Tag Archives: Global Warming

Precisely one portion, no sauce…

Posted on by
Reply

Ffolkes,
It’s been a long, strange trip, to be sure. One of my best days in life was today, 32 years ago. On that Monday night, my son came to join the rest of us, and my life as father began in earnest. As a small gift, today’s Pearl of Virtual Wisdom is dedicated to Cory Benjamin Moore, for his gift to me, a gift beyond price…..
___________________________________

“Youth is a blunder; manhood a struggle; old age a regret.” — Benjamin Disraeli (Earl Beaconsfield) (1805-1881) — Coningsby, Book iii, Chap. i

Benjamin, th’ puir wee laddie, he’s lost his way, and kinna see th’ rrrroad no muir! I pity this man, he has let his despair get the better of him. My own youth was a dream; it taught me how to learn, and how to love.  Manhood was a time of pain and glory, love and loss, moments of agony balanced by days of joy. Sometimes I struggled, other times I coasted.  So far, old age hasn’t been too bad, all things considered. Though there are trade-offs, it’s nice deciding how to spend one’s time according to only our own desires.  Certainly nothing I’ve experienced so far in life would influence me to change a life-long vow.

I swore many, many moons ago, never to allow myself to regret how I’ve lived; I was, and am, determined to be happy, or at least content with whatever I might choose to do, and whatever happens to me. I am, after all, the only one responsible for deciding how to live. There’s no point in entertaining regrets; it’s uncomfortable at best, and at worst, cannot accept with grace the reality that it is impossible to change the past. Regrets allow guilt to get a strangle-hold on your conscience, removing a lot of choices from one’s possible responses. When that happens, you take the risk of being forever at the beck and call of other people, and never having the opportunity to even determine what it is you’d rather be doing with your life. Guilt is pretty much a choice, as I see it, and not a very good one……it neither adds nor subtracts to the course of events, but the one who feels it is miserable, sometimes even feeling guilty for feeling good…… What a terrible trap to voluntarily fall into!…….

___________________________________

“If I had a large amount of money I should found a hospital for those whose grip upon the world is so tenuous that they can be severely offended by words and phrases yet remain all unoffended by the injustice, violence and oppression that howls daily about our ears.” — Stephen Fry

I would be happy to join this gentleman in his project, as I have the same reaction to a lot of what I see in the news these days. The folks pursuing the Republican nomination have been especially ubiquitous in this respect. From watching their ads, and from what they are reported to have said in the media, it’s a common tactic used by all of them to avoid having to say anything that has any real meaning. They attack the other candidates, or put down the current administration, and make all sorts of bogus claims, none of which directly addresses any particularly important problem. More than one of the candidate hopefuls have made use of this tactic, of spouting outrage over something one of the others said, and completely ignoring the issues that the voters care about, or issues that directly affect all of us, such as global warming and economic reform. It’s a time-honored tradition to point fingers instead of addressing issues, one our political pundits embrace fully. But it’s frustrating as hell to those of us who have actually understood what is going on, having to watch these idiots lead us all merrily down the path to Hell, to the tune of our own funeral march….,
___________________________________

“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

I, and just about every philosopher who ever drew breath, would have to agree with Emerson on this one. Nothing is more fulfilling than helping someone else, just because we can. There’s something pure, and innocent in the act; even though we are complex creatures, this kind of altruism seems to bypass the need to complicate matters, or reason it to death. It’s an instance of acting in perfect harmony with the universe, and our reward is the act itself, because it just feels good to do it. I’m not going to analyze this to death; it’s a pretty simple concept, and one that everyone should be aware of; one of the things the world needs more of is people who are willing to serve others without hope of reward. It’s the surest sign of an ethically and morally superior person, one who should be emulated by all…..
___________________________________

Hey Laszlo!   Want to see a demonstration of gravity?

In order for this line to make any sense, you will need to watch a movie, made sometime in the 80’s, I think. It was one of Val Kilmer’s earliest movies, and possibly the one that propelled him into the public eye. “Real Genius” is the title, and it’s a hilarious romp through the halls of modern-day academia, poking some rather pointed fun toward the US military’s involvement in directing research in universities toward the production of weapons. It also makes a lot of tongue-in-cheek comments about university politics, and how the professors often manipulate and take advantage of their graduate students. It’s a silly movie, really, with a lot of Keystone Kops humor. The line I’ve included here is one from the movie, uttered by the character played by Kilmer.  As he says this, he knocks Lazlo’s books out of this hands, and they fall to the floor……well, you probably had to be there. Anywho, there are a lot of cute moments, and a lot of laughs, as the geeks take on the suits, winning another round in the age-old conflict between rambunctious youth and dyed-in-the-wool military and government fogies. It’s fun, and the good guys come out on top in the end, so it’s a great way to spend some time in a drama-free environment. Myself, I try to spend all my time there; I’ve had enough drama in my life, thank you very much……
___________________________________

“If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.” — James Madison

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

The Homeland Security Act, passed shortly after the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks, is, to my way of thinking, the first time in our history that the American people have voluntarily allowed abridgments to our personal liberties to be enacted. The way I see it, quote #1, by James Madison, called that one perfectly. Our beloved ruling class, having decided we have “too many rights” (a direct quote from the junior Shrub, btw) in the Bill of Rights, carefully orchestrated events to provoke an attack on our home shores, knowing they could then fool the public into accepting their abridgments on our freedoms. And, to proceed to Mr. Jefferson’s comment, WE LET THEM DO IT! Anyone who rose up to speak against this vile, manipulative legislation was immediately shouted down as being unpatriotic.

For most of my life, I have avoided guns.  Being a fairly smart guy, I noticed at a young age that most of the folks who get shot were carrying guns; it makes sense to me to reduce the chances of becoming a target in this most simple way, i.e., never carrying this kind of weapon (though it would be a very big mistake to assume that I carry NO weapons; in fact I carry four at all times, all of different kinds, none of which are guns). However, since the PTB (powers that be)  have begun to try to take away my rights, I figure I’d better grab myself a bunch more firepower, before I no longer am allowed to do so.  If it comes down to it, I WILL fight, if they come for any more of my rights. I will not let the blood and sacrifice of my countrymen and forefathers, and my own father, for that matter, be in vain. I’m about done with putting up with these kinds of issues, and am drawing near the point of acting on my feelings. In one sense, I hope they stop and reconsider trying to further reduce our liberties, because if they don’t, I’m going to REALLY get mad, and they will find themselves with a whole new issue to deal with……I’m a Scorpio, a triple Scorpio, for that matter; I was born under the sign of the God of War. You do NOT want to make me an enemy…..

The vultures are circling…they have the faces of presidential candidates and carry bowling balls in their buttered claws….

___________________________________

So that’s the name of that tune…..hope y’all enjoyed this morning’s romp through the meadows of my mind. If not, or if you happened to step in a cow patty in the meadow, well, the day is young…..y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Infinitely sad portraits of wounded ballerinas…..

Posted on by
Reply

Ffolkes,
Inspiration has decided it needs a break, I guess; can’t seem to find it anywhere. There are a number of ways I can deal with this lack of anything coherent to write; it’s happened before, and I’ve been compelled to find several workarounds that can fill the gap if needed. I keep them in the big freezer out in the garage, so they are always nice and fresh, once I thaw them out in the Nuclear Oven. And they are quite tasty, too!…..
___________________________________

I’m surprised there aren’t more solipsists!

I feel pretty stupid right now…..I know what the word ‘solipsism’ means, but when I came across this little gem I must have stared at it in complete bafflement for a full minute. It wasn’t funny, that I could see, because according to the definition, there can only be one solipsist; any others are a figment of their imagination. If we attempt to consider the concept of how figments of my imagination could in turn make me a figment of their own, well, all I can say is don’t try this alone. I almost fell into an infinite deductive loop, and could have been stuck there for millenia. But as I came out of the fog that trying to make sense of this concept had put me in, I started laughing, as it made perfect sense. If you don’t see it, I can’t help you; the humor lies in a part of us that isn’t shared with others. You must see it yourself, or it will never be funny, merely an unsolvable paradox……good hunting!
___________________________________

“Where principle is involved, be deaf to expediency.” — James Webb

I read this, considered it, and decided that it is excellent advice. But I also see that there are many, many people who will, for whatever reason, give up their principles at the drop of a cliche, if that choice benefits them in the short term. What is even more depressing, though, is that a very large number of people like this are what we call “elected officials”, and every time one of them compromises their principles for the sake of expediency, more money flies out of our pockets and into theirs.


I have come to the (relatively) obvious conclusion, that this lack of principle is so common, that it could be accurately stated that our government operates on no principles whatsoever, other than those that promote avarice, ambition, and indifference to the effect of their actions on others. In short, we have elected an entire army of sociopaths, who love nothing better than laughing while exerting their power over those who elected them, while calmly stealing with both hands from the public treasury. But then, we listen to their lies, and keep electing them……why is that? Are we a nation of masochists? I just don’t get it……

If all the good people were clever;
And all clever people were good,
The world would be nicer than ever
We thought that it possibly could.
— Elizabeth Wordsworth — Good and Clever
___________________________________

Why are we all put here to suffer and die?

Such a plaintive little lament! Whoever wrote this had lost his way, for sure and for certain, and I hope they find their way back to the more traveled roads soon. See, he (I use ‘he’ merely for the sake of convention; it could just as easily be a ‘she’) is only considering half of the real situation. Yes, we suffer, and we die; we also live, and know joy. This person has lost his touch because he is not considering both sides of how people perceive Reality.

How would he know he is alive, if he had not once been dead? How would he know he suffers, if he has not experienced joy? How do we perceive? In duality, of course. All five of our perceptive senses utilize this duality to accomplish their purpose, which is to make us aware of the world around us. Touch registers hard/soft, cool/hot, dry/wet, etc. We smell according to the absence or presence of molecules in what we breathe in. We hear by discriminating the absence and/or presence of waves of vibrations in the air. We taste by registering the character of molecules of substances enter the mouth; savory/sour, sweet/salty, soft/hard, hot/cold (seem familiar? you’ll learn why just ahead). And we see by noting and interpreting the absence/presence, structure/formlessness of light waves, a form of electromagnetic energy.


Thus we see that all of our perceptive routes are extensions of the sense of touch. Some part of the outside world must encounter one of our receptive orifices in order for us to identify it, and determine our response to the stimulus. It becomes clear that in order for us to know suffering, we must also know how to be joyous. In order for us to live, and live well, we must eventually die. By focusing more on the joyful experiences, and less on the painful, we can know a much more serene way of life……

“Clay is molded to make a vessel, but the utility of the vessel lies in the space where there is nothing. … Thus, taking advantage of what is, we recognize the utility of what is not.” — Lao Tze
___________________________________

“Now I’ll give YOU something to believe.  I’m just one hundred and one, five months and a day.” “I can’t believe THAT!” said Alice. “Can’t you?” the Queen said in a pitying tone. “Try again: draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.” Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said: “one CAN’T believe in impossible things.” “I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen.  “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day.  Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” — Lewis Carroll, “Through the Looking-Glass”

I’ve heard it said, and happen to agree, that the brain is like a muscle; in order for it to function at peak capacity, it must be regularly exercised in a vigorous manner. If it is not thus maintained, it becomes slow, soft, and actually a danger to its composite self; slow reactions and lack of speed makes for easy roadkill in this day & age. No way a couch potato is going to outrun a Camaro….. more often you end up as mashed potatoes. (BTW, for the former VP under Bush; the rule for this word is actually quite easy to learn and remember.  If there is only one, it’s a potato. If there are two or more, they are potatoes. Easy, eh?)

Where was I? Oh, yeah, brain is like muscles….all I really wanted to say on this subject is that what the Queen suggests is a good thing. Believing six impossible things before breakfast could be likened to the creation of this Pearl every morning; it is what I do in lieu of jumping jacks and crunchies. And the coolest part is, I don’t get all sweaty and winded (well, except when I start ranting…..).

My point here is merely this….. Use your mind. It was designed for hard use, and though there are limits; it is pretty much unbreakable when used properly, no mater how hard the subject matter. Not using it is real and present danger, to yourself, and all of those around you. Especially small children, who may inadvertently learn the bad habit of not exercising their minds.

This doesn’t even get into speaking of the very dangerous effect this lack of will and imagination is having on Society; it is precisely this problem that leads folks to deny global warming, to ignore air pollution, even while they are coughing and rubbing their eyes from the smog. It is this attitude that allows the beloved ruling class to manipulate and make fools of the great unwashed masses, who sit and watch their giant-screen satellite TV to see and hear the latest version of what they should be thinking, packaged in bright colors, with shiny ribbons and balloons. Balloons are always good; who wouldn’t believe what they were told by someone who gives them balloons?…….
___________________________________

After you’ve done a thing the same way for two years look it over carefully. After five years look at it with suspicion and after ten years throw it away and start all over again. — unknown

The two quotes included here were both found to be without attribution, so I don’t know who to thank for them. The conceptual area between the two ideas is a perfect description of the evolutionary history of these Pearls of Virtual Wisdom.

When I first started sending out these emails many moons ago, they consisted of only a few lines of introductory material, followed by a quote from a historical figure, and that was it. After a couple of years, my need to write grew, and with it the Pearls grew as well. They kept growing until sometimes, including two or three paragraphs was standard for the intro, followed by four to six Pearls, with the Pearls often telling a story to punctuate what was discussed (or ranted) in the introductory remarks.

This format is how they existed up to a month or so ago. At that time, having run very nearly out of material already present in my head to put into the intro, I instead began commenting on each Pearl individually. This has been, for me, a wonderful change, and I hope y’all are enjoying it as well. I get a much wider opportunity to explore whatever interests me (which can be just about anything), but have to learn to keep the writing spare enough for a morning read. A lot of folks may not want to take in this much stuff over breakfast, so I’m trying to keep it short enough to meet that criterion. In looking back over today’s work, it seems to have gotten away from me a tad…..SIGH. I just can’t please everybody, which is okay, ‘cuz I wouldn’t want to be thought of as such a wimp. I write it, you read it, and we’ll call it square, eh?…….and please feel free to comment at any time. All emails get answered; sometimes it can take a day or two, but never very long…….

I haven’t a clue as to how my story will end.  But that’s all right. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, you don’t conclude that the road has vanished. And how else could we discover the stars? — unknown
___________________________________

Otay, that’s it…..a bit over the top this morning, but hey, change is good, right?  Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Having risen, the Phoenix grabs a taxi…..

Posted on by
Reply

Ffolkes,
So, I was walking down the street the other day, and I came to a point where the street began to fade away. All around me, fog began to collect, swirling and hazing the air, cloaking the trees, fences, and houses with an insubstantial veil, until they disappeared altogether. The wind had died, and all was silent as the grave. Behind me, I heard a slow, eerie, almost liquid scraping noise, as if a large slug were crawling down the sidewalk. I turned slowly, straining my eyes into the fog, trying to make out what was coming out of the mist. As I gazed, a shape began to take form, materializing before me as if created from the very air. The form slowly took shape, and then firmed, and became clear….. it had happened. Our world would never be the same, for the prophecy had been true. At last, it had come……and forever more the world would know know the grace that flows from the healing hands of the Quirky Demon of Happiness, that underworld superstar known to all and sundry as Phil, the half-brother (same father, different mother) of Alice, patroness and protector of short-order cooks and tarbenders, er, bartenders…….
___________________________________

The pursuit of power is the quest for the unattainable by the unphilosophical though the tactics of the unspeakable.

“If Jesus came back today, and saw what was going on in his name, he’d never stop throwing up.” — Max Von Sydow’s character in Woody Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters

There are two taglines here, placed next to each other to form a picture in the mind. Now, I don’t know about y’all, but the political scene in this country in the last couple of months has been a delightfully chaotic circus, a veritable fountain of idiotic proclamations, deliberate (and inadvertent) expressions of absolute ignorance, and scary predictions of what would change, should any of the currently frenzied candidates make it to the Presidency. It makes it very easy to come up with stuff to write about, but as it progresses, my sense of sadness, and dismay, grow ever stronger. These people keep saying and doing things that make it perfectly clear that if they were elected, this country would be hastened down the destructive path we’ve been on at an even faster rate of deterioration than is already taking place.

Just recently we’ve been informed that one of the women candidates feels it is just fine & dandy to separate children from their parents, who happen to be illegal immigrants, who have been in this country for 25 years, doing the jobs no American will take, by forcibly  sending the parents back to Mexico, or to wherever they came from. Another one wants to get rid of my Social Security retirement benefits, so they can put more money into the pockets of the big drug companies and health management organizations. Another one thinks it is okay to raise the taxes on the poverty level and middle classes, while ensuring a large tax break for the rich. And all of them are spouting bald-faced lies on a daily basis, all documented in the media, and all ignored by the ignorant fools who support these power-hungry sycophants, who will say anything to achieve their ends, because they know that no one will call them on it.

It seems to escape the public in general, but we have created a society where our leaders lie to us continuously. Why? Because there are no consequences for lying. The lies are ignored, or at most commented upon regarding their strategic effects. It pisses me off, big time…..so I’d better go on to the next Pearl, before I start another rant…..easy to do in this atmosphere…..
___________________________________

“Ignorance is never out of style.  It was in fashion yesterday, it is the rage today, and it will set the pace tomorrow.”– Franklin K. Dane

When I first decided to include this little truism, I didn’t realize that the previous Pearl would end up discussing the same subject. It would not be terribly difficult to comment again, as I see this as the single greatest factor in determining whether or not our species is going to survive. 

Probably only a few scientists know how grim the situation really is, and they keep putting that message out for public consumption to the best of their abilities. The problem is, it is the ignorant who are already in charge. The leaders of not just our country, but most of the countries in the world, are under the control of people who have no interest whatsoever in confronting the issues of climate change, global warming, air pollution, or destruction of the food chain.

They refuse to place any credence in what they’ve been told, because none of it will help them in meeting their goals of continued domination of the lower classes, and increased wealth for the privileged few. It’s not a pretty picture, but it isn’t going to change until those in society who are NOT ignorant find the courage to confront the powers that be, and force them to change their ways…..I don’t see it happening, unfortunately, but I can always hope, can’t I?……
___________________________________

“There is timing in the whole life of the warrior, in his thriving and declining, in his harmony and discord. Similarly, there is timing in the Way of the merchant, in the rise and fall of capital. All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this.” — Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645)

In other literary works, I have heard this concept expressed in different ways, but the essential message is the same, to wit: Timing is Everything. Knowing when to strike, or when to block, when to move, and when to be still, are essential pieces of knowledge, critical to the smooth operation of any activity. The warrior needs a strong sense of timing, for the correct application of skill at the correct time preserves life, and protects from injury. Timing a block incorrectly can lead to pain, injury, or death. For the business person, knowing when to sell, and when to buy, can determine whether a business thrives or fails. To a chef, it is extremely important to be able to distinguish the correct timing. For example, when pan frying shellfish, it is essential to know when to remove the item from the heat. If it is cooked one second too long, it becomes rubbery, difficult to chew, and devoid of flavor. If removed too soon, the fish are also tough, and have little flavor. The window of opportunity is only open for less than a minute, so one must be alert and focused to achieve the desired result. I guess it’s just one more lesson from Mother Nature about staying awake, and paying attention to what is happening around you…..
___________________________________

I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you- Nobody- Too?
Then there’s a pair of us?
Don’t tell! they’d advertise-you know!
How dreary-to be- Somebody!
How public-like a Frog-
To tell one’s name-the livelong June-
To an admiring Bog!
— Emily Dickinson

Yesterday, the 10th of December, was Emily Dickinson’s birthday. I wouldn’t have known that offhand, but it was all over the Net. One article I read was by an English professor, who has traveled all over the world to share and discuss her knowledge and insight into this amazing woman. In her travels, she has found that this poem had preceded her to a great many places. The message of the poem, and the insight into human nature, had caught the minds and imagination of anyone who read it. Even when translated, people can understand the power of what she wrote to express her own inner thoughts, feelings, and fears. They seem to identify with the poem very closely, and it becomes clear that this desire for independence, for personal conviction, the need to be Somebody, is universal to the human spirit. She was able to tap into the common thread of experience, and the commonality of the human spirit, and express it so that anyone can understand. Sheer genius, to my way of thinking……Happy Birthday, Emily!…..thanks for being…..
___________________________________

Women are great! Every man should own one!!!!!

Before you go off, ranting and railing at how sexist I am, let me explain why this is here…..I found it in my tagline data base, and was struck at how incongruous it seemed next to the relatively common sense wisdom of the other entries. I am happy to say that when I saw it, I didn’t smile, even though the structure of the joke makes it hard not to, no matter what entity name is placed into the sentence. But I realized also just how sick it really is; it indicates an attitude, a set of personal rules that are anything but well-considered.

An attitude like this is usually passed on by a parent, or parents, before a man has the ability to reason; it poisons the child’s mindset before they have any defense against it, and they never feel any need to take the belief out and examine it for its relative merit. Hell, most of the folks who would live by this concept don’t think at all; they just operate on auto-pilot, letting all the stupid shit they were taught as a kid dictate how they behave.

Which brings me finally to the point. People who would laugh at this kind of humor are people to be avoided, for the most part; either that or shot. Unfortunately, shooting them creates too much confusion, and can conceivably lead to undesired outcomes. (a better way to say “might end up in a world of shit!”) Besides, shooting them gets added to YOUR Karmic burden, and you could end up in your next life as a frog……one that would not turn into a prince, no matter how many times it got kissed by a princess….
___________________________________

It’s a good thing I started putting in these lines to separate each discussion; I think if they weren’t there, I would tend to just keep on going, typing away without a care in the world, blithely ignoring the frantic gestures from the rest of the world to try to get me to cease and desist. But since I did, I’ll stop here….. y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Dozer at play..

Kowabunga!

Fading signs of superficial interest

Posted on by
Reply
Ffolkes,
Though I arise to meet the day with polite interest, it does not always return the favor. Makes me want to start the day with a rant, so have a care this morning; these Pearls may be a bit surly……
“What happens if a big asteroid hits Earth? Judging from realistic simulations involving a sledge hammer and a common laboratory frog, we can assume it will be pretty bad.” — Dave Barry

Global warming, along with dissolution of the ozone layer, has caused a dramatic increase in serious weather extremes all over the world, and the evidence that these events are being caused by pollution that mankind has created is overwhelming. There is no doubt whatsoever in the minds of 99.9% of the world’s leading scientists that this is the case; the only naysayers have direct ties to religious organizations, who care not about the evidence. And unfortunately, there are still politicians out there who are so tightly tied to the money they receive from big oil companies, car manufacturers, and industrialists, as well as being influenced by their religious fundamentalism, that they profess their doubts that the evidence is correct, or label it as unproven theory. They are so intent on hiding their heads in the sand, in order to continue lining their pockets, they will say anything to delay the imposition of any restrictions on their right to pollute. They have no thought for the future, beyond how they can turn it to their purposes. The concept of giving up their profit is so foreign to them, they cannot even put it aside to confront their own impending demise, preferring the ostrich’s patented method to altruism, or even realism. I can see much conflict in the coming years, as the folks who want to keep on living begin to fight it out with those who would merrily send us all to hell…….

“It’s the RINSE CYCLE!!  They’ve ALL IGNORED the RINSE CYCLE!!” — Zippy the Pinhead
______________________________________

Poets go from bad to verse.

And punsters should all go straight to jail, without passing Go, and without collecting $200. Sorry, couldn’t help it……next time I put one this sad out there, feel free to throw rotten fruit……

[Clear the throat]
Oh freddled gruntbuggly
Thy micturations are to me
As plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee

Groop I implore thee
my foonting turlingdromes
And hooptiously drangle me
with crinkly thy blindlewurdles,

Or I will rend thee In the gobberwarts
With my blurglecruncheon, see if I don’t! — The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

I rest my case…..
______________________________________

“If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.” — Albert Einstein

If Albert were still with us, I’m afraid he would be shaking his head in wonder and disappointment at the sorry state to which mankind has brought itself. Like petty children, the powers that be in the world continue to run around chasing after the almighty dollar, completely ignoring how their actions are killing us all. They don’t care, about other people, or even themselves; it isn’t possible for any creature to act so much against their own interests unless they are in a state of complete denial regarding any input they receive that is not to their benefit. If it won’t sell, they won’t buy it, and the rest of us will pay the price. How much more are you willing to put up with? As for myself, I am done with their intransigence in the face of reality, and will be spending all my not inconsiderable talents to poking fun at their idiotic pronouncements, and calling them out for their perpetual lies…..
______________________________________

“When an old person dies, a library is lost.” — Tommy Swann

My mom’s library closed about a month ago. Using that language to say it will hopefully keep me from breaking down as I type, as it is slightly less pointed than other expressions might be. But it’s hard to accept that I can’t call her any more when I forget a relative’s birthday, or to ask which of her great-great grandkids was the latest addition to the tribe. She passed away not too long after her 90th birthday this year, and the pain not only hasn’t passed, but comes up to grab me at odd times; it’s hard on the equilibrium to say the least. But I like this quote, because it is a reminder that we should value the lives and experiences of our elders; they have a lot of untapped knowledge and experience that anyone younger cannot possibly know of. It should always be treasured, for you never know when they will be gone……
______________________________________

Happy who in his verse can gently steer
From grave to light, from pleasant to severe.
— Nicholas Boileau-Despreaux (1636-1711)
— The Art of Poetry, Canto i, Line 75

This is the goal. This is what I’m shooting for every time I sit down to write. I want to write so well that the reader forgets he/she is reading; the words become reality. With the proper care, and enough heart, what I write should bring the reader into my world, to feel what I feel; I want them to hurt as much as I, and to experience even more joy.

Having tried my hand at poetry many times in the past, I tend to stick to prose. It may not be much better, but it is much more suited to my writing skills. Fortunately, I find that there is no shortage of poets to be found on the internet, many of whom really impress me with their work. I can always sublimate my urge to create poetry into enjoyment of consuming it; it always lends some inspirational tones to what I may compose myself. That can only be a good thing……
______________________________________
Some mornings I just want to keep going, and going, and…..and could easily spend half the day right here, finding and commenting on brilliant little snippets of literature. And since I have no other pressing commitments, I could conceivably do so. But then I’d have too many episodes finished ahead of time, and these morning gurgitations (they ARE original, for the most part, thus not re-gu….etc) would lose some of their freshness. It might also lead to increased proofing, the bane of all writers, so we’ll just call it a day, and go out into the Big Blue Room for awhile….y’all take care out there…..
—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid
Dozer

Kowabunga!

Ramblin’ Rose is still dancing…..

Posted on by
Reply

Ffolkes,
Good morrow to you…..let us begin as we mean to go on…..

“Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.” — Gene Fowler

This line is included today merely to give y’all an idea of what I go through every morning to produce this…..whatever it is. It is a pretty good description, actually, because when I’m done, I actually feel battered and bloody. Bloody well used up is what it is. Maybe it’s easier for other writers; I don’t know. But for me, to produce something that my standards will allow me to publish for others to read, is much like having a piece of my soul ripped out. The funny thing is, though it hurts a lot, I wouldn’t stop doing it, even if I could. The pain of creation, which after all requires destruction first, is a worthy payoff for the sense of accomplishment I get when I see one of my pieces online for all to see. Quite a rush actually…..

“Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.” — Aldous Huxley

This observation, as far as I can tell, is 100% accurate, and because it is, many of the problems society is facing are easily explained, if not easily resolved. For example, when was the last time you gave a thought to what else besides oxygen is in the air that you take into your lungs on the average of 15-20 times per minute.? When you last got a glass of water from the tap, did you stop to think about what was in the water you use to drink, cook with, and bathe in? As Mr. Huxley pointed out, most folks, yourselves included, seldom think about or appreciate such simple necessities, or what might happen if they were no longer available. What will we do when the air is so full of carbon dioxide that the amount of oxygen in it is decreased below the point where it will sustain life? Will we all have to wear breathing apparatus in order to brave the outside world? What will happen to all the other animals if there isn’t sufficient air? What will you do when the water you drink is no longer safe to consume? We need water as much as we need air; our chemical make-up is 90% water, and not having enough of it to replace what we lose is a sure path to the grave within a matter of days.


There are other issues connected to this subject; the consistent degradation of our planet’s ecosystem has a great many negative effects, small and unnoticeable at first, but growing larger over time until they are added to the list of processes that will eventually lead to extinction of all of this planet’s life forms.  Part of the problem is that it is a slow, insidious process, this degradation, and the deleterious outcomes are not evident until too late to reverse. And remember, the Universe doesn’t care, one way or the other, whether we survive or not; the rules are the rules, and fighting against the natural laws of our space-time continuum is a fool’s bet. Like it or not, we, as a species, are going to need to make some serious changes to the way we do things, if we are to survive at all. And we will need to do it starting yesterday…..

“A man’s ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary.  Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.” — Albert Einstein

I really admire Albert Einstein, and not because he was a great scientist, and one of history’s shining examples of men and women who greatly advance human knowledge, and do so out of their love of mankind. Albert’s wisdom was not restricted to the principles of physics and math; he had a unique way of looking at the world, and the ability to share their deep insights into life and the universe for the benefit of others. He was an eternal optimist, and as the above quote demonstrates, had a firm grip on the concept of living with honor and dignity. He believed in the inherent goodness of every man, and lived his life in a way that it stands as an example for the rest of us. I cannot wholly agree with what he states above, because I have a much darker view of what human nature is capable of, and less faith in mankind’s willingness to submit to natural law. But what he said does show with clarity where our salvation lies, and in his own inimitable manner, he shares his deeper knowledge with the rest of us in the hope it will inspire others to act honorably……

“To laugh often and love much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to give of oneself; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sing with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier: this is to have succeeded.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

From what I gather in my study of 19th century American writers, a lot of the best were what I would call masters of advanced curmudgeonry. Emerson, Walden, Thoreau,  were all libertarians living in compromise with a democracy, and spent much of their time either complaining about society, or hiding from it in their forest retreats. This is not to say that what they wrote was bad or mistaken in premise, necessarily, but if you read their work with this in mind, it becomes apparent that they didn’t much like other folks, or put much trust in their rationality. But, as the included quote indicates, being a curmudgeon doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t understand humanity, or what it takes to make life complete. This paragraph from Mr. Emerson demonstrates this perfectly. One cannot argue with conviction that all of these attributes listed, and experiences from a long life, are positively rooted, and make perfect sense. Whether or not we actually have all of these characteristics is unimportant; the list remains valid even if incomplete. And it provides anyone with a good map and directions that can be useful to us in our pursuit of happiness…..

So much for another day…..Hopefully, you have consumed a fair portion of food for thought, and found it palatable enough. If not, feel free to let me know, and I’ll see if I can come up with something more savory….in the meantime, y’all take care out there….

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

In the palace of the king….

Posted on by
1

Ffolkes,
The weather is behaving oddly….but that is to be expected, as humanity has so far declined to stop pumping CO2 into the air, and the average temperature of the planet continues to rise. It won’t end until we are all dead…..and that, my friends, is a fact, not an assumption, not a theory, but a proven fact. Deal with it…

So here hath been dawning another blue day:
Think, wilt thou let it slip useless away?
Out of eternity this new day is born;
Into eternity at night ’twill return.
— Carlyle (1795-1881)

When I first read this I was struck by how perfectly it communicates the passage of Time, human productivity and motivation for same, and the Beauty of the entire process. It is a perfect piece to read to help us know why we go out and start a day’s work, and an equally good way to end the day, with a reminder to appreciate what has been. And as such, it enters the realm of R.G.P. (Really Good Poetry), and finds a niche of honor in my collection of Virtual Wisdom. It is perhaps a perfect example of the power of the written word, when it takes the form of poetry. An hour-long lecture exploring the subjects mentioned above could be composed with little effort, a lecture that would explain what the poet what trying to say. And THAT highlights the power, as the information passed in the hour-long statement is merely a paraphrasing of the poem. The hour’s information was packed into four short lines, and grew more beautiful with being shrunk to the given size. Wonderful indeed are the hidden talents of the human mind. It’s really our only hope, and a slender one at that……..

Fanatic: Someone who, having lost sight of his goal, redoubles his efforts.

This is obviously not the definition as given in Webster’s, but is just as accurate a description as the one that appears therein. And in today’s political arena, it serves a useful purpose, which is, of course, using it to help identify these overly zealous individuals among the current crop of candidates for the presidency. From my point of view, at least five of the seven Republicans campaigning for the highest political prize of all can be classified as fanatics, and the other two are so far out of it, their next steps will probably qualify them to join the others in the fanatics category. Every time one of them makes a statement, it sounds like a plot from a really bad daytime soap opera has gotten mixed in with their speech notes. Or even more fascinating, they will shoot from the hip, make some outlandish statement that comes from deep in their personal quirk files, showing the true depth of their racism, or prejudice, or their deliberate ignorance. Watching them spend the next two weeks backing off from those statements provides me with a great deal of entertainment, and hopefully gives the voting populace a clear picture of the danger of having one of them take the controls of so much power.

It’s amazing really, how these folks can parade their ignorance in front of the public eye, and actually, I take hope from the fact that they do so, as it shows their true natures, and how unsuitable those natures are for the position they seek. But, I also know my hope is tenuous at best. All it takes for me to groan again at the foolishness of the American voting populace, and remember that we have already elected one actor to the job, and we are still trying to overcome the financial mess he left us in. As a matter of fact, in looking back over my lifetime, what I see is one President after another coming into office, spending the first part of their term deciding what needs the most reform, making plans to start the changes, then having to fight intense pressure from the supposedly “loyal opposition” to stop any change. The party that lost the last election, whether right or left, spends its time bringing up BS about the President, accusing him of chicanery, and generally throwing up any kind of distraction they can come up with, no mater how silly or vicious, to keep anything constructive from taking place. Then they can point out how little the President has accomplished. I am becoming thoroughly disgusted, and increasingly angry at our belove ruling class. I have suggested previously that it is time for the Second American Revolution, and I am completely serious. The country I live in today bears no resemblance to the one envisioned by our founding fathers (and mothers); I am so incensed that I am seriously considering buying a gun, something I had resolved not to do in my life, as I’ve always felt the best way to get shot at was to carry a gun. But, I can see a day coming when I will need it, in order to defend the few rights I have left…..what do y’all think?

If all is not lost, then where is it?

I can only wish that I knew……not enough people are outraged at what is happening today. I’ve read a book every day since I was ten years old. I’ve watched people and society for that same amount of time, and I am afraid. I am afraid that we have waited too long. We, and by that I mean Humankind, have not made the internal changes necessary to insure our survival. Our greed for power over others, and our sense of entitlement regarding the planet’s resources, is leading us down a sure path to extinction. The pumping of chemicals and poison toxins into the water, air, and land that we live in and on, continues to take place, in spite of massive evidence that we are killing ourselves (and a lot of other forms of life). The recent 99% protests going on are just the beginning of uprisings from the public; the 1% is killing us all, and they don’t think that it applies to them. I don’t care how rich you are, when the percentage level of oxygen in the air (16% ideally), falls below 12%, you will certainly die. And they just don’t seem to care……deliberate ignorance. What they also don’t know is that the results achieved by their intransigence are completely unavoidable; there’s nowhere else to go. Once this environment is kaput, that will be the end of, and there is no appeal. Kinda makes it hard sometimes to keep up a good front……I guess we’ll just have to see how it goes……and hope for good luck, because that’s all that will save us at this point……

Well, was that enough gloom and doom for ya? In some ways I hate to write this kind of article, because I know it’s a waste of effort. Our beloved ruling class, all 1% of them, will have their way, unless we take the ability to do so away from them. 5000 years of human history shows not a single instance of that ever happening, so the odds are against us, at least in that sense. Meanwhile, all we can do is take care of the ones we love, and smile, smile, smile…… Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!