Just a little rant here, for a change, but one with an important point: Man, Apple is such pure shite. The fanfare and mob hysteria is definitely undeserved. Yes, it is better than Microshite, but that’s like comparing yourself to a dung pile. Pretty low standard to beat. I foolishly
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Writings of J. Todd Ring: On Torture
Torture, disappearances, kidnappings, rule by executive decree, the dispensing and systematic violation of human rights, parliamentary democratic powers and constitutional rule, and summary extrajudicial executions, are the hallmarks of fascism. And across the West, we now have them all. Torture is in violation of international law, the Geneva Convention, and
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Paradigm Shift: A Revolution of the Mind
Below is a high level talk by a theoretical physicist, which I will critique here. Yes, that is audacious, but not unfitting. Here are my thoughts. Really wonderful and lucid talk that is presented here by Michio Kaku, aside from the frankly naïve view of technology as inevitably liberating; however,
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Guiding Lights In A Collapsing World
Who are some of the guiding lights in terms of what must be done? I would suggest Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Emerson, Thoreau, Chomsky, Vandana Shiva, Bookchin, EF Schumacher, Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, Erich Fromm, Alan Watts, Allan Wallace, Joseph Campbell, Einstein, Bohm, Spinoza, Dickens, Blake, Anthony J. Hall,
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Decentralization Or Collapse
To halt the decline of our civilization and stop our race toward ecological, economic and social collapse, we must sow and create a paradigm shift, a shift in the dominant world view, a shift in consciousness. That requires consciousness raising, media activism, and education. But we also need a fundamental
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Freedom, Democracy & Education
If you value compassion or human decency, then you should value education – not indoctrination. And if you value education, then you must value truth above comforting illusions or denial, and you must value freedom, diversity, individuality, curiosity and creativity, because education becomes indoctrination without them, and freedom becomes tyranny,
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: 1966, The Best Year For Cars
Letter to Jay Leno (Jay Leno’s Garage) Hi Jay, I absolutely love your show, I have to say. And it’s funny you say 1966 is your favourite year for cars. I was the only person that I knew who thought that way, ’till now. The first Lamborghini was released in
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Knowledge vs Opinion, Enlightenment vs Delusion
As Plato said, everyone has opinions, but few have knowledge. It is important that we keep that in the back of our minds, if not the fore. Two levels, there are, in everything: there is the question of how to live, and how to construct a society that is just,
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: What Must Be Done
Open letter to friends of freedom: Hi folks, People are beginning to realize that we need a different attitude and view with regards to how we see nature, life, humanity, and ourselves. Very few get past rudimentary first steps, however. Since this shift in paradigms and consciousness is essential and
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Enlightenment: Raising Consciousness & The Cloud of Unknowing
Ideology is neither salvation nor liberation. As important as a paradigm shift, a shift in world view, or a shift in consciousness and perspective, clearly is, we must understand this. It is not ideas or ideology that will save
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Stoicism and Slave Mentality
Stoicism is a sordid philosophy of grim forbearance in the face of a rigidly deterministic fatalism devoid of all agency or hope. People who have no hope gravitate to it, for it offers no hope, but only the promised power to endure. Unfortunately it seeped through Christianity, and through all
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Conspiracy Theory Revisited
We should remember that the cult of authority, the cult of obedience, and the cult of conformity, are profoundly anti-intellectual, anti-science, anti-empirical, and anti-democratic, as well as extremely dangerous. And these three cults now reign supreme across the Western world, as Western societies close down, having imported the authoritarian model
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: For car freaks only: 427 Corvette race engine with 1200Hp – and zero emissions?!
I’d rather build my own engine, from the block and oil pan up, but this 427 aluminum block, turbo-charged crate engine from Steve Morris Racing Engines is SWEET! Way outa my budget (presently at zero), however: $43,000 US. That’s just the engine – no car to go with it. You
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: What is Enlightenment?
Further Notes On The Dualistic Illusion (This ought to raise the hackles of the fundamentalists – both secular and religious. But I don’t write for the narrow of mind anyway, so I am not concerned about that.) Now here is someone who knows what he is talking about: Rabbi David
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: What Is Buddhism, and What Is Non-Dualism?
And What Are They Not? Open letter to Russell Brand, regarding a video (linked below) titled, Dualism vs Monism EXPLAINED! Russell, who the hell are you interviewing?! The guy is clearly talking out of his ass. (Sorry for my directness and occasional bluntness. I was heavily influenced by Chomsky, Trungpa
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Conspiracy Theories, History and Templars, Oh my
Here is an open letter in response to the podcast linked below. It bears relevance to far more than just a single podcast, which you do jot have to listen to in order to gain value from this short piece, so read on. * Very interesting stuff. I liked the
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Billionaire Land-Grab Continues As Elite Prepare for Disaster
During the decline of the Roman Empire, in the late 3rd and into the 4th century, the rich and powerful moved out of the cities and bought up land in the rural countryside, anticipating the fall that they knew was coming. Now history repeats itself again. Forbes magazine published an
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: From Bankers Ruling The World, To The People Ruling The Bankers
(And Rebuilding And Healing The World In The Process) “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.” – Thomas Jefferson “I pray we shall crush the moneyed aristocracy in its infancy, for already it bids defiance to our laws and seeks a contest
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Seven Virtues To Liberate and Heal The World
The following is a seed thought, a note to myself, for further elaboration in the future, and it is a note I will share with others, because it is a seed thought which is powerful, healing, and liberating. I will not go into any lengthy discussion, meditation or exposition of
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: History with kid gloves and a gloss?
A response to AP Euro Bit By Bit, By Paul Sargent, on youtube I’ve enjoyed the videos I’ve seen so far – about a dozen. I especially liked your coverage of the Enlightenment and the foundations of modern constitutional democracy. I do have a couple of points I’d like to
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