For some reason, I'm able to listen to various conspiracy theories without getting sucked into anger or fear.

For me, there is a kind of "out of the box" thinking in conspiracy theories that I find interesting and rather entertaining.

I think that they actually do serve a purpose if they get us to question beliefs and assumptions and go beyond just taking everything at face value.

I've listened to some of David Icke's stuff that's out there on the internet. If I take it down a few notches and take it with a "grain of salt", he says some interesting things, and makes some points I consider valid.

I think plain old corruption, greed and stupidity can rise to such heights that you almost have to think there must be an orchestrated plot in the works, even if there isn't.

I feel that may be the case as well.

From the Teachings of Don Juan - Carlos Casteneda, fear is a mans first enemy when becoming a man of knowledge.

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“It is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes. It is in fact true. It's called living.” - Terry Pratchett

where I am going with this is getting at the emotion and motivation behind the search for "conspiracy theories"...which is knowing at a fundamental level that there is more to life than trying to die with the most toys.

so there is this itch that we can't quite scratch...and we search hither and yon trying to resolve this discomfort and restlessness, like a dog that just can't get comfortable

and then, whammo, we were right all along!...there is something totally unexpected behind it all, a conspiracy of Gods


and we are each a stalk of corn in some big cheese's back forty

this brings to mind the film Trading Places, where two rich dudes make a wager on how things will turn out if they switch places of a privaleged kid and a ghetto kid

I wonder if senior management make friendly wagers with each other on things like how fast their PMR will figure out the wheel, fire, compound interest...or if our OS is in some sort of horserace with another OS.

you have to pass the time somehow

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Does this PMR make my butt look big?

This might be your Reality Randy, but it is wrong because you are assuming gods, and that is a wrong assumption as so many people know.
Love
Bette

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All That Is
what is?
Consciousness.

They have a role to play in enlightening us, waking us up. Far too many citizens of the world are ignorant & apathetic towards the criminal elements in Government.

The mindless, endless wars.
The stupid bailouts of banks & bondholders while enforcing austerity on ordinary people.
The killing of OBL and showing no evidence of death & just telling us to 'trust' them.
The corruption of leaders by corporate lobbying.
The astonishing inequality of income, wealth & power in our world.

Knowledge, if it inspires men to leap across the boundary of fear into change for the better can only be good.

America was history's greatest & most noblest experiment. Today it's turning into a banana republic. That sucks.

"Beware of Darkness" George Harrison, Leon Russel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlB9AQGDMrs

Ahhh, two of my favorites Leon and that song.

Thanks Montana.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8MlS0vu7gE&NR=1
Love
Bette

_________________
All That Is
what is?
Consciousness.

Thanks Bette.

Guess I'm attached to Leon's cover though, in retrospect, as I prefer it.

Choices. :)
Love
Bette

_________________
All That Is
what is?
Consciousness.

There are few big name lead guitarists (Dave Gilmore, who has the best sense out there of "The Long Line", is the only one that comes to mind) that I like more than Clapton. But Russel's/ Harrison's presentation works better for me, for several reasons. The open sounds in Russel's / Harrison's presentation are meant to indicate spacing out across the void (as indeed, Russel and Harrison undoubtedly were, Lysergiata being the custom of the day) ... and then, as like dropping back into the earth zone, Russel lands abruptly on that hard minor chord in the bass. Russel's voice is far more polished, in the sense of transmitting nuance, as well.

One of my favorite Clapton covers is his rendition of Dylan's "Sign Language" .... but I'm getting even off topic-ker here.

-Montana

Well, added later: Came across a version of "Beware of Darkness" by a group called "Spock's Beard" .... And as you all know, Spock is or was a favorite Sci-Fi character of Tom's. They sound very zingo-techno in a retro way, very much like the old band called "Yes" ... very clean and precise music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGd6gUSTMDs

I agree wholeheartedly with your comparison to Yes.

I make no claim as a music connoisseur, but listened to much Yes back in the day. The Space Beard vocal sounds out of place to me as a result of my Yes listening experiences.