Fucking Moron (tm)

Remarkably, Larry Kudlow, the TV clown appointed by Covfefe to be presidential economic adviser, resists acknowledging the obvious fact: American companies and consumers pay the tariffs. That's always been the case, e.g. with washing machines, steel, aluminum, etc. Covfefe is blatantly lying to the public and his economic team can't confront him on that. This is just another, and probably the worst, form of political correctness, because it supports direct self-serving lies propagated by government officials at the highest level.

"" (Watch on YouTube)

Tai Chi Chuan journal #10

This morning during my taichi lesson, I struggled to resist a steady push directed into my arm. It felt shaky and powerless, no matter how much muscle power I put into the effort. Then, my teacher told me to relax and imagine that my elbow is against the wall and can't be moved. I did it and it totally worked. My imagination accomplished the physical task that my muscles couldn't.

After practicing a bit, we switched sides and it was my turn to give him a steady push. Well, my troubles repeated: no power, no control. Again, he told me to relax and change the focus, i.e. imagine pushing along a straight horizontal line that went through his body toward the tree behind his back. And it worked again. Moreover, this greater result was achieved by a much smaller physical effort. Practically effortless, I'd say.

Before, I learned how to focus on imagined fixed points to maintain steady balance and body position. Now, I need to learn how to imagine lines and surfaces.

Happy Mother's Day!

"Art Pepper - Besame mucho" (Watch on YouTube)

Quote of the Day

From an email I received today:

Please keep in mind that you are not a Dasein, nor do you “have” Dasein. Dasein is a way of being that a human being manifests, even performs, in existing. A particular human being (ontic) instantiates the conditions of the possibility of being Dasein (ontological).

Heidegger is going to be my next philosophy project. I read Being and Time a few years back and even got some ideas out of it, but it's time to revisit the book. BTW, Kant and Heidegger complement each other well because Kant focuses on "I think", while Heidegger digs into "I am." Across centuries, they argue quite convincingly about what's more relevant to human life. Both of them deserve a good read because sometimes I think and sometimes I just am, i.e. a typical disjoint union of a being.

Досужий читатель,

Недавно смотрели довоенный французский фильм с молодым Жаном Габеном, и мне показалось, что Высотский в кино играл нашего советского Жана Габена. У меня сложилось впечатление сильной и неслучайной похожести: и по внешности, и по одежде, и по манере игры. Марина Влади, наверное, его научила. Je ne sais pas.

"В сон мне - желтые огни - Владимир Высоцкий Vysotsky" (Watch on YouTube)