Thwarticus

IMAGINE HOLDING a magnifying glass before an object on the table, such as the letter, “B”, in the Budweiser label. While holding the line of site, and drawing the magnifier nearer to the eye, the “B” magnifies for a while, then explodes to white; promptly returning in reverse orientation and shrinking as you continue advancing the glass toward your eye.

The spot where it “explodes to white” is the plane of focus for this lens. This is where a plate in a camera would record a photographic image. However…

It is a strange place to be — in focus — because it is impossible to see anything.

A MAN, properly engaged in conflict, is a happy man.

PEOPLE UNDERSTAND NATURALLY how rules provide the structure for social interaction, in general — but that rule-breaking at appropriate times is necessary, to provide the resiliency for proper societal growth.

Rules, being stagnant in nature, cannot themselves change to fit the unpredictability of events as life unfolds. It takes a human mind to do this, by balancing the risks and rewards present in any particular situation, I’m sure you would agree.

Since harshly-enforced rules deter spontaneous growth — where opportunities arise and are engaged more easily than can be engaged otherwise — it is incumbent that rules have shadow areas where they do not apply, to allow for rule-breaking, by individuals who would then carry the risks in doing so.

The red traffic light, for example, over a clear intersection with no surrounding traffic, should not constitute a crime to proceed with caution instead, because a camera may catch a violation of standing orders.

Shadow areas are increasingly encroached upon, by networks of cameras and related video storage.

We can expect the future to become an increasingly frightening place to live, as one after another shadow areas becomes occupied territory for monitoring equipment, catching everyone with a steak of creative independence.

The bright side, possibly, is that, in spite of every blemish being recorded, we will all become immortal in a digital world.

How lucky. People in earlier times could never expect as much.

WHAT WE DO ON EARTH… STAYS ON EARTH.

WHAT SHOULD I do with my evening, seeing as how I’m not in jail..?

I should be..!

I can’t discuss it yet. It’s too close. Too troubling.

I was there for the taking, yet the two cops who stopped me, and turned me inside out, let me go.

Even after what I said. How does that happen..?

With them seeing my marijuana pipe and stash and apparently deciding not to notice it, while searching to retrieve my concealed handgun.

It was jail for me, for the entire weekend, I’m sure. Yet, I’m home, and still not settled.

How did it happen..? Something isn’t right.

At least, I did it my way (smile?).

…

JUST THE FACTS:

I had been at the barn all day, consuming beer as usual, throughout the afternoon. I opened an additional beer for the drive home — something I’ve been doing for years.

I tote a camera bag, with a lawfully carried gun inside. A marijuana pipe and stash were in there, also.

On the floor of the car were four oak seedlings (3″ high) in nursery pots that I was transporting home. A bag of pistachio nuts was on the seat next to me.

…

POLICE STOPPED ME for a faulty headlight, one block from home. I presented identification, including concealed-carry permit. Was I carrying now..? Yes. Where is the weapon..? In this bag.

They wanted to open the bag to see the gun. I asked if I could just pull it out, but they stopped me. They wanted to look in the bag, and I asked them not to. They removed me from the car and had their way with the bag. I could see it, sitting open, on the roof of my car, with the butt of the marijuana pipe clearly exposed.

They smelled the beer on my breath, and had found the open container. This obligated a field sobriety test, which I resisted at first, but eventually submitted to.

I told them how I felt they were overly aggressive. I felt they were out to ruin my life, and I didn’t do anything.

After the sobriety test, they cited me for the open container, and let me drive off.

I don’t know why I’m not in jail. Much to think about.

---

THERE IS SOMETHING more which I didn’t mention.

It was the most painful part of the experience, to me, and I didn’t want to analyze it yet — too touchy.

Thinking about it automatically raises questions of whether I was justified in playing hardball with the cops. But life is tough, and I’m okay with playing hardball.

There were two officers, both young and healthy men. The leading officer, the one ordering me about, was maybe 25, taller than me (everyone is), and looked strong like a machine. Good looking, bearing a light African-American skin tone, I felt that he was probably an excellent person and cop. But I couldn’t help playing the race card, as I had no other card to play.

When I complained that they were being overly aggressive, I said something that I didn’t believe. I said he was out to ruin my life, because he’s a black guy, and I’m a white guy. And so he’s out to pick on me. To ruin my life, and I didn’t do anything.

The whole statement is rubbish. I could have been cited for that.

But it is possible — I haven’t analyzed it yet — it’s possible that my hitting below the belt did the trick.

I’ll think about it later.

A SUNNY DAY — Here, on the Moon, on Mars, and on asteroids moving along their orbits.

Suppose that solar radiation has animated life to grow on these bodies. Would those creatures not be related to us, by star..?

Moonlings and Earthlings, related by star; yet only half-siblings, having emerged from different terrain.

PRESENTED IN PANELS:

• Design is apparent in the finely tuned complexity of the cosmos.
• Scientific observation reveals natural forces, only, with no evidence of a designer at work.
• Intelligent life is discovered elsewhere in space.
• It is found to be worshiping God.