Intimate moments of inane prattle….

Posted on May 4, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Life, as we know it, does not exist.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

Spring, springing….

Hajime…. My morning routines are evolving again. I’ve had to set the deadline for getting the Pearls done in the morning an hour or two ahead, as I’m now able to sleep, and not up every morning about 3 AM. Yay, me…. In addition, it’s good to know my age is not keeping me from undergoing changes needed to keep on a balanced, steady course. Once we lose the ability to change, our time here is done, pretty much, for only the dead do not change. Well, as pointed out to me once, they do rot, which is change, but, it no longer concerns them, does it now? Right.

Hmm…. I can’t say that’s the most gripping, or compelling opening I’ve done, but, I can say it’s not even close to being either one. I’d delete it & start again, but, I’m already later than I’d hoped to be this morning, so we’ll just pretend it’s fine, and get on with it. I still have three sections to complete, & we won’t get there if I keep waffling. Of course, the question as to whether or not ‘getting there’ is a worthwhile pastime is one we won’t bother to justify with a response. That would be both self-serving, and inefficient, and we do try to avoid both of those, when we can…. Today, that’s looking a bit iffy….

Ah, well, so much for vaulting ambition; I think even moderate ambition, or modest, will also be out of our purview, so, let’s not even go there, okay? Instead, I’ll stop fooling around with this, & get on with it. After all, it’s only a matter of time until none of much anything will really matter to us, so, really, what’s the point, eh? Of course, that’s giving in to despair, but, we’re getting rather adept at that, so…. I think, most likely, this would be a good time for me to push this button, which will take us where we need to be, without any further idiocy from the author, who has completely lost his way, and is now stuck speaking in a completely different person. Damn it…. Fuck it, I’m pushing it now….

Shall we Pearl?….

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

~~ Plutarch ~~

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I couldn’t think of anything new and different, and we just did classical yesterday. So, today, I’ll please myself. Here is my favorite female artist. Red hair, hot guitar licks, and a voice that can send chills up your spine…. The video I chose was the latest I could find, from 2013 BBC sessions she preformed…. Enjoy, ffolkes; I will, for sure….

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Bonnie Raitt Live

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https://youtu.be/o7L5Q_LSpQU

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“The only way to combat criminals is by not voting for them.”

~~ Dayton Allen ~~

In the past couple weeks, I’ve avoided ranting extensively here. I’ve been putting most of that angst into comments on other blogs, so there hasn’t been enough left here to stimulate my outrage, even though there is more than enough in the news to do so. What I see there only convinces me my bad feelings about what may happen in the next few years are not unjustified….. In fact, the above quote mirrors much of my thought process, for I’ve come to the conclusion that that longer we encourage the idiots who are ostensibly in charge of society, by voting, by paying taxes, by allowing their lies to be truth, the longer the trouble we face will be with us, eventually leading us inexorably to our extinction.

Rather than try to force out all that is in there, boiling over, I’ll throw out some pearls, from which you can build your own rant in your mind. Oh, it’s not hard; don’t be afraid. Just follow the bouncing ideas, and you’ll see how much fun it can be to take the Asininnies for a spin down Insult Lane…. Here, then, for your viewing pleasure are today’s pearls, to string together & throw at the Beloved Ruling Class, the Dogma Dogs, the Faceless Mrymidons, and all the other Asininnies we have come to know and, hate so well….

“All riches come from iniquity, and unless one has lost, another cannot gain. Hence that common opinion seems to be very true, “the rich man is unjust, or the heir to an unjust one.” Opulence is always the result of theft, if not committed by the actual possessor, than by his predecessor.” — St. Jerome (340?-420)

“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure.” — Thomas Jefferson, Letter to William S. Smith, Paris, Nov. 13, 1787

“Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status.” — Laurence J. Peter

“Lysander said that the law spoke too softly to be heard in such a noise of war.” — Plutarch — Life of Caius Marius

” When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl!” [When cryptography is outlawed, only outlaws will have privacy!”, ROT-13 encrypted] — Brad Templeton of ClariNet

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

“Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction.” — New Testament — Matthew vii, 13

Lions in the street and roaming,
Dogs in heat, rabid, foaming,
A beast caged in the heart of the city.
The body of his mother lying in the summer ground,
He fled the town.
Went down south across the border,
Left the chaos and disorder
Back there, over his shoulder.
One morning he awoke in a green hotel,
A strange creature groaning beside him.
Sweat oozed from its shiny skin.
Is everybody in? The ceremony is about to begin.

~~ Jim Morrison, “Celebration of the Lizard” ~~

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I’ve been feeling as if there’s a poem in me, percolating, but, it has not yet reached the stage where I can open a vein to let it out. Here, instead, is the last one I wrote, not so long ago…. I hope you enjoy it…..

Augmentation: Inner Aye

Distant, peals of thunder, vividly.
Closer, a patter of rain, falling gravidly.
Between the light and the darkness of fear
find merely the remnants of one lonely tear.

Do not hate us, though we have not sinned;
eager for courage, upon whom all hope is pinned.
Tales of insolence, hatred, or fallen virtue
fill us up, not down, in such pristine foreign venue.

Capable hands severed, able hands tied;
the future is angry, all but now denied.
Multiple times, warnings sounded across the pale
nobody heard, nobody came to tell the tale.

Gifted by time, salience fails in epic rhyme;
watchmakers watching, each a separate crime.
Logical solutions refuse to emulsify
forever pretending to cruelly crucify.

Blood will fly alongside pertinent composure,
never seeking, never finding tea, or closure.
Falsely laid trails on mountains of gold
imply no happy endings, no fortunes told.

Ages past have no time for repetition;
further chances only lead to perdition.
Destiny feels a shameful portion of guilt,
for a thousand sand castles, never built.

~~ gigoid ~~

3/2/2016

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Naked Pearls

Dragon Bookends/Random Thoughts

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“Safety is on the shore, but the pearl is in the ocean.”

~~ Chinese Proverb ~~

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“When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth.”

~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~

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“Clouds come floating into my life,
no longer to carry rain or usher storm
but to add color to my sunset sky.”

~~ Rabindranath Tagore ~~

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“Art has an obligation to offend.”

~~ Edward Albee ~~

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“When I was a lark, I sang; when I was a worm, I devoured.”

~~ Theodore Roethke ~~

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“Man needs, for his happiness,
not only the enjoyment of this or that,
but hope and enterprise and change.”

~~ Bertrand Russell ~~

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“No falsehood lingers into old age.”

~~ Sophocles ~~

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“If you can, help others. If you can’t, at least don’t hurt others.”

~~ the Dalai Lama ~~

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“Enjoy yourself–it’s later than you think.”

~~ Chinese Proverb ~~

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Well, I beat the odds, though slowly. It’s all fresh though, except for the poem, which is about as fresh as I can do. Regardless of aught else we might say, it’s done, so, I’ll be nice, and end it here, and now. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, unless somebody comes up with a better plan….

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….

If not four, maybe seven….

Posted on April 26, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Grain grows best in shit.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

Life is persistent….

Hajime…. Life is change, it is said, but, do we listen? Not much, for even when we do, it changes anyway, in ways we cannot predict. Fortunately for me, I’m getting fairly used to it by now, save for those days our old nemesis, Murphy, steps in to lend a hand to Fate, with his own ironic twists to the changes we think we expect. SIGH…. since there isn’t a damn thing to be done about it, the necessity for adapting, as it always does, rests with me, to do with as I please. Of course, if what I please isn’t in line with reality, well, too bad for me. Ah, well, I suppose we all have things in life which can disappoint us; this, for some reason, is mine….

Boy, that was pretty useless, wasn’t it? When I began, I was trying to be helpful, or at least compellingly sincere. But, it worked its way right into something else, insidiously, in the manner of Murphy himself, hiding the end result until too late to do anything about it. Funny how our own unconscious processes mirror the way reality works, isn’t it? And, so much for putting together the brilliant, gripping introduction that was my original intended start to today’s Pearl, eh, what? I’d say it was yet another small lesson in the hazards of engaging in vaulting ambition, I suppose, if I were in the mood to be pious, or even more ridiculous, morally instructive. Fortunately for all of us, I’m not, nor do I often fall into that absurdity. Lucky you.

Okay, we are quickly losing our way, so, perhaps it would be best to get on with the show for today. I find that’s usually the best way to preserve at least a modicum of dignity, even if we never actually display any at all. Oh, well, such is life in the blogosphere, ffolkes. You can never quite tell just what you’ll come across on any given day. I guess that just goes to show the nuances of human nature, which embeds itself in everything we do; in this case, it will allow us to escape into the wilds of the inner blog, without really even trying. In fact, we’ll just fake the whole process today, and do it like this…. Watch closely, or you’ll miss the change….

Shall we Pearl?….

“It is good
to have an end to journey toward,
but it is the journey that matters in the end.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

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

I’ve been sleeping better lately, which sometimes means I get up a bit late to make my self-imposed deadline for posting each day. This, naturally, means we cheat, and go with our default musical choice, to wit: classical…. As always, the mix chosen was simply the most compelling picture I saw when perusing the choices….. Enjoy!….

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Classical Music

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https://youtu.be/AXrxCDeEkj4

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I really wanted to have the rant on which I’ve been working ready for today; my fatigue yesterday prevented that, and arising late today finished off any chance of getting it done this morning, as it’s still evolving on me. So be it. Here is a discussion of virtue from late in 2012, not too long, to fill in quite nicely for today…. I figure, in today’s world, a discussion of virtue can never be out of place….

From 12/16/2012:

“Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.” — Buddha (B.C. 568-488)

This statement strikes a deep chord within me…. It comes to me upon reflection that there are basically two kinds of people in the world; there are those who will see a statement such as this, read it, think about it, and either accept it, or reject it, though it hardly seems possible to do the latter, given its degree of demonstrable truth. The other kind of person will start to read this, then give up after a few words, because the words have no meaning for them, beyond the word ‘treasure’. Once these folks discover that the ‘treasure’ isn’t jewels or gold, they stop all thought on the subject, and turn to anything else that will serve their self-interest.

In one sense, this dichotomy of nature is indicative of what is happening in the world at large today. On one hand we observe the people who reject the above statement, and live according to rules that are pathologically oriented to themselves, those who also believe in “do unto others before they can do unto you….”. Sadly, this group is the same one that the major percentage of elected officials and members of our beloved ruling class come from, along with all of those who spend their lives playing with money, i.e., the bankers. All of these folks refuse to acknowledge the veracity of any of the sentiments expressed by the Buddha above, and in many cases, do so with pride and arrogance…

Another group of folks lend their support to those in power, though they spend a lot of time trying to convince everyone that they are acting out of altruistic motivation rather than monetary. I call these folks preachers, for lack of a better word, and the group, in my mind, includes priests, pastors, vicars, sadhu, imams, Elders, or anyone else who considers themselves a holy man, with the right to interpret the words of gods for the rest of us. They want us to believe they are acting according to what Buddha has expressed above, but in reality, what they do bears no resemblance at all to virtue. They merely use the words to assume the authority by proxy. In fact, their very insistence that they are acting in the interests of others, or are at all inspired to virtue, to me, is a foul lie, and worthy of their own judgment…..

I could rant for a long time on this subject, as I regard it as the most critical problem in human nature, the root cause of our current dangerous position as a species threatened with extinction. The callousness and self-aggrandizement that characterizes those among us who wish power over others will, in the long run, kill us all, if we don’t put a stop to it. Unfortunately, that would require making decisions, and taking actions, that would challenge our own virtue, and place us at risk of becoming that which we are trying to destroy…. a conundrum, for certain. Time will give us the answer, and I, for one, fear to hear it…..

“It’s too bad ignorance isn’t painful.”

~~ Smart Bee ~~

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Dreaming of Calliope

La belle dame sans merci speaks aloud through endless night,
torturing dreams, with powerful words and stentorian phrases.
Manifest visions bathed in unbearable grace and light,
destroying all direction, standing lost, in unfathomable mazes.

Fate plays a part, one that will never face denial,
as fear and courage eternally vie for ascendancy.
Conflict becomes valid, gifting strength in open trial,
but honest emotion wears no costume so fancy.

Blood, sweat, and tears stroll on avenues of gold,
unlikely heroines heralding as in ancient lore;
Sharp, competent knives cut through tales untold,
eternally shifting reality past the naked shore.

Drifting toward origin, bereft of mandate or cause,
finished, nay, abandoned, tied with a figurative bow.
No simple gift from muses to give comfort or pause,
save that all we need to know, we already know…..

~~ gigoid ~~

12/13/2012

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This, ffolkes, is one damned odd pearl. It put itself together, with little assistance from me, beyond formatting. One or two were out of place, so I moved them where they made sense. Other than that, it’s a self-created pearl, with a message that SEEMS to be that life is strange, and these are things you should remember about it to make it through with some aplomb. Of course, you should already know what ‘aplomb’ is, before attempting to achieve it…. Always good to remember things like that; they save embarrassment later….. Enjoy! If naught else, it’s all good advice, from one viewpoint, or another….

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“The best way out is always through.”

~~ Robert Frost ~~

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“What most people need to learn in life
is how to love people and use things
instead of using people and loving things.”

~~ Zelda Fitzgerald ~~

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“Old age is no place for sissies.”

~~ Bette Davis ~~

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“The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

~~ Chinese proverb ~~

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“If life must not be taken too seriously, then so neither must death.”

~~ Samuel Butler ~~

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“Ears are what keep your feet from getting in your mouth.”

~~ Anonym+us ~~

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“If attacked by a lion thrust your arm down his throat.
This takes some practice.”

~~ Cyril Connolly ~~

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“The greatest gift is a portion of thyself.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

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“Flowers are words which even a baby can understand.”

~~ Arthur C. Coxe ~~

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“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable,
but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”

~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~

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“Imagine there’s no heaven… it’s easy if you try.”

~~ John Lennon, “Imagine” ~~

*********

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Having completed my chosen duty for today, I can take a break, well-earned. Leelu will be happy about that; she gets antsy in the mornings, waiting for me to finish. She’s become an excellent companion, (not that she was ever anything else), and we are learning to adjust to each other’s habits fairly well. Now we’ve filled the standard requirement for chatty blather, which seems to have gone missing above, we may legally, and morally, take out leave, sans guilt (not that we ever feel THAT useless emotion…). As is our wont to comment on such occasion, so be it. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. Just try & stop me….

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….

Barrels of wobbly weasels….

Posted on April 23, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“A short saying oft contains much wisdom.”

~~ Sophocles, Aletes, Frag. 99 ~~

Greenock, Scotland, from the Celebrity Infinity

Hajime…. Strange times are not merely coming; they are upon us. Still, we sleep, wake, and live, in spite of the impending time of trouble that is to come. So be it. This morning, I am feeling my roots, so to speak, deep in the ancient Earth, and the antics of mankind are of little consequence, against the backdrop of Eternity. Our time here is nearly done; we are destined to join the auk, the dodo, and the mastodon as experiments in Life that did not make the grade… In our own case, it will be due to our innate need to search for immortality, not realizing we already possessed that gift. Ah, well, again, I say, so be it, for it is too late to change our nature into something kind enough to survive….

For an early morning mini-rant, that’s not too shabby. To conserve some of the elegance it shows, I’m going to make the unusual executive decision to stop the intro from getting overzealous, ending it in this paragraph, long before we normally give up on the morning dose of blather and nonsense. I think I can make up for it below. Whatever the case may be, we are going on right now; what’s more, there is nothing any of us can do about it now…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.”

~~ Albert Camus ~~

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Prince

Image from http://www.factmag.com via Google Images

Normally, I don’t do tributes here, other than as simple admiration for genius. Since this man was such, it’s only fair he be included. I came across this video on a new Twitter site I’m following. It’s a cut from the 2004 Rock Hall of Fame ceremony, with a number of other artists playing the classic guitar piece by George Harrison (whose son plays along with the group), “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”.

Ffolkes, I have to say, in the last two minutes, Prince puts on what I believe may be the best ever virtuoso guitar solo I’ve ever seen. Eric Clapton played with George to create the original; this takes their genius at least two steps higher. All I can say is, wow. He just kills it, and makes it look easy, like all he did musically. I never got into his music much; it’s a bit esoteric for my taste. But, I have always realized it was my own ear that could not appreciate him, for he is, and always was, one of the best who ever made music, of any kind…. Moreover, he was an artist of integrity, in that he refused to be anything but himself, and true to his own art…. Not many are truly original; he was completely so.

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Prince, Tom Petty, Steve Winwood,
Jeff Lynne and others
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps”

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https://youtu.be/6SFNW5F8K9Y

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The rant isn’t done yet; as I have been writing it, it keeps widening in scope. Here is a discussion on reality from 2012 that will do nicely as a sublimation. Enjoy, ffolkes; it’s not too long, or too complex, though it does not lack depth in which to explore….

From 11/22/2012:

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them. That only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality.” — Lao-Tzu

I’m not sure how to take this…. I found this quote from Lao Tzu AFTER writing the above intro, and AFTER writing the third section’s pearl below. As always, Lao Tzu makes obvious the reason why I am feeling my discomfort, and points out how to get past the pain, caused, as usual, by my own perceptions, and my reaction to them. But, at the same time, this time, it occurs to me that although we cannot force reality to do what we want it to do, there does seem to be a rather unbalanced percentage of results that favor the bad guys, rather than evidence that supports an even, or even random, set of chances. I mean, yes, this does parallel my own philosophy’s axiom #2, almost exactly, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to me when the universe does present us with natural and spontaneous changes.

And, really, it is not. But, from what I can see, objectively, it seems easier for the bad guys to take advantage of the system as it exists, and for them to achieve the results they desire. It seems that if the universe were truly a random deal, then those chances of success would be equal for both the rich and the poor; seems only fair to me…. But, then, I am not the universe, and most simply put, I care, and it doesn’t. That is what makes the difference, and is why the bad guys win so much more often…. If one is the kind of person who cares about others, then fairness becomes an issue. If one doesn’t care about others, then it is not an issue, and one can use all the advantages the universe offers to those who would lie, hurt others without compunction, and cheat their own mothers, (well, who knows… they MIGHT feel guilty about it, but they would still do it….) to achieve their own ends. This is why the world is like it is, quite frankly…. because there are two types of folks in the world, and one of them insists on playing fair….

You know what, though? I don’t care, ultimately, how unfair it is….. Each of us has to make a decision about how we are to approach life, and whether or not we will be the kind of person who will take advantage of others to get what we want. To do so is to give in to the Dark Side of the Force, in my mind, and I just won’t do it…. Yes, I could have a lot more, and be a lot more comfortable, physically…. I could be rich, if I didn’t care about other folks…. But, I do, and I also enjoy being able to look at myself in the mirror in the morning without any shame…. I mean, doing that is already a dangerous occupation, as my face is far from what I’d call pretty, or even handsome…. but, it is an honest face, and that is what I care about….

So be it…. Let reality be reality, ffolkes, and let the chips fly where they may…. All we can do is all we can do, anyway, right? Right……

“You cannot believe in honor unless you have achieved it. Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world.” — George Bernard Shaw

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Dawlish Fair

Over the hill and over the dale,
And over the bourn to Dawlish–
Where gingerbread wives have a scanty sale
And gingerbread nuts are smallish.

Rantipole Betty she ran down a hill
And kicked up her petticoats fairly;
Says I I’ll be Jack if you will be Gill–
So she sat on the grass debonairly.

Here’s somebody coming, here’s somebody coming!
Says I ’tis the wind at a parley;
So without any fuss any hawing and humming
She lay on the grass debonairly.

Here’s somebody here and here’s somebody there!
Says I hold your tongue you young Gipsey;
So she held her tongue and lay plump and fair
And dead as a Venus tipsy.

O who wouldn’t hie to Dawlish fair,
O who wouldn’t stop in a Meadow,
O who would not rumple the daisies there
And make the wild fern for a bed do!

~~ John Keats ~~

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Our final pearl today is not a typical pearl, nor particularly old-school, as the old-school didn’t have graphics. I’d like to give y’all a short little piece on what I consider to be one of the more significant failures of our society, to wit; raising boys to be men. In my opinion, very few fathers today have the necessary ability themselves to do the job properly. For one thing, they talk too much, and act too little. They also mostly do not take the responsibility for their own life, or decisions about ethics, or much of anything, preferring to deny their own intelligence, accepting anything they are told, no matter how egregiously wrong or unethical it may be.

That, of course, is my opinion, but, I think there is plenty of evidence to support those assertions. I’m not the only one who thinks so, at all; sadly, very few are trying to do anything about it. To give an idea of what I believe has contributed to the issue, here is one pearl, and one graphic, which will show what I believe to be the way an adult human male ought to be; what he needs to believe, and, needs to be, in order for our species to have any chance of becoming adult at all….

“Boys become men by watching men, by standing close to men. Manhood is a ritual passed from generation to generation with precious few spoken instructions. Passing the torch of manhood is a fragile, tedious task. If the rite of passage is successfully completed, the boy-become-man is like an oak of hardwood character. His shade and influence will bless all those who are fortunate enough to lean on him and rest under his canopy.” — Preston Gilham

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Well, it’s done. I’m sure it’s a bit choppy, and truncated in spots, but, it’s going to have to do, cuz it’s all I’ve got today. I’m tired, and grumpy, and want to go back to sleep. Fortunately, being retired, I can do that, and will, as soon as I figure out a way to stop typing. Whew! Thought that period would never show up. Okay, I’m done. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, come hell, or high water, both of which are in our future, along with my return here in the morning….

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….

Abrogating moral rectitude in mufti….

Posted on April 15, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Since it is Reason which shapes and regulates all other things,
it ought not itself to be left in disorder.”

~~ Epictetus — Discourses, Chap. xvii

Prophetic Globe

Trinity College, Dublin

Hajime…. Little did he know just how little he knew; in this he joins hands with most of humanity…..

Good morrow, ffolkes. No, I’m not sure where that came from. It just sort of flowed out when I began to type, and, voilá! Instant aphorism on human nature, a fascinating subject which continues to elude the understanding of mankind, despite centuries of trying to come to terms with it. An objective view of the way our species has approached the quest to find themselves does not inspire much confidence; most of our history shows a firm intention on the part of most people to deny all which makes us human, in favor of fulfilling their base desires for power and control over their peers, in order to assuage their innate fear of their own inadequacy.

Now, I know it’s not a good policy to rant in the intro, but, hey, I’m human, so, back off, mate. As such, I do what FEELS best, and then try to repeat the feeling as often as possible, regardless of how it affects anyone else. This particularly human trait is, as far as I can see, the fatal flaw in that nature, one which can, and, obviously IS, leading us on a path to self-destruction, through the denial of our own capabilities, and the abrogation of virtue in favor of comfort. This, to me, is clear, yet, for most of mankind, it is an issue of which they seldom, if ever, even contemplate.

SIGH…. At this point in the narrative, it becomes clear this is going not much of anywhere useful for our purpose, which is to post a Pearl of Virtual Wisdom. If I continue this discussion, we may never even get to the music, so, to keep things on an even keel, and moving, we’ll go on now, leaving this subject for discussion below. Perhaps this will save some time, and, if nothing else, makes it seem as if we are sure of what we are doing. The cat seems to agree, even if she would rather I threw some paper for her….

We’re going to go now, and, I’d suggest you hang on; Luigi’s at the helm, so, things can get a bit rambunctious. It won’t take long, though; just remember to breathe through it…. Here we go….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Education is not a preparation for life;
Education is life itself.”

~~ John Dewey ~~

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

Playing For Change

Today’s musical selection comes again from the Playing For Change playlist. This one is a recording of 75 Cubans from around the world playing and singing the song that means ‘home’ to them, whether they are in Cuba, or anywhere in the world….. This is for Mari, whose family had to flee Cuba in the latter part of the twentieth century, when she was just a child. She now writes some of the most powerful poetry I’ve ever read, and still dreams of returning one day…. Enjoy, and then go donate to the cause, for it’s a good one, making peace through music….

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

Guantanamera

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

https://youtu.be/blUSVALW_Z4

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

“A rich man has no need of character.”

~~ Hebrew proverb ~~

There is just so much wrong with this statement, it is difficult to know where to begin. To my way of thinking, this piece of folk ‘wisdom’ can be viewed as the single most destructive idea mankind has come up with in our entire cultural history. If one embraces this idea, individually, or as a society, the resulting culture would be, and, to be honest, has become, a parody of human nature, bringing out the very worst of our fears and inadequacies, using them to lie, to cheat, and, live a life of conflict and trouble. To assume this attitude is to deny the connection to all other life, demanding reality conform to the shape of our most degrading fears, with no attempt to reconcile these with any other entity. In short, it gives every person alive the clear permission to act like an asshole.

I see this attitude as a root cause of all the wars mankind has engaged in through history; it fosters divisiveness, bigotry, racism, and discrimination, with no attempt to define justice for anyone at all. To anyone embracing such a position, the needs and rights of others become immaterial; to them, the only thing that is important is their own desires. This, to my mind, is not merely stupid, but, inhuman; those who act without virtue do not belong to the same species as do I; they have abrogated their humanity.

I had originally planned to rant about this for a long time; there is a lot with which to take umbrage in those who live to take advantage of others as a matter of policy. But, I find myself unwilling just now to put myself through the wringer; this subject tends to stimulate my adrenal gland, and I’m not going there today. Instead, I have put together a pretty good seven star pearl to take my shots for me. It’s not a rant, but, it will do for an indictment…. The people who buy into the statement at the top of the section are, in my mind, the root cause of all of the other issues with which humanity is currently engaged; the war, the racism, the injustice, all can be traced to this attitude on the part of one segment of humanity, which decided many thousands of years ago they were better than everyone else, and have maintained that insane delusion, at the expense of the rest of mankind, for all that time….

Here then are some comments on how to spot them, how to look at them, and, hopefully, how to bury them, once and for all….

“Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful.” — Nietzsche, “Thus Spake Zarathustra”

“I see little divinity about them or you. You talk to me of Christianity when you are in the act of hanging your enemies. Was there ever such blasphemous nonsense!” — George Bernard Shaw, The Devil’s Disciple

“I know of no book which has been a source of brutality and sadistic conduct, both public and private, that can compare with the Bible.” — Lord Paget

(Need an example? “When Yahweh your gods has settled you in the land you’re about to occupy, and driven out many infidels before you…you’re to cut them down and exterminate them. You’re to make no compromise with them or show them any mercy.” — Deuteronomy 7:1 (KJV) There’s more, even worse insanity in that one short chapter, but, that gives the flavor…)

“Collective responsibility brings a lowering of moral standards.” — Freeman Dyson

“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

“Without civic morality communities perish; without personal morality their survival has no value.” — Bertrand Russell

“Between those who use their neighbors, and those who use a cane.
Between those in constant power, and those in constant pain.
Between those who run to evil, and those who cannot run.
Tell me which ones are the cripples, and which ones touch the sun.”

~~ Ceili’s Muse “What you do with what you’ve got”~~

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

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 (1563 – 1594) ~~

~~ Edward II, Act 1, Scene One ~~

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

Our final pearl is a simple, random collection that talks about Life at Large. Any conclusions not made obvious are the responsibility of the Gentle Reader, just like in the real world….

“All is flux, nothing stays still.” — Heraclitus (540?-480? B.C.)

“Just as there are laws of Conservation of Matter and Energy, so there are in fact Laws of Conservation of Pain and Joy. Neither can ever be created or destroyed. But one can be converted into the other.” — Spider Robinson

“…the greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor. It is the one thing that cannot be learned from others; and it is also a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an intuitive perception of the similarity in dissimilars.” — Aristotle, _Poetics_, 22, 1459a 5-7

“The questions remain the same. The answers are eternally variable.” — Subtle Bee

“The great mountains of the world are a great remedy if men but did know it against our modern discontent and ambitions. In the hills is wisdom’s fount. They are deep in time.” — E. R. Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros

“And it is not our part here to take thought only for a season, or for a few lives of Men, or for a passing age of the world.” — Gandalf

“Now he has departed from this strange world a little ahead of me. That means nothing. People like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.” — Albert Einstein

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

Well, it’s done. Since I was only half-conscious for much of it, I shan’t comment on its quality, or even its quantity. I will however, make another attempt at coherence tomorrow, if all goes as planned. But, then, y’all know what they say about plans. Regardless, I’ll be here; fair warning.

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….

Uncanny visions in sauce aubergine….

Posted on April 2, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Yow! Did something bad happen or am I in a drive-in movie?”

~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~

Iconic Alaskans, Pre-Zombie Age

Hajime…. In spite of the rather excellently nonsensical title for today’s Pearl, I can make no claims to any particular excellence, as it isn’t done yet. However, having, somehow, managed to fall into some pleasant hours of actual sleep, there is hope for, at least, some degree of coherency, if not erudition. Plus, having already used up half of my most elegant vocabulary in this paragraph, the rest may suffer somewhat. So be it, as they say downtown; I’m too happy to care. Sleep is a weapon, and, for the first time in what seems like a decade, I am armed well to start the day.

It’s odd to have such clarity so early, but, let’s see if we can’t take some advantage of it, to make a decent effort at a fine, lustrous Pearl, of great beauty and value. Or, we could fake it, which may happen further down the page, as one can never tell just how cooperative SB will be on any given day, and, we must always be aware of the kind attentions of our old nemesis, one Murphy, the ultimate asshole. Oops, he doesn’t care for that epithet, but, hey, he knows how I feel about him, so, as they say in certain areas of the city, fuck it.

And, we’ll apply that attitude to the intro today, in the interests of getting on with it, since I’m rapidly running out of patter. In fact, I can’t seem to find even a tidbit left in there which might have any useful effect on what is happening. As can be observed, we are rapidly getting close to a point from which extrication may be impossible…. To forgo any possibility of derailing our purpose today, I believe I’ll use this little toy right here, which is, possibly, our most efficient toy. It’s pretty cool, and it works like this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Are people more important than the grizzly bear?
Only from the point of view of some people.”~~ Edward Abbey ~~

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

One might have guessed I’d go with a classical composer today; it’s my default. When I really want to concentrate, and be soothed at the same time, this is usually the composer to whom I turn. One of the most prolific composers of all time, I give you Camille Saint-Saënz, for your listening enjoyment….

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

Camille Saint-Saënz

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

https://youtu.be/eIZpyoKHhXo

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

Today’s rant will be from the archives, simply because I’m in too good a mood to spoil with such vitriol as might come forth. Here instead is a relatively short discussion of the tendency of the human animal to resort to violence as a means of expressing their innermost demons…. sort of. It will do for our purposes today, which, at this point, merely involve getting down to the next section…. Keeping that in mind, please enjoy our little foray into the fairly recent past…

From 1/23/2013:

“I’ve never killed a man, but I’ve read many obituaries with great pleasure.”

~~ Clarence Darrow ~~

I really love the power of understatement; this one from Mr. Darrow is an excellent condemnation of a huge class of people, unnamed as yet, but whose names are indelibly etched on our memories, just waiting to be included in a list of people the world would be better off without…. We all have a list by that title in our heads; anyone who denies it is a liar, plain and simple, and fooling no one. As a human being, it is part of our nature to hate, and nobody is so morally chaste as to escape those kinds of feelings now and then. Nobody…..

Sometimes, what amazes me about modern life is that there are so FEW outbreaks of random violence… I’d think that, with all the pressure our society puts on people, there would be a lot more of us who crack, enough to lose control over our baser impulses, and start trying to cross names off our list of preferred targets….. The way they usually go about it isn’t the most logical, or tactically intelligent, but what do you expect from somebody in an emotional crisis? Logical thinking? Not going to happen, sorry….. I’d say it would be time to get nervous when some guy starts blasting away, then disappears, only to attack again later, in a new place…. That would indicate more planning and strategy, and a much more dangerous person…..

I’m not sure just why I started this pearl…. It might have been in response to yet another random shooting spree reported yesterday in the news, in which a teenager started firing at people because of some argument he/she had with another teen, or something like that… another totally insane reason to start killing people, but, then, do you really expect rational from these people? It isn’t rational to expect them to have an understandable reason for their insanity, it doesn’t work that way…..

But, the media will spend an incredible amount of time and energy exploring every nuance of what this idiot was doing when they snapped, until no secrets are left to the young person’s life…. In looking at the entire incident, including the media coverage, I am tempted to give a big sigh, and lament the death of society, or at least the apparent death of decency…..

Amorphous anxiety seems to be our legacy as members of today’s culture; our lives consist of a series of unpalatable events fueled by unwarranted lies, and made worse for a societal tendency toward sloth combined with a severe lack of compassion; the sheer futility of it all seems to be the only message that comes through clearly. The fatal flaw in human nature that keeps us from becoming truly moral creatures is still in control of our destiny, and any impetus toward rationality is disallowed.

“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality.” — Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)

This is the flaw we possess, all of us, and that which has plagued us throughout our history. One of my blogging friends commented a day or two ago with a relatively famous quote, in response to another discussion around the recent spate of reported shootings…. “All that is needed for evil to succeed, is for good men to look on and do nothing.” (She didn’t report the attribution, but according to Google, it was first stated by a man named Edmund Burke, with a number of slight alterations in wording since its appearance.) This single truth has been the biggest stumbling block to human progress for our entire history, and continues today to keep us from making any progress toward improving our chances of survival in the long run.

Once more, I’ve painted myself into a virtual corner, so to speak, since I don’t have any good solutions to offer to our dilemma. Oh sure, I can tell anyone what is needed for us to start making the world into the kind of place that would be home to EVERYONE…. I think, down inside, all of us KNOW what is needed for the world to be a better place. But, until it becomes common practice for people to make decisions based on compassion and love, rather than ambition and avarice, things aren’t going to change much, because the folks who don’t care about others aren’t going to stop what they’re doing…. there’s nothing in it for them if they do. Only when good men stand up, and refuse to allow that kind of usurpation of the rights of everyone else, will any changes take place…..

So, you tell me….. When is that going to happen? And how do we convince people that it needs to happen? Answer those two questions, and we might have a direction to go……

“If you ever go temporarily insane, don’t shoot somebody, like a lot of people do. Instead, try to get some weeding done, because you’d really be surprised.” — Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey

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

Intelligent Crimes

The value of wit is often said to cause harm,
for those who think, such is its greatest charm.
The new and the bold cannot be fulfilled
if innovation and change is left unwilled.

Society behaves at its base as a mob
conformity and submission its primary job.
Any sign of rebellion against the mob’s rule
is met with resentment, naming such rebel the fool.

Intellect and talent are looked at askance,
expressing artistry stands nary a chance.
To stand out from the rest of mankind
is fraught with danger, for body and mind.

Often I stand to watch in solemn dismay
as beauty and joy are left by the way,
ignored and reviled by the unwashed masses
who prefer darkness, and acting like asses.

With shouts of derision the normals make known
their fear of intelligence, greater than their own.
They hope to stop all semblance of progress;
for thoughts and ideas, they couldn’t care less.

The world struggles on in spite of all opposition,
managing to maintain its advanced position.
Pulling the foolish along in spite of reluctance,
helping each to learn the survival dance.

Hard though it may be to keep up with the future
genius manages its plans to develop and nurture.
In the final analysis, those who live by reason
enjoy life the most, season to season.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/7/2012

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

Our final pearl today is a rather simple, yet definitive pearl, of the pointed variety. This points us toward a way to approach our lives with elegance, rationality, and a degree of style. If you don’t get it, just go by the final injunction, and you’ll be fine…. Enjoy!….

“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

“If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.” — Sagacious Bee

“But the only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.” — Arthur C. Clarke

“I’m not a teacher only a fellow traveller of whom you asked the way. I pointed ahead – ahead of myself as well as of you.” — George Bernard Shaw, “Getting Married,” 1908

“Don’t take anything seriously except happiness.” — Albert Camus

“Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” — Mark Twain

“If you get confused, listen to the music play.” — Robert Hunter

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

The smooth efficiency with which this Pearl came together makes me nervous; however, having trusted the process thus far, I must go with the flow. Since it’s also done, perhaps I’ll forgo the usual idiocy here at the end, & merely take my leave. Yeah, that’s the ticket. I’ll see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, unless somebody comes up with a weapon I can’t deal with…. The odds are good, as always….

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….

Justifying obsequious ramifications….

Posted on February 27, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“There is no debt with so much prejudice put off as that of justice.”

~~ Plutarch — Of those whom God is slow to punish ~~

You said there would be treats….

Hajime….. Pale, sweaty, yet, undaunted by the demands of reality, he arises to begin the day, sans coherent thought, as is his wont. Still, the prospect of yet another day on this beautiful planet, with its immense complexity of life, and it’s uncommonly evocative vistas of uncompromising grandeur. Even considering the negative aspects of current reality, there remains the continual reminder of the immortal, eternal nature of the Universe at large, and the ever-present hope that lives in the human heart, with, or without reason.

Okay, that’s enough pedantry for one morning. I’m a bit late, having again slept reasonably well, so, I’m in a bit of a rush to maintain the schedule to which I try to keep, loose and flexible as it may be. I got a fair amount done yesterday, so, we’ll make it, with the help of the archives, if needed. For the time being, I’ll make the executive decision again to pursue a policy of brevity in expression, at least, here in the intro. It seems to work out better on such days when I do, so, hey, why not? It can’t be any more problematic than our usual blather, right? Right. So be it, and here we go….

Shall we Pearl?….

“It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible,
but also for what we do not do.”

~~ Moliere ~~

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

Image from Photostock Royalty-free Images

On the page where I viewed a video yesterday, sent by a friend, I found these two videos. The first is a jam of “Why I Sing The Blues” with a group of performers that is hard to believe got together all in one place. Just about every blues player in American music history of the last 40 years was there; every one of them had a blast doing the song, as is clear by their expressions of joy the entire time… The second video is a compilation of a couple hours of blues, just for your enjoyment… so, enjoy!….

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

The Blues
~ Best of the Best Jam ~
& Blues Mix

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

https://youtu.be/vnlwxS-36AU

https://youtu.be/D93PBlwBp8s

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

“There is no freedom without the power to defend it.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

I had intended to create a discussion based on the above assertion, but, didn’t have time; for y’all it’s probably a good thing, as this subject can push a couple thousand words out of me in no time. Instead, I’ll leave you today with the following observation, then include a discussion of personal responsibility/self-awareness from the archives, from 2012, which includes a verse we utilized yesterday…. I hope you enjoy this little break from fresh ranting… Me, I’m gonna go listen to some blues….

“The average man never really thinks from beginning to end of his life. The mental activity of such people is only a mouthing of cliches. What they mistake for thought is simply repetition of what they have heard. My guess is that well over 80% of the human race goes through life without having a single original thought. Whenever a new one appears the average man shows signs of dismay and resentment.” — H. L. Mencken: “Minority Report: H. L. Mencken’s Notebooks”

From 9/9/2012:

A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: “Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time.” When asked which dog wins, he reflected for a moment and replied, “The one I feed the most.” — George Bernard Shaw

This is a wonderful anecdote, and one I feel very firmly about, as it is one of the clearest lessons in self-awareness I have ever seen. This one is so simple an idea, that even the ignorant asses who make up the political scene in this country would be able to understand it. They probably couldn’t do it, as they never, ever think about themselves other than as an important person, who doesn’t need to make changes in himself. Anyone who does think of themselves would never, ever consent to be put into a public office…. the two things (introspection vs. public office) just don’t mix…. That is because of the following, from a pretty smart fella, who lived quite some time ago, but seemed to have a good head on his shoulders….

“Neither do the ignorant seek after wisdom. For herein is the evil of ignorance, that he who is neither good nor wise is nevertheless satisfied with himself; he has no desire for that of which he feels no want.” — Plato (428-348? B.C.)

“…he who is neither good nor wise” is a perfect description of anyone who wants to be President of this country. I’ve said it before, and I’m saying it again, because it bears repetition, that anyone, anyone at all, who actually WANTS to be President can be classified as clinically insane, usually a paranoid schizophrenic, with grandiose delusions of adequacy…. NOBODY is adequate for that job… nobody. And anyone who thinks they are is simply not all there…..

And it’s just a box of rain
I don’t know who put it there
Believe it if you need it
Or leave it if you dare
And it’s just a box of rain
Or a ribbon for your hair
Such a long, long time to be gone
And a short time to be there

~~ Box of Rain by Phil Lesh & Robert Hunter ~~

Ah me…. politics and politicians are such an easy target. If it wasn’t so much fun, I might call it a naughty habit, and leave them to their devices, which surely are many….. Since we’re pressed for time today, we’ll leave them be, and just caution y’all to watch out, because their antics can be dangerous, if they are left without supervision for long….

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

A Sorcerer Bids Farewell To Seem

I’m through with this grand looking-glass hotel
where adjectives play croquet with flamingo nouns;
methinks I shall absent me for a while
from rhetoric of these rococo queens.
Item : chuck out royal rigmarole of props
and auction off each rare white-rabbit verb;
send my muse Alice packing with gaudy scraps
of mushroom simile and gryphon garb.

My native sleight-of-hand is wearing out :
mad hatter’s hat yields no new metaphor,
and jabberwock will not translate his songs :
it’s time to vanish like the cheshire cat
alone to that authentic island where
cabbages are cabbages; kings : kings.

~~ Sylvia Plath ~~

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

Today’s final pearl is a classic style old-school pearl, random harlequin style, with a somewhat subtle message for us. In fact, so subtle, I have yet to figure out what it may be… ‘S okay, we’ve got all day to try to reason it out, so…. have fun!….

“Every man is a divinity in disguise, a god playing the fool.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“It is because modern education is so seldom inspired by a great hope that it so seldom achieves great results. The wish to preserve the past rather that the hope of creating the future dominates the minds of those who control the teaching of the young.” — Bertrand Russell

“Fishing gives you a sense of where you fit in the scene of things. Your place in the universe. I mean, here I am, one small guy with a fishing pole on this vast beach and out there in the blue expanse of ocean are these hundreds of millions of fish… laughing at me.” — Anonymous Smart Bee

“All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions.” — Leonardo da Vinci

“As for myself, I always willingly acknowledge my own self as the principal cause of every good and of every evil which may befall me; therefore I have always found myself capable of being my own pupil, and ready to love my teacher.” — Giacomo Casanova

“The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.” — Rabindranath Tagore

“In the end, everything is a gag.” — Charlie Chaplin

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

Not too shabby for what I’d call a rush job, hurried. It seems to hang together, though, so, we’ll let ‘er fly solo, and see what happens. I shall, as is also my wont, return tomorrow, to give this ol’ horse another workout, to see if we can’t improve on our time, and the elegance of our ‘look and feel’. Fat chance, right? Okay, I’ll stop now, since we are in the closing section. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. I can’t figure out if it’s a gift, or an obsession, but, either way, I’ll be here….

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….

Interview with an organic penguin groomer….

Posted on February 20, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.”

~~ Knights of Pythagoras ~~

Channeling New Ideas

Hajime….. As I sit to begin, I feel a sense of deja-vú, not particularly surprisingly, as this happened a lot in the past. Though most of the Pearl for today is finished, the rest promises to be a complete struggle, as my mind is blank as the proverbial clean slate. Oh, there’s plenty going on in there, it’s just not printable, or, even, shareable. The dega-vú just makes it worse, as it attempts to add guilt to the mix, which we don’t allow, thus muddying up the waters even further…

Rather than bore y’all any further with my issues with writing, let’s try the old cut-’em-off-at-the-pass technique we employ so well, to get us down to the meat of today’s post. ‘Meat’ may be an unfortunate euphemism, given the somewhat odoriferous state of what may follow, but, we’re nothing if not bold in the pursuit of our Art, if such title may be justifiably applied to what is found here. Me, I don’t give a crap whether it’s valid art, or just frank & earnest; it’s still better out than in, so there.

Okay, I’m getting grumpy, so, we’d best be on our way. I have no expectations for today’s Pearl; it’s on its own. And, so are y’all, once we hit the oyster beds…. Our insurance is going to lapse at noon, and, since we don’t actually HAVE any income, we won’t be supplying it in future posts. C’est la fucking vie, as we say downtown. We also say this, a lot….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Birth, copulation and death.
That’s all the facts when you come to brass tacks;
Birth, copulation and death.”

~~ T. S. Elliot, Sweeney Agonistes (1932) ~~

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

The Three Tenors

Image from last.fm via Google Images

I am NOT a fan of opera. Never have been. There are a few arias sung by duets, or alto sopranos, that are inspiring and beautiful, to be sure, such as the one in The Shawshank Redemption. Mostly, it’s just noise, as far as I’m concerned. I could go with a few Twain quotes; he wasn’t much enthused by it, either. But, instead I will say this: I am a fan of the human voice. I love a Capella music, especially live on the street. I play guitar, having learned simply so I could sing along myself. Music is in all of us, but, isn’t always easily expressed, or felt. Whomever had the brainstorm to bring these three gentlemen together to sing, was guilty of an act of genius….

Just listen, & try not to drop your jaw too far when they start to hit the high notes on some of these songs….. It will send chills up your spine, I guarantee…. In case I forgot, and, I did, their names are Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti…. Enjoy!….

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The Three Tenors In Paris

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https://youtu.be/4IUcm3_aVTU

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“A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.”

~~ Robert Heinlein, The Notebooks of Lazarus Long ~~

In general terms, a generation can be considered to be twenty-five years; some might say it is longer, as much as fifty years. To strike a logical, or, at least, reasonable balance, we will use the mean of the two, rounded off from 37.5 years to 40, for convenience of addition, etc. Given that assumption, I would estimate we have now gone at least three, and possibly four generations without paying the slightest attention to the lessons taught to us by our own history…. This period, significantly enough, covers about the same time as has passed since the advent of what is usually called The Industrial Revolution. For our purposes, this age of man began in earnest soon after, if not prior to, the birth of this nation, in the early part of the nineteenth century.

Now, one might think an author, or a character from a novel he wrote, is not the most appropriate judge of such matters; I contend this author is sufficiently educated as a historian, as a graduate of the US Naval Academy, to warrant some attention paid to his assertion, voiced by one of his characters. Robert Heinlein was not only an author, but, a scholar/historian/astronomer/engineer/pilot, and a number of other titles he earned throughout his life. He was one of the most cogent social philosophers of his time, though many of his ideas were considered radical…. a sobriquet commonly applied by mankind to all free thinkers….

In addition, this statement echoes the idea of many historical sages, in almost identical words. Thomas Jefferson made statements similar to this, when he wrote letters to peers in his time. He warned of the corruption he saw in the government almost immediately upon the signing of the Constitution, lamenting in one letter, “A monied aristocracy in our country … has already set the government at defiance.” He also warned of who he felt was the worst danger to the new republic, when he wrote, “Banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.”.

If in no other way, this country has completely ignored this warning, allowing the interests of corporations and oligarchs to corrupt the halls of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Presidency of this nation, with the apparent full agreement of the populace, who embrace every economic principle spouted to them by those who have consistently preyed upon their ignorance. The checks and balances set up by the Constitution are useless, for those who make the laws now are in the complete power of the lust for money and power.

“History has the relation to truth that theology has to religion
— i.e., none to speak of.”

~~ Lazarus Long ~~

Lazarus’s wry observation, though tongue-in-cheek, nonetheless points out a good part of why those who care nothing about community, but, live only to fulfill their own narcissist desires for power have been able to keep the public in the dark about the true state of affairs in the halls of government…. These congenital liars are willing to say anything at all to convince the gullible they are working in their interests, while in truth, have been busily corrupting judges and legislators to pass and approve laws which favor business principles over those of people. This, in spite of any claims to the contrary you may hear from those predators, is absolute truth for anyone with any wit to see, right in front of their eyes.

What is it they refuse to see? Simply this: the entire human culture, in every country in this world, exists as it does while laboring under two delusions. First, people have come to believe money exists in reality, as something other than an idea, which we learned to use to represent our time and energy, by placing a value on it. Second, there is a completely false belief in the need to be governed. Governments do not perform any of the functions for which they originally were formed; instead, they merely act as a means for unscrupulous people to take advantage of those who do not understand their own nature, much less the nature of reality around them.

Of course, since the first step to learning is to admit one does not know, or is wrong, these people would have to first find the courage to overcome their fear of either of those states. Fear arises from ignorance, or, perceived danger without understanding. It is easier to accept what one is told, than it is to be strong enough to think for one’s self, a very common human characteristic, of which those who prey on others are well aware. In fact, they count on it….

As a scientist, with leanings toward social history and the nature of humankind, I cannot say there is any solution at this point. I can also say I don’t believe there is a need for one, as the situation in the world today is ultimately self-correcting, according to the now-proven laws of evolution. No species can long survive when there is no limit to their breeding; our world has rejected any such control over our reproductive characteristics. Simply put, there is not enough planet to support the number of humans currently living here; not for any length of time. In addition, our own short-sightedness is going to play a large part, as we continue to degrade the environment upon which our survival depends, with no thought to the future at all.

“Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

Society has reached the point where we are cancerous, to ourselves, and to the planet. I can say what changes we need to make, but, I am almost certain they won’t be heeded, or made. So be it. As I mentioned somewhere, this is a rant to end all rants, for I am tired of singing to the choir. For a time, this section may/will exhibit some rather different material, not all from the archives. Also, so be it. For now, here are a few pearls to finish off this indictment of us all…. The last one tells us exactly what I mentioned needs to be done, if we are to have any chance at all of surviving as a species….

“In this world there is always danger for those who are afraid of it.” — George Bernard Shaw

“We think caged birds sing, when indeed they cry.” — John Webster

“A fish never thinks about water until he’s out of it.” — Robert Penn Warren

“To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.” — Sun Tzu (fl. c. BC 500)

“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”

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

The duties of the wind are few…

The duties of the Wind are few,
To cast the ships, at Sea,
Establish March, the Floods escort,
And usher Liberty.

The pleasures of the Wind are broad,
To dwell Extent among,
Remain, or wander,
Speculate, or Forests entertain.

The kinsmen of the Wind are Peaks
Azof – the Equinox,
Also with Bird and Asteroid
A bowing intercourse.

The limitations of the Wind
Do he exist, or die,
Too wise he seems for Wakelessness,
However, know not i.

~~ Emily Dickinson ~~

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

Naked Pearls

Don’t forget…

*********

“In walking, just walk. In sitting, just sit. Above all, don’t wobble.” — Yun-Men

“Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue.” — Confucius

“The best things in life are never rationed. Friendship, loyalty, and love. They do not require coupons.” — George T. Hewitt

“Full wise is he that can himselven knowe.” — Geoffrey Chaucer — The Monkes Tale, Line 1449

“Live dangerously and you live right.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust (1806)

“How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.” — Marcus Aurelius

“‘Truth’ never set anyone free. It is only *doubt* which will bring mental emancipation.” — Anton LaVey

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from indomitable will.” — Jawaharlal Nehru

“Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.” — Walt Whitman

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

Such as it is, it’s done, And, so am I. Another long night, and a long day ahead, promises today will be a challenge. May as well get started. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, provided all goes relatively according to plan….

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….

Epic questions of no import….

Posted on February 12, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened.”

~~ Terry Pratchett. ~~

The Road Goes Ever On….

Hajime….. The process here at ECR has become a bit choppy, in terms of how smoothly it progresses. This, in turn, may, or, may not have an effect on the Pearls. Either way, I don’t really care, as long as they’re done. Quality, as you know, is NOT job 1 around here; we leave shit like that to Ford. I do make every attempt to make it as good as I can, but, hey, I’m human, and definitely bozoid, so, I know better than to expect reality to match my expectations…. Hell, I’m damn close to having none, anyway, what with the state of affairs on this sad old ball o’mud…..

Without going into THAT subject, which would, no doubt, keep me here relatively indefinitely, we’ll go for some brevity again, & cut this short. In fact, we’ll cut it REALLY short, & end it here. Surprise!…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other.”

~~ Euripides, Orestes (408 BC) ~~

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

We’re going default today, because, for some reason, I am now running quite late. Don’t know why, but, what is, is. This compilation comes from page seven of the You Tube list of choices in this venue, with the picture that drew my eye…. Enjoy!….

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Classical Music

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

https://youtu.be/Ne48vhEhCBI

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I’m not late, particularly, but, the piece I’m working on for this section keeps growing on me. Here, to sublimate, is an older piece, from the day after my 63rd birthday, that came out pretty well…. Try to enjoy it, ffolkes; it’s all we’ve got today…. Oh, and, don’t fret about the time/space anachronisms you see today; we were shameless in using the Tardis to get this done, so, I don’t believe ANY of the times will match, or even resemble each other…. Oh, well….

From 11/2/2013:

According to my usual modus operandi, this section would, and may yet be, a rant of some nature. It’s been a while since I took any real shots at the churches, but, then, they are a bit less of a worthy target than are the politicians of the world. Let us not even begin to think about how the shadowy master class of corporate vampires deserve all the disdain, vituperation, and vicious criticism we can heap upon their nasty little heads; whatever we do will never be enough to pay them back for the damage they’ve done to others, and to our world in general…. No, I’d say I have no real lack of usual targets for my critical regard…. What I have is a lack of angst and/or emotional drama to drive that big ol’ truck…. The one I’d like to flatten them with, as they cross my road to the future….

It would be simple to cruise over to a news site, and pick up a current headline or two to work with; there’s no lack of material there, for sure. Even that doesn’t attract my interest; I guess my birthday gave me a good enough chance to get a lot of that out, and there’s not enough left today to drive any further attempts at ranting…. Too bad, actually, as I did have some rather interesting introspective moments yesterday, as the import of my increasing age grew in my thoughts, taking on a deeper meaning than is usual for me during my day…. I love when that happens, though, even if the contentment and serenity it brings me is such that I don’t want to write about it…. It feels too good to talk about it…. Kind of how a joke is like a frog; if you take either one apart to try to figure it out, they both die….

Since I wouldn’t want anyone with the discrete sensibilities of my Gentle Readers to be confronted with that kind of issue, I’ll just fade back ten yards, and punt…. Here is another old-school pearl for your delectation…. Since I’m not ranting about anything today, I’ll let Smart Bee pick out which pearls it thinks should be included, with, possibly, a few comments of my own, in parentheses to avoid any further confusion….. Remember, ffolkes, this is VIRTUAL wisdom…. don’t try to use it as if it were real….

“If you dig a deep enough hole, someone will want to jump in.” — Smart Bee

(It’s always good to start off strong….)

“My indignation, like th’ imprisoned fire, pent in the troubled breast of Aetna, burnt deep and silent.” — Thomson

(SIGH…. if only it had, we’d have a rant today….. 😦 ) 😆

“The silence drew off, baring the pebbles and shells and all the tatty wreckage of my life. Then, at the rim of vision, it gathered itself, and in one sweeping tide, rushed me to sleep.” — Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar

(At first I thought this was here just because it’s so bloody brilliant, in both content and style of execution… Astounding imagery, and powerful yet simple language, expressed with such beauty, the heart aches with it….. It also stretches beyond that, into the outer reaches of credibility and connection, to form a tenuous bond with reality, right here in this pearl…. Amazing, isn’t it?….)

“When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong. The minority are right.” — Eugene V. Debs

(Mr. Debs, a political activist and reformer in the early twentieth century, had a lot of interesting things to say, many of them equally as true as this one…. If you have the time, look him up; smart guy…..)

“As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light of meaning in the darkness of mere being.” — C. G. Jung

(Yep….)

“We would like to apologize for the way in which politicians are represented in this programme. It was never our intention to imply that politicians are weak-kneed, political time-servers who are more concerned with their personal vendettas and private power struggles than the problems of government, nor to suggest at any point that they sacrifice their credibility by denying free debate on vital matters in the mistaken impression that party unity comes before the well-being of the people they supposedly represent, nor to imply at any stage that they are squabbling little toadies without an ounce of concern for the vital social problems of today. Nor indeed do we intend that viewers should consider them as crabby ulcerous little self-seeking vermin with furry legs and an excessive addiction to alcohol and certain explicit sexual practices which some people might find offensive. We are sorry if this impression has come across.” — Monty Python

(Actually, this sums up my opinion of 99% of the politicians I see in public, with incredible accuracy….)

(No apology from me is, or ever will be, tendered for making these assertions, either…. fuck ’em all……)

(When I say, “fuck them all”, I’d like to be clear that I don’t intend that in any positive way at all…. What I mean is, FUCK THEM ALL!!!…. and the white horse they say they rode in on, too…..)

“And never, ever cut a deal with a dragon.” — Smart Bee

(I’m with SB on this one…. The last pearl brings all the rest together perfectly, while at the same time reminding us that we already know the important stuff… I mean, it’s just common sense, right? Any dragon master knows this…..)

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

Time, and again….

Life, and/or love, will seldom fit
into any box we keep for them to sit.
Loose and limber, without any reason,
always somewhat out of season.

Surprise, surprise, they seem to say,
we can’t help it, it’s just our way.
If only you would learn, instead of know,
maybe you’d find yourself with one to show.

Deal, just the way it is, now and here,
follow the path, on the other side of fear.
Finding the future isn’t all blood, sweat, and pain,
far, far more than mere joy we stand to gain.

The sages all say not to try, just do,
sounds as simple as putting on a shoe.
I’d say we could really go places,
if we could but learn to tie up the laces….

~~ gigoid ~~

11/1/2013

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

Naked Pearls

Getting There….

*********

“The great man is he who does not lose his child’s heart.”

~~ Mencius ~~

*********

“You can easily judge the character of others
by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them.”

~~ Malcolm Forbes ~~

*********

“They may forget what you said,
but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

~~ Carl W. Buechner ~~

*********

“It costs so much to be a full human being
that there are very few who have
the enlightenment or the courage to pay the price…
One must abandon altogether the search for security
and reach out to the risk of living with both arms…
One has to embrace the world like a lover…
One has to accept pain as a condition of existence…
One has to court doubt and darkness
as the cost of knowing.
One needs a will stubborn in conflict,
but apt always to total acceptance
of every consequence of living and dying.”

~ Morris L. West, “Shoes of the Fisherman” ~~

*********

“The highest condition takes rise in the lowest.”

~~ Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 781 ~~

*********

Life at its noblest leaves mere happiness far behind;
and indeed cannot endure it. .
Happiness is not the object of life:
life has no object:
it is an end in itself;
and courage consists in the readiness
to sacrifice happiness
for an intenser quality of life.”

~~ George Bernard Shaw, Letter, Dec. 1900, ~~

*********

“I exist as I am, that is enough.”

~~ Walt Whitman ~~

*********

“Soon you will have forgotten the world,
and the world will have forgotten you.”

~~ Marcus Aurelius, “Meditations” ~~

*********

Happily may I walk.
May it be beautiful before me.
May it be beautiful behind me.
May it be beautiful below me.
May it be beautiful above me.
May it be beautiful all around me.
In beauty it is finished.

~~ Navajo Night Chant ~~

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

It’s done. Beyond that, deponent sayeth naught. Not only that, but, I’m dropping y’all like a hot penny today, right here, and right now. Well, now…. no, make that now…. Okay, so, when it’s done, it’s done, and I’m outta here…. Bye! See y’all tomorrow, should I survive my own chutzpah until then….

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….

Curving around square corners….

Posted on February 9, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Misfortune shows those who are not friends.”

~~ Aristotle ~~

Is that a spider?….

Hajime….. I know, I know; the picture is a repeat. I don’t care, because it’s so cute. Besides, I’m up too late, again, to worry about it now. I did manage to get most of this done yesterday, leaving only one section undone for this morning. That, however, has since gone beyond my current capabilities in its scope, so, we’ll be archive diving for that. Go figure. Other than that, we’re good to go…. Also a go figure….

I suppose I COULD wander around a bit, make up a bit of nonsense, or, just blather a bit. But, I’m really not in a space to do that, either; my sleep isn’t what it could be of late, & I find myself pretty tired a lot of the day, not having stored up sufficient down-time to fully recharge the batteries. But, duty calls today, so, fatigue is irrelevant. Ah, for the days of my youth, when I could throw it off like a cheap coat in the sun! Now, it’s more a matter of moving a small mountain in order to get out of bed…. SIGH….

There. Obligatory complaining out of the way, we can get on with this mess. We won’t even bother excusing ourselves for using such abrupt measures. Our insurance is all paid up, so, to hell with the collateral casualties!…. On to the oyster beds, ffolkes!….

Shall we Pearl?….

“If you judge, investigate.”

~~ Seneca ~~

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

The Harp Twins

Image from Tumblr.com via Google Images

I love finding new music, especially instrumentalists I’ve never seen or heard before. I once saw a harpist play a solo gig at a bar in Napa, CA, who was, quite frankly, the best I’ve ever seen, playing all the band parts alone for the songs she included. She could make the harp sound like a piano, a guitar, a violin, and even horns…. amazing. These two are pretty damn good, too, from what I’ve been listening to while typing…. Enjoy, ffolkes. it’s some damn fine music….

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The Harp Twins

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https://youtu.be/JhOhGhq0e54?list=PL51BDC64111A4EF17

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As promised, a discussion from the archives, on a subject near and not-so-dear to my heart, sanity/insanity….. Enjoy!….

From 2/15/2013:

“How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb? Only one, but it takes a really long time and the light bulb has to want to change.” — Smart Bee

Boy, if it wasn’t for the power of metaphor, I would be lost!….. This statement, though presented in a manner that makes it obviously a joke, is actually quite serious in its relevance to sanity, psychiatry, and how the mind works, in general. I worked for many years in the field of mental health care, as a therapist, and I can tell you quite honestly, that this is absolutely true, in many cases of what the rest of society terms insanity….. a word, and a concept, that most of society avoids at all costs, and completely misunderstands, for the most part…. You see, every person who lives in this society on Earth today is just a little insane, with some of them reaching higher levels through their own efforts to excel…… 🙂 Society itself is insane, you see, and one needs to be the same in order to effectively cope….

It may surprise some ffolkes to know that they are insane; I know it surprised me when I first became aware of this fact. We all go through our lives with a certain image of ourselves, and very rarely does that image in our minds look insane. But, let me assure you, there really isn’t any visible way to be able to tell if a person is insane, as it is completely invisible, under most circumstances, as long as the person isn’t speaking, or acting in some way that provides a clue as to their inner state of mind. Even for those of us trained in recognizing its presence, through the use of observation of other defining characteristics, there is no guaranteed method for spotting someone with a mental condition, unless they give it to you up front by acting out in some overt fashion.

Sure, there are tells, as a gambler would say…. when one eye is happily spinning in the opposite direction as the other, it’s a pretty good sign of some inner turmoil…. Pacing and mumbling to oneself, back and forth in a small area, while ignoring all around them, can be another dead giveaway of someone who is experiencing a few extra perceptions in comparison to the rest of us. Sometimes, really bad grooming can be a sign that the person’s mind isn’t focused on how they affect others, and staring at a wall, holding what appears to be a conversation with oneself, can be another indication that not all is well in that person’s world….

But, without some overt signs such as these, you just can’t spot mental illness, and it is extra hard to see it in one’s own image, since we tend to clean that up before we look at it, or try to share it. And, since EVERYONE ELSE is also insane, at least a little, it can be hard to spot, for the same reason one cow in a herd is hard to pick out. You may have heard the old saw about “one in four people are insane, so if you have three sane friends, it’s you”….. What would be more accurate to say is, “all of you are insane, but three of you are coping well with it in an effective manner, and one isn’t…. ”

It’s helpful to know that the overt signs one may see are indicative of the severity of the condition, i.e., the more acting out one observes, the more severe the break in the mental state. But, that isn’t always accurate, as normally sane folks, acting in the grip of strong emotion, can show the same kind of acting out, with the difference of not having it occur all the time, but only when provoked. Thus, it can be seen, it can be very difficult to judge whether a person is insane, or merely temporarily out of control…..

This is where I bring it all together, by referring back to the original pearl…. Coping with life can drive anyone crazy, and does, every day….. Some cope with it better than others, and those are the people who are considered to be sane, as they can deal with reality without resorting to outlandish ways of dealing with their fears. Those who cannot find ways of coping with their fears, which arise from what reality gives us to deal with, end up acting in ways that are strange and uncomfortable for the rest of us, and are often dangerous, in a physical sense, for them, and for those around them…..

In all my experience, with every kind of mental illness I saw in almost 30 years working in mental hospitals, the primary characteristic of those who got better, was that they made up their own minds to do so…. That’s it…. Simple as it may seem, deciding to give up the methods they used, and make a change, was always based on a personal decision on their part, and was THE key ingredient in the regime of ideas, medicines, therapies, and treatments used to combat their illness. In other words, it took a long time, and they first had to want to change….. Without that, nothing worked…. It is a well known aphorism among mental health therapists that, “they get better IN SPITE of what we do, not because of it….”

So, if you’re getting worried about your own coping skills, just keep in mind that to remain sane, it means you have to want to do so…. But, that’s all it takes, if your are sincere, for you will do whatever else is needed, once your will power has been engaged…. That’s what people do….

“Great minds think alike, apparently so do we.” — D. Bennett

“Falsely luxurious, will not man awake?” — James Thomson (1700-1748) — The Seasons, Summer, Line 67

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

Today’s poem first appeared on ECR the same day as the discussion above, since it fits in so well with the subject matter….. It’s always been one of my favorite poems, by one of my favorite poets…. Enjoy!

Mad Girl’s Love Song

“I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;
I lift my lids and all is born again.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

The stars go waltzing out in blue and red,
And arbitrary blackness gallops in:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed
And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

God topples from the sky, hell’s fires fade:
Exit seraphim and Satan’s men:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I fancied you’d return the way you said,
But I grow old and I forget your name.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

I should have loved a thunderbird instead;
At least when spring comes they roar back again.
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)”

~~ Sylvia Plath

Brilliant! Absolutely, insanely brilliant! 🙂

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

Now, THIS is a pearl of virtual wisdom! Nine classic gems, forming a necklace of peerless brilliance… I think I’ll call it….

Naked Pearls

Use it, or lose it….

*********

“He who ceases to learn cannot adequately teach.”

~~Headmaster Bee ~~

*********

“Mere longevity is a good thing
for those who watch Life from the side lines.
For those who play the game,
an hour may be a year,
a single day’s work an achievement for eternity.”

~~– Gabriel Heatter ~~

*********

“I think the one lesson I have learned is
that there is no substitute for paying attention.”

~~ Diane Sawyer ~~

*********

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

~~ Whimsical Bee ~~

*********

“The wisest man is generally he who thinks himself the least so.”

~~ Nicholas Boileau-Despréaux ~~

*********

“There are as many nights as days,
and the one is just as long as the other in the year’s course.
Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness,
and the word ‘happy’ would lose its meaning
if it were not balanced by sadness.”

~~ Carl Jung ~~

*********

“Laughter is by definition healthy.”

~~ Doris Lessing ~~

*********

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift;
the rational mind is faithful servant.
We have created a society
that honors the servant
and has forgotten the gift.”

~~ Albert Einstein ~~

*********

“Life is not meant to be easy, my child;
but take courage — it can be delightful.”

~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~

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

I suppose it isn’t a surprise to learn cats don’t understand deadlines. Ah, well, she’ll have to learn, I guess, for we all must bow to the gods of necessity at times…. even cats, though they would have us believe otherwise. That said, to our common cause of no good purpose, we’ll take our leave for another day, to see if we can find out why we keep falling into the royal ‘we’, when we write…. SIGH…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, whether we figure it our, or not….

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….

Truck stop pastries for lunch & dinner….

Posted on January 31, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“In this world there is always danger for those who are afraid of it.”

~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~

The Spanish Arch ~ Galway, Ireland

Hajime…. Bilious clouds of noxious fumes rose up to obscure the hallway, as Perry Gomes carefully passed by the broken pipes, from which the gases were leaking. Perry thought to himself it wasn’t surprising, when two buses full of commuters crashed into each other, then bounced into the pumping station; a bit of damage was to be expected. Perry, who worked for the company which maintained the gas lines, was tasked with going into the mess to assess the damage. As he peered down the hallway, in the light of the near-useless flash, he could see something moving, thrashing about against the walls, smashing all in its path. “My God,” he thought, “it’s an intro to a Pearl! How will we ever fix that!”

No telling, actually. Perry’s obviously got his work cut out for him, and, since we are responsible for his being in the situation in the first place, we abandon him to his fate with some reluctance. However, should we wish to get today’s mess on the toad, we’ll need to ignore any and all distractions, just to find the wherewithal within to do so. Not an easy task when one is still wandering around in a creative daze, having just come up with yet another way to NOT write an actual introduction…. It’s a gift.

That said, and, thankfully, done, we’ll make our usual executive decision, and put the slow on the toad. We have no regrets, other than having again fallen into the royal ‘we’, just as if we had time to deal with it. Fuck it. I’m done with this. We are outta here, now…. Watch this!….

Shall we Pearl?….

“The psychic task which a person can and must set for himself
is not to feel secure,
but to be able to tolerate insecurity.”

~~ Erich Fromm ~~

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

Today’s music is a nod to one of my blogging friends, who prefers to listen to his classical music played on the guitar. Here is the man who single-handedly brought this kind of music to the world’s awareness, back in the mid-twentieth century…. Considered to be the Master of the guitar, his expertise and artistry are legendary, for good reason…. Enjoy!….

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

Andres Segovia
Classical Guitar

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

https://youtu.be/uRz3AQx21y8

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

Not only do I not have a rant ready, I don’t even feel like ranting. Go figure. At least, this way, I get to use my new icon again…. Here’s a short discussion & old-school pearl about the wisdom mankind pretty much ignores….

From 6/27/2014:

“Waste not the remnant of thy life in those imaginations touching other folk, whereby thou contributest not to the common weal.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, iii, 4

I end up using a lot of quotes from Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, all of which seem to me to be pretty well-reasoned and insightful re: human nature, and ethical/moral behavior….. In fact, I find there are as many, or more, insightful, reasoned philosophers who lived before Christ was born… (not that I care that much, but, it’s the point in time our society has agreed upon to use as the basis for our calendar, thus making it the obvious, most convenient, and expedient, choice as a marker, in order to organize people into their time periods for reference and identification)…..

Marcus Aurelius, Socrates, Plato, Plutarch, Aristotle, Cato, the Elder and the Younger, Gautama Buddha, Lao Tzu, Confucius, and a host of others from all cultures in the world, passed their wisdom to us throughout the ages, and have always seemed to me to be superior in their reasoning to any of the more modern philosophers to whom I’ve been exposed….. which you will see reflected in the quotes you see here…. I have no apology for that, and don’t plan to change it, so, I hope y’all enjoy them, because they’re not going away…. In fact, I’m going to put together a pearl with parameters limiting it to quotes over 1500 years old, or more…. I would suggest you enjoy it, but, it’s not necessary with such classical wisdom to offer….

“Before enlightenment, one carries water and chops wood. After enlightenment, one carries water and chops wood.” — Zen Proverb

“Whatever you can lose, you should reckon of no account.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 191

“…for the most part happiness consists in being willing to be what you are.” — Erasmus

“As surgeons keep their instruments and knives always at hand for cases requiring immediate treatment, so shouldst thou have thy thoughts ready to understand things divine and human, remembering in thy every act, even the smallest, how close is the bond that unites the two.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, iii, 13

“Nothing made the horse so fat as the king’s eye.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Of the Training of Children

“He is a fool who lets slip a bird in the hand for a bird in the bush.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Of Garrulity

“The trouble with Nixon is that he’s a serious politics junkie. He’s totally hooked… and like any other junkie, he’s a bummer to have around: especially as President.” — Hunter S. Thompson (b. 1939), journalist — The Great Shark Hunt, Jacket Copy for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1979)

(Oops! Sorry, that slipped in there due to appending to the clipboard, rather than overwriting…. but, it’s kinda cool, I think, so, it can stay…. just ignore it after reading, and go on to the final pearl, which you see in its designated place, right down there on the line below this….)

“It behooves a prudent person to make trial of everything before arms.” — Terence (185-159 BC) — Act iv, Sc. 7, 19, (789.)

Since we were so rudely interrupted by Hunter’s oh-so-poignant observation of reality, I’ll add one more, to show that the ancients possessed as subtle a sense of humor as any modern pundit, for sure and for certain….

“Anaximander used to assert that the primary cause of all things was the Infinite,–not defining exactly whether he meant air or water or anything else.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Anaximander, ii

Well, a bit disjointed, but, it works for me…. So be it…. gigoid has spoken

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

Off the proverbial cuff….

I never meant to kill that period of time,
it didn’t give me any choice.
It tried to hem me in without reason, or rhyme,
refused me any vote, or any voice.

You have to admit, I buried it deep and fast,
just as if I cared.
I knew, though, it would never last,
or ever be fully repaired.

No news, no pictures can bring it back,
once is all we get.
No pleas of public good, or even public lack;
in stone the past is set.

Futuristic visions now occupy my dreams,
I’m ready to go on.
Look! It fills up the screen, and it gleams!
Where’s the moment I’m sitting on?

Now, I remembered, at long, long last,
is all we really can hold.
Every moment goes by so bloody fast,
we’d best fill them all with beauty, warm and bold.

~~ gigoid ~~

4/30/2013

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

It’s old-school, and, classic; seven stars of virtual wisdom, all about being human…. such as we are….

“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards.” — Vernon Sanders Law

“‘Casting Out Fear’ ought to be the motto over every school door.” — A.S. Neill

“Don’t ask of your friends what you yourself can do.’ — Quintus Ennius

“I exist as I am, that is enough.” — Walt Whitman

“Anacharsis said a man’s felicity consists not in the outward and visible favours and blessings of Fortune, but in the inward and unseen perfections and riches of the mind.” — Plutarch, The Banquet of the Seven Wise Men, 11

“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” — Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

“Though nothing can bring back the moments of splendor in the grass, of glory of the flower, we will grieve not . . .” — Wordsworth “Intimations of Immortality”

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

I have fulfilled my chosen duty. I’m tired, and Leelu wants her play time, in her new cat tower. Therefore, without further nonsense, I shall bid thee adieu for another day. Hope yours goes well; I’m planning on hiding today, so I can avoid any jail time. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, as long as the warrants don’t come through….

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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