Trailer to NOTEFLIX ‘s binge-look “Troubles In The Garden”: Our hero, The Multicolored Blue-Bird of Happiness is lost in the weeds. His stunt double (lower right) is scared out of his wits. The god-like eagle, (upper left) who is really only a stuffed toy, tells our hero to follow him. The warrior rat (lower left) advises our hero to follow him. Our hero knows not what to do…to be continued.
WORDS – A REFRESHER
- HOMOCLITE: A totally normal person. What a nice idea. I do not know how I came across this word. It must have been in a piece of fiction.
- RED:…as a sort of a prefix which has become big lately: i.e, 1) RED FLAG – dealing with gun safety regulations. 2) (verb) to RED PILL – to open ones eyes and mind to the secret truth of something important. This comes from the ‘MATRIX’. It demonstrates a free thinking attitude preferring the truth no matter how painful it may be (Possible Example: “Climate Change is here.” This is the opposite of BLUE PILLING…the believing in whatever you want to believe. 3) REDSHIFT – Refers to the fact that galaxies are moving away from us at very fast speeds, faster than the speed of light – at REDSHIFT speeds. I don’t blame the galaxies for moving away.
- SHADOW OF THE FUTURE: This is a term in the exciting world of ‘Economics’. It refers to how our behavior changes with other people when we think we are likely, or not likely, to meet them again. Apparently studies show ‘Cleaner’ fish in the French Polynesian waters are mean only to those outside of their usual parameters – because they are not likely to see them again. A deduction is we are somewhat like the ‘Cleaner’ fish in this regard. Me? I try to be nice to everybody – except the people I don’t like, whether they are in my parameters or not.
- THE THUCYDIDES TRAP: The theory (460-400 B.C.) that an established power feels threatened by a rising power – leading to a rivalry that often descends into war. I mention this to remind us about learning from the past. I’m not yet sure what I can do about any of this.
- HEGEMONY: This is a word which has been appearing a lot in the papers. It deals with an authority having influence over others. There is a school of thought that an underlying cause of the Great Depression was: there was a vacuum of leadership in the world – due to WWI, …Britain was weakened and could no longer function as an economic leader. The U.S. was not yet ready to be in power – thus, no HEGEMON in place to counter the oncoming Depression. Hhhhmmm!
WORDS DISGUISED AS INFORMATION TO WONDER ABOUT
- “Silicon Valley” makes the same amount of money as our automotive manufacturers – using 1/10th the number of workers.
- There is a growing shortage of robots and, therefor, a shortage of ‘cobots’ (workers who work with robots).
- One industrial robot replaces six human workers. Robots do not clean toilets. Yet. I’ve read that robots are building houses. There goes the construction/worker field.
- Remember the phrase “What’s good for General Motors is good for the country and vice-versa?” Well, I’ve got a new one: “What’s good for the Big Banks is good for the Big Banks and vice-versa.” (-cem)
AND NOW SOMETHING FOR THE TRAVELING MIND:
- In India they are looking for a long lost river – The SARASWATI – a holy, now underground river mentioned in the sacred text of the Reg Veda. She is the Water Source and she is a Deity, and she better go deep and hide real good or we are going to get her and do what we did to all the other rivers. I never knew about her before; but now that I do, I worry for her.
- More on India while I’m on it. I read someone in India is suing his parents because he did not ask to exist. A lawyer for such a case would be called a “pre-natal chaser”, I guess. I also read there is a belief held by some in India that we choose our parents before we arrive here on earth. Though in my case, that is a nice thought; I think sometimes I read too much.
- I’ll end this with a piece of good news: China has announced it has stopped harvesting organs from prisoners. However, if you want to ‘volunteer’ to sell, you can sign up through AliPay.
So, today’s writing defies a tidy, neat wrapping up – at least one does not come to my mind. I find there is much to be disturbed about, much to learn and much to be interested in. The best I can do is share a couple of quotations from the Ages that either seem relevant, or amusing in these ‘interesting times’:
- “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” -W.B. YEATS , The Second Coming Or, in the same vein: “Doubt is not a pleasant condition: but certainty is absurd.” -Voltaire
- “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
- “We are here on earth to do good to others. What the others are here for I don’t know. -W.H. Auden
- “Don’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful. -Ann Landers
Go gently,
