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Plots...,
Aphorisms...,
Bosnia...,
Nursing...,
Call for Entry... ,
One must apply Occam's Razor. It's simply common sense. The UFO "plot" seems insane to me in an atmosphere where they can't keep "travel-gate", "Iran-Contra-gate", "Watergate", "Whitewater" and a variety of other much less earth-shaking events secret. I do believe there are some plots, but when I look at them I always look for affinities before concluding anything sinister is afoot. My top candidates for serious consideration are the Kennedy assassination and the AIDs crisis.
Brandi Jasmine
Freelance Writer, Illustrator
Moderator nitefall@idirect.com
http://web.idirect.com/~bjasmine
Two of your aphorisms inspire me to comment (about the present):
#82, "All reality is contained in the present..." and
#264, "The infinitely large is static... There is no present..."
These express more poetically a logical paradox that has resided in my mind for many years.
There is the Past, Present, and Future.
The Present is nothing more than the dividing line between Past and Future. It is infinitely small, and is like the situation where a sheet of paper is cut into two pieces. The cut line is the Present.
Therefore, it doesn't exist.
The Past exists only in memory. It doesn't exist.
The Future is only speculation. It doesn't exist.
Conclusion: Time does not exist, the Universe does not exist, We don't exist.
Is there a fault somewhere in my logic?
And while you were reading my last, I have been exploring your book of gems again.
#42: "Accept your fate. . ."
This is a poetic expression of a concept intertwined with the Social Dilemmas that I tend to babble about excessively. Best illustrated by an example: A few years ago a real estate agent was trying to sell my house -- without much luck. I ask her what is the problem. She said that I priced my house above the "community average". Hm? I said to myself. How is the average determined? Does it exist on its own without input from those of us selling houses? How does it ever get established if we each set our price by the average? Who's in charge?
Ok, that was not a very heavy comment. Let me look at another one.
#60: "It is not . . ."
I just wanted to say that that one is a most beautiful and profound thought. Everyone should repeat that to themselves when they are inclined to whine about how awful the world is treating them.
#75: "The classical formula . . ."
Another great one. Again I am reminded of a Bob Dylan expression, "Take what you have gathered from coincidence."
#501: "Generations: . . ."
When I was young I used to go to the local highschool basketball games to watch the boys play the game and the cheerleaders express their enthusiasm and sexxyness. Last fall I again attended a game (40 years later). It all looked the same. Nothing changed in 40 years. Each of the individual players and cheerleaders probably feel significant, but it wasn't obvious to the viewer.
It reminds me of the particles of water in the wave (Sorry, but I am an engineer!). The particles make up the wave but they are not the wave. The wave moves and passes through the particles while the particles just do a little dance. The game is the wave, the players are the particles. The game goes on -- the players come in, make their contribution, and then drop back out again. Even the outstanding player and the exceptionally beautiful cheerleader are just a temporary part of the wave.
My garden calls!
Leon
"A Rational Life" at http://www.falconx.com/leonf/
leonf@vallnet.com
I am a Serb whose both grandfathers and one grandmother were killed by Croats during the WWII.
I was just wondering who are you? Your views are so rare today that I was really puzzled when I read your posting on N.Y.T. web page.
All the best and be careful not to get an ulcer like I got.
Stanko Vuleta, Ottawa
It is very unfortunate you look at nurses with such an attitude. Most nurses are very caring and professional people and VERY HUMAN at that. We work very hard at attending to our patients to make sure their needs are met and to ensure they are satisfied with our care given. Unfortunately, the administration cut back on staff making it impossible for us to perform our jobs the way nursing school and our hearts intended. So please do not put down on nurses!!!!!! we get enough from society and doctors as it is..
I'm very sorry you suffered a horrible experience, but please know most of us really care and our frustrated with our health care system.
rlmandus@digital.net
Call for entry ... You are invited to email an essay on any subject discussed in Vagabond Pages. 400 - 500 words. Those chosen to be published on the Communication Page will receive "Extracts of Existence" as a gift. Send all entries to:
vagabond@vagabondpages.com
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