I Like My Internet Unfiltered

Something I always find difficult to convey to others is my love of existence. I’m not talking about existence existence, like us-being-here-on-this-planet existence (though that’s mighty cool and amazing, too, don’t get me wrong!), but rather that certain things do exist. Quite often this is in regards to things that most would find… well, unsavory. Deplorable. Depraved. Obscene. You get the idea.

You see, I like my internet unfiltered — my Google SafeSearch off, exposing the deep dark seedy underbelly. There is much that I have seen that cannot be unseen; much that is truly awful, disgusting, or sick; and even more that is raunchy, ribald, or risqué to an extreme. I take a small risk in even admitting all this.

Absence Might Be Stronger

I've never been particularly religious, but until about three or four years ago I had never really dove very deep into it to explore what I really thought and felt. Much of the dust of that inner search had settled long before I started this blog, which is why aside from brief mentions here and there I haven't written much yet about religion. Having settled into a sort of secular humanist approach to atheism (most likely strongly related to my core philosophy), I expect that trend of relative silence here on religion to mostly continue.

However, it isn't just that my immediate interest and search has ended. A lot of my silence also has to do, I think, with a certain passive approach I've noticed in myself. Having just written a piece on my core philosophy, I noticed the stark absence of anything remotely religious in there. This was not a conscious attempt, though it is perhaps less surprising I suppose since I generally don't have any religion in my life. But I almost think this is more profound in the long term.

My Core Philosophy

I talk often about and freely align myself with libertarianism and naturally gravitate to organizations, news, and people that also share it. I find it to be a perfectly fine and accurate summary of my philosophy, it has the benefit of being the most well-known term (though still not necessarily a house-hold name) which aids in communicating, and it carries no (to my knowledge) adverse social stigma, such as atheist does in the theological realm.

Still, to anyone that actually professes libertarian philosophy or, such as myself, envelopes themselves in its history and thinking a lot as an interest, the term is still surprisingly vague. Many flavors and approaches exist, some from moral foundations and others from practical theories. It is surprisingly open-ended on how and why you end up promoting liberty.

Using the WPF Task Dialog Wrapper in an MVVM Application

There's been a mini-flurry lately surrounding my WPF Task Dialog wrapper/emulator combo I blogged and posted about on CodeProject last year. Mostly bug fixes, which I'm happy to try to tackle, and I appreciate that people seem to actually be using it (else how would they find these bugs?). It's given me a little boost of incentive to possibly do some actual new features and improvements.

Bonding

On Nov. 8th, we'll be voting in Arkansas to approve a bond for the Highway Dept. so that they can fund massive interstate projects (either to repair existing or lay new interstate roads).

On paper, it doesn't sound that bad. Roads, and the interstate ones in particular, are some of the more libertarian-friendly functions of the gub'mint.

It will most likely be approved overwhelmingly, as the ol' Governor got to repeat several times (and slowly, I'm sure, for us laymen are a bit dumb at times) how it involves no new or increased taxes (!). He also got to pose with folks from both the Republican and Democratic parties of our legislature.

Frankly, unanimous agreement like that between the parties and between the branches is a major red flag to me. But I'm trying hard not to come off as a complete contrarian.

The money comes from the federal level and it is done through something called GARVEE bonds. I had to look it up, too, don't feel bad. Anyway, it's FHWA money, hence the "no new or increased taxes" mantra.

But you know, I kinda like how some governors rejected federal stimulus dollars a few years back. I like the idea that just because they're opening up the national coffers you don't immediately suckle from the teat like a starving lamb. It makes us as a state more self-sustaining, as we take on only what we can pay for ourselves without robbing the rest of these United States to do it. "A fool and his money are soon parted" and all that, I know. But still, why can't we take the high road and say no thanks?

But, much as before, none of my moralizing will matter, and this thing will pass. I'll try to look surprised when the final statistics on the dismal voter turnout are released.