Kort Explores conundrums of the human condition

The Big Bang initially generated a billion times more matter than exists in our current universe. However, it also generated almost the same amount of antimatter, with the result that nearly all of the matter created by the Big Bang was immediately annihilated by contact with antimatter, releasing a flash of energy as particles removed each other from the universe after a spectacular but exceedingly brief existence.

Imagination: "The power to recombine the materials furnished by experience or memory, for the accomplishment of an elevated purpose; the power of conceiving and expressing the ideal."
Webster, 1913

The "king's men" have gone by many different names down through recorded history: knight, samurai, centurion, sheriff, mob enforcer, crusader, inquisitor, brownshirt, Red Guard, endless variations of government agents - the list goes on and on. While the names have changed over time, variations on the theme of the "king's men" have long performed the same function - enforcing the will of a self-declared ruling elite on a resistant population.

I recently watched a documentary series titled "Hitler's Bodyguard". It detailed the 40+ attempts to assassinate Hitler over 25 years, and the often unlikely circumstances that allowed him to survive in spite of the large numbers of people trying to kill him.

It also provided an interesting insight into why it is so difficult for rational society to deal with sociopathicirrationality.

According to the legacy media, the major parties, and what passes for political humor these days, the solution to any problem is another government program. Unfortunately for the future of our once free society, a lot of those advocating government solutions truly believe that government can actually solve problems.

Most of those around the world who "hate" us don't have any idea who or what they're "hating".

Its popular to beat up on America for the mistakes, failings, and outright incompetent bungling of the CIA and other extralegal agencies of our government. The media is full of claims that the meddling of these agencies, in the name of the citizens of American, is the root source of the hatred of America around the world.

There is a terrible irony in being the winner in war. The awful calculus of war makes it necessary for even the most civilized combatant to employ the short term efficiencies provided by the worst aspects of human nature. After all - isn't the very essence of war a recognition that the brutal efficiency of killing your enemy is a more effective short term means of eliminating opposition than seeking willing cooperation through intellectual appeals to logic and reason?

America is about to fight the wrong war, for the wrong reasons, and with the wrong weapons. America is preparing to fight a military war of bombs and bullets, when it's engaged in a war of cultures where the most effective weapons are principles and ideals. Worst of all, America is contemplating abandoning its most powerful principles in favor of exactly the kinds of weapons that will be useless against the enemy we will have to fight.

Most of those around the world who "hate America" don't have any idea of who or what they're "hating".

It's become popular to beat up on America for the mistakes, failings, and outright incompetent bungling of the CIA and other extralegal agencies of our government. The media is full of claims that the meddling of these agencies in the name of the citizens of American, is the root source of the hatred of America around the world.

The American submarine Nautilus was on patrol off Midway Island when it encountered a number of Japanese warships. After launching an unsuccessful torpedo attack, the Nautilus submerged and was subjected to a depth charge attack by a single Japanese destroyer. Delayed by its unsuccessful depth-charge attack on the Nautilus, the Japanese destroyer eventually broke off and headed north at high speed to join the main fleet.