tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-309503212024-02-20T12:38:01.570+00:00Lord Feverstone's CommentaryMusings of a Christian monarchist on life, government, society, theology, etc.Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-48174526554342130452007-04-13T01:11:00.000+00:002007-04-13T02:05:41.185+00:00An UpdateI apologise, readers, for not updating my blog recently. I always have a number of things to say on a broad range of subjects, but I do not always take the time to commit them to written form. At times I wish I could transfer my analysis and musings to an acceptable medium with nothing more than a thought, but such technology does not exist.<br /><br />One could conceivably consider himself fortunate to not have read updates from me, for my thoughts have grown increasingly dark of late. Neither life nor my assessment of it have improved.<br /><br />I do have my degree, but I do not feel vindicated. As a matter of fact, since my time in university was coming to an end, the old disappointments and resentments rose to the surface with renewed intensity to couple with the new. All I have to show for my academic distinctions are student loan payments. In one month's time, I will participate in commencement exercises, but I am attending more for the sake of family than my own.<br /><br />The fact I have much erudition but am stuck for the moment in a low-paying, high-stress retail job certainly does not agree with me. To be frank, I find it insulting, since I am capable of being much more than some grunt at the bottom of the company ladder dealing with the usual nonsense I have no control over.<br /><br />I have been seeking other employment, but so far it has been fruitless. In my field, software development, every employer wants years of professional experience in many different languages and technologies. I have broad knowledge and sufficient aptitude, but all I merit from companies is "thank you for your interest, but we are pursuing other candidates." It is hard to be motivated when it seems ever so much like the last job search before I secured my current situation. The only significant difference is I have a four-year degree.<br /><br />My 26 years in this world have not been well-spent. I resent many things, but I resent myself most of all. I simply do not measure up to my own standards, and I am certainly not inclined to "admit defeat" and consequently lower them. When I look in the mirror, I see the author of my destruction, the shell of a man who could have become "someone" but presently withers on the vine. I simply cannot overlook my uselessness, my failure.Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1162407027217048502006-11-01T18:46:00.000+00:002007-02-02T02:23:45.006+00:00On the Realities of Life<p>People live and die just as their ancestors did and as their descendants will. The preponderance of the people who have lived before have been completely forgotten; they had hopes, dreams, joys and pains, but who can recall? Who will remember us when our lives are spent?<br /><br />What exactly does one anticipate when one rises for another day? Another day of working to pay the ceaseless stream of bills? Pardon me if I do not find it an exciting prospect. I see work as it really is-work. Since I am not one of those fools in love with work, that means I am likely not going to be reaching the heights of wealth and status, but I am absolutely fine with that. Those imbeciles who devote their lives to hoarding wealth and obtaining status will die as surely as I will. Will their wealth purchase them eternal life? Will their status convince death to pass them by? Absolutely not. The wealth they accumulate passes into the possession of others who did nothing to earn it. Was it worth it? One comes into the world with nothing and one leaves with nothing.<br /><br />Some say the purpose of life is to survive and reproduce. What difference does it ultimately make if one "succeeds" or "fails?" It will not make a bloody bit of difference to me if my DNA "lives on" through children or "dies" with me. If I pass DNA on, what good does it do me when I am in the grave? If I do not pass DNA on, what harm does it do me when I am in the grave?<br /><br />Some say the purpose of life is to have fun. Just how much fun can one have when one still must spend hours upon hours upon hours working to obtain the funds necessary for the necessities of life and "fun" activities? It seems to me whatever fun one might have is far outweighed by the drudgeries and pain. Pleasures are fleeting and pains linger. The pains and regrets from years ago are with me today. Can I say the same for the pleasures and triumphs? No-they are quickly forgotten. The impacts of pleasure are but pin pricks compared to the stab wounds of pain.<br /><br />No reflection on life is complete without considering where the life is lived. This world is overrun with liars, murderers, torturers, brutes, cheats, etc. who do their utmost to raise the misery index. The depths of evil I see manifested when I read the news shock and disgust me. How many good, genuine people are out there? They are few, and even they engage in some of the same activities as those who make wickedness a lifestyle. Ours is a world of one problem after another. Ours is a dangerous world of decay and death manifested internally and externally.<br /><br />Life as it is now is hopelessly overrated. What makes this existence preferable to non-existence? Remember-death and pain only affect the existing.<br /><br />A life lived in a good world where decay, death and pain are no more would be truly worthwhile.<br /><br />I dare to see life as it is, and some would object calling it "unhealthy." In my opinion, a healthy perspective is not one involving rose-coloured glasses. Pondering the realities of life is not a pleasant exercise by any means, but I think it is necessary because I value knowledge and wisdom. True, there is a price to be paid as Ecclesiastes 1:18 says: <blockquote>For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.</blockquote></p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1160071431061346892006-10-05T17:34:00.000+00:002006-11-15T21:20:22.536+00:00Blog Mirrored at Antimisandry<p><a href="http://www.antimisandry.com/vbdr/blog/305">My New Blog</a><br /><br />The owner of <a href="http://www.antimisandry.com">Antimisandry</a> recently invited me to create a blog on his excellent website. I mirrored the articles I thought best pertained to his site's mission.<br /><br />I have not yet decided whether to exclusively create my new articles related to feminism, anti-male policies, etc. on my new blog or to continue including them on this blog.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1159554383949199332006-09-29T17:58:00.000+00:002007-03-07T01:49:23.816+00:00ChicagoMan: Men's Options vs. Women's Options<p><a href="http://truthformen.blogspot.com/2006/09/men-only-have-one-option-women-have.html">Article and comments</a><br /><br />ChicagoMan wrote:<br /><br /><blockquote>I heard a statement on TV the other day, not exactly sure who said it since the TV was on in the other room, but the statement had profound meaning.<br /><br />"Men have it harder than women because men only have one option in life, work, whereas women have two, they can either work or find someone to support them."<br /><br />...<br /><br />SO HOW CAN THEIR LIVES BE MORE DIFFICULT?</blockquote><br /><br />This fundamental point is lost on many people.<br /><br />Down in the comments section, Arden wrote:<br /><br /><blockquote>being a woman is a hell i wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. unless he was a man.</blockquote><br />I do not understand how anyone could sincerely believe this. Frankly, I just laughed. Perhaps that was her intention.<br /><br />In response, ChicagoMan wrote this gem:<br /><br /><blockquote>I don't uderstand how it could be hell. You are given preferential treatment in school, preferential hiring, workplaces are made to suit your needs. Work schedules, time off, all things are put into more consideration because you don't have a penis. Rape shield laws taking away a man's fundamental right to face his accuser.<br /><br />The courts are in your favor, huge divorce settlements, child custody even though in many cases you couldn't even support the child without the massive child support payments (which are a testament to why the man should get custody).<br /><br />Heck even the dating world is in your favor, access to sex is in your favor. If you get pregnant you have many options, you don't even have to raise the child, you could just leave it at a hospital or fire station.<br /><br />Federal funding for women's health concerns like breast cancer far outnumber federal funding for something like prostate cancer which incidentally KILLS MORE MEN A YEAR THAN BREAST CANCER KILLS WOMEN. Don't believe me, i have an earlier post direct from the American Cancer Society.<br /><br />Way more options as far as public help.<br /><br />More scholarships are available to women than to men.<br /><br />More lenient prison sentences for felonies, heck if you even go to jail.<br /><br />So many options you have to completely opt out of any responsibility and accountability yet you complain that you have it bad?<br /><br />How and where can this be?<br /><br />The only way I could see being a woman as hell is the fact that you have to deal with other women, well we do that too.</blockquote><br />It seems the "hell" of being a woman is greatly exagerrated.<br /><br /><strong>Ladies, life as a man is not the paradise of freedom, leisure and privilege you seem to think it is. The feminists lied to you.</strong> Working, which is essentially every man's destiny, is something I personally find grossly overrated and quite loathsome the preponderance of the time. Do I have a realistic opportunity to have a woman support me? No.<br /><br />Even with the numerous disadvantages men face in these braindead Western societies, life as a man is not "hell" just because one was born male. The same concept applies even more to women.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1159481704965014832006-09-28T21:24:00.000+00:002006-10-11T00:19:14.963+00:00On Bachelorhood<p>Here are two articles taking a stand against the "disease" of bachelorhood:<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.sys-con.com/read/235454.htm">Bachelorism Runs Rampant in Men Across the Country</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://images.match.com/match/promolanding/bachelorism/whatisbachelorism.pdf">What is Bachelorism</a></li></ul><br />I think this campaign is meant to be at least somewhat "tongue-in-cheek;" nevertheless, I find it symptomatic of how radically different single men are typically regarded than single women.<br /><br />Generally, I have found a significant majority of people view single men as "losers" in need of a woman. If a man is single in his 20's like I am, people wonder what is "wrong" with him.<br /><br />Is this same assessment applied to single women? No. As a matter of fact, they are viewed as being "empowered, liberated juggernauts" who live life on their own terms without the irrelevant input of some "brainless, icky man." <em>No man</em> is good enough for these princesses.<br /><br />See the difference?<br /><br />I am not ashamed to be a bachelor; there is nothing "wrong" about this.<br /><br />I can just hear it now.<br /><br /><ul><li>"You must be a loser."</li><br /><li>"Time for you start dating."</li><br /><li>"You are in desperate need of a woman to make you complete."</li><br /><li>"So you are a bachelor? Good. The dating pool is better for your absence, evil white male oppressor."</li></ul><br />Such bile has no sway over me.<br /><br /><blockquote>Be a part of the cure, because, well, you are the cure.<br />To learn more about how you can join the fight to end bachelorism, go to bachelorism.org.</blockquote><br />Let us assume bachelorhood is a disease. Let us assume women are the cure. Has anyone ever heard of situations where the cure is worse than the disease?<br /><br />Am I open to someday dating and then marrying a woman? Yes, but I am shy and am therefore disinclined to pursue, which the preponderance of women require of men. Besides, I know all too well the risky proposition a relationship with a woman can be.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1159373922187266562006-09-27T15:18:00.000+00:002006-09-27T16:18:42.303+00:00Pasternaks Fail To Make The Cut<p><a href="http://lord-feverstone.blogspot.com/2006/09/human-rights-ruling-on-high-school.html">My first article on this drama</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2006/09/27/1905014-sun.html">Twins off the team</a><br /><br /><blockquote>In the end, they didn't make the cut.<br /><br />After a very public battle for the <strong>right to play on a boys' hockey team</strong>, identical twins Amy and Jesse Pasternak privately mourned their loss yesterday.</blockquote><br />I do not care what anyone else says; girls playing on boys teams is <em>not</em> a right.<br /><br />If they had made the team, I am certain they would not be celebrating privately.<br /><br /><blockquote><strong>Their father Wally spoke for them.</strong><br /><br />"I applaud their courage for even going and trying out," he said from the doorstep of his family's home last night.</blockquote><br />They were not shy about speaking publicly before. Not so surprisingly, this changed.<br /><br />Courage? They really had nothing to lose. If they make the cut, I am sure they would have been gloating about it. If they did not make the cut, they have a ready excuse-"We are just girls."<br /><br /><blockquote>"West Kildonan Collegiate and Seven Oaks School Division salute Amy and Jesse Pasternak for the strength and courage they displayed in asserting their right to try out for the team," said the written statement.<br /><br />"They should not have been denied that opportunity on the basis of their gender."<br /><br />There was no further comment from the division.</blockquote><br />Now they have the division lauding their "courage" for "asserting" a non-existent right. I am sure they would not wax lyrical about any boy who fails to make the cut.<br /><br /><blockquote>Wally Pasternak said <strong>his daughters figured they basically had "no hope in hell" of making the team</strong>, but were still upset they didn't make it.</blockquote><br />If they did not have any real hope of making the team, one might wonder why they would cause such a fuss about being denied the opportunity. <br /><br /><blockquote>The controversial ruling captured the attention of a hockey-loving nation.</blockquote><br />No need to wonder. They wanted attention.<br /><br /><blockquote>The twins <strong>did not play hockey in the two years</strong> since the MHSAA first rejected their attempt to join the boys' school team in Grade 10.</blockquote><br />If they were at all serious about playing for the boys team, they would have been playing hockey the past two years. Of course, it would not have been on the boys team, but they had opportunities elsewhere. The only thing they were serious about was being considered "trailblazers" and "inspirations for girls everywhere." What does this have to do with the sport? Nothing at all.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2006/09/27/1905015-sun.html">Pasternaks' saga comes to abrupt end</a><br /><br /><blockquote>Wake, who coaches St. James Collegiate's girls hockey team, said he's never seen the Pasternak sisters skate but <strong>their time away from hockey couldn't have helped their chances of making the team.</strong><br /><br />"It's too bad they hadn't played hockey while awaiting this decision because it probably would have helped them in the long run," he said.<br /><br />"I don't care whether you're Wayne Gretzky or these girls, you're going to be one or two steps behind."</blockquote><br />Exactly. Surely they would not be dumb enough to think being out of practice for a couple of years would not torpedo their chances.<br /><br /><blockquote><strong>Manitoba Human Rights Commission lawyer Sarah Lugtig said the ruling only affects girls who want to play boys' hockey.</strong><br /><br />It doesn't allow boys to try out for girls' teams and won't necessarily have an impact on other high school sports, like volleyball and basketball, she said.<br /><br />"Female hockey is a very different sport than boys' hockey and very few women are able to play on men's teams," said Lugtig.<br /><br />Based on those two reasons, the adjudicator ordered the rules be changed for boys' hockey only and simply advised the Manitoba High School Athletics Association (MHSAA) to examine their gender rules for other sports.<br /><br /><strong>She said the adjudicator was very clear about protecting girls-only teams.<br /><br />"You need girls-only teams to ensure girls have equal access to sport."</strong></blockquote><br />[sarcasm]Of course, the double standard <em>must</em> be maintained. Girls will not have equal access otherwise.[/sarcasm] If girls and boys are supposedly equals, why the double standard?<br /><br />If girls want to play sports, let them play with other girls. If boys want to play sports, let them play with other boys. Giving girls the opportunity to play with the boys is a recipe for a nauseating amount of drama and litigation much like this case.<br /><br />Someone might ask me, "Lord Feverstone, what if there is no girls team in a sport a girl wants to play?" If she wants to play it badly enough, she should try to form a girls team. It would be about an actual love of the game, not about trying to "show up" the boys for instant fame.<br /><br /><blockquote>The angry father then took a swipe at the media for incessantly covering the case and <strong>not always favourably towards his daughters.</strong><br /><br />"They bashed the shit out of two little 17-year-old girls without knowing all the facts," he said.</blockquote><br />Are they entitled to favourable coverage, especially when they choose to insult the girls team they refused to play for? Besides, from the sources I have read, the media seems to be on their side.<br /><br />Do not want unfavourable media coverage? Keep out of the public eye. Problem solved.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1159298743567956782006-09-26T18:43:00.000+00:002006-09-27T15:16:36.776+00:00Discrimination Against White Men<p><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/gloucestershire/5369876.stm">Force admits rejecting white men</a><br /><br /><blockquote><strong>Gloucestershire police force has admitted illegally rejecting 108 job applicants because they were white men.</strong><br /><br />The Police Federation said the force has been trying to recruit more female officers and more people from ethnic minorities to meet a government target.</blockquote><br />What amazes me is they actually admitted discriminating against white men. There are people out there who say such discrimination cannot possibly happen because "white men have it all." Reality checks like this are, of course, wasted on such people.<br /><br /><blockquote>But one of the unsuccessful applicants, Matt Powell took legal action and has been awarded £2,500 by a tribunal.<br /><br />Mr Powell, 30, said he became suspicious when he was told he had been "randomly deselected".</blockquote><br />A tribunal actually awarded money to a white man alleging discrimination. With as politically correct as this world is becoming, this blows me away. Cases like this do not fit the accepted "wisdom" that "white men are evil oppressors with the world at their feet" and "everyone else is a sweet, innocent victim of white male oppression." Newsflash: white men can be wronged too.<br /><br />By the way, has anyone ever heard of "random deselection" before? I would think if a police force was looking for the most qualified applicants, they would not choose to randomly disregard applications. Of course, we know the deselection in this case was hardly random.<br /><br /><blockquote>The case comes six months after Avon and Somerset Police admitted it had illegally rejected almost 200 applications from white men for the same reason. </blockquote><br />Apparently, such discrimination has happened elsewhere.<br /><br /><blockquote>Police are under pressure to meet the government target, set in 1999, that by 2009, 7% of police officers in England and Wales should be from ethnic minority groups.<br /><br />In September 2005, only 1.6% of Gloucestershire Police officers were black or Asian.<br /><br />...<br /><br />Earlier this year, Gloucestershire's Assistant Chief Constable Michael Matthews admitted 'positive action' had been taken to recruit more women and from ethnic minorities.<br /><br />"It is essential in a democratic policing environment to ensure that under-represented groups are prioritised in our recruitment drives," he said. </blockquote><br />I have never heard a compelling reason for why the presence of minorities is <em>so important</em> there ought to be goals (read: quotas) for their recruitment. Just because some Assistant Chief Constable says it is does not mean I believe it. I do not see so-called underrepresentation as a "problem," but then again, I think outside of the politically correct prison so many others have incarcerated themselves in.<br /><br /><blockquote>Mr Powell's solicitor, Nigel Tillott, said: "The impact of this is that it is now clear how far public authorities can go in positive action.<br /><br />"What they cannot do is discriminate against white males when it comes to job applications."</blockquote><br />What makes preferring minorities in recruitment inherently positive? Oops! I have forgotten I am to accept this without question. The politically correct gods have spoken.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1159291135839459122006-09-26T16:23:00.000+00:002006-09-26T17:18:57.623+00:00"Human Rights" Ruling on High School Hockey<p><a href="http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/09/22/1879358-cp.html">Girls get shot at boys' hockey</a><br /><br /><blockquote>Hockey-playing sisters Amy and Jesse Pasternak are savouring their victory at the Manitoba Human Rights Commission that will allow them to play for their high school boys team.</blockquote><br />What does allowing two clearly attention-seeking girls the opportunity to play on a boys hockey team have to do with "human rights?"<br /><br />It gets better.<br /><br /><blockquote>The Grade 12 students took their complaint to the commission this spring to protest a Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association <strong>policy forbidding girls from playing on a boys team when a school has a girls squad.</strong><br /><br />The association argued the policy was an integral part of a participation-based approach to sports that isn’t based on merit.<br /><br />But <strong>the girls</strong>, who had played on community boys teams for years, <strong>called their school’s girls team a joke and said some students had trouble simply skating.</strong></blockquote><br />There already was a girls team for them, but they just <em>have</em> to play with the boys. In the midst of their "brave battle against the patriarchy," they proceed to insult the girls team. These girls ooze class. They could have simply said, "We just want a chance to play on a better hockey team."<br /><br /><blockquote>“The commission has said if you have the ability to make a team, you should make the team. But what about boys? If the boys have the ability to make a girls team, should they be allowed?<br /><br />“If it’s strictly merit-based or ability-based it opens up a whole ball of wax.”</blockquote><br />I would be flabbergasted if the reverse-allowing boys to play on girls teams-was allowed as a logical result of this decision. According to <a href="http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Manitoba/2006/09/26/1899627-sun.html">this article</a>, at least one boy is prepared to put this to the test. We all know the classic double-standard: girls should be allowed the opportunity to play on both girls and boys teams, but boys should only be allowed to play on boys teams. What amazes me is there are some people who consider this arrangement to be "fair."<br /><br /><blockquote>Dianna Scarth, executive director of the commission, hailed the decision as a great lesson for all young girls.<br /><br />“We hope this will send a message that where they see discrimination happening in their workplaces, or in their schools, there are ways of addressing that,” said Scarth.</blockquote><br />And now we see what this ruling is <em>really</em> all about-feminism.<br /><br /><blockquote>The girls were each awarded $3,500 in general damages as well as special individual coaching to account for the fact they were not able to play for the past few years.</blockquote><br />Not only do these classless attention-seekers win their coveted opportunity, but they are also awarded thousands in "damages" and one-on-one coaching. Unbelievable!<br /><br />According to <a href="http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Manitoba/2006/09/26/1899628-sun.html">this article</a>, which is an interesting follow-up, this ruling will prove costly to the MHSAA.<br /><br /><blockquote>The MHSAA is considering appealing the ruling and will make a decision within the next two weeks.<br /><br />"Money is a factor," Glimcher said.<br /><br /><strong>The not-for-profit association was dealt a financial blow when Harrison ordered it to pay each Pasternak twin $3,500 in compensation for loss of dignity and cover the cost of special one-on-one hockey coaching. The MHSAA has hefty legal bills resulting from the challenge.</strong><br /><br />"We don't receive any government funding," Glimcher said. "The (Manitoba) Human Rights Commission has deep pockets, and <strong>it's not costing the Pasternaks any money."</strong><br /><br />The association may have to raise its membership fees to make ends meet, he added.</blockquote><br />So the damages are for "loss of dignity." What rubbish! The MHSAA has to pay them directly in addition to considerable legal bills, which will be undoubtedly exacerbated if they decide to appeal. They lose either way. What is even worse about this is these girls apparently can litigate for free.<br /><br />Whatever happened to sports being an entertaining diversion?</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1159142882065202882006-09-24T23:45:00.000+00:002006-09-25T00:08:02.080+00:00Matt LeBlanc's "Child" Support<p><a href="http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,20062,00.html">Article</a><br /><br /><blockquote>Calling LeBlanc a "high-wage earner," however, the court ordered the actor to fork over <strong>$15,000 a month in child support</strong> for the couple's two-year-old daughter, Marina, and ruled that <strong>Dad was 100 percent responsible for any future private school tuition, uninsured medical expenses, nanny services and Marina's college fund.</strong><br /><br />Melissa LeBlanc (née McKnight) also has two children from a previous marriage. <strong>She and her almost-ex will share joint physical and legal custody of Marina.</strong></blockquote><br /><br />What toddler requires all of this money? Is a toddler really that expensive to care for? This sounds more like alimony to me, especially given the fact Matt LeBlanc also has joint physical and legal custody. Is this justice or just another shakedown because a guy "can afford it?"<br /><br />Methinks Matt LeBlanc's career is on a downward slope; if he has not managed his finances well, all of this money he will have to cough up could really prove to be a burden over the years. Will this amount ever be re-evaluated? Of course not. [sarcasm]Because he is wealthy now, he always will be.[/sarcasm]<br /><br />Is it any wonder more and more men are hesitant to "tie the knot" these days?</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1159051371691125902006-09-23T21:21:00.000+00:002006-09-23T22:42:51.780+00:00Family Violence In America<p>I came across <a href="http://acfc.convio.net/site/DocServer/familyviolence.pdf?docID=641">Family Violence in America</a> after spending some time browsing <a href="http://www.stephenbaskerville.net/">Stephen Baskerville's web site</a>. I first read some of Baskerville's material a few years ago, and it has helped shape my views on family and fatherhood. The <em>Family Violence in America</em> report is a lengthy read, but it is quite an informative resource; I suggest everyone who wishes to research this issue to read it in its entirety. At the end of the report, there are quite a few endnotes to facilitate further investigation.<br /><br />In order to properly address this issue, it is time to abandon feminist ideology, which seeks to blame fathers exclusively. I agree with Baskerville that the "accepted wisdom" on family violence is helping to undermine, not strengthen, the family.<br /><br />Phyllis Schlafly provides a similar, yet shorter, <a href="http://www.eagleforum.org/column/2006/may06/06-05-17.html">article</a>, which I would also encourage everyone to read.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1159035806016218662006-09-23T17:10:00.000+00:002006-09-23T18:23:26.130+00:00The Emperor's New Clones<p>There is a feature-length <a href="http://www.starwars.com">Star Wars</a> fanfilm I recently discovered, <a href="http://www.theforce.net/fanfilms/shortfilms/clones/index.asp">The Emperor's New Clones</a>. It is a lengthy download, but it proves worthwhile.<br /><br />I rather enjoyed <a href="http://www.backyardproductions.co.uk/">Backyard Productions</a> earlier effort, <a href="http://www.theforce.net/fanfilms/shortfilms/backyard">The Empire Strikes Backyard</a>, but I found this to be an even more enjoyable watch. In my opinion, the effects were superb and the story was rather entertaining. This spoof is loosely based off of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0121766/">Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith</a>.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1158983964906346752006-09-23T03:58:00.000+00:002006-09-23T03:59:24.936+00:00The Essence of Christianity<p>There seems to be much ignorance on the subject of Christianity. The following is what I posted to a forum I no longer contribute to. I thought it prudent to immortalise it here.<br /><br />In order to understand Christianity, one must first understand who Christ is.<br /><br />Note: The quotations I give are from the King James Version of the Bible. I have taken the liberty of bolding some verses for special emphasis.<br /><br />From John 1:<br /><blockquote>1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.<br /><br /> 2The same was in the beginning with God.<br /><br /> 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.<br /><br /> 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.<br />...<br /> 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.<br /><br /> 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.<br /><br /> 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:<br /><br /> 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.<br /><br /> 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.</blockquote><br /><br />From Hebrews 1:<br /><blockquote>1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,<br /><br /> 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;<br /><br /> 3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:<br /><br /> 4Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.<br /><br /> 5For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?<br /><br /> 6And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.<br /><br /> 7And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.<br /><br /> 8But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.<br /><br /> 9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.<br /><br /> 10And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:<br /><br /> 11They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;<br /><br /> 12And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.</blockquote><br />Why was the Word sent to dwell among us?<br /><br />From John 3:<br /><blockquote>14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:<br /><br /> <strong>15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.<br /><br /> 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.<br /><br /> 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.</strong><br /><br /> 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.<br /><br /> 19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.<br /><br /> 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.<br /><br /> 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.</blockquote><br />From Romans 5:<br /><blockquote>1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:<br /><br /> 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.<br /><br /> 3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;<br /><br /> 4And patience, experience; and experience, hope:<br /><br /> 5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.<br /><br /> 6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.<br /><br /> 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.<br /><br /> <strong>8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.<br /><br /> 9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.<br /><br /> 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.</strong><br /><br /> 11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.<br /><br /> 12Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:<br /><br /> 13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.<br /><br /> 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.<br /><br /> 15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.<br /><br /> 16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.<br /><br /> 17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)<br /><br /> 18Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.<br /><br /> 19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.<br /><br /> 20Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:<br /><br /> 21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.</blockquote><br />From Romans 6:<br /><blockquote>23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.</blockquote><br />From John 8:<br /><blockquote>31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;<br /><br /> 32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.<br /><br /> 33They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?<br /><br /> 34Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.<br /><br /> 35And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.<br /><br /> 36If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.</blockquote><br />From Isaiah 53:<br /><blockquote>1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?<br /><br /> 2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.<br /><br /> 3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.<br /><br /> <strong>4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.<br /><br /> 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.<br /><br /> 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.</strong><br /><br /> 7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.<br /><br /> 8He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.<br /><br /> 9And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.<br /><br /> 10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.<br /><br /> 11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.<br /><br /> 12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.</blockquote><br />What does He require of us?<br /><br />From Matthew 16:<br /><blockquote>24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, <strong>If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.</strong><br /><br /> 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.<br /><br /> 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?<br /><br /> 27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.</blockquote><br />From Matthew 22:<br /><blockquote>37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.<br /><br /> 38This is the first and great commandment.<br /><br /> 39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.<br /><br /> 40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.</blockquote><br />From Matthew 28:<br /><blockquote>16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.<br /><br /> 17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.<br /><br /> 18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.<br /><br /> <strong>19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:<br /><br /> 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.</strong></blockquote><br />What must one do in response to His sacrifice?<br /><br />From Acts 2:<br /><blockquote>16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;<br /><br /> 17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:<br /><br /> 18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:<br /><br /> 19And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:<br /><br /> 20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:<br /><br /> 21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.<br /><br /> 22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:<br /><br /> <strong>23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:<br /><br /> 24Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.</strong><br /><br /> 25For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:<br /><br /> 26Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:<br /><br /> 27Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.<br /><br /> 28Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.<br /><br /> 29Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.<br /><br /> 30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;<br /><br /> 31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.<br /><br /> <strong>32This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.</strong><br /><br /> 33Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.<br /><br /> 34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,<br /><br /> 35Until I make thy foes thy footstool.<br /><br /> <strong>36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.<br /><br /> 37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?<br /><br /> 38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.</strong><br /><br /> 39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.<br /><br /> 40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.<br /><br /> 41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.<br /><br /> 42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.</blockquote><br />What hope does He bring?<br /><br />From John 14:<br /><blockquote>1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.<br /><br /> 2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.<br /><br /> 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.<br /><br /> 4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.<br /><br /> 5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?<br /><br /> <strong>6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.</strong></blockquote><br />From 1 Corinthians 15:<br /><blockquote>19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.<br /><br /> 20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.<br /><br /> 21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.<br /><br /> <strong>22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.</strong><br /> ...<br /> 42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:<br /><br /> 43It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:<br /><br /> 44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.<br /><br /> 45And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.<br /><br /> 46Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.<br /><br /> 47The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.<br /><br /> 48As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.<br /><br /> 49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.<br /><br /> 50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.<br /><br /> 51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,<br /><br /> 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.<br /><br /> 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.<br /><br /> 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.</blockquote><br />These are several key excerpts from the Scriptures. I encourage everyone who wishes to understand what Christianity is to read the entire Bible, especially the New Testament.<br /><br />In summary, this is the essence of Christianity:<br /><br /><ul><li>Jesus, the Word of God, became flesh.</li><br /><li>He was sent to die on our behalf and then to rise in order that we might be saved from the wrath of God.</li><br /><li>We are to love God, love our neighbor as ourself, and spread the Good News that Christ is not dead but alive.</li><br /><li>Jesus will return one day to claim those who have accepted His sacrifice as atonement for their sins.</li></ul></p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1158924450459097192006-09-22T11:27:00.000+00:002006-09-23T03:28:16.613+00:00On Working<p>A reader requested I address this subject and so I shall.<br /><br />Here is what Genesis 3:17-19 has to say:<br /><blockquote>And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: <strong>cursed [is] the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground</strong>; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return.</blockquote><br />In brief, Adam's curse promises work will be a bloody hassle. Lest there be any doubt, personal experience assures me the curse is still in full force.<br /><br />Why do I work? Is it because I find it to be enjoyable? Do I wake up in the mornings and commence dancing about and bursting into song at the prospect? Certainly not! Be assured there is a reason workers have to be enticed by compensation, whether it is a grade, certificate, degree or, most commonly, money. If I am to spend time working, I wish to be compensated adequately for it. After all, there are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_Cost">opportunity costs</a> I pay by showing up to work. This is simple economics.<br /><br />Even among the people who say they "love" their jobs still seem to have no shortage of negative experiences to share. Is this at all surprising?<br /><br />Can one's experiences "on the job" be occasionally positive? Yes, but I would argue it is despite the nature of the work, not a result. Although I generally find my retail employment to be very frustrating, I can still find some ways to amuse myself. Having agreeable, especially amusing, coworkers can help make a job bearable, but that is only one part of the equation. The other part is the clientele, who are more often than not disagreeable. Of course, one's superiors can provide consternation, but I have been fortunate in that regard. I only recall one job where I had a superior I was on less than friendly terms with.<br /><br />My philosophy is to work to live, not live to work. The pursuit of riches and prestige is not on my agenda. In an upcoming article, I will address the subject of money.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1158683317645248992006-09-19T16:11:00.000+00:002006-09-19T16:28:37.666+00:00Weight Loss Update<p><a href="http://lord-feverstone.blogspot.com/2006/08/my-weight-loss-program.html">My Weight Loss Program</a><br /><br />This morning, I checked my weight and found I had reached the milestone of 170 pounds. Granted, my progress has not been as rapid as I would prefer, which is probably due to not being as strict as I should have been. At one point, I was afraid I had gained weight and was reluctant to get on the scale, but I was relieved when I saw I had still made progress.<br /><br />I have more I want to lose, since I still think I look too big. I may not endeavour to lose as much as I had originally planned, because there are some who would needlessly worry about it.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1157739559860440962006-09-08T18:16:00.000+00:002006-09-08T18:19:19.860+00:00Cyst Update<p>I found out I do not have skin cancer. The cyst was red, because it had ruptured at one point. The stitches come out today. <br /><br />Now, I will no longer have to bother with the daily changing of the gauze and the tape; taking that tape off is quite a disagreeable experience.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1157738984810065572006-09-08T17:38:00.000+00:002006-12-25T06:44:28.633+00:00SYG and I part ways<p>Here is the <a href="http://www.standyourground.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10882&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0">offending thread</a>.<br /><br />"Dr Evil," the owner of Stand Your Ground, made some arguments I disagreed with about a crass "joke" about feminists. The thread, if it remains unaltered, should give you an understanding of what happened. I disagreed with him because I found his arguments to be illogical. When I called him on it, he decided to become hostile as you will see.<br /><br />This is the "joke" that started it all: <blockquote>How many feminists does it take to put in a light bulb? A: Two. One to put in the lightbulb and one to suck my cock.</blockquote><br /><br />Here was my first answer to Dr Evil: <br /><blockquote><br /><strong>Dr Evil wrote:<br />I didn't laugh when I saw it. I think it is tastless and also lacking in any semblance of humor.</strong><br /><br />True.<br /><br /><strong>Dr Evil wrote:<br />Maybe women don't laugh at it because it is hateful towards them. Duh.</strong><br /><br />How does a joke about feminists screwing in a lightbulb become hatred towards women? Not all feminists are even women. Even if they were, all feminists are women, but not all women are feminists. This is a matter of simple set theory. Feminists comprise a subset. Criticism of a subset does not imply criticism of the superset. Your line of reasoning here is not logical; as a matter of fact, it is the same sort of reasoning feminists use when people attack feminism. When they hear someone say, "I oppose feminism," in their mind they hear, "I oppose women." Then they start screaming and carrying on about how much the person must hate women. The problem is not with the anti-feminist, it is with the feminist.<br /><br />If I were to make a similar joke about blondes, does that mean I hate blondes? Hate is a very strong word that has been cheapened over the years into hardly anything more than a weapon for one's ad hominem and shaming arsenal. His joke does not come anything close to constituting genuine hatred, and I am sure you know it.<br /><br /><strong>Dr Evil wrote:<br />It's the very sort of thing that gets us put into the misogynist camp by those seeking to cut and paste and prove we are a bunch of cro-magnons.</strong><br /><br />No, it "proves" nothing of the sort. Surely you realise a feminist, if one was so inclined, could easily register on this board and pretend to be a raving misogynist. This feminist could then copy-and-paste her material and use it as "evidence" of SYG's "misogyny." She would be full of it, but that would be enough to convince the prejudiced sisterhood. The fact of the matter is these people do not have an open mind; they are just looking for excuses (ones which they can create as aforementioned) to think the way they do or to slander the posters here.<br /><br />Feminists and their sympathisers see what they want to see and they hear what they want to hear. Real evidence not required.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />Instead of considering what I had to say, Dr Evil proceeds to give me an insulting "thin ice" lecture:<br /><br /><blockquote><br />This "joke" carried the message that this woman was there to service his sexual needs and had no other purpose. This is the sort of message that we might expect from a truly abusive male. He orders her around and demands his sexual needs be met. When I see someone with that sort of attitude I hope that I will help stop that sort of behavior. Whether it is acted out upon men or women it does't matter. It demeans and a hundred other things that are highly disrespectful. When I see that sort of thing on my board I will call their shit. Don't like it? Go some place else.<br /><br />It is interesting that the two who have a hard time understanding this are two who have caused me a good deal of trouble in the past. I won't have one shred of patience for either of you from this point forward. You best be on your best behavior. I am very busy with things other than this board. Use caution.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />It is almost as if he did not read my post. Here is my final counterargument:<br /><br /><blockquote><br /><strong>Dr Evil wrote:<br />This "joke" carried the message that this woman was there to service his sexual needs and had no other purpose. This is the sort of message that we might expect from a truly abusive male. He orders her around and demands his sexual needs be met. When I see someone with that sort of attitude I hope that I will help stop that sort of behavior. Whether it is acted out upon men or women it does't matter. It demeans and a hundred other things that are highly disrespectful. When I see that sort of thing on my board I will call their shit.</strong><br /><br />You read all of that from this:<br /><br /><strong>Quote:<br />How many feminists does it take to put in a light bulb? A: Two. One to put in the lightbulb and one to suck my cock.</strong><br /><br />An amazing leap there, Evil! A leap, I might add, I would expect from a feminist, not an anti-feminist. I thought you were the latter, but apparently I was gravely mistaken.<br /><br />I already agreed with you the "joke" is crass and unfunny, but I am not going to agree with you on this preposterous argument of yours-a house of cards you have erected upon a foundation of shifting sand.<br /><br /><strong>Dr Evil wrote:<br />It is interesting that the two who have a hard time understanding this are two who have caused me a good deal of trouble in the past.</strong><br /><br />Nice way of attacking the messenger instead of the message, Evil; this does a world of good for your cause. "Good deal of trouble," my foot. Have anything more than a vague reference? Are we to take your word for it?<br /><br />The one who is having a hard time understanding is you. You are angry because I exposed just how irrational your arguments are. You presented no rebuttal, only more of the same unfounded rubbish.<br /><br /><strong>Dr Evil wrote:<br />I won't have one shred of patience for either of you from this point forward. You best be on your best behavior. I am very busy with things other than this board. Use caution.</strong><br /><br />Apparently you must be too "busy with things" to consider this matter objectively. Your condescending attitude and threats are insulting.<br /><br /><strong>Dr Evil wrote:<br />Don't like it? Go some place else.</strong><br /><br />I intend to. You have an awfully hostile, disagreeable attitude for one who supposedly has the moral highground here. I intend to immortalise our little discussion to my blog, since you are determined to burn bridges with your rhetoric.<br /><br />I have not one shred of patience for your hostility anymore. Consider me gone.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />I refuse to post there ever again. I had been a member there for a while and had contributed 573 posts. There are some excellent contributors there, so I am not happy about leaving. He can run his site as he chooses and I can voice my displeasure as I choose.<br /><br />UPDATE: Evil has the nerve to demand an apology from me and then lock the thread, presumably to insulate himself from public criticism from other members. Here is his ridiculous demand:<br /><br /><blockquote>Personally attacking the admin is not your best choice. Have a nice break. I may reactivate your account when you send an email to me taking responsibility for your actions and apologizing.</blockquote><br /><br />He apparently has some difficulty comprehending my posts; I made it very clear I was not going to post there again.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1156907938481861002006-08-30T03:11:00.000+00:002006-08-30T03:18:58.493+00:00Thank You, Readers<p>I sincerely appreciate the fact you take time from your busy lives to read what I have to say. I will try to reward that as best as I can by creating more quality content.<br /><br />Unfortunately, there may be some significant gaps of days, perhaps as much as a week, between posts. My online class is in full force now, and the time I spend at work does not appear to be on a downward trend.<br /><br />I promise you this blog will not be neglected; I make time to do what I like, and blogging happens to be one of those activities.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1156904282997023162006-08-30T01:20:00.000+00:002006-08-30T02:18:03.043+00:00My Weight Loss Program<p>For the past month, I have been on a one-meal-per-day diet. There have been a couple of days where I have eaten more than one meal, but I have been consistent enough to the point I have been experiencing results-15 pounds to be precise. I have been substituting a cup of yogurt for one meal consistently for almost two weeks now, and it is making the diet slightly easier on the body.<br /><br />It has not been as rapid a process as I would have hoped. I have constantly monitored my weight for some time now, and I have found it to fluctuate; nevertheless, I am slowly but surely losing weight. To help accelerate the process, I have decided to do more consistent walking; I have access to a nice park near my house with well-maintained, paved trails. It remains to be seen how much this will help me, but I am confident if I give it time, better results will be mine.<br /><br />Currently, I weigh 175 pounds. My goal is to lose at least 30 pounds more. If I can keep making good progress, I can reach my goal conceivably by the end of October.<br /><br />Some might wonder why I am so intent on losing weight. Well, I think I look fat. I have thought this ever since I started gaining weight fairly rapidly after March of 2001 due to some infernal medication. I never truly became fat, but I was still uncomfortable with my new weight. I wanted very much to return to being as thin as I was, and I have just recently decided to take serious action and see it through.<br /><br />While my methods are admittedly less than ideal, they work well. Hopefully soon I can be content with my weight again.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1156900744453605022006-08-30T00:41:00.000+00:002006-08-30T01:19:04.486+00:00Newly Cyst-less<p>For about a couple of years now, I had a small cyst on the back of my upper left arm. When I first showed it to my doctor, he said it did not look serious and offered to cut it off if I so desired. Since I did not fancy the prospect of being cut, I declined. At an appointment on the third of this month, I decided to reluctantly take him up on his prior offer, since I found it to be an annoyance; he took another look at it and was slightly worried about the redness at the base; he thought it could mean I have skin cancer, so he scheduled an appointment for today in order to have it removed and then sent off to a pathologist.<br /><br />I still did not fancy the prospect of being cut, so I was quite nervous about my appointment. I was told they were going to numb it sufficiently so I would not feel anything other than pressure; nevertheless, I figured with my luck the numbness would not last. Thankfully, I was wrong. During the whole process which took around 40 minutes, I was on my side. I am not proud to say I am quite a pussy, so I was occasionally trembling at the prospect; however, I was able to keep sufficiently still so as not to interfere with the work of the doctor and the nurse. I tried not to think about what was happening, but it is rather difficult to keep my mind on anything else. I was praying throughout the preponderance of the procedure that the numbness would not wear off, and thankfully my request was granted.<br /><br />It is nice to know this business is mostly over. I still have to wait for the results of the test, but I am hopeful this is not a sign of skin cancer. I will have to change my dressing for the next ten days until the stitches are removed. Hopefully, the wound will not become infected; the antibiotics I am on should see to it. The bandages were initially rather uncomfortable, but I am growing more accustomed to them. I am not in any pain, and I hope this will continue. If only I can avoid sleeping on my left arm tonight...</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1156307128131366212006-08-23T02:59:00.000+00:002007-01-09T19:00:31.830+00:00The Original DontMarry.com Essay<p><a href="http://menforjustice.net/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=49">Read it here</a>.<br /><br />Yesterday, I was browsing <a href="http://mgtow.net">MGTOW</a> and I encountered this classic article which describes at length much of what I find wrong with marriage today. As I said before, <a href="http://lord-feverstone.blogspot.com/2006/08/on-marriage.html">marriage is in shambles</a>.<br /><br />As this essay so aptly states, marriage is quite a risky proposition for men. Even if there was a woman out there I fancied and she likewise fancied me, I would have to carefully consider whether I can trust her for lasting commitment when she could so easily change her mind and leave me to pick up the pieces. If I would be willing to step down the aisle and say "I do" to a woman, I would fully intend to honour my commitment. Would she?<br /><br />I would be pleased to have a long, loving marriage like my parents have. They have been married approximately as long as I have been alive, and it shows no signs whatsoever of dissolving. I could perhaps be fortunate enough to find a woman I would spend the rest of my life with, but the probability is not exactly promising, especially in the West. This tragic situation is one of the prime reasons behind my unwavering contempt for feminism.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1155672517418326592006-08-15T19:17:00.000+00:002006-08-19T05:20:38.890+00:00Why I am a monarchist<p>Undoubtedly, some readers of this blog are curious as to how I came to be a monarchist. I endeavour to satisfy this curiosity.<br /><br />What was I before? Like many others, I was conservative in my political philosophy and also a believer in representative forms of government. I still am quite conservative, perhaps even more so than many so-called "right-wingers" today.<br /><br />What changed? I came to question and ultimately reject the cherished beliefs held by so many infatuated with representative government such as <a href="http://lord-feverstone.blogspot.com/2006/08/on-equality.html">equality</a>, <a href="http://lord-feverstone.blogspot.com/2006/08/on-equal-opportunity.html">equal opportunity</a> and <a href="http://lord-feverstone.blogspot.com/2006/08/on-truth-and-monarchy.html">majority rule</a>. Very disturbing to me is the tendency of representative governments to march ceaselessly to socialism, world government and the accompanying elimination of national borders. Very few politicians in these representative governments are alarmed at this; in fact, they are some of the most influential, enthusiastic proponents of such rot. Who in power truly cares about preserving culture, borders and national distinctiveness?<br /><br />Why do I favour monarchy in particular? I would suppose a monarch would be less likely to surrender his sovereignty, even if only for reasons of self-interest, to some internationalist despots than his representative equivalents. The dynastic nature of monarchy provides some degree of stability and forward-thinking, since a monarch would like to have his name and house live on; a representative is elected only for terms and can build successful campaigns on poorly conceived "quick-fixes." The grandeur and opulence associated with monarchy are also quite appealing. Remember this form of government is thousands of years old and has been proven throughout history to work.<br /><br />While I could definitely add more, this should be sufficient. Some of the subjects broached in this article will likely be discussed at length in future articles. Once those are written, I will edit this to add the links in appropriate places.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1155543028538304432006-08-14T04:42:00.000+00:002006-12-25T06:42:39.800+00:00On the Futility of Life<p>Some undoubtedly think someone as young as I am should brimming with hope and optimism. Alas, I possess neither.<br /><br />In my years, I notice people engaging in the same routine every day. Every year of their lives just leaves them older with the few constants being pain, sorrow, work, taxes and bills. Sound appealing? I thought not. What makes it better to live such a life than to live no life at all?<br /><br />The successful and the unsuccessful perish. The rich and the poor perish. The healthy and the sick perish. The strong and the weak perish. If one gains the whole world, what profit will it be to him in death? If one accumulates innumerable possessions, what profit will they be to him in death? If one acquires great strength, what profit will it be to him in death?<br /><br />To what end do I toil and endure? Why do I rise in the morning? What makes the misery worthwhile?<br /><br />What has my life thus far amounted to? Very, very little. I behold myself in the mirror and state, "So this is what I have become." I hate seeing former teachers or schoolmates when I am on the job...or anywhere for that matter, since they unwittingly remind me of my failure; with all of the potential people say they see in me and my distinguished academic career, I am ashamed to be where I am. Truly, I could have become more than what I am today, and this knowledge torments me. I could have had a family of my own by now, a house and decently compensating employment. But what am I now? A bachelor who has never dated working a job where the pay and the frustration prove inversely proportional in a decidedly negative fashion. I no longer have the charisma I once had in public speaking, which I discovered after taking a required speech course at my new school after the fateful "Spring Break" of 2001; I found watching the video of my speeches to be deeply disappointing.<br /><br />I start my last class on the 23rd of this month, but I wish it was over now. I hoped in the past if I was still in school at this time of life, I would be on my way to a Ph.D., not a bloody Bachelor's degree. The degree will prove to be more highly esteemed by other people, particularly employers, than myself; it is just an overrated, expensive piece of paper to me. I can and do learn just fine outside the confines of a university campus, which by no means has a monopoly on knowledge.<br /><br />What do I have which makes my presence in this world meaningful? In my honest opinion, I have only one asset, my mind. Are there greater minds out there? Of course there are, so what I have to offer is hardly much; it is not as if I have unlocked the secrets of the universe and shared them. My outlook on life is obviously not rosy, so I do not exactly give off an infectious zest for life. I have provided some modest amounts of encouragement and levity to others occasionally, but these could be performed with greater frequency and efficacy by others.<br /><br />Will my outlook on life ever improve? Perhaps, but it will never happen sans adequate justification. <br /><br />Will life ever be more than an exercise in futility? If so, when? I long to live, not merely exist.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1155320719641230632006-08-11T17:15:00.000+00:002006-08-11T18:29:37.976+00:00On Equal Opportunity<p>Here is my article on equality: <a href="http://lord-feverstone.blogspot.com/2006/08/on-equality.html">On Equality</a>.<br /><br />One might inquire, "Lord Feverstone, I concede there is no equality between persons, but what are your thoughts on equal opportunity?"<br /><br />Can anyone say truly equal opportunity exists? Suppose a community hosts a no-charge-for-admission function open to the public. Is that truly equal opportunity for all? What if I live on the other side of the planet? Do I have equal opportunity to attend that function as someone who lives in that community? Would it be feasible for the community to send invitations to every person in the world? And what of the issue of many different languages? Does anyone seriously think this community is going to translate the invitation for everyone's native language and ensure everyone the world over receives an invitation they can read? For that matter, do they ensure those who are blind receive braille invitations? If they decide to give the invitation online, what of the people who do not have access to a computer and an internet connection? If they decide to give the invitation via television, what of those who do not have access to one? If this community would be able to give the message to everyone in the world and allow sufficient time for everyone to arrive, would there be sufficient space to accommodate everyone? Of course not! The community function is not a true example of equal opportunity.<br /><br />Should there be equal opportunity? As my example above illustrates, it is quite impractical and inefficient. But what of equal opportunity to everyone who can apply for a job opening, for example? If the employer tries to give equal consideration to all who apply, there is no one stopping him. What if the employer is discriminatory? It is his time, money and assets on the line. If he only wants to hire polka-playing Eskimos, that is his affair. If his business fails because of poor hiring policies, again, that is his affair. I do not advocate any "Equal Opportunity" commissions or bureaucracies in my ideal monarchy.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1155240376177175702006-08-10T13:43:00.000+00:002006-08-10T20:17:52.600+00:00On My Experiences with Bullying<p>Bullying started in earnest for me in the sixth grade and lasted even into my first college experience. <br /><br />Before High School, I remember getting slammed into the locker on a few occasions and being stabbed in the back of my head with a pencil. I do not remember much else except gratuitous verbal harassment.<br /><br />In High School, the bullying dissipated somewhat. It mainly consisted of verbal harassment.<br /><br />When I was staying in a dorm at the first college I attended (which happened to be a Christian college), I was not beaten except for a head-butting incident. I also received my fill of verbal harassment there.<br /><br />One night while I was staying up to type a term paper and another smaller paper, I remember someone might have had a book I would find useful as a source. Perhaps I should have chosen to inquire of someone else, because not long after I entered the room there was a brief verbal exchange about who knows what between me and the perpetrator of the aforementioned head-butting incident who did not even live in that room to begin with. Within a moment, he had me pinned to the side of the bed with his legs over my shoulders. He eventually let me up about two hours later, but he would not let me escape. Finally, the RA for that floor opened the door and I was free to leave. After I returned to my room, it took me about half of an hour to get back to work. Thankfully, I still had time enough to finish those papers before they were due.<br /><br />My bullying experience was not confined to school; I also experienced a particularly unpleasant incident of it at a fast-food establishment in which I once was employed. One particularly disagreeable fellow was reading something on the wall and I either asked him a question or made a statement to him; I do not remember what I said, but I am sure it did not warrant his response, which involved grabbing me by the wrists and slamming me against the wall behind me. He then proceeded to throw me into a wall and other objects. Whenever I rose again, he would immediately grab me and throw me again. Since this area we were in was in the back, it was out of view of others. After a few minutes of this, a female manager and then another employee finally came back to investigate; consequently, this disagreeable fellow stopped throwing me around. When I was in the office, the manager asked me if I was alright; I had a few bruises but nothing more to show for it.<br /><br />The bullying coupled with the anger it provoked in me eventually led to leaving that college. The school officials thought I "needed help" because they did not think I was sleeping or eating enough and that I played too many computer games, etc. My grades were quite good; I had a 3.82/4.0 GPA and had some great scholarships. Nevertheless, I spent my Spring Break of 2001 in the psychiatric wing of a hospital feeling deeply bitter and betrayed. I did not really find out what my parents were told until after the fact. I ended up being diagnosed with a "delusional disorder" while I was there; I certainly did not imagine what happened to me then or in the past. From my hospital room, I gazed out onto the world and proclaimed I was saner than a great deal of the "normal" people going about their business. This was a crushing blow far worse than any I had sustained from the hands of a bully. I was deceived by my parents and by the school; I was led to believe they wanted me to take a break from school for the rest of the semester. It turns out the school officials thought I was "dangerous" and that they did not know what I would do if I discovered the truth. What poppycock! If I was so bloody dangerous, the bullies certainly did not appear afraid of me. To top it off, I was anorexic for a while. I hardly weighed little more at the time I left the school than the lowest weight I was able to attain. I had always been quite a weakling. On my diet, I lost much of the very little strength I had. I was too weak to be realistically considered "dangerous."<br /><br />Once my parents discovered more of the truth of what really happened, they regretted the part they played and concluded the school did me wrong. The situation could have been handled differently and a more satisfactory conclusion could have been reached.<br /><br />Why was I bullied? I can only offer a few hypotheses. Some undoubtedly found my manner of speech to be exceedingly formal and hence peculiar to their ears. Some undoubtedly concluded my interests such as chess (I played over 100 informal games in High School and won every time excepting a couple of games where I made a careless mistake), reading, writing, etc. to be atypical for a school-age lad. Some undoubtedly found me to be an easy target since I was (and still am) so weak; they understandably had no reason to fear attacking or provoking me. Indeed, I have more hypotheses, but these shall suffice for now.<br /><br />After this business was over, I considered two years of my life to be completely wasted. I started to pursue my current major in Spring of 2002. Since my previous coursework was quite different than the current coursework, it was like I started over again. I came to hate school more than ever before, but I still excelled. I have maintained a perfect GPA since then; I have received my share of academic honours and recognition, but I find it all to be quite empty, insignificant.<br /><br />I wish those two years of disgrace, failure and pain never happened. Likewise, I wish the related incidents throughout many years of my life never happened. I wish my life proceeded differently. The end result, after 25 years of living, is this pointless, thoroughly displeasing existence.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30950321.post-1155057168214927072006-08-08T17:12:00.000+00:002006-10-05T16:16:45.076+00:00On Equality<p>In Western society, one word often heard is "equality." I would wager most Westerners are at least nominal egalitarians after hearing how reverently they speak of it and those they claim "fight" for it.<br /><br />Is equality a comfortable myth or verifiable fact?<br /><br />In the context of mathematics and related disciplines, there is no doubt in my mind equality is a reality. If a + 5 is equal to b + 5, then a is equal to b. From henceforth, I shall refer to this as quantitative equality. A qualitative equality, which I believe most people refer to when speaking of equality between persons, strikes me as quite arbitrary, sentimental and unprovable.<br /><br />Can one prove person a is quantitatively equal to person b? I cannot see how it can be done. Supposing person A is stronger than person B and person B is smarter than person A, does it mean each person's advantage balances the other's and they are therefore equals? No, there are differences in scale to advantages and there are far more abilities and weaknesses to be considered; furthermore, not all abilities have equal utility.<br /><br />One might object like so: "Lord Feverstone, the utility of abilities is defined by the context. For example, if a soldier is strong and battle-hardened, this ability is of greater utility in that situation than the culinary skills he lacks."<br /><br />I would answer by saying situations where one ability is emphasised does not happen in equal frequency to situations where another ability is emphasised.<br /><br />What point am I making? There is no way to prove one person is equal to another. There is no balance sheet and point-value systems which can demonstrate equality. I therefore conclude equality between persons is a comfortable myth.<br /><br />Western governments are dominated by representative forms of government, whether it be in the form of a republic or a consitutional monarchy. At the heart of representative government is the assumption all are equal. Many object to authoritarian systems of government such as absolute monarchy by saying it does not honour "equality." After all, they also think voting is a right. Since an absolute monarchy does not involve proclaiming and enforcing "equality" let alone voting, they conclude it to be an oppressive, illegitimate form of government.<br /><br />What is oppressive about recognising the obvious fact there are exceptionally-gifted people in the world? What is illegitimate about rejecting the preposterous notion the ill-informed and the informed should be given equal say over how the government is to be run?<br /><br />Even if "equality" can be proven, what difference does it make whether I or anyone else give my assent to it or not? As in <a href="http://lord-feverstone.blogspot.com/2006/08/on-truth-and-monarchy.html">On Truth and Monarchy</a>, I stated truth is objective. Just because I am not a true believer in equality, does it mean I treat people like dirt? Absolutely not! God treats us all <em>far, far better</em> than we deserve, and He certainly does not regard us as being equal to Himself. There are people in the world who regard others more highly than they do themselves, and they treat such people accordingly. Of course, there are definitely many resentful of those they think are better than themselves. As one can conclude, belief in equality is no prerequisite to treating people well.<br /><br />I am a believer in what Jesus says in Luke 12:48: <blockquote>For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required...</blockquote><br />A related verse is found in James 3:1: <blockquote>My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.</blockquote><br />When God gives gifts and responsibilities, He expects them to be used wisely. When He returns, will we be found to be good stewards of what He has entrusted to our care? Needless to say, there will be consequences for mismanagement, so we should live our lives in that knowledge. What really matters is not whether we are "equal," but whether we live our lives as God intends.</p>Lord Feverstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259227613161977210noreply@blogger.com1