Who says road signs are out of date? It’s always good to know what you’re heading into. These rhyming signs are placed at intervals along the road to convey a complete message, a la Burma Shave. That’s the signpost up ahead – your next stop, Cornithaca County!
Tompkins County government authorities are always telling us how important corporations are; and never saying how important the people are. In many places the people say; “we need to eliminate corruption.” In Tompkins County, the people say; “yeah, it’s corrupt” — and look over their shoulder for fear of losing their job. Corruption is the cost of doing business; and frequently the profit.
Is nothing sacred!? Charity, like Compassion, was always considered to be an unconditional act. Today, Charity often comes with the conditions, overheads, and product and personality tie-ins. Charity is big business. And unlike the old proverb: “Charity sees the need, not the cause” — today’s charities are quick to define who has cause to be a recipient. Unsurprisingly, this cause extends to the charities themselves; with as much as 80% of the contributions going to “prime the pump” in-house.
Quid Pro Quo, Cronyism, Misconduct, Bigotry, Censorship, Self-serving Policy Making, and Greed are just a part of business as usual for Tompkins County’s Elite. When you add all that corruption to an arrogant Urban Colonialist attitude — their “bringing civilization to the rural natives” policies; more closely resemble an invasion.
Cornithaca is proof that there is more money in helping people than there is for helping people. Non-profits are big business. And if you can’t get into that parade; there are charitable tie-ins for marketing your products and for pimping out your events.
The Greater Good, like Bigfoot, is a claim requiring more proof than anecdotal corroboration. “Greater good” policy making insists that a government is greater than the people it serves — and where’s the good in that.
It takes more than one voice to harmonize.
I’m Not You Under My Skin
(To the tune of I’ve Got You Under My Skin by Cole Porter)
I’m not you; under my skin.
I’m not you; deep in the heart of me.
So, deep in my heart; you’re not really a part of me.
I’m not you; under my skin.
You’ve tried so hard to get in.
You’ve warned me again: that my resistance won’t go so well.
But I have to try to resist when, truly, I know so well
I’m not you; under my skin.
You’d sacrifice anyone come what might
For the Doctrine you hold so dear
In spite of your warnings and texts in the night
And the malice you pour in my ear:
“Don’t be played like a fool, you never can win
Wake up to reality, there’s no more morality”
But when I think it through; just the thought of you
Makes me stop before I begin
‘Cause I’m not you; under my skin.
(Musical interlude)
You would sacrifice anyone come what might
For the Doctrine you hold so dear
In spite of all your warnings and texts in the night
And the malice you pour in my ear:
“Don’t be played like a fool, you never can win
Better wake to reality – wake up, there’s no more morality”
But when I think it through; just the thought of you
Makes me stop before I begin
‘Cause I’m not you; under my skin.
Yes, I’m not you; under my skin.
A sixth song for “Rabid Lemmings: The Musical” – A sophisticated tune for grace under pressure: and there’s a lot of pressure these days.
trickalittle – the “Conforming Song”
(To the tune of pickalittle from The Music Man)
Trick a little, talk a little, trick a little, talk a little,
Creep creep creep, talk a lot, trick a little more
State and County:
Trick a little, talk a little, trick a little,
Talk a little, creep creep creep, talk a lot, trick a little more
Federal, State, County, Media, Children:
Trick a little, talk a little, trick a little,
Talk a little, creep creep creep, talk a lot, trick a little more
Media:
Citizens, some kinds of people don’t belong in our society.
Of course, I shouldn’t tell you this but they are promoting dangerous thinking.
Citizens:
Dangerous thinking!
State:
Unchecked
County:
Non-conforming
Federal:
Questioning!
Media:
And the worst thing
Of course, I shouldn’t tell you this but-
State:
I’ll tell.
County:
This happened in my county, let me tell.
Federal:
Stop! I’ll tell.
They made brazen overtures to citizens who never
Had an unplanned thought in their heads until they came here.
State:
Oh, yes
Those people made brazen overtures
With a guilt-free guarantee
They had a golden rule glint in the eye
And a silver voice with a counterfeit ring
Just melt them down and you’ll reveal
A lump of lies as cold as steel
Here, where a citizen’s Doctrine should be!
Federal, State, County, Media, Children:
They left the county with Our Citizen’s curses
But they left unsafe thoughts behind
State and Children:
Unchecked
County and Children:
Non-conforming
Federal and Children:
Questioning!
Federal, State, County, Media, Children:
Trick a little, talk a little, trick a little, talk a little,
Creep creep creep, talk a lot, trick a little more
Trick a little, talk a little, trick a little, talk a little,
Creep creep creep, talk a lot, trick a little more
Trick a little, talk a little, trick a little, talk a little,
Creep creep creep creep creep creep creep creep
Creep creep creep creep creep creep creep creep
Creep creep creep creep creep creep creep creep
Trick a little, talk a little, leap!
A fifth song for “Rabid Lemmings: The Musical” — The doctrine of the schoolroom in one generation will be the doctrine of government in the next.
The Sadder but Wiser World
(To the tune of The Sadder but Wiser Girl from The Music Man)
[Spoken]
No wide-eyed, eager, wholesome, innocent
Sunday-school pathway for me
That kinda life has loads no donkey ever. . . now, listen fool. . .
A world that trades on ethical purity
Merely wants to trade the goods of the game for dull obscurity
[Sung]
The only greater good that makes me smile
Are goodly sums that swell my pile
No golden, glorious, gleaming pristine goodness, no sir!
For no Blind Justice do I play pawn, I can tell you that right now
I mock, I hiss, how can goodliness be compared to this?
I spark, I fizz for the dealer who knows what time it is
I cheer, I rave for the piece of the pie my good friends gave
The sadder but wiser world for me
No bright-eyed, blushing, by the book behavior, no sir!
That kinda practice ties knots no sailor ever knew
I prefer to take a chance on a more productive dance
No conscience around to keep resisting
Empiricism keeps insisting
No wide-eyed, wholesome, innocent notions, no sir!
Why, that’s the sophistry, I’m the sap, you see? Snap!
I flinch, I shy when I meet a soul that I can’t buy
I smile, I grin when I lead their virtue into sin
I hope, I pray to enjoy my pleasures for one more day
The sadder but wiser world’s the world for me
The sadder but wiser world for me
A fourth song for “Rabid Lemmings: The Musical” — the story will go wherever the music and lyrics lead me.