I started my first blog quite a few years before the word “blog” was coined. Over time, I’m going to republish select blog posts here on this site. First up, an introductory essay from the June 1, 1996, edition of Crackerbox Palace.
I am officially a curmudgeon, albeit a relatively young one. For me, Life is a quivering cesspool of doom and despair, but some days are better than others. Here, I comment and expound on whatever topic my heart desires–politics, movies, that lovely shade of green new spring leaves are for about a half-hour in April. I suppose, though, that like any good commentator, I should warn you of my biases.
Politically, one could call me a centrist, a centrist generally being someone who doesn’t like to talk about politics, which is why one seldom hears from us. As I have gained a few years, however, I have begun to lean more and more to the liberal side of the street. One thing I truly cannot stand, though, are extremists to either the right or the left, even if I happen to agree with them. Generally speaking, I wouldn’t belong to any party that would have me as a member.
Religiously, I’m an atheist, at times stepping over into my own extremism and becoming an antitheist (someone who is not only without religion but is against it). Generally speaking, if people want to practice their religious beliefs and aren’t bothering anyone, fine; when religionists start trying to shove their beliefs down other people’s throats, though, I will oppose them absolutely.
As a writer, one can expect that I am a strong supporter of free speech. For the most part, I think even many of the generally accepted restrictions on free speech go too far.
I have nothing against capitalism; I rather like making money, actually, and do it whenever I can. However, I find consumerism–maintaining an economic system by squandering our resources producing junk no one either needs or wants, but is expected to consume mindlessly–to be an obscenity. Do we really need fifty brands of toothpaste, or laundry detergent, or any of the cheap crap they sell on the various home shopping cable channels? I don’t think so.
If I hear someone whining about how screwed up he is because Mommy and Daddy didn’t love him enough when he was a kid, I may just throw him up against the wall and slap him around a few times. Get over it. Get a life get a job put your clothes back on. Why, my parents didn’t particularly love me much when I was a kid, and look how I turned out. (Uh, on second thought, forget it. Never mind.)
Computationally, personally speaking, I am a complete and total, drooling- out- of- the- side- of- my- mouth and babbling Machead. I loathe Windows. I despise Windows. I wish there were more hours in the day so I could hate Windows more. Does Microsoft make a product that is not crap? If it has, I’ve never used it. My fondest hope is that, in ten years, no matter what platform we all use, both Microsoft and Windows are just unpleasant memories.
Culturally, I am pretty much of a geek, which means I like computers, comics, role-playing games, science fiction and fantasy, cheesy movies and Star Trek, and have the social skills of a constipated bear. Of course, I also like great literature, history, fine music, the arts, science and so on, so I suppose I can’t be all bad.
Basically, I have a lot of opinions about a lot of subjects and access to a Web server, and this Commentary section of Crackerbox Palace is where I will throw these opinions out into the aether. I’m perfectly happy to discuss any topic that anyone wants to discuss, as long as one is willing to discuss it rationally; just jump over to Communications and drop me a line. If the gist of your message is, “How dare you have an opinion that differs from mine? You suck!” though, don’t even bother to send it because I won’t even read it once I realize what it is. I refuse to be bothered by idiots who are not even capable of understanding a reasonable arguement, let along make one.
Take care.
L.