Rahm bahm thank you mahm

I found this current editorial by the aged Fidel Castro courtesy of the Huffington Post. It fascinates me that he mentions Immanuel Kant, because I am currently reading "Writings on an Ethical Life" by Peter Singer. Singer adores Kant, but notes with stunned amazement that Kant was a believing Christian. The implication I derive, is that in Singer-world, heavy-hitters of philosophy should really be Atheist or Jewish. I tend to concur.

Getting back to the Castro article, it is literate, it is surreal, it is nonsensical. Yet it has a certain coherence. If Fidel hadn't been a Communist dictator, he could have been a Talmudist, or maybe a Depak Chopra style guru of everything. I am finding myself firmly in the Barbara Walters camp: Castro is a lot of fun.

Fidel calls his titular topic, Rahm Emanuel, "brilliant", and wants to stir up excitement because Emanuel was a warrior in a real war. Also, his mother has been a political activist. Why this is just like someone with a similar name, someone who has a revolutionary, vice president mother, a character in a book by a Cuban ambassador! Castro longs for charismatic, energetic leaders to emerge. Maybe an American, maybe someone with a vaguely hispanic surname. . . .

Dategirl and her readers of assorted gender just want to make out with Rahmmy-baby. Apparently they aren't the only ones.

Skirmish in the war to preserve roof integrity

Today I saw a squirrel skip merrily up the trunk of a Western Cedar. The tree had been outfitted with an aluminum collar. A two-foot wide swath of metal, lined with plastic, it had been placed there to prevent the fluffy-tailed rodents from climbing the trees, and then gaining access to the roof. The next counter-offensive may have to be the removal of all trees within squirrel-jumping distance of the building.

As it bounded over the useless defense mechanism, I could almost hear a victorious cry in the squirrel tongue:

I laugh at your anti squirrel technology!
All of your hazelnuts shall be mine.
Ta-ta, until we meet again.

Beware the non-dairy art of self defense

Some virus-infected rawfoodian must have breathed on me last weekend. The sneezing masqueraded as an allergic reaction to the plague of pet cats and dogs, but it was soon followed by a sore throat, and an all-over achiness swiftly ensued. I'm on the mend now. I'm still sniffling like crazy, but the every bone in my body hurts like crazy is diminishing by the hour. If anyone were to give me any trouble, my Kraft-Margerina skills would kick in unbidden, and the assailant would suffer instant flattenization.

Hallelujah

Last night I went to a performance by a gospel music group. The most cynical definition of music is to regard it as a form of hypnosis. Religious belief and practice too, could be looked at as means of regulating crowd behavior, using the powerful tools of creeds, repetition, rhythm, behavior modeling, using up all of your waking moments . . .

These guys rocked!

I'm feeling some fusion inspiration. This can only lead to more lyrics.

LOL Luminati

I was asked if I could get here at 5 PM, so I got here at 4. Using public transportation got me to the street entrance a mile away from the banquet hall. One of the Looms kindly gave me a ride up the hill, but he was shocked when I told him the event I was here to attend is a party for President Obama.

"They're having THAT here?"
"Yes, they rented the clubhouse."

The thought that Democratic money spends just like any other kind, calmed the club-weilder, and he pointed out the entrance to the building.

Woo, the souvenir table isn't even set up yet, and someone already bought two custom-etched commemorative wineglasses.

Four-armed is an Indian Temple Sculpture

Two white grapefruits whirled in the blender, plus a quart of water went into a half-gallon jug that used to hold honey. Along with pears, an orange, celery sticks, and green tea bags, it is being packed along to protect me from any coffee and doughnut temptations during today's inaugural festivities. Sweater and jeans and Doc Martens for the AM, tank top and velvet skirt and Mary Janes for the PM. Look for me behind the laptop bearing the sticker " My other computer is a Cray."

Henry VIII on Ecstasy (LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE IN OUTER SPACE Episode 2)

Today on LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE IN OUTER SPACE, Tom Lehrer guest stars as Henry the Eighth. As the new girl in town, Captain Laura is targeted to be his seventh wife, the first six having mysteriously perished. Tom reprises the "Silent E" song that he wrote for the Electric Company.

what can turn a nil into a nile
and turn mil into a mile
and do it all with style
and never appear vile
the grandiosity of silent e

tie-dye with rit
wear it to a rite
do zazen sit
post it on your site (that's right!)
all cybernetically with silent e

it's not that far
so compare your fare
go by car
or maybe by air (if you dare)

if you care how
you travel to there
there's informa
tion that you can share
take my dare and do your hair with silent e

some guys are fat
it may be their fate
try lifting weights, work out your lats -and don't be late
could a guy like dat (Henry VIII)
ever get a date?
sometimes even a mat, can have a mate!

they met at a bar
and soon they were bare
by a a horse-shaped crater
called the mar of mare
and then she escaped
to her prairie lair
more adventures were awaiting way out there

i kitty kat, plz to call me "kate"
hijacked this song, you'll just have to wait.
i'm in your parody
explorin' don't ya see
seekret felinity of silent e

lets have a spat, or maybe a spate
of cheeze burgers
and go roller skate
so many choices what goes on your plate
the cat in the hat's hat, like it or hate? (take my survey!)

Every Planet Comes to Prissville

Aim point RA: 19h 27m 24s Dec: −16°14'21"
Wed 2008 Dec 17 2:43 UTC

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Date and Time	Now Universal time: Julian day:
Aim Point	Right Ascension: Declination: North South Field of view: Find object in catalogue
Display Options	Ecliptic and equator Moon and planets Deep sky objects of magnitude and brighter Constellations: Outlines Names Boundaries Stars: Show stars brighter than magnitude Names for magnitude and brighter Bayer/Flamsteed codes for mag. and brighter Show magnitudes between and Invert North and South Image size: pixels Colour scheme: Colour Black on white background White on black background Night vision (red)
Asteroid and Comet Tracking	Paste orbital elements below: Echo elements

Ephemeris:

	Right Ascension	Declination	Distance (AU)
Sun	17h 40m 29s	−23° 21.8'	0.984
Mercury	18h 32m 29s	−25° 25.1'	1.340
Venus	20h 54m 29s	−19° 41.0'	0.896
Moon	9h 53m 12s	+11° 16.7'	58.4 ER
Mars	17h 26m 45s	−23° 47.3'	2.458
Jupiter	19h 50m 29s	−21° 24.8'	5.947
Saturn	11h 32m 9s	+5° 9.8'	9.243
Uranus	23h 20m 23s	−5° 5.6'	20.189
Neptune	21h 38m 2s	−14° 30.1'	30.566
Pluto	18h 2m 27s	−17° 43.4'	32.544

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by John Walker

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