@ 3 AM

my hand ─ in this moment ─

is a reptilian-thing,

foreign.

holding a pen.

Seeking Altered States

I've been nursing a beer,

and longing to feel different,

than I am ─ indescribably other ─

knowing full well: drunk ain't what I'm after.

Contemplating the highs I've known,

and longing for a sympathetic ear,

or the simpatico warmth of breasts,

upon which my head could rest.

This song's too slow, it's making me itch ─

I don't if it was the haircut,

or the change in weather,

that landed me in this existential ditch.

Roles Played

[...] upon a time i've been,
a zero or the hero─

[...] upon who tells my tale,
a victim or the villain─

this story, even if honest,
is neither true, nor yet truest,
as perspective ain't prescriptive.

Insomniatic Love Sickness

I'm sitting outside, the sky is overcast,
reflecting the orange-glow of the street lights,
trapping the days warmth and humidity ─
intensely aware, that the waning crescent moon
is setting on the eastern horizon, over your house,
worrying at the metaphor this presents, while
drinking and giving myself over to the random play of
music on my mp3 player ─ disconcertingly poignant,
love songs and life songs ─ and all I'm thinking
is that I want to kiss you and not stop here...

Twisted Clichés and Misunderstanding

In the story ─ I didn't write ─

there's a clearing ─ a campfire ─

occupying the cardinals ─ four figures sit ─

Beauty at the North ─ Age at the South ─

Reason at the East ─ and here my analogy breaks ─

for love and every emotion ─ is born in reason ─

seemingly obtuse ─ seemingly irrational ─

ultimately utilitarian ─ perfectly practical ─

in scientific jargon ─ I've captured my moral ─

punctuated equilibrium ─ wave–particle duality ─

nothing mystical ─ no pretense to high artistry ─

tszzzzzzzz tic tic

All these electronics,

buzzing / humming / droning,

plus the tick and the tock

of an antique clock,

aggravates my brain,

so I long for the rain

and an electric storm ─

which might take out a transformer,

or drop a power line ─

then I'd have, a day's reprieve

from this technologic din,

and I might succeed

in a full night's sleep,

or something creative.

Consider Humanism Ad Campaign

The American Humanist Association has released a series of ads, and they're relying on donations in order bring them to air [link]. So, donate if you can ─ else spread them on the web. Any populist movement deserves a lot more cred, if they can take their message viral.

Carl Coon

Consider Humanism - Ambassador Carl Coon from American Humanist Association on Vimeo.

Robert Ingersol [wiki]

Consider Humanism - Robert Ingersoll from American Humanist Association on Vimeo.

Richard Dawkins [wiki]

Consider Humanism - Richard Dawkins from American Humanist Association on Vimeo.

Pass This By

This is my life.

Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash - Hurt from kakofoni on Vimeo.

I don't know what to write that isn't whiny BS. I know I got it good, there is no struggle for survival. So, I get to have opinions and vege out in front of the TV, my stomach will always be full and the house warm, just so long as I'm good little worker drone. Yet, suicide seems like such a good release, in it's permanence.

In reality, my mind if focussed on escape & release ─ I want freedom and respect. Escape to the jungle, escape to the streets. Or, throw myself headfirst into the machinery, hoping it breaks in my favor, in the realization of a new, egalitarian American Dream.

I should pack up, walk out the door, and keep walking.

Maybe, in time.

That Mithchell and Webb Look

Despite my intentions when I started this blog, I've only written one movie review thus far, nothing on books or TV shows. Really, this speaks to my habit of only sharing things that I think are worthy and possibly a bit overlooked. Why would I set myself up on a soap box, just to echo pop-trends and group-think? With that in mind, I present this clip from That Mitchell and Webb Look, which is both thematically relevant and representative of the better aspects of British Comedy.

Search Amazon.com for Mitchell and Webb

Search Amazon.com for That Mitchell and Webb Look

Religious satire of this sort, is generally lacking from US television, a victim of political correctness. Not that there's a real dearth of such content, but the reality is that, religion and irreligion are both marginalized in throughout the mainstream pop-culture, altho there remains a pro-Christian bias. Essentially, a sort of secular compromise has been made, which I think undermines the national dialog.

I think we've lost much to political correctness and a lack of intelligence in the media. Yes, the geek & nerd subculture has gone mainstream, but the american mainstream doesn't celebrate critical thought, and intelligence is unfortunately equated with the recitation of trivia. (I think Jon Stewart has been so wildly successful, because he bucks the trend.)

Anyway, my points are ─ That Mitchell and Webb Look is definitely worth a look ─ and we, Americans, need to learn to be tolerant of others exercising their right to speech, with the understanding we can always change the channel, if we want to have some truly world-class television.

Weekly Address: Priorities on Taxes

Basically, the President's plan for spending was to let the Bush tax cuts expire, for the wealthy, and freeze discretionary spending. Republicans, meanwhile, want to extend the Bush tax cuts for all citizens, and underfund or outright un-fund large portions of government, in order to return discretionary expenditures to 2008 levels ─ as if we weren't running a deficit before Obama took office. Neither plan is good, but Obama's is about $200billion better.

2 things currently not on the table:

Defense Spending
Nationally, we need to acknowledge that while it's unfortunately necessary to maintain a standing military, the defense budget is bloated and certain programs very likely deserve to be on the chopping block, as much as anything else in the budget. Pay and benefits for military personnel and veterans ought not be touched, but anything else can and should be looked at.

Tax Increases
The tax code needs a solid review & simplification ─ loopholes need to be closed, effectively raising taxes ─ after that, taxes may still need to be raised as a second step. The conventional wisdom says, any tax increase is political suicide and conservative ideology states taxes undermine personal liberty or the free market economy. Still, I believe a new tax, with a finite duration of no more than 10 years, dedicated exclusively for the elimination of the national debt and coupled with comprehensive reform of the congressional budgeting process & the Federal Reserve Bank. Deficit spending shouldn't happen.

Since I'm talking about raising taxes, I should address the accusations of class warfare, socialism, and wealth redistribution ─ frankly, by enabling and fostering trade through the railways, interstate highways and airports the federal government has disproportionately benefited the rich, without mentioning corporate welfare in the form of government contracts & subsidies ─ compared to what the poor get from Medicaid or welfare and the middle-class gets from Medicare and Social Security (a traditionally & deliberately self-sustaining program).

Whether it was intended to, the federal government now exists as the only means to fight the oligarchical interests of Wall Street; while maintaining the infrastructures which have enabled modern business to prosper.

It's A Night For Poetry

It's a night for poetry

─ Gothic and grim ─

for the soul's hunger to sate.

It's a night for poetry

─ by candlelight ─

for the spirit to rejuvenate.

It's a night for poetry

─ Baroque, not prim ─

this mortal coil to escape.

A Blog About My Blog, But Not One of THOSE Blogs About A Blog ─ You Know?

I've decided to delete the poetry blog, in order to focus my efforts here, for the time being. I'm working out an idea for a website ─ keeping the details on that to myself ─ suffice to say, the website won't be the personal soapbox this blog is. In the meantime, my goal is to continue developing my writing style and research abilities, so this blog will remain active. I want to vary the subject matter a bit, but don't want to throw readers off, so I've developed a rough content schedule, as follows:

Saturday ─ Poetry or Fiction

Sunday ─ Politics, typically using the President's address as a jumping off point

Monday ─ Music, Movie or Book review, anyway, something culture related

Tuesday ─ no post, but that's not a promise

Wednesday ─ Something Interesting

Thursday ─ (a)Theism

Friday ─ Science Feature

Updates will post at 12 Noon, 3 PM at the outside.

Peace & Understanding

Disappointment With The Oregon Electorate

I'm a bit perturbed with the election results ─ not on the federal level, though I find the punditry's response mildly peeving ─ Oregon Measure 73 passed, while measure 74 failed.

Measure 73 increases minimum sentencing for 2 x Sex Offenders and makes 3 x DUII a felony. I whole-heartedly support harsher sentencing for repeat sex predators, and better education and prevention initiatives, but the latter was missing from measure 73. However, I can't see how turning a DUII into a Class-C felony will benefit the state ─ though the increased spending on prisons seems a clear detriment to Oregon ─ and I also resent that the 2 issues were presented as a single ballot measure, which to me represents a clear manipulation of the electorate. Finally, the measure didn't include funding, and the last thing we, as voters, should have done this election is mandate more state-level spending.

Measure 74 would have created a cost-neutral, state-regulated distribution system for medical marijuana. Currently, medical marijuana users need to either grow their own medicine, locate and rely on a certified grower, or turn to the black market. This measure would have partially undermined the power of gangs and cartels, thereby leading to safer neighborhoods and reduced spending for law enforcement. Although, I do believe full-on legalization is a fiscally sound move for Oregon, partially by reducing crime & gang violence, but especially if a hemp industry were able develop and augment our disappearing logging industry. Ignoring the implications for public safety and the state's financial well being, I believe we are entitled to vices, particularly when they present no harm to others: alcohol provides a strong precedent.

I'm left to wonder why people vote the way they do; it's tempting, but I think fallacious, to assume ignorance or fear. Personally, I consider the implications of a ballot measure in terms of costs and benefits for myself and the state. So, I voted no on 73, because were it in already in effect, it absolutely would have negatively impacted people I care about, who've had DUII convictions ─ plus the cost of enforcing the measure potentially takes away from education and prevention initiatives. I voted yes on 74, because easing access to medical marijuana has no negative impact on me, may in fact (someday) benefit me or someone I know, and potentially reduces crime & therefore government spending. I realize, part of the opposition to measure 74 came from a desire for a more comprehensive system, but the first challenge for legislation is getting something on the books, then comes refinement: all law represents social experimentation.

On The National Results For The 2010 Midterm

The primary metaphor, expounded by the Republicans and the Punditry, to describe the election results was that of a "Red Wave," washing over America. If the left had an equivalent to Beck, Limbaugh or Fox News, the imagery of the "Red Wave" would have been associated with the threat a new Communism. The parallels between the current iteration of conservative methods & ideology, especially as espoused by the Tea Party strain, with the populist movements which led to communism revolution, are easily laid bare. I'm not advocating that liberals use the equivocal rhetoric embraced by conservative media outlets: I'm simply establishing that the liberal bias does not exist in the same way  as the conservative media bias.

Meanwhile, the failure of Democrats to retain the House and Senate, was almost universally attributed to a failure of President Obama to communicate with the electorate. However, Conservative news outlets, attribute the Democrat's failure to public disdain for Obama's policy and Democratic ideology. I agree with both, to an extent: I believe that the last 2 years of policy changes weren't accurately communicated to the majority of the electorate and many votes were cast in a certain ignorance. But, that's speculation on my part.

I think, what actually occurred was that the legislative progress of the last 2 years, was typically reported with a negative spin. To those on the Left, it was never comprehensive enough and to those on the Right it was just evidence of the over-reaching power of government. To the pragmatic and the independent, the view is that whatever the hell is happening, just isn't working.

The Obama administration, at all levels, has been exceedingly accessible to the press, so I don't think we can accurately attribute the loss to a failure to communicate. The problem is, the supposed media-cabal, that some claimed led to his election, doesn't and never did exist ─ decidedly pro-Obama stories probably get bad ratings at the moment, and thus don't carry traction in the news cycle ─ the Administration and therefore the Democrats as a whole, lack prominent media advocates of the Republican and especially the Tea Party strain of Conservativism do.

One final perturbance, Oregon, and other states which stand against the "Red Wave" metaphor of this election cycle, have thus far has been largely unacknowledged by the punditry. This is an ongoing frustration of mine, as the media unscientifically glosses over seeming outliers and counter-examples to their narrative. Meanwhile, it's common to hyper-focus on alternative scenarios and prognostications, which truly add nothing to the dialog.

Further Development of a New Progressive Rhetoric, In Response to an Ill-reasoned Chain Message

I was forwarded a chain email ─ I'm fairly certain I've received it before ─ a cursory search shows the cited figures date back to 2005 and the email made the digital rounds following Obama's inauguration in 2009. The version below has been updated to indict the current Congress and President Obama over the Health Care Reform Act.

The message is interesting for it's inconsistent logic per an argument that government is too expansive and taxes are too oppressive, but that government ought be run by the people operating the most expansive business in the nation and for profit.

The email begins by listing a series of impressive figures relating to Wal-Mart, which is an undeniably successful business ─ controlling a pseudo-monopoly, but not of any particular good or service, instead dominating the shopping experience of a certain financial class.

The message then points to various governmental agencies, indicating how long they've been in operation, then states "you had [so long] to get it right, and it is broke," mostly devoid of other facts. The USPS is mentioned, although that was cut off from tax-support in 1983. A false statistic is presented: $1 Trillion (which is roughly half the federal budget and which) is supposedly misappropriated for "The War On Poverty." The only way to arrive at those figures, is to include SS and Medicare/Medicaid, while ignoring almost 30 years of legislation which reduced and fundamentally changed how "Welfare" type/related entitlements function in the US.

Weekly Address: Working Together on the Economy

Obama's rhetoric switched back toward an advocation of bipartisanship, something he'd seemed to abandon early in Aught-Nine. He's also rocking a violet tie and deep-purple suit, while the video itself has slightly purple cast to it ─ I don't want to call it subliminal messaging ─ but, the tie and suit definitely offer a subtle and deliberate statement, combining the Republican Red and Democratic Blue, whereas the skewed colour in the video may be incidental or just my eyes. I'm genuinely impressed and optimistic after this weeks address, something Obama hasn't inspired in me for a while.

The President's rhetorical shift itself, is coloured by his Wednesday interview with Jon Stewart, and perhaps Jon Stewart's Rally To Restore Sanity. But, the looming contextual punctuation is the 2010 Midterm Election results ─ common wisdom is that Republicans will regain the House and the Democrats will lose their super-majority but maintain control of the Senate ─ the overall message is, therefore, conciliatory.

What I like, is that this address seems to pick up on the tone which national politics have been taking on at the local level. There seems to be discordant harmony among conservatives and heavy dejection among the liberals, both of which play into an apathetic malaise afflicting the non-affiliated and centrists. It feels like it doesn't matter who you vote for ─ not because there's no substantive difference between the parties ─ not because there are fascist cabals controlling the government ─ but because the House and more especially the Senate, follow arcane & defunct rules of procedure.

If the President finally gets it, and if the Democratic party follows his lead, and if the Republicans understand that their victories represent a referendum on the state of politics and government (not on their Democratic opposition), maybe we will see some cooperation, leading to long-overdue institutional reforms in the Congress.

Vote.

Happy Halloween

This is no time for politics...

A little bit of hypocrisy never hurt a political movement

Some months ago, Dr. Laura Schlessinger decided not to renew the contract for her syndicated radio show, after backlash to her use of a particular racial epithet in response to a Black caller's query. At the time, I defended her, and specifically the notion that we, as citizens, shouldn't take actions (e.g. boycotts or lawsuits) in order to impinge the First Amendment Rights of others. I do believe that deliberately and continually undermining the right of others, diminishes our own, personal liberty.

I didn't realize at the time, that from then on, some on the right would call foul whenever some pundit lost their soapbox ─ as happened with Juan Williams, formerly of NPR, now of Fox ─ more recently to Dan Fagan, an Alaskan radio commentator, currently suspended for allegedly advocating some potentially illegal electioneering scheme. Sarah Palin commented via a note on facebook, redacted below, full text here:

Answering Charges of Elitism

Image via Wikipedia

I'd intended to let the parody video in this post stand on it's own, but then I read this article on Politico: essentially arguing, democrats are condescending elitists and therefore will lose control of congress, this election cycle, and deservedly so. The article points to all the likely culprits ─ Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert, Rachel Maddow, President Obama, etc. ─ as the voices of condescension.

Elitism is the belief in the superiority of some class of people, and their consequent entitlement to privilege: I don't see this from the democrats, so I have no choice but to call shenanigans.

The essential message of modern liberalism is that cooperation leads to shared prosperity and government is a legitimate tool for building consensus. American Conservatism, conversely, argues that government essentially inhibits liberty and destroys individual prosperity, while gripping firmly to protectionism, a political theory itself necessitating government of considerable size and complexity.

President's Weekly Address: Letting Wall Street Run Wild Again

An integral part of candidate Barack Obama's presidential platform, was a promise to maintain a transparent administration; with the predictable caveats (for national security & etc) in place. Undoubtedly, this President and his Cabinet, have been more readily accessible to the news media, than his predecessor was. Meanwhile Organizing for America ─ the grassroots organization behind Obama's election campaign ─ has been leveraged to trumpet his message across the landscape of new media.
[Facebook Likes: 15,172,983 | Twitter Followers: 711,666 | YouTube Views: 154,149,236]

Rape is a societal issue

I was reading Politico's Daily 10 Winners, this item impacted me viscerally

3. COLORADO — Democrats moved swiftly to extend the legs of the Ken Buck “global warming hoax” story, with the League of Conservation Voters holding a press conference call to “correct his denials.” The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee piled on with a new ad tailored to women that capitalizes on his decision to pass on prosecuting the case of an alleged rape victim. Sen. Michael Bennet’s campaign feels like they’ve won the week by keeping all the attention on Buck.

Who Won Friday: Bennet 

Latest Poll: Buck 48%, Bennet 45% (Reuters/Ipsos 10/15-10/17, 405 likely voters) 

Recent Rasmussen polling shows similar results to what Politico reported. It's revolting that Buck is the favorite in polling and it's sickening that he's even in serious contention for a US Senate seat. It's possible that the rape case indeed wasn't prosecutable ─ but, the essence of the issue isn't simply his refusal to prosecute ─ his statement that the alleged victim had "buyer's remorse" and expressed opinions on other "women's" issues, indicate a lack of empathy and, at worst, exemplifies the crypto-misogynistic fascism which seems endemic to the American Right ─ typically disguised as "Christian Morality" or "Family Values". We, Moderates and Liberals, need to understand rape, domestic violence, birth control, et cetera, and the whole of feminism as societal issues with broad implications, not uniquely affecting women: just as Conservatives do.

Here, Ken Buck addresses the subject on Meet The Press:

Here is the DSCC ad, mentioned by Politico:

President Obama: It Gets Better

I've nothing to add to this, myself, but here is Rachel Maddow's  response.

Yeah, this is happening...

This is Tina Fey does Sarah Palin good.

White House White Board #2

At present, the flow of the "mainstream media" has shifted to the right. Conservative voices tend to dictate the daily news narrative, with unabashed bias. The liberal punditry ─ possibly in an effort retain some air of neutrality ─ is critical of both the President and democrat-led congress, with the unfortunate consequence that the liberal/progressive agenda is weakened.

What's lost in the din of republican rage and democratic dismay, is that President Obama has been successful on several levels and multiple fronts, despite numerous Republican roadblocks and Democratic defections. The fact is we, liberals and progressives, should be jubilant and ready to double-down in support of our party and president: there ought not be an "enthusiasm gap" in this election.

Please share this post, if you agree at all.

White House White Board #1

Yeah, I'm spreading liberal propaganda and I seem to be arguing for the status quo: except, I'm not. Within the US, the minimum wage is not a living wage. There is no maximum wage. Investors and leaders of industry bleed their own corporations dry, then place the blame on federal taxes & regulations or on unions hard-fought for health & retirement benefits. The entire corporate infrastructure is irrational, irresponsible and unsustainable.

And that's the crux of it, we need rational, progressive reforms, akin to what we saw from the beginning of the 20th century thru the WWII era. To eliminate federal debt, we need to raise taxes, at least in the short-term. It's not rational to raise taxes on those who barely scrape by. It's not rational to raise taxes on the middle class in general, thereby reducing spending power of the consumer base. It's entirely rational and logically consistent, to raise taxes on the small minority of Americans ─ whose unscrupulous actions can and have utterly devastated our economy and regularly threaten our environment and health, thereby forcing the creation of costly regulatory agencies ─ and while the [often hidden] cost of corporate welfare exceeds that which is spent on social welfare.

I feel, in this election cycle, the best candidates and ideas are generally found within the Democratic Party. A vote for conservatism ─ in any guise ─ for any reason ─ is not in the interest of the nation. Still, I firmly believe, in any election, the best vote that the disaffected can make, is for a 3rd party.

Please share this post, if you agree.

Concise Manifesto

Image via Wikipedia

I've been living through an existential funk ─ we could call it depression ─ regardless, finding some purpose for myself has been a life-long struggle. I'm not so conceited, as to think I'm unique or special: i.e. I realize everyone deals with this.

I've reached the point in my life, where I need to do something. Anything? But, I can't bring myself to settle in some corporate hierarchy, with which I fundamentally disagree. Again, I'm neither unique nor special. So, why do I hold out? Why have I let myself sink into this rut?

I know that I can't live with myself if I feel I'm a cog in a machine. I realize my role, I understand life goes on without me, as it would without anyone else and even without our species. I fear, this is the fundamental issue.

To survive we need adequate food, drinkable water and security from destructive aspects of nature. As a whole, we have been marvelously successful in achieving all 3 essentials. Food exists in such abundance, that obesity has become a problem and anorexia a bizarre & twisted reaction to that unnatural abundance. Potable water exists in such quantity, that we create golf courses in deserts. Finally, throughout the developed world, we're essentially divorced from the natural world, living in cities of steel and concrete.

Basically, we've reached a plateau, where the human race has moved beyond barely eking out survival and is in fact thriving. This may not be the land, but this is assuredly the time of milk and honey. Each of us living today and that will be born in the foreseeable future, lucked into this abundance and relative security.

Yet, we are not born with equal access to the benefits of this era ─ wealth is largely inherited ─ many of us are (seemingly) systemically denied the bounty of the time ─ however we consistently yield to the standing corporation-centric economy, despite our personal interests being at odds with the current structure.

We do this (in part) out of fear: socialist and communist revolutions have ultimately yielded fascist states, so that any notion of socialism seems to be inexorably linked with totalitarian fascism. The capitalist system, as it stands, also offers a certain naïve hope, that we (or our heirs) might be able to bootstrap our way out of poverty into the middle-class, or from the middle-class to the rich-elite. Never-mind that the odds of this are approximately the same as our odds of winning the lottery ─ besides which, in a capitalist nation, one persons good fortune is nearly always dependent  upon another's bad fortune ─ the essence of capitalism being the uninhibited flow of wealth between individuals.

Trouble is, wealth doesn't flow without inhibition. In fact, wealth tends to pool amongst a small minority ─ controllers of industry and their families ─ while the common man works for a pittance.

Modern Western law and culture, is predicated upon beliefs in the innate equality of individuals, their right to self-determination, balanced by personal accountability. The current capitalist financial structure, seems to run contrary to these ideals. Inheritable wealth undermines individual equality, disparate pay negates individual liberty, while the poor and working classes are often held to higher standards of accountability.

I was born middle-class ─ I could embrace that lot ─ go to college ─ work my life away ─ generating wealth for others, while barely scraping by myself. Experience tells me, that way yields naught but frustration, personal anguish and a languishing of the spirit: while such complicity with the capitalist status quo, is in utter violation of my conscience, even if seeming inevitable.

Ultimately it seems unconscionable, that we allow such disparate divisions between economic classes, let alone hunger and homelessness, to persist. Imperatively: I retain some degree of self-determination, the freedom of expression, and the right to vote. So, I can choose for whom I work and from whom I buy. I can publish my blog. I can work and vote for change and shared prosperity. As we all do, can and ought.

HFCS

I've been 'researching' High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) for the past week─ intending to write a blog─ inspired and compelled by information of a dubious feel, propagating through my facebook network.

Honestly, I've felt like I've been banging my head against the wall. Secondary sources along with the echoed, distorted and deliberately twisted opinions & "common" wisdoms abound, freely available on the net. Primary sources, as in the original, peer-reviewed, research articles are not (typically) freely available.

I am fortunate enough to live in a town with a university: I am undecided how I should make use of this resource, for the purpose of a blog. The beauty and power of digital media comes from the novel ability to hyperlink, thereby elevating essays from mere rhetorical theses to a supported syntheses. The inability to link from a blog back to a source, puts a burden of faith on the reader: particularly if the reader lacks access to the source material.

Presidents Weekly Address: The Republican Corporate Power Grab

I believe President Obama is referring to H.R. 5175, which reads as a potent reform of campaign financing, right up until the final clause of the bill:

Title IV - Other Provisions:

Section 401-
Authorizes judicial review of the provisions of this Act by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and on appeal by the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Grants Members of Congress the right to: (1) bring an action to challenge the constitutionality of a provision of this Act; or (2) intervene in any action challenging the constitutionality of a provision of this Act, either in support of or opposition to the position of a party to the case.

Section 402-
Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect any provision of law, rule, or regulation which waives a requirement to disclose information relating to any person in any case in which there is a reasonable probability that the information disclosure would subject the person to threats, harassments, or reprisals.

Corporations are limited liability legal entities and legal personages. These facts combined, are the reason for the majority decision on the Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court ruling and subsequent outrage from certain factions in Washington DC. All persons in the US have the right to freedom of expression and corporations are debatably people.

So, H.R. 5175, Title IV, Section 402 simply undermines the entire bill: corporations and similar legal entities are legal persons and are therefore shielded by the wording of the section, especially if a boycott legally constitutes a "reprisal."

Image via Wikipedia

There is a perspective, represented by Justice Antonin Scalia, essentially arguing that corporations are people working in unison, therefore limiting corporate rights (in fact) limits human rights. As rational as this perspective may seem, I vehemently disagree.

Corporations are contrived legal shelters─ minimizing taxes paid, limiting legal liability, etc. amongst investors─ people who constitute an elite class within our country. With the benefits that come from incorporating, it seems reasonable that there would be various trade-offs for that entity, but not the individual investors. Limiting corporate rights has no bearing on individual rights. What would be, and has been for the last century, denied to them is the ability to directly fund political propaganda from corporate coffers, under 1st Amendment protection.

The threat here lies in the fact corporations (foreign or domestic) could outright buy elections through direct marketing campaigns and there's little chance the general public will know who financed the winning ad-campaign. Candidates should be beholden to the people who voted for them, not to the corporations that financed their campaigns and this was a major challenge prior to the Citizens United v. CEF ruling.


Researching this, I became extremely disappointed in the Republicans: I want a minority party to act as a firewall for bad legislation, not a brick-wall for progress.

Honest Reflections

On the morning September 11th, 2001, I got out of bed─ showered, dressed and went to the living room to put on my shoes and the intent to read the newspaper before school. As I sat on the loveseat, my mother was sitting on the couch, reading the paper: and noticing the content of front-page, I began to gripe about the lack of real news-coverage by our local paper.

My mom said something along the lines of, “there will be real news in the paper tomorrow,” while she turned on the TV─ I think to Good Morning America─ incidentally, just as the first tower fell.

Honestly, most of that day is a haze. Most teachers had their TV's tuned to some news station, I think some released their classes. A handful number of students had family in New York or Washington; one of my best friend's father worked in the Pentagon.

I felt sympathy; I was trying to be empathetic. At the time, I was also struggling to align (some sort of) theism with a rational world view. I felt guilt (and do to this day) about my gut reactions, my feelings and my thoughts about the attacks.

Adjusting Course

I procrastinated writing this week, because the topic I was most tempted to write about was writing─ who cares to read as an amateur writer ponders upon writing?─ am I writing for some desired audience, myself, or for the sake of writing?─ am I even justified in calling myself a 'writer'?

I think it's obvious, I've been dealing with some self-doubt; likely banal autumnal-existential-depression.

Honestly, I feel justified in considering myself a writer. If asked about my profession, I wouldn't [yet] refer to myself as such, but I do write, and I do publish it to a blog. I'd not claim the title of blogger, because I'm not one of them. That is, my blog doesn't exist to spread information or opinion or feed ego, it exists so I can share my craft and, ideally, receive feedback of some sort.

I am a writer (by certain definition), but why then, do I write? I'm not going to make a cliched appeal to a contrived notion of the Art of Writing: it's not majik, in any-sense. And I frankly don't care about the science of writing either, to met it's a craft which I practice.

So, I write for myself, it's a compulsion that leads to self-satisfaction. Altho, yes, I would like to garner a following, I'd like to make a living from writing and doing as much would fuel my ego: such is the nature of succeeding in any practice. Still, I will not pander to an audience, because it is not in my nature to do so. I will write, endure and perhaps find some measure of success.

I am proud of what I've written here and I'm proud of my previous postings on this blog: whether they garner an audience or not. My efforts have been spent writing earnestly and respectfully on topics I care about. The internet is filled with enough snark and rage, which I've little enough interest in reading, let-alone contributing to.

This marks a change in this blog's function. My poetry will henceforth be found at 'Emarald Wordsmith'. I'm not concerning myself with short-fiction, for the time being, but if I write some it will likely be posted to that blog as well.

'Figuring it Out' will be devoted to essay/journal style writing.

A Meta-Story

It will be winter soon, that will be an easier time for me. I won't have to struggle against happiness, consigned instead, to the drizzled-upon contentment of the season, which is the lot of those who live in the pacific northwest.

Life is, what you make it. Or, some such bullshit. I wonder what would happen if I ever managed to give myself over to some particular philosophy- fully embraced some stereotype. Geek or Goth or Emo or Hipster; then I might, at least, be able to tell you who I am.

As it stands, it's late summer; which isn't a metaphor, of any sort. Nah, I'm 26, it's maybe late spring/early summer. I'm too old, regardless, to be so wracked by indecision. Hell, I don't even know where this story is going, if anywhere.

I'm in a restaurant.

There's a cute girl, at the next table. She keeps making eye-contact, the darting sort, like maybe she's coy, but interested, or something. But, she had a ring on the wrong finger, it looked like it was probably costume jewelry, but there it was.

I could be a brilliant anti-hero, bitter and jaded. That would make for a good story. But not some misanthrope. I'd need some motivation and some compelling twist. I could be gay, or black, or atheist, maybe Muslim. All of the above? Hell yeah!- if I were a Black-Lesbian-Muslim-Agnostic trying to reconcile all that shit, that would be the most compelling mind-fuck of a story ever. Or I could just be a 30-something virgin or whore, that would tweak your sensibilities too.

All of that conflicts with how I began my story, with a cogitation intended to lead to a challenge of masculine stoicism.

Besides, I'm him and the rest would be him, even those of them which you think may be you, are in reality him. Sure, they may have your eyes or he may have borrowed some of your mannerisms, just superficial similarities, to mask some aspect of him. He could be a her, but it's the author regardless and in this case, it is him.

So, here I am, a self aware, do-nothing, slacker of a character, analyzing my roll in this story, which isn't a story at all. This is pointless self-indulgence, I suspect. A self-portrait.

The girl left. I followed, readying a cigarette, so it looked as if I were heading out just to smoke. She stopped at the counter to pay, I continued on to the outside.

Moments later, she emerged and I said “Hey,” then inhaled from the cigarette. We chatted a couple moments, she took off the ring surreptitiously, which I'd not have noticed, if I'd not been intensely aware of that jewelry.

Eventually she said, “Well, I've got to go. Maybe next time, you won't be so shy.” And it seemed to me, the right response would have been to kiss her, but I didn't. There was a pregnant pause, before she hugged me. During the embrace, I was hyper-aware of the warmth of her breasts pressed firmly against mine, I think it was deliberate on her part.

She pulled back, smiled, then frowned, before she turned and bounded into the night.

Anyway, the Star of David was chained around her neck, so she's probably Jewish. And the verb-tense is all wrong.

Critical Thought: Iraq War v. 8/28 Malarkey

Image via Wikipedia

Read an article shrugging off the continued (political) importance of the Iraq War, because polls say only 7.5% of Americans still "care" about it, one way or the other- that's 22,500,000+ people. Assuming that 7.5% of Americans is evenly distributed across states that's 2,773,625+ Californians, alone.

No back links to the cited polls, no mention of polling practices, no disclosure of poll questions.

I think that 22.5 million people are worthy of political pandering, especially while the media has dedicated too much coverage to Glenn Beck's 8/28 malarkey. We'll have a week or so of quibbling over the attendance. As if it matters- if Beck gets his 100k, I still think of the Tea Party movement as being a self-selecting and wholly insular minority; though they have a great press machine, even in their detractors.

Introspective Musing

I feel wholly insufficient,
to art - so egoistic.
Possessed of virtue-altruistic,
the muse developed a wart.
Beauty marred, her artist starved,
or changed to vocation-scientific.

Grandmother's Lessons

tomatoes ripen by moonlight-

you get your biggest harvest

when it's full, in august.

water in the evening

(soak the ground,

not the plants)

pick the fruit in the morning.

-and they are a fruit-

so are the beans, cucumbers,

corn, squash and peppers;

so, eat your greens too.

give freely to friends,

neighbors, family, and

can or freeze what remains.

Doctor Laura and the First Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 

Image via Wikipedia

The inspiration for this was a “rant” by Dr. Laura Schlessinger, the typical backlash and her response, which led to a second backlash. All along the predictable, liberal v. conservative dispute over political correctness v. common sense. In this era, there were countless reactions online, on television, in print- it's just the way of things.

My feelings on this: she was [mostly] right, while being terribly wrong on a couple points.

To begin, nigger is just a word. Contextually it can be an inflammatory, derogatory, hateful, dreadful, despicable, deplorable, no-good word. Her use of it, altho questionable was ultimately justifiable, whether or not you agree with her reason for using it. Some of her other remarks during the rant were [borderline] racist. End of the day, right or wrong, her gaff should have been cause for discussion, not condemnation.

Dr. Laura, herself, attempted to tie this back to The First Amendment to Our Constitution, but she made a second gaff in her attempt to do so.

“With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility”
-Stan Lee
With any right given explicit provision in Our Constitution, there are implicit responsibilities. We have freedom of speech and freedom of the press, guaranteed to us. The typical reaction to anyone making claims similar to Dr Laura's (about the repression of those rights) is that Our Constitution does not guarantee the right to be heard or the right to earn money from speech.

The thing is, these freedoms are utterly meaningless if we, as an audience, don't put the necessary effort into understanding what's been said and the context in which it was said. That is our responsibility and our challenge, in the era of the sound bite and instant, online publication.

We undermine our values and ultimately our country when we don't step-back, sit-down and figure out what has been said and (perhaps more importantly) what was meant by it, before reacting. This is because, we close the door on important dialogues, we insulate ourselves and our ideologies, undermining our ability to participate, cooperate and realize our potential.

Remember, the punditry within the old-school press, the majority of the blogosphere, talk-show hosts on TV and radio earn a living from having an opinion. They aren't paid to be informative, they aren't paid to be right. They are paid to draw an audience, to sell opinion and to incite controversy. There is not much money in being earnest and rational, so we, the audience, need to be.

Hear.
Understand.
Think.
React.

My Atheism

Image Via Wikipedia

You worship 1 god that is 3 gods; not as water has 3 states, because your god is Father, Son and Ghost simultaneously. And you offer me a choice of 2 gods, that may be 3.

The first is a god that is love, compassion, benevolence, beneficence, understanding ─ this god is my reward, if I believe, worship, sacrifice, abstain all just right, as you proscribe.

The second god is vengeful, ireful, capricious, vindictive, ego driven ─ this god is my punishment for not believing, worshiping, sacrificing, abstaining all just right, as you proscribe.

If the second god is the God, then god is a tyrant undeserving of worship. If those 2 gods are truly 1 god, then your one god is a schizophrenic tyrant, undeserving of even a passing thought.

If the first god is the God and there is truly one god, and I am a product of her creation, an integral piece within her ineffable plan, then we have issue.

I have to question why you're attempting to alter my thoughts, my beliefs by converting me to your ways. There are so many of you, with so many differing practices and beliefs. Which alone gives me pause to doubt, at the very least, that you're worshiping the right god in the right way. Which in turn inspires doubt that there is a god. I suppose the difference is, you focus on the commonalities, but I would suggest, that only makes god and religion banal concepts.

I have to wonder, too, if there is a god, of whose plan we are all part, why you see fit to tinker in it. A mortal, a sinful creature of limited capacity. Can you really know god's will? You shrug pain and suffering off as unfortunately necessary but ultimately mysterious parts of the plan, while claiming that you know the plan well enough to know that I need to believe and behave as you do, because it is in the plan for me to do so, altho I may have freewill in the matter and my atheism may, in fact, be part of the plan.

I think, the god I could believe in, would care more about my character ─ that I am fair, just, rational, skeptical, compassionate, actively living, pursuing some purpose, experiencing the marvels of creation, and enjoying this life and this world which was created for us, than that I worship the correct way or even that I simply believe.

This is an essential fact, I believe you've missed: appreciating and embracing life celebrates your god's creation and thereby your god, more than the platitudes of prayer or prostrations of faith.

As to hell and heaven. If hell exists, the schizophrenic-tyrant god is the God and I would prefer the freedom of hell. If the god of love and compassionate-understanding is the God, I will have my place in heaven, because I will have lived a good and just life, I will have been marveled and humbled by all that exists and all that I have experienced. God being omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent would know the truth of my soul and being a god of love and compassionate-understanding, could not deny me entry for my atheism. This last god then, is not your god, but a product of my mind.

We end with the truth. I am an atheist. I am content with naturalistic explanations for existence, while my morality is defined by beneficence, liberty and equality. I have read your bible; I could defend my atheism from scripture. I could defend my atheism from scientific literature. I do not write in order to dismiss you or your belief, but share my perspective and hopefully foster understanding.

Phone and Drive

And so- the phone rang.
The ringtone was something by Huey Lewis & The News,
for the irony.
(Because the only good that comes Huey Lewis and the News is the irony).
despite the new laws and PSAs she answered while driving-
an adept multi-tasker, she wasn't concerned
with crashing, and there was no cop in sight.
Plus, to be fair, what killed her wasn't operating a secondary device
while driving, it was the news,
which caused her mind to blank
in the wrong moment, just when she needed to react.
But her heart is still beating.

Hourglass

to where do you turn for meaning,
the bible, dictionary, or koran?
are you buddhist
or pagan atheist?
do you pray to hindu statue,
the sun, or the east?

what answers do you hold?
what words dare you speak?

is your faith true and blind?
are you subject to your mind?

a victim of tinted skin?
and slave to tainted flesh?

is earth your mother;
sky your father-
count you crow and spider as your brother?
or be you darwinian primate,
of the highest might?

do you see that even
now we live in eden.
or perhaps this is ragnarok,
when soon some feathered serpent shall return,
as the ages of iron find there end.

so tell me now, do you seek to be content-
or strive to connect with divine intellect?
is chaos evil, and order good-
or have we misunderstood
the prophets teachings to our kind?

but then no mans hand
can grasp the sand.

Review: The Invention of Lying

The Invention of Lying has the feel of a British comedy, led by Ricky Gervais but supported by an altogether American cast. Perhaps because Gervais was co-writer & director, the supporting actors somehow have a fish-out-water feel, meanwhile the lone Brit is the only character that seems solid within the movie's alternate reality.

Within that reality, the human race lacks the ability for creative abstraction- lying. Most strikingly, this means there's no religion and no concept of fiction. That's as far as the concept is taken, because ultimately, the film isn't about our ability to imagine or tell lies. Taken to a fully literal and logical end, you'd have to wonder at the fact the human race was able to spread and develop to the same technological level we have, without the ability to first imagine something that doesn't presently exist.

Jokes

Dear folks who don't get jokes: that witty insight you made that seemed to be the last word, just took what was implicit and turned it explicit, after we'd all moved on.

Peace.

Death and Timothy

This story is not yet complete.

Death came early to the boy, at the tender age of three and would visit often then-after. At first, distraught by the ghastly figure, he cowered beneath blankets, clinging to a stuffed kangaroo, working up the courage to scream. Eventually, he fell asleep.

He would awake, comforted by the warmth of daylight through the window and relieved that the putrid odor was gone. The boy reasoned it best not to tell anyone, if he hid well and didn't acknowledge the robed apparition, it might vanish. After all, many things were imaginary.
Months passed, almost an entire year. Death visited every few nights. The boy would cower, surrounded by his favorite toys, clutching Garoo. Death would wait at the foot of the bed, watching the boy through the covers, considering.

Time's Elusive

time's elusive
for pensive
people
laugh
scream
and
hide

such waste
it is to be
a nation free
while some judge
based in ignorance
  but those of intelligence sit on the fence
based on relativity
thank Einstein
if you feel fine
like a mouse
in a lab coat

waste not want not
o what bull shit
go to the supermarket
get what you want
change your mind
then trash it

this
is
how
we
live
time's elusive

Atheist Blogroll and the Scarlet Letter

Image via Wikipedia

My Blog, "Figuring it Out," has been added to The Atheist Blogroll. You can see the blogroll in my sidebar. The Atheist blogroll is a community building service provided free of charge to Atheist bloggers from around the world. If you would like to join, visit Mojoey at Deep Thoughts for more information.


Ahem... Canned intro out of the way, here's why I've joined the Atheist Blogroll and added the scarlet A to my blog. My reasoning all comes down to 2 words, community and awareness. In Babylon 5, the point is made that humanities strength comes from the fact we build communities- the concept seems trite and high-minded, but there is some truth in it.

Atheists are perceived as interlopers within our predominantly christian, typically religious society. Even by non-theists, including agnostics, atheism is seen as a defect of character- the conceit of pride. We are, in many ways, shunned from participating within our communities. To be an atheist in America, is to live closeted, pandering to christian ideologies.

I see 2 ways through this, not mutually exclusive. The first is to establish our own communities. I'm not referring to the trend of "atheist churches," or somewhere establishing an atheist state/nation. No, an atheist community should exist, primarily as an academic community. Atheism is, after-all, an incidental trait, a by-product of healthy scepticism, not a defining characteristic of our being. The second is to spread awareness of atheism and who exactly these atheists are- to become a ubiquitous group within our existing communities, so that it becomes acceptable, if not common, to live a rational life.

Joining the blogroll, is part of my effort to join that community, on the web. Linking to the both the blogroll and Richard Dawkins' Out Campaign are part of my efforts to spread awareness.

first– then– at last

first you're young,
brash and bold!
doorbell wrung–

swallow your tongue!
punches pulled?
hope on hold?


then you're old!
no time left,
hope bereft?

plant a poppy.

Poetry should be heard.

Skepticism

How can one know what to believe? What is truth? What is reality? The fact is, we take a lot on faith. We accept a lot, simply because it's common, maybe even mundane within our experience, and it's safe within that familiarity. But, we also choose what to believe (I think more typically) by rejecting that which runs counter to our expectations or experiences. Ideologies, philosophies, foods, memes, brands, people, etc. etc. are all rejected, because they're alien entities within our framework of the familiar.

It takes effort to move beyond rejecting that which runs counter to expectation. Skepticism is required and unfortunately, I don't believe skepticism is an innate human trait. Rather, it must be cultivated in children. Practiced and honed by the individual.

Not a part of the plan

This wasn't part of the plan. I stood up, alone in a white walled room, maybe 25 feet square. The only apparent exit was a square opening, far above my head; light entered through it. Perhaps daylight, if so, I'd been in the white room for at least 12 hours.

I considered myself. I was hungry and thirsty, not starved or dehydrated, it was just time for a meal. Although, there was a medicine aftertaste lingering on the back of my tongue, a slightly metallic taste when I licked my lips. Maybe, I'd been fed and drugged. Maybe it had been a daily event, for weeks or longer. Within the White Room, there was nothing to mark time.

Grace In Nirvana

I could exclaim
the joys of life
or, condemn you all,
the source of strife.

If I have a soul,
I've walked this plain before,
known by many a name;
ever the speaker for reason,
earning death for that treason.

Maybe, we defy human nature,
with every effort to be better.
Then, maybe we live in err,
defining self as our struggle.
Thus confused, thus clinging,
thus fearfully believing.

Tho ultimately self-contained,
still seeking and contriving
self-righteous, self-made conflict
in hope of attaining,
just reward, certain grace,
unique to us and ours
but denied our race.

Numbers

I haven't delved deeply into the study of statistics, but I know enough and I feel like I know more than most people.

There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.

That quote is the best place to start. A statistics reduce the world to a relational-quantitative perspective. If I tell you that I have 3 apples, I'm reporting a statistic. If I tell you that I have 1% of the apples from my neighbor's tree, I've reported another statistic and providing you with the information needed to infer that that the yield of my neighbor's tree was 300 apples. If I tell you, 1% of the apples from my neighbor's tree were reported stolen, you might be tempted to guess that I stole them; the numbers match up, 3 were stolen and I have 3 in my possession. That is a coincidence, yielding circumstantial evidence.

Musing in a Cafe

“The energy of this place is all wrong.”

“It is? I hadn't noticed, dear. What's the energy supposed to be like?”

“Just more and less and well, just not like this, not like this at all. Have you ever been in a coffee shop with energy like this?”

“I don't know, dear, you know me, I'm so grounded. You have to have your head up in the aether to pick up on energies, the way you do.”

“True, true. You know, you have a brown aura, the color of Earth. It's like the Mother has embraced you, holds you close, inside her self.”

Good Morning

We begin with coffee:
freshly ground sumatra,
(organic, shade-grown & fair-trade)

and cold, clean water
(sterilized and filtered).
While the Mr. Coffee

works it's alchemy,
we start the computer.
As our system boots,

we turn on the TV,
to the news or cartoons
(upon our sensibilities).

The iPod may still be on,
in the background.
Our coffee is ready,

and we pour a cup,
(half packet of Splenda
and a splash of soy)

to sip impatiently,
as Facebook loads.
C'est La Vie.

Better Late...

I've been stuck on the essay this week. We've had family in town and I've been unable to escape it all. I seem to remember, most writers do their stuff late at night or early in the morning, locked away in a private study, or sequestered in friend's summer homes during the winter months or in the back corner of a busy coffee shop.

The point is, writing requires solitude, of some sort. I've learned recently, that silence actually helps, as the effect of noise, especially music, on mood is profound.

Inheritance

The Sun was setting; Venus the only visible body, in the sky.

“That's the International Space Station,” The Father said.

“Wow!” The Son was awed.

and in this end, I find regret

As I bleed out, I think
how this act changes things,
I've martyred myself to those who loved me
and proven my insignificance, unworth and stupidity to any detractor
they'll smile and smirk, “it's just evolution at work”

as I bleed out, I worry
what will remain, what is my legacy
in my wake, these things I write will take on poignancy
my words will titillate with a sense of missed urgency
published they will provide, an immortality critics can't deride

as I fade out, I wonder
what dark secrets you may find
hidden in boxes and drawers or password protected on my hard drive
the evidences of fetishes and long hidden addiction
but I trust, upon review, you'll choose to keep it, the final secret between we two:

and in this end, I find regret.

Essay: The God I'd Believe In

For this essay, I've expounded on the themes in the last story I posted.  It's tempting, as an author, to keep my personal beliefs private, thereby leaving my writing open to interpretation.  However, there's also merit in intellectual honesty.  People will find their own meanings regardless, that's just how language works, particularly in it's written form.

I came to atheism thru Christianity and a flirtation with Buddhism. Altho it's perfectly accurate, there is a fundamental flaw in that statement, which might undermine my arguments if I don't point it out. This flaw being, that it appears I've put atheism on the same plain as religion, when Naturalism is the equal of religion.

Still, it was Christianity and Buddhism that led me to atheism, which in turn led me to Naturalism. This is more than quibbling over semantics, Naturalism is a belief in a natural origin of the universe and life; it is the foundation of scientific thought. Atheism is a stance on a si
ngle subject (god) which does not address the fundamental of the universe and does not eliminate spiritual or supernatural perspectives on reality. And I, personally, wrestled with concepts of god, before I gave in to a Naturalistic perspective.

The God I'd Believe In

The day I met the Angel, was altogether unremarkable. Breezy & warm while I had been at work, all that giving way to a calm chill and the freedom of evening. It was too nice to stay in, a quick stop at home to change into me, then I was out for the evening. I rode my bike downtown, local coffee shop, town's favorite and mine, a band was playing, standing room only. So, I got a tea to go, Darjeeling.

On the way out, I recognized a face, no name came to mind, I gave a half-smiling nod.

“Hey,” she waved, “can I bum a cigarette?”

And I Alone

every moment, alone
every moment, alone
unthought
unthinking
every moment alone
her smile, her lies
here lies her smile
and I staring
at the wall
perfect metaphor
for the future
tripped up
tripped out
lost in unthought
lost, unthinking
bleeding secretly
in secret places
future unseen
through the wall
death certain
discontinuation
uncertainly
discontinuity
direct violation
of the empiric
radical belief
so common place
truly mundane
I the radical
in every moment,
alone, unbelieving
actively skeptical
braving the alone
social defiant
rebel against the norm
quite commonplace
quietly seeking
ever alone
her smile wilted
deformed, defamed
certain testament
and last will
repent, receive
repent, believe
and I alone
every moment alone

Acknowledging Puck

I worry about the impact I have upon people.
I know, I shouldn't.  I should relax, be me.
But, I infect people, and affect them
deeply, profoundly, just by knowing me,
I alter them. Or, this is ego and vanity,
run amok, drawing phobia from coincidence.
I may overestimate, inflate the merit
of certain evidences. The girls who spurned
my advances, to marry men essentially me,
in appearance, intellect, even temperament.
Maybe, I was only middle-link in their chain,
not prototypical. And I wonder, of the friends
who gave up religion, forfeit education,
changed party affiliation and preferred
brand of detergent, not upon my urging
but after incidental conversation,
meaningless musings unmeted
seemingly & passively caught up in my ponderance.
Inside me, a certain devil, oft called Puck,
a villainous and dastardly demon soul,
an infamous spritely trickster, benign.