Loosely Speaking

By Ciel - About Me - E-mail this page - Add to My Favorites - Add to Blog List - See other blogs in Everything Else

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Brave and Inevitable New World

We live in a world shaped and dominated by Western European supremacy: values, definitions, rules, expectations, prejudices... All disseminated around the globe through colonial conquest that took for granted that what they brought was always and completely superior to anything of indigenous cultures and societies. We are now living in the end time of its dominance: It has reached the point of collapse under the weight of its own unsustainability. Indigenous peoples around the world are stepping... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, July 23, 2026

Clarification: Democratic Socialism is NOT Communism!

Citizens pay taxes in order for a government to fund the things the citizens need, like infrastructure, like health care, a strong educational system, national defense--all the things that a single normal citizen or community could not gather enough funds to pay for privately. The government does not own that money, it holds it in trust for those kinds of purposes that benefit the citizens of the nation. The representatives of the citizens are intended to direct where and when and how those... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Another from the myths

On the Half-Shell Out of the sea on rising foam Venus emerges, makes herself at home, and the Gods all pause a moment to look and admire and plan... and their canny brains cook... The Goddesses, too-- they look and they see a sister to them and a rival-to-be... For the proper attentions, there must always be, to Wisdom, and to Fidelity. And Discord smiles to see this birth: Her job's secure forever on Earth! Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

more mythic poetry

Icarus in the Sky Icarus, Icarus, foolish lad! It's the worst idea you've ever had and there were others I thought were bad! To soar to the stars, you demented bird, takes more than wax wings, or hadn't you heard? My lad, you have flown to the height of absurd! And yet, and yet, the impulse was grand, though you never considered you'd have to land... Yet, to be with the gods, lad...? I do understand! Those of us with our feet on the ground usually have something harsh to say about those who... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, July 19, 2026

a poem about Troy

(I wrote this in 2004 after watching the movie TROY) Ashes in the Oracle’s Mouth Helen, oh Helen! You silly git! You pretty face, You great lack-wit! Paris, perspective was never your strength Just please yourself at any length! Menelaus, big as a bull your heart pumps blood and that is all. Agamemnon, greed for power cuts at your life line hour by hour. Achilles, as honest as killers come-- kill and be killed is your personal sum. Hector, oh Hector, where else could you end but dragged beyond... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Cooling it...

There is not a single window in my house that can accommodate a regular a/c unit, but I still found this article very interesting: The 6 Best Air Conditioners of 2026 | Reviews by Wirecutter While it's still way too hot for me, we're not getting the extremes that are happening in other parts of the country, even of the state! I'm thinking this is a good time to spend days at the library which has a/c, or driving around if your car has an adequate a/c system. Visiting the mountains is good, too.... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, July 10, 2026

Assault by unwelcome changes!

I've had this Echo 'Alexa' device for a few years now, and it has been handy for asking the time in the dark and asking the weather for the day or for any particular day and place I want to know. It has been useful for ambient sounds. And now the thing wants me to think of it as my 'buddy!' A selection of male and female voices, with someone's idea of what's soothing or uplifting... OMG! I don't want an AI pal! I don't want to think of this thing as a person, a buddy, a pal, a confidante that... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, July 5, 2026

Under fire...

Clouds are building up to the west and north. They are quite grand, promising most welcome rains to come, though not as clearly etched as they might be were it not for the smoke in the air from the wildfires to the south and west. We were promised such storms yesterday afternoon but they never came. Today looks like a better chance, though. The rains will not only help against the dryness, but will also clear the air and if it falls over the fires, will help contain them. The worst and nearest... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, July 2, 2026

How about some consideration and common sense?

With July 4th this weekend, most of us in the US are dealing with intense heat and east of the Great Plains, soul-oppressing humidity. Here in Colorado where it's drought-dry and wildfires are already burning, outdoor cooking flames are prohibited in several counties and even fireworks shows, the official ones have been cancelled. Pleas to the people who shoot off their own private shows may or may not have effect, but other than two or three set off in the last week, there have not been many... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, June 27, 2026

Possibly interesting...

It took me many years to arrive at the understanding that I am neuro-divergent and have been dealing with that for my whole life. So many personality traits and reactions I always thought were either normal or just some personal flaw or failing. It's a relief, actually, to discover such oddities are common among ADHD/autistic folk. Some neuro-divergents are hyper-sensitive to light, to sound, to crowded spaces... It turns out as I only lately realized that there is such a thing as... Sign in to see full entry.

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