Dead Secrets, Living Lessons

This first appeared fifteen years ago.

I often watch "Secrets of the Dead" on PBS. I like the program for what it reveals about Western Intellectuals. One episode speculated that the Christians burned down ancient Rome (Christians who were at the same time Jews), thus, in this rendition, clearing Emperor Nero of arson -- though he may have fiddled during the flames, no way to tell.

I first saw the episode that will reprise on Wednesday (Aztec Massacre) in April. It deals with the encounter of the Aztec Empire with "Cortes and the Conquistadors." It centers on captured Spaniards (including women) who were sacrificed along with some unruly subjects of the Aztecs.

The ritual involved skillfully ripping the heart out of a living human; lifting said heart up to the sky while it is still beating; tossing the heartless (and maybe headless, I forgot to take notes) body down a steep flight of steps; butchering said heartless/headless/discarded body.

Well, I thought we could all come together on this behavior and say "That is just wrong." Liberal and Conservative could finally agree -- Marxist Intellectual and capitalist Robber Baron as well.

OK, maybe we all know that one special "exception" to the rule where ripping out the heart might be understandable (though never condoned). But to do this by the thousands? At what point have you gone from a Civilization that has "a problem" to "A Problem" that has a civilization? I mean, talk about the church militant.

Gee, I lack nuance. First, the slaughter was done to keep the sun in the sky and the sun is still up there so they must have done a pretty good job. Plus, the Aztecs lacked beasts of burden and their subject people kinda filled that role. And what do you do with an ornery beast of burden? You turn him into a much-needed protein supplement -- and do it in a way to encourage "the others." So: Sun's in the sky. Maize is in the fields. Pyramid's gettin' built. Capital's kept clean. And all the Spaceships are solar-powered (sorry, that was Atlantis). Why, times were almost good.

Then Cortes shows up -- a combination entrepreneur and labor-organizing thug who's gonna steal your retirement. If only he weren't an entrepreneur but, alas!

At this point, the Aztec Priestly caste became the "resistance." What's the evidence they turned into minutemen? There were Spanish heads included in those skull racks -- along with the heads of their new-fangled horses (Listen, burden-carrying oppressed peoples, those ponies want your jobs).

Well, I concluded that one priestly caste (tenured academia) identifies strongly with another priestly caste. The Priests no doubt bathed more frequently than the on-the-make Spaniards. They were respectful of (their) learning and knew the value of a good protein supplement. They knew how to get additional sacrifices from their unwilling populations to keep their institutions up and running. They did not beg for grants, they just took that pound of flesh, only by the ton!

I, on the other hand, saw those Aztec intellectuals as bitter men clinging to their religion and razor-sharp obsidian ceremonial blades, all the while fearing change and blaming migrants for bringing "new ideas and new beliefs."

Meanwhile, with the help of a vicious pandemic, the Spaniards slipped into the role of the Aztecs. 

Those who rule in the present can have a certain regard for the problems the Aztec rulers faced. I mean, keeping the sun up in the sky is thirsty work. And as the sun gets closer, the globe gets hotter. That means more sacrifices to push it back up and keep things cool. And how do you get folks to willingly sacrifice (or unwillingly, when it comes down to it) to keep that grand project well-resourced?

Am I being unfair here? Let me think. Nah.

Fear not the Weeper

No matter the Calamities and Complaints that beset our world, I am not depressed, nor do I feel despair. What is my secret? I just whistle. Whistle? Yes, whistle. Like the seven unemployed dwarfs in a Disney remake of Snow White, I whistle.

Just whistle while you walk,
Do-dee do, do, do, do, do!
Just whistle while you walk,
Pass the graveyard.
(Pass the graveyard)

If you're feeling blue,

With no work to do,
'Cause the man laid you off,
Just whistle as you walk...
Pass the graveyard.

Should you find you're in despair,
Because you're totally aware.
Go ahead, just deny.
Live life on the fly --
Pass the graveyard.

If you were a Nigerian,
You’d be happy just to own a hen.
And when the militias came,
Not to be the ball in a game --
At the graveyard.
(In the graveyard)

If there’s a planetary war,
And you’re terrified to the core,
Just put on your boots and do skiddoo
And whistle! Yes, whistle.
Pass the graveyard!

They say VX is a gas
That will really kill you fast.

As you cough up all your cares...
Don’t argue life ain't fair...
Lay your cards on the table
And whistle (if you're able)...

Uh...

Say you're dead and just don't know!
Then continue with the flow,
And Go...
Past, the Graveyard!
(Get Past, the Graveyard)

(Done with Rockette style kicks)

Turn your Depression upside down.
Wear a smile, hardly ever frown!
Do as we do and whoop-we-doo
And whistle! Yes, whistle.
Past the graveyard.

Do-dee Doo-doo do!

This could be a duet between a Basso profundo and an Alto, tremble-a-lot-oh. It should be sung to the tune of, well, ah, Stairway to Heaven.

Safety Quest

  Oh, hell. I don't feel like explaining this.

 Quest Carefully

Often when on a Quest
You'll create an unholy mess
And cause great distress to others:
Such as horses, goats and your mother.
So it is best,
Outside the nest,
To Quest -- carefully.

When you see a dragon at the break of day,
Run away.
Run away.
Do not believe what the soothsayers say.
Require proof
From the sooth.
If an old man on a bridge offers his advice,
Treat him nice.
Treat him nice.

Quest Carefully.

Use care as you stare
At Buxom, bawdy, barmaids.
Do not imbibe the potions you get
From cute redheads, and brunettes.
Blonds, too,
If it's true,
They've had more fun --
Meaning more flings flung.
And when climbing a ladder
To rescue her from "what's the matter?"
Don't stand on the top rung.

Quest Carefully.

As you pursue your Quest
Never rest, never rest --
Recklessly.
Do not be reckless in your rest!

Sleep with care.

Beware! The woods have bears
And the forest is where
The wolves have their lairs.
And never eat meat
unless it's been cooked to an internal temperature
Of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and you should immediately refrigerate --
Yes, refrigerate!
The unused portions.
This is also the case
When you reheat -- and eat --
the meat you think safe.
Why not be a Vegan?

Quest Carefully. Quest Carefully.
And as you quest, never rest -- recklessly.

I left some hair colors out (space considerations).

A Stroke and a Quibble

 Revolutionary 1 Stroke engine Analyzed

The notion of a one-stroke engine intrigued me. I imagined a one-time, one "power-stroke" engine (think bomb).

Well, it's a two-stroke engine with two opposing pistons. You could argue that 2 pistons in one cylinder sharing two strokes equals one stroke (you can, but I won't). The video explains how it all works -- even as clickbait.

The engine involves revolutions, but it's not actually revolutionary. In my youth, one of my many strokes of genius was about "two pistons sharing one cylinder." I graciously provided the basic (quite basic) design to a motor-head friend, who told me, "It's been done!"  I was pleased to discover there were other geniuses at work in the world.

The design has weaknesses (low torque at take-off), so you won't find it under your hood. After 30 seconds of consideration, I came up with a possible application. When used in an electric hybrid automobile, the engine could run at its most efficient rpm to turn the generator that charges a battery pack while an electric motor turns the wheels. Meanwhile, the engine's lightweight and compact design would provide an advantage.

More Process than Industry?

 The Greatest Reindustrialization Process in US History

Peter Zeihan thinks industry in the US has a bright future, and I'm in half-hearted agreement.

Countries with a high-taxed, highly regulated, highly centralized economy tend towards stagnation, not growth. Reindustrialization will require supply-side, not command-side, policies. It is the nature of the Crony Class to prefer a command economy because it favors the Crony Class -- who are the ones issuing the commands.

At its center, the Crony Class consists of politicians, political hacks, bureaucrats, and those who acquire power through their ability to influence government action -- the lawyer, lobbyist, and dark-money crowd. This group took to heart Scarface's advice, "First you get the power, then you get the money, then you get the girl." Confusingly, we now have to add the lawyer/lobbyist girls who want to be "the man" while still blaming "the man" when the man is actually, you know, a man.

The outer ring includes those who benefit from government action, such as corporations that fear bureaucratic overreach or seek government favor, or the education establishment which devours government resources while avoiding societal accountability. To this add the legions of minions whose livelihoods depend on promoting Crony Class Interests, such as MSM Journalists (not to be confused with reporters), aspiring academics (not to be confused with actual scientists), and "house experts" (not to be confused with people who know what the hell they are talking about). The tentacles of this class reach far and wide, and gives the appearance of "Nerds working for Sociopaths."

The developing "Cronny Class Consciousness" and the governing philosophy of "Feudalism with the Right People in Charge" will produce economic malaise and shortages because these conditions favor those with influence.

Crony Class Consciousness allows them to act as a unit to protect class interest with little coordination. They framed Donal Trump (a minor threat) as a Russian agent for three years, knowing it was bunkum from day one. When it no longer played, the media moved on to the next set of feeble accusations class members promote. Objectively, these are the actions of horrible people. Subjectively, they have their reasons. This beast is hungry and needs to be fed. Economic stagnation is just a reflection of that appetite.

"Feudalism with the Right People in Charge," says the ruling nobility should come from an accredited, pseudo-intellectual caste (the "nobility of the mind"), not a military one. The philosophy provides the justification for the rule of the Crony Class (i.e. Climate Change requires their control of resources) and the rationale for keeping their "expert" descendants in charge (having a lot of kids -- which will expand family contacts in an influence-peddling system -- is frowned upon). Diversity-Equity-Inclusion is sold as the ability to include but is actually the power to exclude. Everyone should get in their place and stay there. Mind the Queue.

In feudal societies, the nobility controls weapons and armor. Today, we can add information, entertainment, and criticism to that arsenal. Crony Class Controlled "AI" censorship that shuns transgressors, has already arrived -- enabling a totalitarian system that promotes officially sanctioned bigotry.

Prime Video FAILS?

 Amazon CEO DEMANDS Answers as Prime Video FAILS

Disparu argues that Prime Video is a business and artistic flop.

Prime Video is a loss leader for Amazon. They don't sell tickets, they sell consumer goods -- most often to women. They might focus on pleasing affluent females. The Rings of Power may offend male Tolkien fans but appeal to professional women with a lot of disposable income. If they dispose of it on Amazon, then the series was a success. I doubt that was the case but I wasn't privy to their audience surveys.

Euro-Chat with China Canceled

 

China Cancels Summit with EU's Foreign Affairs Minister Borrell || Peter Zeihan

In my comic-lite Opera The Prodigals of Pennance, the EU Leadership describes itself as a "Fellowship that Practices Follow-ship." Peter Zeihan gives a similar description.

Then there's China, where the leadership locked the fellowship in a prison ship -- the expected result of an anti-corruption campaign where everyone is corrupt. Now Xi stands alone and likes it that way. He's the Hermit at the Helm: the Great Hermit Helmsman -- whose compass has gone kinda crazy. His plans are grand but the mood is petulant.

If you're going to be "the drunk" at the garden party, then don't go to the garden party.