The Audio Stylings of Chris Levens
"I'm a Gangster"

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"The Science of Sleep" is playing for FREE today at the Laguna Niguel Edwards: 1, 3:30, 6:30, 9:20. It looks pretty cool. It is one of those special screenings.

I'm looking for someone to go with me to the 1pm showing.
 8:48 AM   •  3 satisfied customers!!  

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The news you won't find in the news.

The UN just voted on a resolution "affirming the urgent need for all states in the Middle East to accept full-scope IAEA safeguards on all their nuclear activities". Since Iran's nuclear ambitions is a hot topic right now, you would think that the USA would vote yes on this resolution.

It didn't. Only 2 countries voted "no" on this resolution; 89 voted yes.

The 2 no votes were the USA and Israel.

Why wouldn't the USA and Israel want all the states in the Middle East to comply with IAEA safeguards?

The reason: this would force Israel to comply with the IAEA.


 9:02 AM   •  5 satisfied customers!!  

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I need help on this one.

Christians are supposed to submit to the governing authorities, right?

Let's put ourselves in Nazi Germany and we are German Christians who think our country is being totally evil in its quest for global dominance. Is it wrong to subvert that government? To stow away Jews? To sabbatoge industry? Assasinate Nazi leaders? Defect to the other side? Leak info to the Allies? Etc.

I have a hard time answering this question.
 7:45 AM   •  15 satisfied customers!!  

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An example of the American Mythology I hate, by Johnny T

Hopefully your familiar with the story of how the New England settlers bought Manhattan Island from the Indians for $24 worth of goods ($500- $700 in today’s currency). If your not familiar, well, sorry, I guess we don’t share the same cultural heritage. But it is a story of great American self-importance – the sort that patriotic people like to tell as an example of historic American business savvy. It is told with pride and with a smile – because not only is it flattering, it is also funny because we got away with such a great deal.

This story has been exulted from plain-old history unto the rhelm of Mythology – a realm where the story's truth value becomes secondary to its cultural value; the story is important because it tells us about who we are as Americans.

What I hate about this piece of American folklore is the way it legitimizes theft. Charging more than something is worth, or, as in our example, paying far less than something is worth is exemplified as good business. Good business profits oneself at someone else’s impoverishment.

But Pro 20:23 "Divers weights [are] an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good." And Luke 10:7 "A worker is worthy of his wages."

This piece of American Mythology is disgusting because it tells us that a worker is worthy of as little as he is willing to take. We see the effect of this Mythology in our current situation. The vast majority of workers today have to work far too hard just to make ends meet. The reverse is true for those that own the means of production –they enjoy far more pleasures than their contribution of work justly merits. Instead of calling them fraud, we applaud them and their incredible talent at amassing money at the expense of the majorities well being. And that is why I hate this piece of American Mythology.
 9:30 PM   •  11 satisfied customers!!  

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Hugo Chavez doesn't disapoint. His most recent speech at the UN General Assembly is something that is missing in most of the world today -- speaking truth to power.

All three of my loyal Blog readers know that I love Chavez. That being said, I am not totally thrilled with his colorful speech today at the UN. I totally agree with him, but calling Bush "The Devil" is a little unprofesional in that setting. Chavez is sort of a funny guy -- many of his speeches have a playful element and often have funny slurs against Bush, like Mr. Danger. Though he is playful in speaking, his message still comes accross as important and real and I don't think the playfulness cheapens anything he says. I just hope it doesn't work against him as he competes for a place on the Security Council.

Though I think the "Devil" comment is a little unprofessional, I would like to come to his defense, at least a little bit. Chavez is addressing Bush at a level that Bush likes to engage the world. After all, it is Bush that called Iraq, Iran and N. Korea "The Axis of Evil" and America's response to 9/11 "Operation Infinite Justice." Bush likes religious-moral language, he likes to catagorize the world into the good and the evil. Chavez seems to be fighting Bush's fire with like fire --sort of the way Chavez called Bolivia, Cuba and Venezuela "The Axis of Good" in response to Bush's Axis of Evil. Any criticism against Chavez must be able to be directed at Bush at the same time and in the same respect. At least that is the way I see it. And as such, I think Chavez's colorful speech was an effective rhetorical tool even though it was a bit off color and maybe a little too playful for a UN General Assembly.

But as always, Viva Chavez!
 5:24 PM   •   like your cut?  

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The word "Democracy" seems to be simple to understand and use. A democratically elected government is one in which the most popular candidate wins.

Well, at least, that is the way I understand it -- he who gets the most votes wins, right?

For some reason, this isn't the way the Bush administration is using the term. In Nicaragua, the Sandinista candidate Daniel Ortega is leading in the polls and is likly to win the upcoming democratic election. But Paul Trivelli (US Ambassador to Nicaragua) has called Ortega "undemocratic" and has threatened to negatively alter the relationship between the US and Nicaragua if Ortega is elected.

What makes him "undemocratic"? If he wins a democratic election by obtaining the most votes, isn't that VERY democratic?

The answer is found in economics more than anything else. Mr. Ortega is undemocratic in the same way that Hugo Chavez is undemocratic. Both of them are very popular with the majority of people in their respective countries. But in the Neo-Conservative lexicon, Democracy is synonymous with the "pro-market policies adopted under Nicaragua's current centre-right president, Enrique Bolaños."

Again, the US is on the war path to establish "democracy" in the world -- not the establishment of governments by the people and for the people, but to establish a world-wide system of pro-market governments, even if they are unpopular with the majority.

 8:13 AM   •   like your cut?