The power of paradox has been entered into the equation, ffolkes, and there’s not a damn thing we can do about it; our skills, as humans, do not yet extend to being able to alter the forces of nature, or reality, beyond the confines of our own minds…. Not only is this statement true, it’s true in and of itself, indicating by that its own sense of paradox, for, ultimately, how can the truth be paradoxical? Only by the most elegant of reasoning can we, as humans, ever come to understand this principle, a happenstance unlikely to occur very often, not in THIS species…. It is only by the grace of reality we have the opportunity to even try….

What the hell was that? Well…. by all appearances, it’s a statement of belief, but, it seems to be lacking something, something that would give it the relevance it now lacks…. But, then, these days, I think we’re all a little tired of being relevant; I know I could use a bit of irrelevance in MY life, that’s for sure…. Unfortunately, reality itself has a hard time with that; since it doesn’t care one way or the other about relevance, other than how things may be relevant to its own existence…. and, I think we, or I, am now entering an area of discussion from which we may never find our way back….

I know for a fact, right now, that I’m completely lost. Whatever it was I had in mind when I started this, two paragraphs back, this isn’t it. I hate when that happens; losing one’s train of thought is actually not a matter of losing it, so much as the train runs itself off the tracks, which makes for a tough row to hoe, both for the train, and for the place where the train ends up, while running off the rails… Plus, I have not a single clue as to what any of this means, or how I got here, or how I can save this intro….

I suppose I COULD resort to emergency method #4, which always works to get us past this section; in fact, I am going to do that, as I simply can’t think of anything else that might work at this point…. I’m totally clueless right now, so, after using #4, I’ll need to take a break, to reboot my head for a few minutes…. Otherwise, I can’t be held responsible for what may happen in any of the other parts of today’s Pearl…. I’m thinking you might want to stand back a foot or two, while I do this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“After many years of study, scientists have determined that dogs bark just for the hell of it.” — Smithsonian

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“Existing order thrives upon ignorance and lies. Objective truth and individual reason are feared above all.”– Smart Bee

For several years now, here, and in my conversations with other people, I’ve been talking about how little time we have left to fix the damage we’ve done to the Earth, with our complete disregard for the harm we are perpetrating…. we, of course, being the human race, the largest example on the planet, of a life-form commonly classified as “slime”….. Of course, all the other forms of slime are, in some way, beneficial in their relationship with the Earth; ours is the only species, out of MILLIONS of forms of life, which has deliberately chosen to foul our own nest, and, in the process, destroy the very tree in which we have chosen to build that nest….

I’ve ranted on this subject often, and don’t feel as if I’ve pulled any punches in stating the severity of the issue, or in stating the facts about how quickly it will all be upon us; it’s really too bad that nobody ever hears me, other than the few regular Gentle Readers who are kind, and fortunate, enough to come by often…. Those twenty or thirty ffolkes can be considered members of the choir, anyway, as almost all of them know of this issue, and agree with my assessment…..  From an efficiency standpoint, I’d say that’s a wash…

None of my rants, however, have hit the main points involved in the issue as well as the following two of three articles; the columns are by two authors whose work I have touted previously…. Both of these men are clear-sighted, erudite, and logical in their assessment of what is going on, and though they have two completely diametric styles of writing, and reasoning, they both end up at the same point in this discussion, driving their points home with excellent accuracy, poignancy, and elegance…. The third link included is one you saw yesterday; this report from NASA on the state of the Antarctic Ice Sheet is what stimulated both columns….

I’m being nice again today, which, given the mess I made in the intro section, is probably a wise decision; I’m NOT going to rant on this, but, instead, will just ask you to read these two columns, and the report that caused them to be written…. I’ll also ask you to THINK about it, and try to decide how we, that’s you, and me, and everyone else, are going to go about dealing with this….

There will be a lot of tough decisions to make in coming years, not the least of which will be whether or not to place the blame for all of this where it belongs, smack in the lap of the corporate snakeheads, the BRC, and the priestly hierarchies, who have usurped society for their own selfish ends, thus bringing us to this impasse; I for one think we should figure out a way to use them as some kind of alternative fuel, to replace the carbon based oil products we are now codependent with, thus helping solve the energy crisis…. But, that’s me; I don’t have much sympathy for them, and would just as soon see them melted by a Klingon disruptor….

Read the following, ffolkes, it will scare you, and piss you off, if you have ANY sense at all…. Just remember, I can point you to the people who put us here, whenever you’re ready to deal with them as they need to be dealt with…. I’ll help, I promise…. I’ll also note that promises, being sacrosanct to me, are something I don’t offer lightly….

http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/carroll/article/It-is-not-hard-to-follow-the-money-5475550.php

http://blog.sfgate.com/morford/2014/05/13/heart-attack-of-the-world/

http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/NASA-spots-worrisome-Antarctic-ice-sheet-melt-5471531.php?cmpid=hp-hc-nationworld

“Why not try peace? If we find war is better, it will not be difficult to fight again.” — Smart Bee

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I’m using a poem of my own today, mainly because I’m too lazy to go find one by someone else; these are right here in a folder, so they’re easy to find…. I like this one, (well, I suppose that’s not a surprise, since I wrote it…), and not just because it’s one of my latest…. I think it’s one of my better ones, but, then, I’m no judge, other than for what I like…. Hopefully, you’ll like it, too…. If not, well, just skip on down to the third section….

Y’all know what’s coming now, don’t you? I knew I couldn’t fool you; not in the state I’m in today…. I’m feeling lucky just to still be able to type, at this point; even that is getting problematic, as my thumb continues to throb and complain at each movement…. Ah well, such is life, and pain is no stranger…. I think, to avoid whining, or spewing, or any further blathering, we should go for a dive…. Shall we?….. No parameters, ffolkes, so wear something expendable, or that you at least don’t mind getting soiled…..

“Solon gave the following advice: “Consider your honour, as a gentleman, of more weight than an oath. Never tell a lie. Pay attention to matters of importance.”” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Solon, xii

“If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher.  I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.” — Confucius (B.C. 551-479)

“All cruelty springs from weakness.” — Seneca

“No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says; he is always convinced that it says what he means.” — George Bernard Shaw

“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.” — Lucius Anneaus Seneca

“There is something inside all of us that yearns not for reason but for mystery… not for penetrating clear thought but for the whisperings of the irrational… not for science but for wizardry disguised as science.. not for rationally founded influence but for magic.” — Karl Jaspers

You will note that there are only six pearls here…. about which it may be said, there is good reason aphorisms such as these are called “ancient wisdom”. Each of these certainly qualifies, though the one from G.B. Shaw may only be old, not quite ancient…. There are only six because I could NOT find the right one to finish it off…. However, I DO know exactly what will fit, and provide the proper finishing touch…. a certain picture I have in mind, to wit:
And there you have it….such as it is…..
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Today’s Pearl is one that you can chalk up to sheer stubbornness; if I wasn’t so damn stubborn, I’d have given up on this one long ago…. As it is, I’m done with it, so much so, I don’t even want to go back to edit and/or proof it…. Unfortunately for me, my intransigence extends into all areas of my existence…. So….

Well…. I suppose, given my state of mind (melted, mostly….), I’ll have to admit it’s not bad…. None of it seems toxic, anyway, so, I’m letting it go without any further fuss or bother…. Y’all will, like me, just have to take your chances…. If it helps, remember how much you paid to do this…. See ya, ffolkes….