The Carmelite nuns just taste better…..

Posted on December 21, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Today, International Space Station Expedition 31 will blast off from somewhere in Russia, to carry 3 new astronauts (from 3 countries) up into orbit to deliver supplies and personnel. I would willingly and cheerfully give any body part, and promise anything but my honor, to be on that ship when it leaves the confines of gravity for the freedom of space.

To travel away from Earth has always been one of my most cherished dreams, and remains as my penultimate goal, sometime before I die (which shouldn’t be imminent for some time yet). I’ve seen rumors in the news that it is now possible to go as a tourist; two or three civilian millionaires have already been to the station, paying an outrageous amount of money (more than a million, I believe, though they didn’t say exactly) for the privilege. Now all I’ve got to do is get my book done, and wait for it to hit the bestseller list. Then, with the advance money for the next one, I’ll take the trip, and count it as research for another book……slick, eh? Now all I have to do is write a bestseller…..piece o’cake!….Ooooooh, wait…..first I’ll check my lottery ticket!…….
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“Virtue is the beauty, and vice the deformity, of the soul.” — Socrates (B.C. 469-399)

I am continually amazed at the sheer bulk of the wisdom that was being promulgated in the centuries leading up to the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The millennium prior to that historically seminal event gave us Socrates, Plato, Pliny the Elder, and the Younger, Aristotle, Archimedes (triangles, remember?), and a veritable host of other men, and women most likely (they’ve been less published, but were around, I’m sure) whose breadth and depth of understanding of the world around them formed and immense, balanced, and durable landscape, based on knowledge, garnered by both induction and deduction. Their thoughts make up the pillars upon which modern day society is built, and, as in the case of this statement on human nature, remain as valid today as when they were first uttered. Even in today’s complex world of the future, one can do worse than to base their behavior on the Athenian model…..
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“I went to the bank and went over my savings. I found out I have all the money that I’ll ever need. If I die tomorrow.” — Henny Youngman

At first, this didn’t really seem of much value, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized what a subtle piece of sarcasm it really is. In just the one line, Henny was able to take a poke at banks, the government, the IRS, Social Security, and the culture of the time, one which spent a lot of time creating fantasies and embracing illusion. In at least one respect, my own situation mirrors this joke, which is, to me, a very damning indication of the sickness of modern culture. Too many people today are in the same boat; the fat cats have been nervous in the last couple of months, because all over the world, people are gathering together to speak out against the 1%’ers and the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor.

Things have gotten to the point where the middle classes are not just joining in the protests with the disenfranchised poor, but starting and leading them in their desperation to bring the message to the world’s attention. Why are they doing this? Easy…..they have realized that the greed and soulless ambition of the 1% has created a situation where even those who pull in close to a hundred thousand a year are just two paychecks away from being homeless themselves. The beloved ruling class may have made a strategic error in allowing things to become so obviously imbalanced; it may be too late to stop the coming revolution. It is coming, for sure; the warning signs are growing ever more obvious, and the future is, to say the least, unsettled at best……
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He first deceased; she for a little tried
To live without him, liked it not, and died.
— Sir Henry Wotton (1568-1639) — Upon the Death of Sir Albert Morton’s Wife

Reading this has been somewhat healing for me, even in the relatively short time since I found it. I find it to be wonderfully sentimental. It tells a story common in mankind’s history, of love that lasted beyond life. It is a bit saddening in one respect, at least for me, for I’ve come to realize that I never really have been loved like this. I’ve been in love several times in my increasingly embarrassing number of years, always with the intent on my part to give this measure of trust and love to my partner. But, here I am, alone once again, because like Tom Robbins asks in one of his books, “How can you make love stay?”. All of the women who I have loved, for some reason unknown to me, eventually wanted out of my world, and that is painful, for it makes me doubt myself. But I’ve come to realize that though I have yet to find the woman who is my true mate, I have given of myself all that I could, and all you can do is all you can do…..more patience must be cultivated. And hey, in the meantime, I always have y’all to keep me busy and amused, if only with meself……
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Cogito, ergo sum presupposes “I”-ness.

This is an elegant example of two things. First, how easy it is to let “logic” be applied as if it were a hammer, and second, a perfect model of the concept of mental masturbation. To look at it superficially, this is a truism, and actually somewhat subtle. But it requires a bit of unwarranted arrogance to assume self-hood, with no given basis of proof beyond its own internal structure. It leads the reader into the common mistake of using the word for a concept as an argument for its existence, kind of like saying, “only those who love can know love” or some similar inanity.

We cannot perceive the universe through any other filter but that of our own consciousness, and “I”-ness is OF COURSE pre-supposed . No “I’, then no cogito. Simple, yes? No, you’re right, it’s not. But it all serves as a good example of how one can get caught up in esoteric fields of thought by following our innate curiosity, and end up in a room with no corners, no light, and no help but our own inner strength…..and a sense of humor, which allows you to laugh at yourself, and move on……
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“All governments need enemies. How else to justify their existence?” — Edward Abbey

In this spot, I had intended to open a discussion of the above question, and even looked forward to a morning rant in such a fertile field of interest as the public circus we call electoral politics. But my spirit this fine morning isn’t quite up to the emotional side-effects of stirring that particular pot, so I’m going to give you the above, and some direction. I’d like you to sit back, open up some spare ROM in your head, and think to yourselves what I might have written about this quotation, knowing as you do some of my cogitative peculiarities. When you’ve done that, read the following line, and we’ll count that as this morning’s exercise. Okay? Okay!…….

How come you never see a politician laugh? Because they know what they’re getting away with, and if they started laughing, they’d never stop.
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Christmas is imminent, so I’ve got to get back to Reality. Where IS that silly Blue Dragon?…… Y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

This space for rent or lease……

Posted on December 20, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
How lame it is to hate or bully,
I’ll never understand it fully.
Instead of living life on a level,
The bully gives his time to the devil.

See! This is what happens when I turn my hand to poetry. Oh, I know, it’s technically correct, and rhymes as well……it’s just not very good. It’s generally why I stick to prose for the most part, but every once in a while this irresistible urge to rhyme strikes me square between the eyes, and if I don’t give in, it drives me nuts until I do. Today, we were all fortunate that the urge came when it did, and that I was able to fulfill the urge quickly; this means we may now return to our regularly scheduled activities…….and top of the morning to you!
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“Do not be afraid of enemies; the worst they can do is to kill you. Do not be afraid of friends; the worst they can do is betray you. Be afraid of the indifferent; they do not kill or betray. Yet only because of their silent agreement, betrayal and murder exist on earth.” — Bruno Yasienski, contemporary Soviet novelist

This is a very subtle, yet powerful insight into human nature. Most people never think deeply enough about any particular subject to ever discover any insight, so finding this is serendipitous, leading the way as it does to our subject matter, to wit: indifference, otherwise known as active apathy. I’ve said it before; people are lazy. If they can accomplish their ends without any effort on their part, they consider it their due, and that they have the right to do so. If they must actually perform some act in order to get what they want or need, they will complain about it the whole time. And if they are forced to think, they become teenagers, resistant to any form of communication or control, and refuse categorically to use their mind for anything other than figuring out how to keep from thinking or acting.

In most of us, this inherent laziness is balanced by an understanding of the twin concepts of honor and duty. For these folks, laziness still exists, but their reaction to it, is to use it as motivation to think up new ways to do things that save time and effort. In short, they use their imagination to their benefit, rather than using it to find excuses for not getting things done. Mr. Yasienski’s insight is what this concept looks like when taken to its logical conclusion…..I hope to find a book or whatever this young man writes; he appears to have a good grip on reality, or at least of his version of it…..
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My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But, ah, my foes, and oh, my friends —
It gives a lovely light.
— Edna St. Vincent Millay

Ah, sweet bird of youth! These days I have trouble keeping one end of one candle lit, much less both ends. It’s like the early days of solar power, when the panels needed 3 full sunshine days to accumulate enough power to run the household for one day; every expenditure of energy on my part requires at least an equal amount of downtime, in order to maintain minimum function while conscious. In short, I’m getting old. It’s an interesting process, really, and can be quite entertaining at times, while at other times it can just be a drag. I don’t think I mind the grey hair that grows out of my ears; I have scissors and a mirror. And I can usually deal okay when I find some physical activity I used to perform easily is now a pitched battle; that is expected.

But I wasn’t issued a manual with clues to how one should, or can, deal with the aging process, and I’m finding that lack to be problematic. It would have helped if I knew that with advancing years comes the creeping butt syndrome, where one’s ass spreads to fill the available chair space, and that makes one feel like they are walking around with a bowling ball strapped to their gut. It would have been nice to get a little warning about the importance of fiber; it is amazing to me how many of life’s activities at this age can be affected by the presence or absence of sufficient fiber in the diet. Get too much, and spend the day bouncing between bed and toilet; too little, and well, we don’t want to go there, it’s ugly. SIGH…..and there’s no road back to Youth, for any of us…..
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In Tennessee, it is illegal to shoot any game other than whales from a moving automobile.

Which, if you think about it, makes perfect sense…..in the Bizarro Dimension. No, but really, I’ll bet there’s a really good story behind the passage of that particular piece of legislative frivolity. Obviously, the intent of the law is to stop folks from shooting at game out of their vehicles altogether; I have no idea if it worked or not (considering the fact they felt they needed the law in the first place, it’s doubtful it had any real effect other than to make people look around for witnesses before firing). But, as one who appreciates whimsy in all its disguises, I find it to be a delightful attempt at injecting a bit of levity into such a thoroughly stuffy process as making laws It’s no worse than the warning labels the FDA requires, to prevent us from having to live with our own stupidity, warning us against eating something any child of 3 knows better than to touch, or seeing if one can take a suppository orally (that one is real; someone actually did that…shudder…). Making laws like this, to protect us from ourselves, is a futile pastime, but for some unknown reason, we keep trying to legislate morality, and attempting to repeal the laws of natural selection, which is a fool’s game at best…..it reminds me of the old saw about trying to teach a mule to dance. It’s a waste of time and effort, and it just annoys the mule. In this case, we are the mule……
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Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp! cries she
With silent lips. Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me…
— Emma Lazarus, “The New Colossus”

In today’s tempest-in-a-teapot of political chicanery, so-called “patriots” wander around spouting off about how proud they are to be an “Uhmurrikin”, (spelled phonetically to reflect their butchering of their native tongue), and shower us on a daily basis with their nonsensical claims and ignorant racism. How can one be proud to be American? Did you choose to be born here? No, it was an accident of birth. Your parents have the right to be proud, for having provided you with your citizenship, but you didn’t have any say in the matter, and have no reason to be proud. It’s just a false pride, stemming out of the Judeo-Christian concept of elitism.

I would wager a considerable sum, and give odds, that none of the current political superstars knows where this poem is inscribed. Even if they know, they disagree with the idea, and will find some way to throw dirt on the sentiment displayed, because as we all know, we only want new immigrants who are white Christians; persons of color, or heretics, aren’t wanted by a surprisingly large number of politicians who live on the Right side of our two point six party system. The idea of sharing is foreign to them (pun intentional, naturally), and learning to embrace both compassion and diversity is well beyond their self-limited, and self-limiting, capabilities. Ignorance has won a lot of battles recently, in the eternal war it carries on with the forces of Reason and Knowledge. I’m thinking it’s time for the proponents of the latter to remove their gloves, and get down to the serious business of beating ignorance out of the human spirit……
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“A child can go only so far in life without potty training. It is not mere coincidence that six of the last seven presidents were potty trained, not to mention nearly half of the nation’s state legislators.” — Dave Barry

I enjoy Dave Barry’s sense of humor, especially when he points it at politics. I really don’t have much to say about this, other than to note that it is probably gospel truth. It may even be generous in its estimation of the number of elected officials who were able to complete the training; I’m not sure if even that many of them possess the required number of functioning brain cells to absorb the course material, much less the number needed to perform these essential functions without some supervision. Otherwise, we’d be seeing a lot more congressmen on camera with zippers in the open, unlocked position, or with yellow shoes…….I could go on like this forever, it seems, so we’ll call for mercy now……pity them, but never give them encouragement…..
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And another one bites the dust……it’s been real, folks. See you on the flip-side…..y’all take care out there….

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Righting controversial wrongs…..

Posted on December 19, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Failing to summon inspiration is fairly common for me in the morning. Sometimes it takes a full cuppa and a session in the shower before I’m fully cognizant. It isn’t usually a problem, unless, like today, I sit down to write before I’m fully engaged. So, like any other sneaky-pants, I’ll just talk about it long enough to call it an intro, and head on down the road…..btw, the artwork worked out okay, but not as well as I’d hoped, so I’m going to put a hold on that until I can figure out an efficient way to include it…..
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“[E]lections amount to little more than choosing between the scum that floats to the top of the barrel and the dregs that settle to the bottom.” — L. Neil Smith

There are at least two facets of this gem that disturb me, aside from its obvious veracity, and I can’t decide which is the more unsettling. First, the fact that it is funny is a sad commentary on our political scene; we always laugh at what hurts the most, and having to laugh about the choices we have in the political arena hurts a great deal. I’m not particularly happy about it when I have to make a choice between the lesser of two evils; no matter which is chosen, it’s still evil.

Even more disturbing to me, however, is the failure of courage this implies on the part of the general populace. Continually forced to make poor choices, the people have become resigned to low-quality leadership, and haven’t the heart to demand changes. The mere fact of existence for this ‘joke’ indicates that we, as a society, have given up, and are apathetic about which particular member of our beloved ruling class is currently stealing from us. We are so used to being bent over and violated, we walk around with no belt, and a jar of Vaseline, so it hurts less, and ends sooner……
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“Anyone can be a barbarian; it requires a terrible effort to remain a civilized man.” — Leonard Sidney Woolf

The number of barbarians in society keeps climbing, with no sign of stopping soon. It’s a proven mathematical fact that as human population grows, the average IQ of the species grows smaller. No way around it, it’s just mathematical reality. This means that as time goes on, we are slowly but steadily losing our capacity to use the only evolutionary advantage we possess, and as a side-effect, the ability to devise a strategy to overcome this process grows ever weaker.

To reach a civilized state requires the ability to learn, and the inclination to do so. It’s hard work, and as time goes by, fewer and fewer people are invested in making the required effort. This issue remains an insidious threat to our survival as a species, one that 99% of the population have not the wit to even perceive. One can only hope that the segment of society who remain capable of rational thought will be able to use their imagination and creativity well enough to thrive, or even just survive, in the future. At this point, the odds are not in our favor…..

“Must the hunger become anger and the anger fury before anything will be done?” — John Steinbeck (1902-1968)
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A limerick packs laughs anatomical
Into space that is quite economical.
But the good ones I’ve seen
So seldom are clean,
And the clean ones so seldom are comical.

Limerick response;
small beauty creates
haiku forged in empathy.

Not too shabby. The limerick isn’t mine; I found it while diving for Pearls, and it is just so perfectly balanced, and witty, I had to include it. The moment I pasted it into this document, the urge to haiku struck, with a vengeance. Subsequently, the haiku itself almost wrote itself; it took less than two minutes to get it down and done. Unusual for me, to say the least, though if I am adept at any sort of poetry at all, it would be haiku. I like the way large pieces of reality can be crammed into merely a few syllables; just makes my little heart go all soft and gooey in appreciation. Now isn’t that a strange mental image to saddle you with on a Monday morning? Why, yes, I believe it is…..
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Where does it go? It doesn’t matter. Flush it.

Ugly, ugly, ugly…..this attitude, this arrogant entitlement that pays no heed to anything outside its own narrow little world-view, is a succinct demonstration of what will kill us all, most likely sooner than later. I know I’ve said it before, and I’m sorry if it sounds like I’m being redundant, but this message is one that will not wait for anyone’s sensibilities to evolve. This is what the CIA calls a ‘real and present danger’. Our planet’s ecosystem is on the verge of collapsing; the very bottom of the food chain, plankton, is very near extinction. When it dies, all the other sea life will perish, followed in short order with the rest of the living creatures on this poor little ball of mud.

All of this is not merely theory, it is established, proven scientific fact. And what is the response of the beloved ruling class? Complete denial. Those few in positions of power who believe this, and consistently work toward a solution, have all of their efforts blocked, delayed, ridiculed, and otherwise fully opposed by the vast majority of our class of legal thieves. They, and their ilk, who flush indiscriminately, heedless of its subsequent effects, use every effort to keep any useful changes from ever becoming reality, because for them, the bottom line says simply, “there’s no profit in it for me”………never realizing they are dragging the rest of down with them on their headlong rush to meet the grim reaper……
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We’ll end today on a relatively light note. These are just a few randoms, part of which I found, and part of which was my response to my discoveries……

The following statement is true.
The preceding statement is false.

Quick Quiz Question: what is the next logical statement needed to complete the concept?

QQQ answer: And everything I say is a lie…….

“Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The trouble with common sense is that it is so uncommon.

Ain’t logic grand?

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Somehow, I feel like I missed something…..I can’t put my finger on it, but duty calls, and this effort will have to suffice. It’s not too bad, all things considered. I shall go henceforth into the day, and fear it not…… y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Overdone delete button blues…..

Posted on December 18, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

After seeing this, can there be any further doubt at all that different species can learn to get along, or that ‘lesser’ creatures have a sense of kindness or compassion? If so, what more proof could you possibly need?

I’m not sure how it’s going to work, or how well it may go over, but we’ll give a try to having some visual art in this here blog, by golly. Wish me luck; I can use all I can get…..well, it didn’t work for email; the pictures didn’t come through on the copy & paste….we’ll see how it goes on my blog home page…meanwhile, here is the textual part of this morning’s blog….
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“I heartily accept the motto — “That government is best which governs least”: and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which I also believe — “That government is best which governs not at all”: and when men are really ready for it, that is the kind of government that they will have.” — Henry David Thoreau

A just lament from a pastoral patriot, one who carried a more pure vision of what the founding fathers were trying to achieve for their ancestors (us) than can be found in today’s society. Today’s government is too busy attempting to legislate morality to stop and consider the truism, as vocalized by Will Rogers, “The people never suffer as much as when Congress is in session.” It’s too late to change it now, however; we missed our chance already. Our beloved ruling class has too much invested in the way things are to ever entertain the faintest notion that things would get better, or be better, if they’d just stop trying to regulate everyone’s behavior to suit some outdated, discriminatory Judeo-Christian notion of propriety. Besides, there’s no money in it, and we all know that is priority number one for politicians.

Back around the 16th or 17th of December of last year, Michelle Bachman gave an interview ahead of the Iowa caucus preliminary elections, during which she stated unequivocally that, if elected, she would assert all her influence to reform the Supreme Court, to bring it more in line with Biblical Law. Yup. She said that. No shit, I’m telling you she did. Like all her peers in that particular flock of Republican geese who gathered in Iowa for the caucus, she gives me the distinct impression that any of them, if elected, would consider themselves King, or Queen in Ms. Bachman’s case, and would magically assume the power to change society with a wave of their royal scepter. I wouldn’t doubt for a moment that she holds that image of herself (as a white-robed, chaste Christian soldier in God’s army, waving her newly interpreted King James version at the evil influences rampant in the Supreme Court and Congress, and all the Democrats while we’re at it, by God, banishing them all to a fiery lake of molten lava in deepest Hell) in a dear place in her heart, where she can take it out and look at it any time she feels picked on by those mean old media bullies, while some romantic Disney movie music plays in the background….. can you believe this crap? At this rate, they may as well just cancel the Republican Convention next year right now; there won’t be any viable candidates left if they keep opening their mouths…..

“It’s said that ‘power corrupts’, but actually it’s more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power. When they do act, they think of it as service, which has limits. The tyrant, though, seeks mastery, for which he is insatiable, implacable.” — David Brin, The Postman
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“What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms!”” — Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), Letter to Colonel W. S. Smith, 1787

I am serving notice here, to all and sundry who would abridge my freedoms for the sake of security, expediency, or any other reason: I will resist you unto death, yours or mine, it matters not at all to me.

I would rather die than submit to such indignity, and will use all of my not inconsiderable martial skills to remove you from this plane of existence, should you be so unwise as to ignore this warning. I don’t believe in leaving live enemies on my back trail; that’s just basic strategic policy. You should should write this down, lest you forget, to your unending dismay….and my sheer delight…..
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“Joyous distrust is a sign of health. Everything absolute belongs to pathology.” — Nietzsche

So, what he’s saying here is that Doubting Thomas was correct, and that is heartening; for those having chosen to tread the path of reason, doubt is one of the most formidable tools available. In order to reason, first one must admit to being ignorant; only then will the mind learn how to walk toward the light of knowledge. Doubt is especially potent when used to examine the outrageous assertions made by public figures, and should be applied liberally in the special case of political pundits. Every word that leaves their mouths must be examined for veracity, because it is a proven fact that they will lie at the smallest opportunity. One of my favorite bumper stickers was originally stated by someone who understood this principle; it says “Question Authority”. It doesn’t mean deride authority, or challenge authority, or any other adverbial direction; it just means to apply one’s natural tendency to doubt to those who are in authority. It’s an unfortunate fact that, given the opportunity, those in authority will abuse the privileges that accompany Duty, and they always require close observation to prevent them from falling prey to temptation. Doubt is the liberator of truth from the clutches of evil, and is worthy of our respect for that…..
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“The fundamental idea of good is that it consists in preserving life, in favoring it, in wanting to bring it to its highest value, and evil consist in destroying life, doing it injury, hindering its development.” — Albert Schweitzer

When I look back at the twentieth century, only one name comes to my mind when I think of a “saint”, and that name is Albert Schweitzer. Some folks will ask, “what about Mother Teresa”. Well, in my mind, she doesn’t qualify, because it always seemed to me that she got something out of being kind to the poor, and it wasn’t a sense of fulfillment. I think she enjoyed it because she could always assume the higher ground, spiritually speaking, and got a feeling of power from it. In the last days of her life, some of this inner vitriol against others began to show in her public utterances, indicating her lack of respect for others, her sense of entitlement, as it were. It seemed to me as if she had begun to believe all the crap everyone wrote about her, and lost whatever hold on reality she had.

Albert Schweitzer, on the other hand, apparently lived his life strictly according to the principles he outlined in this statement. It’s a pretty clear statement, and indicates to me that he had an intimate knowledge of human nature, as well as an insightful appreciation of human frailty in moral terms. If given the chance, humans will often fail to take the moral high road; if there is some sort of payoff, they’ll throw morality out like it was a baby in the bath water. He clearly saw the flaws in his fellow man, and still reacted with love to their imprecations. He dedicated the greater part of his adult life in service to others, never losing his optimism, or his faith in the inner goodness of each person he met. As far as I’m concerned, he deserves the label of saint, as no one else in that century does……
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“I don’t use drugs; my dreams are frightening enough.” — M. C. Escher

I can see why he stayed sober. Are you familiar with the artwork of this amazing artist? If so, you can, as I do, readily believe his assertion, having seen first hand the mind-boggling and intense creativity that just bursts out of the frame, straight to the viewer’s mind, to present beautifully baffling twists of perspective, forcing you to see his unique view of reality. If you haven’t seen it, and you are reading this missive online, take a minute to zip over to Google, type in ‘M.C. Escher, images’, and in a paltry few nanoseconds, you will see how brilliantly his art insists on drawing the viewer along on a short trip to the center of Entropy, to worship at the shrine of Heisenberg. It’s the kind of art that pushes the mind to leave the constraints of normally accepted reality, and venture out to where a much wider panorama of reality’s potential awaits your perception, to places where you may find some inspiration of your own. If not, you can always find your way back again, just by looking at one of his doorways into another plane of existence…….
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Well, there you have it, another fait accompli, one of 122 in a row. Not bad for an old fart with flat feet and excessive flatulence, eh? I hope you like the new artwork…..Let us go now, and greet the day….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Precisely one portion, no sauce…

Posted on December 17, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
It’s been a long, strange trip, to be sure. One of my best days in life was today, 32 years ago. On that Monday night, my son came to join the rest of us, and my life as father began in earnest. As a small gift, today’s Pearl of Virtual Wisdom is dedicated to Cory Benjamin Moore, for his gift to me, a gift beyond price…..
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“Youth is a blunder; manhood a struggle; old age a regret.” — Benjamin Disraeli (Earl Beaconsfield) (1805-1881) — Coningsby, Book iii, Chap. i

Benjamin, th’ puir wee laddie, he’s lost his way, and kinna see th’ rrrroad no muir! I pity this man, he has let his despair get the better of him. My own youth was a dream; it taught me how to learn, and how to love. Manhood was a time of pain and glory, love and loss, moments of agony balanced by days of joy. Sometimes I struggled, other times I coasted. So far, old age hasn’t been too bad, all things considered. Though there are trade-offs, it’s nice deciding how to spend one’s time according to only our own desires. Certainly nothing I’ve experienced so far in life would influence me to change a life-long vow.

I swore many, many moons ago, never to allow myself to regret how I’ve lived; I was, and am, determined to be happy, or at least content with whatever I might choose to do, and whatever happens to me. I am, after all, the only one responsible for deciding how to live. There’s no point in entertaining regrets; it’s uncomfortable at best, and at worst, cannot accept with grace the reality that it is impossible to change the past. Regrets allow guilt to get a strangle-hold on your conscience, removing a lot of choices from one’s possible responses. When that happens, you take the risk of being forever at the beck and call of other people, and never having the opportunity to even determine what it is you’d rather be doing with your life. Guilt is pretty much a choice, as I see it, and not a very good one……it neither adds nor subtracts to the course of events, but the one who feels it is miserable, sometimes even feeling guilty for feeling good…… What a terrible trap to voluntarily fall into!…….

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“If I had a large amount of money I should found a hospital for those whose grip upon the world is so tenuous that they can be severely offended by words and phrases yet remain all unoffended by the injustice, violence and oppression that howls daily about our ears.” — Stephen Fry

I would be happy to join this gentleman in his project, as I have the same reaction to a lot of what I see in the news these days. The folks pursuing the Republican nomination have been especially ubiquitous in this respect. From watching their ads, and from what they are reported to have said in the media, it’s a common tactic used by all of them to avoid having to say anything that has any real meaning. They attack the other candidates, or put down the current administration, and make all sorts of bogus claims, none of which directly addresses any particularly important problem. More than one of the candidate hopefuls have made use of this tactic, of spouting outrage over something one of the others said, and completely ignoring the issues that the voters care about, or issues that directly affect all of us, such as global warming and economic reform. It’s a time-honored tradition to point fingers instead of addressing issues, one our political pundits embrace fully. But it’s frustrating as hell to those of us who have actually understood what is going on, having to watch these idiots lead us all merrily down the path to Hell, to the tune of our own funeral march….,
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“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

I, and just about every philosopher who ever drew breath, would have to agree with Emerson on this one. Nothing is more fulfilling than helping someone else, just because we can. There’s something pure, and innocent in the act; even though we are complex creatures, this kind of altruism seems to bypass the need to complicate matters, or reason it to death. It’s an instance of acting in perfect harmony with the universe, and our reward is the act itself, because it just feels good to do it. I’m not going to analyze this to death; it’s a pretty simple concept, and one that everyone should be aware of; one of the things the world needs more of is people who are willing to serve others without hope of reward. It’s the surest sign of an ethically and morally superior person, one who should be emulated by all…..
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Hey Laszlo! Want to see a demonstration of gravity?

In order for this line to make any sense, you will need to watch a movie, made sometime in the 80’s, I think. It was one of Val Kilmer’s earliest movies, and possibly the one that propelled him into the public eye. “Real Genius” is the title, and it’s a hilarious romp through the halls of modern-day academia, poking some rather pointed fun toward the US military’s involvement in directing research in universities toward the production of weapons. It also makes a lot of tongue-in-cheek comments about university politics, and how the professors often manipulate and take advantage of their graduate students. It’s a silly movie, really, with a lot of Keystone Kops humor. The line I’ve included here is one from the movie, uttered by the character played by Kilmer. As he says this, he knocks Lazlo’s books out of this hands, and they fall to the floor……well, you probably had to be there. Anywho, there are a lot of cute moments, and a lot of laughs, as the geeks take on the suits, winning another round in the age-old conflict between rambunctious youth and dyed-in-the-wool military and government fogies. It’s fun, and the good guys come out on top in the end, so it’s a great way to spend some time in a drama-free environment. Myself, I try to spend all my time there; I’ve had enough drama in my life, thank you very much……
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“If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.” — James Madison

“A society that will trade a little liberty for a little order will lose both, and deserve neither.” — Thomas Jefferson

The Homeland Security Act, passed shortly after the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks, is, to my way of thinking, the first time in our history that the American people have voluntarily allowed abridgments to our personal liberties to be enacted. The way I see it, quote #1, by James Madison, called that one perfectly. Our beloved ruling class, having decided we have “too many rights” (a direct quote from the junior Shrub, btw) in the Bill of Rights, carefully orchestrated events to provoke an attack on our home shores, knowing they could then fool the public into accepting their abridgments on our freedoms. And, to proceed to Mr. Jefferson’s comment, WE LET THEM DO IT! Anyone who rose up to speak against this vile, manipulative legislation was immediately shouted down as being unpatriotic.

For most of my life, I have avoided guns. Being a fairly smart guy, I noticed at a young age that most of the folks who get shot were carrying guns; it makes sense to me to reduce the chances of becoming a target in this most simple way, i.e., never carrying this kind of weapon (though it would be a very big mistake to assume that I carry NO weapons; in fact I carry four at all times, all of different kinds, none of which are guns). However, since the PTB (powers that be) have begun to try to take away my rights, I figure I’d better grab myself a bunch more firepower, before I no longer am allowed to do so. If it comes down to it, I WILL fight, if they come for any more of my rights. I will not let the blood and sacrifice of my countrymen and forefathers, and my own father, for that matter, be in vain. I’m about done with putting up with these kinds of issues, and am drawing near the point of acting on my feelings. In one sense, I hope they stop and reconsider trying to further reduce our liberties, because if they don’t, I’m going to REALLY get mad, and they will find themselves with a whole new issue to deal with……I’m a Scorpio, a triple Scorpio, for that matter; I was born under the sign of the God of War. You do NOT want to make me an enemy…..

The vultures are circling…they have the faces of presidential candidates and carry bowling balls in their buttered claws….

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So that’s the name of that tune…..hope y’all enjoyed this morning’s romp through the meadows of my mind. If not, or if you happened to step in a cow patty in the meadow, well, the day is young…..y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Some days the dragon wins …

Posted on December 16, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Another day dawns, and I’m fairly certain that I left my mind in one of my dreams last night. Disconcerting, to say the least; I’m operating on extreme autopilot mode. This could make for some very interesting Pearls, as my mind is where I keep almost all of my restraint. In this condition, I could say damn near anything, and not give a whit for how it sounds to other folks. Oh well, we’ll just have to dive in, and take our chances…….
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“Violence accomplishes nothing.” “What a contemptible lie! Raw, naked violence has settled more issues throughout history than any other method ever employed. Perhaps the city fathers of Carthage could debate the issue, with Hitler and Alexander as judges?”–attribution not given, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this with Robert Heinlein’s name behind it.

Our planet is rife with violence of many sorts. It’s only to be expected when a goodly number of the creatures who live on this planet use other creatures as their source of food. Those other creatures are not always amenable to that, and will put up a pretty good argument for an animal that otherwise does not fight. This can lead to some rather spirited discussions over dietary preferences……. There is, however, another effect of using force to obtain food, one that can be problematic to use at best. The use of force can be easily applied to the process of obtaining other desired objects, such as a better cave, a prettier mate, more food, etc. Humans very quickly adapted to this system, as violence is part of our nature. (Anyone who does not agree with this is not paying enough attention, or is in deep denial) We tend to use the threat of force a lot as we go about our business; it is one of our most universally adaptable tools, able to be applied to almost any situation as a means of achieving one’s goals.

But there is a price for the use of this tool, and it is a heavy one. Each time a person uses violent means to achieve their ends, a little bit more Grace is carved out of their karma. They devolve, instead of evolving, and become more and more unable to use any other tools they may have, more bestial in their demeanor. The more violent a person becomes, the further they remove themselves from the rest of society, eventually coming into conflict with society at large, as being a danger to others. As with just about anything, society as a whole is much more effective at violence than any single entity can be, just because of numbers, if naught else. Breaking the habit of assuming a violent stance in response to life’s vicissitudes is extremely difficult; people don’t give up their primary behaviors without a great deal of resistance. But society has little patience with rogue citizens, and will have its way, irrespective of our wishes. This is why we have prisons, and an entire system of law to protect each citizen from suffering violence at the hands of another citizen. If we were truly moral creatures, we wouldn’t need any of that….but we are not, and violence will be an issue for society to deal with as long as human nature remains resistant to change…..
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“Pessimism is only the name that men of weak nerve give to wisdom.” — Mark Twain

I always enjoy good advice in the form of an aphorism. Short, sweet, and sharp as a scalpel, a good aphorism cuts right through any preconceptions or perceptive fog, and arrows straight to the rational corner of the mind. This one from Mr. Clemens is a perfect example of the venue, and how it pulls the mind along with it, out of the darkness of ignorance, and into the light of knowledge. I consider aphorisms, or axioms, or anecdotes, or any other word that describes this form of communication to be peerless in their usefulness, especially as a teaching tool. Hell, they’re the backbone of this entire process; if I didn’t rely on them for subject matter, I’d have to sit down and think up what to write, instead of just commenting on what others have said, and that would bear far too much resemblance to actual work…….
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If money is the root of all evil, I’ve been uprooted.

True enough, but not accurate in its original sense. The quote actually reads “The love of money is the root of all evil”, and is misquoted a lot, probably because it makes the same kind of sense the original possessed, and people, in my experience, are pretty lazy. The sad part of this in my estimation is that everyone knows this, and just about everyone totally ignores it. People still spend most of their waking hours in employing various and sundry methods to increase how much money they possess. Everybody wants more, and more, and more, and will say and do almost anything to achieve that end.

I’ve never wanted any more of it than I need to get by, and to be able to do the things I like to do, with possibly some extra to give to folks who need some. That’s all. Perhaps my lack of ambition in this respect makes me seem strange, but I’ve never understood why folks would want to burden themselves with so much stuff that they have to worry about others trying to take it away. It’s much more fulfilling to use only what one needs, and be happy with that, and then use the rest for helping others to achieve the same…..and you don’t have to worry that it will be taken away, just like it was taken from someone else. I prefer to not become a target……
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“That which leads us to the performance of duty by offering pleasure as its reward, is not virtue, but a deceptive copy and imitation of virtue.” — Cicero (B.C. 106-43)

I’m always amazed at how accurate the statement “there’s nothing new under the sun” can be. According to this little gem, mankind has been struggling with the same philosophical questions for a long time, in this case about two thousand years. And from what I can see, we’re not making a lot of progress. This concept is as true today as it was in Greece two millenia ago; mankind continues to use whatever means they have at hand to manipulate others, even if those means are degrading to all who participate. The urge to control other folks, in order to set ourselves up as being superior, has never been comprehensible to me; I believe that the impulse to do so is indicative of a sickness in the soul, and that the folks who indulge in such actions are mentally ill. And I should know; I spent close to twenty years caring for the mentally ill, and have seen the outcome of every maladaptive behavior known to science.

In my humble opinion, anyone who actively wants to be President of this country is seriously mentally ill. The job is impossible for one man to do well, what with all the roadblocks to reform and/or progress that are thrown up in their path by the opposing political party. But, as absolute power corrupts absolutely, there is always some d__head out there ready to foist their own particular madness on the rest of us. I’m looking forward to the election next year, if only because the political arena has been so frigging insane this year. Next year promises to provide even more stuff to write about every day, as one pundit after another parades their personal brand of ignorance before the unwashed masses…..
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“Honor isn’t about making the right choices. It’s about dealing with the consequences.” — Midori Koto

This is a good point to make, as I see a lot of folks in today’s world who really don’t have any idea of what honor really means. It is rare to even find someone these days who even thinks about their honor, and even more rare to find a truly honorable person. The whole concept has fallen out of favor in general society; expediency has become more acceptable, no matter how dishonorable it may be. To my way of thinking, society has reached a point where people’s sense of entitlement has grown completely out of control. A person’s personal desires are considered sacrosanct, no matter how badly achieving those desires may affect others. It doesn’t matter that acting in such a fashion places others in danger, or demeans them, or merely inconveniences them; people don’t care, because they’ve been led to believe that what they want is what they deserve, by corporate entities who feed into this, because it plays right into their hands. It’s easy to get someone to buy something, when they believe they have the right to it. What is hard is doing so in an honorable fashion, and we all know how most folks feel about doing hard stuff…..
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It’s probably a good thing to stop here. This was threatening to grow by another thousand words, so it’s just as well I cut it off here. You probably have other stuff to do, and I know I certainly have a plate full of problematic tasks. We’d all best be getting to it…..y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Spats and Zoot Suits…..

Posted on December 15, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Well, here we are again. This could get ugly today; my head is using every trick it knows to keep from functioning this morning, and that can have a deleterious effect on the Pearls. Then again, just as often, what comes out can also show signs of actual rational thought, with a occasional witty turn of phrase…..either way, we’d best get started….
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“If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons.” — James Thurber

This one is pretty straight forward, and is a sentiment that I share completely. I don’t think I’ve ever met a dog that didn’t meet the criteria to get into heaven; the only time a dog behaves badly is when they have learned ill-manners from their human. And really, not much more can be said on this topic. It is for sure and for certain that it would take a lot of saintly activity in the human arena before I will have much respect for people; most folks don’t think much at all, which leaves them wide open to being manipulated by others. And the ones that do think at all very seldom think about anything beyond their own desires. A dog’s whole purpose in life is centered on the humans they live with, and learning how to please their alleged masters is their primary desire. People can learn a lot from dogs regarding ethical behavior; I sometimes wonder which one is really the dominant species….. or, at least the most honorable……
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“Is this the region, this the soil, the clime,”
Said then the lost Archangel, “this the seat
That we must change for Heaven, this mournful gloom
For that celestial light? Be it so, since he
Who is now sovereign can dispose and bid
What shall be right: farthest from him is best,
Whom reason hath equaled, force hath made supreme
Above his equals. Farewell, happy fields,
Where joy forever dwells! Hail, horrors! hail,
Infernal World! and thou, profoundest Hell,
Receive thy new possessor – one who brings
A mind not to be changed by place or time.
A mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.
What matter where, if I be still the same,
And what should I be, all but less than he
Whom thunder hath made greater? Here at least
We shall be free; the Almighty hath not built
Here for his envy, will not drive us hence;
Here we may reign secure, and, in my choice,
To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.”
— John Milton, “Paradise Lost”

This passage is probably the best known part of Milton’s Paradise Lost; just about everyone has heard the last line. It’s here merely because it is so beautifully written; it has been commented on enough in the last couple hundred years since it was penned, so I’m sure my take isn’t necessary. Balancing precariously and bravely on the edge between poetry and prose, one is given the impression of power, ambition gone mad, and unbearable sadness. I had intended to include a different piece of genius here, but the only copy I could find was written in invisible ink…..so this will have to suffice….
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“He should not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.” — Elrond

I was going to write more about this; it’s pretty deep in some respects. But it is also merely a fancier way to say, “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” So we’ll pick something new to go in this slot. Hang on, be right back…..

I feel like one
Who treads alone
Some banquet-hall deserted,
Whose lights are fled,
Whose garlands dead,
And all but he departed.
— Thomas Moore (1779-1852) — Oft in the Stilly Night

I often feel this way, especially when I start thinking about the course of human society in today’s world. I just don’t see how we can survive without some major changes taking place, and nobody of any significance to the rest of the world is singing that tune. It seems to me that 99% of humanity is wandering around, focused on completing their life’s agenda, which includes such thrilling goals as “he who dies with the most toys, wins…” or “how many people can I screw over today?”, while concurrently pursuing those goals through policies and procedures that are killing the planet. It’s enough to drive a man to drink……or buy a gun…..
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The Bluebird of Happiness long absent from his life, Ned is visited by the Chicken of Depression. — Gary Larson

This is the caption from a Gary Larson cartoon; he creates the widely syndicated “Far Side”. This particular line was in the SF Chronicle sometime in early 1988. At that time, I was attending the California Culinary Academy, raising two kids, dealing with an emotionally volatile wife, commuting 120+ miles/day to go to school, juggling close-to-the-edge finances; in school, I was acting as the assistant to the Maitre d’Hotel, and working eight hour shifts after school to bring in some cash. The day this cartoon appeared, I had gone to an interview for a waiter’s job at the Fairmont Hotel, and had my car towed away by the SFPD during the interview. I was NOT a happy camper.

But, it all got better when one of the administrative assistants brought this cartoon to my attention while I was directing a class of student waiters in setting up the dining room for dinner. She came up to me, said, “Ned, I think you should see this,” and handed me the paper, folded to show the cartoon. I looked at the picture, of some dumpy guy sitting on a bed in a run-down room, and a chicken in the window. The above caption was so perfect, so personal, I literally fell to the floor with laughter, where I stayed for a full minute, giggling uncontrollably. It was such a wonderful relief to get all that angst and frustration out, and to enjoy being able to laugh again at myself; it’s a moment that will always be with me, always ready to make me smile, and help me to remember that things could always be worse…..
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“I’m totally DESPONDENT over the LIBYAN situation and the price of CHICKEN..” — Zippy the Pinhead

Me too!….. 🙂 That’s all ffolkes…..I’m all out of creativity for the nonce (love that word). I could write a paragraph or two, using this as a springboard, but I’m tired, and my brain wants to stop. Far be it from me to ever argue with myself….what a waste of time! I always know who’s going to win……
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Okay, I made this up last night. It’s going to be my new, first choice insult/curse. We all need one of these now and again, right? Feel free to borrow it, should you happen to encounter someone in your daily routine who makes you want to bite them. This is much classier, and won’t get you arrested…..”May Beelzebub’s personal imp use your toothbrush to clean his nails without telling you, until AFTER you brush your teeth…….” Eeuuww! I think it works, how ’bout y’all? Meantime, y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Swatches of unconsecrated plaid….

Posted on December 14, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Okay, okay, I’m up, no need to yell……what? Who’s there? Oh, it’s y’all…..well, since I’m up…….I suppose I should get started….
___________________________________

“The real money is in starting your own religion.” — L. Ron Hubbard

Back in the late 1920’s or 30’s, I’m uncertain which, L. Ron Hubbard and Robert A. Heinlein were both cadets at Annapolis, the Navy’s officer training facility. They were friends, of a sort, and later in life would carry on a semi-friendly competition, to see whose work of science fiction would sell better. Although Heinlein usually won (his style of writing was more palatable to the general reading audience than Hubbard’s), Hubbard also created a large body of work, most of which, though somewhat out there on the fringes of space, were engaging and powerful stories. Though he never achieved the status that his friend did in the SF field, he still has a large following of fans who believe him to be the best, and they have some arguable points.

Dianetics, the so-called religion of Christian Scientists, is based on a book that L. Ron Hubbard wrote. He wrote it, had it published, and then sat back and watched it become far more popular than anything else he had published. The Christian Scientists now have chapters all over the world, with several million devotees who are convinced that it is the road to salvation and eternal peace. It is, to say the least, the best practical joke ever played on the unsuspecting human race, and the longest lasting as well.

You see, Hubbard wrote the book as a joke, He proposed the above statement to Bob Heinlein, and when Heinlein expressed his skepticism, Hubbard made the claim that he could make up his own religion, and people would flock to it. Heinlein dared him to try, and the result was the book, Dianetics. The book succeeded far beyond Hubbard’s expectations, and he was still laughing on the day he died, laughing that none of the folks who bought into it could see the obvious chicanery…..

You see, he left a very obvious clue in the structure of the book, a clue that immediately throws the entire book into the realm of fantasy. Science, by definition, is about measuring the universe, and to measure, one needs mathematics. In the entire book, there is not one mathematical principle, and no other evidence of any scientific method. The entire philosophy was a mental exercise, sheer intellectual masturbation, produced by a creative genius out of the fabric of his own mind, for the single purpose of pulling the wool over people’s eyes. It has succeeded beyond any expectation, and I think it’s hilarious……
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“It’s like brother Nietzsche said–being human is a complicated gig, so give that dark night of the soul a hug and howl the eternal yes.

Yes! Howl it loud! And leave the guilt at home…..”life tastes better in big bites” (Lazarus Long) Too many folks get caught up in the everyday drudgery that afflicts most of us in this culture, and in doing so, forget to take the time to nourish the spirit. A moment of two of play, laughing with a friend, splurging on that special blouse, just some kind of reward to yourself for putting up with all the demands made on us by everyday life, and not losing control enough to start biting people. (If I haven’t said it before, that’s a tough one for me; when I get worked up, it makes me want to bite somebody bad….) Not doing so is a good thing, and justifies a little pampering and self-indulgence. Life is tough enough, and trying to get through it without letting off some steam now and again is a fool’s game. And you can’t win if you don’t play…..
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Given a conflict, Murphy’s law supersedes Newton’s.

Murphy, that playful, grinning SOB, besides being an a__h__, is unfortunately a manifestation of one of our universe’s general laws, to wit: Entropy. He represents that power of chaos that permeates every molecule in existence, and provides the balance to the general orderliness of reality. His presence at every human interaction, and every human action, for that matter, is ubiquitous, and keeps us from ever getting completely comfortable in our skins, never knowing when the other shoe will drop. It gets to be a real pain after a while, especially when, like with me, Murphy takes a personal interest in our activities, and follows me around just waiting for the right moment to drop a load of manure on my head (figuratively speaking, of course….). He particularly loves it when I sit down to play solitaire, as it seems his greatest delight is to stack the decks so I lose, but only after ten minutes of trying to uncover that last king, or even longer trying to find an ace to play. I think it’s because he knows I don’t like him much, but hey, that’s not gonna change, so I guess both of us will just have to get used to it……and that’s the name of that tune……
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“Humankind cannot stand very much reality.” — T.S. Eliot

This is probably why most humans spend so much of their time foolishly trying to deny reality, or change it into something more like what they want or expect. I think most, if not all, people are unhappy with their lot in life, at least in the respect that they wish to make changes that will enable them to be more comfortable. What they seldom realize is that all their efforts are for naught; reality changes to suit itself, according to the precepts of natural law, and any changes we humans make are ephemeral, temporary at best, and completely useless for the most part. So, these folks have a tendency to ignore or deny reality, and then can never understand why they never seem to get anywhere. They have no notion of where they are going, so that is where they end up, once again disappointed and confused, a state all too familiar to most folks…..Accepting reality, and working within its constraints, is a much surer way to obtain at least some of what we want in life…….and less frustrating for sure…..
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Each time that Americans hold another election, about the only thing they learn is that they did not learn much from the last election.

Politics, necessary evil that it is, has been in the control of the wickedly avaricious for a number of years now. There is no longer any possible way for a normal, middle class person to be elected to any of the higher offices in our government. It takes a minimum of 5 or 10 million dollars just to think about entering the fray, and that is before money gets collected from supporters. That is the ‘ante up’ amount that qualifies one to be allowed to be considered.

So what does this mean for those of us not in the ‘ruling class’? It means that the only power we have left to us is in our vote, and only about a third of Americans can usually work up the interest to bother voting at all. In the election prior to this last one, the Shrub’s second stolen term, the figures worked out to show that he was elected with a mere 15% of the American voters choosing to give him their vote. That means we chose our leader (superficially) by letting about 5-10% of our population determine who will lead the rest of us. Pretty scary, eh?

But it’s not going to change, at least not until more than just myself, and a few like-minded miscreants, want to make a radical change, and take back the power and freedom that we have let slip away. And since I can’t seem to find any of the others who feel this way, I guess I’ll just have to do as I always do…..stay alert, and be ready to jump, because things are going to get pretty nasty our there, when all of the chaos and entropy we have been attempting to ignore rushes in and sends us down the same road as the dinosaurs, and the Dodo bird…..
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Well, gosh, I feel like I just got started, and here I am done. Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess. The weather out in the Big Blue Room looks pretty cold and blustery; we’re deep into fall now, and winter’s just down the street. It’s a good day for being indoors, and a good day to be thankful for having the wherewithal to be able to stay indoors, out of the inclement weather. There are a lot of our fellow humans out there who don’t have that luxury…….y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Infinitely sad portraits of wounded ballerinas…..

Posted on December 13, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Inspiration has decided it needs a break, I guess; can’t seem to find it anywhere. There are a number of ways I can deal with this lack of anything coherent to write; it’s happened before, and I’ve been compelled to find several workarounds that can fill the gap if needed. I keep them in the big freezer out in the garage, so they are always nice and fresh, once I thaw them out in the Nuclear Oven. And they are quite tasty, too!…..
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I’m surprised there aren’t more solipsists!

I feel pretty stupid right now…..I know what the word ‘solipsism’ means, but when I came across this little gem I must have stared at it in complete bafflement for a full minute. It wasn’t funny, that I could see, because according to the definition, there can only be one solipsist; any others are a figment of their imagination. If we attempt to consider the concept of how figments of my imagination could in turn make me a figment of their own, well, all I can say is don’t try this alone. I almost fell into an infinite deductive loop, and could have been stuck there for millenia. But as I came out of the fog that trying to make sense of this concept had put me in, I started laughing, as it made perfect sense. If you don’t see it, I can’t help you; the humor lies in a part of us that isn’t shared with others. You must see it yourself, or it will never be funny, merely an unsolvable paradox……good hunting!
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“Where principle is involved, be deaf to expediency.” — James Webb

I read this, considered it, and decided that it is excellent advice. But I also see that there are many, many people who will, for whatever reason, give up their principles at the drop of a cliche, if that choice benefits them in the short term. What is even more depressing, though, is that a very large number of people like this are what we call “elected officials”, and every time one of them compromises their principles for the sake of expediency, more money flies out of our pockets and into theirs.

I have come to the (relatively) obvious conclusion, that this lack of principle is so common, that it could be accurately stated that our government operates on no principles whatsoever, other than those that promote avarice, ambition, and indifference to the effect of their actions on others. In short, we have elected an entire army of sociopaths, who love nothing better than laughing while exerting their power over those who elected them, while calmly stealing with both hands from the public treasury. But then, we listen to their lies, and keep electing them……why is that? Are we a nation of masochists? I just don’t get it……

If all the good people were clever;
And all clever people were good,
The world would be nicer than ever
We thought that it possibly could.
— Elizabeth Wordsworth — Good and Clever
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Why are we all put here to suffer and die?

Such a plaintive little lament! Whoever wrote this had lost his way, for sure and for certain, and I hope they find their way back to the more traveled roads soon. See, he (I use ‘he’ merely for the sake of convention; it could just as easily be a ‘she’) is only considering half of the real situation. Yes, we suffer, and we die; we also live, and know joy. This person has lost his touch because he is not considering both sides of how people perceive Reality.

How would he know he is alive, if he had not once been dead? How would he know he suffers, if he has not experienced joy? How do we perceive? In duality, of course. All five of our perceptive senses utilize this duality to accomplish their purpose, which is to make us aware of the world around us. Touch registers hard/soft, cool/hot, dry/wet, etc. We smell according to the absence or presence of molecules in what we breathe in. We hear by discriminating the absence and/or presence of waves of vibrations in the air. We taste by registering the character of molecules of substances enter the mouth; savory/sour, sweet/salty, soft/hard, hot/cold (seem familiar? you’ll learn why just ahead). And we see by noting and interpreting the absence/presence, structure/formlessness of light waves, a form of electromagnetic energy.

Thus we see that all of our perceptive routes are extensions of the sense of touch. Some part of the outside world must encounter one of our receptive orifices in order for us to identify it, and determine our response to the stimulus. It becomes clear that in order for us to know suffering, we must also know how to be joyous. In order for us to live, and live well, we must eventually die. By focusing more on the joyful experiences, and less on the painful, we can know a much more serene way of life……

“Clay is molded to make a vessel, but the utility of the vessel lies in the space where there is nothing. … Thus, taking advantage of what is, we recognize the utility of what is not.” — Lao Tze
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“Now I’ll give YOU something to believe. I’m just one hundred and one, five months and a day.” “I can’t believe THAT!” said Alice. “Can’t you?” the Queen said in a pitying tone. “Try again: draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.” Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said: “one CAN’T believe in impossible things.” “I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” — Lewis Carroll, “Through the Looking-Glass”

I’ve heard it said, and happen to agree, that the brain is like a muscle; in order for it to function at peak capacity, it must be regularly exercised in a vigorous manner. If it is not thus maintained, it becomes slow, soft, and actually a danger to its composite self; slow reactions and lack of speed makes for easy roadkill in this day & age. No way a couch potato is going to outrun a Camaro….. more often you end up as mashed potatoes. (BTW, for the former VP under Bush; the rule for this word is actually quite easy to learn and remember. If there is only one, it’s a potato. If there are two or more, they are potatoes. Easy, eh?)

Where was I? Oh, yeah, brain is like muscles….all I really wanted to say on this subject is that what the Queen suggests is a good thing. Believing six impossible things before breakfast could be likened to the creation of this Pearl every morning; it is what I do in lieu of jumping jacks and crunchies. And the coolest part is, I don’t get all sweaty and winded (well, except when I start ranting…..).

My point here is merely this….. Use your mind. It was designed for hard use, and though there are limits; it is pretty much unbreakable when used properly, no mater how hard the subject matter. Not using it is real and present danger, to yourself, and all of those around you. Especially small children, who may inadvertently learn the bad habit of not exercising their minds.

This doesn’t even get into speaking of the very dangerous effect this lack of will and imagination is having on Society; it is precisely this problem that leads folks to deny global warming, to ignore air pollution, even while they are coughing and rubbing their eyes from the smog. It is this attitude that allows the beloved ruling class to manipulate and make fools of the great unwashed masses, who sit and watch their giant-screen satellite TV to see and hear the latest version of what they should be thinking, packaged in bright colors, with shiny ribbons and balloons. Balloons are always good; who wouldn’t believe what they were told by someone who gives them balloons?…….
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After you’ve done a thing the same way for two years look it over carefully. After five years look at it with suspicion and after ten years throw it away and start all over again. — unknown

The two quotes included here were both found to be without attribution, so I don’t know who to thank for them. The conceptual area between the two ideas is a perfect description of the evolutionary history of these Pearls of Virtual Wisdom.

When I first started sending out these emails many moons ago, they consisted of only a few lines of introductory material, followed by a quote from a historical figure, and that was it. After a couple of years, my need to write grew, and with it the Pearls grew as well. They kept growing until sometimes, including two or three paragraphs was standard for the intro, followed by four to six Pearls, with the Pearls often telling a story to punctuate what was discussed (or ranted) in the introductory remarks.

This format is how they existed up to a month or so ago. At that time, having run very nearly out of material already present in my head to put into the intro, I instead began commenting on each Pearl individually. This has been, for me, a wonderful change, and I hope y’all are enjoying it as well. I get a much wider opportunity to explore whatever interests me (which can be just about anything), but have to learn to keep the writing spare enough for a morning read. A lot of folks may not want to take in this much stuff over breakfast, so I’m trying to keep it short enough to meet that criterion. In looking back over today’s work, it seems to have gotten away from me a tad…..SIGH. I just can’t please everybody, which is okay, ‘cuz I wouldn’t want to be thought of as such a wimp. I write it, you read it, and we’ll call it square, eh?…….and please feel free to comment at any time. All emails get answered; sometimes it can take a day or two, but never very long…….

I haven’t a clue as to how my story will end. But that’s all right. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, you don’t conclude that the road has vanished. And how else could we discover the stars? — unknown
___________________________________

Otay, that’s it…..a bit over the top this morning, but hey, change is good, right? Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Sublime moments of perfect peace….

Posted on December 12, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
I have, in past Pearls, frequently pulled my own covers, and admitted my tendency toward procrastination. I won’t go further down that road today, but I have several items of mail that need to be answered soon, and I’ve put them off long enough. Even we procrastinators must eventually buckle down and do the work; we just like to leave it until the deadline is looming, having come to know that our best work is done when crowded for time. I know it drives other folks nuts, but that is just a bonus; it’s not something I count on when I set out to wait. It’s just how folks who are slaves to the clock tend to react when someone has no investment in the same neurosis. I can’t help it that it bothers them; it’s their problem, not mine. As long as I get the work done in an acceptable fashion (i.e. completed), no one has the right to decide for me when I’m going to do it. So there!…..
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Why lose we life in anxious cares,
To lay in hoards for future years?
Can these, when tortur’d by disease,
Cheer our sick hearts, or purchase ease?
Can these prolong one gasp of breath,
Or calm the troubled hour of death?
— Gay (1688-1732), Fables

This is good advice. One of my favorite authors said it like this, “More people have worried themselves to death than ever died from being shot.” The power of human imagination allows us, to a certain extent, to predict future events, based on our perceptions, and our knowledge of past events. But this power is too strong for some people; the things they imagine happening frighten them, and they react to this fear as if it were real, already an accomplished fact. These people allow their fear to dictate how they respond to the outer world, with all its formidable complexity, often going in to full retreat from reality in order to avoid the situation. They fear not only the events which they believe MIGHT happen, but they also fear their own ability to deal with what they fear. And they are correct in that assumption, for as long as a person allows their fear to dictate what they will or will not do, then they are living in a prison of their own making……and will stay there until they face the final fear we all have to face in the end……
_____________________________________

“Give, expecting nothing thereof” — St. Thomas Aquinas

See, now this is the kind of thing that just sets me off……the sentiment herein defined is, to my way of thinking, the highest form of expression of one’s true humanity. When we are acting with our only motivation one of help and succor to a fellow being, it is acting in perfect harmony with the universe. When we help another, without expectation of reward, we are showing the finest state of being possible in this plane of existence.

If we can assume that this concept is true, THAT is what pisses me off. See, the first thing that comes to my mind in considering whether others think the same or not, is that every religion that mankind has created is based primarily on a concept that is diametrically opposed to the notion that man has the ability to act morally on his own. What do I mean by that? Well, all religions are based on the concept that in order to get to Heaven, or achieve Nirvana, or leave the Cycle of Reincarnation by achieving illumination, then one must give of themselves to the church, and accept the church’s version of reality.

If one examines that principle, what do we see? People are being lured into accepting whatever the church, or monk, or priest says, and following the precepts they provide, all for the sake of being included in the category of the saved. How is that not deceitful? The religious and political pundits would have us expect reward for right action, when the Truth is that our actions are purified by the choice, not by the act itself. When we act in service, we are being human, in the finest sense of the word; when we act in expectation of a reward, we drag our spirit down into the dirt…….which is where those that would have power over others would have us. Whether they are of a political or religious bent, they want us confused, disoriented, and afraid; people in that state are much easier to manipulate…….
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“Don’t try to have the last word. You might get it.” — Lazarus Long

This is more good advice, of which you will find a lot attributed to this character. Lazarus Long, for the uninitiated, is a character in a number of stories written by Robert A. Heinlein, the Grand Master of Science Fiction. The stories were part of a series he created to describe an “alternate future history” of the United States, one he formulated out of his own imagination. The stories cover a period of about 2200 years, from about 1912 onward. Lazarus Long was reputedly born in 1912, and he lived for the entire period of history covered in the books. This made him “The Senior”, the oldest surviving human in the year 4154, or thereabouts.

In that lifetime, he acquired a lot of knowledge, and a number of his aphorisms can be found in a compilation titled “The Notebooks of Lazarus Long”, which is included in its entirety in the book “Time Enough For Love”. The Notebook is filled with excellent advice for achieving a happy, joyful life filled with love, all codified and organized out of Heinlein’s amazing imagination. If you get the time, and the inclination, try to find a copy of the book, and read the Notebooks. It’s well worth the time and effort……

Oh, fear not in a world like this,
And thou shalt know erelong,–
Know how sublime a thing it is
To suffer and be strong.
— Henry W. Longfellow (1807-1882) — The Light of Stars
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I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain
There’s more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in a crooked line.
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.
— the Indigo Girls, Closer to Fine

I really don’t feel like I need to say much about this. IMHO, it’s a very fine example how brilliantly strong poetry can be melded with excellent music to become even brighter and stronger. Beautiful metaphor, powerful structure, and compelling music make this song something special, and I’m just glad I was alive to hear it…….gotta love the Indigo Girls…..brains, talent, beauty, they’ve got it all……
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“The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot.” — Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), What Is Man? (1906)

Intelligence and imagination are our most powerful tools in the survival game. The bottom line is that having these characteristics gives us a greater number of possible actions for any situation or query; we have more available options for potential behaviors than most of the other creatures with whom we share this planet. So, in essence, when faced with a need, question, or situation, our imagination gives us more choices from which to pick our response. In the above, Mr. Clemens points out our failure to use this ability to its full potential.

The CHOICE is the point; though we have more available choices, we often tend to pick the one that is helpful only to ourselves, and at the cost of someone else’s misfortune. Dogs, cats, etc. are all limited in their choices to what is programmed in their nature; they don’t have the ability to choose their response. The fact that we do, and still choose to pick the least ethical path, is a dark stain upon our nature……which s why I mostly like dogs and cats more than most humans……
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Well, it’s been an interesting morning. Let us hope that the interest remains palatable; too often ‘interesting’ ends up being ‘chaotic’, or even ‘depressive.’ Whatever happens, remember to make the right choices, and be happy that you have choices at all….. Y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

gigoid

Ned Moore, aka gigoid, is a 70 year-old, (!!!… When did that happen?….), retired dilettante, who would rather read than eat, most days. His first blog, "gigoid’s folly", has been emailed out to folks he knows for about 18 years now. He still considers it his best defense against angst, and the ever-present specter of sheer insanity..... Due to rigorous curmudgeon training requirements, he has discontinued his Facebook presence, but still indulges in the occasional Twitter session... In essence, he's socialized, but, not overly sociable; all labels and stereotypes are forbidden in his presence... and he doesn't care what anyone thinks about that..... In fact, he doesn't want to talk anymore.... If you feel you MUST contact gigoid, his email address is: alphagigoid@gmail.com You can go read now.... Go on, beat it.... gigoid, the dubious

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Exploring Consensual Reality

Monthly Archives: December 2011

The Carmelite nuns just taste better…..

This space for rent or lease……

Righting controversial wrongs…..

Overdone delete button blues…..

Precisely one portion, no sauce…

Some days the dragon wins …

Spats and Zoot Suits…..

Swatches of unconsecrated plaid….

Infinitely sad portraits of wounded ballerinas…..

Sublime moments of perfect peace….

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