If you realize what the real problem is — losing yourself, giving yourself to some higher end, or to another — you realize that this itself is the ultimate trial. When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness. | |
And what all the myths have to deal with is transformation of consciousness of one kind or another. You have been thinking one way, you now have to think a different way. | |
— Joseph Campbell | |
From the book: “The Power of Myth“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Vain Expectations |
2016 | Or Of One Thought |
2015 | What’s In Your Future? |
2014 | Light In Darkness |
2013 | How ‘Bout Just Obeying The Law? |
2012 | Or Maybe Not |
2011 | My Interval Is Too Short! |
Archive for May, 2018
The Ultimate Trial
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Consciousness, Heroism, Joseph Campbell, Myths, Personal Transformation, Philosophy, Quotes, The Power Of Myth on May 31, 2018| 3 Comments »
Booking My Trip Into The Expanding Universe
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Reading, Science and Learning, tagged Books, Learning, Madeleine L'Engle, Philosophy, Quotes, Reading on May 30, 2018| Leave a Comment »
A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe. | |
— Madeleine L’Engle | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Fear Instead Of Convictions |
2016 | Memorial Day – 2016 |
2015 | A Handful Of Reviews |
And You Can Quote Me | |
2014 | Get Wisdom |
2013 | Enjoying The View? |
2012 | Adam’s Rib |
2011 | I’m Sure I Remember That… |
Memorial Day, 2011 | |
Nothing More, Nothing Less
Posted in Politics, Quotes, tagged Franklin Pierce Adams, Politics, Quotes, Rights on May 29, 2018| Leave a Comment »
The true republic: men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less. | |
— Franklin Pierce Adams | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Memorial Day – 2017 |
No Wonder I’m Smiling | |
2016 | Thinking Science Fictional |
2015 | Dawn Is Coming |
2014 | Back When I Was A Firebrand |
2013 | Pen In Hand |
Word Up! | |
2012 | Disturbing |
Trying To Keep Up | |
2011 | Unreliable And Selective |
2010 | Adult-Onset Athlete |
4 Appearances In A Row, 4 Wins To Go
Posted in Pictures, Sports, tagged 2018 Western Conference Champions, Basketball, Go Dubs, Golden State Warriors, Make It Rain, NBA, Pictures, Splash Brothers, Sports on May 28, 2018| Leave a Comment »
This Warriors appearance in the NBA finals (together with the Cleveland Cavaliers) will mark the first time in NBA history the same two teams have competed against each other for four consecutive Finals. The Golden State Warriors are 2 of 3 in the series so far. The only loss came in the 2016 series when the Cav’s came back (for the only time in NBA history) from a 3-1 deficit to win 4 games to 3. Either way it (the Finals) goes, NBA history is being made before our eyes. Go Dubs!!! Bring the O’Brien Trophy home again, Splash Brothers. Make it rain! | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | And Yet I’m Still Having Fun |
2016 | I See Coincidence Everywhere |
CA3: Civil War | |
2015 | I Resemble That Remark… (5!) |
2014 | The Writer’s Dilemma |
2013 | Just Paying The Rent |
2012 | Remembering… |
2011 | A Little Farther |
Land Of The Free, Because Of The Brave
Posted in Faith Family and Friends, Pictures, tagged Memorial Day - 2018, Pictures on May 28, 2018| Leave a Comment »
To all who have served and the families who waited and prayed… Thank you! | |
— A grateful nation | |
[This image was found on the web. No ownership of the image and no support for the origin site is implied or intended. — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | And Yet I’m Still Having Fun |
2016 | I See Coincidence Everywhere |
CA3: Civil War | |
2015 | I Resemble That Remark… (5!) |
2014 | The Writer’s Dilemma |
2013 | Just Paying The Rent |
2012 | Remembering… |
2011 | A Little Farther |
Learn
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, Learning, Philosophy, Quotes on May 28, 2018| Leave a Comment »
If you don’t know, the thing to do is not to get scared, but to learn. | |
― Ayn Rand | |
From her novel: “Atlas Shrugged“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | And Yet I’m Still Having Fun |
2016 | I See Coincidence Everywhere |
CA3: Civil War | |
2015 | I Resemble That Remark… (5!) |
2014 | The Writer’s Dilemma |
2013 | Just Paying The Rent |
2012 | Remembering… |
2011 | A Little Farther |
You Cannot Pretend
Posted in Quotes, Running, tagged Being Honest, Face The Truth, John Bingham, Pretending, Quotes, Running on May 27, 2018| Leave a Comment »
As a runner, you have to face the truth about yourself on a regular basis, and it makes you more honest. You can’t pretend to be faster than you are. You can’t pretend that you are better prepared than you are. You cannot pretend to be a runner, you actually have to run. | |
― John Bingham | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | A Long Shadow |
2016 | Learning, Experience, Chances or Money |
2015 | The Critical State |
2014 | Dawn, n. |
2013 | Ouch! |
2012 | Just Lookin’ Around |
Still Growing | |
2011 | But Do You Want To? |
The Irony Of Greed
Posted in Movies, tagged All The Money In The World -- movie review, Charlie Plummer, Christopher Plummer, Fletcher Chase, Gail Harris, J. Paul Getty, John Paul Getty III, Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Moderate Movie Recommendation on May 26, 2018| Leave a Comment »
“All The Money In The World” (2017) — movie review | |
Today’s review is for the “based on a true story” dramatic kidnap / recovery movie, “All The Money In The World“, starring Christopher Plummer as J. Paul Getty (the richest man in the world), Michelle Williams as Gail Harris (Getty’s daughter in law), Charlie Plummer as John Paul Getty III (Getty’s grandson and the victim of the kidnapping) and Mark Wahlberg as Fletcher Chase (Getty’s security chief / counselor) who is tasked with getting the grandson back. Charlie is no relation to Christopher in real life. | |
Basically, a 16 year old boy is wandering around the streets of Rome and gets kidnapped and held for ransom. Because the boy is the grandson of the richest man in the world, the gang assumes the grand-father will pay the ransom in a matter of days and they can return the boy. Unfortunately, they don’t bargain on the grandfather being one of, if not THE, cheapest man in the world. Getty refuses to pay and sends his head of security to the mother to try to help her get the boy back – without promising any money. | |
Blah, blah, blah. There’s a lot of interaction between Getty and the daughter-in-law (now divorced from his son), between Getty and his security chief (Wahlberg’s character) and between Wahlberg and Williams. Blah, blah, blah. …And between the gang and III. As things drag on, the gang “sells” III to the mob and they cut off an ear to prove they have III and that he is still alive. | |
Blah, blah, blah. We are offered more proof of what a jerk Getty is (was) and then he finally kicks out the money to save the boy. The rescue happens, JPG dies and the daughter-in-law gets all the money (trustee of the estate) until her kids grow up. Blah, blah, blah, resolution. Fade to after-credits… | |
Is the movie any good? Does it work? Does it have anything to say – about Getty or about wealth? So-so. Yes, mostly. Probably not – on both counts. The movie is mildly entertaining. I didn’t look up the real-life events before the movie and I didn’t recall the events even though they happened during my lifetime (my late teens). So, I didn’t know what was going to happen. Did it matter? No. The movie was mostly interesting, but it felt like it dragged and was a bit long. I think it was all the blah-blah about how cheap Getty was. They established this – emphatically, but then kept beating the dead horse. But… I did think the movie worked because I was “entertained” by it. I did want to find out if the kid survived and if Getty would pay for his pettiness. The grandson did; Getty did not. Not really (IMHO). | |
Final recommendation: moderate recommendation. I enjoyed Wahlberg in this “different” kind of role. I thought Christopher Plummer made a pretty good “asshole, rich tightwad”. I thought Williams was “just” okay as the mother. I thought Charlie Plummer was the weakest of the main actors. I just didn’t believe him in the role. Lastly, and it’s probably just me, but the movie was in color, but kept fading into a washed-out, almost black-and-white “vintage” look. I found it irritating instead of artsy. Like I said, probably just me… | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Or Revisiting A Blog Site |
2016 | Alas, Too Often The Latter |
2015 | Either / Or |
2014 | Memorial Day – 2014 |
Perfection | |
2013 | Memorial Day Video |
Equal = Equal | |
2012 | Congrats, Nephew!! |
Doggie Vision Networks | |
The Flash: Omnibus | |
JLI: vol 1 | |
Flash: Rebirth | |
Burning Images | |
What Do You Believe? | |
2011 | Are We Still At War With The Poor? |
And Blog To Word Up To The Universe
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Reading, tagged Aloneness, Philosophy, Quotes, Reading, William Nicholson on May 26, 2018| Leave a Comment »
We read to know we’re not alone. | |
― William Nicholson | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Or Revisiting A Blog Site |
2016 | Alas, Too Often The Latter |
2015 | Either / Or |
2014 | Memorial Day – 2014 |
Perfection | |
2013 | Memorial Day Video |
Equal = Equal | |
2012 | Congrats, Nephew!! |
Doggie Vision Networks | |
The Flash: Omnibus | |
JLI: vol 1 | |
Flash: Rebirth | |
Burning Images | |
What Do You Believe? | |
2011 | Are We Still At War With The Poor? |
Ooops! I Spoke Too Soon
Posted in Blog Changes, Videos, tagged Blog Changes, Music Videos on May 25, 2018| Leave a Comment »
Earlier in the week, I had a post called: Site Update / Poems Page Evolution in which I stated I had completed the updating of my “Poems” page so now there was a video associated with each of the song lyrics. | |
Well, it turns out YouTube has changed some of it’s policies so certain videos are banned from display based on the copyright laws of your country. I have about 150+ lyrics posted and only about 50 have been recently updated, I’m not sure how many or the earlier videos are affected by this policy change. I checked my first four and only one worked for me. They may still work for you in your country. | |
In any case, I’ve made a good faith effort to provide this convenience for you. I doubt I want to take the time and energy to update them again when YouTube (or the initial poster) can just change their policy / mind and make future changes fail again. I’m afraid (for the time being) you will have to go look the videos up yourselves (again). “The best laid plans of mice and men…“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | A Cautionary Wish |
2016 | Slogging |
It’s About… | |
Man / Man | |
2015 | Memorial Day – 2015 |
Content People Love To Share | |
2014 | I Resemble That Remark |
2013 | Long Range Exploration |
2012 | UBI |
2011 | Opportunity |
I’d Bet On Taxes
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Death, J.K. Rowling, Philosophy, Quotes, Taxes on May 25, 2018| Leave a Comment »
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. | |
― J.K. Rowling | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | A Cautionary Wish |
2016 | Slogging |
It’s About… | |
Man / Man | |
2015 | Memorial Day – 2015 |
Content People Love To Share | |
2014 | I Resemble That Remark |
2013 | Long Range Exploration |
2012 | UBI |
2011 | Opportunity |
Site Update / Poems Page Evolution
Posted in Blog Changes, Poetry, Videos, tagged Blog Changes, Music Videos, My Poems Page, Videos on May 24, 2018| Leave a Comment »
When I started adding my own poems to this site (see tabs on top), I decided I was also going to add famous speeches which moved me. After a bit, I decided I would also add my favorite songs – again based on the words (in this case lyrics). Over time, that evolved a little to also include some songs for humor or just because I liked them and not just for the words / lyrics themselves. Again, after some time, I eventually decided to start adding the videos. To be a little more honest, I started actually using YouTube to listen songs and watch their associated videos. About three years ago, I started adding the videos to the lyrics pages. Unlike in my postings though, I put the videos at the end of the lyrics (beneath the lyrics), instead of front and top. At that time, I began indicating which had videos by placing an asterisk after the song title on my “Poems” (“menu”) page, with the promise I would go back to add them all “as time permitted”. | |
Well, after a couple of years, I finally made the big push to get it done. Over the last week, I have updated the last fifty (50) or so songs which still did not have videos. If any of you have time to go check them out, I’d appreciate any of your feedback. I haven’t bothered to remove the asterisks, even though there is really no reason to retain them on the page. | |
Anyway, I hope some of you will enjoy the lyrics and the videos as much as I have enjoyed reading them and listening to them over the years… | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Our Thirst |
2016 | History Favors The Victor |
2015 | This We’ll Leave Them |
2014 | Sounds Like Faux News To Me |
2013 | Reasons |
2012 | American Libertarianism |
2011 | The Goal |
An Infectious Political Cancer
Posted in Other Blogs, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Corruption, Edward William Brooke III, http://gigisrantsandraves.wordpress.com/, Other Blogs, Philosophy, Political Cancer, Politics, Quotes on May 24, 2018| 4 Comments »
When people treat corruption as a routine part of the process, you have something far worse than wrongdoing or moral failing. You have a political cancer that breeds cynicism about democratic government and infects all of society. | |
— Edward William Brooke III | |
Former Republican US Senator for Massachusetts | |
[Found at one of the blogs I follow: http://gigisrantsandraves.wordpress.com/ | |
The specific post was: http://gigisrantsandraves.wordpress.com/2018/01/05/from-leonard-durso-when-people-treat-corruption-as-a-routine-part-of-the-process-you-have-something-far-worse-than-wrongdoing-or-moral-failing-you-have-leo/ | |
Please visit the original site if you have a spare minute. — KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Our Thirst |
2016 | History Favors The Victor |
2015 | This We’ll Leave Them |
2014 | Sounds Like Faux News To Me |
2013 | Reasons |
2012 | American Libertarianism |
2011 | The Goal |
An Approaching Disgrace
Posted in Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged "Sir Charles", Earlier Posts, Economy, Excerpts, Living Wage, Localism, Nationalism, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Tribalism on May 23, 2018| Leave a Comment »
I believe racism in America is about fear and economic opportunity. The fear is the fear of “others”. Those not like us. Those not from around here. Them. I believe there is a natural tendency in humans to bond with those we are near and associate with. Call it localism, nationalism, tribalism or some other kind of “groupism” and it still results in the same thing – “us” against “them”. This tendency is played upon and magnified by those who seek to “control” the majority of Americans – the majority who just want to get on with their lives, get ahead a little financially and raise a family. The tactic is to divide and conquer and, as I mentioned previously, race is one easy way of dividing people who might otherwise find common cause. | |
There is a perception in modern society that we can’t ALL have great jobs – whatever “great jobs” means. That may be correct. But, we should all be able to work hard for a living wage. Note, I said “living wage”, not “minimum wage”. “Work hard” means more than just showing up, although that is a very important part of working hard. It also means giving your best effort during the time you are working. It normally means using your brains as well as your muscles. | |
I question this perception / belief / assumption. I believe we can all earn a living wage. We are not all going to be “rich”, but I believe our nation is unique in its ability to fund equal opportunity. I’m not sure we always had this ability, but I certainly believe we do now. I believe we are moving into a post-industrial (post-standardized, post-mass produced) world where the benefits of industrial scaling are beginning to decrease and the benefits of limited, customized, specialized manufacturing are starting to dominate. On top of that, we are now better able to use technology to make very specific (small scale) manufacturing cost effective for the majority of products. And finally, a significant portion of the economy is now purely digital, meaning: it isn’t consumed by use. | |
There is a saying that a smile is something you can give away freely and never have less of. This is what we are approaching with an economy based on digital use without consumption. The trick will be the distribution of wealth and opportunity for economic advancement. It will be a disgrace to see race rather than ability as the determinant factor in distribution. | |
[The above is an excerpt from a book review I posted back in 2011. The specific post is located here: https://kmabarrett.wordpress.com/2011/05/22/sir-charles/ | |
The original posting was from “way back when” and I had almost no followers. I just re-read the original and the above seemed (to me) to bear repeating… | |
— KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Liberty, Collusion, History And The Republican Majority |
2016 | But I Have Too Many Questions |
2015 | A New Friend |
2014 | Do I Have To Fall In Love? |
2013 | More Democracy, Please |
2012 | Speaking Of Love |
2011 | Limits |
Expecting Profit
Posted in Quotes, Reading, tagged Amos Bronson Alcott, Expectation, Good Books, Profit, Quotes, Reading on May 22, 2018| Leave a Comment »
That is a good book which is opened with expectation and closed with profit. | |
–– Amos Bronson Alcott | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | In Spite Of The President |
2016 | And Sets |
And My God For His Graces | |
2015 | About Character |
2014 | Your Gain |
2013 | Look Up |
2012 | Count Me In |
2011 | Pirates Four, Three Songs |
Sir Charles | |
Look First, Not Last | |
2010 | Par-a-diddle |