The Sublime Roundabout

Sometimes the tie that binds Is a restriction Sometimes the chain that feels like an anchor Is a fetter Sometimes the tether which makes you feel grounded Is a rope that holds you down Woe to one caught in such a trap Because while the restriction The fetter The rope Feels secure and safe It is the opposite. The opposite. Opposite. And all the more damning for the false comfort it brings.

This is absolutely brilliant. It makes me just laugh so much:

I read an article in the Beeb this morning about how sex is portrayed in the media - specifically, how it is shown on TV. Here's a link, if you're interested: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150720-how-tv-lost-its-sexual-inhibitions Interestingly, one of the side-bar articles is for a piece on Seinfeld, which had as one of it's themes casual sex between the mid-aged singles of the world. There have been others, of course. But aside from talking about the struggles that single folks deal with when it comes to sex, it was all really just so much joking and locker room story telling... And perhaps that's because it sells, but it's also to kind of stay within the kind of prudish bounds that the TV world has set. There's a fine line between doing something right and well, and doing something crass, base, and silly. I'm not talking about the subject matter - the scene in Schindler's List with the abuse and rape was just awful in it's brutality, bu...

Instead of trying to build newer and bigger weapons of destruction, we should be thinking about getting more use out of the ones we already have. - Jack Handey This, of course, is meant to be sarcastic. But it's also a bit terrifying. This morning, I read this: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150715-killer-robots-the-soldiers-that-never-sleep I've written earlier about how we've become so separated from the battle fields... It is troubling for me to think of the way warfare has evolved - from basically hand to hand combat, where you were looking the person in the face as you killed, to now, where a person may not necessarily be involved at all. On one hand, as a person who served in the military, and who has family members still serving, I appreciate the protections such distance affords our guys. Let's keep them safe, while affecting our foreign policy on others. This is generally a good thing. And yet, as we become more distanced from these encounters, as th...

I enjoy British television. I'm a fan of Doctor Who and other programs I've seen. I also really enjoy British actors - there's something about the accent that feels refined, maybe classy... And no one plays a villain like a Britisher... I know, Alan Rickman is on there twice. And I don't mind. He's epic. The list is obviously dated - it came from this article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1279809/BARRY-NORMAN-Why-does-Hollywood-ALWAYS-cast-English-actors-villains.html And it's not true that British actors are the bad guys... Patrick Stewart is awesome as Captain Picard (playing a Frenchman, of all things), and Orlando Bloom and Ian McClellan are epic in good guy roles... But maybe there's something buried deep in the American psyche that views folks from the UK as the baddie.  I think, however, that people shouldn't try to fake an accent/dialect for effect. Case in point: Dick Van Dyke has a terrible (I mean, truly, tru...

I really appreciate this kind of thing: http://www.space.com/21828-pluto-moons-names-star-trek.html I think that sometimes we take ourselves and life in general too seriously... Why not have a little whimsy in our lives? And Star Trek is just as valid as naming lunar features after astronaut's wives...

I love you. I don't know if you'd remember But I once told you that I Hoped My daughter would grow up To be like you. And you know what? She is. And I am so proud Because she's as delightful As you are And I can't wait to see The kind of woman she'll become I still hope That she'll be like you Because you are lovely And I love you.

I can sometimes still remember The way you smell Something like sunshine and open spaces Like wildflowers and great green fields Like the wind and the rain (Petrichor?) On parched soil Or on parched soul My heart aches not for the loss But for the memory of what you gave me

The morning sunlight Beams brightly and warm As I lie here in my bed And I smile Because you are here with me Even though I am alone I am never really alone You are always with me In my heart And in my soul And in every sunbeam

Please, for the love of all that's good and dear, PLEASE don't send this guy to the White House... Or any other house... Good heavens, what an idiot. http://news.yahoo.com/jeb-bush-people-longer-hours-235206730.html This is just another indicator of how out of touch our politicians have become. Sigh. I am not saying this because he's a Republican - Democrats are just as guilty of this... But, seriously... come ON! Even Ted Cruz's folks are quick to point out how stupid this is.

Saw this this morning: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/08/china-stock-market_n_7752190.html I was unaware that the Chinese stock market was having this kind of difficulty. I'm not sure what this portends - is this just a normal, cyclical market correction? Or is this a recession/depression type event? I read/watched a bit on CBS's 60 Minutes a few years ago about the housing market in China. Here's a link: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/chinas-real-estate-bubble-11-08-2013/ Essentially what's happened is that the government in China has encouraged speculation in real estate, it being one of the few places where one can invest one's private money. This creates an artificial construct (if you'll forgive the terrible pun) where costs are not the same as actual value. China has had an interesting modern history with the free market. The Opium Wars in the early to mid 1800s were a series of battles fought to keep the Chinese markets open. Even then, Ch...

“Is there not in every human soul a first spark, a divine element, incorruptible in this world, immortal in the other, which good can develop, fan, ignite, and make to glow with splendor, and which evil can never wholly extinguish?” Excerpt From: Hugo, Victor. “Les Misérables.”

So I've been thinking a lot about peace this past little bit. Peace is a commodity that is in short supply around the world - economic and political unrest, famine and disease, natural and man-made disasters, and so many calamities... All of this seems geared toward destroying our peace, both as societies and as individuals. It's this individual peace that I've been thinking about. My dad is fond of citing Victor Frankl and his book Man's Search for Happiness. I've not read the book, but I'm familiar with its basic premise, which seems to be that regardless of one's circumstance, one can choose to be happy. I would like to extend that thinking to the idea of peace - that one may find inner peace in spite of turbulent times on the outside. I'm reminded of the experience of the Savior walking on the water. Peter, after determining that it was the Lord, and after having been beckoned out to Him, stepped out onto the water. It's unclear how many pace...

In honor of Independence Day... What is it that makes one free? How does one recognize when freedom has arrived? And what is it that defines one's freedom? Some might say that the lack of restriction on a person is freedom. Any restriction on a person's agency is a diminution of freedom. Thus, a person seeking freedom would be able to do whatever is desired. Is this achievable? Is it even desirable? Perhaps, to a certain extent. But there must also be reasonable restrictions on personal liberty in order for a society to prosper. These legal strictures are put in place both on governments and individuals to limit the tyranny and oppression of the few by the majority. The strictures, thus put in place, represent a kind of social contract between the governed as to afford protections to life and property. As an example, think of the yellow stripe down the center of the road. Driving on the correct side of the road ensures that everyone is able to get to their destination...

What surprises me is not that you left But how quickly I was replaced. Like I was just one of your many pairs of shoes Fancied for a while But quickly discarded once the sole (soul?) was gone. It's discouraging and disheartening. I'd have thought there was more traction More grip In your embrace More staying power in your pleas to Please stay.

I really like Ska. Here's a perfect example of why: Have a great Wednesday, y'all!