Look Hilly! A red tie, a flag pin, a fake smile, & a ready lie…. It’s one of them rogue politicians!…

Posted on November 6, 2014 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Live so that you can at least get the benefit of the doubt.”

~~ Kin Hubbard ~~

The Litany Against Fear

~~ Bene Gesserit Mantra ~~

From “Dune” by Frank Herbert

The world we live in, because of a serious flaw in our nature, is a dangerous place…. As Albert Einstein once observed, “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” The nature of our inherent flaw has been the subject of inquiry since the beginning of recorded history, and before; it has been examined, analyzed, dissected, and discussed innumerable times, and ways, with no real solution to the problem ever becoming apparent…. To this day, this…. weakness, prevalent in a large percentage of the species, continues to cause difficulties for the entire planet, not only for ourselves….

However, we, or I, won’t rant about it, not yet…. But, I’d like to point out the basic nature of the flaw that is so common it has proved to be nearly impossible to delete from our internal file systems, (Perhaps it may be said to be not so ‘nearly’…. nothing we’ve tried has ever helped much, so, it may just BE completely impossible to eradicate the root cause from our lives…. simply because it is a root part of our nature….). I like to describe the flaw by calling it by it’s most common name, to wit: deliberate ignorance…. This is not to say that those who possess the flaw are stupid, necessarily…. Stupid can’t help being stupid; ignorance is a choice, one made by those who wish never to feel, or, in their own eyes, have any responsibility for their actions, and, especially regarding how those actions affect those around them….

This, of course, a long winded way to say they are plain and simple, selfish, narcisstic assholes, who consistently choose to use their abilities and talents solely for their own benefit…. They have no compassion, for they don’t acknowledge the innate worth of anyone but themselves…. This attitude arises out of our most basic emotional reaction to what the world does around us, i.e., fear…. The asinine buttheads who prey on other people for their own benefit are, quite simply, cowards…. All of what they see and perceive about the world frightens them to death, because they do not have the courage to ever admit their own ignorance…. Without admitting one does not know, one can never learn anything at all, including anything that would reduce their overriding fears….

The Litany Against Fear, from the book, Dune, is one man’s attempt to offer a partial solution, to the extent that if one has the wit to study themselves, and use the ideas of others to help them understand both themselves and the world around them, affirmations such as the Litany help to train the mind, into one with true knowledge of the universe, and their place in it…. This knowledge, and the qualities one must develop to obtain it, have the net result of removing the power of the fear which is our most common reaction to things we don’t understand… When one has come to understand their own fears, those fears have no more power to control or influence one’s actions….

What I can tell you for sure is that it works…. I first read the book when I was about fourteen, and I found that, prior to that time when I studied the arts of war more thoroughly, and trained myself to be as dangerous as the world I inhabit, it helped to control the power of fear in me, to where I controlled IT, rather than the other way around. The knowledge I sought and found later served to supply me with even greater resistance to those fears, until it no longer was of any great concern…. Having had the advantage of knowing, and using, the Litany was of immense help….

There, now, that wasn’t so bad, was it? We managed to complete enough chatty conversational discussion to qualify as a proper intro section, so, if nothing else is true, that worked just fine…. I can’t say I’m any more impressed than usual, but, it works well enough to get on with the rest of today’s messiness…. which is, no doubt, a good thing, as my hands are all weirded out this morning, giving me fits if I type too long…. Before it gets so bad I can’t hit the right keys at all, I’d best use that hole right there, and get us out of here…. Hang on, ffolkes…

Shall we Pearl?

“When a man has pity on all living creatures then only is he noble.” — Buddha

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In today’s digital world, becoming famous to much of the world isn’t necessarily difficult; what is difficult is maintaining the same degree of fame over time…. The world mostly has a very short attention span…. This comedian/social critic/self-styled revolutionary, Russell Brand, has managed, by publishing his thoughts and public interviews on You Tube, to keep society’s attention, if not completely focused on him at all times, still in their awareness to compel their attention, after a couple of years….

His ideas and words become news in no time, as the media finds him to be a ratings booster, due to his unique style, and the attractiveness of his ideas to a large portion of humanity….. If nothing else, he’s a kick to listen to, especially if one examines his ideas more deeply, to find they are, generally, right on the mark…. Enjoy, ffolkes, there is a lot of stuff at the link you might find either amusing, or astounding, or offensive…. but, mostly, you won’t dismiss any of it as nonsense, because it’s pretty obvious the stuff he spouts off about is mostly all true….

Russell Brand on David Letterman – October 13th 2014 – Full Interview

http://youtu.be/_9h7clmd6Vc

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“The punishment suffered by the wise who refuse to take part in the government,

is to live under the government of bad men.”

~~ Plato ~~

http://time.com/3558263/mitch-mcconnell-shutdown-obamacare-majority-leader/

In an interview that brings new meaning to the phrase, “mealy-mouthed”, Mitch McConnell lives up to his reputation as one of the most dishonest, amoral politicians alive today, a true disciple of the master of evil, one of his predecessors as the third or fourth most powerful flunkie on the continent, the demon Cheney, and the newest example of the obvious lack of connection to the REAL demographic diversity of the citizens of the United States. Even though he actually says nothing in the interview that could be in any way construed as a promise, or a commitment to any position at all, he still managed to demonstrate his complete ignorance of anything that is of real importance to any of those citizens, beyond the now small minority of rich, white Caucasians, and those who believe all their bigoted, racist nonsense.

“It is a sin to believe evil of others, but it is seldom a mistake.” — H. L. Mencken

Mr. Mencken has, sadly, hit upon what gives all the appearance of a universal truth, when applied to Mankind…. Well, perhaps only in specific cases, rather than universal, but the great majority do have problems resisting evil impulses, or display a distressing lack of will regarding evil influences…. In short, strangely enough, a lot of people, especially those who end up as politicians, or preachers, or police, or mercenaries, or snakeheads, or bankers (to wit: that part of Man that preys upon the rest, acting solely out of motivations based on personal gain….) are those who make the decision to embrace darkness, rather than resisting its seductive call….

But then, the darkness promises one need never feel personally responsible for any acts of evil, or have any compassion for others, especially for their victims, whom they typically view with great disdain….. all while consistently presenting a different face to those victims, a face they are seduced into believing is one to be trusted to think for them….

Yes, it sounds rather far-fetched to me, also, that ANYONE would fall for this load of crap, but, they do, time after time, generation after generation…. To view the patterns of human history is to wonder if the tendency to be forced into slavery is a congenital failing, peculiar to a portion of the human race, as opposed to others who are congenitally predisposed to prey on their own kind….

SIGH…. Bummer. I find myself, at this point, unable to carry on this rant, due to physical constraints…. (Hmm? Oh, no. nothing life-threatening… it’s just that my hands seem to be turning into bricks….). Rather than just abandoning our indictment of the asininnies we’ve hauled into the limelight, allowing them to scatter off into the cracks in the walls, like a herd of the vermin they resemble so closely, without at least hearing the indictment against them, we’ll try something else…

I know, I’ll ask SB to put together a short pearl to accomplish for us some of the poking of their dignity, and pulling of their covers we so enjoy…. Let’s see what it can find for us, shall we?….

“At a convention of biological scientists one researcher remarks to another, “Did you know that in our lab we have switched from mice to lawyers for our experiments?” “Really?”, the other replied, “Why did you switch?” “Well, for two reasons. First we found that lawyers are far more plentiful, and second, the lab assistants don’t get so attached to them.” — Smart Bee

“Those who suppress freedom always do so in the name of law and order.” — John Lindsay

“Money is wrong. It’s the means whereby man enslaves his brother.” — Finny

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

“When a man tells you that he got rich through hard work, ask him: ‘Whose?'” — Don Marquis

“He is useless on top of the ground; he aught to be under it, inspiring the cabbages.” — Mark Twain

“A guilty conscience never feels secure.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 617

“A traveller at Sparta, standing long upon one leg, said to a Lacedaemonian, “I do not believe you can do as much.” “True,” said he, “but every goose can.”
— Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Remarkable Speeches

Basta! We all probably can find something more productive on which to spend our time…. Onward….

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Here is a poem by one of my favorite modern poets; his work is gritty, real, and straight to the point…. It’s very powerful stuff, written from the vantage point of a man who spent most of his life on the streets…. which made him an excellent voice of the people…. Plus, what he writes seems to often complement the subjects on which I choose to rant, such as today….

Challenge To The Dark

shot in the eye
shot in the brain
shot in the ****
shot like a flower in the dance

amazing how death wins hands down
amazing how much credence is given to idiot forms of life

amazing how laughter has been drowned out
amazing how viciousness is such a constant

I must soon declare my own war on their war
I must hold to my last piece of ground
I must protect the small space I have made that has allowed me life

my life not their death
my death not their death…

~~ Charles Bukowski ~~

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Smart Bee seems to think I have nothing better to do this morning than sit here and patiently wait for it to get off its ass & give me what I need to finish…. This took forfuckingever…. Wow. I must have used that word before, because Spell Checker didn’t even blink at it…. Okay, so, that bodes well for the rest of this group…. May as well get started…. but, I’d suggest you hook the safety line to the hook by the doorway, so as not to fall out of the plane if we have to make any sudden flight adjustments due to confusion….

Actually, this begins strongly, and in some way, brings us where we would otherwise wish to be…. I guess….

Happily may I walk.
May it be beautiful before me.
May it be beautiful behind me.
May it be beautiful below me.
May it be beautiful above me.
May it be beautiful all around me.
In beauty it is finished.

— Navajo Night Chant

“When man learns to understand and control his own behavior as well as he is learning to understand and control the behavior of crop plants and domestic animals, he may be justified in believing that he has become civilized.” — E. C. Stakman

“Blessed is he who has learned to laugh at himself, for he shall never cease to be entertained.” — John Powell

“Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.” — Mahatma Gandhi

“As great scientists have said and as all children know, it is above all by the imagination that we achieve perception, and compassion, and hope.” — Ursula K. LeGuin

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” — H.P. Lovecraft, ‘Supernatural Horror in Literature’

“You take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.” — Erica Jong

Hmm…. I’m not sure about this one, but, it seems to make some sense, sort of…. Ah well, each individual pearl is enough to work with, and, now, we’re done….

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No doubt, I’ve done better…. But, since the last line of the last section pretty much says it all, I think I’ll take my chances, & take my leave while the possibility of arrest is still speculation, not a certainty…. 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.

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Belatedly, he removed the tags….

Posted on October 31, 2014 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“What pretty lights!”

~~ Any deer, any highway, late at night ~~

Halloween. All Hallows Eve. Hmph…. Okay…. I suppose y’all would like me to make some comment, or acknowledgment of the day…. Well, if I must….

BOO!….

There…. No one can say I didn’t acknowledge the holiday. And, just so it’s done, the picture came from the Animal Pictures of the Week in the London Daily Telegraph, last week. I am seriously hoping I don’t see any kids in costumes tonight, as my inner curmudgeon isn’t in the mood for frivolity just now…. An episode of SS/b (Screaming skeleton/bones…. severe arthritic pain in my hips shoulders, joints, and neck…. i.e., everywhere there is a bone, it hurts….), which built up yesterday, near the end of the day, stimulated the inner curmudgeon sufficiently, he was able to take over the wheel of this bus…

In fact, it was a miserable night, and the day promises to be a long one. The pain is better, but, still above normal, so, I’ll be spending the day doing all I can to avoid making it worse, and, essentially, trying to drug meself into oblivion…. the only place to hide. There are times when it gets harder than usual, and, in spite of reconnecting yesterday with a friend I hadn’t heard from in a while, gives today’s hope for some peace a grim visage….

Ah well, I can’t spend the entire day whining, so, I may as well get on with the rest of this, which promises to be a relatively short Pearl…. Aren’t you lucky?…. Yep…. Oh, look, it’s a way out…. We’re taking it; hold on tight….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Think of doubt as an invitation to think.” — Genius Bee

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It’s been a long time since I even THOUGHT about Chicago…. the city OR the band…. I found this a week or two ago, but, I’ve waited to listen to this, so I could use it sort of as a birthday present to myself, but, I’m gonna listen to it today, a day early…. I can’t wait…. Enjoy, ffolkes…. this band was a part of many people’s youth, a big part, mine included, because they had, and have, a unique style of music, all their own….

Chicago – Live at Tanglewood (07/21/1970) [Full Concert]

http://youtu.be/zWKtVzzWo4U

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

“But the greatest of all reformers of the depraved religion of his own country was Jesus of Nazareth. Abstracting what is really his from the rubbish in which it is buried, easily distinguished by its lustre from the dross of his biographers, and as separable as the diamond from the dunghill, we have the outlines of a system of the most sublime morality which has ever fallen from the lips of man; outlines which it is lamentable he did not live to fill up… The establishment of the innocent and genuine character of this benevolent moralist, and the rescuing it from the imputation of imposture, which has resulted from artificial systems*, invented by ultra-Christian sects, unauthorized by a single word ever uttered by him, is a most desirable object… *eg. The immaculate conception of Jesus, his deification, the creation of the world by him, his miraculous powers, his resurrection and visible ascension, his corporeal presence in the Eucharist, the Trinity; original sin, atonement, regeneration, election, orders of Hierarchy, etc.” — Thomas Jefferson, Letter to William Short, October 31 (Halloween), 1819

Note the date on the quoted letter, and you’ll understand its presence here in the ranting section today…. As indicated, I’m not in much of a place to write well just now, so, I’m going with something I had done for tomorrow, a birthday present designed for this section of tomorrow’s Pearl…. It goes along with what I started here, as it pokes fun at the Asininnies, of which the clergy are card-carrying members…. I’ll even leave in the introductory remarks, which relates the original, intended publication date…. It’s a good pearl, so, enjoy, and please excuse my disorganization today….

From tomorrow’s Pearl…..

Since today IS my birthday, I’ll give y’all a present, as is the custom of Hobbits…. Not to say I’m a Hobbit; I just like their customs regarding birthdays…. Here is an old-school pearl, in lieu of a rant, just for y’all….

I have sublimated the urge to rant by setting the parameters for SB, or any searches, at a flexible level designed to scoop up any, and/or all comments I can find, to either stimulate thought in my Gentle Readers, or cause actual bleeding to any Asininny who happens to read it…. If nothing else, such a search is fun for me… All I have to do is click the button, and make a decision about how vulgar, or pointed, or downright cruel we should allow ourselves to be…. which, in the case of the latter, is pretty cruel, given the chosen field of targets…. Have fun, ffolkes, I intend to….

SIGH…. Since it’s my day, I may make a comment or two between pearls, if I think it’s warranted…. I’m allowed to indulge my whimsy today, without fear of penalty…. It’s in the rule book, I’ve seen it….

“The tax which will be paid for the purpose of education is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests and nobles who will rise up among us if the people are in ignorance.” — Thomas Jefferson

(It seems the intention was good, but the application was flawed… The American public is woefully ignorant….)

“If the King’s English was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me!” — Ma Ferguson, Governor of Texas (circa 1920)

(It’s like Mama Gump says… Stupid is as stupid does…..)

“Gun Control – the belief that government, with its great wisdom and moral superiority, can be trusted with a monopoly on deadly force.” — Smart Bee, as pointed out by gigoid

“The treacherous are ever distrustful.” — Gandalf

(Which explains the NSA, FBI, CIA, etc….)

“Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.” — The Beatles

“As war and government prove, insanity is the most contagious of diseases.” — Edward Abbey

“Demosthenes told Phocion, “The Athenians will kill you some day when they once are in a rage.” “And you,” said he, “if they are once in their senses.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Life of Phocion

I could do this forever, but, I’m being nice today…. I even refrained from adding TOO many of my thoughts to the above group, comprised of an elegantly balanced collection of not-too-shabby darts, which we have dutifully thrown in the direction of the top of the societal heap…..

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I wrote this poem in 2011, I believe, after retiring, but before I had even applied for my Social Security…. My head was in a deep funk those days, which is reflected, if a bit murkily, in this poem….

A Failure to Germinate

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

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

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

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

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

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

~~ gigoid ~~

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I am writing this at the point in time at which I found two of the quotes included in the pearl you see below, several days prior to writing this Pearl…. Those two quotes, the first and the last, consist of two of our society’s most well-known ideas, in the actual prose/poetry structure they were first expressed; if not first, then, the best, for sure…. How the middle will come out has yet to be determined, but, if it continues in this vein, it will end up as one of the all-time best ever pearls of virtual wisdom…. Let’s see what we can come up with to make that happen…. with some help from SB, of course….

The subject upon which we are expounding, is one of my personal favorite subjects for a pearl, to wit: A Life Well-Lived…..

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) Essays: First Series (1841) “Self-Reliance”

“People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates.” — Thomas Szasz, The Second Sin

“Let everything be allowed to do what it naturally does, so that its nature will be satisfied.” — Chuang Tzu

“It is an open question whether any behavior based on fear of eternal punishment can be regarded as ethical or should be regarded as merely cowardly.” — Margaret Mead

“Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no
way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.” — Lao-Tzu

“Hmph! Seriousness. Hmph! Sobriety. A Jedi craves them not.” — Yoda

For forms of government let fools contest;
Whate’er is best administer’d is best.
For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight;
His can’t be wrong whose life is in the right.
In faith and hope the world will disagree,
But all mankind’s concern is charity.

~~ Alexander Pope (1688-1744)~~

~~ Essay on Man, Epistle iii, Line 303 ~~

Perfect!

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Well, that went fairly well, and it’s a damn good thing; that’s all I’ve got to say on the matter. In fact, given my handicap today, and my status, I have nothing more to say on any matter…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, hopefully in a bit better state of mind….

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.

À bientôt, mon cherí….

No, no, not the Toast Points!….

Posted on October 29, 2014 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Kindness is my true religion.”

~~ The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet ~~

This coming Saturday is another of those days in one’s life that begins to assume a proportion of importance, and significance, greater than the other days, even other special days. On the one hand, that can be a delight; in other ways, not so much…. You see, it will be my 64th birthday…. I’ve finally reached that age Sir Paul and the boys sang to us. so many years ago, in a song whose poignancy now can bring me tears, rather than the hope and joy it brought me as a teen, when I first heard it…. Oh, which song is that? Why, “When I’m 64”, of course….

The song itself is a love song, obviously, which is why I say it’s poignancy, at least for me, assumes a melancholy aspect, rather than the comforting one it formerly held…. You see, the song makes the assumption that one will HAVE someone to love at 64, a feat which, somehow, managed to escape me…. I have my friends and my family, but, in essence, and in the final analysis, when I go to bed at night, and get up again in the morning, I am alone….

Oh, not completely, of course, and to be honest, I am thoroughly enjoying my solitude…. One doesn’t realize just how soothing being alone can be, until it actually happens. Nobody to tell me to pick up my socks, nobody to worry about waking up with my noise, nobody to cook for, nobody to pick up after…. all those little idiosyncrasies, and small annoyances that build up resentment over the time one lives with another person, never even get the opportunity to bother me, as I don’t have to deal with such things, at all… It really IS a nice way to live, if one can afford it….

I also love being retired, for a lot of reasons…. In fact, one of those reasons was brought home to me yesterday…. I went outside to sit on the porch a while; one of the landlord’s handymen was in the yard, getting it ready for winter. As I watched him sweeping some leaves, I was forced to admit that it was very pleasant to be able to sit on a nice day, and watch someone else do work, without any need whatsoever to join in….. Made me feel quite smug, actually, and improved my mood immensely…

So, I will remain alone, and mostly enjoying it, until serendipity strikes again….. If I were less polite, I could speak now of my hopes in that respect, but, rather than get any more maudlin, or more revealingly inane, I’ll take this little self-exploratory exposition, and play it as it lies…. In fact, that opportunity approaches quickly, and, it so happens, is located right next to one of our exit opportunities…. Ffolkes, I’d suggest you tighten your seat belts, and hold on, ’cause we’re goin’ for it….

Shall we Pearl?…..

“Do you call yourself free? I want to hear your ruling idea, and not that you have escaped from a yoke.” — Nietzsche, “Thus Spoke Zarathustra”

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For the past month or so, I’ve been indulging myself…. Rather than read so much, I’ve been exploring You Tube, our society’s repository of video entertainment, ranging from private/personal videos to blockbuster Hollywood/Bollywood classic movies…. Personally, I find it serendipitous to have found a treasure trove, at least, for me…. Well-written, accurately portrayed versions of the Sherlock Holmes stories, from a long running series on BBC, are giving me, literally, hour upon hour of solid entertainment, without having to strain my eyes reading all night….

Well, I suppose the computer screen is no less troublesome for my eyes, but, it is easier than reading to watch the stories acted out, and very well acted, at that…. Jeremy Brett, as Sherlock Holmes, with Edward Hardwicke as the estimable Dr. Watson, were one of the very best Holmes/Watson pairings, with just the perfect degree of edge to their relationship, perfectly matching the pair’s bookish, very British, complex male intimacy…. and, Mr. Brett possesses the perfect build, voice, nose, and intensity of gaze to portray Holmes, as he did so admirably for 12 years….

Basil Rathbone, of course, set the standard for playing Holmes, and I find it interesting that the two men I consider to have done that the best, resemble each other very closely…. Both tall, (well, they APPEAR tall… perhaps an actor’s trick, but, nonetheless, both fit the image…), slim as a whip, with an aquiline nose and face, and those intense eyes, that can bore a hole right through one’s mind…. Brilliant, both of them…. Enjoy, ffolkes, I am doing so, a lot….

Sherlock Holmes -The Empty House

http://youtu.be/TbQ9kH0moLM

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“The entire world is being driven insane by this single phrase: ‘My religion alone is true.'” — Ramakrishna, Hindu saint & reformer

I would like to comment on the above statement, to set the stage for what comes after…. This short, pithy statement from a Hindu saint, to my mind, simply resonates with truth, a truth so deep it penetrates into virtually ALL categories of human interaction, and can be seen as the core reason behind a great many of the ills we are witnessing in society today…. The attitude he expresses, echoed by nearly every human being on the planet, no matter WHICH of the thousands of religious sects or philosophies to which they subscribe, has spread to include race, or nationality, or town, or university, or bloody bowling team….

The attitude he observes is so prevalent in society, the divisiveness isn’t even considered to be a problem; it is seen to be the natural state of affairs for mankind, so nobody even bothers to try to change it, in themselves, in others, or in the world at large…. They just accept their own racism/bigotry as “normal”, their aggressiveness as “courage”, and their stupidity as “faithful loyalty”, never realizing their loyalty is to ideas and concepts that were proven wrong centuries ago, or are simply a matter of traditional custom, and, thus, justifiable by right of common cause…. another ill-conceived idea, as it doesn’t ever consider whether the commonality extends outside their chosen group, the ones who spout the nonsense they with which they identify the best….

So, we end up with a society wherein the so-called leaders of the group lie to the public as a matter of policy, using a blend of partial truths and outright lies to manipulate the public into thinking, and acting, according to THEIR OWN agenda…. The public, meanwhile, are confused even further by those religious leaders who perpetuate their own agenda, wherein they counsel the public to obey temporal authority, if they wish to be rewarded with eternal life when they die, counting on their fear of death to convince them of the (false) need to give up their right to make up their own minds….

This sort of manipulation now extends to almost every corner of our society, as the government has gone completely rogue, turning away from the principles of a democratic republic, as our founding fathers wished this country to be run, straight toward the money, offered to them by those corporate snakeheads who have assumed the actual control of society, buying politicians, judges, and priests to do their will for them, allowing them to remain behind the scenes, to enjoy all of our money and resources that flow into their coffers each day…..

We, the people, end up with a government that lies to us, spies on us, and treats us as their own personal set of market slaves, while those who actually control the resources, and the money, go about their own business at the top of the heap, without a thought, or an ounce of compassion, for all of the misery and pain they cause to the other members of their species….

In short, they disgust me, and, though I am a compassionate man, I would feel NO remorse whatsoever should I ever break down, overcome my basic beliefs, including my own reluctance to kill, and start eliminating as many of them as I could identify…. I’m getting pretty damn close to that point, and, since I’m also getting to an age where I don’t much care whether or not I live much longer, I’d be the perfect assassin, with no fear of death at all…. and, all because of headlines like the following, which give you an idea of just how much the people in our beloved ruling class don’t give a SHIT about you, or anyone but themselves…..

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/us/us-secretly-monitoring-mail-of-thousands.html?_r=0

“The troubling part is that they don’t have to report the use of this tool to anyone,” Ms. Orr said in an interview. The Postal Service declined to comment on the case.”

This one doesn’t really surprise me, except for the fact that the article was allowed to be printed; it does tend to pull their covers…. That, in fact, may be the scariest, most disturbing part of all of it…. It is getting to the point where those who are responsible for most of the evil in the world seem to NOT CARE any longer if we know they are there…. They just go ahead with what they want to do, and don’t even bother to explain themselves…. even when exposed, such as now….

Now, THAT scares me…. What will we do, if they are so secure, they don’t even feel they need to hide their control any longer?…..

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/nyregion/two-governors-shifts-on-ebola-are-criticized-as-politics-not-science.html

“Charity should be spontaneous. Calculated altruism is an affront.” — Edward Abbey

This headline is here to show again how the politicians of this country, of which governors are perhaps the most egregiously corrupted, use the fears of the public for their own agenda, to try to position themselves into portraying an image to the public that has nothing to do with reality…. They imposed the quarantines IN SPITE of knowing there was no medical justification for it… plain and simple, they lied, merely to make themselves appear to be strong leaders, who are concerned over threats to public safety…. The only safety the public needs is to be protected against THEM, seems to me….

Oh well, that’s enough ranting for one day…. Pretty soon, ffolkes, I’m going to STOP writing…. Then, who knows? Maybe I’ll go hunting…. sounds like fun to me….. I’ll leave you with two thoughts from Smart Bee and Zippy, which will provide the perfect closing thoughts…..

“One of the greatest advantages in the world is enjoyed by the person who says and insists that they are telling the truth, when in fact, they are telling the truth.” –Smart Bee

“Yow! Are we wet yet?” — Zippy the Pinhead

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

On days such as today, when I’ve ranted, again to little purpose, I feel a bit down…. but, in those cases, a poem like this is a sure cure for any such indulgence of will…. Enjoy, ffolkes, this is one of the best, ever…..

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

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

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

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

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

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

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

~~ Dylan Thomas ~~

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

An odd little pearl, composed of a series of comments on the state of being Man (includes Woman; we only use Man in be in tune with the most common standards of use, but, either one works, because, in this case, it includes both….

“The balls of sight are so formed, that one man’s eyes are spectacles to another, to read his heart from within.” — Johnson

“You aren’t responsible for what someone else loses you are only responsible for what you give and if you have given your best that’s more than they would have had without you.” — Callan Williams

“He who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god.” — Aristotle

“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell the truth.” — Oscar Wilde

“As men, we are all equal in the presence of death.” ~~ Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 1

“What’s a `pantheon’, and why is it mad at me?” — Famous Last Words

“For to err in opinion, though it be not the part of wise men, is at least human.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Against Colote

That’s really not too shabby, ffolkes…. The last one, from Plutarch, (Who is, perhaps, next to Aristotle and Plato, my favorite ancient philosopher), sounds to me like a paraphrase of the Theory of Bozoid Tendencies…. I guess, among all his other talents, Plutarch must have been precognitive, as well…. Ya think?….

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

I went to bed early, due to a tummy/gut upset (some part of my dinner wasn’t what my body likes, or can tolerate, apparently….), so, I was up way early, too…. Hence, this is done, and it is still shy of 6 AM…. But, that also means I can hit the day running, so, what the hell…. 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.

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Officer, that rhinoceros is winking at me!….

Posted on October 23, 2014 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Earth has it’s boundaries, but human stupidity is limitless.”

~~ Flaubert ~~

I’m thinking Mssr. Flaubert was in a bit of a stinky mood when he wrote the above aphorism…. It does have the advantage of being fairly well true, if a bit lacking in scientific approach…. Yes, human stupidity is unlimited in scope; however the Earth is a finite object; as such it has actual limits. But, given the incredible beauty our world can display, there is no limit to how much it can stimulate our imagination, which IS infinite in scope as well… We are creatures of duality; our nature, our perception, and our emotional makeup all reflect that duality, which, by the fact of it’s nature, provides the universe with balance, and permanence….

It’s amazing, isn’t it? To look at a picture such as this one, of a plant thriving in the midst of urban blight, providing a source of beauty even the depressive nature of its surroundings cannot dim, and know how beautiful the world is, if it only gets a chance…. In the midst of sorrow, and pain, and the depression of poverty, one may always find beauty, which, by its mere existence, gives people hope, and the strength to live on, to keep struggling toward the light, using what is at hand…. just as this plant has done….

Enough early morning philosophy for one day; when I started I didn’t plan on going into that; it evolved as I began to type, pretty much writing itself…. Given the history of introductory sections on this blog, I find that to be a good thing. It’s given us a decent set of opening lines, and thoughts, with the bonus of not falling into a rant, right out of the box. I’m sure y’all can appreciate such restraint; I know this blog can get to be a heavy read, but, I really do try to think ahead in that respect…..

My tendency toward bozoid behavior, though, often causes me to forget my good intentions, and ranting becomes the order of the day. Today, however, you’ll note we are almost far enough down the page to make our escape…. In fact, we’re going to bail out by the end of this particular paragraph, as I see the opening coming up ahead, there at the side of the worm hole…. Again, I have to ask y’all to fasten your seat belts securely, as the cabin may experience some turbulence while the pilot is unconscious; no worries, it’s only a temporal effect, passing in seconds, and we’ll come out the other side without a problem…. Trust me….

Shall we Pearl?….

“We are more sensible of what is done against custom than against Nature.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Of Eating of Flesh, Tract 1

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

I’m in the mood for some soothing, cerebral music today…. In this particular group of musical pieces, I suggest you skip past the first one that plays; it’s a bit slow for a morning piece…. but, it gets better, believe me…. Enjoy, ffolkes!

The Best in Classical Music: Part 1:

http://youtu.be/wLkjMLdLf3s

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

“When you are sure you’re right, you have a moral duty to impose your will upon anyone who disagrees with you.” — Robert W. Mayer

Think about that for a moment….

When I think about this, beyond my initial gut reaction, which involves severe disdain, not to mention disgust, for such unwarranted arrogance, I am struck with two thoughts, each more depressing the the other….. First, I want to say that it is my firm belief that any time someone, anyone, uses the words, “it is your moral duty”, you can be sure they are speaking about THEIR morals, not anyone else’s….

This kind of discriminatory bigotry is damn near invisible to anyone who suffers from it, as it arises out of what can only be faith-based assumptions, thus ensuring that NO argument will be entertained…. In other words, no matter HOW ignorant, or bigoted, or INSANE their beliefs, if they think they are right (and, they will never entertain any other thought), it guarantees their fanaticism, and rejection of ANY evidence to the contrary….

That being said, it depresses me that, most of the people in this country, ESPECIALLY those who end up in politics, would, if asked, express their belief in this sentiment, right down to the bone, no matter how insane it truly is…. It is also a de rigeur position for anyone who buys into ANY of the religions out there, for they all operate with this sort of illogic as their primary method of exposition and thought…. You see, it doesn’t actually require any thought to believe this stuff; it’s all laid out for them, so all that is needed is to say, “ditto”, position the blinders comfortably, and resume their clueless existence….

“As one reads history… one is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted.” — Oscar Wilde

This attitude is the reason the government, and all the assholes who do their clandestine bidding, are able to continue to do whatever they wish to do, no matter how the public feels about it…..

Secondly, when I see that statement, (above, by R. Mayer) claiming moral infallibility by right of belief, I get depressed because, not only do most people believe it in the case of this issue, they also tend to carry the self-same attitude over into every area of their life, until every original thought is quashed before it ever formulates in their minds…. They become the nightmare of any honestly ethical man, as an entitled hedonist, believing they have the right to anything they desire, whether filling that desire affects, or even harms, anyone else, or not. With the mandate of faith, they are invulnerable to reason, and to criticism of any sort…

This attitude, of entitlement, becomes the societal norm after a while, until our culture resembles nothing so much as a jungle, where everyone believes in the theory of ‘dog eat dog’, with the eventual result we see now, where no one is able to trust anyone else…. All because lying, cheating, and stealing have become the norm, the primary way everyone turns to in order to get what they want…. and, nobody cares, because that kind of behavior is mirrored at all levels of society, right up to the very top….. This all-too human trait has been recognized for a long time, but, has resisted all attempts to root it out of human interaction; hence, we see war, after war, after war, since the beginning of historical memory….

Below, you will find the evidence I found, straight from the horse’s mouth, that shows exactly how we humans REALLY view life…. Real life, that is, not the ideal life everyone talks about…. These nine statements/aphorisms/quotes tell it like it is…. and how humans, especially our Beloved Ruling Class, looks at reality…. Please note, this is all RECORDED evidence, with attribution, so, it’s not like I made any of this part up on my own…. It’s all down in black and white, on paper, somewhere…. so, this is all stuff people really do, and believe….. or, want us all to believe….

“Society attacks early, when the individual is helpless.” — B.F. Skinner

“Necessity has no law.” — Francis Rabelais (1495-1553) — Works, Book v, Chap. xv

“The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.” — Exodus 15:3

“The only very marked difference between the average civilized man and the average savage is that the one is gilded and the other is painted.” — Mark Twain

“A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep.” — Saul Bellow

“Democracy is the name we give the people whenever we need them.” — Arman de Caillavet

“Even though Federal health officials are promoting less tobacco use, the tobacco industry should continue to expand in foreign markets.” — Vice President Dan Quayle

“People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election.” — Otto von Bismarck

“If you can’t drink a lobbyist’s whiskey, take his money, sleep with his women and still vote against him in the morning, you don’t belong in politics.” — Speaker of the California Assembly Jesse Unruh

In a manner of speaking, I rest my case; they are hoist on their own petard, condemned by their own words…. I’ll leave you with one final thought on the matter, to wit:

“A little government and a little luck are necessary in life, but only a fool trusts either of them.” — P.J. O’Rourke

So be it…..

gigoid has spoken.

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

I’m in the mood for Yeats….

When You Are Old

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim Soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

~~ William Butler Yeats ~~

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

Today’s old school pearl is relatively fresh; it does, however, seem to lack a certain degree of intensity…. Oh, it’s all true, and good stuff, but, there just isn’t a lot of OOMPH to it…. Oh well, I guess they can ALL be compelling…. It’s a good pearl, anyway, so, just allow it to lead your mind to where it’s headed, and you’ll be fine…. maybe a small bit wiser, too…. maybe…

“An intelligent mind is a mind which is not satisfied with explanations, with conclusions; nor is it a mind that believes, because belief is again another form of conclusion. An intelligent mind is an inquiring mind, a mind that is watching, learning, studying.” — J. Krishnamuti

“If there be any truer measure of a man than by what he does, it must be by what he gives.” — Robert South

“Cultivation to the mind is as necessary as food to the body.” — Cicero

“Wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder.” — Socrates (470?-399 B.C.), [quoting Plato]

“Of all the strange “crimes” that human beings have legislated out of nothing, “blasphemy” is the most amazing–with “obscenity” and “indecent exposure” fighting it out for second and third place.” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love”

“Kindness gives birth to kindness.” — Sophocles

“Gentleman: A man who knows how to play bagpipes — and refrains.” — Fred Tart

A bit general, but, tidy enough…. I’ll take it….

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

I have done my duty, and that’s all I can say…. Since, however, duty remains my core belief, that’s good enough…. Today is a day with a lot of possibilities…. as Gilda Radner once said of life, “delicious ambiguity!”….. 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.

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Just as well; this one is too blue….

Posted on October 20, 2014 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“It is not the possessions but the desires of mankind which require to be equalized.”

~~ Aristotle ~~

I apologize to anyone who got fooled into watching yesterday’s video choice…. I had not watched “Plan 9 From Outer Space” for many years, having apparently blocked out of my mind anything about the plot or quality; I watched it yesterday for a while, but, lasted only up to 15:45, (when the third of Vampira’s victims is found by the police), before having to stop the video to prevent damaging the computer…. I was frighteningly close to tossing it through the window when I caught myself…

I promise, from now on, I’ll pre-screen any movies like that one… Aye, it’s a cult classic of the genre (Ed Wood, Jr. films, and their ilk…), noted for its campy nature, and lower than B- or, even C-movie rating. I guess in this case, campy translates into crappy…. Oh well, I saw some others on the page where I found it that looked like they would at least have a slightly larger FX budget, with a flying saucer that doesn’t wobble as it moves forward, due to being suspended by only one string, as it gets dragged across the camera’s eye, rushing uncertainly in front of the (obviously) poorly drawn background, by some guy who apparently has a limp, walking out of sight behind the screen…. SIGH…. I won’t even mention the acting, because nobody in the movie could be accused of that….

Sometimes, my paragraphs get a bit long, and I can’t cut them down, because, as with the one just above this one, it has a typical, (for me), run-on sentence of massive proportion… The one you see here is almost worthy of the Bulwer-Lytton contest held each year, to find the worst opening line for a story…. The four lines above are pretty bad, all in all, but, I’ve seen some amazingly putrid paragraphs take the prize, so it isn’t what I would call a prize-winning effort…. I think at least eight or ten lines are required to catch the judges eyes, all much like that one above, just plain boring and repetitive, until one considers how wonderfully awful it is….

Oh well, it’s fun, but, my purpose here is to teach myself to write better, not worse. I can cough up a run-on sentence any old time; making a compellingly charming one is much more of a challenge, you may be sure. Today, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to come up with either type, that is, not until I can figure out how to get us out of the intro…. I seem to have written myself into a corner again, with no apparent exit…. Oh well, that’s alright. I’ll just break out a bit of the ruthlessness I have left over from a few days ago, and rip us out…. right here, and right now….

Shall we Pearl?…..

“Although war is cruel and brutal, it is also dangerous and stupid.” — Yakko Warner

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

I believe I’ve already stated my preference for Eric Clapton’s music, so, I won’t bother to gush any more today. I’ll just say this: this band is considered by more than a few rock historians to be the best group that ever got together & put out an album…. We are fortunate in that Derek and the Dominos put out a couple, or three (I forget), so we have a good legacy of their talented time together…. This album is the best of what they did, with what many consider the best R&R song ever made, in Layla…. Abondanza, ffolkes…..

Layla — Derek and The Dominos (Full Album)

http://youtu.be/Lqr-Sr4g8vc

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

“It is always best to start at the beginning.” — Smart Bee

Sometimes, Smart Bee comes up with stuff that’s hard to argue with…. Since, in this case, I’m aware of this, I’ll just let it go, and get on with what I have planned for here…. In putting together the pearl, and pearls, for section five, I got a bit carried away with comments, which, while not unusual, did cause that section to grow beyond all reason, into what could be considered a rant…. So, since the news seems to be quiet right now, waiting for the other shoe to drop, I suppose, I will NOT rant here….

Instead, here is a nice, fresh, old-school, seven-star pearl, a bit eclectic, but, not bad…. It will do for today’s effort, which is a bit fractured, anyway, as I try to work new protocols into my day, to deal with my newest annoying physical issue…. This one turned out a little twisted, so, be careful on the turns, okay?….

“Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.” — Aristophanes

“Anatidaephobia: The fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you.” — Smart Bee

“The tragedy and the magnificence of Homo sapiens together rise from the same smoky truth that we alone among the animal species refuse to acknowledge natural law.” — Robert Ardrey, _The Social Contract_

“Approximately 80% of our air pollution stems from hydrocarbons released by vegetation, so let’s not go overboard in setting and enforcing tough emissions standards from man-made sources.” — Ronald W. Reagan, quoted in “Sierra”, 10 September 1980

“Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.” — Will Rogers

“Democritus said, words are but the shadows of actions.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Of the Training of Children

“Ever stop to think and then forget to start again?” — Steven Wright

Hmm…. At this point, I think it would be best if I didn’t comment any further…. Why don’t we go read a poem?…. Good idea…..

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

I have found the site named Poemhunter.com to be an excellent web site; it has everything a poet, or one who merely appreciates poetry, could ask for. One of those features is a listing of the top 500 poems of all time, as voted by their readers…. When I want to include a good one from a classic author, I go straight to the list, where I find poems such as this one from Wordsworth, which, for some reason, has always been one of my favorites…. It might be because he describes a process familiar to us all…. well, familiar to all of us who possess an imagination, anyway…. Enjoy!….

Daffodils

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed–and gazed–but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

~~ William Wordsworth ~~

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

So, if SB cooperates, the following old-school pearl will be the relative equivalent of a rant; the given parameters I set were to pick pearls which demonstrated the modern American politician’s way of looking at the world, and life, or, in some way, indicates how the average American has been corrupted, to believe in standards and issues which are completely false, or in some way are designed only to keep them distracted, unaware of exactly what their leaders are doing….(I seem to be practicing for the next Bulwer-Lytton test….)

By the end of it, you’ll get the picture…. which is why the pearl would be rantable, or, at minimum, usable IN a rant, if utilized in that respect…. You’ll see, no worries, mates… Oh, just as a helpful reminder…. any insulting statements, if unclear, you may assume the insulter is referring to a politician…. because they most likely were my target….

“Bend the facts to fit the conclusion. It’s easier that way.” — Smart Bee

“He was as great as a man can be without morality.” — Alexis de Tocqueville

(See? Both of these are perfectly ascribable to ANY US president of the last 30 years, since Carter’s administration…. Hell, over the last 60 years, I know of only two presidents who displayed ANY sort of integrity while in office, one of whom was Jimmy Carter…. Of the rest, only Kennedy showed any concern for the common man, and Jack only did so because that was his gig; it’s how he fooled the public, by seeming to be on their side, and, acting as if he were, in many ways…. But, then one must also consider his misogyny (just couldn’t keep his hands off women other than Jackie….), and his overall lifetime membership in the BRC, as one of the richest men in America…. and, he’s the one who sealed the deal in Vietnam, selling it to the public with all his charm….)

(Okay, it has to be said…. the current prez, Barry the Obama, has, as far as I can see, hit about 30/70 on the moral/evil scale while in office; prior to his election as prez, I had NEVER HEARD OF HIM AT ALL, a fact which tends to make me think the Dems were sort of hiding him in plain sight, waiting for the right moment to throw him up into the spotlight, a tactic which worked beyond all their dreams of success… Any who, he’s done okay on healthcare, and economic issues, which is why I generously gave him the 30….)

(I think, though, his actions there were simply designed to get the common man to trust him, as well as to distract him, by highlighting this issue, along with gun control issues, which come up every time someone gets shot, it seems…. But, in terms of supporting the bankers, nobody has ever given them so much money as Obama, with his “bailouts” which, as a reward, the bankers used to allow the economy to settle down, so he would look good….)

)Thus, he has been able to reward the bankers in turn, by keeping us in a constant state of war, spending millions upon billions of dollars on armaments and military actions, none of which is ever debated in public, or declared as a war by Congress…. and, that doesn’t even mention the whole illegal spying issue, and the complete lie of “transparency” he promised during the run-up to the election…. )

(I’m ranting, aren’t I?….. Oops…. Oh well, back to the pearls….)

“… if the democratic nations fail, their failure must be partly attributed to the faulty strategy of idealists who have too many illusions when they face realists who have too little conscience.” — Reinhold Niebuhr

“I’m not happy until I’ve violated somebody’s civil rights and then put them in jail. … That ruins their day … but it makes mine.” — Christopher Commission report of LAPD car-to-car computer message, 7/91

“As a candidate for national elective office the most dangerous thing you can do is say something during the campaign that the people might remember.” — Eugene McCarthy

“I’ve heard enough of your twaddle, Ringleader. We’ll settle this the American way — with our fists!” — Mighty Mouse, “The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse”

(I’m surprised he didn’t say “bombs”….)

“We need excellence in public education and if the teachers can’t do it, we’ll send in a couple of policemen.” — Frank Rizzo, Philadelphia Bulletin, Oct 19, 1973

“Our “neoconservatives” are neither new nor conservative, but old as Babylon and evil as Hell.” — Edward Abbey

“Power corrupts. Absolute power is kind of neat.” — John Lehman, Secretary of the Navy 1981-1987

I like the quotes from the living and dead talking heads, such as the last one…. They tend to show how the speakers really feel and believe, thus giving us the clearest view of their intransigently evil natures….

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

Okay, so, it almost got out of hand, but, I managed to wrestle it back into the restraining device, though not without some pissing and moaning…. Regardless, it’s done, as far as I can get it done, so, it will, by definition, be good enough…. In point of fact, though, it’s a bit of an odd duck, so, perhaps it would be best if I slip out this side door here, before the authorities arrive…. You can tell them I said hello, okay? Thanks….. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, if they don’t catch me….

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.

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Did dinosaurs dream, in color?….

Posted on October 19, 2014 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“When virtue is lost, benevolence appears;
when benevolence is lost, right conduct appears;
when right conduct is lost, expedience appears.
Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth;
it is the beginning of disorder.”

~~ Lao Tzu ~~

To show y’all I don’t ALWAYS ignore the opening quote, (and to demonstrate that you might have missed the clues I DID leave….), here’s a perfect example of how Lao Tzu’s statement fits today’s society like a glove…. We have long since passed through the first stages he outlines for us, to a point where expediency is not merely a viable choice, but, is chosen all too often as an acceptable replacement for truth, as we can observe in the following example from our modern world…..

I am totally amazed, having just checked the weather online…. The online version of the Weather Channel is now so powerful, so omniscient, so infallible, it knows, well enough to have predicted it in writing, here in the town where I live, we’ll have some rain showers, in the morning,nine days from now, or, a week from Sunday…. I did not know they had achieved that kind of accuracy….

I suspect they’re being more than just a little optimistic about their predictions, having come to an arguably erroneous conclusion, to wit: now, they are GOD!….. Or, perhaps, they have managed an exclusive deal with GOD for the inside story on upcoming weather…. right here in Vallejo, that hotbed of national, international, and, no doubt, interplanetary, and yes, galactic & interstellar intrigue, not to mention, of course, weather patterns of intense pubic interest….

Such predictions are, of course, pure egotism, bullshit with a light veneer of possibility, thanks to satellite technology, and modern climatology advances…. Somehow, I still think being THAT positive of one’s sure and complete knowledge of future events, especially weather, is just a little optimistic…. and, yes, that’s sarcasm, just as thick as I can make it. No matter how sure of themselves these bozos may be, whatever I read there, before I go outside into the grip of climate, I’ll stick my head out the window first, to get a sniff, and, second, to take a quick look at the sky to the west, from which direction all of our weather comes….

Well, most of it… If there are changes coming from elsewhere, from the North, or South, such changes bring hard, cold rain (from the North), or soft, warm rain, (from the South) to pelt us for days on end, but, thanks to those same silly, but handy, satellites, we usually hear about it in ample time to prepare…. Those preparations seldom seem to work well, though, or be strong enough, as there is always some damage to human property, and/or, deaths/injuries during large storms….

Sometimes, it almost seems as if our minds cannot conceive of what will happen, even though our history is rife with examples of just how destructive weather can be to our civilization…. We, as a species, apparently have some sort of congenital blind spot, which constantly leaves us surprised by natural events that are no different from what has happened before, of which there is more than ample documentation, in history books, in newspapers, and in the oral histories common to all nations…..

Hell, to add to the mythical library of events in history, most religions have a cataclysmic event of some sort, such as Noah’s Flood, a historical event proven by satellite imagery and the geomapping techniques new since the advent of computers, or, consider the legends and myths that grew up after the Krakatoa explosion in the 1800’s….

Yet, every time such events take place, we humans act as if we are stunned by how bad it can make things….. like we didn’t know it was going to happen…. Why is that? Do you know? I don’t…. but, then, I don’t feel too surprised about a lot of stuff most folks seem to be taken unaware by; if I’ve heard about it, or read about it, or suspect it may happen, then what would any surprise be based on?

I can’t figure it out…. unless, it is connected to that innate human tendency to retreat into denial when reality doesn’t match our preconceived notions of how it should be…. Now, if that is the case, the tendency becomes a bit more comprehensible to me…. no less stupid, and, certainly no more excusable, but, it does explain a lot….

Sheesh, and we thought we were an ADVANCED civilization…. but, we can’t even get past the same bullshit fears we had when we were cowering in cold stone caves, trying to figure out the lightning and thunder, with only our imagination available to assuage our fears, by coming up with all kinds of fanciful ideas, and gods on which to blame the noise and danger, all to explain what we know, now, to be the normal, natural laws of our reality, acting naturally, and normally…. In today’s world, I guess, we just cower down in more nicely appointed, warmer caves…. From what I can see of most members of our species, though, that warmth and comfort has not made us any less afraid of the thunder and lightning….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Agesilaus being invited once to hear a man who admirably imitated the nightingale, he declined, saying he had heard the nightingale itself.” ~~ Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Life of Agesilaus II —

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I am fairly certain this one needs no explanation; if you’ve seen it already, kudos. If not, well, enjoy…. it’s a classic… Honest, it is….

Plan 9 From Outer Space

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbQfqb2nGi8

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“Since when is “public safety” the root password to the Constitution?” — C. D. Tavares

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/17/secret-space-plane-us-air-force-x37b-lands-california

“The X-37B program has been an orphan of sorts, bouncing since its inception in 1999 between several federal agencies, Nasa (sic) among them. It now resides under the air force’s rapid capabilities office.”

From what I can tell, the secret part of this mission is now reserved to describe whatever it was they were doing up there…. I saw this landing reported in three different news sites online this morning, so, the secret isn’t too secret…. However, without falling prey to complete speculation, I find it a telling piece of information to see the office under which the budget for this mission is overseen, i.e, the “rapid capabilities” office….

Now, in today’s euphemistic world, that phrase, “rapid capabilities”, sounds to me like it is military bureaucratese for “fast weapons research”, looking for ever-quicker ways to deal death to our enemies, this time from the comfortable distance of at least 22,000 miles away from any retaliation by whomever is targeted…. Handy, eh?…. It’s a bit hard to block a bomb, or anything, when it is dropping from orbit…. The speed of the drop alone makes even a small rock a danger to anyone on the ground, and they have much more dangerous things to drop than rocks, believe me….

The Air Force, Pentagon, and the White House are all being very cagey about it, refusing to elaborate on what they were up there to experiment on, but, given the, ahem, Air Force connection, and the terminology used, there is little doubt it has to do with space-based weapons of some variety…. there are more than just a few, for those of you unfamiliar with the concept…. and, each one is more deadly, and more destructive than the previous one…

Imagine, if you can, billions and billions of tiny, indestructible needles, made of some cheap, hard metal… falling from the sky, at terminal velocity, at hundreds of miles per hour, in a swath a quarter mile wide, blanketing an entire city, destroying every structure, and killing every living creature within its boundaries, spreading itself in a line, marching across the land in a westerly direction, as the tiny shards of death fall from their orbital source, a satellite, or a small robot plane, such as the one you see in the picture accompanying the articles, a smaller version of the US Space Shuttle….

The use of the needles, you might want to know, is just ONE concept, that I came up with on the spur of the moment, as I wrote the above…. How many ideas of that nature do you think they were able to “experiment” on during over 600 days in orbit? More than just a couple, I would guess…. Wouldn’t you? Or, are you still convinced the government had, or has, some legitimately rational reason for such a secret mission? If you say yes to that, well, I’d suggest you bend over, and kiss your ass goodbye NOW, because you’re not long for this world, with that sort of gullibility….

Oh, I’m sure if we asked the government politely, they would tell us what the experiments being done were….. Sure, I am…. Actually, that is a lie, as I don’t believe any such thing…. We HAVE asked, and gotten nothing from them. What I am sure of is that, even if we pinned them down, forcing them somehow to respond when they don’t want to, they would lie…. They would come up with some marginally plausible statement that tells us nothing more than that already have, which would, no doubt, have absolutely nothing to do with what is actually happening…. Count on it ffolkes…. When you see me use the phrase, “no doubt”, then you know I’ve gone over that concept with a fine tooth comb, and it is TRUE, by all available evidence, and/or by deductive logic….

So, once more, they lie, and lie, and lie, and lie,….. and then, they lie some more….. Yet, they still want us to believe them, in whatever they say to us…. I don’t know about y’all, but, I’m awfully tired of being lied to like that; it’s insulting, and pissing me off more every day…. Tell you what, let’s all join up with Russell Brand, and start a world-wide revolution, and throw all the assholes out on their asses…

Sounds like a plan to me…. It definitely sounds better than sitting around, watching them solidify the hold they have on the public, for sure….. Now, all I have to do is find enough like-minded souls to give us a chance to succeed, or, to go down trying for justice…. Maybe if we do, our grandchildren may have a chance to live their whole lives, too….

Let’s see if SB has some pearls to show our disdain for the BRC, the Asininnies, and their ilk…. Five good ones should make my point, I think….

EMANCIPATION, n. A bondman’s change from the tyranny of another to the despotism of himself.

    He was a slave: at word he went and came;
        His iron collar cut him to the bone.
    Then Liberty erased his owner’s name,
        Tightened the rivets and inscribed his own.
                                                                 — G.J.

— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

“If you thought yesterday was bad, wait till you see what happens today.” — Smart Bee

“The proverb warns that You should not bite the hand that feeds you. But maybe you should if it prevents you from feeding yourself.” — Thomas Szasz

“I never understood why God decided to endow the military man with His big brain when bone and marrow are all that he needs to execute his purpose.” — A. Einstein – Ideas and Opinions

“Statesmen are dead politicians. Lord knows we need more statesmen.” — Opus the Penguin, Bloom County

Ah! Opus! We miss you!…… There, I think that should make it pretty clear how I feel about politicians, preachers, snakeheads, myrmidons, and all those who believe they have the right to take advantage of other people…. But, don’t worry, ffolkes, their day is coming…. Reality will be exacting a price for our ignorance, any day now…..

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Here is a wonderful little gem from Emily, one I hadn’t seen before, which fits in with today’s rant, if nothing else…. To complement such serendipity, without condemning anyone else to the oblivion of inclusion here, I’ll follow it with a short, but, pithy poem of my own…. Enjoy!….

‘Speech’ — is a prank of Parliament

Speech’—is a prank of Parliament—
‘Tears’—is a trick of the nerve—
But the Heart with the heaviest freight on—
Doesn’t—always—move —

~~ Emily Dickinson ~~

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Geezer to Congress, with Love

Politicos don’t care much ’bout seniors and their ilk,
except for their money, I thinks;
Though they talk as if they’d cozen them in silk,
what they actually do, it stinks.

“The banks are failing, we can’t allow that!”,
steal from the aged, that’s their plan.
“Their life’s ending, that’s plainly where they’re at,”
lie shamelessly, because they can.

Maybe just once, if we all act together,
it couldn’t miss.
Right on their shoes, no matter the weather,
take careful aim, and piss.

Why the hell not?
It’s worth a shot!

~~ gigoid ~~

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I would like for you to pay a little extra attention to this pearl, because it took an immense effort on my part to get it done…. Each of these pearls is the result of a major battle of wills, a battle which saw me, and Smart Bee, going head to head for some hours…. I don’t know what has come over the damn thing, but, it’s being absolutely assholio of late…. (assholio… the state of exhibiting characteristics of an asshole….as if you couldn’t figure that out….) Any who, no matter why, it’s true, so, the fact I got this done is remarkable enough for me….. It’s a pretty good one too, with some good advice, and statements of truth, good for putting in one’s toolbox of stuff that helps in Life….

“Aren’t you beginning to feel time gaining on you? It’s like a predator. It’s stalking you. You can try to outrun it with doctors, medicines… new technologies. But in the end, time is going to hunt you down – and make the kill.” — Smart Bee

“A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.” — Mark Twain

“And stand together yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.” — Kahlil Gibran, “The Prophet”

“Every human being has, like Socrates, an attendant spirit; and wise are they who obey its signals. If it does not always tell us what to do, it always cautions us what not to do.” — Lydia M. Child (1802-1880), Philothea: A Romance, ch. 6 (1836)

“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.” — Herman Melville

“These times of ours are serious and full of calamity, but all times are essentially alike. As soon as there is life there is danger.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I’m reporting for duty as a modern person. I want to do the Latin Hustle now!” — Zippy the Pinhead

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It won’t show, but, I damn near got ahead of myself for a moment there….. Whew! Dodging bullets left and right this morning…. In spite of the necessity that has created for us to keep actively working and moving, I managed to get it done, after a fashion…. All the needed parts are there now, at least, so, we’ll see how it goes once it gets up online…. For the moment, though, I think it would be wise to just slip away into the shadows, while I still may…. 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.

À bientôt, mon cherí….

The replacement toads are working fine….

Posted on October 17, 2014 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Be slow in choosing a friend, but slower in changing him.”

~~ Scottish Proverb ~~

Yesterday gone, now, brain tired. Sleep good, not long enough. Pronouns lost. Can’t find, don’t care. Bogus, again….

Well, I’m not sure just what that means, or where it came from…. To look at it from here, it almost seems as if the poor, wee penguin lad or lassie we see here is saying all that; its expression certainly seems to fit. I happen to know, however, that I wrote the above, in perfect sincerity, at the time, so, it wouldn’t be fair, or even legal to blame the bird, even if it isn’t a member of my church (which I don’t have, anyway…. a church, that is….). There are strict laws about pinnipeds, you know…. Besides, it’s too cute to abuse….

Of course, the fact I won’t allow myself to abuse even a bird kind of sets me apart from the general run of humanity, but, that’s okay. I’ve always felt a bit out of it, in the sense that I’m different than the average bear…. much like Yogi, if you think about it…. or, maybe Boo Boo, who had several IQ points more than Yogi displayed. I suppose, if you stop to consider, even that makes me different, for most of the folks who make up humanity don’t analyze cartoons, or compare bears to people…. more’s the pity….

Don’t worry, I’m not going to use that as an excuse to rant in the intro again. I’ve given myself a stern talking-to about that, and we’re hoping for some good results from that…. It sees to be helping today’s post, at least, as I haven’t gone sober on you yet, but, hey, the day is young…. but, since we’re in the query mode, how do y’all think it’s working? Is this any better than usual? Or, is it just as bozoid, unorganized, and silly as most of my beginnings? Hmm….. I may have just answered myself….

Oh well, it worked well enough to get us this far; I see an exit opening up not far away…. Good thing, too, as my hands and shoulders aren’t holding up too well today…. even with magic cream, it’s getting hard to type for long…. I’m going to have to consider getting myself some voice recognition software for the computer, so I can speak my Pearls…. Soon enough, I won’t be able to type well enough to keep it up. For the moment, though, I’ve managed to get far enough to be in reach of that exit I mentioned…. so, I’ll use my new-found ruthlessness to get us on into the day….

Shall we Pearl?…..

“The people I distrust most are those who want to improve our lives but have only one course of action.” — Frank Herbert

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

“I don’t know that atheists should be considered citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.” — George Bush in Free Inquiry magazine, Fall 1988

Let’s talk about….. stupidity. It’s a subject all humans need to be aware of, not just because it can be troublesome for them in their own private lives, but, due to having reached epidemic proportions in society at large, it has begun to affect public life, as well…. a fact which only makes sense, as human nature will, of course, always affect human society…., No matter how much we like to think of ourselves as intelligent, or competent, the power of stupidity, to make itself felt in human affairs, is enormous; we tend to forget that we have a duality of nature that allows that sort of conundrum, in almost every human endeavor….

The above statement, from one of the Shrubs (which one really doesn’t matter; the apple didn’t fall far from the tree in that family….), is, patently, false, and is obviously a result of the ubiquitous human tendency to assign meaning to symbols, and, in the process, to assume truth, when it is actually false…. The word is NOT the thing; nothing we say or do will actually change that; it is only our own human (stupid) mental habit of assuming it can, that allows such egregiously false statements to occur at all…. People WANT it to be true, so, they assume it is, just because they say it is…. typical “ipse dixit” reasoning….

“I think as long as you suffer for your sins, they don’t count.” — Calvin

Ipse dixit, “He himself said it”, is the same sort of reasoning as this little gem of immorality from Calvin, speaking, in this case, without Hobbes’ input, obviously. It arises from the set of delusional beliefs taught by almost every religion, for each one is convinced they are the ONLY right set of beliefs, because their own particular prophet, or reformer, said it was so…. This leads, every time, to a sense of false entitlement, based solely on beliefs held without any evidence of support, or, for that matter, any evidence at all, beyond the fact that it was claimed by someone to be true….

The problem we have, here in the good old US of A, is that the people who are holding those delusions as true are the sworn leaders of the country, so, when they come out with bullshit like this, a lot of foolish, gullible people believe him, and will thence act as if it is true, when, if one is at all familiar with those documents upon which this country was founded, one can see the above statement, by a former president, no less, is completely false, and gives a very clear indication of how things are going wrong for all of us….

I could rant on this one all day; there are any number of quotes and aphorisms on the subject, each of which could conceivably lead us into another aspect of the issue, thus increasing our understanding, as well as boring us to tears…. Hah! Caught y’all, didn’t I? I can feel y’all glazing over, and leaning toward skipping down to the music video, so, instead of taking this further, we’ll just drive the point home with an old-school thrashing of our beloved ruling class, with some comments/observations on politicians, preachers, pimps, myrmidons, and those of their ilk (you know, the ones we call Asininnies…. when we’re not calling them assholes….) It will be a severe thrashing, too, with nine pearls to smite them….

“Perhaps the most widespread illusion is that if we were in power we would behave very differently from those who now hold it — when, in truth, in order to get power we would have to become very much like them.” — (Lenin’s fatal mistake, both in theory and in practice.)

“Governments which suppress freedom of speech… act like children who shut their eyes in order not to be seen.” — Ludwig Boerne, _Die Freiheit der Presse in Baiern_, 1818

“Being against torture ought to be sort of a multi-partisan thing.” — Karl Lehenbauer, as amended by Jeff Daiell, a Libertarian

“I’ll put an end to the idea that a woman’s body belongs to her . . . the practice of abortion shall be exterminated with a strong hand.” — Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), “Mein Kampf”

(This one may seem a bit harsh, and/or out of place. to some…. But, I say, NOPE…. This is EXACTLY the same sort of attitude all too many of our elected officials possess, today…. so, nope….not too harsh as an indictment of the modern politician….) (See: Tea Party….)

“I think there are only three things America will be known for 2,000 years from now when they study this civilization: the Constitution, jazz music, and baseball.” — Gerald Early, writer, baseball documentary, 1994

“Lysander said that the law spoke too softly to be heard in such a noise of war.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Life of Caius Marius

“Democracy, which is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequals alike.” — Plato, The Republic. Book VIII. 558

“Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do.” — Bertrand Russell (1872-1967)

“Never appeal to a man’s “better nature.” He may not have one. Invoking his self-interest gives you more leverage.” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love”

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

I didn’t get to see this group when they were touring, back in the day, but, I heard this album within days of its release; it has remained a favorite of mine ever since. At 14:12 on this video, the band jumps into a song, entitled “Only You Know and I Know”, in which Eric Clapton goes into a completely insane lead guitar riff, covering almost a full minute, that I consider to one of the very finest pieces of improvisational genius I have ever heard, from him, or any other guitarist, in the entire history of Rock and Roll, which I have personally witnessed from Day One…. No shit, ffolkes…. If you play, or just love guitar, you will be amazed; it’s almost orgasmic…. The rest of the album rocks out, too…. Turn it all the way up for this one, ffolkes, it’s the only way to hear it….

Delaney & Bonnie and Friends: On Tour with Eric Clapton (1970) Full Album

http://youtu.be/BscKvUJVmLA

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

This poem was written on a day like yesterday…. It’s one I don’t think I can do any better, or say any of this more accurately…. I suppose, if I were a bit more evolved, I’d be able to be thankful that my pain and misery can at least stimulate me into bleeding this kind of insight onto the page…. Can’t honestly say I am, though…. but, at least this one affords me some small degree of post-misery relief, pointing out the path to serenity….

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 is 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 is true at the core,
all we can do, is all we can do, and nothing more.

~~ gigoid ~~

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

Smart Bee seems to be trying to have some fun today; the first five quotes came up within moments of each other, in order, so, the rest must be just waiting for us…. Let’s see what there is for us to find, shall we? Careful, though, I’m letting SB have total control, so, be alert…. The only parameter I asked for was to choose from the subject of humanity, warts and all….

“It is easier to love humanity as a whole than to love one’s neighbor.”– Eric Hoffer

“Christianity might be a good thing if anyone ever tried it.” — George Bernard Shaw

“Where can you find a good lawyer? In the cemetery.” — Smart Bee

“Dying is a very dull, dreary affair. And my advice to you is to have nothing whatever to do with it.” — W. Somerset Maugham

“It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.” — Arthur C. Clarke

“A reverence for life does not require one to respect nature’s obvious mistakes.” — Robert A. Heinlein

“If what the philosophers say be true,–that all men’s actions proceed from one source; that as they assent from a persuasion that a thing is so, and dissent from a persuasion that it is not, and suspend their judgment from a persuasion that it is uncertain,–so likewise they seek a thing from a persuasion that it is for their advantage.” — Epictetus (c. 60 AD) — Discourses, Book i, Chap. xviii

Oops…. Smart Bee tried to lose us there, didn’t it?…. Talk about quick changes; that was like a 180º turn in mid-air at 300 mph; at the apex of the turn, one would be hitting about, oh, 6-8 g’s, I think. If we hadn’t been paying attention, it would have smeared us right up against the cabin wall in the rear of the vehicle…. and, all that for a long winded way to say people will, whenever they can, look out for Number One before anything else…. I suppose this means we need a couple more pearls, just to finish it out with a bit of smooth, to counteract the rapid mind fuck SB attempted….

SIGH…. It’s too bad…. Things were Going So Well, too….

BTW, FWIW, IMHO, yes. OTOH, AAMOF, maybe not. — Smart Bee

“A closed mouth gathers no feet.” — Finster’s Law

I guess we should have looked at the last one first; it may have saved us a bit of aggravation, if not time…. Oh, well, at least it’s the last section for today…. Gee, how did he do that?….

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

Well…. In spite of myself, I got it done. Some of the above was produced yesterday, during the less miserable moments of the day, and, after I had already gone through the morning’s extreme annoyances…. I was nice today, and didn’t share all that with you; you may thank me later…. Today, I must, again, sally forth into the Big Blue Room, to do battle with the huge bureaucratic forces of evil, otherwise known as Kaiser Permanente, to try to figure out how to decrease the number of days I lose to physical issues…. Wish me luck; I’m going to need a lot of it….. At least I can feel some sense of accomplishment, for having gotten this done in a timely fashion…. even if I did have to get up early to do it….

Enough, I’m out of cheese, so I don’t need any whine…. Reality doesn’t care, anyway, so, I may as well keep the rest to myself…. 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.

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Turning, he calmly walked into the door….

Posted on October 16, 2014 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Alexander [the Great] asked Diogenes if there was anything in the world he wanted.

Diogenes, without looking up, replied: `Yes. Get out of my light.'”

~~ Plutarch ~~

No way, Jose…. There’s no way in Hell I’m putting myself through this today, not with all the stuff I have to do out in the Big Blue Room. I can barely stand up straight, and certainly not without putting myself into severe pain, as the lower back has picked this morning to act as if it were a new condition, perfectly happy to demonstrate all the different postures and movements which will cause it…. So far. even magic cream is failing the test, so, the remainder of the day has taken on new, dark colors….

In order to deal with it as best I may, though, I’m again going to be ruthless in composing today’s Pearl. In fact, this paragraph is the last one you’ll get in the intro; when I said ruthless, that’s exactly what I meant. If I give myself any room at all to start, I’ll rant, or start blathering, either of which, today, would just be absurd, not to mention bad…. But, it will probably be okay, as the relative length will cause most of y’all to celebrate, at least in the privacy of your own minds…. As for the rest of us, we’ll be down below, trying to finish off what got done yesterday, and get this posted…. See, ruthless…

Shall we Pearl?…..

“He declared that he knew nothing, except the fact of his ignorance.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Socrates, xvi

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

“I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleges, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives.” ~~ Tolstoy

Now THAT is a proper beginning for a rant…. too bad I’m not up to ranting…. Y’all will have to make do with a blast from the past…. It’s still valid, so, that’s something, anyway….

From 7/21/2012:

“There is always a second right answer. Look beyond the obvious.” — Smart Bee

I am glad that I found this quote this morning. I was looking for something to go with a discussion around the events that took place in Colorado yesterday, wherein a young man shot and killed 12 people, and injured many others, before being subdued and arrested. I have not engaged in reading any of the stories about it, as they all follow the same pattern, and repeat the same cliches trying to describe the horror of the scenario, and to describe the terror felt by the victims. The news coverage of events of this nature vary little from one to the next; the only difference lies in the number of victims, and the place it occurred.

I don’t watch the stories, but the headlines always give enough information to satisfy my level of curiosity. The part of these events that interests me is always the amount of outrage and dismay that is expressed by those who are not even involved. People from all over the world will write articles condemning guns, or lamenting the victims, or expressing sorrow, or otherwise giving their reaction to the story. One of the reactions that is common after an event such as this is from the people who would like to see ALL guns taken off the streets, and make it illegal for citizens to even own a gun.

This to me is the reaction of a scared child. Yes, terrible things happen, and sometimes those terrible things are perpetrated by some idiot who has managed to get his hands on guns. But, it is folly to blame the guns themselves for the deaths of those people. The person is responsible, not the guns. But, to these frightened children, the very idea of guns is too scary to deal with, and they would like to see reality changed to suit their fears. It’s kind of like saying that “oh my, cars cause over a million deaths a year. Let’s get them off the streets!” It is an over-reaction, common to those who typically refuse to stand up for their own rights, preferring to allow the government to tell them what to think.

I agree that it is tragic that events like this should happen, and I feel bad for the victims. I also feel bad for the idiot, because only a soul that is in extreme distress could ever consider such actions. If it were to happen in front of me, I would not hesitate take him down and put him down like a sick dog, but I would do so in sorrow, knowing that he is a broken man. This event will mark a moment in time that none of the victims will ever forget, and it will change their lives in some way, for certain. But, to let these events cause us to make poor decisions about guns is an error in thinking, and can lead to the loss of more rights than we have already lost to the fear-mongers.

Living involves risk. This is a truism, and is not subject to debate. One may prepare for that risk by making themselves strong and educated regarding the extent of the risks, and dealing with those risks in an adult fashion. Or, one can retreat to their childhood, and give over the handling of risk to the authority figures in our lives, and feel snug and safe in their little delusional bubble.

What these people fail to understand is this: prohibiting guns, or making them illegal, is NOT going to make guns go away. It will just drive them underground, and make it harder to keep track of them. The risk will be even greater, because NOW there is nothing to stop criminals from victimizing others, other than the police, and we can see already how little effectiveness the police have in stopping events like this.

This shit is going to happen, whether guns are legal or not. I am personally unwilling to trust the government of this country, or of any other, to protect me and my interests. If they have guns, I want mine, because otherwise there will be no reason at all for them to keep from taking from me whatever they want.

Police in this country are NOT to be trusted; most of the time they have a poor opinion of the public, and a sense of entitlement that puts them above the law. The same goes for politicians; I’m not going to trust them any further than I am the police. Probably even less, as they have shown time after time that they are not to be trusted. If they can’t be trusted with my money, I’m certainly not going to trust them with my guns….

Attitudes adjusted, while you wait. — L.A. Police Car Bumper Sticker

I’m not overly concerned whether or not anyone agrees with me on this; everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Some will say that I am calloused and indifferent to the pain those people felt. Well, they are free to say whatever they like…. The simple truth is that I feel very sorry for all the victims, and their families, knowing full well that they are now looking at years of therapy and healing before they will ever be comfortable again. But it is also the simple truth that I am not going to get all worked up over something that happens all the time, and will continue to happen as long as the world remains so overpopulated that we are like rats in a cage, fighting and biting each other over the limited resources.

“Paradoxically though it may seem, it is none the less true that life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” — Oscar Wilde

If one wants to get outraged over needless deaths, then let’s begin a dialog about the soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq who continue to die for no good reason. We were told that the wars in those two countries were started to “get Osama bin Laden” and put an end to terrorism. Ten years and trillions of dollars later, bin Laden is dead, and terrorism is NOT ended. Probably, more than 12 soldiers are killed every day in both countries, but there is no outrage that I see….

So, let us not engage in the orgy of feelings, and outpouring of outrage, over an event that, while not normal or desirable, should nonetheless not be a surprise. And, let us not thrash about in fear, and center our anger on the wrong target. Guns are not the problem; people who are broken are the problem, whether they are shooting people in a theater in the mountains, or passing laws in a building in Washington D.C. The answer is not to get rid of guns; that is never going to happen. The answer is to fix the broken people…. and you can take that to the bank….

“Americans like to talk about (or be told about) Democracy but, when put to the test, usually find it to be an ‘inconvenience.’ We have opted instead for an authoritarian system *disguised* as a Democracy. We pay through the nose for an enormous joke-of-a-government, let it push us around, and then wonder how all those assholes got in there.” — Frank Zappa

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Here is another legendary rock band from the sixties, with two members of The Jefferson Airplane (the bass and lead guitar players), a rogue drummer, and one of the best freelance fiddle players to ever draw a bow…. Enjoy!…..

Hot Tuna: Live at the Fillmore, 1984

http://youtu.be/NHtYgiRI44w

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Nobody else should ever receive any blame for this, so…. Here’s one of mine that I wrote on a morning such as this one seems to be….

Momentary Terror

Absently casual, memories pester endlessly
leaving only bleeding remnants, amiable and loving.
Coming awake, I cry to still the pain, shamelessly.

Elsewhen, time gives surcease, if only to live,
shoring broken pilings, worn and gray.
Passing on, I laugh at the pain, accept all it will give.

Time will build a shelter, warm and ever safe
save for Fate’s busy hands.
Enduring, I follow the pain, knowing it will chafe.

Fixed against a darkened sky of starry black
such beauty brings us to our knees.
Entranced, I welcome the pain, ’tis all I lack…..

~~ gigoid ~~

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“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.” — Robert A. Heinlein, The Notebooks of Lazarus Long

I first read this paragraph when I was about 14, or thereabout; as might be imagined, it had a very strong effect on me, and how I looked at the world…. and, is a view of human nature I’ve tried to accept, and utilize, for all the years since. By implication, there are other qualities and skills that any human should cultivate, for their own benefit, and for the benefit of all around them…. One of those is a sense of the absurd, or, as I like to think of it, a keen appreciation for irony, and its place in reality….

Being silly, and accepting one’s Bozoid tendencies, to me, is an attitude that can only help in life; very few situations are immune to the power of an ironic eye, even the most emotionally tense, confrontational issues can be made more palatable through the application of some humor, thus aiding in achieving a successful resolution, where it might otherwise have created ugliness and pain…. Today’s final section is therefore comprised of a nine-star pearl, to celebrate and practice that very skill….. If you wish to LOL, feel free….

“A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men.” — Willy Wonka, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

“I want you to organize my PASTRY trays… my TEA-TINS are gleaming in formation like a ROW of DRUM MAJORETTES — please don’t be FURIOUS with me –” — Zippy the Pinhead

“He had been kicked in the head by a mule when young, and believed everything he read in the Sunday papers.” — George Ade

“`She said you were born to hang,’ said Anathema. Adam grinned, Notoriety wasn’t as good as fame, but heaps better than obscurity.” — Pratchet & Gaiman, _Good Omens_

Demonstrating once again the importance of the lowly comma, this telegram was sent from a wife to her husband: “NOT GETTING ANY, BETTER COME HOME AT ONCE.”

“Courtroom: A place where Jesus Christ and Judas Iscariot would be equals, with the betting odds in favor of Judas.” — H.L. Mencken

“There comes a time in every man’s life, and I’ve had many of them.” — Casey Stengel

“If you’re not confused, you’re not paying attention.” — Smart Bee

“Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.” — Oscar Wilde

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Well, I managed to get it done…. but, that’s all I can do…. I’m going to post this, before I can’t…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, hopefully from a better starting point…..

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.

À bientôt, mon cherí….

The myrmidons could be burlier….

Posted on October 8, 2014 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“To be “matter of fact” about the world is to blunder into fantasy….

and dull fantasy at that, as the real world is strange and wonderful.”

— Robert A. Heinlein

Aw, aren’t they cute? And lucky, too…. according to the accompanying blurb, these two adorable dormice are probably in shock, or at least, in need of a stiff drink. The photographer caught them chowing down while hanging on to this plant after losing their home to a bulldozer, somewhere in England, which we know as the picture got published in the same London Daily Telegraph series of photos as have been used the past few days here….. I’m not really going to use them as a rant-base, though it would be simple to do so…. the first paragraph of the day is a bit early, even for me….

The quote from RAH would also serve as a good one to start a rant with, but, I’m still not in ranting mode; it’s just too hard to feel bad about others when I don’t much like myself, yes? Any who, there would be no way of telling where such a rant might end up, with a flexible opening such as that…. I mean, reality, fantasy, and strong opinions always make for a good rant, if not exactly the most compelling of issues about which to do so…. Of course, that also discounts any discounts that may have been offered…. one can never afford to ignore coupons….

Coupons may even be one of those hidden, key secrets to life…. well, maybe not, but, shopping sure can be, right? It may go against stereotype, but, I believe males like to shop just as much as females do; they just like to do it differently, that’s all… Oh, and one mustn’t ever actually TALK about shopping with other men, or how it makes them feel; feelings, to most men, are foreign territory…. Men can’t deal with too many of them, so they usually stick to just one or two with which they’re familiar, and comfortable, such as anger, or confusion…..

Now that I’ve blathered, (sorry, but I just wanted to see if I still could….), and quite well, I think, we could find another subject to terrify, by threatening to discuss, but, it’s actually late, due to my recently destroyed routine, so, we’ll just leave all that be for now, and try to find a way out of here… It shouldn’t be too hard; the pilot was instructed to stay near the well-traveled routes so we could find our way back easier…. Plus, the jungle near the airstrip is now seeded with many opportunities for bailing out, so, if necessary, we can hit one of those stashes for a proper ending, or, in worst case scenario, an escape…

Today, I’m crazy enough to not care WHAT is used, as long as it works to get us onward…. and, since one of those solutions has presented itself, (don’t you see it?…. It’s standing right there, for goodness sake….), we’ll not just jump on the bandwagon, we’ll book it solid for the next month….

Shall we Pearl?…..

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” — Plutarch

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Here is a good fill-in for the lack of rant….

Last posted on 4/5/2013:

Here is a most excellent Pearl, from January of this year….. some of you may recognize it, as it wasn’t too long ago, but, I like it, and it’s a good one, so I feel justified…. Enjoy!…..

“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

One may always trust Oscar Wilde to be both elegantly witty and intelligently insightful, though, to be sure, many of his most closely held views were somewhat divergent with what was commonly held to be true, philosophically. This divergence was, I believe, mostly deliberate on his part, as he tended to mock that which he did not respect, and he never had much respect for…. well, anything to do with human nature vs. reason and rationality. He mistrusted most people to act morally, and was unafraid of saying so; this, of course, made him both famous, and infamous….. His infamy, I’m sure, ultimately was his undoing, much to society’s loss; as is said so often about our brightest minds, “only the good die young….”

I often wonder, (well, maybe not so often, as much as I’m wondering now…) what the world today would be like, if somehow, some of those bright stars in history had lived to an age where their accomplishments, in relation to the advancement of human thought, and the betterment of the human condition, had a broader, and more lasting effect than their absence has left us. What if Keats had written poetry until he was 85? How many more inventions would have come to us from Nicolas Tesla, had he lived long enough for the rest of the scientific world to catch up to him, instead of hounding him to an early grave? How much more good music, and art, and literature would be available to all of us, if not for this tendency for the best of us to live as a burning meteor, flaming brightly through the sky, until burned out and lifeless?

It is a sad commentary for society to know that it is often the very brilliance of these people that brings about their downfall, at the hands of the ignorant, and the avaricious…. What is even sadder, to me, is that this demonstrates another part of human nature that is responsible for almost every issue in human history, and current society, that causes people to suffer pain, oppression, perpetual struggle, and will most certainly ultimately lead to the extinction of our species, on this planet, at minimum, if not completely…..

That piece of our nature is the unfortunate characteristic, in a number of humans, to be able to put aside all conscience, and act solely in their own self interest. All of us, of course, possess this to some degree; it is an outgrowth of having a will to survive. To these few others, it is their primary modus operandi; they simply do not take other people, or their concerns, into account when deciding what they are going to do, and are not hampered by the consideration of any suffering they may cause other people, animals, or things.

As is patently obvious, to my mind, every elected official, every high level preacher, every corporate magnate, and a great many lawyers, are all of this ilk, and have, for nearly 230 years now, been quietly and efficiently plundering the pockets and rights of the American people (and those of every other country in the world, for that matter…. it is a HUMAN condition, not just American…. Ours are just some of the most obvious about it….), while simultaneously lying, cheating, and otherwise acting to secure their stranglehold on society.

Anyone who disagrees with this assessment, quite simply, isn’t paying enough attention to the world around them….. Sorry to be so blunt, but the facts are all laid out, right there, almost every day in the news media, if one knows how to look at the larger picture it presents, rather than the individual facets of that picture. Focusing on the little shit is just what those in power wish for people to do…. it keeps them busy not noticing other, more incriminating stuff they are carrying out, in the darkness where they mostly live….

“… change depends on individual acts of courage and commitment. Most such acts are private, invisible, and uncelebrated. But some find a place in the public spotlight; and their influence goes far beyond mere example.” — Arthur C. Clarke & Michael Kube-McDowell, The Trigger, 1999

Each and every one of us, in the face of what we know about reality, is responsible in some way, and to some degree, for both the way things are, and the way they will be in the future. If you don’t believe that, well, discussion is, for you, probably useless, and little hope remains. For anyone with moderate insight, however, this is plain, clear truth, and we all need to accept it before any significant progress can be expected against those who are sociopathic, which I define, and hereby name, as homo suicidus, those who would kill us all…. But, it is imperative that we act soon, for the damage we have done, and continue to do to our world, is at a point where the effects are nearly irreversible, and even if we manage to wrest control from the beloved ruling class,it may be too late to save our lives….

“In regard to disagreeable and formidable things, prudence does not consist in evasion, or in flight, but in courage. He who wishes to walk in the most peaceful parts of life with any serenity must screw himself up to resolution. Let him front the object of his worst apprehension, and his stoutness will commonly make his fear groundless.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, _Essays_, Prudence

It is my hope, small and pale though it be, that we WILL speak up, that the rational among us will rise up, and take back the control of our destiny from the hands of those who would see us all die, rather than give up their own control. It will only happen when men of courage, as defined by Mr. Emerson, stand up to those who would render us all impotent, for their own benefit. The only hope that exists for the rest of us lies in enough of us showing this kind of courage, and overcoming the fear that keeps us in thrall…..

Note from 2014: Or, if we could answer the most compelling question we face, maybe…. but, first, we need to know, “How do you get Schrodinger’s Cat _into_ the box?”….. Smart Bee doesn’t know, and I don’t either…. Ah well, it’s probably too late anyhow….

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

George Harrison, that is…. who else?…..

Concert for George 2003

http://youtu.be/j9Dr1anRP9w

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I’m sticking with my own poetry for now, to avoid spreading blame….

When life calls, ready or not….

Memories are all we have sometimes
to keep our sanity intact,
with learned phrases and subtle rhymes
lessening life’s vicious, vibrant impact.

Presently all seems composed and intent
in stark contrast to hollow day,
forlorn patchwork emotions of unheralded bent,
fill up night’s bower, leaving hell to pay.

Such vigorous and elevated temper
brings us rare moments to ponder,
filled with lessons all need to remember
lest base perception lose valued wonder.

Laugh loud when entropy sticks fast
leaving shameless anger in its wake.
Let bygones pass quietly into the past
reaping only what is left to take.

Final words of wise imagination
tell us living well’s the best revenge, it appears
ever eluding choirs and congregations
finally finding home, never buried in tears.

~~ gigoid ~~

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

These pearls are more significant than they look…. The past week or two have been somewhat, well, shall we say, less than pleasant for me, what with my internal war with my self going on, to add the accompaniment to the physical issues that cascaded down upon me during that time period…. The first one alerted me, and the rest of them have helped me to find the way back to the center…. I’m not quite there yet, but, at least now I know what direction to follow….. Yay for me….

“Whom Fortune wishes to destroy she first makes mad.”

~~ Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 911 ~~

“Excess on occasion is exhilarating.
It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit.”

~~ W. Somerset Maugham ~~

“Man is never honestly the fatalist, nor even the stoic. He fights his fate, often desperately. He is forever entering bold exceptions to the rulings of the bench of gods. This fighting, no doubt, makes for human progress, for it favors the strong and the brave. It also makes for beauty, for lesser men try to escape from a hopeless and intolerable world by creating a more lovely one of their own.”

~~ H.L. Mencken ~~

“‘Tis the mark of an instructed mind to rest assured with that degree of precision that the nature of the subject admits, and not to seek exactness when only an approximation of the truth is possible.”

~~ Aristotle ~~

“Nothing can bring lasting peace, but you have it already if you just stop disturbing it. It is there always.”

~~ Sri Swami Satchidananda ~~

“He is nearest to the gods who knows how to be silent.”

~~ Marcus Porcius Cato (234-149 BC), attributed ~~

All nature is but art, unknown to thee;
All chance, direction, which thou canst not see;
All discord, harmony not understood;
All partial evil, universal good;
And spite of pride, in erring reason’s spite,
One truth is clear, Whatever is, is right.

~~ Alexander Pope ~~

— Essay on Man, Epistle i, Line 289 —

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There you go…. thus I make it through another morning, at least to daylight…. I’m outta here, ffolkes…. See y’all tomorrow, presumably….

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.

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Aiming at center mass…..

Posted on October 6, 2014 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“To love someone deeply gives you strength.

Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.”

~~ Lao Tzu ~~

If one accepts the premise set forth above by Lao Tzu, then I am immensely strong, but, have yet to be able to define courage in myself…. a thought that occurred to me as I read it this morning…. Oh, that isn’t to say I am not loved; I do have children, both of whom still talk to me, so, I’m good to go there…. Also, I have friends, who have been so named for over 50 years; I know well the love that abides between us…. But, of the love he speaks about here, I am apparently unfamiliar…. and, to be honest, that hurts…. a lot.

Enough that it sent me into a deep hole of depression, for a time, until I managed to put a bit of distance between myself and the pain…. a process with which I am quite familiar, both physically and mentally…. Unfortunately, that distance isn’t enough to prevent the onset of the symptoms of PTSD, including the depression; my feelings, torn and bloodied as they are, tend to stay quite near the surface, so that the relief of weeping is always just a nanosecond away from release, whether I wish it or not…. Bit of a pisser, that, as it can, and does, strike at the LEAST convenient moments….

Add in arthritis, heat enough to melt cheese on the sidewalk, and a touch of dizziness left over from vertigo, and you’ve got the makings of a very miserable day…. or three…. At least I have this to help me get it out, which a great many people do not possess; for three years now, being able to vent has kept me reasonably sane, or, enough so to avoid prosecution for any outlandish public behaviors…. But, it still doesn’t help me get an intro section done, which, really, is all I’d hoped for today…. Well, maybe it’s working… we ARE three paragraphs in, and, no blood yet, even though we’ve already had our whine, and some cheese…. or, a mention of cheese, anyway….

Ah well, such is life, I suppose…. The picture above is amazing, to me, not because of the rarity and beauty of the shot, but, for giving us a reminder of how much we don’t know about our own planet, and its denizens…. We see here the largest creature on the planet, jumping completely out of the water, for its own reasons, possibly connected to the large growth of barnacles on its underside, visible in the above photo… Some scientists believe the whales breech like this to try to remove those barnacles; if so, I can see how it might work,as several TONS of animal crush down on the growth, with a LOT of force…..

Regardless of why the animal jumped out of the water, (an incredible physical feat, to say the least, to lift that weight completely out of the depths, into the air….), the photo, (again taken from the London Daily Telegraph, in one of their photo features…) is a beautiful shot, and well worth the placement I gave it, as a small piece of “amazing” to start the day…. It also got us far enough into the day to declare this a legal intro, and allow us to take advantage of this little ending point…. Which one? This one….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Virtue is its own revenge.” — E. Y. Harburg

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

REPORTER: “Senator, are you for or against the MX missile system?”

SENATOR: “Bob, the MX missile system reminds me of an old saying that the country folk in my state like to say. It goes like this: “You can carry a pig for six miles, but if you set it down it might run away.” I have no idea why the country folk say this. Maybe there’s some kind of chemical pollutant in their drinking water. That is why I pledge to do all that I can to protect the environment of this great nation of ours, and put prayer back in the schools, where it belongs. What we need is jobs, not empty promises. I realize I’m risking my political career be being so outspoken on a sensitive issue such as the MX, but that’s just the kind of straight-talking honest person I am, and I can’t help it.” — Dave Barry, “On Presidential Politics”

It may seem as if I’m cheating, but, that’s okay; I’m in enough of a bad mood I don’t give much of a shit. The above, to me, is PERFECT. It is absolutely an accurate portrayal of the typical Bull Shit spewed out daily by our pundits and talking heads, on every conceivable subject. I’m not in the mood to rant, not effectively (when depressed, I tend to get vicious, & not always perfectly reasonable….), so, instead, I’ll furnish y’all with some links to more evidence of the kind of crap being pulled on us by our so-called leaders… then, a couple of questions, followed by some pearls to take a few satisfying shots at those assholes…. I will probably sublimate the need to rant by making short comments between pearls…. fair warning….

Why does our government feel it to be so important to develop all these new robotic weapons, and maintain such close surveillance on their own people? Do they, perhaps, expect some sort of revolution?

It’s worth thinking about…..

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/04/nsa-surveillance-reform-politicians-2015

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/05/us-navy-unmanned-drone-boats

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/05/us-drone-strike-kills-five-pakistan-militants-north-west

“A man does not serve his country by canting, snuffling and marching in parades, he serves her by striving to make her clean, brave, just, intelligent and worthy of respect.” — H. L. Mencken, Baltimore _Evening Sun_, June 13, 1916

(1916, eh? This is a very uplifting thought, and, given the truth of the sixth pearl in this group, 1916 was apparently the LAST time anyone in this country voiced such an idea…. In today’s world, nobody at all buys into this….)

“An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought.” — Simon Cameron (1799-1889)

(Again, in today’s political world, this remains an inarguable truth….)

“This is not politics… it’s to protect the innocence of children.” — Sen. Bob Dole on the introduction of his new Protection of Children From Computer Pornography Act of 1995

(Sure, Bob…. we believe you….)

“There is no absurdity so palpable but that it may be firmly planted in the human head if only you begin to inoculate it before the age of five, by constantly repeating it with an air of great solemnity.” — Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

(Another truth from the past adopted as gospel by today’s pundits and preachers…. and, a very accurate description of just how the powers that be indoctrinate the public….)

“I’m all in favor of the democratic principle that one idiot is as good as one genius, but I draw the line when someone takes the next step and concludes that two idiots are better than one genius.” — Leo Szilard

(Too late, Leo…. our society adopted that belief back in the early twentieth century, and has strengthened the position with every law enacted since 1963….)

“You can’t crush ideas by suppressing them. You can only crush them by ignoring them.” — Ursula K. LeGuin

(Truth absolute…. see pearl # 1, above, for its typical application in Reality….. Also applicable to pearl #4 in this group….)

“I don’t vote. It just encourages them.” — A Maine woman

(For sure…. and, I think I may just adopt this woman’s position, if only for the aggravation it will save ME…..)

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Today’s video shows off the talents of one of the finest voices of the previous century, in his final performance…. Brilliant!…. Okay, so I like simple, clean, pure voices…. sue me…. But, first, enjoy the video….

Roy Orbison – Black & White Night Live (Full Album)

http://youtu.be/HWCBwaNvHbE

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Yesterday’s poem was also from this author; as mentioned then, he is often underrated….. Hence, the relatively dubious honor of being twice-featured here….

The world is too much with us; late and soon

The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune,
It moves us not.–Great God! I’d rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.

~~ William Wordsworth ~~

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

I’ve said this before, but, it remains true: sometimes, this business of creating pearls works better than others…. and, again, this is one of those times… Just follow the bouncing ball, as it shows your mind what direction to follow, then, at the end, just let the point wash over you, like manna from heaven (well, hey, if the preachers can promise that sort of spiritual ecstasy, I can do the same, and have an equal chance at having it be true, right? Odds are…)…. Whatever…. this is a good one, ffolkes, so, you might want to have a pen and paper handy…. for notes…

“Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man.” — Thomas Paine

“Ambition is in fact the avarice of power.” — Smart Bee

“The judge is condemned when the criminal is acquitted.’ — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 407

“To find a fault is easy; to do better may be difficult.’ — Plutarch (46 AD-120 AD)

“If any man can convince me and bring home to me that I do not think or act aright, gladly will I change; for I search after truth, by which man never yet was harmed. But he is harmed who abideth on still in his deception and ignorance.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, vi, 21

“He who knows does not speak, He who speaks does not know.’ — Lao Tzu

“…just when I had you wriggling in the crushing grip of reason, too…” — Calvin & Hobbes

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

I am unsure of exactly how I got this done; if it weren’t so much of a routine, I wouldn’t have been able to do it, I think…. I suppose I’ve done this long enough, autopilot features have evolved; I certainly didn’t install them… Regardless, it’s done, and I’m thankful, because now I can go do whatever I need to do to work my way out of this hole I’ve dug… Like the old Cowboy said, “When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is… stop diggin’…..” Makes sense to me…. Until tomorrow, ffolkes, if I’m lucky…. I won’t comment on your luck….

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.

À bientôt, mon cherí….

gigoid

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

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gigoid

Exploring Consensual Reality

Tag Archives: Plutarch

Officer, that rhinoceros is winking at me!….

Did dinosaurs dream, in color?….

The replacement toads are working fine….

Turning, he calmly walked into the door….

The myrmidons could be burlier….

Aiming at center mass…..

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