Displaying 541 To 570 Of 3,373 Comments What I Learned About Society From Costco Adlib and KQ: yes, economic destruction is the result, but also environmental destruction that could have far worse consequences. The mega stores sell mega products. Factory farmed beef fed on soybeans and corn where rainforests used to be. Plants for human consumption grown artificially on a pitiful portion of topsoil that is left, denuded of nutrients because it hasn’t been allowed to rejuvenate through fallow periods. New strains of viruses and bacteria as the plants and livestock immunity systems are in a state of collapse through steroid use, pesticides, and all sorts of toxins. The devastation when THIS reaches its denouement is going to be the worst thing humanity has ever faced. The End of Food As We Know It. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 8, 2011 @ 12:43 am Really nice piece, Adlib. Commerce yields consumers, not citizens. We are reduced to mere functioning/malfunctioning/dysfunctional parts of a machine whose sole purpose is to enrich those at the top, and most of us are completely blind to this. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 7, 2011 @ 2:31 pm That Jesus-as–political-leader stuff is so ass-backwards, and it’s odious to bring in Hitler comparisons. Jesus was downright awkward when it came to representing any earthly authority. His “render unto Caesar” line was a convenient dodge, and his interview with Pilate left the latter utterly frustrated. He didn’t want to lead the Israelis to revolt against the Romans. He saw the same corruption among the Jewish leaders as the Roman ones. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 12, 2011 @ 4:28 pm That Sarah Palin clip is unreal! Paul Revere, riding through town, sendin’ those “shots and bells” (wtf IS she talking about?), to warn the British that we were going to be free. She’s like a Goddess of Stupidity! Here’s my contribution to History with Sarah The French Revolution was caused when someone left the cake out in the rain. Marie Antoinette said, “Let them eat cake”, not realizing the cake had become soggy. The peasants found the idea of eating soggy cake revolting, so they revolted. Thus, this period was called the Rain of Terror. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 4, 2011 @ 6:33 am Mitt Romney’s Mormonism — cause for concern or target for bigotry absolutely, KQ. In no way do I consider you to be the least like Dawkins/Hitchens, and their merry band of “anti-theist” bull-in-a-china shop brethren. You not only are always respectful and tolerant, even better you have a humble and open minded outlook about all such matters as these. Because, there is so much we don’t know, not only about the vast universe, but about the intimate places inside from which people derive their faith/beliefs. Insulting gets us nowhere. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 4, 2011 @ 12:25 am KQ, I am not suggesting that you, or anyone else, “take religion seriously”. I am saying that disrespect for a person’s religious beliefs reveals stubbornness and lack of empathy. Challenging beliefs? Absolutely! Challenge any and all aspects of dogma, ESPECIALLY those that you feel are harmful to society or any portion thereof. But. Have a little common sense about what religion means to people. People don’t indoctrinate religious tenets they same way they choose football teams to root for or political parties to support. In “The God Delusion”, Richard Dawkins suggests that since it is fine to lampoon political parties, why not religion? Why should one be accorded more respect than the other? He honestly seems not to know the answer to this question. Amazing how some people can be so smart, and yet so stupid. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 3, 2011 @ 6:34 pm Caru, that is a valid argument made civilly and respectfully. That is precisely NOT what takes place at HP. If everyone argued that point the way you do, I would have absolutely no problem with it. I am taking issue with tone, not substance. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 3, 2011 @ 6:26 pm Great piece, HH! There is an anti-religion contingent over there at HP that will take any opportunity to show how “smart” and “free thinking” they are by blasting people of faith, any faith. It seems to rankle them no end that HP has a “Religion” section, so they go over there and make rude, childish comments no matter what the subject. If someone writes about the possibility of science and religion finding common ground, they retort that it’s impossible, because religion is hooey and science is intelligent. If someone of a particular faith writes about how they are using their faith in a way that is beneficial to them, they will write, sure, go ahead and believe in your Tooth Fairy, but don’t push your loony beliefs on anybody else (even though the author is doing nothing of the kind, just sharing). They are an obnoxious, childish, unbelievably arrogant sub-group of “progressives” who know absolutely nothing about true faith, nor do they want to, and yet they can’t resist the urge to barge in and express their views and toss out their sophomoric insults, ad infinitum. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 3, 2011 @ 5:46 pm AD, thank you for this very valuable contribution to the Planet. I learned a lot, and I’m not even done reading yet. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 13, 2011 @ 1:37 am KT, do you live anywhere near Grandview? My brother runs a film discussion group there on an occasional basis, and I think you might enjoy it, and enjoy meeting him as well. A pretty interesting bunch usually assembles for it, and they go out for beers afterwards. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 3, 2011 @ 5:33 pm thanks, KT! » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 3, 2011 @ 4:53 pm This poem just started out as wordplay, but as I continued with it I felt like I was describing a believable, though unsavory, character. And admittedly, I see some of myself in him. Descent He gets his bona fides from Cuba Libres by still budding local girls he is guiltily beguiled reveling in their cinnamon skin, he fantasizes as overflowing here as apple asses and pear breasts except himself Like many a traveler, he saves his epiphanies alabaster ziggurats too perfect not to be He longs to fling himself from the crude missile he would throw himself before these Holy Ones they would welcome him into their pure metropolis either scenario, he feels of futility » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 1, 2011 @ 9:26 pm I love it! Today I just talked to a Thai lady and she said that she can’t stand DRY heat in the summer. As long as it’s sopping wet, she can deal with just about any temperature. Funny how one acclimatizes, or doesn’t. I’m from Columbus, and I never once got used to the dripping moist summers of the Midwest. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 1, 2011 @ 9:07 pm No worries, wts. I didn’t feel slighted at all. I think favoritism is acceptable, of course, just not ranking. It was interesting that Frank Lloyd Wright considered architecture to be the most elevated of the visual arts. Why even go there? Would anyone be shocked that an architect, of all people, felt that way? 🙂 » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 1, 2011 @ 9:00 pm Great post, KT. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 1, 2011 @ 3:11 pm Lovely, Cher! » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 1, 2011 @ 3:08 pm JRT, that really says it all. War does more than kill; it assaults the soul. » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 1, 2011 @ 3:07 pm good spot, e-cat. They seem to have since corrected, as this is the latest article on the subject I found on that site: » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 1, 2011 @ 9:05 am charming » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 1, 2011 @ 8:37 am not sure, actually. Maybe Raptiles? » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 1, 2011 @ 6:37 am like that could hurt? » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 1, 2011 @ 1:39 am They deserve swift kicks in BOTH cheeks, left AND right! » Posted By whatsthatsound On June 1, 2011 @ 1:06 am True….but they WILL have to vote before then. 🙂 » Posted By whatsthatsound On May 31, 2011 @ 8:49 pm The Rapture didn’t happen, so I guess a lot of would be Rapturees are gradually getting over the letdown and realizing that there is still going to be a country that needs running next year, after all. So NOW they’ll decide it’s time to get serious about selecting a candidate. BUt taking a look at this bunch, they’ll have to get a lot MORE serious – or just get used to the fact that they are a disgruntled minority Left Behind in a country, and world, that doesn’t share their values. » Posted By whatsthatsound On May 31, 2011 @ 2:45 pm We got skipped. Well, we had a downpour, but nothing cataclysmic. In fact, there were really nice sunny spots today and yesterday, as the cyclone whips around. It’s nice and sunny now in fact. I didn’t realize that Khirad was mean. 😉 » Posted By whatsthatsound On May 30, 2011 @ 5:29 pm exactly, jkk. » Posted By whatsthatsound On May 30, 2011 @ 4:39 pm that’s a likely, and horrifying, scenario, Cher. » Posted By whatsthatsound On May 30, 2011 @ 4:38 pm Wow, I’m not sure even Charles Dickens could have created two characters like those vile corrupt judges from the Pennsylvania case, but it sounds like something right out of “Oliver Twist”. It’s hard to believe the awfulness of some people. » Posted By whatsthatsound On May 30, 2011 @ 6:28 am Thanks foodchain. Very sorry to hear about your father’s experience as well. War is just such an awful thing, and as you say, there really aren’t words adequate to describe its destructiveness on so many levels. » Posted By whatsthatsound On May 30, 2011 @ 6:09 pm Thanks, bito, for putting this up. I’ll just use it to remeber my father, Ben. He was a Marine who “fought” in the Pacific War. Actually, like the scene in “Saving Private Ryan”, he hit the beach in Okinawa and was pretty much blown to bits. He died when I was two, so I never really got to know him. And that, as Forrest Gump says, is all I have to say about that. » Posted By whatsthatsound On May 30, 2011 @ 4:49 pmComments Posted By whatsthatsound
He wanted to be with the people, and he wanted to talk about God. His enemies were materialism and foolishness, not Rome, not Communism, not Islam, not Natural Selection….
as he watches treacly sunsets along esplanades
of sleepy Caribbean resort towns
rum forgotten name of his own daughter of similar vintage
(a name SHE chose, not him)
that they make the sign of the cross as soon as he leaves the room
and wishes for his own conversion
is incense, and loving judging figurines
he is incensed by his own vanilla upbringing
leaving him no one from whom to seek forgiveness
for a life of sin
for homebound flights, the landing of which
he’s always ambivalent toward
still wearing shorts anointed by the senorita’s oils
he gazes out at a grand city of clouds
inhabited by exquisite beings;
shamans and priestesses who would drown on the surface
that invades their perfect world as boorishly
as he invades his tanned child madonnas
renouncing his world and offering himself
for absolution, or rejection
or, repelled by his carnality, would scatter
leaving him to CRASH, splinter splatter
somewhere between Mexico and Nirvana
would be preferable to Monday morning’s Bay Bridge
ritual
I love your poem.
I like your overall piece too, although I don’t agree with the sentence, “It is the deepest and most beautiful of forms in which we relate our worlds and experiences to one another.”
I don’t generally like it when people elevate one form of art over another – usually putting music at the top of the heap. Art, and artists, have to deal with enough in terms of feeling validated for doing what they do: creating, expressing. No need to make a hierarchy when peoples’ souls are longing to express.
And it accuses mankind of being a very low species.
By the way, did you see the picture of Rosie I posted for you yesterday? It’s in AD’s Space Invaders article.
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Months of reconstruction in a military hospital, and he was sent home. He was nineteen.
Life was not easy for him afterwards, as you can imagine. He did manage to meet my mom, Rose, and start a family. But he was heavily traumatized by his war experience and suffered both physically and mentally.
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