Ffolkes,

“You cannot do a kindness too soon,
for you never know how soon it will be too late.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

Acting cute….

Hajime…. In the Golden Age of Science Fiction, an author named A. E. Van Vogt wrote books which were, and are, quite popular among aficionados of the genre, whether new, or old, such as myself. Personally, I had read half a small town library full of it, along with my other reading, by the time I graduated from high school, and moved away to attend UC Berkeley, in 1968. Of them, three in particular are in my mind today, as I sit to begin today’s Pearl.

The three books are titled, “The Voyage of the Space Beagle”, “The Weapon Shops of Isher”. and, “The World of Null-A”. Each of them, for me contains a certain idea, or set of ideas, which were, and are, embedded in my world-view, either as basic data/information to be considered in all transactions with reality, or regularly used as a means of ordering my own thoughts for optimal possibilities for positive results, meaning, I will be comfortable with whatever takes place. After all comfort is what we humans are seeking, in the final analysis… It might be more accurate to say we wish to not be uncomfortable. which we do not enjoy, and will go to extreme efforts to avoid.

By this time, you will, no doubt (given my sobriquet, you should realize how significant it is for me to say that….), be wondering just what the hell is going on here, with good reason. I claim to be honest, so, what the hell, I’ll be honest. I’m drunk. Soused might be closer to the exact degree, but, drunk gives y’all the correct flavor of my status. In actuality, the flavor is honey; Jim Beam Honey to be precise. Damn good stuff. I find it to have a flavor requiring no chaser, as well as a pleasantly slow onset of inebriation, enabling the sort of loquacity you are currently witnessing, as I type merrily along, knowing full well I will have to re-read it in the morning, to make sure there isn’t anything too, well, drunk, to make it unworthy of posting.

Of course, if that happens, you’ll never know, will you? Wonderful thing, delete buttons. Okay, where was I? Oh, right. A. E. Van Vogt….. So, to be succinct….

In the “Space Beagle”, the concept of a new field of science, named Nexism, was outlined. The concept was based on the idea of everything in the universe being connected, which, when properly understood, can lead to understanding of how human perceptions can be manipulated, through the connections to the real world, of which most of us humans are not aware. A short example: emotions, such as unreasoning fear, can be stimulated by the application of subsonic sounds, combined with semi-audible propaganda, in conjunction with visual stimuli in strobe pulses.

In the Weapons Shops of Isher, the concept of resisting overwhelming force, in a strategic, tactical sense, was explored through a story which is an obvious metaphor for modern culture. It approached the idea from unusual direction, which of itself taught the lesson to be learned….. This has led me to my recent thoughts and ideas regarding low-tech solutions to high-tech weaponry, with some success, I might add.

Last, The World of Null-A, which refers to a world based on a concept of Non-Aristotelean progression of thought, moving outside the boundaries of order, to the inclusion of chaos. In all three books, the primary story line is fascinating enough to make the extraordinary seem common, making it easier to comprehend without reaction.

Here is where we get to the punch-line. It’s really too bad I’m now at the point where I must either pull this together into a point, or go to bed….. Here is the point. Or, points. All these books, in the world of metaphor, were speaking about human nature, and how that nature is, has, and can act in reality, whether to its advantage, or detriment. All our flaws, as well as all our talents and characteristics of extraordinary capability, are shown in a realistic, in full acknowledgment of our weaknesses, and celebration of our strengths. As such, they fit very well into my own predilection for a universe in which it is possible to be all we are able to be…. and, not in a US Army sort of way…..

Pretty grandiose, eh? Oh, well, chalk it up to the whiskey, if you wish. I certainly did. Hey, it got us to this point on the page, with what turned out to be a rather entertaining little piece of blather. In case y’all didn’t catch the transition, it’s morning, I’m no longer inebriated, & after reading the above, I can honestly say, I won’t be trying to write while drunk any more. While it ain’t bad, and, by gosh there isn’t a single typo I can find, it’s not exactly the finest piece of mental acrobatics of my career. Go figure, right?

Ah, well, such is life in the blogosphere; you never know quite what you might find. Today, you found an epic Pearl, so, why don’t we get on with the slow, by getting it on the toad…..

Shall we pearl?….

“A man who carries a cat by the tail is getting experience that will always be helpful.
He isn’t likely to grow dim or doubtful.
Chances are, he isn’t likely to carry the cat that way again, either.
But if he wants to, I say let him!”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

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Kate Wolf

Image from www.youtube.com via Google Images

Today’s musical selection is a compilation of most of this artist’s recorded songs, which comprises her body of work, as she passed away several years ago…. Outside California, she isn’t too well known, I think; here, she is an iconic figure, representing what I believe to be the best of folk music….. A voice like a clear bell, and all the compassion and love in the world come through in every word she sings…. Enjoy, ffolkes; it doesn’t get any better….

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Kate Wolf

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“Irreverence is the champion of liberty and its one sure defense.”

~~ Mark Twain, Notebook, 1888 ~~

Today we have a graphic example of what Mr. Twain spoke of so eloquently in the above quote. I often forget to use humor in my ranting, yet it remains our greatest weapon to use against those who would treat the rest of the species as prey. Laughing at them is much more effective than any thousand words of indictment….. Nobody in our time was better at this than George Carlin, so, for today, you get George, instead of me, ranting…. Try to enjoy, let yourself laugh as necessary, and think about it all, for it’s all true as the day is long….. In a few appropriate spots, I have added a pearl or three, to help the thought processed move in the right direction….

Also, at the end of the section, you will find a link, to the site of a friend, where he has put together some excellent memes regarding modern life which I found to be perfectly rational, and good to see. Go check it out, and listen particularly to what is said in the final meme, from an unexpected source….

“A likely impossibility is always preferable to an unconvincing possibility”

~~ Aristotle ~~

“It could probably be shown by facts and figures
that there is no distinctly native American criminal class
except Congress.”

~~ Mark Twain Following the Equator (1897) ~~

“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers”
.
~~ William Shakespeare, “Henry VI”, Part IV ~~

https://talesfromtheloublog.wordpress.com/2016/07/08/memes-in-the-matrix/
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Here is a poem I wrote last year, while living in Hell…. Don’t know why, but, it seems like the right choice for today’s mess….

Infidelia

There’s a certain
panache,
almost a feeling of
glory,
one feels
upon returning

from

Hell

to

Purgatory.

Or,
so those say,
who say those
sorts of things,
I guess.

I don’t know,

for sure.

I didn’t go

there.

I only went

to

Hell.

I only live

in

Purgatory.

But,

I like it.

Right now,

anyway.

Other times,

not

so much.

It’s not bad,
if I don’t
think.

Sigh.

Too bad.
I
do.

~~ gigoid ~~

11/17/2015.

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Naked Pearls

Classic Notes on the Process of Living

*******

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”

~~ Semisonic’s “Closing Time” ~~

*******

“The best way out is always through.”

~~ Robert Frost ~~

*******

“I never like to think of the future. It comes soon enough.”

~~ Albert Einstein ~~

*******

“But what am I?
An infant crying in the night:
An infant crying for the light,
And with no language but a cry.”

~~ Alfred Tennyson — In Memoriam, liv, Stanza 5 ~~

*******

“Do you agree?” — Blake

“Do I have a choice?” — Avon

“Yes” — Blake

“Then I agree” — Avon

*******

“If a man insisted always on being serious,
and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation,
he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.”

~~ Herodotus ~~

*******

“For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, after a second or so, nothing continued to happen.”

~~ Douglas Adams, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” ~~

*******

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Done. I was a bit unsure if it would ever get this far, apparently, like with most of our fears, without good reason. I could explore that, but, I’ll be good, so I can persuade one or two of y’all to come back tomorrow, when I’ll give this another shot. Until then, let’s all try to be good to each other, okay? Okay! See y’all on the flip side, as we used to say downtown….

Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…

When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….