2012-04-17 Blog Roll of the Late

EB

Truthie-Lies

Sticks and stones May break my bones, But [Framed] Words Will never harm me.

How often have you heard that one?

It's an example of a Truthie-Lie. Something that appears to be true, but on closer inspection, contains a lie. ("I dare ya to bike down Peril's Path without a helmet or pads. What are ya? Chicken?") Of course words will sometimes harm you.

Words will harm you most when they are framed to seem innocuous. Truthie-Lies are framed to conceal their embedded lies. They fool you into believing their asserted truths and into suspending your skeptisism over the mixed message contained within.

It is unquestionably so that Sticks & Stones "MAY" break your bones. Nothing too committal there except that they just bribed you with a rhyme chime between the words "bones" and "stones" and a double alliteration (S & S plus B &B) and a set up for third "B" in the "But" kicker.

Adoration of the Jock Elite

Prime Pison was the envy of every dude in high school. Girls would swoon against their lockers as he strutted down the hallway, his package swaying to and fro by his pants. (We're talking about his scientific calculator dude, what were you thinking?)

Not only was Prime captain of the Varsity Math Team, three time lead scorer and all time champ; he was Optimum Orator of the Debate Team and Grandmaster par non of the Chess Club. The hallway trophy cases gleamed with all his medals.

Alas, Prime had one failing. Yes, it was his phys ed class. He couldn't manage even one chin up. The school board knew it was important to make sure Prime passed all his classes even if it meant taking away from other kids. After all, Prime was the pride of the school. It was for him that the school bell always tolled.

Some sore losers were resentful. They thought money should be equally distributed and lavished on some of the other students, like say, those who wanted to play football. After all, the parents of the mathematically challenged football players paid taxes too. Didn't they? So why should Prime be singled out? Why should he get all the adoration? All the special scholarships? Why should other students be treated as if they were inferiors? What kind of message was the school board sending to the rest of the students?

The school board was unrelenting. "All students are equal," they proclaimed. "It's just that some students are more equal than others."

That's the way it's always been and so it must stay.

Some are born to Nobility. It's in their genes. It is pre-ordained. Others are born to be part of the less equal class. (We don't say "lower" anymore. It's not PC --politically correct-- you know.)

Mr. Gore Goes to Washington

On March 21, 2007, the man with the Inconvenient Truths paid a return visit to his old hunting grounds, Washington, D.C., USA, Planet Earth. He was there to deliver a warning: Klattu Barada Nicto. No. (OK. For those too young to remember, the Klattu cartoon (above) is a spoof off an old but classic Sci Fi movie: The Day the Earth Stood Still --warning: in black and white) As most know, he was there to declare his debate with Senator Inhofe over, to bury the hatchet (into Inhofe) and to move on to the Inconvenient Solutions.

Step Note #3.24.2007.b

DON'T TREAD ON ME

The snake. Why pick the reptilian as a symbol for independence and freedom?

Isn't the snake a symbol of evil?

Or does it symbolize the essence of fighting for one's life? Of being backed into a corner and hissing a warning. Don't tread on me. If you do there is no telling how I'll respond. I'm fast and deadly. I don't stop for second thoughts. Once I've made up my mind, that's it.

And then again, what's up with that menage a trois thing between Adam, Eve and the Snake in the Garden of Eden?

Did you ever step back and think on that? Why is always a threesome? And why do they hang around by a tree? A Tree of Knowledge or is it one that teaches the secrets of No-Ledge? Hmmm... Attention Lemmings. You are hereby warned to stay away from the Ledge. Signed, your master, The Snake.

Step Note #3.24.2007.a

It's an Attention Deficited World after all.

No one likes long posts.

No one likes bombastic rants (unless they're your own rants).

This side blog is where I plan to dump my longer rants and footnotes into.
(That's the Mission statement.)