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Explore life through time.

Frans Lanting "LIFE: A Journey Through Time"

Skip the intro if you're in a hurry, but do not miss the slideshow! It is a Web of Art. By comparison, the stuff on YouTube comprises a Web oF arts.

Mistakes; not what they used to be

Back in the day, people made mistakes now and then. Remember 'To err is human'? But these days people make mistakes all the time. That's the bad news. The good news is, no one commits crimes anymore, there is no rudeness, and nobody is a babbling idiot. There are only people who make mistakes.

When even the best legal minds that money can buy are not up to the task of extricating someone against whom there is overwhelming evidence of wrongdoing or mindlessness, the last resort is the inevitable plaint: "I just made a mistake, man. What is your problem?"

My problem is etymological in nature. I seem to have missed the memo that defined a new catchall "mistake" that subsumed the definitions for acts of criminality, stupidity, ignorance, and all manner of bad behavior. Don't get me wrong, however; I like what such creative euphemism has accomplished. It has broadened the scope of socially acceptable behavior, bringing in from the cold the formerly sociopathic, narcissistic, and perpetually perplexed. Nobody has to suffer the humiliation of wrongdoing anymore, and that is a good thing.

Before "making mistakes" became de rigueur, people had to make an effort to maintain a semblance of good citizenship. Mistakes were held to a strict constructionist view by the community, and that made felonious behavior (including criminality, ignorance, and stupidity) something to be avoided. Some people would resort to gallows humor so as to appear infallible (i.e., "I was wrong once. Back in '76 I thought I had made a mistake.") But now, who cares anymore? No need to get worked up about anything. 'Mistakes are where it's at, dude', to use a mixed decade expression.

But, I could be wrong. I was once.

MSM: Not only moronic, but also oxymoronic

As neatly summarized by Oliver Kamm,

[L]iberalism as a modern political movement - in which I include parties of the social democratic left, which long ago acknowledged the failure of socialism - has certain consistent traits. Its central principle is that, while we may belong to groups, our primary identity is as citizens who are equal under law. Many characteristics of the liberal outlook, as we now understand it, follow from a common citizenship: the rule of law exercised disinterestedly; the promotion of human rights internationally; separation of civil and religious authority; rights to freedom of expression and association; a measure of economic redistribution that enables citizens to exercise autonomous choices; sexual equality; reproductive freedom; the right of same-sex couples to marry and inherit.

But the liberalism of today's mainstream media (MSM) is a perversion of its traditional traits. Instead of championing the rule of law exercised disinterestedly, the MSM revels in the circus antics of mob mentality. Instead of championing the promotion of human rights internationally, the MSM seeks justification for the homicidal destruction of civilians. Instead of championing the separation of civil and religious authority, the MSM formulates apologia for theocratic fanaticism. Instead of championing the rights to freedom of expression and association, the MSM now champions the consensus of vociferous crowds.

In effect traditional, that is "mainstream liberalism" is not the "liberalism of the mainstream media". The latter is an oxymoron.

ipso facto rotflmao: Do not confuse these products

Caution advisable for concurrent use of these products:

Urinozinc formula capsules and Uranus Inc hemorrhoid suppositories.

Unpleasant side effects if carelessly administered. You've been warned.