Tuesday, 29 November 2016

Star Trek

I absolutely loved the original series of Star Trek. I can remember watching them from around the mid 70's.  I've seen them countless times. When the next generation came out around mid to late 80s I watched around 5 or 6 episodes. But I just didn't like them. I'd just rather watch the original series over and over again. Just not the same without Spock and Kirk.

Saturday, 26 November 2016

Nothing to do.

I'm astonished to hear that many people -- if not indeed most people -- would find it profoundly boring not being in a full-time job as an employee. That they would have nothing to do all day. Indeed, many people claim that when they were unemployed they were sleeping 12 hours a day and were just depressed.

I have to say I find this utterly bizarre. So going for walks in the countryside; visiting museums; learning and becoming proficient in some subject and perhaps even becoming an expert; discussions on a variety of subjects on the Internet and elsewhere; reading novels; playing games; exercising; just simply thinking about reality and our place in it and what it all means; laying in a field in the warm bright sunshine in the arms of the one you love. And so on and so on and so on... None of this has any appeal? Peoples' only aim in life is to sell their labour to an employer? Nothing else in life is worth doing? Wow...

Tuesday, 8 November 2016

I am me, and no-one else

I've always been very different from everyone else. I've tried to fit in -- to be like everyone else. But I have irrevocably finally given up. I'll always be different. And I suppose . .in a sense . .I like that. I'll never be at one with a crowd, or even with a few individuals. But at least I'll be me -- not some false facade.

Scared of the dark?

When I was child, I used to be really frightened of the dark.  As I grew older and older, I grew less and less frightened. Nevertheless, even when in my late teens and early 20's, and 'specially after watching a horror film, there was this very slight residual fear of . .say . .walking at night where there wasn't anyone else around and it was really dark.

But now?? It's weird, but I simply have no fear at all. No fear of "ghosts" or spooks or the supernatural . . . but . . umm . .yeah . .certainly fear of my fellow human beings.

Realistically colourized historical photos

From Here

Abraham Lincoln, 1865


Abraham Lincoln, 1865


Japanese Archers, circa 1860


Japanese Archers, circa 1860


Charles Darwin, 1874

 

Charles Darwin, 1874

 

Oscar II, King of Sweden and Norway, 1880

 

Oscar II, King of Sweden and Norway, 1880

 

Charlie Chaplin, 1916

 

Charlie Chaplin, 1916

 

Washington D. C., 1921

 

Washington D. C., 1921

 

Baltimore Slums, 1938

 

Baltimore Slums, 1938

 

London, 1945

 

London, 1945

 

Unemployed Lumber Worker and His Wife, circa 1939

 

Unemployed Lumber Worker and His Wife, circa 1939

 

Country store, 1939

 

Country store, 1939

 

British Troops Board Their Train for the Front, 1939

 

British Troops Board Their Train for the Front, 1939

 

Albert Einstein in Long Island, 1939

 

Albert Einstein in Long Island, 1939



The myths and traditions of death

 An interesting Guardian article : It is worth reminding ourselves that the vast majority of our ancestors saw the world in a very different...