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When you look back on a life it becomes harder and harder to keep a straight face.

When you look back on a life lived over several years it becomes harder and harder to keep a straight face.  Not withstanding life’s joyful and tragic moments, it is very difficult to miss the absurdity of it all. 

Most absurd of all are those among us who really believe they had a lot to do with their good fortune.  When one looks back on the gifts we are given that ironically seem to show up when we need them most, you have to wonder how all of this works. 

You don’t want to ask too many questions here.  I would simply be grateful for being around.  And maybe that is the best answer of all—gratitude. 

If karma exists, gratitude has to be its mother.  With gratitude, we are able to say thank you more often.  We tend to be more generous and as a result increase our willingness to do good and to be more charitable. 

So the next time you are patting yourself on the back for the blessings bestowed upon you – stop for a minute and say, thank you.  And then go do something nice for someone…….

 

Brother Giovanni

We also recommend "The Pizzaonian"

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Nothing sums up the lunacy of our times more than the following quote:

 
 

Occasionally you read a statement that sums up the culture of our government in a few simple words. 

 

Before you think it is only the Republicans - “Democrats also passed a financial reform law:

 

"The law that originally created the Federal Reserve was a mere 31 pages. The Sarbanes-Oxley banking reform act, passed in 2002, was only 66 pages. But the 2010 financial reform law was 2,319 pages, an intricately engineered technocratic apparatus. As Mark J. Perry of the American Enterprise Institute noted, the financial reform law is seven times longer than the last five pieces of banking legislation combined.”   David Brooks – New York Times

 

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Hope for a better tomorrow is essential for the American Dream to continue

 

 

Conjectures of a recovering dilettante:  Are we as a people still willing to sacrifice - both individually and as a nation?

 

While this may seem critical, I feel my criticism is based on a belief that the United States is an evolving experiment in participatory democracy.  The greatness of this country has always been its potential.  While its history is checkered with good and bad, it has always held the promise of a better tomorrow.  It is this hope of a better tomorrow that drives the optimism of the American dream.

 

It is also the key to American power and its attraction to millions of people all over the world.  What is so disconcerting about today is the concept of hope for a better tomorrow is waning in the hearts of many the America people.  This is fueled by a political establishment that no longer seems able to lead, but only fuels the pessimism that is beginning to pervade most thinking here.

 

It is hard to understand why this is happening, but one thing always comes to mind.  The spirit of sacrifice which is part of the heart of a great people, no longer seems as strong. Is this temporary, or a symptom of a greater malaise that has become endemic to the culture?  Is the ruling political establishment the cause, or are they simply a reflection of the people that elect them?

 

Regardless of which, both are failing to carry the torch that has been handed to them from the past – a past that kept the American concept of hope alive so the dream could continue.

 

May that dream never die!

 

Brother Giovanni

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A funny thing happened on the way to Utopia, we invented scorekeepers.

ON KEEPING SCORE 

It seems we live in a world that demands we keep score.  From kindergarten children to senior citizens, someone is watching and keeping a record.  Nothing is left to spontaneity or chance.

Everything is to be accounted for and you can be sure you will be told by someone the results of the scorecard. 

Since there is very little we can do to change this, let’s remember one thing.  If you insist on keeping score make sure you count points for as well as points against.  

There is a growing tendency to use the scoreboard as a weapon, both pro and con.  Enough!  Just remember to be fair.  After all, someone is also scoring how you keep score. 

 

Brother Giovanni

http://pizzaonian.com

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American democracy -- the dismal accountability from many of the folks we elect!

 

Another day in Utopia... now you see it and now you don’t. 

Political campaigns in the United States are interesting.  We, the voters, allow politicians to say what we what them to say, fully appreciating the fact that they don’t mean any of it, and will do what ever they choose to do when elected. 

It is one of the interesting facets about American democracy -- the dismissal of accountability from the folks we elect.  The party that is out is given an edge because they can oppose everything, knowing full well they will not be held responsible for anything they say. 

This all changes of course when the outs become the ins - once elected you can feel free to break any promise you made.  After all, you are now responsible for what happens.  What serious voter would expect you to keep your promises? 

This all works because we the voters only have two choices. And most of us hold our noses when we vote. This supposedly makes American democracy very efficient – and that it does.  Unfortunately, it also turns out not to be very democratic.

 

Brother Giovanni

We also recommend "The Pizzaonian"

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We are now experiencing what happens when a nation is between value systems!

 Commentary by Brother Giovanni - Image courtesy of the Pizzaonian Art Institute, Abe Straction, curator (C)2012

 

A nation is most vulnerable when it is evolving between value systems.  When the old values and symbols that define us as a country begin to fade away, and the new values that will redefine us have yet to arrive, a nation is in a very dangerous time. It is during these transitory times that demagogues usually appear.

 

These periods of major shifts in values can not only change a nation, they can rip its people apart and make them weaker and less able to survive. Look at Washington, DC if you need an example. These periods in a our countries history may be more dangerous than war as a threat to our nation’s survival.

 

We have always believed the core values that bind us together as a nation will allow us to survive. Fundamental to this belief is that when the new symbols and values arrive, they will encompass these same core values. This may not be the contradiction this appears to be.

 

In the United States these core values can be summed up in the phrase “evolving to a more perfect Union” because that’s what we have been doing these last 241 years … and it’s no secret we aren’t there yet.

 

The question now is: What are we trying to evolve to?

 

That’s up to you and me.  Pay attention, it’s all happening before your very eyes!

We also recommend: "The Pizzaonian."

 

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The journals of Brother Giovanni and Brother Franco. Each side wraps themselves in some great truth and then proposes ridiculous solutions.

 

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE PIZZAONIAN ART INSTITUTE.  PAINTINGS (PHOTOS?) BY PIZZAONIUS, cira 345 PET (pizzaonian evolutionary time) Abe Straction, curator

It always seemed strange to our friends that Franco and I portalized to Pizzaonia.  It was a simple and easy decision to make.  It became clear to us while we love our country and choose to remain its permanent citizens, our sanity required we find a beta-world country that would have us. 

The rest is history.  For those who have followed our adventures in Pizzaonia what we have accomplished these past few years is well known. Now that we have retired from our Pizzaonian responsibilities and have returned home, we will occupy ourselves by writing our journal. 

It should be clear to all by now that the world is dysfunctional.  This seems to be particularly true for the United States.  What we are left with are power blocs who use this dysfunction to increase the value of their vested interest.  No one even pretends that they intend to fix the country.  If they did, why are we subjected to such absurd proposals from those vying for political power? 

Each side wraps themselves in some great truth and then proposes ridiculous solutions that no one can accept.  This leaves everyone on the high ground – advocates for undoable grand proposals with no chance of seeing the light of day. 

However, at the heart of this irrationality sits the one truth that no politician can unravel regardless how hard he or she may try to do so. No matter how bad things get the dream of “evolving toward a more perfect union” persists.  This journey still has a rendezvous with destiny that no one can derail. 

This is where Brother Franco and I will start.  We still have some duties remaining and we will continue to portalize between here and Pizzaonia. However, our full time job will be here in the United States representing Pizzaonian Pizza conglomerate, Pizza digogo DiVinci, and conversing with you. 

Until then, remember, “Pop culture is to culture what rocket lettuce is to arugula.” Pizzaonius, founder of Pizzaonia

For me and Brother Franco. Brother Giovanni

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Pizza to be considered as a controlled substance - "Nation addicted" APA

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FROM:  PIZZAONIAN NEWS SERVICE (PNS)

Contact:  Publicio Relationio at the PNS office of Public Relations at   [email protected]

 

SUBJECT:  Pizza to be considered as a controlled substance.

 

Today the American Pizza Alliance announced it will begin a campaign to have pizza declared a controlled substance and have it put under the control of the Worldonian (USA) Federal Drug Bureau of Narcotic Control (FDBNC).

 

This move was anticipated after it was discovered Pizzaonian Imperialism had taken complete control of Worldonian pizza production. Pizzaonian Mozzarella Pizzas are virtually irresistible, and since infiltrating the American pizza market under a variety of alias, Americans have become addicted to pizza consuming an average per capita 365 slices of pizza a year.

 

Ameri Patriati, head of the American Pizza Alliance was quoted as saying” that’s a hella of lot of pizza.” It seems that APA will now attempt to have Pizzaonia declared a terrorist nation since their “insidious takeover of the American pizza industry is a major factor in creating this nation's high rate of obesity.”

 

State department officials seem somewhat confused by this turn of events since there is no precedent for working with beta-world countries.

 

One issue on the table is to restrict portalization from Pizzaonia to Worldonia.  Up to now the only criteria for qualifying for portalization to either world was the feeling that your life seemed like you were in a Woody Allen movie.  Mr. Patriati said “this is obviously not enough since virtually everyone’s life feels like they are in a Woody Allen movie.”

 

It is paradoxical to find Pizzaonia, a country that exists without governments or wars, embroiled in such a heated and controversial confrontation.

 

More as it develops...........

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Strange happenings on the road to Utopia - We became a nation of critics.....

Image courtesy of the Pizzaonian Art Institute, Abe Straction, Curator 

 

 

When you are a nation of doers, critics have a place.  They can offer an intelligent perspective that can be useful to the doers.  However, when you become a nation of critics with the doers in the minority, you are on your way to oblivion. 

 

We have reached the crisis point.  Unless we encourage the creative energy that made this nation the dynamic world engine it was, we can look forward to a long dismal period of slow, national disintegration.

 

How could this have happened in the first place?  It was easy.  We created an elite. This elite set the standards for education, politics, justice, technology and the social mores that favored their continued rule.

 

They decided which schools our talented young people would attend. They set the standards of qualifications to merit entry into their hallowed halls.  Those standards, of course, saddle broke all creative minds so they could serve as obedient managers for the system they were bred to serve.

 

So as a result, our financial and educational institutions, our courts and government are managed by people with the same “mind think” regardless of how bright or creative they were in the beginning.

 

We did have our bright shining moment.  After World War Two, thousands of returning veterans came home and began their education.  We created an army of intelligent educated workers and managers that carried us to a national greatness that surprised everyone.

 

We also created a nation of thinkers who were able to question things like they have never been questioned before.  Out of the fifties we bred the sixties and we began to scrutinize all institutions and authority.

 

We created the mechanisms to eliminate poverty, bring quality education to everyone and to create a justice system that would have equal access as its priority.

 

And then a funny thing happened on the way to Utopia - we became satisfied with what we had become. The result: The national elections of 2016 - need I say more?

 

Brother Giovanni

We also recommend: "The Pizzaonian"

 

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Pizzaonia appoints first woman submarine captain

"sunset" from a photograph by Pizzaonian painter Ever Readi

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FROM:  PIZZAONIAN NEWSERTAINMENT  NETWORK (PNN)

Contact:  Publicio Relationio at the PNN office of Public Relations at   [email protected]

 

SUBJECT:  Pizzaonians appoint first woman submarine captain

 

In a surprise announcement the Pizzaonian Office of Military Affairs said today that Eleanori Ramallboati was promoted to captain in the Pizzaonian submarine service.

 

This is the first woman submarine commander in Pizzaonian naval history and marks an historic occasion as another milestone in the Pizzaonian march to being the most progressive and liberal land to ever exist.

 

When asked how this was consistent with their no war policy, Defense Minister, Wei Havinoarmi, said “this is very consistent with our policy since we have no navy or submarines. It is very unlikely that we would use Captain Ramallboati’s promotion as an excuse to go to war. 

After all, your Leonardo Di Vinci invented the submarine but never had to build one.  I think we are consistent with that tradition.”

 

We also recommend - "The Pizzaonian"

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To be free is one thing - what to do with it is another. Conjectures of a recovering dilettante-

The creative process - to be or not to be? - yours to answer

The notion there will be a tomorrow gives us hope. How many important things never get done because of this?

"Find me a crisis and if you can't find one, make one up that sounds plausible."