Category: General

ESP has many meanings. The two most scientific descriptions of this would be:
“Something of which a Human can percieve but is not detectable with the ‘Five Senses’.”
Or, the expanded version “Something of which a Human can percieve but is not detectable with modern scientific apparatus.” When ESP appears in television or books, it is often accompanied with the trappings of mysticism. I suppose that is only natural, for as Aurther C Clark said, “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” The truth is that we just haven’t learned the mechanism, and therefore we can’t devise equipment to detect the presense of such activity.

For me, ESP means doing something incredible to impress dates. 🙂

From 1994 to 1995 I lived in a second floor apartment in a converted victorian in San Francisco. For a few months there was a guy living below me named Trevor. Trevor liked to listen to very loud music. So loud that when my room mate Robin would go down and kick his door Trevor wouldn’t even hear it. Trevor’s ears were for shit. His mind, on the other hand, could hear whispers.

One night the music was loud and I was tired. I started to think about how if the music didn’t quiet down soon I was going to have to go down there, and I wasn’t going to kick on the door. Silence. The music was turned off. I’m sure I dnd’t even think about it that first time. But then, every time I would find myself thinking about my threshold before I was going to go down there the music would silence. It never failed, either to work or to impress dates.

I never did ask Trevor about the timing of his turning off his music. It was never at the same time, but it was always when I thought about my annoyance. I just kind of took the situation for granted. Silly me.

boiled in lead – no passenger lyrics
From the album songs from the gypsy

Walkin’ down an empty street in a city I don’t know
Whistlin something catchy as I make my way through snow.
Ain’t got no gloves so I keep my hands balled up in fists;
I’m tryin’ not to think how it all came down to this.
I been searching for a sparrow in a city full of wrens
I been asking for the cost so I can make amends
I been waiting for the questions so my answers will make sense
I been looking for the way home but the snow is much too dense.
They said “Why are you here?” I said, “I’m doin’ time
Cause I’m willing to break laws but I won’t commit no crime.”
If there’s more to making choices than luck and happenstance,
I hope I do it right next time I get the chance.
This city seems so cold, and it isn’t just the wind.
I would be easy to say, “I’m here because I sinned.”
I’m here because someday someone will need a ride
And I’ll throw away my drink and say, “The coach awaits outside.”

Listening to this album on a loop day after day on the way to and from work built me up for the move to Tampa. I wonder if it works in reverse?

I was talking with my friend Mike recently, and we hit the topic of politics. I said that I was voting for Kerry because, while I despise the ‘two-party system’ we have, I feel that Bush is a bad President and needs to be removed. Mike is voting for the Libertarian candidate; because, while voting for Kerry is the Lesser of Two Evils, that would still be voting for evil.

Unfortunately, there is a difference between Theory and Practice. While I would ideally vote Libertarian I believe that in Practice that vote would be wasted. At this time, there are simply not enough Libertarian votes to win an election, and my vote will not breed other votes. If my party has no possible chance of winning then my vote will not affect the outcome of the election. So, in Practice, I will continue to espouse Libertarian principles in order to spread awareness of a worthy third party and I will vote for Kerry because Bush must go. I’m going to vote for the lesser of two Evils because in this particular battle Good doesn’t have a chance in Hell of winning.

If one really wants to avoid a choice of the lesser of two evils, then you must positively act to make that third option a reality. Simply casting a vote for a third party on Election Day is a token gesture. It’s like lottery tickets: a way of appeasing the masses who want to be rich but who don’t want to work for it. The people who really want that third option to become a reality are out working for change.

Yes, I’m voting for the Lesser of Two Evils; but I honestly believe that in doing so I have a better chance of removing the Greater of Two Evils.