“Doom and gloom has to be logical, carefully presented and designed to reach people who exist in a basic state of denial. It requires eloquence, a well articulated, diplomatic build up, objective assessment of the events, whether economic, cultural or personal, dispassionately without emotion or it is lost,  hence influencing judgment. Learned lessons as wisdom to an open eye…” [unidentified source]

Originally found in an old timeworn text, translated from its native French, words perhaps handed down from one generation to the next with a dubious claim that names Nostradamus as their source, while saying much in less than fifty words.

Thinking about the future distantly, so many unanticipated events have to occur for a future to evolve. Is it possible to envision all of them or even know which ones are most important to (a) specific outcome(s)?

Perhaps the place where creative ideas originate, also the source of invention tapped by some with capabilities thought impossible, becomes the “stuff” of future dreams. Trends suggested by individuals, often described in cryptic terms transformed into concepts that happen in some ironic way introducing new possibilities effecting the future and defying credible prognostication.

A reasonable conclusion to reach until one encounters “the genius” capable of composing music before anyone of comparable age can verbalize complete sentences for example. What comprises those indefinable talents, which are vague inspiration to some, while a tool for another acting as a conduit.

Doom and gloom usually draw more attention than “they lived happily ever after,” a common ending to most fairy tales, hoping that along the way something not currently known will introduce itself into the gloom that changes enough of the circumstances to create the happy ending most sought.

Some believe that the future projects itself onto the past by using signs that already exist in the present. What makes the future happen is unknown, even after it happens, a confluence of limitless possibilities that makes more sense when viewed retrospectively as taught lessons, hopefully to avoid making repetitive mistakes that are predictable.  Recognizing that any prophecy, mystically or religiously based, is made so that there is enough time to make the necessary changes to prevent it from happening.

Nothing doesn’t mean non existent, rather the absence of “something”, which could be anything. The problem is never knowing for sure the boundaries where the limits of conceivability are since it is difficult to envision all possibilities, another way of saying “everything”.

Perhaps it is technically correct if the consistent position is: Whatever isn’t proven could exist as part of the stream of potential, the place where ideas become the basis for invention. The other way to look at it is: It doesn’t exist unless it’s proven. The conflict between both points of view surrounds the need for it to be personally substantiated before believed. However, accepting “something” as fact is predicated  within the context of the five senses.

Plausible or not, verification becomes less important when increased reliance on one’s own observations, confidently trusted with critical honesty, develops while intuiting what isn’t perceivable by those same senses. Calling it a sixth sense seems reasonable, rather than automatically assuming it as a reference to some mystical belief system, or divination.

Intuition doesn’t need elaboration, taking a chance without proof, built upon trust of one’s accumulated experience tapping into what hasn’t as yet been conceived and allows it to be believable  while recognizing that mistakes can be made.

In mathematics, the numeral 0 is the symbol to represent nothing. Yet, contained within its boundaries, is everything needed to elucidate what its perimeter contains. All else external to its border can be anything, which is also everything.

Although the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” may portend attitudes’ interpretation of the fates deem inevitable, it can also reflect fatalistic expectations of future events within a cosmic play seen from a skewed perspective, just a nebulous notion or delusional state, demarcating individualized affect that attributes its own meaning to what images are suggested by “control”.

If seeking domination of circumstances to impact a specific effect is sought despite infinite unanticipated external possibilities, then personal thought, balanced upon positive and negative experiences, impress the ironic futility to any such endeavor. Now technology has an input into this very notion.

A variety of products developed for the enlightened individual who wants to take charge of his/her environment has been explored by slashgear.com; a reservoir of unimaginable ideas made concrete for anyone to redefine their personal surroundings.

First there is the color coordinated, Control Your Man Or Women Remote Control. Pink for the men and dark gray for the women who have issues with their paramour and require additional prodding instead of spending thousand of dollars in counseling or legal fees sucked up by lawyers to win a divorce settlement. The remote control claims to get them to do what you want on a whim, without the hassle of free will, free speech or love potion #9, conjured in a burning cauldron of witches brew so eloquently memorialized by The Three in MacBeth, Act 1, Scene1: “Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air,” as an inspiration for the evil queen, stepmother of Snow White, as she transforms, a result of a dark potion,  into the ugly contorted witch in the sweeping 1940 animated epic Disney masterpiece Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, surrounded by thunder, swirling wind and lightning and the poisoned apple, cackling her narrative to the mesmerized gaze of children and adults sitting in the audience. Although not a new concept it does have a soundly presented atmospheric charm all its own.

“Press a button and it yells at your significant other to do the task of your choosing. Both remotes emit obnoxious noises. the pink one sounds boyish  while the dark gray, whiny and ‘girlish.’” One remote is priced at $17.95, while the set, an amazing steal at $29.95. Perhaps behavior modification reminiscent of Psychology 101, the classic Lab Rat experiments devised for the quest to find the biological basis of behavior can apply here, or not.

Atmosphere is also a worthy condition to exist by making all life possible especially in a party environment within an array of merging amino acids. Now there is a way to test, and yes, manipulate your surroundings, and the people who comprise its milieu. Another genius invention shown on slashgear.com. Its the Portable Voice Stress Analyzer, particularly made for the paranoid of heart. Trapped in an affair with numerous people, the voice stress analyzer is small enough to slip into your purse or briefcase and works “by measuring the tremors in the audio signal from the vocal cords. It then assesses how honest the people surrounding you are,” a consideration of note when attempting to cultivate a sense of intuition.  Advertised on nerdapproved.com for $58.40 “with an easy to read LED layout makes determining innocence or guilt quick, easy and unequivocal,  so you can falsely accuse and alienate anyone you want, anytime, anywhere.”

The final piece to this triad effectively designed for any diagnosed or undiagnosed control complex is The Sonic Nausea Gadget to make those around you feel queasy enough to leave. “Sonic Nausea is a small electronic device which can really ‘boom’ one’s stomach. It generates a unique combination of ultra-high frequency sound waves which soon leads most in its vicinity to queasiness. It can also cause headaches, intense irritation, sweating, imbalance, nausea, or even vomiting. The unique sound wave characteristics make directional source determination difficult.  Powered by one 9-volt battery (not included). For extended run time six AA batteries in a battery pack with transistor clips (available from most electronics stores) can be used instead.  Use with extreme (paranoid) discretion.” $29.00. This product is also advertised on shomer-tech.com, which specializes in law enforcement and military equipment.

All of these treasures are a  testament to whoever said, “Things always comes in three’s”

My Percepto Rating: Its a secret. See if you can cajole it outta me.

Although its green, nice to look at and fun to count, the US dollar has no intrinsic value. As an illustration of money, it’s just printed paper representing an IOU in lieu of some societal value. In fact, money everywhere has the same purpose, of easily providing purchasing power to whoever has it, while being a source of envy for those who don’t.

Most of history, and politics, issues of war, civil unrest and peace involve money somewhere in the mix as the causal factor of conflict even if no one is around to identify the transaction. Arguments often arise between nations when formulas are created to measure one countries’ currency in relation to another. Many cultures define success as the ability to get as much of it than is needed, while each generation passes down the misguided notion that “security” is synonymous with possessing it.

The idea that, suffering along the way to obtaining money will somehow teach the value of having it, has become more wishful thinking than a golden rule, since greed and temptation for an easy buck seems to be everywhere. What happened to the idea that self-confidence in one’s own ability to find a solution to whatever uncertainty presents is where the nature of true security lies.

People with “no money” usually fare better during economic downturns than those who have more than they know what to do with, as long as they have access to good education which translates into a level playing field. For them, ingenuity is the way of survival rather than spending their lives obsessing over how to generate more and discover ways to avoid losing it by inventing ways to keeping track of it.

Perhaps finding another way to engage goods and services is possible if money were totally abolished, as in the Star Trek Universe of the Twenty-Fourth Century, where society provides for all needs effortlessly allowing everyone to be creative and focus on higher pursuits. It sounds wonderful but removes incentives and the need for personal motivation, not necessarily a good thing for a balanced equation. Conservative Republicans might add their two cents, “It’s a bit too socialistic.”

Maybe science could eventually invent the ‘Duplicator’ to make everything out of nothing, so no one has to worry about anything, creating another form of a classless society, eliminating the need for competition. But wait, this is not a credible option since matter, according to Physics, can neither be created nor destroyed. However, if one is able to think outside the box, other alternatives will make it possible one day to lose money happily with a smile.

When riding a roller coaster, there is no way to get off until the end of the ride, unless improperly seated. Whether aristocratically rich or working class poor, personal preference about anything is inconsequential. Only two choices are possible: relax, go with the flow and become one with your seat - a zen moment, or panic with that “inner scream” for it to stop, knowing that its too late, as the uncontrollable nature of the situation deepens.

Noticeably, the train of cars encroaches slowly to the top as the first glimpse of its elevation and the coming drop dawns upon individual reality.  In a couple of seconds the decent begins, then the steep anticipated fall, accelerating as the rush of air laden with trepidation abruptly stops, cheating fate. Breathless, with thoughts clouded by the blur of colors and form, disoriented by the rapid descent, a dream sequence of terror and regret for allowing oneself to get into a situation that provokes the loss of control. It is worse than being on a plane during air turbulence in the middle of a thunderstorm, trapped in an artificially created environment, a delicately balanced enclosure maintained within the power of environments conflict as lightning and rain raging outside while passengers silently question the competency of the pilot, and whether aircraft maintenance, sustained by private companies interested in maximizing profits by outsourcing mechanic jobs, is sufficient to insure a safe landing.  Perhaps a neurotic notion more appropriately depicted in a Woody Allen film.

Now compare the above experience to the collapsing capitalistic economy as it’s foundation in free fall cracks and crumbles under its own gravity. No seat belt adequate to insure a safe descent. Once reliable institutions losing viability with each passing day. Unable to move or change the force of critical mass, accumulating quickly as every industry vies for a bailout while the government exercises its power to print money to cover everyone’s tush, a crack in political logic.

No one knows what to do as some noted economists diligently argue the meaning of corporate greed encouraged by incompetent governmental structure, while others pluck the flowering lotus sequentially saying, “It is a recession, no It is a depression, recession, depression,” over and over again until only the stem remains. Other reasonable academics say, through the hiccups of philosophical inebriation, “what we really need is some enlightened economists to come along and invent a new basis for doing everything,” as everyone raises their glass to a resounding, “Here, Here”, waiting for those creative scholars to appear.

The US constitution, fairly simple and straightforward is very specific about “things” in some areas and intentionally vague and open to interpretation in others. Often referred to as a living document, it can even “breath” if seen through the eyes of a twenty first century reality rather than understood with a strict conservative sensibility.

It doesn’t take any special requirements or judicial training to comprehend, just an ability to read and apply what is written to a rapidly changing world created by the effects of technologies and situations never envisioned in the Eighteenth Century.   It never specifies that Justices of the Supreme Court be chosen from judges, lawyers, or legal scholars, suggesting they “shall hold their offices during good behavior, and shall at stated times, receive for their services a compensation which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office.”

An interesting document to read that explores the act of governing, comparing it to  a game of  three dimensional chess, an application of evolving  Eighteenth Century thought, institutionalized over a relatively short period of time in a smokey room by a group of men, philosophers at heart, arguing the best way to construct a government enlightened from the benefits of past historical mistakes, portrayals of human nature and corrupted power etched in  passionate writings, also a favorite theme of Shakespeare.

It is no accident that the dollar bill contains a four sided pyramid enclosed within a circle, a sphere in three dimensions. Geometrically the base of the pyramid, as the foundation of all power, as its center point extends into space, forming the capstone. At various spacial perspectives, many geometric forms can be seen superimposed in its structure as the number of sides of any polygon, of which the triangle is the first, increases infinitely, approaching the circumference of a circle (sphere), the symbol for the containment of everything. The separated capstone with an eye at its center affirms that knowledge is incomplete and wisdom imperfect when perspective is isolated. However, there are two ways to unite the pyramid - lower the capstone to join the base, or elevate the base to merge with the capstone.

A spirited undertaking when written, the US Constitution, creates balance by the separation of power into three branches, since reasonable thinkers  agree, “Absolute power corrupts Absolutely”, recognizing that the force personal ego exerts determines the way its used or abused by manipulating  objectivity.

Spirituality, a path that recognizes selflessness as the goal to wield power wisely, also acknowledges that it takes time, experience and testing of individual boundaries to get there. Power exposes the risk of self aggrandizement wherever one finds oneself along the way while signposts consistently suggests humility by recognizing that perfection is not a reasonable goal, although approaching it is.

Chosen to argue the optimistic aspects of the current financial collapse at Harvard Law School, I was hard pressed to find something positive to orate,  not knowing anything about Economics and finding the subject incredibly boring. One consolation at the very least, it would be unnecessary to go to the library for research. Enough information could be obtained from the Internet to sound scholarly and well informed at the podium. Discuss trends, be very philosophic, not too specific and answer questions well, also a good way to get elected president.

Perhaps a healthy dose of absurdity, a sound use of satire, with or without humor, maybe an analogy with a memorable cinematic masterpiece, a classic novel, or an odd situation filled with paradoxical choices, especially if the objective is to provoke thought. Whether those ideas are credible or outrageous is for the audience to decide.

Often, after having been accused of pointing out the obvious, I would respond with a twinkle in my eye and an inner smile, “it’s the obvious that becomes invisible and overlooked, camouflaged by all the other things in its constellation.” Now all I had to do was relate this to Economics, the financial collapse and find something reassuring to say about it.

I contemplated my thoughts, looking out at my fellow students and distinguished professors in the audience and said, ” Depression is never having to say your in need of an antidepressant.”

What happens after death is perhaps akin to speculating about black holes (or the current stock market), something now thought to be at the center of every galaxy. What they may  contain is at present, unknowable, and a reminder that time, although infinite, is also finite, the reflection of mortality.

The reason it’s called a black hole is because no one knows how to articulate what the experience of being in one is like, since anyone or anything that goes through it never returns.

The concept of a singularity at its center suggests the symbolism of the microscopic macrocosm, a state where all the laws of time, space and gravity, don’t apply, at least as we  define them from this side.  A dilemma for science that would have to create new laws of physics to elucidate the inconceivable. Perhaps there is a connection here between the way science explains things and religion, identifying the singularity as “the divine spark” which sounds more like revelation influenced by biblical text, or visa versa.

Science Fiction is a way to speculate “scientifically” without the presence of enough supportable facts except to assert assumptions that what isn’t known can be manifested as anything since nothing can be definitively excluded from being imagined, usually using advanced technology that hasn’t been developed yet to embellish the possibilities. When invented, fiction then becomes fact.

Of course, all this is predicated on the assumption that “it” requires an explanation that language in the form of symbols is adequate enough to convey that whatever happens on the other side of the black hole is not nothing.

One of Science Fiction Cinema’s historical treasures is the original version of The Day The Earth Stood Still. Released in 1951, it was directed by Robert Wise in an adapted screenplay by Edmund H. North and starred Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe and Michael Rennie as Klaatu - an actor with a commanding voice, unknown outside his native England, who portrayed a mysterious alien from outer space with a message for Earth foreboding extinction from nuclear proliferation.

Filmed in black and white, the screenplay was based on “Farewell To The Master“, a 1940 serialized short story written by Harry Bates that first appeared in Astounding Science Fiction, a magazine that was begun in 1930 during the golden age of Science Fiction. The periodical was part of a genre that included Strange Tales and Amazing Stories, a magnet for many of the Twentieth Century’s greatest science fiction writers. The original story is very different from its 1951 film adaptation, told in a narrative form by photo-journalist Cliff Sutherland who unravels the mystery of klaatu and Gnut, the robot whose name was changed to Gort for the cinematic interpretation.

Part of the reason why the 1951 film worked was because Rennie was not generally known by the American audience. This played well to the premise of the film, an other worldly ambiance to the story with a haunting score composed by Bernard Hermann using two theremin electronic instruments. A being not of this earth who is nevertheless human-looking, who searches for the humanity in the world he came to warn, climaxing in his austere speech at the end of the film to an elite group of respected international scientists. The Day The Earth Stood Still was well received by Hollywood, garnished a golden globe award and is still considered among the best of the Science Films of all time, heralding the era of such classics as Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) and Forbidden Planet (1957).

Now we have the 2008 remake starring Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, John Clease, Kathy Bates and Jaden Smith. Directed by Scott Derrickson, screenplay by David Scarpa, the film is a dreadful attempt to make money by ripping off the name and some barely recognizable elements of the beloved 1951 classic. It alters the original nuclear premise to that of global warming, justifying the plan to eliminate mankind to save Earth for other species. Reeves has a knack for playing wooden characters, or is it that he just can’t act? His Klaatu is made possible by a premise similar to 1984’s Starman . A DNA sample, abducted in 1928 from a bearded Himalayan mountain climber also played with little emotion in flashback by Reeves, who could have instilled Klaatu in the same way Jeff Bridges‘ alien was imbued in Starman, a performance that earned him an Oscar nomination.

John Cleese, known for his Monty Python films, plays Professor Bernhardt who points out to Klaatu: “Most civilizations change when at the edge of the precipice.” This prompts an alteration in the annihilation plan but not before a terrible destructive force is let loose. Gort, here a completely CGI figure and reminiscent of the computer-generated Silver Surfer, is lost in space, somewhere between Central Park and an underground military facility. Although Jennifer Connelly provides the only credible acting, while Kathy Bates, the Secretary of Defence acts with the reserve of a hybrid between Madeline Albright and Hillary Clinton as the President and Vice President are nowhere to be found. The special effects are so lack luster that the end of the film, running 110 minutes, provides the only relief to a nearly empty theater. No where is the line, “Gort, Klaatu Barada Nikto”

If one wants to know why the Earth Stood Still, one should go back to the classic 1951 film and perhaps read “Farewell to the Master” in its original text. The 2008 version omits so much that it fails to relate the important public message that Rennie’s Klaatu came to convey, revealed at the end of the original version which made it so memorable.

For the full cast of characters of both films, and the original short story follow the links below:

The 2008 version: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970416/
The 1951 version: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043456/
Farewell To The Master: http://thenostalgialeague.com/olmag/bates.html