Watch Your Head

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom.

J. G. Ballard
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Hello Stuart
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If this was a completely sane world Ballard's pronouncement would be appropriate. But since when has there ever been a completely sane world? It seems to me the current world is crazier than it's ever been. Cruel dictatorships here, religious fanatics running things over there and terrorists in the other place. How does the human race survive?

Now, in my country, we have a group of total mad men and women in the United States Congress.

When I was younger I admit to a lot of insanity. I did crazy things. I took foolish risks. I supported groups and activities that made no sense. I fought irrationally just to win an argument. I overlooked many facts of life that were right in front of me. I was jealous, suspicious and non sparing in my harsh criticism of others. I gradually grew up, became more of an adult and saw the moronic error of my ways. Now I am not completely sane. No one is. But I recognize that reason is the only freedom in a completely insane world. Surely the members of Congress have grown up to the same understanding and rely upon reason, logic and clear thinking to conduct their business. Or do they?

Some of them are now dickering around with each other, trying to win arguments while, meanwhile, bills are written and waiting to be turned into legislation that would deprive Americans of the benefits that making living in this country worth it. There is argument about instantly erasing the federal debt which could be solved over the long run my good fiscal management, about which no one seems to know anything. And even as they argue they are refusing to go where the money is and get it. Some of those madmen still believe the Medieval idea that the wealthy are somehow superior human beings. We can't even say that these lunatics walk among us because they don't, and that's part of the problem.

There is no doubt an endemic of madness has taken over Washington. One wealthy senior was heard saying that if he were taxed he would only have $200.000 left to feed his family. One of the candidates for President said he would overturn the Supreme Court, another has suggested to put the poor students to work cleaning the schools and pay them to teach them the work ethic and the value of a dollar, instead of putting the rich kids to work to teach them the value of the wealth their parents have. And about the Occupy Wall Street protesters it was said they should take a bath and find a job. There is no excuse for that low level of ignorance, particularly among men who presume they are qualified to be President of the United States. President of the rich, President of the Middle Class, President of the poor, President of the native Americans and President of the immigrants.

About the Occupiers another senior member of Congress asked "What do they want?" I reply if you don't know what they want then you have no business being in a position where you even have the right to ask that question.

The angels with the vials of the seven last plagues has poured one of them
on the heads of Americans and only the rational, clear thinking, sane ones have the freedom to resist it.
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DB - The Vagabond
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Tables Turned 9/07/09

Too many people live according to other people's opinions.

DB - The Vagabond
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Howdy Pardner
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I had almost made up my mind I wasn't going to write anything today. Why bother? Everyone is off on a holiday and no one is going to read my journal anyway. Besides I have spent a portion of the day catching up on the news and feeling very depressed as a result.

Having just come through alive after the attack of the credit card monsters, I want some happy news. And yet I'm overwhelmed by hearing about what my fellow Americans are doing to each other. Even given the fact that the media over sensationalizes things and tends to stick with the negative news, I can see evidence of the ideals of community, society, even civilization itself being thrown out in the trash. Misunderstanding has become litigation. Discussion has become irrational shouting. Disagreement has become hatred. Protest has become gang warfare. Rational thought has become hot headed opinion.

The right wing fanatics are out to destroy the administration (and the country in the bargain) for no other reason than that they are Democrats. That sort of childish resentment is not only transparent to any thinking person but beneath the dignity and intelligence of any American. Where does this mindless violence come from? Like any mob mentality it was sowed. Seeds were broadcast into the minds of the gullible. Lies were told, false dangers were suggested, base feelings were sung to by the worst of human voices. Reason was torn off the walls and crumpled up and a masquerade was put up in its place. In some chariots of authority stand racism and the denial of human rights. Anger, hate and revenge are the rules. We have gone mad.

In this frame of mind I thought it would be best not to write anything. The events of the days are enough to depress me further. I don't need to manufacture fuel to add to my fire. In the midst of my terrifying weeks of recent time my reading lamp broke. It was a definite hardship. I could not even read the papers that had been filed against me. The only place to purchase another one would be the mall and it is impossible for me to get there. I asked around to see if anyone had a spare lamp I could borrow. Nothing was forthcoming.

In the midst of my afternoon of darkness, gloom and depression, feeling as if all the goodness had gone out of the world, there was a knock on my door. When I opened it there was my house mate, Dan, from the apartment below. He had been to Walmart and had picked up a small table lamp for me.

It may not seem like a big thing, but my not being able to read has been a sorrowful deprivation for me. Dan and I don't know each other well, he's only been living here a couple of months, but his simple act of kindness was enough of an antidote for all the negativity I had been feeling today. Would there were more such acts. Thank you Dan.

Here I wasn't going to write today and I've written a lot. I hope somebody reads it.

DB
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Wow. You have another day to play. Use it well.
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Learned Leaves 7/04/09

The best thing about the future is it only comes one day at a time.

Abraham Lincoln
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Good day to you.
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Today is America's Birthday - 233 years old.

Here's to the true patriots, the common people, the Americans.

Here's to those who dared to make it happen. Here's to the men who dared to sign for independence and gave their lives for it. Here's to those who dared to drop everything and take up arms to protect their lands, their families and their neighbors, to the farmers who dared to defend the bridge and their weapons against ranks of the strongest army in the world and chased them away, to the freed slaves and others in Boston who dared to stand up against the English rifles and were the first Americans to die for it, to those who dared to dump a precious cargo into the bay rather than to allow the government to line its pockets and those of its businessmen at America's expense, to those who dared to cross the ice bound Delaware River on a freezing night, the river I see from my own window, to chase the enemy from Trenton, to those farmers and merchants who dared to spend a blazing hot Phildelphia summer behind closed doors to write a constitution.

Here's to those who dare to make it work. Here's to the farmer and the fisherman, to the miner and the forester, to the carpenter, the mason and the gardener, to the teacher and the preacher, to the banjo player, the trumpet player and the church organist, to the tailor and the cobbler, to the actor, the singer and the dancer, to the truck driver, the bus driver and the cab driver, to the fire fighter, the cop and the paramedic, to the lineman and the lighthouse keeper, to the longshoreman, the teamster and the transit worker. to the typist, the printer, the mail carrier and the factory worker.

Here's to the true patriots, the common people, the Americans.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY


DB - Vagabond Journeys
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May you have a joyous day, what ever country you live in.
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WEEKEND PUZZLE

This puzzle is in 2 parts, Part A and Part M. (What? You'll get Parts B through L at another time, Keep your shirt on.)

Part A: Below is a list of the 13 original states. They are the reason we have 13 stripes on our flag. Your mission is to tell me what is wrong with this list. (Note: "Too many." is NOT a legitimate answer.) DON'T CHEAT !

Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia

Part M: How did they become the first 13 states?

There is 1 winner so far.

Good luck Email Lions. Good luck Blogspot Tigers.
Answers will be posted on or about 9 p.m. Sunday