There is nothing like a good trivia to distract the mind from reality. Curiosity, somewhere is tapped by its interest in a provoking thought. Perhaps that is why Jeopardy, the game show, has been hugely popular for so long, widely considered the most intelligent format of all the game shows.

Trivia isn’t necessarily synonymous with “unimportant”, just unlikely to be known by the average person. It is often specific and familiar only to experts in the field who spend a great deal of time studying details.

In school, exams usually test students on exceptions, assuming that the general principles are already known and the only way to measure thoroughness is by questions involving unlikely anomalies that might occur.

Medicine for example requires absorption of large quantities of facts. It also assumes that an understanding of normal physiological processes (homeostasis) helps in speculating patho-physiological results when imbalance occurs, always supported or refuted by the scientific method. Comprehending anything that might affect harmony is probably not trivial when what is thought to be inconsequential, as a matter of perspective, can effect the outcome.

Trying to explain a theory of science to a high school class at 7:30 AM is like walking blindfolded through a dense forest at night, especially when it comes to illustrating The Theory of Everything which attempts to connect all the fundamental interactions of nature using a single model. How those elemental correlations cohesively relate, remains the focus of much debate.?? Often suggested by “String Theorists“, it’s the ever emerging view of a different form of cosmic construction than the standard model of particle physics, using eleven dimensions.

Mention holograms, associated with its principles, also part of the Star Trek Universe, and watch an ear or two perk up, pointed or not, perhaps even comparing the universe to a bowl of Spaghetti with or without marinara sauce, also suggesting that legendary actress Sophia Loren had an Epiphany when she was quoted as saying, “Everything you see I owe to Spaghetti.”

Another analogy is to compare the cosmic string concept to dental floss, minted green or white, with or without wax. When finished flossing, rolling it up in the palm of your hand into a ball and thinking, “Could this be a scientific model that defines the structure of the Universe?”.

“Nah”, as the used ball of floss, discarded, travels clockwise, a scientific observation in the form of a spiral as it flushes down the septic tank.

Borne upon the Aquahung
Siwanoy hunt for sport and game
Token embers of fires past
Seasons gone forsaken voice
Of mindful nights’ soft whisper
Heavy drops of Rananchqua tears

Siwanoy of a native land
Bidding to its bleakest hour
Hear the call of currents course
Summoning bode of Lenape doom
Nocturnal seasons, passing bloom

Keskeskeck of firstborn tongue
Forged among Times changing force
Beckons taut from gain or form
Of foreign steps upon its source
Hailing reign, deceptive shimmer
Forgotten waters of Bronck???s river.

“This Little Pond of Goo,” is the overly simplistic description of the mix of amino acids, the building blocks that combine to form the origin of all earthly life, eloquently coined by Q in “All Good Things“, the series finale of Star Trek - The Next Generation. An oozing mix of gook dripping from Q’s hand as he conveys to a perplexed Captain Picard that it was his actions that would lead to the impending destruction of all life.

Another analogy can apply to this descriptive portraiture, a stretch comprising the delusion of a fictional Imp or perhaps the ideas of a writer on?? a satirical romp through reality’s imagination not constructed from a science fiction format. All that is needed is a clear observation to see folly reminiscent of The Little Pond of Goo in real life. A political quagmire of misinformation, ideological failure and greedy self interest for nearly eight years, waiting for history to judge the direction the leader and his crew dictated, an execution of unscrupulous ethics and unsuccessful philosophy. A predicament, moving towards the precipice, unable to stop its path toward the cliff, the only control of which is the speed of approach as a wingless bird attempts flight.

A mess of events created by the Captain in a reflection of his demise. His impending doom approaching as hope broadens with simultaneous anticipation of further potential transformation?? in the time left before change, resulting in the quiet?? patience within the Pond Of Goo, hoping the precipitation of new possibilities would define a better direction for a more promising future as his destructive impact begins to dissipate.

Etched upon a celestial canvas
A wisp of blue forever alters
Shaded dreams of landscape’s adornment
Reflecting pink upon clouds’ glare
Patched with sundown’s orange cast
Glimmering stars beyond eagles’ air
Flicker hints of Luna’s inception
Fantasy ere latent illusions
Abandoned but for idea’s form
Hibernating lives of lost privy
Scripted astride, heart’s pounding eye
Forsaken by memories lost yearn
Of sorrowful repine, life’s eluded murmur
Hidden beneath a mournful moment.

“You know those times when you really want to lite a fire under someone???s ass to get them moving. They just keep procrastinating.”
Bunny Got Blog

A recent addition to my favorite blog list, Bunny Got Blog, is not about Bugs Bunny. It’s about life, told from a woman’s perspective, for anyone interested in her perceptions on a variety of subjects. Some include Dirty Laundry, Health, Recipes, Taking Care Of Business and Relationships. A perceptive exploration of the notions of a modern world for a twenty first century woman, also kin to my perspective of curiosity and its impact on provoking thought. Drawing attention to things that may elude most because of daily routine of distractions. It’s far less important to secure someone’s agreement then simply to motivate them to think.

Bunny Got Blog never suggests that her way is the only way. She shares her life and relationship honestly, what works, what doesn’t work for her and in so doing encourages others to realize that they too can find their own way. About today’s woman she says, “it doesn’t really matter where you come from, all that matters is making a commitment to yourself to gain the growth of experience and knowledge while you are still young and unattached.” Wise advice for men as well as women, and a testament that procrastination is indigenous to both sexes.

Bunny Got Blog, highly recommended for today’s woman, and man.

Although not well versed in the Bible except the comic book and cinematic versions, to me, its words have always seemed less important than the imagery they conveyed. Parables of morality and its counter balance, immorality.

Many stories begin with an ordinary person who faces unanticipated challenges that test faith and self-confidence to inspire action or foster procrastination, either elevating them to another level or down into a fiery abyss of ignorant redundancy, perhaps evil. An example of the struggle between our dual nature.

Courage is more about acting in the presence of fear or the unknown without being paralyzed, rather than moving with certainty. Add hope and we have the basis of myth.

Tales, all of which describing a string of tests of human nature and personal morality ingrained within fundamental values, evolved individually and culturally. A Shakespeare play, ornately written with the tribulations of characters facing desperate odds or nature’s folly, also plagued with personal flaws, struggling, the hand of destiny divinely inspired to an unknown fate while providing a co-measured sense of what all people can identify with and relate in their own lives.

“Felis catus is your taxonomic nomenclature,
An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature;
Your visual, olfactory, and auditory senses
Contribute to your hunting skills and natural defenses.

I find myself intrigued by your sub-vocal oscillations,
A singular development of cat communications
That obviates your basic hedonistic predilection
For a rhythmic stroking of your fur to demonstrate affection.

A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents,
You would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance.
And when not being utilized to aid in locomotion
It often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion.”

Ode To Spot

Lt. Commander Data
Stardate: 46164.2
Author, Clay Dole

Perhaps an over the top description of Felis Catus, but it’s never the less consoling to know that cats will be held with the same fascination and reverence in the Twenty Fourth Century as they have been throughout history, giving a unique poignancy to The Sureflap Microchip Cat Flap “that recognizes an ID chip implanted in your cat allowing you to keep track of him/her and making unwanted animals a thing of the past. No need for a collar or tag which can get lost or even worse. The microchip can be safely and painlessly implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades by your local vet.” Each microchip is numbered, and placed in a computer database and easily retrievable along with your address. Then if your pet gets disoriented, any vet equipped as a homing center can scan the animal, identify the number on the chip and voila, your precious is returned to you, safe and sound.

Perhaps in the future, a transporter device will be developed and your very special puddy cat will simply materialize back home, however for now the operation of the SureFlap couldn’t be simpler. “Once the unit is installed, mounted on any doorway and the batteries installed, the flap can be put into learn mode. The next time your cat passes through, the unique ID code of its chip is put into memory then unlocks whenever your cat wants to come into the house. Multiple cats are no problem. Up to 32 cats can be programmed into the flap at the same time.” This also allows you to determine the parentage of any unexpected kittens from the next generation, probably by one of the 31 other cats by providing DNA to create your very own computer feline database.

There is also a manual lock, while in vet mode, “allowing your cat to enter the house and keeps him inside if he tries to escape for the next trip to the vet. An ingenious product available only in The United Kingdom and selected by UK’s leading Micro-chipping organization, AnimalCare, “the very first Identachip to be launched in the UK’s proud technological history. Over two million animals have benefited from secure identification.”

No price is mentioned, possibly a tribute to the Twenty Fourth Century - a place where money doesn’t exist in what appears to be a socialistic classless society without poverty. A time when the stock market or banks do not exist, having been abolished and everyone is free to pursue their Utopian dream. Even synthetic persons are allowed to have cats as their beloved pet.

My Percepto Rating is : 0~

5- Engaging
4- A wonderful compliment to Catbox 360
3- Catnip is to Cats as Marijuana’s to humans
2- Perhaps it can be adapted for children?
1- Peanut, The Three Eyed Cat
0- All this without ever mentioning Star Trek

The year began with a huge task at hand: all I needed was a subject to write about for my doctoral dissertation. Considering several, I dismissed them as too trivial and yet that’s what also made them interesting.

Working with my adviser on appropriate topics, I had always been fascinated by the color green and how it has been portrayed in culture. Green, synonymous with Ireland, St. Patrick, the great and wonderful Oz, and of course The Guardians Of The Universe, bearers of the ring charged with the light of the Green Lantern. Every twenty four hours, the sacred oath was taken to empower the ring with green energy: “In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night, No Evil Shall Escape My Sight! Let Those Who Worship Evils Might, Beware My Power, Green Lanterns Light???. A strong connotation for a color that is also integral to chlorophyll, the substance of all plant life and a logical choice as the template color for my Blog, Eclectic Commons.

It was exposure to gamma radiation that turned Bruce Banner into the incredible hulk, also green, probably based on the assumption that gamma radiation turns things a shade of growani (old English for green), a result of its cellular metamorphosis. A logical scientific explanation considering that the Hulk was originally gray, but Verde serves well, the imagery of a primitive rage as the Hulk searches for self control and redemption, a significant metaphor.

The only thing that made Clark Kent mortal was exposure to the rays of green kryptonite, remnants of a lost world destroyed by a thermonuclear chain reaction and perhaps by the weight of its own karma. Borne to earth in a rocket ship sent by his father Jor-el to a planet with a yellow sun where he would have powers greater than mortal man. Here, the dangerous side of Green is explored as the audience of Smallville watches Clark’s life threatened by the symbol of ultimate destruction and mutation.

So many things are of emerald color. Imagine going into a store with blue money; a sure way to draw the attention of the FBI. Expressions such as “Green with Envy”, or “Green behind the ears” are associated with emotional attributes and experiences often when used in conversation. The list of references is long, a worthy topic for a doctoral dissertation: Interesting, diverse, and imaginative steeped in culture, but I had made up my mind, it would be written on the most fascinating of obscure topics I could imagine: The Japanese Labor Movement during World War II.

At first glance, a dot is small, one dimensional, and round. Nothing more is suggested with the naked eye. Using a microscope reveals a totally different world, every bit as real to whatever or whoever inhabits its space.

Telescopes, when focused on far away objects, magnify what also at first appears as a dot, though larger, reinforcing the notion that whatever it contains is potentially limitless. The reason why it is seen as a dot is because we are too far away to perceive anything more specific with regards to its dimensions.

Perspective, so essential to form, design, structure and art, also becomes the building block of philosophy. Its fundamental notion is: In order to think of something, there has to be someone there to think it in the first place. On the other hand, perhaps a thought created me, to think of it, looking through a telescope and microscope at the same time.