Clipping the bright plastic….

Posted on January 8, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke.”

~~ J. R. “Bob” Dobbs ~~

Night Sky in Oregon

Image Credit: Deepanshu Arora | PhotosByDeepanshu via Space.com

Hajime…. If one were to take seriously our opening statement of attitude from J.R., it would go a long way toward providing them with a seriously improved lot in life, as they would no longer have to worry about offending anyone. Once you can bring yourself to realize the wisdom of such an all-inclusive, non-discriminatory epithet, why, nothing else matters. Life becomes a breeze….

Of course, that’s because you won’t have any friends, and all your loved ones will probably try their best to see you dead, but, hey, who cares, right? Right. As long as you can maintain such a demeanor, other folks will pretty much leave you to your own devices, which, believe me, can be a blessing… It’s also a curse, naturally, but, one must make sacrifices in life to achieve one’s ends….

Okay, I’m done with the snarky silliness…. You may disregard the previous two paragraphs entirely from this point onward, as they really have nothing to do with anything but filling up space. My brain is currently non-functional, in spite of having consumed my first cuppacoffee in record time, and, having zipped halfway through my second. But, since the degree of non-functionality is so severe, it also blocks any feelings of guilt; there is simply nowhere for them to hang out near an exit….

There. Done. Honest, I won’t do this again; too many points where it could have caught fire & burned the whole deal to the ground. I’m thinking, sort of, it might be best to just head out, and deal with things as they happen…. Sure I will. Meantime, let’s use this little gizmo right here, and get the hell out of here, before I can say anything close to coherent…. Wouldn’t want that, would we? Of course not….

Shall we Pearl?….

Enjoy the spring of love and youth,
To some good angel leave the rest;
For time will teach thee soon the truth,
There are no birds in last year’s nest.~~ Longfellow ~~

~~ It is not always May ~~

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The Kinks

Image from music.naij.com via Google Images

For anyone my age, this band needs no introduction. It they are new to your ken, why, then, sit back, and prepare to have your mind blown a bit, if not a lot…. Enjoy, ffolkes; these guys set the standards for a LOT of today’s rock & roll, as well as pop music, to mention only one venue they influenced during their time in the limelight….

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The Kinks

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https://youtu.be/LemG0cvc4oU?list=RDLemG0cvc4oU

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The Anti-trafficking Movement Needs Survivor Voices: Why Are We Ignored?

Dueling Rants

Today’s rants come from the archives… On the date shown, I found two short discussions, on two of our favored subjects, to wit; religion and politics… Go figure…. I have cleaned up the formatting, but, changed none of the text; anything weird will just have to fly solo….

From 2/8/2012:

“If God had meant for us to take life seriously, He wouldn’t have given us a sense of humor.” — Theologist Bee

I would say this is true, as far as it goes. I would feel compelled to add that to listen to some of the folks who consider themselves tight with God, would be to believe they don’t figure He has one; at least they won’t cop to it. They live and act as if they never did anything bozoid, or made a mistake, or for goodness sake, looked at a platypus. If that creature isn’t proof that God has a sense of humor, I couldn’t say what is.

Since I don’t honestly believe in the tenets put forth by any of the organized religions I’ve studied (damn near all of them now), I would have to say that our sense of humor is a survival characteristic, a buffer for our minds, to protect it from all the crap and nonsense that floats free in the universe, especially in what we see and hear from our cohabitants on this little mudball we call home. Such a device is essential to retaining one’s sanity in the face of the kind of complicated, emotionally charged, irrational, and illogical BS we constantly have to deal with when trying to deal with the great unwashed masses.

It certainly has aided me in my campaign to bring some light to the dark-headed among us (I refer here to the old saw: the lights are on, but nobody’s home), both by acting as a favored method of teaching for me, and a favored method of learning for them. So, for me, it is a two-edged sword, giving me both protection from the assaults on my mind from the ignorant, and allowing me to share some helpful information in people who can’t learn any other way.

And in the final analysis, it’s always good to remember that humor is best applied in looking at ourselves. I can’t tell you how often I break out in sheer delight over something stupid I’ve done, something I have told myself time and again to not do, but that I end up doing anyway. Just goes to show that even us smart guys are not immune to bozoid tendencies…..thank God…..

🙂

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“I have a feeling that at any time about three million Americans can be had for any militant reaction against law, decency, the Constitution, the Supreme Court, compassion and the rule of reason.” — John Kenneth Galbraith

Mr. Galbraith makes a valid point here, but I think his estimate is low, considering there are over 310 million of us now. I’d wager it’s closer to 30 million, of which 95% would be fundamentalist Christians and/or Mormons. The entrance qualifications for acceptance into one of those organizations are pretty low, and since the principal characteristic of all of them is sheer mental laziness (they refuse to think for themselves, instead of blindly accepting what their leaders tell them), their ranks have swollen in the last decade. If you need proof, look at the Tea Party, which I consider one of the more apt descriptions for that entity. I would, however, prefer to add some words to it, to wit: the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

For the sake of argument, let us look at just one subject, say evolution vs. creationism. As recently as November of last year, several of the Republican candidates for the nomination to run for President expressed their doubts about evolution, trying no doubt to appeal to that 30 or more million folks who believe in creationism. Below, you will find just one argument on the subject; there are literally millions more scientists who would say the same…..

“Evolution is as much a fact as the earth turning on its axis and going around the sun. At one time this was called the Copernican theory; but, when evidence for a theory becomes so overwhelming that no informed person can doubt it, it is customary for scientists to call it a fact. That all present life descended from earlier forms, over vast stretches of geologic time, is as firmly established as Copernican cosmology. Biologists differ only with respect to theories about how the process operates.”– Martin Gardner, “Irving Kristol & the Facts of Life”– The Skeptical Inquirer, Vol. XII No. 2, ppg. 128-131

In reality, I am aware that I’m preaching to the choir here; most of the folks I know don’t much hold with nonsense. But, a lot of other folks may eventually read this, and if I can offend them enough, maybe I can get them to think for a moment or two, much as it pains them to do so……if not, well, it’s fun for me, and leaves them feeling confused, so that’s all good…..

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A Failure to Germinate

Marking the days in elements of sad disarray
only holds me thrall, as I laugh while I may.
With cold, hard hands so impatient and cruel
pulling me to this vale of tears, a pathetic old fool.

Feelings sit silent, cast in shadows and light
breaking forth to implicate such vengeful might.
Just below the surface they patiently hide
to sally forth bravely, colors bright as they ride.

Tears and pain transform valued assets in hand
while comfort and serenity retreat to a far land.
Bold, bright patterns of hope garnish my ruinous state
until reality enters, full of disdainful portions of hate.

I sort out the illustrious measures of vision gone mild
only to find them transformed, now vicious and wild.
In my deepest desires I find myself calloused and cold
with faithless advocates whose souls have been sold.

My search finds little to support any hope of relief
far too much time has passed to bolster such belief.
The sad becomes real, and real becomes unfounded
until flights of such fancy are all dead, and grounded.

Nature has informed me of the newly hatched crime
of which reality boasted proudly, time after time.
The last answer we think of is always the best
as we come to terms with fate, our hope at rest.

~~ gigoid ~~

9/27/2012

This is one of the first poems I wrote after a 35 year hiatus from writing any at all…. I still like it, & I hope you do as well….

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Today’s final section contains a rather classical style old-school pearl. The process for including the following was, for the most part, unconscious, which is why I couldn’t say what the message may be, at this time. It may come to me, as it usually does, by letting the ideas into my head, & letting them play together for a while; the message always settles out as a precipitate…. Trust me on this, it works…. Go ahead, try it…. I dare you….

For a true master,
Sitting on a throne
Is no different than
Sitting on dirt.~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~

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“All of the animals excepting man know
that the principal business of life is to enjoy it.”

~~ Samuel Butler ~~

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“Some folks say honesty is the best policy,
while others say keeping your mouth shut is even better.”

~~ Contrary Bee ~~

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“Morality is truth in full bloom.”

~~ Victor Hugo ~~

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“To find a fault is easy; to do better may be difficult.”

~~ Plutarch ~~

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“The beginning of knowledge is the discovery
of something we do not understand.”

~~ Frank Herbert ~~

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He who knows nothing, loves nothing.
He who can do nothing understands nothing.
He who understands nothing is worthless.

~~ Paracelsus ~~

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It’s done; that is, unfortunately, the best I can say of it, for, it went by so fast, and without much input from me, it rather created itself, by process rather than any sort of creative process in me. So be it; it is, all that notwithstanding, done. I’ll try again tomorrow to get this right. Until then, y’all be strange, it’s cool out there…. or, wait. Oh, never mind…. See y’all tomorrow; it isn’t meant as a threat, but, take it as you like….

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

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Reigned in with some reluctance….

Posted on January 2, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Democritus said, words are but the shadows of actions.”

~~ Plutarch — Of the Training of Children ~~

Beginning/Ending

Hajime…. I’ve been taking the words of Democritus more seriously of late; walking more & sitting less at the computer. Yesterday’s rant makes it hard to walk, but, the sky is still blue, & it’s pretty easy for us humans to ignore reality, so, I’ll keep it up, as it seems to be helping me regain some of the stamina and overall healthy status I once enjoyed. It has, oddly enough, also regularized my circadian rhythm; I’m sleeping at least 8 hours each night, often 10. That, however, is playing hell with my morning habit of being up early to finish each day’s post…. Now, I have to get done the day before, or, rush in the morning to do so….

So, you’ll find some shortcuts today; my regular readers realize this means some of the Pearl will be from the archives, where, in the last four-plus years, I’ve written about eight million words upon which to draw…. Bonus! It also means I’ll be cutting some of the crap out of this section, in order to get on down the page where I can make things right, with either fresh material, or, an archived piece….. In fact, you’ve already seen how that works, which is exactly like this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“I don’t think I’m ever more “aware” than I am right after I hit my thumb with a hammer.” — Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey

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Image from beatchronic.com via Google Images

Today’s music is from the same organization I wrote of yesterday, Playing For Change, which you can find here: https://playingforchange.com/. I receive an email notice when they publish a new song, and this one was so happy, and full of so much human spirit, it was irresistible to include today…. Enjoy, ffolkes, and, consider helping them out with a donation…. It’s well worth it….

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Pemba Lake
Playing for Change

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https://youtu.be/f8IZnTgQWu0

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Today’s ranting material comes from the archives; I started one, but, didn’t have time to finish it…. Hence, this blast from the not so distant past…. Enjoy, such as it was…..

From 2/5/2014:

Robert Heinlein called the latter half of the twentieth century, “The Crazy Years”, with good reason…. I have reason to believe that the period of US history to which he SHOULD have applied the term might better be placed in the beginning of the current century, instead…. As proof of that, below, I offer five links, to articles on ONE news site, all of which give a pretty good estimation of the depth of the problems we have in society today…. It’s a pretty good overview of some of the issues, but one should remember to remember the irony of having to read the words they’ve written, at all…. My comments will follow each link, in parentheses to avoid confusion….

“Two rules we should always have ready,–that there is nothing good or evil save in the will; and that we are not to lead events, but to follow them.” — Epictetus (c. 60 AD) — In what Manner we ought to bear Sickness, — Discourses, Book iii, Chap. x

http://www.sfgate.com/raiders/article/2nd-Raiderette-joins-suit-over-wages-expenses-5203869.php

(In sooth, this one isn’t so crazy as sad…. In the massive pyramid scam that comprises the structure of the NFL, the bosses make billions, the players, basically a bunch of grown up kids, make millions, the lackeys (like cheerleaders, equipment managers, beer vendors, stadium workers, and all the other mundane drones working in the business somewhere…) make a few thousands, while the fans, who are paying in all of that gelt, pretty much get screwed… but, then, what would you expect of a business that engenders billions of dollars of revenue each year, while engaging in what is essentially a complicated game of tic-tac-toe, with live x’s and o’s….. Actually, the whole NFL scenario reminds me of the whole Religion scenario…. same scam, different clothes… Robes and collars in one, uniforms and helmets in the other….)

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Sochi-city-hall-orders-killing-of-stray-dogs-5200318.php

(We all knew the Russian government was crazy, as often proven by their chief crazy, Vlad, the Bad boy, Putin….. and this little exhibition of the power of expediency over compassion is a perfect example of how the leaders of society take nothing but their own agenda into account when making decisions, regardless of how those decisions may affect another living creature, canine, or simian….. They don’t give a shit for anything but themselves, in essence, and this is more proof of it, to my way of seeing things….)

http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Senate-sends-farm-bill-to-Obama-5202152.php

(You know which farm bill this is, right? I’m pretty sure this is what they call the Farm Subsidy Bill, the one that distributes the BILLIONS of dollars, stolen by the government from taxpayers, to various American farmers, to supplement their income by paying them NOT to grow things…. Farmers, being PAID to NOT GROW food…. now, if that isn’t crazy, then I don’t know what the word means….)

http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/television/article/Bill-Nye-defends-evolution-in-Kentucky-debate-5202990.php

(You know we’re in trouble, as a species, when a scientific theory that has been proven beyond all doubt is STILL being questioned in public…. The fact that the debate here is taking place in a Creation Museum is one of the more ironic parts of this….. Here, in one spot, is gathered all of the major points of ignorance that are held as true by Creationists, who believe the world was created 6,000 years ago, reportedly by some aged, white-haired, Caucasian Supernatural Being, with serious busybody tendencies, (whom nobody saw, other than a few minor prophets, where they had been in the desert, happily having visions from dehydration, and experiencing beautiful, inspiring visions from consuming the desert plants…), with the aid and collusion of some of history’s most accomplished con men, in support on the ground…. The mere fact that the matter under discussion here is still being questioned, by ANYONE, is the most ironic, and the saddest part of this one….)

http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Slain-Napa-girl-kept-in-suitcase-freezer-police-5204040.php

(I’m pretty certain I don’t need to comment at all here, though I will; this story is infused with craziness…. The sheer insanity of this couple’s journey into methamphetamine hell, turned them from being human, into monsters…. I lay the blame for this death squarely at the feet of the BRC, as more proof of the failure of their “War on Drugs”….. Hell, from what I can see, everything the BRC has ever done to fight drugs has only worsened the problems that produce the drug use in the first place…. The drug use that is endemic in the lower reaches of the financial scale in our society is a direct result of the widening gap between the rich and the poor…. The sense of futility and hopelessness that goes with living in poverty, (and I know it’s real, having been there….) leads to despair, and drugs often seem like the only way to forget it all for a while….. Deal with THAT issue, the financial gap, and there MIGHT be some improvement in that area of societal behavior…. It’s obvious by the last 50 years that the current attempts to deal with drug use is NOT working….)

There you go ffolkes, a compendium of evidence that goes to prove how insane society has become…. I wish us all the best of luck in the coming years…. We are going to need it, badly….

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Intelligent Crimes

The value of wit is often said to cause harm,
for those who think, such is its greatest charm.
The new and the bold cannot be fulfilled
if innovation and change is left unwilled.

Society behaves at its base as a mob
conformity and submission its primary job.
Any sign of rebellion against the mob’s rule
is met with resentment, naming such rebel the fool.

Intellect and talent are looked at askance,
expressing artistry stands nary a chance.
To stand out from the rest of mankind
is fraught with danger, for body and mind.

Often I stand to watch in solemn dismay
as beauty and joy are left by the way,
ignored and reviled by the unwashed masses
who prefer darkness, and acting like asses.

With shouts of derision the normals make known
their fear of intelligence, greater than their own.
They hope to stop all semblance of progress;
for thoughts and ideas, they couldn’t care less.

The world struggles on in spite of all opposition,
managing to maintain its advanced position.
Pulling the foolish along in spite of reluctance,
helping each to learn the survival dance.

Hard though it may be to keep up with the future
genius manages its plans to develop and nurture.
In the final analysis, those who live by reason
enjoy life the most, season to season.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/7/2012

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“Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines,
but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.”

~~ Buddha ~~

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“If what Proust says is true,
that happiness is the absence of fever,
then I will never know happiness.
For I am possessed by a fever
for knowledge, experience, and creation.”

~~ Anais Nin ~~

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“You will know unexpected happiness.
You will know the sorrow
of seeing what is dearest to you cut down before your eyes.
Accept that
That is the nature of human existence,
and you have no time to buffer this fact
with fairy tales and illogical explanations.”

~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~

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“I always look outside myself for strength and confidence,
but it comes from within. It is there all the time.”

~~ Anna Freud ~~

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“All virtue is summed up in dealing justly.”

~~ Aristotle ~~

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“A good laugh is sunshine in a house.”

~~ William Makepeace Thackeray ~~

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“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”

~~ William Shakespeare ~~

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“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”

~~ Anais Nin ~~

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“I don’t have all the answers, just those that count.”

~~ gigoid bee ~~

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In spite of the natural and unnatural handicaps with which the morning has burdened our existence, this Pearl is done. I can only say hallelujah, and, be grateful it isn’t any worse than it is…. Not that it’s bad, necessarily, but, I don’t think we’ll need to notify the Pulitzer committee to convene any time soon…. On that deprecatory note, I shall bid thee adieu for another 24 or so hours…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; there doesn’t seem to be any choice in the matter for me….

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

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Tidy bonuses on a tiny table….

Posted on December 28, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“It is useless to close the gates against ideas; they overleap them.”

~~ Metternich ~~

Avenue of the American Dream

Note the two signs….

Hajime…. No, don’t worry; I’m not going to start off with a rant. In fact, I looked below, & there’s already a good long one down there, so, no worries… the intro is safe…. I remember this one; it leaked out a few days ago, & I’ve been waiting to the right chance to use it…. It’a relatively long, but, it’s on a subject on which I feel strongly, so, I don’t care. Y’all, as always, have the choice to read or not, but, I hope you do, because it’s all stuff that needs to be heard, by more than just y’all…. so, spread it around…. Just the subject is fine; I became a bit phantasmagorical at the end of this one; I got so worked up over the subject, I indulged myself with some dreams, so to speak….

We all have dreams; mine, like all else I do, are pretty strange, I’d guess, in comparison to many others; these are probably fever dreams, but, nonetheless enjoyable, on a private, personal level, for all that…. Now I’ve successfully told you nothing, about nothing, in more words than are, not merely necessary, but, desirable, by any stretch of the imagination. Nothing new there, right?

Hmm…. not much else to cover…. I did have a great time, yesterday, with my kids and grandson; I’m feeling the price today, physically, but, every minute is worth anything I must go through later, so, no complaints….. Can’t share pix, naturally; too many weird people trolling the Net for photos of children, especially good looking kids, to share with other perverts…. I may not LOOK cynical, but, believe me, I’ve seen the worst of human nature (I’ll speak of that below….) and it’s victims are NOT going to be from my family, if I can help it….

Enough blather, I think. I’ve wandered around, saying little to nothing, to little purpose other than to bring us here. We’re here, so, my work here is done…. Damn good thing, too, as I’m now fresh out of any ideas for what to do next…. I think Id best go find a video for today…. See y’all at the oyster beds; you’re on your own today for getting there…. You can just follow me if you like…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago.If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.” — Edward O. Wilson

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Image from guitarplayer.com via Google Images

I feel like rocking out today…. Nobody can help with that better than this performer…. Enjoy, ffolkes….

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Stevie Ray Vaughan
Live at Montreux ~ 1985

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https://youtu.be/dIhVJnYaRX4

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This rant, a long one, didn’t just leak out; actually, it was all I could do to keep it this short, as I tend to get a bit worked up about this…. It’s fresh in the last week, and probably could use some punching up…. But, what you see, today, is what you get…. If you become uncomfortable when asked to think, or feel about injustice, well, better skip to the poem….

Plague of Evil

In this blog, I speak of a number of issues which are a part of human society/culture, most of which are discussions of how poor a record in embracing human rights, and/or, living up to the twin concepts of kindness and compassion, our species has exhibited throughout history…. One subject, which often gets neglected, for reasons we will discuss, is the abuse of women, and children, and, even some men; in short, the continued presence in our society of the abhorrent practice of human slavery, generally for the purposes of the sex-for-sale business, but, often enough, just plain slavery.

I refer, of course, to a huge number of corporately sponsored factories, farms, or other businesses, in various places around the world, who force children, women, and men, to work for pennies a day, to provide shoes, clothing, and/or luxury items, none of which any of them earn enough to afford… Hell, they don’t make enough to pay for much of anything on what they are paid for working 12 to 20 hours a day…. This, believe it or not, is the sole purpose of “Free Trade Law”….. That, however, is a rant for another day…

To my mind, the abuse of women and children in the sex trade is, perhaps, the most significant, as well as the least apparent, (certainly the least ‘admitted issue) of all the forms of slavery practiced by that portion of humankind. In my mind, these people are subhuman, without any trace of any of the higher ideals, or evidence of ethical/moral beliefs of any kind, which are embraced by most of humanity…. In essence, these human predators, who have a completely false sense of their own importance in the universe, are without any morals, or ethics, and have given up their souls for the sake of an illusion of adequacy, unfounded, yet, enforced with violence which is never admitted, or, held up for approbation by society…. Pond scum is the nicest thing to call them, in my estimation.

These men (though there are women who subscribe to these sick, illusory beliefs as well…), believe women, or any other human they can intimidate and place under control, are property, less-than-human, and not worth any guilt or any sort of disapproval from a conscience; they have none. In my mind, this places them in MY category of those humans whose death, at the hands of another human, is NOT an unethical event, in any fashion…. If they die, screaming in pain and terror, so much the better, for they are completely without any redeeming value, as a human, or as a member of human society…. In fact, death is, in truth, too good for them; to give them a taste of how they treat others would be as satisfying for me, as long as that taste ended up poisoning them, slowly, so I could watch them go through the agony they deserve, in this life, or any other….

I’ve been writing about this subject for some time, after coming across a couple of blogs, written by women who had miraculously freed themselves from a life of such slavery…. Both had been abducted, or forced into prostitution at a young age, not being able to break free before the age of at least 30, spending more than half their lives as slaves to a series of evil men and women, forced to debase themselves on a daily basis for years, and years, and years….

For some time after coming across their stories, I felt so much rage, at the misogyny coating every level of or society, I began to plot ways to start removing the ‘snakeheads’ (the commonest term for those at the top of the chain in that trade….) from this plane of existence, one by one, personally…. In short, I began to dream of killing men who spend their lives abusing the rest of humanity, especially women and children, both of whom are their prey…. Using all the weapons at my disposal, I would stalk the streets of the cities, removing them from life, until it became an underground certainty that pursuing such a course of business was a sure path to death….

Of course, to fulfill such a vengeful dream, I’d have to become like them, and give up certain of my ethical standards, in order to complete my chosen duty…. Y’know what? It took me a very long time, and is still not a settled question in my mind/heart; the urge to kill pimps and snakeheads is just as strong today as it was four years ago, when the depth and breadth of the problem, (which covers the entire world; every city, every country is guilty of NOT doing ANYTHING significant to address this issue….) first came to my knowledge, and understanding. I still argue with myself often; I must, as there are times I feel so strongly, it’s all I can do, to NOT tuck away my five knives, three ropes, my bow, and staff, then, toddle off to Oakland, or San Francisco, to go hunting men…

Believe me, I really, really want to… I have two sisters, and if either of them had been taken in such a way, I’d still be out there, killing. As it is, all I can do is write about it, to help vent enough of the rage so I can keep from losing control…. But, I have to say, I often wonder why I DO stop myself; nobody else even THINKS about it, as far as I can see……

At this point, even writing isn’t reducing the anger; I’m THIS close (holds up thumb and index finger, touching…) to just saying, ‘fuck it’… I’m 65 and NOTHING IS BEING DONE to either stop the trade, or, rescue its victims…. which is a part of how our misogynist society works, and has, for 10,000 years, and more, back to when the first asshole with a dick bigger than his brain, raped a woman, and nobody cared, or looked away, or watched in approval…. Even the stupidest idiot in the world cannot deny the evidence of this issue, yet, no one ever does anything but talk…. as I am limited by age to doing….

Moreover, not only does government, composed primarily of, and for, men, NOT act on this, or even acknowledge it unless confronted, but, even the churches, the so-called proctors of morals in society do less than the government. In fact, they are worse, for they pretend to care for their constituents equally, especially for the weaker and more vulnerable, such as children, women, and the elderly…. Here is what a former US President, who was, without doubt, the most devoutly Christian of all our elected leaders, ever, had to say on the subject…. I figure he ought to know, having studied Scripture, deeply, through his entire life….

Nor is the hypocrisy of these Dogma Dogs (as I like to call them) limited to women; what group in society, by clear evidence, as reported in the news for all my life, as well as by my own observations, and conversations with many of those who teach the delusions held by most of humanity, has made a consistent, centuries-long practice of abusing children, as well as women, to a degree no other organization, or entity of any kind, has ever approached… not even within shouting distance?

I am willing wager anyone at all, any amount, or deed, or, third-born child, if they wish, (Just kidding, ffolkes… only had 2; no more coming, ever….)(maybe I’m calming a bit; that was almost funny), they care to bet, if they can prove, or even suggest any evidence that can be confirmed, that the clergy, especially that of the perverted “celibates”, (What a ridiculous idea! How can anyone, with more than 3 neurons to use, even THINK such an act/habit/intentional lie, is either natural, or, healthy for any creature, much less one claiming humanity?), who claim the title of Priest, is NOT guilty of crimes against their own flocks, more than any other entity you can name…. It’s not only children who are abused by the church in such fashion, either….

It disgusts me; all of them. Pimps, snakeheads, priests who molest or break their vows (which they usually treat as ‘suggestions’….), politicians who lie so often it has to be a congenital issue, and is certainly a mental issue, known as sociopathy…. They’re all assholes, they’re all shitheads, or, any other vulgar name you care to suggest; scum of the earth is nearly right, but, doesn’t give an adequate feel for just how evil these wastes of DNA actually are, in reality…..

I’m not done, but, I’m through for now….. In closing, I will merely say, if you start seeing headlines, of a mysterious number of deaths associated with people, primarily male, who are known to be active in the sex trade, or, a strange number of men who had been convicted or accused of rape, or other abuse of women, but, walked free…. Well, it’s entirely possible that, shortly before the reports began, I stopped writing, and disappeared from sight…. & you’ll know I lost control….

It will be either that, or, the NSA, or some other fascist, paranoid group of assholes, caught me off-guard, & disappeared me…. Or, more likely, came looking for me, and found me already gone….

It makes for a good dream, anyway…. and, if it happens, I may lose my ethical standards in one area, but, in another, I will be completely content with my karmic account…. Duty is as we choose it to be; I choose honor, which is rooted in compassion, and, when carried out with the proper attitude, as confirmed by reason, and experience, in kindness.

So be it…..

********************************

Today’s poem is one written not long after ending my 35 year hiatus from trying to write ANY poetry…. It’s not bad; I was in a rather tough state at that point in time, with lots of pain & anguish due to living on the edge of poverty, for the first time in MANY years…. so, it get a bit fusty & hopeless…. No worries, it all passed, & ends on a good note…..

A Seasonal Approach

Absolute stillness grips a frozen field,
anticipating dawn with such patient yield
morning burgeoning in dark winter’s hold
brings promise of tales yet to be told.

Lengthening days of pale sun unto night
slowly tell of time’s subversive flight
bringing such original songs of natural fire
with melodies complex in casual attire.

The months are certain they will always win
it is just the way it has always been.
None may argue, nor yet slow life down
Nor dim the eternal beauty of nature’s gown.

Winter evolves from fall into spring,
sending flocks and hearts ever awing.
Summer follows suit, t’other way ’round
Spring into fall, often without a sound.

Life is meant to be lived, beginning to end
choices abound, and change can be a friend.
Yielding with grace to reality’s compelling ploy
fills our plain existence with clean, honest joy.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/2/2012

********************************

Naked Pearls

Observations on Life at Large

***********

“To try may be to die, but not to care is never to be born.”

~~ William Redfield ~~

***********

“I haven’t a clue as to how my story will end.
But that’s all right.
When you set out on a journey and night covers the road,
you don’t conclude that the road has vanished.
And how else could we discover the stars?”

~~ Unknown Bee ~~

***********

“YES… LOVE IS A CONTACT SPORT…”

~~ il NOEGO ~~

***********

“Euripides was wont to say, “Silence is an answer to a wise man.””

~~ Plutarch — Of Bashfulness ~~

***********

“It isn’t so astonishing the number of things I can remember,
as the number of things I can remember that aren’t so.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

***********

“In the fight between you and the world, back the world.”

~~ Frank Zappa ~~

***********

“Moving parts in rubbing contact require lubrication to avoid excessive wear.
Honorifics and formal politeness provide lubrication where people rub together.
Often the very young, the untraveled, the naive, the unsophisticated
deplore these formalities as “empty,” “meaningless,” or “dishonest,” and scorn to use them.
No matter how “pure” their motives,
they thereby throw sand into machinery that does not work too well at best.”

~~ Robert A. Heinlein, “The Notebooks of Lazarus Long” ~~

***********

“Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished:
if you’re alive, it isn’t.”

~~ Richard Bach ~~

***********

“When learned men begin to use their reason,
then I generally discover that they haven’t got any.”

~~ G. K. Chesterton, Illustrated London News, 11-7-1908 ~~

***********

“A likely impossibility is always preferable to an unconvincing possibility”

~~ Aristotle ~~

***********

“There will come a time when you will discover a thing called loneliness.
But remember life’s cruelest irony:
The time you feel most lonely is the time you most need to be by yourself.”

~~ Douglas Coupland ~~

********************************

It’s done. Today, that’s the best I can say about it, as I haven’t gone back over it to look at how it hangs together…. As they say, in some places across the big pond to the East, c’est la fucking vie…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, most likely with a bit more pizazz…. whatever that is….

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

À bientôt, mon cherí….

The world is my oyster, I shall not whine….

Posted on December 20, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Don’t store garlic near other victuals.”

~~ Lazarus Long ~~

Leelu, platting her next move….

Hajime…. Today, our opening line from Lazarus Long has more meaning than usual, as well as more than is immediately obvious upon first reading it. To understand Lazarus’ point, one must put in some heavy, yet subtle thought on the matter, before the light dawns….. Some see it right away, but, for those who do not, & may mistrust me on this, let me assure you, it isn’t talking just about garlic….

For us, today, it has more meaning because it fits in with the day I had yesterday… at least, up until writing this, of course. Who can say what may happen after? Not me, nor will I even attempt such foolishness. I AM old enough to know better; moreover, I’m old enough to listen when I tell myself that.

I was awakened at 0722 by Leelu, who was annoyed a bit when I rolled over & ignored her for another twenty minutes of sack time…. Once up, coffee brewing, we played for a few minutes, then I distracted her with food while I drank my first cup, & tried to complete yesterdays’ Pearl; some of that episode was related there.

Today, I have managed, in between our mutual training sessions, to complete this Pearl, a full 17.5 hours ahead of the time I usually post, at 0600, or as close as I can get. AND, Leelu now will jump up almost anywhere I ask her to, on command…. Bonus!

Yay! Now, I can even try to work a day, or two, ahead…. To complete this Pearl, tomorrow morning, I’ll just need to write is the closing section, which I like to compose on the day I post…. That way, nobody knows if the Tardis was involved, or not…. Plus, it’s good practice for evading cyber-security paranoiacs…. such as our own government. Ya gotta do what ya can to confuse your metadata; then they can’t predict you as well…. and, they certainly don’t need to know when I use the blue box…. if you get my drift.

Ahem…. Anyway, this one’s done, complete with a new poem, freshly written yesterday, and two, yes, two sections with old-school pearls jammed with metaphor, as well as a touch of smarm and innuendo…. What’s a pearl without a little innuendo, eh? Not much to write home about, that’s for sure. To ensure this introductory section doesn’t even come close to that particular standard of quality, I think we’ll get on with the course of business for today, and get this slow on the toad…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“The present is only a mathematical line which divides that part of eternal duration which we call the future, from that which we call the past.” — H. P. Blavatsky

********************************

Image from youtube.com via Google Images

Today’s video selection s a band to which I was introduced by a friend, a couple months ago, via Twitter… I’m not sure, exactly, why this seems appropriate, but, since I’ve listened to it, I have to say, it fits. I guess I feel like being raucous…. Enjoy, ffolkes; everyone else in this video did….

********************************

Dropkick Murphys
Live: St. Patrick’s Day 2002

********************************

https://youtu.be/jQVaH8pC2Kw

********************************

“War would end if the dead could return.”

~~ Stanley Baldwin ~~

As is probably becoming obvious by now, to me, if to no one else, ranting is becoming more of a chore than a joy. This doesn’t mean it’s over, or, there will be no more of them; it just means, now, I have to think of something else to do to sublimate the anger, and disillusionment I experience every damn day, not only reading the news, which never seems to change for the better, but, by walking on the damn streets, where all the bullshit the Asininnies have been, and, are up to, is becoming annoyingly ubiquitous.

That said, anyone who’s been here before already knows what is coming; any newbies will just have to figure out what happened later. For now, just read the following pearls, let them run around playing in your head, and you’ll have an idea of why I rant so fucking often….. I hope. If not, well, there’s always tomorrow……

Naked pearls

How’s the water in there?

**********************************************

“Water really has no value…. until the well runs dry.” — Subtle Bee

“Government, today, is growing too strong to be safe. There are no longer any citizens in the world; there are only subjects. They work day in and day out for their masters; they are bound to die for their masters at call. Out of this working and dying they tend to get less and less.” — H.L. Mencken

” — Bother! said Pooh,as he joined Black September.” — Twisted Bee

“How do you like the new America? We’ve cut the fat out of the government, and more recently the heart and brain (the backbone was gone some time ago). All we seem to have left now is muscle. We’ll be lucky to escape with our skins!”– Carlinesque Bee

“Monotheism is a gift from the gods!” — Sardonic Bee

“It seldom happens that a man changes his life through his habitual reasoning. No matter how fully he may sense the new plans and aims revealed to him by reason, he continues to plod along in old paths until his life becomes frustrating and unbearable – he finally makes the change only when his usual life can no longer be tolerated.” — Tolstoy

“Huh?” — Joe Average, Anywhere, Amurrica

“God Himself has no right to be a tyrant.” — William Godwin — “Sketches in History” 1784

Onwards Christian Soldiers,
Onwards Buddhist Priests.
Onward, Fruits of Islam,
Fight till you’re deceased.Fight your little battles.
Join in thickest fray;
For the Greater Glory,
of Dis-cord-i-a.Yah, yah, yah,
Yah, yah, yah, yah.
Blfffffffffffft!

~~ An Erisian Hymn~~~~ by Rev. Dr. Mungojerry Grindlebone ~~~~ KOB Episkopos, THE RAYVILLE APPLE PANTHERS ~~

The last line of the hymn, perhaps, says it all best….. Most days, I feel a Bronx cheer is the best response one might have to everything outside one’s own space…. which is about all we have any sort of control over…. Ah, well, Life goes on, doesn’t it? So far, so good…..

********************************

Sir I admit your general rule
That every Poet is a Fool
But you yourself may serve to show it
That every Fool is not a Poet

~~ rendered from the French by Pope ~~

Manifesto, sotto voce

In retrospect, I’ve gotta say,
it’s all been rather a muddle.
Life’s tough, ‘they’ say, it’s just that way.
Lots of misery, not much cuddle.

Me, I’ve found life a bit different
than ‘they’ seem to have done.
It’s all been rather excellent;
I’ve had loads & loads of fun.

Sure, there’s been some bad shit.
Who can’t say that?
All of that pales, all of it
when one hugs a dog, a child, or a cat.

I’ve seen, fought, and felt, more than my share,
the presence of evil in life.
The pain that remains often seems unfair;
I ask why I chose to deal with such strife.

I can always find the answer in the same place,
right where it has ever resided.
All we need to do is embrace
the joy we’ve given, and been provided.

Simple is good.

Balance is good.

Life can be both.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/19/2015

********************************

Naked Pearls

Life to Death

****************************************

“Nowhere is now here.”~~ Nakagawa Soen Roshi ~~

“It is past all controversy that what costs dearest is, and ought to be, most valued.” Miguel de Cervantes — Don Quixote, Part i, Book iv, Chap xi

(Comment, sotto voce: Is this not an excellent definition of Life? — gigoid)

“Between the great things we cannot do and the small things we will not do, the danger is that we shall do nothing.” — Adolph Monod

“When an idea is wanting a word can always be found to take its place.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“When Alexander asked Diogenes whether he wanted anything, “Yes,” said he, “I would have you stand from between me and the sun.” — Plutarch — Life of Alexander

“At the bottom no one in life can help anyone else in life; this one experiences over and over in every conflict and every perplexity: that one is alone. That isn’t as bad as it may first appear; and again it is the best thing in life that each should have everything in himself; his fate, his future, his whole expanse and world.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

“The world is no nursery.” — Sigmund Freud

“Be obscure clearly.” — E.B. White

“When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other.” — Chinese Proverb

“When the first living thing existed, I was there waiting. When the last living thing dies, my job will be finished. I’ll put the chairs on the tables, turn out the lights, and lock the universe behind me when I leave.” — Death

Knowledge by suffering entereth,

And life is perfected by death.

~~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning ~~

~~ A Vision of Poets, Conclusion ~~

********************************

Done; not only done, but, done before I got up. Good thing, too; it’s taken me damn near an hour to wake up enough to write this. Ah well, planning solves many problems, if the plan works. Since it did, we’ll get on with the business of leaving, and, leave. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, as long as my computer stays up, and the angst stays down…. I know crazy optimism, again…. Deal with it, until tomorrow….

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Fifty-seven shades of brown….

Posted on December 11, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“If I had my life to live over again, I’d be a plumber.”

~~ Albert Einstein ~~

The Innocent, Earnestly Sincere Face

Hajime…. Today, in section 2 or 3 (I get confused, because this is the intro, so I never know whether or not to count it… Wishy-washy, I know…. Let it be, or we’ll never get anywhere today.), we’ll begin a new direction for ECR. It may or may not end up as a permanent fixture; if it works well enough, maybe I’ll just start another blog page for it. I DO own the domain, and I can have as many as I want, I believe, so, we’ll see…. I think you’ll enjoy it, mainly because I have to think that, or I couldn’t post it…. Duh.

But, who doesn’t like Leelu? How could you not like such a face? But, that’s enough about her. Let’s get back to talking about me, er, uh, blogging.

Okay, busted. But, if I go too far, it won’t work, and Leelu, I know, wouldn’t like that. Since she’s in charge, now, (or, so she believes, anyway….), I try to keep her happy. So, you’ll just have to wait…. We all must learn, at some point, to accept disappointment in life; you may as well get used to it…. No, I’m not going off on a tangential rant, I’m speaking generally, and pontifically, to distract you from the fact I’m not really saying anything either important, or prophetic…. Thank something for that….

Where now? Hmm…. Should I use some literary sleight-of-hand? Perhaps the old…. no, I’ve used that too much. Maybe the…. no, just did that two days ago. How about that….. maybe. I think though,what might work best would be for me to just stop asking myself, and y’all, these silly questions, to which only I know the answers, anyway. If I just clear my head for a moment, I think the proper method will present itself….. Just too much Sturgeon’s Law in my head today, so far, anyway…. Okay, OOOOOMMM MAANNE PAAADME HUUUUUUM!…

Ah, got it! I knew that would do it. It was quick, mainly because it was right there in front of me the whole time. Plus, it’s simple, sustainable (a new PC catch-word), and, no tools or special items needed. Here’s how it works…. watch closely, now….

Shall we Pearl?….

“He was once asked what a friend is, and his answer was, “One soul abiding in two bodies.”” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Aristotle, xi

********************************

Image from jambase.com via Google Images

I’ve never listened to Phish; I only know the bassist sat in for an acoustic session with one of the best guitarists alive, (Eric Clapton, or Leo Kottke, or somebody of their level of expertise…. I forget just now, and I’m too lazy to go look…), so, they must be pretty good. (SIGH…. I looked. It was the bass player, Mike Gordon, sitting in with Leo Kottke…. See my memory isn’t so bad…. and, Gordon is an outstanding bassist, for sure….) If the first cut is any indication, I’ve found a new modern band I can actually enjoy. I hope you do, as well; a lot of folks apparently like their music, so, hey, why not, eh?….. Let’s have a listen, shall we?…..

********************************

Phish Live
Austin, Texas 7/28/2015

********************************

https://youtu.be/no9alXlStts

********************************

Addendum to the above: I checked this out last night…. This be some good shit, ffolkes…. These guys know how to rock…. and boogie…. and blue notes, too….

********************************

The Astounding Adventures of Leelu and gigoid on Earth

Chapter 1: Beginnings

Welcome, fellow travelers…. Leelu wanted me to begin today by giving you the background behind these…. Well, there’s just no other word for them but adventures. You see, it started like this…..

As the voice announced the delayed arrival of the next flight to Paris at SFO airport, Leelu Magicat materialized quietly in an unobtrusive corner of the room of private phone booths. Knowing instinctively where she had arrived, she temporarily became transparent to other minds/eyes on this plane of existence, allowing her the freedom to move about without hindrance from any of the numerous humans blundering around the airport facility.

Walking through the crowds, her intuitive vision picked out a human who was going where she knew she needed to be, so she simply followed him, as he walked through the terminal to the BART station, boarding the first train going to Richmond from SFO. She had picked a good time to arrive, late at night/early morning, which thinned the crowds once the train passed San Francisco, allowing her to relax at the proximity to so many minds, intruding rudely and loudly on her own, as their confusion and illusions cried out in gibberish…. It got to be uncomfortable after a time, unless she chose to listen with mindfulness to only one, which was more effort than it was usually worth.

Once leaving the train, the human boarded a bus, to a town called Vallejo, situated on the northeast shore of the Bay, behind an island which had formerly been a US Naval Base, until the Cold War supposedly ended in the latter half of the twentieth century. As the bus came off the freeway, to head toward the central part of town, she had the urge to depart the bus, so, got off before arriving downtown….

As soon as the bus pulled away, she walked in the direction intuited, about two blocks, & saw her destination. As she approached, she assumed the shape she intended to use to train her companion to understand her, to learn from her what he would need in the coming events, and, most important, to her, to him, and to the Universe, to love her….

***************************************

What you have read above is what I have realized, reasoning from perceptions received below my level of consciousness; the information was found in my mind, though I have no idea from whence or where it came to be there…. I figure Leelu has been practicing her telepathy; it’s the only thing that makes sense, given how we met, and how our learning to live together became not merely an obligation from the Universe, but, a chosen duty, making it, for me, impossible to ignore, or abrogate….. I’m funny that way; my father would be appalled if I’d made any other choice…. I’d hate to even think of what my mother might have said, had I chosen to chase her away….

That said, here is what occurred: I arose one morning, to find myself out of milk/half& half for my coffee. This is, for me, a minor disaster, not to mention a pain in the nether regions; nevertheless, I sucked it up, dressed, and took off on the four blocks to the store…. As I returned home, climbing the first couple steps of the stairs leading up to my door, I heard a soft mewling, like a cat calling a kitten…. When I got to the fourth step, the sound clarified into what was obviously a kitten, not a full grown cat, which I could now see sitting on the rug before my door….

The wee beastie, small but sturdy and, cat clean, heard my steps, immediately striding toward me, mewling madly, as I were late. I topped the stairs, whereupon she began winding in and out between my feet, putting both of us in danger of tumbling down the 14 feet into the yard. I asked her to calm down, so I could get the door open. She sat, looked at me, and waited as I unlocked the screen, then, opened the door for her to enter…. She strode in, as if she had always lived there, politely turning to wait for me to shut the door. When shut, she put her paws as high on my ankle as she could reach, and mewled piteously to be picked up….

What was I to do? I picked her up, whereupon she began purring loudly, snuggling into my hold, and gazing with a direct, clear expression of confidence, trust, and, obvious love shining from them like a beacon, making it perfectly obvious I had been adopted by one of the descendants of Bastet, with whom our species has had an agreement since the dawn of time….

We are now companions; I don’t own her. She is, most likely, what would have been known, in elder days, as my familiar…. To me, she is partner, best bud, and teacher/student…. She has already given me more love, compassion, and lessons about LIFE, just by showing me again how to approach it with passion, verve, style, and gusto…. “Fortune favors the bold”, is one I’ve seen attributed to many sages/kings/warriors throughout history; she is living proof of that ancient adage.

Only Noah, my old heeler/shepherd buddy, who died at age 18 in 2012, taught me as Leelu has begun to show me…. It’s kind of funny, in an ironic way, because, here I am, a 65 year-old self-professed philosopher/scholar/warrior, who is, most happily, back in school, with a teacher who is, as far as I can tell, about five months old…. Go figure, eh?

By observation, confirmed by the veterinarian I had check her out, and give her the necessary inoculations to protect her, she is half Siamese, half Tortoiseshell Calico, a truly magical combination…. As the pictures I’ve included thus far show, she is, and will be, a gorgeous cat, strong, fast, smart as a whip, and, with mental and metaphysical powers we humans not only do not possess, but, often cannot even comprehend…. I’ve counted, and at this age, she already has 40 whiskers, many more than usual even for an older cat…. When she stares at things, alive or inanimate, they KNOW it…. I can feel it through the bathroom door sometimes, if I’m in there too long…

Needless to say, new magical things happen every day; I’ve already related how she saved the Universe once already. She has planted in my mind that she wishes to accompany me when I leave, and wants a halter and leash, so we can practice walking together…. She also wants a carrier she can see out of, so she can travel with me when I feel the wanderlust with which I am blessed/cursed….. It seems she refuses to consider being left alone for very long. If I have to walk four blocks to the store, I always find her, sitting right in front of it when I return, staring holes through it….. and looking at me with disappointment in her eyes…. which she always drops to run forward to greet me….

It’s going to be interesting, in much more than just the Oriental meaning. Life has become more interesting, more challenging, more…. well, just more…. And, I’m pretty sure it’s only going to get more interesting, as Leelu continues to reveal her powers, and tell me more of our actual work here on Earth…. You see, she is on a mission, and we have things we will need to do in the coming years to prepare to take up that challenge…. I can’t wait….

gigoid, the dubious

Leelu’s companion…..

12/11/2015

********************************

Justifiable Insanity

An incredibly insane, vivid abhorrence fills me up today,
because of a thought which occurred to me.
I was merely thinking about what all the headlines have to say,
when I was pushed onto a train of thought, you see.

I began to ride the train, resigned to wherever I went, as it willed.
I was directed by imagination, to consider for a moment or two,
to seek how many reasons a Man has given for when he killed,
count them, count them, curiosity demanded, or, suffer, you…..

So, I tried to count the words I’d seen, or read, or heard,
in the reports we see all over the news and TV’s.
I had to grab a dictionary, to check off each word,
my memory is good, but, not for such numbers as these.

It seemed so simple, when I began my chosen task,
how many could there possibly be?
I probably should have known better than to ask,
for every page had an example; look for yourself, and see.

How many did I come up with, many might ask?
Too many to count, as it turns out,
at least, for anyone of flesh and bone to complete the task.
Even a computer would simply freak out.

If you think I’m being funny, well, you are dead wrong.
Just like all the people who die each day, for ideas, principles, or religion,
or any of the tens of thousands who die each hour, because of delusion so strong,
Mankind’s entire history consists of little more than perverted contagion.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/10/2015

********************************

This may seem like an odd assortment of pearls; it doesn’t SEEM to have any direction, or purpose, or much of a message, other than, perhaps, “huh?”…. ‘S okay, we’ve been here before; trust the process, ffolkes. Just let your mind drift through with each quote as it presents itself; when you reach the end, it will all be clear…. And, if not, you can have every penny you paid for it refunded…. Not a bad deal, all in all…..

“Be ruled by time, the wisest counselor of all.”

~~ Plutarch ~~

~~ Life of Pericles (B.C. 495-429) ~~

“It is an interesting question how far men would retain their relative rank if they were divested of their clothes.” — Henry David Thoreau

“It was the saying of Bion, that though the boys throw stones at frogs in sport, yet the frogs do not die in sport but in earnest.” — Plutarch — Which are the most crafty, Water or Land Animals?

“He alone is an acute observer who can observe minutely without being observed.” — Lavater

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being.” — Johann Wolfgan von Goethe

“An ass is but an ass, though laden with gold.” — Romanian Proverb

“Look to the essence of a thing, whether it be a point of doctrine, of practice, or of interpretation.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, viii, 22

“Baby, after considerable thought I’ve reached the conclusion that the only conceivable legitimate answer to the Universe as constituted is a peal of hysterical laughter.” — Keith Laumer, _Night of Delusions_

“Would I lie?”

~~ gigoid, the dubious ~~

********************************

Okay, I did it. Leelu seems to approve, as she is sitting calmly, watching me type this closing paragraph. Since other duty calls, and she now wants to play, I’d best be about the rest of today…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; who knows? Maybe there’ll be another chapter, or another new poem…. Never can tell around here….. As a blogger friend is fond of signing off…. I love you! Sappy, I know, but, hey, true enough, so, deal…. Ta, then….

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

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Leftover bits and pieces of shattered sanity….

Posted on November 25, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Failure to understand reality is not reality’s fault.”

~~ Bill Henneman ~~

Irish Cheese & Butter Factories, on break….

Okay, I have to admit, I’m tired. ‘Tis to be expected, I would suppose, after this long (approximately 172 hours) without any sleep at all, at all….. ‘Tisn’t supposed to happen every morning, not this kind of fatigue, though I hear it happens a lot, beginning at about this age. So be it. Once I’m past this cold-turkey slice of hell in a few more days, I can deal.

I’ve been tired before; when duty calls, fatigue is irrelevant; there’s no other choice but to carry on, & hope for the best. I will, however, provide the following small disclaimer, to wit: This Pearl could conceivably turn out really bad, or, worse, weirder than usual, so, if it’s starting to make y’all uncomfortable, just try again tomorrow. I’ll keep on doing this until I think I get it right, and, so forth with other platitudes of purposeful sincerity. At least my pomposity is intact!

Oops…. Tardis-fart. It’s now late night, my pomposity is, no doubt, intact, and probably doing what I’d love to do, which is sleeping. Since I’m not, I guess I’ll continue putting together today’s mess of a post, which, in truth, isn’t messy at all; it’s just organizationally challenged. Whether or not we call it one, or the other, is, as it always is here at Consensual Reality, a moot point, as it’s been called many worse things in its time, short as it may be. How much time things take isn’t important to us here…. Remember, Tardis….

Now some of y’all might wonder how we got our greedy little hands on a Tardis. And, you’d be right to do so. However, that information, in particular, is one y’all will have to learn to do without in your life, as I won’t tell you. It would abrogate the agreement we made when we took it, besides embarrassing the hell out of yours truly… I mean, we got a REALLY GOOD DEAL on it, and, it’s kind of unfair to everyone else, But, y’know what? This is one of those things where I take my stand with the asininnies, and don’t give a shit about being unfair.

Whew! There. Didn’t think I’d get the obligatory mini-rant in, but, managed to squeeze it in there at the last. Now we can get on with this, as we have thereby fulfilled our quota of nonsense and blather for one morning. Well, other than this, of course…. Luigi! Get us up in the air, before the authorities arrive….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Anacharsis said a man’s felicity consists not in the outward and visible favours and blessings of Fortune, but in the inward and unseen perfections and riches of the mind.” — Plutarch — The Banquet of the Seven Wise Men, 11

********************************

The Outlaws

Image from craigdailypress.com via Google Images

The Outlaws are a generic hard rock band who began their performing/recording career in the 1970’s; they play with a lot of gusto and immense driving energy. Here is a live concert from November 10, 1978 at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, N.J…. Enjoy!….

********************************

The Outlaws

********************************

https://youtu.be/RJ29j4i4Ias

********************************

We the People...

“A little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.”

— Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Madison, 1787 ~~

All of us educated in this country know about Tom Jefferson; he’s a particular favorite founding father of mine, as his writings so often parallel my own thoughts, I feel I’m channeling him from the 17th century. In fact, I’ve taken to describing my political attitude/beliefs as what would termed a Jeffersonian… Another of my favorite Americans, not a founding father, but, a writer around the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries, was Henry L. Mencken. He lived in the Western states, mostly Arizona, was quite a libertarian by nature, and a political satirist by choice. His ideas, as he wrote them in his simple style, always seem to ring the right note. For example, one of his thoughts on modern democracy was put this way:

“Democracy is also a form of worship. It is the worship of Jackals by Jackasses.”

~~ H. L. Mencken ~~

Wonderfully whimsical, to my mind, and all too accurate, if the way this twenty-first century is shaping up is any indication. In fact, Jackals and Jackasses seem to be nearly perfect descriptions of a) our Beloved Ruling Class (the Jackals), and, b) their victims, er, constituents, the Jackasses, or as some of them are called, voters. Unfortunately, too many of them also get called to dinner way too often; have you looked around lately to see how MANY people there are who are not just overweight, but, obese?

Trust me, there’s a LOT, thanks to Mickey D, the King, and their co-conspirators in the junk food world, which now includes most of the items on supermarket shelves…. I note the only real cheeses in those markets come from other countries, or, locally. But, no American cheeses seem to be made; they’re all “pasteurized, processed imitation cheese food”, many of which won’t even melt directly on a hot pan, forget the bread. Plus, about 80-90% of the shelf items have many more chemicals, preservatives, artificial colors & flavors, and other NON-FOODS than they actually contain of the food item listed on the box’s face. Like chicken…. or other actual FOOD.

Now, of course, the corporations want to start selling everybody only GMO (genetically modified) foods, NONE of which have ever had long-term testing done on them. They don’t know if we can actually survive using them as food, but, damn, aren’t they BIG, and SHINY, and TASTELESS!? Why, yes, yes they are. They also have a longer shelf life, and cost less to produce, though you can be sure the corporate snakeheads won’t be charging any less. I bet they actually try to sell them for more, because they’re bigger! It doesn’t matter at all to the snakeheads these foods probably are not going to be good for people; they’ll just send all those sick people over to their cohorts in the medical/pharmaceutical corps, so they can extract their share of the available profits, as well….

By now, y’all are probably wondering how this all relates to Jefferson’s quote. Quite simply, the rebellion to which Tom refers is long overdue; he stated, in that same letter, he believed we should never go twenty years without some sort of public insistence on reform, in short, a revolution. It’s been many more than twenty, and, I predict the unwashed masses of the public, who are being oppressed, and having all their Constitutionally-guaranteed rights abrogated daily by corporate slaves acting at the behest of the corporations, who are engaged in a massive world-wide struggle to maintain control over the seething BILLIONS of slave wage earners, who are becoming increasingly aware of how they have been duped for so many centuries….

Human action on a societal level is very ponderous, due to the massive inertia needed to change any part of the established rules in place, often merely by long custom. It takes a long time for the pressure of oppression to build to a critical flash-point, but, when it does, there is no stopping the tidal wave of action, no matter what form it may take, for the amount of weight behind the wave-front is powered by the combined energy of everyone one alive, becoming the iconic irresistible force we hear so much about. When that flash-point is reached, as it will be in the relatively near future, we will see a world-wide uprising of anger against those in society who prey upon their fellow man….

Personally, I don’t think the oligarchy stands a chance in hell, but, they’ve been entrenched for a very long time, possessing a strong sense of survival, and of entitlement, so, their resistance to change will be violent, and may, indeed, end up in killing ALL of us in their own death throes. I figure, if that happens, so be it, for we humans have not exactly made the best use of our time on this plane of existence; it might be time to give another species the opportunity to take their own shot at glory….. I don’t think we’ll exactly be missed by the rest of the Universe, since it has no compassion anyway….

Well, THAT was certainly an outburst, wasn’t it? And, such a powerfully POSITIVE tenor to it, too! Bah! Humbug…. And, more succinctly, fuck it. We’ve been assholes, and, in my opinion, will deserve whatever happens, none of which portends much fun for any of us. Moreover, I don’t even think there are enough of us to make the difference, and turn the tide to the point where at least SOME of us survive. But, if we do, I certainly hope we can do a better job of it. This time around, as far as I can tell, we’ve fucked up pretty well, or, pretty badly, depending on your syntactical preference.

On THAT esoteric note, I believe it would be best to leave this where it is, without offering any solutions (which I don’t think will work, anyway), and, without any more whining, which, thankfully, I managed to keep to a minimum. To end this rather negative portrayal of reality as I see it, I’ll leave you with a somber, yet, at least positive statement of hope, from one of humanity’s most important poets…

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

~~ Dylan Thomas ~~

********************************

I haven’t posted this one in a while; it’s one of my personal favorites, as it’s mostly about my Dad, and the lessons I learned from him. Oh, not by listening; he had other methods. He lived, with honor and dignity, and let us watch…. I like it, even though it’s a bit tongue-in-cheek, simply because reading it brings him back to me for a time…. I hope you enjoy it…. It ain’t Yeats, but, it’s a poem…. sort of…..

Ah Ain’t Sho, but Mebbe So….

Fried eggs got nuthin’ on me
Ah’m not even sure of mah name,
or how Ah come to be;
no idea from where Ah came.

Ah does like a mystery tho’,
puzzlin’ things out so’s Ah knows,
good from bad, fo sho,
Ah sho don’t want no rock pillows.

If’n Ah cain’t figure out what’s best,
Ah just falls back on mah Daddy’s words,
seems he knowed just whut’d stand the test,
‘n how to gentle the scaredest birds.

‘Course, he’d lived a good long time,
‘n had lots of stuff go on by;
Went to a war, n’ lost a piece or two,
never once used it fer an alibi.

He tol’ me once Ah’d best learn to learn,
school’s only cool if ya ain’t already a fool.
Yer own good measure you can earn,
by startin’ yer learnin’ with the Golden Rule.

Always seemed to me as Ah growed up,
he mostly only spoke if it wuz true,
‘n by doin’ that clued me to what’s up,
kept me from stuff that’d a made me blue.

Without ever sayin’ the word itself,
Ah learned ’bout honor, ‘n helpin’ others
not some fake stuff from some shelf,
but, knowin’ whut’s right, ‘n that we’re all brothers.

Ah’ve been around long enough now, Ah think
to get around the block at least two times.
I s’pose long as my head don’t shrink
Ah’ll keep on doin’ right, ‘n makin’ these rhymes…..

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 4/6/2013.

********************************

Aristotle_Bust_White_Background_Transparent

The icon, as with the initial pearl, gives away the direction of this pearl; it can only be called an Aristotelian offering, for all of it is information of which Ari would have approved. In fact, without even looking, I’d wager good money all of the remaining eight pearls were based, at least in part, on wisdom and/or ideas Aristotle had left for us…. His mind, and its power, has influenced every thinking person who lived, in all the thousands of years since his death…. So, I’d say, beginning a nine-star pearl with one of his aphorisms can be called ‘well begun’, wouldn’t you?

“Well begun is half done.”

~~ Aristotle ~~

“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”

The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.” — Charles DuBois

“All great truths begin as blasphemies.” — George Bernard Shaw, “Annajanska”

“It is dangerous to make man see too clearly his equality with the brutes without showing him his greatness. It is also dangerous to make him see his greatness too clearly, apart for his vileness. Is still more dangerous to leave him in ignorance of both. But it is very advantageous to show him both. Man must not think that he is on a level either with the brutes or with the angels, nor must he be ignorant of both sides of his nature; but he must know both.”
— Pascal, Pensees, n. 418

“An intellectual is a person whose mind watches itself.” — Albert Camus

“There is this difference between happiness and wisdom; he that thinks himself the happiest man really is so; but he that thinks himself the wisest, is generally the greatest fool.” — Charles Caleb Colton

“Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.” — Walt Whitman

Alas! by some degree of woe
We every bliss must gain;
The heart can ne’er a transport know
That never feels a pain.

~~ Lord Lyttleton ~~

~~ Song ~~

********************************

I suppose, when one is trying to fill in a large number of hours distracting oneself from the misery & bother of reality, a Pearl of epic proportion isn’t particularly surprising. It certainly is cathartic. Now, if only it would stimulate some semblance of normal sleep, I’d be content, if not completely ecstatic. We can hope, anyway, Why not? It’s the thing with feathers, that never stops at all, according to Emily. I think she’d know. And, now we know, for what it’s worth….

On that strange note, I’ll take my leave. This one may not be the ultimate Pearl, but, I think it’s pretty shiny. Still, I’d best try again tomorrow. I’m pretty sure I’ll have more than enough time on my hands, what with twenty-four hours to work with, all of which I’ll most likely be conscious, if not coherent. So, I’ll see y’all then…. if they don’t catch me, first….

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

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Perspective ALWAYS matters….

Posted on November 16, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“According to the proverb, the best things are the most difficult.”

~~ Plutarch (46-120 AD) ~~

~~ Of the Training of Children ~~

A Garden Path in Galway

Hajime…. We take drugs very seriously at my house… Now, before anyone goes off on some weird tangent, I’ll say this: first, I found the statement in Smart Bee, and it fit so well, I had to steal it…. Second, it’s perfectly true, but, not in the way most folks would think it might be construed. What I mean by such a statement is exactly what it says; we take them, and very seriously.

That being said, we may now proceed on to more important things, such as getting this fucking Pearl done, as it didn’t get done yesterday, thanks to some levels of pain I haven’t experienced in over a decade…. What great fun we had, remembering back to those days of yesteryear, when life was shit, with no cherry, on top or anywhere else….. ‘Twas indeed a day to remember to forget…..

Fortunately for us all, pain, like any memory, fades in time, and, though this morning bodes ill for another such day, I have my plans to deal with it, involving yet more drugs…. But, don’t worry, they’re legal in this state. I mean, OF COURSE, they’re legal, if reluctantly. I’m quite sure, if the Big Pharma companies had their way, it wouldn’t be, for the use of these “drugs”, which have been used my mankind since the time we lived in trees and caves, promises, in time, to put them out of their very lucrative business, which involves keeping everyone sick, so they can sell them more poisons.

End of mini-rant. Let’s go on to the rest of today’s mess, shall we? It promises to be a little more pleasant, at least in tone, if not quality. But, then, if you wanted quality, you’d be somewhere else, now, wouldn’t you? Yep. Don’t worry, I know exactly how good all this is, compared to the general run of things online, so, don’t worry you’ll hurt my feelings. Besides, me and pain, we’re old friends…. For now…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“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, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love”

********************************

royalty-free-clip-art-vector-logos-of-black-and-orange-floral-acoustic-guitars-by-seamartini-graphics-6573

Yep, you know what that picture means, don’t you? Yep. Classical music, which is all I can think of to play right now…. might have something to do with the Grateful Dead jam I’m listening to, which sounds much like a long classical, bohemian piece….. until now, as they begin to break into a jauntier tune, (I Know You Rider), in a famous jam from 1979 or so….. Ah well, you can’t hear it, anyway, unless you’re a Deadhead, and go download it yourself…. But, you can enjoy this collection of great older stuff…. Your choice, as always…..

********************************

Classical Music

********************************

https://youtu.be/jgpJVI3tDbY

********************************

I don’t have it in me to rant, but, given the above statement from Albert, I think we can put together an old-school pearl to show just how the world has been put into the position we now find ourselves, as well as who is to blame, and, how we can make the necessary changes…. Quite a lot for a few quotes, isn’t it? Well, you’ll see…. Enjoy….

“Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion.” — Oscar Wilde

“The most costly of all follies is to believe passionately in the palpably not true. It is the chief occupation of mankind.” — H. L. Mencken (1880-1956)

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

“Forbid a man to think for himself or to act for himself and you may add the joy of piracy and the zest of smuggling to his life.” — Elbert Hubbard

“As soon as men decide that all means are permitted to fight an evil, then their good becomes indistinguishable from the evil that they set out to destroy.” — Christopher Dawson, “The Judgement of the Nations”

“It is hard to believe that a man is telling the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place.” — H. L. Mencken

“For every disease that doctors cure with medicine, they produce ten in healthy people by inoculating them with that virus which is a thousand times more powerful than any microbe: the idea that one is ill.” — Marcel Proust (1871-1922)

“The highest treason, the meanest treason, is to deny the holiness of this little blue planet on which we journey through the cold void of space.” — Edward Abbey

********************************

Since yesterday was one of my worst days ever, I thought a poem written on a very similar day might work. You tell me….

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 ~~

(Yes, yesterday was NOT a good day…. why do you ask?…..)

Griefe brought to numbers cannot be so fierce,
For, he tames it, that fetters it in verse.

~~ John Donne ~~

********************************

I’m somewhat surprised at how this pearl turned out; it was mostly serendipity at work, I believe, which dictated the icon you see adorning the top of this final section. It’s a long pearl, with 13 gems shining out with some brilliance. The opening from Keats, and the close by Bryant may, at first seem out of place with the rest of the pearls, but, in truth, the form the perfect bookends to the ideas between, marking a section with some of the more off the beaten track when it comes to advice on living life with some style to go along with the virtue we all seek…. (Sure we do..) Enjoy!

In a drear-nighted December,
Too happy, happy tree,
Thy branches ne’er remember
Their green felicity.

~~- John Keats ~~

~~ Stanzas ~~

“A priest advised Voltaire on his death bed to renounce the devil. Voltaire said, “This is no time to make new enemies” — Attribution unclear

“A gift of flowers will soon be made to you. Don’t eat them this time.” — Cute Bee

“First, learn to love yourself, and then you will learn to love others.” — Chen-It Ong

“Waiting is.” — R.A. Heinlein, ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’

“Think it more satisfactory to live richly than die rich.” — Sir Thomas Browne

“Smile, but sharpen your knives.” — Found without attribution; probably a Fremen proverb (the original would have said “chyrsknife”)

“None but a fool is always right.” — Hare

“It’s not true that life is one damn thing after another; it is one damn thing over and over.” — Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950)

“Be not as one that hath ten thousand years to live; death is nigh at hand: while thou livest, while thou hast time, be good.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, iv, 17

“Character is a victory, not a gift.” — Our old friend, Anonymous

“Courage conquers all things.” — Ovid

The melancholy days are come, the saddest of the year,
Of wailing winds and naked woods and meadows brown and sear.

~~ William Cullen Bryant ~~

~~ The Death of the Flowers ~~

********************************

It’s done. In the final analysis, that is all that can be said of it, as it should be. Having fulfilled my self-imposed duty for the day, (while making no claims of quality, lest we find ourselves in court), I’ll take my leave, post-haste, to go begin the process of consuming sufficient herbal oils and essences to mitigate my agony…. Wish me luck, ffolkes, I’ll need it…. See y’all tomorrow, come Hell, or High Water…. I’ve been through both of late, so, that’s no empty promise….

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

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Chicken bones for dessert….

Posted on November 12, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

Xenophanes said,

“I confess myself the greatest coward in the world,

for I dare not do an ill thing.”

~~ Plutarch ~~

~~ Of Bashfulness ~~

A Storm on the Horizon

Leelu in full PK mode

Hajime…. For any Gentle Readers who are wondering why I’m continuing to use the Japanese opening for today’s Pearl, well, I’ll tell ya…. It’s like this: As I write this, it isn’t morning. It isn’t even evening, really, as it will be, in a short time, what is best described by Eric Clapton in his song, “After Midnight”…. That’s pretty clear, right? It’s the fucking middle of the night, again, and, here we sit, me & Leelu, working on a Pearl instead of sleeping, as my body/mind would REALLY like to be doing.

Why I’m up again isn’t important, though it’s probably relevant. But, any sort of discussion would just set me off again, I’d start ranting, and we’d never get out of the intro. So, I’m passing on that, and we’ll go straight to something more fruitful, or, at minimum, less offensive and rude. We do like to avoid rude, whenever possible. Mom wouldn’t like it if we were rude…. We don’t like to disappoint Mom, do we? No, of course not….

The question now, however, becomes once more problematic, as we are proscribed from using the same trick twice. My box of literary tricks is rather empty right now; what with all the recent time spent finding my way back from Hell, I haven’t had a lot of time to read, or study, or, for that matter, think as much as I’d like. Though we are both body and mind in one, the body’s complaints sure seem to take precedence when they occur; this makes it hard to use the mind to balance whatever is happening…. One can persuade one’s self Reality isn’t actually happening for only so long; at that point, Reality switches tools, from a scalpel to a sledge hammer. and has its way, regardless of whether we can fool ourselves, or not….

I’m pretty good at fooling myself, as are most of us human types. This doesn’t mean I like it; I can just accept it…. Now, where were we? And, where were we going? Oh, right, intro. Okay, it looks as if we have enough to satisfy the licensing board, so, why don’t we let Luigi have some more fun, and use the turbo booster? Everybody strapped in? Okay, Luigi, it’s all yours…. (Don’t worry, ffolkes; if we crash, we’ll just switch over to the Tardis, travel back to this instant, & start over….)

Shall we Pearl?….

“Skeptics laugh in order not to weep.”

~~ Anatole France ~~

********************************

Tom Waits ~ Stencil by The MIVC

Image from 8tracks.com via Google Images

Unique. It’s the only word for Tom Waits; his voice, his musical talent, his lyrics, his persona. Another of mankind’s treasures, to my way of thinking. You can decide for yourself…. This was his debut album, released at age 24; on the page listed below, you can find all of the rest of his body of work, with extras…. Enjoy!….

********************************

Tom Waits
Closing Time

********************************

https://youtu.be/lndL46jiEFQ

********************************

~~ Bruce Sterling ~~

Though I’m afraid he’s right, Mr. Sterling’s assertion does require some definition of terms; “moral relativism” just BEGS to be misinterpreted, in the sense that each person will filter the concept through their own moral viewpoint. So, in order for us to discuss it wit any degree of confidence, I’d best delineate why my own opinion runs, if not parallel, at least in the same quarter of the compass as his statement. Why don’t we do that? I dunno, why not?

Okay. I believe it, moral relativism means exactly what I described above. Each of us has our own moral code (hopefully); we view the world, and its activities, with that code coloring our perceptions. For example, a person who holds the belief they have the duty to help others will view a business transaction entirely differently than one who feels they are entitled to do unto others, first. One will sell their products at a fair price. with service given to each customer. The other will consistently overcharge for cheap products, and act as if they are doing a favor to sell at all.

You see, to me, that’s what moral relativism is; when people make a decision about how to interact with others, for whatever purpose it may be, a certain percentage of our species tends to think it is just fine to rationalize ANY sort of behavior, if it leads to them getting what they want. They can justify lying, stealing, even killing, in the pursuit of their desires, without any compunction, or, really, any thought at all about how others might be affected by their actions. Moreover, many of them are canny, and have learned how to manipulate others of their kind, who have a tendency to be violent, to do their bidding…. They call them ‘police’ these days….

“Our legislators are not sufficiently apprized of the rightful limits of their power; that their true office is to declare and enforce only our natural rights and duties, and to take none of them from us.” — Thomas Jefferson, 1816

As Tom’s observation from the early days of the Union show, the problems we face today have their origins in that very same beginning, as those who serve only themselves worked their lies and manipulations to gain control of government almost before the ink was dry on the Constitution. He recognized in this, and other writings, how the bankers and preachers had conspired, naturally, as is their nature, to pervert the legislators from day one of the first Congress, lobbying to have their own wishes made law….

And they’ve done it. Our world today is under attack by large corporations, and their owners, who number far fewer than many might believe. They wish to control everyone’s habits, and finances, and health, and every other aspect they can seize. They have made sure the laws favor them over any other member of society, and now have almost free rein to attempt to order everyone’s lives, so we all live in the same houses, watch the same TV shows, eat the same poisonous foods, go to the same doctors who feed us more poisons, then send us to church on Sunday to celebrate our slavery, by worshiping a delusion who promises us our next incarnation will be better.

Bah, humbug! Not for me, thanks…. I’ll take it the same way it’s laid out in the Constitution of this nation, as written. Period.

gigoid, the dubious, has spoken.

So be it.

“When, in the course of human events,…. etc.”

~~ Declaration of Independence of the United States of America ~~

********************************

For some reason, this one, though recently created, seems to fit in with today’s rant; since I can do what I want, here ’tis….

Mad Dogs at Bay

Wicked, angry, red scenes of imminent demise
haunt my dreams each night.
Fearful visions of destructive surprise
leave me sweating in terror, as well they might.

Small, mean, ugly, with beady little eyes,
pundits gather like maggots, bloated and vile,
grunting, snuffling, mumbling outlandish lies,
enslaving the ignorant with patience and guile.

Society’s denizens exist as volunteer slaves.
Living and dying by script, completely blind.
Never allowing any resentment, no making waves.
Never knowing joy, nor any peace of mind.

Free men will not be controlled, ’tis said;
No coercion, no illusion can cloud their sight.
No threats, no pain, no fear they dread;
their only duty to keep to the right.

Dreams are mere reflections of our inner fears,
whispering, close against doors shut fast.
Mocking our mostly irrelevant tears,
clearly marking the future as our sordid past.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 7/15/2015.

********************************

What follows is what I would call a true pearl of virtual wisdom; in fact, in this case, it approaches the real thing. Most of it will definitely be on the Quiz, so, if I were y’all, I’d take notes, at least…..

“Reality is a group hunch.”

~~ Frank Zappa ~~
———-
“We do not perceive reality. We conceive it.”

~~ Oskar Haeml ~~
———-
“If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself.”

~~ Native American Proverb (Minquass) ~~
———-
“Never pretend to be something you’re not.”

~~ Things We Can Learn From Dogs ~~
———-
“Be and not seem.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
———-
“Truth never tranquilizes.
The defining property of truth is its ability to disturb.”

~~ Solomon Short ~~
———-
“Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.”

~~ Erich Fromm ~~
———-
“When someone loves you for a long time,
really loves you, then you become Real.
Generally, by the time you are Real,
most of your hair has been loved off,
your eyes drop out,
but this doesn’t matter . . .
when you are Real you can’t be ugly.”

~~ The Velveteen Rabbit ~~
———-
“Do not go gentle into that good night
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

~~ Dylan Thomas ~~

********************************

Some of you may have noted, or, not, I failed to actually tell y’all why I used the opening word; it shows how easily we humans can be distracted by them, adding more evidence to yesterday’s discussion of Socrates thought on the use of language, and how it can be evil when used improperly. Which is, again, a digression. Each Pearl you’ve seen, and continue to see, has been a fight to produce; I’m in sad shape, in a lot of ways, and the mere fact it’s getting posted at all is a victory, in a way. It means I survived another fight, which, at times, is the only possible way to win at all.

Since it’s been such a daily fight, we begin as every Judo, Karate, and Japanese martial art of any sort begins a match…. The irony, of course, is we are done now, but, it does mean I’ve survived this far, at least. Now I post, then, begin the fight to survive to do it again tomorrow…. Considering my record so far, the odds look good again…

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

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Spontaneous paradigm regeneration…. Myth, or dogma?

Posted on November 5, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

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

~~ Titus Livius ~~

Serendipity ~ Unexpected Charm

G’day…. Bass ackwards isn’t all that unusual for us, but, I hadn’t thought to begin the day thus, in spite of what I now see were significant clues I missed. Oh, well…. at least I’m here, and posting. It was looking like it was going to be a tough three days, but, fortunately for all concerned, that didn’t happen, for which I’d give thanks, were there anyone I thought was all that worried about getting any. Since there isn’t, we’ll just go on for now.

Y’know, I’m not really all that coherent right now, even if these words, so far, have given no such indication. I’m right smack-dab on the edge of sheer, unadulterated insanity, thanks to the vicissitudes of modern life under the corporate aegis that covers the world. Every day, I spend an inordinate amount of time persuading myself to forgo giving in to my homicidal urges; it’s getting harder every day. It’s gotten so bad, I’ve gone so far as to go out and about relatively unarmed, just to I don’t overreact to someone’s rampant stupidity with a weapon in my hand.

Moreover, I’m afraid, if/when I do end up tumbling over the edge, my angst will come out upon a myrmidon, or, a dogma dog, or worst yet, an innocent (if such exists) bureaucrat, who is merely passing his own time in Hell, slaving away, living a life of delusion. If I lost it on one of them, I’d no doubt suffer a good five minutes of guilt, which I HATE. So, rather than take the chance of leaving a trail of bodies behind me, I’ve been staying in a lot, which the cat loves, and I get tired of FAST….

Ah, fuck it, this is turning into a whine tasting, way too early in the day. Instead, I’m going to tell Luigi to do what he’s always wanted to do, and try to set a new land/water/air speed record getting us to the oyster beds, to take our minds off our daily troubles, and experience a bit of sheer, real, terror for a few moments…. It’ll distract us all, guaranteed…. Luigi, you’ve got your head….

Shall we Pearl?

“What you keep to yourself you lose, what you give away, you keep forever.”

~~ Axel Munthe ~~

********************************

Image from alexpress.com via Google Images

Today we’ll return to yesteryear, to what may be the most well known band to ever play in public. The “lads” are playing here in a live show from 1965, so, the audio quality may suffer…. But, I’ll bet the memories will come just fine…. Enjoy!….

********************************

The Beatles
Live ~ Empire Pool 1965

*********************************

https://youtu.be/uc8wtwASPhY

*********************************

********************************

I wrote this rant on a day I also spoke of omens in the introduction; the WP suggestion bots referred/reminded me of it yesterday. It’s a good ‘un, I think, so, here ’tis again, just because I can…. and, because it’s worth repeating often….

From 2/1/2013:

“The secret of life is to appreciate the pleasure of being terribly deceived.” — Oscar Wilde

Oscar’s speech, and his grasp of the art of conversation, were legendary for showing wit along with intelligent insight. Often, with aphorisms like this one, that depth of insight became quite shiny….. It doesn’t seem like much, at first glance, but is actually quite good advice, though given with tongue firmly planted in cheek. In one simple sentence, he condemns modern society for its lack of integrity, and offers to mankind the only true way to be content with our lot…..

In this society, we, the people, are deceived on what is essentially an hourly basis, by our leaders, by our priests, by businesses, by the police, by each other for the sake of expedience; almost every minute of our lives we are being lied to by someone, especially if one watches a lot of TV. We have, culturally, become so inured to being lied to that we have come to assume it is not just okay, but is the only way to get ahead in life…. Sadly, this may be true…. The presence of honesty in human interaction has become so rare that most people just expect the lies, and learn to live with them per Oscar’s suggestion.

In its simplicity, and in its Zen-like attitude, what Oscar shared is very much Eastern in its outlook. It isn’t a common idea in Western culture to “go with the flow”, but rather to “fight on”; the concept of acceptance to deal with challenge is foreign to most of us raised under Christian standards. But, regardless of where one is raised, the lies are still out there, being used by those in power to confuse, distract, and manipulate the voting public, and I think we can count on them to continue in that vein for as long as it continues to work for them….

So, maybe it is time to look at what Oscar said as a challenge, rather than advice. Perhaps, if the public began to NOT accept the lies, but began to question those in authority, to demand that the truth be told, then maybe there is a chance for us to survive the coming collapse….. Maybe…. it may already be too late….

I read an interesting article the other day, and I use the word ‘interesting’ in its most dangerous sense, as is common in Eastern culture, where being wished an “interesting life” is a curse…. The article made this statement, to wit: the climate is not changing. It has changed…… In other words, the moment that the environmentalists have been fearing for years has arrived, and we have reached a point of no return.

The millions of tons of particulate matter (“pollution”) we have been pumping into the air for the last 100 years has reached a point where irreversible changes in the balance of the planetary ecosystem have been made, and the climate, which has just begun to alter its centuries-old patterns, will now continue to grow more unpredictable, and more violently destructive than has ever been seen before in history. These changes are not going to stop, and in fact, will worsen over time…. and, I am unhappy to report, this is not fear-mongering, this is not speculation, this is not a lie…. this is demonstrable fact. See for yourself, here:

http://www.poodwaddle.com/clocks/worldclock/

I am so pissed off about this that I am going to have to stop this pearl right here; I’m already trembling from the jolt of adrenaline the anger stimulated in me. Those in power over society have ignored the warnings that scientists and environmentalists have issued for decades, and their intransigence is now going to kill all of us, slowly and with great pain for many, as life on this planet becomes more and more of a challenge, to live, nay, just to survive. There is only one reason this is happening, and that is the FACT that the Beloved Ruling Class has, for centuries, lied and cheated the rest of humanity, and have arranged matters so that they are the only ones who are truly comfortable… most of humanity has to struggle to obtain just enough of the resources being hoarded to live in hunger, barely able to survive.

Bah! I am incensed, and can hardly contain my rage…. It makes me want to go out and start….. well, I started to say “killing”, referring to the members of the BRC, but, on second thought, killing is too good for them. I think I’d rather keep them alive, but make them suffer, just as much as they have made others suffer their entire lives….. It’s time, ffolkes, for humanity to step up, and boot the assholes out…. They are killing us, and I think it is about time we did something to return the favor, don’t you?….. Think about, but don’t take long, because it’s already too late…..

“If I had a Q-TIP, I could prevent th’collapse of NEGOTIATIONS!!” — Zippy the Pinhead

“Rare gift! but oh what gift to fools avails!” — Alexander Pope (1688-1744) — The Odyssey of Homer, Book x, Line 29

********************************

I found this via Google, but, forget where; if you really need to see it yourself, and, you’re reading this, then, you can Google it yourself. But, then, why bother?….

Conversations among the ruins

Through portico of my elegant house you stalk
With your wild furies, disturbing garlands of fruit
And the fabulous lutes and peacocks, rending the net
Of all decorum which holds the whirlwind back.
Now, rich order of walls is fallen; rooks croak
Above the appalling ruin; in bleak light
Of your stormy eye, magic takes flight
Like a daunted witch, quitting castle when real days break.

Fractured pillars frame prospects of rock;
While you stand heroic in coat and tie, I sit
Composed in Grecian tunic and psyche-knot,
Rooted to your black look, the play turned tragic:
Which such blight wrought on our bankrupt estate,

What ceremony of words can patch the havoc?

~~ Sylvia Plath ~~

********************************

Here’s the deal with this one; I haven’t the slightest clue as to the exact meaning, or, why SB would only give up these seven pearls, and no others, in an entire day. Hence, the icon you see adorning the space at the top of this final section. If you can figure out a way to express the concept being forwarded, please do so in the comments; I’d love to get a clue….

“By definition, when you are investigating the unknown, you do not know what you will find.” — The Ultimate Principle

“Security is mostly a superstition. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” — Helen Keller, The Open Door (1957)

“Euripides was wont to say, “Silence is an answer to a wise man.”” — Plutarch — Of Bashfulness

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

“Remember this,–that very little is needed to make a happy life.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, vii, 67

“What makes old age so sad is not that our joys but our hopes cease.” — Jean Paul Richter

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

Oh, wait…. I see now…. Hah! Not bad, not bad at all…..

********************************

I’ll take it, and not just because it’s done, either. ‘Tain’t bad for a first try back on the regular schedule, which, truthfully, bears little to no resemblance to anything regular. Nonetheless, it’s still done, and I’m outta here, to go try to cause some trouble for the mundanes…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; there seems to be no escaping 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

À bientôt, mon cherí….

The forecast is for extremely fluffy….

Posted on November 4, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Do not say a little in many words but a great deal in a few.”

~~ Pythagoras (BC 582-507) ~~

Triple Full Moon Over Vallejo

G’day…. Given the state of my life over the past month or two, it’s rather nice to feel even a moment of hope, even one based on what may or may not be an omen of things to come….. Ooh, I like that, it’s wonderfully obscure, yet gives a sense of intimacy that encourages further interest. More good omen material…. Omens of good have been sadly infrequent of late, so, twice in one paragraph, even if both are completely unidentified, is, well, a good sign….

It may have to do with the relief of being back online, at home, though the mere presence of relief indicates a dependency I’m not sure I entirely can be comfortable with. Nonetheless, it’s nice not having to go drink somebody else’s coffee to get posted. It’ll sure make sticking to the diet easier, too; way too many pastries lately have taken up the entire morning’s calorie count, leaving me starving until dinner time. Ah well, I’m a sucker for a blueberry muffin, what can I say?

Okay, enough innocent chatter; it’s not really our style anyway. We’re gonna go Pearl now ffolkes. I’ve been waiting too long to do this from home, again, so, I’m a bit impatient (Could you tell?…). In fact, so impatient, we’re skipping all the usual folderol, in favor of just getting on with it…. How does that look? Like this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“When you said “HEAVILY FORESTED” it reminded me of an overdue CLEANING BILL.. Don’t you SEE? O’Grogan SWALLOWED a VALUABLE COIN COLLECTION and HAD to murder the ONLY MAN who KNEW!!” — Zippy the Pinhead

********************************

Weird Al

Image from riverfrontimes.com via Google Images

Here’s another artist who needs no introduction; all that is required is to enjoy!….

********************************

Weird Al Yankovic

*********************************

https://youtu.be/qpMvS1Q1sos?list=PLXjuyl3vwK6X5lBD7yogtDDBLqu3m_HGR

*********************************

********************************

“If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns.”

~~- Edward Abbey ~~

Mr. Abbey, with this short statement, nails my opinion on gun control right on the bloody head. My entire objection to the fools who cry out to “take away the guns” from everyone, (so, what, this will ensure nobody will ever die? Right….), is exactly the point he makes. None of the advocates of disallowing citizens to own guns seem to think about this point; do they really believe the government will give up THEIR guns? Really? I’d be really interested to hear from which planet they came to visit us here on Earth?….

Of course, most Earthlings have trouble bumping neurons together; it’s not just an immigrant problem…. Most earthlings, for some unknown reason, choose, soon after birth, to stop using their brain as a tool for making their life better, choosing instead to use it merely to transport their ass from one toilet to another…. I am often amazed at how many people, who are of an age to reproduce, seemingly can’t formulate a complete sentence, unless it has the word “fries” in it, or, have yet to learn the actions involved in tying their shoes. And, please, let us not begin to discuss how many lost brain cells it takes to follow the current street style of wearing one’s pants around the thighs rather than the waist, necessitating the use of one hand just to hold them up….

But, then, that’s just how the elite want the public to be; distracted and stupid. These asininnies want the average person so busy trying to just maintain their current place in life they have no time to inspect all the ways they are being controlled by their own ignorance, and their inability to use their imagination to see beyond their immediate needs…. Our world-wide society has three characteristics which, to me, indicate just how sick it is…. The belief that Mankind was made by a god…. By accepting this sort of belief, one’s mind is left open to other false truths, which allow the perfect vehicle for manipulation of behavior by those who do not believe, but, play the part for the reward of power over others, and a complete lack of personal responsibility for how others are affected by their acts.

Second, this belief in a delusion allowed the predatory members to convince everyone that money actually exists, and has some sort of real power over reality…. This, of course, is ridiculous. Money is simply an idea, a way to organize barter, by placing an artificial value on a person’s time and effort, when, in fact, it has only the value we give it. It is only important because we believe it to be, not because of any inherent real value…. This idea, though, is probably too complex for those who have given up the right to think, and operate totally on the theory of doing whatever is the most expedient….

Then, for the final insult to our humanity, the concept of government as a beneficial facet of society, to ensure the ‘safety’ of all, is thrust upon these unsuspecting fools, who are already primed to believe anything someone in a ‘position of authority’ (preacher, teacher, policeman, elected official, etc…. bureaucrats and sycophants, all…) tells them to believe…. That’s the whole problem, right there, in a nutshell…. If you believe the first false idea, the rest of them form the remaining cords of their slave collars…. and, the saddest part is, most of them never even know they’re slaves at all…

I could, no doubt, carry on in this vein for a long time; there are a thousand examples in daily life of how the average person has no clue as to how easily they are controlled by the forces who wish to have power over others…. But, I’m getting tired, and, am well aware most of those who will read this are NOT part of those who can be controlled; they don’t end up here very often, somehow…. If they do, they don’t talk much…. For the rest of us, I’ll show some pity, and finish off with a 13 star pearl with as many indictments, and examples of how things got the way they are…. Enjoy!….

*******************************

“In morals, what begins in fear usually ends in wickedness; in religion, what begins in fear usually ends in fanaticism. Fear, either as a principle or a motive, is the beginning of all evil.” — Mrs. Jameson

“No people in the world ever did achieve their freedom by goody-goody talk and moral suasion: it being immutable law that all revolutions that will succeed, must begin in blood, whatever the answer afterward. If history teaches anything, it teaches that” — Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889)

“These PRESERVES should be FORCE-FED to PENTAGON OFFICIALS!!” — Zippy the Pinhead

“The amassing of wealth is one of the worst species of idolatry, no idol is more debasing.” — Andrew Carnegie

“The missionaries go forth to Christianize the savages–as if the savages weren’t dangerous enough already.” — Edward Abbey

“Ignorance is the soil in which belief in miracles grows.” — Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899)

“Our safety, our liberty depends on preserving the Constitution of the United States as our fathers made it inviolate. The people of the US are the rightful masters both Congress and the courts – Not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution” — Abraham Lincoln

“Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.” — Denis Diderot in “Dithrambe sur la fete de rois”

“Have in readiness this saying of Solon, “But we will not give up our virtue in exchange for their wealth.” — Plutarch — How to profit by our Enemies

DEBT, n. An ingenious substitute for the chain and whip of the slave- driver.

As, pent in an aquarium, the troutlet
Swims round and round his tank to find an outlet,
Pressing his nose against the glass that holds him,
Nor ever sees the prison that enfolds him;
So the poor debtor, seeing naught around him,
Yet feels the narrow limits that impound him,
Grieves at his debt and studies to evade it,
And finds at last he might as well have paid it.~~ Barlow S. Vode~~

— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

********************************

Future Shocked:

Weeping, I wake;
waking, I weep, I weep.
I weep for the ages to be lost,
for the children never to be born.

Time comes calling, strident and spare,
nudging us toward the future with bony hands.
No pausing, no waiting, always away,
Frantic hearts unseen, unheard.

Spirits are dark, afraid.
And the Beast hunts, hungry and cruel,
seeking out the weak, and the foolish.

We all weep now…..

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 7/22/2013.

********************************

An odd little pearl, with seven excellent statements to help us find some meaning in Life. Of course, if you’ve already found meaning that works for you, you don’t have to do it again…. Those are the rules…. I think. Anyway, enjoy!….

“The value of passion, like fire, is judged finally by the amount of warmth and light it creates. Fanatics, like forest fires, burn bright but destroy all in their path that is tender and green. To be useful, fire must be confined. To live passionately, we must develop discipline; to love powerfully, we must forge bonds of commitment. Passion is inseparable from compassion.” — Sam Keen

“You can’t get wet from the word ‘water’.” — Alan Watts

“To find a fault is easy; to do better may be difficult.” — Plutarch

“The happiness and unhappiness of the rational, social animal depends not on what he feels but on what he does; just as his virtue and vice consist not in feeling but in doing.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, ix, 16

“Truth that has merely been learned is like an artificial limb, a false tooth, a waxen nose; it adheres to us only because it is put on. But truth acquired by thought of our own is like a natural limb; it alone really belongs to us.” — Arthur Schopenhauer

“As a matter of self-preservation, a man needs good friends or ardent enemies, for the former instruct him and the latter take him to task.” — Diogenes

“If you don’t laugh at all, you’ve missed the point. If you only laugh, you’ve missed your chance for illumination.” — Robert Anton Wilson

********************************

Since I’m back online a day before I’d thought to be, I’ll end this here, in the proper spot, and get it posted. This also means I’ll be back tomorrow, unless something historically compelling, like a revolution, gets in the way….. See ya then, ffolkes; count on it….

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

gigoid

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

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Tag Archives: Plutarch

Fifty-seven shades of brown….

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