Timothy Lawton

1/25/2007
No T.V. and no T.V. makes Timmy think a lot more
No wife and no wife makes Timmy think about whores
But be disappointed in the end
Sure they know how to bend but not love
They know what to tend yet, but not what to touch
They find the parts but not the heart
They know the moves but not the grooves and only know where to start
So no T.V. and no wife make Timmy something something
And no T.V. and no wife make Timmy something something
But not again
When will my insanity ever end?
No T.V. and No T.V. make me
Something something
no wife and no life
leave me suffering

1/17/2007

God, sometimes I feel as if I’m in the depths of the ocean
In the darkness beyond the light
Crushed by the waters of experience
The only life down here trickles in from up above
That world where people live
I’m alive, but I have nothing of my own
It’s as if I’m a social parasite
Leeching off the blood of others
No triumphs of my own
No smiles are mine
Frustration is my brood
Lonlieness my possession
The only life I see is from the lights of others
Time is a burden, memory a pain
Trying not to expect to be disappointed again
Hope has made me look the fool a thousand times
Truth has revealed the darkness of humanity
Goodness is not the heart of men
Their light is a burning flame that reduces all around it to ash
Their reality a lie
When they smile it’s evil
When they shine it’s only a reflection of fire
Maybe I should content myself with the frigid black of the abyss
Their false light is only an image of demonic thoughts
Their surface world has never known the rays of the Son
May I close my eyes and know your truth
May I endure the pressure until I see your shine

8/1/1997
Once, a long, long time ago, a man ascended a mountain
But not the great mountain that stood to the east of town
No, he conquered a greater mountain
A mountain it takes more than legs and arms to climb
An edifice higher than the sky, one that cannot be seen, but only felt
Deep in his soul he felt the rocks, the rocks of want
And for years he felt those rocks, he felt them at the base of the mountain
With each rock he encountered he sought to see if he could pass, and if he could he walked on
But if he could not, he tried to find those cracks and crevices upon which he could climb
And in this way he ascended, conquered each step of the great mountain he had inside
Deep within his soul
Yes, deep within his soul he felt the boulders multiples and times larger than the rocks
It took him so many years to conquer the boulders of granite, hardened with pride, amplified with self-confidence
By now when he looked back he could see the valley below him
The wind whipped past his face blowing with impunity on the bare side of the mountain’s middle
Then he would look up the steep and treacherous terrain ahead with determination, examining each of these massive obstacles that obstructed his path for some way around
And if he could not walk he sought those cracks and crevices, or other means, by which he might ascend
Moving slowly in the thinning air, but steadily higher and higher, until that day he passed the trials of the boulders deep within his soul
Yes, deep within his soul he felt that icy peak of doubt
Cold and obscured by clouds except on those bright sunny days of honesty when the truth of the light revealed in a glistening white sheen his final impediments
Now he looked back and the valley below him was but one of many
And the wind whipped at him in a ferocious attempt to throw him back down from whence he came

Then he looked up and saw the sky, and his path there was blocked by on more set of steep and slippery terrain
Planning each step, every placement of his hand, persistently orchestrating each move of his grueling ascent, until that day he finally set foot as high as he could go
Resting safely on the pinnacle of faith
Though he slipped occasionally, and had to climb his way back up, he spent most of the days of the rest of his life above the rock ridge and ice of this mountain in the depths of his soul
Yes the depths of his soul
All the townspeople with which he lived regarded him as a saint, but he said no
That they were just climbing and that he still fought to keep his balance and not fall down
Yet, upon his death they sought a way to remember him
A way to remind themselves of his journey, and theirs’ also
High up, high on the icy peak to the east of town, they erected a cross of gold and it shone brightly in the sun, always bringing the townspeople to recall his journey, and their own, as well
Years and years passed, and one day the townspeople decided that such a large cross of gold was a waste as a simple reminder, no less when they could only see it on sunny bright clear days
Why not cast one of silver and place it on the middle of the Mountain?
Then they could use the extra money to build a theatre, fountains, or some other monuments to brighten up the town
The one’s they had were just not up with the current style and they seemed so poor compared to the other villages around
So they set about their plan to retrieve the gold cross and replace it with the cross of silver
Then later, many more years passed and the townspeople felt belittled in the reflections of the silver cross’ rays beaming from the middle of the mountain
Had not each of them conquered their own mountain
Had they not each, in their own way, conquered the pinnacle of faith
As they sipped from the golden goblets their forefathers had forged from the golden cross
So, it was decided that they should take down the silver cross and make practical use of it as had been done with the cross that had gone before

And to keep with tradition they would add a wooden cross to replace it, but when they tried to ascend    the slope they kept slipping on the rocks and couldn’t even get up to the boulders carrying this cross
So, this time they just placed it where they stood
Just a little lower than the steeple in town
Then years later, the townspeople thought the cross was a symbol of a bygone age
Only charlatans and fools believed in faith
So, they walked up to the mountains’ base looked up in despair at what had become just two wooden stakes
And the townspeople had a Sunday cookout with the boards they set ablaze

One of the greatest crises looming over mankind today is energy. The world economy is based on oil and the supply of oil is finite. Obviously if society is to continue to function we have to, not only change how we use energy, but find alternative sources to oil. The remaining reserves of oil are irrelevant due to its’ byproduct of greenhouse gases and the fact that the money we use to buy oil is largely being used to help our enemies attack us. Thus far alternative energy sources seem to be elusive. Private investment into the research to solve this problem is good, but something else is needed if we are to address this problem before it reaches a critical point. Failure to do so will lead to catastrophic wars over energy resources and diminishing agricultural products and clean water. The possible answer to this crisis is the creation of a project to find alternative fuels similar to the Manhattan project during WWII in which the U.S. government developed the atomic bomb.

A number of considerations need to be looked at in order to form such a program. Funding, what to research, and how to implement the distribution and use of new energy resources are paramount. Looking at this problem urgently is a necessity for America, the fact that we are only 5% of the world’s population and consume 25% of its’ oil stresses this reality. Something has to change if our country and the world are to manage to survive.

Funding of such a project could come from a number of sources. The state and federal governments already invest some tax money in this area, but this alone will not suffice. Raising taxes is not reasonable because it will only add to the stresses the economy is already enduring. Therefore other means of funding an energy project are necessary. Tax breaks for both research and results would be the most desirable. The exact details of such a source of funding would have to be worked out by politicians and those who would participate in the program. Tax incentives for research can be based on the dollars invested by corporations at a one to one or two to one basis. Result oriented incentives can be based on the percentage of what any new fuel reduces our dependency on imported oil.

The federal government’s main role in this project would be to establish a council or agency that would oversee the various operations. The most important purpose of this body would be to prevent   unnecessary duplication of scientific inquiry. The vast number of researchers and types of fuel will certainly lead to a significant organization problem. Gaining cooperation between these disparate groups would greatly facilitate the research process.

If the U.S. were to seriously consider this endeavor we would need to decide what forms of energy we would consider. We would also need to look at other nations that have embarked on such projects. Brazil and Iceland are two such examples. Iceland has an enormous potential to tap geothermal energy that exists beneath their island. Their experience could be a helpful teacher but their small population and size limit our ability to extrapolate from their efforts. Brazil on the other hand can teach us a lot. They made a move to ethanol and biodiesel after the oil crises in the 1970’s. Their energy independence is exemplary, but their reliance on a single replacement has lead to new pollution problems caused by their choice of alternative fuel.

I believe the answer to this challenge is diversity. The worst result of our use of fossil fuels has been the immense release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If we replace oil with a single alternative we are almost certain to destabilize the environment with some new byproduct from that fuel source. Allowing a number of fuels and power sources to work their way into our economy would permit the most positive results. Every region should maximize the resources available locally and supplement it with engineered fuels.

What power generators should we choose?  I’m open to all but one choice, nuclear power. Nano technology, geothermal, tidal, wind, biodiesel, methanol, ethanol, solar, and hydropower are all essential research subjects. We need to especially find ways to explore fuel initiation from natural self -existing processes. Nuclear power has great rewards in terms of power but its’ waste and dangers are just too hot to handle. Tell me when has mankind ever made a machine with which he hasn’t had an accident? All of the other fuels I have mentioned have the potential to be managed in a relatively safe manner.

So what alternative means of existence would I try? What ways would I alter what we do now? Transportation has become an integral part of society, goods are being moved by autos on land and ships at sea, lighter than air vehicles could potentially reduce our reliance on such means. Trees can be planted in highway mediums and malls. We can find out ways to make things in such a way that we throw very little out. Garbage disposal is a gargantuan task. It’s a waste to pile acre after acre of society’s discard. Increasing our ability to recycle and our use of recycled materials would also reduce our energy consumption.  Finding a way to coordinate this nationally is essential. Fuel must be available and affordable. America must act now and invest in the future. We have to demand that we create an atmosphere of invention. Life or death depends upon what we do now.

Sincerely Timothy Lawton

7/23/1999

Delirium, deleterium I made a rhyme
Melancholy grim jolly in flying time
Apocalypse now and tomorrow
Rattles and clips two polar sorrows
But, why all the vague attroceties?
All our vices and curiosities just seem to produce
The infinite deduce of every individual
Residual accumulations yield rapid sensations
That never last
No future no past
Just today
That is not the way
But, more importantly what is?
The question of the universe
Or, simply not to make it worse
Constitution
Revolution
I have no revolt
I do not aim to overthrow
But, only to build up
Beautify, runneth over the cup
So, why is the world so poor?
I think it’s what the others hoard
Why am I so rich?
I think it might be what I pinch
So, I made a whole slew of rhymes
Sometimes it’s the fleeting that doesn’t lie