Oracles Previous postings from the William Thomas Sherman Info Page 2009. By William Thomas Sherman 1604 NW 70th St. Seattle, WA 98117 206-784-1132 [email protected] http://www.gunjones.com ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ TENETS *If we ever experienced a problem anywhere, it came about, in some degree, due to certain wrong assumptions, either co-present with, or just prior to the given problem’s actually taking place. * Unless you believe in God, the One, and or the infinite, every assumption is contingent. * PROCESS (or if you prefer spirit, or activity) PRECEDES IMAGE. Image may, to some extent, (and sometimes almost perfectly) represent process. But process is always superior to and always more real than image. If process precedes image this might suggest also that mind precedes matter and energy. * Everything we believe, or say we know, is based on a factual or value judgment. Both kinds of judgment always entail the other to some extent, and nothing can be known or exists for us without them. * No fact or purported fact is true or false without someone to assert and believe it to be such. If an assertion or claim is deemed true or false then, and we are thorough, we should ask who is it that says so (or has said so), and what criteria are (were) they using? There is no such thing as "faceless" truth or reality -- at least none we are capable of knowing. * You can't escape reason. If you aren't rational yourself, someone else will be rational for you; nor do their intentions toward you need to be friendly or benevolent. * Every point of view and opinion has its truth to it -- even the most abhorrent and unacceptable to us. This said, we are naturally inclined to assume that some opinions have much greater truth to them than others. Even so, what little truth there is in any point of view must, at least at some juncture, and certainly with respect to issues of heated controversy, be justly and reasonably respected. Why? Because we would not be honest (and therefore not truthful) if we didn't. *Ultimately, and when all is said and done, thought without heart is nothing. * Most, if not all, of society's very worst problems arise from (certain) spirit people and those who listen to them -- whether the former comes in the shape of "God," angel, devil or what have you. It is these people who are most the source and cause of real unhappiness. If then you chance to have contact with such, while having (one assumes) overcome their lures, deceptions, and pretenses of benevolence and higher knowledge, I recommend that this (i.e. "unhappiness" or "unhappiness itself") is what you call them. Blame them for (most) everything wrong; for it is it is they who have been and are the ruin of everyone and everything (that is, if anyone is or could be said to be so.) Mottos: "When you can face me, I'll consider taking you seriously." "Millions for defense; not one cent for tribute!" "The whole of the city is at the mercy of a gang of criminals, led by a man who calls himself the Kid. And I'm the only one who can find him for you." 1 Note. The “oracles” are given, top to the bottom of the text, in order from the most recent to the very earliest entry (just as originally presented at gunjones.com); the very first you see below then is the last entered at the website, while the very first entered for the year is given as the last item in this text. ************************************************************************************* [or172] Captain Chris Unless he comes to you first, A spirit cannot be cursed. And nothing makes more sense Than imminent self-defense. So pussy-foot no longer And damn his soul in two; Only be extra sure To give him warning due. And though he seem to come With Heaven's blessing, Not for a moment let him forget With whom it is he's messing. For Heaven is true And spirits are sneaks; Do not then hold back On the havoc that you wreak. ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ In light of mine own "Muse" taking a temporary New Year's hiatus, I thought I would take the occasion to share with some of you this somewhat dreamy ode by the German poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724- 1803); here translated by William Nind; that particularly struck my fancy the other day. (The mention of "Messiah" refers to Klopstock's poetic magnum opus of that title.) "To Fanny "When I am dead -- when once this mortal frame Is moulder'd into dust, and thou mine eye, So long deploring life's eventful dream, In death hast wept thyself for ever dry, "Nor lookest upward while the ages throng From thy still adoration; when my fame, The fruit of my youth's yearning, and my song, And of the love I bore Messiah's name, "Is past and overblown; or by a few In that world rescued from oblivious doom; When thou, my Fanny, long hast rested too, And gentle smiles no more thine eyes illume; "When their soul-beaming glance is quench'd and gone. And thou, unnoticed by the vulgar crowd, 2 The work of thy whole life hast nobly done In noble deeds, which fame should utter loud, "Worthier remembrance than immortal song! Oh, then -- albeit in love thou madest thine A happier -- let not the proud word be wrong! A happier not a nobler heart than mine; "The day must dawn when I shall live again; The day must dawn when thou wilt see the sun; And envious Fate no more can rend in twain The souls whom Nature destined to be one. "Then God shall weigh on the eternal beam Virtue and Happiness in equal scales; And things that struck discordant here shall seem Perfect in harmony, where love prevails. "There where thou wakest, in that happy land, I will haste to thee. Wander not away Until some seraph lead me by the hand To where thou standest in thy bright array. "Thy brother, welcomed by a dear embrace, With me shall seek thee. Joyful tears will stream -- Such tears as glisten on a cherub's face, When I stand by thee, call thee by thy name, "And press thee to me. Immortality Will all be ours! O come, ye rapturous train Of joys unknown to mortal minstrelsy -- Joys inexpressible, as now my pain! "Ebb then, O life, away! till comes the hour That calls us to the cypress-shade at last; Mourning I pine in my deserted bower, And see my days with darkness overcast." ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Here's something slightly off the trodden path, even for me, and was indirectly suggested by one of my brothers who recently asked if I knew who'd wrote the "Babes in Toyland" theme (his having watched Laurel and Hardy's "Babes in Toyland"/"March of the Wooden Soldiers" over the holidays.) While I was aware of Victor Herbert (1859-1924) in association with that music and a few other tunes of his, it served as a reminder to me of how little I otherwise knew about the character and extent of his full body of compositions and repertoire; which as it turns out, of course, is quite varied and quantitatively considerable. I thought, therefore, to do some further listening and sifting of his work; so that I have for posting here two pieces of his that you, perhaps like me, may not have heard before. The first of these is Deanna Durbin, in the film "His Butler's Sister" (1943), singing "When You're Away." (As we've seen before with some videos, you'll probably want the YouTube volume down somewhat on this.) 3 See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyhf2m-VywE ["Deanna Durbin - When You're Away - Victor Herbert"] The second of our Herbert samples is "Art is Calling for Me" from "The Enchantress" performed by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, along with John Hopkins and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (c. 1990.) Ms. Te Kanawa, who it seems I find myself liking in so many things, including (also on video) "The Marriage of Figaro" and "Die Fledermaus" (the latter a most suitable New Year's opera) as well as "Don Giovanni," etc., is unusually lively as well as lovely here. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t4Y-uUp0iY ["Dame Kiri Te Kanawa sings "Art Is Calling for Me" from "The Enchantress" - Victor Herbert"] -------------- As a separate, though quite unrelated, bonus, and at the last minute suggestion of goomer ghost himself, is (for many) the very recognizable waltz from Gounod's "Faust" here with Francizco Araiza, Ruggero Raimondi, Gabriela Benackova with the Chorus and Orchestra of Wiene Staatsoper under the baton of Erich Binder (c. 1985.) This number going back to my early youth has always been a big favorite. Although the Joan Sutherland and the London Symphony Orchestra recording of "Faust" (from which here's an excerpt) is the one I am most inclined and accustomed to, the sound and presentation here is very good also. However, due to a YouTube video glitch the sound and picture are not perfectly in sync; consequently I have shrunk the screen size for this reason. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKRITskQsLU ["Gounod: Faust - Waltz at the End of first Act"] ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Better by far to suffer than to go along with them (i.e. these rotten spirit people and those mindless and or spineless persons who listen to them.) Indeed, sometimes (and under the present circumstances, and which for the time being can't be much helped) I actually welcome the pain and suffering just so I can all the more relish distancing myself -- so utterly guilty, loathsome, and full of themselves they are.