filigreeshadow

Rudness in Toronto

2009-04-08T12:14:00.001-04:00

Rudeness in Toronto (tags: rude people, rude Toronto)

What are the characteristics of rudeness in Toronto? What makes a person rude? Here’s my analysis:

1) Releasing of bodily fluids (especially: spitting). Spitting (horking, snotting, snorting, smutting or any such release of fluids/solids from the body) is by far, the most rude action one can do. Let me tell you something about biology and natural physics. Saliva or snot or whatever comes out of one’s body onto the sidewalk, street or green space, is usually some form of fluid. This fluid contains bacteria, viruses and a number of other micro-agents. This fluid is then evaporated over time. When the evaporation occurs, these bacteria and viruses are released into the air. Then, we innocent bystanders, who are walking along side this fluid, breathe this into our lungs. We, as the non-spitters, the ones who are saving the environment and our lungs by not driving in cars, who are walking along minding our own business and continuously possessing our fluids (or being so kind as to use a napkin, which we later compost at home) have the right not to inhale this junk from the street from careless, mindless, idiots who choose to use the street as their tissue or toilet.

2) Cell Phone Users. I hate cell phones. I do not own a cell phone. I am certainly not suggesting that all people not have cell phones. Surely, there are emergency doctors and nurses who visit ill patients at their home who need to use a cell phone. However, the vast majority of cell phone users, at least the ones I get to hear daily, are not nurses or doctors who are caring for their ill patients. In fact, I don’t think I have ever heard a nurse or doctor use a cell phone nor do I think doctors or nurses visit patients in their home (they do in Europe!). No. I hear, daily, all the boring activities, mindless chatter about nothing, plans for tonight’s dinner, judgements of previous conversations or events, in these peoples boring, moronic, lives. I get to her “Did you see what she was wearing?” and “Like, um, like, so, what the fuck, fuckin’ hell, shit man, oh-my-god!” and “I’m on the bus (street car, street etc.) and I’ll be home in 10 minutes, what’s for dinner?” I have the explicit right, or so I should, not to be subjugated to this treatment. I can’t escape. Even if I have an MP3 player turned on really loud (another rude activity) I can still hear these folks because they’re speaking so loudly (it’s a cell phone, not a bullhorn), practically yelling, that we all on the bus (street car, street etc.) know exactly what you think, what you’re doing, who you are talking to and understand that you are 10 minutes away from wherever it is you are going and could have this conversation in person. Cell phones cause brain cancer? Well, surely they cause idiocy.

3) The third, and by no means final, example of the rudest behaviour in Toronto has to be: public transportation etiquette. I have only lived in Toronto for 9 years. I have managed to learn how to behave on the bus, subway, or street car (in my former city, we had bus and a light rail system… so, I’m not a country-fried rube). I know not to block the subway, bus or streetcar doors. Despite the fact that I can read the signs, I know that if my stop isn’t the next one, I can only imagine that when the subway, bus or streetcar stops, someone is going to want to get on or off. I do have this nasty tendency to not think I am the only person in the universe. Therefore, I do not block the door. I used to huff and puff and try to give hints that my stop was next and these folks who are blocking the door should be warned that I am going to get off. It never worked. Hinting and being polite is not rewarded in this city, obviously. So, now I just plough right into them. If they get knocked over, too bad for them. Rudeness begets rudeness in Toronto, unfortunately. Other etiquette rules continuously broken: eating on public transit. The smells emanating from people is bad enough without having to smell, see and hear people cramming disgusting food into their gobs. I once saw a woman eating fried chicken, with no napkin, wiping her hands on her jacket and then proceed to touch the hand rails/poles. Other forms of inappropriate ‘touching’ include: wiping one’s nose and touching a poles/handrails, coughing into one’s hand and then touching a poles/handrails, rubbing ones’ eyes and then touching poles/handrails, or eating various gross ‘foods’ and/or picking one’s teeth and then touching the poles/handrails. Conversely, one touches a pole/handrail and then sticks their fingers into their mouth somehow. One of the only reasons I like winter, which, I absolutely hate winter, is the fact that I can wear gloves from my front door to my office without having to touch anyone else’s disgusting fluid. I still do, however, wash my hands immediately entering my home or office after using public transit, despite the gloves.

Those are my top three observations of rudeness in Toronto. There are many, many more including: smelling those who don’t bathe or brush their teeth; having coffee spilled on me by a careless coffee-drinker; overhearing (impossible not to) ridiculous in-person conversations, especially those of youth, which include more slang words (like, um, fuck, shit, hell, ya’know, like, like, like etc.) than actual real words; those mistreating animals; mistreating nature; mistreating their kids, mistreating each other, oh yes, being whistled or oogled by gross disgusting men on the street... and...littering.

The Texas Pimp and the Karate Instructor

2008-01-01T14:31:00.001-05:00

today

2007-08-12T11:33:00.000-04:00

Life, Meaning, Death

2007-06-08T17:32:00.000-04:00

I chose this title because it’s the last three sections of the last chapter of Thomas Nagel’s View From Nowhere. And, because I like it.

I skimmed a story in Harper’s Magazine about the new fangled ‘phenom’ about blogging. Interesting, Microsoft Spellchecker doesn’t recognize phenom, blogging or spellcheck. In another magazine Chatelaine there’s an equally interesting article for idiots about ‘how to blog’. Touching.

Anyway. I guess that was my point exactly.

I went to pull 3 books down from the bookshelf today. I hadn’t read these books in 5-10 years but had fond memories. Except for the aforementioned work, Nagel and The Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha were found. And, Thus Spoke Zarathustra… I don’t know what happened to it. I can’t seem to find it. But, there always is the internet right?

We shall begin and end here for a while.

“From outside we do indeed tend to see most of our pursuits as important only relatively. Watching the human drama is a bit like watching a Little League baseball game: the excitement of the participants is perfectly understandable but one can’t really enter into it.” Nagel. p.217-218

“One’s own self conquered is better than all other people conquered; not even a god could change itself into defeat the victory of a man who has vanquished himself” – the Buddha

“He who has reached the consummation, who does not fear, who is without thirst and without sin; he has broken all the thorns of life – this will be his last body.” – the Buddha

“What is the greatest thing ye can experience? It is the hour of great contempt. The hour in which even your happiness becometh loathsome unto you, and so also your reason and virtue.
The hour when ye say: "What good is my happiness! It is poverty and pollution and wretched self-complacency. But my happiness should justify existence itself!" – Nietzsche p. sec. 4.

“Man is a rope stretched between the animal and the Superman- a rope over an abyss.
A dangerous crossing, a dangerous wayfaring, a dangerous looking-back, a dangerous trembling and halting.
What is great in man is that he is a bridge and not a goal: what is lovable in man is that he is an over-going and a down-going.
I love those that know not how to live except as down-goers, for
they are the over-goers.
I love the great despisers, because they are the great adorers,
and arrows of longing for the other shore”. – Nietzsche p. sec. 4.

Have a great evening.

it's been a while... i know, this will catch you all up...

2007-06-03T22:18:00.000-04:00

May 19

2007-05-20T12:22:00.001-04:00

May 17

2007-05-17T21:31:00.001-04:00

May 16

2007-05-16T21:34:00.000-04:00

May 15

2007-05-16T21:31:00.000-04:00

May 14

2007-05-14T21:20:00.000-04:00

May 13

2007-05-14T21:18:00.000-04:00

May 12

2007-05-14T21:16:00.000-04:00

May 11

2007-05-11T22:21:00.000-04:00

the view from here

May 10

2007-05-10T22:21:00.000-04:00

May 9

2007-05-10T22:20:00.000-04:00

May 8

2007-05-08T22:56:00.001-04:00

May 7

2007-05-08T22:52:00.000-04:00

May 6

2007-05-07T20:42:00.000-04:00

May 5

2007-05-06T22:18:00.001-04:00

May 4

2007-05-05T10:23:00.000-04:00

May 3

2007-05-03T21:40:00.000-04:00

May 2, 2007

2007-05-02T22:21:00.000-04:00

Thomas Fersen - La tournée duo ukulélé

2007-02-26T07:43:00.000-05:00

Here's a shot of Le National in Montreal. It was a fabulous theatre. Although I couldn't take photos of the actual concert... here's a shot of what it looks like on the inside. We were 4th row centre!

La tournée duo ukulélé (Thomas fersen et son guitariste Pierre Sangra)

"La Tournée Duo Ukulélé "

So that's exactly what it was. Thomas and Pierre Sangra playing ukulélés for 2 hours. I really do not have any words to describe this experience except that it was really amazing. I am planning on saving money for the whole year so we can go see him again ... Montreal in late Jan-late February is when he usually plays. Since he sold out 3 shows I exepect that he will return... I can't wait.

Naked Villainy

2007-02-09T18:57:00.000-05:00

"And thus I clothe my naked villainy
With old odd ends, stol'n forth of holy writ;
And seem a saint, when most I play the devil."

the old man:

at least i'll enjoy the ride...

2007-01-19T18:13:00.000-05:00

hey there fancy pants

2007-01-09T17:24:00.000-05:00

i normally don't even like people. but these guys, i like.

mutiliated lips

2007-01-06T13:22:00.000-05:00

the boognish...

2007-01-04T21:27:00.000-05:00

has come. I love Dean and Gene.

Making Skippy proud...

2006-11-22T20:26:00.000-05:00

"Vaughan council votes for recount after delay"

The City of Vaughan made me proud today even “After a raucous delay by angry spectators, Vaughan city council unanimously voted in favour of an electronic recount for the mayoral race.” – CTV News

"After council told the group that none of them would be given the floor to speak, the crowd erupted, shouting and heckling so loud that councillors were drowned out." the Star (albeit - facist anti-Semetic rag. )

The decision was announced and over 50 angry, screaming, pissed-off people stood into the courtroom-like setting of Vaughan’s miniature church like city hall, turned around, and stood with their backs to the councillors in silent protest. The incumbent mayor lost by 90 votes and was calling for a re-count at the city’s expense. He lost to Councillor Linda Jackson and has until November 30 to get the fuck out of Dodge.

The cost to the city will be $398,000 and was voted on unanimously by the Council present. Although urged by their absent organizer of tonight's meeting, incumbent Michael Di Biase who bother coming to tonight's vote.

And the people shouted “Shame!”

How wonderful a trip into Democracy. How splendid was the grass-roots, antiestablishment culture jam happening up there in Vaughan.

It was like watching and episode of 7th Heaven. How freaky.

They even had to call the cops. That's why I thought of Skippy. The whole thing just jokes me up. I get all verklempt!

It's so touching.

It made me all gooy on the inside. I wish I could of been there.

a must share...

2006-11-20T19:19:00.000-05:00

it would figure that i would like this and spend too many minutes reading one after another...

The best thing on the internet... except... maybe, I dunno. This?

Origin

2006-11-03T06:52:00.000-05:00

L'Origine du monde, Gustave Courbet, 1866

The Art part II

2006-10-22T20:20:00.000-04:00

The Art...

2006-10-22T19:54:00.000-04:00

of course we went to a lof of museums. Here is some wonderful art for you all to enjoy... they were taken various places, the Louvre, Musee D'Orsay, the Van Gogh museum, the Jewish Historical Museum, and the Rijksmuseum. Enjoy.

Amsterdam

2006-10-22T19:47:00.000-04:00

I didn't like Amsterdam as much as Paris. But, it's very hard to compare Paris to anything and the other thing come out on top... Anyway, I imagine if you know me at all you know where I spent my time....

This place is called Global Chillage and I would have to agree with Lonely Planet that it's one of the 'better' coffee shops. The 3 other coffee shops we went to were horrible dumps filled with 22 year old male German and English soccer hooligans that smelled very bad. But, Global Chillage and another place called the Greenhouse were very respectable and mature.

This was an excellent picture of the 'other' Amsterdam... the residential area called the Old South. It was far friendlier and aesthetically interesting than the central district.

Paris

2006-10-22T19:38:00.000-04:00

Europe

I loved Paris. I love Paris. I want to live in Paris. Sigh. The Europe trip was great. Here are some pictures. Next trip is Italy, then Ireland and maybe Spain and Portugal.

Trouble

2006-09-14T22:23:00.000-04:00

I watch too much tv and do not play enough violin. I have picked it up recently.

Anyway, so about a month or so ago a dog was stolen.

It was a day like any other on my way to work and I didn’t see the homeless guy that lives part-time in the bus shelter outside the subway station. I often see him in the mornings and the afternoon/evening when I go home. Not always. ‘Bout 3 or 4 times per week I see him. I never really paid much attention to him and he seems harmless enough. He has a habitual nature that is comforting. Like he’s keeping an eye on things whatever those things are. One thing he always had with him besides a sleeping bag and several mismatched plastic bags filled with who-knows-what by his side was a dog. This was a mix dog about middle-age (that’s about 8 or 9 to you non-dog-liking individuals).

The next day I heard the news.

I heard on the TV that evening I believe that the dog was missing. The guy had him leashed to the bus stop seat and had gone to get a coffee. When he got back his dog was gone.

I started to cry immediately. I never even spoke to the guy and I felt bad that I didn’t. What am I going to say? “I’m going to work now. Have a nice day”? Anyway, I guess that would have been the least I could have done but I don’t even say hi to my neighbours much less a homeless guy.

Well, that’s not true. There’s a homeless guy that used to come into the office on a busy street where I worked and he was very friendly. Native guy he lives up in Manitouin Island during the Summer. His ‘girl’ is sick (I’m not sure if by girl he means his daughter or his wife… somebody). I know when he’s clean (drunk but clean) and when he’s using glue or crack. I like him better when he’s just a little drunk. He’s just great. His name is Jack.

Anyway. I should have at least paid my condolences. But, what the fuck? What could have happened to the dog? Someone took him? He got away? What the mother fucking shit is fucking going on? Fuck. But, someone posted signs; a neighbour lady who also offered a small reward for his safe return with her own money. Now, that’s a neighbour! The signs started to run because of the rains.

Well, days pass and then weeks. Just the other day I noticed a new sign all fresh and white. It said the worst: that some radical animal rights group took the dog.

Motherfuckers. Kidnappers. Dognappers. They should be held accountable and mandated to return Trouble to his rightful caretaker. What the fuck are people thinking? What is wrong with them?
Oh… It gets better.

How this came about was very interesting according to the Toronto Sun:
“Charlene Eales, a communications consultant with a major insurance company, was one of those neighbours (who helped Mike with the dognapping). Not only did she put up posters offering a reward for Trouble's return, using her home number as a contact, she got in touch with Michelle Nadon of the Toronto chapter of an animal welfare group called A Cause for Paws, asking for assistance.” But before she even got a chance to call Michelle Nadon knew what happened due to an anonymous tip that a call had been made to the Toronto Humane Society and the Ottawa Humane Society requesting assistance and shelter for a dog who was about to be ‘rescued’ from the streets of Toronto. “Nadon immediately e-mailed all her contacts in the animal rescue game, advising them that Trouble had been illegally snatched and that his owner, while homeless, made sure that Trouble was "exceptionally loved and well cared for." (Toronto Sun)

And then a letter arrived to Charlene’s mailbox mocking their attempts to ‘reunite’ Trouble and Mike… after all Mike is a drunken mental case. They called her and Michelle ‘laughingstocks’. Somehow the folks who did the ‘rescuing’ got a hold of that email or someone from the legitimate animal rights groups Michelle had emailed gave it to them… sad. So they included a copy of the email in the letter they sent back. The police have the letter now.

Bizarre but true.

This is not over. I do hope Trouble is ok. 8 years is almost an entire lifetime for a dog and a caretaker. That dog was big enough too, that if he really wanted to escape, he would have a long, long time ago. How arrogant of the fucking assholes who did that. How incredible judgemental and mental.

I still see Mike about 3-4 times per week either in the morning or in the afternoon. I see him sitting on his bus stop seat with his dirty but organized plastic grocery and liquor bags staring out at the world. No longer seeing what his best friend saw and no longer sharing any experiences with him.

Mike Costello
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Huff, Death, Brandywine and Marijuana

2006-08-29T21:24:00.000-04:00

I haven't written. sue me.

So they cancelled Huff eh? Motherfuckers! What is this world but a big bag of floating shit?... first Arrested Development and now this? You know, maybe Huff will be resurected like the Family Guy. God I hope so. This was the absolute best thing on TV. Ever. well....

The only thing I have besides my health and a good job and a decent husband and my own house is organic tomatoes: Brandywine (organic) is an heirloom variety I grew from seed. Check this out:

This is my tomato I just picked this evening:

If you can't tell from the photo it's friggin huge, purpley redish with green shoulders.

Here's the description from the seed company I got it from: "Best known for its unique tomato flavor. Large beefsteak fruit have a soft, meaty texture. This tomato varies in yield, but makes up for it in taste and size. Vigorous plants require staking. Maturity 78 days."

Wow. I am impressed.

Death "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not" Epicurus.

All I think about is death. Is that normal? I think I should do something before I go.

I've been thinking a lot about if consciousness continues... with no body of course, and although it seems illogical to think that it should continue in any sense of the term there is a mirror effect throughout nature and the universe and if there was to be any continuation it would probably not be in the moral sense but maybe a cosmic sense? I should think that the energy is energy whether it is in a tree or a wire or a star... or animals such as us. it's too bad we can't take memories with us as I've had some good ones. I should write a book for my kid. Whenever I have a kid... which is no time soon. Maybe next year.

later dudes and dudettes...

P.S. there was nothing in this post regarding marijuana. I just like it.

enjoy every garden

2006-07-24T17:43:00.000-04:00

Anyone have any suggestions as to where I should put my patio? What it should be made out of? I don't know...

2005:

Summer 06

Leave Israel the fuck alone! fuck!

2006-07-23T10:07:00.000-04:00

What is wrong with people? I really do not understand this. Ok, let's break it down to where people can go live and where they are welcomed. Can the Arabs, Persians and Turks live in peace? Sure. Can all the other Muslim populations live in peace? Sure. Why? CAUSE THEY HAVE ALL THE FREAKING LAND!

Here are the facts:

Middle East (Minus Israel) Breakdown:
Population
488,735,590

% Muslim
86.10%

Land Size
8,701,908 Sq. Km.

Israel Breakdown (obviously not including Gaza and the West Bank):
Population
6,276,900

% Jewish
75%

Land Size
20,770 Sq. Km.

Let's see here. Jews can live in a total of: 2% of the total Middle East according to land size. Also, where are Jews welcome? Well not in any other country, evidently. There may be some Yeminite Jews still running around but not enough to register on any minority religious population reports. So, the answer is no where. All a bunch of raging anti-Semites. All a bunch of motherfuckers.

Israel wants to live in peace. Every other Muslim country on the planet wants the total distruction of Israel. No questions asked. They make that clearly evident by burning Israeli flags and killing civilians. Israel, boming Lebanon yes, but trying to ensure that civilians are out of harm's way. Hezbollah isn't doing that. Why? Because they want the complete and utter destruction of Israel. Duh.

Go fuck yourself Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgystan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Palestine (West Bank & Gaza Strip), United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Yemen. Go fuck yourself.

Sources:
Sources: http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/world.html US World Census
World Atlas: http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/world.htm http://www.israelipalestinianprocon.org/populationpalestine.html

P.S. GO FUCK YOURSELF TORONTO!

stirfry

2006-07-23T10:05:00.000-04:00

here's the picture of the stirfry. i don't know why it wouldn't load into the last post... whatever.

Out of my way! Jerk ass!

2006-07-21T22:36:00.000-04:00

more recipes for you. they're good.

Biscuit Crusted Beef Stew
Ingredients:

2 lb. or so of stew beef
A sprinkle or two of salt and pepper
A splash of vegetable oil
A few carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
A few stalks of celery, roughly chopped
A few potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
A few onions, peeled and roughly chopped
A jar of pickled baby white onions
One small can of tomato paste
Half a bottle or so of hearty red wine
Two or three cups of homemade or canned beef stock
A few bay leaves
A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, summery savory and sage each.
Another sprinkle or two of salt and pepper
A few handfuls of frozen peas

Directions:
Biscuit Crusted Beef Stew
Preheat a large thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, pat the beef dry with a clean towel then cut it into large cubes and season it. Add a splash of oil to the pot — covering the bottom in a thin layer — then toss in enough meat to form a single sizzling layer. Sear the meat on every side until it’s evenly browned. As it browns remove it from the pan, adding more oil and meat as needed. Once the meat is done discard the remaining oil — but keep all the browned bits in the pan. They’ll add lots of flavour!

Add half of the vegetables — reserving the other half — and all the meat back to the pot. Add the tomato paste, baby onions and enough wine and beef stock to just barely cover the works. Add the bay leaves, rosemary and other herbs and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking until the meat is almost tender, about an hour, then add the remaining vegetables. I add them in two batches so the first will dissolve into the stew while the second retains its shape, colour and texture. Continue simmering until the meat and veggies are tender, about another thirty minutes.

Meanwhile, make a batch of your favourite biscuits. When the stew is tender season it then stir in the peas and ladle it into several ovenproof bowls. Fit a piece of biscuit dough onto each bowl. Place them on a tray to catch any drips then bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven. Cook until the biscuit toppings are nicely browned and the stew is heated through, about thirty minutes.

This is what you get:

Thanks to my main man, Chef at Home Biscuit Crusted Beef Stew

Here's a good one too:

Green Bean, Red Pepper Stir Fry:
Ingredients:
4 ounces green beans, trimmed
3 tablespoons oriental sesame oil1 8-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast, cut crosswise into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips
2 celery stalks, cut into matchstick-size strips
1 tsp chopped ginger (optional)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

Cook beans in pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Refresh under cold running water.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to skillet; stir-fry until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add bell pepper, ginger and garlic; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add chicken and beans to skillet. Stir in soy sauce and vinegar. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.

i dont' know why i can't put a picture here of the stirfry.,. i'll try tomorrow... i guess. fucking assholes.

you think the Islamist..st.s.ts..s are bad?

2006-06-06T21:56:00.000-04:00

Toronto and all it's jucy goodness is under the spotlight again... no not for SARS, not for Mad Cow but from militant Islamic folk. While suspects are being interrogated and the like, I'd like to point out that we (meaning Toronto, Canada, the World) has been under seige by Christianity for 2000 years. Observe:

"With Host Pat Robertson and special guests: President Gerald Ford, Honorable Jimmy Carter, Ytzak Rabin-Israeli Prime Minister, Dr. Zvi Almog-Tel Aviv University. Pat Boone, Dr. Bill Bright-President, Campus Crusade for Christ, Johnny Cash, Charles Colson-Former Presidential Counselor, Terence Cardinal Cooke-Archbishop of New York, Dr. Billy Graham, James Hampton, Jack Hayford-Pastor, Church on The Way, Rex Humbard-Pastor, Cathedral of Tomorrow,Tom Landry-Dallas Cowboys, Janet Lynn-Olympic Medalist, Samuel Piccolo-President, Steel Workers Local 1306, Jim Ryun-World Champion Miler, Lefty Scumaci-International Office Staff U.S.W.A., Demos Shakarian-President, President, F.G.B.M.F.I., TomSkinner-Evangelist, David Wilderson -Author Evangelist, Pat Robertson-Host. On September 17, 1976, CBN called an entire nation to prayer in a soul-stirring radio-television special that urged Americans to seek God's forgiveness and ask His Mercy and favor. Christians across the land were united in their call for a return to the moral and spiritual values of our forefathers. This is a recording of that broadcast, "It's Time To Pray, America: Take it out and play it often. Share it with your friends. And pray without ceasing. God honors prayer. Today, tomorrow and always. "If My People" Sung by Roger Wiles, "Woman At The Well" by Pat Boone. "

I own this, unopened, in mint condition. Right now, it's selling on Ebay for 5.00 but I know it will be worth hundreds one day... maybe when I'm an old granny.

But, I wander. Back to the evils of Christianity.

All this media attention and international gossip mongoring is stupid. I have no idea why the media begins the question "will this new threat of terrorism lead to lower tourism rates this summer?" of course they answer it with, tourism is vital to Toronto. They keep asking this question about lowered tourism so much it becomes fact... tourism is all of a sudden lower this summer. I wonder fucking why. Maybe it has something to do with the media going nuts over lowered tourism that it became a self-fulfiling prophecy and it becomes lower all by it's lonesome.

fucking retards. jesus was on the mind of every nazi and everyother motherfucker that walks this earth. evil=christianity. Islam is right behind christianity and before atheists. there's nothing worse than an atheist.

2006-04-01T14:50:00.000-05:00

my baked ziti

2006-02-19T09:41:00.000-05:00

Well. This is it. My baked Ziti al Forno.

Here's the recipe. Since I have modified the original I can assuredly call this Ziti, mine. Ha. Filigreeshadow's Ziti al Forno. Buon Appetito mutherfuckers.

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Minced Onion
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Carrot, Diced Fine
1 Celery Stalk, Diced Fine
1/2 Green Pepper, Diced Fine
5 Links Hot Italian Sausage (Or Sweet If You Prefer)
Salt & Pepper
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/4 Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley
1/2 Cup Red Wine
2 (14 oz) Cans Chopped Organic Tomatoes

Pasta:1 Pound of Ziti Pasta (Or Other Dried Pasta)
2 Cups Diced Mozzarella or Fontina Cheese
1/2 Cup Diced Green Olives
3oz. Parmesan, Freshly Grated
1 Beaten Eggs

Brown the sausage links well in a heavy sauce pan. Remove and cut into 1/4 inch rounds.

Next, make the sauce by heating the oil, and cooking the vegetables until they are softened. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, sausage pieces, and parsley, and simmer for 60 minutes until thickened.

After cooking sauce for at least 3/4 of time, cook the pasta until al dente (it's important!). Drain the pasta, and add to the sauce, mixing well.

In a Pam-i-fied ovenproof dish, add 1/3 of the pasta, then sprinkle with the diced cheese, green olives and freshly grated Parmesan. Repeat these layers twice more. Pour over top of the pasta the beaten eggs, and then sprinkle with the last of the olives and diced and grated cheese. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F. oven until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. ___________________________________________________________

I make this, and other meat-o dishes for the ball and chain. I think he appreciates it. It's hard to tell as he's pissed drunk all the time.

Dave and the cartoons

2006-02-05T15:17:00.000-05:00

You see, this isn't very funny. If everyone acted like calm rational people the world would be a pretty boring place. Then again, sometimes enough is simply enough.

I have concluded that the people of this earth are wantingly stupid and I don't want to have anything to do with them.
The Mohammad Cartoon Fiasco

What the hell are people doing to themselves? Is human life worth less than some ink on paper? Evidently, so. Stupid motherfuckers. I really don't want to share the same planet with these fucking idiots.

On the other hand, sometimes you don't know what or who is crazy. I am going to lean to the one side here, and that would be no, he's not crazy. He's just not a good public speaker. Lenny Bruce wasn't either, but then, his actions spoke for his craziness... Dave's hasn't yet reached the action-threshold. If it does, I'll switch teams. Until then, Dave has my full support. Good luck dude.

Dave'n'Oprah

I still love you Dave. I don't think you're crazy.

I think that all the angry people of the world, the people who are just in a rage over some dumbass cartoons which weren't even that funny, but yes, they kind of were. Who fucking cares??? Some idiots in the desert that's who. You all should laugh at these, and the Americans don't even get that upset... and they're being screwed publically! idiots...

Go back to being funny!

Christmas is for Everyone!!!!

2005-12-29T14:33:00.000-05:00

In case you thought Christmas was this:

It turns out you're wrong. Not only is Christmas for Everyone but you will see a whole new Christmas after hearing the whole story from some asshole from Iowa. Let's share a story...

JD's blog: Message: Christmas is for everyone.

Comment left by filigree: Christmas is for Christians.

JD's Reply: Nonsense. Christmas is for anybody who wants to celebrate it, no matter what you think. Period.

filigree's Reply: You said "Christmas is for everyone" and I said "Christmas is for Christians". Why isn't it called 'Everyone-Mass'? Or, 'Everybody-Mass' Why is Christmas called Christmas? Because Jesus Christ is the Christian God... not the Muslim God, Hindu God, or the Buddhist God... just the Christians. Hence, Christmas is for Christians. If this has been too complex to understand, I apologize. But you're from Iowa and I can't make this any simpler. My comment is not bigoted. But your comment is. By saying Christmas is for everyone you are forcing your beliefs and customs onto others in the attempt to invalidate their traditions.

Have a great Hanukkah.

JD's Reply: Nonsense. Christmas is for anybody who wants to celebrate it, no matter what you think. Period.

Now, I don't know about you but the picture above tells me that a bunch of representatives from Goy-land are celebrating (albeit in a repressed, never-see-action-or-have-great-orgasms kind of way) and probably planning on their next anti-Semitic, anti-fag, anti-feminist, or anti-socialist activities for the upcoming new year but for most people it would just stop there. No. Not with my new best friend JD from Iowa. Here's the rest of it:

JD con't: I'm tired of hearing rightwingers and bigots talk abut the religious side of Christmas being the only one. Here's the truth of the matter in plain language that anybody can understand. It explains that Christmas is not a religious holiday and technically never was one: Why Christmas Isn't Christmas Anymore Many in the right wing of American politics have been protesting that some people say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." There seems to be anger that other holidays for other religions are included in the holiday season. Some simply acknowledge the holiday, not a religious event. There is a reason for this anger, but in fact, it has nothing to do with Christmas.

Christmas is being used to symbolize a protest that is actually based on another matter, the separation of church and state. But one cannot even be sure that the right wing is aware that this is actually what they are doing because it seems to have been sublimated so that the real cause of their anger is unknown to them. The right wing might truly be upset if they ever realize that they are not celebrating Christmas at all, but entirely different events that have been substituted for Christmas over time. They might be even more shocked to discover that they have never been celebrating Christmas at all during their entire lifetimes.

It seems strange, but it definitely is true; let me explain. We have to go back and take a look at history. What I am about to tell you now is not the real focus of this article but a little fact that may help put this all into better perspective from the start. Let's ask the question "What are the Christmas holidays?" Have we ever thought about that? So many are supposedly upset at the use of "Happy Holidays," and yet they have never thought to ask themselves this question. We are talking about holidays. It is known as the "holiday season." Why holidays? Why not "religious observances?" Do we say "Happy Religious Observances?" I don't recall ever seeing that. Have you ever asked when Jesus was born? Do you think Jesus was born on December 25th? That's the day his birth is celebrated. But it is a fact that scholars believe that Jesus was born during the month we now call July.

Even more recently, archeologists are telling us that Jesus was never born in Bethlehem, but in Nazareth. You might also believe that the practice of gift giving is based on the story of the 3 wise men. It isn't. It has nothing at all to do with that. The reasons for gift giving and for the holiday we call Christmas is based entirely on different events that have nothing at all to do with the birth or life of Jesus. What we celebrate as the "Christmas holidays" is actually the "winter solstice." The winter solstice was used by the ancient Romans as a time for many pagan holidays. The reason for these holidays was the inaccuracy of the Julian calendar of that time. The calendar in use did not accurately account for the Earth's revolution around the Sun. Extra days were left over. If these days were not used up, over time, it would cause the seasons represented by the calendar to be thrown off and the calendar would be useless as a tool to mark the seasons. Timing was critical to agriculture and the errors had to be corrected by creating "holidays" to use up the extra days. These holidays weren't actually "on" the calendar, but were in addition to the dates of the calendar. The winter solstice was used as a "holiday season," and the people used the holidays to celebrate all sorts of pagan gods and other events. Even using this method was not foolproof and every century or two, edicts had to be given adding a few more or taking away a few "holidays" to even out the dates of the calendar.

The Julian calendar was tinkered with over time trying to adjust dates and holidays and religious celebrations, but astronomy was not a truly accurate science during that time and both the Moon and the Sun were used in the calculations. Errors kept cropping up. The Gregorian calendar was adopted by Pope Gregory XIII in either 1581 or 1582 depending on whether you go by the signing of the decree or its implementation. The calendar was not accepted everywhere at the same time and some countries took 200 years to adopt it, and it wasn't adopted in Russia until 1918. So a couple of hundred years of confusion ensued involving the use of different calendars. Going back in time to the early Christians, the date of Christ's birth was based on the idea that Old Testament prophets all died either on an anniversary of birth or conception. They reasoned that Jesus died on an anniversary of his conception, so the date of his birth was calculated to be nine months after the date of Good Friday, which fell on what is now (under the Gregorian calendar) either December 25th or January 6th depending on the method of calculation. This date had nothing to do with the real date of his birth, but on a tradition in the Torah regarding Old Testament prophets.

So the date is arbitrary based on Jewish tradition and not fact. The word "Christmas" is a contraction of "Christ's Mass" which was held by the Catholic Church and set to December 25th based on the revised Gregorian calendar. Keep in mind that months were shifted and days added and deleted based on the calculations of the new calendar. So that all these dates shifted. The abbreviation of 20th century merchants of the name "Christmas" to "Xmas" to save advertising space was based on the acceptance that the "X" resembles the Greek letter X (chi) which has often been historically used as an abbreviation of Christ in Greek. This is all interesting, and it definitely explains all the confusion over Jesus' birth date, but what does this have to do with the holiday season we refer to as Christmas? The fact is that "Christmas" or "Christ's Mass" is a religious observance of the Church and falls on a specific date as selected in the Gregorian calendar. This is not the holiday that we celebrate as "Christmas" which has a different but related origin and an entirely different nature. What we celebrate as the Christmas season now is based in the celebration of St. Nicholas and has become a commercial holiday and a powerful economic engine. It comes right out of Industrial Age England. It was set to coincide with "Christ's Mass" and was a way to give to the poor during needy winter months. St. Nicholas was famous for his charity and his giving to the poor of all the wealth he inherited.

Over time, in some countries, St. Nicholas became changed to Santa Claus. And now we see decorations everywhere of reindeer, Santa Claus in his red suit, Christmas trees, lights and decorations of all kinds in celebration of a commercial season based on buying and giving gifts. This season was used by our industrial societies to drive the economic engine, bring in profit, and keep people employed. Since the mid 1800's in industrial England, this holiday season has been heavily promoted in order to encourage spending and giving and to keep the wheels of the economy turning.

The Christmas holiday season has become economically the most important time of the year. Stop commercial Christmas, and you stop the economic engine that is so vital to the health of the nation's economic well-being. Christmas is the one season that is said to pull merchants out of the red into the black. Without the Christmas holidays and gift-giving, most merchants would fail according to the economic analysts. While many people go to church and celebrate "Christ's Mass," the commercial endeavor we call "Christmas" has little to nothing to do with "Christ's Mass," and everything to do with economics and industrial production. Additionally, holidays for multiple religions fall during this time of year. They have nothing to do with "Christ's Mass" either, but the commercial holidays are driven not by any of the religious events, but by the commercial purchasing and gift-giving . When merchants tell their customers "Happy Holidays" they are doing just that. They are not engaging in a religious event, they are engaging in a commercial event. It is the commercial event we call the "Christmas holiday season." Remember that these events are not religious events but actual "holidays," that remain from the old Julian calendar from ancient Rome and have come down to us through all the centuries. So let us return to the sudden uproar and complaints about the use of "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."

If you are truly celebrating a religious event by going to church and engaging in religious rituals, then you are engaging at that moment in the celebration of a religious event. If, however you are engaging in the commercial Christmas season, and most are, then you are not. You are engaging in a holiday season that involves purchasing and gift-giving, and you will have your house decorated with Christmas lights, Santa Claus and reindeer, a Christmas tree, and lots of gifts and colorful wrapping. This is a commercial event even though it may engender warm feelings and a sense of community between neighbors, friends, and relatives. So why the anger and harsh words about the use by some of "Happy Holidays?" Seriously. Think about it. Why on Earth would you be upset about what someone else says or how they greet someone?

The fact is, you're not. You may be upset, but that is not actually what is upsetting you. Would you be angry because a Jewish friend said "Happy Hanukah"? I don't think so, and if you did, it would be a good indication of emotional problems. So what is actually going own here? How and why are people being deceived and driven to anger and resentment over what should be a happy time of year? Really think about this because it affects you, and it affects your neighbors. This issue goes right back to those in positions of religious power who continue to oppose the separation of Church and state. The way to overcome that separation is to impose religious ideology everywhere. Impose it in the market place, and through the market place, impose it on the state.

In effect, alienate everyone who holds different beliefs by imposing a specific religion on everyone and make it impossible for them to get away from it and to exercise their own rights of freedom of belief. We need to always keep in mind that the earliest settlers in America were fleeing Europe for that very reason. Europe did not have separation of Church and state, and people fled here in droves in order to secure freedom for themselves to follow their own belief system and practice their own way of living that they chose of their own free will. There are those in this country who have no concern for Constitutional Democracy and are quite willing to sacrifice it for the imposition of religion on the state. Look at Iran and what that did to them. Look at Iraq and what that will do to them because they have included religious law into their new constitution.

Constitutional democracy in Iraq is already doomed and their future is already written. There will be no escape from a harsh and controlling religion and there will be no religious freedom. Beware of the demagogues who want to control your future and who ceaselessly try to limit your freedom to chose for yourself. Once you lose that freedom, you most likely will never get it back. They will be controlling you and your future. Your only hope is that the powers of religion and the powers of state are kept separated for your protection. This is exactly what the founding fathers did. They realized the danger and they sought to overcome it with the constitution we now have.

So the next time you see propaganda floating around and you see people acting angry because of how SOMEONE ELSE believes and even how they greet others, then let the warning bells go off in your head. These people are not interested in your freedoms, they are interested in an ideology and feel perfectly comfortable taking away your freedoms to suit their own desires. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy New Year! May the new year bring you freedom to choose for yourself!

And that's why I fucking hate Christmas.

god my husband won't shut the hell up

2005-12-05T21:28:00.000-05:00

Listening box:

Autour De Lucie – reminds me of the Cranes or Slowdive …
Benabar – a hip, modern version Jacques Brel while not as angry… Y’a Une Fille Qui Habite Chez Moi is specifically a great song.
Edith Piaf - you know, La Vie En Rose
Isabelle Boulay a nice Québec girl who sings sad, sad love songs.
Marc Lavoine - the Rod Stewart of France…
Vanessa Paradis - who I’m only just getting used to listening to

I’m in love with French music, specifically Thomas Fersen I barely understand his songs but I know he’s an excellent song writer and I know nothing of France but I sure do know that he is a great underground sensation and he’s coming to Montreal and Quebec in late January (for whatever reason is beyond me) but we can’t go… bleh.

I can’t understand why he’s not popular in English speaking countries… you should love him too.

the defeat

2005-11-28T20:23:00.000-05:00

In a Past Life...

You Were: A Charming Executor of Sacrifices.

Where You Lived: Scotland.

How You Died: Decapitation.

Who Were You In a Past Life?

I've been reading The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. So, I've been very polite, contrary to what Skippy says. Skippy who I'm sure is glued to his TV right now at 8:28pm, gettin’ off to the sounds of the Liberal being defeated by the pinko’s, the mini-hitlers, and the fruitcakes which are the Québécois.

Sorry Skip, it takes more than winks-a-lot Jack or androgynous Stevie and ego-maniac Martin to get me off.

And I don’t throw chairs… I give evil looks and everyone just magically goes away.

thoughts for the day...

2005-11-12T21:40:00.000-05:00

social interaction with people in general is psychologically brusing to me. it's sad.

i can't stand the annoying people on the subway

2005-11-10T20:46:00.000-05:00

i don't know what kind of disgusting toothbrush these people pick up out of the fluid-soaked garbage but if they'd just spend the 3.50 on a clean one and 1.00 for some friggin toothpaste... the entirety of the subway experience would exponentially increase. even some gum would help. COME ON PEOPLE!!! They stand there breathing on me in this cramped subway car and there's NO ESCAPE....

those are the facts goddamnit. is it god damn it or is it god damnit... i like god damnit better.

it's so close. i can't stand it. i try every day not to look at people. why? because it's too psychologically disruptive. all i think about is 'oh, i feel so sorry for that young lad dressed in those obviously 'cool fashion' pants with no future ahead of himself. And, that lady, she's knitting, isn't that sweet. i bet she learned this fine craft from her grandmother... the one we always wish we had. with the cookies and the positive reinforcement... dr phil crap. oh, there's a idiot girl who's 16 and DOESN'T SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!! "It's like, really, I'm mean... yea! Oh, totally. Oh really? Huh-uh. Oh, no way! She's such a bitch. She's like... comes up to me and like tells me to do something and it's like, no way."

see in my day we had the 'valley girl' thing happenin' well, i was 10 but it still means I had it. way back then.

I can't get involved with these people.

I just want to go to a nice small farm and sell marmalade at the farmer's market and take long walks near the lake and smoke a lot of pot, maybe do some acid again. maybe learn to knit from an adopted grandmother who bakes the best gosh darn cookies in the county....

I gave another blogger advice today. I don't normally do that. But she was musing on what she was doing in university... I told her to pick a major so that she doesn't end up like me.

I wish I could have given myself that advice a long time ago.

like, uh-uh, yea.

at 4 weeks... my girlfriend is fine...

2005-11-09T07:41:00.000-05:00

My garden

2005-07-25T20:54:00.000-04:00

So I am taking this opportunity to play around with the photo thing on blog.

This is my garden in the middle of May.

This, of course, at the insistance of the ball-and-chain, the brussel sprout, red onion and herb garden. I see no use for sprouts but what the hell, cool to grow.

And, this is the middle of June:

The middle of July:

Yes. The broccoli and the cucumbers were excellent by the way. Pesticide-free Organic.

People on the sidewalk, who smell, smell bad, should be given a citizen's ticket and an 'hah-ha' Nelson-style and everyone should laugh. I smoke cigarettes and I can smell you! fuckers.

Coming Full Circle.... photo essay

2005-05-18T22:02:00.000-04:00

Propaganda slide pertaining to the issue of converting to Catholicism.
One image from a slide lecture produced by "Der Reichsfuehrer SS, der Chef des Rasse-und Siedlungshauptamtes" [the Leader of the SS, the Chief of the Race and Settlement Main Office]. The slide lecture, entitled "Das Judentum, seine blutsgebundene Wesensart in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart" [Jewry, Its Blood-based Essence in Past and Future], is Part I of the thematic series, "Judentum, Freimaurerei, Bolschewismus" [Jewry, Freemasonry, Bolshevism]. The text of the slide lecture is available at the Bundesarchiv Koblenz, record group number NS31/163.
Date: Circa 1936
Locale: Germany
Credit: USHMM, courtesy of Library of Congress
Copyright: Public Domain

Posted by Hello

Catholic clergy and Nazi officials, including Joseph Goebbels (far right) and Wilhelm Frick (second from right), give the Nazi salute. Germany, date uncertain.
__________
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Referenced in the following article(s):
German Churches and the Nazi State
Posted by Hello

Adolf Hitler converses with the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Cesare Orsenigo, at a New Year's reception in Berlin.
Adolf Hitler converses with the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Cesare Orsenigo, at a New Year's reception in Berlin.
Date: Jan 1, 1935
Locale: Berlin, [Berlin] Germany
Photographer: Heinrich Hoffmann/Studio of H. Hoffmann
Credit: USHMM, courtesy of William O. McWorkman
Copyright: USHMM

Posted by Hello

God, Jesus and President Bush... the holy trinity
Posted by Hello

What did you expect?
Posted by Hello

The new face of evil. Tegg Haggard.
Posted by Hello

No one outsmarts Ralph.
Posted by Hello

Or do they?
Posted by Hello

Jesus... Hitler.... Bush.... what's the difference?
Posted by Hello

2005-05-18T20:42:00.000-04:00

I don't know how anyone can say 'no' to a face like this. I really, really don't.
Posted by Hello

World View

2005-05-13T19:05:00.000-04:00

You scored as Postmodernist. Postmodernism is the belief in complete open interpretation. You see the universe as a collection of information with varying ways of putting it together. There is no absolute truth for you; even the most hardened facts are open to interpretation. Meaning relies on context and even the language you use to describe things should be subject to analysis.

Postmodernist

88%

Existentialist

69%

Modernist

63%

Materialist

63%

Cultural Creative

56%

Romanticist

31%

Fundamentalist

19%

Idealist

13%

What is Your World View?
created with QuizFarm.com

An alarming fact about the new pope and some words of advice...

2005-04-29T17:09:00.000-04:00

Everyone,

The new Pope was a member of the Hitler Youth. I don't know what else needs to be said. Christianity has finally come full circle to become it's own antichrist. It is pure evil and the leader is Satan himself.

On another note.... I remembered some advice recently that is so important today. I use it as a mantra, I suggest you do the same:

'Lord loves a workin' man.
Don't trust whitey.
See a doctor n'get rid of it.'

2005-01-19T23:32:00.000-05:00

Hi Zen,

I don't know if you take 'requests' but I'd love to see a Bush cartoon that parallels the inaugural parade that he will be having (with the large, papier-mache Constitutions and American Bald Eagles) as the city of Washington D.C. foots the bill (according to the Washington Post), with the mass military parades that the former USSR used to display… or parades to Mao or Hitler. The inauguration guests and party-goers waving at the ‘little’ people through a maze of guns pointed at those same ‘little’ people who are the working poor, those who live and work in DC, who are people of colour, and po’ white folk and the alcoholic and the dying breed of female intern… people who are a threat to the government which is aiming to obliterate the ‘internal’ threat in their sites on their scope of persecution. Kind of like cartoon characters eh? The papier-mache “Bill of Rights” could be waving ‘howdy doodie’ to all the little kiddies in your town too. And all this for glorification of an imbecile. Hardly makes it seem the trouble.

quotes

2005-01-15T13:17:00.000-05:00

I am fully aware that most of the people in this world fall into one of two categories: evil or stupid. Sometimes, they're both. Those are the ones who are really funny.
- filigreehsadow

"You don't frighten us, English pig dogs. Go and boil your bottoms, you sons of a silly person. I blow my nose at you..."

"I didn't know we had a king. I thought we were an autonomous collective."

-- Monty Python: The Holy Grail

"Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?"

- The Breakfast Club

"Lord loves a workin' man; don't trust whitey; see a doctor and get rid of it."

- The Jerk

"You take drugs, Danny?"
"Every day."
"Good. Then what's your problem?"

- Caddyshack

"You wanna get high man?"
"Does Howdy Doody got wooden Balls man?"

-Up in Smoke

"Look Mike, I like you. I like the way you handle yourself. You seem like a reasonable man. Why don't we make a deal. What's it worth to you to drag your considerable talents back to the gutter you crawled out of."

- Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

Jimmy Cox

2004-10-12T08:54:00.000-04:00

For those of you who have travelled this great internet and found me, you are probably looking for information on Jimmy Cox. Here are the links of interest:
Jimmy Cox "Nobody knows you when you're down and out"

Jimmy Cox, who was he? (you have to scroll down towards the bottom.)

(You may also find my post detailing John Ashcroft's youthful adventures interesting as well, it's on the same page. Did you know he's best friends with the Branson Singing Christian Sensation? You do now.)

happy trails.

-filigree

Sine Qua Non: A Tribute to Catholicism, "Can't have one..." Sermon Sunday # 5

2004-10-11T10:24:00.000-04:00

So, the end result, is then, you can't have one without the other. You can have god but not without the devil, you can have good but not without bad, happy and sad... see where I'm going with this?

We should all just be Zorastrians.

Sermon Sundays are now over. Stay tuned to other philosophical diatribes in the future.

- filigree

You fucking idiot... How I despise you.

2004-10-08T07:32:00.000-04:00

The moron better known as G.W. Bush
Posted by Hello

You make me sick you Nazi fuck. I don't know how you could get any more insane, stupid or ugly.

Sine Qua Non: A Tribute to Catholicism, Gizmo's Got Game. Sermon Sunday # Four

2004-10-02T19:06:00.000-04:00

Search for Extra Terrestrial Music Intelligence SETMI1

by Dr. Harvey "Gizmo" Rosenberg

“We can be sure of the priority of music consciousness because Neanderthal/Stone Age flutes were discovered that have diatonic scales (www.webstar.sk.ca/greenwich/OG-EZ.HTM), which, according to their dating, are about twenty thousand years older than the appearance of thought/language. How do we know that pre-thought man was creating symbolic rhythmic sounds? Anthropologist can measure their intervals. Our genius for organizing harmonics into meaningful patterns preceded our genius for thought.... or is it all the same? This shouldn’t surprise any of us because, what is language other than rhythmic patterns of symbolic sounds? This means we had developed the capacity to create rhythmic symbolic sounds before we created thought and language, because you can’t have one without the other.

The meaning of sound is that it has meaning because our survival depended on our brain’s ability to ascribe meaning to harmonics.”

The great paradox: How people can be so smart and so stupid at the exact same time. It's like an atom. An atom has its electrons spinning around the nucleus and spinning on an axis at the same time. It is never still and never has a perspective.

Amen.

2004-10-01T14:21:00.000-04:00

Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky,
Little boxes, little boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

And the people in the houses
All go to the university,
And they all get put in boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
And there's doctors and there's lawyers
And business executives,
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

And they all play on the golf-course,
And drink their Martini dry,
And they all have pretty children,
And the children go to school.
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university,
And they all get put in boxes
And they all come out the same.

And the boys go into business,
And marry, and raise a family,
And they all get put in boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

Words and music by Malvina Reynolds. Copyright 1962, Schroder Music Company

as sung by Pete Seeger

to store this here is good

Sine qua non: A Tribute to Catholicism, The Core Principles. Sermon Sunday #3

2004-09-26T09:38:00.000-04:00

Sermon Sunday #3: The Core Principles

…the Polynesian understanding of hu-na runs exactly parallel to the new scientific models of quantum reality in the field of wave mechanics, where two seemingly opposed principles or qualities (objective/subjective, cognitive/intuitive, male/female, doing/being, space/time, self/other, wave/particle, and so forth) exist only through their quality of being in complementary relationship to each other…”
The Power of Aloha: The Hawaiian Guide to Love, Health and Wealth: The Core Principle of Hu-Na

How many different ways are there to interpret the universe/god/consciousness whatever-you-want-to-call-the-ultimate-thingy: Causality, First Mover, Natural Order, Design, Perfection, Ethical/Moral, and even Logical etc. But really, it is about language and context of consciousnesses.

If we affirm that consciousness and the outer world are parts of a greater whole - they're not distinct entities then certain questions arise: Is the central essence of being, a pure consciousness, and the common denominator behind each and all phenomena? What exactly is a pure consciousness? What is the relationship of consciousness and the universe? Does the universe consist of or consists in consciousness? Is consciousness God or God consciousness? Can you have one without the other?

Then, nature and context of the words and ideas used are dependent upon many factors. To use questions to describe a desired logical reactive statement is, by our language set, either affirming or denying. Existence, causality, reality, cognition, God… these are all “yes” or “no” objects. They either are or are not.

But what if what is discussed is really beyond our comprehension and our language? We are only able to view the shadow of the idea. It’s like when we look at an electron that is spinning on an axis and also moving in a particular direction. We humans have a hard time of it to observe both movements. It as if these ideas are on the verge of the language boarder. We can only put these questions into cultural and historical context or frame of reference. They cannot transcend these qualities and therefore are not universal.

Human beings have a unique relationship with the universe in part due to our brains grappling with the void and the all. As Nietzsche said “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” Consciousness and void… you can’t have one without the other.

Amen.

Go in peace.

Sine qua non: A Tribute to Catholicism The Rebuke of the Unfortunate. Sermon Sunday #2

2004-09-19T07:25:00.000-04:00

According to Jean Piaget (1896-1980), the world's first and foremost developmental psychologist, each person traverses through ‘phases’ throughout a lifetime. After the devotion to mollusks subsided Piaget turned to children. The general stages: The sensorimotor stage (birth-2), preoperational stage (2-7yrs), the concrete operations (7-11yrs) and the formal operations (beginning at 11-15yrs).

“What development is. …For Piaget, development is what cognitive structures do. Cognitive structures are active things; they are means of interacting with your environment. Human beings are not born with a fixed set of cognitive structures, preformed and ready to go, or waiting around till some episode of maturation comes along and triggers them.

Nor do human beings get their cognitive structures by passively absorbing structures that are already out in the environment. Piaget did not think that significant advances come about because of what we "note" out in the environment, or because of the data that we ‘read off.’” Jean Piaget's Genetic Epistemology: Appreciation and Critique

“Cognitive structures change through the processes of adaptation: assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation involves the interpretation of events in terms of existing cognitive structure whereas accommodation refers to changing the cognitive structure to make sense of the environment. Cognitive development consists of a constant effort to adapt to the environment in terms of assimilation and accommodation. In this sense, Piaget's theory is similar in nature to other constructivist perspectives of learning (e.g., Bruner, Vygotsky)”. Genetic Epistemology (J. Piaget)

In comes abstract thought. Human beings learn in their youth how to reason hypothetically and thinking about the possible, all without the concrete world.

Adaptation: adapting to the world through assimilation and accommodation:
Assimilation The process by which a person takes material into their mind from the environment, which may mean changing the evidence of their senses to make it fit. Assimilating a new object into an old schema
Accommodation The difference made to one's mind or concepts by the process of assimilation. Accommodating an old schema to a new object.

You can't have one without the other.

“Assimilation and accommodation work like pendulum swings at advancing our understanding of the world and our competency in it. According to Piaget, they are directed at a balance between the structure of the mind and the environment, at a certain congruency between the two, that would indicate that you have a good (or at least good-enough) model of the universe. This ideal state he calls equilibrium”

The rage of the rebuked and unfortunate stems from dissipation and disillusionment of both the desired object and the established schema; which grapple and fight but in the end do not get adapted. To those rebuked and unfortunate: cast off the burdens of belief and doubt and contemplate the power of mind to a fortunate end.

-Amen

Sine qua non: A Special tribute to Catholicism. Sermon Sunday #1

2004-09-12T13:50:00.000-04:00

Atheism. What does that mean, exactly? That one doesn't believe in god or a title for being different in a monotheistic culture 0r both? A description of something only in the context of something else:
aºtheism

You can’t have one without the other.

University of Michigan News Service
February 13, 2001 (20)

Galaxies and black holes: You can't have one without the other

EDITORS: Color images of a galaxy containing a black hole with mass equivalent to 100 million suns are available for electronic download at: http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/users/dor/n4697c.jpg and at: http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/users/dor/xvsnap.jpg

SAN FRANCISCO---Galaxies and black holes are so intimately connected that it is almost impossible to find one without the other, according to University of Michigan astronomer Douglas Richstone.
Over the last decade, Richstone and a team of researchers have detected massive black holes in all but one of the 30 spiral galaxies they surveyed. To detect new black holes, scientists look for abrupt changes in star velocity patterns revealed by stars orbiting near the center of the galaxy. Based on the galaxy's size and the velocity pattern of stars at the galaxy's core, scientists can detect the gravitational force of a black hole and also estimate its mass.

…"The energy output of a massive black hole is comparable to the energy of the galaxy over its entire lifetime," Richstone said. "Black holes and stars compete for mass, and black holes heavily influence the thermodynamics of the interstellar gas in young galaxies. So it is impossible to sensibly discuss the galaxy formation process, or the history of star formation, without including the formation of black holes."

Stay tuned to the upcoming Sundays where I explore the theme: "you can't have one without the other"...

Degrees of Separation....

2004-09-09T21:25:00.000-04:00

Ok Skippy.

You linked mundane, contempt for humanity and vegetarians, and elitisim to Stalinism in 5 degrees!

Ok ok, I've got one for you!

George Bush-->John Ashcroft-->Max Bacon (Bacon Music) -->Branson Missouri--> Dick Bofferding (citizen of Branson)-->Mayor Pro Tem, Ron Huff -->Native Americans --->Aunt Jemmima ---> the apocolypse

As you can see from the other post "Which would you rather be related to..." you will find that Bush, Ashcroft and Bacon are all separated by just a few degrees.... But, did you know that the pit of hell is really in Branson Missouri and that all evil in the US stems from its putrid innards? And that it's an evil curse sent out by the millions of dead Native Americans? It's true.

Let's listen in! Shall we?

From the May 24,2004 Minutes of Branson's Board of Aldermen (city council)

"This City is wholesome, you can bring your kids, yourgrandkids here, everything is great here, and the theaters have been great. Mr. Bofferding statedthat he felt the trend that the city is moving in is one he doesn’t like. The city honors thiscountry and veterans in a great way. We should be honoring God too and there are sins that weneed to look at. All sins are classified under three classifications; lust, greed or pride and he feelsthat the city could have the sin of greed take over. He would like to see the Council not take thatstep toward greed in this town and keep it a wholesome community for our children and ourgrandchildren to come to." - Branson Citizen, Dick Bofferding

Mayor Pro Tem Huff also responded to the statement....I’m not sure that we’ve got a problem in this town. Where is the problem with alcohol in theaters? We’ve been serving alcohol in theaters since 1982 here. There hasn’t been any surge in people getting licenses to serve alcohol in their theaters. This is something that is heavily regulated by State Law. I don’t know if we’ve got that big of a problem here in Branson. I am just worried about if we make a statement such as we don’t think that liquor should be served here or served there or over there, I just think that kind of a message can have an adverse affect on Branson. I believe that it could be misinterpreted that if you drink or if you enjoy a glass of wine, you enjoy a beer, that you are not welcome in Branson. And that folks is not the kind of message we want to put out there. I am not speaking on behalf of anyone but myself. This is regulated by State Law and those that are legally permitted to do so have the right to serve it. That is my position on it.'" - Branson Mayor Pro Tem Ron Huff.

The Trail of Tears

February 1838
15,665 people of the Cherokee Nation memorialize congress protesting the Treaty of New Echola.

July 1838
Over 13,000 Cherokees imprisoned in military stockades awaiting break in drought. Approximately 1500 die in confinement.

November 1838
Thirteen contingents of Cherokees cross Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois. First groups reach the Mississippi River, where there crossing is held up by river ice flows.

March 1839
Last group headed by Ross, reaches Oklahoma. More than 3000 Cherokee die on Trail of Tears, 1600 in stockades and about the same number en route. 800 more die in 1839 in Oklahoma.

The Trail of Tears State Park (near Cape Girardeau, Missouri) - a National Park dedicated to the memory of the Native Americans who were removed from their lands by force and those who died along the way.

In 1889, Aunt Jemima pancake flour, invented at St. Joseph, Missouri, was the first self-rising flour for pancakes and the first ready-mix food ever to be introduced commercially.

The end of the world is near...

For my friend... Skippy

2004-08-31T09:07:00.000-04:00

The Ultimate Politics Survey
Describe your stance on:
Abortion: For
Affirmative Action: For
Age of Consent: 18
Animal Testing: Against!
Death Penalty: Against
Downloading Music/Movies: don't care
Drug Decriminalization: For
Factory Farming: Against!
Free Trade: Fair Trade? Yes. Free Trade? No
Funding of Arts: For
Gay Marriage: For
Gun Control: For
Immigration: Yes.
Hardcore Pornography: Don't care
Human Cloning: Not right, but, whatever
Miltary Draft: Against
Minimum Wage: Minimum Wage? No, Living Wage? Yes
Prostitution: Legalize and Government Controlled
School Vouchers: What the hell is that?
Taxes: Yes. They get us things we need, water, pollution control, social services, public housing etc.
United Nations: Great idea.
Universal Health Care: Absolutely
War on Terrorism: Oxymoron
Welfare: Wouldn't need welfare if we had true socialism
Take The Ultimate Politics Survey
Get more cool things for your blog at Blogthings

For Skippy, because he cares. Skippy Stalin

The Ultimate Death Survey

What do you think happens after you die? I don't know

Do you believe in heaven? not really

Do you believe in hell? not really

Do you think you will be judged after you die? by whom? by friends, family, yes. by supernatural being? who's to say?

How many people would attend your funeral? not many

Would you rather that people cry or laugh at your funeral? be happy

What's better? A shot in the head or downing pills? downing pills

What should be written on your tombstone? She came, she saw, she kicked some ass....

Would you rather die childless or divorced? childless

Do you want to die in the morning, afternoon, or night? night

If you had a million dollars to leave, who would you leave it to? my husband

What kind of flowers do you want at your funeral? no flowers, too goy

On your deathbed, which moment will you most remember? When I met my husband *awww*

Have you ever watched someone die? no

What's the most gruesome death you can imagine?

How often do you think about death? not very often

Is fear of dying your number one fear? no

Do you believe in reincarnation? who came up with that one? I don't know... maybe.

Have you ever wished someone you loved were dead? no

Do you consider life short or long? short!

Do you think you have a soul? what the hell is that?

Assisted suicide for a terminally ill person is: the ill person's decision

If you were cremated, where would you like your ashes? scattered in a forest

Would you choose to be immortal, if you could be? no

Take The Ultimate Death Survey

Get more cool things for your blog at Blogthings

Who would you rather be related to? A county judge or a singing christian hillbilly?

2004-08-28T11:27:00.000-04:00

In 1977 John Ashcroft and Max Bacon co-wrote, produced, and recorded "In the Spirit of Life and Liberty" - John and Max.

Who was Max Bacon? Funny? No. Serious? Yes.

some of that album:

"Let the eagle soar,
Like she's never soared before.
From rocky coast to golden shore,
Let the mighty eagle soar.
Soar with healing in her wings,
As the land beneath her sings:
'Only god, no other kings.
'This country's far too young to die.
We've still got a lot of climbing to do,
And we can make it if we try.
Built by toils and struggles
God has led us through."
John Ashcroft Biography

"Islam is a religion in which God requires you to send your son to die for him. Christianity is a faith in which God sends his son to die for you."

"Unique among the nations, America recognized the source of our character as being godly and eternal, not being civic and temporal. And because we have understood that our source is eternal, America has been different. We have no king but Jesus."

Both Quotes by Ashcroft.

John Ashcroft
Posted by Hello

Assembly of God could be a source of inspiration to the young Johnny...

God is described in Evangel Times:

"Logically and scientifically speaking the belief in the existence of God is called theism. The belief that there is no God is called foolishness. It is popular opinion yes, but also, sound reasonable fact.

There are those who have said “God is dead.” — Nietzsche but really, as the joke points out, God can't be dead. “Nietzsche is dead.” — God

ha ha good one!

Besides, the relationship with God is far superior to any knowledge that can be gained through a book or a person (animal, mineral or vegetable! ha ha, people are animals.. haha) anyway, so really personal experience can prove God exists. It's something in there! Eveyone knows it but some people just don't want to see it. God lives in each of our hearts, logical people grasp this concept. Nevertheless, those who have this experience also know how real the proof is. It’s difficult to have a personal relationship with someone who doesn’t exist.
Really, something must be eternal! Like, duh!

When you objectively weigh the evidence, including the law of probabilities that complex life could arise at random from nothing (or little better than nothing), you must realize that believing in blind evolution requires more faith than believing in God!

Please email me and try to argue that one! You can email me at pe@ag.org or iamacompletefuckingidiot@jesusmail.homo. Just call me Ken.

______________________________________
Thanks Ken for that inspiring creativity that has spawned from John Ashcroft's deep dark soul. And on to his young-adult buddy: Max Bacon.

There are actually 2 Max Bacon's in well-known Springfield Missouri. One of the Max's works as an associate court judge (well, authority runs high in this family)...

Max E. Bacon is an associate court judge in Greene County Missouri. 1010 BoonvilleSpringfield, Missouri 65802(417)868-4074 telephone(417)868-4050 facsimile. Also, along with Max E. Bacon are: Miles Sweeney, Presiding Judge, Division 2) Don Burrell, Circuit Judge, Division 1) Henry ("Hank") Westbrooke, Circuit Judge, Division 3) Thomas E. Mountjoy, Circuit Judge, Division 4) Calvin Holden, Circuit Judge, Division 5) Max E. Bacon, Associate Circuit Judge J. Dan Conklin, Associate Circuit JudgeMark Fitzsimmons, Associate Circuit JudgeMark A. Powell, Associate Circuit Judge. Greene County Missouri
But, this Max Bacon is a DEMOCRAT!

But, he's Max E. Bacon. On the album it just states Max Bacon plain and simple. Well, ok, so maybe it's Max Bacon of the Christian Music fame? He is giving free concerts in and around Branson Missouri. Remember, he is a country/gospel music sensation! Bacon Music

From the "Springfield News-Leader" - "Max Bacon Family plays The Ozark Mountain Jubilee will present the Max Bacon Family in a 2 p.m. concert Saturday at Days Inn, 3050 N. Kentwood Ave. Tickets are $12 to $15 free for children. For more information, call 887-7111.

Funny still? The courthouse where Max E. Bacon works is at 1010 Boonville is just down the street from 1447 East Kearney where the John and Max album was produced and also just down the street from Max Bacon's (of the family sensation the "Max Bacon Family") recording studio at 3531 E. Whitehall.

Springfield, John's and the two Max's block...
Posted by Hello

In the Spirit of Life and Liberty John and Max Committed to an active Christian witness, John Ashcroft and Max Bacon are also dedicated to the principles of good government, having served in important public offices.

John and Max, in this second album, bring together two great symbols of Life and Liberty: the Cross of Christ and the Statue of Liberty
Side One 1. God Bless America (Berlin/Berlin)
2. America Medley:
America, The Beautiful
Tell America
This Is My Country
3. Freedom Isn't Free (Colwell/Shawnee)
4. Keep The Bell Of Freedom Ringing (Tilzer Pub)

Side Two
1. Let Christ's Freedom Ring (Reynolds/Broadman)
2. Free Indeed (White/Guspel Pub) 3. Statue Of Liberty
4. Amazing Grace (arr. Ashcroft)
5. The Father's Medley:
God Of Our Fathers
Oh God Our Help In Ages Past
Faith Of Our Fathers
America

From the Statue comes the words: Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...

and from the Cross come the words:
Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden....

From the Statue:
The wreteched refuse of your teeming shores, send these the homeless tempest tossed to me...

and from the Cross:
He is despised and rejected of men... a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief...

From the Statue:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door...

and from the Cross:
If I be lifted up I'll draw all men to me...

Recording: American Artists Studios
Engineers: Joe Higgins and Jim Rhodes
Producer/Agrranger: Winnie Swaim
Photography and Cover Concept: Robert Johnson
Graphic Deisgn; Frank Dresser
Lithography: Lithocraft

Distributed by: My Fathers Business Inc.
1447 East Kearney
Springfield, Missouri 65803

Also available by Ashcroft and Bacon: Truth Vol. I (library code: AAS-1149-LP)

So, which Max is it? Are they cousins? We know John had a relationship with one of them... what kind of relationship was it? Both, young, full of ideas about God and America... did Max become a Judge in a county courthouse? Or did Max become a Family Gospel group playing all the big gigs in Branson and Silver Dollar City? hmmmm....

Recognize the two older gentlemen? They're none other than John Ashcroft and the christian singing sensation Max Bacon....
Posted by Hello

The Mystery has been solved.

The Bacons!
Posted by Hello

Max is in the middle... This is what Ashcroft would have been, a nice sweet fundamentalist old man... instead he's best-buds with the raving lunatic in the white house... I think I'd take him as an Ozark Mountain Jubilee *star* instead...
Posted by Hello

Jimmy Cox ... the saga unfolds

2004-08-25T09:18:00.000-04:00

So. Before you read this post please visit and read the first post entitled "Jimmy Cox"

So I asked the only guy I know who could possibly answer this question. Ron Edwards from KDHX (at kdhx.org)... just listen for the blues.. online. Anyway, he said "The only reference on Jimmie Cox that I could find described him as a vaudeville comedian.He made no recordings as either a Blues or Jazz artist. I found nothing in any bio of Ida Cox's showing any relation.The song is copyrighted 1922. I have read Bessie Smith toured with him and learned the tune directly from him. Sorry I couldn't come up with any more info."

Interestingly enough, I did find another song that is credited to him sung by Sara Martin (Jazz singer from 1915-1930's)

Last Go Round Blues (Jimmy Cox) 1922

Another interesting tid-bit: On Sep 29 1924 a "Jimmy Cox" in Memphis, TN boxed W.L. "Young" Stribling "King of the Canebrakes".
"Young Stribling the son of vaudeville performers was groomed to be a professional fighter from birth. Turning pro at 15, Stribling amassed more knockouts then anybody besides Archie Moore. Stribling beat several outstanding fighters in his career, but had a tendency to freeze in big fights. In 1931 he fought for the Heavyweight title and was thoroughly outclassed by Max Schmeling. Stribling is considered by some to be among boxing's greatest feinters, along with Jack Johnson and Benny Leonard. Stribling died tragically at age 28 in a motorcycle crash. "

Vaudeville, Jimmy Cox, the south.... boxing? Hmmm... is it the same one?

Hmmm... another song: I'm Going Back to My Used To Be, with Bessie Smith. (Jimmy Cox), 1925.

Maybe I'm pushing it a bit... Maybe he really was "down and out"!

In 1920... during the presidential elections, Republican Warren Harding defeats James Cox to become the 29th president of the United States.

What happened to Jimmy Cox? What's his story? Don't you want to find out too?

I think I'll listen to some Bessie right now...

Why is it...

2004-08-17T22:22:00.000-04:00

One entry found for existentialism.
Main Entry: ex·is·ten·tial·ism
Pronunciation: -'ten(t)-sh&-"li-z&mFunction: noun: a chiefly 20th century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for his acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad.

How is this related to objectivism?

Main Entry: ob·jec·tiv·ism Pronunciation: &b-'jek-ti-"vi-z&m, äb-Function: noun1 : any of various theories asserting the validity of objective phenomena over subjective experience; especially : REALISM 2a2 : an ethical theory that moral good is objectively real or that moral precepts are objectively valid3 : a 20th century movement in poetry growing out of imagism and putting stress on form- ob·jec·tiv·ist /-vist/ adjective or noun- ob·jec·tiv·is·tic /-"jek-ti-'vis-tik/ adjective .

I suppose I am dealing mainly with Ayn Rand stuff here...

"Reality exists as an objective absolute—facts are facts, independent of man's feelings, wishes, hopes or fears.
Reason (the faculty which identifies and integrates the material provided by man's senses) is man's only means of perceiving reality, his only source of knowledge, his only guide to action, and his basic means of survival.
Man—every man—is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of his life.
The ideal political-economic system is laissez-faire capitalism. It is a system where men deal with one another, not as victims and executioners, nor as masters and slaves, but as traders, by free, voluntary exchange to mutual benefit. It is a system where no man may obtain any values from others by resorting to physical force, and no man may initiate the use of physical force against others. The government acts only as a policeman that protects man's rights; it uses physical force only in retaliation and only against those who initiate its use, such as criminals or foreign invaders. In a system of full capitalism, there should be (but, historically, has not yet been) a complete separation of state and economics, in the same way and for the same reasons as the separation of state and church. " -- Ayn Rand

I guess I am wondering how questioning one's own existence can lead to laissez faire capitalism.

Actually, no, I wasn't. I want to know about creative meloncholy...

Have you ever seen any of Durer's Woodcarvings?

Michael Wolgemut-Melencolia I
Posted by Hello

"Melencolia I is a revolutionary declaration of the mysterious, ambiguous nature of the psyche, and the heroic suffering of introspection. If to think is to be melancholy, to be melancholy is to think. Widely disseminated, it created a new archetype, that of inspired and creative melancholy, the introspective, uncontained imagination. Portraits gave their sitters the troubled eyes and cheek-resting-on-hand pose of Melencolia I; melancholy became a fashion. It was the beginning of modern subjectivity. " - An Art Review E-Zine

You know something? That Dead Can Dance print is not Drurer. Its Michael Wolgemut - a student of Durer, actually.

.
Posted by Hello

In any event. Back to existentialism:

"The doctrine that among sentient beings, especially humanity, existence takes precedence over essence and holding that man is totally free and responsible for his acts. This responsibility is the source of dread and anguish that encompass mankind."

http://www.tameri.com/csw/exist/

Jimmy Cox

2004-08-14T14:17:00.000-04:00

Peter Paul and Mary, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Janice Joplin, BB King, Nina Simone, Sam Cooke and John Lennon (his version, reflective of his times, "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out)" no doubt), all recorded it, the song “Nobody knows you when you’re down and out” has discretely traversed the Blues musical landscape.

This melody, like a beacon to the poor, the washed-up, the musician and the poet, is a metaphor for the blues as a whole and an enigma as to who was its author: Jimmy Cox.

The following is the forth verse of the song sung and re-written by the musician listed.

Lord, soon as I get up on my feet again,
everybody wants to be my long-lost friend
It's mighty strange, without a doubt
Nobody wants you when you're down and out
That's what I mean, when you're down and out

Jimmy Cox, lyrics and music - 1922

"Nobody knows you when you down and out
In my pocket not one penny
And my friends I haven't any
But If I ever get on my feet again
Then I'll meet my long lost friend
It's mighty strange, without a doubt
Nobody knows you when you down and out
I mean when you down and out"

Bessie Smith, 1929.

Nobody knows you when you're down and out
In your pockets not one penny
And your friends, you don't have any
But if I ever get on my feet again
I hope I don't need my lost long friend
It's mighty strange, without a doubt
Nobody knows you when you're down and out
Nobody knows you when you're down and out
Nobody wants to know you when you're, huh, broke

Jimmy Witherspoon, 1962.

But oh just as soonas the money roll in
Here they all come sayings
That they're you're long lost friends
But if I ever get my handsOn a dollar again
I believe, I believe I'll hold on
Till the eagle winsCause I found out
Nobody wants youWhen you're down and out
Nobody wants youWhen you're down and out

Otis Redding from “The Soul Album” 1966.

Interesting is the biblical allusion in Jimmy Cox’s version and the divorce court-like setting of Otis Redding’s.

There is even a musical revue featuring Jimmy Cox’s “Nobody Knows you when you’re down and out” entitled Blues In The Night.

Rialto Theatre, Broadway 2 June, 1982 (53 perfs)
Donmar Warehouse, London 12 June, 1987

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“A tremendous West End success, this dynamic compilation of 26 hot and torchy blues frames and comments on three women's relationships with one snake of a guy. With no spoken text, the interweaving stories are defined through music alone - and what music! Ranging from Bessie Smith through Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer/Harold Arlen, Alberta Hunter, Jimmy Cox, Ida Cox and more, the evening's music is raunchily forthright, infectiously good-humoured and always classically blues. Songs include "When A Woman Loves A Man", "Wasted Life Blues" and the title song.”

The question then becomes, who was Jimmy Cox. At times the song is credited to Ida Cox (long time blues legend d. 1967, popular from the 20’s – 40’s) and to Count Basie, Bessie Smith and even ‘Traditional’. The song however is officially credited to Jimmy Cox and it is assumed that it was Jimmy Cox who actually wrote it. Credited with 1922, 1923 and 1929 Jimmy (or Jimmie) Cox, is an unusual mystery.

Maybe it will be solved… Who was Jimmy Cox?
Stay tuned…

Click here to find out more: http://filigreeshadow.blogspot.com/2004/08/jimmy-cox-saga-unfolds.html