WHAT I THINK I KNOW - TAKE TWO

by Ray Jason

Ray on his birthday 2015

As the years thunder by, I pleasantly discover that my needs and desires keep decreasing.  Health, Happiness, Friendship and Freedom are now the cardinal points on the compass of my life’s voyage.   Because today is my birthday, it is natural to ponder whether my Ship of Self is sailing smoothly; or whether it is struggling through troubled waters.  Fortunately, the year astern of me has been splendid, and the days ahead look promising.

For me, one of the joys and challenges of each birthday is to revisit my core knowledge of the world.  Being blessed with the philosopher’s curse of needing to understand the mystery of human existence, I use this annual milestone to reconsider “what I think I know.”  My approach this year will be to focus on the multitude of infants who will be born today and thus share the same birth date as mine.  What awaits them…???     

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THE DIRE NEED FOR REFUSAL

by Ray Jason          

          One of the many reasons that I linger here in the Banana Latitudes is because the local people still have backbones.  Or to use a more creative description that a friend of mine favors – they have not yet been “sheepified.” 

First of all, they demand that the government do things to actually help the real people and not just the rich people.  For example, there are free clinics for pregnant women and there are local market days where food is available from farm co-ops at reduced prices due to subsidies.  Yes, the Third World is so backward that they haven’t yet figured out that you are supposed to subsidize rich, BigAg campaign donors and not the people in the pueblo.

And secondly, if the authorities initiate policies that are harmful to local interests, the people make their displeasure very apparent.  They start with acceptable procedures by going up the normal chain of command.  But if these fail, they engage in “direct action.”  And they do not waste their fervor and time on Lame Lefty symbolic gestures.  They do not stand beside a bridge with placards.  They shut the frigging bridge down with their bodies.  And, if a telecom giant jacks the phone rates up obscenely, it will suddenly discover that its transmission lines have been severed.

I have been directly inconvenienced by these monkey wrench gang tactics, but their bold and courageous fortitude both amuses and comforts me.  However, most of the other expats are horrified by such “radicalism.”  They are outraged that they have to go without internet for 18 hours.  But wasn’t part of the motivation for abandoning the First World, to escape a frenzied culture so driven by schedules and deadlines?

A NICE SGP BOOK REVIEW

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well.

Here is a very positive and thoughtful review of The Sea Gypsy Philosopher, which was recently posted at the excellent website called Resilience.  The author, Frank Kaminski, was very thorough and appreciative.  Thank you, Frank.

http://www.resilience.org/stories/2015-10-07/review-the-sea-gypsy-philosopher-by-ray-jason

My book remains very reasonably priced at Amazon in the paper version.  However, there is some difficulty with the Kindle edition, therefore it is not available at the moment.  If you click on the book cover just to your right, you will be linked instantly to the Amazon page.

Be well, everyone!

Ray

YOU CAN HAVE THE POPE - I'LL TAKE THE PEACE PILGRIM!

by Ray Jason        

         She walks alone and unnoticed down one of America’s scenic but barely-traveled highways.  Like any true pilgrim, she is penniless and her only possessions are the clothes on her back.  But she also carries precious cargo with her – the message of Peace.  For 28 years she quietly delivered her little peace talks wherever people were willing to listen.  She was The Peace Pilgrim.

            He arrives in a motorcade led by a phalanx of motorcycle cops and surrounded by his massive security force.  Overhead, helicopters record his every move and gesture.  Each stop during his visit is meticulously scripted by his handlers – including the incidents that initially seemed spontaneous.  He is accompanied by an entourage of 170 people.  He is The Pope. 

           
         Now you tell me which one of these people is HOLY!  Which one most faithfully represents the spirit of Jesus? 

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