Strange Legacy

Quick Thought: The Power of Boredom

Bored Guy Photo Graphic

You capacity to respond appropriately to boredom will have enormous consequences for your quality of life.

Hi, Christopher Wood here!  I’m interested in what you have to say about this article. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to leave a comment. If you are reading this article from the main page, you can get to the comments area by clicking on the “Comment” link seen below; otherwise, just type your comment in the box displayed below. You can also use any of the social networking links below to recommend this article to others. I look forward to hearing from you!Your capacity to respond appropriately to boredom has enormous consequences for your quality of life.

Julius Caesar and Personal Accountability

Julius Caesar Portrait Image

Julius Caesar was fighting one of the most important military campaigns of his life. Battling an insurgent uprising in the recently conquered territory of Gaul (modern-day France), he had trapped his opponents—led by a young, charismatic Gaulish nobleman named Vercingetorix—in the fortified city of Gergovia. Roman soldiers were well-trained fighting machines, but Caesar and his army were far from home, cut off from reinforcements or other aid. At first, this important battle seemed to be going Caesar’s way; however, Caesar soon realized that the tide of battle was about to swing in his opponent’s favor. Trusting his instincts as one of history’s greatest generals he called for a strategic retreat.

His soldiers didn’t listen. They couldn’t understand why their commander would call for a withdrawal when they were clearly winning the fight; nevertheless, Caesar’s instincts were correct. The battle soon turned and the Gauls began to cut down the Romans at an alarming rate. Casualties on the Roman side were counted in the thousands, while the Gauls lost only hundreds. Beyond these immediate losses the news of this defeat solidified the Gaulish insurgency. Suddenly, Vercingetorix was a hero, and tens of thousands of eager troops came flocking to his banner. Caesar was no longer fighting merely for control of Gaul, he was fighting for his life!

Vercingetorix Statue Image

Who was responsible for this crushing defeat? Was it the soldiers who failed to heed the wisdom of their commander? Was it the lieutenants who were helping Caesar manage the battle? No. Ultimately, the responsibility rested with none other than Caesar himself. Fortunately for Caesar, he knew this. In a rare example of true leadership, Julius Caesar behaved in a way that separates him from so many less effective leaders. While he did chastise his soldiers for failing to obey orders, he quickly set about restoring their confidence. He led his troops into a couple of easy battles where victory was guaranteed to boost their morale. He understood that his ultimate success would depend on reestablishing positive momentum.

How easy would it have been for Caesar to dwell on the disobedience of his soldiers and lash out at them without restraint? Indeed, this catastrophic defeat threatened the success of entire Roman campaign in Gaul (it was actually something of a miracle that Caesar ultimately prevailed). Nevertheless, such a reprisal would have been misplaced; Caesar was responsible for training his soldiers and communicating effective expectations to the centurions who helped him lead the army. The defeat at Gergovia was powerful feedback for Caesar on how he needed to manage his troops in the future. The ability to learn from failure, and be personally accountable, was largely responsible for Caesar’s stunning record of victorious conquests.

Whether in business or everyday life there is a powerful lesson to be learned here. In my experience I have witnessed the difference between accountability and blame. Blame is an instrument often wielded by leaders to chastise subordinates for an unfortunate failure. This is often done in the name of “holding people accountable”. And yet, accountability only begins when leaders first look within themselves for responsibility and solutions to difficult problems. While attempting to blame subordinates generally results in little more than hostility and resentment toward their leaders, personal accountability on the leaders’ part compels those same subordinates to look within themselves and rise to a higher standard. It appears evident that true accountability in an organization can only be established by example, not by duress. Caesar understood this principle, and few can match his record of conquest and victory.

This account of Caesar’s life was taken from an excellent biography titled “Julius Caesar” by Phillip Freeman.

Hi, Christopher Wood here!  I’m interested in what you have to say about this article. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to leave a comment. If you are reading this article from the main page, you can get to the comments area by clicking on the “Comment” link seen below; otherwise, just type your comment in the box displayed below. You can also use any of the social networking links below to recommend this article to others. I look forward to hearing from you!

Cultivating Creativity

Snake Eating Self Graphic Image

A 19th century German chemist, August Kekulé, was grappling with a difficult problem. He was attempting to figure out the atomic structure of the molecule benzene (C₆H₆). Scientists knew which specific atoms were in benzene, but they had no idea how these atoms could possibly fit together to make the molecule itself (they didn’t have the benefit of today’s powerful microscopes). From what they could tell, benzene shouldn’t exist. One night, Kekulé had a dream of a snake eating its own tail; when he awoke this next morning he realized that this was the key to the benzene puzzle. The structure of the molecule was that of a ring.

For all his book smarts, August Kekulé required a burst of creative insight to solve his problem. The same is also true for many of the challenges we face in life. Like the benzene puzzle, some of our problems seem to have no obvious solution. In these circumstances, success requires more than a mastery of commonly understood principles and ideas – it requires a sensitivity to creative inspiration.

So much of our quality of life is determined by our capacity for creativity. And yet, it is so easy in today’s world to surrender this ability to meaningless distractions. Certainly we should avoid negative forms of media that depress our outlook on life and destroy our capacity for peace and hope; however, beyond these extremes we find other forms of entertainment that serve only to dull the senses and anesthetize our minds. These influences diminish our aptitude for “Eureka!”

Am I suggesting that it is wrong to relax and give our minds a rest every now and again? Certainly not; nevertheless, consider that boredom is a natural impulse that pushes us to expand our minds and seek out new challenges. It is a space we are invited to fill – after all, nature abhors a vacuum. If we resist the urge to fill this space with mundane, artificial stimuli, and choose instead to exercise our creative faculties, new worlds lay at our fingertips.

Lightning Photo Image

Consider exposing yourself to a steady diet of creative influences, whether they be in the form of art, music, or even movies or television programs which truly stretch your mind. Seek out opportunities to share creative insight with other people and to be validated for your original ideas. Cultivate an appreciation for the present moment, and learn to recognize beauty in all of its forms.

The image of a snake seizing its tail is a potent symbol in many ancient cultures, but has no relevance to the world of molecular chemistry; nevertheless, this symbol was the key to solving the benzene riddle. Many of the successful people I know stretch their minds beyond their chosen fields of professional expertise. The have an insatiable curiosity about the world, and seek out new and interesting experiences. Like lightning, we never now when or where creative inspiration will strike – but that shouldn’t stop us from putting up the tallest lightning rod possible.

Hi, Christopher Wood here!  I’m interested in what you have to say about this article. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to leave a comment. If you are reading this article from the main page, you can get to the comments area by clicking on the “Comment” link seen below; otherwise, just type your comment in the box displayed below. You can also use any of the social networking links below to recommend this article to others. I look forward to hearing from you!

On Thomas Hobbes and Creative Living

Thomas Hobbes Image

I love iTunes University©.  If you’ve ever wanted to study any subject (e.g. greek mythology, game theory, etc.) you can probably find it there. University professors from all over the world post podcasts of their classes on iTunes University© for free! Being a student of both politics and philosophy, I downloaded a course on political philosophy taught by Professor Steven B. Smith of Yale University. His podcasts have better acquainted me with the minds of important men like Socrates, Plato, and Thomas Hobbes.

It is the last philosopher in that list – Thomas Hobbes – that has given me some interesting thoughts on the topics of personal self-government and creation. While considered a controversial figure by many, none can deny the genius of the 17th century philosopher who wrote Leviathan – a masterwork of prose and political philosophy that has left an indelible imprint on the world in which we live.

Hobbes’ classic masterpiece makes a rather dark assessment of our world. Hobbes asserts that the natural order of things is the “state of nature”, a condition in which living things – including humans – compete with one another over scarce resources in a desperate bid for survival. Hobbes quips that life in the state of nature is “nasty, brutish and short”.

Jungle v Civilization Graphic Image

What is the cure for this malevolent condition? Civilization. Hobbes proposes that civilization is actually the product of art – that wonderful human capacity for creativity that elevates us above a jungle existence. The bulwark of the sovereign state allows men and women to realize their individual potential, and elevate their minds above the concerns of mere survival.

In our free and democratic society many elements of Hobbes’ Leviathan are unpalatable. Hobbes was not partial to the concept of popular government; instead, he advocated rule by an autocratic sovereign – one individual who wielded supreme power. Hobbes also believed this ruler was entitled to exercise the power of censorship – to determine which ideas and philosophies were appropriate for public consumption.

Again, this concept of censorship is revolting to any society that advocates free speech. And yet, perhaps there is some wisdom here that we can apply on an individual level. If we consider our internal consciousness the sovereign over the state of our body and mind, then the power of censorship – carefully screening the sights, sounds and ideas we ingest – can have an astonishing impact on our quality of life.

A consistent diet of negative ideas and images – elements that feed harmful addictions or persuade us to forsake a positive outlook – destroys our capacity for joy and happiness. Beyond these extreme elements, however, we find entertainment and other media that serve only to dull the senses and alleviate boredom. While not inherently evil, these forms of mental anesthesia limit our capacity for truly creative, original thought.

Much like the natural impulses of hunger and thirst, which compel us to care for bodies, boredom actually compels us to seek out and create a better quality of life. If we resist the temptation to fill the vacuum of boredom with meaningless activity, and choose instead to create unique experiences that expand our consciousness and appreciation for life, our potential for achievement is limitless.

Socrates Bust Image

All too often, people find themselves stuck in a rut, spending their energy and effort to provide for their most basic needs. While civilization has eliminated the constant fear of imminent death, many of us still feel that we must struggle to survive.  Perhaps the secret to escaping this melancholy existence is to harness that same inherent creativity within all of us – that art which elevates civilization above the state of nature. The internal sovereign can censor influences that fail to enhance our creativity or personal happiness. Doing so may open previously unrecognized windows of inspiration.

Socrates – regarded by many as the original political philosopher – asserted that the ideal society was a model for the soul, and vice versa. Surrounding ourselves with creative influences, while consistently stretching our minds and eliminating the harmful or mundane from our daily regimen, can greatly empower our sovereign consciousness and prosper our state of body and mind.  It is not our destiny to remain in the jungle.  The masterwork of a life well lived is no less impressive than the greatest monuments of civilization.

Hi, Christopher Wood here!  I’m interested in what you have to say about this article. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to leave a comment. If you are reading this article from the main page, you can get to the comments area by clicking on the “Comment” link seen below; otherwise, just type your comment in the box displayed below. You can also use any of the social networking links below to recommend this article to others. I look forward to hearing from you!

Strange Legacy Goes Mobile

Mobile Phones Photo Graphic

Christopher Wood’s blog is now optimized for mobile users!  You can check in on Strange Legacy from just about any phone with a mobile browser.  The mobile theme is pretty bare-bones, but very easy to navigate.  Check it out and let me know what you think!

Hi, Christopher Wood here!  I’m interested in what you have to say about this article. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to leave a comment. If you are reading this article from the main page, you can get to the comments area by clicking on the “Comment” link seen below; otherwise, just type your comment in the box displayed below. You can also use any of the social networking links below to recommend this article to others. I look forward to hearing from you!

My Observations on Lucid Dreaming

Strange Dream Graphic Image

After watching Christopher Nolan’s latest movie Inception for the second time, I felt inspired to take a few moments to write about my personal experiences with the concept of lucid dreaming.  Lucid dreaming is that state, during sleep, in which a person is aware of the fact that he or she is dreaming and can consciously interact with the dream environment.  I would hardly consider myself an practiced expert in the art of lucid dreaming, but I have had enough experience that I’ve been able to piece together a few interesting observations.

Inception takes the concept of lucid dreaming and adds the additional element of shared dreaming (i.e. stepping into someone else’s’ dream).  The main character of the movie, a man named Dom Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), is highly adept at stealing your deepest secrets by intruding on your dreams while you seep.  See my review of Inception here.

As I watched this movie, it was interesting to compare my own experiences with lucid dreaming to those of Dom Cobb and his associates.  Christopher Nolan has clearly done his homework on the subject.  Nevertheless, I also found some important differences – parts where Nolan obviously took a little creative license for the sake of storytelling.  Here’s a quick comparison between some of my experiences with lucid dreaming and the ideas presented in the movie:

• Reading within a dream is difficult, if not impossible.  The scene near the beginning of the movie where Cobb breaks into someone’s mind and steals sensitive information in the form of documents stored within a vault (representing the subconscious) does not appear to be accurate.  Trying to read can actually be one of the triggers to verify that you are, in fact, having a dream so that you can become lucid (i.e. aware).  If you read something, and the letters just seem to blur together, or words shift around and change, you’re either dreaming or you have very serious eye problems.
• I cannot seem to feel physical pain while lucid dreaming (or other forms of dreaming for that matter).  I’ve discovered that the anticipation of pain can cause me to wake up, but I can’t recall ever feeling pain in a dream myself.  I have deliberately tested this while in a lucid dream state by pounding my fist on a hard surface.  I can feel the pressure on my hand as it connects with the object, but it stops short of being painful.  (Consider this as you watch Arthur, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, get shot in the leg at the beginning of the movie).
• Changing my surroundings while in a lucid dream state is harder than depicted in the movie.  I have not been able to radically alter my environment within a dream (e.g. the way that Ariadne, played by Ellen Page, causes an entire city to fold over on itself).  I can, however, influence my environment.  I find that if I am in a building with rooms and doors, that I can tell my mind what I want to see behind the next door; frequently I’ll get something pretty close to what I want.  So while I may not be able to abruptly transform the scene before me into an idyllic beach, I can walk from one room to another until I find a door to a beachside patio.
• Lucid dreams do indeed collapse – albeit in a less dramatic manner than that depicted in the film (e.g. the Japanese pagoda flooding with water at the beginning of the movie).  This occurs as your mind begins to rise from a dream state to a truly conscious state.  Once a dream begins to collapse it is very difficult to halt its disintegration.  You may desperately try to hold onto the dream, but it quickly transforms into a mere thought as opposed to a tactile, simulated reality.
• Cobb’s warning to Ariadne about losing oneself in a dream is valid (although the consequences are hardly life threatening).  It is very easy to move from a lucid dream back into a regular dream (where I am once again unaware that I am dreaming).  This is most likely to occur shortly after I become lucid.  The longer I am able to stay aware of the dream, the less likely it is that I will fall back out of awareness again.

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An important element of lucid dreams is the tactile, simulated reality with which a person can interact.  If I touch an object in a dream it feels real.  I don’t have to imagine what something is like – I experience it just as I would in real life.  There is something strange and wonderful about touching something you know does not really exist; yet all of your senses tell you that it does.

I have discovered that while inside a lucid dream it is possible to experience this simulated, external reality as well as internal thought and imagination.  The difference between these two states is similar to the difference between real life and daydreams.  I find that it is easy to slip from simulation to mere imagination – particularly if I am trying to force my dream environment to do something.  As this happens, I remain conscious but the dream ceases to feel real.  Pretty soon, I’m just lying in bed with my eyes closed trying to get the simulation back.

How to Become Aware while Dreaming

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According to Inception, a person can enter a lucid dream state with the help of chemical injection.  In real life, nothing quite so elaborate is required.  While I find that I cannot do anything to guarantee that I will have a lucid dream, simply telling myself, “I will have a lucid dream” before I go to sleep dramatically increases the odds.

Cultivating a healthy attention to detail in the real world is a good way to become aware in the dream state.  Training your brain to recognize inconsistencies or improbabilities in the dream world is the best way to become aware.  As mentioned earlier, trying to read something in a dream (and then trying to read it again) can quickly confirm that you are not awake.  People who wear watches will often use them as a trigger, as attempting to read a watch while dreaming can yield similar results as attempting to read words.

Once you are able to achieve consciousness in the dream state, it can be helpful to say or do something to solidify your simulated reality.  Telling your mind to increase the detail of the dream, or spinning around, are two ways that you can cause your mind to make the images and sensations of the dream clearer.  Once you’ve stabilized and sharpened the dream, it’s off to Wonderland!

There’s obviously a lot more to this subject than what I’ve covered in this article; consider clicking here for additional information.  There’s also some good information to be found here.  As always, I hope you’ll feel free to add your own comments and ideas below.  Let me know if you have any questions about lucid dreaming, and I’ll do the best I can to answer them.

Hi, Christopher Wood here!  I’m interested in what you have to say about this article. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to leave a comment. If you are reading this article from the main page, you can get to the comments area by clicking on the “Comment” link seen below; otherwise, just type your comment in the box displayed below. You can also use any of the social networking links below to recommend this article to others. I look forward to hearing from you!

Inception Movie Review

Inception Movie Graphic Image

If you’ve already seen this movie I would love to get you opinion on some of the ideas I throw out at the end of this article.  Also, if you’d like to hear some additional thoughts about the movie, including my theory about what was actually going on, click on the audio commentary link below.

Inception Movie Audio Commentary

It takes a lot to get me to the movies these days. I used to catch most major new releases within a few weeks – but not anymore. I’m not sure when my enthusiasm for cinema waned, or even why. Sure, I tell myself I’m going to see Iron Man 2 at some point – but in the end, it just doesn’t happen and I finally catch the flick after its release on DVD. And yet, every once-in-a-while a movie comes along that really grabs my attention. When this happens, I insist on getting tickets to see it on opening day. Forget about the lines, I’m there! Such is the case with Christopher Nolan’s latest blockbuster Inception.

Believe me, I know this risky behavior. Getting this excited about a movie can set you up for crushing disappointment later on – and I’ve had my heart broken many times. Yet, I’m happy to report that this is not the case with Inception. This movie is an expert blend of surrealism, imagination, redemption, drama, and even a little horror. It’s not perfect; my own experiences with lucid dreaming (which I will discuss in another article) contradict some of Nolan’s ideas. Nevertheless, this film brilliantly compensates for any shortcomings I could find.

The first great thing to note about his movie is that it is highly resistant to spoilers. That’s not to say that someone couldn’t attempt to ruin the movie by revealing details about its story – but what a story to spoil! Such a person would need to have an exceptional grasp of detail to accurately recite Nolan’s intricately woven masterpiece from memory. Yet, this is the rare movie that is more than the sum of its parts. Even knowing the plot would likely be poor preparation for the experience itself.

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With that said, I must still issue a warning that I will be giving away a few spoilers in this review. I don’t believe I’m revealing anything too monumental, or that can’t be found in dozens of other places already, but I’m obliged to caution the reader anyway. If you’ve done any research on this film, you already know that Inception is a heist movie (maybe) – it takes place in a time (unspecified) when humanity has developed the ability for people to enter a shared dream-state. This technology enables a few highly skilled individuals known as “extractors” to steal your most valuable secrets while you sleep.

The main character in the movie is a man named Dom Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) – a man whose life is racked by a personal tragedy I won’t specify here. He is the best in this new (and, not strictly speaking, legal) field of extraction. He is approached by a powerful businessman who makes him an offer he can’t refuse if he can pull off something everyone considers impossible: instead of stealing an idea, Cobb must plant an idea in the mind of an important individual. This process is called “Inception”. (Ta-da! The title of the movie)

I’m amazed by Christopher Nolan’s ability to compose such a complex universe, yet so thoroughly explain the rules that we understand how things work (more or less). Nolan isn’t just the director of this movie, he is the writer as well; the story is a concept he has reportedly been nursing for over 8 years. His attention to detail becomes clear the more you pay attention to what’s going on.

A couple of non-criticisms of the film: most of the characters in the movie (with the exception of Cobb) are cardboard cutouts. They play their parts well, and are fun to watch, but they have no depth what so ever. Why is this not a criticism? Well, without giving too much away I can tell you that one of the big questions you’ll be asked to consider during this movie is whether everything you’re seeing is a dream. This movie lends itself to many fascinating interpretations, and the supporting cast can mold itself to fit nearly any theory you can cook up (and you will cook up several theories after the final credits roll).

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My second non-criticism, as mentioned earlier, is that Nolan may not accurately portray the reality of lucid dreaming. Furthermore, while he creates a surreal dream environment it falls short of depicting the truly bizarre nature of our dreams. These are minor quibbles. I appreciate Nolan’s ability to maintain a semblance of coherence in this incredibility intricate narrative. It gives you the feeling (whether true or false) that there might actually be some answers to the mysteries that unfold before your eyes.

And oh, the fun you can have trying to solve those mysteries! The dialogue and the action can be interpreted in so many different ways. When Cobb tells a former mentor of his that this last job is a way for him to get home – what is he actually referring to? There is the safe answer the movie provides and then there are much deeper considerations and possibilities. Is this truly a heist movie? Or could it be a metaphor for sanity…or addiction…or something else entirely? I’m not sure Christopher Nolan even knows for certain.

The final scene in the movie offers the audience a tantalizing choice: you get to decide whether to take the safe explanation of what you’ve just seen or dive into an endless labyrinth of interpretation and speculation. Like the concept of a dram, within a dream, within a dream, it’s easy to get lost as you attempt to figure this movie out – and it’s a lot of fun. This movie isn’t for everyone, but it’s definitely for me. And as I’m the one giving this review I give Inception a solid 5 out of 5 stars.

On a final note, if you’ve seen the movie consider some of the ideas below (feel free to add some of your own in the comments section):

• Ariadne isn’t just the name of one of the film’s central characters (played by Ellen Page); it is also the name of a character from Greek mythology. According to myth, Ariadne helps the Greek hero Theseus find his way out of he Minotaur’s labyrinth. Is the Ariadne of the film doing something similar for Cobb?
• In the movie, we are introduced to the “Mr. Charles” technique of getting someone to work against his or her own subconscious self-defenses. Could this be happening on an even deeper level in the movie?
• The movie introduces us to the concept of a “forger” – someone who has the ability to impersonate other people while in the dream-state. Kind of makes you wonder if everyone is actually who they say they are.
• Consider the concept of the staircase paradox that is mentioned a few times in the film. Then think about the beginning (the very beginning) of the movie and the end. Is there an interesting metaphor here?

A good resource for unanswered questions about this movie can be found here.

Please share your thoughts!

Hi, Christopher Wood here!  I’m interested in what you have to say about this article. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to leave a comment. If you are reading this article from the main page, you can get to the comments area by clicking on the “Comment” link seen below; otherwise, just type your comment in the box displayed below. You can also use any of the social networking links below to recommend this article to others. I look forward to hearing from you!

Quick Thought: The Purpose of Praise

Giving Hands Photo Image

What a strange thing is praise! In its attempt to quantify and define its subject it cannot help but diminish the same. Virtue and excellence require no recognition for their maintenance; and yet, it is my blessing to give praise where deserved. If joy is indeed the product of gratitude then I praise others not for their sake, but for my own.

Hi, Christopher Wood here!  I’m interested in what you have to say about this article. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to leave a comment. If you are reading this article from the main page, you can get to the comments area by clicking on the “Comment” link seen below; otherwise, just type your comment in the box displayed below. You can also use any of the social networking links below to recommend this article to others. I look forward to hearing from you!

Why I Celebrate Charlie Crist and Joseph Lieberman…and Why You Should Too

People Voting Photo Image

By now many who follow politics and the news are aware that Charlie Crist, the Republican governor of Florida, is facing a serious primary challenge in his bid for the U.S. Senate. Crist is taking serious heat from members of his own party for some of the moderate positions he’s taken in recent years. This is especially evident in former Vice President Dick Cheney’s decision to endorse Crist’s opponent, Marco Rubio.

Poll numbers indicate that Rubio will defeat Crist in the Republican primary election; however, much like Joseph Lieberman’s senate race in 2006 polls also show that Crist could defeat both Rubio and the Democratic challenger in a general election if he ran as an Independent. Republicans are not happy about this possibility, and have indicated that if Crist goes Independent his future in the Republican Party is over.

The flashbacks to Joe Lieberman and the Democrats bring an immediate smile to my face. I’m not a Lieberman fan, but watching the left-wing go crazy over his Independent candidacy was just too much fun. And despite all the vitriol they sent his way, Democrats could not afford to follow through on their threats to completely alienate Lieberman; they needed him and his vote for their caucus. I expect the same would be true for Crist and the Republicans.

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Make no mistake: I stand by any politician’s right to break ranks from their political party. In fact, I encourage it. The threats of, “If you do this you’re through with our party” are like the bloviating of a toothless mafia. As much as the Left hated him for doing it, Lieberman had every right to run as an Independent. And while Dick Cheney and the Right might scorn Charlie Crist, he is equally entitled to do the same.

Regardless of whether you hate Joe Lieberman or Charlie Crist – regardless of whether you agree with their views or positions – there is good reason to celebrate their victories (or potential victories) over political opponents on both the Right and the Left. Lieberman’s victory over Ned Lamont was a demonstration that America is ready for some middle ground, an affirmation that our choices extend beyond one extreme of the political spectrum or the other.

I’ve commented before that a major problem with our political system is that people become so loyal, so enamored with a particular party – and so spiteful and loathing toward the other – that facts and issues become less important than whether a candidate has an “R” or a “D” next to his or her name. As moderate, independent candidates become a serious challenge for both Republicans and Democrats it will force both parties to up their game; they won’t be able to rely on blind loyalty to keep their votes.

Bottom line: I hope Charlie Crist goes Independent. And I hope he cleans the clock of his Republican and Democratic challengers. I was grinning ear-to-ear when I learned about Lieberman’s victory in 2006, and I’ll be cheering if Crist can pull off the same coup d’état. Dick Cheney be damned; it’s time to get away from rigid dogma and tunnel-vision ideology. I want some moderate, pragmatic, thinking politicians in Washington for a change; according to the polls, I’m not alone.

Hi, Christopher Wood here!  I’m interested in what you have to say about this article. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to leave a comment. If you are reading this article from the main page, you can get to the comments area by clicking on the “Comment” link seen below; otherwise, just type your comment in the box displayed below. You can also use any of the social networking links below to recommend this article to others. I look forward to hearing from you!

Hacked!

Computer Hacker Clipart Image

Today I had the great pleasure of having this blog hacked. Talk about something that will scare you to death. Fortunately, my assailants were relatively benevolent, and didn’t destroy everything I’ve worked so hard to build. All things considered, I’m actually pretty grateful that things didn’t turn out much, much worse.

Regrettably, it appears that the hackers may have cracked my website using the previous theme – one that I enjoyed using very much. Nevertheless, this new theme doesn’t look too bad; the more I fiddle around with it, the more I like it (feel free to share your opinions with me).

Hacker Clipart Image

The real heroes of the day are the tech support guys over at hostmonster.com. I can’t say enough good things about these people. They helped me get back into my site (the hackers had done a nice job of changing my login settings) and restored most of my blog’s content. Seriously – if you are looking for a hosting solution for your website or blog, they are the first place you should go!

Moving on – it’s been a little while since I’ve been actively posting, largely due to the craziness of a new job and a new baby on the way (thank you, thank you). I hope to remedy this soon with a flurry of new political commentary, entertainment reviews, and random musings. For those who have continued to follow this website, I thank you for your attention. It’s good to still be here.

Hi, Christopher Wood here!  I’m interested in what you have to say about this article. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to leave a comment. If you are reading this article from the main page, you can get to the comments area by clicking on the “Comment” link seen below; otherwise, just type your comment in the box displayed below. You can also use any of the social networking links below to recommend this article to others. I look forward to hearing from you!