Runes

Found this at a Saturday dig at the Half Price Books mothership store. Led Zeppelin IV. This is not an original pressing. It is a 1975 record club edition. Close enough to 1971 for me. It is in perfect condition. 

I first heard this album in high school on cassette. There was no consensus among my friends what this album was called. Some called it "signs" after the markings on the actual cassette. Others called it "Runes." Eventually I think the consensus among Zeppelin fans was to call it "IV" which makes the most sense.
 

Atuan

This is the second book in Le Guin's Earthsea Trilogy. The Tombs of Atuan. It's a short, easy read. Poetic and poignant. I found this story very moving. We all read into stories what we want, but the story of moving out of darkness and into the light of freedom was powerful. The trauma of being trapped in a dogmatic ideology only to discover there is a greater world out there is very well described by Le Guin. And even when you move into the light of freedom doesn't mean the demons of the past are easily conquered.

Maitri Upanishad

My latest long term reads have been the Bhagavad Gita and The Upanishads. I have to admit that I didn't get too much out of the Bhagavad Gita. Maybe I just need an expert to walk me through it although it seemed fairly straightforward. It seemed to me like a lot of circular and redundant praise of deities. Guess I was expecting some good life advice or principles for living. It was not a bad read by any means, just not what I was looking for.

I've enjoyed The Upanishads much more. More poetic. Same translator as the Bhagavad Gita. Still a lot of word salads and paeans to various gods. Occasionally there will be nice passages like the one above. 

The Block

 Put it the louvre. 

Deceived

 

Shaman

Usually Robinson writes about the future near and far. But in Shaman he went back. Way back. 32,000 BCE back. KSR did tons of anthropological research to write this portrait of an Ice Age Paleolithic community. I found it fascinating. A nice clean plot that follows a young boy as he progress to being the shaman of his pack. Good read.

The Last Show

Last night was the last home game and halftime show for our son. Goes by too quick.

Frauds

For the most part I have deliberately steered this blog away from politics. But since no one reads this blog does it really matter?

Here's what gets me...

While I was in college and directly after, I can't tell you how much criticism I heard about Bill Clinton. Evangelicals acted like he was the anti-Christ. They said over and over again how character and ethics matter in public office. 

Now we know they were full of crap.

Evangelicals who support Donald Trump have lost all credibility. I never ever want to hear them talk of ethics and character ever again. Any malfeasance or moral failure of Clinton is far surpassed by Trump. It's not even close and it's all in the open. 

I have my criticisms of the Democratic Party but there is very little that would cause me to ever consider voting for Trump. I am convinced that evangelicals would vote for anyone, maybe even Hitler, if there was an R by his name on the ballot. These people don't vote for a party, they vote for a cult. And they have all been proven frauds.

Ashamed

My fellow Americans would rather have a convicted felon, real estate fraud, failed businessman, sexual predator, philanderer, twice impeached, traitor, seller of state secrets, coup organizer...

than God forbid...

a woman of color as president.

I don't understand my country.

Ashamed of my fellow Americans this morning.

 

Hopes for Today

Well, like most Americans today, I have some anxiety about today's events. 

I hope my candidate wins.

I hope there isn't intimidation or foul play at the polls.

I hope there isn't violence when the results don't go the way one side wants. 

I hope we have a swift, clear cut and definitive result. 

I hope there isn't violence in the weeks leading up to the voting certification or the inauguration.

I hope that the vast majority of Americans are rational, good-hearted, level-headed people.

I hope I'm not being naive.