Tag Archives: James Madison

Surfeit with ecstatic pain…..

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Ffolkes,
Okay….. I am now resigned. Try as I may, I can find nothing but ambivalence. I’ve tried to engender some enthusiasm for something positive; nothing doing. Fine, I say to myself, we’ll go with negative. But nooooooo, we’re not going there either, sayeth my stubborn mind.  Not up for a rant so early. So, ambiguity reigns today…. it could be worse…. I could feel like writing a poem…..

Maybe that isn’t such a bad idea…. the poems I’ve created of late have been, if nothing else, acceptable to my inner critic, and the feedback on them has been pretty positive, so perhaps I should put aside my prejudices, and give it a whirl. I suppose it can’t be any harder than trying to come up with prose, not in this state of mind….. We’ll see how it goes once I get this intro out of the way……

Which once again dumps me right back where I started, only now I have all this ambivalence to shed before I can concentrate on what I’m writing…. Hmmm, now, where should I put it. Can’t put it where the sun don’t shine; previous appointments have been made, and cannot be broken. I probably shouldn’t put it in the fridge; the cold would just make it stiffer and harder to mold. And the medicine cabinet is out…. no locks or blocks to keep it from wandering around, getting into mischief.  SIGH, it’s tough to make up one’s mind when it is filled with such ambivalence…..

However, having somehow found our way through the morass of the previous paragraph, I find myself here at the end of the intro, and the ambivalence has been shed. I’m not sure where it went, but, I am sure I don’t want to know. Some things are better left alone, especially when it comes to dealing with unwanted emotions or unwelcome states of mind. Ambivalence fits into both those categories, so we’ll just let it hide wherever it found a niche, and get on with the much more amenable task of finding some stimulating pearls…… Shall we Pearl?…..
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“If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.” — James Madison
    From all I can tell from here, this has already happened. When? Why, the very day that the Two Towers were brought down by terrorists, using our own complacency as a weapon. Within hours of that event, politicians of all varieties were screaming for revenge, and the groundwork was laid for the true purpose behind those attacks…..

That purpose had nothing to do with what the terrorists want. I am of the opinion that the entire charade was perpetrated by elements of the CIA, at the behest of their former chief, GWB the First. I’m sorry if that sounds unpatriotic, but I believe it to be true; if it is, it kinda makes them the bad guy, now, doesn’t it?…..

The timing of the attacks are what always bothered me. The day before, September 10th, you may recall, there was an effort to bring to light the voter suppression and vote manipulation in Florida during the election, which had the votes from that state changing from supporting Gore to being in favor of GWB the Junior. There was evidence of mischief in the handling of the votes, and the idea of an investigation into the election was gaining strength, as it should. But, that whole idea was forgotten in the heat of the moment when the terrorists struck….

Funny, isn’t it, how that event changed the face of American politics, putting the fear of “others” into the populace? That fire was immediately stoked until white hot, and the people were made afraid. Of precisely what was never made very clear, but we were supposed to be afraid, at least according to all our brave pundits in Washington. And what was the end result of all that hooraw? The Homeland Security Act, the first blatant, and successful, attempt to abridge the civil rights guaranteed to us by the Bill of Rights.

Searches, seizures, snooping, all without warrant or cause, were made legal, and the rest of the Bill of Rights were restricted. The public not only did not object, they supported this abrogation of duty, all from the fear engendered on 9/11. The right to assemble in peaceful protest was severely restricted, and the forces of evil, in the guise of police, were given carte blanche to roust the citizenry of this country, without having to answer to anyone, even if they proved to be wrong. And did we hear any complaints from the public? None that were publicized….

Which brings us to the other culprits in this whole charade; the media. The media has jumped right onto the fear bandwagon, reporting the terrorist acts in the harshest, screaming headlines they could manage, whipping up the public’s fears with stories of horror and vicious inhumanity. Any voices that objected to the abridgment of rights, or questioned the reactions of the political pundits, were labeled as unpatriotic, and drowned out in the fear-mongering and public paroxysms of terror that blared from the papers and televisions.

“The public will believe anything, so long as it is not founded on truth.” — Edith Sitwell

People tend to forget that the media outlets are all owned by members of the 1%, and are not really interested in presenting unbiased, informational stories. Those don’t sell very well, and they don’t feed into the fear that the beloved ruling class wants the public to feel when they think of other countries. The pundits keep telling the public that the rest of the Third World is jealous, and are out to get us, and by their actions, they are making absolutely sure that is true. The media does NOT present a fair and unbiased version of ANYTHING, much less of the political scene, and people need to remember that…. Just because someone on TV, wearing a nice tie, an American flag pinned to the lapel of their $1000 suit, and an ingratiating smirk, tells you that someone from another country is evil, doesn’t make it so…..

The opinion I expressed above, regarding who is actually responsible for the mess we are in, is, so far, unchallenged by anyone with any direct evidence. But then, nobody wants to hear that they’ve been fooled again by the powers that be; it’s embarrassing, if one considers themselves to be a free man. to realize that they are actually an ignorant slave of the beloved ruling class.

Most folks will pretend that they agree with whatever comes out of the mouths of the pundits, just so they don’t have to look at how stupid they are really being, and how far from reality they actually reside. Nobody likes to feel like a fool. But, to my way of thinking, I’d rather feel the fool, than feel my freedom slip away, all because some asshole in a suit decided his son needed some help to nail down his theft of the election….

“A man who does not think for himself does not think at all.” — Oscar Wilde, “Oscariana”

So be it….. feel free to comment on this theory, should the urge strike…..

“It does no harm just once in a while to acknowledge that the whole country isn’t in flames, that there are people in the country besides politicians, entertainers, and criminals.” — Charles Kuralt
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Premises, premises….

Tricked, I stumble, and I fall
dreaming, through an abandoned palace.
Frightened and wary, unheard my call
fading into memory, no cup, no argent chalice.

The people, crushed, cry out to be freed
asking only to take part, or travel.
Nascent oaths spotlight such bursting need
fed by treachery, deep from our well.

Only the wicked shall find their way blocked
justice seeks them, snug in their hole.
Faint praises never touched, but naked, stalked
singing no gospel, no soul, no rock and roll.

Only the promised will remember the way
from unforgiven trails of sorrow.
To live life, and give death no sway,
saving grace for our only tomorrow.

~~~ gigoid

Well, it looks like the urge to rhyme overcame my reluctance to subject myself to the poetry-writing process…. this one just had to come out….. I hope you like it….
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“He hasn’t a single redeeming vice.” — Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

Having ranted already today, I wasn’t planning to do so again. But, every suitable pearl I find seems to point me toward taking a few shots at the political scene as it relates to the upcoming election. Then, this came into view….. What a perfect description of either one of the Republican candidates! Both Romney and Ryan fit this like a tailor-made shirt.

Since the Twitt made his decision to choose Lyin Ryan (as he is so aptly named by Jueseppi B., the Obamacrat….) I have watched as they have proceeded to alienate one group of voters after another. Women, Jews, Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, senior citizens (such as yours truly…), Catholics, immigrants (legal or not), and the entire middle class, all have been informed by these two idiots that they are not classed as citizens, and will have no rights under their administration…..

Watching these two destroy their own chances has been sort of entertaining; it would be more so if there weren’t so many ignorant bigots and racists out there who have thrown their support to the Daffy Duo, just because they are not black. The election has had at least one useful outcome thus far; it has shown us how far there is still to go until we can consider racism and bigotry things of the past. There are still too many folks out there who make all their decisions based on their prejudices, rather than on any type of reason.

It is unfortunate in the extreme that they can vote, and even more so that they do so regularly; the more educated and informed members of society often become discouraged, and do not vote, thinking that by doing so they are acting honorably, by not lending their support to either party. As far as it goes, this would be correct.

But they forget that the masses of ignorant voters don’t care, and will vote for ANYONE who promises to eliminate those things they fear, such as a Black man as President. In light of that, their unwillingness to adapt, and vote, becomes their downfall, and their shameful regret, as they are then saddled with disastrous leadership for four years….

I’m not going to rant for long this morning; it really isn’t necessary to carry this argument further. The point has been made, and it is this…. Get out there and vote, because if you don’t, there is real danger of losing ALL of our freedoms, as Romney and Ryan take this country back to the middle ages. If they get into the Oval Office, they will continue to rake in their millions, as they continue the rape and pillaging of the Bill of Rights, and bury the middle class under a mountain of tax and debt….. You can count on it….

“I would like to nominate a man who is honest and courageous. I’d like to, but this party doesn’t have one of them kind of people. My candidate does not know the meaning of the word “compromise,” does not know the meaning of the word “appeasement,” does not know the meaning of the word  “cowardice”–and has done quite well despite this lousy vocabulary. — Vaughn Meader
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That should take care of my ranting for a day or two…. and my need to rhyme, too. As I said above….. So be it.  Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Highest quality stress in town….

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Ffolkes,
Knowing it will be like this doesn’t make it any less annoying when it is; it just makes it worse, actually. But, being the trooper I am, I will do my best to look beyond it, and act as if it isn’t important. Which, cosmically speaking, it is not, nor will it ever be. Important, that is. If it was, maybe we could get a better one, but it’s not, so that’s wishful thinking. As we normally do, we will use what we have, the best we can, and hope it will be enough….

Of course, having no idea whatsoever as to what “it” I am speaking of, the previous paragraph really has no meaning, other than finding the means to fill up space. Having stared into space for a good 10 minutes without a single worthwhile thought rising to the surface of my mind, I figured I’d best get started, and just trust that the words would come. Well, they came, even thought they weren’t particularly aroused, Heck, they weren’t even breathing hard! The fact that there is no meaning to any of it has no bearing on reality, other than as a means of getting started on today’s Pearl….

I suppose I’m going to need to take my own advice, quit being lazy, and get some material organized for use in the introduction section. A few pearls, some brainstorm ideas, and an outline ought to do it, and won’t bore me to tears (hopefully). I find myself falling into this position too frequently of late, of being short of anything for the intro, so I may as well be proactive and take away my reasons for complaining. Not that the complaining ever does me any good; it just annoys me more than I already am when faced with such blocks.

Until then, you’ll just have to put up with my pissing and moaning…. or not, as you wish. I do try to make the rest of the Pearl more attractive, but don’t always hit that mark as well as I’d like. And, I think my inability to figure out how to get to other ffolkes blogs is causing me to lose some readers; site traffic has been limited to a few faithful followers in the last couple of weeks since WordPress decided to make it difficult for me to access any blogs.

Ah well, I’m not in this for competition, but for self-therapy, so it doesn’t matter too much…. I just miss being able to read all the great stuff on the other blogs, especially my poetesses, and the other curmudgeons with whom I banter at times…. SIGH…. Shall we Pearl?……
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“I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.” — Chang-tzu, Taoist

So, as it turns out, I am a coward. What I mean by that is, when it comes to emotional pain, I will go through all sorts of contortions to avoid it. I will distract myself, I’ll deny, I’ll forget…. all time-tested methods of putting something unpleasant aside. I can say in my own defense that a) I’ve already experienced enough turmoil in my life, and don’t need more, and b) I have yet to start lying to myself about being a coward in this area…..

How does the butterfly koan apply? That’s for me to know, and you to figure out…. No, really, sorry, I didn’t mean that, just fooling around. It applies because the world exists in duality; we perceive that universe by defining and evaluating those dualities according to their relation to each other (light/dark, etc.) as well as according to our own preconceptions and/or preferences. Sometimes what we perceive is clear and readily defined, while at other times, one can make no “heads or tails” of what we see, hear, taste, smell, or feel. And sometimes, the perceptions are just so powerful that we cannot easily deal with what we are perceiving, so we retreat from them. Or I do, anyway….

Now, my cowardice in this respect is, perhaps, justifiable. I put myself through a lot of hard times during certain times in my life, and the emotional toll was heavy. I am now more in balance, but the feelings and thoughts I had can come back in full force, at unexpected moments… Such is the case when I read about the sex trade, and think about how many of my sisters in the world are still being abused, physically and mentally, by the misogynistic assholes that perpetrate the atrocities.

I have previously re-blogged several articles from blog sites written by women who have survived, and left, the sex trade. The stories they tell, and the insights they have achieved, are incredibly powerful, and wrenching to the emotions. It is a rare thing for me to be able to stop myself from crying after reading the first paragraph, and it can take me ten minutes to read a two page article, as I have to stop and compose myself before returning to the story being related. I am always astounded by the strength of mind it took for them to get where they are, and I grieve for the pain and misery they still must contend with as survivors with PTSD (my old friend….).

Reading their stories also have the effect on me of wanting to buy a gun, and start eliminating some of the traffickers from the planet. This urge arises out of my anger and guilt, for it is males who perpetrate the  atrocities, and I am ashamed of how low others of my gender can sink. But, alas, until I CAN afford to buy one, that little dream will have to wait…..

All I can do is to try to make people aware of the extent of the problem, by directing them to the stories told by the women who have lived through that Hell, with re-blogs and pearls such as this one. That is why I say I’ve been a coward, because my mind cravenly hid the awareness that connects to the outrage I feel when I get started on this issue, not being brave enough to put my emotions up on that higher level….and used the technical glitch I’ve been having with WordPress as an excuse (I’m currently unable to connect to any other WP sites if I’m signed in… I just get sent to a blank page while the browser falls into an infinite loop….).

Hence this somewhat dispassionate discussion of the issue. I’ve managed to get through this without bursting into tears, so I’ll consider myself lucky, and make myself a promise to re-blog for them as soon as I can get there to do so…. and I’ll not let myself chicken out…. This is an issue that will not go away; we men will never be free until we free our sisters from this bondage….

To read some of these articles yourself, use the WordPress search function to find these three sites, by blog titles….  Diary of A Dublin Call Girl, rmott62- Are We Not Human?, and Stella Mar, a Manhattan Call Girl…. all three have powerful messages that need to be spread around the planet….
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Here is an old school pearl, just because…. all these came up while perusing the dB today, so I figured, why not? They all have something to say that is applicable to today’s society. Sadly, none of it is particularly positive in nature…. It just goes to show that is it easier to find the negatives in life, because they are so numerous. Fortunately, the positives are much more valuable on a per capita basis, so it all balances out in the end…. One must only be patient in coming to that end…. BTW, there IS a hidden message in this grouping of pearls, but there is no need to try to decipher it, as it won’t be on the quiz….. But if you do, it will bring some extra clarity to the group’s purpose….

“Banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.” — Thomas Jefferson

“It’s said that ‘power corrupts’, but actually it’s  more true  that power attracts the corruptible.  The sane are usually attracted by other things than power.  When  they do  act,  they  think of it as service, which has limits. The tyrant, though, seeks mastery, for which he is  insatiable, implacable.” — David Brin, The Postman

“Success in almost any field depends more on energy and drive than it does on intelligence. This explains why we have so many stupid leaders.” — Sloan Wilson

OCCIDENT, n.  The part of the world lying west (or east) of the Orient.  It is largely inhabited by Christians, a powerful subtribe of the Hypocrites, whose principal industries are murder and cheating, which they are pleased to call “war” and “commerce.”  These, also, are the principal industries of the Orient.  — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

“I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the rights of the people by the gradual & silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” — James Madison, Virginia Conv. 1788

“Crime does not pay … as well as politics.” — Alfred E. Newman

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

See? The last line brings balance into the equation…. Don’t forget to register and vote this November, ffolkes. It’s important this time, for the forces of evil are gathering their powers to make a run at total world domination…. yup, it’s THAT serious….
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Dreamland

By a route obscure and lonely,
Haunted by ill angels only,
Where an Eidolon, named NIGHT,
On a black throne reigns upright,
I have reached these lands but newly
From an ultimate dim Thule-
From a wild clime that lieth, sublime,
Out of SPACE- out of TIME.

Bottomless vales and boundless floods,
And chasms, and caves, and Titan woods,
With forms that no man can discover
For the tears that drip all over;
Mountains toppling evermore
Into seas without a shore;
Seas that restlessly aspire,
Surging, unto skies of fire;
Lakes that endlessly outspread
Their lone waters- lone and dead,-
Their still waters- still and chilly
With the snows of the lolling lily.

By the lakes that thus outspread
Their lone waters, lone and dead,-
Their sad waters, sad and chilly
With the snows of the lolling lily,-
By the mountains- near the river
Murmuring lowly, murmuring ever,-
By the grey woods,- by the swamp
Where the toad and the newt encamp-
By the dismal tarns and pools
Where dwell the Ghouls,-
By each spot the most unholy-
In each nook most melancholy-
There the traveler meets aghast
Sheeted Memories of the Past-
Shrouded forms that start and sigh
As they pass the wanderer by-
White-robed forms of friends long given,
In agony, to the Earth- and Heaven.

For the heart whose woes are legion
‘Tis a peaceful, soothing region-
For the spirit that walks in shadow
‘Tis- oh, ’tis an Eldorado!
But the traveler, traveling through it,
May not- dare not openly view it!
Never its mysteries are exposed
To the weak human eye unclosed;
So wills its King, who hath forbid
The uplifting of the fringed lid;
And thus the sad Soul that here passes
Beholds it but through darkened glasses.

By a route obscure and lonely,
Haunted by ill angels only,
Where an Eidolon, named NIGHT,
On a black throne reigns upright,
I have wandered home but newly
From this ultimate dim Thule.

Edgar Allan Poe

It has been a long time since I read any of Poe’s poetry; his stories are so good, one forgets he also was an excellent poet. This is a perfect example of that talent…. and I needed a beauty break….. enjoy!
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Rats! Thought I was done…. Today’s effort was just that…. an effort. But, perseverance has carried the day once again, so I’m putting myself into the hands of Fate, and letting this go out for consumption…. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you….

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Several handsome acolytes boarded the Pequod….

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9

Ffolkes,
The gloves are coming off today; I can feel it already…. My curmudgeonly side is awake and eager to dive into today’s Pearl with a vengeance, and my radical side is right behind, goading him on.  Throw in my current lack of anything to lose, other than my life and dignity, and a dash of outrage, and it makes for a quite volatile package.  It promises to get interesting, for sure….

That being said, in fair warning, let us warm up with a bit of phantasm, eh?…..

As he moved up the steps from the street to the door of home, Samuel Beck could only feel relief and fatigue. Visions of a warm fire, a comfortable chair, and a bracing snifter of Napoleon’s finest merged happily in the forefront of his mind as he fit his key into the lock. Comforting visions vanished away, instantly, as the door slowly swung open before he turned the key, revealing a scene of such horror, of such vicious terror, that it would never fade completely from his memory.

A body, of a mid-sized man in all-over black clothing, lay about 10 feet from the door, obviously dead as a result of the neat bullet hole in his forehead. Whoever he was, he had not died easily, for furniture lay all around the foyer, and into the visible parlor, smashed and strewn about, just as if two or more men had fought a pitched battle in the rooms, destroying many of the less sturdy pieces. In the parlor, there was evidence of further mayhem, as blood was visible in several areas on the floor, enough to show that more than one person had been bleeding there.  Reddish-brown stains also showed in several places on the walls. Though apparent that more than one person had been there, only the one body remained…..

Not as shocked as might have been assumed, Samuel gazed at the destruction, both of his house, and of his daydreams of a comforting welcome home from what had been a very difficult journey. With a sigh of resignation, he stepped into the foyer, and remarked to himself, “Well, it looks as though they didn’t break the brandy bottle, anyway. I wonder if any of the glasses have survived.” On that note, he closed the door behind him, and prepared to deal with whatever had taken place while he was gone…. He was beginning to regret ever becoming an assassin…..

Aha! So, that’s where the assassin came from! Now we know his name, and that he likes Napoleon brandy…. I wonder where he stashed the little girl?  Ah well, no matter, we have other fish to fry, so to speak…. let us Pearl, shall we?….
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“It is the final proof of God’s omnipotence that he need not exist in order to save us.” — Peter De Vries

“It is certain because it is impossible.” — Tertullias

The above two statements, each of which reflects the other, are commonly used as arguments in favor of the existence of God. Though tautological by nature, people seem to accept this type of argument readily, and clasp it tightly to their mental bosom, never to let go. I suppose this is a factor of that part of human nature that prefers to be lazy, and not have to think overmuch about anything, much less about such subtle, convoluted treatises on the existence of their chosen deity.

It has always seemed to me, since the age of 14 or so, when I first began to examine what I had been taught in a critical light, that the religious beliefs of most people are based on this factor. I noted as well, when one has accepted the premise of God’s omnipotence, then one’s own sense of responsibility becomes a moot point. No matter how egregiously immoral, no matter how unethical one’s actions may be, these folks have the ultimate get out of Hell card; divine forgiveness by the Son of God….  It is a quite convenient way to justify even the most insane, cruel, and viciously antisocial acts, when committed in the name of the Lord, or for the glory of the State.

Even the most immoral of acts of a personal nature, such as theft, infidelity, or casual cruelty to those weaker, are forgiven. Though all the Christian sects have some form of forgiveness in place, Catholics seem to have the most efficient system for relieving any possible guilt over such acts. They are given the opportunity each week, or even daily, to confess these “sins” and receive absolution that guarantees there will be no lasting or important consequences for their acts, other than having to recite some canonical platitudes they were made to memorize as a child, to help speed the process along…..

Ah, but I forget! Religion, along with almost every other subject of a complex nature that requires an expenditure of mental energy to comprehend, is not based on logical reason, or even structured thought of any kind… it is based on fear. Fear of the great unknown, Death. The folks who become preachers & priests are those who, in different circumstances, would be salesmen and shop clerks, selling their goods for the greatest amount of profit they could squeeze from an unsuspecting public, while maintaining that their shoddily made goods are of the finest cloth.

Instead, they offer relief from the ever present fear of Death, with a poorly constructed, but flashily dressed system of beliefs that offers not only (illogical) proof of victory over Death, but takes away all responsibility for one’s actions here on Earth. With an attractive hook like that, how else could people choose?….. They make it very easy to jump on the wagon, and only those who can think, and prefer to do so, can see the fallacies in what they are offering, and that the wheels of the wagon are about to fall off….

“It is possible to pray hard enough that water will run uphill. How hard? Why, hard enough to make water run uphill, of course!” — Lazarus Long (Robert Heinlein)
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“…I am opposed to all attempts to license or restrict the arming of individuals…I consider such laws a violation of civil liberty, subversive of democratic political institutions, and self-defeating in their purpose.” — Robert A. Heinlein, in a 1949 letter concerning “Red Planet”

“You cannot conquer a free man, the most you can do is kill him.” — Lazarus Long (Robert Heinlein)

“An armed society is a polite society.” — Robert A. Heinlein, ‘The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress’ (Think about it….)

“An hour’s perusal of our national charter makes it hard to understand what the argle-bargle is about. The First Amendment forbids infringements of the freedom of speech “except for commercials on children’s television” or “unless somebody says ‘****’ in a rap song or ‘chick’ on a college campus.”  The Second Amendment states that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be  infringed,” period. There is no mention of magazine size, rate of fire, or to what extent those arms may resemble assault rifles.” — P. J. O’Rourke

“Americans have the right and advantage of being armed – unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.” — James Madison

I’m sensing a theme here… I’m sure I could find and include a great many more such quotes from famous historical Americans, but there seems to be a consensus, so we’ll leave it at five for now. I’m also not going to discuss this further, at this time, as I believe I’ve already made my feelings and thoughts on this matter quite clear. These folks have all said it at least as well as I can, and in most cases, better. So, I will only ask you to consider what they say, and think about it….. if you have any thoughts to contribute, well, I am a firm believer in the power of dialogue, so please feel free to comment where appropriate….
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“An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought.” — Simon Cameron (1799-1889)

The mere presence of this quote in the literature of Man is disheartening, to say the least, for it implies that the condition it describes is so prevalent that it requires statement, and acknowledgment of its truth. It is sort of like all those strange laws one finds in the old archives of some of the states, like “There will be no sheep allowed to wear makeup”, or other such nonsense. The scary part is that one knows that the law was written because somebody was actually DOING that….. so we know, by deduction, that the statement about politicians exists only because it is already true…..

It is not only the mere existence of this concept that is annoying to me, and to all of society; it is the truth it proclaims that is so hard to accept. We, as a society, know this to be true, yet we continue to act as if it were not. We vote for the fools who parade their ignorance in front of the crowds who, for some reason unfathomable to me, flock to hear and see these sociopathic liars in person, to hear their outrageous claims and idiotic platforms straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

I sometimes wonder if they expect that the pundits and talking heads will tell the truth, if what they say is uttered right in front of them. Of course, there is no evidence that will support such belief, but, people believe all sorts of things that aren’t true, that is for sure…. As a matter of fact, I often feel as if people don’t WANT to hear the truth, because they never, ever make any attempt to ascertain whether or not they have. In fact, the more outrageous and false the claim, the quicker and more deeply it is believed, so it seems. I guess we should chalk that up to human perversity…. nothing else explains it, as it is a completely useless state of mind, from a survival standpoint….

I’m not sure that a solution to this issue is possible. There doesn’t seem to be any way to convince the general public to make any effort to rein in their elected officials.  Hell, sometimes the American people act as if they are enjoying their increasing slavery…. they certainly are making very little effort to stop any of its advances upon their rights and privileges as a free society.

But, that, I suppose, is just desserts, in a way…. and they will deserve whatever happens to them…. Unfortunately, it will happen to the rest of us as well, and that is unacceptable to me…. so I’ll just keep my powder dry, my head down, and my ears wide open to hear the sound of approaching tyranny…..

“The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.” — Bertrand Russell, Marriage and Morals

“The difference between a moral man and a man of honor is that the latter regrets a discreditable act, even when it has worked and he has not been caught.” — Henry L. Mencken
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“It was a saying of the ancients, “Truth lies in a well;” and to carry on this metaphor, we may justly say that logic does supply us with steps, whereby we may go down to reach the water.” — Dr. I. Watts

That is to say, logic does do so, if it is used by a competent mind. In the hands of someone less perceptive, logic can be a WMD, in the vernacular of the 1990’s.  ‘Tis also unfortunate that the folks who fit the latter category tend to use it all too often, and having done so, look about them at the destruction they have wrought with a smug, self-satisfied air, totally ignorant of the increase in entropy they have engendered with their blundering about…..

On the other hand, when used well, logic can be a very powerful tool for finding Truth, even if buried at the bottom of a well. The trick is to use logic like a scalpel, to cut away extraneous facts to reveal Truth, not as a cudgel, to beat Truth into submission. If more of mankind were competent in the use of logic, and not of its abuse, perhaps we would not be facing quite so many difficulties as now exist…. It’s worth a try, in my opinion…. unfortunately, it is also my opinion that it’s never going to happen, because using logic takes mental effort, something the average American will avoid to the best of their ability…..

“Do not speak of what men deserve.   For we each of us deserve everything, every luxury that was ever piled in the tombs of the dead Kings, and we each  of us deserve nothing, not a mouthful of bread in hunger.   Have we not eaten while another starved?  Will you punish us for that?  Will you reward us for the virtue of starving while others ate?  No man earns punishment, no man earns reward.  Free your mind of the idea of *deserving*, of *earning*, and you will begin to be able to think.” — Odo, The Prison Letters (Ursula LeGuin, _The Dispossessed_)
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Look back on time with kindly eyes,
He doubtless did his best;
How softly sinks his trembling son
In human nature’s west!
— Emily Dickinson

Emily is included here for the intellectual version of comic relief. Compared to religion, politics, the Second Amendment, and the search for Truth, a discussion of time, or poetry, could be considered a bit tame. But, the power of Emily’s mad little rhymes can, in my estimation, stand up next to any subject and look them right in the eye.

This particular verse is one I’ve never seen before, and completely lives up to my expressed opinion. In four lines she expresses ideas and concepts that an hour-long lesson in a university classroom would be needed to cover if discussed in prose. Time, human nature, even compassion, all in such a compact little vessel; it makes one wonder what Emily would have done, had she ever applied her hand to Haiku…. Sheer beauty, incredible power, and deeply meaningful thoughts given in 17 syllables, would be my guess as to results. Ah well, what she did leave us is more than could be hoped for anyway….

And, if nothing else, reading this will banish most of the darkness that may have covered our eyes after reading and considering the previous sections…. so, enjoy!…..
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Well….. though serious enough, I suppose the gloves never came all the way off… My knuckles aren’t bloody and scraped up, so the blows I threw struck soft tissue, for the most part. But, a shot is a shot, and I got a few good licks in, so I am content for the nonce….. and I always enjoy having a chance to use the word “nonce” in a sentence… Such a fine word, and so seldom used I like to give it as much exposure as possible, lest it pass completely out of usage…. Now that you are completely convinced of my oddity, if not insanity, I will bring this to a close…. 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!

Dragooned on a desert isle….

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Ffolkes,
I’ll tell you this right now…. what a long, strange trip it’s been! Though a bit worse for wear, I’ve got quite a few years left yet to flog this old body down the road. I’ve had a good life so far, and hope to have even better yet. Now if only Murphy and the Universe will cooperate…..

Okay, who took my inspiration? I had it here beside me just a few moments ago. I’ve been saving it up for this morning’s Pearl, because it was a good one. But, I just went to pick it up to put it on, and it’s gone! Gone, with no trace of who took it, or where it might have gone. (where DO things that disappear go? Like a lap, where does it go when you stand up?) Oh well, I’d best get started, it’s getting early….and I HATE being early…..
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[ Death scene of Cyrano ]
It is coming… I feel
Already shod with marble… gloved with lead…
Let the old fellow come now! He shall find me
On my feet sword in hand [ He draws his sword. ]
I can see him there he grins
He is looking at my nose that skeleton
What’s that you say? Hopeless? Why, very well!
But a man does not fight merely to win!
No no better to know one fights in vain! …
You there Who are you? A hundred against one
I know them now, my ancient enemies
[ He lunges at the empty air. ]
Falsehood! … There! There! Prejudice Compromise
Cowardice [ Thrusting ] What’s that? No! Surrender? No!
Never never! … Ah, you too, Vanity!
I know you would overthrow me in the end
No! I fight on! I fight on! I fight on!
— Edmond Rostand, spoken by Cyrano de Bergerac

I have little to add here; the poetry is strong enough to stand alone. I’ll merely add that this was one of my favorite reads in high school; I’d never really read much of the literature of the 17th or 18th centuries, being more interested in sci-fi, so it was a pleasant surprise to find how much I enjoyed it. Great character, that Cyrano, full of joie de vivre and abundant humor, as well as loyalty, and bravery…. hope you enjoy it as well…..
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“The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his Father, in the womb of a virgin will be classified with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter. But we may hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away with this artificial scaffolding and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this most venerated Reformer of human errors.” — Thomas Jefferson

In all the books and stories I’ve read or heard about our founding fathers, this idea seems to be pretty commonly held. It seems that the societal outcasts who first came to this country were of a different mind than most of their counterparts in the English culture, as regards religion. I have seen at least three other of the signers of the Declaration who expressed this sentiment to others in their correspondence or published works.

Apparently, these men and women were unhappy with the English churches for these differences of faith, reasons which caused their persecution at the hands of the English government, which is very highly influenced by the Church prelates. Ultimately, this schism resulted in the break with the Church, followed by the flight to the new world, where they could follow the dictates of their conscience, rather than the rules set down in stone by the established churches.

This is why our country was founded, to separate the church and government from each other, in essence to create the first country ever that was based on this principle, to wit: religious freedom. These men and women only wished to be able to follow their hearts and minds in their own way, and not the way that everyone else used. They fought a war, and took the risk of death in stride in order to achieve the right to determine their own destiny.

Now, in today’s complex society, there are forces at work who would go back to the old ways. They wish to have the laws of this country determined by only one church, their own version of Christianity. (Of course there are 6 or 8 different sects that are vying for the privilege of being the sole lawgiver).

The saddest part of this is that all these differing sects who wish to remove the rights so valiantly fought for, replacing them with their own narrow vision of subservience, are only able to make the noise and hullabaloo they engage in BECAUSE of the freedoms our ancestors paid for in blood; in any other country in the world, they would be forced underground, or at best, deported.

Whether or not they will succeed in their move to control the rest of American society remains to be seen; they’ve made some inroads, but I sense that the general run of American today is getting pretty fed up with all the clamor and noise, and will come out in droves in this election year, to show those who would deny their own heritage how real Americans vote…. for separation of Church and State…. for Reason instead of Ignorance.

“During almost fifteen centuries the legal establishment of Christianity has been upon trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.” — James Madison
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“‘Truth’ never set anyone free. It is only *doubt* which will bring mental emancipation.” — Anton LaVey

Now, here is a concept long ignored by the general public, who, for the most part, don’t wish to have to think about anything more complicated than a cheese sandwich on white bread. When I first chose my user name for cyberspace, I chose “gigoid” as the nickname that is seen by all. But the full title I hold as my personal icon is “gigoid the dubious”, implying both the search for truth, and the method of searching.

“Gigoid” stands for “garbage in, garbage out, identified”. It points out one of my articles of faith, which is that one cannot recognize Truth without first having Doubt. Only by the vigorous examination of our beliefs, seeking out the qualitative proof of the veracity of our suppositions about reality, can we attain harmony with the world as it is, and give up trying to make it what we would like it to be. Even our longest held beliefs, given to us before we learned to reason, must be periodically taken out and put through their paces, to see whether or not those beliefs remain an accurate representation of reality.

Doubt leads to curiosity, curiosity leads to study, the results of the study are then reexamined with doubting eyes, which leads us at last to the Truth…… if we have the courage to confront it, and accept it as it exists….. Of course, it may be well to remember that the author of this little gem is a famous person; I believe he is the head of the Church of Satan…..
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“Jupiter’s passed through Orion and come into conjunction with Mars. Saturn is wheeling through infinite space to its preordained place in the stars.  And I gaze at the planets in wonder–at the time and trouble they expend.  All to warn me to be careful in dealings involving a friend.” — Donald Swann

It has been said, and truthfully, that you can tell a person’s level of ignorance by asking them for their opinion of Astrology. For myself, for much of my life, I tended to be agnostic about it; it seems too incredible to be true, but the characteristics of the different signs have a superficial accuracy, at least, seemingly reflecting what is real.

But that was before I reexamined that belief in the light of doubt, whereupon I realized that the underlying statement of what Astrology is does not include recognizance of the law of Conservation of Energy, which has been demonstrated to be true in a hundred different ways by scientific studies. In essence, what Astrology claims is that the motions of the planet and stars have a direct bearing on the events of our lives. This may be true, as far as it goes.

But, what it fails to consider is that the reverse idea, that the events of our lives have a direct effect on the motions of the planets and stars, MUST be true as well; otherwise there would be an imbalance in the structure of the universe, which we know to be false. Perhaps, as the astrologers say, our destiny is foretold in the stars. Much more likely, however, is the idea that we determine the direction our lives take according to our own will, not by the motion of indifferent stars in the sky….
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“The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.” — H. L. Mencken (1880-1956)

If we use this as a true assumption, then there is no politician alive today who would not fit into this suit. Day after day, we see in the news the latest nonsense being spouted by the talking heads, and every time I read what they have said, I feel as if I’ve been insulted. I just don’t understand the capacity for believing lies that exists in the general population of this country.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think that there was no educational system at all, that the dream of an educated populace is dead. Well, as I said, if I didn’t know better. But, I do, and what I see, and understand, is that our educational system is a bust. It does not teach us what we really need to know to become a true citizen of a democracy, to wit: we are not taught how to learn. We only are taught to memorize, and to accept the mandates handed down by those in a position of authority as being in our own interests.

I’d say, in that respect, we are doing well, for we have created a large body of really ignorant people who provide the manipulators with a fertile ground for their nonsensical ideas. It’s enough to make a man take to drinking…. or buy a gun….or like me, both…..
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Well, I find myself once again at the end of another morning’s work, always a bit of a surprise…. I can only hope that you find my musings to be stimulating and insightful, or if not, at least entertaining. Until the next time, tomorrow, y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Precisely one portion, no sauce…

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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…..
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“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!…….

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“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….,
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“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…..
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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……
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“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….

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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!

Naturally inappropriate responses…..

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Ffolkes,
Today’s format got a bit muddled in the process of pearl diving. I found a group of political quotes that all point to the same spot on the news compass, and thus added some extra material to the first topic of dissection, er, discussion…..hope it isn’t too much for the literary equivalent of a bowl of oatmeal…..consider it as extra brown sugar and cinnamon……
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“I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the rights of the people by the gradual & silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” — James Madison, Virginia Conv. 1788

“The greatest right in the world is the right to be wrong.  If the Government or magistrates think an individual is right, no one will interfere with him; but when agitators talk against the things considered holy, or when radicals criticize, or satirize political gods, or question the justice of our laws and institutions, or pacifists talk against war, how the old inquisition awakens, and ostracism, the excommunication of the church, the prison, the wheel, the torture-chamber, the mob, are called upon to suppress the free expression of thought.” — Harry Weinberger, letter to the editor, — New York Evening Post, April 10, 1917

“They (who) seek to establish systems of government based on the regimentation of all human beings by a handful of individual rulers… call this a new order. It is not new and it is not order.” — Franklin Delano Roosevelt (circa 1935)

“Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they’ve told you what it is you want to hear.” — Alan Coren (circa 1990)

“The treacherous are ever distrustful.” — Gandalf (The Second Age)

You will please note first that the dates of these statements are in chronological order (except of course, Gandalf’s). I put them that way to demonstrate my point, which is this: the idiots who are theoretically in charge of society as its chosen leaders are NOT good people, and this sentiment serves to demonstrate that this problem is not unique to our time. They DO NOT CARE about the little man on the street, nor have they ever done so. They DO NOT make decisions with the benefit of society in mind, and never have. They DO NOT care a whit that their actions are demonstrably responsible for the mess we are in ecologically, and the only future they care about at all is their own.

As an American citizen, I am appalled at how easily the public is manipulated, and angry about the encroachment of personal liberty for the sake of increased security, a pipe dream at best. Personally, I think it is time for the Second American Revolution…..seriously….I’ll leave this subject there, and close with this, from Carl Sagan, “In science it often happens that scientists say, ‘You know, that’s a really good argument; my positions is mistaken,’ and then they actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. It happens every day, but I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.”  For sure and for certain……
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“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.” — Mark Twain

Dogs, cats, rats, pigs, horses, cows, chickens, and even geese can all lay claim to a higher level of ethics than can your average homo sapiens. You never hear about a pig robbing a bank, or geese running a Ponzi scam; even dogs and cats, who live in such close proximity to us, are not made to act unethically by that association. They have what most people have lost, and that is integrity. Within the constraints of their intelligence and physical characteristics, their actions are always true to their nature, cause no conflict in the universe, and in turn, attract no negative karma. People, on the other hand, are at best a 50/50 proposition as to whether the decision to act will come from an ethically defensible position. I think that’s why I am more comfortable around animals than most people; they don’t have any hidden agendas……
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“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.” — Thomas Paine

To me, this is the highest ethical position that a man can assume. This attitude is what drove Mr. Paine, and the other men and women who founded this nation, to acts of bravery and courage in the fight for liberty. This attitude is one expression of the most valuable part of the human spirit, the part that acts selflessly in the face of danger to fellow men, the part that makes us truly human, to my mind. It is the part of us that won’t give in to oppression; that part that yearns for freedom of expression. It is the part of us from which poetry, and the finest prose flow, to spread the word that freedom will never stand down in the face of danger, and that this freedom is the given right of every person alive. Mr. Paine’s expression of love for his child expresses the finest strengths of the human spirit, and should inspire all who read it to remember what price must be paid for personal liberty……
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“Please don’t dominate the rap, Jack, if you got nothing new to say.” — Robert Hunter

An easy sentiment to get behind, and typical of Grateful Dead musical philosophy. Music, with strong lyrics, can be a powerful force in shaping the attitudes of society, and a lot of very powerful songs were put out in the 60’s and 70’s in support of the political changes that were sweeping the nation at that time. The full effects of music on society can never be accurately measured, but it is known to be an influential tool for spreading a particular message to a large audience. So this statement becomes more of a paradigm indicator, to encourage new thoughts and new ways of solving problems. If you get a chance, listen to the rest of the song; its pretty powerful stuff, if you know how to hear it…..
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God has always been hard on the poor.

To avoid a lot of critical emails, let me just say in regards the above; funny how that works out, isn’t it? Makes a man get to thinking, about how God seems to take on the characteristics of the persons who are invoking His support, and how He always seems to be against whatever it is his worshipers are afraid of. Just an observation…..Hmmmm, I think I just heresied on several important religions.

“I don’t know if God exists, but it would be better for His reputation if He didn’t.” — Jules Renard
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Today’s post has grown beyond all hope of regaining control, so I’m going to add one more quote, just because it fits in with most of what we discussed today. It’s another fine piece of satire from the Devil’s Dictionary, courtesy of Ambrose Bierce…..

RIGHT, n.  Legitimate authority to be, to do or to have; as the right to be a king, the right to do one’s neighbor, the right to have measles, and the like.  The first of these rights was once universally believed to be derived directly from the will of God; and this is still sometimes affirmed _in partibus infidelium_ outside the enlightened realms of Democracy; as the well known lines of Sir Abednego Bink, following:

By what right, then, do royal rulers rule?
Whose is the sanction of their state and pow’r?
He surely were as stubborn as a mule
Who, God unwilling, could maintain an hour
His uninvited session on the throne, or air
His pride securely in the Presidential chair.

Whatever is is so by Right Divine;
Whate’er occurs, God wills it so.  Good land!
It were a wondrous thing if His design
A fool could baffle or a rogue withstand!
If so, then God, I say (intending no offence)
Is guilty of contributory negligence.
— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

Enough already!….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!