Send the teak button away for now….

Posted on April 22, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
When one is open to accept it, inspiration is never hard to find. A walk outside can provide ample sights, sounds, or other stimuli that will trip the creative urge into action; a beautiful rose, covered in morning dew, the web of a spider in the sunlight, the cry of a hawk on the hunt, any and all can give the artist the wherewithal to express his vision. Even without leaving the house, the same sort of stimuli are to be found; the odor of breakfast cooking, the cat asleep in a patch of sunlight, the smile of a loved one… all are grist for the artist’s mill, if he/she is open to perceiving them.

Conversely, when one’s creativity is blocked (and who knows why it happens… it just does….), no perception, no beauty, no grand music will pull the artist out of their misery. Continued exposure to such stimuli may help the condition over time, but, mostly, when blocked, there is nothing the artist can do but suffer….

Fortunately, I have chosen to use pearls to create my Pearls, and the process of searching them out will generally push right through any blocks I may have set up in my mind, at minimum allowing me to produce a Pearl, though it may not be on a par with others that were produced previously. Not being a judge of that (well, I do, but, my opinion on what I produce is, naturally, a bit prejudiced, so I tend to discount it…..) I cannot speak to the resultant quality of said Pearls, but at least they are not stuffed somewhere in my head, causing trouble with whatever is currently at issue…. thank goodness…..

With all that said, to what purpose may never be known, we shall now proceed to the morning dive, and get started on producing another in a long line of daily outbursts from my mind and imagination…. and the wide world of human wisdom. Shall we Pearl?…..

IMAGINATION, n. A warehouse of facts, with poet and liar in joint ownership. — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”
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“In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.” — Winston Churchill

Winnie had a good point here, one that is fully supported by Sun Tzu’s Art of War, which I consider to be the last word on anything to do with war or conflict. Sun Tzu says, “All war is the art of deception.” He goes on to delineate the ways in which this principle is applied to various scenarios of conflict, thus demonstrating the flexibility of the principle. However, in Sun Tzu’s classic tome, he makes an assertion that is unfortunately ignored by modern leaders, and that is that the army, whose purpose is war, and the people, whose purpose is peace, are two separate entities, and require different methods of leadership if one is to achieve success.

In today’s world, politicians, religious leaders, and all those who seek to assume power over the people, all regard the process of obtaining that power to be war. In essence, the political figures of today’s society consider themselves at war with, the public, and thus justify to themselves all the lies that they tell to them to achieve their ends.

They become irritable and righteously indignant when confronted with their lies, and turn the criticism back on the critic, labeling them as “biased media, controlled by the left” (or right, depending on who is speaking), or as “unpatriotic”, or “blasphemous”…. all of which are more lies, used simply to distract the public from the true issue, which is their lies…. Did you ever notice that? When a politician is confronted, especially on camera, about a lie, they never directly answer the question, instead turning it into a personal attack, either on the questioner, or the media reporting it. No addressing of the lie ever takes place….

“It’s hard to decide if T.V. makes morons out of everyone, or if it mirrors Americans who really are morons to begin with.” — Martin Mull

This is not hidden knowledge… the above scenario between politicos and reporters takes place EVERY DAY, on TV, in newspapers, and on the Internet. Every day…. and the war on humanity, declared by its own leaders, continues to drag on…. If one were to read ALL of The Art of War, one would know that the worst thing a society can do is to engage in long, drawn out wars; such wars always end up destroying both combatants….. and that is what will happen here, if things don’t change…..

“Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good.” — H.L. Mencken
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But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824) — Don Juan, Canto iii, Stanza 88

This is a perfect example of why I love poetry. Three short lines of simple words and phrases, and we have an expression of an idea so huge it encompasses all of mankind’s literature, history, and culture. It describes and celebrates, all at once, how the power of words can affect the entire world, all with the slightest of effort and resources. Moreover, its very brevity, and clarity, give proof of exactly what it claims; it is a perfect example of how powerful good poetry can be, and illustrates the very concept it discusses. Sheer genius, as far as I’m concerned….. and, in no need of further embellishment from this quarter….
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And on the 8th day, God said, “Ok, Murphy, you’re in charge!” — Smart Bee

Now we know what happened! This completely explains what has heretofore been misunderstood about history. This is the ONLY logical, or even illogical, explanation for what has taken place on this planet for the last 5000 years or so…. nothing else fits. I imagine one of two things happened back in the beginning days of society…. either the above line was left out of Genesis, or it got eliminated from the printed manuscript by some overzealous editor who had no direct knowledge of Murphy (thus making him the perfect person to demonstrate not only Murphy’s presence, but his power…..). Either those, or the printer didn’t have enough room on his press to fit in the last line, so he just left it out, and pretended not to have seen any such line….

Well, it makes as much sense as what they’re trying to convince us of does, now, doesn’t it? Yes, it does…
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Tyger! Tyger! burning bright          What the hammer? What the chain?
In the forests of the night,          In what furnace was thy brain?
What immortal hand or eye             What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?      Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

In what distant deeps or skies        When the stars threw down their spears,
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?         And water’d heaven with their tears,
On what wings dare he aspire?         Dare he laugh his work to see?
What the hand dare seize the fire?    Dare he who made the lamb make thee?

And what shoulder & what art,         Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
Could twist the sinews of they heart? In the forests of the night,
And when thy heart began to beat      What immortal hand or eye,
What dread hand & what dread feet?    Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

— William H. Blake (1757-1827), “The Tyger”

I’ve included examples of this type of poem previously, though there aren’t many that I can find. The sheer talent, and perseverance required to create one of these leaves me breathless with admiration. Thus, it is included here for your perusal and enjoyment, gratis, and sans embellishment….. “What immortal hand or eye, Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?” Indeed….
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“But the greatest of all reformers of the depraved religion of his own country was Jesus of Nazareth. Abstracting what is really his from the rubbish in which it is buried, easily distinguished by its luster from the dross of his biographers, and as separable as the diamond from the dunghill, we have the outlines of a system of the most sublime morality which has ever fallen from the lips of man; outlines which it is lamentable he did not live to fill up… The establishment of the innocent and genuine character of this benevolent moralist, and the rescuing it from the imputation of imposture, which has resulted from artificial systems*, invented by ultra-Christian sects, unauthorized by a single word ever uttered by him, is a most desirable object… *eg. The immaculate conception of Jesus, his deification, the creation of the world by him, his miraculous powers, his resurrection and visible ascension, his corporeal presence in the Eucharist, the Trinity; original sin, atonement, regeneration, election, orders of Hierarchy, etc.” — Thomas Jefferson, Letter to William Short, October 31 (Halloween), 1819

I don’t believe that adding anything here will make the point any better than it is, so we’ll just let it fly, and only add that I agree with this fully…. and to say that I think it admirable. If one believes in God, then this becomes the only rational point of view to be found in the literature on the subject……
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“Discourse, the sweeter banquet of the mind.” — Alexander Pope (1688-1744) — The Odyssey of Homer, Book xv, Line 433

As always, coming to the end of another Pearl is both satisfying and deflating. But, I hope always that what I’ve written may produce thoughts and/or comments from the Gentle Readers, as what Mr. Pope says is as true as the day for me…. hell, I’ve written replies to comments longer than the pearls that stimulated them. So, feel free to comment, as it strikes your fancy….

Meantime, I’m going to go take a walk; it’s a beautiful morning here in California, and I need the fresh air & exercise…. 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!

Tangerine silk scarves as compensation….

Posted on April 20, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Sleep, having assumed an aspect more resembling a foe than a friend, played tag with me all night, refusing to just settle down and play nice, and let me get some rest. Instead, for about 7 hours, it kept me on the edge of falling into a deep enough sleep to count, then finding some way to wake me up, to go to the throne, to cough, to be too hot….. anything other than sleep. Ah well, c’est la vie, when one get to this age, I suppose, and since there isn’t a damn thing I can do about that, we’ll just move on to something more illuminating, or at least less depressing….

Yesterday’s Pearl had a rant that was long enough that I was able to turn it into another article for posting elsewhere on the web. Then I thought about where I had done so, and thought I should share that with all of my readers, as a number of you may be looking for a place to get published…. and the site to which I am referring is just such a place. It is called Triond.com, and is what may be called a brokerage site….

One signs up as a member of their writing community, free, thus becoming eligible to post articles. Once an article is submitted to Triond, they shop it around to a number of websites that publish articles. When it is accepted, the article is posted on the web site that accepted it, who provides advertising for the page, and for the article posted under your name. The best part of all this is that the articles earn money for you, according to the number of views and clicks on the ads on the page. Triond keeps track of how much is earned, and pays off monthly, once the minimum payment amount is earned.

There is no limit as to a minimum number of articles one must publish, nor a maximum. There is a community of writers, and one can build a fan base as well as make contact with other writers. It’s a pretty good deal, and a good way to both get your name out there to start building a readership, and to earn a little cash while you are at it….. a win-win as far as I can see…. So, feel free to go on over to their site and sign up…. it’s a good gig…. the site address is: http://www.triond.com/ Enjoy!

Okay, altruism satisfied, we shall now proceed to Pearl…. let’s have at it, shall we?……
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Ralph & the Boss I couldn’t help it. This picture is just too good to keep to myself. I’m pretty sure I found it on Facebook a couple weeks ago, but it possibly came from a WP site, No Ruff Days, that publishes pictures of dogs of all types…. but I don’t think it did come from them, as they seldom add any other animals to their photos…. This one appeals to me on a lot of levels, but mostly to the one that appreciates how the other animals on this planet besides humans all seem to be able to come to terms with one another, to achieve an understanding and respect that crosses the boundaries between their species, to acknowledge the little spark of life that is in each one of us.

Looking at this picture, once the laughter is under control, is a pure “Awww!”…. you know that that huge dog is just tickled to death at that little cat, and wouldn’t harm it for the world. And the cat obviously has adopted the big beast as its sibling. The caption perfectly states the most likely conversation between them, and is, to me, perfect! I can almost hear the little voice…. “Okay, Ralph….” Makes me smile just to type it… any who, not much of a lesson or big discussion here, just a great picture, and a warm heart to start the day….. you’ll likely need it to counteract my usual subject matter’s depressive nature….
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“In Germany, they came first for the communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I
didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists but I didn’t speak up because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time nobody was left to speak up.” — Martin Niemoeller, German Lutheran Pastor, Dachau, 1944

If one needs to ask why this is here, then I would suggest that one read the daily news with their eyes open rather than closed. One only needs to replace the word communist with terrorist, the word Jew with Muslim, trade unionist with political activist, and either Catholic or Protestant with Atheist. Our society has taken on all of the characteristics of the Nazi government in the late 1930’s in Germany…. they preach fear of all outsiders, purity of faith and/or race, and obedience to authority. Any sort of argument with the demands of “national security” are met swiftly with scorn and/or ridicule, or worse, censorship, and now, with the newly signed Executive Orders, the powers that be may now just “disappear” anyone who becomes enough of a threat, in their estimation. Any day now I’m expecting to hear the announcement that the next election has been canceled due to “concerns over public safety.”

“We stand for the maintenance of private property…. We shall protect free enterprise as the most expedient, or rather the sole possible
economic order.” — Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), “Der Fuehrer” (Sounds a bit like the Supreme Court these days, doesn’t it?)

The saddest part of all this…. I don’t think there are enough real Americans left to fight for what they are taking away. I think there are a very large number of people in this country who will just go along with whatever the beloved ruling class is doing, as long as Wal-Mart stays open so they can get beer and plastic diapers….. So, if I were you, I’d start preparing to live in a world where none of the freedoms we now enjoy are part of life…. or, you can do as I intend to do, and make sure I am locked and loaded, well before they show up to take me away…..

“Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it…. While it lies there, it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it.” — Learned Hand, jurist
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Who hath not proved how feebly words essay
To fix one spark of beauty’s heavenly ray?
Who doth not feel, until his failing sight
Faints into dimness with its own delight,
His changing cheek, his sinking heart, confess
The might, the majesty of loveliness?
— Lord Byron (1788-1824) — The Bride of Abydos, Canto i, Stanza 6

I have no discussion here…. After writing, and thinking about, the previous section, I just needed a dose of beauty and grace, to counteract the bile that collected in my spleen….. so, enjoy, while I go find another pearl….
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“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency,
from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency back to bondage.” — Alexander Frazer Tyler (1748-1813), — The Decline and Fall of the Athenian Republic

This is a very scholarly, well-reasoned, and logically presented thesis, and has the added characteristic of being universal in its application to any Republic, not just the Athenian. As might be guessed, it can be accurately applied to describe modern American culture.

It would be my estimate that our culture has reached the penultimate stage of the given list; we have proceeded to a society-wide attitude of apathy, and are well on the way to becoming dependent. It is a short trip from there back to slavery…. and it doesn’t seem to me as if the majority of folks in this country are either aware of this, or if they are, they don’t seem to mind it so much, as long as the Simpson’s isn’t canceled, and they can afford to fill up the SUV….. where would YOU say our society lands on that scale?……

SIGH…….
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“If we are to survive, this nation must end its love affair with guns.” — U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno.

“If we are to survive, this nation must end its love affair with big brother government and individuals must relearn what it means to be free.”
— Jeff Chan, chan@shell.portal.com

I would have to say that the second line here is the more rational of the two statements…. Isn’t it funny how the folks who seem to want the right to bear arms to be given away (It is a right that can ONLY be given away…. ever try to TAKE a gun away from someone who has one? Not a good idea….), all seem to be those against whom they would most likely be used? The beloved ruling class now in charge of the government in America no longer trusts the American people to have guns, because they are deathly afraid (and rightly so!) that those guns might be turned on them. They seem to be constitutionally unable to see that such use against them would be righteous self-defense…..

Our forefathers, the men who formulated the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, fully recognized that a government that denies this right to its people is only interested in controlling them, not protecting them. In light of this FACT, (one equally true today) they determined that their descendants (Us…) would be safer if they kept that right in their own hands. Moreover, they believed fully that the average man, educated to appreciate the responsibilities of Liberty, as well as the benefits, was perfectly capable of having guns and only using them for defense.

Yes, there are bad people out there, and they will tend to use guns for other reasons, reasons that are completely self-serving. But I consider them to be less dangerous to me than those who would take away ALL guns from the public, leaving only themselves in possession of the power to control others by force.

To be completely honest, I have seen no evidence whatsoever that anyone in a position of power in this country has any of MY interests in mind, nor are they interested in improving anyone’s lot but their own. They most certainly are not at all concerned with my safety, especially from them. But I am supposed to give up my right to defend myself, and give over to these avaricious thieves the power to tell me what I should think, and what I may do?

Well, guess what? It ain’t gonna happen….. count on it…..
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As might have been expected, given my lack of sleep, my subject matter today turned a bit dark…. occupational hazard for us free thinkers, I guess. S’okay, I’ve said worse in my time, and this one, though it takes some pretty good shots at the beloved ruling class, isn’t quite as peripatetic as some of my rants. Or, maybe that’s just me…. It matters little now, as it’s going to fly as is….. Hopefully, I haven’t brought anyone down enough to spoil the day completely….

Ah well, time will tell, as it always does….. 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!

Until Bob returns, no cha-cha, & no rhumba….

Posted on April 15, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
As I sit here, laughing at myself, I have to admit, my Bozoid tendencies are in full swing this morning…. I’ve been steadily plugging along, filling in the blanks as I go through the morning routine, for about 35 minutes now. Got a lot done too, on starting a Pearl. I even had the intro section completely done, and was dutifully searching for pearls, when I was confronted by my own silliness and failure to be a Lert….. or, if you insist, alert…..

I started to paste a poem below, and realized I was posting it into tomorrow’s Pearl template. This is also where I had already composed and written an intro section leading into the Pearl….. see my problem? Complete time distortion ensues…. Now I’m dazed again, much like the first 5 minutes of being up, before the first sip of coffee kicks in enough to raise the eyelids a fraction, and will need to take a minute here to regroup…… I’ll be back in a few, when I have caught up to reality again….. mumble, grumble, phtt….

I have re-established contact with reality, and we can now move on to bigger and better things…. if that particular phrase can be considered to apply to this process…. as the old Dead song says, “head’s all empty, and I don’t care….” No worries, we’ll just go now and find something with which we can fill it up…. shall we Pearl?……
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C:\> erase c:\reality.sys; copy a:\pern\*.* c:

This pearl is a bit of a test…. What I’ve written here is, of course, a DOS command line. (I wrote ‘of course’ before I fully realized that it is ‘of course’ only to those who are familiar with DOS, which may not include the more modern users among us. For those ffolkes, just think of it as double clicking on a program you want to use…..) The test is to tell me, in the comment section, if you know what the command tells the computer to do….

It’s quite a simple command, though the .exe installation file it points to is VERY complex…. and that is your only clue…. Let’s see who’s paying attention, as well as who is well grounded in both computers and literature….. luck won’t be needed, and wouldn’t help in any case, but, good luck! If no one figures it out before tomorrow morning’s Pearl gets written, I’ll reveal the answer then….
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The only point in the following entry is to preserve my sanity. In looking over the last few Pearls, I found a disturbing lack of poetry. Oh, there was some there, but not enough to suit my needs…. if I don’t get enough of the grace and beauty that good poetry provides, I get testy, to say the least. That probably accounts for the 800-1000 word rants in the last couple of posts. That has actually worked out well; I was able to publish two of those rants to another site as solitary articles. But, in the process, I’ve built up a need for the serenity that a good poem gives me…. so, here are three of them, all capable of filling my need, and, hopefully, yours….. enjoy!

Weep no more, nor sigh, nor groan,
Sorrow calls no time that ‘s gone;
Violets plucked, the sweetest rain
Makes not fresh nor grow again.
— John Fletcher (1576-1625) — The Queen of Corinth, Act iii, Sc. 2

How fading are the joys we dote upon!
Like apparitions seen and gone.
But those which soonest take their flight
Are the most exquisite and strong,–
Like angels’ visits, short and bright;
Mortality ‘s too weak to bear them long.
— John Norris (1657-1711) — The Parting

I don’t know about you, but I feel better…..

Oft in the stilly night,
Ere slumber’s chain has bound me,
Fond memory brings the light
Of other days around me;
The smiles, the tears,
Of boyhood’s years,
The words of love then spoken;
The eyes that shone
Now dimmed and gone,
The cheerful hearts now broken.
— Thomas Moore (1779-1852) — Oft in the Stilly Night

I know, I know, I said three… but this one popped up in front of me, glommed onto my leg before I could dodge, and insisted that I include it with the others. Then I looked at it, and was sunk…. It’s not like I jabbed you in the eye with a stick, now, is it?…… Don’t worry, it won’t hurt you to have another; they’re calorie free……
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“The Buddha, the Godhead, resides quite as comfortably in the circuits of a digital computer or the gears of a cycle transmission as he does at the top of a mountain or in the petals of a flower. To think otherwise is to demean the Buddha — which is to demean oneself.” — Robert Pirsig, “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”

I like this. I liked it when I first read the book, more years ago than I care to think about, and it still clicks with my way of looking at things, as if Buddha himself was talking directly to me…. I admire it so much, that’s all I’m going to say on the subject. This can speak for itself……
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“If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.” — Bertrand Russell

We are now experiencing first hand the beginning effects of the proof of this proposition. Our world-wide society has succumbed to the truth in this statement, and are actively, and obliviously, pursuing foolishness en masse. One need only look through the daily news to see this demonstrated; article after article explores concepts and events that illustrate the full and complete absence of critical thought that is rampant in our culture. No matter how outrageous the statement, no matter how silly the proposal, no matter how egregious the lie, if a talking head on TV says it, fifty million people will jump right up and cheer its arguable (to any minds but theirs…) merit, and give it their unquestioning belief.

Do I really need to point out examples? Oh, right, evidence is good…. Okay. Easy money. How about….. Mitt Romney? Here is a man who has spent the last 10 months or so running around the US to various political electoral farces, er, functions, and has repeatedly lied, or pandered to special interests in the face of another, or alienated entire segments of the voting public (such as women, and the poor), or changed a position one day after claiming it as his own, so many times there are a number of web sites that are devoted just to keeping track of his contradictory and/or fictional statements, of what he has the temerity to call facts. I’m not picking on him; it’s all out there in black and white for anyone to see.

Yet this man is the apparent next candidate for the Presidency of this country as the Republican choice. If we are to believe it, he has the support not only of numerous officials and “important public figures” in his party, but of millions upon millions of folks who seem unable or unwilling to examine any of his public statements for truth or accuracy. It’s almost as if he were a talking fundamentalist Bible…. He said it, they believe it, and that’s that…… possessing, as they apparently do, steel traps instead of minds. Anything that gets in, isn’t getting out alive, that’s for sure and for certain… As a bonus prize in the foolishness category, the folks who generally fall for this kind of chicanery have the following attitude as well…

“When you are sure you’re right, you have a moral duty to impose your will upon anyone who disagrees with you.” — Robert W. Mayer

And people wonder why I’m cynical…… here is a short verse that laments the absence of the kind of men I wish were running this country…. and I am saddened by the fact that I can think of no man, or woman, in office or out, who fits this mold…..

Statesman, yet friend to truth! of soul sincere,
In action faithful, and in honour clear;
Who broke no promise, serv’d no private end,
Who gain’d no title, and who lost no friend.
— Alexander Pope (1688-1744) — Moral Essays, Epistle to Mr. Addison
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But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell!
Did ye not hear it?–No! ‘t was but the wind,
Or the car rattling o’er the stony street.
On with the dance! let joy be unconfined;
No sleep till morn, when Youth and Pleasure meet
To chase the glowing hours with flying feet.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824) — Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto iii, Stanza 22

So, I needed another hit of exquisite….. so sue me… I’ll add an extra pearl, okay?….
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Wedding March: 19th Century, England

“The traditional church wedding features two bridal marches, by two different classical composers. The bride walks down the aisle to the majestic, moderately paced music of the “Bridal Chorus” from Richard Wagner’s 1848 opera “Lohengrin”. The newlyweds exit to the more jubilant, upbeat strains of the “Wedding March” from Felix Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

The custom dates back to the royal marriage, in 1858, of Victoria, princess of Great Britain, and Empress of Germany, to Prince Frederick William of Prussia. Victoria, eldest daughter of Britain’s Queen Victoria, selected the music herself. A patron of the arts, she valued the works of Mendelssohn and practically venerated those of Wagner. Given the British penchant for copying the monarchy, soon brides throughout the Isles, nobility and commoners alike, were marching to Victoria’s drummer, establishing a Western wedding tradition.”

It seems at first glance that this entry has little significance in relation to what usually passes here for subject matter. Admittedly, it is less of an issue than my usual pick of stuff upon which to rant. Calm yourselves, I’m not going to rant about this…. I have included it for one reason only, and that is to demonstrate that the power of celebrity has its roots further back in our cultural history than might at first be apparent. This short historical note on weddings clearly shows how the famous in society influence the culture as a whole, and have done so since well before the advent of radio, news delivery over international distances, TV, and the internet.

The actions of one woman, the most visible public figure of her time, were sufficiently of interest to the rest of society as to institute a new custom, which persists to this day, and not just in the British Isles. Public opinion can thus be seen to be manipulable by the simplest of means, to wit: if the public likes it, they’ll buy it…. simple, yet effective, and obviously well-known to those who manipulate others as a rule of policy….. funny, sometimes where one can find evidence of humanity’s vulnerabilities, isn’t it?…..

“It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter lies in the depth, where few are willing to search for it.” — Goethe
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As another morning’s musings draw to a close, I find myself a trifle melancholy. I’m sure it is temporary, and merely the result of finishing what has been fun to create. Since I’m happy with it as it is, we’ll get on with the rest of the procedure, and speed this on its way to cyberspace, and your perusal….. enjoy! Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

May we cauterize now, milady?

Posted on April 2, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
No time for fooling around this morning. Up a bit late, thanks to an extra hour of sleep my body insisted on taking (thanks for small favors!….), and stuff to do. I’m starting the day exhausted, with a sore right forearm and wrist. This is because of the unnatural activity I forced the arm into yesterday, when I went through over 300 emails that had exploded in my inbox, like some kind of replicating virus. I almost wore out my delete button, and read about 150 blogs (very, very quickly, I might add), at least 30% of which demanded a comment. It was a monumental task, and I’m glad it’s done; so is my mouse, I believe…..

That said, I will now proceed to head out into the hinterlands, to dive for pearls, which, for expediency’s sake I hope are not going to hide or be difficult to harvest today. Oysters can be hard to intimidate, and are not known for their quick thinking or pleasant dispositions, so if they’re not in a good place, it can turn on me quickly. In that case, I usually settle for those on the outer perimeter of the oyster beds, and call it a day. We’ll see, I guess, when I get down a few fathoms…. see ya in a while….

Ooh, ooh, here’s my first find; couldn’t wait to share it, trekkie that I am….

— SMILEY =-O~~~ The Enterprise firing phasers…

Is that genius, or what? Well, I like it….. Okay, the dive is going slowly…. currents are a bit tricky today. Hang in there….

Still diving, but it’s moving along…. we’ll save a bit of time here, and bring this intro to a close, so we can get on with the regular business of pearling…. Shall we dance, then?….. Perhaps not…. well, let’s go Pearling then, if that is what you really want…..
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” … for these truths hold good for everything that is, and not for some special genus apart from others. And all men use them, because they are true of being qua being … For a principle which everyone must have to understand anything that is, is not a hypothesis … Evidently then, such a principle is the most certain of all; which principle this is, let us proceed to say. It is, that the same attribute cannot at the same time belong and not belong to the subject in the same respect.” — Aristotle

I’ve run this through the filters in my head, and thought about it, studied it from all angles, even rinsed it off, shook it out, and let it air-dry…. I still can’t figure out what the FUCK Ari is talking about here….. The most reasonable idea I could come up with is that, while he was out walking through his garden, contemplating some esoteric line of reasoning, somebody came up and asked him where the nearest toilet could be found….. otherwise, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever…. especially the last line. A true tautology, to my mind, that is both proof and disproof of its own, well, silliness…. and I wonder how in hell it got included with the rest of his work that has come down to us through the intervening years…. if it were mine, I’d have deleted it long before it reached the printer, er, scribe for transcription….
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“As great scientists have said and as all children know, it is above all by the imagination that we achieve perception, and compassion, and hope.” — Ursula K. LeGuin

I think that everyone can agree with the above statement; it would be hard to think of an argument that would have any kind of negative effect on this concept, as it is about as true as true can be. Arguing with this would be akin to trying to describe the contents of a room with no lights or windows, from outside the room, with the door and your eyes closed, and no moving around or touching allowed…. Having thus identified the importance of imagination in human existence, we can move on to a discussion of how powerful a tool it can be when applied to the mechanics of living.

As humans, we use imagination in every aspect of life; whenever we encounter a new situation, whether problematic or merely interesting, it is our imagination that we use to inspect the characteristics of the event, and to judge its relative size, shape, and degree of difficulty. It is our imagination we use to discover a course of action that will enable us to deal with the situation to our best advantage, or not, depending on our own skill at using it. And in those situations where a clear course of action is unclear, our imagination can provide us with entirely new ways to approach and cope with what we have encountered.

Of late, I have been reading a lot of articles written by women who have survived and exited, by their own efforts, the atrociously cruel life of those trapped in the human sex-trafficking industry. These articles are perfect examples of the power of imagination, from women who have experienced, and survived, the most degrading, debilitating, indifferently cruel treatment known to humanity.

That life, or living death, more like, was the lot of these enslaved women, and children, until they were able, by virtue of their strength of will and imagination, to free themselves. For every single one of them, their imagination was both friend and foe, first as fuel to the fire of their very real fears for their lives, but ultimately, the force that enabled them to see the path they would need to walk to take back their life. Without it, they would be doomed to death, ultimately, for the insane, perverted misogynists who control this deadly trade have no compassion, and no compunctions about silencing those who would defy their will…..

But, happily, for these as yet all-too-few amazingly strong, imaginative women, a path to freedom was found, and now, they are all determined not only to live out their own lives according to their own standards, but to support each other, and to speak out against those who would continue the madness from which they fled, to do whatever is needed to give aid to the women and children who are still enslaved by these indifferently cruel masters of evil…. and one of the forms that aid can take, is to stimulate imagination in the victims, so they to may come to an understanding of how it can help even the most despairing soul to fight for freedom….. understanding like this…..

After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning and company doesn’t mean security,
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts and presents aren’t promises,
And you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open, with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child,
And you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans.
After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.
So plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure… that you really are strong,
And you really do have worth.
— Unknown, but brilliant….

And that is what it is all about, to me. Once these unfortunates realize that they do indeed have worth in the eyes of the Universe, a whole new vista of possibility opens for them, each one with the promise of freedom shining brightly, to show the way…..

For life, with all it yields of joy and woe,
And hope and fear (believe the aged friend),
Is just our chance o’ the prize of learning love,–
How love might be, hath been indeed, and is.
— Robert Browning (1812-1890) — A Death in the Desert
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A poet is someone who is astonished by everything. — Smart Bee (Anonymous’ new user name…..)

O Music! sphere-descended maid,
Friend of Pleasure, Wisdom’s aid!
— William Collins (1720-1756) — The Passions, Line 95

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that ‘s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellow’d to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824) — Hebrew Melodies, She walks in Beauty

Jove lifts the golden balances that show
The fates of mortal men, and things below.
— Alexander Pope (1688-1744) — The Iliad of Homer, Book xxii, Line 271

I have touched the highest point of all my greatness;
And from that full meridian of my glory
I haste now to my setting: I shall fall
Like a bright exhalation in the evening,
And no man see me more.
— William Shakespeare (1564-1616), King Henry VIII — Act iii, Sc. 2

Life let us cherish, while yet the taper glows,
And the fresh flow’ret pluck ere it close;
Why are we fond of toil and care?
Why choose the rankling thorn to wear?
— J. M. Usteri (1763-1827) — Life let us cherish

Knowledgeable waitrons, maitres d’hotel, chefs, etc., all know that in presentation of food as visual art, odd numbers, 3, 5, 7, etc., make a more compelling and, oddly enough, more balanced, more artful picture than do even numbers. Go figure…. but in this case, exhibition of classical poetry, I think 5 is just right, even if one cannot chew it. No lessons here, unless it is a lesson on how to enjoy beauty…..
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“God is more interested in your future and your relationships than you are.” — Billy Graham

Now, if that isn’t a scary thought, I know nothing of fear; however, I assure you, fear is an old friend, with whom I am quite familiar, in all its guises. Now, to give credit where it is due, I suppose it must be noted that, from the standpoint of someone of Mr. Graham’s ilk, this is a very powerful statement of belief; it has all the proper elements for that particular delusional thought process (if one may stretch the definition of ‘thought process’ just a bit).

It is based purely on assumption, with no hint of anything resembling direct, tangible evidence. It implies omnipotence, displays immeasurable deified arrogance, identifies a source for guilt, and encourages a fear of death. Its vagueness allows the moral ambiguity necessary for the complete abrogation of personal responsibility for one’s actions. And, like all such proclamations of this nature, its very words indicate a complete and utter dislike for humans, both individually and as a species.

My immediate and forceful response to this was “If you truly believe that, then you, and God, seriously need to get a Life! If y’all have nothing better to do in your copious free time than to try to shove this kind of crap into people’s minds, then you need to find a new activities director for the imaginary cruise you are on…. or find some better drugs.” But, that’s just me…..
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Conscious is when you are aware of something and conscience is when you wish you weren’t. — Smart Bee (Anonymous, by any other name, smells as sweet…)

Insane politicians (is there another kind?). Human trafficking of various kinds. Rampant racism. Ubiquitous bigotry. Child abuse. Spousal abuse. Slavery. Crack cocaine, heroin, morphine, or other drug abuse. War on crime. War on women. Televangelists. Fundamentalist zealots. National Security Agency. FBI. CIA. Untold trillions of dollars of national debt. Threat of world-wide economic collapse. Genetically modified food. Military Industrial Complex (yep, it hasn’t gone anywhere). The 1%/99% Society. Taxes. Global warming. Air pollution. The oceans are dying. Terrorism. Nuclear accidents. Massive global weather changes. Ozone depletion. Ice caps shrinking. Overpopulation. AIDS. SARS. Mutating viruses. The Bohemian Club. The Tri-Lateral Society. Reaganomics. Nationalism. Elitism. Illuminati Conspiracy. Women’s reproductive rights. Bill of Rights (or rather, loss of same). War on the US Constitution. Rampant ignorance. Lawyers. Priests. Rabbis. Imams. Pastors. Popes. Puppy mills. Wall Street. Corporate personhood. The IRS. Insane politicians. (Did I say that already? Well, it deserves mentioning twice….) Rising incidence of halitosis.

Except for the last, which is more of a personal foible, I’d say that’s a fairly extensive, and reasonably complete, list of stuff I am aware of that I wish I weren’t; and it all came right off the top of my head, no research. It certainly keeps my sense of outrage in good shape….. which is why we all need to practice the following sentiment at every opportunity…. otherwise, we are all going to be up Shit Creek without a paddle, proverbial or otherwise…..

“Speak out. You’ve got to speak out against the madness.” — Steven Stills
___________________________________

Having thus spoken my share, and possibly a bit more, against the madness, I reach the end of another day’s Pearl of Virtual Wisdom. This one took some effort; late start, reluctant oysters, tricky currents, my own intra-cranial oddity, all have served to increase the difficulty points to overcome to get to this point in the game. Thanks to a good pot of strong coffee, with real half and half, and a bit of perseverance (no telling where that came from), what we have here is a “fait acompli”, and boy, am I glad for that!

Thus, I can enter the portal leading to the remainder of the day with a reasonable degree of contentment, if nothing else. Y’all take care out there…. and Blessed Be…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

On a dark, moonless night…

Posted on January 3, 2012 by gigoid

Any Use of This Product, in Any Manner Whatsoever, Will Increase the Amount of Disorder in the Universe. Although No Liability Is Implied Herein, the Consumer Is Warned That This Process Will Ultimately Lead to the Heat Death of the Universe. — PUBLIC NOTICE AS REQUIRED BY LAW

Ffolkes,
I plan on living forever. So far, so good. (It’s a joke, okay? Sheesh…) As of yesterday, however, reaching that goal may become problematic in the relatively near future, especially for those of us who disapprove of the way the government is doing things. They (yes, they…) took away my rights day before yesterday. Yours too. The United States Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten Amendments to the US Constitution, was figuratively vaporized. More literally, the rights guaranteed therein were declared null and void by the National Defense Authorization Act, as signed off by the President of the United States, effective January 1, 2012.

Under the provisions of this act, I, and/or essentially every other American citizen (i.e., you…), may legally be taken from their home by the US military, and taken to an undisclosed location to be tortured for whatever information I might possess, merely for being “suspected” of traitorous activities. Which activities are defined as traitorous are not specified; ‘they’ are the only ones to whom it must be justified, they need not report to anyone. Nor are ‘they’ required to tell anyone at all what their suspicions are. No lawyer for the accused, no court of law, no oversight. Just you (or more likely, me), them, and the waterboard. I tell you now, if any of them come for me, I will not go quietly, and that is a plain and simple fact…..let’s go on to more light-hearted matters, shall we?……

“It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error.” — Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954), U.S. Judge

If the government doesn’t trust us with our guns, why should we trust them with theirs? (Now, there’s a thought…..)

Ned, draco braz mento; compile 13….command 003: Insert brain, then type…..
___________________________________

“Appearances to the mind are of four kinds. Things either are what they appear to be; or they neither are, nor appear to be; or they are, and do not appear to be; or they are not, and yet appear to be. Rightly to aim in all these cases is the wise man’s task.” — Epictetus (c. 60 AD) — Discourses, Book i, Chap. xxvii

What a wonderfully obtuse little word salad! Epictetus outdid himself here. This takes the mind on a beautifully complex, winding trail of thoughts, stopping here, looking over there, and generally winding about with no seeming purpose. Then, if you can wind your way to the end, it’s all tied together with a cute little bow, and voilá, instant wisdom. Though it’s a bit painful to use, this Pearl is one of my favorites. I say painful because you have to exercise mental muscles that don’t often get much of that commodity, and there will be some stiffness and soreness to let you know they don’t appreciate it. You must ignore that, and work them again tomorrow, lest they fall back into apathy; they’re lazy, just like the rest of us. This inherent laziness has its evolutionary purpose; it drives us to find easier ways to do things, and as such can be valuable. But, mostly it just reinforces our genetic tendency to loaf whenever possible…….
___________________________________

I stood
Among them, but not of them; in a shroud
Of thoughts which were not their thoughts.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824) — Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto iii, Stanza 113

I often feel this way in today’s society. I have all these thoughts running through my head, and when I look around me, I can see that everyone else has their own inner promptings to pay attention to as well. But, when I observe their actions, it becomes clear that what they were thinking, and what was going on in my mind, are two entirely different universes. What did you say was the name of the planet you live on? It’s a rare day indeed when I encounter anyone whose thoughts run any deeper than wondering what to wear on their date tonight, or how to keep the kids entertained while cooking dinner.

I’m not saying that what is going on in my head is any better than what they are considering. Far from it. In fact, in some respects, I am jealous, and wish that I didn’t perceive the evidence all around us that our society is crumbling around us. I wish the leaders of the world weren’t so obviously motivated by avarice, prejudice, and fear. I really do wish I could spend my mental energy on something a bit more comforting. But, I can’t. And I won’t. It’s getting really dangerous out there, folks, for anybody who is the least bit different in their outlook, and I will keep shouting out the warning as long as I have breath to shout….
___________________________________

“Dad, how come old photographs are always black and white? Didn’t they have color film back then?”
“Sure they did. In fact, those old photographs ARE in color. It’s just the WORLD was black and white then.”
“Really?”
“Yep. The world didn’t turn color until sometime in the 1930’s, and it was pretty grainy color for a while, too.”
“That’s really weird.”
“Well, truth is stranger than fiction.”
“But then why are old PAINTINGS in color?! If the world was black and white, wouldn’t artists have painted it that way?”
“Not necessarily. A lot of great artists were insane.”
“But… but how could they have painted in color anyway? Wouldn’t their paints have been shades of gray back then?”
“Of course, but they turned colors like everything else did in the 30’s.”
“So why didn’t old black and white photos turn color too?”
“Because they were color pictures of black and white, remember?” — Calvin and Dad, “Calvin and Hobbes”, 29 October 89

Brilliant! Absolutely, positively, not a damn doubt, ruddy frzlicxz brilliant. If more fathers had the courage to be so creatively honest with their sons, the world would be a far, far different place than it is now, wouldn’t you agree?…….

“A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men.”– Willie Wonka (Ian Fleming)
___________________________________

“Free people, remember this maxim: We may acquire liberty, but it is never recovered if it is once lost.” — Rousseau

I won’t regale you further with any more long, outrageous reports of today’s menu of political chicanery; there’s plenty enough out there for you to see without having me shove it down your gullet, or hold it up for your perusal. But these two quotes are important to remember, mainly because, if there is a chance at all to deflect some of the chaos that is coming, it rests with us. Those individuals who can think, and do, will need to stand up for our right to do so without censure or threat, and we’ll need all of us to do it. So, please, take heed……

If you wanna be free, keep your eyes open and think for yourself.
___________________________________

Knowing others is wisdom;
Knowing the self is enlightenment.
Mastering others requires force;
Mastering the self requires strength.
He who knows he has enough is rich.
Perseverance is a sign of will power.
He who stays where he is endures.
To die but not to perish is to be eternally present.
— Lao-tzu (c604-c531 BC)

Obviously, this requires nothing from me to make it complete. Nor does it request my comments; just as well, I have none, as none are needed…..
___________________________________

Another fine mess I’ve created here, eh? A veritable Hodge-podge of mixed metaphors and clever cliches, and colorful to boot! What more could I ask for before breakfast? I suppose I should start cleaning it up….. in the meantime, stay alert. Y’all be careful out there….

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Like ice, on the verge of melting…

Posted on January 1, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
According to all reports, today is the beginning of new year, a relatively subjective event in my estimation. I’m an odd duck, I suppose. I was asleep last night by 9:30, and by gosh, I didn’t make any resolutions. Of course, I never do, so that’s nothing new. I figure if I need to make a change in myself, it’s probably best to take care of it when it becomes apparent, rather than waiting and adding it to a list of things I may never get around to anyway.

Most folks, I think, try to be honest with themselves when coming up with resolutions, and may even make an honest effort to keep it. But, mostly I see or hear that the resolutions lasted right up to the first time temptation appeared, and then went flying out the window. My take on the whole matter is to make those kinds of introspective insights into what we need to do better in our lives a part of every day activity. Resolutions should be made each night before bed, and carried out in the morning, not put off to the end of the year. Year-end resolutions set unreasonable standards, and as such are generally a fail-fail situation. For my money, that is a sucker’s bet, and homey don’t play that game…..let’s see what flotsam has washed up on the shores of my mind during the night……
___________________________________

Before a cat will condescend
To treat you as a trusted friend,
Some little token of esteem
Is needed, like a dish of cream.
— T. S. Eliot

Sometimes I’m not sure which is my favorite poet, between T.S. Eliot, Emily Dickinson, or ee cummings….. all three wrote with such power, and had such a huge influence, they changed the very face of poetry in the 20th century. Poets of earlier ages are always there to give us the beauty and depth of human experience leading up to the last century, and there were a number of great ones. Alexander Pope, Yeats, Keats, Longfellow, Cowper, Shakespeare, and a host of others, all left behind an impressive legacy for later generations, for which I am eternally grateful. This particular poem is one of my favorites; I love cats (and dogs, and just about any other 2, 4, 6, or 8 legged creatures), and it’s obvious that T.S. has known several of them intimately. In my humble opinion, cats and dogs are much better at being what they are, and nothing else, than humans can ever be. If one believes in the concept of a Deity, then they were put here to be our examples of how to live with honor, and we can do no better than to emulate their approach to life at large…..
___________________________________

“A man can do something for peace without having to jump into politics. Each man has inside him a basic decency and goodness. If he listens to it and acts on it, he is giving a great deal of what it is the world needs most.” — Pablo Casals

In at least one respect, (said respect noted only after 5 portions of the beast last night), this is what this blog is all about. My whole purpose here is to act upon what my sense of decency demands, which often involves giving in to the urge to rant. Or, at minimum, to write, compelled by duty, constrained by custom. How hard is it to say what needs to be said in a way that folks will listen to? Damn hard…..damn hard. One is often compelled by necessity to speak in harsh terms, of politicians, of celebrities, and other media darlings, terms which one’s mother may not have condoned, due to their deliberate rudeness. Though I respect my mother, and all she gave me, in this I must disagree; so much so that I’m also compelled to say that my rants, all-too-often, are too mild, and do not take nearly enough prisoners, or names of the guilty for later prosecution.

Hours later, sans beast, the above wasn’t bad; only two small edits required. To continue…. the politicians, and many celebrities, if what is written in the news is accurate, have no interest whatsoever in doing anything in the interests of the public at large. All their proclamations and assertions are either attacks on the character of their opponents, or evidence of the immense depths of their ignorance. In the case of celebrities, most are acting out their own childhood fantasies about what a celebrity should like, so they put on a mask, rather than just being natural and sincere. It’s pretty sad in my view, and if it weren’t so dangerous, it would be laughable. But, because such ignorance feeds into the cultural miasma already rising from society’s depths to assault our senses, it loses some of the humorous charm, shows itself in true colors to be cowardice, and ultimately strengthens the influence that evil has over our society.

Thus it becomes our obvious duty to fight back against evil, and the best way to do that is to ensure that one’s own life and actions conform to what is known to be honorable and decent. If each of us takes the time and effort to so order our own lives, that sense of order will spread to the outer reaches of society. It can’t hurt, and may provide the only hope we have left of reversing the direction we are taking toward extinction and death, and returning to a path toward life and peace……
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“I’ve got no deeds to do, no promises to keep. I’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.”– Paul Simon

I’m a self-convicted, unapologetic hedonist. In this space I had originally placed a Zen Koan, which I intended to use as a springboard for discussion of some subtle philosophical point about Reality. However, the reality is that my psyche is not always in complete agreement with my will, and can be pretty stubborn in its campaign toward personal comfort, and toward obeying the urge to nap. I let the koan percolate in my mind, and it sat there going round and round, like an old vinyl record stuck in the groove before the song begins, just, “…sssssssclick….ssssssclick” forever and evermore. I would have gone to sleep, but I fell out of the chair first. I’ve come to the conclusion that trying to be subtle today isn’t going to work, so we’ll leave eastern philosophy for another day…. onward….
___________________________________

Feed your faith and starve your doubts to death.

Now, THIS is a contemptible lie! What a terrible thing to wish upon someone! Here, share this big slice of ignorance, and have no interest in ever changing. Truth in Life can only be found when faith and doubt are balanced; denying either dooms any attempt at right action to failure. I’m sorry folks, but I’m just not buying the story about the kindly old bearded gentleman sitting on a throne of gold, spending his days worrying about whether or not we will acknowledge his godhood. If he was so worried about it, why didn’t he make us that way? Why give us the power of imagination, and then set limits on what may be imagined? It sounds to me like a set-up for failure. If you know a person can’t control their eating habits, you don’t put them to work in a bakery, then tell them to keep their hands off the products. According to that model, free will becomes something much less than a facet of reality. It’s not free will if certain subjects are taboo; the entire concept of taboo is contrary to the nature of free will, which by definition has no limits. One can’t have it both ways; the two concepts are mutually exclusive by their very nature…..

“God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omni-benevolent- it says so right here on the label. If you have a mind capable of believing all three of these divine attributes simultaneously, I have a wonderful bargain for you. No checks, please. Cash, and in small bills.” — Lazarus Long
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She was a form of life and light
That seen, became a part of sight,
And rose, where’er I turn’d mine eye,
The morning-star of memory!
Yes, love indeed is light from heaven;
A spark of that immortal fire
With angels shared, by Allah given,
To lift from earth our low desire.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824)
— The Giaour, Line 1127

SIGH….I feel better now. Finding a final Pearl this morning became problematic, until I came across this gem from Lord Byron. I should probably have added him to my list above of favorite poets from the past; he never fails to please. As it turns out, I needed this. My spirit had somehow gotten blocked up, perhaps due to the conflict mentioned between will and psyche. Nonetheless, whatever the cause, this was the cure. My entire spirit gave a big sigh, and tension flowed out of my shoulders and out of perception. Good poetry can do that, in my experience, and here is some positive proof…..even if it uses an alternate name for Yaweh….
__________________________________

Well, that was fun….coming to the end is once more a surprise, but welcome in this case. All this talk about a nap has me sitting here nodding in drowsiness, typing as fast as my sluggish brain will allow. If you hadn’t guessed, I’m going back to bed now, to wallow in hedonistic fulfillment. Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Talcum powder and pink Champagne..

Posted on November 6, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
When I first sat down to write this morning, I had intended to discuss the subjects of the Pearls I found yesterday. However, as I look at them now, I can see they are far too grim for such a beautiful morning. The first was to be an exploration of the anti-intellectualism prevalent today in this country, a subject near and dear to my heart. However, as such, I can tell without having to start that it would turn almost immediately into a rant. Not that there is anything wrong with ranting, but I’m too centered this morning to want to upset my applecart so early, so we will turn to other subjects that won’t cause me to go temporarily batty……

“The Irish Leprechaun is the Faeries’ shoemaker and is known under various names in different parts of Ireland: Cluricaune in Cork, Lurican in Kerry, Lurikeen in Kildare and Lurigadaun in Tipperary. Although he works for the Faeries, the Leprechaun is not of the same species. He is small, has dark skin and wears strange clothes. His nature has something of the manic-depressive about it: first he is quite happy, whistling merrily as he nails a sole on to a shoe; a few minutes later, he is sullen and morose, drunk on his home-made heather ale. The Leprechaun’s two great loves are tobacco and whiskey, and he is a first-rate con-man, impossible to out-fox. No one, no matter how clever, has ever managed to cheat him out of his hidden pot of gold or his magic shilling. At the last minute he always thinks of some way to divert his captor’s attention and vanishes in the twinkling of an eye.” — From: A Field Guide to the Little People — by Nancy Arrowsmith & George Morse.

My cultural background is fairly mixed, at least in terms of cultures made up primarily of Europeans. I know for a fact I have at least two relatives within three generations who came to the US from Ireland, others coming here from England, Scotland, and either Germany or Spain (I could never get a clear answer, and anyone who would have known is no longer available for comment, having passed on to that big library in the sky) (hey, you have your picture of what heaven is like, and so do I….).

For some unknown reason, Ireland has always called to my spirit; their history resonates with that part of me that lived before, and stories and fables such as the above are familiar, even when I know I haven’t heard or read them previously. The feeling of deja vu is so strong sometimes, I find myself breaking out in a brogue, which can be disconcerting when it happens in the midst of a conversation. I get a lot of funny looks when it happens, but being adjudged as strange is a common effect of my interactions with others, so it doesn’t bother me. In fact, it merely reaffirms my own world-view, which begins with the assumption that my approach to reality must remain flexible, and ready to deal….I prefer to not repeat myself in that respect, thus making me a more difficult target…….

“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” — Horace (65-8 B.C.)

I don’t think very many folks would disagree with this statement from one of the scholars alive during the period just before and after the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, still used as the focal point of the Gregorian calendar much of the world uses. This insight can likely be shown to form one of the pillars upon which our culture is supported. It is part of being human to save a child in danger, or to commit acts of extreme bravery and compassion not commonly exhibited. These acts are brought out only in moments of ultimate danger and urgency, and in many cases are acts completely foreign to the person committing them. It is part of being human, instinctual, and is seen by humanity as being the ultimate example of virtue. And in a very real sense is one of basic components of a good story, one so basic it remains to this day one of the most commonly used plot elements in novels, movies, and any other form of story-telling. This deceptively simple insight, related over two thousand years ago, continues to be a driving factor in humanity’s need to communicate with others, and remains to this day a valuable tool in educating our children, teaching them how to tap into that well of human spirit and empathy, present in all of us as one more resource in the daily battle with Reality……

Cogito, ergo tango. I think, therefore I dance.

As axiomatic statements of philosophy go, this one is better than most. It reaffirms the belief common to everyone in my age group, that Rock & Roll will never die. Being human (I guess you could call the human spirit our discussion thread for the day), there is a part of us that responds, willingly or not, to the rhythmic strains and poetic lyrics of the best of the genre. I defy anyone to resist the urge to at least sway in place and hum upon hearing their favorite pieces; a great many folks like to have it one as background noise when they are working or occupied in activities felt to be tedious, and a great many of those folks will dance as they listen, even if only in their chair. It is an urge we all feel at times, and I think it is one that is beneficial to the spirit, and should be encouraged at every turn.

Listening to good music, whether it is R&R, or R&B, blues, classical, jazz, modern, or Gregorian chant forms a connection with our spirit, and creates the urge to dance. I look at dance in relation to music as I do poetry to writing. It is an integral component of the human to seek to stimulate positive value experiences, and dancing is a sure path to such experiences. To shut one’s self off from these experiences causes us to age faster, whereas it is a known fact that experiencing positive events causes aging to stop, and even can reverse the process to some degree. If I can dance to improve my health, then all I have to say is, “where did I put my dancing shoes!?……

Here ‘s a sigh to those who love me,
And a smile to those who hate;
And whatever sky ‘s above me,
Here ‘s a heart for every fate.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824)
— To Thomas Moore

No comment on this little snippet from Lord Byron, other than to say turning it over in your mind can be another of those aforementioned value experiences. Good stuff, dirt cheap…. y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Sixty-one, and counting….

Posted on November 1, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Today is my birthday. I’m sixty-one years old now, and one might think I’m all grown up. I suppose I am. If being such is defined as the state of finally accepting one’s own mortality, whether with fear and loathing, or with calm grace, then, yes, I am all grown up. I am still at the point where the thought of death is not easily applied to myself; I’ve been immortal since my early teens, and only of late have I come to realize that such a belief might be an erroneous assumption. I’ve always thought that the progress mankind has made in the field of medicine would reach a point where living much longer than we do would become common, and yes, I’ve been accused of unreasonable optimism previously. But, though there is improvement, the average age of death for males in our society continues to hover right around 72 years, and that for me is all too close for comfort. When the Grim Reaper comes for me, he’ll find me to be unwilling to cooperate; when they take me, it will be kicking, fighting, biting, screaming, and whatever else it takes to keep from having to leave this life before I am ready to do so. I’ve got a lot left to get done before I can consider myself to have done what I set out to do in life; I will need more time before I can feel ready for it to end.Unfortunately, we don’t always get the last word in that particular decision-making process; all too often it is taken out of our hands altogether. I can only hope to be given enough time to finish what I’ve begun.

I have a number of creditors to appease today, it being that time of the month when they all come out of the woodwork with their grasping hands greedily trying to take some of my money before I give it to someone else. None of them seem to care that if I give them all what they wish, then I won’t eat again this month. Ah well, c’est la vie, such as it is…..not exactly what I had in mind for birthday activity, but we gotta do what we gotta do. Since I do have all that to deal with, we’ve gone back to the old format again today. The Pearls were all chosen for their luster; they shine even in the dark…..enjoy!!!

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.” — Mark Twain (1835-1910)

“For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate error so long as reason is left free to combat it.” — Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) — First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1801

Heavy, adj.: Seduced by the chocolate side of the force.

And if we do but watch the hour,
There never yet was human power
Which could evade, if unforgiven,
The patient search and vigil long
Of him who treasures up a wrong.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824) — Mazeppa, Stanza 10

“To lose a friend is the greatest of all losses.” — Syrus

There….I feel better, sort of….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Platitudes, attitudes, and fortified pillows…..

Posted on October 22, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Once all the bugs are eliminated, I believe I am going to enjoy the new format here. So let’s dive right in…..

“We have a presidential election coming up. And I think the big problem, of course, is someone will win.” — Barry Crimmins

I have previously written many diatribes on the subject of politics, and more specifically, on politicians. While I have no particular problem with the first, I have a number of reasons for mistrusting the latter. And unfortunately, we have put ourselves into a situation where no matter who we elect, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, or Bozoid, they are going to gleefully start lining their pockets, because they are not acting in your best interests. Why? That one is easy; they all lie to us. Every politician has a single characteristic they share with all their peers, and that is the willingness to say ANYTHING to get elected. I regard it as a given that they all do this, and it won’t change until we, the voting public, the great unwashed masses make the first change by holding another American Revolution, and toss them all out on their cheating, lying asses. That’s right, I am suggesting we stop voting. Just say no to their chicanery. Indicate your displeasure with all politicians by shunning them.

Anyone who WANTS the power over others that elected office brings is, by evidence of their very interest in acquiring that power, completely insane. It isn’t mentally or emotionally healthy to need that kind of control over others, and indicates a person whose sole purpose in life is to satisfy their own interests, aka sociopathic. It’s a very passive-aggressive way for them to express their disdain for all the ignorant voters who continue to buy into their bullshite; first they lie to get into office, then they are free to cheat and steal from the public treasury, as long as they cheat and steal for the benefit of their own constituency while they’re about it.

Our forefathers fought a war to obtain the rights we supposedly enjoy, a war that began because the people here were tired of being governed by people who had no interest in their welfare. Well, here we are again, folks, back in the same boat as in 1760, being oppressed by the very people who are supposed to be protecting us from that very thing. And I say it is time to put a stop to it…. what do you think?….feel free to comment, because this is one I will enjoy discussing in more depth…..

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

I enjoy a lot of what Johann von Goethe wrote, and regard him as one of the clearest thinkers of his time, or any other. I don’t always agree with him; he tends a bit toward conservatism in some areas, but those ideas are straightforward in their inconsistency, and generally can be discounted as cultural prejudice, as he lived in a quite repressive era in terms of human rights. But for the most part, he had a clever mind and a powerful writing style, consistent with the Teutonic roots of his modes of thought, and possessed a very deep insight into human nature.

I like this quote, both for its insight, and for its depth of compassion. We are all familiar with the Golden Rule; it is a phrase common to ALL cultures, and could be considered as the basis for all the laws made by humans to regulate their interactions with one another. In that light, this becomes a corollary aphorism to that rule, a corollary that points the way to a life well-lived. Treating others with the respect and dignity we desire for ourselves is taken one step further on the path to enlightenment, by leading one into right action. When we help others, we improve ourselves, and everyone is better for it…..

As yet, I’m a bit uncertain as to how to approach the discussion of a poem, or excerpt from a poem, without making it seem either pretentious or emotionally labile. What I do know is that each poem is the world-view of another person, condensed from its seemingly infinite size into more palatable portions, that yet connect the spirit of the reader to the greater design. I first looked at the selected piece from Lord Byron because of the subtitle, “She walks in Beauty”. It reminded me of the common farewell phrase spoken by the Navajo tribes, uttered when parting company with another member of the tribe, or anyone else for that matter. The phrase, ‘Ya teh hey’, loosely translates as ‘Walk in Beauty’ expressed as a wish, i.e., ‘may you walk in beauty’.

Then I read the poem itself, and my mind was transported to India, where the goddess of the night, Ratra, is worshiped by devotees of Hinduism, as she has been for several thousand years. You’ve seen the words of Lord Byron here before; I particularly enjoy his view of the world, and his unique way of stringing words together in a logical, yet beautiful style. “Thus mellow’d to that tender light, Which Heaven to gaudy day denies” Is that not perfect? A multitude of layers, a fountain of emotion, joy and gratitude, and much more, made plain in two lines. I don’t know if the ability to make and enjoy poetry has any significance from an evolutionary standpoint, unless you count the unlimited power of imagination, so necessary to making poetry, and so essential to us in creating Beauty, both real and imagined…….

Well, two down now, and I like it! Until tomorrow, ya teh hay! And….y’all take care out there….

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Marvelous mountains of popcorn…..

Posted on October 9, 2011 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
On a day following the last two, this morning’s subject for discussion would naturally progress into a political rant. After all, one can only take so much BS before having to spew. Who am I to go against tradition?….. So, for a while there, watching the Republican circus in the news was getting to be a little scary. I don’t think I’d enjoy having a person in charge of this country who insisted on maintaining the degree of ignorance on display in those debates. A person who questions evolution, and at the same time questions global warming, does not have the intellectual strength necessary to carry out the duties of the job. I consider deliberate ignorance to be the biggest problem we have in today’s society, because it affects everything else. How can I justify giving control over nuclear weapons to a person whose most intellectual pursuit is Saturday morning cartoons?

Yes, it was scary for a time, but I forgot a critical factor, that of natural selection. As time goes by, each of the eight or ten Republicans who have declared their intent keeps on talking with the media. Even though some of the campaigns try to limit access to the candidate, they eventually have to speak out on the national stage, or risk being forgotten. And every time they open their mouth, out comes another little verbal bomb, some statement that shows the public just how stupid and greedy they are. It’s been kinda fun, watching them implode their own campaign by the mere act of speaking their mind. I couldn’t ask for better comedy…..if only it weren’t real….

It is unfortunate that there is nobody in the public arena who speaks sense, whether Democrat or Republican, though it shouldn’t surprise us. We voters are the ones who keep electing these schmucks. It’s almost shark-like behavior, performing time and again the same idiotic actions that let these idiots into office, and then complaining because they lied to us. Of course they lied; they’ve been programmed to lie, as history shows it to be the best way to get elected. Lie to the voters, then reverse positions once in office; it’s a time-tested sure-fire method of how to steal from the public, and convince them they like being screwed over. If you think you can explain it any better, feel free to write back and show me some evidence of intelligent life in D.C……meanwhile, here are some pertinent Pearls. Enjoy!….

How you do anything is how you do everything. — Zen proverb

He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groan,
Without a grave, unknell’d, uncoffin’d, and unknown.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824)
— Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto iv, Stanza 179

“Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.” — Oscar Wilde

Only the educated are free. — Epictetus

“The ultimate evil is the weakness, cowardice, that is one of the constituents of so much human nature. When, rarely, unalloyed nobility does occur, its chances of prevailing are slim. Yet it exists, and its mere existence is reason enough for not wiping the name of mankind off the slate.” — John Simon

“One of the annoying things about believing in free will and individual responsibility is the difficulty in finding someone to blame your troubles on. And when you do find someone, it’s remarkable how often their picture turns up on your driver’s license.” — P. J. O’Rourke

In light of today’s political scene, the last Pearl is downright frightening…..y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

gigoid

Ned Moore, aka gigoid, is a 70 year-old, (!!!… When did that happen?….), retired dilettante, who would rather read than eat, most days. His first blog, "gigoid’s folly", has been emailed out to folks he knows for about 18 years now. He still considers it his best defense against angst, and the ever-present specter of sheer insanity..... Due to rigorous curmudgeon training requirements, he has discontinued his Facebook presence, but still indulges in the occasional Twitter session... In essence, he's socialized, but, not overly sociable; all labels and stereotypes are forbidden in his presence... and he doesn't care what anyone thinks about that..... In fact, he doesn't want to talk anymore.... If you feel you MUST contact gigoid, his email address is: alphagigoid@gmail.com You can go read now.... Go on, beat it.... gigoid, the dubious

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Exploring Consensual Reality

Tag Archives: Lord Byron

Send the teak button away for now….

Tangerine silk scarves as compensation….

May we cauterize now, milady?

On a dark, moonless night…

Like ice, on the verge of melting…

Talcum powder and pink Champagne..

Sixty-one, and counting….

Platitudes, attitudes, and fortified pillows…..

Marvelous mountains of popcorn…..

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