Tag Archives: T.S. Eliot

Even tough guys call him ‘Sir’….

Posted on by
2

Ffolkes,
I don’t know about the rest of y’all, but mornings are,for me, an important time of the day. A lot depends on what takes place in that first few minutes, and colors what may happen the rest of the day. Today has been relatively normal, though I stayed up later than usual, and thus am up a bit later. All within normal parameters, so things are looking fairly routine. Whether or not this kind of serenity will help what goes onto the screen remains to be determined….we may as well just jump on in……
___________________________________

“I’m trying to think, but nothing happens.” — Curly

I’m not sure why I wanted to include this one, except that when I read it, an image popped into my mind’s eye, and it aroused my outrage again. I could see the Junior Shrub (my own little term of affection for The asshole president Who Stole Two Terms, and yes I know the title should be capitalized; he didn’t earn enough respect to deserve it) in the now-famous video tape of GW Jr. sitting in front of that class in Florida when he was informed that the attacks had occurred on the Pentagon and World Trade Center Towers, on 9/11/01.

For seven agonizing minutes, the whole nation was able to observe firsthand how unqualified he was for the position of President. It was completely obvious that the quote above was playing in his head like an endlessly repeated loop for the entire time, and the parade of emotions across his face was painful to watch, as he obviously became more and more fearful with each passing moment.

But then, I’ve always believed that his father could conceivably had a hand in that whole mess anyway, and that the news that morning was not a surprise to Junior; it struck me right away how the attacks were very conveniently timed to draw attention from the news of the preceding day, which was focusing on the voting irregularities of the last election, the second time the results of the election were disputable.

After having read The Cocaine Papers, and personally observing his time in office, the whole scenario just stunk of the senior Bush’s talents; folks seem to forget he headed up the CIA during the time when that organization was busy interfering in governments all over the world, and was almost completely responsible for setting up the cocaine trade to the US from South America, aided by the work of CIA operatives in the area. Yes, it was an incredibly fortunate thing for GWB Jr. that we were attacked just at that time, or we just might have seen our second president go down in the glaring light of public sight, for having been found guilty of voting fraud in at least two elections, and forced to resign due to public outrage over his shenanigans….

But, as I say, he’s a lucky guy, isn’t he?……. it only cost us around 4000 American lives, give or take a few, and gave us the opportunity to hare off after the nasty terrorists, to exact our revenge from the civilian populations of Afghanistan and Iraq, to the tune of several HUNDRED THOUSAND civilian deaths. All things considered, we took more than we were entitled to, but then, it is the habit of our society to over-consume on every level, so it’s not particularly surprising. And, all things considered, I regard the period from 9/11/01 to now to be one of the most shameful periods of American history, and nothing to be proud of…….
___________________________________

“One of the saddest lessons of history is this:  If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle.  We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth.  The bamboozle has captured us.  it is simply too painful to acknowledge — even to ourselves — that we’ve been so credulous.  (So the old bamboozles tend to persist as the new bamboozles rise.)” — Carl Sagan, “The Fine Art of Baloney Detection,” Parade, February 1, 1987

What is beginning to depress me about the state of modern society is how often I find myself in a state of outrage over the latest antics of the beloved ruling class. The above quote is absolute truth, (the telling of which is a habit of Carl Sagan’s….), and is probably the direct result of the continuous reduction taking place in the average IQ of the average human, when viewed on a society-wide basis.

We have discussed this proposition in this space previously, and have presented the scientific proof of this phenomenon, including its intrinsic inevitability; as time goes on, the species grows dumber, and there is no way to prevent it, other than population control, and humans won’t ever let that happen. The quotation below grows ever more applicable and as time goes on, approaches absolute truth; perhaps the only question remaining to be asked is “How much time do we really have to turn it all around, before it’s too late?” I don’t know about you, but I am very afraid of the answer……

“Yes, this is an age of moral crisis.  Yes, you are bearing punishment for your evil. But it is not man who is now on trial and it is not human nature that will take the blame.It is your moral code that’s through, this time.  Your moral code has reached its climax, the blind alley at the end of its course.  And if you wish to go on living, what you now need is not to return to morality — you who have never known any — but to discover it.”” — John Galt
___________________________________

— How many roads must a man walk down before he finds a damn good pub?


— Let us define n to be the number of roads a man must travel before he finds the pub defined above.  We may thus define n+1 to be the first road which a man need not travel in order to reach a good pub.  Now the traversal of road n+1 is not a necessary condition, but rather a sufficient one; thus it is sufficient for n+2 as well.  Thus the statement is true for x roads where x is >= n.  Therefore, by induction, it is true for any finite number x greater than n.  We may conclude that the statement is true for sufficiently large x, or alternatively that as x approaches infinity, the number of roads that have been traveled become sufficient to have found a good pub.

Ya gotta love math! Especially as it is taught at English public schools…. Well, maybe not, but it might have been, right? Sounds just loony enough for schools that have to have a “headmaster”, presumably to lead their charges into their own mastery over the thick, nearly impenetrable British head. (Get it? mastery, British head? No?….ah, well….) And, as the above shows, the system works, sort of, so even the ones who didn’t get the math found a pub, and grew up to write for Monty Python…. those who took in the math went on to further glory in obscure positions in research on numbers theory as it applies to counting sheep….or money…..or the proper number of pints of stout for quoting from documentation manuals out of memory…..
___________________________________

“Five senses; an incurably abstract intellect; a haphazardly selective memory; a set of preconceptions and assumptions so numerous that I can never examine more than minority of them – never become conscious of them all.  How much of total reality can such an apparatus let through?” — C. S. Lewis

Brilliant! This is the type of question that only occurs to someone who can be called a genius. Most folks never even consider any of these concepts; it is all they can do to keep track of their own preconceptions and assumptions, much less have the imagination to wonder what they would be able to do if they could see more clearly, clearly enough that meaning is absorbed with perception. There are many ffolkes (this is called a contextual clue) who do think about this kind of thing, but only the truly exceptional mind has the depth of perception, and understanding, to not only see the light, but to describe it to their brethren……
___________________________________

Against the Word the unstilled world still whirled
About the center of the silent Word.
— T.S. Eliot

What is the silent Word?  The Word Is……Not not, Is…..We may be, or not, but what is, is, and needs no word, but the Word remains….at the center, where it was seen and not heard by T.S…. Sometimes, powerful truth can be found in apparent nonsense, and T.S. was a master at creating very lean, very clean poetry whose very simplicity drove straight into the heart of Truth. I always feel more serene afterward, and find that reading his work brings me illumination, if not enlightenment…..
___________________________________

The results are in, and we find that much of what is included today doesn’t bring much serenity, but is sufficient unto the day for its mere expression. It’s often that way; I often don’t know I needed to get something out, until it is staring at me from the screen. If nothing else, this has kept me off the streets for a time, which is always a good thing…..I tend to attract craziness out there, and it gets to be wearing at times. Probably why I live alone…..I’m old enough now to enjoy not having to worry about adjusting my self to anyone else’s standards, and have found that I’m pretty good company…… Y’all take care out there….

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Fundamentally flawed, but functional…

Posted on by
Reply

Ffolkes,
Just so you know…..in order to deal more effectively with the lack of material in my head, I’ll be taking at least a couple days off, sort of. Not all the way off; I’ll be recycling older pearls. I figured out that, as I’ve been doing this for over 10 years,  some of the older ones hadn’t been seen yet by some of the newer readers.  A few days will suffice to both give them a treat from the past, and give my head some time to recuperate, and generate some more fresh food for thought…..that will begin tomorrow, so watch this space for blasts from the past…..
___________________________________

A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,
And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,
And the dry stone no sound of water. Only
There is shadow under this red rock,
(Come in under the shadow of this red rock),
And I will show you something different from either
Your shadow in the morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.
— T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land

One of T.S.’s most powerful poems, and one of my favorites. A stiff and pointed stick jabbed right into the eye of society, making them see the stark landscape of modern life, devoid of compassion and joy. I’ll bet someone like Newt G. or Mitt R. would read this and feel very, very uncomfortable, without knowing why; but we would know, for it is a bitter condemnation of the modern way of life that venerates money, and ignores human suffering….
___________________________________

“If a Nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be … If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.” — Thomas Jefferson

“..it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.”  That about says it all. This, then, is why we are being systematically oppressed by our own leadership. This is why “they” were able to deregulate the Bill of Rights, right in front of us, and almost nobody knows, or cares. The American public, for the largest part, has abrogated this responsibility; we can no longer call ourselves free men, for we have given it up in favor of a false sense of security, and misguided trust in people who claim to have our interests at heart, but in reality don’t even really like other Americans. I would guesstimate that over 90% of the voting public has no idea that the Bill of Rights has been declared null and void; hell, that number of them probably couldn’t even name the Bill of Rights. It is disgusting, and frustrating, and downright scary how little people seem to care about having volunteered to become slaves of the beloved ruling class. I’m tempted to give in to my baser urges, and start slapping people silly when they display their ignorance in public. It may not return the Bill of Rights, but I’ll sure feel better…..

“They have exiled me now from their society and I am pleased, because humanity does not exile except the one whose noble spirit rebels against despotism and oppression.  He who does not prefer exile to slavery is not free by any measure of freedom, truth and duty” — Kahlil Gibran, from “Spirits Rebellious”
___________________________________

” It is not the writer’s task to answer questions but to question answers. To be impertinent, and, if necessary, subversive.” — Edward Abbey

Perfect description of my attitude toward writing’s place in society; it couldn’t be said better. To be a gadfly, to question authority, to learn and share what is learned, regardless of who it embarrasses, this is the purpose a writer should always accept as integral to their work and expression. It wouldn’t be as necessary if people would just think for themselves, but it should be obvious by now that that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. If I were the kind of person who could just walk away from someone in need, maybe I could forgo some of what takes up so much of my time.

But, regardless of how stupid someone might be, they don’t deserve to be oppressed by assholes whose entire agenda is focused on self-aggrandizement. I still believe that anyone who actually WANTS to be an elected official in this country is clinically insane, with sociopathic tendencies. Only when one is blithely unconcerned with the fate of other people can one seek that much power over them. It’s just plain sick, and I intend to keep pointing it out until they’re all put in therapy, willing or not……
___________________________________

“The land of the free!  This is the land of the free!  Why, if I say anything that displeases them, the free mob will lynch me, and that’s my freedom.  Free?  Why I have never been in any country where the individual has such an abject fear of his fellow countrymen.  Because, as I say, they are free to lynch him the moment he shows he is not one of them.” — D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930)

Hmmm…..I guess things around here haven’t changed so much after all. Mrs. Grundy and her ilk still oversee the morals of everyone else, shouting down any differences with strident cries of Infidel! Blasphemer!” At least here on the net, it’s still considered bad form to type in ALL CAPS…… but, we  need to be careful; those who care about such things are still trying to get legislation passed that will attempt to censor what can be posted online, and limit what the net can be used for. Don’t let them do it; they’ve already taken too many of our rights as it is. We can’t afford to lose any more…..
___________________________________

“Poetry has been to me “its own exceeding great reward;” it has soothed my afflictions; it has multiplied and refined my enjoyments; it has endeared solitude; and it has given me the habit of wishing to discover the good and the beautiful in all that meets and surrounds me.” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Me, too! As I’ve said before, or at least intimated, poetry is, in my humble opinion, the ultimate use of language; any idea expressed in a poem is more readily digestible to the human brain than any prose can possibly be. How many of us learned the alphabet by singing the “Alphabet Song”? The very basis of the written word, the alphabet, naturally lends itself to rhyming, which stimulates the mind to learn in a way that seamlessly coordinates with the way our minds perceive, so that deep knowledge is passed on with each short phrase, knowledge deeper than the mere meaning of each word, made clear to us by its structure, and organized compatibly by the cadence.

Perhaps that could be new project for me. I’ve never been happy with my own ability to produce a good poem; they always fall short of my expectations. Maybe it is time, now that I’ve had more experience with the language, to see if that experience has enhanced my creative side……hmmm, we’ll see……if anything moderately attractive comes of it, I’ll post it here, and take the risk of allowing others to see it, and judge its quality……

“A poet that fails in writing, becomes often a morose critic. The weak insipid white wine makes at length excellent vinegar.” — Shenstone
___________________________________

Whew! Made it! I thought this would never end. Well, not really. It was enough fun that I lost track of where I was. But, we’ve finally come to a logical place to stop, so we’ll emulate Spock, and call it a day….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Like ice, on the verge of melting…

Posted on by
4

Ffolkes,
According to all reports, today is the beginning of new year, a relatively subjective event in my estimation. I’m an odd duck, I suppose. I was asleep last night by 9:30, and by gosh, I didn’t make any resolutions. Of course, I never do, so that’s nothing new. I figure if I need to make a change in myself, it’s probably best to take care of it when it becomes apparent, rather than waiting and adding it to a list of things I may never get around to anyway.

Most folks, I think, try to be honest with themselves when coming up with resolutions, and may even make an honest effort to keep it. But, mostly I see or hear that the resolutions lasted right up to the first time temptation appeared, and then went flying out the window. My take on the whole matter is to make those kinds of introspective insights into what we need to do better in our lives a part of every day activity. Resolutions should be made each night before bed, and carried out in the morning, not put off to the end of the year. Year-end resolutions set unreasonable standards, and as such are generally a fail-fail situation. For my money, that is a sucker’s bet, and homey don’t play that game…..let’s see what flotsam has washed up on the shores of my mind during the night……
___________________________________

Before a cat will condescend
To treat you as a trusted friend,
Some little token of esteem
Is needed, like a dish of cream.
— T. S. Eliot

Sometimes I’m not sure which is my favorite poet, between T.S. Eliot, Emily Dickinson, or ee cummings….. all three wrote with such power, and had such a huge influence, they changed the very face of poetry in the 20th century. Poets of earlier ages are always there to give us the beauty and depth of human experience leading up to the last century, and there were a number of great ones. Alexander Pope, Yeats, Keats, Longfellow, Cowper, Shakespeare, and a host of others, all left behind an impressive legacy for later generations, for which I am eternally grateful. This particular poem is one of my favorites; I love cats (and dogs, and just about any other 2, 4, 6, or 8 legged creatures), and it’s obvious that T.S. has known several of them intimately. In my humble opinion, cats and dogs are much better at being what they are, and nothing else, than humans can ever be. If one believes in the concept of a Deity, then they were put here to be our examples of how to live with honor, and we can do no better than to emulate their approach to life at large…..
___________________________________

“A man can do something for peace without having to jump into politics.  Each man has inside him a basic decency and goodness.  If he listens to it and acts on it, he is giving a great deal of what it is the world needs most.” — Pablo Casals

In at least one respect, (said respect noted only after 5 portions of the beast last night), this is what this blog is all about. My whole purpose here is to act upon what my sense of decency demands, which often involves giving in to the urge to rant. Or,  at minimum, to write, compelled by duty, constrained by custom. How hard is it to say what needs to be said in a way that folks will listen to? Damn hard…..damn hard. One is often compelled by necessity to speak in harsh terms, of politicians, of celebrities, and other media darlings, terms which one’s mother may not have condoned, due to their deliberate rudeness. Though I respect my mother, and all she gave me, in this I must disagree; so much so that I’m also compelled to say that my rants, all-too-often, are too mild, and do not take nearly enough prisoners, or names of the guilty for later prosecution.

Hours later, sans beast, the above wasn’t bad; only two small edits required. To continue…. the politicians, and many celebrities, if what is written in the news is accurate, have no interest whatsoever in doing anything in the interests of the public at large. All their proclamations and assertions are either attacks on the character of their opponents, or evidence of the immense depths of their ignorance. In the case of celebrities, most are acting out their own childhood fantasies about what a celebrity should like, so they put on a mask, rather than just being natural and sincere. It’s pretty sad in my view, and if it weren’t so dangerous, it would be laughable. But, because such ignorance feeds into the cultural miasma already rising from society’s depths to assault our senses, it loses some of the humorous charm, shows itself in true colors to be cowardice, and ultimately strengthens the influence that evil has over our society.

Thus it becomes our obvious duty to fight back against evil, and the best way to do that is to ensure that one’s own life and actions conform to what is known to be honorable and decent. If each of us takes the time and effort to so order our own lives, that sense of order will spread to the outer reaches of society. It can’t hurt, and may provide the only hope we have left of reversing the direction we are taking toward extinction and death, and returning to a path toward life and peace……
___________________________________

“I’ve got no deeds to do, no promises to keep. I’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.”– Paul Simon

I’m a self-convicted, unapologetic hedonist. In this space I had originally placed a Zen Koan, which I intended to use as a springboard for discussion of some subtle philosophical point about Reality. However, the reality is that my psyche is not always in complete agreement with my will, and can be pretty stubborn in its campaign toward personal comfort, and toward obeying the urge to nap. I let the koan percolate in my mind, and it sat there going round and round, like an old vinyl record stuck in the groove before the song begins, just, “…sssssssclick….ssssssclick” forever and evermore. I would have gone to sleep, but I fell out of the chair first.  I’ve come to the conclusion that trying to be subtle today isn’t going to work, so we’ll leave eastern philosophy for another day…. onward….
___________________________________

Feed your faith and starve your doubts to death.

Now, THIS is a contemptible lie! What a terrible thing to wish upon someone! Here, share this big slice of ignorance, and have no interest in ever changing. Truth in Life can only be found when faith and doubt are balanced; denying either dooms any attempt at right action to failure. I’m sorry folks, but I’m just not buying the story about the kindly old bearded gentleman sitting on a throne of gold, spending his days worrying about whether or not we will acknowledge his godhood. If he was so worried about it, why didn’t he make us that way? Why give us the power of imagination, and then set limits on what may be imagined? It sounds to me like a set-up for failure. If you know a person can’t control their eating habits, you don’t put them to work in a bakery, then tell them to keep their hands off the products. According to that model, free will becomes something much less than a facet of reality. It’s not free will if certain subjects are taboo; the entire concept of taboo is contrary to the nature of free will, which by definition has no limits. One can’t have it both ways; the two concepts are mutually exclusive by their very nature…..

“God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omni-benevolent- it says so right here on the label. If you have a mind capable of believing all three of these divine attributes simultaneously, I have a wonderful bargain for you. No checks, please. Cash, and in small bills.” — Lazarus Long
___________________________________

She was a form of life and light
That seen, became a part of sight,
And rose, where’er I turn’d mine eye,
The morning-star of memory!
Yes, love indeed is light from heaven;
A spark of that immortal fire
With angels shared, by Allah given,
To lift from earth our low desire.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824)
— The Giaour, Line 1127

SIGH….I feel better now. Finding a final Pearl this morning became problematic, until I came across this gem from Lord Byron. I should probably have added him to my list above of favorite poets from the past; he never fails to please. As it turns out, I needed this. My spirit had somehow gotten blocked up, perhaps due to the conflict mentioned between will and psyche. Nonetheless, whatever the cause, this was the cure. My entire spirit gave a big sigh, and tension flowed out of my shoulders and out of perception. Good poetry can do that, in my experience, and here is some positive proof…..even if it uses an alternate name for Yaweh….
__________________________________

Well, that was fun….coming to the end is once more a surprise, but welcome in this case. All this talk about a nap has me sitting here nodding in drowsiness, typing as fast as my sluggish brain will allow. If you hadn’t guessed, I’m going back to bed now, to wallow in hedonistic fulfillment. Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Swatches of unconsecrated plaid….

Posted on by
Reply

Ffolkes,
Okay, okay, I’m up, no need to yell……what? Who’s there? Oh, it’s y’all…..well, since I’m up…….I suppose I should get started….
___________________________________

“The real money is in starting your own religion.” — L. Ron Hubbard

Back in the late 1920’s or 30’s, I’m uncertain which, L. Ron Hubbard and Robert A. Heinlein were both cadets at Annapolis, the Navy’s officer training facility. They were friends, of a sort, and later in life would carry on a semi-friendly competition, to see whose work of science fiction would sell better. Although Heinlein usually won (his style of writing was more palatable to the general reading audience than Hubbard’s), Hubbard also created a large body of work, most of which, though somewhat out there on the fringes of space, were engaging and powerful stories. Though he never achieved the status that his friend did in the SF field, he still has a large following of fans who believe him to be the best, and they have some arguable points.

Dianetics, the so-called religion of Christian Scientists, is based on a book that L. Ron Hubbard wrote. He wrote it, had it published, and then sat back and watched it become far more popular than anything else he had published. The Christian Scientists now have chapters all over the world, with several million devotees who are convinced that it is the road to salvation and eternal peace. It is, to say the least, the best practical joke ever played on the unsuspecting human race, and the longest lasting as well.

You see, Hubbard wrote the book as a joke, He proposed the above statement to Bob Heinlein, and when Heinlein expressed his skepticism, Hubbard made the claim that he could make up his own religion, and people would flock to it. Heinlein dared him to try, and the result was the book, Dianetics. The book succeeded far beyond Hubbard’s expectations, and he was still laughing on the day he died, laughing that none of the folks who bought into it could see the obvious chicanery…..

You see, he left a very obvious clue in the structure of the book, a clue that immediately throws the entire book into the realm of fantasy. Science, by definition, is about measuring the universe, and to measure, one needs mathematics. In the entire book, there is not one mathematical principle, and no other evidence of any scientific method. The entire philosophy was a mental exercise, sheer intellectual masturbation, produced by a creative genius out of the fabric of his own mind, for the single purpose of pulling the wool over people’s eyes. It has succeeded beyond any expectation, and I think it’s hilarious……
___________________________________

“It’s like brother Nietzsche said–being human is a complicated gig, so give that dark night of the soul a hug and howl the eternal yes.

Yes! Howl it loud! And leave the guilt at home…..”life tastes better in big bites” (Lazarus Long) Too many folks get caught up in the everyday drudgery that afflicts most of us in this culture, and in doing so, forget to take the time to nourish the spirit. A moment of two of play, laughing with a friend, splurging on that special blouse, just some kind of reward to yourself for putting up with all the demands made on us by everyday life, and not losing control enough to start biting people. (If I haven’t said it before, that’s a tough one for me; when I get worked up, it makes me want to bite somebody bad….) Not doing so is a good thing, and justifies a little pampering and self-indulgence. Life is tough enough, and trying to get through it without letting off some steam now and again is a fool’s game. And you can’t win if you don’t play…..
___________________________________

Given a conflict, Murphy’s law supersedes Newton’s.

Murphy, that playful, grinning SOB, besides being an a__h__, is unfortunately a manifestation of one of our universe’s general laws, to wit: Entropy. He represents that power of chaos that permeates every molecule in existence, and provides the balance to the general orderliness of reality. His presence at every human interaction, and every human action, for that matter, is ubiquitous, and keeps us from ever getting completely comfortable in our skins, never knowing when the other shoe will drop. It gets to be a real pain after a while, especially when, like with me, Murphy takes a personal interest in our activities, and follows me around just waiting for the right moment to drop a load of manure on my head (figuratively speaking, of course….). He particularly loves it when I sit down to play solitaire, as it seems his greatest delight is to stack the decks so I lose, but only after ten minutes of trying to uncover that last king, or even longer trying to find an ace to play. I think it’s because he knows I don’t like him much, but hey, that’s not gonna change, so I guess both of us will just have to get used to it……and that’s the name of that tune……
__________________________________

“Humankind cannot stand very much reality.” — T.S. Eliot

This is probably why most humans spend so much of their time foolishly trying to deny reality, or change it into something more like what they want or expect. I think most, if not all, people are unhappy with their lot in life, at least in the respect that they wish to make changes that will enable them to be more comfortable. What they seldom realize is that all their efforts are for naught; reality changes to suit itself, according to the precepts of natural law, and any changes we humans make are ephemeral, temporary at best, and completely useless for the most part. So, these folks have a tendency to ignore or deny reality, and then can never understand why they never seem to get anywhere. They have no notion of where they are going, so that is where they end up, once again disappointed and confused, a state all too familiar to most folks…..Accepting reality, and working within its constraints, is a much surer way to obtain at least some of what we want in life…….and less frustrating for sure…..
___________________________________

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

Politics, necessary evil that it is, has been in the control of the wickedly avaricious for a number of years now. There is no longer any possible way for a normal, middle class person to be elected to any of the higher offices in our government. It takes a minimum of 5 or 10 million dollars just to think about entering the fray, and that is before money gets collected from supporters. That is the ‘ante up’ amount that qualifies one to be allowed to be considered.

So what does this mean for those of us not in the ‘ruling class’? It means that the only power we have left to us is in our vote, and only about a third of Americans can usually work up the interest to bother voting at all. In the election prior to this last one, the Shrub’s second stolen term, the figures worked out to show that he was elected with a mere 15% of the American voters choosing to give him their vote. That means we chose our leader (superficially) by letting about 5-10% of our population determine who will lead the rest of us. Pretty scary, eh?

But it’s not going to change, at least not until more than just myself, and a few like-minded miscreants, want to make a radical change, and take back the power and freedom that we have let slip away. And since I can’t seem to find any of the others who feel this way, I guess I’ll just have to do as I always do…..stay alert, and be ready to jump, because things are going to get pretty nasty our there, when all of the chaos and entropy we have been attempting to ignore rushes in and sends us down the same road as the dinosaurs, and the Dodo bird…..
___________________________________

Well, gosh, I feel like I just got started, and here I am done. Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess. The weather out in the Big Blue Room looks pretty cold and blustery; we’re deep into fall now, and winter’s just down the street. It’s a good day for being indoors, and a good day to be thankful for having the wherewithal to be able to stay indoors, out of the inclement weather. There are a lot of our fellow humans out there who don’t have that luxury…….y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

What the pug dog saw in the night..

Posted on by
Reply

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

“Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around us in awareness.” — James Thurber (1894-1961)

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


As humans, we all have feelings, and those feelings can be under our conscious control, or not. It really is that simple, and is a matter of choice. We can experience whatever reaction we have to our perceptions and apply an emotional tag, a value judgment, by any other name, and let the emotion determine how we will react to the perception. This is what most folks do, and is a large part of why our society is in dire straits.  The great majority of people never even consider that they can choose to feel, that they have control over their feelings, and spend their lives putting out emotional fires. A smaller portion of folks have learned how to keep their feelings leashed to their will, and don’t allow the universe to control them by dint of circumstance; they make their own choices, and live a much fuller, more aware existence than the rest of their fellows…..
___________________________________

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on,–
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear’d,
Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone.
— John Keats (1795-1821)
— Ode on a Grecian Urn

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

Such simple yet elegant use of language, such a sensual flow of words, all used so deftly to point up the path to a more satisfying existence, are all good indicators of why Keats is considered one of history’s greatest poets, one by which all others are judged. In my mind, the only three people who come close to Keats’ competence are Alexander Pope, Longfellow, and Emily Dickinson. Not bad company, eh?…..
___________________________________

“Termiter’s argument that God is His own grandmother generated a surprising amount of controversy among Church leaders, who on the one hand considered the argument unsupported by scripture but on the other hand were unwilling to risk offending God’s grandmother.” — Len Cool, American Pie

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

You could have Sean Connery as the Pope, Sean Penn as a Billy Graham evangelical, and Bishop Desmond Tutu could be played by Eddie Murphy. Oh, and Robin Williams playing God, with Meryl Streep as God’s grandmother. The script possibilities are unlimited, and a million gag-writers in Hollywood and Bollywood would be panting to have their jokes chosen for the meeting room scene! There might be some static thrown out by the actual religious leadership, but they’re accustomed to being ignored, so that won’t matter. Hey, it’s got as much chance at creating peace as the stuff they’re doing now; probably even better…..
___________________________________

“When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, “This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know,” the end result is tyranny and oppression no matter how holy the motives.”– Robert A Heinlein, “If this goes on”

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

It is unfortunate, in my mind, that politicos and religious pundits are even given the opportunity to lay this kind of nonsense on me; usually a pest will go away if ignored hard enough. But the media gives all of them equal time, the fools, the would-be tyrants, the zealots, all get their exposure in the media, and are thus encouraged to continue to throw up all this crap for us to wade through. Makes me want to go out and buy two things: some high top boots, and a couple of guns…….I guess that’s four things, but hey, it’s my dime……
___________________________________

Against the Word the unstilled world still whirled
About the center of the silent Word.
— T.S. Eliot

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

It’s always amazing to me how much he packed into small little packages; the depths of meaning keep revealing themselves the more one thinks about the words, and what they mean, like an onion being peeled one layer at at time. Here is a poem of two lines, that speaks volumes about the human experience, about perception, about Reality. Two lines. Millions of impressions created, each unique to the one who perceives. Incredible.  Astounding. Ya just gotta love it……
___________________________________

If not fully pleased, I am content. This one came out pretty well, from my vantage point, which bodes well for the rest of the day. We can only hope….. y’all take care out there….

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Metaphorical marmosets in mufti….

Posted on by
2

Ffolkes,
So here’s the deal…..yesterday when I went diving in search of pearls, I came across the material you will find below. I have no idea how it happened, but the poems I found all pointed toward the same compass point, and when I strung them together, they made a fine little story, a metaphor for the life of a Man. So today’s Pearl is all Poetry (minus a small portion, included merely as free hints). This is all you get today, as it burned up all my creative juices stretching points to create this poetic ramble…..but fear not, it also has given me a plethora of new ideas, which you will find in future episodes….. remember, these all lead you to a point, so let the mind flow with it, and you’ll get a nice little charge out of it at the finish……

Who says in verse what others say in prose.
— Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
— Satires, Epistles, and Odes of Horace, Epistle i, Book ii, Line 202

“In walking, just walk. In sitting, just sit. Above all, don’t wobble.” — Yun-Men

“Families, when a child is born
Want it to be intelligent.
I, through intelligence,
Having wrecked my whole life,
Only hope the baby will prove
Ignorant and stupid.
Then he will crown a tranquil life
By becoming a Cabinet Minister
— Su Tung-p’o

And this the burden of his song
Forever used to be,–
I care for nobody, No. not I,
If no one cares for me.
— Isaac Bickerstaff (1735-1787)
— Love in a Village, Act i, Sc. 2

Cut is the branch that might have grown full straight,
And burned is Apollo’s laurel bough,
That sometime grew within this learned man.
— Christopher Marlowe (1565-1593) — Faustus

A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,
And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,
And the dry stone no sound of water. Only
There is shadow under this red rock,
(Come in under the shadow of this red rock),
And I will show you something different from either
Your shadow in the morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.
— T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land

“How does the poet speak to men with power, but by being still more a man than they?” — Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) — Burns, Edinburgh Review, 1828

Order is heaven’s first law; and this confessed,
Some are, and must be, greater than the rest,
More rich, more wise; but who infers from hence
That such are happier, shocks all common sense.
— Alexander Pope (1688-1744) — Essay on Man, Epistle iv, Line 49

Careful, Mister.  Old Zeke is liable to fire that sucker up!

Feel free to send your comments (which will all receive a response), kudos (gratefully accepted), or criticisms (cheerfully ignored) with a SASEmail. In the meantime, y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Equipped with unregistered tweezers…..

Posted on by
Reply

Ffolkes,
I was right about the new format, and wrong as well, just like in real life! It does eliminate the search for subject matter, but tends to lead to ranting, or just plain old rambling, an occupational hazard for me. Oh well, can’t have everything, and who wants it easy all the time? Onward…..

“His philosophy was a mixture of three famous schools:  the Cynics, the Stoics and the Epicureans – and summed up all three of them in his famous phrase, ‘You can’t trust any bugger further than you can throw him, and there’s nothing you can do about it, so let’s have a drink.'” — Terry Pratchett, ‘Small Gods’

Laughter is probably my favorite part of Life; I can’t think of a single time in my life when laughter was unwelcome. Conversely, I can think of any number of times when it was not only welcome, but life-saving, or at the very least life-preserving. In its way it also affirms life; it lets you know that you are alive, and that life is good. The sound of a child’s laughter can bring a smile to the grimmest curmudgeon, and the laughter of a beautiful woman can be either joyous, or cruel. Laughing is our best defense against the tyranny of repressive thought; it can bring a tyrant to his knees, for tyranny lives in fear of ridicule. Laughter cannot cure pain, but can ease it, and make it more bearable. In its way, laughter prolongs life, actually reversing many of the effects of time. When laughter is in our lives, everything is more colorful; vision is more acute, hearing, touch, smell, all are more acute when under its influence. And when it is long absent from us, the world turns dreary, and washed of all color. Without laughter, our lives become drudgery, merely a time to survive, in silence and despair.

The Universe is one huge joke, and the punch line has yet to come. We can spend our lives in black and white, trudging along the dusty road of Time with head hanging down and steps heavy as sorrow. Or, we can look for the brighter side of Life, and laugh at ourselves and everything around us, marching ahead with eyes up and seeking new vistas, hopeful for the dawn of each new day. Your choice…..

“If you look at life one way, there is always cause for alarm.” — Elizabeth Bowen

When I read this quote, I was immediately reminded of St. Francis of Assisi’s famous quote, “Beware the man of one book.” It also occurred to me that this would be a perfect slogan for the any of  the Republican candidates who have spent the last few months flailing around the country, sowing ignorance and discord by the bucket. It is a perfect description of their entire campaign, wherein they attempt to turn any question from a reporter into an opportunity to get their own personal talking points out into the public eye, without ever giving a substantive answer to the original query. Global warming? Just a theory…. Abortion? NIMBY….Gay marriage? They’re sick and need treatment…. Torturing prisoners? It’s the American way….. The 99%/1% wealth distribution? “It’s your own fault you’re not rich!”….. Trillion-dollar a day wars in two countries? “We’ll just cut service to the elderly and the educational system…”  Every time one of them opens up their mouth, more insane drivel pours out, and I have to go wash my ears again…..

The worst part of this situation? To me it is the scary fact that there are millions of people in this country who not only fall for this bullshite, but actively support these sociopathic assholes, thinking they’re just the bee’s knee’s. It scares me to distraction when I think of how many uneducated, deliberately ignorant folks live in this country, and how easily they are led into voting for people who not only don’t respect them, but laugh at them as they carry their moneybags to the bank. It’s very disheartening……but it’s like the Firesign Theater said, “Yes, living in today’s complex world of the Future IS much like having a hive of bees living in your head. But….there they are!”……and here are the Republocrats…..deal with it….. if we don’t deal with it pretty soon, the species Australopithecus will join the dodo in the ranks of failed organisms on Planet Earth….here is a short poem that would make a good epitaph, should that occur….

And the wind shall say, Here were decent, godless people
their only monument the asphalt road
and a thousand lost golf balls.
— T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)

I usually do three, but these went a bit long, so for today, I will bid thee adieu…….y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Sadly enough, it doesn’t float…

Posted on by
2

Ffolkes,
Even if it won’t float, it can be salvaged, or so it is said by those would would know. Me, I don’t much care one way or the other, as long as it doesn’t explode while I’m holding it. Of course that would only happen if I were caught unaware, and did not pay enough attention to my surroundings. Otherwise, it’s easy enough to deal with; it merely a matter of stroking it in the right place. Catch the right spot and the damn thing will follow you around like a puppy looking for attention. Kinda cute actually…..


What is he talking about? What kind of nonsense is he throwing at us today? Well, if you would just sit back and pay attention, you’ll find out…..nothing. I was talking about nothing. It was all a farce, a charade, as it were, just a little fun to pass the time on this slow Tuesday morning. If you really want to know what it was, just go through and find all the parameters I mentioned, and it will become clear that yes, this too is a farce. If you can figure out what it is, you’re better than I am, because I couldn’t do it. And I wrote it!….ah well, so much for levity before breakfast…..today’s group of Pearls is a good one, with lots of good food for thought….enjoy!

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” — T. S. Eliot

“If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.” — Maya Angelou

Before a cat will condescend
To treat you as a trusted friend,
Some little token of esteem
Is needed, like a dish of cream.
— T. S. Eliot

“If you wants to get elected president, you’ve got to think up some memorable homily so’s school kids can be pestered into memorizin’ it, even if they don’t know what it means.” — Walt Kelly, The Pogo Party

“Do you think there’s a God?”
“Well, SOMEbody’s out to get me!”
— Calvin & Hobbes

“Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh, and the greatness which does not bow before children.” — Kahlil Gibran

Can I get an “Amen!”?…… y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Wicked barbarian hairstyles with peach highlights….

Posted on by
Reply

Ffolkes,
Back in dark ages, during the hippie era in Berkeley, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend an exhibition of art at the San Francisco Museum of Art in Golden Gate Park. The showing I attended was highlighted by a collection of the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh.  During my walk through his visions in oil, I stopped to look at one of his self-portraits, and received a revelation, or perhaps epiphany. In any case…as I stood looking at this small painting, covered with the extremely thick, bold strokes common to his works, I thought at first that it was a good piece of work, but I didn’t see what all the fuss was about his paintings, which were often simple and without pretension, scenes of everyday life. Then, for some reason, I stepped back from the portrait I was observing, to a distance of about 12 feet from the painting. When I reached a certain spot away from the painting, his eyes came to life. Literally. Alive. The entire portrait no longer had brush strokes that described a face; it WAS a face, and his eyes looked right into my soul. I could feel all of his feelings through his eyes; the anguish, the pain, the genius, all of it came through as if I was looking at his reflection in a mirror. In that moment, I was given a gift, for which I will always be grateful. I had seen beauty in its most basic form; with bold strokes Van Gogh made his vision of life come to life, and it was then I first came to understand genius, and how it can show Reality to those of us who cannot always see what people like Van Gogh see through their unique vision.


Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen many things that are beautiful, both in the works of man, and in nature itself. It was a grand awakening, of a side of my own soul that previously I had not known, and I have always been grateful for the impulse that took me to SF that day. Seeing true beauty, as seen through the eyes of a genius (I know, three times, but its the best word I have on that subject), has shown me how to find it in other places, and has enriched my life in uncountable ways. So if you ever get the chance to see his work, or the sculpture of Renoir, or hear the music of Mozart and Bach, take the chance. You won’t regret it…..


All this leads me to today’s Pearls, many of which were created by men of genius, and bear the unmistakable sign of beauty that only a few people can show us……beauty is as necessary for life as is oxygen. A soul that cannot appreciate it is a stunted soul, and not fully human. These were all chosen because they touch Reality, and show it back to us, and bring us to beauty….

“There are worlds out there where the sky is burning and the sea’s asleep and the rivers dream; people made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there’s danger, somewhere there’s injustice, somewhere else the tea’s getting cold. Come on Ace, we’ve got work to do…”
— The Doctor, Survival [Last lines of last episode]

‘Friendship should be more than biting time can sever.’ — T. S. Eliot

I see the lights of the village
gleam through the rain and the mist.
And a feeling of sadness comes o’er me,
that my soul cannot resist.
A feeling of sadness and longing
that is not akin to pain,
And resembles sorrow only
as the mist resembles rain.
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), The Day is done

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

Yet each man kills the thing he loves,
By each let this be heard,
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word,
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword!
— Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), The Ballad of Reading Gaol

It is alleged that when Einstein and his wife visited the Mount Wilson Observatory in California, Mrs. Einstein pointed to a particularly
complex piece of equipment and asked its purpose. Their guide said that it was used to determine the shape of the universe. “Oh,” she
said, not at all impressed, “my husband uses the back of an old envelope to work that out.”

That is probably enough for one day; don’t want to consume too much in one sitting. Today, I’m going to hunt beauty…y’all take care out there…

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Standing in the corner of life….

Posted on by
3

Ffolkes,
As he watched, alone, he could see the families walking through the park, children playing on the swings, dogs romping in the grass. He felt set apart, an unknown player in a play that everyone else knew by heart. It had always been thus, this feeling of standing outside the normal events of Life, only joining the stream of humanity for moments at a time. He had no friends, only acquaintances who entered his world only to leave again, passing as the proverbial ships in the night. There were times, such as now, when his distance from the rest of his species was lessened, and he felt he might yet find someone who would understand him, and accept his differences as valuable, worthy of respect. At those times, as if by magic, his phone would ring, and a voice at the other end would give him his next assignment, placing him firmly outside the circle of society. He might have chosen another life, but circumstance is as powerful as fate, and his had been sealed early in life, before he developed enough of a conscience to reject the course upon which he set his sights. He did what he did for good reason; he had chosen his path with eyes wide open. Fate, and circumstance, had guided him to where he stood today, and wishing it different would never make it so.
Well, that was a struggle! I never know what will pop out of my head in the morning, and today was no different. It sounds like the beginning of a very deep, very heavy story, and at this point I’m not certain at all that I will continue with it. I have the distinct impression that the protagonist is involved in some pretty shady activities out there on the edge of society. So I may or may not explore this one further; probably not, as I think I need to involve my mind in something a bit more cheery. There is enough in my life now that pushes me toward negativity; I don’t need to put myself there. That’s okay though, something else will pop up tomorrow, and I’ll try to guide it toward a more positive outcome…..today’s Pearls are another eclectic lot, so open your minds and get ready…..

If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.

“Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
— H. L. Mencken (In my case, ‘at times’ translates to ‘daily’)

GIGO: Garbage in garbage out. (which explains my user name; gigoid, which I chose to remind myself of the proper mindset necessary when dealing with computers)

“A man once asked Diogenes what was the proper time for supper, and he made answer, “If you are a rich man, whenever you please; and if
you are a poor man, whenever you can.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Diogenes, vi

This is the way the world ends,
This is the way the world ends,
This is the way the world ends,
Not with a bang but with a whimper.
— T. S. Eliot, “The Hollow Men”

The truth you speak has no past and no future. It is, and that’s all it needs to be.

Did I say eclectic? There must be a word to describe what these are, but it fails to come to me, so eclectic will have to do. Y’all take care out there…..

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

Kowabunga!