Tag Archives: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

A quarter-pound of inflatable Gouda….

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Ffolkes,

“Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

~~ Inscription beneath his bust in the Hall of Fame ~~

cathedral Cobh

St. Somebody’s Cathedral, Cobh, Ireland

Hajime…. I almost didn’t do this. The decision to go ahead & make the effort was a difficult one, as I am, again, rather short on material in my head that would be considered adequately erudite enough to warrant posting. Not to say that’s stopped me before; it’s just getting more onerous to make the decision, as the search for new material slams against the wall of angst in my soul. In and of itself, this is not a new conundrum; it is, however, new enough to cause ripples in the generally smooth path into which this process has evolved. It would be nice if Life didn’t bury us in irony, some day….

There would be little purpose to trying to explain the angst; half the time, or more, I haven’t a clue as to where it came from, anyway. I just consider it a leftover gift from the PTSD which continues to haunt my existence, & try to get through it without any new mental scars. Hey, it’s a pain, but, it my pain, and it works for me. Who knows? Perhaps, one of these fine days, (should any of that sort appear….), I’ll get over the 11½ years of damn near daily doses of violence; if not, well, it’s not as bad as it could be, I guess. How that might be isn’t something upon which it is wise, or happy, to dwell…

Ah, well, such is life, eh? We all have our little problems, and, like Plato observed, if everyone brought their troubles together, & laid them in a pile, most folks, after viewing the pile, would be happy to take their own, and go on their way. So be it. I guess I’ll put together a Pearl, to soothe the savage breast; this time of day, it always seems to be the right thing to do. I won’t even use a Tardis Toy, since I’ve blathered quite enough to get us to where we need to be…. We’ve got some decent material today, since I out-sourced today’s rant section by inviting a guest writer; there’s also one of my poems, which I happen to think isn’t bad. The old-school always takes care of itself so, I guess that means we can get on with this now…. Let’s do it….

Shall we Pearl?….

“In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments – there are consequences.”

~~ Robert Ingersoll ~~

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

I’m late, again. As is standard for ECR in such instances. we’ll be going with a selection of classical music, compiled by some random You Tube subscriber. Also as usual, the one I picked had the most eye-grabbing picture…. Simple, yet effective….. Enjoy!….

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Classical Music

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https://youtu.be/2kkbqSXV2o4

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Dont keep calm

Today’s rant is from a guest writer. Dean Baker is a poet, musician, and friend. In my opinion, he is perhaps the finest poet writing today, in terms of his depth of insight, his classical knowledge base, and, his straightforward, honest, often almost brutal clarity of vision when viewing society at large. Here is one of his rants, from the book whose cover you see below. I’ve included links at the end of the piece, where you can explore more of his work, and, most importantly, buy his books….. Enjoy, ffolkes; this one is a powerful indictment of humanity, and it’s crimes against itself…..

tormonk1

The Stupid

What’s in your diaper? asked as a parody of the American Express commercial to one of the small children nearby might be paraphrased for adults as What do you fear?

Some might answer: guns, Liberals, Conservatives, gays, blacks, Asians, wimmin, old farts, kids, goobers, the Government, the media, etc etc. Endless corollary examples of what is at its source unprincipled, and even unknowing at times, though not often; and what amounts to; The Stupid.

And of course The Stupid chimes in with, ‘Yeh reeeetards!’ You know, those easy response, fast solution, ain’t it simple for the rude and obscene (you remember those designations?) bellowing boneheads. Doesn’t mean there isn’t something to be said for native instinct – though of course I don’t mean ‘native.’ Let’s not go all retrograde here.

Obviously the idea of individualism will always be true, yet so will its abuse by those in power: you can do it. Never mind that we muddy the waters, allow the bankers to screw the economy and thousands of lives so situations become unsupportable since there you can be not stupid and still get boned by circumstances.

But then you’re put in a position of thinking, ‘Hey, by putting the emphasis on individual responsibility while simultaneously allowing wild government and corporate excess, what’s being said socially is: F. You. We don’t care. We got the power and the money. And guess who gave it to us? You.’

Now that’s Stupid.

All of which speaks to the fact of poor public education, enshrined deceit by governments and corporations engendering a fabric of willful stupidity in daily lives for those without power and money, thus without a voice. And those who are truly The Stupid express themselves in imitation of those in power: loud, pushy and overbearing.

Maybe it goes like this. You have a problem. It requires acknowledged and described details presented to authorities who are capable of contriving to bring a solution to the forefront of what you’re dealing with.

But dealing with it through the authorities makes for more problems. And your life doesn’t stand still like a bureaucracy does – and the bureaucraps don’t care because as long as you have a problem, they have a job.

But let’s not imagine a nation of so many smart people it’s been impossible after hundreds of years to arrive at a working solution for the convoluted daily strife of enshrined pettiness and zealous self-interest.

That would change everything, and we can’t have that – just the debates, the philosophies about why and why not.

You can see it could all be altered, the process begun anyway. But too many of the Very Important Stupid won’t have that – and more of the Want To Be Important Stupid will disrupt them. And on the micro scale the Already Important Stupid will do everything they can to prevent others whom they consider Stupid, or else, smart… to even have a voice.

So in this land of the free and the brave, plus other democracies extant, there seems to be a constancy only in the degenerating standards.
What standards? The free-floating retard soup which includes everyone. Each has a place. Only, there aren’t any places when the reasons for uniqueness are given rather than earned. Sort of like some crying baby that shits itself and figures in brilliance when the Stupid comes to clean it up. (Stupid because it’s cleaning crap, not because it’s loving, thoughtful, thinking ahead with diapers on hand, etc)

The Stupid makes no effort except demands of others. The Stupid resorts to violence, in words and tactics.

The Stupid sees no need to be reasonable and glories in its status as Victim. Or, sheep.

The Stupid is beyond intelligence, the reach of morals, the applied understanding of long range all-inclusive plans for a greater economy, country, and people.

The Stupid creates its own enemies and downfall through its unacknowledged methods of deceit, and denial.

As a fine psychologist – Otto Rank – replied one time, when asked, ‘What is beyond Psychology?’, “Stupidity.”

©Dean J. Baker

From Dean’s blog, at: https://tormentingthemonkey.wordpress.com/2016/06/28/the-stupid

Find Dean’s books at: https://deanjbaker.wordpress.com/awards/all-print-books-links/

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Comedy_Tragedy

Retrospective, defined in folly….

Yesterday
I wrote a poem.

It bled out of my head,
like I’d been struck with
an axe,
right through the artery,
in the neck,
spraying blood around
everywhere,
like a pulsing garden hose….

It hurt, at first,
then came the feeling,

of quick relief,
of timeless beauty,
of pain avenged,
of lust aroused,

of outrage aflame,
of deep compassion,

of endless empathy,
of truest love….

Now it’s gone, cast away
like pearls before twine.

(Grin…)

You thought
I was going to call you
a pig,
didn’t you?

Hah!

Well, you’re not.
You’re a person.

I know, because
you’re reading this poem…
if that’s what it is.
I think it is,
so,
maybe it is.

Or, maybe,
it will be,
someday, when it
grows up,
and learns to rhyme.
Whew…
Just in time…..

That’s all.
Reality often sucks wind,
y’know?

S’okay, though….
It keeps us busy,
and out of some of the
mischief,
so much part
of our
nature.

We all can do
only what we
do.

Or, don’t.

Two sides, one coin.

~~ gigoid ~~

8/31/2014

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Randomness

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“EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!”

~~ Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy (Page 7,023) ~~

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“Everyone is weird. Some of us are just proud of it.”

~~ gigoid, the dubious ~~

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“Do I dare disturb the universe?”

~~ T. S. Eliot ~~

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“Sacred cows make the best hamburger.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

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“I’d rather learn from one bird how to sing
than to teach ten thousand stars how not to dance.”

~~ ee cummings ~~

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And you may ask yourself
“Am I right? … Am I wrong?”
And you may say to yourself
“MY GOD! … WHAT HAVE I DONE?”

~~ The Talking Heads ~~

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“So as this only point among the rest remaineth sure and certain,
namely, that nothing is certain. . .”

~~ Pliny The Elder ~~

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This is one for the books, I think. It will be essential, today, to trust the process, so much so, I’m not going to go back & see what I’ve done. I’ll post it, and go back later, when I’ve reached some kind of equilibrium, which should prevent me from shooting myself with my non-existent gun. On that rather surreal note, I’ll also bid thee adieu for today, as I don’t believe I can do any further damage. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; don’t know exactly why, but, we’ll be here, nonetheless….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

We’re wondering if that CEO caught fire yet….

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Ffolkes,

I am indeed one of the world’s great Bozos….. I just realized, as I lay in bed this morning, thinking about the upcoming day, that for almost three years now, I’ve been approaching this whole process with a flawed perspective….. Now, for many, such an epiphany would constitute a great crisis, and cause a huge outcry, as the futility and sense of lost time would create a huge batch of disappointment, to say the very least. For me, it’s pretty much a normal thing to discover, as I can recall numerous occasions in my life when my nose became large, red, and noisy over the manifestation of one or another kind of stupidity, so it no longer embarrasses me quite so much, when I find myself guilty, again, of some measure of dumbness….

For all this time I’ve been blogging, I have been getting up and cudgeling my brain into submission, forcing it to think, and create, first thing in the morning…. I realized just now that this is NOT a good way to start the day, and I might find more to write about if I let my brain wake up at its own pace. I can’t be certain about it without some testing, but I have a feeling that it might be to my advantage to do so, if only for the simple reason that I would end up getting more sleep…..which may not sound like much, but, in my world, sleep is at a premium, and getting more of it, by any means necessary, is always high on my list of wants….

As it is, I’ve always used the Army method, which says to sleep whenever one has a free moment, as one never knows when the next opportunity to do so will come. I was raised that way, sort of, and have always regarded it as the lot of the common man, as we men tend to treat our lives as a stint in the military, if given half a chance…. It is a natural rhythm for us to adopt, so we naturally fall into it, unless forced into some other mode of existence, such as that of a night-shift morgue attendant, or some such exotic functionary, who necessarily changes their pattern of sleep and work.

The Army method is fine, for what it is, but, now that I’m retired, it isn’t so imperative for me to be up early, or up late, like when I was a Dad, making sure my family was tucked in each night….. Today, for some reason, I slept like a log for most of the night, (unusual in itself….), and kept falling back asleep at those times I would normally have arisen, until, now, it is after 0700, and I just got up…. a good hour, to an hour and a half, later than usual…. I feel energized, and clear headed, both of which are uncommon at this hour, and these four paragraphs have pretty much poured out, in just a few minutes time, all fairly clear, with no typos or misspellings, first time out….

Ah well, it’s all probably just an illusion that Murphy has prepared for me, to lull me into thinking that I can think this early….. It has been proven already that I’m human, and the years-long search for a template for this intro has shown me that early morning cogitation is not in my best interests, at least from an intellectual viewpoint…. I can sometimes come up with funny, or weird, or even, sometimes, beautiful prose when I first sit to write, but, I’m fairly certain I only do so due to serendipity, not intentional volition…. In other words, it’s mostly an accident, which explains why I keep a first-aid kit under the table where I keep my computer; it has come in too handy in the past to keep it anywhere else….

Still, accidental or not, I’m no longer certain that getting up to write in the morning is the best way to go about this….. But, since I don’t have a clue what I would do otherwise, I’m not going to worry about changing a thing…. I don’t get paid for this, nor do I do it for any other kind of compensation, beyond the friendship of good people, and a certain level of sanity that writing helps me to maintain… So, there isn’t any reason, really, to change anything, unless, of course, someone offers to pay me to do so…. I’m still holding out for the daily column in a major news network, which I doubt seriously will happen, so, I’ll just keep on keepin’ on, and produce the finest bits of virtual wisdom I can….

Shall we Pearl?….
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“Banish Evil from the world? Nonsense! Encourage it, foster it, sponsor it. The world owes Evil a debt beyond imagination. Think! Without greed ambition falters. Without vanity art becomes idle musing. Without cruelty benevolence lapses to passivity. Superstition has shamed man into self-reliance and, without stupidity, where would be the savor of superior understanding?” — Magnus Ridolf

😆  I find this to be an extremely amusing little Analect, very bold and different than the twaddle that a lot of philosophy often resembles. It is, of course, a ridiculous set of assertions, but, it’s good exercise for the mind to look at things from a different perspective occasionally, as long as one knows they are wrong, based as they are on a flippant, egocentric point of view, one that categorizes according to self-set standards, not by any that are natural to the real world….. Who gets to decide? That, to me, is the sticking point when adopting a pose of intellectual superiority…. who decides?…. If it is the person who makes the utterance, then the viewpoint is inherently flawed, due to a severe lack of perspective….

I’m not sure why I chose this as a rant-stimulator, other than its cheekiness. It is true what is implied herein about contrast, and how the differences between good and evil are made clearer by their own natures, but, other than that, it fails to go far enough, logically speaking, leaving us stranded in a place where we have little or no control over what the universe does to us…. I, for one, refuse to go there, and will always feel compelled to point it out when I come across this kind of thinking, as it is a dangerous pattern to allow one’s mind to follow for long….. In fact, I am going to make an executive decision here, and turn this section 180 degrees around, into an old-school format, rather than a rant…. I think the point I’m trying to get to will be much easier to see than trying to show y’all what I mean with prose and logic…. Let’s see what Smart Bee can do for us….

“Man is ready to die for an idea, provided that idea is not quite clear to him.” — Paul Eldridge

“Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.” — Holden Caulfield in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye

“It is an important and popular fact that things are not always as they  seem.” — The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

19. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious. — One of 21 Thoughts to Get You Through Almost Any Crisis

“The logic of writing is simply logic; it is not some system of arbitrary conventions interesting only to those who write a lot. All logical thought goes on in the form of statements and statements about statements. We can make those statements only in language, even if that language be a different symbol system like mathematics. If we cannot make those statements and statements about statements logically, clearly, and coherently, then we cannot think and make knowledge. People who cannot put strings of sentences together in good order cannot think. An educational system that does not teach the technology of writing is preventing thought.” — Richard Mitchell _Less Than Words Can Say_ P.45-6

Hah! See, I told you it would be a lot clearer this way…. and, if not, well, there’s always tomorrow, right?….
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Some poems need no introduction, or comment; this is one of them…

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

~ William Ernest Henley ~~

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“The reason the Christians have murdered on such a vast scale and killed anyone and everyone in their way is purely and simply greed…  Their insatiable greed and overweening ambition know no bounds; the land is fertile and rich, the inhabitants simple, forbearing and submissive. The Spaniards have shown not the slightest consideration for these people, treating them (and I speak from first-hand experience, having been there from the outset) not as brute animals – indeed, I would to God they had done and had shown them the consideration they afford their animals – so much as piles of dung in the middle of the road.
They have had as little concern for their souls as for their bodies, all the millions that perished having gone to their deaths with no knowledge of God and without the benefit of the Sacraments.  One fact in all this is widely known and beyond dispute, for even the tyrannical murderers themselves acknowledge the truth of it:  the indigenous peoples never did the Europeans any harm whatever; on the contrary, they believed them to have descended from the heavens, at least until they or their fellow citizens had tasted, at the hands of these oppressors, a diet of robbery, murder, violence, and all other manner of trials and tribulations.” — Bartolome de Las Casas, — A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, 1542

On most occasions, the discovery of such a wonderful indictment would be celebrated here with a rant of huge proportions…. However, on this occasion, I’m going to let go of my ego, and just present this by itself, in acknowledgment of its very real provenance…. This man, Señor de Las Casas, was there! He saw exactly what the invaders of the new world did, and who did it, and had the guts to write it down. At the time this was written, even the act of naming the perpetrators would have been dangerous, as those self-same Christians held strong sway in society then, and were not afraid to punish what they considered to be slanderous writings with severe penalties…. Blasphemous writings were even more dangerous; this one merely points out the very human nature of those who spearheaded the drive to conquer the Indians, but would have nonetheless been poorly received by Church authorities….

Any who, I intended to rant about this, but, it’s just so perfect by itself, I’m letting it stand alone, to teach the lesson to be learned here… It doesn’t really need my help to do so, so I’ll just step back out of the way…. Well, since I AM obsessive, a little bit, about being clear, I’ll add a couple of short pearls to help drive the point home, but, beyond that, you’re on your own today…. I know you’re capable, so be encouraged….

“Difference of opinion is helpful in religion.” — Thomas Jefferson

Q: Does a cow have Buddha-nature ?  A: Mu  — Smart Bee

Again, clarity strikes serendipitously from above!…. This one will definitely be on the Quiz, so I hope y’all were payin’ attention…..
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There are times when this process is a bit frightening to behold, from the inside…. It can be kind of like the fastest, twistiest roller coaster you’ve ever had the misfortune to board…..  It has also been described as being like that instant of stark fear in a car wreck when you know it’s going to hurt…. Then, other times, it all comes out like a welcome session in the throne room, with a big sigh of relief, and a new attitude….

Before I get to the point of too much information, or even clarity, I’d best check out what I’ve done today; I suspect it of being, shall we say, NOT usual….  Yep, I was correct, it isn’t…. usual, that is. And, since unusual is one of the things I shoot for, we’ll call it a win, and mark it down as such, without even an asterisk….. I’m outta here, before anyone thinks to call the authorities… Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you….

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

Save all the cliches, we can recycle them….

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Ffolkes,
Is it now merely habit that brings me here each morn? Where lies my purpose in writing these missives of murky thought? Why am I asking you? And what’s with all the questions? Since, out of four, I don’t know the answer to any, maybe I should reconsider my original format, as it doesn’t show a lot of promise at getting me much of anywhere. Of course, it is getting me there fast…..

Where’s my towel? Now there is a question to which I can always respond, thanks, of course, to Douglas Adams. His “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” has reached what I’d call the iconic stage, where phrases and ideas from the book have become societal standards, among them, the proper use and care of your towel. Perhaps it was prescience, or perhaps just lucky genetics, but I’ve always known about the importance of towels, and that one should always have one handy. My expertise in this area has been with me my entire life, whereas Doug, and the Guide, have not. Maybe I am the result of a sordid liaison with an alien, covered up by my shamed parental units, my lifelong interest in space is a repressed urge to return home, and my intimate knowledge of towels is an innate part of my heritage….

Whatever it is, my towel is always clean, and right here in my…. hey! Who took my towel?….. Nimrods…. Ah well…. um….. good morning, ffolkes…. As you know, I am subject to being taken this way, so fear not; this may seem to be a bit odd, but it’s not unusual, so there is nothing to worry about…. or maybe that was unusual, but not odd. Ah well, no matter…. The daily Pearl is now officially under construction, and any, and all, anomalous events are not only normal, but sought after for their warm fur…. Just kidding, we wouldn’t shoot an innocent anomaly….. We might make tease it unmercifully, or feed it oatmeal laced with Ex-Lax (ouch!), but we wouldn’t shoot it….. makes a huge mess on the floor, especially if we hit it…. Of course, so does the oatmeal….

The only real, pertinent question at hand just now is this: how the hell do I find my way back into the pearling mode, after such an explosion of nonsense? This is FUN, and ridiculously easy to write! Sober thoughts and portentous phrases can’t compete with such levity and good, clean fun…. I could, I suppose, try to make an entire Pearl out of humorous material, but, I don’t know if I am THAT funny….. I do try to maintain SOME degree of lightheartedness, even in the most sober of pieces, enough at least to laugh at myself, if not at humanity. But, I am easily entertained, having been caught previously having a great time just sitting around, watching my fingernails grow; other ffolkes probably have a bit more sophistication…..

Well, if I’m ever to get into the meat of today’s meal, I should draw this intro section to a close. Four full paragraphs of sheer tom-foolery (or, in this case, ned-foolery) is plenty for one day, and certainly enough for an introductory section. I only wish that the ease of effort that this took would carry over into the rest of the Pearl…. It would be nice not to sweat over it for once…. Ah well, the creative process is supposed to hurt, so I’ll quit whining, and get on with it now….. Shall we Pearl?…..

“For a moment, nothing happened. Then, after a second or so, nothing continued to happen.” — Douglas Adams, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”
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Tsze-kung asked, saying, “Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one’s life?”  The Master said, “Is not Reciprocity such a word?  What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” — Confucius (551-479 B.C.)

Ah yes, the Golden Rule…. For how long have the sages of our species been reiterating this rule? Years? Centuries? Millennia? Yes, all of the above. Yet, in today’s society, there is ample proof that a large portion of humanity totally ignores this rule, instead operating under a different rule, to wit: “I’m going to get mine first, and do unto others, first, before they can do unto me” This rule has never been precisely stated, unlike the Golden Rule, which has been stated in any number of ways over time. But, those who live by this rule are just as committed to their own self-interests as sages are to the interests of all…..

The struggle for the Soul of Man has been raging since the beginning of history, for though we now drive cars, and wear ties, and use telephones, our emotions and desires are the same ones we had when we lived in caves and ate unrefrigerated foods on a daily basis, if we were lucky. To this date, no one has been able to discover why some people just won’t go along with the program, but insist on making their own rules, to the detriment of everyone else. I suppose if we did discover the reason, it wouldn’t be a problem any more, but it is still frustrating to know that we are, as a species, still fighting the same old ignorances and cupidities that we had in the beginning of history, and are still losing far too often…..

I believe in the inherent goodness of people, but, at my age, I also must qualify that belief to include the very significant number of folks who choose to act against that part of their nature, giving rein to that beast in all of us that yearns to take, and to destroy. Yes, we have goodness in our makeup, but we also have evil, and there are a lot of people who choose to dwell on that side of their own nature, and basically don’t give a crap about what it means to other people. As long as they meet their own needs and desires, everyone else can just go to hell…. I don’t much like it, but it is true nonetheless….

So, I say this…. If one sees a person who is harming others by their actions, and you can determine that they are doing so deliberately, then I believe it is within the boundaries of the Golden Rule to destroy them on sight (or, at minimum, administer a sound thrashing)…. for this reason: if I were acting in such a manner, I would wish that the rest of rational society would judge me, and bring me under control, for the good of all. If that necessitated destruction, so be it; it is a final solution, if a bit harsh. I also do not believe that anyone who deliberately acts to harm others has the right to exist as part of society, and it is perfectly sensible to remove them….

I know, this sounds as if I’m speaking in favor of the death penalty, and in one sense, I am. Unfortunately, the one problem with the death penalty is that nobody can agree on who is capable of making the correct, rational, and honorable decision in such cases. Myself, I’m a bit more of a curmudgeon, and believe in personal responsibility…. so I’m not going to fret over killing a rapist, or a child molester, or a senior abuser, as long as their guilt is clear. They made their choice when they acted against the rules and morals of society, so my choice makes perfect sense in response, according to that same Golden Rule.

A bit different view of that rule, eh? Well, nobody claimed this would be a smooth, level flight, or a soft landing….

“I stared into the abyss. The abyss stared into me. Neither of us liked what we saw.” — Brother Theodore

Google says that this particular phrase is attributed to Brother Theodore (whoever he was….) Nietzsche gave a very similar expression, when he said , “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” Either one of these is a fitting closer for this section….
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Emily’s Letter to the World

As I  mentioned yesterday, I found a treasure trove, a book with all of the collected poems of Emily Dickinson. I’ve been perusing it, randomly sampling from different parts of the book, and I am enchanted with her talent all over again. Her ability to put simple words together to form incredibly complex ideas regarding life and nature is astounding, one that leaves me in awe as a writer. Today, I’m including two of her short pieces, which I discovered by letting the book fall open where it would…. and there these were, just waiting to be shared….. During her lifetime, she only published four poems; these are from the first of the collections of her work published posthumously…..

The pedigree of honey
Does not concern the bee;
A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy.
———————————

The mountain sat upon the plain
In his eternal chair,
His observation manifold,
His inquest everywhere.

The seasons prayed around his knees,
Like children round a sire:
Grandfather of the days is he,
Of dawn the ancestor.

~~ Emily Dickinson
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“Who will protect the public when the police violate the law?” — Ramsey Clark

Here is a question that is particularly relevant in today’s society. In my time on this sad little ball of mud, I have studied the various parts that make up our culture, and the police, due to their ubiquitous nature, have always been right there at the forefront of my observations. We all have our stories of how we have had to deal with police in various circumstances, not all of which show them in their best light. In fact, next to lawyers, police officers are probably the most reviled members of society, as well as one of the most admired. There are good reasons to support both views…..

I cannot say that my knowledge of ALL policemen is complete; I don’t know them all. But my observations over the years have indicated that at least half of those who enter the field do so out of a desire to have power over others, rather than an impulse to be of service. It is easy to spot these folks…. They’re the ones who never signal a turn in their cars, and are always moving at a speed greater than the posted limit. They assume that the laws that govern the populace are not applicable to them, and act accordingly. They enter any situation with the attitude that “might is right”, and attempt to intimidate anyone who tries to usurp or question their authority. They don’t serve as policemen to keep the peace, but to control the beasts….. two entirely different goals.

I find myself at this point to be in the beginning stages of a rant; this subject is one that frustrates me a lot, as I believe that the police should be offering themselves as an example of honorable, lawful behavior. Many of them do so, but a large number are no more concerned with serving and protecting than they are in consuming donuts without sprinkles. Due to circumstances well within my control, I’m not in the mood for ranting this morning, so I’m going to let this go without further comment.

Suffice it to say that society needs to consider the question asked above by Mr. Clark, and take a hard, realistic look at the requirements needed to procure police officers who are of the proper frame of mind to assume the responsibilities involved in public protection. It seems to me that psychological testing of potential officers would be a good place to start; perhaps some of those who go into the field for their own purposes might not be given such power, if they could be winnowed out in the testing process…… Perhaps then we would begin to see the police set the example for the rest of society, rather than proving to be one of the problems we need to solve…..

“The superior man is the providence of the inferior. He is eyes for the blind, strength for the weak, and a shield for the defenseless. He stands erect by bending above the fallen. He rises by lifting others.” — Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899)
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All I can say is, well, it’s done…. I may have crossed the line a bit, going over into crusader mode; some mornings I support the death penalty, others I don’t…. It’s a tough concept to cover in a few words, and a coherent discussion can be time-consuming, as well as emotionally trying. If what I’ve said prompts any comments, well, that’s a good thing, and I’m always ready to look at new information and opinions. If not, well, there’s always tomorrow…. I may be a bit more lucid then….  Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Arbitrary signs of healing, again…..

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Ffolkes,
“Fall back! Quickly! Don’t think, just go!”…rushing through the dark, breathless and bone-deep in fear. Whispers followed, hissing “run! run!. The swollen moon above gives only shadows in the dark underworld beneath the trees, and each step is driven by the flickers of fear still running along his nerves. Branches whipping the face, panting with the sheer force of adrenaline, he bursts into a clearing. Ahead, outlined in stark, bright light from lamps hung among them trees, he sees what he most fears, the obstacle to his most cherished dreams….. his editor had arrived, and the shit would now hit the fan……
So, what? You expected bagels and lox, maybe?….read on, you’ll get over it…..
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When I ‘m not thank’d at all, I ‘m thank’d enough;
I ‘ve done my duty, and I ‘ve done no more.
— Henry Fielding (1707-1754) — Tom Thumb the Great, Act i, Sc. 3

Well said, Tom! Too often in today’s society do we see men who don’t understand this about duty. Hell, these days one can barely find a man who knows what duty is, much less how to fulfill it honorably. Duty is not something that anyone else can tell you, or give you, or make you see or do. Duty is a choice.

It is a man’s most honorable choice, and once assumed, may not be put down until finished. It is, in the final analysis, what determines the character of a man. There is no reward for doing one’s duty, other than self-respect, and none should be expected. Thanks are also not necessary, for the honor in the act lies not in how other people see it, but in how the man himself regards it.


Many confuse duty with the responsibilities given to them by others; they are not the same. A man may have other responsibilities, but those were not of choice, and thus are not duty. Duty is ONLY chosen, never assigned, and it can’t be given away. The only honorable path is to fulfill it oneself, as is expected when it is assumed. It is the true path to leading a life with honor, and for a “real man”, honor is everything. Death is preferable to loss of honor…..and that is what is missing today in a lot of men……
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“The major problem–ONE of the major problems, for there are several–one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them.” To summarize: it is a well known fact that those people who must WANT to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it.  To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem.” — Douglas Adams, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”

Couldn’t have said it better myself….. but, having many times covered the same theme, with perhaps less humorous expression, I can recognize when it is well spoken….People are definitely a problem. And the people who want power over others are the biggest problem we have as humans. It is this single characteristic of a particular segment of humanity that has kept us from progressing to a fully civilized existence. As long as there are people who insist on everything being done “their way”, humanity will never reach its true potential.

In spite of the assurances from the beloved ruling class that what they do is for our benefit, this intransigence is keeping us from progressing beyond the larval stage. In a truly enlightened society, no man is greater or lesser than any other; tell me if you can think of one society, either now, or in the past, in which this was true. I’ll tell you right off, though, you won’t be able to think of any, because it has yet to happen on this planet. And it never will, unless we humans rein in those bozos, and send them off to rehabilitation….
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“You who’ve lost the concept of a right, you who swing in impotent evasiveness between the claim that rights are a gift of God, a supernatural gift to be taken on faith, or the claim that rights are a gift of society, to be broken at its arbitrary whim — the source of man’s rights is not divine law or congressional law, but the law of identity.  A is A — and Man is Man.  Rights are conditions of existence required by man’s nature for his proper survival.If man is to live on earth, it is right for him to use his mind, it is right to act on his own free judgment, it is right to work for his values and to keep the product of his work.  If life on earth is his purpose, he has a right to live as a rational being:  nature forbids him the irrational.  Any group, any gang, any nation that attempts to negate man’s rights, is wrong, which means: is evil, which means: is anti-life.” — John Galt

A very well-thought out and scripted statement from Mr. Galt; on first examination, it would be difficult to find any flaws in his logic. A second examination upholds that judgment, as well. Which leads me to conclude that every politician alive today is evil. If any of them aren’t, well, they never speak up, and silence is the strongest tool of those who prey upon the rest of society. What’s that old saw, “there is no need for evil to act, as long as men are silent in the face of oppression”? Something like that….or, “all that is required for evil to win is for good men to be silent”. That’s a little better said, though I forget who said it.

The point is, we are, as a society, moving rapidly toward self-extinction (and if you disagree, please, please offer me some evidence that what I’m saying isn’t so! Just one little piece of verifiable fact would suffice to create a discussion). If we don’t stop these fools, they’re going to drag the rest of us down with them into the abyss……
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A monk sat with his three students. He took out his  fan and placed it in front of him, saying, “Without calling it a fan, tell me what this is.”

The first said, “You couldn’t call it a slop-bucket.” The master poked him with his stick.

The second picked up the fan and fanned himself. He too was rewarded with the stick.

The third opened the fan, laid a piece of cake on it, and served it to his teacher. The teacher said, “Eat your cake.”

The question to consider here is, what did the student tell the teacher about the fan?  How would you describe his answer in words? My answer to both questions would be: The fan is, first of all, an opportunity to be of use. It is, as we are, best used in service to others. If you can think of another way to say it, feel free to submit your thoughts, and we can discuss them in a future Pearl……
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“Speak, thou vast and venerable head,” muttered Ahab, “which, though ungarnished with a beard, yet here and there lookest hoary with mosses; speak, mighty head, and tell us the secret thing that is in thee.  Of all divers, thou has dived the deepest.  That head upon which the upper sun now gleams has moved amid the world’s foundations.   Where unrecorded names and navies rust, and untold hopes and anchors rot; where in her murderous hold this frigate earth is ballasted with bones of millions of the drowned; there, in that awful water-land, there was thy most familiar home.  Thou hast been where bell or diver never went; has slept by many a sailer’s side, where sleepless mothers would give their lives to lay them down.  Thou saw’st the locked lovers when leaping from their flaming ship; heart to heart they sank beneath the exulting wave; true to each other, when heaven seemed false to them. Thou saw’st the murdered mate when tossed by pirates from the midnight deck; for hours he fell into the deeper midnight of the insatiate maw; and his murderers still sailed on unharmed–while swift lightnings shivered the neighboring ship that would have borne a righteous husband to outstretched, longing arms. O head! thou has seen enough to split the planets and make an infidel of Abraham, and not one syllable is thine!” — Herman Melville (1819-1891), “Moby Dick”

Now I’m glad I never read this book…..I gave up on reading this paragraph about half-way through, and have no desire whatsoever to subject myself any further to such drivel. It reminds me of The Rhyme of The Ancient Mariner, which, as we all know, was written under the influence of opiates….. I suppose people thought this was good because they couldn’t understand it, and were too embarrassed to say so, thinking they would appear foolish and illiterate. Naw…..it’s just crap, and I don’t care who thinks otherwise…..

Iago. She was a wight, if ever such wight were,–
Des. To do what?
Iago. To suckle fools and chronicle small beer.
Des. O most lame and impotent conclusion!
— William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Othello — Act ii, Sc. 1

Sorry folks. Ditto….. not everything Shakespeare wrote was good….and this is particularly bad….
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Another day, another 42 cents…..this treatise won’t be available on my site until after 8 PM tonight. I am participating in the internet-wide protest against SOPA, the internet piracy bill now before Congress. Please use one of the available methods to add your voice to others in protest. If this bill passes, virtually half or more of all websites would be taken down, just because someone else didn’t approve of it. Censorship at its worst. And after you’ve registered your disapproval, please come on back and enjoy today’s Pearl….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Fading signs of superficial interest

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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
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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…..
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“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…..
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“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……
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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……
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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!