Joseph Cummins wrote an incredible book on some of the Great Rivalries in History. The work is detailed and easy to read and is available at Amazon. (isn't everything).
Rivalries documented are:
Alexander the Great and Darius III
Hannibal vs Scipio Africanus
Juilius Caesar vs Pompeius
King Henry II vs Thomas Becket
Richard I vs John
Pope Boniface VIII vs Philip IV
Pizarro vs De Almagro (Conquistadors)
Elizabeth I vs Mary Queen of Scots
Charles XII vs Peter the Great
Benedict Arnold vs Horatio Gates
Aaron Burr vs Alexander Hamilton
Napoleon vs Wellington
Earol of Lucan vs Earl of Cardigan (Crimean War)
Disraeli vs Gladstone
Pancho Villa vs Emiliano Zapata (Mexico)
Hitler vs Rohm
Stalin vs Trotsky
Chiang Kai-Shek vs Mao
Chuikov vs Paulus (Battle of Stalingrad)
Patton vs Montgomery
Truman vs Macarthur
Giap vs De Casteries (Battle of Dien Bien Phu)
Kennedy vs Nixon
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Mantra of a Classical Liberal
I have over the course of my life studied the role of history and its impact on the human condition. What I present in point like form are some of my insights and realizations. My challenge has always been one of finding clarity and in this regards .
1. I am best described as a classical liberal in that I champion democracy, human rights, private ownership of property, investigative science, free enterprise, meritocracy, high levels of education, the rule of law and a complete openness to discussion and debate within society.
2. I believe that Western Civilization, while not a pinnacle of all that there is, represents an advanced state of the human condition. I will make no apologies for this position as to do so generally invokes the odious philosophy of cultural relativism.
3. I appreciate religion as a system of ethics but believe that it should be divorced from the functioning of the state.
4. It is critical that the leadership of the great Western nations guard themselves against the forces of barbarism that threatens it.
5. While Western Civilization represents an advanced state in the history of our species it is still incumbent on the civilization’s institutions to learn from the other great cultures viz. Sino-Japanese, Latin American, Slavic, Hindu etc.
In summary: When a society loses the essence of what makes it special it loses the essence of what makes it great.
1. I am best described as a classical liberal in that I champion democracy, human rights, private ownership of property, investigative science, free enterprise, meritocracy, high levels of education, the rule of law and a complete openness to discussion and debate within society.
2. I believe that Western Civilization, while not a pinnacle of all that there is, represents an advanced state of the human condition. I will make no apologies for this position as to do so generally invokes the odious philosophy of cultural relativism.
3. I appreciate religion as a system of ethics but believe that it should be divorced from the functioning of the state.
4. It is critical that the leadership of the great Western nations guard themselves against the forces of barbarism that threatens it.
5. While Western Civilization represents an advanced state in the history of our species it is still incumbent on the civilization’s institutions to learn from the other great cultures viz. Sino-Japanese, Latin American, Slavic, Hindu etc.
In summary: When a society loses the essence of what makes it special it loses the essence of what makes it great.
Challenges to Western Civilization
The march toward human betterment in Western Civilization has been opposed by various force-dynamics or barbarisms. Some of these force-dynamics have been products of the outside world others were creations from within. The following is a list of such force-dynamics. (All are problematic, some have been overcome but others remain as an epidemic that future generations will have to deal with.)
· Feudalism – Ended by the Renaissance, the Age of Exploration, early urbanization and the birth of the modern economy;
· The Domination of the Totalitarian Church – Eventually Eclipsed by the Reformation, the Enlightenment and the Rise of Reason and Science;
· Powers of the Aristocracy – Ended by both the violent and non-violent bourgeoisie revolution, liberalism and nationalism;
· Fascism – Defeated by the Western Democracies in World War II;
· Communism – Defeated by the Economic Machine of the United States;
· Islamism – A struggle that still continues;
· Post Modernism – A challenge in progress – a consequence of intellectual nihilism and misguided cynicism;
· Greed Capitalism – A dangerous but age old phenomenon that still survives.
· Feudalism – Ended by the Renaissance, the Age of Exploration, early urbanization and the birth of the modern economy;
· The Domination of the Totalitarian Church – Eventually Eclipsed by the Reformation, the Enlightenment and the Rise of Reason and Science;
· Powers of the Aristocracy – Ended by both the violent and non-violent bourgeoisie revolution, liberalism and nationalism;
· Fascism – Defeated by the Western Democracies in World War II;
· Communism – Defeated by the Economic Machine of the United States;
· Islamism – A struggle that still continues;
· Post Modernism – A challenge in progress – a consequence of intellectual nihilism and misguided cynicism;
· Greed Capitalism – A dangerous but age old phenomenon that still survives.
On Good Science
Good Science is the pursuit of knowledge derived from questioning. It is science that looks at a phenomenon and attempts to elucidate its workings through rational thought and empirical investigation. It strives to be as objective as possible in its process. Conclusions are eventually drawn following the thorough analysis of evidence but the conclusions must not extend beyond the assumptions that so defined the research.
There is no single scientific method but there are broad procedures that extend from the initial observation, through hypothesis to the investigation, analysis and the subsequent conclusion(s) for any inquiry.
Scientists are not guardians of truth, but agents of clarification that peel away the fog of noise in an attempt to model more accurately the workings of the world. They are of course free to philosophize and speculate about the significance of their findings (something I call the extended objective) but these speculations should not overwrite (or even overextend) the mandate of their original research.
Scientists must understand the limits of their findings which ultimately calls for an appreciation of the boundaries of their respective disciplines. Science is not a religion, nor should it be vaunted a such, however it is the best tool that we humans have of understanding the material world. It is indeed very powerful but it is ultimately confined to the milieu of matter/energy.
There is no single scientific method but there are broad procedures that extend from the initial observation, through hypothesis to the investigation, analysis and the subsequent conclusion(s) for any inquiry.
Scientists are not guardians of truth, but agents of clarification that peel away the fog of noise in an attempt to model more accurately the workings of the world. They are of course free to philosophize and speculate about the significance of their findings (something I call the extended objective) but these speculations should not overwrite (or even overextend) the mandate of their original research.
Scientists must understand the limits of their findings which ultimately calls for an appreciation of the boundaries of their respective disciplines. Science is not a religion, nor should it be vaunted a such, however it is the best tool that we humans have of understanding the material world. It is indeed very powerful but it is ultimately confined to the milieu of matter/energy.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Norman Finkelstein Lashes out at BDS
Norman Finkelstein is still a detestable anti-zionist who has done his best to drag the Jewish state through the mud. His regular scholarship is poor but at least in this video he rightly calls out the anti-semitic BDS campaign for what they are - a Cult of Fools.
See http://vimeo.com/36854424
See http://vimeo.com/36854424
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Eight Reasons Why the US Should Quit Afghanistan
1. It’s a war that cannot be won. The mountainous terrain is perfect for guerrilla warfare and the porous border with Pakistan allows the Taliban to seek refuge beyond the grasp of the American forces.
2. Local Allies cannot be trusted. American soldiers have come under fire from Afghan troops (who are supposed to be on the Allied Side), while the Afghan President Hamid Karzai appears to be talking out of both sides of his mouth (he even suggested at one point that he would team up with the Taliban).
3. American lives are being lost for very little gain in propping up an intolerant Afghan government that still itself does not believe in religious freedom.
4. The War has further destabilized Pakistan. Its time that Pakistan dealt themselves with issues in their backyard.
5. The Afghan population is too tribal in its profile. Bringing Western style democracy to a country that has not gone through a religious reformation and intellectual renaissance – let alone an enlightenment – is ridiculous. If the US wishes to support interventionist nation building, which it really shouldn’t, it ought to make sure that there is a nation to build. Afghanistan fails this litmus test.
6. The cost on the US Treasury (and ultimately the taxpayer) is severe. The money is better spent elsewhere at home.
7. The big winners in this war are the enemies of the US, who can profit by selling weapons to the Taliban, who in turn fund their purchases with the sale of drugs. Once again the evil multiplies.
8. The Canadians have left, the French are on their way out and the British will be quitting soon. American left isolated in a foreign war, miles away from home, with no clear agenda, can only serve to further dampen troop morale and increase losses.
2. Local Allies cannot be trusted. American soldiers have come under fire from Afghan troops (who are supposed to be on the Allied Side), while the Afghan President Hamid Karzai appears to be talking out of both sides of his mouth (he even suggested at one point that he would team up with the Taliban).
3. American lives are being lost for very little gain in propping up an intolerant Afghan government that still itself does not believe in religious freedom.
4. The War has further destabilized Pakistan. Its time that Pakistan dealt themselves with issues in their backyard.
5. The Afghan population is too tribal in its profile. Bringing Western style democracy to a country that has not gone through a religious reformation and intellectual renaissance – let alone an enlightenment – is ridiculous. If the US wishes to support interventionist nation building, which it really shouldn’t, it ought to make sure that there is a nation to build. Afghanistan fails this litmus test.
6. The cost on the US Treasury (and ultimately the taxpayer) is severe. The money is better spent elsewhere at home.
7. The big winners in this war are the enemies of the US, who can profit by selling weapons to the Taliban, who in turn fund their purchases with the sale of drugs. Once again the evil multiplies.
8. The Canadians have left, the French are on their way out and the British will be quitting soon. American left isolated in a foreign war, miles away from home, with no clear agenda, can only serve to further dampen troop morale and increase losses.
40 Things I would do if I were President of the US
1. Cancel all future corporation bailouts from the Federal Government. Unsuccessful businesses should be allowed to fail.
2. Reduce tax rates on the Middle Class.
3. Decrease the size of the Federal government by 30%.
4. Remove all Affirmative Action Programs in the Federal government.
5. Remove government guarantees for student loans – I believe that this will drop the price of university tuition.
6. Withdraw American forces from Afghanistan
7. Allow the Keystone Pipeline to pass from Alberta through the Central US.
8. Introduce legislation to ban late term abortion (unless the mother’s life is in danger).
9. Increase tariffs on select foreign goods that cannot be manufactured in the US.
10. Place high tariffs on cheap import direct-to-retail products from the Far East
11. Introduce a balance budget amendment.
12. Maintain guarantees for Stem Cell Research.
13. Introduce legislation that universities remove speech codes on the grounds that they contradict the First Amendment.
14. Support an aggressive program for School Vouchers that allow parents a greater choice in school selection.
15. End the War on Drugs. Legalize many of the narcotics but tax them heavily.
16. Build a fence between the US and Mexico to prevent illegal aliens reaching the US.
17. Draft legislation to declare English the only official language of the Republic.
18. Enforce the extradition of illegal aliens currently residing in the US.
19. Reinvigorate the Space Race. Increase Funding for NASA. Encourage Private Enterprise in the Space Arena.
20. Increase vigilance on foreign student visa programs. Reduce Visa approvals for students coming to the US from countries that are ‘soft’ on terrorism.
21. Grant Independence to Puerto Rica.
22. Limit the number of times a convicted felon can appeal a death sentence.
23. Close as many tax loopholes as possible but allow tax rebates for investment in the healthcare sector.
24. Establish a League of Democracies as a counterbalance to the UN.
25. Make foreign aid to various nations contingent on these countries meeting human rights quotas.
26. Re-allocate wasted funding for ‘Fuzzy’ Climate Change research to real funding for the National Parks and Endangered Species Programs.
27. Remove the US from all carbon credit trading agreements.
28. Set aside tax rebate money that individuals have to use to purchase healthcare.
29. Set aside savings in reduction of federal government size for funding of extended Medicare and Medicaid.
30. Introduce stronger regulations for both the Derivatives and Futures Markets.
31. Promote tax rebates for companies investing in poor areas.
32. Close down US bases in Europe. Let the Europeans defend themselves.
33. Place stronger sanctions on Iran. Promote a sporting and cultural ban for Iran (similar to the one faced by South Africa during the Apartheid Era). Give Iran an ultimatum to cease its development of a nuclear bomb or face the consequences.
34. Cut off all aid to Pakistan until it comes clean in its position in the fight against Islamism.
35. Stop funding projects in the Gaza Strip that ultimately produce a windfall for the terror affiliated Hamas administration.
36. Resume relations with Cuba and lift boycott contingent on free elections in the country.
37. Boycott Venezuelan and Saudi oil in favour of Non-OPEC Ethical Oil sources.
38. Consolidate the intelligent gathering agencies NIS, Military Intelligence, Naval Intelligence, CIA into one single unit.
39. Fight to amend the constitution to limit the time that judges can sit on the US Supreme Court.
40. Promote Apprenticeship programs as and alternative to the highly overrated College Degrees.
2. Reduce tax rates on the Middle Class.
3. Decrease the size of the Federal government by 30%.
4. Remove all Affirmative Action Programs in the Federal government.
5. Remove government guarantees for student loans – I believe that this will drop the price of university tuition.
6. Withdraw American forces from Afghanistan
7. Allow the Keystone Pipeline to pass from Alberta through the Central US.
8. Introduce legislation to ban late term abortion (unless the mother’s life is in danger).
9. Increase tariffs on select foreign goods that cannot be manufactured in the US.
10. Place high tariffs on cheap import direct-to-retail products from the Far East
11. Introduce a balance budget amendment.
12. Maintain guarantees for Stem Cell Research.
13. Introduce legislation that universities remove speech codes on the grounds that they contradict the First Amendment.
14. Support an aggressive program for School Vouchers that allow parents a greater choice in school selection.
15. End the War on Drugs. Legalize many of the narcotics but tax them heavily.
16. Build a fence between the US and Mexico to prevent illegal aliens reaching the US.
17. Draft legislation to declare English the only official language of the Republic.
18. Enforce the extradition of illegal aliens currently residing in the US.
19. Reinvigorate the Space Race. Increase Funding for NASA. Encourage Private Enterprise in the Space Arena.
20. Increase vigilance on foreign student visa programs. Reduce Visa approvals for students coming to the US from countries that are ‘soft’ on terrorism.
21. Grant Independence to Puerto Rica.
22. Limit the number of times a convicted felon can appeal a death sentence.
23. Close as many tax loopholes as possible but allow tax rebates for investment in the healthcare sector.
24. Establish a League of Democracies as a counterbalance to the UN.
25. Make foreign aid to various nations contingent on these countries meeting human rights quotas.
26. Re-allocate wasted funding for ‘Fuzzy’ Climate Change research to real funding for the National Parks and Endangered Species Programs.
27. Remove the US from all carbon credit trading agreements.
28. Set aside tax rebate money that individuals have to use to purchase healthcare.
29. Set aside savings in reduction of federal government size for funding of extended Medicare and Medicaid.
30. Introduce stronger regulations for both the Derivatives and Futures Markets.
31. Promote tax rebates for companies investing in poor areas.
32. Close down US bases in Europe. Let the Europeans defend themselves.
33. Place stronger sanctions on Iran. Promote a sporting and cultural ban for Iran (similar to the one faced by South Africa during the Apartheid Era). Give Iran an ultimatum to cease its development of a nuclear bomb or face the consequences.
34. Cut off all aid to Pakistan until it comes clean in its position in the fight against Islamism.
35. Stop funding projects in the Gaza Strip that ultimately produce a windfall for the terror affiliated Hamas administration.
36. Resume relations with Cuba and lift boycott contingent on free elections in the country.
37. Boycott Venezuelan and Saudi oil in favour of Non-OPEC Ethical Oil sources.
38. Consolidate the intelligent gathering agencies NIS, Military Intelligence, Naval Intelligence, CIA into one single unit.
39. Fight to amend the constitution to limit the time that judges can sit on the US Supreme Court.
40. Promote Apprenticeship programs as and alternative to the highly overrated College Degrees.
Monday, January 02, 2012
Ron Paul - A Poor Choice for President
1. He is overly radical in his championing of the free market and seems likely to slash and burn key social programs in the name of a balanced budget (which is a necessity but thebudget must be balanced with care). I myself tend toward the monetarist approach in the great economic debate but I believe and support key Keynesian initiatives in moderation. I do not believe that Paul’s bias allows him to take the same approach. He is too dogmatic in his economics. Libertarianism at its extreme is inherently flawed, in that it defers to the simplistic, as does in all irony its Marxist antithesis.
2. He would follow an isolationist foreign policy, which at a time when the West needs strong leadership in the fight against Islamism would spell disaster. One need not look further than the inter war years and the growth of Fascism and Stalinism in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s to see what happens when Good Nations do nothing against an evil.
3. He is weak on illegal immigration an issue which will become more and more pertinent in defining the national character in the 2010s.
4. He often makes historical errors when discussing foreign policy question indicating that his grasp of history is suspect.
5. Paul is supported by some of the most loathsome kooks in American Politics: Neo-Nazis, White Supremacists, Conspiracy theorists etc. He has not sufficiently distanced himself from these extremists which is disturbing as such members will no doubt gain more influence within the Paulista realm.
6. Paul is no fan of the US Military and his policies could jeopardize US Security initiatives world wide by a following through with a spate of base closing. America’s enemies will certainly see this as a sign of weakness in the decay of the nation.
2. He would follow an isolationist foreign policy, which at a time when the West needs strong leadership in the fight against Islamism would spell disaster. One need not look further than the inter war years and the growth of Fascism and Stalinism in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s to see what happens when Good Nations do nothing against an evil.
3. He is weak on illegal immigration an issue which will become more and more pertinent in defining the national character in the 2010s.
4. He often makes historical errors when discussing foreign policy question indicating that his grasp of history is suspect.
5. Paul is supported by some of the most loathsome kooks in American Politics: Neo-Nazis, White Supremacists, Conspiracy theorists etc. He has not sufficiently distanced himself from these extremists which is disturbing as such members will no doubt gain more influence within the Paulista realm.
6. Paul is no fan of the US Military and his policies could jeopardize US Security initiatives world wide by a following through with a spate of base closing. America’s enemies will certainly see this as a sign of weakness in the decay of the nation.
Sunday, January 01, 2012
Mitt Romney - Possible Dragon Slayer
As it stands right now I am reluctantly endorsing Mitt Romney for President. While the former Massachusetts governor is far cry from the likes of Truman and Reagan he is significantly better than Obama and clearly ahead of Perry, Bachman, Huntsman, Santorum, Gingrich and Paul in both electibility and practicality of policy. As a center-right conservative with East Coast appeal Romney can shake Obama's voter base in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida and New Jersey and with an added West Coast draw will likely challenge in California as well. The Dems must be worried about his recent upsurge, as they were clearly licking their chops at facing the lesser choices already named.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Obama - Three Years of Pathos
There is no doubt whatsoever that Barack Hussein Obama has been a D-Level president. In fact in almost all categories he falls short of the litmus test for marginal competency.
On the economic front, the Obama stimulus packages have failed miserably to ignite the economy (as any monetarist could have told him) and instead has entangled the US with the greatest debt in the history of the republic. This ‘legacy’ that future generations will have to account for is a noxious burden made worse by the fact that so much of it is held by China – a country destined to overthrow the US as the leading superpower both economically and strategically. Furthermore Obama and his intellectual posse have advocated a cultural of financial dependency by ensuring that 47% of Americans will be benefiting but not contributing to the nation’s tax base. Confidence in the economy is low and as manufacturing potential deteriorates the spiral of American decline is further exemplified by a shrinking private sector and the growth of the big government monolith. Critics will argue that Obama inherited many of these problems from the previous administration, a charge that carries a semblance of truth (although the Democrat controlled Congress shoulders much blame as well), but the fact that he has made a bad situation exponentially worse and now owns much of the current problem is a more potent truism.
However if the lights are all but out on Obama’s economic policy, his Foreign Policy initiatives deserve equal ridicule. Particularly galling is his failure to apply common sense to the ever present cauldron of middle east politics. Starting with appeasement and self flagellation at his infamous Cairo Speech, Obama has carried on the disastrous Carter initiatives of undermining American allies (in this case Israel and Mubarak’s Egypt) and empowering Islamic Fundamentalism in some misguided attempt to appear even handed. Just as Carter helped bring into power the Mullahs in Iran, Obama - through his free pass to the Islamists and rejection of Mubarak - must take credit for the pending and very likely takeover of Egypt by the Muslim Brotherhood- a fate that seems ever likely as the Arab Spring turns ever more sour (as if there was an alternative for a region that has still not moved into the enlightenment era). Couple that with his ill-fated Libyan venture, the growth of religious fundamentalism in Tunisia and Turkey, instability in Bahrain, Yemen and the growing nuclear menace of Iran and one would be hard pressed to find a life jacket in this sea of insanity.
But wait wasn’t Obama supposed to be the ethics president who was ushered in as a voice of change. True but who said change had to positive? Especially when it comes from a man who lacked the moral fortitude to back the people protests in Iran over the rigged election in his early tenure, and who constantly calls on Israel two making dangerous one sided compromises for the sake of an imaginary peace with a vengeful genocide driven enemy. Compare this to Ronald Reagan’s voice in calling out the Soviet Union's Evil Empire in the 1980s for what it really was (a human rights violator and tyranny) and the contrast in leadership is striking.
However Obama will persist, bolstered by his own sense of grandeur. He will take solace in the implementation of Obamacare, for which liberal historians will lionize him (as they did for Lyndon Johnson’s over hyped Great Society or Roosevelt’s New deal which in reality prolonged the Depression of the 1930s), even if the economics of paying for such a medical system will further increase the role of intrusive government, weaken the economy by augmenting debt accumulation, and in all probability downgrade the quality of health care available in the US, as is evident with the tortured history of socialized medicine in Western Europe and elsewhere.
What astounds me though is with all these shortcomings he still maintains a messiah-was at the forefront of great technology charge during the Cold War into an adjunct arm that seems almost wholly focussed in drumming up data to appease the mania associated with the global warming cult. Even a post modernist couldn’t have predicted such obvious deterioration in an organization synonymous with the American triumph. American Science will be rescued by private initiatives as it always has but this will of no thanks to the Obamabots.
Which brings me to the root of the Obama menace. Yes he is a third rate leader, but more to the point he is dangerous. The West needs strength especially in the light of the Islamist barbarism, cultural degradation, economic disaster and the entropy of decay that challenges any civilization. The US, following the abdication of Europe, is the natural leader in such regards but in order to lead it must believe with a full-heart in itself and have at its head a President who is comfortable with its exceptionalism. The fact that Obama is apparently devoid of this outlook is frightening and of comfort only to those who rejoice in the American decline. I pity the US should he be re-elected in 2012.
On the economic front, the Obama stimulus packages have failed miserably to ignite the economy (as any monetarist could have told him) and instead has entangled the US with the greatest debt in the history of the republic. This ‘legacy’ that future generations will have to account for is a noxious burden made worse by the fact that so much of it is held by China – a country destined to overthrow the US as the leading superpower both economically and strategically. Furthermore Obama and his intellectual posse have advocated a cultural of financial dependency by ensuring that 47% of Americans will be benefiting but not contributing to the nation’s tax base. Confidence in the economy is low and as manufacturing potential deteriorates the spiral of American decline is further exemplified by a shrinking private sector and the growth of the big government monolith. Critics will argue that Obama inherited many of these problems from the previous administration, a charge that carries a semblance of truth (although the Democrat controlled Congress shoulders much blame as well), but the fact that he has made a bad situation exponentially worse and now owns much of the current problem is a more potent truism.
However if the lights are all but out on Obama’s economic policy, his Foreign Policy initiatives deserve equal ridicule. Particularly galling is his failure to apply common sense to the ever present cauldron of middle east politics. Starting with appeasement and self flagellation at his infamous Cairo Speech, Obama has carried on the disastrous Carter initiatives of undermining American allies (in this case Israel and Mubarak’s Egypt) and empowering Islamic Fundamentalism in some misguided attempt to appear even handed. Just as Carter helped bring into power the Mullahs in Iran, Obama - through his free pass to the Islamists and rejection of Mubarak - must take credit for the pending and very likely takeover of Egypt by the Muslim Brotherhood- a fate that seems ever likely as the Arab Spring turns ever more sour (as if there was an alternative for a region that has still not moved into the enlightenment era). Couple that with his ill-fated Libyan venture, the growth of religious fundamentalism in Tunisia and Turkey, instability in Bahrain, Yemen and the growing nuclear menace of Iran and one would be hard pressed to find a life jacket in this sea of insanity.
But wait wasn’t Obama supposed to be the ethics president who was ushered in as a voice of change. True but who said change had to positive? Especially when it comes from a man who lacked the moral fortitude to back the people protests in Iran over the rigged election in his early tenure, and who constantly calls on Israel two making dangerous one sided compromises for the sake of an imaginary peace with a vengeful genocide driven enemy. Compare this to Ronald Reagan’s voice in calling out the Soviet Union's Evil Empire in the 1980s for what it really was (a human rights violator and tyranny) and the contrast in leadership is striking.
However Obama will persist, bolstered by his own sense of grandeur. He will take solace in the implementation of Obamacare, for which liberal historians will lionize him (as they did for Lyndon Johnson’s over hyped Great Society or Roosevelt’s New deal which in reality prolonged the Depression of the 1930s), even if the economics of paying for such a medical system will further increase the role of intrusive government, weaken the economy by augmenting debt accumulation, and in all probability downgrade the quality of health care available in the US, as is evident with the tortured history of socialized medicine in Western Europe and elsewhere.
What astounds me though is with all these shortcomings he still maintains a messiah-was at the forefront of great technology charge during the Cold War into an adjunct arm that seems almost wholly focussed in drumming up data to appease the mania associated with the global warming cult. Even a post modernist couldn’t have predicted such obvious deterioration in an organization synonymous with the American triumph. American Science will be rescued by private initiatives as it always has but this will of no thanks to the Obamabots.
Which brings me to the root of the Obama menace. Yes he is a third rate leader, but more to the point he is dangerous. The West needs strength especially in the light of the Islamist barbarism, cultural degradation, economic disaster and the entropy of decay that challenges any civilization. The US, following the abdication of Europe, is the natural leader in such regards but in order to lead it must believe with a full-heart in itself and have at its head a President who is comfortable with its exceptionalism. The fact that Obama is apparently devoid of this outlook is frightening and of comfort only to those who rejoice in the American decline. I pity the US should he be re-elected in 2012.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Documenting attitude toward Israel
Here is a scale from -10 to +7 that I have developed to categorize opinion toward Israel. I am a +2.
-10: Anti-Semitic, Anti-Zionist Primary: Hate the Jews and everything to do with the Jews. Would be extremely satisfied to see the Jews disappear off the face of the Earth.
Examples: Nazis, Hamas, Iranian Mullahs, KKK, Neo-Nazis, Stormfront, al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad..
-9: Anti-Semitic, Anti-Zionist Secondary: While not as extreme as the Primary in Action – are certainly equivalent in feeling.
Examples: David Duke, Ernst Zundel, Author of Jew Watch (although he may have to close down his site), Keegstra, Wendy Campbell, Louis Farrakhan, DFLP, PFLP.
-8: Anti-Semitic, Anti-Zionist Tertiary: While not necessarily supporting the extinction of Jews a such, certainly advocate the extinction of Jewish Nationalism. Tend to despise much of Jewish culture. Territory of Self Hating Jews.
Examples: Gilad Atzmon, Israel Shahak, Norman Finkelstein, Justin Raimondo, Trotskyites, Hardline Marxists, Israel Shamir, Lyndon La Rouche.
-7: Marginally Anti-Semitic, Anti-Zionist: However they don’t support the extinction of Judaism. Nevertheless the rhetoric borders on Anti-Semitism.
Examples: Many Paleo-Conservatives (Pat Buchanan etc), Fatah (reality), More main stream Communists, ISM, Neturei Karta.
-6: One-Staters in heart and head: Will not be satisfied until there is one-State (or no state) that exists in Israel/Palestine with full Palestinian right of Return. Do not recognize Israel’s right to exist. Anti-Zionist.
Examples: The Nation, Counterpunch, ZMag, Edward Said, Ilan Pappe, Noam Chomsky, Michael Neumann, Bishop Tutu, Nelson Mandela, George Galloway, Tony Greenstein, Samtar Hassids,
-5: One State in heart. Two State in head. Ideally would like to see a One-State but as of now are content on giving support to the Two State solution.
Examples: Fatah (in the Western Media), Hadash, George Soros, The Roses, Sid Ryan, UN faithful, The Guardian, Jesse Jackson.
-4: Support Two State: Limited Palestinian Right of Return. Jerusalem – two state capital
Examples: Meretz Left, Woody Allen, Canadian NDP, Michael Moore, EU position, BBC.
-3: 1967 with security. Two state solution back to pre-67 boundaries + Shared Jerusalem.
eg. Meretz Right, Labour Left, Canadian Liberal- Left, Yossi Beillin, CBC.
-2: Labour Mainstream: Two station solution + pre-67 boundaries + few necessary settlements. No Palestinian Right of Return.
Eg. Ehud Barak, Shimon Peres, Bill Clinton, Democratic Party Mainstream, Canadian Liberals Mainstream, George Bush, Amos Oz.,CNN faithful, Most of ABC, CBS, NBC.
-1: Two State Unilateral – Velvet Glove. Settler withdrawal from West Bank to follow. Security Focused.
Eg. Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Alan Dershowitz, New Republic Magazine.
0: Two State Unilateral – Scaling down on Settler growth in West Bank. Possible closeres. Security Focused.
Eg. Kadima Central, Olmert, Livni
+1 Two State Unilateral – Differ from 1 in being less supportive of West Bank Settlement closing. Security Focused.
Eg. Kadima Right, Sharon, Moderate Likud, National Review.
+2 Two State Truncated Very strong security focus.
Likud Core, Commentary, Front Page Magazine.
Eg. Netanyahu.
+3. Likud Right. Strong security focus. No further hand backs, still support aggressive settlement growth in West Bank.
Eg. Yitzhak Shamir
+4-6: Settler Blocks.
Eg. The Block of the Faithful, Israel National Radio.
+ 7: Kach Party. JDL.
Eg. Followers of Rabbi Kahana. Masada 2000.
-10: Anti-Semitic, Anti-Zionist Primary: Hate the Jews and everything to do with the Jews. Would be extremely satisfied to see the Jews disappear off the face of the Earth.
Examples: Nazis, Hamas, Iranian Mullahs, KKK, Neo-Nazis, Stormfront, al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad..
-9: Anti-Semitic, Anti-Zionist Secondary: While not as extreme as the Primary in Action – are certainly equivalent in feeling.
Examples: David Duke, Ernst Zundel, Author of Jew Watch (although he may have to close down his site), Keegstra, Wendy Campbell, Louis Farrakhan, DFLP, PFLP.
-8: Anti-Semitic, Anti-Zionist Tertiary: While not necessarily supporting the extinction of Jews a such, certainly advocate the extinction of Jewish Nationalism. Tend to despise much of Jewish culture. Territory of Self Hating Jews.
Examples: Gilad Atzmon, Israel Shahak, Norman Finkelstein, Justin Raimondo, Trotskyites, Hardline Marxists, Israel Shamir, Lyndon La Rouche.
-7: Marginally Anti-Semitic, Anti-Zionist: However they don’t support the extinction of Judaism. Nevertheless the rhetoric borders on Anti-Semitism.
Examples: Many Paleo-Conservatives (Pat Buchanan etc), Fatah (reality), More main stream Communists, ISM, Neturei Karta.
-6: One-Staters in heart and head: Will not be satisfied until there is one-State (or no state) that exists in Israel/Palestine with full Palestinian right of Return. Do not recognize Israel’s right to exist. Anti-Zionist.
Examples: The Nation, Counterpunch, ZMag, Edward Said, Ilan Pappe, Noam Chomsky, Michael Neumann, Bishop Tutu, Nelson Mandela, George Galloway, Tony Greenstein, Samtar Hassids,
-5: One State in heart. Two State in head. Ideally would like to see a One-State but as of now are content on giving support to the Two State solution.
Examples: Fatah (in the Western Media), Hadash, George Soros, The Roses, Sid Ryan, UN faithful, The Guardian, Jesse Jackson.
-4: Support Two State: Limited Palestinian Right of Return. Jerusalem – two state capital
Examples: Meretz Left, Woody Allen, Canadian NDP, Michael Moore, EU position, BBC.
-3: 1967 with security. Two state solution back to pre-67 boundaries + Shared Jerusalem.
eg. Meretz Right, Labour Left, Canadian Liberal- Left, Yossi Beillin, CBC.
-2: Labour Mainstream: Two station solution + pre-67 boundaries + few necessary settlements. No Palestinian Right of Return.
Eg. Ehud Barak, Shimon Peres, Bill Clinton, Democratic Party Mainstream, Canadian Liberals Mainstream, George Bush, Amos Oz.,CNN faithful, Most of ABC, CBS, NBC.
-1: Two State Unilateral – Velvet Glove. Settler withdrawal from West Bank to follow. Security Focused.
Eg. Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Alan Dershowitz, New Republic Magazine.
0: Two State Unilateral – Scaling down on Settler growth in West Bank. Possible closeres. Security Focused.
Eg. Kadima Central, Olmert, Livni
+1 Two State Unilateral – Differ from 1 in being less supportive of West Bank Settlement closing. Security Focused.
Eg. Kadima Right, Sharon, Moderate Likud, National Review.
+2 Two State Truncated Very strong security focus.
Likud Core, Commentary, Front Page Magazine.
Eg. Netanyahu.
+3. Likud Right. Strong security focus. No further hand backs, still support aggressive settlement growth in West Bank.
Eg. Yitzhak Shamir
+4-6: Settler Blocks.
Eg. The Block of the Faithful, Israel National Radio.
+ 7: Kach Party. JDL.
Eg. Followers of Rabbi Kahana. Masada 2000.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Philosophical Meanderings Part II
21. Education schools are for the most part nesting grounds for second grade intellectuals.
22. Capitalism and Free Enterprise systems are not synonymous. The former rejoices in oligarchy. The latter detests it.
23. It is important to be a skeptic but at the same time never intolerant toward contradictory evidence.
24. I don’t pay much attention to political opinions originating from Hollywood. Anyone who does is engaging in mindless time wasting.
25. What the world needs is more intelligent generalists. What it has in abundance is a cacophony of half-witted specialists.
26. Canada for the most part is a nation of marginal significance its luxury though is that it can afford to be so.
27. String Theory is the fly in the ointment of modern physics…..Cleaning up its overriding presence will be the great task of 21st century thinkers in the Queen of All Sciences.
28. I endeavour to constantly challenge my beliefs…Not a day goes by when I don’t drag my assumptions through the ringer. This is both a curse and a blessing.
29. I am a complex person. Sometimes this complexity paralyzes me.
30. It is not my intention to sound arrogant in my writing but it definitely ill affords me to be insincere and to censor myself as well.
31. Classical and Romantic poetry tantalizes me. I have written some poetry myself but looking back at it now these are most streams of consciousness than anything else. A lack of cadence negates the poetic volume. The ideas and richness of thought are however very much present.
32. Humanity is not a great species. Our folly as thinkers is that too often we choose to ignore this truism.
33. Ten Individuals from history that I most admire (not in order are): Winston Churchill, Maimonides, Blaise Pascal, Albert Einstein, Michael Faraday, saac Newton (despite the fact that he was not a likeable person), Marie Curie, Joseph Lister, Abraham Lincoln and Menachem Begin.
34. I was born and spent all of my childhood in South Africa (I immigrated to Canada in 1987 at age 18). Africa as a continent has a special place in my heart and I have a strong inclination towards understanding its politics, people, successes and failures. Sub-Sahara’s five most successful countries are:
South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique (in the last fifteen years) and Kenya. Its ten most dismal failures are: Sierre Leone, Liberia, Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe (under Mugabe), Sudan, Congo (formerly Zaire), Angola (under orthodox Marxist Rule) and Uganda (under Obote and Amin).
35. Asia’s (not including the Middle East) nine greatest success stories are: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, India (in the last ten to fifteen years), Thailand, Malaysia and China (economically but definitely not politically). Asia’s list of failed states include: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, Cambodia, Myanmar, Phillippines (for much of its history), Sri Lanka, Laos and North Korea.
36. I am an intellectual snob…I will not deny it. I prefer the company of the more swift to their less proficient counterparts. I also enjoy teaching more cognitively proficient students. This is not to say that I don’t give of my best when my student body is significantly weaker in such a capacity.
37. Above anything else I value my role as a father.
38. Modern Leftism and the anti-intellectualism that suffuses its being nauseates me. Unfortunately all too many in Canada and Western Europe have bought into the false dreams that Leftism alludes to. In doing so they often tend to short circuit reasoning at the expense of ill-thought out idealism.
39. If I was an American I would have voted for: Truman (48), Eisenhower (52), Stevenson (56), Kennedy (60), Johnson (64), Nixon (68 and 72), Ford (76), Reagan (80 and 84), Bush Snr (88), Clinton (92 and 96), Gore (00) and Dubya (04). Having said that of all the candidates listed the only three that I truly admire are: Truman, Kennedy (even if he is a bit overrated) and Reagan.
40. In Canadian politics I have voted once for the Liberals (Jean Chretien in 93 – my first election vote in Canada). All other times I have backed either the Progressive Conservatives or their later incarnation the Conservative Party of Canada. I regret voting for Chretien and consider him to be one of the worst Prime Ministers in Canadian history. Despite my opinion on this issue I am no fan of Brian Mulroney either but would have voted for him as the ‘greater’ of a bunch of lessers in 84 and 88.
41. I have diverse movie tastes that span the continuum from foreign films to black comedy to political intrigue to biography. I have even been known to enjoy the occasional ‘chick flick’ or two. A trip to the video store often results in an unpredictable array of movies. On average 30% are gems, 40% mediocrities and the remainder duds. My wife seems this as being part of the crapshoot of marriage with me.
42. Britain’s three best prime ministers of the 20th century were Churchill, Lloyd George and Thatcher in that very order. Atlee, Baldwin, Blair, MacDonald, Macmillan, Campbell-Bannerman, Asquith and Wilson were average while Chamberlain, Callaghan, Major, Heath, Eden were sub-par. The rest – Hume, Balfour, and Bonar Law (who was Canadian-born) weren’t in power long enough to register an impact on the political Richter Scale.
43. I can think of only two French politicians in the 20th century whom I believe to be admirable. These were Georges Clemenceau and Leon Blum. De Gaulle was malicious and arrogant, Mitterand and D’Estaing inconsistent, Daladier ineffectual and Chirac both useless and dangerous. Pompidou was a competent president but nothing special. I will not waste my time analyzing the leaders of the Failed Fourth Republic. I am hoping that Sarkozy brings a fresh outlook to French Policy (a movement away from short-sighted Anti-Americanism would be a start) but the jury is very much out on this one.
44. I am a very spiritual person who continuously thrives for a stronger relationship with G-d. I do not believe that this is at all inconsistent with my devotion to reason and logic. The dichotomy actually strengthens me.
45. I live in Toronto and see myself as Canadian but my Jewish identity is probably what defines me the most from a cultural perspective. My childhood was spent living in South Africa so that my influences are varied in source.
46. My favorite political columnists are: Dennis Prager, Charles Krauthammer, Victor Davis Hanson, Theodore Dalrymple, Alan Dershowitz, Oliver Kamm, Nick Cohen, David Horowitz, Peter Hitchens, Melanie Philips, Mark Steyn, David Frum, Steven Plaut, Daniel Pipes and Bill Buckley. Yes I am a political neo-conservative/Classic Liberal/Truman Democrat….and proud of it.
47. Canadian Political writers that I enjoy reading are: Marcus Gee, Robert Fulford, Michael Coren, Claire Hoy, Alan Fotheringham, Margaret Wente, Conrad Black, Salim Mansur, Ezra Levant and George Jonas.
22. Capitalism and Free Enterprise systems are not synonymous. The former rejoices in oligarchy. The latter detests it.
23. It is important to be a skeptic but at the same time never intolerant toward contradictory evidence.
24. I don’t pay much attention to political opinions originating from Hollywood. Anyone who does is engaging in mindless time wasting.
25. What the world needs is more intelligent generalists. What it has in abundance is a cacophony of half-witted specialists.
26. Canada for the most part is a nation of marginal significance its luxury though is that it can afford to be so.
27. String Theory is the fly in the ointment of modern physics…..Cleaning up its overriding presence will be the great task of 21st century thinkers in the Queen of All Sciences.
28. I endeavour to constantly challenge my beliefs…Not a day goes by when I don’t drag my assumptions through the ringer. This is both a curse and a blessing.
29. I am a complex person. Sometimes this complexity paralyzes me.
30. It is not my intention to sound arrogant in my writing but it definitely ill affords me to be insincere and to censor myself as well.
31. Classical and Romantic poetry tantalizes me. I have written some poetry myself but looking back at it now these are most streams of consciousness than anything else. A lack of cadence negates the poetic volume. The ideas and richness of thought are however very much present.
32. Humanity is not a great species. Our folly as thinkers is that too often we choose to ignore this truism.
33. Ten Individuals from history that I most admire (not in order are): Winston Churchill, Maimonides, Blaise Pascal, Albert Einstein, Michael Faraday, saac Newton (despite the fact that he was not a likeable person), Marie Curie, Joseph Lister, Abraham Lincoln and Menachem Begin.
34. I was born and spent all of my childhood in South Africa (I immigrated to Canada in 1987 at age 18). Africa as a continent has a special place in my heart and I have a strong inclination towards understanding its politics, people, successes and failures. Sub-Sahara’s five most successful countries are:
South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique (in the last fifteen years) and Kenya. Its ten most dismal failures are: Sierre Leone, Liberia, Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe (under Mugabe), Sudan, Congo (formerly Zaire), Angola (under orthodox Marxist Rule) and Uganda (under Obote and Amin).
35. Asia’s (not including the Middle East) nine greatest success stories are: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, India (in the last ten to fifteen years), Thailand, Malaysia and China (economically but definitely not politically). Asia’s list of failed states include: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, Cambodia, Myanmar, Phillippines (for much of its history), Sri Lanka, Laos and North Korea.
36. I am an intellectual snob…I will not deny it. I prefer the company of the more swift to their less proficient counterparts. I also enjoy teaching more cognitively proficient students. This is not to say that I don’t give of my best when my student body is significantly weaker in such a capacity.
37. Above anything else I value my role as a father.
38. Modern Leftism and the anti-intellectualism that suffuses its being nauseates me. Unfortunately all too many in Canada and Western Europe have bought into the false dreams that Leftism alludes to. In doing so they often tend to short circuit reasoning at the expense of ill-thought out idealism.
39. If I was an American I would have voted for: Truman (48), Eisenhower (52), Stevenson (56), Kennedy (60), Johnson (64), Nixon (68 and 72), Ford (76), Reagan (80 and 84), Bush Snr (88), Clinton (92 and 96), Gore (00) and Dubya (04). Having said that of all the candidates listed the only three that I truly admire are: Truman, Kennedy (even if he is a bit overrated) and Reagan.
40. In Canadian politics I have voted once for the Liberals (Jean Chretien in 93 – my first election vote in Canada). All other times I have backed either the Progressive Conservatives or their later incarnation the Conservative Party of Canada. I regret voting for Chretien and consider him to be one of the worst Prime Ministers in Canadian history. Despite my opinion on this issue I am no fan of Brian Mulroney either but would have voted for him as the ‘greater’ of a bunch of lessers in 84 and 88.
41. I have diverse movie tastes that span the continuum from foreign films to black comedy to political intrigue to biography. I have even been known to enjoy the occasional ‘chick flick’ or two. A trip to the video store often results in an unpredictable array of movies. On average 30% are gems, 40% mediocrities and the remainder duds. My wife seems this as being part of the crapshoot of marriage with me.
42. Britain’s three best prime ministers of the 20th century were Churchill, Lloyd George and Thatcher in that very order. Atlee, Baldwin, Blair, MacDonald, Macmillan, Campbell-Bannerman, Asquith and Wilson were average while Chamberlain, Callaghan, Major, Heath, Eden were sub-par. The rest – Hume, Balfour, and Bonar Law (who was Canadian-born) weren’t in power long enough to register an impact on the political Richter Scale.
43. I can think of only two French politicians in the 20th century whom I believe to be admirable. These were Georges Clemenceau and Leon Blum. De Gaulle was malicious and arrogant, Mitterand and D’Estaing inconsistent, Daladier ineffectual and Chirac both useless and dangerous. Pompidou was a competent president but nothing special. I will not waste my time analyzing the leaders of the Failed Fourth Republic. I am hoping that Sarkozy brings a fresh outlook to French Policy (a movement away from short-sighted Anti-Americanism would be a start) but the jury is very much out on this one.
44. I am a very spiritual person who continuously thrives for a stronger relationship with G-d. I do not believe that this is at all inconsistent with my devotion to reason and logic. The dichotomy actually strengthens me.
45. I live in Toronto and see myself as Canadian but my Jewish identity is probably what defines me the most from a cultural perspective. My childhood was spent living in South Africa so that my influences are varied in source.
46. My favorite political columnists are: Dennis Prager, Charles Krauthammer, Victor Davis Hanson, Theodore Dalrymple, Alan Dershowitz, Oliver Kamm, Nick Cohen, David Horowitz, Peter Hitchens, Melanie Philips, Mark Steyn, David Frum, Steven Plaut, Daniel Pipes and Bill Buckley. Yes I am a political neo-conservative/Classic Liberal/Truman Democrat….and proud of it.
47. Canadian Political writers that I enjoy reading are: Marcus Gee, Robert Fulford, Michael Coren, Claire Hoy, Alan Fotheringham, Margaret Wente, Conrad Black, Salim Mansur, Ezra Levant and George Jonas.
Philosophical Meanderings Part I
Meanderings of the Mind
There is no order to these realizations…which is exactly how I want it for now….. if one must call it a stream of consciousness
1. I am a compassionate person but not a bleeding heart. Bleeding hearts sicken me.
2. I become bored very easily. Challenge me or else I drift off.
3. The five areas of science that interest me the most are: Modern Physics, Psychometrics, Mechanics, Evolutionary Theory and Kinesiology.
4. Arrogant and close-minded people annoy me… and I mean really annoy me.
5. I have a very strong general knowledge of Science, History, Geography, Philosophy and World Sports. I am significantly less proficient in Entertainment, Pop Culture, Business, North American Sports and the Domestic Sciences.
6. I enjoy following politics – especially analyzing election results and proposed policy.
7. I am a strong opponent of Islamo-Fascism, Communism, Marxism, Fascism, Leftism and the various incarnations of radicalism. I champion the conservation of the Western Tradition of excellent and believe that the gains of the enlightenment must be guarded at all costs.
8. I support a women’s right to choose. However I am opposed to late term Partial Birth Abortions. I believe that after three month the fetus is a defined life.
9. I take much pride in the Jewish gifts to humanity. These include the vast and disproportionate (with respect to population size) contributions to:
Physics, Chemistry, Music, Art, Medicine, Mathematics, Philosophy, Theology, Economics, Social Sciences etc.
10. I have written Two Books: The History of the Future and Take the History Challenge. The former is a brainstorming exercise that examines the next five hundred years of human history examining some of the multidisciplinary topics mentioned in 12 above. The later contains 4500 Questions on the History of Everything. Both are published through Print on Demand Outlets in the States.
11. I believe in G-d but I also believe that G-d is not definable and is essentially unknowable (the Kabbalistic concept of Ein Sof makes much sense). I do see G-d as omnipotent. I reject deism as I believe that it is more logical to believe that G-d continues to influence the universe. In short I am a scientific theist.
12. I reject intelligent design and see it as an instrument of selective scientific cherry picking.
13. Global warming appears to be a real phenomenon however I am skeptical with respect to the notion that humanity is the chief driver of the trend. Nevertheless I still believe that it is imperative that humanity reduce its Carbon footprint. I am opposed to Kyoto as I see it as an economic sell out to China and India that will make environmental conditions worse. I consider myself a realistic environmentalism and I am not at all supportive of the Green Movement hysteria that has engulfed so many in the West.
14. I am a strong supporter of the State of Israel but have accepted the fact that it is only a matter of time before a Palestinian State will exist in the West Bank. Only time will tell if the West Bank State will be viable. I am moderately pessimistic as I have little faith in the Arab political mindset.
15. I support the death penalty for special cases – serial killers for example. The execution should be carried out by firing squad as I believe it to be the most humane alternative.
16. I would classify myself economically as a Classic Liberal/Conservative – I support Free Enterprise, private ownership of property and low taxes. I do however see the ever important need for government regulation of some industries especially health, utilities, mass transportation etc. I therefore am not a libertarian although I can relate with earnest to what they have to say. As a conservative though I oppose deficit spending and tax cuts (as well as spending increases) that are fiscally irresponsible and add to ongoing debt.
17. I am an opponent of dogma although I am fully aware of the danger of my own views becoming a personal dogma.
18. Mathematics is a useful tool in understanding the universe (or modeling it rather). It is ultimately limited in that it is not verifiable in and of itself. All practioners of mathematics including physicists, economists, engineers, ecologists and chemist must constantly remind themselves of this inherent bias. Having said this, I do not believe that any other tool other than rigorous empiricism is more suited to advancing human knowledge.
19. I am extremely passionate about teaching but realistic nevertheless. I have very little patience for students who do not wish to learn, are loathe to think and consistently choose the path of least resistance in their studies.
20. The Cult of Self-Esteem and its twin sister ‘the-blame-others’ mentality has probably done more harm for education than any other movement in the history of pedagogy.
There is no order to these realizations…which is exactly how I want it for now….. if one must call it a stream of consciousness
1. I am a compassionate person but not a bleeding heart. Bleeding hearts sicken me.
2. I become bored very easily. Challenge me or else I drift off.
3. The five areas of science that interest me the most are: Modern Physics, Psychometrics, Mechanics, Evolutionary Theory and Kinesiology.
4. Arrogant and close-minded people annoy me… and I mean really annoy me.
5. I have a very strong general knowledge of Science, History, Geography, Philosophy and World Sports. I am significantly less proficient in Entertainment, Pop Culture, Business, North American Sports and the Domestic Sciences.
6. I enjoy following politics – especially analyzing election results and proposed policy.
7. I am a strong opponent of Islamo-Fascism, Communism, Marxism, Fascism, Leftism and the various incarnations of radicalism. I champion the conservation of the Western Tradition of excellent and believe that the gains of the enlightenment must be guarded at all costs.
8. I support a women’s right to choose. However I am opposed to late term Partial Birth Abortions. I believe that after three month the fetus is a defined life.
9. I take much pride in the Jewish gifts to humanity. These include the vast and disproportionate (with respect to population size) contributions to:
Physics, Chemistry, Music, Art, Medicine, Mathematics, Philosophy, Theology, Economics, Social Sciences etc.
10. I have written Two Books: The History of the Future and Take the History Challenge. The former is a brainstorming exercise that examines the next five hundred years of human history examining some of the multidisciplinary topics mentioned in 12 above. The later contains 4500 Questions on the History of Everything. Both are published through Print on Demand Outlets in the States.
11. I believe in G-d but I also believe that G-d is not definable and is essentially unknowable (the Kabbalistic concept of Ein Sof makes much sense). I do see G-d as omnipotent. I reject deism as I believe that it is more logical to believe that G-d continues to influence the universe. In short I am a scientific theist.
12. I reject intelligent design and see it as an instrument of selective scientific cherry picking.
13. Global warming appears to be a real phenomenon however I am skeptical with respect to the notion that humanity is the chief driver of the trend. Nevertheless I still believe that it is imperative that humanity reduce its Carbon footprint. I am opposed to Kyoto as I see it as an economic sell out to China and India that will make environmental conditions worse. I consider myself a realistic environmentalism and I am not at all supportive of the Green Movement hysteria that has engulfed so many in the West.
14. I am a strong supporter of the State of Israel but have accepted the fact that it is only a matter of time before a Palestinian State will exist in the West Bank. Only time will tell if the West Bank State will be viable. I am moderately pessimistic as I have little faith in the Arab political mindset.
15. I support the death penalty for special cases – serial killers for example. The execution should be carried out by firing squad as I believe it to be the most humane alternative.
16. I would classify myself economically as a Classic Liberal/Conservative – I support Free Enterprise, private ownership of property and low taxes. I do however see the ever important need for government regulation of some industries especially health, utilities, mass transportation etc. I therefore am not a libertarian although I can relate with earnest to what they have to say. As a conservative though I oppose deficit spending and tax cuts (as well as spending increases) that are fiscally irresponsible and add to ongoing debt.
17. I am an opponent of dogma although I am fully aware of the danger of my own views becoming a personal dogma.
18. Mathematics is a useful tool in understanding the universe (or modeling it rather). It is ultimately limited in that it is not verifiable in and of itself. All practioners of mathematics including physicists, economists, engineers, ecologists and chemist must constantly remind themselves of this inherent bias. Having said this, I do not believe that any other tool other than rigorous empiricism is more suited to advancing human knowledge.
19. I am extremely passionate about teaching but realistic nevertheless. I have very little patience for students who do not wish to learn, are loathe to think and consistently choose the path of least resistance in their studies.
20. The Cult of Self-Esteem and its twin sister ‘the-blame-others’ mentality has probably done more harm for education than any other movement in the history of pedagogy.
The Henry Jackson Society
The values and aspirations of the Henry Jackson Society (HJS) are the closest to my own within a foreign policy context although I tend to be more cautious on the interventionist than they are.
The following are the HJS principles as articulated at their website
http://www.henryjacksonsociety.org/
1. Believes that modern liberal democracies set an example to which the rest of the world should aspire.
2. Supports a ‘forward strategy’ – involving diplomatic, economic, cultural, and/or political means -- to assist those countries that are not yet liberal and democratic to become so.
3. Supports the maintenance of a strong military, by the United States, the countries of the European Union and other democratic powers, armed with expeditionary capabilities with a global reach, that can protect our homelands from strategic threats, forestall terrorist attacks, and prevent genocide or massive ethnic cleansing.
4. Supports the necessary furtherance of European military modernisation and integration under British leadership, preferably within NATO.
5. Stresses the importance of unity between the world’s great democracies, represented by institutions such as NATO, the European Union and the OECD, amongst many others.
6. Believes that only modern liberal democratic states are truly legitimate, and that the political or human rights pronouncements of any international or regional organisation which admits undemocratic states lack the legitimacy to which they would be entitled if all their members were democracies.
7. Gives two cheers for capitalism. There are limits to the market, which needs to serve the Democratic Community and should be reconciled to the environment.
8. Accepts that we have to set priorities and that sometimes we have to compromise, but insists that we should never lose sight of our fundamental values. This means that alliances with repressive regimes can only be temporary. It also means a strong commitment to individual and civil liberties in democratic states, even and especially when we are under attack.
The following are the HJS principles as articulated at their website
http://www.henryjacksonsociety.org/
1. Believes that modern liberal democracies set an example to which the rest of the world should aspire.
2. Supports a ‘forward strategy’ – involving diplomatic, economic, cultural, and/or political means -- to assist those countries that are not yet liberal and democratic to become so.
3. Supports the maintenance of a strong military, by the United States, the countries of the European Union and other democratic powers, armed with expeditionary capabilities with a global reach, that can protect our homelands from strategic threats, forestall terrorist attacks, and prevent genocide or massive ethnic cleansing.
4. Supports the necessary furtherance of European military modernisation and integration under British leadership, preferably within NATO.
5. Stresses the importance of unity between the world’s great democracies, represented by institutions such as NATO, the European Union and the OECD, amongst many others.
6. Believes that only modern liberal democratic states are truly legitimate, and that the political or human rights pronouncements of any international or regional organisation which admits undemocratic states lack the legitimacy to which they would be entitled if all their members were democracies.
7. Gives two cheers for capitalism. There are limits to the market, which needs to serve the Democratic Community and should be reconciled to the environment.
8. Accepts that we have to set priorities and that sometimes we have to compromise, but insists that we should never lose sight of our fundamental values. This means that alliances with repressive regimes can only be temporary. It also means a strong commitment to individual and civil liberties in democratic states, even and especially when we are under attack.
Sunday, September 04, 2011
Islamism
The struggle against the ideology of Islamism is one of the biggest challenges facing Western Civilization in the post Cold War Era. It was Islamism that was behind the 9/11 and 7/7 attacks and it is Islamism, driven by its violent actions and by the fellow travellers that define the stealth Jihad that has wreaked havoc in the Philipines, Somalia, Spain, France, Algeria, Iran, Gaza, Lebanon, Egypt, Argentina, the Netherlands. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Thailand, China, Russia, Israel, Yemen, Kenya, Tanzania, to name just a ‘few.
However the Islamists have been assisted consciously in their struggle to spread their barbarism by the action of several water carrier groups in the West. The following is a list of several of these groups/individuals (in no particular order).
1. CAIR
2. ISNA
3. International ANSWER
4. Code Pink
5. RESPECT (UK)
6. ISM
7. The Soros Foundation
8. Grover Norquist and co.
9. Free Gaza Campaign
10. International Socialists
11. Think Progress
12. Southern Poverty League
13. Counterpunch Magazine
14. Mother Jones
15. The Nation
16. New York Times Editorial Board
17. Wikileaks
18. The American Conservative Magazine
19. Michael Moore
20. Naomi Klein
21. Richard Falk
22. Noam Chomsky
23. Robert Fisk
24. Glenn Greenwald
25. The Truther Movement
26. Ron Paul
27. Dennis Kucinich
28. Stormfront
29. Arabists in the State Department
30. The Inept CIA
31. A host of so-called American Pseudo-Academics that include Norman Finkelstein, Nicholas de Genova, Ward Churchill, Juan Cole etc.
32. Silly Hollywood celebs like Sean Penn, Viggo Mortensen, Danny Glover, Rosie O'Donnell
33. The Daily Kos
34. The Guardian Editorial Board
35. ACLU
36. Tariq Ali
37. The Politically Correct Homeland Security Department
38. Jimmy Carter
39. Samantha Power
40. The corrupt and failed UNO.
However the Islamists have been assisted consciously in their struggle to spread their barbarism by the action of several water carrier groups in the West. The following is a list of several of these groups/individuals (in no particular order).
1. CAIR
2. ISNA
3. International ANSWER
4. Code Pink
5. RESPECT (UK)
6. ISM
7. The Soros Foundation
8. Grover Norquist and co.
9. Free Gaza Campaign
10. International Socialists
11. Think Progress
12. Southern Poverty League
13. Counterpunch Magazine
14. Mother Jones
15. The Nation
16. New York Times Editorial Board
17. Wikileaks
18. The American Conservative Magazine
19. Michael Moore
20. Naomi Klein
21. Richard Falk
22. Noam Chomsky
23. Robert Fisk
24. Glenn Greenwald
25. The Truther Movement
26. Ron Paul
27. Dennis Kucinich
28. Stormfront
29. Arabists in the State Department
30. The Inept CIA
31. A host of so-called American Pseudo-Academics that include Norman Finkelstein, Nicholas de Genova, Ward Churchill, Juan Cole etc.
32. Silly Hollywood celebs like Sean Penn, Viggo Mortensen, Danny Glover, Rosie O'Donnell
33. The Daily Kos
34. The Guardian Editorial Board
35. ACLU
36. Tariq Ali
37. The Politically Correct Homeland Security Department
38. Jimmy Carter
39. Samantha Power
40. The corrupt and failed UNO.
Saturday, September 03, 2011
On the Intellect.........
12 Topics of Personal Intellectual Fascination
1. Underastanding G-d
2. Modern Physics
3. Classical Mechanics
4. The Middle East Conflict
5. The Future: Both Near and Far
6. French Revolution/Napoleon
7. Political Philosophy: Conservatism and Leftism dichotomy
8. World War II and its origins
9. Jewish History
10. The Beautiful Game
11. The Cultural Wars
12. Philosophy of Science
1. Underastanding G-d
2. Modern Physics
3. Classical Mechanics
4. The Middle East Conflict
5. The Future: Both Near and Far
6. French Revolution/Napoleon
7. Political Philosophy: Conservatism and Leftism dichotomy
8. World War II and its origins
9. Jewish History
10. The Beautiful Game
11. The Cultural Wars
12. Philosophy of Science
What if the South won the Civil War?
Its all speculation...
Confederacy forms alliance with the United Kingdom
Mexico attacks the Confederacy in an attempt to win back territory in the South Western United states.
Mexicans are driven backward and defeated.
US and Confederacy clash in the 1880's in a Second War. Conflict ends in stalemate. The War is fought over Expansion rights in the Western Half of North America.
Politics in the Confederacy is dominated by two groups: The Industrialists, who feel that the Confederates should focus on growing an industrial base to rival the North and the agriculturists, who still view the South as an agrarian society. The Industrialists will eventually succeed and as a result of necessity the Confederacy will become more industrialized than it did in Plane-zero USA.
The North (or the US) will continue to grow industrially fueled of course by the influx of European immigrants in the 19th century.
US and Confederacy agree to divide the Western states amongst each other. The Northwestern States and California will fall under US Domination. The southwestern and several mid-western states will join the Confederacy.
Slavery will eventually be abolished in the Confederacy but only in the 1920s after several devastating slave rebellions bring chaos to the Southern States. International pressure and a changing political scene will force the Confederacy to drop its pro-slavery stance.
Texas will break away from the Confederacy in the 1910s and form a new nation the Republic of Texas.
Without a dominant power in North America, the European countries will become more involved in South America. Major players will include Britain, France and Germany.
The Confederacy will enter the First World War at an earlier stage than the US did in reality.
The reason for this early entry by the Confederacy is motivated by a need to assist the British Empire, the South's most significant trading partner.
Confederacy forms alliance with the United Kingdom
Mexico attacks the Confederacy in an attempt to win back territory in the South Western United states.
Mexicans are driven backward and defeated.
US and Confederacy clash in the 1880's in a Second War. Conflict ends in stalemate. The War is fought over Expansion rights in the Western Half of North America.
Politics in the Confederacy is dominated by two groups: The Industrialists, who feel that the Confederates should focus on growing an industrial base to rival the North and the agriculturists, who still view the South as an agrarian society. The Industrialists will eventually succeed and as a result of necessity the Confederacy will become more industrialized than it did in Plane-zero USA.
The North (or the US) will continue to grow industrially fueled of course by the influx of European immigrants in the 19th century.
US and Confederacy agree to divide the Western states amongst each other. The Northwestern States and California will fall under US Domination. The southwestern and several mid-western states will join the Confederacy.
Slavery will eventually be abolished in the Confederacy but only in the 1920s after several devastating slave rebellions bring chaos to the Southern States. International pressure and a changing political scene will force the Confederacy to drop its pro-slavery stance.
Texas will break away from the Confederacy in the 1910s and form a new nation the Republic of Texas.
Without a dominant power in North America, the European countries will become more involved in South America. Major players will include Britain, France and Germany.
The Confederacy will enter the First World War at an earlier stage than the US did in reality.
The reason for this early entry by the Confederacy is motivated by a need to assist the British Empire, the South's most significant trading partner.
Every Dog has its day
Some Football teams (Soccer to you Yanks) have been prominent on an International level for brief periods of time (the Golden Age), only to disappear into the aether soon afterwards. Here are a few nations and the period in which they elevated themselves above the usual norm.
1. Hungary (1950s and 1960s)
2. Belgium (1980s)
3. Scotland (late 60’s early 70’s)
4. Ireland (late 80’s early 90’s)
5. Poland (early 70’s to mid 80’s)
6. Turkey (early 2000’s)
7. Greece (mid 2000’s)
8. Soviet Union (60’s)
9. Czech Republic (mid 2000’s)
10. Norway (90’s)
11. Denmark (late 80’s early 90’s)
12. Bulgaria (mid 90s)
13. Romania (90s)
14. Morocco (late 80s and early 90s)
15. Croatia (late 90s)
16. Northern Ireland (early 80s)
17. Austria (Mid 70’s to Early 80’s)
18. Columbia (mid 90s)
19. Chile (early 60s)
20. Nigeria (90s)
1. Hungary (1950s and 1960s)
2. Belgium (1980s)
3. Scotland (late 60’s early 70’s)
4. Ireland (late 80’s early 90’s)
5. Poland (early 70’s to mid 80’s)
6. Turkey (early 2000’s)
7. Greece (mid 2000’s)
8. Soviet Union (60’s)
9. Czech Republic (mid 2000’s)
10. Norway (90’s)
11. Denmark (late 80’s early 90’s)
12. Bulgaria (mid 90s)
13. Romania (90s)
14. Morocco (late 80s and early 90s)
15. Croatia (late 90s)
16. Northern Ireland (early 80s)
17. Austria (Mid 70’s to Early 80’s)
18. Columbia (mid 90s)
19. Chile (early 60s)
20. Nigeria (90s)
Sunday, August 21, 2011
My latest thoughts on faith
V: Do you believe in G-d?
G: Yes I do but it is a belief that I have had to work on for most of my life. It’s a struggle. A frustrating one at times but certainly a necessary initiative.
V: In what way?
G: I am by nature a scientific rationalist and consequently seek proof for my beliefs and avoid as much as possible any leaps of faith. However I am also aware that science is bound to the material world and consequently has a limited realm through which it can access knowledge. I have dedicated much of my life to science but I am consciously aware of its constraints. Having said this though, I will exhaust all scientific explanations before deferring to an extra-material analysis in grasping the phenomenology of events. I owe this to myself. In a sense I am a skeptic, not a logical positivist, but a realist armed with Occam’s Razor but cognizant at the same time of the extra-material universe. My belief is similar to that of the scholar Martin Gardiner. I could be described as a soft theist but even this label falls short of what I believe I am. In short I ‘feel’ G-d’s presence – as a magnificent spark - but I am loathe to let it override my rationalism unless I have an excellent reason to do so.
V: What is your opinion on Judaism?
G: I consider myself Jewish in the cultural and historical sense and celebrate many of its traditions. I see Judaism, as Mordechai Kaplan did, in being indicative of a civilization. Religion is one facet of the civilization, but does not comprise its entirety.
I cannot take seriously the revealed nature argument for the religion (including of course the revelation at Sinai) as it does not stand up to rational scrutiny. However the richness of the biblical tradition, the emphasis on ethics and justice, as epitomized in the Tanakh and the Talmud, provide valuable insight into the human condition.
V: Have you always held this position?
G: No. I haven’t. Indeed I have fluctuated at times from strong theism to agnostic theism/deism. I have rejected non-interventionist deism as it does not seem rational that a creator would completely divorce himself from its creation. I am not an atheist as I have yet to see a convincing argument as to why something exists as opposed to nothing (despite the trials and tribulations of Victor Stenger). This something-nothing standoff is the kink in natural philosophy which of course underpins the argument of rational atheism.
V: What do you think G-d is?
G: This is a tough one which no human is truly qualified to answer. However we are all able to speculate. The definition of G-d that makes sense to me is that of the Kabbalistic Ein Sof which I have written at length on this board. In a way it is similar to the Uppanishad definition of the Infinite Soul - Brahman. I am actually very much taken by the Hindu understanding of our individual soul, - the Athman - being in its essence a derivative of the Brahman. I believe we can approach the Ein Sof/Brahman by performing meaningful acts of goodness which I take as the Spark of G-d referred to earlier.
V: You are critical of organized religion. Why is this?
G: Organized religion is generally driven by supernatural revelation which by its very nature counteracts science in emphasizing the concept of ‘miracles’. I don’t believe G-d acts this way. I believe that we all have within ourselves an ability to understand G-d and nobody is privileged in this regard. Strict revelation argues for the privileged position. Furthermore I believe that belief in G-d is a private initiative and should not be dominated by ritual which is very much a feature of organized religion.
V: Yet you still believe G-d can if he wants to perform miracles.
G: Yes I do but he doesn’t have to. There is enough reason to believe in G-d without him having to resort to this device. Also its very clear that he has structured the physicality to make miracles unnecessary.
V: How does one leverage the spark?
G: Meaningful acts are tantamount to acts of kindness – an extension of one’s sense of self to include the other. Marin Buber wrote about this in the I and Thou. These bring one closer to G-d and allow us to appreciate his magnificence. Life also has to be lived with purpose. In doing so we discover the G-d Spark.
V: Is prayer important?
G: Yes it is. However it must come from the heart. I prefer to produce my own prayer words that are of a personal nature. I realize others prefer pre-written templates or established prayer. It is their choice as long as the lines of communication are maintained with G-d.
V: Do you believe in Angels?
G: No I don’t these are manifestations of the ancient mythology (largely Babylonian).
G-d is all powerful and does not need a messenger system.
V: What other aspects are important with your belief?
G: Questioning G-d. Reflecting on the G-d presence and always using critical thought and reason where possible to evaluate a situation.
V: But is not Belief or Faith inconsistent with reason?
G: All systems of reason and logic are built on the a priori. Everyone takes a leap of faith at some point otherwise logic systems would not get off the ground. Godel showed this with his incompleteness theorem in Mathematics for example. I have yet to see a convincing proof that shows how our logical framework breaks down as a result of the G-d assumption that I have outlined.
V: But if it did break down. Would you be forced to reconsider the G-d assumption?
G: Definitely. It would be intellectually dishonest not to. However I very much doubt that it would.
G: Yes I do but it is a belief that I have had to work on for most of my life. It’s a struggle. A frustrating one at times but certainly a necessary initiative.
V: In what way?
G: I am by nature a scientific rationalist and consequently seek proof for my beliefs and avoid as much as possible any leaps of faith. However I am also aware that science is bound to the material world and consequently has a limited realm through which it can access knowledge. I have dedicated much of my life to science but I am consciously aware of its constraints. Having said this though, I will exhaust all scientific explanations before deferring to an extra-material analysis in grasping the phenomenology of events. I owe this to myself. In a sense I am a skeptic, not a logical positivist, but a realist armed with Occam’s Razor but cognizant at the same time of the extra-material universe. My belief is similar to that of the scholar Martin Gardiner. I could be described as a soft theist but even this label falls short of what I believe I am. In short I ‘feel’ G-d’s presence – as a magnificent spark - but I am loathe to let it override my rationalism unless I have an excellent reason to do so.
V: What is your opinion on Judaism?
G: I consider myself Jewish in the cultural and historical sense and celebrate many of its traditions. I see Judaism, as Mordechai Kaplan did, in being indicative of a civilization. Religion is one facet of the civilization, but does not comprise its entirety.
I cannot take seriously the revealed nature argument for the religion (including of course the revelation at Sinai) as it does not stand up to rational scrutiny. However the richness of the biblical tradition, the emphasis on ethics and justice, as epitomized in the Tanakh and the Talmud, provide valuable insight into the human condition.
V: Have you always held this position?
G: No. I haven’t. Indeed I have fluctuated at times from strong theism to agnostic theism/deism. I have rejected non-interventionist deism as it does not seem rational that a creator would completely divorce himself from its creation. I am not an atheist as I have yet to see a convincing argument as to why something exists as opposed to nothing (despite the trials and tribulations of Victor Stenger). This something-nothing standoff is the kink in natural philosophy which of course underpins the argument of rational atheism.
V: What do you think G-d is?
G: This is a tough one which no human is truly qualified to answer. However we are all able to speculate. The definition of G-d that makes sense to me is that of the Kabbalistic Ein Sof which I have written at length on this board. In a way it is similar to the Uppanishad definition of the Infinite Soul - Brahman. I am actually very much taken by the Hindu understanding of our individual soul, - the Athman - being in its essence a derivative of the Brahman. I believe we can approach the Ein Sof/Brahman by performing meaningful acts of goodness which I take as the Spark of G-d referred to earlier.
V: You are critical of organized religion. Why is this?
G: Organized religion is generally driven by supernatural revelation which by its very nature counteracts science in emphasizing the concept of ‘miracles’. I don’t believe G-d acts this way. I believe that we all have within ourselves an ability to understand G-d and nobody is privileged in this regard. Strict revelation argues for the privileged position. Furthermore I believe that belief in G-d is a private initiative and should not be dominated by ritual which is very much a feature of organized religion.
V: Yet you still believe G-d can if he wants to perform miracles.
G: Yes I do but he doesn’t have to. There is enough reason to believe in G-d without him having to resort to this device. Also its very clear that he has structured the physicality to make miracles unnecessary.
V: How does one leverage the spark?
G: Meaningful acts are tantamount to acts of kindness – an extension of one’s sense of self to include the other. Marin Buber wrote about this in the I and Thou. These bring one closer to G-d and allow us to appreciate his magnificence. Life also has to be lived with purpose. In doing so we discover the G-d Spark.
V: Is prayer important?
G: Yes it is. However it must come from the heart. I prefer to produce my own prayer words that are of a personal nature. I realize others prefer pre-written templates or established prayer. It is their choice as long as the lines of communication are maintained with G-d.
V: Do you believe in Angels?
G: No I don’t these are manifestations of the ancient mythology (largely Babylonian).
G-d is all powerful and does not need a messenger system.
V: What other aspects are important with your belief?
G: Questioning G-d. Reflecting on the G-d presence and always using critical thought and reason where possible to evaluate a situation.
V: But is not Belief or Faith inconsistent with reason?
G: All systems of reason and logic are built on the a priori. Everyone takes a leap of faith at some point otherwise logic systems would not get off the ground. Godel showed this with his incompleteness theorem in Mathematics for example. I have yet to see a convincing proof that shows how our logical framework breaks down as a result of the G-d assumption that I have outlined.
V: But if it did break down. Would you be forced to reconsider the G-d assumption?
G: Definitely. It would be intellectually dishonest not to. However I very much doubt that it would.
The One Hundred Greatest Sportsmen of All-Time
Here is my latest attempt at this list:
1. Jim Thorpe
2. Pele
3. Michael Jordan
4. Muhammad Ali
5. Michael Phelps
6. Lance Armstrong
7. Jack Nicklaus
8. Paarvo Nurmi
9. Joe Louis
10. Jesse Owens
11. Roger Federer
12. Donald Bradman
13. Babe Ruth
14. Michael Schumacher
15. Tiger Woods
16. Jim Brown
17. Diego Maradonna
18. Mark Spitz
19. Usain Bolt
20. Magic Johnson
21. Sachin Tendulker
22. Carl Lewis
23. Sugar Ray Leonard
24. Wilt Chaimberlain
25. Lionel Messi
26. Rocky Marciano
27. Pete Sampras
28. Hank Aaron
29. Johan Cruyff
30. Jahangir Khan
31. Jean Claude Killy
32. Bjorn Borg
33. Alfredo di Stefano
34. Joe Montana
35. Steve Redgrave
36. Rafael Nadal
37. Tom Watson
38. Matt Biondi
39. Ronaldo
40. Garfield Sobers
41. Gary Player
42. Kobie Bryant
43. Jerry Rice
44. Ferenc Puskas
45. Jimmy Connors
46. Julio Cesar Chavez
47. Miguel Indurain
48. Walter Johnson
49. Willie Mays
50. Barry Sanders
51. Bobby Jones
52. Franz Beckenbauer
53. Warren Spahn
54. Eddy Choong
55. Lester Piggott
56. Muttiah Muralitharan
57. Aryton Senna
58. Eddie Merckx
59. Bill Shoemaker
60. Ed Moses
61. Jansher Khan
62. Alain Prost
63. Ferenc Puskas
64. Viv Richards
65. Bill Tilden
66. Arnold Palmer
67. Eusebio
68. Emil Zatopek
69. Johnny Weismuller
70. Al Oerter
71. Bernard Hinault
72. Shane Warne
73. Nikki Lauda
74. Jackie Robinson
75. Said Aouita
76. Joe DiMaggio
77. Ivan Lendl
78. Geoff Hunt
79. Hicham El Guerrouj
80. George Best
81. Ted Williams
82. Henry Rono
83. Nolan Ryan
84. Nick Faldo
85. Henry Armstrong
86. Pete Rose
87. Haile Gebrselaissie
88. Jan Zelezny
89. Ian Thorpe
90. Viktor Barna
91. Satchel Paige
92. Gerd Muller
93. Jacques Anquetil
94. Sandy Koufax
95. Michael Johnson
96. Eddie Arcaro
97. Sebastian Coe
98. Larry Bird
99. Lasse Viren
100. Sergei Bubka
1. Jim Thorpe
2. Pele
3. Michael Jordan
4. Muhammad Ali
5. Michael Phelps
6. Lance Armstrong
7. Jack Nicklaus
8. Paarvo Nurmi
9. Joe Louis
10. Jesse Owens
11. Roger Federer
12. Donald Bradman
13. Babe Ruth
14. Michael Schumacher
15. Tiger Woods
16. Jim Brown
17. Diego Maradonna
18. Mark Spitz
19. Usain Bolt
20. Magic Johnson
21. Sachin Tendulker
22. Carl Lewis
23. Sugar Ray Leonard
24. Wilt Chaimberlain
25. Lionel Messi
26. Rocky Marciano
27. Pete Sampras
28. Hank Aaron
29. Johan Cruyff
30. Jahangir Khan
31. Jean Claude Killy
32. Bjorn Borg
33. Alfredo di Stefano
34. Joe Montana
35. Steve Redgrave
36. Rafael Nadal
37. Tom Watson
38. Matt Biondi
39. Ronaldo
40. Garfield Sobers
41. Gary Player
42. Kobie Bryant
43. Jerry Rice
44. Ferenc Puskas
45. Jimmy Connors
46. Julio Cesar Chavez
47. Miguel Indurain
48. Walter Johnson
49. Willie Mays
50. Barry Sanders
51. Bobby Jones
52. Franz Beckenbauer
53. Warren Spahn
54. Eddy Choong
55. Lester Piggott
56. Muttiah Muralitharan
57. Aryton Senna
58. Eddie Merckx
59. Bill Shoemaker
60. Ed Moses
61. Jansher Khan
62. Alain Prost
63. Ferenc Puskas
64. Viv Richards
65. Bill Tilden
66. Arnold Palmer
67. Eusebio
68. Emil Zatopek
69. Johnny Weismuller
70. Al Oerter
71. Bernard Hinault
72. Shane Warne
73. Nikki Lauda
74. Jackie Robinson
75. Said Aouita
76. Joe DiMaggio
77. Ivan Lendl
78. Geoff Hunt
79. Hicham El Guerrouj
80. George Best
81. Ted Williams
82. Henry Rono
83. Nolan Ryan
84. Nick Faldo
85. Henry Armstrong
86. Pete Rose
87. Haile Gebrselaissie
88. Jan Zelezny
89. Ian Thorpe
90. Viktor Barna
91. Satchel Paige
92. Gerd Muller
93. Jacques Anquetil
94. Sandy Koufax
95. Michael Johnson
96. Eddie Arcaro
97. Sebastian Coe
98. Larry Bird
99. Lasse Viren
100. Sergei Bubka
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