Monthly Archives: March 2012

Only subsets of Zero endure such innuendo…

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Ffolkes,
Yabber yabber yabber, blah, blah, blah…. sometimes, this is all I find in my mind when I first get up. I generally try to wait until it has cleared a bit, and responded to the calming balm of coffee, before I try to type. (And if typing is going to be this difficult today, I may as well stop now…. averaged three strikeouts and typeovers per word on that last sentence, continuing into this one….frustrating)

It may have something to do with how I slept last night (well and long, not common at all…), or it could be withdrawal symptoms; I’ve been out of my primary vice (tobacco) now for about 5 days, and though I’m coughing more, I’m enjoying it less. I suppose I’ll need to dig deep to find the wherewithal to maintain some reasonable semblance of sanity, or even harmlessly mild neurosis, until the symptoms pass. It should make the process of producing a Pearl of Virtual Wisdom quite interesting, even more so than usual….. shall we get on with it?…..
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“The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.” — Terry Pratchett, “Diggers”

I too have noticed this…. there is a certain type of personality in this world who just cannot keep themselves from butting into everyone else’s business. They can generally be spotted easily, as they are often sporting bruises or other evidence of their unappreciated behavior, like splints or casts. That, or the color of their nose; it’s usually stuck somewhere it doesn’t belong, and most of them show evidence of that nasty little habit by the degree of brown matter smeared around the nasal area.

Humanity has given these folks labels, of course, it’s one of those things we do…. nosey parker, busybody, cockatrice (no, wait, that’s something else…scratch that one), backseat driver, butt-in, buttinsky, eavesdropper, fink, fussbudget, gossip, intermeddler, intruder, meddler, newsmonger, rubberneck, scandalmonger, sidewalk superintendent, snoop, snooper, tattletale, troublemaker, yenta, and the most annoying and dangerous kind, politicians.

As can be seen by the number of ways we have come up with to describe these rampant fools, this behavior is obviously not rare, but rather a frequent irritation. Most of us have come up with our own methods to deal with this kind of ass holiness, and otherwise don’t fret about it much, as one can’t change human nature. My own preferred method involves the eye for an eye concept. Whenever I hear that someone is spreading tales about me, I just smile and start a rumor about them. It doesn’t matter if it’s true or not, and I find that in this case, making up stuff about them is not only turnabout’s fair play, but immensely satisfying, and extremely effective. I suggest you try it yourself next time you one of these misanthropes crosses your path…..

“The correct way to punctuate a sentence that starts: “Of course it is none of my business, but –” is to place a period after the word “but.” Don’t use excessive force in supplying such a moron with a period. Cutting his throat is only a momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about.” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love”
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“If we can put the names of our faiths aside for the moment and look at principles, we fill find a common thread running through all the great religious expressions.” — Louis Farrakhan, 1993

In today’s society, one most likely must be around my age to remember Louis Farrakhan; he’s not well known to the white race as he once was, in his heyday, the 60’s. He was one of the scary-smart young Black Power advocates who converted to Islam during the preaching days of Malcolm X; he became of of the movements most vocal practitioners.

Though he was militant in his outlook, he yet maintained a sense of tolerance, and hope of reconciliation, instead of incessant demands for revolution, as is clearly indicated in the above statement. He wanted to believe that white and black people could learn to accept and appreciate the humanity in each of us, in spite of all the evidence to the contrary that is still common in modern society.

Attitudes change very slowly in society, a fact that doesn’t please either side of the controversy, as I think both blacks and whites are pretty fed up with the whole business. I believe strongly that the average person, white, black, yellow, brown, red, purple, and green all want the same thing deep down, and that is respect. We all want to be left alone to live our lives as we choose, and are willing to give respect to those who return it. However, the issue remains unresolved today, and will likely be with us until our impending extinction as a species, being one of the primary factors in bringing that extinction into play.

I find it quite sad, myself, as we could be so much more than we allow ourselves to be. If only people really believed what they preach in their churches, then utopia is possible; without it, our most likely end will be as just another broken thread in the tapestry of Life, to be ripped out and replaced with a species not so determined to kill itself…..
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Repetition does not establish validity. — Souder’s Law

Here is a truism I think we all wish some folks would learn to understand. It seems to be a common belief among modern politicians and demagogues of all sorts, that the more times they state their ignorant ideas to the unwashed masses, the more people will believe it. It annoys me no end to hear the same tired nonsense repeated from coast to coast, on every network, on every TV, day after day, until I want to bite the nearest idiot.

A perfect example of this is the entire “Birther” controversy over the current President’s qualifications for the job. There are entire networks, and websites galore that trumpet this idiotic nonsense over and over, insisting that all the evidence to the contrary is just a conspiracy to pull the wool over their eyes. Seemingly, they are incapable of understanding that the wool is part of their own costume, that they refuse to accept any evidence that doesn’t support their insane fears.

In my mind, this particular characteristic is so firmly entrenched in so many people, it has become one of the primary reasons bringing humanity ever closer to signing its own death warrant. And its a sure bet that those folks who buy into such idiocy will be whining and complaining all the way to Hell, with plaintive cries of “why didn’t someone tell me?”, or “it’s not my fault!”, never realizing that they have done it to themselves. Unfortunately, they will be taking the rest of us along for the ride, much to our chagrin……
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Having so much sleep at night has me pretty well discombobulated (love that word!); I’m having a bit of trouble deciding what to write about. I’ve come up with a temporary solution…..below are some pearls I’ve gathered in recent dives, and all have something important to convey to the reader; good advice for living, so to speak. I’ll let them speak by themselves, and leave any conclusions as an exercise for the Gentle Reader…..

“Philosophy removes from religion all reason for existing. As the science of the spirit, it looks upon religion as a phenomenon, a transitory historical fact, a psychic condition that can be surpassed.” — Benedetto Croce

“Self-improvement is a dangerous form of vanity.” — Alan Watts

“But my dear man, reality is only a Rorschach ink-blot, you know.” — Alan Watts

“Suppose that we are wise enough to learn and know and yet not wise enough to control our learning and knowledge, so that we use it to destroy ourselves? Even if that is so, knowledge remains better than ignorance. It is better to know even if the knowledge endures only for the moment that comes before destruction than to gain eternal life at the price of a dull and swinish lack of comprehension of a universe that swirls unseen before us in all its wonder. That was the choice of Achilles, and it is mine, too.” — Isaac Asimov, The New Hugo Winners

“In science, “fact” can only mean “confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional assent.”  I suppose that apples might start to rise tomorrow, but the possibility does not merit equal time in physics classrooms.” — Stephen Jay Gould

“He who has so little knowledge of human nature as  to seek happiness by changing anything but his own  disposition will waste his life in fruitless  efforts.” — Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

See? Well worth what you’ve paid for it, don’t you think?……
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“Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion.” — Oscar Wilde

Oscar had a way with words, it cannot be denied. It’s been awhile since I used one of his epigrammatic quotes, and I’ve missed his irreverence. This one is particularly serious minded, somewhat unusual for him, but nonetheless insightful. Sometimes his ideas are presented with such an air of insouciance and humor that it is difficult to see the depth of his intended meaning. But, this one suffers from no such weakness; it is clear, profound, and absolutely true.

I’m going to let it stand as is, without my usual discourse, as it says all I would say, and says it so well that it would be gilding a lily for me to add more. Just take it as truth, and fit it into your calculations, and you’ll do fine…..Oh, and remember to not just believe it, but to do it…..takes a bit of courage, but is worth it for sure and for certain…..
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I find myself in an odd space this morning; this whole process has struggled mightily today, and finding myself at the end of the struggle is a bit of a letdown. All this angst, and nowhere to put it! Ah well, I suppose I should go forth into the day, and put all this behind me. If nothing else, it will be a different struggle, and that can make all the difference….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Dragooned on a desert isle….

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Ffolkes,
I’ll tell you this right now…. what a long, strange trip it’s been! Though a bit worse for wear, I’ve got quite a few years left yet to flog this old body down the road. I’ve had a good life so far, and hope to have even better yet. Now if only Murphy and the Universe will cooperate…..

Okay, who took my inspiration? I had it here beside me just a few moments ago. I’ve been saving it up for this morning’s Pearl, because it was a good one. But, I just went to pick it up to put it on, and it’s gone! Gone, with no trace of who took it, or where it might have gone. (where DO things that disappear go? Like a lap, where does it go when you stand up?) Oh well, I’d best get started, it’s getting early….and I HATE being early…..
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[ Death scene of Cyrano ]
It is coming… I feel
Already shod with marble… gloved with lead…
Let the old fellow come now! He shall find me
On my feet sword in hand [ He draws his sword. ]
I can see him there he grins
He is looking at my nose that skeleton
What’s that you say? Hopeless? Why, very well!
But a man does not fight merely to win!
No no better to know one fights in vain! …
You there Who are you? A hundred against one
I know them now, my ancient enemies
[ He lunges at the empty air. ]
Falsehood! … There! There! Prejudice Compromise
Cowardice [ Thrusting ] What’s that? No! Surrender? No!
Never never! … Ah, you too, Vanity!
I know you would overthrow me in the end
No! I fight on! I fight on! I fight on!
— Edmond Rostand, spoken by Cyrano de Bergerac

I have little to add here; the poetry is strong enough to stand alone. I’ll merely add that this was one of my favorite reads in high school; I’d never really read much of the literature of the 17th or 18th centuries, being more interested in sci-fi, so it was a pleasant surprise to find how much I enjoyed it. Great character, that Cyrano, full of joie de vivre and abundant humor, as well as loyalty, and bravery…. hope you enjoy it as well…..
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“The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his Father, in the womb of a virgin will be classified with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter. But we may hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away with this artificial scaffolding and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this most venerated Reformer of human errors.” — Thomas Jefferson

In all the books and stories I’ve read or heard about our founding fathers, this idea seems to be pretty commonly held. It seems that the societal outcasts who first came to this country were of a different mind than most of their counterparts in the English culture, as regards religion. I have seen at least three other of the signers of the Declaration who expressed this sentiment to others in their correspondence or published works.

Apparently, these men and women were unhappy with the English churches for these differences of faith, reasons which caused their persecution at the hands of the English government, which is very highly influenced by the Church prelates. Ultimately, this schism resulted in the break with the Church, followed by the flight to the new world, where they could follow the dictates of their conscience, rather than the rules set down in stone by the established churches.

This is why our country was founded, to separate the church and government from each other, in essence to create the first country ever that was based on this principle, to wit: religious freedom. These men and women only wished to be able to follow their hearts and minds in their own way, and not the way that everyone else used. They fought a war, and took the risk of death in stride in order to achieve the right to determine their own destiny.

Now, in today’s complex society, there are forces at work who would go back to the old ways. They wish to have the laws of this country determined by only one church, their own version of Christianity. (Of course there are 6 or 8 different sects that are vying for the privilege of being the sole lawgiver).

The saddest part of this is that all these differing sects who wish to remove the rights so valiantly fought for, replacing them with their own narrow vision of subservience, are only able to make the noise and hullabaloo they engage in BECAUSE of the freedoms our ancestors paid for in blood; in any other country in the world, they would be forced underground, or at best, deported.

Whether or not they will succeed in their move to control the rest of American society remains to be seen; they’ve made some inroads, but I sense that the general run of American today is getting pretty fed up with all the clamor and noise, and will come out in droves in this election year, to show those who would deny their own heritage how real Americans vote…. for separation of Church and State…. for Reason instead of Ignorance.

“During almost fifteen centuries the legal establishment of Christianity has been upon trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.” — James Madison
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“‘Truth’ never set anyone free. It is only *doubt* which will bring mental emancipation.” — Anton LaVey

Now, here is a concept long ignored by the general public, who, for the most part, don’t wish to have to think about anything more complicated than a cheese sandwich on white bread. When I first chose my user name for cyberspace, I chose “gigoid” as the nickname that is seen by all. But the full title I hold as my personal icon is “gigoid the dubious”, implying both the search for truth, and the method of searching.

“Gigoid” stands for “garbage in, garbage out, identified”. It points out one of my articles of faith, which is that one cannot recognize Truth without first having Doubt. Only by the vigorous examination of our beliefs, seeking out the qualitative proof of the veracity of our suppositions about reality, can we attain harmony with the world as it is, and give up trying to make it what we would like it to be. Even our longest held beliefs, given to us before we learned to reason, must be periodically taken out and put through their paces, to see whether or not those beliefs remain an accurate representation of reality.

Doubt leads to curiosity, curiosity leads to study, the results of the study are then reexamined with doubting eyes, which leads us at last to the Truth…… if we have the courage to confront it, and accept it as it exists….. Of course, it may be well to remember that the author of this little gem is a famous person; I believe he is the head of the Church of Satan…..
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“Jupiter’s passed through Orion and come into conjunction with Mars. Saturn is wheeling through infinite space to its preordained place in the stars.  And I gaze at the planets in wonder–at the time and trouble they expend.  All to warn me to be careful in dealings involving a friend.” — Donald Swann

It has been said, and truthfully, that you can tell a person’s level of ignorance by asking them for their opinion of Astrology. For myself, for much of my life, I tended to be agnostic about it; it seems too incredible to be true, but the characteristics of the different signs have a superficial accuracy, at least, seemingly reflecting what is real.

But that was before I reexamined that belief in the light of doubt, whereupon I realized that the underlying statement of what Astrology is does not include recognizance of the law of Conservation of Energy, which has been demonstrated to be true in a hundred different ways by scientific studies. In essence, what Astrology claims is that the motions of the planet and stars have a direct bearing on the events of our lives. This may be true, as far as it goes.

But, what it fails to consider is that the reverse idea, that the events of our lives have a direct effect on the motions of the planets and stars, MUST be true as well; otherwise there would be an imbalance in the structure of the universe, which we know to be false. Perhaps, as the astrologers say, our destiny is foretold in the stars. Much more likely, however, is the idea that we determine the direction our lives take according to our own will, not by the motion of indifferent stars in the sky….
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“The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.” — H. L. Mencken (1880-1956)

If we use this as a true assumption, then there is no politician alive today who would not fit into this suit. Day after day, we see in the news the latest nonsense being spouted by the talking heads, and every time I read what they have said, I feel as if I’ve been insulted. I just don’t understand the capacity for believing lies that exists in the general population of this country.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think that there was no educational system at all, that the dream of an educated populace is dead. Well, as I said, if I didn’t know better. But, I do, and what I see, and understand, is that our educational system is a bust. It does not teach us what we really need to know to become a true citizen of a democracy, to wit: we are not taught how to learn. We only are taught to memorize, and to accept the mandates handed down by those in a position of authority as being in our own interests.

I’d say, in that respect, we are doing well, for we have created a large body of really ignorant people who provide the manipulators with a fertile ground for their nonsensical ideas. It’s enough to make a man take to drinking…. or buy a gun….or like me, both…..
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Well, I find myself once again at the end of another morning’s work, always a bit of a surprise…. I can only hope that you find my musings to be stimulating and insightful, or if not, at least entertaining. Until the next time, tomorrow, y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Sneaking in, under the radar…..

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Ffolkes,
An epic battle is raging just now at my house. My old nemesis, depression, is trying to sink its claws into my psyche, and drag me down into the pit of my personal hell. I’m strong, but my opponent has several advantages in the current light. A number of things in my life right now are at less than optimum value, and though there is hope, there seems to be little progress toward fulfilling that hope. Finances are the sorest subject; it is becoming increasingly difficult to cover everything on what I’m currently bringing home, and I can see another 3 to 4 months before I’ll start bringing in more. From where I’m sitting now, that is looking like a very long time.

Stress like this from the financial world adds to my other store of little complaints (we all have some….stuff that bothers us, but which we cannot change at present) such as back, hip, and joint pain, aching teeth, and the distinct possibility of having to move in the near future. This stress doesn’t sit well with me; I’ve had my fill of it, and just can’t deal with it as well as I used to. I’m fine in the middle of a crisis, such as a fight or loud argument; I’ve had too much practice at that to let it get to me.

But, with everyday stresses like money, food, shelter, transportation, etc., I have a hard time not breaking into tears, and dissolving rapidly into severe depression; when that happens, I’m useless, to myself or anyone else. All I want to do is sleep, or wander around my space, mind racing to find some solace somewhere.

I’m hoping that putting together today’s Pearl will give me some space, and maybe some ammunition to use to beat back the darkness; a good quote, or a beautiful piece of poetry, can stimulate that part of my mind that is still free of the bonds that being depressed forces one to wear. If I work this right, by the time I’ve finished, I’ll be stable again, and able to avoid the pit of hell I’m looking at now…. let’s get to it, shall we?….. Ah, see, it’s working already….. first dive, a nice pearl jumps up and throws itself into the bag….and it’s a good one, just the right tone to neutralize the two paragraphs above….

“When the situation is hopeless, there’s nothing to worry about.” — Edward Abbey

Now I feel better…..
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“There was only one catch and that was Catch22, which specified that a concern for one’s safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask, and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn’t, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn’t have to; but if he didn’t want to he was sane and had to.” — Joseph Heller, Catch22

Sound familiar? It should; it’s getting close to Tax Time, and if ever there was a physical representation of Catch 22, the IRS definitely fits the description, sort of. If one pays taxes, then one feels stupid and violated; if one doesn’t pay them, then the IRS calls them stupid, and violates them in a very real sense. I hate it. And I especially hate the way the 1% gets away with not paying their fair share of those taxes. Just one more thing that makes me want to go buy a gun…..but then, I would guess that today, given my attitude upon awakening, almost anything is going to elicit the same response….
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“As long as I am mayor of this city [Jersey City, New Jersey] the great industries are secure.  We hear about constitutional rights, free speech and the free press.  Every time I hear these words I say to myself, “That man is a Red, that man is a Communist”.  You never hear a real American talk like that.” — Mayor Frank Hague (1896-1956)

Sad, isn’t it? This statement, from a mayor who obviously hadn’t a clue, is one I haven’t seen before. And I should have. This is such a vile distortion of the values this country was founded on that it should be taught in schools as an example of a treasonous statement. How a person that stupid was elected in the first place was a mystery, until I saw what state it was. Isn’t New Jersey the home state of Spiro Agnew? I think so, but if not, it could have been. Boy, now there was a prime example of how even the stupid and charmless can fool the people sometimes. I understand that the political climate in the time when he was a burgeoning political hack was rather fanatic in its campaign against Communism, but Agnew set new standards of stupid, clueless bigotry for others to hold up as an example.

SIGH….. it’s a shame really…. they (the political bozos who make these outrageous comments) make such good teaching tools, I don’t see why they couldn’t be utilized. It’s not as if the other side is going to refrain from cheating or lying, because they won’t…. they will say and do whatever is necessary to secure the votes they need. So maybe if we lowered our own standards a bit….. nah, too dangerous. I’d rather keep my own integrity intact, and fight fair; cheating a cheater doesn’t turn the cheat into a virtue……
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I stared into the abyss. The abyss stared into me. Neither of us liked what we saw.

Damn skippy it didn’t. It was a foregone conclusion that my view of the abyss today would be somewhat grim; sometimes the abyss is scarier than it needs to be. Today, it was no contest; it took one look at me and ran back into the void, moaning and crying for its mama…. I suppose that is the one advantage to a grim mood; even the bad asses walk to the other side of the street when they get a look at my face. I’m not saying its scary or anything, but I have been known to make babies cry at one glimpse, and there are a few cracked mirrors and camera lenses that give mute testimony to the depths of my rage when I’m feeling like this.

Sometimes I feel like walking down dark alleys in the dead of night in the baddest part of town, dollar bills hanging out of my pockets, not just asking, but demanding that some fool take me on. I guess it’s  fortunate for me, and them, that no one has ever challenged me in that state; I guess the vibes I put out are strong enough to make even the stupidest thief smart enough to walk away, and live…..
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“It’s men who make laws, and enforce them, and break them, and think the whole performance is wonderful.  Most women would rather just ignore them.” — Ursula K. Le Guin

When I stop to think about it, this makes perfect sense. I’ve often felt that politics, and society in general, would benefit from having more women in positions of power; their attitudes are enough different from men’s that the overall effect most likely would improve. But, unfortunately, women who get into positions of power seem to forget the above statement, and act more like men than men themselves. They probably feel like they have to, in order to succeed in a man’s world.

But they are wrong in that, and we would all benefit if they would stop that nonsense, and instead act as a counterbalance to the overly aggressive, testosterone-filled actions their male counterparts generally come up with. Hell, it couldn’t work any worse, and it could very well be that it is just what the world needs to regain some of the common sense that seems to have disappeared from modern life……
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“One who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.” — Lao-tzu, _Tao Te Ching_

And there you have it. The solution to the threat of imminent depression is right there. Enough is enough. That’s for sure and for certain, but I had, in the grip of my fears, left that out of my calculations. I have enough. Enough food to get through the month. Enough friends to help me if necessary. And more than enough love, from friends and family, to hold me for a long time. If I were to compare, I probably am better off than over 50% of the world.

Sometimes, it’s just a matter of getting a reminder like this; that’s all it takes to get back on track. This is one reason why I do this; not for my readers, or for the joy of writing, though those are factors. It’s mostly for me…. it gives me the outlet my brain needs to stay within shouting distance of sanity, both in the process of finding the pearls, and in writing my reaction to them. Yay for me!…..
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Well, it’s been real, for sure. Real hard, real frustrating, real rage. Real relief, too, at finally finding a worthy koan to lead me away from the precipice I was near when I awoke. I just hope that my weird state didn’t affect the Pearl too much. Wouldn’t want to let too much reality spoil a nice day….. and it will be, now. Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

A graduated scale of benevolence….

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Ffolkes,
When I can, I do. When I can’t, I don’t. If I’m ordered, I refuse. If I’m asked, I consider. And if I’m bitten, I bite back. That’s my bottom line, and if anyone doesn’t care for it, well, that’s just too damn bad, so sad for you, maybe you’d like a little cheese with that whine? Or shall I just forcibly insert a sharp object into your most accessible orifice?

What prompted this? I’m not certain, as it just took over when I sat down to compose the opening for today’s missive. It sounds as if my subconscious is reacting to a perceived threat, but the only threat I know of right now is the threat of bad poetry, or the heartbreak of diverticulitis, and neither is particularly imminent. I suppose it’s just feeling nervous about how the political scene in this country is shaping up; it gets more bizarre every day, as the candidates jockey for position for Tuesday’s dustup primaries, and continue to make their outrageous claims and wild accusations of conspiracy by the White House. I’ll sit down and have a talk with it, give it some soothing words…. it should be okay in a little while.

My subconscious tends to a fairly high degree of paranoia, but I don’t want to blunt the edge of its perceptions, even if a bit extreme. It’s better to be prepared for the worst it can imagine, then whatever does happen is easily handled, as it generally is not as bad as what my subconscious mind has prepared to deal with. That’s the whole point of a successful defensive strategy, to be ready for the worst; anything short of that is a piece of cake….
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“There is in us a tendency to locate the shaping forces of our existence outside ourselves. Success and failure are unavoidably related in our minds with the state of things around us. Hence it is that people with a sense of fulfillment think it is a good world and would like to preserve it as it is, while the frustrated favor radical change. The tendency to look for all causes outside ourselves persists even when it is clear that our state of being is the product of personal qualities such as ability, character, appearance, health and so on.” — Eric Hoffer

Mr. Hoffer makes a good point here, a point that has fallen into disfavor in today’s society. I speak, of course, of the concept of personal responsibility. By always looking for external factors to explain what is wrong with our world, the personal responsibility that each person holds is nullified, or at least ignored. It has become fashionable instead to find a scapegoat for our problems; we blame our upbringing, our parents, our struggling schools, the President, the economy, or anybody or anything else we can come up with that might have contributed to our discomfort.

There are very few people left today who will admit to having any part in their difficulties; it’s much easier on the self-image to blame it on one’s parents, who are not there to defend themselves, or on some diffuse entity like society, to which all may point as the perpetrator of whatever problem they have encountered. I’d guesstimate that 95% of the members of society today fall into this category; real integrity and honesty is virtually extinct. Just another in a litany of human folly, one which will not only support our extinction as a species, but will hurry it along like a manic sheepdog worries its flock. And when we’re all dead and gone, the planet isn’t going to care one little bit about whose fault it was……

“There is a perfectly satisfactory explanation for everything, but security prevents its disclosure.” — The Anthony Blunt Excuse
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“Already the spirit of our schooling is permeated with the feeling that every subject, every topic, every fact, every professed truth must be submitted to a certain publicity and impartiality.  All proffered samples of learning must go to the same assay-room and be subjected to common tests.  It is the essence of all dogmatic faiths to hold that any such “show-down” is sacrilegious and perverse.  The  characteristic of religion, from their point of view, is that it is intellectually secret, not public; peculiarly revealed, not generally known; authoritatively declared, not communicated and tested in ordinary ways…It is pertinent to point out that, as long as religion is conceived as it is now by the great majority of professed religionists, there is something self-contradictory in speaking of education in religion in the same sense in which we speak of education in topics where the method of free inquiry has made its way.  The “religious” would be the last to be willing that either the history of the content of religion should be taught in this spirit; while those to whom the scientific standpoint is not merely a technical device, but is the embodiment of the integrity of mind, must protest against its being taught in any other spirit.” — John Dewey (1859-1953), American philosopher, — from “Democracy in the Schools”, 1908

This is long enough, and clear enough, that it needs no more added, by me or anyone else. It’s a well-thought out, and clearly stated premise, and a perfect description of a problem that society has obviously not solved, as this sentiment from 1908 remains as valid today as when it was first uttered. I guess it just goes to show that not only are we bozoid creatures, but stubborn as well, unwilling to give up our prejudices and delusions without a struggle. It’s the old “devil you know” outlook carried to its logical extreme; it doesn’t seem to matter that it will kill us just as dead as a new devil….. as long as we don’t have to think about it…..
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The human body produces far more energy than the sun (per unit weight)

It’s simple, really. A human body is an energy conversion tool, or machine, whereas the sun is a source of electromagnetic energy. The body consumes energy in the form of food and converts it first to neurochemical energy by the digestive system, then to kinetic energy by the neuromuscular system. The processes they employ to create and convert one form of energy to another are very complex biochemical transformations, involving a number of steps. Electromagnetic energy is produced by the sun by the process of nuclear fission, in subtle and complex processes not fully understood by mankind, as we are not yet able to look inside a star to gather any evidence of how it functions; at least, not to any important degree.

Nonetheless, we can measure and compare the relative levels of each type of energy produced by the human body and the sun; from there it is merely an arithmetic problem, with a solution provided by addition, multiplication, and long division of the defined numbers representing the energy produced. Both processes are beautiful examples of how understanding the underlying mathematics of the universe lends itself to harmonious functioning between the various manifestations of which it is comprised, to wit: energy, biology, chemistry, and all of the other branches of physics that make up our mathematical model of reality.

From any direction it is viewed, the existence of Life, Consciousness, and the Universe at large is pretty miraculous, exceedingly, almost painfully beautiful in its grandeur and scope. Tossing in the concept of Entropy (you know… Chance, randomness, chaos, Satan, free will, statistics, human nature, the power of PMS, etc.) makes Life all the more intriguing…. besides which, as far as I can tell so far, it’s the only game in town….

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them.- that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality.” — Lao-Tzu
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“Half of the American people have never read a newspaper.  Half never voted for President.  One hopes it is the same half.” — Gore Vidal

Hope springs eternal, does it not? This particular hope is, I’m afraid, never going to pan out. Besides, of the half who actually read a newspaper, only half of them are reading the articles on the front page; the rest only take it for the comics, the sports page, and the astrological forecast…..

But Hope, the charmer, linger’d still behind. — Thomas Campbell (1777-1844) — Pleasures of Hope, Part i, Line 40
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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

“Are we at last brought to such a humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our own defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in our own possession and under our own direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the _real_ object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?” — Patrick Henry

I have nothing to add to this, it’s perfectly clear……
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So ends another episode of temporary sanity, sent out with love from my little corner of the universe. It’s not Ibsen, but it’s still Art…. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Dreaming, the sleeper sleeps on….

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4

Ffolkes,
This could take awhile, as I have no pearls on tap, and must first go diving, and I never know how long it may take. So bear with me, as I sacrifice my comfy bed in exchange for a dip in the world wide ocean of facts and fantasies….. I hate to quote Arnie, but, I’ll be back…..
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“A professional politician is a professionally dishonorable man.  In order to get anywhere near high office he has to make so many compromises and submit to so many humiliations that he becomes indistinguishable from a streetwalker.” — H.L. Mencken

To tell the truth, I’m getting a bit tired of harping on this subject. But, I’m also still filled with outrage and chronic disbelief at the sheer effrontery of the so aptly named professionally dishonorable men who are trying to gather enough blind people together to ensure their nomination for next year’s election.  Oops, wishful thinking I guess; I mean the election later this year. I have yet to encounter a day in the last few weeks where the news has no new comments or statements from one of the group of wannabe’s, and every one of those reported utterances is fuel for the fire of outrage merrily burning out of control in my brain.

Their statements are becoming more grandiose, more insipid, more personal, and more derogatory toward opponents with each passing day; one of the most desperate is so scared of losing he has begun a series of attacks of a personal nature on the President and his own Republican opponents for the nomination. No issues are being addressed now, it’s all a matter of who can paint the ugliest picture of the other guys in the remaining days before Super Tuesday (what a crock!). It will be interesting to me to see who does the best in these upcoming primaries on Tuesday; it will give me an idea of just how far down the road to perdition we’ve gone, and how far it is to get back to a normal world…. a long time, I’m afraid, but we’ll just see what happens……

“I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends…that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.” — Adlai Stevenson

….and just so you don’t think I pick on Republicans exclusively…..

“I looked up the word “politics” in the dictionary and it’s actually a  combination of two words; “poli,” which means many, and “tics,” which means bloodsuckers.” — Jay Leno
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“Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people’s liberty teeth and keystone under independence…  From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to ensure peace, security, and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable….  The very atmosphere of firearms every- where restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.” — George Washington (bogus?)

Bogus or not, it’s true. If George didn’t say this, then Thomas Jefferson, or George Mason did say it, or something very close to it. I’ve read passages from Tom Jefferson’s letters that parallel this statement perfectly. I’ve included it today because I want to reiterate its importance in today’s society. It is becoming increasingly clear that the powers that be are trying to take away the basic freedoms that Tom and both George’s fought for so eloquently; the Bill of Rights is now abridged, and the next step is to make those abridgments permanent.

The federal government and politicians are always spouting off about gun control, trying to limit the public’s right to arm themselves, blaming it on the criminals who have no compunction against using their guns to achieve their own ends (funny how much that sounds like what the police do on a regular basis). They do this because they firmly believe that only they have the intelligence, integrity of purpose, and restraint to have guns, and can be trusted not use them inappropriately. Of course, they say that, but once all of our guns are gone, and they are the only ones who have them, tell me, what is there to keep them from using them on us? Honesty? Riiiiight. Do I even need to point out how often they lie to the public? Restraint? Sure, ask the Afghanis or the Iraqis how much restraint they have witnessed (ask their civilians, they’re the ones we were killing over there, a great many more than military casualties…..).

So, you may, if you so desire, sit there and buy into the bogus fears promoted by the beloved ruling class, and calmly watch while all of your former freedoms are sold into slavery. Or, like me, you can make sure you are well-armed, and hunker down to wait for the fools to come and try to take your guns away from you. Give me 10 seconds warning, and they will find out that a free man cannot be controlled; you might be able to kill him, but in my case, at least, they should be aware that I guarantee the price to be exacted will be much higher than expected…..
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If parts allure thee, think how Bacon shin’d,
The wisest, brightest, meanest of mankind!
Or ravish’d with the whistling of a name,
See Cromwell, damn’d to everlasting fame!
— Alexander Pope (1688-1744)  — Essay on Man, Epistle iv, Line 281

I was talking yesterday with my old friend, Tom, and we got to talking about how much age is affecting us, in ways that now seem obvious as to cause, but which in former years we had no clue of their developing importance. An example of this is sleeping; our sleep habits now are much different than previously, due to age-related conditions such as BPH or hypertension. Other things assume higher priority as we age, and when younger, we had no clue that we would be even thinking about such subjects, nor that we would be spending inordinate amounts of time dealing with the ramifications. It’s all good, we weren’t bitching about it, just observing. But it brought other thoughts to mind, thoughts that didn’t have so much weight for the younger me…..

I’m talking about death, of course, and the legacy we leave behind, that which demonstrates best our raison d’etre, our purpose, our answer to the question, “What’s it all about, Alfie?”. In my younger days, thinking up new and funny lines to put on graves was, at best, an undertaking of no more than a couple of minutes of mild hilarity. Now it’s a matter for serious thought and internal debate; one never wants to be caught unprepared for death. It would embarrass me no end to not have my affairs straight before I submit my final post in the blog of Life, to have no memory of me survive past the temporary grief of my children and friends who might outlive me.

Our lives as humans on this plane of existence are short, and so being, they create in us a strong need to have some piece of us that is immortal, that does not give in to the laws of nature, and insists on persisting in a form other than flesh. If we can’t live forever, then we will settle for living in memory, preferably with some physical presence, such as a headstone, or a statue. But, even if it is only in memory, it is comforting to know that those we love will keep the best part of us with them, and that is the love we share; it acknowledges no barriers at all, not even that of death…..

Man will survive into eternity. He’s too stupid to know when he’s beaten. — Unknown, (one of the lesser-known Greek philosophers…)
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To see the world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
— William Blake, “Auguries of Innocence”

I tend to write about the parts of human nature and society that annoy me, or more often, outrage me; there’s plenty of stuff happening in the world that accomplishes either or both every day. As a result, it may seem like I’m a curmudgeon all the time, and firmly believe that we’re all going straight to my version of Hell, sometime in the next two weeks. And you’d be right in that estimation, for the most part.

But in reality, I am not so pessimistic as it may sound, and I find life to be all I could hope for as a human, full of beauty, grace, and loving kindness. I see these features every day, in almost every interaction I witness  between people. A great many people out there in Life At Large are decent, honorable folks, and they interact with others in that light. There are also many who are not so squeaky clean on a moral level, but who fight against their own nature to change themselves for the better.

There is human misery aplenty, but there is also human love unlimited, as the dance of balance that takes place every instant of existence spins gaily along the ribbon of Time. One need only open the eyes, the mind, and the heart to see beauty in every direction, and in every moment…… and the poem above from Blake, is a perfect example of that serendipity…..
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As I awoke this morning,
When all things sweet are born,
A robin perched upon my sill
To hail a happy morn.

He looked so young and fragile,
So sweetly did he sing,
That thoughts of joy and happiness
Into my heart did spring.

I smiled discreetly to myself
As I paused beside my bed,
Then quickly brought the window down,
And smashed his little head!

— another gem from Anonymous–

See? I do have a sense of humor…. I just find it to be more effective if I don’t let it out much. Better surprise factor…. and this poem by our old friend Anonymous has all the elements I admire…. perfect rhyming, cadence, and structure, grace, beauty, and in the last line, true to life. Admit it. You’ve had the same feeling, those homicidal (aviacidal?) tendencies toward an early bird bragging about his breakfast, now, haven’t you? I’m honest enough to admit to having succumbed to this attitude frequently in my youth, though in my case it was generally directed toward a rooster rather than a robin. In any case, it’s worth a moment’s giggle…..
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When I awoke this morning, almost two hours after my normal wake up, I was uncertain how today’s missive might turn out. I shouldn’t have worried; I’m happy with it, at least now that it’s over. Might just be the relief at that, but hey, I’ll take what I can get. Meantime, y’all take care out there……

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

Dozer

Kowabunga!

 

Openly brazen kittens are easily aggravated…..

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3
Ffolkes,
On those mornings when it all seems clear, I can jump right into the water, and start typing away (the water is figurative, naturally…), heedless of the rules set forth many years ago to keep writers confined to a narrow little strip of possibility. In the Great Shrug that took place in the 90’s, all those rules were examined and verified to be pertinent to the writer’s art. But you know how I am about rules; they only apply when I say they apply, and not a moment before. So let’s take a moment to heave those rules out the window, and get on with the program for today, eh what?….
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“In the end, more than freedom, they wanted security. They wanted a comfortable life, and they lost it all – security, comfort and freedom. When the Athenians finally wanted not to give to society but for society to give to them, when the freedom they wished for most was freedom from responsibility then Athens ceased to be free and was never free again.” — Edward Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Chapter 29

Sound familiar? It should; it’s a perfect description of modern society. Americans no longer deserve the freedoms they were given, for they are all too willing to give them up in exchange for a false sense of security. The beloved ruling class goaded the unstable fanatics so prevalent in the middle east until they, out of their fear and loathing of Western ideals (and bombs), struck out in acts of senseless violence against civilian populations. Once they had done so, then those self-same manipulators then trumpeted the tune of “homeland security” and “have to break a few eggs to make an omelet” so long and loud that the public’s fears were whipped into a frenzy of hatred toward those who attacked out of their own fear, and allowed certain freedoms to be abridged in the name of defense.

I could go on; in fact I often do. But, I’m tired of trying to arouse people and alert them to the danger to our liberties, because nobody seems to be listening. It has been obvious for some time that the people who are running this country are pursuing their own agenda, and that agenda is in no way meant to benefit you or me. It is designed specifically to preserve the status quo, to keep the public ignorant and confused, and easily manipulated. And everyone just sits there and takes it. Oh, there are minor disturbances, such as the Occupy protests that continue, but even those are losing momentum, as the Machine just ignores them until they go away. Nothing has changed, and nothing will change, as long as the American people continue to allow their freedoms to be taken away, by the very people they elected to protect them…. I am disgusted, and I’m gonna buy a gun…. because I’ll be damned if they are going to take my freedom away. The price for that will be steep….

“The genius of our ruling class is that it has kept a majority of the people from ever questioning the inequity of a system where most people drudge along, paying heavy taxes for which they get nothing in return.” — Gore Vidal
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“Strange, because they are so frankly and hysterically insane — like all dreams: a God who could make good children as easily as bad, yet preferred to make bad ones; who could have made every one of them happy, yet never made a single happy one; who made them prize their bitter life, yet stingily cut it short; who gave his angels eternal happiness unearned, yet required his other children to earn it; who gave his angels painless lives, yet cursed his other children with biting miseries and maladies of mind and body; who mouths justice and invented hell — mouths mercy and invented hell — mouths Golden Rules, and forgiveness multiplied by seventy times seven, and invented hell; who frowns upon crimes, yet commits them all; who created man without invitation, then tries to shuffle the responsibility for man’s acts upon man, instead of honorably placing it where it belongs, upon himself; and finally, with altogether divine obtuseness, invites this poor, abused slave to worship him!” — Mark Twain, _The Mysterious Stranger_

I guess I’m feeling antagonistic this morning. I feel that antagonism on a daily basis, and I do so because, damn it, somebody has to! Somebody has to buck the tide, to refuse to buy into the fear-mongering and manipulation, to boldly shout, “the emperor is naked!” when necessary. I’m sick to death of a society that claims to be Christian, but has no tolerance whatsoever for other people, especially if they don’t worship the same idol. And there’s one more thing I’ve never understood, nor could any of the clergy I asked about it tell me anything that would explain how putting Jesus’ figure on a cross and hanging it over the altar is any different than a Buddhist shrine, or the Mormon ‘tablets of gold’ given to Brigham Young by the Angel Moroni. It’s all worshiping an idol; as far as I can see, one has no inherent advantage of believability over another. But I’m supposed to shut my mouth and eyes to this nonsense, and go along quietly with having the legacy of the Founding Fathers eaten away by the nibbling of fearful little mice…..
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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”

So, what did you do before breakfast? If you’re like me, well, by breakfast time you’ve already created the Universe twice; it always takes two tries, it’s a complicated incantation, and you have to get the orbits just right, or it all crashes together and makes this Big Bang….. I think it’s a good thing to trot out a bit of nonsense now and again; especially when recent activities have included ranting and/or complaining in the guise of sharing the wealth. Besides, I couldn’t think of anything to put here that would be sillier than the Queen…. more’s the pity…..
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“Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life; they feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored. We are given a shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over and over again. It’s like singing on a boat during a terrible storm at sea. You can’t stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship.” — Anne Lamott

I can’t claim that what I’m doing here always lives up to this, but I would say that this is an accurate statement of what I am shooting for when I write. There are brief moments when I feel as if I’ve gotten close, and on rare occasions, I write something that meets even my stringent standards of excellence. Not often enough, but the journey is the lesson, and mine has a long way to go before the last lines are written…. I just hope I’m still alive when I get there…. and can still appreciate it….    🙂

“Life is not the way it is supposed to be. It is the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.” — Virginia Satir
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Tactile; Commensurate; Xanthian; & Saarinen (Thanks to Carolyn of http://abcofspiritalk.wordpress.com for supplying the words….)

In a recent post, I made the tactical error of issuing a challenge to my readers, to wit: give me four words, and as long as I can find a meaning listed somewhere for each word, I can make a sentence with all of them used in it. Here is today’s solution….

The tactile properties of the Saarinen furniture grouping is commensurate with that of the Xanthian chairs; though neither set displays any obvious or hidden puns, they both feel the same.

I warned y’all that it could be a little strange, and it certainly is. But all four words are there, and their meanings are implied in the context of the sentence. Et voilá……
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It’s been a long strange trip this morning, so I’m gonna go now, and deal with the real world for a bit. It’s going to be a strange day, I have a feeling…. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Sitting amid the clutter, thinking of marigolds….

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2

Ffolkes,
Someone’s been fussing with the universe again, reality is all messed up this morning. Everything is nothing, and vice versa. It’s enough to make a grown man weep. Boo hoo…..

Okay, there, that’s done. I wouldn’t want to have started before spitting that out; someone could have been injured from the flying innuendo…… things here may seem a bit on edge, or jumpy, today. Pay it no mind, it’s just my depression trying to worm out of the hole I stuffed it in. It could be an ugly scene, so I’m going to go do as much as I can before it catches on to what I’m doing…..
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“If a person offend you and you are in doubt as to whether it was intentional or not, do not resort to extreme measures.  Simply watch your chance and hit him with a brick.” — Mark Twain, Advice to Youth Speech, 1882

Mr. Twain seems to be advising youth here with his tongue firmly planted in cheek, but is nonetheless spot on with his technique for dealing with those idiots who manage to get under our skin with their displays of offensive ignorance. It is what may be called a reasoned response, and the punishment can be considered proportionate to the offense. Resorting to extreme lengths to discipline in cases like this can come back to haunt you later; society tends to look unfavorably on the maiming, slicing, and dicing of its citizens, even when so obviously provoked, and deserved. And leaving them alive and seriously injured puts a strain on the health care industry to treat them for their wounds, or to perform the 24 hour nursing care for any human vegetables your justifiable anger may create. So temper thy temper with just a bit of tolerance, and only give such fools their immediate desserts, not their final meal……. you’ll feel better for having shown such restraint, while still purging any lingering resentment…..a clear win-win…..
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“A doctrine insulates the devout not only against the realities around them but also against their own selves. The fanatical believer is not conscious of his envy, malice, pettiness and dishonesty. There is a wall of words between his consciousness and his real self.” — Eric Hoffer

Aha!  Now it makes sense. I have always wondered how some of these political types can go around, day after day, uttering the same stupid nonsense that they were spouting the week before, in spite of the evidence brought forth that shows it to be incorrect, ill-considered, or a bald-faced lie. They act as if nothing at all has been said, and will even accuse the questioner of bias or discrimination, just to deflect and distract from the subject they wish to avoid. It is as if they completely block out anything said to them, or about them; they act as if what is presented has no existence, and has no bearing on the issues at hand.

This is how Newt Gingrich can continue to deny that his serial adultery has no bearing on his politics, and does not indicate any moral inferiority. He seems to think that it’s okay to turn it around, and blame his infidelity on his wife, or on the one with whom he cheated. It’s how Mitt Romney can casually flaunt his wealth and indifference toward the 99%, and believe that it won’t cause resentment to eat away at his support system, and cause the disillusioned to turn away. It is how Congress thinks it is acceptable to hold meetings on the issue of birth control with a committee that has no women sitting on it, and no women scheduled to give evidence. It’s how Rick Santorum can make outrageous statements that are parroted from the zealotry of the religious right, and still believe that he is popular with anyone else, or that he stands an even chance of stealing the nomination away from the bigger dogs.

Worst of all, this is how the great unwashed masses who vote can, time after time, continue to believe the bullshite that is handed to them, and elect these idiots again. To my way of thinking, this is behavior that wouldn’t be out of place in sharks; they have no memory to speak of, and not much ability to learn. But every four years, the people of this country go forth, and show their support for people who lie to them on a consistent basis, and who have no interest whatsoever in improving the lot of anyone but themselves. It’s not exactly the strongest evidence of intelligence I’ve seen… and is indubitably the strongest evidence of mass stupidity I can think of…..

“It is discouraging how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.” — Noel Coward

“There is no point in getting angry, but there is a stupid malignity to all this that does try one’s patience.” — Anonymous
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FIGHTING WORDS

Say my love is easy had,
Say I’m bitten raw with pride,
Say I am too often sad —
Still behold me at your side.

Say I’m neither brave nor young,
Say I woo and coddle care,
Say the devil touched my tongue —
Still you have my heart to wear.

But say my verses do not scan,
And I get me another man!
— Dorothy Parker

No comments needed here. I enjoy Dorothy Parker’s work; it always has a bit of self-deprecating humor to it, yet shows off her immense talent by it’s mere casualness. She was indeed, unique…..
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“Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible form of magic, capable of both inflicting injury, and of remedying it.” Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter:The Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling

I’m going to go out on a limb, here…. I sincerely believe that should society survive the next 200 years, the seven books comprising the Harry Potter saga will come to be considered required reading, as the greatest work of literature created in the latter half of the 20th century. Quotes such as the one above will be commonly held wisdom. as will the quote below. I also think that the character of Severus Snape will be the most widely known and admired fictional character from the same period. The performance by Alan Rickman is flawless; wickedly intelligent, ambitious, and always conscious of his flawed humanity, he brings powerful emotion to a toweringly tragic figure.  Snape will join Hamlet, Othello, and the like as the latest in a long line of tragic heroes, and deservedly so.

The performances of all the perfectly picked cast were well-done, and guided to reflect the characters described in the books. Ralph Fiennes brings a certain chilling insouciance and style to the character of Voldemort, making him more accessible and human, but a human who LIKES being evil.

The translation of the books into movies was well done, thanks to the determined efforts of Ms. Rowling to keep the movies true to the spirit of her work. With only minor changes to the plot lines to satisfy the limitations of movie-making, all eight of the movies were able to bring the fun, the wonder, and the magic of her stories to millions of people who hadn’t read the books.

This was a challenge of no little stature, as the art of movie-making turned its technological eye on making people believe in the magic onscreen. This is harder than it sounds, but with the new power of computer animation and advances in film technology, the challenge was met, and the world now has the entire epic in two formats, written and digitized. I predict that it will remain atop the list of the world’s favorite stories for centuries to come……

“Pity not the living, Harry, pity the dead. Especially, pity those who live without love.” — Albus Dumbledore, ibid
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“Don’t SAY things. What you ARE stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson — Social Aims

In a section above, we spoke about the nimrods who are currently showing off their ignorance on center stage of the nightly news, and how they are oblivious to their own flaws. This famous little snippet from Emerson should be brought to their attention, as it describes perfectly the plot-line of the play in which they find themselves acting out their parts. It could save them, and us, a lot of heartache and wasted time, as well as money.

I am, however, unwilling to wager on whether they will pay any more attention to this than they do to the bald truths they are already ignoring…. I have a feeling that they’ll just look at it, scratch their heads, and walk away from it; that’s their usual response to any truth that doesn’t mesh with their agenda…..
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Well, my schedule is all screwed up, thanks to age-related kinks in the system…. my activity level nears the frenzy level around the first of the month, as I try to dole out a bit of gelt to all those nice folks who say I owe them. It’s a catch-22, for sure, as they dun me for what I’ve already consumed, yet try to get me to consume more of whatever it is, before I’ve finished paying for the old stuff.  Ah well, life in the fast lane, I suppose….. all will be well, in time….. in the meantime, y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!