Brick by Brick

It takes a lot longer
to build a building

Than it does
to tear it down.

~

copyright(c) 2014

William Schaeffer

Food Pyramid

This is the food pyramid that was developed by nutrition researchers at the F.D.A. in the late 1970's

It was later suppressed by corporate intervention and the current "food pyramid" you might see on food packaging is virtually meaningless.

If you follow the serving column on the left you will have a diet that is "One gram of Fiber for every one hundred calories."

Eat intelligently.  Be healthy.  Live life.

Graphic design by myself.
Information by freedom of information.

Peace.

~

copyright(c)2014,2015

William A. Schaeffer

Can you suffer ?

This is something that we all know,

yet most of us pretend to forget.

When someone is suffering and in pain,

and you cannot immediately relieve the pain,

they do not want your opinion.

They do not want a strategy,

a plan of action,

or a statistic.

They do not want an analysis,

a directive,

or a dictate.

All they want is genuine understanding,

someone else who is willing to feel the pain,

who can sit with the pain and just feel it also,

They don't want someone who is 

judgmental, 

superior, 

aloof, 

better, 

distant, 

removed, 

or safe.

They just want a companion in their suffering.

THAT is a friend and nothing less.

If you can't suffer with them, you are NOT a friend.

Sorry, that is life.

Unless you can share someone's suffering, 

you are not of any use to them, 

and you should probably just go away.

~

copyright(c)2014

William Schaeffer

Drums on the Beach and Anarchy in the USA

The Venice Beach Drum circle is a good example of how Anarchy works in social organization.

Every Sunday, musicians and dancers assemble to play drum music on Venice Beach.   Twenty years ago, when I started attending, the group was small, about 10 drummers and 20 dancers or other participants.   Now the group can get as large as 200 people with up to 50 drummers and 150 dancers or other participants.

The curious thing is that there is no formal organization.  There is no group membership at all and we don't even know who most of the other people are.   We don't even know their names.  There is no organizing committee, no mailing list, and no advance planning.   

Furthermore, there is no music, no sheet music, no songs, no conductor or formal organization.   There is among humans however, a long cultural tradition of drumming and drum making.  At Venice we do use a common ending pattern to end specific jams, but even this is not required, or followed every time.

And yet, people show up with drums.   They coordinate their activities and manage to create enjoyable drum music every weekend.   They figure out how to play together at the same rhythm in a pleasing manner without anyone telling anyone else what to do (for the most part).   There are even people that clean up the debris and empty cans afterwards, and encourage people to maintain civility while the circle is progressing.

This is a perfect example of how Anarchy actually works in our society.   The group manages to continuously produce a drum experience every weekend.   But the funny thing is that there IS NO GROUP.  This is just ordinary people spontaneously organizing themselves to solve a problem.   In this case the problem is how to have fun playing drum music.

It could be easy to be critical of this type of organization by comparing certain aspects of the performance to other types of group organization, but that is not the purpose of this essay.   The point is to show that this is a viable example of Anarchy in social organization that has continued to work for twenty years.  

Interesting to ponder the thought.   At least in a limited context,  Anarchy can work to allow people to organize themselves, without outside interference, to effectively solve their own problems.

This concept might be generalized by the philosophically brave to say in other words, "Leave people alone and they will figure out what is best for themselves, by themselves."

And all these years at Venice Beach, I just thought that I was learning to play drums better and enjoy my time with people of a similar mindset.   How could I know that I was getting a political education at the same time?!?

(Apologies to the Venice Beach Drum Circle.   This is an avowedly non-political organization where people almost never talk about political issues or events.   People generally do not talk about anything except the most basic issues of sunset, water, garbage bin, and percussion instrument.    People don't talk, because they are not there to talk.  They are there to drum.  Talk is cheap.  Drumming has value.)

~

copyright(c) 2014

William Schaeffer

Rise and Shine

Yesterday, I had a 5:30 AM call time and had to wake up at 4:00 AM to finish all preparations to arrive "on time."   Later that day I remembered being a construction worker thirty five years earlier and having to wake up at 5:00 AM every day to make it to the construction site "on time."   One of the reasons that I quit and returned to college was so I wouldn't have to wake up early for work.  And now, almost every job I work has an early call time.   I have started waking up at 4 AM automatically every day, whether I need to or not.

My new friend Don said that one reason he became an actor was so he would not have to wear a suit and tie for work.  And now all he does is wear a suit and tie in the portrayal of formal and business situations.

~

copyright(c)2014

William Schaeffer

Infinite DADA

Infinite DADA


DADA with love and humor is Art.
DADA without compassion is savagery and brutality.

DADA for sale is DADA confusion.
DADA for free is DADA whatever.

DADA for loan is DADA unveiled.
DADA for ever is DADA for now.

DADA.
Nothing but DADA.

~

copyright(c) 2014

William Schaeffer

Don't wait

"Don't wait for the other shoe to drop.
  Steal the shoe and run away."

- Mr. Atwater

~

copyright(c)2014

William Schaeffer

The Love Calculator

The Love Calculator



Pick One:

1. Ugly
2. Stupid
3. Crazy

~

copyright(c) 2014

William Schaeffer

Moral Behavior

It is my understanding that the fundamental basis of morality and moral behavior is the concept that, "the ends do not justify the means."   A moral code is a set of laws governing behavior that remains constant regardless of circumstance or convenience of application.


Any costs benefits analysis of behavior, or desired outcome justification, is not a moral argument, but a pragmatic argument.   Moral behavior is rarely the most efficient or practical way to solve an individual problem.   Moral behavior is however, the behavior that will generally yield the least harmful results for all parties involved (not just the principle acting party) over the course of time.


The reason for moral behavior is the behavior itself and not the prospect of any desired outcome, although a favorable consequence is frequently the result with consistent application of principle.

~

copyright(c)2014

William Schaeffer

speed is economy

"If time is money, then speed is economy." - Mr Atwater

copyright(c)2014

William Schaeffer

Santa Claus is Dead This Year

Santa Claus is Dead This Year
- by Bill Schaeffer


All the world is shocked and grieved
At the News there is to hear.
Who would have thought? Who could believe,
That Santa Claus is dead this year?

There won't be any singing
And there won't be any cheer.
There won't be any Christmas Time
Because Santa Claus is dead this year.

There won't be any Holly Wreaths
And no frosting on the mirror.
There won't be any Festive Tree
Because Santa Claus is dead this year.

There won't be any angels
With voices singing clear.
There won't be any happy children
Because Santa Claus is dead this year.

There won't be any Christmas Cards
Or Merry Wishes to hear.
There won't be any Mistletoe
Because Santa Claus is dead this year.

There won't be any Yule Time Log
Or the Family Gathering near.
There won't be any Presents at all
Because Santa Claus is dead this year.

There won't be any Christmas Goose
And there won't be any Beer.
There won't be any Hot Plum Pudding
Because Santa Claus is dead this year.

There won't be any Elven Sleigh
Pulled by Eight Reindeer.
There won't be any stockings hung
Because Santa Claus is dead this year.

There won't be any Peace on Earth
Or Carols to calm our fears.
There won't be any Brotherhood
Because Santa Claus is dead this year.

There won't be any Red and Green
And no Memories to hold dear.
The world will all be Cold and Gray
Because Santa Claus is dead this year.

All the Elves will be standing round
Rubbing their eyes, filled with tears.
The Reindeer's heads will be bowed
Because Santa Claus is dead this year.

Mrs. Claus will be a horrible sight
Wailing and warbling, sounding queer.
The North Pole will draped in black
Because Santa Claus is dead this year.

But even though the Old Man's dead
And laying on his Funeral Bier
I suppose I'll raise a glass to toast
That Santa, who is dead this year.

Because he has done his job so well
In many a bygone year,
I guess I'll try, in his stead,
To be my own Santa Claus this year.

I'll make a list and check it twice

for friends and family dear

and get them each a special gift

for Christmas time this year.

I'll buy some cards and mail them out

to spread some Christmas Cheer

to all the ends of the Globe they'll go

at Christmas time this year.

and then I'll bake some special treats

and share them without fear

for everyone will be my friend

at Christmas time this year.

And lastly, I'll make a point

to help the unfortunate dears

whose luck has just run out

at Christmas time this year.

And maybe if enough of us

do Santa's chores each year

there still might be a Christmas

for years and years and years.

But as I think it occurs to me
That the News must be a lie.
Someone has pulled an awful prank
Because Santa Claus can't die.

For where ever a child's face
Lights up with fresh surprise
And smiles at the new fallen snow
Then Santa is there, alive.

And if young lovers are lost in thought
Gazing deep in each other's eyes,
Then there the Christmas Spirit is
And Santa Claus is there, alive.

And when a family sits around a table
With heads bowed in reverent prayer.
And even though they know it not
Old Santa Claus is there.

So even though the times are tough
And bills leave your wallet bare.
As long as you can laugh, once more
Then Santa Claus is there.

The Spirit of Christmas is always here
As long as you take your part
And Santa Claus will always live
In the smiles of the young at heart.

copyright 1998, 2005, 2014

William A Schaeffer