Monthly Archives: April 2011

Jennifer Chou: What if the one you encounter is a bad apple?

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Jennifer Chou

The Swill Bucket is pleased to present another column by Jennifer Chou. Jenn received her B.A. in communications studies from UCLA and her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law. She enjoys beer, jogging, the beach and music in her spare time.

“What if the one you encounter is the bad apple?” by Jennifer Chou

“Certainly, the attitudes, thoughts and words of a few officers will not necessarily be representative of all police. Even so, it is important to keep in mind there are indeed deranged, corrupt, and morally bankrupt people in uniforms who carry guns. Not infrequently, they will publicly, and shamelessly display their degeneracy because they know that regardless, they will continue to be protected by the law, and revered by the public. Below are just a few recent examples.”

Kalama Sutra: Buddha’s Charter of Free Inquiry

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Kalama Sutta

The people of Kalama asked the Buddha who to believe out of all the ascetics, sages, venerables, and holy ones who, like himself, passed through their town. They complained that they were confused by the many contradictions they discovered in what they heard. The Kalama Sutta is the Buddha’s reply.

– Do not believe anything on mere hearsay.
– Do not believe in traditions merely because they are old and have been handed down for many generations and in many places.
– Do not believe anything on account of rumors or because people talk a a great deal about it.
– Do not believe anything because you are shown the written testimony of some ancient sage.
– Do not believe in what you have fancied, thinking that, because it is extraordinary, it must have been inspired by a god or other wonderful being.
– Do not believe anything merely because presumption is in its favor, or because the custom of many years inclines you to take it as true.
– Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers and priests.
– But, whatever, after thorough investigation and reflection, you find to agree with reason and experience, as conducive to the good and benefit of one and all and of the world at large, accept only that as true, and shape your life in accordance with it.

The same text, said the Buddha, must be applied to his own teachings.

– Do not accept any doctrine from reverence, but first try it as gold is tried by fire.

A more thorough discussion of this text can be found here:  Soma Thera

Jennifer Chou: The cognitive dissonance of prosecutors

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Jennifer Chou

The Swill Bucket is pleased to present another column by Jennifer Chou. Jenn received her B.A. in communications studies from UCLA and her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law. She enjoys beer, jogging, the beach and music in her spare time.

 

“The cognitive dissonance of prosecutors” by Jennifer Chou

“Prosecutors have repeatedly made the news recently, embarrassing themselves along with their police buddies –

Las Vegas Deputy District Attorney David Schubert resigned on April 1, 2011 after he  was arrested on suspicion of buying cocaine. He was pulled over in Las Vegas with cocaine in the car, a semi-automatic 9mm pistol, four ammunition magazines, and two boxes of bullets (more here). Ironically, he was the same prosecutor who had recently prosecuted Bruno Mars and Paris Hilton when they were arrested for cocaine possession.”

Read entire article here:

Also by Jennifer Chou:

“What if the one you encounter is a bad apple”?

“You hyphenated me, asshole!”

The Danger of Tranquilized & Docile Youth

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“I hope you observed more than Hillary Clinton, McGovern’s peaceful protest, and his beating and dragging. If you didn’t, please click the ‘play’ button and watch it again. Do you see what I see? A room filled with supposedly bright and educated university students, and supposedly intellectual elite. A room full of our young on its way to becoming the educated new workforce – filling up positions; from government bureaucrats’ and diplomats’ desks to the pacers of our congressional halls; from the corporate ladder climbers to the NGO drivers…That’s right. The Jack Morton Auditorium at George Washington University was filled with over 200 such people.”

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