Tag Archives: Plutarch

Perfectly executed pirouettes, en point….

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Ffolkes,

“A note of music gains significance from the silence on either side.”

~~ Anne Morrow Lindberg ~~

12-8-2014 007 (2)

    As the full moon rose between the palms, the clouds covering much of the sky parted, showing Luna’s pale, aged face, brightness its only remaining claim to beauty…. Dark feelings of premonition stole into the soul of the man standing in the shadows, watching the moon’s slow progress above the horizon, promising Death before the night was over. With no choices left to him, he pulled his robe closer, adjusting the hood to conceal his dark features, rigid with strain. As he turned to leave his place of hiding, he mouthed one last prayer to the gods for success, with little hope it would be heard….

It was a tough choice today, to go with the quote, or with the picture…. Apparently, the picture (one of mine, obviously…) got picked, though, in retrospect, the quote might have been simpler to use…. It IS a ready made invitation to discuss a number of subjects, such as human nature, speech, writing, music, and, of course, Bozoid tendencies…. the last, of course, a subject one can apply to almost ANY statement, since it is a Universal quality, common to every human alive…. We can’t get away from it, making it a perfectly suitable for rants of all kinds, as our bozoid natures lead us into ever more complex situations involving our tendency to make BIG mistakes….

I suppose that’s why my sub-conscious mind nudged me into using the picture; it recognized that using the quote would more easily lead to ranting, a habit we’re trying to stop from happening too early in the Pearl…. I haven’t had a whole lot of luck at it, as yet; it’s almost impossible to make any reference to modern society without bumping up against something rantable. I know, I’ve tried…. Ah well, we all know what Yoda said about trying, don’t we?….

Today is the first day I’ve awakened with no more pain than is usual for the period after lying down for so long…. My physique is at a point where being in ANY position, sitting, standing, or lying down, will, after a time, begin to hurt more than it helps, and sleeping at night is no exception….

In fact, I’ve pretty much given up on any normal schedule of sleep/awake time, as I’ve begun to awaken at about 0200, with increasing messages from various body parts that it’s time to get up…. I manage to stay abed until 0300, but, that’s as far as I can push it; I must get up, or continue to get worse pain in my legs and hips, not to mention the lower back, which always needs a large dose of magic cream upon arising in the morning, in order to be able to sit up straight…. SIGH…. it’s getting a bit expensive, too; magic isn’t cheap….

Ah well, so much for whining…. and, definitely enough of it for one day…. I’ve decided to keep trying to post daily, as much as possible, even though it hurts more all the time…. But, I remembered…. It’s going to hurt anyway, so, I may as well just keep on keepin’ on, as best I can…. So be it…. gigoid has spoken….

Shall we Pearl?

“Every investigation which is guided by principles of Nature fixes its ultimate aim entirely on gratifying the stomach.” — Athenaeus (c. 200 AD) — The Deipnosophists, vii, 11

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Here is some old rock and roll, but, with a jazz flavor, by one of the finest fusion artists of our generation…. No one does rock with a jazz flavor like this man…. Enjoy!

Van Morrison – Moondance Full Album (Vinyl)

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“Everything tastes more or less like chicken.”

~~ Jeffery F. Chamberlain ~~


The following desperately long rant, which takes aim at the BRC at large, (and politicians in particular), was found while perusing the archives, to find material for this section that would save my hands the effort of typing for at least one section…. It’s quite long, but, remains as valid today as the day it was written, over a year ago…. Funny how that works, eh?….

From 9/18/2013:

Yesterday, a new reader was gracious enough to leave a nice comment, and to offer a couple of articles for my perusal, as possible subjects for a future rant…. Both articles are definitely rant-worthy material, so, I’ll oblige his suggestion by starting here….

I talk a lot about the BRC, (Beloved Ruling Class….), and the thievery they commit daily against the public, but, I don’t always provide a lot of examples, preferring to allow ffolkes, and/or folks, to seek out their own evidence…. This is because there is just so damn much of it, and it is so easy to find, I find it a better way to drive the point home, for people will believe it more when they come across the proof themselves, rather than having me provide it for them…. That way I can’t be accused of making it up, or coloring it…..

This article, supplied to me by a reader, is a perfect example of what I’ve often said about the news, to wit: it’s chock full of evidence of the chicanery and nonsense being perpetrated by our beloved rulers, and I don’t even need to point it out, for it’s right there for all to see…. Please, take a moment to read this one, about the governor of Louisiana, that fine old den of corruption in the southern US…. Try not to let the lack of hard evidence presented by the author to support the assertions made influence you, at this point…. just accept it as true for the sake of the argument they make, and worry about the actual paper proofs later…. It’s all there, believe me….

http://grist.org/news/bobby-jindal-to-axe-officials-who-took-on-big-oil/?utm_campaign=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&sub_email=dlw38%40sbcglobal.net

What amazes me most in this article is the sheer effrontery shown by Governor Jindal…. He has no compunctions whatsoever in showing his corruption for all to see, blithely firing people who are trying to make his special interest supporters toe the legal line for their actions, and, in the process, help the people of his state. No, he just ignores any and all cries of outrage, and continues to stuff his pockets with the money they’ve poured into his campaign coffers, while the people of the state, and the state’s environment, get shredded by the corporate assholes who caused the entire problem….

This article shows exactly how far the issue of corruption has progressed in society, as the leaders we have elected are no longer bothering to cover up most of their machinations… This assbite is blithely showing his colors, bright and clear, in the public eye, deliberately firing people who might have made a difference, with no thought or regard for what his own constituency may want. His loyalty is all with the companies who have raped and pillaged the coastal marshes in their search for sources of oil, because they are the ones who are paying him; the people can just go to hell, as far as he is concerned….

But, as I have pointed out previously, the people of Louisiana have only been given exactly what they deserve, for they are the ones who believed his lies during the election process, and elected him to office, knowing full well he was going to screw them over…. I sometimes wonder how these people manage to dress themselves, or feed themselves without help….  I am not particularly surprised by the situation there, though it saddens me to see it. Those marshes and coastal waterways are an important ecological formation, with a lot of animal life that depends on it to live, and I hate to see that get screwed up….

The other article sent by my friend, Dave, is, though also not particularly surprising, even more disturbing, as it shows just how pervasive is the extent of corruption in government…. Canada has the reputation of having one of the most responsive governments in the world, one that seems, for the most part, to care about the people for whom it functions, and tries mostly to do things in a way that promotes societal well-being…. That is their reputation, anyway, even if not fully deserved….

It seems, however, that the madness that infects all the other states in the world seems to have found a place to germinate in the Canadian bureaucracy as well, causing its members to begin to follow the path to madness all the others have been flying down for many years….. This article describes a new policy being promulgated among the Canadian bureaucracies that will easily qualify them to join the ranks of those governments that have given up hiding their paranoia, and are busily pursuing insanity as a way of life….

Scientists, whether employed by universities, or private industry, or the government, are notoriously touchy about being told what to publish; this is an issue that is well-established in history, with the outcome always coming down on the side of the scientists…. In other words, history has shown us, many times, that it is counter-productive for society to muzzle researchers, for they always find a way to get the knowledge out, and all attempts at squashing it are a waste of time…. They (the BRC) keep trying, but, they don’t seem to learn from the past, a sure way to find oneself extinct, as Reality has a way of enforcing its will that is quite unstoppable by any human intervention…..

But, stupidity will have its way, so, they keep trying…. Read the article ffolkes, and realize just how far the world has gone toward piling itself against the wall of reality….. I mean, really….. snowflakes? They’re afraid of snowflakes?…. No, they’re afraid of knowledge, and it makes the BRC nervous to think about the public having all the facts…. Hence, their commitment to blocking the spread of knowledge at every turn, and trying to confuse and distract the public from seeing what they are up to behind the scenes…..

http://grist.org/climate-energy/canada-bans-researchers-from-discussing-snowflakes-findings-scientists-protest/?utm_campaign=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&sub_email=dlw38sbcglobal.net

The proof is there, ffolkes, for anyone to find…. The supposed leaders of our society, at all levels, are corrupt, not to mention clinically insane. They lie to the public in order to get elected, then continue to lie, cheat, and steal for as long as they are allowed to do so. They reward their constituents with more lies, and now have the nerve to show their true allegiance right out in public, as soon as they are sworn into their offices, laughing in the face of the very people who elected them….

Isn’t it about time we all looked at our own complicity in this situation? How long are the people of this country going to allow their public officials to act, not only in ways that don’t benefit the public, but in ways that are actually dangerous to them? How long will the public ignore the unprincipled acts of liars and cheats, whom they have chosen to be their leadership? I’m afraid the answer is all too obvious, to anyone who is able to see, and think about what there is to see…. My own answer to those questions is, it’s already been too long….. I haven’t seen any indication, in history, or in the present, that would show the public was able to throw off the yoke of the unseen masters of society, those super-rich, selfish assholes who determine just how events will transpire….

There is no point in history where mankind has been free of the influence and control of those in society who control all the resources. None…. If anyone can look back, and point out to me any time when that isn’t true, please, do so, and I will discuss the ramifications of that with great pleasure…. But, I’m a fair student of history, and I don’t find any place, anywhere in history, when our species has been free of the control of these silent rulers…. nor do I think we’ll ever be able to do so, not until a much greater percentage of the public is allowed to see the evidence of their handiwork, and realize just how badly, and how long, they have screwed the rest of us….

But, hey, it DOES give me something to rant about, whenever a new piece of evidence is allowed to be published…. Even if the stuff that we see isn’t any real threat to them, it’s encouraging to see that there is SOME degree of resistance to them, even if it is doomed to failure in the long run…. The people who run the world, for real, have had a long time to practice staying out of the public eye, and running things from the shadows….. They’re very good at it, so, don’t expect any large revelations, or any huge lights being thrown on the shadowy limits of their existence…. They won’t allow anything that has any real chance of doing them harm to occur, you can be sure of that…..

Including shutting up people like me, should they ever feel the tiniest bit threatened by my words, or my attempts to make known just how deeply their control extends into our lives….. If I was doing them any real harm, you can bet they would have shut me down by now, so, it’s clear that, for now at least, I’m just another voice, shouting in the wilderness, without any real hope of harming them, or even giving them a moments discomfort….. But, I’ll keep trying, because, hey, that’s who I am….

gigoid has spoken…. so be it….

“A form of open-mindedness is the pathway to wisdom. Close your mind and you open the way for ignorance to flourish, but you will never even know it.” — Smart Bee

Whoops…. Sorry, thought I was done. But, then, this pearl dropped into my lap, and it just MADE me add it in here, to make the point, finally, and completely…. The following paragraph is unattributed in Smart Bee, my quote database, so I don’t know who said it first… Nor, I think, do I WANT to know, for they are evil, evil, I say…. This is a perfect statement of the attitude of almost every human being alive today, at least, every one of them who is involved in the governing of countries….. Read it, think about it…. this is EXACTLY the way they view the world, and it is sick, sick, sick, ffolkes…. no other word fits so well…..

“It is not possible to find morality in struggles for power. Your enemies view you as you do them and likely regard themselves as virtuous in their attempts at mayhem upon you. In struggles for power, your judgments should be based entirely on self-interest and finding as direct and economical a route to your goal as possible. If that route is bloody and barbaric, so much the worse for those who oppose you.”– Smart Bee, channeling any politician, dogma dog, or other card-carrying member of the BRC….

Note from 2014:

Whew! I believe I got a bit carried away there, didn’t I? Ah well, it’s all true, so, what the hell; such truths always bear repeating, though no one may listen at all…. At least I’ve gotten it all out of MY head…. but, I’m left with the following all-too-true observation as my only remaining available, and appropriate, comment….

“Taxation WITH representation ain’t so hot either.’ — Gerald Barzan

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A new poem is still in there, percolating behind the veil of consciousness… Since there is no way I will force it out before it’s ready, we’ll once again have to resort to the archives…. So be it….

Pure Truth: Elsewhen

Everything I say and do, I’m sure,
only comes from what I know.
If what I’ve said or done is good, and pure,
I can say it’s not just for show.

Sometimes people don’t quite get me.
It can be a pain, for sure.
I try not allow it to keep me from being free,
especially when my thoughts may be impure.

In fact, I try quite hard most of the time,
to keep from hurting folks.
If any culture more often approached sublime,
I wouldn’t have to take so many pokes.

Now I’ll make another sacrifice, for y’all,
not for karmic advantage, not merely so….
But, to save me from yet another downfall,
I’ll stop here; ensign, make it so….

~~ gigoid ~~


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Sometimes, a pearl comes together without much conscious help from me; it’s certain that SB is often of little help, though today doesn’t seem to be a case in point…. This one, though a trifle complex & obscure, nonetheless hits me in just the right spot, so, it’s in, with no argument…. Not that it will be of any help to you in deciphering whatever it is trying to say, but, remember, better out than in, I say, and it’s true, at least in spirit, no matter what part of life we’re discussing….

“Your paradigm is so intrinsic to your mental process that you are hardly aware of its existence, until you try to communicate with someone with a different paradigm.” — Donella Meadows, The Global Citizen

“Dionysius the Elder, being asked whether he was at leisure, he replied, “God forbid that it should ever befall me!” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Dionysius

“He who knows best knows how little he knows.” — Thomas Jefferson

“He said that there was one only good, namely, knowledge; and one only evil, namely, ignorance.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Socrates, xiv

“Weary is the path that does not challenge.  Doubt is an incentive to truth and patient inquiry leadeth the way.” — Smart Bee

“Old places and old persons in their turn, when spirit dwells in them, have an intrinsic vitality of which youth is incapable, precisely, the balance and wisdom that come from long perspectives and broad foundations.” — George Santayana

“My life is a simple thing that would interest no one. It is a known fact that I was born and that is all that is necessary.” — Albert Einstein

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The effort expended yesterday, during another day of agony, to complete as much of this as possible ahead of time, has worked out quite well… Here ’tis, only 0430, and today’s post is done…. Well, the hard part is done, anyway…. Posting it is fairly simple, so, we’ll get to that, and maybe get a good start on tomorrow… What the hell, my schedule/routine is in deep modification mode, so why not? See y’all later, ffolkes…. tomorrow, if I’m lucky….  Y’all, of course, will need to decide, whether luck has anything to do with it, for yourselves….

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

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

Kowabunga!


À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
We boil the spread sheets, but, all clip art gets baked….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




“Nothing can be done at once hastily and prudently.”


~~ Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 557 ~~


POTD_Crew_Space_Tr_3124538k


     I’ve  been using a lot of space photos lately; this one is an artist’s rendering of the newest NASA manned spaceflight capsule, the Orion, as it docks at the ISS. Having always been a space flight enthusiast, an amateur astronomer, and a reader of science fiction, it all fascinates me. I had originally intended to study astronomy or astrophysics in college, and always wanted to be an astronaut, every since the very first manned flights, back in the early 60’s….. I even made a personal vow, at age 11, that I would not die on Earth, but, would be buried on another planet, even if only the Moon…. A bit fanciful, but, I still mean to try to survive long enough to get off Earth at least once….


Chances are getting slim that will ever happen, but, hey, a man has to have a dream, right? My dreams these days involve survival of the species, mostly, as that seems to me to be our most pressing circumstance, as humans…. We don’t have much time left, if any, to make an effort to establish ourselves on another planet, or planetoid, by which, I refer to moons, asteroids, comets, etc…. There are lots of places in our solar system containing abundant natural resources, easy enough for us to find and utilize, though not all of them are other planets…. In fact, there are fewer obstacles to overcome in order to colonize the asteroids than we may encounter trying to live on Mars…. It is amazing how much EASIER it is to live without gravity getting in the way, technologically speaking…..


Whether we try to establish colonies on Mars, the asteroids, our own Moon, Luna, or the moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus, (of which there are more than a hundred….), it is becoming more imperative each day that we make some sort of decision, and get started on doing so, without any further delay….. We don’t have a lot of time before living on this planet will become an even greater technological challenge than living in space, with no gravity, and abundant solar and nuclear power, an existence made much easier to maintain than here on Earth. where we will see the necessity to find or manufacture our own air, food, and water…. None of these are impossible tasks, but, they won’t happen unless we first admit the danger, and the necessity to establish more bases for humanity to survive, in various points around the solar system…. If we continue to confine ourselves to one planet, we won’t survive at all….


Okay, I’ve now ranted, though it may not seem as if I have…. It sort of crept up on all of us I think…. After looking over what I’ve written above, I can’t say there is anything missing, or flawed, so, it will do, both as an intro, and as a mini-rant…. I didn’t mean to start out so strongly, but, the picture got me going; a view of the infinity of space will always stimulate my mind’s eye, pointing it toward the possible futures we may experience…. The planetary environmental crisis here on Earth is worsening each day, with new weather patterns being noted all over the world…. The coming year is predicted to be the warmest our planet has EVER experienced, according to all the historical and environmental evidence there is to be found, and we still don’t know how that will affect us, or the rest of our planet’s ecological balance…


Before I hare off in another direction, with a new rant on a new, related issue, I think I’ll take this opportunity to get us out of the intro, and down the line to the video section…. Today’s Pearl is going to be a fairly fresh one, even if the rant section may have to go with an archived piece; I don’t like to rant twice, and this is already enough to make ffolkes uneasy, I’m sure…. We’ll see how it goes when I get there…. for now, I see our turn coming up, so, put your liquid refreshments in their holders, tighten your belts, and hang on, because we’re going in…..


Shall we Pearl?….


“Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when he is called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.” — Oscar Wilde


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Okay, so, what did you expect? More cats? No way; I don’t like to repeat myself…. Today, you get PUPPIES!….







The Cutest Puppies Compilation 


































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I went through the news yesterday, where I found the BRC, and the Asininnies, to be in full control. The news is mostly concentrating on the race issues brought to the surface of the nation’s attention, stimulated by the recent court failures to prosecute police officers who kill citizens. While this is, of course, an issue that must be addressed, it does focus attention  elsewhere than on the actions of our leaders, thus giving them the time and space to hide their true agendas from public view, by acting clandestinely to secure their aims…. The lack of any other news of significance is a sure sign that things are worse than they seem….


So much so, I am unable to find a reason to rant…. Oh, it’s not as if there isn’t any subject to rant about; the problem is that there are too MANY subjects to choose from, each of which represents yet another way the predators who prey on society are displaying their lack of compassion for any of the other members of their species, using them simply as a means of consolidating their own powers. To anyone with more than two neurons working together, it is quite obvious; to those who base their lives on accepting what they are told, nothing is amiss, at all…. After all, it’s Christmas, right?


Rather than spend eight or ten paragraphs trying, once again, to bring their chicanery to the attention of anyone happening by to read, I’m putting together an old-school indictment, to indicate to those who come by, exactly where they can see for themselves just how badly we are all being screwed, by those who would have us believe in their altruism…. which, in fact, does not exist at all…. So, here are some observations about those assholes who would be king…. Pay close attention, ffolkes, and any of you folks who might see this; it’s all true as the day….. Let’s see how vicious we can be this early in the day, shall we?….




One murder made a villain,

Millions a hero. Princes were privileged

To kill, and numbers sanctified the crime.


~~ Beilby Porteus (1731-1808) — Death, Line 154 ~~




“The truth is often a terrible weapon of aggression.  It is possible to lie, and even to murder, with the truth.” — Alfred Adler (1870-1937)


“The question is, why are politicians so eager to be president?  What is it about the job that makes it worth revealing, on national television, that you have the ethical standards of a slime-coated piece of industrial waste?”  — Dave Barry, On Presidential Politics


“The American Republic and American business are Siamese twins; they came out of the same womb at the same time; they are born in the same principles, and when American business dies, the American republic will die, and when the American Republic dies, American business will die.” — Josiah W. Bailey


“In many if not most elections, the consequences come to about the same  result as two bald men fighting over a comb. Whichever one gets elected is  going to commission the design of a new comb, and it is going to be expensive. Of course, most government expenditures are not as significant as the purchase of a new comb, but the point is made.” — Smart Bee


JUSTICE, n.  A commodity which is a more or less adulterated condition the State sells to the citizen as a reward for his allegiance, taxes and personal service. — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”


“Politics is a pendulum whose swings between anarchy and tyranny are fueled by perennially rejuvenated illusions.” — Albert Einstein


And remember, let’s do it to them before they do it to us. — Final line, US Senate Oath of Office


“Man is descended from a hairy, tailed quadruped, probably arboreal in its habits…  For my part I would as soon be descended from [a] baboon … as from a savage who delights to torture his enemies … treats his wives like slaves … and is haunted by the grossest suspicions.” — Charles Darwin (1809-1882)


“Giving power and money to the government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.” — P.J. O’Rourke, former Gulf War correspondent, summing up what he learned during two years of research on how our government functions


“It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged.” — G. K. Chesterton, The Cleveland Press, 3/1/21


Well, it took eleven pearls, but, I think we finally achieved the proper degree of disdain and vituperation…. If not, we can always try again tomorrow….


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Just to keep this all in my court, here is another old one of my own….




Random Visions/Coloring Between the Lines of Grief


Everywhere is dark, and shining,

    with points in dissonant pain.

Sharp, senses dull past divining,

   tears burn, a torrential rain.


Escape! Flee within to cower,

    find an unconscious cave.

Call on Morpheus’ power

    deny reality’s beckoning wave.


Light breaks, drawing the inner eye,

    leading to the slippery slope.

Risk is critical, we may only sigh,

   yet welcome, for bringing hope.


Sanity seems far out of reach

    Insanity’s a stronger friend.

Decisions made will merely teach

    our way toward Death to wend. 


Lost, while still on familiar ground,

    the future yet undesigned.

Making way on paths unfound,

    to Now, as yet undefined.


~~ gigoid ~~




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Okay, not bad…. All that is left now is to put together an old school pearl…. I’m getting a bit dazed and confused; it happens sometimes when the news is making me nervous with its lack of stuff to write about; I’m always concerned the Asininnies are busy behind the scenes, preparing more nasty surprises for us, usually springing their crap on Monday mornings, when everyone is busy worrying about getting back to work…. I think I’ll let Smart Bee pick out the rest…. I’ve chosen the the first two pearls, and SB will choose the other five; for fun, you can try to pick out the two I put in, to see if it is as obvious to you as it is to me…. or, you may just enjoy them, taking the meaning as you may….


“If I do not do it now, when shall I do it?” — Dogen Zenji


“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 (46-120 AD) — The Banquet of the Seven Wise Men, 11


“Here is the beginning of philosophy: a recognition of the conflicts between men, a search for their cause, a condemnation of mere opinion, and the discovery of a standard of judgment.” — Epictetus


“If a man take no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.” — Confucius


“Food for thought is no substitute for the real thing.” — Walt Kelly, Putluck Pogo


Well…. There you go. A nearly perfect five-star pearl, to balance the eleven-star version above…. of which I will say this; I could have made that one even longer. There seems to be no end of quotes vilifying the Asininnies; they’ve been a pain in society’s collective ass for a long time… But. these five sparkling gems almost balance out the dirt they tend to toss around….


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Okay, so much for another morning…. Given the amount of pain in my hands and shoulder, I’m astounded I got this done at all…. I have yet to proof it, but, it felt as if it actually had something worthwhile to say, even if it didn’t say it as well as I might like… Nonetheless, it got said, so, that will have to do for another day…. Living up to that initial quote, from our old friend, Publius Syrus, was harder than it seemed; still, perseverance, as is its habit, managed to win the day…. I’ll see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes…. Well, that’s my intention, anyway….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark, and Theresa…

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


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….







		
	
					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
He meant plaster of PARIS!….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




“So as this only point among the rest remaineth sure and certain, namely, that nothing is certain. . .” 


~~ Pliny The Elder ~~


Belfast 011


         Today’s picture is one of several I took, of pubs in England, and Ireland, while traveling there in 2013; I showed the first one, of the Old Swan, in London, a few days ago; this one, located in Belfast, is the oldest public house in that city, having been first established by royal license in 1635, on that same spot… This view is of the main room by the bar;  I sat at the table just to the right of the fireplace to have my lunch, (you can just see my stick, leaning against the wall by the mantle), consisting of a traditional plate of bangers and mash, and a stout beer…. Some day, I want to tour both islands of the British Isles, to visit at least one pub in every town I see…. I figure I couldn’t get a much better feel for the people than to visit the places where they hang out to eat, drink, and plot revolution….


Well, the last part is my imagination, but, I’ve read enough history to know that many revolutions were plotted in rooms just like this one, perhaps this one itself, and not so long ago…. This pub, called White’s Tavern, has been a popular spot for almost 400 years, many of which saw what the locals call “the troubles”, as the civil war between the Catholics and Protestants in that country waged over the past couple hundred years. I’d wager good money that a lot of the battles in that war were planned right in the room you see above, a wager I would be confident of winning…


Now, all this doesn’t pick my pocket, nor break my bones, to paraphrase Tom Jefferson, pitifully badly, but, it IS interesting. Well, to me, anyway, as a student of both history, and European culture over the ages; whether y’all are interested, or not, is of little concern to me at this point. You see, I’m in the middle of what may be the most cogent, properly executed intro sections I’ve ever created…. Of course, this little intimate conversation, which we now are holding, sort of puts that to the lie, so to speak…. In short, I’ve even managed to screw up THIS one, haven’t I? I think I have, more’s the pity…. It was going so WELL, too!….


Now, of course, we’ll have to abandon the direction we were headed, to hare off in some other wild way…. Where we will find ourselves when I’m done screwing around would be a bit hard to predict, so, I won’t even bother to try; all I’ll say is, sorry ’bout that…. I tried this to keep myself from falling into a rant right out of the gate, but, I seem to have carried it a bit too far away from our normal process, so far we lost track of the time, as well as the desired outcome…. Such sloppiness is, naturally, to be expected when trying such a new, and delicate procedure, but, I managed to find completely new ways to foul it up…. I’m talented that way, if you hadn’t noticed….


Ah well, so much for that one…. We’ll now be compelled to force our exit again, using that new, but already well-practiced skill, developed and installed at such great expense and effort, of ruthlessness, for which I am ever thankful, for having saved us so many times, over such a short period of time…. One of our best buys, no doubt…. To use it does cause a bit of trouble, in that we are using more first-aid supplies, but, those are a small price to pay for ending up in the right place each day…. Well, the right place according to our calculations; I won’t claim infallibility of results, only of intent….


Look out!…. Okay, that should do it… We’re past the worst point now, so, I suppose I should get on with the rest of today’s mess….


Shall we Pearl?


“Thoughts are free and are subject to no rule.  On them rests the freedom of man, and they tower above the light of nature.” — von Hohenheim (1493-1541)


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


As may happen with any long-running show on TV, the BBC series with Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes suffered a few miscarries, in terms of falling into clichéd plot lines that catered to disparate elements of the viewing audience, such as spiritualism, or any of the other suppositions about the habits of the world’s most renowned fictional character…. Certain plot lines reached a point where the contents of the story achieved rather a far-out look and feel, as the writers tried to convince the audience of Sherlock’s great powers, as explainable only by extraordinary means….


This episode is one such, featuring the actor who played Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s brother, in a case he pursued with the help of Watson…. It’s a very enjoyable piece of TV entertainment, and a pretty good small-screen adaptation, definitely one of the BBC’s best efforts…. Enjoy!…..







The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes – S07E05 – The Mazarin Stone































 




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


I’ve related in previous posts how the rain we are experiencing here in NorCal has aggravated the arthritis in my hands, to the point of making typing a challenge…. Plus, dealing with the damn things, when added to the other spots on my body that seem to jump to be included in the litany, in dreaded sympathy, is exhausting over time…. all of which occupies my mind far too much for my taste…. It also keeps me from gathering news to use as subject matter…. Hence, another trip to the archives for a rant…. This is rather a mild one, but, fairly cogent, and all too true for comfort….


From 2/22/2013:


“Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul.” — Bhagavad Gita (c. B.C. 400)


I first read the Bhagavad Gita when I was about 17; along with the Tao Teh Ching, it has had a profound effect on my life, and the attitudes I bring to living it. The above verses are what led me to my belief in the mind’s immortality, as a form of energy like any other in this Universe, thus subject to the Law of Conservation of Energy. This deduction served to remove the fear from Death for me, as I can now view it as a mere change of form, to one whose characteristics I do not know, (or remember), from previous changes. Once fear is removed, Death becomes just another part of Life, and is welcome as such, for the inherent beauty it possesses as the complement to Life…..


“All anger arises out of obstructed desire.” — Bhagavad Gita


This is the second verse from the book I found to be extremely valuable, in learning to live with dignity, with honor, and without fear. This statement, by its very nature, implies that our anger is under our control, thereby placing it into our bag of assets to be used when needed, rather than in our bag of liabilities, or, emotions that keep us from reaching our potential as humans, like fear, anger, greed, etc….. Fear can be seen as the desire to be safe from harm, obstructed, which thus sheltered under our aegis of emotions that can be changed, by merely changing our desire…. By learning to deal with fear, anger becomes our ally, rather than our enemy…..


In turn, these two principles, used congruently, give us the emotional freedom to make clear decisions about reality’s demands and issues, without our emotional responses coloring the decisions with their negative outlook, and tendency toward denial and obstruction. We become immune to the storms that plague most people, for we know how to adjust our attitudes to suit the conditions under which we find ourselves, instead of falling prey to letting the circumstances dictate our response. True freedom, indeed…


Today, when I found this, I was immediately reminded of all of the things I had lost track of in the distractions of living…. All the pain and anger I’ve been feeling since hearing the news of my brother’s illness fell away, no longer able to sustain their hold over my emotions; I am once more able to see how this is not an issue to be angry about, but rather one to use as an opportunity to grow, and to perhaps be able to give my brother the love and support he needs, despite what he may want, in his own grief…. He is afraid, and trying to keep from either showing, or sharing that fear with his family; I won’t allow him to die that way, or to be without his family, when it is so unnecessary…..


So, I am feeling better in that respect, and though I am still filled with sadness, I know now that is just my own self-pity, feeling sorry for myself for having to face his death…. Grief is, in truth, misplaced in looking at death, and in reality is more of a solace for the living, than it is a tribute to the dead; our grief is more a feeling of loss in ourselves than it is sorrow for their passing. It is not, ultimately, a time for sadness, but, rather, a chance to acknowledge the beauty of a Universe that gives us this opportunity to experience the change in our consciousness….


I’m betting when we change over, we are in a place where our minds are much more in tune with the very base of reality, with the ability to direct the formation of the next form it takes…. Hey, it makes as much sense as any of the other suggestions of what happens that I’ve heard, and has the advantage of fitting the facts of observable, recordable reality, pretty precisely….. and if I’m wrong, well, I’ll deal with that when I get there….       🙂


I’ll tell you this quite frankly…. if the Christians are right, or the Muslims, or any of the other organized institutional churches, then I will definitely have a few words for whatever is passing itself off as God, to answer for the actions of His/Her/Its followers…. and I won’t be taking any BS for a response….


“And now there is merely silence, silence, silence, saying all we did not know.” — William Rose Benet


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


I’m again unwilling to share the blame for any of this, so, once more, you must put up with my own pallid, if pungent, poetry….






Stray Cats


The veils that billow and fold 

between dreams and reality

 may sometimes part, 

showing the visions of one to the other, 

blending, bleeding as one, 

only to bring us up short, 

closely jammed against immovable fate. 


Still, we keep our watch, 

seeking to find the vision

 that brings with it the mark of reality’s regard, 

a humble mind, and a compassionate heart. 


Events of broad impact draw us away again, 

distracting with shiny glitter and tinny music, 

leaving our feelings raw and bruised, 

the victim of universal disregard. 


Now, in the twilight of years, the music is fading, 

and the glitter has all gone…. 

yet the memory of visions remains sharp and clear, 

melancholy reminders of reality’s promises, 

unkept…..


~~gigoid~~




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


When I went to put together an old school pearl for this section, Smart Bee seemed in a weird mood, presenting a choppy group of quotes, many of which seemed to fit together, but, with as many that did not fit presented right alongside…. I finally figured out SB had something to say about a category of Asininny, specifically the Dogma Dogs… So, I pulled out those that didn’t say much about that, to find this perfect seven-star pearl had come together, all directed at those silly, delusional thieves dwelling among us, who like to wear clothes trimmed in gold filigree, just because they think it’s swell…. when, in truth, it’s an example of how little they do know about Life, or Reality….


“A half truth is a whole lie.” — Yiddish proverb


CLERGYMAN, n.  A man who undertakes the management of our spiritual affairs as a method of bettering his temporal ones. — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”


“The easy confidence with which I know another man’s religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” — “I would not interfere with any one’s religion, either to strengthen it or to weaken it.  I am not able to believe one’s religion can affect his hereafter one way or the other, no matter what that religion may be. But it may easily be a great comfort to him in this life — hence it is a valuable possession to him.” — I do not see how eternal punishment hereafter could accomplish any good end, therefore I am not able to believe in it. To chasten a man in order to perfect him might be reasonable enough; to annihilate him when he shall have proved himself incapable of reaching perfection might be reasonable enough; but to roast him forever for the mere satisfaction of seeing him roast would not be reasonable — even the atrocious God imagined by the Jews would tire of the spectacle eventually.” — Mark Twain


FAITH, n: That quality which enables us to believe what we know to be untrue. — Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary


“The least pain in our little finger gives us more concern and uneasiness than the destruction of millions of our fellow human beings.” — William Hazlitt (1778-1830), Works, Vol.X


“An honest god is the noblest work of man.   … God has always resembled his creators.  He hated and loved what they hated and loved and he was invariably  found on the side of those in power. … Most of the gods were pleased with  sacrifice, and the smell of innocent blood has ever been considered a divine perfume.” — Robert G. Ingersoll


“I have no problem with God.. it’s his pushy followers I can’t stand!!” — Smart Bee


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


Okay, well, it took a while, but, I managed to get this done in spite of my hands; I can’t say it has been the most fun I’ve ever had, to be sure. But, it’s done, so, I’ll take it, and run…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, even if the rain keeps up….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark, and Theresa…

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


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
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Ffolkes,




“What is food to one man may be fierce poison to others.” 


~~ Lucretius (95-55 BC) — De Rerum Natura, iv, 637 ~~


Day 5 015


     The choice of whether to write about the opening quote, or the picture that comes below it, can be a true conundrum, one I generally ignore in favor of my own silliness, or the random blather that so often marks these introductions. Today, I will choose the picture, one of my own, because of the thought that occurred to me as I viewed it this morning….


That thought centered on the church in the picture, surrounded, as it is, by the seemingly limitless row houses, each with its complement of flats and apartments, and each of those filled with a number of low-income Irish folks, who probably work in or around the water, attending the church on Sunday. I am struck, each time I look at these pictures of Cobh, the port town near the city of Cork, in Ireland, at the sheer opulence of the church, as opposed to the shabby houses that dot the hills all around it…


It makes a perfect example of what is wrong in our world, a place where the minds and efforts of the general run of men are focused more on the rewards they expect in the next life, and not on the problems we have in this one…. It makes a perfect visual metaphor for how we continue to have the same issues dog us, year after year, century after century, while we insist there is nothing wrong at all. The Asininnies and the Dogma Dogs have the population of the Earth so bamboozled, they will believe almost anything told to them, if it has the proper provenance, and is uttered by a talking head, either at the podium in church, or on a TV with a national flag behind them….


Ah me, I’ve stumbled again, haven’t I? Ranting before my coffee has settled in my tummy…. With nary a joke, nor a helpful cliche to smooth the way, I’ve no doubt already driven half my potential readers to another blog, without ever getting out of the intro section…. I must be an idiot, which would put me right into the same category with everyone else in the world wouldn’t it? Oh well, at least we didn’t sustain any serious injuries (unless y’all aren’t sharing with us….), or, for that matter, leave a trail of body parts behind us…. not yet, anyway. Nor do we plan to do so, unless, of course, we can’t avoid it…. Sometimes, the sight of the vehicle can cause a bit of panic among the denizens, and they’ll riot, but, as long as we maintain altitude, it won’t bother us….


I’ve about gotten to the desired point; in fact, we’re here. Since we have become more ruthless in our approach to these intros, it has made it easier, mostly, to get us where we need to go…. Well, mostly it just keeps us from getting off the track so far, but, that helps, too. For now, it’s enough to know, and to say, here we are, so, please hang on, while we navigate this rather tricky turn, right around the herd of peacefully grazing metaphorical logic bombs…. A beautiful sight, eh, what?…. Oops, better duck, ffolkes, low bridge a’comin’!….


Shall we Pearl?


“But the only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.” — Arthur C. Clarke (1917- 2008) — Profiles of the Future (1962; rev. 1973) — “Hazards of Prophecy: The Failure of Imagination”


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


Today’s video selection is another comic; this one is also a special kind of guy, like George Carlin. His approach is similar, but, entirely different, if you know what I mean…. If not, that’s okay. You’re gonna laugh anyway, because he’s funny as hell…. Enjoy, ffolkes….




Eddie Izzard – Dress to Kill







































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


“Time has only a relative existence.” — Carlyle (1795-1881)


I’m afraid a fresh rant is out of the question today…. I spent most of yesterday, right up until arising today, buried in intermittent, damn-near=intolerable pain, mostly in my hands, and shoulder joints, with some help from the hips and lower back, just to keep it interesting for me, I guess… It pretty well shot the whole day, after posting in the morning, an event made more difficult by the pain, for sure…. The act of typing has become a struggle, to get my thoughts down on the screen, while nursing the fingers through the aching to get it done…. Not as easy to do as to say/type, trust me….


So, nothing fresh today, but, I have time, so I’ll try to find something not too long…. Ah, perfect…. ‘Tis not a rant, for sure. ‘Tis just an old-school pearl, actually a Pearl, taken whole from the post for the listed day….. This was the original format of the Pearls of Virtual Wisdom (they have gone through at least three format transformations over the three-plus years on this site…); what you see here was the entire post for the date…. It isn’t a rant but it’s not bad, and it takes up the appropriate amount of space and time…. so be it…


From 8/22/2011, entitled, “A Different Sort of Hermaphrodite“:


Ffolkes,


This is definitely a different sort….it floats. Of course if it didn’t we’d just have to find one, of fix one, that would show the same characteristics. It’s a dirty, lonely job, but, somebody has to hate it, so why not us? It’s not as if they aren’t paying us well, right?…..And if it was so bad we couldn’t take it, it would just fall to someone who didn’t know the right way to hold one. So let’s have no more nonsense; just get in there and grab it by the toe and start twisting…..right? Alrighty then…..


The foregoing was brought to you with support from a grant by a local drug dealer with delusions of adequacy. He’s trying to buy his way into respectable society; we don’t think he’ll ever be accepted, but that is no reason we can’t take his money, since we’re doing something about all the lost souls he creates. We turn them into body slaves for sick old men and women who have never been treated for their bipolar disorder. It’s just another public service that we don’t much talk about, because it’s embarrassing to have everyone fawning over us. People sometimes have no dignity…….


Okay, enough fooling around, let’s get down to some serious literature……well, I guess we would, if I could think of something serious. Somehow this morning my brain is refusing to wrap itself around anything too heavy; hence the above two short paragraphs of…….hmm, well of whatever they are. Can’t seem to come up with a description, which isn’t surprising; it’s pretty far out in left field. I suppose we should come in out of the cold now, so with no further ado, I give you today’s Pearls of Virtual Wisdom. Remember to wash up afterward…..


“I once wanted to save the world. Now I just want to leave the room with dignity.” — Lotus Weinstock  (I can definitely relate…..)


“Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum — “I think that I think, therefore I think that I am.” — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”


“He who has a WHY to live for can bear with almost any HOW.” — F. Nietzsche


“Just as a cautious businessman avoids investing all his capital in one concern, so wisdom would probably admonish us also not to anticipate all our happiness from one quarter alone.” — Sigmund Freud


“Genius is not a possession of the limited few, but exists in some degree in everyone. Where there is natural growth, a full and free play of faculties,  genius will manifest itself.” — Robert Henri


” — Bother!” said Pooh.  “Eyeore, ready two photon torpedoes and lock phasers on the Heffalump; Piglet, meet me in transporter room three.” — Smart Bee


So, I’m going to end on that note, so I can head down to the transporter room to see them off. Y’all take care out there……


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


Once again, to avoid splashing on anyone else, here is one of my older poems…. Since it’s raining again today, we’ll go with this one…. It’s a bit early, since winter won’t officially begin for three more weeks, but, it’s appropriate to the day, and the way I feel about it…. or, hope to, at some point during the day….






An Old Man, Snoring….


Winter arrives with gusts of wind and rain,

  clover spreads green amongst the hedges.

Urban gardens quiver, and dream of spring again,

  gargoyles stoically crouch on corniced ledges.


Umbrellas sprout over heads shrouded and hatted,

  dotting the sidewalks in colorful profusion.

Urban denizens pose sketches, framed and matted,

  adding casual beauty to fill the illusion.


Hissing tires, swishing along with the wipers

  join nature’s orchestra smoothly, as percussion.

Dripping gutters sound gong tones, true pipers,

  a sudden roar of wind hushes all discussion.


Dreams of summer heat form the crux of desire

  as winter chills our souls from without.

Sitting in warmth, gazing into an imaginary fire;

  content to know spring will come, no doubt.


~~ gigoid ~~




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


Sometimes, putting together a pearl of virtual wisdom becomes an exercise in patience, as well as a perfect real-time example of the old saw, that speaks of how the journey is often more illuminating, and/or satisfying, than the destination…. This took forfuckingever to get done; it’s fortunate that a) I’m retired, and b) I’m stubborn. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have come out as well as it did….


Of course, such a value judgments are perfectly useless, but, nonetheless remain inevitable; we’re all humans here, nothing of which we should be ashamed. In fact, that might just be a good summary of our destination today…. You tell me, if you feel you should; don’t let any subsequent guilt keep you from indulging yourself…. It’s all in good fun, right?…. Well, I’m having fun, so, y’all can do as you like… First, though, read this, and let yourself flow with it to its proper conclusion, whatever form that may take for you….


“To conduct great matters and never commit a fault is above the force of human nature.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Life of Fabius


“Most people would rather give than get affection.” — Aristotle


“No man is rich enough to buy back his past.” — Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)


“What the meaning of human life may be I don’t know; I incline to suspect that it has none.” — H. L. Mencken


“Blessed are the forgetful:  for they get the better even of their blunders.” — Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)


FRIENDLESS, adj.  Having no favors to bestow.  Destitute of fortune. Addicted to utterance of truth and common sense. — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”


“If possible, try to find a way to come downstairs that doesn’t involve going bump, bump, bump, on the back of your head.” — Pooh in Winnie the Pooh A.A. Milne, English author (1882-1956)


Well, there you go…. I don’t think I could have said it better myself…. But, then, how can one not admire a man who wrote both Winnie the Pooh, and the world’s first, and perhaps ultimately, best, murder mystery? (The Red House Mystery)…. He also was a playwright, and poet….  Gotta love those polymaths, eh?….


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


I think I’ll stop now; I don’t think I’ve got any more in me today. I will apologize in advance if I seem to disappear; I have a feeling I’ll be down and out much of the day, under the influence of copious quantities of pain relieving medicines…. SIGH…. Another day down the tubes, so to speak, though what the tubes may be, I haven’t a clue…. Ah well, that’s nothing new….. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes…..




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark, and Theresa…

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


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Stereotyping promotes bigotry, it’s clear….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




“Neither genius, fame, nor love show the greatness of the soul. 


Only kindness can do that.”


~~ Jean Baptiste Henri Lacordaire ~~


test shotss 003


     Right on time, it seems, yet still clueless. It seems keeping to a strict schedule is no more consistent than being late, or early, for the purposes we attempt to address each morning. Of course, it would help, no doubt, had we any clue as to what KIND of consistency we need, or, for that matter, the purpose we are attempting to fulfill. There is that old saw, about “if you don’t don’t where you’re going, don’t worry, when you get there, you won’t know where you are, anyway”, or some such snarky, condescending bit of doggerel to tell us how much of an idiot we are.. Why is that? Ah well, I guess it makes people feel better to put someone else down for not knowing something basic….


Not that I care overmuch where we end up, as long as all the passengers arrive relatively safely; injury-free is good, too. The insurance guys love that. But, we aren’t always concerned with safety around here; it doesn’t go with the concept of thinking for oneself. Refusing to buy into the crap that most of the world is trying to feed us is a dangerous business; the BRC and the rest of the Asininnies really don’t like it when we do that. They spend a lot of time and money to make sure we’re all stupefied with the pressures of life, handicapped with so many issues to resolve daily we barely have the time to scratch an itch, much less spend a lot of time in wondering what might work better for us…. just the way they like it….


You will please note, at this point, I am stopping myself, deftly heading off what promises to be a rant of some proportion, in order to save the opening section from driving everyone off again…. I try to come out silly, or nonsensical, but, somehow, seem to fall right into ranting by the second paragraph in…. It’s frustrating, but, I think I’m starting to find the rhythm to keep it moving…. If I can just make this turn here, to send us closer to the path we’re supposed to be on by now, we should make it just fine…. Of course, it won’t be the same without Mickey, but, I’ll bet y’all hadn’t even missed him yet….


No, he didn’t get fired; who could fire a mouse of such a gentle nature…. No, Mickey sacrificed himself to a cause yesterday… It’s a long story, and actually, the details are gory enough, we’ll not be sharing them here this morning, lest we not only ruin breakfast, but, lunch, too…. Suffice it to say, Mickey, by allowing himself to be run through that threshing machine, saved the lives of millions of insects, not to mention the President of Disney World, and his entire entourage, who would otherwise have been wiped out completely…. Not bad for a rodent, eh?


Now, then, before anyone tumbles to the metaphor there, I’m going to make an executive decision, to take us out of here via the first available route…. which, as can be seen, is coming up just ahead…. It looks to be a fairly smooth exit this time, so, tightening your seat belts should be sufficient measure to comply with safety regs…. and, if not, well, just hang on to the arms of your seat, and you should be fine…. Hey, look at the bright side…. if anything DOES happen, you’ll be free to sue us down to our socks…. Bonus, right? Right….


Shall we Pearl?


“He who knows nothing, doubts nothing.” — Italian Proverb


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


When I was young, before the age of ten, my mother had a record of Andres Segovia playing classical music on the guitar…. I was impressed by the sounds he made, seemingly echoing an entire orchestra on one instrument…. Needless to say, it gave me an appreciation of the guitar which has been with me ever since, ever growing to include new musical venues which feature the guitar…. Brazilian music has emerged as one of the most well-known genres of modern music to do so, which makes it my pleasure to introduce any of y’all who aren’t familiar with it, to a good example of the finer aspects of human nature…. Enjoy!….






João Luiz e Douglas Lora – Brasil Guitar Duo 










































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


And in your dreams you can see yourself

As a prophet saving the world

The words from your lips

I just can’t believe you are such

A fool.


~~ Frank Zappa, “Oh No” ~~


Politicians. Dogma dogs. Snakeheads. Myrmidons, Pimps. Sleagles. (A newly coined word, to describe sleazy legal eagles, i.e., those lawyers who end up as politicians, or living up to the latest lawyer jokes, not a single one of which I’ve ever heard that wasn’t true as the day…. for most of them, anyway….) To my way of thinking, this list names the six categories of the human species responsible for the greatest part of the misery in this world… These are the real predators of our species, who prey almost exclusively upon their fellow man…. Whether they do so out of sociopathic egotism, misogynistic ignorance and fear, or deliberate choice of evil, these people have usurped human society for their own ends….


In the past 5000 years, these Asininnies, as I call them, have brought us all to the brink of extinction, a fate we cannot escape unless we figure out how to break the hold these assholes have on the resources of the planet, for their own benefit, at the expense of everyone else…. This is not a new viewpoint of the structure of our culture; our most ancient sages speak of the self-same issues, with the same degree of cluelessness as to how to stop them… For example, here is an observation from approximately 2600 years ago:


“Written laws are like spiders’ webs, and will like them only entangle and hold the poor and weak, while the rich and powerful easily break through them.” — Anacharsis (f1. c. 600 B.C.), Scythian philosopher — Quoted in Plutarch, the Lives of the Nobel Grecians and Romans, Solon


These villainous pretenders to the name ‘human’, relatively few in number, compared to the power they wield, are aided in this predatory behavior by willing allies from within the ranks of the less bold, but, no less evil individuals, who act as their sycophants, giving service to the same ideals of selfishness, and personal gain, while pretending to serve the public good…. They do this by encouraging the less intelligent among us to  buy into the delusion of their own special nature, to wit: religion, fostering the attitudes which also lead to nationalism, and the divisiveness that plagues mankind…. The weak, foolish, easily-seduced members of the public are promised they will be rewarded for their submission to authority, with the gift of eternal life, which, for some reason, they actually believe is within their grasp, despite all the obvious evidence to the contrary….


These hypocritical dogma dogs teach unwitting fools to give up their right to think for themselves, usually convincing them of this deliberate lie before they are able to think at all, in childhood, with scary tales of what will happen if they do not submit to the will of God… with more lies to describe the perils of eternal Hell, should they ever think for themselves…. If you need any proof of this assertion, well, it’s right out there where anyone can see it… to wit:


“In much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” — Old Testament — Ecclesiastes i, 18


Yet people continue to fall for the same old bullshit stories, because it plays into their laziness, and their need to see themselves as ‘special’, in a universe they do not comprehend, surrounded by fearful sounds and sights, all of which is too hard, and too scary, to try to figure out on their own…. So, they buy into the elitism of being “God’s children”, whether they call God Yahweh, or Allah, or Krishna, or Guan Yin, or any of a hundred other names humans have come up with to try to explain those things they don’t understand…. They do this because it saves them from having to use their minds for anything other than thinking up ways to cheat or steal from their fellows…. which is far easier than working….


I know this sounds somewhat like sour grapes, but, believe me, I don’t miss what I see others have in their faith, at all. Nor do I wish to give up what I know to be true. I have found this truth by gathering my own evidence, upon which I have based all my conclusions; I won’t give it up in order to buy into something that, as far as all the evidence shows, has no existence in the real world; not the one in which I live, anyway…. None of it makes any sense, and never has; it just doesn’t hang together, logically, and is NOT supported by the physical evidence that exists…. But, they never let up the pressure, with sentiments such as this:


“Be not faithless, but believing.” — John 20:27


Such obvious little gems of manipulation typically remind me of how one is treated when trying to buy a car…. You know, when the salesman says something to the effect of “Trust me! Would I lie to you?” I’m often tempted to answer them (both the car salesmen, and the dogma dogs, who try to sell me nonsense…), perfectly truthfully, with a simple “No, thank you. Yes, I’m certain you would.” But, then I think of how much I need the car…. So, I tend to work the salesmen with my own manipulations, to lower the price…. Hey, turnabout’s fair play, right? Right….


Well, perhaps it isn’t exactly honorable to engage in a battle of wits with unarmed persons, but, one has to live in the world, if not of it, so, I figure it’s a wash, as they would do unto me first, unless I did unto them first…. It’s a moral dilemma, I admit, but, I’m on my side, just like everyone else…. Unlike the dogma dogs, whose every word is designed to extend their control over the minds of their constituents, I try not to make others do my will without good cause, an attitude, and a courtesy which, I assure you, is not reciprocated by most of the world’s inhabitants…. Especially if any of them have had legal training, or are heavily dependent upon catechism for their moral state….


“If it weren’t for lawyers, I think we could have invented a universal symbolic representation of reality.” — Smart Bee


I’ve delivered my indictment, and have run out of steam…. Many will say it isn’t soon enough, but, we never listen to them, anyway, so. I’ll just bring this to a close here, and hope for the best…. If nothing else, I got all the anger and angst out far enough to provide me with a bit of peace for a time…. which is the entire purpose of this exercise….


Any of y’all, or any other folks who may drop in to read, who may find this to be new information, are encouraged to follow this line of thought to its logical conclusion, whereupon, you, or they, will be ready to take up arms, and try to help the rest of us kick the assholes to the curb, so we have at least an outside chance of surviving our own idiocy…


If not, well, I suggest you take the following piece of observation to heart, and, at the very least, begin to laugh at the assholes, thus showing them the respect they deserve…. Hell, it can’t hurt, and just may help….


“You have a mongrel perception of humor, nothing more; a multitude of you possess that.  This multitude see the comic side of a thousand low-grade and trivial things — broad incongruities, mainly; grotesqueries, absurdities, evokers of the horse-laugh.  The ten thousand high-grade comicalities which exist in the world are sealed from their dull vision.  Will a day come when the race will detect the funniness of these juvenilities and laugh at them — and by laughing at them destroy them?  For your race, in its poverty, has unquestionably one really effective weapon — laughter.  Power, money, persuasion, supplication, persecution — these can lift at a colossal humbug — push it a little — weaken it a little, century by century; but only laughter can blow it to rags and atoms at a blast.  Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.  You are always fussing and fighting with your other weapons.  Do you ever use that one?  No; you leave it lying rusting.  As a race, do you ever use it at all?  No; you lack sense and the courage.” — Mark Twain (1835-1910), “The Mysterious Stranger”


So be it….


gigoid has spoken….


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


This poet needs no introduction… All you have to do is read, and enjoy….




Ode


Bards of Passion and of Mirth,

Ye have left your souls on earth!

Have ye souls in heaven too,

Double lived in regions new?

Yes, and those of heaven commune

With the spheres of sun and moon;

With the noise of fountains wound’rous,

And the parle of voices thund’rous;

With the whisper of heaven’s trees

And one another, in soft ease.


Seated on Elysian lawns

Brows’d by none but Dian’s fawns;

Underneath large blue-bells tented,

Where the daisies are rose-scented,

And the rose herself has got

Perfume which on earth is not;

Where the nightingale doth sing

Not a senseless, tranced thing,

But divine melodious truth;

Philosophic numbers smooth;

Tales and golden histories

Of heaven and its mysteries.


Thus ye live on high, and then

On the earth ye live again;

And the souls ye left behind you

Teach us, here, the way to find you,

Where your other souls are joying,

Never slumber’d, never cloying.

Here, your earth-born souls still speak

To mortals, of their little week;

Of their sorrows and delights;

Of their passions and their spites;

Of their glory and their shame;

What doth strengthen and what maim.

Thus ye teach us, every day,

Wisdom, though fled far away.


Bards of Passion and of Mirth,

Ye have left your souls on earth!

Ye have souls in heaven too,

Double-lived in regions new!


~~ John Keats ~~




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


Here is an old-fashioned nine-star pearl, freshly picked, in the style in which they were first created. Each one will stand alone, as good advice, or a clear observation; together, they give us a blueprint for a Life, well-lived….


“I love to doubt as well as know.” — Dante


“Every day should be passed as if it were to be our last.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 633


“He who is able to conquer others is powerful; he who is able to conquer himself is more powerful” — Lao Tzu


“A bone to the dog is not charity.  Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog.” — Jack London


“It is better not to live at all than to live disgraced.” — Sophocles (496-406 BC) — Peleus, Frag. 445


“Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too.” — Voltaire


“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.  Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.  Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.  Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.  But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” — The Buddha


“The meaning of life is that it stops.” — Franz Kafka




Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.

And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.

And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.


~~ Kahlil Gibran in Essay on Death in The Prophet ~~




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


Today’s Pearl came together quite nicely…. Now, let’s see if it’s worth posting….. Well, that’s really not too shabby, I think. Of course, that is ME speaking, and I tend to be a bit loose in judging myself…. I figure that’s best, since the rest of the world tends to judge me by harsher standards, none of which make any particular sense to me…. SIGH…. Ah well, life does go on, until it doesn’t…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, as long as nobody talks me out of it….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark, and Theresa…

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


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
The jewel burns with an eerie light….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




“I told you I was ill.”


~~ Written on grave ~~


day2 London 010


     I’d make a comment about the picture above, in which Charlie C. and I try to out-silly each other, but, once the quote that adorns the top o’the page today sinks in, it will make our silliness fade into insignificance…. Either way, that is to say, in either case, I’ve managed to completely screw any formal or serious opening, so, whatever takes place from this point on, don’t expect a lot of precise reasoning, or the cerebral comfort of clean, clear logical thought…. because I’m pretty sure we’re fresh out….


Having thus made it much easier on myself, (funny, while perhaps less deep, is nonetheless no less a challenge than being serious; it IS, however, much more FUN to write…. Far fewer trips into past miseries result from being funny than from being serious….), I shall proceed to the meat of today’s intro section, which, somehow, resembles sausage more than a fillet of salmon, in spite of its tangy smell of citrus and coconut. I’m not sure what kind of recipe for success that will make, but, we all have to use the ingredients we find on the counter, don’t we? Well, I do, anyway…. I hate to throw out a good paragraph, smelly though it may be….


Of course, it isn’t always possible to save some words and phrases; they get overused by pundits and dogma dogs, who pound certain groups of them into the heads of their constituents as often as they can, to help solidify those already calcified organs of thought…. But, that’s not our concern just yet; ranting is strictly prohibited here in the intro; at least, that’s what I hear…. I also hear it happens regularly in spite of regulations, so, maybe if I show y’all what I found that prompted such cynicism so early in the day, you will see to what I refer…. It’s an ugly, yet accurate little phrase, from a social critic of some renown, & goes like this….


“Terrorism: deadly violence against humans and other living things, usually conducted by government against its own people.” — Edward Abbey


Hmm…. we seem to have blown straight past “silly mode”, into “ranting mode”, with hardly a ripple….. I’m not sure just how that happened, but, it did, for sure…. Even if it’s true, the statement from Mr. Abbey completely ruined my silly intro, and I was having such fun, trying to keep things from getting all serious…. But, the quote was attached to the nice, silly one at the top, so, there’s little I could have done, without losing both…. Ah well, at least it got me this far….


In fact, I think I see a…. yes! It’s a way out! I’m taking it, so hang on, ffolkes, & we’ll get on with the rest of today’s mess… Stay in your seats, please, until we are fully emerged from the water.


Shall we Pearl?


“Cicero called Aristotle a river of flowing gold, and said of Plato’s Dialogues, that if Jupiter were to speak, it would be in language like theirs.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Life of Cicero


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


I feel like a bit of time travel would be in order, so, we’ll take a trip back to the days of yore…. (How many years does one have to go back in time to reach “yore”? I always wondered….) Here is a classic cult figure from the late 60’s, that era of societal upheaval and radical change, a time which so many of us remember little, even though we were there…. In fact, there’s an old joke about those days, which goes, “If anyone tells you they remember the sixties, they’re lying!”…. Still, I do remember Jethro…. Enjoy this stroll down memory lane, ffolkes…. at least you’ll hear some dandy flute music….




Jethro Tull Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2003 Full DVD 





























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


At least once a year, I post this piece, to give any new readers an idea of what this blog is all about, in a manner of speaking…. Naturally, any conclusions are left as an exercise for the Gentle Reader, with the gentle reminder to remember to read between the lines at least half the time; it helps comprehension immensely….


Last posted on ECR on 7/16/2013:


I’m not feeling lazy, but, I AM feeling lazy, so I’m dipping into the past to come up with today’s third section…. It has been some time since I posted this, which I try to do at least once a year, to keep new ffolkes apprised of my history, and provide some background for the stuff I write here…. some of the back story, as it were…. So, here is my philosophy of Life, and some of the rationalizations that prompted its creation….. Though Peruaosophy originally was composed in the 1980’s, this article was posted on the site, GoodBlogs.com, sometime in early 2011, prior to starting this blog on WordPress….




Birds Do It, Bees Do It. So Do I…




In the dim, dark past, when I was, sort of, attending college at UC Berkeley, (1968-70) discussing philosophy was standard in many of the BS sessions in which I participated. In order to not be thought of as someone who was ignorant in the field, I naturally read the classic tomes by such philosophers as Friedrich Nietzsche, Soren Kierkegaard, Plato, Socrates, Epicurus, Solon, and Jung, as well as more modern folks, such as Bucky Fuller, Sartre, and John Lennon (yes, him too…his philosophy tends to lean way to the left, but, does come with guitar accompaniment…).


One day later on, sometime in the 80’s, I was involved in learning to raise kids, deal with a wife, and in general going quietly crazy trying to balance all the balls one must keep in the air to get by in today’s world. As I sat this particular day, it struck me how long it had been since I stretched my mind. It seemed as if I’d been buried in mundane details forever; upon examination & reflection, I decided I wanted to expand my consciousness, using the flight of imagination to lift me above the everyday cares and woes to which I had fallen prey. And I found, as well, that I had been unconsciously acting according to many of the precepts that I had learned in those halcyon days of my youth.


Encouraged by this revelation, I went one step further, and made the decision to codify my own personal philosophy, to put down in writing those things that I consider to be essential to becoming a well-grounded, well-rounded, productive and contented member of society. The process went more quickly than I had imagined, and I came up with seven basic concepts, all of which I hold to be an integral part of what I believe. Axiom #4 was added later as a necessary part of the whole, overlooked in the initial version, bringing the total number of axioms to eight.


The word I coined to describe this philosophy is Greek; “perua” means “pearl”, and of course, “osophy” is “the study of”.  Thus I give you Peruaosophy, the study of pearls of wisdom. Each axiom stands alone; together they describe, fairly well, my approach to Life at Large…..




Peruaosophy


The wisdom of pearls…


(The world is my oyster; which way to the pearls?)


Axioms


1)  I think I am; that’s close enough.


2) The nature of the Universe is Change.  


Unpredictable, innovative transformation of Reality is the Norm. 


If you have a problem with this, you’re in for a rough ride in Life.


3) Thou art God, you know.  Let’s do lunch.


4) Excellence is its own reward.


5) Girls think differently.  So do boys.  Don’t fight it.


6) Axiom #2 X axiom #5 = And God so loved the world, She said, “Quit whining!”


7) Do your Duty.   Respect Life.   Honor the Truth.   Share your Love. 


8)  Go back.  Everything you need to know is in the first seven axioms.


~~ gigoid ~~




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


I am not sure exactly, or even approximately, why I’m including this poem; it has nothing in common with anything else in today’s Pearl…. But, it is what my subconscious wants, and I know better than to argue with it…. The subconscious mind has a nasty, sneaky way of exacting revenge when thwarted, & I’ve learned it’s best to just let it have what it wants…. Hence, today’s poem, about Love, rather than silliness, or philosophy, or anything else but Love…. Go figure….




Beyond Agapé


Passion burns and shines like iridescent paint

yet solitude stands mocking such mundane complaint.

Schemes and dreams promise to tempt attraction

never ending effort spends wit in perverse reaction.


Hale and hearty reports of honor and love

draft recruits to collect manna from above, 

while searching each soul for that which will serve

to bring pure sensation to each expectant nerve.


How simple to fall into complete helpless hope

of two hearts bound in tradition, with cultural rope,

living a simple life, shared, in joy and in grief

promises consummated, in consensual belief.


Reality dictates our degree of control over its state

insisting on changing whether or not we can wait.

Love will be present when we are completely at peace,

 allowing ourselves, to give of ourselves, without cease.


~~ gigoid ~~




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


Smart Bee can be somewhat rambunctious at times, with a sense of humor at which I often shake my head, in wonder…. Most of this pearl was picked out yesterday, and the remainder left to be found this morning…. Smart Bee, though invaluable, can be a veritable pain in the ass, sometimes…. This time, however, it seems to have outdone itself, in terms of relative value…. Let’s take a look, shall we?….


“Is you first responsibility to yourself? The question is misleading; that is, it misleads the person who takes it to heart. It’s like asking, must you shift your weight in order to walk. Of course you must, but anyone who concentrates first on shifting his weight will not walk well.” — Hugh Prather


“When one asked him what boys should learn, “That,” said he, “which they shall use when men.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Laconic Apophthegms, Of Agesilaus the Great


“Euripides was wont to say, “Silence is an answer to a wise man.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Of Bashfulness


“As those persons who despair of ever being rich make little account of small expenses, thinking that little added to a little will never make any great sum.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Of Man’s Progress in Virtue


“All I can think of is a platter of organic PRUNE CRISPS being trampled by an army of swarthy, Italian LOUNGE SINGERS…” — Zippy the Pinhead


Don’t look at ME! You’re the one who kept on reading, aren’t you? I told you at the beginning how damn silly I felt, but, would you listen?….


Just kidding, ffolkes…. Actually, it’s only because SB went soft on me that I resorted to such obvious, ancient-cliche-trickery…. Four perfect lines from ancient sages, then ZIP…. nada, not a damn thing to be found, save for our old friend Zippy…. who once again saved the say…. Ah well, Plutarch won’t mind; he had a good sense of humor, I think…. I KNOW all my Gentle Readers do, of course…..


Maybe it would be best if I go now…. before y’all start throwing stuff at me….


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


I suppose I have to take the blame, but, it’s NOT MY FAULT! Well, okay, yes, it is…. but,  don’t have to like it. Plus, as a human, I’m allowed to lie about it, if I think I can get away with it, so there….. On that childish note, which puts a cap to the silly mood I’ve been in all morning, I’ll leave you in peace…. such as it may be after such a start to your day…. and mine…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark, and Theresa…

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


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Patterns of immoderate concern….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




“All cruelty springs from weakness.” — Seneca


Inverness and Invergordon 007





Having slept, I arise. Rising, I begin to think… or, a reasonable facsimile thereof. It doesn’t help, just as expected, but, with admirable perseverance, I booted up the computer anyway…. You may thank me, either now, or later, but, have no doubt, you will do so, either for what I’ve said, or for having stopped in the telling. It will be, as always, your choice, though, I’m guessing, it won’t make the decision any simpler, or cause any less fear in your heart…. though “fear” may not be the exact word to describe the depth of your feelings about what has transpired….


There, are y’all nervous now? If not, I’ve done this wrong…. Since the intro today isn’t normal, by any means, I suppose I should try to explain. But, I won’t, because I don’t understand what is happening any more than y’all do; my fingers seem to by doing just fine without my input. I would guess it has something to do with today’s rant, which is a subject of large importance in my world…. Whatever the reason for it, it’s playing hell with this morning’s routine, which was already a bit off kilter due to yesterday’s bout of shoulder and hand pain, which reached some new highs….


Today, though, is not as bad as that, so far, but, I’d hoped to begin differently…. So much for my obviously mistaken idea of being in control of this process; my subconscious has clearly decided to assume its own degree of control, without bothering to let me know here on the conscious level, where I had THOUGHT we were to spend the day…. But, NOOOOO, there has to be a new direction, chosen without any conscious input, which is guaranteed to piss me off…. I mean, it isn’t too smart to think it could put it past me like this, without at least making a token effort to give me a head’s up…. I AM in charge of this ship, even if there is some doubt in some quarters as to the veracity of that statement…. I’ve got it in writing, so there….


Yes, yes, I know it’s getting a bit thick in here; tell it to the monitors…. I’m just trying to wrest back the steering wheel from my subconscious, which has the erroneous idea it’s going to be in charge today…. In fact, it’s being so insistent, we’re going to have to take a moment here, so I can draw it aside, to let it know, in no uncertain terms, what will happen if it doesn’t straighten up and fly right…. In fact, I’m going to do that now, as it is the perfect moment to retake control…. Hang on a moment, please, while we go into the other room to discuss this….


Okay, I’m back, and everything is squared away…. We’ll get the message out as to the rant my subconscious has in mind, but, I will be the one directing the bus, not my subconscious, which, though it believes otherwise, has no talent at all for driving a bus of this size and complexity…. Driving a toy version isn’t sufficient training, not when there are others involved, whose presence on the bus my subconscious tends to discount, or resent…. It isn’t their fault; they just don’t spend enough time in Reality to have a good grip on what is needed to survive there…. which is why they call it the SUB conscious mind, after all…


Okay, now that we’re fairly well lost, I’ll take over, and get us off this path, and back on the correct one to lead us where we need to go today…. Hopefully, it didn’t take so long we lost our morning group of Gentle Readers…. In any case, I see our opening coming up, so, let’s get on with it, okay? I need to get this slow on the road…..


Shall we Pearl?


“We who revel in nature’s diversity and feel instructed by every animal tend to brand Homo sapiens as the greatest catastrophe since the Cretaceous extinction.” — Stephen Jay Gould


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


I’m in the mood for some classic rock, and there is no better example than this album, from the glory days of that genre….. This album is considered by aficianados to be one of the best examples of a live concert album ever created…. not to mention the tour, which was considered to be one of the best all-time performances by a live band…. On the page where this is found on You Tube, there are a number of fine albums from the period, which should provide y’all with some great music for your day…. Enjoy!…..






The Grateful Dead Europe ’72 /Disc One (November 5,1972)




































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


jimmy sez

In the last week, one of America’s most revered cultural icons, Bill Cosby, has been revealed as a serial rapist…. Now, there are many people out there, even some reading this, who might think it is premature to name him as such, given the lack of legal convictions, or even charges brought against him in the past…. However, I am of a mind with Abe Lincoln, one of of many who famously believed, “if it looks like a dog, it smells like a dog, barks like a dog, AND, as an added bonus, wags its tail, then it’s a pretty sure bet it IS a dog”…. Let’s be realistic, ffolkes….


Even if only one woman had come forward, or two, it would still be a charge worth investigating, since it DOES, in spite of long-term denial by most of society, comprise the single worst crime I can think of; when more than ten women all tell the same story, with little variation in spite of years between incidents, there seems to me to be little doubt they are telling the truth, given what I know to be true of human nature, and the unwillingness of society to acknowledge the depth of this problem…. (See the comment above, by Jimmy Carter….)


Having known a great many women who were raped, in my work as a psychiatric technician, I know it is all too common for those victims of rape to never report the crime, because American society, long run by men, with men’s rules, immediately begins a campaign to implicate the victim in their own crime, by implying, complete with snide accusations, the woman invited her attack…. I’ve read record after record after record, all with the same story, of a woman sexually abused, multiple times in their lives, yet never believed…. Whenever I hear a man saying a woman is responsible for being raped, in any fashion, I immediately suspect anything that man says…


If anyone out there can provide me with ANY evidence to refute the above allegations, feel free to say so in the comment section; I defy ANYONE to find proof my contention is erroneous. This society is sick, sick, sick, in the way women in general are treated…. Moreover, it is frightened, childish petulant MEN who have infested society with their ignorant, cowardly misogyny, writing their lies and rationalizations right into the fabric of the laws they claim protect the weak and innocent…. when, in fact, most laws are designed to protect ONLY the rights of men, largely regarding property, which includes, in most men’s eyes, women….


Fucking assholes…. Here are two articles, from a UK news outlet; I also perused another British organization, which also had complete coverage of the ongoing issue with Fat Albert’s alter ego, and his serial victimization of young/old/he wasn’t picky, seems like, women…. Almost every international news organization had coverage, while the American media, as you’ll see below, has, as far as they could, tried to ignore it, or play it down, for the most part…. The only article I found this morning was in the NY Times, written by a woman, and I’m thinking the only reason it made it past the editors of the Times was that it was about jokes, and the TV media coverage of the issue, which, so far, has been pretty mild, and careful not to offend Dr. Huxatable’s image….


I did see where some hack quoted one of the child stars of that show, who said he never bothered her…. but, then, predators usually don’t hunt in their own pack; they go elsewhere for their prey….


http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/21/bill-cosby-rape-accusers-women-stories


http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/20/bill-cosby-acused-sexual-assault-seventh-woman


I checked the NY Times, Time Magazine, Yahoo, and Reuters News Services, where this was the ONLY article about the subject…. It makes me think the American media is avoiding the issue altogether, while most of the cultural outrage and shock is discussed openly outside the borders of Bill’s influence….







Oops…. I should have refreshed earlier…. though I don’t back away from what I’ve already said about media coverage, I did find one more reasonable discussion of the Cosby issue, from what seems to be a reasonably rational man…. Of course, we all should remember this IS the internet, so, someone’s actual existence is not proven until we can touch them ourselves…. But. this is well written, and well-thought out, so, it is worth a read, if only to add information relevant to the discussion….


http://time.com/3599400/cosby-rape-black-icons/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29


Later in the day, more updates, with the American media finally chiming in to add to the numbers (now there are *at least* 17 accusers identified in the press around the world, all of whom indicated a similar pattern of stories, and further implications of the serial nature of the offenses….)


http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/bill-cosby-rape-accusers-speak-out-the-publics-mind-will-be-blown-20141121?utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=daily&utm_campaign=112114_16&utm_medium=email&ea=YWxwaGFnaWdvaWRAZ21haWwuY29t


Of course, Bill isn’t the only sexual predator, or the only one in society who assumes it is normal to abuse women; society itself allows a culture to be fostered which encourages sexual abuse, such as rape, by consistent denial of the problem, made worse by official tacit approval of acts of individual oppression, by refusing to punish offenders, as well as allowing victims to suffer further abuse for speaking out…. and I am not the only one who is tired of it….


http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/rape-at-uva-readers-say-jackie-wasnt-alone-20141121?utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=daily&utm_campaign=112114_16&utm_medium=email&ea=YWxwaGFnaWdvaWRAZ21haWwuY29t


Our male-dominated society makes it difficult for anyone who feels differently to make themselves heard; the way it accomplishes this ties right into the same methods used to oppress women, or any other group of vulnerable individuals, with denial, ridicule, and derisive verbal attacks from the ignorant and cruel as the primary weapons used against anyone who dares to speak out against men, or politicians, or police, or any of the protected members of the Asininnies… The very laws we live by were written by men, for the benefit of men only…. women, children, animals, and the planet at large are of no concern to these selfish assholes….


The following final link is just ONE example of how they maintain the atmosphere of fear that keeps the general public in line….



http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/20/police-legal-action-snooping-journalists


“There’s a tendency today to absolve individuals from moral responsibility and treat them as victims of social circumstance.  You buy that, you pay with your soul.  It’s not men who limit women, it’s not straights who limit gays, it’s not whites who limit blacks.  What limits people is lack of character.  What limits people is that they don’t have the fucking nerve or imagination to star in their own movie, let alone direct it.” — Bernard Mickey Wrangle


I see this rant has become a bit disorganized; this is partially due to the ubiquitous nature of the problem, which infests every level of society. It is such an infuriating subject for me, I tend to devolve into verbal abuse myself, though aimed at the perpetrators of these offenses, rather than the usual targets, the victims…. I get so angry, the only response I can come up with to resolve my anger at men in general is to go out, buy a weapon, and start the process of removing the culprits from this plane of existence, one by one…. It probably wouldn’t work very well, for very long, but, I’d sure feel a lot better for having relieved some of my anger against those who deserve it the most….


For now, though, I’ll let y’all get on with your day…. But, I’ll ask that you at least think about this, and try to see how the tacit approval of the problem by those who will not speak out is the basis of how the problem might be solved…. which will NOT happen until all those who now remain silent begin to speak up in defense of the weak and vulnerable among us…. In short, YOU, and I will have to make the changes, for those in power will never change, until they are made to do so by the rest of us….


Albert E & true sin


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


Here is a poem of mine that goes perfectly with the above rant; it was written with the subject matter firmly in mind….




Rhyming is better than lying….


It’s all too, too much, he cried

   I can take no more!

It’s all crazy, my brain is fried,

   battered, bloody, and sore.


Talking heads shout out hatred and fear

   jam for my morning toast.

Pointing fingers far, middle, and near

   enemies everywhere, almost.


Women, gays, and seniors fall prey,

   easy targets, slow and weak.

Convenient fools, wanting only to play,

   used, and abused, even as we speak.


It enough to drive me floridly insane,

   or want to buy a gun.

I may end up in jail, or in massive pain,

   but, oh, it would be fun….


~~ gigoid ~~




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


I’ve been so involved this morning in completing the rant, I feel like I need to shower before continuing to write…. Instead, I’ll sublimate by asking SB to find some pearls that are somewhat more optimistic about Life, and show human nature in a somewhat more attractive light…. There has to be SOME kind of redeeming quality to our nature, else why would we have all this potential goodness within us?…. Let’s see what we can see….


“Food, sleep, fear, propagation; each is the common property of men with brutes. Virtue is really their additional distinction; devoid of virtue, they are equal with brutes.” — The Hitopadesa (600?-1100? A.D.)


“It is an unhappy lot which finds no enemies.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 499


“If a man has talent and cannot use it, he has failed.” — Thomas Wolfe


“Remember what Simonides said,–that he never repented that he had held his tongue, but often that he had spoken.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD)

— Rules for the Preservation of Health, 7


“A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.” — Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)


“One man with courage is a majority.” — Thomas Jefferson


“[Freedom is] the power to live as you will.  Who then lives as he wills?” — Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.)


“Have in readiness this saying of Solon, “But we will not give up our virtue in exchange for their wealth.”” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — How to profit by our Enemies


“I must stand up in search of the truth, if I don’t I only roll with the flow of the lie and make it stronger.” — Sovereign


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


I’ve procrastinated to the limit allowed by law; being thus constrained, I shall yield to the demands of reality, to bring this to a close, ready or not…. I suppose, given what I’ve already done today, it is enough. I’ll see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark, and Theresa…

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


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Nuke those gum drops before they’re served, please….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




“No falsehood lingers into old age.”


~~ Sophocles (406 BC) ~~


rosetta-spacecraft-comet-landing-release


     In response to the quote, from Sophocles, I would say, “except, perhaps, those we tell to ourselves.” That simple fact may be part of the problem, wouldn’t you think?….. Ah well….


In coming centuries, should we survive to see them, the Philae lander, (which you see above in an artist’s rendering of its descent to the comet on which it tried to land, taken from Space.com’s coverage of the event), may become the subject of a number of jokes, described as “Philae, the Bouncing Bot”, or other such inane nicknames, a result of the comical way it managed to complete its landing sequence…. Thanks to the unknown physical demands of the landing, onto a comet moving at great speed, the silly thing managed to bounce three times before coming to a complete rest on the surface, a sequence of events not realized until the pictures from the mother-ship had been analyzed….


What a ride, eh? Zooming along through space, trying to land on a rock, only to find itself on a make-shift carnival ride…. Too bad it didn’t have any human riders to give us a play-by-play description of how it felt to be bouncing over the surface of a speeding rock through the depths of space… As it was, we were barely able to find the poor wee ‘bot where it ended up on the surface, finally spotting it shortly before its batteries gave out. The information it was able to transmit to the scientists at the EU Space Center, of the single drilling sample it was able to perform, was sent to the center just before it said “Nighty night”, and went to sleep, perhaps never to wake again….


Since there is only a small chance of it ever doing so, we’ll leave our species’ latest technological wonder to rest in peace, and hope it passes through enough sunlight on its trip around the Sun to be able to wake up & reestablish contact with Earth. Until then, we’ll just tell it, “Well done, little ‘bot!”, and get on with today’s Pearl…. Hey, we’ve got to get started some time, right? Right…. Now seems like a good time….


Since we’ve already come down the page a ways, I think we’ll take what we’ve been given, and run to the bank to deposit what may be left by the time we get there…. Not that we’re going to sweat much over an imaginary deposit in an imaginary bank, but, it deserves a mention, if only to fill in just a few more lines…. Pretty cool the way I slipped those in there, isn’t it? I’m getting fairly adept at this, I think…. Other times, I’m sure I’m deluding myself, and, since I haven’t a clue as to how to figure out which is true, we’ll pretend I never said anything about it, and take the opening into the rest of the Pearl that is looming just ahead….  In fact, DUCK!….


Whew, almost hit the overhead lights on that pass…. Oh well, we made it, and we’re here, so, lets’ get on with it…..


Shall we Pearl?


“In all life one should comfort the afflicted, but verily, also, one should afflict the comfortable, and especially when they are comfortably, contentedly, even happily wrong.” — John Kenneth Galbraith, Guardian (London, 28 July 1989)


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


I don’t know about y’all, but, I love Van Morrison’s music, always have…. Here’s a bunch of it…. Enjoy this little trip through the past, ffolkes, or else….




Van Morrison- BBC Four Sessions 2008







































 


 




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


I’m not late, but, the news is currently pretty boring, and, more importantly, I AM quite lazy…. Hence, another blast from the past…. This one isn’t a rant, per se, though it shows some rant-like qualities…. I think we’ll label this one a ‘discussion’….


From 10/22/2012:


“Don’t ever become a pessimist, Ira; a pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun — and neither can stop the march of events.” — Lazarus Long, from Time Enough For Love, by Robert Heinlein


As with many important truths, this one does not comfort one to know it; a common attribute of remarks by Lazarus, who has a tendency to voice the truth regardless of its potential, or even certain, effect on the audience. And, damn it, it is just so much simpler to let all the bad stuff hold sway on our attention, and give in to the depressive urge to berate and chastise the universe for its lack of tact and consideration for human sensibilities. It never listens, anyway….


My semi-rant in section one today is a perfect example of this principle at work; I do try to maintain some optimism in the face of reality; I even have learned to try to explain away all the weird stuff, as being outside the statistical universe under consideration. It’s a lie, but it’s my lie, so I usually can buy into it, long enough to allow denial to set in, and thus preventing the otherwise inevitable depression over how bad things have gotten…..


Actually, right now, it’s fairly simple to stay completely distracted, as we always have the election, and all the shenanigans taking place on that stage, to draw our attention away from the imminent demise we face as a species, or even, more importantly, our personal concerns of everyday living. It’s easy to deny the inevitability of carbon monoxide pollution when we have Mitt the Twitt’s lies to chase down, or Biden’s latest zinger to admire, or Lyin’ Ryan’s latest example of elitism to watch with dropped jaw….. It’s a veritable circus, and the clowns are in full swing….


(Note from 2014: This was written during the 2012 campaign leading to the national election, with Mitt, the Twit, Romney, cluelessly running against Barry the Obama, who was seeking his second term at the helm….)


It’s not just the candidates providing the entertainment, either…. every Tom, Dickwad, and Mary is chiming in with their two cents, on TV, radio, and, most prodigiously, on the Internet, all trying to get SOMEONE to listen to them during the run-up to the election. Those two cents can get very, very strange, as each commenter tries to make the most outrageous statements and/or claims/accusations about all the actors on stage, providing a whole new package of entertainment for us, each one vying for our attention at the top of their lungs, figuratively speaking…..


This is where the metaphor of the circus gains its credibility, although, more accurately, I am reminded by this, most emphatically, of just about any carnival at the County Fairs I’ve been to….. Disheveled, sinister-looking barkers, complete with suspenders and a cigar in their mouth, yelling out the prizes they promise, each one grander than the next, and easy as pie to win: exotic visions that promise endless satisfaction of desires, enormously valuable jewels and objet’s d’art for virtually nothing, and endless illusions to draw the eye away from the seediness and underlying, almost frenetic despair permeating the air….


Yes, indeed, the political scene here in America has always reminded me of a carnival, and the events and activities that prompt my impression of the election as an illusionary device, designed to fool the public into thinking that things will change if they vote, has never been stronger than it is now. I have hope that by voting against the obviously evil side of the campaign, the overall effect on the immediate future will be mitigated to some degree. But, I can find within me very little hope that the eventual outcome is in doubt, and that outcome is not one that anyone is going to like…. at all.


My optimism is fairly natural to me; I’ve always been a hopeful kind of person, and I continue to hold hope that mankind’s future will extend beyond this century, groundless as it may be. My pessimism, unfortunately, has the advantage of having the most evidence in it’s favor right now, even if Obama wins the election, as I expect he will. He is only one man, and the course of human events is very difficult to change once it is headed in a particular direction. My hope is based on the wish that more than just he will learn to make the inner changes needed for us all to survive the storms that are coming…. A slim hope, yes, but hey, it happens to be all we’ve got…..


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


Here is a piece of my own poetry, written during a period of contemplation of current events, (of that time, of course….), of the most personal kind, in which I managed to include much of my own philosophy, truncated into verse, right in the very last stanza…. Go figure….




Raging at Aging


As old as you feel, we are told, is old as you are,

custom assures such vision will carry us far.

Reality begs to differ, may it be so bold

it’s really quite painful, and very, very cold.


The power and strength felt in our halcyon youth

desert us with age, yet another unwelcome truth.

Irony rules our time here on this bountiful earth

as we reflect the changes over time since our birth.


As physical powers fade from this fragile shell, 

we learn our mind can serve us quite as well.

The strength that once filled our bones and hearts

is now applied by our will, to more arcane arts.


Life’s greatest gift is our freedom of choice

no matter how often we forget, we still get a voice.

Energy, or apathy, by our will we may choose,

failing to do so, our only way to lose.


Each of us lives in the grip of time and space,

always seeking our balance, our own chosen place.

One must accept reality, for it’s true at the core,

all we can do, is all we can do, and nothing more.


~~ gigoid ~~




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


As I begin to write this section, I have no clue as to what I’ll find today in SB…. In fact, that may be the way to go…. Right, we’ll do it…. This pearl will be ALL Smart Bee’s choices, on any subject it cares to pick, as long as it makes a point of some kind…. Let’s see what happens with such a loose set of parameters….


“In everything one must consider the end.” — J. de La Fontaine (1621-1695) — The Fox and the Gnat, Book iii, Fable 5


“A multiple personality is in a certain sense normal.” — George H. Mead


“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson


“Better be ignorant of a matter than half know it.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 865


“It is not love of self, but hatred of self which is at the root of the troubles that afflict the world.” — Eric Hoffer


“The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder.” — G. K. Chesterton, TREMENDOUS TRIFLES


A soldier told Pelopidas, “We are fallen among the enemies.” Said he, “How are we fallen among them more than they among us?” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Pelopidas


“Even while a thing is in the act of coming into existence, some part of it has already ceased to be.” — Marcus Aurelius


“This and a great deal more like it I have had to put up with.” — Terence (185-159 BC) — Act iv, Sc. 6, 8, (746.)


Hmm…. Well, I’m not entirely sure what it means, but, I like it. It’s done, too, making it perfect….


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


Whew! That went fairly well, all things considered…. Today’s Pearl has been brought to you by the number 2, by the letter J, and by those generous folks three houses down whose internet service I’ve been stealing for weeks…. Just kidding, but. hey, it isn’t unusual for me to be a bit giddy when I’m finished…. Perhaps this would be a good time to make my break for freedom…. Say goodnight, Gracie….


See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark, and Theresa…

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


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Blood? No. Sweat? No. Tears. Maybe….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


 


“Freedom = Responsibility” — Smart Bee600801_388558564581781_493680709_n




     Ooh, I’m late again. You know what that means, don’t you? No? Oh, good, then I can lie with impunity, just like a politician, and we might end up posting this on time…. just as if we were professionals, and had a deadline…. Of course, nobody would believe it, anyway, but, we do like to keep up appearances, even if those appearances are a total fabrication…. When I make it up like that, I’m practicing, for the next time I decide to run for a local office…. God forbid I ever lose my mind so far…


No, it isn’t hypocrisy for me to ask favors of God…. Since I figure He’s an illusion, when not an obvious delusion, there’s really no harm in it, and it often provides just the right phrase, or lament, or other form of communicative effort that is helped by the very fictional nature that generally assumes the focus as our target of disdain…. But, here at ECR, we’re all about equal-opportunity ranting, and are careful in our choice of targets, making sure they are worthy of our vitriol, as well as not real enough to bring suit, or hire a shyster…. The shotgun on display at the entrance probably helps, too….


If you couldn’t tell, I’m in a pretty good mood, if not exactly a frigging ray of sunshine…. I’ve got pain, I’ve got misery, but, I’m damn happy with the world at large anyway, thanks to BBR events that went well, and continue to progress with at a nice rate of advancement…. Who knows? At this rate, I could actually say something nice about somebody, before I caught myself ignoring the rules of curmudgeonry…. Not that I will, naturally, but, I could….


I think I’m going to ignore ALL the rules today…. It might just be our only hope, and I’ve never been one to deliberately take away people’s hopes…. Well, okay, there was that one time, but, I stopped before it made them cry, and did give them a rational option to try; I wasn’t a total butthead… Well, not by the same standards to which we hold our Asininnies, anyway…. I will admit, I’ve shown more ethics in the past, so, my suggestion is, we leave the subject alone, and get on with the Pearl for today….


Won’t that be nice? An actual Pearl of Virtual Wisdom, all for y’all…. I think so…. In honor of the occasion, I’ll even stop blathering now, and simply tell you I found the great picture above. with its message of “Duh!” for all to see, on Facebook somewhere. without any attribution, so, if you want any, you’ll have to find it yourself…. Me, I think it’s a PERFECTLY intelligent observation, if nothing else…. Plus, it got us to this point before any of our random right-wingers could so much as draw a breath to scream their complaints about the term “GAY MARRIAGE”…. Bonus!…. The bloody idiots….


Shall we Pearl?


“When men lack a sense of awe, there will be disaster.” — Lao Tzu, Tao Teh Ching: verse 72


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


By the time this Pearl is posted, the probe from the satellite chasing the Rosetta Comet will be on the surface of the comet (which is about the size of central London, for a scale of reference…). On landing, if it does so successfully, it will begin its programmed series of research experiments and sensory exploration of the material the comet is made of; if it doesn’t make it safely, it will still have been a successful mission, over 10 years long, a veritable epic adventure, to chase, find, catch up to, and orbit the moving object, far away in the Solar System, then land the probe on the surface, the last stage in which we find ourselves today….


Here is a video representation of the landing process, and some links to other places you can see more about this mission; hopefully, by tomorrow, I’ll have another video, of pictures beamed directly from the surface of the asteroidal wanderer…. Late word on that…. No  more videos available at this time; at last report, the scientists were still trying to figure out if they will be able to secure the probe to the comet’s surface, after the failure of the landing harpoons to fire correctly, thus making the landing site not as stable and secure as planned…. But, even if the mission fails at this point, it has been a huge success, teaching us a lot about the needed technology for such missions…


 


Comet-Chasing Rosetta Spacecraft Releases Probe for Epic Landing Attempt

    
























 


 


 


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


I could rant, but, my hands aren’t in the greatest of shape today….. plus, I found this old Pearl that just seemed to cry out to be re-posted…. I’m a sucker for a Pearl with a pretty face, or a decent opening, so, I will do as it asks, thus sparing y’all a fresher rant, that may not digest as well…. This one, truncated as it is, will probably go down better, as it is cut into smaller pieces than is now the norm….


from 1/5/2012:


Ffolkes,

Back in the good old days…..well, they weren’t all that good, after all, were they? That phrase has always bothered me anyway. Harking back to better times is a fool’s game; who says they were better? You mean we should go back to having the toilet outside? Or, maybe, dying at age 40 from lack of dental care. Or, dying in childbirth, perhaps. Yeah, they were the good old days, alright. No electricity, no computers, no refrigerators, no indoor plumbing.


Wanting to go backwards is just another way of complaining about one’s lot; happiness isn’t wanting more, happiness is being happy with what you have. But, people will be people, and common sense has never been common. Better I think, to just take things the way they are, and not worry about more, or better. Try harder to NOT be a trained consumer, always wanting something newer and shinier….. you just might find something entirely new to you……self-respect…..

___________________________________


“I am free, no matter what rules surround me.   If I find them tolerable,  I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them.  I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.” — Professor Bernardo de la Paz


This is the truest freedom we have. The concept of duty fulfilled is the hallmark of the free man, it is the only badge he will wear. Everything else assumes secondary importance to whatever task a man sets for himself, for the truly free man chooses his duty, and once chosen, it assumes the central point of his focus, and any other task or request becomes subordinate to the chosen duty.


I find it to be an extremely rare quality in most men these days; boys are not being raised with honor, and so cannot become such, without some kind of guidance from older men. But somehow, the twin concepts of honor and duty have fallen out of favor in modern society. Instead we are encouraged to believe the nonsensical claptrap spouted by self-proclaimed patriots, who haven’t the slightest intention of acting with honor, men who have made self-interest their guiding principle, and spend their days finding new ways to manipulate and degrade their fellow man.


What we need now is for those who still believe in honor and duty to realize that their newest, and most critical duty, is to put a stop to the evil that has crept into our society, and is happily sending us on a suicidal path. It’s time for free men to stand up, time to take back the rights that have been stolen from us, and return society to a path leading to harmony, and survival……


 


Where are the prophets ?

Where are the visionaries ?

Where are the poets to preach the dawn of the sentimental mercenary?~~ Smart Bee ~~




___________________________________


“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” — Aristotle


Aristotle makes an insightful observation here, one that many in the modern world are completely unaware of, due to a relatively new phenomenon. This part of the human experience, the ability to think with great scope and precision, is being driven out of commonly accepted practice, because for the first time in history, an entire generation has been brought up with television and computers.


From the time they were small, these people have been conditioned to accept as truth anything that is put to them by a “talking head”, no matter how fantastically improbable, or how close to truth it may be. (Usually pretty far removed from any such condition….) Kids grow up with the culture of TV land shaping their thought patterns and beliefs, every day from the time they could first understand what was said to them.


First it was Ernie and Big Bird, then Mr. Rogers, then their teachers (who now include televised lectures as part of the educational process, further cementing their dependence on pre-packaged knowledge), and finally, the Six O’Clock News on channel whatever. When people stop thinking for themselves, they become much easier to manipulate.


Our Beloved Ruling Class now is able to just tell the public whatever they want them to believe, while being recorded, sitting behind a desk, with just the shoulders and head appearing, calmly relating a complete report consisting entirely of outright lies. But, most folks will never even know they are being manipulated, because they are unable to hold more than one thought in their head at one time….


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


Very well…. I’m busted…. I’m lazy, and don’t feel like finding a poem, so, here is another of my older poems for today’s offering….


 


Penance, Made Simple 




 


 


After all the dross is sent away

a celebration can begin,

time will face up to space, to stay

willing, to shine from within.


Anger and confusion come in to share

brushing reason aside,

eager to welcome all that is fair,

alert to danger, eyes wide.


Re-gift the wicked with their own pain

stand with the just;

fail to partake of the ill-gotten gain,

living in honor, the only must.


Standing fast in the face of wrong

is its own prize and reward.

Holding on to truth makes us strong,

well worth working toward.


Little is left to chance by fate

our lessons are never free of cost.

Seldom does reality make us wait

only when alone, are we lost.


~~ gigoid ~~






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


Smart Bee has been pretty cooperative, not to mention generous, of late…. So, here is another group of pearls picked out without benefit of any direction from me, only editing power… It’s another good collection of observations and advice for a Life Well Lived….


 


“Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. 

Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. 

Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench.

Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner. 

Do your work, then step back. 

The only path to serenity.” — Tao Te Ching






“There are two kinds of truth, small truth and great truth. You can recognize a small truth because its opposite is a falsehood. The opposite of a great truth is another truth.” — Niels Bohr (1885-1962)


“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 (46-120 AD) — Which are the most crafty, Water or Land Animals? 7


“Courage begins when we can admit that there is no life without some pain, some frustration; that there is no tragic accident from which we are immune; and that beyond the normal exercise of prudence we can do nothing about it.” — Victoria Lincoln


“There is no cure for birth and death other than to enjoy the interval.” — George Santayana (1863-1952)


“To be truly conscious of your stupidity is one of the greatest steps you can make toward wisdom. If you know others, you are learned. If you know yourself, you are indeed wise. It isn’t the things that you don’t know that get you into trouble. What gets you into trouble are those things you know for sure that ain’t so.” — Artemus Ward (1834-1867), aka Charles Farrar Brown


 


But the tender grace of a day that is dead

  Will never come back to me. ~~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) ~~






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


I am unable to come to a conclusion regarding the quality of any of the above; I guess the act of writing it took all my resident conscious intelligence. There doesn’t seem to be any left over for the ending…. Ah well, it isn’t as if that hasn’t happened before, now, is it? Nope…. and, since that is the case, I am authorized to say this: We’re done. Go away…. No, just kidding…. We are done, and you may go when you’re ready… There isn’t anything left here to read, anyway…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes…..


 


Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark, and Theresa…

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


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Is it Bastille Day yet?….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




But ‘midst the crowd, the hum, the shock of men,

To hear, to see, to feel, and to possess,

And roam along, the world’s tired denizen,

With none who bless us, none whom we can bless.


~~ Lord Byron (1788-1824) ~~


~ Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto ii, Stanza 26 ~~


day2 London 008


     Of late, I’ve been using some of my older pictures, taken on a trip to Europe last year, as the opening for this…. whatever it is. It is simpler for me, as I don’t have to worry about giving proper attribution, and can use any pic at all to demonstrate whatever point or idea I’m planning to utilize for material…. Sound’s highfalutin, I know, but, it works for me…. and, here in the intro section, ‘anything that works’ is our motto….


Of course, I can always go with, or comment upon the opening quote, too…. But, both of those bonus qualities are by design, though it may appear that there isn’t any such thing going on…. I got so frustrated of trying to come up with something worthwhile to start with, I began to use those two objects to give myself a running start, so to speak, with the opportunity to use either, or both, or neither as part of the beginning lines, which, in the process, can reveal the best direction to take…. Or, as often happens around here, it can confuse things even more than usual, in which case, I generally retreat into silliness, or weirdness, whichever jumps up first….


The picture was taken in an alley off Portobello Road in London, and serves to provide me with good memories of a fine day exploring the endless marketplace on that Road…. As the saying in the British Empire went, “You can find anything you want on Portobello Road.”….. It also served as a one-stop shopping center for all the necessary souvenirs and gifts I brought back to friends and family from London, and gave me that priceless photo for my collection of memories, of me and Charlie Chaplin, in identical poses, in front of a house on Portobello Road…. Any of these pix can take me back there in my head, so, it’s like being able to go anytime I wish….


It also provides me with ample material to fill in this big hole that forms each day at the top of this page, one I often fill with incomprehensible nattering, or with nonsense, or even outright humor (though the latter may be a subjective judgment….). That, in itself, is enough to make it a worthwhile decision, which allows me some space in my head, before having to go on to the next section, to deal with all the angst and turmoil that goes on in my head for each separate section…. SIGH…. If only someone was paying me for all of this, it might seem a bit more, I don’t know,…. justifiable? Maybe….


Ah well, it’s all moot now, as we’ve reached the jumping off point again…. In fact, we’re moving so fast this morning, I think I’d just better give out the warning, and trust to our run of luck to get us through the opening intact…. Wish me luck; the insurance won’t stretch to cover another mass payout…. Here we go, so, please, HOLD ON!….


Shall we Pearl?


“A lie can travel halfway round the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” — Mark Twain


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


A friend of mine is fond of internet memes, and funny/strange You Tube videos posted by some of our society’s fringe elements…. She was showing me some of her favorites, which includes this video…. I will give fair warning, ffolkes…. Don’t drink anything while watching this, as the choking and aspiration that could occur…. If you began gut-busting laughter with a mouthful of cola or milk, it’s going to either choke you, or it will come out as a wide-angle spray you’ll be cleaning off the walls for days…. Enjoy!…. Oh, and the link has a bunch more odd, funny videos for your entertainment, as well….




 


Americans Taste Test Australian Food

































 


 


 


 


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


“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” — Abraham Lincoln


http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-9-billion-witness-20141106?utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=daily&utm_campaign=110614_16&utm_medium=email&ea=YWxwaGFnaWdvaWRAZ21haWwuY29t



Ffolkes…. This article is a must-read for any American citizen who is concerned about the banks’ and government’s collusion in the last few years…. The bailout, the recession, all deliberately caused by immoral assholes, who managed to make money out of their whole supposed fines, by charging their customers for paying them…. And, the lengths to which they’ve gone to keep the witnesses to their criminality quiet are astoundingly brash, showing complete disdain for the public, or for any rule of law….. They believe, and are encouraged to believe by the complicity of politicians, that their money will buy off any such litigation against them for their theft….


I’m not quite ready to rant as much as this article’s revelations deserve…. But, I have an older rant, from early this year, that will cover much of what is needed, with some comments and thoughts on the same issue, from February of this year….. It’s a long one, but, not too shabby, if I do say so myself…. Enjoy, ffolkes…. They deserve every name we call them….


“A government that fears it’s people is a government that should be feared.” — Smart Bee


From 2/25/2014:


If you would please read this article, the arguments that follow will make a lot more sense; if you don’t, it may take you a bit longer to figure out the gist of it….    😉     Plus, you’ll know, for sure, I’m not making this stuff up, just so I have something to write about….


http://news.yahoo.com/snowden-help-from-russians-193641893.html


In the time of Pythagoras that proverbial phrase “Ipse dixit” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Pythagoras, xxv


Ipse Dixit. [Latin, “He himself said it.”]  An unsupported statement whose veracity rests solely on the authority of the individual who makes it.


And so it begins….. All of a sudden, many months AFTER the fact, several high-ranking officials from the administration all come out with the same story-line, IMPLYING that Eric Snowden was influenced and/or helped by Russian spies to do what he did…. This statement by Mikey-boy Rogers, U.S. House Intelligence Committee Chairman, R-Mich., Senator Feinstein’s cohort (she’s his counterpart in the Senate, who put out her office’s lies about this issue yesterday….), is the newest step in the ongoing attempt by the administration to paint Mr. Snowden’s actions with the brush of treason, when, in fact, they KNOW he is not a traitor, but, rather, a patriotic American, caught in the web of intrigue THEY created with their clandestine, illegal activities….


As soon as I saw this headline today, my highly-trained, delicately-honed, automatic political crap detector SCREAMED at me….. “LIES, LIES, MADE UP LIES!!”, it said, without much doubt implied (accuracy factor of the detection meter said it was 99.9% likely to be lies…. which makes it pretty certain, as I’ve programmed it to never say that it is completely sure; it defaults to that number when it is…)….. This is SO obviously a campaign to smear Snowden, it positively REEKS! They are introducing doubt of his character into the dialogue, which, come to think of it, is only a monologue, because, hey, he’s not here to defend himself, is he?


This, of course, is typical political posturing, reminiscent of any other campaign, such as an election run, when they need to direct the public’s attention toward certain areas, away from others, so they can control the conversation…. In his speech, Obama admitted to responding to a public dialogue called for by the leak of information, while never admitting any wrongdoing for having committed the spying initially. Yet, this conversation, this debate, has only shown them to be more secretive than we knew, and they are pulling out all the stops to stop any further investigation into, or outcry about what is REALLY going on…. Naturally, since they are politicians, they will approach this as a campaign to be won; the first step in any campaign is to decrease the viability, the believability of the opposition…. Hence, unproved, unfounded, and untrue accusations, out of nowhere, to try to demonize Eric Snowden….


They say first, it’s beyond his abilities to have done this…. Well, hell, even the most thick-headed fool can see this is a total fabrication…. If this is true, would it mean that the NSA made a habit of hiring programmers that couldn’t understand what they were being tasked to do? Doesn’t make any sense to me…. This man was part of the program, a programmer, and KNOWS how to read data, as well as write the programs that would do so…. Hell, I’m only a high powered user, and I understand what is being done, and what WAS done…. This statement is an obvious lie, an attempt to demean Snowden, so he looks more like a villain, or, at best, the dupe of master spies….


The second thing to note about this claim, is that it is introduced by a politician, who obviously is NOT capable of judging what a programmer is capable of doing with a computer…. Mikey-boy probably has to ask his admin how to use his smart-phone, which is, arguably, smarter than he is, technically speaking… Yet, this idiot, in his power suit and tie, makes this claim unequivocally, thereby implying that one of the most competent programmers alive (look who hired him to begin with!….) isn’t capable of doing something he was trained to do, but, had to be helped by a foreign power…. A pretty far-fetched stretch, to my way of looking at it….


The one professional spy they quoted, from the CIA, it should be noted, said, in his statement, right off, so he couldn’t be accused later of any prevarications…. “I don’t have any particular evidence”, but, then goes on to agree with the outrageous claims made by a politician, one with NO FUCKING CLUE about the glaringly obvious untruth of what he proposes, or, indeed, of how much truth any of what he said might have contain…. Rogers’ job, which he performed perfectly, was, simply, to put in the minds of the public a single idea, one small but important lie, that Snowden was made to do what he did, by coercion, by trickery, or by duplicity; they don’t say which, nor do they have to…. They merely imply, without directly accusing, so that the lies they intend to bring out later, as seeds for further doubt, will find fertile soil in the simple minds of the public….


None of the truth, or any actual connection to reality of the claims he was making concerned him; he was strictly a talking head, on a major TV show; his mission was to plant in the public awareness the idea that Eric Snowden didn’t act alone, and that the very act of his doing what he did, regardless of ANY evidence to the contrary, should be viewed as proof of his having had help from another country…. The fact that this isn’t remotely true was not an issue; the message was delivered, and supported by the other actors in the play…. Throw in the claim about him being technically unable to do what he did, and you’ve got some juice to keep the story going, even though all of it is a complete fabrication….


Ffolkes, if you can’t see that this is true, that you were deliberately lied to, and manipulated in an attempt to make you think what the government wants you to think, well, I guess I should just use THEIR justification and tell you…. You, too, are an idiot, and the fact is, if you believe any of what this man says about this subject, that, in itself, can be considered as PROOF of your idiocy….. incontrovertible, undeniable PROOF. (After all, that’s the same method of proof they’re offering for THEIR assertions…..) If the timing, and the words themselves, don’t make your crap-detector go off like it was on fire, then I’m afraid there isn’t much hope for you in the real world….


These statements were merely the latest tactic to be applied by the White House political strategists, all without having to bring out their big gun, the president, with his down-home, I’m-so-sincere, boyish face, and, the now-famous, good-ol-boy, aw-shucks grin, both of which are political tools of great value to him, but only if not over-used….. Right now, they’ve got a few of the sidekicks out in the limelight, after his speech over the weekend, making up stuff and carrying on with all the talking points and deliberate manipulations, all orchestrated in Mr. Snowden’s absence….. one I hope he continues to maintain, as it is the ONLY hope he has of surviving the future (….Ironically enough, in a case of Life imitating Life, this is a problem ALL OF US are going to have in the very near future…. that of running out of any hope of surviving the future, when the very air we breathe will be toxic to us….)


After seeing this story, and taking into account the other stories in response to the president’s speech about the nonexistent changes he claims he wants to make to the NSA mission (I mean, look closely at what he said…. He isn’t changing ANYTHING of any significance…..), I think it would be safe to predict that in the next few days and weeks, we will hear more fabrications and implications, with or without any actual evidence, about Mr. Snowden, as the administration continues to distract and defuse, hoping that if they stall long enough, something else will come up to take the public’s awareness from their spying, and put it back in the closet, or sweep it under the rug, where they keep all the other stuff they don’t want us to see or know, about what they are REALLY doing behind our backs….


(Note from February…. I personally think they’re hoping for another idiot to steal a gun and shoot up a mall, or a school somewhere, which always takes all the public’s attention and focuses it on their unreasonable fears for a couple of weeks….But, then, I’m pretty convinced of their complete lack of any human compassion, anyway, so, my concerns reflect my belief in their human nature, and their lack of any sort of virtue that would make them tell the truth, or espouse an agenda that benefits anyone but themselves….)


You can bet on that, ffolkes, for sure…. They’re not going to stop lying, just because they’ve been caught at it…. They’ll only get more bold with it…. It’s the way they’re built, they can’t, and won’t, help it…. There’s no profit in it for them to give up, is there? And, profit is what they are all about, when it comes down to the bottom line…. Profit for their self-interests, which are, to them, more important than the whole rest of the human race…..


As Lily Tomlin’s character, Edith Ann, used to say, when she was done making her brilliantly simple observations of people’s foibles…., “And that’s the Truth! THPPPPT!”


“Plausibility is the morality of fiction.” — Edith Mirrilees


Monthly update: The administration’s silence on the NSA spying issues continues to this date…. I’ve seen only one article in the past month on the subject, and it was merely a rehash of this information, with no real new developments reported…. They’re letting it go as long as they can without bringing any of it up themselves, so as to give the public, which has a notoriously SHORT attention span, a chance to forget all about it….. Good luck on that, dudes….


😉


I’ll be here, and I’ll be reprinting this, or a fresher version, either in a month, or, before that, if and/or when new statements are forthcoming from the potUS, or one of his myrmidons….. (Unless, of course, they decide to stop me…. That would be the ONLY reason I wouldn’t be posting a month from now…. in which case, you’d no doubt read about all the dead feds in the news, if they can count that high…. I don’t intend to go, shall we say, quietly? We shall say it….)


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


I am going with a poem of my own, simply because I’m too lazy to go find one by somebody else…. Deal with it…. Here is one I wrote not so long ago that came out pretty well….




A dream, weeping….


“Never a dull moment to spare”, he said

with a crooked grin, and a broad wink.

“Can’t keep Reality hanging by a thread….

what would Chaos, or Entropy think?”


So, we plucked up our dreams of old,

to carry us on, in dutiful, strong arms,

stuffed a candle in the remaining fold,

for luck, and perfect proof against charms.


Storms follow the sun,  but, never stay; 

lessons round every corner, all free.

Past fleeting doubts, in a sad disarray,

the journey becomes the reason to be.


Simple kindness manifests untold riches,

in defiance of common cause’s demise.

Bold courage, hanging in stitches,

mends wounds that come as no surprise.


Still, waters run deep, ’tis said by many.

Too much pain cannot apprehend

the salient, sharp points of epiphany,

nor, plainly, to wisdom aspire to pretend.


Folly dogs even the simplest truth,

fumes of toxic ignorance and bile,

alienated as a loose rotten tooth;

it often hides itself, for a long while.


Sought after eons ago, we cried out,

to believe, to suffer no more doubt.

But found instead good reason,

for love, and truth, from season, to season.


~~ gigoid ~~




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


What we have here is a somewhat loose old-school pearl, without a single parameter one could put their finger on…. But, it still manages to leave one with the feeling they’ve learned SOMETHING, so, I guess it works okay…. Just don’t use this one for any treatises or essays, as it isn’t definite enough in its sincerity to provide unassailable proof, of anything other than my own strangeness….


“Both Empedocles and Heraclitus held it for a truth that man could not be altogether cleared from injustice in dealing with beasts as he now does.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Which are the most crafty, Water or Land Animals? 7


“Let yourself be open and life will be easier.  A spoon of salt in a glass of water makes the water undrinkable.  A spoon of salt in a lake is almost unnoticed.” — Buddha


“Each time that Americans hold another election, about the only thing they learn is that they did not learn much from the last election.” — Smart Bee


“Goodness is beauty in its best estate.” — Marlowe


“The bear and Carl lived together in the cave for several years until, one day, the true savagery of Nature being unleashed, Carl killed the bear and ate him.” — Gary Larson


“How many northern Californians does it take to change a light bulb?” “None of your f***ing business and have a nice day.” — Smart Bee


“Not everything that counts can be counted; and not everything that can be counted counts.” — Albert Einstein


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


Okay, that will do. If not, well, we’ll just go to plan B, and make our way to the nearest transit station, where we will board the next shuttle to Mars, or Venus, or the Asteroid Colonies, there to drown our disappointment and sorrows in a ration of their homemade whiskey…. Or, I may just go on back to bed, and try this again tomorrow…. Yeah, that sounds like the ticket…. See y’all then, ffolkes….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark, and Theresa…

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


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….