Tag Archives: Congress

Happy, carefree moments in subliminal advertising….

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Ffolkes,

Lovely, simply lovely…. It’s always a joy to find myself in the throes of an emotional storm first thing upon arising, but, I’ll tell ya, it’s a joy I could do without, for, oh, say, the rest of my life….. I should know better than to do battle with an HMO bureaucracy before I’ve consumed at least two cups of coffee, but, nooooo, I had to call Kaiser right off this morning, to find out a piece of information about a medication I ordered…..

Little did I know when I dialed the number for the automatic system that I’d be getting into a fifteen minute quest to find a human voice…. Murphy must have been grinning maniacally, dancing in place and rubbing his hands together in glee, to see me trying to find a person to talk to so early in the day, on a system where the most you can hope for is to get out without more psychiatric damage….. SIGH….

Today’s Pearl may end up somewhat abbreviated, and, possibly, more than just a little strange, for a number of reasons, which I refuse to relate, they being none of your business…. No, honest, I didn’t mean that; just fooling around. But, it will be a bit less copious than usual, as my sleep seems to have become erratic again; I was up very late, getting up quite late as a consequence, and I just can’t seem to pull my head together enough to get going here…. It might surprise you to know that getting this far into today’s post, a mere one and a half paragraphs, has taken me over 50 minutes, of struggle and confusion, as I try to cudgel my brain into doing what I tell it to do…

Of course, I could go off into a discussion of why I think it’s necessary to post at all…. I mean, my sanity is intact, (technically), and the need for this kind of blather has become less critical in order for me to stay in a state of relative normality, or, as close to that state as I ever get….. This is giving me some minor motivational fits, as I try to talk myself into the mind-set needed to compose Pearls, which, though not far away, is rather subtle and complex, and doesn’t lend itself to “simple”, or “easy” in regards to ANYTHING to do with writing, or thinking…. I’m not sure, exactly, where this mind-set resides inside me, nor do I always know the right way to get it moving when I find it…. Today is a perfect example of that…..

I’m wandering around the intro section, saying absolutely nothing that has any real meaning, or relevance, for anyone but myself, and trying to make it look as if I am a writer, performing the actions that make up the process of writing…. How am I doin’? No? I didn’t think so…. Well, regardless of how it’s turning out, it’s how it’s going to be today, so, we’ll all just have to learn to deal with it, n’est pas? Oui….

Oh, and not only abbreviated (well, sort of….), but, probably, also pulled from the archives…. I’m not up to ranting, obviously, and I’m not sure if I can even get a normal, old-school pearl done….. we’ll see, I guess. But, if it doesn’t go well, I’m going straight to the archives, because I don’t have any patience at all today….

Any who, just wanted to let y’all know how it is today, and give you an opportunity to either bail, or buckle up…. Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to keep us out of any of the places where our survival becomes a question, at least for the first half of the trip…. Once the poem is in there, though, you’ll have to take your chances with the rest of us, because, by then, we’ll have gone too far to turn back….

Shall we Pearl?…..

“Normal is boring.” — Fido Dido
_____________________________

Okay, so, not surprisingly, I was wrong…. It didn’t take long at all to put together an old-school pearl, so, that’s what you get…. The primary focus of this one should be pretty obvious, and if not, well, join the ranks of those about whom the pearl speaks…. This one is pretty straightforward, ffolkes…. don’t over think it, or it just slips away…. like trying to squeeze a fistful of sand…. And, yes, bracketing the five main pearls with two from Lazarus WAS intentional, and, yes, you can take that however you like….

“All men are created unequal.” — Lazarus Long

But evil is wrought by want of thought,
As well as want of heart.

— Thomas Hood (1798-1845) — The Lady’s Dream

“After enlightenment, do the laundry.” — Zen proverb

“Every man I meet is in some way my superior.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

How various his employments whom the world
Calls idle, and who justly in return
Esteems that busy world an idler too!

— William Cowper (1731-1800) — The Task, Book iii, The Garden, Line 352

“Baby, after considerable thought I’ve reached the conclusion that the only conceivable legitimate answer to the Universe as constituted is a peal of hysterical laughter.” — Keith Laumer, _Night of Delusions_

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.” — Lazarus Long
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When I’m in a mood such as this one, only one poet will do for me….

I felt a funeral in my brain,
   And mourners, to and fro,
Kept treading, treading, till it seemed
   That sense was breaking through.

And when they all were seated,
   A service like a drum
Kept beating, beating, till I thought
   My mind was going numb

And then I heard them lift a box,
   And creak across my soul
With those same boots of lead, again.
   Then space began to toll

As all the heavens were a bell,
   And being, but an ear,
And I and Silence some strange Race
   Wrecked, solitary, here.

~~ Emily Dickinson ~~

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Hard as it may be to believe, my mood is deteriorating, rapidly, and I can see that soon I’ll be unfit for human interaction…. So, in the interests of getting done, here is an old rant on gun control issues, just for fun…. The fact I can use the word ‘fun’ in the same sentence as the words ‘gun control’ goes to show just how far down in the dumps my mood has sunk….

“Gun control is not about guns. It is about control.” — Smart Bee

You had to know I couldn’t let this one go….. Yesterday, the POTUS signed several “Executive Orders” regarding the subject of gun control, addressing the issues that much of the American public is focused on directed to be focused on, by the BRC and the media….. Putting aside for the moment the issue of gun control itself, I wish to make it clear that the “Executive Orders” that were used to create the new regulations are a clear and obvious circumvention of the Constitution, and a direct attempt to bypass the checks and balances that our three-pronged government is supposed to be subject to thereby. It seems to be escaping everyone’s notice that the Executive Branch of the government is now MAKING LAWS, not just enforcing them.

The whole system that has grown up around the concept of Executive Orders is, as far as I can see, completely illegal, according to Constitutional law. The President does NOT have the right to make laws, no matter how much urgency is seen to be present, or how much expediency is needed to address a situation. Congress is the body that is supposed to make laws, and the enforcement of those laws is the responsibility of the Executive Branch, with the oversight of both to be accomplished by the Federal Courts….

That is the way it was designed, and that is the way it has worked, to protect our rights as citizens for over 200 years….Now, because of public fear, due mostly to the media frenzy at the behest of the BRC, and the manipulative dishonesty of the corporate masters of that same BRC, the rights we have enjoyed as Americans are now just about all gone.

The assholes who run this country, the corporate masters who pull all the strings from behind the curtains, have successfully created a climate of fear amongst the general populace, and have neatly manipulated events so that it is the public itself clamoring for protection….. from itself. The media have so effectively spread the fear and horror, that the people on the streets are actually asking to have their rights curtailed, “for the good of society”…… What a load of bilge!

I am amazed at times at how naive people can be. The world is a dangerous place, and always has been, as human nature is anything but civilized. Yet people expect the government to be able to eliminate all danger from the public venue. They expect there to never be people who go crazy, and start shooting at everything they see, or attacking their delusional enemies. They expect there to never be an instance where police shoot unarmed citizens, just because they can. They actually expect members of the Beloved Ruling Class to have concern for what is important to them, instead of blithely pursuing their own agendas….. Such naivete is sadly all too common, and is the reason the rest of us will be forced to go along with the repressive regulations that are surely coming….

Yesterday, in discussing the gun control issue with a neighbor, it became clear just how naive, and unwilling to think, the general populace is…. This person is, I’d say, a pretty average citizen, perhaps less educated than some, but with more innate intelligence than many I know of. She actually said “yes” when I asked her if she trusted the police to be more ethical than the average citizen….

When I pointed out the multitude of incidents that occur every day that show police officers to be much less moral than the average joe, she acknowledged the point, but still would not voice mistrust of the police over the citizenry. She actually believes that policemen and women are more capable of carrying a gun, and not using it unethically, than are average folks…. A very, very foolish assumption, to my way of thinking, based on faith, not facts…..

So, what we have now is a dual issue…

First, the government wants to limit the citizenry’s access to certain types of guns, a direct abrogation of the Second Amendment to the Constitution. (Read it…. it says the right to bear arms will “not be abridged.” Period.)

Second, the executive branch of government is being allowed to make law, another direct abrogation of the Constitution, which assigns that function to Congress. If nothing else, these two subjects are going to provide the impetus for a shit-load of public discussion, for sure (Well, I can hope… I guess that’s my own form of naivete)….

The trickiest part of all this is to be able to winnow out the wheat from the chaff, for there will be a LOT of chaff thrown up, much of it by the BRC, as they do all they can to obfuscate the issues, and hide their own manipulative interactions.

You will, I’m sure, see and hear more on this, both here on this blog, and out there in the Big Blue Room. I’m not done ranting on either of these issues, you can count on that. For the moment, I’m going to go search out some pearls to use in the discussions, and leave you to chew on what I’ve already brought up. Don’t worry, I’ll be back, to chew on these bones some more…..

“I have the power to HALT PRODUCTION on all TEENAGE SEX COMEDIES!!” — Zippy the Pinhead
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Well, so I was wrong about the length, too… oh, well. Breaks my heart, it does, to be wrong, but, in this case, it works out okay, so, I’ll try not to let it ruin the day…  🙂   

Actually, given my state of mind and body when beginning this morning, this came out pretty well. I’m pretty sure nobody will suggest waking up the Pulitzer Committee to let them know it’s done, but, it makes me feel good to have gotten this far without any major blood loss, which is just as good, right? Right…. Before I say something I’ll regret, I’ll bid the adieu, until tomorrow…..

Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest  Carole…
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

dozer3

Training aardvarks is thirsty work…..

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Ffolkes,
Fair warning….. today’s Pearl is being created under the most trying of conditions imaginable…..  I’m awake…. moreover, I don’t want to be awake….. If I could sleep, I would be doing so at this very moment, but, my aging body, and more than half-crazy head, have conspired to make any such valuable outcome well-nigh impossible…. Well, perhaps not impossible, but relatively fruitless, and not worth the effort of turning over and trying to find a comfortable position again…. Once I’m mostly awake, there pretty much isn’t one, anyway….

Since I had nothing better to do, I got up, and started to prepare to Pearl…. whereupon Smart Bee took a dump, going into its corrupted mode, the one where it sits on the task bar, pretending to be open, but cannot be viewed by mortal users….. This meant I had to take the time to uninstall SB, then go to their website, download a fresh install copy, and again install it on the computer…. Not hard, but all time-consuming, and frustrating to be blocked by reality first thing….

Of course, this is Murphy’s handiwork; that much is obvious, and not unexpected, other than by the exact timing, and he is well-practiced at knowing the exact right moment to reveal his machinations.  By its very nature, his work is hidden by Time itself, until the moment is correct, when the most surprise, and the most damage, will ensue…. Knowing all that doesn’t help to mitigate the anger and frustration, it just helps to keep me from pulling out quite as much hair, which I can’t afford to lose….

Not only has Murphy’s less-than-welcome reappearance thrown a wrench into the works, I’m afflicted with another slight handicap today, but, its nature is such that, if I told you about it, you’d be in terrible danger, (legally, I’d be required to kill you, or, at minimum, turn you into a vegetable….), so, I’ll be a nice guy for a change, and keep it to myself…. Besides, y’all couldn’t do anything to help, and it would just upset your sensibilities to be exposed to the knowledge of what I am experiencing…. Please don’t ask, because I can’t tell you, and it would make us both feel bad…. Not to mention the wear and tear on my shredder….

I may be in a hurry, but, that’s no excuse for a paragraph such as the previous one…. sheer idiocy, just filling in space with nonsense, and not very compelling nonsense, at that….. Pathetic, and not up to even MY loose standards for an intro section…. At this juncture, starting over might be a good idea, but would put me even further behind than I am already. I’m finding myself with less time in the mornings now, as I have a lot to do out in the Big Blue Room, preparing for my upcoming trip(s)…. which, now that it occurs to me, might be a pearl in the rough…. yeah, that’s the ticket…. Sorry, got distracted there….

Any who…..  I guess this is a sufficient amount of crap to throw out for one morning…. if I’m not careful, it could get on someone’s clothing. We’ll go on, just as if everything were going just the way it should be, just as if I knew what I was doing…. Shall we Pearl?…..

“Only exceptionally rational men can afford to be absurd.” — Allen Goldfein
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“It has begun to occur to me that life is a stage I am going through.” — Ellen Goodman

A few days ago, I mentioned that I had received word that my SS had been approved, and though I’ve yet to receive anything on paper to that effect, it was proved true by the money that hit my account a few days ago, a relatively robust amount, comprising the back payments for the time I’ve waited since applying.

This money is going to fulfill my dream, of a retirement that isn’t marked by having to struggle to get by, but will allow me to live comfortably, without having to work, and still have enough to do some traveling, if I am thrifty. That shouldn’t be too hard, since I’ve learned how to live on next to nothing over the past two and a half years, and see no reason to start being a spendthrift now….

All that being said, this is going to have a side-effect, relating to this blog…. I intend to keep writing each day, and posting the Pearls before anything else I do each day…. It saved my sanity, and seems to be necessary for that to stay intact, so I’ll keep on writing, if for no other reason…. But, the content may change more than just a bit…. I’ll be traveling often, or, as often as I can work it out, so a lot of the posts will have to be written while doing that…. which I am actually looking forward to, as it means that my life is proceeding as I wish it to go on….

So, next Tuesday, the Pearl will be written while I’m riding the Pacific Coast Starliner, on my way to Oregon to visit with a friend…. I have no idea how that will go, but it promises to be an adventure, and I’m looking forward to it with great anticipation…. I’ll write a couple days while staying with my buddy, and then, on Friday, will board the train to come back here, so the Saturday Pearl will again be a mobile effort….

I don’t know right now what other trips may happen in April, but, they’ll be relatively short, as I’ve already booked, and paid for, the trip of my dreams for the following month…. I’ve wanted to visit Ireland, and the UK, for many, many years….. AND, I ‘ve wanted to go on another cruise ever since 2004, when I went on the last one…. I had one booked, that had to be canceled, when I had to nurse my mother back to health, so I missed out, and have wanted to go, badly, ever since January of 2011, when it was canceled…. Long story short, I decided to combine the two dreams, and have booked a cruise of 12 days, round trip from London, stopping in eight or nine ports, in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England, as it sails around the British Isles…. Pretty cool, eh?….

I’m going to go 3 days early, before the cruise, staying in London long enough to get over jet lag before the departure, as well as have a bit of time to see some things I’ve always wanted to see, such as the changing of the guard at the Palace, Stonehenge, and Oxford, to name just a few….. I haven’t decided, but I may also stay over the end of the cruise a week or so, to further explore parts of Ireland…. I figure, since I’m already there, it would be cheaper to do that while I am, rather than leaving it for another trip, that may or may not happen, and may be more expensive….

So, in May, I’ll be gone for much of the month, exploring a much larger version of Consensual Reality than usual, and it promises to be interesting to see  how it affects my writing…. It will certainly affect the content, as I’ll write whatever comes to mind about the places I’m visiting, and hope to bring a new way of seeing things to historical sights…. It’s bound to be fun, as well as educational, for all of us…..  😆    Europe may never be the same, after I’ve had a look-through….   😈

“I’m in a (jet plane?) in 53 BC… I’ve landed in ancient Rome… Some gladiators are playing scrabble… I’m ordering Pizza….” ~~ Zippy the Pinhead
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Some days my mood demands the classics…..

I Must Have Wanton Poets

MUST have wanton poets, pleasant wits,
Musicians, that with touching of a string
May draw the pliant king which way I please:
Music and poetry is his delight;
Therefore I’ll have Italian masks by night,
Sweet speeches, comedies, and pleasing shows;
And in the day, when he shall walk abroad,
Like sylvan nymphs my pages shall be clad;
My men, like satyrs grazing on the lawns,
Shall with their goat-feet dance the antic hay;
Sometime a lovely boy in Dian’s shape,
With hair that gilds the water as it glides,
Crownets of pearl about his naked arms,
And in his sportful hands an olive-tree,
To hide those parts which men delight to see,
Shall bathe him in a spring; and there, hard by,
One like Actæon, peeping through the grove,
Shall by the angry goddess be transform’d,
And running in the likeness of an hart,
By yelping hounds pull’d down, shall seem to die:
Such things as these best please his majesty.

~~ Christopher Marlowe

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“In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant.” — Charles de Gaulle

Charles de Gaulle was a very interesting man, as this aphorism makes clear. It’s not your typical statement from someone so deeply involved in politics as to have been the Dictator/President of France, as he was for so long, but,  the quote IS/WAS typical of him, or, at least, of the image he projected, as a maverick in the political world, both inside and outside of France. 

If I recall my history correctly, (he was alive for much of the first half of my life….), other world leaders didn’t trust him much, which tends to give him more cachet, in my mind…. If the normal run of politico mistrusted him, he’s obviously my kind of guy, as that kind of reaction from a politician generally implies the target subject is an honest man….

With this statement, he pulls the covers of the greater percentage of those in public office. Those eminent officials are constantly spouting off about how they are “public servants” and how their salaries are paid by the taxpayers…. All the while, they are shoveling money from the public treasury into their pockets just as fast as their little hands can move.

They make the same noises when they are up for re-election, to further solidify the image they wish to project, as concerned citizens just following their hearts to help the people, when in fact, they are merely petty thieves, with slick tongues and a smooth patter, no more honest than a street grifter, and no more likely to give a shit about anyone else….

I’m not going to make this a long rant today; this is one subject that is so obvious (to me) that I hesitate to even write about it, as it would be insulting my readers to assume they weren’t aware of this truism. But, I did want to remind y’all that, no matter how honest and sincere a politician may seem, no matter how often they tell you they are just your servant, they are lying, bare-faced and deliberately. This applies to ALL of them, from the top to the bottom of our federal, state, and local governments; the corruption is inherent in the structure of the system, which encourages behaviors that are self-serving, and rewards theft with more access to more money…..

“Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives.” — John Stewart Mill (1806-1873)

I don’t think I need to even show any evidence here, as it ample proof of the chicanery prevalent in society is all over the news every day, if one knows where to look, and how to read between the lies….. (not a typo…)  The recent events surrounding the budget mess, have reached a stage where it is apparent, even to the citizens who blindly support anything the politicos say, that there is something wrong with this picture, and serve as a perfect example of what I am implying, nay, accusing them of here. The bickering and obstructionism reached levels that showed exactly how little the people mattered, in relation to the money, and who would have the control of it….. It’s a huge mess, and nobody has any acceptable solutions (so they say….)…

So, what do they do?…. Things get stalled long enough for the Supreme Court to take up the constitutionality of the concept of Gay Marriage, a decision that will have a long-term effect on how our country operates on some levels, and certainly engages the emotions of every citizen with any concern over the issue… Quite distracting, in fact, and to me, a bit suspicious in timing, as it takes the public awareness away from what Congress, and the White House, are up to, which, I assure you, is no good…. at least, not for us, or for the people at large….

SIGH… My outrage at the system is so large it keeps me awake at nights, sometimes…. but, it is so large because the system is, in nature, completely amorphous, with no obvious pieces that can be attacked and destroyed…. Add to that the fact that too few people alive are even aware of the need to do so, and it leaves me with little choice but to rant…. Life goes on, without any real changes; the rich keep getting richer, while the poor keep on keepin’ on, best they can…. Me, I’m gonna go take a nap…..

“The trouble with Congress is every time they make a law, it’s a joke, and every time they make a joke, it’s a law!” — Will Rogers
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Not bad, I think, given the circumstances….. It’s done, and that just may be the deciding factor; it hangs together fairly well, and I don’t see anything legally actionable; the only name I mentioned was Charles de Gaulle’s, and he’s dead, and not likely to take offense, especially since I put him in a pretty positive light…. Therefore, I pronounce this Pearl completed, and wash my hands of it…. Gotta go, so…..  Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

dozer3

Abstinence of compassion is considered immoral….

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Ffolkes,
Wasted moments come back to haunt, rattling chains and screaming demons; unrequited dreams of love moan in despair. Yet time passes, and all becomes dust in the end. No pain, no gain, but, the gains are one step forward, three steps back. Silvered memories of golden days shine off in the distance, while the fire of anguish cleanses the soul. No one leaves without singing the blues…

Sometimes, I know what is going to go down when I start typing, other times, such as today, I haven’t a clue, so that what I see on screen is as new to me as it is to you…. not efficient, maybe, but guaranteed fresh. I don’t yet have the patience to stay with one theme for long, probably due to not being able to sit for long without having to move…it’s hard at times to finish one of my more extensive rants, as I tend to lose the driving impetus of outrage when I take a break from writing about whatever it is that affronted me. It’s a delicate line to walk, but hey, like I said above, no pain, no gain…. and I love singing the blues….

Now that you are probably as confused as I am, I think we should go find some pearls…. shall we?….
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“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country…. Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money-power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands, and the Republic is destroyed.” — Former US President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864 — letter to Col. William F. Elkins

Uh, oh…. I have a feeling that Abe’s fears have already been realized. The rich have become richer, and even now are making a bid to bring their completely self-centered agenda out into the open, by attempting to put one of the the 1% into the office of the Presidency, supported by a running mate who is a fawning sycophant of the elite, one of their unapologetic myrmidons, who parrots whatever the corporate masters decree with a big smile and a wink, hoping that someday, he, too, will be allowed into the inner circle of the beloved ruling class….

“Our congressmen are the finest body of men money can buy.” — Morey Amsterdam (written for Will Rogers)

If anyone has any remaining doubts about this scenario’s reality, let me point you to a simple set of facts… first, the average man has no representation in Washington, as every Senator in office makes over a million dollars a year; how can they possibly understand the issues important to their constituents, when they live in an entirely different social strata….

Unfortunately, they all send out the message that they are the “champions of the little guy” and know “how the average family feels” (which should set off an alarm right away…. how can they be both at once? They are mutually exclusive societal groups; you can’t be their champion, and be one of them, too….) Members of the House purportedly make less money on average than the Senators, but not by much, and who knows what they are getting from lobbyists?

The three branches of government: lobbyists, media, PAC’s. — Smart Bee

There is the second fact to remember…. more money is spent each year by lobbyists, to bribe and/or influence Congress into voting in their favor, than is spent on ALL domestic programs that aid the populace. The budgets for housing, education, transportation, food and drug administration, Medicare & Medicaid, and all other social programs are dwarfed by what is spent lobbying against them. Even more money is spent to lobby defense and security programs, but those budgets are far larger than they need to be by a factor of at least 10….

Then there is the cost of keeping Congress in perks…. they make a salary reminiscent of a corporate CEO, with medical and pension benefits that make the finest of HMO’s look paltry in comparison. A member of the House, who only serves one term of two years, is retired with a full salary, and full medical benefits for life; same for a Senator who only serves one four year term…. life-long benefits at a yearly rate of income that is larger than over 50% of the people in this country, including those still working. Now, what have any of them done that deserves that?

“The genius of our ruling class is that it has kept a majority of the people from ever questioning the inequity of a system where most people drudge along, paying heavy taxes for which they get nothing in return.” — Gore Vidal

Aye, indeed, Gore has hit the head of the nail in one sure shot…. Last year, between the federal and state government, I paid about 25% taxes on my income, which is what I’ve had to pay most of my life. If I should work overtime, or make money considered extra to my salary, that rate went up to over 40%….. When I hear about somebody like Mitt the Twitt paying 13%, it pretty much pisses me off about as much as I can be… and that is only the one he let the public see… I’ll bet anything he paid less in other years, and I’ll bet he has more than one year when he didn’t pay any at all…. oh yeah, that’s fair and equitable law, for sure…. NOT!…..

“This is the age in which thin and theoretic minorities can cover and conquer unconscious and untheoretic majorities. — G. K. Chesterton, International League of Nations, 12/20/1919

Don’t forget to get out the vote ffolkes, this time it makes a difference. Not that the Democrats are doing much better, but at least they apologize when they plow into our exposed butts…. and I made that image gross on purpose, because the shafting we get from our government, our beloved ruling class, is an ass-fucking of advanced degree…. Any who, vote, and keep your powder dry….
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Below you will find an example of why the powers that be are always trying to suppress free speech, and particularly that of writers and poets…. They, our beloved ruling class, know that such words as these pose the greatest threat to their oppression of the populace… and these are particularly powerful words, worthy of their fear….

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

Maya Angelou
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“He who endeavors to serve, to benefit, and improve the world, is like a swimmer, who struggles against a rapid current, in a river lashed into angry waves by the winds.  Often they roar over his head, often they beat him back and baffle him.  Most men yield to the stress of the current…  Only here and there the stout, strong heart and vigorous arms struggle on toward ultimate success.” — Albert Pike (1809-1891)

I like this statement, on several levels…. First, even though it is a bit pompous in its language, the message it delivers is one of great insight into human nature, and manages, in spite of its rather stiff phraseology, to inspire the very actions it describes. Second, it appeals to my old-fashioned views in many areas.

I have no idea who Albert Pike was, but just seeing when he lived, through much of the 19th century, gives us a glimpse of him… He was fortunate to be born at a time when this nation was young, and full of promise, with burgeoning confidence in our nation’s future. In addition, he lived through times that many did not, observing the growth of the country from 13 states to over 40, the Civil War, and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. He seems to have taken a lot of the best qualities he saw in society into his own thoughts, if this one is any indication. Let’s see what Google has to say about Albert….

From http://freedomfighter.co/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=285&Itemid=1

“In 1859, Albert Pike 1809-1891), a lawyer, and leader of the U.S. Scottish Rite Masonry (who was called the “Sovereign Pontiff of Universal Freemasonry,” the “Prophet of Freemasonry” and the “greatest Freemason of the nineteenth century.”), who was fascinated with the idea of a one-world government, was chosen to coordinate Illuminati activities in the United States. He said they needed to create a political party that would keep the world fighting, until they could bring peace. Pike said it would be done “with tongue and pen, with all our open and secret influences, with the purse, and if need be, with the sword…”

“Pike was born on December 29, 1809, in Boston, went to Harvard, then later served as a Brigadier-General in the Confederate Army. He was appointed by the Confederacy to be the Indian Commissioner in order to create an army of Indian warriors. He became Governor of the Indian territory, and succeeded in creating an army consisting of Chickasaws, Comanches, Creeks, Cherokees, Miamis, Osages, Kansas, and Choctaws. He became known to them as the “faithful pale-face friend and protector.” The savagery of their attacks caused Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederacy to disband the Indian army. After the Civil War, Pike was found guilty of treason and jailed, only to be pardoned by President Andrew Johnson on April 22, 1866, who met with him the next day at the White House. On June 20, 1867, Scottish Rite officials conferred upon Johnson, the 4th – 32nd degrees, and he later went to Boston to dedicate a Masonic Temple. The only monument to a Confederate general in Washington, D.C. was erected in Pike’s honor, and can be found between the Department of Labor building and the Municipal Building, between 3rd and 4th Streets, on D Street, NW.”

Very interesting man… the web page also listed some correspondence to and from Mr. Pike, and other historical information; it’s worth a few minutes to check it out…..
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Well, that was an interesting trip…. I’m done for the day…. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

She left the argyle socks again….

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Ffolkes,
The difficulty I face today in creating this introductory section is to be able to choose from among the available subjects. The last couple of days has provided me with a plethora of material, thanks to the usual suspects; politics, taxes, corporate greed, and Murphy’s ubiquitous presence. Suffice it to say that the world has once again taken a dump on me, financially, and my immediate prospects of any travel to other parts of the world have disappeared from sight. Hell, with the way things have been left, I can’t afford to go downtown, much less overseas…. I’ll be lucky to have more than rice to eat the last week of this month, so Ireland is out of the picture, for the time-being….

Of course, the corporate mavens will say it’s my own fault, for not being able to pay what they are insisting I owe them. It matters not at all to them that I have already paid them more than originally agreed to on purchase, or that I no longer even have the item for which they want me to pay (it long ago having died from built-in obsolescence…).

All they care about is that they have a piece of paper that gives them the legal right to dun me for money they don’t deserve, or need. Though corporations have all the legal rights of individuals under our legal system, they have NONE of the actual human characteristics common to an individual; no compassion, no judgment, no flexibility, just adherence to law…..

Ah well, trying to get them to show any human characteristics is a futile pastime, so I don’t. They don’t much like when I ignore them, but I see no sense in telling them, once again, that I cannot pay them, no matter how much they threaten to ruin my now non-existent credit. Ruining my credit isn’t going to make it any easier to pay them, but that’s another of those things they don’t care about, so there isn’t any point in discussing it with them.

Plus, not talking to them is the only way I have to annoy them at all, and I’m not giving up that small power for anything…. they can simmer in their own juices….

So, having thus furnished me with a short rant to begin the day, we will nod them our minimal thanks, and get on with the show…. shall we Pearl?….
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“To confess a fault freely is the next thing to being innocent of it.” — Publius Syrus

“Danger, danger, Will Robinson!”  Take heed!  The above statement has been around for a long time, obviously. And it is as dangerous a concept today as it was back when ol’ Publius mouthed this particular lie. Yes, I said lie…. this is a vicious, vindictive lie, one that I’m sure is in almost constant use in the Vatican, in Congress, and in the White House.

I’m sorry, but I cannot just let this go; the frank admission of a vice does NOT turn that vice into a virtue… Nope, it doesn’t, no matter how many times you say it, it just isn’t going to be the truth…. though, in reality, it has been said so often, and for so long, that most people accept it as such….

To my way of thinking, which is admittedly dissimilar to the average Joe’s, this is the root cause of a lot of what is wrong in society today. This idea was adopted by the Christian churches within moments of the death of Jesus Christ, seemingly, and has been the justification for war, oppression, and violence by the minions of that religion for thousands of years now. You see, they can kill, or hate, or enslave the proponents of other religions without fear of consequence, because they know that all will be forgiven, and Heaven will not deny them, if only they confess to their sins…. Nice work, if you can get it…

It has been noted before that to kill another human is against religious law…. that is, it is against that law if one man kills another. But, if many men are killed, in the name of the state, or of the church, then those who kill are rewarded as heroes. This hypocrisy has been true of every government since the beginning of society, aided and abetted by the churches, who reap the benefits of favoritism from the government (Boy, wouldn’t it be nice if WE were free from being taxed?….). If I wasn’t such an adult, with a sense of decorum and dignity, why, I’d spit right in their faces!

Which is why I do so, figuratively speaking, on such a regular basis…. believe me, if any of these corporate or religious honchos were to ever appear before me, I would be spitting as fast as I could work up the saliva…. and I wouldn’t be offering tissues, either….

Remember this ffolkes, at the next election…. just because they admit to lying, doesn’t mean the lie didn’t happen… in fact, it makes it worse, as it insults my intelligence for them to believe for a second that I would buy into that…. But, then, they don’t care how much they insult people, as long as they keep getting elected… and forgiven….
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“Our days are happier when we give people a bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind.” — Smart Bee

I think this is obvious to the point of becoming natural law. It’s a very close insight into human nature, and I don’t know about y’all, but it sure is true for me. Today is a perfect example of this….

I feel trapped a lot of the time. Hemmed in by the very society who is supposedly there to support me in my efforts to pursue my life’s goals and aspirations. Of course, anybody over the age of 10 realizes that that support often resembles a slap to the head, but the point is that society’s purpose for existing is to aid it’s citizens in maximizing their experiences for their benefit.

I mean, that is what its purpose is MEANT to be; I don’t think it would be very beneficial if this isn’t the case. Society is supposed to work in such a way that all of its members have an equal chance to succeed in whatever they undertake in life… that is its ostensible reason for existing at all….

In reality, it doesn’t work that way, for the simple reason that some of the folks in the game have changed the rules, simply to suit themselves, and what they want. And what they want is total control of everyone else…. They’re pretty good at it, too.

For close to 10,000 years now, the beloved ruling class has set things up in our culture to favor themselves. They have lied, cheated, stolen, killed, repressed, oppressed, and generally acted in a manner that the rest of humanity considers immoral, unethical, and inhuman, at the core. They have done this right in front of our eyes. The rules and laws that are agreed to by all were written to favor those in power, not those who serve.

Though every church shouts out how moral and ethical it is, and spouts off about the virtue of faith and obedience, they do so not from spiritual surety, but from avarice and ambition. Though every government claims to have the welfare of the people as its purported goal, the only people who gain are those who are already wealthy. The rest get welfare alright, but not the kind they should be able to expect….

And that is why it pisses me off so badly…. as humans, all we really want to do is be happy. It isn’t so much to ask. Most folks are happy when they have enough to eat, a place to sleep, and someone they love to be around. It soothes our nature to be able to share such feelings, hence the accuracy of the quote from Smart Bee above. We just feel better when we can share good feelings with others…. But, we are constantly blocked from doing so, by the society we live in.

In today’s culture, we are put in a situation where it takes all of our time and effort just to obtain the things we need; food, shelter, clothing. Gathering enough resources to ensure an ample supply of all three takes more than one person can make, thanks to the economic picture in a world where 1% of the population controls 99% of the money and resources.

Unless one throws aside all of one’s humanity, becoming one of the ruthless ones, indifferent to the suffering of others, as are those who inhabit the 1%, making enough to get by in today’s society just isn’t possible… I know, I’ve spent the last 50 years trying, and I’m a pretty talented guy….

Now, I don’t care about being rich. “If you want a life of trouble, fill your house with treasures…”, a Chinese proverb so old I don’t know who said it. But, I’ve believed it all my life, and worked only to get enough to live comfortably, and to provide stability and opportunities to succeed for my family. I’ve never given in to the urge to take advantage of others, or to cheat, or steal, or lie in order to get ahead; if I didn’t get ahead on merit, I stayed where I was.

It didn’t seem to matter much, anyway. The system is set up so that, at each step up the ladder of financial gain, the rules become more complicated, and are still set up to deny advancement. (I.E., as you make more money, they take more taxes…. In order to borrow money, you must already have money…. etc…)

Lately, the government has been less creative in their lies as to why they are taking money from the average Joe…. for all three of the last raises I got when working, the money was taken away by furloughs, reducing my hours. Each time I expected to make a bit more, they would take away another day’s work, thus eliminating the advancement in pay…. The justification was that state employees made too much anyway, and taking away their money was going to balance the budget… funny how that didn’t work out that way….

Being retired from working has had two effects for me, neither of which is particularly helpful…. It gives me way too much time to be able to look at reality, and find the flaws and kinks that are causing all the friction and conflict in the world. Unfortunately, it has also made the task of obtaining the three necessary items for survival more difficult, by reducing my income drastically, to the poverty line, and at the same time, making it more physically difficult to accomplish what I need to do. SIGH…. Murphy is such an ASSHOLE!

Okay, I’m done. I could go on most of the day, but it’s starting to sound whiny to me. I’m not a victim. I will be alright, eventually. I will be more than alright. But, it pisses me off royally that I can’t spend more time sharing my heart with others, rather than sharing my thoughts….

My heart is much more fun to be around, mostly…. at least I’d like to think so. Now, if I can only get it to climb out of the hole of depression it has crawled into so much lately, perhaps I can find a way to cheer it up…. as long as Murphy will give me a breather now and again….
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“A lawyer and a pope died on the same day, and both went to heaven. When the pope noticed that the lawyer had a larger mansion, he questioned Saint Peter about the allocation of rewards.  The  justification was “Well, we’ve had 265 popes up here, but this is the FIRST lawyer!” — Smart Bee

A couple of years ago, I made a poor decision, trying to help my son out of his own foolishness. I hired a lawyer for him, not knowing that the lawyer was one of those who are in the business of law for their own benefit, not that of their clients. Within four days of hiring him, I had been charged over $2500, and nothing had even been done, other than starting a file, making a five minute court appearance, where nothing was changed or reduced, and making two phone calls.

The bill I received noted that the charge for the two phone calls was for $68.75 EACH! (15 minutes of time at $275/hour). The charge for the five minute court appearance was for four hours at that rate. With the $1200 he charged me just for accepting the case, he had, in less than one week, charged me the equivalent of an entire month’s pay, at the rate I was then making.

I was astounded, and said so in a letter firing him. I have been struggling ever since to get that paid, and will sometimes offer my feelings about it when I send them a check. The secretary recently had the nerve to suggest to me that I shouldn’t include jokes about lawyers going to Hell if I was asking for patience…. Again, I was astounded, but managed to not bite her (it is fortunate her office is in another town, and my ability to get there is hampered…), but simply commented that the joke was about how I felt, not about the lawyer…. which was perfectly true…. Here is what I sent….

A lawyer shows up at the pearly gates. St. Peter says, “Normally we don’t let you people in here but you’re in luck, we have a special this week. You go to hell for the length of time you were alive, then you get to come back up here for eternity.” The lawyer says, “I’ll take the deal.” St. Peter says, “Good, I’ll put you down for 212 years in hell …” The lawyer says, “What are you talking about? I’m 65 years old!”  St. Peter says, “Up here we go by billing hours.” — Orson Bean

Now, I ask you, is that cruel? Of course not, it’s merely accurate. It certainly shows as much consideration for the lawyer’s feelings as he showed for mine. And, hey, this is MY blog, isn’t it? Why, yes, I do believe it is, and I believe that I’ll just keep on humiliating lawyers of his ilk whenever I feel like it…. so there….
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Ah, it always feels good to get out those particular nasty feelings and thoughts. Of course, after such a piece, I must needs spend the next few minutes thoroughly washing up, as it tends to get all over when I spew like that….. Bloody assholes…. Any who, it’s been nothing if not real today…. hopefully I haven’t pulled anyone into my nightmare. I’ll say this, though… I feel better for having vented, and I’ll settle for that…. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you….

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Sitting amid the clutter, thinking of marigolds….

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Farewell, Bill of Rights……

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The gravest danger threatening society in this country has been realized. The United States Bill of Rights has been repealed by collusion of the U.S. Congress, the Supreme Court, and the President; it was signed into law on December 31, 2011, and takes immediate effect on January 1, 2012 (uh, yesterday). It is suggested you read this quote from the article, read the article, then return here for our discussion of its content….

 The “Bill of Rights has come to a sudden and catastrophic end with the President’s signing of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a law that grants the U.S. military the “legal” right to conduct secret kidnappings of U.S. citizens, followed by indefinite detention, interrogation, torture and even murder. This is all conducted completely outside the protection of law, with no jury, no trial, no legal representation and not even any requirement that the government produce evidence against the accused.” –excerpted from the article

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/034537_NDAA_Bill_of_Rights_Obama.html#ixzz1iKFhRgjN

 The party is now over. Big Brother has assumed control, and the rest of us will be hard pressed to wrest control over our lives back from them without a fight of some kind. The introductory statement above, alluding to collusion amongst the separate branches of our government, is made clear by the very fact that, for this document to even be considered as legal according to the Constitution, the Judiciary Branch would have to be in tacit and written agreement with the two other parts of our three part system, thereby reneging on their duty to act as a check to the legislative and executive branches, to safeguard our Constitution, and Bill of Rights.

 All of the first ten given rights in the Bill of Rights have been declared null and void, without any objection from the judiciary. It seems fairly obvious that this country is now in the hands of people who have no regard for human rights, unless it pertains to their own; anyone who disagrees out loud with their new regulations don’t deserve any rights, in their eyes. And according to this new legislation, foisted on society while it was busy being distracted once again by rhetoric and illusory holiday seasons, anyone who is even suspected of being against these laws may now be kidnapped in the dark of night, with never a word of justification of any sort to anyone; none is now required, there is no oversight at all.

 Considering some of what has been written here, and in other places where the author’s work may be found, they will be coming for me very soon….oh excuse me, someone is at the door…. be right back…..

Beleaguered by faceless minions….

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Ffolkes,
Morning brings such sweet sorrow……oh, wait. Sorry, just a little pre-coffee dsylexia….let us begin the dance….

ASS, n.  A public singer with a good voice but no ear.  In Virginia City, Nevada, he is called the Washoe Canary, in Dakota, the Senator, and everywhere the Donkey.  The animal is widely and variously celebrated in the literature, art and religion of every age and country; no other so engages and fires the human imagination as this noble vertebrate.  Indeed, it is doubted by some (Ramasilus, _lib. II., De Clem._, and C. Stantatus, _De Temperamente_) if it is not a god; and as such we know it was worshiped by the Etruscans, and, if we may believe Macrobious, by the Cupasians also.  Of the only two animals admitted into the Mahometan Paradise along with the souls of men, the ass that carried Balaam is one, the dog of the Seven Sleepers the other.  This is no small distinction.  From what has been written about this beast might be compiled a library of great splendor and magnitude, rivaling that of the Shakespearean cult, and that which clusters about the Bible.  It may be said, generally, that all literature is more or less Asinine.

“Hail, holy Ass!” the squiring angels sing;
“Priest of Unreason, and of Discords King!”
Great co-Creator, let Thy glory shine:
God made all else, the Mule, the Mule is thine!”
G.J.
— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

A few days ago, I came across an article reviewing this book, The Devil’s Dictionary, which is being reprinted and released for consumption. When I started creating these Pearls, over ten years ago, I would occasionally come across one of the definitions from the book, in some pretty odd places. But the quotes were always witty, fun, and beautifully satiric in the way they poked fun at society and mankind. I had no idea at first that it was first published in the mid-1800’s, because most of what I had seen was excruciatingly accurate in its critical observations on government and politics, as well as less prominent subjects as the Ass. Combining wit, poetry, and wonderfully tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, it remains as valid today as the day it was first released. I don’t use too many of the definitions I find, as they usually are of the sort that would outshine whatever I could write about them, so I usually save them for occasions such as this, when the quotes can stand alone, or provide a clear subject for my dissection. I’m going to go buy me a copy of the book myself once it hits the bookstores; it will be a valuable, and well-thumbed, addition to my library…..
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What Congress means by ethics is best explained by the tailor’s story: “Suppose I sell a suit to a young man for $200.  He tells me that his family is footing the bill and that if I give him a receipt for $400 to give to his parents, he will pay me $100 on the side. The question of ethics is: Do I keep the extra $100 myself, or do I tell my partner and split it with him?”

Even though there was no attribution with this, I had to include it, just because there is very little to add. As a parable it is priceless, producing just the right amount of derisive snicker. As a metaphor, it is even more perfect, as all that is needed to make it congruent with reality is to add about 5 or 6 zeros after the digits, and it would easily be taken as a factual statement as it applies to our current crop of Congressati. 

It continues to amaze, and depress me how willingly the public buys into the nonsensical garbage these politicians throw out there into the public arena. There are new stories every day that give proof of how much our beloved ruling class is stealing from us, but the public continues to ignore every instance of a new lie, and keeps falling for the same old lies. It isn’t necessary for me to list here just how many of our public officials are engaged in this constant pilfering; you can open up any newspaper for that. And it is doubtful that my cries for help will be acknowledged, just as if I were a tree falling in an unoccupied forest…….but just because nobody hears, doesn’t make it any less true…..
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EXCESS, n.  In morals, an indulgence that enforces by appropriate penalties the law of moderation.

Hail, high Excess — especially in wine,
To thee in worship do I bend the knee
Who preach abstemiousness unto me —
My skull thy pulpit, as my paunch thy shrine.
Precept on precept, aye, and line on line,
Could ne’er persuade so sweetly to agree
With reason as thy touch, exact and free,
Upon my forehead and along my spine.
At thy command eschewing pleasure’s cup,
With the hot grape I warm no more my wit;
When on thy stool of penitence I sit
I’m quite converted, for I can’t get up.
Ungrateful he who afterward would falter
To make new sacrifices at thine altar!

— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

It has been said that an important key to living well is to practice moderation in all things. There is a lot of evidence to support this notion, and the infamous SAGOPM (Self-appointed guardians of public morality) would have us believe that it is sinful to behave otherwise. But what these notorious busybodies forget in their zealous efforts to make everyone believe as they do, is that the concept also implies that even moderation should be practiced moderately.

There is a lot to be said in favor of every once in a while letting it all go, and spending some time at the outer limits of human experience, rather than always pulling back from the edge. There is a lot to be learned from pushing the envelope, and none of it can be learned by habitually avoiding the possibility of danger, or even just the possibility of embarrassment. It’s kind of like learning how to hit a curve ball from a major league pitcher; it can’t be done if you never step up to the plate. Sometimes, to learn the important stuff, you gotta let it all hang out……
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Art is long, and time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still like muffled drums are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
— Henry W. Longfellow (1807-1882)
— A Psalm of Life

Somewhat broody, with a heavy air, beautifully spare. This is my favorite type of poem, even though I believe it is merely one scansion from a larger piece. The structure of the lines and the consistency of the rhymes lends itself well to the progression of ideas being presented. Though I can’t completely agree with some of the intended point it espouses, I can also find no fault in the manner of expression. I am reminded by this of the reason I don’t spend a lot of time reading Woodie, i.e., too sober for my taste. Great, brilliant poetry, but often rather saddening, or otherwise depressive. I admire the technique a lot, even though the ideas are not what I would prefer…….just goes to show, one can learn from anything; even a negative is an answer of sorts…….
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That is probably enough for one day. I wouldn’t want to go overboard this early, water’s too cold…..Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!