With Some Fava Beans And A Nice Chianti

If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other.  If you do not talk to them you will not know them and what you do not know, you will fear.  What one fears, one destroys.
―     Chief Dan George
Animals are my friends… and I don’t eat my friends.
―     George Bernard Shaw
Cannibal, n.  —  A gastronome of the old school who preserves the simple tastes and adheres to the natural diet of the pre-pork period.
—     Ambrose Bierce
From his book: “The Devil’s Dictionary“
[This post started with viewing a “Hannibal Lecter” video on YouTube:  he was thinking of having an old friend over for dinner…    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	What Really Hurts
2021	Republican Governors Don’t Help
	We’re Coming To Your Town
2020	With Friends Like This…
2019	Still Better Than Third
2018	A Tough Row To Hoe
2017	Just In Case
2016	Republicans Eat Their Young
2015	Still 99%
2014	Affirming The Wall
2013	Maintain The Freedom
2012	All Good
2011	Fountains Of Life
	Staying Alive

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Martyr, n.

One who moves along the line of least reluctance to a desired death.
—    Ambrose Bierce
From his book:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	One World (Our Only Place)…
2021	Move The Heart
	Join Hands
2020	He Broke Even
	Whoever / Whatever
2019	The Right Anger
	Another P&P Review
2018	Does Fatalism Equal Mental Health?
2017	Choice
2016	Growing Worlds
2015	Change The Tide
	Martyr, n.
2014	You, Too!
2013	Bitter Stand
2012	Lost For Words
2011	On Market Reactions…

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History, n.

An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.
—    Ambrose Bierce
From his book:  “The Devil’s Dictionary”
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On This Day In:
2022	42
2021	Blessings Larger Than Life
	Tomorrow She Sails
2020	The Sun Came Out
	Not A Wink On Guard
2019	The Importance Of A Deadline
	Chaos Is Not Really A New Remedy
2018	History Will Judge Harshly
	Father Time, Perhaps?
2017	Odds Are
2016	Prayer, Too
2015	History, n.
2014	See It Sometime
2013	Precious Friend
2012	It Couldn’t Be Done
	Feeling Surrounded?
2011	Surprise!

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Pray, v.

To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.
—    Ambrose Bierce
From:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
Our prayers are answered not when we are given what we ask, but when we are challenged to be what we can be.
—    Morris Adler
[For a prayer I used to say whenever I had a big decision looming, see:   The Para’s Prayer on my Poems page.  —  KMAB]
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On This Day In:
2013	As I…
2012	But We Need Room
2011	A Definition Of Leadership

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Idiot, n.

A member of a large and powerful tribe whose influence in human affairs has always been dominant and controlling.
—    Ambrose Bierce
From his book:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	Taking The Chance To Improvise
2021	A Bit Like Politics
	How About Tonight?
2020	Independent Isolation
2019	This Pilgrim Has Had A (Mostly) Happy Road
2018	And Men, Too
2017	Damned If You Do
2016	A Storm Over The Horizon
2015	What About Today?
2014	Idiot, n.
2013	Temporary Reality
2012	The Great Objective
2011	Read A Book

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Destiny, n.

A tyrant’s authority for crime and a fool’s excuse for failure.
––    Ambrose Bierce
From his book:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	My Conservative View
2021	Are We Getting Close To Uncertainty?
	How It Could Be
2020	Two Loves
	A Short Count
2019	Don’t Forget: Fire Burns
2018	Especially In The Middle East
2017	A Good Local
2016	Life Unlimited
2015	Still Trying
2014	Destiny, n.
2013	No Apologies
2012	Utterly Convinced
2011	A Key To Effectiveness

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Dawn, n.

The time when men of reason go to bed.  Certain old men prefer to rise at about that time, taking a cold bath and a long walk with an empty stomach, and otherwise mortifying the flesh.  They then point with pride to these practices as the cause of their sturdy health and ripe years;  the truth being that they are hearty and old, not because of their habits, but in spite of them.  The reason we find only robust persons doing this thing is that it has killed all the others who have tried it.
––    Ambrose Bierce
From his book:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	Vision Test
2021	Or These Days, On The Internet
	There Goes My Heart
2020	Find An Antidote
2019	Take A Few Minutes To Remember
	Start By Doubting
2018	You Cannot Pretend
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?

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Heathen, n.

A benighted creature who has the folly to worship something that he can see and feel.
—    Ambrose Bierce
From his book:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	A Murmuring Note
2021	Satisfied If Not Fulfilled
	You Don’t Know
	Urban Ballroom
2020	R.I.P. Kobe
2019	Looks A Lot Like #45
2018	Trying To Stay Young
2017	Seems Reasonable To Me
2016	We Can Get Through This Together (In Time)
2015	How Long Is A Piece Of String?
2014	Heathen, n.
2013	Wisdom’s Folly
2012	When The Student Is Ready
	Disconnected Leadership
2011	The Complex Richness Of Life

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Gravitation, n.

The tendency of all bodies to approach one another with a strength proportioned to the quantity of matter they contain – the quantity of matter they contain being ascertained by the strength of their tendency to approach one another.  This is a lovely and edifying illustration of how science, having made A proof of B, makes B the proof of A.
—    Ambrose Bierce
From his book:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	A Happy Realization
2021	Is Science Cumulative?
	We’re Aging With Time
2020	Where #45 Is Leading The Republican Party
2019	Your Own Blog Posts
	The Man With A Code
2018	Choose Goodness
2017	Developing Translations
2016	Think Like A Hero
2015	Reductionism
2014	Gravitation, n.
2013	Ups And Downs
2012	Nerd Heard – And Good-Bye
	Your Continuum
2011	Career Tips (Part 2)

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Faith, n.

Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel.
––    Ambrose Bierce
From his book:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	So Why Not Try?
2021	One Likely Consequence
	Just A Carousel
2020	Know Love
2019	Spoiler Alert
2018	Tic-Toc
2017	Explaining Working Class Support For Donald
2016	Not In My Experience
2015	Effort
2014	Honest Wants
2013	Faith, n.
2012	Surprise Me
2011	Confused With Truth

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Education, n.

That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding.
–    Ambrose Bierce
From his book:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	Laying A Sound Foundation
2021	A Little…
	Bringing Back Memories
	Think Global – Act Local
2020	Was #IncompenentDonald Born To Be A Diplomat?
2019	Have You Planted Lately?
2018	Something / Nothing
2017	Kindness
2016	Dealing With It
2015	Too Many Choices!
2014	Vini, Vidi, Vici
2013	Heroes
	Education, n.
2012	Who I Want To Be
2011	Mythic Forgetfulness

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Eloquence, n.

The art of orally persuading fools that white is the color it appears to be.  It includes the gift of making any other color appear white.
––    Ambrose Bierce
From:   “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	Sowing The Future
2021	Unmistakable Progress
	Dom-De-Doo-Be Dom
	Reviewing Austen
2020	A Better Synthesis
2019	It’s Only Funny If You’re Old Enough To Know What “Film” Was
2018	Bourne Wicked Blonde
	First Things First
2017	This Explains A Lot
2016	Me Too
2015	A Proper Price
2014	Well Hard
2013	Because I Can
	Eloquence, n.
2012	Why Bother?
2011	Peculiar Notions

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Distance, n.

The only thing that the rich are willing for the poor to call theirs, and keep.
––    Ambrose Bierce
From:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	Traveling Faster Than ‘c’
2021	Maybe “Creation” Wasn’t That Difficult After All
	C’est Chic
2020	#45: Time Is Ticking Away
	#45 Claims COVID-19 Defeated To Open The Economy
2019	Belief Buffet
2018	Change Is Law
2017	A Dog Day Of Summer
2016	Chances Are
2015	Truer Spoken
2014	Not Quite There Yet (Either)
	Many Colors
2013	Distance, n.
	Less Can Be More
2012	Rise Up!
	The Gift
2011	Artful Courage
2010	A Handful of Lessons…

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April Fool, n.

The March fool with another month added to his folly.
—   Ambrose Bierce
From:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	When Your World Seems Dark
2021	Keep Looking
	It’s Feeling Good
2020	Why Are So Many Of My Posts Simply Quotes?
2019	Two Books
2018	Prime Example = #45
2017	Building On
2016	Dueling Heroes
2015	Remarkable Creations
2014	Measured Faith
2013	April Fool, n.
2012	Faith, Ego And Patriotism
	As It Happens
2011	What Counts

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Coward, n.

One who in perilous emergency thinks with his legs.
—    Ambrose Bierce
From his book:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2022	Why Do Republicans Still Follow A Con-Artist / Loser?
2021	Guns Or Butter
	Caught Up In The Magic
2020	Haunting Illusions
	True Color
	Crackin’ The Flags
2019	Maybe A Slight Advantage
	We Should Never Give Up On Our Dreams
2018	As I Recall
2017	Truly Generous
2016	Choose Your Destiny
2015	Fast And Firm
2014	Neither Head Nor Heart
2013	Lonely, Foolish, Love Songs
	Batting 1.000
	Coward, n.
2012	At Least A Little More Difficult
2011	Speaking Of Fear

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