Monthly Archives: November 2011

Those bashful dancers are moulting!

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Ffolkes,
Manifold destiny is an oxymoron, and fate is just a bad joke. No sense in fightin’ ’bout it, or it’ll all go up in smoke…..

Full wise is he that can himselven knowe.
— Geoffrey Chaucer (1328-1400)
— The Monkes Tale, Line 1449

As my brain struggled to translate this passage from Chaucer’s tales, written in Middle English, I first had the impression that it meant that a wise man knew enough to be an elf-friend, that the elves respected his wisdom. Then, of course, the true meaning broke through, and though it is less entertaining a thought than having the privilege of consorting with elves, it remains quite wise, and a worthy goal…..
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“It is well to observe the force and virtue and consequence of discoveries, and these are to be seen nowhere more conspicuously than in those three which were unknown to the ancients, and of which the origin, though recent, is obscure and inglorious; namely, printing, gunpowder and the magnet [i.e. Mariner’s Needle].  For these three have changed the whole face and state of things throughout the world.”
— Francis Bacon

Sir Francis, by all available evidence, was a pretty smart guy, and this statement attributed to him clearly demonstrates that. To recognize the potential in those three discoveries, knowledge that only recently became part of mankind’s toolkit for survival, gives one the range of his intellect. I’m not sure if we have anyone in this century whose accomplishments rival those of Bacon, but if we did, I believe they would agree that computer technology could be added to the list (and take gunpowder off, if you please. Thank you….). It seems obvious to me that computers have increased the potential for further progress at unraveling the secrets of the universe by a factor of “billions and billions”. The concept of nano-technology, which has grown out of computer research, promises to astound us with each passing month, let alone year. Whether our increased ability to process information will help us before we foul our nest so much it kills us remains to be seen. It’s will be a close race, I’m betting…..but I’m not betting much…..just my life…..
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Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. — The Constitution of the United States of America Amendment 1, 1791

Watching the news of late has been depressing. When I came across this redux of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, I was struck by the fact that of the five listed freedoms, four of them, wait, no, make that all five of them have been abridged in our time, and can no longer be counted upon to protect us from the machinations of government myrmidons. Speech and Press: lots of stuff one can’t say these days, especially if the word ‘terror’ is used. People are getting arrested for making jokes before getting on an airplane; fact. And custom reins in the Press more powerfully than it does itself. Religion, and the free practice of? Hmmm, as long as it’s a Christian religion; otherwise be prepared to be reviled and discriminated against. The right of peaceful assembly? Just check the news on the latest Occupy Blank protest that got kicked to the curb, with people being beaten for observing their “right”. Redress of grievances? Give me a break…..get real folks, our rights are being taken away one by one, and nobody is paying any attention, because they’re so focused on being able to live indoors and eat regularly, and all they hear from the beloved ruling class is a litany of things they should be afraid of…..I’m getting pretty disgusted…..feel like chucking up a hairball…..
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“If rejection destroys your self-esteem, you’re letting others hold you as an emotional hostage.” — Brian Tracy

This is included merely because it is true, and is something everyone needs to be reminded of occasionally, as we all tend to fall into this particular emotional trap. Just ignore the bait, folks, it only looks like cheese…..
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“Have a strong mind and a soft heart.” — Anthony J. D’Angelo, The College Blue Book

Just more good advice here…..compassion is a hard one for those folks who confuse ruthlessness with strength of mind. T’is easy to show disdain, and tastes bad, as well. It is much harder to be compassionate, and tastes better…..

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But in vayne shee did conjure him
To depart her presence soe;
Having a thousand tongues to allure him,
And but one to bid him goe.
— Thomas Percy (1728-1811)
— Dulcina

I had planned to use this poem, or piece of one, to begin a discussion on the differences between the sexes. However, in secondary rumination I realized that this would be an invitation for controversy, and is the type of discussion sure to create enmity. I have no wish to further muddy the waters between the sexes, goodness, no. I catch enough crap as it is, without having to deal with accusations of misogyny, or be accused of spewing out macho bullshit. I happen to believe that men will never be free unless women are free as well. But we do think differently, and that is an indisputable fact. The key to good relations between men and women begins in respecting and embracing those differences, and realizing that our gender based characteristics are designed to complement the other’s, making our combined efforts much more powerful than any possible solitary attempt. Learn to enjoy the differences, life is much smoother that way…..

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Five miles meandering with lazy motion,
Through dale the sacred river ran,
Then reached the caverns measureless to man,
And sank the tumult to a lifeless ocean:
And ‘mid this tumult Kubla heard from far
Ancestral voices prophesying war!
— Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Kubla Kahn

No great profundity here folks. I just like the poem; it has such an interesting rhyming cadence, very mathematic. 1, 2, 2, 1, 3, 3.
A thing of beauty, what? Reading it is akin to letting a cool waterfall pummel you as you float in a pastoral utopia, or listening to the laugh of a baby. We all need little pieces of joy like this to liven up the day; they’re out there, but you have to be open to seeing them, as they usually pass by quickly, gone forever……
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Okay, no more torture for today. Actually, I hope it wasn’t torturous, because that is exactly what I am NOT trying to do. But, now you can go out and use that brain, which was thoroughly awakened by these thought-provoking (hope, hope), energizing, and entertaining morning Pearls, If not, well, at least you’re awake, which you can’t blame on me…..y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Kowabunga!

It may have been the yeast…..

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Ffolkes,
Just to prove once again that I am not one who will ever cotton to stultification, we’ll shoot today for brevity, and profundity, all at the very same time……

Scintillate, scintillate, globule vivific,
Fain how I pause at your nature specific,
Loftily poised in the ether capacious,
Highly resembling a gem carbonaceous.
Scintillate, scintillate, globule vivific,
Fain how I pause at your nature specific.

Bonus points awarded if you figured out this cover of another well-known poem. Not many bonus points; it’s not THAT hard, but just having to look up even one word will make the extra points welcome…..no profundity to be seen here ffolkes, move along….
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Euripides says,–
Who knows but that this life is really death,
And whether death is not what men call life?
— Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Pyrrho, viii

It always amazes me (and by now it shouldn’t, as it certainly happens often) how certain periods of history produce brilliant minds by the dozens, while others languish for centuries without the benefit of the constant stimulus of ideas that pour forth from those genius’ that sometimes dwell among us. What struck me about this particular pearl is its’ similarity to the beliefs of another culture, far across the world, and unknown to the Greeks, Romans, and Western (so-called) civilizations, the aboriginal people of Australia. They too observed the universe as oppositional, existing in duality as dictated by the means of our perception,  but with a different set of cultural prejudices, a wholly different way of interpreting what the perceptions mean. But in this point they are convergent, marking this subject as one that would likely be a valuable one to study, and heed…..
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“In the midst of the word he was trying to say, In the midst of his laughter and glee, He had softly and suddenly vanished away –for the Snark *was* a Boojum, you see.” — Lewis Carroll, The Hunting of the Snark

This is only here because it gave me an unexpected moment of deja vu; I felt for a short intense moment that I was the Snark, destined to vanish before ever making a point…..probably just paranoia, but unsettling to say the least…..
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“The trouble with Nixon is that he’s a serious politics junkie. He’s totally hooked… and like any other junkie, he’s a bummer to have around: especially as President.” — Hunter S. Thompson (b. 1939), journalist — The Great Shark Hunt, Jacket Copy for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1979)

I saw this, pondered a moment, and have come up with this here scientific experiment, in which you will now play a part……it’s a simple experiment. In the above short statement, substitute the name of any President of the United States post WWII, and examine the ensuing statement for veracity and/or accuracy. The results, I believe, will be, perhaps, enlightening, if not downright ugly…..when I did it, I got a short stab of nausea for every other name I entered…..SIGH. And we wonder why things are falling apart……
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Basically, I have this theory that there are five kinds of truth.  (This is Joe’s Theory of the Five Truths.)  There is the truth you tell to casual strangers and acquaintances.  There is the truth you tell to your general circle of friends and family members.  There is the truth you tell to only one or two people in your entire life.  There is the truth you tell to yourself. And finally, there is the truth that you do not admit even to yourself.  And it’s that fifth truth that provides some of the most interesting drama…..” — J.Michael Straczynski (creator of Babylon 5)

To my mind, what Mr. Straczynski forgets to mention is that such truths also provide us with the most interesting drama in our real lives. The word ‘interesting’ is also perhaps a bit tame to describe what happens when life explodes in our face like a cheap novelty cigar; he must mean in it the same sense as the Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.”…..which we are doing now……
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“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.” — Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) — Churchill’s Commentary on Man

Winnie Churchill was a crusty old duck; probably explains why I like him. The little snippets of his wit that have been recorded for posterity, such as this one, generally demonstrate his curmudgeonry as much as his common sense, which I consider the simplest and most elegant form of wisdom. This one is a frighteningly accurate observation about the average man, and as such earns points today for both brevity, and humorous yet profound truth…..
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That went well, I think. I managed to keep from expounding, or getting lost in one of my endless explorations into areas of information that seldom sees the light of day (aka, trivial pursuits), or suckering myself into a political rant. Not bad for a first attempt. If y’all have any preferences, comments, criticisms, or other forms of individual ideation, feel free to come back at me with your best stuff….meantime, y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

The Allure of Fuddy Duddy……

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Ffolkes,
As life passes,
dressed in illusions of grace,
we sit upon our thrones of offal,
ignoring the smell in favor of delusion,
twisted souls blighted by ignorance, laughing,
oblivious to impending doom, until the end………

Perhaps it isn’t great poetry, but it works for me…..up early today, a natural result of going to bed early, & thought I’d try my hand at a line or two….no rhyming going on, but not a bad data compression ratio. Who knows, maybe one day all I learned sophomore year of high school about iambic pentameter will come back to me, and I’ll become a famous poet. Stranger things have happened, for sure….meantime, lets discuss some heavy s__t…..

“Yes, evil comes in many forms, whether it be a man-eating cow or Joseph Stalin, but you can’t let the package hide the pudding! Evil is just plain bad! You don’t cotton to it. You gotta smack it in the nose with the rolled-up newspaper of goodness! Bad dog. Bad dog.” — The Tick

Throughout history, literature, and the people who create it, have been the gadflies of society. Teaching morals and customs through humorous stories and fables goes back to the time even before the Greeks began producing theater, bringing us stories and plays that were both humorous and dramatic, passing on to later generations the public mindset that was prevalent at the time. Prior to theaters and formalized acting out of plays, minstrels and bards, often nomadic, were responsible for the passing on of knowledge to the next generation, teaching nursery rhymes to children, and singing the news to the adults.

     In the 19th century, the advancement in technology for the writing down of history, law, culture, etc. had gotten to the point that books could be produced fairly cheaply. Newspapers were even cheaper, and were able to carry the news from far away even more efficiently. It was about this era when political cartoons made their way into the consciousness of society at large, and cartoons became one more very powerful method for transmitting vitally important information to large numbers of people all at once. This has had some good effects, and some not so good…..


The primary effect, of course, is the ability of cartoon media to spread information to large numbers of people. People have learned to use the information presented there since childhood, from reading comics in the newspaper to watching Saturday morning cartoons all their lives, and have become accustomed to processing the information given in that format with no difficulty. In fact, I have observed that people will often trust a cartoon figure more than a live one, having a greater degree of confidence that they will get a straight answer from the cartoon, while the live person may lie. But the trust that people feel for cartoons carries over as well, and a great deal of information is now given using a “talking head” format. This format is what you see almost everywhere on TV, where a person’s head and shoulders are shown as they deliver some piece of news, or concept, or documentary; it has been refined over the years until today, we very seldom even think about it.


And that is the bad effect…..people have come to trust the talking heads, to believe that what they tell us is the truth, when in fact, probably more than 50% of what you see presented is a lie, always presented in such a fashion as to have us believe it is true, when it is not. Everything you see on TV, especially commercials, is intended to make you think a certain way, to believe certain things are true. There is even a name for the process, called putting the ‘spin’ on truth, meaning to twist and turn the truth into such a shape that it looks true, but is not. This misplaced trust is one of Evil’s most powerful tools, for it gives those who would do us harm a clear path into the control center of public consciousness, where they can adjust belief at their whim. It allows the PTB (Powers That Be) to control what the public hears, and how they hear it. “True power is control of the routes of perception.” — gigoid.


What is the answer to fighting this usurpation of the truth by our beloved ruling class? It lies in the same information media in which it is secured, with a small twist to the other direction. Parody and caricature, when applied by an artist of wit and style, can prick the balloon of lies we are given, and watch them shrivel, their demise hastened by our laughter. The Tick, whose philosophy is summarized above, is a good example of how the literati in society may fight back against the forces of darkness. Sheathed in apparent idiocy, the Tick blunders through the universe righting wrongs, because his heart is pure, and his writers are genius. Fortunately, though the percentage of humanity that sees the truth and brings it to light is small indeed, it has the advantage of the use of the same tool used by those whose self-interest is of primary importance. Used properly, we can laugh those nasty suckers right out of power……

When I’m not thank’d at all, I’m thank’d enough;
I’ve done my duty, and I’ve done no more.
— Henry Fielding (1707-1754)
— Tom Thumb the Great, Act i, Sc. 3

Duty is a word whose meaning has been somewhat obscured in this last century. Before about 1950 or 60, people in this country understood the word, and it’s true meaning. That understanding is what drove the millions of men who volunteered to go to war in WWII and Korea. These men assumed their duty to protect their home and families, and had no expectation of any reward beyond staying alive (the possibility of death is trivial to any man whose life is based on honor). Those men CHOSE to go to war; no threat was needed to obtain recruits. An army of volunteers is much more powerful and dangerous than one comprised of conscripts, a point proven by the war’s outcome.


But somewhere along the line, the concept of duty got perverted, and people apparently came to accept that government had the right to determine what our duty is, without consultation or consent from us. Duty is defined in most dictionaries as “moral obligation”, and as such is an obligation we must decide for ourselves whether or not to assume. No government is either responsible for, nor entitled to dictate, my morals, or anyone else’s.

     Morals are based on our personal beliefs, and as such is not subject to governmental authority. Hell, I don’t even give a religion that power; my morals are mine, and are not the business of anyone else, unless I choose to share them. You can rest assured, I will never allow any government, or church, or any other person to determine my duty for me. Only I make that choice, and any who would try to take that decision away from me should beware…..I get testy…..

“Noise proves nothing.  Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid.” — Mark Twain

I included this one as a light-hearted attempt at describing the current political scene here in the good ol’ USA, After a few moments though, what I thought about it looked as if it would be good for a couple thousand words all by itself, and though I got an early start on the day, that may be a bit much. So, we’ll just let it speak for itself, and I will merely point out the tendency of Ms. Bachmann, Mr. Cain, Mr. Perry, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Romney, et al, to insist on giving us a daily report on how many asteroids they have laid in the past week…..

On that note, I will bid thee adieu. I hope my verbosity didn’t put anyone off, but hey, if you think it’s too much, just let me know, ‘kay? In the meantime, y’all take care out there……

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Arrogance as garnish for contention…

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Ffolkes,
Okay, so here’s the deal…..we’re going old school again today. After this brief but brilliant opening paragraph, you will find a series of Pearls, all selected for inclusion with the others because they all speak, mostly, to the same points, and ultimately, taken together, they make a complete jigsaw picture of the actual meaning of the menage. Don’t worry, it’s not fatal, or even particularly dangerous, as long as you keep an open mind. I will say this in warning: do not attempt to make sense of this if you have any intention of approaching these nuggets of knowledge with less than an open mind. They could easily cause brain malfunction of a major sort, and you’ll find yourself at Macy’s, looking at the latest arrivals to the women’s lingerie sector. If you are not one of our female readers, this could cause serious damage to your self-esteem, as well as your reputation……


If, however, you can take all of this in and apply a bit of mental elbow grease to finding the hidden meaning, you will find yourself uplifted, with your mind keenly honed to a perfect edge of inquiry, a song in your heart, and a smile of accomplishment on your face. Add this to the bonus karma points, and it’s a grand start to the day. With no further drivel, we now take you to the regularly scheduled program, and hope you enjoy today’s effort……..

“I like the mind to be a dustbin of scraps of brilliant fabric, odd gems, worthless but fascinating curiosities, tinsel, quaint bits of carving, and a reasonable amount of healthy dirt. Shake the machine and it goes out of order; shake the dustbin and it adjusts itself beautifully to its new position.” — Robertson Davies

Please be aware, the following notes have been edited for the ironically impaired…….

A serious public debate about the validity of astrology?  A serious believer in the White House?  Two of them?  Give me a break.  What stifled my laughter is that the image fits.  Reagan has always exhibited a fey indifference toward science.  Facts, like numbers, roll off his back.  And we’ve all come to accept it.  This time it was stargazing that became a serious issue….Not that long ago, it was Reagan’s support of Creationism….Creationists actually got equal time with evolutionists. 

The public was supposed to be open-minded to the claims of paleontologists and fundamentalists, as if the two were scientific colleagues….It has been clear for a long time that the president is averse to science…In general, these attitudes fall onto friendly American turf….But at the outer edges, this skepticism about science easily turns into a kind of naive acceptance of non-science, or even nonsense.  The same people who doubt experts can also believe any quackery, from the benefits of laetrile to eye of newt to the movement of planets.  We lose the capacity to make rational — scientific — judgments.  It’s all the same.” — Ellen Goodman, The Boston Globe Newspaper — Company-Washington Post Writers Group

Even if we put all these nagging thoughts [four embarrassing questions about astrology] aside for a moment, one overriding question remains to be asked. Why would the positions of celestial objects at the moment of birth have an effect on our characters, lives, or destinies?  What force or influence, what sort of energy would travel from the planets and stars to all human beings and affect our development or fate?  No amount of scientific-sounding jargon or computerized calculations by astrologers can disguise this central problem with astrology — we can find no evidence of a mechanism by which celestial objects can influence us in so specific and personal a way. . . .

Some astrologers argue that there may be a still unknown force that represents the astrological influence. . . .If so, astrological predictions — like those of any scientific field — should be easily tested. . . . Astrologers always claim to be just a little too busy to carry out such careful tests of their efficacy, so in the last two decades scientists and statisticians have generously done such testing for them.  There have been dozens of well-designed tests all around the world, and astrology has failed every one of them.

I propose that we let those beckoning lights in the sky awaken our interest in the real (and fascinating) universe beyond our planet, and not let them keep us tied to an ancient fantasy left over from a time when we huddled by the firelight, afraid of the night.” — Andrew Fraknoi, Executive Officer, Astronomical Society of the Pacific,  — “Why Astrology Believers Should Feel Embarrassed,” — San Jose Mercury News, May 8, 1988

“A society that lacks the patience to read, and loses the ability to do so, is rendered defenseless against its most profound stupidities.  As an example, consider the ease with which Americans came to regard a president known for his inaccuracy and imprecision as the great communicator, and by the tendency of American elections to give victory to the candidate who can afford the greatest number of
30-second TV spots.” — Mike Schmoker

“In spite of the recent progress in science, the depths of human imbecility have not yet been plumbed.” — H. Ellis

“Intellect annuls fate.  So far as a man thinks, he is free.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion.” — Edward Abbey

Well, if that isn’t clear by now, it won’t ever be so…..hopefully I didn’t come close to boring y’all today; it was a fairly lengthy & a  heavy load of information to process. If so, well, better luck next time, big fella….. y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Ramblin’ Rose is still dancing…..

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Ffolkes,
Good morrow to you…..let us begin as we mean to go on…..

“Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.” — Gene Fowler

This line is included today merely to give y’all an idea of what I go through every morning to produce this…..whatever it is. It is a pretty good description, actually, because when I’m done, I actually feel battered and bloody. Bloody well used up is what it is. Maybe it’s easier for other writers; I don’t know. But for me, to produce something that my standards will allow me to publish for others to read, is much like having a piece of my soul ripped out. The funny thing is, though it hurts a lot, I wouldn’t stop doing it, even if I could. The pain of creation, which after all requires destruction first, is a worthy payoff for the sense of accomplishment I get when I see one of my pieces online for all to see. Quite a rush actually…..

“Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.” — Aldous Huxley

This observation, as far as I can tell, is 100% accurate, and because it is, many of the problems society is facing are easily explained, if not easily resolved. For example, when was the last time you gave a thought to what else besides oxygen is in the air that you take into your lungs on the average of 15-20 times per minute.? When you last got a glass of water from the tap, did you stop to think about what was in the water you use to drink, cook with, and bathe in? As Mr. Huxley pointed out, most folks, yourselves included, seldom think about or appreciate such simple necessities, or what might happen if they were no longer available. What will we do when the air is so full of carbon dioxide that the amount of oxygen in it is decreased below the point where it will sustain life? Will we all have to wear breathing apparatus in order to brave the outside world? What will happen to all the other animals if there isn’t sufficient air? What will you do when the water you drink is no longer safe to consume? We need water as much as we need air; our chemical make-up is 90% water, and not having enough of it to replace what we lose is a sure path to the grave within a matter of days.


There are other issues connected to this subject; the consistent degradation of our planet’s ecosystem has a great many negative effects, small and unnoticeable at first, but growing larger over time until they are added to the list of processes that will eventually lead to extinction of all of this planet’s life forms.  Part of the problem is that it is a slow, insidious process, this degradation, and the deleterious outcomes are not evident until too late to reverse. And remember, the Universe doesn’t care, one way or the other, whether we survive or not; the rules are the rules, and fighting against the natural laws of our space-time continuum is a fool’s bet. Like it or not, we, as a species, are going to need to make some serious changes to the way we do things, if we are to survive at all. And we will need to do it starting yesterday…..

“A man’s ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary.  Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.” — Albert Einstein

I really admire Albert Einstein, and not because he was a great scientist, and one of history’s shining examples of men and women who greatly advance human knowledge, and do so out of their love of mankind. Albert’s wisdom was not restricted to the principles of physics and math; he had a unique way of looking at the world, and the ability to share their deep insights into life and the universe for the benefit of others. He was an eternal optimist, and as the above quote demonstrates, had a firm grip on the concept of living with honor and dignity. He believed in the inherent goodness of every man, and lived his life in a way that it stands as an example for the rest of us. I cannot wholly agree with what he states above, because I have a much darker view of what human nature is capable of, and less faith in mankind’s willingness to submit to natural law. But what he said does show with clarity where our salvation lies, and in his own inimitable manner, he shares his deeper knowledge with the rest of us in the hope it will inspire others to act honorably……

“To laugh often and love much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to give of oneself; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sing with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier: this is to have succeeded.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

From what I gather in my study of 19th century American writers, a lot of the best were what I would call masters of advanced curmudgeonry. Emerson, Walden, Thoreau,  were all libertarians living in compromise with a democracy, and spent much of their time either complaining about society, or hiding from it in their forest retreats. This is not to say that what they wrote was bad or mistaken in premise, necessarily, but if you read their work with this in mind, it becomes apparent that they didn’t much like other folks, or put much trust in their rationality. But, as the included quote indicates, being a curmudgeon doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t understand humanity, or what it takes to make life complete. This paragraph from Mr. Emerson demonstrates this perfectly. One cannot argue with conviction that all of these attributes listed, and experiences from a long life, are positively rooted, and make perfect sense. Whether or not we actually have all of these characteristics is unimportant; the list remains valid even if incomplete. And it provides anyone with a good map and directions that can be useful to us in our pursuit of happiness…..

So much for another day…..Hopefully, you have consumed a fair portion of food for thought, and found it palatable enough. If not, feel free to let me know, and I’ll see if I can come up with something more savory….in the meantime, y’all take care out there….

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Surgery with a slotted spoon….

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Ffolkes,
Today’s Pearls are, in one sense, oldies but goodies. Since I’m still having vertigo issues, I wasn’t up to a full-out dive, or witty repartee about the Pearls’ origins or concepts, so I visited my stash of hidden Pearls, and chose a group for the day. All of today’s bit of virtual wisdom are based on ideas and concepts that originated far to the west of San Francisco, so far west we call it the east. All that are not verses from one of the Taoist or Buddhist writings are koans, told to point the way to enlightenment in today’s context. I’ve read about other religions since my early teens, having become a bit disenchanted with what I’d been hearing and learning in the Presbyterian church my folks took us to for our weekly dose of dogma. I have to say, Presbyterians are much more tolerant than most other Christian sects, but none of them had the appeal for me that I found in Taoism, and other so-called pagan religions. I still hold that the truth is a combination of all the teachings of all the religions, with the most rational answers to the eternal questions most likely found in a combination of the tenets of all of them. Most of them say the same stuff anyway; it just comes across as different because of cultural context.


There is also one poem included, simply because it is one of the few verses by a Western author that comes close to using the same paradigm as is present in Eastern cultures. It is actually a very good translation of the some of the concepts involved into English, without losing the flavor of the ideas in the change, indicating that the ideas are the root of the answers being sought, not the social context in which they are found. Taken at face value today’s Pearls can create the state of mind where the entire universe is transparent, and we become free to find our way to building a superior Life…..ponder them well, and be thereby made better, if not completely enlightened…..
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Better stop short than fill to the brim. Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.  Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it.  Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow.  Retire when the work is done. This is the way of heaven. — Tao Te Ching

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A programmer from a very large computer company went to a software conference and then returned to report to his manager, saying: “What sort of programmers work for other companies? They behaved badly and were unconcerned with appearances.  There hair was long and unkempt and their clothes were wrinkled and old. They crashed our hospitality suite and they made rude noises during my presentation.”

The manager said: “I should have never sent you to the conference. Those programmers live beyond the physical world. They consider life absurd, an accidental coincidence. They come and go without knowing limitations. Without a care, they live only for their programs. Why should they bother with social conventions?”

They are alive within the Tao.

—————————————————————-

He that holds fast the golden mean,
And lives contentedly between
The little and the great,
Feels not the wants that pinch the poor,
Nor plagues that haunt the rich man’s door.
— William Cowper (1731-1800)
— Translation of Horace, Book ii, Ode x

—————————————————————-

”        …’fire’ does not matter, ‘earth’ and ‘air’ and ‘water’ do not matter.  ‘I’ do not matter.  No word matters.  But man forgets reality and remembers words.  The more words he remembers, the cleverer do his fellows esteem him.  He looks upon the great transformations of the world, but he does not see them as they were seen when man looked upon reality for the first time.  Their names come to his lips and he smiles as he tastes them, thinking he knows them in the naming.” — Siddartha, _Lord_of_Light_ by Roger Zelazny

———————————————————————

A novice asked the master: “I have a program that sometime runs and sometimes aborts. I have followed the rules of programming, yet I am totally baffled. What is the reason for this?”

The master replied: “You are confused because you do not understand Tao. Only a fool expects rational behavior from his fellow humans. Why do you expect it from a machine that humans have constructed? Computers simulate determinism; only Tao is prefect. The rules of programming are transitory; only Tao is eternal. Therefore you must contemplate Tao before you receive enlightenment.”

“But how will I know when I have received enlightenment?” asked the novice.

“Your program will then run correctly,” replied the master.

———————————————————————-

A monk, taking a bamboo stick, said to the people,  “If you call this a stick, you fall into the trap of words, but if you do not call it a stick, you contradict facts.  So what do you call it?”

At that time a monk in the assembly came forth.  He snatched the stick, broke it in two, and threw the pieces  across the room.

——————————————————————–

If he applies The Eternal to himself his virtue will be genuine;
If he applies it to his family his virtue will be abundant;
If he applies it to his village his virtue will be lasting;
If he applies it to his country his virtue will be full;
If he applies it to the world his virtue will be universal.
— Lao-Tzu (fl. B.C. 600)

——————————————————————–

Whew! It kept growing on me again, so it may be best to take it in small bites; it’ll get absorbed better. As for me, I’m done; stick a fork in me…..and y’all take care out there…..

Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer at play..

Kowabunga!

Can I get some diffuse anxiety with that?….

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Ffolkes,
I decided yesterday not to go see the doc about my dizziness unless it gets worse. It’s not worse, but it’s also not gone. I’ll have to spend another day just taking it easy, to see if it gets worse or better. Not bad enough yet to put myself in the hands of the medical community; let some really sick folks go first. But meantime, it’s making it hard to write, especially if I have to think about it (which is a foregone conclusion when composing). So today you will be treated to another fairly large strand of Pearls, picked out with my usual sense of non-purpose, wrapped in bright, shiny paper, (bows not included; budget cuts, y’know?), presented here for your edification, and hopefully, your pleasure…..

“Creation science” has not entered the curriculum for a reason so simple and so basic that we often forget to mention it: because it is false, and because good teachers understand exactly why it is false.  What could be more destructive of that most fragile fact of their sacred trust by granting equal treatment to a doctrine not only known to be false, but calculated to undermine any general understanding of science as an enterprise?” — Stephen Jay Gould, “The Skeptical Inquirer”, Vol. 12, page 186

Fanatic: Someone who, having lost sight of his goal, redoubles his efforts.  (When I saw this, I got an immediate mental image of the current crop of candidates for the Republican nomination for next year. In my image, they were standing in a group, arms around each other, big smiles, and a huge cloud of ignorance over their heads. All of them seem to fit this definition…..)

And if we do but watch the hour,
There never yet was human power
Which could evade, if unforgiven,
The patient search and vigil long
Of him who treasures up a wrong.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824)
— Mazeppa, Stanza 10

If you cheat, you’ll eventually punish yourself.

“True friendship is like sound health, the value of it is seldom known until it be lost.” — Charles Caleb Colton

And this the burden of his song
Forever used to be,–
I care for nobody, No. not I,
If no one cares for me.
— Isaac Bickerstaff (1735-1787)
— Love in a Village, Act i, Sc. 2

IMMORAL, adj.  Inexpedient.  “Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally
inexpedient comes to be considered wrong, wicked, immoral.  If man’s notions of right and wrong have any other basis than this of
expediency; if they originated, or could have originated, in any other way; if actions have in themselves a moral character apart from, and nowise dependent on, their consequences — then all philosophy is a lie and reason a disorder of the mind.” — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

This last Pearl presented me with a tough decision regarding its inclusion. The attraction of many of the entries in “The Devil’s Dictionary”  depend on witty sarcasm, and sometimes outrageously honest descriptions of human nature, to make their point sharply. This one, however, is much more profound, and much less tongue-in-cheek than is customary for Mr. Bierce. It took me three readings to see the hidden depths, and to find that the underlying concept has that valued characteristic of raising as many questions as it answers. More serendipity, yay!….. I have pushed the limits a bit; this kept growing on me. But all in all, I think it works, and I managed to keep from tossing my cookies, which is good for all of us…… Y’all take care out there…..

Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

General malaise is no picnic…..

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Ffolkes,
Today’s effort will be a short one, but only for what I consider an acceptable reason for slacking. Sometime during the night, I started to get extremely dizzy, almost nauseous, whenever I rolled over; the dizziness continued until I opened my eyes and fixed on a still object. The way it progressed, and noting that I had consumed nothing before bed liable to bring this on,  it seems obvious that I am having some sort of disturbance in my middle ear, the seat of our sense of balance, and I’m reacting very strongly to even slight head movements, unless I move very slowly. It’s rather uncomfortable, so I suppose I’ll have to break down and go see a doctor today, so he or she can figure out what is up. Not my preferred way to spend a Sunday, but what’re yagonnado? Hey, maybe they’ll keep me in hospital for a day to observe; I’ll get to watch TV for a while, something I can’t do here at home, being unAmerican and not owning one. Maybe even get to see a football game; here it is week nine of the season, and I haven’t caught a single game. So much for vicarious living!
Anywho, what with the nausea and dizziness, typing is getting a bit problematic, so I’ll just end this here, and count on a very strong group of Pearls to carry the day….. enjoy!…..

“All men profess honesty as long as they can. To believe all men honest would be folly. To believe none so is something worse.” — John Quincy Adams (1767-1848)

“I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.” Albert Einstein

Ill fares the land
To hastening ills a prey
When wealth accumulates
But men decay.
— Goldsmith (1728-1774)

“You live and learn. Or you don’t live long.” — Lazarus Long

Oh stay! oh stay!
Joy so seldom weaves a chain
Like this to-night, that oh ‘t is pain
To break its links so soon.
— Thomas Moore (1779-1852)
— Fly not yet

“Bow to no patron’s insolence. Rely on no frail hopes; in freedom live and die.” — Seneca

When you want to test the depths of a stream, don’t use both feet. — Chinese Proverb

“Moral certainty is always a sign of cultural inferiority. The more uncivilized the man, the surer he is that he knows precisely what is right and what is wrong. All human progress, even in morals, has been the work of men who have doubted the current moral values, not of men who have whooped them up and tried to enforce them. The truly civilized man is always skeptical and tolerant, in this field as in all others. His culture is based on “I am not too sure.” — H.L. Mencken

Doubting Thomas strikes again! All hail the dubious among us, for they have the right of it, and suffer less. And if not, they know how to shuffle and dance until sanity returns…… y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Notes on a reluctant subject…..

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Ffolkes,
The weather, having taken a turn toward nasty, compels me to huddle up close to the fire, wrap a sturdy blanket around my shoulders, and gaze into the flames seeking visions. Hence, today we go old school…..in the last couple of days, I’ve done a lot of work around this process of making Pearls of Virtual Wisdom. I went diving for a long while, building up my stash of backup Pearls, and in the process found a very good batch of lustrous new gems. Some are included for their Truth; others merely for their Beauty. At least one is there because I thought it was funny. All have something to say, even if it is something we may not like to hear. Since I’m not writing any original material for today’s piece, I will include a couple extra meaty Pearls. Having produced over a thousand words for each of the last four or five days, it will help fill in that extra space y’all have come to know and love…..see, give me just one teeny opening, and the sarcasm slips through. Oh well, it’s best to get it out early in the day so it doesn’t fester…….

“One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder where you are when you don’t come home at night.” — Margaret Mead

During the darkest days of World War II, when each night brought waves of Luftwaffe bombers raining death and destruction on a near-defenseless London, Prime Minister Churchill went on the air to address the British people.  “I read this morning’s paper that Herr Hitler plans to wring England’s neck like that of a chicken,” he began, “and I was reminded of what the Irish poacher said as he stood on the gallows.  Its seems the poor fellow was approached by a well-meaning if somewhat overzealous priest who, in horrific detail, described the unfading torments of Hades which awaited him if he did not repent of his misdeeds.  The condemned man listened patiently to all that the priest had to say, and when he was done, grinned broadly and replied, ‘Eat it raw, fuzz nuts.'” (YES!!!)

Keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final.

“As to values, I was taught — and still believe — that a sense of honor is necessary to personal self-respect; that duty, recognizing an individual’s subordination to community welfare, is as important as rights; that loyalty, which is based on the trustworthiness of honorable men, is still a virtue; and that work and self-discipline are as essential to individual happiness as they are to a viable society. Indeed, I still believe in patriotism — not if it is limited to parades and flag-waving, but because worthy national goals and aspirations can be realized only through love of country and a desire to be a responsible citizen.” — Lewis F. Powell (Former Supreme Court Justice)

It is the little rift within the lute
That by and by will make the music mute,
And ever widening slowly silence all.
— Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
— Idylls of the King, Merlin and Vivien

— Bother! said Pooh, as he stomped Barney’s butt to Jello.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” — Philo

“What embitters the world is not excess of criticism, but an absence of self-criticism.” — G. K. Chesterton, Sidelights on New London and Newer New York

Intelligence is believing only half of what you hear; Brilliance is knowing which half.

All rivers flow into the sea, for it is lower than they; Humility is what gives it its strength.

And one last thought for contemplation……

“Make no mistake: the weeds will win.  Nature bats last.” — Robert Pyle

I hope you have enjoyed reading this little tour through a bed of Pearls as much as I did in putting it together. What with all the extras today, there’s probably enough potentially enlightening material to create a veritable army of Buddha’s! Well, maybe not; that would be getting a little far away from his message……..oh well……y’all take care out there……

 

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Keeping banker’s hours….

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Ffolkes,
With a smile, a whistle, and a joyful heart, the day begins…..

“Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.” — Buddha

Living in today’s complex culture gets to be pretty stressful and frustrating. The more we do, the more it seems there is more to do. Bombarded on every side with demands, duties, expectations, and a myriad of “it’ll just take a minute  of your time” favors for friends, we end up with no time left for ourselves. I recall the days when I had a wife, two small children, a mortgage, car payments, and two full-time jobs; I became the Master of the Nine-Minute Nap, and spent each day chasing my tail to try to keep up with all there was to do. And that feeling, of being hemmed in and having no time for anything except more work, is pretty common to much of our society. The complexity of what is needed just to survive these days has men and women scrambling and scratching to make ends meet, leaving little time for relaxation or much-needed recreational activities.

Is there a solution to this problem, common to so many? Yes there is….it is really very simple, and revolves around one little word that a lot of folks have trouble saying, or meaning. We all learned this word at the age of 2, or thereabout, and have used it with varying effect ever since. Naturally, the word is “No”. That’s correct, “No”. Nothing else is needed, or even desirable, when confronted with yet another demand for assistance from a “friend”, or another pile of work from a boss, or another fundraiser. As long as it is delivered in a voice that carries authority, it needs no other help to rescue those stolen moments. Nancy Reagan had the correct slogan, Just say No!, but tried to apply it to an area of society that just laughs at such puerile nonsense.

     When applied to one’s own self, however, it becomes an invincible shield, protecting you from yet another waste of your time on other people’s behalf. Time is precious enough for us; we are mortal, and have only a finite amount of minutes here on this plane of existence. We each need to learn to protect those minutes, and keep them for use in service to our own goals and aspirations, instead of everybody else’s. You’ll be amazed at how much time you actually do have……

If I had thought thou couldst have died,
I might not weep for thee;
But I forgot, when by thy side,
That thou couldst mortal be.
— Charles Wolfe (1791-1823)
— To Mary

This little gem was another instance of serendipity. I was looking for a specific piece of information, and came across this in my search. I love that feeling, of getting a free gift from the universe. And when it is produced by something like this, that good feeling gets re-created at every reading. What I like about this one is the depth and breadth of the ideas being expressed, and how a few little words in the proper order can create in one’s mind an image that is richer and more detailed than could be surmised from just the words alone. Two little couplets strung together are enough to bring back the feelings one has when in the midst of infatuation, that first blush of love when the entire world assumes a compelling dream-like quality, and every sunrise is cause for joy. In this state, the mind is focused only on the object of desire, and any other perceptions are ignored, swept away from consciousness as if totally unimportant. It’s a very passionate time of life, and I find this little poem to be a truly exquisite conveyance back to those times……”There is no happiness like mine. I have been eating poetry.” — Mark Strand

Happiness is a state of mind.  Not happy?  Change your mind.

When I was in my teens, many, many moons ago, I read a book that is part of the sacred writings of Hinduism; it is titled, “The Bhagavad Gita. In the book, a young prince named Arjuna was entering a battle in ancient days in India, riding a chariot. His charioteer is none other than Krishna, the original Hindu god, from which all the others sprang, who then had a conversation with the young prince about life and philosophy. In answer to a question from Arjuna, Krishna replies, “All anger arises from obstructed desire. Thus all anger can be controlled, merely by altering the desire.” The concept works for happiness as well…..

What a powerful idea! To be able to control all of our anger with a small attitude change is a tool that every single human child should be given at birth, or at the very least, before they reach the age of reason. Imagine, an entire generation of people able to control and regulate the most passionate parts of their nature, with the power of their mind. Controversy and argument would vanish. War would be a distant memory. And humans would face life without fear, having replaced the passionate but unreliable emotions based on ignorance with a mind free of fear, and of the distraction of emotional turmoil. I can speak from experience to say that I know it is true, and really does work. I still experience anger and emotional turmoil, but it doesn’t last long in the face of reason and knowledge. This concept could very well be the next evolutionary step for our species; changing the way we deal with ourselves internally, rather than trying to modify the world to fit our image very well could be the answer for us. It couldn’t hurt…….

Whew! I could keep on writing on this subject for a long time, but I do have other stuff to do today. This is a good start though, and I may write more on this idea; it’s worth a second look. In the meantime, y’all take care out there……

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!