Parenting

Does Dr. Murk have children? No. Not that I'm aware of. I don't care if you think this disqualifies me from giving a little parenting advice. Okay, I do care. But trust me. I'm qualified.

Todays topic: Self Esteem.

It's wonderful when kids feel good about themselves for their acheivements.

It's not wonderful to place esteem over safety, good socialization skills, preparedness for life and the law.

You CANNOT keep telling kids that you'll love them no matter how bad they get. You can say it a few times when they screw up. You can tell them that at any time you want EXCEPT when they do something bad. And I'm talking about the little things here. If a kid swears at an adult in the grocery store, you MUST correct that behavior firmly, not with hugs and loves. NO.

Kids have parents for a reason. They are kids. They don't think beyond immediate behaviors. If bad behaviors are met with excuses, covering for them, hugging them or sing song chats about always being a good kid, they will repeat the behavior. The will find the consequences acceptable and think YOU condone them.

When a child is upset, it hurts the parent. Don't be selfish and assuage your hurt at the expense of their future.

Teach them self respect. Respect is not gained by accepting bad behavior. Respectable people don't act like that. They value true success and correct action. If a child learns that they can always respect themselves if they do the right thing and that they SHOULD feel upset and even a bit ashamed if they don't live up to standards that society expects from them.

This is learned from parents. Parents who don't let their own selfish need for approval from a child. A child should look for the parent's approval. That's how a long term appreciation for respecting other people, authority figures, and themselves.

Do some parents go way too far hounding and pushing their kids? YES. You're an adult and should be able to figure out when to scold and when to praise. You are the adult. You set the parameters and expectations. The child should not hold you hostage for emotional approval from them.

Why am I writing this? Most of you are excellent parents. No need to interfere.

Well, yeah I should interfere because this campaign of misinformation that if we don't make kids happy all the time they'll become crazy is getting out of hand. Someone had to say it. So...

I said it.

Quit spoiling kids.

The rest of us have to deal with them and their fucked up life view once they leave your house.

The Magic of Spring

It is Easter Sunday.

And so I am reminded of weddings. The best wedding I've ever been to was my brother Malach's. The second best was Conan the Barbarian's.

Conan wore the skins of the Conqueror, his finest attire. The bride, dragged down the aisle in golden chains and a barely covering loincloth, screamed in delight. The cleric was the wild mage Chupa, who sung songs to Crom and made the cake explode. The crowd jeered until Conan spoke.

"Shut up, worms!" he shouted. The rowdy band of theives and brigands hushed to hear the lovely vows, prepared by Conan himself.

"Me, Conan," Conan said, "Take you, Slavegirl." She wimpered her agreement.

Then, Conan was attacked by the Evil Queen Hecca and the flesh devouring spirits she commanded. He fought bravely, but sadly, slavegirl was eaten.

"SLAVEGIRL!!!!" Conan screamed, but she was gone. Never to return to him except in one brief moment when she would cryptically ask "Do you want to live forever?"

To which Conan replied, "I do."

Amazing wedding. Can't wait until the sequel.

Poll Shows: 7 out of 10 Americans Have No Clue

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/18/poll.iraq.economy/index.html

Read it if you want, but I'll sum it up. 7 out of 10 Americans think the war in Iraq has had a negative effect on the economy. Hmmmmm. Uh. Hmmmmmm.

How? Did they explain how?

Would the government have put the money spent on the war into a magical "save the economy" account? Have we seen a tax increase for it? Is anyone buying War Bonds? Is there a steel shortage? Is the global economy based in Iraq? The banking industry gave all those bad loans and defaulted because of a protracted military engagement? It made us too sad to spend? Were we sending money over to Iraq from our bank accounts?

Ohhhhhh.... It must be gas prices. Iraq had oil so that affected prices at the pump, right? Uhhhhhh.... look at the SHINY PENNY America! You are feeling sleepy. Believe things that make no sense because the TV told you war was bad.

War is hell for the soldiers and their families and the towns it happens in. War, in general, does not cause a banking crisis. Government spending increases the viability of the economy. War spending sends money to US contractors and into the economy. Government spending on a war creates jobs. Soldiers overseas open up jobs at home. It's not nice, but it does help the economy, not hurt it.

I liked it better when we blamed global warming for everything...

The Search for Happiness

Yeah. That's what I thought too. This post was apparently not written a long time ago and has sat in all its blank glory for a few months or weeks.

Well, I feel compelled to get it out there.

So, here's the sum of all human wisdom on happiness:

Searching for happiness is a lifelong quest of trial and error, wonder and loss, trouble and fortune and some other poetic stuff. While consumed in this pursuit, we are dead.

Obama Bin Loser (Brak Bama)

Look, ya liberal shitsticks, you need to take a long look at the idiots you put up for nomination and think: "I know I'm a Democrat because I believe in all this government aid bullshit and higher taxes for everyone, but these people are crazy!"

Hillary Clinton is crazy. In fact, I thought she was the craziest cracker this side of Jimminey Carter. Now, Obama is slowly catching up. Well, he's not a cracker. He's an illegitimate son of a drug dealer. That's not nice to say, is it?

Neither is God Damn America.

Look Mr. Obama, you're going to have a hard enough time as it is in the general election. You have a funny Muslim name and were educated in Pakistan. Your stepdad is a terrorist, and your wife is an ungrateful societal drain. Now, your highly praised spiritual advisor wants God to Damn America. DO YOU FUCKING REALIZE THAT YOU ARE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT OF THAT VERY COUNTRY???

First off, where the fuck are all you liberal "There's no place for Prayer in the Government" people now? Oh wait. Condemnation in the name of God is okay. I forgot. Or are we excusing this because Obama is Black? Oh, wait... that's Geraldine Ferraro's line (another one of your party).

Oh! Oh! But Obama has distanced himself from this man, right? Hmmmmm. His wife echoed that sentiment before. How distant is he getting? First, he needed the Reverend Wright to attest that he had converted from radical Islam Fundamentalism. Now, he doesn't want the guy just because he's a Christian Anarchist? No, not antichrist, read it again, slow pokes. An ar chist. In favor of Anarchy.

I want to tell you something that I'd deny if anyone ever found out. I'd vote for Obama. I would. IF he came right out and said "This country is a shithole right now and it's YOUR FAULT people." I'd drop all my political pride and vote for a super gay black transvestite crossdressing communist shemale if he/she/it had the guts to say the country needs a swift kick in the ass. Especially you. Yes you. Stop hiding in the corner.

BUT, I would never vote for a person or persons who invites the Damnation of God Almighty on his own people... if we ARE his people.

Looks like you weirdos will have to back Hillary now... ugggg. Even her husband voted against her in favor of Monica.

In an effort to save my links...

Please, if you're not linked here yet, post in the comments sections so I can put you up.

Look, assholes. Read all the blogs I link to.

Rules:

Disagree courteously (unless you have a wink wink with the other blogger like me and angryman, where we can lay out nasty one liners and be hateful and still love).

Open your God Given Mind. Your opinion is nice, but everyone else has one too. At least try to see their side.

Discuss. Don't lurk. Hit em up! Bloggers love comments. Comments are Love. Love is God.

If you can't agree, that doesn't exclude being buds. I don't agree with my wife and we're married and love each other. Disagreement is natural.

Have fun. Enjoy your fellow bloggers.

Look. At one point humans live in small bands. You could only say hi to the next cave and they might kill you. NOW:

You have an amazing opportunity to meet and communicate with people instantly like never before! USE IT! But, use it to better yourself. Don't try to hard to sell your wisdom. People who need it will find it. Link. Learn. Live.

Now go forth and make with the global yap.

Blog Web

Read an article.

Invite more bloggers to network, information attracts more information. One form of activism is awareness. Perhaps we should make an effort to reach out to one intelligent blog (one we don't frequent) and say hi, we're interested and check us out.

I for one will begin my Link The Blogs project. Over the next few weeks, I'm going to link and promote you all. I'll try to do one featured blog a week. Not based on my personal tastes, but on wher=ther or not that blog seems to be relevant and has a lot of other links.

We need some exposure. Sure, we do this for fun, but through our entertainment we can offer portals to awareness and new perspectives.

Most of you do this already. But what if we each took some time to discover some other territory? Perhaps we can increase the fun and awareness and encourage activism. Charity starts at home.

I'm cleaning my own house and getting my shit lined up.

Time is running out...

The Generation of Promises

Most of you that read this are within a ten to twenty year age range of me. We are in the generation of promise. It's not finished. History is written by those who watch, learn and then act for positive change.

Unfortunately, there is money to be made. Some need it to support family and close friends and that takes up a lot of time. BUT there are some who have enough and want more money for the sake of luxury. Others can't make enough to eat. Other get handouts and starve their kids to buy plasma TVs. Some have illnesses that warp their view, make them angry and self centered. Drug abuse, social injustice and mental illness put many into a harmful survival mode where any means of allieviating the daily pain of living in a world that cares nothing for them leads to escapism to the detriment of others.

Religions are little help. When Bill Gates (the Darth Vader of the corporate world) secretly roams africa hand feedind starving children and the Catholic Pope condems the good deeds of others because of dogmatic practices, we see the inequity.

There will always be poor and suffering. There will always be people like you that can help at least one or two people even if only for a short time. One moment of relief that you can provide is better than none.

The cruel fact is, we see our own pain first. Rightly so. It's immediate and ours. But what if someone set aside one hour to do something unexpectedly good for you? You can be that person for someone else. It won't fix your problems in life, but for one small moment it will allow one person to feel relief from theirs.

When faith and hope fail, charity is our only gift left to give.

Oh, did I get some strange responses to my recent posts. Anger. Insults. Questions about my sanity. Remarks about me thinking I'm a superhero. No. None of that, people. I'm no superhero. I'm a jerk and you all know it. But if a jerk like me gives without expecting rewards, surely you people who (in all seriousness) are more sane, rational and friendly than me can do it too.

And no, a kind plea will not work. Again. Get off your entertainment addicted asses and do something. And if you already do, awesome. DO MORE. NOW. CUT THE EXCUSES. People need you more than you need kind words, sympathy and ego stroking. If you're looking for a reward, why not consider giving that reward to the people you help.

And don't expect that they will do the right thing with your assistance. That is not your job.

You people are strong, intelligent and caring people. Step up.

Time is running short...

You People Are Stupid

Many of you remember the Old Dr. Murk. Some of you have only known the New Soft Murk. New Soft Murk hit a patch of sand on a dangerous road and is now lying in a heap at the bottom of Mt. Fuckyou, just off of Highway 666.

So, I'd like to re-introduce you to the idea that all of you are very screwed up and need help. For you panty people who are all love and entertainment and awards and reciprocal reach around link buddies, I'll try to lube up your emotional poop shoot by saying: no offense intended towards anyone on an individual level. I mean, if you do take offense, you're really unstable. Do you know me? No. You want to know me and will be rebuffed and that will hurt, but it's therapy, you crackpot. Get up and dance your crazy dance and move on.

Let's examine the facts.

You stuff your brain with entertainment and propaganda disguised as education. You believe that the news is not altered to fit a well thought out agenda. You're paranoid about aliens, but give out your credit card to cashiers, people on the phone and websites. You trust in a paper based economy that is now moving away from even paper. You are 1984. Your name is Toby. Wage slave, political suck up, pasturized, sanitized, devalued comodities who thank the faceless heads of government and religion for throwing up in your mouth so you don't starve.

You think other people are an extension of your own reality, your mind. You react to them like a natural disaster or a found twenty dollar bill. You don't even see the ghost in the shell anymore. You are all programmed, blind, trapped, mute and carefully packaged for resale.

Oh sure, you nod sympathetically, or raise a voice for a cause, but have you lifted a shovel to dig a grave for the dead? Have you bled, truly bled for any of your so called ideals? Your ideals are shit and you are full of your own carefully crafted lies.

"I'm so and so...
I'm this, I'm that."

You are nothing if you've done nothing. Even when you do act, you are just acting, playing a part. And you wonder what the nagging sensation at the back of your brain is when you try to sleep? What's missing? Why do you get upset stomachs and headaches?

You are sick and need help.

I can help.

I still have an experiment you can try...

Headline: Sick Man Sees Jesus in Swirlies

Ever had a high fever? I mean really high fever? Dear fucking shit pants, it's like being on acid and getting the ball sack beat out of you. You hallucinate, ache, stutter, stare at Jesus shaped swirlies for hours and wonder if you're going to die, and eventually hope that you do.

I did not, however, die. I feel much better now.

But...
This brings me to the close of a long chapter of exploring the tolerances and pecularities of the limits of human perception. You see, we have this blog of neurons called a brain. All sensory input goes in. Some is real, some isn't.

Wait. How can sensory input be 'not real'? Invalid data. Better term.

Look. I've done all the drugs. I've done sensory deprivation. I've extensive training in meditation. I've done sleep deprivation and fasting. Severe fatigue, religious ecstacy, you name it. All of it. ALL of it. The brain makes it all up as we go along. Most of our memory is falsified, condensed and edited, but we believe it. Even simple darkness can make a shadow a wolf.

The human mind is not the end all and be all of knowledge. Shit. What else do we have? Nothing. Good luck. Nothing is knowable with any certainty. It is all illusion and what you are willing to believe or accept. Nothing is solid, permanent or even valid. Human experience is bunk and you pick what experiences you have.

Yes, there might be some no ideal solid universe on which we base our faulty perceptions, but what good is that? We can't ever know it in a true sense.

What to do?

Invent. Create. Rejoice. You are free. Nothing stands between you and what you want to envision and experience. I have an experiment for you to prove this....