Small Bang. No Big Bang

Sowhere in our mighty universe

A small bang 

Not a big bang

and no sound heard

...

P.S. Watercolor 'Flying the Moon' (2010) is from Mary Gutfleisch. Source: here

Just in Case

The world is on fire - I know. "IS" is fighting for their Caliphate in the Middle East. War in Syria, Ukraine, somewhere in Africa and ... - there must be more. People starving everywhere because of lack of food or water. Not in Western Europe! People dying every day while crossing the Mediterranean Sea, trying to enter Europe. One out of fifteen people are unemployed in my country. 

In a way I don't care. Or better: I try to live my life and I do not want to carry, on my back, the burdens of Planet Earth. 

I am not rich. But so much richer than most 'homo-sapiens' on planet Earth. No real worries for me concerning work, money, house, marriage and kids. Nothing to add or subtract. Not for me.

Next to that I am a romantic and a dreamer. I dream of you. I dream of my "perfect" house and gardens just in case I win the lottery. Last weekend I made a sketch. I only drew the ground floor. I have to draw later: the second floor, ceiling and front view.

I would love to share it with you: 

House and gardens. Ground floor

On the floor. Belgisch hardsteen 'Blauw gevlamd' for the hall. 'Licht gezoet' for the rooms downstairs

'Visgraat parket' for the sitting room and study

Study in red

Swimming-pond

Herbs. Close to kitchen

'Bakhuisje' for baking bread or pizza

Henhouse

Beuk- en meidoornhagen

Rows with aspargus

Pre-historic house in the back of garden (right)

Trapper's lodge in the back of garden (left)

Walnoten and tamme kastanjes

'Hoogstam' trees. One apple. One peer

Something to add or subtract?

Nothing to Add or Subtract

Remember the song 'Perfect' (1988) from pop band Fairground Attraction: song and lyrics? The song that tells us that 'it's got to be perfect' and not take 'second best'?

'Perfect'. Just a random word that all of us understand and comprehend. Really?

Give it a word and 'it' will come alive in our mouth and mind. For the ancient Egyptians a physical object, human being or enemy was born the moment you gave it a name by writing it down. Came alive by naming it!

The word 'perfection' was born a long time ago. Literally the Latin word 'perfection' means 'a finishing' or 'bringing to an end'. The genealogy of the concept 'perfection' reaches back to the ancient Greek word 'teleos'. The oldest definition is from Aristotle (4th century BC) and is more than 2,300 years old. I can't find the word 'perfect' in the quote? Correct :) in English the word 'telos' is translated as 'complete'.

Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book V, chapter 16. 

Quote from 'The Complete Works of Aristotle, Revised Oxford Translation', 

Edited by J. Barnes (1984)

Summerized. Aristotle calls 'perfect':

• 1. Which contains all the requisite parts
• 2. Which is so good that nothing of the kind could be better
• 3. Which has attained its purpose

Pretty down to Earth isn't it what Aristotle calls 'perfect' or 'complete'? A shoe that contains all the requisite parts. A flute-player that couldn't play better. Death as the last end of life.

After the ancient Greeks, the Christians "translated" the concept of 'perfect' to God. According to the Christians, human beings are never perfect after Adam and Eve ate from the apple. They make mistakes, sin and always there is something to add or subtract in what they do and let. Only God is perfect and we - human beings - have to embrace the fact that we are not. Never!

Somewhere in the 17th Century, God died in the main culture of Western Europe. 'Democracy' as a God was born. 'Love' as a 'God' was born. 'Peace (not War)' as a God was born. It has to be perfect. Nothing less. For that 'homo-sapiens' fight and kill.

Democracy as a Natural Law. Love as a Natural Law. Peace (not War) as a Natural Law. What a nonsense. It's projection. Made and invented concepts by 'homo-sapiens' in Western Europe. Historically biased.  Culturally biased. 'Homo-sapiens' biased. Individual 'homo-sapiens' biased. Highly subjective.

Look at the 'Venus de Milo'. Once this marble statue must have had arms too. Not perfect as a copy of a female body. Once the statue must have been without damages. Not perfect because of the damages in the marble. She is admired for her beauty. For some she is not perfect because of her hairstyle or the way she wears her skirt. For some this statue is the perfect representation of Greek classical art. For some  she will not be.

What's my point? 'Perfect' is a moment frozen in time. In a metaphor: it's a photo. Appreciated by some. Disgusting for others.

P.S. I wrote on 'Democracy' before: here (2009). And on 'God = Love': here (2010)

And Gooseberries

More on Machu Picchu. I checked the book of Alfred Bingham for extra information on the three families that lived on Machu Picchu when Bingham "found" this site in 1911: Richarte, Alvarez and family three (name?). Looking for pictures of their houses, gardens and families.

Hiram III Bingham wrote, in 1922, in his book 'Inca Land', about his discovery of Machu Picchu in July 2011:

"Here the Indians had finally cleared off and burned over a few terraces and planted crops of maize, sweet and white potatoes, sugar cane, beans, peppers, tree tomatoes, and gooseberries."

I found these five photos from 1911:

Photo 1: On the right the little boy (from one of the 3 Indian families?) that showed the way.

Corn (?) on the far right. 

Photo 2:  The restored house of one of the 3 Indian families. Which family? The third family?

Photo 3. One of the three Indian families. Which one?

Photo 4. Crop area. One of the crop areas? Which family?

Photo 5. Vegetable garden. One of the vegetable garden? From which family?

And this quote (page 163):

"Actually three families were living in the ruins. Bingham did not learn the farmers' names till the following year, and then the names only of two of them. The location of Richarte's and Alvarez's huts was marked on the survey map made in 1912 and appears to have been near the site of the later tourist hotel. The third family lived in a rehabilitated ruin at a higher elevation."

Well I found more than nothing but still thinking ... there must be more somewhere hidden in archives. Where? What?