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Mendacity. A lot to say on a strange Friday afternoon; actually it’s been one of the heavier emotional days of my earthly stage run. Where do I begin; let me count the ways; which means, let streams of consciousness take over the depression of the computer key board. You know what? I’m free at last. It seems there is no power in my soul to bridge the gap of communicating understanding; it’s one of those blood versus thick water deals and I failed, but am taking half responsibility. Confusing so far? Let’s backtrack to the cat.
Erwin Schrodinger, in 1935, proposed a theoretical experiment in which a cat was put in a steel box along with a vial of hydrocyanic acid (with a tiny amount of a radioactive substance). If just one atom decayed during the test period, it would trigger a sequence in which a hammer would break the vial and kill the cat. As long as the box stayed closed, you wouldn’t know whether this had happened or not, so with quantum law and the superposition of states, the cat is BOTH alive and dead at one and the same time. When a measurement is made (look in the box); the superposition ceases to be and the cat is either alive or dead.
The paradox is that observation (measurement) affects outcome, so the outcome doesn’t exist until the measurement is made. I brought this cat up because it fits the stream of my thinking this afternoon.
Now to our cat sitting precariously on a hot tin roof; you bet (chocolate syrup?), I’m referring to the movie ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ starring Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman and Burl Ives. Funny: they were supposed to film the movie in black and white but decided not to in order to take advantage of the popularity of Liz’s violet and Paul’s blue eyes.
Why bring the movie up? Big Daddy’s (Burl Ives) character seems to resonate more with me these days; perhaps because we’re basically the same age now; I caught up to him after watching it decades ago. I love Brick (Paul Newman) because he was the only one who never lied to Big Daddy and was disgusted with the complicated rules of social conduct in Southern society and culture; so am I. Mendacity has been swirling around my life since I learned what the word meant, studying for my college boards when I looked it up after I saw the movie. The older I get, like Brick; it seems I can’t have falsehood in my life anymore. Part is expected idealism of the human spirit. Part also is sharing the same womb with a view. Idealism once made me not to talk to a room-mate fraternity brother for seven months because I believed fraternalism was real and when I was let down, I withdrew. It is a burden to pretend. Sometimes I think I’d like to find a cabin in Montana, hang out, grow bananas and apples in the backyard and live final days (like Big Daddy) in a mendacity free environment. By the way, I mentioned examples of white fruit because eating it daily may drastically cut down odds of suffering a stroke. Now the cat is off the roof; I’m saddened, heart broken, disbelieving that thick water is now flowing through my veins. Maybe I’ll knock on the big greed doors at Emerald City and find that rascally Wizard? This blog is always carefully edited. One more elusive thought which may shine a dim light: Not in the past eight years could I find even a sentence of moral support, as I’ve become a writer, from two people who are supposed to be close. So that makes me nothing and them too. And the burden of pretending they care is just too heavy; therefore they must become less than nothing in my life. La De Dah. There I’ve done it. I sound like Taylor in the last scene of ‘Planet of the Apes.’ “I’ve finally really done it.” Perhaps burden free thick water living is really the best for me.
Now to the swimming hole; there’ll be no more of that until next May or June or perhaps if global warming really gets a head of steam going, on some future February, we’ll be swimming outside here in central Jersey. 58% of tea party members say global warming doesn’t exist. Alas, the swimming hole is just a way to convey how my head is swimming around. No matter what ever I say, always remember my ultimate goal in life is getting to 150 years. Taking 40 supplements a day for 40 years is one way, my way. I do hang out in several health food stores; even have been elevated to VIP customer status. But I’m saddened to learn that only 7% of health food store employees give good advice, the rest (93%), perhaps were used car salesmen. Poor abused used car salesmen having to endure endless stereotypes. Once, a long time ago in that galaxy far away, I went to buy a new car. I told the salesman that I myself am a salesman and just give me the best price; please no games; I’m too intelligent. In a few minutes he got up and said, “Let me talk to the sales manager. See what we can do.” In a few minutes he came back and said, “Just for you, we’re going to give you this discounted price.” And I said, “Just for me? I just walked in off the street. No one knows me here. Why just for me? Goodbye.” And I left.
harrison ford. as indiana jones.
Now another digression; remember the Harrison Ford swordsmen scene in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’? (He takes a gun and shoots the Cairo swordsmen rather than engage him) As the story goes, Harrison was not feeling well, and just couldn’t draw out that scene more than another hour (instead of three days), so Harrison said to Spielberg, “Hey Pal…..” Here’s the link to the story and video.
harrison ford/steven spielberg video
More swimming; 366 million people world-wide have diabetes; every 7 seconds someone dies from it. 22% of children in Texas have no health insurance. In 2010, 7.6 million children world-wide died before they were five. In 1990, the number was 12 million. Two million children in Somalia are starving.
porsche design baby stroller.
Porsche (yes the car) has designed an elegant baby stroller that matches their lavish car. Edith Bunker used to say, “Isn’t that something, Archie?” Congress now has a 12% approval rating (lowest in history?) and there are 11.2 million undocumented immigrants and a 1 in 3 chance of another recession. Today has been a hard rain’s going to fall day and I’m running on emotional empty.
sponge bob. keeping college graduation rates down???
So what’s all this stuff about ‘Sponge Bob’? SAT average scores: Verbal 489. Math 514. Down 33 points since 1972. Funny: College graduation rates are down while ‘Sponge Bob’ viewing is up. Young children who watch fast-paced, fantastically wild television shows may become “handicapped” in their readiness for learning, according to psychologists who tested 4-year-old children immediately after they had watched nine minutes of the popular show “Sponge Bob Square Pants” and found that the ability to pay attention, follow rules, remember what they were told, solve problems, and moderate behavior had been severely compromised. Why? Too much extreme fantasy, schools are too boring or maybe teach video games in schools. There are more than 7.5 million Facebook users younger than 13 and more than 5 million are 10 or younger. I’m glad my son is over 25 and living in Brooklyn. Facebook hit 750 million world users and is valued at $100 billion. Ah, good ole intellectual property is alive and well.
I’ve been following the case of Troy Anthony Davis in a Georgia prison who is supposed to be executed next week despite the fact that seven of the nine witnesses have changed their story and no physical evidence links Davis to the crime. No one should be executed, especially if there are doubts about guilt. I’ve learned to ask, from a lecture I attended at the University of Michigan on equal justice initiatives; is it better to be rich and guilty in America rather than poor and innocent? If anyone is interested, here’s a link to a petition.
stop-the-execution-of?source=mo&id=31059-19471797-IlAXqJx
surfer mark from north carolina and me
David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards, a Delta blues artist (gosh am I loving blues more and more) just died at the age of 96. He toured almost to the time of his death. Remember living to 150? We’re getting there. Here’s a YouTube interview with David in Chicago a few years ago.
David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards interview and singing in Chicago a few years ago
What amazing precious talent.
This living to 150 year gig is all consuming. Part is think young and dive into life, stretching telomeres and playing tricks with DNA. So Thursday, I went down to Belmar,N.J.(the place of my dreamy jetty since I was ten years old) at 8:30 AM to catch the first heats of short board in the Belmar Pro Surfing Tournament (National scope). Surfing stereotypes are doing just fine (ripped folks with long blonde hair everywhere). I saw Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) sitting on the side listening to Van Halen.
Zion Balbuena and me at surfing tournament
Zion surfing on Thursday.
I actually had my IPod pumping in Beach Boys surfing sounds to get me in the spiritual surfing mood. Spicoli’s character was iconic from ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’. I love when he pounded his head with a sneaker. Since I’m a columnist for OUR TOWN, I do these things; found a surfer and asked if I could interview and photograph. I call him ‘Spicoli’, and he said, “I’m wasted, stoned and drunk. Sorry.” Soon I found this ebullient young surfer named Zion Balbuena from the Dominican Republic more than willing; he was one of the more impressive surfers. Hey Mah, look at me at a surfing tournament! I confessed to Zion, I lost my desire to surf over forty years ago. And I still can’t find it.
Now it’s Friday night and I’m emotionally drained. I don’t know why but I’m in a desert now; dunes and emptiness. It’s hot and unforgiving. Now I’m in Gloucester, Massachusetts at a bar. It’s 2 AM. The Juke-box is playing ‘Harbor Heart’ by Slim Chance and the Gamblers (really really great blues) (find them and listen on Reverbnation).
Slim Chance and the Gamblers
I’m shipping out in the morning; I keep promising it’s my last beer. Sure I’m worried; we keep going further out into the Atlantic; no fish around here anymore. So there’s a huge rogue satellite due to fall from the sky in next few days. The government won’t know where until two hours before; odds of me or you getting hit by that: 1/3200; bad odds. I’ve rambled around this blog tonight; it’s a profound sense of loss and failure. Thoughts just fire away. Bear with me. Now I see Scarlett sitting on the steps after Rhett left. “After all, tomorrow is another day.” And I think I’ll go to You Tube and listen to excerpts of the movie music. I’ll drift far away, not back to Tara, but to Newark,N.J. when those near and dear were still on this earth, and frankly my dear, I really do give a damn that I can’t get advice and consent anymore. Suddenly Saturday. Good night Gracie and reckless ostrich.
a foot up on my belmar jetty.
jeff spicoli. awesome.
Contact Information:
website: http://vichywater.net
Facebook: Cal Schwartz
Twitter: Earthood
book trailer. hey its 65 seconds long
IMPORTANT LINKS:
Immortality Institute (which represents advocacy and research for unlimited lifespan)
August 2011. Guest on Alicia Cramer Show (podcast) “Thin Healthy Happy” :
http://wausauhypnotherapy.podbean.com/2011/08/02/calvin-barry-schwartz-interview-on-living-life/
ARE you in search of another blog that is also outspoken, unique BUT
unbridled which means uninhibited ???? Meet Linda Chorney:
http://lindachorney.wordpress.com/
