I'm in the middle of a fascinating book: The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery. I quote:
"Indeed, what constitutes life? Day after day, we put up the brave struggle to play our role in this phantom comedy. We are good primates, so we spend most of our time maintaining and defending our territory, so that it will protect and gratify us; climbing... or trying not to slide down... the tribe's hierarchical ladder, and fornicating in every manner imaginable... even mere phantasms ... as much for the pleasure of it as for the promised offspring. Thus we use up a considerable amount of our energy in intimidation and seduction, and these two strategies alone ensure the quest for territory, hierarchy and sex that gives life to our conatus. But none of this touches our consciousness. We talk about love, about good and evil, philosophy and civilization, and we cling to these respectable icons the way a tick clings to its nice big warm dog".
"She's one of those who think that knowledge is power and forgiveness: If I know that I belong to a self-satisfied elite who are sacrificing the common good through an excess of arrogance, this liberates me from criticism, and I come out with twice the prestige."
"Henceforth, philosophy will claim the right to wallow exclusively in the wickedness of pure mind. The world in an accessible reality and any effort to try to know it is futile. What do we know of the world? Nothing. As all knowledge is merely reflective consciousness exploring its own self, the world, therefore, can merrily go to the devil."
As I said, I'm in the middle (or would that be 'muddle'?). The quotes come from the two primary subjects. Somehow it's hard to imagine where she goes with another 200 pages of this. Stay tuned...
The Japanese situation continues to worsen. As for the survivors of the quake/tsunami, I just cannot imagine how they go on... the cold is fierce, the shortages huge. And they will survive, mostly. I'll go light another candle. With all things interconnected, perhaps my candle will warm them. I sure hope so.
Heidi reports on a (perceived) shortage of salt in China. A run on salt! Her friend Wang managed to get two bags yesterday, despite long aggressive lines. What will be next? The 'famine' mentality runs deep in that culture, and will for generations more.
They're planning 10,000 more wells in the Delaware Basin to extract fossil fuel (mostly natural gas). The extraction companies will use the 'fracking' technologies. Unless we stop them. A good issue to learn about and actively oppose. Just Google 'fracking'... no shortage of reports and descriptions regarding this process.
Notice the lack of news about the NASA satellite dumped into the Pacific? Why no news? My conspiracy theory becomes more real with each passing day.
The daffodils are at peak. Grape buds fat, as are the blueberries and cherries. Another Spring! How blessed are we! Kirk
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