There is a road from the eye to the heart that does not go through the intellect. ~Gilbert Keith Chesterton

that stop the rest of us :-)

Robert Brault

prunus mume, pink Japanese flowering apricot, 'Bonita', j c raulston arboretum, ncsu, Raleigh, north carolina

"...Is it freedom? Or truth? Perhaps peace?

Could it be for love? Illusions, Mr. Anderson.

Vagaries of perception. The temporary constructs

of a feeble human intellect trying desperately to

justify an existence that is without meaning or purpose...

as artificial as the Matrix itself..."

Agent Smith, from The Matrix Revolutions

Made for 24OreCreative project

"No one would have believed in the middle of the 20th Century that human affairs were being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than Man's. Yet, across the gulf of space on the planet Mars, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic regarded our Earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely joined their plans against us. Mars is more than 140 million miles from the sun, and for centuries has been in the last status of exhaustion. At night, temperatures drop far below zero even at its equator. Inhabitants of this dying planet looked across space with instruments and intelligences that which we have scarcely dreamed, searching for another world to which they could migrate."

War of the Worlds-1953

Left-Right

-Richard Fisk aka "Blood Rose"

Skilled martial artist, high-level intellect. Carries a hand gun and a variety of mini grenades

-Silvio Manfredi aka "Silvermane"

Prominent figure in the Maggia, a crime organization syndicate of the Mafia. Silvermane's brain, vital organs, and head were transplanted into a cyborg body, increasing his physical abilities and giving him superhuman strength and senses. However, Silvermane's organic body parts are those of a frail 80-year-old man, and hence quite vulnerable.

-Stanley Carter aka "Sin-Eater"

Wields a heavy assortment of guns, bombs, knives, and rocket launchers, and wore a bulletproof costume

(There's different versions of this guy. 3 to be exact. I'll do them all once I get the parts. I just threw this dude together quick because I was in a rush this morning)

....Sun and moon Chase wants to hug...

...Sun and moon of course want to let go of longing...

...Sun and moon will always chase....

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Myth of the Solar Eclipse, 'Defeat of God' to Death of the King

From the past, there have been two things that were felt by traditional civilization people when they looked up at the sky; have a very deep respect and fear.

These feelings are deepening, especially when there are amazing celestial phenomena such as a total solar eclipse. They connect the event with a curse, a sign, a potential disaster, to the end of the world.

Imagine an ancient civilization that did not understand natural science and science competently, faced with events such as a solar eclipse, when suddenly the sun stopped looking, covered with the Moon, and then the Earth darkened.

Ancient Chinese society, for example, responds to eclipses with crowds gathered, boisterous activities beating drums, shouting, and making noise. The goal, to drive away the giant dragon which was considered by the people of that period was devouring the Sun.

In China, people believe that a sky dragon flooded the river with blood and swallowed it. Until the 19th century, Chinese people used to ring firecrackers to frighten the dragon

"In ancient times, every culture had regarded the Sun as a divine symbol or divine representation. This assumption arose because at that time something unreachable like heaven was a representation of God," explained Bradley Schaefer, professor of astronomy at Louisiana State University, as quoted from CNN, Thursday (08/10/2017).

"So, when a phenomenon such as a solar eclipse occurs, people at that time would regard it as 'the death of God', and that is not a good sign," he added.

Such ancient superstition can be traced to 2,300 - 1,800 BC, as stated in the artifacts of Mesopotamian civilization. In the ancient documents it was explained that a solar eclipse could be a sign of death for the ruling king.

In its time, the myth was believed not only by Mesopotamian people, but also by all civilizations in the Mediterranean. And, for a society dominated by the royal system, superstition is as if a sign of perishing.

To avoid fate as predicted, usually, the kings at that time pretended to abandon their power, pulling away from the boisterous nobility to the countryside to disguise themselves as 'farmers'. The action was carried out to avoid the pursuit of death as predicted.

In order to fill the vacancy of the king's role and seat, it was forced by a criminal to pretend to occupy the throne. The hope, he was able to become a false target for the 'death' who came after the king when the solar eclipse arrived.

After the solar eclipse passed, 'the farmer' then returned to being the number one kingdom. And the criminal is then slaughtered on the orders of 'the farmer', in order to fulfill the forecast.

And the tradition is done repeatedly, adjusted for the appearance of a solar eclipse. Uniquely, in the document dated 1,850 BC, the real king really died during the eclipse, and the criminal who succeeded him rose to power.

Meanwhile, in the land of Java the myth circulated that the Giant Betara Kala or Rahu swallowed the sun because of its revenge on the Surya (sun), causing an eclipse.

The fact that the size of the efforts of the ancient civilizations to 'respond' to the emergence of solar eclipses shows their extreme fear of the phenomenon.

But over time, the fear slowly faded. Humans are no longer avoiding, but very much hope for the appearance of a solar eclipse.

As happened in Indonesia in 2016. Instead of closing the door tightly and hiding inside the house, the Nusantara community crowded out to watch the solar eclipse, to admire the natural wonders of the Creator's work.

Then in what period did the fear of rare phenomena fade away?

"The fear is lost as human intellect grows," Bradley Schaefer said.

In the 5th century BC, the ancient Greek philosopher Anaxagoras made a reflection to understand deeply the phenomenon of solar eclipses.

The contemplation is not based on theological belief perspective, nor does it regard the Sun as the image of God. Anaxagoras reflects on the philosophy of solar eclipses by using the perspectives of traditional physics and natural sciences.

Then, he managed to reach a conclusion that until now has become a scientific fundamental to understand eclipses, that phenomenon was caused when the Moon was between the Sun and Earth, blocking the sun's light from going to Blue Planet .

The idea was later disseminated by Anaxagoras throughout Greece. However, like other philosophers at that time, the thought - the real scientific one - was countered by religious institutions, which were then in power.

As a result, the idea of ​​Anaxagoras was countered by the citizens of Athens, and the philosopher became persona non grata. He was exiled from the blood spill for the rest of his life.

In fact, if the idea of ​​Anaxagoras was accepted by Greek society as a scientific truth and shifted the myths of belief that existed, the Athenians did not need to defeat in the Peloponnesian War in 413 BC.

During the Peloponnesian War, the Athenian army led by Nicias was very close to seizing Syracuse in Sicily before a solar eclipse occurred. Afraid of prophecies, superstitions, and negative myths of eclipses, Greek forces were forced to withdraw and cancel attacks.

Seeing this, the Syracuse army exploited the momentum by storming the Greek army which was moving backwards. The result was very ironic, Athens lost a landslide, 200 ships were destroyed and 29,000 soldiers were killed or captured.

That defeat can be avoided if Athena continues to attack Syracuse. However, the fear of destruction as prophesied by the solar eclipse, in fact, actually caused defeat for Greece.

However, 30 years later post-defeat in 413 BC, superstitions about solar eclipses slowly faded and were no longer believed by the Athenians. At the time of attacking Syracuse for the second time, a solar eclipse reappeared, but the Greek army never retreated.

The deeper the understanding of the Greeks of the solar eclipse, not only made their mystical superstitions fade, but also enriched their knowledge to predict the arrival of these rare phenomena.

And the experience and knowledge of the Greeks will eclipse the sun, spread widely throughout civilization in Eurasia. With the exception of China which has philosophical principles and solar eclipse prediction methods that are different from European culture.

Although the understanding of the phenomenon is getting deeper, however, myths and fears of a solar eclipse persist, until the 1900s.

In the United States, in the 1920s when a solar eclipse appeared, a number of photos showed some residents who seemed reluctant, unwilling, and anxious to look up at the sky when a solar eclipse occurred. Some use glasses or other visual aids.

"But everything changed in the 1970s, when a solar eclipse was seen on the East Coast. Since then, the phenomenon has been celebrated and targeted by eclipse hunters," Schaefer explained.

from: Rizki Akbar Hasan. www.liputan6.com

Ideally, we'd be next door at the bar. But the truth is, the boys in the band were getting ready to flee the Butte Wildfire that ravaged Amador County in September 2015. Our escape took us on a Toad's Wild Ride up the California Central Valley, eventually ending up at a band members house in Grass Valley. And not to worry, all the gear made it too, much to the dismay of the local neighbors who suffered through two nights of our raucous music making.

Arnold CA

Nikon D80, Nikkor 55-200/4-5.6, ISO 220, f/5,6, 1/500, 190mm

Thank you all for faves and comments

Welcome the infamous pirate, Captain Kalmar and his small but loyal crew! L to R:

1. Lobster, an old sea dog skilled is all manner of swordplay and keelhaul. Often drifts into the fishermen's nets deliberately - just to burst out and wreak havoc once pulled up on deck

2. Bony the deckswab is in charge of more than his broom. Being the chief entertainer he knows many a dance and is in fact his own musical instrument.

3. Captain Kalmar, the notorious pirate, the master of both the seas and the underseas. Is rumoured to summon his brethren from the depths to aid him in plundering and scuttling ships.

4. Jack the weredog, Captain's right hand (or is that tentacle?) - not much in the way of intellect but gets the job done. Claims to have a lucky hair growing somewhere, though its precise location seems to differ with the moon phase.

5. Mermaid Eeriel has never succeeded in captivating a sailor with her song, be it for her screeching voice or her looks. One day, however, her wish to walk the land on two feet was granted - yet the society turned away once more. She has now sworn to seek revenge on all humans.

Get ready to plunder!!

Name: Shawn Mansfield (Human)

Z'chazak (Spirit)

Powers: Shawn: Above average agility, stamina, and knowledge of mystical artifacts

Z'chazak: Near-immortality, magic, extreme cunning, intellect, willpower and influence.

Weaknesses: Shawn: You name it. He is human, after all XD

Z'chazak: Overconfidence, powerless without a human form, bound to the mask bearing his name. Destroying it will destroy his spirit.

Origin: Shawn Mansfield was a well-respected archeologist. One day, while exploring an ancient South American temple, he stumbled upon a room containing strange paintings on the walls and an ornate mask resting on a pedestal. As he picked the mask up, he was filled with an uncontrollable desire to put it on. Doing so, Shawn was overwhelmed with power and blacked out. Upon waking, Mansfield discovered he was no longer in control of his actions. The mask had granted him immense magical power, but it also took away his free will. From what Shawn could gather, he had inadvertently freed the jungle spirit Z'chazak, an ancient evil imprisoned for the last 500 years. Now that Z'chazak is free, it is only a matter of time before he takes revenge on the human race for imprisoning him.

Well, that's all! I hope you guys and gals enjoyed it! And remember to "suit up, sign up": www.flickr.com./groups/llh

Excerpt from japan-guide.com:

Chionji Temple (智恩寺) is a temple at the southern entrance of the Amanohashidate Sandbar. Part of the Rinzai School of Japanese Zen Buddhism, the temple houses one of Japan's "Three Important Statues of Monju Bosatsu", the Buddhist god of wisdom and intellect. As such, students and other visitors come to the temple to pray for both wisdom and academic and personal success. They purchase special fortunes (omikuji) shaped like folding fans, which many people leave hanging from pine trees all around the temple grounds.

Other important structures around the temple are a large entrance gate and a two-story tahoto style pagoda, which was built in the 1500s and is the oldest structure on the temple grounds. Chionji is also the site of the tomb of Izumi Shikibu, a famous female poet from the Heian Period (710-1185).

Mosaic floor with the famous Liverbird motif and school motto `Ut olim ingenii necnon virtutis cultores’ (Not only the Intellect but also the Character.)

This is pretty much all that remains of the one-man protest against self-awareness and intellect. Sadly, this is pretty much where we are in my country now.

www.syracuse.com/crime/2021/10/man-behind-racist-vulgar-a...

The magistrate Sétiziat (1757-1847) was David’s brother-in-law and friend. The tone is informal, and the background deliberately appears unfinished - an extensions of traditional technique, used in a novel manner. David rejected uniform finish on artistic and moral principles: high finish was unnecessary, carrying with it the suspicion of appealing to the senses, rather than the intellect. This is an early example of David’s Spartan aesthetic, which would become more pronounced with time, as his view of Art was influenced by the politics of the French revolution and its calls for political and moral reform.

This is the sarcophagus of the vizier Gemenefherbak, XXVI Sais dynasty (664-525 a.C), sculpted in basalt.

On the chest a great winged scarab is engraved, a symbol of rebirth and regeneration - to better understand the composition of these decorations, one should consider that the ancient Egyptians located in the heart the seat of intellect. Below there are two columns of funeral offerings.

I find very striking the harmonious simplicity of this sarcophage and the essential graphic quality of the decorations and of the face, the metallic look of basalt greatly contributing to the general effect.

I have tried again to denoise, but with unsatisfactory results... However, I have found very useful The Gimp's wavelet decompose filter, which allowed me to filter out some of the noise in a better way; I have also successfully experimented with bilateral smoothing of the residual scale :-)

Energy, Integrity, Intellect, Compassion, Love

"Then the soul, freed from vice, purged by studies of true philosophy, versed in spiritual life, and practised in matters of the intellect, devoted to the contemplation of her own substance, as if awakened from deepest sleep, opens those eyes which all possess but few use, and sees in herself a ray of that light which is the true image of the angelic beauty communicated to her, and of which she then communicates a faint shadow to the body."

Baldassare Castiglione, The Book of the Courtier

"Forests are made of darkness and light entwined.”

F.T. McKinstry

"Have trembled beneath the pressure of a light beam."

Jay Woodman

© Copyright Nikolay Jovnovich - All rights reserved. EXPLORED March 14, 2013.

* Lightbox: Best seen in larger size on black (click image above)

Stupidità

tu sei giullare

di mediocrità

Dedicato agli sciocchi

Dedicato agli inetti

Dedicato a chi vive

di mafioso silenzio omertoso

Dedicato ai vili

che hanno paura di parlare

Dedicato a chi non sa guardare

A chi vede e fa finta di niente

A chi ha una vita banale

che non sa di niente

Dedicato a chi si crede un Dio

e invece ha solo uno stolto piccolo Io

Dedicato a chi pensa d’essere la più bella del reame

e invece è solo ordinario ciarpame

Dedicato a chi non ha cultura

a chi non ha intelletto

e quest’ultimo

è un irreversibile difetto

Dedicato alla stupidità

Elogio degli inetti

inutili insetti

Elogio degli sciocchi

fastidiosi pidocchi

Dedicato a chi non leggerà

perché essendo uno stupido

non capirà

Elogio della stupidità

tu sei giullare alla mia corte

e io oggi

ti condanno a morte

Senza appello e senza difesa

perché chi non ha neuroni

ma larve nel cervello

deve perire con lama di coltello

affilata ghigliottina

Tu

stupido sciocco

non sei degno

neppure

di una sola sillaba

della mia parlantina

E adesso

ritorna

nella tua latrina

In praise of stupidity

Stupidity

you are fool

of mediocrity

Dedicated to the silly

Dedicated to the inept

Dedicated to those who live

of Mafioso conspiratorial silence

Dedicated to the base

who are afraid to speak

Dedicated to those who can not watch

Who sees and pretends not to notice

Who has a life of trivial

that it does not know anything

Dedicated to those who believe themselves to a God

and instead they only have a small fool Ego

Dedicated to those who think to be the fairest of them all

and instead they are just ordinary trash

Dedicated to those who have no culture

to those who have no intellect

and the latter

is a fatal defect

Dedicated to stupidity

Praise of inept

useless insects

In praise of fools

pesky lice

Dedicated to those who will not read

because being a fool

not understand

In praise of stupidity

You're jester in my court

and today

I condemn you to death

Without appeal and without defense

Because who has no neurons

but larvae in the brain

must perish with knife

Sharp Knife

You

stupid fool

are not worthy

even

of a single syllable

of my gab

And now

you back

in your latrine

[Katia Celestini]

Tutte le mie immagini e i miei testi sono coperti da © Copyright.

Vietato l'uso e la riproduzione senza la mia autorizzazione. Tutti i diritti riservati.

Forbidden to use or reproduce without my permission. All rights reserved.

-----------------------

Auschwitz is outside of us, but it is all around us, in the air. The plague has died away, but the infection still lingers and it would be foolish to deny it. Rejection of human solidarity, obtuse and cynical indifference to the suffering of others, abdication of the intellect and of moral sense to the principle of authority, and above all, at the root of everything, a sweeping tide of cowardice, a colossal cowardice which masks itself as warring virtue, love of country and faith in an idea.

Primo Levi, If This Is a Man / The Truce

---------------------------------

"Words represent your intellect. The sound, gesture and movement represent your feelings."

Patricia Fripp

This is our squirrel, Nutsy. Nutsy is extremely intelligent, and has so far thwarted all attempts to persuade him to live elsewhere. So we have decided to adopt him, and when he's a little older maybe send him to college so he can channel his superior intellect into some kind of productive enterprise. Possibly engineering, as he is a natural problem solver. Nutsy does have some cognitive deficits, however, which he will need to address. He thinks that if he can't see us, then we can't see him. Wrong, Nutsy. Wrong.

"To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect."

~ Oscar Wilde

"Horses’ skulls used to be stashed

Under dance boards long ago:

They enticed echoes from a heel

And helped the sound ring whole.

A sobering thought, my love,

Those heads underfoot:

I drove them from my mind,

And strove to keep you near."

© 2010, Aifric Mac Aodha

From: Gabháil Syrinx

Publisher: An Sagart, Dublin, 2010

ISBN: 9781903896631

Publisher: First published on PIW, 2011

"Aifric Mac Aodha was born in Dublin in 1979. Her first collection, Gabháil Syrinx (The Capture of Syrinx) was edited by Pádraig Ó Fiannachta and published by An Sagart in 2010. She is the Irish-language poetry editor of Comhar and The Stinging Fly. At University College, Dublin, she studied Old Irish and Modern Irish. Her profound knowledge of the Gaelic tradition, as well as Greek mythology, has produced many erudite poems, which is not to say that these poems appeal solely to the intellect. Striking imagery and deceptively simple language bypass the intellect and provoke a lingering emotional response. These emotive evocations can be felt in the dreamlike sequence of ‘Turas na mBolcán’ (Journey of the Volcanoes)."

PIW

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Tropical%20Getaway/73/126/...

Visit this location at Wayward Souls in Second Life

Trying out each of the 3 starters although I already know I want to go Nomad and have him go as full out melee.

Corporate, if I play, is all intellect and tech.

This is a dedication and thank you to Venicio Armin

youtu.be/ztG5CsOmdp4

Thank you, my friend, Venicio

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H29XVCOt8M

Best Movie songs of all time – for you Venicio

There is no greater gift in life than the gift of Love. Love comes in many forms to us. Love in its purest form, free of attachment to any outcome. Just a genuine desire to enhance other’s lives and to give of oneself in a selfless way. It can come to us in the Gift of Friendship.

I have always known that love transcends time and space and that no matter where we are in this vast universe, energy can be felt across the cosmos from those that we encounter. Every now and then such an intense exchange of energy takes place between two souls, it is powerful beyond words. At these times I am always in awe of the magnificence of this world and of people’s hearts and minds. To be able to sense and feel another person whom you have never met or seen is quite remarkable to experience.

This is dedicated to my dearest friend Venicio who continues to touch my soul to the depths of my core. I lose count how many times when I open mail or read his posts when my mind is not opened in ways that provoke all kinds of imaginings. His poetic ability to piece together the written word in such a way that it is like a magnificent orchestra that plays the most beautiful of harmonies that my heart cannot help but sing to.

That first spark of emotion that brings me to tears is a beautiful experience, I take in the beauty savouring my tears against my flesh as they roll down my face. My heart fills with overwhelming gratitude and love at these times. Venicio has the ability to evoke such deep emotions within me on a regular basis. Venicio, you bring a light and joy into my life that no one has done for me in such a very long time.

How does a person continue to provoke such emotion in another? Venicio does this time and time again and I am so truly blessed and honoured that he takes time to mail me directly in personal emails. These emails have become such a treasured chest of the greatest wealth that no amount of money can buy.

How blessed that I am on the receiving end of this man’s talent and beauty and receive the gift of his friendship in such profound ways. I am truly honoured and so very grateful for the gift of friendship from this amazing soul whom I have come to love deeply through our written words to one another. Our sharing of private messages has been and is a great blessing in my life. The sharing of words is not of any kind of romantic nature, it is simply two souls in an exchange of heart, soul and minds merging with one another. It is truly the most magnificent experience with Venicio.

Venicio continues to open a whole new world of vocabulary that never ceases to amaze me since English is not his first language. I find myself regularly having to google the meaning of a word or google a phrase or an event that I have never heard of before that he might reference.

His vast mind, intelligence and knowledge is like an encyclopedia. I am truly just a humble woman and lack the intellectual skills and often fail miserably in my attempts to respond to such greatness. Beyond this incredible intellect of Venicio – is a man of true depth of heart and soul. A beautiful soul who reached out to me privately some years ago now with profound words that touched me deeply – he continues to do this over the years.

It is such a rare gift to find in a soul on this planet, that unique combination of talent – his talent in all honesty is that of Brilliance! this alone is such a rarity to find in a person but his ability to open his heart, share so much with me and he comes from that deep core – that place that only a person who has known great suffering can speak from. He speaks with compassion, integrity, and honesty, he is raw in his emotions, and this is a rare quality in any individual.

I am in constant awe and gratitude to you Venicio – words regularly fail me when it comes to responding to you. A brilliant mind, a remarkable man and I want you to know that I love you from the depths of my core and thank you for all that you bring to my life. My life is truly richer because of you, you bring the ‘sound of music’ to my life through your written words like no other has ever had the ability to do.

This poem is still today one of the most beautiful poems to me, – I gained permission from the author many years ago to use this poem where needed (without gain or profit).

Venicio – stand with me on the edge and let’s shout at the silvery moon – we have both stood on the edge and shouted to that silvery moon and we have not run or hidden from our pain – instead embraced it and slap it in the face and fight to climb that mountain once more.

“The Invitation” by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.

I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.

I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure

of being alive!

It doesn’t interest me what “planets are squaring your moon”.

I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened

by life’s betrayals -- or, have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to “hide it” or

“Fade it” or “fix it”.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and

let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes! -- without cautioning us to “be

careful”, “be realistic”, or to “remember the limitations of being human”.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you’re telling me is true.

I want to know if you can disappoint another -- to be true to yourself.

If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.

I want to know if you can be faithful, and therefore be trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty every day, and if you can

source your life from God’s presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours, and mine, and still stand on the edge of a

lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes!”

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.

I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the

bone -- and do what needs to be done -- for the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you are or how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me -- and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or “with whom you have studied”.

I want to know what sustains you -- from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep -

- in the empty moments.

You have done just that Venicio - sat with me in my vulnerability, when I have been naked and raw in my emotions and not shivered away or tried to fix or save me.

We have my friend stood naked in the sense of removing all masks and veils of concealment with one another. That is such a rare gift between two souls. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you are and all that you bring to my life.

I wonder sometimes how God blessed me the day you came into my life. Bless You Venicio ♥

I think that the leaf of a tree, the meanest insect on which we trample, are in themselves arguments more conclusive than any which can be adduced that some vast intellect animates Infinity.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

A few photos of Donald J.Trump

It's said that a picture of a mam's face captures his true character and intellect.

Is he a genius or psychopath you be the judge.

Is this man really fit to be the President of the United States ?

Raccoo' — Solitary American Wigeon (Anas americana) drake, east side (inside the path) of Thomson Marsh, Kelowna, BC. Late afternoon.

Besides the head colour-pattern and the extra white on the wings, this fella is what some might call a real 'blockhead', and that's not a comment on his intellect....

www.javierfigueredo.com

Art website

Artistic installation showing a priest with a clown nose, criticizing the social events of the moment. Already there are voices in the world, affirming the multipolarity of art, intellect-not just as entertainment, but as a reflection of society.

To view the complete work, visit my website at www.javierfigueredo.com

Date: July 2009

Medium: Digital Photography Montage

Dimensions: w 24” x h 24” (Larger and Smaller Sizes Available)

© 2009 Tony DeVarco

"Claritas, 'radiance' or 'spendor' is the unique and present essence of the thing itself. It is both the pleasure and truth of each aspect and the universal qualities in the whole – its brilliance and luminosity. Claritas is the quality that allows beauty to illuminate its beholder, where intellect and intuition converge in its encounter".

Bonnie DeVarco, "Aesthetics of the Connective Mind."

scaleindependentthought.typepad.com/scale_independent_tho...

Eclectus are remarkable birds and ideally suited as a pet. When taught properly, they are capable of cognitive behaviour from a very young age.

The ability of the Eclectus to communicate with humans is a result of their extremely inquisitive nature, a feature strongly linked to their life in the rainforest canopy. This habitat is a rich environment requiring a heightened visual and audible intellect to master.

"Euclid's Elements is certainly one of the greatest books ever written, and one of the most perfect monuments of the Greek intellect."

Bertrand Russell, A History of Western Philosophy, p. 211

My entry in the preliminary round of the 2018 Bio-Cup, of course! I was set from the start on offering something entirely original. After a days or two muddling through various unsatisfying 'elements' from alchemy, technology, and science, I suddenly recalled the Greek mathematician Euclid's authorship of the landmark geometry textbook entitled Elements, and knew I would depict him. In a Bionicle twist, he now wields Geometry powers in addition to his trademark compass and straightedge! I look forward to your thoughts, hope you enjoy, and wish my fellow participants good luck in the Bio-Cup!

“Totalitarianism is not a historical coincidence. In the final analysis, it is the logical consequence of mechanistic thinking and the delusional belief in the omnipotence of human rationality. As such, totalitarianism is the defining feature of the Enlightenment tradition.” ‒ Mattias Desmet

Totalitarianism is a product of the Enlightenment tradition. It places faith in human rationality. It’s a belief system in which man’s intellect can save man, the world, and the universe. Man will solve man’s problems, thus bringing salvation to mankind. Its priests desire to form a new society built on rationality. They want a world without pain and suffering. They even want to conquer death. Science, man’s new religion, has its own creation story. In this story, man has been reduced to particles that interact according to the laws of mechanics. Life and mankind were randomly produced without any purpose or direction. Man is seen as a machine; he works (repetitively) as a machine; he will merge with machine. The universe is also a machine, and it too will eventually be manipulated. The spiritual elect of this religion look forward to an artificial heaven on earth, where man and nature have been replaced by perfect technological clones. Once this happens, man will have conquered both man and nature. He will then gain eternal life. He will synthetically live forever. “Amen and Hallelujah!” shout the transhumanists. As a result, the totalitarians will have realized their goal of a superman/super race like the New Soviet Man/Aryan Race. The idolatry of science, which aims to create a perfect world, will ultimately result in a dystopian nightmare. Their rationality will become irrational. Secular humanism will fail.

“Man is at last becoming aware that he alone is responsible for the realization of the world of his dreams, that he has within himself the power for its achievement.” – Humanist Manifesto I

With science came technological advancement. These advances separated man from nature, tradition, and family. The industrial revolution changed the social fabric of society. Before industrialization, most families lived in rural areas and did agricultural work. The family worked together to support itself. Multiple generations lived together in the same area. Extended families were an important part of society. After industrialization, many families moved to urban areas and did manufacturing work. They became cogs in the machine, working meaningless jobs. This movement split up the extended family unit. Then there was one: the nuclear family. “The dynamics of industrialization contributed to the rise of single-parent families. Factors such as increased divorce rates, the normalization of out-of-wedlock childbirth, and the empowerment of women to raise children independently all played a role in this shift.” As you can see, the nuclear family has not fared too well. Technology produced the radio, television, and social media, which have created an antisocial society. Technology was supposed to make life easier; it was supposed to make us happier, yet it has made us lonely and unhappy. Society has lost its meaning. People come home from meaningless jobs, only to live meaningless social lives online. Wolves chase after those separated from the herd, because they are easy targets. When the isolated are rounded up and killed, no one will fight for them because they are isolated from the herd. Those who are alone and isolated will be seen as useless eaters by their enemies. “To keep you is no gain; to kill you is no loss.” Indeed, a lonely society is very prone to accepting totalitarianism.

The Enlightenment was supposed to empower us, yet we have become more powerless. The Enlightenment was supposed to make us more independent, yet we have become more dependent. Plus, technology is controlled by the few. With science, a perfect artificial world is being built. It’s creating a fake Garden of Eden that is full of genetically modified foods, lab-grown meat, sex dolls that look like Eve, and synthetic-fiber clothing to hide our naked bodies of sin. Don’t eat the genetically modified fruit, it will kill you! Automated machines, robots, and artificial intelligence will replace man’s toil. Artificial wombs will replace the pain of childbirth. The digital paradise being constructed dehumanizes us. It steals our humanity. It makes us insecure, unempathetic, narcissistic, apathetic, cowardly, lonely, and isolated. An insecure society is less resilient. An insecure society is easier to control. An unempathetic, narcissistic, apathetic, and cowardly society will look the other way when people are rounded up and killed. A lonely and isolated society is weak and submissive. They feel empty and meaningless, and they have little self-worth. Such a society yearns for direction and authority. They are weak and lazy and want someone (the state) to take care of them.

We have a dumbed-down society. The education system teaches us how to be cogs in the machine. Mass media is a giant propaganda machine, indoctrinating the masses. The ignorant zombies have been trained to listen to the experts. These experts lead the sheep with twisted data and statistics. Thus, the people are easily led. Safety: give up your freedom of privacy to fight terror. Misinformation: give up your freedom of speech to fight hate speech. 15-minute cities: give up your freedom of movement to fight climate change. Mass immigration: give up your culture for multiculturalism. Abortion is women’s health. Euthanasia is good. By the way, how many genders are there? Society has been molded and shaped. You have been taught what to think, not how to think.

“I don’t want a nation of thinkers, I want a nation of workers.” ‒ John D. Rockefeller

Students have been indoctrinated and radicalized by feminism, gender theory, critical race theory, and decolonialism. The goal: abolish women, gender, race, borders and nations. All hail the tranhumanist new world order! The youth are taught that capitalism is bad and socialism is good. They’ve been taught to hate their own country, traditions, values, and culture. They’ve been taught to hate their own race! Humiliation is a tool of control to shape and guide them. If a person loses their identity, they can be easily manipulated and brainwashed. Our youth have been taught that a communist revolution is necessary to overthrow capitalism. The end justifies the means! Therefore, radicals in the education system have raised up an army of woke activists. These woke evangelists have been poisoned by envy, hate, and bitterness. It doesn’t help that subversive billionaires are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into supposed ‘organic’ protests, which are being organized by professional protesters (communist agitators). Wokeism is the new puritan movement of today, with its moral values and commandments. These born-again socialists preach the dialectic gospel of social(ist) justice and equality. These radicalized saints promise a perfect world. A radicalized society is prone to accepting totalitarianism. In fact, it’s extremely prone to accepting totalitarianism. Especially when the youth are radicalized!

“Give me just one generation of youth, and I’ll transform the whole world.” ‒ Vladimir Lenin

Science, the religion of the day, has become corrupted. Fraud in scientific research is increasing. Falsified scientific papers are becoming more and more common. The perception of reality can be steered by crunching numbers in any desired fashion. (Climate change data is famous for distorting numbers.) Totalitarians mold the perception of reality with propaganda. The COVID-19 hysteria, with its “follow the science,” was proof of its degeneration. People blindly became disciples of the experts. Their apostles commanded: Mask up, even though it’s ineffective! Social distance, even though it’s useless! Take a PCR test, even though it’s unreliable! Take the vaccines, even though they haven’t been properly tested! Ivermectin is bad, even though it can help some patients! The population must be locked down, even though it’s physically and mentally bad for their health and weakens their immune system! Herd immunity, what’s that? Small businesses must be shutdown, even though big corporations like Walmart can stay open! Schools must be shut down, even though the average age of death is 70+ years old! Fire the unvaccinated healthcare workers, even though the emergency rooms are supposedly full and short-staffed! TicTok nurses! Dance, baby, dance! We’re in a pandemic, can’t you see!?! Falsely mark down unrelated deaths as COVID deaths—beef up those numbers! Big numbers, big money! Since this is science, we must suppress opposing ideas! Science that censors different opinions is not science. Much of society faithfully trusted the science, with its religious experts and scientific doctrines, numbers and graphs. In Nazi Germany, children were conditioned to accept any form of authority without question. Without question, many people blindly obeyed the COVID restrictions. To this day, some people mask up in public. They are religious zealots! They still haven’t woken up from their indoctrination. The science of today: take a big pharma flu shot, rather than rely on your own immune system; take a big pharma flu shot, rather than eat foods that are high in antioxidants like vitamin C. Could you not just find a natural vitamin C supplement? Nope! We love big pharma! We love big corporations! We love Big Brother! We love fascism! Since you’ve been trained to be a consumer, you’ll consume what has been marketed to you. Oh, the science of propaganda! Ah, the science of marketing!

“Scientism has remained to this day one of the strongest Gnostic movements in Western society.” – Eric Voegelin

During COVID-19, people were not only begging for totalitarian measures, but they were applauding them. They wanted strict rules to ease their uncertainty, fear, and insecurity. They coped with their insecurity by running others down. The big bad enemies were not the Jews, but the unvaccinated. Fear needs an enemy! People were calling for the unvaccinated to be rounded up. Some even wanted the unvaccinated killed. This made them feel more secure, like they had the upper hand. They had the camaraderie of the mob; they felt like they belonged! The extra rules helped ease their anxiety. They felt more in control of their fear. The fellowship of the mob helped to further ease their stress and insecurity. There is security in numbers! They rebuked, denounced, and excommunicated heretical friends and relatives who strayed from the holy narrative. They felt righteous, because they were supposedly fighting for a righteous cause. This made them feel virtuous. They were crusaders for the truth, and they felt heroic! They felt relief as they took out their frustrations on their enemies. They blew off steam! They felt good! They felt energized!

These people had an authoritarian mindset. Their true selves, their true natures, came to the surface. They had a mob mentality. They had a pack mentality. These people were so filled with fear, hysteria, and panic that they could not think straight. They lost their ability to calm down and think things through. They could not regulate their fears and emotions. As a result, they could not think critically. How can one think critically in a panic? In fact, since they were taught to be cogs in the machine, they weren’t really taught to be critical thinkers. Just as a child must learn how to walk, a child must be taught how to critically think. They were taught to solve problems related to the machine, but they were not taught to think outside the machine. That is why they say things like: I support free speech, ‘but’ not hate speech. They don’t even understand how speech operates under the framework of free speech. They literally can’t understand the concept of free speech! It’s over their heads. Will these people ever change? Nope, I’ve yet to see any of them apologize for their actions during COVID. Given the right crisis, our society will accept totalitarianism.

Big government, with its increased bureaucracy, administration, and management, loves to make ever-increasing rules and regulations. We are drawing closer and closer to totalitarianism. We will soon have a totalitarian system with digital biometric IDs, central bank digital currencies, and social credit scores. We are becoming a total surveillance society. Our data is being collected, tracked, analyzed, and sold. COVID caused a worldwide hypnosis, a mass hysteria, in which the masses were ready to trade their freedoms for safety. Nothing much has changed. The world’s population is slowly being boiled like a frog; it’s slowly being corralled into a worldwide authoritarian system. Like Nazi Germany, many today would pick totalitarianism if they were promised economic solutions in a time of financial hardship. If we had another great depression like the 1930s, many in our decadent society would pick a totalitarian system. They would choose digital IDs, CBDCs, and social credit scores if they could receive universal basic income to feed their families. Is it really a stretch to see why people would accept the Mark of the Beast?

In the fourth industrial revolution, man will physically merge with technology. Of course, this technology is supposed to make man smarter and healthier. It’s supposed to turn man into the perfect superman. How can the imperfect make the perfect? Man is an imperfect sinner. He has sinned against God. God is perfect, and sin is imperfect. Perfection and imperfection do not mix. Righteousness and sin do not mix. Light expels darkness, God expels sin. God’s punishment for sin is death. God will permit sinful man to utilize his strength and rationality to attempt to work out his own salvation. Ultimately, man will fail. Christ will return to stop man from destroying all life on earth at the battle of Armageddon (Matthew 24:22). Jesus will destroy those who, in their sin, are destroying the earth (Revelation 11:18). Jesus first came as a sacrificial Lamb for the atonement of sins. The second time, Jesus will come as a roaring lion to destroy His enemies. His enemies will choose His imposter, the antichrist. They will accept the transhuman Mark of the Beast. As a result, they will forfeit salvation. Only in Christ (the perfect sacrifice) is sin forgiven. Will you accept His salvation? Or will you try, in your sin, to work out your own salvation?

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him, and he with Me.”

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For the day, when America, will be a nation of intellect and compassion.

Thanks for visiting my photostream

www.ronnierabenaphotography.ca/

Emoticons [40/365] - “Control your emotion or it will control you”

"Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you.” Roger Ebert

I am feeling quite amazing. Everything seems to be coming together quite nicely. Crazy how life can change for the good in a split second.

Today's photo is based on Emoticons found in messengers or anywhere on the internet for that matter. Those little faces that express the way we feel, so people may see it instead of read it. So I did my take on emoticons used in real life. Today I certainly chose the happy one. Why? Well because I am happy of course, lol.

This was quite fun to shoot, trying to get all the expressions right. If A.S. was here I would certainly be using the emoticon in front of my face, hehe... ♥

“Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain.” - Carl Jung

Macro Monday project – 02/23/15

"Twist"

Excerpt from japan-guide.com:

Chionji Temple (智恩寺) is a temple at the southern entrance of the Amanohashidate Sandbar. Part of the Rinzai School of Japanese Zen Buddhism, the temple houses one of Japan's "Three Important Statues of Monju Bosatsu", the Buddhist god of wisdom and intellect. As such, students and other visitors come to the temple to pray for both wisdom and academic and personal success. They purchase special fortunes (omikuji) shaped like folding fans, which many people leave hanging from pine trees all around the temple grounds.

Other important structures around the temple are a large entrance gate and a two-story tahoto style pagoda, which was built in the 1500s and is the oldest structure on the temple grounds. Chionji is also the site of the tomb of Izumi Shikibu, a famous female poet from the Heian Period (710-1185).

Alter Ego: Pascal

Name: Unknown

Allegiance: Neutral

Powers:

* Area Pressure Control

* Immunity to his own powers

* Super Strength and durability

* No need for sustenance

* Can survive the vacuum of space and underwater depths

* Alien Mentality (Telepathy, Memory, Intelligence)

* Can integrate and upgrade metal substances with its own morphology and intellect becoming one with it. It can even adapt powers to go with its new form.

Weapons:

* Armoured diving suit

Key Weakness: His movement speed is decreased drastically when he uses his powers.

Origin:

Pascal is an alien virus that traveled to Earth to avoid destruction by intergalactic scientists. When it landed on Earth it arrived in Avalon City aquarium where it sought out a host immediately. It took possession of an old Diver Suit, integrating with the metal. It began to work its alien self inside the suit reanimating and upgrading it beyond belief, even adapting powers after reading the history on the monument. The virus doesn’t speak so it’s intentions are unclear but it seems to be trying to integrate itself with the indestructible metal, Destrite.

Graffiti Alley, Toronto Ontario Canada

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digital art

Ganesha, also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations. Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains and Buddhists.

Although he is known by many attributes, Ganesha's elephant head makes him easy to identify. Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the deva of intellect and wisdom. As the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rituals and ceremonies. Ganesha is also invoked as patron of letters and learning during writing sessions. Several texts relate mythological anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits and explain his distinct iconography.

Ganesha emerged as a distinct deity in the 4th and 5th centuries AD, during the Gupta period, although he inherited traits from Vedic and pre-Vedic precursors. He was formally included among the five primary deities of Smartism (a Hindu denomination) in the 9th century. A sect of devotees called the Ganapatya arose, who identified Ganesha as the supreme deity. The principal scriptures dedicated to Ganesha are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa. Brahma Purana and Brahmanda Purana are other two Puranic genre encyclopedic texts that deal with Ganesha.

“Theologians call faith a sure but obscure habit (habitus) of the soul;” obscure, because “it brings us to believe divinely revealed truths that transcend every natural light and infinitely exceed all human understanding. As a result, the excessive light of faith bestowed on a soul is darkness for it; a brighter light will eclipse and suppress a dimmer one.” “So the light of faith suppresses and overwhelms that of the intellect through its abundance. For the intellect, by its own power, extends only to natural knowledge.”

-THE SCIENCE OF THE CROSS Edith Stein

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Discalced Carmelite The Collected Works of Edith Stein VI Translated by Josephine Koeppel, O.C.D.

Edited by Dr. L. Gelber and Romaeus Leuven, O.C.D.

The other day, a Flickr friend e-mailed and asked me (rhetorically, I'm sure) how we got to be such good friends. I don't have a lot of time to deal with that question at the moment but... here's my theory.

Flickr (like other online communities) allows us to relate to one another almost solely on the basis of our intellects. It's largely unencumbered by the weight of physicality.... and therefore easier, with less obligation.

I have more to say on the topic, but no time to write right now.

If you wanna share your own thoughts, please fire away. I'd love to see this from your perspective.

By photographing your loved ones, you remind yourself that they are mortal. And all the moments, lovely laughs, and delicious meals you share— will eventually end.

I photograph Cindy, with the full awareness that she will die. I will die. I photograph her as a reminder to myself to appreciate my (brief) time on earth with her. And my ultimate hope in photographing Cindy and promoting ‘personal photography’ is to teach photographers:

Don’t take your loved ones for granted.

Photograph your loved ones like today is going to be their last. Or photograph your loved ones like today is your last.

Simple ways to get started:

1. Photograph with your smartphone

Photograph your loved ones with your smartphone, and whenever you hit the shutter— remind yourself, “This is a wonderful moment. I appreciate every second with them. This will not last forever.”

2. Tell your loved ones that you love them

Whenever I photograph Cindy, I compliment her on her beauty, intellect, and child-like curiosity. I almost use photography as an excuse to show my appreciation for her.

3. Make the photos beautiful

To the best of your ability; try to make the most artistic, beautiful photographs of your loved ones. Who knows, maybe one day you might use that image as their altar-piece. Also, if your loved ones pass before you do, at least you will have beautiful images of them, to uplift your soul when you are grieving.

—

Conclusion: Photograph with your heart

I don’t meant to depress you, scare you, or be so macabre.

However, I just want to urge you: photograph your loved ones, because your time together on earth is brief.

Be strong,

Eric