Institutional hoarding

Recently I read about a new dinosaur find. The fossils were not found in the field, they were found in the basement of a museum. The museum had gathered them long ago, put them into boxes, and then hid them away.

Another recent news article spoke of a library which had a huge storage room. A janitor got curious as to what was in a wooden box in the storage room and found a cache of silver coins which the library didn't even know they had. They aren't even sure where or when the coins came from. They were very, very old and collectible yet the library had them stuck in a wooden box in a storage room.

Museums, libraries, colleges, and other types of institutions often hoard items. Tucking them away not so much so that they can be preserved for the future but so nobody else can get them. Rare books that people should have access to are lost in the back rooms of libraries. Fossils that could further our understanding of the past are stuck in boxes in the basement, unstudied and unavailable to be studied. This is a shame because these institutions exist to spread knowledge, not hide it. And yet researchers who try to access these hidden treasures are denied access because they are "them" instead of library/museum/whatever staff.

It is a shame.

Drug users

I just read a news article about a woman walking around inside of a Walmart for six hours taking small amounts of chemicals from various bottles so she could make meth while in the store. She had only been out of jail for three days and didn't have enough money to buy the supplies so she was stealing what she needed and using them to make her drugs.

I understand addiction. One of my brothers (gone now) was an alcoholic. Most of my brothers and sisters were smokers. All of us have eating compulsions. But we never made went down the path of a drug being so important that nothing else in life mattered.

I am more than a bit tired of drug users and the problems they cause so here is my solution. First give them counseling. But if they still want drugs after that then give them the drugs. Free. But in a controlled situation. Build a large city/prison out in the desert somewhere to house 10,000 people. People who want to have free drugs have to live in the city while they are getting the drugs and they have to voluntarily get sterilized so they can't have children. If they are willing to do that then give them their drugs and a small amount of food per day and let them be stoned until they die and make room for the next person.

My point is that there is no curing these people and there is no hope of keeping drugs out of their hands, so if they are so determined to live a short but drug filled life then let them. But make them do it in a way that keeps from harming the rest of the population. After 20 years or so we should have our addict population narrowed down quite a bit, and since they aren't having children we should eliminate those whose genes lead them to such extremes.

An interesting problem

I recently found the website of Derek Sivers. He has some interesting things to say both in writing and on video. Nothing earth shattering but interesting anyway. Watching the videos I noticed that he is one of those perpetually happy and upbeat types of people. On his page describing books he likes he indicates this comes from his personal philosophy being related to the stoics and recommends a book on stoicism. For the first time in my life I am afraid to read a book. Not because it might be bad but because it might show that I have been living my life wrong. It is an interesting problem. If I read the book and decide I have wasted my life so far I can attempt to make my life better, but what if I can't? Then my whole life will be a waste. If I don't read the book I will just be hiding my head in the sand, hoping to ignore reality and not improve myself.

I have to decide one way or the other, not deciding is of course by default deciding not to read the book. Should I continue in ignorance or should I learn and maybe be disappointed? I will have to think a bit.

Looks and the beach

Several times I have been in discussions about nude beaches and sooner or later somebody will make a comment that the sort of people who go to nude beaches shouldn't because they aren't good looking. I have always found this an odd comment because from what I hear people who regularly go to nude beaches go to enjoy the beach NOT to be looked at. If you want to see good looking nude people they have bars and such for that. The point of nude beaches is the beach.

The same goes of course for regular beaches. People comment that this person shouldn't be wearing a bikini because they don't look good in it. Well, maybe there intent was to get a tan, not look good.

If your intent in going to the beach is to look as good as possible then maybe you want to cover up some, the average person has physical flaws and covering them makes you look better. However, if your intent is to get a tan then maybe you need to uncover some. If your intent is somewhere in between then you will have to dress or undress appropriately.

If your intent in going to the beach is to see good looking people without clothing then you have failed from the start. Most people aren't good looking. If fact, most people don't go to the beach so you can look at them. They go for the sun, sand, and water.

Having been in several of these discussions I always find it odd how so many people seem to think others should act a certain way simply because it is what they (not the other people) want. I have met many who say only good looking people (and themselves) should go to the beach, because they want to only see good looking people and seem to feel the rest of humanity is here for their entertainment. I have met a couple of people that say only fit people should go to the gym, everybody who isn't fit should exercise at home until they become fit enough to look good and show off their bodies at the gym.

People are crazy. I go to the beach for the beach, not to provide entertainment for others. If you don't like the way I look tough, I am not there for you I am there for me.

Marriage contracts

I just read a news article saying Mexico City is considering time limited marriage contracts with the time being as little as two years. When you start the contract you decide how to split money and children, and if you don't renew the contract you are automatically divorced.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44724855/ns/today-weddings/t/til-do-us-part-mexico-mulls--year-marriage/from/toolbar

I like the idea, mainly because it forces people to make the tough decisions up front instead of arguing and having to spend a lot of money on lawyers. Will it be good for society? Who knows. The fighting and such that goes with a split up will probably continue but at least this would keep it out of the courts. And maybe people would have a more realistic idea of marriage when they are forced to make the tough decisions about children and money up front.

Sending clear signals

I read a lot of science fiction. This year I read two different book series that describe societies where your relationship status, interest in finding someone, what you are looking for, what type of person you are, etc. are clearly shown by what you wear. In the one case it was jewelry and in the other it was clothing style and color. It would be really nice if people could send such clear signals. Knowing that someone was approachable or wanted to be left alone would make life so much easier.

Of course people would abuse it and lie, just like they always do. But I really like the idea of societies that tell the truth and that send clear signals.

Teachers not allowed to have a life?

I just read a news article about a teacher who was fired because several pictures and videos of her having sex were sent to parents and school board members. Note that she wasn't having sex with her students, just sex. Apparently teachers aren't allowed to have sex? Were do all the little teachers come from?

In recent years teachers have been fired for facebook posts showing them drinking alcohol, attending bachelorette parties, etc. The school boards have said that while the teachers weren't doing anything illegal they were being poor role models for the students.

I am really glad I never became a teacher. Given the stupidity of these actions I can't imagine why anybody would want to be a teacher. You get fired for having a life? Well no, they are fired for letting somebody take a picture of them having a life. Stupid.