one of the most helpful pieces of equipment in finding family members. The communications always seem to be a problems yet they are among the richest comapnies in the world.
Communication and time saves lives.
There was grumbling avout the paper work from state to Fed and back not getting done with the proper signatures!!
I do not understand such things at these times.
Signatures?
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The first buses to arrive in NO to take people to Texas were halted while taking out the people trapped in the dome and the other large event center to allow the people whom had been paying customers in the hotel next door to get on the buses ahead of those less fortunate ones in dire need. The basic essentials were supplied to the hotels guests all along so they should have not been put ahead of the line!
Although they did not have the usual luxary they had more life saving supplies.
It is was a travesty to report whites taking survival needs from stores while the blacks where said to be looters, the ones taking survival needs.
I was insulted for our own people to be called refugees!
They are our own displaced citizens.
The head of FEMA was not qualified and it was no secret when he was chosen by Bush. I feel less secure than ever with his decisions.
The Red Cross has always been the first on the sites of disaster with the exception of the locals that pitch in.
I realise a certain element was not humane and that was well reported so I will not go there. Feast or famine the bad guys are around.
A city bordered by three large bodies of water and a swamp on the other end did not have an evacuation disater plan? Millions were spent on studies that were put out to the public. Besides NO ,New York City would be in a terrible condition if a Hurricane or tsunami were to hit it. That study was done at the same time. It is far more unlikely to hit that far north but not impossible.
I do not understand why one pr more of the bases they want to close is not a storing area for the most basic emergnecy supplies. It seems that Helicopters are the most importnat first line of help needed for rescues and drops no matter the problem. Why can't there be a fleet on standby?
I have to hand it to the NY city fire and police department for going down especially with the anniversary of 9-11 being tomorrow
NO ( not to diminish the other areas hit) knew it had that many poor folks in their city. They should have been part of the moblitity considerations from the start for any evacuation or emergency plan.
All the available city and school buses should have been on the coastal area when the first evacuation was ordered.
The latest figures I saw for immediate funds had the most going to Texas! 60 million to NO and 75 Million to Texas, lesser amounts to the other states.
All the first politicians to speak ( ones outside of the affected areas) made remarks about the ongoing questionable ethics of Louisianna politicians. It is a given in their history ,sad but true.
All the more reason the powers at the top who said such things with a wink should have known the Feds would need to step in.
I have not heard the remark rumored to be insulting that Mamma Bush made in NO - I will have to look for that.
The army core of engeneers has said for decades our infrastructure needs help. It would be so sensible to have a work core like after WW2 to fix the bridges and dams and other things across the Nation.
Having a strong infrastructure is surely the best defense for homeland security.
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The President made the executive decision - backed by the Senate to suspend the wage requirements while re-building NO. That means they will undercut the overall "average minimum fair wage" of 9 an hour to the workers
I am guessing they will have no benefits , especially health insurance for their families OR it will be more than half of their monthly income so they will be forced to do without.
Haliburtion has had the Fema contracts to do rebuilding for Fema.
I do not know if they are the only ones but interesting it will be their contractors again. Not to have to pay a normal salary is criminal in my mind.
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The military copter that fled when fired upon was baffling. Isn't that what they were there to do? Defend against such anarchy and get the weakest - sickest- and youngest out of that hospital?
There was grumbling avout the paper work from state to Fed and back not getting done with the proper signatures!!
I do not understand such things at these times.
Signatures?
**********
I am so dissapointed in my country.
Just when I thought it should not get much worse, it did.
On the goverment site for helping victims had Pat Robertsons charity listed second only to the Red Cross. His numerous "charities have been known to help with elections and policy. It vaguely fit into his definition of helping the less fortunate. He is being investigated finally.
The other reputable pages for giving had quite a different order to their preferred list of charities.
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As many people stated you would not know the US from any other place during the midst if the disaster.
I Did notice so far, during the clean-up, there has been no attempt for anybody to sort through the useful materials as you see in other areas before the bulldozers come in. There was no thought to re-cycling the usuable items. Maybe with health concerns it is not wise but I did take notice.
Shew Glad I got that off my chest!
Too tired to keep editing, exhausting and depressing to contemplate.
I do not balme any body for ignoring this
Ranting for my own mental health.
Discuss this Journal entry [26]
Latest reply: Sep 11, 2005
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