Seconds of Arc

The Cookie Monster

A good will is not good because of what if it effects or accomplishes, because of its fitness to attain some proposed end, but only because of its volition, that is, it is good in itself and, regarded for itself, it to be valued incomparably higher than all that could merely be brought about it in favor of some inclination and indeed, if you will, of the sum of all inclinations. Even if, by a special disfavor of fortune or by the niggardly provision of a stepmotherly nature, this will should wholly lack the capacity to carry out its purpose - if with its greatest efforts it should yet achieve nothing and only the good will were left (not, of course, as a mere wish but asthe sumoning of all means insofar as they are in our control) - then, like a jewel, it would still shine by itself, as something that has its full worth in itself, as something that has its full worth in itself. Usefulness or fruitlessness can neither add anything to this worth nor take anything away form it. Its usefulness would be, as it were, only the setting to enable us to handle it more conveniently in ordinary commerce or to attract to it the attention of those who are not yet expert enough, but not to recommend it to experts or to determine its worth.

-- Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals

Virtue in rags is still virtue.

-- David Hume, Treatise on Human Nature

Dave at 2010-03-06 09:54:22 uttered Given your talent for not losing at mugging, have ... Read me

Ben at 2010-03-05 05:59:55 uttered Hey Andrew,

We're up in Wellington ... Read me

arc at 2009-07-26 02:31:15 uttered :-]

I figured they might interfere ... Read me

madoo at 2009-07-25 06:02:34 uttered "Not too sure what this has to do with possum ... Read me

Luther at 2009-07-20 11:26:18 uttered Thai Smile (?) on Colombo between near the town ha ... Read me

Mark at 2009-07-20 10:30:45 uttered Anne's Thai, Hereford Street. ... Read me

madoo at 2009-05-25 12:05:35 uttered I have a wind-up nun. She spits sparks. ... Read me

JamesT at 2009-02-25 17:16:08 uttered The trio at Happy had Patrick Bleakley on bass, an ... Read me

2010-02-28 09:38:08 Past and future fortnights
a run down of recent happenings

The last fortnight went like this: Monday Expected to work late because of deadline. Turned out the deadline was lies, all lies. Tuesday Prof. Kim d...
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2010-02-27 10:40:46 The Last Two Months
an update of sorts

The last two months or so have been somewhat... dunno. Intense, maybe, I'm tempted to say, but that suggests I was doing something like working 60 hour weeks trying to get a company off the gr...
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2009-07-20 04:21:34 B for Birthday

I'm in Christchurch at the moment. It's my niece's birthday today, and I was invited down to her birthday party yesterday. A pretty busy weekend has yielded a little time to do something other than...
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2009-05-18 12:03:41 A Day in the Life
arc starts his attempt at catching up on journaling

I'm badly behind in this journal, aren't I? It's not like I haven't been up to anything, either. Quite the reverse -- that's one reason why I haven't been keeping up with my posts. I'll t...
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2009-05-12 10:27:14 A fistfull of dollars for an hour or two of fun in Eli's bedroom

I turned up in Glover park, with the instructions memorized. I kept an eye out for the woman I was supposed to be meeting. Even though I had never seen her before, she wasn't difficult to pick...
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2009-02-25 09:04:15 Jonathan Crayford and 'the revolution is live'

I've mentioned Jonathan Crayford a couple of times before. He's a fantastic jazz pianist, used to play a free jazz set down at Happy every wednesday with a trio that also consisted of two oth...
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2009-02-24 06:49:09 Cuba Carnival the 10th
arc carnivals

Saturday was the day of the Cuba St. Carnival, which for reasons known best to people other than me, is only held every two years. Perhaps you c...
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2009-02-22 21:44:26 Blacked Out
arc.stuff.gen.nz blackbout today - for a free country to insist people be disconnected on the basis of accusations alone is unacceptable.

...
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