And more, and more, and more!

And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more!      

[Up, Down]

They changed the time again yesterday. They changed the time yesterday, the bastards! They changed the time yesterday, the bureaucrat bastards! They changed the time yesterday, the fuckin' bastards! They changed the time yesterday, the goddam fat fuckin' bureaucrat bastards!

The Walrus and the Carpenter Lewis Carroll, 1871.   The sun was shining on the sea, Shining with all his might: He did his very best to make The billows smooth and bright— And this was odd, because it was The middle of the night. The moon was shining sulkily, Because she thought the sun Had got no business to be there After the day was done— “It’s very rude of him,” she said, “To come and spoil the fun!” The sea was wet as wet could be, The sands were dry as dry. You could not see a cloud, because No cloud was in the sky: No birds were flying overhead— There were no birds to fly. The Walrus and the Carpenter Were walking close at hand; They wept like anything to see Such quantities of sand: “If this were only cleared away,” They said, “It would be grand!” “If seven maids with seven mops Swept for half a year, Do you suppose,” the walrus said, “That they could get it clear?” “I doubt it,” said the Carpenter, And shed a bitter tear. “O, Oysters, come and walk with us!” The Walrus did beseech. “A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk, Along the briny beach: We cannot do with more than four, To give a hand to each.” The eldest Oyster looked at him, But never a word he said: The eldest Oyster winked his eye, And shook his heavy head— Meaning to say he did not choose To leave the oyster-bed. But four young Oysters hurried up, All eager for the treat: Their coats were brushed, their faces washed, Their shoes were clean and neat- And this was odd, because, you know, They hadn’t any feet. Four other Oysters followed them, And yet another four; And thick and fast they came at last, And more, and more, and more- All hopping through the frothy waves, And scrambling to the shore. The Walrus and the Carpenter Walked on a mile or so, And then they rested on a rock Conveniently low: And all the little Oysters stood And waited in a row. “The time has come,” the Walrus said, “To talk of many things: Of shoes—and ships—and sealing wax— Of cabbages—and kings— And why the sea is boiling hot— And whether pigs have wings.” “But wait a bit,” the Oysters cried, “Before we have our chat; For some of us are out of breath, And all of us are fat!” “No hurry!” said the Carpenter. They thanked him much for that. “A loaf of bread,” the Walrus said, “Is what we chiefly need: Pepper and vinegar besides Are very good indeed— Now if you’re ready, Oysters dear, We can begin to feed.” “But not on us!” the Oysters cried, Turning a little blue, “After such kindness, that would be A dismal thing to do!” “The night is fine,” the Walrus said. “Do you admire the view?” “It was so kind of you to come! And you are very nice!” The Carpenter said nothing but “Cut us another slice: I wish you were not quite so deaf— I’ve had to ask you twice!” “It seems a shame,” the Walrus said, “To play them such a trick, After we’ve brought them out so far, And made them trot so quick!” The Carpenter said nothing but “The butter’s spread too thick!” “I weep for you,” the Walrus said: “I deeply sympathize.” With sobs and tears he sorted out Those of the largest size, Holding his pocket-handkerchief Before his streaming eyes. “O Oysters,” said the Carpenter, “You had a pleasant run! Shall we be trotting home again?” But answer came there none— And this was scarcely odd, because They’d eaten every one.

A monument to our pattern of failure says Christopher Robin. Peter Dickinson, Regent Park.   Peter Dickinson smoked cigarettes by the look of it. Chris Hume probably doesn't. Hume understands the social & political but some of his phrases ('integrated urban element' f'rinstance) are troubling. The first photographs I saw of the museum in Bilbao in 1998 took me by surprise (and filled me with such envy and regret): "That's what I wanted to do (but 'they' wouldn't let me, snif)." Old age & arrogance will undo youth and skill. What set him off (apparently) was a question about spectacle. Whatever you might ask about the plan for King Street West might just possibly include a question about self-indulgent spectacle - he probably wouldn't like that either. I assume he does not think of himself as creating any of the 98% shit and views his work as part of the 2% which is not shit. Fair enough, but can I wonder if the greed barons need? deserve? such theatres for their productions and such housing for their minions? Would not having the colliseum affect events in ancient Rome? Probably not. A big question which I can't answer. Dildoes have heads but some of these erections don't look like a comfortable fit (don't even think about The Shard). The Brit seems to get it, maybe it's a boarding school thing - but it looks to me like all of 'em could be having some conversations between their upstairs and their downstairs.

Presentation of the New Times: Message for the young: Sex is not         It's the second most                 Congratulations!     the most important thing in life.         important thing in life!             You already know about oral sex. Is there still any solidarity in the world?         Sure. Lots of it.                 But it's private property. Just listen (even if it chokes you) to Chris Hedges talking with Abby Martin and then show me how to realistically walk around what they're saying. Postscript: The village idiots who claim that landscape aesthetics, a few dead birds, and hypothetical illnesses caused by low frequency vibrations trump any renewable aspects and so oppose deployment of wind turbines. The deniers who simply do not believe scientists on any matter (97% of 'em or not) - say, electrical transmission lines that cause cancer, or nuclear energy that causes cancer, or, or ... Thalidomide ... (Uh oh. How'd that get in there?) Those who think every politician is fundamentally & primarily self-interested and crooked and view every government policy as diabolical. ... Say, daylight 'saving' time? Or pundits. Here, consider these two views of the 'Greek Solution':         Greece loses, European Union wins by Gwynne Dyer, and a few days later,         What Greece Won from Paul Krugman. Who do you believe? Who can you trust? Well ... it gets to be a deep subject eh gentle reader? And not quite so hard to understand the 97% of humanity who will do nothing in the face of climate change and the multiple related environmental catastrophes now unfolding.

 
[Up, Down]