WE ANSWER OUR CRITICSNormally, I don't bother with improvement obstructionists and I don't answer their emails. It just wastes my time.
Most of them are obstructionists because they're profiting either financially or psychologically from having down scale conditions in Costa Mesa.
They'll never support improvement. That's because while improvement will help the middle class homeowners of this city, it won't help these obstructionists and may kill off their golden goose.
But, just for a change, I've decided to reply to some of these comments and personal attacks that have been posted on the Daily Pilot Website. As we say on the streets, docendo discimus.Since I don't post on the Pilot Website, I've captured all the comments up to Mar 4, 2008 9:43 PM: and put them here. You can find my responses in blue immediately following each comment.
"SOUNDING OFF:
Millard: Let’s set the record straight"
Kerryman wrote on Mar 4, 2008 9:43 PM:
" I've read several of Millard's crack-brained submissions to the Daily Pilot. On those occasions, he always seems puzzled. "Me?," he writes. "A racist? Perish the thought." But Millard is indeed a racist. Check out his pieces on the neo-Nazi Web site "New Nation News," where he rails against "race mixing" and the "pollution" of the white race by Hispanics and African Americans. Millard is the 800-pound Julius Streicher in the living room of Costa Mesa's civic discourse. No one should listen to him or give his preposterous rantings any credence whatsoever. "
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I RESPOND: Kerryman, given your cliched and tired conclusions in your post, it's pretty clear you don't understand what you read, and it's also clear you don't even understand the basic conventions we have in the language. You see, you put quotation marks around a number of expressions as though they are direct quotes from me and they're not.
If you don't like what I write, and can't understand it, just don't read it. Comprende? Also, the next time you call someone names, why don't you put your real name with your post?
Of course, your knee jerk and lefty use of the term "racist," gives me another opportunity to delve into the misuse of our language. In common usage, "racist" has come to mean one who hates others because of race and often wants to destroy them. That's not me. Never has been. My guess, from your comments, is that it describes you.
I've been a long time advocate for the continuation of races and for the end of genocide. In fact, that's what many of my essays have been about.
Specifically, I've written a number of essays supporting Native Americans, Australian Aborigines, Native Hawaiians (another column is coming soon on the Hawaiians), and others who are trying, not only to overcome the insidious genocide that has been forced on them, but to reverse it. Some of those who want the genocide to continue seem to have ignorant attitudes such as yours.
And, in a larger sense, what I have written about ending genocide has to do with the bigger questions of existence starting at the subatomic level where matter comes into being from non-being and proceeds on a path that among other things can be seen in evolution, DNA, genes, chromosomes, genotypes, phenotypes and much more.
Much of this will be in my next book.
And as far as my essays appearing on this or that website or publication;I repeat again: I write to be read and I'm appreciative of any webmaster or editor who runs my stuff. I don't agree with everything on every website or in every publication where my essays appear. Why, I'd even let some of my stuff appear in the Daily Pilot.
Tommie Griffon wrote on Mar 4, 2008 9:10 PM:
I RESPOND: Kerryman, given your cliched and tired conclusions in your post, it's pretty clear you don't understand what you read, and it's also clear you don't even understand the basic conventions we have in the language. You see, you put quotation marks around a number of expressions as though they are direct quotes from me and they're not.
If you don't like what I write, and can't understand it, just don't read it. Comprende? Also, the next time you call someone names, why don't you put your real name with your post?
Of course, your knee jerk and lefty use of the term "racist," gives me another opportunity to delve into the misuse of our language. In common usage, "racist" has come to mean one who hates others because of race and often wants to destroy them. That's not me. Never has been. My guess, from your comments, is that it describes you.
I've been a long time advocate for the continuation of races and for the end of genocide. In fact, that's what many of my essays have been about.
Specifically, I've written a number of essays supporting Native Americans, Australian Aborigines, Native Hawaiians (another column is coming soon on the Hawaiians), and others who are trying, not only to overcome the insidious genocide that has been forced on them, but to reverse it. Some of those who want the genocide to continue seem to have ignorant attitudes such as yours.
And, in a larger sense, what I have written about ending genocide has to do with the bigger questions of existence starting at the subatomic level where matter comes into being from non-being and proceeds on a path that among other things can be seen in evolution, DNA, genes, chromosomes, genotypes, phenotypes and much more.
Much of this will be in my next book.
And as far as my essays appearing on this or that website or publication;I repeat again: I write to be read and I'm appreciative of any webmaster or editor who runs my stuff. I don't agree with everything on every website or in every publication where my essays appear. Why, I'd even let some of my stuff appear in the Daily Pilot.
Tommie Griffon wrote on Mar 4, 2008 9:10 PM:
" Rob Dickson...my sentiments exactly!! "
I RESPOND: See below.
I RESPOND: See below.
Rob Dickson wrote on Mar 4, 2008 10:08 AM:
" Mr. Millard, if you really want to set the record straight, stop claiming that you want to improve Costa Mesa. You want no such thing, as you've repeatedly advocated for a merger of Costa Mesa INTO Newport Beach. I respect honest advocacy and people who stand up for what they believe in, and but your repeated calls for wiping the municipal entity that is Costa Mesa off the map, while claiming that all you want is improvement for Costa Mesa, is completely disingenuous. So set the record straight, Mr. Millard, do you want Costa Mesa to improve or disappear? "
I RESPOND: Dickson, I want to see the geographic area that we call Costa Mesa improved. The name "Costa Mesa" and the corporate/civic entity that it represents isn't worth anything if it doesn't benefit us and our families.
And, if it doesn't benefit us, then we shouldn't be wedded to the concept of having it as a separate city. If we can improve the quality of life for the citizens who live in this geographic area by merging with Newport Beach, that's a good move for our citizens.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty much a voice in the wilderness on this, so you needn't worry that the slums, the industrial buildings on our view bluffs, the pollution, the gangs, the low school scores and other negatives will soon go away.
Enjoy your misplaced jingoism, but be sure to lock the doors on your home which has less value than it should have and stay out of certain neighborhoods at night and don't breathe the air downwind of the industrialized bluffs and if you have kids, you may want to put them in Newport Beach schools.
I RESPOND: Dickson, I want to see the geographic area that we call Costa Mesa improved. The name "Costa Mesa" and the corporate/civic entity that it represents isn't worth anything if it doesn't benefit us and our families.
And, if it doesn't benefit us, then we shouldn't be wedded to the concept of having it as a separate city. If we can improve the quality of life for the citizens who live in this geographic area by merging with Newport Beach, that's a good move for our citizens.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty much a voice in the wilderness on this, so you needn't worry that the slums, the industrial buildings on our view bluffs, the pollution, the gangs, the low school scores and other negatives will soon go away.
Enjoy your misplaced jingoism, but be sure to lock the doors on your home which has less value than it should have and stay out of certain neighborhoods at night and don't breathe the air downwind of the industrialized bluffs and if you have kids, you may want to put them in Newport Beach schools.
CMMV Resident wrote on Mar 4, 2008 8:54 AM:
" I read your "cockroach" analogy when referring to latinos.
Secondly, you indicate that your comments are directed at people with average to above average IQ. And those with less of an IQ? Maybe we don't want to know the answer.
Lastly, and perhaps most ironical, you apparently belong to "mensa." I know what mensa's definition is in spanish...! "
I RESPOND: Ah, CMMV Resident, I've read other posts from you and they're as off base as this one. No wonder you don't want to use your real name. I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to about "cockroaches," but it may be about something in one of my columns where I mentioned that famous Mexican writer Elena Poniatowski metaphorically compared Mexicans to cockroaches for the praiseworthy characteristics of the latter.
You see CMMV Resident, one of the reasons I say I write for people with average or above average I.Q.'s is because not everyone is going to understand what I write.
But even beyond the reference to Poniatowski; I have also praised cockroaches in many of my columns, and maybe that's what you've seen. I've written that the cockroach is a more apt symbol of a fully alive and expanding people than the Bald Eagle, which is almost extinct because it hasn't been able to adapt to changing circumstances and its reproduction level is too low. The cockroach, on the other hand, has been around since the days of the dinosaurs and will probably be here when we're all gone.
This talk of cockroaches also deals with the survival of the fittest and adaptation and evolution and the nature of existence...never mind. I discuss this a little further on. Next time, use your real name instead of hiding behind a phony screen name.
Oh, and "Mensa," as used by the organization of that name, isn't from Spanish, but from Latin. It means "table." Not the same meaning at all as mensa in Spanish.
Secondly, you indicate that your comments are directed at people with average to above average IQ. And those with less of an IQ? Maybe we don't want to know the answer.
Lastly, and perhaps most ironical, you apparently belong to "mensa." I know what mensa's definition is in spanish...! "
I RESPOND: Ah, CMMV Resident, I've read other posts from you and they're as off base as this one. No wonder you don't want to use your real name. I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to about "cockroaches," but it may be about something in one of my columns where I mentioned that famous Mexican writer Elena Poniatowski metaphorically compared Mexicans to cockroaches for the praiseworthy characteristics of the latter.
You see CMMV Resident, one of the reasons I say I write for people with average or above average I.Q.'s is because not everyone is going to understand what I write.
But even beyond the reference to Poniatowski; I have also praised cockroaches in many of my columns, and maybe that's what you've seen. I've written that the cockroach is a more apt symbol of a fully alive and expanding people than the Bald Eagle, which is almost extinct because it hasn't been able to adapt to changing circumstances and its reproduction level is too low. The cockroach, on the other hand, has been around since the days of the dinosaurs and will probably be here when we're all gone.
This talk of cockroaches also deals with the survival of the fittest and adaptation and evolution and the nature of existence...never mind. I discuss this a little further on. Next time, use your real name instead of hiding behind a phony screen name.
Oh, and "Mensa," as used by the organization of that name, isn't from Spanish, but from Latin. It means "table." Not the same meaning at all as mensa in Spanish.
gonzo1946 wrote on Mar 4, 2008 8:37 AM:
" Gosh, I'm still not convinced MHM. I was always taught that if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, has it's name posted on a naional duck group watch list and has it's writings praised by duck supremacy organizations, it's a duck. Maybe it's time to get the duck out of here and find a less tainted gene pool to swim in. When the housing market recovers, of course.
Bill Thomson
Costa Mesa "
I RESPOND: Gosh, gonzo 1946, is this supposed to be clever? Good grief! It sounds like you quacked up. See how easy it is to play with words? You know, gonzo1946 or BMT, I'm about the politest person you'll ever meet--when people are polite to me-- but I respond in kind. Send dumbass comments my way and you'll get them back in spades.
Bill Thomson
Costa Mesa "
I RESPOND: Gosh, gonzo 1946, is this supposed to be clever? Good grief! It sounds like you quacked up. See how easy it is to play with words? You know, gonzo1946 or BMT, I'm about the politest person you'll ever meet--when people are polite to me-- but I respond in kind. Send dumbass comments my way and you'll get them back in spades.
Geoff West wrote on Mar 4, 2008 12:44 AM:
" He closed his commentary by saying, "I will continue working as hard as I can to help improve Costa Mesa. Count on it." I'm sure he will. And you can count on me to set my picture books aside and observe and report on his attempts at "improvement", too, whether he likes it or not.
"
I RESPOND: If the soul of wit is brevity, West comes up short thrice. No one on the DP blog uses more words to say less than this guy West.
"
I RESPOND: If the soul of wit is brevity, West comes up short thrice. No one on the DP blog uses more words to say less than this guy West.
Geoff West wrote on Mar 4, 2008 12:43 AM:
" And, of course, he denigrates me as a lesser being, barely able to understand the written word, much less his profound pronouncements. He may be correct - I'm just a simple guy, without Millard's prodigious intellect - the existence of which I have acknowledged many times. I do know right from wrong. I do know intolerance when I see it. I've got enough gray matter to understand the common thread of his actions in our city is the extraction of the Latinos from our midst. I'm grateful to him for proving my points. (Cont.)
"
I RESPOND: Blah, blah, blah. I don't denigrate him. I feel sorry for him. He has no original thoughts and he seems to wear an inferiority complex on his sleeve.
West has never come up with one idea to help improve Costa Mesa that I'm aware of. He even lives under the flight path of the ever expanding JWA and he's apparently not savvy enough to go to City Council meetings when the issue is being discussed.
Instead of spending all his time making personal attacks, he should use his declining years in working to help improve our city and get over his obsession with thinking that Latinos are being discomforted or chased out of the city.
Report Abuse "
I RESPOND: Blah, blah, blah. I don't denigrate him. I feel sorry for him. He has no original thoughts and he seems to wear an inferiority complex on his sleeve.
West has never come up with one idea to help improve Costa Mesa that I'm aware of. He even lives under the flight path of the ever expanding JWA and he's apparently not savvy enough to go to City Council meetings when the issue is being discussed.
Instead of spending all his time making personal attacks, he should use his declining years in working to help improve our city and get over his obsession with thinking that Latinos are being discomforted or chased out of the city.
Geoff West wrote on Mar 4, 2008 12:41 AM:
" His ego is fully on display as he, with no trace of humility, compares himself to Galileo and other great thinkers of the past. I hope you all appreciate just how lucky you are that he has chosen to address us mere mortals from his place on high. Give me a break!
He uses this opportunity to hawk his books, wave his alleged Mensa membership like a battle flag and advertise his blog. I've never said he wasn't smart. (Cont.) "
I RESPOND: In my original column I wrote that someone would misunderstand the reference to Galileo. West was quick to step up and prove my point.
West apparently doesn't understand that the essential element of the comparison I made isn't that I'm like Galileo because of achievements or intellect, but that Galileo presents a commonly known example of someone who went against the current orthodoxy or zeitgeist.
In other words, I set up an analogy in my use of Galileo's name in which a reader had to use his or her reasoning ability to fill in the correct missing part. West failed the test.
Here's another example of such an analogy in simple terms so it's clear. Cat: Meowing: Dog: ___. No, the correct answer is not "fur" or "small animal," or "poops in your yard," it is "barking." Thus: Cat is to meowing as dog is to barking.
In Galileo's day, the then current orthodoxy held that the earth was the center of the solar system. No one could question that. Galileo said that was wrong and did question it. In our day, the equivalent current orthodoxy often deals with genes and things of genes--including race. And, no one is supposed to question our current orthodoxy. I don't play. I do question. I'm all for letting the mind explore science and then letting the chips fall where they may.
Even many people with picture books have heard of Galileo so it seemed to be a good and obvious way to illustrate a point. Even West had a passing acquaintance with the name Galileo.
I could have used more obscure references to make my point, but then I would have had to write many more paragraphs trying to explain the references and the pre-references and the pre-pre-references which are not in West's picture books.
And, if West couldn't even get the Galileo reference right, imagine the difficulty he would have had with some lesser known figures.
What about that nonsense West wrote about me waving the flag of Mensa? Actually, I wasn't waving it. West told readers where they could find some of my stuff and I just wanted to let them know they could also find it in some Mensa publications. It was a single word--Mensa--in a very long column. But, the fact that West focuses so much attention on that one word would probably say volumes about his psychological state to a shrink giving him a word association test.
If I were waving (read:bragging) I might have said that I'm also a member of another group that is commonly known as super Mensa (not affiliated with Mensa and it requires a higher I.Q. than Mensa) and that I was on my college's GE College Bowl Team (a quiz kid TV show) and that I agree with my fellow Mensan Stephen Hawking on...but, I didn't say all these things, did I? Oops. Again, my purpose was simply to give another place where some of my stuff could be read.
Nope, I wasn't bragging at all and I've never claimed that I'm smart. I just said you could find some of my stuff in Mensa publications. There was no way of telling you where you could find them without using the word Mensa.
And, the reason I didn't wave is because I'm not convinced that we really understand the concept "intelligence" or what constitutes intelligence and what doesn't. And, I'm not impressed with those who claim high intelligence. I never make such a claim for myself except in jest or to stick it to those with chips on their shoulders.
The truth is that I'm not sure that everyone--including me--who scores high on the present tests is really very smart at all. At any rate, I don't self-identify based on such concepts and I was surprised to see the appellation "Mensa Marty," that West apparently has now picked up from Waving Tom Johnson over at the Pilot, when Johnson first used it more than a year ago.
Since West seems obsessed with intelligence, and since others seem to have an interest in this area, and since it seems West has a difficult time understanding what he reads and apparently has a problem in being able to reason from correct premises to a logical conclusion, I want to be very clear about the fact that I'm not at all impressed with intelligence tests and I'd never wave the results of such things or name drop except tongue in cheek or in responding to jerks. If anything, I'm a debunker and skeptic of such tests.
Frankly, and to put more of a point on this, because, again, West seems to have a hard time understanding things unless they're repeated in many different ways--as evidenced by the way he takes things I write out of context and then gives them false meanings--I'm not really sure that intelligence tests are really testing big "I" Intelligence or if there really is such a thing.
I'm more and more convinced, as are many researchers now, that there is not really one type of intelligence (the aforementioned big "I" intelligence), but many, and that many very intelligent people are not showing up as intelligent on the standard tests and many people who may not be so intelligent (perhaps like me) are. It may be that we'll have to retire the concept "Intelligence," and find something more suitable.
A few years ago I contacted a famous research psychologist and professor at a major university who had, it was claimed in a newspaper article, come up with a way of testing intelligence that didn't rely on pencil and paper or other methods commonly used for such tests.
What intrigued me about this was that the newspaper article made it sound as though the test wouldn't involve any motor skills at all but that there would be some sort of autonomic nervous system response to a light flashed in the eyes of a subject--perhaps, I imagined, the researcher had discovered a correlation between the speed of the iris closing and intelligence.
The guy was happy to discuss his ideas with me because he wanted a large number of people from high I.Q. societies to take part as one of his test groups, and I let him know that I could probably put him in contact with many such people. In fact, Mensa was founded partly to encourage a study of the nature of intelligence.
However, after I reviewed his work and studied the plans for his device, I quickly realized that the test subject would have to respond consciously and physically to the stimulus and that his device was really just a simple stimulus-response machine. To me, that wasn't much better than the present systems in use, so I didn't pursue the matter further.
He uses this opportunity to hawk his books, wave his alleged Mensa membership like a battle flag and advertise his blog. I've never said he wasn't smart. (Cont.) "
I RESPOND: In my original column I wrote that someone would misunderstand the reference to Galileo. West was quick to step up and prove my point.
West apparently doesn't understand that the essential element of the comparison I made isn't that I'm like Galileo because of achievements or intellect, but that Galileo presents a commonly known example of someone who went against the current orthodoxy or zeitgeist.
In other words, I set up an analogy in my use of Galileo's name in which a reader had to use his or her reasoning ability to fill in the correct missing part. West failed the test.
Here's another example of such an analogy in simple terms so it's clear. Cat: Meowing: Dog: ___. No, the correct answer is not "fur" or "small animal," or "poops in your yard," it is "barking." Thus: Cat is to meowing as dog is to barking.
In Galileo's day, the then current orthodoxy held that the earth was the center of the solar system. No one could question that. Galileo said that was wrong and did question it. In our day, the equivalent current orthodoxy often deals with genes and things of genes--including race. And, no one is supposed to question our current orthodoxy. I don't play. I do question. I'm all for letting the mind explore science and then letting the chips fall where they may.
Even many people with picture books have heard of Galileo so it seemed to be a good and obvious way to illustrate a point. Even West had a passing acquaintance with the name Galileo.
I could have used more obscure references to make my point, but then I would have had to write many more paragraphs trying to explain the references and the pre-references and the pre-pre-references which are not in West's picture books.
And, if West couldn't even get the Galileo reference right, imagine the difficulty he would have had with some lesser known figures.
What about that nonsense West wrote about me waving the flag of Mensa? Actually, I wasn't waving it. West told readers where they could find some of my stuff and I just wanted to let them know they could also find it in some Mensa publications. It was a single word--Mensa--in a very long column. But, the fact that West focuses so much attention on that one word would probably say volumes about his psychological state to a shrink giving him a word association test.
If I were waving (read:bragging) I might have said that I'm also a member of another group that is commonly known as super Mensa (not affiliated with Mensa and it requires a higher I.Q. than Mensa) and that I was on my college's GE College Bowl Team (a quiz kid TV show) and that I agree with my fellow Mensan Stephen Hawking on...but, I didn't say all these things, did I? Oops. Again, my purpose was simply to give another place where some of my stuff could be read.
Nope, I wasn't bragging at all and I've never claimed that I'm smart. I just said you could find some of my stuff in Mensa publications. There was no way of telling you where you could find them without using the word Mensa.
And, the reason I didn't wave is because I'm not convinced that we really understand the concept "intelligence" or what constitutes intelligence and what doesn't. And, I'm not impressed with those who claim high intelligence. I never make such a claim for myself except in jest or to stick it to those with chips on their shoulders.
The truth is that I'm not sure that everyone--including me--who scores high on the present tests is really very smart at all. At any rate, I don't self-identify based on such concepts and I was surprised to see the appellation "Mensa Marty," that West apparently has now picked up from Waving Tom Johnson over at the Pilot, when Johnson first used it more than a year ago.
Since West seems obsessed with intelligence, and since others seem to have an interest in this area, and since it seems West has a difficult time understanding what he reads and apparently has a problem in being able to reason from correct premises to a logical conclusion, I want to be very clear about the fact that I'm not at all impressed with intelligence tests and I'd never wave the results of such things or name drop except tongue in cheek or in responding to jerks. If anything, I'm a debunker and skeptic of such tests.
Frankly, and to put more of a point on this, because, again, West seems to have a hard time understanding things unless they're repeated in many different ways--as evidenced by the way he takes things I write out of context and then gives them false meanings--I'm not really sure that intelligence tests are really testing big "I" Intelligence or if there really is such a thing.
I'm more and more convinced, as are many researchers now, that there is not really one type of intelligence (the aforementioned big "I" intelligence), but many, and that many very intelligent people are not showing up as intelligent on the standard tests and many people who may not be so intelligent (perhaps like me) are. It may be that we'll have to retire the concept "Intelligence," and find something more suitable.
A few years ago I contacted a famous research psychologist and professor at a major university who had, it was claimed in a newspaper article, come up with a way of testing intelligence that didn't rely on pencil and paper or other methods commonly used for such tests.
What intrigued me about this was that the newspaper article made it sound as though the test wouldn't involve any motor skills at all but that there would be some sort of autonomic nervous system response to a light flashed in the eyes of a subject--perhaps, I imagined, the researcher had discovered a correlation between the speed of the iris closing and intelligence.
The guy was happy to discuss his ideas with me because he wanted a large number of people from high I.Q. societies to take part as one of his test groups, and I let him know that I could probably put him in contact with many such people. In fact, Mensa was founded partly to encourage a study of the nature of intelligence.
However, after I reviewed his work and studied the plans for his device, I quickly realized that the test subject would have to respond consciously and physically to the stimulus and that his device was really just a simple stimulus-response machine. To me, that wasn't much better than the present systems in use, so I didn't pursue the matter further.
Geoff West wrote on Mar 4, 2008 12:41 AM:
" He says he writes not "in the dry language of the academy but in ways that I hope will be interesting to some readers". I'm sure he's accomplished that goal as he decries the "blending" of the American identity, causing, in his words, the evolution of "Tan Everyman" and goes on to encourage us to breed only within our own race - as often as possible. (Cont.)
I RESPOND: Yup. That's how we living things survive. We breed. Those who don't, don't survive.
"Survival of the fittest" as used by Darwin and others is often misunderstood to mean that the best and the brightest survive. Actually, that's a misinterpretation.
Survival of the fittest is a concept that must be defined backwards. Those who survive, for whatever reason, are, by definition, the fittest. And, chance plays a big part in this.
Thus, all humans now alive--even West--are the fittest of our species simply because we are alive. That is, we--with all our genes that make us who we are--survived to be here while many millions did not survive. They were unfit; by definition.
If we who are now alive--we fittest--do not have children who survive our deaths, "we" will be missing from the next and all future generations and this means, at that time, we will not be the fittest. We will have become extinct.
You do understand, of course, and notwithstanding what you may have gathered from what I wrote two paragraphs above, that we are speaking here of individual genes as well as genotypes and their manifestation as phenotypes and not so much about particular individuals. And, you do understand, don't you, that this isn't opinion but scientific fact and should be self-evident?
Report Abuse I RESPOND: Yup. That's how we living things survive. We breed. Those who don't, don't survive.
"Survival of the fittest" as used by Darwin and others is often misunderstood to mean that the best and the brightest survive. Actually, that's a misinterpretation.
Survival of the fittest is a concept that must be defined backwards. Those who survive, for whatever reason, are, by definition, the fittest. And, chance plays a big part in this.
Thus, all humans now alive--even West--are the fittest of our species simply because we are alive. That is, we--with all our genes that make us who we are--survived to be here while many millions did not survive. They were unfit; by definition.
If we who are now alive--we fittest--do not have children who survive our deaths, "we" will be missing from the next and all future generations and this means, at that time, we will not be the fittest. We will have become extinct.
You do understand, of course, and notwithstanding what you may have gathered from what I wrote two paragraphs above, that we are speaking here of individual genes as well as genotypes and their manifestation as phenotypes and not so much about particular individuals. And, you do understand, don't you, that this isn't opinion but scientific fact and should be self-evident?
Geoff West wrote on Mar 4, 2008 12:40 AM:
" Like some pathetic William F. Buckley, Jr. wannabe, he arrogantly proclaims that he "writes to be read", and that his target audience is "free-thinking adults with average or above-average I.Q.'s". He doesn’t mention that he’s embraced and praised by that "paragon of tolerance", David Duke - the former head of the Ku Klux Klan, who features Millard's essays on his web site, which Millard uses as a marketing tool to sell his books. He says he writes for those of high intellect when, in fact, his internet essays appeal to the knuckle-dragging extremists on the far right. (Cont.) "
I RESPOND: "William F. Buckley, Jr.?" Thanks. Actually, when I was acting in New York, I was one of the first five or so members of a very early libertarian group called The Society for Individual Liberty which embraced some of Buckley's ideas. Buckley once responded with positive comments to something I had written in, ah, characteristic, er, Buckley, ah, fashion, which is to say, ah, he agreed with, er, what I had, ah, written.
I RESPOND: "William F. Buckley, Jr.?" Thanks. Actually, when I was acting in New York, I was one of the first five or so members of a very early libertarian group called The Society for Individual Liberty which embraced some of Buckley's ideas. Buckley once responded with positive comments to something I had written in, ah, characteristic, er, Buckley, ah, fashion, which is to say, ah, he agreed with, er, what I had, ah, written.
Geoff West wrote on Mar 4, 2008 12:40 AM:
" His actions on the 3R committee are a matter of public record. There is no doubt about his role in reducing the funding for Westside charities, the disdain for which he readily admits in his piece. Which group would suffer the most from reduced funding of the charities? Yep, those hard-working folks with brown skin living on the Westside. (Cont.)
I RESPOND: Those who would be hardest hit are West's charity boss pals who are pulling down big salaries with their charity businesses that serve illegal aliens and draw them to Costa Mesa. What a great business! People think you're a new Mother Teresa while you make big bucks. And, all you have to do is keep bringing more illegal aliens to Costa Mesa to use your services.
When the charity bosses are at City Hall asking for more of our tax money, the parking lot looks like a Lexus or Mercedes dealership. We're not talking about sackcloth and ashes, folks.
Let me be perfectly clear about this. Non-profits that truly are set up to help those in Costa Mesa who have temporarily fallen on hard times are to be encouraged, but those that exist to make those in charge rich and which become a way of life for some clients and which are drawing people here because of the charities, are harming our city.
I RESPOND: Those who would be hardest hit are West's charity boss pals who are pulling down big salaries with their charity businesses that serve illegal aliens and draw them to Costa Mesa. What a great business! People think you're a new Mother Teresa while you make big bucks. And, all you have to do is keep bringing more illegal aliens to Costa Mesa to use your services.
When the charity bosses are at City Hall asking for more of our tax money, the parking lot looks like a Lexus or Mercedes dealership. We're not talking about sackcloth and ashes, folks.
Let me be perfectly clear about this. Non-profits that truly are set up to help those in Costa Mesa who have temporarily fallen on hard times are to be encouraged, but those that exist to make those in charge rich and which become a way of life for some clients and which are drawing people here because of the charities, are harming our city.
Geoff West wrote on Mar 4, 2008 12:39 AM:
" He denies any "connection" between himself and Allan Mansoor, and yet those of us who take the time to watch the council proceedings recognize that Mansoor and the other members of the council majority frequently echo his words with uncanny precision - as virtual "Charlie McCarthy's" to his "Edgar Bergen". Coincidence? Hardly! (Cont.) "
I RESPOND: It's because of the brain waves I transmit into their heads. West hasn't convinced them to wear tin foil hats yet.
If I were to order a hamburger at Burger King and Mansoor did the same thing a week later, West would say Mansoor did it because of me. Since Mansoor can't run for the Council this year, watch as West switches to saying that some others are marching to my tune. West is so transparently predictable.
One of the first things one learns in Logic 101 is to avoid false cause fallacies. This is one type of fallacy (but not the only one) that West engages in all the time.
If a rooster crows as the sun comes up, and if West follows the type of "reasoning" he uses in his attempts to link Mansoor and me, he'd tell you that the rooster caused the sun to rise. Most of us know better.
I think it's great that West is part of Return to Reason and donates some of his retirement money to their candidates. Hopefully, he'll donate even more of his money to losing candidates this year than the public records show he donated last time. He's a great poster boy for Return to Reason.
I RESPOND: It's because of the brain waves I transmit into their heads. West hasn't convinced them to wear tin foil hats yet.
If I were to order a hamburger at Burger King and Mansoor did the same thing a week later, West would say Mansoor did it because of me. Since Mansoor can't run for the Council this year, watch as West switches to saying that some others are marching to my tune. West is so transparently predictable.
One of the first things one learns in Logic 101 is to avoid false cause fallacies. This is one type of fallacy (but not the only one) that West engages in all the time.
If a rooster crows as the sun comes up, and if West follows the type of "reasoning" he uses in his attempts to link Mansoor and me, he'd tell you that the rooster caused the sun to rise. Most of us know better.
I think it's great that West is part of Return to Reason and donates some of his retirement money to their candidates. Hopefully, he'll donate even more of his money to losing candidates this year than the public records show he donated last time. He's a great poster boy for Return to Reason.
Geoff West wrote on Mar 4, 2008 12:39 AM:
" As you read through his little essay you will note that the common thread is, indeed, the discomfort and displacement of the Latinos among us. He calls for a "college on the Westside". Where might that citadel of higher learning be located? Why, on land confiscated by eminent domain - which he has recently advocated - that presently houses members of the Latino laboring class in our city. (Cont.) "
I RESPOND: West doesn't want a college on the Westside. He just wants a job center and charities and industrial buildings in that part of town. Those Latinos don't need no stinkin' college. Is that what West is saying?
West prefers living way over on the Eastside almost in Newport Beach. How about a job center in West's neighorhood? I'll even help him circulate a petition among his neighbors requesting that one be put there.
I RESPOND: West doesn't want a college on the Westside. He just wants a job center and charities and industrial buildings in that part of town. Those Latinos don't need no stinkin' college. Is that what West is saying?
West prefers living way over on the Eastside almost in Newport Beach. How about a job center in West's neighorhood? I'll even help him circulate a petition among his neighbors requesting that one be put there.
Geoff West wrote on Mar 4, 2008 12:38 AM:
" What a surprise! The writer, known by some around these parts as "Mensa Marty", is unhappy with my characterization of him and his influence in our city. I'd like to thank him for going out of his way to provide us with his little epistle, much of which proves my point. (Cont.) "
I RESPOND: West should go back to his picture books. Jack and Jill are still on that hill. Oh, the drama and the suspense!
I CONCLUDE:
Well, kids, it's been swell swapping insults with you, but I've got other things to do now.
If readers of the CM PRESS want more, I may do this again. Otherwise, I won't waste my time. Personal attacks do nothing to help improve our city and I'd rather focus my efforts on bringing attention to things that need to be fixed instead of calling people names and trying to constantly explain simple things.
Remember, if you want to get beyond all the negativity and help make where you live a great and safe place, keep reading my blog. You'll find statistics there that cut through all the BS and which tell how we're doing as a city compared to the five cities that surround us.
Armed with those statistics and with some critical thinking and an ability to see patterns, no one will be able to pull the wool over your eyes with double talk or name calling.
The facts are the facts, folks. That's why people such as West don't use them. They don't have the facts on their side and just resort to name calling.
We live in a cause and effect universe. Things happen for a reason. Costa Mesa is the way it is for reasons that are revealed in the statistics. Want a quick summary without the numbers?
Costa Mesa has too many slum apartments.
Costa Mesa has too many renters vs. homeowners.
Costa Mesa has too many industrial buildings on our view bluffs.
Costa Mesa has too many charities acting as magnets for illegal aliens.
How do we know we have "too many" causes for the effects we see? Once again, we compare Costa Mesa with the quality of life statistics of our five surrounding cities. Newport Beach is generally at the top of the heap in quality of life and Santa Ana is at the bottom. Costa Mesa's statistics, unfortunately, are more like Santa Ana's than our "sister city" Newport Beach.
In other words, we have many of the same "causes" as Santa Ana and as a result we have many of the same "effects."
Of course, if you don't believe me, then tell us why you think Costa Mesa is closer to Santa Ana in quality of life than it is to Newport Beach.
Say, did I mention that you can find some of my stuff in Mensa publications?
# # #
Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them....
I RESPOND: West should go back to his picture books. Jack and Jill are still on that hill. Oh, the drama and the suspense!
I CONCLUDE:
Well, kids, it's been swell swapping insults with you, but I've got other things to do now.
If readers of the CM PRESS want more, I may do this again. Otherwise, I won't waste my time. Personal attacks do nothing to help improve our city and I'd rather focus my efforts on bringing attention to things that need to be fixed instead of calling people names and trying to constantly explain simple things.
Remember, if you want to get beyond all the negativity and help make where you live a great and safe place, keep reading my blog. You'll find statistics there that cut through all the BS and which tell how we're doing as a city compared to the five cities that surround us.
Armed with those statistics and with some critical thinking and an ability to see patterns, no one will be able to pull the wool over your eyes with double talk or name calling.
The facts are the facts, folks. That's why people such as West don't use them. They don't have the facts on their side and just resort to name calling.
We live in a cause and effect universe. Things happen for a reason. Costa Mesa is the way it is for reasons that are revealed in the statistics. Want a quick summary without the numbers?
Costa Mesa has too many slum apartments.
Costa Mesa has too many renters vs. homeowners.
Costa Mesa has too many industrial buildings on our view bluffs.
Costa Mesa has too many charities acting as magnets for illegal aliens.
How do we know we have "too many" causes for the effects we see? Once again, we compare Costa Mesa with the quality of life statistics of our five surrounding cities. Newport Beach is generally at the top of the heap in quality of life and Santa Ana is at the bottom. Costa Mesa's statistics, unfortunately, are more like Santa Ana's than our "sister city" Newport Beach.
In other words, we have many of the same "causes" as Santa Ana and as a result we have many of the same "effects."
Of course, if you don't believe me, then tell us why you think Costa Mesa is closer to Santa Ana in quality of life than it is to Newport Beach.
Say, did I mention that you can find some of my stuff in Mensa publications?
# # #
Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them....
