My computer is working!

My computer is working!

My computer is working!

Oh frabjous day!

Well it's not really working. It's still just as fucked up as it was. But the difference is, now I have Knoppix. Knoppix, for those of you not in the know, is a LiveCD distro of Linux. Which means basically that it's an operating system that runs entirely off the CD. So I'm going to use this for a while. until I can get a real Linux distro (the type where, you know, you actually install them), then I'll use this. Knoppix is real nice, too. I've never had anything work off the bat so nicely. I don't even have to adjust to much. XMMS is a Winamp clone, Gaim comes built in, I've used Mozilla.

I know I promised a real post, but that is not for today.

So my co-op is in the midst of controversy. We had at the end of the semester like 2500, and we're supposed to leave like four or five hundred bucks for next year. So we cut ourselves $140 checks, which, combined with food for the rest of the month, will leave next year with $550-$650. Apparently they discourage you cutting yourselves big checks. In fact they're threatening to require us to give back our money. I thought houses had discretion over money, but apparently the Central Committee can overrule us. They're blabbering that we might have disobeyed some non-profit laws, but as yet have not produced these laws. But sadly even if they're not justified, if they vote for it they can require us to give them the money. And since there's no incentive for them not to vote for it (shall we let them take what could be ours or not? hmm...) I'm sort of resigned to coughing up the moolah. Not that I won't fight it as far as possible. I sent a testy letter out, and I'll work on getting some referendum action, but both of these require the majority to stick up for the minority (to their own disadvantage!) so it seems unlikely.

Actually this whole thing is sort of showing the incompatibility of socialism and capitalism/the state. The problem here is the central committee attacking the minority. Could they do this without the state there backing them up? What happens if we say, fuck you, this is our money, and in fact, fuck ICC, we're gonna split off by ourselves? The cops come, take our money, and kick us out of the house. All within their 'rights'-they own it! Now if we had free association, not to mention decentralisation...

But hey, it's better than living with a(n upfront) landlord. I think though that the best way is just a bunch of friends in a house. Seems to me that's the most co-operative thing there is.
10:52 PM

Wow, I really like the new Blogger.

Ok I'm gonna do a quick update, since I haven't been able to talk to about half of you in ages:

One, I've again joined the working class, though admittedbly in a non-producing sector: I'm a paid hippie! Argy and I both are going door to door, raising money for Texas Campaign for the Environment. It's a fun job, and pays more as I get better and better at it (should pay on average about 375 a week, assuming I make standard on average, which is likely). I meet tons of people, I can travel, the staff is cool and we all hang out: it is good.

Two, I think I'm going to move into Argy's for the summer, then HoC next fall. I had a brief flirtation with cherry coke abstinence, but ultimately the siren's cherry flavoured wail drew me right back.

Ooh ooh and recently we've all become obsessed with Gnostica. Like abstract Risk with tarot cards. It's really cool. I'll teach it to anyone who wants me to.

I've been reading lots, as usual, lots of Jacques Ellul and now I'm reading the second part of Joseph Campbell's four-part symphony of mythological harmony. And I read Wittgenstein, who's really neat. Actually Campbell is a neat complement to Wittgenstein in many respects: Wittgenstein talks about the boundary of thought, Campbell talks about how people represent the land beyond maps.

Oh man after reading that thing on Wittgenstein I really want to read his second book (I just read the Tractacus).

I've been thinking a lot, and perhaps some time will have time for a decent blog entry on the following topics: speed, arguments vs debates (as illustration of #1), agnosticism vs atheism (as illustration of #2), and whatever else pops into my head.

Ok I'm going to stop stealing Samia's computer now.

Love,
Alex
11:15 PM