Monthly Archives: November 2011

Green socks and red suspenders….

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Ffolkes,
Softly, lovingly, the words flew, seeking minds to take their measure; the day begins…..

“I believe that it is better to tell the truth than a lie. I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant.” — H. L. Mencken

One would think that the above statement is self-evident. This is not to say that Mr. Mencken is stating the obvious, but rather that the concepts he shares are clearly true, and leave little or no room for disagreement. Every religion, every culture, every person on the planet would see these, and find it nearly impossible to denigrate any of them, or argue that they are not personal values that all of us are taught to respect from the time when we were small. They are ideas that are intrinsic to a free society, and their absence in everyday interactions between society members leads to controversy, every time. Every person, politician, and corporation, news outlet, hell, everybody you speak to would have you believe that they are true to these principles, and make them a part of their modus operandi. What they don’t add is that they have their fingers crossed behind their backs when they look you in the eye and tell you it is true.

Isaac Asimov is a scientist and writer of great renown, having published well over 200 science fiction novels and collections of short stories, as well as nearly the same number of hard science text and reference books. He had an interesting comment on this subject, to wit: “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is as good as your knowledge.” — Isaac Asimov. Newsweek, January 21, 1980  I like this because it states its premise clearly, succinctly, and powerfully, making itself the perfect example of the type of intellectual statement that would be completely ignored, or possibly vilified, if related to a political aspirant. In this country, if you want to get elected, you can’t afford to say or do anything that might indicate agreement with this observation; there are too many voters who are lifetime members of the cult. This is why they say such dumb things when they are campaigning for office; it keeps their name up in front of the Stupids, and they know their assertions will be bought at face value, no matter how outrageously untruthful or anti-intellect it may be. There are times, and of late they are legion, when I get really disgusted with the sad state of affairs in this country, and for that matter, the world. Just seems like there’s not enough of us shouting out the truth, and those who are not invested in truth don’t hear it anyway…….

Behold the child, by Nature’s kindly law,
Pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw;
Some livelier plaything gives his youth delight,
A little louder, but as empty quite;
Scarfs, garters, gold, amuse his riper stage,
And beads and prayer-books are the toys of age.
Pleased with this bauble still, as that before,
Till tired he sleeps, and life’s poor play is o’er.
— Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
— Essay on Man, Epistle ii, Line 274

It’s just a personal quirk, I guess, but when I find a piece of poetry such as this, I get a tingly sliver of sheer pleasure that shoots up my spine, and hits my consciousness with a sharp jolt of joy. Look at it! It even sits there attractively, balanced and lovely, shining slightly with a glow of insight, and profound understanding. Eight lines. Two quatrains of everyday words, put together so cleverly, an entire lifetime is celebrated between the first and last lines. Not only the life, but the experience of life, comes through as clearly and powerfully as if whispered directly into your ear. Mssr. Pope gives us an image, a picture painted on the mind’s canvas, and shows with deft strokes how each of life’s stages flows from one age to the next, until at last it progresses to the final curtain. Poetry like this is one of life’s grandest surprises, an unexpected gift of joy. Gotta love them poets…..

“Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you’ll understand what little chance you have of trying to change others.” — Jacob M. Braude

If one is in the habit of following the ebb and flow of current events, as am I, it becomes increasingly difficult to ignore the signs of impending global disaster. Pollution of the air, land, and sea; global climate changes melting the polar ice; an ever-widening financial gap between segments of society; divisiveness and religious controversy amongst all nations and cultures; increasing evidence of the effects of over-population. All of these, and more, are clear indicators of the breakdown of society at large, and of the need for far-reaching changes to stop and reverse our progress down the path to extinction. And unfortunately for all of us, human nature is such that the statement above is absolute truth. Each of us is solely responsible for our actions; no one can make us do what we won’t, unless we allow it. And this is the root of the whole problem….

Too many people abrogate their responsibility to Life. It’s too hard to think, or consider deep philosophical concepts, and there is too much to do in order to stay even with life’s demands. So people tend to let others think for them. Even though they have the power to make their own decisions, they let others tell them how to behave, when to eat, what to buy, what to believe. They react with anger and violence when challenged about their beliefs, even though they cannot express what those beliefs are, other than to repeat what they’ve been told. Talking heads come on TV and the most aggravatingly insane drivel that comes out of their mouths is held as gospel truth. Politicians make up incredible lies and make promises that appeal to the most extreme segments of the populace, fanning the fire of their ignorant fear of anything different, just to get elected. When in office, those promises are ignored in favor of whatever new policies will guarantee the continuing process of lining their pockets with public funding.

People are lazy. It’s a fact, and is actually one of our most important survival characteristics. Our minds are armed with the power of imagination, and it is always willing to focus that talent in order to make life easier and more comfortable. This is why we invent stuff; to make life easier. Not because we want to improve ourselves or our environment, but because we are too lazy to work hard to achieve our desires. If we can think up a way to perform simple, tedious tasks with less effort, we will do so. It’s a natural ability, and it is an integral part of our nature. And used in this sense, it is a valuable tool. But most folks end up taking their lackadaisical tendencies too far, which allows the less moral among us to increase their influence over our lives. My fear is that society at large has waited too long, and become too rigidly committed to the behaviors which will eventually lead to extinction to be able slow, or stop our progress toward the abyss…..and I don’t want to die yet!……

Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

…and a mother-of-pearl handle on the spatula, please…..

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Ffolkes,
Oh, we’re off to see the lizard, the wonderful lizard of Id.
He’s a whiz of a lizard, ‘cuz of all the wonderful things he did…..

(Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita
mi ritrovai per una selva oscura
che la diritta via era smarrita.)
Midday this way of life we’re bound upon
I woke to find myself in a dark wood,
Where the right road was wholly lost and gone.
— Dante’s Divine Comedy, Incipit

I don’t know about y’all, but I have been at this point in my life for long time, on more than one occasion. Dante’s genius was never more evident when he penned his Divine Comedy, and his insights into human nature are like little nuggets of pure gold found in a large pile of offal. What occurs to me this morning is that this particular point in our lives is one that we can easily get stuck in, never finding our way out of the dark wood, and spending our days in misery. I’ve been there, and I’ve done that, and I still can’t really say how I went about finding the road back to sanity. It’s like that memory is a skittish horse, that won’t let me approach to fasten a bridle. All I know is that one day, the light came  back, and I could see the way home once again. It’s a scary time for all of us, and I only wish I could share whatever it was that helped me to get home. I suppose it is the kind of lesson that each of us needs to learn on our own, in order to really understand the lesson to be learned…….

“Animals, whom we have made our slaves, we do not like to consider our equal.” — Charles Darwin

Although I’ve never understood it completely, I am aware that most people believe that they are intrinsically better than animals; these folks are the ones who object when they are included in the animal kingdom at all, voicing loudly that “I’m not an Animal, I’m a Man!” Their entire self-image is based in the belief that animals, as well as humans of a different culture, skin color, or religion, are lesser creatures, though if queried, most, if not all, would be unable to list any coherent reasons why they believe that. The ones who do reply will usually refer back to a religious principle that that they learned before they reached the age of reason, with the additional attitude that states, “The Book is divinely inspired, and therefore infallible. If it’s in the Book, then God said it, I believe it, and that’s the end of it.”

This belief is  attractive to many folks, as it removes from them all responsibility for their actions. As long as they can convince themselves that they were acting in God’s name, or working God’s will, then they can lie, cheat, steal from, or oppress any number of humans of a different color or religious belief. They know**, as long as they confess their sins, they will be forgiven, so there is no consequence for acting toward others as if they were an enemy.  If they are automatically superior to other humans, why should they act any differently toward the animals who share this planet with us? There is nothing in it for them to make them consider changing. And it’s a little difficult to picture one’s self as the Lord of Creation, while admitting that most other animals are equally endowed. Just not going to happen. Having observed humans all my life, I can say with authority that 99.9% of humanity will never come to the realization that other creatures are as essential to the proper functioning of the Universe as are they.

**Why shouldn’t they know? After all, they are the ones who decided what characteristics God has, and they are probably continually patting themselves on the back for having had the foresight to include the quality of forgiveness for sins, in exchange for confession. In my humble opinion, frank admission of a vice does not turn it into a virtue……

— How many surrealists does it take to change a light bulb?
–Two. One to hold the giraffe and the other to fill the bathtub with brightly colored machine tools.

Zen Buddhist practitioners use the principle of zazen (literally “seated meditation”) to achieve a state of mind where contemplation will bring the clarity of mind to enable one to let down barriers that otherwise prevent enlightenment. The focus of the meditation can be a poem, a short phrase, one of the eternal questions, a picture, or almost anything. When they seek this state, the point of focus is often what is called a koan, a small statement or story presenting an element of the true nature of reality, often given as a paradox. The purpose of the koan is to create within the mind of the devotee a connection to true reality, and to lead one to an understanding of that reality.

    The couplet above, one of a series of jokes (obviously a spin-off of ‘knock, knock, who’s there?’ jokes) that shows how differing approaches to the task of changing the bulb, by different segments of society, show the nature of the bulb-changer. I like this one because it reminds me of some of the Zen koans I’ve seen. It paints a picture, doesn’t it? And the picture it paints may not be a step on the path to enlightenment, but it is certainly enough to lighten the moment…. 🙂

Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Banjo music and french toast….

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11/8/11
Ffolkes,
We begin anew, night into day; we are fresh, we are alive. We are…..

To whom the mornings are like nights,
What must the midnights be!
— Emily Dickinson

One of my favorite parts of life is experiencing serendipity. There is something very fulfilling, very soothing about getting more than expected from Reality; like a free sno-cone, or finding a forgotten dollar bill in your pocket. And every time I come across another poem by Emily D., I get that thrilling feeling, of having looked for dirt, and found diamonds instead. How fascinating it would be, to be able to hold a conversation with someone whose mind possessed such a unique vision of the world, and found within herself the language to describe those visions with clarity, and beauty. This one is typical of her ability to show a side of Reality that most folks never consider, and put that piece of Reality into a form that brings the reader to a deep understanding of what they heretofore had never known. And in two miserly, but meaningful verses, at that!


The appeal of Ms. D’s poetry is as strong today as it was during her life, and its timelessness is borne out by the fact that even today, her verses have lessons for us to learn that are as important as they were a hundred years ago. The program I use to generate a lot of my Pearls, and where I found this little nugget, suggests that this poem could easily be descriptive of the hackish culture, (from hackers, aka rogue, or independent computer programmers) members of which are frequently to be found working through the night, and whose world-view could be described as being as unique as hers. To my way of thinking, poetry that is timeless, and as deeply insightful as this, is the pinnacle, the ultimate, most important use of language, for it makes us more human for having read it…..

— How many
Zen masters
— does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Two: one to change the bulb and one not to change it.

The writings and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, or Enlightened One, were created during his life in India, in the time before Jesus of Nazareth was born. His words have inspired humankind for well over two millenia, bringing peace of mind and hope for the future to all who would follow its precepts. An integral part of Buddhist practice is meditation, using the clarity of mind  brought about by introspection to lead one along the path to pure enlightenment. A Zen Buddhist will sit and contemplate, for example, the duality of perception, examining Reality from both sides, and how the nature of being human is grounded in our method of perceiving the duality present in every object, and concept, in this universe. We see due to the presence or absence of light; we hear because each word is surrounded by silence. Coming to an understanding of how we relate to the events of our life as another expression of the dual nature of the universe is a valuable tool, useful in coming to terms with events that would otherwise be troubling. A deep-seated knowledge of how Reality works can only be helpful in a world that constantly challenges us to meet demanding standards, and won’t even tell us what those standards entail. In other words, it’s a good tool for slowing down Entropy, or at least painting it a nice lively color…….

“Animals can be driven crazy by putting too many in too small a pen. Homo sapiens is the only animal that voluntarily does this to himself.” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s — “Time Enough For Love”

Regular readers of this…..I never know just what this is, so we’ll call it an ongoing exploration of reality….will be aware that a common subject of discussion is the power of human stupidity, and how deliberate ignorance plays a big part in the sad state of affairs of society at large. The reason I end up writing about this so often is pretty obvious; the news every day is chock full of examples of how another bonehead move, deliberately aggressive behavior, or ignorant remark has caused some kind of problem, problems that may or may not involve death, destruction, injury, or even, heaven forbid, halitosis (gasp!!!). People are people, and they are constantly finding new ways to abuse this sorry old planet, believing in their own false immortality, and worst of all, believing they have the right to act any way they wish, regardless of how it affects others or the outside world.

     This sense of entitlement, encouraged shamefully by organized religions that tout Mankind as the inheritors of the Earth, chosen by their (G)od to “have dominion” over the rest of the life forms, is the underlying false premise behind most of society’s ills. When a premise is false, the conclusion can only be false, as well, and this idea of the superiority of our species, can be seen as the critical factor in human nature that allows us to make decisions that are only in OUR interests, and the rest of Reality matters not at all. As long as I’ve got my milkshake, who cares about the rest?……selfish creatures, are we not?…….

Hmmm….a little less positive than I like to be, but truth nonetheless….. y’all take care out there…..

—

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

gigoid

Dozer at play..

Kowabunga!

Luckily, the rabbit lived, and prospered….

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Ffolkes,
Skyclad before the pale, he sits to write his way into the day……and in an unprecedented move, he has brought his brain with him!…..

“In a real dark night of the soul it is always three o’clock in the morning.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

Have the claws of depression ever set themselves in your flesh, slicing their way into your conscious mind to fill it with diffuse anxiety and deep despair? Have you sat, alone in a dark room, and thought of all that you have lost? Does the sunshine make you angry for being so cheerful? When depression rears its ugly head and takes over the soul, the world loses all its color and warmth; everything you see is grey and shadowed, and somehow menacing. Being alone becomes a penance, a sentence for violations of natural law, and sleep is the only surcease from the crushing weight that weighs down the mind, and soul. All the goodness in the world seems far away, and unattainable by any effort we can make. Even hope becomes uncomfortable, because of the fear it will turn out to be false. Thoughts and feelings feel out of control, and the simplest tasks can become a challenge to your reduced level of functioning. Believe me when I say, being depressed is no picnic, and you still get the ants……


Having been a psychiatric technician for so long, I know the effects of depression very well, from both sides of the therapeutic relationship, having treated many depressed individuals, and having suffered its claws myself due to PTSD. It is a difficult condition to treat, from a therapist’s viewpoint, as it is difficult to help someone find the light when they want to sit in the dark, and close their eyes against the light. And from the other side, the negative filter through which a depressed individual views the world denies any possibility of change. For  reasons which are still unclear, a person who becomes depressed is actually more comfortable in that state than they are when they are not influenced by its debilitating symptoms. And from having experienced it myself, I can tell you without hesitation that it is insidiously powerful, and incredibly hard to set aside in order to get back to a more stable mental state, one in which the world again becomes beautiful, the spirit once again takes flight, and life regains its attraction once more…….

The sense of death is most in apprehension;
And the poor beetle, that we tread upon,
In corporal sufferance finds a pang as great
As when a giant dies.
— William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Measure for Measure — Act iii, Sc. 1

I usually steer clear of using Shakespeare, as his work has been over-used, and IMHO is over-rated anyway. He did write a lot of beautiful passages, and should be considered as a master of the sonnet as well as the play. But I like this one, both for the creative beauty of his phrasing and structure, and for the idea behind it, which I see as a clear observation of the interconnectedness of all life-forms. We’re born, we live, and we die, thus completing the cycle of existence as per the natural laws of this universe (or at least as far as we know those laws…..). And every other creature on this planet goes through the same cycle of birth, life, death, birth, life, death, etc…, until one can only conclude that we must be alike in other ways as well, and are thereby connected in some fashion, both to the universe, and to each other. This connection puts us all on the same level, at least in the eyes of the universe; no form of life escapes death. We humans, though intelligent, curious, and supremely adaptive to new environments, have no advantage over the tiniest creature on Earth, for we all will face our mortality in the end.

     Thus our sense of entitlement, of being the top of the food chain, is not justified, for we have no more power over death than the smallest, weakest life form in our world. Species discrimination based on intelligence is foolish; we must come to terms with our own mortality and accept our position in the universe, not above other forms of life, but shoulder to shoulder. We may as well, because we’re going to die anyway; it’s best to try to approach it with some dignity based on fact, rather than unjustified delusion…..

“If you can’t say somethin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.” — Thumper (1942)

Bill Russell, the former professional basketball player, is considered by many fans to be the best defensive player ever to play the game. He played the game with studied intensity, and with complete dignity, approaching the contests with the same attitude he approached life. He was a proponent of the above attitude, one we all learned as a child, watching Bambi and Thumper inflict their terminal cuteness on unsuspecting children in a theater near you. And, as far as it goes, it is a good piece of advice, well worth considering, and useful in teaching manners. But, as with any childish conclusion, it doesn’t go quite far enough. But Bill said this, “One should play the game as a gentleman, always. But, there are times when an elbow to the chops is the only way to make a point.” (My apologies to Bill, as the quote is a paraphrase, the original being unavailable to check for accuracy; the point it makes is intact)


Yes, being nice to each other is the best way to approach living with others, and not speaking never got anyone into trouble over what they said.  But the rules for behavior amongst ourselves need to be very flexible, and subject to revision moment by moment. There are too many facets to the human mind to ever consider limiting one’s choices of how to react to any particular situation. This is reinforced by the nature of reality, i.e. constant unpredictable changes are normal, so once again, limiting how we choose to act is an inappropriate response, and doomed to failure. As a human, we need to embrace that part of us that is flexible, and creative, in order to have the best chance of dealing with reality while still staying sane……

Speaking of sanity, keeping mine is going to require some work today, so I’ll be off now to pursue other activities, reluctantly. I will leave you with the following thoughts…..

All men are poets at heart
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
All poets are mad
— Robert Burton

Y’all take care out there…..

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

Kowabunga!

Talcum powder and pink Champagne..

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Ffolkes,
When I first sat down to write this morning, I had intended to discuss the subjects of the Pearls I found yesterday. However, as I look at them now, I can see they are far too grim for such a beautiful morning. The first was to be an exploration of the anti-intellectualism prevalent today in this country, a subject near and dear to my heart. However, as such, I can tell without having to start that it would turn almost immediately into a rant. Not that there is anything wrong with ranting, but I’m too centered this morning to want to upset my applecart so early, so we will turn to other subjects that won’t cause me to go temporarily batty……

“The Irish Leprechaun is the Faeries’ shoemaker and is known under various names in different parts of Ireland: Cluricaune in Cork, Lurican in Kerry, Lurikeen in Kildare and Lurigadaun in Tipperary. Although he works for the Faeries, the Leprechaun is not of the same species. He is small, has dark skin and wears strange clothes. His nature has something of the manic-depressive about it: first he is quite happy, whistling merrily as he nails a sole on to a shoe; a few minutes later, he is sullen and morose, drunk on his home-made heather ale. The Leprechaun’s two great loves are tobacco and whiskey, and he is a first-rate con-man, impossible to out-fox. No one, no matter how clever, has ever managed to cheat him out of his hidden pot of gold or his magic shilling. At the last minute he always thinks of some way to divert his captor’s attention and vanishes in the twinkling of an eye.”  — From: A Field Guide to the Little People — by Nancy Arrowsmith & George Morse.

My cultural background is fairly mixed, at least in terms of cultures made up primarily of Europeans. I know for a fact I have at least two relatives within three generations who came to the US from Ireland, others coming here from England, Scotland, and either Germany or Spain (I could never get a clear answer, and anyone who would have known is no longer available for comment, having passed on to that big library in the sky) (hey, you have your picture of what heaven is like, and so do I….).


For some unknown reason, Ireland has always called to my spirit; their history resonates with that part of me that lived before, and stories and fables such as the above are familiar, even when I know I haven’t heard or read them previously. The feeling of deja vu is so strong sometimes, I find myself breaking out in a brogue, which can be disconcerting when it happens in the midst of a conversation. I get a lot of funny looks when it happens, but being adjudged as strange is a common effect of my interactions with others, so it doesn’t bother me. In fact, it merely reaffirms my own world-view, which begins with the assumption that my approach to reality must remain flexible, and ready to deal….I prefer to not repeat myself in that respect, thus making me a more difficult target…….

“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” — Horace (65-8 B.C.)

I don’t think very many folks would disagree with this statement from one of the scholars alive during the period just before and after the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, still used as the focal point of the Gregorian calendar much of the world uses. This insight can likely be shown to form one of the pillars upon which our culture is supported. It is part of being human to save a child in danger, or to commit acts of extreme bravery and compassion not commonly exhibited. These acts are brought out only in moments of ultimate danger and urgency, and in many cases are acts completely foreign to the person committing them. It is part of being human, instinctual, and is seen by humanity as being the ultimate example of virtue. And in a very real sense is one of basic components of a good story, one so basic it remains to this day one of the most commonly used plot elements in novels, movies, and any other form of story-telling. This deceptively simple insight, related over two thousand years ago, continues to be a driving factor in humanity’s need to communicate with others, and remains to this day a valuable tool in educating our children, teaching them how to tap into that well of human spirit and empathy, present in all of us as one more resource in the daily battle with Reality……

Cogito, ergo tango. I think, therefore I dance.

As axiomatic statements of philosophy go, this one is better than most. It reaffirms the belief common to everyone in my age group, that Rock & Roll will never die. Being human (I guess you could call the human spirit our discussion thread for the day), there is a part of us that responds, willingly or not, to the rhythmic strains and poetic lyrics of the best of the genre. I defy anyone to resist the urge to at least sway in place and hum upon hearing their favorite pieces; a great many folks like to have it one as background noise when they are working or occupied in activities felt to be tedious, and a great many of those folks will dance as they listen, even if only in their chair. It is an urge we all feel at times, and I think it is one that is beneficial to the spirit, and should be encouraged at every turn.

     Listening to good music, whether it is R&R, or R&B, blues, classical, jazz, modern, or Gregorian chant forms a connection with our spirit, and creates the urge to dance. I look at dance in relation to music as I do poetry to writing. It is an integral component of the human to seek to stimulate positive value experiences, and dancing is a sure path to such experiences. To shut one’s self off from these experiences causes us to age faster, whereas it is a known fact that experiencing positive events causes aging to stop, and even can reverse the process to some degree. If I can dance to improve my health, then all I have to say is, “where did I put my dancing shoes!?……

Here ‘s a sigh to those who love me,
And a smile to those who hate;
And whatever sky ‘s above me,
Here ‘s a heart for every fate.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824)
— To Thomas Moore

No comment on this little snippet from Lord Byron, other than to say turning it over in your mind can be another of those aforementioned value experiences. Good stuff, dirt cheap…. y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Dozer at play..

Kowabunga!

In the palace of the king….

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Ffolkes,
The weather is behaving oddly….but that is to be expected, as humanity has so far declined to stop pumping CO2 into the air, and the average temperature of the planet continues to rise. It won’t end until we are all dead…..and that, my friends, is a fact, not an assumption, not a theory, but a proven fact. Deal with it…

So here hath been dawning another blue day:
Think, wilt thou let it slip useless away?
Out of eternity this new day is born;
Into eternity at night ’twill return.
— Carlyle (1795-1881)

When I first read this I was struck by how perfectly it communicates the passage of Time, human productivity and motivation for same, and the Beauty of the entire process. It is a perfect piece to read to help us know why we go out and start a day’s work, and an equally good way to end the day, with a reminder to appreciate what has been. And as such, it enters the realm of R.G.P. (Really Good Poetry), and finds a niche of honor in my collection of Virtual Wisdom. It is perhaps a perfect example of the power of the written word, when it takes the form of poetry. An hour-long lecture exploring the subjects mentioned above could be composed with little effort, a lecture that would explain what the poet what trying to say. And THAT highlights the power, as the information passed in the hour-long statement is merely a paraphrasing of the poem. The hour’s information was packed into four short lines, and grew more beautiful with being shrunk to the given size. Wonderful indeed are the hidden talents of the human mind. It’s really our only hope, and a slender one at that……..

Fanatic: Someone who, having lost sight of his goal, redoubles his efforts.

This is obviously not the definition as given in Webster’s, but is just as accurate a description as the one that appears therein. And in today’s political arena, it serves a useful purpose, which is, of course, using it to help identify these overly zealous individuals among the current crop of candidates for the presidency. From my point of view, at least five of the seven Republicans campaigning for the highest political prize of all can be classified as fanatics, and the other two are so far out of it, their next steps will probably qualify them to join the others in the fanatics category. Every time one of them makes a statement, it sounds like a plot from a really bad daytime soap opera has gotten mixed in with their speech notes. Or even more fascinating, they will shoot from the hip, make some outlandish statement that comes from deep in their personal quirk files, showing the true depth of their racism, or prejudice, or their deliberate ignorance. Watching them spend the next two weeks backing off from those statements provides me with a great deal of entertainment, and hopefully gives the voting populace a clear picture of the danger of having one of them take the controls of so much power.

It’s amazing really, how these folks can parade their ignorance in front of the public eye, and actually, I take hope from the fact that they do so, as it shows their true natures, and how unsuitable those natures are for the position they seek. But, I also know my hope is tenuous at best. All it takes for me to groan again at the foolishness of the American voting populace, and remember that we have already elected one actor to the job, and we are still trying to overcome the financial mess he left us in. As a matter of fact, in looking back over my lifetime, what I see is one President after another coming into office, spending the first part of their term deciding what needs the most reform, making plans to start the changes, then having to fight intense pressure from the supposedly “loyal opposition” to stop any change. The party that lost the last election, whether right or left, spends its time bringing up BS about the President, accusing him of chicanery, and generally throwing up any kind of distraction they can come up with, no mater how silly or vicious, to keep anything constructive from taking place. Then they can point out how little the President has accomplished. I am becoming thoroughly disgusted, and increasingly angry at our belove ruling class. I have suggested previously that it is time for the Second American Revolution, and I am completely serious. The country I live in today bears no resemblance to the one envisioned by our founding fathers (and mothers); I am so incensed that I am seriously considering buying a gun, something I had resolved not to do in my life, as I’ve always felt the best way to get shot at was to carry a gun. But, I can see a day coming when I will need it, in order to defend the few rights I have left…..what do y’all think?

If all is not lost, then where is it?

I can only wish that I knew……not enough people are outraged at what is happening today. I’ve read a book every day since I was ten years old. I’ve watched people and society for that same amount of time, and I am afraid. I am afraid that we have waited too long. We, and by that I mean Humankind, have not made the internal changes necessary to insure our survival. Our greed for power over others, and our sense of entitlement regarding the planet’s resources, is leading us down a sure path to extinction. The pumping of chemicals and poison toxins into the water, air, and land that we live in and on, continues to take place, in spite of massive evidence that we are killing ourselves (and a lot of other forms of life). The recent 99% protests going on are just the beginning of uprisings from the public; the 1% is killing us all, and they don’t think that it applies to them. I don’t care how rich you are, when the percentage level of oxygen in the air (16% ideally), falls below 12%, you will certainly die. And they just don’t seem to care……deliberate ignorance. What they also don’t know is that the results achieved by their intransigence are completely unavoidable; there’s nowhere else to go. Once this environment is kaput, that will be the end of, and there is no appeal. Kinda makes it hard sometimes to keep up a good front……I guess we’ll just have to see how it goes……and hope for good luck, because that’s all that will save us at this point……

Well, was that enough gloom and doom for ya? In some ways I hate to write this kind of article, because I know it’s a waste of effort. Our beloved ruling class, all 1% of them, will have their way, unless we take the ability to do so away from them. 5000 years of human history shows not a single instance of that ever happening, so the odds are against us, at least in that sense. Meanwhile, all we can do is take care of the ones we love, and smile, smile, smile…… Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Scratch the Ultimate Itch….

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Ffolkes,
Aggravating a full-grown leopard is probably an activity best left to female leopards, but if the big fella I was confronted with was any indication, I wouldn’t have to wait for his mate to get him going. Eye’s focused, ears back in fighting position, muscles bunched and ready to spring, he was an awesome example of his species. The screaming yowl that issued from his throat cut straight through to the fear center in my brain, which was doing some screaming of its own. Flight? Or fight? Both seemed likely to bring this to an unacceptable outcome; if I break and run, he’ll take me down from behind in three steps. If I stand and fight, I and my Swiss Army Knife were going to be slightly out gunned. A lot slightly…..there was only one thing to do. I started to sing, a slow, easy tune, while slowly moving from side to side in  gentle dance. As I did this, and the big cat watched warily, I reached back and pulled my iPod out of my pack. I selected the tune I wanted, hit the play button, and listened gladly to the sound of bagpipes at full volume. It had the effect I had hoped for; at the first blast of the pipes, the cat’s ears quivered, his eyes squinched up, and he immediately turned tail and disappeared into the vegetation. Another victory of reason over fear, and another victory chalked up for the pipes o’the lochs…..


Okay, so it’s not the greatest literature that ever came down the pike. I like it, and that is all that matters, mostly. I just felt like being silly this morning; don’t much feel like getting serious today. My life in MeatSpace is serious enough to fulfill all my needs in that respect; hence, this little bit of drivel from the fertile mind of a retired dilettante. I do like the new format for these Pearls; the constant need for new material is no longer a critical issue. It does, however, make it a bit more serious-minded, with a bit less opportunity for sarcasm and/or innuendo. But, for days such as this, when my spirit rejects somberness, the old format is still useful. The Pearls selected for today’s missive were collected with that in mind, and will hopefully lighten your day……

“One of the unpardonable sins, in the eyes of most people, is for a man to go about unlabeled. The world regards such a person as the police do an unmuzzled dog, not under proper control.” — T.H. Huxley, 1893
(That’s me, in a nutshell….)

“It’s awfully hard work doing nothing. However, I don’t mind hard work when there is no definite object of any kind.” — Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

“Albert Einstein was a late talker as a child. His parents were understandably worried. Finally at the supper table one evening, he broke his silence to say, “The soup is too hot”. Greatly relieved, his parents asked why he never said a word before. Young Albert replied, “Because up to now everything was in order.” — From ‘The Little, Brown Book Of Anecdotes’ by Clifton Fadiman

Know’st thou the land where the lemon-trees bloom,
Where the gold orange glows in the deep thicket’s gloom,
Where a wind ever soft from the blue heaven blows,
And the groves are of laurel and myrtle and rose?
— Goethe (1749-1832)
— Wilhelm Meister, Book iii, Chap. i

Don’t you just hate it when they verbify nouns?
(I know I certainly do….)

“If you get gloomy, just take an hour off and sit and think how much better this world is than hell. Of course, it won’t cheer you up if you expect to  go there.” — Don Marquis

And on that note, I will leave you the remains of the day….. y’all take care out there….

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

Kowabunga!

Colorful dreams for sale……

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Ffolkes,
I’m paying no attention whatsoever to the depression lurking in my mind. It wants me to go back to bed, but I’m not giving in to it. I tell you this because it may affect the quality of today’s comments, so please bear that in mind….’course, it could also cause extreme genius to break out. I can never tell ahead of time which might occur…..

“The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.  His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant.” — John Stuart Mill, _On Liberty_

This concept is what the founders of this country believed and fought for in 1776, and is one we must ever be vigilant in protecting, for it is continually being threatened by those who believe that morality can be legislated. All too often we give in to the Mrs. Grundy’s in society, and allow downright silly laws that tell us how we should behave to be enacted. The War on Drugs is a perfect example of this idea, though its inception was earlier when society decided that drinking alcohol was evil, and should be controlled. A small but determined part of society has learned how to make so much noise by campaigning against what they disapprove of that the rest of us pass their stupid law just to get them to shut up.


This idea, that we can force everyone in society to obey the will of the few, just because it is “for their own good”, goes against everything the Constitution stands for. We broke away from English rule because the English were forcing economic sanctions against us, as well as attempting to limit our religious freedoms, “for the good of all”.  We decided to form our own government because we didn’t want to live in a culture that allowed repression of one segment of the populace at the behest of another.

   Now, thanks to the fear-mongers and religious zealots, we are facing the same problem today. The concept of legislating morality is not merely repressive and ignorant, it is also impossible to achieve in the real world. You cannot force people to go against everything they believe just to follow a law that benefits only a small portion of the populace. The net result is that a large criminal class is created, because free men are not going to cease being free just to obey a law. Free men obey laws because the choose to, not because someone else chooses for them. You can insult, denigrate, humiliate, or even kill a free man, but you can’t make him be anything he chooses not to be…..

“It matters if you don’t just give up.” — Stephen Hawking

I have to say it…..Stephen Hawking is the Man! And this quote is especially poignant, because if anyone should know this, then he should. Here is a man whose body is ravaged by a condition that takes his strength of limb, and twists his physique in outlandish ways. In order to move he must use a specially designed wheelchair; in order to communicate he requires the assistance of computers. But his mind is quite possibly the most intelligent, the most far-sighted mind that Mankind has ever produced. Scientists who have tested him say that his IQ is completely off the scale, and there is no test that we can devise to really measure what his mind is capable of.


Despite his physical handicaps, he has assumed the position as the most well-respected Astrophysicist/Scientist in the world, and his revelations have pushed our knowledge of the Universe into new and exciting territories. His latest project is to develop a Unified Field Theory, a concept that would tie together all the disparate pieces of the various sciences, and bring them into harmony with one another, using the mathematics that describes the physical world as we perceive it. If he is successful, there is nothing that our species will not be able to accomplish. Unlimited electromagnetic power, anti-gravity, faster-than-light travel, even telekinetic translation of position (beam me up, Scotty!), all will be distinctly possible once the underlying laws by which the operate have been brought to light. It is a grand enough concept that it actually gives me hope that the Stupids won’t win, and Reason will eventually win the war between ignorance and science…….

“Think not that thy word and thine alone must be right.” — Sophocles (496-406 BC) — Antigone, 706

I actually wrote enough about this yesterday, I believe; I don’t want to beat a horse that’s been dead for days. But I’ve included it here to point out that society has had the same problem (deliberate ignorance) since the beginning of culture. Twenty-five hundred years ago, men were already contending with the portion of society that prefers to bury their head in the sand rather than face the world on its terms, and trying to take the rest of us with them down that road to perdition. That is a long time to be trying to correct the same problem; almost makes me wish I was an elitist, and could just find some justification to eradicate them before they breed. But I suppose that would be putting myself down at their level, where one’s own beliefs are intrinsically better than anyone else’s, and that I have the right to make them see things my way, even by force. I’m glad, actually, that I have the perspicacity to see that, and act differently. I just wish there was some way to get them to SHUT IT!……

Enough deep thought for one morning….gotta go juggle creditors and fight off depression. Y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

A Disturbance in the Farce….

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Ffolkes,
“It is time,” said the Walrus, “to speak of many things”.  And so it is…..

“I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 1070

Most of us have had the less than enviable experience of speaking out when we’d have been better off keeping whatever nonsense we’ve spouted to ourselves. It can be especially embarrassing if said nonsense is uttered while speaking to a large number of people. When it happens speaking one on one, it’s bad enough; nobody likes feeling the fool. But in public? You may as well just go home and start packing to move to a far away city, because you can be sure and certain everyone in town will know about your gaffe before you can toss the first pair of socks into a suitcase. Especially a small town, where everybody watches everyone else, and discusses what they see over coffee in the diner, or over a back yard fence. Your little misspeak will be the subject of everyone’s conversation for days and days, until somebody else does something worth talking about. It all becomes a rather compelling lesson, doesn’t it? Like Harry Truman (I think…) said, “I never got in trouble for something I didn’t say.” Mankind has a long history, most of it orally recorded, and we humans tend to pay attention to what someone says to us. It is therefore a wise man or woman who only speaks when there is something worthwhile to say; otherwise, it’s best to put a sock in it!……

“I stopped opening my mail and now my life is so much simpler.” — Albert Einstein

There is no limit to what I would give to be able to follow this policy. Most, if not all, of the problems I have in this sad, but beautiful old world are brought to my attention via Snail Mail, aka the USPS. It would be a delight to just take each envelope with a window, and just toss it directly into the recycling bin (hey, I’m green!…). It probably wouldn’t help resolve any of those problems, but I would feel a whole lot better for having done it. Feeling better is, you will recall, one of the primary goals we humans all have loaded when purchased, a default program as it were. Obtaining better software, that is, programs designed to help us feel better, is expensive and time-consuming, so most folks just fly with what comes in the basic package, wherein modest changes, such as tossing the mail, can reap huge rewards. In this case, tossing everything would also cause a firestorm of outrage and anger amongst my creditors, which to my mind is a good thing, but probably isn’t positive in a karmic sense. I guess in the final analysis it’s probably not a good idea at this point. But, oh!, is it tempting……

“What a lumbering poor vehicle prose is for the conveying of a great thought! … Prose wanders around with a lantern & laboriously schedules & verifies the details & particulars of a valley & its frame of crags & peaks, then Poetry comes, & lays bare the whole landscape with a single splendid flash.” — Mark Twain

This is why there are so few really good poets out there. It takes a very special kind of mind to be able to do what Mr. Clemens so beautifully stated, very special indeed. When I was younger, I myself tried my hand at it, as do we all, I think. I found it to be a fulfilling enterprise; when I was able to write something moderately readable, I was rewarded with a great feeling of accomplishment. But, it is deceptively hard; I was exhausted afterward. And actually, this is why I decided to stick mostly to prose. When I write something I like, or feel is a good read, with a good message, it isn’t tiring, but the complete opposite. I feel energized, and often dive right back into a new piece, and that is how it should be. Producing artful prose, or poetry, or any other kind of artistic expression (sculpture, painting, etc.) should be an uplifting experience. The only time it should produce fatigue is when the muse grabs me by the throat, and won’t let me stop typing until it’s all down on paper, a process that can take a very long time. All-nighters are not uncommon in such cases, but even the fatigue that comes with such effort is uplifting. I have to struggle a lot to create poetry, and often end up with good material for a bonfire. Prose is not the same for me, and what I create is well, better than the odd little rhymes I’ve written . So be glad I have the common courtesy to not subject you to any of my efforts in that arena; it’s all for the best…….

Speaking of honest efforts, I believe this one has achieved that status, so let us get on with the day. Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Sixty-one, and counting….

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Ffolkes,
Today is my birthday. I’m sixty-one years old now, and one might think I’m all grown up. I suppose I am. If being such is defined as the state of finally accepting one’s own mortality, whether with fear and loathing, or with calm grace, then, yes, I am all grown up. I am still at the point where the thought of death is not easily applied to myself; I’ve been immortal since my early teens, and only of late have I come to realize that such a belief might be an erroneous assumption. I’ve always thought that the progress mankind has made in the field of medicine would reach a point where living much longer than we do would become common, and yes, I’ve been accused of unreasonable optimism previously. But, though there is improvement, the average age of death for males in our society continues to hover right around 72 years, and that for me is all too close for comfort. When the Grim Reaper comes for me, he’ll find me to be unwilling to cooperate; when they take me, it will be kicking, fighting, biting, screaming, and whatever else it takes to keep from having to leave this life before I am ready to do so. I’ve got a lot left to get done before I can consider myself to have done what I set out to do in life; I will need more time before I can feel ready for it to end.Unfortunately, we don’t always get the last word in that particular decision-making process; all too often it is taken out of our hands altogether. I can only hope to be given enough time to finish what I’ve begun.


I have a number of creditors to appease today, it being that time of the month when they all come out of the woodwork with their grasping hands greedily trying to take some of my money before I give it to someone else. None of them seem to care that if I give them all what they wish, then I won’t eat again this month. Ah well, c’est la vie, such as it is…..not exactly what I had in mind for birthday activity, but we gotta do what we gotta do. Since I do have all that to deal with, we’ve gone back to the old format again today. The Pearls were all chosen for their luster; they shine even in the dark…..enjoy!!!

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.” — Mark Twain (1835-1910)

“For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate error so long as reason is left free to combat it.” — Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) — First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1801

Heavy, adj.: Seduced by the chocolate side of the force.

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

“To lose a friend is the greatest of all losses.” — Syrus

There….I feel better, sort of….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!