Ffolkes,
~~- David W. Johnson ~~
The Icy Plains of Pluto
Image by NASA/New Horizons Spacecraft
Good morning…. Well, in truth, it’s not morning. It’s also not good, in a relative sense only, in that I’m at about 50/50 on the SE/OK scale…. SE is Side Effects (in caps to indicate strength; it’s miserable) vs. well, OK, which means just what it says. At this particular moment, mid-evening last night (provided this gets posted in the morning, of course), I’m trying to use this process to tire myself enough to ignore the dyskinesia enough to fall asleep. Hopefully the medication I got last night will work in a while, and I’ll be able to sleep…. Bliss!
Now I’ve gotten rid of those who get bored easily, I can tell you today’s Pearl is special to me. It speaks to three of my most passionate beliefs/opinions, with material presented mostly by others; my comments will briefly address my own thoughts on what they have to say… You’ll see, don’t worry. It isn’t complicated, structurally, but, some of it may be rather pointed and, well curmudgeonly, due to the intense nature of the subject(s) under discussion/examination…. For some, it will be new ideas; for some of our Gentle Readers, it will be preaching to the choir. S’okay, it’s all relevant….
It’s also about to be put off another day, as I feel, quite frankly, like crap, due to the ongoing physical battle in which I’m engaged. Oh well… Such is life. Whenever it is, today, or tomorrow, here it is….
Shall we Pearl?….
“A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he gets to know something.” — Wilson Mizner
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I would like to ask each and every one of my followers who read this post to share this video with their own group of blogging friends. This young man gives the most powerful, cogent, logical. and straight-forward summary of the issue of the abuse of women in our society I have ever heard, or seen, or read. This video NEEDS to go viral, so that everyone alive today has to think about what this young man says… As I remarked to the person who sent it to me, if it does go viral, it can be a game changer….
Watch it. Think about it. And, share it….
gigoid has spoken.
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Today’s ranting section will begin with an excellent video, one of many put out by the crew of this HBO show. It speaks about our society’s response to mental illness, exploring some of the statistics, and how society’s response, especially by the police, is completely at odds with the avowed message given by those in authority. It’s very good, and very complete.
As a retired mental healthcare professional, and an advocate of the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution, I can fully agree with John’s assessment of the issue; I have followed that assessment with my own thoughts on gun control, in a mini-rant…. Enjoy! And, think about it too… Can’t hurt….
Mental Illness
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This is a bit old, in a relative way, though it’s all still true. However, things have deteriorated from the point at which this was written, as made obvious in the video above…. Just extrapolate up to today for the full, chilling effect of the implications for all of us….
From 3/29/2012:
“By calling attention to ‘a well regulated militia’, the ‘security’ of the nation, and the right of each citizen ‘to keep and bear arms’, our founding fathers recognized the essentially civilian nature of our economy. Although it is extremely unlikely that the fears of governmental tyranny which gave rise to the Second Amendment will ever be a major danger to our nation, the Amendment still remains an important declaration of our basic civilian-military relationships, in which every citizen must be ready to participate in the defense of his country. For that reason, I believe the Second Amendment will always be important.” — April, 1960 (Then) Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963)
President Kennedy was a pretty smart guy; not exactly the most ethical bulb in the box, but he had his head screwed on his shoulders fairly solidly, and had the unusual political stance of actually wanting the American people to have a chance at what they deserve, and are promised by our form of government, i.e., a shot at “the pursuit of happiness”….. However, in this statement, he makes an unwarranted and dangerous assumption, to wit: “it is extremely unlikely that the fears of governmental tyranny which gave rise to the Second Amendment will ever be a major danger to our nation.” Jack was an optimist…. and as is often the case, the pessimists were closer to right on this one…..
Our rights are in imminent and clear danger of being abrogated, permanently. This is an indisputable fact. This kind of fact is provided with partial proof of its truth by the reaction of those responsible for this subtle attack on our legacy of freedom, who, when confronted with knowledge of their intent, immediately accuse the confronting entity of “spreading communist propaganda”, or “attacking the principles of freedom” or my favorite complete lie, “you’re threatening our national security.” It’s would be somewhat amusing, if it weren’t so dangerously disgusting…. I mean, do they really expect the American people to sit around and do NOTHING? I kind of hope they do believe that…. it will be then a bigger surprise to them, when the American people stand up, point their gun at the head of these idiots, and take their rights back….. call me treasonous if you will; I call it patriotism, of the first water…..
“Caesar had his Brutus; Charles the First, his Cromwell; and George the Third [“Treason!” cried the Speaker]–may profit by their example.
If this be treason, make the most of it.” — Patrick Henry (1736-1799) — Speech in the Virginia Convention, 1765
“You can lead a yak to water but you can’t teach an old dog to make a silk purse out of a pig in a poke.” — Opus
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Bold statements of calculated intent
Become common rule of the malcontent.
Avarice assumes such attractive wear
Beguiling deception, illusory and fair.
Grasping and pulling with ghostly hands
Legally proper in all the signatory lands.
Seeking and finding each vulnerable soul
Anguish as payment for exacting the toll.
Wraiths of commerce’s invisible dead guards
Still haunt the dreams left in sad empty yards.
While absentee nobles sit in stiffly elegant splendor
Served by sad-faced detainees in abject surrender.
Escape from reality is illusory at best
Often we falter and fail its daily test.
Only when focused on inner strength
Does peace stay with us for any length.
Peace lies within, always…..
~~ gigoid ~~
Written 1/26/2013.
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This is a good one…. You should pay attention, and think hard about these, and what they mean together…. Yep. You should do that….
“Failure to understand reality is not reality’s fault.” — Bill Henneman
“One does what one is; one becomes what one does.” — Robert Musil, c. 1930
“The keenest sorrow is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities.” — Sophocles
“We are more sensible of what is done against custom than against Nature.” — Plutarch — Of Eating of Flesh, Tract 1
“Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit.” — Elbert Hubbard
“It is a good thing to be rich and strong, but it is a better thing to be loved.” — Euripides
“Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom, in the pursuit of truth as in the endeavour after a worthy manner of life.” — Bertrand Russell, “An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish”
“In reality the soul is not mortal, but if the soul believes in mortality it is just like being mortal.” — Hazrat Inayat Khan (Sufi writer)
“You can’t change the music of your soul.” — Kathrine Hepburn
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This one was a tough row to hoe; must have to do with everything else going on. (DUH!!!….) But, it’s done, and, if I can do it, it’ll be posted. I won’t make any promises beyond that, other than to back, eventually…. See y’all, later, ffolkes, given a fair wind and a rising tide….
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
gigoid, the dubious
The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.
PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.
“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch
À bientôt, mon cherí….