Sigrid Weidenweber's Blog, page 6

Will the Great Play of Western Civilization........(Part four)

I know that I will get plenty of flak from the apologists for today’s teaching methods of behavior in the schools and the homes of Americans and Europeans. To them I quote a letter by Prof. David C. Rose, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis. In this letter he comments on the poor return from Bill Gates’s education effort. According to Prof. Rose, and I agree, “everyone who goes to school today is exposed to the same set of bad ideas.” He states that even private schools “teach in a manner that would be considered absurdly fanciful by ordinary teachers just a generation ago.” He names, as pernicious the idea taught to children, that the truth is “a mere social construct.”

As you remember I have commented on that fact of a flexible measure of truth earlier. To that we can add that once we have provided the basis for really bad behavior, we do little to discourage it, because we do not punish severely when needed. The British prison doctor and psychiatrist Anthony Daniels, better known under his pen-name Dr. Dalrymple, author of more than dozen books, states that our average convict when asked why he steals: “is like asking you why you have lunch.” Meaning, that the thief sees something he wants and he takes it. To that he adds, “And since in Britain, the state, does very little to discourage or incarcerate them when they are caught, the question is not why there are so many burglars, but why there are so few.” Dalrymple calls this phenomenon “the toxic cult of sentimentality.”

Yes, we do have a toxic brew of sentimental emotions, ranging from churched do-gooders to liberals, who would like to see every criminal, even the most horrible, evil creatures, rehabilitated. The thing that is hard to understand is, why these people cannot deal with hard facts right before their very eyes. I have tried to understand this kind of thinking and come up with two justifications for their belief system.

1.      One believes that goodness can overcome everything, because of the feel-good effect of being involved in the rehab of the awful wretches. The curched proponents for the rehabilitation of criminals bring a real dilemma to discussion. Did not Jesus say, forgive them seve times seventy? Yes, but he meant that in a spiritual not a physical sense. He would forgive many trespasses, but he also said give onto Ceasar what is Ceasar's do. Meaning, you follow the social and cultural dictates. If they mean incarceration--so be it!

2.      One has broken the law on occasions and dislikes the prospect of harsh punishment if found out or, failing that, one has a close relative or especially a child, who is a law-breaker, for whom long prison terms or the death penalty looms.

Those are the only two reasons that I can come up with. To those who argue everyone deserves a second chance I say, “Yes, everyone can fail and needs a second chance, but not the third, fourth and fifth. So, whence arises the above mentioned sentimentality in our society? It began with Dr. Freud who, despite some great insights into the psyche, also brought along a plethora of excuses for our short-comings. I mentioned Nietzsche, who did away with God and left bereft of strength any number of people who had withstood injustice, terror and deprivation through their spiritual connection to God.

In Germany I noted this trend arising with the death of Chancellor Conrad Adenauer. The great old states man had reformed and shaped West-Germany after the war in a way-both forthright and self-examining. Yes, Germany repented for not having protected its minority, for allowing Nazism (Nationalsozialismus, National Socialism) to overtake the country. However, the country did not fall during this time into the abject emotionalism and the endless and totally unconstructive mea culpas of the following years. Guenter Grass’s, author of “Die Blechtrommel” (The Tin Drum,) is the perfect example of this trend. Unfortunately, one cannot weep one tear more for a cemetery of dead as one can for just one.

Oh, and then, at the turn of the century, we received the new crop of the “New Intellectual.” They are best described by having acquired a special, usually narrow, field of knowledge; and after receiving their PhD they feel free to regale the rest of us with their comments on all aspects of modern life. Of course they feel entitled to comment on things they have no real knowledge of. Thus, they foam at the mouth on issues like child-rearing, teaching, justice—not a matter of right and wrong anymore, but a win for the lawyer most able to conceal and obscure the facts, the new morality, health, nutrition, the perils of being religious, culture, multi-culturalism—you name it, they know it.

Over the last forty years I have recorded, with pleasure, that these arrogant voices are usually wrong. On multi-culturalism, for example, they have just been rebuked by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who tersely remarked that the experiment of multiculturalism does not work. Similar comments came from French President Sarkozy and other European leaders. Never mind that theprogressive minds, advocating multiculturalism, are usually proven wrong, because they ignore sensible reasoning, but they also have endowed themselves with exceedingly large amounts of superiority, enabling them to survey with obvious contempt the plebeians—us—the herd so much beneath them.

They can do this without the benefits of studying a broad field of academic wisdom. Their eminence also entitles them to a sense of indignation. An indignation that allows them to criticize, label and tear down the achievements of others, not belonging to the fraternity of the Ivy-League. The ideology emblazoned upon his psyche by the new-progressive professors, clothes him in with a mantle of superiority. People, more erudite than I, have evaluated their shallow veneer and found it wanting in substance. Marshall Mc. Luhan labels this arrogant attitude thusly, “It endowed the idiot with dignity.” Well put Marshall.

The aloofness of these contemporary intellectuals and politicians from the mob, their snobbery and readiness and to dictate their terms to the mindless electorate—us—was predicted by Friedrich Nietzsche in his writings. He promised a flood of Irony, contempt and cynicism of intellectuals. For our country, his daunting outlook came true in the way of intellectuals, reformers and socialist politicians, who slavishly though, are trying to this day to emulate the snobbish, sneering sophisticates of Europe. They could never admire a Winston Churchill or a Margaret Thatcher, but never lost their lust for the stale, lukewarm brew of socialist thinking. Might I remind you here, that Hitler, too, was a national socialist?

These intellectual “leaders, “ the chaff of our academic elite, unable to follow a straight line of thought, still hang onto the tenets of defunct Europe with lolling tongues. Yes, they would love for great, astounding America, the envy of the entire world to fall into the same ditch that Europe has dug for itself. God help us should they succeed.

P. S. I just read this morning in the WSJ that Germany is now underwriting the entire default of Europe. Will I see my ex-countrymen finally demonstrating in the streets??? I doubt it! They have been castrated a long time ago!

 

Will the Great Play of Western Civilization be a Gigantic FloP? (Part Three) Warning: Not a quick read.

My last blog concerned itself with high crimes and misdeeds in Washington and the apparent tendency of large sections the electorate to vote for names that promise monetary rewards to those who cannot see that those doled out rewards will enslave them and their thinking forever.

I am well acquainted with the concept. I observed it full flower in Communist East Germany. Those of my sorry countrymen who toed the party line and mouthed the slogans were well rewarded. I saw sadly inadequate scholars, spouting the party line, promoted and others, with independent thoughts, relegated to the sidelines. I saw questionable doctors, psychiatrists and health care workers rise to prominence, while sardonic, anti-communists with brilliant minds scraped for a living in small semi-private practices. Having experienced those things first hand I am suspicious of any hand-out by government. Nothing is free in life—as the first prostitute you ask will tell you. If you receive—expect to perform for the giver.

I know that my sentiments are true, having known families of four generations to live on nothing but welfare. By now, the notion that they are owed their monthly check, their subsidized housing and their food stamps seems inbred into their psyche. They just know that they must be provided for, because what else is there? The families of that type also had many unwed teen girls with children from different fathers. Rational: What else is there to do?

Yes, the other scourge of our time is that responsibility for our actions is not required anymore. Personal responsibility has gone by the way of the Dodo, together with honor, guilt, honesty, morality and ethical thought.

So how did America get to this point in history? When I came to this country in 1964 it was so different a place that our young people would not recognize it if they were placed in it. I almost imagine they would find it dull. Kids were quite happy I remember. They also had jobs and chores, which they were asked to perform from the time they were about six-years-old. They started with small things and grew into greater responsibility as time went by.

At that time, people also had great freedom. Kids played in the dark streets on summer nights till late—until their parents called to come in. No one feared abduction, molestation—murder. How could that be? How could a mother allow her children to ride bikes all over the city without worry? Well, we raised people by a different measure then. And we all knew right from wrong. No one worried about injuring our psyche by telling us unvarnished truths about ourselves. It was fine to criticize and expect the same in turn.     

Will the Great Play of Western Civilization be a Gigantic FloP? (Part Three)

My last blog concerned itself with high crimes and misdeeds in Washington and the apparent tendency of large sections the electorate to vote for names that promise monetary rewards to those who cannot see that those doled out rewards will enslave them and their thinking forever.

I am well acquainted with the concept. I observed it full flower in Communist East Germany. Those of my sorry countrymen who toed the party line and mouthed the slogans were well rewarded. I saw sadly inadequate scholars, spouting the party line, promoted and others, with independent thoughts, relegated to the sidelines. I saw questionable doctors, psychiatrists and health care workers rise to prominence, while sardonic, anti-communists with brilliant minds scraped for a living in small semi-private practices. Having experienced those things first hand I am suspicious of any hand-out by government. Nothing is free in life—as the first prostitute you ask will tell you. If you receive—expect to perform for the giver.

I know that my sentiments are true, having known families of four generations to live on nothing but welfare. By now, the notion that they are owed their monthly check, their subsidized housing and their food stamps seems inbred into their psyche. They just know that they must be provided for, because what else is there? The families of that type also had many unwed teen girls with children from different fathers. Rational: What else is there to do?

Yes, the other scourge of our time is that responsibility for our actions is not required anymore. Personal responsibility has gone by the way of the Dodo, together with honor, guilt, honesty, morality and ethical thought.

So how did America get to this point in history? When I came to this country in 1964 it was so different a place that our young people would not recognize it if they were placed in it. I almost imagine they would find it dull. Kids were quite happy I remember. They also had jobs and chores, which they were asked to perform from the time they were about six-years-old. They started with small things and grew into greater responsibility as time went by.

At that time, people also had great freedom. Kids played in the dark streets on summer nights till late—until their parents called to come in. No one feared abduction, molestation—murder. How could that be? How could a mother allow her children to ride bikes all over the city without worry? Well, we raised people by a different measure then. And we all knew right from wrong. No one worried about injuring our psyche by telling us unvarnished truths about ourselves. It was fine to criticize and expect the same in turn.     

Will the Great Play of Western Civilization be a Gigantic Flop? (Part Two) Warning: Not for quick perusal.

In my last blog I bemoaned the lawlessness of American society. We are not alone, Europe, too, suffers from its own problems. I will deal with Europe later. For now I concentrated on the American citizens and non-citizens committing crimes. However, as we well know from our ancient beginnings, a tribe is only as good or as bad as the chiefs in charge. And, oh boy, do we have many inadequate and downright criminal leaders sitting ensconced in the House and Senate in Washington, DC. Not only do these politicians enrich themselves by voting themselves privileges and salaries that their subjects can only dream about, but they also ensured that just by sitting on their bottoms for the time of their service, they are entitled for the rest of their lives to huge pensions.

And here comes the kicker, not only do we reward the regular oafs that spread the taxpayer’s money around the globe and reward those of their constituents that keep them in office forever, but we also reward the criminal element of these “Lawmakers.”

I want you to know that, according to the National Taxpayers Union, we pay a million dollars per year to 16 convicted former Congress members. They were convicted of serious crimes. From voter fraud, tax evasion, bribery, from making false statements, to Bank fraud and the misuse of Senate funds their transgressions go on and on. Their crimes scream for redress. Here I might add, that those were only the "law-makers" that were caught with their hands in the till. There are numerous others not yet detected. Congressman Wu of Oregon recently avoided prosecution of a sexual nature, or at least an enormous scandal, by leaving his office. That brings to another problem. Feeling powerful and great, brings with it an unhealthy narcissism expressed in sexual misbehavior.  Be that as it may. Fact is that 12 Democratic and 4 Republican Congress men receive from $8,400. to $96,575 after conviction of serious crimes.

It seems that those in Washington care little about the country and its people. Most of them, and I grant that there are exceptions, are only concerned in keeping their positions and the power of their special comities, the power of their party. In that endeavor they are no different from all other oligarchs, beginning with those in ancient Greece.

How can we trust them to keep lawlessness and dissolution of the country at bay when we cannot trust them to control their own. Voters, of course, are massively at fault for the state of affairs. Do we not know that these arrogant, puffed up both party poopses (German term for flatulence,) look down upon the rest of us as if we were sheep to be shorn every tax-day? Yes, they know that we are idiots, for comes election time the greatest frauds get re-elected despite the miserable conditions they created with their mismanagement. If you want proof, look at California. They elected Jerry Brown for a second time and Nancy Pelosy apparently for life. Didn't they??? 

 

Will the Great Play of Western Civilization be a Gigantic Flop? (Part Two)

In my last blog I bemoaned the lawlessness of American society. We are not alone, Europe, too, suffers from its own problems. I will deal with Europe later. For now I concentrated on the American citizens and non-citizens committing crimes. However, as we well know from our ancient beginnings, a tribe is only as good or as bad as the chiefs in charge. And, oh boy, do we have many inadequate and downright criminal leaders sitting ensconced in the House and Senate in Washington, DC. Not only do these politicians enrich themselves by voting themselves privileges and salaries that their subjects can only dream about, but they also ensured that just by sitting on their bottoms for the time of their service, they are entitled for the rest of their lives to huge pensions.

And here comes the kicker, not only do we reward the regular oafs that spread the taxpayer’s money around the globe and reward those of their constituents that keep them in office forever, but we also reward the criminal element of these “Lawmakers.”

I want you to know that, according to the National Taxpayers Union, we pay a million dollars per year to 16 convicted former Congress members. They were convicted of serious crimes. From voter fraud, tax evasion, bribery, making false statements to Bank fraud and misuse of Senate funds on and on their crimes scream for redress. And those were only the ones that were caught with their hands in the till. There are numerous others not yet detected. Mr. Wu of Oregon recently avoided prosecution, or at least an enormous scandal, by leaving his office. Be that as it may. Fact is that 12 Democratic and 4 Republican Congress men receive from $8,400. to $96,575 after conviction of serious crimes.

It seems that those in Washington care little about the country and its people. Most of them, and I grant that there are exceptions, are only concerned in keeping their positions and the power of their special comities, the power of their party. In that endeavor they are no different from all other oligarchs, beginning with those in ancient Greece.

How can we trust them to keep lawlessness and dissolution of the country at bay when we cannot trust them to control their own. Voters, of course, are massively at fault for the state of affairs. Do we not know that these arrogant, puffed up both party poopses (German term for flatulence,) look down upon the rest of us as if we were sheep to be shorn every tax-day? Yes, they know that we are idiots, for comes election time the greatest frauds get re-elected despite the miserable conditions they created with their mismanagement. If you want proof, look at California. They elected Jerry Brown for a second time and Nancy Pelosy apparently for life. Didn't they??? 

 

Will the Great Play of Western Civilization be a Gigantic Flop? (Part One) Warning: not for quick perusal.

We all have our reflective moments when we examine the health of our own lives and, if we have just read the paper, the health of our society. Now that most of our cultures and societies are linked by financial and economic ties, we then have to delve even deeper for our examination. If we do the job honestly and thoroughly, we will find ourselves distressed. For the picture of our civilization is not the brilliant, brightly woven quilt anymore that we admired so much for many years, but the tattered robe of a badly used whore. So what is wrong with this picture? Why is a disgusting old hag stumbling drunkenly across our gilded stage instead of the sophisticated, elegant actress directing our play with greatness and loquacity?

I have thought about the demise of our civilization often, and I always come back to Nietzsche’s ominous pronouncements after he declared God dead, obsolete and replaced by humanistic beliefs. If man believes that he is the uppermost creation in the universe, himself a god-head, then there is nothing to restrict his monumental hubris and his criminal tendency to measure all of his actions with a flexible measure. I have learned that man can justify just about everything. Stealing? I just borrowed this for a while—I had all intentions to return it. Rape? She asked for it. Hell she practically begged me to take her. Murder? He/she deserved to die. Look what they did to provoke me. The little girl stuffed into a box and left to suffocate by her relatives, she too deserved it. According to those in charge of her, she needed to be punished for bad behavior and that she liked tight places. I have heard and seen it all and it makes me sick.

However, one of the factors responsible for all the decay I observe is the regrettable demise of personal responsibility in a great part of our population. A great civilization functions much like a good marriage. In a good marriage partners are committed to have a good family. To achieve this goal they assume outstanding amounts of responsibility for the members of their family. They take on a role which they promise to fulfill with their outmost capability, strength and personal sacrifice. A family with members so imbued will thrive, and be healthy with personal happiness and fulfillment. In such a family the adults and children help each other to be their best.

That is exactly the way a great civilization functions. The author John Armstrong puts this assumption into a poignant quote: “a community of maturity in which across the ages individuals try to help each other cope with the demands of mortality. So, how does that apply to our society at this time? In my opinion our country, and the countries of Europe also, look very sick. Our families, to a great extent, are dysfunctional; alcoholism and drug abuse are rampant and in the inner cities gangs raise the flags of their own societies, complete with their own set of laws, punishments and rewards. The glue which holds societies together, a love for country, with its expressions of flag, song, adherence to culture and our laws has been bashed and ridiculed by the politically correct segment of society. Jingoism is being bandied about. Xenophobia they shout when ordinary people are concerned with a take-over of our laws and culture.

It is the breakdown of law and order, the non-enforcement of the most basic law—the sovereignty of the land that has a majority of citizens enraged. “What are the cops bothering me for when I am five miles over the speed limit, harassing me with a huge ticket, when they don’t bother to arrest the illegal Mexican without insurance or a current license?” How often have I heard this complaint? Hundreds of times. Citizens feel that they are punished for the smallest infraction as a clever way to be parted from their hard earned money, while the real lawbreakers walk about free and are rewarded for their conduct. People tell me that it is only a small step from crossing the border illegally to getting an illigal drivers liscens, social security number, pay no taxes, and lie to abtain social services. There are other breakdowns in the law.

Yesterday a friend told me that she declined to serve as juror. She is using a health reason to be excused from serving. “Why?” I asked, “You more than most should be in the juror pool. You are intelligent, diligent in sorting facts and a very fair judge of people. We need people like you to sort out the problems brought before a judge.” “No, I am done with that. The last time I served—a murder case—the perpetrator was a black man, we had four black women on the jury who browbeat us in every deliberation we attempted. They screamed, jeered, and yelled at us. We called the bailiff to restrain them. We got little help. He reprimanded them and as soon as he was gone we were threatened by them with physical violence. Guess what? The murderer walked out free. The district attorney and the judge called us back again and again for more deliberation. But we could not get even one of the women to agree to convict.” Having had a similar experience, where three people with a perverted sense of right and wrong allowed a thief to walk free, I could understand her frustration. I also observed, twice, that chosen jurors knew so little of the language that they were incapable of following the arguments of the attorneys. What kind of justice are we meeting out? I am quite sure, and you will agree that this would hold true for you, that I would not see a group of 12 of my peers were I to be adjudged in a courtroom.    

I am quite sure that most of you reading this column will know hundred examples of the kind I am writing about. I also know, once you have observed enough of lawless behavior tolerated by authority that you probably will become less willing to obey all of societies rules to the letter of the law, or the rule, what ever it may be. 

More tomorrow. This will take me longer than I can put in just one blog.

Will the Great Play of Western Civilization be a Gigantic Flop? (Part One)

We all have our reflective moments when we examine the health of our own lives and, if we have just read the paper, the health of our society. Now that most of our cultures and societies are linked by financial and economic ties, we then have to delve even deeper for our examination. If we do the job honestly and thoroughly, we will find ourselves distressed. For the picture of our civilization is not the brilliant, brightly woven quilt anymore that we admired so much for many years, but the tattered robe of a badly used whore. So what is wrong with this picture? Why is a disgusting old hag stumbling drunkenly across our gilded stage instead of the sophisticated, elegant actress directing our play with greatness and loquacity?

I have thought about the demise of our civilization often, and I always come back to Nietzsche’s ominous pronouncements after he declared God dead, obsolete and replaced by humanistic beliefs. If man believes that he is the uppermost creation in the universe, himself a god-head, then there is nothing to restrict his monumental hubris and his criminal tendency to measure all of his actions with a flexible measure. I have learned that man can justify just about everything. Stealing? I just borrowed this for a while—I had all intentions to return it. Rape? She asked for it. Hell she practically begged me to take her. Murder? He/she deserved to die. Look what they did to provoke me. The little girl stuffed into a box and left to suffocate by her relatives, she too deserved it. According to those in charge of her, she needed to be punished for bad behavior and that she liked tight places. I have heard and seen it all and it makes me sick.

However, one of the factors responsible for all the decay I observe is the regrettable demise of personal responsibility in a great part of our population. A great civilization functions much like a good marriage. In a good marriage partners are committed to have a good family. To achieve this goal they assume outstanding amounts of responsibility for the members of their family. They take on a role which they promise to fulfill with their outmost capability, strength and personal sacrifice. A family with members so imbued will thrive, and be healthy with personal happiness and fulfillment. In such a family the adults and children help each other to be their best.

That is exactly the way a great civilization functions. The author John Armstrong puts this assumption into a poignant quote: “a community of maturity in which across the ages individuals try to help each other cope with the demands of mortality. So, how does that apply to our society at this time? In my opinion our country, and the countries of Europe also, look very sick. Our families, to a great extent, are dysfunctional; alcoholism and drug abuse are rampant and in the inner cities gangs raise the flags of their own societies, complete with their own set of laws, punishments and rewards. The glue which holds societies together, a love for country, with its expressions of flag, song, adherence to culture and our laws has been bashed and ridiculed by the politically correct segment of society. Jingoism is being bandied about. Xenophobia they shout when ordinary people are concerned with a take-over of our laws and culture.

It is the breakdown of law and order, the non-enforcement of the most basic law—the sovereignty of the land that has a majority of citizens enraged. “What are the cops bothering me for when I am five miles over the speed limit, harassing me with a huge ticket, when they don’t bother to arrest the illegal Mexican without insurance or a current license?” How often have I heard this complaint? Hundreds of times. Citizens feel that they are punished for the smallest infraction as a clever way to be parted from their hard earned money, while the real lawbreakers walk about free and are rewarded for their conduct. People tell me that it is only a small step from crossing the border illegally to getting an illigal drivers liscens, social security number, pay no taxes, and lie to abtain social services. There are other breakdowns in the law.

Yesterday a friend told me that she declined to serve as juror. She is using a health reason to be excused from serving. “Why?” I asked, “You more than most should be in the juror pool. You are intelligent, diligent in sorting facts and a very fair judge of people. We need people like you to sort out the problems brought before a judge.” “No, I am done with that. The last time I served—a murder case—the perpetrator was a black man, we had four black women on the jury who browbeat us in every deliberation we attempted. They screamed, jeered, and yelled at us. We called the bailiff to restrain them. We got little help. He reprimanded them and as soon as he was gone we were threatened by them with physical violence. Guess what? The murderer walked out free. The district attorney and the judge called us back again and again for more deliberation. But we could not get even one of the women to agree to convict.” Having had a similar experience, where three people with a perverted sense of right and wrong allowed a thief to walk free, I could understand her frustration. I also observed, twice, that chosen jurors knew so little of the language that they were incapable of following the arguments of the attorneys. What kind of justice are we meeting out? I am quite sure, and you will agree that this would hold true for you, that I would not see a group of 12 of my peers were I to be adjudged in a courtroom.    

I am quite sure that most of you reading this column will know hundred examples of the kind I am writing about. I also know, once you have observed enough of lawless behavior tolerated by authority that you probably will become less willing to obey all of societies rules to the letter of the law, or the rule, what ever it may be. 

More tomorrow. This will take me longer than I can put in just one blog.

The essence of life--Salt

I am commenting, with great, unadulterated pleasure, on an article presented by the Wall Street Journal in its "Notable & Quotable" section, concerning salt. I have known from the time I was a small child that salt, besides being the an  absolutely necessary ingredient to wake up the flavors of all foods, is also one of the necessary elements for our muscles, blood and brain to function properly. How would a tyke know that salt is necessary and good for you? Well, I learned by the absence of salt in our food after WWII. Living in the Communist controlled East of Germany after the war, we were not only starving but we also lived often without salt. I will not go into detail of all the things that can happen to you with salt deprivation, one can look that up on Google, but will return to the gist of the article by Melinda Wenner Moyer at scientificamerican.com, July 8.                                                                 

Over the years of my life I have observed how great the need for salt is in mammals. A horse deprived of his salt-lick can look within a week like a starving nag. At my salt lick in the mountains congregate deer, elk and occasionally bear. At one time, not so long ago I might add, one could barter for anything with salt all over the world. As with everything, too much of a good thing is bad for us. And so it is with salt. But now that the ridiculous salt police has been proven wrong--go ahaed and shake natures white gift upon your salad.

Jealousy

Jealousy is defined, in one definition, in the Oxfored dictionary as being envious of someone else's possessions, achievements or advantages. You can be also the perceived as a rival,  someone thought to be sexually more attractive. Anyone, having lived for a goodly period of years, has been at one time or another become an object of jealousy. I hazard a guess, and proclaim that without jealous intervention, my carrier would have been much brighter, more prominent than it is now.

I encountered the ugliness of jealousy for the first time in third grade. There, in an all-girl school, my rival for a literary prize was so put out of he sphere of comfort, that, sitting behind me, she took my long braids and immersed them in the inkpots which we still used at that time. That act, in itself, did not disconcert me, but the fact that it totally ruined my dress, one of two I owned to go to school, brought my mother to tears. In those days there was no way to procure another dress for me. So, my jealous rival destroyed me twofold. With the dress gone, it was the better of two, I dropped out of the competition and she got the coveted prize. Fifty years later, some literary women I counted as friends, refused to read my books,  refused to discuss them, refused to critique them. I only gave two examples of many, for these were poignant reminders of the pitfalls of life. I hope you have chosen better friends. 

Pithy Comments about Mariage, Peace, Pedigree, People and Other Things.

Immersed in our country's sad political and financial situation, I became depressed. Nothing lifts my spirits quicker than a good dose of humor. Humor makes life, marriage, illness and wayward children tolerable. So, here are few funny quotes from famous people with a sharp wit.                     

Comments on Marriage: Courtship is to marriage as a very witty prologue to a very dull play.   William Congreve               Second Marriage:  The triumph of hope over experience.   Samuel Johnson                       Marriage is a romance in which the hero dies in the first chapter.    Thomas R. Dewar    (Mr. Dewar does not tell if the hero is really a heroine.)             A termagant unto her husband said, one time when matrimonial squalls blew high, "You and the devil are surely related." "Only by marriage," was his quaint reply.         William Shakespeare                      Men marry because they are tired, (of dating?) women because they are curious (if they can tame the beast?)  both are disappointed.  Oscar Wilde                    He, (She) who marries for money earns it.     Hebrew Proverb

Pedigree:   Do well and you will have no need of ancestors.   Voltaire                He who boasts of his descent praises the deeds of another.      Seneca                    The sharp thorn often produces a delicate rose.     Ovid

Peace:         To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.       George Washington  (I know this to be true.)                There is a peace more destructive of the manhood of living man than war is destructive of his material body.   Douglas Jerrold     (Of course, who wants to live as a slave.)                              There might be a time when the lion and the lamb will lie down together, but I am still betting on the lion.         Josh Billings        ( I, too, bet on the lion! They have a tough time removing their teeth!)                               

 Pessimists:   Always borrow from a pessimist--he never expects to get it back.     A pessimist is aman who thinks all women are bad. An optimist is man who hopes they are.       Chauncey Depew                         A pessimist is a man who, faced with the choice of two evils, chooses both.         George Bernhard Shaw

Philantropist:   A philantropist is a man who gives away what he should be giving back.        Ralph Waldo Emerson                    To enjoy  a good reputation give publicly, and steel privately.        Josh Billings

Plagiarism:       When a thing has been said and said well, have no scruple. Take it and copy it.      Anatole France              (Unfortunately that method of advancement can also cost you your degree, reputation and fortune!)         The immature artist immitates. The mature artist steals.   Lionel Trilling

 *Comments in brackets are attributable to Sig. If you have pithy, original wisdom, please copy me.