‘Til the last strawberry jams….

Posted on January 12, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“In those whom I like, I can find no common denominator;
in those whom I love I can: they all make me laugh.”

~~ W. H. Auden ~~

“There’s shredding to be done.”

Leelu in full PK Mode, no flash

Hajime…. I was up rather late, for me, reading and re-blogging the post you saw if you stopped by yesterday, or, today before posting this Pearl. Since I was up late, I naturally over-slept my usual time to arise, thus throwing my schedule, and, Leelu’s morning time completely off the track. I’ve given her some time, to settle her down from the change, and she’s watching the traffic through her window seat, monitoring all the threats she perceives, & keeping watch while I type.

Routine thus re-established, at least, in her mind, I now sit to finish today’s mess…. To keep the mess from growing too much too fast, I’ll make this another short intro, with no nonsense beyond what we’ve already been subjected to, thus, hopefully, gaining back a few of the points we lost in over-sleeping…. Or, maybe it’s the other way around. I don’t know right now, too damn fuzzy, still. I’m going to grab one of the Tardis toys to get us going, & leave the rest to chance…. In fact, let’s do that now, ‘kay? Okay!…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“If I do not do it now, when shall I do it?”

~~ Dogen Zenji ~~

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

Yesterday, a blog I follow posted a rather nice poem the author wrote, as an inspirational message for a friend, whose relative had been diagnosed with cancer. It made me think, naturally, of my own father, and brother. My father died of the disease in 1985; my brother is currently about a month from completing a cure, comprised solely of the consumption of essential oils of cannabis. He was diagnosed with one of the most virulent forms, lymphatic cancer, but, the steady diet of natural substances is working as advertised…. though not by anyone in the broken medical model we have available to the general public…. or, our own government, which has known of this cure since 1974.

Watch the video; do your own research. Watch any of the thousands of videos from people who have cured themselves. Then, spread the word, and watch the world turn to anarchy for a time, until those who have caused over 100 million unnecessary deaths worldwide, all for the sake of the trillions of dollars they have made off the people’s misery, have all been torn to shreds by angry mobs of their relatives and loved ones, who have realized just how badly, and how long they have been listening to lies…. Or, keep it to yourself, and watch people die for no reason…. Up to you, as always….

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

Anonymous
Cannabis cures cancer…

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

https://youtu.be/HaxOPEU3ecQ

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

The fresh piece upon which I’m working isn’t done, so, here is an odd, but, ultimately pretty good discussion from early days on WP, about two months after I began posting here…. I hope you enjoy it; I was still finding my rhythm, but, it shows promise of things to come…. Enjoy, if you please….

From 11/7/2011:

Ffolkes,

Skyclad before the pale, he sits to write his way into the day……and in an unprecedented move, he has brought his brain with him!…..

“In a real dark night of the soul
it is always three o’clock in the morning.”

~~ F. Scott Fitzgerald ~~

Have the claws of depression ever set themselves in your flesh, slicing their way into your conscious mind to fill it with diffuse anxiety and deep despair? Have you sat, alone in a dark room, and thought of all that you have lost? Does the sunshine make you angry for being so cheerful? When depression rears its ugly head and takes over the soul, the world loses all its color and warmth; everything you see is grey and shadowed, and somehow menacing. Being alone becomes a penance, a sentence for violations of natural law, and sleep is the only surcease from the crushing weight that weighs down the mind, and soul. All the goodness in the world seems far away, and unattainable by any effort we can make. Even hope becomes uncomfortable, because of the fear it will turn out to be false. Thoughts and feelings feel out of control, and the simplest tasks can become a challenge to your reduced level of functioning. Believe me when I say, being depressed is no picnic, and you still get the ants……

Having been a psychiatric technician for so long, I know the effects of depression very well, from both sides of the therapeutic relationship, having treated many depressed individuals, and having suffered its claws myself due to PTSD. It is a difficult condition to treat, from a therapist’s viewpoint, as it is difficult to help someone find the light when they want to sit in the dark, and close their eyes against the light. And from the other side, the negative filter through which a depressed individual views the world denies any possibility of change.

For reasons which are still unclear, a person who becomes depressed is actually more comfortable in that state than they are when they are not influenced by its debilitating symptoms. And from having experienced it myself, I can tell you without hesitation that it is insidiously powerful, and incredibly hard to set aside in order to get back to a more stable mental state, one in which the world again becomes beautiful, the spirit once again takes flight, and life regains its attraction once more…….

“The sense of death is most in apprehension;
And the poor beetle, that we tread upon,
In corporal sufferance finds a pang as great
As when a giant dies.”

~~ William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure, Act iii, Sc. 1 ~~

I usually steer clear of using Shakespeare, as his work has been over-used, and IMHO is over-rated anyway. He did write a lot of beautiful passages, and should be considered as a master of the sonnet as well as the play. But I like this one, both for the creative beauty of his phrasing and structure, and for the idea behind it, which I see as a clear observation of the interconnectedness of all life-forms. We’re born, we live, and we die, thus completing the cycle of existence as per the natural laws of this universe (or at least as far as we know those laws…..). And every other creature on this planet goes through the same cycle of birth, life, death, birth, life, death, etc…, until one can only conclude that we must be alike in other ways as well, and are thereby connected in some fashion, both to the universe, and to each other.

This connection puts us all on the same level, at least in the eyes of the universe; no form of life escapes death. We humans, though intelligent, curious, and supremely adaptive to new environments, have no advantage over the tiniest creature on Earth, for we all will face our mortality in the end. Thus our sense of entitlement, of being the top of the food chain, is not justified, for we have no more power over death than the smallest, weakest life form in our world. Species discrimination based on intelligence is foolish; we must come to terms with our own mortality and accept our position in the universe, not above other forms of life, but shoulder to shoulder. We may as well, because we’re going to die anyway; it’s best to try to approach it with some dignity based on fact, rather than unjustified delusion…..

“If you can’t say somethin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.”

~~ Thumper (1942) ~~

Bill Russell, the former professional basketball player, is considered by most fans to be the best defensive player ever to play the game. He played the game with studied intensity, and with complete dignity, approaching the contests with the same attitude he approached life. He was a proponent of the above attitude, one we all learned as a child, watching Bambi and Thumper inflict their terminal cuteness on unsuspecting children in a theater near you. And, as far as it goes, it is a good piece of advice, well worth considering, and useful in teaching manners. But, as with any childish conclusion, it doesn’t go quite far enough. But Bill said this, “One should play the game as a gentleman, always. But, there are times when an elbow to the chops is the only way to make a point.” (My apologies to Bill, as the quote is a paraphrase, the original being unavailable to check for accuracy; the point it makes is intact)

Yes, being nice to each other is the best way to approach living with others; not speaking never got anyone into trouble over what they said. But the rules for behavior amongst ourselves need to be very flexible, and subject to revision moment by moment. There are too many facets to the human mind to ever consider limiting one’s choices of how to react to any particular situation. This is reinforced by the nature of reality, i.e. constant unpredictable changes are normal, so once again, limiting how we choose to act is an inappropriate response, and doomed to failure. As a human, we need to embrace that part of us that is flexible, and creative, in order to have the best chance of dealing with reality while still staying sane……

Speaking of sanity, keeping mine is going to require some work today, so I’ll be off now to pursue other activities, reluctantly. I will leave you with the following thoughts…..

“All men are poets at heart”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

*******

“All poets are mad”

~~ Robert Burton ~~

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

Someday, Leelu and I will be going to Ireland together, to spend quite a bit of time exploring the land, the people, and the culture…. She, no doubt, will be satisfied to be able to explore the land part, and, a few people…. This poem, written before I had ever been there, tells why I’m returning, in large part…. I hope you enjoy it….

Days and Nights of Eire

Comforting, a dream creeps oft into my mind
On the elven hills of Eire lives the vision I find.
Elegant, gracious, everlastingly draped in beauty
Just payment of simple homage lives as joyous duty.

Fairies and druids walk abroad in ghostly parade
Gracing each hearth with its own welcoming shade.
Castles and heroes yet live in tale and song
Proving love for the land in each heart strong.

From cold of winter into glorious young spring
Brown, and gray, to emerald green songs to sing
Soft rains always follow winter’s great tempest
Eire dons its emerald coat from east to west.

Old and strong, connections call out in dreams
Nothing that was known remains as it seems.
Immersion in ancient runes and battle hymns
Offering sanity in place of grievous whims.

Time and place can tell a much different tale
Judgment should never be a final sale.
Yet something solid and real calls me to go see
Where dreams of loving beauty may actually be….

~~ gigoid ~~

11/3/2012

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

Classic 7-star Pearl

Life at Large

*******

“A man may love a paradox
without either losing his wit or his honesty.”

~~ Emerson ~~

*******

“Genius is nothing more than childhood,
recaptured at will.”

~~ Charles Baudelaire ~~

*******

“I am one, my liege,
Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world
Have so incensed that I am reckless what
I do to spite the world.”

~~ William Shakespeare, Macbeth. Act iii, Sc. 1 ~~

*******

“Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will.”

~~ James Stephens ~~

*******

There is no heroic poem in the world but is at bottom a biography,
the life of a man; also it may be said, there is no life of a man,
faithfully recorded, but is a heroic poem of its sort, rhymed or unrhymed.

~~ Thomas Carlyle ~~

~~ Sir Walter Scott, London and Westminster Review, 1838 ~~

*******

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

~~ Michel de Montaigne ~~

*******

“A man cannot speak but he judges himself
…no man thoroughly understands a truth
until he has contended against it.”

~~ Emerson ~~

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

Well, it’s done, which pleases Leelu, if nobody else, but for me. I’m glad, too, because it’s a busy day ’round these parts, with stuff to do out in the BBR that can’t be put off…. On that cryptic, but, non-mysterious note, I’ll bid thee adieu, until I can pull it together enough to do this again…. Odds are, that will be tomorrow, unless something drastic takes place to prevent it…. Not bloody likely…..

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….

Wobbling in illegal pants….

Posted on January 11, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

A man who has faith must be prepared
not only to be a martyr, but to be a fool.

~~ G. K. Chesterton, “Heretics”, 1905 ~~

Sez who?

Irish Gull w/attitude, Galway

Hajime…. This morning, it isn’t morning. Well, actually, it is, when you will see this, in my time zone, anyway. The time in your own may well be different, but, for convenience, we’ll go with morning. Especially since it’s actually yesterday, and you’re reading this courtesy the power of the Tardis, which delivered it to this time, per instructions, sometime in either the past, or the future; I have a hard time deciphering that manual page. All I know is, the post will end up in the right place, at the right time, just as if the Doctor himself were in the house, and, at the controls.

Now we’ve begun the day appropriately, with a fair bit of nonsense and fantasy, why don’t we try something more, oh, cerebral? Hmm… perhaps that isn’t the best idea…. I think, as Calvin once remarked, my cerebellum just fused, when confronted with an arithmetic conundrum from his teacher. So, yep, cerebral is out. How about a bit of comedy? Ah, I see. The obvious attempts already made have turned y’all a bit green; maybe I should open this window over here…. Oops. Forgot, pressurized cabins shouldn’t be opened in flight. Better not. Last time I forgot, half the seats went flying out in the suction, with Gentle Readers still attached….

Okay, I’ll stop. It must be too early for this sort of playfulness; perhaps it’s from not having my third cuppa until AFTER I got up. But, it could be the shoes. We’ll never know now, because I’m making an executive decision, and getting us all the hell out of here, before I hurt myself, or anybody else, in my thrashing about…. Actually, that’s the easy part; this part is harder than it looks….. Watch this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Accurate reckoning — the entrance
into the knowledge of all existing things
and all obscure secrets.”

~~ Ahmes the Scribe (17th cent. B.C.) ~~

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

Young Donovan Leitch

Image from Pinterest.com via Google Images

Donovan Leitch, who performed using his given name only, was, in many ways, the most influential musician of his era. A legendary songwriter, excellent guitarist/musician, and, a model of the ideals by which my generation had become enamored during the famous/infamous 60’s. He influenced me, and many others of my age, to embrace openness, honesty to self and others, and, the concept of humanity as a whole living together in love and peace. It’s idealistic, and romantic, and, it’s still represents a way of living with which I can find no argument as having value…..

This video is of a live show from 2012, after he finally was elected to the R&R Hall of Fame…. The sound quality isn’t the best, and, his voice isn’t quite as strong as it once was, but, you can always go listen to one of the albums to hear that….. You gotta love this man, for he has shared all his love with the world, in his music…. Enjoy, ffolkes…. I will, for sure, and, why not?…. What’s not to like, eh?….

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

Donovan

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https://youtu.be/Q4ykfZZf2ig

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

While searching through the archives yesterday, looking for something else entirely, I came across this piece, from almost three years ago. It made me laugh, so, rather than ranting about shit, again, which I can’t currently change, I’ll subject y’all to some sarcasm/sardonicism re: our old friends, the Dogma Dogs, and be done with it…. I’ve changed the formatting a bit, to match my current style, and, corrected a couple grammatical errors I found. I hope you enjoy it; I did, writing it, and, reading it again….. But, then, perhaps I’m prejudiced in the matter….

From 1/30/3013:

“Theology is never any help;
it is searching in a dark cellar at midnight
for a black cat that isn’t there.
Theologians can persuade themselves of anything.”

~~ Robert A. Heinlein ~~

I had an idea, but it went away…. They do that sometimes. The idea was connected somehow to this quote from Bob Heinlein, and, as might be expected, was intended to serve as the springboard for yet another episode of raking Christianity, and/or religious institutions in general, over the proverbial coals. Since the clever concept I had thought of originally has deserted me, I have absolutely no idea of where to go with this…. I mean, it’s a simple enough matter to turn it into a rant; I have no problem coming up with a newly sharpened stick to poke at the priesthood whenever needed, or merely wished for. But, having bellied up to that bar already this week, I hadn’t intended to go there…. Let’s see what happens now….

“And on the seventh day, while He was resting, He created snack cakes. And He saw that they looked good, and He did bite into one, at which time he realized that they tasted like something that had been sitting on a shelf wrapped in cheap plastic for decades. He had too much goop on His fingers to blast them into the void from which they had come, and therefore He drove them out until they had left the Promised Land and were stuck in a cheap, tacky display on the end of the aisle.” — Haagendasz 3, 12-15

While I am firmly convinced that this makes as much sense to me as it does to read in the Bible from, oh, say, the Book of Leviticus, or even Genesis, I am not sure it will make a proper ranting platform. I mean, it IS as easily proved as any of the real stuff in the Bible, and certainly holds the same amount of logic to its assertions. But, somehow, it just isn’t SERIOUS enough to soothe the ranting urge… No, we’ll just have to keep looking….

“One would like to stroke and caress human beings,
but one dares not do so,
because they bite.”

~~ Vladimir Lenin ~~

Ah, now THAT is a sentiment I can get behind. It shows deep insight into human nature, and in a small way, says something about how that nature is self-destructive. A fine little aphorism, but, not really suited for ranting, as it is so true and complete in itself….. We’ll keep looking….

“Forgive us, for we know not what we do.
Not that we CARE or anything.”

~~ Smart Bee ~~

Aha! Now, that’s the kind of pearl that can start off a grand rant! It’s a perfect perversion of the Christian insistence on keeping their believers buried deeply in ignorance and fear, and ironic enough to please the most discriminating of critics. I love the ending line; it’s just so….. Christian! At least, by every measure I’ve ever seen, it is…. Now, there are Christians out there, I’m certain, who will take some offense at that, but, I would ask them to stop a moment and think…. There, there, now, darlings, I know it hurts, but it will get better the more you do it….

“All religions are founded on the fear of the many
and the cleverness of the few.”

~~ Stendhal ~~

See? I don’t discriminate!…. Now that your mind is loosened up a bit, so you won’t strain it, consider this…. In the Christian world, once one has been granted admittance to the group, becoming a member of the Church, how much effort do those members make to become better people? How much do they actually use the precepts of their dogma to influence their behavior BEFORE they act? How many of them actually try to weave the teachings of Jesus into the fabric of their lives?…. My own observations tell me the number is pretty small, compared to the whole…..

Christians make a big fuss about making sure it is understood how compassionate and forgiving Jesus is/was, as he meant for all his followers to be; then they go and drop bombs on a bunch of short brown people, because those people aren’t Christian…. Oh, the stories and fantasies given in justification always point to some other reason, but the bottom line is, because those other people are “heathens”, they aren’t entitled to any of that compassion or forgiveness. Only their co-members are entitled to consideration as something other than dirt…..

What often makes me the angriest, when I see this behavior, is the outrage expressed by those self-appointed Chosen Ones when their entitlement is challenged, in pieces such as this one. The entire weight of the Church is often called into play to respond to any criticisms leveled against it in public, much like a dragon protects its stolen gold, reacting with fire and destruction to any perceived threats. It pisses me off because their manipulation of others, and their stated wish to be of service, is all based on LIES and hypocrisy, delivered with a smarmy smile that just says to me, “Snake!”, and makes me want to look around for a shovel to pound it with….

If an article in a newspaper that is critical of the Church is widely read, there will be, guaranteed, a fire-storm of heated responses from the Church’s mouthpieces, all heaping abuse, and accusations of discrimination against the critics. The making of such accusations is the typical, almost knee-jerk response of the Church whenever it is called to task for its shortcomings; they learned long ago that the best way to distract the membership from the truth of any criticisms is to make their own false accusations in return, but louder, and for a longer time…. They know that any lie, repeated loudly and repeatedly, will be accepted as truth, especially by their members, who are already predisposed (read: brainwashed…) to believe whatever the preachers/priests tell them….

“Ignorance can be compounded, made denser,
until the light of our spirits is smothered.”

~~– Deng Ming-Dao ~~

I’ve given up arguing with the faithful; it’s a pastime that is endlessly amusing, but, ultimately, saddening. Kind of like the frustration of wrestling with a pig; you just get dirty, and the pig likes it….. It is hard for me to watch people continually make the choice to be ignorant, to be cowards, afraid to face the universe on its own terms: it is even more frustrating to see them consistently tell others what they should think, and how they should live, based solely on their own standards.

Trying to get most folks to see reason is much like banging one’s forehead against a brick wall…. not terribly amusing, and the blood is hard on one’s clothing, as well as the insult to the forehead….. Since I’m not a fool, I have ceased trying to get them to see beyond their own misapprehensions, and just use what I see as fodder for these posts….. Less frustrating, to be sure, if no less depressing….

I seem to have ranted myself into a corner again; I don’t see a way to continue this without becoming either vitriolic, or boring (some might say “more” boring…. all I can say to them is “thptttttt!”….); I’d guess it’s probably too late to avoid being rude. Since there is still some ways to go before we can call it a day, I think I’ll close this off, and go in search of an appropriate poem for the day…. As a final word of caution and warning, in the unending struggle against ignorance, let me leave you with these….

“If all mankind minus one were of one opinion,
mankind would be no more justified
in silencing that one person than he,
if he had the power,
would be justified in silencing mankind.”

~~ John Stuart Mill ~~

“All a man can betray is his conscience.”

~~ Joseph Conrad ~~

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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 ~~

5/13/2013

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

Naked Pearls

Pooh and the Buddha Nature

*********

“When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain,
and you Think of Things,
you find sometimes that a Thing
which seemed very Thingish inside you
is quite different when it gets out into the open
and has other people looking at it.”

~~ A.A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner ~~

*********

“They are too green,” he said,
“and only good for fools.”

~~ J. de La Fontaine ~~
~~ The Fox and the Grapes, Book iii, Fable 11 ~~

*********

Our characters are the result of our conduct.

~~ Aristotle ~~

*********

“Virtue is but heroic bravery,
to do the thing thought to be true,
in spite of all enemies of flesh or spirit,
in despite of all temptations or menaces.”

~~ Albert Pike (1809-1891) ~~

*********

“If we attend continually and promptly
to the little that we can do,
we shall ere long be surprised
to find how little remains that we cannot do.”

~~ Samuel Butler ~~

*********

A gentleman does things no gentleman should do
in a way only a gentleman can.”

~~ Luigi Barzini ~~

*********

Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum:
“I think that I think,
therefore I think that I am.”

~~ Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary” ~~

*********

When Po-chang was asked about seeking for the Buddha nature:
“It’s much like riding an ox in search of the ox”

~~ Zen koan from Po-chang ~~

*********

“In the dark time
will there also be singing?”
“Yes, there will be singing
about the dark time.”

~~ Bertolt Brecht ~~

*********

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

Done, and, in Tardis time. Funny how that works…. Rather than prattle any further, I’ll play nice, & simply bid thee adieu, until another day, most likely tomorrow, given a fair wind and a rising tide…. See y’all then, fer sure…

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….

Silence falls brightly in the dark….

Posted on January 10, 2016 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

It’s a Tao thing, there is nothing _to_ understand.

~~ Lao Bee ~~

Secret Garden

Galway, Ireland

Hajime…. It’s a Sunday. The world sleeps as I type, as it generally does, even without applying the incredible power of the Metaphorse. It seems to me, in fact, the world is weary. Yesterday, and again today, the feel of the air is sluggish, as if the very air we breathe is telling us to slow down, in the mad rush toward extinction in which our species seems to be engaged. What is more, I can feel the air’s sense of expectancy, as well; the world is waiting, with bated breath, almost as if there is some moment approaching which will have some great significance in the overall picture made by life on Earth…. The future is, if possible, even more on the edge of possibility than usual, whatever that means….

Oh, well, what the fuck….. Humans are capable of ignoring/denying ANYTHING, even their own sanity and/or chosen beliefs, whether true, false, or somewhere in between. So, we’re going to ignore the feeling of sitting beneath the twin-bladed sword of doom/salvation, and just get on with the mess we are creating here. The world has enough of a mess to deal with on its own, and so do we. Should it become necessary during the completion of this Pearl to make a quick exit, stage anywhere, well, you’ll understand, I am sure….

Now we’ve got the nonsense and niggling out of the way, such as we may, why don’t we get on with the rest of today’s somewhat epic effort…. I’ll give fair warning; there’s a long, introspective rant below, which took me a couple or three days to complete…. and, it still feels as if there should be more there (there is, but, it wouldn’t fit….). But, ’twill do for our purpose, which is merely to get someone, anyone, to think, and, to encourage them to make others do so as well…. The more we can get thinking, actual reasoning, the better chance we’ll all have of making it to the next century…. which, at this moment, is a wager showing very poor odds…..

For now, let’s be happy for the time we have, and get on with this…. We’ll use the teleportation unit, and be where we need to be, now….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Past of try is tried. Past of do is done.”

~~ Jedi Master Bee ~~

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

Camille Saint-Saëns

The music I generally listen to when composing/creating/writing is, about half the time, written by this man. He was one of the most prolific of all composers of music, of any genre, not just classical. Every piece I have heard was, to be completely honest, beautifully written, and pleasing to the ear, without ever becoming redundant, no matter how often one hears it. This is a group of pieces with which I’m not familiar, but, am readily willing to expect ’twill be as enjoyable as all the others…. Enjoy, if you please; I know I will….

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

Camille Saint-Saëns

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

https://youtu.be/wixXDARl1F0

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

“As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a Den, and I laid me down in that place to sleep; and as I slept, I dreamed a Dream.” — The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan, 1675

This one is a bit long, and wanders around quite a bit, but, that’s what happens sometimes in a dream….

In my life, I have seen much, studied much, and tried to learn all I could. This was never a conscious decision on my part; my earliest memories are all of times when I tried to find out things I didn’t know, just because it felt right; my curiosity is, and was, insatiable, about EVERYTHING. The entire world I perceived was fascinating, and I wanted to consume it all…. Everything I saw, and heard, and smelled, and touched, just made me want to find out more; I knew I didn’t know, and I had to, as if I needed it as badly as air to breathe, or food to eat.

As often as not, the results were not what I expected, but, since I didn’t know about anything, my expectations were not much of an issue; this, I think, gave me the ability to accept whatever I learned as real, and true. When what I was told by others didn’t match what I had already learned, I had no problem voicing that, which often created issues with adults, who seemed to want me to believe anything they said, even when it made no sense. “Why” was a question adults quickly got tired of hearing, mostly; kids were usually more willing to at least consider it as a reasonable request for information, even if they didn’t have anything particularly useful to tell.

I’m not sure how just now how that has affected my outlook in life, but, I do know I refuse, and always have done, to accept obvious untruths from whomever voiced them. Being small doesn’t mean I wasn’t smart; I also learned when to argue, and when to shut up, to avoid provoking large, seemingly violent big persons. But, once that particular lesson is learned, it also teaches one to be ever alert to the possibility of being lied to, whether it be in a gentle, attractive package, or, an intimidating one. In short, I learned to keep the crap detector on full at all times; when I didn’t, things didn’t get along as smoothly…. which disrupted my learning, thus defeating my purpose.

“Sometimes we are afraid to question because we confuse it with doubt, at times when doubt cannot be indulged. Questioning is not the same thing as doubting. …Living the questions requires a willingness to live with paradox, to endure confusion in our rational minds that only the intuitive mind can entertain: intuition accepts the paradox instead of changing it.” — Christina Baldwin

How, you may ask, does any of this relate to the quote with which we began this journey through my head? I couldn’t say, yet; this is not a fully thought out piece of literature, it is an introspective examination, of a thought which occurred to me as I stood at the back door with Leelu, looking at the cloudy sky (me, in a dream/thought state), and the birds, (Leelu’s primary interest). It went through my mind that, in my total time here on Earth, I’ve lived in shouting distance of the Edge of Life, since first beginning to walk the path of a scholar/warrior. Since I was born to a warrior, and a warrior’s wife, that covers pretty much all of it.

All my life I have been aware the world is a violent place, even though there was no more in my home-life than in any other; less, I think, than most, as my father and mother were well-matched, and he was not a violent man. He merely understood it, very well, in himself, and others, having been in the Army, when I was born, since WWII, which ended five years before I was born. He stayed in service after the war, as the economic advantages were not insignificant, even then. But, though he assumed the mantle of a warrior naturally, and wore it well for twenty years, he never became hard, or stupid, due to the regimentation of the life in any such organization.

When I left home, I began to study life more than I had already begun, and, in earnest, as it was now just me. I can’t say I made fewer mistakes than anyone else, but, I have never allowed myself to become destitute for lack of work, or, failed to act as honorably as I was able, no matter how hard life became…. As all of you know, it can get pretty tough out there…. Especially when, as I have done, one becomes a specialist in the methods and philosophy of dealing with violence, in martial arts first, then, in my work later in life, wherein the arts became my most valuable set of tools, an important asset to my knowledge and experience in toto.

A few days ago, while considering how to express a comment on another blog, I thought back over my life, about how many wars this country had been involved in during that span. I was, thanks to my age, and experience, not particularly surprised to learn I could not remember a single time the government of the United States had not had our troops occupying space in other lands, for purposes which had never been made entirely clear.

As I later found out, the true reasons for any of those occasions were never fully disclosed at all. In fact, from what I have read, researched, and can gather from available evidence, the government of this country has been actively lying to the public on a regular basis since before WWII, and, most likely, since the advent of the Industrial Age, in the nineteenth century.

While hardly a surprise, given the state of affairs in most of the world today, as one who is all-too-familiar with human nature’s violent side, it is nonetheless disheartening. As a warrior myself, I cannot say violence has no place in the world; I can, however, from that same basic experience, say that the unbridled violence we see is NOT a natural expression of the true nature of a complete human, so often found in those who have been a warrior, at least at some point in their life.

A true warrior knows when to fight, and, when to refuse to fight; in today’s culture, there is no restraint applied to the natural tendencies we possess; the moral/ethical duty of being a warrior is ignored completely, in favor of expedience, and ego-driven desire for power. As a scholar, as well as a warrior, this is clear, and, saddening….

A few days ago, I discussed what I believe to be the motivating factor in an issue connected to this one, to wit; the ongoing and persistent abuse of women, children, and other creatures, so common in, and, so much denied by modern society. In my mind, the ongoing state of war extant over too much of the planet’s surface is a result of the same failure, on the part of humanity at large, but, the males of the species in particular, who have perverted and ignored all the damage their childish, ego-driven, plainly cruel behavior has caused, for millennia, to ALL the other forms of life here on Earth, including their own species mates. This is, without a doubt, insane.

There really isn’t much more to say about this at this point in this narrative. In my own time, I have consistently refused to make war on anyone, for I have been given no valid reason for doing so. As a result, my own experience with violence in human nature has all been on a personal level, to wit; unarmed and armed hand-to-hand combat, mostly in the pursuance of my work as a mental healthcare technician, working with the most floridly insane, violent individuals in the craziest state, in the craziest country in the world, who regularly lost control of their emotions and behavior, becoming, in short, bestial in nature, without restraint of any kind. Eleven plus years of that supplied me with all the learning I needed to form an opinion on the value of that side our our nature, trust me….

As a result of that, I have the skills to keep myself safe, in any situation…. but, the entire reason I acquired those skills, as a martial artist/warrior/scholar, is so I could AVOID fighting, and killing, as best I could. In over 750 physical altercations during those years, I was given more than ample reason to learn to avoid fighting in my own life….

I hate it; I hate what it does to me, and to those with whom I contend. So, I learn, to try to discover how to stop violence before it gets to the point where a moral/ethical decision must be made, as to whether or not to be fully human, or, become like those who are not fully so, bringing pain, misery, and, possibly, death into one’s own life…. So far, I’ve been lucky enough, and skilled enough to be able to say I have yet to kill another human, nor any animal since before learning it was wrong. Or, as we like to say on the streets…. so far, so good….

The day is young, though…. and there are a lot of assholes out there, with balls but no dicks, or brains worth using, who could do with a good thumping…. They can usually be found hanging around centers of government, or churches, or, high-rolling hotels…. Anywhere the twin delusions of the value of money, and the necessity for a God, hold sway, actually, would be a good place to begin any hunt for worthy game….

So be it…..

Dont keep calm

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

Accentuated Lessons

Bold statements of calculated intent
Become common rule of the malcontent.
Avarice assumes such attractive wear,
Beguiling deception, illusory and fair.

Grasping and pulling with ghostly hands
Legally proper in all the signatory lands.
Seeking and finding each vulnerable soul,
Anguish as payment, for exacting the toll.

Wraiths of commerce’s invisible dead guards
Still haunt the dreams left in sad empty yards.
While absentee nobles sit in stiffly elegant splendor
Served by sad-faced detainees, in abject surrender.

Escape from reality is illusory at best
Often we falter, and fail its daily test.
Only when focused on inner strength,
Does peace stay with us for any length.

Peace lies within, always…..

~~ gigoid ~~

9/27/2012

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

This particular set of pearls is what I’d call a necklace, made of gems found by complete serendipity. I made no conscious choices, just picked the lines which struck my eye/mind’s fancy as they came up on the screen, in the exact order you see, though not all at once. I also had to wade through about 150-200 unsuitable quotes to find them, but, that doesn’t take long, when they’re so obviously right…. Still not sure what it all says/means, but, it’s all connected, for sure, one way or another…. But, then, isn’t it all?….

*********

“The truly brave are soft of heart and eyes,
And feel for what their duty bids them do.”

~~ Byron ~~

*********

“Every adult needs a child to teach;
it’s the way adults learn.”

~~ Frank A. Clark ~~

*********

“Only the ephemeral is of lasting value”

~~ Ionesco ~~

*********

“If we let things terrify us,
life will not be worth living.”

~~ Seneca, Epistles ~~

*********

“Call any vegetable,
Call any vegetable,
And the chances are good
That the vegetable
Will respond to you.”

~~ Frank Zappa, Lyrics in “Absolutely Free” ~~

*********

Courage can’t see around corners,
but goes around them anyway.”

~~ Mignon McLaughlin (The Neurotic’s Notebook) ~~

*********

“The frightening thing is not dying,
the frightening thing is not living.”

~~ T-Bone Burnett ~~

*********

I have here only made a nosegay of culled flowers,
and have brought nothing of my own
but the thread that ties them together.”

~~ Michael de Montaigne ~~

~~ Essays, Book iii, Chap. xii ~~

*********

“The best and most beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen or even touched.
They must be felt within the heart.”

~~ Helen Keller ~~

*********

“I’ve gone to look for myself.
If I should get back before I return,
keep me here.”

~~ Bill the Cat ~~

*********

“The purpose is to identify not with the body which is falling away,
but with the consciousness of which it is a vehicle.
This is something I learned from my myths.
Am I the bulb that carries the light,
or am I the light of which the bulb is the vehicle?
If you can identify with consciousness,
you can watch this thing go like an old car.
There goes a fender, etc.
But it’s expected; and then gradually
the whole thing drops off
and consciousness rejoins consciousness.
I live with these myths — and they tell me to do this,
to identify with the Christ or the Shiva in me.
And that doesn’t die,it resurrects.
It is an essential experience of any mystical realization
that you die in your flesh
and are born to your spirit.
You identify with the consciousness in life
~ and that is the god.”

~~ Joseph Campbell ~~

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

Well, there you have it, for what it is worth. And, no wise cracks from the gallery, if you please. We do our best; judging can be left to others, as long as they’re reasonably civil. If not, well, remember who’s the curmudgeon around here, and we’ll be fine, if not always unbloodied…. On that cryptic note, I shall bid thee adieu until tomorrow, when we’ll see what sort of trouble we can cause, one more time…. at least.

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….

Just the fax, Sam….

Posted on December 8, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Solitude makes a wonderful mistress but a terrible wife.”

~~ Emerson ~~

Three Moons over Vallejo

Hajime…. Over the course of time, Pearls of Virtual Wisdom/Exploring Consensual Reality, as a blog, has evolved in structure and appearance, as I became more accustomed to using the WP platform, until settling on the five-sections for each subject we use today. In the past two or three months, it’s shown itself to be flexible enough for me to use even when I am not completely whole, either physically, or mentally. Thus my luck with serendipity is made clear once again, as I chose better than I knew. Thanks, Me!

Oh! That hurt! I should know better than to pat myself on the back; with my shoulder’s arthritis, such a movement comes with a high price in pain…. Oops. Ah well, even the simplest literary trick can be, well, tricky, eh? That will teach me not to try those sorts of literary shenanigans before I’ve started on my second cuppa; I just don’t have the chops until then to make it work as it should. Now I’m stuck here, talking in real time, exposing my own ignorance, again…. As we who have lived on the street are fond of saying in such situations, FUCK!

Oh, well, sorry if I’ve offended anyone. That particular venting vessel is one that has probably kept me off the WP Freshly Pressed list ever since I began…. It seems even ONE word that MIGHT be offensive will keep a post off that page, so, I’ve never been there, even if I was ever nominated (a fact of which I have absolutely no clue…. especially as it doesn’t matter, since it’ll never happen…. I refuse to edit for PC in any form…). I don’t care, as I don’t write for fame, or money, merely for sanity…. or as close to it as I can get….

All that being said, in such honest, if boring fashion, I suppose we can just get on with today’s mess, and probably be better off for it. I won’t even pretend Luigi, or Guido is here today, nor that we are off to anywhere other than my imagination and ego trips. That’s okay, too…. at least it’s real, which I find to be always a good thing to observe…. really, I do…. So, without further ado, or adon’t, we’ll be off to the nether portions of the blog for today…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“”There’s nothing an agnostic can’t do if he really doesn’t know whether he believes in anything or not.” — Monty Python

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

The Irish Rovers in 2010

Image from kpbs.org via Google Images

I hesitate to pull the covers of anyone, but, I remember listening to these lads when I was a lad myself. My parents had an album they enjoyed playing sometimes when I was young; I remember specifically listening to them, often during Christmas when relatives were over…. I still enjoy their music, so, here they are, for your enjoyment as well… If you don’t enjoy traditional Irish music, perhaps you’re ready for the ranting section….. Fair warning; you’d best be so. Ready, that is…. Section three can be a bit of a challenge if you’re not ready for it…… Why don’t you listen to the music while reading; it might help….

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

The Irish Rovers

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

https://youtu.be/cf0E_PJtJWg?list=PL86CC0AB0FBFD2CDF

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

“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 (BC 469-399)

In more modern language, the concepts Socrates has presented in this statement could be summarized thus: “The more you practice being honorable and real, the more real and honorable you become.” I’ve stated it thus, so simply, because, it seems to me, the modern person’s mind has not grasped the concept of virtue, or honor, or even reality, with any degree of actual understanding. This, of course, is just the way the people who govern the world, and those in their service, to wit: churches, politicians, lawyers, police, and military myrmidons, want the public to be, that is to say, as ignorant of their true nature as they can make them…..

Now, this sounds like a rant in the making, and, in the normal course of events, you’d be correct. But, I find myself exhausted, still, after my recent long physical ordeal; quite frankly, it’s all I can do in a day to write this blog. Any further activity is confined to keeping Leelu entertained, which takes up more time than one might think; she considers herself in training, and me to be her personal trainer. And, she’s really, really serious about it, so, whenever I pause in my typing, I find her sitting at my chair-side, mewling and crawling into my lap to ask me to play…. like right now….

Okay… I managed to distract her by opening her window, from where she can watch the birds and traffic on the street; it can keep her fascinated for a good twenty minutes, so, I’ll try to get this done before I’m once again summoned to throw crumpled paper about the house. We’ll sublimate my urge to purge my angst with a series of statements from various smart ffolkes, on the subject at hand, to wit, the Asininnies, and our Beloved Ruling Class, including the Dogma Dogs, the Highly Conditioned Uniformed Myrmidons, and the eternal butt of everyone’s favorite jokes, the scum of society, lawyers of practically every ilk…. Let’s see what Smart Bee comes up with today, shall we?…..

“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)

(On a personal note, me, too, Ed….)

“A long and wicked life followed by five minutes of perfect grace gets you into Heaven. An equally long life of decent living and good works followed by one outburst of taking the name of the Lord in vain, then have a heart attack at that moment and be damned for eternity. Is that the system?” — Robert A. Heinlein

“I honestly believe that the doctrine of hell was born in the glittering eyes of snakes that run in frightful coils watching for their prey. I believe it was born with the yelping, howling, growling and snarling of wild beasts… I despise it, I defy it, and I hate it.” — Robert G. Ingersoll

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

“A professional politician is a professionally dishonorable man. In order to get anywhere near high office he has to make so many compromises and submit to so many humiliations that he becomes indistinguishable from a streetwalker.” — H.L. Mencken

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

CORSAIR, n. A politician of the seas. — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

“In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant.” — Charles de Gaulle

“History does not record anywhere at any time a religion that has any rational basis. Religion is a crutch for people not strong enough to stand up to the unknown without help. But, like dandruff, most people do have a religion and spend time and money on it and seem to derive considerable pleasure from fiddling with it.” — Robert Heinlein, Time Enough for Love (1972)

“The doctor is to be feared more than the disease.” — Latin Proverb

Okay, so, it’s a little light on shots against Big Pharma, the AMA, etc…. the last one summarizes that issue quite well, I think…. Okay, off we go, to something a bit more entertaining…. Well, I think so….

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

For those Gentle Readers from around the world, who may not know who Joe Friday is, allow me to explain…. Joe Friday was a character in a TV cop show, called Dragnet, which played here in the US in the 1950’s to 60’s. It was, I believe, the first cop show of its kind, fictional, but trying to portray true-to-life situations. The lead actor, whose name I forgot until now, was Jack Webb, and he had absolutely NO acting ability, at all. He played Joe Friday as an emotionless, flat-voiced asshole, (a rather prophetic portrayal, given that the biggest percentage of modern ‘cops’ are quite simply, ignorant assholes with a badge….), whose favorite and completely over-used phrase was “Just the facts, ma’am.”…. Hence, the title of today’s lament re: the illusion upon which Western society is based….

Joe Friday’s lament

Life is short, and though I’m odd, they say
it really doesn’t bother me
to realize there is no God, per se.

Though other folks will disagree
and tell me I’m wrong
I won’t believe it, with naught to see.

Liars called padre tell me, have humility,
and do as the authorities say,
then fondle little boys with facility.

They also tell me to share the wealth
and give them a 10% tithe
so they don’t have get it by stealth.

So spare me the delusions, please
don’t bother with such a tale;
I’m nobody that needs such a tease.

Keep your fantasies under your hat
and out of my face;
I don’t need them, they’ll make me fat….. headed.

~~ gigoid ~~

9/6/2012

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

“So then, these are the foundations, as they call them,
of all mixt bodies, and of all wonderful operations:
and whatsoever experiments they proved,
the causes hereof rested
(as they supposed)
and were to be found
in the Elements and their qualities.”

~~ Giambattista Della Porta ~~

~~ Natural Magick ~~

Today’s final old-school pearl is special. Why? Hell, I don’t know. It’s just the way it turned out. Those who are at all familiar with pearls here on ECR received a clue; there is seldom a quote above the picture in this section. Today, the statement from Natural Magick serves perfectly as both warning, and disclaimer…. Enjoy ffolkes, this will take your mind and turn it around so it looks you right in the eyes…. Are you ready to see?….

“All that we see or seem, “

is but a dream within a dream.

~~ Edgar Allen Poe ~~

~~ from “A Dream Within a Dream” ~~

~~~~~~~

“Are you the dreamer or just the dream?” — Alan Edgar Bee

~~~~~~~

“I do not want to die…
until I have faithfully made the most of my talent
and cultivated the seed that was placed in me
until the last small twig has grown.”

~~ Kathe Kollwitz ~~

~~~~~~~

“If a pessimist is always right, is he a realist?”

~~ Cynical Bee ~~

~~~~~~~

“Fortune does not change men, it unmasks them.”

~~ Suzanne Necker ~~

~~~~~~~

“In this world, you have to be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.
I spent years being smart.
I recommend pleasant.”

~~ Elwood P. Dowd ~~

~~ played by James Stewart in “Harvey” ~~

~~~~~~~

“Silence is argument carried out by other means.”

~~ Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara (1928-1967) ~~

~~~~~~~

“Loosen up; the unaimed arrow never misses.”

~~- Zen Bee ~~

~~~~~~~

“Here pigs will fly, lightning will strike twice,

hell will freeze over, and eventually,

things will get really interesting…”

~~ Prophetic Bee ~~

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

It’s done. Whew! Boy, Leelu will be glad; she’s been staring holes through me for twenty minutes. I’d best just close this out, and be off to make it up to her…. I shall see y’all tomorrow, I would hope in good spirits, as I am these days, much more often. True freedom is the release from pain…. believe it. I’ll be back, as Hollywood’s favorite assbite has said more than once…. but, I won’t try to eradicate the human race….. Ta, then, luvs…..

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 arguing, or it’s okra for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner…

Posted on December 7, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Follow it and you will not see its back.”

~~ Lao Tzu ~~

Mountainous ice shoreline on Pluto

Image by NASA via the New Horizons Spacecraft

Hajime…. Today, I’d like to begin with a paean. Don’t worry, context will let you figure it out, if’n you don’t already know. It’s a paean to people, of course, because, hey, people here, myownself. And, I don’t even care if my, or your, spellchecker hates that word. It’s not very many people, so it’s not a very big paean, but, it IS sincere, so, I have to do it. I’m funny like that, I guess….

I LOVE these people. Quite simply, and, quite truly. I’ve never met any of them in the flesh, yet I know of them, and their lives, their ideas, their families, just as they know mine, by having read their blog for more than four years, minimum; the reverse, naturally is true. There are about forty or fifty people I still see regularly, perhaps more, and, always some newbies.

These ffolkes, on the other hand, have been here every day they were healthy enough to be at a computer, or were otherwise prevented by simple non-access to the Net. They, of course know who they are, so I don’t have to say it; all I want to say is, I love you, and thanks for being. I’m old enough now to know there are never any wrong times to tell those you love that you do; how many times have you passed up the chance?

I try not to pass them up when I think of it, and, this paean of gratitude, and sappy emotional stuff that DOES count in the final Quiz, is for them, the people I consider my WordPress family….. May whatever light is left in the world shine on all of us, for as long as we can hold the darkness at bay…..

Now, you may wonder what prompted today’s emotional outburst, other than the PTSD I live with each day? Well, easy. I wrote a Haiku. That’s all. It’s a damn good one, and, it’s placed where it happened when it leaked out of whatever part of my brain had been holding it. You’ll see, if you’re strong enough; it’s not really hidden, just put where it has to be. It was prompted by two things, yesterday’s Pearl title, and, the sight of one of the aforementioned family friends icon appearance, from where I know he lives, across the world…. I had to smile, and, there it was, right in front of me… Trust me, it’s a good haiku….

So, how’m I doing with the new, mysterious intro technique? Is it holding your interest? No? Ah. Oh, well. ‘S okay, we’re done here anyway. Even if YOU aren’t dazed and confused, I certainly am, so, we’re good to go. Luigi has been practicing, because he heard what a good job Guido did while he was off on his vacay…. Let’s see if it takes…. Luigi! Let’s do it!…. Hang on, ffolkes; I’m a little nervous myself, if the first paragraphs didn’t clue you….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Being right too soon is socially unacceptable.”

~~ Robert Heinlein ~~

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

Wolfie

Image from sumwear.com via Google Images

Whenever I experience my deepest moments of personal darkness, I turn to the music of this man, and, in particular, this piece. Some consider it the finest music anyone in our species ever created; I am not judge enough to say. All I can say is, listen, and enjoy…. If you don’t, well, you might consider joining another species….

I’ve included only one video version, but, two links. The second is to a longer version, written and recorded on a separate You Tube page. Enjoy either, or both, your choice…..

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

Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

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

https://youtu.be/o1FSN8_pp_o

~~~~~~

https://youtu.be/Hp3SKP2fji4

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

Le Penseur ~ The Thinker ~~ August Rodin

“Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and, above all, love of the truth.” — H.L. Mencken

I knew there was a reason I liked Henry’s work; it appears his mind and mine traveled on some very familiar paths in our personal journey in search of the Truth. This statement is one I could have easily made myself, if he hadn’t already said it over a hundred years ago. But, I will happily agree with every point he makes in it, without reservation, and with absolutely no regret….. Should anyone, anyone at all, take umbrage thereby, well, all I can say to them would be, tough shit. It’s the plain and simple truth, so, deal with it. Or, shut up….. Oh, sorry, forgot one part…. Put up, or, shut up….

Sorry, don’t mean to be rude; I do get tired of fundies, who can shout anything except an actual thought of their own, and, it seems they all have some sort of religion. I know, strange, huh? To think, in this day and age, people still fall for that stuff…. I’m sure glad I don’t have to put up with it too often any more….. Okay, I’ll stop, I know it’s getting deep. But, I think y’all know of whom I speak, and if not, well, I can point you to a human representation, not even a religious figure, but, one who has utilized and perfected ALL of the same sort of sleight of hand language and outright lying to fool people into believing what they say…. Any politician would do as an example, especially in this year’s GOP crop, but, of them all, the Trumpette is probably the absolute worst example I can think of, showing what a dildo a human being can become, by living their lives completely on illusion.

SIGH…. I remarked recently to a fairly intelligent doctor I met, “You know, reason is losing the battle.” He just smiled & said, “I know what you mean….”

‘Ere you go. You know, that’s probably enough of a rant for one day. If I get any takers to my challenge, I can make it a piece for this section at a later date. Hmm…. not much, is it? Oh, okay, maybe a few pearls, just to fill up the space…. We’ll see what we can find on the BRC, or one of the categories of Asininny we use…. Ooh, ooh, I know! I found an old pearl, from the early days here on ECR, and it’s perfect as an accompaniment for today’s rantless rant….. It’s one of my finest older pearls, and I hope you enjoy it. It takes some nasty shots at the BRC…. Most of it is from our old friend, SB, since he’s a pretty Smart Bee….

From 9/4/2012:

So there I am, cruising along in the database, and all these little pieces of observational excellence from Smart Bee keep popping up in my face. I figure that he (Smart Bee) must have something he wants to get across to the readership out there, and who am I to argue. If I don’t do this, I could spend years trying to find a new quote there…. Smart Bee is very insistent when he gets a wild hair like this…. So, just follow the bouncing thought ball to the conclusion that is most obvious….

Sex! Lies! Drugs! Money! Power! Corruption! Man, I love Congress! — Smart Bee

Gun Control – the belief that government, with its great wisdom and moral superiority, can be trusted with a monopoly on deadly force. — Smart Bee

It has been determined that most teenage girls lose their virginity during the summer months. This stands to reason, since congress is recessed at that time. — Smart Bee

Vote Democrat. It’s easier than thinking. — Smart Bee

Vote Republican. It’s easier than thinking. — Smart Bee (honest, both are in there….)

Congressional National Bank. Ours bounce higher and farther! — Smart Bee

“Crime does not pay … as well as politics.” — Alfred E. Newman

That should get the proper point across…. you may now smash face on keyboard to continue……

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

Comedy_Tragedy

Today’s poem was written only recently, but, fits in so well with the apparent theme for today (which is never obvious until I’m nearly done), I couldn’t resist using it again. It’s a lamentation of current reality, thus, perfectly complements the rest of the Pearl…. Enjoy!….

Adjectives of Quality ~~ Bloody Friday

A baleful lump of ironic introspection
sits upon my shoulder today
leaving traces of fey reflection
with a smattering of true dismay.

Resistance may be futile, many have said,
belief didn’t necessarily follow.
Abnegation of fear marks all bills paid,
leaving such empty threats hollow.

Symbolic courage never sleeps so deeply
as when delusion holds sway.
Bartered virtue, sold far too cheaply,
stands in shame, until honor fades away.

Too many culprits exist to count just one;
all of us bear obvious blame.
Evil is as evil does, only, when it’s done,
it begins again, all same-same.

Nobody seems to care enough to deny the lies.
Ignorant fear rules humanity’s masses.
When evil passes unremarked, innocence dies;
silence equals guilt, leaving only hope’s ashes.

Reality screams; tales of terror unfold,
flames fanned with purposeful malice,
insidious dangers hide beneath atrocity untold
as Gaia weeps into an empty chalice.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/3/2015

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

Our final pear for today is old-school, as always. This one came out a little strange; it wanders around through a number of currently problematic issues in society, while still managing to describe reality as it is, and should be….. proving the ultimate lesson to be learned about reality, to wit: it is what it is, and that’s all it is….. Enjoy!…..

“Everything you can imagine is real.”

~~ Picasso ~~

“Humor is the best antidote to reality.” — Funny Bee

“There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year’s course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word ‘happy’ would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.” — Carl Jung

“You must be either the master or the servant, the hammer or the anvil.” — Goethe

“It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.” — Voltaire

“That God is not other than the universe…does not diminish God but rather elevates the universe….those who choose to make an attempt to overcome their egoism find their efforts aided by forces outside their conscious control….the movement toward self-realization is inherent to the structure of the universe….The Mayhayana Dharmakaya radiates love and compassion to all, impersonally like the sun.” — David Loy

“I … reject the argument put forth by many fundamentalists that science has nothing to do with religion because God is not among the things making up the universe in which we live. Surely if a necessity for a god-concept in the universe ever turns up, that necessity will become evident to the scientist. “– physicist Ralph Alpher, Theology of the Big Bang, Religious Humanism, Vol. XVII, No. 1 (Winter 1983), pg. 12

“Difficulties are things that show what men are.” — Epictetus (c. 60 AD) — Discourses, Book i, Chap. xxiv

Mind Food

Lies can taste very
good sometimes. But the truth can
fill you up, always.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/6/2015

(for Ashi-san)

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

It’s a little bit of a bother lately; it seems my routine must alter itself, to become accustomed, again, to sleeping on a regular basis. Who knew one could completely destroy, or at least, ignore, our circadian rhythms so strongly? I had apparently become used to being up 24/7, and am finding it a bit of a struggle to fit sleep into the picture…. Oh, well, I guess I’ll get back to normal, some day…. Or, as close as I’ve ever been to normal, anyway, which, to be honest, isn’t terribly close…. In fact, I’ve never even been in the same room with normal, so, it should be a new experience….

See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; I’d call it a promise, but, some might take it as a threat, so, we’ll just leave it alone, and say, see ya!…

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….

Lies can taste good, but Truth fills you up….

Posted on December 6, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”

~~ Hanlon’s Razor ~~

A meeting of minds

Image of a Dukha tribesman,from themindunleashed.com via Google Images

Hajime…. I would trade almost any experience in my life, (save one or two…) to have the connection with nature, and the friendship of a bear. The man in the picture is a Dukha, a tribe which has lived in northern Mongolia since the dawn of time. They are so in tune with the land, and the creatures who live on it, I would consider them to be the highest example on the planet of the true purpose of being human, and how to live here in perfect comfort and harmony….. I don’t mean they are perfect; hell, they’re human, and I’m sure they have their individual faults, like all of us. But, the way they have learned to coexist with the total environment in which they live, to me, is how human beings SHOULD be, in attitude, with, or without technological advantages.

They ride caribou, for traveling, using them the same way other societies use horses and cattle. But, with some differences…. for example:

Attribution same as above

How many societies do YOU know of who will trust their farm animals to babysit for them? It seems to me, they have learned something that the rest of humanity passed by, to their everlasting disadvantage, I believe. What this tells me about their society is how well they understand their co-creatures, and, as well, how to create in those creatures the same sort of trust they place in their own species. Most societies have dogs to perform this sort of service, but, it seems to me, it might be to our advantage, as humans, to learn what it is this tribe has learned, to keep their connection to their natural side intact, a facet of personality which the rest of us seem to have lost….

Okay, subtle insult to the bulk of humanity thus delivered, as sugar-coated as I could make it, we can move on. That’s a good thing, because today’s Pearl is, if I say so myself, a good one. Without any spoilers, I can say it is one of my best efforts; I’ll let it speak for itself from this point…..

Uh, oh….. Shoot. (You will, of course, recognize as a euphemism for another word of similar spelling, and more odor….) Now what do I do with this intro? It started out as a sort of travelogue cum philosophical oddity, slipped over into honest discussion, and, now….. what? Hmm…. I suppose I’ll have to think up some weird, explosive literary surprise to distract everyone while we get the slow on the road. Damn, I knew I should have gone with the picture of Leelu!

Oh, well, okay…. Let’s see what we’ve got here in our bag of emergency exit methods. How ’bout a # 19? They’re always fun, though the dry-cleaning charges can get a bit steep. Okay, nope. Hmm, let’s see: hey, how about this one? It’s a # 23, and I don’t think I’ve tried this one yet. The only requirement is to make sure y’all have your thinking caps. Oh, you won’t need them ’til later on down the page, but, you WILL need them. Besides, this one is so fast, you might miss it, and then where would you be? Not at the oyster beds, that’s for sure…. Okay, here we go; hang on….

Shall we Pearl?….

“To regret one’s own experiences is to arrest one’s own development.”

~~ Oscar Wilde ~~

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

“If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite.”

~~ William Blake ~~

~~ Inspiration for the name of The Doors ~~

The Doors

Image from http://www.mirror.co.uk via Google Images

I am not sure anyone ever completely understood The Doors. To see the quote upon which their name was chosen tells a LOT about them, if one is able to see clearly into human nature. I’m not as familiar with the band members, but, Jim Morrison was, in many ways, the heart and soul of the band, and to observe him was to observe a very, very complex human being, subject to very little comprehension he did not wish to allow. The band’s music also reflected his persona; complex, deep, often erotic and more sensual than was comfortable. He lived life in ways no one had ever thought of, much as any true artist, such as Picasso, or Dali, or, Michaelangelo lived…. without compromise.

Enjoy, ffolkes; if nothing else, the music of the Doors makes you FEEL life…..

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

The Doors

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https://youtu.be/tebaMuEyVKM

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“Democracy is a device that insures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.”

~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~

When one considers the social background under which G.B. Shaw was raised and educated, much of what he wrote naturally demonstrates some of the prejudices common to his time. All in all, however, his thoughts on society, and human nature at large, were extremely accurate, and a better indicator of how his mind worked, and, in fact, how it excelled. In addition, short statements such as the one used today tell me he had a very sharp, and morally developed sense of humor about everything he witnessed in his life. He shows up a lot here, for that very reason, for his words are pointedly critical of Stupidity, Ignorance, and the sin of Expediency, which, even in his day, had become one of society’s most dangerous issues….

In his statement above, it is perfectly clear to me he could have been talking of the United States as it exists in 2015. Our country’s government is corrupted beyond repair; the bankers and corporate interests, such as Big Pharma, Big Oil, and the Angels of Death (Arms dealers & manufacturers), are in complete control of the White House, both Houses of Congress, and, to a significant degree, the Supreme Court….. If you doubt what I say, simply look at each of those persons mentioned in light of their yearly income. Then, tell me they represent the average man/woman in this country with a straight face. If you can do so, you are even stupider than they believe, which is pretty fucking stupid, believe me.

Harsh? Nah. Perfect truth. I can say, without fear of being wrong, 98% of the people in this country who are not involved in government, at any level, are completely ignorant of the degree to which their rights have already been taken away. Just ask anyone on the street if they believe they still have the rights guaranteed to them by the Constitution and Bill of Rights; every one of them will tell you they do, without even pausing to think. The simple fact they are completely mistaken never enters their consciousness at all, a fact which the BRC, and the Asininnies in general not only know, but, take advantage of at every opportunity.

You could ask those same people on the street if they believed their leaders tell the truth to them, and they’d say “yes”, again without ever pausing to consider whether or not it might be true. They’ve been conditioned, by parents, by churches, by teachers, all their lives to accept what they are told by those in authority, and to believe them, NO MATTER HOW THEIR PERCEPTIONS DO NOT MATCH THE LIES! They are taught to adjust to whatever demands are placed on them, no matter how ridiculous or demeaning they may be, simply because their entire existence is based on maintaining the status quo, which they have never examined to even see if it can be changed for the better.

At this point, we will assume the mantle of a classic Jeffersonian, the political model which I have always preferred as my standard for judging today’s governmental participants, to wit; the BRC and the Asininnies…. I would like to begin this by noting how huge is the circle of ignorance that now comprises the American public, and, the first of many warnings of the consequences by Tom himself…..

“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

“I am mortified to be told that, in the United States of America, the sale of a book can become a subject of inquiry, and of criminal inquiry too.” — Thomas Jefferson

In today’s American cities and towns, we have libraries practically empty, in comparison to how many people SHOULD be using them. The American public, once graduated from school, never opens another book, contenting themselves with magazines, newspapers, and now videos, TV, and the internet, all of which, if not understood, are just another tool used to fortify and maintain their brainwashing, by directing their interests just where the BRC wants it to be…. which is generally focused on things to fear, or lust after.

Just today, I found how serious this issue has become. For the very first time in my life, I was requested to renew my library card, in the town where I live. In my entire life, I’ve never had a library request me to update any information; what is the need? Any citizen of this country, as far as I know, is free to walk into a library, and read, or use the facilities. There AREN’T supposed to be ANY conditions set on that freedom, (unless you wish to take a book home; then you must leave your name); yet, now, at the behest, I am sure, of the local police, with the power of the federal NSA organization behind it, want to know who has a card, their PHONE # (!!!), and where they live. This, of course, gives them access to my internet searches, all the books I check out, and a host of other information, NONE of which they have any right to gather……

But, that’s not the only front on which inroads against our rights are being made….

“Banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.” — Thomas Jefferson

“A monied aristocracy in our country … has already set the government at defiance.” — Thomas Jefferson

Our country was warned, by Jefferson, Paine, Mason, Franklin, Adams, and others, about the very things we now face in our lives. They predicted the takeover of the government by the bankers and corporate interests, in letters they wrote, in articles they published, all of which still can be accessed in libraries. But, no modern Americans would believe it if told, because they will not make the effort to go see for themselves. Nor will they ever believe they are not free, because they’ve been taught all their lives to accept illusion as reality…. What chance do they have at this late date to overcome a lifetime of brainwashing? Very little, I would say….

This is why I rant. This is why I cannot stop harping on the lies told to us, or about the fear they want us to feel, fear of threats which simply do not exist, except in the minds of those who believe them. The governments of all countries want their citizens to believe they can make them feel safe and secure, when in fact, that is simply not true. Life IS insecurity; there is no safety from the Universe, if it chooses to come after you. You can’t dodge an earthquake, nor a flood, nor any other natural disaster…. Nor can you deny that humans are violent, and will BE violent in trying to attain their desires. It has always been so, and always will be, until we figure out how to change human nature.

The myth of safety in living, which governments would have us believe they can supply, simply does not exist in Reality. As long as we are alive. we are in danger, and that is a simple fact of Reality not even a government can change, not by any means. But, they get people to believe they can, and, thus, have them under their power.

The only true way in this life to be safe is to remove fear from your responses to anything you experience. Fear is a reaction to “not knowing” the nature of what is occurring; it is easily dismissed, or let go, if one is willing to LEARN. But, this requires first that one learn how to learn, and that is something our schools stopped teaching long ago. Knowledge kills fear, yet people seem to prefer to NOT make the effort to learn about what they fear, instead accepting whatever they’re told, which is only designed to increase their misunderstanding, and prolong the fear. A person who is afraid does NOT think, and the BRC and Asininnies know this. That is why they trumpet doom and danger every time something bad happens; it serves their interests to keep the public afraid….

Obviously, I can keep on about this for a long time; in my time I’ve observed the process I’ve just described happening, with governments becoming more and more corrupt and dishonest, and more of the people’s hard-won rights abrogated, in a consistent dismantling of the Constitution of the United States, by corporate interests, until the world in which we now live can no longer be called anything but a true oligarchy. The rich have won, ffolkes, and unless we, all together, do something about it, they’ll keep tightening the screws until we can no longer freely breathe….

In fact, that is a literal statement…. I can see a time, not so far off, when, because of the climate changes that are now occurring, for which we know no way to stop, the atmosphere we breathe will become tainted, and require treatment before we can use it. What does anyone wish to bet, if that happens, the oligarchy will try to CHARGE people for the air they breathe? I can see it clearly, can you? Is that what you wish for YOUR grandchildren? I can honestly say, I do not.

“Men seldom, or rather never for a length of time and deliberately, rebels against anything that does not deserve rebelling against.” — Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)

Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to James Madison, stated, “The late rebellion in Massachusetts has given more alarm than I think it should have done. Calculate that one rebellion in 13 states in the course of 11 years, is but one for each state in a century and a half. No country should be so long without one.” — Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), in letter to James Madison, 20 December 1787

In what was probably the same letter, he also said, “A little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.” — Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Madison, 1787

I know, it’s a lot of TJ, but, damn it! He WARNED us, and we didn’t listen! You see, to summarize, he also said,” God prevent we should ever be twenty years without a revolution.”

Guess what, ffolkes? It’s now been 229 years since our last revolution in this country. I have a feeling the next one isn’t far off, given the false sense of entitlement growing so fast in the monied elite, and amongst their myrmidons. I have a feeling they forget a simple fact when they are making up their plans and agendas to continue their oppression of the world’s people…. There are now more than SEVEN BILLION of those people…. If they aren’t careful, they’re going to piss off ALL of them. If that happens, I don’t believe their money, or their technology, or their sense of entitlement will save them from being shredded, limb from limb, by angry mobs of formerly downtrodden human beings….

But, then, when that happens, I’ll just sit back, and say, “Oh well….. Just desserts, assholes.”

Thanks fer listenin’. I’ll leave you with one last thought from TJ, and final word from Pope, to close the circle… Then, I’ll leave you be, to digest how to deal with the truths you’ve just absorbed….

“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.” — Thomas Jefferson to A. Stuart, 1791

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

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

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

When life calls, ready or not….

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

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

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

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

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

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 9/10/2012

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

Today’s final pearl is a perfect reflection of the rest of the effort today. To be frank, it was intense, and satisfying. This one has a pretty standard structure, and message, for that matter. But, it’s such a profound one, it fits right in with all of the above…. I hope you enjoy it, just as much as I hope you ‘get it’…..

“Whatever happens at all happens as it should; thou wilt find this true, if thou shouldst watch narrowly.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, iv, 10

“Common and vulgar people ascribe all ill that they feel to others; people of little wisdom ascribe to themselves; people of much wisdom, to no one.” — Epictetus

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

“The reward of one duty is the power to fulfill another.” — George Eliot

” If you see a man approaching you with the obvious intention of doing you good, you should run for your life” — Thoreau’s Law

“What difference does it make how much you have? What you do not have amounts to much more.” — Seneca

“Before teaching others, before changing others, we ourselves must change. We must be honest, sincere, kind-hearted.” — The XIV Dalai Lama of Tibet, Address, 1982

“You’re not going crazy Arthur, you’re going sane in a crazy world.” — The Tick

“What then remains but that we still should cry

For being born, and, being born, to die?”

~~ Francis Bacon ~~

~~ The World ~~

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

Well, I did it. It’s done, and done as well as I can do it. Well enough, I shan’t trouble you here with any further nonsense, or sense, for that matter. I’ll just say, see y’all tomorrow, and be done with it.

Sure I will…. I’ll be back, ffolkes. That’s not a threat, unless you fear the truth….. Ta, then…..

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….

Flip ‘er over & we’ll check the O-rings….

Posted on November 28, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

In Gaelic/Irish:

“Tá tú bualadh mo chroí, an anáil i mo chorp, an solas i mo anam.”

“You are the beat of my heart, the breath in my body, the light in my soul.”

~~ Spoken to Eve Dallas by Roarke ~~

~~ Excerpt from “Indulgence In Death” by Nora Roberts ~~

Leelu in fierce battle with paper and shoe….

Today’s Pearl was actually the one destined to be posted yesterday. Since I slept, and celebrated by taking the day off from posting anything other than a notification of same, I’m going to be lazy (what else is new?….) and use it today. It’s okay, it’s all reasonably connected to today’s reality, sufficient unto the day….. Carpe diem, as they say….. Let’s get right into it, shall we?…..

Hajime…. I may have to stop using that particular opening for a while. It is losing some of its meaning by my own lack of ability to sleep; there’s never any end, so how can I begin? I had no idea the human body could withstand such a prolonged stint of sleeplessness, without becoming terminal, or, as we like to call it, dead. As it turns out, the human body can stand almost any level of pain, or fatigue, or all-around miserable abuse; what actually suffers is our mental state, as we become tired, and lose the edge of sharpness necessary to successful reasoning. The hallucinations aren’t particularly helpful, either…. No, it’s the leg aches from constant pacing, and the anxiety that comes with the restlessness, and the general sense of futility of almost anything…

Yep, Depression aggravated by physical stress. Situational, naturally; there’s got to be an end to it sometime. If my calculations are correct, it could stop any day; the most it can last is another two weeks…. Since I’ve already done that much, and more, I can hack it. And, if I live through it, I’m going to, first, sleep for a week straight, then go hunting….

Not really, though it’s really tempting. But, at least, if I ever need to, I’ve had so much time on my hands, I came up with at least three new almost infallible murder plots (for books, of course….) to try out. Even worked out details & timing…. The thought of the targets I would select got me through more than one long night, imagining the lovely mist it would make when…. well, let’s not go there….. Too early in the day…. or in the Pearl, anyway.

But, not too early to get started. I’ve been informed Luigi has another day off, and Guido, that pro, has everything ready to go. After y’all….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with.” — Mark Twain

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

Lou Reed

Image from http://www.freepik.com via Google Images

Lou Reed is another rock artist whose attraction is primarily based in his unique vision of his music, and a unique singing style. Gritty, simple, and compelling, voice and words combine with solid rock to provide a one of a kind performance no one ever forgets. Enjoy!….

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Lou Reed Live 9/25/84

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https://youtu.be/yOoXjYppyMM

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Fum and Gebra

Proof of the Connectedness of All Life.

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

https://youtu.be/Iqmba7npY8g

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

“There is only one universal passion: fear.”

~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~

I speak here a lot about what is wrong with our world and society; there’s a lot to talk about in those areas, which is, I think, something upon which everyone can agree. Hell, each and every one of us humans will spout off about what’s wrong at the slightest provocation; we’ve always been a species of whiners, it seems to me. Everybody has an opinion, and most of them are firmly held opinions of what they DON’T like in life, especially when it comes to how their interactions with others progress.

For the most part, I see these “opinions” to be, more accurately, “convictions”, the difference being a conviction usually is placed in our consciousness BEFORE we can reason, and has the force of social custom mandating its belief. An “opinion” is a reasoned belief, formed in one’s own mind, after forming one’s own beliefs…. Thus, it’s clear that much of the actual intercommunication which occurs between most people is merely a confirmation of what we all have been told since we were born, an insidious form of mental slavery…. Our only defense against assuming the collar of the mental slave is our ability, if we choose to acknowledge it, and are brave enough to use it, to learn, to eliminate our fear, thus forming our own opinions of reality, based on what we know, instead of what we are told by others.

In short, our species, in all-too-many cases, makes a deliberate choice to be ignorant, very early in life; most of these folks do so in order to save themselves the effort and pain of using their intelligence or imagination, which frightens them. So, they learn to depend on what they are told by others to form their beliefs, thus operating under the impetus of conviction rather than reasoned will.

Closer examination reveals the decision to pursue ignorance is always, always based on fear; fear of the unknown, without the courage to face the fear long enough to learn, which is the only way to remove the fear. So, we see that courage plays a big part in the process, as well. In my experience in life, every part of it in which we are successful has required, at first, the courage to begin. In my mind, I equate this fear of the unknown, and the lack of courage to face it, as yet another form of mental slavery; giving up one’s own mind to allow others to dictate its contents, and its beliefs.

This mental slavery extends into every aspect of our society, as the greater number of people in the world haven’t the will to ever even consider that all of what they’ve been told in their life was, for the most part, just a lie used to manipulate them. I can understand their reluctance; it’s not an easy thing to admit one has been wrong any time; to admit one’s entire set of beliefs is wrong just isn’t something most people will consider, in any way. It would destroy their entire frame of existence, and leave them without the tools to find their way back to any sort of sanity.

“Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies.”

~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~

The difficulties the choice to fear life creates in society have manifested since the beginning of recorded history for mankind; it’s all too obvious to me that we have always been a species that prefers to live our lives based on illusions, which makes us vulnerable to those of us who have no actual humanity in their soul, and no compassion for others at all. These narcissistic predators manipulate, and lie, and steal, and do whatever they feel is necessary to gain their own desires, most of which center around the power and control of their fellows. Of course. this need to control is also based on fear. but. hey, try to tell THEM that! They’ll never listen; they’re having too much fun oppressing everyone else; what’s in it for them to admit they’re complete assholes?

Now, in this predator class of psychopathic humans I include a number of categories (we humans do love to organize our thoughts by category, don’t we? Well, it IS rather convenient….), to wit: Politicians (includes lawyers), professional police and soldiers, priests, imams, pastors, and all other proponents of a supernatural element of creation of Man, (ie. religionists), oligarchs in all their manifestations (bankers, the 1%, corporate heads, the shadowy elite who hide their malevolent influence from plain sight, manipulating mankind from unseen enclaves for their own aggrandizement), any and all of those who sell or deal with selling the weapons of war , snakeheads (pimps & human traffickers), abusers of women, children, or animals, or, most generally, anyone who believes they are, in any manner at all, any more important a piece of this universe than any other.

That last one is the key, you see. It’s an ego driven characteristic, to which humans are particularly susceptible, to assume that, just because we are human, an “I”, we are somehow, in some way, special, making us, in some way, more important than other parts of that universe. I don’t know exactly where it comes from; I’ve never actually felt a need to BE special, at least not more so than anyone or anything else. But. apparently, according to what I can ascertain through a passing knowledge of all of HISTORY. almost all of mankind DOES. to some extent. have this need. Perhaps it is an unconscious reaction to the sheer dispassion of the universe; obviously, in true reality, nothing is more important than any other. It’s only a man-made distinction.

Perhaps the difference is the lengths to which one is willing to prove it; personally, I don’t care if anyone other than those I love have any opinion of me at all, never have, so I’ve never felt a pressing need to prove I’m special in any way. But, for those who occupy any of the above categories, there is no limit to the depths of perversion or violence to which they will descend, in order to achieve their ends. Lying, cheating, stealing, killing, all are acceptable in their eyes, if only they get what THEY want…..

“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 ~~

To read what I’ve been writing, one might think I am of the opinion “I” am special, for I am holding forth in such a way as to make it seem so. I know this, but, to impart what I have to say, I must at least say it. I’m not perfect, not by any means. I can think, and I can survive. For 65 years, I’ve done both, but, neither of those have made me rich, or famous, or even, at this point, loved by other than family and friends (which is enough for now), or even particularly happy, though that, as always, and for all of us, is completely up to me.

What I believe I am, at this point in time, is clear-sighted, in re: Life at Large. This clarity of vision is part of why it is hard to be happy, for all I see happening in the world, on the larger scale, tells me there are hard times coming for everyone. Sure, life in the trenches, where most of us live. still exhibits examples of how good life can be, mostly in the relations people have with each other. But, on the world stage, our species is approaching a number of potentially lethal crises, of which 98% of the people alive are not even aware.

It’s easy to show the truth of that assertion; the evidence is presented every day on the news, on the internet, and, most tellingly, in the small, daily events which show just how corrupt, and perverted, and, sick our society has become. If I have to detail each one for you, you’ve already missed the point, which is to see the whole picture. The whole picture our species has painted is out of focus, ill-conceived, and, in the ultimate sense, a complete and utter tragedy….

Why a tragedy? Because, quite frankly, with the power of imagination we possess, along with the POTENTIAL for virtue with which we are imbued, we could have been much more. In fact, we could have been “special”.

Instead, we have become a scourge, a lethal threat to not only our planet, and every other creature living on it, but, to our own species, as a small percentage sucks the souls of the rest of the species for their own self-interest, which is nothing more than the cowardly, ugly habit of preying on their own kind. In short, cannibals. Or, as we call them here, Asininnies…..

I could do this forever, it seems. That’s the problem; there are SO many problems, it seems there is no end to them. Another problem? Almost all of them can lead us to extinction, one way or another.

It pisses me off, but of all the permutations of possible futures for mankind I can formulate in my imagination, using what I know of history and our nature, only one, or maybe two paths remain open to us that can lead us to what I consider our true destiny as a species, which is to explore the stars. What other purpose could our imagination have., but to lead us there? Only the infinite nature of the entire universe can fulfill the potential promise we have in the power of our minds. But, until we can learn to live in harmony on THIS planet, I don’t think we’ll make it very far out into space. The odds, at this point, are against it….

Oh, and the video at the top? Of Fum, and Gebra? I imagine some of y’all are wondering how it fits in to this discussion. Simply this; watch the video. Also, watch the video of how Fum and Gebra became friends. As you watch, note, please, how you feel to watch them play, and interact. Then, think of the paths of which I spoke, those available to us which have the only chance we have to survive into the future….

Fum, and Gebra are showing us one of those paths, the one I would prefer to take, to wit; to learn our ACTUAL place in the universe, join in friendship with the other animals we live with, to become a part of the real organism of which we are a only a part, Terrestrials. When we are capable of opening our minds to such a possibility, we MIGHT just find a way to survive the next hundred years. If not, well…. I suggest you prepare for hard times, like we have never seen before…. Me, I’d rather go to the stars…..

gigoid has spoken.

So be it.

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

Life as we know it….

As we grow and learn to be, in this sad, yet joyous parade,
we only have our Self with which to face life;
small, we are, and weak,
but, smart.

Reality, in studied contrast, is an invisible, ubiquitous shade
dispassionate ambivalence brings us mostly strife.
It’s never enough to seek.
Take part.

The universe won’t make a compromise, but will make a trade.
Give away your fear for knowledge, and a reasoned life.
It often requires a tweak;
live Art.

Love is an essential part of our own particular charade
without it, life can be filled with strife.
Souls perch high on a peak;
sweet, tart.

Pain always balances with joy, the price has to be paid;
for us humans, each must be equal in life.
To know one, the other must speak.
Never apart.

We are all actors, playing parts we’ve chosen to have portrayed;
the director’s absence produces endless strife.
Trying to make sense brings only pique.
Go. Start.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 11/27/2015.

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

Today’s final, old-school pearl is a good representative for today’s Pearl. Freshly produced, well-balanced, wide-ranging in its subject matter, yet, all well-interconnected as part of the message it conceals amongst the concepts presented. It’s not a difficult message, even if some of the concepts are a bit esoteric in presentation; that’s because the message itself it simple. Since that is so, you can bet all of this will be on the Quiz, so, taking notes is acceptable…. Enjoy!

“Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.” — Antoine de Saint Exupery, The Little Prince

“Integrity is what we do, what we say, and what we say we do.” — Don Galer

“The life of money-making is one undertaken under compulsion, and wealth is evidently not the good we are seeking, for it is merely useful for the sake of something else.” — Aristotle

“Do something every day that you don’t want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.” — Mark Twain

“Good character, like good soup, is usually homemade.” — Practical Bee

“Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow” — Alice M. Swaim

“The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that’s the essence of inhumanity.” — George Bernard Shaw

“Great thoughts come from the heart.” — Marquis of Vauvenargues (1715-1747) — Maxim cxxvii

“”On with the dance, let joy be unconfined” is my motto, whether there’s any dance to dance or joy to unconfine.” — Mark Twain

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

Today’s Pearl is done. I say that with some small sense of relief, yet, also, some reluctance to stop what became an epic of its kind. I haven’t checked, but, it could be one of the biggest Pearls I ever created, all in all; moreover, all of was/is completely fresh, written solely for this post. Not bad for someone who has been inhabiting one of the lower levels of a personal Hell for sixteen days, all of which, individually, and, taken together, have been illuminating. Tomorrow should indicate whether a corner has been turned. Until then, y’all be real. I’ll be back to take another shot at this in the morning….

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

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

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

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

We Are Anonymous-
“Cannabis cures Cancer”

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

https://youtu.be/HaxOPEU3ecQ

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

“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….)

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

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…..

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

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

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

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….

ALL policies are foreign….

Posted on November 23, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Illusion is the first of all pleasures.”

~~ Voltaire ~~

Leelu, asserting her will….

Hajime….

Other than the fact I’ve been up now for six days, there’s no really good reason not to do this. Therefore, I’ll do it. I won’t, however, make any claims as to quality, or, for that matter, quantity. It’s here, it’s done, deal with it. I have to, so, you may as well. I’m also damn tired of coming up with new shit for this intro, so, fuck it. Let’s do this…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“It is the edge and temper of the blade that make a good sword, not the richness of the scabbard; and so it is not money or possessions that make man considerable, but his virtue.” — Seneca

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

Antonio Vivaldi

Image from 8tracks.com via Google Images

Today’s musical selection is, without doubt, my favorite single piece of classical music. When I worked the night shift, this concerto got me through more hours than any other piece… Enjoy!….

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

The Four Seasons
Antonio Vivaldi

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

https://youtu.be/GRxofEmo3HA

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

Aristotle_Bust_White_Background_Transparent

I’ve a fresh rant brewing, but, ’twasn’t done, and, besides, it’s been a tough night. I’ll sublimate, again, with a nice little discussion from the archives. Enjoy!….

From 4/17/2013:

“A thing is not proved because no one has ever questioned it…. Skepticism is the first step towards truth.” — Smart Bee

As I was cruising through Smart Bee this morning, looking for inspiration for section 3, I came across this little gem, unattributed. It sounds like it could have come from a number of different philosophers, all of whom are noted for their wisdom and perspicacity (another great word….). It is also a part of the human flaw that has contributed to many of the problems we face as a society, and as a species.

Actually, it might be more accurate to say that the lack of this in humans is part of the flaw; most people one talks to would not agree with this idea, as stated. In fact, it is directly opposed to the educational premises of many cultures, especially those heavily influenced by religions, such as those in Mexico, Central and South America, where Catholicism is a powerful factor in society, and in the governing of that society. India, and much of the Eastern Hemisphere, too, have societies that are heavily influenced by religion, though with more participant sects than is true in the Western Hemisphere; Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, to name a few, are always a contributing factor in the political events that have shaped history.

“The common dogma [of fundamentalists] is fear of modern knowledge, inability to cope with the fast change in a scientific-technological society, and the real breakdown in apparent moral order in recent years That is why hate is the major fuel, fear is the cement of the movement, and superstitious ignorance is the best defence against the dangerous new knowledge. When you bring up arguments that cast serious doubts on their cherished beliefs you are not simply making a rhetorical point, you are threatening their whole Universe and their immortality. That provokes anger and quite frequently violence.” — G Gaia

As a result of this influence, many people tend to reject skepticism, as it doesn’t fit in with what they have been taught, which is to never question anything told to them by persons in positions of authority. Churches tend to encourage this sort of attitude, as their outrageous claims of divinity, and supernatural events performed by their deities, do not stand up well to scrutiny by an objective eye. The leaders of the churches thus play right into the hands of the Beloved Ruling Class, as they counsel their flocks to obey worldly, temporal authority as readily as they are conditioned to obey the secular variety…..

“I just stepped on a factoid!” – Zippy the Pinhead

Thankfully, not all of humanity is defenseless against this sort of conditioning. There are many ffolkes out there who don’t buy into the sort of psychological blackmail being promulgated by the preachers, priests, imams, and shamans of all shapes and sizes around the world, and a large number of them seem to end up blogging, right here on WordPress…. So, I end up preaching to the choir pretty often. But, that’s okay, too, because I know that occasionally, one of those folks who do believe in what they are told, without any questions or doubts, will read this, and, if nothing else, will think about what I’ve said…. Who knows, maybe I’ll go viral, and the whole world will remember that WE ALL ARE GODS?”…… (Remember? Axiom # 3…. “Thou art God, you know…. Let’s do lunch….)

“Youth of today! Join me in a mass rally for traditional mental attitudes!” — Zippy the Pinhead

I suppose that’s a note from my subconscious, to let me know I’ve gone far enough off the rails for now, and should let these good people get on with their lives, rather than wandering around in mine…. Goodness knows where we’ll end up…. So, anyway, just remember to cultivate your sense of doubt, your “crap detector”, as it were, and never, ever take anything “on authority”, without tangible proof…. You’ll find Life to be less confusing that way; certainly, it makes it a lot easier to look yourself in the mirror in the morning…..

“This is patently absurd; but whoever wishes to become a philosopher must learn not to be frightened by absurdities.” — Bertrand Russell

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

Accentuated Lessons

Bold statements of calculated intent
Become common rule of the malcontent.
Avarice assumes such attractive wear
Beguiling deception, illusory and fair.

Grasping and pulling with ghostly hands
Legally proper in all the signatory lands.
Seeking and finding each vulnerable soul
Anguish as payment for exacting the toll.

Wraiths of commerce’s invisible dead guards
Still haunt the dreams left in sad empty yards.
While absentee nobles sit in stiffly elegant splendor
Served by sad-faced detainees in abject surrender.

Escape from reality is illusory at best
Often we falter and fail its daily test.
Only when focused on inner strength
Does peace stay with us for any length.

Peace lies within, always…..

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 9/27/2012.

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

A slightly recalcitrant SB finally gave up a closing pearl for this one, an event it’s been putting off for twenty-some hours. I think it came out well; the final result makes the wait worthwhile for me. Enjoy, ffolkes….

“I must invent my own philosophical systems, or else be enslaved by other mens'” — William H. Blake

“I’m the one who’s got to die when its time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.” — Jimi Hendrix

“Is consciousness just a special form of hallucination?” — Frank Herbert

“The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. ravel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for.” — Louis L’Amour, Ride the Dark Trail

“How could the drops of water know themselves to be a river? Yet the river flows on.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery

“All teachings are mere references. The true experience is living your own life. Then, even the holiest of words are only words.” — Deng Ming-Dao

I saw Eternity the other night,
Like a great ring of pure and endless light,
All calm, as it was bright;
And round beneath it,
Time in hours, days, years,
Driv’n by the spheres
like a vast shadow mov’d; in which the world
And all her train were hurl’d.

~~ Henry Vaughan ~~

~~ The World ~~

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

This one is another testament to stubbornness, as much as anything else. Nonetheless, it’s done, and that’s all I care about. Especially at almost 2 AM. I guess I’ll go get it posted, and see if maybe I can fall out for an hour…. Fat chance. I will, however, be back tomorrow, regardless of whether or not Fate allows me to gather Morpheus’s boon to my breast….. Who needs sleep? Apparently, not me….

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….

C’mon, we’ll ask the elevator elf….

Posted on November 18, 2015 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a purpose.”

~~ Garrison Keillor ~~

Leelu demonstrating some serious relaxation skills….

Hajime…. The battle begins anew, but, with true Sun Tzu-like efficiency, ’tis already won. Most of what you see below is done; what I’m writing now is fresh. But, those are two separate occasions in time, as much of the material below, though ALL fresh as the day, was done at various times in the past two or three days, as the urge struck, or an idea grabbed me & pulled me to the keyboard (which, I might add, both Leelu and I think is pretty odd behavior….)

It’s odd. I mean, even for me. I can’t think of a single nonsensical thing to say. I mean, other than just saying that. It really doesn’t make much sense to say I can’t make nonsense, when saying so is nonsense itself, now, can I? No, of course not. That would be rude, and possibly could be construed as literary pandering, of the most egregious sort. We’d never do that sort of thing to OUR readers. Of course not, so, just put it out of your minds.

What I can say about it is this; diddly-squat is still diddly-squat, six syllable words or not, right? So, I think, given our predilection for using them gives us the cache, if not the legal right, to use either sense, or nonsense, at our discretion, should we ever find any. We are, after all, not only trained professionals, we are now hopelessly stuck in the royal ‘we’ mode of speaking. Such a bother! We hate when that happens.

Okay, I’ll stop now. I don’t much like the royals, anyway; too many ties to some rather nasty people for my taste. But, that’s neither here, nor there, nor anywhere, which, I believe, is exactly where we are now. Take your pick. Me, I’m going to take my leave, for bigger and better things. Well, other things, one may hope. Luigi will take y’all where you need to go, and, I’ll see you at the closing section…. Oh, you might want to put down your beverages; Luigi gets a bit rambunctious when he’s on his own….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.”

~~ Gray ~~

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

Pearl, Herself

Image from rollingstone.com via Google Images

I read somewhere about a rumored new biopic of Janis’ life and/or times. In honor of that possibility, and, as an excuse to listen to this again, here is possibly her best album, with, I hope, some decent quality sound. It has to be LOUD, you know, to get the full effect, and all the nuances of her voice…. Enjoy, ffolkes; there was nobody like Janis Joplin. Ever.

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

Janis Joplin
Pearl

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

https://youtu.be/HSXwo3jJ0ac

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

“I am further of opinion that it would be better for us to have [no laws] at all than to have them in so prodigious numbers as we have.” — Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (1533-1592) — Essays, Book iii, Chap. xiii

Mssr. de Montaigne, with his plaintive observation of the events of the sixteenth century (in the midst of the Renaissance in European history), he sends an eerily appropriate message to us who live in the twenty-first century. I, too, have come to the firm opinion that anarchy would be preferable to much of what I see happening in the world today. From all I can see, there isn’t much of a future for our species, unless we make a significant change in the way we A) treat our planet, and B) treat each other…..

The only question in my mind at this point is which of these two severely explosive issues, each of which can conceivably lead to the total extinction of our species, will come first to a point of no-return. Both are rife with the possibility of imminent explosion, into such conflagration the world has not seen since the last time this happened (if it did; some say so, though, I don’t see a lot of physical evidence, just racial memory….).

If the society of the world reaches flash point, there are SEVEN BILLION people, all of whom will revert to the law of the jungle in a heartbeat, if it comes down to “me or them”. With the weaponry and technology available today, there is little doubt anyone left living will live at a level similar to how our species lived before the age of electricity.

If the environment reaches one of a number of critical points, there will be no way to stop whatever occurs from happening, for we cannot know exactly how it will happen, nor what will stop what we don’t know of…. All we do know is, if one of two or three events occur, our planet will no longer support life in our form…. at all. It is entirely possible we won’t even be able to breathe the atmosphere that remains on the planet, if certain chemical reactions reach a critical point…. It’s possible there wouldn’t be any oxygen in it to breathe….

“Animals can be driven crazy by putting too many in too small a pen. Homo sapiens is the only animal that voluntarily does this to himself.” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s — “Time Enough For Love”

What we are witnessing today, every day, is a very real, graphic example of the truth of this assertion from Lazarus. I’m sure all of us remember the high school science class where we read about, or saw the film about, what happens when rats are put into cages and allowed to breed indiscriminately; the resultant pictures were anything but pretty. Imagine the scenes from our future, if we continue to stretch the resources of our “cage” as we have been doing, without any thought for the future, for many too many centuries…. We have acted as if it was all ours to use as we saw fit, and what we saw has been anything but fit…..

“Hello… IRON CURTAIN? Send over a SAUSAGE PIZZA! World War III? No thanks!” — Zippy the Pinhead

People are going to reach the same point as did the rats; count on it. (Especially when they figure out they can’t order any pizza!….) And, there are a LOT of us our here who don’t want to die. So, it’s going to get ugly, ffolkes; I don’t see much of any way to avoid what is coming, because the forces of history, and of climate, are too large and ponderous to stop in time…. Negative, yes; also realistic. All we can do is all we can do, and that’s be prepared, to live, and to help those we care for to live, long enough to see if the light of reason will ever shine again in this world gone dark.

I’ll tell you one thing. I don’t intend to go down easily; I’ll be using the lesson one of our greatest poets gave us, when he wrote,

“Do not go gentle into that good night

but rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

~~ Dylan Thomas ~~

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

For me, some poems bleed out; some just leak. Others have to be squeezed out, but, this one, this sort of oozed out last night as I sat thinking about…. well, stuff. Don’t ask me what it means, not yet. I’m not sure anything I tell you would be anywhere near the truth…. All I know is, I feel better.

Infidelia

There’s a certain
panache,
almost a feeling of
glory,
one feels
upon returning

from

Hell

Purgatory.

Or,
so those say,
who say those
sorts of things,
I guess.

I don’t know,

for sure.

I didn’t go

there.

I only went

Hell.

I only live

Purgatory.

But,

I like it.

Right now,

anyway.

Other times,

not

so much.

It’s not bad,
if I don’t
think.

Sigh.

Too bad.
I
do.

~~ gigoid ~~

Written 11/17/2015.

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

I hardly know what to say of this pearl; all of those chosen were offered up without any particular difficulty by Smart Bee, and, each and every one of them is a gem of particular value, in terms of pearls of virtual wisdom. Heck, I could easily write a thousand words in support of each, or, use any one to illustrate some point about modern society. Together, I can’t quite grasp what they are attempting to convey; perhaps y’all have an idea. I had one thought, which is to, perhaps, switch them around a bit, to find the order that brings them all into focus…. At any rate, just thinking about any of them tends to work the mind in a way that can’t hurt, unless one is not accustomed to such activity…. Have fun, it’s a nine-star glittering gem, with a crashing great final pearl…. Well, I think so….

“The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” — Aristotle

“One does evil enough when one does nothing good.” — German Proverb

“You should go to a pear-tree for pears, not to an elm.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 674

“The more one judges, the less one loves.” — Honore de Balzac

“I love to doubt as well as know.” — Dante

“In art as in life, form and subject, body and soul, are one.” — Edward Abbey

“I change myself, I change the world.” — Gloria Anzaldua

“The supreme irony of life is hardly anyone ever gets out of it alive.” — Robert Heinlein

“Death the last sleep? No, it is the final awakening.” — Sir Walter Scott

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

There you go, ffolkes. I can’t do it any better than that. I’m not even going to TRY to top any of it here in the closing section. I’ll merely note my relief, and happiness y’all made it this far, and, without any injury, or reports of impending litigation. NOW I’m done. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, for sure and for certain. How can we be certain? Well, it’s like Charles Schulz (Yep, him; ‘Peanuts’) once said, “Don’t worry about the world ending today; it’s already tomorrow in Australia.” Ta, then, luvs….

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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