Conlibe: Political Blog for TRUTH in Politics.
Liberal Opinion Blog. Boston, Massachusetts. Political Democrat, Independent. Debunk Republican Lies, MisinformationArchive for September, 2009
The Spider and the Fly
I’m still unable to connect to the Internet, so I’m again using a public computer.
I only have one hour so I can’t do much, therefore, I’ve decided to post another one of the poems that I love.
Today (sept 30, 2009) it’s one about the art of persuation, bolstered by vanity and flattery:
The Spider and the Fly
Will you walk into my parlour?” said the Spider to the Fly,
‘Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I’ve a many curious things to shew when you are there.”
Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne’er come down again.”
“I’m sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?” said the Spider to the Fly.
“There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I’ll snugly tuck you in!”
Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “for I’ve often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!”
Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, ” Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I ‘ve always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that’s nice;
I’m sure you’re very welcome — will you please to take a slice?”
“Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “kind Sir, that cannot be,
I’ve heard what’s in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!”
“Sweet creature!” said the Spider, “you’re witty and you’re wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I’ve a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you’ll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself.”
“I thank you, gentle sir,” she said, “for what you ‘re pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I’ll call another day.”
The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
“Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple — there’s a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!”
Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue —
Thinking only of her crested head — poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour — but she ne’er came out again!
And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne’er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.
By: Mary Howitt (1799-1888).
Published in 1829.
Desiderata
I am having computer problems. I changed my Modem and now my computer cannot find my IP address…so no internet.
I’m working on it. Posting from a public computer…I decided to reacquaint myself with something calming. The poem:
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be
greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career
however humble;
it is a real possession in the
changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you
to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit
to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham,
drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
Written by: Max Ehrmann (1872 – 1945).
According to Wikipedia, Desiderata is Latin for: desired things.
Ehrmann, a poet and lawyer from Terre Haute, Indiana, apparently wrote the inspirational prose poem about attaining happiness in life.
Wikipedia says various spiritual movements of the 1960s and ’70s seemed to like this poem. I love it!
No Room At The Inn…for Gaddafi!
We are coming across as such an angry nation…populated with petulant, uncivil people.
We look at demonstrators in other places burning flags and chanting anti-American slogans, and we don’t even understand WHY. Perhaps we don’t need to, because NOW, we’re beginning to act just like them.
Democracy means you don’t need to agree with or like a person to ensure that that person’s rights are upheld. It’s hard. But that’s the strength of Democracy!
Two heads of state, who are here to attend the U.N. General Assembly meeting, are being denied a place to stay or hold their events.
These two leaders are our guests. This is where the U.N. building is. If you don’t want them to come here, throw the U.N. Headquarters out of America – or arrange to change those leaders!
Until then, whenever they come to the U.N. where they have a right to be by agreement, they need to be treated as guests. They are heads of state…even though you may NOT like their head…or their state!
How would we/you feel if our leaders go overseas and can’t find a place to stay – or hold an event? Come on America, I expect better from you.
Should these countries change their leaders just because WE don’t like them?
Yes, you can protest when they come to town. That’s your right. But come on!
What did you achieve? You vented and you felt good – now what? You just dissed and angered millions of people who support and love their leaders, whether you think they’re vile or not!
Wouldn’t it have been better to treat them with civility and show the world that Americans are different, forgiving, respectful, nice…?
Did we not marvel at the Amish after than horrific shooting in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County (2006)? That community lost five kids, but they embraced the family of the shooter.
That was big news – to us – because we would NOT have been so forgiving. Being the good Christians we are, we’d have been out there agitating to get the family thrown out of their home and probably lynched, too! The Amish lesson did not last long!
We embrace anger and vengence. We must always be reading testimonials in court about our grief and anger over the murder of a loved one. We must call the murderer a thug, an animal, a monster who should rot in jail or hell…
And we are supposed to be so religious, such a Jesus-loving nation! But we don’t act religious, unless we’re ranting against abortion or gays! That’s where our religion comes in!
Leaders who come here to the U.N. can at least get a place to stay and somewhere to meet up with their friends. That is courtesy, America. It’s not love.
Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi thought he could stay at The Pierre Hotel on Fifth Avenue, but it had a change of heart when other guests paying large amounts for their rooms apparently didn’t want him there.
Iranian President President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad found a hotel to stay.
But two New York events halls rejected the Iranian U.N. delegation’s reservations for a hall to hold a banquet for Ahmadinejad on Friday (Sept. 25, 2009). The Helmsley Hotel and Gotham Hall also turned down the Iranians, saying the venue refused to be a platform for propaganda.
Could they not come up with a better reason, at least? Propaganda? If they’re anti-propaganda, there’s a whole host of companies they should not deal with, including some that run unauthorized tests on poor children overseas!
However, the Iranians did find a venue to hold their banquet at Essex House Hotel. But the hotel came under intense pressure to cancel the reservation…and they did!
Former Ambassador Mark Wallace (coached Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin for interviews and debates) heads the organization United Against Nuclear Iran. He’s spearheading U.S. boycott efforts against Iran and wants Essex House to cancel the event.
Wallace wrote to the general manager of the Essex House, calling on them to: clarify and reconsider its decision to host the banquet and address and instead decline to provide such a venue for President Ahmadinejad
“By doing business with the Iranian government the Essex House is accepting blood money from a regime that brutally suppresses its own people and that is a danger to global security”.
Really? Iran is a danger to global security. Unlike Say Russia or China, neither of which suppresses its people…or has an army…or nuclear weapons!? You really think Iran is more of a threat to the U.S. than Russia?
Will you be out there demanding that Putin or Russian President Dmitry Medvedev be thrown out of Camp David? Did you see him sitting next to President Obama…smiling…at us? We are such fools!
(By the way, who got together and decided that only some nations can have nuclear weapons, but others can’t?)
Shouldn’t we simply be making sure that our weapons work, so that if anybody was foolish enough to try something we’d annihilate them?
Wouldn’t the world be a better place if most countries just minded their own business?
We’ve been in bed with many thugs in Haiti, Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia. We’ve traded, colluded and raises our glasses with leaders who were dictators and murderers…because it suited us!
In our backyard, Rafael Trujillo, Dominican Republic. His tyranny is considered one of the bloodiest of the 20th century. He attacked the Haitian border and killed (an estimated 20-30 thousand) fleeing Haitians. But he was anti-communist and anti-Castro, so we looked the other way.
Haiti, not to be outdone, came up with François “Papa Doc” Duvalier – the one who made himself President for Life. Duvalier had his own private militia known as Tonton Macoutes.
it’s estimated that he, too, killed some 30-thousand Haitians. They braved the Atlantic in rickety boats to escape Tyranny. But Duvalier, too, was anti-communist and anti-Castro, so we looked the other way.
You get the picture – I don’t need to talk about Saddam Hussein or the Congo’s Mobutu Sésé Seko…and the many others!
I guess there was no reason to protest because these dictators were killing their people…and other groups they did not like – they were NOT killing Americans.
I’m NOT blaming America, though. Countries do what countries need to do. I just want us to understand that this also applies to other nations too!
This world will never have peace…long as us humans live in it! Or at least, long as we continue with our hypocrisy – on race, on trade, on politics, on sex, on everything!
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