My grades are in, so I have officially changed hats from teacher to stay-at-home Dad. (I might add that being a parent of young kids has only deepened my view about the teleological striving in human nature). This post and video are totally unrelated to philosophy, but I think the new Toyota “swagger wagon” ads are funny takes on those of us who find ourselves tooling around town in minivans (a few of the other ads are linked at the end of the video):
So look for me ‘rolling hard through the streets and the cul-de-sacs’ in my Toyota minivan this summer with my two (soon to be three) future Philosopher Queens in tow, and know that I’ll still be rocking Thomas Aquinas along with Thomas the Train.
USUPhilosophy 
Some day I’ll rent a helicopter so we can do the hip hop themed video with Kleiner and Huenemann walking in slomo and in full philosopher garb, with smoking pipes in place of guns.
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Mini Van Philosophers will punk yo ass.
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I can hear Kleiner now:
“As I roll through the streets I am in a daze
I jus can’t get over Tom’s Big Five Ways,
I am the boss behind the wheel of my great big van,
Put a cap in the ass of the End of Man.”
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I sense the beginnings of a philosophy rap battle. This can only be awesome.
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On the topic of musical Philosophers (I guess it goes here), I would like to make two (rather apologetically late) mentions.
First, local philosopher and genius pianist Dan Tate had a brilliant showing this past saturday. He invited me to a preview a few days before to get some nerves out, and I was more than honored, and yet his showing Saturday still blew me away. It was a student recital and the ending of the year in a beautiful fashion. It was an incredible performance and quite intimate, he really managed to subtly, passionately and touchingly bring the house down. Way to go Dan! It was nothing short of breathtaking.
To something less personal, and less upbeat. Ronny James Dio (Kleiner might still remember him) passed away after fighting cancer for the past year last sunday. Some won’t recall him but he dramatically influenced and philosophically upgraded metal music with his time in Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio. Metal is the most philosophical of the modern western canon (post classical, and anyone wanting to claim rap instead, I have a bridge in Durka Durka Stan to sell you). He was a fabulous singer and lyricist, and always a thoughtful intriguing person who lived like a conqueror even to the end.
His memorial service is being held in Los Angeles this Sunday at 2 pm, will be protested by the Westboro Baptist Church, (the vermin that protest soldier funerals) but more importantly by many many hessians who wish to give him a final Metal Horns salute.
Goodbye Dio, and thank you Dan for such wonderful musical gifts to the world!
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