Digital Ink Los Angeles

What causes us to search for a New World?

A new route to the Far East spice trade? Nah.

Desire to spread the word of God, like the Dominican and Jesuit missionaries of the 18th Century? Not likely.

Escape from nuclear Armageddon or biological malaise? Maybe.

Discovery of raw materials and new water sources? More than likely.

The recent opening of the billion-dollar CityCenter in Las Vegas is a boastful nod to New World capitalism and its achievements, with the tagline: “Capital of the New World.”

What gives? Films like The Road, Armageddon, Cloverfield, and WALL-E portend the destruction of Earth.

Does Hollywood know something we don’t? One thing for certain, James Cameron won’t be directing my escape ship. And it’ll probably be pretty obvious we’re “not in Kansas anymore.”

Remember that song from the 70s, Children of the Sun?

“‘People of the earth can you hear me?’
came a voice from the sky on that magical night.
And in the colors of a thousand sunsets,
they traveled to the world on a silvery light…”

In 3-D, of course.

Administrator 21st Century Culture, 70s, Earth, Movies and Cinema, Social Responsibility, The New World aliens, armageddon, Avatar, Earth, entertainment, hope, people, social

“In religion and politics people’s beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from other non-examiners, whose opinions about them were not worth a brass farthing.“
Mark Twain – Autobiography of Mark Twain

The truth is not always fact. And truth is often stranger than fiction.

American “Indians” are not from India, because Columbus didn’t discover a western trade route after all.

Michael Jordan wasn’t “cut” from his high-school varsity team as a sophomore, when he was the leading scorer on his high school junior-varsity squad that same year.

Breached levees caused the flooding of New Orleans after Katrina, but the city is in a sunken bowl, at least five feet under sea-level, surrounded by large bodies of water on every side. Where’s all that water supposed to go in a Category 4 hurricane? And, it’ll happen again, unless New Orleans becomes like Amsterdam and Venice.

If aliens arrive on this planet tomorrow, who might they believe to be in charge? Dogs who live a life of luxury, or the owners who follow them around with pooper-scoopers picking up their, well, shit? Go fetch.

When liberals and conservatives line up on either side of the political arena, who is hit by the flying bullets? All the people standing in the middle, trying to get something accomplished instead of proving who is “right,” “left,” or “wrong.”

FactCheck.org is one of the best available for some truthful reflection of the facts, as their business is, indeed, fact checking.

Also, TruthDig is a well-done web site, with some genuinely informed people making solid statements about all things human and otherwise.

Another soundly presented, professional, and unbiased web site is Common Dreams, for the “progressives” looking to build a better, New America.

And, lastly, for a simple, humanitarian organization with some of the greatest minds in the world, try the Aspen Institute for a little change of pace.

Smart people, doing good things. As might be guessed, not political.

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Administrator 00s, 21st Century Culture, New America, New Economy, Social Responsibility, The New World Congress, cultural, Democratic, facts, freedom, government, Indians, lie, lying, New America, Obama, partisan, politics, progressive, Republican, rhetoric, Senate, social, strength, true, truth

Voltaire knew the world was on the cusp of a greater existence — technological development, New World expansion, individual liberty, and societal equality — but he felt there were subtle forces restricting this progression.

Forces like militaristic avarice, aristocratic ignorance, and the unequal distribution of wealth between the upper-class and the lower-class. Of course, these concerns, and resistance by a burgeoning middle-class, led to the French Revolution.

Francois Marie Arouet (pen name Voltaire) was born on November 21, 1694, in Paris. Provided an aristocratic education, Voltaire was what might be called a “smart-ass” in modern times, and he was often too smart for his own good.

In 1726, Voltaire insulted the powerful young nobleman, Chevalier De Rohan, and was given two options: imprisonment or exile. Choosing to be exiled, from 1726 to 1729 Voltaire lived in England. While in England, Voltaire became enamored with the philosophy of John Locke and the unique vision and imagination of Sir Isaac Newton.

Voltaire was particularly interested in the philosophical rationalism of the time — embracing a notion that humans should remain steadfast in an intellectual, deductive pursuit of truth, instead of emotive, sensory perception of the world.

In 1759, Voltaire’s Candide was published, and the world would never be the same. The legacy of Candide remains today as a piece of fire-brand literature that speaks to man’s simian roots — that we are all just monkeys with nice haircuts.

Some of Digital Ink’s favorite Voltaire quotes:

“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”

“Animals have these advantages over man: they never hear the clock strike, they die without any idea of death, they have no theologians to instruct them, their last moments are not disturbed by unwelcome and unpleasant ceremonies, their funerals cost them nothing, and no one starts lawsuits over their wills.”

“Every man is guilty of all the good he didn’t do.”

“If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.”

Administrator 1%, Art and Justice, New America, Social Responsibility, Stylio, The New World, writing courage, education, France, freedom, history, justice, liberty, New World, nobility, philosophy, rationalism, revolution, society, thought leadership, truth, wit, writer, writing

The 2009 World Drug Report says that Afghanistan, which produces more than 90% of the world’s poppy for heroin production, had a decrease in opiate production of 19% in 2008.

The U.S. Marines have attempted to commandeer the Helmand province in order to stifle the increasing insurgency and violence in this area, funded completely by the sale of this beautiful poppy.

Estimates as high as 35,000, including British Special Forces, are rumored to be accurate in terms of the number of high-impact, heavily armed troops that are currently roaming these Taliban strongholds. Not to mention the DEA, who are supervising the efforts in the poppy trenches.

The upcoming August 20th elections — with newcomer Dr. Abdullah Abdullah leading a charge against incumbent Karzai and James Carville-backed challenger Ashraf Ghani — will be a tipping point in this region.

Digital Ink Los Angeles picks Abdullah-Abdullah, who was a commander of forces led by Afghan warlord and national hero, Martyr Ahmad “The Lion” Shah Massoud, against the Soviet occupation in the 80s.

Massoud (seen at left) is legendary for his heroics leading fierce, horse-mounted warriors against the Taliban, but was assassinated only days before the events of 9/11 by Al-Qaeda henchmen led by Osama bin Laden.

“Know your enemy” is an oft-used warning to troops in combat situations. In Iraq, U.S. Armed Forces occupied oil reserves and refineries. In Afghanistan, Marines are in poppy fields.

Abdullah-Abdullah might be a political solution to a difficult U.S. drug problem.

Administrator Earth, New America, Social Responsibility, The New World Afghan, Afghanistan, America, democracy, drugs, global, heroin, Marines, narcotics, opium, peace, poppy, solution, terror, troops, war

Six months into his presidency and Barack Obama has seen his share of bad and good press.

This third week of July has been a reality check for Obama and his administration, with healthcare taking a detour on the legislative trail, and Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. staking a racial stance that sent Obama flailing with his new-found powers.

The summer session is over in Washington, and business starts again with the upcoming fall session. With all the hot smoke in the air, it’d be nice if the new president can begin to settle in to expected great achievements.

It’s now or never. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire? Puff-puff, Mr. Obama.

Administrator 21st Century Culture, New America, New Economy, Social Responsibility, The New World cigarette, democracy, Executive, GOOD, habits, healthcare, legislative, Obama, politics, power, president, smoking, social, summer, Washington

Fly Like an Eagle – July 16, 1969

The recollection of historical facts can draw together disparate ideas and create relevance where before there seemed none. Sometimes, historical events might become metaphors for grander ideas, allowing us to imagine if that is possible, so might this be.

A walk on the Moon is something only 12 American astronauts can lay claim to, and Neil Armstrong was the first, declaring, 40 years ago, “one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”

There’s a plaque left on the Moon, 240,000 miles above Earth, by the crew of the Apollo 11, which reads:

“Here men from planet Earth first set foot upon the moon July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.”

As the United States — and the rest of mankind — adjust to the rigors of 21st Century existence, many difficulties and uncertainties have become magnified and worsened. Failed drug wars, California’s financial collapse, Wall Street chaos, Middle East conflict, and domestic issues like healthcare and education are seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

If the United States can put a man on the moon, can’t we educate every citizen? Can’t we assimilate a global conference to eradicate poverty and abject hunger for children? Can a nation founded on liberty and the pursuit of happiness continue to offer these privileges to its citizens as inalienable rights? Can the United States continue to lead the free world toward peace and harmony?

Armstrong’s declaration remains as prophetic today as it seemed in the volatile era of 1969, announcing to many that a common goal among humble men can become more for humanity than we might’ve imagined. Every exploration begins with uncertainty, and some end with certainty. 40 years after Apollo 11, the announcement remains the same:

Yes We Can!

Administrator Earth, Heroes, New America, Social Responsibility, The Good Life, The New World Apollo 11, courage, exploration, freedom, hero, Heroes, humanity, liberty, mankind, moon, NASA, New America, New World, space, voyager

According to the NY Times article on February 1, 2009, ExxonMobil:

“…beat its own record for the highest profits ever recorded by any company, with net income rising 3 percent to $40.6 billion, thanks to surging oil prices. The company’s sales, more than $404 billion, exceeded the gross domestic product of 120 countries.“

With the onset of the worst domestic economy in 80 years, and plunging balance sheets at Wall Street banks, ExxonMobil managed to return “highest profits ever recorded by any company.” They must be great businessmen and astonishingly good at their jobs.

Bernie Madoff was arrested on December 11, 2008, for charges of securities fraud and outright theft, constituting the largest investor fraud ever perpetrated in history, to the tune of almost $65 billion.

Bernie Madoff had a keen business mind and was really good at his job: theft. On June 29, 2009, Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison, the maximum allowed. At the rate of ExxonMobil’s current profit return, by the time Madoff gets out of jail, they’ll have profited $65 trillion from consumers. Profiteering is good. America was founded on this, right Mr. Gecko?

“The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you very much.“
– Gordon Gecko, Wall Street (1987)

Pumping Profits or Ponzi Ploys, which is worse?

Administrator 21st Century Culture, Art and Justice, New America, New Economy, Social Responsibility, The New World, Wall Street business, capitalism free market, crook, democracy, economy, equality, greed, Madoff, New America, New Economy, oil, poverty, profit, revenue, scam, wealth