Indolence: the immortal sin….

Ffolkes,

“There are no speed limits on the road to excellence.”

~~- David W. Johnson ~~

Pluto-icy plains

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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strolling-uk-ep-7-male-feminists

Image from tvspeaks.com via Google Images


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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strolling | ep 7 | male feminists

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Dont keep calm

    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….

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Last Week w/John Oliver
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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Comedy_Tragedy

Accentuated Lessons

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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pearls_3

    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….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Dozer


À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

After the tremors pass….

Ffolkes,

“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.”

~~ Aristotle ~~

super moon 2015 gizmodo oxford

Supermoon/Total Eclipse in Oxford, UK, September 2015

Image from gizmodo.com


Good morning…. I am struck with awe at the accuracy of the following pearl in describing my own current status here in Reality, to wit:

“So this is what it feels like to be potato salad”

~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~


It’s eerie sometimes, just how closely Zippy can come to the exact words for what I am experiencing; I don’t think I can count high enough to come to the number of times in this blog he’s provided the perfect ending, or the perfect beginning for pearls. This one, weird as it is, tells the story in the most elegant, accurate fashion I can think of, while still giving the flavor of how I feel about it. In this case, that would be a pretty negative set of emotions, none of which I enjoy….

Peeled, chopped, boiled, smothered, tossed, and consumed…. that’s how a potato gets mauled to produce that iconic salad so ubiquitous at an American BBQ (and, when one thinks about it logically, contributes seriously to many, many cases of adult onset Type II Diabetes, I’m sure….). The only word I can think of to describe the process would be “rude”. Tasty, but, rude….

Now we’ve covered the basics, I suppose an explanation for such an outburst is expected…. Too bad. Like all of us, y’all will just have to learn to live with disappointment. It is now 0146 AM, and I’ve been up for an hour, twitching, cursing, and struggling not to take it out on the cat, who thinks it’s grand craic to have me up at this hour; for her, it’s like having a 24/7 on-call toy. So, I ain’t explainin’ nothin’ to nobody, nohow. I’ll put this Pearl together, but, I make no promises, nor any claims to having any sort of control over the resulting mess. It’s just the way it is, and, we’ll all have to deal with it the best we can.

So be it. Luigi, fire that sucker up and take it away…. Y’all, hang on to something, or, if you prefer, someone (other than me, or Luigi… not good to grab the flight crew on takeoff….)…. See y’all on the other side….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Anyone who has had a bull by the tail knows five or six more things than someone who hasn’t.” — Mark Twain

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tracy and eric tumblr

Tracy & Eric

Image from Tumblr.com via Google Images


Today’s video is a cut of one of Tracy’s best, played with Eric, who killed the blues riffs. On the page where the link will take you, there is lots more of Tracy’s work, all of which is worth a listen… Enjoy!….

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Tracy Chapman & Eric Clapton
Give Me One Reason

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The late rebellion in Massachusetts has given more alarm than I think it should have done.
Calculate that one rebellion in 13 states in the course of 11 years,
 is but one for each state in a century and a half.
No country should be so long without one.

~~ Thomas Jefferson, in letter to James Madison, 20 December 1787 ~~

We the People...

Get up, stand up,
Stand up for your rights.
Get up, stand up,
Never give up the fight.

~~ Bob Marley ~~


Ffolkes…. I’ve been watching the events out in the BBR, and I am moved to use the words of Bob Dylan, as well, when he sang, “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”. I would rant about it, but, it’s a quarter past midnight, on a night of sheer hell, and, quite frankly, I’m not capable of such organized thinking just now. But, I can recognize pearls like billy-o, so, that’s what I’ll do…. All the following are commonly heard in this country these days; Tom, and George, and the rest of the founding fathers would be, as I am, appalled at what has happened…. This is no longer the land of the free, or the home of the brave… Instead, we have this….

“Cunning and deceit will every time serve a man better than force.” — Niccolo Machiavelli

“What luck for the rulers that men do not think.” — Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)

“Most people can’t think, most of the remainder won’t think, the small fraction who do think mostly can’t do it very well.” — Robert Heinlein, Time Enough for Love

“Glad to be of help/service. In lawyer talk, that will be $500.00.” — Savvy Bee

“I haven’t committed a crime.  What I did was fail to comply with the law.” — David Dinkins (Mayor, New York City) — Answering accusations that he failed to pay his taxes.

“Always take a lawyer with you, and bring another lawyer to watch him.” — Bo Diddeley’s Observation on the Law

“The United States also has its native Fascists who say that they are 100 percent American…” — U. S. Army (1945)

“We Americans, we’re a simple people… but piss us off, and we’ll bomb your cities.” — Robin Williams, _Good Morning Vietnam_

“At my order, and for the good of the state, the bearer has done what has been done.” — Cardinal Richelieu

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Comedy_Tragedy

I know I’m in the now, if only…..

Oh, there it is again, fiddle faddle;
  Begone, I said, vamoose, skedaddle!
It looked at me as if I were insane:
  Scoffed, it did, filled me with pain.

Where does it come from?
Where does it live?
I’d stick out my thumb,
if I had more to give.

If only, should, would, could it be?
  It went away again, this time free.
It will be back again, this I know;
  or I’m wrong, and it won’t show.

Who cares?
Who hears?
Such goings on wobble the sphere,
I wish it wouldn’t do that here.

I’ve been wrong before…..

~~ gigoid ~~


Written 4/19/2013.

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About Hopi Indian Symbols

    The presence of Kokopelli atop a pearl should give the regular Gentle Reader a clue as to the nature of what will follow. That’s a good thing, because, personally, I don’t have a clue as to what this one means. That it means something is a foregone conclusion; I’m pretty sure finding it will be fun and challenging…. Right….

“Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! Danger! Danger! Danger!” — Robot from Lost In Space

“Why Not” is in fact an excellent reason.” — Fatalist Bee

“He bids fair to grow wise who has discovered that he is not so.” — Publius Syrus — Maxim 598

“I expect nothing.  I fear no one.  I am free.” — Nikos Kazantzakis

“A truly wise man never plays leapfrog with a Unicorn.” — Smart Bee

“I do my best not to offend, without fucking with the purpose.” — Chris Pirillo

“If this material is offensive to you, and admittedly it will be offensive to someone, than you should take time out to contemplate this truth. Seriousness is the refuge of the truly shallow!” — Blasé Bee

“It is in the shelter of each other that people live.” — Irish proverb

“Don’t take anything seriously except happiness.” — Albert Camus

Okay, well, not so bad, after all. Still no clue as to meaning, but, hey, one can’t have everything, every day… So they tell me, anyway….

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It’s pretty well fractured, but, it’s done. Rather than push my luck, I will take my leave, forthwith. See y’all next time, ffolkes, if I can stay sane that long…. Right now, it’s a toss-up….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….


Inherent doubt = innate curiosity….

Ffolkes,

“True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing.”

~~ Socrates ~~

spacex-dragon-mars-3

Artist’s rendition of the SpaceX Dragon Descending to Mars

Image from Space.com


Good morning…. I’m not one for taking advice too often; as a doubting curmudgeon, it’s an occupational hazard, one I’m generally happy to avoid. However, I recently received one piece of advice I’d be willing to try out, if nothing else, as it sounds like it would work for me…. It goes like this: “Start the day with a smile. After that you can be your nasty old self again.” Sounds perfect, right?

Okay, so, I’m being snarky. Chalk it up to the hour; it’s tough to be nice at 0400, having been up an hour already. But, I’m not complaining, as it’s my own damn fault, for sleeping well enough to sleep through the time to take the pill that would have kept the dyskinesia from starting up, strong enough to awaken me, and prevent falling back asleep…. Bozoid tendencies DO tend to strike at inconvenient times; it’s the nature of the beast…. Let’s try something a bit different here, shall we?….

That was certainly different; a two day hiatus between paragraphs…. Looks like the new paradigm has arrived, and is configuring itself, in a manner of speaking…. Here we are again, only it’s the day after tomorrow, at 0230….. which just slipped through another little time-warp, to bring us up to the relative present, to wit, now, Thursday, September 24, at 1235, shortly after noon….. The intervening eight-plus hours have slipped into the mire, without incident, or reportable event taking place, so, we can go on from here, should I feel like buckling down to work. Since I don’t, let’s see what happens next….

I’m not certain I like this new paradigm; perhaps I’d best shoot for a paranykuhl, instead. As half a paradigm, maybe, the transition process wouldn’t be as complicated. Nor as hard on my physical being…. For those who aren’t keeping up, (which, no worries, includes yours truly….), it’s now Friday, at 0145. That’s in the A.M. For the past three nights, in this last month of titrating off opioids, it seems the pattern is to include insomnia, to go along with the regular bouts of dyskinesia, as my body complains/reacts to the ever-lessening supply of medicine in the bloodstream. A true joy it is…. NOT.

Wait…. What was that? What the….? We dropped another day, somehow. It’s now Saturday, the 26th; last I knew, it was Thursday…. Hmm…. I’d better get the Tardis checked out….. We’re dropping days like they’re bad habits; not good. Handy, but, not good….

No complaints, though. So be it. I gotta say, though, it’s getting tough to avoid homicidal fantasies…. Ah, well, fuck it. Let’s go dive for pearls, okay? I always feel better for it…. Luigi, help us out here, will ya?….

Shall we Pearl?….

“He that feareth is a slave, were he never so rich, were he never so powerful. But he that is without fear is king of all the world.” — E. R. Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros

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LeeLoo in PK Mode


Rather than a video today, I’ve decided to show some pictures of my new familiar. As I’ve related, she showed up one morning a week or so ago, demanding to be let in the house, & emphatically informing me she would be moving in. She’s established herself as the soul of the house, and, little by little, we have been bonding, and learning each other’s habits & demands….

To give y’all an idea of her personality, below you’ll find pictures of her doing what she likes best, (like any cat, that, is, of course, sleeping….), as well as some shots of her playing and/or looking for trouble. She’s got a strong PK mode (that’s Psycho Kitty mode, for the uninitiated….). Oh, and, those crumpled up papers you see? Those are her prey; she is part Siamese, and has already learned how to fetch those papers for me to throw for her…. She also likes to sleep near my feet, or against my back, always wanting to be close… a true familiar…. Enjoy the pictures, ffolkes; LeeLoo’s a natural show-off….

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leeloo 1 025

Preparing to edit documents as I type


leeloo 1 016


Killing Paper Tigers


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In her favorite sleeping pose…


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Variations on the same theme….


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Checking out the shredding pile….


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The aftermath of destruction ~~ fatigue….


I’ll keep y’all updated on her progress, as we each explore the depths of our burgeoning partnership…. Here we go again, ffolkes; she’s just dropped her favorite piece of crumpled paper at my feet, and is staring up at me expectantly….. She wants to play fetch again…. wish me luck; this could go on for hours….

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Dont keep calm

“Say what you will about the sweet miracle of unquestioning faith, I consider a capacity for it terrifying and absolutely vile!” — Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

One of the most common characteristics of fundamentalist religious fanatics is their denial of the effects of humanity’s insanity on the world’s environment, especially as a cause for the climate changes we are witnessing every day. This inability to use their imagination has been one of the major factors in our inability to make any progress toward a viable culture, one which MIGHT enable us to survive our own stupidity. Alas, I don’t see it happening; nor did I see it last year, when I wrote this rant…. Enjoy! It’s all still completely valid and relevant, if not more so than when written….

From 2/18/2014:

http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/John-Kerry-mocks-those-who-deny-climate-change-5239626.php

Wow…. I am, as much as I ever am, impressed, in a good way, by this statement from one of the administration’s most important lackeys…. I read what John K. said yesterday, or the day before, doesn’t matter…. and for once, the tenor and strength of the message, which is about the imminence of the environmental crisis we face in the near future, is nearly strong enough to get through to some folks, and any ffolkes who see or hear it will be encouraged, if somewhat bemused by this typical jump to join in the fight, onto a bandwagon they should have been driving TWENTY-FIVE FUCKING YEARS AGO, but, instead, act as if it’s a brand new model, which they, of course, claim as the first to seen driving in town….

Of course, so far, I haven’t actually SEEN any action on this by the administration, but, boy-howdy, when they decide to jump on the wagon, they do it with both feet…. He actually used the word ‘sacrifice’ I think, or maybe it was ‘danger’…. regardless, he made a good effort, for a first try, to get the message out there, that we have to act NOW, rather than later…. which is the most important key, if we are to have ANY chance to make any difference in the eventual outcome of events….

Personally, I don’t believe, not for a minute, that they’ll do enough, or be able to cut far enough into the influence of the corporate masters to make enough of a difference; no so far as to change the eventual outcome…. But, hey, they’re at least acknowledging that it needs to be done…. I just don’t think they can do it, not before they are blocked by those who hold the purse strings, and who are making a HUGE profit on global warming, as well as on the use of fossil fuels….

To be honest, I really don’t much feel like ranting today, even with the advent of good news about which to speak, or the importance of spreading the knowledge of the imminence of the problem…. I guess I’m in too mellow a mood, having slept long and well again…. Therefore, I’m going to finish this section with an old-school collection of pearls, to try to gain some perspective on this latest flip-flop by the political machine currently in power in Washington D.C…… Let’s see if SB has some good stuff in there for us today, shall we?…. But, hey, I know!…. Let’s let SB fire the shots randomly, so we can see some of the fat cat preachers do some dancing around, too, dodging figurative bullets alongside the politicians and corporate assholes….

“Capitalism did not arise because capitalists stole the land, but because it was more efficient than feudalism. It will perish because it is not merely less efficient than socialism, but actually self-destructive.” — J. B. S. Haldane

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” — George Orwell (1903-1950), “Animal Farm” 1945

“I don’t know if God exists, but it would be better for His reputation if He didn’t.” — Jules Renard

“We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road. They get run over.” — Aneurin Bevan

“Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.” — Herodotus

“The beauty of religious mania is that it has the power to explain everything. Once God (or Satan) is accepted as the first cause of everything which happens in the mortal world, nothing is left to chance…logic can be happily tossed out the window.” — Stephen King

Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.

~~ William Butler Yeats, “The Stolen Child” ~~


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Comedy_Tragedy

Funny Bones

Dreaming the way home, lost, unseen,
from the dance, where
he felt so free, and clean.
Sorrow couldn’t find him there.

Waiting, filling up the hours, hoping,
some connection can be found
keeping busy as bees, coping.
Love creeps in, without a sound.

Fat days, skinny nights, passionate
visions of semi-conscious entities,
cannot seem to fully illuminate
or hide our innermost frailties.

Resolute, find the perfect sense, codify
simple rules with every breath
never waiting, anxious to modify.
fear nothing in life, not even Death.

~~ gigoid ~~


Written 5/13/2013.

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pearls_3

    It’s a bit esoteric, if not downright obfuscatory, but, it will do nicely, I think. It fits in well with the tentative nature of the rest of this mess…. Enjoy, ffolkes….

For a true master,
Sitting on a throne
Is no different than
Sitting on dirt.

~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~


“If you’re ridin’ ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it’s still there.” — The Cowboy’s Guide to Life

“Don’t try to have the last word. You might get it.” — Lazarus Long

“A good place to start is where you are.” — Charles Wolf, Jr.

“No harm can come to a good man in life or death.” — Socrates

“By doubting we come at truth.” — Cicero

“We fear things in proportion to our ignorance of them.” — Titus Livius

“Indeed, what is there that does not appear marvelous when it comes to our knowledge for the first time?” — Pliny the Elder — Natural History, Book vii, Sect. 6

“Subtle and insubstantial, the expert leaves no trace; divinely mysterious, he is inaudible.” — Sun Tzu

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It’s only taken five or six days to complete this Pearl; ah well, so much for the best-laid plans. I don’t seem able to find any part of me that cares much; I’m still fighting my own battles, and can’t find any spare angst, or much of a shit to give. So be it. It’s done, and, at this point, that’s all that matters…. I’ll see y’all in a day or three, ffolkes. I’m making a little progress, so, there’s hope…. Ta for now….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

“Committing the Sin of Indolence” — a retrospective….

Ffolkes,

“I cannot teach anybody anything,

I can only make them think.”

~~ Socrates ~~

3000

Pluto as seen from the New Horizons Spacecraft

Image from the UK Guardian 9/17/2015


I had forgotten just how deeply embedded this process has become in my existence…. It seems the creation of a Pearl is more important to my degree of sanity than I’d previously admitted; if I don’t sit down to write for a while, I feel “off”. Once I’ve cruised through SB for a time, using my mind in a familiar way, some of the angst I seem to build up over the course of the day dissipates, leaving me better able to think introspectively, which is where I need to be just now…. So, I’ll write…. but, I may not post…. We’ll see.

For now, I think I’ll go make some coffee. It’s 0230 (almost) so, why not? It looks like me and LeeLoo will be up a while tonight…. Don’t know why insomnia struck tonight, but, I may as well take advantage of it to get some thinking & planning done…. Or, perhaps, I’ll gather up some pearls, and see what they have to say….

When I told myself, and y’all, this process would be changing, I didn’t realize just how many alterations the change would encompass. No complaints at all; I seem to have misplaced some of the angst I’ve typically carried around with me. Whatever the case may be, it’s slowed this down to a crawl…. The two paragraphs you see above were written yesterday. Since then, most of this Pearl has been finished; only some entertainment left to find now. Yet, I’m not even worried at all whether I get it posted today, or not…. which may be good, or not. We’ll see about that, too, I suppose. For now, I think I’ll go cruise You Tube & find something fun to watch, whenever this gets posted….

Shall we Pearl?….

“The laws of physics have no basis in reality.  They describe the operation of the human mind.” — Robert Anton Wilson

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george sez

    I don’t believe I need to say anything at all to introduce this artist/philosopher/social critic. Simply, he was the best of his time….


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George Carlin
It’s Bad For Ya ~ 2008

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“If the truth offends — too bad.”

~~ Hard Ass Bee, with gigoid’s full agreement ~~

Dont keep calm

    Okay, so, I lied. I COULD say I didn’t lie, so much as I misspoke, as any number of politicians would say. And, have said, repeatedly. (e.g.: “I just didn’t say it.” — Ronald Reagan — Associated Press, 10/5/66)

Actually, what I did is underestimate how long it would be until I was struck by the urge to write about the world at large, when I’m having my own troubles with the world inside the shell of my consciousness…. But, as I cruised through SB for entertainment, the following pearls kept jumping up, practically shouting at me, to insist on being included in a long, involved indictment of men of evil intent, who usurped the government of this nation almost before the ink was dry on the Constitution…..

Their efforts have resulted in the world we face today, where all the rules are made by those who insist on controlling the lives of all they see, without ever considering how others may feel about that…. 90% of the world’s population live as no more than slaves, threatened with poverty and destitution at the slightest emergency or accident in their lives, at the mercy of the bankers, and the predatory politicians, the fat-cat lawyers, the faceless myrmidons (i.e., police) who enforce the will of the masters, and the religious dogma dogs who encourage the slaves to respect those who oppress them, for the promise of a better life after they die.

I was raised by a man who went to war in 1941, to protect his family and home, thinking he was fighting for the liberties he believed he had, and that he believed would be the legacy for his children. He raised us to believe in those same principles, of liberty and freedom for all, upon which he, and we, were supposedly brought up….

If he were alive today, he would be as pissed off at what has taken place as I am, for, since the creation of the National Security Agency during WWII, every one of the Bill of Rights, and, all of the protections of our Constitution, have been abrogated, one after another, in the name of security and ‘national interest’, two concepts the definition of which the beloved ruling class reserves solely for itself…. Neither of those two concepts have anything to do with protecting the interests of American citizens; they only serve to protect the status quo. How else does one explain such statements as the following:

“You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in their struggle for independence.” — Charles Austin Beard, American Historian, 1874-1948

This is the absolute truth. We see this every day, in irrefutable evidence provided by videos of how using the words our forefathers used can get an American citizen shot by the police, ‘for resisting arrest’, or, for ‘disobeying a lawful order by an officer’…. It’s pretty hard to refute visual/auditory evidence, but, time after time, people continue to die, and no police officer is ever charged…. It is a disgrace, and, a national shame, one my father would have deplored with every fiber of his being…. I share that disgust, and, intend to never submit to such treatment myself, without making it clear it is a mistake to assume that a free man can be oppressed…. Whoever tries to take my rights will find I only have those rights I am able to defend…

In the meantime, here are a bunch of other statements that cover the same subject, from various angles, by various contemporary and historical figures; some are examples of how things ought to be, others point out the nature of the problem, or, at least, some of the motivation behind it…. All are, to my mind, spot on….

“If Congress can determine what constitutes the general welfare and can appropriate money for its advancement, where is the limitation to carrying into execution whatever can be effected by money?” — South Carolina Senator William Draden 1828

(Oops! Another warning missed by the general public, from someone who apparently saw what was happening, right from the start…. Typical….)

“Annoy a Fundamentalist: Tell him the truth!” — Sardonic Bee

“Any person under the age of thirty, who, having any knowledge of the existing social order, is not a revolutionist, is an inferior.” — George Bernard Shaw

“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

“Conservative: Proof that evolution is not an exact science.” — Polly Sci Bee

“This is the Nineties, Bubba, and there is no such thing as Paranoia. It’s all true.” — Hunter S Thompson

“Capitalism in the United States has undergone profound modification, not just under the New Deal, but through a consensus that continued to grow after the New Deal. Government in the U. S. today is a senior partner in every business in the country.” — Norman Cousins

“We have watched American democracy at close hand for many years and we believe few governments are institutionally so susceptible to dictatorship as this one.” — Gerald Johnson

“The statesman shears the sheep, the politician skins them.” — Definitive Bee

“The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshiped anything but himself.” — Sir Richard F. Burton

“No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.” — Jacquin’s Postulate on Democratic Government

“Is it fair to hold politicians to the same standards as humans?” — Snarky Bee

Books are burning
In the main square, and I saw there
The fire eating the text.
Books are burning
In the still air
And you know where they burn books
People are next.

~~ “Books Are Burning”, XTC ~~


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Comedy_Tragedy

Sublime Indifference


Faces tell such stories

as these,

we know.

No one saw,

ever.

No one sees,

ever.

But, we know.

Forgotten,

deliberately bought

with

consistent threats

of Sitcoms,

Paisley Ties,

yes, and,

Lava Lamps;

proof offered

unbidden

 of Death.

Only

of Death.

~~ gigoid ~~


Written 5/21/2015.

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lao

    In my world, pearls such as this are the standard. As far as any philosophy goes, other than my own, Taoism is the closest attempt made by mankind to describe Reality, period. Beginning, and ending, a lesson/pearl with Taoist principles is a sure way to ensure the balance, and accuracy, of whatever is created…. Add one in the middle, and, it’s unassailably perfect. Go ahead, try to refute ANY of it….  Enjoy!….

My teachings are very easy to understand and very easy to practice.
But no one can understand them and no one can practice them.
In my words there is a principle.
In the affairs of men there is a system.

~~ Lao-Tzu ~~


“You don’t know how much you don’t know until you know a lot.” — Nick Holland

“While all things have their opposites, it is also true that in each the spirit of the opposite exists.” — Hazrat Inayat Khan, Sufi writer

“Clay is moulded to make a vessel, but the utility of the vessel lies in the space where there is nothing. … Thus, taking advantage of what is, we recognize the utility of what is not.” — Lao Tzu

“The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.” — Carl Jung

“The important thing is not to stop questioning.  Curiosity has its own reason for existing.  One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.  It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day.  Never lose a holy curiosity.” — Albert Einstein

Some say that my teaching is nonsense.
Others call it lofty but impractical.
But to those who have looked inside themselves,
this nonsense makes perfect sense.
And to those who put it into practice,
this loftiness has roots that go deep.
I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and in thoughts,
you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.

~~ Tao Te Ching ~~


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I see it is done. Clearly, time to post; what the hell, it’s only two hours (and two days….) overdue, according to the previous paradigm. Good thing a new one is under construction…. For now, I’ll merely say there WILL be more Pearls; when that might occur is anybody’s guess. If the past two days are an indication, it shouldn’t be too long. See y’all then, ffolkes; you can count on it….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

Wait, sir! Squeegees are NOT allowed….

Ffolkes,

“Live a life worthy of the things that will be said of you when you’re dead.”

~~ Ambidextrous Rex ~~

7-31-2015 065

Stealth Rock Surfacing to Fire Weapons


Good morning…. Life can sure bring us new challenges…. Has anyone else noted how little we generally expect them when they come? It’s always a surprise, even though the same sort of events have occurred many times throughout our lives. I suppose it’s the same sort of amnesia women get after childbirth, that allows them to make love again, knowing the risks…. That’s a joke, by the way. I suppose it might not have fallen so flat were it more of a logical progression, rather than the usual male short-sightedness…. Ah, well, chalk it up to a routine shot to shit….

This morning, that routine has centered around a small extortionist, who insists this time of day is when I should pay attention to HER, not the computer. When I sat down to begin today, LeeLoo came over to the computer & sat directly on the keyboard, staring at me as if to say, “Well? What about ME?”…. She refused to be distracted, & I ended up sitting with her in my arms, purring, while I thought of all the time I was wasting….. until I fell back asleep…. SIGH…. Bloody little tyrant, she is…

I suppose this means this intro section will be turning into a morning report on cat antics, as I can see this is to become the new routine, with me attempting to furnish the cat with activities to distract her from the computer, so I can rush to put out the morning Pearl, in the MORNING! It promises to be a series of Keystone Kops episodes, to be sure…. For today, we’ll call this an intro, even though it barely makes the grade. Luigi is here, though, and we’re all set to go, so, let’s get it done, while LeeLo is buy tearing up the magazine I gave her….

Shall we Pearl?….

“The apple cannot be stuck back on The Tree of Knowledge; once we begin to see, we are doomed and challenged to seek the strength to see more, not less.” — Arthur Miller

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sleepy cat

This is the goal.

Image from Pinterest via Google Free Images


In keeping with the theme as described in the introductory section, here is some music designed to help our furry friends find some peace, for long enough to give us some respite…. Enjoy! As I sincerely hope LeeLoo does….

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Relax My Cat

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fabricate-supreme-being

Image Stolen from TalesfromtheConspiratum.com

“History does not record anywhere at any time a religion that has any rational basis. Religion is a crutch for people not strong enough to stand up to the unknown without help. But, like dandruff, most people do have a religion and spend time and money on it and seem to derive considerable pleasure from fiddling with it.” — Robert Heinlein, Time Enough for Love (1972)

I’m really late; I had intended to give myself enough time to write about religion today, as I found the above meme on a friend’s site, and found the perfect quote to go with it…. But, I’m too late, and, now, too tired to get it done, so, I’ll do what I always do in such cases; cheat. Here’s a religirant from the archives…. I’ve done quite a few of them, so, it doesn’t take long to find an appropriate entry…. Enjoy!….

From 4/17/2013:

“A thing is not proved because no one has ever questioned it…Skepticism is the first step towards truth.” — Smart Bee

As I was cruising through Smart Bee this morning, looking for inspiration for section 3, I came across this little gem, unattributed. It sounds like it could have come from a number of different philosophers, all of whom are noted for their wisdom and perspicacity (another great word….). It is also a part of the human flaw that has contributed to many of the problems we face as a society, and as a species.

Actually, it might be more accurate to say that the lack of this in humans is part of the flaw; most people one talks to would not agree with this idea, as stated. In fact, it is directly opposed to the educational premises of many cultures, especially those heavily influenced by religions, such as those in Mexico, Central and South America, where Catholicism is a powerful factor in society, and in the governing of that society. India, and much of the Eastern Hemisphere, too, have societies that are heavily influenced by religion, though with more participant sects than is true in the Western Hemisphere; Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, to name a few, are always a contributing factor in the political events that have shaped history.

“The common dogma [of fundamentalists] is fear of modern knowledge, inability to cope with the fast change in a scientific-technological society, and the real breakdown in apparent moral order in recent years That is why hate is the major fuel, fear is the cement of the movement, and superstitious ignorance is the best defence against the dangerous new knowledge. When you bring up arguments that cast serious doubts on their cherished beliefs you are not simply making a rhetorical point, you are threatening their whole Universe and their immortality. That provokes anger and quite frequently violence.” — G Gaia

As a result of this influence, many people tend to reject skepticism, as it doesn’t fit in with what they have been taught, which is to never question anything told to them by persons in positions of authority. Churches tend to encourage this sort of attitude, as their outrageous claims of divinity, and supernatural events performed by their deities, do not stand up well to scrutiny by an objective eye. The leaders of the churches thus play right into the hands of the Beloved Ruling Class, as they counsel their flocks to obey worldly, temporal authority as readily as they are conditioned to obey the secular variety…..

“I just stepped on a factoid!” – Zippy the Pinhead

Thankfully, not all of humanity is defenseless against this sort of conditioning. There are many ffolkes out there who don’t buy into the sort of psychological blackmail being promulgated by the preachers, priests, imams, and shamans of all shapes and sizes around the world, and a large number of them seem to end up blogging, right here on WordPress…. So, I end up preaching to the choir pretty often. But, that’s okay, too, because I know that occasionally, one of those folks who do believe in what they are told, without any questions or doubts, will read this, and, if nothing else, will think about what I’ve said…. Who knows, maybe I’ll go viral, and the whole world will remember that WE ALL ARE GODS?”…… (Remember?  Axiom # 3…. “Thou art God, you know…. Let’s do lunch….)

“Youth of today!  Join me in a mass rally for traditional mental attitudes!” — Zippy the Pinhead

I suppose that’s a note from my subconscious, to let me know I’ve gone far enough off the rails for now, and should let these good people get on with their lives, rather than wandering around in mine…. Goodness knows where we’ll end up…. So, anyway, just remember to cultivate your sense of doubt, your “crap detector”, as it were, and never, ever take anything “on authority”, without tangible proof…. You’ll find Life to be less confusing that way; certainly, it makes it a lot easier to look yourself in the mirror in the morning…..

“This is patently absurd; but whoever wishes to become a philosopher must learn not to be frightened by absurdities.” — Bertrand Russell

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Comedy_Tragedy

    In 2012, I began writing poetry again after a hiatus of almost forty years; this is one of the very first I created after breaking the barrier I’d built between me and that part of my soul…. I hope you like it….

Accentuated Lessons

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 9/27/2012.

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ankh

    Our final pearl today is a rather standard group of aphorisms on Life at Large…. It’s all good advice, ffolkes, so, pay heed, if you would live your own life well….

“Be virtuous and you will be eccentric.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

“Honor is the reward of virtue.”

~~ Cicero ~~

“Have the courage to live. Anyone can die.”

~~ Robert Cody ~~

“There is only one success — to be able to spend your life in your own way.”

~~ Christopher Morley ~~

“There is only one universal goal: a gracious death with no regrets.”

~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~

“He does not seem to me to be a free man who does not sometimes do nothing.”

~~ Cicero ~~

“Do not settle for less than the best your own excellence can command.”

~~ Anne McCaffrey ~~


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Well, it’s done. I’m pretty sure, anyway. I suppose I better check; hang on a moment….

It’s a damn good thing I checked. I had completely forgotten to complete one of the sections! Ah well, chalk that one up to LeeLoo, who picked the moment I found the missing section to knock over my almost full cup of coffee, just to give me something to do, more amusing for her than watching me type. Hilarious…. not.

But, NOW it’s done, and I can try to get it posted before she finds a way to set something on fire…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, as long as the building is intact…. Oh, shit, there goes the corner bookshelf!…. See ya…..

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

Ice the melon, warm the brandy….

Ffolkes,

“A person needs a little madness, or else they never dare cut the rope and be free.”

~~ Nikos Kazantzakis ~~

spitzer20150820

NASA Spitzer Telescope Calendar Pictures for 2016


Good morning…. The cat finally let me pick a name for her. She has reacted to only one name, and, as is the usual case, it’s a perfect fit. She is Leeloo; pronounced just as spelled, it’s the name of the female lead character in a Sci-Fi movie, The Fifth Element. The whole movie was a very long drawn out metaphor for the concept that Love is the final element of harmony in our Universe, so, considering the cat’s personality, it fits the metaphor quite well….

The character in the movie was very catlike, anyway, so, it’s all good…. She has signaled her approval of her name by settling down on the edge of the mouse pad to doze while I’m typing this…. Of course, that doesn’t mean a flood of words is filling my head, encouraging me to choose just the right ones to thrill and amaze y’all with my new-found brilliance; in fact, nothing of the sort is happening in this head, or any other head in the immediate neighborhood. Even Leeloo has gone to sleep, finding this missive, thus far, to be less than stimulating….

I’m afraid I’ve been thrust into the grasp of a new learning curve, and will be manipulated into adjusting even more of my writing habits to suit the needs and/or desires of a small creature who is fascinated by every move I make at this computer. Already, as is patently obvious, the content has expanded exponentially, to include her antics, and progress in the molding of the household to her standards. SIGH…. I was JUST getting comfortable the way I was….. Axiom #2 in action, I would say….

Now we’ve received the morning metaphor from the Universe, it might be a good idea to get this slow on the road…. I know, let’s do this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“I’ve reached that age when a good day is one when you get up and nothing hurts.” — H. Martin

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Leeloo

Milla Jojovich as LeeLoo in The Fifth Element

Image from http://www.moviedata.net via Google Images


The movie from which LeeLoo’s name was chosen is still protected, so, to see it, you’ll need to find a copy yourself… I’ve included a You Tube exploration of some of the movie’s lesser known anomalies, on a page where you can see any number of clips from the movie, to get an idea of why I’ve named my cat after a fictional genetically enhanced goddess, in the role of a metaphor for the power of human love…. Enjoy!….

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9 Things You Didn’t Know about The Fifth Element

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le penseur-rodin

    I’ve spent a lot of time, and words, detailing what I believe to be wrong with human nature, and, with the loss of integrity, honor, and sense of personal responsibility displayed by the vast majority of Americans, both in and out of government. I’m not in the mood to rant about it, because I’m in a lot of pain, and it might color my words to the point of irascibility, which detracts from its power of persuasion…. Well, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. Here, instead, is a short, seven-star pearl to accomplish the same purpose; each of these is something either missing from the American character, or, is all-too-present to do anyone any good….

“Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism — how passionately I hate them!” — Albert Einstein

“Moral certainty is always a sign of cultural inferiority. The more uncivilized the man, the surer he is that he knows precisely what is right and what is wrong. All human progress, even in morals, has been the work of men who have doubted the current moral values, not of men who have whooped them up and tried to enforce them. The truly civilized man is always skeptical and tolerant, in this field as in all others.His culture is based on “I am not too sure.” — H.L. Mencken

“You’ll never have a quiet world till you knock the patriotism out of the human race.” — George Bernard Shaw

“I know of no book which has been a source of brutality and sadistic conduct, both public and private, that can compare with the Bible.” — Lord Paget

“One of the most frightening things in the Western world, and in this country in particular, is the number of people who believe in things that are scientifically false.  If someone tells me that the earth is less than 10,000 years old, in my opinion, he should see a psychiatrist.” — Francis H.C. Crick

“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

“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” — Albert Einstein

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Comedy_Tragedy

Blithely Untitled

A poem came to me today, willy, nilly,
along with a sharp blow to the head.
Since it left me feeling just a bit silly,
anything that rhymes should lessen the dread.

Manifesting destiny into a small, insidious group
we push on toward sanity, concentrating hard.
Full engaging moments spent navigating the loop
shall ever make a difference to victims found in the yard.

Still corpses of creatures, straight out of nightmare
fill up the corners of our tortured minds.
While ever saddened, the iconic male, most debonair,
gazes softly, ironically, at all the mutual interest he finds.

Moronic public statutes compel outbreaks of sanity,
responding to momentary impulses toward inducing peace.
Still, the motions get completed, in fertile stages of inanity
while the bulk of our inmates can find no surcease.

Reluctant motivation to continue is unbound,
striving to ascertain how far there yet remains to go.
No precognitive guesswork will make any less of a sound
to soften the final strains, or teach us to truly know.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 27/2014.

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pearls_3

From 2/28/2013:

Against the Word the unstilled world still whirled
  About the center of the silent Word.

~~ T.S. Eliot ~~


I’ve always been fond of this little snippet from T.S.; it has a certain charm to it. I find to be pleasantly complex, while yet describing a very basic idea. Of course, it’s not a rantable item, nor particular helpful in any sort of self-improvement activities. But, I don’t much care, I just like it, so there….

Actually, I’ve included it where it is as a filler; Smart Bee is being particularly uncooperative this morning. It’s almost as if it were suffering from what I am, and is trying to tell me, to wit:

” — Bother! said Pooh, as his fur turned gray and he began losing his memory.” — Smart Bee

So, in the face of such obstruction, I have only one defense, and that is to go old-school, reverting back to the type of pearls as demonstrated in section one today…. I give you therefore, the next in a seemingly endless parade of aphorisms, all pointed in one direction, or at least, one dimension….. Let’s see what we find….

Content if hence th’ unlearn’d their wants may view,
The learn’d reflect on what before they knew.

~~ Alexander Pope — Essay on Criticism, Part iii, Line 180 ~~


“Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice: It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” — William Jennings Bryan

“Our genetic heritage endows each of us with a series of emotional set-points that determines our temperament. But the brain circuitry involved is extraordinarily malleable; temperament is not destiny.” — Daniel P. Goleman

“It is one of the commonest of mistakes to consider that the limit of our power of perception is also the limit of all there is to perceive.” — C. W. Leadbeater

“I have learned this at least by my experiment: if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” — Henry David Thoreau, “Walden”

“Metaphysical totalitarianism of any kind stifles the freedom we have as human beings. It is not acceptable to have a religion where the alternative to faith is punishment – that’s how you train dogs, not develop people.” — Deng Ming-Dao

“There was once a man, Harry, called the Steppenwolf. He went on two legs, wore clothes and was a human being, but nevertheless he was in reality a wolf of the Steppes. He had learned a good deal of all that people of a good intelligence can, and was a fairly clever fellow. What he had not learned, however, was this: to find contentment in himself and his own life.” — Hermann Hesse, Steppenwolf

Not bad, a seven star pearl, in less than a hundred clicks…. I’ll take it, and run…..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This process has become even more of a struggle to complete; perhaps it will settle down a bit as the kitten requires less attention, though, that may take a while. Ah well, it’s done, and only about 3 hours later than usual… I must say, it’s nice to have LeeLoo sleeping on the mouse pad as I write, even if I have to move the mouse elsewhere…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, come what may….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

Inexorable notions of impropriety….

Ffolkes,

“We say the cows laid out Boston. Well, there are worse surveyors.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), “Wealth” ~~

Supermoon August 2015 020

Yep. It’s Luna.


Good morning…. Yet another day spent slipping into the mire…. As I sit here, I find myself having to defend the keyboard against the imprecations of a psycho kitty, who thinks she should have some input into what I’m typing today. Her main problem, I think, is not knowing the entire alphabet; otherwise, I’d probably be watching her type this, rather than the other way around…. Fascinating!….

Ah well, it’s just another adaptation, I guess, one I have to deal with if I’m to ever get this Pearl posted. I’ll not tempt Fate, nor will I push my luck; instead, we’ll just go on, as if I knew what I was doing…. Luigi is going to ‘gently’ convey us to the oyster beds, where we shall hope to find what we need for the day…. Let’s do it now, okay?….

Shall we Pearl?….

“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

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Image from arzapizza.com via Google Images


It looks as if I’ve given up on maintaining my reputation as a crusty, irritable old curmudgeon with these cute animal videos, doesn’t it? Oh, well, what the hell; I like them, so, fuck it…. Guess it won’t be too long before the new psycho kitty has company…. Enjoy, ffolkes…. and, for any Asininnies who MAY be reading, pay attention to how well our companions on the Trail of Life get along together when we don’t interfere with our own idiocy….


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Dogs & Cats Playing Together

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Dont keep calm

    I came across this statement from Edward Abbey last evening, while searching for pearls. It is the clearest statement of reality in this country today I know of, though. it was first uttered in the last century; I know not exactly when… I am compelled to say I would agree with each and every word….

This, ffolkes, is the statement of an American patriot. The only real kind I know of, a man the men who formed this country would understand. It’s also the statement of a man with whom I’d be honored to stand…. any time, anywhere.

“The tank, the B-52, the fighter-bomber, the state controlled police and military are the weapons of dictatorship. The rifle is the weapon of democracy. Not for nothing was the revolver called an ‘equalizer’ Eqalite implies liberte. And always will. Let us hope our weapons are never needed — but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government — and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws.” — Edward Abbey (1927-1989)

Nothing I could add would say it any better, so, I’ll just leave it there…. After all, what else is there to be said?

So be it.

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Comedy_Tragedy

    I am not sure why, but, this poem seems appropriate for today, as a representation of my recent ordeal overseas…. Too much of the trip was spent in a state similar to this, so, let all memory of that time be gone with this posting….

Dead Hands,Typing…

Puzzled anew by anomalous blocks of pain
caught, bemused, chained to routine, insane.
Stilled within breathless beauty
 Engaging epiphany, insistent, called to duty.

Knees bent in lieu of a faithful rendition
suffuses, confuses, locked into stale perdition.
Clearing corrosion with hands encased in stone
Singular frozen follicles, masked by bone.

Partial focus brings unfiltered flavors to light
coloring each particle in simple delight.
Forlorn, novel conceptual artists singing in tune
nine notes in harmony, soft as the moon.

Honed blades of carbon steel flash in rhyme,
filling sensual receptors well past closing time.
Borrowed from neighbors in a week-old game
still bloody, without a proper name.

No flooded memories can justify such cost
no simple stationery, bilious, afraid, lost.
Ten times ten will never be enough
To fill so empty a stolen trough.

Bartering simplicity takes well into the night
solidly temporary pillars turned bright.
Unknown to all the pretty children who came
none were called, none had any remaining flame.

~~ gigoid ~~


Written 2/25/2015.

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lao

    A simple little pearl about Life at Large to finish the day’s effort…. Pay heed, and enjoy Life better!….

Who sees all beings in his own Self, and his own
 Self in all beings, loses all fear.
 
~~ Isa Upanishad ~~


“The older we grow the greater becomes our wonder at how much ignorance one can contain without bursting one’s clothes.” — Mark Twain

“Don’t be ashamed to say what you are not afraid to think.” — Montaigne

“All is flux, nothing stays still.” — Heraclitus

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.” — Saint Augustine

“Cease to be ruled by dogmas and authorities; look at the world!” — H.G. Wells paraphrase of Roger Bacon’s works

“The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be; all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.” — Socrates

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Well, there you go. Late again, thanks to the regularization of my life, and the literary advice of a small fur-bearing critic. Now, if I can persuade here to move long enough to post, we’re good to go…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, like it or not…..

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

Kowtowing to the inevitable….

Ffolkes,

“Weary is the path that does not challenge. 

Doubt is an incentive to truth and patient inquiry leadeth the way.”

~~ Plato Bee ~~

today 001

Miss Cthulthu Invasion


Good morning…. Yesterday, I took a short walk in the morning, as I’d been having a bit of trouble getting the brain going. Upon returning home, I approached my porch steps, where I heard the unlikely sound of a kitten desperately mewling…. I took two steps up, to be greeted by the above face, eyes latched onto mine, yelling at me to “open the door, NOW!”, as only a young, ferocious kitten can… She entered her dominion eyes straight ahead, then asked to be picked up and cuddled for a while, purring like a tiny locomotive….

The picture gives a good idea of her; I think she’s possessed….. Actually, she’s a sweet little Siamese mix, with more than a bit of the devil in her. I suppose she’s been deposited with me to keep me occupied, like I had nothing better to do than cater to a small, fur-bearing extortionist. Ah well, what are ya gonna do? Obviously, I’ve been appointed as her keeper by Bastet; so much for my plans to get a dog!…. Hmm…. come to think of it, a puppy may be just the thing to keep her in line, or, at minimum, give her somebody ELSE to wrestle with; my old skin is already picking up scratches galore….

So, now you know why I’m late, and, why I’ve had a bit of trouble establishing a routine for blogging since my return…. Since yesterday morning, my new routine has a new, vital factor to take into account, one who insists on having her time at her convenience…. So be it…. For now, let’s see if we can get a Pearl done, or, faked, if necessary…. Luigi, take it away!….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Let a man in a garret but burn with enough tensity and he will set fire to the whole world.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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today 012

Yes, it’s my typing chair

And, yes, the house looks like a two-year-old moved in…. Everything on the floor is now a toy.

Anyone who has been here before knows what is coming. The rest of y’all can just enjoy!…..

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Cats

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“That which is incapable of proof itself is not proof of anything else.”

~~ Shelley ~~


I’d hoped to have at least a mini-rant, or a discussion of philosophy this morning; the cat has other plans. Here is a pretty good little piece from the early days of this blog, which may serve the purpose as well….

From 9/19/2012:

“Beauty as we feel it is something indescribable; what it is or what it means can never be said.” — George Santayana

This observation by Mssr. Santayana seems to me to explain most of the movies that come out of Hollywood, or anywhere else. Each of us, though we cannot always say what we see as beautiful, knows what it looks like when we encounter it; every movie made is an attempt to attract people with visions of commonality, beauty that all can agree on, and, of course, pay money to see. It’s a manufactured market, only there because people want to experience those feelings, and are convinced that they can by participating in the public viewing of someone’s idea of beauty (or comedy, or evil, or any other intriguing related emotional experience)….

It reminds me of the concept of perfection…. We all have heard that “nobody is perfect”, or “nothing is perfect”, and there are numerous philosophical treatises that attempt to prove that perfection is beyond human attainment. My question for these people is this: if there is no such thing as perfection, then why do we have its image in our minds? It seems more logical to me that perfection is merely very rare, but examples of it are bound to occur, just by the law of averages, and when it does, we have the perceptive ability to see it, to acknowledge and appreciate its perfection….

The statement also can be viewed as another way of looking at the nature of reality, or the Tao of life. Is not the very first line of the Tao Teh Ching a paraphrase of the above? “The Tao that can be named is not the true Tao.” It touches on the very base of natural law, of how reality is not what we can say of it; it is more than just the description of it. By observing what is real, our perceptions remove the part of what has occurred that gives it body and substance, what makes it real…. If Albert Einstein’s God is the true one, then He left clues to this aspect of reality all over, but especially in physics, as noted by the famed Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which so poignantly points out the folly of placing one’s total faith in what is perceived…. because by seeing it, it has already changed, to suit another of reality’s aspects, Change….

Axiom # 2 of Peruaosophy states: “The Nature of the Universe is Change. Unpredictable, innovative transformation of Reality is the Norm. If you have a problem with this, you are in for a rough ride.”  Since Peruaosophy is my own philosophy, I can tell you, without fear of lying, that the axiom is absolutely true. It has been tested by every method I could think of, all through my life, and I can assure you that it is a factual statement. Trust me….

Okay, so you don’t have to take my word for it…. test it yourself. If you can find a single time when you can say that it is untrue, you document that, and send it to me. I’ll check it out, if any are sent in, but I have serious doubt that I’ll get any replies, as I’m confident of the axiom and its veracity. It doesn’t mean it is better, or more real than any other viewpoint or world view, but I’d wager it stands up to any of them without flinching or looking away….

Now see what I’ve done? I’ve talked myself into a corner, and can’t figure out how to tie all this mental meandering together with any aplomb. I’m sadly short of quotes, so we’ll have to make do with whatever I can come up with on short notice….. let it suffice to say that I believe in beauty, as little as it can be described, and I believe in perfection, in reality, and in the nature of everything…. After all, to be perfect, one would need to also be perfectly imperfect, else how would one tell?  And I know for a fact that many of us are imperfect; at times, I am so myself, on rare occasions…..     🙂     Besides, nature itself is full of examples of perfect beauty, anyway…. just take a walk in a garden when it is blooming with roses, and you will find any number of physical examples of the concept……

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart: the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned….

~~ William Butler Yeats, The Second Coming ~~

His head,
Not yet by time completely silver’d o’er,
Bespoke him past the bounds of freakish youth,
But strong for service still, and unimpair’d.

 ~~ William Cowper (1731-1800) — The Task, Book ii, The Timepiece, Line 702 ~~


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Comedy_Tragedy

Gauges of Pain

Consciousness devolves in pools of gripping fears
holding hostage any hope of serenity,
sharp stabbing motions and greedy tears
nary a moment passes without common calamity.

Always a surprise, nothing soothing ever found,
leaving only breathless clinging pain,
salvation seemingly absent, it muffles all sound,
bringing ever more sadness and rain.

Solitude is ever present to claim my time,
lonely hours and relentlessly long days,
no radio plays such music in secular rhyme
happy, vibrant voices belong to elder ways.

Life can be justified it seems to say,
by hopeful favored moments of pleasure,
seemingly friendly, pointing out the only way,
to bring back happiness in minimal measure.

Days of horror and embarrassing tears
serve ever to drive wretched hours to withhold
promising naught but sorrow in coming years,
black, bitter memories that never grow old.

Cold, cold the days fly by,
can it really be our only token?
Never to say, or know just why
the pain never stops, even when spoken…

~~ gigoid ~~


Written 9/10/2012.

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A-laughing-girl-and-her-camel

    I really don’t think this pearl needs explanation; all ya gotta do is enjoy it, just as if you were a camel, or a little girl….

Discourse on virtue and they pass by in droves.
Whistle and dance the shimmy, and you’ve got an audience.

~~ Diogenes ~~


“Save your breath, you may want it to clean your glasses later.” — Julius Tannen

“If you define cowardice as running away at the first sign of danger, screaming and tripping and begging for mercy, then yes, Mr. Brave man, I guess I’m a coward.” — Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey

“Careful, Mister.  Old Zeek is liable to fire that sucker up!” — Gaffer Bee

“If one studies too zealously, one easily loses his pants.” — Albert Einstein

“God must love assholes — She made so many of them.” — Druidic Bee

“Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.” — Geeky Bee

“I don’t think Mr. Ranger is gonna like this, Yogi…” — Booboo Bear

Do what you wanna, do what you will;
 Just don’t mess up your neighbor’s thrill.
 And when you pay the bill, kindly leave a little tip
 To help the next poor sucker on his one-way trip.

~~ Frank Zappa, “You Are What You Is” ~~


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today 013


Well, it’s a Pearl. It’s got all the necessary parts, anyway, so, I’m going with tradition, & pronouncing it done. That being the case, and the cat being asleep for a while (thank Bastet for cat naps….), I’ll try to post this before it spoils in the heat…. I’ll try again tomorrow, ffolkes; perhaps we can even find something relatively fresh in my head other than mush & blather…. Fat chance, but, hey, hope springs eternal…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; damn it, anyway!….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

A crimp in time saves pi….

Ffolkes,

I stood
Among them, but not of them; in a shroud
Of thoughts which were not their thoughts.

~~ Lord Byron ~~

~~ Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto iii, Stanza 113 ~~

Wind Spinner

Wind Spinner, Spinning


Good morning…. How can it be otherwise, when I’m going on the road in just about exactly three hours? Yes, today’s the day; the journey calls, and I must answer…. or lose out on the round-trip airfare. No way I’m doing that, so, whatever there may be in the Universe with any objections to my going had best get swallowed, because it sure isn’t going to keep me from leaving. So there….

Okay, all flippancy gone, we may now proceed to put together a final Pearl from home, with the warning it could be up to a week before another Pearl appears; no telling how things will work out where I’m going in re: available Wi-Fi spots, not to mention my own willingness to take the time to create them. My focus will NOT be on Pearling; I’ll be busy learning, and seeing, and listening, and walking, and talking with people I’ve never met before, all of which are some of my favorite things in life to do…. So, you will see me when you see me, and not before….

That all said, with the reminder full Pearls should begin again around September 18th, or 19th, depending on how quickly I can recover from the trip…. I’m not as young as I once was, but, this kind of activity tends to energize rather than tire me out…. Well, it used to; we’ll see how it goes. If nothing else, one is always glad to see one’s own bed….

For now, let’s throw together a Pearl, for luck, and for good measure…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“If the obstacles of bigotry and priestcraft can be surmounted, we may hope that common sense will suffice to do everything else.” — Thomas Jefferson

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    Anyone at all familiar with how things go around here will know what they’ll see in this section today…. It’s amazing what these search engines can find, if you’re precise in telling them what you want….A little traveling music, maestro, if you please….


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Classical Music for Travel

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Dont keep calm

    Oddly enough, SB presented me with some nice little stimulants for a rant while putting together the old-school pearl yesterday afternoon, so, I started a rant; I don’t feel enough angst to take it further, so, I’ll find a few pearls to say the same stuff, and let it go at that for now… In short, what you see is what you get….

“The Greeks by their laws, and the Romans by the spirit of their people, took care to put into the hands of their rulers no such engine of oppression as a standing army. Their system was to make every man a soldier, and oblige him to repair to the standard of his country when ever that was reared. This made them invincible; and the same remedy will make us so.” — Thomas Jefferson, letter to Thomas Cooper(1814)

Well, for the most part, we blew that one, didn’t we? Tom would be ashamed of us, and, rightly so. He also believed in each citizen educating themselves as to what the government was up to, as well as warning us to keep a close eye on the bankers; he pointed out their attempts to corrupt government practically before the ink on the Constitution was dry. Did the American people listen? No, they didn’t. They listened instead to the preachers, who told them to trust their leaders, never cluing them into the simple fact those leaders were, as they themselves were, lying through their teeth to the people who trusteed them, almost every time they open their mouths.

Beset on all sides by ruthless liars, is it any wonder the common man hasn’t a clue as to his own slavery, thinking he has rights, and the opportunity to improve his life by living by the rules… In fact, the common man has no rights, and the system is designed to reward only those who lie, cheat, and steal in order to get ahead. Simple truths are hard to accept, but, trust me, this one is truth.

“Nature is not cruel, but, pitilessly, indifferent. This is one of the hardest lessons for humans to learn. We cannot admit that things might be neither good nor evil, neither cruel nor kind, but simply callous — indifferent to all suffering,lacking all purpose.” — Richard Dawkins

What people don’t really get, even if they feel the rightness of this idea, is that cruelty DOES exist, but, only as a human characteristic, due to our need to make our own lives have meaning to us, according to our standards. This is, in the eyes of the universe, a handicap rather than an asset, for it leads those who cannot let go of such ideas into failures of logic, and understanding of the real world…. Being able to accept the idea makes it possible to act without fear, or emotion of any kind, interfering with our decision making process… For example…

“Your enemy is never a villain in his own eyes. Keep this in mind; it may offer a way to make him your friend. If not, you can kill him without hate — and quickly “– Lazarus Long

Lazarus was a smart guy; he also gave us the most efficient, and logical method for dealing with such people, when there are options available short of killing… to wit:

“Never appeal to a man’s “better nature.” He may not have one. Invoking his self-interest gives you more leverage.” — Lazarus Long

Ah well, we do the best we can, with what others have to offer; other than that, it’s every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost…. What does that mean?…. Any who, as noted above, angst is in short supply, so here is a nine-star pearl to finish this mini-rant in a more palatable fashion, that won’t dull the edge of my excitement and joy…. Not much could right now, but, here…. take this….

Isn’t it strange that the same people that laugh at gypsy fortune tellers take economists seriously?” — Cincinnati Enquirer

“In a decision sure to cause major controversy for several minutes, the US Supreme Court struck down the First Law of Nature, judging it to be unlawfully discriminatory. Though never actually written down, the First Law of Nature is generally accepted by the American Bar Association to be, “If an individual or collection of individuals puts into practice or causes to be put into practice an action which, measured against the judgment of a reasonable person, is unwise or lacking in basic common sense, then the aforementioned individual or collection of individuals shall suffer all consequences resulting from that action, up to and including loss of life.” Translation:  “You do something stupid, you die.” — Snarky Bee

“Jesus loves you.  Everyone else thinks you’re a jerk.” — Humble Bee

“He is running for Congress … Do you know why he will be elected? Because  all the gun owners will vote for him. Why will they vote for him? Because he is against any new law which will require registration of firearms. He claims that if there is a war, we might be invaded by Communists. And we will all need guns. With nuts like that in Congress, it could happen.” — Larry Siegel

“God must love assholes — She made so many of them.”– Druidic Bee

“Do you really believe that fear of the damage that you could inflict with your .22 Squirrel Blaster is the only thing keeping the government in check?” — Mark Oehlert

“The function of the law is not to provide justice or to preserve freedom.  The function of the law is to keep those who hold power, in power.” — Gerry Spence ‘From Freedom to Slavery,’ 1993

“Chaotic Evil means never having to say you’re sorry.” — Shrub Senior (Okay, I lied. Sue me…)

“Congress’ idea of “safe” sex: no reporters.” — Smart Bee

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Comedy_Tragedy

Random Exposure


If I only knew what I was doing here,
I could give others a clue.
Reality gets stranger every year,
and I’m not sure what I should do.

Singing happy old tunes, in an old, gravely voice,
gives me a lot of pleasure.
I’m only glad I can still make a choice,
to look at life, to take its measure.

Memorable moments keep passing by
gilded, framed in precious emotion.
I never have to ask anyone why,
no need for a stronger potion.

Everything in life is clear, to me
there is no doubt, no misunderstanding.
We’re all good, as you can see,
members of Life, in good standing.

Life can be hard, or it can be great fun;
the right path is there for each of us to take.
That choice is often a difficult one;
pay close attention to the choice you make.


~~ gigoid ~~


Written 4/22/2013.

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pearls_3

    With a bit over two hours to lift off, things are moving along quite smoothly, if slower than I’d like…. Funny how the clock slows down when we wish it to run fast…. Ah well, here’s a pretty standard pearl, with the usual tips one living with some dignity, and how to make our lives a bit more comfortable, if not less ‘interesting’…. Enjoy!….

“Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” — Confucius (551-479 BC)

“Individuality seems to be Nature’s whole aim — and she cares nothing for individuals.” — Goethe

“Always watch where you are going.  Otherwise, you may step on a piece of the Forest that was left out by mistake.” — Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne

“A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle.” — Japanese proverb

“Fear is the parent of cruelty.” — James Anthony Froude

“Dolendi modus, timendi non item.” [To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none.] — Bacon, Of Seditions and Troubles

“There is never anything to feel sorry about with love. Never.” — Robert Heinlein

“Very late in life, when he was studying geometry, some one said to Lacydes, “Is it then a time for you to be learning now?” “If it is not,” he replied, “when will it be?” — Diogenes Laertius — Lacydes, v

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Done…. Most excellent! Now, I can pack the computer, and, at the whistle, walk out the door…. Rather than prattle on in my usual mindless way, I’ll merely say ‘adieu’, and, with perfect sincerity, wish you a peaceful and happy existence until we meet again, here at ECR, where Reality is what we make of it…. Ta, then, ffolkes…. Eventually, like the Terminator, I’ll be back, with the usual caveat re: incarceration, or death…. neither of which looks particularly imminent…. See ya….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

Are we liable for the fish livers?….

Ffolkes,

“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life:

that word is love.”

~~ Sophocles ~~

Defiant Beauty

Defiant Beauty


Good morning…. According to Princess Irulan, beginnings are a time to take particular care in our actions, for they can affect the course of the future. Though not quoted exactly, it remains true by all evidence to be found. Hence, I am taking care with this Pearl, for it is a special one to me.

I was going to explain in the ranting section, but, a sort-of rant grew into that space, so, we’ll cover it here…. This Pearl will be, possibly, the last you will see for a period of approximately two weeks, with a few exceptions, should I find the time while moving from place to place. Yep, I’m hitting the road. as I’ve threatened to do for a while now. I leave tomorrow morning early to catch a flight to Europe. where I’ll be exploring the places I’ve wanted to see for a long time….

I’m so jazzed, I can barely think, much less write, but, duty is duty, once chosen. I’m going to show extreme discipline today, by NOT fussing around at all here in the intro. Business done, we’ll go directly to today’s effort/mess, after telling you the only posts you might see are some photo essays of my travels…. Keep your eye on this space for more news. If all goes as planned these Pearls will resume on approximately September 18, the day after my return flight. Given my age, it might be the 19th; I don’t recover as quickly as when I was younger…. For now,

Shall we Pearl?….

“The hour is striking so close above me, so clear and sharp, that all my senses ring with it. I feel it now: there’s a power in me to grasp and give shape to my world. I know that nothing has ever been real without my beholding it. All becoming has needed me. My looking ripens things and they come toward me, to meet and be met.” — Rainer Maria Rilke, from Book of Hours

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seven bridges road

    This song is an iconic folk/rock song, written by a legendary songwriter who never made it big in the mainstream, but, was known and loved by all his musical peers. The song Seven Bridges Road has been covered by a huge number of artists, including the biggest, most well known version by The Eagles… Following the link to the page where the video is kept will show you a number of other covers, of this song, and his other works…. I’d forgotten all about him, until a friend sent me the song as a quiz…. Enjoy!….

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Seven Bridges Road
Steve Young

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A-laughing-girl-and-her-camel

[From an announcement of a congress of the International Ontopsychology Association, in Rome]:

The Ontopsychological school, availing itself of new research criteria and of a new telematic epistemology, maintains that social modes do not spring from dialectics of territory or of class, or of consumer goods, or of means of power, but rather from dynamic latencies capillarized in millions of individuals in system functions which, once they have reached the event maturation, burst forth in catastrophic phenomenology engaging a suitable stereotype protagonist or duty marionette (general, president, political party, etc.) to consummate the act of social schizophrenia in mass genocide. — Random Smart Aleck

I LOVE this! It’s an absolutely irrefutable statement of the human condition; it’s a bit sticky to get through, but, if one is able to follow the convolutions and anomalies inherent in such a gem of gobbledygook, one finds it is absolute truth. In essence, when boiled down into its simplest expression this says, and, I quote: “People fight, kill each other, lie, cheat, steal, and, in general, have a history of mad violence because they are, incontrovertibly, bat-shit crazy.”

“The subject of a sentence and the principal verb should not, as a rule, be separated by a phrase or clause that can be transferred to the beginning.” — Writing Rule 44

Oh, shoot! I had this really cool thought process all worked out to use, with the help of the above quote, which, on first look, has little to do with this rant. But, I was going to amaze y’all with the brilliance of the connection, before using the switch to demonstrate the point to be made…. However, my excitement for the upcoming trip has completely obliterated it. Nowhere to be found….

Ah well, I guess I’ll just perform another chameleon-like color change, and move toward a lesson of ethics…. Ah, I know…. Instead of worrying about all the other bat-shit crazy denizens of the planet, let’s just consider the words of the Buddha…. Here are two of my favorite of his aphorisms, both a huge part of my own philosophy of life… You can take these as given, for anyone wishing to life with honor and peace…. See ya down the page….

“Believe nothing merely because you have been told it… Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher.  But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings — that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.” — Buddha

buddha sez-1

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Comedy_Tragedy

Funny Bones


Dreaming the way home, lost, unseen,
from the dance, where
he felt so free, and clean.
Sorrow couldn’t find him there.

Waiting, filling up the hours, hoping,
some connection can be found
keeping busy as bees, coping.
Love creeps in, without a sound.

Fat days, skinny nights, passionate
visions of semi-conscious entities,
cannot seem to fully illuminate
or hide our innermost frailties.

Resolute, find the perfect sense, codify
simple rules with every breath
never waiting, anxious to modify.
fear nothing in life, not even Death.

~~ gigoid ~~


Written 5/13/2013.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ankh

    Thankfully, today’s final old-school pearl came together fairly smoothly. It’s another group of good advice; pay heed to these, and your life could very well go a lot smoother than heretofore possible…. Really…. Or, not. Up to you, actually…. Enjoy!….

“Each of us visits this Earth involuntarily, and without an invitation. For me, it is enough to wonder at the secrets.” — Albert Einstein

“It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong.” — Abraham Lincoln

“Learning is ever in the freshness of its youth, even for the old.” — Aeschylus (525-456 BC) — Agamemnon, 584

“To use words but rarely is to be natural.” — Lao Tzu

“Ya gotta be subtle!” — Mike Hammer

“It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, “Always do what you are afraid to do.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“To philosophize is to doubt.” — Montaigne

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” — Leo Buscaglia

So live, that when thy summons comes to join
The innumerable caravan which moves
To that mysterious realm where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of death,
Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,
Scourged to his dungeon, but sustained and soothed
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave
Like one that wraps the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.

~~ William Cullen Bryant — Thanatopsis ~~


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There will be one more Pearl, tomorrow morning, right before I pack the final items, including the computer, to bid thee a fond adieu…. Until then, I won’t bother with the usual penultimate nonsense. I’ll just say, see ya tomorrow, ffolkes. Count on it one last time, for the nonce….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….