You Must Be At Least --This-- Tall to Ride....

I started working on this entry a month or more ago and have been stewing and stressing over exactly how to word it. The topic of this entry is censorship, and case in point, I was censoring myself to ensure that this entry is written well and doesn't alienate or offend or otherwise displease anyone. Why wouldn't I want to do such things? Of course, it is because it is in my best interest for people to enjoy reading my blog.
If I were to post something edgy, provocative and risque such as, for example a steamy video of a <>, what would occur? Sifu Brinker and Master Callos, who might for the sake of argument be opposed to <>, would immediately remove me from their respective websites, I would be thoroughly chastised and perhaps removed from the Ubbt. However, would the law be brought into it? Doubtful.
It is simple cause and effect, I can post or say anything I wish, but I must be willing to face the consequences of such actions.
Bill 44 was recently passed in Alberta with rather disappointing results. Topics such as censorship and gay rights were addressed with it and it will be treated as a human rights issue. Human rights legislation infringing on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms where it states under Fundamental Freedoms:
(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;

Some reviews of Bill 44:
The teachers oppose it because it regulates them
The gay/lesbian community organized two protests against it.
I haven't heard of any groups other than the Tories (the currently dominant political party) being in favour of it.

A few things go through my mind when I consider this. One is how very <> I am. Personally, I find government imposed censorship insulting in the extreme. I can see only one reason for it: Either your opinion is too worthless to be said, or you are too worthless to say it.

I often think of censorship using theme parks as an analogue. Just as not everything can put into my blog, such as a <>, not every patron can experience every ride. Everywhere you see signs saying your child must be --this-- tall to ride just like every forum and medium of communication has a little sign saying your brain child must be --this-- tall to ride. It's not that your child isn't super cute, it's that he'd be hurt. On the other hand, if they said no purple people because they simply don't like purple, that would be wrong.
Maybe it's the punk rocker in me, but I have a healthy dislike for being told I can't do something and having legal rights usurped. This may be do in part to a sentiment imparted by German friend of my father who lived under Hitler and said that you never know what's about to happen, and it always happens quickly. When Hitler rose, Germany changed quickly, and a month before the Berlin Wall actually fell, no one would have expected it to do so. I'm not saying Premier Stelmach is fascist nor am I trying to equate the Tories with the Nazis in any way , but I do think every time a freedom is taken it's a teeny tiny goose-step in the wrong direction.
So to recap, if you say or do something idiotic, people think you're an idiot. Do something ignorant and people will think you are ignorant. The notion that people need to be punished legally rather than socially for being idiotic or ignorant is just that, idiotic and ignorant.

Hoping the Tories collapse into unpleasant chaos,
Ben Davies
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada



http://www.canada.com/Controversial%20Bill%20passes%20through%20Alberta%20legislature/1654390/story.html
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/charter/1.html#anchorbo-ga:l_I-gb:s_1

The King of Weapons

I've had spears on the brain lately, aside from political rantings of course.
I was looking over the lyrics for Reise, Reise (arise, arise) by Rammstein
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDTYGpnMdL4 song and lyrics
The song is about using spears for fishing and fighting. Leave it to Rammstein to write an awesome song on such a subject. I know that personally, I've always found the duality of weapons like the kama, nun chaku, etc. interesting being that they are for farming and multi-tasked into weapons, but the spear is in a class all its own.
It is the only weapon used by every people on the planet for hunting, fishing and fighting.



Even other primates are using spears! Call me a nerd, but I find that exciting news.

The spear is such a simple weapon at its core: a long pointy stick, but has evolved into relatively complex weapon systems involving large infantry formations such as phalanges and the use of performance enhancing accessories such as the atalatl. It grew into such weapons as the trident/tiger fork, halberd, pike, lance, and so on.

I could go on and on, but I think the links I've provided will do a better job.

Ben Davies
Silent River Kung fu
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
www.silentriverkungfu.com

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VRT-4N3XDTT-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=3e71833d8e3c5f228535010f7b7d72d7
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022201007.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-562236/Orangutan-attempts-hunt-fish-spear.html

The way

So obviously, I'm rather late with this posting. In my defense I started on my entry Tuesday night, but being about a topic I vehemently oppose I worded it ways which I probably shouldn't and so have been re-writing it over and over. I'm still not done the entry, so I'm going to post about something utterly unrelated until I've finished it.

The way.
Everyone is always talking about the best way, or things in or out of their way. But what is their way, and why is it so very important?
As I move through life, I try to keep my way as fluid as possible, taking a lesson from the Nordegg River. One rule governs it: if an opportunity presents itself, I have to take it. I've lost count of how many times I've been late for class because I was compelled to stop and help someone out of the ditch or take them to fetch gas for their starved engines. On one hand, I have given up some time, but in the scheme of things, I have really given anything up, or have I simply traded it? Who knows what I might gain from meeting this person? Yesterday, on my way to symphony I met one of the double base players, how? I started chatting with a random stranger as we walked toward the Winspeare center. Even if I gain nothing though, I've been on the other end and being stuck or stranded or broken down is not fun. If I don't stop, who will? And if minutes of my time saves hours of theirs, shouldn't I?
A fellow I know, both as a school teacher and the father of a close friend, told me something once which has stuck with me. This was years ago and his son and I had been hanging out, and when it came time for us to return to our homes his father drove me to mine, which was a half hour or more out of his way. As I stepped out of his vehicle I thanked him for going so far out of his way, to which he shrugged dismissively and said that depends on how you define his way.
It's entirely true. Friday night a comrade from kung fu asked for a ride to his home which is one the opposite side of the next town in the opposite direction from my destination. Oh well. Without hesitation I told him to hop in, we hit a coffee shop and were on our way.
Logically, this would be out of my way since it tripled my drive time to get home, but I did arrive at home, so going past his house in clearly on one of the possible paths to mine.
So, in short. The shortest path between two points is a straight line, but getting caught up in that will make you miss the journey.

Ben Davies
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
www.silentriverkungfu.com