EVIL

Evil is the default condition of human beings.

DAY

For every night there is a day.

ART

Great art tolerates no deadlines.

OLD WHITE JOE

Old White Joe

(With an apology to Stephen Foster)

Here are the days when the man is old and gray,

Here are his friends from big businesses today,

Here from the banks to a bigger debt we know,

We hear their blatant voices calling "Old White Joe."

He's running, he's running, but his mind is getting slow:

We hear those jerky voices calling, "Old White Joe."

Why should we weep for our hearts should feel no pain,

Why do we sigh that his friends rise again,

Grieving for hopes now departed long ago?

We hear those stupid voices calling, "Old White Joe."

He's running, he's running, but his mind is working slow:

We hear those strident voices calling, "Old White Joe."

Where are the hearts so hopeful and free?

Their ideas so dear they held for all to see,

Gone to the dust where their dreams do always go.

We hear those dopey voices calling, "Old White Joe."

He's running, he's running, but his mind is turning slow:

We hear those foolish voices calling, "Old White Joe."

The Market

The stock market booms on fantasy and crashes on reality.

FALL

Autumn leaves are waving good-bye to summer.

WEIGHT LOSS

Losing weight presents no real danger for you are almost sure to find it again.

FAME

My fame has spread near and narrow!

ART

Art is the sacrament of humanity.

CAPITALISM 2

Capitalism is sanctified slavery.

SELF-CONTROL

Adversity affects all of us sooner or later, causing us anguish to varying degrees ranging from mild annoyance to complete mental collapse. Fortunately we can cope with most of this adversity, thereby coping with the anguish it may cause. We can do this by using a scale of 1 to 10 for dealing with the adversity, the anguish it causes, and as a measure of self-control for coping with the stress.

Suppose a normally healthy person were to become ill with influenza. Such a condition would probably hit a 7 on the adversity scale because the flu is a serious illness that can lead to death in certain circumstances such as a weak immune system or old age. Consequently coping would require a 7 as the appropriate measured response to the health problem. The solution should be appropriate to the problem. A 9 or 10 would probably be extreme because with rest, plenty of fluid, and proper diet the disease can be cured in a short time. No need to get upset with worry about dying because for such a person it is highly unlikely, and probability should be a guiding rule.

Now, suppose a person were to spill gravy or salad dressing while serving a meal. If no one were injured and the situation required only a clean up, the adversity would score 1 or 2. And a measured response would be the same, thereby reducing the incident to a minor mishap, thus easily and quickly forgotten without upset.

Every adverse situation in life can be measured in this way. By taking a deep breath and objectively evaluating the problem, we can usually avoid the extreme distress that erupts when emotion goes out of control. When control is lost, the anguish quickly escalates as it feeds on itself and either explodes in anger or implodes to attack our self-worth—or both. Once headed too far down that dark dismal back street, we find it increasingly difficult to return to the reassuring light on the street of reason.

This measuring device can also be used to bolster one's ego. When one blames oneself irrationally for adversities or tends to believe one is cursed for being alive, one suffers the diminishing effect of depression. One can use the 1 to 10 scale to show how much self-blame, if any, one should assess. More often than not one's responsibility for hardship does not appear high on the scale if on it at all.

The key to making this scale effective, though, is to time it well. As soon as an adverse incident occurs, we must take a deep breath and quickly apply the scale. Waiting too long, even a few seconds, allows anguish to take control of our minds. When that happens, as it easily does, we have turned down that back street, heading for a minefield of madness or a deep pit of despondency. So, timeliness is necessary to make this technique work.

As with any other method to master, we must practice this coping mechanism to become skillful at keeping a balance in life. Think of it as emotional push-ups—the more we do them, the stronger we become, and the stronger we become emotionally, the more contentment we can enjoy.

STRIKE

The rich are striking for lower wages.

MONOISM

Monoism is the opposite of communism, whereby one corporation monopolizes an industry, disallowing the competition of a so-called free market and forcing people to buy goods and services at ever increasing prices. In this system the big monkey collects and keeps more and more of the bananas until the common monkeys have nothing. With that comes revolution.

The Big C for Profit

In the USofA the big C means a big $ for the medical industry.

TRAPS

In places like Saudi Arabia golf courses have grass traps.

AMBIDEXTROUS DEVIL

The Republicans and the Democrats are but the two hands of Satan.

PLEASURE MEASURE

When I was a young man, I could go to great lengths, but now that I'm old, I come up short.

BOYCOTT!

Boycott Amazon!

CAPITALISM

Capitalism is the bank for fascism.

SIGNS OF AGING

My slippers are so worn, my toes are playing peak-a-boo!