Chill.....................................

The piano prelude to The Spy Who Came In From The Cold....

Those were the days....................

Deep Purple..............................................Smoke On The Water

Theyocracy.................................

My political opinions lean more and more to Anarchy (philosophically understood, meaning abolition of control not whiskered men with bombs) — or to ‘unconstitutional’ Monarchy. I would arrest anybody who uses the word State (in any sense other than the inanimate realm of England and its inhabitants, a thing that has neither power, rights nor mind); and after a chance of recantation, execute them if they remained obstinate! If we could get back to personal names, it would do a lot of good. Government is an abstract noun meaning the art and process of governing and it should be an offence to write it with a capital G or so as to refer to people. If people were in the habit of referring to ‘King Gerorge’s council, Winston and his gang’, it would go a long way to clearing thought, and reducing the frightful landslide into Theyocracy. Anyway the proper study of Man is anything but Man; and the most improper job of any man, even saints (who at any rate were at least unwilling to take it on), is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity.

-J. R. R. Tolkien, from a letter written to his son in 1943

On the early 21st century

We always thought that the early 21st century was kind of steampunk cool, what with all the advancements in lasers, artificial intelligence, computer hacking and the automation of stupidity,...

-as excerpted from this Political Calculations post (do follow the red lettered link)

Fifty years ago............................

At the movies...Richard Burton...The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

At least we hope so....................................

via Swiss Miss

Ain't that the truth............................

"Human crises have a way of happening at inconvenient times."
-Amelia Earhart, as extracted from here

Don't bother asking for explanation....................

Al Stewart.............................................................Year of the Cat

Anyway......................................

1.   People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

2.  If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

3.   If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

4.   The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

5.   Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

6.  The biggest men with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men with the smallest minds.  Think big anyway.

7.  People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

8.   What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

9.   People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.

10. Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

-as extracted from here

Complex.................................

"Human nature is complex. Even if we do have inclinations toward violence, we also have inclination to empathy, to cooperation, to self-control."
-Steven Pinker

Lessons learned................................

    "The point is, in business you shouldn't self-destruct just because the other side takes a surprisingly aggressive attitude.  Don't let personalities scare you away - because in a lifetime you are going to be selling to a lot of obnoxious people.  Stay focused on your goals and stay in the game."
-Mark McCormack

I grew up in a conflict adverse household.  As a result, confrontation has often been difficult for me and there was a time I would go to great - and not helpful - lengths to avoid it.   Then there was this client about ten years ago who, in a bit of pique,  slammed his fist on our conference table and got fairly red-in-the-face mad at me.  Trapped, it was a confrontation I could not avoid.  Just had to hang in there.  At meeting's end, a half hour later, you might have thought he was my best friend.  I learned a great lesson that day.  Some conflicts cannot be avoided, and that is just OK.

Fifty years ago......................................

Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders.......................She's A Rebel

A diagnosis.............................

"No one can tell the future. No seer, no physician. But one thing for certain is that the sun will rise and the sun will set and in between is the grandeur of all that we have and all that we are capable of. And all the tales that can be told…"

-Jeff Kopito, as excerpted from here

Ah, the human element..............................

      What sort of mysterious creature is a human being, Augustine mused, who can't carry out his own will, who knows his long-term interest but pursues short-term pleasure, who does so much to screw up his own life?  This led to the conclusion that people are a problem to themselves.  We should regard ourselves with distrust:  "I greatly fear my hidden parts," he wrote.
-David Brooks, The Road To Character

Maybe I'm dreaming.........................................

The Byrds........................................................Renaissance Fair

On being and doing..........................

Lots of people want to be the noun without doing the verb. They want the job title without the work.

“Forget about being a Writer,” says novelist Ann Packer. “Follow the impulse to write.”

Let go of the thing that you’re trying to be (the noun), and focus on the actual work you need to be doing (the verb).

Doing the verb will take you someplace further and far more interesting than just wanting the noun.

-As extracted from this Austin Kleon post

Way............................................

"Allow children to be happy in their own way, for what better way will they find?”
-Samuel Johnson

Apparently I am confused..............................

........................According to this test, as presidential candidates go, I am most closely aligned with Rand Paul and Bernie Sanders, with Donald Trump not far behind.  Dear God........

Thanks Kurt

Better...............................................

"It is better to live rich than to die rich. ” 
-Samuel Johnson


cartoon via

Fifty years ago.........................................

The Byrds....................................I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better

About that ivory tower.....................

"I am becoming increasingly concerned that sending children to college is dangerous for their intellectual health. I am afraid that instead of being told how to think, students are being told not to think."
-Arnold Kling

Of course, your experience may vary.  We just had two of ours graduate (OSU and OU) and we have one still at Kentucky.  We've never had the sense that indoctrination was part of their syllabuses.   Should point out that all three have studied in the biological sciences area of academe. 

All I can say is, "Thank You"..............

“I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once.”
-C. S. Lewis, one smart dude

Wine..............................................

“This is one of the disadvantages of wine, it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.” 
-Samuel Johnson

cartoon via

Proportion..........................................

“Every man is rich or poor according to the proportion between his desires and his enjoyments.” 
-Samuel Johnson

cartoon via

Chill.......................................

Dave Brubeck Quartet...............................Blue Rondo a la Turk

Remember then.........................

The Moody Blues...........................The Dream/Have You Heard

Life its ownself..............................................

From the A Wealth of Common Sense blog:

It’s not exactly the sexiest answer you’ll hear or the most actionable tactic you’ll receive today. What investors have to realize is that risk will never completely goes away no matter what changes you do or don’t make. It just comes in different forms depending on the stance you take. But there’s something to be said for knowing yourself and knowing your own portfolio.

One thinks that you could substitute the word "people" for the word "investors" and the above statements would be just as true.

I'll bet you didn't know..............................

...........that there is such a thing as a "licensed metal detectorist."

Fifty years ago....................................

Peter, Paul & Mary.......................................Early Morning Rain



released on their See What Tomorrow Brings album in 1965

Some things are just too good to be true......

"I also can't rule out the possibility that somewhere in this vast universe of ours, there is a planet composed entirely of marshmallow, where the rivers run with honey."

Excerpted from this Megan McArdle post about Dan Rather, George W. Bush, the Truth, axes-to-grind, and revisionist history.

There was a time.....................................

via

Me neither.................................

Quiet movements..........................................

The Guess Who.............................................No Sugar Tonight

Fifty years ago.........................................

Herman's Hermits....................................End Of The World

Psychedelia alert..............................

Strawberry Alarm Clock............Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow

Opening paragraphs..............................

Even severed as it was from the rest of the body, the hand was majestic.  Sixteen feet tall, with long, tapered fingers holding aloft a twenty-nine foot torch, it sat on the banks of a small lake in Philadelphia in the summer of 1876.  It was all that existed of the Statue of Liberty, and it had been shipped in pieces from France for the Untied States' Centennial Exhibition, a world's fair celebrating the country's first one hundred years.  Ten years later, the complete figure, rising more than a hundred and fifty feet from its pedestal and with a bright skin of copper, would be installed  in New York Harbor to the awe and admiration of the world.  But in 1876, the Statue of Liberty, like the young country in which it would be given, was still a work in progress.  A symbol of promise, perhaps, but not yet of triumph.
-Candice Millard,  Destiny of the Republic:  A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

Salute...........................................

"I never meet a ragged boy in the street without feeling that I may owe him a salute, for I know not what possibilities may be buttoned up under his coat."
-James A. Garfield

The trick is in finding them..........

"Every flaw comes with its own compensation."
-David Brooks

A veritable feast......................................

I suspect that one of the many reasons........

............why it is in vogue to consider yourself "spiritual," as opposed to "religious," is the observation that much of the organization of religion (religionsim?) seems historically to be more concerned with power than spirit.  The Execupundit suggests we be aware of (beware of?) the latest in religions - Politics.

Fifty years ago.....................................

On the TV..................................................................Combat!

Just a question...................................

........If failing things are not allowed to fail, is it still capitalism?

this cartoon, and a few more, are found here.

Beauty..........................................

Another one of the reasons..........................

.................why the Simple, Village Undertaker is not so simple.

Time is right.........................................

Pure Prairie League.......................................................Amie

Beauty......................................

via Mme Scherzo

Verse........................................

To the ordinary person, the body of
humanity seems vast.
In truth, it is neither bigger nor smaller
than anything else.
To the ordinary person, there are others
whose awareness needs raising.
In truth, there is no self, and no other.
To the ordinary person, the temple
is sacred and the field is not.
This, too, is a dualism which runs
counter to the truth.

Those who are highly evolved maintain an
undiscriminating perception.
Seeing everything, labeling nothing,
they maintain their awareness
of the Great Oneness.
Thus they are supported by it.

-Verse 19
Hua Hu Ching:  The Unknown Teachings of Lao Tzu
Brian Browne Walker

Life its ownself.....................................

via

Only......................................................

"Only the mind is capable of error."

-The Course In Miracles
Chapter 2: 1 IV 2

Fifty years ago........................................

Peter, Paul & Mary...................................The Rising of the Moon

Practice....................................

"Humility is a virtue of self-understanding in context, acquired by the practice of other centeredness."
-Lisa Fullam
cartoon via

We're complicated.........................

via

Nope.........................................

   
    My wife and I were buying groceries one day, and I was on one side of the store and she was on the other, and over a shelf of breakfast cereal and cake mix I said, "Don't forget the cream," and she said, "All right, but don't forget you're trying to lose weight," and I said, "Oh well, you only live once."  and then it happened, this thing that broke for a moment through my deafness.  The store was nearly empty so that the woman at the checkout counter had no trouble hearing us.  It was a hot, muggy afternoon, and she had been working hard all day and looked flushed and hectic there behind her cash register and the racks of Life Savers and chewing gum and TV guides, and when I said, "Oh well, you only life once," she broke into the conversation , and what she said was, "Don't you think once is enough?"

-Frederick Buechner,  The Hungering Dark