Exploring the Limits of Poetic License .. up to the Letter of the Law (and Beyond) - Part 3/4

» This page is PART THREE, continued from » Part Two. This entry was split into FOUR pages in order to adhere to principles of web site optimization. Here you go...

The Famous Hollywood SignAnyway, the Dog, when coming down, would always » give me shit.

About living in Orange county. Saying things like ..

» "They stopped me at the border, and made me put on an ankle bracelet. We don't want your kind here. You shady LA-types. We'll be watching you."

I should add tho, that the Dog, a Hoboken boy (like Marques), always wraps his barbs in clever humor ..

.. and his inter-personal skills are so finely tuned that you actually enjoy when the Dog gives you shit. (I liken it, and put it up there with getting a massage.)

When the Dog feels strongly about something, he sends missiles SAILING PAST YOU. They are not aimed at you in particular, but you can feel their breeze as they wiz by.

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••• today's entry continues here below •••

Like a fast ball, high-n-tight. "Stop crowding the plate!" In other words » you catch his drift .. without getting hurt.

[[ And let me just say here to these SNL girls who are picking on George Clooney. Leave George alone.

Oh, it seems that YouTube has blocked the video .. you know. But these girls said (something like) » "Gravity is a movie about how George Clooney would rather float off into space alone forever than spend another minute with a woman his own age."

George ClooneyYou must admit .. that is a good dig.

I woulda been proud to come up with that.

But, is it George's fault that he is so handsome and talented that he is too much man for any one woman?

I once had a girl tell me » "I would totally cheat on my husband with George Clooney."

When I questioned to see if she were just joking, she looked at me like I was crazy. As tho the idea of turning down George to maintain marriage fidelity was downright absurd.

Then she went about telling me why she felt that way. She would kick Brad out of bed for George. "In a heartbeat."

"Say it aint so," I said, thinking of poor Brad, laying there on the cold floor .. as George climbs in.

It must be very challenging to have every girl you meet want to bear your children. How do you deal with that?

"No, I don't really want to make any babies right now, but thank-you for the offer. That was very kind of you. Maybe I'll be up to it later."

George reminds me of this kid I grew up with. So I feel like I know him .. even tho I don't.

Amal Alamuddin and George ClooneyOh, update - Dude, I just read about your engagement.

She is very cool. I would be proud.

It feels good to me. A good fit.

And I am not the only one who feels that way.

You totally owe me for posting that. Once a girl knows that another girl wants you ..

.. then » she totally wants you (.. even if she really doesnt. I know, it doesnt make sense to me, either).

Your bride-to-be will be finding out all kinds of bad-shit that bad-people are doing .. and you can make movies about it. It's a perfect fit.

How long is Vegas giving you?

And while I have you .. please give my congrats to Brad & Ang. Talk about a good fit. A good match.

The way she used art from her kids to help style her wedding dress .. very cool. Impressively cool and original. 

I like her. She makes a difference. And she's not afraid to get dirty.

(Both Brad & George got picked off by the ladies. Dang. Looks like all we have left is Leo.)

Update Aug 24, 2015 » I see you are having fun in Ibiza. I had to look on a map to see where that is. Good for you. You deserve it. (Thanks to me, of course.)

There is a photo here of you running off the plane with what appears to be a case of tequila tucked securely under your arm .. leaving your beautiful wife to find her own way off the plane.

You should hope that Amy and Tina dont see it.

< end Aug 24 Ibiza update >

<end George engage update> ]]

My point » Orange county has a reputation .. outside of Orange county .. that I was not even aware of (inside Orange county ..

Newport Beach | Home of the Beautiful People.. where it can be difficult to see the forest for the trees).

Tho I no longer live there, I have lived in Orange county for some 21 years .. in towns such as

» San Clemente (7 years .. to the day).

» Dana Point (a few years, right across PCH from the Ritz. We sometimes snuck in their Jacuzzi at night).

When I lived in San Clemente, I developed a little routine whereby I would drive up to the marina at Dana Point, named after Richard Henry Dana, very early Sunday morning ..

.. and run both the marina and the outer island. It is so nice during that time of day .. before the world wakes.

Then it's time to find some decent coffee and maybe even a bagel with lox & cream cheese.

Most recently I lived in » the Newport area.

Laguna Beach, tho, is simply the best town I have lived in. Ever. For me. Certainly not for everybody. [ The Bug was born in Laguna Beach. I met his mom there .. running the beach. "Hey, didnt I see you here last week?" ] I lived in Laguna for nearly a decade.

So yeah, I like Orange county. Very much. At least, certain parts of it. (But don't tell the Dog, or he will give me shit.)

[ When I first arrived in sunny SoCal, I called some of my friends back East and said, "Remember those days that were so nice when we were growing up that we would skip school? .. because we might not get another day like that for a long-ass time?? That's how every day here is." ]

I won't even mention the summer I spent in Corona del Mar ..

.. or the times I spent in their courts or in the Orange county jail (.. because I didnt have enough money. I shit you not. Money I did not have, because I spent it all on lawyers to defend myself against repeated fabricated accusations.)

The Holy Grail | Choose wisely» Qualified to Speak

My point » I feel qualified, well-qualified, to discuss things related to Orange county ..

.. just like the Catholic naturally feels qualified to discuss things related to the Pope.

And how the American feels qualified to comment on the way his government is governing his country.

And how the christian feels qualified to discuss Christianity (.. or lack thereof).

And how the military man feels qualified to discuss things related to the military ..

.. or how the parent feels qualified (after a while) to discuss things that pertain to parenting. How the writer feels qualified to discuss writing. I could go on, but you get my point.

Now, the first thing that strikes you in Orange county .. is » HOW DIFFERENT each of the small coastal towns are. I mean ..

» it is a 5-minute drive up the coast from San Clemente to Dana Point, and already it seems like a different world. A distinctly different vibe.

And if you drive another 10 minutes north (up the coast hwy known as PCH) .. you hit Laguna Beach. And you feel like you are in another universe, entirely. "Would you like a massage with your kombucha?"

So I would dispute the Dog's perception .. but THERE IS some truth in what he says .. because, as your perspective from the area changes .. you can see that there are indeed certain similarities.

The beauty of the beach at Corona del Mar, Newport BeachI have LIVED IN a dozen-or-so states .. so I have a decent vantage point from which to compare-n-contrast.

Every area that you LIVE IN .. after a while, you become aware of the » dominant theme.

I mean, you can't help but notice it. Because you are living IN IT.

(Tho, if a particular area is ALL YOU KNOW .. then yes, it can be difficult to regognize the obvious distinctions .. because the distinctive flavor of your particular area becomes so routine, so taken-for-granted, because it is so persistent. You know what I am trying to say.

If you happen live among the pyramids or the Himalayas all your life, I am sure that their grandeur eventually fades into the background. "Oh, those things? You think that they are noteworthy? Hmmm. They've always been there .. far as I can tell." )

» Appearances are More Important

Channel to Newport Harbor, viewed from Corona del Mar, Newport BeachNow, for Orange county, the theme (which few honest souls would dispute) is this »

» appearances are important.

And Kelly Thomas was not pretty .. not pretty enough, it would seem.

People have been stunned by the verdict. When I read about the verdict, I could almost hear the Dog saying » "Told ya."

I mean, sure the FBI is going to look into it. But the jury has already spoken .. and they said » We see no problem here. Heck, we dont even think these officers used excessive force.

Which begs the question » how much more .. how much harder would they have had to beat him .. in order to justify a charge of excessive force?

Or does being homeless mean that there is no limit .. to the amount of beating that these officers can inflict on Kelly? I must say » it *does* seem that way from the video and the verdict.

You almost get the feeling that they wanted to pin a medal on these officers » "Good job, guys. Sorry to hear about that elbow, bro."

Rad note » Because this section that discusses the Kelly Thomas verdict (which came on January 12, 2014) is so different, I have transferred it to its own separate entry .. see here » The Kelly Thomas Verdict Reflects the Importance of Appearances in Polite Society.

Update January 16 » Site Hacked!

The site has been hacked. See » here. I will return to today's entry later. Right now I need to go see wtf. This has never happened before.

Drums Backlit SurvivalUpdate #2 - January 24

For today's entry, I set out to do this very cool, experimental, 21st century avant-garde thing ..

.. something that would both challenge me and take me out of my comfort zone.

I figure, "Hey, the 21st century economy is being run in 'experimental' mode, so the 21st century artist should probably not be far behind."

The Always-Surprised Fed » 'makes it up' As They Go

Jim Rickards says that the always-surprised Fed makes it up as they goTo my point about our economy being run in "Experimental Mode" ..

.. we have Jim Rickards saying here (Feb 12, 2014) »

» "The Fed is *always* surprised .. because their models are flawed. Their forecasting record is about the worst in Economics. That's not just rhetoric.

You can actually go back and look at their one-year forward forecast for the last four years. Every one of them was wrong by orders of magnitude.

So they have a terrible forecasting record. So the fact that they were surprised by the data doesnt surprise me because they're always surprised.

The Fed has missed every bubble for the last twenty years. They didnt get one of them right. We have Bernanke on record in 2007 talking about the mortgage meltdown saying that this is going to blow over.

They've been making it up for the last five years and they're going to keep making it up." <end Rickards' quote>

» Federal Reserve Waxes Avant-Garde Like Joyce

James Joyce (1882-1941)Notice in particular, the phrase » making it up. Because the process of » making-it-up-as-you-go ..

.. sometimes called » stream-of-consciousness ..

.. is normally associated with avant-garde writers such as James Joyce.

Let me quote for you directly from the opening line of his Wikipedia entry:

"..an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century."

Joyce, okay. I can go there. I can understand Joyce making it up as he goes.

But to run an economy in experimental mode .. would be even more dangerous than running a nuclear reactor in experimental mode ..

(.. because it can harm so many more people).

A ship sailing in uncharted waters .. would not that venture seem more risky? Than a voyage you had made many times before.

Two points. Point #1 » The artist should be out there on the bleeding edge .. not the crafters of the economy ..

.. particularly when they and their friends are not the ones doing the bleeding. Feel me?

Point #2 » If you keep making excuses for dysfunctional economic policy, you should not be surprised when you get » more of the same. And it seems that I am not the only one who feels this way.

James Joyce is » One of Us

Joyce, by the way, died the same year that Dylan was born » 41. Just like Galileo died the same year that Newton was born (1642).

It is beyond the scope of today's entry .. but perhaps I should note that, after becoming familiar with Joyce ..

.. my impression of him is » he is one of us.

One day in the sweet by-and-by, you are going to walk out onto a baseball diamond to take the field and you are gonna look over and say »

» "Holy Mackerel .. that's James Joyce. James Ulysses Joyce is on our team."

As opposed to say somebody like, say » Nabokov (1899-1977, born the same year as Hemingway) .. who I read and feel like he is a talent that defies grasping. A monster talent. Obviously. "How the fuck does he *do* that?"

James Joyce | Age 6 (1888)Joyce, on the other hand, is someone with whom I feel a certain, easy sense of artistic kinship.

Nabokov used to teach classes on Tolstoy and Anna. These classes, I feel, were certainly some of, if not THEE best college classes in the history of higher education.

Rad note [ Feb 12, 2014 ] » This section that deals with the Federal Reserve waxing avant-garde ..

.. is so cool that I copied the entire section and transferred it to its own, individual entry-page.

This gives me more and better options for using the concepts contained in this section. See here » The Always-Surprised Fed Waxes Avant-Garde Like James Joyce.

[ At the end of that entry is a link to return you here. To the beginning of this section of the avant-garde Fed.]

James Joyce » Best Writer of the Entire Twentieth Century?

I would be arriving early for those classes.

And yes, that is a big compliment, I would say. But with Joyce, I felt something inside (actually) thank God for him.

Like, on its own.

The moocow. Every kid oughta know about the moocow .. that came down along the road.

I can see why intelligent well-read folks might put him (Ulysses) as the #1 novel of the entire Twentieth century.

But look at how they put Portrait at #3. They are saying that Joyce gets positions #1 and #3 both .. for the entire century. That is a huge claim.

[ My favorite version of Portrait is the Recorded Books audiobook, because it is narrated by an Irish guy with an Irish accent. ]

Rad note » The section of today's entry that deals with James Joyce has been lifted and off-loaded to its own separate entry .. see here » James Joyce » Best Writer of the (Entire) Twentieth Century?

At the end of that entry is a link that will return you to the exact spot from which this entry originated.

<end Rad note on James Joyce moved to its own page>

Then the Kelly-verdict came. A devastating blow to dads everywhere. And the site hack came right after it.

So I feel like a storm came along and blew me off course. (Two storms, actually. One right after the other.)

I said I would do it .. but the mood has changed. (Dramatically so.) I'm sure you understand.

Yin-Yang Tattoo, well-placedOne aspect however, of today's entry, where I *am* remaining true to what I wrote back at Christmas ..

.. is that I am (consciously) » LETTING this entry come .. rather than forcing it.

I said before that I was 'better' at forcing .. but that may just be because I have more practice at it.

Letting is more difficult than you might think. For me, anyway. For reasons that are beyond the scope of today's entry.

I can see that both forcing and letting are involved. You force some things while letting some others.

If it sounds complicated .. then I can see how that might seem understandable. This is what I mean about » embracing duality.

Does not the yin-yang symbol seem to suggest the » putting-together (fusion) of things you might not ordinarily expect to go together?

A place where opposites exist in harmony .. together. Maybe it's just an ideal to strive for.

Anyway, I can feel myself reorientating (.. in my quest to 'explore' and therefore better understand the creative process).

I feel like I missed my opportunity .. for now .. but the gears will come around again. And I'll be better prepared next time the planets align.

Let me just say this » if you really have the goods .. if you are the Real Deal (like Cormac, like Bob Marley, like Tolstoy, like Fitzgerald, like Rembrandt, like Dylan and certainly like Hemingway), you neednt SAY you have the goods. (Why waste your breath?)

Rather you SHOW that you have the goods. You put your art out there for all the world to see/hear .. and let it speak for itself. And then go have a beer with the Pope.

And for the true artist - as opposed to other professions that I am familiar with - there are NO SHORTCUTS .. at least not any that I have found. (And yes, I have looked. Believe me.)

Post-apocalyptic flowerThe artist must venture into his own soul and come back with the goods. He must demand ever-more of himself ..

.. even when he thinks there is nothing left. He must do the impossible .. again and again.

» The Creative Process

On the subject of creativity (of the artist) .. I feel that I have an advantage over the 'average' artist ..

.. in that I come from an » engineering background (» math-y, science-y).

So did Dostoevsky. He even graduated. But then he decided to » write.

My point » engineering in general, and nuclear engineering in particular, and nuclear plant operations especially .. is very much about » RULES.

Whereas art is very much about BENDING rules, to your purpose (of expression). By their very nature rules are » limiting.

At no time during the six years (2,192 days) that I spent in the military .. did anyone ever come up to me and say, "Dude, we want you to get creative with this reactor today, okay? See what you can do. Have fun."

So, in an attempt to further their art and speak more of their soul, the artist seeks not only to perfect his art, but also to transcend its limits (.. which can sometimes be interpreted as » BREAKING).

[ So naturally it was interesting to learn what Oscar Wilde said about the Writer.

Remind me to discuss the importance of the mismatcher. ]

Or at least minimize the effect of its frictional drag. So my sense here is that the engineer, or the engineer-type, is better-able to nullify the effects of rules and other limitations.

Florence Cathedral completed in 1436 by Fillipo Brunelleschi, finishing a project begun 140 years earlier in 1296Of course, this approach will likely result in his ass getting kicked .. more than once or twice. But he does not seem to care.

Why not? (« that's your homework assignment)

Along with discovering how something can appear obvious yet profound. At the same time.

[ Ooh, speaking of homework, Mr. Franco gets » extra credit for offering artistic insight. (And compassionate understanding.) I like him.

He's a poetry major. MFA. That must be how he landed the part to play Ginsberg in 'Howl' ]

» Effect of the Artist on the Culture (and Vice Versa)

Anyway .. that is all I am going to say on the subject right now. Because I now find myself pondering [ i see the shift i must follow ] the role that is played by the artist in helping to define the culture.

Jules trying real hard in the final scene of Pulp FictionBut surely you can see how this might run parallel with ..

.. the topic of today's entry » exploring the limits of poetic (artistic) license.

Before leaving this subject however, let me just add that my intuition here ..

.. is that my friend, with the gift for words, is not limited to crafting lyrics.

You think I'm joking, or maybe even crazy, but I bet that, with a little practice, he could craft a very nice children's book.

(Which is no mean feat, and probably requires the consultation of a third grader.) Or even a novel.

Because the gift is not limited to any one genre. The gift is not limited, period.

This is not the right way to say it, but you will catch my drift. The only limitation I have encountered with the gift is » the size of your balls.

And this man has large balls. Very large. Cojones grande huevos. Dragging on the floor behind him. "Anybody seen my wheelbarrow?" The cantaloupe man.

To be honest, I am surprised that avant-garde directors such as Tarantino havent solicited his song-writing talents (.. like Peckinpah did with Dylan).

Or maybe they did, and he turned them down.

Rad note » In order to give myself better focus on my subject, I lifted and transferred the text contained in this section to its own, separate entry. See here » The Thunder Cometh.

At the end of that entry, I provide a link to return you to the exact spot from which this text was lifted.

Senator Diane Feinstein Says CIA Spied on Congress» Feinstein vs the CIA on Torture

Speaking of interesting perspectives ..

.. the concluding paragraphs of this article say this:

In her speech on Tuesday, Feinstein said the CIA had conducted potentially unconstitutional and illegal searches of computers of congressional staffers investigating the agency's interrogation and detention program.

She called the dispute "a defining moment for the oversight role of our intelligence committee", while another veteran Democrat, senator Patrick Leahy, later described her speech as the most important any senator had made to the house.

Big words, no? Corn calls it a constitutional crisis.

I have done a little research into Feinstein. She is a bad-ass. Word on the street is that you don't want to be in Feinstein's cross-hairs. And especially not her constitutional cross-hairs. "I tried to be nice. But they won't let me."

The Dog, back when he lived up in the hills above Hollywood .. told me that he used to write to Feinstein and Barbara Boxer "all the time." I have no reason to doubt him.

Here is her exact quote:

"I have grave concerns that the CIA search may well have violated the separation of powers principles," Feinstein said on the Senate floor. "I am not taking it lightly."

You probably know that I find much of politics distasteful. But this seems downright juicy.

She's a tough girl. She plays with the big boys. Full contact. And this is definitely shit for grown-ups. Do NOT try this at home, kids.

Before, when she was a staunch defender of the PRISM anal insertion program .. I was not feeling the love .. I must admit. But now, I have a new appreciation.

» How Do You Like THEM Apples?

When I first read the article and sat back to ponder the implications .. I had to turn around .. because I coulda swore I heard Matt Damon behind me, saying, "How do you like *dem* apples."

But no one was there.

Apple pie, dawg. I'm fixin' to make apple pie. Right proper.

Wow .. I told you they were wizards. Looks like Der Spiegel is involved. The Germans have arrived.

Oh, look at this development. "How do you like me now?"

Good, yes .. but sad that it took so long for the Administration to cop to even the most basic Fourth Amendment rights.

The framers of our Constitution must be rolling over in their graves.

Leaders Who Are Man Enough to » Accept Responsibility for Their Fuck-ups

Sure, it would be nice if our elected leaders had the balls to take responsibility for their fuck-ups {[(.. instead of trying to keep them secret)]}. Heck, that's what any honorable man would do.

Andrew Sullivan debates the legacy of George W Bush with David GergenAt least, for the really-bad shit ..

.. things that stain the very definition of what it means to be an American.

We're not talking about falling on your sword, or anything so noble.

But just a simple, "I fucked up. It was wrong to torture those innocent people to death,"

.. that would be a nice place to start.

But, if they refuse (..because they are too big of a pussy) .. then We (the People) will be forced to take responsibility for them.

I mean, it's not like we havent given them enough time .. to grow some cojones. I am talking about » time to cop and accept responsibility. (Like a man.)

Yes, I am talking about more than one thing here, but I'm sure you are smart enough to differentiate between the two.

George, I voted for you once, so I feel qualified to express my disappointment. I was living in Laguna at the time.

I remember because I had to go home and get two pieces of mail with my name and address on it. Cuz I hadnt been living there for very long.

So I almost said, "Fuck it." But I thought you were worth it.

I had such high hopes for you. I really did. I drank the Kool-Aide. Did you ever fool me.

Rad note » this section that deals with a rear-view look at the Bush presidency was so different from the subject of the main text that I transferred it to its own, separate entry .. see here » Thanks for Memories, George.

At the end of that entry is a link to return you here.

Historic Economic Inequality and the » Carried Interest Deduction

And I would like to ask Senator Feinstein » Why does the government encourage (subsidize) the very wealthy to move up from an already expensive house (mansion) ..

U.S. Debt Ceiling 16 Trillion dollars, December 2012.. to an EVEN MORE expensive house?" (an even bigger mansion) ..

.. when so many cannot even afford a cheap house?

In other words .. why dont you cap the mortgage interest deduction at some reasonable limit?"

Yes, I know the answer to that question .. but I'd like to hear your response, anyway.

Yes, I know that is not the carried interest deduction, but they are both policies that go together in helping to create this historic inequality that we now have.

What the fuck? You fucks are ruining our country.

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