tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22687176078816050582024-02-08T11:25:30.371-08:00The Anarchist PrinceDerekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14109436761240624586noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268717607881605058.post-72689338382967306192012-11-18T20:23:00.000-08:002012-11-18T20:23:03.574-08:00The Media Ramblings<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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"I have never been much of a Party Man myself... and
the more I learn of the realities of national politics, the more I'm convinced
that the Democratic Party is an atavistic endeavor - more of an Obstacle than a
Vehicle - and that there is really no hope of accomplishing anything genuinely
new or different in American politics until the Democratic Party is done away
with." </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 9;"> </span>-
Hunter S Thompson, 1972</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Well.
At least the idea has been around for awhile I suppose. Certainly, the
so-called leftism of the Democratic Party does more damage than good, diverting
possible radicalism into a systemically safe endeavor. Party loyalties may be
one of the most damaging things in American politics, or politics in general.
Party loyalties are to be defended even when criticism arises. Even when the
least offensive members of the GE/Comcast media speak a critical word, the
basic goodness of the Democratic Party, and its various representatives lays
largely untouched. To hold the opinion that both parties, not just the
Republican or Democratic, are despicable organizations that lead only to
destruction, is to sacrifice any career in a major media outlet.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
criticism is somewhat acknowledged in society. FOX News is recognized as
critical of the Democrats, while lovingly groveling at the feet of the
Republican Party, while CNN and MSNBC do the opposite. This is hardly
controversial, although some may claim that one or the other is
"unbiased" simply because it supports their personal political
ideals. But why don't their exist mainstream pundits that extend beyond this?
Where are those that criticize both? They aren't around because they are
systemically dangerous. If you criticize both, then, at least to some extent,
questions the legitimacy of the current state of politics as a whole. If both
parties are unfit to lead, then who? </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But why
would an independent media want to support the government nearly
unquestioningly? The answer, of course, is that the media is hardly independent.
Sure, we may not have something as obviously state-driven as Pravda, but this
does not indicate integrity. Instead of a directly state-run media we have a
corporate run media. And the corporations that run them have as much a vested
interest in the state as the state itself.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But
what is there to do? How do we fight monoliths that own the media? How do we
get to truth? Well. Fortunately this is becoming easier and easier, and true
radicalism is beginning to have a viable outlet through the internet, and being
paid directly through readers. It leaves little room for censoring. The
vanguard journalists shall still exist, because people that honestly believe as
they do exist. But their monopoly may very well come to an end soon. And with
the greater voice of radicalism, it may actually allow for change in the
future. </div>
Derekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14109436761240624586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268717607881605058.post-32390970684040853762012-11-10T13:20:00.001-08:002012-11-10T13:20:41.918-08:00The Sustaining State<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Whenever
I speak or think of the state I try to think of it as a self-preserving
organism, but in a way that does not necessitate knowing participation by the
members of government, nor society. Instead, the values that sustain the state
are instilled in a more natural way through a child's upbringing, especially by
the school system. We are taught of the Noble Wars, of the great men that lead
our country, of our governments love for freedom and progress. Of course, this
view of history is highly flawed, incomplete and disingenuous.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One of
the more important functions of state-sustaining society is the co-option of
radicalization. Integrating radicalism will serve an important function: it
will allow for dissent within an acceptable context.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If dissent is controlled, and limited to an
"acceptable" level, it can serve the state just as much as
patriotism. For example, I consider 3rd Party Candidates to be part of this.
3rd Party Candidates provide an avenue for people that have been able to
identify the farce on the ruling parties to focus their efforts toward one of
several 3rd Parties. This helps channel dissent into, say money in politics or
merely the 2 party monopoly while ignoring the system itself. This cannot be
applied to every advocate of voting for a 3rd party, but seems common enough.
People that believe merely voting for a libertarian or socialist candidate will
automatically fix an entire system are ultimately sustaining the system by
addressing grievances through the system itself. It is important that people
feel as if they are in control to some degree. That they can change the nature
of their government if need be. This prevents violent resistance, as people
believe they can alter government through the ballot box. This gives many
modern forms of government a greater level of sustainability than dictatorships
and monarchies. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>An
interesting effect of this self-sustaining system can be seen in the de-radicalization
of previously radical music. Both punk rock and hip hop in particular were
rather radical in their origins, speaking against war, poverty, class, power
structures and various other topics. But as they became a source of profit,
their message became less and less radical, and in some ways merely
consumerist. This is the system sustaining itself through society itself, not
needing direct control of the media as values are set at an early age through
school and social propaganda. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our
media is meant to be a watchdog of the state, but completely fails in this
role. The media's values largely reflect the values of the government and it is
rare that anyone breaks from the government rhetoric. Anyone that does manage
to accurately criticize the government outside of acceptable, partisan lines is
generally denigrated by the media itself. Ultimately, this more subtle
propaganda machine is a better form of control than the Kings and fascists
could come up with. The Russians knew that Pravda was filled with lies, but
Americans generally limit their criticism to coinciding with their party alliance.
</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Even
Occupy Wall Street faced a major effort of co-option by the Democrats and
MoveOn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This had varying levels of
success due to the make-up of the movement being rather politically diverse. It
appealed to some, disgusted others. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
self-sustaining functions of the state must be acknowledged and fought against
by groups that wish to ultimately change the state. It is important to
understand this and insure your dissent is not also merely sustaining the state
by channeling the focus of your dissent. </div>
Derekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14109436761240624586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268717607881605058.post-85210901605739002072012-04-23T16:13:00.001-07:002012-04-23T16:13:19.716-07:00Who Hates Freedom?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Who is
it that truly hates our freedoms? The Islamic terrorists? Or is it somebody
much more close to home? Al Qaeda has very specific stated goals, not one of
which is the destruction of freedom in the US. In fact every goal stated in bin
Laden's 1998 fatwa has to do with the Middle East: driving out American
influence in Muslim nations, toppling of pro-Western dictatorships, and the
destruction of Israel. Getting rid of American influence in a land far away from
US borders is hardly a goal of getting rid of any freedom of the American
people. And yet I seem to hear this 'hate our freedoms' bullshit more than I
hear substantive about terrorism.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But,
after 9/11 we have seen a decline in freedom. Whether it be invasive pat downs
or scanners, warrantless widespread wiretapping of phones and monitoring of
internet use, or even the extrajudicial murder of citizens. But it has not been
the terrorist group that has done this to the American people, but the leaders
elected into office. The things the state has gotten away with using terrorism
as a scare tactic has done more damage to the world than al Qaeda could ever
hope to do.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But the
state is no stranger to these tactics. It merely changes boogeymen. When the
USSR was the boogeyman, COINTELPRO reigned. After Pearl Harbor over 100,000
Japanese Americans and Japanese were put into internment camps. The US had made
a hobby of overthrowing anyone who is not friendly enough to US interests and
replacing them with puppet dictators all over the world. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Al
Qaeda is certainly a terrible organization, but we must give the US its due.</div>Derekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14109436761240624586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268717607881605058.post-2445088268350312752012-03-01T19:58:00.000-08:002012-03-01T19:58:53.577-08:00The Hypocrisy in Death<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Death has an odd effect on people. Both in the individual that died (an observation that I personally found hysterical for some reason), and the people that knew, or were aware of the person. Today Andrew Breitbart died. Yes, the jackass that screamed at a group of peacefully protesting Occupiers. Now, when you read that last sentence you more than likely had one of two reactions, especially if you were aware of Breitbart before his death and the whitewashing of his life that is sure to occur in the mainstream press: 1) you smiled slightly to yourself as you realized I also disliked Breitbart, or 2) thought me to be a horrendously callous and unfeeling individual to mock a man that died less than 24 hours ago.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now what if I had said the same thing after somebody like Obama died? Would you have had the same reaction? Maybe you had 1 when it came to Breitbart, yet reaction 2 when it came to Obama. You're probably telling yourself you would have had the same reaction, and I'm sure some of you could actually honestly say that (especially considering the likely readership of this blog, well other than nobody). But for the majority of people that merely divide themselves between the left and right rhetoric of this country, or, even worse, actually identify as a Democrat or Republican, you probably would be valiantly defending one's memory while denigrating the other. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And you know what? That's fine with me. Sure, in the horrible world of politics many people have very clear cut allegiances and they will naturally defend and mock them accordingly. "But Derek," you may cry in terror and confusion at a monitor that in no way conveys this information to me, "where does hypocrisy come into all this?! Is the title of your blog misleading." I would, naturally, not actually answer you because I can't hear you (I assure you I am not rude enough to merely ignore you), but if you would please keep reading from this tangent I assure you the title will be appropriate very soon! The hypocrisy comes in when you little fuckers start bitching about the other side making fun of your side's fresh corpse while you would assuredly be doing the same to them in their situation.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> Just read some of the wonderful comments from conservatives on <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/andrew-breitbart-death-of-a-douche-20120301">Matt Taibbi's blog</a> about Breitbart's death. I particularly enjoy one user by the name of 'Gerard Van der Leun' who commented, "Die in a fire, Tabbi. Soon." Now, as I can only assume he was actually inviting Taibbi to die, and not a cat or somebody with the name Tabatha while using a nickname, I find this post absolutely hysterical. In response to Taibbi's mocking of Breitbart's death the user actually invites Taibbi to die! Other users, less hysterically, merely spoke about how disgusted they were with Taibbi. But I am sure most people complaining about any liberal criticism and joy that comes in the wake of Breitbart's death would most certainly be doing the same thing had a liberal equivalent just died. Hell, even Breitbart himself took part in this most wonderful traditions, insulting Ted Kennedy in his death.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So let them have their fun. Sure, defend the decaying bastards if you truly think the criticism in unwarranted, but don't pretend to be above such a thing. If you hate a person in life, you should hate them in death. They are nothing more than the sum total of their lives, and now that it's over you are essentially guaranteed that you aren't going to magically like the person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you a bastard for mocking a man in life and death? Eh, probably. But you know what? Andrew Brightbart lived as a fucking intolerable scum-fucker, and his death merely cemented him as a fucking intolerable scum-fucker for all eternity. If saying that makes me a bastard, then fuck it.</div>Derekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14109436761240624586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268717607881605058.post-49069914330472538732012-01-18T11:10:00.001-08:002012-01-18T11:10:43.084-08:00The Fictional City<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal">I once read about a city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fictional city where nearly the entire population lived in comfort, and happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, after reaching a certain age they had to visit a certain individual once every so often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This certain individual was what made everyone's lives so good in the city, because as long as this one individual suffered, the city would continue to be near perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some decided to leave the city afterwards, not being able to live with what their happiness depended on, while others would stay.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Many people in my class at the time reacted in revulsion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The idea that one person's suffering so greatly merely for others to be happy seemed to be wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a simple thought experiment used to determine whether utilitarianism is a valid moral philosophy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many people rejected this idea in this thought experiment, yet seem to have little problem living in our current world.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If a single individual suffering greatly for the happiness of others is wrong, then why not speak against our current world, in which a much greater number suffer for the pleasure of the rest of the population?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why not speak against corporations using third world workers, adults as well as children, for incredibly low pay to create extremely popular and expensive products?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why not speak against starvation when there is more than enough food to feed every person?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The list goes on and on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But most importantly, why can't they put the parallel between the fictional city and the real world together? </div>Derekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14109436761240624586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268717607881605058.post-55559622021653422532012-01-16T16:23:00.000-08:002012-01-16T16:23:26.785-08:00The Lies We Must Overcome<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal">As I progressed through the public school system I, like every child growing into an adult, experienced a major paradigm shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I no longer believe the state to be benevolent, all-knowing or even well-meaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the public school system, naturally, did its best to prevent this.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As we progress throughout history in a US History class (the last strictly history class in my high school career), the textbooks create a very odd view of history, one in which all major issues and controversies are behind us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gone are the days of workers struggling for fair pay and safe working conditions, of racism, of sexism, of rampant inequality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These things were issues that America conquered, and no longer plague the great country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes it seem as if all of US history is merely working to the end point that is today.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This creates an image of the world highly disconnected from reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any person seriously looking at the state of the United States knows this to be false.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inequality not only persists, but continues to grow, with the richest people being richer than ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Racism, while not acceptable in most cases publicly anymore, persists in the system greatly, especially when it comes to incarceration and execution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feminism is still viewed as some sort of insane philosophy by the mainstream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly this cannot be the ideal future that textbooks seem to portray.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Another telling aspect of our textbooks are what they don't tell the students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We never learn about the USA's more shady operations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We get maybe a brief passage about various scandals such as Watergate in which the powerful go free in cases where the average man would have been jailed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hear nothing about America's love for overthrowing democracies that threaten US interests, especially when nationalization of industries ever comes up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hear nothing about the vicious dictatorships and regimes we prop up that massacre their people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much is left out that would allow people to have a better view of the actual history, and reality of the USA.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> It is only through research and reading outside of my classes that I was able to learn anything of the actual workings of the state. However, I ironically became interested in Marxism through my World History AP class. All my life I had been at least somewhat ignorant of what Marxism and Communism meant. I knew they were the 'bad guys' in the form of the Soviet Union, which I certainly agree with, but I do disagree with the US being the 'good guys'. It was in the pages of that textbook that I read about wokers owning the means to production, owning their own labor. And that is where it all began. I knew I agreed with that economically, but where would I exist socially? Certainly I rejected the strong hand of the state that the so-called Communist states used. This lead to my interest in politics, and my finding of my poltitical home in Anarcho-Communism.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I do not expect this to be a revelation for most people that will end up reading this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used this more as a form of therapy, getting some of the thoughts that have been plaguing me recently out of my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully this blog will be less shitty in the future. </div>Derekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14109436761240624586noreply@blogger.com1