Tag Archives: You Tube

Tidy bonuses on a tiny table….

Posted on by
31

Ffolkes,

“It is useless to close the gates against ideas; they overleap them.”

~~ Metternich ~~

avenue of the americas

Avenue of the American Dream

Note the two signs….


Hajime…. No, don’t worry; I’m not going to start off with a rant. In fact, I looked below, & there’s already a good long one down there, so, no worries… the intro is safe…. I remember this one; it leaked out a few days ago, & I’ve been waiting to the right chance to use it…. It’a relatively long, but, it’s on a subject on which I feel strongly, so, I don’t  care. Y’all, as always, have the choice to read or not, but, I hope you do, because it’s all stuff that needs to be heard, by more than just y’all…. so, spread it around…. Just the subject is fine; I became a bit phantasmagorical at the end of this one; I got so worked up over the subject, I indulged myself with some dreams, so to speak….

We all have dreams; mine, like all else I do, are pretty strange, I’d guess, in comparison to many others; these are probably fever dreams, but, nonetheless enjoyable, on a private, personal level, for all that…. Now I’ve successfully told you nothing, about nothing, in more words than are, not merely necessary, but, desirable, by any stretch of the imagination. Nothing new there, right?

Hmm…. not much else to cover…. I did have a great time, yesterday, with my kids and grandson; I’m feeling the price today, physically, but, every minute is worth anything I must go through later, so, no complaints….. Can’t share pix, naturally; too many weird people trolling the Net for photos of children, especially good looking kids, to share with other perverts…. I may not LOOK cynical, but, believe me, I’ve seen the worst of human nature (I’ll speak of that below….) and it’s victims are NOT going to be from my family, if I can help it….

Enough blather, I think. I’ve wandered around, saying little to nothing, to little purpose other than to bring us here. We’re here, so, my work here is done…. Damn good thing, too, as I’m now fresh out of any ideas for what to do next…. I think Id best go find a video for today…. See y’all at the oyster beds; you’re on your own today for getting there…. You can just follow me if you like…..

Shall we Pearl?….

“If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago.If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.” — Edward O. Wilson

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

stevie guitarplayerdotcom

Image from guitarplayer.com via Google Images


I feel like rocking out today…. Nobody can help with that better than this performer…. Enjoy, ffolkes….


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

Stevie Ray Vaughan
Live at Montreux ~ 1985

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

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

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


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

Dont keep calm

    This rant, a long one, didn’t just leak out; actually, it was all I could do to keep it this short, as I tend to get a bit worked up about this…. It’s fresh in the last week, and probably could use some punching up…. But, what you see, today, is what you get…. If you become uncomfortable when asked to think, or feel about injustice, well, better skip to the poem….

Plague of Evil


In this blog, I speak of a number of issues which are a part of human society/culture, most of which are discussions of how poor a record in embracing human rights, and/or, living up to the twin concepts of kindness and compassion, our species has exhibited throughout history…. One subject, which often gets neglected, for reasons we will discuss, is the abuse of women, and children, and, even some men; in short, the continued presence in our society of the abhorrent practice of human slavery, generally for the purposes of the sex-for-sale business, but, often enough, just plain slavery.

I refer, of course, to a huge number of corporately sponsored factories, farms, or other businesses, in various places around the world, who force children, women, and men, to work for pennies a day, to provide shoes, clothing, and/or luxury items, none of which any of them earn enough to afford… Hell, they don’t make enough to pay for much of anything on what they are paid for working 12 to 20 hours a day…. This, believe it or not, is the sole purpose of “Free Trade Law”….. That, however, is a rant for another day…

To my mind, the abuse of women and children in the sex trade is, perhaps, the most significant, as well as the least apparent, (certainly the least ‘admitted issue) of all the forms of slavery practiced by that portion of humankind.  In my mind, these people are subhuman, without any trace of any of the higher ideals, or evidence of ethical/moral beliefs of any kind, which are embraced by most of humanity…. In essence, these human predators, who have a completely false sense of their own importance in the universe, are without any morals, or ethics, and have given up their souls for the sake of an illusion of adequacy, unfounded, yet, enforced with violence which is never admitted, or, held up for approbation by society…. Pond scum is the nicest thing to call them, in my estimation.

These men (though there are women who subscribe to these sick, illusory beliefs as well…), believe women, or any other human they can intimidate and place under control, are property, less-than-human, and not worth any guilt or any sort of disapproval from a conscience; they have none. In my mind, this places them in MY category of those humans whose death, at the hands of another human, is NOT an unethical event, in any fashion…. If they die, screaming in pain and terror, so much the better, for they are completely without any redeeming value, as a human, or as a member of human society…. In fact, death is, in truth, too good for them; to give them a taste of how they treat others would be as satisfying for me, as long as that taste ended up poisoning them, slowly, so I could watch them go through the agony they deserve, in this life, or any other….

I’ve been writing about this subject for some time, after coming across a couple of blogs, written by women who had miraculously freed themselves from a life of such slavery…. Both had been abducted, or forced into prostitution at a young age, not being able to break free before the age of at least 30, spending more than half their lives as slaves to a series of evil men and women, forced to debase themselves on a daily basis for years, and years, and years….

For some time after coming across their stories, I felt so much rage, at the misogyny coating every level of or society, I began to plot ways to start removing the ‘snakeheads’ (the commonest term for those at the top of the chain in that trade….) from this plane of existence, one by one, personally…. In short, I began to dream of killing men who spend their lives abusing the rest of humanity, especially women and children, both of whom are their prey…. Using all the weapons at my disposal,  I would stalk the streets of the cities, removing them from life, until it became an underground certainty that pursuing such a course of business was a sure path to death….

Of course, to fulfill such a vengeful dream, I’d have to become like them, and give up certain of my ethical standards, in order to complete my chosen duty…. Y’know what? It took me a very long time, and is still not a settled question in my mind/heart; the urge to kill pimps and snakeheads is just as strong today as it was four years ago, when the depth and breadth of the problem, (which covers the entire world; every city, every country is guilty of NOT doing ANYTHING significant to address this issue….) first came to my knowledge, and understanding. I still argue with myself often; I must, as there are times I feel so strongly, it’s all I can do, to NOT tuck away my five knives, three ropes, my bow, and staff, then, toddle off to Oakland, or San Francisco, to go hunting men…

Believe me, I really, really want to… I have two sisters, and if either of them had been taken in such a way, I’d still be out there, killing. As it is, all I can do is write about it, to help vent enough of the rage so I can keep from losing control…. But, I have to say, I often wonder why I DO stop myself; nobody else even THINKS about it, as far as I can see……

At this point, even writing isn’t reducing the anger; I’m THIS close (holds up thumb and index finger, touching…) to just saying, ‘fuck it’… I’m 65 and NOTHING IS BEING DONE to either stop the trade, or, rescue its victims…. which is a part of how our misogynist society works, and has, for 10,000 years, and more, back to when the first asshole with a dick bigger than his brain, raped a woman, and nobody cared, or looked away, or watched in approval…. Even the stupidest idiot in the world cannot deny the evidence of this issue, yet, no one ever does anything but talk…. as I am limited by age to doing….

Moreover, not only does government, composed primarily of, and for, men, NOT act on this, or even acknowledge it unless confronted, but, even the churches, the so-called proctors of morals in society do less than the government. In fact, they are worse, for they pretend to care for their constituents equally, especially for the weaker and more vulnerable, such as children, women, and the elderly…. Here is what a former US President, who was, without doubt, the most devoutly Christian of all our elected leaders, ever, had to say on the subject…. I figure he ought to know, having studied Scripture, deeply, through his entire life….

jimmy sez

    Nor is the hypocrisy of these Dogma Dogs (as I like to call them) limited to women; what group in society, by clear evidence, as reported in the news for all my life, as well as by my own observations, and conversations with many of those who teach the delusions held by most of humanity, has made a consistent, centuries-long practice of abusing children, as well as women, to a degree no other organization, or entity of any kind, has ever approached… not even within shouting distance?

I am willing wager anyone at all, any amount, or deed, or, third-born child, if they wish, (Just kidding, ffolkes… only had 2; no more coming, ever….)(maybe I’m calming a bit; that was almost funny), they care to bet, if they can prove, or even suggest any evidence that can be confirmed, that the clergy, especially that of the perverted “celibates”, (What a ridiculous idea! How can anyone, with more than 3 neurons to use, even THINK such an act/habit/intentional lie, is either natural, or, healthy for any creature, much less one claiming humanity?), who claim the title of Priest, is NOT guilty of crimes against their own flocks, more than any other entity you can name…. It’s not only children who are abused by the church in such fashion, either….

It disgusts me; all of them. Pimps, snakeheads, priests who molest or break their vows (which they usually treat as ‘suggestions’….), politicians who lie so often it has to be a congenital issue, and is certainly a mental issue, known as sociopathy…. They’re all assholes, they’re all shitheads, or, any other vulgar name you care to suggest; scum of the earth is nearly right, but, doesn’t give an adequate feel for just how evil these wastes of DNA actually are, in reality…..

I’m not done, but, I’m through for now….. In closing, I will merely say, if you start seeing headlines, of a mysterious number of deaths associated with people, primarily male, who are known to be active in the sex trade, or, a strange number of men who had been convicted or accused of rape, or other abuse of women, but, walked free…. Well, it’s entirely possible that, shortly before the reports began, I stopped writing, and disappeared from sight…. & you’ll know I lost control….

It will be either that, or, the NSA, or some other fascist, paranoid group of assholes, caught me off-guard, & disappeared me…. Or, more likely,  came looking for me, and found me already gone….

It makes for a good dream, anyway…. and, if it happens, I may lose my ethical standards in one area, but, in another, I will be completely content with my karmic account…. Duty is as we choose it to be; I choose honor, which is rooted in compassion, and, when carried out with the proper attitude, as confirmed by reason, and experience, in kindness.

So be it…..

Dont keep calm

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

Comedy_Tragedy

    Today’s poem is one written not long after ending my 35 year hiatus from trying to write ANY poetry…. It’s not bad; I was in a rather tough state at that point in time, with lots of pain & anguish due to living on the edge of poverty, for the first time in MANY years…. so, it get a bit fusty & hopeless…. No worries, it all passed, & ends on a good note…..

A Seasonal Approach

Absolute stillness grips a frozen field,
anticipating dawn with such patient yield
morning burgeoning in dark winter’s hold
brings promise of tales yet to be told.

Lengthening days of pale sun unto night
slowly tell of time’s subversive flight
bringing such original songs of natural fire
with melodies complex in casual attire.

The months are certain they will always win
it is just the way it has always been.
None may argue, nor yet slow life down
Nor dim the eternal beauty of nature’s gown.

Winter evolves from fall into spring,
sending flocks and hearts ever awing.
Summer follows suit, t’other way ’round
Spring into fall, often without a sound.

Life is meant to be lived, beginning to end
choices abound, and change can be a friend.
Yielding with grace to reality’s compelling ploy
fills our plain existence with clean, honest joy.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/2/2012


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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Observations on Life at Large

***********

“To try may be to die, but not to care is never to be born.”

~~ William Redfield ~~

***********

“I haven’t a clue as to how my story will end.
But that’s all right.
When you set out on a journey and night covers the road,
you don’t conclude that the road has vanished.
And how else could we discover the stars?”

~~ Unknown Bee ~~

***********

“YES… LOVE IS A CONTACT SPORT…”

~~ il NOEGO ~~

***********

“Euripides was wont to say, “Silence is an answer to a wise man.””

~~ Plutarch — Of Bashfulness ~~

***********

“It isn’t so astonishing the number of things I can remember,
as the number of things I can remember that aren’t so.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

***********

“In the fight between you and the world, back the world.”

~~ Frank Zappa ~~

***********

“Moving parts in rubbing contact require lubrication to avoid excessive wear.
Honorifics and formal politeness provide lubrication where people rub together.
Often the very young, the untraveled, the naive, the  unsophisticated
deplore these formalities as “empty,” “meaningless,” or “dishonest,” and scorn to use them.
No matter how “pure” their  motives,
they thereby throw sand into machinery that does not work too well at best.”

~~ Robert A. Heinlein,  “The Notebooks of Lazarus Long” ~~

***********

“Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished:
if you’re alive, it isn’t.”

~~ Richard Bach ~~

***********

“When learned men begin to use their reason,
then I generally discover that they haven’t got any.”

~~ G. K. Chesterton, Illustrated London News, 11-7-1908 ~~

***********

“A likely impossibility is always preferable to an unconvincing possibility”

~~ Aristotle ~~

***********

“There will come a time when you will discover a thing called loneliness.
But remember life’s cruelest irony:
The time you feel most lonely is the time you most need to be by yourself.”

~~ Douglas Coupland ~~


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

It’s done. Today, that’s the best I can say about it, as I haven’t gone back over it to look at how it hangs together…. As they say, in some places across the big pond to the East, c’est la fucking vie…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, most likely with a bit more pizazz…. whatever that is….

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

Kowabunga!


À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Dos Regalos Preciosos….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				8			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




“He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very Naughty Boy”


~~ Brian’s Mum ~~


tip of life


Christmas in California….




Hajime…. Do you like my Christmas Tree? It’s the only one I have, so, ’twill have to do…. Now we have the niceties observed, let’s allow them to pass into memory, for the nonce, if only to find a proper beginning to what is, if I do say myself, a damn fine example of a Pearl of Virtual Wisdom, such as they are…. We’ve foregone a rant for the day, in favor of kindness. There’s a fresh poem, written yesterday, just for today’s Gentle Readers, and all those who are crazy enough to follow this outlet for all my insanity…. There’s a slick final pearl, and music to get you through it all serenely…. Not bad for an amateur, eh?….


If I talk any further on what is below, it will spoil any surprises, so, I’ll just get on with this intro, so nobody misses anything…. That said, I see I’ve done it to myself again…. Where to from here? Considering our eventual destination(s), I’m not at all certain we can get there from here. However, let no one ever say I retreated from a challenge to my ability to fill up a page…. If I must retreat into nonsense, or gibberish, in order to get us the required distance from the opening quote, why, then, that’s what I’ll fucking do… I will try not to say fuck again…. Oops…. Oh well, let’s move on shall we? (In short, oh, fuck….)


There, how’s that for the obligatory silliness we all know and love so well… Okay, so, some of us don’t…. Too bad; today, this is what I’ve got, and, if we want to get to the meat of the matter, y’all had best just shut the pie holes, and hang on the best you can, because, now, I’m on a roll, and, it’s entirely possible I’ll never even find the end of this sentence, which has already gone at least a line and a half too far for comfort, or even joy…. Whew, made it! What a PITA!


Thank whomever you care to, we made it. Now I’ve gotten the worst of the idiocy out of the way, I thing we can go enjoy the rest of today’s mess… I’ll use one of our infamous Tardis toys…. Ooh, this one is fun! Hold on; this won’t hurt, and it’s wicked fast; we’ll be there before you can blink twice….


Shall we Pearl?….


“To be sensual is to respect and rejoice in the force of life, of life itself, and to be present in all that one does, from the effort of loving to the breaking of bread” — James Baldwin


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





Yin-Yang-symbol-sun-and-moon




    Since today much of the Western world is celebrating their particular beliefs in the divinity of a dead social reformist, in whose divinity I place no credence, I’ll not torture anyone with a bunch of music we’ve all heard since birth, that now is getting rather crusty and disagreeable, for me anyway…. Since I also do not believe any of the other religious philosophies to contain anything close to what exists in the real world I live in, we won’t go with any other type, except one…


You see, as far as I know, Gautama Buddha never claimed any sort of divinity for himself; his philosophy had more to do with our inner beings than how we perceive the outer world, which is, admittedly a scary place, thus setting the stage for the general run of religions to offer their own set of beliefs in a divine creator as a way to answer humanity’s questions as to what happens after death…. Buddha didn’t worry much about that; like everything else in this Reality, he figured we each make our choices, which lead us wherever they take us; no supernatural intervention was deemed necessary to fulfill the requirements needed to achieve this sort of enlightened state….


All that said, as carefully as possible to avoid offense to anyone’s beliefs, we’ll have a bit of Zen meditation music today, to honor what I believe to be the closest philosophy to Reality, Buddhism, as practiced, and modeled perfectly, by the XIVth Dalai Lama of Tibet, whose only religion, by his own words, is Kindness…


Or, as John, and the rest of the lads sung, “All you need is Love….” Enjoy the peace, ffolkes; meditation not required….




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

















Zen for Christmas

















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































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



























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




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





Sandclock .jpg




    As a gift for the season, today, there will be no ranting…. Instead, I’ll go all the way back in the archives, for one of the earliest Pearls I posted on WordPress. I’ve cleaned up the formatting, to reflect what I now know, of how to make the posts LOOK the way I want them. Other than that, it’s just the same little weird story line I came up with to begin that day’s post…. It’s an odd one, I know, but, once you get to the punch line, you’ll laugh, no matter how disgusted with the rest of it you may be…. Any bets?


The short, short-story is followed by a most excellent group of pearls, a necklace of gems, for sure…. Enjoy your gift, ffolkes; it, and my love, and best wishes for a happy, peaceful winter go out to each and every one of my Gentle Readers…. May these words of the Dalai Lama guide your steps, and hearts….




“My only religion is kindness.”




From 9/7/2011:




Technicolor ferrets, and red, red wine….




Ffolkes,


The morning fog was lifting as she stepped outside; the day promised to be bright and hot. Another perfect late summer day in northern paradise; day after gorgeous day had paraded by, seemingly oblivious to the oncoming autumn, lulling the world into a drowsy complacency. Moving briskly, the young woman walked up the street toward the old part of town, past lovely old Victorian homes pressed between newer apartment buildings, and on into the busier streets leading to her morning’s destination.


As she passed others on the street, she looked away, toward the shop windows already sporting fall colors, avoiding any eye contact that might prompt a response, or slow her progress. Just ahead she could see the sign proclaiming “Eats!”, and the crowd of people outside, waiting and hoping for an opening inside. As she drew abreast of the door, she could see the people inside, talking, laughing, eating; she could see the staff rushing from table to table, pouring coffee, delivering food, frantically trying to keep abreast of the horde of orders and demands. She thought to herself, “they won’t have to do that much longer!”.


With that thought, she drew the homemade, baseball shaped bomb from her pocket, twisted the knob at the top, and calmly bent over to roll it across the floor toward the kitchen in the rear of the room. She turned away from the door and walked quickly away, twenty steps, then thirty…. Then, BOOM!, the device exploded, sending large pieces of building and people flying into the street, along with most of the crowd in front. As she strolled away she thought to herself, “That’ll teach ’em to burn my bacon!”…….Justice had prevailed…..


Okay, so they can’t all be classic literature. You try to come up with something new every day, and see how easy it is….NOT! Days such as this one it all comes down to whatever pours out onto the screen; I don’t consciously direct the process, but just let it flow. Sometimes it works, and others, well….not so much. You can decide for yourself, I’m sure…..and I’m sure you will. In the meantime, I like this little group, especially the little poem from Emily; it’s a perfect example of why her level of excellence is difficult to reach. Simple words, strung together in a seemingly random fashion, and POW, the idea smacks you right upside the head. Good stuff…..




The good man is the teacher of the bad,

And the bad is the material from which the good may learn.

He who does not value the teacher,

Or greatly care for the material,

Is greatly deluded although he may be learned.

Such is the essential mystery.


~~ Lao-Tzu (fl. BC 600) ~~


**********


“What seems to be no test, no struggle, is the most deceiving test of all.”


~~ Ezra Taft Benson ~~


**********


“And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.”


~~ The Beatles, The last lyric of their last song ~~


**********


A word is dead

When it is said

Some say.

I say it just

Begins to live

That day.


~~ Emily Dickinson ~~


**********


“I cannot achieve complete humility — although complete humiliation is always within reach.”


~~ Dan Goodman ~~


(I resemble that remark!…)


**********


Doing it the hard way is always easier. — Murphy’s Paradox


**********




Easier, perhaps, in the long run; it is always so hard to know which way is the hardest. It’s why Murphy is so successful at what he does; reality seems to cater to him, and lets him have his way all too often…..SIGH….. Y’all take care out there…..


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





Comedy_Tragedy




A Seasonal Gift


Affordable, these moments in time,

all quite free, not costly, nor for sale at all.

Merely more misspent periods making rhyme.

seeking a peaceful heart, as my words fall.


A price, many will tell you, or me,

is due for every transaction.

In truth, everything you see is free;

Illusion seldom offers any real satisfaction.


Some also tell us we need some sort of god,

we’re told ’tis the only path to immortality.

On the path I’ve followed, that seems rather odd;

I’m quite happy with honorable mortality.


Some days it gets a bit lonely, for a bit,

out here in the cold light of reason.

Solitude is, however, well worth it;

Love, felt and treasured, gives warmth all season.


I suppose one could easily say,

this poem is the only gift I’ll give.

If I can teach love and kindness with the words I say,

such will be fine; it’s enough to live.


Happy Winter to All…


~~ gigoid ~~


12/24/2015




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





pearls_3






Naked Pearls



Lessons of Life/Death



One coin, two sides.


**********


“Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion.”


~~ Edward Abbey~~

    

**********


“I am pleased to see that we have differences.

May we together become greater than the sum of both of us.”


~~ Surak of Vulcan, “The Savage Curtain,” stardate 5906.4. ~~

    

**********


“Any man whose errors take ten years to correct is quite a man.”


~~ J. Robert Oppenheimer, speaking of Albert Einstein ~~

    

**********


“It’s possible to use karate against a swarm of plankton–but it won’t help.”


~~ Subtle Bee ~~

    

**********


“Je me presse de rire de tout, de peur d’etre oblige de’en pleurer.”

(I make myself laugh at everything, in case I should have to weep.)


~~ Pierre-Augustin de Beaumarchais ~~

    

**********


“… don’t you know that there are things, in the best of us,

which no outside should dare to touch?

Things sacred because, and only because,

one can say: ‘This is mine’?

Don’t you know that we live only for ourselves,

the best of us do, those who are worthy of it?

Don’t you know that there is something in us which must not be touched

by any state, by any collective, by any number of millions?”


~~ Kira Argounova ~~

    

**********


“A heart in love with beauty never grows old.”


~~ Turkish Proverb ~~

    

**********


“Let us overthrow the totems, break the taboos.

Or better, let us consider them canceled.

 Coldly, let us be intelligent.”


~~ Pierre Trudeau ~~

    

**********

“Death the last sleep? No, it is the final awakening.”


~~ Sir Walter Scott ~~




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


I do love it when a plan comes together, to steal from the Colonel…. We’re done here, so, I will go now. Promise. In keepong with the spirit of the season, and, since there haven’t been any injuries reported, I’ll play nice, ending this here. I will, however, try to do this again tomorrow….


We now return to our regularly scheduled cat-pampering…. See y’all in the mornin’, ffolkes; that’s the only warning shot I’ll fire…..




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




dozer3




À bientôt, mon cherí….







		
	
					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Baffling instants of dawning comprehension….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				20			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




“It’s not denial. I’m just very selective about what I accept as reality.”


~~ Calvin (“Calvin and Hobbes”) ~~


london globe


The Globe Theater, London




Hajime…. ‘Tis morning again. Some would say, at this age, each day upright is a victory. I can almost agree, but for the simple fact it isn’t my preference to always think of Life as a battle, though, because of our nature, battling comes easily to mind; we’re pretty vicious animals, in the final analysis. I don’t even feel any need to try to justify such a statement; just watch any group of two-year olds play together without adults to moderate their actions; then, I’d agree with the idea of battling life as an appropriate description. Alternately, watch the fucking news, or, read the Bible for a while in the Old Testament…. either is filled with war and violence toward each other….


Thus, having ranted in one paragraph, there won’t be any real need to do so below; just as well. I’m suffering an ethical issue myself. This morning I found Leelu playing with a wolf spider, I think. It was a black color, but, though it didn’t LOOK like a BW, rather than chance Leelu getting stung/bitten, even by a wolf spider (not enough poison to hurt, but, their mandibles aren’t very clean & wounds from them can infect easily) I killed the spider, as I couldn’t get at it with a glass to capture it.


Now, I am really feeling bad, guilty & miserable, for having killed a totally innocent creature, when I COULD have found a way to capture and release it outside, which is how I generally deal with spiders…. Hell, I’ve admired spiders since I was a kid, reading Spiderman, and wishing I could jump 20 times my height, or lift a car with one hand…. not ever counting the silk they make…. 


I’m sure I’ll get over it, but, as I get older, apparently, my heart is opening further to the world’s suffering, adding to it brings no balance…. Ah, well, another ounce to my karmic burden added; no complaints, I earned it….


All that said, I’ll wipe my tears away, and get on with today’s mess…. Not all of it may be fresh today, but, we’ll see how it goes…. No ups, no extras, no tricks today…. We’re off to the oyster beds, now….


Shall we Pearl?….


“Be honest with yourself until the end of your life. Then listen to the slow movement of the Schubert Quintet and kick the bucket.” — Nathan Milstein


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






Bo Diddley




Bo Diddley


Image from 8tracks.com via Google Images




Since we’ve been exploring/playing the blues lately, a friend suggested this most excellent bridge musician…. I say bridge because he was one of the first musicians to blend the style of blues to the new ‘rock and roll’ being played in the early 1950’s, influenced heavily by the blues, especially as played in New Orleans (ref: think Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, etc…. both followed Bo’s example into the newer style….. Actually, I’m not positive who came first, but, does it really matter? All of them were pioneers, so who cares who scaled the mountain first, except the one who did?….. I just enjoy the results…..) Unless you hate music, you WILL enjoy this one….







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


















Bo Diddley

Live with Ron Wood 1987

















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































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




























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




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





We the People...




Men are more apt to be mistaken in their generalizations

than in their particular observations.


~~ Niccolo Machiavelli ~~




“Surely every human being ought to attain to the dignity of the unit.  Surely it is worth while to be one, and to feel that the census of the universe would be incomplete without counting you.  Surely there is grandeur in knowing that in the realm of thought you are without a chain; that you have the right to explore all heights and all depths; that there are no walls or fences, or prohibited places, or sacred corners in all the vast expanse of thought; that your intellect owes no allegiance to any being, human or divine; that you hold all in fee, and upon no condition, and by no tenure, whatsoever; that in the world of mind you are relieved from all personal dictation, and from the ignorant tyranny of majorities. Surely it is worth something to feel that there are no priests, no popes, no parties, no governments, no kings, no gods, to whom your intellect can be compelled to pay a reluctant homage. Surely it is a joy to know that all the cruel ingenuity of bigotry can devise no prison, no dungeon, no cell in which for one instant to confine a thought; that ideas cannot be dislocated by racks, nor crushed in iron boots, nor burned with fire.  Surely it is sublime to think that the brain is a castle, and that within its curious bastions and winding halls the soul, in spite of all worlds and all beings, is the supreme sovereign of itself.” — Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899), “The Free Soul”


You know, I was going to rant, using these two statements as a jumping off point; now, upon looking at them, together they form a perfect coin with two sides of the same issue, from a certain point of view. The first old insight from The Prince gives a logical reason for the human inability to form a society without falling into war or conquest…. The second offers a 180º view of humankind, offering, in a sense, a way out of the ancient fallibility we embrace so easily, due to our animal nature, which we have never learned to integrate with our intelligence without allowing it to pervert our moral/ethical behavior…. 


We allow feelings, generated by the fearful monkey unconscious mind, to dictate the immense power of imagination, turning it to the mechanics of war and violence to achieve our ends, without ever applying our intelligence rationally on a societal level….


And, that’s all there is to say about that… The first tells us how we got here; the second gives/offers us a way out of this suffering, miserable existence, into a more peaceful, rational, ethical society. It’s our choice, but, then, it always has been….




‘Nuff said….


gigoid has spoken.


So be it.






Dont keep calm





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






Comedy_Tragedy




A dream, weeping….


“Never a dull moment to spare”, he said

with a crooked grin, and a broad wink.

“Can’t keep Reality hanging by a thread….

what would Chaos, or Entropy think?”


So, we plucked up our dreams of old,

to carry us on, in dutiful, strong arms,

stuffed a candle in the remaining fold,

for luck, and perfect proof against charms.


Storms follow the sun,  but, never stay; 

lessons round every corner, all free.

Past fleeting doubts, in a sad disarray,

the journey becomes the reason to be.


Simple kindness manifests untold riches,

in defiance of common cause’s demise.

Bold courage, hanging in stitches,

mends wounds that come as no surprise.


Still, waters run deep, ’tis said by many.

Too much pain cannot apprehend

the salient, sharp points of epiphany,

nor, plainly, to wisdom aspire to pretend.


Folly dogs even the simplest truth,

fumes of toxic ignorance and bile,

alienated as a loose rotten tooth;

it often hides itself, for a long while.


Sought after eons ago, we cried out,

to believe, to suffer no more doubt.

But found instead good reason,

for love, and truth, from season, to season.


~~ gigoid ~~


— 8/30/2014 —




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





random kitty




A true psycho kitty



Image from zulgobang.blogspot.com via Google Images




Today’s final pearl is possibly the strangest I’ve ever created. The process of selecting the included thoughts was much the same as when I write poetry, to wit: mostly unconscious, and, completely without my input, to any real degree. The pearls you see were presented in exactly the order in which I found them; I don’t see any reason to alter the order, as I don’t understand, yet, exactly what it says, in the larger sense, usually obvious with most pearls….


The picture is one that showed up on Google when I searched for “free images of randomness”, so, I can’t explain that choice either. It just seems to fit….  I don’t know, why don’t y’all peruse the group, and let me know if you come up with any thoughts….


“Any ordinary man can surround himself with two thousand books and thenceforth have at least one place in the world in which it is possible to be happy.” — Augustine Birrell


“Become who you are.” — Friedrich Nietzsche


“The majority of mankind is lazy-minded, incurious, absorbed in vanities and tepid in emotion, and is therefore incapable of either much doubt or much faith.” — TS Eliot


“My mind is not for rent to any god or gov’t.” — Smart Bee, channeling gigoid again


“You know the day destroys the nights.  Night divides the day.” — The Doors


“Everything is simpler than you think and at the same time more complex than you imagine.” — Goethe


“As a general rule, if you want to get at the truth –hear both sides and believe neither.” — Josh Billings


“Breaks balance out. The sun don’t shine on the same ol’ dog’s ass every day.” — Darrell Royal


“Reach high, for the stars lie hidden in your soul.  Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” — Pamela Vaull Starr


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


It’s done, and a damn good thing, too. Without going into any details, let us merely say, my remarks above were more relevant than I knew, re: victory over the day. On that cryptic, yet insightful note, I shall bid thee adieu, until I can throw another such piece o’crap together…. That, of course, will be posted tomorrow, hopefully around the same time, but,  at least 24 hours from now…. See y’all then, fate be willing….




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








dozer3




À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
That paradigm is awfully pale, isn’t it?….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				15			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




“Belief is not the beginning but the end of all knowledge.”


~~ Goethe ~~


more leelu 001


Leelu watching for wormholes….




Hajime…. Today’s Pearl has an Easter Egg in it…. Sort of. I’ve used one quote today quite extensively…. Your task, should you accept the mission, is to guess which it is, and, naturally, noting how many times you see it…. That said, and, in the interests of total honesty, Leelu isn’t watching for wormholes, this time. She was watching an ant…. which, sadly, had brought friends…. Windex took care of them for now, but, it’s nice to know she’ll notify me if any more plan to come in to spend any time…. Hmph….


Mornin’…. Well, it’s morning here, anyway…. Where you are, it’s likely to be another time, but, we’ll do our best not to confuse anyone, with any tricky anachronisms, or, excessive use of the Tardis we have on loan. I know it can be a bit confusing around here, but, hey, that’s Life, right? Right.


Okay, then….. I decided last to give up watching movies; it’s too hard on my emotional state. I was watching a scene in a movie I enjoy watching occasionally, which I have on my comp. In the scene, a seriously injured young man’s condition is discovered by his father and twin brother suddenly; as I watched, I myself. suddenly, and surprisingly, as I’ve watched a number of times without such happening, assumed internally the emotions of the twin; shock, sadness, fear, anger, all coursed through me with such force I began to weep….


It stopped almost immediately, as I realized they weren’t my feelings; they are merely close to those I experience when thinking of my own brother, who is fighting cancer. It also helped to know the scene breaks the tension shortly, with a terrible pun…. Nonetheless, I will now have to watch old movies I’ve seen with greater mindfulness of my own state, so as to side-step this bloody nuisance caused by my own subconscious mind, which I sometimes believe has not yet forgiven me for certain failures to act in the past, even though my actions were ethical…. It, the subconscious, doesn’t give a rat’s hind end for ethical; it wants what it wants, when it wants it, and has a large assortment of ways to express its displeasure when we make a rational decision to forgo those desires….


Boy, this Ego stuff is hard shit…. I gotta get rid of the damn thing… Of course, if/when I do, I’ll need to find some word other than “I” to express my thoughts, without the Ego getting in the way…. I guess, if I can figure out the first part, finding the word won’t be much of a challenge as it might have been…. Ya think?


On that esoterica, I think we’ll head out for the oyster beds…. I’ve got a new trick; wanna see how it works?…..


Shall we Pearl?….


“An artist is a creature driven by demons. He don’t know why they choose him and he’s usually too busy to wonder why. He is completely amoral in that he will rob, borrow, beg, or steal from anybody and everybody to get the work done . …. If a writer has to rob his mother, he will not hesitate; the “Ode on a Grecian Urn” is worth any number of old ladies.” — Mark Twain


All I can say to that is, damn skippy! I’ll take the Urn, every time…. Dad might get upset, but, he’ll get over it….


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





Clapton and Mayall bluesbreakers




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




Yesterday, one of the ffolkes who commented mentioned he’d been listening to the blues, Janis Joplin, to be precise. Ever since, I haven’t been able to think of anything else to post for today, unless it was some EXCELLENT blues. I had to drag through my whole memory bank, practically, then I remembered this one…. From 1966, when all these gentlemen still mostly didn’t shave every day yet, (‘cept for the one at the left center, of course. who merely trimmed…) (the one on the right center was still not sure if he should grow a beard, or not; I think that’s Eric. at a VERY young age.)… Ffolkes,  I give you, the Bluesbreakers….




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


















John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers

with Eric Clapton

















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































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




























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




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





dalai lama




The XIVth Dalai Lama of Tibet


**********


“My only religion is kindness.”


~~ The Dalai Lama ~~




Today, I had intended to rant about religion; since it’s a couple days from the celebration of the date of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, (a date having no actual basis in reality; there are no conclusive records from that time…. Nobody, and I mean nobody, can say they know for sure….), I figured I’d explore some of the fallacies inherent in the whole system of beliefs…. 


Then, I was sent a Tweet from a friend, with another of the Dalai Lama’s wise quotes, to wit: “We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot live without human affection.” To my way of thinking, that just about sums up all we need to know about the entire concept of religion….


Because of that, my need/desire (Aha!….) to rant disappeared, as seeing the quote on Twitter brought to mind the quote with which we opened this section…. So, I decided to forgo ranting, in favor of some pearls of virtual wisdom from various famous authors, thinkers, and/or, just ffolkes…. I figure it’s following my own injunction re: playing nice with others….


To all my readers, who may not believe as I do, I wish you a happy season of kindness, no matter what religion you may believe in…. My opinion of that, I hope, shall not spoil, or demean, or in any way garner my approbation; nor do I intend to give any offense to anyone’s sincere belief…. I wish the Christians a Merry Christmas, the Tribe members a Joyous Hanukkah, and the believers of any other faith, for whom I don’t know a proper phrase of seasonal appropriateness,  a peaceful winter, filled with happiness, and all the things you desire, especially if it a desire to help others in some way….





Dalai lama sez (2)




    I hope nobody takes any of the following personally; I am, admittedly, a cynic, who is dubious of ALL of the religious philosophies, regarding them as delusions/illusions, fostered on the unlearned, in order to fulfill the own personal ends of their proponents, or often, their founders; remember, if you will, how the ineffable Peter altered (read: perverted…) Christ’s words and ideas to create the Catholic Church, just a few months after the crucifixion….


But, that’s just me…. Everyone else is entitled to their own belief system, as long as they keep it out of my face, unless they have some concrete, verifiable evidence I haven’t seen before…. which is unlikely as I’ve been thinking, reading, and studying about this issue almost all my 65 years, since the very first time I heard the story of the crucifixion, and, could not believe my ears…. It just never made any sense, even at age 4….


I’ll leave you with this thought, from one our most well-known free-thinkers…


“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson


Now, let’s have a little fun, shall we?




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


Dear friend, all theory is gray,


And green the golden tree of life.

 

~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust ~~



**********


“Why, when no honest man will deny in private that every ultimate problem is wrapped in the profoundest mystery, do honest men proclaim in pulpits that unhesitating certainty is the duty of the most foolish and ignorant?  Is it not a spectacle to make the angels laugh?We are a company of ignorant beings, feeling our way through mists and darkness, learning only be incessantly repeated blunders, obtaining a glimmering of truth by falling into every conceivable error, dimly discerning light enough for our daily needs, but hopelessly differing whenever we attempt to describe the ultimate origin or end of our paths; and yet, when one of us ventures to declare that we don’t know the map of the universe as well as the map of our infinitesimal parish, he is hooted, reviled, and perhaps told that he will be damned to all eternity for his faithlessness…


~~ Leslie Stephen (1832-1904) ~~


~~ “An agnostic’s Apology”, Fortnightly Review, 1876 ~~


**********


“Belief is not the beginning but the end of all knowledge.”


~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~~



**********


“Satanism is a Christian religion”


~~ Sardonic Bee ~~



**********


“I admire the serene assurance of those who have religious faith. 

It is wonderful to observe the calm confidence of a Christian with four aces.”


~~ Mark Twain ~~


**********


“How many Christian fundamentalists does it take to change a light bulb?

None. The Bible doesn’t mention light bulbs.”


~~ Smart Bee ~~


**********


“In anything at all, perfection is finally attained,

not when there is no longer anything to add,

but when there is no longer anything to take away.”


~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery , Wind, Sand & Stars ~~


**********


“It is not necessary to fall into a well to know its depth.”


~~ Smart Bee, channeling gigoid ~~


**********


The biologist thinks he is a chemist,

The chemist thinks he is a physicist,

The physicist thinks he is a God,

And God thinks She is a mathematician.


~~ Paula Thompson ~~




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





Comedy_Tragedy




    Today’s selection is from another WP blogger, one I consider one of my closest friends online, as well as a wildly talented poetess and artist in general…. The poem is an expression of joy, which made me smile, and weep, all at once…. The picture that follows from the same post, is, in my opinion, sheer genius wisdom, and deserves to be included here….. Here then, from a soul trooper, fighting the ultimate fight, to be herself, whole and happy….




The Voice in my Box


For many years 


debilitating thoughts 


made a home in my mind


No room at the inn, door locked 


…confined 


I smiled in silence 


To an oblivious room 


All the while


My throat screaming 


For all the bad memories 


All the unfair nights


All the damn hurt!


the effects 


…and the cause 


Life played out and my lips 


….Obediently paused 


Until 


The drink of belief 


Made her way 


From my mouth to my feet 


Like a waking alien 


I have found my home again 


And all that was shrunken inside 


Lost the urgency to cling and hide 


Rising in hope


Yes this freedom speaks


Oh honey…


This freedom sings!


She flys on flames atop of wings


And the music is sweeter than ever 


My voice, my speakers


Reign out 


Bleeding a glorious color


Onto white corners 


of my 


…Newly born feathers. 


~~ Souldiergirl ~~


12/21/2012


http://souldiergirl.com/2015/12/20/the-voice-in-my-box/




souldiergirls color




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


Yin-Yang-symbol-sun-and-moon




Naked Pearls


Life, at Large….


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


“If you cannot find happiness along the way, you will not find it at the end of the trail.”


~~ Zen Bee ~~



**********


“He would be the finer gentleman that should leave the world 

without having tasted of lying or pretense of any sort,

or of wantonness or conceit.”


~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, ix, 2 ~~


**********


“The truth is our most valuable commodity. 

It would probably be a way better world if people didn’t use it so economically.”


~~ Personal Journal of Doogie Howser, M.D.~~

~~ from the TV show, Doogie Howser ~~



**********


“But some emotions don’t make a lot of noise. 

It’s hard to hear pride. Caring is real faint – like a heartbeat.

And pure love – why, some days it’s so quiet, you don’t even know it’s there.”


~~ Erma Bombeck ~~



**********


“Belief is not the beginning but the end of all knowledge.”


~~ Johann Wolfgang van Goethe ~~


**********


“We usually get what we order from life.”


~~ Limon ~~


**********


“All perception of truth is the detection of an analogy.” 


~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~


**********


“To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.”


~~ Mahatma Gandhi ~~


**********


“How many Great Souls does it take to change a light bulb? 

None; the light from within illuminates all around them.”


~~ gigoid, following a theme ~~




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


Well, I like it…. Now, I’ll go see how the WP editor likes my workaround for the new crap they added to their editing function, that I have yet to figure out. Time, as it always does, will tell; damn thing won’t keep its mouth shut. Regardless, I’ll be back tomorrow, to take another shot at some Asininnies, or, at least, kill a few of the myths people buy into. Try to be happy; give a bit of yourself to another of Earth’s creatures, human, or otherwise, & you’ll find it helps yourself, too…. Plus, the happiness will be there inside when you are done…. Truth…. 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








Featured Image -- 5012



À bientôt, mon cherí….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Referencing Billy-Bob’s astute observation….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				19			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




“It’s that moment of dawning comprehension I live for.”


~~ Hobbes ~~


nasa earthrise


Earthrise over the Moon



NASA Image from http://www.nasa.gov






Hajime…. Tough morning, following a tough evening, complete with full PTSD breakdown…. Fortunately for me, one of the five or six people in the world to whom I can speak for more than two minutes without either wanting to strangle them, or, causing them to either want to strangle me, or run for their lives. was home, and answered the phone…. Some time spent talking, connecting to another human, did the trick for me; I was able to regain some composure, and, get to sleep…. finally.


Today, I’m feeling a bit ragged, and fragile, which only proves part of what we discussed last night, i.e. getting old not only sucks, but, damn it, there is no fucking manual! There are only our observations about getting old, seeing old folks live around us, to gather information, unless we actually discuss it with someone who’s been there, done that. Most of us don’t, because, hey, we’re immortal, right? Age will never get US!


And, just as it does to every one of us, age gets us anyway. Now, we must learn a whole new way to approach living, that involves considering the fragility of our physical bodies, which never before caused us a single moment’s worry, since everything in it worked the way it was supposed, and it never complained unless we took it too far, too fast…. Nobody says anthing, or warns us about this new path we must learn to walk; not only that, but, we have to walk it ourselves anyway….


What a system! I’m beginning to believe that maybe there is a God, and, He/She IS very human-like, because, if this world, and the way it seems to work, with humans in it, quite frankly could have been better designed by my five-year old grandson with his Legos.  The world as it exists today, with hairless apes infesting every corner of the globe, making  a mess of everything, well, it just doesn’t seem like it was very intelligently designed; it’s that, or God got ripped of by a dishonest construction crew, who ended up using flawed material for making US.


That said, why don’t we do something else, a bit less depressing, if nothing else. I know for sure today’s musical selection pass any inspection, and, there’s a fresh rant below that will take us a while to get through. So, we’ll forgo any further tricks or stories or bullshit, and just get on with it. Here is how that looks….


Shall we Pearl?….


“Don’t be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it’s just death.” — Lena Horne


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






bonnie (2)




Stock image via Google Images






Personally, I don’t feel the need to introduce this artist, or her music; she’s been here before. Add in the fact I’ve loved her music, and her public persona from afar from the first time I heard her sing. A voice like angel, plays guitar with style and great skill, and beauty great as the iconic Helen…. what’s not to love?….. Here’s a live concert from the Oakland arena in 1992, I believe…. I defy anyone to NOT enjoy this…. Abondanza!




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


















Bonnie Raitt Live


















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





























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




























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






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






We the People...




“Look at these three words written larger than all the rest, and with special pride never written before or since — tall words, proudly saying “We the people” .. these words and the words that follow …  must apply to everyone or they mean nothing.” — James T. Kirk, “The Omega Glory,” stardate unknown.


I would suggest you all gird your grids….


While standing in front of the heater a few moments ago, (it is cold & rainy), all of a sudden, I began to weep….. I didn’t even know why. However having experienced this state any number of times in the past 15 years, it really wasn’t a surprise, as much as a puzzlement, for, it usually happens only when I am feeling strong emotion, & at the moment, all I was aware of was feeling cold….


For the two or three hours previous to this event, I had been exchanging emails with friends, and making & replying to comments on WordPress. I had written a LOT about my view of how the world is progressing, as a whole, a subject which always tends to stir my emotions. I’m a passionate guy, when all is said and done, and, what I see all around the world definitely has the tendency to fan the flames of my anger, and frustration, at the number of people who are suffering oppression everywhere, including right here in this country, which touts itself as the world’s most ethical government, protectors of Liberty…. What a load of horse shit, from the world’s largest seller of arms!


Anyway, my passion also includes a very strong love of people, though to read what I write, that might not come through very often…. I love every one of the ridiculous-looking, overly impressed with themselves, mostly appallingly ignorant hairless apes that runs around this poor, old planet, leaving messes wherever they go…. Every one of them…. Well, except maybe, those who prey on the others…. For them, I reserve the same regard as do the Sun and Moon. i.e. I couldn’t care less if they live, or die; in fact, I’d prefer the latter, especially if they die screaming in terror. However, I do try to be merely indifferent to their fate.


I believe my love for Humanity is merely a way to acknowledge, to myself, the connection to all of them I share, with the planet, the moon, the sun,  stars, and all the other creatures and objects which exist in our complex, beautiful, and, oh, so dangerous Universe…. The danger, of course, comes from the simple fact the Universe itself doesn’t give a sorry shit whether any of us live, die, or go insane…. all of which we are periodically subject to.


I realized, as I stood before the heater, weeping, that I was weeping for Gaia…. for the planet, the people, and all the creatures in this world who suffer at the hands of Humankind, who are all paying the price for our insane entitlement, our lack of moral/ethical fiber, and our brutishly violent nature, complete with an ability to completely forgo the awareness of their own nature, or how they affect everything around them…. the stupid apes.


At this point my weeping turned to rage, & it was all I could do to keep from rushing out the door (after grabbing ALL my weapons….), heading for the nearest government or police agency, to begin the task of following the real wisdom in the old saying from an old friend (figuratively….)…. to wit:






HL Mencken




    Fortunately, for them, mainly, but, also for me, I managed to control the impulse, which is more than I can say about any of the politicians or police occifers (no worries, it’s a deliberate typo…. just a touch of sarcasm, don’t y’know?….), of my acquaintance or knowledge….. Instead, since Leelu, at the moment, is sleeping off a training session, I sat to write this piece for tomorrow….


Sometimes the urge to obtain a katana, a crossbow, and an Uzi, or similar tool, to take up the task of hunting I’ve dreamt of for so long is almost too strong to bear, or resist; so far, so good, though…. My choice of targets would be, of course, rather obvious, to any who read here often, as well as to the NSA, etc…. I’m sure, by now, those folks (note spelling) are well aware of my opinion of ALL of them, and their ilk…. so, there’s no need to go into that here. Let’s merely say I’m pretty positive I’d enjoy my hunting trip, should I ever actually LOSE my mind, and leave the house suddenly, sans all electronic devices, and, fully armed….


You see, I do know who is responsible for much of what is going on in the world. They’re actually pretty easy to spot, once one accepts their own nature; that is necessary to be able to see them, for they too accept theirs…. The difference is, they don’t have a certain set of neurons, or a gland, or whatever it is that helps us humans to control the beast within; in fact, they revel in their brutality, their cruelty, and their ability to lie, to create illusion, and take advantage of every other human alive. I, and, all too few others, who do have that gene (I settled on that word as the signifier of the most likely culprit for their lack of moral fiber), can see them, and, know very well how to be like them. The difference is, but, we refuse to do so….


“We, the people…” The men who used those words, and the words of the quote above from J.T. Kirk’s scriptwriters (doesn’t make the words less valuable, does it?) understood this about Humankind, and, made a valiant attempt to set up a system whereby those perverted, broken excuses for a human being would be unable to spread their lies, or influence the welfare of the general populace…. Unfortunately, I don’t believe they were aware of how lazy and stupid the average human can be, nor. the already ubiquitous power of the oligarchs then extant….


They did note the flaw after wards, and left warnings to future generations; Tom Jefferson is well-known for several statements warning Americans to stay informed, and to watch their government like hawks for signs of corruption…. For example:


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


But, not enough people listened, and most were too lazy, or busy ‘pursuing happiness’ to notice what was happening to their rights as citizens, while they were being steadily eroded, starting within hours of the signing of the Constitution. Thus, today, NONE of the rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights are intact; every one has been abrogated at least partially. Falsely generated flames of fear amongst the population now rage, caused by, and fanned by, that very government, in order to fool the people into giving up the last of those rights, to wit: the right to bear arms….


That final right has yet to be abrogated absolutely, at least in this country, where it has been protected for a long time, by the simple fact there are more guns among the populace than are in the hands of the government, and, they know it. So, the campaign to rid themselves of that threat has progressed slowly, by stages, as the elite use their control of media and elected officials to fan the flames of fear among those whom they have convinced it is too dangerous for people to have weapons;  so, according to those who foster these illusions, more, and more, and more regulation and control over weapons is needed “to protect society.”


Did you spot the lie in their story? I hope so, because too few people do…..


I’m tired; weeping, then ranting isn’t easy on a 65 year-old who’s been ignoring pain, and cat, for about an hour now…. To finish, I’ll end with a very old Pearl, one I’ve used many times in the past, long before I retired, or began writing this blog.This particular pearl was put together to honor the author from whom I learned the most about real thinking, just by reading his novels… He spent his 80-some years on Earth doing a lot of it, very well….


Plus, most of these give us an idea of not only how to resist the oppression we ALL suffer, but, how to go about living well, in spite of it….  I hope y’all think about every one of them, but, pay particular attention to the last three….


From 9/20/2012:


Here are some true pearls of virtual wisdom from the acknowledged Grand Master of Science Fiction…… arrogantly solipsistic, delightfully honest, absolutely moral according to whim, and eminently useful in pursuing a full life of honor and joy…..


“The only real sin is hurting others unnecessarily. All other sins are made up nonsense…. (Hurting yourself is not sinful, just stupid.)”  — Robert Heinlein


“A desire not to butt into other people’s business is at least eighty percent of all human wisdom… and the other twenty percent isn’t very important.”

“You butt into other people’s business.  All the time.”

“Who said I was wise?  I’m a professional bad example.  You can learn a lot by watching me.” –Dr. Jubal Harshaw — Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein


“Don’t store garlic near other victuals.” — from The Notebooks of Lazarus Long


“The two highest achievements of the human mind are the twin concepts of “loyalty” and “duty.” Whenever these twin concepts fall into disrepute — get out of there fast! You may possibly save yourself, but it is too late to save that society. It is doomed.” — from The Notebooks of Lazarus Long


“There is no conclusive evidence of life after death. But there is no evidence of any sort against it. Soon enough you will know. So why fret about it?” — Robert Heinlein


“The more you love, the more you can love — and the more intensely you love. Nor is there any limit on how many you can love. If a person had time enough, he could love all of that majority who are decent and just.” — Robert Heinlein


Last, but, far from least….. a statement that serves as an adjunct to Peruaosophy, and indeed, as part of the basis by which that philosophy was created…..


“Do not confuse “duty” with what other people expect of you; they are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect.


But there is no reward at all for doing what other people expect of you, and to do so is not merely difficult, but impossible. It is easier to deal with a footpad than it is with the leech who wants “just a few minutes of your time, please — this won’t take long.” Time is your total capital, and the minutes of your life are painfully few. If you allow yourself to fall into the vice of agreeing to such requests, they quickly snowball to the point where these parasites will use up 100 percent of your time — and squawk for more!


So learn to say No – and to be rude about it when necessary. Otherwise you will not have time to carry out your duty, or to do your own work, and certainly no time for love and happiness. The termites will nibble away your life and leave none of it for you. (This rule does not mean that you must not do a favor for a friend, or even a stranger. But let the choice be yours. Don’t do it because it is “expected” of you.) ” — Robert Heinlein






Dont keep calm




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






Comedy_Tragedy




    This one is from a morning much the one I’m having today, thus far…. I hope you enjoy it…. I didn’t, but, it fits….




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 no joy will ever soften,

accepting the price, added to the cost of desire.


~~ gigoid ~~








7/26/2013






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






ankh (2)




Naked Pearls



The World according to Zippy

    

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






“If our behavior is strict, we do not need fun!” — Zippy the Pinhead


“Your education has failed you if you have not learned forgiveness, compassion, and love.” — Zen Bee


“We want the facts to fit the preconceptions.  When they don’t, it is easier to ignore the facts than to change the preconceptions.” — Jessamyn West


“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not.” — Epicurus


“…and remember you’re a Man, not just god, and for you there aren’t and never will be any easy answers, only questions, and no reasons, only causes, and no meaning, only intelligence, and no destination  and no kindly magic smiling down from above, and no fires to goad you from below, only Yourself and the Universe and what you make out of the interface between the two equals.” — Keith Laumer, _Night of Delusions_


“Defeat never comes to any man until he admits it.” — Josephus Daniels


“All the magick of creation exists within a single, tiny seed.” — Magi


“If a person is to get the meaning of life he must learn to like the facts about himself — ugly as they may seem to his sentimental vanity — before he can learn the truth behind the facts. And the truth is never ugly.” — Eugene O’Neill


“Is he the MAGIC INCA carrying a FROG on his shoulders??  Is the FROG his GUIDELIGHT??  It is curious that a DOG runs already on the ESCALATOR.” — Zippy Bee


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


That’s it. That’s all I’ve got, and it’s more than I expected to be able to finish. So be it. Today’s closing has no ups, no extras. See y’all tomorrow, hopefully in a better space in my head, and in our Consensual Reality….. The one I found this morning doesn’t cut it; well try again tomorrow….




Y’all take care out there, 

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

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

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

   and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch










Dozer




À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Past, last fasts are finest kind….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				18			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




“Hmph! Seriousness. Hmph! Sobriety. A Jedi craves them not.”


~~ Yoda Bee ~~


moons of saturn


Saturn’s Moons, Aligned



Image from NASA via Space.com




Hajime…. Whew! Usually, as I sit to begin, I’m still half-awake. Today after half-a-cuppa, a visit to the throne, and a fast, hard 15 training session with Leelu (it seems to hold her for a while, if I feed her afterward…), I’m fully awake, if a bit out of breath…. She demands we move fast in the morning, as she’s been waiting for hours, no doubt, for me to wake up….. Ah, well, new routines always take time to feel comfortable with, so, so be it…..


With that being said, I’ve kinda messed up any nonsensical beginning; it also seems rather inappropriate to get too silly, or weird, after such a, well, realistic, if boring,  beginning…. As is my apparent habit, it has taken me only one and nearly a half paragraphs to lose my way. It’s a shame, really; I had this really strange, yet compelling opening all ready to go, then got distracted by Leelu to play, and, poof, out the window of my mind it went…. I guess I should shut that window….


Well, as long as we are this far down the page, I may as well wind this up and get on to the rest of the mess we’ve cooked up for y’all today. It’s not bad, as Pearls go; in fact, since some of it is from the archives, it should hold up quite well. Sometimes, it’s easier to poke holes in things when one uses an older style tool, from the days when brute force was our primary method of living…. Oh, wait…. Hmm. I guess I can’t say it WAS our primary characteristic as humans, because, as we see every day in the news, we still do violence quite well, and often…. Oh, well, there goes ANOTHER paragraph, down the tubes to oblivion….


Never mind. We’ll just employ one of our new toys, found in that drawer in the corner. The one we tried out before worked well, didn’t it? May as well try another one…. Let’s see what this little gadget, in such a nice, black color, will do when we push this button, marked, “Elsewhere”…..


Shall we Pearl?….


“I have tried marijuana, hashish, psilocybin, opium and heroin, but none of these have changed my way of seeing as much as has understanding the process of evolution by natural selection.” — purported J.B.S. Haldane quote


(Addendum: I must say, if J.B.S. found this to be true, he needs to find a new drug dealer; he’s getting ripped off….. Just sayin’…..)


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





baby-sleeping-on-puppy




Image stolen from FB long ago




As might be surmised from the picture, and, to balance the raucous video we enjoyed yesterday, we are going Classical. We start with Brahm’s Lullaby, then, follow it with nearly 12 hours of soothing music, designed to help babies sleep (like they need help…..). Whether or not it works, it IS soothing to listen to, which is fine with me today…. Enjoy!




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


















Brahm’s Lullaby Plus

















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































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




























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




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





We the People...




    I find myself spending a lot of the energy I previously put into ranting, by commenting on other WP blogs. Some of my recent comments approach the epic; so far, no one has objected, so, why not? It’s probably why I haven’t felt like letting it all out here, as is my habit. Feeling better gives me more opportunity for surfing the blogs I follow, so, this is, no doubt, a good thing… Since I have so many older rants in the archive, I figured, why not use them here? Indeed, “why not?” is a good question any time….


Here then is a rant suggested by WP at the bottom of yesterday’s post, in a blog from the LAST time we were working up to a Presidential election…. I made some observations then which are perfectly appropriate as a response to the upcoming charade; I found the comments I made regarding the GOP candidate from that year to be quite similar, in fact, eerily similar, to the entire GOP lineup of candidates in this year…. Go figure….


From 9/30/2012:


“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency back to bondage.” — Alexander Frazer Tyler (1748-1813), — The Decline and Fall of the Athenian Republic


It seems to me that we, here in America in the early 21st century, are just about at the selfishness phase(s). We’ve been using and squandering a large portion of the available resources of the planet now for quite a while, and apparently haven’t learned to play well with others yet, as a culture. In fact, I might even go so far as to say that we have entered the complacency stage, as we seem also to feel entitled to have so much, and share so little with the rest of the planet, which is a complacent sort of arrogance.


Elitist, to be sure. And in the election coming up in November, we have as one of the choices possibly the most elitist candidate ever to run for the highest office (though Reagan was no slouch at that….) (come to think of it, neither was Franklin Roosevelt, but he seemed to be able to put it aside, for the most part…. He wasn’t nouveau riche, you see; he still had some degree of noblesse oblige left in him….) Mitt the Twitt Romney is unapologetically elitist, and doesn’t seem to care who knows it, even the voters…..


“Whereas it has been known and declared that the poor have no right to the property of the rich, I wish it also to be known and declared that the rich  have no right to the property of the poor.” — Smart Bee


Even if we leave aside all the myriad of reasons that Mitt is unqualified for the position of POTUS, and, my use of the word myriad is both intentional and accurate, his sheer arrogance and lack of sincerity should be enough to convince people of his unsuitability for the office. There are literally thousands of reasons not to give this egregious fool such great power,  all of which indicate he would abuse that power from day one. But none of those reasons even matter…. to me, his greatest point of detraction is that he is, plain and simple, an asshole, or, as is sometimes used in lieu of that word, a dick….


Actually he is both an asshole and a dick, as those words are commonly defined. The running mate he chose is a perfect indicator of how little he cares about the voters, other than what they can do for him, not the other way around. Pauly, the Lyin’ Ryan is, if anything, a bigger asshole than Romney, though he might not be as big a dick, and is no more ashamed of it than his ostensible boss. Each of them is a bare-faced liar. Each of them displays the compassion and sincerity of a sub-lieutenant in Satan’s Army, on a good day. Each of them (Romney & Ryan) is motivated by simple greed, and the desire for power, and, of course, the wish to be handed the keys to the national treasury.


Both have been manipulating the system since their well-funded time in college; neither has ever even held a job that could be considered an actual job; they’ve been sucking at the public teat for their entire adult lives. Now, they are making their grab for the ultimate prize for a thief…. the keys to the national treasury, handed over by ignorant voters who buy into their lies, because they think that these two pieces of white bread will save them from the scary black man as President…. They are counting very heavily on the racist fears of part of the population to carry the tide of victory in their direction; moreover, they are feeding that fear as much as they can, with constant lies and misrepresentations, without even the illusory benefit of sincerity….


As we all know, I could rant about these two all morning, but there are things I need to do today, even though it is Sunday, and I don’t want to spend any more time stirring up shit, even though the shit is only what clings to the Republican ticket every time one of them opens their mouths to spit out another lie….. But, we’ll get on with the day, and try to find something more positive to do…. Just make sure y’all get out there and vote on November 6th, ffolkes, we need to show these assholes that there are more of us than there are of them, and we still have the vote on our side…..


“If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There may be no candidates and measures you want to vote for… But there are certain to be ones you want to vote against. In case of doubt, vote against. By this rule you will rarely go wrong.” — Lazarus Long


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





Comedy_Tragedy




    After the old rant above, only one of my poems is appropriate; it’s kind of silly, but, I like it. Why wouldn’t I?…..






Geezer to Congress, with Love


Politicos don’t care much ’bout seniors and their ilk,

except for their money, I thinks.

They talk as if they’d cozen them in silk,

what they actually do, it stinks.


“The banks are failing, we can’t allow that!”,

steal from the aged, that’s their plan.

“Their life’s ending, that’s plainly where they’re at,”

lie shamelessly, because they can.


Maybe just once, if we all act together,

it couldn’t miss.

Right on their shoes, no matter the weather,

take careful aim, and piss.


Why the hell not?

It’s worth a shot!


~~ gigoid ~~


12/23/2012




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





Yin-Yang-symbol-sun-and-moon




Naked pearls



A pearl of balance, about Life, lived well…


“Dream as if you’ll live forever.

Live as if you’ll die tomorrow.


~~ James Dean ~~


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


“It is hard to free fools from the chains they revere.”


~~ Voltaire ~~


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


“The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point

than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one.

The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.”


~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~


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


“Love all, trust a few.  Do wrong to none.”


~~ William Shakespeare ~~



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


Virtue could see to do what virtue would

By her own radiant light, though sun and moon

Were in the flat sea sunk. And Wisdom’s self

Oft seeks to sweet retired solitude,

Where with her best nurse Contemplation

She plumes her feathers and lets grow her wings,

That in the various bustle of resort

Were all-to ruffled, and sometimes impair’d.

He that has light within his own clear breast

May sit i’ th’ centre and enjoy bright day;

But he that hides a dark soul and foul thoughts

Benighted walks under the midday sun.


~~ John Milton — Comus, Line 373 ~~



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


“He who learns but does not think, is lost! 

He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.” 


~~ Confucius~~



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


“If you love the sacred and despise the ordinary,

you are still bobbing in the ocean of delusion.” 


~~ Lin-Chi ~~




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


“Be strange… it’s cool out there.”


~~ Hunter S. Bee ~~



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


“Dream as if you’ll live forever.

Live as if you’ll die tomorrow.


~~ James Dean ~~




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


Gee, that was fun…. Really, it was. But, it’s over now, so, in the words of Death from yesterday’s final pearl, I guess I’ll put the chair up, shut out the lights, & lock the door on the way out…. See y’all tomorrow, if they don’t shut off my power….. Bill’s paid, so we’re good to go….




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








Featured Image -- 5012




À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
A mess for all seasons….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				15			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




“Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.”


~~ Samuel Clemens, (Mark Twain) ~~


Galway Bay sea wall


Galway Bay Sea Wall, looking South East






Hajime…. Having daily examples as to the veracity and ubiquitous nature of Murphy’s Laws, it should’nt have surprised me this morning when he decided to make my title all-too-appropriate. As some of y’all know (because I haven’t explained in a while) the titles of these Pearls are NOT connected, in any way other than subconsciously to what takes place below them, in the blog itself. I create them before actually finishing the blog, when I’m preparting the email version to be sent out.


When creating a title, the primary characteristics I shoot for are two-fold. First, it must make little or no actual sense in reality; second, it should have nothing at all to connect it to the contents of the day’s post. That’s it. If it turns out to be a compelling phrase that actually brings new people in to read, simply because of its weirdness, so much the better. Once it is done, and typed into the subject line, THEN I go finish writing whatever parts of the Pearl aren’t done…. Simple, yes?


Today, however, about 30 seconds after writing it in the email, Murphy himself stepped in; I saw it. An invisible hand pushed a jar of magic cream over the edge of the table where my computer sits (I tend to keep it close by….), knocking it to the floor, where the lid flew off, and the cream flew out, spreading itself in a nicely formed splash pattern, all over the couch and floor, BETWEEN two parts of a shelf, where it was nearly impossible to reach….

Perfect place for me to ruin my back completely to clean it up….. SIGH…. He is SUCH an asshole!


However, I managed to get it cleaned up, in spite of the massive pain in my back, the curious cat, who had to investigate both the spill, and the cleanup process, closely enough to be in the way the whole time, and, the immensely painful, dangerous act of trying to get up from the awkward position on the floor needed to get AT the fucking mess…. Now, it has furnished me with WAY more than enough BS to fill up this intro, so, I suppose that would be the iconic silver lining all those assholes talk of all the time….


Fuck this. Let’s get to the oyster beds before somebody comes to the door, and I end up in jail for killing an innocent person, Not a great start to the day, I’d imagine…. Instead, I’ll employ one of our newest toys, which I found in an old cabinet, in a dark corner of the Tardis….. Looks old, but, serviceable…. I’m going to push this button, right here, marked, “Anywhere at all”…..


Shall we Pearl?….


“When we step into the family, by the act of being born, we do step into a world which is incalculable, into a world which has its own strange laws, into a world which could do without us, into a world we have not made. In other words, when we step into the family we step into a fairy-tale.” — G. K. Chesterton, Heretics, CW, I, p.143


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





beethoven




Ludwig van Beethoven



Image from dectrendsk.esy.es via Google Images




Even though most of the time I choose to ignore my training as a consumer, like every other American child, I was taught how to make decisions based solely on expediency….. I’m making one such today, simply because Leelu is trying to make it impossible to finish this post before taking an hour to play with her; she just wasn’t satisfied with the half-hour I already gave her…. She’s sitting, now, about four inches from the computer, staring at the screen, trying hard to be in the way….


SIGH…. That’s why you get this choice, because it was simple, and, you can take over the finding of any further selections for yourself, by following the link to the page on You Tube where this version of the Fifth lives…. Enjoy! I gotta go figure out how to get the next section done before she starts biting for attention….




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


















Beethoven’s Fifth

















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






























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




























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




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




All seems infected that th’ infected spy,

As all looks yellow to the jaundic’d eye.


~~ Alexander Pope ~~


~~ Essay on Criticism, Part ii, Line 358 ~~


buddah-out-to-lunch_s






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


This particular icon, which I stole from another blogging friend, isn’t often seen atop this section. But, this particular example of mindfulness and insight from Gautama Buddha, made its use mandatory. So be it…..


Let’s examine this assertion for its relevance in today’s world, shall we? Why not? We have little better to do than try to discover some of the reasons our world is in the throes of a desperate need for accepting change, for, if we do not, I suspect there is little hope for our entire species, as well as many others, to survive the coming century. Hopefully, we can find a consensus amongst the people of the world which will afford at least an opportunity to live through it, rather than merely more proof there isn’t any chance at all….


How, you may ask, do the words of the Buddha apply today? Well, let’s see….. Hmm…. Perhaps, the quote above the Buddha’s laughing face, by Pope, says, in essence, much the same as does the Buddha; the difference is only one of POV, and, perhaps, a matter of syntax, and, who the fuck cares about that?


We all SHOULD, of course, but, hey, nobody much even likes to say “syntax”, much less learn what it means, or how important it is to communication…. Humans are funny that way; if they don’t wish to learn something ( which is, in essence, denying their very nature, as the creature most able TO learn….)( Maybe….. Hard to say exactly what the dolphins have figured out already that we don’t…. They are the only ones on this planet with a bigger brain, comparatively….), they just WON’T. Perverse, as well as lazy, it seems….


Since we humans ARE lazy, and, I’m human, I’m going to change directions here. The concept under discussion is the human mind, and, how it works for us, essentially. The accuracy of Buddha’s observation, and understanding of that nature shows us, in an unequivocal fashion, how the world’s status today, in a state of inordinate chaos, in society, in government, in personal relations between people, has, at its root, this part of our nature, for it leads us to depend on the illusions and delusions we are taught from the cradle, to use expedience as a reason for acting, to using Ego to drive ALL of our social interactions, until the confusion reaches the point at which we see it, where nobody on the planet has any sort of peace….. not to mention the simple fact we are going to kill our entire species, taking thousands of other life-forms down with us, if we don’t change rapidly the way we are approaching life.


That said, it seems Smart Bee wants to place much of the blame on our theory, a badly mistaken one, that we NEED to be governed, for our own good…. Such bullshit! Let’s see what he/she/it found for us, rather than listen to my ranting any further, shall we? We shall….


“I believe that all government is evil, and that trying to improve it is largely a waste of time.” — H. L. Mencken


“The sense of justice springs from self-respect; both are coeval with our birth. Children are born with an innate sense of justice; it usually takes twelve years of public schooling and four more years of college to beat it out of them.” — Edward Abbey


“On a throne at the center of a sense of humor sits a capacity for irony. All wit rests on a cheerful awareness of life’s incongruities. It is a gentling a awareness, and no politician without it should be allowed near power.” — George Will


“A hand grenade exploded in a school of fish will supply food for days.” — U.S. Armed Forces Survival Manual


“Lawyers: the best argument against gun control..” — Fuckin’ A Bee


“Money confers the power to command the labor of others. Love of money is love of power. And love of power is the root of evil.” — Edward Abbey


“The “beast” is a myth we have created, a scapegoat, upon which we project the image of ourselves we are unwilling to acknowledge. When anyone behaves in a peculiarly unpleasant manner we tend to answer that he behaved “like a beast,” when the fact is, of course, that no beast every behaves so iniquitously as men frequently does… The myth of the beast is perpetuated from generation to generation. The result is a perversely distorted view of the nature of other animals, and a profoundly impoverishing failure to understand our true kinship with the rest of animated nature. So-called primitive peoples have never lost this kinship with other animals… Without the benefit of a Darwinian theory of evolution our technologically less advanced peoples in their creation myths and in their conduct toward the animal world exhibit a far deeper understanding of the interrelatedness of all living things than does so-called civilized man.” — Ashley Montagu,_The Humanization of Man_, 1962


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





Comedy_Tragedy




    Poetry-wise, today, I got nothin’. Here’s a poet damn near everyone has heard of, but, few have read, or appreciated, though she is responsible for the very nature of ALL the poetry we see today…. From a VERY LONG fucking TIME AGO, here is the poetess who began much of it all…..






He Is More Than a Hero 


He is more than a hero 

he is a god in my eyes– 

the man who is allowed 

to sit beside you — he 


who listens intimately 

to the sweet murmur of 

your voice, the enticing 


laughter that makes my own 

heart beat fast. If I meet 

you suddenly, I can’t 


speak — my tongue is broken; 

a thin flame runs under 

my skin; seeing nothing, 


hearing only my own ears 

drumming, I drip with sweat; 

trembling shakes my body 


and I turn paler than 

dry grass. At such times 

death isn’t far from me 


~~ Sappho ~~


circa 600 BC




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





A-laughing-girl-and-her-camel




    I couldn’t help myself. The picture is too perfect for today’s final pearl. You’ll need to read all of them before you will know why…. Tricky, I know, but, hey, works for me, eh? Enjoy, ffolkes. Oh, some of them may appear weird, or out of place. They’re not; just go with it, you’ll see…. Well, I hope….




**********


Know then thyself, presume not God to scan;

The proper study of mankind is man.


~~ Alexander Pope ~~


~~ Essay on Man, Epistle ii, Line 1 ~~


**********


“Most people prefer certainty to truth.” 


— Observant Bee


**********


“Then again, e=mc^2 may only be a local phenomenon.” 


— Einstein


**********


“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro…” 


~~ Dr. Hunter S. Thompson ~~


**********


“Healthy mindedness is inadequate as a philosophical doctrine, 

because the evil facts which it refuses positively to account for 

are a genuine portion of reality; 

and they may after all

be the best key to life’s significance.” 


~~ William James ~~


**********


“The things you can’t laugh at control you.” 


~~ Buddha Bee ~~


**********


“Take a dog for a companion and a stick in your hand.” 


~~ English Proverb ~~


**********


“Love is a dog from hell.” 


~~ Charles Bukowski ~~


**********


“‘T is but a part we see, and not a whole.”


~~ Alexander Pope ~~


 ~~ Essay on Man, Epistle i, Line 60 ~~




I like balance. Don’t you? Balance is good….


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


Having thus completed THIS duty, I can now go perform the next. That’s how it works; the completion of one duty provides the privilege of acting upon the next. Otherwise, it becomes hard to look one’s self in the eye each morning in the mirror…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, as long as the sun comes up again…. As I’ve said in the past, the odds on that are pretty good….




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




Featured Image -- 5012




À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Is late REALLY better than never?….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				18			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




“You can never beat anything that fights laying on its back.”


~~ Sifu Bee ~~


The Hunter Returns Home


The Huntress Returns Home with her Prey….




Hajime…. This is going to posted late; my body is making up for lost sleep time these days, I guess. I’m sleeping a lot, which is by no means a complaint. I’ll testify, anytime, anywhere, ’tis far better than the alternative of no sleep at all…. It means I’ll again have to adjust my hours of operation, which will annoy Leelu; cats are not good with changes to their environment, or routines, as we know. Ah well, what’s a few more scratches among the multitude, eh?


Golly, (and, isn’t THAT a fine old expression!), now I’m lost, both already and again. If it were a novelty, I could claim ignorance; since it’s not, I’ll just cop to it, and get on with the rest of today’s mess, such as it is. I spent much of the day yesterday thinking it was today; I guess all the Tardis use has gotten my time sense a bit skewed. Since that’s so, I’ll cut today’s intro short (Leelu is also demanding attention, which will slow this process a bit….)


I fired Luigi, and Guido, & sold the plane. We’re going to go with tech toys from now on, so, you may not notice the transitions so much; there is much less turbulence when traveling as molecular particles, though there IS always the (slight) risk of them not re-coalescing into the correct configuration; if you nose ends up where your belly button used to be, well, just file the forms when we get back, and it shouldn’t take more than a day of two for the charms to return you to normal….


That said, let’s get this slow on the toad….


Shall we Pearl?….


“Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live.” — Socrates


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





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




    I’m late, and, grumpy, for unknown reasons, so, we’re going with something soothing. Don’t know exactly what, but, it WILL be a classical piece. So be it.




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


















Symphony # 40 in G minor

W.A. Mozart

















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































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




























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




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




What you own is your own kingdom

What you do is your own glory

What you love is your own power 

What you live is your own story…


You don’t get something for nothing

You can’t have freedom for free 

You won’t get wise 

with the sleep still in your eyes

No matter what your dream might be.


 — N. Peart




buddah-out-to-lunch_s




    I decided last night to spare y’all the burden of another rant. The world, as we know it, has gone to shit, but, I don’t feel like talking about it today…. Instead,  I am reposting two items which are related. The first is a picture of The Desiderata, (Google is still there, if you don’t recognize it…. for the history of the document; you’ll see it below), to which I was first exposed during my first year of college, the same year I was introduced to the Tao Teh Ching, and the very great pleasure of wine-tasting and appreciation. At 17, and a long-time, voracious reader, all three had a very deep effect on me, and my future….


I’ve read, at times, and heard people say The Desiderata is not all its made out to be; it was only written in the first part of the twentieth century, AD, but, they say, it pretends to a much older wisdom, by its tone of positive assertion in all its pronouncements. To that I say, so what? As far as I know, the author never made a big deal about it; he admitted it was a summary of all humanity had learned about living, from one viewpoint only. I don’t give a shit what ‘they’ say; if it is merely a compendium, so the fuck what? Claiming it is so doesn’t alter the truth, or the wisdom, of any part of it I remember reading, so, I say it is the truth, verified by my own experience, in living a full life for 65 years, so far….


The second item is related because everything in it is a result of my experience, my reading, and, any degree of understanding I may have achieved about Life, and being human…. It’s Peruaosophy, of course, my own philosophy of what Doug Adams calls 42…. Life, the Universe, and Everything. I first wrote it at age 20 or 30, and have added only one axiom since that time. Regardless of any humorous expressions in it you may find, I am serious as a dead baby about trying to live according to these precepts….


Enjoy, ffolkes; if there is anything in Life that isn’t covered in one of these two documents, well, I just plain don’t know what it is…. Let me know if y’all think of anything, and, we’ll see if we can adjust it as needed…. You tell me. First, the Desiderata……





Desiderata.jpg




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



Peruaosophy


The wisdom of pearls…

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


Axioms


1)  I think I am; that’s close enough.


2) The nature of the Universe is Change.

Unpredictable, innovative transformation of Reality is the Norm.

If you have a problem with this, you’re in for a rough ride in Life.


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


4) Excellence is its own reward.


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


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


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


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


gigoid






For the record, upon re-reading, and in light of recent strengthening of a certain class of evidence, two letters in the above statements have been changed from previous versions, to make it more closely reflect my current thoughts on all of this….. Anyone spotting it, shh. Anyone who wishes to ask about which letters, may do so in the comment section below. Doesn’t mean I’ll tell you, but, it doesn’t really matter, as it won’t be going back to the way it was, and, if you REALLY must know, it’s been posted before, so, eventually, Google would find it for you, somewhere in the four years of my archives….




So be it.




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





Comedy_Tragedy




    I’m tired of my own poetry. Here is somebody else’s…. Don’t worry, I just wrote it so brusquely because I wrote it before picking anything…. Rather than putting on your metaphorical smarty-pants, though, put on the real ones…. You may need them….




The Statesman’s Holiday


I LIVED among great houses,

Riches drove out rank,

Base drove out the better blood,

And mind and body shrank.

No Oscar ruled the table,

But I’d a troop of friends

That knowing better talk had gone

Talked of odds and ends.

Some knew what ailed the world

But never said a thing,

So I have picked a better trade

And night and morning sing:

Tall dames go walking in grass-green Avalon.


Am I a great Lord Chancellor

That slept upon the Sack?

Commanding officer that tore

The khaki from his back?

Or am I de Valera,

Or the King of Greece,

Or the man that made the motors?

Ach, call me what you please!

Here’s a Montenegrin lute,

And its old sole string

Makes me sweet music

And I delight to sing:

Tall dames go walking in grass-green Avalon.


With boys and girls about him.

With any sort of clothes,

With a hat out of fashion,

With Old patched shoes,

With a ragged bandit cloak,

With an eye like a hawk,

With a stiff straight back,

With a strutting turkey walk.

With a bag full of pennies,

With a monkey on a chain,

With a great cock’s feather,

With an old foul tune.

Tall dames go walking in grass-green Avalon. 


~~ William Butler Yeats ~~




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





pearls_3




    This pearl is about mindfulness…. Trust me. Or, not; your choice. You are, after all, human, and that is the one and only power we have in this universe…. On that, trust isn’t required; it’s in your contract.




“Friends should be preferred to kings.”


~~ Voltaire ~~


**********


“There are two ways of teaching people:

You can teach them how to think, or you can teach them what to think.

Socrates taught people how to think,

Jesus taught people what to think….

and look what happened to them.”


~~ Mindful Bee ~~


**********


“It happens in an hour, that happens not in seven years.”


~~ Proverb ~~


**********


“Some days you eat the bear, and some days the bear eats you.”


~~ Ancient Sage Bee ~~


**********


“Descartes thought an animal, 

that couldn’t talk couldn’t think, 

or so he taught, 

but to surmise, 

my cat thinks otherwise.”


~~ sig of Glyn Hanton ~~


**********


 “I can do a score of things that can’t be done.  

I can find a thing I cannot see, and see a thing I cannot find.

The first is time, and the second is spots before my eyes.  

I can touch a thing I cannot feel, and feel a thing I cannot touch.  

The first is your heart, and the second is sad and sorry.” 


~~James Thurber, “The Thirteen Clocks” ~~


**********


“On the whole human beings want to be good,

but not too good and not quite all the time.” 


~~ George Orwell, collected essays ~~


**********


“Never contend with a man who has nothing to lose.”


~~ Baltasar Gracian ~~


**********


“Don’t let the same dog bite you twice.”


~~ Chuck Berry ~~




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


Boy, do I need a cat trainer! Ah, well, soon enough is soon, so, we’ll just take our leave now, so I can go treat these wounds from my rather annoyed 7-pound Princess/familiar…. See y’ll tomorrow, ffolkes, come what may…..




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








Featured Image -- 5012




À bientôt, mon cherí….





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Isles of Langerhans? No flights from here….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				2			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




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


~~ Erasmus ~~


Busy Leelu


Leelu, playing with her prey….






Hajime…. ‘Tisn’t often I forgo fooling around when I write. Hell, the whole idea of me writing is fooling around, if it comes to that. Which it has. Come to that, I mean. Therefore, and hence, today, I’m going to do the next best thing to promising NOT to do so, which is to just go ahead and fool around all I frigging want. See, I’m retired, and, as a retired American, old-fashioned variety, I can do whatever the fuck I please, as long as I keep what I do either legal, hidden, or, (for my own benefit), ethically sound. So, gird your grids, ffolkes, we’re goin’ in….


How was that? Any better than the usual crap? Ah, well, I kinda thought so myself….. It isn’t easy to do this EVERY DAY, you know. Perhaps, Y’ALL might try it someday; come up with an interesting opening, bright and charming enough, or compelling enough, to create the desire to keep reading in whomever may stop in to read. Only then can one realize they have completely fucked up, and have locked themselves into an activity which is pretty much guaranteed to drive one absolutely, fucking crazy, trying to do the nearly impossible….. No wonder daily newspaper columnists are considered the elite of the news rooms…


However, I’m the one who chose to do this, and, since the act of giving up isn’t an option for me, due to the strength of my earliest conditioning by the Sergeant and the Mom, (no, I don’t think of him like that; that’s what all the men he worked with in the Army called him, if no officers were around….), neither of whom would approve of abrogating a chosen duty. So, I’ll keep on muddling along, until a good reason to stop presents itself, whereupon I will have to go this entire process again…. Oh, joy….


Since I’ve now depressed even myself. perhaps we should just get on with the rest of today’s messiness….. That seems, to my limited perception, the only way to save this…. In fact, no Luigi, no Guido; I’ll just teleport all of us over to the oyster beds, and be done with it…. No need to hang on, or even put down your beverage; you won’t even notice, as I’ll use the newest toy in the Tardis to get us there; it’s pretty cool…. Watch this….


Shall we Pearl?….


“If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of potential — for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints; possibility never.” — Soren Kierkegaard


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





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




    Today’s musical selection is in the Classical genre, with a composer whose works comprise possibly the largest number of works, of every category, as anyone who ever composed misic. His music is familiar to almost everyone who has watched movies made since before his death in 1921, as many movements from his symphonies were, and are, used as background for many scenes in dramatic and comedic films. I’ve included below a link to his biography on Brittanica.com; he was an interesting man, who led a very full life, adding much to the best art and thought of humanity…. Hopefully, what I’ve embedded will be a collection of his music in 50 You Tube versions, which should play automatically once begun….  Enjoy!….














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


















Camille Saint-Saëns

















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































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



























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




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





le penseur-rodin




    I don’t have the chutzpah, or, any angst to speak of today, to write a rant/discussion, . Can’t say why; might have a lot to do with feeling decent for a change. Nor do I wish to burden y’all with another archived piece…. Whatever the reasoning, or reasons, I will, instead, limit this section to ONE graphic pearl, which just happens to be my favorite of all the memes and little pictures with sayings I’ve collected off the Net over the years…. This one is both a rant, and a discussion, all rolled up into one picture, and, a short verse from the Tao Teh Ching…. It’s all it needs, believe me….





Lao Tzu sez




Q.E.D.


Lao Tzu has spoken.


So be it.




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





Comedy_Tragedy




    I was looking through my poetry files, wherein I found one I haven’t used since 2013. It’s not bad, so, to allow my bones time to make more blood, after the new poem leaked out the day before yesterday (posted yesterday), I’ll use it today…. I hope you enjoy it. To some extent, it’s a metaphoric summary of my life, as it existed, so to speak, in that particular time….




Honorable Request


Days, filled to a brim with fluff and time, pass

dimly into memory, bit by combative bit;

ever mournful, yet loud with life and sass,

only in dream do we meet, and dance, and flit.


Souls, spinning ’round in gleeful wonder, comply

as they must, never given a reason;

somberly proper, yet limber and quite spry,

dancing on to greet each bright new season.


Storms, angered by apathetic care, rage

proceeding into ministerial glare, unknown;

clothed in colors, purified solely with sage,

past an infinite future, already flown.


Life, plumbed to its depths and secrets, keeps

flowing with currents, strong and fairly found;

love stands, asking release, as it slowly weeps,

seeking refuge unasked, to stay honor bound.


~~ gigoid ~~


10/13/2012




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





Yin-Yang-symbol-sun-and-moon




    My only possible comment on this pearl is “Wow”. You’ll note, please, I used that exclamation without the usual exclamation point; that is simply because it’s not THAT important. It is, however, a damn fine pearl, of, perhaps, my favorite sort, a random, harlequin pearl that created itself…. No apologies, but, you will definitely need to be on your mental toes for this one, ffolkes.


It’s strange, as it wanders into distant realms of thought, filled to the borders with truth and beauty; it also dives into the depths of human nature, where darkness, too often, has its way. But, it’s all fucking true, so, fucking pay attention, please?…. Besides, if you get it, you’ll also get a big surprise; something you were not expecting, but, will enjoy immensely…. Promise…. and, you know I don’t use that word lightly, ever…..




“But first, are you experienced?” 


~~ Jimi Hendrix ~~




“Real life is, to most men, a long second-best, a perpetual compromise between the ideal and the possible; but the world of pure reason knows no compromise, no practical limitations, no barrier to the creative activity.” — Bertrand Russell (1872-1967)


“Do not be afraid of enemies; the worst they can do is to kill you. Do not be afraid of friends; the worst they can do is betray you. Be afraid of the indifferent; they do not kill or betray. Yet only because of their silent agreement, betrayal and murder exist on earth.” — Bruno Yasienski, contemporary Soviet novelist


“As every thread of gold is valuable, so is every minute of time.” — John Mason


“Little girls, like butterflies, need no excuse.” — Lazarus Long, “Time Enough For Love”


“When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.” — African proverb


“I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.” — Frank Lloyd Wright


“In endowing us with memory, nature has revealed to us a truth utterly unimaginable to the unreflective creation, the truth of immortality….The most ideal human passion is love, which is also the most absolute and animal and one of the most ephemeral.” — George Santayana, Reason in Religion


“Socrates was in the right to insinuate, in his elegant Greek expression, that what is got over the Devil’s back is spent under his belly.” — Alain Rene Le Sage (1668-1747) — Gil Blas, Book viii, Chap. ix


“A wise man never loses anything, if he has himself.” — Michael de Montaigne — Essays, Book i, Chap. xxxviii, Of Solitude




“Hospes, ad hunc tumulum ne meias. 


Visitors, kindly do not piss on these bones.”


~~ Anonymous Roman epitaph ~~




buddah-out-to-lunch_s





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


Done, in spite of several complicating factors. So complicated, the act of completing this missive became more than just a small challenge. Having successfully navigated the winding course to bring us this far, I’ll perform now my best act of compassion of the day. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, if the Internet is still functioning…. Odds are good….




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








Featured Image -- 5012




À bientôt, mon cherí….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Laughing at faces in the dark….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				8			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,




“(Someone once said) …time is the fire in which we burn.”


~~ Soran, Star Trek: Generations ~~


12-13 latest 012


Leelu, casting protective enchantments….






Hajime…. Today’s mess is pretty messy, but, at least it’s all freshly made; it will take longer to begin to decay. Now, don’t go thinking that’s a dig at my own ‘stuff’; it’s just realistic. Everything decays with time; that’s how existence in this universe works. Nothing escapes the changes made mandatory by nature’s duality; light cannot exist without the dark. Nor can there be life without death. Or, as Yul Brynner once said, “Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera….”


If you had never been dead, how would you know you are alive?…. Answer that, and, you will understand…. Change is the one thing in this universe that will NOT change; entropy exists, and will not be denied. Moreover, no matter what any religious philosopher tells you, a supernatural creator is NOT necessary to explain any part of how the entire universe behaves, even if we don’t fully comprehend how it works…. Why should it be? Everything there is to perceive, that we CAN perceive with our meager five senses, is right out there, just there, waiting for us to perceive it…..


Okay, so, now we’ve eliminated the logical justification for most of the religions in the world, how should we round out the morning? Maybe a shot or two at the insane fallacies inherent in believing, as humans, we need a government? I’m not entirely sure I can come up with quite so damning an indictment as the one in the first two paragraphs; not in as few words, anyway. I think it’s pretty fair to say it isn’t easy to dismiss the relevance of the belief systems of 90% of the world’s population in under a hundred words; I’m positive I won’t be able to do it twice in a row, especially since, now, this paragraph has gotten involved in the whole issue, adding way too many useless, irrelevant words, in support of, (or, more likely, in search of….) rational thinking.


That said, to little purpose, as is our habit, I suppose we ought to think about wandering down to the meat of today’s material; it may not be lobster, but, it ain’t chicken!


Hmm…. Okay, it’s worse than I thought, ffolkes. We’d best be on our way, before anything untoward takes place….. I mean, other than merely being here, being weird, etc….. You know what I mean, and, if you don’t, so much the better for me and Luigi, who is driving today….


Luigi… Luigi! Damn it, he’s drunk again! Oh, well, it was probably Guido who got him that way; Guido loves to fly, and he’s not above screwing a friend (not my definition, his….) to get a chance to fly this bucket o’bolts…. Something about hours on retro planes, & his rep….. Any who, he’s already boarded, and going through the checklist, so, we’ll be on our way tout suite…. if my French is correct. If not, well, that’s okay; the only place I’ve ever spoken it is in the kitchen…. There’s the no-smoking light, so, see ya at the oyster beds, if we all live through it again….


Shall we Pearl?….




“We must become new people or be satisfied the way we are.

 Either way we risk tragedy. 

But by the first we choose life.

 By the second we choose death.”


~~ Corita Kent ~~




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





SRV




Stevie Ray Vaughan


Image from guitarworld.com via Google Images




Today’s video selection isn’t very long; considering the quality of what you’ll hear and see, I can’t help wishing it were longer. However, since Stevie plays just about the hottest licks I’ve ever heard, as he totally KILLS this song, we’re gonna play it anyway…. Any true fan of guitar work will be jazzed at this one….. By following the link to the page where I found it, you can hear lots more of Stevie, along with a number of other most excellent performers, with whom he played prior to his unfortunate early demise…. This, as we are wont to say ’round here, be some good shit, ffolkes….







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


















STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN

 VOODOO CHILE

















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































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



























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




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





Dont keep calmWe the People...




“All history shows that every man who has authority is led to abuse it; he does not stop until he comes up against limitations…Things must be so arranged that one authority checks another.” — Montesquieu


The men who founded this country, based upon the ideas brought forth in the document you see above, obviously knew the principle, and flaw in human nature, outlined so clearly in this statement by Mssr. Montesquieu. The government they formed was designed in such a way, each of the three parts, Executive, Legislative, and Judicial, acts as a check to the power and authority of the other segments. It is an excellent design, with only one flaw, which the oligarchs spotted immediately…. That flaw can be most simply stated thus: The success of the system designed will fail if even one segment falls under the influence of outside interests. If ever one branch of the triad becomes corrupted, that corruption WILL spread to the others.


Guess what, ffolkes….. This process, corruption of the US governing bodies, began within HOURS of the signing of the final copy of the Constitution. Jefferson, Paine, Franklin, and others, took note, and wrote letters showing they were concerned at how banking interests had already made inroads into the corruption of elected officials…. In short, the battle between the people, and the oligarchy, began more than merely 200 years ago; the cause of its continued presence in our lives can be laid at the feet of the people themselves, as far, far too many of them never paid attention to the single most critical factor in assuring the defense of their legacy of freedom. They did not, and still do not, keep themselves informed as to what their leaders are up to….


“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


Oh, it’ not all their fault, of course. The people who have usurped the halls of government are quite adept, having long experience, at keeping the general public unaware of their activities, in back rooms and alley ways, behind the curtains and closed doors, where they do their best work at corrupting officials. They have the complete assistance of every religious organization, too, all of which preach obedience to authority, whether it be secular, or religious….


From the cradle, people are conditioned to accept the words and ideas of their ‘elders’ and ‘teachers’, and ‘leaders, none of whom ever even KNEW the truth of Reality, but, have blindly passed on their own brainwashing to their children, without ever having looked at any of the concepts upon which they have based their lives, to see if it has any actual truth…. Those who do know the truth behind the lies, and tell them anyway, are, in my consideration, the very scum of the earth….


“All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.” — Thomas Paine


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


When these two entities work together, as they have throughout the greater part of human history, most people really don’t stand a chance. Their brainwashing begins the moment they are born, as their own parents begin teaching them the delusions upon which their entire lives are based, to wit: money exists as more than just an idea, and is more important than people; second, they are taught there is a supernatural authority, which insists all of us believe whatever we are told, about it, or the world, without ever testing those ideas against reality, and what we actually know inside ourselves….


It’s small wonder the world we live in is in the state we find it today; the hairless apes have been having running around the planet for millennia, making a mess of things, as they have attempted to reconcile the bestiality of their nature, with the potentially civilizing power of their intellect and imagination. It is becoming increasingly obvious, every attempt made has been more than just a little disappointing…. As Arthur C. Clarke once observed, their is no evidence available which proves there is ANY survival advantage attached to intelligence…. not as we have employed it…. Now, it is just about time to pay the piper, and, sadly, almost nobody has even read the contract.


I think that’s probably enough for one morning; the people who need to see this will never do so, which leaves the only reason to keep on ranting as the desire to indulge my own need to purge my mind of this dross and drivel. I believe I’ve gotten enough onto the page to defray the cost of any angst built up…. I’ll finish this with a short set of pearls, a bracelet, as it were, all of which will have something to say on these matters….


See ya down the page a ways, ffolkes; please, if you take nothing else away with you today, let it be the resolution to wear your thinking caps all the time, and, encourage others to do the same. It may be the only chance we all have to see in the next century, as a species….




**********


“Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad.”


~~ Euripides ~~


**********


“He who is bent on doing evil can never want occasion.” 


~~ Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 459 ~~


**********


“It is wrong always, everywhere and for everyone to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.”


~~ W. K. Clifford, British philosopher, circa 1876 ~~


**********


“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 ~~


**********


“Human beings don’t live like this.”


~~ Humanist Bee ~~




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





Comedy_Tragedy




Measures of Intent


Hell is never far away; it slips in, then out,

like a ninja, bent on stealth, and death.

Life metamorphoses, in the space of a breath,

sordid entropy fills us, within, and without.


Tide turns again; back and forth it tumbles,

like those little wind up toys, yet never stays.

All our efforts, all our silly little ways,

disappear like seaweed, as sanity crumbles.


The duality of reality in which we are firmly caught,

seems to inhabit every part of our natural selves.

Nothing is ever still, nor can it be placed on shelves;

we are dark, and light; balance must be taught.


Life is lived only one moment at a time,

past and future have no power to alter this at all.

We can choose to fly, or choose to fall;

finding truth, and beauty, can never be a crime.


~~ gigoid ~~


12/14/2015




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





buddhacat




    Today’s final offering brings most welcome balance to the entire Pearl; note, please, we began in Fire; now, we end, in Fire….. Not bad for serendipity, eh? Not that we’d wish to come to depend on it, but, it is certainly most welcome when it appears…. Enjoy this one, ffolkes, I did, and do, strange as it is. I forget where exactly I got the picture, though I’m pretty sure it was stolen from Facebook long ago; it is here today because, well, it just works….




Oh Rose, thou art sick;

The invisible worm

That flies in the night,

In the howling storm,

Has found out thy bed

Of crimson joy;

And his dark, secret love

Does thy life destroy.


~~ William Blake, “Songs of Innocence” ~~




“Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors and miss.” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love”


“As you are, so shall you wish. As you wish, so shall it be.” — Pensive Bee


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


“There is no greater delight than to be conscious of sincerity on self-examination.” — Confucius Analects


“If anything is certain, it is that change is certain. The world we are planning for today will not exist in this form tomorrow.” — Philip Crosby, Reflections on Quality


“PRESENT, n. That part of eternity dividing the domain of disappointment from the realm of hope.” — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”


“As long as we’re going insane, we might as well go the whole way. A mere shred of sanity is of no value.” — Realistic Bee




Avarice, envy, pride,

Three fatal sparks, have set the hearts of all

On Fire.


~~ Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy ~~




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


Well, as Ollie used to say to Stan, a lot, “This is another fine mess you’ve gotten us into!” It is, no doubt, a good thing, from more vantage points than I care to contemplate just now. In fact, it is also, no doubt, a good idea we are at the close, else, we would be in more of a mess than we are now.


I believe that statement can only be followed by a Q.E.D. So be it. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; mark it down, if you don’t trust your memory, because, I like people to have a little warning before I mess with their heads…..




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








Featured Image -- 5012




À bientôt, mon cherí….