Alaska Secession

The Alaska Independence Party received 4% of the popular vote in the federal election in 2012.

Here is how the Alaska Independence Party summarizes their position "in a few words":

ALASKA FIRST!

Until we as Alaskans attain our Ultimate Goal, the AIP will continue to strive to make Alaska a better place to live with less government interference in our everyday lives.

The Alaskan Independence Party's goal is the vote we were entitled to in 1958, one choice from among the following four alternatives:

1) Remain a Territory.
2) Become a separate and Independent Nation.
3) Accept Commonwealth status.
4) Become a State.

The call for this vote is in furtherance of the dream of the Alaskan Independence Party's founding father, Joe Vogler, which was for Alaskans to achieve independence under a minimal government, fully responsive to the people, promoting a peaceful and lawful means of resolving differences. 

Link: Alaska Independence Party, here.

Link: Wikipedia entry for Alaska, here.

Gated Communities

According to Wikipedia there may be over 24 000 gated communities in the United States housing up to 8 million people. Link, here.

Mexico has the largest population living in gated communities both in terms of total population and percentage of the national population.

The largest gated community in the United States is Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. It has a population of 12 807 and a total area of 55.7 sq. mi. resulting in a population density of 230/sq. mi.

One of the more 'famous' gated communities is Celebration, Florida which is a Disney Development and is adjacent to Disney World.

According to Evan Mckenzie one sixth of the American population lives in 'common-interest housing'.

Link: http://tigger.uic.edu/~mckenzie/comoftom.pdf

Critics of gated communities: Edward J. Blakely and Mary Gail Snyder, authors of the book, "Fortress America: Gated Communities in the United States". Link: Amazon book review, here.

Here is another paper by the above authors:

Link: http://www.nhi.org/online/issues/93/gates.html


America was colonized by people who lived in forts.

Thomas Hobbes -- Definitions

An excerpt from Leviathan, Part I, Chapter 4, 1651:

"By this it appears how necessary it is for any man that aspires to true Knowledge to examine the Definitions of former authors; and either to correct them, where they are negligently set down; or make them himself. For the errors of Definitions multiply themselves, according as the reckoning proceeds; and lead men into absurdities, which at last they see, but cannot avoid, without reckoning anew from the beginning; in which lies the foundation of their errors. From whence it happens that they which trust to books do as they that cast up many little sums into a greater, without considering whether those little sums were rightly cast up or not; and at last finding the error visible, and not mistrusting their first grounds, know not which way to clear themselves; but spend time in fluttering over their books; as birds that entering a chimney and finding themselves inclosed in a chamber flutter at the false light of a glass window, for want of wit to consider which way they came in. So that in the right Definition of Names lies the first use of Speech; which is the acquisition of Science; and in the wrong, or no Definitions, lies the first abuse, from which proceed all false and senseless Tenets; which make those men that take their instruction from the authority of books, and not from their own meditation, to be as much below the condition of ignorant men, as men endured with true science are above it. For between true science and erroneous doctrines, ignorance is in the middle. Natural sense and imagination are not subject to absurdity. Nature itself cannot err, as men abound in copiousness of language, so they become more wise or mad than ordinary."

George Orwell -- Politics and the English Language

An excerpt from George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," Shooting An Elephant and Other Essays (1946):

     Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but it is generally assumed that we cannot by conscious action do anything about it. Our civilization is decadent and our language -- so the argument runs -- must inevitably share in the general collapse. It follow that any struggle against the abuse of language is a sentimental archaism, like preferring candles to electric light or handsome cabs to aeroplanes. Underneath this lies the half-conscious belief that language is a natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes.
     Now it is clear that the decline of a language must ultimately have political and economic causes: it is not due simply to the bad influence of this or that individual writer. But an effect can become a cause, reinforcing the original cause and producing the same effect in an intensified form, and so on indefinitely. A man may take to drink because he feels himself to be a failure, and then fail all the more completely because he drinks. It is rather the same thing that is happening to the English language. It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts. The point is that the process is reversible. Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble. If one gets rid of these habits on can think more clearly, and to think clearly is a necessary step toward political regeneration: so that the fight against bad English is not frivolous and is not the exclusive concern of professional writers.

Language Academies

According to Wikipedia there are over 150 languages in the world which are regulated by some form of governing body which is usually called academy. Academies are (usually) established to maintain the purity of a particular language. They often publish dictionaries that 'suggest' proper spelling and pronunciation. Wikipedia suggests that some language academies are descriptive rather than imposing. The English language does not have a language academy whereas the Klingon language does.

Link: Language regulators -- wikipedia

The JFK Assassination

I haven't spent that much time investigating the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I watched the film JFK directed by Oliver Stone quite a few years ago and I have only read one book on the subject. The book is titled, "The Assassination Tapes", written by George O'Toole. The book relies a lot on "evidence" "discovered" by utilizing the (then) modern device which determines if someone is lying by analyzing the tone of their voice. The machine is called the voice stress analyzer -- which O'Toole claims proves that Lee Harvey Oswald did not shoot President John F. Kennedy. He came to his conclusions by analyzing tape recordings of Lee Harvey Oswald and others. Perhaps all it proves is that (Lee Harvey) Oswald did not believe he killed (President) Kennedy and he was hypnotized, "Manchurian Candidate" style.

I do not have an "official" opinion on who killed President Kennedy. I don't have enough information to come to a conclusion. I suspect the usual suspects, though.

A device such as the voice stress analyzer would be an invaluable tool in our current political environment(and in our everyday lives as well).

definition: nationalism

This definition is from, "The Heritage Illustrated Dictionary Of The English Language -- International Edition, 1973 Edition."

nationalism  n.  1.  Devotion to the interests of a particular nation.  2.  The belief that nations would benefit from acting independently rather that collectively, emphasizing national rather than international goals.  3.  In countries under foreign political or economic domination, aspirations for national independence.  --nationalist  adj.  & n.  --nationalistic adj.  --nationalistically adv.

Definition: national

This definition is from, "The Heritage Illustrated Dictionary Of The English Language -- International Edition, 1973 Edition."

national adj. Abbr. nat.,natl.  1. Of, pertaining to, or belonging to a nation as an organized whole.  2. Of or relating to nationality: the national question.  3. Characteristic of or peculiar to the people of a nation: a national trait.  4. Big or important enough to have significance for a whole nation nation: a national figure.  5. Of or maintained by the government of a nation: a national park.  6.  In the interest of one's own nation: the foreign aid program was in fact strictly national in motivation.  7.  Devoted to one's own nation or its interests; patriotic.  --n.  1.  A citizen of a particular nation.  2.  A contest or tournament involving participants from all parts of the nation.  --nationally adv.

Defintion: nation

All definitions on this page from "The Heritage Illustrated Dictionary Of The English Language -- International Edition, 1973 Edition."

nation n. 1. A people , usually the inhabitants of a specific territory, who share common customs, origins, history, and frequently language or related languages. 2. An aggregation of people organized under a single government; a country. 3. The government of a sovereign state: The Western nations have reacted favorably to the proposal. 4.a. A federation or tribe, especially one composed of North American Indians. b. The territory occupied by such a federation or tribe.  --the nation. The entire people of a country, as distinct from any of the classes composing it: "By subduing disparate lesser groups the nation has . . . broadened the capacity for individual liberty." (Arthur S. Miller). --the nations.  1. In biblical use, the gentile or heathen peoples: "And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations." 2. The population of the earth; the peoples.  [Middle English nacioun, from old French nacion, from Latin natio, "race," "breed," from nasci (past participle natus), to be born. See gene- in Appendix.*]