To wake up with your hair tangled in my face,
Warm water in the bathtub,
Golden light falling in sun flecked streaks on the lake,
Birds of every kind singing in the trees,
Your smile at midnight,
An all-day pass on all the rides,
One more inning,
Before the sun goes down,
And that last half-awake dream before I have to go to bed.
Rev1. 12.23 p.m.
© David Mark Speer, 01 July 2011, Brooklyn.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Epistolary II: From Both Sides of the Aisle
The great thing about conversation is that you never know where it’s going to take you. Again the subject here is ostensibly baseball, but that gets its due in time. The real topic goes back to the Federalist Papers and the way we live today – how democracy as preached differs ever so slightly from the way the Clown College of Washington, D.C. actually works. Commentary welcome.
Marty: Mon, 9 May 2011 20:37:10 -0700
Tonight was truly awful!
DMS: Wed, 5/11/11
Sometimes the pitchers have to do the hitting. At any rate, the visit to Colorado is an even series now, so I'm okay with that.
I was out of circulation the last couple of days, but I did think a little about your idea of strict constructionism as it relates to the Constitution. The point is clear, but unfortunately, your reading doesn't stack up to years of practical experience with this kind of democratic experiment. Government power has expanded over time, true, but not only and always because people are whining babies who can't stand to live with the consequences of their actions. If there hadn't been room for interpretation, we wouldn't have a workable system of interstate commerce, highways, railroads and the rest of it.
And when it comes to strict readings of old documents, take a look at the 3/5 clause and the stuff the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were designed to rectify. I think we'd all agree those are situations where re-writing the Founders intentions was not only right, but necessary.
The term limit idea is a good one and I would support it, mainly because it would refresh the tree of liberty with new fertilizer more frequently. I guess the manure metaphor isn't such a good one, but it'll serve for a lot of the talk we hear out of Washington. Debt limits, budget cuts, you guys wanna kill old folks on one side, you guys have no fiscal discipline on the other ... on and on it goes.
Marty: Wed, 11 May 2011 09:00:35 -0700
The Constitution does allow for changing with the times. Those changes are called Amendments. However, until an Amendment is added, the rules of the game weren't meant to be interpreted.
What if the Constitution of baseball, "The Rule Book," were open to interpretation? Could players not have to touch 3rd base on their way home, depending on circumstance? Could a fly ball caught on a bounce still be called an out, depending on the situation? See how baseball would collapse without strict interpretation of the rules? No room for agendas, is there?
The 14th Amendment is a favorite argument for me. It was written right after the Civil War and it rightly gave the children of slaves born in American natural citizenship. Compare its purpose in 1867 and what an agenda is morphing it into.
In 1867, the Congress agreed that slaves didn't come here on their own free will, so their kids shouldn't have to bear another wrong...not being citizens where they're born. Today, whether illegals climb a fence with a machinegun, hide in a truck, or whatever, they are NOT coming here against their free will. They want to come here to work, sell drugs, or 100 reasons in between, but the point is...they come here on their own. Thus, the status of illegal immigrant children TODAY has NOTHING to do with the status of the children of slaves. Why is the 14th Amendment even a talking point with the children of illegal immigrants?
Ask yourself...did the Congress in 1867 write the 14th Amendment to make kids of illegals eligible for Social Security, Medicare, and the right to vote? No...they wrote it to right a wrong done against slaves so their kids wouldn't be stigmatized as foreigners. Period!
Consider the Founders didn't want women to vote. Was it because they were Chauvinistic bastards, or did they foresee something...namely Prohibition?
In 1920, women were given the right to vote. They hated their husbands drinking, so in 1929 (only 9 years after the right was granted), Congress passed Prohibition because the politicians had to now play to an entirely new base. But, only a few years later, people realized what a stupid Amendment it was and it was repealed. Was the Constitution meant to be a document in need of white-out? THAT's where agendas lead us.
Leave the Constitution alone...it's not perfect, but neither are the people who try to change it.
So there!
Let's hope for .500 soon, just to say we're .500!
DMS: Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 1:31 PM
Marty --
In the grand old game, even the rules have changed. Not the fundies you speak of, but in the era of instant replay (which may soon expand) there's a few rules that aren't as hard and fast. How we interpret some rules and the use of unwritten rules affects the way it's played at the major league level and in some small ways, all the way down. To continue the analogy a bit, the basic rulebook is the same, but ground rules are always there to create a bit of uniqueness, a bit of local flavor. Kind of like how an amendment works. If thoughtful and passed by 2/3 of the states, we can finally start getting stuff done. Like a Balanced Budget Amendment, maybe.
Okay, so equal protection shouldn't apply to illegals, as you term them. How about creating a path to citizenship? If we're not going to stop relying on cheap immigrant labor and we can't build a fence to the stars, why not admit we're licked and start honestly allowing all those yearning to breathe free a better shot at it. Yes, back of the line, prove you're not a psycho, etc., but don't continue on this path.
Your interpretation of the Volstead Act is novel, but I'm a little loathe to buy into that one all the way. In that kind of world, women are rolling-pin swinging maniacs out to destroy all vestiges of fun, not people who deserve to exercise the franchise as fully as you and me. Just a thought.
Marty: Wed, 11 May 2011 12:31:13 -0700
Dave --
Baseball hasn't changed, save the DH. There are still nine players, three outs, three strikes, etc....instant replay didn't change baseball. It helps it to enforce the rules with a correct call.
A national balanced budget amendment? Hmm...Paul Ryan looked to shave $400 Billion off the deficit (leaving us a Trillion in the hole every year) and it caused a riot (figuratively). How in the world do you ever foresee a balanced budget? Hasn't Obamacare alone made sure we never have one?
Something nobody is considering, Dave...to wit:
Yes, those greedy businessmen love hiring "undocumenteds" (since you dislike the term, "illegals") and that's why there are now so many of them. But, what if they become citizens...earning equal pay, equal benefits, and all that jazz? Would businessmen still hire them, or simply hire Americans at the same going rate? In other words, if businessmen no longer have a cost-effective reason to hire undocumenteds/new citizens, why would they continue to hire any? And then what?
I also have difficulty with the DREAM Act. The Act states if an undocumented fella joins the service for two years, he can then attend college as a citizen. Sounds good, but what if that fella has crummy grades and no college will accept him? Does he then have to turn in his Dream Act citizenship?
Dave, the whole "path to citizenship" is nothing more than a ruse to get Hispanics to the polls. Obama had two years with a Dem Congress to pass anything (even if it required a bribe or two from Harry), and nothing about citizenship made it to the floor. Only after the Tea Party win in November did we get a pointless vote on the Dream Act ... why, you might ask? Simply put:
As long as this remains an issue, it will get Hispanics to the polls. It's the "We're the nice guy Dems vs. the evil, hateful GOP" game, and the Hispanics are being used as pawns. Keep promising something and the people being promised will continue to vote in hopes of receiving that promise. Face it...the Dems NEED the Hispanic vote, and that's why Obama was in Texas yesterday talking to them.
Once "undocumented" Hispanics do get to vote, they'll probably get just as disgusted as the rest of us and not turn out strongly. That's the DNC's biggest nightmare...so as long as they dangle the carrot, they can count on a strong turnout from those eligible to vote.
The Volstead Act was just the tip of the iceberg. When the Founders said "No way, Josephine," to voting, they knew politicians would stick only to issues important to the betterment of states/the nation. What's happened since?
Politicians get $400 haircuts... politicians play the sax... politicians care about how many donuts we eat... politicians wear designer clothes... is this what the Founders wanted when it came to campaigning? NOOO! It appeals to women, and it wins their votes. If guys like George Washington had to win over women voters, would he have worn that stupid powder wig and costume, or would he have learned to play the drums, hummed stanzas from music of the day, and all those things attractive to women back then?
Cynicism is an aphrodisiac to me, Dave. In case you didn't figure that out by now.
DMS: Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 3:56 PM
Marty –
If cynicism turns you on, you must remain sitting and walk hunched over a lot.
Anyway, the basics of baseball are the same, but I think you see what I mean about how ground rules create all these different little "states of play" that are all governed by one set of rules.
The DREAM Act is a political ploy. Absolutely. But it is also a political ploy that happens to speak to the same impulse the disenfranchised have always expressed when it comes to becoming an American. Example: the Tuskegee Airmen joined up to prove their worth, and were willing to jump through such hoops because of the promise (albeit implied) of fuller citizenship after serving. If an immigrant somehow didn't qualify for college or had lousy grades, then maybe the naturalization should be delayed, but not that dream deferred, again. That's in the worst traditions of xenophobia and nativism, and I think you know that.
To dismiss Mr. Obama's current try at immigration reform as just politics begs the question; it's at least a comprehensive approach that begins to look at the problem honestly, and remains within our tradition of welcome, not a barred door.
Also, your whole point about whether "Americans" would get hired under a new paradigm or not places an artificial barrier between us & them. If the path to citizenship was more fair, more open and in line with the needs and cultural norms of the states admitting the immigrant, the whole question would be settled by the invisible hand of the market. That's an idea you can believe in, hmmm?
I'm not even gonna touch the appeal to women voters thing; that's as radioactive as Japanese spinach.
On baseball: .500 is .500, but we gotta get there first.
Marty: Mon, 9 May 2011 20:37:10 -0700
Tonight was truly awful!
DMS: Wed, 5/11/11
Sometimes the pitchers have to do the hitting. At any rate, the visit to Colorado is an even series now, so I'm okay with that.
I was out of circulation the last couple of days, but I did think a little about your idea of strict constructionism as it relates to the Constitution. The point is clear, but unfortunately, your reading doesn't stack up to years of practical experience with this kind of democratic experiment. Government power has expanded over time, true, but not only and always because people are whining babies who can't stand to live with the consequences of their actions. If there hadn't been room for interpretation, we wouldn't have a workable system of interstate commerce, highways, railroads and the rest of it.
And when it comes to strict readings of old documents, take a look at the 3/5 clause and the stuff the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were designed to rectify. I think we'd all agree those are situations where re-writing the Founders intentions was not only right, but necessary.
The term limit idea is a good one and I would support it, mainly because it would refresh the tree of liberty with new fertilizer more frequently. I guess the manure metaphor isn't such a good one, but it'll serve for a lot of the talk we hear out of Washington. Debt limits, budget cuts, you guys wanna kill old folks on one side, you guys have no fiscal discipline on the other ... on and on it goes.
Marty: Wed, 11 May 2011 09:00:35 -0700
The Constitution does allow for changing with the times. Those changes are called Amendments. However, until an Amendment is added, the rules of the game weren't meant to be interpreted.
What if the Constitution of baseball, "The Rule Book," were open to interpretation? Could players not have to touch 3rd base on their way home, depending on circumstance? Could a fly ball caught on a bounce still be called an out, depending on the situation? See how baseball would collapse without strict interpretation of the rules? No room for agendas, is there?
The 14th Amendment is a favorite argument for me. It was written right after the Civil War and it rightly gave the children of slaves born in American natural citizenship. Compare its purpose in 1867 and what an agenda is morphing it into.
In 1867, the Congress agreed that slaves didn't come here on their own free will, so their kids shouldn't have to bear another wrong...not being citizens where they're born. Today, whether illegals climb a fence with a machinegun, hide in a truck, or whatever, they are NOT coming here against their free will. They want to come here to work, sell drugs, or 100 reasons in between, but the point is...they come here on their own. Thus, the status of illegal immigrant children TODAY has NOTHING to do with the status of the children of slaves. Why is the 14th Amendment even a talking point with the children of illegal immigrants?
Ask yourself...did the Congress in 1867 write the 14th Amendment to make kids of illegals eligible for Social Security, Medicare, and the right to vote? No...they wrote it to right a wrong done against slaves so their kids wouldn't be stigmatized as foreigners. Period!
Consider the Founders didn't want women to vote. Was it because they were Chauvinistic bastards, or did they foresee something...namely Prohibition?
In 1920, women were given the right to vote. They hated their husbands drinking, so in 1929 (only 9 years after the right was granted), Congress passed Prohibition because the politicians had to now play to an entirely new base. But, only a few years later, people realized what a stupid Amendment it was and it was repealed. Was the Constitution meant to be a document in need of white-out? THAT's where agendas lead us.
Leave the Constitution alone...it's not perfect, but neither are the people who try to change it.
So there!
Let's hope for .500 soon, just to say we're .500!
DMS: Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 1:31 PM
Marty --
In the grand old game, even the rules have changed. Not the fundies you speak of, but in the era of instant replay (which may soon expand) there's a few rules that aren't as hard and fast. How we interpret some rules and the use of unwritten rules affects the way it's played at the major league level and in some small ways, all the way down. To continue the analogy a bit, the basic rulebook is the same, but ground rules are always there to create a bit of uniqueness, a bit of local flavor. Kind of like how an amendment works. If thoughtful and passed by 2/3 of the states, we can finally start getting stuff done. Like a Balanced Budget Amendment, maybe.
Okay, so equal protection shouldn't apply to illegals, as you term them. How about creating a path to citizenship? If we're not going to stop relying on cheap immigrant labor and we can't build a fence to the stars, why not admit we're licked and start honestly allowing all those yearning to breathe free a better shot at it. Yes, back of the line, prove you're not a psycho, etc., but don't continue on this path.
Your interpretation of the Volstead Act is novel, but I'm a little loathe to buy into that one all the way. In that kind of world, women are rolling-pin swinging maniacs out to destroy all vestiges of fun, not people who deserve to exercise the franchise as fully as you and me. Just a thought.
Marty: Wed, 11 May 2011 12:31:13 -0700
Dave --
Baseball hasn't changed, save the DH. There are still nine players, three outs, three strikes, etc....instant replay didn't change baseball. It helps it to enforce the rules with a correct call.
A national balanced budget amendment? Hmm...Paul Ryan looked to shave $400 Billion off the deficit (leaving us a Trillion in the hole every year) and it caused a riot (figuratively). How in the world do you ever foresee a balanced budget? Hasn't Obamacare alone made sure we never have one?
Something nobody is considering, Dave...to wit:
Yes, those greedy businessmen love hiring "undocumenteds" (since you dislike the term, "illegals") and that's why there are now so many of them. But, what if they become citizens...earning equal pay, equal benefits, and all that jazz? Would businessmen still hire them, or simply hire Americans at the same going rate? In other words, if businessmen no longer have a cost-effective reason to hire undocumenteds/new citizens, why would they continue to hire any? And then what?
I also have difficulty with the DREAM Act. The Act states if an undocumented fella joins the service for two years, he can then attend college as a citizen. Sounds good, but what if that fella has crummy grades and no college will accept him? Does he then have to turn in his Dream Act citizenship?
Dave, the whole "path to citizenship" is nothing more than a ruse to get Hispanics to the polls. Obama had two years with a Dem Congress to pass anything (even if it required a bribe or two from Harry), and nothing about citizenship made it to the floor. Only after the Tea Party win in November did we get a pointless vote on the Dream Act ... why, you might ask? Simply put:
As long as this remains an issue, it will get Hispanics to the polls. It's the "We're the nice guy Dems vs. the evil, hateful GOP" game, and the Hispanics are being used as pawns. Keep promising something and the people being promised will continue to vote in hopes of receiving that promise. Face it...the Dems NEED the Hispanic vote, and that's why Obama was in Texas yesterday talking to them.
Once "undocumented" Hispanics do get to vote, they'll probably get just as disgusted as the rest of us and not turn out strongly. That's the DNC's biggest nightmare...so as long as they dangle the carrot, they can count on a strong turnout from those eligible to vote.
The Volstead Act was just the tip of the iceberg. When the Founders said "No way, Josephine," to voting, they knew politicians would stick only to issues important to the betterment of states/the nation. What's happened since?
Politicians get $400 haircuts... politicians play the sax... politicians care about how many donuts we eat... politicians wear designer clothes... is this what the Founders wanted when it came to campaigning? NOOO! It appeals to women, and it wins their votes. If guys like George Washington had to win over women voters, would he have worn that stupid powder wig and costume, or would he have learned to play the drums, hummed stanzas from music of the day, and all those things attractive to women back then?
Cynicism is an aphrodisiac to me, Dave. In case you didn't figure that out by now.
DMS: Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 3:56 PM
Marty –
If cynicism turns you on, you must remain sitting and walk hunched over a lot.
Anyway, the basics of baseball are the same, but I think you see what I mean about how ground rules create all these different little "states of play" that are all governed by one set of rules.
The DREAM Act is a political ploy. Absolutely. But it is also a political ploy that happens to speak to the same impulse the disenfranchised have always expressed when it comes to becoming an American. Example: the Tuskegee Airmen joined up to prove their worth, and were willing to jump through such hoops because of the promise (albeit implied) of fuller citizenship after serving. If an immigrant somehow didn't qualify for college or had lousy grades, then maybe the naturalization should be delayed, but not that dream deferred, again. That's in the worst traditions of xenophobia and nativism, and I think you know that.
To dismiss Mr. Obama's current try at immigration reform as just politics begs the question; it's at least a comprehensive approach that begins to look at the problem honestly, and remains within our tradition of welcome, not a barred door.
Also, your whole point about whether "Americans" would get hired under a new paradigm or not places an artificial barrier between us & them. If the path to citizenship was more fair, more open and in line with the needs and cultural norms of the states admitting the immigrant, the whole question would be settled by the invisible hand of the market. That's an idea you can believe in, hmmm?
I'm not even gonna touch the appeal to women voters thing; that's as radioactive as Japanese spinach.
On baseball: .500 is .500, but we gotta get there first.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Epistolary
Some ancient forms of communication still attract adherents because of their power to engage the mind, heart and hands in service of sharing experience and observation. Good letters between people who care about the subjects deeply can certainly make for interesting reading. With that mind, I’ve edited the exchange that follows between me and my friend Marty who lives in Nevada. He checks in with me about the Mets and a few other little topics.
Marty: 29 Apr 20
It wasn't pretty tonight.
DMS: Sunday, May 1, 2011, 12:00 PM
That was a whippin'. Saturday wasn't a win, but they only lost by one run... sigh.
Marty: Mon, 2 May 2011 12:15:47 -0700
I never knew a win could be so painful. The Mets blew every opportunity they were given.
DMS: Monday, May 2, 2011, 5:00 PM
Painful for who, the fans or bin Laden?Ha, ha. Anyway... yes, they left a lot of men on base, but sometime you have to play those extra inning affairs in order to... awww, who am I kidding? They just fucking suck with RISP and it's been that way for the last five, six seasons. At least they're off a day and starting a homestand.
Marty: Mon, 2 May 2011 15:08:07 -0700
We need a clutch hitter on this team, Dave. Ike can't carry the load by himself.So, you think OBL is really dead, eh? No pictures, no video, no body...just a quick dump in the sea at an unknown place. If they have the DNA of 9 or 10 family members, do you think they were matched to OBL's DNA or someone else in the family?That's the problem with Washington these days...what do we believe and what don't we? Too many things are accepted at face value with no evidence. And, no, this isn't recent...how long has the Pentagon be around?We need people in Washington who are honest enough to admit they will lie.
DMS: Tuesday, May 3, 2011, 9:24 AM
The NY Times dropped the honorific for bin Laden, no "Mr." Not the only thing that's been left out of the story, as far as I can see. Quick and clean kill shot, body disposed of in less than 24 hours. Jack Bauer is still on the payroll, it seems. At any rate, this is a new chapter and it’s a nice set up for the 2012 election season. I can see it now, "Listen Mr. President, its simple. Focus on competency, achievements. And you got averting a depression (so we says) and you got bin Laden. None of them GOP jerks can say that." And none of them will. On the Mets: gotta get some thunder in the middle of the lineup. Beltran and Wright just ain't doin' it, but it'll come around. Believe.
Marty: Wed, 4 May 2011 00:23:43 -0700
PAINFUL!!!Something is bugging me, maybe you have an answer.
Supposedly, we got the "tip" on OBL about nine days ago. At that point, we sent in SEALs, Special Ops, you name it. Isn't it odd that right after we started this supposed mission, Robert Gates called it a day? Why the heck wouldn't he resign AFTER this mission, and say something like, "I stuck around to get OBL, I'm now passing the baton."? There are 100 things that don't really add up (IMO), but that kinda bothers me. Why would a guy be a party pooper before the party?I guess OBL being unarmed while reportedly having a 40 minute shootout with SEALs makes sense...don't ya think?Friggin’ Mets...what are we gonna do?
DMS: Wednesday, May 4, 2011, 9:23 AM
Lousy loss, that one. Went over to my neighbor's house for his homemade pizzas (delicious) and a few beers, and thought we looking at a nice start to a homestand. Too many LOB. Too many. And poor bullpen work by Buchholz. Garbage. Anyway, Gates had announced his retirement already and the Cabinet shuffle was underway as well. That's not necessarily the suspicious bit of this, timing-wise. What bothers me is the neat, tight storyline we're getting. The 40 minutes, yet unarmed (except for his favorite wife, Human Shield), is rather problematic, but I guess we'll be going over this like the Zapruder film for a while so it's best just to let it wash over you and sing "We Are The Champions".The SEALs probably encountered his Pakistani helpers and they put up a fight, until they realized it was best just to lead him out and give them a clean shot. What a world.
Marty: Wed, 4 May 2011 10:34:58 -0700
Hey Dave, I guess the solution isn't scoring six runs...if ya give up seven runs.
Good points. For what is a tremendous worldwide event, the secrecy behind it is pretty confusing. To wit --
1. We supposedly have OBL's wife in custody. What's her name, what’s she look like, no pictures...?
2. The SEALs who supposedly performed this mission are being given a secret ceremony. Why secret? Doesn't the entire world want to know who these heroes are, and watch them get rewarded?
3. The ship carrying OBL's body was full of sailors....yet none of them sent a text to anyone about OBL being on board, none took pics of anything and sent them to friends, nothing.
4. Where did this ship find a Muslim cleric so quickly to perform the supposed ritual? Who is he? I could go on for pages...you get my point. If the WH supposedly OK'd this mission 10 days ago, didn't they have ample time to figure out what to do when OBL was killed? Couldn't they decide in time what to do about releasing photos? They're acting like this was a total shock and they have to wing it, Here's a theory: OBL was found dead in a cave, let's say from natural causes. When the White House was notified, it said, "Don't tell anyone, we can make like our troops got the guy!" Can such a theory be disproved?
Do I dare watch the Mets tonight?
DMS: Wed, 5/4/11
Marty --Point 1 -- Damn good question. First she was a human shield, now she's uninjured. I don't know what gives.
#2 -- Secret ceremony? That's a good one. The only reason to keep it secret is to keep the SEALs identity safe from fatwa and jihad (the guys with the tailor shop down on 36th & 7th). Then again, you'd think they've already signed away their rights to consult on books, movies and the rest of it.
#3 -- Credit the good sense and stalwart nature of sailors (see: Capt. of U.S.S. Enterprise, the guy who made the homophobic videos) never to ever say anything about a secret mission. During WWII, maybe, but not now. It stinks more as time goes on.
#4 -- Standard issue for navy ships nowadays. Pick-a-chaplain, any chaplain. Sure. Sure. And as for telling the story to the public, it's in line with everything about the Obama Administration. Like the dog that chased the fire truck, didn't have a clue what to do with it when he caught it.
Marty: 4 May 2011 12:29:10
Dave,
You know by now that no pictures will be released. Interesting question:We're not releasing pics because the images would enrage our enemies. Yet....killing the guy won't? It's kinda hard to believe the strongest nation on Earth is bitch-scared of nuts with boxcutters, wouldn't you agree?
We could debate this for months...let's move on to what's important --A .251 team batting average and a 4.43 TEAM era isn't a recipe for success.
DMS: Thu, 5/5/11
No pictures and no words from Mr. Obama at Ground Zero, on today, his first visit at President. So that's that.
Agreed. We could chew it over for a while, but it does make me think of the Kennedy assassination: Oswald gets killed by Ruby, Ruby gets whacked and well, there's your story. Too simple, too pat. As for the Mets: no hitting + no pitching = no joy in Metville. The free agent solution is out, and blockbuster (read: Reyes) trading may be the only way to get the thumper and hurler we're looking for. And then there's Johan to look forward to. Like a trade in the midseason, without giving anybody up. Keep hope alive!
Marty: Thu, 5 May 2011 10:28:25 -0700
Dave,
Last night was horrible. The people in the seats caught a draft from the Mets bats whiffing all night long.Notice what's NOT in the headlines anymore? Slower than expected growth, job numbers coming in lousy, nothing about Libya, nothing about Syria and/or Iran, nothing about gas prices....kinda makes ya think something was planned just in time, don't ya think?In one regard, this White House is no different than the Bush one. They love to point to growing corporate earnings and gloat about them. Didn't the Dems crucify the big companies during the Bush years for ripping us off? Now, they rip us off and all's well with the Dems. What gives?There's very little difference between the two parties...one (GOP) will admit they'll screw ya; the other (Dems) will play the song and dance and still screw ya. $$$ knows no party affiliations, it's up for grabs by all.That's why I stand with the kooks who wear George Washington costumes at Tea rallies. They wave "Don't tread on me" flags, they denounce Socialism, they want drones guarding the borders, but more importantly....if not for them, would ANYONE in Washington be talking about how this country is the Titanic and the water filling the ship is the deficits and the debt? The Dems never cut anything, the GOP never cut anything, so who's the party that's trying to save this country? Both the GOP and the Dems have kicked the can to get us to where we are now...how can anyone still support either one of them?Even Ryan's "massive cuts" leave us with a $1 Trillion deficit next year. I don't know why it's praised by anyone...is that any kind of answer?Higher taxes can be absorbed in a good economy but they can't be absorbed in a bad one. Does anyone want higher taxes with $5 gas and 10% inflation on the way?There's only one solution: If the OBL pics are real, put them on pay-per-view...the whole country will pay to see them. Think of the revenue generated!
That's my sermon from the abyss.
DMS: Thursday, May 5, 2011, 4:14 PM
Marty: The headlines reflect the hottest, most visceral thing the reporters can grab hold of at the moment. That's always been true and will continue to be so until it doesn't lead if it ain't bleeding. White Houses are very much alike mainly because of the pressures of the job, the authority held within. W was excoriated for expanding presidential power with "enhanced interrogation" and the Patriot Act, John Yu's memos and the rest of it, but Obama has made no real moves to scale that power back or hand it over to an ombudsman or anything of the kind. That's because presidential power is like crack -- one hit is too many, a million will never be enough. My analysis isn't as narrow as that, though. The rip-offs you speak of will continue as long as the corporation is considered a person (except when they do something horribly wrong like spill a kajillion gallons of oil into the Gulf) who doesn't have to pay taxes and can influence elections through donations and thoroughly dominate our lives. They, the corporations, own this government and until somebody takes it back, we'll all be preaching from the same lip of the abyss. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm advocating your Tea Party-type foolishness, because deficit reduction of the magnitude Ryan has proposed and even the Bowles commission's recommendation isn't a real priority for our future growth. When there are more markets open around the world and demand ginned up to fill, we'll start getting back to fiscal solvency. Reducing a man's (or a nation's) debt means nothing until income actually grows again. So you're right, higher taxes on the public aren't the way out of this (right now). Taxes going up on the people who bring good things to life (nukes, "The Celebrity Apprentice", light bulbs we can't buy anymore) might help to do the trick, but that's only a suggestion based on my own view of fairness. The rest of the Tea Party stuff, in my view, is so tinged with xenophobia, lack of historical insight and outright bigotry that it's been discredited except on MSNBC and Fox News. As on general principle, I'd never pay-per-view anything. No cable. But especially not a hanging or an execution, even of the worst scumbag in the world. Okay, well maybe for the Philly Phanatic.
Marty: 5 May 2011 14:15:08 -0700
Thoughtful as ever, you sly fox! A couple of points, if I may:
1) The Tea Party is laced with racism? If that's true, please point to a speech by any Tea Party member where race is an issue. Booting illegals out and keeping them out is an issue...but do we have anything against keeping legal Mexicans (or anyone else legal) here? I'm Tea Party, and you're my friend, Dave....you could be purple with spots, I don't give a shit (as long as you like boobs, drink beer, and root for the Mets!)
1a) When we claim we want to being America back to the 1950s, we don't mean segregation, sexism, and all that jazz. In the 1950s, what was America? A manufacturing powerhouse with a booming economy and respected around the world. Kids could play outside, Americans weren't groped at airports, and other countries didn't dictate our policies. If those things are bad, than so be it!
2) Consider that the US now pays almost $600 Billion a year in interest payments. What could be done with that $600 Billion? In 10 years, the amount will double, leading to over $1 Trillion a year in interest payments. I doubt we'll ever see a balanced budget again, but wouldn't one be nice....to keep the total from reaching over $1 Trillion a year paid out?I remember the 2006 Dem rallying cry how deficits were going to hurt our kids and grandkids. Now, the rallying cry is if you cut deficits, it'll hurt granny and grandpa. But think about what deficits are doing to everyone....the Dollar Index is down 8% in 2011, commodities are soaring, inflation is soaring (if you include the things we use everyday like bread and milk), and nobody seems to be too concerned about it. That's a real danger!A point about corporate taxes:OK, GE and several others pay little or no tax for many reasons. Everyone wants that revenue taxed, right?Let's suppose the Government said, "OK big companies, you now have to pay 33% tax on all revenue." I picked 33% because it makes my example mathematically simple:Let's suppose right now a company sells a $1,000 product that's in high demand, and it's profit margin in 10% ($100). It pays little or no tax.Now comes a 33% tax on that profit margin....You think the companies would pay $33 for every $100 earned on an item? Consider this....The price of the item goes from $1,000 to $1,050. Then with a 15% profit margin (now $150, up from $100), the company pays the 33% tax....or, the $50 increase in sales price. The company still winds up with its 10% profit ($100 on the item), so who winds up paying the tax for the company? You got it...the consumer!
Aren't shell games fun?
Marty: 29 Apr 20
It wasn't pretty tonight.
DMS: Sunday, May 1, 2011, 12:00 PM
That was a whippin'. Saturday wasn't a win, but they only lost by one run... sigh.
Marty: Mon, 2 May 2011 12:15:47 -0700
I never knew a win could be so painful. The Mets blew every opportunity they were given.
DMS: Monday, May 2, 2011, 5:00 PM
Painful for who, the fans or bin Laden?Ha, ha. Anyway... yes, they left a lot of men on base, but sometime you have to play those extra inning affairs in order to... awww, who am I kidding? They just fucking suck with RISP and it's been that way for the last five, six seasons. At least they're off a day and starting a homestand.
Marty: Mon, 2 May 2011 15:08:07 -0700
We need a clutch hitter on this team, Dave. Ike can't carry the load by himself.So, you think OBL is really dead, eh? No pictures, no video, no body...just a quick dump in the sea at an unknown place. If they have the DNA of 9 or 10 family members, do you think they were matched to OBL's DNA or someone else in the family?That's the problem with Washington these days...what do we believe and what don't we? Too many things are accepted at face value with no evidence. And, no, this isn't recent...how long has the Pentagon be around?We need people in Washington who are honest enough to admit they will lie.
DMS: Tuesday, May 3, 2011, 9:24 AM
The NY Times dropped the honorific for bin Laden, no "Mr." Not the only thing that's been left out of the story, as far as I can see. Quick and clean kill shot, body disposed of in less than 24 hours. Jack Bauer is still on the payroll, it seems. At any rate, this is a new chapter and it’s a nice set up for the 2012 election season. I can see it now, "Listen Mr. President, its simple. Focus on competency, achievements. And you got averting a depression (so we says) and you got bin Laden. None of them GOP jerks can say that." And none of them will. On the Mets: gotta get some thunder in the middle of the lineup. Beltran and Wright just ain't doin' it, but it'll come around. Believe.
Marty: Wed, 4 May 2011 00:23:43 -0700
PAINFUL!!!Something is bugging me, maybe you have an answer.
Supposedly, we got the "tip" on OBL about nine days ago. At that point, we sent in SEALs, Special Ops, you name it. Isn't it odd that right after we started this supposed mission, Robert Gates called it a day? Why the heck wouldn't he resign AFTER this mission, and say something like, "I stuck around to get OBL, I'm now passing the baton."? There are 100 things that don't really add up (IMO), but that kinda bothers me. Why would a guy be a party pooper before the party?I guess OBL being unarmed while reportedly having a 40 minute shootout with SEALs makes sense...don't ya think?Friggin’ Mets...what are we gonna do?
DMS: Wednesday, May 4, 2011, 9:23 AM
Lousy loss, that one. Went over to my neighbor's house for his homemade pizzas (delicious) and a few beers, and thought we looking at a nice start to a homestand. Too many LOB. Too many. And poor bullpen work by Buchholz. Garbage. Anyway, Gates had announced his retirement already and the Cabinet shuffle was underway as well. That's not necessarily the suspicious bit of this, timing-wise. What bothers me is the neat, tight storyline we're getting. The 40 minutes, yet unarmed (except for his favorite wife, Human Shield), is rather problematic, but I guess we'll be going over this like the Zapruder film for a while so it's best just to let it wash over you and sing "We Are The Champions".The SEALs probably encountered his Pakistani helpers and they put up a fight, until they realized it was best just to lead him out and give them a clean shot. What a world.
Marty: Wed, 4 May 2011 10:34:58 -0700
Hey Dave, I guess the solution isn't scoring six runs...if ya give up seven runs.
Good points. For what is a tremendous worldwide event, the secrecy behind it is pretty confusing. To wit --
1. We supposedly have OBL's wife in custody. What's her name, what’s she look like, no pictures...?
2. The SEALs who supposedly performed this mission are being given a secret ceremony. Why secret? Doesn't the entire world want to know who these heroes are, and watch them get rewarded?
3. The ship carrying OBL's body was full of sailors....yet none of them sent a text to anyone about OBL being on board, none took pics of anything and sent them to friends, nothing.
4. Where did this ship find a Muslim cleric so quickly to perform the supposed ritual? Who is he? I could go on for pages...you get my point. If the WH supposedly OK'd this mission 10 days ago, didn't they have ample time to figure out what to do when OBL was killed? Couldn't they decide in time what to do about releasing photos? They're acting like this was a total shock and they have to wing it, Here's a theory: OBL was found dead in a cave, let's say from natural causes. When the White House was notified, it said, "Don't tell anyone, we can make like our troops got the guy!" Can such a theory be disproved?
Do I dare watch the Mets tonight?
DMS: Wed, 5/4/11
Marty --Point 1 -- Damn good question. First she was a human shield, now she's uninjured. I don't know what gives.
#2 -- Secret ceremony? That's a good one. The only reason to keep it secret is to keep the SEALs identity safe from fatwa and jihad (the guys with the tailor shop down on 36th & 7th). Then again, you'd think they've already signed away their rights to consult on books, movies and the rest of it.
#3 -- Credit the good sense and stalwart nature of sailors (see: Capt. of U.S.S. Enterprise, the guy who made the homophobic videos) never to ever say anything about a secret mission. During WWII, maybe, but not now. It stinks more as time goes on.
#4 -- Standard issue for navy ships nowadays. Pick-a-chaplain, any chaplain. Sure. Sure. And as for telling the story to the public, it's in line with everything about the Obama Administration. Like the dog that chased the fire truck, didn't have a clue what to do with it when he caught it.
Marty: 4 May 2011 12:29:10
Dave,
You know by now that no pictures will be released. Interesting question:We're not releasing pics because the images would enrage our enemies. Yet....killing the guy won't? It's kinda hard to believe the strongest nation on Earth is bitch-scared of nuts with boxcutters, wouldn't you agree?
We could debate this for months...let's move on to what's important --A .251 team batting average and a 4.43 TEAM era isn't a recipe for success.
DMS: Thu, 5/5/11
No pictures and no words from Mr. Obama at Ground Zero, on today, his first visit at President. So that's that.
Agreed. We could chew it over for a while, but it does make me think of the Kennedy assassination: Oswald gets killed by Ruby, Ruby gets whacked and well, there's your story. Too simple, too pat. As for the Mets: no hitting + no pitching = no joy in Metville. The free agent solution is out, and blockbuster (read: Reyes) trading may be the only way to get the thumper and hurler we're looking for. And then there's Johan to look forward to. Like a trade in the midseason, without giving anybody up. Keep hope alive!
Marty: Thu, 5 May 2011 10:28:25 -0700
Dave,
Last night was horrible. The people in the seats caught a draft from the Mets bats whiffing all night long.Notice what's NOT in the headlines anymore? Slower than expected growth, job numbers coming in lousy, nothing about Libya, nothing about Syria and/or Iran, nothing about gas prices....kinda makes ya think something was planned just in time, don't ya think?In one regard, this White House is no different than the Bush one. They love to point to growing corporate earnings and gloat about them. Didn't the Dems crucify the big companies during the Bush years for ripping us off? Now, they rip us off and all's well with the Dems. What gives?There's very little difference between the two parties...one (GOP) will admit they'll screw ya; the other (Dems) will play the song and dance and still screw ya. $$$ knows no party affiliations, it's up for grabs by all.That's why I stand with the kooks who wear George Washington costumes at Tea rallies. They wave "Don't tread on me" flags, they denounce Socialism, they want drones guarding the borders, but more importantly....if not for them, would ANYONE in Washington be talking about how this country is the Titanic and the water filling the ship is the deficits and the debt? The Dems never cut anything, the GOP never cut anything, so who's the party that's trying to save this country? Both the GOP and the Dems have kicked the can to get us to where we are now...how can anyone still support either one of them?Even Ryan's "massive cuts" leave us with a $1 Trillion deficit next year. I don't know why it's praised by anyone...is that any kind of answer?Higher taxes can be absorbed in a good economy but they can't be absorbed in a bad one. Does anyone want higher taxes with $5 gas and 10% inflation on the way?There's only one solution: If the OBL pics are real, put them on pay-per-view...the whole country will pay to see them. Think of the revenue generated!
That's my sermon from the abyss.
DMS: Thursday, May 5, 2011, 4:14 PM
Marty: The headlines reflect the hottest, most visceral thing the reporters can grab hold of at the moment. That's always been true and will continue to be so until it doesn't lead if it ain't bleeding. White Houses are very much alike mainly because of the pressures of the job, the authority held within. W was excoriated for expanding presidential power with "enhanced interrogation" and the Patriot Act, John Yu's memos and the rest of it, but Obama has made no real moves to scale that power back or hand it over to an ombudsman or anything of the kind. That's because presidential power is like crack -- one hit is too many, a million will never be enough. My analysis isn't as narrow as that, though. The rip-offs you speak of will continue as long as the corporation is considered a person (except when they do something horribly wrong like spill a kajillion gallons of oil into the Gulf) who doesn't have to pay taxes and can influence elections through donations and thoroughly dominate our lives. They, the corporations, own this government and until somebody takes it back, we'll all be preaching from the same lip of the abyss. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm advocating your Tea Party-type foolishness, because deficit reduction of the magnitude Ryan has proposed and even the Bowles commission's recommendation isn't a real priority for our future growth. When there are more markets open around the world and demand ginned up to fill, we'll start getting back to fiscal solvency. Reducing a man's (or a nation's) debt means nothing until income actually grows again. So you're right, higher taxes on the public aren't the way out of this (right now). Taxes going up on the people who bring good things to life (nukes, "The Celebrity Apprentice", light bulbs we can't buy anymore) might help to do the trick, but that's only a suggestion based on my own view of fairness. The rest of the Tea Party stuff, in my view, is so tinged with xenophobia, lack of historical insight and outright bigotry that it's been discredited except on MSNBC and Fox News. As on general principle, I'd never pay-per-view anything. No cable. But especially not a hanging or an execution, even of the worst scumbag in the world. Okay, well maybe for the Philly Phanatic.
Marty: 5 May 2011 14:15:08 -0700
Thoughtful as ever, you sly fox! A couple of points, if I may:
1) The Tea Party is laced with racism? If that's true, please point to a speech by any Tea Party member where race is an issue. Booting illegals out and keeping them out is an issue...but do we have anything against keeping legal Mexicans (or anyone else legal) here? I'm Tea Party, and you're my friend, Dave....you could be purple with spots, I don't give a shit (as long as you like boobs, drink beer, and root for the Mets!)
1a) When we claim we want to being America back to the 1950s, we don't mean segregation, sexism, and all that jazz. In the 1950s, what was America? A manufacturing powerhouse with a booming economy and respected around the world. Kids could play outside, Americans weren't groped at airports, and other countries didn't dictate our policies. If those things are bad, than so be it!
2) Consider that the US now pays almost $600 Billion a year in interest payments. What could be done with that $600 Billion? In 10 years, the amount will double, leading to over $1 Trillion a year in interest payments. I doubt we'll ever see a balanced budget again, but wouldn't one be nice....to keep the total from reaching over $1 Trillion a year paid out?I remember the 2006 Dem rallying cry how deficits were going to hurt our kids and grandkids. Now, the rallying cry is if you cut deficits, it'll hurt granny and grandpa. But think about what deficits are doing to everyone....the Dollar Index is down 8% in 2011, commodities are soaring, inflation is soaring (if you include the things we use everyday like bread and milk), and nobody seems to be too concerned about it. That's a real danger!A point about corporate taxes:OK, GE and several others pay little or no tax for many reasons. Everyone wants that revenue taxed, right?Let's suppose the Government said, "OK big companies, you now have to pay 33% tax on all revenue." I picked 33% because it makes my example mathematically simple:Let's suppose right now a company sells a $1,000 product that's in high demand, and it's profit margin in 10% ($100). It pays little or no tax.Now comes a 33% tax on that profit margin....You think the companies would pay $33 for every $100 earned on an item? Consider this....The price of the item goes from $1,000 to $1,050. Then with a 15% profit margin (now $150, up from $100), the company pays the 33% tax....or, the $50 increase in sales price. The company still winds up with its 10% profit ($100 on the item), so who winds up paying the tax for the company? You got it...the consumer!
Aren't shell games fun?
Monday, May 2, 2011
On The Clearest Day God Ever Sent
Off a distance a valley runs easily back uphill…
This valley in the mind, just a memory – if that,
Is watered down by distance,
The years gone by pull you too easily away from remembering,
Reliving,
What if felt like to breathe deep honeysuckle air in the evening,
The western skyline gleaming and gold,
The blue and easy night oozing across the sky…
In holy moments,
Those thunderstruck few seconds that only come your way every so often,
The strains of some old song can throw you straight back there,
Spy glasses and games of one-hop,
The school bus and the candy lady,
Staying inside and keeping quiet,
Killer prowling the back streets and all of it laying side by side…
In equal measure hornet’s stings mix with first kisses,
Sensations you’ll never forget,
And it makes you come to know,
All of a sudden, but with perfect clarity –
In the morning of our lives, all is new,
Each day all we have ever known,
And since there’s no clouds overhead right now,
It’s always going to be true,
Today,
Might as well be the clearest day god ever sent.
End.rev2, 12.28 a.m.
© David Mark Speer, 3 May 2011, Brooklyn.
This valley in the mind, just a memory – if that,
Is watered down by distance,
The years gone by pull you too easily away from remembering,
Reliving,
What if felt like to breathe deep honeysuckle air in the evening,
The western skyline gleaming and gold,
The blue and easy night oozing across the sky…
In holy moments,
Those thunderstruck few seconds that only come your way every so often,
The strains of some old song can throw you straight back there,
Spy glasses and games of one-hop,
The school bus and the candy lady,
Staying inside and keeping quiet,
Killer prowling the back streets and all of it laying side by side…
In equal measure hornet’s stings mix with first kisses,
Sensations you’ll never forget,
And it makes you come to know,
All of a sudden, but with perfect clarity –
In the morning of our lives, all is new,
Each day all we have ever known,
And since there’s no clouds overhead right now,
It’s always going to be true,
Today,
Might as well be the clearest day god ever sent.
End.rev2, 12.28 a.m.
© David Mark Speer, 3 May 2011, Brooklyn.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
My Head’s on Fire and Frogs Are Singing
The other night I dreamed I was sitting on a porch overlooking a rocky coastline, pen in hand as the sun melted into an expanding pool of rippling burnished life itself – the water crashing against the land, reshaping it and reclaiming it all at once. I started writing about a character who wrote musical comedies with a particularly arch sensibility. In my piece, the piece I’m writing in the dream, the character is being interviewed by Heller Harrington, theater critic for the New York Clarion. The excerpt, in part, reads as follows:
HH: “Many of your works have been called exceedingly somber. How do you feel about being pigeonholed by some who don’t know the fullness of your oeuvre?
Playwright: “That’s true, I guess. I do some of my best work on the sad side, but I’m really proud of the fantasies and lighter stuff we’ve been able to produce. In one of my more comic operas, I set a young man forth on a quest to end a miserable affliction that severely hampers his social and moral growth.”
HH: “This would be “My Head’s on Fire and Frogs are Singing,” of course…
P: “Sure, it’s one of my favorites, and I think it stands apart from more downbeat, overtly psychological stuff. The hero, Criscaldo as he’s called, lived in a small fishing village on the Maltese coast with his family of itinerant fishmongers. They were a happy lot, enjoying their backbreaking labors with the good humor usually found among the trash of European peasantry living in medieval conditions.”
HH: “This was a rather difficult show to mount, due to the involved prop work, yes?”
P: “All in service of the story. Criscaldo’s alarming ailment was that he would periodically combust, sending a tower of white flame ten feet straight up, much to the delight of local toughs and dismay of the clergy.”
So now that I've written this, in my dream, I continue dreaming more adventures for this guy whose head is on fire. Criscaldo’s quest begins when he finds a message in a bottle directing him to take a long sea voyage, at the end of which he will find the cure for his disorder. This would be the best scene in the playwright’s show, where Criscaldo sings a tearful goodbye to his family who wave to him from their doorstep until the plume of flame shooting from the top of his head is only a twinkling on the horizon.
Criscaldo’s voyage ends when he encounters the magic frog that lives on an island of magic frogs. The king of the mystical amphibians sings a spirited welcome to Criscaldo, their long-lost flame-headed god on earth. Criscaldo’s destiny is to be worshipped by the magic frogs and he retires to spend the rest of his days basking in their adulation.
Tingling all over, sitting bolt upright in bed, I know I’m awake but I still feel the sear and scar of my hair on silver fire and just can’t get the ringing out of my ears from the voices of the frogs that encircle me, singing.
End.rev3, 1.23 a.m.
© David Mark Speer, 27 April 2011, Brooklyn.
HH: “Many of your works have been called exceedingly somber. How do you feel about being pigeonholed by some who don’t know the fullness of your oeuvre?
Playwright: “That’s true, I guess. I do some of my best work on the sad side, but I’m really proud of the fantasies and lighter stuff we’ve been able to produce. In one of my more comic operas, I set a young man forth on a quest to end a miserable affliction that severely hampers his social and moral growth.”
HH: “This would be “My Head’s on Fire and Frogs are Singing,” of course…
P: “Sure, it’s one of my favorites, and I think it stands apart from more downbeat, overtly psychological stuff. The hero, Criscaldo as he’s called, lived in a small fishing village on the Maltese coast with his family of itinerant fishmongers. They were a happy lot, enjoying their backbreaking labors with the good humor usually found among the trash of European peasantry living in medieval conditions.”
HH: “This was a rather difficult show to mount, due to the involved prop work, yes?”
P: “All in service of the story. Criscaldo’s alarming ailment was that he would periodically combust, sending a tower of white flame ten feet straight up, much to the delight of local toughs and dismay of the clergy.”
So now that I've written this, in my dream, I continue dreaming more adventures for this guy whose head is on fire. Criscaldo’s quest begins when he finds a message in a bottle directing him to take a long sea voyage, at the end of which he will find the cure for his disorder. This would be the best scene in the playwright’s show, where Criscaldo sings a tearful goodbye to his family who wave to him from their doorstep until the plume of flame shooting from the top of his head is only a twinkling on the horizon.
Criscaldo’s voyage ends when he encounters the magic frog that lives on an island of magic frogs. The king of the mystical amphibians sings a spirited welcome to Criscaldo, their long-lost flame-headed god on earth. Criscaldo’s destiny is to be worshipped by the magic frogs and he retires to spend the rest of his days basking in their adulation.
Tingling all over, sitting bolt upright in bed, I know I’m awake but I still feel the sear and scar of my hair on silver fire and just can’t get the ringing out of my ears from the voices of the frogs that encircle me, singing.
End.rev3, 1.23 a.m.
© David Mark Speer, 27 April 2011, Brooklyn.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Compose
Coming into realizations that for the first time begin to make sense,
Over the course of days where you never knew where you might finish it out,
Mayans in Manhattan, as the man said, making sense back when most of the machines ran on Fortran, but presaging this moment of unending connectivity we wade through and live through, as the experiment continues,
Primary are the numbers controlling the inputs, outflows, extraordinary experiences that lie beyond the simple everyday, each day, spilled milk and regrets,
Only through constant vigilance, everlasting conscious effort can we stay in front of the wave, particle, substrate and reagent,
Subsuming each other quickly, efficiently, without regard or reticence,
Each moment torn out of existence in the manner it was destined, tomorrow bleeding into today more easily than the barest impulse exposed.
end.rev3, 12.36 a.m.
© David Mark Speer, 16 march 2011, Brooklyn
Over the course of days where you never knew where you might finish it out,
Mayans in Manhattan, as the man said, making sense back when most of the machines ran on Fortran, but presaging this moment of unending connectivity we wade through and live through, as the experiment continues,
Primary are the numbers controlling the inputs, outflows, extraordinary experiences that lie beyond the simple everyday, each day, spilled milk and regrets,
Only through constant vigilance, everlasting conscious effort can we stay in front of the wave, particle, substrate and reagent,
Subsuming each other quickly, efficiently, without regard or reticence,
Each moment torn out of existence in the manner it was destined, tomorrow bleeding into today more easily than the barest impulse exposed.
end.rev3, 12.36 a.m.
© David Mark Speer, 16 march 2011, Brooklyn
Sunday, February 27, 2011
No Man is a Failure
On the whisper of a hope that you'll get home alive,
You leave the house in the morning,
It's like I always say,
You never know where a day is going to take you...
In the quiet hours,
The desperate times,
When the soul is a shell,
No rhyming words need tell...
The sweet surrender is all it takes to start asking the unanswered questions, Pleadingly,
Torrentially,
Is this the better self,
Unrealized hope,
The only heights I can scale,
Hailstorm in the mind's eye,
Nightmare awake,
Story told in long sweeping passages,
Bits,
Pieces,
Unacknowledged feeling,
Never given back love thrown down the well,
Lower and lower the depths,
Plumbed for effect,
For the tearjerker moment,
When all the hurts get aired,
Where everybody says what they really feel,
That's it,
The obvious denouement,
The long-awaited end to this small family drama that goes to make up our lives,
Wide-awake,
You then,
And only then,
Understand,
Why you always dream of that same overstuffed mailbox,
The dream ends only with the room you fell asleep in.
end.rev3, 11.44 pm
© David Mark Speer, 25 january 2011, Brooklyn
You leave the house in the morning,
It's like I always say,
You never know where a day is going to take you...
In the quiet hours,
The desperate times,
When the soul is a shell,
No rhyming words need tell...
The sweet surrender is all it takes to start asking the unanswered questions, Pleadingly,
Torrentially,
Is this the better self,
Unrealized hope,
The only heights I can scale,
Hailstorm in the mind's eye,
Nightmare awake,
Story told in long sweeping passages,
Bits,
Pieces,
Unacknowledged feeling,
Never given back love thrown down the well,
Lower and lower the depths,
Plumbed for effect,
For the tearjerker moment,
When all the hurts get aired,
Where everybody says what they really feel,
That's it,
The obvious denouement,
The long-awaited end to this small family drama that goes to make up our lives,
Wide-awake,
You then,
And only then,
Understand,
Why you always dream of that same overstuffed mailbox,
The dream ends only with the room you fell asleep in.
end.rev3, 11.44 pm
© David Mark Speer, 25 january 2011, Brooklyn
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