FAMW: Why Can’t You Use Phones on Planes?

The holidays will soon be upon us, and those now making preparations for air travel should be aware of any turbulence they might encounter, as (possibly) seen in this CollegeHumor presentation. With the additional likelihood of certain momentary expletives, be prepared to hit the mute button at 1:54, 2:17, 2:20, and 2:35 (or thereabouts). Hey, it's college humor, right? Besides, we were looking for deep philosophical discussion with a twist, and were a little desperate for this week's Friday Afternoon Moment of Whimsy.
 

The Power of Twelve

"So, this whole 'we'll never have a date like 12/12/12 again' thingie is just another way of saying this totally unique unrepeatable Moment in your life will be gone, sucked up into the next big wave of Time - down it crashes, and before you know it you'll be swimming helplessly towards the next one and the Moment will be lost forever. Which is true of every single moment of your life. Weep for the tragedy of it all."

— Rebecca Bratten Weiss
   Hopedale, Ohio
 

A professor stood before his philosophy class ...

... and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed..

'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions -- and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.

"If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

"Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.

"Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, "I'm glad you asked. The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of Beers with a friend."

(The above is from Brodie Smith, and is published here without permission or shame.)
 

Natural Law and Unnatural Acts: The Only Guide You Will Ever Need

This chart came from Father Erik Richtsteig of Ogden, Utah. It is employed here, not only because of the issue of same-sex marriage on the front burner, but it demonstrates how an argument works, or more precisely, the importance of the sound premise to making the effective argument.

The yellow boxes contain the original contention of the promoter, the blue boxes contain the subsequent arguments of the promoter, while the red are those of the challenger. The viewer will note that throughout the process, the focus is not upon the person themselves, but upon the actions. It is the act, not the person, that is at issue here. The image can be clicked on to be read in full.

And if you still believe such practices do not have consequences for others later in life, click here.

(And, if you want to know what yours truly did for his summer vacation, click here. The high point is Day 4.)