"Philosopher Robert Anton Wilson defined information as data and ideas that are new to you. If it's something you already know, then it's propaganda or dogma, not information. Philospher Terence McKenna had a similar view. He used the terms 'information' and 'novelty' interchangeably. If you're not surprised, he said, if your curiosity isn't piqued then the messages streaming your way don't qualify as information."
That bit of sage-ery comes from my Free Will Astrology horoscope, not some scholarly text. But it's an intriguing way of looking at the onslaught of facts, contentions, and wishes that come from the mouths of every political candidate. So I'm taking astrologer Rob Brezsney's advice and making that my gold standard in the coming weeks.
If nothing else, it's a great way of cutting to the chase when thinking about the information presented last night at the mayoral candidate forum at Eisenhower school.
So what did I hear at the forum that I didn't already know?
- There's no money in the budget for acquiring and developing private land for recreation. (Stepaniak)
- Houses on the west side pay higher taxes than east side properties that are appraised at the same value. (Peter Hart)
- The 50-year-old infrastructure on the west side is deteriorating at a faster rate than the 100-year-old infrastructure on the east side.(Stepaniak)
- Tosa paid less in healthcare costs for employees the past year than the year before. (Stepaniak)
- As the rebuilding of the I94 corridor progresses, we have one chance to change the odd connections with Tosa. (Stepaniak)
- The city council originally declined a request from the Friends of Hoyt Park Pool to discuss plans for the private-public partnership. (Didier)
- If the city continues to try to tax not-for-profit senior housing (i.e., San Camillo), it will likely incur substantial litigation costs. (Didier)
- There are 4-5,000 senior citizens in Tosa who live in their homes and pay taxes on the property. (Stepaniak)
- Burleigh Triangle development plans by Icon have not progressed. (Didier)
- A fund for small business improvement is not being used much. (Didier)
- The city is looking into a test case using outdoor surveillance cameras in high crime areas. (Stepaniak)
- Removing the bonding cap means that technically, major capital projects no longer have to go to referendum. (Didier)
- Two of the current bonding projects are coming to an end, easing somewhat the burden of the new fire station costs. (Stepaniak)
The rest: propaganda and dogma? Perhaps. Or perhaps I was fairly well-informed at the outset. Brezsny says that if you're never bored, then you're doing a good job of banishing "all the fake stuff that's masquerading as real information." I may get frustrated, but I'm not often bored.
