Some fava beans and a nice Chianti….

Posted on December 2, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Wisdom begins in wonder.”

~~ Socrates ~~

Galway Streets

Entrance to the Spanish Arch

Galway, Ireland

Hajime…. As y’all know from previous Pearls, the word, ‘hajime’ is Japanese, meaning, “begin” or, “beginning”. It is spoken to two judoka, or karateka, as the word to start a match between them. I use it here, simply because it brings me a small bit of focus, merely to speak it in my head. I need the focus, because this is a special Pearl, in some ways. Two events occurred today to break the monotony of my semi-reclusive existence, as I fight my way past the issues I’ve been facing all year. One I’ll relate just below, in this section; the other will serve as today’s rant replacement for that section. First, the SECOND event, in terms of when they happened; the first resulted in the second…. You’ll see..

Surviving a near-death experience somehow makes the day go by a little more quickly, it seems. Why, look! Here it is, a little past midnight on another sleepless night, and I’ve already been nearly dead, only talking myself out of allowing myself to die because it simply would have been too embarrassing to have been found in the position in which I was almost destined to succumb. Fortunately, my breath was so bad, and I was laughing so damn hard, Death’s Handmaiden wouldn’t kiss me, so I had to get up and carry on…

I know that isn’t the most detailed or illuminating passage; ‘s okay, it wasn’t intended to be. Here is where I tell you what happened, so we can get on with the rest of this mess. First, let me stamp your papers, then we won’t have to do it later. Good, just line up over there and let the scanner pass over the bar code attached to your forehead at the gate. Thank you for your cooperation and sheepleness….

Okay, obligatory insult’s done…. Here’s what happened: Leelu the Magicat performed an act of extraordinary skill, bravery, and nobility (I kid you not: I’ve got graphic proof…). It seems I’ve been adopted by a five-month old cat superhero/sorceress/warrior princess, all rolled into one. To reward her for her act of selflessness, I began to play with her, throwing her favorite old chewed up piece of crumpled paper for her to fetch.

Because my shoulder was stiff, I made a terrible throw, which disappeared near some furniture, hidden well enough she couldn’t puzzle out where it ended up, though she’s usually good at that. I went to see, and saw it had, ironically enough, found it’s way into the most inaccessible spot in the room, behind a chair, and a table, with a box in the way, right in the corner of the room. I had to laugh at my own bozoid throw, as I was in a LOT of pain, and retrieving it was bound to be difficult…. Sure enough, getting down to stretch out where I could reach it put me in a very odd position, and I began to laugh even harder, feeling the irony and ridiculousness of my position….

Then, I had another vision, of having a heart attack where I was, from laughing so hard, and being found there, in that absurd position, into which I’d gotten myself to play with a cat. I know autopsy techniques are sophisticated enough to show I had died from laughing, so, the whole world would probably hear about, and laugh themselves silly at the bozoid nature of my demise. That vision made me laugh so damn hard, I almost fulfilled it…. Only the sheer fear of that embarrassment kept me from choking right there, killed by my own stupidity.

There, that should get the day begun on the correct note. Always good to start with a keen appreciation of the depths of foolishness we can encounter in this reality, I find. Well, sometimes I find it; other times, not so well. Well enough today, though, we can skip all the normal foolishness, of which we have a nearly never-ending supply, to get on down the page to find out what Leelu did…. Guido’s still on duty; something’s up with Luigi…. Any who, he’ll get us to the beds on time, if we let him get going, so….. have a seat, & we’ll be on our way…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“It is one of the commonest of mistakes to consider that the limit of our power of perception is also the limit of all there is to perceive.” — C. W. Leadbeater

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Traffic

Image from alamy.com via Google Images

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Woodstock

Image from michaelbaisdennow.com via Google Images

I believe the pictures say all that needs said regarding this performance. Enjoy!…..

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Traffic @ Woodstock

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https://youtu.be/N0tf8FIPZsw

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“In a war of ideas, it is people who get killed.”

~~ Stanislaus J. Lec ~~

Ha! You thought you’d see Leelu here, didn’t you? Don’t worry, you will. The above is just the quote I’d chosen to springboard for today’s rant (hate to verbify a noun, but, hey, it worked… expediency rules, right?); The Tale of Leelu begins now….

As I paced around yesterday, in the afternoon, I noticed Leelu staring oddly, with some focused fixation, at a spot near the wall on the kitchen floor. She watched it a while, when it struck me what I was seeing…. which you will see below, as corroboration of my tale…. You see, some of us cat people (Personally, I am both a cat AND dog person, but, I digress…. ) have known for a long time cats have unusual mental powers, which they use to protect our plane of existence, from attacks by nightmare creatures from other dimensions. Many millennia ago, in Egypt, Bastet gave all cats these powers as a gift to the planet’s creatures.

Cats can open, or close wormholes between the universes; this is how they can appear and disappear at will, often seemingly while looking right at them. Remember the actual true solution to the puzzle of Schrödinger’s Box; when the box is opened, the cat is neither dead, nor alive; it is gone. When they sense a wormhole opening, they watch to make sure no demons/nightmares get through before they can close it….

If she’s doing something else, you tell me….

Magic 012

Three minutes without moving….

Still watching after six minutes….

Taking a closer look….

Finishing the edges of the closure….

Relaxing after her efforts….

A well-earned rest….

So…. that’s how Leelu saved the universe yesterday. You never have to worry with a Magicat in the house…. even if one has a near-death experience while trying to reward her after her nap…. SIGH…. Hopefully, cats will never realize what Bozos we humans are; they’d leave us in a heartbeat….

See? Now, wasn’t that better than a rant….. Definitely less stress on the keyboard…. and, I hope you enjoyed it…. Just wait until I figure out how to upload videos from my camera…. won’t that be fun?

Leelu thinks so…. but, then, there isn’t much she doesn’t think is fun…. See ya….

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Sublimation

In the deepest, darkest hours of the night,
horror drapes the shadow of fear on a tortured mind.
Endless, hopeless, wave after wave of fright
weave a tapestry shroud, stifling, brutally unkind.

Fear, then pain, trade off in durance vile,
offering only blackness as a temporal guide.
No moments of clarity, no comfort, no guile
with no respite, nor any safe place to hide.

Hour after hour, time stops dead in its tracks,
the path back to sanity ends, no big surprise.
Every passing second becomes new hope, dashed,
while our remaining strength fades and dies.

God shall never be forgiven, nor ever praised.
No such pale, sad illusion can explain such reality.
Any reasonable chance for joy to be raised,
requires more than mere ghostly personality.

Hope isn’t needed if one finds the center of the soul;
all the answers we ever need are there.
Killing fear, creating joy in life, for these there’s no toll.
Love, friendship, & laughter, are ever the healthiest fare.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/1/2015

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More Naked Pearls

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“Speech is but broken light upon the depth
Of the unspoken.”

~~ George Eliot ~~

“Silence is evidence of a superb command of the language.” — Damn Smart Bee

“Courage atrophies from lack of use.” — Mindful Bee

“Friends should be preferred to kings.” — Voltaire

“Everyone thinks his own burden heavy.” — French Proverb

” Just as too much charity is the handiwork of a fool, so too much patience is the hallmark of a coward.” — Kabbalah

“Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.” — Margaret Lee Runbeck

“In’I no expect to be justified by the laws of men.” — Bob Marley

“How is one to live a moral and compassionate existence when one is fully aware of the blood, the horror inherent in life, when one finds darkness not only in one’s culture but within oneself? If there is a stage at which an individual life becomes truly adult, it must be when one grasps the irony in its unfolding and accepts responsibility for a life lived in the midst of such paradox. One must live in the middle of contradiction, because if all contradiction were eliminated at once life would collapse. There are simply no answers to some of the great pressing questions. You continue to live them out, making your life a worthy expression of leaning into the light.” — Barry Lopez, Arctic Dreams

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Not too shabby for a long-term throw-together Pearl; I’ve certainly done worse. It gives me some hope for tomorrow, no matter how illogical that may be. Moreover, it allows me to once again say, see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. I’ve already made the reservations….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Incunabula seem scarce this season….

Posted on November 24, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

Gaelic Welcome

Hajime….

“What Chinese prophet did we annoy? Interesting times, my ass.” Boy, if that doesn’t describe my exact feelings right now, nothing would. Smart Bee gave me that yesterday afternoon, and I recognized it immediately as the proper opening for a Pearl such as today’s effort. It really was an effort, as I continue to occupy the initial acute phase of withdrawal from a medication, for up to another two weeks, should my body chemistry decide to be slow in readjusting its balance. I confess, the prospect of another 14 days on top of the 7 straight nights I’ve been up, as of this morning, is more than just a little daunting. But, there’s no choice, if I want my life back, so I can spend my remaining time by the dictates of my own will.

There. That has to be pompous enough for one morning. Besides, all this is going to take is will power, and, if I have developed anything in my life, it is that. Learning how to apply it has been a long, strange road, but, that’s Life, right? Or, so I’ve been told, Not having one of my own for some time now, I couldn’t say….

Still, it could be worse. I could be old. Oh, wait. Right, I am old. Officially old, as the saying goes. But, since age is just another illusion of our own perception of time, what the hell does it matter? We all live the exact same amount of time, until we die. Harsh, but, real. So, as I am compelled to tell myself innumerable times each night, deal with it.

Oh, shoot, look at the time! We’d best be on our way; I’ve dallied and dithered long enough. Luigi, take it away, pardner; time’s a wastin’….

Shall we Pearl?….

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

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I’ve shared this video once previously, but, it bears repeating as often as necessary, to educate as many people as possible…. Listen to what these guys have to say with an open mind, and, believe, because, it’s all true…. I’ve done my due diligence on the issue, and I can attest…. Do your own; then you’ll know, too, and spread the word yourselves….

Share to educate. All rights on this video belong to: https://www.facebook.com/anonymousforjustice

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We Are Anonymous-
“Cannabis cures Cancer”

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https://youtu.be/HaxOPEU3ecQ

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“In everything one must consider the end.”

~~ J. de La Fontaine ~~

~~ The Fox and the Gnat, Book iii, Fable 5 ~~

At last…. I’ve found the perfect opening pearl for the short but sweet rant, which has been percolating on a back burner in my brain for some time. In seven words, Mssr. de la Fontaine strikes a chord of harmony with my own thoughts about what has gone wrong with our society, to wit: everything is turning to shit. Now, some may not fully agree with this assessment of our current status, but, I would suggest those folks are NOT paying attention to what is going on out there in the Big Room, but, rather, are continuing to operate on the same delusional assumptions they’ve always held, and which prevents them from even seeing how tightly closed are their minds.

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

This short line from the manual of slavery for the Christians tells us the Christian (or Jewish, since it’s from the Old Testament….) attitude toward learning, other than learning how to be a slave for the church and state, is one of avoidance, of horror. You see, they KNOW that if people ever learned to think for themselves, they would realize what a scam they’ve been falling for all their lives, and tear them limb from limb. There wouldn’t be anywhere to hid for them, for they have consistently, whether out of ignorance or cruelty matters not, fostered a delusional system designed to manipulate the ignorant for the benefit of those in power, for thousands of years…..

Politicians have the same problem, in a sense; if the people knew how badly they were being fooled, their lives wouldn’t be worth the paper their money is printed upon. These predatory members use their own species as a source of slaves, to obtain and hoard power and resources, relying on lies and obfuscation, with the full cooperation of the religious sects, who all preach obedience to temporal authority; if those being taken advantage of ever find out, they, too, could count the days of their remaining life on one finger.

Both sides of this equation, i.e. those in power and their supporters, and the people whom they manipulate, both are caught in a situation as a result of our first pearl’s accuracy in describing human nature….. None of them are able, or, perhaps, willing, to look at the logical consequences of their actions, some because they don’t want to think that hard, others because they don’t care a thing about others; this failure on both their parts can only mean their joint efforts, as a species, will also come to a bad end…. for those who do not see upcoming consequences deserve whatever befalls them, in my book….

It’s a part of our fatal flaw, which has to do with our desires, and, our egos, both of which most folks never seem to quite be able to get a handle on, thus allowing their lives to go out of control, into corruption, delusion, and, ultimately, as for all of us, a death we can only hope shows some dignity. It’s not the prettiest picture, but, it’s real.

As I mentioned, short. As I thought about it over the last few days, it seemed bigger. Oh, well, it’s enough. It made its point, and that’s what matters to me…. I’ll leave y’all with one pearl to round out today’s thoughts….

“Never before have I encountered such corrupt and foul-minded perversity! Have you ever considered a career in the Church?” — Black Adder II

(Sorry, couldn’t help myself….)

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Banishing demons….

Endless nights lead inexorably into endless days
while the battle for peace rages.
Lost arts find new meaning used in new ways;
to burn, yearn, and turn all the new pages.

Darkness falls heavily on bowed shoulders, contrite;
fireworks travel fast in nervous tissue.
The pace is kept, clean, but, never erudite;
such a pale tale of ancient issue.

Peering in terror down long, long halls of night
brings only confusion, destitute in sorrow.
Cannot time become our enemy, eager to fight
on the side which may never see tomorrow?

The longing gaze of passion, for reason to live,
must fall ever more faithfully into sedition,
else the clinging visions we claim to give,
shall not prevent reaching inevitable perdition.

Rising up, clarity of purpose shines the light of day
upon such a desolate landscape of absent release.
There is no escape, no furthering of the way.
Time never knows how to grant peace.

~~ gigoid ~~

Yep. It’s new. Written last night, 11/23/2015, amazingly enough, in between bouts of pacing & twitching. Oh, joy!…. It helps. A little…..

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Here is a pleasant little nine-star old-school pearl, all nicely ordered, and ready to have its message deciphered. Hint: it’s about Life At Large…. and, How To Live It….

“Even if you’re on the right track, if you stand still you’ll get run over by the next train.” — Will Rogers

“If you are patient in a moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.” — Chinese Proverb

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

“The want of goods is easily repaired, but the poverty of the soul is irreparable.” — Montaigne

“Truth never hurts the teller.” — Robert Browning

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

“Integrity has no need for rules.” — Albert Camus

“I do not distinguish by the eye, but by the mind, which is the proper judge of the man.” — Seneca (8 BC) — On a Happy Life, 2, (L’Estrange’s Abstract, Chap, i.)

“To be possessed of a vigorous mind is not enough; the prime requisite is rightly to apply it.” — Descartes

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If I tried to describe to y’all how I got this done, you’d probably toss your cookies; don’t worry, I won’t. I’ll merely say, it’s amazing what a bit of insanity can do, when used creatively. Moreover, it’s bloody done. Early, too, relatively speaking, which it always is. Relative, that is…. I think I’d best go now; I’m starting to feel a bit weird. Considering where I start at, ending up at weird isn’t unusual, just inconveniently premature. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, if I have to…. well, perhaps I shouldn’t say…. Nevertheless, I’ll be back….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Inherent doubt = innate curiosity….

Posted on September 26, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

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

~~ Socrates ~~

Artist’s rendition of the SpaceX Dragon Descending to Mars

Image from Space.com

Good morning…. I’m not one for taking advice too often; as a doubting curmudgeon, it’s an occupational hazard, one I’m generally happy to avoid. However, I recently received one piece of advice I’d be willing to try out, if nothing else, as it sounds like it would work for me…. It goes like this: “Start the day with a smile. After that you can be your nasty old self again.” Sounds perfect, right?

Okay, so, I’m being snarky. Chalk it up to the hour; it’s tough to be nice at 0400, having been up an hour already. But, I’m not complaining, as it’s my own damn fault, for sleeping well enough to sleep through the time to take the pill that would have kept the dyskinesia from starting up, strong enough to awaken me, and prevent falling back asleep…. Bozoid tendencies DO tend to strike at inconvenient times; it’s the nature of the beast…. Let’s try something a bit different here, shall we?….

That was certainly different; a two day hiatus between paragraphs…. Looks like the new paradigm has arrived, and is configuring itself, in a manner of speaking…. Here we are again, only it’s the day after tomorrow, at 0230….. which just slipped through another little time-warp, to bring us up to the relative present, to wit, now, Thursday, September 24, at 1235, shortly after noon….. The intervening eight-plus hours have slipped into the mire, without incident, or reportable event taking place, so, we can go on from here, should I feel like buckling down to work. Since I don’t, let’s see what happens next….

I’m not certain I like this new paradigm; perhaps I’d best shoot for a paranykuhl, instead. As half a paradigm, maybe, the transition process wouldn’t be as complicated. Nor as hard on my physical being…. For those who aren’t keeping up, (which, no worries, includes yours truly….), it’s now Friday, at 0145. That’s in the A.M. For the past three nights, in this last month of titrating off opioids, it seems the pattern is to include insomnia, to go along with the regular bouts of dyskinesia, as my body complains/reacts to the ever-lessening supply of medicine in the bloodstream. A true joy it is…. NOT.

Wait…. What was that? What the….? We dropped another day, somehow. It’s now Saturday, the 26th; last I knew, it was Thursday…. Hmm…. I’d better get the Tardis checked out….. We’re dropping days like they’re bad habits; not good. Handy, but, not good….

No complaints, though. So be it. I gotta say, though, it’s getting tough to avoid homicidal fantasies…. Ah, well, fuck it. Let’s go dive for pearls, okay? I always feel better for it…. Luigi, help us out here, will ya?….

Shall we Pearl?….

“He that feareth is a slave, were he never so rich, were he never so powerful. But he that is without fear is king of all the world.” — E. R. Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros

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LeeLoo in PK Mode

Rather than a video today, I’ve decided to show some pictures of my new familiar. As I’ve related, she showed up one morning a week or so ago, demanding to be let in the house, & emphatically informing me she would be moving in. She’s established herself as the soul of the house, and, little by little, we have been bonding, and learning each other’s habits & demands….

To give y’all an idea of her personality, below you’ll find pictures of her doing what she likes best, (like any cat, that, is, of course, sleeping….), as well as some shots of her playing and/or looking for trouble. She’s got a strong PK mode (that’s Psycho Kitty mode, for the uninitiated….). Oh, and, those crumpled up papers you see? Those are her prey; she is part Siamese, and has already learned how to fetch those papers for me to throw for her…. She also likes to sleep near my feet, or against my back, always wanting to be close… a true familiar…. Enjoy the pictures, ffolkes; LeeLoo’s a natural show-off….

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Preparing to edit documents as I type

Killing Paper Tigers

In her favorite sleeping pose…

Variations on the same theme….

Checking out the shredding pile….

The aftermath of destruction ~~ fatigue….

I’ll keep y’all updated on her progress, as we each explore the depths of our burgeoning partnership…. Here we go again, ffolkes; she’s just dropped her favorite piece of crumpled paper at my feet, and is staring up at me expectantly….. She wants to play fetch again…. wish me luck; this could go on for hours….

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“Say what you will about the sweet miracle of unquestioning faith, I consider a capacity for it terrifying and absolutely vile!” — Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

One of the most common characteristics of fundamentalist religious fanatics is their denial of the effects of humanity’s insanity on the world’s environment, especially as a cause for the climate changes we are witnessing every day. This inability to use their imagination has been one of the major factors in our inability to make any progress toward a viable culture, one which MIGHT enable us to survive our own stupidity. Alas, I don’t see it happening; nor did I see it last year, when I wrote this rant…. Enjoy! It’s all still completely valid and relevant, if not more so than when written….

From 2/18/2014:

http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/John-Kerry-mocks-those-who-deny-climate-change-5239626.php

Wow…. I am, as much as I ever am, impressed, in a good way, by this statement from one of the administration’s most important lackeys…. I read what John K. said yesterday, or the day before, doesn’t matter…. and for once, the tenor and strength of the message, which is about the imminence of the environmental crisis we face in the near future, is nearly strong enough to get through to some folks, and any ffolkes who see or hear it will be encouraged, if somewhat bemused by this typical jump to join in the fight, onto a bandwagon they should have been driving TWENTY-FIVE FUCKING YEARS AGO, but, instead, act as if it’s a brand new model, which they, of course, claim as the first to seen driving in town….

Of course, so far, I haven’t actually SEEN any action on this by the administration, but, boy-howdy, when they decide to jump on the wagon, they do it with both feet…. He actually used the word ‘sacrifice’ I think, or maybe it was ‘danger’…. regardless, he made a good effort, for a first try, to get the message out there, that we have to act NOW, rather than later…. which is the most important key, if we are to have ANY chance to make any difference in the eventual outcome of events….

Personally, I don’t believe, not for a minute, that they’ll do enough, or be able to cut far enough into the influence of the corporate masters to make enough of a difference; no so far as to change the eventual outcome…. But, hey, they’re at least acknowledging that it needs to be done…. I just don’t think they can do it, not before they are blocked by those who hold the purse strings, and who are making a HUGE profit on global warming, as well as on the use of fossil fuels….

To be honest, I really don’t much feel like ranting today, even with the advent of good news about which to speak, or the importance of spreading the knowledge of the imminence of the problem…. I guess I’m in too mellow a mood, having slept long and well again…. Therefore, I’m going to finish this section with an old-school collection of pearls, to try to gain some perspective on this latest flip-flop by the political machine currently in power in Washington D.C…… Let’s see if SB has some good stuff in there for us today, shall we?…. But, hey, I know!…. Let’s let SB fire the shots randomly, so we can see some of the fat cat preachers do some dancing around, too, dodging figurative bullets alongside the politicians and corporate assholes….

“Capitalism did not arise because capitalists stole the land, but because it was more efficient than feudalism. It will perish because it is not merely less efficient than socialism, but actually self-destructive.” — J. B. S. Haldane

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” — George Orwell (1903-1950), “Animal Farm” 1945

“I don’t know if God exists, but it would be better for His reputation if He didn’t.” — Jules Renard

“We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road. They get run over.” — Aneurin Bevan

“Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.” — Herodotus

“The beauty of religious mania is that it has the power to explain everything. Once God (or Satan) is accepted as the first cause of everything which happens in the mortal world, nothing is left to chance…logic can be happily tossed out the window.” — Stephen King

Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.

~~ William Butler Yeats, “The Stolen Child” ~~

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Funny Bones

Dreaming the way home, lost, unseen,
from the dance, where
he felt so free, and clean.
Sorrow couldn’t find him there.

Waiting, filling up the hours, hoping,
some connection can be found
keeping busy as bees, coping.
Love creeps in, without a sound.

Fat days, skinny nights, passionate
visions of semi-conscious entities,
cannot seem to fully illuminate
or hide our innermost frailties.

Resolute, find the perfect sense, codify
simple rules with every breath
never waiting, anxious to modify.
fear nothing in life, not even Death.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 5/13/2013.

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It’s a bit esoteric, if not downright obfuscatory, but, it will do nicely, I think. It fits in well with the tentative nature of the rest of this mess…. Enjoy, ffolkes….

For a true master,
Sitting on a throne
Is no different than
Sitting on dirt.

~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~

“If you’re ridin’ ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it’s still there.” — The Cowboy’s Guide to Life

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

“A good place to start is where you are.” — Charles Wolf, Jr.

“No harm can come to a good man in life or death.” — Socrates

“By doubting we come at truth.” — Cicero

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

“Indeed, what is there that does not appear marvelous when it comes to our knowledge for the first time?” — Pliny the Elder — Natural History, Book vii, Sect. 6

“Subtle and insubstantial, the expert leaves no trace; divinely mysterious, he is inaudible.” — Sun Tzu

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It’s only taken five or six days to complete this Pearl; ah well, so much for the best-laid plans. I don’t seem able to find any part of me that cares much; I’m still fighting my own battles, and can’t find any spare angst, or much of a shit to give. So be it. It’s done, and, at this point, that’s all that matters…. I’ll see y’all in a day or three, ffolkes. I’m making a little progress, so, there’s hope…. Ta for now….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

“Committing the Sin of Indolence” — a retrospective….

Posted on September 21, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“I cannot teach anybody anything,

I can only make them think.”

~~ Socrates ~~

Pluto as seen from the New Horizons Spacecraft

Image from the UK Guardian 9/17/2015

I had forgotten just how deeply embedded this process has become in my existence…. It seems the creation of a Pearl is more important to my degree of sanity than I’d previously admitted; if I don’t sit down to write for a while, I feel “off”. Once I’ve cruised through SB for a time, using my mind in a familiar way, some of the angst I seem to build up over the course of the day dissipates, leaving me better able to think introspectively, which is where I need to be just now…. So, I’ll write…. but, I may not post…. We’ll see.

For now, I think I’ll go make some coffee. It’s 0230 (almost) so, why not? It looks like me and LeeLoo will be up a while tonight…. Don’t know why insomnia struck tonight, but, I may as well take advantage of it to get some thinking & planning done…. Or, perhaps, I’ll gather up some pearls, and see what they have to say….

When I told myself, and y’all, this process would be changing, I didn’t realize just how many alterations the change would encompass. No complaints at all; I seem to have misplaced some of the angst I’ve typically carried around with me. Whatever the case may be, it’s slowed this down to a crawl…. The two paragraphs you see above were written yesterday. Since then, most of this Pearl has been finished; only some entertainment left to find now. Yet, I’m not even worried at all whether I get it posted today, or not…. which may be good, or not. We’ll see about that, too, I suppose. For now, I think I’ll go cruise You Tube & find something fun to watch, whenever this gets posted….

Shall we Pearl?….

“The laws of physics have no basis in reality. They describe the operation of the human mind.” — Robert Anton Wilson

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I don’t believe I need to say anything at all to introduce this artist/philosopher/social critic. Simply, he was the best of his time….

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George Carlin
It’s Bad For Ya ~ 2008

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https://youtu.be/vLjJxMyJXXg

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“If the truth offends — too bad.”

~~ Hard Ass Bee, with gigoid’s full agreement ~~

Okay, so, I lied. I COULD say I didn’t lie, so much as I misspoke, as any number of politicians would say. And, have said, repeatedly. (e.g.: “I just didn’t say it.” — Ronald Reagan — Associated Press, 10/5/66)

Actually, what I did is underestimate how long it would be until I was struck by the urge to write about the world at large, when I’m having my own troubles with the world inside the shell of my consciousness…. But, as I cruised through SB for entertainment, the following pearls kept jumping up, practically shouting at me, to insist on being included in a long, involved indictment of men of evil intent, who usurped the government of this nation almost before the ink was dry on the Constitution…..

Their efforts have resulted in the world we face today, where all the rules are made by those who insist on controlling the lives of all they see, without ever considering how others may feel about that…. 90% of the world’s population live as no more than slaves, threatened with poverty and destitution at the slightest emergency or accident in their lives, at the mercy of the bankers, and the predatory politicians, the fat-cat lawyers, the faceless myrmidons (i.e., police) who enforce the will of the masters, and the religious dogma dogs who encourage the slaves to respect those who oppress them, for the promise of a better life after they die.

I was raised by a man who went to war in 1941, to protect his family and home, thinking he was fighting for the liberties he believed he had, and that he believed would be the legacy for his children. He raised us to believe in those same principles, of liberty and freedom for all, upon which he, and we, were supposedly brought up….

If he were alive today, he would be as pissed off at what has taken place as I am, for, since the creation of the National Security Agency during WWII, every one of the Bill of Rights, and, all of the protections of our Constitution, have been abrogated, one after another, in the name of security and ‘national interest’, two concepts the definition of which the beloved ruling class reserves solely for itself…. Neither of those two concepts have anything to do with protecting the interests of American citizens; they only serve to protect the status quo. How else does one explain such statements as the following:

“You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in their struggle for independence.” — Charles Austin Beard, American Historian, 1874-1948

This is the absolute truth. We see this every day, in irrefutable evidence provided by videos of how using the words our forefathers used can get an American citizen shot by the police, ‘for resisting arrest’, or, for ‘disobeying a lawful order by an officer’…. It’s pretty hard to refute visual/auditory evidence, but, time after time, people continue to die, and no police officer is ever charged…. It is a disgrace, and, a national shame, one my father would have deplored with every fiber of his being…. I share that disgust, and, intend to never submit to such treatment myself, without making it clear it is a mistake to assume that a free man can be oppressed…. Whoever tries to take my rights will find I only have those rights I am able to defend…

In the meantime, here are a bunch of other statements that cover the same subject, from various angles, by various contemporary and historical figures; some are examples of how things ought to be, others point out the nature of the problem, or, at least, some of the motivation behind it…. All are, to my mind, spot on….

“If Congress can determine what constitutes the general welfare and can appropriate money for its advancement, where is the limitation to carrying into execution whatever can be effected by money?” — South Carolina Senator William Draden 1828

(Oops! Another warning missed by the general public, from someone who apparently saw what was happening, right from the start…. Typical….)

“Annoy a Fundamentalist: Tell him the truth!” — Sardonic Bee

“Any person under the age of thirty, who, having any knowledge of the existing social order, is not a revolutionist, is an inferior.” — George Bernard Shaw

“Solon gave the following advice: “Consider your honour, as a gentleman, of more weight than an oath. Never tell a lie. Pay attention to matters of importance.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Solon, xii

“Conservative: Proof that evolution is not an exact science.” — Polly Sci Bee

“This is the Nineties, Bubba, and there is no such thing as Paranoia. It’s all true.” — Hunter S Thompson

“Capitalism in the United States has undergone profound modification, not just under the New Deal, but through a consensus that continued to grow after the New Deal. Government in the U. S. today is a senior partner in every business in the country.” — Norman Cousins

“We have watched American democracy at close hand for many years and we believe few governments are institutionally so susceptible to dictatorship as this one.” — Gerald Johnson

“The statesman shears the sheep, the politician skins them.” — Definitive Bee

“The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshiped anything but himself.” — Sir Richard F. Burton

“No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.” — Jacquin’s Postulate on Democratic Government

“Is it fair to hold politicians to the same standards as humans?” — Snarky Bee

Books are burning
In the main square, and I saw there
The fire eating the text.
Books are burning
In the still air
And you know where they burn books
People are next.

~~ “Books Are Burning”, XTC ~~

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Sublime Indifference

Faces tell such stories

as these,

we know.

No one saw,

ever.

No one sees,

ever.

But, we know.

Forgotten,

deliberately bought

with

consistent threats

of Sitcoms,

Paisley Ties,

yes, and,

Lava Lamps;

proof offered

unbidden

of Death.

Only

of Death.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 5/21/2015.

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In my world, pearls such as this are the standard. As far as any philosophy goes, other than my own, Taoism is the closest attempt made by mankind to describe Reality, period. Beginning, and ending, a lesson/pearl with Taoist principles is a sure way to ensure the balance, and accuracy, of whatever is created…. Add one in the middle, and, it’s unassailably perfect. Go ahead, try to refute ANY of it…. Enjoy!….

My teachings are very easy to understand and very easy to practice.
But no one can understand them and no one can practice them.
In my words there is a principle.
In the affairs of men there is a system.

~~ Lao-Tzu ~~

“You don’t know how much you don’t know until you know a lot.” — Nick Holland

“While all things have their opposites, it is also true that in each the spirit of the opposite exists.” — Hazrat Inayat Khan, Sufi writer

“Clay is moulded to make a vessel, but the utility of the vessel lies in the space where there is nothing. … Thus, taking advantage of what is, we recognize the utility of what is not.” — Lao Tzu

“The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.” — Carl Jung

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.” — Albert Einstein

Some say that my teaching is nonsense.
Others call it lofty but impractical.
But to those who have looked inside themselves,
this nonsense makes perfect sense.
And to those who put it into practice,
this loftiness has roots that go deep.
I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and in thoughts,
you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.

~~ Tao Te Ching ~~

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I see it is done. Clearly, time to post; what the hell, it’s only two hours (and two days….) overdue, according to the previous paradigm. Good thing a new one is under construction…. For now, I’ll merely say there WILL be more Pearls; when that might occur is anybody’s guess. If the past two days are an indication, it shouldn’t be too long. See y’all then, ffolkes; you can count on it….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Inexorable notions of impropriety….

Posted on September 16, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“We say the cows laid out Boston. Well, there are worse surveyors.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), “Wealth” ~~

Yep. It’s Luna.

Good morning…. Yet another day spent slipping into the mire…. As I sit here, I find myself having to defend the keyboard against the imprecations of a psycho kitty, who thinks she should have some input into what I’m typing today. Her main problem, I think, is not knowing the entire alphabet; otherwise, I’d probably be watching her type this, rather than the other way around…. Fascinating!….

Ah well, it’s just another adaptation, I guess, one I have to deal with if I’m to ever get this Pearl posted. I’ll not tempt Fate, nor will I push my luck; instead, we’ll just go on, as if I knew what I was doing…. Luigi is going to ‘gently’ convey us to the oyster beds, where we shall hope to find what we need for the day…. Let’s do it now, okay?….

Shall we Pearl?….

“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

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Image from arzapizza.com via Google Images

It looks as if I’ve given up on maintaining my reputation as a crusty, irritable old curmudgeon with these cute animal videos, doesn’t it? Oh, well, what the hell; I like them, so, fuck it…. Guess it won’t be too long before the new psycho kitty has company…. Enjoy, ffolkes…. and, for any Asininnies who MAY be reading, pay attention to how well our companions on the Trail of Life get along together when we don’t interfere with our own idiocy….

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Dogs & Cats Playing Together

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https://youtu.be/YSC9kKpmx40

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I came across this statement from Edward Abbey last evening, while searching for pearls. It is the clearest statement of reality in this country today I know of, though. it was first uttered in the last century; I know not exactly when… I am compelled to say I would agree with each and every word….

This, ffolkes, is the statement of an American patriot. The only real kind I know of, a man the men who formed this country would understand. It’s also the statement of a man with whom I’d be honored to stand…. any time, anywhere.

“The tank, the B-52, the fighter-bomber, the state controlled police and military are the weapons of dictatorship. The rifle is the weapon of democracy. Not for nothing was the revolver called an ‘equalizer’ Eqalite implies liberte. And always will. Let us hope our weapons are never needed — but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government — and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws.” — Edward Abbey (1927-1989)

Nothing I could add would say it any better, so, I’ll just leave it there…. After all, what else is there to be said?

So be it.

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I am not sure why, but, this poem seems appropriate for today, as a representation of my recent ordeal overseas…. Too much of the trip was spent in a state similar to this, so, let all memory of that time be gone with this posting….

Dead Hands,Typing…

Puzzled anew by anomalous blocks of pain
caught, bemused, chained to routine, insane.
Stilled within breathless beauty
Engaging epiphany, insistent, called to duty.

Knees bent in lieu of a faithful rendition
suffuses, confuses, locked into stale perdition.
Clearing corrosion with hands encased in stone
Singular frozen follicles, masked by bone.

Partial focus brings unfiltered flavors to light
coloring each particle in simple delight.
Forlorn, novel conceptual artists singing in tune
nine notes in harmony, soft as the moon.

Honed blades of carbon steel flash in rhyme,
filling sensual receptors well past closing time.
Borrowed from neighbors in a week-old game
still bloody, without a proper name.

No flooded memories can justify such cost
no simple stationery, bilious, afraid, lost.
Ten times ten will never be enough
To fill so empty a stolen trough.

Bartering simplicity takes well into the night
solidly temporary pillars turned bright.
Unknown to all the pretty children who came
none were called, none had any remaining flame.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 2/25/2015.

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A simple little pearl about Life at Large to finish the day’s effort…. Pay heed, and enjoy Life better!….

Who sees all beings in his own Self, and his own
Self in all beings, loses all fear.

~~ Isa Upanishad ~~

“The older we grow the greater becomes our wonder at how much ignorance one can contain without bursting one’s clothes.” — Mark Twain

“Don’t be ashamed to say what you are not afraid to think.” — Montaigne

“All is flux, nothing stays still.” — Heraclitus

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.” — Saint Augustine

“Cease to be ruled by dogmas and authorities; look at the world!” — H.G. Wells paraphrase of Roger Bacon’s works

“The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be; all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.” — Socrates

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Well, there you go. Late again, thanks to the regularization of my life, and the literary advice of a small fur-bearing critic. Now, if I can persuade here to move long enough to post, we’re good to go…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, like it or not…..

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Pure, imported antedeluvian twaddle….

Posted on August 26, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“What I look forward to is continued immaturity followed by death.”

~~ Dave Barry ~~

Old Rocks, New Secrets

Good morning…. Well, that’s what I heard, anyway. I don’t believe it, though; I’ve found, to my regret, that there are many times people lie to me about little things like that. I suppose it’s human to wish to spare others any pain we feel they may not deserve, but, what good does it do, when the pain comes as a surprise? None. So, leave me out of that particular delusion, if you please…. I’d rather be grumpy than all wet….

Hmph. Grumpy is right. Well, you would be, too, if you were up in a chair half the damn night, twitching and fuming. That is all the complaint you will hear, but, you may have to deal with the resultant smarm, which generally follows after such a state of injustice has been endured. I don’t think anyone should have to go through what occurred, but, there is no specific target to be blamed, other than the insanity of the modern world. Not a lot I can do about that at 0430…. So, we’ll just go on, sublimating our need to kill into producing another in a long line of sublimated homicidal impulses. Hey, it’s better than fifteen to life, right? Well, I think so….

Regardless of the social advantages, or, more likely, disadvantages which may or may not be forthcoming in karmic reaction to our foolishness, I suppose we’d best be about our stated purpose today, which, though having never been stated out loud, nonetheless rules our actions. I’ll let you know if it ever gets published. Until such time, which will probably happen right about the same time we get the notice of a severe temperature drop in Hell, but, hey, we’re all trained to wait patiently, right? Sure we are; every corporate entity in the world makes us wait in line to obtain some sort of service, for which we are charged, so, don’t tell me you don’t know whereof we speak…. We know….

Since we do, we’ll let it slide, this time. That’s mainly because I’ve reached the end of my patience with this intro, and intend to issue an immediate cease and desist order, to get us the hell out of here. Luigi! Code Three! Stat!

Hang on, ffolkes; this one can be a bit painful if you don’t….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Everybody thinks himself so well supplied with common sense that even those most difficult to please. . . never desire more of it than they already have.” — Rene Descartes

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Yesterday, I watched this documentary at another WP blogger’s site (link to that post is below). I was so entranced, I sat for the entire 54+ minutes. without pause, to watch it; as Mr. Spock would say, “Fascinating!”….. SIGH…. Also very disturbing in a personal sense, as now I have to add Rajasthan to my bucket list of places to visit in India, if I ever get a chance to go there…. This would sure make it worthwhile, to be able to spend some time living in and observing this culture up close and personal…. Of course, it might be a little hard to come by a soft bed, but, I’m sure I’d adjust, provided I live long enough…. By then, I will be able to live through just about anything, I think….. This life looks like a hard one, to be sure…. but, the people have made the most of what they have, and live as happily, and peacefully, as any culture I’ve seen…. Enjoy this little change of pace, thanks to Lou over at Tales, who found it for us…. You can find him and his co-blogger Genie, here:

https://talesfromthelou.wordpress.com/2015/08/25/cobra-gypsies-full-documentary-5232/

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Cobra Gypsies
Film by Rafael Treza

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https://youtu.be/aNUYGRn3W9Q

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Yep. You guessed it. I’m late, so, today’s rant will be from the archives…. Oh, quit yer bellyachin’…. You can always skip down to the poetry section, so, stop whining. The others may enjoy it…. I hope you do, actually, even if it’s not fresh. They’re usually pretty relevant, as not much changes over time in that respect; the revolution is still brewing….

From 12/9/2012:

“The need to be right is the sign of a vulgar mind.” — Albert Camus

Albert is right, but is obviously a proponent of saying what he has to say, then stopping. In this case, stopping does not give enough clarity to this idea, which is a central one to a complete and balanced outlook, or, if you will, a balanced mind. It is indeed vulgar, as well as ultimately unproductive, to NEED to be right. What should be more important is to KNOW, or be able to learn to know, what is right…. only then can a rational decision be made as to the correct action, or non-action to pursue. I think in this particular case, Mr. Camus was telling us something we should all know; he was not telling us all that he knew….

I find this to be true of much of his philosophy, in that it only goes so far before dumping the reader back into a place where they must use their own resources to figure out his exact meaning. I’m not sure if this is deliberate, a method to force people to think, or if it is just his own sense of independence and curmudgeonry that causes him to only share part of what he really understands. I suppose, in its way, it is a very effective technique to encourage others to think, an activity of which I wholeheartedly approve, and is also, I suppose, one of the reasons I’ve always liked his published statements, and use them fairly frequently in pearls, or rather, as pearls….

In my world, the search for Truth is pretty much the backbone of all that I do. Even the mundane activities I perform are in some way in support of that search, or, at least, I’d like to think they are…. because the Truth is very important to me, and how I feel about the world. The use of it for manipulation, or its suppression for the same purpose, infuriates me, and makes me want to carve out of any human I see doing so, that part of their soul that makes them misuse the Truth for their own purposes, or allows them to believe that they have any right to do so…. To me, it is the simplest interpretation of the Golden Rule…. If I expect myself to honor the Truth, then I would expect others to do the same….

Sadly, that is MY belief, and very few of the people in the world who are in positions of power over others have any investment at all in promoting Truth, as it doesn’t suit their self-interest…. The statement that started this discussion is, in fact, one of the best ways to identify those in society who tend to act in their own interests before those of others. The need to BE right implies that one need not necessarily be IN the right; in fact, it is often to their advantage to be wrong, and lie about what is right, twisting facts and circumstance to suit their purpose. If someone insists on being right, you can usually bet they are not being entirely truthful….

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

Human nature, and the flaws that are part of that nature, afford an endless opportunity for dissection. It’s really too bad that my mind is not in a place to go any further today….. Oh, sure, I could come up with any number of examples of the kind of deliberate selfishness and cupidity that characterizes that part of our tribe that preys on the rest of us; the news is full of their lies and shenanigans every day. But, I’m already exhausted by today’s effort to be rational, and since it is Sunday, have decided to give my mind the rest of the day off, and hope that my emotional state can go with the flow…… If not, well, I can always splurge, spend five bucks on whiskey, and sleep really good tonight…. But, that’s just hiding, and it’s indubitably not a good idea to bust the budget so early in the month….

I wish I COULD offer some simple explanation for why people can be such assholes….. but, I can’t. I guess we’ll all just have to deal with them the best we can, each in our own way….. and hope for the best……

“I feel like I’m in a Toilet Bowl with a thumbtack in my forehead!!” — Zippy the Pinhead

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Since I’m up late, we’ll go with another archived poem, to spare any embarrassment for any other poets who don’t deserve such treatment….

Random Exposure

If I only knew what I was doing here,
I could give others a clue.
Reality gets stranger every year,
and I’m not sure what I should do.

Singing happy old tunes, in an old, gravely voice,
gives me a lot of pleasure.
I’m only glad I can still make a choice,
to look at life, to take its measure.

Memorable moments keep passing by
gilded, framed in precious emotion.
I never have to ask anyone why,
no need for a stronger potion.

Everything in life is clear, to me
there is no doubt, no misunderstanding.
We’re all good, as you can see,
members of Life, in good standing.

Life can be hard, or it can be great fun;
the right path is there for each of us to take.
That choice is often a difficult one;
pay close attention to the choice you make.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 4/22/2013.

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Nine pearls of ancient/modern human wisdom; one pearl of virtual wisdom, using the process laboriously developed over the past 15 years. What can be said of such insouciance? Such panache? Very little, I’m sure, but, one may always enjoy, especially when the final bit of advice comes from our old friend, the Zipster…. He is just SO cute!….. Enjoy, ffolkes; even Zippy couldn’t completely screw this one…..

Dharma: What is the greatest mystery of all?

Yudishthira: That each day, death walks the earth, and we continue to live as though we were immortal.

~~ The Bhagavad Gita ~~

“A beautiful eye makes silence eloquent, a kind eye makes contradiction an assent, an enraged eye makes beauty deformed. This little member gives life to every part about us; and I believe the story of Argus implies no more, than the eye is in every part; that is to say, every other part would be mutilated, were not its force represented more by the eye than even by itself.” — Addison

“Faith is believing what you know ain’t so.” — Mark Twain

“At once it struck me what quality went to form a man of achievement, especially in literature, and which Shakespeare possessed so enormously — I mean negative capability, that is, when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.” — John Keats

“A plough that works glisters, but the still water stinks.” — Proverb

“Intellect annuls fate. So far as a man thinks, he is free.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Our minds possess by nature an insatiable desire to know the truth.” — Marcus Tullius Cicero

“If you can’t say something nice, say something surrealistic.” — Zippy the Pinhead

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Today’s Pearl is a tribute to the process of Pearling, and, no, I’m not going to explain anything here in the closing section; it’s against the rules anyway. I think we can just all be glad this is done, and, nobody died, and nobody bled. I’d call that a good thing, but, I know better. In spite of everything, I think I’ll probably be back tomorrow, if only to see what happened as a result of today’s mess…. Until then, just do as I do, and deny, deny, deny…. Hey, it works for the BRC! See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, unless someone comes up with an effective way to prevent it…. The odds are on my side there….

Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Epiphany for sale: affordable rates….

Posted on August 21, 2015 by gigoid

☬

Ffolkes,

=-0 * * *

~~ The Enterprise firing photon torpedoes, at a cloaked Klingon Warbird ~~

=-O ~~~~~ =۞≫

~~ The Enterprise firing phasers at an uncloaked Klingon Warbird ~~

This rich view of a tapestry of colourful stars was captured by the Wide Field Imager (WFI) camera, on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile. It shows a open cluster of stars known as IC 4651, a stellar grouping that lies at in the constellation of Ara (The Altar).

Star Cluster IC-4651

Image by European Southern Observatory via Space.com

Good morning…. Boy, what a ride! Life can be pretty unpredictable, especially when you’re awake. Sleep, having been hard to come by of late, has apparently returned to stay for a while; I’m up late (for me; it’s damn near 6 AM….), having again slept more than 6 hours. Yay for me. Now, once again, I’ll have to rush to get posted before my automatic sense of duty kicks in to REALLY send me into panic mode. To forestall any such event, we shall now head out directly to the oyster beds, with no further fooling around…. Watch this!….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” — James Baldwin (1867-1947)

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☬

You guessed it. Default music…. This one called itself a mix to improve Brain Power, and gives you about 10 hours to do so…..

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Classical Music

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https://youtu.be/EWDwa5ToY3o

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

☬

The Dawn of Man

https://youtu.be/ypEaGQb6dJk

As you observe the opening lines of this section, I’d like you to note a couple of details, which were deliberately added for the purpose of directing this discussion. First, I would request you watch the video, either by clicking on the embedded player, or using the link to watch it on You Tube…. Particularly note the development of the habit of violence in the human tribe of simians, with the not unexpected eventual response of stimulating the curiosity and violence in the nature of those abused by that new habitual behavior, thus, perpetuating it as part of the developing embryonic cultures.

Then, note I put the title just below a picture of the part of the film which shows humanity’s progress, with the Blue Danube waltz playing in the background, to highlight the pinnacle of achievement thus represented by the station, the flight, and the music, combined to show what is possible for us as humans. The title, to me, shows the TRUE dawn of Man.

We aren’t quite as far along yet, as shown in the film, (directly attributable, it seems clear to me, to the effect our violent nature has had in slowing that progress..); however, to me, our ascent from this planet into space is the only hope we have to get away from that violence, sublimating the power of the emotional content that drives it, by channeling our curiosity, into exploring a Universe large enough to provide us with an unending pursuit of knowledge, and more complex and powerful methods of getting along with the races we encounter out there, rather than into more complex and powerful weaponry, while simultaneously giving us the necessary physical protection of knowing HOW to fight.

The irony of putting the title at that point is this: we are NOT going to get there. Not at the rate we’re going. There is too much instability in the world today to ever believe we won’t end up destroying ourselves, either by consuming conflagration of nuclear war, or by continuing to poison the air we breathe, the food we eat, the plants and animals that support the ecosystem, and, most of all, by our ignorance and lack of courage/virtue….. The signs are too clear to ignore, ffolkes, so, it would behoove all of us to figure out exactly what we’re going to do…. quickly, too, for there are certain issues of physics/biology/chemistry/ecology which will NOT wait until we get around to it….

“As soon as you are willing to discard observational data because it conflicts with religion, you are giving up any hope of ever really understanding the universe. As soon as you pick religion as the touchstone of reality, then we have to start discussing how one can demonstrate the correctness of one religion over another when different *religions* disagree.” — Wilson Heydt

“The answer is simple: kill the heretics. History shows us that this is the actual solution that competing religions apply — trial by combat or trial by ordeal. God is the final arbiter. What a sad waste of human potential it has proven to be.” — Paul Hager

The two quotes above, taken together, give a graphic example of how this irony manifests itself in today’s world. The oligarchs control the politicians and the religions, and the politicians and religions try to control the masses of humanity, playing out their drama of good vs. evil on a global scale, at such a complex, mind-numbing number of times, places, and on so many fronts, the average person is buried in the details and stresses of life, never even realizing how deeply their thoughts and behavior are being influenced by others.

All this sad, yet, somehow glorious and fascinating panorama of human existence in today’s world, is observed by a relatively small group of people, smart enough to understand, and see, the big picture, but, who have never wished to control anything but their own lives. Since we don’t really WANT to have to do so, or to have to take part in any of the other delusional behaviors most of society is pursuing, it becomes a challenge, to find others who see the same, and have the wherewithal to organize, to make some kind of difference, if by nothing else than speaking up to educate the ignorant….

So, that’s what I do…. I seem to have done it enough for today, so, we’ll get on with the remainder of our lives now…..

gigoid has spoken.

So be it.

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

☬

Roses for Noses

I have a bozoid personality, of the first degree;
nobody, I mean nobody, knows that better than me.
I often wonder, as the world goes around, and around
how many others have realized just what I’ve found….

I know for a fact, I’m not the only bozoid one;
too many people laughing out there, having fun.
Is their laughter, though, at themselves first?
Or is it some other impulse, like purple liverwurst”….

I’ve always loved to make others laugh and giggle,
since my tender youth, when my ears began to wiggle.
The world is full of humor, but not always easy to find
so laughing at myself I learned never to mind….

We bozos know each other, here, there, and everywhere
there’s no hiding such joy, it just wouldn’t be fair.
We all have one feature, our great bulbous nose,
and there’s no doubt at all, cuz it just grows….

There’s nothing like a good, big mistake, a disaster,
to show us the folly of living life faster and faster.
Nothing in the world can ever take the place,
of seeing in the mirror, a happy, smiling face….

Don’t be shy, just let it all hang out;
we bozos have more fun, there’s no doubt.
Life’s too somber and gray if we let it get on top
if we don’t stay loose, the pain won’t ever stop….

My advice to all of you, out there in the world,
let noses grow round & red, keep hair tightly curled.
Find a way to let your spirit out often to play,
you’ll never once regret any price you pay.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 1/27/2013.

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

☬

This one was a little rushed at the end, but, I’m pretty sure it came out alright. You tell me….

“A short saying oft contains much wisdom.”

~~ Sophocles (496-406 BC) — Aletes, Frag. 99 ~~

“I know but one freedom, and that is the freedom of the mind.” — Antoine de Saint Exupery

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

“Profound Truth differs from simple truth in that the negation of a simple truth is a simple falsehood, while the negation of a Profound Truth may be another Profound Truth. E.g. a button with “Life is just as simple as it seems” on one side and “Life is not as simple as it seems” on the other.” — Smart Bee

“It is… nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom; without this it goes to wreak and ruin. It is a very grave mistake to think that the enjoyment of seeing and searching can be promoted by means of coercion and a sense of duty.” — Albert Einstein, “Autobiographical Notes”

“I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts.” — John Locke

“I am a man, and nothing that concerns a man do I deem a matter of indifference to me.” — Terence — Heautontimoroumenos, Act i, Sc. 1, 25, (77.)

“Your actions prove what you think of yourself.” — Will Limon

“And never think about the past. No regrets, ever.” — Lazarus Long

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

☬

Some of y’all may have noticed a new piece of ASCII-art added to the pearls today. If it wasn’t obvious before, it really ought to be now, for it is sitting right above this paragraph, staring at you as if you are some sort of pond slime for not noticing. It’s a sensitive icon, you see. It will be a part of every pearl henceforth, for as long as I remember to put it there, or, until I figure out the correct way to get it into the template…. So be it.

Now the housekeeping is done, (as Tommy Toilet recommended so aptly to us all, so may years ago….), I note the Pearl for today is as well. Done, that is. Or, at least, I hope it is; I promised it would be. I can’t be sure, as I’m actually writing this yesterday, and leaving it to the Tardis, to put it where it belongs, at the proper time. Handy, that. On that semi-plausible, –in-another-universe–, note, I shall take my leave, with the usual caveat regarding the instability of the Space/Time Continuum, and, of course, the forces of Entropy, which can be whimsical, at best…. I’m gonna go post now…..

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

☬

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

No, no! Tar first, feathers last….

Posted on August 9, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

Be happy while y’er leevin,
For y’er a lang time deid.

~~ Scottish motto for a house ~~

Dark Side Transit from 1 Million Miles

NASA Image from nasa.gov

Good morning…. Bolting up in bed, ripped from sleep by the collision alarm, Blake struggled to focus. As the alarm, certified to wake anyone dead less than 3 years, continued to blast away, he wished, again, he had taken his uncle’s advice, and gone into the family business. At that moment, making goat cheese looked VERY attractive…..

Okay, that’s enough…. Too much, too early…. Howdy, there, ffolkes. It’s me, gigoid, the dubious, awake once more, against all reason, at 2;17 AM, wondering what I did in my former life to have deserved such a karmic whipping. Then, of course, I have to stop, and regain some perspective, lest I fall into the trap of past regrets. I’m a lot better off than many people my age, who have far fewer resources upon which to survive…. Then, of course, the embarrassment and shame of feeling like a whiner sets in…. This naturally boots me out of the self-pity mode, and relative balance can be regained…. It’s ugly, it’s stupid, but, it gets me where I need to go in my head….

It’s also probably entirely TMI for so early in the day…. I suppose it’s too late for a [dignified silence] to be effective; it would just sound surly at this juncture. Silliness is probably not going to work, either, as I’m just not feeling silly (though I can’t say how I look; I haven’t been brave enough to look in a mirror yet….). I’d use my AI writing-bot, but, naturally, the batteries are down. Damn! It looks like we will have to…. Wait a minute! What’s this?

Look, ffolkes! It’s one of our old emergency escape packages. And, better yet, it’s our best design, a # 4. Tighten your belts, please, we’re going to use it. It works like this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant.” — Socrates

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

On mornings such as today, I suffer from indecision; my subconscious KNOWS nothing pisses me off more than dithering, in myself, anyway. After enough time to frustrate me thoroughly (as if I didn’t have enough handicaps already), I made the only logical decision, to go with what my spirit needs, and be done with it…. Enjoy, ffolkes…. hopefully, it will chill me out a bit; can’t seem to find my balance today…. I found a collection of classical tunes designed for cats, which sounds just right…..

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

Classical Music for Cats

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

https://youtu.be/SoI8EoxfCRs

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

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

As indicated by the picture, we’ve retreated in Time. I was going to produce a fresh rant, but, the aforementioned dithering is getting in the way. Hence, another trip to the archives. Today we’ll keep it relatively short and simple, with a bit of discussion of Albert Einstein’s wisdom, as seen through admiring eyes….

From 4/3/2012:

“A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.” — Matz’s Maxim

Upon reflection, although this is a fine pearl, I’m not going to discuss it now. I’m already tired, so here is my conclusion on this: he’s got a good point. Now, let’s start this section over…..

“A life directed chiefly toward the fulfillment of personal desires sooner or later always leads to bitter disappointment.” — Albert Einstein

Now, there’s a pearl! Albert Einstein is generally regarded as one of mankind’s most brilliant members, but most people do not have the capability to see how or why this is so, other than knowing that he was responsible for E = MC². If, however, one takes the time to look past this bit of common knowledge, to look at some of the statements of philosophy and life attributed to him, it becomes clearer, the key to his genius lay in the simplicity of his thought processes.

Albert looked at the world, and the universe at large, through eyes that refused to look away from the simple elegance of the underlying nature of reality. Instead, he focused on the small, basic thoughts, ideas, or physical properties that best described what is real and true. He also did not add superfluous judgments or unseen factors to what he perceived, focusing rather on the most relevant part of the concept, not those parts extraneous to the purpose. This quality enabled him to see further into the nature of reality than is common to the rest of us, who are prone to complicate our perceptions with our prejudices and or misconceptions.

His statement, above, is a perfect example of this quality; it looks directly at human nature, showing us how our own attitudes and desires can potentially be the cause of our own difficulties in life, thus giving us the opportunity to turn our efforts in a direction that will ultimately be more beneficial. The statement clearly lays the responsibility for the tenor of our lives right in our own laps, where it belongs, but, does so without condemnation or insult, merely dispassionate truth. Albert was truly one of humanities greatest treasures, in my mind; his words will, hopefully, continue to help guide people through life far into to the future…. provided there is one….. but that’s a different subject altogether…..

“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” — Albert Schweitzer

(I know, I know….. not the right Albert. But, it was deliberate, and I’m just doing what Murphy wants….. as is sometimes common, as soon as I finished the above section, the absolute perfect ending pearl pops up. I think Herr Schweitzer was thinking of Herr Einstein when he related this thought….. Albert Einstein was a happy guy; I have pictorial proof, which I have shared below…..so there…..)

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

Is my forehead bleeding?…. No? Okay, good. I have no more excuses, or complaints, or suggestions. All I can do is all I have done. Here; try this one….

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.

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

What we have here is a failure to communicate…. It’s that, or Smart Bee is in full revolt. Either way, the resulting pearl seems to be possessed of a somewhat tricky nature… I’m pretty sure it’s a good one; I am just not in a mental state to be able to judge adequately…. None of my alarms are going off, though, so I’m pretty sure it won’t injure anyone. If it doesn’t make any sense to you, don’t fret; I’m pretty sure that’s what SB intended….

“Truth exists. Only lies have to be invented.” — Georges Braque

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

“What you think of yourself is more important than what others think of you.” — Seneca

“An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight. . . The truly wise person is colorblind.” — Albert Schweitzer

“Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself (I am large, I contain multitudes).” — Walt Whitman, Song of Myself

“The next sentence is true. The last sentence was false.” –Smart Bee

“Well, it just seemed wrong to cheat on an ethics test.” — Calvin

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

Well. I think it’s done. Perhaps I should check, to make sure…. Hmm. Okay, so, better than I’d thought it would be. I’ll take it. I have to; otherwise, I’ll end up feeling like a kitten in the litter box of life. Wouldn’t want that, would we? Nope. Any who, see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. I’ve left myself little choice but to return to clean up the mess I made today…..

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Biscuits, briskets, and red grenadine , hold the tea cakes….

Posted on August 7, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“If if, then then.”

~~ The Theorem Theorem ~~

Pausing to Pose

Good morning…. Forty-eight minutes later, as he sat staring at the blank, white screen, it occurred to him, perhaps some sleep might help. Maybe if sleep had not become an elusive boon, he wouldn’t find it so difficult to wake up enough to put more than two words together in a line. Since it had, however, he has no choice, but to carry on, as best he may…. Maybe, if he tries really, really hard, the gods of perseverance will reward him with a rational, coherent thought….

Or not…. Since there don’t seem to be any of those floating around anywhere in my head, I think it will be best if we skip the rest of whatever may have taken place, had we not decided to take advantage of our one remaining advantage, to wit; power over Time. We’ll just activate the Tardis, and let it take us where we need to be…. Boy, I gotta say, that thing has paid for the leasing fees several times over already…. Now, if I can find the keys….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”

~~ Dorothy Gale ~~

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

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

Given the issues I’ve had the last few weeks with getting some sleep, I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me earlier…. Chalk it up to the distraction of never having a completely clear head…. SIGH…. Enjoy, ffolkes, and, please, join me in hoping it works….

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

Classical Music for Sleep

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

https://youtu.be/vAqLStH6E6s

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

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

I’ve got nothin’…. No thoughts, no angst, no nothin’…. Rather than bore y’all with yet another archived rant, let’s do this…. Here is the philosophy of Life I created sometime in the latter part of the 1980’s, (naturally, I forgot to write down the exact date…), just after attending computer school. I won’t go into the etiology just now; instead I’ll just let it speak for itself…. This is what I’m all about, ffolkes….

Peruaosophy

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

Axioms

1) I think I am; that’s close enough.

2) The nature of the Universe is Change.
Unpredictable, innovative transformation of Reality is the Norm.
If you have a problem with this, you’re in for a rough ride in Life.

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

4) Excellence is its own reward.

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

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

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

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

~~ gigoid ~~

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

Today’s archived poem appears not because I am late, or, for any other reason other than sheer laziness; I just don’t feel like spending the effort to go look for something appropriate…. We’ll all just have to deal with it…. Hopefully, you can enjoy it anyway….

Playing by the Rules

All my days I looked for love,
And found it everywhere I looked.
The years were joyous and fully booked
Seemingly by command from Above.

In return for all of the beauty in Life I found
I played life by the Rules that we all know,
It was from my father I learned the how,
Honest love, given freely, hand-fasted, gladly bound.

It seemed a while as if it were all real,
that fulfillment and contentment could be
as real as the children given us to oversee,
to teach them of Life and Love, and how to feel.

Then storm clouds of grievous change arrived, unbidden
Insidious, deceitful, three steps forward, then one back.
Tearing holes in our beautiful cloth, a heart heard to crack,
Gleeful demons eating life’s bounty, fangs dirty, and hidden.

Pain and sorrow grew, in defiance of all I tried,
Sanctuary turned into a reluctant scene of ritual battle,
Love still lives, but is herded like doomed and pitiful cattle,
While the keening of my soul sounds as if I’d cried.

Betrayal in love is, allow me to assure, no small pain to take.
Time has no power to reduce its place in my heart or soul.
My truest love became a stranger, a powerfully sharp toll,
Solitude has become my lot, no killing time for necessity’s sake.

Love yet surrounds me, everywhere; I’m not one of those fools…
Children are forgiving, I’m glad to be able to say,
They show me life’s solid purpose, the old, right way,
I guess don’t know any other way, than to Play it by the Rules.

~~ gigoid ~~

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

Yep, it’s another pearl about Life at Large…. This one’s a little abstruse, I’d say, so pay attention, or you’ll miss the best parts…. Whoa! That’s a pretty good metaphor for Life, right there! “…. so pay attention, or you’ll miss the best parts.”….. Fancy that!….

“Life is only as long as you live it.”

~~ Smart Bee ~~

“The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance.” — Socrates (470?-399 B.C.)

“There was once a man, Harry, called the Steppenwolf. He went on two legs, wore clothes and was a human being, but nevertheless he was in reality a wolf of the Steppes. He had learned a good deal of all that people of a good intelligence can, and was a fairly clever fellow. What he had not learned, however, was this: to find contentment in himself and his own life.” — Hermann Hesse, Steppenwolf

“Oh you who are born of the blood of the gods, Trojan son of Anchises, easy is the descent to Hell; the door of dark Dis stands open day and night. But to retrace your steps and come out to the air above, that is work, that is labor!” — Virgil, The Aeneid

“You should go to a pear-tree for pears, not to an elm.” — Publius Syrus — Maxim 674

“For it is the doom of men that they forget.” — Merlin

“When the body sinks into death, the essence of man is revealed. Man is a knot, a web, a mesh into which relationships are tied. Only those relationships matter.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery, 1953

“…happiness is the highest good, being a realization and perfect practice of virtue, which some can attain, while others have little or none of it…” — Aristotle

Any nose
May ravage with impunity a rose.

~~ Robert Browning ~~

~~ Sordello, Book vi ~~

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

Well, it’s done. I can’t say exactly how it got that way; my involvement seemed to be rather peripheral. But, there it sits, with a bit of something in each section; I’ll make no claims of any sort as to the quality of any of it. I will, however, take this opportunity to make my escape, in the hopes I can figure out a way to get some sleep, so this won’t be such a hassle to get done…. Ah well, life goes on, until it doesn’t. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; there doesn’t seem to be any way to get out of it….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

No, sorry. Wrong imaginary number….

Posted on July 25, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“I’m afraid of no man, and very few women.”

~~ Smart Bee, speaking for gigoid ~~

Ironic Tulips in Oregon

Good morning…. In the perhaps misguided hope of continuing to be able to use that assessment, I’m NOT going to relate any of the events which took place yesterday during my foray into the BBR. Suffice it to say, my lawyer tells me I should be able to escape prosecution, since none of the participants died, or received any lasting injuries. Also, the two poor wee myrmidons are expected to fully recover from their confusion, so, there’s no way they can hold me responsible, since I wasn’t the one who called them. Besides, they got the fire out without any injuries or real damage to their silly war wagon; it wasn’t my fault they tried to…. well, never mind, you can read about it in the news….

Believe me, it was quite a day, and I was really glad to get home. Too bad it got me all worked up, & sleep became impossible. Did you know it’s really dark outside at 3 AM? Who knew?

Ah well, fudge it. Luigi, fire it up & let’s hit it; I’m in the mood to go rogue!…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“Anytime I see a person fleeing from reason and into religion, I think to myself, there goes a person who cannot stand being so goddamned lonely anymore.” — Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

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

I’m tired, which translates as ‘lazy’, so, here is today’s video selection, with a couple hours of classical music, in a collection the uploader called “The Most Relaxing Music in the Universe”. You will tell me if you think it is so, yes?…. Enjoy!….

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

Classical Music Mix

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

https://youtu.be/qfh7MwKQY7U

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

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

I was cruising through Smart Bee’s database, on a search for stimulation to distract myself, when I came across the following quote…

“Among the many handicaps of old age which must be lived with is wisdom.”

~~ Smart Bee ~~

The attribution was given to SB after performing a search for the author; anvari.org, the largest dB I know of for such searches, had none listed, so it goes, as is our policy to SB…. On the same page was a quote along the same lines by a frequent visitor here, our old mentor, Henry L. Mencken, who wrote his thoughts around the turn of the twentieth century, having lived from 1880 until 1956. I’ve enjoyed many of his quotes, as he seemed to have a very clear view of reality, with no fear of saying exactly what he thought, without regard for who might be offended. If it was truth, as he saw it, he told it…. The quote he contributes today is as follows:

“The older I grow the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom.” — H. L. Mencken

Now, since I’m getting to an age where I might consider myself to have entered my “golden years”, I can attest to the accuracy of each of these statements; now we’re going to explore why….

Why would I look at wisdom as a handicap? Actually, that part is easy…. Wisdom, if you will, has the particular quality of bringing with it the ability to see things very clearly, to recognize motivation, or causes, with much more skill and accuracy than anyone younger is capable of achieving, simply because the experience of growing older provides us with those skills. They do not come naturally; only the passage of time will bring them to anyone…. It also isn’t anything that is subject to change; there is no other way to gather experience, except by existing over time….

But, then, one day, soon after acquiring this ability to see clearly those parts of reality which signal change, it becomes clear also, there is a reason for the old saying we’ve all heard, “Ignorance is bliss.” The reason for this is simple; we expected our knowledge to make our lives simpler, and more comfortable. In the most basic sense, it does so, of course, by showing us how to avoid trouble, thus saving time & energy dealing with it, and with its aftermath, often more terrible. It also, however, shows us, time after time, and in every place we look, just how dangerously stupid are the general run of people, and how their lack of awareness of their own place in the scheme of things, makes the world a more dangerous place for everyone….

If I have to explain why that is true, then I’m preaching to the wrong choir…. Nonetheless, it’s true; for me, it’s the part of being aware of Reality which makes it both a blessing, and a curse, thus reflecting Reality itself.

“Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky

This idea can be seen to explain virtually everything wrong in today’s world. The simple fact of its veracity allows those with no morals or compassion to justify to themselves any sort of behavior at all, no matter how viciously immoral, or how it may affect anyone else. It also allows them to take advantage of all those who cannot bring themselves to look the Universe directly in the face, preferring to hide behind ignorance and lack of will, letting those with more boldness and strength determine the course of their lives for them. This pattern was established in the very first culture humanity created, when the first asininnies discovered just how gullible the rest of humanity was….

I’m not sure, at this point, exactly where this is taking us. I intended to speak about aging, and using what we learn to make our life more worthwhile, according to our own standards…. It has, apparently, degenerated into the beginning of a rant against the asininnies and our current societal mess, but, I really don’t feel like going there today; I’m too close to the edge of rage already, from the events of yesterday. If I started on all that now, I’d probably end up going out again, fully armed…. Probably not the best idea in this frame of mind….

So, I’m going to do something I almost never do…. I’m dumping this whole section. What you see is what you get, and we’ll come back tomorrow with something a bit more entertaining, if not more compelling. This one, obviously, is a wash, start to finish…. Ah well, so much for good intentions, eh? I’ll leave y’all with the following thought, which, somehow seems to say what needs to be said at this juncture…;

“And I said to myself be still, wait without hope. For hope would be hope of the wrong thing. Wait without love. For love would be love of the wrong thing. Wait without faith. For the faith and the hope and the love are all in the waiting.” — T.S. Eliot

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Here’s an older poem, from 2012, which I had slotted for use a couple days down the line…. It will do nicely for today, instead….

Semblance of Time

The dreams and visions of modern times are pallid and pale
filled with fear and loathing instead of joy and wonder.
Reality is aging poorly, submitting less data to loudly regale
Sad faded images lacking substance, or proof of thunder.

Sisters and brothers of nightly performance speak in spite
building up scars to protect, or keep a semblance of sanity.
Knowing illusion is near and dear, steeped in muscular delight
while compassion and intelligence get smothered by humanity.

Loneliness soon became the friend of many sizes of fools
stealing through mazes of social tests as if truly wise, or old
while companies of sterile opportunity are hiding their tools
from anyone who might be feeling even a little bit bold.

Painful momentary flashes seem to outline society’s fate
until soft, heavy monuments to elder gods fall from grace.
We’re all getting tired of being told we’re far too late
and never ever nearing tolerance, nor regaining any face.

A hard message awaits us all when we dare to even stay
of life’s uncaring disposition and curmudgeonly faux heart
Only with the strength of a hero may such tales make way
Only a poet may turn such pain into a valid work of art.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 10/5/2012.

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It was a struggle to decide which of the various icons to use today to adorn this section. I’m not even sure why I chose the laughing Buddha, but, it seems to fit the ‘look and feel’ of how this pearl came out…. I forgot to give SB any parameters, which can be a good, or a bad thing. In this case, I think it came out pretty well. It seems to be a collection of thoughts on one’s best approach to Life, with a bit of humorous insight thrown in…. sort of….. Hell, you tell me; I think it works…..

Virtuous and vicious every man must be,–
Few in the extreme, but all in the degree.

~~ Alexander Pope — Essay on Man, Epistle ii, Line 231 ~~

“Be not anxious about what you have, but about what you are.” — Pope St. Gregory I

“The way up and the way down are one and the same.’ — Heraclitus

“In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.” — Buddha

“Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” — Henry David Thoreau, “Walden”

“Anacharsis said a man’s felicity consists not in the outward and visible favours and blessings of Fortune, but in the inward and unseen perfections and riches of the mind.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — The Banquet of the Seven Wise Men, 11

“In every man’s heart there is a secret nerve that answers to the vibrations of beauty.” — Christopher Morley

“Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way in the answer.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

“To thine own self be cool.”

~~ Smart Bee ~~

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In gazing back over what has occurred today, I’m struck by only one thought; it’s done. Thankfully, I will take that as a sign to use the most efficient method for ending this, which looks a lot like this…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, since I will still be crazy after all these years, and, I can’t think of any reason not to do so…

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

gigoid

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

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gigoid

Exploring Consensual Reality

Tag Archives: Socrates

Some fava beans and a nice Chianti….

No, no! Tar first, feathers last….

Biscuits, briskets, and red grenadine , hold the tea cakes….

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