Tag Archives: Zen Buddhism

Even aged literati won’t bow or scrape before six….

Posted on by
29

Ffolkes,
At 0607 in the morning, I don’t expect my reaction time to be at maximum, nor am I be surprised to find my mind less than fully awake and prepared for immediate use, at least not for any use of sustained duration, or of a complex nature. But, it is a bit embarrassing to sit here and watch the screen-saver come on, while vacantly staring at the screen, and to still be frantically searching the empty, echoing corridors of my thus-far uninspired mind for an opening statement or idea. I have the screen saver set to come on after 3 minutes of no user activity, so I am forced to admit that I sat here and blankly stared for at least that long. Pathetic…..

On further reflection, however, I can see that having the screen-saver pop on has acted as some sort of release, or stimulation, if you will, and the words are now flowing. I guess serendipity comes in different colors and shapes after all…. whatever the case may be, I’ll take it.

I’ve learned not to question such little gifts from the universe; if I did, they might cease to happen, and so far, they’ve been responsible for some of my best work (and, in fact, have often been responsible for the creation of ANY work at all…..). Now, if I could only see what to write about next, I’d be good to go…… can’t have everything, I suppose. As Steven Wright said, “Of course you can’t have everything. Where would you put it all?”

Since I already lack sufficient storage space, we’ll just get on with the business at hand….. shall we Pearl?…
___________________________________

We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. — Proverb

This is the sort of pearl that is much, much deeper than it appears at first glance. (Note: It seems common to find the most complex and deep issues described or related in very short sentences. Hmm…. probably something to do with K.I.S.S., which the universe believes in strongly…) Applied as a metaphor for human interactions with reality, the proverb assumes an even greater degree of relevance, as it implies both choice and hope. Both are always present, but not always in view; such aphorisms as this can help one to find where they are standing, hidden in plain sight…

It is clear to most by now that reality does not adjust to our desires; any adjustments made must be on our part, as we have absolutely no power to change any aspect of reality other than our response to it. A hard lesson, one that many never learn, or come to terms with, and one which guarantees they will find life to be one long struggle, as they spend their days in doomed attempts to make what is into what they wish it to be. To use the analogy provided, they never learn to trim the sails of their vessel, and find themselves constantly fighting with, and cursing, the wind, never realizing their own lack of understanding is what sends them into uncharted waters.

Thus, from simplicity does great wisdom arise; to reach our desired destination in life, one must learn to trim and adjust the sails of our vessel, to make the best use of the wind that the universe sends in our direction. Or, more plainly, we can only make changes to ourselves, not to reality. Learning this one simple lesson can turn a life out of balance completely around, and give it the direction and stability it has ever sought, enabling the most troubled soul to sail into the light, and out of the darkness that engulfs those who argue with reality…..
___________________________________

“I think the sky is blue because it’s a shift from black through purple to blue, and it has to do with where the light is.   You know, the farther we get into darkness, and there’s a shifting of color of light into the blueness, and I think as you go farther and farther away from the reflected light we have from the sun or the light that’s bouncing off this earth, uh, the darker it gets … I think if you look at the color scale, you start at black, move it through purple, move it on out, it’s the shifting of color.  We mentioned before about the stars singing, and that’s one of the effects of the shifting of colors.” — Pat Robertson, The 700 Club

At last! The true, unacknowledged, but obvious, proof of how the concept of Christian Science came to be…… This has to be one of the finest examples I’ve ever seen of a man who, a) had no idea when he started to speak of what he meant to say, and b) opted to “fake it” and just make something up. Pat has apparently been listening to his own hype, and is convinced that, if it comes out of his mouth, it must be divinely inspired….

I imagine that the God that Pat claims to speak for lets him get away with shit like this because He is too busy laughing His divine Ass off to do anything about it. No point in throwing the lightning bolt too long after the causal event; no one would get the lesson. Plus, why give up such a cheap form of entertainment?….. It’s not like Hee Haw, or Laugh In, is still on the air….. and I imagine even God needs a break every so often from listening to Pat, or Oral, or Jim-boy, to keep from frying them in their tracks on live TV…. even He thinks twice about scaring the cattle, er, paying customers, er, congregation……
___________________________________

“The greater your need to make a good catch, the greater the probability your partner will deliver his worst throw.  (If you can’t touch it, you can’t trick it.)” — The Ninth Commandment of Frisbee — Dan Roddick

Ah, sweet memory! I’ve previously mentioned my status as a hippie, forged during the late 1960’s in Berkeley, at the UC where I attended post-high-school. My life and times in the birthplace of hippie culture during this era of societal change imbued me with a true and complete set of hippie skills and attributes. I play guitar and sing folk music. I wear my hair long. I am politically active, dedicated to peace, brotherhood, and love. And, I am a master of the Frisbee. Well, used to be. Now I’d probably throw myself into a world of hurt if I even made the simplest toss, even if I warmed up first. But, back in the day, (what does that mean, exactly? Which day?….. slang is funky sometimes….) trick catches were one of my specialties, and I can attest to the accuracy of the Ninth Commandment.

One of my best tricks involved a softly hovering throw that approaches the catcher on a level about waist high. I would first kick the disc in the center, on the fly, knocking it straight up, but keeping it spinning in a hover. I’d then step under it, and bump it as it came down, right in the center again, with the top of my head. It went up again, and as it came down, still spinning, I’d strike it with one finger, again in the center, to send it back up again. On the fourth time the disc descended, I would catch it on one finger, in the center, and watch it spin there until I flipped it up and grabbed it with a flourish, or just let the spin run out and let it hang on the finger as it stopped.

In reading back over that passage, I can see that it would definitely be more impressive to see than it is to read…… but, it sure felt good when I nailed the trick, and it invariably impressed any girls in the vicinity; at 19 or 20 years-old, that was key….. especially if I hit the immediate throw back to my compatriot with a double-skip, right to his moving target…. Always a crowd-pleaser, the double-skip…
___________________________________

A programmer from a very large computer company went to a software conference and then returned to report to his manager, saying: “What sort of programmers work for other companies? They behaved badly and were unconcerned with appearances.  There hair was long and unkempt and their clothes were wrinkled and old. They crashed our hospitality suite and they made rude noises during my presentation.”

The manager said: “I should have never sent you to the conference. Those programmers live beyond the physical world. They consider life absurd, an accidental coincidence. They come and go without knowing limitations. Without a care, they live only for their programs. Why should they bother with social conventions?”

They are alive within the Tao.

Yesterday, a short discussion was posted here on the subject of hacker culture, and the myths and philosophy popular among those who program computers, the ones who write the programs the rest of us use every day…. This pseudo koan exemplifies the type of thinking that permeates the culture, perfectly describing how true hackers see themselves.

As a group, hackers are highly educated in comparison to the general population, and share a certain predilection for science fiction and fantasy literature and media, mythology, philosophy, (particularly Zen Buddhism and Taoism), and properly spoken and written English (very important in computer programming; computers are VERY literal, and precise use of the language is a key element of creating successful programs, i.e. programs that actually perform as requested….) Hacker jargon assumes a deep knowledge of the subjects pertinent to them, and shows not vicious, but amused disdain for “normals”. Ambitions among hackers involve successful hacks, or writing the code for a major OS, or some other piece of programming that achieves industry-wide acceptance and acclimation; to become a demi-god is the ultimate goal, one whose name is familiar to anyone who writes code.

Contrary to many segments of society at large, where too much education creates mistrust, and the most admired qualities are simplicity and acquiescence to being average, in hacker culture, complexity, elegance, wit, a defiant roguishness, and strong math skills are qualities admired by all, and the status of demi-god is sought after assiduously by every individual who considers themselves to be a true programmer…. and demi-gods aren’t required, or expected, to act like normal folks….

“The computer programmer is a creator of universes for which he alone is responsible. Universes of virtually unlimited complexity can be created in the form of computer programs.” — Joseph Weizenbaum, _Computer Power and Human Reason_
__________________________________

“And if it please you, so; if not, why, so.” — William Shakespeare (1564-1616), The Two Gentlemen of Verona — Act ii, Sc. 1

Okay, so we all know how Will the Thrill failed to make my most wanted list by now, so I won’t go into that. But, more evidence in my argument’s favor keeps cropping up, and this is a fine example. Though I know it is likely a bit clearer if taken in context to the surrounding action in the play, still, this line is just about as obscure as can be. I’m certain that the reaction from the audiences who first were exposed to this was the same as mine; I immediately thought, upon reading it, “HUH? What did you say?” My next thoughts were, in approximate order, “Let me outta here! I’m late for an appointment! I hear my mom calling! I’m on a mission from God! Anything! Just don’t make me listen to that again!”

Perhaps I can make myself clearer re: this opinion by making a small analogy. If Will The Middle English Thrill were alive today, who do you think he would most resemble, in terms of his fame, his literary and/or entertainment skills and accomplishments, and his overall status as a celebrity?  In my inner eye, a picture of Michael Jackson and Madonna fight over who is to pop up first. That frightening image is replaced by Stephen King, which is even more frightening. In a final attempt to find an acceptable comparison that is also accurate enough for my purposes, my third thought was “Aha!” followed by an old image of Yoko Ono sitting with John Lennon on a white bed….. I suppose John Lennon isn’t such a bad comparison, but Yoko Ono? Please… spare me…. and please spare me from any more Shakespeare…. that overblown twit….
___________________________________

Well, it’s another fine mess I’ve created here, now, isn’t it? Fear not, I’m nothing if not accommodating; you’ll find a box of handi-wipes by the door as you leave the building. I’ve found it to be a well-appreciated amenity after sessions such as this one. Just remember, please, to dispose of them in the proper receptacle, also placed near the exit door for your convenience, and painted a bright orange so you can’t miss it…..

In the words of the prophet, ta ta, then, luvs….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Don’t tease the aardvark, Barnaby. It might moult….

Posted on by
2

Ffolkes,
Hard times require hard measures…. not sure what that means, but that’s what came out when I started to type, even though I intended to type something else. I wonder who’s hijacking my fingers now…..oh well, that one little incident seems to have been it. I guess I have a poltergeist with a problem finishing what they start; a few neuroses in a ghost are to be expected. It’s got to be a hard existence, what with all the moaning, and manifesting to scare children. It can’t be easy for a delicate sort, as some seem to be. I mean, look at what happened to Carrie!…..maybe we won’t go there….. let’s just get on with it, shall we?…..
___________________________________

“There are hidden contradictions in the minds of people who “love Nature” while deploring the “artificialities” with which “Man has spoiled ‘Nature.'” The obvious contradiction lies in their choice of words, which imply that Man and his artifacts are _not_ part of “Nature”– but beavers and their dams _are_.” — Robert A. Heinlein — Time Enough For Love

True, but some of Man’s artifacts are somewhat destructive to the rest of Nature; this was not as apparent when Heinlein wrote this as it is today. In the 40 or more years since this book was first published, a lot more evidence has been gathered that shows just how destructive we humans can be. When the book first came out, there was a strong belief in society that science would be able to overcome the problematic toxicity of our machines and their fuels; this has not proved to be true.

Oh, it could be true; there are scientific solutions available for the problems we have engendered. Unfortunately, no one has figured out how to make it profitable, so the beloved ruling class, who are unwilling to share any of their income, or lessen their profits, have blocked and/or buried any research that showed any promise of being able to replace the internal combustion engine, and its dependence on a limited supply of fuel.

Ensign Heinlein had a strong belief in Science, educated as he was at Annapolis, the US Naval Academy, where he attended at the same time as L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. During his lifetime, mankind had gone from the first tentative flights through the air to the development of nuclear power, and culminating in the first lunar landing, the first time a man had walked on another world. This panorama of scientific endeavor gave him a very strong confidence in the power of science; no problem cannot be solved using the scientific method of inquiry, in his mind.

What he failed to account for in his calculations was that mankind would come to ignore science, and the warnings of planetary pollution that scientists have been giving out for years. The avaricious powers-that-be cannot bestir themselves to care what happens after they are gone, or what may happen to anyone else at all. As long as they have their creature comforts, and the power to keep the rest of humanity in thrall, then there will be no scientific effort to solve any problems. All there will be, in the final analysis, is a world empty of life, cold and barren…..

“As for courage and will – we cannot measure how much of each lies within us, we can only trust there will be sufficient to carry through trials which may lie ahead.” — Andre Norton
___________________________________

My guard stood hard when abstract threats too noble to neglect
deceived me into thinking I had something to protect.
Good and bad I defined these terms, quite clear, no doubt, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then; I’m younger than that now.
— Bob Dylan

I was happy to come across this little poem from the song of the same name; I had forgotten just how powerful Bob’s poetry can be. The poetry he wrote at times got overlooked by the music that he composed to display it; it made a good song, but that detracted somewhat from the message of the verses. It must have been hard for Dylan, to become so popular, but for what to him was the wrong reason, as people gushed over his songwriting, but not his message.

I remember an anecdote from an article I read on Dylan…. Perry Como was taping a special for television, but had a little problem with the studio piano player assigned to the taping. The musician kept adding arpeggios and other esoteric musical techniques to the sheet music, making it fuller and more interesting, jazzing it up, so to speak. But, it was driving Como crazy, as he tended to be rather straightforward and bland in his music. He said to the player, “You’d better quit adding all that stuff to the music. You’re never going to amount to anything in this business!” The player, of course, was a young Robert Zimmerman, aka Bob Dylan, destined to become one of the seminal forces for change in modern music, a man who is considered responsible for much of the originality of rock and roll, R&B, and jazz, by leading the way into the future with the power of his poetry, and his music……
___________________________________

“In comparison with heaven and earth, man is like a mayfly. But compared to the great Way, heaven and earth, too, are like a bubble and a shadow. Only the primal spirit and the true nature overcome time and space.” — Lu Yen (fl. 800 A.D.)

I’ve said it before, and it bears repeating: there were a lot of folks back in the days before the world got distracted by the alleged Christian messiah; folks who thought with great clarity, who were in touch with, and sought answers to the deepest mysteries of the universe. This statement is very close to the idea of the conservation of energy, which is commonly accepted to be a fact of natural law; this merely approaches the concept through the back door, instead of the front.

It makes me wonder sometimes just how accurate the pictures we have come to accept about cultures that existed long ago; the philosophers of the time seem to have had ample leisure time to formulate the ornate, complex philosophies that we have as legacy from those days. I had always thought that people who lived then needed to spend a lot of time securing the basics, such as food, clothing, and shelter. I can see now, though, that my impression was erroneous, at least for those who lived in the urban centers of the time. I’m glad I was wrong; the legacy left us from those days is deep and precious; we would not have the level of culture we have without the wisdom of the ancients…..
___________________________________

Roses are red,
Violets are blue
Some poems rhyme
But this one doesn’t.

A perfect example of the kind of poetry that I write. Short but stupid, yet with a certain charm for all that. Actually, I can write poetry okay, especially haiku, but it never comes up to scratch, not in my mind. I don’t always know good art, but I know what I like, and my poems mostly don’t cut it. C’est la vie! One can’t excel at everything; I just wish poetry was one area of expertise that I could master, at least better than I do. But, I’m okay with it; I’d much rather try to emulate Hemingway than Shakespeare. Just more my type of guy…..whatever that means…..
___________________________________

After enlightenment, do the laundry. — Zen proverb

Now, that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Sheer genius! Sheer poetry! Four words, a mountain of meaning. This is the kind of koan that is almost guaranteed to take one down into the deepest part of the mind, and keep you there until you reach enlightenment. Layer after layer of meaning; my kind of Pearl! Today, I’m feeling a bit lazy, so I will leave the actual proof of this proposition as an exercise for the Gentle Reader…. treat it with respect; true wisdom can bite if angered…. we all know this, because it’s one of those experiences that everyone has to go through in life; how we react to that can determine the direction of one’s entire future, so it becomes a matter of survival to honor truth…. and don’t forget to take the soap with you to the laundromat…..
___________________________________

Thus we come to the end of another day’s work. Of course, the day is yet to really start; it’s only around 0730. But, with the messed up schedule my brain has settled on, I’m up at 5, ready to rock, so that has become the part of the day when I write the most. It seems to work out fairly well, it’s just a little strange to be ready for a nap at 10:00 am. Ah well, so be it; it’s not like I have to be anywhere important. I can truthfully say, as a now experienced retiree, that retirement certainly has its advantages, as well as disadvantages. But the power over my schedule rests solely in my hands, and that is indeed a dizzying power. And hey, if you’re sleepy, go to sleep, I always say. Really, I do; ask anybody…… y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Parsing algorithms at the Sign of the Four….

Posted on by
Reply

Ffolkes,
Often times the words flow freely, tripping out lightly to rest momentarily before someone’s eye, then fluttering away to tease and please the children playing nearby. The flow grows, and the the pace increases, the words assume more urgency, more passion, more, more, more, until they are practically exploding onto the page, assaulting the eyes demanding meaning, scaring the children as they rush by, intent on mayhem. The flow then slows, reassumes the passive, lazy feeling of a late summer day, long lemonade in hand, with the only purpose of killing time, killing it so well, no charges are brought. But then, for some reason, the flow stops…… and I take another sip of coffee…..let’s dive in, shall we?…..
___________________________________

Soon as the evening shades prevail,
The moon takes up the wondrous tale,
And nightly to the listening earth
Repeats the story of her birth;
While all the stars that round her burn,
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.
— Joseph Addison (1672-1719) — Ode

I don’t have any comment here, not of any great profundity. I just like this poem, for several reasons that are too personal to go into just now; it would take too much time, trying to explain something that I don’t fully understand within myself in a way that would be understandable to others. This actually happens a lot to me when I am judging art; I  don’t know much of anything about painting, or sculpting, or the finer points of writing poetry, only what I’ve read. But I do know what I like, and what I don’t, so I just go by that, and let the rest take care of itself as best it can….and I know I like this poem…….you enjoy it too, so this won’t be a complete waste of our time together, what?….
___________________________________

“I, for one, do not think homosexuality is the latest advance over heterosexuality in the scale of human evolution. Homosexuality is a sickness, just as are baby-rape or wanting to become head of General Motors.” — Eldridge Cleaver

While I can in no way agree with Eldridge’s opinion on homosexuality, I do agree with his definition of sickness, one that goes beyond the usual defined parameters of the concept of sickness, past the physical into the behavioral. Pedophilia can, I think, be placed in the category of something that everyone recognizes, as an abnormality that produces behavior that is extreme, to put it decorously. Unfortunately, we also have another subset of humanity that engages in avarice and power-seeking in the extreme, who have somehow convinced most of the rest of humanity that they are not only not sick or broken, but are just the type of folks that anyone could want in a position of responsibility.

Now, obviously, that’s a crock of BS. No rational person would ever consider taking the reins of power over others without serious doubts as to their ability to do the job well; such jobs preclude any but the most serendipitous results by their very nature. But, to those folks who want that power, it is their ticket to ride the gravy train of public service, and they will lie, cheat, and steal to whatever degree is necessary to secure their desired place atop the heap.

For the most part, we let them do it, if only because we don’t have the ruthlessness and disregard for human rights that are the hallmark characteristics of those who would be king. But then, if we did, we would be them, and that is just as unacceptable. We just need to find a way to keep them as poorly funded and poorly supported as possible, so they don’t do as much harm in their thrashing about…..
___________________________________

“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.” — Kirk, “The Omega Glory,” stardate unknown.

“No one need think that the world can be ruled without blood. The civil sword shall and must be red and bloody.” — Martin Luther

The American Dream isn’t as shiny as it used to be; the fact of its existence only contributes to the feeling that it is an unattainable dream, a lie promulgated to keep the ignorant going each day to their little job, eyes focused on the big bright picture of SUCCESS! that hovers ever out of reach. Each successive generation who is disappointed once again, who sees no fundamental changes in the way things are run in the world, soon understands that it is mostly futile to fight the status quo. Thus, the soil of American thought grows to be ever more fertile ground to nurture change, more ready to accept the fact that it is probably a good time to hold the next American Revolution, wherein the forces of reason will battle the forces of ignorance, hopefully to settle the matter, once and for all………. now that we’ve had our serious political discussion for the morning, here are a few thoughts in a lighter vein, if no less sarcastic….

“He who knows nothing, loves nothing. He who can do nothing understands nothing. He who understands nothing is worthless.” — Paracelsus
(But he can still run for President! This is like a job want-ad for a Republican POTUS, and all the current candidates fit right in there….)

“Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.” — Elbert Hubbard

What this country needs is more unemployed politicians.

“Congressional terms should be … ten to twenty with no possibility of parole.” — Walt Handelsman

A little sweet, a little tart, a little savory, and you’ve got a flavorful stew…..
___________________________________

“Marjoe and Doshen were meditating in a field when Doshen just went and smacked Marjoe upside the head.  “What the hell did you do that for?” asked Marjoe.  “Nyuck nyuck nyuck,” replied Doshen. At that moment, Marjoe ordered pizza.

Hackish humor can be pretty subtle. This isn’t particularly surprising, as working in abstruse fields of mathematics can cause some interesting changes to the mind, leaving it open to new vistas of previously little-known parts of reality. This koan is a clear indicator of this kind of vision; it is true to the principles of Zen thought, while immersing itself completely into modern hacker culture, with an almost calculated  irreverence thrown in for decorative purposes. The funniest part of it, to me, is that I can see myself having this interchange with some of my friends; and, yes, we are all considered a bit strange by the Mundanes. At least it keeps me off the streets….

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” — Buddha
___________________________________

If reality wants to get in touch, it knows where I am.

Am I a dreamer, dreaming that I write? Or am I a writer, writing my dream? Reality is always a slippery slope, if only because taking one’s attention away from dealing with it can be either help or hindrance. And only in retrospect can one tell which took place….. I always liked the way Philip K. Dick defined reality, as “…what is left when you stop believing in it.” This viewpoint shows both insight and experience, in a man who should know; he spent much of his life struggling with a form of Schizophrenia that makes any perception suspect, even those we hold to be most familiar.

It is no picnic trying to get along in life when one’s sense of what is real is constantly being challenged by what is perceived. It can’t be easy to be in a crowd when one believes they can hear what others are thinking; we who do not suffer from this sort of delusion or hallucination cannot really understand how terrifying it is to live with this every day.

I’ve had some struggles of my own in this respect; reality takes on a very dark, foreboding aspect when one is suffering clinical depression, and the climb back into the light can be an exhausting effort. So, one learns to adjust feelings in ourselves, to make changes to the only part of reality over which we have any power to do so. We can change ourselves, if we wish, but we cannot change anything in reality, beyond exercising our means of perceiving it. In my younger days, when I knew so much more than I know now, I once wrote, “true power is control over the routes of perception.” I didn’t know then that I was closer to the mark than I thought……
___________________________________

As the words flow gently toward the final destination,let us bid adieu to another trip through the nether portions of my mind. I’m happy that I could still find my way out; we could have been stuck there for days!….. Y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Political rhetoric for sale or lease: Entropy spoken here….

Posted on by
5

Ffolkes,
I’ve been bitten by a tsetse fly….in the past three days, I have slept as much as I’ve been awake, but not in a normal pattern. About every 5 hours I start yawning and looking for my pillow, and go down for a 2-3 hour nap. Then I’m up to almost midnight, and up again at 5 AM, wide awake. It’s a bit strange, almost like some of the weird hours I kept when studying for finals at Berkeley.

I don’t know if they still do this, but one schedule I tried, thought up by a friend in the cooperative dorm I lived in, was perfect for finals week. One would go to bed (for the day) at about 3 PM, getting up at 10 or 11 PM, to start studying all night. At dawn, with the study material still fresh in the mind, one goes to take the final exams for that day. Afterward, a small meal, engage in a bit of business or recreation, then back to bed for the day, and up again at 10. A reverse cycle, as it were, and once accustomed to it, one became almost used to working in the quiet of the early morning hours, and always having an open seat wherever one went, as everyone else in the world was asleep.

But it got kinda lonely, too….it’s not a good schedule for anyone who wants a social life……thank goodness for no more final exams (except, of course, the ultimate final exam, requiring no study, and which everyone passes…..)
___________________________________

“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” — H. L. Mencken

Mr. Mencken’s insight was first published back in the early twentieth century, and was actually less of an insight as it was an eerily accurate observation of American politics in the last hundred years. Since the end of the World War II, (the last time Congress actually declared war, as justified in the Constitution) our country’s leaders have involved us in at least five “police actions” (Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iraq again), all supposedly necessary to protect us from the evils of communism, tyranny, or terrorism. Hundreds of thousands of young Americans have been sent to their deaths in far away places, all to make the old men back at home feel more comfortable in their insulation from reality.

I’m not the first to take note that young men die because of what old men believe, and hopefully I won’t be the last. This country has been hijacked by the 1%; they are no longer even trying to conceal their control over the rest of us. They have forgotten what one of their own said about 50 years ago: “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” — John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963), 12 March 1962  For myself, I intend to enjoy watching the 1% reap the whirlwind they are creating……. which is a cleverly disguised euphemism for helping the whirlwind spin faster…..
___________________________________

“It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor  of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office.” — H.L. Mencken

Some days, H. L. just makes a lot of sense. I admire his perspicacity, and his unadulterated courage to say exactly what he believed, without compromise. A hundred years from now, his words will have the same weight, but hopefully, won’t be a common response to what is real. It would be nice to make this sort of joke a thing of the past, but I don’t see much chance of human nature changing anytime soon, so common virtues will probably remain uncommonly sparse among the denizens of human society…..
___________________________________

What happens to your fist when you open your hand? — Zen Buddhism

In one sense, this koan is but a simple puzzle; the answer, obviously, is that the fist goes to the same place that our lap goes when we stand up. Now, you may ask, exactly where is that? Good question…..so, what do you think the answer might be? Another response might be, the fist is transformed, changed from a state of limited purpose to one of unlimited possibility. A fist can only be used in a small number of ways, but the open hand has few limits to its utility.  Perhaps one might say that the fist moves from the realm of reality to the confines of memory, abiding there until needed again.


This is the beauty of a Zen koan; it poses a question that sends the mind on a journey toward illumination, suggesting little-known paths in our own minds that can lead us to deeper knowledge of ourselves, and of reality. It is not the easiest path to self-improvement or self-growth, but then, the human mind gets lazy if things are too easy. We do better if we  push ourselves, at least a little, and goodness knows we all can find ways to do better in life…..anyone who doesn’t think so is only fooling themselves…..
___________________________________

Farewell, Love, and all thy laws forever:
Thy baited hooks shall tangle me no more;
Seneca and Plato call me from their lore,
To perfect wealth my wit for to endeavor.
In blind error when I did persevere,
Thy sharp repulse that pricketh aye so sore
Hath taught me to set in trifles no store
And scape forth, since liberty is liefer.
Therefore, farewell: go trouble younger hearts,
And in me claim no more authority;
With idle youth go use thy property
And thereon spend thy many brittle darts:
For hitherto though I have lost all my time,
Me lusteth no longer rotten boughs to climb.
— Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542), Farewell, Love

Sir Thomas must have had a really bad break-up to get this despondent and cynical. But he sure made a good poem out of it; I hope that was solace for him in his despair……
___________________________________

“When they took the fourth amendment, I was silent because I don’t deal drugs.  When they took the sixth amendment, I kept quiet because I know I’m innocent.  When they took the second amendment, I said nothing because I don’t own a gun.  Now they’ve come for the first amendment, and I can’t say anything at all.” — Tim Freeman

I sincerely hope that y’all don’t get tired of hearing about this, because I have every intention of harping on it until the Bill of Rights has been restored. If you weren’t able to figure it out before now, I’ll make it clear…. I’m pissed. I’m royally and truly pissed off at our so called leadership; they have led us straight into voluntary slavery, and we have no one to blame but ourselves. I’d be glad to discuss this with anyone who can present a logical argument, or even an illogical one; we all have to find our fun somewhere.

If you don’t think you’ve lost any of your freedoms, try saying the word “bomb”, in any context, while standing in line in public. And get ready to spend the next hours in police custody, trying to convince them you’re not a terrorist about to blow up a bank. Think I’m kidding? Read the news……

“None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
___________________________________

Well, here’s another fine mess I’ve created. I’ll have to start handing out brooms with each day’s offering…..ah, me, “.. 

I think I’d better go back to my DESK and toy with a few common MISAPPREHENSIONS…” — Zippy the Pinhead

T’would be best for all, methinks…..y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Banjo music and french toast….

Posted on by
Reply

11/8/11
Ffolkes,
We begin anew, night into day; we are fresh, we are alive. We are…..

To whom the mornings are like nights,
What must the midnights be!
— Emily Dickinson

One of my favorite parts of life is experiencing serendipity. There is something very fulfilling, very soothing about getting more than expected from Reality; like a free sno-cone, or finding a forgotten dollar bill in your pocket. And every time I come across another poem by Emily D., I get that thrilling feeling, of having looked for dirt, and found diamonds instead. How fascinating it would be, to be able to hold a conversation with someone whose mind possessed such a unique vision of the world, and found within herself the language to describe those visions with clarity, and beauty. This one is typical of her ability to show a side of Reality that most folks never consider, and put that piece of Reality into a form that brings the reader to a deep understanding of what they heretofore had never known. And in two miserly, but meaningful verses, at that!


The appeal of Ms. D’s poetry is as strong today as it was during her life, and its timelessness is borne out by the fact that even today, her verses have lessons for us to learn that are as important as they were a hundred years ago. The program I use to generate a lot of my Pearls, and where I found this little nugget, suggests that this poem could easily be descriptive of the hackish culture, (from hackers, aka rogue, or independent computer programmers) members of which are frequently to be found working through the night, and whose world-view could be described as being as unique as hers. To my way of thinking, poetry that is timeless, and as deeply insightful as this, is the pinnacle, the ultimate, most important use of language, for it makes us more human for having read it…..

— How many
Zen masters
— does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Two: one to change the bulb and one not to change it.

The writings and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, or Enlightened One, were created during his life in India, in the time before Jesus of Nazareth was born. His words have inspired humankind for well over two millenia, bringing peace of mind and hope for the future to all who would follow its precepts. An integral part of Buddhist practice is meditation, using the clarity of mind  brought about by introspection to lead one along the path to pure enlightenment. A Zen Buddhist will sit and contemplate, for example, the duality of perception, examining Reality from both sides, and how the nature of being human is grounded in our method of perceiving the duality present in every object, and concept, in this universe. We see due to the presence or absence of light; we hear because each word is surrounded by silence. Coming to an understanding of how we relate to the events of our life as another expression of the dual nature of the universe is a valuable tool, useful in coming to terms with events that would otherwise be troubling. A deep-seated knowledge of how Reality works can only be helpful in a world that constantly challenges us to meet demanding standards, and won’t even tell us what those standards entail. In other words, it’s a good tool for slowing down Entropy, or at least painting it a nice lively color…….

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

Regular readers of this…..I never know just what this is, so we’ll call it an ongoing exploration of reality….will be aware that a common subject of discussion is the power of human stupidity, and how deliberate ignorance plays a big part in the sad state of affairs of society at large. The reason I end up writing about this so often is pretty obvious; the news every day is chock full of examples of how another bonehead move, deliberately aggressive behavior, or ignorant remark has caused some kind of problem, problems that may or may not involve death, destruction, injury, or even, heaven forbid, halitosis (gasp!!!). People are people, and they are constantly finding new ways to abuse this sorry old planet, believing in their own false immortality, and worst of all, believing they have the right to act any way they wish, regardless of how it affects others or the outside world.

     This sense of entitlement, encouraged shamefully by organized religions that tout Mankind as the inheritors of the Earth, chosen by their (G)od to “have dominion” over the rest of the life forms, is the underlying false premise behind most of society’s ills. When a premise is false, the conclusion can only be false, as well, and this idea of the superiority of our species, can be seen as the critical factor in human nature that allows us to make decisions that are only in OUR interests, and the rest of Reality matters not at all. As long as I’ve got my milkshake, who cares about the rest?……selfish creatures, are we not?…….

Hmmm….a little less positive than I like to be, but truth nonetheless….. y’all take care out there…..

—

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

gigoid

Dozer at play..

Kowabunga!