Ilya Shambat

Ilya Shambat
Location
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Birthday
November 21
Title
Partner
Company
Adda Enterprises
Bio
Born in Russia, family moved to America when I was 12. Got a degree from University of Virginia at 18. Worked for Oracle, translated four books of classical Russian poety, was part of San Francisco and Washington, DC poetry and music scene. Good friends with San Francisco's own Persephone's Bees and acquainted with Patch Adams. Currently married with children, residing in Australia and working on a clean energy technology implementation.

MY RECENT POSTS

MY RECENT COMMENTS

Ilya Shambat's Links

Salon.com
MAY 23, 2013 9:14AM

Conservatism and Lifestyle

A common line among conservatives is that they don't want people to infringe on their lifestyle or to pay for theirs. 

This line is a complete lie. 

In late 1990s, I lived in the Silicon Valley and worked in the software industry. Me and the people around me were working, making money and… Read full post »
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MAY 23, 2013 12:40AM

Muslims And Their 72 Virgins

I have reason to believe that the 72 virgins that are promised to Muslims who kill infidel are going to be male and gay.

I am looking at this matter from the perspective of some in Christianity, according to whom Mohammad was given the Quran not by Allah but by… Read full post »
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MAY 22, 2013 3:45AM

I'm In Love With You To Tears (video and translation)

Original by Alexander Serov at 


Lift your lovely eyes up to Christmas heavens,
Conjure up the substance of your dreams,
Before you in my life I was never this happy,
Just for you, as you love them, it seems,
Take white flowers from me.

I'm in love… Read full post »
1 Comments
MAY 21, 2013 11:01PM

I Like Big Macs (Parody)

(to the tune of "I Like Big Butts" by Sir Mix-A-Lot)
 
I like Big Macs and I can not lie
You other brothers can't deny
You go to McDonalds looking slender
You're not not gonna stay that way forever
You get fat
And that's just tough
Now you grow a… Read full post »
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MAY 20, 2013 7:31AM

Goodwill and Man-Woman Relationships

I had an older friend who was a brilliant writer but had a negative view of women, particularly of mothers. I challenged that view, and that resulted in him terminating the friendship.

I also had a correspondence with a professor who studies domestic violence. I wrote some material critical
… Read full post »
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MAY 19, 2013 10:58PM

Feminism, Christianity and Nuclear Family

There are vast populations who see as the authority for their relationships the Bible or the Quran; and there are others who see as the authority for their relationships the works of the politically correct feminists of 1990s wave. Neither of the above have valid input into the matter.

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MAY 19, 2013 12:09AM

True Humility; False Humility

Much thought about humility, and how to instill it, is wrong. True humility comes from a realization that other people have valuable qualities, not from the belief that one does not have valuable qualities himself. When defined and practiced this way, humility becomes a virtue that creates interactio… Read full post »
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MAY 12, 2013 5:28AM

Intelligence, Sincerity and Artificial Blindness

Truthful examination of cultural and social dynamics is bound to be met with a wall of obstruction. One is liable to be portrayed as a bigot by people on the Left, and one is liable to be portrayed as a collectivist by people on the Right. In both cases what
… Read full post »
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MAY 11, 2013 5:37AM

Constitutional Pharisees

There have been many Republican and Libertarian politicians claiming that the Democrats have been violating American Constitution. Because so many people are saying this, this claim must be answered.

As any student of Christianity knows, far more important than obeying the letter of the Bible is obe… Read full post »
2 Comments
MAY 10, 2013 8:58AM

Obama and Right-Wingers

I am continuing to run into such sentiments as "Obama is a Communist" and "Democrats are the enemy of America." My question is, when will these people ever learn?

If Obama had been a Communist - or a Hitler, or a totalitarian, or anything else of which these people accuse… Read full post »
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MAY 10, 2013 3:41AM

Political Correctness and Bigotry

The word "bigot" gets thrown around all the time in politics, and in many cases it is wrongly placed. I got accused of being a bigot when I suggested that peaceful Muslim-Americans should report those Muslim-Americans who intend terrorist action. This is not bigotry, it is reason. The Muslim-American… Read full post »
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MAY 9, 2013 8:04AM

On Abortion

The issue of abortion is one that I have, for the most part, ignored; but it appears that it is not an issue that is going to go away easily. Having given thought on this matter I would like to propose a solution that should address the claims on both sides… Read full post »
3 Comments
MAY 7, 2013 4:48AM

Muslim Americans: Apprehend Terrorists Among You

There are many Muslims in America who claim that they are not terrorists and that they want to live in peace.

If that is the case, then they need to do more to apprehend the terrorists among them.

When peaceful Muslims fail to stop those among them who want… Read full post »
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MAY 6, 2013 3:14AM

Art, Business and Legacy of Beauty

There are many people in America who believe that they do not have time for art. My response to them is that, if America has the time for - right-wing radio talk shows, tele-evangelists, political correctness, personality psychology and global warming deniers - then it most certainly has the time
… Read full post »
1 Comments
MAY 5, 2013 10:12PM

Narcissism: The New Norm

In recent studies, two out of three people in the United States have been found to score high on the narcissistic personality disorder.

The real-life meaning of this is that this disorder is, for all intents and purposes, meaningless.

If the majority of the population has a disorder, then it is no long… Read full post »
1 Comments
MAY 5, 2013 12:04AM

Refuting Political Correctness

Many people detest political correctness, but there have not been enough credible arguments made against it. I have given thought to the matter and came up with rational refutations of some of their central claims. I do so as someone who fully supports women's rights - both to safety at home… Read full post »
3 Comments
MAY 1, 2013 1:36AM

False Link Between Sex Industry and Rape

Andrea Dworkin claimed that sex industry encourages men to see women as sexual objects and as such leads to rape.

She was very profoundly wrong.

In reality, sex industry reduces rape. It allows men who otherwise would not be having sex a way to have sexual experience. And this… Read full post »
1 Comments
APRIL 28, 2013 12:10AM

Translations of Russian classical poetry

Perhaps you need me not this minute,
Night: from sea foams of the world -
A shell without a pearl within it -
Upon your shores I have been hurled.

With mists the ocean you embellish
And wordlessly you sing as well;
But you will love, and you will… Read full post »
3 Comments
APRIL 26, 2013 3:02AM

Society vs Checks and Balances

Whenever one hears such statements as "the family is the foundation of society," what one hears is an attempt at tyranny.

Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that everyone must be married. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that everyone must have a nuclear family. Instead, the people… Read full post »
1 Comments
APRIL 25, 2013 12:40AM

Homosexuality and Manliness

A lot of people equate homosexuality with effeminacy or not being a real man. Quite simply, they must not have known too many homosexuals.

Clearly there are people among the homosexual community who are in fact effeminate, or who feel closer to women than they do to men. However there… Read full post »
7 Comments
APRIL 24, 2013 3:29AM

Republican Guilt-trips

A lot of Republicans like to use guilt trips to glorify the actions of their constituents, and in most cases these guilt-trips are misplaced. At the same time they like to discount accomplishments made by the Democrats and either deny their existence or give credit for these accomplishments to thems
… Read full post »
2 Comments
APRIL 16, 2013 9:46PM

Beauty and Spirituality

There are some people who claim beauty and spirituality to be incompatible with one another. Quite simply, these people have not seen enough good art.

Art is about both beauty and spirituality. Some of the most spiritual people I've known were beautiful women - and yes, you guessed it, they… Read full post »
1 Comments
APRIL 12, 2013 5:59AM

Cross-Influence: The West and Islam

When different cultures interact, they influence one another in all sorts of ways. The ongoing contact between the Western liberal cultures and the Muslim cultures has done a lot to reduce the influence of Western feminism. Western men start asking such questions as, "Why do Muslim men, who are worse… Read full post »
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APRIL 10, 2013 5:57AM

Youth, Old Age and Wisdom

Many older people tend to have wisdom, but they are not in a position to do much about it. They are out of energy and out of opportunity. Whereas young people tend to have more energy and opportunity but much less wisdom.

For younger people to hang around older people is a… Read full post »
2 Comments
APRIL 8, 2013 12:35AM

Hunting and Farming

I have very little respect for people who hunt for sport. They kill innocent animals for enjoyment. Yes, they have the legal right to do it; however that does not make them right. These animals have done nothing to them, and they do not deserve to be getting killed.

1 Comments
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