I’ve been thinking about superheroes. Superman might be able to stop crime in Metropolis and Spiderman might take good care of Queens, but they can’t be everywhere all at once. So, they must prioritize. A petty criminal is not a “job for Superman,” but Lex Luthor’s plans for world domination require his full attention. Even … Continue reading Good Guys
Tag: philosophy
Second Chances
Sometimes the sequel isn’t as good as the original. In my freshman year, I earned an A in the first semester of the course, but when part two came around in the second semester, I became cocky. I missed several classes and did not complete many of the assignments. At the end of the semester, … Continue reading Second Chances
Lethality
A fable based on stated desires. If you are triggered by violence, please do not read this. An automated black SUV pulled up to the suburban home of the Secretary of War. Its doors opened and four fully armed robots leapt to their feet. Simultaneously, two robotic dogs deployed from the back hatch. Headset chatter … Continue reading Lethality
Odyssey-Us
“He prayeth best who loveth best / All things, both great and small: / For the dear God who loveth us, / He made and loveth all.” – Samuel Taylor Coleridge Miss Broscious, my 9th grade English teacher, did her best to introduce us to Greek mythology and a few plays of William Shakespeare. Apparently, … Continue reading Odyssey-Us
Spectacular!
An Independence Day Meditation Part of playing in a high school band was marching in parades. Memorial Day. Independence Day. Veterans Day. And whatever “day” the band director said we would play. Parades are for families, children, veterans, dignitaries, and those who want to make a show of being there. Parades are pageantry. They commemorate … Continue reading Spectacular!
The Golden Age
“Perception is reality.” At least according to some. If someone perceives that they look too fat, too thin, or too anything, this is their reality, no matter how others might see them. If a person perceives some other group as dangerous, treasonous, or demonic, this is their reality. If they perceive their own as virtuous, … Continue reading The Golden Age
“Assimilate This!”
“Assimilate This!” In the Star Trek movie, First Contact, Worf uttered this memorable line as he fired a phaser rifle at the Borg Collective, a species that forcibly merges humans with technology and assimilates nearly everyone it encounters. However, no one wants to be assimilated. No one wants to believe “resistance is futile.” Least of … Continue reading “Assimilate This!”
The Peace Pipe
“This will give you peace of mind,” the ad said. “What is peace of mind, anyhow,” Mort wondered. Every automobile and appliance Mort had purchased ended up disappointing him, even the expensive ones. To Mort, the saying, “you get what you pay for,” usually meant that paying more only bought more headaches, more hassle, more … Continue reading The Peace Pipe
Of Cabbages and Kings
Once upon a time, there was a king who imprisoned a man because that man publicly protested when the king married his half-brother’s wife. It came to pass that the king held a lavish banquet at which his wife’s daughter danced seductively for the king and his highest officials and wealthiest nobles. The king was … Continue reading Of Cabbages and Kings
Higher, Louder, Faster
In high school I admired trumpet players like Cat Anderson, Roy Eldridge, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Al Hirt, Doc Severinsen, Harry James, and of course, Maynard Ferguson. Many young trumpeters tried to play like these gentlemen, especially up high. In college, I managed to play a few of Maynard’s arrangements, sometimes even sounding a little … Continue reading Higher, Louder, Faster
