Drinkin' black coffee from a paper cup...and smokin' 40 cigarettes...

Have been listening to John Lee Hooker, hence the title. Lyrics from 'Along the waterfront'.

In my case the coffee cup holds bourbon and I don't smoke. Maybe a cigar on occasion, but those are few and far between. The bourbon is a daily tonic. Used or abused as the situation warrants.

Reading alot lately. Currently reading Collapse by Jared Diamond. He wrote Guns, Germs and Steel and having read that a while back, I was inclined to try this. Have not been disappointed. Mr. Diamond is an excellent writer and works very hard to make you understand what the implications are for the information that he is passing on to you.

Finished, Secret Origins of the Bible by Tim Callahan. An excellent guide to the mythology that surrounds and is included in the Bible. I do not regret the time spent reading this. If only because it gave me that one bit of cocktail chatter info that is just delicious to lay out there when some holier than thou gets to going on about end times and Revelations...666 is the number of Nero Caesar, "the number of a man." The beast has come and gone. For a more complete explanation I suggest you read the book.

Daniel Dennett wrote Darwins Dangerous Idea, I am working through that also. This is an off and on thing. It is a very complete explanation of Darwin and evolution. I am 7/8 done with it. More of a background info thing than anything else.

Am in the middle of Theocracy in America, authors name slips my mind, though I am not reading this one. It is an audio book. I have become addicted to these books that you can listen to while driving to work and home. My commute is a measely 15 to 20 minutes but it all adds up and I am not forced to listen to radio music or repetitious CD mixes. Have felt an undeniable urge, of late, to learn. I guess that is why the titles are what they are.

Don't get me wrong I read a fiction book just a while back. My daughter passed it along to me, but for the life of me, I can not remember the title. I do remember that it was a pleasant break from my regular list.

Geniuses need only to push the button....

BPS Research Digest: Rare counting ability induced by temporarily switching off brain region

Ok...I really want one of these...just wondering if this phenom would also transfer to other math disciplines...could one be wet wired to have the effect induced at demand...an interesting thought...the future holds some promise for those of us with pedestrian intelligence...to be a savant even temporarily would be like a drug...euphoria and addiction.

6/6/6...End Timer President or Satan in disguise?

Today is 6/6/6 a number that has much significance to a majority of radical right religious extremists. The base of the Republican majority in Congress. This extreme religious base is focused on the end of times as is revealed in the book of Revelations. End Timers are setting our political goals. End Timers do not care if 'W' is spending the nation into bankruptcy. End Timers do not care if our rights are being trampled. End Timers do not feel that education is necessary for our children. End Timers are focused on events in the Middle East and feel that a prophecy is coming true.

The scary thing is that our President is acting like an End Timer too. Much of what he has done in the past 5 + years begins to make sense when viewed through the End Times lens. Spending too much? No worries...we will never have to pay it back because of the apocalypse. Trampling rights? Hey...he is moving us towards a thousand year peace. Educating our children in real science? Jesus shall provide. War and rumors of wars? He has these down pat.

 

But perhaps Bush is not really an End Timer at all.

 

Perhaps George W. Bush is really Satan in disguise, twisting the good book to bring about the fall of man?

 

Well you can decide. I am just a deist who believes in a God of benign neglect.

 

FYI: The number 666 references Nero of fiddling fame. So the beast has already come and gone.

 

The only thing that can really hurt mankind is to have a deranged religious extremist in a position of power that heeds the voices, in answer to his prayers, to fulfill the prophecy.

 

Shit! 

A Seattle Pixie: Can crazy be a day job?

A Seattle Pixie:

This one is intriguing...she has seen a 'crazy' outside of his rant zone...it does beg the question of whether some of the best street beggar/ranters are just performance artists making a living like the rest of us...