Tag Archives: politics

Some days the dragon wins …

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Ffolkes,
Another day dawns, and I’m fairly certain that I left my mind in one of my dreams last night. Disconcerting, to say the least; I’m operating on extreme autopilot mode. This could make for some very interesting Pearls, as my mind is where I keep almost all of my restraint. In this condition, I could say damn near anything, and not give a whit for how it sounds to other folks. Oh well, we’ll just have to dive in, and take our chances…….
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“Violence accomplishes nothing.”  “What a contemptible lie!  Raw, naked violence has settled more issues throughout history than any other method ever employed. Perhaps the city fathers of Carthage could debate the issue, with Hitler and Alexander as judges?”–attribution not given, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this with Robert Heinlein’s name behind it.

Our planet is rife with violence of many sorts. It’s only to be expected when a goodly number of the creatures who live on this planet use other creatures as their source of food. Those other creatures are not always amenable to that, and will put up a pretty good argument for an animal that otherwise does not fight. This can lead to some rather spirited discussions over dietary preferences……. There is, however, another effect of using force to obtain food, one that can be problematic to use at best. The use of force can be easily applied to the process of obtaining other desired objects, such as a better cave, a prettier mate, more food, etc.  Humans very quickly adapted to this system, as violence is part of our nature. (Anyone who does not agree with this is not paying enough attention, or is in deep denial)  We tend to use the threat of force a lot as we go about our business; it is one of our most universally adaptable tools, able to be applied to almost any situation as a means of achieving one’s goals.

But there is a price for the use of this tool, and it is a heavy one. Each time a person uses violent means to achieve their ends, a little bit more Grace is carved out of their karma. They devolve, instead of evolving, and become more and more unable to use any other tools they may have, more bestial in their demeanor. The more violent a person becomes, the further they remove themselves from the rest of society, eventually coming into conflict with society at large, as being a danger to others.  As with just about anything, society as a whole is much more effective at violence than any single entity can be, just because of numbers, if naught else. Breaking the habit of assuming a violent stance in response to life’s vicissitudes is extremely difficult; people don’t give up their primary behaviors without a great deal of resistance. But society has little patience with rogue citizens, and will have its way, irrespective of our wishes. This is why we have prisons, and an entire system of law to protect each citizen from suffering violence at the hands of another citizen. If we were truly moral creatures, we wouldn’t need any of that….but we are not, and violence will be an issue for society to deal with as long as human nature remains resistant to change…..
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“Pessimism is only the name that men of weak nerve give to wisdom.” — Mark Twain

I always enjoy good advice in the form of an aphorism. Short, sweet, and sharp as a scalpel, a good aphorism cuts right through any preconceptions or perceptive fog, and arrows straight to the rational corner of the mind. This one from Mr. Clemens is a perfect example of the venue, and how it pulls the mind along with it, out of the darkness of ignorance, and into the light of knowledge. I consider aphorisms, or axioms, or anecdotes, or any other word that describes this form of communication to be peerless in their usefulness, especially as a teaching tool. Hell, they’re the backbone of this entire process; if I didn’t rely on them for subject matter, I’d have to sit down and think up what to write, instead of just commenting on what others have said, and that would bear far too much resemblance to actual work…….
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If money is the root of all evil, I’ve been uprooted.

True enough, but not accurate in its original sense. The quote actually reads “The love of money is the root of all evil”, and is misquoted a lot, probably because it makes the same kind of sense the original possessed, and people, in my experience, are pretty lazy. The sad part of this in my estimation is that everyone knows this, and just about everyone totally ignores it. People still spend most of their waking hours in employing various and sundry methods to increase how much money they possess. Everybody wants more, and more, and more, and will say and do almost anything to achieve that end.

I’ve never wanted any more of it than I need to get by, and to be able to do the things I like to do, with possibly some extra to give to folks who need some. That’s all. Perhaps my lack of ambition in this respect makes me seem strange, but I’ve never understood why folks would want to burden themselves with so much stuff that they have to worry about others trying to take it away. It’s much more fulfilling to use only what one needs, and be happy with that, and then use the rest for helping others to achieve the same…..and you don’t have to worry that it will be taken away, just like it was taken from someone else. I prefer to not become a target……
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“That which leads us to the performance of duty by offering pleasure as its reward, is not virtue, but a deceptive copy and imitation of virtue.” — Cicero (B.C. 106-43)

I’m always amazed at how accurate the statement “there’s nothing new under the sun” can be. According to this little gem, mankind has been struggling with the same philosophical questions for a long time, in this case about two thousand years. And from what I can see, we’re not making a lot of progress. This concept is as true today as it was in Greece two millenia ago; mankind continues to use whatever means they have at hand to manipulate others, even if those means are degrading to all who participate. The urge to control other folks, in order to set ourselves up as being superior, has never been comprehensible to me; I believe that the impulse to do so is indicative of a sickness in the soul, and that the folks who indulge in such actions are mentally ill. And I should know; I spent close to twenty years caring for the mentally ill, and have seen the outcome of every maladaptive behavior known to science.

In my humble opinion, anyone who actively wants to be President of this country is seriously mentally ill. The job is impossible for one man to do well, what with all the roadblocks to reform and/or progress that are thrown up in their path by the opposing political party. But, as absolute power corrupts absolutely, there is always some d__head out there ready to foist their own particular madness on the rest of us. I’m looking forward to the election next year, if only because the political arena has been so frigging insane this year. Next year promises to provide even more stuff to write about every day, as one pundit after another parades their personal brand of ignorance before the unwashed masses…..
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“Honor isn’t about making the right choices.  It’s about dealing with the consequences.” — Midori Koto

This is a good point to make, as I see a lot of folks in today’s world who really don’t have any idea of what honor really means. It is rare to even find someone these days who even thinks about their honor, and even more rare to find a truly honorable person. The whole concept has fallen out of favor in general society; expediency has become more acceptable, no matter how dishonorable it may be. To my way of thinking, society has reached a point where people’s sense of entitlement has grown completely out of control. A person’s personal desires are considered sacrosanct, no matter how badly achieving those desires may affect others. It doesn’t matter that acting in such a fashion places others in danger, or demeans them, or merely inconveniences them; people don’t care, because they’ve been led to believe that what they want is what they deserve, by corporate entities who feed into this, because it plays right into their hands. It’s easy to get someone to buy something, when they believe they have the right to it. What is hard is doing so in an honorable fashion, and we all know how most folks feel about doing hard stuff…..
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It’s probably a good thing to stop here. This was threatening to grow by another thousand words, so it’s just as well I cut it off here. You probably have other stuff to do, and I know I certainly have a plate full of problematic tasks. We’d all best be getting to it…..y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Having risen, the Phoenix grabs a taxi…..

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Ffolkes,
So, I was walking down the street the other day, and I came to a point where the street began to fade away. All around me, fog began to collect, swirling and hazing the air, cloaking the trees, fences, and houses with an insubstantial veil, until they disappeared altogether. The wind had died, and all was silent as the grave. Behind me, I heard a slow, eerie, almost liquid scraping noise, as if a large slug were crawling down the sidewalk. I turned slowly, straining my eyes into the fog, trying to make out what was coming out of the mist. As I gazed, a shape began to take form, materializing before me as if created from the very air. The form slowly took shape, and then firmed, and became clear….. it had happened. Our world would never be the same, for the prophecy had been true. At last, it had come……and forever more the world would know know the grace that flows from the healing hands of the Quirky Demon of Happiness, that underworld superstar known to all and sundry as Phil, the half-brother (same father, different mother) of Alice, patroness and protector of short-order cooks and tarbenders, er, bartenders…….
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The pursuit of power is the quest for the unattainable by the unphilosophical though the tactics of the unspeakable.

“If Jesus came back today, and saw what was going on in his name, he’d never stop throwing up.” — Max Von Sydow’s character in Woody Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters

There are two taglines here, placed next to each other to form a picture in the mind. Now, I don’t know about y’all, but the political scene in this country in the last couple of months has been a delightfully chaotic circus, a veritable fountain of idiotic proclamations, deliberate (and inadvertent) expressions of absolute ignorance, and scary predictions of what would change, should any of the currently frenzied candidates make it to the Presidency. It makes it very easy to come up with stuff to write about, but as it progresses, my sense of sadness, and dismay, grow ever stronger. These people keep saying and doing things that make it perfectly clear that if they were elected, this country would be hastened down the destructive path we’ve been on at an even faster rate of deterioration than is already taking place.

Just recently we’ve been informed that one of the women candidates feels it is just fine & dandy to separate children from their parents, who happen to be illegal immigrants, who have been in this country for 25 years, doing the jobs no American will take, by forcibly  sending the parents back to Mexico, or to wherever they came from. Another one wants to get rid of my Social Security retirement benefits, so they can put more money into the pockets of the big drug companies and health management organizations. Another one thinks it is okay to raise the taxes on the poverty level and middle classes, while ensuring a large tax break for the rich. And all of them are spouting bald-faced lies on a daily basis, all documented in the media, and all ignored by the ignorant fools who support these power-hungry sycophants, who will say anything to achieve their ends, because they know that no one will call them on it.

It seems to escape the public in general, but we have created a society where our leaders lie to us continuously. Why? Because there are no consequences for lying. The lies are ignored, or at most commented upon regarding their strategic effects. It pisses me off, big time…..so I’d better go on to the next Pearl, before I start another rant…..easy to do in this atmosphere…..
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“Ignorance is never out of style.  It was in fashion yesterday, it is the rage today, and it will set the pace tomorrow.”– Franklin K. Dane

When I first decided to include this little truism, I didn’t realize that the previous Pearl would end up discussing the same subject. It would not be terribly difficult to comment again, as I see this as the single greatest factor in determining whether or not our species is going to survive. 

Probably only a few scientists know how grim the situation really is, and they keep putting that message out for public consumption to the best of their abilities. The problem is, it is the ignorant who are already in charge. The leaders of not just our country, but most of the countries in the world, are under the control of people who have no interest whatsoever in confronting the issues of climate change, global warming, air pollution, or destruction of the food chain.

They refuse to place any credence in what they’ve been told, because none of it will help them in meeting their goals of continued domination of the lower classes, and increased wealth for the privileged few. It’s not a pretty picture, but it isn’t going to change until those in society who are NOT ignorant find the courage to confront the powers that be, and force them to change their ways…..I don’t see it happening, unfortunately, but I can always hope, can’t I?……
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“There is timing in the whole life of the warrior, in his thriving and declining, in his harmony and discord. Similarly, there is timing in the Way of the merchant, in the rise and fall of capital. All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this.” — Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645)

In other literary works, I have heard this concept expressed in different ways, but the essential message is the same, to wit: Timing is Everything. Knowing when to strike, or when to block, when to move, and when to be still, are essential pieces of knowledge, critical to the smooth operation of any activity. The warrior needs a strong sense of timing, for the correct application of skill at the correct time preserves life, and protects from injury. Timing a block incorrectly can lead to pain, injury, or death. For the business person, knowing when to sell, and when to buy, can determine whether a business thrives or fails. To a chef, it is extremely important to be able to distinguish the correct timing. For example, when pan frying shellfish, it is essential to know when to remove the item from the heat. If it is cooked one second too long, it becomes rubbery, difficult to chew, and devoid of flavor. If removed too soon, the fish are also tough, and have little flavor. The window of opportunity is only open for less than a minute, so one must be alert and focused to achieve the desired result. I guess it’s just one more lesson from Mother Nature about staying awake, and paying attention to what is happening around you…..
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I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you- Nobody- Too?
Then there’s a pair of us?
Don’t tell! they’d advertise-you know!
How dreary-to be- Somebody!
How public-like a Frog-
To tell one’s name-the livelong June-
To an admiring Bog!
— Emily Dickinson

Yesterday, the 10th of December, was Emily Dickinson’s birthday. I wouldn’t have known that offhand, but it was all over the Net. One article I read was by an English professor, who has traveled all over the world to share and discuss her knowledge and insight into this amazing woman. In her travels, she has found that this poem had preceded her to a great many places. The message of the poem, and the insight into human nature, had caught the minds and imagination of anyone who read it. Even when translated, people can understand the power of what she wrote to express her own inner thoughts, feelings, and fears. They seem to identify with the poem very closely, and it becomes clear that this desire for independence, for personal conviction, the need to be Somebody, is universal to the human spirit. She was able to tap into the common thread of experience, and the commonality of the human spirit, and express it so that anyone can understand. Sheer genius, to my way of thinking……Happy Birthday, Emily!…..thanks for being…..
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Women are great! Every man should own one!!!!!

Before you go off, ranting and railing at how sexist I am, let me explain why this is here…..I found it in my tagline data base, and was struck at how incongruous it seemed next to the relatively common sense wisdom of the other entries. I am happy to say that when I saw it, I didn’t smile, even though the structure of the joke makes it hard not to, no matter what entity name is placed into the sentence. But I realized also just how sick it really is; it indicates an attitude, a set of personal rules that are anything but well-considered.

An attitude like this is usually passed on by a parent, or parents, before a man has the ability to reason; it poisons the child’s mindset before they have any defense against it, and they never feel any need to take the belief out and examine it for its relative merit. Hell, most of the folks who would live by this concept don’t think at all; they just operate on auto-pilot, letting all the stupid shit they were taught as a kid dictate how they behave.

Which brings me finally to the point. People who would laugh at this kind of humor are people to be avoided, for the most part; either that or shot. Unfortunately, shooting them creates too much confusion, and can conceivably lead to undesired outcomes. (a better way to say “might end up in a world of shit!”) Besides, shooting them gets added to YOUR Karmic burden, and you could end up in your next life as a frog……one that would not turn into a prince, no matter how many times it got kissed by a princess….
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It’s a good thing I started putting in these lines to separate each discussion; I think if they weren’t there, I would tend to just keep on going, typing away without a care in the world, blithely ignoring the frantic gestures from the rest of the world to try to get me to cease and desist. But since I did, I’ll stop here….. y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Dozer at play..

Kowabunga!

What the pug dog saw in the night..

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Ffolkes,
I generally know how the day is going to go within a few moments of arising, based on some subtle but compelling clues. If I have to reboot the computer before typing, due to long-term mathematical computation haze, then I know Murphy is somewhere about, and my plans for the next little period of time are screwed. If, when I sit down to begin, the computer is fine, but coming up with a subject line/title causes actual pain in the brain, then I know I need to drink more coffee, read a little nonsense, and loosen up the neuronic pathways prior to beginning to write. But if all goes well, and the Pearls are ready, then it becomes a pretty productive morning, and I don’t have to flog myself continuously to get through the day. So, grab your most discriminating frame of mind and follow me, the tagline vault is this way. And remember, ffolkes, any offense taken is *only* in the mind of the offended.  😉
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“Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around us in awareness.” — James Thurber (1894-1961)

Thurber, the American playwright, generally confined his talents to writing for the stage, but I’ve noted several of his quotes in my database, and they indicate that he had a pretty good head, firmly attached to his shoulders, and used it for more than just writing plays. I like this one, because it points to a flawed outlook in a lot of folk’s habits of perception, one that many people have a problem getting past to find the real truth. The flaw is not in the thought process, but rather in what we use to drive it, the motivation, so to speak. I’m speaking of how many people allow their emotions to color their thinking processes, a habit which bleeds over into the process of perception, and has a negative effect on how we perceive what we see or hear.


As humans, we all have feelings, and those feelings can be under our conscious control, or not. It really is that simple, and is a matter of choice. We can experience whatever reaction we have to our perceptions and apply an emotional tag, a value judgment, by any other name, and let the emotion determine how we will react to the perception. This is what most folks do, and is a large part of why our society is in dire straits.  The great majority of people never even consider that they can choose to feel, that they have control over their feelings, and spend their lives putting out emotional fires. A smaller portion of folks have learned how to keep their feelings leashed to their will, and don’t allow the universe to control them by dint of circumstance; they make their own choices, and live a much fuller, more aware existence than the rest of their fellows…..
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Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on,–
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear’d,
Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone.
— John Keats (1795-1821)
— Ode on a Grecian Urn

This poem by Keats may possibly be the most widely known piece of poetry in history; I know that he, and his work, are a part of just about every American school’s English curriculum, and have been for years. I don’t remember much about studying it in high school, but I do remember doing so. As I read it yesterday, when I found it in my dB, I could see why it has passed the test of time. Lyrical, rhythmic, and beautifully constructed, with a message near and dear to every libertarian alive, to wit: Be yourself!

Such simple yet elegant use of language, such a sensual flow of words, all used so deftly to point up the path to a more satisfying existence, are all good indicators of why Keats is considered one of history’s greatest poets, one by which all others are judged. In my mind, the only three people who come close to Keats’ competence are Alexander Pope, Longfellow, and Emily Dickinson. Not bad company, eh?…..
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“Termiter’s argument that God is His own grandmother generated a surprising amount of controversy among Church leaders, who on the one hand considered the argument unsupported by scripture but on the other hand were unwilling to risk offending God’s grandmother.” — Len Cool, American Pie

I would love to see this as a plot line for a movie. Can’t you just picture it? An ecumenical council of the world’s religious leaders, around a large table in a neutral site, all standing around, arguing furiously over who has the biggest imaginary friend, and whether that friend has a grandmother. I think, if nothing else, it would go viral on You Tube, even if it tanked in the theaters, and got panned by the critics.

You could have Sean Connery as the Pope, Sean Penn as a Billy Graham evangelical, and Bishop Desmond Tutu could be played by Eddie Murphy. Oh, and Robin Williams playing God, with Meryl Streep as God’s grandmother. The script possibilities are unlimited, and a million gag-writers in Hollywood and Bollywood would be panting to have their jokes chosen for the meeting room scene! There might be some static thrown out by the actual religious leadership, but they’re accustomed to being ignored, so that won’t matter. Hey, it’s got as much chance at creating peace as the stuff they’re doing now; probably even better…..
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“When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, “This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know,” the end result is tyranny and oppression no matter how holy the motives.”– Robert A Heinlein, “If this goes on”

This rather straightforward sentiment from Mr. Heinlein is one I happen to hold very dear. It makes very clear how to recognize those who would be tyrants; anyone who would try to control my perceptions, or limit my sources of information, becomes eligible for being labeled as an oppressor. I also like that it makes no bones about the motivation of the oppressors; it is clear that no excuses are valid, and no reason is good enough to allow me to make excuses for them. The motives for their oppression matter not at all to me, nor should they.

It is unfortunate, in my mind, that politicos and religious pundits are even given the opportunity to lay this kind of nonsense on me; usually a pest will go away if ignored hard enough. But the media gives all of them equal time, the fools, the would-be tyrants, the zealots, all get their exposure in the media, and are thus encouraged to continue to throw up all this crap for us to wade through. Makes me want to go out and buy two things: some high top boots, and a couple of guns…….I guess that’s four things, but hey, it’s my dime……
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Against the Word the unstilled world still whirled
About the center of the silent Word.
— T.S. Eliot

What is there to say about T.S. Eliot that hasn’t already been said? Probably one of the most well-known, and popular poets of the Twentieth Century, his work is stark, pregnant with potential, and takes the reader to places never before seen or felt. The above resembles some of the Zen koans I’ve seen that are used by practitioners as a focus of meditation.

It’s always amazing to me how much he packed into small little packages; the depths of meaning keep revealing themselves the more one thinks about the words, and what they mean, like an onion being peeled one layer at at time. Here is a poem of two lines, that speaks volumes about the human experience, about perception, about Reality. Two lines. Millions of impressions created, each unique to the one who perceives. Incredible.  Astounding. Ya just gotta love it……
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If not fully pleased, I am content. This one came out pretty well, from my vantage point, which bodes well for the rest of the day. We can only hope….. y’all take care out there….

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

A particular quality of light….

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Ffolkes,
I’m feeling a bit curmudgeonly this morning; I’m down to instant coffee until I can get to a store, and having to drink this nasty stuff has me close to biting myself in irritation. Fortunately, one of my friends is coming by, and will be bringing coffee with him. One of the advantages of advanced years is the improvement in forethought skills; we knew he was coming over today, and arranged to have him pick some up on the way. Too bad it doesn’t improve the flavor of this instant crap…….
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Deal with others as thou wouldst thyself be dealt by. Do nothing to thy neighbor which thou wouldst not have him do to thee hereafter. —  _The Mahabharata_, c. 800 B. C. (Sounds suspiciously like the Golden Rule to me)

“To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.” — Sun Tzu (fl. c. BC 500)

As the same fire assumes different shapes when it consumes objects differing in shape, so does the one Self take the shape of every creature in whom he is present. — Upanishads (c. B.C. 800) (Metaphysical logic, as sound as it gets….)

“Nothing endures but change.” — Heraclitus (540?-480? B.C.) (Obviously, Heraclitus was no stranger to Reality….)

All of the above statements were recorded (on paper or other form of tablet; t’was all they had then) prior to the birth of Christ, the seminal date upon which our calendar is based. It is fascinating to me to read these, which were all written about 2500-3000 years ago, and to reflect on how little apparent progress has been made in advancing human thought and behavior. The above remnants of the culture of the time clearly indicates an ability to reason that surpasses, or at minimum, equals the best of today’s philosophers. As an example of just how far we have come, or not come, to be more accurate, here is an example of how one of the most revered leaders in recent history, a man known as the Great Communicator, felt about ecological issues in general…..

“A tree is a tree.  How many more do you need to look at?” — Ronald W. Reagan, 1966

Kind of scary, isn’t it?………
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“Do not settle for less than the best your own excellence can command.” — Anne McCaffrey

I identify closely with this; it parallels Axiom #4 of my own philosophy, Peruaosophy, which reads “Excellence is its own reward.” This has been one of the guiding principles of my life, though I do occasionally encounter some resistance from the outside world in trying to achieve it. For some reason, it seems to make other folks feel nervous and threatened, and sometimes even antagonistic. I don’t worry too much over that; I figure its their problem, not mine, and paying too much attention to what other folks think or feel about what I do just encourages them to think its okay, when it is not. Its merely a distraction, and unfortunately, a potentially hazardous one, should my detractors turn from the relative confusion of a simple lack of understanding, to the dangerous rage of ignorant fear and loathing. But one of the more important skills that is learned by the process of seeking excellence is the ability to see a broader perspective, and plan for unexpected dangers during the process of sharing one’s excellence with the world. Forethought is a good thing…..(oooo, deja vu all over again….)
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JABBERWOCKY

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And thou hast slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
— Lewis Carroll, “Through the Looking-Glass”

No comments here, I just like this a lot; reading it makes me happy…….it can work for you, too, if you like!…….
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Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer,
And without sneering teach the rest to sneer;
Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike,
Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike.
— Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
— Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot, Prologue to the Satires, Line 201

For some reason, probably buried somewhere deep in my unconscious mind, when I read this I was struck by a mental image of the last couple of Republican debates, which I must admit have provided us all with a wonderfully comic sideshow, complete with outrageous statements, vicious lying and in-fighting amongst the candidates, curiously obscure positions, and dubious economics. It’s been great, and provides tons of material to write about. But it also gets too easy to forget the seriousness that lurks behind the silly false fronts that they all throw up to keep people from knowing their true agendas; each of those people is serious about their desire to assume the mantle of power in this country, and each of them would be a greater disaster than the others. Take your pick; if any of them come even close to getting into office, I’ll be heading for the farthest place I can find to duck and cover…….any one of them would accelerate the already out of control rush toward extinction, and would create messes that may never be cleaned up…..
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He who allows his day to pass by without practicing generosity and enjoying life’s pleasures is like a blacksmith’s bellows – he breathes but does not live. — Sanskrit Proverb

I hereby pronounce this to be good. We hear the same message a lot of different ways, so it is good to see a new way of expressing such an essential point, one that fully embraces the meaning of, and behind, the words used. So much so, that it really doesn’t need any embellishment from me, so I will merely say……engage, examine, evaluate, and effect a change in your life. You’ll like it….trust me……
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Well it took a bit of effort, but it all came out well, I think. It’s certainly good enough for a retired dilettante, and I should know….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Grep that snazzy peripheral!

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Ffolkes,
Softly, softly the lashes fall
Gently against her fair cheek
Happy dreams come to enthrall
and Morpheus’ chamber to seek.

Now you know why I don’t write poetry. I can make it rhyme, and the cadence isn’t bad. But it just isn’t very good stuff, is it? S’okay, I’m good with it. There are a great many things that I do well, so not being able to compose poetry very well isn’t the end of the world. But I sure wish I could……sigh…..
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“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” — Aristotle

In the past few weeks, I’ve made a few forays into discussing religion, and have probably upset some of my more devout readers. I will apologize if I have offended; however, I do not apologize for my opinions, such as they are. Religions have done a lot of good work throughout history, having always taken the side of the poor, and provided them with succor. But they have, in their own way, impeded the progress of mankind equally as much as they have done good deeds.


My primary argument with most of them is due to the sense of entitlement they give their followers, that sense of being different, and somehow better, than the rest of the universe. All of the Christian sects, and the Muslims, and for that matter, Hindus as well, tell their devotees that they are the “Children of God”, that we are the princes of creation, and have dominion over the rest of this planet’s inhabitants. This sense of entitlement is entirely false, and mankind is never going to grow up and look at the universe as an adult until they can throw that false belief aside, and assume a place alongside other life-forms, instead of over them.

     Our intelligence was not given to us for OUR benefit only. I believe that we are to use it to understand more of the universe, and learn how to improve the quality of life for all creatures, not just ourselves. I think, if there is a God, an attitude of benevolence and generosity toward other life forms would be more along the lines of what he would like to see, rather than an attitude of belligerent, prideful entitlement that is completely unjustified…..
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How happy is he born or taught,
That serveth not another’s will;
Whose armour is his honest thought,
And simple truth his utmost skill!
— Sir Henry Wotton (1568-1639)
— The Character of a Happy Life

There, now, see the difference? Here are four lines, just like mine above. The rhyme and scansion are the same, but this one is just so much better! The technique completely eludes my grasp of understanding; I feel foolish and humbled yet again, by the power of the poet’s quill…..the message here isn’t too shabby either. Independence, strength, integrity, honesty, all the best qualities of a man are praised here, and in a manner that makes it attractive to hear, to see, and to contemplate. Boy, I’d almost be willing to deal with the Devil to be able to do that; fortunately, I don’t think even he wants my soul. It’s been out in the real world too long, and isn’t very shiny anymore…..
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“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality. A chastity or honesty or mercy which yields to danger will be chaste or honest or merciful only on conditions. Pilate was merciful until it became risky.” — C.S. Lewis  _The Screwtape Letters_

Although it seems obvious once defined, this concept is a subtle one, and one that most people will never even stop to consider. Analyzing one’s own actions is an activity that most folks just don’t care to pursue, and analyzing the motivation for those actions is even more foreign to their mindset. Most folks just go through life reacting to whatever happens in their vicinity, using their ingrained belief system to formulate a response that is designed to be beneficial to themselves, without ever taking into consideration any of the considerations or needs that other folks might have, that might have a bearing on their own lives. And so each man trudges on through the halls of reality, oblivious to reason, experiencing a series of stimuli, offering in return actions that are generated completely from a stock of pre-prepared responses to any situation, without ever understanding why they act as they do.

     This predominant pattern of behavior among humans is a large part of why things are going to hell in a hurry. People have no idea of why they act as they do, and thus have no real control over it; they have no chance to apply any of the above mentioned virtuous actions, because they do not know that they can. Courage never comes into play, because they are reacting, not acting, and the presence or absence of virtue dooms the action to mere appeasement, rather than productive progress. The saddest part is that 99.9% of the people alive on this planet are in the group of folks who act without thought, and will spin their wheels in the same place for all time……I believe this would be an appropriate epitaph for Mankind: I prefer to stay where I am, thank you……..

“For the wise men of old, the cardinal problem had been how to conform the soul to reality. And the solution has been knowledge, self- discipline, and virtue. But for the contemporary mindset the problem is how to subdue reality to the wishes of man.” — C.S. Lewis  “The Abolition of Man”
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Limericks are art forms complex,
Their topics run chiefly to sex.
They usually have virgins,
And masculine urgin’s,
And other erotic effects.

Punning is to prose as limericks are to poetry. I love them both; does that make me strange? Or merely stranger? I also like Haiku, which is the one form of poetry at which I can claim a small expertise, having created some decent ones in my time (I AM 61 years old, so using the infinite monkeys w/typewriters = Shakespeare assumption, not too surprising). Perhaps Haiku would be in the de-literalized zone between a pun and a limerick; they are capable of great beauty, but lend themselves well to the silly, too.


Some time back, a local radio station announcer challenged his listeners to complete a certain literary query, which was: If you described your whole life in six words, which words would they be? Of course, there were some witty, some profound, and some downright silly answers, but I like the one that I came up with for myself (as did the announcer, as he gave it on air). My life could be described this way….. Looked for love, found it everywhere….. Pretty nifty, eh? I suppose it leaves a lot out, considering the amount of drama I’ve been unfortunate enough to encounter over the course of my years. But it gives the primary thrust, because all I’ve ever wanted was to love, and to be loved; everything else is just what I do to stay busy when I am not so fortunate as to be involved in a committed relationship. My kids, the product of my marriage of 23 years, are my proudest accomplishment; they are both honest, forthright, and caring, compassionate human beings. They have their share of drama as well, but are living their lives well, if not always comfortably. In the final analysis, I am content with my how my life has progressed, and its not over by a long shot, so that’s something, eh?…….
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“I believe that it is better to tell the truth than a lie. I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant.” — H. L. Mencken

I believe the same as Mr. Mencken does, which makes, to my count, about eight of us now. It’s a start. Now all we have to do is get just one of the newest crop of potential world leaders to adopt this as their code of ethics, and their motivation for change. I know, I know, pipe dream, but a nice one, don’t you think?

“It’s easy to tell when a politician is lying. Watch his lips.  If they move, he’s lying.” — Charles Lyall

I also know that you’ve heard this one before, and not applied just to politicians. They just happen to be the most egregious examples. I’ve only included it here because it’s the best expression of one my reasons for the ongoing argument I’m trying to provoke with our beloved ruling class. This statement doesn’t require any more proof; it is thoroughly documented in every major news outlet around the world every day.

     The media’s coverage of the political arena in the last few days has been truly and amazingly oblivious to its own shortfalls. One series of articles was focused on discussing how much a current presidential candidate had been unchallenged for an obvious lie in an advertisement, editing a sound bite from the President to change its context. The media let the whole issue slide with merely a discussion that it was doing so, without ever going back to make an issue of it with the candidate. It was, and remains, an act of unaccountable cowardice on the part of the media, and I am ever more reluctant to confer on them any trust that what they report is either meaningful or accurate. A self-serving act of lying by omission, and it goes unnoticed by the public at large. 235 years ago, there were men living in this country who would have fought to eradicate any ties with such a society as quickly and as forcefully as they did with the English society of the  time……

“And it came to pass that in the hands of the ignorant, the words of the bible were used to beat plowshares into swords…” — Alan Watts

Alan has nailed it again. This is what we are now witnessing in our culture today. The religious fundamentalist sector of the Christian milieu is working very hard to force the rest of society to abide by their narrow set of principles, and crying foul at any disagreement. Far too many of the current political crop of wannabes are committed to the concept of ‘Dominion’ (see the Huffington Post from yesterday to see the comments made in that respect by an aide to one of the candidates), which would set the code of white Judeo-Christian values as the standard of law. They are serious, folks, and their ignorance is spreading.

    I would advise everyone I know to stay alert to the news, because the day may come in the very near future when it will be time to jump quickly to avoid becoming a slave…….I only wish I were being humorous, but I don’t see much hope of avoiding major catastrophe of some sort in the next decade or two, as the minions of darkness and fear will set themselves against the seekers of the light and knowledge, with liberty as the spoils of the conflict……have a care!
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Well, I can’t think of anything I could write that would depress myself any more, so I’ll stop here, and hope I haven’t driven everyone away with my oppressive subject matter. I didn’t intend to get so deeply into the darkness, but I’m pretty afraid these days. Afraid that the darkness is winning, and I want to do all I can to keep dragging their secrets out into the light of day where they can be opposed more effectively. The powers that be may turn us all into automatons, but I’ll be damned if I will make it easy for them….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Naturally inappropriate responses…..

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Ffolkes,
Today’s format got a bit muddled in the process of pearl diving. I found a group of political quotes that all point to the same spot on the news compass, and thus added some extra material to the first topic of dissection, er, discussion…..hope it isn’t too much for the literary equivalent of a bowl of oatmeal…..consider it as extra brown sugar and cinnamon……
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“I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the rights of the people by the gradual & silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” — James Madison, Virginia Conv. 1788

“The greatest right in the world is the right to be wrong.  If the Government or magistrates think an individual is right, no one will interfere with him; but when agitators talk against the things considered holy, or when radicals criticize, or satirize political gods, or question the justice of our laws and institutions, or pacifists talk against war, how the old inquisition awakens, and ostracism, the excommunication of the church, the prison, the wheel, the torture-chamber, the mob, are called upon to suppress the free expression of thought.” — Harry Weinberger, letter to the editor, — New York Evening Post, April 10, 1917

“They (who) seek to establish systems of government based on the regimentation of all human beings by a handful of individual rulers… call this a new order. It is not new and it is not order.” — Franklin Delano Roosevelt (circa 1935)

“Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they’ve told you what it is you want to hear.” — Alan Coren (circa 1990)

“The treacherous are ever distrustful.” — Gandalf (The Second Age)

You will please note first that the dates of these statements are in chronological order (except of course, Gandalf’s). I put them that way to demonstrate my point, which is this: the idiots who are theoretically in charge of society as its chosen leaders are NOT good people, and this sentiment serves to demonstrate that this problem is not unique to our time. They DO NOT CARE about the little man on the street, nor have they ever done so. They DO NOT make decisions with the benefit of society in mind, and never have. They DO NOT care a whit that their actions are demonstrably responsible for the mess we are in ecologically, and the only future they care about at all is their own.

As an American citizen, I am appalled at how easily the public is manipulated, and angry about the encroachment of personal liberty for the sake of increased security, a pipe dream at best. Personally, I think it is time for the Second American Revolution…..seriously….I’ll leave this subject there, and close with this, from Carl Sagan, “In science it often happens that scientists say, ‘You know, that’s a really good argument; my positions is mistaken,’ and then they actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. It happens every day, but I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.”  For sure and for certain……
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“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.” — Mark Twain

Dogs, cats, rats, pigs, horses, cows, chickens, and even geese can all lay claim to a higher level of ethics than can your average homo sapiens. You never hear about a pig robbing a bank, or geese running a Ponzi scam; even dogs and cats, who live in such close proximity to us, are not made to act unethically by that association. They have what most people have lost, and that is integrity. Within the constraints of their intelligence and physical characteristics, their actions are always true to their nature, cause no conflict in the universe, and in turn, attract no negative karma. People, on the other hand, are at best a 50/50 proposition as to whether the decision to act will come from an ethically defensible position. I think that’s why I am more comfortable around animals than most people; they don’t have any hidden agendas……
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“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.” — Thomas Paine

To me, this is the highest ethical position that a man can assume. This attitude is what drove Mr. Paine, and the other men and women who founded this nation, to acts of bravery and courage in the fight for liberty. This attitude is one expression of the most valuable part of the human spirit, the part that acts selflessly in the face of danger to fellow men, the part that makes us truly human, to my mind. It is the part of us that won’t give in to oppression; that part that yearns for freedom of expression. It is the part of us from which poetry, and the finest prose flow, to spread the word that freedom will never stand down in the face of danger, and that this freedom is the given right of every person alive. Mr. Paine’s expression of love for his child expresses the finest strengths of the human spirit, and should inspire all who read it to remember what price must be paid for personal liberty……
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“Please don’t dominate the rap, Jack, if you got nothing new to say.” — Robert Hunter

An easy sentiment to get behind, and typical of Grateful Dead musical philosophy. Music, with strong lyrics, can be a powerful force in shaping the attitudes of society, and a lot of very powerful songs were put out in the 60’s and 70’s in support of the political changes that were sweeping the nation at that time. The full effects of music on society can never be accurately measured, but it is known to be an influential tool for spreading a particular message to a large audience. So this statement becomes more of a paradigm indicator, to encourage new thoughts and new ways of solving problems. If you get a chance, listen to the rest of the song; its pretty powerful stuff, if you know how to hear it…..
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God has always been hard on the poor.

To avoid a lot of critical emails, let me just say in regards the above; funny how that works out, isn’t it? Makes a man get to thinking, about how God seems to take on the characteristics of the persons who are invoking His support, and how He always seems to be against whatever it is his worshipers are afraid of. Just an observation…..Hmmmm, I think I just heresied on several important religions.

“I don’t know if God exists, but it would be better for His reputation if He didn’t.” — Jules Renard
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Today’s post has grown beyond all hope of regaining control, so I’m going to add one more quote, just because it fits in with most of what we discussed today. It’s another fine piece of satire from the Devil’s Dictionary, courtesy of Ambrose Bierce…..

RIGHT, n.  Legitimate authority to be, to do or to have; as the right to be a king, the right to do one’s neighbor, the right to have measles, and the like.  The first of these rights was once universally believed to be derived directly from the will of God; and this is still sometimes affirmed _in partibus infidelium_ outside the enlightened realms of Democracy; as the well known lines of Sir Abednego Bink, following:

By what right, then, do royal rulers rule?
Whose is the sanction of their state and pow’r?
He surely were as stubborn as a mule
Who, God unwilling, could maintain an hour
His uninvited session on the throne, or air
His pride securely in the Presidential chair.

Whatever is is so by Right Divine;
Whate’er occurs, God wills it so.  Good land!
It were a wondrous thing if His design
A fool could baffle or a rogue withstand!
If so, then God, I say (intending no offence)
Is guilty of contributory negligence.
— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

Enough already!….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Splurging on essential items….

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Ffolkes,
It is humbling to realize when one’s own actions have been deleterious to the point of injury. My wrist is killing me, throbbing, aching, and screaming at me in pain whenever I use it; fortunately typing doesn’t require much wrist action. But meanwhile, I have to stop using the computer mouse, because that is what caused the pain in the first place. Repeated long periods of being held in the same unnatural position, with periodic finger movements to add fillip to the eventual price point of the pain. Do that for oh, 10 or 15000 minutes, and the tendons and cartilage in the wrist start to swell and create problems with circulation, and they hurt. Dumb, dumb, dumb…..well, regardless of the pain, I’ve gotta write, so we’ll just have at it….
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Mr. Piantieri: “There are many things in life which are important. The point of life is to find these things, and make them a part of you. This can only happen through an active search. You have to look, you have to search. The problem is, everybody is looking for different things. The things I seek may seem trivial to you, and beyond comprehension to you. It all comes down to one question: What are you looking for?”
John: “The bathroom.”
— John Sintilas answering Mr. Anthony Piantieri’s meaning of life speech.

A perfect little parable about Occam’s Razor, the principle of logic that, simply stated, says, “The best solution is usually the simplest”. This one even gives an audiovisual cue. Just listen to, and then look at the above sentences. It is clear that the initial lines, by the questioner, are overblown, with way too many unnecessary words for the ideas leading up to the question; it is far more complex than it needed to be. Yet the answer is just two words, a fitting simplicity to show the advantages of less over more, a principle that the world needs to apply almost everywhere…..
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Bob has listed “Reality” as a PREVIOUS address!!

I LOVE this! I can picture myself writing that on my next application, or form to fill out that calls for previous addresses. It will probably cause whoever reads it to transfer it directly to circular file 13, but I’d give almost anything to see the expression on their face as they do. Talk about literal-minded! This is so literal it blurs the edges of reality….which, I’m sure, is its entire intent…..gotta get folks’ brains to fire up over something! Even if it’s only nonsense, if it causes the old neural pathways to bear more traffic, I’m all for it…..
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“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” — Abraham Lincoln

This is one of Abe’s most lucid insights, and one that only a man of integrity would be able to see. In today’s society, political power has become a near-monopoly by men, and women, who fail this test. It has become the habit of the American public to elect only those men who will say and do anything to get into office; lying, cheating, ridiculing, childish playground tactics have been established as the standard by which they are chosen, and the results have been, and can only have been, as expected, that is to say, horrendous. We are, as a society, on the brink of the abyss, and most of our beloved ruling class wants us to believe it isn’t so. And if we end up going the way of the Dodo bird and the mastodon, we won’t be able to lay the blame anywhere but on our own shoulders…..
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“A man’s ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary.  Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.” — Albert Einstein

Regular readers will note that this is very similar to a quote I put in yesterday, also by Albert Einstein. As a matter of fact, I have no idea which version is the more accurate portrayal of what he said, though I tend to believe it was this one. It just sounds more like him than the other. Oh well, it doesn’t really matter I suppose, especially not to Albert. So we’ll just chalk it up to one more little lesson, about checking attribution, and take it from there. What he said, and what I said yesterday about it, remains valid…..
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“Blessed is he who has learned to laugh at himself, for he shall never cease to be entertained.” — John Powell

I must say, this one is too true to be blue….I’ve noticed there are still a lot of folks out there who take themselves, and Life, way too seriously. If there is a God, He must be a comedian, or otherwise nothing here on this plane of existence makes any sense at all. I think if I couldn’t laugh at myself, I would most likely have committed suicide by now. But I can, and that is truly a blessing. In a world filled with pain, sorrow, and the presence of evil, it gives me the finest kind of self-defense……
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I see that I have neglected to use any poetry today…..just couldn’t find the right piece. Ah well, tomorrow is another day……y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Fading signs of superficial interest

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Ffolkes,
Though I arise to meet the day with polite interest, it does not always return the favor. Makes me want to start the day with a rant, so have a care this morning; these Pearls may be a bit surly……
“What happens if a big asteroid hits Earth? Judging from realistic simulations involving a sledge hammer and a common laboratory frog, we can assume it will be pretty bad.” — Dave Barry

Global warming, along with dissolution of the ozone layer, has caused a dramatic increase in serious weather extremes all over the world, and the evidence that these events are being caused by pollution that mankind has created is overwhelming. There is no doubt whatsoever in the minds of 99.9% of the world’s leading scientists that this is the case; the only naysayers have direct ties to religious organizations, who care not about the evidence. And unfortunately, there are still politicians out there who are so tightly tied to the money they receive from big oil companies, car manufacturers, and industrialists, as well as being influenced by their religious fundamentalism, that they profess their doubts that the evidence is correct, or label it as unproven theory. They are so intent on hiding their heads in the sand, in order to continue lining their pockets, they will say anything to delay the imposition of any restrictions on their right to pollute. They have no thought for the future, beyond how they can turn it to their purposes. The concept of giving up their profit is so foreign to them, they cannot even put it aside to confront their own impending demise, preferring the ostrich’s patented method to altruism, or even realism. I can see much conflict in the coming years, as the folks who want to keep on living begin to fight it out with those who would merrily send us all to hell…….

“It’s the RINSE CYCLE!!  They’ve ALL IGNORED the RINSE CYCLE!!” — Zippy the Pinhead
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Poets go from bad to verse.

And punsters should all go straight to jail, without passing Go, and without collecting $200. Sorry, couldn’t help it……next time I put one this sad out there, feel free to throw rotten fruit……

[Clear the throat]
Oh freddled gruntbuggly
Thy micturations are to me
As plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee

Groop I implore thee
my foonting turlingdromes
And hooptiously drangle me
with crinkly thy blindlewurdles,

Or I will rend thee In the gobberwarts
With my blurglecruncheon, see if I don’t! — The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

I rest my case…..
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“If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.” — Albert Einstein

If Albert were still with us, I’m afraid he would be shaking his head in wonder and disappointment at the sorry state to which mankind has brought itself. Like petty children, the powers that be in the world continue to run around chasing after the almighty dollar, completely ignoring how their actions are killing us all. They don’t care, about other people, or even themselves; it isn’t possible for any creature to act so much against their own interests unless they are in a state of complete denial regarding any input they receive that is not to their benefit. If it won’t sell, they won’t buy it, and the rest of us will pay the price. How much more are you willing to put up with? As for myself, I am done with their intransigence in the face of reality, and will be spending all my not inconsiderable talents to poking fun at their idiotic pronouncements, and calling them out for their perpetual lies…..
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“When an old person dies, a library is lost.” — Tommy Swann

My mom’s library closed about a month ago. Using that language to say it will hopefully keep me from breaking down as I type, as it is slightly less pointed than other expressions might be. But it’s hard to accept that I can’t call her any more when I forget a relative’s birthday, or to ask which of her great-great grandkids was the latest addition to the tribe. She passed away not too long after her 90th birthday this year, and the pain not only hasn’t passed, but comes up to grab me at odd times; it’s hard on the equilibrium to say the least. But I like this quote, because it is a reminder that we should value the lives and experiences of our elders; they have a lot of untapped knowledge and experience that anyone younger cannot possibly know of. It should always be treasured, for you never know when they will be gone……
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Happy who in his verse can gently steer
From grave to light, from pleasant to severe.
— Nicholas Boileau-Despreaux (1636-1711)
— The Art of Poetry, Canto i, Line 75

This is the goal. This is what I’m shooting for every time I sit down to write. I want to write so well that the reader forgets he/she is reading; the words become reality. With the proper care, and enough heart, what I write should bring the reader into my world, to feel what I feel; I want them to hurt as much as I, and to experience even more joy.

Having tried my hand at poetry many times in the past, I tend to stick to prose. It may not be much better, but it is much more suited to my writing skills. Fortunately, I find that there is no shortage of poets to be found on the internet, many of whom really impress me with their work. I can always sublimate my urge to create poetry into enjoyment of consuming it; it always lends some inspirational tones to what I may compose myself. That can only be a good thing……
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Some mornings I just want to keep going, and going, and…..and could easily spend half the day right here, finding and commenting on brilliant little snippets of literature. And since I have no other pressing commitments, I could conceivably do so. But then I’d have too many episodes finished ahead of time, and these morning gurgitations (they ARE original, for the most part, thus not re-gu….etc) would lose some of their freshness. It might also lead to increased proofing, the bane of all writers, so we’ll just call it a day, and go out into the Big Blue Room for awhile….y’all take care out there…..
—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid
Dozer

Kowabunga!

Beleaguered by faceless minions….

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Ffolkes,
Morning brings such sweet sorrow……oh, wait. Sorry, just a little pre-coffee dsylexia….let us begin the dance….

ASS, n.  A public singer with a good voice but no ear.  In Virginia City, Nevada, he is called the Washoe Canary, in Dakota, the Senator, and everywhere the Donkey.  The animal is widely and variously celebrated in the literature, art and religion of every age and country; no other so engages and fires the human imagination as this noble vertebrate.  Indeed, it is doubted by some (Ramasilus, _lib. II., De Clem._, and C. Stantatus, _De Temperamente_) if it is not a god; and as such we know it was worshiped by the Etruscans, and, if we may believe Macrobious, by the Cupasians also.  Of the only two animals admitted into the Mahometan Paradise along with the souls of men, the ass that carried Balaam is one, the dog of the Seven Sleepers the other.  This is no small distinction.  From what has been written about this beast might be compiled a library of great splendor and magnitude, rivaling that of the Shakespearean cult, and that which clusters about the Bible.  It may be said, generally, that all literature is more or less Asinine.

“Hail, holy Ass!” the squiring angels sing;
“Priest of Unreason, and of Discords King!”
Great co-Creator, let Thy glory shine:
God made all else, the Mule, the Mule is thine!”
G.J.
— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

A few days ago, I came across an article reviewing this book, The Devil’s Dictionary, which is being reprinted and released for consumption. When I started creating these Pearls, over ten years ago, I would occasionally come across one of the definitions from the book, in some pretty odd places. But the quotes were always witty, fun, and beautifully satiric in the way they poked fun at society and mankind. I had no idea at first that it was first published in the mid-1800’s, because most of what I had seen was excruciatingly accurate in its critical observations on government and politics, as well as less prominent subjects as the Ass. Combining wit, poetry, and wonderfully tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, it remains as valid today as the day it was first released. I don’t use too many of the definitions I find, as they usually are of the sort that would outshine whatever I could write about them, so I usually save them for occasions such as this, when the quotes can stand alone, or provide a clear subject for my dissection. I’m going to go buy me a copy of the book myself once it hits the bookstores; it will be a valuable, and well-thumbed, addition to my library…..
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What Congress means by ethics is best explained by the tailor’s story: “Suppose I sell a suit to a young man for $200.  He tells me that his family is footing the bill and that if I give him a receipt for $400 to give to his parents, he will pay me $100 on the side. The question of ethics is: Do I keep the extra $100 myself, or do I tell my partner and split it with him?”

Even though there was no attribution with this, I had to include it, just because there is very little to add. As a parable it is priceless, producing just the right amount of derisive snicker. As a metaphor, it is even more perfect, as all that is needed to make it congruent with reality is to add about 5 or 6 zeros after the digits, and it would easily be taken as a factual statement as it applies to our current crop of Congressati. 

It continues to amaze, and depress me how willingly the public buys into the nonsensical garbage these politicians throw out there into the public arena. There are new stories every day that give proof of how much our beloved ruling class is stealing from us, but the public continues to ignore every instance of a new lie, and keeps falling for the same old lies. It isn’t necessary for me to list here just how many of our public officials are engaged in this constant pilfering; you can open up any newspaper for that. And it is doubtful that my cries for help will be acknowledged, just as if I were a tree falling in an unoccupied forest…….but just because nobody hears, doesn’t make it any less true…..
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EXCESS, n.  In morals, an indulgence that enforces by appropriate penalties the law of moderation.

Hail, high Excess — especially in wine,
To thee in worship do I bend the knee
Who preach abstemiousness unto me —
My skull thy pulpit, as my paunch thy shrine.
Precept on precept, aye, and line on line,
Could ne’er persuade so sweetly to agree
With reason as thy touch, exact and free,
Upon my forehead and along my spine.
At thy command eschewing pleasure’s cup,
With the hot grape I warm no more my wit;
When on thy stool of penitence I sit
I’m quite converted, for I can’t get up.
Ungrateful he who afterward would falter
To make new sacrifices at thine altar!

— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

It has been said that an important key to living well is to practice moderation in all things. There is a lot of evidence to support this notion, and the infamous SAGOPM (Self-appointed guardians of public morality) would have us believe that it is sinful to behave otherwise. But what these notorious busybodies forget in their zealous efforts to make everyone believe as they do, is that the concept also implies that even moderation should be practiced moderately.

There is a lot to be said in favor of every once in a while letting it all go, and spending some time at the outer limits of human experience, rather than always pulling back from the edge. There is a lot to be learned from pushing the envelope, and none of it can be learned by habitually avoiding the possibility of danger, or even just the possibility of embarrassment. It’s kind of like learning how to hit a curve ball from a major league pitcher; it can’t be done if you never step up to the plate. Sometimes, to learn the important stuff, you gotta let it all hang out……
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Art is long, and time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still like muffled drums are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
— Henry W. Longfellow (1807-1882)
— A Psalm of Life

Somewhat broody, with a heavy air, beautifully spare. This is my favorite type of poem, even though I believe it is merely one scansion from a larger piece. The structure of the lines and the consistency of the rhymes lends itself well to the progression of ideas being presented. Though I can’t completely agree with some of the intended point it espouses, I can also find no fault in the manner of expression. I am reminded by this of the reason I don’t spend a lot of time reading Woodie, i.e., too sober for my taste. Great, brilliant poetry, but often rather saddening, or otherwise depressive. I admire the technique a lot, even though the ideas are not what I would prefer…….just goes to show, one can learn from anything; even a negative is an answer of sorts…….
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That is probably enough for one day. I wouldn’t want to go overboard this early, water’s too cold…..Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Those bashful dancers are moulting!

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Ffolkes,
Manifold destiny is an oxymoron, and fate is just a bad joke. No sense in fightin’ ’bout it, or it’ll all go up in smoke…..

Full wise is he that can himselven knowe.
— Geoffrey Chaucer (1328-1400)
— The Monkes Tale, Line 1449

As my brain struggled to translate this passage from Chaucer’s tales, written in Middle English, I first had the impression that it meant that a wise man knew enough to be an elf-friend, that the elves respected his wisdom. Then, of course, the true meaning broke through, and though it is less entertaining a thought than having the privilege of consorting with elves, it remains quite wise, and a worthy goal…..
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“It is well to observe the force and virtue and consequence of discoveries, and these are to be seen nowhere more conspicuously than in those three which were unknown to the ancients, and of which the origin, though recent, is obscure and inglorious; namely, printing, gunpowder and the magnet [i.e. Mariner’s Needle].  For these three have changed the whole face and state of things throughout the world.”
— Francis Bacon

Sir Francis, by all available evidence, was a pretty smart guy, and this statement attributed to him clearly demonstrates that. To recognize the potential in those three discoveries, knowledge that only recently became part of mankind’s toolkit for survival, gives one the range of his intellect. I’m not sure if we have anyone in this century whose accomplishments rival those of Bacon, but if we did, I believe they would agree that computer technology could be added to the list (and take gunpowder off, if you please. Thank you….). It seems obvious to me that computers have increased the potential for further progress at unraveling the secrets of the universe by a factor of “billions and billions”. The concept of nano-technology, which has grown out of computer research, promises to astound us with each passing month, let alone year. Whether our increased ability to process information will help us before we foul our nest so much it kills us remains to be seen. It’s will be a close race, I’m betting…..but I’m not betting much…..just my life…..
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Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. — The Constitution of the United States of America Amendment 1, 1791

Watching the news of late has been depressing. When I came across this redux of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, I was struck by the fact that of the five listed freedoms, four of them, wait, no, make that all five of them have been abridged in our time, and can no longer be counted upon to protect us from the machinations of government myrmidons. Speech and Press: lots of stuff one can’t say these days, especially if the word ‘terror’ is used. People are getting arrested for making jokes before getting on an airplane; fact. And custom reins in the Press more powerfully than it does itself. Religion, and the free practice of? Hmmm, as long as it’s a Christian religion; otherwise be prepared to be reviled and discriminated against. The right of peaceful assembly? Just check the news on the latest Occupy Blank protest that got kicked to the curb, with people being beaten for observing their “right”. Redress of grievances? Give me a break…..get real folks, our rights are being taken away one by one, and nobody is paying any attention, because they’re so focused on being able to live indoors and eat regularly, and all they hear from the beloved ruling class is a litany of things they should be afraid of…..I’m getting pretty disgusted…..feel like chucking up a hairball…..
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“If rejection destroys your self-esteem, you’re letting others hold you as an emotional hostage.” — Brian Tracy

This is included merely because it is true, and is something everyone needs to be reminded of occasionally, as we all tend to fall into this particular emotional trap. Just ignore the bait, folks, it only looks like cheese…..
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“Have a strong mind and a soft heart.” — Anthony J. D’Angelo, The College Blue Book

Just more good advice here…..compassion is a hard one for those folks who confuse ruthlessness with strength of mind. T’is easy to show disdain, and tastes bad, as well. It is much harder to be compassionate, and tastes better…..

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But in vayne shee did conjure him
To depart her presence soe;
Having a thousand tongues to allure him,
And but one to bid him goe.
— Thomas Percy (1728-1811)
— Dulcina

I had planned to use this poem, or piece of one, to begin a discussion on the differences between the sexes. However, in secondary rumination I realized that this would be an invitation for controversy, and is the type of discussion sure to create enmity. I have no wish to further muddy the waters between the sexes, goodness, no. I catch enough crap as it is, without having to deal with accusations of misogyny, or be accused of spewing out macho bullshit. I happen to believe that men will never be free unless women are free as well. But we do think differently, and that is an indisputable fact. The key to good relations between men and women begins in respecting and embracing those differences, and realizing that our gender based characteristics are designed to complement the other’s, making our combined efforts much more powerful than any possible solitary attempt. Learn to enjoy the differences, life is much smoother that way…..

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Five miles meandering with lazy motion,
Through dale the sacred river ran,
Then reached the caverns measureless to man,
And sank the tumult to a lifeless ocean:
And ‘mid this tumult Kubla heard from far
Ancestral voices prophesying war!
— Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Kubla Kahn

No great profundity here folks. I just like the poem; it has such an interesting rhyming cadence, very mathematic. 1, 2, 2, 1, 3, 3.
A thing of beauty, what? Reading it is akin to letting a cool waterfall pummel you as you float in a pastoral utopia, or listening to the laugh of a baby. We all need little pieces of joy like this to liven up the day; they’re out there, but you have to be open to seeing them, as they usually pass by quickly, gone forever……
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Okay, no more torture for today. Actually, I hope it wasn’t torturous, because that is exactly what I am NOT trying to do. But, now you can go out and use that brain, which was thoroughly awakened by these thought-provoking (hope, hope), energizing, and entertaining morning Pearls, If not, well, at least you’re awake, which you can’t blame on me…..y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!