When you are a baby, you get a trike; when you are old you, you get a
trike. When you are a baby, you pee in your pamper; when you are old,
you pee in your pamper. What's the purpose of life?

Such a question passed through my mind as I ran my trike all over
town. Owning a trike --an old people's trike--  has not been a casual
decision. It was the result of the lack of space I find to use my road
bikes, as well as to take advantage of a generous seat. Yes, bicycles
are made for the road, notwithstanding their constant presence on
sidewalks. Once you have a large seat you can sit and ponder why
people behave one way or another. Pedestrians and cars often ignore
you as if you were from another dimension. With a trike though I can
choose to "go with the flow," even if that means going 1 mile per
hour. I go "RING, RING, PEDESTRIAN ON WHEELS!" and they look behind.
"What's that?"

Well, what's the purpose of life anyway? I think it is to struggle.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://webspawner.com/users/BANANAREVOLUTION

From that angle, to purchase pampers.

How a question is formulated
tends to have a wheel bearing on its answers.

To presume there is "the" reason is a presumption.
To presume there is any reason, is a presumption.
Being presumptuous is not uncommon.
You could be said to be here
to be presumptuous.

Being presumptuous
may simply be how you are.

Among the many ways a block can be rounded,
one is to see how there arises reason and no-reason
from something else which is beyond both
from which both arise.

This "something-else" is within both
but is neither than either.

Life could be viewed
such that there is no reason, no purpose.
Life is simply life.

To begin, it can be presumed obvious, life is.
Life is the uncarved block. The given.
In this case, encased.

To ask why, to seek the reason, the purpose,
one begins to carve, to slice, to dice.

Perhaps in case, one, encased,
feels a need to do. This just in.

In this process there is presumed to be a cause.
The cause. The reason. The purpose.

Seeking the one, the answer,
the reason, the purpose, the why,
one may arrive at One, having gone full cycle.

Pulling a wabbit out of one's mouth,
without hands, can be a great thing to do.

First however, to begin, pick a number. Take twelve
as an example of a number given.

What is the cause of twelve?
What is factor, the primary or prime factor?

Is there one? Yes. One is a prime factor.
What about two? Yes. Two is a prime factor.
What about three? Yes. Three is a prime factor.

What are some of the other factors?
The whole "reasons" for twelve could be said
to be 1,2,3,4,6 and 12. There are others.
Oh ten-k sum say.

There are many rational
factors. An infinite number of rational
reasons to answer the question of why,
of how, twelve is "caused" to be.

One-half is a factor.
One-third, is a factor.
One-millionth, is a factor.

Ultimately, twelve is produced
via multiplication. Twelve is a product
of everything, when carved, or rounded up
by the block one began with.

Wabbits won wild.
Film at eleven.

But, to begin with, there was twelve.
First, a thing is said to be.
Then, its cause or causes are sought.

Then, one forgets that the original thing
was taken for granted in the first place.

The original thing, twelve, or life, is not
caused to begin with. To begin with, it is.
It is given. Taken for granted. Turned to granite.

You, in this sense, are the cause of causes.
You get the wheel rolling. You are the reason
behind the reason of the reason and reasons.

From another angle, slightly different,
a thing is of-itself-so, for itself, without ulterior
purpose or reason.

Each thing, plucked from the strings
of the whole universe, is not disconnected.

Waves are because an ocean is.
Thoughts are dew to a notion.

Going for a ride to go for a ride
is perfectly natural. It arises spontaneously.
It is without effort. Without planning. It simply
happens of its own accord according to its
very own accordion and drummer.

To dance, when one dances, the purpose
is not to get anywhere on the floor. The purpose
of a dance is to dance. Period. Maestro.

The purpose of music is to play
music. There can be other reasons. However, the
reason can be said to be found within the music.
Within the playing. It is of-itself or for-itself.

There is no "other" reason for life
found outside of living.

The point,
is said to be without dimension.

While a line has length. And a reason
follows a line of thought. There is no depth.
There is no width, to lines of reason.

The point, of life,
is simply its location.
Location, location, location.

The grid,
on which points are plotted,
can be of any number of dimensions.

On a two-dimensional x-y grid, a point,
for instance, 12, can be located on an axis.
The point of the point was arbitrary.

Zero is a good place to begin.
Found at the intersection.
The point of origin.

It is nothing.

To begin with.

Feel free to struggle.
As a component of life,
after one struggles there is peace.

Without a struggle
it can be difficult to appreciate
there being ease.

To be at ease
arises with struggle.
They are contained within each other.

Both arise from something else.
Perhaps a word for this can be kneaded.

Call it, for lack of a better term, Dao.

Dao is prior to points. Prior to reason.
With and without reason
arise from Dao.

Returning to Dao
can be said to be the Way.

Some say Dao is a verb.
Some say there are many Dao.

Some say there is only one Great Dao.
Some say Dao is nothing. Wu.
Does not exist.

Undifferentiated can be
a better batter to mix Dao up
and down the lines of reason.

Some say those that know,
know better than to say.

You have been here to wonder.

In wonder, there is both
wonder and it is no wonder
one wonders. Most excellent
wonder of wonders.

- at lines crossing

On Feb 9, 3:29 am, TMack <qw...@yuiop.com> wrote:

So what's the Buddhist's approach to helmets? Helmets or no helmets?
Pampers or no pampers? Condoms or no condoms?

Wisdom of the jungle says you better be ready for worst case scenario.
I often wear a PITH HELMET, but that's only for coolness effect and
protection from overhanging branches. Yes, danger comes from above too
as you ride sidewalks...

http://images.buycostumes.com/mgen/merchandiser/34259.jpg

I must confess, it's about style too.

On Feb 9, 6:45 pm, "Tom Kunich" <tkun...@earthlink.net> wrote:

My humbleness is not as legendary as my wisdom...

But am I right or not?

People stop having fun in middle life, and are happy to ride a trike
again after so much struggle.

"TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher" wrote:

Being a legend in one's own mind
it is easy to forget the key.

http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/11878/legend-or-key

http://sanborn.umi.com/HelpFiles/key.html

Without knowing what you are talking about
it is difficult to say. Right about what?

Are you saying that you struggled in mid-life?
There was a crisis? A mid-life crisis?

And now you are older, ride a trike, gave up
on your "revolution" in terms of two-wheelers,
that you are having fun again?

Did you turn 50?

Siddhartha's approach
might be said to be neither. That your questions
miss the point. That the answers don't edify.

Imagine, if you dare, that you are on fire.
But, rather than put the fire out, you want to know
who caused the fire. When did it begin. Why.
And sew froth.

Buddhism simply puts out the fire.

Lao Tzu's approach
might be said to be neither also.

With sex arise sexual tribbles.
With riding arise questions about riding
and problems associated with riding.

Doing away with sex, and wheels, eliminates
conundrums drumming to those tunes.

Both systems point.
That to which they point is obvious
and yet can be elusive.

Metaphorical truths are deep.
They differ from factual truths
and other types of ionic resonance
which folks often go questing
after and on a bout.

On Feb 10, 9:09 am, senior <liv...@anewsgroup.overthere> wrote:

I call it SELF CONFIDENCE. It releases endorphins and makes you happy.
Just not stupid.

Oh sorry, I thought you followed the introduction. It's about old
people finding again that the purpose of life is to have fun.

Yeah, if you don't have an SUV in middle life, you sort of go through
a crisis.

Not really, different instrument still playing the same key.

Yes, I turned 57 but I still feel better than 27, maybe because I've
found the wisdom.

Hey, let me shoot some more wisdom...

On Feb 10, 9:46 am, kolldata <datak...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Ahhhhh, you want to get me there... ;)

Pro choice? Yeah sure, why not. We don't want to welcome babies to
this world with a sign that says, "WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE."

"Free" is a bad choice though. Nothing should be free, just have a
small fee, say 20 bucks for birth control. No free welfare either.
Their physical contribution to the COMMUNITY is needed: Planting a
garden, picking up litter, painting, greening, something that gives
them value and improves the world.

I'm pro euthanasia too, in case that matters. It's all about QUALITY
OF LIFE.

THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT LIFE SHOULD AVOID WAGING WAR.

Be honest, do you remember what we fought for in WWI? And if we didn't
win the war and humiliated Germany, would there even be a Hitler? And
without a Hitler, would the State of Israel even exist? And now that
we are on the verge of WWIII, don't we have better choices? Think
about the LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES and why Iraq has sent Iran
into a  nuclear path. There was a balance before, COMPRENDE? It's like
Yin-Yang, you need a balance and every effort to fix the world must be
thought out in great depth. "We support our troops" means nothing.
What exactly do you support?

But we need to look at the world with optimism, not dwell in the past.
We live in a DEPRESSED WORLD that it's not even worth dying for. If we
are unhappy we don't care to die; if we are happy we don't want to die
and choose PEACE. You go to a park and get depressed. "DO NOT FEED THE
WILDLIFE" is a sign often found in public parks that can be used to
discourage homelessness. No free meal. If you feed them, they
multiply. Have them do something for the community and give them a a
roof to call their own. Our parks, beaches and libraries are often off
limits to the general public. They have been taken over by the
homeless.

Nobody is discussing this --not even the Conservatives-- but our
libraries are full of filth and should be closed as a public health
threat until a solution is found. Save big money there. Save big money
by stopping the war on drugs, another issue the Conservatives avoid.
Enforcement money is wasted on the symptoms, not the cause. The cause
is BOREDOM, PEER PRESSURE and THE NEED TO MAKE MONEY TO BE "SOMEONE."
It's OK to be penniless and ride a bike.

Place cameras everywhere. If you are a law abiding citizen, you
welcome the security. SECURITY IS A MAJOR GOAL. SPEED CAMERAS are
welcomed in communities, but higher speeds are possible on highways.
PASSING ON THE LEFT STRICTLY ENFORCED.

I don't think we should feed criminals forever. That means capital
punishment. Consider that guy that went killing in Norway, for
example. Take him out and move on. Three months maximum to complete
the paperwork. Yeah, everything legal. KEEPING THE MONKEY IN THE CAGE
IS WORSE THAN KILLING HIM. Don't be so cruel.

All of this is influenced by the "laws of nature," but not to justify
the big fish eating the little fish, just to look for a balance. The
little fish are not looking to starve the shark. The shark is not
ignoring the little fish. "I'm happy riding a bike. Give me room. I
don't need a truck or a gated community." They are the ultimate denial
of democracy.

"Yes, you can have a Rolls Royce, but you should be rewarded and
praised for picking a Mini or Porsche." They are all about fun, right?

DID I SAY THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO HAVE FUN? That challenges Biblical
conception of life, so the Bibles may be banned in public places. Yes,
they can be used at home and churches.

NOTE: Some of this language is hyperbolic, so do not follow literally.
Same for the Bible. The Bible was inspired by sheepherders, and this
wisdom is more in tune with wildlife. Nothing to follow strictly. Just
that we need our freedom to roam free. Orwell's Animalism has been
taken into account and no Animal Farm's revolution is desirable.

I hope I have answered your question. ;)

On Feb 10, 9:19 am, nota <ana...@purusha.atma> wrote:

I know the Aussies still follow me. They really love my metaphors
about being ready for the heat, a clear reference to the outback.

On Feb 10, 6:30 am, walt tonne <tonnewalt...@gmail.com> wrote:

See, they don't want to be cool!

"Maybe it is not the most important thing in life to be as cool as
possible" (pun intended).

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3186/jewish/Why-the-Lon...

That's the exact opposite of my wisdom: "Cool under fire, hot to the
touch!" ;)

Actually I've developed some clever way to be cool in the hottest
weather: It takes a bicycle and an unbuttoned safari vest. Pith helmet
is a must.

Walking will kill you under the same conditions. A bicycle helmet will
kill your outing.

Methinks thou shoutest too loudly.

Having a super-huge-ego is grand.
It feeds upon its'elf and has its own brass band.

When old folks find fun, that's great.
I'm still not sure what you were asking.

As I recall you started this thread, in this group,
with something about pampers.

What you post in other groups
and then splatter all over
might not contain everything.

What do you think you are right about?
That the purpose of life is to have fun?

If so, it could be the opposite as well.
The purpose of life is to suffer, and die.

Carving a block, one may slide out
if the Road is too slick for traction.

Uncarved, pupose does not exist.
Purpose is derivative.
No purpose is derivative also.

Life is life.
What you make of it
can be your very own purpose.

What someone else makes of it
can be the same or a different purpose.

Some do it by accident.

Unintended consequences
tend to be unintended.

Those who think they are wise
may not be as wise as those
who know they are not wise.

Do you think you can improve the world?
The world, according to some, is sacred.
To try and improve it is to make it worse.

Methinks you shout
yet are unable to hear yourself.

To know optimism is to know pessimism.
To think one side of a coin can be eliminated
is to think a funny thought. A form of delusion.

Doesn't sound optimistic.
Look on the bright side, you live.

If you are unhappy, why not die?
Why live in such a depressed world?

Sounds as if either way, happy or unhappy,
you don't care nor want to die. That's cool.
In that case, you get to suffer.
That's the purpose. Your purpose.

When you stop touching the hot stove
you will cease to keep burning your finger.

It is a choice, at times.
It's a good trick, when it is done
without hands, and spontaneous.

Sounds like a bummer.
You seem to be wallowing a good deal.

At least there aren't NS3 signs.

Why not join them?
Then you would have nothing to lose.
Freedom is just another word for that.

Do people often tell you
about your insanity?

Save a piece of paper with a number on it?
That's absurd. Money is a symbol.
You want to save a symbol?
A symbol of what keeps you in a cage?

Because they are making money
on the prison-industrial system.

Money is being made.
The cause of money is to make money.

It's more of a con than anything else.

You seemed to be unhappy with the homeless.
Now you say it's okay. If you have a home?
But if you're penniless, you're probably homeless.

I presume you're not kidding.

You don't sound much like a Real American.
Just how paranoid are you?

Are you aware that you are SHOUTING?

How much do you really know about, oh,
courtesy, netiquette, trolling, and such knots?

You kinda sound like a Nazi to me.

You mean, starve them?

For, say, speeding?

No need for a trials anymore.
Nice revolution you got going there, in your mind.

The only one keeping you in a cage is you.
You live in a cage of your own making.

How you selectively filter and perceive life, the world,
is in your mind. Perhaps you are out of your mind.

Three months maximum sentence,
then feel free to kill whoever might be innocent
for the sake of saving a dollar on feeding the man
or woman who was accused.

It will never fly.
The prison industry has too much invested.
There's no money to be made on killing inmates.

Unless there were to be combat.
Sorta like the old Roman daze. Fighters in an arena.
You can bring in your polar bears and tigers
complete with artificial snow too.

Sounds as if you want Uncle Sam to take care of you.
You want cameras and room. Would you like fries with that?

Probably.

If rich folk didn't want a Rolls for fun
they probably wouldn't own one.

If Porsche and Mini drivers didn't find joy
in making their decision to own what they own
then they'd be better of trading it in.

You're shouting it now.
My previous impression was it was to buy pampers.

The conception there, to begin with,
was to work in the garden. But that got messed up
when respect for the owner wasn't given.
So they got kicked out.

It's the same concept now.

Any time you eat, or even touch, the fruit
of the tree, of the knowledge, of good and bad,
you get yourself kicked out of the garden.

In that day, you die.

There are other ways to get back to the garden.
Buddhist, Taoist, other spiritual paths.

Jesus saves, but God's gotta call you
to be on that path.

Oops.
Sorry. I thought you were serious.
Okay. Never mind my responses then.

Maybe next time you can add your caveat
at the top of the post, that would save
some virtual ink and virtual paper
and time, which is money
accordion to sum.

I thought it was inspired by God.
That was my impression. The doctrine.

It is possible the wars between agrarians and nomads,
those who settled and had roots, worshipping the Mother Earth,
and those who had their flocks, worshipping the Sky Father,
had a great deal to do with the stories.

Have you ever actually read the Bible?

That sorta makes sense.
Without freedom it would be difficult to roam free.
Sorta like being on a leash.

I don't recall the question.
Something to do with you being right or not?
If you aren't serious, then the question may be moot.

Winking can be fun.

Closing, or being
blind in, one eye, one
may lose a bit of depth
perception.

Perhaps you are not serious
about not being serious.

Maybe pot
holes are in your road.

On Feb 11, 3:30 pm, "Edward Dolan" <edo...@iw.net> wrote:

Wow, I've never thought about that. But it was the right choice
because of the price and the fact that I don't have the privilege to
use a road long distance anywhere.

I got the choice to throw in a 3 or 5 speed, but so far so good. I did
some 16 miles on sidewalk the other day --no wind though. The seat in
either the recumbent or trike is awesome so I don't expect any
discomfort or impotence associated with it. They are wildly different
in an important way though: the turning circle in the trike makes it
highly maneuverable while the recumbent is just the worst bike to
turn. The recumbent is just impossible on sidewalks.

Like Gandhi did his experiments with the truth, I'm experimenting with
different bikes.

On Feb 12, 3:29 pm, kolldata <datak...@yahoo.com> wrote:

My self description? It runs something like this...

'His Highness the Wise TibetanMonkey, Nirvana Banana Tantric Master,
Beach Cruiser Philosopher, Laid Back Hammock Beach Bum, Free Spirit of
the Jungle, King of the Apes I, Lion Tamer, Jungle Prophet, Comandante
Banana & Chief of Quixotic Enterprises.'

One day, some two years ago, I had the inspiration (I don't claim
divine intervention) to call myself the TibetanMonkey, and the world
may not be the same. I had other cool names before, including
DonQuixote, but nothing compares to the wisdom implied in my current
character. It's an obligation that I have fulfilled as if I was the
true reincarnation of the Buddha, who, of course, never laid his hands
on a bicycle. This is the true Beach Cruiser Philosophy. ;)

On Feb 13, 12:54 pm, "Mr. Austerity" <"PrintMo.Money "> wrote:

Coming soon...

http://atom.smasher.org/streetparty/?l1=Coming+Soon%3A&l2=the&l3=Bana...

At least there's hope.

Only hope before was this man...

http://www.goodsalt.com/view/jesus-on-young-donkey-GoodSalt-wjpas0502...

Donkey vs. Beach Cruiser. Take your pick.

This is so long and deep and it almost sounds like a Manifesto. Not as
long a the Unabomber's though. The Unabomber may not have planted the
bombs if he had a chance to publish his manifesto, so Mr. Austerity
may be right.

On Feb 14, 11:25 am, Frank Krygowski <frkry...@gmail.com> wrote:

Wait, you are being vague. Have you taken your kids on the roads
everywhere you went? I've never seen such feat in my life. ;)

But hey, I don't live in the boondocks. This is Miami Beach. Ever
heard about it? Well, it may be somewhat safer now in the area known
as South Beach (some 10 by 15 blocks) but I haven't seen a kid ever on
the street. I've seen a couple of kids in the Jewish town next to it,
and even so I think they are taking a big gamble. Perhaps you can come
and teach us what's the secret.

Look at the map, Collins is no-man's land, all the causeways are no
man's land, people simply ride on sidewalks.

You heard of Opus the Poet, of course:

"Anyway the same advice applies to the wreck that I gave before,
narrow lanes with high curbs and no place to get away from idiot
drivers make this a bad choice to ride on, unfortunately it’s pretty
much the only choice across the river for several miles in either
direction. Given an impaired driver there was no way for the cyclist
to avoid this wreck."

http://opusthepoet.wordpress.com/

***

Hey, "WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE." Go ahead and take the plunge, but
beware, just beware. You got to live and die anyway. Don't trust
unfamiliar territory, not even familiar territory. You may "bump" into
the wrong predator one day and you'll be a number, just a number in
the statistics. Once I came across a spitting driver on another
causeway, even more grinding, but I don't want to revisit the incident
now and get mad. Opus the Poet was the victim of one savage hit-and-
run. Nothing exceptional about it, hit-and-runs are rather the rule.
Wait, look on the bright side. You'll also be in the news and help the
ratings, and that's important. Around here is Channel 7, the channel
that not only gives the news, but makes the news. They ignore some
reality while feeding another story that is tragic. Every story is
tragic, but PREVENTION is common sense. Tell you what, right in front
of them the whole causeway is NO MAN'S LAND FOR CYCLISTS AND
PEDESTRIANS.

How about if we contact them and set up a demo ride, me taking the
lane, and the cars passing me at 50+ miles. Not that it's legal, but
that's the reality. I'll tell you more. The light cameras are just a
milking cow, a trap for unsuspecting drivers that otherwise can do
whatever they want. The sidewalks on bridges are 3 feet wide for both
CYCLIST & PEDESTRIAN, while the cars enjoy three traffic lanes all to
themselves. Talk about "lion's share."

And the ultimate joke: At the end of the winding grinding causeway,
all of a sudden, as if you parachuted out of the sky, you find the
"reassuring" sharrows (bike painted on traffic lane) right on a blind
curve. You would have to be retarded to take advantage of them. Never
seen anyone on them. That's a cruel joke.

Let me ask you: Do you understand the concept that life doesn't have
to be a constant struggle, even when trying to ride a bicycle and have
a nice day, just that we make it that way? We did 18 miles yesterday,
with no particular incident, but we had to follow the winding way. We
even rode another causeway that's under construction. It's so bad that
they have a sign that basically says, "Cyclists and pedestrians are on
their own." Yes, that construction has been taking place forever, for
months, maybe years. But there are many cyclists forced to follow that
causeway, and that makes a difference. "Safety in numbers," another
concept from the jungle.

Anyway, it's time for me to get out of the cage and go to the
supermarket. You don't need a superhero to do 4 miles, but if most
Americans did something like that the world would be a much better
place to live. We may at least have a COMMUNITY, not a rat hole.

And congratulations for having moved to a more quiet environment.
"When the mountain doesn't come to you, you move to the mountain,"
said the prophet. "Never mix the mice with the rats," says the Wise
TibetanMonkey.

On 2/8/2012 9:51 PM, TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher wrote:

It is a struggle. A struggle to find an everlasting security. That is
evolution's goal as well, but evolution is only attempting to adapt to
external conditions...but the external conditions cannot be controlled,
and that is why evolution ultimately fails on all life forms at
achieving everlasting security.

The knowledge of everlasting security is the root cause of ultimate peace.

On 2/14/2012 10:36 PM, King Solo-mon wrote:

...and the striving for it is the root cause of everlasting conflict.

--
Sanford Manley "Trying to be right all the time is a very subtle way of
being wrong."

On 2/14/2012 11:09 PM, Sanford Manley wrote:
That's why it's good to simplify it into a belief that God/Christ is the
way to everlasting security, and hence this world -- if educated
properly about God/Christ -- can become a breeding ground for immortals.

On 2/15/2012 9:06 AM, King Solo-mon wrote:

Uh oh...the old "do it my way and all will be well" argument fortified
with the "you will be Gods" bonus!

You should get together with Mitt!

--
Sanford Manley "Trying to be right all the time is a very subtle way of
being wrong."

On 2/15/2012 10:36 AM, Sanford Manley wrote:

Sounds about right :) Except this is not my way...but the Father's plan.

news:jhf97p$ic5$1@dont-email.me...

Master Lao Tzu asked, rhetorically, "Must you value what others value, avoid
what others avoid? How ridiculous!"