Chicken bones for dessert….

Posted on November 12, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

Xenophanes said,

“I confess myself the greatest coward in the world,

for I dare not do an ill thing.”

~~ Plutarch ~~

~~ Of Bashfulness ~~

A Storm on the Horizon

Leelu in full PK mode

Hajime…. For any Gentle Readers who are wondering why I’m continuing to use the Japanese opening for today’s Pearl, well, I’ll tell ya…. It’s like this: As I write this, it isn’t morning. It isn’t even evening, really, as it will be, in a short time, what is best described by Eric Clapton in his song, “After Midnight”…. That’s pretty clear, right? It’s the fucking middle of the night, again, and, here we sit, me & Leelu, working on a Pearl instead of sleeping, as my body/mind would REALLY like to be doing.

Why I’m up again isn’t important, though it’s probably relevant. But, any sort of discussion would just set me off again, I’d start ranting, and we’d never get out of the intro. So, I’m passing on that, and we’ll go straight to something more fruitful, or, at minimum, less offensive and rude. We do like to avoid rude, whenever possible. Mom wouldn’t like it if we were rude…. We don’t like to disappoint Mom, do we? No, of course not….

The question now, however, becomes once more problematic, as we are proscribed from using the same trick twice. My box of literary tricks is rather empty right now; what with all the recent time spent finding my way back from Hell, I haven’t had a lot of time to read, or study, or, for that matter, think as much as I’d like. Though we are both body and mind in one, the body’s complaints sure seem to take precedence when they occur; this makes it hard to use the mind to balance whatever is happening…. One can persuade one’s self Reality isn’t actually happening for only so long; at that point, Reality switches tools, from a scalpel to a sledge hammer. and has its way, regardless of whether we can fool ourselves, or not….

I’m pretty good at fooling myself, as are most of us human types. This doesn’t mean I like it; I can just accept it…. Now, where were we? And, where were we going? Oh, right, intro. Okay, it looks as if we have enough to satisfy the licensing board, so, why don’t we let Luigi have some more fun, and use the turbo booster? Everybody strapped in? Okay, Luigi, it’s all yours…. (Don’t worry, ffolkes; if we crash, we’ll just switch over to the Tardis, travel back to this instant, & start over….)

Shall we Pearl?….

“Skeptics laugh in order not to weep.”

~~ Anatole France ~~

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Tom Waits ~ Stencil by The MIVC

Image from 8tracks.com via Google Images

Unique. It’s the only word for Tom Waits; his voice, his musical talent, his lyrics, his persona. Another of mankind’s treasures, to my way of thinking. You can decide for yourself…. This was his debut album, released at age 24; on the page listed below, you can find all of the rest of his body of work, with extras…. Enjoy!….

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Tom Waits
Closing Time

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https://youtu.be/lndL46jiEFQ

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~~ Bruce Sterling ~~

Though I’m afraid he’s right, Mr. Sterling’s assertion does require some definition of terms; “moral relativism” just BEGS to be misinterpreted, in the sense that each person will filter the concept through their own moral viewpoint. So, in order for us to discuss it wit any degree of confidence, I’d best delineate why my own opinion runs, if not parallel, at least in the same quarter of the compass as his statement. Why don’t we do that? I dunno, why not?

Okay. I believe it, moral relativism means exactly what I described above. Each of us has our own moral code (hopefully); we view the world, and its activities, with that code coloring our perceptions. For example, a person who holds the belief they have the duty to help others will view a business transaction entirely differently than one who feels they are entitled to do unto others, first. One will sell their products at a fair price. with service given to each customer. The other will consistently overcharge for cheap products, and act as if they are doing a favor to sell at all.

You see, to me, that’s what moral relativism is; when people make a decision about how to interact with others, for whatever purpose it may be, a certain percentage of our species tends to think it is just fine to rationalize ANY sort of behavior, if it leads to them getting what they want. They can justify lying, stealing, even killing, in the pursuit of their desires, without any compunction, or, really, any thought at all about how others might be affected by their actions. Moreover, many of them are canny, and have learned how to manipulate others of their kind, who have a tendency to be violent, to do their bidding…. They call them ‘police’ these days….

“Our legislators are not sufficiently apprized of the rightful limits of their power; that their true office is to declare and enforce only our natural rights and duties, and to take none of them from us.” — Thomas Jefferson, 1816

As Tom’s observation from the early days of the Union show, the problems we face today have their origins in that very same beginning, as those who serve only themselves worked their lies and manipulations to gain control of government almost before the ink was dry on the Constitution. He recognized in this, and other writings, how the bankers and preachers had conspired, naturally, as is their nature, to pervert the legislators from day one of the first Congress, lobbying to have their own wishes made law….

And they’ve done it. Our world today is under attack by large corporations, and their owners, who number far fewer than many might believe. They wish to control everyone’s habits, and finances, and health, and every other aspect they can seize. They have made sure the laws favor them over any other member of society, and now have almost free rein to attempt to order everyone’s lives, so we all live in the same houses, watch the same TV shows, eat the same poisonous foods, go to the same doctors who feed us more poisons, then send us to church on Sunday to celebrate our slavery, by worshiping a delusion who promises us our next incarnation will be better.

Bah, humbug! Not for me, thanks…. I’ll take it the same way it’s laid out in the Constitution of this nation, as written. Period.

gigoid, the dubious, has spoken.

So be it.

“When, in the course of human events,…. etc.”

~~ Declaration of Independence of the United States of America ~~

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For some reason, this one, though recently created, seems to fit in with today’s rant; since I can do what I want, here ’tis….

Mad Dogs at Bay

Wicked, angry, red scenes of imminent demise
haunt my dreams each night.
Fearful visions of destructive surprise
leave me sweating in terror, as well they might.

Small, mean, ugly, with beady little eyes,
pundits gather like maggots, bloated and vile,
grunting, snuffling, mumbling outlandish lies,
enslaving the ignorant with patience and guile.

Society’s denizens exist as volunteer slaves.
Living and dying by script, completely blind.
Never allowing any resentment, no making waves.
Never knowing joy, nor any peace of mind.

Free men will not be controlled, ’tis said;
No coercion, no illusion can cloud their sight.
No threats, no pain, no fear they dread;
their only duty to keep to the right.

Dreams are mere reflections of our inner fears,
whispering, close against doors shut fast.
Mocking our mostly irrelevant tears,
clearly marking the future as our sordid past.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 7/15/2015.

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What follows is what I would call a true pearl of virtual wisdom; in fact, in this case, it approaches the real thing. Most of it will definitely be on the Quiz, so, if I were y’all, I’d take notes, at least…..

“Reality is a group hunch.”

~~ Frank Zappa ~~
———-
“We do not perceive reality. We conceive it.”

~~ Oskar Haeml ~~
———-
“If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself.”

~~ Native American Proverb (Minquass) ~~
———-
“Never pretend to be something you’re not.”

~~ Things We Can Learn From Dogs ~~
———-
“Be and not seem.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
———-
“Truth never tranquilizes.
The defining property of truth is its ability to disturb.”

~~ Solomon Short ~~
———-
“Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.”

~~ Erich Fromm ~~
———-
“When someone loves you for a long time,
really loves you, then you become Real.
Generally, by the time you are Real,
most of your hair has been loved off,
your eyes drop out,
but this doesn’t matter . . .
when you are Real you can’t be ugly.”

~~ The Velveteen Rabbit ~~
———-
“Do not go gentle into that good night
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

~~ Dylan Thomas ~~

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Some of you may have noted, or, not, I failed to actually tell y’all why I used the opening word; it shows how easily we humans can be distracted by them, adding more evidence to yesterday’s discussion of Socrates thought on the use of language, and how it can be evil when used improperly. Which is, again, a digression. Each Pearl you’ve seen, and continue to see, has been a fight to produce; I’m in sad shape, in a lot of ways, and the mere fact it’s getting posted at all is a victory, in a way. It means I survived another fight, which, at times, is the only possible way to win at all.

Since it’s been such a daily fight, we begin as every Judo, Karate, and Japanese martial art of any sort begins a match…. The irony, of course, is we are done now, but, it does mean I’ve survived this far, at least. Now I post, then, begin the fight to survive to do it again tomorrow…. Considering my record so far, the odds look good again…

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….

Too late for palliative measures….

Posted on November 11, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Misfortune shows those who are not friends.”

~~ Aristotle ~~

Leaving Galway on a Train

Hajime…. There are times, such as today, when I wonder why I push myself to do this. Then, I just do it. That’s what we will have to do today, ffolkes, thanks to some physical issues demanding attention, and, the realization that Reality is about to step on me, big time. I’ll let y’all know if I live through it.

In the meantime, I got most of this done last night during one of my insomniac periods during the night; even so, some of it is rather truncated, due to well, taking on more than I was prepared to handle. So be it. I have no more to say, until the end, so, let’s start working our way down to that end….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies because they become fashions.” — G. K. Chesterton, ILN, 4/19/30

********************************

Out on the town in Bedrock

Image from free-extras.com via Google Images

Yesterday, I made a slip of the fingers, typing ‘Fred and Wilma’, when I meant to type ‘Fred and Ethel’, referring to the Mertzes, of course. Since it reminded me of this show, which I had not used previously, I figured it would work today, which, oddly enough, it does. Enjoy!….

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The Flintstones

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https://youtu.be/tDHDGAJu7FI?list=PLQzuPQmNCoFaohiJt-XUD66qfsSgunV2m

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“The misuse of language induces evil in the soul.”

~~ Socrates ~~

Today’s rant will be more of an ‘exploration’ of an idea than our usual ‘explanation’ of how an idea functions, and the resultant angst that function creates in me. If you think about it, a rant is more of the latter, and thinking is what I’d like to encourage with this particular piece, in myself, and in the Gentle Reader, if you acquiesce. Otherwise, it may get a bit boring, or, at least, uninteresting, two related, yet, not equal states. The second is not necessarily a choice, the first always is…. but, once again, I digress. The idea Socrates brings up in the above quote is our focus, so, let’s examine it while I have the wherewithal, and the urge….

In this assertion, Socrates echoes an opinion I’ve seen expressed by other sages, to wit: the language we choose to use in our speech influences our thinking, thus affecting our behavior, equally as much as the process works the other direction, with our thoughts influencing speech. When we choose, as we often do, we humans, to allow our feelings to guide what we say, rather than what we may think, it tends to roughen our language; it becomes simpler, perhaps, and plainly expressive, but, with such feeling attached, often negative, it becomes vulgar. This can lead to allowing feelings to dictate behavior as well, so, the common use of vulgarity tends to encourage that indulgence. To maintain a rational level of sustainability for all in our interactions, upon which our behavior is such a vital factor in the outcome, we must learn to detach ourselves from the feelings involved, and that is best encouraged by using language that does not retreat into either excessive passion, or vulgarity.

Not to say vulgarity doesn’t have its place in language; anyone who DOESN’T cut loose with some serious vulgarity when a carbon-steel hammer comes down unexpectedly on their finger is missing out on the best way to release the frustration, if not the pain. And, if they HAVEN’T done so, well, quite frankly, I’d put down serious money to bet they’re lying about that…. We all have our secrets, especially those who deny ever having evil thoughts, or having never made a moral or ethical mistake i.e., a bad choice, of words perhaps most often…. Since much of the language I hear in the mainstream culture to which I’m exposed is pretty vulgar, as a whole, when not merely perverse and ignorant, I would say Socrates’ point has been made rather graphically.

So, now we know evil is rampant in the world, as evidenced by the language you can hear any/every day, in the news, movies, on TV, on the radio, on the net, all of it together makes up a picture of culture, and, by all I can tell, this one is pretty well fucked. I mean, just look at religion, and the stranglehold it has, and has had on society for practically forfuckingever…. I’m not the only one to have noticed you know; just read some of the lesser known passages in the Bible, describing the victories the ancient tribes had in their wars to spread the word of Yahweh, the bloodthirsty asshole… Oops, sorry, didn’t mean to get vulgar…. Let’s see what somebody else has/had to say on the subject….

“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’m afraid this rant has gone a bit south on me; I keep finding pearls which, though they fit in with the overall theme, exploring how society has gone wrong over time, also seem to want to go all over the map to find those responsible for much of it…. For example, while thinking of how to next demonstrate the principle we’re dealing with, i.e. how our language reflects our attitudes, and thus, our reality, Smart Bee gave me the following pearl, defining another class of people who have caused more than their fair share of damage to others…. our old friends (NOT!…), solicitors/counsel/officers of the court, to wit: lawyers, or as most of us here on the streets call them, fuckheads in suits…..

Q: What do you call 5000 dead lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A: A good start! — Smart Alec Bee

Lawyers, of course, once they have rotted on the vine for a while, generally become politicians, so, Smart Bee came up with the following pearl to show his diverse talents….

“Anyone can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error.” — Cicero

Gee, does this remind y’all of anything you may have seen/heard before about the post-larval lawyer class? For example, in the news lately, we see how the US government, at the behest of, and in collusion with the Big Pharmacy companies, have conspired to keep the knowledge of how powerful a cancer drug cannabis is, for more than 40 years. The FACT that cannabis cures cancer has been withheld from the American people and the world for all that time, the secret held by a few traitorous politicians and their pet scientists. In short, all of the more than 20 million people in this country who died from cancer since 1976, when the research was classified, have been, essentially, murdered by their own government….

http://www.naturalnews.com/051881_cannabis_oil_cancer_treatment_Big_Pharma.html

Okay, I’m sick of talking about those assholes, the scum of our species, the oligarchs, politicians, preachers, pimps, police myrmidons, professional military assholes, and especially lawyers, who prey upon their fellow man… To finish off this now epic diatribe, let’s go 180º, and find some pearls to show us how things COULD be, if we just kicked their asses to the curb….

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” — Greek Proverb

“The difference between a moral man and a man of honor is that the latter regrets a discreditable act, even when it has worked and he has not been caught.” — Henry L. Mencken

“It is our duty to make the best of our misfortunes, and not to suffer passion to interfere with our interest and public good.” — George Washington

“Let us face a pluralistic world in which there are no universal churches, no single remedy for all diseases, no one way to teach or write or sing, no magic diet, no world poets, and no chosen races, but only the wretched and wonderfully diversified human race.” — Jacques Barzun

That’s all, ffolkes. I’m done, having bitten off more than I can chew. At least I spit it out….

********************************

Fine and Good, Good and Fine

A pig in a poke’s got nothing on me,
cuz I’m as confused as a man can be.
This ol’ world’s got me spinnin’ around
cussin’ and spittin’, a penny for a pound.

Forty ‘leven times since I was a kid, well,
I’ve fallen in love, ‘least too close to tell.
Every damn time, it all went to crap,
Forty ‘leven times I’ve felt like a sap.

‘Course, each time it happens, I forget the last;
why not? I’m havin’ such a blast….
Livin’ in each moment, filled with joie de vivre,
’til it’s all gone away again, nothin’ left up my sleeve.

Don’t want y’all to think I’m sad or blue,
life’s full of sorrow, lots for me, and/or you..
T’other side of that coin, we can be glad,
is joyful love, and that ain’t at all bad.

My road’s been littered with parts o’my heart,
each one colored with trust, which ain’t always smart.
Yet, long as I don’t lose my connection to joy,
I’ll find my own true love, and be a happy boy.

It’s been some kinda fun, even when I’d take a fall,
and doin’ it over makes no sense at all, at all
Day after day, I keep on keepin’ on, as it’s said;
Guess I’ll keep on doin’ that ’til I’m dead.

‘Nuff said….

~~ gigoid, tongue firmly in cheek….

Written 3/23/2013.

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It’s a pearl, and that’s about all I have to say at this point. It does have a meaning; I’m just not up to explaining it. Enjoy, anyway, please….

“Some people are, through no fault of their own, sane.” — Smart Bee, talking about gigoid again

“A dead man cannot bite.” — Gnaeus Pompeius (Pompey)

“Fortune is unstable, while our will is free.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Epicurus, xxvii

“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” — Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne

“Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.” — Doug Larson

“A man makes no noise over a good deed, but passes on to another as a vine to bear grapes again in season.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Meditations, v, 6

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

“It’s not what we don’t know that gets us into trouble, it’s what we know that ain’t so.’ — Will Rogers

“Dreaming permits each and everyone of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives.” — Charles William Dement

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It’s done, and that’s the best I can say of it. Moreover, it’s all I SHALL say, for I am, for once, out of words. See y’all tomorrow…. I hope.

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….

Bill them for the bastardized version…

Posted on November 10, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

~~ The Beatles, The last lyric of their last song ~~

Memorial to the Famine Victims, Galway, Ireland

Boy howdy, ffolkes…. Life, in all its glory, can be a bumpy ride at times; I guess that’s what drugs are all about. Of course, such a smarmy, sardonic statement so early in the day indicates a somewhat less than perfect status of the mind to take as a good sign, but, I think we can overcome any objections anyone might have, by merely saying, if you ain’t tried it, you don’t have nothing to say. Or, as Lily Tomlin, I believe, once put it, “Reality is for those people who can’t handle drugs.”….

All controversy aside, it’s a decent morning, thanks in part to the magic of cannabis, along with a bit of marginally risky application of a thaumaturge disguised as a cabbie, I’m alive, awake, and typing. Who knew? But, again, I digress, out of sheer relief and gratitude for a job well done, if not fully completed, or documented. This completes your morning dose of prevarication tempered with real-time compassionate intent, all for the amazingly low price of (FREE)!. What a deal!

And, hell, I’ll throw in the nonsense for nothing, too. We’ve got plenty in stock, believe me. By the way, the Pearl you will find below is not merely an odd one, it was unique, in that none of it was particularly vituperative, or even very snarky. It is, however, complete as I can make it, and that will have to do, as always. We don’t have any contracts right now, anyway, so it’s all part of the service we provide in these slack times for everyone. Besides, that way, we can keep up your dependence without having to spend anything extra…. bonus!

I can’t think of anything more for this section; I’ve emptied out my bag of BS already. I guess we’ll just give Luigi his head again, and get on over to the oyster beds, before we get into any deeper water. Hang on, ffolkes, he’s getting a little rambunctious these days…..

Shall we Pearl?….

It is better to deserve honours and not have them than to have them and not to deserve them.” — Mark Twain

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Lucille Ball

Image from ebay.com via Google Free Images

Lucille Ball was one of the most powerful women in Hollywood during her day, long before powerful women were even seen as such. She lived her life exactly as she wished, and for that, if nothing else, deserves our respect. She’s also one of the greatest comediennes to ever trod the stage or screen. Enjoy ffolkes, as we all did as kids, for a half-hour to an hour a week, when Lucy, Desi, Fred, and Wilma (oops, Ethel….wrong sitcom) joined the entire USA in their living rooms….

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I Love Lucy

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https://youtu.be/aqSY3C_2woA

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Le Penseur, The Thinker, by August Rodin

I don’t feel like ranting today; so be it…. Here instead is some self-revelation, all of which still applies…. Damn! Too much consistency enters the realm of hobgoblinship, so to speak. Oh, well, I like me, mostly, so, we’ll go with what Brother John told us, and “Let it be”…..

Last posted on 7/21/2014:

From 11/30/2013:

A man who can fool chiefs, and even gods, must still face the monsters he himself created.” — Old Maori saying

Introspection has always been a hobby of mine, but, since turning the ripe old age of 63, (note from the future; made it to 65…) it seems to have become even more of a time-consuming process for me than has been true for most of my life….

I can remember laying on my bed in the state of Washington, when my father was stationed there at Fort Lewis…. I would stare at the bottom of my brother’s upper bunk, and imagine all manner of things, including about myself, and my place in the universe…. Even at the tender age of 8 or 9, as the son of an Army sergeant, I had been many places, and seen more of the world than is usual for anyone other than Army brats…. our proud designation for ourselves…. The quest to maintain one’s personality in the face of all the changes going on around us gave me the impetus to perpetually be aware of more than is the norm for kids of that age; at least, it always seemed so, from what I can tell from my knowledge of others of that age….

Now that I’ve reached an age that completely got skipped in my earlier musings of what life would be like, I seem to be thinking back and forth more often, making connections with the past that explain certain elements of my own persona as they manifest today…. My hair, for example…. (I know, I know, my hair isn’t generally the subject of a rant, but, that’s not really what this is…. this is more of a…. a retrospective, yeah, that’s it…. a retrospective…. so, calm down, I’m not going to get all graphic, or gloomy, or pick at anyone in particular, other than myself…. ‘kay?…. ‘Kay!….)

So, I was looking at my picture on my About page, and can only say that, well, there I am…. My hair is even longer now, (a bit grayer, too….). as I see no particular reason to cut it…. which is the root thought that stimulated this entire subject today…. A little while ago, I was standing outside a moment, with my hair not yet tied back into the usual ponytail, and the wind was blowing it around a bit…. I started to get annoyed, then realized I could only blame myself for it getting in my face, because the solution to that problem is right over there in the drawer, where the scissors live…. I thought to myself, how many times has someone asked me, “why don’t you cut your hair?”, and realized I couldn’t count that high….

My own reaction to that particular query is to think, (again…), to myself, “Well, actually, the question that occurs to me to ask is, why don’t I NOT cut my hair?”…. It seems to me, when I stop to consider the matter logically, and reasonably, that if the hair grows, as it has always done, it must have some sort of evolutionary purpose for doing so, right? It seems logical to me…. Therefore, it seems logical to ask, as well, “who am I to fuss with evolution?” This line of reasoning, naturally, tends to piss of most of the folks who make the original statement to me…. but, I figure that sort of anger is a personal problem, don’t you? I can’t go around taking the heat for what other people don’t like about me, when their anger is based on THEIR beliefs, not mine….

In a way, I suppose it’s the old hippie in me…. Aha, you say, now we’re getting to the meat of the matter! And, typically, I am supposed to say, at this point, “Just what do you mean by that? I don’t know what you’re talking about….” Then, I smile, and get on with what I was doing, which is explaining why being a hippie is not what most people would think…. I mean, there were a lot of popular misconceptions floating around all during the 60’s (Believe me, it was a very confusing time…. I know, I was there….), when there were a lot of people who thought that there was something wrong, or even evil, about being described as one of those misunderstood knights of the sub-culture….

Yes, I said knights…. Jedi knights, before they were the iconic, eternal, peaceful warrior as made popular in later years…. Hippies were the knights of the 60’s and 70’s, diligently tilting at all the windmills we could find, poking our noses into the business of the military-industrial complex, which I now refer to as the BRC, until they were sick of the sight of anyone with long hair…. Back in the day, even the most rigid of conservative hawks understood that they were witnessing a change of culture, and there was nothing they could do to alter the course that history was taking…. The power of love, and compassion, and freedom swept through the entire world, as well as refreshing American society, with repercussions still being felt today….

One of the most important characteristics of hippies that I don’t think most people understood is that we were only interested in revolution in the sense that revolution means change; no hippie worth the name ever wished to violently overthrow anything that didn’t threaten violence first…. But, it is also true that real hippies have no objection to using violence to defend themselves, a fact which always comes as a big surprise to those who would try to oppress them. As with any tool, honor has to be the regulatory agency for determining which tool should be used, and how…. This, sadly, is a concept that those who prey on other people, who seek power over them, can never truly understand, as it is not a part of their perception of reality….

I see that I’ve reached a point where this must either get very pointed, or fade into the background for the time being…. I’m feeling mellow, due to re-connecting with the halcyon days of my youth, so I’ll show mercy here, and opt for the latter…. Besides, I’m all out of introspection for the nonce, and there’s no telling when it might drop back by…. I’ll leave y’all with one final pearl, to seal the deal….

“Oh, how we fear the metamorphoses through which we truly become fledged humans, real mensches of the species homo sapiens. Yet even if we do not willingly undergo them, changes pursue us just the same. The woman who never bears a child metamorphoses in different ways. We may dig in our heels and dare life never to change, but, all the same, it changes under our feet like sand under the feet of a sea gazer as the tide runs out. Life is forever undermining us. Life is forever washing away our castles, reminding us that they were, after all, only sand and sea water.” — Erica Jong: Parachutes and Kisses

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This one goes with the above treatise, as it was last posted on the same date last year…. Enjoy!….

Roses for Noses

I have a bozoid personality, of the first degree;
nobody, I mean nobody, knows that better than me.
I often wonder, as the world goes around, and around
how many others have realized just what I’ve found….

I know for a fact, I’m not the only bozoid one;
too many people laughing out there, having fun.
Is their laughter, though, at themselves first?
Or is it some other impulse, like purple liverwurst”….

I’ve always loved to make others laugh and giggle,
since my tender youth, when my ears began to wiggle.
The world is full of humor, but not always easy to find
so laughing at myself I learned never to mind….

We bozos know each other, here, there, and everywhere
there’s no hiding such joy, it just wouldn’t be fair.
We all have one feature, our great bulbous nose,
and there’s no doubt at all, cuz it just grows….

There’s nothing like a good, big mistake, a disaster,
to show us the folly of living life faster and faster.
Nothing in the world can ever take the place,
of seeing in the mirror, a happy, smiling face….

Don’t be shy, just let it all hang out;
we bozos have more fun, there’s no doubt.
Life’s too somber and gray if we let it get on top
if we don’t stay loose, the pain won’t ever stop….

My advice to all of you, out there in the world,
let noses grow round & red, keep hair tightly curled.
Find a way to let your spirit out often to play,
you’ll never once regret any price you pay.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 1/27/2013.

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I’d call this an Advice on Life at Large pearl, if I had my way. Oh, wait. Right. My blog. Okay, it’s an advice pearl…. Enjoy, ffolkes, it’s got some good stuff in it, which, if utilized, can make your life, well, better…. Try it, you’ll like it….

“Sleep is the best meditation.” — Tenzin Gyatso, XIV Dalai Lama

“Do not speak harshly to any one; those who are spoken to will answer thee in the same way. Angry speech is painful: blows for blows will touch thee.” — The Dhammapada (c. BC 300)

“Do not handicap your children by making their lives easy.” — Lazarus Long

“Just think of the tragedy of teaching children not to doubt.” — Clarence Darrow

“You cannot run away from a weakness; you must some time fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not now, and where you stand.” — Robert Louis Stevenson, _The Amateur Emigrant_

“A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

“Only that in you which is me can hear what I’m saying.” — Baba Ram Dass

“Why should we take advice on sex from the Pope? If he knows anything, he shouldn’t.” — George Bernard Shaw

(Oops! Sorry, that one slipped by me…. but, it’s funny as hell, isn’t it? I guess, it fits, if one looks at it with the right eyes…. Okay, one last good one, to make up the difference….)

He that will not reason is a bigot.
He that cannot reason is a fool.
He that dares not reason is a slave.

~~ William Drummond, “Academical Questions” ~~

********************************

Leelu is lobbying HEAVILY for the application of her morning cuddle & scritch, so, we’re done, as she INSISTS it happen NOW! See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, as long as the sun comes up. Odds are good on that.

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….

Pugilists do it with padded gloves….

Posted on November 9, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Why doesn’t everybody leave everybody else the hell alone?”

~~ Jimmy Durante ~~

Abbey Court B&B, London

Hajime…. ‘Hajime’, (Hah gee may) is the Japanese word for “begin”, used at the start of all martial arts matches…. I figured, since I have to go through a fairly brutal fight to get most of these done, it’s appropriate. And, if not, well, it gave us something to put at the top, right? Right. Now we can go on to even bigger, and, no doubt, better things…. I’m a natural optimist, you see….

I’m also a natural Bozo, though, so, it balances out, as all things must in the end. One must, after all, take such matters into account when deciding how to approach our Life at Large; otherwise, it all seems too complex to bother with. Trying to make sense of what we see, especially when it concerns the behavior of our own species, is usually more effort than the result is worth; that’s probably why we end up with all these religions, and governments, and other forms of unnatural bullshit. If nothing else, it’s a grand distraction from what we SHOULD be doing with ourselves….

Everyone, of course, has their own idea of what that SHOULD entails, which is why is gets so complex. Ah well, I guess we’re not going to make any sense out of it here in the intro; if ten thousand years of history hasn’t brought us any order out of the chaos, it’s certainly not going to happen in three or four paragraphs, especially paragraphs such as these seem to be, or, at least, were meant to be. Whatever THAT may mean….

Yep…. It’s pretty clear, isn’t it? I’ve lost it, completely. This means I’ll have to take a short break here, after wrapping up this section, to go find what’s left of my mind before continuing on…. For now, we’d probably just let Luigi have his head again; it sure is saving us a lot of time, and, around here, that’s a good thing…. Let’s do this, okay?….

Shall we Pearl?….

“A child is a person who can’t understand why someone would give away a perfectly good kitten.” — Doug Larson

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royalty-free-clip-art-vector-logos-of-black-and-orange-floral-acoustic-guitars-by-seamartini-graphics-6573

We’re having a bit of trouble today, which isn’t unusual…. Rather than fight it, we’ll just fall back on several centuries of classical music to find a bit of listening pleasure….. Enjoy!….

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Classical Music

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https://youtu.be/n_0Qix6qf5g

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Today’s rant is from the archives, written during the period before the 2012 election here in the US. I like it, but, then I wrote it, which is more than I’m capable of today…. Enjoy!…

From 4/19/2012:

“Ignorance can be compounded, made denser, until the light of our spirits is smothered.” — Deng Ming-Dao

As I read this pearl, my immediate thought was that it is a very clear, very accurate take on the 2012 election process that is currently unfolding before us in the daily news. The end of the political scale that is represented so raggedly by what is left of the Republican Party, and the mislabeled liberal end of the scale who claim to be Democrats, are both engaging in ongoing battles to see who can display the deepest ignorance.

The leading candidate for the “loyal opposition” to the party in power, Mr. Romney, seems to have a proclivity for alienating the very people from whom he is trying to win votes; women, immigrants and Hispanics, animal lovers, seniors, teachers and students, all have been told, in no uncertain terms, that they matter not at all to him. His plan? We’ll stop taxing the rich altogether, and that will fix everything…. Sometimes I wonder if he is getting all of his information on voter wants and issues of importance from old newspapers from the 1980’s, because he certainly hasn’t a clue as to what is happening out in America in this decade….

The other party, led by our first Black President, is busy hiding what the left hand is doing by distracting everyone with the tax and healthcare issues, to keep them unaware of how few of the Bill of Rights are left to us. “Executive Orders” signed by the POTUS this year, beginning on New Year’s Eve, while the voters were all busy celebrating the advent of the new year, include provisions that allow police to stop, search, and arrest any citizen of this country whom they suspect of any form of terrorism, or even of protest against the provisions of those orders.

These same police are not required to tell ANYONE that they have arrested and imprisoned a citizen, nor are they ever required to provide any evidence of their suspicions in a court of law. Even though there may be no evidence, they can subject these CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY to torture to obtain a confession, or whatever it is they are after. There is no oversight to these orders; they don’t go before Congress to be approved, nor are they reviewed by the courts. Both of those particular checks on the power of the Executive Branch are completely out of the loop on this…. and they aren’t even complaining about it!

Does it physically hurt to be that stupid? — Smart Bee

My guess at the answer to this is, No. It can’t hurt very much to be that stupid, as we continue to go out each time there is an election and vote these same lying, cheating, avaricious assholes back into the same positions from which they have been oppressing the American people for oh, a hundred or so years now. I’d say that around the time of the Depression was when the first real strangle-hold on the national throat was first achieved…. the pure bullshit the government was spewing back then can be seen to have been the first real time that the government’s outrageous lies were swallowed whole by a reluctant public, who had nothing else to eat, and thus nothing else to risk…

“He was born stupid, and greatly increased his birthright.” — Samuel Butler

So, how does it feel? Does it physically hurt to be so stupid as to be part of the crowd that continues to buy into all the bullshit lies that our own government heaps upon us every day? To keep going to the polls, just as if it really matters who gets elected? Get real, folks. You will not find a name on the ballot that belongs to someone who is not a willing tool of the powers of oppression, the money-changers who are the power behind the scenes of every government in the world. Not going to happen; they’ve been the real power in the world for centuries, and they’re not about to give up all they have, just to be nice, or because they’ve all of a sudden grown a heart.

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting pretty fucking tired of being lied to, and cheated, and looked at as just another idiot for them to shit on….. and I’m not going to put up with it for much longer, without some kind of return fire….. believe it…. I don’t think I am alone in this, either…. No way to tell for sure, but I find it hard to believe that EVERYONE is falling for all of it…. but, even if I’m alone in this, I refuse to knuckle under any further, and can only say that I will do all I can to see things turn in a direction that will return my Rights, and those of the rest of the American people…. or at least those not stupid enough to hand them over without a fight….

“He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

********************************

Gently Came a Wounded Child

But you shall not escape my iambics.

Soft, sinuous patterns of unearthly beauty
blithely commune with sinking stars,
as pale shadows of former virtue hover
near, ever clean, ever tolerant.
These unbidden habits are worn with age and care,
ready now for dissolution,
welcoming gladly the kiss of Death’s handmaiden.

Unknown to all, the child stands aside,
weeping for the lost days of youth,
days that now shall never be,
nor yearned for ever after.
Only darkness shall lay upon the landscape,
cold, hard, eternal.

Such then are the signs and portents
as we enter into the unknown future,
they are grave indeed.

Uncertainty will be our sole companion,
as the search for hope yields no result.
The lamentations of the gods
shall sound the elegy for Man,
who never learned to see the gift that was made,
so many echoes ago, in the hopeful past;
thus will we pass this plane of existence
as we came, baffled and afraid….

~~ gigoid ~~

written 2/2/2012.

********************************

Today’s final old-school pearl is what I’d call an Emily pearl; quiet, plain, unassuming, but, powerful and elegant, in its way. Oh, I do hope you like it!….

“All the knowledge in the world is not wisdom.” — Albert Einstein

“Men show their character in nothing more clearly than by what they think laughable.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Words are the physicians of a mind diseased.” — Aeschylus (525-456 BC) — Prometheus, 378

“Virtue knowing no base repulse, shines with untarnished honour; nor does she assume or resign her emblems of honour by the will of some popular breeze.” — Horace (B.C. 65-8)

“Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look there.” — Marcus Aurelius

“Action should culminate in wisdom.” — Bhagavad Gita

“…life is long enough if it is well-spent.” — Erasmus

********************************

Done. As such, nothing further needs be said, or done, beyond this final outburst. Which, today, will be brief. How brief? This brief. See ya….

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….

Baleful stares, tinged with envy….

Posted on November 7, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“The company of just and righteous men is better than wealth and a rich estate.”

~~ Euripides ~~

Trained consumers on Portobello Road

Another day dawns, bringing with it the promise of change, as it does each morning…. How we meet that possibility can determine not only how goes the day, but, lest we find some alertness quickly enough, for many days to follow…. It would be swell if I could figure out a way to recapture the feeling of power and hope with which it has been my wont to greet the day; these days it’s more a feeling of resignation combined with the will required to actually move my aching bones out of bed….

Fortunately for me, and, quite frankly, for everyone else who may come into contact with me today, there is coffee. Also quite frankly, on the day anyone tells me I would have to give it up, or die, well, I’m afraid that’s the day I’d die, even if it were true. Harsh, maybe, but, true as the day. But, I digress….

Not bad for trivial, eh? How else to start such a grand day at the office. Oh, wait. Never mind. Well, the triviality part is true, so, we’re good, even if we don’t have to go into any office any more. Hey, look, it’s a literary device! What will he think of next to get out of actually coming up with a real introduction? Easy, duh…. Anything at all will do, since the only way to find out is to keep coming back to see. Hah!

Whoops. No teasing the GR’s, dude, or I’ll take away the time you’re allowed to access the keyboard. Who am I talking to? Why? Does it matter? It COULD be one of my alternate personalities, ala The Belle Jar. It could be robot I once used to write, the day I didn’t feel like it. Or, it could just be another device, which, for those of y’all who’ve been here before, is the surest bet for any real money. But, again, I digress.

Why look, ffolkes! It’s an intro. It’s of legal length, has been in and out of reality at least three times in four paragraphs, and is still at a point where it could fall into a mini-rant, had I less discipline. As it is, I’ll once again bow to the one fatal flaw we humans share, our tendency to go for what is most expedient, by using this as another plot device to get us the hell out of here, and, on with the slow, er, show…. What did you expect at these prices, eh?

Shall we Pearl?….

“Don’t be confused by surfaces; in the depths everything becomes law. What is necessary, after all, is only this: solitude, vast inner solitude. Walk inside yourself and meet no one for hours–that is what you must be able to attain.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

********************************

The Divine Miss M in Flight

Image from wsj.com via Google Images

Okay, so, the recording quality on this one isn’t the best; You Tube can be inconsistent, depending on the age of the recording and the skill of the recorder. But, Bette’s laser voice is in clear evidence, and that’s good enough for me…. Enjoy, ffolkes; she’s one of the best performers ever, in my opinion, with one of the most expressive voices I’ve ever heard.

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Bette Midler
Kiss My Brass Concert
2004

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https://youtu.be/WyxY-Cl4XUM

*********************************

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Having been offline so long, I’m still getting caught up to what’s been in the news of late (I don’t watch TV or listen to radio anymore….), my rants have little upon which to fix their focus, so, we’re dipping into the archives to sublimate…. Here’s one about the wealth gap, and the Asininnies, which I think remains relative…. Enjoy!….

From 1/31/2013:

“A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various and powerful interests, combined into one mass, and held together by the cohesive power of the vast surplus in the banks.” — Johann L. Uhland (1787-1862) — Speech, May 27, 1836

Mr. Uhland is correct in his observation, if a bit slow in making it. In truth, most likely, the usurpation of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights began within moments of its adoption as law, and has been continuing on a daily basis ever since. In the fight against that usurpation, a major battle was lost sometime around the middle of the 19th century, around 1836 or so, when a corrupt federal judge, at the insistence of his corporate masters, approved a legal decision that gave corporations the same rights as people, opening the door to further machinations by which the banks and corporations could, have, and continue to, steal from the public without consequence…..

Today, there is a new push to reform some of the laws that enable the moneylenders to control society as they do; the concept of corporate personhood is under fire by an enraged public, tired of the endless cycle of working to try to get ahead, only to find that there is no path visible to go anywhere but down. As that astute social philosopher, George Carlin, pointed out, they (the bankers and corporate rogues) don’t want a populace capable of critical thinking; they just want workers smart enough to operate the machines, but not smart enough to wonder why they are doing so for so little compensation.

Modern technology has, thanks to the Internet, made keeping this issue out of the public eye impossible, and the corporate stranglehold on society is being challenged much more often. In one sense, this newfound spread of information is holding back the needed changes, as a lot of energy is dissipated in the public discourse that might otherwise build up into the kind of frustration that leads to revolution, and societal upheaval. But, it is also making it much harder for the miscreants who want to control everyone else keep their machinations out of the public eye. There are too many holes for them to plug….

The power these self-serving assholes hold over the rest of us is accustomed to being able to hide from public scrutiny, and I’m sure there will be attempts made to curtail some of the information they are concerned about making common knowledge. In fact, according to some of my latest email updates from the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), there are a number of bills trying to get forced through Congress, without public discussion when possible, that are intended to limit the freedom of speech that is currently unrestricted, for the most part. A recent setback occurred when an honest judge (i.e., one that stayed bought….) rewarded his corporate masters with a decision regarding cell phones that is a serious threat to a number of technological freedoms…. In other words, the fight continues today, and it is just as important today as it was back in 1776, and 1836, when the battle was joined…

The Beloved Ruling Class, and their corporate owners, will do all they can to limit the public’s awareness of what they are doing, and they will continue to try to erode the rights of the common man. They have, by their historical behavior, and their current actions, indicated their intent quite clearly… and that intent is to arrange matters so that what they want is law, and the rest of us can go fuck ourselves silly…. because they don’t care. These people are not concerned with anything that does not serve their own ends, and will lie, cheat, steal, and kill to maintain their power…. This is not supposition, this is fact, based on history, and on observation of current events….

I guess the only real question to be answered is, how long are the rest of us going to allow them to have their way? They are killing us all with their indifference to anything but their own purposes, and we are letting them do it. Myself, I’m getting a bit tired of it, and would like to see society become a bit more active in the resistance shown to the chicanery toward the rest of us, all perpetrated by the Powers That Be… up to and including revolution…. But, then, that’s me…. I’m a bit impatient, and I’m tired of their shit….. I’m hoping more people are getting that way, as our only hope of survival in the long run is to kick the bastards out…..

“All the world over, I will back the masses against the classes.” — William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898)

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Old/New Glory

Political truth…
Oxymoronic, and trite.
Politics is crap.

~~ gigoid~~

written 7/29/2014

********

Confidentially Paranoid

Only when the bright sunlight of dreams draws nigh
can the dark glass of reality factor true value..
Destiny’s horses run in fear as time goes dry,
for grappling with fate in such traitorous venue.

In pallid costumes made of graven cast-off tales,
fallen angels and demons show the measure of faith.
No sad transactions should escape these well-marked trails,
no angry relatives cast insults to a sedentary wraith.

Meaning can always hide in literal cold intent,
yet show mere facets of honor to perishable youth.
Sincere contentions leave with sorrowful bent,
while bastardly arguments fill in poorly for the truth.

Gone are moments filled with florid blasts of rhyme
left to moulder on the shoulders of unreasonable hope.
Only courage can save these measures of unspoken time
to gather new issues, powerfully broad, painful in scope.

~~ gigoid ~~

written 2/25/2015

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This is what I’d call a pearl of destiny… Oh, not because I believe in destiny, naturally; way too constricting, especially if one attempts to account for reality. But, I digress. I call it that because it just sort of found its way to where it needed to be, all on its own. All I did is keep hitting the correct key to examine the next random oyster to find the right pearls. At first, it seemed to head one way, then veered off in another, finally settling in the form you see before you. Actually, I like the way it turned out, a lot; it has, if I may say so, a certain elegance, which can be a good indicator of the quality of the results…. You tell me, and, please, enjoy the exercise…..

“knowledge is a polite word for dead but unburied imagination….

think twice before thinking.”

~~ e.e. cummings ~~

“What kind of conflict do you like? Where will you jump in and fight the good fight — body, heart, mind or spirit? If you say you don’t like conflict at all, then you have stopped growing, because it is only through engaging differences to find common ground or to triumph that we become new and invigorated. Pick your battles, but always have some place you embrace conflict.” — Callan Williams

“In charity there is no excess.” — Francis Bacon

“Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to the eyes of men. Silently and imperceptibly, as we wake or sleep, we grow strong or weak; and at last some crisis shows what we have become.” — Brooke Foss Westcott

“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” — Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

WARNING: The Meaning Of Life Is Subject To Change Without Notice. — Classic Smart Bee

“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” — Albert Einstein

“The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them… Whether you find satisfaction in life depends not on your tale of years, but on your will.” — Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (1533-1592), 1580

“My life is light, waiting for the death wind,

Like a feather on the back of my hand.”

~~ T.S. Eliot ~~

********************************

Well, we’re up a bit late, so this is a bit late getting posted; oh, well…. Such is life in the blog world, so they say; of course, nobody listens, but, hey, they said it, and it’s got to count for something!…. Enough, she said. I’ll see y’all tomorrow; as I’ve noted previously, nothing seems to keep me from doing it, so, why not, eh? See ya…..

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….

A mostly charitable banana….

Posted on November 6, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Coarse and violent nudity. Occasional language.”

~~ Disclaimer by gigoid ~~

Leelu’s favorite sleeping pose….

But, of course, it is morning, yes? It will be a good one, yes? Yes…. To be a bit more provincial, let me say, howdy, as they say in many other places, including, apparently, here. It should probably be said: this intro has been pre-written, to prevent any security issues, due to its incendiary nature. (Don’t worry, you’ll see….). All of this material has been certified as non-threatening, non-critical and non-interesting by several trained bureaucrats, which I had to pay, by the way, at the court’s direction….

At this point, you may ask yourselves, “Has he slipped around the bend again?”. No. Try again. “Well, maybe he really IS in trouble, and the court’s orders have to be followed.” Those are both a big no, as well. What the hell am I talking about then? Hell, if I knew, I wouldn’t be this far into THIS paragraph, and still have no idea where it should go next. I’m about to throw up my hands in surrender, if anyone were watching…. Shit, I’ll be lucky if anyone ever reads any of this one; by the time we get out of the intro, we’ll be mired in litigation….

But, that’s only if our screening procedures fail, and a lawyer gets through. Otherwise, they have to at least wait until we’ve landed, and, everyone’s been cleared as being free of virus exposure. But, as it says on your ticket, you’re not liable anyway, so, no worries, right?

You know, I’m thinking maybe it’s time to get on with the rest of today’s mess; this is starting to fray a bit around the edges. Okay, we’ll do this….. Luigi! Let’s get going!…. Perhaps y’all should sit down, and fasten your belts…. Since setting the new speed record yesterday, he’s had this wicked gleam in his eye…. Oh, and, please, use the cup holders….

Shall we Pearl?

“How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life, wouldn’t you say?” — Kirk, “The Wrath of Khan,” stardate 8130.3.

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Jimmy Buffet

Image from billboard.com via Google Images

Jimmy and the Coral Reefer Band have entertained me a LOT of times, both live and at home. I’ve been to see the Coral Reefers play in more states than any other, save perhaps the Dead. Here’s a good concert (they ALL are; he has such fun the audience cannot help but ride along….) from a few years ago…. Enjoy!….

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Jimmy Buffet
Live at Anguilla

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https://youtu.be/yR8FvDDhBv0

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Bad juju precludes a fresh rant today; it’s a bit after 0330, and I’ve again been awake much of the night with physical issues. Suffice it to say anything fresh I write at this moment is liable to approach homicidal in tone, so, we’ll go with one from the archives…. Here’s one from early last year…..

From 1/3/2014:

“It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error.” — Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954), U.S. Judge

It took long enough, but, what I have been expecting to happen has actually come true…. The media, deeply in debt to Eric Snowden for the new life he breathed into their existence, has finally stepped forward to exert itself on his behalf…. The two major papers, The New York Times, and the Guardian, in the UK, who originally printed his revelations, are finally coming out publicly with editorials, strongly calling for clemency for him…. Here are two of the reports, one from Yahoo, one from SFGATE, the Chronicle news outlet online…. Together, the two articles give a good picture of the history, and the current state of the situation with Mr. Snowden, currently living in exile in the USSR….

http://news.yahoo.com/new-york-times–guardian–urge-clemency-for-snowden-153422938.html

http://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/2-newspapers-call-for-clemency-for-Edward-Snowden-5108503.php

What does one say about this? What is appropriate? What is important? Well, to be honest, ALL of it is pretty important, but not for the reasons most would believe, or, for that matter, understand…. That’s not being condescending, (well, maybe a little…), but, the majority of people who read about all of these issues regarding the spying are only capable of comprehending what they read at a fourth-grade level…. This is a commonly known fact, and is the reason newspapers, magazines, and the internet outlets that disseminate information do so at varying levels of complexity…. Most newspapers are written to a fourth grade level, and magazines usually write to the level of their targeted audiences….

My point here is, these are complex issues, and there are a LOT of lies being bandied about, mostly by one side, but, not necessarily ONLY by them. The ability to comprehend the cloud of information that is spewed out by a lot of readers is NOT up to the task, so, they end up picking out the easiest opinion for them to understand, and going with that, no matter what it might say…. This is how the BRC, the PH, and the SCMs keep control of the masses…. They pitch their story to the level of the people they address, and make it appeal to their most basic desires, (which process chiefly involves saying things that will reduce the level of diffuse anxiety, and the fears about the future that the masses feel…. those being the unrealistic, imaginary fears created by the ruling classes to begin with…..), thus establishing trust and belief on the part of the masses, making them willing to believe any further misinformation that is relayed….

“A man who carrys 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

So, anyway, it’s good to see the usual carriers of the administration’s manipulative lying doing a bit of their own fighting back, against the tide of über-control sought by the BRC, et al. As the largest information gathering and reporting companies in their respective countries, these two news outlets have the influence, both in the government, and with the public, to make a significant difference in any issue, and having them publicly come out with this particular expression of interest is not only unprecedented, (to my knowledge…), but extremely welcome….. It’s hard having most of the control over what gets into the media reports under the control of those who are in control of the government and banks; we, the public, NEED the media to work on our side, at least part of the time, or, there is no hope at all of ever making any changes, and, our doom would be sealed ever more tightly…..

“If people were required to know the law rather than to obey it, the government would be overthrown the next day.” — Smart Bee

There, how’s that for a fresh rant? Boot the assholes out, or make them straighten up and fly right, that’s what I say; I don’t much care which, but one of those two things are going to have to happen, if we are to have any chance at all to survive the upcoming events so graciously created for us by those same assholes. If we don’t get them, and their self-serving, selfish, ignorant, EVIL natures, out of their positions of control over the rest of us, they’re going to end up killing us all, and I am not being dramatic…. The evidence is all right out there to be seen, if one isn’t afraid to put the pieces together to form the picture….

It’s an ugly picture, ffolkes, and not much of a future to put our faith in…. Guess what, though? Like it or not, it’s the only future we have, if we don’t change…. and it’s just that simple…..

Folly, thou conquerest, and I must yield!
Against stupidity the very gods
Themselves contend in vain. Exalted reason,
Resplendent daughter of the head divine,
Wise foundress of the system of the world,
Guide of the stars, who are thou then, if thou,
Bound to the tail of folly’s uncurb’d steed,
Must, vainly shrieking, with the drunken crowd,
Eyes open, plunge down headlong in the abyss.

~~ Johann Christian Friedrich von Schiller, The Maid of Orleans ~~

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Haiku

3/12/2012

Poetry

Flashing, bright words create
inevitable pictures;
truth consumes.

~~ gigoid ~~

Revised version, 3/28/2014

Poetry

Sharp, bright words create
inevitable pictures
of consuming truth.

~~ gigoid ~~

***********

Honorable Request

Days, filled to a brim with fluff and time, pass
dimly into memory, bit by combative bit,
ever mournful, yet loud with life and sass,
only in dream do we meet, and dance, and flit.

Souls, spinning ’round in gleeful wonder, comply
as they must, never given a reason,
somberly proper, yet limber and quite spry,
dancing on to greet each bright new season.

Storms, angered by apathetic care, rage
proceeding into ministerial glare, unknown,
clothed in colors, purified solely with sage,
past an infinite future, already flown.

Life, plumbed to its depths and secrets, keeps
flowing with currents, strong and fairly found,
love stands, asking release, as it slowly weeps,
seeking refuge unasked, to stay honor bound.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 10/13/2012.

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Here’s a sweet little pearl, a bit odd in spots, but, all in all, pretty damn squiggly; Life at Large may never be more clearly outlined, or, for that matter, understood. Enjoy, even if you don’t get it; I didn’t at first, but, it grows on ya….

“It is not necessary that whilst I live I live happily; but it is necessary that so long as I live I should live honourably.” — Kant, Immanuel (1724-1804)

“What is the first business of one who studies philosophy? To part with self-conceit. For it is impossible for any one to begin to learn what he thinks that he already knows.” — Epictetus (c. 60 AD) — How to apply general Principles to particular Cases, — Discourses, Book ii, Chap. xvii

“Don’t confuse the water with the pump.” — Tom Wolfe

“We should have a great many fewer disputes in the world if only words were taken for what they are, the signs of our ideas only, and not for things themselves.” — John Locke

“Listen to the colour of your dreams.” — John Lennon 1966

“Truth never hurts the teller.” — Robert Browning

“Even a single hair casts its shadow.” — Publius Syrus — Maxim 228

“For a man can lose neither the past nor the future; for how can one take from him that which is not his? So remember these two points: first, that each thing is of like form from everlasting and comes round again in its cycle, and that it signifies not whether a man shall look upon the same things for a hundred years or two hundred, or for an infinity of time; second, that the longest lived and the shortest lived man, when they come to die, lose one and the same thing.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, ii, 14

“A grave, wherever found, preaches a short and pithy sermon to the soul.” — Hawthorne

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After an ordeal such as this has been, I should be tired; in fact, I’m not. But, then, it’s not now, because I’m writing this late yesterday. Now we’ve completely lost track of where in time we may be, or, THINK we may be, we’ll leave, and come back to it tomorrow, whenever that is. See y’all then, if I can figure out these Tardis controls…. Oh, right; it’s TIME TRAVEL! DOH! I’ll always be on time, because, I’ll just wait in whatever time I’m in until I DO figure out the right way to set the controls…. THEN I come back to the correct spot on the sliding time scale…. Sorry for the confusion; anomalies can be dangerous to the Continuum, you know….

I’ll stop now. Bye….

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….

Spontaneous paradigm regeneration…. Myth, or dogma?

Posted on November 5, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“We fear things in proportion to our ignorance of them.”

~~ Titus Livius ~~

Serendipity ~ Unexpected Charm

G’day…. Bass ackwards isn’t all that unusual for us, but, I hadn’t thought to begin the day thus, in spite of what I now see were significant clues I missed. Oh, well…. at least I’m here, and posting. It was looking like it was going to be a tough three days, but, fortunately for all concerned, that didn’t happen, for which I’d give thanks, were there anyone I thought was all that worried about getting any. Since there isn’t, we’ll just go on for now.

Y’know, I’m not really all that coherent right now, even if these words, so far, have given no such indication. I’m right smack-dab on the edge of sheer, unadulterated insanity, thanks to the vicissitudes of modern life under the corporate aegis that covers the world. Every day, I spend an inordinate amount of time persuading myself to forgo giving in to my homicidal urges; it’s getting harder every day. It’s gotten so bad, I’ve gone so far as to go out and about relatively unarmed, just to I don’t overreact to someone’s rampant stupidity with a weapon in my hand.

Moreover, I’m afraid, if/when I do end up tumbling over the edge, my angst will come out upon a myrmidon, or, a dogma dog, or worst yet, an innocent (if such exists) bureaucrat, who is merely passing his own time in Hell, slaving away, living a life of delusion. If I lost it on one of them, I’d no doubt suffer a good five minutes of guilt, which I HATE. So, rather than take the chance of leaving a trail of bodies behind me, I’ve been staying in a lot, which the cat loves, and I get tired of FAST….

Ah, fuck it, this is turning into a whine tasting, way too early in the day. Instead, I’m going to tell Luigi to do what he’s always wanted to do, and try to set a new land/water/air speed record getting us to the oyster beds, to take our minds off our daily troubles, and experience a bit of sheer, real, terror for a few moments…. It’ll distract us all, guaranteed…. Luigi, you’ve got your head….

Shall we Pearl?

“What you keep to yourself you lose, what you give away, you keep forever.”

~~ Axel Munthe ~~

********************************

Image from alexpress.com via Google Images

Today we’ll return to yesteryear, to what may be the most well known band to ever play in public. The “lads” are playing here in a live show from 1965, so, the audio quality may suffer…. But, I’ll bet the memories will come just fine…. Enjoy!….

********************************

The Beatles
Live ~ Empire Pool 1965

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https://youtu.be/uc8wtwASPhY

*********************************

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I wrote this rant on a day I also spoke of omens in the introduction; the WP suggestion bots referred/reminded me of it yesterday. It’s a good ‘un, I think, so, here ’tis again, just because I can…. and, because it’s worth repeating often….

From 2/1/2013:

“The secret of life is to appreciate the pleasure of being terribly deceived.” — Oscar Wilde

Oscar’s speech, and his grasp of the art of conversation, were legendary for showing wit along with intelligent insight. Often, with aphorisms like this one, that depth of insight became quite shiny….. It doesn’t seem like much, at first glance, but is actually quite good advice, though given with tongue firmly planted in cheek. In one simple sentence, he condemns modern society for its lack of integrity, and offers to mankind the only true way to be content with our lot…..

In this society, we, the people, are deceived on what is essentially an hourly basis, by our leaders, by our priests, by businesses, by the police, by each other for the sake of expedience; almost every minute of our lives we are being lied to by someone, especially if one watches a lot of TV. We have, culturally, become so inured to being lied to that we have come to assume it is not just okay, but is the only way to get ahead in life…. Sadly, this may be true…. The presence of honesty in human interaction has become so rare that most people just expect the lies, and learn to live with them per Oscar’s suggestion.

In its simplicity, and in its Zen-like attitude, what Oscar shared is very much Eastern in its outlook. It isn’t a common idea in Western culture to “go with the flow”, but rather to “fight on”; the concept of acceptance to deal with challenge is foreign to most of us raised under Christian standards. But, regardless of where one is raised, the lies are still out there, being used by those in power to confuse, distract, and manipulate the voting public, and I think we can count on them to continue in that vein for as long as it continues to work for them….

So, maybe it is time to look at what Oscar said as a challenge, rather than advice. Perhaps, if the public began to NOT accept the lies, but began to question those in authority, to demand that the truth be told, then maybe there is a chance for us to survive the coming collapse….. Maybe…. it may already be too late….

I read an interesting article the other day, and I use the word ‘interesting’ in its most dangerous sense, as is common in Eastern culture, where being wished an “interesting life” is a curse…. The article made this statement, to wit: the climate is not changing. It has changed…… In other words, the moment that the environmentalists have been fearing for years has arrived, and we have reached a point of no return.

The millions of tons of particulate matter (“pollution”) we have been pumping into the air for the last 100 years has reached a point where irreversible changes in the balance of the planetary ecosystem have been made, and the climate, which has just begun to alter its centuries-old patterns, will now continue to grow more unpredictable, and more violently destructive than has ever been seen before in history. These changes are not going to stop, and in fact, will worsen over time…. and, I am unhappy to report, this is not fear-mongering, this is not speculation, this is not a lie…. this is demonstrable fact. See for yourself, here:

http://www.poodwaddle.com/clocks/worldclock/

I am so pissed off about this that I am going to have to stop this pearl right here; I’m already trembling from the jolt of adrenaline the anger stimulated in me. Those in power over society have ignored the warnings that scientists and environmentalists have issued for decades, and their intransigence is now going to kill all of us, slowly and with great pain for many, as life on this planet becomes more and more of a challenge, to live, nay, just to survive. There is only one reason this is happening, and that is the FACT that the Beloved Ruling Class has, for centuries, lied and cheated the rest of humanity, and have arranged matters so that they are the only ones who are truly comfortable… most of humanity has to struggle to obtain just enough of the resources being hoarded to live in hunger, barely able to survive.

Bah! I am incensed, and can hardly contain my rage…. It makes me want to go out and start….. well, I started to say “killing”, referring to the members of the BRC, but, on second thought, killing is too good for them. I think I’d rather keep them alive, but make them suffer, just as much as they have made others suffer their entire lives….. It’s time, ffolkes, for humanity to step up, and boot the assholes out…. They are killing us, and I think it is about time we did something to return the favor, don’t you?….. Think about, but don’t take long, because it’s already too late…..

“If I had a Q-TIP, I could prevent th’collapse of NEGOTIATIONS!!” — Zippy the Pinhead

“Rare gift! but oh what gift to fools avails!” — Alexander Pope (1688-1744) — The Odyssey of Homer, Book x, Line 29

********************************

I found this via Google, but, forget where; if you really need to see it yourself, and, you’re reading this, then, you can Google it yourself. But, then, why bother?….

Conversations among the ruins

Through portico of my elegant house you stalk
With your wild furies, disturbing garlands of fruit
And the fabulous lutes and peacocks, rending the net
Of all decorum which holds the whirlwind back.
Now, rich order of walls is fallen; rooks croak
Above the appalling ruin; in bleak light
Of your stormy eye, magic takes flight
Like a daunted witch, quitting castle when real days break.

Fractured pillars frame prospects of rock;
While you stand heroic in coat and tie, I sit
Composed in Grecian tunic and psyche-knot,
Rooted to your black look, the play turned tragic:
Which such blight wrought on our bankrupt estate,

What ceremony of words can patch the havoc?

~~ Sylvia Plath ~~

********************************

Here’s the deal with this one; I haven’t the slightest clue as to the exact meaning, or, why SB would only give up these seven pearls, and no others, in an entire day. Hence, the icon you see adorning the space at the top of this final section. If you can figure out a way to express the concept being forwarded, please do so in the comments; I’d love to get a clue….

“By definition, when you are investigating the unknown, you do not know what you will find.” — The Ultimate Principle

“Security is mostly a superstition. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” — Helen Keller, The Open Door (1957)

“Euripides was wont to say, “Silence is an answer to a wise man.”” — Plutarch — Of Bashfulness

“It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong.” — Abraham Lincoln

“Remember this,–that very little is needed to make a happy life.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, vii, 67

“What makes old age so sad is not that our joys but our hopes cease.” — Jean Paul Richter

“Don’t try to have the last word. You might get it.” — Lazarus Long

Oh, wait…. I see now…. Hah! Not bad, not bad at all…..

********************************

I’ll take it, and not just because it’s done, either. ‘Tain’t bad for a first try back on the regular schedule, which, truthfully, bears little to no resemblance to anything regular. Nonetheless, it’s still done, and I’m outta here, to go try to cause some trouble for the mundanes…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; there seems to be no escaping it….

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….

The forecast is for extremely fluffy….

Posted on November 4, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Do not say a little in many words but a great deal in a few.”

~~ Pythagoras (BC 582-507) ~~

Triple Full Moon Over Vallejo

G’day…. Given the state of my life over the past month or two, it’s rather nice to feel even a moment of hope, even one based on what may or may not be an omen of things to come….. Ooh, I like that, it’s wonderfully obscure, yet gives a sense of intimacy that encourages further interest. More good omen material…. Omens of good have been sadly infrequent of late, so, twice in one paragraph, even if both are completely unidentified, is, well, a good sign….

It may have to do with the relief of being back online, at home, though the mere presence of relief indicates a dependency I’m not sure I entirely can be comfortable with. Nonetheless, it’s nice not having to go drink somebody else’s coffee to get posted. It’ll sure make sticking to the diet easier, too; way too many pastries lately have taken up the entire morning’s calorie count, leaving me starving until dinner time. Ah well, I’m a sucker for a blueberry muffin, what can I say?

Okay, enough innocent chatter; it’s not really our style anyway. We’re gonna go Pearl now ffolkes. I’ve been waiting too long to do this from home, again, so, I’m a bit impatient (Could you tell?…). In fact, so impatient, we’re skipping all the usual folderol, in favor of just getting on with it…. How does that look? Like this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“When you said “HEAVILY FORESTED” it reminded me of an overdue CLEANING BILL.. Don’t you SEE? O’Grogan SWALLOWED a VALUABLE COIN COLLECTION and HAD to murder the ONLY MAN who KNEW!!” — Zippy the Pinhead

********************************

Weird Al

Image from riverfrontimes.com via Google Images

Here’s another artist who needs no introduction; all that is required is to enjoy!….

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Weird Al Yankovic

*********************************

https://youtu.be/qpMvS1Q1sos?list=PLXjuyl3vwK6X5lBD7yogtDDBLqu3m_HGR

*********************************

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“If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns.”

~~- Edward Abbey ~~

Mr. Abbey, with this short statement, nails my opinion on gun control right on the bloody head. My entire objection to the fools who cry out to “take away the guns” from everyone, (so, what, this will ensure nobody will ever die? Right….), is exactly the point he makes. None of the advocates of disallowing citizens to own guns seem to think about this point; do they really believe the government will give up THEIR guns? Really? I’d be really interested to hear from which planet they came to visit us here on Earth?….

Of course, most Earthlings have trouble bumping neurons together; it’s not just an immigrant problem…. Most earthlings, for some unknown reason, choose, soon after birth, to stop using their brain as a tool for making their life better, choosing instead to use it merely to transport their ass from one toilet to another…. I am often amazed at how many people, who are of an age to reproduce, seemingly can’t formulate a complete sentence, unless it has the word “fries” in it, or, have yet to learn the actions involved in tying their shoes. And, please, let us not begin to discuss how many lost brain cells it takes to follow the current street style of wearing one’s pants around the thighs rather than the waist, necessitating the use of one hand just to hold them up….

But, then, that’s just how the elite want the public to be; distracted and stupid. These asininnies want the average person so busy trying to just maintain their current place in life they have no time to inspect all the ways they are being controlled by their own ignorance, and their inability to use their imagination to see beyond their immediate needs…. Our world-wide society has three characteristics which, to me, indicate just how sick it is…. The belief that Mankind was made by a god…. By accepting this sort of belief, one’s mind is left open to other false truths, which allow the perfect vehicle for manipulation of behavior by those who do not believe, but, play the part for the reward of power over others, and a complete lack of personal responsibility for how others are affected by their acts.

Second, this belief in a delusion allowed the predatory members to convince everyone that money actually exists, and has some sort of real power over reality…. This, of course, is ridiculous. Money is simply an idea, a way to organize barter, by placing an artificial value on a person’s time and effort, when, in fact, it has only the value we give it. It is only important because we believe it to be, not because of any inherent real value…. This idea, though, is probably too complex for those who have given up the right to think, and operate totally on the theory of doing whatever is the most expedient….

Then, for the final insult to our humanity, the concept of government as a beneficial facet of society, to ensure the ‘safety’ of all, is thrust upon these unsuspecting fools, who are already primed to believe anything someone in a ‘position of authority’ (preacher, teacher, policeman, elected official, etc…. bureaucrats and sycophants, all…) tells them to believe…. That’s the whole problem, right there, in a nutshell…. If you believe the first false idea, the rest of them form the remaining cords of their slave collars…. and, the saddest part is, most of them never even know they’re slaves at all…

I could, no doubt, carry on in this vein for a long time; there are a thousand examples in daily life of how the average person has no clue as to how easily they are controlled by the forces who wish to have power over others…. But, I’m getting tired, and, am well aware most of those who will read this are NOT part of those who can be controlled; they don’t end up here very often, somehow…. If they do, they don’t talk much…. For the rest of us, I’ll show some pity, and finish off with a 13 star pearl with as many indictments, and examples of how things got the way they are…. Enjoy!….

*******************************

“In morals, what begins in fear usually ends in wickedness; in religion, what begins in fear usually ends in fanaticism. Fear, either as a principle or a motive, is the beginning of all evil.” — Mrs. Jameson

“No people in the world ever did achieve their freedom by goody-goody talk and moral suasion: it being immutable law that all revolutions that will succeed, must begin in blood, whatever the answer afterward. If history teaches anything, it teaches that” — Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889)

“These PRESERVES should be FORCE-FED to PENTAGON OFFICIALS!!” — Zippy the Pinhead

“The amassing of wealth is one of the worst species of idolatry, no idol is more debasing.” — Andrew Carnegie

“The missionaries go forth to Christianize the savages–as if the savages weren’t dangerous enough already.” — Edward Abbey

“Ignorance is the soil in which belief in miracles grows.” — Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899)

“Our safety, our liberty depends on preserving the Constitution of the United States as our fathers made it inviolate. The people of the US are the rightful masters both Congress and the courts – Not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution” — Abraham Lincoln

“Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.” — Denis Diderot in “Dithrambe sur la fete de rois”

“Have in readiness this saying of Solon, “But we will not give up our virtue in exchange for their wealth.” — Plutarch — How to profit by our Enemies

DEBT, n. An ingenious substitute for the chain and whip of the slave- driver.

As, pent in an aquarium, the troutlet
Swims round and round his tank to find an outlet,
Pressing his nose against the glass that holds him,
Nor ever sees the prison that enfolds him;
So the poor debtor, seeing naught around him,
Yet feels the narrow limits that impound him,
Grieves at his debt and studies to evade it,
And finds at last he might as well have paid it.~~ Barlow S. Vode~~

— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

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Future Shocked:

Weeping, I wake;
waking, I weep, I weep.
I weep for the ages to be lost,
for the children never to be born.

Time comes calling, strident and spare,
nudging us toward the future with bony hands.
No pausing, no waiting, always away,
Frantic hearts unseen, unheard.

Spirits are dark, afraid.
And the Beast hunts, hungry and cruel,
seeking out the weak, and the foolish.

We all weep now…..

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 7/22/2013.

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An odd little pearl, with seven excellent statements to help us find some meaning in Life. Of course, if you’ve already found meaning that works for you, you don’t have to do it again…. Those are the rules…. I think. Anyway, enjoy!….

“The value of passion, like fire, is judged finally by the amount of warmth and light it creates. Fanatics, like forest fires, burn bright but destroy all in their path that is tender and green. To be useful, fire must be confined. To live passionately, we must develop discipline; to love powerfully, we must forge bonds of commitment. Passion is inseparable from compassion.” — Sam Keen

“You can’t get wet from the word ‘water’.” — Alan Watts

“To find a fault is easy; to do better may be difficult.” — Plutarch

“The happiness and unhappiness of the rational, social animal depends not on what he feels but on what he does; just as his virtue and vice consist not in feeling but in doing.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, ix, 16

“Truth that has merely been learned is like an artificial limb, a false tooth, a waxen nose; it adheres to us only because it is put on. But truth acquired by thought of our own is like a natural limb; it alone really belongs to us.” — Arthur Schopenhauer

“As a matter of self-preservation, a man needs good friends or ardent enemies, for the former instruct him and the latter take him to task.” — Diogenes

“If you don’t laugh at all, you’ve missed the point. If you only laugh, you’ve missed your chance for illumination.” — Robert Anton Wilson

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Since I’m back online a day before I’d thought to be, I’ll end this here, in the proper spot, and get it posted. This also means I’ll be back tomorrow, unless something historically compelling, like a revolution, gets in the way….. See ya then, ffolkes; count on it….

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….

Passionate chlorides never dissemble….

Posted on October 31, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“God must love assholes — She made so many of them.”

~~ Hilarious Bee ~~

Urban Illusion

Is this thing on?…. Ah, okay, then…. Hello, there, again…. I thought I’d begin with a bit of a different tone today, reflecting reality more closely than is the customary case at this point. Having done so, I’ve saluted the conventions, so to speak, and, should now be free to indulge my whimsy to my heart’s content. If that isn’t possible, I want a refund…. Oh. Wait…. Right. Never mind….

Let’s try this…. I’ve got three or four days to get through until I have internet service at home, and , & the process of getting to a Wi-fi spot in the morning is becoming a pain (of which I already have quite enough, thank you very much….). This doesn’t even begin to factor in all the other crap going on, so, to say it’s a challenging time is both appropriate, and, sadly accurate. To avoid any chance at whining about it, we’ll just go on to the oyster beds, and let Fate do what it may…. Luigi, you know what to do; the rest of you, look intelligent, if you can….

Shall we pearl?

“Sick cultures show a complex of symptoms … but a *dying* culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Loss of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.” — Friday’s boss (“Two Canes” Baldwin)

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Image from express.co.uk.com via Google Images

Jack Bruce is one of Scotland’s shining lights in the musical world; his body of work extends fifty years back in to the dark ages of rock & roll. As a founding member of one of rocks legendary bands, Cream, he stamped his style of playing, and living, on every piece he ever played. I admire him for living his life with gusto, and honor, from all appearances, and, for his obvious love of Life at Large…. Here he is, with mates Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton, from 2005, in the Cream Reunion Concert in London…. Enjoy!….

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Jack Bruce

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https://youtu.be/UJefbp-s9LA

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Le Penseur, “The Thinker” by August Rodin

I have plenty of angst, but, no time to write, as I must go post…. Here’s one from the archives for the purpose of sublimation….

From 4/17/2013:

“A thing is not proved because no one has ever questioned it…Skepticism is the first step towards truth.” — Smart Bee

As I was cruising through Smart Bee this morning, looking for inspiration for section 3, I came across this little gem, unattributed. It sounds like it could have come from a number of different philosophers, all of whom are noted for their wisdom and perspicacity (another great word….). It is also a part of the human flaw that has contributed to many of the problems we face as a society, and as a species.

Actually, it might be more accurate to say that the lack of this in humans is part of the flaw; most people one talks to would not agree with this idea, as stated. In fact, it is directly opposed to the educational premises of many cultures, especially those heavily influenced by religions, such as those in Mexico, Central and South America, where Catholicism is a powerful factor in society, and in the governing of that society. India, and much of the Eastern Hemisphere, too, have societies that are heavily influenced by religion, though with more participant sects than is true in the Western Hemisphere; Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, to name a few, are always a contributing factor in the political events that have shaped history.

“The common dogma [of fundamentalists] is fear of modern knowledge, inability to cope with the fast change in a scientific-technological society, and the real breakdown in apparent moral order in recent years That is why hate is the major fuel, fear is the cement of the movement, and superstitious ignorance is the best defence against the dangerous new knowledge. When you bring up arguments that cast serious doubts on their cherished beliefs you are not simply making a rhetorical point, you are threatening their whole Universe and their immortality. That provokes anger and quite frequently violence.” — G Gaia

As a result of this influence, many people tend to reject skepticism, as it doesn’t fit in with what they have been taught, which is to never question anything told to them by persons in positions of authority. Churches tend to encourage this sort of attitude, as their outrageous claims of divinity, and supernatural events performed by their deities, do not stand up well to scrutiny by an objective eye. The leaders of the churches thus play right into the hands of the Beloved Ruling Class, as they counsel their flocks to obey worldly, temporal authority as readily as they are conditioned to obey the secular variety…..

“I just stepped on a factoid!” – Zippy the Pinhead

Thankfully, not all of humanity is defenseless against this sort of conditioning. There are many ffolkes out there who don’t buy into the sort of psychological blackmail being promulgated by the preachers, priests, imams, and shamans of all shapes and sizes around the world, and a large number of them seem to end up blogging, right here on WordPress…. So, I end up preaching to the choir pretty often. But, that’s okay, too, because I know that occasionally, one of those folks who do believe in what they are told, without any questions or doubts, will read this, and, if nothing else, will think about what I’ve said…. Who knows, maybe I’ll go viral, and the whole world will remember that WE ALL ARE GODS?”…… (Remember? Axiom # 3…. “Thou art God, you know…. Let’s do lunch….)

“Youth of today! Join me in a mass rally for traditional mental attitudes!” — Zippy the Pinhead

I suppose that’s a note from my subconscious, to let me know I’ve gone far enough off the rails for now, and should let these good people get on with their lives, rather than wandering around in mine…. Goodness knows where we’ll end up…. So, anyway, just remember to cultivate your sense of doubt, your “crap detector”, as it were, and never, ever take anything “on authority”, without tangible proof…. You’ll find Life to be less confusing that way; certainly, it makes it a lot easier to look yourself in the mirror in the morning…..

“This is patently absurd; but whoever wishes to become a philosopher must learn not to be frightened by absurdities.” — Bertrand Russell

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Notes of process and program…

Poems, alas, don’t chase through my head,
bumping and pushing each other like brothers at dinner.
They’re more ripped out of my innards, instead.
Time and circumstance reveal no ultimate winner.

Simmering and bubbling near my unconscious mind
these maddening rhymes blind me sans glimmer.
Building until bursting as if to be dined and wined,
the remaining denizens appear much slimmer.

Fiery visions retain such glorious fatal dimension,
in retrospect, yet fail to leave a permanent scar,
until blessed, or cursed, with focused attention,
singing, crying, bleeding, fast as a movie star.

Pretty soon can’t be soon enough, she said
to a chameleon colored thief bathed in moonlight.
Fancy candles in stripes of blue, gold, and red
foster honest dreams in shades of white.

Passage to daylight is problematic, at best:
beastly ghosts of insomniacs cast no shadow.
Even judges with robes can pass the wrong test
while the rest of us go with what we know.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 1/13/2013.

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Not much to say ’bout this one; it’s pretty damn perfect, and will explain itself….

“Happiness depends upon ourselves.”

~~ Aristotle ~~

“Go ahead and play the blues if it’ll make you happy.” — Homer in “Moaning Lisa”, from The Simpsons

“The secret of man’s being is not only to live but to have something to live for.’ — Fedor Dostoevsky

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” — Plato

“When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive thinking.” — Albert Einstein

“A good word is an easy obligation, but not to speak ill, requires only our silence, which costs us nothing.” — Tillotson

“A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.” — Oscar Wilde

“Dying is a very dull, dreary affair. And my advice to you is to have nothing whatever to do with it.” — W. Somerset Maugham

Fear death?–to feel the fog in my throat,
The mist in my face.
. . . . . . .
No! let me taste the whole of it, fare like my peers,
The heroes of old;
Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad life’s arrears
Of pain, darkness, and cold.

~~ Robert Browning — Prospice ~~

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Coming up with worthwhile writing while in my current mental state is becoming even more of a challenge than usual; I find myself ranting far too often, as my mind works its way through all the CRAP with which the world is keeping me occupied. Gotta say, it’s not as much fun as I had hoped, when I recall my hopes for being retired. But, there are signs of hope, so, we’ll go with that for now. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of enduring…. See y’all sometime in the near future; a precise prediction isn’t feasible…. Deal with it, ffolkes; some days, that’s all you can hope to do….

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….

We’ve used all the available penguins…

Posted on October 30, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“If you’re going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance.”

~~ Whimsical Fatalist Bee ~~

By any other name….

Konichiwa, gospodin, a phrase which makes more sense than is apparent, not to mention combining two languages from two countries, neither of which is the one I currently inhabit…. Not too shabby for relatively early morning, what? After all, it DOES, technically, mean “Good morning, ffolkes”, (Japanese/Russian, for those curious enough to care….); as such, it fulfills the obligatory initial greeting for the day, thereby freeing us to proceed, onward, to more lucrative, if less structured, and, thus, less debilitating to creativity, activities of the literary process, known as ‘blogging’. Otherwise, there’d be no excuse for such a display of chutzpah, sans shame, or any overt evidence of conscience….

The good news is, I will have internet service again at home as of the coming Tuesday, the 3rd. The bad news, AT&T is taking over the ISP business, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. The only service I could find ends up having to use AT&T lines, and is busily trying to assume the same corporate persona and practices of that behemoth. Ah, well, food for more ranting, I suppose, but, I should no doubt, cease my introductory bitching, and get on with the pearl for today, since I still must go find a place to post it…. Probably lose fewer readers that way.

In fact, it sounds like a plan. Luigi, take it away, and don’t spare the horses…. I’m in a strange, unpredictable mood, and don’t wish to begin the killing too early in the day. Too much clean-up that way…. Off we go, then….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Do not confuse ‘duty’ with what other people expect of you; they are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect.” — Lazarus Long

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Image from Google Free Images

I don’t think this artist requires an introduction; just enjoy….

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Bob Marley

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https://youtu.be/OKpxuHLUzuA

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Six mistakes mankind keeps making century after century:

Believing that personal gain is made by crushing others;
Worrying about things that cannot be changed or corrected;
Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot accomplish it;
Refusing to set aside trivial preferences;
Neglecting development and refinement of the mind;
Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do.

~~ Cicero ~~

I’m often amazed at how wise our ancient ancestors were, compared to the current age. It seems to me there are any number of ancient sages, whose words, like Cicero’s, above, have showed us how to avoid making the same mistakes mankind has been engaged in making for, oh, about the last 10,000 years or so. From all I can gather, by record and by deduction, we haven’t made a single millimeter of progress over the civilizations which existed 4 to 5,000 years in our past. We continue to make ALL of the above mistakes, and have learned to make even more of our own…. Now, with the aid of computers, we can make them faster than ever….

“Religion is a crutch, but that’s okay… humanity is a cripple.” — Moral of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, via Smart Bee

Throughout history, most of mankind has fallen prey to the myth of religion, much like the populace of the kingdom where they needed a child to see the truth about the Emperor…. Sadly, there is also a significant portion of humanity which not only KNOWS this, but, uses it to their advantage at every opportunity, though not always in the guise of religion. The ability, or rather, the obtuseness, to fall for anything that will soothe their fear of the unknown, without the bother of actually thinking, or being brave enough to go and FIND OUT about what frightens them. Men assume, to their everlasting regret, the Universe reflects their own state of being, and MUST have been made by a supernatural being….

“Men freely believe that what they wish to desire.” — Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 B.C.)

Sorry, folks, ‘taint so, by a long piece. There is NOTHING that actually indicates any such thing, anywhere to be found, outside our own imagination. If anyone can point any out, feel free; I’ll wait until I understand, without the need to blame it on someone else…. It’s just another way to avoid the responsibility of one’s own actions, as far as I’m concerned…. Unfortunately, there is a direct correlation between the state of the society, and humanity’s lack of courage and will, which we are now observing in action, as the weight of more than seven billion people stretch the total resources of the planet to its limits….

“The other planets are laughing at us.” — Futurist Bee

If we WERE so fortunate as to belong to a Galactic Federation, it is my firm belief they WOULD be laughing at us. ‘Hoomans’ would become a caricature of one of our OWN iconic prejudices, a product of our own bigotry, for we would be known as the “pink trash” of the infinitely diverse galactic panoply of species, all of the rest of whom will, no doubt, be free of such failures of perception of reality, pitying us for the suffering we cause each other, through our own ignorance and fear….

Unfortunately, a small portion of mankind seem to think it is perfectly acceptable to prey upon their species mates, regardless of how any such behavior affects anyone else. They believe they are entitled to any sort of resource or power they can steal or take, and are willing to resort to any means to obtain their desires…. Even our American cartoon art reflects this attitude, thereby legitimizing the lack of honor by making it laughable…. What do I mean by that? Well, take note of this, from the ’50’s….

“Consequences, Schmonsequences, as long as I’m rich.” — Daffy Duck, from Looney Tunes Ali Baba Bunny (1957, Chuck Jones)

These corporate snakeheads, bankers, businessmen, doctors, lawyers, and the ilk, don’t care at all about other people; they live completely without compassion, having no soul themselves. They deliberately lie, creating outlandish situations so they can cry “danger!” to the populace, making them believe they are unsafe, thereby turning them aside from their democratic duty to educate themselves…. Instead, the average American accepts as gospel all they read in the media (which only repeats the lies told by the leaders, as if they were true….), and all they hear from the pulpit, where their sycophantic corporate shills preach obedience to temporal authority, in exchange for a dubious promise of immortality, completely unfounded on any evidence…

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

Fuck it. Tom would be angry, almost as angry as I am. Moreover, I still believe there are a LOT of people in this country who are unhappy with the way things are going. The Powers That Be are making a big mistake by assuming their new technological toys will make the difference, and protect them from the rage that will be their only legacy, when the rest of humanity comes to realize how they’ve been duped…. It won’t matter, because it will be over seven billion to a handful, and the odds won’t be affected by any such nonsense as technology…..

Revolution is coming, ffolkes. Call it treason if you like, but, you and I both know Thomas Jefferson would have been at the head of the columns in the streets, along with Tom Paine, George Mason & Washington, and Patrick Henry, none of whom were afraid to be called traitor….. Another word for it is Patriot….

“Caesar had his Brutus; Charles the First, his Cromwell; and George the Third [“Treason!” cried the Speaker]–may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it.” — Patrick Henry (1736-1799) — Speech in the Virginia Convention, 1765

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Here is a poem I wrote back in 2013, when I still retained a small piece of hope for our nation. I have since come to some rather more harsh conclusions, but, that’s for another day, and another poem…. I hope you enjoy it….

Destiny’s Vote

It was a special day, written on tablets of stone
with fanfare, and crepe paper, a symphony of lies,
played with verve, but discordant, and alone,
never more the grand parade, no more apple pies.

Heated dialog full of prejudice, hatred, and fears,
fills up the airwaves, a cacophony of callow untruth,
playing up to ignorance, bringing anguish, and fearful tears,
while Nero’s fiddler sits down, in the only open booth.

Watchful and afraid, I see the coming conflict
clouds of ignorance and intellect, preparing to fight,
one to fight with darkness, and abject fear to depict
opposed at the base, banishing fear with truth, and light.

Seeds of anger and bigotry are planted very deep,
growing best in darkness, hiding in shame and fear,
waiting for moments of trouble, its destiny to keep,
looking for weakness, seeking to draw its victim near.

Sing not yet a funeral dirge for tolerance,
that particular die is not yet cast,
there still remains a very good and honest chance,
our common dream of freedom may yet hold fast…..

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 8/18/2013.

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Yep, it’s another pearl about Life, in this case, with some pretty solid advice on how to do it right, or, at least, do it with some style to go with the virtue…. Enjoy!…. I particularly like the closing pearl; it’s pretty deep….

“Reality is in the mind of the beholder.” — Reality Bee

1. ” Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully. ” — Instructions for life”

“As you go the way of life you will see a great chasm. Jump. It is not as wide as you think.” — Native American advice

“Discontent is the want of self-reliance: it is infirmity of will.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Kindness is my true religion.” — The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

“If you are out of trouble, watch for danger.” — Sophocles

“Do not look for all the answers at once. A path is formed by placing stones one in front of the other.” — The Giant from Twin Peaks

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So be it. Pearls of late have been a bit choppy, for which I apologize, and lay the blame at my own feet, for allowing the uncertainty in my Life at Large to leak over into the process. Hopefully, a greater degree of consistency of quality can be achieved once I don’t have to worry about access to the internet; it seems to have become a more important part of life today than can be abrogated. Before I get started again, let’s take our leave, and try again another day…. See y’all next time, whenever it may be….. It WILL be, I assure you….

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….

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

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