Frontiersman, February 2006

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Frontiersman, February 2006

The Ever Changing Word of Man
Sam Aurelius Milam III
Sir James the Bold asked me recently if I believe in the Bible. I told him that I believe that it exists. I could see that the answer didn't satisfy him.
The longer answer requires some background. Presented below is a little background of the useful sort. It's a bit of commentary on the King James Version of the Holy Bible, excerpted from page vi of the Preface to my 1962 edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible.¹ Remember, the commentary comes not from some atheistic tirade or secular diatribe but from a different version of the Holy Bible itself. Remember also that, in spite of the availability of more recent versions of the Holy Bible, the King James Version remains to this day among the most popular translations, fueling the passions particularly of the fundamentalist sort of so-called Christians.

A major reason for revision of the King James Version, which is valid for both the Old Testament and the New Testament, is the change since 1611 in English usage ....

The King James Version uses the word “let” in the sense of “hinder,” “prevent” to mean “precede,” “allow” in the sense of “approve,” “communicate” for “share,” “conversation” for “conduct,” “comprehend” for “overcome,” “ghost” for “spirit,” “wealth” for “well-being,” “allege” for “prove,” “demand” for “ask,” “take no thought” for “be not anxious,” “purchase a good degree” for “gain a good standing,” etc. The Greek word for “immediately” is translated in the King James Version not only by “immediately” and “straightway” but also by the terms “anon,” “by and by,” and “presently.” There are more than tree hundred such English words which are used in the King James Version in a sense substantially different from that which they now convey. It not only does the King James translators no honor, but it is quite unfair to them and to the truth which they understood and expressed, to retain these words which now convey meanings they did not intend.

I knew what Sir James the Bold meant when he asked me if I believe in the Bible. I just tried to dodge the issue. What he wanted to know is whether or not I believe that the Bible is the Inspired, Unchanging, Everlasting Word of God. Here's what I believe. If the Bible really was that Sort of Thing, then it would be forever correct. It would never become obsolete. Every translation of it would agree with every other translation. God would make sure that every time that I picked up my old Revised Standard Version, it would have been miraculously transformed and updated, so that it was immaculately correct, according to the latest customary usage of the words in it. Not only that, it would change if I took it down South with me, so that anybody who read it there would find in it the True Word of God in spite of regional differences in the language. Furthermore, it's presentation of the ideas would change even according to the vocabulary and education of whoever happened to be reading it at the time. If the Bible was the Inspired, Unchanging, Everlasting Word of God, then there wouldn't be any possibility of misunderstanding it. So, I have to say that the answer is "no". Since the Bible exists in many conflicting translations, since old versions of it become obsolete as the language changes, since nobody can agree about what it means, therefore it fails the test.

I respect the Holy Bible just as I do any book. It's a useful book. It contains a lot of interesting information, some good advice, and even some inspirational and uplifting material. However, I believe that it isn't the Inspired, Unchanging, Everlasting Word of God. I'm sorry to disappoint those of you who believe otherwise but that's what I believe.

I received that Bible as a gift from Reverend Bronaugh, of the Boldtville Presbyterian Church, on June 7, 1964. I've always treated it with respect. It's one of my prized possessions.

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February 2006

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Page 1

Abuses and Usurpations
Sam Aurelius Milam III

We've all seen pictures of airliner crashes. The crash of a big one usually scatters debris over about 5 acres of land. Heavy things like engines gouge holes in the ground. Burning fuel scorches the surface. A Boeing 757-200 is a big, heavy, fast airplane. It has a maximum design landing weight somewhere in the vicinity of 100 tons. The fuselage is more than 13 feet from top to bottom. It has a wing span of almost 125 feet and a length of over 155 feet. The tail section extends about 45 feet above ground level. It flies at between 250 mph and 600 mph.

From photograph number 2, on page 3, it's clear that the width of the collapsed section of wall in the Pentagon is less than the width of a Boeing 757. The original hole was even smaller. Indeed, it's so small that it isn't even visible in photograph number 1.

The vertical dimension of the first floor of the Pentagon is less than the height of a Boeing 757. From photograph 3, you can see that it's about the same height as that of a fire truck. Nevertheless, the initial damage was restricted to only the first floor. The second floor wasn't hit. In the third photograph, you can see that the lawn adjacent to the damaged section of the Pentagon is in pristine condition. There aren't any skid marks, gouged places, or scorch marks. How did such a large airplane make such a small hole, hit only the first floor, and miss the lawn and the second floor completely?

Look at the outline of the airplane in the second photograph. The damaged section of the Pentagon is too small for the entire airplane to have disappeared into the building. There should be debris outside of the building. Even if the entire fuselage vanished into the interior, an unlikely scenario, everything else should have sheered off and remained on the lawn. Look at the lawn in photograph number 3. Where's the tail section? Where are the engines. Where are the wings? Where's the debris? If there had been an airplane crash, then there would have been wreckage. Since there wasn't any wreckage, it follows that there wasn't an airplane crash.

The claim that the Pentagon was hit by a Boeing 757 is obviously a lie. Since it wasn't an airplane, then what would cause that kind of damage? The most likely answer is that the Pentagon was hit by a cruise missile. There aren't many other possibilities. Letter bomb? U-Haul truck? I believe that the Pentagon was hit by a cruise missile.

Who would do such a thing? Consider means and motive. Who had the means? Who could deliver a cruise missile to the Pentagon? Only the U.S. government. What would be the motive? It was the same motive that was attributed to the falsely accused Muslims. It was done for the advancement of a political agenda. Draconian measures like the Patriot act can't be passed unless something like the 911 attack stampedes the sheeple into a fit of panic and jingoism. Thus, the cruise missile and the lie probably came from the same source.

Worse yet, the attack required the sacrifice of a commercial airliner loaded with innocent passengers. I'm confident that those people are dead. The perpetrators of the incident can't risk the possibility that one of them might escape and turn up alive somewhere. It's the Capricorn I scenario all over again. The dead victims must remain dead.

The arrogance of the plan is consistent with the pattern of callous brutality that has characterized the US government for decades. It's a continuation of the long train of ruthless arrogance displayed throughout most of the history of the U.S. government. Wounded Knee, Bikini Atoll, Ruby Ridge, Waco, and dozens of other incidents large and small, proclaim the monstrous nature of the U.S. Government.

... and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

— from the Declaration of Independence

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February 2006

Pentagon Photographs, September 11, 2001

Source:

Pentagon, Hunt the Boeing! And test your perceptions!
http://www.asile.org/citoyens/numero13/pentagone/erreurs_en.htm

Photograph Number 1
facade-intacte-2.jpg

Photograph Number 2
avion-incrustation.jpg

Photograph Number 3
pelouse.jpg

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February 2006

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Page 3

I Love My Local TV News Program
Jim Sullivan

I can't wait for 6 p.m. to come every day. That's when my local TV news program airs for a whole half hour. It's so darn much fun and chock full of stuff that I can hardly stand it. Usually, therefore, I sit down to watch.

That show provides me my daily ration of entertainment. Here's how. First, it has up to a whole 2 minutes of actual news headline coverage. Sure, half of it is sometimes national in scope, which will be shown again on the networks immediately following, but that's only done on the local program for slow news days.

During that nightly 120 seconds of news concerning airplane, train, and auto crashes, disastrous explosions, serial murders, and student shootings at elementary schools and high schools, the local program is replete with silly jokes, good-natured ribbing, and inane chitchat between and among news anchors and field reporters.

As the entire local news program has only 8 minutes of commercials, a whopping 22 minutes is left over for subject matter. The actual news, mentioned above, cuts the time down to 20 minutes. That's plenty of time, though, for the remaining stuff to be aired. It includes up to 4 minutes devoted exclusively to bake and candy sales for charities, almost 5 minutes of health features for retirees, pregnant mothers, and people with ingrown toenails, and at least 10 and up to 12 seconds for stock market reports. Sports gets a measly 5 minutes.

That last mentioned item is often filled with talking heads. Coaches mostly. Seldom do players, for some reason, get on camera. The heads that air (air heads?) are always asked and as often respond to the same "key" question: "What're the keys to winning today's or tomorrow's athletic contest?" Of course, and as ever, the replies are, "The key to winning is for us to outscore our opponents!" Also shown in the sports segment are a total of 17 seconds of video coverage of 8 games. It might be football, basketball, hockey, or baseball, depending upon the season. Some of it will be high school or college, the rest pros.

With the remaining 6 minutes of the news program, local weather is reported and repeated 8 times. That, I guess, is to let those three or four people who tuned in late know what the weather was, is, or could be. After the fourth repetition, I, for one, can recite the weather word for word.

The beauty of all this is that between the numerous weather reports and the all-too-short sports segment, anchors and special reporters can joke on the air about their favorite topics and gas over completely unrelated matters.

After watching the local evening news, I always feel better, light hearted and light headed. By then, my supper is fully digested, too. And then I can do what I have to do.

Of course, if I really want to know what's going on locally or nationally, I can, and do, subscribe to a local daily newspaper. Besides providing news headlines, it reports stories in depth, puts them into perspective, gives differing views, covers more subjects, and mentions things never seen on TV, like births, deaths, all crime, local government and school reports, editorials, op-eds, sports with detailed stats, and weather in detail. The newspaper also provides political cartoons, letters to the editor, funny pages, TV schedules, a crossword puzzle, etc. And I can read my newspaper once or as often as I want, whenever I so desire. What's more, when I'm all through reading it, I can use it to line my waste basket.

Nevertheless, I sure do enjoy my local TV news program for its rapid-fire humor, shallow, meaningless journalists' conversations, miscellaneous but limited headlines, and information features for women in a family way. Don't forget, then, to tune in daily to your own sparkling half hour of local TV news. It'll give you a relaxing belly full of light and easy entertainment.

Stray Thoughts
Sam Aurelius Milam III
Dropout — I used to get really annoyed with the weather reports. I don't want a wanabe professor to give me a class in meteorology. I don't CARE why it will rain or not rain. I just want to know if it's gonna rain! The forecast shouldn't take more than 20 seconds.

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February 2006

Stupidity and Greed: Ingredients of Capitalism
Sam Aurelius Milam III

In a free economy, industrialists consider that freedom is the privilege of being stupid without penalty.

— from the Pirates of Zan
by Murray Leinster

Not that I want to give away my personal behavior, but I use liquid hand soap instead of bar soap at the bathroom sink. It makes less of a mess. The stuff comes in a little bottle with a pump on the top to dispense the soap. Over the years, I've noticed that one complete stroke of the pump dispenses about eight times as much soap as I need to clean my hands. I can push the pump just the smallest amount, get just a tiny dollop of the soap, and still have enough to do the job.

Why do they design the pumps to dispense so much soap? Maybe because it's the natural tendency of somebody using the pump to push it a full stroke. Apparently, people are too stupid to notice that they're wasting seven eighths of the soap that they pump onto their hands. Thus, the company sells eight times as much soap as it would sell if the pump wasn't designed to manipulate people into wasting the product. It's yet another example of the confluence of human stupidity and human greed. It's easy to win this one. Just push the pump about one-eighth of its full stroke. You'll be amazed at how little soap it really takes to clean your hands in most cases. If you're hands are still dirty when you're done, well, what the heck. Do it again. Otherwise, you're throwing away seven out of every eight bottles of soap that you buy.

I've noticed a similar situation with the liquid laundry detergent dispenser on my washing machine. I'm careful to observe things like how sudsy the water is during the wash and rinse cycles, how clean the clothes get, and how soapy they feel when I transfer them to the dryer. I've determined how much detergent it takes to get them clean while not using so much that it doesn't rinse out thoroughly during the rinse cycles. I've discovered that I need no more than 25% of the actual capacity of the liquid laundry detergent dispenser, even for a full load. For a small load, I can use even less. Again, the gizmo is designed to suck unwary consumers into consuming more of a product than they need in order to do the job. Again, it's easy to win. Just use less liquid laundry detergent than it takes to fill the dispenser. Pay attention to the laundry during and after the washing process and you'll use a lot less detergent.

Libertarians who glorify the so-called free market should start to take notice of the excesses and abuses promulgated in the name of serving customers. I'm completely in favor of the free market but I'm adamantly opposed to greed and to the manipulation of customers, especially where it gives a bad name to an otherwise worthy form of commerce. If those of us who applaud the free market don't see that honesty and integrity, instead of greed and stupidity, are among its principles then those people who oppose the idea of choice (for others besides themselves) will destroy what little remains of the free market in this country. There isn't much of it left but let's try to save at least that remnant.

A White Man's Notes
Sam Aurelius Milam III
Gender Equality — If sexual harassment by a man is going to be punishable, then sexual provocation by a woman should also be punishable. If the woman gets to unilaterally declare what is or what isn't sexual harassment, then the man ought to get to unilaterally declare what is or what isn't sexual provocation. After all, the mere presence of a woman can be as intrusive into a man's "space" as a man's pursuit of a woman is intrusive into the woman's "space".
Assuming Intelligence — Of course, there's an alternative. Women could just admit that gender equality is a stupid idea and that the sexual pursuit of women by men is normal male behavior. Then, of course, the intelligent strategy for women would be to stop tempting fate, to stop their senseless efforts to force themselves, unwelcomed, into the presence of men.
Fair Game — Of course, the exceptions would be those women who want to be pursued by men. Vive la différence! Tally ho!

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February 2006

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Page 5

Frontiersman
1510 North 22nd Drive
Show Low, Arizona 85901

Liberty
is for
people who think.

Acknowledgments

My thanks to the following: Sir James the Bold, SantaClara Bob, Lady Jan the Voluptuous, and Alan, of San Jose, California.

— editor

Buck Hunter Shoots Off His Mouth
Dear Buck
What do you think of the Sufi way of life?

— Thinking About Converting

Dear Thinking About Converting

I went to one of them bars once but I didn't eat anything. It was all raw. We cook our fish around here before we eat ’em.

Headlines for 2029
Original Source Unknown. Forwarded by Don G.

• IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.

• Capitol Hill intern indicted for refusing to have sex with congressman.

• Florida voters still having trouble with voting machines.

New Office Slang
Original Source Unknown. Forwarded by Lord Jeffrey the Studious
Beepilepsy — The brief seizure people sometimes suffer when their beepers go off, especially in vibrator mode. Characterized by physical spasms, goofy facial expressions, and stopping speech in mid-sentence.

Frontiersman

Cancellations — If you don't want to keep receiving this newsletter, print REFUSED, RETURN TO SENDER above your name and address, cross out your name and address, and return the newsletter. When I receive it, I'll terminate your subscription. You may also cancel by letter, e-mail, carrier pigeon, or any other method that gets the message to me.

Back Issues — Back issues or extra copies of this newsletter are available upon request.

Reprint Policy — Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this newsletter in its entirety or to reproduce material from it, provided that the reproduction is accurate and that proper credit is given. Please note that I do not have the authority to give permission to reprint material that I have reprinted from other sources. For that permission, you must go to the original source. I would appreciate receiving a courtesy copy of any document or publication in which you reprint my material.

Submissions — I solicit letters, articles, and cartoons for the newsletter, but I don't pay for them. Short items are more likely to be printed. I suggest that letters and articles be shorter than 500 words, but that's flexible depending on space available and the content of the piece. I give credit for all items printed unless the author specifies otherwise.

Payment — This newsletter isn't for sale. If you care to make a voluntary contribution, you may do so. The continued existence of the newsletter will depend, in part, on such contributions. I prefer cash, U.S. postage stamps, prepaid telephone cards, and so forth. For checks or money orders, please inquire. For PayPal payments, use frontiersman@pharos.pricelesshost.net. I don't accept anything that requires me to provide ID to receive it. In case anybody is curious, I also accept gold, silver, platinum, etc.

— Sam Aurelius Milam III, editor

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February 2006

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