Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn’t have to do it himself.

— A. H. Weiler

On the concerns of who makes laws and why, and the truth of what they can and cannot control…

You delight in laying down laws,
Yet you delight more in breaking them.

[…]

But what of those to whom life is not an ocean, and man-made laws are not sand-towers,
But to whom life is a rock, and the law a chisel with which they would carve it in their own likeness?
What of the cripple who hates dancers?
What of the ox who loves his yoke and deems the elk and deer of the forest stray and vagrant things?
What of the old serpent who cannot shed his skin, and calls all others naked and shameless?
And of him who comes early to the wedding-feast, and when over-fed and tired goes his way saying that all feasts are violation and all feasters lawbreakers?

[…]

People of Orphalese, you can muffle the drum, and you can loosen the strings of the lyre, but who shall command the skylark not to sing?

With this post I am starting a new weekly routine here called “Free association.”  Some of you may recognize that term while others may not.  Let me explain:

Free association is described as a “psychonanalytic procedure in which a person is encouraged to give free rein to his or her thoughts and feelings, verbalizing whatever comes into the mind without monitoring its content.” Over time, this technique is supposed to help bring forth repressed thoughts and feelings that the person can then work through to gain a better sense of self.

I would agree with that explanation of the process, but I am not starting this weekly post in an attempt to analyze myself — or my readership.  I simply cannot take me that seriously, nor should you.  Life is too short to spend over analyzing our own existence.  Spend that time living instead and the journey will be a blessing rather than a curse.

In the spirit of entertainment, I will be following the weekly free association posts at Unconscious Mutterings.  Each week I will post the updated terms along with my own responses.  You’re certainly more than welcome to play along in the comments if you so choose.

I will post the base phrases on the front page, but I will hide my answers below the fold (the “Continue reading…” link) so that your answers are not influenced by mine.  If you want to play along, copy and paste into the comments section and add your own associations.

Remember, the point is not to pause or consider your response to each item.  The correct answer is the first one that pops into your head no matter what it is.

Without further ado, here is the base for this week’s unconsciousness:

1. Stuffed::
2. Armstrong::
3. Bruise::
4. Content::
5. Musical::
6. Assistance::
7. Scrambling::
8. Battle::
9. Extended::
10. Discount::

Continue reading →

I had to take this one.  It is truly an enjoyable experience.  I laughed from beginning to end, and I believe you will as well.

This test is purely for fun, so keep that in mind.  I only took it twice: once with the correct answers and once with the best answers according to my sense of humor.  That is the result below.

When I took it providing the real answers, were one to take the test seriously, I also got the answer below.

I stopped taking the test.

You are an enzyme. You are powerful, dark,
variable, and can change many things at your
whim…even when they’re not supposed to be
changed. Bad you. You can be dangerous or
wonderful; it’s your choice.

Which Biological Molecule Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

This one is too fun to pass up.  Go.  Take it now.

[via Not Exactly Rocket Science]

PZ has an excellent post at Pharyngula that I think is worthy of mention.  It is an interesting response to what he found when he stumbled across a site called Christian Underground.  He links to it so I don’t have to (I wouldn’t anyway).

His response is excellent, but what he is responding to is disturbing — and also entertaining in a sadomasochistic way.  Are the people saying this not the very same people who are running and ruining the country, taking us backward in privacy, security, science, freedom (of all kinds), international relations, and a litany of other national and state horrors?  I think they are, and that is frightening.