Tag Archives: Valentine’s Day

Faceted jewels, hidden in darkness…

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Ffolkes,

Too long a sacrifice

Can make a stone of the heart.

~~ William Butler Yeats ~~

Day 5 023
Public House in Cork, Ireland, with freshly pulled Guinness waiting for your Valentine.

Who is NOT the blond bartender you see in the rear of the pub, more’s the pity.


Somehow or another, the idea of Valentine’s Day got planted in my consciousness this year. Most years, all it takes for me to forget all about it, is to think of how it began, back in the middle of the twentieth century, when that day, along with Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, President’s Day, and probably a number of others I don’t remember, were instituted as official national holidays. The entire reason, well known at the time, was to supply a holiday during those months of the year when there was not a religious, or other well-known date, like Halloween, Christmas, and Easter, to stimulate the sagging economy in those months, giving people a reason to buy gifts…. Not exactly romantic, eh?

This year, I don’t know why, the date keeps popping up in front of me, which is ironic, as I don’t have anyone in my life other than my kids with whom I’d share such sentiments… Plus, I HATE buying useless stuff just because some poor business person isn’t going to be able to keep their cash flow in the black for a day or two. They steal enough of my money, without my helping them out by falling for such egregiously avaricious tricks…. I wouldn’t want to lose my own good self-opinion, now, would I? No, I don’t believe I would…

Ah well, I have now given in to the extent of writing almost three paragraphs about the day, though I wouldn’t say they were particularly filled with joy and happiness at the day’s arrival on the calendar. In addition, in the next section, you’ll find a very indulgent piece, nicely done by some guy with a pair of breeding hamsters (probably wants to start a farm & sell the thousands of offspring to come in the few months they live…), and way too much spare time on his hands…. It’s pretty funny….

But, as far as I can make it so, that’s all the corporations get from me today…. Well, I might reconsider, break down, & buy a Hallmark card,  should I happen to walk out of the house and be accosted by a gorgeous, sensual woman, who demand I  give her the card, take her out to dinner, then take her home to teach her all I know of the Kama Sutra…. Yeah, sure, like THAT’s going to happen…. So, I’m figuring I’m done with it for the day…

“Now what”, he said, bemusedly. If only he had started out differently; if only some fantastic fictional passage had stormed through his consciousness, ripping control of his fingers from him, to pound the keyboard faster than he could read, filling the screen with gripping, violently graphic, yet, oddly romantic images of intense emotional drama, pitting human nature against itself in an eternal battle of good vs. evil, all the while laughing madly, gleefully drooling all over his own lap, until, finally, he slowed, considered what he had done, and, stopped typing…..

Slowly, he rose, walking calmly to the desk across the room. Opening a concealed drawer, he pulled out a leather case. Unsnapping the fasteners, the case opens to reveal a dark, shiny, evil-looking 9mm Glock automatic pistol. Picking it up, he chambered a round, placed the gun at his temple, and fired one shot right through to the opposite wall, taking quite a bit of brain and bone matter with it, forming a rather striking pattern across the rug and wall….

He then walked over to the computer, sat down, and, naturally enough, typed in the following words….

Shall we Pearl?

“..  I’m IMAGINING a sensuous GIRAFFE, CAVORTING in the BACK ROOM of a KOSHER DELI –” — Zippy the Pinhead

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Well, what did you expect? It IS Valentine’s Day, even if I don’t pay any particular attention to it. The following video, at least, puts it all into the proper perspective…. Thanks to Lou for posting it two days ago, thus, furnishing me with yet another fine pearl…..

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Tiny Hamster’s Tiny Date

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Dont keep calm

“Things true and evident must of necessity be recognized by those who would contradict them.” — Epictetus (c. 60 AD) — Concerning the Epicureans, — Discourses, Book ii, Chap. xx

Ahhh! Bliss…. I’ve always enjoyed the way Epictetus expressed his thoughts. Somehow, his style speaks to me in a way I feel as well as see, and hear, telling me in the simplest, most direct way, how to understand life, and our fellow humans; his sense, apparently, shares commonality with my own. To me, this is an excellent way to show exactly how we can be sure we are being, well, screwed, by those in power…. It is proven true every day, any number of times….

Each day, those in power release some sort of blast of information, designed in some fashion to influence the public in some way. Even when the public KNOWS of this, they still tend to listen to those in power, as they have been trained to do so since entering this world. Still, there is so much of what we are told that isn’t even remotely true, those among the unwashed masses who have not been fully beaten down into slavish acceptance will take note of some obvious discrepancy between reality, and what they are told is reality by those in charge. On the internet, there are literally hundreds of places to find these discrepancies, which clearly show that what we are told is not always true….

Here is where Epictetus’ words come into play…. In order for the officials making the statement to contradict reality in this way shows how it is not possible for them to do so in ignorance of what they do…. By the very act of lying, they prove they know the truth, but, choose to withhold it, to serve some purpose of their own…. Often that purpose is apparent; more often it is not. Either way, I think you could easily say they weren’t doing it for OUR benefit, without feeling as if you were telling a lie yourself….

“Though all the winds of doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, so Truth be in the field, we do ingloriously, by licensing and prohibiting, to misdoubt her strength. Let her and Falsehood grapple: who ever knew Truth put to the worse in a free and open encounter?” — John Milton (1608-1674) — Areopagitica

This is MY solution to this question, and, my intention as one who rants. Given the simple fact of the degree of control already established over our society/world by those who would be king, the Truth is the only weapon remaining to us…. Those who rule have already perverted much of Truth to their own purposes, by the simple expedient of convincing almost everyone they have always told the truth, when they actually merely convinced people what is true was not…. If there is one thing I’ve always believed, with some trepidation, admittedly, it is the Truth will out; ultimately, it will make itself clear, usually in a painful way… I don’t think it LIKES to be hidden, or used to promote evil…. But, in time, it always wins out over a lie… I’m hoping, anyway….

Sounds complicated, but, it’s quite simple actually; the problem is this: once the lies are accepted as truth, the actual truth has no more power to be heard; those convinced they are right, possessing the only right answers, will not listen to any evidence otherwise, even if it slaps them right in the face….. It is one of human nature’s most destructive traits, in spite of also being one of its most endearing faults…. I only wish I knew another way to get through to them, but, they made the decision long ago, to never discover the truth of reality for themselves, but, to allow others to tell them what to believe, to mold the shape of reality for them…. To turn back now, for almost all of them, is impossible….

“It’s called EVIL, kid.” — Smart Bee

SIGH….. We had such promise, too….

We the People...
What is wanted is not the will to believe,

but the will to find out,

 which is the exact opposite.

~~ Bertrand Russell (1872-1967), “Sceptical Essays”, 1928 ~~


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A poem of mine is going to have to do for today. I hope you like it…..

Sharing the Wealth

Lucky are we who live with some adversity,
Such strife to bear leaves us strong and free.
Time is no better spent at a fine university
Teaching us the kind of person we wish to be.

We humans are such contrary creatures
Life lived in ease is our fondest intent.
New perceptions are our strongest features
Learning to cope with troubles we cannot prevent.

Lessons we learn at Trouble’s bent knee
Stay on top in the bag of tools we carry.
Knowledge so earned can keep us free
On our long, strange trip to Charon’s ferry.

Pain is the least favorite of our teachers
Yet such powerful lessons stay forever and a day.
No matter how life presents its features
Strength of will equals what life sends our way.

T’is well to consider such time-tested tools,
To carry them with us as we travel through Life.
Events are less likely to show us as fools,
as we deal with Reality, where peril is rife.

~~ gigoid ~~


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Back and forth, back and forth, like a damn tennis ball; Smart Bee must have been watching tennis on TV or something, during whatever moments this batch of pearls were chosen. All I did was ask for a simple old school pearl already made up, so I didn’t need to think too hard about parameters… This is what came back to me…. I can’t figure it out, other than maybe as a metaphor for Life as a Ping Pong Ball…. Oh, well, at least they’re all one-liners…

“A wise man never refuses anything to necessity.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 540

“If truth is beauty, how come no one has their hair done in the library?” — Lily Tomlin

“Democritus says, “But we know nothing really; for truth lies deep down.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Pyrrho, viii

“Those who do things in a noble spirit of self-sacrifice are to be avoided at all costs.” — N. Alexander

“Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” — Mao Zedong, “Quotations from Chairman Mao”, 1966

“Each of us bears his own Hell.” — Publius Maro

“Reality is a sandwich I did not order.” — Zippy the Pinhead

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Ffolkes, the world has gone mad; not just mad, but, stark, raving mad. I’m not certain, at this point, exactly what I will do about it, but, it’s not going to fix itself; it has made that perfectly clear. Thus, it leaves it to us to try to figure out what the hell we are going to do; given the options, I’m pretty sure what I’ll do; how ’bout y’all? Well, it’s late, or early, or something; you can think about it, and hopefully, there will be a tomorrow, when you might think about sharing that with us…. Meantime, keep your head down, and your powder dry, ffolkes; it’s a hard rain that’s gonna fall…. Hopefully, I’ll see you tomorrow; if not, fare thee well, until we meet again….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3

À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Bozoid personalities are natural fidgets….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




“All that we are is the result of what we have thought.”


~~ Buddha ~~


Orionid-meteor-Big-Dipper-ashley


     Today’s holiday, being celebrated here in the US of A, is one I’ve always enjoyed, and not merely for the traditional foods we eat to excess. I like the idea of celebrating those things in Life for which we are thankful. In this society, we tend to celebrate for all the wrong reasons, which, for the most part, involve avarice disguised as religious fervor, or nationalism, or to celebrate someone in our lives who should be thanked every day, rather than once a year (Mother’s Day, & Father’s Day, & Valentine’s Day come immediately to mind….). In fact, but, for TG, , and Christmas, when Christianity has usurped the month of December for its propagation of myth, all of the other holidays we celebrate were created by government decree, in months where the economy lags from lack of business….


Even this holiday is one where we see the beginning salvos in the Christmas shopping wars…. Hell, this year, not for the first time, they’re not even waiting until after Thanksgiving to begin the seasonal campaign for our dollars, inundating the TV world with commercials touting the latest popular gifts for the season, with Santa, the talking M&M’s, and Rudolph all making their initial TV appearances a full week before this holiday arrives. Four days ago, I saw the same M&M Christmas commercial as has been shown for 10 years running now, where two of the talking candies meet Santa, causing Santa and the green M to faint…. It’s cute, but, having seen it hundreds, perhaps thousands of times over the years, it’s become a bit scary….


Ah well, I’m up a  bit late, and I don’t feel like ranting as yet, so, we’ll let the crass commercialism that marks this time of year go by without comment, for the time being…. I’m sure, before the actual arrival of the fated day, I’ll have a word or two to add to the public discussion on the season. I can feel it building up angst as I type this, so, it shouldn’t take long for it to boil over onto the screen… I’m kinda looking forward to it this year, what with all the other crap going on; it will provide a bit of relief from the same old crap being pulled by those who prey on society, to wit: the beloved ruling class and the dogma dogs….


I had my Thanksgiving meal with my kids last Saturday, so they can  be with their Mom today, if they wish, or with their other extended families, so, I’ll be chilling out, & will perhaps catch a college football game or two, if any are on…. The professional games tend to bore me, of late, since they’re such a cash-cow for the owners; the game has become stilted and predictable…. Any more, I only watch the last couple of minutes of the pro games, as it is the only part that really matters…. College games, however, remain unpredictable, due to the effects of enthusiasm on the players, which can seriously affect a game’s outcome, as one team may display a degree of will power and expertise beyond their normal levels, because they are so pumped up with team spirit….


The rest of today’s Pearl may be either short, or taken from the archives to save time; I’m being slow today, and it’s getting late…. Ah well, it’ll all come out in the wash, and tomorrow’s another day, n’est pas? For today, I think we’ll do this….


Shall we Pearl?


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


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It’s a day for comedy, I think, and, who better to combine humor and poking fun at society, than this man?…. The link provided will take you to a You Tube page where many more of his shows can be seen…. Enjoy, ffolkes, we’ll never see his like again….







George Carlin – National Press Club







































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“Heaven and earth were created all together in the same instant, on October 23rd, 4004 B.C. at nine o’clock in the morning.” — Dr. John Lightfoot, — Vice-chancellor of Cambridge University


I’ve seen this quote before, and always felt like it would be a great start for a rant against the dogma dogs, as it establishes, and pretty well, the sheer, deliberately obstinate refusal to use their own brain, such as they possess, by those who engage in religious zealotry. However, it’s a day to be thankful, rather than vituperative, so, I’ll pick a milder rant from the archives to fill in today…. We’ll get back to taking our shots at them in real-time in a day or two…. For now, here is one from the past, which will serve the purpose nicely….


From 3/6/2013:


“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. {2} If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. {3} If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. {4} Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. {5} It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. {6} Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. {7} It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. {8} Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. {9} For we know in part and we prophesy in part, {10} but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. {11} When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. {12} Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. {13} And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” — 1 Corinthians 13 NIV


It is such a shame that the Bible has to be regarded as divinely inspired, in my mind. There are a number of passages in the various books by different authors that display a deep insight into human nature, and, like the one above, beautifully give to man words of such truth they can form the basis of one’s entire world-view. Insisting that such ideas are only possible to God, to me, isn’t realistic, nor is it true. I’ve known a number of people I would consider very wise, who have never even heard of the Christian God…. so, where does that fit into the picture?….


No, from what I can tell from reading it, most, or, okay, I’ll be fair, much, of what is written, most especially those parts intended as dogmatic proclamations, are more human in origin, obviously, than they are divinely inspired. The premises all favor the church over the individual, and submission of each individual to dogma is required of the faithful; that much is apparent in every statement that asserts God’s authority over Man as Creator. It’s obvious to me, anyway…. I could never figure out why God, who could make universes, needed me to fall down on my knees and humble myself….. What kind of sick thrill does he get from that? I know that anyone who acts in a subservient manner to me makes me uncomfortable, and feel like I want to kick them, and tell them to stand up and show some pride…. or at least some dignity….


Any who, in the Bible, there is all this good advice, and good ideas, like the one above…. but, in order to find them, one must wade through all the nonsensical stuff that the priestly hierarchies would have us believe is “written by the hand of God”…. Much more likely t’was the hand of Guido, or Antonio, I would think, at the insistence of assholes like Paul, and Peter, those evil men who barely waited until Jesus was underground to start perverting his teachings…. I’ll bet they were a bit surprised to have to wait until after he rose, and left again, before getting down to the business of altering texts, twisting meanings, and generally setting things up to suit themselves, all with the convenient authority he so trustingly gave them….


Not for nothing is it said that Jesus was an innocent…. He believed he could trust his disciples, forgetting entirely they are human, and will act out of self-interest FIRST, every time, when it comes to morality…. Hell, soon after he died, all twelve of the disciples went their own ways, and began the task of creating the thousand and one different sects based on the teachings of Christ that exist today…. or at least, setting the stage for their creation…. There WERE only twelve of them to start with…. Even with that, it takes a while to split it all up to the point we now see today, with thousands of separate churches, all based on one or another of the basic core principles Jesus left behind as legacy, and all interpreted through the lenses of each person’s glasses, colored in self-interest….


Ah well, at least if one has the patience to look, some good things can be found in the Bible…. I just wish that people would learn not to take it so seriously… because, I’m sorry to have to tell them this, but, God doesn’t publish books, nor does He (as I understand the concept of Him….) use ghost writers….. In fact, I should think that, if such an entity had something to tell us, He might make it pretty obvious where the message came from, and what it meant…. otherwise, what would be the point? If nothing else, I would expect a God to be, at minimum, logical…..


Okay, I’m done….


“Due to intense mind fog all thoughts have been grounded.” — Smart Bee


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Once more, I’m reduced to using my own poetry; time constraints, don’t y’know?….






A Dubiously Soft Morning


Idiosyncratic images, clamoring for regard,

fill up the white, white screen on which I view

my life, never seeing, nor invited to sup

ambrosial remnants of anything new.


Still, yet almost in motion, allegory sails away

bobbing gently, quick and easy to find,

signs of one happy child, seriously at play,

blissfully immersed, focused joy in mind.


Formidable cries of outraged simple justice

echo plaintive relevance, in half the time.

Maladaptive infants, destined for hospice

salvage an only child, daring to sing in rhyme.


Creativity equals unquestioning farce, 

often reaching for absurdity, brazenly afire.

Instead, a blow is felt that no joy will soften,

accepting the price, added to the cost of desire.


~~ gigoid ~~




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I’m still late, even with using all the short-cuts I could make or find, but, we’ve made up a little bit of time, so, let’s see if SB can fill in the rest of today’s effort with some fresh pearls for our perusal….


“Imagination is the highest kite one can fly.” — Lauren Bacall


“Were it possible for us to see further than our knowledge reaches, and yet a little way beyond the outworks of our divination, perhaps we would then  endure our sorrows with greater confidence than our joys.  For they are the moments when something new has entered us, something unknown; our feelings grow mute in shy perplexity, everything in us withdraws, a stillness comes, and the new, which no one knows, stands in the midst of it and is silent.” — Rainer Maria Rilke


“It is not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinion that make horseraces.” — Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), from Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar(1894)


“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.” — Helen Keller


“All kings is mostly rapscallions.” — Mark Twain (1835-1910)


“A great many people mistake opinions for thoughts.”– Herbert Prochnow


“Do not turn back when you are just at the goal.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 580


Not too shabby, not too shabby at all, methinks. It can stay, even if it IS a bit vague; that will just make y’all think harder about it….


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Okay, I did it, in spite of my own lack of organization today; just lucky, I guess…. So lucky, I’m going to take the advice of my lawyers, and stop talking now…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, as long as no charges get filed before then….


Oh, by the way…. Today’s PATT (picture at the top, of course…) is internally attributed; look closely at the right lower corner to see the photographer’s name; I found it on the London Daily Telegraph, a great example of good timing, with a meteor, the Big Dipper, and Northern Lights in the same photo…. Ta, then, luvs…..




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest  Carole, Mark, and Theresa…

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

   and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


Kowabunga!






À bientôt, mon cherí….







		
	
					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Ten paces south from the gargoyle….

			
						

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Ffolkes,

I was warned, but I didn’t listen. Of course, I never believed it could actually happen, not to me….. Like every other fool in history, the admonition of my peers was lost on me, filled as I was to the brim with confidence, and pride in my skill. And, like every other fool in history, I failed, badly….. What is it about wet paint that makes men want to touch it, to find out if it is actually wet? What is it about a “Keep off the Grass” sign that makes our toes itch for the feel of the lawn? Why does a door that says, “No Admittance” make us want to see what is behind it?….. SIGH….. We’re all a bunch of little kids at heart, aren’t we?…. Just trying to find out what the world is made of, and getting told to watch our step…..


Hmm…. I’m not sure where that paragraph came from, nor am I certain at all of where it intended to get to, so, in retrospect, it’s probably just as well that I leave it right there, and not get into any further exploration of that train of thought. It sort of wanders around up there, spinning some light magic, but then fades away, as if unconvinced of its own purpose…. And there I go again, talking about my writing as if it had a will of its own…. Regardless of how out of control this blog may seem to be, the words don’t write themselves, but, I tend to get carried away with my anthropomorphism at times, so, please, bear with me….


Now where shall we go? I’m faced this morning with a totally blank Pearl template…. the only thing I had written ahead is the ending line. Although this is a good thing, it does leave me in fear, as any author would be, faced with such a bright, shiny vast plain of whiteness, just begging to be filled with words of wit and magic, while I cower in abject trepidation at the sheer folly of my ambition, and pray to my muse for salvation….. Since my muse seems to be mad at me again, I could have a long wait….


We’ve got trouble, ffolkes, right here in River City…. It starts with T, and ends with ubble, that’s Trouble, and we’ve got it right here. (Can you hear the trombones?) Once again, the intro section has gotten away from me, and wandered off into areas of my head that could conceivably alter the course of history, should they be brought into the light of day. Since the alterations may or may not be such that they would help, it would probably be best to just give up again, and get on with today’s Pearl. I’m going to have to rely solely on Smart Bee to pull this off, and hope that there are a number of good pearls to get me going…. Only one way to find out, I suppose, so…. Shall we Pearl?…..


“Everyone knows that dragons don’t exist.  But while this simplistic formulation may satisfy the layman, it does not suffice for the scientific mind. The School of Higher Neantical Nillity is in fact wholly unconcerned with what does exist.  Indeed, the banality of existence has been so amply demonstrated, there is no need for us to discuss it any further here.  The brilliant Cerebron, attacking the problem analytically, discovered three distinct kinds of dragon: the mythical, the chimerical, and the purely hypothetical.  They were all, one might say, nonexistent, but each nonexisted in an entirely different way …” — Stanislaw Lem, Cyberiad


Now, that sounds like it belongs here, doesn’t it?…. In a way, you COULD say that this blog nonexists in an entirely different way…..

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As is the case in many instances, when faced with a literary conundrum in the morning, I’m resorting to default, and firing up an old school pearl for your perusal and edification (if that can ever be said to be true of pearls….)…. The following seven pearls were, of course, chosen at random, and without conscious volition, but with an eventual destination in mind…. Today, we are fortunate to note that the destination is also random, as is the conclusion to which you will be led, willy-nilly…. That conclusion is, naturally, left as an exercise for the Gentle Reader…..


“I am not young enough to know everything.” — Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)


“Democracy is based on the assumption that a million men are wiser than one  man. How’s that again?  I missed something.” — Robert A. Heinlein


“A heretic is a man who sees with his own eyes.” — Gotthold Ephraim Lessing


If a cat spoke, it would say things like “Hey, I don’t see a problem here.” — Smart Bee


“Some people think only intellect counts:  knowing how to solve problems, knowing how to get by, knowing how to identify an advantage and seize it.  But the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion and empathy.” — Dean Koontz


“Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?” — Abraham Lincoln


“Do your Duty.  Honor the Truth.  Respect Life.  Share your Love.” ~~ Axiom #7, Peruaosophy


I know, I’m a strange puppy…. If it helps, I mean well….    🙂

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This is a poem I’ve used before…. I like it a lot, and it fits my mood, somehow…. Enjoy!


Shui Tiao Ko Tou


Will a moon so bright ever arise again?

Drink a cupful of wine and ask of the sky.

I don’t know where the palace gate of heaven is,

Or even the year in which tonight slips by.

I want to return riding the whirl-wind! But I

Feel afraid that this heaven of jasper and jade

Lets in the cold, its palaces rear so high.

I shall get up and dance with my own shadow.

From life endured among men how far a cry!


Round the red pavilion

Slanting through the lattices

Onto every wakeful eye,

Moon, why should you bear a grudge, O why

Insist in time of separation so th fill the sky?

Men know joy and sorow, parting and reunion;

The moon lacks lustre, brightly shines; is al, is less.

Perfection was never easily come by.

Though miles apart, could men but live for ever

Dreaming they shared this moonlight endlessly!


Su Tung-p’o

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The issue of gun control is currently a HOT BUTTON issue for a lot of people in this country…. At least, it is for those who enjoy over-reacting to all the violence reported in the news….. They seem to forget that there are now over 7 billion people on this planet, with more crowding on every second, and the increased violence we are seeing is a natural result of overpopulation combined with stupidity, both of which exist in ample supply in our society…. 


The following is a piece I wrote not long after one of the school shootings in 2012, which, to my mind, pretty well summarizes my objections to the foolish and unwarranted fear that has prompted the idiotic notion of repealing the Second Amendment altogether…. Here is my response to that notion….


“Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people’s liberty teeth and keystone under independence…  From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to ensure peace, security, and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable….  The very atmosphere of firearms every- where restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.” — George Washington (bogus?)(who cares? I don’t, it doesn’t make it any less true if it was said by someone else…..)


I am constantly hearing people these days spouting off about gun control, and how guns should be outlawed. This is a viewpoint that I have never understood, because it makes a totally unwarranted assumption (more than one actually, but one that is most important….), i.e., guns cause violent behavior, and if people couldn’t legally own them, violence would stop. 


This is naive, and unreasonable, given that there is absolutely no evidence to support such a contention. There is no evidence whatsoever that violence is NOT part of human nature; this is a psychological FACT, not subject to debate. People have violent tendencies, and violence is the primary response of a great many people who have never learned how to use their reason to control their emotions.


Though I’ve never owned or carried a gun, I am a firm believer in the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, in its most literal sense. Without the right to bear arms in our own defense, we, as citizens, would be at the mercy of whomever was in office at the time, and would have no recourse at all to any redress of grievance against those officials, since they could not be forced to comply with law. 


I do NOT trust any elected official to act in MY best interests; human nature also decrees that they will act in their OWN interests first, with no compulsion to even consider anything else. Making it a law that only police and government lackeys could legally be armed is a sure way to guarantee that the average citizen would be at the mercy of these so-called leaders, mercy being a quality that they have never heretofore demonstrated in any fashion.


As I said, I don’t own or carry guns, yet. I’ve trained myself to be dangerous without the use of them, and feel no fear that I cannot deal with an armed man to my benefit; this is simply because it is the person holding the gun that is the danger, not the gun itself. Speed, power, and accuracy are the key elements to controlling a violent situation, along with some forethought and preparation, and the ability to keep a clear mind when under duress. 


When a person is holding a gun, they feel ten feet tall and invincible, but they remain human, and humans can be controlled with superior strategy and tactics. It does no good to hold a gun, when the target won’t sit still, or even remain visible….. and in these cases, that sense of invulnerability becomes a liability to the gun-wielder.


However, most Americans do not have this sort of skill set, nor the state of mind that makes it work. In the hands of a skilled warrior, a gun becomes a dangerous weapon indeed, for it will be used to achieve the warrior’s goals, as any weapon would, and not employed to merely bully others into doing what is desired, which is the usual use of these kinds of weapons in the hands of the ignorant and deceitful. And politicians, by the very nature of their sociopathy, do get rather deceitful in the pursuit of their self-centered ends. The desire to be in public office, to me, is a sure sign of a sick mind, as a healthy one has no need to assume power over others, being content to be in control of themselves.


At this point in the narrative, I got a bit sarcastic, caustically so, directed at those shrill advocates of this kind of legal oppression, laws that attempt to legislate morality,  so I’ve stopped it here to avoid offending anyone unduly. I agree with the need to tighten the regulations regarding assault weapons, but not as far as is wanted by the fear-mongers. 


I also think it is a good idea to keep guns out of the hands of children, and people who have demonstrated the lack of emotional control needed by a free citizen of this country, to own and use a gun appropriately, i.e. the mentally ill, who are characterized by a lack of impulse control…. Not a good characteristic for someone with a gun in their hands….


But, once again, I must caution people to examine any laws that do get passed closely, for going farther than intended, which the people in charge have a tendency to do, to slip stuff by the public…. 


I’ll try to wake up your precautionary instincts by asking this….. If the insane are not to be allowed full rights as a citizen, who is it that gets to decide who is insane?  The same issues of trust are present, or absent, in that idea, as in the assumption that the Beloved Ruling Class will act in our best interests….. They can be trusted to act in their own interests first, and we all would do well to keep that in mind…..


“There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.” — Bob Dylan

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There are many here among us who are CERTAIN that life is but a joke, Bob, and today’s effort is simply further evidence in support of that conviction…. But, today’s Pearl is done, so, who cares? Not me….. Having cheated a bit, by reprinting a couple of items, I’ve got some time to kill…. But, rather than fill it by tormenting y’all any further, I’ll be a nice little blogger, and leave you in peace….


Happy Valentine’s Day, ffolkes….


May love and joy light your way,

and keep you warm this winter’s day….


Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..




—

Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes

I just sits.


gigoid


dozer3



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Let them eat (chocolate) cake….

			
						

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Ffolkes,

I have been informed by a reliable source that today is Valentine’s Day. Bah, humbug! Just another made up holiday to keep the shopkeepers and chocolate sellers happy. Excuse me? You mean, you didn’t know? Oh, well, okay…..During the depression, I believe, was when the beloved ruling class, tired of hearing all the complaints from the sycophants that the depression was ruining their businesses during certain months of the year (those with no holidays in them), decided, “Hey! We’ll create some holidays! It will give the unwashed masses something to focus on besides how hungry they are, and give the shopkeepers some custom selling holiday-related items, so they’ll stop complaining. Let’s start with February….” 


Thus, Valentine’s Day. It worked so well, they went ahead and made some more, such as Mother’s & Father’s Days, New Year’s Day, Flag Day, Labor Day, and Memorial Day; all followed in due course to lend a helping hand to business, which, after all, is what America’s all about, right? Right. So anyway, we ended up with a holiday for all those times during the year when there were no religious events that normally caused holidays to happen (Jan., Feb., Apr., June, etc.), all for the love of money. Nice, eh?




So I’m a cynic about certain things; so sue me. It’s all truth, you can look it up……besides, I’ve got bigger fish to fry, so let’s get on with it…..

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Thou wast that all to me, love,

For which my soul did pine–

A green isle in the sea, love,

A fountain and shrine,

All wreathed with fairy fruits and flowers,

And all the flowers were mine.

— Edgar Allan Poe


Well, it is Valentine’s Day, so when I saw this old favorite from Edgar Allen, I couldn’t resist. Edgar’s poetry always amazed me for the feelings he is able to engender in the reader; one feels his pain when he writes of his lost love, and his joy over being in his lover’s presence. He was truly a master at manipulating words for his own ends, and provides, kind of like Emily Dickinson, a yardstick against which all other literature must be judged. Kind of dark, but not a bad subject for emulation…..

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“I worry about my child and the Internet all the time, even though she’s too young to have logged on yet. Here’s what I worry about. I worry that 10 or 15 years from now, she will come to me and say ‘Daddy, where were you when they took freedom of the press away from the Internet?'” — Mike Godwin


This is something all of us should be thinking about, now that the Bill of Rights, which ostensibly assures us of freedom of speech, among others, has been nullified by another Homeland Insecurity authorization, approved by our beloved ruling class, including the great Hope, Obama, who stealthily signed it on New Year’s Eve, when he knew nobody was watching too closely. 


Effective the next day, all of our protections as citizens against being unjustly accused or held in jail without cause or review, free speech, the right to assemble to protest grievances, all of those rights are now null and void. Any American citizen can now be arrested without warrant, taken to undisclosed locations, and tortured (yes, I said tortured; if you don’t believe me go read the damn thing yourself), all because they are SUSPECTED of being in, or aiding a terrorist organization. No evidence, no proof required, merely suspicion.


In addition, the authorities who are authorized to carry out these unconstitutional actions are not required to tell anyone, and there is no judicial or any other oversight; no warrants needed for any of this, and they don’t even have to tell anyone they have done so. It’s enough to make me go out and buy a gun….and prepare to use it. 


I guarantee that anyone who tries to do this to me will have bitten off more than they can chew; I’m not a pacifist, and I am a free man; I will protect my own rights, thank you, and I will do that until either they give it up, or they’re dead, or I’m dead. No compromises here, folks. I have no intention of being a victim of these assholes, and I suggest to all truly free Americans that they keep their weapons handy, and their powder dry…..


“….secrecy is the keystone of all tyranny. When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, “This you may not read, this you may not see, this you are forbidden to know,” the end result is tyranny and oppression, no matter how holy the motives. Mighty little force is needed to control  a man whose mind has been hoodwinked; contrarily, no amount of force can control a free man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the rack, not fission bombs, not anything–you can’t control a free man, the most you can do is kill him.” — Robert Heinlein, Revolt in 2100, “….If this goes on….”

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“The gods can either take away evil from the world and will not, or, being willing to do so cannot; or they neither can nor will, or lastly, they are both able and willing. If they have the will to remove evil and cannot, then they are not omnipotent. If they can, but will not, then they are not benevolent. If they are neither able nor willing, then they are neither omnipotent nor benevolent. Lastly, if they are both able and willing to annihilate evil, how does it exist?

— Epicurus  — Aphorisms, c. 300 B.C.


Here is an example of a concept being analyzed and developed to a logical conclusion that questions reality as we know it. It’s beautifully structured, and each possible path is explored. When the final conclusion is delivered, though, it indicates that somewhere in the process, there was a fallacy of assumption, and the question is made larger, instead of being answered. How does evil exist? Since Epicurus has just proven that it isn’t a subject the gods are dealing with, at least not in any comprehensible fashion, it becomes the individual’s task to supply their own interpretation, and come to their own conclusions.


For myself, this was fairly simple, as I have a slightly different view of good and evil than most folks. To me, evil is not merely extant, it is necessary; it does not argue with good, but complements it. We perceive the universe as opposites (we’ve discussed this previously in this space); we see because there is light, and there is dark to tell us which is which. The same dichotomy of perception is true for all five senses; we perceive the difference in all things, merely to be able to perceive them at all. 


Evil makes good necessary, in order for the universe to balance, just as dark points out the light, and silence shows us how to hear the song. Thus we see that the universe is neither good nor evil; it is supremely indifferent, and only we make the determination as to the inherent value of any action or event, whether it is good or evil. It’s a lot of responsibility, but we’re the only one’s who care about it anyway…..

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It is the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance.

It is the dream afraid of waking that never takes a chance.

It is the one who won’t be taken who cannot seem to give.

And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live.

— Bette Midler, The Rose


It being the day it reportedly is, I thought this might be appropriate. If you don’t know it, it is from a song titled, “The Rose”, and Bette recorded it sometime in the 1980’s, or possibly the late ’70’s. I’ve always liked it, both for the beauty of the performance, and for the lyrical truths with which it is filled. It doesn’t get much better than this, ffolkes…..if you get a chance, look it up and give it a listen; I’m pretty certain you’ll like it. And if not, well, tough…..

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I don’t mind being in touch with reality, as long as I don’t have to live there.


This appeals to me, for it parallels my own existence. I’ve mentioned previously that for me, reality is not fixed in one dimension, or even four.  It’s a pretty sad day for me when I can’t change my perceptive data into something more palatable than how it was delivered. It’s a wonderful talent, even more helpful than denial, mainly because denial can come back and kick you in the ass, whereas altering reality to suit one’s needs is an internal, invisible process, and unaffected by either natural or Murphy’s laws.


It’s easy, at least for me; I’ve been practicing a long time. It’s also useful in dealing with insults and/or aggressive acts from others; it’s very confusing to those who are being assholes when one doesn’t react in a predictable manner. I don’t think I could go very long without having to kill somebody if I didn’t have this outlet, so whether it is good or evil means little to me. The end result is all that matters, and doing it this way keeps my path clear of most idiots and the occasional random dead body that needs disposal….

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Well, another fine day in Paradise! Having regurgitated a sufficient quantity of angst, I will now go hence, into the world, to see if there is anything worth staying awake for…. meantime, y’all take care out there…..




—

Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes

I just sits.


gigoid


Dozer
Kowabunga!