Satanic Verses

 SATANIC VERSES

Salman Rushdie

Books for Bigots

How do we proceed in talking about SATANIC VERSES?  It has been established by Fatwa that bigots not only will not enjoy this novel, but should not read it.  I'm not sure of the consequences if one simply admits to reading it; I can only assume there might be some.  The Ayatollah Khomani declared a Fatwa against the book including the demand that Rushdie, his publisher and editors be killed.  Not a happy thought for those who might be inclined to read it.

It is not an easy book to read either: it takes you many places, you meet many characters, and it bounces from plot line to plot line which seems to be a normal manner of proceeding when this book was written in 1988 and then there is Saladin morphing into a goat and Gabreel an angel.  I'm not sure of the reason for this bouncing about but it does occur rather frequently in our modern novels.  Are our lives as disconnected from one aspect to another as they are portrayed to be?  I don't admit to that.

Considering this book had a world-wide impact, I have no excuse for not reading it sooner, but now I can admit publicly that I have read at least one, currently banned book.  Our religious brethren have always had difficulty with books.  I don't believe the Catholic Church's Index of Banned Books was officially dissolved until 1966 after four hundred years or so of its attempt to keep the faithful from reading books.  The early Christians not  only destroyed books but those who possessed them.  Hence the paucity of knowledge from antiquity.

One must realize that most active anti-book people are motivated by one religion or another.  The reason should be obvious; books contain ideas.  Ideas are not objects as such, but  have the ability to engage people in thought: always anathema.

Your religion gives you a set of beliefs.  The first premise of this set of beliefs is their truth.  To be a follower of a particular religious doctrine, one must believe it is inherently true and no other belief or doctrine is.  Belief has no factual basis hence it is incontrovertible - but at the same time easy to develop since no facts are involved. As a result,  religious beliefs can pop up just about anywhere.   The most significant danger to a belief is another belief; hence the war on books which has endured since writing first began.

Rushdie's book has the ability to make one consider one's beliefs simply by presenting various characters and activities and the effects religion has on them.  And then there are those who try to live and maintain in a land requiring belief; those who simply are trying to get by, who don't buy in, but simply want to go about their business without someone ordering them about.

Islam is not the subject of this book, it is simply described as it is and its effect on the lives of the people who adopt it (admittedly a little satire thrown in).  A portrayal of a belief through the people believing and its effect on others is sufficient to send a message to the reader that all is not what it purports to be.  Bigots understand this.  Do not read anything that even hints of difference in belief or of no belief or of anti-belief and for sure don't create characters who don't believe or say things not in keeping with the proclaimed faith which is the case in Satanic Verses.

Not much was actually said here about the book itself, but it did not need to be said when considering it as a Book for Bigots.  It is not a book for Bigots, even though they would not know what they are reading in any event.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo

Vineland

 VINELAND

Thomas Pynchon

Books for Bigots

Thomas Pynchon has traveled to northern Californai to inhabit the land of the pot growing community, the hippie residue, the various sorts of non-conforming Californians plus the federal government in the form of Brock Vond and his federal troops in the war on weed - marijana back then. 

Vietnam, not far behind, and the residue of the vast number of those who protested, marched and did large amounts of illegal substances during and after are now running for cover or working for the feds.  The cultural life appears to be the local pubs with local bands playing oldies always with the threat of the feds showing up to burn down the current crop of marijuana growing in the hills.  And, of course, setting up Zoyd for an arrest which concluded with an understanding that Frenesi's daughter, Prairie, would not be a part of Frenesi's life so as not to interfere with her relationship with Brock.  This was apparently ok with Frenesi.

It was interesting to see that pot growing was definitely a community endeavor.  When the threat of federal terrorism became apparent, the entire community became involved in saving as much of the product as could be saved, not much different from any farming community's effort in saving their source of income from disaster - a loss to the entire community.

Clearly, the author had a view of the DEA that was not the best.  Led by Brock Vond, it was unclear whether Vond was actually working for the DEA or was using the DEA to fulfill his desires both amorous and financial.  His main goal appears to be in bedding Frenesi Gates, the wife or ex-wife of Zoyd Wheeler and the mother of Prairie Wheeler both of whom she abandoned to work for the feds and to be bedded by Brock Vond.  

There is much in this book that would not be well-received by  the traditional Bigot.  Protesting, ingesting illegal substances, casual intercourse, a life-style of just getting by, all would be of concern to the normal rule-following Bigot.  The traditional, church-going, god-fearing American family does not appear here nor would they be welcome. 

Pynchon does throw in an interesting bunch of people, the Thanatoids for example - those addicted to and which require continued  television viewing as the necessary element of their existence.  They have to have it and spend their time watching whatever appears there.  Remember this was before CNN and Fox - - more like Leave It to Beaver or Gilligen's Island.

The Leave It to Beaver and Gilligen's Island would fit right in with the life of a Bigot but when portrayed as an anomaly and as a group of people who have simply bailed out altogether and spend their time watching inane TV, not so much.  Righteousness takes few forms, but always includes being busy doing God's work and maintaining  the proper family and community life of the obedient.  The Thanatoids have bailed out, hence not acceptable. 

Of course, through all the trauma and plot twists comes a woman by the call letters of DL who is a master tai kwondo/karate person who has the ability to kill you slowly with a certain, very lethal, movement to the body not clearly delineated.  DL and Frenesi were once pals in the movement before Frenesi became the employee, lover, and companion of Brock.  DL, with her superhuman tae kwan do powers has taken up with Prairie and Tahishe, a Japanese guy who has a somewhat mystical part in the book.  If the book has a heroine, DL is it.

Altogether one would find VINELAND a good read, keeps you interested, and ends well for all except for maybe Brock.  Bigots though, not so much.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo

It Had to Be

 IT HAD TO BE

Well, we've finally learned the real story.  Biden is responsible for screwworms in Texas.  Screwworms are those worms that eat cows - very concerning.  Apparently these worms came from Mexico in the form of the screwworm fly.  As with many insects, worms first had to be in the form of a flying insect.

Since screwworms are flying insects, they often evade the border patrol along the US-Mexican border.  Under Biden, apparently, our immigration officials, local authorities, and such made little or no effort to deny access to the United States of these nefarious insects.  No differentiation was made between one insect and another; no distinction was made between one species and another and because of this lack of concern we now have this issue. 

As a result of this very lax enforcement, we now have cows in Texas being eaten by screwworms.  It is up to the current administration to act and act promptly to eradicate this menace.  It is properly a function of ICE now and with all this new funding, surely the issue of the screwworm can be resolved.  With a new $70,000,000,000 to work with, we can resolve the issue with new policies and rapid enforcement.  Do not allow these flies across the border!  Stop illegal entry!

Now you say, hey wait a minute!  How do you keep a fly from crossing the Rio Grande?  Well, you know they come in at night, coming in low, evading the radar.  We simply weren't prepared for this onslaught and it's Biden's fault for not getting the equipment we needed, where it was needed, when it was needed.  

The current Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, was quite clear though; the drug cartels have had a role to play in this new menace as well, but only because Biden didn't do anything about them either. Unfortunately, the Secretary did not elaborate on the methods by which the cartels assisted in importing this menace to Texas.   I suppose that information is classified. 

The Secretary did suggest that these insects may not have just flown in but were brought in by illegal immigrants with dogs.  After all, a dog could have been infected as it swam the Rio Grande or hid in the back of a semi.  Reading of current events one can always gain some new knowledge, can't one?  Who would have thought illegal immigrants were bringing their pets with them?

Once again lax enforcement due directly to Biden's lack of concern for the health of the cows of Texas is clearly responsible for this crisis.  There is no escaping the facts and of all people the current Secretary of Agriculture should know and have the data to support any supposition of blame.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo

The Kybo Solution

THE KYBO SOLUTION

As I have often confessed, I am a criminal defense attorney. I am familiar with many if not most of who are termed the "homeless" citizens of Newton.  One of the reasons that I always found jury trials interesting, and not just for the defendant, but for the community, was for the jurors  to learn just how many people in their community are "homeless".  They have no idea until they see it for themselves and are required to listen to the witnesses, many of whom are indeed homeless currently,  have been homeless in the past, or soon will be.

But to partially alleviate the lack of housing, a new housing option has arisen: storage units.  I have recently determined that at least three of my clients are residing in storage units.  Normally these have electricity so a denizen of such a facility can charge his phone or have a light of some kind.   Both very helpful.

One must confess that a storage unit is probably preferable to a tent, especially with electricity available.  This leads me to the subject of this article however - - kybos.  The city should either rent or purchase kybos for placement in various locations throughout Newton.  A leading complaint about the "homeless" is they bother both homeowners and business owners looking for a place to go to the bathroom.  Currently a person seen going to the bathroom in public will be arrested.  And if you are arrested, the probability is that you will lose all the stuff you have been able to accumulate during your homelessness.  This benefits no one.

Hey, you might even have a jogger or two as an appreciative user  and there are folks out there working on our streets, building houses, pouring concrete, shingling roofs that could use a place to pee occasionally as well.  It's just not the "homeless" you would be helping out here.  You know, guys setting a pole for the light company have needs as well.  

I can't imagine a kybo wearing out very fast.  It's relatively cheap and would be something that would be an actual benefit to the many citizens of Newton who find themselves in need of immediate relief from whatever cause.  This should be put on the agenda for the next city council meeting and acted upon directly.  It is a no-lose issue.  It would be of immense benefit to my clients who have to bother an acquaintance to find a place to defecate when, after all,  it may be of some urgency.  It would alleviate much personal suffering.

To repeat, Newton has a large number of "homeless" people  - many of whom are available to discuss these issues, if you are so inclined - on the third floor of the courthouse on a Wednesday morning.  Most with a little prompting will be willing to engage in conversation.  If they can make it to court on a Wednesday morning, most do, they are at least getting by with only occasional stints in the county jail. 

Richard E H Phelps II

 

What We Call Crime

 WHAT WE CALL CRIME

What we call crime changes regularly or I should say added to.  Our current emphases have been with us for a while:  money, sex, drugs.  Many forms of obtaining money, engaging in sexual activities, or the ingestion of substances that make you feel different from how you normally feel are deemed criminal.  

I know these things because I represent the people who are determined to be  criminals: those engaging in activities that the people in charge deem to be "not acceptable".  A civilized society has always determined that there are some activities that are simply not to be allowed.  I like to refer to Old England, the medieval England, where there were few crimes, but those were pretty self-explanatory and clearly proper.  

Where personal property was hard to find and impossible to replace, stealing it was a serious matter.  Then there were the standard crimes of rape, assault and battery, murder and a few others thought necessary to live in peace and harmony with one another.  One really couldn't find complaint in these crimes - any decent society would have the same.

But here, in the States we have thousands of crimes and we are deemed to know them.  Not knowing them is not a defense.  Tough luck if you do something that is considered criminal.   And since there are thousands of crimes and police everywhere, criminal defense is a profession with opportunity.  I am very fortunate in my choice of professions - that of criminal defense attorney.  Always busy.

The people we elect to represent us, our legislators -  this seems to apply to all legislatures - make new crimes every year, but then they wonder why crime is increasing (in their mind it is always increasing) and it is for a very simple reason.  If there are more crimes, there are more criminals.  One would think that enough is enough already, but no - there is never enough crime.  When one looks for justification in all these new crimes, one has to wonder what is the purpose.  The drug crimes deserve special attention though.  Why is the ingestion of a particular substance illegal and worth many years in prison including substances that are required to be prescribed?

The reason is that "drugs" ruin lives; and consequently, if you are determined to ruin your life, our legislatures have decided it  will be ruined by prison, not illegal substances.  You'll have to admit nothing ruins a life quicker than incarceration.  This is uncontrovertible - - jail is detrimental.  At least if you were getting high, you were enjoying yourself - having a decent experience hopefully.  There is not much that is enjoyable in jail.  

Having considerable association with people who use methamphetamine or other substances determined to be either illegal or illegally obtained, I believe I have a relatively objective view of this situation.  I have known and currently know hundreds of people who are presumably committing daily criminal acts by ingesting things the possession of which is deemed criminal.  They all seem pretty normal to me and not particularly ruined.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo

Homelessness

 HOMELESSNESS

I'm sorry, but I object to these fruitless discussions about homelessness.  If some person or persons live in a camper beside the road or in a tent in a park, they are not homeless.  Their homes are in a camper beside the road or in a tent in the park.  Simply because they don't have two bedrooms and two bathrooms and a kitchen does not qualify them as homeless.

Once again, some city council person complained about some guy with a grocery basket full of his worldly goods hanging out in various places, normally close to a fast food dumpster.  After all, a guy has to eat and there usually is plenty of food found in various dumpsters.  You just have to know where to look.  This guy is perfectly content which, usually, is the real cause of the city council person's complaint.

These people are not homeless; they simply have habitation habits not consistent with yours.  If they wanted to work at some menial job for minimum wage so they can afford some dump called an apartment, they can do so.  Hardie's, Burger King, McDonald's, KFC are all hiring all the time.  Go ask and you will receive.  Pretty simple really.

What we really object to is that these people object.  They object to our expectations.  We have come to expect that since we spend our lives in activities that in no way benefit us except in cash so that we can eke out an existence from a job that may be gone next week, they should have to do the same.  After all, we just signed a humongous loan to buy a $350,000 house that will be gone in the first windstorm and will cost me any  money I might  accumulate in insurance costs to reimburse me from that first windstorm.

I saw a photo of the campers lining the ocean side streets of Malibu with a huge smile.  These people have it made - - beautiful climate, leisure, ocean on one side and a road to town on the other.  What more could one ask for?  What is even more delectable: the multi-million dollar mansions across the street, most of which are only inhabited by the people who take care of them, have owners worth millions if not billions who hate those people littering the neighborhoods in which they have invested, causing a depreciation in the value of their very expensive houses.

It's not that these people are missing out on anything important.  What do most of us do anyway at home besides finding something to eat, go to the bathroom, either watch TV or surf the net after dinner, and then take some medication to help us sleep another night.  Oh, I forgot, mow the yard and wash the car that you owe $40,000 on.  What's so great about that when I can do exactly the same thing (no mowing or washing) by the ocean without huge loans to pay on every month.  If you need a little extra cash for a vacation, just drop in to the local Pizza Hut for a few weeks and wait some tables.  It's all good.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo

What's Next?

 WHAT'S NEXT?

If one were to pay attention to current developments, one would realize that there are, at a minimum, two things that will change our lives immensely and these two things are   not material:  they exist only electronically.  These two things are AI and quantum computers.  But, they will affect every aspect of our lives.

Let's talk quantum computers first.  These will be with us shortly, within a decade.  From what one reads, these computers will be millions of times faster than traditional computers: the computers that we have had now for approximately 80 years.  If one were to stop and look, one can see for oneself that the computer as we know it has changed the world we live and work in.  It is not the same world as it was before the advent of computers.  Now we will have a method of computing that is unimaginable and our lives will change dramatically because of it.

The human species, us, have with difficulty, been able to adjust to all innovations.  Innovations have always, and presumably always will, benefit some and destroy others.  The industrial revolution is our model for the effects that technology has had. There is no  reason to believe that the future will be different.

The second development, which is occurring now, is AI.  AI will be all-encompassing.  Being a criminal defense attorney, I see it already in the mischievous use of AI to defame, terrify and simply annoy others.  What AI will do to a population that spends its time online can not be adequately digested.  

An acquaintance said to me:  "I went on ChatGPT to find some interesting things to do in Des Moines:  that I could do with my eight year old.  My friend didn't call up an acquaintance, someone in the neighborhood, a cousin or other human being to help find something to do for the evening.  He used AI; he used an electronic knowledge bank.  I was not privy to the results of this effort.

But to think of AI, is not to analyse the result of a query,  but to think of the effect it will have on us as people or as friends, acquaintances, fellow workers, etc.  I no longer need to call Fred to discuss some matter or for suggestions and ideas, I use AI.  Who needs Fred when I have ChatGPT?

So what do you say!  So you don't need Fred anymore, so what?  Is there any reason even to know Fred?  And how are decisions to be made and how will these decisions affect others?  Where is the best place to rob a store?  What is the best way to liquidate a rival?  How was the decision to attack Iran made; was it a person or was it ChatGPT?  

Let's say a major decision has been made using ChatGPT and that decision has had consequences not envisioned nor beneficial, but devastating.  Who do we blame?  Who do we hold accountable?  What this really comes down to is that we need to start thinking about these things collectively.  Our legislatures, rather than worrying about someone being transgender or a book in the library depicting a gay teenager, might start considering how we are going to deal with the tremendous societal changes that are coming through quantum computing and AI and others we may not even be aware of. 

Our lives are going to change and we need to think about what will be happening to us and the people we care about.  This should be a collective effort.

Richard E H Phelps II
Mingo