Tag Archives: Reality

Potboiler or not, it’s quite a story….

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Ffolkes,

“Do I look like someone who cares about what God thinks?”

~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~

Twice as big in volume as the Earth, HD 40307g straddles the line between "Super-Earth" and "mini-Neptune" and scientists aren't sure if it has a rocky surface or one that's buried beneath thick layers of gas and ice. One thing is certain though: at eight time the Earth's mass, its gravitational pull is much, much stronger.To Enlarge, click on picture


Casting hope aside, with endless sorrow, the ancient warrior took up his sword, settling the scabbard firmly at his side, ready to hand. No expression crossed the stoic face, despite the burning anger, and thirst for battle that gripped his soul. Only the hard presence of immutable will would be allowed to escape his control, until the one responsible for this atrocity had been served up to the gods of revenge, in pieces too small to identify. Only then would the ancient warrior be content to lay aside his weapon, to honorably die, joining those whose lives were his to avenge….

Often, in the small hours of the dark morning, my constant companion awakens me to begin the day, pushing me up with the hope of finding more peace than can be found abed, where time becomes an enemy in the lee of midnight…. I gaze at the screen, once my mind is caught up to my eyes, wondering what I can find here to ease the whirling, spinning maelstrom which confronts me out here in the real world of consciousness. I can feel the weight of time, sitting on my shoulders, bringing memories of both joy and pain, denying hope, politely, and, oh, so cruel, with its constant, relentless barrage of what seems to be a multitude of small, yet vicious invisible mites, biting, biting, each and every one of my nerves, one after the other….

My doctor, it seems, doesn’t believe in my pain, for he/she wants me to give up the most stable source of any real peace I’ve had in the past 40 years. The prurient, prudish morality of a soulless behemoth masquerading as a “corporate person”, otherwise known as a Health Maintenance Organization, has decided that it is within their purview to decide for me what the proper treatment for my condition is, without any consideration at all for what that arrogance will do TO me…. Because I insist on making my own decisions about the best way to treat my pain, and my PTSD, they are willing to literally blackmail me with the threat of my own pain to protect themselves from their own imaginary bogies, which they are afraid will leave them open to litigation, thus taking away from their profit margin, the purpose for their entire existence….

But, that, unfortunately, is ranting, which is, at this juncture, both too early, and too big a subject to try to address in the intro…. not to mention the inappropriateness of such a discussion in public, at all…. But, in the mood I’m in, (as indicated by the obvious self-portrait in the first paragraph….), what the fuck do I care what’s appropriate? In fact, now that I think of it, the opening quote from Zippy is perfectly apt for today…. Fuck ’em all, I say. Bring any of them to me, and I shall make them meat…. All I ask is your silence, and some help in disposing of the evidence….

No? Well, no worries, nobody has died yet….. but, the day is young…. A good portion of today’s Pearl was completed yesterday, and the day before, as my newly developed method of writing has become more of a routine, choppy though it is, with its necessary breaks every ten or fifteen minutes to find another (relatively) comfortable position in which to type, or to walk around to stretch, and allow the skeleton to come to terms with the pain currently assailing most of my joints…. It’s a bit choppy, but, it works for me….

Another advantage of this system is the increased vigilance it allows me, to stay on top of those little opportunities to get to the correct area on the map we use, such as this fine looking entry point coming up on our bow…. It’s so conveniently located we’re going for it, even if it does, again, throw the rhythm I’ve found into the toilet…. S’okay, I’m coming to rather enjoy the offhand way I am ordered about by my inanimate objects…. They’re only trying to help, you know, and they are severely underpaid, in my opinion…. But, that’s a rant for another time, and place…. Right now, we’re going in, so, I’d suggest you hang on to the nearest stanchion; our pilot today likes to cut things close….

Shall we Pearl?

“Once, there was NO fun…  This was before MENU planning, FASHION statements or NAUTILUS equipment… Then, in 1985..  FUN was completely encoded in this tiny MICROCHIP… It contain 14,768 vaguely amusing SIT-COM pilots!! We had to wait FOUR BILLION years but we finally got JERRY LEWIS, MTV and a large selection of creme-filled snack cakes!” — Zippy the Pinhead

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As the first couple of paragraphs in the above section indicate, my soul is crying out for peace…. This isn’t a cure, but, I find it helps…. Maybe it is part of the connection I’ve always felt to the Druidic culture that flourished in ancient Europe, or, maybe it’s just the way it takes me away from reality…. whatever it is, it works for me….

Celtic Music – Sleeping Dreams And Fantasies Mix

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“A man is never more truthful than when he acknowledges himself a liar.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

A-laughing-girl-and-her-camel

    Now that I have your attention, we have a different sort of ranting section for you today…. Right now, I am unsure of exactly what it will look like, or, where it might end up, but, having found the perfect opening picture and pearl, I’m going to let if fly, just so we can see what kind of trouble we can either cause, or get into, whichever seems more fun…. What else would you expect, when you find these two at the top of the section?….

With the proper tone firmly established, we shall move on to the more intellectual part of today’s experimental pearl…. an old school indictment of Asininnies, of the political persuasion, those we call Pundits, (or, sometimes, The Liars Club….). I’d hoped to include the rest of the categories of the larger group, (i.e. Dogma Dogs, Myrmidons, Snakeheads, Pimps, Illuminati, Mundanes, Droids,  or, anyone else worthy of our ire….), but everything that came up was in this smaller group, which, apparently, Smart Bee seems to consider the most vulnerable target at the moment of choice…. Or, it could be these are what came up, with incipient laziness taking over at that point…. Here they are, such as they are….

“He’s not a politician.  He’s just ethically challenged.” — Smart Bee

“Democracy is a form of government that substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few. In democracy, what you get generally is bad government by a bully, tempered by the pen of several newspaper editors.” — George Bernard Shaw — Man and Superman (1903) Maxims for Revolutionists: Democracy

“You can lead a man to Congress, but you can’t make him think.” — Smart Bee

“In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousand-fold in the future.” — Solzhenitsyn

“Bother! said Pooh, as he found a politician in his honey pot.” — Smart Bee

“How do you make sense of such madness? The answer is, you can’t.” — Pablo Guzman

“As long as the United States Government exists, there is no real accomplishment being a humorist.” — Smart Bee

Okay, now comes the fun part…. We’ve taken our shots at the pundits for the day; now we get to finish the new format with one final comment, which I’ve personally chosen to represent the metaphor of reality being highlighted in this unusual fashion…. This is what I came up with, as a final word on the Asininnies for today…. It’s a very nice statement of insight on life today, which, I promise, will be my last word for today on this subject…. In truth, the statement is a fine finish for any indictment, for it speaks to the reason any of us might feel the need to indict at all….

“The stars are made of the same atoms as the earth.”  I usually pick one small topic like this to give a lecture on.  Poets say science takes away from the beauty of the stars — mere gobs of gas atoms.  Nothing is “mere.”  I too can see the stars on a desert night, and feel them.  But do I see less or more?      The vastness of the heavens stretches my imagination — stuck on this carousel my little eye can catch one-million-year-old light.  A vast pattern — of which I am a part — perhaps my stuff was belched from some forgotten star, as one is belching there.  Or see them with the greater eye of Palomar, rushing all apart from some common starting point when they were perhaps all together.  What is the pattern, or the meaning, or the *why?* It does not do harm to the mystery to know a little about it.  For far more marvelous is the truth than any artists of the past imagined!  Why do the poets of the present not speak of it?  What men are poets who can speak of Jupiter if he were like a man, but if he is an immense spinning sphere of methane and ammonia must be silent?” — Richard Phillips Feynman (1918-1988)

As is patently clear to me, in a larger sense, Mr. Feynman obliquely implies the mindset adopted by those of our human brethren who choose ignorance and faith over knowledge and reason, thus limiting themselves to a pattern of looking at reality which keeps them, and consequently all of us, from living as we are meant to live.

If not for this intrinsic flaw in our very nature, we could be living in a very different world, walking in beauty, singing, in perfect harmony and rhyme, rejoicing in all the secrets of heart, soul, and reality, rather than merely humming along with the dirges, which are the only music playing in our current reality, a stark, dark, desperate world in which compassion and beauty are crushed under the heels of the boots worn by the god of war, namely, Avarice, and, Indifference…

I know…. Bummer, huh?

gigoid, the dubious

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There are moments in life when the power and presence of serendipity makes itself felt, leaving no doubt in my mind there is more to this universe than we can ever really know…. This poem was the first I encountered today in my search for an appropriate entry for today’s poetry section; it’s the poem of the day on PoemHunter.com, my favorite site to find those verses I need for this part of each Pearl….. It’s a small piece, but, with that incredible characteristic of the very best of poems, brevity, mixed with powerful metaphor, to create a short epistle which gives us much, much more than just the few words use could be expected to give….. Plus, it fits in with my mood….. go figure….

A Coat

I made my song a coat
Covered with embroideries
Out of old mythologies
From heel to throat;
But the fools caught it,
Wore it in the world’s eyes
As though they’d wrought it.
Song, let them take it,
For there’s more enterprise
In walking naked.

~~ William Butler Yeats ~~


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This pearl is, to my mind, a good one. It’s composed of pearls whose primary characteristic is in how it must be examined more deeply than the first reading, to penetrate to the second, and third ideas that are buried within their shy outer bearing….. In short, when you read them, they should make you pause, and say to yourself, “Wait a second….”, then look again…. hopefully. Works for me, anyway…. Just look deeper than the shallow first concept, ffolkes, because the result is a pretty good picture of how to approach reality with something more than just a pretty face…., which, in spite of popular belief by many, not everyone has…. No matter anyway, reality doesn’t care….

“If you come to a fork in the road, take it.” — Yogi Berra

“Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself.” — Erasmus

“The last good thing I saw on TV was the ‘off’ switch.” — J. Craig Brunson (craig@ukpr.uky.edu)

“Where no hope is left, is left no fear.” — Milton

Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned; and however early a man’s training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly.” — Thomas H. Huxley

“A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us. To live is to be slowly born.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Poem for the Living

When I am dead
Cry for me a little
Think of me sometimes
But not too much.

It is not good for you
Or your wife or your husband
Or your children
To allow your thoughts to dwell

Too long on the dead
Think of me now and again
As I Was in life
 At some moment it is pleasant to recall

But not for long.
Leave me in peace
As I shall leave you, too, in peace.
While you live
Let your thoughts be with the living.

~~ Theodora Kroeber ~~


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Thankfully, it’s done. Just in time, too. I was about to break out in song…. Figuring, rightly, I’m sure, that would drive y’all over the edge, to which we come close enough on a regular basis, we’ll just use our advantage of position (here at the end….) to make our escape, before any of y’all catch on…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, unless embarrassment kicks in….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Kowabunga!


À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Use a little filigree for the nose….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




A monk said to Joshu, “Your stone bridge is widely renowned, but coming here I find only a heap of rocks.”


 Joshu said, “You see only the stones and not the bridge.”


 The monk said, “What is the bridge?”


 Joshu said, “What do you think we are walking on?”


~~ Smart Bee ~~


“Zensense: The Wisdom of Joshu”


DSCN0027


     Today’s picture, which seems to go so well with the entry from the Wisdom of Joshu, is, truthfully, one of my own, taken on a train trip in 2013, when I visited a friend in Oregon…. I took the picture though the train window, while crammed into my tiny little cubicle, laughingly referred to as a luxury compartment by the thieves who run the trains…. I know, the bitterness kind of takes away from the peace and tranquility implied in the photo…. Still, it came out rather well, don’t you think? I do, but, then, I do have some investment to say so….


All that aside. I like the koan from Smart Bee’s stash of the sayings of Joshu; the title, “Zensense, The Wisdom of Joshu” is my own fictional contribution, which I made up because I thought it was an appropriate word…. I may have coined the word ‘Zensense’, but, I’m not sure, and I’m not going to claim it without knowing for sure; it’s pretty neat, all in all, in more ways than one, a good word to describe the category of ideas we get from Zen koans, or other examples of Zen Buddhist philosophy…. and, it should make it much more convenient to talk about the category, just as if it were lumped into one of the concomitant categories, like Nonsense, or Common sense, etc…. Bonus!


Now I’ve established that, for what it was worth, (I’d guess about $2.95, retail, with a drop to $2.00 on EBay….), we can, legally, go on to our regularly scheduled nonsense. What do we have on tap for today? Your guess is, naturally, as good as mine; this process is fully randomized. I have little to no idea of where we’ll end up, until shortly after I begin writing. 


Even then, it’s always a hit and miss issue, as to whether we end up anywhere worthwhile. I try to make it, at minimum, interesting, or funny, but, as with any human endeavor, I frequently fall short, often, spectacularly enough to make me question why I do this at all…. Fortunately, I also possess the quite human ability to deny reality at the drop of a cliche, so, it all works out in end…. or, somewhere near the end….


On that note, with visions of endings cluttering our viewscreen, I think we should probably get on with the business for which we came today…. Once I get the memo telling me what that might be, we’ll get right on it. In the meantime, I think we’ll take advantage of that little hole in the barrier I see just ahead, and dive into the unknown, unguessed future that awaits us in the pearl beds…. See, that one right over…. wait for it….. THERE! Dive, dive, dive…..


Shall we Pearl?


AGE, n.  That period of life in which we compound for the vices that we still cherish by reviling those that we have no longer the enterprise to commit. — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”


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All the recent rants you’ve seen here on ECR in the last few days have been generally involved with calling out the lies our Beloved Ruling Class tells us on a daily basis. I try to be fairly light in my treatment, always including what I would term a joke of two, usually at the expense of one of the more vulnerable pundits, such as one of the Shrubs, or Tony Blair, or Dickless Cheney; you know, the assholes. Any who, I figured today, I would shoot for even more comedy, by going with the man who always did it best…. Here is someone’s compilation of his funniest work, all pointed in one direction…. Enjoy, ffolkes, George tells jokes, but, every damn one of them rings with the full volume of TRUTH….







The Best of George Carlin: Exposing our government and fall of humanity one joke at a time













































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“Everything that deceives may be said to enchant.”


~~ Plato, The Republic ~~


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


     Today, I plan to avoid any undue unkindness in my writing. Therefore, I’ve decided for today to NOT compose a fresh rant, as I am, oddly enough, not dubious about how it would turn out. Without going into too much, or, for that matter, any detail, allow me to say I’d either be arrested, or at minimum, receive my first hate mail, a fate I have somehow managed to avoid, in spite of publishing my email address for the entire web to find… I consider that to be merely a chance happenstance; it’s less depressing than to think I’ve never offended anyone… It’s also better than assuming nobody who isn’t already in the choir ever comes by to read what is here….


When I’m being truthful with myself, I admit to the probability of the latter being the correct case. But, right now, I’m lying to myself, and pretending it’s nice of me not to subject y’all to any of what is currently running through my head…. I am of the firm opinion, for the first time, better in than out….


That doesn’t mean I can’t at least make an indictment, if only by using the Metaphorse, that powerful tool of literary nature which saves us closet activists from complete obscurity…. Here, then, is an old-school pearl with a series of comments on our beloved ruling class, and the sham of a government we have inherited, thanks to the inattention of the general public, and the inhumanity of the oligarchs…. Enjoy!


“de-moc-ra-cy (di mok’ ra see) n.  Three wolves and a sheep voting on what’s for dinner.” — Smart Bee


“There is but one element of government, and that is THE PEOPLE.  From this element spring all governments.  “For a nation to be free, it is only necessary that she wills it.”  For a nation to be slave, it is only necessary that she wills it.” — John Adams (1735-1826), Letter to John Taylor, 1814


“We lie about the truth, that’s what ruins us here. And do you know why we lie about the truth? Not because we like to, but because we are scared to death of it. If we looked the truth in the eye nine out of ten of us would run to the graveyard and demand to be buried at once.” — Babbaluche the cobbler


“Don’t ever tell anyone they ain’t free, ‘cos they’re gonna get real busy  killin’ and maimin’ just to prove they are.” — Terry Southern (script for Easy Rider)


“If you attack Stupidity you attack an entrenched interest with friends in government and every walk of public life.” — Robertson Davies


“If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.” — Aristotle


“I hope in the future Americans are thought of as a warlike, vicious people, because I bet a lot of high schools would pick “Americans” as their mascot.” — Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey


“During his 1956 presidential campaign, a woman called out to Adlai E. Stevenson “Senator, you have the vote of every thinking person!” Stevenson called back “That’s not enough, madam, we need a majority!” — Smart Bee


Oops! Did you see that? It seems one of the pearls included is NOT part of the indictment, but, rather, an expression of how it all got the way it did, in a fashion…. Can you guess which one of them gives us a clue to both the cause of our current state, and the way to correct it? I can, but, then, I did write it…. Feel free to leave your answer in the comments…. or not…. I’m betting most of y’all will ignore this part, and rush on to the poem…. but, I’m a cynic, so, what do I know?….


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Here is one of mine, from a couple of years ago, written soon after breaking my long hiatus; it’s a few thoughts and impressions about, as we call it around here, LAL, or,  Life At Large….




Choosing a Theme


Powerful words playing hide and seek in my mind,

teasing with subtle cruelty, pretending to be kind.

Grand visions and flowery verses of beauty and truth

evaded my inner eye all through the days of my youth.


Affable interludes interspersed with allegorical wit

softened the crimes, against all reason, to finally acquit.

Time became at once an enemy, and an ally

Never once compelled to provide an answer why.


Giving gifts of simple kindness are their own pay,

spreading ripples of compassion are felt far and away.

Love given freely is precious, we are ever told,

increasing love received, more than a hundred fold.


Living long and with passion has centered my soul,

allowing me room, and time, to choose my own goal.

Now that I’ve gone past any need to pretend

I love everything in life, even knowing it will end.


~~ gigoid ~~





10/21/2012




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This pearl, for reasons unknown to modern science, or, for that matter, to me, is damn near perfect! Go figure….. Enjoy!….




Like leaves on trees the race of man is found,–

Now green in youth, now withering on the ground;

Another race the following spring supplies:

They fall successive, and successive rise.


~~ Alexander Pope ~~


~~ The Iliad of Homer, Book vi, Line 181 ~~




“As for life, it is a battle and a sojourning in a strange land; but the fame that comes after is oblivion.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, ii, 17


“Let us be thankful for the fools; but for them the rest of us could not succeed.” — Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) (1835-1910)


“Life is full of little surprises” — Pandora


“After I’m dead I’d rather have people ask why I have no monument than   why I have one.” — Cato the Elder (234-149 B.C.)


“In handling a stinging insect, move very slowly.” — Lazurus Long


“In his private heart no man much respects himself.” — Mark Twain


“Remember that man’s life lies all within this present, as ‘t were but a hair’s-breadth of time; as for the rest, the past is gone, the future yet unseen. Short, therefore, is man’s life, and narrow is the corner of the earth wherein he dwells.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, iii, 10




Oh, sons of earth! attempt ye still to rise,

By mountains pil’d on mountains to the skies?

Heaven still with laughter the vain toil surveys,

And buries madmen in the heaps they raise.


~~ Alexander Pope ~~




See? All in the wrist….


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Today’s Pearl is brought to you by…. the wonders of modern technology. Obviously. Since I don’t have any piece of whatever advertising you may see here, none of that part of it concerns us. All we know is what I write, which isn’t either predictable, or kosher, (hell, it’s barely classifiable at all….), though we do make it without any of the proscribed ingredients…. Well, okay, we don’t put any faith in there, but, all the rest of it is part of the recipe. We leave faith to those who require the panacea of its embrace…. Me, I’ll take my reason, and doubt, any day….


Which statement brings us, fortunately, to our closing for the day…. I hope you enjoyed today’s nonsense and angst; if not, well, just remember what you paid for it….. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

   and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….







		
	
					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Mmmm…. soft! Is it plucky, too?….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




I saw Eternity the other night,

Like a great ring of pure and endless light,

All calm, as it was bright;

And round beneath it,

Time in hours, days, years,

Driv’n by the spheres 

Like a vast shadow mov’d; in which the world

And all her train were hurl’d.


 ~~ Henry Vaughan ~~


~~ The World ~~


rover-curiosity-mars-self-portraitSelf Portrait of Curiosity, the Mars Rover, on its search for signs of life on The Red Planet




Down here in The Holler, we been havin’ some fowl weather…. Now, before y’all go & figure I’m just some iggorant hick, let me explain…. Most places, they get some hard rains, they say it’s been rainin’ cats & dogs, right? Well, t’other night, it was rainin’ hard all right, but, ’tweren’t no cats nor dogs comin’ down…. It was chickens! Actually, chicken gizzards! Beautiful, juicy, chicken livers, hearts, necks, & kidneys. Not only was they fallin’, right out o’the sky, but, they was fully cooked! Boy, we was havin’ a BALL that night, nukin’ ’em up in the microwave with some spicy BBQ….. beaudacious! Them necks boiled down just fine, for a big ol’ pot o’ chicken & dumplin’s….  We’re hopin’ next week maybe it’ll rain some beef ribs, and we kin have us a real party!….


Okay, enuff, er, enough of the hillbilly crap. I couldn’t think of anything else, and now, I’m really sorry…. But, it’s done, and we can just forget it. Please?


Sadly, that does leave us here, halfway started, but, nowhere to go. I could go in just about any direction now; the smooth start part of this is already been ditched for the nonsense above. Now I find myself reading over it, and actually editing, to give it more of a hick sound, as if it needed it… I must have had too much sleep. I don’t believe I’ve had this much sleep, three days in a row, for years. An average of five hours a night for those nights, has cleared my head quite a bit, though the effect on the pain itself is minimal; only the strength to fight it is replenished…. But, that is indeed better than the alternative, and I’ll take it….


It almost makes me wish I didn’t have so much of today’s post already done; it would be cool to see how well I could rant, with all this energy…. But, it’s already done, during my little pieces of peace during the day, when I am able to distract myself enough to sit and write. Oh well, I can spend that time proofing & editing, to buff and polish this until it shines…. Well, as much as they ever do so….


I think, before I wander into an area of discussion from which we can’t remove ourselves, we’ll bring this to a close…. Ah, there’s the signal from the pilot, anyway…. I’ve managed to blather long enough today to actually reach one of the scheduled entry points, where there is plenty of room to maneuver, and no danger of any ambush by the locals; it makes for a smoother dive, all around. So, if y’all would kindly hang on, we’ll be going in in just a moment…. Enjoy the dive, ffolkes, I did my best today to make if fun, and/or stimulating…. and, if not, well, at least it’s better than Good Morning, America, right?…. Well, I think so….


Shall we Pearl?


“Diogenes said once to a person who was showing him a dial, “It is a very useful thing to save a man from being too late for supper.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Menedemus, iii


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A few years ago, while surfing the web, I saw a video, which showed a cat and an owl, playing together. They had obviously, by the evidence of the video, been friends for years; watching the video is an excellent lesson in how easy it is for creatures to learn to get along, a lesson far too many people in this world never learn…. Here is that video, or, in this case, videos, as the one that plays first should go right into the next, showing a record of how they met, became friends, and learned how to live in harmony…. Enjoy, ffolkes, this is one of those GOOD stories, that make up, a little, for all the crap we have to see every day….







The Beginnings – How Fum & Gebra met










































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




“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


For a few days now, I’ve been moving this link down the list of material to be covered in a rant. Patently, I found it on my friend Lou’s site, where one may always find a new, and/or different take on the subjects one sees in the mainstream news, with a heavy leaning toward the latest in conspiracy theories, UFO sightings, spiritualism, Zen Buddhism, science, myth, and any number of other subjects, all of interest, especially to someone with my expansive list of interests, all of which is/are found at one time or another on his site…. (Pardon the “is/are”, I couldn’t, and still can’t seem to figure out which of the pronouns the verb should agree with…. SIGH, another clue I need to SIMPLIFY….)


This particular article gives a rather excellent viewpoint, which many people might not have considered in the wake of recent news from around the world, with all of the insanity that seems to be exploding, everywhere…. You should read it, then we’ll talk….



http://talesfromtheconspiratum.com/2015/01/14/exclusive-terror-attack-in-ukraine-world-outraged-je-suis-donbass/#comment-145798


“It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter lies in the depth, where few are willing to search for it.” — Goethe


It took me a long time to find the real truth about the current President. He is one of the most skilled politicians (liars) ever to hold that august office, so skilled, he is hard to pin down on those occasions when he does make the error of getting caught at lying, either saying what he didn’t mean to say, or, being exposed, and having to respond. Otherwise, he has developed the incredibly subtle skill, discussed in works by Twain, Heinlein, and, I’m sure, many others, of being able to hide his lies behind the actual truth. The skill lies in being able to shut up at the correct moment, then not speaking again, to allow the listeners to make their own (erroneous) assumptions about what was NOT said…. In other words, he tells a small part of the truth, in a way that leaves room to make excuses later, then shuts up….


But, we see now, since the exposition by Edward Snowden of the scope of what is NOT being told to the American public, it is patently clear how he has maintained the public’s belief in his essential truthfulness, which is a COMPLETE lie. His administration has prosecuted more journalists and private citizens for leaking information they consider secret than any other in our nation’s history, by a factor of 10…. This is not speculation, or information new to me; I saw this in print many months ago in the mainstream press…. though, in a small article, with no follow-up, ever….


The author of the above article shows clearly how this applies to current life on this planet, and gives us a fairly accurate idea, I think, of the scope of the problem…. He also uses what I would call an old school pearl to illustrate his points, most excellently, using a number of pearls used previously on this blog…. It is, I admit, as good a pearl as any I’ve ever done…. I won’t try to match his group; it was nearly perfect, as far as I could see. But, I will end with one last illustration of how it all strikes me….


“Politicians aren’t born, they are excreted.” — Cicero


Trust me. I know. Thousand don’t, and look at them now….


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


Here is one of mine we haven’t seen for a while… It’s not bad, all things considered. I hope you enjoy it….






Off the proverbial cuff….


I never meant to kill that period of time,

it didn’t give me any choice.

It tried to hem me in without reason, or rhyme,

refused me any vote, or any voice.


You have to admit, I buried it deep and fast,

just as if I cared.

I knew, though, it would never last,

or ever be fully repaired.


No news, no pictures can bring it back,

once is all we get.

No pleas of public good, or even public lack;

in stone the past is set.


Futuristic visions now occupy my dreams,

I’m ready to go on.

Look! It fills up the screen, and it gleams!

Where’s the moment I’m sitting on?


Now, I remembered, at long, long last,

is all we really can hold.

Every moment goes by so bloody fast,

we’d best fill them all with beauty, warm and bold.


~~ gigoid ~~




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


This is a very special pearl; it’s too long a story for this section, which is already long enough, but, take my word, they don’t often come out like this…. Too bad, too… Just follow the bouncing ideas, ffolkes, and you’ll get to a nice, warm fuzzy, strangely enough….




For age is opportunity no less

Than youth itself, though in another dress.

And as the evening twilight fades away,

The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.

It is never too late to start doing what is right.

Never.


~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~~




“In the arena of human life the honors and rewards fall to those who show their good qualities in action.” — Aristotle, Nicomachen Ethics (4th c. BC)


“We write our own destiny:  we become what we do.” — Madame Chiang Kai-Shek


“Without followers, evil cannot spread.” — Spock, “And The Children Shall Lead”, stardate 5029.5


“He who hurries can not walk with dignity.’ — Chinese Proverb


“There is nothing so arrogant as ignorance.” — Erasmus


“In comparison with heaven and earth, man is like a mayfly. But compared to the great Way, heaven and earth, too, are like a bubble and a shadow. Only the primal spirit and the true nature overcome time and space.” — Lu Yen (fl. 800 A.D.)


“Cato requested old men not to add the disgrace of wickedness to old age, which was accompanied with many other evils.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Roman Apophthegms, Cato the Elder


“One who is to enjoy the purity of both body and mind walks the path to enlightenment, breaking the net of selfish, impure thoughts and evil desires. He who is calm in mind acquires peacefulness and thus is able to cultivate his mind day and night with more diligence.” — Buddha (B.C. 568-488)


“A wide-eyed, innocent UNICORN, poised delicately in a MEADOW filled with LILACS, LOLLIPOPS & small CHILDREN at the HUSH of twilight??” — Zippy the Pinhead




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


~~ Irish proverb ~~




Oops! Sorry, Zippy slipped his restraints again…. But, you know, it almost fits; he tries hard, bless his pointy little head…. (Well, okay it’s a pointy  BIG head, but we don’t want to hurt his feelings, do we? No….) I think we’ll let it stay, and just finish with a proper ending quote, if SB is willing to cooperate once more… Ah, yes, this will do nicely; so nicely, I believe I’ll center it, to create a bit of symmetry, and move this paragraph out of the way…. Or, as they would say in the nearest bureaucratic institution, see the above….


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


“Captain! That’s all she’s got! The warp engines canno’ take no more!” — Commander Montgomery Scott, Stardate 2695.2, 2243.5, 2350.0, and a host of other dates….


At this point in today’s narrative, I know exactly how Mr. Scott feels; fortunately, the strain on our warp engines may now cease, and Mr. Scott and the engine crew can stand down, because, we’re done. Lest y’all think this is merely a shallow boast, intended to tease you into thinking we are finished, allow me to say this…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, if the world lasts that long…. It’s looking a bit chancy out there in the BBR…..




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

   and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Set your phasers on Twinkle, troops….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				3			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




Take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind 

down the foggy ruins of time

far past the frozen leaves

the haunted frightened trees

out to the windy beach

far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow.


Ah, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free

silhouetted by the sea

circled by the circus sands

with all memory and fate

driven deep beneath the waves

let me forget about today until tomorrow.


~~ Bob Dylan ~~


kepler-exoplanet-travel-poster-relax


     The poster you see above this line is from NASA. Yep. If you click on the picture, you’ll see a larger version, which will allow you to read the small print beneath the picture. When I feel phantasmagorical (Specifically, in my case, the state of wishing for a fantasy world, wherein the human race DOESN’T become extinct….), I look at the poster, and the two others they have displayed over at the NASA web site, and dream of traveling to far-away planets…. It’s been happening a lot of late, as, here on Earth, life is becoming somewhat tenuous in nature, with a great deal of uncertainty as to how much longer our human presence will be tolerated by our abused home’s landlord, whomever that may be….


But, the intro is not the place to get into an issue of such scope…. Just click on the picture, and, if you wish, go download a copy yourself (or, download it right from the page where you see it…), and join me on the next flight to Kepler 16b…. I hear the interstellar transport ships are becoming quite luxurious, just like the old time cruise ships back on Earth, before the apocalypse….


Alright, I’m back, I think, though I don’t really want to be…. But, it’s just like that hive of bees there in my head, you know? There they are…. and, here I am….. SIGH….


Sometimes, I am more in tune with the future than I know. But, that’s a story for another time. Yesterday, the rant I wrote left me, for a while, in the dumps regarding any future for the human race…. Being a human, I was able to forget my/our doom, and get on with living, just as, eventually, I’ll get on with this Pearl. In fact, perhaps, given the fragility of my mood this recent past, we should do that now, before the risk of any unpleasantness becomes greater than my desire to avoid any such ungentlemanly behavior…. I do TRY….


Thus, if I could persuade y’all to place whatever adult beverages you chose for today’s dive, into the holders provided in your seat armrest, buckle up tight, and brace yourselves, we can be on our way. The sign re: no phone usage aboard this craft is there for a reason; please don’t make or take any calls, or we could drop from the sky like a stone…. But, no worries, the ink on the pilot’s license is fully dry; I checked…. Trust me….


Shall we Pearl?


“A doctrine insulates the devout not only against the realities around them but also against their own selves. The fanatical believer is not conscious of his envy, malice, pettiness and dishonesty. There is a wall of words between his consciousness and his real self.” — Eric Hoffer


(Boy, ain’t it the TRUTH! Have you listened lately to FOX news? Or, for that matter, to ANYTHING on TV, or issued as a public proclamation of almost any kind? I can’t put my finger on exactly why, but, for sure and for certain, all reason in the world has gone missing, stranding us here on the train to madness, without a return ticket….)


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


One advantage of the internet over previous times, in at least one respect, is this: if one should wish, or need, some GOOD news, it’s a bit easier to find…. For example: I found this in a link to the ABC network channel web site you see below, , referred by an article on Rolling Stone’s web site I received in a daily email summary…. Believe me, this one makes it hard to find any reason to feel bad, if only for a moment or two….




Meet Eclipse, the dog who figured out how to ride the bus all by herself










































http://abc13.com/video/embed/?pid=472964


~~~~~~~~~


Here is another video, along the same lines, found at the same web site, abc13.com….


British bulldog hates bottle of water



















































bulldog pup



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


I am currently so involved with affairs in the Big Blue Room, there is little room in my head to spare for collecting angst, at least while awake…. No telling what my unconscious mind throws out there while I’m sawing logs, as far as I do so…. One of the referrals to the archives that Word Press makes each day, as one of the suggested Pearls at the bottom of the post, held the following religirant, one of my better treatises on the subject of humanity’s oldest scam…. Enjoy, please, or, at least, don’t take it personally….


From 9/7/2012:


“Sin lies only in hurting other people unnecessarily. All other “sins” are invented nonsense. (Hurting yourself is NOT a sin–just stupid.)” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love”


It would be foolish to try to claim that there is NOT a part of me that wishes there was a God, as described by most of the Christian sects, or the Islamic, or Jewish, or any other of the major and/or minor religions in the history of Man. Who wouldn’t want to have all the responsibility for thinking, or for acting within reason, taken out of their hands? It would be wonderful, but as it’s pretty unlikely, to all appearances, that part of me will have to remain unfulfilled….. I’d rather adopt and set the above moral standard as my own, as I happen to agree with it wholeheartedly. It forms the root, the base, the touchstone of all of my morality, the basic raison d’etre for my every decision of whether or not to act, and how to react, from an ethical standpoint of my own choice, without thinking about whether or not it is according to dogma.


I first came across this particular quote from Lazarus when I was about 15 or 16 years old, right when I was taking classes at my parent’s church to fulfill the requirements for admission as an official, saved member of the church (Presbyterian, if it matters….), and wondering how I was going to break it to all of them that I couldn’t do it…. It was a hard decision, but, since the teachers couldn’t answer my questions about Bible incidents that puzzled me (not part of what we studied, but from different chapters I had read…), I stopped attending any services, because I didn’t want to be a hypocrite…. I could even rationalize my decision, as having been made out of concern for the safety of my family and friends, since now the church could conceivably fall down on them if they were with me when I came in…..


“Anybody who wants religion is welcome to it, as far as I’m concerned — I support your right to enjoy it.  However, I would appreciate it if you exhibited more respect for the rights of those people who do not wish to share your dogma, rapture or necrodestination.” — Frank Zappa, “The Real Frank Zappa Book”


I also happen to agree with Frank on this one. What I do believe about religion, and the concept of God, or god, or Dog, is my own business, and begins with not pressing it on others, unless they ask; in such cases I will discuss the subject superficially, without expressing any preferences one way or another….. Unless, of course, they begin to proselytize. In THOSE cases, I will use every bit of shock value pop psychology I know of to lead them down some primrose path, messing with their heads until I get bored with them…. That usually doesn’t take long; they’re generally fairly uninteresting people. I tend to prefer people who have a bit of salt to their personality, just a touch of insanity somewhere in their blood…. Such ffolkes are much more fun to be around than folks who spend their time feeling bad about wanting to feel good….. and they annoy me far less often, as a rule…..


If God is omnipotent, why does he need my money? — Smart Bee


“The human condition is such that pain and effort are not just symptoms which can be removed without changing life itself; they are rather the modes in which life itself, together with the necessity to which it is bound, makes itself felt. For mortals, the ‘easy life of the gods’ would be a lifeless life.” — Hannah Arendt


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


In the same post with the rant in the section immediately above, I also found this poem, which I believe I may have not used since…. I don’t remember, and I’m certainly not going to go look…. It will do for today, certainly…. I hope you enjoy it….




Vague Glimpses of a Rainbow


All the sad notions of propriety had fled,

Screaming their anger for pausing in song,

Until late came the rabid fog, colored in red,

As serenity cried, unafraid to live so strong.


Fallow fields in faithful patience set free,

Dragged from birth, by their own nature cast

Saving each moment against fear yet to be,

Carved into silence, by ignorance held fast.


Historical forces plod slowly ’tis often said

Anxieties streaming stiffly, one epoch to the next.

Cultural mania stands nonchalant in its stead

No sadder epitaph has such bittersweet context. 


Patterned bags of forgotten virtue lie in wait

Blessed by reminders whose souls value affinity

Frozen webs surround the fields in gravid state

Grasping passionately within obvious opportunity.


Passage to future realities isn’t guaranteed

Small favors for deities was left off the menu

No roses, nor manna, nor gallant aerial steed

Left traces of fatal, yet originally gracious venue.


~~ gigoid ~~




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


SIGH…. After almost an hour, the following pearl is the best I could coax out of SB…. Look at this….


“Anaximander says that men were first produced in fishes, and when they were grown up and able to help themselves were thrown up, and so lived upon the land.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Symposiacs, Book viii, Question viii


?!?!?!?!  In the modern vernacular, WTF!


That, I have to say, is downright scary, it’s so…. weird. It’s probably deeper than it seems; much of what Plutarch said comes out that way. But, I think, with this one serving as the best we can find, it would be well to go back to the archives again, and call it a day…. Why, look! It seems the same Pearl I posted way back when, the same one wherein we found today’s rant, and poem, also had a very fine closing pearl, so…. It’s almost like Fate, isn’t it?…. Planning? No way….


Also from 9/7/2012:


Having just spent three hours (okay, I exaggerated…. only two….) searching in vain for a pearl with which to finish, I became incensed with frustration, and rather than scare my new neighbors with a verbal outburst, I calmly set a parameter, and collected the following pearls on one subject, to wit: human nature…. As far as I can tell, all of them rate a solid 10 on the truth scale….. As always, just follow the bouncing thought as it explores your own inner self….


“The world always makes the assumption that the exposure of an error is identical with the discovery of truth–that the error and truth are simply opposite.  They are nothing of the sort.  What the world turns to, when it is cured on one error, is usually simply another error, and maybe one worse than the first one.” — H. L. Mencken


“The ultimate evil is the weakness, cowardice, that is one of the constituents of so much human nature.  When, rarely, unalloyed nobility does occur, its chances of prevailing are slim.  Yet it exists, and its mere existence is reason enough for not wiping the name of mankind off the slate.” — John Simon


“We are all terrible little creatures.” — Martin Amis


“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_


“Man, were he not corrupted by Governments, is naturally the friend of Man, and that human nature is not of itself vicious.” — Thomas Paine


“I think we’re all Bozos on this Bus!” — Firesign Theater


Now I feel better….. and, you do, as well….


Note from 2015:


Okay, I’ll confess. I also used a bit of hyperbole for THIS pearl…. I did find TWO pearls before giving up, but, when you see this one, you’ll realize why I went back to the past, rather than staying in the future, or the present, or whenever the hell we are now…. It’s gotten a bit confusing in here today…. SIGH…. Here, see what I mean? This is what SB gave me before I gave up…. It’s very poignant, for some of us, but, very, very naughty, in some respects, in a way that isn’t quite, well, healthy… Oh, hell, you’ll see….


“You are not permitted to kill a woman who has wronged you, but nothing forbids you to reflect that she is growing older every minute.  You are avenged fourteen hundred and forty times a day.” — Ambrose Bierce “The Devil’s Dictionary”


See? True enough, but, a bit cruel, thus making it hard to appreciate the humor, or the irony, without a touch of guilt… Oh well, at least I’m done now….


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


And, thank God for that! Wait…. Can they arrest me for saying that? In the same post as a religirant? Hmm…. Maybe I should take it back….. Nah. That would be like, hypocrisy, man…. If I don’t believe it, why should I worry about blasphemy? Blasphemy, by definition, has no basis in reality, so, nobody can, in reality, punish me for saying it….


Well, that’s logical anyway, but, since most of the proponents of those who follow such beliefs tend to react so violently when someone doesn’t believe the same way, I think I’ll put on my Kevlar vest for a while…. Better safe than sorry, right?…. Right….


On that cheerful note, I bid thee adieu for another day. Provided none of those I’ve insulted today find me before then, I’ll see y’all tomorrow…. If they do, it’s possible I could be involved in a bit of a firefight; don’t worry about me, though, I recently upgraded my weaponry, and am now capable of withstanding an entire military platoon, as long as they are not equipped with anything more dangerous than, oh, say, a tank….


I could handle a tank, or two…. If they call for air support, I could have to retreat to my hidden compound, but, other than that, it shouldn’t be a problem…. When the Ground-To-Air SAM’s I ordered arrive next week, I’ll be all set to deal with any sort of conflict on my territory.


Okay, all of the rental time for our fantasies has now expired; it’s all been put returned to the vendor, and we may take our leave…. (Don’t tell the vendor, but, I kept the bazookas….) Again, ffolkes, I bid thee a fond farewell, until tomorrow…. Maybe I’ll find a touch of sobriety by then…. you never can tell, can you?….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

   and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Four is a very friendly number….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				1			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




“Beware of altruism. It is based on self-deception, the root of all evil.”


~~ Lazarus Long ~~




POTD-baby-gorilla_3149579kFrom The London Daily Telegraph Pictures of the Week Feature




When I sat down to begin today, I had intended to start with the opening paragraph of another fanciful fictional piece, which come to me when I allow my mind to flow along certain lines…. However, plans changed when I was struck by the need to write my doctor a summary of an issue we are discussing re: my treatment, as part of the ongoing battle with my HMO to get the treatment I want, not what THEY want…. Battling with large, soulless corporations takes time, so, all of what I intended for this time has been usurped….


What does that mean for us now? Simple…. you win. No nonsense, no blathering, (other than what you are now seeing….), and no long, involved rant or introspection in this section…. I don’t have time now, as it’s already close to the time I generally try to get posted. So, this paragraph is the last one you’ll get today, almost as if it were a REAL introduction section. It’s funny how that works, isn’t it? I write copious amounts of, occasionally, good stuff, and, it’s mostly useless… Oh well, I suppose I’ve stumbled across another metaphor for my life…. SIGH….


Shall we Pearl?


“Don’t overestimate the decency of the human race.” — H.L. Mencken


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





11-15-2015 004They’re everywhere, they’re everywhere!




Today’s video choice is designed to take me back in time, to a simpler, more innocent age…. Wait…. No, that’s a different video…. This one takes us back, but, not to a time with any more innocence than is present in the world today…. It does, however, take us to some pretty good music, so, it will do for our purposes here today, which may defy description, but will nonetheless fill the bill… or the charlie, or the mary ellen…. Probably won’t fit in your pockets, though…. Maybe we should just go watch it….




Grateful Dead 9-30-89 Shoreline Amphitheater Mountain View CA 















































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


“And today’s generation – growing up in a mess of a world created for them by the baby-boom generation, often has little respect for political authority.  They do not trust – and often rightly so – political leaders, and bear a cynicism previously unseen in this country and around the world.  How can they have any respect for governments trying to control the flow of information about bombs on the Internet, when those same governments are responsible the sale of arms and the subsidization of arms industries worldwide, resulting in the death and destruction of countless innocent people worldwide?” — Jim Carroll, 1997 Canadian Internet Handbook



http://talesfromtheconspiratum.com/2015/01/13/brilliant-idea-to-stop-police-brutality-citizens-engage-in-a-new-form-of-crowd-funded-direct-action-against-police-state/


Ffolkes….. I am afraid. I’m very afraid. The world is going to shit, and the only people who might be able to do anything about stopping it have any means to do so…. The inertial power to resist changes in society is not subject to manipulation by small, individual forces, other than by how they can affect the majority to make changes; there is no one alive today who has enough influence over enough people to stop the forces at work that will lead us to the End Game….. This is NOT speculation on my part; it is a logical, organized belief, based on the events transpiring today in the world, and an extensive knowledge of history, and human nature…. If you look at the signs from the past, and at the base flaws so obvious in our nature, it becomes obvious that we are a species destined to join the dodo, and T-Rex among the failed experiments on this planet….


There are, occasionally, signs of hopefulness among the populace; the above article outlines a very good sign, though one that holds its own dangerous elements of predictability…. How long do you think this society can last, when the vast majority of the population has been oppressed by a minority for millennia, and, because of advances in technology, finds out how they have been fooled for so long? The quote at the beginning of this section is all too true, boding ill for all of us when that mistrust comes to a boil….


The reaction by the people of Stockton gives us a clue, which, if extrapolated to suppose the effect on a world-wide basis, would indicate that a massive upheaval of the society of the entire planet is imminent, possibly even BEFORE the coming environmental crisis, which is completely unstoppable by any means we possess. It is entirely possible that revolution in society will take place at the same time we are fighting for our very lives as a species, as the planet’s ecosystem goes bonkers from all the chemical crap we’ve been depositing in the air, in the sea, and in the land, for centuries….


Won’t THAT be fun! You betcha!….


“Don’t look back, the lemmings are gaining on you.” — Smart Bee


I’ve stated this belief previously; I’m sure it’s getting to be old, at least in terms of the freshness of the material. But, I can’t seem to help myself; I’m afraid it’s already too late, and I can’t seem to keep from trying to wake people up to the danger we face…. Heinlein’s Crazy Years are upon us, but, we don’t have the advantage of being fictional, and our survival is NOT as simple as writing a new plot that solves all the formerly unsolvable difficulties we face, right here in REALITY…. I am afraid that, this time, we are not going to see a happy ending to our story…..


This makes me sad…. so sad, I am done ranting, and have begun to weep….. We are all going to die; that is something we all must come to terms with,at some point in our lives…. It makes me sad to know that our entire race will be faced with that, sooner than most of them realize, and all of our BEAUTY, all of our HOPE, all of our DREAMS are going to die with us…. and, as far as I can see, the people who could do something about it not only don’t seem to know of it, they wouldn’t care, as long as they could figure out a way to keep it from happening for THEM…. I guess the justice of life is that they are wrong, and they cannot escape their fate; I just wish they hadn’t taken all of us along with them on their ride to Hell….


I shall leave you now, probably with your thanks for cutting this short ringing in my ears…. That’s okay…. At this point, I’m feeling rather useless, anyway…. I’ll just leave you with the most appropriate thought I can find, which comes, naturally, from an old friend….


“Life is full of surprises when you’re up th’ stream of consciousness without a paddle…” — Zippy the Pinhead


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


Since I’m late, you get Emily…. Or, make that, I get Emily; you get something other than my own poetry, always a bonus, I’m sure….




Because I could not stop for Death–

He kindly stopped for me– 

The Carriage held but just Ourselves– 

And Immortality.


We slowly drove–He knew no haste

And I had put away

My labor and my leisure too,

For His Civility–


We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess–in the Ring– 

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain– 

We passed the Setting Sun–


Or rather–He passed us–

The Dews drew quivering and chill–

For only Gossamer, my Gown–

My Tippet–only Tulle–


We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground–

The Roof was scarcely visible–

The Cornice–in the Ground–


Since then–’tis Centuries–and yet

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses’ Heads 

Were toward Eternity– 


~~ Emily Dickinson ~~




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


One thing I’ve learned over time; a pearl will fly if there are at least three of the key concepts present. Key concepts, of course, are the characteristics of human nature or existence which make for a life well-lived. There aren’t many of them, but, they’re powerful… They are also easy to identify, but, each person must figure out their own methods for doing so; that is what makes us all different…. Well, other than the simple fact of inhabiting different bodies, and positions in space…. In this pearl, those three necessary components are listed right there, in the pearls, for all to see…. but, just to be clear, if you look for thought, duty, truth, and virtue, you’ll figure the rest out, I’m sure…. Enjoy!….




Remembrance and reflection how allied!


What thin partitions sense from thought divide!


~~ Alexander Pope ~~


~~ Essay on Man, Epistle i, Line 225 ~~




“Perish discretion when it interferes with duty.” — Hannah More


“We accept many notions because they seem to be the logical answers to our questions. But have we asked the right questions?” — Harold L. Klawans, MD


“A thing is not necessarily true because badly uttered, nor false because spoken magnificently.” — St. Augustine


“Truth has not special time of its own.  Its hour is now — always and indeed then most truly when it seems unsuitable to actual circumstances.” — Albert Schweitzer


“Virtue is its own reward.  There’s a pleasure in doing good which sufficiently pays itself.” — Sir John Vanbrugh, The Relapse




Though man a thinking being is defined,


Few use the grand prerogative of mind.


How few think justly of the thinking few!


How many never think, who think they do!


~~ Jane Taylor (1783-1824) ~~


~~ Essays in Rhyme, (On Morals and Manners, Prejudice, ) Essay i, Stanza 45 ~~




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


Though I’m not as late as it might seem, to my sense of propriety, I’m in White Rabbit mode. Don’t fret, that merely means I gotta go now… See y’all tomorrow ffolkes, as long as the internet stays up….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

   and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Counting the cost in plaid pyjamas….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




“I have been a lucky man. But someone has to be.”


~~ Edward Abbey ~~





84408166

 Psst! Want some candy, boys and girls?




    I find myself today in an unenviable position, one in which my only thought can be “PEACE!” Perhaps I am getting old, for the problems I face in my life are challenging my ability to adapt to them, leaving me without the balance I so treasure. It is certain my physical issues are presenting many difficulties for me; what is not so certain is whether or not there is any solution to them, other than learning to endure even more than has been asked of me to this point. That, simply put, gives me no peace….


I suppose also that this feeling marks me as human. But, that brings no comfort either, for I know human nature to be flawed, and dangerous, to itself, and every other creature on this planet. Claiming my humanity does not bring me any comfort, only confusion. But, then, confusion seems to be rather ubiquitous of late, in my life, anyway…. It isn’t a state of mind with which I’m terribly familiar, having been fortunate to possess a mind capable of resisting it with some skill; of late, it seems to have increased its power, or I am getting old, losing my ability to adapt quickly enough to suit reality….


Since the latter is more likely, it may mean there IS no solution to my conundrum; another step further away from peace of mind, clearly. SIGH. It may also be another sign of advancing age, I guess, to feel that peace of mind is the only goal worth pursuing….. In fact, that sounds particularly cogent, to me…. Of course, that may be because we are speaking of my issues, but, I think, maybe, this is something we may assume to be a universal issue for any human reaching my age…. I don’t know about other ffolkes, but, obtaining a bit of peace of mind has assumed a large importance in my world, if only for moments at a time….


That being said, we can now move on to a more practical issue, to wit: what the hell do we do with today’s Pearl? I’ve usurped this intro already, turning it into a no doubt too long piece of introspection, clearly personal, with very little hope of providing any direction to the rest of today’s post. Getting from there to the necessary point, where we can dive into the ocean of knowledge that is the world wide web is proving to be…. Wait, look! There’s a jumping-off point now! I’m grabbing it, while I can…. Hang on, ffolkes….


Shall we Pearl?


“Some people write to please, to soothe, to console. Others to provoke, to challenge, to exasperate and infuriate. I’ve always found the second approach

the more pleasing.” — Edward Abbey


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




potd-giraffes dancing


(From the London Daily Telegraph-Animal Pictures of the Week)


“Yow!  Are we laid back yet?” 


~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~




According to one study, in the United States, 14.215% of respondents have consumed cannabis in the last year. In a total population of approximately 330 million people, this comes to (hmm… here is proof that math skills need use to maintain their freshness…. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out how to find a percentage with such odd figures… It took me a while to pencil it, having abandoned the calculator, as I didn’t recall how to work that function…. SIGH….), approximately 43 million ffolkes (making the obvious connection, are you?)….


When one considers that any such study is limited in scope, the figure assumes a larger significance. It must be remembered that, for the most part, cannabis users are accustomed to hiding their use; it is habit to deny such use, or minimize how much, or otherwise skew the picture with inaccurate data. Given that caveat, one must assume the figure of 43 million is far lower than is the actual case in Reality….


Personally, given what my experience over the years has shown me, going by what I KNOW of the ubiquity with which marijuana is present among the populace, I would say that figure could be revised upward to right about 50% of all Americans, and possibly more…. Remember, not very many of them will tell the truth about it, for fear of repercussions…. I would also guess many of the rest would just take a pot shot at the questioner with their rifle, for having the temerity to ask them about their private business…


Below you will find a wonderful song, a parody written by Weird Al Yankovic, using a great Alanis Morrisette song as the basis, along with link to an excellent summary of information on the current state of the legal battle to legalize cannabis, for medical AND recreational use, in these United States…. compiled with great skill, and compassion, by our old (well, maybe not so old, just familiar….) friend, Lou, over at Tales From the Conspiratum, his blog site, which he writes from his home in Montreal, Canada, graciously sharing his knowledge with his mates around the world….. Enjoy, ffolkes…. it won’t be long now, from the way things are looking….


You can find Lou’s site at:  http://talesfromtheconspiratum.com/2015/01/12/latest-us-cannabis-news/       By the way, today’s opening picture is from the same post as was noted yesterday, and the day before, from a post on Lou’s most excellent blog….







What if God Smoked Cannabis? 






































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


“None can love freedom heartily but good men; the rest love not freedom but license.” — John Milton


I found two pearls which seemed to perfectly form the bookends for a rant on political issues, but, find myself in a state of mind incapable of ranting…. I’m simply too tired. So, I’ll take a little time, & find an appropriate rant from the archives to fill in between the bookends I found, and be done with it…. I’ll be right back….


From 4/10/2013:


Artfully, he dodged the bullet, turning to watch it plow into the wall by his head. Slapping one palm to his forehead, he gave out a great shout, “ki aieeeeeee!”, striking to the left with his other hand, shattering the small bird statue on the pedestal. The bird screamed….. As entropy increased, gravity grew weak, then strong, tossing the players about the room like ten-pins in a row. Finally, a loud gong sounded, whereupon everyone dutifully trooped into the great hall to hear the daily proclamation from the beloved Leader in Mystery. Headache gone, thanks to the bird’s scream, he joined the parade, knowing he would find what he sought in the great hall…. His quest neared the end, and he could almost taste the cold dish of revenge, demanded by the blood of his murdered master…. Not for nothing was he called, “Pujin, the Merciless, Nearly-Master Killer of the Temple of the Divine Duck…..


Oops! That isn’t a rant, is it? Hmm…. It appears I lost track of my mind there for a few minutes; see what happens when I’m  not paying attention? I go right for the nonsense…. Oh well. Here is the rant, now that I’m thoroughly embarrassed….


From 4/11/2013:


“He who conceals a useful truth is equally guilty with the propagator of an injurious falsehood.” — Augustine


If ever there was a perfect lead in to a rant about the Beloved Ruling Class, or our/their Corporate Masters, or about the Priestly Hierarchies, those fawning sycophants who support those two entities in their chicanery, well, I don’t know what it would be, if not this. It’s perfectly positioned to attack any, or all of these groups, all of whom make the described action, to wit: bare-faced lying, a habitual choice in their daily interactions with others. They do this with full knowledge of the harm they may cause, but are not concerned with that, other than as it pertains to the maintenance of their own image; they want us to see them as people who care about those over whom they hold sway. In short, they live a complete lie, they know it, and they like it….


Whether we speak of the political leaders of our nations, the corporate leaders of the banking crowd, or the Pope, Ayatollah, and other figures held as religious icons, they speak “with forked tongue”, in the vernacular of Tonto, our favorite TV Indian stereotype. Not only do they lie to the public almost every time the open their mouths, they know they are lying; with many of them, you can see it in their eyes, as they speak…. Some of them (perhaps even most….) are very good at concealing their cupidity from most people; it’s part of why they are successful. But, to anyone with even a hint of street smarts, or even moderate intelligence, and the patience to observe with impartiality, their lies are obvious…. Hell, it’s been said, with some reason, that you can tell a politician is lying, because his mouth is open….


“If I can’t misquote it, I don’t want it.” — Rush Limbaugh


This statement, whether he actually said it or not, explains quite accurately why he is so popular among the conservatives and ignorant fundamentalists in this country…. I would guesstimate the majority of elected officials in this country use this principle on a daily basis, as one of the standards by which they formulate their public policies, and one of their bywords when speaking in a public venue. Nothing is accepted so readily by the uneducated listener as a quote, or a statistic, that sounds elegant, and real, and comforting, even though it is an absolute untruth, or a mistake, or even a misquotation…. None of that matters to those in power, because they know that their success hinges on their ability to lie successfully to the public….. It’s a time honored tradition in our government, one every politician knows in his bones…


“It’s not that simple, no matter how you wish it so.  You made public statements from a position of false authority;  now you’re having them shoved down your throat.  Welcome to netnews. — Smart Bee


The advent of the internet has made it possible to detail these lies as never before in history. As always, however, the information is only accessible if one reads, and is competent enough to be able to use the internet to its full capability for gathering data. So, the lies continue, though they are much more visible now than in previous periods of history. They will continue as long as people are too lazy, or too brainwashed to think for themselves, and to question what they hear from those who hold power over them.


I don’t think it is reasonable to ever expect those who are in power to stop what they are doing, do a complete reversal of attitude, and start using their positions to advocate for the people, instead of their corporate masters; it isn’t going to happen, as they LIKE being able to raid the public treasury at will. There is no benefit for them, in their eyes, for them to stop lying, so they won’t…. No, if we want things to change, it will have to begin in that part of society that does not answer to the moneychangers, or to the call of avarice, to wit: with you, and me…. Otherwise, we may as well just bend over, and kiss our asses goodbye, because ultimately, the way things are going, we are all headed down the universal toilet, where all of Mother Nature’s failed experiments get flushed…..


I can rant on this subject without limit, I think, as there is no lack of material to work with; the news is all over the net every day with more evidence of the lies the BRC wants us to believe. Hell, one can take almost any large newspaper, look on the front page, and find at least two examples of issues that arise out of corruption in government, or some environmental disaster that is a warning of our impending doom…. In any of these, you will find at least one government official making a statement that is just plain wrong, or false in some way, intended to spin the information to benefit the administration, or to denigrate it, depending on which side is speaking….  It’s a circus maximus, for sure, and provides us curmudgeons with all the rantable material we could wish for, gratis (well, for the price of a computer, and internet access, anyway….).


“God said it, I believe it and that’s all there is to it.” — Smart Bee


I had to put Smart Bee as the attribution here, probably because nobody in their right mind would ever claim credit for having said it…. But, as I, in my lifetime, have actually heard several people say this, (realio trulio, I swear…. three times I’ve heard it, in person, come out of a real live idiot’s mouth….), I can only credit it as being a common feeling among a certain percentage of people. Be that as it may, as long as there is ANYONE who thinks this way, we are all going to be held back from being all our species could be, as well as being in danger of facing extinction because of the intransigence of their ignorance…..


“Misanthropology: the study of why people are so stupid and why most of them should die, SOON!” — Smart Bee


I don’t know the exact figures, but I would say that at least 50% of all the elected officials in this country hold this attitude, if not as gospel or dogma for all issues, at least as true for most issues. Our government has been taken over, insidiously, over time, by religious fanatics, who are working frantically to cement their hold over everyone else by enacting their own morality as law…. As history has proven, time after time, legislating morality is ALWAYS doomed to failure, but, as this group believes implicitly in the rightness of their articles of faith, they will listen to no evidence to the contrary….


“Religion is the highest vanity.” — Friedrich Hebbel


Ah well, I guess all I can say at this point is I think we’re all going to hell in the proverbial handbasket, and I, for one, would just as soon not be involved in this particular picnic…. Nope, not me…. Sadly, there isn’t anywhere else to go, where I can get away from these fools, as they have infested almost every corner of this sad old globe, and are busy destroying the chances for any of us to survive their ignorance…. Unless I, and all those like me, change our nature, and become like the ones who are in power, willing to kill our brethren over these issues, there is little to be done, for they will never give up until they kill us all….


~~ gigoid has spoken….


“Buy a rifle, encrypt your data, and wait for the Revolution!” — .sig of Travis J.I. Corcoran (TJIC@icd.teradyne.com)


“Speak the truth, but leave immediately after.” — Slovenian Proverb


Note from 2015:  Well…. There you go. As I look at the above, I note it is pretty thorough; as well, it has its own ending pearls, so, I’ve eliminated the one previously chosen, since it isn’t needed, and would be overkill on a rant already far too long for your comfort…. Sorry ’bout that, but, I get a little carried away once I get going….. No worries, ffolkes, it’s done now, and we can go on….


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


I chose today’s poem for its relevance to my current state of mind; it just seems to fit…. I hope you enjoy it; it was one of the first I wrote after my nearly 40 year hiatus from writing poetry…. Before this, the last poem I wrote was in my early twenties….







Gently Came a Wounded Child


But you shall not escape my iambics.


Soft, sinuous patterns of unearthly beauty 

blithely commune with sinking stars, 

as pale shadows of former virtue hover 

near, ever clean, ever tolerant. 

These unbidden habits are worn with age and care, 

ready now for dissolution, 

welcoming gladly the kiss of Death’s handmaiden. 


Unknown to all, the child stands aside, 

weeping for the lost days of youth, 

days that now shall never be, 

nor yearned for ever after. 

Only darkness shall lay upon the landscape, 

cold, hard, eternal. 


Such then are the signs and portents 

as we enter into the unknown future, 

they are grave indeed. 


Uncertainty will be our sole companion, 

as the search for hope yields no result. 

The lamentations of the gods 

shall sound the elegy for Man, 

who never learned to see the gift that was made, 

so many echoes ago, in the hopeful past; 

thus will we pass this plane of existence 

as we came, baffled and afraid….


~~ gigoid ~~


written 2/2/2012




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


This is what I would call a serendipity pearl; in choosing the inclusions, I gave no instructions or parameters to Smart Bee. With seemingly no effort at all, it gave me the following seven-star pearl, within an incredibly short time, and, only a few offerings that were rejected…. Nice of SB, don’t you think? Especially as it came out very well…. It speaks, of course, of LIFE, or as we like to call it, LAL, or Life at Large….




Oft expectation fails, and most oft there

Where most it promises.


~~ William Shakespeare (1564-1616) ~~


~~ All ‘s Well that Ends Well — Act ii, Sc. 1 ~~




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


“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” — Confucius


“Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion.  Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear.” — Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Peter Carr, Aug. 10, 1787


“In practice it is seldom very hard to do one’s duty when one knows what it is, but it is sometimes exceedingly difficult to find this out.” — Samuel Butler


“There is only one blasphemy, and that is the refusal to experience joy.” — Paul Rudnick


“When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.” — Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) (1835-1910)


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


Considering how little of my native intelligence is at my disposal this morning, I am astounded; for finishing, and for writing so much, even if much of it was archived material…. But, my astonishment doesn’t outweigh my inertial state, which is balking at thinking at all…. I think I’ll go eat some worms…. Well, maybe I’ll make it oatmeal. Whatever, I’m outta here, ffolkes, with the very real hope I can see y’all tomorrow….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

   and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Uh oh…. I see dragon poop….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




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


~~ Socrates ~~


84408149


     Remember the goofy dog in yesterday’s post? This little charmer’s picture came from the same blog post, as attributed in the Pearl previous to this one…. I found it on my friend Lou’s site, in which he shared the link to the original post; just click on the “Previous” button at the top of this blog page, to find them…. Great photos, sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face first thing in the morning, or any time it pops up in front of their eyes…. Just look at that face! Who can resist?…. Any negative answer I came up with would only stimulate a rant, for it would take a very flawed, nasty person, (I can’t use ‘human’; it wouldn’t fit…), to be indifferent to such a charming smile, even if it IS most likely because the poor lad has gas, or just enjoys his cluelessness….


SIGH….. Onward, he said, with considerable ambivalence…


In the apartment where I live, one circuit, visiting each room, with measured steps, covers 50 paces. At about 2.5 feet per stride, that is 125 feet, equal to 41 yards, rounded off. Let’s call it 40 meters, to simplify the multiplication we will use to find the results we seek…


1 kilometer = 1000 meters


1000m/40m = 25 circuits


Therefore, I need to pace one circuit of the house rooms 25 times to walk one kilometer…. Not too bad, though I’d guess the scenery will get a trifle repetitive, after the first, oh, 10 circuits… It’s a nice, even floor though; no big hills to complicate the trip… I suppose I could listen to music as I pace; I seem to be doing a lot of it lately, thanks to the ongoing battle with Kaiser, which is causing me interminable discomfort due to dyskinesia; hence, the frequent need to pace… I’d call it serendipitous, if it didn’t piss me off so much… It will help, I would also guess, with my weight-loss regime, helping to melt off the pounds, even though I’m not yet trying to get aerobic…. Once I’ve lost enough to exercise a little harder, without so much risk of hurting myself worse, the weight should fly away even faster….


This information will help when it’s raining outside, I suppose…. Finding silver linings is an occupation fraught with frequent disappointment, as you can see….


Some of y’all may be wondering what all this is doing here; those familiar with this blog won’t be surprised, but, will probably skip down a section at this point, knowing they’ll be okay, as long as they stay in their seats, and don’t ask for the steward to bring them a fresh drink until we’re done here. They know, too, you won’t quite be convinced of anything until surrendering all previous expectations, thus freeing their imagination to accept the method of expression that prevails on this site….


Of course, y’all can always ignore it all, and just read, but, that carries its own risks; those risks were posted on the entrance, right under the water fountain in the southeast corner of the compound. But, don’t worry, the insurance covers anything short of maiming, so, it’ll all be okay by the closing section, if you just trust us…. You may do that without fear of betrayal, as we have previously proved we have no connection to any form or category of Asininnie, and thus can be trusted to tell you the truth, even if it hurts….


Now that we have wandered so far from any possible hope of finding our correct path, we’ll just dive in right here, where it appears we may do so without the usual fanfare…. Hang on, and, please, use the handrails….


Shall we Pearl?


“The wise man will always reflect concerning the quality, not the quantity of life.” — Lucius Annaeus Seneca


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


During a period of time yesterday spent in the throes of a full-out rage, which I will deal with in my own time, I was compelled to self-administer some rather exotic/esoteric therapeutic techniques, with the intent of bringing me to a more stable emotional state, where I would then be able to use my mind productively, some way other than it wished at the time, which was to leave the house and find some innocent party to torment and destroy….


One of the techniques I employed was to put on some music I knew could distract me, because of its connection to me, and my past…. This is one of the pieces I used, to give me an opportunity to imagine my youth, rather than imagining scenes of bloody violence, or massive destruction…. and, no, it wasn’t much fun…. This, however, will be, so, enjoy, please… John Prine and I go WAY back….







John Prine – Sessions at West 54th (full concert)






































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


“He who does not bellow the truth when he knows the truth makes himself the accomplice of liars and forgers.” — French philosopher Charles Peguy


Fresh ranting is rather out of the question; I have slept so little in the last three days, I can’t trust my mind to stay within the bounds of polite expression. I do feel, however, the need to express SOME sort of truth, even if it must come from the archives…. Here is a rant from about a year ago, to keep me happy, if not completely sane….


From 1/25/2014:




“The time has come,” the Walrus said,

“To talk of many things:

Of shoes–and ships–and sealing-wax–

Of cabbages–and kings–

And why the sea is boiling hot–

And whether pigs have wings.”


~~ Lewis Carroll ~~


~~ from Through The Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872 ~~




When I close my eyes, sometimes, I can hear it…. Maybe you can, too. I hope so, The more of us who can, gives me hope for those who don’t….


I can hear the murmuring voices, too soft to make out any words or sense, but, always there, in the background of my mind’s attention to what I perceive…. It takes a bit of concentration to hear it, at first, but, with time, it becomes more of a real perception, and thus, subject to both reason, and will….


What do I hear? I hear mankind, suffering in silence. I hear everyone’s inner self, alone, crying out for company, and the comfort of simple touch, in a terrifying universe full of indifferent powers we don’t understand, desperate to know there is another mind out there that feels, that is afraid, that wants more….. I hear the cries of innocents, and the screams of the oppressed and abused. I hear the bombs and guns singing their song of death and destruction. I hear the hissing grunts as the bankers count their gelt…. I hear my own voice, telling me, time and time again, how hopeless it all is, that it’s too late…. And it hurts to know it’s true….


Yet, what I hear is possibly our salvation, as well….. Mankind exists on a bell curve; I’ve said this before, and it remains true. Much of human progress has always been accomplished according to the efforts of those on the curve who live at the ends, whether they are very, very smart and/or with extraordinary abilities, or very, very simple, with other types of abilities, not always appreciated, but there, nonetheless… I believe that the key to our survival as a species is now dependent upon how well we can learn to utilize those fringe abilities to our advantage….


Mankind has many mental strengths which we seldom use; this is patently obvious, given the state of affairs in the world. Reality has proven to be malleable to the human will, when it is applied in the correct manner; used poorly, the universe just plows on under its own power, and will flatten anyone getting in its way like the proverbial pancake. But, when we learn to use our will in the manner in which it works best, then we can accomplish amazing things, altering Reality according to our desires and/or needs….


The key to utilizing the untapped power we have to change reality is not to be found if we continue, as a species, and culture (as amorphous as it may be with so many different parts to that culture world-wide….), to put our physical and personal wants and needs ahead of our spiritual and communal needs. We need to acknowledge that allowing self-interest to guide the decision making process can only lead to the horrors we are now facing. It is now not merely desirable, but, imperative that Mankind develop a connection to the inner spirit which we possess, but, not with the delusional submission of that spirit to an imaginary supernatural friend, but, with clear, open eyes and compassionate intent for all guiding both our perceptive capabilities, and our actions….


In other words, we need to look inward, and connect with those others in our species who are similarly inclined, to search for, and, hopefully to find, a way to unleash the power of the mind on the problems we face, even though the immediacy of those problems will not make it easy….. As  I see it right now, we don’t have many options at all, and if placing some hope on the human talents that are now hidden, or poorly understood will cause change, any change, in what people are DOING, then, I’ll do all I can to promote that campaign… Hell, as I said, and, as I see it, we don’t have much choice, so, why the hell not?….. Let’s go find some magic, and some telepaths, and a dragon or two, to help us turn the tide against the forces of stupidity that have ruled our society since the beginning of our history….


So, that’s what I’m going to do as my new project, out in the Big Blue Room, and here on the internet…. I’m going to look for the fringe elements of our society and culture, those that have a connection to the true nature of reality, and have shown it in the past. I figure at least one or two of them ought to have an idea, if only of where to look next, and if it helps me find and pull together the resources that are necessary, then, it’s worth a shot, in my mind…. and, it will give me something to do other than worry about how much time is left to get it done…..


Wish me luck…. If I’m right, and succeed, at all, there is hope…. If I don’t, well, nothing will change, and we all know how that story is going to end, don’t we?…..


“Until the pain of remaining the same hurts more than the pain of change, most people prefer to remain the same.” — Richard D. Dobbins


“A process which led from amoeba to man appeared to the philosophers to be obviously progress – though whether the amoeba would agree with this opinion is not known.” — Bertrand Russell




Those oft are stratagems which errors seem,

Nor is it Homer nods, but we that dream.


~~ Alexander Pope (1688-1744) — Essay on Criticism, Part i, Line 177 ~~




I won’t say I’m sorry, because, hey, I’m not…. but, the 3-star pearl finish is just because I really like all three, and, upon inspection as a whole, fit the above rather nicely…. “Onward”, he said, with obvious delight at the serendipity….


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


Yesterday will pass from memory eventually, with a great sigh of relief on my part. Without going into details, I’ll merely state that it was a day spent in the state of Misery…. without any desire for company, either. During the time in 2011 and 2012 while I was waiting to obtain my Social Security benefits, I was living in the state of Poverty, with occasional visits from Murphy to give me a little trip to Misery, just for the change of scenery, I suppose… I wrote this after a day much like yesterday, so, it will do fine for today….. I won’t say enjoy; I didn’t enjoy what brought it into existence…. but, it does tell a story, such as it is….




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 ~~




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


This pearl built itself over the course of yesterday’s battle with the forces of chaos; each one showed up individually, mixed in among a host of other quotes that didn’t make the grade in some manner. Each one is a statement about the characteristics of a life lived in search of truth, and honor…. I consider this one a victory of some proportion, for being done, and done so well, given the difficulty involved in its creation; believe me, I’ve done worse, and seldom done better….


“It is the edge and temper of the blade that make a good sword, not the richness of the scabbard; and so it is not money or possessions that make man considerable, but his virtue.” — Seneca (B.C. 3-65 A.D.)


“Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to the eyes of men. Silently and imperceptibly, as we wake or sleep, we grow strong or weak; and at last some crisis shows what we have become.” — Brooke Foss Westcott


“Be not as one that hath ten thousand years to live; death is nigh at hand: while thou livest, while thou hast time, be good.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, iv, 17


“The comedy of man survives the tragedy of man.” — G. K. Chesterton, Illustrated London News, 2-10-06


“To be alive is to take risks; to be always safe and secure is death.” — Edward Abbey


“He who dies for virtue, does not perish.” — Plautus (B.C. 254-184)


“Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.” — Seneca


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


Having thus completed my self-chosen duty for today, I will take my leave, not without some relief. It has been, and promises to continue to be a difficult time, as I wage war with corporate intransigence, my subconscious mind, and my body’s advancing deterioration; I can only hope, at this point, the results will justify all the effort…. Not a bad metaphor for much of life, eh? On that little note, plaintive though it may be, I will take my leave…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, should fate allow….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

   and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Paradox, paradise, or paranoia? You decide….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				5			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




“Sure, understanding today’s complex world of the future 


is a little like having bees live in your head.  


But, there they are . . . ” 


~~ The Firesign Theater ~~


~~ “I Think We’re All Bozos On This Bus!” ~~


84408142


     I found this absolutely adorable picture on the blog site of my friend Lou, at http://talesfromtheconspiratum.com/2015/01/06/ridiculously-photogenic-moments/; he had reblogged it from another site. You can find it, and others like it, at http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/84408138/  The blog post is entitled 23 Ridiculously Photogenic Moments, and has some great shots of unlikely subjects, all looking good doing ridiculous stuff, like this goofy-looking pit but with the bemused smile…. Put the picture together with the great quote above it, which is from my all-time favorite comedy album, and you’ve got something…. The exact nature of what we have is, of course, left as an exercise for the gentle reader….


Now we have the housekeeping out of the way, what shall we say about this Pearl? It did not come to bury Caesar, but to praise him. Or something like that; I forget how it goes. It really didn’t apply, anyway, did it? I thought not. Just another failed attempt at early humor, when I know better. I should stick to either straight fantasy, or nonsense. Given the relevance of the opening lines today, by the Firesign Theater, perhaps it would be best if we made some effort to return there, to what we know best…. Let’s see what I can come up with along those lines…


Strangely enough, no strange, or funny, or even neutral fluff seems to be available for use today. That may be due to the spasms and level 6 pain I’ve had for the last, oh, 22-plus hours, much of which was spent in a supine position, with knees up on a bolster, and the music loud to drown out my groans…. I used a massive dose of several substances to get a couple hours sleep (making the average over the last three nights a total of about 8 or 9 hours…. yay. Every little bit helps, they say…. They’re wrong, but, that’s what they say…), but I can see now it’s a good thing most of this Pearl was already done before I got up today.


In fact, I’m dropping all pretense, and getting on with it, so I can go lay down again, until my lower back decides to stop complaining…. I don’t like to be a complainer, and find myself in that position far too often for my own comfort… Fuck it, let’s go find something else to think about….


Shall we Pearl?


“I read the news today, Oh boy…” — John Lennon


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


In the upcoming weeks, you may see a number of videos like this one; the news of late out in the Big Blue Room is enough to make anybody want to relax, and take themselves to a happy place… Enjoy!







Celtic Music – Relaxing And Beautiful Mix 











































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


On December 6 of 2012, the Pearl I wrote turned out pretty well, with two pretty good mini-rants on two subjects.  Given the recent spate of killings by police, in this country alone, this outburst is particularly relevant. I don’t think it’s necessary to reiterate my belief the world is over-militarized, whether by local police, or large national police organizations, or military institutions on a national level….


But, then, it is well to remember, the making and selling of arms, and all of the other weapons of war and destruction, IS the oldest, largest, most lucrative business on this planet, a fact of which all governments, all large religious institutions, and all multi-national corporations are fully aware, as evidenced by their uniform complicity, in allowing it to continue to furnish the means by which Man’s insane avarice for power is expressed, endlessly….


From 12/6/2012:


“Who will protect the public when the police violate the law?” — Ramsey Clark


Here is a question that is particularly relevant in today’s society. In my time on this sad little ball of mud, I have studied the various parts that make up our culture, and the police, due to their ubiquitous nature, have always been right there at the forefront of my observations. We all have our stories of how we have had to deal with police in various circumstances, not all of which show them in their best light. In fact, next to lawyers, police officers are probably the most reviled members of society, as well as one of the most admired. There are good reasons to support both views…..


I cannot say that my knowledge of ALL policemen is complete; I don’t know them all. But my observations over the years have indicated that at least half of those who enter the field do so out of a desire to have power over others, rather than an impulse to be of service. It is easy to spot these folks…. They’re the ones who never signal a turn in their cars, and are always moving at a speed greater than the posted limit. They assume that the laws that govern the populace are not applicable to them, and act accordingly. They enter any situation with the attitude that “might is right”, and attempt to intimidate anyone who tries to usurp or question their authority. They don’t serve as policemen to keep the peace, but to control the beasts….. two entirely different goals.


I find myself at this point to be in the beginning stages of a rant; this subject is one that frustrates me a lot, as I believe that the police should be offering themselves as an example of honorable, lawful behavior. Many of them do so, but a large number are no more concerned with serving and protecting than they are in consuming donuts without sprinkles. Due to circumstances well within my control, I’m not in the mood for ranting this morning, so I’m going to let this go without further comment.


Suffice it to say that society needs to consider the question asked above by Mr. Clark, and take a hard, realistic look at the requirements needed to procure police officers who are of the proper frame of mind to assume the responsibilities involved in public protection. It seems to me that psychological testing of potential officers would be a good place to start; perhaps some of those who go into the field for their own purposes might not be given such power, if they could be winnowed out in the testing process…… Perhaps then we would begin to see the police set the example for the rest of society, rather than proving to be one of the problems we need to solve…..


“The superior man is the providence of the inferior. He is eyes for the blind, strength for the weak, and a shield for the defenseless. He stands erect by bending above the fallen. He rises by lifting others.” — Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899)


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


First written in September of 2012, this is a poem that arose out of my time spent waiting for Social Security to grind through its bureaucratic machinations to grant my retirement…. As I read it now, I can see the marks of depression I struggled with then, fighting to stay positive, while my mind waged war with itself, using every trick at its disposal to stay sane enough to survive, as well as to challenge my own will to do so… I hope you enjoy it….




Visible life


Forty-two days of pressure and internal rain,

leave marks of salvation, often in pain.

Such sharp reminders of yesterday’s remorse

fight heavily to keep a straight course.

Rash moments, bright, and routinely immense

Give us pleasure, bereft of common sense.


Still the night comes soft and eternally dear

to bring out wishful dreams so vitally clear.

Life’s myrmidons give freely in protest

lifting with skill, soul pieces first to infest,

Loudly brash, with no such voices to remain

Sealed in infamy, branded ugliness all too plain.


Now come brave signs of chapter and verse

Shielded by ignorance, irritable and terse.

Gravid portions of in-between retaliation

leave only pale marks of initial gestation

With hope even pallid warriors grow brave

Leading all humanity, to a warm, stale grave.


Hope never falters, nor leaves any trace

Yet lingers forever in a welcoming space.

Cheerful faces yet shine out of time

for tricking and fumbling sweet melody sublime.

Fill in the spaces with a long, strong retort

life is ever visible, if only as last resort.


~~ gigoid ~~




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


(Note from gigoid: This was written ahead of time, and does not reflect current conditions. It is, however, done, which makes it perfect for today…. I’m just not feeling as silly as indicated….)


I’m feeling a bit silly today, along with the normal (!!!…) degree of angst over the news; Smart Bee was sympathetic enough to find the perfect group of pearls with which to address both emotional states at once…. Go figure, eh? This one is both fun, and quite pointed, with some sharp thorns adorning the roses…. There were a lot of them, so, brace yourselves, and for goodness sake, put down your adult beverages so you don’t spew on the keyboard….


“I drank what?” — Socrates


“The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that still carries any reward.” — John Maynard Keynes


“We have had no good comic operas of late, because the real world has been more comic than any possible opera.” — G. K. Chesterton, The Quotable Chesterton


“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” — Hanlon’s Razor


“Good God,” said Arthur, “it looks just like the sea front at Southend.”

“I’m relieved to hear you say that,” said Ford.

“Why”

“Because I thought I must be going mad.”

“Perhaps you are. Perhaps you only thought I said it.”

Ford thought about this.

“Well, did you say it, or didn’t you?” he asked.

“I think so,” said Arthur.

“Well, perhaps we’re both going mad.”

“Yes,” said Arthur, “we’d be mad, all things considered, to think this was Southend.”

“Well, do you think this is Southend?”

“Oh, yes”

“So do I.”

“Therefore we must be mad.”

“Nice day for it.”

“Yes,” said a passing maniac.

“Who was that?” asked Arthur.

“Who–the man with the five heads and the elderberry bush full of kippers?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know. Just someone.”

“Ah.”


— From The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy


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


“If you ever reach total enlightenment while you’re drinking a beer, I bet it makes beer shoot out your nose.” — Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey


“If a lawyer and an IRS agent were both drowning, and you could only save one of them, would you go to lunch or read the paper?” — Smart Bee


“When something irritates you, think of this:  How else would we get pearls?” — Smart Bee


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


Finally, to finish off this nonsense, we move on to what good ol’ Socrates said, immediately after voicing his surprise, as related in the opening line of this pearl….


“Sure, everyone always said ‘Socrates what is the meaning of life?’ or ‘Socrates how can I find happiness?’…. Did anyone ever say ‘Socrates, hemlock is poison.’???????” — Socrates, minutes before death


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


If I were the religious sort, I’d say ‘Thank God that’s done!”. Since I am not anything of the sort, I’ll just say, it’s done, and be done with it. That seems to fit in with my current state of mind better, anyway…. Right now, if God were here, I’d spit in his face, for being a butthead…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, I hope…




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

   and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
With a suitably dour expression, the dowager duchess demurred….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

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Ffolkes,




“‘Tis not knowing much, but what is useful, that makes a wise man.”


~~ Thomas Fuller ~~


more palsBosom Buddies




In keeping with my resolution to lose weight (no, not a New Year’s resolution; I started three months ago…), and to take a more proactive attitude toward my overall health, I’m making good progress, 25 lbs; gone, so far, in 3 months…). In terms of the pain, not so much has been achieved, as yet, though I have high hopes, so to speak. In general, I also intend to be a bit less of a curmudgeon, at least in the way I look at certain subjects…. I have no intention of giving up my insistence on not suffering fools gladly; I’ll just be a little nicer to shopkeepers, and other folks who cannot properly defend themselves from my ire when they act stupid right in front of me…. It will probably help my karma, too, so, it’s a win-win…


So what does that mean for today’s intro? Not a damn thing, but, something had to go there, right? Right. Now that it has, I suppose it would be advisable to direct your attention to our next abortive attempt to engage your interest…. Sad thought the attempt was, (To be truthful, I tried to warn them/us/myself, it wouldn’t work… and, as you see, it didn’t….), it may not have snatched up your attention, to nail it on our chosen theme, but, it did get you down to this paragraph. Let’s see, where to now?….


Perhaps you’d like to see the pictures I got from…. no, that’s right, we don’t post genitalia pictures, thought I’m told some people get a lot of them sent to them via email…. I wish I got genitalia pictures in the mail; what a thrill that must be! (Why yes, you do detect a trifle bit of sardonicism in that statement…. why do you ask?….) What I would do with them isn’t clear, nor do I want to think about it, but, at least somebody out there could be nice enough to give me a choice in the matter…. How will I ever learn to judge them by quality of form?…. No, I’m not serious…. In fact, I believe I’m lost again, having completely wandered away from any sort of direction I may have thought to go….


Oh well, it’s okay…. Even though I spent a miserable night, and felt for a time like borrowing my neighbor’s AK-47, I managed to get back to sleep for an hour, which allowed me to rescue my mood, so as not to start the day with an urge to sink my remaining teeth into some soft, pink flesh…. preferably the throat of a Kaiser executive…. Oops, didn’t mean to rant, even for one partial sentence… Oh well, I guess that’s a good sign, indicating this would be a good time to get our asses out of here, and get on with today’s effort…. Okay, I’ll do it…. Watch….


Shall we Pearl?


“The countenance is the portrait of the soul, and the eyes mark its intentions.” — Cicero (B.C. 106-43)


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


My friend Lou, at http://talesfromtheconspiratum.com/, sent me a link yesterday, with a suggested video for my readers to enjoy while reading their morning pearls…. I checked it out, and he’s right…. It’s a great little compilation of soothing sounds and music, suitable for reading, studying, meditating, or yoga…. take your choice….




Zen Garden – Cherry Blossoms, Relaxation & Meditation – 50 minutes 


http://youtu.be/l_YSyUpf8Ec






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


UBIQUITY, n.  The gift or power of being in all places at one time, but not in all places at all times, which is omnipresence, an attribute of God and the luminiferous ether only.  This important distinction between ubiquity and omnipresence was not clear to the medieval Church and there was much bloodshed about it.  Certain Lutherans, who affirmed the presence everywhere of Christ’s body were known as Ubiquitarians.  For this error they were doubtless damned, for Christ’s body is present only in the Eucharist, though that sacrament may be performed in more than one place simultaneously.  In recent times ubiquity has not always been understood — not even by Sir Boyle Roche, for example, who held that a man cannot be in two places at once unless he is a bird. — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”


I’ve related my take on religion previously, but, I find the following rant from the archives makes fine reminder of why the entire concept is one we could do without, if we so chose…. Taking personal responsibility for our own morality has always seemed, to me, to be a much more moral way to live, than to allow others to determine for me how I should act…. My comments re: the rightness of eliminating those who deliberately harm others, or society, are a bit radical; in truth, they are a bit harsh even for me. In truth, though, ’tis no more radical than basing the same act on someone else’s idea of how morality should be defined….


From 12/6/2012:


Tsze-kung asked, saying, “Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one’s life?”  The Master said, “Is not Reciprocity such a word?  What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” — Confucius (551-479 B.C.)


Ah yes, the Golden Rule…. For how long have the sages of our species been reiterating this rule? Years? Centuries? Millennia? Yes, all of the above. Yet, in today’s society, there is ample proof that a large portion of humanity totally ignores this rule, instead operating under a different rule, to wit: “I’m going to get mine first, and do unto others, first, before they can do unto me” This rule has never been precisely stated, unlike the Golden Rule, which has been stated in any number of ways over time. But, those who live by this rule are just as committed to their own self-interests as sages are to the interests of all…..


The struggle for the Soul of Man has been raging since the beginning of history, for though we now drive cars, and wear ties, and use telephones, our emotions and desires are the same ones we had when we lived in caves and ate unrefrigerated foods on a daily basis, if we were lucky. To this date, no one has been able to discover why some people just won’t go along with the program, but insist on making their own rules, to the detriment of everyone else. I suppose if we did discover the reason, it wouldn’t be a problem any more, but it is still frustrating to know that we are, as a species, still fighting the same old ignorances and cupidities that we had in the beginning of history, and are still losing far too often…..


I believe in the inherent goodness of people, but, at my age, I also must qualify that belief to include the very significant number of folks who choose to act against that part of their nature, giving rein to that beast in all of us that yearns to take, and to destroy. Yes, we have goodness in our makeup, but we also have evil, and there are a lot of people who choose to dwell on that side of their own nature, and basically don’t give a crap about what it means to other people. As long as they meet their own needs and desires, everyone else can just go to hell…. I don’t much like it, but it is true nonetheless….


So, I say this…. If one sees a person who is harming others by their actions, and you can determine that they are doing so deliberately, then I believe it is within the boundaries of the Golden Rule to destroy them on sight (or, at minimum, administer a sound thrashing)…. for this reason: if I were acting in such a manner, I would wish that the rest of rational society would judge me, and bring me under control, for the good of all. If that necessitated destruction, so be it; it is a final solution, if a bit harsh. I also do not believe that anyone who deliberately acts to harm others has the right to exist as part of society, and it is perfectly sensible to remove them….


I know, this sounds as if I’m speaking in favor of the death penalty, and in one sense, I am. Unfortunately, the one problem with the death penalty is that nobody can agree on who is capable of making the correct, rational, and honorable decision in such cases. Myself, I’m a bit more of a curmudgeon, and believe in personal responsibility…. so I’m not going to fret over killing a rapist, or a child molester, or a senior abuser, as long as their guilt is clear. They made their choice when they acted against the rules and morals of society, so my choice makes perfect sense in response, according to that same Golden Rule.


A bit different view of that rule, eh? Well, nobody claimed this would be a smooth, level flight, or a soft landing….


“I stared into the abyss. The abyss stared into me. Neither of us liked what we saw.” — Brother Theodore


Google says that this particular phrase is attributed to Brother Theodore (whoever he was….) Nietzsche gave a very similar expression, when he said , “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” Either one of these is a fitting closer for this section….


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


Along the same lines as the above, here is one of mine, in what I would define as a call to reason….




Early Observations


Until I knew there was more,

I wanted to know God.

They said he was a nice guy,

and would let me live forever.


All I had to do, they said,

was live my life for Him,

always living by scripture

cleaving only to his Way.


But, everyone I saw in church,

acted different at home.

Living wild, cussin’ and fussin’,

nobody lived like they said.


Still, I tried to be like Jesus,

he was sort of cool.

He never hurt nobody

and walked on the right path.


‘Course they killed him for that,

they couldn’t stand his example.

Turned him into a martyr,

 hid his real words among their own.


Then I found the Buddha,

and met Lao Tzu at the gate.

They saw things real different,

showed me how to see straight.


Right thought, and right action

replace blind obedience and faith.

Reality becomes manageable,

fear retreats, the universe expands.


Brother John said it pretty well,

“Imagine there’s no heaven,

it’s easy if you try.”

Sounds like he knew why.


Day to day, life is grand,

we walk in eternal beauty.

Open your eyes and hearts,

find yourself already immortal.


~~ gigoid ~~




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


This is what I’d call a prototypical pearl, which is of a variety which makes it plain life isn’t as simple as it seems, yet, provides us with all we need to understand any complexity, if we are open to developing a character of honor, dignity, and courage, tempered by kindness, and its outgrowth, compassion….


“Life is a struggle with the obvious. We have been so blinkered with expectations or so blinded with choices that seeing and accepting the obvious becomes rare and courageous.” — Callan Williams


“Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.” — Buddha (B.C. 568-488)


“Man is a religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion – several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn’t straight” — Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) — The Damned Human Race


“Determine never to be idle…It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.” — Thomas Jefferson


“Character is much easier kept than recovered.” — Thomas Paine


“Of all the benefits that virtue confers upon us, the contempt of death is one of the greatest.” — Montaigne (1533-1592)


“What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau


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


Having survived the black hole that was my mind this morning, and emerged, relatively unscathed, on the other side of reality, I see that what I’ve created here today is, once again, more than I intended, while less than I’d hoped…. Not bad for a late start after a misery of a night…. I’ll take it, and run…. See y’all tomorrow, if all goes as planned…. Oh, I’d also like to mention the addition of Richy to our call for blessings in the ending blurb, as well as a brand new worthy sentiment, from our old friend, Oscar, which I’ve added to the very end, (the only appropriate place for it….), just for fun….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

   and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch




À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
New advances in fish sauce….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				12			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




“A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, 


bearing within him the image of a cathedral.”


~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~


Glasgow-Greenock Port 011

BEWARE! FANCIFUL NOTIONS AHEAD!




Or not. I haven’t decided yet. But, it looks good there, doesn’t it? I’m always looking for an opening that will draw ffolkes, or even folks, in to read. Reading is good. We all know this, but, here at ECR, we live y that rule of thumb, (or would it be a rule of law? No, too silly, even for me…), so, we try to provide the finest in adult entertainment, as provided by our charter. Or, what we remember of the charter…. One of these days, I’ll find the damn thing, and we’ll be able to find out what it really says….


Of course, that will be the same day Satan breaks out his ice skates, so, it may be a while. Tell you what…. When I get the notice, I’ll send out a group text, to let y’all in on it…. Of course, all of you who wish to be notified will need to furnish me with you phone numbers, your full name as it appears on your bill, and, of course, the routing and account numbers for your bank accounts…. Send those along, and all will be fine…. If you need any further info, you can wire me care of the American Embassy in Pago Pago….


What do you think? Enough nonsense for one day? I can keep this up for a long time, if necessary. Of course, that only applies on alternate Wednesdays, and today is Friday, I think…. Yep, I just checked. So, it won’t be any real problem for any of us, provided reality stays in this particular incarnation for a day or two. I’m not sure what the schedule says, so we’ll go with that, and be happy…. Or, clueless, which amounts to the same thing for most folks…. Ffolkes, naturally, never fall into those types of traps, so, y’all should be fine….


Wow, the crap is flowing out now, isn’t it? I’m not sure where this outpouring of BS is coming from, but, it’s probably a good thing it’s coming out…. To look at it, I can definitely say, with a high degree of confidence, in this case, better out than in…. In fact, so much better, I’ll leave it at that, and officially close this intro with a ruthless bang…. Watch me closely, or you’ll miss it….


Shall we Pearl?


“I know who I am. Sometimes you go away, but I’m still here.” — gigoid, in one of his more lucid moments…


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


All of us, in growing up, are affected by the music we hear, and by the artists who give us the music. At a certain point, we decide who our favorites are, according to our tastes; it may be somewhat revealing, but, this woman was one of my first musical favorites, back in the 50’s when I was growing up…. It didn’t hurt that she was also one of the most beautiful women alive at the time….


See, I told you it’s revealing, and what is revealed here is that, like most males, I was a dog…. A nice dog, but, nonetheless smelly when wet, for all that…. She’s a great jazz singer, though, so, I feel as if my initial liking, though perhaps not based entirely on my musical tastes, were still accurate as to quality…. If you have any heart & soul at all, you’ll like her music….







Peggy Lee – Rendezvous with Peggy Lee [Album] 













































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


“I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.” — Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Charles Jarvis, 1820


There are many in our society who believe in keeping the populace ignorant of the truth; most of them are either in an elected national office, or at the helm of a large multi-national corporation. Fortunately, the internet exists, and has given those among us who DO believe in keeping the populace educated new opportunities to provide our fellow citizens with the Truth about reality, and those in life who would have us believe we have no rights, nor any reason to wish for any….


I’m one of them, and so is Lou, the blogger who runs the site where you will find the following information, which is vital in today’s burgeoning police state….. Pay attention, ffolkes…. This is all stuff everyone needs to know, so put it in YOUR head, and pass it on so others may do the same…. The tips were furnished by a veteran police officer, one who happens to believe in the same principles as Thomas Jefferson….


http://talesfromtheconspiratum.com/2015/01/08/10-tips-to-avoid-being-tricked-by-cops/




Ten Rules for dealing with Police:


1. Always be calm and cool: a bad attitude guarantees a bad outcome.


2. Remain silent: what you don’t say can’t hurt you.


3. You have the right to refuse searches: saying no to searches can’t be held against you.


4. Don’t get tricked: remember, police are allowed to lie to you.


5. Determine if you’re free to go: police need evidence to detain you.


6. Don’t expose yourself: doing dumb stuff in public makes you an easy target.


7. Don’t run: they’ll catch you and make you regret it.


8. Never touch a cop: aggressive actions will only earn you a more aggressive response.


9. Report misconduct: be a good witness.


10. You don’t have to let them in: police need a warrant to enter your home.




Remember, ffolkes…. You only have those rights you can protect, and only if you use them. Be brave, be smart, be strong, and be free….


“You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it.” — Malcolm X


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Some days, I just like to taste something a little different; here is one from a classical poet of some renown…. You may have heard of him….




A Character


I marvel how Nature could ever find space 

For so many strange contrasts in one human face: 

There’s thought and no thought, and there’s paleness and bloom 

And bustle and sluggishness, pleasure and gloom. 


There’s weakness, and strength both redundant and vain; 

Such strength as, if ever affliction and pain 

Could pierce through a temper that’s soft to disease, 

Would be rational peace–a philosopher’s ease. 


There’s indifference, alike when he fails or succeeds, 

And attention full ten times as much as there needs; 

Pride where there’s no envy, there’s so much of joy; 

And mildness, and spirit both forward and coy. 


There’s freedom, and sometimes a diffident stare 

Of shame scarcely seeming to know that she’s there, 

There’s virtue, the title it surely may claim, 

Yet wants heaven knows what to be worthy the name. 


This picture from nature may seem to depart, 

Yet the Man would at once run away with your heart; 

And I for five centuries right gladly would be 

Such an odd such a kind happy creature as he. 


~~ William Wordsworth ~~




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This final, old school pearl is one of those which, sort of, wrote itself. I was cruising through SB, just seeing what was there to see, when these seven stars popped up, insisting on being included. By the time all of them were in place, they only required moving two of them to bring the whole pearl into the proper perspective, which I am sure you will see right away…. It’s a pretty clear statement on life, and our place in the scheme of things…. Well, it says that to me…. Y’all may find something else entirely…. but, it’s there, and all of it is good stuff to know, ultimately. That’s the final test for me….


“It’s like brother Nietzsche said–being human is a complicated gig, so give that dark night of the soul a hug and howl the eternal yes.” — Chris, the local radio jock from Northern Lights


“With some people we spend our time, with others we invest it.” — Smart Bee


“A good man possesses a kingdom.” — Seneca (8 BC) — Thyestes, 380


“A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit.” — Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)


“Virtue is a kind of health, beauty and good habit of the soul.” — Plato (B.C. 427?-347?)


“The happiness and unhappiness of the rational, social animal depends not on what he feels but on what he does; just as his virtue and vice consist not in feeling but in doing.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, ix, 16




And bear unmov’d the wrongs of base mankind,

The last and hardest conquest of the mind.


~~ Alexander Pope ~~


~~ The Odyssey of Homer, Book xiii, Line 353 ~~




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This is one of those Pearls at which I’ll never again look, as I know just how little I actually had to do with it…. All I had to do today was decide where it all went, and how much to comment around the edges…. Well, and the intro, but, after looking at it, I have absolutely no comment, other than to note I’m glad to be done…. That statement, in itself, tells much of the story…. Ah well, so much for one day…. tomorrow, we get another chance, and that’s all I ask for….. See y’all then, ffolkes, with a bit of 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.


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….