Whatever you think of the “Occupy” protests, please consider: If they cannot be in the parks, and they cannot be in the schools, and they cannot be in the town squares - then where should they go ( Read more... )

I recently read Griftopia by Matt Taibbi. He’s the Rolling Stone blogger who came to national attention with his 2010 Vampire Squid characterization of Goldman Sachs. To wit ( Read more... )

I’ve spent a few hours over the last couple of weeks wandering near various of the “occupy” protests in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. On Friday, I grabbed a chunk of curbside next to the Boston encampment. I sat, listening to the babble, and tried to open myself to a thought longer than 140 characters ( Read more... )

I write this from the Northbound Acela, returning home to Boston at the end of - I think - my third trip in as many weeks. Perhaps it’s the fourth. I’ve learned that it’s better to not spend too much time counting the little wounds, tracking the indignities. As long as I get home safe, manage a bit of rest, and proceed forward with life not too ( Read more... )

I see a lot of things in the world that could be better than they are. I’m not talking about the part where we will all get sick and weak and die eventually. That’s unavoidable. I’m talking about the crappy systems that we build for ourselves and then live with rather than changing them. A stew of stupidity and wasted time surrounds most people ( Read more... )

The four noble truths of buddhism, restated:

1) The vast majority of us are suffering.
2) More than likely, you are suffering because you are an idiot.
3) If you were less of an idiot, you would probably suffer less.
4) Just keep going along those lines. It’s a good idea.

A corollary to 1 and 2 is that most people are idiots.

A further observation ( Read more... )

The level of spam comments on my LJ account has gotten ridiculous. I've "screened," anonymous comments for a while. That meant you folks didn't see them. I still get a notification every time someone poops out a mash of cyrillic porn links all over one of my sensitive and erudite essays. It turns out that this offends my liberal sensibilities ( Read more... )

Just like every year, I’m running for president, god-emperor, and tzar of the world. My assumption is that I would have such an incredible popular mandate that I wouldn’t have to negotiate with either political party, nor would I have to respect existing law or precedent. In my mind, I can impose a clean slate on the whole world all at once.

Don’ ( Read more... )

This is a test.

There should be all kinds of cross-post magic going on at this point.

Check it.
Originally posted at chris.dwan.org

Greetings from the business center of the Shigatze hotel.

Shigatze is a complete dust bowl right now. Every sidewalk is ripped up in preparations for the celebrations in early July. Based on my casual assessment, I don’t think they’re going to make it. They still seem to be in the “destroy everything,” phase of street repair. At some point, ( Read more... )