tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40097682011-08-31T05:58:29.221-07:00Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.comBlogger3561100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-33415548408960341782011-03-25T10:21:00.000-07:002011-03-25T10:21:56.636-07:00

Lessons Learned This Past Year Today is a special day for me, not only because it is a Holy Feast Day in the Orthodox Church, but more importantly it is my one-year anniversary. It was one year ago today that I made a decision and was relieved of my “ordination” as a Reader in the Orthodox Church. There were those in my life who felt gloomy about my decision. I did not. I felt not only

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-55520485642768768472011-01-24T12:31:00.000-08:002011-01-24T12:31:43.690-08:00

Dead Girl Walking (First a little blurby... I've been writing a lot of poetry in a form of musical lyrics. If you or someone you know would like to make this into a song, please contact me. This particular piece was inspired jointly by a character in my next book, and by a certain photo I found on deviant art. I will try to find a link to the photo and post it. Here it is...) Dead Girl

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-57029974249091732532011-01-22T00:28:00.000-08:002011-01-22T00:28:20.306-08:00

This is the last time I'll abandon you And this is The last time I'll forget you I wish I could Look to the stars Let hope burn in your eyes And we'll love and we'll hate and we'll die All to no avail, all to no avail * * * * Don't talk, don't say a thing Cause your eyes they tell me more than your words Don't go, don't leave me now Cause they say the best

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-67189655315188725392010-12-03T12:02:00.000-08:002010-12-03T12:02:14.023-08:00

Apparently I am an expert on John Merrick. An expert? How so? you ask. Well, my blog gets dozens of hits per day to this page right here: http://flyintheholyoil.blogspot.com/2003_06_08_archive.html John Merrick was known as "The Elephant Man" because he had a rare skin disease. Well, now I am here to tell you the WHOLE STORY. Here's a little poem by Isaac Watts that was a favorite of John

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-39294591232280929642010-11-04T22:48:00.000-07:002010-11-04T22:48:40.494-07:00

There is nothing so lonely As knowing That I cannot love you You think you have a nightmare But you do not know Can never know The storm There is nothing so lovely As knowing That I love you

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-20038671140020789202010-11-04T22:45:00.000-07:002010-11-04T22:45:31.690-07:00

The desolate places dry without thirst water without fire the empty places consuming all all but desire The desolate places search the world and you shall find none so desolate as my soul Live ineffably gives birth moment consumes moment until all that is left are The desolate places No love but no rejection No peace but no pain No rest but no fear The dry languid consequence of soul

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-76615642216420050132010-09-22T23:48:00.000-07:002010-09-22T23:48:14.858-07:00

This is a beautiful song. My daughter has been trying to get me interested in it, and tonight was the first time I actually sat down and listened to it. Great stuff! Yellow, by Coldplay Look at the stars Look how they shine for you And everything you do Yeah, they were all yellow I came along I wrote a song for you And all the things you do And it was called "Yellow" So then I took my turn

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-57195861447812924772010-09-21T12:02:00.000-07:002010-09-21T12:02:15.096-07:00

I wasn't meaning to become so philosophical when I posted this little blurb: I'll just tell you now 'cause I dont think you know The things you tried to kill I found a way to grow I'll just tell you now You may have made your mark But I'm still here today Knowing who you are I'll just tell you now I wasn't meaning to become philosophical, but someone unfortunately asked me "who is killing"?

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-43905828505668193272010-09-12T00:45:00.000-07:002010-09-12T00:45:25.735-07:00

somehow I am free I could not have guessed I could not have predicted this I am enchanted with beauty everywhere the sights and sounds of beauty intensity light and color shape and outline darkness and light intensity of form and perception I am in love with beauty and nothing else matters but somehow like never before and never expected I am free I still love you every one but I am not

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-47391135428797315612010-09-03T23:55:00.000-07:002010-09-03T23:55:19.883-07:00

... well, now that I have your attention. Yeah, really. And no, it doesn't have anything to do with "all the inner turmoil" I've experienced this year. Yeah, well, I know this doesn't sound "all that pious" of me. Enjoying the scandal? Might as well find out why. Keep reading. Tonight I landed upon this article here which has the interesting title More Teens Becoming 'Fake' Christians.

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-65146520653108058092010-09-03T23:15:00.001-07:002010-09-03T23:15:31.312-07:00

That's crazy. I just spent an hour modifying my Fly In The Holy Oil page ONLY because I wanted to have titles to my posts!!!! Gah! Now I can't remember what I wanted to post any more. forgetting

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-79451675582048033592010-08-28T23:55:00.000-07:002010-08-28T23:57:17.583-07:00

The Wandering Love CycleThe moon glistens on a silhouette and tears well up in my eyesThere is so much to taste hereto touch to holdto devourNight upon star-filled nightTo love too much?Or to feel too little?To understand the consequencesof each subtle glanceof each gentle fragranceof each tender embraceMy heart is so fullit cannot contain another breathMy burden so lightthat it gives me wingsand

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-30491606319691696782010-08-15T23:52:00.000-07:002010-08-15T23:53:21.520-07:00

Falling AsleepIt is a dark night of soullaced with the movementof soft shadows, wind,moonlight streaming through tears,where branches scrape the hollows.It is a deep night of souldank with the smell ofwhite and blackthe shimmer of resonantvoices against the dream.It is the sleep of sorrowsdrawing me near the depthsthe steep draught, hopelessimpersonating death, infinite in finality.It is a bright

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-11123122628339788402010-08-09T13:35:00.000-07:002010-08-09T13:37:28.606-07:00

Map Of The ProblematiqueI think this is one of my favorite Muse songs.Map Of The ProblematiqueFearAnd panic in the air I want to be free From desolation and despair And I feel Like everything I saw Is being swept away When I refuse to let you go I can't get it right Get it right Since I met you Loneliness be over When will this loneliness be over? LifeWill flash before my eyes So scattered and

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-53412244613288002132010-08-07T13:23:00.000-07:002010-08-07T13:24:12.099-07:00

Thought for the day from Circa SurviveI've tried so hard to be what you neededyour imaginary enemyI've tried for so long to make you believe itthat I am not the enemyimaginary enemy

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-54881046480812965072010-08-05T23:32:00.000-07:002010-08-05T23:49:01.095-07:00

R & JROMEO:If I may trust the flattering truth of sleep,My dreams presage some joyful news at hand:My bosom's lord sits lightly in his throne;And all this day an unaccustom'd spiritLifts me above the ground with cheerful thoughts.I dreamt my lady came and found me dead--Strange dream, that gives a dead man leaveto think!--And breathed such life with kisses in my lips,That I revived, and was an

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-28233507523733442012010-08-03T08:24:00.000-07:002010-08-03T08:38:00.337-07:00

Confuzzlement and confoundationis my heart really such a mess?I want to share magic with the worldbut I don't feel any inside.I want to miss someone that I loveI know that the love is thereeven though I don't feel itbut I feel the absence of itI want to remember the sweetnessof songs in the moonlightthe turmoil in my heartthat you awoke in me I want to get angryat the rough and rugged roadat the

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-53156263798025962942010-07-10T07:06:00.000-07:002010-07-10T07:17:37.413-07:00

Don't let him beat you downyour heart is full of dreamslet them speaklet them growsprout wings and flyyour heart is filled with beautylet it drive you to overcomelet it speak to youwhispering in the nightlet it carry you on the windbring your magic to the world awaitingyou are not a nothingnot a nobodywhat stirs in your soul is a fireburning with meaninglet it empower youstoke your passionto

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-87633785064571995942010-07-05T16:03:00.000-07:002010-07-05T16:05:16.852-07:00

Food for Thought From Muse...This is "Our Time is Running Out" by Muse:i think i'm drowningasphyxiatedi wanna break this spellthat you've createdyou're something beautifula contradictioni wanna play the gamei wan't the frictionyou will be the death of me you will be the death of me bury iti won't let you bury iti won't let you smother iti won't let you murder itour time is running outour time is

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-73481109837291377522010-06-28T00:38:00.000-07:002010-06-28T00:40:17.345-07:00

EyesThank you, God, for giving me the opportunity to see the world, the pain, the sorrow of lost love, through somebody else's eyes.Please help them. Please let them know that YOU love them.Amen.

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-85515343310991166802010-06-17T08:22:00.001-07:002010-06-17T08:26:04.483-07:00

Let love...Let love rule and guide your hearts and minds this day.May you seek peace, true peace, by making your heart compassionateand refusing to blame others no matter how many timesthe devil places their wrongs before you in your heartand mind.It isn't always easy but you can do it.You can forgive, you can grow, you can reach out your arms like wings and soar.Do not look down.Do not fear for

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-10837989075332890512010-06-15T06:06:00.000-07:002010-06-15T06:09:42.900-07:00

The Sleepless FireThe fire burns in my heartit brings me again to tearsthe agony of everythingthat is so far, far out of reachthe muscle spasmsbrain spasmsthe wild stories in my headthe conjecturesI really don't want to feel ill of anyonewhy do they continue to bring me pain?and they go on their merry waythinking themselves so righteousif I appear before themin person or in a dreamis it not an

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-9069347606995393432010-06-11T09:58:00.000-07:002010-06-11T10:06:27.419-07:00

Just when you feel like giving up...Thank God for my daughter.She's at the age of adolescence where we need to have discussions about life quite a lot. This really only started a couple of months ago.Last night we were talking about communications within our family. Particularly the difficulty sometimes of communicating. I told her that one of our regular family communications problems was my

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-67085751275922811822010-05-27T12:55:00.000-07:002010-05-27T13:17:35.027-07:00

"You just keep on trying till you run out of cake."(or How Not To Love, In Fourteen Easy Installments)Yesterday I realized that I totally fail and something that is really important to me: love.I imagine that I have a huge heart, an enormous heart, because I feel such love for everyone – even those who annoy me. The annoyance is temporary. So is my snapping back at you in frustration. But in

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-75754495398213848782010-05-25T21:21:00.000-07:002010-05-26T07:44:28.365-07:00

Lessons LearnedThe most important lesson I've learned so far this year is "never sprint forward into the dark." No, I didn't bang my head on a low ceiling and knock myself out. I didn't come smashing through a huge window and cut myself all up. No, I didn't accidentally crash into a waiter with 13 plates precariously balanced on a tray (although I did upset a dainty little table full of

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-71816828937981930582010-05-24T11:00:00.000-07:002010-05-24T11:04:04.374-07:00

A Thought For The Day"I need someone to protect me from all the measures they take in order to protect me." -Banksy

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-35719543172324529152010-05-18T12:20:00.000-07:002010-05-18T12:21:35.273-07:00

Wisdom from Antiquity"Suppressed grief suffocates, it rages within the breast, and is forced to multiply its strength." -Ovid

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-87532920728376059892010-05-15T10:32:00.000-07:002010-05-15T10:35:33.380-07:00

Buzzing AroundThis blog seems like really it is just the dumping ground for any random thought I have. Often what I post here is unworthy of mention. But often it is the most remarkable thing I ever thought of.Well, today I've posted some poetry. It expresses some things that are in my heart in an abstract way that I needed in order to memorialize a moment that was and is very important to me.

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-22155823173569060282010-05-07T15:28:00.001-07:002010-05-07T15:28:34.820-07:00

Aurora,Everything will be alright.God loves you.

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-34921571700114077762010-05-04T23:34:00.000-07:002010-05-04T23:37:19.317-07:00

A Faith of VerbsI really like this quote:"This is my living faith, an active faith, a faith of verbs: to question, explore, experiment, experience, walk, run, dance, play, eat, love, learn, dare, taste, touch, smell, listen, speak, write, read, draw, provoke, emote, scream, sin, repent, cry, kneel, pray, bow, rise, stand, look, laugh, cajole, create, confront, confound, walk back, walk forward,

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-43973663421263393862010-05-01T00:52:00.000-07:002010-05-01T01:02:08.336-07:00

How Things StandIt seems I never blog here any more.I have lost all sense of feeling in my souland have nothing to blog.But it seems tragic to leave this here unused, so...I'll sit by the shore and leave a message in a bottle.If it is for you, you'll understand it.If you don't understand it,it isn't for you.Very simple.It begins with "I'm sorry"and ends that way too.I'm sorryI know you don't

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-23818695180572531712010-03-10T21:28:00.001-08:002010-03-10T21:30:52.178-08:00

This Blog Reborn I took this blog down for a while to rework it. It was vastly in need of some repair.Well, now it is back, but I'd like to provide a sort of overview.This blog is truth straight from the heart. Because of that is unsuitable for most people to read. Most people can't handle the truth.I recognize that the truth is as perceived. The truth you will find here changes constantly,

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-83663137814333517952010-03-10T21:21:00.000-08:002010-03-10T21:22:40.460-08:00

A moment of despair..... sometimes there is nowhere to turn in your despair. You try to see everything through eyes of joy, and the world collapses in on you. If it were an earthquake, everything would be OK - they'd come looking for you to save you. But you are just one person alone in the world, and there is nobody you can talk to about it all.You get glimpses of love, sparks of beauty that

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-15806461604204575472010-02-24T22:15:00.001-08:002010-02-24T22:38:50.506-08:00

Digging Through the Ashes of My Past LivesI've spent the better part of the evening digging through the ashes of my past lives. That may seem odd, but it is true.Oh, I am the same man I have always been...... but not.There is a such a thing as "repentance" and repentance directs you to change course.I have shifted course many times, but never lost a certain common thread - an enchantment with

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-87819998370430095282010-02-23T00:43:00.000-08:002010-02-23T00:44:14.111-08:00

A walk at night through the soulWisdom walks at midnightamidst the stars and dandelionsupon dew-covered feetShe comes as a great gapinghole in the night to devourand consume meHer subtle bliss enshroudsme as a poultice and atwo-edged sword of flame~ Wisdom sits beside meupon the rock where honeyand water have freely flownShe speaks to me of humblingsand alienations, of love ill-foundand

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-25205243662635490532010-02-20T21:58:00.001-08:002010-02-20T22:47:50.614-08:00

Across Dark WatersToday was a wondrous day, and tomorrow is sure to be even more wondrous. I can say this now because my heart is truly at peace, the way a man might be who is about to go to the gallows. It might surprise you, but I have a past, the way that many people have a past. I have largely ignored my past and let it slowly rot and decay, become burred in leaves, infested with cock

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-88716771472664010712010-01-31T17:28:00.000-08:002010-01-31T17:33:34.113-08:00

The Boy Who Never Grew UpGreat movie.

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-41316625266524142502010-01-26T23:31:00.000-08:002010-01-26T23:39:13.507-08:00

I have discovered that my life is too ordinary to report on here any more.Everything of significance that I could ever have to say can be narrowed down to only 440 characters and posted on my Facebook Account which is here: http://www.facebook.com/13asilsprigI invite you there with all sincerity to join me on my many misadventures.Meanwhile, if I decide to post on anything that is truly

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-55980047876246010352009-09-12T17:39:00.000-07:002009-09-12T18:00:53.199-07:00

God Bless Phineas GageIn September 13th we celebrate the notorious case of Mr. Phineas Gage. On that day in the year 1845, Mr. Gage experienced a mind-numbing thing: he was working on a railroad building project when an explosion sent a steel rod through his head (it landed about 80 yards away.)What's special about Mr. Gage as opposed to everyone else who gets a 1.5 inch thick metal shaft sent

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-48191457274970418282009-08-28T08:03:00.000-07:002009-08-28T08:07:43.406-07:00

Fake Moon RockNow here's something interesting. It has just come out of Amsterdam that a moon rock given to that country in a gesture of friendship by the U.S. Ambassador not long after the Apollo Moon landing is FAKE.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8226075.stmApparently they decided to perform tests on it, and discovered that it is nothing more than a small rock of petrified wood.And "US

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-7190346746779272232009-08-15T20:53:00.001-07:002009-08-18T16:25:12.498-07:00

Vacation Day 5Redwood Forest Day 2[Redwood Trees, Del Norte State Park, California]Today was the day we really planned this coastal trip around: going to spend a day in the Redwood Forests of N. California. We first drove down to Trees of Mystery, a comercialized slice of classic American road-trip.Trees of Mystery is cool. From the 1960s voice recordings in redwood boxes along the way that

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-68910248386486853222009-08-14T21:18:00.000-07:002009-08-15T20:52:41.851-07:00

Day 4Redwood Forest 1Today we had a leisurely drive from Umpqua Lighthouse down to Crescent City CA, stopping only twice: for Pizza lunch in Gold Beach, and at the BORDER. Wow, did you folks know they still had border stations between California and other states? How ancient is that?Our hotel wasn't ready yet to move into the room, so we went on a short excursion to a beach and to the redwood

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-35520491710104473502009-08-13T21:07:00.000-07:002009-08-15T20:30:38.500-07:00

Vacation Day 3LiveDay three: we enjoyed a scenic drive down the coast from Tillamook to Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, just south of Reedsport.We didn't stop much on this road trip, but we did stop a viewpoint near Waldport to watch the whales. This was the first time I've ever seen humpback whales in person (not at some sort of aquarium, but in the wild. It was really cool! This isn't a really

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-13557337058610874462009-08-12T21:50:00.000-07:002009-08-15T20:30:02.604-07:00

Vacation Day 2LiveDay Two was a leisurely drive from Astoria down to Tillamook OR. We've made this drive down the Oregon coast many times now, but this is the first year I've planned it so that I had only a 1.5 to 3.5 hour drive each day instead of an 5 to 8 hour drive each day. The objective: RELAXATION, leisure time, (what a concept for a vacation!)I decided our first stop was going to be

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-52811162700614273922009-08-11T21:29:00.000-07:002009-08-12T14:59:11.966-07:00

Vacation Day 1liveThank God for a safe trip to Astoria OR. We enjoyed a great day today with perfect weather: warm, but no need for sun screen as we had natural sun screen (clouds) with breaks of sun and brief drizzles now and then. Beautiful fresh clean air down here off the ocean at the mouth of the Columbia River.We have a great hotel room at the Red Lion Inn where you could fish off our

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-34854410740596314162009-07-30T15:13:00.000-07:002009-07-30T15:17:26.167-07:00

Scary Police OfficersThe scariest thing about the whole "Gates" fiasco has been the reaction of the many law enforcement officers around the country.Then there's this guy who is a police officer (apparently, we can all see by reading his email, with about a second-grade education) who emails a major newspaper raving about things:Here's the story from CNN: the story.Here's his actual letter (

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-31212540624852342402009-07-29T09:48:00.000-07:002009-07-29T09:57:03.772-07:00

The Microsoft-Yahoo Deal: Everyone Looses!Microsoft and Yahoo made an announcement late last night.http://www.infoworld.com/d/applications/microsoft-and-yahoo-sign-search-deal-take-google-139?source=IFWNLE_nlt_daily_2009-07-29I actually caught wind of the story last night and skimmed over it, but I was too depressed to actually read it. Most of you probably heard about it today.This really

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-13037703141107333722009-07-25T15:42:00.000-07:002009-07-25T16:10:14.074-07:00

8 Year-old at Fault for Being RapedEver since I stumbled upon this news story this morning, I can't get it out of my head.Here's one version:http://www.laosnews.net/story/523187That one's a little more sympathetic than a previous one I read (which I can't find now, of course.)Her's a little better version of the story with a different perspective:AZCentral News (Local Source)We've all heard

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-90852377712024315982009-07-20T00:25:00.000-07:002009-07-20T01:13:23.105-07:00

Man in the Moon...I mean, Man on the Moon!Let me first say, I have no opinion on the matter of whether or not man has ever been to the moon. As a child I was raised to believe it with a certainty. As an adult, I was actually surprised to learn that some dispute that man has ever been on the moon. But having read through much of the skeptic's materials, which is, we all recognize, amateurish

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-56103819383988550082009-04-17T22:52:00.001-07:002009-04-17T23:13:52.032-07:00

The Day of RestYou are, maybe, wondering why I hardly ever write, and am suddenly writing about such a banal thing as politics on this most Holy of Days?Well, so am I.I mostly don't write, because I haven't got anything to say. That's probably a good thing, considering how many people out there still blog anyhow when they haven't got anything to say. So, today, I saw Chavez shaking hands with

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-19727775121192566342009-04-17T22:24:00.001-07:002009-04-17T22:44:47.955-07:00

This is what I love about Obama!Many of my friends are staunch anti-Obama fanatics. It didn't really go over so well that I supported Obama in the election. And, somehow these people are able to see nothing but "what's wrong with Obama" even now. They are already blaming the economic catastrophe on Obama, although I suspect what we are suffering the consequences of today was something started

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-83350931721621557012009-04-01T10:28:00.001-07:002009-04-01T10:30:08.253-07:00

Flights to Mars, only $99Check it out:http://www.expedia.com/daily/mars/flights-to-mars/?mcicid=Mars_home_usI got my badge!

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-11516691939721713522009-03-29T23:08:00.000-07:002009-03-29T23:11:16.209-07:00

From Letters to a Young Poetby Rilke"With nothing can one approach a work of art so little as with critical words: they always come down to more or less happy misunderstandings. Things are not so comprehensible and expressible as one would mostly have us believe; most events are inexpressible, taking place in a realm which no word has ever entered, and more inexpressible than all else are

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-5671895370677365682009-03-26T20:19:00.000-07:002009-03-26T20:21:51.099-07:00

Maryland, My Maryland Well, the world is changing. That's the way things happen.And before it has gone too far, I'd like to sing you a little tune.This is (currently, but by the sounds of it not much longer) the State Tune of Maryland.Maryland, My Maryland (to the tune of "O, Tannenbaum")by James Ryder RandallIThe despot's heel is on thy shore,Maryland!His torch is at thy temple door,Maryland!

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-21884293950633783892009-03-21T22:04:00.001-07:002009-03-21T22:06:13.806-07:00

I'm making a clean sweep.All the cobwebs of my life are being washed away.I'm digging through the files, and burning, shredding, throwing away and posting.Here's a little scrap I've found:"a granite tomb for the repose of ruined passions, hopes and woes."- М. ЛермонтовThis can be such a depressing day if you think about it.It is better to do something nice in hope of invoking a smile than to

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-62963328217981841522008-12-09T08:35:00.000-08:002008-12-09T08:48:16.626-08:00

Gore and ObamaWell, I haven't spoken much lately. I wanted to give a nice little overview on "why I support Obama" right before the elections, but never got around to it. All my republican friends, with their tails between their legs, said Obama was going to win for months before the election, so what would be the point.Nevertheless, I read something today so funny I wanted to share it.One more

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-27921926602397869452008-09-10T11:14:00.000-07:002008-09-10T11:16:46.146-07:00

Lipstick on a Pig?Let me see if I get this straight. When McCain hears the phrase "Lipstick on a pig" he immediately thinks of his own vice-Presidential running mate?http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-campaign11-2008sep11,0,4703724.storyVery interesting insights into how the man's mind works.Cheers!~ Basil

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-60859042077607283092008-09-02T07:59:00.000-07:002008-09-02T08:20:28.682-07:00

The U.S. No Longer a Major World PowerDemocracy. We love democracy. We live for democracy. We promote democracy throughout the world. And how do we promote democracy, let me ask you: Do we promote democracy by encouraging free market conditions throughout the world, or do we promote democracy by bullying other countries with our military might?It might seem like an oxymoron. How can our

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-49314435982014124002008-08-23T22:38:00.000-07:002008-08-23T22:45:24.036-07:00

Why are Russian troops left behind as 'Peace Keepers' in Poti?This story doesn't really surprise me. And only time will tell what the purpose of this activity is:http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/23/europe/24georgia.phpbut, why have the Russians left behind a small peace-keeping force in Poti?I think, clearly they expect some sort of NATO trechery. They are expecting the U.S., France, and UK

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-21442339580132354892008-08-17T23:53:00.000-07:002008-08-18T00:15:59.786-07:00

The Bush War in Georgia?Did George Bush start the war in Georgia in order to help Mc Cain become elected as president?I know it sounds crazy. I didn't think of this myself (and, actually, I'm sorry I didn't think of it, because it makes perfect sense.)Apparently this is the most popular version in Russia of what's going on in Georgia. It is being debated in the news all over Russia, and by the

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-31913787512235876752008-08-09T21:52:00.000-07:002008-08-09T22:23:26.199-07:00

More Lies from the U.S. News MediaThe constant stream of lies from the U.S. Goverment on the situation in Georgia has gotten frustrating for me, so I'm going to speak out against the nonsense.Take for instance this statement here (quoted by the news story here)"This is a dangerous escalation in the crisis," the (U.S.) official said. Russia's military response "marks a severe escalation and is

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-70181818109526083192008-08-06T11:56:00.000-07:002008-08-06T12:16:24.249-07:00

SolzhenitsynI won't attempt to jump on to any band-wagon discussing Solzhenitsyn. But I shouldn't let his passing go by without a word.Solzhenitsyn was a great man. He was a great thinker and a great author. Perhaps he will even become a Saint in our Church.Now only was he a great thinker and a great man, but he took risks and actually stood up for what he believed in. After being called a "

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-73541629613360364982008-07-09T08:51:00.001-07:002008-07-10T00:15:54.261-07:00

It's the Little Things that Count(against you...)Folks wonder why I refer to McCain as a fascist, and sometimes a Nazi. Of course he isn't a Nazi by profession, explicitly, or by proclamation. Nor is he as fascist by proclamation or profession.But it's the things he says that give you clues as for what is in the man's heart:Take this latest little news story, for example:http://www.reuters.com/

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-37188783007794159412008-06-20T11:07:00.000-07:002008-06-20T11:11:03.682-07:00

Water on MarsEveryone is so excited today that they've discovered fairly reasonable evidence (I won't call it "conclusive proof" until I'm drinking a glass of it) that there is water on mars. Hurrah! How wonderful! How exciting!Do you really think it makes the slightest bit of difference?We humans already happen to have 326,000,000,000,000,000,000 gallons of water at our disposal on earth.

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-80461731534161308102008-06-15T00:23:00.000-07:002008-06-15T00:26:29.463-07:00

British Reflections on American AdvertisingI happened to be perusing news stories on BBC, and ran across this very funny commentary on American Advertising:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7453357.stmTake the following example, where he's talking about the little disclaimer at the end of pharmaceutical advertisements:Sometimes these are spelled out in a warm tone

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-51074853556605318092008-05-31T11:14:00.000-07:002008-05-31T11:33:19.952-07:00

Vista Hell, or XP Hell?The lesser of two evilsAs far as I'm concerned, using computers has one purpose in life: to get things done. Now, "things" is a very broad category, and "done" is a highly relative expression. But there are things you can do on your computer that you just can't do out there in real life. What's more, I think, are the things you can LEARN.Anyway, for someone who sees his

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-45587780546241760182008-05-28T10:23:00.000-07:002008-05-28T10:49:31.754-07:00

Help! Microsoft Navigator is Driving me Mad!Imagine, if you will, hearing a little electronic-robotic voice repeat that above statement over and over again. Then add to that the fact that it is Microsoft Navigator itself reading this sentence to you in it's annoying little robotic voice!I have had many windows problems in recent weeks (mostly VISTA problems, but some XP problems - nevertheless

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-13560153091020797362008-04-21T20:42:00.000-07:002008-04-21T20:43:35.038-07:00

An Open Letter to the Ralston Purina CompanyDear Mr. and Ms. Purina,You need to make your dog food taste better than cat poo.Signed Sincerely,Self-Contained Pet Management Systems, Inc.

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-4819988615721260902008-04-01T12:38:00.001-07:002008-04-01T21:58:22.944-07:00

Happy April Fool's DayIn the news, Zipcommfly has come out with a great new computer cooling fan!Qualcomm launches HandSolo - http://www.handsolomobile.comAnd there's the Clinton Bowling challenge!The latest edition of national geographic?http://harvardlampoon.com/node/308Cheers! And have a great day!And, wait, this just in: Hackers Hack into International Space Station!~ Bad Basil

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-87835289689903157132008-03-18T21:46:00.000-07:002008-03-18T21:53:55.372-07:00

More Thoughts on KosovoThere is a really good, and accurate, article by Pat Buchanan. I'm no big fan of him, but that doesn't prevent him writing an article that is right on:http://buchanan.org/blog/?p=951As one friend of mine puts it:What is most interesting about the Serbs taking over the part ofKosovo where they are a majority is that if Kosovo was allowed todeclare independence from Serbia,

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-49696757916104086692008-03-17T08:57:00.000-07:002008-03-17T09:20:01.057-07:00

Our Unmitigated HypocrisyI find the blatant hypocrisy of NATO and US a very annoying thing. Take our example of how we take sides in Kosovo as opposed to Tibet.In Kosovo, you have a portion of Serbia that has slowly become overcome by a non-native ethnic minority to the point where the Serbs are now the minority (rather like California and Mexicans, by the way). And at last the local Kosovo

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-86102125400780093882008-02-21T19:50:00.000-08:002008-02-21T19:57:05.658-08:00

Meat FairOrthodox Christians this week are enjoying a week full of eating meat. This is a special week in which, traditionally, you eat up all the last of the meat in the house so that you won't have any left to tempt you during Lent. Technically speaking.Of course, this concept was invented before there were refrigerators and freezers, etc. But Orthodox Christians still celebrate today a full

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-32636295812950448332008-02-13T07:56:00.000-08:002008-02-13T08:01:38.542-08:00

Nobody to vote for...I haven't looked too much at the candidates yet. I really don't have a strong liking of any of them, so why should I? I was all for Hillary until I heard her on one talk show saying how she was going to close down all those nasty institutions that lend money to kids for college. What a nut! Is she serious?I was dead set against voting for any sort of republican in order

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-52214774516976709932007-12-05T08:21:00.000-08:002007-12-05T08:28:00.291-08:00

Inadvertent Humor, by GoogleIn the Seattle area and have a spare moment? Maybe we can tempt you with buying a new condo? Looking for a house? Hiring a homicide attorney?So, here I was checking out the weather report at accuweather.com - I browse the next 10 days and find out about the big snow storm coming Dec 10-13. And then an ad in the corner catches my attention. Anyone care for a

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-65453079046436887982007-12-03T22:32:00.000-08:002007-12-03T22:35:03.817-08:00

Who to Vote For for PresidentWell, I haven't had very many ideas on this topic.But I just came across this article, and it's pretty good:http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig8/carlton1.htmlI may end up voting for Ron Paul. I certainly believe in the principles that the author of this article has stated.Who knows...~ Basil

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-53186855267287514492007-12-02T09:30:00.000-08:002007-12-02T09:46:48.839-08:00

The Beautiful Seasons, AutumnI'm rather late, waiting for our first snow, to post these photos. But here's some shots I took this fall along the Sammamish river in downtown Redmond.An alternate path of the Sammamish River Trail:Autumn Colors on the Sammamish River:Reflections at a Storm Pond:~ Photography by Basil

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-23136508405586718392007-11-21T09:27:00.000-08:002007-11-21T09:49:01.601-08:00

The Golden CompassThere's a great new movie out, and I suggest you all go see it!Ok, perhaps I'm waxing a bit hyperbolic here. I really don't care whether you see it or not, but I think the great sensationalism about this movie among various Christian denominations underscores one of the most significant difference between Orthodox Christianity and all other forms of Christianity.In a nut-shell

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-89637506927980101302007-11-14T22:14:00.000-08:002007-11-14T22:26:31.879-08:00

No Tea and Exploding PlatesThe latest in BasilandWell, here's a couple of the items I've been working on lately.First there is No Tea, a web site (blog) devoted to my wife's grandmother's memoirs which were written in Russian, and then recently published in English Translation. Check out NoTea.org and NoTeaForFruit.com and you'll see what I'm talking about.Next there's Exploding Plate, my

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-5303821115090559532007-11-10T10:04:00.001-08:002007-11-10T10:20:07.144-08:00

Bad Times for the Entertainment Industry: A Great Day for BloggersLet's face it. The entertainment industry is going to suffer on account of the Writer's Strike (Wow! has anyone ever seen so much creativity all in one place!), and now the Broadway Stagehand Strike. I don't really know how much it will suffer at the passing of Norm Mailer (I've over a thousand books in my personal library and

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-70111669936427457822007-10-25T12:04:00.000-07:002007-10-25T12:12:29.767-07:00

Our Civil Liberties, Police State, and the Proper Government Substitutes for Intelligent CitizensI've been following the LA Fires in the news, as I suppose so many others have been.I figure it is probably a terrorist act, now that they are fairly certain that the fires were deliberately set. Will we ever know? Maybe not. Our government doesn't want us to know too much. Might make us panic.

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-63507997165102776532007-10-23T22:37:00.000-07:002007-10-23T22:40:11.499-07:00

Interesting Russian Newshttp://www.itar-tass.com/level2.html?NewsID=11997278

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-25054857308980826352007-10-05T18:44:00.000-07:002007-10-05T18:59:04.439-07:00

Stop Mucking with my %$#@$##@$ Operating System!!!It is a simple thing, but it makes me really mad. The Federal Government should step in and STOP Microsoft from arbitrarily making changes to the O/S that affect ordinary behavior. It is not so much the fact that they make changes to the O/S - that part I accept. If there is a security vulnerability, then by all means, upload it to my computer

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-66952327964981099512007-09-20T21:37:00.000-07:002007-09-20T21:48:32.936-07:00

Freedom of Speech in the U.S.A.?One statement I remember saying while we sat around the campfire on a cool summer night by the sea: The U.S. is going in the wrong direction when it comes to protecting freedoms, and Russia is going in the right direction.By this I was trying to emphasize the fact that the freedoms are multiplying in the Russian Federation after the dissolving of the Soviet Union

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-4038727469688961352007-09-20T20:30:00.001-07:002007-09-20T21:36:59.573-07:00

Autumn is HereYou can tell autumn is here...... not by the yellow, orange, red tinge to the leafy trees... not by the dew on the grass in the morning... not by the misty breath you have when you go outside late at nightBut by the fact that the air conditioning has finally clicked in at work. The office will actually be comfortable now for the first time since May, and this comfort level will

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-40033757254756491632007-09-14T17:38:00.000-07:002007-09-15T14:47:00.340-07:00

А сейчас слов от нашега спонсора....Today's Pop, Folk, and Rock Music is brought to you by:The Voshnesensky-Davidiva Monastery!I was listening to my regular dose of Russian pop music today on this new radio station I discovered: Music Radio 101 FM, when I noticed there were four endorsements in the bottom of my Windows Media Player: (1) Rambler's Top 100 (they are basically one of the two

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-18583473119523325482007-09-14T11:25:00.000-07:002007-09-20T21:50:13.150-07:00

Freedom of Press and Freedom of Speech in RussiaWe had a heated debate ("heated" by both whiskey, imagination, and the camp-fire) this summer when we were camping on the freedom of speech in Russia.My friend seemed to suggest that they had no freedom of speech in Russia today. Whenever I pointed out some aspect of freedom of speech, my friend brought up various things done by Stalin... so I'm

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-18288176893354398622007-09-10T14:43:00.001-07:002007-09-10T14:45:05.798-07:00

Everyone wants a piece or Russia...Кредитная карта Ситибанка CASH BACKhttp://www.citibank.ru/russia/cards/rus/cb_main.htm?ref=ad55amusing, strange, disturbing?

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-19418829856656787812007-09-09T15:34:00.001-07:002007-09-09T15:39:08.856-07:00

Left Behind?Here we are on the first day of school:It could be the title of a great book series... NOTBut what does the first day of school have to do with "Left Behind?"

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-12032721709410760222007-09-09T15:19:00.001-07:002007-09-09T16:00:38.202-07:00

No (Every) Child Left BehindMy wife pointed out to me that she kept seeing the phrase "No Child Left Behind" in my the materials my daughter brought home from school the first day of classes this year.Well, I didn't really know much about it, although you hear about the act in the news frequently. I googled for it, and you get a lot of info - if you want to read the essays of social workers and

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-29504036961162011312007-09-07T11:28:00.000-07:002007-09-07T11:49:54.213-07:00

My Stinky Left Side...Well, it has been three weeks now since I broke my ring-finger on my right hand, and sprained a knuckle on the hand part of the same finger. I'm coming to grips with (grips? no, sorry, no grip...) how to do things with my left hand. Some things are rather difficult to do with your left hand, like wiping your b...nevermind. You get the idea. Other things are impossible to

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-36143654046341542382007-09-04T20:48:00.000-07:002007-09-04T21:09:02.654-07:00

Has China Declared War on the United States?Unfair, unfair. If Russia had done this we would have introduced some sort of trade embargo (the heat of Europe not withstanding).China: the only (major) country in the world where Christians are still persecuted and killed, where blue collar workers are treated like slave labor, where it is against the law to exercise freedom of speech and to have

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-85343971168599209162007-09-03T10:30:00.000-07:002007-09-03T10:51:05.455-07:00

Fun With A Purpose... Do you have a moral for that story?We got an advertisement for a highlights magazine in the mail. It says Highlights, Fun With a Purpose I believe the idea is, it's a learning magazine for children. It's fun, but it also teaches kids various skills: problem solving with puzzles, games and hidden pictures.I always loved that sort of stuff when I was a kid, and my daughter

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-90110760058935253312007-09-02T22:48:00.000-07:002007-09-02T23:10:59.853-07:00

Sleepy HollowI never stay up to date. And this is actually intentional.One of the most important things a friend pointed me to in college was something C.S. Lewis said: For every new book he read, he also read an old one.For many years I practiced that very thing, well, really I mostly only read the classics. These days I read things all over the map. Classics like Sophocles, Dante, Oscar

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-43753530557663124722007-08-31T10:45:00.000-07:002007-08-31T11:03:01.680-07:00

Reinventing MyselfWhy don't I blog more? This question taunts me constantly. Well, really the question is: why don't I write more?I could blame my temporary impairment on the fact that I broke a finger two weeks ago, and now, in addition to my normal impairment of carpal-tunnel symptoms in my hand (sore joints, wrist, sometimes pain all the way to my elbow), well now, in addition to that

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-82124896092393358502007-08-31T10:40:00.000-07:002007-08-31T10:44:22.606-07:00

Designated Driver?Somehow, I don't think this is what they meant when they told you to bring along a designated driver:Woman Allows 5-year-old Son To DriveIt is a strange world.Regards,Basil

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-47762897240721549572007-08-25T13:28:00.000-07:002007-08-25T13:59:24.168-07:00

A tale of North AmericaLet us say for example that some fascist dictator down south decides to make war. He sweeps up from S. America and invades Central America all the way up to Mexico.The Mexicans are proud and fight off this tyrant vigorously for a time, but in the end they ask for U.S support.The U.S invades Mexico, heads south and pushes the tyrant all the way back to his homeland, where

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-58650847939039310602007-05-26T23:40:00.000-07:002007-05-26T23:44:23.119-07:00

Angelina, In Memory of Her Brief Life With UsI wrote a little blurb this evening, with many photos, about the short time we had our cat Angelina.Check it out.This is something I wanted to blog about, and yet post a lot of photos at the same time. So, I found the form of a web page with downloadable photos to better suit the purpose.~ Basil

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-13162870634540186992007-05-25T23:46:00.000-07:002007-05-25T07:22:29.464-07:00

The Arts and Pop CultureThis was an interesting article:http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/315862_joel16.html?source=mypia particular phrase:"The arts don't live in the media. ... Our society has chosen not tomake arts part of our public culture." By contrast, pop culture isglorified. Our schoolchildren can name NBA stars and contestants on"American Idol." But, asked Gioia: "Can they name a

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-62794487847569379882007-05-24T23:15:00.000-07:002007-05-24T23:45:51.539-07:00

To Blog or Not To BlogI don't blog very much. At least not 1/10th of the time that I email myself some grand new idea that I want to blog about.By the time I get home and re-read my email I'm no longer interested.Now, today's idea "Osama Wears A Burqa" was really a short story, and not a typical blog post. It may end up on my blog, because I loath the commercial publishing industry and don't

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009768.post-46973974920466343402007-05-04T11:34:00.000-07:002007-05-04T11:56:31.026-07:00

Synergy and CMM ComplianceI just noticed today a discrepancy in my thinking.Synergy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synergy ) for those who don't know, is a religious concept. At least it was until quite recently - the later half of the 20th century. Synergy has to do with cooperation between God and Man. It is tied to the protestant conflict between works and grace. That is to say, Synergy is

Basil The Wandering Foolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10849371448908295707noreply@blogger.com0