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No Ape-Man Consciousness HERE, Pilgrim!

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  Do you ever think about thinking? Although it seems like an odd notion, that kind of woolgathering can be oddly pleasurable. Out on the highway, traffic on my right was going to merge. In the interests of safety and courtesy, I was going to move into the left lane. Nope, occupied. So I slowed down and let the other car merge that way. Those thoughts took about a second. My wife and I were on our way to the Ashokan Reservoir. This was partly to get some miles on the car because it needed a boost (jump start), and to just give ourselves an outing before the main heat of the day set in. Nice day for it, and I like seeing our part of the Catskill Mountains and the reservoir. It has been a busy day for cognating. After a fitful night because I could not get comfortable and my mind still wanted to work, I got into the shower. Do I want the same shower gel I used last time or that one that is supposed to smell like ocean mist? I took the same as before, it has

Setting Up My Autonomous Zone

In the interest of personal independence, I set up an autonomous zone on Fazebook all by my lonesome. I can do whatever I want and am answerable to nobody. How good is that? What I did was simply set up shop and declare it my own and nobody can question it or disagree. The actual image is of the Oklahoma Territory flatlands, North West Round Pond, 1894 Let me rephrase my earlier question: How stupid is that? While Facebook allows people some latitude (especially leftists, atheists, and anti-Semites) we're at their mercy. They are also supposed to follow laws, and so are users of their platform. Page owners and other users can be shut down (my own profile was shut down illegally and I was not told why "for security reasons"). They delete the account if I do the usual things that get accounts deleted. My assertions are worthless. I can say "Mine!" until the cows come home, but that doesn't make anything mine. People can declare that they have right

Scary Videos and Foolish People

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen There are several channels on YouTube that offer scary videos, many of which are allegedly of paranormal occurrences. I get both entertainment and educational value from these. I wonder if they are compelling, faked, or people are receiving pranks. One from Nuke's Top 5  illustrates the foolishness of going into "abandoned" places. Original photo of Eastern State Penitentiary from the Library of Congress , art effect from FotoSketcher (Usage does not imply endorsement of site contents by parties named above) First of all, places are often called abandoned  when they are in ruins and there is no sign of activity, but they are seldom truly abandoned. Sometimes Eastern State Penitentiary is said to be abandoned, but it has always belonged to someone. In fact, it is a historical landmark and has tours. Interestingly, they have a "haunted house" time, but the penitentiary has been visited by various ghost seekers because it has a rep

Farewell to Basement Cat

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen When a pet passes away, many owners feel profound sorrow. After all, it is not just an organism, but a member of the family. I am struggling to write this. The problem is compounded for us because on May 20, 2020, we had to take that awful trip to the vet and also my sister-in-law passed away. I will not discuss her for the sake of family privacy and to guard against trolling. One of my best pictures of her was impulsive and is actually in color and unmodified. She was giving me that loving look that touched my heart so often. Looking and Remembering When she was small, we would play Furry Slipper. She would latch onto my foot with claws and teeth, then I could sweep the bare floor. That stopped when her play became too enthusiastic and a bite gave me pasteurella . I also see the big stuffed animal that my wife got her for Christmas one year and how she would smurgle and make with the boomerang ears. Walking through the apartment, I stop and picture

"Planet of the Humans" and Personal Objectivity

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  When I heard about the video Planet of the Humans  that was released free to the public, I had to check myself for consistency and minimize my personal hypocrisy. This movie challenged me to put things I've learned into practice. Credit: Freeimages /  Andrew Purtell Could I view this film honestly and objectively, putting my personal feelings aside? For that matter, could I accurately utilize the logic and critical thinking that I've been learning and teaching for several years? After all, far too many people (especially atheists and leftists) "think" with their emotions. The genetic fallacy involves rejecting something simply because of its source: A high standard to set is to consider information and possibly learn something despite where it originated. (This can be adjusted when the source is demonstrably biased and unreliable: There's no point in seeking truth about Donald Trump from the New York Times  or CNN, nor is acc

Coronavirus and the Resurrection

There have been disasters, wars, famines, diseases, and all sorts of disasters that can be traced back to the first sin in Eden. This is not to downplay the suffering and death associated with COVID-19. Why is this Coronavirus such an important matter, and what does Easter have to do with it?  Christ Appearing to His Disciples After the Resurrection by William Blake Some events were sudden and then over, such as tsunamis or volcanic eruptions. Others, such as the Black Death of the 1340s, lingered on and killed millions. It is natural for people to wonder how their lives will change if they live through the circumstance. COVID-19 is something new in some ways (but the people during the Black Death probably thought the same thing), and we have had to alter our lifestyles. We do not know how long we will deal with the changes, and if there will ever be a semblance of normalcy again. It may be hard to believe at first glance, but this is not something that God cannot handle. (

Outlaw Bob, or The Covid Cowboy

This is actually a funny series of inspirations. First of all, we are fine, no wicked viruses here mate. Desperate for exercise (I work at home now), I wanted to walk to store and get some things. This is New York and the media panicporn is in high gear, so I didn't know if I would be walking into a police state atmosphere or terrified people. But I don't have a mask. Okay, saw a video about making your own with a bandana, two rubber bands, and tucking it in. Didn't work they way it was designed (as a square), so I rotated it so the points were like a compass, due north was up, etc., and folded it that way. Then I tied it in the back, put on my hat, grabbed a shootin' iron, and had my wife take a picture. She was disappointed that shooting me was only with a camera, but oh well. When I got to the shop, I was the only one wearing a mask. Social distancing as much as is reasonable in the small place. (Some were getting milk shakes...essential se