Contemporary Thought

  [Google Images][BlogNotes: [i]...'the quality of a hat is oft known by the frequency of its tilt...'  [Irish aphorism]; [ii] the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, is a fertile ground for imaginative foolery. In the spirit of the Blog [Sir Topaz the Cure-ate, aka Feste the Clown]..permission granted...]  If the truth wants to be known, I wasn't always 'wigged-out'. If I wanted an excuse, I could blame the mercury*, but I'm thinking that's just an old man's tale, concocted by the folks at ask.com. And I never worked in a hat factory, so that's an end to that. Now the mad appellation, that's an interesting story, that is. People use that word like it's going out of style, but I happen to think that every one's just a little mad. It's a matter of degree. It's the folks who swear that they're not mad--these are the folks to worry about. For a day or two, anyway.  Madness is as madness does.All though the boredom and carping mediocrity of public schooling, I was always a little different. I was never one of those teacher's sops--yes miss, no miss, three bags full, miss. Schooling was nothing but exquisitely allayed discovery. I'm with Jack Dawkins on that one--the real schooling happens in every place but schools. Especially in the streets, that's where a covey encounters real life. You find characters out there in the school of life. So, guess what....I became really good at truancy. You might even say that I matriculated in the 'subject'--now there's a book if I ever get around to it.  Madness made me into a work misfit.So when it was time for the world of work, I didn't quite fit in. Not that I didn't try. My first job was a lowly one at an Undertaker's Parlor. No wonder these folks were all popping pills, got them through their dark, murky loathsome days. My second job wasn't much better, working in a meat packing warehouse. That's when I started to be a vegetarian, dodging in and out of these huge slabs of meat, wearing three layers of clothes to keep the semblance of warmth. Needless to say that job didn't last long. Six months on the dole was followed by my last job before this one--driving tourists around Oxford in a horse carriage. If you really want to know the truth, most days the horse was better company. No kidding.  Madness trained me to be The Hatter.So when Mr. Dodgson's literary agent called me out of the blue and asked if I might be interested in this Hatter gig, I jumped at the chance. With both feet. My first question was how many layers of clothes did I have to wear, day to day, like. That was an easy one to answer--I could wear whatever I liked, as long as I 'sported' the hat. My second question was a no-brainer--would I have to throw pails of water in front of a hearse. Negative. As far as the agent knew, Mr. Dodgson didn't plan to write any hearses into the twin stories.So I went along to the interview for the position. The literary agent [who was dressed as one of the characters inThrough the Looking Glass--though I cannot for the life of me remember which one] asked me five questions:1. Was I mad?2. Had I had any experiences first-hand with madness?3. Was I 'almost-mad'?4.  How well did I think I could feign madness?5. Who was my favorite mad role model?I must have done well, because I was offered the position on the way out of the interview, at which point, I re-entered the agent's office, jumped up on the desk and did a jig. That act of feigned madness got me a signing on bonus.  As 'Mad as a Hatter'.Despite the 'fact' that Time stands still [and it is always six o'clock], madhattering is an awesome job. I get to wear funky clothes. I say what I want. I even speak in riddles. I remind visitors [and the watching world] that life is really just a parade of nonsense. Funny stuff that most folks cannot and will not see. And, when I'm bored we just move one place on so I always get a clean place setting. I mean, what's not to like about that?As the song was wont to sing:I am the HatterI am the HatterI am the writing desk**,Goo goo goo joob....  *apparently, exposure to mercury in hat factories can cause mood swings, unchecked aggression and anti-social behavior...** as in the riddle posed: Why is a raven like a writing desk?

 [Google Images][BlogNotes: [i] an excerpt from an WFNTopaZ podcast series, 'Shades of Things to Come'. Our man Topaz is interviewing Dr. Quentin Dorward, distinguished Professor of Philosophy of History, about his latest book; [ii] some of these ideas are borrowed from the ScrabbleMeister...]Topaz: Thanks for taking time out of your busy book-signing tour to talk about this latest book of yours..The Cult of the Latest [PC] Cause..Quentin: Delighted..delighted.Always good to shed a little more light on the darkness [laughs]Topaz: So, why don't you tell the listeners how you got the idea for the book?Quentin: Well, Topaz,,,can I call you Topaz? you must have noticed that we are living in strait times in our history, not only past history but history in the 'present tense' if you will..Topaz: Strait times?Quentin: Strait times, Topaz. The nation's history--or perhaps I should say histories--are being challenged at every important cultural level. During a recent lecture to undergrads on campus, I suddenly channelled The Cult of the Lost Cause, an anthem from the old Confederate SouthTopaz: ..that was the deification of General Lee, if memory serves..Quentin:  Correct, that and much much more. So let me review --briefly for you and your listeners--what some of these warning signs look like:1. First, certain flags which have flown in our cities and capitals fro decades are now considered offensive by some cultural groups. Indeed, in some cities, flags have been removed as a result of citizen pressure..2. Similarly, statues that weathered nicely through the ages in various cities are now suspect. You probably read about the removal of 4 such offensive statues in a city in the deep south...all removed at dead of night..3. Many schools who proudly sport historical figures [as names, mascots] are now being pressured to change their names. The recent case of JEB Stuart HS in Virginia is a case in point. There is a similar movement afoot to change street signs in several cities also..4. School history textbooks are also under scrutiny, mostly for the ways they either tell or don't tell the story of American exceptionalism. Interestingly, thoughtful versions of 'meta' stories--Frances Fitzgerald's America Revised--are suddenly and mysteriously out of print.Nothing, or so it seems, is off limits to these missionary rhapsodic revisionists.Topaz: Sounds to me like a crusade..Quentin: Exactly my point..The Cult of the Latest [PC] Cause writ large! There is definitely a movement afoot to alter, no..make that sanitize the Nation's narrative, and, as one of my reviewers wrote: 'this ill-informed movement want to eradicate the painful 'bits' of history and make it look like they never happened..'Topaz: So, what's to be done then?Quentin: In the book, I offer three courses of action:[a] regarding street and school names, we should take a page out of the Republic of Ireland's book, and make all names bilingual. Irish Gaelic might not be the best choice for the large print name [with the English underneath] but some language other than English will 'shrink' the importance of the actual name..[an expiration date, plus Latin genus would also be helpful..][b] regarding school history texts, all texts should disabuse themselves of text [historical narratives] with a good, old-fashioned purge, and simply offer a timeline of dates and events. For example:1862  Battle of Fredericksburg.. [no explanation, no opinion]...this, hopefully, will free students to become honest researchers of the topic [if they happen to be interested..Wikipedia pages only]..[c] A recent conference in Boulder, Co., solved, for this historian, the answer to this thorny question of Statues. On Pearl Street there is a generic statue to a generic soldier--could be a soldier in any war-- with the inscription In Memory of the Fallen. All current statues that some folks find offensive should be airlifted to a large park outside the city limits and placed strategically on the grounds by era. Something teachable should accompany the statue with the hope that folks actually learn the lessons of history..[or, alternately, Statue of the Unknown ______, fill in your own nationality]..Topaz: We're running out of time, Quentin. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to share some of your book's most interesting and seminal ideas..Quentin: My pleasure. Now let me personally sign a copy for your collection...

  [Google Images] [BlogNotes: [i]...'the quality of a hat is oft known by the frequency of its tilt...'  [Irish aphorism]; [ii] the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, is a fertile ground for imaginative foolery. In the spirit of the Blog [Sir Topaz the Cure-ate, aka Feste the Clown]..permission granted...]   If the truth wants to be known, I wasn't always 'wigged-out'.  If I wanted an excuse, I could blame the mercury*, but I'm thinking that's just an old man's tale, concocted by the folks at ask.com. And I never worked in a hat factory, so that's an end to that. Now the mad appellation, that's an interesting story, that is. People use that word like it's going out of style, but I happen to think that every one's just a little mad. It's a matter of degree. It's the folks who swear that they're not mad--these are the folks to worry about. For a day or two, anyway.   Madness is as madness does. All though the boredom and carping mediocrity of public schooling, I was always a little different. I was never one of those teacher's sops--yes miss, no miss, three bags full, miss. Schooling was nothing but exquisitely allayed discovery. I'm with Jack Dawkins on that one--the real schooling happens in every place but schools. Especially in the streets, that's where a covey encounters real life. You find characters out there in the school of life. So, guess what....I became really good at truancy. You might even say that I matriculated in the 'subject'--now there's a book if I ever get around to it.   Madness made me into a work misfit. So when it was time for the world of work, I didn't quite fit in. Not that I didn't try. My first job was a lowly one at an Undertaker's Parlor. No wonder these folks were all popping pills, got them through their dark, murky loathsome days. My second job wasn't much better, working in a meat packing warehouse. That's when I started to be a vegetarian, dodging in and out of these huge slabs of meat, wearing three layers of clothes to keep the semblance of warmth. Needless to say that job didn't last long. Six months on the dole was followed by my last job before this one--driving tourists around Oxford in a horse carriage. If you really want to know the truth, most days the horse was better company. No kidding.   Madness trained me to be The Hatter. So when Mr. Dodgson's literary agent called me out of the blue and asked if I might be interested in this Hatter gig, I jumped at the chance. With both feet. My first question was how many layers of clothes did I have to wear, day to day, like. That was an easy one to answer--I could wear whatever I liked, as long as I 'sported' the hat. My second question was a no-brainer--would I have to throw pails of water in front of a hearse. Negative. As far as the agent knew, Mr. Dodgson didn't plan to write any hearses into the twin stories. So I went along to the interview for the position. The literary agent [who was dressed as one of the characters in Through the Looking Glass--though I cannot for the life of me remember which one] asked me five questions: 1. Was I mad? 2. Had I had any experiences first-hand with madness? 3. Was I 'almost-mad'? 4.  How well did I think I could feign madness? 5. Who was my favorite mad role model? I must have done well, because I was offered the position on the way out of the interview, at which point, I re-entered the agent's office, jumped up on the desk and did a jig. That act of feigned madness got me a signing on bonus.   As 'Mad as a Hatter'. Despite the 'fact' that Time stands still [and it is always six o'clock], madhattering is an awesome job. I get to wear funky clothes. I say what I want. I even speak in riddles. I remind visitors [and the watching world] that life is really just a parade of nonsense. Funny stuff that most folks cannot and will not see. And, when I'm bored we just move one place on so I always get a clean place setting. I mean, what's not to like about that? As the song was wont to sing: I am the Hatter I am the Hatter I am the writing desk**, Goo goo goo joob....  *apparently, exposure to mercury in hat factories can cause mood swings, unchecked aggression and anti-social behavior... ** as in the riddle posed: Why is a raven like a writing desk?  

so a friend and i went to see the john scheinfeld coltran...

I’ve got a slurry of thoughts: I have to wonder why all the so-called Christians are so focused on destroying the planet?