Ffolkes,
Unknown random thoughts awoke me early today, and I have yet to pin them down sufficiently to see just why it was so bloody important for me to be up just now (0645…. that’s AM, in case the military time doesn’t compute….). I can’t see anything particularly in need of my attention, and I can’t believe my head got me up just to witness the very short power outage at 0642, which lasted all the way until 0643….. my assistance was not necessary, other than to re-program a couple of clocks, which could have been done later.

Considering my retired state, and the fact that I don’t HAVE to get up at all, should I so wish, whatever reason I’ve been summoned awake at this hour is insulting, not to say a bit tiring….. and if it was merely to set the clocks, then I need to have a serious discussion with my unconscious mind; it’s getting a bit out of whack with reality, and what is important.  But, hey, I’m up, so I may as well begin the Beguine…. so to speak. (And, boy, did I just date myself there!…..) (Of course, I MAY be the only one left alive who knows the song, so…. I might be safe….)

Much of today’s Pearl was written last night, as Smart Bee presented me at that time with a plethora of quotes with which to work. In addition to the fine group of them that centered on my usual topics, I also found this one, which relates to a post I made some weeks ago; that post, it turns out, was a pivotal post, as it seems to somehow have attracted a large number of new readers to my blog, many of which have begun to follow it, to my delight and surprise.

That post, the title of which escapes me (as they all do, since I don’t bother to make them logical, or indicative of content….) spoke in the intro section about fish sauce, and its importance in society….. That post has become the most widely read post I ever wrote, with well over 30 Likes, and a number of comments….. Fish sauce struck a chord, somehow, with a LOT of people, it seems…. Any who, the following may shed light on just why it turned out to be so popular…..

“SAUCE, n.  The one infallible sign of civilization and enlightenment. A people with no sauces has one thousand vices; a people with one sauce has only nine hundred and ninety-nine.  For every sauce invented and accepted a vice is renounced and forgiven.” — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

I find this to be somewhat comforting, all in all, as it lends to the concept of civilization a somewhat elegant veneer. Little did I, or any other historian or scholar, for that matter, realize just how intrinsic to the inner nature of society Sauces really are…. I do know that the world would be a darker, sadder place without gravy, especially Country Gravy, and who can deny the socially redeeming value of a good Hollandaise? Then, of course, there is fish sauce, without which our society would never have arisen, lifted up from the culture of the caves to assume the grandeur of what it is now. We owe a lot to Sauces, and fish sauce is one of the grandest sauces ever conceived. I don’t know about y’all, but a fresh fish sauce just makes my toes curl in anticipation…. YUM!

Okay, now that is over, my medication is starting to take effect, so fish sauce stories will soon become impossible to write, much less explain later to the authorities…. It must be time to put all this aside, and get on with the scheduled program…. Shall we Pearl?…..
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While searching for pearls for this morning, (as noted above, last evening would be more accurate…..) it seems as if Smart Bee wants me to take a few shots again at the political scene here in America…. almost all of what is coming up is pointed in that direction, and who am I to disparage Smart Bee?….. So, here are some pearls, some from political figures, some from philosophers, some from talking animals, and some from screenwriters…. maybe some others, too…. My comments will appear between pearls, to provide some direction….. if it can be called such….

Nick: “There are lots of things worse than movies: politicians, wars, forest fires, famine, plague, sickness, pain, warts, politicians…”
Jack: “You already mentioned them.”
Nick: “I know I did. They are twice as bad as anything else.”

— The Last Action Hero

Years ago fairy tales all began with “Once upon a time…”, now we know they all begin with, “If I am elected…” — Carolyn Warner

These two pearls are such that just about every American can identify with, and that is just sad. Nobody in this country will argue with either of the above opinions, as expressed, because they know there is just too much evidence proving them to be true. Deciding for whom to vote is no longer a matter of examining and comparing the candidates’ positions on various issues, but rather a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. And, as Jerry Garcia once pointed out, “The lesser of two evils is still evil….”  We will know that things are changing if ever someone hears this kind of joke, and objects….

“I have never been hurt by anything I didn’t say.” — Calvin Coolidge

It is really too bad that more politicians don’t take what Calvin said to heart. In fact, it seems that Mr. Romney has not only NOT listened to this advice, but has actually gone in the other direction; just about every time he opens his mouth to speak, he says something that he later regrets. This is not merely my opinion…. just look at the news every day, and you will find yet another example of how poorly qualified he is to speak in public.

“Ah say, son, you’re about as sharp as a bowlin’ ball.” — Foghorn Leghorn

The saddest and most disheartening part of it is two-fold; one, in his bowling ball state, he believes that, merely because he wants to be President, he should be allowed to be President…..

“Faith:  not wanting to know what is true.” — Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900)

Second, there are millions of IDIOTS, wallowing in their faith, who actually listen to him, and nod their doltish heads in agreement as he spouts off again…. They do this without ever pausing to consider whether or not what he says is true, because he has appealed to their basic fears, their bigotry and racism. It’s quite pathetic, when viewed dispassionately…. and what is true gets lost in the shuffle…

“Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do.” — President Ronald Reagan

“Poor dear, there’s nothing between his ears.” — Margaret Thatcher, — about Ronald Reagan, in the 6/2/88 issue of The New York Times

But, the idiocy we see in Romney’s acolytes is actually comprehensible when one considers that these are the same fools who thought Reagan was a saint, when in actuality, as the above statement shows, he was not only a fool, but a vicious, narcissistic fool, who didn’t care at all that what he said was absolutely false, as long as it served his purpose. To make such an ignorant statement as the above shows me not only that he hates Americans, but has no respect for them, or for their innate intelligence…. not to mention his cluelessness re: his own lack of IQ points….

“If you can’t say somethin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.” — Thumper (1942)

Ronnie, and now, Mitt the Twitt, will never understand what Thumper said; they probably think that there is nothing to learn from a cartoon rabbit. While Thumper’s mom obviously has a compassionate nature, and some common sense, these men simply cannot comprehend how a metaphor can apply to them. Of course, I’m fairly certain that neither Romney, nor Reagan, could have defined the word “metaphor”, much less understand how it might apply to them. They just don’t care enough about anyone else for that kind of insight to ever occur in their insulated little world of delusion….

“No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the Legislature is in  session.” — Lysander Spooner

Here is another pearl whose very existence is telling. The very fact that someone can say this at all implies that it is a foregone conclusion, that it is such a truism that there is no argument whenever such criticisms are leveled. Everyone knows about this, but, like the weather, nobody ever does anything about it…..

“Irreverence is the champion of liberty and its one sure defense.” — Mark Twain (1835-1910), Notebook, 1888

Thus, the final line explains the process of creating Pearls of Virtual Wisdom; they are my inadequate but sincere attempt to defend the liberties that are threatened by these political assholes who want to get rid of the basic rights our forefathers procured for us. If I can make one person laugh, or stop to consider what I’ve said, then I’ve achieved my basic purpose…. which is more than can be said for many of my undertakings. I can only hope that by doing so, I can, in some small way, contribute to the dispersal of the truth about the congenital liars and thieves who are currently trying to usurp this country, and send us back to the dark ages….. And we all know who is behind them, don’t we?…..

:Corporation: An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility.” — Ambrose Bierce: “The Devil’s Dictionary”
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I’ve sat and stared at the screen for about a half-hour or so now, and nothing seems to be gelling, at least, not into anything remotely resembling poetry…. SIGH…. I suppose this means we’ll have to settle for something classic this morning….. such a burden!…..  🙂  Ah yes…. after so much reality, a bit of fantasy, from one of the Romantics….

Faery Songs

I.
Shed no tear! oh, shed no tear!
The flower will bloom another year.
Weep no more! oh, weep no more!
Young buds sleep in the root’s white core.
Dry your eyes! oh, dry your eyes!
For I was taught in Paradise
To ease my breast of melodies,–
Shed no tear.

Overhead! look overhead!
‘Mong the blossoms white and red–
Look up, look up! I flutter now
On this fresh pomegranate bough.
See me! ’tis this silvery bill
Ever cures the good man’s ill.
Shed no tear! oh, shed no tear!
The flower will bloom another year.
Adieu, adieu — I fly — adieu!
I vanish in the heaven’s blue,–
Adieu, adieu!

II.
Ah! woe is me! poor silver-wing!
That I must chant thy lady’s dirge,
And death to this fair haunt of spring,
Of melody, and streams of flowery verge,–
Poor silver-wing! ah! woe is me!
That I must see
These blossoms snow upon thy lady’s pall!
Go, pretty page! and in her ear
Whisper that the hour is near!
Softly tell her not to fear
Such calm favonian burial!
Go, pretty page! and soothly tell,–
The blossoms hang by a melting spell,
And fall they must, ere a star wink thrice
Upon her closed eyes,
That now in vain are weeping their last tears,
At sweet life leaving, and these arbours green,–
Rich dowry from the Spirit of the Spheres,
Alas! poor Queen!

John Keats
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Since I used an old school pearl format above to take some shots at the political spectrum, I thought this would be a good spot for a bit of the same sport with my other favorite whipping boy…. religion, and the folks who like to fiddle around with it….. This time, I’ll leave the pearls to their own devices, and allow your minds to meander among them as you would, picking out the choicest pieces for perusal…. Enjoy!…

“You believe God created you in one day? Yeah, looks like a rush job…” — Smart Bee

“Instead of striving to be like Jesus most Christians would rather presume that Jesus was just like them.” — Callan Williams

Instead of being born again, why not just grow up? — Smart Bee

Born again? No thanks, I was born right the first time…. — Bumper Snicker

Born again? Mom said, NO WAY!…. — Smart Bee

“One Galileo in two thousand years is enough.” — Pope Pius XII
(Shows how brave they are, eh? And how worried about people who can actually think….)

God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM. — Exodus 3:14
(So…. God is Popeye…. who knew?….)

That is most likely enough for one day. I imagine pearls such as this one tend to drag my karmic burden a little further into the gutter, but, I can’t resist….. We, as humans, have a lot of payback coming when it comes to religion, and all the shit it has heaped on us humans in the last 5000 years….. I’m just getting some of mine back early, that’s all….
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I’ll take it. Sometimes, the best policy is to just take the money and run. Since I know for a fact that no money will be changing hands today, I’m proceeding directly to the running part…. I’ve always found myself to be a more difficult target when I’m running….  I do hope you’ve enjoyed today’s efforts; I’d be crushed if you didn’t…. well, sort of crushed….. Any who, 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!