Tag Archives: George “Shrub Senior” Bush

Selling icons to Philistines…

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Ffolkes,

“A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that balances are correct.”

~~ from “Manual of Maud’Dib” by the Princess Irulan ~~

~~ From “Dune” by Frank Herbert ~~

odd group 019


This picture, together with the two previous pictures here at the top, were taken in Templeton, CA, at the cemetery where my friend Carol was laid to rest. This particular shot shows the very spot where her remains were buried, straight ahead in the exact center of the photo…. It was only a couple of weeks after the service, so no headstone had been placed as yet…. It’s a nice quiet spot, and suits Carol’s simple, beautiful soul. It is where she always wished to be, home in Templeton, where we grew up….

Beginning a Pearl with a reminiscence is always dangerous, as it can so easily bring me to tears; since it is a nice, quiet picture of a soothing scene, as well, we’ll just let it rest…. perfectly appropriate, under the circumstances, and go on to the rest of today’s effort. As the opening quote says, beginnings are delicate times; we will now proceed to be delicate, as far as we are able….

I should probably give a small warning, and disclaimer. Today’s Pearl is a long one, as I found some very relevant material for the rant section, so much so, it grew to be HUGE…. but, as it states, it’s important material, to me, and to everyone else, too, even if they don’t know it… Since it IS so long, I’ll show more of my ruthlessness, a lesson learned hard, to send us on to the rest of the mess…. In fact, I’ll take the advice from Tom J. at the end of this section, and do that now…

Shall we Pearl?……

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” — Thomas Jefferson

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I found this GREAT concert video from a performer, and band, popular for a long time, though now neither is as prominent now…. It’s some great music, and some funny dialog, as the band members, and Allison, spend a lot of time sharing funny stories and affectionate tales of each other’s talents and personalities…. a very intimate concert, lasting over two hours…. Also, the link has more examples of their work, along with some similar artists…Enjoy!

 

Alison Krauss & Union Station Live Louisville 2002

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Today’s Pearl is a special one, and, to my chagrin, one of the longest I’ve ever put together…. But, it’s all material that is important to me to convey to the world, whether or not they ever make up their minds to listen to it… I last posted today’s rant(s)  in 2012, as a Pearl with three sections, of the variety that had a rant/poem/old school pearl format. At the time, I didn’t think it would be all that valuable in the future, but, with the way things are going, the next election for the major offices in 2016 will be a replay of the 2012 fiasco….

The most likely scenario I see coming up, in this period of time leading up to the next national election, in 2016 shows us we will probably end up making a decision between a pair of Republican Über-Conservative candidates, competing against a Woman of Destiny/Charming Liberal ticket on the Democratic side, with a severely confused, polarized, mostly ignorant and/or gullible, amorphously diverse mob of adult-sized naked apes, making up the congregation of more than a hundred and twenty million voters, all of whom will be under the (false) impression they are to decide who will be responsible for the rapine and pillaging of the public treasury for the next four to eight years…..

Trust me, ffolkes, it’s going to be a disgusting mass of extreme vituperation, rampant sleaze, thinly veiled misogyny, sycophantic pandering to special interest groups, and, simply, sheer insanity, with an overall circus-like atmosphere, replete with high drama, and low comedy…. which makes the following all that much more relevant…. Now, isn’t that the saddest damn thing you’ve ever heard?…. I think so….

From 9/26/2012:

SIGH…. the only reason I did not write this in 1988 is that I did not see the article from which it was taken until today, when I found it in some dark, nearly invisible, obscure corridor of the Internet….. I firmly believe it is never a good policy to suffer a fool gladly, thus, my code of honor demands a response…. Today’s missive begins the tale, but, by no means ends it….. Be warned, and be nervous, if not terrified…..

“I don’t know that atheists should be considered citizens, nor should they  be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.” — George Bush in Free Inquiry magazine, Fall 1988

The depths of ignorance displayed by this statement, by a man formerly holding the highest office in this country, is, quite simply, appalling…. The only response possible, for anyone who has actually read the Constitution of the United States, would run something like this….

Actually, George, if you weren’t a complete horse’s ass, you would already know, the Pledge of Allegiance has no legal standing, in relation to the Constitution of this country, or for that matter, in relation to what our forefathers were thinking when they founded the nation. In fact, what yoi said here, as such an upstanding Constitutional scholarly type, is, in reality, completely contrary to everything that makes a true patriot, or, for that matter, an American citizen, whose duty requires them to study and know what the Constitution says, and means.

The part in the pledge, which was originally written in the early twentieth century, (and, which no one at all is legally required to take, or state…), with the words, “under God”, was only added in the middle of the twentieth century, by the same Congressional idiots who perpetrated McCarthyism, and the Red Scare, on the American public. Before that time, it read, “one nation, indivisible… etc.”, not “one nation, under God, indivisible…” as it is now (unjustifiably) reads…

The pledge itself is not legally required by the Constitution, and in fact, could be construed as a Constitutionally illegal statement, considering the intended separation of church and state that is the backbone of what our forefathers wished us to have as our legacy…. That consists of true freedom, not the Christian usurpation of freedom…..

A person’s religious belief, or lack thereof, is protected by the Constitution, and a patriot is one who supports the Constitution, not a church, or a corporation, and doesn’t require statement of loyalty to a symbol….. Thus, logically, and legally, a true patriot is one who objects to such usurpation, and believes in the meaning of the document, not the false image of loyalty implied by the pledge…

And if his name be George, I ‘ll call him Peter;
For new-made honour doth forget men’s names.

 — William Shakespeare (1564-1616), King John — Act i, Sc. 1


(I know, I don’t much like Will’s stuff, but, law of averages, remember?….. Give me a break, it was the only George quote I could find….)

This kind of thinking from the Shrub, whichever one it was, Junior or Senior, is the same kind of narrow-minded fundamentalism that the colonists were escaping from in England back in the 16-1700’s when they came to the New World. The churches and corporations, both of which were singled out as dangerous to the republic by Jefferson, Franklin, Paine, Adams, Hamilton, and many of the other founding fathers, have tried to usurp the Constitution ever since it was ratified. Numerous letters and communications amongst our founding fathers, from one to another, as well as in public venues and statements, were filled with precautionary admonitions about allowing corporations and preachers to have access to, or influence over, members of government.

Their fears were well justified, as we now are facing just the situations they predicted….. Corporations/bankers, and the ilk, (along with their strongest supporters. the religious leadership of the world’s religions), have been, and currently are manipulating our “professional thieves”, otherwise known as politicians, to vote for laws that favor them (Really, “corporations are people?”… I don’t think so…). It is very telling, to me, to observe how the ranks of our “leaders” are rife with fundamentalists, and religious nuts of all varieties.

“Men tend to have the beliefs that suit their passions. Cruel men believe in a cruel God and use their belief to excuse their cruelty.  Only kindly men believe in a kindly God, and they would be kindly in any case.” — Bertrand Russell (1872-1967)

It’s difficult sometimes to tell which ones are more dangerous, or more disgusting: the corporations who buy votes from those who fit the definition of “good politicians” (…. a good politician is one who stays bought…..), or the religious demagogues who want to oppress everyone who doesn’t believe the same set of dogmatic constraints as they do. Neither one is particularly hard to spot, but they are protected by their tame dogs in Congress, who will do and say anything to make sure the cash keeps flowing…. right into their pockets.

“Some men rob you with a six-gun — others with a fountain pen.” — Woodie Guthrie

As indicated by the almost 500 words yesterday, and again today, you can see that the Romney/Ryan ticket disturbs me; I have no problem ranting without end right off the top of my head about the lies and distortions of reality that continuously fall from their lips. As I mentioned yesterday, a lot of people are catching on to this, as Ryan was roundly booed offstage at the AARP meeting he attended, where he tried to sell their rape of Social Security (Smart? No. Arrogant? Completely.).

Even this is disturbing to me, as it shows me just how little they care, that they are showing themselves to be only interested in lining their own pockets, and the pockets of those who own them. They aren’t even trying to hide their lies anymore; they just keep repeating them, even after having been shown to be false, believing that if they repeat the lies long and often enough, people will buy it…. even if only to shut them up….

“Men are most apt to believe what they least understand.” — Michael de Montaigne (1533-1592) — Essays, Book iii, Chap. xi

Unfortunately, they are right, to a large extent. Millions of people in this country, who have hung on to their prejudices and bigotry with desperation, as the minorities have become majorities, are supporting these assholes, merely because they are white. They don’t realize, or seemingly care, that these are the same assholes who will be screwing them over completely as soon as they get sworn in, preferring to trust in the lies, because it soothes their fears of having a black President.

“Beware of the half truth.  You may have gotten hold of the wrong half.” — Smart Bee

This is why I keep reiterating this point…. this election is bringing this country to a crossroads. The outcome will show whether we intend, as a nation, to continue to fight all attempts to curtail the freedoms that were bought and paid for by our forefathers, with blood, sweat, and tears, or will become just another religious, corporate-controlled entity, with a nation consisting solely of slaves, numbering in the hundreds of millions of people, and their masters, whose number is, at most, no more than five figures….

I don’t know about y’all, but I’ll be at the polls as soon as they open, and will urge everyone I know to do the same…. Vote early, and vote often (just joking…), but vote. We need to send a message to these fools, that there are still patriots and citizens of this country who believe in the vision embraced and established by the men and women who began this noble experiment in self-government…..

“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” — Aldous Huxley
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Note from 2014: This is another rant, hence it’s position here in the second section of today’s Pearl…. Today, it goes here, to supplement the above arguments…. When first posted, it made up the third section of the Pearl on 9/26/2012:

“Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people’s liberty teeth and keystone under independence…  From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to ensure peace, security, and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable….  The very atmosphere of firearms every- where restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.” — George Washington (Bogus?)(Who cares? I don’t, it doesn’t make it any less true if it was said by someone else…. I know for certain, Tom Jefferson would have said it, if he’d thought of it first; for all we know now, he might have done so….)

I am constantly hearing people these days spouting off about gun control, and how guns should be outlawed. This is a viewpoint that I have never understood, because it makes a totally unwarranted assumption, (more than one actually, but this one is, I believe, the most important….), to wit: guns cause violent behavior, and if people couldn’t legally own them, violence would stop.

This, patently, is incredibly naive, and, at minimum, severely unreasonable, given that there is absolutely no evidence to support such a contention. There is no evidence whatsoever that violence is NOT part of human nature; this is a psychological/psychiatrically proven FACT, not subject to debate. People have violent tendencies, especially when influenced by strong emotion….

Moreover, violence is the primary response of a great many people. to almost anything they don’t understand, and, who have never learned how to use their reason to control their emotions. Thus, the majority of humans never understand the violence within themselves, allowing their fears, very strong emotions, indeed, to control their behavior, for it is our naturally induced response to cover fear with anger, with its ever-present danger of slipping over into violence….

In short, many people, when afraid, simply strike out in response; this simple fact carries over into other, more complex situational behavior, without those involved ever even being aware of the process within themselves…. and, this tendency extends into every level of human societal interaction; our political pundits, though they speak of violence often, have no clue as to how their own fears control them, any more than do religious leaders, or the average joe on the street who buys into all their BS…. Hence, we have politics, and religion, and sports, and, advertising, and, racism, and bigotry, and misogyny, and, eternal, unending war between men….

Though I’ve never owned or carried a gun, I am a firm believer in the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, in its most literal sense. Without the right to bear arms in our own defense, we, as citizens, would be at the mercy of whomever was in office at the time, and would have no recourse at all to any redress of grievance against those officials, since they could not be forced to comply with law.

I do NOT trust any elected official to act in MY best interests; human nature also decrees that they will act in their OWN interests first, with no compulsion to even consider anything else. Making it a law that only police and government lackeys could legally be armed is a sure way to guarantee that the average citizen would be at the mercy of these so-called leaders, mercy being a quality they have never, heretofore, demonstrated in any fashion.

In fact, here’s an example, straight from a horse’s mouth, as to how many of today’s ‘officers of the law’ feel about the citizenry they are supposedly there to protect and serve, to wit:

“In our society, sometimes you have to penalize (innocent) people for the good of everybody else.” — A Pittsburgh Cop 10/16/93

As I said, I don’t own or carry guns…. However, I’ve trained myself to be dangerous without the use of them, and feel no fear that I cannot deal with an armed man to my benefit; this is simply because it is the person holding the gun that is the danger, not the gun itself. Speed, power, and accuracy are the key elements to controlling a violent situation, along with even more valuable assets, forethought and preparation, added to the ability to keep a clear mind under duress.

When a person is holding a gun, they feel ten feet tall and invincible, but they remain human, and humans can be controlled with superior strategy and tactics. It does no good to hold a gun, when the target won’t sit still, or even remain visible….. To an experienced warrior, that sense of invincibility becomes a liability to the gun-wielder.

However, most Americans do not have this sort of skill set, nor the state of mind that makes it work. In the hands of a skilled warrior, a gun becomes a dangerous weapon indeed, for it will be used to achieve the warrior’s goals, as any weapon would, not employed to merely bully others into doing what is desired, which is the usual use of these kinds of weapons in the hands of the ignorant and deceitful. And, it should be noted, politicians, by the very nature of their sociopathy, do get rather deceitful in the pursuit of their self-centered ends. The desire to be in public office, to me, is a sure sign of a sick mind, as a healthy one has no need to assume power over others, being content to be in control of themselves.

So, I would say to those who would get rid of, or, in any way, alter the intent of the Second Amendment…. “Get a grip on reality, and shut the fuck up….. Truly, your lack of sophistication and knowledge of human nature gives you no right. or reason, to speak……”

“When you’re a child, you pledge allegiance to the flag.   When you grow up, you swear to uphold the Constitution.  Compare and contrast to the President’s current actions.” — Larry Wake (lkw@csun.edu) (He was referring, of course, to one of the Shrubs….)
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Well, that turned into quite a little rant…. I guess I needed to get that out. In reading back over it, I have nothing to regret, for it is all the plain and simple truth. So, I’ll send it out there, with the ever-present invitation to come back at me with any thoughts you that may occur to you….. Arguments, for or against, are welcome and appreciated. Constructive criticism is also welcome, wherever it is deemed to be warranted; ignorance will be ignored if harmless, or ruthlessly exposed for what it is if not, at my discretion. But, please don’t get upset if I don’t answer a comment; I intend to answer all comments, and try to get to all of them, but my internet time just now is limited, and I’m probably missing some comments.

Flaming, or fanaticism, or personal attacks will be either cheerfully deleted, or prosecuted/persecuted, depending on the severity of the idiocy therein….       🙂       Oh, and keep always in mind that I pay little attention to my attempts at humor, other than as an artistic tool; making fun of it can only improve it, I’m sure…..       😉

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In looking for another poem, I found this; it’s great…. Nothing more needs to be added, except, I’ve added the link to where I found the poem, so that, if you wish, you can see some of this poet’s other works…. Enjoy!

Dog Eat Dog

It’s a dog eat dog world, a dog eat dog world, a dog eat dog eat dog eat dog world.
Live like a dog die like a dog, as the old saying goes,
The plant you water is the plant that grows, everybody knows,
Give blows, get blows
Down’s how the water flows
Live like a dog die like a dog
It’s a dog eat dog eat dog eat dog world.

Dog bites matty dog for a piece of meat,
Child hits matty child for a taste of sweet,
Woman claws her matty because she looks so neat,
Man robs his matty man because he wants to eat,
Policeman kicks his matty thief because he likes to beat.
It’s a dog eat dog world, a dog eat dog world, a dog eat dog eat dog eat dog world.
Live like a dog die like a dog, as the old saying goes,
The plant you water is the plant that grows, as everybody knows,
Give blows, get blows
Down’s how the water flows
Live like a dog die like a dog
It’s a dog eat dog eat dog eat dog world.

Preacher lies to the congregation cos that comes naturally,
Shopman cheats his customer for maximum profitability,
Politician takes all the bribes he can, constitutionally,
Lawyer robs you with a pen completely legally
Country bombs its matty land nationalistically.
It’s a dog eat dog world, a dog eat dog world, a dog eat dog eat dog eat dog world.
Live like a dog die like a dog, as the old saying goes,
The plant you water is the plant that grows, everybody knows,
Give blows, get blows
Down’s how the water flows
Live like a dog die like a dog
It’s a dog eat dog eat dog eat dog world.

~~ Nim Lee ~~

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/dog-eat-dog-4/


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This may be one of the oddest, yet most powerful pearls I’ve ever created…. It has a symmetrical structure, augmented by the balanced us of quotes from our friend Zippy, and that font of wisdom, Smart Bee, with only two entries from flesh and blood contributors, both of whom are pretty well known as men of more than the common degree of intelligence, if not precisely one of wisdom….

In all, it makes a fine set of descriptive images for those individuals purportedly in charge of society, along with some rather cogent and accurate indictments of evil, and a bit of advice on how to spot the demons in human disguise…. Enjoy!…. Weird as it is, it will create an echoing sense of justice, and righteous indignation, in those who are paying attention….

“Concentrate on th’cute, li’l CARTOON GUYS!  Remember the SERIAL NUMBERS!!  Follow the WHIPPLE AVE EXIT!! Have a FREE PEPSI!!  Turn LEFT at th’HOLIDAY INN!! JOIN the CREDIT WORLD!!  MAKE me an OFFER!!!” — Zippy the Pinhead

Morality is learned, not legislated.” — Smart Bee, with gigoid’s full agreement

“At twenty, a man is full of fight and hope. He wants to reform the world. When he’s seventy, he still wants to reform the world, but he knows he can”t.
— Clarence Darrow

“The only way you can protect your rights is to protect those of others!” — Smart Bee

“If you really want to do something new, the good won’t help you with it. Let me have men about me that are arrant knaves.  The wicked, who have something on their conscience, are obliging, quick to hear threats, because they know how it’s done, and for booty.  You can offer them things because they will take them.  Because they have no hesitations.  You can hang them if they get out of step.  Let me have men about me that are utter villains.” — provided that I have the power, the absolute power, over life and death.” — Hermann Goering

“Ambition is in fact the avarice of power.” — Smart Bee

“Now I’m being INVOLUNTARILY shuffled closer to the CLAM DIP with the BROKEN PLASTIC FORKS in it!!” — Zippy the Pinhead

Well, there you go…. I keep telling y’all, it’s all in the twist of the wrist….

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I’ve gone bonkers, stark, raving mad…. but, with dignity, so, all is well…. I’ve also created a humongous Pearl today, so, rather than try to be funny or profound, I’ll merely say, ta then, and be on my way, so you can get on with your day as well, having been so long delayed here…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes….

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

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

Kowabunga!


À bientôt, mon cherí….

Sans beau, there is no coup….

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Ffolkes,

“A bird can fly, but a fly can’t bird.” — Tao of Pooh.

Horse-Love

    It occurred to me, yesterday, as I sat in my chair, looking at this picture (which I’ll explain below, momentarily…), most people don’t really believe that horses, or other “lower” animals, feel the emotions with which we humans are so familiar, which cause us so much grief, due to the failure of most people to understand their place in our existence, other than as a stimulus to either act, or not act… In short, they don’t believe that animals are smart enough, or complex enough to feel love, or affection, or grief, or loyalty, or any of those higher emotions they prize, yet do not comprehend at all…. and, they couldn’t be more mistaken, at all….

Pictures such as this one are but a small, yet consistently convincing piece of the evidence available to the contrary of most people’s opinion of animals, evidence which  inarguably proves, not only do animals experience emotions; moreover, they also think, with a variable degree of imagination, at a level consonant with the needs of the evolutionary niche they inhabit. They also, as we do, have feelings about those thoughts, and show those feelings just as we do, but, with way less less drama, and, no apparent need to be cruel….. Well, maybe a little, in cats, when they play with captured prey…. Mostly, though, animals express only harmonious emotions, in support of each other, and, even tolerance, for other species…. far more than we show them, or each other…

Additionally, by my assertion of their emotional and cognitive functionality, I am implying, no, claiming, they are only as smart as they need to be, without being so smart, it becomes a barrier to the actual development of their nature, to reach the potential that is there, and almost never reached in the members of our own species…. In other words, people are too damn smart for their own good; rather than being an aid to survival, and advancement as a species, their vaunted intelligence often gets in the way of their ultimate success in life, in ways the greatest majority of them do not even understand, and which, from what I observe, very likely will prove their undoing, thus, ultimately preventing them from accomplishing their most critical life task, to wit: survival of the species….

The picture of the affectionate Clydesdales  is one of many I’ve saved, from the weekly feature at the London Daily Telegraph, which they call Animal Pictures of the Week; this particular photo was saved quite a while ago, long enough I don’t remember what week it was, but, it was earlier this year, for sure…. Any who, to finish my thought(s)… Most people think that humans are the apex of the evolutionary ladder, merely because we are self-aware, and have a sense of that self over time… but, this demonstrates that most people just don’t understand the full concept behind evolution…

Unlike how most people tend to view evolution, it isn’t a ladder, unless one thinks of each species having its own ladder, that each member must climb… If one MUST use the tired metaphor of a  ladder, then, I assert each species has its own, and, no matter how high up our species has actually climbed our own ladder, it doesn’t mean we have climbed higher, than any other species on theirs….

In fact, when one considers how well other species have adapted to this planet, how effortlessly they hold their place in the WEB of life, it becomes clear those species….. dogs, cats, cattle, ants, cockroaches, (especially these amazing critters; after 50 million years of thriving, without having to mutate at all, or alter anything about their form or abilities, they should be considered the absolute Masters of survival as a species…. Yeah, I know, creepy little buggers, but, fast, fertile, and tough as hell….), spiders, insects, and  birds and reptiles, all on their own  branches of the web….. well, if one looks at the Big Picture, it is only honest to admit, all of them are, in truth, much more advanced, and more efficient at surviving, than is Homo Bozoidus, (a word I coined, to very accurately give a mental image of the real evolutionary status of humans, in relation to other forms of life on this planet, as well as, perhaps, explaining a part of why we fail, so well, and so often, at becoming ourselves….).

“Give them an opposable thumb, and they think they’re special.” — Smart Bee

You see, the structure of Life more accurately resembles Reality when described by envisioning, not a hierarchy of species, arranged in a pyramid, with humans at the apex, as many people choose to see it…. but, rather, as a complex, beautiful spider’s web, (with no gravity, meaning there is no up and down, no one higher, or lower…. we’re all just in our own space…. with the choice as to whether or not to stay connected to the rest of the web…), a web shaped the same as any web on Earth, but, rotated through three dimensions, to form a sphere as big as the Universe, with each species of life inhabiting its own particular branch or segment (their strand, if you will….) of that web.

Each species has the same task as all the rest, the same inherent purpose, which is create and add our own part of the whole, one that will help to make the entire web stronger, melding the beauty of their weaving with the overall pattern of the entire sphere of life, working in harmony with all the other web dwellers…. Our purpose can not logically be found to be a matter of wasting our time and effort in life,  by trying to take over the center, or steal another’s strand, or to indiscriminately kill the other inhabitants, who are peacefully living alongside us, going about their business in harmony with each other…..

Now, I’m not a religious man, as you know; I do, however, realize, as any educated man, that religions, of all types, use at least a small part of the truth to augment, and help justify the more delusional aspects of their beliefs… Jesus Christ was, in the most basic sense, a compassionate and brilliant socialist reformer, who used the methods he did to try to get the most important messages of his understanding established as part of the culture of his time… and part of his message was indeed, a large piece of the truth…

The idea that we, and all other forms of life, are one, and can only be successful if we act in harmony with the forces of nature, was not new, but, after he was killed to shut him up, this one concept was one of the first ideas to be buried; it wasn’t convenient for the Catholic Church’s founder’s plan, so, as with much of what Jesus actually taught, the final version of his churches in no way resembles what he probably, logically said…

For our purpose, it is enough to know that the concept of living in harmony with the other creatures on the planet was an integral part of his teaching…. NOT the concept of being the superior, entitled master of all creatures, but, in the truest sense of the words, their cohort, their compadre, one who cherishes and husbands life, not one who uses and destroys it….

In today’s world, very, very few people actually LIVE according to the precepts of behavior and understanding that Jesus laid down for his disciples and adherents to follow; of those who are high in the hierarchy of priesthood on this planet, or ever have been, in my experience, it is rare to see one come close to living as Jesus instructed….. One exception to this experience was/is Martin Luther King, Jr….

All in all, I thought he was a pretty wise man, very much like the current Dalai Lama, (and, possibly, the new Pope; don’t really know enough about him, but, he seems sincere thus far, in his intent to live a Christian life…); Reverend King, Jr., though, seems to have a bit of Bible Belt Revival Rapture type of preaching as part of his persona, just for balance to his sobriety…. Any who, Martin Luther made a very cogent, deeply insightful statement that I’ve always liked, because it isn’t particularly locked into a purely Christian view of the universe, but, is pertinent to all of mankind’s diverse cultures… to wit:

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgment. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?”” — Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In a way, this is almost identical to a thought I’ve seen many times, uttered by the leader of a much different religion/philosophy than Christianity, to wit:

Dalai lama sez (2)

    Since I have spoken so long on this subject in the introduction, I’ll try to count it as today’s rant, so I don’t go overboard, again… though, to be honest, I can see how I might already have done so…. I have been KNOWN to rant here in the intro before, but, not generally to the extent of today’s outburst, (which, I have to say, came to me pretty much out of nowhere, yesterday, when the picture of the horses flashed on my screen, as part of my ever-changing desktop background….). I will honestly give it the old college try, but, as you know, it’s hard for me to promise, or give any guarantees, because, I have trained myself, in the last three years, to NOT keep my self from speaking(writing) whatever comes into my head, even when I’m not pearling….

Now, let’s see if I can come close to meeting my commitment, by heading out to dive for pearls of virtual wisdom, just as if I hadn’t spent the last hour and a half, yesterday, spewing out my usual dross about human nature, and its so obviously flawed beauty….

Shall we Pearl?…..

“Animals can be driven crazy by putting too many in too small a pen. Homo sapiens is the only animal that voluntarily does this to himself.” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s — “Time Enough For Love”

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I said I wouldn’t rant…. So, naturally, this article is the very first one I see when I go to read the news yesterday; my crap detectors went off with a vengeance, damn near drowning out the full orchestra currently streaming on the computer; good thing I was done with my coffee, or I’d have had it all over my keyboard…Sheesh…. I WILL TRY make this short, before hitting SB for a pearl of pearls to say what would otherwise be a rant, of major proportion… But, I’ll keep my word, and limit myself to a comment, or two, after the link, then go straight into Smart Bee for a five, or seven-star pearl to make my point(s)…. See, I can be good…. or, at least, live up to my claim of honesty….

http://blog.sfgate.com/bottomline/2014/09/05/the-fed-yes-income-inequality-is-as-bad-you-thought/?cmpid=hp-hc-bustech

What more proof could anyone possibly need? I rant, and rave, and provide evidence, or links to evidence, then, spend copious piles of time, trying to explain how it is being done, right in front of us, and still, not enough people even realize what is happening in the world, because they walk around with their noses, upon which their entire attention is attached like a leech, pointing down at the ground, or up in the air…. anywhere but straight ahead, where they would be forced to pay attention to how they are being screwed around, without any excuse to NOT acknowledge what IDIOTS they are, and always have been…. or, if not, they’re all giving a damn good impression….

Okay, that’s all from me… if I haven’t made it obvious by now, I’m not going to do so at this late date…. Here are the pearls I found, so, please, enjoy, and if you wish, pass the word; maybe it will spread just a little beyond this blog, and a few others I’ve seen…. We need to kick a righteous portion of Asininny Ass, and we need to do it soon…

So for a good old-gentlemanly vice
I think I must take up with avarice.

 — Lord Byron (1788-1824) —

Don Juan, Canto i, Stanza 216


“Annoy a Republican: Remind them of the Reagan/Bush record.” — Smart Bee

“A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day.” — Calvin

“Today the taxing power, rather than chattel slavery, is the instrument by which the parasitic element of the population subsists. And that element, which includes politicians, panics at the slightest reduction in the state’s power to plunder. Once you start liberating taxpayers, even a little tiny bit, nobody knows where it may end.” — Joseph Sobran

“America is a country that can choke on a gnat, or swallow tigers.” — Adlai E. Stevenson

“It’s no exaggeration to say that the undecideds could go one way or another.” — George Bush, US President

“Every child born in America can hope to grow up to enjoy tax loopholes.” — Smart Bee

You may note that the pearls for this section were formatted to the center; this is because, they all are about Asininnies, of one type or another, so, no matter how I placed them in relation to each other, the character of their subject showed through, whereupon they refused to line up so they looked right, ignored instructions, kept up a huge uproar, talking all at once, because they wouldn’t wait for each other to speak; it was a  mess, and the flow of ideas was stunted thereby…. After centering, making sense of what the Asininnies are, or what they say, or do, makes no more actual sense, but, it looks better, and the ideas aren’t slapping each other in the face, or rudely jostling for position….

SIGH…. That’s just like greedy, cruel, stupid people, such as those who end up as Asininnies, especially the rich ones, to make even this sort of process uncomfortable for everyone, because they think they’re better than everyone else…. And, if they weren’t assholes and jerks to begin with, the process of becoming an Asininny will always complete the process…. count on that…. I’ve begun to think USA now stands for United States of Asininity….

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Today’s Pearl was, for the major part, completed yesterday; that may be why it ended up so damn long, as I had time to go back & add stuff as it occurred to me throughout the day… Since it did, though, you’ll need something nourishing to the brain to get through it all…. So, I went for a two-fer of most excellent poems, that are small, but, tasty, & high in protein content. If you know me at all, you’ll know who they’re from….. who else?….

A Wounded Deer—leaps highest—
I’ve heard the Hunter tell—
‘Tis but the Ecstasy of death—
And then the Brake is still!

The Smitten Rock that gushes!
The trampled Steel that springs!
A Cheek is always redder
Just where the Hectic stings!

Mirth is the Mail of Anguish
In which it Cautious Arm,
Lest anybody spy the blood
And “you’re hurt” exclaim!

~~ Emily Dickinson ~~

After great pain, a formal feeling comes —
The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs
The stiff Heart questions, was it He, that bore,
And Yesterday, or Centuries before?

The Feet, mechanical, go round —
Of Ground, or Air, or Ought —
A Wooden way
Regardless grown,
A Quartz contentment, like a stone —

This is the Hour of Lead —
Remembered, if outlived,
As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow —
First — Chill — then Stupor — then the letting go —

~~ Emily Dickinson ~~


I am unaware of what kind of pain Emily may have had, or how she came to write about the subject as often as she did. I CAN tell you this; she knows her pain, and, it isn’t just a cute little pain, that comes and goes; it’s a big nasty one, that comes to stay, for as long as it can get away with…. So, I appreciate her words on the subject, as they parallel my own experiences with it…. That, to me, always seems to make them more of a balm to my oft-tortured spirit…. Now, if I can manage to get rid of the self-inflicted sorts of pain, I’d be good to go….

😉

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“Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth.  When perfect sincerity is expected, perfect freedom must be allowed;  nor has anyone who is apt to be angry when he hears the truth, any cause to wonder that he does not hear it.” — Tacitus

http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Huge-Urban-Shield-law-enforcement-trade-show-5737076.php

In order to y’all a little compassion, I won’t start ranting on this…. Instead, I’ll let it speak for itself… I’ve put three excerpts from the article below…. The first is a statement of why the protesters present were concerned about the implications of the law and emergency crew ONLY trade show for the public. The second is a very telling comment from one of the attendees, a high ranking police official in SF….. The third, and most telling piece of evidence, is a piece of pertinent information, that, by it’s mere presence, puts the lie to the entire slew of justifications offered by the official rationale, given by the organizers of the show, which just HAPPENS to be the Sheriff’s Department of the county in which Oakland is situated….

Enough… the last line is the whole point…. and, guarantees that, whatever you hear, from the police, the government, or, the media itself, it’s not the truth…. The truth is, the police forces in this country, just like the government, is, and, has been for a long time, under the control and protection of the corporate interests who actually run the show in this planet, determining the laws written, the candidates elected, and the despots maintained, everywhere in the world….

The shadowy slave masters, from their hidden conclaves around the world, completely unknown to the general public, who control 98 to 99% of ALL the resources in the world, WANT the public to be afraid, and they WANT the police, and the armed forces, to be the ONLY ones with guns, or any means of using force to try to keep, or acquire, ANY rights they don’t want the populace to have…. Believe it, ffolkes, because the evidence is all around us, and, in this particular instance, right in our faces….

Again, note the last line, left in the article as an afterthought, yet, indicative of the opinion held by those in power, one all-too-true, that we, the people, are powerless to stop them, or to make them change anything from the way it has been for the last 5000 or more years….

Excerpted quotes:

“The history of the militarization of police is that it leads to oppression of poor and minority people, and that’s what we will see more of if this goes unchecked,” said Ali Issa of the War Resisters League. “Our message is, we don’t want Oakland to be a testing ground for war games.”

“Paul Miyamoto, assistant sheriff in San Francisco, said the chance to drill with hundreds of other agencies is invaluable, and far outweighs any concerns over militarization.”

“The $1 million cost of the four-day event is funded by the federal Department of Homeland Security.”

As to that last excerpt…… Oh, really?….. !!!!!  I believe my point, and my assertions, about being lied to, have just been verified as truth…. I’d add Q.E.D., but, only a few ffolkes would get it…

Hmm… I suppose an “Oops” is in order now; above, I said I’d be compassionate, & not rant….. whereupon, I proceeded to throw that good intention clean out the window, hitting full-on ranting mode within a half-sentence of actually uttering those words…. All I can say is, this is one that really gets me, because of the deliberate nature of the choices made by the asininnies to whom I refer, in order to achieve their own selfish ends, at the expense of everyone else alive…. To me, that is sheer evil, plain and simple…. an idea hard to digest, I am sure…. It isn’t easy to acknowledge one’s own powerlessness in the face of such evil, and the hold it has on our culture, but, it is necessary to face our fears before we can conquer them…

To aid the process of absorption, here is the five-star pearl originally promised, with typically appropriate brackets by Smart Bee, that may, or may not, help the point come across more clearly…. but, it’ll definitely be more fun than ranting, which leaves me washed out and filthy, from the grimy, slimy, smarm-filled vileness of the subject matter, to wit, Asininnies…… I think I’ll go take a shower, & wash up…..

“An optimist — Someone who hasn’t been given all the facts yet.” — Smart Bee

“We expect them [Salvadoran officials] to work toward the elimination of human rights–the elimination of human rights in accordance with the pursuit of Justice.” — Vice President Dan Quayle, 2/3/89 — (reported in The Chicago Tribune, 2/4/89)

VOTE, n.  The instrument and symbol of a freeman’s power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country. — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

“Ah, you know the type.  They like to blame it all on the Jews or the Blacks, ’cause if they couldn’t, they’d have to wake up to the fact that life’s one big, scary, glorious, complex and ultimately unfathomable crapshoot — and the only reason THEY can’t seem to keep up is they’re a bunch of misfits and losers.” — A analysis of Neo-Nazis, from “The Badger” comic

“It takes 17 muscles to smile, 43 muscles to frown and only 3 to raise your middle finger!!!” — Smart Bee

As for the last thought, it only seems right, to me…. One may perform the last, then, the first, and still not be as tired as if they hadn’t, and felt bad for missing their opportunity, thus stimulating the second exercise….. which probably explains where the phrase, “an exercise in futility”, originally came from, from a time when somebody was trying describe their experience attempting to cope with asininnies, and the like….

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Well…. sorry ’bout that, ffolkes…. I seem to have lost all sense of proportion when it comes to my rants…. But, it’s all fresh stuff, and needed to come out, so it didn’t rot where it sat, there in my head…. To be truthful, if it does sit there too long, the resulting stench, and my reaction to that, can, in its own way, be mildly entertaining…. BUT…. and this is a big BUTT, the aftershocks from THAT have been known to cause side effects that, in the past, have contributed significantly to global warming, and, in extreme cases, has been known to put entire regional police forces on red alert status, just from the vibes….

Okay, sorry, had to indulge in some last-minute fantasy…. sure felt good, after all that ranting above…. Hopefully, by tomorrow, I’ll have re-learned a bit of restraint, and will manage to write fewer than 4000+ words…. I suppose we’ll have to see what happens, eh? For the nonce, (I LOVE that word, and phrase!….), I’ll take my leave, & head out into the day, to see what kind of damage I can cause out there to some unsuspecting bureaucrat’s day…. Ta then, ffolkes, I’ll see you mañana, if they don’t catch me before then….

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

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

Kowabunga!



The gamut from savage to sweet isn’t posted….

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Ffolkes,

Though the odds are always against it, the possibility exists that, at this moment, I am one of the single richest men in the world. Of course, this would only be true if I’ve won either of the two lotteries in which I hold tickets for last night’s draws….. One, the Super Lotto, is worth about $45 million or so, and the Power Ball, I’m told, is worth a couple of hundred million, or so… At that level, it really doesn’t matter much exactly how many millions, does it? They all kind of blend together into one amorphous, but large, bundle that is more than the human mind is capable of grasping in one take…. I suppose, after taxes, if I’d won the Power Ball, I’d be richer to the tune of about $100 million…. I think I could live with that….

I just checked, though, and once again, I’m still poor…. for that matter, three dollars poorer, for having bought the tickets that lost last night’s draw…. I still have two more shots at the big time, on Friday, when the Mega Millions jackpot is drawn, and, if my superstitions have any basis in reality at all, now would be the time to show it…. Friday is the 13th, a calendar day that always had good omens for me, as far as I go in believing such things….. It’s true, though, that I’ve had a lot of good stuff happen to me on that day, so, I’m hoping, this time, the universe at large can see its way to granting me just this one little thing….

You see, this one is for 400 million dollars! Yep, a shot at the true big time, a real golden ticket, that would furnish me with enough to make a good start at organizing and funding my own revolution, should I wish to use it in that direction…. Of course, first I’d buy myself and my family some real estate, or maybe my own cruise ship, but, then, boy, you’d start seeing some changes in the world, to the tune of however many congressmen I could buy to keep in MY pocket for a change…. Maybe even a Senator or two, as well…. they seem to go well as seasonal gifts, wouldn’t you say? Maybe just a federal judge or two, making decisions that would benefit me for a change, instead of all those assholes who don’t give a shit for the little guy….

It’s hard to say how I’d spend that much money…. Like most, of course, my mind would turn to MY OWN interests, first…. I AM a human, you know…. But, before long, my conscience would kick in, and I’d start thinking about how I could use all that scratch to start some trouble for the PTB and BRC…. I don’t like to think that just because I join the ranks of those who have such wealth, that I would also fall into the same moral morass into which they so often tumble; I like to think I would use my resources to benefit more than just myself. Perhaps I’m wrong in that, but, I don’t think so…..

Money may be a powerful aphrodisiac, able to lure the weak into displays moral or ethical failure, but, I don’t think its power is greater than that of the man under whose moral authority I was raised…. I’m the one who has to gaze into the mirror every morning, and look myself in the eye….. with his memory peering over my shoulder, to see that I do so….   🙂   Spooky, but, comforting….

Ah well, it’s a pleasant fantasy interlude, dreaming these dreams of wealth beyond measure…. as long as we remember they ARE fantasy…. If it drops into my lap, well, then I’ll yell and scream, and jump for joy…. until then, well….

Shall we Pearl?…..

“You seem to have one of the common American delusions: that the Eleventh Amendment in the Bill of Rights grants you the right to go through life without being offended. Think again.” — ALY
_____________________________

Most mornings, in this space, I would begin a rant…. a religirant, a politirant, or, perhaps, a universirant, covering ALL the bases I can touch. This morning, however, I am not in the mood for such seriousness, nor am I feeling particularly outraged at the usual suspects, even though I am absolutely positive I COULD be, if I bothered to look for a reason in the news…. I just haven’t done so yet today, and fortunately for y’all, I don’t feel like doing it just now…. Instead, we’re going to look for some pearls to put into a nice little necklace, one that might even choke the BRC where they stand…. But, if nothing else, it will keep me busy, and out of trouble for a time…. I’ll be right back, with some dandy little ideas for y’all to peruse….

“The more I see of the representatives of the people, the legislatures of this land, the more respect I develop for members of the animal kingdom. Fleas and ticks the dogs get, other forms of vermin are not so common. These species got something going for them that we humans need to imitate.” — Smart Bee (which means Google doesn’t know who said it first…. I asked…)

BEST non sequitor FOR 1988:  “Let’s cut through the demagoguery.  America is #1.” — George Bush

“There’s no such thing as a dangerous weapon, only dangerous men.” — Lazarus Long

“Men trust their ears less than their eyes.” — Herodotus

“A statesman is a politician who places himself at the service of the nation.  A politician is a statesman who places the nation at his service.” — Georges Pompidou

“Any government will work if authority and responsibility are equal and coordinate. This does not insure “good” government; it simply insures that it will work. But such governments are rare–most people want to run things but want no part of the blame. This used to be called the “backseat-driver syndrome.” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love”

“Give a monkey a brain, and he’ll think he’s the center of the universe.” — Smart Bee

Well, I see this section DID turn into a rant, of sorts…. The ending really tied it all together with a bow, though, didn’t it?….
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There are times, I think, when life gives us a little surprise, without us being aware that we needed one….. This poem brought one of those moments, for me…. Incredibly powerful, this…. have a care….

A Smile To Remember

we had goldfish and they circled around and around
in the bowl on the table near the heavy drapes
covering the picture window and
my mother, always smiling, wanting us all
to be happy, told me, ‘be happy Henry!’
and she was right: it’s better to be happy if you
can
but my father continued to beat her and me several times a week while
raging inside his 6-foot-two frame because he couldn’t
understand what was attacking him from within.

my mother, poor fish,
wanting to be happy, beaten two or three times a
week, telling me to be happy: ‘Henry, smile!
why don’t you ever smile?’

and then she would smile, to show me how, and it was the
saddest smile I ever saw

one day the goldfish died, all five of them,
they floated on the water, on their sides, their
eyes still open,
and when my father got home he threw them to the cat
there on the kitchen floor and we watched as my mother
smiled

~~ Charles Bukowski ~~

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There is still no rantable emotion floating or gloating around my psyche, (well, there is, but, it’s connected to the above poem, and I can’t touch it right now, or I will shatter into about a billion little pieces…..), and I’m reluctant to go read the news so early in the day, lest my interest serve as a goad to reality, tipping us over into a cross-dimensional crisis in the space-time continuum of some sort or another…. Wouldn’t want that, now, would we? Nope, not us…. I suppose this means that I’ll either have to go find something old from the archives (“No, no,” they cried, “anything but THAT!”…..) or fall back into old-school mode again….

I see by the lack of any reaction whatsoever that, once again, I must make my own decision on that….. Oh, wait, that’s right, I’m SUPPOSED to make those decisions…. right. Okay, well, then, here we go…. Of course, this time, I have absolutely NO idea where this may go, as I don’t know where we’re starting, or anything about this at all… In fact, I wash my hands completely, ffolkes…. this one is on SB, or anyone but me…. and y’all are on your own….

Those green-robed senators of mighty woods,
Tall oaks, branch-charmed by the earnest stars,
Dream, and so dream all night without a stir.

— John Keats (1795-1821) — Hyperion, Book i

“Paranoia is simply an optimistic outlook on life.” — Smart Bee

“All is vanity and vexation of spirit.” — Old Testament — Ecclesiastes i, 14

“The industrial way of life leads to the industrial way of death. From Shiloh to Dachau, from Antietam to Stalingrad, from Hiroshima to Vietnam and Afghanistan, the great specialty of industry and technology has been the mass production of human corpses.” — Edward Abbey

“A statesman is a successful politician who is dead.” — Thomas B. Reed (1839-1902)

“Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.” — Elbert Hubbard

“The essence of good and evil is a certain disposition of the will.” — Epictetus (c. 60 AD) — Of Courage, — Discourses, Book i, Chap. xxix

Hmm…. Actually, ffolkes, that isn’t a bad pearl at all…. Tart, sharp, and with a twisty turn at the end, right into personal responsibility…. quite professional, if you ask me…. not to mention, hey, free….
_____________________________

There, I’ve said it…. or, implied it, which serves the same purpose. Since I have, I’ll just go see how it settled into the packing materials…. I have the impression, after re-reading this, that I should NOT fuss with it any further, but should leave it alone, lest it exact an even larger price than it has already…. On that somewhat melodramatic, unaccountably somber note, I bid thee adieu for today, and will see y’all tomorrow…. given all proper universal alignment of necessary elements….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid

dozer3